South Africa: Human Rights Commission to convene advertising industry inquiry The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has announced that it expects to convene an inquiry into allegations of racial discrimination within the advertising industry next year. The inquiry is expected to sit during the last week of February 2022. According to the SAHRC, the inquiry comes on the back of the fighting and publication of advertisements that have caused uproar from within the industry and society because of racist undertones. In order to avoid the publication of another tone-deaf racist or discriminatory advert, and to ensure [the promotion] of respect for human rights, a culture of human rights, and protection, development and attainment of human rights, the Commission will undertake an investigation, into, amongst other aspects, the creation and publication of adverts and the people involved. The commission said following the inquiry, medium to long term interventions will be drafted for the industry. [These] will instil a culture of human rights and produce mechanisms that promote equality and prevent unfair discrimination, and, in doing so, prevent the publication of racist, sexist, tribalist, homophobic, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic or ableist advertisements. The SAHRC has invited members of the public, advertising agencies, retailers, regulatory bodies, marketers, organisations, government departments and entities and interest groups to make written submissions to the Commission in this regard. The deadline for submissions is Friday, 31 January 2022. Written submissions may be submitted via email at Inquiry@sahrc.org.za, fax at 011 403 0668 or hand delivered to 1st Floor, 27 Stiemens Street, JD House, Braamfontein SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-10-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Police officers killed in Mpumalanga, Gauteng Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, has sent condolences to the family of Warrant Officer Jan Christoffel Esterhuysen, who was killed on Saturday evening during a roadblock in Khutsong, in the West Rand. In a statement, Gauteng SAPS said it was reported that a 20-year-old driver failed to stop at the roadblock, hitting a stationary vehicle and Esterhuysen, who was controlling the traffic. The suspect tried to flee the scene but other members managed to stop him and it was established that he was drunk. Esterhuysen was rushed to hospital where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries, said provincial SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili. Esterhuysen was stationed at the Fochville Visible Policing Unit. He had 27 years of loyal service in the South African Police Service. Mawela commended the contribution Esterhuysen made to the organisation during his years in the service. Meanwhile, Mpumalanga police have launched a manhunt for murder suspects after an incident in which two people were fatally shot next to a liquor outlet on Saturday. One of the victims was Detective Constable Nkosinathi Lucky Ngwenya and civilian Jaftha Mnisi, aged 35. Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said the incident was brought to the attention of the authorities by Hightech Security Company officials. It was indicated that two people were shot. Upon arrival at the scene, SAPS members as well as paramedics discovered two lifeless bodies of males with multiple gunshot wounds. They were unfortunately certified dead whilst some empty cartridges were retrieved at the scene. A case with two counts of murder was opened, with the launch of a manhunt for the suspects, said Mdhluli. The SAPS member was off duty during the time of the incident and he was attached to Detective Services in Nelspruit. The motive for the killing is unknown at this stage. Circumstances surrounding the said incident will form part of the probe. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-10-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Presidential Employment Stimulus moves to second phase President Cyril Ramaphosa says the launch of the second phase of the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) represents great progress in governments quest to create job opportunities for unemployed South Africans. The President was addressing the nation through his weekly newsletter on Monday. The employment stimulus was established last year in response to the devastating impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on employment. The President said the PES required new and innovative ways of working to implement programmes at an unprecedented speed and scale. He applauded the use of new technologies in offering employment opportunities for making recruitment much easier, quicker and more transparent. The recruitment process of the many people who were unemployed made use of digital platforms to reach as many eligible participants as possible. For example, small-scale farmers were able to apply for support via USSD and receive input vouchers on their cell phones. Since the Department of Basic Education opened applications for the next cohort of school assistants just two weeks ago, over 940 000 young people have applied via the zero-rated recruitment platform called SAYouth.mobi, which forms part of the national Pathway Management Network, the President said. As part of phase two, the President said government is establishing a Social Employment Fund that will support work for the common good, led by community organisations in areas as diverse as urban agriculture, public art, informal settlement upgrading and community safety. In the midst of the severe economic setback caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, public and social employment has provided an important stimulus to job creation. This is the implementation of our commitment that the State should actively support employment while the labour market recovers, he said. President Ramaphosa has commended the PES for bringing young people into the labour force in far greater numbers in an unprecedented manner in a short space of time. He said that some 84% of the participants in phase one were young people under the age of 35, and two-thirds were women. In phase two, we expect this number to be even higher, as the stimulus will provide almost R1 billion in funding for the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention. As part of the intervention, several young people will be recruited into a revitalised National Youth Service. Young people will receive training in digital skills and youth-owned enterprises will receive support to expand and hire, President Ramaphosa said. Importance of social partnership The President said the employment stimulus has shown the importance of social partnership, with government, business, labour and civil society coming together to bring those who are unemployed into the economy. More than half a million South Africans have already benefitted from the first phase, with several programmes still underway. The success of the Presidential Employment Stimulus has shown that when we work together, move with speed, think creatively and manage our resources well, we can make a huge impact. The PES has demonstrated that we can create jobs if we work together as the public sector, labour, community and government, President Ramaphosa said. He said participants were given the opportunity to earn a livelihood, to learn new skills and upgrade existing ones, and to use their experience as a springboard to get another job or to self-employment. For example, he said a number of participants appointed by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure in its phase one programmes were able to secure private sector employment by the end of March 2021. Many of those in the first cohort of school assistants have found their way into employment, armed with experience, training and references. The President said the programmes implemented through the employment stimulus have also benefited communities more broadly. The focus has been on job creation in sectors with direct social impact such as education, food security, public infrastructure maintenance and environmental protection. Through PES, young people were employed to support and assist teachers in our schools. Others were employed to build bridges in rural communities. Many Early Childhood Development Centres were helped to survive and reopen. Subsistence farmers were supported to expand production, and environmental assets such as rivers and wetlands were restored and maintained, President Ramaphosa said. He added that the PES has also enabled and facilitated cooperation in the public sector. Programmes in phase one were implemented by 11 national departments and their activities were aligned to avoid duplication and wastage, and enhance learning from the experience of others, he said. The Statesman has reiterated that unemployment remains a crisis in the country. We cannot afford endless delays in addressing this problem because of bureaucratic red-tape, outdated recruitment processes, lack of capacity and planning, or programmes that are short-lived or unsustainable. I have no doubt that the next phase of the Presidential Employment Stimulus will bring us even closer to meeting our collective goal of decent work and opportunity for all, President Ramaphosa said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-10-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hong Kong: Policy Address measures highlighted Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau today briefed members of the Trade & Industry Advisory Board on initiatives related to commerce and trade in the 2021 Policy Address. Mr Yau said the Policy Address focuses on integration into national development and states that the developments of Hong Kong and the nation are closely related. While the nation is the major growth engine and driving force for the global economy, the 14th Five-Year Plan, the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Qianhai plan, the economic development pattern of not only greater domestic circulation but also domestic and international dual circulation, as well as the Belt & Road Initiative have brought unlimited opportunities for enterprises and professional services providers in Hong Kong. The city must seize these opportunities and leverage its advantages, Mr Yau noted. During the meeting, the commerce chief stressed that Hong Kong would continue to be a staunch supporter of free trade and strive to explore more trade opportunities for businesses. It aims to achieve the goal by participating actively in the affairs of the World Trade Organization and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, seeking early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, setting up more overseas economic and trade offices and seeking more liberalisation measures for Hong Kong enterprises under the framework of the Mainland & Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement. He added that Hong Kong would also work with Mainland organisations to attract foreign investment, promote multilateral co-operation along the Belt & Road and open overseas markets under the national strategy of dual circulation. Mr Yau also highlighted the support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Policy Address. The Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation will launch the Export Credit Guarantee Scheme on a pilot basis early next year and offer a more flexible indemnity ratio to enhance insurance coverage and expedite credit limit approvals, so that SMEs will be in a better position to secure orders and market share. Moreover, an additional $35 billion of financial commitment for the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme has been approved to extend the application period of the Special 100% Guarantee Product from the end of this year to June 30 next year. This will help enterprises affected by the epidemic to obtain commercial financing and resolve the liquidity problem, Mr Yau said. On the convention and exhibition industry, the Government has extended the validity period of the Convention & Exhibition Industry Subsidy Scheme for six months to the end of 2022 and will expand relevant facilities in the long run. Funds have also been allocated under the scheme to provide a one-off immediate relief to eligible private exhibition organisers, he added. This story has been published on: 2021-10-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Government continues efforts to assist migrant children Unaccompanied and separated migrant children from the Kids Haven shelter have extended their gratitude to the South African government for granting them refugee status and allowing them access to education and basic needs. The migrant children penned emotional letters to express their gratitude and relay their stories of why they fled their countries of origin, and how they ended up in South Africa. The letters were read on Monday during a panel discussion hosted by the Department of Social Development focusing on services rendered for unaccompanied and separated migrant children in South Africa. Kids Haven is a Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC) in Benoni, which protects and cares for children in crisis by sheltering, educating and training them. In one of the letters, a 19-year-old Ugandan male shared how he fled his country with his older brother who was arrested by police in Zimbabwe, leaving him to fend for himself. He kept going on without his brother, and had to cross the Limpopo river alone. I was lost and worried how my life was going to turn out in a country I didnt know. I kept on going and ended up in Pretoria where I slept on the streets. I then met someone with whom I shared my story, and they advised that I report myself to the Social Development Department. I thank Kids Haven for supporting me through my education and providing a home for me. I am now doing Grade 12 and I promise to bring distinctions at the end of the year. The challenge is that I am still undocumented, the letter read. The 19-year-old said he wants to become a Chartered Accountant, and he strongly believes that he will achieve that if he is supported to get legal documents. In another letter, a 20-year-old from the Democratic Republic of Congo extended his gratitude to the South African government and Kids Haven for making his journey a good one as an undocumented migrant child. Thanks to the love, shelter and educational support that me and my two young sisters get from Kids Haven. I would like to thank the government of SA for granting us refugee status in the country, hence I can now pursue my dream of becoming a professional boxer while doing plumbing on the side, the letter read. Join effort During his opening remarks, Dr Tebogo Mabe said programmes to protect unaccompanied migrant children have been gradually implemented by the State. He acknowledged that providing protection for this group of children is not easy, as most of them travel secretly and cross international borders irregularly, thus making it difficult for them to report abuses they are subjected to. The nature of child migration means a considerable number of children remain invisible and go undetected by the child care and protection system, despite their high vulnerability, Mabe said. He said the State has embarked on inter-sectoral efforts to assist these children, as no one department can manage and take the responsibility alone. Mabe said concerted efforts by government are displayed where each department takes it responsibility towards their mandate in rendering services to these children. Chief Education Specialist from the Department of Basic Education, Nkosana Thakgedi, said the services offered to a migrant child in a South African school are the same as those offered to any other child that is admitted into the SA schooling system. In terms of the admission of learners who are not South African citizens, the right to education extends to everyone within the boundaries of South Africa. The nationality and immigration status is immaterial, he said. The Department of Social Developments Lillian Thobejane emphasised that as long as a child is in South Africa, they have the same rights as the children of the country. She said the Childrens Act caters indiscriminately for all children, including migrants. To make things even practical on the operational level, the department ensured that there is service delivery by initiating and developing policies to clarify the provision of care and protection services specifically to migrant children, Thobejane said. She said in the 2020/21 financial year, the department, in conjunction with UNICEF, conducted an audit of all unaccompanied and separated migrants in alternative care, with the intention of knowing how big is the problem and how best to assist these children. DSD alone cannot adequately address the plight of migrant children and as such, we are part of collaborative platforms that seek to address the challenges experienced by this group of children and also to improve service delivery to them, she said. UNICEFs Hellen Nyangoya said South Africa is a major destination for children on the move. As a result of all this, in 2019, the Department of Social Development, the European Union, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF and partners joined a global partnership to champion the rights of children on the move by launching the global promotion of best practices for children in migration in South Africa, she said. The global initiative is being implemented in Mexico, El Salvador, Zambia and South Africa. The project started on 20 October 2020 and will end on 20 April 2023. The overall objective of the project is to protect and help realise the rights of children on the move. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-10-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: R40 billion committed to reignite Vaal economy At least R40 billion in investments has been committed by foreign and local investors towards the transformation and reigniting of the Sedibeng District economy in Gauteng. The commitments were made during the inaugural Sedibeng Investment Conference and could spell the creation of at least 170 000 jobs. Addressing the conference on Friday, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said the gathering had the potential to be a game changer if the commitments made are followed through and the investments are brought to fruition. We must warn ourselvesthat history may be very harsh on us if this becomes a talk shop. Future generations may look at this and say, Like many conferences, they met, they made speeches, they made pledges and nothing came of it. So we come together not because we want speeches but because we want change. We want to drive real change, Makhura said. Makhura said the area which includes the Emfuleni, Lesedi and Midvaal Local Municipalities has huge, hidden economic potential, which all three spheres of government want to unlock. One of the areas that he said his government is looking forward to unlocking lies in green energy. This should be the hub of the development of the hydrogen economy in Gauteng and as its the birthplace of [the provinces] industrialisation that is called dirty industry, [then] this must be the birthplace of green industrialisation, he said. Makhura said cannabis farming is also an industry that they will be targeting for growth in the area. There is potential to bring in new emerging farmers into the cannabis economy, principally for export, including processing. Other industries and sectors that are part of the reigniting of the Vaal economy include agro-processing, agribusiness, food and beverage, transport and logistics, and tourism and hospitality. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-10-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Motshekga boosts fight for non-sexist society Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has called on men and women to never cease to fight for a non-sexist society with a deep respect for its women and girl children. If we fail, the struggle for womens total emancipation will regress to the detriment of the national cause to free the potential of each one of us, Motshekga said. Motshekga made the call when she was delivering a memorial lecture on the life and times of Mama Charlotte Maxeke held at The Glen High School in Pretoria. The lecture was presented in the context of the United Nations inspired International Day of the Girl Child commemorated last week. Government has declared 2021 the Year of Charlotte Maxeke, and is being commemorated under the theme, The Year of Charlotte Maxeke: In celebration of the 150th birthday anniversary of Mme Charlotte Mannya Maxeke. Motshekga said the best way to honour the struggle stalwart is to free the potential of each girl child, each woman and liberate men from their unearned vantage point of male privilege. If we did not aim to smash the engrained system of patriarchy, male chauvinism and win the war against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), Mama Charlotte Maxekes fervent contribution to the national cause of national liberation would have been in vain, Motshekga said. To keep Maxekes memory alive and continue the fight for the liberation of the girl child, Motshekga said the department has registered some notable successes, however, the work is not complete. I still call upon more collaboration and scaling of some of our excellent policy-driven initiatives. We will not tire until our mission of gender empowerment for the girl child is achieved. Our operational framework on Care and Support for Teaching and Learning places the child at the centre, with a deliberate bias towards vulnerable girl children, Motshekga said. Liberating children The Minister highlighted governments initiatives and policy positions, through the Department of Basic Education, that seek to liberate children, honour women and smash the system of patriarchy. These include, among others, the Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) formation, which focuses on providing Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), linkages to health and social services, homework assistance, and career guidance. The programmes are implemented in 14 districts with high HIV prevalence. The Minister said over 500 000 learners have received Comprehensive Sexuality Education. We have placed over 4 000 Learner Support Agents (LSAs) in schools to scale up sexuality education and act as partners to link learners to services. The Adolescent Girls and Young Women coverage will extend to 60% of education districts by 2022. In 2019, we developed standard operating procedures for the provision of sexual reproductive health services in secondary schools. The SOPs are aligned to the Integrated School Health Policy, which provides guidance on on-site services at schools, Motshekga said. Learner pregnancy The DBE has also developed the Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools, which aims to support the rights of learners to education, in case they fall pregnant. The policy guides schools on supporting and managing pregnancy cases to eliminate discrimination and exclusion of pregnant learners from their studies. Motshekga reported that Cabinet has adopted the revised Basic Education Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools as a pushback against men in fancy suits who impregnate girls as young as 10 years. This revised policy seeks to ensure the accessible provision of information on pregnancy prevention, care for the pregnant, counselling and choice of termination of pregnancy, amongst others. Furthermore, it provides for the upscaling of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education as a crucial part of school curricula to safeguard learners sexual and reproductive health rights. National Strategic Plan on GBVF In 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the National Strategic Plan on Gender-based Violence and Femicide. Motshekga said the department already had in place various policies to address the safety of girl learners. These include the Protocol for the Management and Reporting of Sexual Abuse and Harassment in Schools, the National School Safety Framework, and the Protocol to Deal with Incidences of Corporal Punishment in Schools. The strategic plan on GBV came when the country experienced a sudden spike in GBV cases in the earlier parts of the hard COVID-19 lockdown. We bemoaned the rise in GBV cases, and our girl children were caught in the quagmire; it reinforced our contention that girls are safer in schools than at home. Currently, we are finalising the Guidelines for the social inclusion of the LGBTQ+ schooling community. This initiative is a collective effort with civil society organisations so that all children, irrespective of gender identity and sexual orientation, can realise their constitutional right to education, the Minister said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-10-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. RTHK: Tributes to Powell, first black US secretary of state Colin Powell, the first black US secretary of state and top military officer, died on Monday at the age of 84 due to complications from Covid-19. He was fully vaccinated, his family said in a statement on Facebook. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," his family said, offering thanks to the staff of the hospital near Washington, DC who treated Powell but providing few details about his illness. Powell was one of America's most prominent black figures for decades. He served three Republican presidents in senior posts and reached the top of the US military as it was regaining its vigour after the trauma of the Vietnam War. In a brief statement, the Powell family said he had died on Monday morning from Covid-19, had been fully vaccinated against the disease, and it thanked the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center near Washington. It did not address such matters as what vaccine he received or whether he had gotten a booster shot, when he fell ill, when he may have been admitted to hospital and whether he may have had underlying health conditions that contributed to his illness. Condolences poured in, including from former US president George W Bush. "Many presidents relied on General Powell's counsel and experience," Bush wrote in a statement. "He was such a favorite of presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice." Powell served as US national security adviser under President Ronald Reagan from 1987 to 1989. As a four-star Army general, he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George HW Bush during the 1991 Gulf War in which US-led forces expelled Iraqi troops from neighboring Kuwait. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2021-10-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. RTHK: US to miss Russia's Afghan talks The United States said it will not join talks on Afghanistan announced for this Tuesday by Russia that will include two other key players, China and Pakistan. The State Department blamed logistical issues but said it considered the Russian-led forum "constructive". "We look forward to engaging in that forum going forward, but we're not in a position to take part this week," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Monday. Russian envoy Zamir Kabulov on Friday announced the four-nation talks in Moscow, saying they would aim to "work out a common position on the changing situation in Afghanistan." Russia, China and Pakistan have been among the most active nations in engaging the Taliban since the Islamists took over Afghanistan in August during the US pullout after 20 years of war. The United States has been encouraging nations not to recognize the Taliban government, hoping for leverage on key issues of concern including the rights of women and girls. Price declined to explain the logistical issues that prevented the United States from attending. The talks come amid an intensifying dispute over the number of diplomats the United States is allowed to accredit in Moscow, although Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin at a June summit agreed to seek cooperation where possible on other areas. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2021-10-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 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 The Undocumented Microsoft "Rich" Header SUMMARY: There is a bizarre undocumented structure that exists only in Microsoft-produced executables. You may have never noticed the structure even if you've scanned past it a thousand times in a hex dump. This linker-generated structure is present in millions of EXE, DLL and driver modules across the globe built after the late 90's. This was when proprietary features were introduced into both Microsoft compilers and the Microsoft Linker to facilitate its generation. If you view the first 256 bytes of almost any module built with Microsoft development tools (such as Visual C++) or those that ship with the Windows operating system, such as KERNEL32.DLL from Windows XP SP3 (shown below), you can easily spot the signature in a hex viewer. Just look for the word "Rich" after the sequence "This program cannot be run in DOS mode": 00000000 4d 5a 90 00 03 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 ff ff 00 00 MZ.............. <--DOS header 00000010 b8 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........@....... 00000020 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ 00000030 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 f0 00 00 00 ................ 00000040 0e 1f ba 0e 00 b4 09 cd 21 b8 01 4c cd 21 54 68 ........!..L.!Th <--DOS STUB 00000050 69 73 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 20 63 61 6e 6e 6f is program canno 00000060 74 20 62 65 20 72 75 6e 20 69 6e 20 44 4f 53 20 t be run in DOS 00000070 6d 6f 64 65 2e 0d 0d 0a 24 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 mode....$....... 00000080 17 86 20 aa 53 e7 4e f9 53 e7 4e f9 53 e7 4e f9 .. .S.N.S.N.S.N. <--Start of "Rich" Header 00000090 53 e7 4f f9 d9 e6 4e f9 90 e8 13 f9 50 e7 4e f9 S.O...N.....P.N. 000000A0 90 e8 12 f9 52 e7 4e f9 90 e8 10 f9 52 e7 4e f9 ....R.N.....R.N. 000000B0 90 e8 41 f9 56 e7 4e f9 90 e8 11 f9 8e e7 4e f9 ..A.V.N.......N. 000000C0 90 e8 2e f9 57 e7 4e f9 90 e8 14 f9 52 e7 4e f9 ....W.N.....R.N. 000000D0 52 69 63 68 53 e7 4e f9 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Rich S.N. ........ <--End of "Rich" header 000000E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ 000000F0 50 45 00 00 4c 01 04 00 2c a1 02 48 00 00 00 00 PE..L...,..H.... <--PE header When present, the "Rich" signature (DWORD value 0x68636952) can be found sandwiched (maybe "camouflaged" is a better word) between the DOS and PE headers of a Windows PE (portable executable) image. I say camouflaged, because it appears, perhaps by Microsoft's original design, to be part of the 16-bit DOS stub code, which it is not. Since many programmer probably weren't versed with 16-bit assembly even when Microsoft introduced this structure, you could argue the decision to embed something at this particular location in every executable was certainly a strategic one to help it hide in plain sight. In Microsoft-linked executables, not only does the DOS mode string begin at predictable offset 0x4E, but the "Rich" structure always seems to appear at offset 0x80; this makes sense as the DOS header has probably been hardcoded for quite some time. Oddly enough, the "Rich" signature actually marks the end of the structure's data, whose size varies. Therefore the position of the signature as well as the total size of the structure changes from module to module. The 32-bit value that follows the signature not only marks the end of the structure itself, it happens to be the key that is used to decrypt the structure's data. Following this structure is the PE header, with a handful of zero-padded bytes in between. Since this is an undocumented "feature" of the Microsoft linker, it is not surprising that there is no known option to disable it, short of patching (discussed below). At the time of discovery, all executables built using Microsoft language tools contained this structure (e.g. Visual C++, Visual Basic 6.x and below, MASM, etc.) causing many developers to fear the worst. Two "seemingly" identical installations of Visual Studio building the same source code appeared to produce executables with differing "Rich" headers. This combined with the fact that the structure was encrypted led many to the assumption that Microsoft was embedding personally identifiable information, ultimately allowing any given executable to be traced back to the machine it was built with. An old 2007 post on the Note that while this structure is present in some .NET executables, it is not present in those that do not make use of the Microsoft linker. For example, an application composed purely of .NET Intermediate Language such as C# does not contain this structure. For any given executable module, you can check for the existence of the "Rich" header (in addition to viewing the decoded fields) using the Before jumping to any conclusions, lets see what Microsoft is hiding here. AN ARRAY OF NUMERIC VALUES: First off, the "Rich" header really isn't a header at all. It is a self-contained chunk of data that doesn't reference anything else in the executable and nothing else in the executable references it. The structure was unofficially referred to as a header because it happens to reside in PE header area. The structure happens to be little more than an array of 32-bit (DWORD) values between two markers. If one so chooses, the structure can even be safely zeroed-out from the executable without affecting any functionality. Just ensure you update the PE OptionalHeader's checksum if you alter any bytes in the file; although this is not necessary if the checksum field is zero (disabled). Automated removal is possible through the In the KERNEL32.DLL sample above, the DWORD following the "Rich" sequence happens to have the value 0xF94EE753. This is the XOR key stored by and calculated by the linker. It is actually a checksum of the DOS header with the e_lfanew (PE header offset) zeroed out, and additionally includes the values of the unencrypted "Rich" array. Using a checksum with encryption will not only obfuscate the values, but it also serves as a rudimentary digital signature. If the checksum is calculated from scratch once the values have been decrypted, but doesn't match the stored key, it can be assumed the structure had been tampered with. For those that go the extra step to recalculate the checksum/key, this simple protection mechanism can be bypassed. To decrypt the array, start with the DWORD just prior to the "Rich" sequence and XOR it with the key. Continue the loop backwards, 4 bytes at a time, until the sequence "DanS" (0x536E6144) is decrypted. This value marks the start of the structure, and in practice always seems to reside at offset 0x80. I think a lot of tools that parse the "Rich" structure rely on it starting at offset 0x80. I'd personally recommend against relying on this fact and parsing backwards from the "Rich" signature as described above to handle situations where this may not be the case. Since this is an undocumented structure, I think its best to avoid any assumptions such as hardcoded offsets, especially since you must search for the signature "Rich" anyway. With that said, I have yet to encounter an executable where offset 0x80 is not the start; that is, if the structure is present at all. Following the decoding procedure using the KERNEL32.DLL sample shown above, we end up with following "Rich" structure where all values have been decrypted, and the array is listed beginning at offset 0x80 in ascending order: OFFSET DATA ------ ---------- 0080 0x536E6144 //"DanS" signature (decrypted) / START MARKER 0084 0x00000000 //padding 0088 0x00000000 //padding 008C 0x00000000 //padding 0090 0x00010000 //1st id/value pair entry #1 0094 0x0000018A //1st use count id1=0,uses=394 0098 0x005D0FC3 //2nd id/value pair entry #2 009C 0x00000003 //2nd use count id93=4035,uses=3 00A0 0x005C0FC3 //3rd id/value pair entry #3 00A4 0x00000001 //3rd use count id92=4035,uses=1 00A8 0x005E0FC3 //4th id/value pair entry #4 00AC 0x00000001 //4th use count id94=4035,uses=1 00B0 0x000F0FC3 //5th id/value pair entry #5 00B4 0x00000005 //5th use count id15=4035,uses=5 00B8 0x005F0FC3 //6th id/value pair entry #6 00BC 0x000000DD //6th use count id95=4035,uses=221 00C0 0x00600FC3 //7th id/value pair entry #7 00C4 0x00000004 //7th use count id96=4035,uses=4 00C8 0x005A0FC3 //8th id/value pair entry #8 00CC 0x00000001 //8th use count id90=4035,uses=1 00D0 0x68636952 //"Rich" signature END MARKER 00D4 0xF94EE753 //XOR key The array stores entries that are 8-bytes each, broken into 3 members. Each entry represents either a tool that was employed as part of building the executable or a statistic. You'll notice there are some zero-padded DWORDs adjacent to the "DanS" start marker. In practice, Microsoft seems to have wanted the entries to begin on a 16-byte (paragraph) boundary, so the 3 leading padding DWORDs can be safely skipped as not belonging to the data. Each 8-byte entry consists of two 16-bit WORD values followed by a 32-bit DWORD. The HIGH order WORD is an id which indicates the entry type. The LOW order WORD contains the build number of the tool being represented (when applicable), or it may be set to zero. The next DWORD is a full 32-bit "use" or "occurrence" count. THE ID VALUE: The id value indicates the type of the list entry. For example, a specific id will represent OBJ files generated as a result of the use of a specific version of the C compiler. Different ids represent other tools that were also employed as part of building the final executable, such as the linker. Daniel Pistelli's article, Besides a couple exceptions which I'll explain below, the id is emitted by each compiler (or assembler) and is stored within each OBJ (and thus LIB) files linked against in the form of the "@comp.id" symbol. The "@comp.id" symbol happens to be short for "compiler build number" and "id". In fact, the DWORD value stored as the "@comp.id" symbol is the same DWORD being stored in the first half of applicable "Rich" list entries. I say applicable because not all list entries represent OBJ files. Some ids can appear more than once in the list, while others do not. The id typically represents the following statistics: OBJ count for specific C compiler (cl.exe) OBJ count for specific C++ compiler (cl.exe) OBJ count for specific assembler (ml.exe) specific linker that built module (link.exe) specific resource compiler (rc.exe), when RES file linked imported functions count MSIL modules PGO Instrumented modules and so on... Most of the entries above have an associated build number of the tool being represented, such as the compiler, assembler and linker. One exception to this is the imported functions count, which happens to be the total number of imported functions referenced in all DLLs. This is usually the only entry with a build number of zero. Note that the "Rich" structure does not store information on the number of static/private functions within each OBJ/source file. The linker entry is always last in the list and represents the linker that built the module. The resource compiler, when present, is almost always 2nd to last in the list; next to the linker. Both the linker and resource compiler are represented by a hardcoded id and build values for each linker release. For example, when a resource script is employed, the linker uses the same id/build pair even if the RES is built from a resource compiler from another version of Visual Studio! Another oddity is the build value of the resource compiler entry typically does not match the build reported by the rc.exe command line. The correlation of unique build values to specific versions of Visual Studio tools is discussed in more detail below. The linker seems to build most "Rich" structures in the following order, though not necessarily in the order appearing on the command line: Entries representing LIB files Entries representing individual OBJ files Resource Compiler Linker At first glance you might guess that each referenced LIB file would represent one entry in the list, but this is not the case. The linker may may generate one or more entries for each LIB file depending on the number of unique "@comp.id" values found within. Since a LIB file is not much more than a concatenation of OBJ files, the resulting "count" member of these entries are the number of OBJ files referenced in the final executable that contain that exact "@comp.id" value. For example, statically linking to the Standard C Library usually generates assembler and C OBJ entries because that is what constitutes the source files internally used by Microsoft to build LIBCMT.LIB. When you link against this library, the unique "@comp.id" value-pairs are tallied together and the resulting counts are written to the list. With that in mind, the "Rich" structure in KERNEL32.DLL can be annotated as follows: id1=0,uses=394 id93=4035,uses=3 id92=4035,uses=1 id94=4035,uses=1 id15=4035,uses=5 id95=4035,uses=221 id96=4035,uses=4 id90=4035,uses=1 394 imports ??? ??? 1 rc script 5 asm sources 221 C sources 4 C++ sources Linker Here's another annotated example derived from a minimal C++ application linked with a resource script and the Standard C Library built from Visual C++ 7.1: id15=6030,uses=20 id95=6030,uses=68 id93=2067,uses=2 id93=2179,uses=3 id1=0,uses=3; id96=6030,uses=1 id94=3052,uses=1 id90=6030,uses=1 20 asm sources 68 C sources ??? ??? 3 imports 1 C++ source 1 rc script Linker Below is my attempt at a partial list of decoded ids from the version 6 and 7 Visual Studio toolsets based on a little trial and error. Note that many of the ids originate from the LIB files bundled with with the associated Visual C++ SDK versions, as the linker only hardcodes a few of the entries at the end of the list. It is also common to see a reference to MASM even when MASM is not utilized directly by a project as these references are pulled in automatically by the linker or SDK LIB files. Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 SP6 ID MEANING 1 total count of imported DLL functions referenced; build number is always zero 4 seems to be associated when linking against Standard C Library DLL 19 seems to be associated when statically linking against Standard C Library 6 resource compiler; almost always last in list (when RES file used) and use-count always 1 9 count of OBJ files for Visual Basic 6.0 forms 13 count of OBJ files for Visual Basic 6.0 code 10 count of C OBJ files from specific cl.exe compiler 11 count of C++ OBJ files from specific cl.exe compiler 14 count of assembler OBJ files originating from MASM 6.13 18 count of assembler OBJ files originating from MASM 6.14 42 count of assembler OBJ files originating from MASM 6.15 Microsoft Visual Studio 7.1 SP1 ID MEANING 1 total count of imported DLL functions referenced; build number is always zero; same as in Linker versions 5.0 SP3 and 6.x 15 count of assembler OBJ files originating from MASM 7.x 90 linker; always present and always at end of list; use-count always 1 93 Always seems to be present no matter how the executable was built, but doesn't appear to originate from @comp.id symbols (???) 94 resource compiler; almost always 2nd to last in list (when RES file used) and use-count always 1 95 count of C OBJ files from specific cl.exe compiler 96 count of C++ OBJ files from specific cl.exe compiler Not only do the ids change with each major linker release (sometimes with service packs too), but newer versions of the SDK's LIB files use different and higher id numbers for the same thing, such as the C and C++ compiler. So not only do the build numbers change with each SDK, but the id identifying the type of entry also changes. Unless the idea is to make the header difficult to interpret, the id may be meant to be combined with the build number to provide a unique compiler-that-built-SDK instance statistic which could be used to trace leaked or BETA versions of tools or SDKs. The whole system might also double as another check system, where if the tool ids and reported build versions don't match known publicly released pairs, this would be another indication the entries in the list were tampered with. Without any official word from Microsoft, some of this is pure speculation. The good news is that if you are only interested in detecting modern versions of Visual Studio (7.x and up), the id member can be completely ignored! More information about detection is presented below. WHEN DID MICROSOFT INTRODUCE THE "RICH"-ENABLED LINKER? The short answer is in 1998, with Visual Studio 6.0 (LINK 6.x). The long answer is the final Service Pack for Visual Studio 5.0; that is, the version 5.10.7303 linker introduced with SP3 in 1997 was the first "Rich" capable linker. The catch was that the list this linker produced was practically empty because the compilers at the time (e.g. Visual C++ 5.x, MASM 6.12) did not yet emit the "@comp.id" symbol to the OBJ files. Not surprisingly, the LIB files that shipped with the product's SDK were also missing the "@comp.id" symbol. The result was a "Rich" structure with either a single entry for the imports, or with an additional entry to represent a compiled resource script. If you however link a Visual C++ 6.0 OBJ file with the older 5.0 SP3 (5.10.7303) linker, you will get a proper "Rich" structure because the 6.0 OBJ file contained the "@comp.id" symbol with build information. The 6.0 OBJ files were however incompatible the 5.0 SP2 and earlier linkers; if you attempted to link-in any of these modules using the older linkers, you would run in to error: LNK1106: "invalid file or disk full: cannot seek to 0xXXXXXXXX". This is an indication that in 1997, Microsoft changed the OBJ file format. In summary, the Visual C++ 5.0 SP3 linker and the linker that would be released next with Visual C++ 6.0, both supported a new type of OBJ file. Specifically, the OBJ files that would facilitate the generation of the this new "Rich" structure. CHANGELIST: PRODUCT VERSION YEAR CHANGE Visual Studio 97 (5.0) SP3 1997 First linker capable of producing "Rich" header and supporting new OBJ format to be released with the not-yet-public VC++ 6.0 compiler (cl.exe 12.x); however compiler's at the time did not yet support writing "@comp.id" to OBJ files so the list had minimal information Visual Studio 6.x 1998 Microsoft compilers, including Visual Basic now support writing "@comp.id" symbol to OBJ files; bundled SDK LIB files now contain "@comp.id" build information; as a result, executables built using the Visual C++ 6.0 compiler and linker now get the first "proper" "Rich" headers. Visual Studio 7.0 .NET (2002) 2002 Linker now appends its own entry to the list and is always last; fortunately we now have a predictable entry that is retained in future versions BUILD NUMBERS FOR DETECTION: Before continuing further, I want to stress an important point. There is little preventing someone from either tampering with or completely falsifying the "Rich" header. While this structure may provide useful information for the majority of executables, other signature methods should be utilized in conjunction where accuracy is paramount. Some of these methods may include searching for specific patterns in the headers and/or analysis of the entry-point code. For example the Borland and Watcom linkers can be identified by specific patterns unique to each from their DOS stubs. The presence of a "Rich" header, or lack thereof, doesn't mean Microsoft's linker cannot be detected by other clues. A typical version number for a Microsoft product consists of major and minor numbers (one byte each) followed by a 16-bit build number and sometimes another 16-bit sub-version number. Since we primarily have the build number for each "Rich" entry to go by, how might we distinguish a specific version of Visual Studio from this information? There are at least 3 ways: The MajorLinkerVersion and MinorLinkerVersion members of the PE's OptionalHeader can be combined with the last entry in the "Rich" list (if MajorLinkerVerion >= 7) to construct the full version of the linker. Once the linker is known, one can assume the version of Visual Studio including that linker was responsible for building the executable even if not all inputs came from this version. linker was responsible for building the executable even if not all inputs came from this version. The build numbers for each release of Visual Studio are almost completely unique which allow build numbers to identify a specific version of the toolset used; that is for id's besides the linker. The one exception I'm aware of is build number 50727. This build number was issued to public releases of both Visual Studio 2005 and 2012. As mentioned above, you might make the distinction by checking the PE MajorLinkerVersion and testing it for 8 and 11 respectively to at least determine the full version of the linker. Because the entry type ids change between releases of Visual Studio, the id in combination with the build number can be used to uniquely identify a version of Visual Studio. Based on the information above, if you want to detect versions of Visual Studio 7.0 and up, things couldn't be easier. If the MajorLinkerVersion in the PE's OptionalHeader is 7 or greater, indicating Visual Studio .NET 7.0 (2002) and up, the last entry in the list always represents the linker that built the module. If that build number corresponds to a known version of Visual Studio, you might consider it safe to assume the compiler is also from the same toolset. As for versions of Visual Studio supporting the "Rich" structure prior to 7.0, the detection rules were a little different because no linker entry was written to the end of the "Rich" list. Perhaps Microsoft figured it was enough that the PE header contained the Major and Minor version for the linker and the build number was not important enough to include. It is interesting to note that the id and build versions embedded within the publicly shipped SDK LIB files are those of non-public releases of Microsoft compilers; this makes sense because Microsoft builds its SDKs internally, but this happens to be a good thing for detection. This allows us to distinguish the SDK's compiler id/build pairs from those pairs that represent the compilers responsible for building the executable. In other words, if you know where the linker entry is and the entries that represent the SDK LIB files because they are not recognized public versions (see table below), the only thing left are the compiler entries we want to use for detection! You will then be able to determine the language used to build an executable, whether it be C, C++, MASM or all in combination in addition to the toolset version of each. All of this is assuming you want to use the build numbers alone for detection rather than hardcoding the differing tool ids per version of Visual Studio to combine with the build numbers. Going back to the KERNEL32.DLL example above, we can see the last entry's build number is 4035 which corresponds to one of the known public Microsoft 7.1 linkers. Using a lookup table, such as that shown below, applications can use this information to correlate [mostly] unique build numbers to known Microsoft Visual Studio toolsets. MASM 6.x BUILDS BUILD PRODUCT VERSION 7299 6.13.7299 8444 6.14.8444 8803 6.15.8803 9030 6.15.9030 (VS.NET 7.0 BETA 1) Visual Basic 6.0 BUILDS BUILD PRODUCT VERSION 8169 6.0 (also reported with SP1 and SP2) 8495 6.0 SP3 8877 6.0 SP4 8964 6.0 SP5 9782 6.0 SP6 (same as reported by VC++ but different id) VISUAL STUDIO BUILDS BUILD PRODUCT VERSION CL VERSION LINK VERSION 8168 6.0 (RTM, SP1 or SP2) 12.00.8168 6.00.8168 8447 6.0 SP3 12.00.8168 6.00.8447 8799 6.0 SP4 12.00.8804 6.00.8447 8966 6.0 SP5 12.00.8804 6.00.8447 9044 6.0 SP5 Processor Pack 12.00.8804 6.00.8447 9782 6.0 SP6 12.00.8804 6.00.8447 9030 7.0 2000 (BETA 1) 13.00.9030 7.00.9030 9254 7.0 2001 (BETA 2) 13.00.9254 7.00.9254 9466 7.0 2002 13.00.9466 7.00.9466 9955 7.0 2002 SP1 13.00.9466 7.00.9955 3077 7.1 2003 13.10.3077 7.10.3077 3052 7.1 2003 Free Toolkit 13.10.3052 7.10.3052 4035 7.1 2003 13.10.4035 (SDK/DDK?) 6030 7.1 2003 SP1 13.10.6030 7.10.6030 50327 8.0 2005 (Beta) ? ? 50727 (linkver 8.x) 8.0 2005 14.00.50727.42 14.00.50727.762 SP1? 21022 9.0 2008 15.00.21022 30729 9.0 2008 SP1 15.00.30729.01 30319 10.0 2010 16.00.30319 40219 10.0 2010 SP1 16.00.40219 50727 (linkver 11.x) 11.0 2012 17.00.50727 51025 11.0 2012 17.00.51025 51106 11.0 2012 update 1 17.00.51106 60315 11.0 2012 update 2 17.00.60315 60610 11.0 2012 update 3 17.00.60610 61030 11.0 2012 update 4 17.00.61030 21005 12.0 2013 18.00.21005 30501 12.0 2013 update 2 18.00.30501 31101 12.0 2013 update 4 18.00.31101.0 40629 12.0 2013 SP5 18.00.40629 SP5 22215 14.0 2015 19.00.22215 Preview 23026 14.0 2015 19.00.23026.0 23506 14.0 2015 SP1 19.00.23506 SP1 23824 14.0 2015 update 2 (unverified) 24215 14.0 2015 19.00.24215.1 (unverified) 24218 14.0 2015 19.00.24218.2 25019 14.1 2017 19.10.25019.0 NOTE: The table above was compiled from various sources; it is not an exhaustive list. BUILD NUMBERS DON'T ALWAYS MATCH REPORTED COMMAND LINE/ VERSION RESOURCE VALUES! As you can see, the build numbers don't always correspond to what is reported from the command line. For example cl.exe for Visual C++ 6.0 reports version 12.00.8804 for Service Packs 4 thru 6, however the "@comp.id" value written to OBJ files is different for each service pack, such as 8799,8966,9044, and 9782 for SP4, SP5, SP5 (Processor Pack) and SP6 respectively. You can see the same pattern in Visual C++ 7.x. This allows for unique detection for each Service Pack. PATCHING THE MICROSOFT LINKER: Rather than using a tool (such as It wasn't long between the "Rich" header's discovery gone public and the appearance of a linker patch to prevent the structure from being written to the executable. This is a cleaner solution than manually zeroing-out each executable produced, however a new patch is needed for each version of the linker. As an added bonus, patching reclaims the area originally occupied by the "Rich" header (usually offset 0x80) as the spot where the PE header will instead be placed. This can reduce the size of the executable depending on the file alignment value passed to the linker. In August of 2005, there was a Knowing where the "Rich" routine is invoked by the linker is the first step; how to patch is up to you. However the traditional patch method is to NOP-out the ADD instruction following the CALL. To do this, load LINK.EXE in a disassembler or debugger and navigate to the location reported by the tool (adding a 0x400000 base address to the reported RVA). If you have symbols loaded, you'll see disassembly similar to the following within the IMAGE::BuildImage() function: 0045F0A5 E8 56 45 FC FF call ?UpdateCORPcons@@YGXXZ ; UpdateCORPcons(void) 0045F0AA 55 push ebp ; struct IMAGE * 0045F0AB E8 30 D2 01 00 call ?UpdateSXdata@@YGXPAVIMAGE@@@Z ; UpdateSXdata(IMAGE *) 0045F0B0 8D 54 24 14 lea edx , [ esp + 448h + lpMem ] 0045F0B4 52 push edx 0045F0B5 55 push ebp 0045F0B6 E8 45 A6 FF FF call ?CbBuildProdidBlock@IMAGE@@AAEKPAPAX@Z ; IMAGE::CbBuildProdidBlock(void**) <--- BUILDS the "Rich" Header 0045F0BB 8B 8D 3C 02 00 00 mov ecx , [ ebp + 23Ch ] 0045F0C1 03 C8 add ecx , eax ; <--- NOP this out! 0045F0C3 89 44 24 2C mov [ esp + 448h + var_41C ] , eax 0045F0C7 89 8D 40 02 00 00 mov [ ebp + 240h ] , ecx 0045F0CD FF 15 BC 12 40 00 call ds : __imp___tzset The "Rich" Header routine identified by the tool is named CbBuildProdidBlock(); we can now assume Microsoft internally refers to the "Rich" structure as the "Product ID Block". If the ADD instruction below it (address 0x45F0C1) is changed from bytes "03 C8" to "90 90" (NOPs), the linker still internally generates the structure, but because we've removed the instruction that advances the current file position, the PE header (which comes next in the image) overwrites the "Rich" structure. Problem solved, no information leak. If you don't want to run the Signature Finder tool, below is a table with patch address information for all of the publicly-released 6.xx and 7.xx Microsoft linkers. The location is for the "ADD ECX,EAX" instruction (bytes "03 C8"). To perform the patch, replace the ADD instruction with two NOP bytes ("90 90"). This can be done with the bytepatch -pa
link.exe 90 90 //using address column below *OR* bytepatch -a link.exe 90 90 //using offset column below Replace
or values with those corresponding in the ADDRESS and OFFSET columns below for the linker you are using: VERSION SHIPPED WITH MD5 FILE SIZE ADDRESS OFFSET LINK.EXE 6.00.8168 MSVC 6.0 RTM,SP1,SP2 7b3d59dc25226ad2183b5fb3a0249540 462901 0x44551A 0x4551A LINK.EXE 6.00.8447 MSVC 6.0 SP3,SP4,SP5,SP6 24323f3eb0d1afa112ee63b100288547 462901 0x445826 0x45826 LINK.EXE 7.00.9466 MSVC .NET 7.0 (2002) RTM dbb5bf0ce85516c96a5cbdcc3d42a97e 643072 0x45CD82 0x5CD82 LINK.EXE 7.00.9955 MSVC .NET 7.0 (2002) SP1 2042a0f45768bc359a5c912d67ad0031 643072 0x45CD32 0x5CD32 LINK.EXE 7.10.3052 MSVC .NET Free Toolkit 8d7a69e96e4cc9c67a4a3bca1b678385 647168 0x45EA0F 0x5EA0F LINK.EXE 7.10.3077 MSVC .NET 7.1 (2003) 4677d4806cd3566c24615dd4334a2d4e 647168 0x45EA0F 0x5EA0F LINK.EXE 7.10.6030 MSVC .NET 7.1 (2003) SP1 59572e90b9fe958e51ed59a589f1e275 647168 0x45F0C1 0x5F0C1 LINK.EXE 10.00.30319.01 MSVC .NET 10 (2010) RTM d358960cb06c16476e89bd808a5e67fa 852296 0x476DBD 0x761BD LINK.EXE 10.00.40219.01 MSVC .NET 10 (2010) SP1 60f3d6c30c1bbfb4da62df454a4be470 851272 0x476CAD 0x760AD Unfortunately, the Signature Finder tool only works with Microsoft linkers prior to and including Visual Studio .NET 7.1 (2003). RE Analysis of the tool indicates that it searches up to 4 possible linker signatures (all known linkers available at the time of the tool's release in 2004), so trying to patch a newer linker such as the one that shipped with MSVC .NET 8.0 (2005), results in an error. However, manually finding the location using a disassembler is not difficult. I received an e-mail from icestudent with a method he uses to manually patch each Microsoft linker release from 8.0 and up. Here is a break-down of this method: Ensure your symbol path is set correctly; then download symbols for the linker you want to patch; e.g.: symchk /v LINK.EXE open LINK.EXE with IDA Pro Open the imports window, locate "_tzset", and go to it Open the references for "_tzset" (CTRL-X) and go to the "IMAGE::BuildImage" reference (or the "IMAGE::GenerateWinMDFile" for CLR executables). Around the "CALL _tzset" instruction, locate the "CALL IMAGE::CbBuildProdidBlock" instruction. In older versions of the linker it was closer and above "_tzset", in modern versions it is below and quite far. If you don't have symbols, check for all CALL instructions around "_tzset" and find the one where the referenced function begins with a call to "HeapAlloc"; this will be the "IMAGE::CbBuildProdidBlock()" function. After the "CALL IMAGE::CbBuildProdidBlock", you will see some code like "MOV reg, ...", "ADD reg, reg2", "MOV [mem], reg". NOP-out the second ADD instruction (or sometimes LEA) which is responsible for adjusting the PE offset in memory past the Rich signature. If you don't use the method above, the table below contains the patch offsets for some post MSVC 7.x linkers. Thanks goes to icestudent for this information! 32-BIT LINK.EXE x86 VERSION OFFSET ORIGINAL BYTES PATCH BYTES 8 SP1 0x6A382 03 D0 90 90 9 RTM 0x6A20F 03 C8 90 90 9 SP1 0x6BE7F 03 C8 90 90 10 B1 0x6CF50 03 C8 90 90 10 B2 0x75EED 03 D0 90 90 10 CTP 0x6C26D 03 C8 90 90 10 RTM 0x761BD 03 D0 90 90 10 SP1 0x760AD 03 D0 90 90 11 RTM U1 0x235BF 03 CE 90 90 11 RTM 0x17AEF 03 CE 90 90 vc18 CTP2 0x31920 03 CB 90 90 vc18 PREVIEW 0x1B3D8 03 CF 90 90 vc18 RC1 0x27B43 03 CF 90 90 vc18 RTM 0x31168 03 CB 90 90 64-BIT LINK.EXE x64 VERSION OFFSET ORIGINAL BYTES PATCH BYTES 8 RTM 0x8157A 93 8B 8 SP1 0x80DAC 93 8B 9 RTM 0x78205 93 8B 9 SP1 KB 0x78CE1 8D 14 0E 90 90 90 9 SP1 0x78CE5 93 8B 10 B1 0x7A01F 93 8B 10 B2 0x7A09D 93 8B 10 SP1 0x7A06D 93 8B 11 RTM U1 0x136B5 03 D0 90 90 11 RTM 0x136B5 03 D0 90 90 vc18 CTP2 0xE22A 03 D0 90 90 vc18 PREVIEW 0x853D 03 D0 90 90 vc18 RC1 0xE684 03 D0 90 90 vc18 RTM 0xEF3A 03 D0 90 90 To patch using the offsets in the table above, use the following bytepatch command line, replacing and with the appropriate entry: bytepatch -a link.exe CONSPIRACY THEORIES: When the public first became aware of the "Rich" header, the obvious encryption of this structure of unknown information made a lot of people nervous and suspicious. Because Microsoft never officially confirmed the existence of this structure, their lack of transparency made a lot of developers assume the worst. Here you can have an identical-source program built on two different machines and end up with a slightly different executable because the information contained within the "Rich" header was different. It is not surprising that people assumed Microsoft was embedding machine or otherwise personally identifiable information within the structure. These might include a NIC/MAC address, a CPU identifier, Windows registration information or even a unique GUID representing a particular installed instance of a Microsoft product or operating system. In reality, the only thing stored here are the build numbers for the Microsoft-specific tools responsible for a specific component in an executable module. The slightest difference in Visual Studio version, SDK version or 3rd party libraries used will cause an alteration of the "Rich" header. The PE/COFF specification defines a minimum file alignment of 512 bytes. Since this value leaves more than enough room for an executable's header section to fully contain the DOS and PE headers, there will always be leftover wasted space between the headers section and the subsequent section. Microsoft capitalized on this fact by inserting the "Rich" header in the padding space, since it wouldn't generally affect the final executable size one way or the other. To Microsoft's credit, the "Rich" header offers invaluable debugging statistics about how a given executable was built. Because the Visual C/C++ compiler and linker command lines are probably among the most complex command lines of any of Microsoft products to date, not to mention the different versions of those tools available and combinations of SDKs that can be used, a structure such as the "Rich" header being embedded within every executable could certainly save countless man hours in debugging complex build environment problems. Did I mention Microsoft's internal build environment is among the most complex in the world? If Microsoft's case against the author of a virus hinged on the virus being created by a particular version of Visual Studio that matched the version on a confiscated machine, I guess the "Rich" header could be used as evidence to prove this fact but probably not much more. There are other useful reasons Microsoft might want to bury such a secret "fingerprint" within executables. If Microsoft could prove which versions of certain libraries were employed, this would help them to assert intellectual property rights or even a redistribution license violation as they could distinguish between public, beta and pre-release versions. If companies used beta versions of Microsoft tools or libraries to release executables to the public outside of a specific time period, Microsoft would now have a way to find out. The "Rich" header could also help ensure publicly released benchmark tests were done fairly on properly built, Microsoft-sanctioned executables. These reasons could have been a bigger deal at the time the "Rich" header was invented than they are today. The problem was that Microsoft intentionally hid and encrypted this information. Since the structure doesn't officially exist, there isn't going to be an official way to disable it. Anyone who develops with Microsoft tools gets this structure crammed in their executable whether or they like it or not. Failing to document this fact can be considered a questionable practice. However, once people realized Microsoft wasn't embedding personally identifiable information in their executables, the "Rich" header was no longer the hot topic it once was. ORIGINS OF "RICH" AND "DANS" SEQUENCES: According to a 2012 post on Daniel Pistelli's "DanS" was likely attributed to employee "Dan Spalding" who presumably ran the linker team. I can vouch for the fact that there was a "Dan Spalding" employee working on the Visual C++ team around the turn of the century. Apparently their initials also show up in the MSF/PDB format! CONCLUSION AND REFERENCES: The first known public information about this structure goes back to at least July 7th, 2004 from the article, When I was writing the Pistelli's article was the first I'd heard of such a structure. I was surprised to learn of its existence and that it had been right under my nose all of those years. I was even more surprised that further information (official or unofficial) was not available. My goal in writing this article was to fill in some of the gaps of information not previously available, such as how far back Microsoft's linker had support for the "Rich" structure and how it changed between different versions of Visual Studio. Other links I found useful: A tutorial from 2010 that was based off of the original "lifewire" article. A posting on asmcommunity A posting on trendystephen Questions or Comments? Changelist for this document 2018-08-27 * added VS.NET 7.0 BETA 1 and BETA 2 entries to MASM 6.x and Visual Studio tables * added several missing 14.x and 12.0 builds to Visual Studio table 2018-08-26 * added patch info for link.exe 10.00.30319.01 (MSVC 2010 RTM); courtesy Vernon Brooks * added patch info for link.exe 10.00.40219.01 (MSVC 2010 SP1) * added patch cmdline variation for offset column 2018-02-28 * typos fixed and minor rewording for clarification 2017-11-22 * added information about editbin 7.x (and up) undocumented /nostub switch to remove the "Rich" header 2017-11-12 * added links to peupdate tool (for "Rich" header removal) 2017-06-22 * added section "Patching the Microsoft Linker"; added 8.0 2005 Beta to MSVC BUILDS 2017-04-10 * added NOTE that Richard Shupak is listed as the author at the top of PSAPI.H (from the Platform SDK) 2017-03-28 * added table for VB6 build numbers and filled in their ids for the Visual Studio 6.0 table * changed VS6/VS7 id table references from "linker" to "Visual Studio toolset" as the linker is not responsible for all of the id values; added that it is common to see MASM references when MASM not used directly in a project. There is a bizarre undocumented structure that exists only in Microsoft-produced executables. You may have never noticed the structure even if you've scanned past it a thousand times in a hex dump. This linker-generated structure is present in millions of EXE, DLL and driver modules across the globe built after the late 90's. This was when proprietary features were introduced into both Microsoft compilers and the Microsoft Linker to facilitate its generation. If you view the first 256 bytes of almost any module built with Microsoft development tools (such as Visual C++) or those that ship with the Windows operating system, such as KERNEL32.DLL from Windows XP SP3 (shown below), you can easily spot the signature in a hex viewer. Just look for the word "Rich" after the sequence "This program cannot be run in DOS mode":When present, the "Rich" signature (DWORD value 0x68636952) can be found sandwiched (maybe "camouflaged" is a better word) between the DOS and PE headers of a Windows PE (portable executable) image. I say camouflaged, because it appears, perhaps by Microsoft's original design, to be part of the 16-bit DOS stub code, which it is not. Since many programmer probably weren't versed with 16-bit assembly even when Microsoft introduced this structure, you could argue the decision to embed something at this particular location in every executable was certainly a strategic one to help it hide in plain sight.In Microsoft-linked executables, not only does the DOS mode string begin at predictable offset 0x4E, but the "Rich" structure always seems to appear at offset 0x80; this makes sense as the DOS header has probably been hardcoded for quite some time. Oddly enough, the "Rich" signature actually marks the end of the structure's data, whose size varies. Therefore the position of the signature as well as the total size of the structure changes from module to module. The 32-bit value that follows the signature not only marks the end of the structure itself, it happens to be the key that is used to decrypt the structure's data. Following this structure is the PE header, with a handful of zero-padded bytes in between.Since this is an undocumented "feature" of the Microsoft linker, it is not surprising that there is no known option to disable it, short of patching (discussed below). At the time of discovery, all executables built using Microsoft language tools contained this structure (e.g. Visual C++, Visual Basic 6.x and below, MASM, etc.) causing many developers to fear the worst. Two "seemingly" identical installations of Visual Studio building the same source code appeared to produce executables with differing "Rich" headers. This combined with the fact that the structure was encrypted led many to the assumption that Microsoft was embedding personally identifiable information, ultimately allowing any given executable to be traced back to the machine it was built with. An old 2007 post on the Sysinternals forum refers to this structure the "Devil's Mark". Also of interest is a 2008 report on Donationcoder that Microsoft utilized the information from this structure as "evidence against several high-profile virus writers". A post from Garage4Hackers said "Microsoft uses compiler ids to prove that a virus is made on a particular machine with a particular compiler. Proving that the person owning the computer is the virus writer".Note that while this structure is present in some .NET executables, it is not present in those that do not make use of the Microsoft linker. For example, an application composed purely of .NET Intermediate Language such as C# does not contain this structure. For any given executable module, you can check for the existence of the "Rich" header (in addition to viewing the decoded fields) using the pelook tool tool with the -rh option.Before jumping to any conclusions, lets see what Microsoft is hiding here.First off, the "Rich" header really isn't a header at all. It is a self-contained chunk of data that doesn't reference anything else in the executable and nothing else in the executable references it. The structure was unofficially referred to as a header because it happens to reside in PE header area.The structure happens to be little more than an array of 32-bit (DWORD) values between two markers. If one so chooses, the structure can even be safely zeroed-out from the executable without affecting any functionality. Just ensure you update the PE OptionalHeader's checksum if you alter any bytes in the file; although this is not necessary if the checksum field is zero (disabled).Automated removal is possible through the peupdate tool. More recently, I found that Microsoft's editbin (in version 7.x and up) will also zero-out the "Rich" structure using the undocumented /nostub switch however this also removes the PE header offset from the DOS header effectively breaking the executable. Using editbin is therefore not recommended. Other removal options are discussed in the section, Patching the Microsoft Linker below.In the KERNEL32.DLL sample above, the DWORD following the "Rich" sequence happens to have the value 0xF94EE753. This is the XOR key stored by and calculated by the linker. It is actually a checksum of the DOS header with the e_lfanew (PE header offset) zeroed out, and additionally includes the values of the unencrypted "Rich" array. Using a checksum with encryption will not only obfuscate the values, but it also serves as a rudimentary digital signature. If the checksum is calculated from scratch once the values have been decrypted, but doesn't match the stored key, it can be assumed the structure had been tampered with. For those that go the extra step to recalculate the checksum/key, this simple protection mechanism can be bypassed.To decrypt the array, start with the DWORD just prior to the "Rich" sequence and XOR it with the key. Continue the loop backwards, 4 bytes at a time, until the sequence "DanS" (0x536E6144) is decrypted. This value marks the start of the structure, and in practice always seems to reside at offset 0x80. I think a lot of tools that parse the "Rich" structure rely on it starting at offset 0x80. I'd personally recommend against relying on this fact and parsing backwards from the "Rich" signature as described above to handle situations where this may not be the case. Since this is an undocumented structure, I think its best to avoid any assumptions such as hardcoded offsets, especially since you must search for the signature "Rich" anyway. With that said, I have yet to encounter an executable where offset 0x80 is not the start; that is, if the structure is present at all.Following the decoding procedure using the KERNEL32.DLL sample shown above, we end up with following "Rich" structure where all values have been decrypted, and the array is listed beginning at offset 0x80 in ascending order:The array stores entries that are 8-bytes each, broken into 3 members. Each entry represents either a tool that was employed as part of building the executable or a statistic. You'll notice there are some zero-padded DWORDs adjacent to the "DanS" start marker. In practice, Microsoft seems to have wanted the entries to begin on a 16-byte (paragraph) boundary, so the 3 leading padding DWORDs can be safely skipped as not belonging to the data.Each 8-byte entry consists of two 16-bit WORD values followed by a 32-bit DWORD. The HIGH order WORD is an id which indicates the entry type. The LOW order WORD contains the build number of the tool being represented (when applicable), or it may be set to zero. The next DWORD is a full 32-bit "use" or "occurrence" count.The id value indicates the type of the list entry. For example, a specific id will represent OBJ files generated as a result of the use of a specific version of the C compiler. Different ids represent other tools that were also employed as part of building the final executable, such as the linker. Daniel Pistelli's article, Microsoft's Rich Signature (undocumented) , found that the id values are a private enumeration that change between releases of Visual Studio. I have also found this to be the case, which unfortunately makes them a bit of a moving target to decipher.Besides a couple exceptions which I'll explain below, the id is emitted by each compiler (or assembler) and is stored within each OBJ (and thus LIB) files linked against in the form of the "@comp.id" symbol. The "@comp.id" symbol happens to be short for "compiler build number" and "id". In fact, the DWORD value stored as the "@comp.id" symbol is the same DWORD being stored in the first half of applicable "Rich" list entries. I say applicable because not all list entries represent OBJ files.Some ids can appear more than once in the list, while others do not. The id typically represents the following statistics:Most of the entries above have an associated build number of the tool being represented, such as the compiler, assembler and linker. One exception to this is the imported functions count, which happens to be the total number of imported functions referenced in all DLLs. This is usually the only entry with a build number of zero. Note that the "Rich" structure does not store information on the number of static/private functions within each OBJ/source file.The linker entry is always last in the list and represents the linker that built the module. The resource compiler, when present, is almost always 2nd to last in the list; next to the linker. Both the linker and resource compiler are represented by a hardcoded id and build values for each linker release. For example, when a resource script is employed, the linker uses the same id/build pair even if the RES is built from a resource compiler from another version of Visual Studio! Another oddity is the build value of the resource compiler entry typically does not match the build reported by the rc.exe command line. The correlation of unique build values to specific versions of Visual Studio tools is discussed in more detail below.The linker seems to build most "Rich" structures in the following order, though not necessarily in the order appearing on the command line:At first glance you might guess that each referenced LIB file would represent one entry in the list, but this is not the case. The linker may may generate one or more entries for each LIB file depending on the number of unique "@comp.id" values found within. Since a LIB file is not much more than a concatenation of OBJ files, the resulting "count" member of these entries are the number of OBJ files referenced in the final executable that contain that exact "@comp.id" value. For example, statically linking to the Standard C Library usually generates assembler and C OBJ entries because that is what constitutes the source files internally used by Microsoft to build LIBCMT.LIB. When you link against this library, the unique "@comp.id" value-pairs are tallied together and the resulting counts are written to the list.With that in mind, the "Rich" structure in KERNEL32.DLL can be annotated as follows:Here's another annotated example derived from a minimal C++ application linked with a resource script and the Standard C Library built from Visual C++ 7.1:Below is my attempt at a partial list of decoded ids from the version 6 and 7 Visual Studio toolsets based on a little trial and error. Note that many of the ids originate from the LIB files bundled with with the associated Visual C++ SDK versions, as the linker only hardcodes a few of the entries at the end of the list. It is also common to see a reference to MASM even when MASM is not utilized directly by a project as these references are pulled in automatically by the linker or SDK LIB files.Not only do the ids change with each major linker release (sometimes with service packs too), but newer versions of the SDK's LIB files use different and higher id numbers for the same thing, such as the C and C++ compiler. So not only do the build numbers change with each SDK, but the id identifying the type of entry also changes. Unless the idea is to make the header difficult to interpret, the id may be meant to be combined with the build number to provide a unique compiler-that-built-SDK instance statistic which could be used to trace leaked or BETA versions of tools or SDKs. The whole system might also double as another check system, where if the tool ids and reported build versions don't match known publicly released pairs, this would be another indication the entries in the list were tampered with. Without any official word from Microsoft, some of this is pure speculation.The good news is that if you are only interested in detecting modern versions of Visual Studio (7.x and up), the id member can be completely ignored! More information about detection is presented below.The short answer is in 1998, with Visual Studio 6.0 (LINK 6.x). The long answer is the final Service Pack for Visual Studio 5.0; that is, the version 5.10.7303 linker introduced with SP3 in 1997 was the first "Rich" capable linker. The catch was that the list this linker produced was practically empty because the compilers at the time (e.g. Visual C++ 5.x, MASM 6.12) did not yet emit the "@comp.id" symbol to the OBJ files. Not surprisingly, the LIB files that shipped with the product's SDK were also missing the "@comp.id" symbol. The result was a "Rich" structure with either a single entry for the imports, or with an additional entry to represent a compiled resource script.If you however link a Visual C++ 6.0 OBJ file with the older 5.0 SP3 (5.10.7303) linker, you will get a proper "Rich" structure because the 6.0 OBJ file contained the "@comp.id" symbol with build information. The 6.0 OBJ files were however incompatible the 5.0 SP2 and earlier linkers; if you attempted to link-in any of these modules using the older linkers, you would run in to error: LNK1106: "invalid file or disk full: cannot seek to 0xXXXXXXXX". This is an indication that in 1997, Microsoft changed the OBJ file format.In summary, the Visual C++ 5.0 SP3 linker and the linker that would be released next with Visual C++ 6.0, both supported a new type of OBJ file. Specifically, the OBJ files that would facilitate the generation of the this new "Rich" structure.Before continuing further, I want to stress an important point. There is little preventing someone from either tampering with or completely falsifying the "Rich" header. While this structure may provide useful information for the majority of executables, other signature methods should be utilized in conjunction where accuracy is paramount. Some of these methods may include searching for specific patterns in the headers and/or analysis of the entry-point code. For example the Borland and Watcom linkers can be identified by specific patterns unique to each from their DOS stubs. The presence of a "Rich" header, or lack thereof, doesn't mean Microsoft's linker cannot be detected by other clues.A typical version number for a Microsoft product consists of major and minor numbers (one byte each) followed by a 16-bit build number and sometimes another 16-bit sub-version number. Since we primarily have the build number for each "Rich" entry to go by, how might we distinguish a specific version of Visual Studio from this information? There are at least 3 ways:Based on the information above, if you want to detect versions of Visual Studio 7.0 and up, things couldn't be easier. If the MajorLinkerVersion in the PE's OptionalHeader is 7 or greater, indicating Visual Studio .NET 7.0 (2002) and up, the last entry in the list always represents the linker that built the module. If that build number corresponds to a known version of Visual Studio, you might consider it safe to assume the compiler is also from the same toolset.As for versions of Visual Studio supporting the "Rich" structure prior to 7.0, the detection rules were a little different because no linker entry was written to the end of the "Rich" list. Perhaps Microsoft figured it was enough that the PE header contained the Major and Minor version for the linker and the build number was not important enough to include.It is interesting to note that the id and build versions embedded within the publicly shipped SDK LIB files are those of non-public releases of Microsoft compilers; this makes sense because Microsoft builds its SDKs internally, but this happens to be a good thing for detection. This allows us to distinguish the SDK's compiler id/build pairs from those pairs that represent the compilers responsible for building the executable. In other words, if you know where the linker entry is and the entries that represent the SDK LIB files because they are not recognized public versions (see table below), the only thing left are the compiler entries we want to use for detection! You will then be able to determine the language used to build an executable, whether it be C, C++, MASM or all in combination in addition to the toolset version of each. All of this is assuming you want to use the build numbers alone for detection rather than hardcoding the differing tool ids per version of Visual Studio to combine with the build numbers.Going back to the KERNEL32.DLL example above, we can see the last entry's build number is 4035 which corresponds to one of the known public Microsoft 7.1 linkers. Using a lookup table, such as that shown below, applications can use this information to correlate [mostly] unique build numbers to known Microsoft Visual Studio toolsets.NOTE: The table above was compiled from various sources; it is not an exhaustive list.As you can see, the build numbers don't always correspond to what is reported from the command line. For example cl.exe for Visual C++ 6.0 reports version 12.00.8804 for Service Packs 4 thru 6, however the "@comp.id" value written to OBJ files is different for each service pack, such as 8799,8966,9044, and 9782 for SP4, SP5, SP5 (Processor Pack) and SP6 respectively. You can see the same pattern in Visual C++ 7.x. This allows for unique detection for each Service Pack.Rather than using a tool (such as peupdate ) to remove the "Rich" header on a per-executable basis, it is possible to "fix" the linker so that the "Rich" header is never written in the first place.It wasn't long between the "Rich" header's discovery gone public and the appearance of a linker patch to prevent the structure from being written to the executable. This is a cleaner solution than manually zeroing-out each executable produced, however a new patch is needed for each version of the linker. As an added bonus, patching reclaims the area originally occupied by the "Rich" header (usually offset 0x80) as the spot where the PE header will instead be placed. This can reduce the size of the executable depending on the file alignment value passed to the linker.In August of 2005, there was a PE tutorial written by Goppit that briefly describes using a tool called Signature Finder to patch the Linker. This is a simple GUI tool that when supplied the path to LINK.EXE, locates the RVA address of the CALL instruction for the routine which generates the "Rich" Header.Knowing where the "Rich" routine is invoked by the linker is the first step; how to patch is up to you. However the traditional patch method is to NOP-out the ADD instruction following the CALL.To do this, load LINK.EXE in a disassembler or debugger and navigate to the location reported by the tool (adding a 0x400000 base address to the reported RVA). If you have symbols loaded, you'll see disassembly similar to the following within the IMAGE::BuildImage() function:The "Rich" Header routine identified by the tool is named CbBuildProdidBlock(); we can now assume Microsoft internally refers to the "Rich" structure as the "Product ID Block". If the ADD instruction below it (address 0x45F0C1) is changed from bytes "03 C8" to "90 90" (NOPs), the linker still internally generates the structure, but because we've removed the instruction that advances the current file position, the PE header (which comes next in the image) overwrites the "Rich" structure. Problem solved, no information leak.If you don't want to run the Signature Finder tool, below is a table with patch address information for all of the publicly-released 6.xx and 7.xx Microsoft linkers. The location is for the "ADD ECX,EAX" instruction (bytes "03 C8"). To perform the patch, replace the ADD instruction with two NOP bytes ("90 90"). This can be done with the bytepatch tool using the following command line:*OR*Replace or values with those corresponding in the ADDRESS and OFFSET columns below for the linker you are using:Unfortunately, the Signature Finder tool only works with Microsoft linkers prior to and including Visual Studio .NET 7.1 (2003). RE Analysis of the tool indicates that it searches up to 4 possible linker signatures (all known linkers available at the time of the tool's release in 2004), so trying to patch a newer linker such as the one that shipped with MSVC .NET 8.0 (2005), results in an error. However, manually finding the location using a disassembler is not difficult. I received an e-mail from icestudent with a method he uses to manually patch each Microsoft linker release from 8.0 and up. Here is a break-down of this method:If you don't use the method above, the table below contains the patch offsets for some post MSVC 7.x linkers. Thanks goes to icestudent for this information!To patch using the offsets in the table above, use the following bytepatch command line, replacing and with the appropriate entry:When the public first became aware of the "Rich" header, the obvious encryption of this structure of unknown information made a lot of people nervous and suspicious. Because Microsoft never officially confirmed the existence of this structure, their lack of transparency made a lot of developers assume the worst. Here you can have an identical-source program built on two different machines and end up with a slightly different executable because the information contained within the "Rich" header was different. It is not surprising that people assumed Microsoft was embedding machine or otherwise personally identifiable information within the structure. These might include a NIC/MAC address, a CPU identifier, Windows registration information or even a unique GUID representing a particular installed instance of a Microsoft product or operating system.In reality, the only thing stored here are the build numbers for the Microsoft-specific tools responsible for a specific component in an executable module. The slightest difference in Visual Studio version, SDK version or 3rd party libraries used will cause an alteration of the "Rich" header.The PE/COFF specification defines a minimum file alignment of 512 bytes. Since this value leaves more than enough room for an executable's header section to fully contain the DOS and PE headers, there will always be leftover wasted space between the headers section and the subsequent section. Microsoft capitalized on this fact by inserting the "Rich" header in the padding space, since it wouldn't generally affect the final executable size one way or the other.To Microsoft's credit, the "Rich" header offers invaluable debugging statistics about how a given executable was built. Because the Visual C/C++ compiler and linker command lines are probably among the most complex command lines of any of Microsoft products to date, not to mention the different versions of those tools available and combinations of SDKs that can be used, a structure such as the "Rich" header being embedded within every executable could certainly save countless man hours in debugging complex build environment problems. Did I mention Microsoft's internal build environment is among the most complex in the world?If Microsoft's case against the author of a virus hinged on the virus being created by a particular version of Visual Studio that matched the version on a confiscated machine, I guess the "Rich" header could be used as evidence to prove this fact but probably not much more. There are other useful reasons Microsoft might want to bury such a secret "fingerprint" within executables. If Microsoft could prove which versions of certain libraries were employed, this would help them to assert intellectual property rights or even a redistribution license violation as they could distinguish between public, beta and pre-release versions. If companies used beta versions of Microsoft tools or libraries to release executables to the public outside of a specific time period, Microsoft would now have a way to find out. The "Rich" header could also help ensure publicly released benchmark tests were done fairly on properly built, Microsoft-sanctioned executables. These reasons could have been a bigger deal at the time the "Rich" header was invented than they are today.The problem was that Microsoft intentionally hid and encrypted this information. Since the structure doesn't officially exist, there isn't going to be an official way to disable it. Anyone who develops with Microsoft tools gets this structure crammed in their executable whether or they like it or not. Failing to document this fact can be considered a questionable practice.However, once people realized Microsoft wasn't embedding personally identifiable information in their executables, the "Rich" header was no longer the hot topic it once was.According to a 2012 post on Daniel Pistelli's RCE Cafe blog , information from two people who claimed to have worked on the Microsoft Visual C++ team said the word "Rich" likely originated from "Richard Shupak", a Microsoft employee who worked in the research department and had a hand in the Visual C++ linker/library code base. NOTE: Richard Shupak is listed as the author at the top of the file PSAPI.H in the Platform SDK. The PSAPI library (The NT "Process Status Helper" APIs) retrieves information about processes, modules and drivers."DanS" was likely attributed to employee "Dan Spalding" who presumably ran the linker team. I can vouch for the fact that there was a "Dan Spalding" employee working on the Visual C++ team around the turn of the century. Apparently their initials also show up in the MSF/PDB format!The first known public information about this structure goes back to at least July 7th, 2004 from the article, Things They Didn't Tell You About MS LINK and the PE Header , a loose specification authored by "lifewire". I've archived the article here, because it is no longer available at one of the original links . While the article was brief, it was densely packed with useful details, such as the layout of the "Rich" structure and how the checksum key is calculated. It is not mentioned how the author came to know such information, but information like this is usually leaked or derived from reverse engineering. At the end of the article, he attributes the "Dan^" sequence as being a reference to Microsoft employee "Dan Ruder", but the sequence was actually and has always been "DanS", so I think this conclusion is incorrect.When I was writing the pelook tool and was looking to add minimal compiler signature detection, I initially stumbled upon Daniel Pistelli's excellent 2008 article, titled Microsoft's Rich Signature (undocumented) . This article describes what he discovered while reverse engineering Microsoft's linker. Pistelli's research was independent of lifewire's 2004 article which was unknown to him at the time. Despite this, he arrived at the same conclusion.Pistelli's article was the first I'd heard of such a structure. I was surprised to learn of its existence and that it had been right under my nose all of those years. I was even more surprised that further information (official or unofficial) was not available. My goal in writing this article was to fill in some of the gaps of information not previously available, such as how far back Microsoft's linker had support for the "Rich" structure and how it changed between different versions of Visual Studio.Other links I found useful: Vietnam suggests Pfizer cooperate in COVID-19 treatment drug production Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc has asked Pfizer Inc., one of the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms to cooperate with the nation in the production of COVID-19 treatment drugs and promote the supply of its effective and safe vaccine for children. The ASEAN Committee in Washington, D.C., along with ambassadors and representatives of all 10 ASEAN member states in the US, including ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc recently had a meeting with Stephen Claeys, Senior Director, Trade Policy at Pfizer, on cooperation between Pfizer and Southeast Asian countries. Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc glowingly spoke of Pfizer's support to Vietnam, asked the firm to fulfill its commitment to supply 51 million doses of its vaccine in 2021 and continue to discuss with Vietnamese agencies about vaccine supply for next year. During the meeting, the Vietnamese diplomat and and representatives of other countries such as the Philippines and Singapore, shared Vietnam's views on how Pfizer should build a production base in Southeast Asia that is viewed as a fast-growing and dynamic region. The participants suggested tripartite cooperation between Pfizer, ASEAN and the US government in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, while asking Pfizer to continue supporting countries in living safely with the pandemic and preparing for other pandemics in the future. For his part, Stephen Claeys acknowledged the positive contributions of ASEAN member states, and said that Pfizer will carry out all signed commitments, including those with Vietnam. Nearly 1,500 people in Quang Tri evacuated due to flooding Nearly 1,500 people in 267 households in the central province of Quang Tri have been evacuated during flooding. Many mountainous areas in Quang Tri have been isolated due to inundation following heavy rain over the past days, particularly in Dakrong District. The Ho Chi Minh Highway in Ta Long Commune was put half a metre under water. The central region of Vietnam is facing heavy rains On October 15-19, the province faced torrential rain of 200-300 mm. Some areas had rainfall of up to 455mm. The water level in many local rivers also continued to rise. Local authorities decided to evacuate 1,416 people in Dakrong and Hai Lang districts with the majority from Dakrong. One person in Dakrong District was swept away during the rains. Ba Long Commune has been completely isolated, said district chairman Thai Ngoc Chau. According to the National Centre for Hydrometeorology Forecasting, localities from Nghe An to Thua-Thien Hue Province in the central region of Vietnam are experiencing heavy rains. Meanwhile, the northern region of Vietnam is facing a cold spell with average temperatures of 18-21 degrees centigrade. In some mountainous localities, the temperature has fallen even further. Hanoi is currently experiencing temperatures of 19-21 degrees centigrade. Flooding leaves seven dead and missing in central Vietnam Heavy rain and flood discharge from hydropower plants have flooded parts of the northern and central regions during the past few days, leaving three dead and four missing. A flooded area in Quang Binh Province. Photo by Dantri/Dtinews Two locals in Nghe An province and one in Hoa Binh province have been washed away by violent floodwaters, while four others have been reported missing in Quang Tri, Quang Binh, and Thua Thien-Hue provinces, according to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. Furthermore, a number of key roads throughout the central and Central Highlands regions have been blocked by floods and landslides, with floodwaters across local rivers exceeding the third alert level. Thousands of households across two regions have been forced to be evacuated from low-lying areas. In Quang Binh province alone approximately 66,000 people have been brought to safe areas in order to avoid floods, while nearly 2,000 people have been urgently forced to leave their homes due to landslides. Elsewhere, rising floodwaters have submerged 151 houses and roughly 1,000 hectares of crops in Dak Lak province, damaging numerous roads and bridges. Meanwhile, water discharged from saturated hydropower dams in central provinces such as Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, and Ha Tinh over the past two days has been blamed for escalating the flooding that has left thousands of houses submerged in the localities. The Huong Dien hydropower plant in Thua Thien-Hue discharged between 2,200 to 2,600 cubic metres a second on October 17, while Dak Mi4, Song Bung 4 and A Vuong hydropower plants in Quang Nam discharged a total of 5,000 cubic metres per second into Vu Gia river, submerging thousands of houses downstream. Heavy rain is forecast to continue to hit central provinces from Nghe An and Thua Thien-Hue on October 18, with rainfall likely to to reach 100 to 200 mm, even 250 mm in some places, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF). On October 17 Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh asked the affected cities and provinces to seriously implement instructions issued by the Prime Minister, timely inform local authorities and people about developments of natural disasters, and monitor residential areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides. Relevant agencies have also been urged to ramp up measures aimed at evacuating locals to shelters and ensure daily necessities for flood-affected residents. Pandemic prevention rules pose challenges to resumed flights Vietnam is conducting fewer flights than scheduled due to the tight Covid-19 prevention regulations. Pandemic prevention rules pose challenges to resumed flights. Illustrative photo According to a report from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), only 98 flights were conducted on 16 domestic routes at 16 airports between four days from October 10-14, transporting 5,924 passengers. The figures were much lower than the scheduled plan of 200 flights on 20 routes at 22 airports. "Only 49 percent of the approved flights were conducted due to the limited number of passengers," CAAV said. "Some flights had no bookings at all. The tight requirements for Covid-19 prevention such as vaccine certificates are among the causes for the low number of passengers, CAAV said. "Vietnam has so far only conducted vaccinations for people aged above 18 and many localities have limited vaccination rates. Many flights were cancelled due to the limited number of passengers. The rules on safe distance on flights are also forcing airlines to carefully consider and organise suitable routes to ensure profitability. Vietnam is piloting the reopening of 19 flight routes between October 10-20 after their suspension due to Covid-19. According to the pilot plan, there should be 38 flights a day connecting some key economic centres such as HCM City with 28 flights per day, Hanoi six flights per day, and some others. The 28 flights from HCM City connect Binh Dinh, Danang, Hue, Khanh Hoa, Nghe An, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong, Phu Quoc, Gia Lai, and Rach Gia. From Hanoi, there are flights to HCM City, Danang, and Can Tho. Danang has flights to Can Tho and Dak Lak and there will also be a flight route from Thanh Hoa to Lam Dong. All passengers are required to have two Covid-19 vaccine jabs, with the second taken at least 14 days before boarding the plane; or having recovered from Covid-19 within six months. Passengers must also test negative for Covid-19 via the PCR method within 72 hours before departure. They must also use the Covid-19 tracking app (PC COVID) during the flight. Hanoians celebrate lifting of hospital lockdown Many people went out to celebrate the lifting of the lockdown at the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Hospital in Hanoi on Monday morning. The 18-day lockdown has just been removed at midnight on October 18 after the Covid-19 outbreak was brought under control. Police removed the Covid-19 checkpoints and fences on some surrounding streets of Trang Thi, Quan Su, Phu Doan, and Hang Bong. Many health workers, patients, their relatives and caretakers waited for the checkpoints and fences to be removed so that they could return home after being locked down for two weeks at the hospital. Residents on Phu Doan Street waved flags to celebrate the moment when they could travel freely again. Local people said they were happy that all their daily activities could now return to normal. Nguyen Thi Kim on Phu Doan Street said that she was very happy that the outbreak had been brought under control in her area. "I couldnt sleep last night," she said. "I waited until midnight when the lockdown removal was announced and I could go out to celebrate the moments with our neighbours." After the lockdown was lifted, the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Hospital re-opened to receive all patients from today. The Health Ministry-run hospital was cordoned off on September 30 when a patient tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As many as 99 Covid-19 cases involving inpatients, their relatives and caregivers hailing from Hanoi and other neighbouring localities were confirmed in the outbreak. Rio de Janeiro (dpa) - Dutch gymnast Yuri van Gelder was expelled by the Dutch Olympic team on Tuesday and told to return home after a night-time escapade involving alcohol. The specialist on the rings - earning him the nickname "Lord of the Rings" - spent the night outside the Olympic village, returning only in the early morning hours. He admitted he had been out drinking, team officials said. This was in violation of Dutch Olympic team rules that athletes who were still competing were to abstain from alcohol and must remain in the village. Van Gelder, 33, had advanced to the finals before his drinking tour. The Chef de Mission of the Dutch team, Maurits Hendriks, defended the expulsion decision. "This is terrible for Yuri, but such behaviour is unacceptable," he said. The team had "no other choice" than to dismiss him. It was not the first scandal involving van Gelder, who in 2005 was both world and European champion. In 2009 a doping control detected cocaine abuse, earning him a one-year suspension. Xi's remarks on helping promote poverty alleviation worldwide Xinhua) 08:16, October 18, 2021 Aerial photo shows villagers drying chrysanthemum flowers in Jinxi Village of Xima Township, Longli County of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Oct. 27, 2020. Thanks to the chrysanthemum industry, 166 poverty-stricken households in Jinxi Village were lifted out of poverty in 2019. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Sunday marks this year's International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. On various occasions, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged concerted efforts to help promote poverty alleviation worldwide, especially in developing and least developed economies. The following are some highlights of his remarks. Oct. 12, 2021 During his keynote speech at the leaders' summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, via video link in Beijing, Xi called on the international community to "concentrate on bettering people's well-being to promote social equity and justice." "We need to keep in mind the people's aspiration for a better life, pursue win-win results in environmental protection, economic development, job creation, poverty alleviation and other endeavors, and increase the sense of fulfillment, happiness and security for people in all countries," Xi said. Ethnic Miao women show handicrafts they just made at a women's service center in Liuzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Oct. 13, 2021. Since March 2020, local authorities have piloted a training program at Wuying Village as part of the local poverty alleviation efforts, employing college students to teach stay-at-home women Mandarin, music, dance and other skills. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Sept. 24, 2021 In a phone conversation with Manasseh Sogavare, prime minister of Solomon Islands, Xi said that China is ready to help Pacific Island countries find a development path of poverty reduction suited to their own national conditions, so that they can better cope with major public health events and natural disasters, and enhance the capacity to cope with climate change. Sept. 21, 2021 In his speech at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly delivered via video, Xi called on all parties to stay committed to results-oriented actions, including to "advance on a priority basis cooperation on poverty alleviation." "China has pledged an additional 3 billion U.S. dollars of international assistance in the next three years to support developing countries in responding to COVID-19 and promoting economic and social recovery," Xi said. Students attend a food distribution ceremony organized by the Chinese Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) at the Obaay Primary School in Dukem town of Ethiopia's Oromia regional state, on June 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ping) Sept. 17, 2021 While addressing the 21st meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) via video link, Xi said in the next three years, China will provide 1,000 training opportunities in poverty alleviation for other SCO countries, open 10 Luban Workshops, and launch 30 cooperation projects in such areas as health, poverty relief, culture and education under the framework of the Silk Road Community Building Initiative. "This will help countries in need build capacity and improve the lives of their people," Xi said. July 6, 2021 During the Communist Party of China (CPC) and World Political Parties Summit held via video link, Xi said political parties, as an important force behind human progress, need to set the right course forward and shoulder their historical responsibility to ensure the people's wellbeing and pursue the progress of mankind. The CPC is willing to contribute more Chinese solutions and Chinese strength to the poverty reduction process worldwide, Xi said. April 20, 2021 During his keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021, Xi said "we will act in the spirit of openness and inclusiveness as we work with all willing participants to build the Belt and Road Initiative into a pathway to poverty alleviation and growth, which will contribute positively to the common prosperity of humankind." Jan. 25, 2021 In his special address at the World Economic Forum Virtual Event of the Davos Agenda, Xi said that "as a steadfast member of developing countries, China will further deepen South-South cooperation, and contribute to the endeavor of developing countries to eradicate poverty, ease debt burden, and achieve more growth." May 15, 2019 Xi delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, in which he said he hopes that "countries will work together to promote economic globalization and make it more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all.""Doing so will enable us to eradicate poverty and backwardness that still plague people in some countries," he said. Students wait for the Panda Packs from the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation at Ban Nongveng Primary School in Vientiane, Laos, Nov. 25, 2020. The China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation has gifted 50,000 Panda Packs with stationery and hygiene supplies to Lao students at a ceremony held in Ban Nongveng Primary School in capital Vientiane. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua) Sept. 3, 2018 Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, Xi said "China will do more to help Africa alleviate poverty, pursue development, increase employment and income, and better the lives of its people." Sept. 3, 2016 During his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Business 20 summit in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, Xi said China will continue to contribute to the global fight against poverty. "We need to eradicate poverty and hunger and advance inclusive and sustainable development. This is not just a moral responsibility of the international community. It also helps unleash immeasurable effective demand," he said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Du Mingming) Third-generation hybrid rice achieves high yield Xinhua) 08:20, October 18, 2021 CHANGSHA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The third-generation hybrid rice developed by Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice," and his team achieved a new record of yield in rice fields in central China's Hunan Province. The new record of the hybrid rice planted in Qingzhu Village, Hengyang City, one of the hybrid rice's experimental fields, reached 1,603.9 kg per mu (about 667 square meters). Hunan is one of the major rice producers in China, where farmers plant double-cropping rice. Among the output of the hybrid rice, the yield of early rice came to 667.8 kg per mu in the test fields, and that of late-season rice stood at 936.1 kg per mu. Last year, the same hybrid rice variety made a double-cropping yield of 1,530.76 kg per mu in a year on the same plot. Photo taken on Nov. 2, 2020 shows the third-generation hybrid rice at an experimental demonstration field in Hengnan County, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo) "Surpassing a yield of 1,500 kg per mu in a year on the same plot means that the target set by Professor Yuan Longping has been realized," said Li Jianwu, a researcher at Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center. The high yield under unfavorable conditions of the earlier continuous high temperature has shown that the variety has strong adaptability and has laid a good foundation for future promotion, he said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) PLA practices cross-sea troop transport with large civilian ferry Global Times) 08:23, October 18, 2021 A combined arms brigade affiliated with the PLA 81st Group Army uses the Chinese Rejuvenation ferry to transport troops and vehicles, including Type 96 main battle tanks, in a military-civilian integrated, cross-sea troop maneuvering exercise in October 2021. (Photo: Screenshot from CCTV) The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently held an integrated military-civilian cross-sea troop maneuvering exercise using a large civilian ferry with a displacement of 45,000 tons, much larger than similar vessels used in previous practices. The move aimed to enhance the troops' transport efficiency in future battlefields, analysts said on Sunday. More than 1,000 personnel and vehicles traveled more than 1,000 kilometers at sea on the Chinese Rejuvenation ferry in the drill organized by a combined arms brigade affiliated with the PLA 81st Group Army, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Friday. A large number of combat vehicles including Type 96 main battle tanks, Type 04 infantry fighting vehicles and Dongfeng Mengshi tactical assault vehicles as well as support vehicles like medical vehicles, repair vehicles, engineering vehicles, reconnaissance vehicles and command vehicles boarded the ship in a sequence predetermined based on combat tasks, so they can be rolled out and enter combat the moment they arrive at the destination, according to CCTV. Displacing nearly 45,000 tons, the Chinese Rejuvenation can carry about 1,700 passengers and 350 vehicles in a single voyage, Bohai Ferry Group Co Ltd, the owner of the ship, said on its website, claiming the ship to be the largest ro-ro passenger ship in Asia The ship set out from an undisclosed port on Thursday night and arrived on Friday morning at the destination port, which is set near railways, with temporary train platforms established, CCTV reported, noting that troops and vehicles can seamlessly switch from the ship to railway transport, which significantly saved time and boosted transport efficiency. In August, the PLA for the first time used a civilian ferry with a displacement over 10,000 tons in cross-sea maneuvers. At the time, the PLA 73rd Group Army used the Bohai Pearl ferry, which displaces 24,000 tons. The PLA is now practicing using large, military-civilian integrated ferries to transport troops across the sea, and this is because, as much as the pure military amphibious landing ships are specially designed to fulfill that purpose, their number is limited compared with the number of civilian ships, a Chinese military expert told the Global Times on Sunday, requesting anonymity. After the PLA has secured sea lanes, civilian ships can also join troop transport missions, and they will ensure that a large number of troops can be transported to the battlefield, the expert said. At a time when tensions have been rising in the Taiwan Straits, the exercise could serve as a warning to Taiwan secessionists, observers said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) Chinese, Saudi Arabian FMs talk over phone on ties, cooperation Xinhua) 08:38, October 18, 2021 BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday held a phone conversation with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud over bilateral ties and cooperation. Wang said that in the face of the volatile international situation, China and Saudi Arabia need to maintain close strategic communication, which is an inherent part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. In recent years, under the personal care and strategic guidance of the two heads of state, bilateral relations have continued to develop, Wang said. Noting that China always gives priority to its relations with Saudi Arabia in its diplomacy in the Middle East, Wang said that China is willing to be a long-term reliable and stable good friend and partner to Saudi Arabia, and looks forward to working with Saudi Arabia to push bilateral relations to a higher and deeper level. China appreciates Saudi Arabia's firm stand with China on issues concerning China's core interests, and will, as always, firmly support Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and stability, and resolutely oppose any interference in Saudi Arabia's internal affairs, Wang said. China will continue to support Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, Green Saudi Arabia and Green Middle East initiatives, and actively participate in major development projects in Saudi Arabia, Wang said, adding that China is ready to work with Saudi Arabia to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and push for more results in bilateral cooperation in such fields as energy, infrastructure, investment and 5G. China is ready to take the opportunity of the 40th anniversary of China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) relations to conclude negotiations on a China-GCC free trade agreement at an early date, Wang said. China appreciates Saudi Arabia's active preparations for the China-Arab summit, and is willing to maintain communication with Saudi Arabia and start preparations for the summit in due course. Wang also said that China upholds an objective and just position on the Iranian nuclear issue, and is committed to upholding the international nuclear non-proliferation regime as well as security and stability in the Middle East and the Gulf region without any selfish interests or geopolitical considerations. China understands and supports Saudi Arabia's legitimate concern for safeguarding national security, Wang said, adding that the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue is an important achievement of multilateralism. China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the negotiations on resuming the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, he added. For his part, Faisal said the Saudi-China relationship is very important and is developing very well, adding that Saudi Arabia always regards China as a truly credible strategic partner, and is willing to work with China to deepen all-round bilateral cooperation in various fields. Expressing gratitude to China for opposing external interference in Saudi Arabia's internal affairs, he said that Saudi Arabia also firmly opposes any interference in China's internal affairs, which is a principle Saudi Arabia has always defended. Saudi Arabia looks forward to holding the first Arab-China summit next year and believes that the summit will become an important milestone in the history of Arab-China relations, he said. Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to and will actively promote the negotiations on the free trade agreement between the GCC and China, believing that this is in the common interests of both sides, he noted. Faisal also said that Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to China's unique role on the Iranian nuclear issue, and expects China to play an important role in promoting the resumption of the Iran nuclear deal and the comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue. The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Du Mingming) Interview: Beijing conference paves way for sustainable transport worldwide, Bangladeshi MP Xinhua) 08:55, October 18, 2021 DHAKA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The just concluded Second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference in Beijing paved the way for achieving sustainable transport worldwide, a Bangladeshi member of parliament said on Sunday. In an interview with Xinhua, Enamul Haque, member of Bangladesh's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, commended China's experience-sharing and contribution to improving global connectivity for development Haque said that sustainable transport is a key pillar for accelerating post-pandemic economic recovery. Amid global challenges such as energy crisis and climate change, he said the latest Beijing conference came as a blessing for countries to take opportunities, address problems and find solutions. Haque said the Oct. 14-16 conference can help stakeholders to have further insight into sustainable transport. Political consensus is very important to strengthening regional and international connectivity and getting optimum support in this regard through the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, he said. Against the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the operation of shipping, aviation and other transport means, he said improved transportation can help a lot with economic development. "We should conduct study on peoples' socio-economic status first," said the MP, and noted that there is a need to have multimodal transport policies for more roads and highways to be built to link urban and rural areas with growth centers in order to facilitate poverty eradication. Haque added that more airways and river waterways should be connected in the region and beyond to improve goods transport from rural areas. At the same time, he said efforts should be strengthened to create more rural growth centers. He expressed hope that the conference held in Beijing will usher in sustainable transport to help achieve the objectives of the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the Paris agreement on climate change. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu) Interview: Costa Rican president calls COP15 in Kunming a critical moment for humanity Xinhua) 09:09, October 18, 2021 President of Costa Rica Carlos Alvarado Quesada speaks via video at the leaders' summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) held in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) "We need to directly address the crisis of biodiversity loss, and that is why this meeting is important," Alvarado told Xinhua, referring to the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, which ended Friday in southwestern China's city of Kunming. SAN JOSE, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado says discussions carried out recently in China on protecting global biodiversity are crucial for humanity. "We need to directly address the crisis of biodiversity loss, and that is why this meeting is important," Alvarado told Xinhua, referring to the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15, which ended Friday in southwestern China's city of Kunming. "Life depends on ecosystems, both for water and clean air, as well as for many of the services that ecosystems give us," the president said, noting that the world requires a paradigm shift in which the contributions of ecosystems and biodiversity are valued. Urban dwellers continue to view ecosystems and biodiversity as something separate from their lives, he said, but studies have shown that over 50 percent of international gross domestic product depends on ecosystems. The human race has a great dependence on ecosystems at a time when there is an accelerated loss of biodiversity around the world, he said. The president said public and private resources must be transferred to extend protection of marine and terrestrial ecosystems across the globe. "This will only happen if we jointly address the problem. The richest countries, middle-income countries and poor countries should cooperate together," he said, expecting a true commitment to biodiversity from COP15. "We need to take actions right now," Alvarado urged, hailing the critical role COP15 can play in preserving biodiversity. Costa Rica has made great efforts to protect its biodiversity, the president said, including through the use of clean energy, the promotion of ecotourism and the implementation of the Payments for Environmental Services Program. "We have achieved a great recovery of our forest ecosystems, of our forests, and we have seen the recovery of many species, some of which were presumably extinct," he added. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu) African foundation hails China's pledge to support biodiversity conservation Xinhua) 09:12, October 18, 2021 NAIROBI, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's financial pledge to support biodiversity conservation in developing countries illustrates its commitment to promoting planetary health, the Nairobi-based African Wildlife Foundation said in a statement. During the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP15, in Kunming, the capital of southwest Yunnan Province, China announced an initiative to establish a biodiversity fund and took the lead by investing 1.5 billion yuan (233 million U.S. dollars) to support biodiversity protection in developing countries. "This commitment, alongside those made by other stakeholders, is the start of a resource mobilization drive necessary to meet the annual global biodiversity financing gap," said the foundation's CEO Kaddu Sebunya in the statement late Friday. The China-initiated Kunming Biodiversity Fund will boost the implementation of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, Sebunya noted, adding that the Chinese concept of ecological civilization will have a positive impact on global efforts to ensure that economic development remains in harmony with nature. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu) Russian fighter escorts U.S. bomber above Sea of Japan Xinhua) 09:21, October 18, 2021 Xinhua file photo of U.S. B-1B strategic bomber No violation of Russian borders occurred. MOSCOW, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Russian fighter jet on Sunday escorted a U.S. strategic bomber over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan, said the Russian Defense Ministry. Russian radars detected an air target approaching the Russian border over the Sea of Japan, and a MiG-31 fighter from Russia's Eastern Military District took off in response, the ministry said. The Russian crew identified the air target as a U.S. Air Force B-1B strategic bomber, before escorting it away. No violation of Russian borders occurred, and the Russian aircraft strictly complied with international rules for the use of airspace, it said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu) Canton Fair highlights new features of China's trade, open economy Xinhua) 09:48, October 18, 2021 -- The 130th session of the Canton Fair kicked off on Friday in Guangzhou, the capital city of south China's Guangdong Province. Launched in 1957, the country's oldest and largest trade fair is seen as a significant barometer of China's foreign trade. -- This session of the Canton Fair, themed "Canton Fair, Global Share", features "dual circulation", as China is building a new development paradigm where domestic and overseas markets reinforce each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay. GUANGZHOU, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China is demonstrating its long-lasting pursuit of innovation, inspiration, and willingness for higher-level opening up at the ongoing China Import and Export Fair, or the Canton Fair, which has grabbed the world's attention with new products and new paths of development. Held both online and offline for the first time, the event has attracted about 8,000 enterprises that have set up nearly 20,000 booths at the exhibition center in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province. More companies were expected to join the event online during the five-day fair from Oct. 15 to 19. People visit the 130th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei) FROM MANUFACTURING TO INNOVATION At China's home appliance giant Gree's booth, people waited for the launch of the company's latest "zero-carbon ecosystem". According to the company, no electric charge is needed when power generated by solar power photovoltaic battery completely meets the load of the unit in operation, which can therefore lead to zero carbon emission. "European and American countries strictly regulate coal and natural gas use for heating. Gree's eco-friendly products suit the needs of less carbon emission," said Kevin Bai, president assistant of Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. "Many of our products have seen sales double or even triple over the past year despite the COVID-19 pandemic." Since its founding in 1991, the Zhuhai-based company has grown into one of the largest household electric appliance enterprises in the world with innovation and new products. As China opens its arms to embrace the global market, Chinese companies face more development opportunities amid fiercer competition. Bai said most of the Chinese factories he knew about have shifted from merely manufacturing to shaping their own brands with core technologies. An exhibitor (L) talks over environmentally-friendly straws with Kazakh buyers during the 130th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei) Anne Casso, a sourcing director with the French multinational retail group Auchan Retail, would agree with Bai. Having attended the fair for 13 consecutive years, Casso considered herself a witness to the change of the Chinese suppliers. "We used to come and find what we needed in the past. Now, more frequently, we come to see what's new. Chinese suppliers have gradually built up their collection of new products with bold ideas and practices," Casso said. Auchan Retail's sourcing team is looking for eco-friendly products and smart appliances connected to 5G this year. Casso believes the rising demand will be properly met by the Chinese suppliers as Chinese companies have innovative ideas and strong production abilities. DUAL CIRCULATION For Chinese home appliance manufacturer Galanz, the ongoing session of the Canton Fair, held twice a year in spring and autumn respectively, is different in many ways from the previous ones. The company is displaying products that target not only overseas customers but also domestic consumers. It has invited both overseas clients and major domestic buyers to the fair. As one of the earliest private companies to participate in the fair, Galanz has taken advantage of this platform to set foot in the overseas market. "Guided by the 'dual circulation' development paradigm, we are further promoting our brand globally, as well as reshaping it in the domestic market," said Liang Zhaoxian, chairman of Galanz Group. "We will make more innovative products through technological innovation and global division and cooperation." Exhibitors talk over electrical appliances during the 130th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei) Launched in 1957, the fair is seen as a significant barometer of China's foreign trade. This session of the Canton Fair, themed "Canton Fair, Global Share", features "dual circulation", as China is building a new development paradigm where domestic and overseas markets reinforce each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay. The online events aim to draw more global buyers for export-oriented companies to find new orders, while the offline events invite both domestic and overseas buyers to help Chinese foreign trade companies develop new markets, said Chu Shijia, head of the China Foreign Trade Center, one of the fair's organizers. "The session is a milestone, as it has taken advantage of both domestic and overseas markets and resources, showing China's determination to promote and build a high level and open world economy," Chu said. MINISO, a Chinese retailer known for its fashionable but affordable household products, operates 4,500 stores in 99 countries and regions. The Guangzhou-based company attended the fair as a buyer for the first time. "The momentum of economic development and new opportunities will be generated through the development of domestic and overseas markets," said MINISO founder Ye Guofu. Ye said his company values the platform provided by the fair as an important opportunity for sourcing new items. Enditem (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Commentary: Western media and its compulsive anti-China bias Xinhua) 10:34, October 18, 2021 BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Western media purportedly claim to be unbiased and fact-oriented. But when it comes to China, the impulse to toss aside journalistic ethics and manipulate the truth is now boringly obvious. For the past several months, a number of mainstream media outlets in the West have kept their smearing machines humming. They either choose to echo fallacies about China's human rights record by unknowing politicians or simply make up stories, such as the bizarre "Wuhan lab leak" theory. The topic du jour this time around is LinkedIn. Earlier last week, the BBC, The New York Times and the Financial Times, garbled a decision by LinkedIn and hyped up the social networking platform's "China demise" by giving the wrong impression that the company decided to quit the Chinese market. The news outlets were soon left with egg on their face. LinkedIn denied such claims on its official Weibo account and called the reports "untrue." Later, LinkedIn's senior vice president Mohak Shroff posted online that "We will continue to work with Chinese businesses to help create economic opportunity." The LinkedIn incident is yet more evidence that Western media, with their dominant global sway, seize any opportunity to demonize China and mislead public opinion about Beijing. In the case of LinkedIn, the Western press was attempting to convince global investors that China is a hostile environment for overseas companies. What these media outlets fail to realize is that China did not become the world's second largest economy by turning away foreign business. Much to the disappointment of these news media, the vicious disinformation campaign attempting to drive a wedge between foreign investment and China has come up short. In fact, a majority of Western enterprises remain confident in the Chinese economy and its increasingly open market. In an annual China Business Report released in September by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, 77.9 percent of the 338 surveyed U.S. companies were "optimistic" or "slightly optimistic" of the five-year business outlook in China, close to the 80 percent figure from 2015 to 2018. More than 82 percent of the respondents anticipated higher revenues in 2021 than in 2020, with the most confident industries being pharmaceuticals, medical devices and life sciences, auto-motive, non-consumer electronics and industrial manufacturers. The tide appears to be turning against all this negative coverage. More people around the world, and some Western journalists themselves, are beginning to feel indignant and disgusted by this customary negative portrayal of China. Javier Garcia, head of the office of the EFE News Agency of Spain in Beijing, said recently that he would soon leave journalism, as the flagrant information manipulation about China by Western media "has taken a good dose of my enthusiasm for this profession." In today's world, countries are growing increasingly interconnected and interdependent. And in the face of such formidable global challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, all countries need to come together as one community if they want to weather these crises. Yet as Western media continue to produce and peddle lies, they damage much needed trust and solidarity among the nations of the world, while stimulating hate, mayhem and hostility. Plenty of op-ed pieces and commentaries about China are written by folks who have never stepped foot inside the country. Yet such uninformed views of China have an outsized influence on the news-consuming public. The BBC and The New York Times once enjoyed a stellar reputation, but overly biased and misleading coverage of China has seriously eroded their credibility. Western news outfits should quit paying lip service to the journalistic principles of impartiality and "only the facts" and start reporting the truth about China. Their readers deserve better. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu) Retired NASA astronaut praises Chinese female astronaut Wang Yaping (People's Daily App) 14:26, October 18, 2021 "Long hair is a statement that space is for women, too," said Catherine Coleman, a retired NASA astronaut, in a video to wish China's first female astronaut a safe journey. The Shenzhou-13 spaceship was launched at 12:23 am Saturday, and the crew will stay in orbit for six months. Wang Yaping, who is the country's first female astronaut to stay in China's space station and conduct spacewalks, has inspired millions of women as they gaze upon the sky with an indescribable pride for the growing power of women in today's society. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) UN chief calls for transformative, inclusive, sustainable recovery from COVID-19 Xinhua) 14:45, October 18, 2021 A waiter is busy at the terrace of a restaurant on its first reopening day in Paris, France, May 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) "For the first time in two decades, extreme poverty is on the rise. Last year, around 120 million people fell into poverty as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on economies and societies," Guterres said. UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday called for transformative, inclusive, and sustainable recovery from COVID-19 to end poverty and create a world of justice, dignity and opportunity for all. "Poverty is a moral indictment of our times. For the first time in two decades, extreme poverty is on the rise. Last year, around 120 million people fell into poverty as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on economies and societies," he said in a message for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which falls on Oct. 17. "A lopsided recovery is further deepening inequalities between the Global North and South. Solidarity is missing in action -- just when we need it most," he said. Vaccine inequality is allowing variants to develop and run wild, condemning the world to millions more deaths, and prolonging an economic slowdown that could cost trillions of dollars. There is a need to end this outrage, tackle debt distress and ensure recovery investment in countries with the greatest need, he said. The world needs a three-pronged approach to global recovery, said Guterres. First, the recovery must be transformative instead of going back to the endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities that perpetuated poverty even before the pandemic. "We need stronger political will and partnerships to achieve universal social protection by 2030 and invest in job re-skilling for the growing green economy. And we must invest in quality jobs in the care economy, which will promote greater equality and ensure everyone receives the dignified care they deserve," he said. Second, the recovery must be inclusive, because an uneven recovery is leaving much of humanity behind, increasing the vulnerability of already marginalized groups, and pushing the Sustainable Development Goals ever further out of reach, Guterres said. Third, the recovery must be sustainable to build a resilient, decarbonized and net-zero world, he said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Italian designer sees latest trend of industrial design at Canton Fair Xinhua) 14:49, October 18, 2021 Italian designer Laura Minmini finds an exhibit designed by herself during the 130th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 15, 2021. Laura Minmini is a professional designer specialized in industrial design. After working in Italy for years, Laura landed in China where she has found a dynamic and similar environment. Up to now, she has been working and living in Shunde of Guangdong Province for more than three years, and has founded a design company with her Chinese business partner. The ongoing Canton Fair offers Laura an opportunity to meet old friends from at home and abroad, and to see the latest trend of industrial design in the world. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei) (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Daughter sees her mother off to China's space station (People's Daily App) 15:14, October 18, 2021 Shenzhou-13 was launched successfully from Jiuquan, Gansu Province on Saturday morning. Wang Yaping, one of the three astronauts on board, is the first Chinese female astronaut to step foot on Chinas space station. When Wang Yaping was about to enter the spacecraft, her daughter kept shouting and cheering for her. (Compiled and produced by Wu Yixuan) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Interview: China active contributor to UN, says ITU chief Xinhua) 16:59, October 18, 2021 GENEVA, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- "After China restored its lawful seat in the United Nations in 1971, it is no longer an outsider, but an active participant, promoter and contributor to the cause of the United Nations," Zhao Houlin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), has said. The restoration of China's lawful seat at the United Nations is a great diplomatic victory for China and also a milestone for the United Nations, Zhao said in a recent interview with Xinhua. On Oct. 25, 1971, the UN General Assembly at its 26th session adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority. It decided to restore all lawful rights of the People's Republic of China at the United Nations and recognize the representatives of its government as the only legitimate UN representatives of China. Zhao said that in the past 50 years, China has actively promoted the development of the UN cause: China has continuously developed into the second largest economy in the world; It actively provides solutions to the major issues of the United Nations. When asked about China's contributions to the United Nations, Zhao said with its continuous development, China is playing an increasingly important role in the United Nations in strengthening its authority, maintaining the world peace, and promoting global economic growth, and "China has always been brave to assume its responsibilities." China supports the international system with the United Nations as its core, supports multilateralism, and calls for building a community with a shared future for mankind, he said. These voices have been warmly welcomed by UN members. He added that the inclusiveness and eclecticism of multilateralism, in a sense, conforms with Chinese culture and philosophy. In the past 50 years, Zhao said, China has benefited from participating in the affairs of the United Nations, and in return enhanced the authority and crisis response capabilities of the United Nations. "A more prosperous China will make greater contributions to the cause of the United Nations, and will work with the UN member states to play a more active role in the early arrival of a community with a shared future for mankind." he concluded. Established in 1865, the ITU is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for all matters related to information and communication technologies. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the negotiations on resuming the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday during a phone conversation with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue is an important achievement of multilateralism, he added. Faisal said that Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to China's unique role on the Iranian nuclear issue and expects it to play an important role in promoting the resumption of the Iran nuclear deal and the comprehensive and lasting settlement of the issue. The two sides also agreed to make joint efforts in pushing bilateral relations to a higher and deeper level. In the face of a volatile international situation, China and Saudi Arabia need to maintain close strategic communication, which is an inherent part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, said Wang. Noting that China always gives priority to its relations with Saudi Arabia in its diplomacy in the Middle East, he said that China is willing to be a long-term reliable and stable good friend and partner to Saudi Arabia. China will continue to support Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, Green Saudi Arabia and Green Middle East initiatives, and actively participate in major development projects in Saudi Arabia, he said, adding that China is ready to work with Saudi Arabia to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and push for more results in bilateral cooperation in fields such as energy, infrastructure, investment and 5G. China appreciates Saudi Arabia's active preparations for the China-Arab summit and is willing to maintain communication with Saudi Arabia and start preparations for the summit in due course, he added. Faisal said the Saudi-China relationship is very important and is developing very well, adding that Saudi Arabia always regards China as a truly credible strategic partner and is willing to work with China to deepen all-round bilateral cooperation in various fields. Expressing gratitude to China for opposing external interference in Saudi Arabia's internal affairs, he said that Saudi Arabia also firmly opposes any interference in China's internal affairs, which is a principle Saudi Arabia has always defended. By Fiona Edwards China's national flag (center front) flies beside the European Union flags in Brussels, Belgium, April 9, 2019. /Getty Editor's note: Fiona Edwards is a member of the Organizing Committee of the No Cold War campaign and a signatory of the open letter protesting Britain's ban on CGTN. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. The U.S. administration is attempting to draw Europe into its cold war policy against China, which so far the European Union, in particular, has refused to participate in. This makes the region a key focal point in world politics today. This threatening U.S agenda, which is completely against the interests of the people of Europe, China and the U.S., is unfortunately and persistently being advanced by the U.S. administration. But significant opposition to this dangerous cold war approach is also growing across the world, including in Europe. The opposing interest of the U.S. proponents of the new Cold War and interests of the people of Europe is particularly clear. This new cold war against China was started by former U.S. President Donald Trump. The explicit goal of the U.S. is to block China's economic development, something that the current U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken continues to describe as the "biggest geopolitical test" facing the U.S. in the 21st century. U.S. President Joe Biden's approach to attacking China differs from Trump in that the new U.S. administration is attempting to build a wider international front of U.S. allies to engage in a cold war with China. Europe is seen as a key area for this. However, this approach runs into the obstacle of public opinion in Europe. In January 2021, polling conducted by the European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR) found that a majority of Europeans believe that China will be "more powerful than the U.S. within a decade" and would want their country "to stay neutral in a conflict" between the two superpowers. As Mark Leonard, an ECFR director recently said, "The European public thinks there is a new cold war but they don't want to have anything to do with it." "Our polling reveals that a 'cold war' framing risks alienating European voters," he explained. Despite this European opposition, at the most recent summits of both the G7 and NATO in June 2021, Biden's focus was to attempt to recruit new European allies to support the cold war. Under U.S. pressure, the NATO Summit's communique went as far as identifying China's rise as a "systemic challenge" and "a security threat to the Western military alliance". From the polls, this is quite clearly contrary to the majority of public opinion in Europe. It is clearly absurd to suggest that China poses any threat to NATO countries. In fact, the exact opposite is the case. Both Europe and the U.S. are thousands of kilometres from China, and China has no military forces even remotely close to Europe or the U.S. But the U.S. militarization of the Pacific region has been a growing trend over the past decade. The U.S. currently has 400 military bases surrounding China and the U.S. military budget request for 2022 proposes to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on upgrading the U.S. military's capabilities with the explicit, if unrealistic, aim of overpowering China. A cargo plane of the U.S. Air Forces takes off from the runway at the Incirlik Base in Adana, Turkey, August 12, 2015. /Getty Regrettably, Britain, France and Germany have all sent warships to the South China Sea this year in politically provocative, if militarily insignificant, gestures of support for this U.S.-led military build-up in the Pacific. China has not sent warships to roam the coasts of the U.S. or Europe. A further escalation of the new Cold War against China took place in September, with the announcement that Britain, Australia and the U.S. have formed an alliance known as AUKUS. This will see Britain and the U.S. furnishing Australia with the technology to deploy nuclear-powered submarines. The reality is that any European country that decides to follow the U.S.' cold war approach against China will suffer economic damage and loss of jobs, trade, investment and access to key advanced technologies. China is already a major trading partner of most European countries, and the trend toward further economic cooperation is growing. Therefore, the U.S.' attempts to disrupt the economic cooperation between China and European countries, including Washington's efforts to prevent the signing of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, are completely against the interests of the people of Europe. Instead of accepting this U.S. cold war agenda, Europe should cooperate with China and the rest of the world to tackle the real threats and problems facing humanity. Pursuing a new cold war against China is both a distraction and a serious obstacle to the genuine global cooperation urgently needed to end the pandemic, boost economic recovery and stop climate change. Photo taken on July 21, 2019 from Xiangshan Mountain shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, China's Taiwan. [Photo/Xinhua] When it comes to the question of which should be held accountable for the increasing tensions across the Taiwan Straits Beijing or Washington Washington is a thief crying "stop thief". The spokesperson of the US Department of Defense accused the Chinese mainland of "provocative military activity near Taiwan" that is "destabilizing, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability". He ignored the fact that the US is in no position to point an accusing finger at China given what Washington has done to aggravate the tensions across the Taiwan Straits. The spokesperson also said that the United States would continue to abide by the one-China policy. Not only did the spokesperson contradict that assertion with his remarks, but what the US has been doing is also contrary to its reaffirmations of that commitment. If the US indeed considered Taiwan as part of China, it would find it utterly groundless and unreasonable to view the Chinese mainland's military activities across the Taiwan Straits as unjustifiable and unacceptable. If it believed that it is strictly abiding by the one-China policy, the US would be careful not to have any official contacts with Taiwan. Neither would it keep selling arms to the island. Its military aircraft would not have landed on the island, and its warships would not keep transiting the Taiwan Straits. Should the Chinese mainland turn a blind eye to all these activities, which can hardly be interpreted as friendly moves conducive to promoting peace and stability in the region? It is a no-brainer that the Chinese mainland would react to what the US is doing. The Chinese mainland has never changed its stance of seeking a peaceful reunification with Taiwan. But it does not mean it will give up the use of force as an alternative when it has no other choice. Had it not been for what the US has been doing, those on the island who harbor the intention of seceding Taiwan from the motherland would not have been emboldened enough to edge their way in that direction, both in rhetoric and deeds. Had it not been for the objection to the 1992 Consensus by Taiwan leaders and their attempts in different ways to promote secession, the Chinese mainland would not have intensified its military drills and activities across the Straits. What the Chinese mainland has done across the Straits is meant to tell those secessionists that Taiwan is an inseparable part of the country's territory and there is no way anyone or any cliques can split it from the motherland. It is also a warning to the US that whatever tricks it tries to play with the "Taiwan card", it will never get what it wants. By Wang Suoyong and Wang Yunsheng SHIJIAZHUANG, Oct. 18 -- The 2nd Chinese peacekeeping helicopter contingent to Abyei left Shijiazhuang, North Chinas Hebei Province, on October 16, for a 12-month peacekeeping mission in Abyei of East Africa. Peacekeepers of the contingent are mainly from an army aviation brigade of the 82nd Group Army under the PLA Central Theater Command. Under the unified deployment of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the contingent will focus on 15 tasks of two categories including force projection, search and rescue, material transportation, and air patrol. It is reported that all the peacekeepers have learned about foreign affairs activities, local social conditions, and local climate in accordance with the mission requirements. According to the rotation plan, the second batch of 43 peacekeepers will depart in early November. The ship-borne helicopter prepares to take off on the deck of the Chinese Navy's destroyer Nanchang (Hull 101). (Photo by Sun Jingang) BEIJING, Oct. 18 -- The China-Russia joint naval exercise, Joint Sea 2021, conducted round-the-clock anti-submarine drills in waters near Russia's Peter the Great Bay from October 16 to 17, local time, which was one of the highlights in this joint military event. The Chinese and Russian navies sent multiple types of main battle equipment respectively to the drills. In addition to the surging winds and waves on the day of the exercise, the submarine searching operation this year was full of expectation. As the drills kicked off, the command post of the Chinese side guided the fixed-wing anti-submarine patrol aircraft through the real-time command system to deploy a number of sonar buoys, which formed a large submarine searching zone in the designated sea area. Then, upon obtaining information on the suspected "enemy submarines", the commander issued an anti-submarine combat order to the warship formation. The ship-borne helicopters onboard the Chinese Navy's guided-missile destroyer Nanchang (Hull 101) immediately took off, flew over the search area, and used a dipping sonar to perform a spiral search on the water surface to gradually narrow down the research scope. "Compared with fixed-wing anti-submarine patrol aircraft, the ship-borne helicopters feature faster speed and better maneuverability. They can locate the target more accurately," said Sun Xiangjie, a sonarman assigned to the helicopter regiment. The sea conditions reached a critical value during the drills, and the pilots must constantly adjust the flight attitude to relieve the violent vibration of the helicopters, making it more difficult to conduct search for submarines, added Sun. Based on the target range identified by the ship-borne helicopters, the command post ordered the warships to conduct divisional searches. From morning to evening, fixed-wing anti-submarine patrol aircraft, ship-borne helicopters and surface warships worked closely and formed a three-dimensional hunting net towards the target step by step. "Anti-submarine warfare is an acknowledged difficult issue for navies all over the world as it poses higher requirements for the combat capabilities of underwater detection, search and positioning, and fire strike," said Chen Weigong, political commissar of the destroyer Nanchang. In the Joint Sea 2021, Chinese helicopters conducted the anti-submarine drills over the Russian airspace for the first time and these new changes benefit from the continuous enhancement of the integration of the China-Russia naval systems and the in-depth development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia in the new era. Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca all recommend 21-28 days between the two shots. Canada's experience suggests protection is even stronger after a six-week interval. For the Pfizer vaccine, this effectiveness went from 82 percent after a three- to four-week interval, to 93 percent when the booster, or secondary dose was given after four months. Recent data compiled by the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and the Quebec National Institute of Public Health also show the strategy of using the first available vaccine for a second dose, even if not the same brand as the first, actually increased effectiveness and saved lives. The decision by Canadian authorities to immunize as many people as possible with any available dose of COVID-19 vaccine, then extending the time until administering the second dose, appears to be paying off. Recent studies indicate Canada's decision to extend the interval between the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines can actually lead to increased resistance to the virus. It also finds mixing the brand and type of doses gives better protection. The study also finds two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine gave less protection than the mRNA vaccines of Pfizer and Moderna. However, those who received an mRNA as a booster dose have the same protection as if they had two of the same, even if their first dose was AstraZeneca. All three vaccines were found to be more than 90-percent effective in keeping recipients out of the hospital for COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer for the Canadian province of British Columbia, has encouraged first doses to be administered as quickly as possible -- and not to worry whether the second dose is from a different vaccine. Overall, she said, Canada's experience could provide insights for the rest of the world. "We don't want countries to have to hold doses back or wait for manufacturers to be able to give people the full protection they need when they're seeing outbreaks in other countries -- and we saw this in India, for example," she said. So it is really important globally that we're able to use whatever vaccines are available to support people to have good protection." Joan Robinson, a pediatric infectious disease doctor and professor at the University of Alberta and Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, said increasing the time between the doses can be good for the long term in areas with stable or low coronavirus levels. However, Robinson said, there is one downside for the short term, especially in areas where there are high concentrations of COVID-19 cases. "So the delay between the doses during the time between your first and second dose, you're much more likely to get COVID than if you had got this second dose earlier," she said. "Certainly with the delta variant, one gets the impression that one dose may be less effective." The findings of researchers in British Columbia and Quebec, which are thousands of kilometers apart, are almost identical. This most recent Canadian data have not been widely published or peer reviewed, but researchers released the information early to make it available globally as soon as possible. A Russian actor and a film director making the first move film in space returned to Earth on Sunday after spending 12 days on the International Space Station. The Soyuz MS-18 space capsule carrying Russian ISS crew member Oleg Novitskiy, Yulia Peresild and Klim Shipenko landed in a remote area outside the western Kazakhstan at 07:35 a.m., the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. The crew had dedocked from the ISS three hours earlier. Russian state TV footage showed the reentry capsule descending under its parachute above the vast Kazakh steppe, followed by ground personnel assisting the smiling crew as they emerged from the capsule. North Korea could be poised to resume tests of nuclear bombs and intercontinental ballistic missiles, a U.S. intelligence agency warns. In a report released last week, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said, "Integrating a nuclear weapon with a ballistic missile and enabling that nuclear-armed missile to function reliably as a system is North Korea's ultimate operational goal. Further underground nuclear tests to validate weapon capabilities are possible if North Korea reconstitutes its nuclear test site or establishes a new one." "North Korea also will work to improve its newer solid-propellant ballistic missiles -- solid fueled missiles can be made ready for launch more quickly than liquid fueled missiles," the report warns. "It is possible we could see a test of a long-range missile over the next year." North Korea has conducted no nuclear tests since declaring a moratorium in 2017 and has "reversibly dismantled portions of its WMD infrastructure," it adds. "However, we continue to observe activity" at the Yongbyon nuclear facility and elsewhere that is "inconsistent with full denuclearization." In an inter-Korean summit held on Sept. 19, 2018, the North promised to permanently dismantle the Yongbyon nuclear facility on condition of a reciprocal action from the U.S. But it restarted the facility in July this year. North Korea "is unlikely to give up all of its WMD stockpiles, delivery systems, and production capabilities," the report concludes. South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator Noh Kyu-duk arrived in Washington a day after the DIA report was released for talks with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts. State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters last week, "We have made, in fact, specific proposals to [North Korea] and we will await a response." There is speculation that a humanitarian aid package including healthcare and medical assistance, will be announced soon. Seoul already gained permission from Washington to send humanitarian aid to the North several months ago. But Pyongyang rejected the overture. The impending announcement of "specific proposals" suggests that Pyongyang's attitude has softened recently. "We've detected signs of a change since last month, when the North hinted at restoring cross-border hotlines and welcomed President Moon Jae-in's proposal to declare a formal end to the Korean War," a government source here said. But Washington is firmly against easing sanctions, an issue Moon has been pushing in apparent hopes of increasing his own party's chances in next year's presidential election. Japanese beer brand Asahi to join CIIE for first time By:Cao Jun, Jiang Meiqing, Wu Qiong | From: | 2021-10-18 14:26 In the past 7 or 8 years, consumers have higher requirements for beer taste and drinking moment with the variety of imported beer brands has increased. Between 2016 and 2017, Japan's Asahi Group acquired several European brands and began to introduce them to the China market in 2018, since when its sales of beer have been on the rise. Seizing the opportunity, Asahi decided to participate in the fourth CIIE (China International Import Expo), which will be its first CIIE attendance. (Takashi Nishimura, president of Asahi Beer (China) Investment Company) Taking advantage of the rise in imported beer Having been in the China market for 22 years, Asahi has been famous for its Super Dry beer. Since 2018, it has been introducing European beer brands to China and its production line now spans Eurasia. Recently, the beer company began to bring 2L can and mini can of Asahi Super Dry to China, and saw an increase in sales. With the rise of imported products and the support of the Jing'an District government, Takashi Nishimura said the company decided to participate in the CIIE for the first time. Three main products will be showcased at the fair, according to Takashi Nishimura, which are Asahi Super Dry, Peroni Nastro Azzurro (a high-end brand from Italy) and Pilsner Urquell (a high-end Czech brand). Therefore, the exhibition area will be divided into three parts. Peroni Nastro Azzurro will be displayed in the blue booth. The black booth is for Asahi Super Dry, where a new taste will be debuted. And the green booth will be for Pilsner Urquell. As Takashi Nishimura said, the taste of Peroni Nastro Azzurro is perfect balance between bitterness and sweetness. It is suitable for drinking on sunny days and is especially suitable for female consumers. There is also a bar for tasting in the middle of the exhibition area. Quality is the highest priority of our company, added Takashi Nishimura. Not only the quality of the product itself, we also attach great importance to the quality of drinking, and provide high-quality products to customers in a high-quality state. Though this is our first participation in the CIIE, the local government in Jingan District has given us plenty of support and useful information. We also appreciate its coordination for us when we meet difficulties, said Takashi Nishimura. (A rendering of the exhibition area of Asahi at 2021 CIIE) A good understanding of Chinese consumers For Asahi, the Chinese market is one of their main markets. Last year, despite COVID-19, sales in China increased significantly over the previous year, not only in Japanese restaurants and stores, but also in Chinese food stores. More than half of Asahi Beer Chinas sales are now in markets other than Japanese food stores. It results from the companys accurate grasp of the market and consumer trends. According to Takashi Nishimura, consumers are more personalized and differentiated, as more people pursue something that suits themselves and is different from others. In recent years, consumers' preferences for beer have also diversified. As he noted, young people have their own preferences, and like to enjoy delicious food and beverages in their favorite environment. They cherish their time and hope to have a good time. They pursue quality and freshness at the same time while demanding a good and new experience. Our high-quality, high-end beer can exactly meet their needs. The Chinese beer market is the largest in the world. Seven to eight years ago, the number and types of imported beer increased significantly, and the number and types of craft beer and high-end beer also increased. The Chinese market has great potential for us, said Takashi Nishimura. In the future, we will introduce new Japanese products and beers of different flavors such as white beer and dark beer. CIIE is a rare opportunity for Asahi Beer according to Takashi. CIIE is a platform for everyone to communicate and learn. First, we hope more consumers understand and experience the exhibited three products and they will drink happily. Second, its very rare for us to communicate directly with more people and learn from each other, whether its the understanding about beer or peoples ideas. Story by Cao Jun Video by Cao Jun, Jiang Meiqing Translated by Wu Qiong University holds mini World Expo to celebrate 70th anniversary By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-10-18 17:19 Do you want a German beer? Welcome to Mali! Suka means like in Malaysian. On October 17, international students from around 40 countries at Putuo Campus of the East China Normal University (ECNU) held a mini World Expo to celebrate the universitys 70th anniversary. It is part of ECNUs fifteenth International Cultural Festival. The festival is one of the most anticipated campus activities, according to an undergraduate from Tajikistan. It not only promotes the exchanges between different cultures, but also allows us to truly understand the great love of ECNU and enriches our life experiences. Over the past decades, ECNU has been host to over 70,000 international students who came to China to study. At the Expo, international students were dressed up and showcased exotic handicrafts, food and wine in the booths. Like the World Expo Shanghai 2010, the event also gave out passports for participants to collect stamps. People who got 40 stamps could get an anniversary gift. In the Bangladesh booth, students made three-dimensional hand-paintings on-site for interested visitors. In the Japanese booth, a large bag of instant noodles raised the curiosity of many people. It turned out that the instant noodles on display were the first in the world: the Chicken Ramen by Nissin Food Products. During the festival, the organizer also initiated some charity initiatives to encourage international students to integrate more into the Chinese community and society. Seven Shanghai tourists test positive for coronavirus By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-10-18 17:18 Seven tourists from Shanghai have so far tested positive for COVID-19, with six being confirmed cases and the other one being infected but experiencing no symptoms. The paths of the infected tourists have also been traced. It was reported that the first diagnosed couple left Shanghai on October 9 and travelled to popular tourist attractions in Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Shaanxi before being confirmed with coronavirus. On October 17, Xian City of Chinas northwest Shaanxi Province reported a couple from Shanghai who had tested positive. A day after, the province published an update, noting that there were another five cases, who had close contact with the couple. The five people had been fully vaccinated before. They tested negative on October 7 in Shanghai before flying from the city, and tested negative in Inner Mongolia on October 13. On October 17, when they were in Xian, test results for them were positive for coronavirus. As of 10 am Monday (October 18), a total of 308 people in Shanghai related to the seven tourists have gone through tracing and screening and their latest test results were negative. A total of 277 items and environmental samples from relevant places were investigated, and the nucleic acid test results were all negative. Woburn, MA (01801) Today Light rain early. Decreasing clouds with mostly sunny skies by afternoon. High 48F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 28F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Jimmie Johnson brought part of his family to honor the family that started him on his path to auto racing success. Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, and his daughter Lydia were on hand Saturday when Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed opened the new Herzog Motorsports display. The Herzog company of St. Joseph, Missouri, is aiding Speedway Motors in building a 90,000-square-foot addition to the museum, which will include a permanent Herzog display. Single-handedly -- The man who built, and then rebuilt, a piece of Lincoln's racing history The Herzogs were everything for me in my professional career, Johnson said at the groundbreaking ceremony. It truly was a family environment, one that I really grew into through my late teens and 20s. So when I think of my relationship with Stan and Randy (Herzog), they were definitely father figures to me. I moved out of Southern California and away from my father and the influence of my parents and the Herzogs brought me into their families and guided me through many lessons in business and just being a man. The Herzog display in the museum is just the beginning, according to museum curator Tim Matthews. This opens up a tremendous opportunity for us to add some wonderful collections like the Herzog Motorsports collection, he said. We kind of call this Herzog Phase One. Its really spectacular now, but it will be even better in the coming years. We will create a Pikes Peak display that really goes vertical. To have an off-road display and Pikes Peak is something we just couldnt have done without the Herzogs' help." Lincoln's Museum of American Speed ramps up for 90,000-square-foot expansion with $10M price tag The parallels between the Herzog family and the Bill Smith family, which started Speedway Motors and the American Museum of Speed, are significant. Bill Herzog started a contracting company, along with sons Stan and Randy, which branched out into racing. Speedy Bill and Joyce Smith were joined in the business by sons Carson, Clay, Craig and Jason. The celebration of the addition to the museum was tempered by the announcement of Jason Smiths death from cancer Saturday at age 60. Both families are reeling from loss, as Randy Herzog passed away six weeks ago. Randys excitement for this and his commitment to it were incredible, Johnson said. I know Randys looking down and smiling on us, but we all have a heavy heart and wish he was here to experience this. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Brad Lager, chairman and CEO of Herzog Co., said the display includes memorabilia that has been accumulated over decades. We have a storage building we built in St. Joe and we actually call it The Toy Box. Its where all our neat toys are and now many are here, he said. Our partnership with the Smith family is about us memorializing that part of our journey. Lorrie Smiley, executive administrative assistant at Herzog, said some of the cars in the exhibit at the museum are on loan from Johnson, who had them in his museum in North Carolina. Ive been with Herzog for 43 years, 44 next month, so I grew up at Herzog, kind of like Jimmie did, Smiley said. When Jimmie first came with us, I was doing travel reservations and he was too young to rent a car, so we had to get special waivers for him to rent a car. Johnson said the demands were great driving for the Herzogs and later on the NASCAR circuit. Watch Now: Museum of American Speed voted nation's best attraction for car lovers At the height of my Cup career with 38 races and testing, there were a lot of demands. In addition to those race weekends, I had 130 appearances that I needed to make across the country, he said. Family is everything and the support that I have from my wife and children allowed me to chase my dream." The museum is open Mondays and Fridays from noon to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lincoln's 'best-kept secret' Museum of American Speed set to reopen April 1 Museum of American Speed to showcase Starbird creations Isky Roadster, the original hot rod, has parking place in Museum of American Speed Lady Gaga used her "pain" from being raped to drive her 'House of Gucci' performance but director Sir Ridley Scott urged her to tone down the intensity because he didn't want her to be "traumatised". Qatar has intercepted and seized a Bahraini boat for entering illegally the territorial waters of the tiny gas-rich Gulf country, reports say. Qatari Coastline Security General Directorate sent, Doha News reports, a fax to Bahrains Naval Operations Centre of Coast Guard, to inform of the seizure of a Bahraini vessel for trespassing into Qatari territorial waters. The incident took place Thursday. Qatar reportedly also said it will investigate two Asian nationals onboard after their arrest. The Bahraini coast guard command according to the kingdoms media, is taking necessary measures to diffuse the crisis. The incident is the first major crisis to occur between the two countries since January after Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt reconciled with Doha after several years of diplomatic feud. Bahrain during crisis that started in June 2017, repeatedly breached Qatari territorial waters and airspace and has seized 130 properties reportedly belonging to relatives of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Doha news notes. Aside from the diplomatic crisis, both countries, the Qatari media outlet notes, had a deep-rooted territorial contention over the waters and small islands that separate the peninsula from the main islands of its maritime neighbor which was eventually resolved by the International Court of Justice in 2001. According to a tweet published by the spokesman of the French Ministry of Armed Forces on October 14, 2021, the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) received the first upgraded La Fayette-class frigate Courbet, which will be operational in summer 2022. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link La Fayette-class frigate Courbet (Picture source: Twitter account of FdeStV) The French Navy's La Fayette Class multipurpose stealth frigates were developed and built by DCNS. The French Navy awarded DCNS the contracts to construct the La Fayette (F710), Surcouff (F711) and Courbet (F712) frigates in 1988, and Aconit (F713) and Guepratte (F714) in 1992. The "Courbet" FLF (Fregate Legere Furtive in French) is general-purpose La Fayette-class frigates built by Naval Group previously named DCNS and operated by the French Navy. The ship was launched in March 1994 and commissioned in April 1997. The La Fayette class (also known as FL-3000 for "Fregate Legere de 3,000 tonnes", or FLF for Fregate Legere Furtive) is a class of general purpose frigates built by DCNS and operated by the French Navy. Derivatives of the type are in service in the navies of Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Taiwan. The La Fayette class frigate is armed with 8 Exocet MM40 block II anti-ship missiles, one 100 mm TR automatic gun, two 20 mm modele F2 guns and 1 Crotale CN2 all-weather short-range air defense missile system. The is powered by four diesel SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2 developing 21,000 hp. (16,000 kW). She can sail at a maximum speed of 25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph) with a range of 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) and 9,000 nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph). According to information published by Defense Studies on October 18, 2021, the Indonesian Navy's Fatahillah-class corvette KRI Malahayati has successfully destroyed its target during exercise at Bali Strait. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Fatahillah class corvette KRI Malahayati (Picture source: Twitter account of Jatosint) KRI Malahayati is an Indonesian Navy ship named after Malahayati, a national war hero from Aceh. The ship is a missile-equipped corvette, the second ship of the Fatahillah class. The Fatahillah class is a class of corvette that is in service in the Indonesian Navy. The vessels of the class were built by Wilton-Fijenoord, Schiedam, Netherlands. There are three ships in the class and are still active. The vessels have a length of approximately 84 m, a beam of 11.10 m, a draught of 3.30 m, and a full load displacement of 1,450 tons. The Fatahillah class is able to accommodate up to 89 crew members. The class is armed with one Bofors 120 mm naval gun, one Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft gun, four Exocet MM 38 anti-ship missiles, one Bofors 375 mm twin anti-submarine rocket launcher and two Mk 32 launchers for 324 mm torpedoes. Your browser does not support the video tag. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on October 18, 2021 2021/10/18 CCTV: Recently, a handover ceremony of Lancang bullet train for China-Laos railway was held in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. According to media comments, China-Laos railway will bring happiness and prosperity to people in these two countries. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: China-Laos railway is a landmark achievement of dovetailing the Belt and Road Initiative and Laos' strategy to convert itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub. The handover of Lancang bullet train, an important milestone, signifies that the development of China-Laos railway is going to enter a new phase of operation from construction. It is good and joyful, and will deliver benefits to our peoples. At the opening ceremony of the Second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference, President Xi Jinping pointed out that "it is imperative that we follow the prevailing trend of world development, advance global transport cooperation, and write a new chapter featuring connectivity of infrastructure, unfettered flows of trade and investment, and interactions between civilizations". President Xi's remarks serve as a guide to the operation of the China-Laos railway. The railway embodies the spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and will effectively improve infrastructure and connectivity in Laos and the region to boost sustainable economic development. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos, and the China-Laos Friendship Year. China stands ready to take the opportunity to work with the Lao side, to actively dovetail development strategies, deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation, steadily advance the construction of railway and other projects, so as to build a community of shared future between our two countries. Xinhua News Agency: The symposium commemorating the 30th anniversary of the publication of the white paper on human rights in China was recently held in Beijing, during which in-depth discussions were held on the theoretical significance of the white paper and China's achievements in human rights. What is the foreign ministry's comment on this? Zhao Lijian: Thirty years ago, The State Council Information Office published a white paper on China's human rights situation. This is China's first release of an official document on human rights. It gives a comprehensive and systematic account of China's basic position and views on human rights and the fact of the Chinese people fully enjoying human rights. It is an important milestone in the development of China's human rights cause. China has created the remarkable miracle in respecting and protecting human rights and blazed a path of human rights development with Chinese characteristics, bringing tangible benefits to the Chinese people. The happy life and delightful smile of the Chinese people can best reflect and represent China's human rights situation. For a long time, the Chinese people's satisfaction rate of the Chinese government exceeds 90 percent. This is the most powerful response to attacks and smears against China by those with ulterior motives under the guise of human rights. China's remarkable achievement in human rights development is also a major contribution China has made to the world's human rights cause. China has always earnestly fulfilled its international human rights obligations, conducted extensive exchanges and cooperation on human rights, actively participated in international human rights governance, promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and contributed Chinese wisdom and solutions to enriching and developing the diversity of human rights civilizations. The process of China's realization of great national rejuvenation is also one of realizing social fairness and justice and advancing human rights progress. Looking ahead, we have every reason to believe that China will make greater contribution to the progress of human rights in the world. Hubei Media Group: On October 15, Russian foreign ministry released information on Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov's meeting with UK Ambassador to Moscow. Ryabkov said that the trilateral security partnership of Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS) won't facilitate the resolution of the tasks of strengthening the international security and stability, and will create difficulties in the sphere of arms control. Russia hopes that the AUKUS participants can strictly adhere to their obligations of nuclear non-proliferation. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: China agrees with the views expressed by the Russian side on AUKUS. As China has stressed many times, the establishment of this trilateral security partnership and their nuclear submarine cooperation have a series of seriously negative impacts: First, the three countries, drawing lines along ideology, have built a new military bloc which will heighten geopolitical tensions. Second, it will encourage regional countries to accelerate the development of military capabilities, and even seek to break the nuclear threshold, thus leading to arms race and increasing the risk of military conflicts. Third, the nuclear submarine cooperation poses serious nuclear proliferation risks and violates the spirit of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). I want to stress that this cooperation would be the first time that a nuclear weapon state transfer nuclear submarine to a non-nuclear weapon state. That means the US and the UK will export to Australia highly enriched uranium with purity of 90% or more, but the current safeguards mechanism of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cannot verify whether Australia will use the highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons. Therefore, what these three countries are doing runs counter to the purposes and goals of NPT and gravely undermine the international non-proliferation system. The US, on the one hand, sanctions and suppresses some countries with the excuse of developing nuclear technologies, and flagrantly transfers weapon-grade nuclear materials to non-nuclear states on the other. This is typical double-standards. It will create far-reaching, negative impact on the political and diplomatic settlement of regional nuclear hotspots. For years, the US, the UK and Australia have been calling themselves leaders of international non-proliferation efforts and defenders of the international non-proliferation system. But what the three countries did have proven that they actually engage in proliferation and undermine the international non-proliferation system. China believes that all regional mechanisms should follow the trend of peace and development, enhance mutual trust and cooperation among regional countries rather than target any third party or harm their interests. We urge the three countries to listen to the appeals of the international community, abandon the outdated Cold War, zero-sum mentality and narrow-minded geopolitical perception, reverse the wrong decision, faithfully fulfill their international non-proliferation obligations and do more that benefits regional peace and stability. MASTV: The missile destroyer USS Dewey and the Canadian frigate HMCS Winnipeg sailed through the Taiwan Strait on October 15. Do you have any response? Zhao Lijian: The spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command already made remarks on the issue. The Chinese side was closely following and monitoring, and on the alert against the US and the Canadian military vessels' passage through the Taiwan Strait from start to end. US warships have repeatedly flaunted their prowess in the Taiwan Strait, provoking and stirring up trouble, and even gone further to collude with its allies to provoke, disrupt and mess around. The vile acts of the US are by no means commitment to freedom and openness, but rather deliberate disruption and sabotage of regional peace and stability. The international community sees this crystal clear. I want to reiterate that China is unswervingly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese military is always on high alert and will resolutely respond to all threats and provocations. The US side should change course and redress mistakes. The Canadian side should proceed from its own interests and overall situation of China-Canadian relations, and reject acting as a cat's paw of others. Beijing Daily: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters after visiting the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on October 17 that the disposal of wastewater stored at the plant is crucial and cannot be delayed further. "We will provide explanation about the safety (of the disposal) from a scientific viewpoint and transparency in order to dispel various concerns," Kishida said. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: The Japanese government's unilaterally-made decision of discharging the nuclear contaminated water from Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean in April has been questioned and opposed by people of Pacific-rim countries as well as Japanese citizens. Japan made this decision without exhausting all safe ways of disposal, fully disclosing relevant information, fully consulting with neighboring countries and other stakeholders, or coming up with arrangements for effective monitoring and verification. It is entirely legitimate and reasonable for the international community to express concern and opposition to this, and Japan cannot ignore it. China has repeatedly stressed that the disposal of nuclear contaminated water in Fukushima is not a private matter for Japan itself, but a major international issue concerning public health of Pacific-rim countries and the global marine ecological environment. The international community has raised concerns over the rationality and scientificity of Japan's ocean discharge plan, the credibility of the data supporting its decision and the reliability of its equipment to purify the nuclear contaminated water. Japan should heed the call of the international community, revoke its wrong decision and stop preparations for the ocean discharge. Japan should not start the discharge process before reaching consensus with all stakeholders and relevant international institutions. Shenzhen TV: US media recently reported that on September 24, a White police officer in Indiana kicked a handcuffed tramp of African descent in the face during law enforcement activities, which has drawn strong criticism in the US. The US government paints normal law enforcement activities of other countries as suppression of freedom and violation of human rights, while police brutality in the US keeps surfacing. What is your comment? Zhao Lijian: There are countless reports on shocking and heinous brutality of white police officers in the US. A study in The Lancet by experts of Washington University and other institutions found that 30,800 people died from police violence in the US between 1980 and 2018, and 17,100 of them were unreported in official statistics reports. It is also found that Black Americans were 3.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white Americans. But this is just a tip of the iceberg of grave human rights violations in the US. In February 2021, Independent UN human rights experts called on the US to adopt wide-ranging reforms to put an end to police brutality and vigorously address systemic racism and racial discrimination. In June, Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and 27 experts of the Special Procedures of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent of the Human Rights Council published a joint statement, which condemned the racial lynching and prosecution in the US, and called on the US government to conduct independent investigations, look into all cases where police are accountable for the use of excessive force, and resolve systemic racism and racial prejudice in US criminal justice system. As the US was newly reelected to the UN Human Rights Council, we hope it can take this as an opportunity, discard double standards and stop politicizing human rights issues. It should start with facing up to and addressing police violence and human rights violations and stringently punish the perpetrators, so that racial minorities suffering from grave systemic racial discrimination no longer live in fear and that tragedies like the one of George Floyd won't take place again. AFP: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine yesterday. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: The Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 World War II Class-A war criminals with heinous crimes are honored, is a spiritual tool and symbol of the Japanese militarism's war of aggression. The negative moves of some Japanese political figures on the issue of the Yasukuni Shrine once again reflect Japan's wrong attitude toward its history of aggression. The Chinese side has lodged solemn representation with the Japanese side through diplomatic channel. The Japanese side should earnestly honor its statement and commitment of facing up to and reflecting on its history of aggression, talk and act with prudence on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, make a clean break with militarism, and win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions. Yomiuri Shinbun: The US is to allow international travelers who have been inoculated with WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines, Chinese ones included, to enter. What's China's view on this? Zhao Lijian: China advocates that issues related to vaccines should be handled in a scientific way. We stand ready to strengthen cooperation with relevant countries, and facilitate the cross-border flow of personnel against the background of COVID-19 in a proper manner. Associated Press of Pakistan: On October 16, while addressing a launching ceremony of farmer portals, Prime Minister Imran Khan asked Pakistani farmers to learn from Chinese experience to increase agricultural production and said that agriculture sector is a part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor cooperation framework. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners. Agricultural cooperation is an integral part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is an important pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative. For years, China-Pakistan cooperation in cultivating rice, corn, soybean, sugarcane, juncao and other crops has yielded fruitful results and achieved remarkable outcomes, and has played an important role in promoting the development of bilateral relations and deepening the friendship between the two peoples. As CPEC has entered the second phase, there will be more Chinese agricultural technologies flowing into Pakistan, which means huge potential in China-Pakistan agricultural cooperation. China will continue to uphold the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit, maintain close communication with Pakistan, and work to form an efficient and practical cooperation mechanism to continuously promote socioeconomic development and improve people's well-being and build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. The Paper: It is reported that on 15 October EST, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman stated in her remarks in Washington that with regard to China, the position of the US is clear, and that the US will compete with China where necessary, work with China when it will be in the interests of the US and the world, and challenge China when necessary. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: The relevant remarks by the US side are the repetition of the old rhetoric of the so-called approach of "competition, cooperation and confrontation". What the US stated is in essence a cover-up for its containment and oppression against China under the pretext of competition, the root cause of which lies in the wrong perception by the US side who stubbornly views China as a strategic rival. How the US and China understand and get along with each other bears on the fundamental interests of the two peoples, and draws attention from the regional countries and the international community. China holds the view that China and the US share extensive common interests and profound cooperation potential. Competition does exist in some areas such as trade, but it should not be used to define the overall picture of the China-US relations. We must point out that US' constant slandering and smearing against China is not "competition"; decoupling and suppressing Chinese enterprises by using national security as an excuse is not "competition"; still less should it be "competition" to level up military deployment around China or form various anti-China cliques. The US side should forego Cold War zero-sum mentality, view China and China's development from an objective perspective, form a deep understanding of the mutually beneficial nature of China-US relations, and adopt rational and practical China policies. It should enhance dialogue and communication with China, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly handle differences, and embark on a path of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. China Daily: According to reports, US President Joe Biden said at the dedication ceremony for the Dodd Centre for Human Rights at the University of Connecticut that "when we look around the world today, we cannot say that the specter of atrocity is behind us", adding that the world is seeing "the oppression and use of forced labor of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang; the treatment of the Rohingya by the military junta in Burma; the rampant abuses, including the use of starvation and sexual violence, to terrorize civilian populations in Northern Ethiopia". Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: The so-called "oppression" and "forced labor" are sheer lies. Xinjiang now enjoys social stability, economic development, solidarity among ethnic groups and harmony among religions. People of all ethnic groups live a happy and fulfilling life, with all rights and interests prescribed by law fully guaranteed. The so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang are an outright political conspiracy. The true intention is to undermine prosperity and stability in Xinjiang and contain China's development. The US, a self-styled defender of democracy and human rights, has a poor record itself. The US is facing swelling racial discrimination. Its negative response to COVID-19 claimed 700,000 lives. It wantonly waged wars and killed civilians in other countries with a test tube of laundry power and a piece of fake intelligence report as the evidence, and created humanitarian disasters by imposing unilateral sanctions. The US adopts double standards and a selective approach when it turns a blind eye to the acts of killing civilians in Afghanistan. Facts have proven time and again that the "beacon of democracy", a title that the US prides itself on, has long collapsed. It is in no position to claim to be a defender of human rights or lecture others on the issue. The US side should seriously reflect upon its own human rights abuses, manage its own business well, and stop interfering in other countries' domestic affairs and undermining their interests in the name of human rights. TASS: According to Financial Times, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the new doctrine of the alliance for the next 10 years will address threats coming from China's rise. The current version of the NATO doctrine was adopted in 2010 and doesn't mention China at all. I wonder if China has any comments on this statement. Zhao Lijian: Peace, development and cooperation are the trend of the times. It's the common aspiration of all to pursue solidarity, multilateralism and cooperation, rather than division, unilateralism and confrontation. As the largest military alliance, NATO should abandon Cold War mentality and ideological bias, view the development of China in an objective, positive and open manner, and do more to uphold international and regional peace and stability. RIA Novosti: Just now the Iran foreign ministry spokesperson said that next Wednesday, October 27th, Iran will hold the meeting between the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighboring countries. I wonder if Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi already has any plans to go and participate in this meeting? Zhao Lijian: Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Afghan Issue among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan is an effective mechanism related to the Afghan issue. The first foreign ministers' meeting was held in time and effectively. The Chinese side supports Iran in hosting the second meeting, and is now in communication with Iran and other parties regarding the attendees and other related issues. AFP: On the COP26 climate summit which will be organized in November in Glasgow, do you have any updates on whether the Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the summit or not? Zhao Lijian: Last week, I stated China's position on this issue. I do not have further information to share for now. Bloomberg: The Financial Times has reported that China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile. Could the foreign ministry confirm if China has such a missile? Zhao Lijian: As we understand, this was a routine test of spacecraft to verify technology of spacecraft's reusability. It is of great significance to reducing the cost of using spacecraft and providing a convenient and cheap way for mankind's two-way transportation in the peaceful use of space. Several companies around the world have conducted similar tests. After separating from the spacecraft before its return, the supporting devices will burn up when it's falling in the atmosphere and the debris will fall into the high seas. China will work with other countries in the world for the peaceful use of space for the benefit of mankind. AFP: Is the missile you mentioned the same missile reported by the Financial Times? Zhao Lijian: As I just said, it's not missile, but a spacecraft. Radio Television Hong Kong: When will China pronounce judgment on the case of Yang Jun, an Australian citizen charged with spying? Zhao Lijian: We elaborated on the case many times. I don't have any further information to offer. Global Times: On October 15, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Chief of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko and Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin visited the southern Kuril Islands. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Japan has lodged solemn representations with Russia. What is your comment? Zhao Lijian: It is China's consistent belief that the outcomes of the victory of the Anti-Fascist War should be earnestly respected and upheld. We hope issues related to the southern Kuril Islands can be properly handled by Russia and Japan. China News Service: Media reports show Italy, with its G20 presidency, plans to establish the Global Health Financing Board and Financial Intermediary Fund. This is widely supported by G20 members but opposed by BRICS countries including China. The international community could thus miss the rare opportunity of reforming the global health governance system. What is China's comment? Zhao Lijian: The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the shortfall in the global pandemic response and deficiencies in the health governance system. There is indeed the need for improving global health governance and mobilizing more finances to shore up the weak links. China firmly supports strengthening global governance system, enhancing the leadership and coordination of the WHO and improving anti-pandemic financing cooperation. China matches its words with deeds as it has made active contribution to the global fight against COVID-19. China supports G20 in playing a positive role in building consensus on and mobilizing resources for global health cooperation. In the meanwhile, China believes that such efforts should not undermine the authority of the WHO and the effectiveness of global health governance. This is widely shared by many other G20 members and a number of countries in the international community. Global health governance concerns the common interests of all countries. The opinions of the entire international community, especially developing countries, should therefore be listened to, and decisions should be made through discussion of all members under the WHO framework. We hope developed countries can take real actions, support developing countries in responding to COVID-19 and make contribution to improving the global public health system. China will continue to participate in relevant discussions in a constructive manner. Bloomberg: I'm going to follow on the routine test of the space vehicle. And could you confirm when the test happened and what kind of space vehicle it was? Zhao Lijian: As I understand, it was in July. This is a test of spacecraft to verify the technology of spacecraft's reusability. Reuters: The Financial Times reported that it's hypersonic missile. Are you saying that the missile mentioned in the report should be a space vehicle? Zhao Lijian: Yes. In the early hours of October 15, Lakhbir Singh, a 35-year old labourer from the Mazhabi Sikh community (Dalits who converted to Sikhism), was brutally tortured and murdered at the protest site at Singhu border near Delhi. It has been alleged that Lakhbir Singh had attempted to steal the holy scriptures of the Sikh community. Members of the Nihang Sikh sect have come forward and taken the responsibility for the barbaric act. Not only have the leaders of the Nihang community not shown any sign of remorse for the incident they have gone on to proclaim that they defend and might repeat the same act in case there was any repeat of blasphemy in the future. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has already denounced the killing and have distanced themselves from the Nihangs. The Hindutva right has been quick to take this opportunity to claim that the farmers protests as a whole is responsible for break down in law order and for moral degeneration more generally. Firstly, we on the left unequivocally denounce such a brutal killing of an ordinary working class person. Even if it is proved beyond any doubt that Lakhbir Singh was guilty of blasphemy individuals cannot take the law into their own hands and carry out acts of indescribable brutality. Secondly, this clearly demonstrates that all religious organizing carries with it the potential danger of quickly collapsing into reactionary politics. This is true not just for those organizing around questions of Hindutva or political Islam, but is equally true of Christian fundamentalists, Buddhist fundamentalists, and in this case Sikh fundamentalists. The important lesson to draw is not to condemn religion and only uphold values of atheism. The important lesson is that while we respect peoples right to practice and have their own faith, left organizing must always be wary of religious groups. Ours is a fight against exploitation and oppression for a better world. Organizing for this aim can and must have people from all faiths and religions, but cannot be based around religious organizing. Thirdly, it is wrong to hold the farmers movement in general responsible for this barbaric act. The current farmers movement is one of the longest standing movements in India, and is against arguably the most brutal and oppressive central government, independent India has ever seen. The movement in its current form has already been running for more than 14 months and has been almost entirely non-violent in character. We must defend the movement from right-wing attacks while we condemn this brutal killing and call for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. Lastly, we would like to underscore another less highlighted incident. A 26-year old woman activist from Bengal joined members of the farmers movement who were campaigning against the BJP for the state assembly election in WB. She came with them to the Tikri border. On the way, it has been alleged, she was assaulted by members of the Kisan Social Army. It has been further alleged that later during her stay at Tikri she was raped by those who were harassing her for a while. She contracted and died of Covid during the deadly second wave. After her death, her father has filed an FIR. Of course, the above incident has sometimes been cynically used by right-wing supporters of the BJP and Sangh Parivar to discredit the movement in general. We need to stand firmly in support of the movement but never at the cost of brushing under the carpet incidents of oppression that may happen within such progressive spaces of mobilisation. This will not undermine the movement. What will truly undermine our strength is when women, Dalits (like Lakhbir Singh) and other members of an oppressed community are unable to join our movement without fear. Given the kind of society we live in this is not going to happen automatically. It will require us to be ever vigilant about such incidents and to never hush up any such incident for the sake of the movement. That will be a testament to our commitment to fighting injustice whenever and wherever it raises its ugly head, and will ultimately strengthen our struggles. Radical Socialist demands that due punishment be done to the perpetrators of sexual violence at the Tikri border and urge all those involved in progressive organizing to be vigilant about such atrocities. Radical Socialist also demands that the perpetrators of the brutal murder of Lakhbir Singh be brought to justice. Two people have been arrested so far, and one of them is Dalit. Irrespective of their faith and social background, people who are found guilty of this crime should be held accountable. However, this should not be lead to any further victimization of the family members of Lakhbir Singh, and they should be duly compensated by the state. AstroAccess, an initiative dedicated to advancing disability inclusion in space exploration, and Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G) successfully completed a parabolic flight with a crew of 12 ambassadors with mobility, vision, and hearing disabilities on Sunday, October 17. A press conference with representatives of the crew will be livestreamed on Monday, October 18 at 10:00am Pacific time, via the following link: https://bit.ly/3DOn63Z (passcode: ToBoldlyGo) On Sunday, the ZERO-G aircraft ascended to an altitude of 32,000 feet, at which point the vehicle commenced its parabolic maneuvers. Ambassadors carried out planned demonstrations over the course of 15 arcs, experiencing multiple minutes of weightlessness. During the flight, the ambassadors conducted demonstrations to understand how space vessels can be made more accessible by design and procedure. These tests included new visual and haptic feedback mechanisms to signify phases of flight, crew uniforms intentionally designed for accessibility, interior customizations to provide instantaneous location and orientation awareness for safety in microgravity, and a variety of other additional scientific and technical demonstrations. Anna Voelker, Executive Director of SciAccess and Co-Project Lead of AstroAccess, said, "Space removes the barriers between people; now is the time to remove the barriers to space itself." They continued, "AstroAccess is sending a message to people who have historically been excluded from STEM that not only is there room for you in space, there is a need for you." The mission was supported by a wide range of disability and space organizations, including DAV (Disabled American Veterans), Gallaudet University, the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Space Frontier Foundation, the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the Whitesides Foundation. The AstroAccess mission was part of SciAccess and under fiscal sponsorship of Yuri's Night. A full list of partners is below. In addition to the 12 ambassadors, onboard the flight were members of several American companies flying crewed spaceflight vehicles. The mission not only provides valuable insights on the future of spacecraft design, but also seeks to advance disability inclusion in STEM, inspire the next generation of scientists and world-changers, welcome new perspectives into the science community, and demonstrate the benefit of intentional and accessible design in space and here on Earth. George Whitesides, Co-Project Lead of AstroAccess, said: "Yesterday's successful flight was an important milestone in our mission to open space for all. The tasks and demonstrations carried out by our ambassadors will have a profound effect on the space industry at large, inform the design of future space vehicles, and pave the way for future astronauts with disabilities." "One characteristic veterans share is the unwavering desire to serve, and it's an inclination that continues for many once they no longer wear our nation's uniform," said Marc Burgess, CEO and national adjutant of DAV. "We're incredibly grateful to AstroAccess for giving our ambassador CeCe Mazyck the opportunity to contribute to vital research that will integrate disabled veterans and civilians alike into space and benefit the disabled community and humanity for years to come." Sina Bahram, Flight 1 AstroAccess Ambassador: "Floating in microgravity was the truest physical manifestation of pure joy and delight that I have ever felt in my life. I feel this joy because of the visceral nature of the experience, the progress being made by and for people with disabilities, the more inclusive future we are building, and the recognition that such a future will not exist without us." About AstroAccess AstroAccess is dedicated to advancing disability inclusion in space exploration for the benefit of humankind. The first mission flew on 17 October, 2021. The ultimate goal of AstroAccess is to fly one or more team members to space in the coming years. The project is supported through the Whitesides Foundation and is part of SciAccess, an international organization dedicated to advancing disability inclusion in STEM. The fiscal sponsor of the project is Yuri's Night, a non-profit space advocacy organization. Partner organizations include Disabled American Veterans, the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Space Frontier Foundation, the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Jean Maggi Foundation, and the Royal Academy of Science International Trust. Educational institutions that support the mission include Gallaudet University, MIT Media Lab Space Exploration Initiative, California State University Long Beach, Stanford Medicine Abilities Coalition, The Ohio State University Department of Astronomy, Edinboro University, and UCSD's Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination. Corporate supporters include People Love Art, FTI Consulting, Virgin Orbit, Relativity Space, Soundbrenner, Stellar Amenities, See3D, and ThinkSpace Mission Consulting. The mission was also supported by other prominent space organizations including AIAA, Disabled for Accessibility in Space, Space for Humanity, Aspen Science Center, the Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Sciences, Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. AstroAccess Ambassadors Sina Bahram Dana Bolles Mary Cooper Eric Ingram Centra Mazyck Mona Minkara Viktoria Modesta Zuby Onwuta Sawyer Rosenstein Eric Shear Apurva Varia Sheri Wells-Jensen For ambassador profiles and a full list of partners, please visit our website: https://astroaccess.org/ Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Samara Johnson took top honours in a womens driving challenge, which opened the fifth annual Leamington Ladies' Day in support of Harness the Hope on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 17). Johnson accumulated 29 points throughout the five-race challenge to claim first-place, finishing just ahead of runner-up Marielle Enberg, who ended with 27 points. Natasha Day finished third with 22 points. After three runner-up finishes, Johnson broke through with a victory in the Harness The Hope Pace as the maiden-breaking two-year-old colt Feisty Like Fire ($9.60) fought off Taylors Credit and Day for trainer/owner Jeff Williamson, who announced that he would be donating his earnings from the fourth race to Harness The Hope. Johnson took the lead with that victory and maintained the top spot with enough points from a fourth-place finish in the final challenge race, which was won by James Loosemore's Julian I Am ($18.10), giving Enberg her third victory. Enberg opened the program with a 9-1 upset as the parked out Catherine Gaudreau trainee Shes A Gunslinger ($20) defeated stablemate Blissfullannmarie and Johnson by a neck. Enberg also drove Siboney ($3.70) wire-to-wire for trainer Jim Jarvis. Pam Forgie also picked up a victory during the challenge aboard Let Me See ($10.50) for owner/trainer Kim Biekx. Britt Kennedy, Andrea Leon and Julie Walker also participated. The Lakeshore Horse Racing Association presented Harness The Hope with a $1,500 donation. Founded by the Dustin family 16 years ago, Harness the Hope raises funds, awareness and supports programs that help those affected by cancer. Proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Society of Canada and the Pink Pearl Foundation. "We want to thank everyone for coming out today. The staff and the crew at Leamington have done an amazing job hosting. We're so grateful for all of their efforts," said Harness The Hope co-founder Kristy Dustin. "We are a 100 per cent volunteer-run organization. A lot of our committee members including myself, my mom Doreen, and Chris Manders here, we're all breast cancer survivors so we know the journey that a lot of women and men have to face going through that. So this is our way of helping others who have to face a cancer journey." In addition to the womens driving challenge, other Harness The Hope activities held during Sundays card included blanket presentations and contests for racing participants and fans. Tyler Nostadt trainees headlined the back half of the Sunday card, with sophomore gelding Big Teddy ($9.50) romping to a 1:56.4 score in the $5,200 Preferred 4 Handicap Pace with Tyler Borth in the bike and nine-year-old gelding SOS Justified ($2.90) extending his win streak to five with a 1:57.2 front-end effort in rein to Gene Piroski. Both pacers are owned by Blueshoe Investments. Harness the Hope has hosted its annual events across Ontario racetracks over the past few months and the next stop will be at The Raceway at Western Fair District on Friday, Oct. 22. To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Leamington Raceway. Avaya, a leader in customer experience solutions in the Middle East and Africa, is helping Dubai developer Emaar Properties to fast-track growth with digital real estate buying experiences powered by Avaya Spaces, its workstream collaboration platform for the digital workplace. Using Avaya Spaces, Emaar Properties is now providing immersive video consultations between its property experts and prospective buyers. The solution enables Emaar Properties website visitors to instantly initiate video sessions with an expert to enquire about any property, before progressing through a seamless and secure digital buying experience. Taking full advantage of Avaya Spaces capabilities, the video consultation solution takes place through an easy-to-use browser-based interface that delivers seamless interaction over video, voice and chat, while enabling agents and buyers to easily send and receive files or screen share. And to ensure security compliance, every video session creates a unique browser address, which expires after a certain period of time. Data shared via the chat function during these video consultations is encrypted, and is deleted at the end of the call. Avaya Spaces offers evolved Unified Communications capabilities via a users preferred device, with AI-enhanced meetings and simpler, integrated voice and video calling powered by Avaya OneCloud CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service). The service is designed to be always-on, so that prospective buyers can launch video consultations anytime. If a video session is initiated and no property expert is available, the buyer is placed in a virtual waiting room. They are then automatically connected with the next available expert. Avaya International's President Nidal Abou Ltaif said: "Emaar Properties track record as a real estate pioneer is based on the memorable experiences that it provides to the owners and residents of its developments." "And now, the company is delivering a digital buying experience that preserves the all-important human touch of a face-to-face transaction. Were proud to be supporting Emaar Properties in its use of open platforms to advance the industry," stated Ltaif. The solution composed by Emaar Properties will be on display on Avayas stand at Gitex Global 2021. Avayas presence at Gitex comes in partnership with Future Technology, Gulf Applications, RayCom Technologies, Sestek, Summit Technology Solutions, Toolwire, Topaz and Verint Systems. Help India! Following a spree of targeted civilian killings in Kashmir, especially of non-Muslims, in the last few weeks, the members of the Muslim majority community have condemned the killings and urged the government to probe these killings. Auqib Javeed | TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles SRINAGAR Top Muslim religious clerks, civil society members of Kashmir have condemned the targeted killings of non-Muslims at the hands of suspected militants in recent weeks and have urged authorities to probe these killings. On the evening of October 17, two more non-local labourers were killed and another injured when suspected militants fired upon them in the Kulgam district of south Kashmir. A day before on October 16, two non-local labourers were shot dead in Srinagar and South Kashmirs Pulwama district. With the killing of two non-local labourers yesterday evening, the toll of targetted civilian killings in Kashmir most of them non-locals has reached eleven. Amid the killing spree, the members of the majority Muslim community have started to reach out to their non-Muslim brethren to show solidarity. Reacting to the killings, Dr Kamal Ahmad Farooqi, the Imam (Muslim religious leader) of the revered shrine of Dargah Hazratbal told TwoCircles.net that Islam doesnt allow the killing of any innocent. It is mentioned in the Holy Quran that whosoever killed any innocent, it shall be as if he has killed all mankind, Dr Farooqi said. Dr Farooqi, however, maintained that they need to know who is carrying out this killing and in whose direction it is being done. The authorities should probe it and we shouldnt draw any wrong conclusion and blame any particular group, he told TwoCircles.net. Qazi Shams, another religious clerk from Srinagar told TwoCircles.net that whosoever is doing it (killing civilians) should be condemned. It is time for the stakeholders to sit and resolve the Kashmir conflict which is the root cause of all the things happening here, he told TwoCircles.net. Kashmirs top religious figures also condemned the recent targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits, and said they stand with the minority community in this time of grief. On October 7, Kashmirs Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam expressed shock and grief over the spate of innocent killings of civilians in Kashmir and stated that it was unfortunate that members of a particular community are being targeted. While condemning the civilian killings, he said that no religion allows the killing of innocent civilians and that this will lead to nowhere. Mufti Nasir extended solidarity and sympathies with the families of all those killed in the past few days stating that Islam prohibits attacking unarmed persons. Muslim community of Kashmir stand with the bereaved families at this hour of grief and shock, he said. Earlier, the Mirwaiz Kashmir, Umer Farooq denounced the three civilian killings in Kashmir, including of famous chemist ML Bindroo. It may be noted that suspected militants on October 5 shot dead three persons including famous chemist ML Bindroo. Just two days after the killing, suspected militants struck again in Srinagarthe summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir and shot dead two teachers inside a school. Both the teachers were non-Muslims. The targeted killing of the teachers drew widespread condemnation, across Kashmir. TwoCircles.net has reported how several people from the minority community migrated to other states of the country due to fear. To show solidarity, Muslims of the valley are reaching out to their non-Muslim brethren. According to reports, several Kashmiri Muslims have been visiting the houses of Pandits particularly in Srinagar citywhere killings took place. On October 8, two mosques from Srinagars downtown (old city) during Friday sermons appealed to attendees to stand with minorities & ensure they feel confident of majority communities support. The move was welcomed by the minorities and is gaining momentum day by day. The trend of the appeal was followed by 7 more mosques in Srinagar but we are hopeful others from the rest of Kashmir will follow it and appeal to the majority community to stand with us, Sanjay Tikoo, a Kashmir Pandit told TwoCircles.net. Tickoo, who heads Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS)an organisation that primarily addresses the concerns of Kashmiri Pandits that stayed back in the valley said that the many Muslims are visiting the houses of Pandits and assuring them that they will stand by them always. The minorities have started getting a sense of security but I think more needs to be done and people from the majority community should come forward to condemn this, Tickoo said. On October 8, the Group of Concerned Citizens, a non-political civil society group comprising academicians, businessmen, advocates, scientists, former judges, civil servants etc. expressed deep anguish and shock over the spate of killings. While empathizing with victim families and offering them condolences, the Group sought a time-bound judicial probe into these dastardly killings. They also have urged the government to unmask the unknown murderers and bring them to justice at the earliest. The Group has expressed solidarity with the victims families and assured them full moral support. We assured full support to efforts made at any level for creating and nurturing an atmosphere of amity between different communities living in the Valley, they said. On October 13, over 28 trade bodies, civil society members met with Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and Kashmir police chief in Srinagar. The members unanimously condemned innocent killings and expressed solidarity with the victims families. At the outset, participants of the meeting observed one minute of silence to remember those innocent civilians killed in the Valley and prayed for eternal peace to their souls besides paying homage to their families. The representatives said that they are aggrieved over the loss of civilians and stated that they as a single family of Kashmir express solidarity with all the families that have lost their loved ones. They all remembered famous Makhan Lal Bindroo, Principal Satinder Kour and all others who were killed in the latest spree of attacks in Srinagar and other areas. On the occasion, the IGP said that civil society has to come forward to condemn and criticize such killing of innocent people and stressed that we all have to work together to avert such incidents. Sandeep Koul, a Kashmir Pandit from Srinagar told TwoCircles.net that he received several phone calls, messages from his Muslim friends and neighbours after the killings. They said we are with you and will stand by you in these testing times. I felt so good and I hope this will continue, Koul said. All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina told TwoCircles.net that the killings were part of the conspiracy to create a wedge between various communities. Some people want to divide us and exploit the situation for their ulterior motives, Raina said. He further added that Muslims have always stood with the minorities in Kashmir. I received condolences messages from many top religious figures including Mirwaiz KashmirUmar Farooq, Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam and many others, he said. BEIJNG, Oct. 17 -- The US Navy destroyer USS Dewey (DDG-105) and the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Winnipeg sailed through the Taiwan Strait on October 15, and the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) sent its naval and air forces to track and monitor the two warships in the whole course, said Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, in a written statement released on Sunday. Snr. Col. Shi pointed out that the US and Canada made provocations with odious nature and stirred up troubles in cahoots, which seriously jeopardized the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. "Taiwan is a part of China. Troops of the PLA Eastern Theater Command are staying on high alert at all times, and ready to resolutely counter all threats and provocations," he stressed. GUANGZHOU, Oct. 18 -- A meeting aims to promote national border and coastal defense infrastructure construction was held in China's Guangzhou from October 14 to 15. Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe, as well as heads of member units of the State Committee of Border and Coastal Defense, and leaders of military and civilian departments from China's border and coastal provinces, attended the meeting. The meeting emphasized on accelerating the construction of national border and coastal defense infrastructure, focusing on serving combat readiness and improving the level of scientific and technological border control, in a bid to build a strong and modern border and coastal defense. During the meeting, attendees viewed the pilot projects of smart border and defense construction in Guangdong Province. by Lu Haitao They have posted an election manifesto with their phone numbers on the web. The group of independent candidates includes family members of human rights lawyers and petitioners. They promise to represent ordinary people. Authorities unnerved by the move. Beijing (AsiaNews) - At least 14 humanitarian activists want to participate in the elections for the renewal of the provincial assembly in the capital. Their joint announcement comes as counties and municipalities prepare for local elections. The independent candidates include family members of lawyers arrested in the 2015 "709" security operation (as it began on July 9). They have posted an election manifesto online - with their phone numbers - and promised to be "the representatives who can be reached by ordinary people." Signatories include Wang Qiaoling, wife of human rights lawyer Li Heping, who was arrested in 2015. Wang wrote on Twitter that she wants to run in the election because in the six years she has been defending the rights of arrested lawyers, their family members have been evicted by landlords and their children have been expelled from school. "I deeply feel the difficulties to communicate with the police, procuratorate, court and justice authorities. I want to complain to the congress representatives, but I am unable to find them in our life," the activist explains. Lawyers arrested in 2015 claimed that they suffered inhumane torture while in detention. Along with other family members of the detained lawyers, Wang has continued to file complaints with the authorities, who have always ignored her. Another of the 14 independent candidates is Ye Jinghuan. A former member of the Chinese Communist Party, she has become a petitioner to the authorities. Ye has denounced the evil of "re-education through labor" (Laojiao), a system under which authorities imprison citizens without trial, used mainly to imprison dissidents. Ye has already participated in the 2011 and 2016 local elections; in both cases, authorities obstructed her candidacy: plainclothes agents assaulted her and surrounded her home. She stated that she had "a strong willing that I was to be a representative! I am willing to speak and do something for the people." Although the people's assemblies are seen as "rubber-stamps" that approve the Party's guidelines, independent candidates are seen as enemies by the authorities. In 2019, jurist Xu Zhiyong had stated that he was preparing for the election campaign, and in 2020 he wrote an open letter urging President Xi Jinping to step down. Authorities later detained Xu, who is still in jail, as is his girlfriend Li Qiaochu. Xu was elected as a representative of the Haidian District Assembly in Beijing in 2003 and 2006. In 2011 he lost against a candidate supported by the authorities, Fang Binxing, president of the university of Posts and Telecommunications of the capital: the main creator of the "Great Wall" that censors the internet in China. Apparently, the Chinese authorities got nervous about the independent campaign. Wang Qiaoling wrote on Twitter that after publishing the manifesto on the web, she received a call from Hong Kong. She thought it was from a reporter for interview, but could not hear anything. Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Myanmar's shadow government, made up of exiled opponents of the military junta, has welcomed the Southeast Asian nations' decision to exclude the army chief from a summit meeting. The Government of National Unity (Gun) added that one of their representatives should be invited to the summit in place of General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the Tatmadaw (the Burmese army), who has proclaimed himself prime minister. "ASEAN excluding Min Aung Hlaing is an important step, but we ask that they recognize us as the true representative [of Myanmar]," said the Gun spokesman. In recent days, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) proposed that a neutral, non-political delegate be invited to the summit to be held Oct. 26-28. A spokesman for the military government criticized Asean's choice, attributing it to "foreign intervention." The decision to exclude representatives of the military junta is unprecedented for ASEAN, which has always favored a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of its member countries. The organization says the Tatmadaw has made no progress in restoring peace in Myanmar. The military junta seized control of the country in a coup on Feb. 1 and then violently suppressed anti-coup protests. Opponents, including the nation's former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, have been arrested. To date, the Tatmadaw has killed more than 1,100 people and at least 215,000 people have been displaced in the country. In April, ASEAN and General Min Aung Hlaing agreed to a five-point plan to restore peace to the country, but regional nations blame the junta for failing to abide by it and effectively withdrawing from the agreement. Dioceses are tasked with the first phase of the path announced by the Pope. Card Gracias calls for listening to those who have left the Church. Philippine bishops write to the faithful and plan a national assembly next March. For Patriarch Pizzaballa, More than making theoretical speeches, it is useful to listen and meet experiences, from which to learn. Milan (AsiaNews) The Churches of Asia, in communion with Catholic communities around the world, yesterday marked the start of the two-year synodal path announced by Pope Francis centred on the theme For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission. The first phase, which entails listening to the whole people of God, will see individual dioceses take the lead. To this end, Card Oswald Gracias, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), led a solemn Mass in the Cathedral of the Holy Name of Jesus in Mumbai. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only 122 people representing various groups attended the service, while thousands more people followed the service via online streaming. In a show of the willingness to listen to everyone, women were given a prominent place in the liturgical readings. A migrant woman from Jharkhand proclaimed the first reading in Hindi (the national language), while a second woman performed the second reading in Marathi (the local language). Prayers were also recited in Tamil and Konkani. In his homily, Card Gracias said, the Synodal process [is] meant to reform the church, by discerning what ails the Church, which means even listening to those who have left the Church and those who are thinking of leaving the Church, [for] they have a story to tell, which might make us reflect. The prelate pointed to a number of issues that must be tackled, most notably clericalism, discrimination against women, poor consideration of young people, the protection of minors, the rejection of migrants, climate change and specifically for India the discrimination of Dalits even within the Church. In the Philippines, the countrys Catholic bishops launched the synodal path by addressing a pastoral letter to all the faithful, inviting them to focus attention on two main questions. The first is How is our Church within?' read the bishops letter, noting that the Pope wants to know: How is this journeying together happening today in our local Church? What steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our journeying together? The second is How is the Church together with the entire human family? Are we still salt and light for the world? Is dialogue our way of life? How willing are we to listen with humility and respect despite differences? Have we become haughty or insensitive to the groans of suffering humanity? Philippine bishops set a deadline for the dioceses. At the end of the first phase of listening, a nation-wide assembly will be held from 7 to 9 March 2022 to draft a synthesis before a final report is sent to the Secretariat of the Synod in Rome. In the Middle East too, the Churches are getting active. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, chose the image of the Emmaus disciples as a guide to undertake the path. In his letter, the patriarch writes: Conversing of their problems and about the failure of the Cross, fleeing and finding themselves far from Jerusalem and unaware of Christ, the two disciples find Him waiting for them on the way. Then he makes some interesting observations about how to go about it. In general, we are accustomed to interacting, each one in their context of reference: young people with young people, religious with religious, families with families, etc. In my opinion, however, it would be essential to meet at all levels: young people with families, meeting the elderly in hospices, making visits to homes, meeting realities not known before, local parishes with foreigners, foreign workers with the local faithful, and so on. To reach this goal, Rather than making theoretical speeches, it is helpful to listen and meet experiences from which to learn [. . .] Moving even physically from ones parish hall, from ones familiar center to meet another unknown reality of ones Church can, I think, can make a difference in many cases. Finally, in Iraq, Chaldean Patriarch Luis Sako wrote to the faithful describing the synodal path as an "important turning point to welcome and enhance the talents of the laity. The Church is the whole people of God. Hopefully, these events will contribute to preparing believers committed and dedicated to the life of their Church. Specifically, the path in the Mideast country will begin on 30 October with a celebration at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, in Baghdads Karrada district. (Nirmala Carvalho contributed to this article) The activist group collected testimonies and stories of several fleeing families. The Turkish military violates human rights and fuels the suffering of a population already in misery. Smugglers abandon them at the border, while the military turns them away. The appeal to governments and international agencies. Istanbul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Turkish soldiers are pushing Afghan refugees back across the border to Iran, violating human rights and causing suffering to a population already in misery because of the violence in the country of origin, controlled by the Taliban and scene of bloody attacks. This is what activists of Human Rights Watch (HRW) denounce in a report, who met and interviewed refugees and documented the abuses suffered. Several refugees, some of whom were rejected, say that the Turkish military beat them and expelled them in groups while they were trying to cross the border. In the confusion triggered by the deportation procedures, several families were separated and now struggle to find each other. Belkis Wille, an analyst at Hrw, says that the authorities in Ankara "are denying asylum to Afghans trying to flee to safety." And the soldiers, he adds, "treat the refugees brutally." Turkey is home to the world's largest number of refugees; 3.7 million are Syrians with temporary protection status and more than 400,000 refugees and migrants come from Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries. With the Taliban taking over Afghanistan in August, Turkey faced a new wave of refugees. Between September 25 and October 11, Hrw interviewed six families who fled Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul on August 15 and were hiding on Turkish soil to avoid being deported to Iran. They reached Turkey by traveling through Pakistan and Iran. The smugglers escorted them to the mountainous border with Turkey in the middle of the night and then left them to their fate as Ankara's soldiers fired over their heads. One man told of being beaten with the butt of guns and that several people suffered fractures in their hands, arms and legs. Another reported military "beating people they crossed" until they bled. Finally, Hrw activists appeal to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), governments, and other actors asking them to monitor, document, and counter refoulements at Turkish borders. "Governments with embassies in Turkey - the note concludes - should support the country to register and protect Afghan asylum seekers" and put pressure on Ankara to "allow all agencies working with refugees to assist, help and protect all Afghans, including those not registered." by Vladimir Rozanskij Assigned to the See of Vladikavkaz and Alanja in the North Caucasus. The number of Orthodox dioceses has doubled in the last decade: from 159 to 318, of which 199 in the country; the others in the rest of the world. Kirill: Russia's survival is "a miracle of Mary". The evangelizing passion of the Russian Church. Moscow (AsiaNews) - Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (Gundjaev) celebrated the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Saviour in Moscow, emerging from isolation to protect against the coronavirus, which in Russia continues to claim thousands of victims among the population and also among the Orthodox clergy. During the ceremony, the Patriarch consecrated Archimandrite Gerasim (Sevtsov) as bishop, assigning him the see of Vladikavkaz and Alanja in the North Caucasus. The Oct. 14 ordination is the 200th episcopal ordination of Kirill, who has sat on the patriarchal throne since January 2009. The head of the Russian Orthodox proudly illustrated the growth of the national Church in the last decade, in which the number of dioceses has doubled from 159 to 318, 199 of which are in Russia and the rest throughout the world, beginning with the former Soviet countries where the presence of inhabitants of Russian origin is still very significant. On October 15, the Patriarchal Synod established a new diocese in Armenia, the territory of the local Apostolic Church, with the consent of which the Russians are now gathered in the eparchy of Yerevan and Armenia. The decision had been agreed by Kirill with the katolikos Karekin II, who in recent days had gone to Moscow for an ecumenical prayer in favor of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Russian patriarch explained that "I do not speak of these successes to exalt my role, but to emphasize that the new dioceses refelct the real need among our people for the development of ecclesiastical life, there would be no new dioceses". Congratulating the faithful present, Kirill praised the perseverance in the faith of the Orthodox people despite all trials and difficulties, which allows them to "cherish the roots that give us life, connect us to our history and ancestors, to the holy martyrs, ascetics and pastors, and the depth of these roots nourishes us with its powerful spiritual energy. May the Russian Orthodox Church grow from spiritual strength!" In the homily dedicated to the feast, the Protection of Mary was illustrated as "intercession, defense and maternal love" for the Russian Church, the only one to celebrate this particular liturgical memory. In fact, it deals with a paradoxical historical event: the vision of Mary spreading her mantle over the city of Constantinople, threatened by the invasion of the still pagan Russians at the beginning of the 9th century. The Byzantines, however, did not preserve this recurrence, which subsists only in the calendar of the Russian Church, celebrating the transfiguration from pagan assailants to faithful defenders of the true faith. In this sense, the Patriarch recalled the renewal of such a miracle in the 20th century, when Russians had again turned into enemies of the faith after the Bolshevik revolution: "The Russian people have been threatened many times by enemies, both from outside and inside, in the internal struggles of ancient Rus' and modern Russia." According to Kirill, history teaches that Russians must never betray their faith, "despite all temptations, weaknesses, pseudo-scientific demonstrations or tribunes' proclamations, and with our prayers we preserve the Protection of the Heavenly Queen on our land." The patriarch stressed that Russia's survival is "a miracle of Mary," because "according to all logic we should not even exist anymore," after revolutions, civil wars and assaults of the most terrible enemies, such as Hitler's Nazis. Kirill recalled the self-sacrificing capacity of the Russians and its military commanders, but "on our own we could not have done it." The continued growth of the Moscow Patriarchate is linked to the exceptional multiplication of episcopal sees by Patriarch Kirill, for which he is often criticized, choosing candidates from among the younger monks who are more attached to his person. Not infrequently, they cause scandals due to their inevitable frailties, and are often shifted seats according to changes in the mood of the supreme guide. Nevertheless, Mary's protection allows the Russian Church to renew itself and to bear great witness to its faith and evangelizing passion throughout the world. With respect to vaccines, there is an urgent need to help countries that have fewer of them, but this must be done with far-sighted plans, not just motivated by the haste of wealthy nations to be safer. Remedies must be distributed with dignity, not as pitiful handouts. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis met today with a delegation from the Rome Biomedical Campus University Foundation of the Rome-based Universita Campus Bio-Medico, sponsored by Opus Dei. In his address, the pontiff highlighted patients central place. In his view, the healthcare system must put the sick before techniques and projects. In Catholic healthcare facilities, the needs of the sick come before opportunities for profit; above all, no lives are unworthy or to be rejected because they do not respond to the criterion of usefulness or the demands of profit. Love for man, especially in his condition of fragility, in which the image of Jesus Crucified shines through, is specific to a Christian reality and must never be lost. This is true at this point in time. We are living in a real throwaway culture, Francis lamented. This is something in the air that we breath and we must react against this throwaway culture. Every healthcare structure, in particular those of Christian inspiration, should be the place where the care of the person is practiced, and where one may say: Here we do not see only doctors and patients, but people whom we receive and help; here you encounter first-hand the therapy of human dignity. And this should never be negotiated, it should always be defended. For the Pope, love ought to be the central criterion for those who work in the health sector. Love is realised only by working "together", a simple yet difficult word to live up to, especially during the current pandemic. The latter has shown us the importance of connecting, of collaborating, of tackling common problems together. Health care, particularly Catholic health care, has and will increasingly need this, to be in a network, which is a way of expressing togetherness. It is no longer time to follow ones own charism in isolation. Charity demands giving: knowledge must be shared, expertise must be shared, science must be pooled. Science, I say, not just the products of science which, if offered on their own, remain band-aids that can dress the wound but not cure it in depth. This applies to vaccines, for example: there is an urgent need to help countries that have fewer of them, but this must be done with far-sighted plans, not just motivated by the haste of wealthy nations to be safer. Remedies must be distributed with dignity, not as pitiful handouts. To truly do good, we need to promote science and its integral application: understanding the contexts, rooting out treatments, nurturing the healthcare culture. It is not easy, it is a real mission, and I hope that Catholic health care will be increasingly active in this sense, as an expression of an outgoing Church. by Sumon Corraya A few days ago, another 47 ethnic Santal received the sacrament of Christian initiation in the parish of Bhutahara Quasi. We have been visiting these villages for over seven years, said Fr Swapon Purification. More than 70 people will receive the baptism this Wednesday. In the past I worshipped nature and trees, one of the newly baptised said. Now I turn to Jesus in my prayers. Naogaon (AsiaNews) A group of 47 adults were baptised last Wednesday in Korbala, a village in Bhutahara Quasi parish, Diocese of Rajshahi, northern Bangladesh. PIME missionaries founded the parish in 2005, which now has more than 2,500 members. For years the missionaries worked among ethnic Santal and Oraon, tribal peoples indigenous to the area, who traditionally practise a form of pantheism closely linked to nature worship and the veneration of ancestral spirits. We have been visiting these villages for over seven years, explained Fr Swapon Purification, speaking to AsiasNews. We brought the Bible and the Word of God, celebrated Masses and proposed catechetical courses. The result has been surprising: 47 adults from 15 families received the baptism in Korbala. In another village in our parish, more than 70 people will receive the baptism this Wednesday. Fr Swapon praised the catechists who, through their work, managed to enter the hearts of the new believers. It seems to me that catechists have played a significant role and their commitment has been exemplary; they have continuously visited these remote areas that can only be reached after long hours of walking. On each trip they stopped in the village for three to seven days to bring the word of God. The rest of the work was done by us priests together with the sisters. Bernabas Hasda played a leading role in the new baptisms. An ethnic Santal, the 66-year-old catechist has been engaged in this precious task for 40 years. For him, "There are huge opportunities to enter into people's hearts and bring Bangladeshs tribal community closer to Christianity. PIME missionaries have been at the forefront in this region of the country for years. We are following the path traced by them. One of the newly baptised is Durga Joachim Basra, a 40-year-old farmer who shared his joy after receiving the sacrament. In the past I worshipped nature and trees and practised, together with the tribe, rituals related to natures fruitfulness. I didn't have a specific God. Now I turn to Jesus in my prayers. I believe that thanks to him I will obtain salvation. I am very happy to have received baptism. Another new believer, Buddhinath Hembrom, also expressed his joy. I thank the priests, nuns and catechists for bringing me closer to Jesus and for giving me the joy of baptism, he said. Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country. Christians constitute less than 1 per cent of the population. Thanks to the work of priests, nuns and catechists, especially in remote villages and regions, the number of Bangladeshi Catholics is rising despite ongoing tensions with majority Muslims, which often lead to violence against Christians. The coronavirus also has been deadly for first responders. Nearly two years since the first COVID-19 case was reported in the U.S., more than 700 officers across the country have died from the illness, including six in Maryland, according to the National Fraternal Order of Police. Of the 144 firefighter deaths in 2020, 81 were believed to be from COVID-19, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Old Mill High School and its two middle schools entered into a lockdown when the student of interest failed to appear in class. He was later found in the common area of the school and a BB gun was found hidden a short distance away from him. I am concerned. Another thing thats challenging about a child with asthma in COVID times is that they cant go to school when they have symptoms, Finton said. We may know that its asthma, but the school is not necessarily going to recognize that a cough is asthma when it could potentially be COVID. It leads to missing more school days. Hogan said during Saturdays ceremony that tapping Singh to lead Marylands National Guard was one of the first appointments he made as governor, and one of which he remains proud. . He lauded her leadership through the unrest that erupted in Baltimore in April 2015 after Freddie Gray died in police custody. Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call 410-307-2020. Callers may remain anonymous. Metro Crime Stoppers, reachable at 1-866-7LOCKUP, offers rewards up to $2,000 for information that leads to an arrest and charges in connection to a felony offense. In a sentencing memorandum, defense attorneys for Guerra-Castillo noted that he did not physically take part in any of the attacks - he was living in Pensacola, Florida, and acting as a go-between for members of the Fulton clique in Maryland, and the cliques actual leadership in El Salvador, who saw a crisis of undisciplined East Coast cliques with young members who acted in reckless ways, the defense attorneys said. Gangs have been accused of kidnapping schoolchildren, doctors, police officers, busloads of passengers and others as they grow more powerful. In April, a man who claimed to be the leader of 400 Mawozo told a radio station that the gang was responsible for kidnapping five priests, two nuns and three relatives of one of the priests that month. They were later released. So why single out Baltimore? There are certainly progressive voices who seek to defund. And the city has a gun violence epidemic that pre-dates the COVID-19 pandemic. Its been the focus of Mayor Brandon Scott since he took office 10 months ago. The governor could have pointed to other jurisdictions in this state that have been far stingier with police spending this year, but he did not. He could have observed that an uptick in crime has been a statewide concern. He did not. Nor did he bother to mention that the city has made some strides recently in public safety, raising the homicide clearance rate, for example. But then that would not have fed his narrative. With four men standing behind him, none of them African American, he preferred to trot out the usual rhetoric that suggests Baltimore Marylands largest city and where a majority of residents are African American cant govern itself, thats its soft on murderers, that its anti-police. Which brings me to my second point. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, COVID-19 was the number one killer of law enforcement officers in 2020, and is the leading killer in 2021. In 2020, of the 374 line of duty deaths, 245 (over 65%) were from COVID. So far In 2021, of the 360 line of duty deaths, 231 (64%) were from COVID, and this is with a vaccine available. I do not know how many were, or not vaccinated. But historically, the shot is a preventer and a lifesaver from the virus, so what is up with Sergeant Mancuso? And Franchot and Hogan often have had an alliance on the board, despite their different party affiliations leading to several 2-to-1 votes over Kopp, including the August approval of the next step in a controversial plan to have a private company build toll lanes on highways in the Washington suburbs. Kopp said more information was needed about the environmental effects of the plan and whether the partnership with a private firm was really the best financial choice for the state. The website FiveThirtyEight analyzed the commissions maps and said its likely that the state would elect six Democrats and two Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives if the proposed maps were adopted a shift from the current seven Democrats and just one Republican who serve in the U.S. House. Your Colleagues Kofke named Walter E. Schmid Chair in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering By JENNIFER BOSCIA SMITH and JANE STOYLE WELCH Gifts like this have an enormous impact on our ability to attract the best and brightest faculty and students, and enable us to conduct cutting-edge research to address the worlds greatest challenges. SUNY Distinguished Professor David A. Kofke has been named the first Walter E. Schmid Chair in Chemical and Biological Engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The newly endowed chair was created thanks to a $1 million gift to the UBs Boldly Buffalo campaign from the Walter E. Schmid Family Foundation. The gift has created an endowed fund that will support Kofkes research enterprise, as well as ensure greater intellectual freedom for graduate students working with Kofke. I am very grateful for the generosity of the Walter E. Schmid Family Foundation, says engineering Dean Kemper Lewis. Gifts like this have an enormous impact on our ability to attract the best and brightest faculty and students, and enable us to conduct cutting-edge research to address the worlds greatest challenges. Professor Kofke is renowned for his excellence in research and education in the chemical engineering community and is very deserving of this recognition, Lewis adds. In 1959, together with James Meyers, Walter Schmid founded Chemical Design Inc. (CDI) in Lockport, where the company still operates today. CDI specializes in purification of gases and liquids using molecular sieves and other catalysts. Schmid developed many new processes that are still used in chemical plants today. One of these technologies was a leap forward in safety and reliability for air separation plants; another is critical for growing silicon for use in solar cells and computer chips. The success of CDI provided the basis for establishing the Walter E. Schmid Family Foundation as a philanthropic entity, which also generously supports an undergraduate scholarship in the school. Kofke is a globally recognized leader in developing new computational and theoretical methods to predict fluid and material properties and behaviors. His work is important to the chemical and materials manufacturing industries to ensure that products from foods to plastics to medications have the desired properties and are produced safely without harming the environment. Many of the methods that Davids group has developed here at UB appear in textbooks and are employed in academic research and industrial practice worldwide, says Mark Swihart, UB Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Holding this prestigious endowed chair will enhance Davids ability to conduct his research and to train the next generation of researchers to independently advance these important research directions. Kofke, who served as chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering from 2006-12, is currently the departments director of undergraduate studies. Id like to develop and apply new methods, models and tools that can guide my colleagues as they design and synthesize materials, says Kofke. Additionally, I expect that growth in this direction will produce new teaching tools that will help students to understand these problems, and build on our previous success in writing interactive molecular-modeling software to convey key concepts in the core chemical engineering science curriculum. He is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). He has authored nearly 170 peer-reviewed publications and is the former president of Computer Aids for Chemical Engineering (CACHE), where he continues to serve on its board of trustees. His awards include the Himmelblau Award from the Computing and Systems Technology division of AIChE, the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal from the Western New York Section of the American Chemical Society, and the triennial John M. Prausnitz Award for applied chemical thermodynamics. He also received SUNY Chancellors Awards for Excellence in Teaching, and for Research and Creative Activity, and the Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation. Kofke joined the UB faculty in 1989. He received his BS in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 1983, and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1988. This most recent gift to the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences is part of the universitys comprehensive Boldly Buffalo campaign, which is seeking to raise $1 billion to support UBs students and faculty, and to increase UBs impact on the world. Since the campaigns inception, donors have contributed seven new endowed faculty positions in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Campus News Students learn real history in Indigenous health disparities course Dean Senecas Indigenous health disparities course aims to teach students the real histories of American Indian and Alaska Native people, and how the injustices they faced created many of the health disparities that remain today. Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki By DAVID J. HILL As a child, Katherine Connelly loved Disneys Pocahontas. It told a beautiful tale of two people from different cultures who fell in love. Or, so she thought. The reality, however, is that Pocahontas was only about 10 when the European colonist John Smith kidnapped her, raped her, forced her into marriage and then forced her to give up her familys tobacco secrets. None of that, of course, is in the Disney film. But when millions of Americans think about Indigenous history and culture, Pocahontas and John Wayne movies are a reference point. Thats why a new course being taught in the School of Public Health and Health Professions is so important, says Connelly, who graduated from the schools master of public health program last spring and took the course taught by UB alumnus Dean Seneca. You cant focus on moving forward without acknowledging the atrocities of the past, Connelly says. And thats not to guilt anyone. Thats not to shame people. That is to bring awareness and inspire people to make true change, just like Dean is doing. He changed my life and he changed the lives of many of the students in this class. I wouldnt be on my path without him. Senecas Indigenous health disparities course aims to teach students the real histories of American Indian and Alaska Native people, and how the injustices they faced created many of the health disparities that remain today. I intentionally created the course to bring my students through a very convoluted and historically misrepresented history of American Indians and Alaska Natives in this country, says Seneca, who received his bachelors degree in planning and environmental design from the School of Architecture and Planning (he received the schools Distinguished Alumni award in 2019). And I really entrench us in that because you cant change if you dont know where you were. If my students want to be public health professionals and working in tribal communities, they have to have an understanding of what really happened, adds Seneca, who in addition to serving as an adjunct instructor in SPHHP is CEO of the consulting firm Seneca Scientific Solutions+. The genesis of the course stemmed from a talk Seneca gave on American Indian and Alaska Native health disparities in September 2020 as part of the Department of Community Health and Health Behaviors Brown Bag Lectures series. Seneca credits SPHHP Dean Jean Wactawski-Wende with making the course a reality and acknowledging that the school needed to do more to improve diversity and equity. Its really through her leadership as a dean and wanting to change that we have this course on Indigenous health disparities for the university, he says, adding that hes so proud that UB has taken this step to create such a course. Allison Brashear, dean of UC Davis School of Medicine, named UBs vice president for health sciences, Jacobs School dean Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, dean of the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, has been appointed vice president for health sciences at UB and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. I am delighted that a physician, researcher and academic leader of Dr. Brashears international renown is joining our university community in these critical leadership roles. BUFFALO, N.Y. Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, dean of the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, has been appointed vice president for health sciences at the University at Buffalo and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB, President Satish K. Tripathi and Provost A. Scott Weber announced today. The appointment takes effect Dec. 6. Brashear succeeds Michael E. Cain, MD, who announced in April that he was stepping down from the two posts; he will remain a professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. I am delighted that a physician, researcher and academic leader of Dr. Brashears international renown is joining our university community in these critical leadership roles, Tripathi said. As the responsibilities of these positions have profound implications for both our universitys mission of excellence and the health and vitality of our region, it was imperative that we found a visionary leader whose work reflects a demonstrated and enduring commitment to serving the greater good. Dr. Brashear is just that leader, Tripathi added. Given her distinguished and impactful careerincluding as a longtime champion of inclusion and social justiceI have every confidence that she will help us enhance UBs stature as a world-class leader in medical and health care education, training, research and clinical care. As vice president for health sciences, Brashear will lead the strategic integration of interprofessional education and practice, health sciences collaborative research, and clinical programs among all of UBs health sciences schools, departments and hospital and clinical affiliates. In addition, she will have administrative responsibility for UBs five health sciences schools, including the Jacobs School, particularly with regard to hospital affiliation, residency training and faculty practice plans. As the academic and administrative head of the Jacobs School, Brashear will be responsible for providing overall leadership to the Jacobs School to promote academic excellence, foster an inclusive environment, and advance its national and international prominence in basic and translational research, medical education, clinical engagement and service. In addition, Brashear will serve on the universitys senior leadership team, working with the president, provost, deans and other key leaders to advance the universitys mission of excellence in education, research and engagement. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Allison Brashear to UB as our next vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said Weber, UBs provost. A groundbreaking researcher in neurology, Dr. Brashear brings significant academic and administrative leadership experience to these roles. We are excited about Dr. Brashears vision for growing faculty research in the Jacobs School, providing innovative educational experiences to train the next generation of physicians and biomedical scientists, and continuing to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive community in the school and the university more broadly. At UC Davis, Brashear heads one of the nations top-tier medical schools, a national leader in research funding. Under her leadership, the school has achieved record research awards of $368 million and last year more than doubled its clinical trial awards. Brashear has received continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health since 2008, conducting groundbreaking work on ATP1A3-related diseases. This group of rare, neurologic disorders includes a form of dystonia, Rapid-Onset Dystonia-Parkinsonism (RDP), characterized by sudden onset of involuntary muscle contractions that can be painful and prevent ones ability to walk, talk and participate in activities of daily living. She is the principal investigator of the multi-disciplinary team funded by the NIH focused on the Clinical Genetic and Cellular Consequences of Mutations in ATP1A3. Brashear is an internationally renowned researcher whose work has fundamentally transformed the way spasticity and dystonia are treated. At Wake Forest School of Medicine, she co-led the Wake Forest NeuroNext Clinical Site, one of 25 sites in a clinical trial network funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, designed to expedite therapy development for neurological disorders. Brashear was the lead investigator for the trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine that first demonstrated that botulinum toxin successfully treated wrist and finger spasticity in stroke victims. During her 30-year career, she led over 40 clinical trials aimed at developing potential treatments for spasticity after stroke and cervical dystonia, or abnormal, involuntary movements of the neck. Her work led to approval of three forms of botulinum toxin to treat patients with disabling muscle spasms. Brashear is also a powerful advocate for promoting diverse leaders in medicine. She was instrumental in creating one of the first national leadership programs in neurology for women. She is a frequent lecturer on the importance of diversity in medicine, and a lifelong champion of advancing womens leadership in medicine. I am excited to join the University at Buffalo as the new vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at such a pivotal time in medicine, said Brashear. This is a unique opportunity to help advance President Tripathis vision for UB to be a top-25 public research university to improve lives. Brashear noted that she is looking forward to working with UBs talented faculty and staff to diversify and integrate the core missions of research, education, patient care, and community engagement across its five health sciences schools and the university overall. Working to achieve health equity will be a core tenet of these efforts. Brashear serves on the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the McKnight Brain Research Foundation, and has been a member of the board of the American Academy of Neurology, as well as the American Neurological Association. During her time in California she served on the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) board of directors. A native of Indiana, Brashear graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine, where she completed her residency in neurology, and later became a professor of neurology. In 2005 she joined Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where she was the chair of neurology for 15 years. There, she held the Walter C. Teagle Endowed Chair of Neurology and was one of the first faculty members appointed to the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center board of directors. Together with Neurosurgery, she created the first service line at Wake Forest and was responsible for nearly doubling the faculty during her time as chair. Brashear also holds an MBA from Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, with a focus on health-sector management. She completed the Harvard School of Public Health Leadership program for physicians as well as a yearlong national program for women leaders in academic medicine, Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM). Brashear will move to Buffalo with her husband, Clifford Ong, and their two rescue dogs. They are the parents of two adult children who live on the East Coast. Campus News Belcea Quartet, Israeli Chamber Project open Slee series By PHILIP E. REHARD The Belcea String Quartet and The Israeli Chamber Project will visit UB this week for the first concerts in the Department of Musics Slee Visiting Artist Series for 2021-22. The series will open with a performance by the Belcea at 8 p.m. Oct. 19 in the Mary Seaton Room in Kleinhans Music Hall. The program features Mozarts Quartet in F Major, K.590, Szymanowskis Quartet No. 1 in C Major, Op. 37, and Schuberts Quartet in D minor, D. 810 Death and the Maiden. The concert is co-sponsored by The Buffalo Chamber Music Society. The quartet will move to UB the following day for a concert at 7:30 p.m. in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall, North Campus. The program: Schuberts Quartet in C minor, D. 703 Quartettsatz, Shostakovichs Quartet #14 in F-sharp Major, Op. 142, and Brahms Quartet in C minor, Op. 51, No. 1. The Israeli Chamber Project will close out the first session of concerts in the series with a performance at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in Lippes Concert Hall. The program, titled From Creation to the End of Time, features Debussys Syrinx, Darius Milhauds The Creation of the World, Op. 81B, and Messiaens Quartet for the End of Time. Tickets for the Belceas performance at Kleinhans are $30 for the general public; students are admitted free of charge. Call the Buffalo Chamber Music Society at (716) 462-4939 to purchase tickets. Tickets for the UB concerts are available through a variety of outlets at the following pricing structure: UB faculty, staff, alumni, seniors and non-UB students $10 plus $2.40 fee at www.ticketmaster.com (up to 90 minutes prior to concert time). $14 in person at the Center for the Arts (noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday). $18 at the door (one hour before concert time). UB students are admitted free with ID. General public $15 plus approximately $2.55 fee at www.ticketmaster.com (up to 90 minutes prior to concert time). $19 in person at the Center for the Arts (noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday). $23 at the door (one hour before concert time). Note that in addition to the individual transaction fee outlined above, TicketMaster also adds a $2order charge to every order, whether one ticket or multiple tickets are being purchased in that order. All spectators at on-campus concerts must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and wear masks inside Slee Hall. A vaccination card, a photo of a vaccination card, an Excelsior Pass or a digital vaccine card are all acceptable. Attendees should be prepared to show photo ID as well. The Belcea String Quartet is known for its dynamic and free interpretative style. Founded at the Royal College of Music in London in 1994, the quartet is based in Great Britain. However, the two founding members Romanian violinist Corina Belcea and Polish violist Krzysztof Chorzelski bring a very different artistic provenance to the ensemble while drawing from the best traditions of string quartet playing received from the quartets mentors: the members of the Alban Berg and Amadeus quartets. This spectrum is extended by the French musicians Axel Schacher (violin) and Antoine Lederlin (violoncello). The Belcea Quartet blends its diverse influences into a common musical language. Since the 2017-18 season, the Belcea Quartet has been the quartet artist-in-residence at the Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin, and has shared a residence at the Wiener Konzerthaus with the Artemis Quartet since 2010. Now in its second decade, the Israeli Chamber Project is a dynamic ensemble comprising strings, winds, harp and piano that brings together some of today's most distinguished musicians for chamber music concerts, and educational and outreach programs both in Israel and abroad. It was named the winner of the 2011 Israeli Ministry of Culture Outstanding Ensemble Award and 2017 Partos Prize in recognition of its passionate musicianship, creative programming and commitment to educational outreach. Based both in Israel and in New York, the ensemble was created as a means for its members to give something back to the communities in which they began their musical education, and to showcase Israeli culture to concertgoers overseas through its music and musicians. Among its members are prize-winners at the Tchaikovsky International Competition in Russia, the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Gaspar Cassado Cello Competition. Performing at UB will be Guy Eshed, flute; Tibi Cziger, clarinet; Carmit Zori, violin; Michal Korman, cello; and Assaff Weisman, piano. For a complete listing of all concerts being presented by the Department of Music, visit the departments website. Today Partly cloudy. High 52F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Cloudy skies early followed by a mixture of light rain and snow overnight. Low 34F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 40%. Tomorrow Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High near 40F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Statewide, pediatric cases have increased, and experts say the return of students may have been one of just several factors that drove that rise. But the difficult start in some districts like the closing of a school in Carroll County and the thousands of students who have been quarantined has given way in many cases to a more stable school year. Officers arrived around 12:25 a.m. Saturday to the hotel located at 104 Chesapeake Center Court in Glen Burnie for a reported assault. A 48-year-old man told police he intervened in a fight to separate two people and when he turned around, Byron immediately stabbed the man with a knife, police said. Officers located Bryon at a nearby Walmart and he fled as they approached, police said. She was desperate to hold on to this apartment, which she said was among the cheapest she could find that felt safe and comfortable enough to share with four of her children. The school that two of her children attend is nearby; her youngest sons day care is across the street. The church close by has provided the family with assistance since Reynolds mother, who was a member, died in 2018. Her daughters baby, who died after being born prematurely, is buried in a cemetery up the road. Chinese military condemned the United States and Canada for sending warships through the Taiwan Strait last week and said that the two countries' provocative actions have seriously jeopardised the peace and stability across the waterways. The Taiwan Strait is a 180-kilometre-wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. It is one of the most heavily policed strips of water in the world, patrolled by both Chinese and Taiwanese navy and coastguard vessels. The US Navy destroyer USS Dewey (DDG-105) and the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Winnipeg sailed through the Taiwan Strait on October 15. In a statement, a spokesperson of the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command said that the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) sent its naval and air forces to track and monitor the two warships in the whole course. "Taiwan is a part of China. Troops of the PLA Eastern Theater Command are staying on high alert at all times, and ready to resolutely counter all threats and provocations," Senior Colonel Shi Yi stressed. Tensions in the Taiwan Strait are escalating. This focus on the strait comes after China ramped up political pressure and military threats against Taiwan, with almost daily incursions into Taipei's air defence identification zone. (ANI) Also Read: China's GDP growth slows to 4.9 pc in third quarter Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned on Sunday that the situation in the Palestinian territories "has become unbearable due to the Israeli violations," reported the official news agency WAFA. He called on the United States to turn its words on the cause of Palestine into deeds and urged the international community to move quickly to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Abbas made the remarks during a meeting with Palestinian business people at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Abbas said that "Israel should stop all its measures against our people in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip," warning that if Israel rejects the two-state solution, "the Palestinians will be obliged to go for other political choices." On October 2, Abbas said that one of the choices is to implement the UN Security Council's resolution passed in 1947, or go to the one democratic state on the land of historic Palestine in which full political and civil rights of the Palestinians are gained. Direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, which were sponsored by the United States for nine months, had stopped in 2014 following deep disagreements on Israeli settlement and the recognition of establishing a Palestinian state on the 1967 border. Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are claimed by the Palestinians, in the 1967 Middle East war and has controlled them ever since. (ANI) Also Read: China tests nuclear-capable hypersonic missile: Report While Lebanon is facing unprecedented economic meltdown, the consequences of the huge explosion in Beirut port and the spread of Covid -19 pandemic, last Thursday unidentified snipers started firing at protesters in the Tayouneh area of capital Beirut, killing seven civilians and combatants and wounding more than 30 people. Many of the protesters were armed. A few minutes later scores of armed gunmen exchanged fire with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, bringing to memory the ghastly civil war that ravaged Lebanon from 1975 to 1990, which never really ended. Beirut residents crouched in fear in their homes while teachers herded children in basements to protect them from the fierce shooting. Hezbollah officials accused the Lebanese Forces (LF)- a Christian militia led by Samir Geagea - of starting the shooting, but said that Hezbollah would not be pushed into more violence. The protesters claim that authorities were singling out Shiite politicians for questioning and blame. They demanded the removal of Judge Tarek Bitar from the investigation of the port explosion after the Court of Cassation dismissed a complaint and allowed him to continue his probe. The deadly blast at Beirut port on 4 August 2020 killed more than 215 people, wounded about 6500 and destroyed several neighbourhoods in the capital. The Lebanese Forces deny that they started Thursday's clash and claimed that Hezbollah had "invaded" areas of the city it should not have entered. The LF blamed the clashes on the "uncontrolled and widespread weapons" in the hands of Hezbollah, which is exploiting sectarian tensions to derail the port investigations over fears it could be blamed for the blast. An uneasy peace was restored four hours later by the Lebanese Army which cordoned off the area, where there are scores of damaged cars and pockmarked buildings. The Army has arrested eight Lebanese and one Syrian in connection with the deadly violence. Many Beirut residents told the mass media that the heavy gunfire made them recall the worst days of the long civil war, which devastated large parts of Beirut, a city that in the past was called "Paris of the East". The two Shiite movements accused Bitar of targeting in his probe former Ministers of Finance and Public Works - both close allies of Amal and Hezbollah-while ignoring the responsibilities of officials of other political factions. Judge Bitar was assigned the task of finding those responsible for the detonation of hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate that were improperly stored at a Beirut port warehouse. It was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history and further devastated the country already beset with political divisions and financial trouble. Friday was declared by the government as a day of mourning, while funerals were held in various places. There were no serious incidents at the funerals. In a televised address Lebanese President Michel Aoun declared that those responsible for the violence would be held accountable. Aoun compared the clashes to the Lebanese civil war, stating "It took us back to the days that we said we would never forget and never repeat". Although Aoun is a political ally of Hezbollah and Amal, he said the investigation into the blast at the port would continue, putting him at odds with protest leaders. The turbulent history of Lebanon, which has 18 recognized sects, such as Sunni and Shiite Muslims, various denominations of Christians and others, is full of periods of conflict and acrimony. This situation recently led to the economic collapse of the country, which the World Bank ranked among the three worst in the world since the mid-1800's. The Lebanese state is very close to total collapse, as the country's factions and politicians serve exclusively their own interests, ignoring the general interest of the state. During the past few decades, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah organization has emerged as the most powerful political and military grouping. The Shiite militia, designated by the US and Israel as a terrorist organization, has an arsenal of more than 100,000 rockets and thousands of trained combatants who fight in proxy wars in Yemen, Syria and Iraq. Until recently, Hezbollah enjoyed popular support in Lebanon as the only force in the country which actively fights Israel, but now this support is waning, due to the fact the militant organization has become stronger than the state. It has its own phone network, its own financial system, imports fuel, and has its own paramilitary forces. Furthermore, it rejects the technocratic government which will try to reform the ossified sectarian political system in Lebanon and carry out reforms, as the international donors who want to help Lebanon demand. Lebanese journalist and author Kim Ghattas says that the Lebanese are "fed up" with the militant group Hezbollah and want to strive for a government that better resembles the diversity and cosmopolitan nature of its citizens. The fact that there is popular anger against Hezbollah is shown by an incident which occurred last August when villagers of the Druze community in Southern Lebanon seized four Hezbollah operatives who had just launched a rocket attack on the Israeli Golan Heights. The villagers feared that Israel might retaliate against their settlement and so took an action that would have been unthinkable in the past: They arrested members of the Hezbollah. Tom Rogan, the national security writer at the Washington Examiner, points out: "Taken separately, the port explosion, operatives' seizure, and Thursday's gun battle might seem to be isolated incidents. But taken together, they show how the once-vaunted resistance is facing very serious resistance of its own from the Lebanese people." However, nobody knows if Hezbollah will grudgingly ease its stranglehold over the Lebanese state or will start a new civil war against its adversaries to protect its prominent place if it feels cornered. (ANI) Also Read: China chides US, Canada for sending warships through Taiwan Strait I thought that Trump was going to stay president and they were going to find all this crooked stuff and we thought that we did something good, Rodriguez said. It was rumored that Nancy Pelosi got her laptop stolen and that they found all this evidence on it and it was a secret plan. And then we could just bust everything and find the truth and itll be all exposed and well see that shes corrupt or some kind of evidence. And we thought we were being a we were part of a bigger thing. We thought we were being used as a part of a plan to save the country, to save America, save the Constitution, and the election, the integrity. Yet the agencys initial response was broadly criticized as too timid and uncoordinated as the virus swept through facilities that were often understaffed and short on protective gear. A Tribune investigation later found that during COVID-19s first wave even as most COVID-19 deaths were tied to long-term care facilities IDPH had largely stopped inspecting facilities. Even when inspectors went, they often went well after major outbreaks had occurred, with the agency at times struggling to have accurate counts of cases and deaths at facilities. Gary Robbins Gary Robbins has been a journalist for more than 30 years and currently covers science, technology. He joined the paper in April 2010 after working for 25 years at the Orange County Register, where he was science editor. Robbins was born and raised in Maine and attended Northeastern University in Boston, graduating in 1978. He served as a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT during the 2000-01 academic year, and a Science Writer Fellow at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts in June 2001. At John Deere equipment dealer Sloan Implement in Fulton, Illinois, store manager Eric Maloney said the business is doing the best it can to manage through the strike, as well as supply chain problems related to the coronavirus pandemic. The dealer has been relying more than usual on repairing parts instead of replacing them. While congressional leadership has made some moves welcomed by many Black staffers, they have fallen short. In August, Speaker Nancy Pelosi increased the maximum annual pay for House staffers to nearly $200,000. But that increase did not raise the income of average staffers, who make $30,000 to $40,000 a year; entry-level jobs can pay as little as $29,000. Black Americans already do not earn as much as their white counterparts in 2019, the median income for Black households was more than $20,000 less than that of the average American household. Lizz Botello, who has lived in Dixmoor for about a year, has been waking up at 2 a.m. and driving her children to her mothers house in Berwyn to shower before driving back to work. Her three children are home from school after an emergency closure notice was issued for schools in West Harvey-Dixmoor School District 147. Extending these restrictive measures will give the fraternity community the requisite time to undertake the necessary initiatives which will ensure that fraternities are safe and secure spaces and that no person feels under threat or is harmed when entering chapter-affiliated spaces, Papandreou said in the statement. Were just grateful that our officer is in non-life-threatening condition at this point, and were asking the public to continue with their prayers for our officer and all the officers for the city of Chicago, Brown said. Hatlen appeared before Judge John Kinsella on Friday in connection with accusations he sexually assaulted the woman outside of the Glendale Heights restaurant where she worked and where Hatlen also had been briefly employed. When she arrived at work about 4:15 a.m. May 10, 2019, authorities said Hatlen grabbed her and dragged her back to a grassy area near her car before she could enter the building. Judge Susana Ortiz cited the statement by Scarvers mother and the danger to the community as factors in denying Scarver bail. Thered be no better person to be familiar with Mr. Scarvers identity than his mother, the judge said, adding that the eyewitnesses and physical evidence made a strong case against him. The facts here as alleged are that this residential street was sprayed by handguns, she said. In 2019, two friends from far north suburban Zion were convicted by a federal jury in 2019 of attempting to aid the terrorist group by providing cellphones to an undercover FBI agent to be used as detonators for bombs. Joseph Jones was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while his co-defendant, Edward Schimenti, received 13 years behind bars. What if the institutional response to a hot-button issue such as the Middle East was to lean in? To bring together experts and authorities for open dialogue on the topic. To make sure the views of those experts are freely available to the students and scholars in the university community through a public event and recorded for rewatching. To put the resources and thought into the creation and presentation of such a response in order to make it clear that it is not intended to resolve the question, but instead to empower everyone with an interest to question the question. To challenge the thinking not only of those they disagree with, but, as importantly, also their own. This is not to say we do not need to support our police officers. They are overwhelmed, demoralized and retiring in droves. Chicago is struggling to recruit new officers. But hollow calls to get tough on crime will not make people or police any safer. Instead, we need to free up police from time-consuming, noncriminal activities so they can focus more on violent crime and boost Chicagos anemic homicide clearance rate. Or, he could be seen as a loyal military man who had swallowed his own opinions after rigorous internal debate and taken his CIA briefings at face value, and was now supporting his commander in chief, as he had sworn to do. Positions were taken on Powells testimony years ago, and they are unlikely to change in the face of his death. And, especially abroad, there have been notable successes. China changed its programs to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the United Kingdom shifted subsidies to meet environmental goals and India has piloted a promising natural-farming policy. Even in the U.S., the Conservation Reserve Program pays out billions every year to remove sensitive acreage from production. Despite flaws in the program, landowners have used it to restore millions of acres since President Ronald Reagan signed it into law in 1985. Seven excellent Chinese films will be screened in Iran as the 2nd Chinese Cinema at a Glance event opened in Iran's capital Tehran on Saturday night. The event, jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy in Iran and the Art and Experience Institute of Iranians Cinema, is scheduled to be held from Oct. 16 to Oct. 22 in both online and offline modes. Addressing the opening ceremony, Charge d'Affaires of Chinese Embassy in Iran Fu Lihua said the cultural exchanges between these two ancient civilizations have contributed to the development and burgeoning of the global civilization. The Chinese side, she said, stands ready to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Iran as an opportunity to enhance exchanges between the two civilizations and understanding between the two peoples through cinema. For his part, Jafar Sanei Moqaddam, managing director of the Art and Experience Institute of Iranians Cinema, said this cultural week will serve to promote cultural bonds between the two ancient civilizations with a purpose of the development in cinema industry and augmentation of investments, production and screening. According to the organizers, the selected films to be presented during the event include Coming Home and Shadow by Zhang Yimou, The Assassin by Hou Hsiao-hsien, Song of the Phoenix by Wu Tianming, Anima by Cao Jinling, Fly with the Crane by Li Ruijun, and I am Somebody by Derek Tung-Shing Yee. China is demonstrating its long-lasting pursuit of innovation, inspiration, and willingness for higher-level opening up at the ongoing China Import and Export Fair, or the Canton Fair, which has grabbed the world's attention with new products and new paths of development. Held both online and offline for the first time, the event has attracted about 8,000 enterprises that have set up nearly 20,000 booths at the exhibition center in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province. More companies were expected to join the event online during the five-day fair from Oct. 15 to 19. From manufacturing to innovation At China's home appliance giant Gree's booth, people waited for the launch of the company's latest "zero-carbon ecosystem". According to the company, no electric charge is needed when power generated by solar power photovoltaic battery completely meets the load of the unit in operation, which can therefore lead to zero carbon emission. "European and American countries strictly regulate coal and natural gas use for heating. Gree's eco-friendly products suit the needs of less carbon emission," said Kevin Bai, president assistant of Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. "Many of our products have seen sales double or even triple over the past year despite the COVID-19 pandemic." Since its founding in 1991, the Zhuhai-based company has grown into one of the largest household electric appliance enterprises in the world with innovation and new products. As China opens its arms to embrace the global market, Chinese companies face more development opportunities amid fiercer competition. Bai said most of the Chinese factories he knew about have shifted from merely manufacturing to shaping their own brands with core technologies. Anne Casso, a sourcing director with the French multinational retail group Auchan Retail, would agree with Bai. Having attended the fair for 13 consecutive years, Casso considered herself a witness to the change of the Chinese suppliers. "We used to come and find what we needed in the past. Now, more frequently, we come to see what's new. Chinese suppliers have gradually built up their collection of new products with bold ideas and practices," Casso said. Auchan Retail's sourcing team is looking for eco-friendly products and smart appliances connected to 5G this year. Casso believes the rising demand will be properly met by the Chinese suppliers as Chinese companies have innovative ideas and strong production abilities. Dual circulation For Chinese home appliance manufacturer Galanz, the ongoing session of the Canton Fair, held twice a year in spring and autumn respectively, is different in many ways from the previous ones. The company is displaying products that target not only overseas customers but also domestic consumers. It has invited both overseas clients and major domestic buyers to the fair. As one of the earliest private companies to participate in the fair, Galanz has taken advantage of this platform to set foot in the overseas market. "Guided by the 'dual circulation' development paradigm, we are further promoting our brand globally, as well as reshaping it in the domestic market," said Liang Zhaoxian, chairman of Galanz Group. "We will make more innovative products through technological innovation and global division and cooperation." Launched in 1957, the fair is seen as a significant barometer of China's foreign trade. This session of the Canton Fair, themed "Canton Fair, Global Share", features "dual circulation", as China is building a new development paradigm where domestic and overseas markets reinforce each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay. The online events aim to draw more global buyers for export-oriented companies to find new orders, while the offline events invite both domestic and overseas buyers to help Chinese foreign trade companies develop new markets, said Chu Shijia, head of the China Foreign Trade Center, one of the fair's organizers. "The session is a milestone, as it has taken advantage of both domestic and overseas markets and resources, showing China's determination to promote and build a high level and open world economy," Chu said. MINISO, a Chinese retailer known for its fashionable but affordable household products, operates 4,500 stores in 99 countries and regions. The Guangzhou-based company attended the fair as a buyer for the first time. "The momentum of economic development and new opportunities will be generated through the development of domestic and overseas markets," said MINISO founder Ye Guofu. Ye said his company values the platform provided by the fair as an important opportunity for sourcing new items. An applicant searches for job opportunities at a job fair during the 19th Conference on International Exchange of Professionals (CIEP) in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, April 24, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua] China's surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 4.9 percent in September, 0.5 percentage points lower than the same period last year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Monday. During the first nine months of this year, the country created 10.45 million new jobs in its urban areas, achieving 95 percent of the annual target. In the third quarter of this year, the job market remained generally stable, NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui told a press conference, citing key factors including sustained economic recovery and the implementation of job-first policies. The recovery in the service industry is also conducive to expanding employment, Fu said, adding that the index measuring the service sector's output accelerated 0.4 percentage points in September from that in August. The surveyed unemployment rate among those aged between 16 and 24 stood at 14.6 percent, while the rate among those aged between 25 and 59, the majority of the labor market, stood at 4.2 percent. The surveyed unemployment rate in 31 major cities was 5 percent in September, down 0.3 percentage points from that in August. The surveyed urban unemployment rate is calculated based on the number of unemployed people who have participated in the employment survey in urban areas, including migrant workers in cities. Flash A deputy constable was killed and two others injured in an "ambush shooting" on Saturday outside of a bar in Houston, the largest city in southern central U.S. state Texas, authorities said. Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief James Jones said the deputies were working an extra shift at the bar when they heard a disturbance outside around 2:15 a.m. local time on Saturday. "It turns out it may have been a robbery they were intervening in ... probably unknown to them at the time," Jones said, "They were trying to arrest a suspect or detain a suspect ... when they were ambushed." One of the injured was shot in the back and the other was shot in the foot, Constable Mark Herman said at a news conference. Both underwent surgery. The suspect is believed to have shot the officers with a rifle, according to a NBC News report. The shooting remains under investigation, said the report. Enditem Flash China on Saturday donated a batch of humanitarian assistance to Somalia amid flourishing bilateral ties. Fei Shengchao, Chinese Ambassador to Somalia, said the humanitarian supplies from China included 10,000 tents, 50,000 mosquito nets, 20,000 aid kits and baby weight scales, stethoscopes and thermometers. "The pandemic has taken its toll on humanitarian support worldwide. For these supplies, the cost of production has gone up 15 percent and the cost of shipment has soared seven times," Fei said in a statement issued in Mogadishu. The Chinese government has delivered the aid despite the rising cost of production and shipment. Fei said that is the Chinese way of helping others. The ambassador added that China and Somalia are well-known for their compassion for each other and for their resilience at difficult times. Somalia's Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Khadijo Mohamed Diriye thanked the Chinese government for providing the humanitarian assistance, saying it came at a very critical moment. "Somalia thanks China for its constant role of support to its Government and people in the very dire situation that they're facing. We received different equipment of humanitarian assistance from our brotherly nation," Khadijo said. The humanitarian assistance from China was delivered at a time Somalia was reeling from droughts, floods and locusts invasion. Flash "Hungary has always maintained excellent relations with the People's Republic of China. Our bilateral cooperation extends to many different fields and naturally climate and energy projects are no exception in this regard," said Mate Pesti, Hungarian ambassador to China. In a recent interview with China.org.cn, prior to a promotional event of the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit, the ambassador talked about Hungary's efforts to pursue sustainability. He highlighted the importance of sustainability cooperation between Hungary and China, especially on climate and energy. Hungary's climate and ecological protection plan puts major emphasis on the field of sustainability, said Pesti, explaining that the most important aspects included the electrification of transport, a ban on single-use plastic products, the large-scale setup of new renewable energy plants, the elimination of illegal waste disposal sites, issuing government-backed green bonds in the financial sector, and increased reforestation programs. "These steps, along with the general vision and efforts of the government for the digitalization of the economy and society, ensure that Hungary will tackle the adverse effects of human activity, promote our goals of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, and walk the path of sustainability in the post-2020 world," he added. Between Nov. 29 and Dec. 5, 2021, Hungary will host the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit, a sustainable development event for the four countries of Central Europe the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The one-week event will include a summit, sustainability expo, interactive public programs about sustainability and a youth program about sustainability. When asked about Hungarian homegrown sustainabilityrelated solutions available for global expansion, the ambassador introduced a trade fair during the Planet Budapest 2021 event, which is designed to introduce sustainable and green innovations in Central Europe. "During this fair titled 'Nature Friendly Development Sustainability Expo', exhibitors from Central Europe will occupy a total of 20,000 square meters as they present the latest Central European developments that modernize the food industry, water management, the energy sector, waste management, transport, and cities and homes, as well as promote a shift towards sustainable development," he noted. The ambassador said that a main objective of the Planet Budapest 2021 is to "offer widely applicable, innovative and efficient solutions to the challenges of sustainability to be used by all stakeholders of the planet." He added that allowing heads of state and government, decision makers, experts and company representatives to share their insights on these matters along with tens of thousands of visitors, makes Planet Budapest 2021 the largest international event in Central Europe dedicated to sustainability. The ambassador cited several examples of cooperation between Hungary and China in the field of sustainability. "Chinese companies have been the leading developers of 5G technologies, which carry a great potential in reducing humanity's carbon footprint, and by doing so, in contributing efficiently to the idea of global ecological civilization." "Recently Europe's first smart railway hub was established in Hungary, jointly undertaken by Hungary's East-West Intermodal Logistics, Huawei Hungary, and Vodafone Hungary. The hub will use cutting-edge 5G technologies for its top-to-bottom operational functions, which further reduces its carbon footprint," he said. He also mentioned the field of renewable and clean energy. In May, Hungary inaugurated the country's largest solar power plant, which was built by China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation near the southwestern city of Kaposvar. The plant is expected to produce 130 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and help Hungary reduce its carbon-dioxide emissions by about 120,000 tonnes each year. "There are quite a few successful examples of Chinese companies developing projects in this field in Hungary," he said. Pesti noted that Hungary also has its own strengths in the area of sustainability, such as long-standing traditions and expertise in the field of water management, which had already been introduced in projects all around China. "Hungary is also a member of the Belt and Road Energy Partnership, so we are also actively expanding climate and energy cooperation together with China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative," the ambassador added. Flash A pre-conference to promote the upcoming Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit, the largest international conference and exhibition in Central Europe dedicated to sustainability, was held in Beijing on Oct. 15. The Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit is scheduled to take place between Nov. 29 and Dec. 5 in Budapest, Hungary. The one-week event will discuss the future of the world and sustainability and offer a wide range of innovative and pragmatic solutions. "The event aims to raise awareness about adverse environmental, social, and economic practices among the general public and to show that these negative changes, which overshadow the future of humankind, are still reversible," said Oliver Joubert, deputy head of mission of the Embassy of Hungary in Beijing, in his opening remarks during the pre-conference. Balazs Heincz, director general of the Department for Water Diplomacy and the Danube Region Strategy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, introduced the mission and content of the event via video link from Budapest. He said the event included four sustainability-related parts, namely: the summit, the sustainability expo, interactive public programs about sustainability, and a youth program about sustainability. Mate Pesti, Hungarian ambassador to China, said in an interview with the media that the main objective of the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit is "offering widely applicable, innovative, and efficient solutions to the challenges of sustainability, to be used by all stakeholders of the planet." He added that allowing heads of states and governments, decision-makers, experts, and company representatives to share their insights on these matters along with the tens of thousands of expected visitors, makes Planet Budapest 2021 the largest international event in Central Europe dedicated to sustainability. During the pre-conference, experts and representatives of leading Chinese companies working on different aspects of sustainability gave keynote speeches on various issues, including sustainable water management, sustainable waste management, green finance, and cooperation between China and Hungary in these fields. Flash Japan should be prudent about its words and actions on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine and make a clean break with militarism, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Monday. Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily news briefing in response to a question on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sending a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II and is deemed by neighboring countries to be a symbol of Japan's past militarism. Zhao said Japan's recent move on the Yasukuni Shrine issue once again reflects its wrong attitude towards its history of aggression, and China has lodged solemn representations through the diplomatic channel. Japan should earnestly abide by its statements and promises of facing up to and reflecting upon its history of aggression, be cautious in its words and deeds on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, make a clean break with militarism, and take concrete actions to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community, he said. Maine Health Care Workers Seek Emergency Relief from SCOTUS NEWS PROVIDED BY Liberty Counsel Oct. 18, 2021 WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Liberty Counsel filed an emergency injunction pending appeal (IPA) to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of more than 2,000 health care workers against Governor Janet Mills, health officials of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and five of Maine's largest hospital systems. The IPA went to Justice Stephen Breyer for review. Gov. Janet Mills' "COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate" purports to override both Title VII employment law and the First Amendment Free Exercise clause. Her discriminatory order mandates the shots and states health care workers cannot raise religious exemptions claims. This edict would force numerous doctors, nurses, medical professionals and other health care workers to choose between the exercise of their sincerely held religious beliefs and their employment. However, Maine is required to abide by federal law to provide protections to employees who have sincerely held religious objections to the COVID-19 shots. In fact, there can be no dispute that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits the governor and health officials from discriminating against health care workers on the basis of their sincerely held religious beliefs. Gov. Mills has threatened to revoke the licenses of all health care employers who fail to mandate that all employees receive the COVID-19 injection, despite the unconstitutional fact that she is discriminating against religious employees who decline vaccination while favoring those who decline for secular, medical reasons. The governor originally stated health care workers must receive a COVID-19 injection by October 1 and then extended the deadline for compliance to October 29. However, this required that plaintiffs had to accept the first injection that violates their sincerely held religious beliefs by no later than Friday, October 15, 2021. Liberty Counsel is asking the High Court to rule that: 1) Governor Mills will not enforce her unconstitutional mandate so that plaintiff John Doe 1 must force his employees to receive a COVID-19 injection and not provide a religious exemption or accommodation for his employees in violation of his and their sincerely held religious beliefs; 2) Defendants will immediately cease in their refusal to consider, review, and grant plaintiffs' requests for religious exemption and accommodation from the governor's "COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate," provided that plaintiffs agree to abide by reasonable accommodation provisions such as masking, testing, symptom monitoring and reporting; and 3) Defendants will immediately cease threatening to discharge and terminate plaintiffs from their employment for failure to accept a COVID-19 "vaccine" that violates their sincerely held religious beliefs. Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "We are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and give immediate relief to these health care heroes against Governor Janet Mills' illegal edict. The governor cannot override federal law and force health care workers to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs by forcing them to inject an experimental substance. All Maine health care workers have the legal right to request reasonable accommodation for their sincerely held religious beliefs and forcing COVID shots without exemptions is unlawful." Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost. SOURCE Liberty Counsel CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org Related Links lc.org/ I once found myself saying to God that Christianity is such a tough road not because He makes it difficult to enter but because of your fellow believers. I found a lot of ironic things in the Church, in Christianity where what was being said do not match with the actions. I know I am not alone in this struggle for a lot of potential believers all over the world had been damaged or sabotaged by their fellows in the Kingdom. Some have even already left the community and faith which is a heartbreaking reality. With this mentality and perspective that has lingered within me for too long, this pandemic has somehow become a blessing to me in a sense I have more time alone to spend with God. And I know that He has better perspectives than what I was truly seeing; and I knew I was missing something deep in my heart. I am grateful that God always answers the deepest questions of our heart and that the Holy Spirit never fails to reveal the Word of God that causes us to repent and become better at loving. After all we are created by Love, to love and be loved. Christianity vs the Worldly I once used to compare how my social life was better when I was a non-spiritual person than when I started joining the Christian community. I had met people who were more truthful, confrontational, and real despite their lack of knowledge for Gods Word or Scriptures compared to those who otherwise know Jesus, go to church every Sunday, memorized the Scriptures yet betray and gossip one another, were jealous and intentionally selfish. The only One that has kept me staying long in this difficult path is the LORD because I know that this is the reality of His Bride and Jesus is married to such kinds of people. I was at the kitchen when God spoke to me. I was washing dishes and thinking in deep concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ who were struggling in their church. It then made me think once again about how worldly people are sometimes better than the Christians. Nonetheless, nothing is really making sense. And out of the blue, the Holy Spirit reminded me of what Jesus said in Luke chapter 5 verse 32, I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent. From that point on, an explosive revelation came deep into my spirit that really hit my heart and made me repent. Continuing to reveal more about this Scripture, the LORD said to me, Now you know why you are seeing the worst kinds of people in the Kingdom. I came for the worst sinners and saved them. These people are in My Kingdom. Most people in the world who are already doing good on their own do not seek Me to save them. I came for those who gravely needed Me in their life. And I realized that I too was one of the worst people out there that Jesus saved by His unlimited grace. It now makes sense why the worst people are found in Christian community. It makes sense why once a murderer and persecutor of faith like Paul, a friend who denied Jesus like Peter, the doubtful like Thomas, an insecure and jealous king like Saul, the adulterous like the Samaritan woman, the insensitive and aggressive like James and John, a womanizer like Samson and so on were all part of Gods plan of redemption. Expectations change I realized that what I was missing was my expectations. I have imagined a perfect image of Christianity which obviously became an expectation to me that people are going to be at their best and loving state and full of Jesus when the reality is that the road everyone had gone through before Jesus saved them were not as easy. And it is definitely better for the LORD to save them and call them into His family than let them wander in the world and die in their sins. Everything about the Kingdom is by the grace of God. We are all called, joined as one family of God, the worse of the worst people out there. What can we expect from each other? Called to greater love, patience and understanding Now with a change of mind and heart, I know that loving the worse has become easier. Regardless of their positions, the attitudes and hurts being passed on, it is easier to understand and be patient with each other knowing that we are all called because were the worst ones who gravely need of Jesus Christ. I now understand why the Apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 5, This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinnersand I am the worst of them all. I hope that those of you who may be battling the same thing be enlightened by the Holy Spirit. May our love grow deeper as we hold on tighter to the LORD especially these difficult times where love is growing cold. Lets continuously seek guidance and wisdom from the Holy Spirit who never fails to address all our needs. Shalom! How was the UVA event? my mom excitedly asked my little sister over the phone. Instead of accompanying the rest of our family to a wedding over the weekend, my sister was dressed up to meet with representatives from the University of Virginia, or as I had come to know it, Virginia Techs a United States Insulin Pump Market is expected to reach US$ 3.8 Billion by the year end of 2022. Market growth can be attributed to factors such as increasing number of diabetic patients, growing awareness towards diabetes, improved glucose control and flexible, lifestyle-compatible treatment options and technological advancement in insulin pump devices. However, high cost of the insulin pump devices is expected to hamper growth of the market during forecast period. This is the 2nd latest edition report published by the Market Report Publisher. United States Insulin Pump Market Size, Share, Opportunity, Analysis, Growth Potential & Demand Forecast 2017 2022 provides a deep and thorough evaluation of the United States Insulin Pump Market. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the type 1, type 2 and newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and overall diabetes population. It provides essential insights into insulin pump users with more focused on type 1 and type 2 diabetes insulin pump users. Market outlook in value terms has been analysed based on current and potential trends and the market is estimated from 2017 to 2022. Additionally, the report includes assessment of clinical trials and preferred insulin pump brand by the patients. Key trends in terms of collaborations, partnerships and licensing agreements are analysed with details. The report also explores detailed description of growth drivers and inhibitors of the United States Insulin Pump Market. Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/3871 The report concludes with the profiles of major players in the Insulin Pump Market such as Insulet Corporation, Medtronic, Roche, Animas Corporation and Tandem Diabetes Care. The major market players are evaluated on various parameters such as company overview, product outlook and sales analysis of the Insulin Pump and Diabetes Market from 2011 to 2022. Key Topics Covered in the Report Place a Direct Purchase Order @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/3871/Single United States Diabetes Population (2011 2022) United States Insulin Pump Users and Market Analysis (2011 2022) United States Insulin Pump Preferred Brand By Product United States Insulin Pump Market: Reimbursement & Regulation System United States Insulin Pump Market Major Deal Types Insulin Pump Market Clinical Trail Insight by Phase, Company & Country Key Companies Analysis Key Drivers and Inhibitors of the United States Insulin Pump Market Key Companies Covered in the Report are as follows: Insulet Corporation Medtronic Roche Animas Corporation and Tandem Diabetes Care Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/3871 Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. San Francisco, 18 Oct 2021: The Report Viscosupplementation Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Single, Three, Five Injection), By End-use (Hospitals, Orthopedic Clinics/ASCs), By Region (Asia Pacific, Europe), And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028 The global viscosupplementation market size is expected to reach USD 7.6 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.37% from 2021 to 2028. Initiatives to increase awareness regarding available treatment, the rising geriatric population, and product advancements are expected to boost market growth during the forecast period. With the growing geriatric population, the burden of osteoarthritis is expected to increase dramatically. As per the Arthritis Foundation, in the U.S., around 54.4 million adults are reported to be diagnosed with doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Favorable reimbursement policies with respect to the geriatric population are expected to act as an opportunity for market growth. The viscosupplementation business was affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic as many healthcare providers postponed the nonessential patient visits, such as osteoarthritis treatments. Although ease in COVID-19 restrictions regarding surgeries led to a recovery in surgery volume, certain markets, such as Spain, the U.K., and Italy witnessed a low pace of recovery. Asia Pacific held the largest revenue share of the global market in 2020. In recent years, exponential growth in the number of orthopedic surgeons in developing countries, such as South Korea, Russia, and China, was observed. Asia Pacific region presents high growth potential owing to large patient population and untapped opportunities in comparison with the U.S. Therefore, the introduction of products by the players in Asian countries is further expected to propel the market growth. In July 2017, Anika Therapeutics announced regulatory approval of MONOVISC in India followed by approval in Australia in October 2017. However, such strategic initiatives were offset to some extent by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the disruption of company operations. Europe is expected to register the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. This can be attributed to a large number of clinical trials being conducted in the region to provide efficient treatment for knee osteoarthritis with the help of stem cells. Access Research Report of Viscosupplementation Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/viscosupplementation-market Viscosupplementation Market Report Highlights Single-injection led the type segment in 2020 and is expected to register the fastest growth rate over the forecast period due to various factors, such as new product launch and affordability as compared to their counterparts For instance, in March 2019, SeikagakuCorp. launched an intra-articular single injection viscosupplement HyLink for the therapy of knee osteoarthritis in Italy The orthopedic clinics/ASC send-use segment is expected to exhibit the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. The increasing prevalence of osteoarthritis among the geriatric population is one of the major factors expected to contribute to the segment growth Collaborations for development & expansion of product portfolios and geographical expansion in emerging markets are key strategies adopted by companies to increase their market share For instance, in June 2020, Seikagaku Corporation completed acquiring all shares of Dalton Chemical Laboratories, Inc., an unlisted company in Canada List of Key Players of Viscosupplementation Market Sanofi Anika Therapeutics, Inc. Seikagaku Corporation Zimmer Biomet Smith & Nephew PLC Ferring Pharmaceuticals B.V. Lifecore Biomedical LG Life Sciences Ltd. FidiaFarmaceutici S.p.A Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Access Press Release of Viscosupplementation Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-viscosupplementation-market Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 30 giorni fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The Global Nitrocellulose Market Report, in its latest update, highlights the significant impacts and the recent strategically changes under the present socio-economic scenario. The Nitrocellulose industry growth avenues are deeply supported by exhaustive research by the top analysts of the industry. The report starts with the executive summary, followed by a value chain and Marketing channels study. The report then estimates the CAGR and Market revenue of the global and regional segments. Base Year: 2020 Estimated Year: 2021 Forecast Till: 2027 The report classifies the market into different segments based on type and product. These segments are studied in detail, incorporating the market estimates and forecasts at regional and country levels. The segment analysis is helpful in understanding the growth areas and potential opportunities of the market. Get | Download FREE Sample Report of Global Nitrocellulose Market @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-1873 A special section is dedicated to the analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the growth of the Nitrocellulose market. The impact is closely studied in terms of production, import, export, and supply. The report covers the complete competitive landscape of the Worldwide Nitrocellulose market with company profiles of key players such as: Sichuan Nitrocell Corporation Nobel NC Nitro Quimica SNPE Dow TNC Hubei Xuefei Chemical Hengshui Orient Chemical Nitrex Chemicals Synthesia Xinxiang T.N.C Chemical Jiangsu Tailida Hengshui Beixin Chemical Want to add more Company Profiles to the Report? Write your Customized Requirements to us @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/get-custom-research-1873 Nitrocellulose Market Analysis by Type: E-grade Nitrocellulose M-grade Nitrocellulose A-grade Nitrocellulose Others Nitrocellulose Market Analysis by Application: Coatings and Paints Printing Inks Celluloid Other Nitrocellulose Market Analysis by Geography: North America (USA, Canada, and Mexico) (USA, Canada, and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Rest of Europe) (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Rest of Europe) Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, South-East Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, South-East Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Rest of Latin America) (Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Rest of Latin America) The Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, South Africa, Rest of the Middle East and Africa) Key questions answered in the report: What is the expected growth of the Nitrocellulose market between 2022 to 2027? Which application and type segment holds the maximum share in the Global Nitrocellulose market? Which regional Nitrocellulose market shows the highest growth CAGR between 2022 to 2027? What are the opportunities and challenges currently faced by the Nitrocellulose market? Who are the leading market players and what are their Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)? What business strategies are the competitors considering to stay in the Nitrocellulose market? Purchase the Complete Global Nitrocellulose Market Research Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/buy-now-1873 About Us: DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research report provider, enriching decision-makers, and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiles, and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise, and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 90 28 057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --A As China recently eradicated absolute poverty and transitioned to rural revitalization, the 130th Canton Fair has for the first time designated a special Rural Revitalization Zone, providing a driving force for the revitalization of rural regions in the country and empowering companies from formerly poor areas to introduce their products to global buyers. VisitA https://fbuyer.cantonfair.org.cn/en/account/new-buyer/registerA for more opportunities. The Canton Fair continues to give a leg up to Chinese companies entering international markets contributing to the consolidation of poverty alleviation while transitioning to rural revitalization. This edition's Rural Revitalization Zone is hosted both on-site and online for the duration of the 5-day grand exhibition. The Fair has opened applications for companies from poorer areas without any limitations on quantity or constraints with the goal of benefiting as many companies as possible. A total of 883 companies from less-developed areas have joined the Canton Fair with fees waived, where they are showcasing unique local specialties. "As China's top exhibition, the Canton Fair plays a key role in bringing Chinese products to overseas markets, driving the industrial development of various regions to overcome poverty and achieve prosperity," said Liu Quandong, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Canton Fair. "It's the first Canton Fair for the majority of the 883 companies, and we have explored more online and offline channels for these companies to reach international markets." VisitA https://fbuyer.cantonfair.org.cn/en/account/new-buyer/registerA for more opportunities. Guitian, a biotech company based in Yunnan Province, is participating in the 130th Canton Fair with its Shangri-La Wanda specialized planting and breeding cooperative. "As a pioneering company in the quinoa industry and the largest quinoa enterprise in Yunnan, Guitian is showcasing its low-calorie, zero-cholesterol plateau organic quinoa, hoping to gain experience, expand brand influence and seek more partnerships," said Jin Xiaogang, chairman of Guitian. Xinjiang Mijie Black Bee is a company specializing in producing original, ecological honey with Xinjiang characteristics. "We've brought honey that's produced using more than a dozen varieties of flowers that deliver an ultra-rich taste. This is our first time exhibiting our products, and we hope to find more buyers on the Canton Fair platform as well as overseas cooperation opportunities," said Liu Huifang of Mijie. Hebei Zaoneng Food mainly produces the Strong Food brand of red jujube juice beverages. The company signed price purchase agreements, seasonal temporary employment contracts and shares dividends with low-income families. It has established a modern agricultural industrialization business model that integrates farming, processing, sales and exports. Zaoneng Food is expected to export to thirty countries and regions in 2022. "At the Canton Fair, these companies from rural areas are not only taking advantage of international markets and debuting on the global trade stage, but also achieving positive results in product R&D and marketing model transformation, while introducing the charm of Chinese culture to the world," Liu Quandong added. VisitA https://fbuyer.cantonfair.org.cn/en/account/new-buyer/registerA for more opportunities. Coronado, CA (92118) Today Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High around 65F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. The subsidies were redesigned so no household would have to pay more than 8.5% of its income for a benchmark silver ACA plan. The subsidies were therefore made theoretically available to everyone. Lower-income families would still be entitled to more help: Those earning from 100% to 150% of the poverty line ($26,500 to $39,750 for a family of four) went from a maximum premium of 4.14% of income to a zero premium, for instance. A higher number of medical or religious exemptions will always mean a lower staff vaccination rate, Barrett said. The vaccine offers the highest level of protection, and the highest rates possible is what nursing homes strive for, but nursing homes can keep residents protected when small numbers of staff are not vaccinated with more aggressive COVID-19 testing and enhanced infection prevention and control measures. The daytime events at Town Point Park would be free to the public. Agricola said hes working with the military to participate in the event, perhaps by bringing in drill teams or having flyovers. He wanted the events at the park to be reminiscent of the beach, touting the parks views and location on the river. The counselling and admission process in engineering colleges in adjacent Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had been completed and several students joined various colleges in those states. Representational Image. (DC Image) Vijayawada: The students who qualified EAPCET-2021 (EAMCET) are worried over the delay in the starting of counselling to get admissions into engineering courses. Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh government announced the starting of engineering first year classes from October but despite the passing of nearly three weeks, the counselling process for admissions did not start in the state which turned out to be a big worry for nearly 1.35 lakh students and their parents. The EAPCET results were released on September 8 and the government announced the start of the admission process and classes in 10 days. The fixation of fee structure and inclusion of seats in private universities under convener quota are said to be causing delay in starting of counselling process. The engineering stream examination was held from August 19 to 25 and a total of 1,76,586 candidates had registered for the exam. The candidates who appeared for the examination were 1,66,460 while 1,34,205 students were qualified in the examination with 80.62 percent. The government claimed the announcement of EAPCET-2021 results in a record time of 10 days and further announced the starting of classes by October swiftly completing the counselling process. There are 17 government and 305 private colleges offering engineering courses in 13 districts in the state. The government will finalise fee reimbursement according to the facilities and amenities available in respective colleges. The counselling and admission process in engineering colleges in adjacent Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had been completed and several students joined various colleges in those states. Students B. Rajesh and S. Basha said the Corona crisis changed the education calendar which was putting a huge impact on completion of syllabuses. They said that nowadays the Coronavirus infections largely decreased to mere 500 to 600 cases per day from earlier 2,500 to 3,000 per day and this was the right time to start engineering classes. They stated that counselling and admission processes were completed in Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states and those colleges commenced classes also. They stated that any further delay would put a huge impact on subjects and curriculum to complete syllabuses with reduced working days and appealed to the state government to announce counselling and to start classes. Parents, G. Venkateswarlu and T. Prabhakar said several parents had joined their children in the adjacent states for engineering studies and more students would migrate to Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states if AP failed to announce counselling dates. Meanwhile, officials informed that the fixation of fee imbursement to colleges would be finalised in a day or two and the admission committee would conduct a meeting to announce the counselling and admissions schedule. They stated that the fee fixations would be completed by October 22 and the government was likely to commence counselling from October 25. The Association members submitted numerous representations to municipal authorities in the last three years seeking fencing. DC Image HYDERABAD: Members of Tirumala Hills Owners Welfare Association staged a protest against encroachment of the common land that has been allotted by HUDA. They condemned municipal authorities for granting permission to land-sharks to go ahead with their constructions. The open land that has allegedly been encroached upon is to the extent of 6,024 sq yds. Around 5,000 families reside in the residential colony, which is at Puppalguda and close to Dollar Hills. Association president Dr P. Avinash said, This is a 1994 HUDA layout and has an open area of 6,024 sq. yards. It was meant for common amenities catering to all residents. We have submitted numerous representations to municipal authorities in the last three years seeking fencing. He said that the association apprehended that anti-social elements would encroach on the land. Frustrated at the civic bodys lackadaisical response, we approached the High Court urging it to direct officials to fence the area, Dr Avinash said. He added Now, the municipality has given building construction permission to a private party. How can someone get permission on a land that is allotted for public amenities? We request the municipal minister to look into this matter, and render justice to all residents. Srinagar: Police in the Kashmir Valley were asked to bring non-local labourers and other workers to nearby police stations or other security establishments, after two more labours from Bihar were killed by militants, and another injured on Sunday. A message was flashed to all police units in the Kashmir Valley by the SSP Police Control Room, Kashmir, on behalf of Inspector-General of Police Vijay Kumar late in the evening, asking for bringing the non-local labourers and other workers to nearby police stations or other security establishments. The message read, All non-local labourers in your respective jurisdictions be brought to nearest (J&K) Police/CAPF (Central Armed Police Force)/ Army establishments/ camps just now. Matter is most urgent. Earlier, two more Hindu seasonal labourers from Bihar were shot dead by unidentified assailants in Kashmir Valley on Sunday evening. A third was injured in the terror attack, the officials said. The J&K police while blaming the latest attacks on separatist militants said that the victims Raja Reshi Dev, Jogindar Reshi Dev and Chun Chun Reshi Das were targeted in Kulgam's Laran Ganjipora. While Raja and Joginder Reshi died on the spot, Chun Chun Reshi injured in the attack was rushed to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in neighbouring Anantnag where his condition is stated to be stable. "He has received firearm injuries in the back and arm," medical superintendent, GMC, Anantnag, Dr Iqbal Sofi, was quoted as saying by local news agency GNS. The security forces have laid siege to the area to capture the assailants dead or alive, the officials said. On Saturday evening, street vendor Arbind Kumar Sah and carpenter Sagir Ahmed, residents of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, were shot dead in Srinagar's Idgah-Safa Kada'l area and Littar village of southern Pulwama district, respectively. Earlier this month, seven civilians including a Kashmiri Pandit chemist Makhan Lal Bindroo, vendor from Bihar Virender Kumar Paswan, cab driver Muhammad Shaffi Lone, school principal Supinder Kour, teacher Deepak Chand (also a Kashmiri Pandit) and two other residents Abdul Majid Guroo and Muhammad Shafi Dar lost their lives in a spate of targeted killings in and outside Srinagar. The J&K police has blamed The Resistance Front (TRF) which it insists is "offshoot" of proscribed Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) organisation for most of the 32 targetted killings that have taken place in the Valley so far this year, and also many other terror activities in J&K. On Saturday, Inspector General Vijay Kumar had claimed that at least five of those involved in these gory attacks are among the 13 militants eliminated by the security forces in the past one week. J&K's Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, had earlier during the day vowed to hunt down the perpetrators as well as their sympathisers to bring them to justice. He said in his monthly radio programme 'Awaam ki Awaaz (the voice of people)', "I pay my heartfelt tributes to the martyr civilians and condolences to the bereaved families. We'll hunt down terrorists, their sympathisers and avenge every drop of innocent civilians' blood." Paying tribute to nine Army personnel including two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) killed in the ongoing gunfight with militants in frontier Poonch-Rajouri region, Sinha urged the people to remember the security personnel who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. He said, "When we light the Deepawali lamps next month, let's light one lamp in remembrance of the martyrs among the security forces who were prematurely snatched from us by the enemies of humanity." Chennai: Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan has lodged a complaint to police against unknown miscreants creating fake email accounts 'impersonating' Governor RN Ravi, the Raj Bhavan said on Sunday. "Some miscreants creating fake email accounts impersonating Governor and sending emails with objectionable contents have been reported recently. A complaint has been lodged with police in this regard to investigate and locate the miscreants for their criminal prosecution and other appropriate legal action against them," the release said. "The official email of Raj Bhavan is govtam@nic.in (govtam[at]nic[dot]in) and the official Twitter account is @rajbhavan_tn. People at large are informed not to trust any other fake emails or Twitter accounts," it said. Naidu has given responsibilities of filing cases about housing, mining and legal aspects to Ramakrishna Reddy. (PTI) Kakinada: The Telugu Desam leadership has decided to file cases against the YSRC government by way of unleashing a legal battle against the state government. Since 2019, the YSRC government has filed several cases against the TD leaders, the party cadre, TD sympathisers and others related to the party. The government filed 392 cases against the party constituency in-charges and others in the past two and half years. TD chief Chandrababu Naidu included some of the leaders including former Anaparthi MLA Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy (vice president), Pilli Satyanarayana Murthy (BC community-party secretary), former Pithapuram MLA SVSN Varma (official spokesperson of the party) and four others in the state committee. Ramakrishna Reddy has been appointed as a member in the strategic committee that has 13 members. Reddy is already fighting the government after it filed some criminal cases against him. He filed cases in matters related to illegal mining, housing etc. In the mining cases, the court had imposed fines of Rs 6.50 crore and 10.50 crore in the illegal mining cases. In view of these experiences, Naidu has given responsibilities of filing cases about housing, mining and legal aspects to Reddy. Naidu has asked him to be present in Amaravati thrice in a week. The party would wage a legal fight against the so-called anti-people policies and anti-people treatment of the government. Already three cases relating to Nellore and Guntur have been moved to the court. The YSRC government filed 392 cases against only TD party in-charges in the constituencies and several cases against the party leaders and cadre. We will fight against the YSRC legally, said Ramakrishna. He said, I have already filed three private cases in court as counter to the cases booked against me by the police. The TD wants to restore confidence among the party cadre and leaders that the party would protect them from illegal cases. However, some party in-charges are not willing to file private cases against the government due to local politics, and their relations with the police as also with the government officials. Meanwhile, former Pithapuram MLA Varma has been appointed as official spokesperson of the party as he is participating in several debates on TV channels. Varma was giving strong counters to the ruling and opposition parties in the state on several issues. The TD East Godavari general secretary was taken as secretary to the state party. HYDERABAD: In a major setback to the ruling TRS, the Election Commission of India (EC) on Monday halted Dalit Bandhu scheme in by-poll bound Huzurabad Assembly constituency until the election is over. In a letter addressed to the Telangana state chief electoral officer Shashank Goel, EC's principal secretary Avinash Kumar stated, The commission has deliberated the Dalit Bandhu scheme in poll-bound Huzurabad constituency and directed that DBT (direct benefit transfer) covering the scheme shall be deferred in the constituency in all its forms till the completion of bypoll." However, the EC's orders barring Dalit Bandhu at this stage led to a debate in political circles about what purpose it would serve as the state government already transferred Dalit Bandhu amount of Rs 10 lakh each to over 17,000 Dalit families so far out of total 20,000 Dalit families in Huzurabad. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao announced the Dalit Bandhu scheme in July and selected poll-bound Huzurabad to implement Dalit Bandhu as a pilot programme to cover all Dalit families on a saturation mode. He formally launched the scheme in Huzurabad on August 16 and distributed cheques to a select 15 beneficiaries on the occasion. These beneficiaries already received SMS to their mobile phones from banks informing them about the amount credited in their bank accounts. The amount could not be credited in the bank accounts of remaining 3,000 beneficiaries due to various reasons like the delay in opening bank accounts due to lack of certain details and required certificates. The Forum for Good Governance (FGC) has written to EC on July 29 requesting to direct the Telangana state government to postpone the Dalit Bandu till the bypoll is over. But the EC did not respond. FGC secretary M. Padmanabha Reddy told this newspaper, "The EC has not acted properly on this issue. What is the purpose of stopping this scheme now when the government already transferred amounts to beneficiaries. It's meaningless. The amount is lying in bank accounts of beneficiaries. The selection of business units by beneficiaries on which they want to invest is going on at present. Even if the EC does not stop this scheme, it will take at least three weeks for beneficiaries to select their business units and claim the benefit and by that time the bypoll will be anyway over." The state government released Rs 2,000 crore in August to Huzurabad to credit the amount in the accounts of 20,000 beneficiaries. The amount was initially transferred to the account of Karimnagar district collector, who later ensured that banks opened separate Dalit Bandhu accounts. The amount was transferred to these accounts but beneficiaries cannot withdraw the amount as these accounts are frozen. The amount has been lying in their accounts since then. The beneficiaries have to come up with some business plan on what they intend to do with that amount, submit it to officials and only after the officials approve, the amount can be utilised. The beneficiaries are not allowed to withdraw the amount on their own but the officials will directly transfer the amount to meet their business expenses like buying a car to run cab services, tractor for agriculture purposes, setting up dairy units, shops etc. Opposition parties are accusing the ruling party leaders in Huzurabad of threatening Dalit voters that they should ensure victory of the TRS in the bypoll if they want to claim the Dalit Bandhu amount lying in bank accounts and if the TRS loses, they would lose the benefit. Get 25% off of the regular $65 annual All Access rate. With this subscription you will get: Digital access to ElPasoInc.com and archives (value $45) Print subscription home or business delivered (value $65) Book of Lists (annual rate only, value $50) El Paso Inc. Magazine (value $20) El Paso Kids Inc. Special sections - OR - Get 15% off of the regular $45 annual Digital-only rate. With this subscription you will get: Complete digital access to ElPasoInc.com. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Emporia, KS (66801) Today Windy and becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 56F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 38F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. The Biden/Fauci vaxxing mandate wrecking ball By Mark Alexander Last week in the ChiCom Virus war, battles over vaxxing mandates and vax passports were heating up. Companies with more than 100 employees (an estimated 80 million workers), as well as municipal governments, are bearing the consequences of Joe Biden's planned OSHA vaccine mandate. Recall how last month, while attempting to divert the nation's attention from a plethora of administrative failures, most notably his disgraceful surrender and retreat from Afghanistan, Biden admonished the unvaccinated , saying, "We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin." Contrary to his prior assurance , "I don't think it should be mandatory," this time Biden asserted, "Your refusal [to submit to vaccination] has cost all of us." He declared he would ask OSHA to issue a vaccination mandate. Now, a month later comes news that OSHA is recklessly moving forward with Biden's wrecking ball vax mandate. Clearly, Biden is in a lurch, because more Americans have died of COVID-19 this year than all of 2020 . There have been 360,000 COVID deaths reported since January 1st, compared with 352,000 COVID deaths in the first 10 months of the pandemic. And Biden's fearmongering has failed to spur more vaccinations currently about 65% of Americans are fully vaccinated. Thus, his abysmal public approval ratings notwithstanding, and amid a starved jobs market , Biden insists that companies and municipalities put their employees on notice: Get vaxxed or get fired. Many heeded his warning, but the deadlines they set are creating problems because significant numbers of employees are rejecting the mandates. In some municipalities, 30-40% of police and firefighters are refusing vaccines, either because they have already recovered from COVID or because they are healthy young people who are at very low risk. On the corporate side, Southwest Airlines recently canceled more than 1,800 flights , ostensibly because of weather and because Jacksonville air traffic controllers were AWOL. The latter ATC staffing issue caused thousands of other flights to be routed far away to other controlled air space centers. There is speculation that the Southwest cancellations were exacerbated by a pilot protest against the existing Biden executive order mandating that all federal employees, and by extension, all federal contractors, be vaccinated. While the MSM dutifully reported that the cancellations were not related to Biden's mandates, the pilots I contacted indicated that they were just covering for Biden. I asked several senior career airline pilots about whether the vax mandate was a Southwest factor versus the weather and scheduling issues. This response from another major carrier was representative: "The Biden mandate is the main factor. About 4,000 of our 15,000 pilots have not submitted the required documentation confirming they are in compliance. November 24th is drop dead date. Many will leave. Yearend travel is going to be FUBAR." Indeed, the day before the cancellations, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, their union, filed suit to block the vaccine mandate. Notably, prompted by the cancellation debacle, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly declared: "I've never been in favor of corporations imposing that kind of a mandate. I'm not in favor of that. But the executive order from President Biden mandates that all federal employees and then all federal contractors, which covers all the major airlines, have to have a [vaccine] mandate ... in place by December 8th, so we're working through that." Biden's authority to extend that order to contractors is questionable, as is his OSHA overreach . George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley notes his mandate may not survive legal challenges now being prepared by 24 states . If Biden does not back down on asserting his authority with federal contractors and his OSHA mandate, the disruptions could metastasize to other economic sectors, including transportation and logistics. If you think the toilet paper shortage last year was a problem, just wait until shipping and trucking union members decide to slow things down and choke our already strained supply lines . The good news is that Biden has an out particularly with the 40-80 million Americans who have already recovered from COVID. He can amend his executive order and the OSHA mandate to not only allow regular testing as an option to vaccination but also affirm that natural immunity is sufficient protection. But Biden's equally narcissistic and non compos mentis troll, Anthony Fauci, the nation's highest-paid bureaucrat , most assuredly won't tolerate any effort by Biden to backpedal. Fauci, who has been buried in the bowels of various Beltway bureaucracy bubbles since 1968 five years before Biden first arrived in DC is now the de facto head of what was, just 18 months ago, considered to be the private domain of individuals and private-sector enterprise. As I have argued, the power-drunk Fauci has proven ad nauseam to be Donald Trump's most consequential unforced leadership error . After three years of Trump's outstanding domestic and foreign policy successes, especially reducing government constraints on economic growth, the little troll succeeded in doing what the Democrats repeatedly failed to do : He took down Trump . By Fauci's estimates earlier this year , we should be well past herd immunity . But he keeps moving the goalposts for what constitutes herd immunity. In December of last year, Fauci acknowledged "moving the goal posts." According to The New York Times, "He is doing so, he said, partly based on new science, and partly on his gut feeling that the country is finally ready to hear what he really thinks." "Gut feelings"? What unmitigated paternalistic arrogance to suggest "the country is finally ready to hear what he really thinks." Again, just what you would expect from a leach like this. Given that Fauci has already been caught lying about his role in the NIH funding of the Wuhan virology lab's gain-of-function research, yet is completely unable to accept any accountability, it is long past time for him to go . Moreover, it is now apparent that Fauci refuses to acknowledge and affirm the efficacy of natural immunity, despite strong evidence it is more than sufficient. When asked recently about the protection afforded by natural immunity, Fauci responded : "I don't have a really firm answer for you on [natural immunity]. That's something that we're going to have to discuss regarding the durability of the response. ... I think that is something that we need to sit down and discuss seriously." Anytime now would be good. Fauci's flippant response prompted Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) to protest : "Almost 20 months into the pandemic, it is shocking that the chief medical advisor to the president does not have a firm grasp on the effectiveness of natural immunity. ... This administration clearly does not want the public to question whether natural immunity is more effective than vaccines. As President Biden revealingly declared, the vaccine mandate 'is not about freedom or personal choice.' This administration's decision to disregard the effectiveness of natural immunity and demand vaccination ignores current data and is an assault on all Americans' civil liberties." In fact, there are now major studies affirming the efficacy of natural immunity , even suggesting it may be stronger and longer lasting than vaccination. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor Dr. Mary Makary has declared : "There's ample scientific evidence that natural immunity is effective and durable, and public-health leaders should pay it heed." He estimates that more than 40% of Americans already have natural immunities. But Fauci and the CDC have responded that natural immunity is all well and good, but getting the vaccine on top of the immunities would be even better. Thus, Biden's executive order and OSHA mandates move forward. No room for concession. Do as Biden and Fauci say and shut up. As it turns out, "following the science" is now the most consequential victim of cancel culture as I noted in " Big Tech's Viral Vax Blackout ." Perhaps one conflict of interest factor motivating Big Gov's mandate is that, unlike the hundreds of billions in profits from COVID vaccinations, natural immunity is free! But don't let that get out, or else the mere mention of "natural immunity "will be banned by the First Amendment suppressors . In the meantime, Fauci's position remains as follows: "There comes a time when you do have to give up what you consider your individual right of making your own decision for the greater good of society." In the end, failing to allow for natural immunity exemptions is not about "the science." It's about statist power, the stuff that fuels Biden and his leftist cadres. Biden and Fauci are so far beyond their expiration dates that they are in effect dead men walking and don't care. The consequences of their actions will have no effect on them. So, what's next on the mandate battlefront? Biden has instructed states to prepare to vaccinate young children , who are at virtually no risk for serious illness from the virus. Expect to hear more of those "hostile" Joe Biden chants ! Footnote: By way of disclaimer, I am not opposed to vaccinations, including CV19 vaccinations, especially for those over 60 and anyone with substantial comorbidity factors. I take an annual flu vaccination, and this has, in part, assured that I have not missed a day of work in a decade. But I am adamantly opposed to mandatory masking and vaccination by government diktat. Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. Righteousness + force in America: The trap of righteous activism coupled with state power By Sam Jacobs There are two ways of getting things done: persuasion or coercion . You either convince someone of the value of your ideas or you hold a (literal or metaphorical) gun to their head. The latter has been the norm throughout human history. Most of what we value about the contemporary West is a shift toward the former occurring over the last 250 years or so. However, theres an important difference between the despotisms of old and coercive governments in the modern era: modern-day tyrants frame themselves as the righteous side in any conflict. Think about it: Ancient Persian Emperors and the German Kaiser didnt paint themselves as the moral superiors of their enemies. They simply wanted their stuff and, if they could, they took it. In contrast, during the American Civil War or the Allied cause during World War II, force didnt justify itself. Instead, force was justified by the righteousness of the cause. (President Lincoln openly, repeatedly stated more than a year into the Civil War that his call to "end slavery" was a useful means by which to justify his real objective: To preserve the Union .) The need to justify force with righteousness is not limited to wartime. Every new coercive law or regulation is justified not on the basis of Im strong enough to take your stuff and so I think I will, but because our cause is just. While some who would take your freedom or your life are motivated by their desire for power, the most vicious monsters in human history were all motivated by righteousness. They seek to perfect creation, no matter what the cost, rather than simply acquire power for its own end - a philosophically important distinction. It is this philosophy of using state power to impose one's morality on others that in part has made American politics such a bloodsport nowadays. If you follow the thread from the Abolitionist movement (which provided moral justification for the Union's invasion of the Confederacy) through the Temperance movement (which culminated in Prohibition) to the Progressivism movement as we detail below, you'll see why. What Do We Mean by Righteousness? Righteousness is simply the sense that one's cause is so just that "the ends justify the means" the ends could be anything. A critical feature of righteousness is the belief in the perfectibility of man and earth. It is often accompanied by philosophical progressivism, the view that the world becomes a better place, morally speaking, over time. Righteousness requires coercion. This necessitates a large administrative state to enforce the prevailing diktats of the secular-religious. An excellent example from recent history is the campaign against tobacco, which in the span of a few years was chased from every public place. Righteousness is not simply progressivism. It is a specific type of progressivism forged in America through the experience of Pietist Protestant Christians . The Pietists were originally Scandinavian Lutherans, but the posture of Pietism spread to most Protestant denominations in the United States: The Northern Baptists and Methodists, the Congregationalists, the Disciples of Christ, the Presbyterians, and others. The Pietists rejected ritualistic or "liturgical" religious practice in favor of an inner experience expressed in one's daily life. Correct beliefs and proper living were the focus, culminating in the Holiness Movement , which was an extreme and fundamentalist expression of Pietism. Holiness tolerated no deviation from orthodoxy in either thought or deed. Righteousness, like its Pietist forebears, isn't satisfied that you do and say the right things, you need to truly believe the right things. Compliance is not enough. You have to love Big Brother. Righteousness moved from the realm of the deeply religious Protestant pietists of early America into the mainstream progressive movement. The latter adopted this surety and energy, seeking to expand their ersatz religion into every aspect of American life. Righteousness is dangerous as a political force because of how certain it makes those infected with it. What's more, political righteousness makes the stakes increasingly apocalyptic, allowing the ends to continually justify any means, up to and including the death camp. This is not hyperbole: Righteousness does not prohibit your political participation, it demands it, and it sees everything else about you as superfluous. Righteousness Enters the World Stage: Abolitionism It is often said that before the Civil War , the United States "are," but after the War, the United States "is." This is a reference to the formerly theoretically sovereign nature of each state as compared to "one nation, indivisible" found in the Pledge of Allegiance, which was created after the Civil War by a Union war veteran. Why does this distinction matter? Because it was a distinction which the Confederacy, headed by Jefferson Davis , was willing to test in the furnaces of war. In the run-up to the War, Davis repeatedly pointed out that the U.S. was a voluntary union of states which delegated authority to Washington, as ratified in the U.S. Constitution in the Bill of Rights #9 and #10 . Thus if a state wanted to leave the Union, it could do so. Despite the best efforts of the southern states to maintain the Union, at the end of the day they voted to secede because their differences with the northern states were irreconcilable. Was slavery one of the issues over which they didn't agree? Yes, absolutely. Slavery was an issue that plagued the Founders as well . Yet Davis made an important point: Just because one doesn't like slavery (and we don't like slavery, let's be clear) that does not then automatically mean that one supports President Lincoln using the U.S. Army to roll into the Confederacy in order to occupy them and make them behave the way we'd like them to. This is persuasion vs. coercion in action. (One of the reasons Jefferson Davis was never tried for treason following the Civil War is that his case would've given him a platform to highlight the Constitutional issues presented by the North's invasion of the South.) Fast forward to the present day. If you're reading this then you're likely a Unionist (i.e. happy that the U.S. is intact), at least in spirit if not in name, and also a fan of President Lincoln. Yet it was President Lincoln who said, in a widely publicized 1862 letter written more than a year into the War: "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do lesswhenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause (of saving the Union), and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause." One can point this out without arguing in favor of slavery as it's clear President Lincoln knew what he was doing - trying to save the Union - and that picking up the moral banner of ending slavery was a useful means by which to ally himself because it furthered his goal of saving the Union. Machiavelli would've been proud, and so were the Abolitionists, who got a taste of what righteousness and force can do once the reins of state power are grasped. It was these Abolitionists who not only claimed the moral high ground for President Lincoln during the War but who, following Appomattox , then went about the Reconstruction of the Southern state governments, which was largely a disaster. During Reconstruction, the Northern Republicans attempted to form Southern state governments with people who either had no experience in governance or had no connections to their constituents because the righteousness of their cause, "reconstructing" the South, would make it all work in the end. Note that this is not a condemnation of the abolitionist cause, instead, it is a condemnation of the social phenomenon of righteousness, which generally sees political orthodoxy as trumping basic competence. The end of the Civil War led to a total war against American citizens. Significant portions of Southern states were stripped of the right to vote and the right to keep and bear arms. The Radical Reconstructionist Congress was all too eager to ride roughshod over the Southern states because they felt ideologically and morally justified in doing so. What caused the Civil War will always remain a question of debate. What will not is that it represented a massive transfer of power upward from sovereign individuals and states to a centralized federal government, as Jefferson Davis warned. This provided later incarnations of righteousness and force with a ready-made set of tools to increase the efficiency of coercion. The Reconstruction period did little to heal the nation. It gave us the Klan and Jim Crow laws , but it stands as an example of righteousness having a large effect on American politics. Righteousness must also be considered separately from the question of abolition itself, which was a moot point by the time the Reconstruction governments came into power. It's one thing to see slavery, which was the default mode of human production throughout all of human history, as a great moral evil that must be ended at once. It is another to dramatically punish, humiliate, and disenfranchise people who participated in this economic system. It is still another thing entirely to attempt to dramatically remake the world into one's personal vision of Heaven on Earth. The carpetbaggers flooding Southern states during the Reconstruction Era believed that they simply needed to point the right guns in the right direction to create their earthly paradise. Righteousness, in addition to a tangible ability of coercion through the military, cops, and courts, was the animating force of Reconstruction; however, it didn't end there. Righteousness Comes for Your Daily Life: Temperance The Prohibition Era and the Temperance Movement that preceded it are oft-overlooked areas of American history; however, this is our next stop on the tour of armed, militant righteousness. Temperance was not originally in favor of Prohibition. The Temperance Movement, as the name suggests, was originally about moderate drinking. This was a time when the average American rarely consumed water and instead hydrated with beer and spirits. Only later did Temperance become synonymous with teetotaling and banning alcohol. The pro-Prohibition or "dry" argument is rarely given enough attention, with many dismissing the period as a brief blip of madness requiring no further explanation. However, it's worth diving into what the drys believed. The drys believed that alcohol was not simply an individual choice, but a highly corrosive social factor. They blamed the decay of the family and a host of other social ills on demon alcohol. Post-World War I urbanization added gas to the fire. People were concerned about their children moving to cities and becoming introduced to saloon life. It followed, for the drys, that banning alcohol would end these social ills. In many cases, they believed the final result would be the Second Coming. The degree to which Prohibition "worked" or could have is debatable, but we definitively know that Prohibition drove the rise in organized crime and militarized policing in a symbiotic relationship. Strange as it might sound, the "drys" tended to be part of the Progressive Movement of the early 20th Century. They too sought to cure social ills like child labor, dirty meat, women's disenfranchisement, and the like using coercion rather than persuasion. Despite the rather strange bedfellows, conservative Christian anti-liquor people allied with labor activists and proto-feminists. We can now begin to see how righteousness begins to move into the modern left. Prohibition was also a dramatic intensification of force. Abolition wanted to remove a barbaric economic system from America. Temperance, however, attempted to police the daily behaviors of average Americans. It is frequently noted how few who fought for the Southern cause were impacted by abolition. The abolitionists sought systemic change. No one was ever thrown in jail for being a plantation owner. Temperance, on the other hand, made tens of millions of Americans into felons overnight. The scale of Temperance is important to note as it is a far more aggressive posture than the War on Drugs because it went after a substance that had been widely used for centuries. Banning cocaine in 1920, the year the Volstead Act took effect, would have impacted orders of magnitude fewer people. Abolitionists saw a system as the center of great moral outrage. Abolitionism saw individuals as the engine. And so that's who it targeted: Not a regional economic system, but individuals consuming the world's most widely used substance in any amount. Righteousness Comes For Everything: The Progressive Era The Progressive Era of the early 20th Century offers insight because it is the first serious attempt to use righteousness combined with coercion to take over every aspect of American society. Unfortunately, it would not be the last. The Progressive Era saw righteousness rule America as a broad coalition of suffragettes, Prohibitionists, labor reformers, child advocates, and other interest groups. This was the era that gave us federal control over medicine, the income tax , compulsory education of children , and a host of other measures that curbed individual liberty. People were not asked to live righteous lives. They were forced to using state power. The Era was wrapped up in religious zeal, taking place at the same time as the Third Great Awakening , an uptick in Holiness , Nazarene , and Pentecostal religious denominations, which were Pietist Protestant movements emerging in the second half of the 19th Century. Much like later movements, these religious groups sought to make heaven on earth by reforming human behavior. The social sciences also began in earnest around this time. They offered secular solutions that mirrored their religious alternatives. Man was broken, not by sin, but by socialization. Salvation was not to be found in the Gospels but in the social sciences. This secular view of man fits well with the religious views of Social Gospel . Social Gospel believed that the Gospel held answers not just for spiritual life, but for social problems as well: alcoholism, urban crime, racial tensions, environmental concerns, and other issues common goals made for a common cause. The Progressive Era was largely successful in that it transformed a passive and largely benign federal government into an all-pervasive bureaucracy. It formed the basis of the administrative state which was greatly expanded, first under FDR, then under LBJ. It was the first time in American history that using righteousness and force seeking to coerce all non-believers into compliance became a mass, mainstream political trend in American politics. The parallels to the modern left are easy to draw in this context. Righteousness Conquers the World: Wilson and Progressivism Woodrow Wilson was, by all accounts, the progressive President. What he did at home pales in comparison to what he did abroad. Much of the map of the modern world owes a lot to President Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was the originator of the Wilsonian foreign policy, which broadly speaking means that aggressive ideological aims are pursued abroad. For Wilson, this meant forming the League of Nations , national sovereignty over ancient empires, and the Western-liberal version of democracy. Nations had long fought for their own freedom. They had sometimes fought for the freedom of their allies, but it was thinly veiled realpolitik. Wilson, however, demanded a specific vision of freedom for the world. It was not the riches of the colonial world or geopolitical considerations fueling Wilson's drive to get into World War I, something that he ran against. Wilson wanted to end the possibility of any future war by remaking the world in such a way that war would be impossible. Righteousness and coercion were no longer the exclusive provinces of one set of religious do-gooders. It was the official policy of the American Departments of State and War. Why Righteousness Trends Toward Totalitarianism Righteousness is always impossible to enforce without tyrannical measures trending toward totalitarianism. This is because righteousness attempts to tackle problems so large that massive state intervention is required. The bigger the problem, the more state intervention, coercion, is required. This is why the current iteration of righteousness and force is so insidious. It attempts to untangle the Gordian knot of human inequality. Not equality before the law or equality of opportunity. But human inequality as such. The current crusade of righteousness is using the levers of state power, which are now capable of reaching every corner of the globe and monitoring virtually all private communication, to chase after a totally flat, "equal" society without any divergence of the outcome. This type of equality means kneecapping some people and is arguably the final result of the stages of righteousness and force outlined above. Righteousness and force in America first attempted to tackle an economic problem, Abolitionism; then a moral problem, Temperance; followed by a political problem, Progressivism. It now attempts to solve the problem of why some people have more than others, more health, wealth, fame, beauty, etc... Such radical leveling requires highly invasive state power. Such power is dangerous on its own but also invites sociopathic personalities to pursue it. The people who desire it most deserve it least. Once this impulse is let out of the cage, it is very hard to get the genie back in the bottle. History teaches us this with outbursts of righteousness-driven force such as Mao's Red Guards or the violent American radicalism of the 1970s . Wokeness and the social justice movement are a further intensification of the principle of righteousness armed with force because of its attempt to level every aspect of society at the outcome level. Its desire to enforce radical equality of outcome is not limited to America's borders. Increasingly, since the Bush and Obama Administrations, it views American military power as something to be aggressively and proactively projected in its service. Historically speaking, American intervention was justified by American interests, not a specific set of values. This is why America supported dictators around the world in the struggle against Communism. It was not an endorsement of their views or actions, but a recognition of realpolitik. America needed allies and found them where she could . Compare with the post-9/11 view of American intervention : America must turn Iraq into Japan in the desert, not because this is good for America, but because liberal democracy is especially noble and righteous. Righteousness and force have become universalist. Any deviation from a specific form of political organization or way of life is seen as prima facie evidence of electoral chicanery or tyranny. This offers insight into the $64,000 question: Why can't San Francisco just leave Oklahoma City alone? For that matter, why can't California cities leave the more rural, suburban, and conservative parts of California alone ? Because of this universalist drive for an extremely abstract notion of human equality effectively without limits. Any variance from their all-encompassing notion of righteousness requires force, not persuasion, to correct. "History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes" and this is a great example of how that old historical cliche plays out in the real world. The "protests" of summer 2020 aren't all that different from the protests of the 1960s and 1970s , but there is more going on here than a simple expression of popular rage or even the boredom of the young adults. The riots of 2020 were not terribly different from how death squads work in banana republics. The leftists were allowed to burn, loot, pillage, and assault at will, but any response in defense would result in arrest and criminal charges. Thus, there is the quasi-religious nature to the movement, expressed in the exuberant fanatical violence of last summer. These riots act as something of a victory dance and an act of war is it not clear that the righteous were able to increase their social and political power in the United States by rioting? Furthermore, there is a religious aspect to the COVID-19 hysteria . It ignores actual data on the subject in favor of an ever-shifting official "science." The adherents of this leverage coercion through mask and vaccine mandates while also openly calling for punishment or even death for those who do not comply. The COVID cult introduces fear into the mix, a form of coercion, with an eye toward gaining compliance and assistance from those not otherwise predisposed toward ideological flights of fancy. The pandemic provided an opportunity for otherwise diffuse forces to band together in the name of controlling every aspect of human behavior. It also provided insight into just how many restrictions on human freedom people were willing to submit to. Weaponized Righteousness Cannot Be Reasoned With It runs counter to the general sense of fair play and open-mindedness that the Anglo-Saxon tradition is known for to say that there is a person or group of people who are not worth communicating with. But the righteous want total control over every aspect of social and private life, and they are satisfied with nothing less and will do anything to get it. Their desires for control are an insatiable black hole, an endless quest for new dragons to slay. Further, they do not respect the notion of rights as you and I understand them . Rights, for the militantly righteous, are positive values provided by the government in the service of moving the world closer to their utopia. Rights are not boundaries to be respected but are instead manipulated as a means to an end. Finally, because their ideology has a quasi-religious nature to it, there is no arguing with them. Arguing with the righteous over whether or not America is an inherently racist country is a bit like arguing with a brick wall over whether or not the moon is made of green cheese. Political righteousness has no sense of "live and let live," let alone any sense that persuasion is better than force. The cynic can be reasoned with or even bribed. For the true believer, there is no acceptable result except for total and complete victory. Those seeking to ensure freedom for themselves, their family, their community, and their future would do well to form a clear picture of how militant, weaponized righteousness has worked in the past. Righteousness and force didn't end last summer we can see it in the digital pages of our electronic newspapers almost every day. The attempts to decide what is right for you and yours, and to enforce such at gunpoint is the essence of armed righteousness. The reader will ignore its ever-changing manifestations at his own peril. Sam Jacobs is a writer for Ammo.com where this originally appeared . Moscow reportedly chased away a US warship in an encounter during exercises held in Russian waters. Maritime law dictates that ships can operate safely in international waters but must keep a safe distance from ongoing activities, which Russia claims the US violated. Furious complaints by the Kremlin in which the US Navy missile destroyer USS Chafee had been ejected after closely monitored until it was out of territorial seas. It is rare for naval ships to report such encounters, which are inherently dangerous, resulting in collisions. Official statement The encounter led the defense ministry to an official statement that condemned the US for not abiding by international laws that kept naval encounters safe. Due to the breaching actions of the destroyer, which Washington contended had not disregarded safe under maritime conventions, reported the Express UK. All naval forces are expected to be safe and professional at all times. Last Friday, both Russian and Chinese navies were in training exercises to improve the interoperability of both forces. At this point, the Admiral Tributs, Russia's anti-submarine warfare specialist, detected the USS Chafee close to its operating zone, which then gave out a radio warning, noted Reuters. The Russian defense ministry stated that the US warship had breached an area subject to artillery fire and closed from all ships. Sources say the US warship claimed that it was in the process of launching a helicopter from the deck. At this time, officials explained that the ship could not turn and alter the speed, per the protocol. It then raised flags to signal to take off any time. Moscow accused a US Warship of an unsafe encounter at this crucial breach. Read Also: British Warship Denies That It Was Fired Upon by Russian Military Assets While in The Black Sea Details from an official source According to Army General Sergey Shoygu, who issued a statement concerning the USS Chafee's unsafe conduct, the destroyer followed a course that abided by the international rules of navigation, cited the Swift Headline. At one point, both ships had reached an unsafe threshold of fewer than 60 meters away, which said Moscow was irresponsible on the actions of the US. It took 50 minutes for the Russian fleet to kick out the US warship that entered Peter the Great Bay in the western Sea of Japan. A report by the RIA news agency remarked the defense ministry of Russia called the US military attache and said the USS Chafee was unprofessional that led to a close encounter that could have ended in two naval ships colliding at sea. The counter-statement contradicted Admiral Tributs complaint of not complying with international law. USS Chafee was on routine operations in the Sea of Japan, and it was safe and professional too. They added the complaint against the US warship was inaccurate. Furthermore, despite Russian claims which indicated a law operation, nothing illegal was committed. Kremlin Pushback on the US This time Moscow is serious in questioning why the Biden administration and its allies intend to breach Russian waters as if part of its South China Sea dilemma pushing a new cold war. In June, the HMS Defender, with the help of a US recon plane, went into the Crimean territory, close to Sevastopol. But the UK denied the incident. Related Article: Allies Provoking Russia? Vladimir Putin Says He Could Sink HMS Defender While US Recon Plane Monitors Its Progress @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Xi Jinping gave the UK finance secretary an impression to keep the trade deal, and no obstacles should be in place. Britain has been hunting for a free trade deal, and China gave it over to the US, which was supposed to prioritize them. London has resumed relations with China after the row on several issues it had months ago. Brexit, like the EU, is out for deals to strengthen their economies, but sometimes conditions are important for the Asian superpower. Hindrance to the China-UK trade deal Last Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told UK's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss that it has certain issues with Lithuania after linking up with Taiwan, reported the Express UK. The Chinese leader has expressed that all nations acknowledge only a One China policy. He has repeatedly said that Taiwan will be part of the mainland again, which is part of expansion plans, cited Reuters. Stressed by the leadership of the People's Republic of China to Ms. Truss is that it will keep its commitments to the UK, but reminded her it is a delicate relationship. To give support for Lithuania might cause a rumple that they will regret. The foreign secretary must polish anything detrimental to the UK and China. Obstacles and problems will be problematic for their resumed relations. This week several developments caught the eye of the CCP, which did not go well, as it decided on a new trade deal with the UK Finance Secretary, Liz Truss. Read Also: UK Foreign Secretary Called Joe Biden's Snub for Brexit Deal Waste of Time, Says Trans-Pacific Deal Could be Possible According to reports, the foreign secretary and others from Lithuania and Estonia authored a joint statement about Taiwan and China. That said, the three nations were opposed to China's systemic challenges, noted the Times-News Express. Lithuania has been displeased by violating China's "One China" policy to permit Taiwan to establish a diplomatic mission in Vilnius. This is considered an insult to the mainland leadership. The secretary supported the move, stated the Chinese consulate in London immediately on this new development. It said that reports had reached them, and it is concerned over what the UK has commented on. It is stated that the embassy remarked that the perceived threat which Beijing poses is not an actual threat to any country. One remark is to be careful about the One China policy in future instances. China has accused Lithuania of breaching the "One China" policy One suggestion that the Chinese embassy stressed is that the UK must understand the issues and avoid problems. Over the few weeks, more planes of the Chinese air force have breached the air space of Taiwan, which borders it from the mainland of China. These constant tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea have made it the most incendiary powder key on the planet, with hostilities a shot away from war. To date, the number of illegal breaches of the air defense identification zone (ADIZ) is about 149 in just four days by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). China might be launching an invasion in 2025 said, experts. The UK Finance Secretary, Liz Truss, has been warned the trade deal is precious and to put into perspective how London keeps faith with Beijing. Related Article: UK Foreign Secretary Says US Snub Costs Brexit Nothing but More Chances at Better Deals Globally @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. On Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci said he believes Johnson & Johnson should have given out a two-dose COVID-19 shot since health experts urge obtaining a booster shot for the one-shot jab as soon as it's available. According to the White House chief medical advisor, the unanimous decision by a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Friday to recommend booster shots should be welcomed news for vaccine recipients. Fauci defends Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate The booster is still waiting for federal regulators to give it the go signal, but they frequently follow the panel's recommendations. Fauci did admit, though, that some J&J vaccine recipients could be better off getting a booster from Pfizer or Moderna. "You know, the data you allude to is correct that if you get the booster, people who have originally had J&J with either Moderna or Pfizer, the level of antibodies that you induce in them is considerably higher than if you boost them with the original J&J," he said, as per the NY Post. However, he believes that the recommendations for J&J booster recipients will consider the risks associated with each vaccination, such as the fact that Moderna and Pfizer have a slightly higher risk of myocarditis in young people. President Joe Biden's top medical adviser defended vaccine mandates to combat the COVID-19 on Sunday, dismissing claims by conservative Republican state governors that they impinge on people's right to choose their own health care. Per VOA News, Biden has ordered enterprises with 100 or more employees in the United States to require their staff to get vaccinated or undergo frequent testing for the virus that causes COVID-19 infection. However, it will be weeks before his orders are fully implemented. Furthermore, Biden has instructed members of the country's military forces and civilian government workers to get immunized sooner rather than later, threatening them with dismissal if they do not comply. Some rank-and-file military service members have refused vaccines, while civilian government workers have launched a lawsuit challenging Biden's instructions. Read Also: Joe Biden Urges Companies To Ease Supply Chain Bottlenecks as White House Fails To Guarantee Arrival of Christmas Presents Chief medical advisor claims Americans are flexible for vaccine mix-match Several Republican state governors, including Greg Abbott of Texas and Ron DeSantis of Florida, two potential GOP presidential opponents of Biden in 2024, have criticized the mandates as well. Both are attempting to prevent all mandates in their respective states, despite the fact that some big corporations and local school districts have defied governors' orders and imposed their own vaccine or face-mask requirements. Abbott claimed Biden's demands are "another instance of government overreach" and "bullying" of private companies when he banned requirements in his state last week. Abbott's resistance to any governmental or private-sector vaccine mandate in Texas, the country's second-most populated state, has elicited no personal criticism from Fauci. People who have received the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccination will be able to mix and match booster injections based on their individual circumstances, according to Anthony Fauci. People who have received the J&J vaccination may benefit more from a dose of a second vaccine made by Moderna or Pfizer, which is based on a different technology than J&J's vaccine, per the data thus far. While the J&J vaccine has shown to be successful in reducing the severity of COVID-19 infections, research suggests that its efficacy is not as strong over time as the vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer, as per The Hill via MSN. Related Article: Moderna, Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Work Better To Americans Vaccinated With J&J, US Study Claims @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Sen. Joe Manchin has opposed United States President Joe Biden's climate legislation, including the proposal's provision to force utilities to stop burning oil, coal, and gas and instead use solar, wind, and nuclear energy. The legislation's proposal would prevent the use of energies that emit carbon dioxide, the element that is heating the planet. Manchin last week clearly expressed his opposition to the Biden administration's climate plan, forcing the latter to come up with one that the senator would accept. Biden Administration's Climate Plan Manchin said his continued opposition to the climate plan was because moving away from fossil fuels would harm West Virginia, his hometown, and a top coal and gas producer. Additionally, the senator's finances are tied to coal due to his founding of a family coal brokerage that earned him dividends worth $500,000 last year. The situation comes as West Virginia residents previously suffered from the Buffalo Creek river swelling due to heavy storms. The floodwater spilled down and went inside basements of the homes of the people living in the area. The water also seeped into Farmington's aging pipes and overwhelmed the region's sewage treatment system, the New York Times reported. Manchin is opposed to the Biden administration's Clean Electricity Performance Program (CEPP), which has a proposed fund of $150 billion. The proposal will reward energy suppliers if they switch from fossil fuels, such as coal and gas, to cleaner power sources, such as solar, wind, and nuclear power. The legislation also aimed at good companies that did not comply with the requirements. Read Also: Joe Biden Credits the Police Forces for Saving Country's Democracy During the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot, Rebukes the 'Defund the Police' Political Movement Many experts have said that the program was the country's best way to cut down on its carbon emissions significantly that would prevent the rise of global temperatures by 1.5 degrees Celsius. The threshold is considered to cause drastic consequences worldwide if it is reached and exceeded. Manchin's opposition to the Biden administration's climate plan is the latest in a series of challenges and hurdles that block the Democrat's reconciliation package, known as the Build Back Better Act. Many moderate Democrats, including Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have publicly expressed their opposition to the $3.5 trillion spending of the bill, VOX reported. Working For The World On Sunday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned that the delay of the climate plan would lead to deaths. During an interview, the official said that acting on the climate threat was necessary to care for future generations. Buttigieg added that fixing the planet's environment was good for the United States' economy as well as other nations. The official compared the climate plan to regular maintenance for machines, saying that if it were left alone for too long, it would cost lives and livelihoods. The clean electricity program is aimed to reduce the country's electricity production emissions by 80% by 2030. However, Manchin argued that the program was not reliable enough and that it paid businesses to do something that the industry was slowly transitioning into anyway. Look, the administration and the president are committed to bold climate action. Exactly what legislative form that takes is what's being negotiated right now," Buttigieg said when asked what he thought about the possibility of the program not being in the bill, The Hill reported. Related Article: Former Pres. Bill Clinton is in Intensive Care Unit Due to Urinary Tract Infection That Spread to His Bloodstream @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Former United States President Donald Trump continues his baseless attacks on the 2020 elections and argues voter fraud in response to his presidential loss against Democrat Joe Biden as Sen. Bill Cassidy doubts the Republican businessman will win the 2024 elections. During an interview, Cassidy was asked if he assumed that former President Trump would run in the presidential elections in 2024. The Louisiana Republican lawmaker said that whether or not Trump decided to run was not knowledge to anyone. Donald Trump and Republicans Cassidy said that even if Trump runs, he is not guaranteed to win the nomination due to being the first president, at least in the Republican party, to lose the House, Senate, and presidency, in just four years. He was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial in February for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. "Our Constitution and our country is more important than any one person. I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty," Cassidy said at the time, Newsweek reported. On the other hand, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said on Sunday that former President Trump's continued attacks on the 2020 elections could result in a "disaster" for other GOP candidates running for office in next year's midterm elections. Read Also: Anthony Fauci Says J&J Should Have Been Double Dose From the Start, Defends Biden Administration's COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate During an interview, Hutchinson said the Republican party was better off being served by focusing on issues that are pertinent to the country's future. He said that they should no longer revisit last year's hotly-contested presidential election where Biden won over Trump. Hutchinson said that litigating 2020 is a "recipe for disaster" in 2022 and argued instead to talk about the future. The Arkansas governor said the previous elections have already passed and are certified. He argued that states made improvements where the need was found, Yahoo News reported. Waning Loyalties The situation comes as many Republicans worry about their future due to Trump's continued conspiracy theories. Over the past week, Trump has signaled not only that he wished to fight Republicans he considered were not loyal to him, but he also reinforced his claims that the 2020 elections were stolen from him. Trump threatened lawmakers that many of his party's officials will sit out future elections until the "voter fraud" was fixed. In a statement last week, Trump said that Republicans would not be voting in 2022 and 2024 unless the "Presidential Election Fraud of 2020" was not solved. Many Republican lawmakers have found Trump's continued attacks on the 2020 elections frustrating. They also argued that the former president's actions were dividing colleagues at a time when GOP members are trying to reclaim the House and Senate. However, there are still Republicans who support Trump, such as New York Rep. Elise Stefanik who called the former president "an asset to Republicans on the ballot." Many top party strategists also revealed that they expected Trump to remain front and center in the Republicans' campaign to retake the House. A consultant to Republicans on congressional races, Corry Bliss, said that Trump was the "leader of the party," the New York Times reported. Related Article: Joe Biden's Flagging Leadership is Driving US Allies To Realign With Emerging Chinese Influence Faster Than Expected @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China accomplished the launch of a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) that demonstrated the Asian superpower's ability to develop high technology like Mach 5+ missiles. After Biden threatened China over moves against Taiwan, Xi desisted but knows the US is not as capable now after losing in Afghanistan. The HGV fired from China that orbited around the earth made the US realize that hypersonic technology gives the Asian superpower clout. Beijing is lessening the technical gap between the two nations, which is close to near-peer competition. China covertly tested hypersonic glide vehicle last August When the hypersonic glide vehicle test was a success, it did skim the edge of space before reentry and racing to its target, reported the Sun UK. Intelligence sources informed the Financial Times that it was launch in August but missed the target by 24 miles, armed by a nuke warhead. US officials were surprised Beijing had been able to develop the technology this fast, making them startled. These missiles reach up to 1,500 miles faster than sonic speed, and Russia uses the same technology to make their own. A new arms race is on as Asian superpowers are betting on these weapons to compete on the world stage. China researched weaponry by the nation's Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, remarked an Asian national security official and a Chinese security specialist linked to the People's Liberation Army, noted UK Today News. The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology has mentioned several tests for some special projects, but the Chinese kept the August launch under the radar. China accomplished launch of hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) is a step forward to developing homegrown tech. Read Also: China is Lining Up an Array of High-Tech Weapons To Overcome Taiwan When the Time Comes Hypersonic glide vehicle could bypass US defenses One source said that how China achieved the feat is not known. The HGV was sent upon a Long March Rocket, used for civilian space launches. One expert, Taylor Fravel, specializing in the Chinese nuclear weapons policy, said the hypersonic glide vehicle armed with a nuke could bypass US defenses. He added that the system is usually lower trajectory and adjustable in its dive attack, which is difficult to hit. Also, when it has been perfected, then China will be very dangerous. Two undisclosed people have said the HGV can reach the South pole. The US military's missile defenses are focused at the north polar passage, and it would be a great challenge for them. John Kirby of the Pentagon did not directly comment, stating that Beijing concerns the US and the development of the before-mentioned weapons increases such tensions. He called it a threat to everything. Instead, the Chinese embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said the weapons developed by the mainland are for defensive purposes as its military police. Liu added that China has no global planning like the US and stressed no interest in competing in an arms race that can be dangerous, but implied the US intentions should be explored. US administrations don't want China to have the advantage of developing high technology, pointing to China as the problem to justify creating faster than sonic speed weapons for its own benefit. Liu added it was the US who indirectly pushed the development of HGV weapons. When China launched hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV), the US used other countries to pressure China. Related Article: China Develops Terrifying Uncrewed Surface Vessel 'Sea Hunter' with Torpedoes Capable of Sinking US Ships in Future Maritime Conflict @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. India suffered heavy torrential rains that caused floods and landslides across the nation's southern state of Kerala that killed at least 18 people as the country continues to make plans to fight climate change. Authorities reported that rescuers have recovered the lifeless bodies of victims in two of the worst-hit districts of the region, Kottayam and Idukki. The two areas suffered heavy rainfall that triggered devastating landslides. India's Zero Net Emission Plan Both the National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Army mobilized teams to assist with rescue efforts as many are still feared to be stranded and missing. Television reports on Saturday, the start of the heavy rains, that people were wading through waters up to their chests. They were aiming to rescue passengers from a bus that was nearly fully submerged by floodwaters, KUTV reported. On Sunday, state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged residents to exercise extreme caution despite the heavy rains subsiding. The official added that more than 100 relief camps were set up to house the residents who have been displaced. In a statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he had spoken to the chief minister and revealed that authorities were carrying out rescue operations. "I pray for everyone's safety and well-being," the official said in a Twitter post. Read Also: Anthony Fauci Says J&J Should Have Been Double Dose From the Start, Defends Biden Administration's COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate The incident comes after 2018's devastating catastrophic floods that ravaged Kerala brought about by heavy downpours from the monsoon season. The rainfall and floods killed 223 people across the region and forced hundreds of thousands of residents to leave their homes, the Associated Press reported. The environmental devastations come as U.S. climate envoy John Kerry announced renewable energy plans with India last week. However, the official did not get clarity on how the region planned to achieve its net-zero emissions target. Addressing Climate Change For some time, Kerry has been working to agree on ambitious carbon reduction targets with major emitters worldwide. His efforts are part of a plan to reassert U.S. leadership on climate and how the growing threat of global warming should be prioritized. On the other hand, China rebuffed Kerry's attempts to separate climate from other disputes, with FM Wang Yi criticizing the official's plans. However, Indian officials were optimistic about Kerry's announcement of the Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue (CAFMD). It focuses on helping the region achieve its target of 450 gigawatts (GW) worth of renewable energy. However, authorities have not laid out how they planned to achieve their net-zero emissions target. The target means reducing a region's greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and controlling future emissions by absorbing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere with actions such as planting trees. Previously, China, which is the world's largest carbon emitter, already committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2060. Authorities plan to peak their emissions by 2030 as their statements have been met with criticisms. India, on the other hand, is considered the third-largest emitter in the world, and has neither announced the net-zero year nor has it submitted to the UN an updated climate plan, BBC reported. Related Article: Joe Biden's Flagging Leadership is Driving US Allies To Realign With Emerging Chinese Influence Faster Than Expected @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, on Sunday said that the congressional committee that was tasked with investigating the events of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot plans to hold former Trump adviser Steve Bannon in criminal contempt for defying a subpoena. In a statement, the California Democrat said that the full House will later hold a vote to hold Bannon in criminal contempt. The officials will then refer the contempt to the Justice Department, which, under the statute, has the duty to present that contempt to the grand jury. Steve Bannon's Defiance of a Subpoena The chairman of the special committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson, said that on Tuesday, the panel will vote to recommend charges against Bannon when the House returns to Washington, D.C. In a later statement on Thursday, Thompson said they will not tolerate defiance of their subpoenas. The official added that Bannon was hiding behind former United States President Donald Trump and using blank and vague statements to avoid responsibility. Members of the full House will vote on the recommendation of the criminal charges after it has been approved by the Democratic-majority committee. Afterward, a House approval will send the recommendation to the Justice Department, which will then decide whether or not to enforce the prosecution, Newsweek reported. The result of the process will determine the next course of action that the committee can take to force a testimony out of Bannon. The official is believed to be a crucial witness that has key information regarding former President Trump's involvement in inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The contempt will also assist the committee in determining the efficacy of Trump's claims of executive privilege over his conversations with Bannon. Read Also: Sen. Joe Manchin Continues To Oppose Crucial Biden Climate Change Plan; Risking Lives of West Virginia Residents Bannon, and several other former Trump officials, including Mark Meadows, Dan Scavino, and Kash Patel, have all been issued subpoenas by the committee in late September. Only Bannon has been met with contempt proceedings for his refusal to cooperate with the select committee. If the committee votes to hold Bannon in criminal contempt, it would suggest the renewed power of a congressional subpoena. "This potential criminal contempt referral - or will-be criminal contempt referral for Steve Bannon - is the first shot over the bow," the committee's Rep. Adam Kinzinger said, VOX reported. Vital Witness to the Jan. 6 Insurrection A former attorney, John Dean, has expressed his belief that Bannon was "up to his eyeballs" in the Jan. 6 insurrection. The official said that the former Trump adviser can reveal just exactly how deep of a connection the Republican businessman played in the incident. Dean said that it was the reason why it was so critical for the House Select Committee to be able to question Bannon and get his testimony. The official said Bannon was a vital witness to reveal the truth behind the unprecedented insurrection at Capitol Hill. "I think he could lead to Trump or those closest to Trump, and I do believe that the indications are that Trump is much more involved in this whole thing that we think he was," Dean, who served as the White House counsel to Richard Nixon, said, Yahoo News reported. Related Article: Joe Biden's Flagging Leadership is Driving US Allies To Realign With Emerging Chinese Influence Faster Than Expected @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A woman's body was reportedly found in an unused van parked at the Huntsville Public Safety Complete in Alabama. Police later identified the deceased woman as Christina Nance, whose family reported her missing on Oct. 2. What happened to Christina Nance? Huntsville Deputy Police Chief DeWayne McCarver appeared in a news briefing confirming Nance's identity. He also revealed that authorities are being questioned about discovering Nance's body since she was found deceased inside a rarely used police van. According to McCarver, all city vehicles should be locked when they are not being used or occupied. So, it's unclear why the van was left unlocked that's why Nance managed to get it. As of press writing, authorities continue to scour over security footage from the parking lot in an attempt to figure out what happened to Nance. Some of the footage that they have gathered showed Nance entering the van on Sept. 25. Days later, she was seen in the footage opening and closing the door of the police van. "Ms. Nance is observed in the video, walking around the parking lot. She lays down in the bushes at some point (and) she sits on the hood of a police car for some time. She approaches other cars in the parking lot. ... And this all happens for about 10 minutes before she enters the van," McCarver said via CNN. Read Also: Indianapolis Police Officer Charged With 2 Felonies After Body Camera Showed Him Kicking Handcuffed Suspect's Head Alabama woman last seen alive on Sept. 28 McCarver confirmed that the last time that Nance was spotted opening the van's windows was on Sept. 28. He also said that the incident would've been avoided if only Nance had reached out to those walking in and out of the parking lot. After all, it was a busy parking lot because officers were in and out 24 hours a day. As of late, authorities still do not know what Nance's state of mind was when she entered the van and just before she passed away. An official autopsy report has yet to be released, but authorities have already confirmed no foul play or bodily trauma. Huntsville Police criticized following Christina Nance's death Police officers assigned at the Huntsville Public Safety Office were also criticized for not noticing Nance even though she had been staying in their van for 12 days. Authorities are also questioning the police officers, but it's still unclear if they had any involvement in the tragedy. On Monday. the Huntsville police held a conference with the media members and shared video footage of Nance walking around the parking lot last month. Christina Nance's footage shared with her family, media Police Chief Mark McMurray also released a statement expressing their sadness over Nance's demise. He said that his thoughts and prayers were with the family during this difficult time. He also confirmed that authorities had already met with Nance's family on Friday. Officers also showed Nance's family her video footage at the police parking lot, according to AL. After watching the video, Nance's sister Latausha said that the footage only left them with more questions than answers, according to WFLA. Related Article: Louisiana State Trooper Carl Cavalier Accused Of Violating Several Departmental Policies Months After He Claimed His Colleagues Murdered Ronald Greene @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not said anything about their daughter Lilibet Diana's upcoming christening. However, multiple publications have shared their two cents on the matter for weeks. A rep for Prince Harry and Markle recently confirmed that the couple's plans are still being finalized. The insider also said that everything else told about Lili's christening is nothing more than mere speculation. Where will Lilibet Diana be christened? However, the Daily Mail, who spoke with the couple's rep, insisted on knowing more about the 4-month-old girl's upcoming christening. The publication insisted that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle won't bring Lili to the United Kingdom for her christening. Instead, the couple will most likely opt for an episcopal ceremony in California. Days earlier, a similar story was published by another publication that claimed Prince Harry and Meghan wouldn't have their daughter christened in the United Kingdom. And since the United Kingdom is out of the question, the only option left for Prince Harry and Meghan is to have their daughter baptized in the United States, according to The Telegraph. However, Yahoo! Life claimed that the official announcement regarding Lili's christening would most likely come from her parents. And until an announcement is made, everything else is just based on hearsays. Read Also: How Lilibet's Christening Could Mend Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's Rift With the Royal Family Prince Harry, Meghan Markle quit their royal duties last year The discussions regarding the location of Lili's christening are heightened because Prince Harry and Markle currently reside in the United States. Last year, the couple decided to leave the United Kingdom amid the ongoing tensions between them and the British tabloids. Initially, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex asked Queen Elizabeth if they could continue performing their royal duties while outside the United Kingdom. However, the monarch said that this is not allowed. As such, Prince Harry and Markle are no longer considered senior working royals. And their lack of contributions to the royal family is one of the reasons why Lili cannot be christened in the United Kingdom. Upcoming memoir could help Prince Harry make a decision Last week, royal expert Neil Sean claimed that Prince Harry's upcoming memoir about his life may have played a role when deciding where his daughter will be christened. "What a lot of senior royals are concerned about, is the fact that if Prince Harry and Meghan were to return for a christening, would this make a new chapter in the forthcoming tell-all memoir. It would make perfect sense if you think about it, this would give them a story good or bad. How well they were treated, if they were treated well, and how the day goes," he said via Express. However, Sean added that the royal family members don't want to be part of Prince Harry's book. According to the royal expert, Prince Harry and Markle have opted not to return to the United Kingdom because there wouldn't be any story there for them. But it's still important to note that until Prince Harry and Markle confirm their plans, everything else written or said about Lili's christening is just speculation. Related Article: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Are Convinced that Queen Elizabeth Uses Secret Codes to Attack Them, Author Claims @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Former British Intelligence Officer Christopher Steele has finally broken his silence four years after releasing the controversial Steele Dossier. In 2017, Steele claimed that Russian officials have compromising information on Donald Trump. During his television interview with host George Stephanopoulos, Steele said that he decided to come forward after a couple of years to set the record straight. He also wants to explain his role in the investigation into Russian interference during the 2016 election. Christopher Steele explains his decision to appear on TV According to Steele, he was motivated to sit down for his first interview since he made his shocking claims against Trump because the issues that they identified back in 2016 have not gone away. Things have only gotten worse. However, most of the claims made in the Steele Dossier have not been proven even after years of investigation. For instance, Steele previously claimed that Trump hired prostitutes in Moscow to urinate on a bed in the presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton while he's watching them. When Steele first made the claims, he sounded confident that the shocking incident between Trump and prostitutes took place. But during his interview with Stephanopoulos, he said that the incident is probably real. Steele also claimed that the pee tape that is allegedly in the custody of Russians probably exists. However, he admitted that he's not 100 percent confident that it does. After he made his claims, the FBI confirmed that Steele's allegations were most likely based on word of mouth and hearsay and not on facts, according to the Huffington Post. Read Also: More Republicans Criticize Trump's Attacks on 2020 Elections; GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy Doubts Former President's Potential 2024 Run Former British intelligence officer's claims against Cohen Other than Trump, Steele also made claims about Michael Cohen's alleged trip to Prague. The latter previously denied traveling to Prague during a Congressional hearing in 2019. A report from two years ago also confirmed that Cohen didn't travel to Prague, contrary to what Steele claimed. But even if this was the case, the former British intelligence officer still thinks that Cohen could be lying. Stephanopoulos asked Steele why he thinks Cohen wouldn't admit that he went to Prague if he really did. "I think it's so incriminating and demeaning. And the other reason is he might be scared of the consequences," Steele said via CNN Philippines. Steele also said that he is yet to be convinced that Cohen didn't set foot in Prague at the time. However, he admitted that he's prepared to accept that not everything mentioned in the Steele Dossier is accurate. According to reports, the Steele Dossier featured 17 memos published by BuzzFeed 10 days before Trump was sworn into office. Shortly after the dossier came to light, the ex-POTUS slammed the allegations by calling them fake news and phony stuff. But over time, journalists and experts became skeptical about the claims made in the dossier after they were verified and debunked, according to ABC News. Four years later, Steele told Stephanopoulos that he knew that some of the allegations made were right while others may never be proven. Related Article: Republicans Place 'Trump Lost' Billboard in Detroit; Anti-Trump GOP Members To Support Democrats in 2022 Elections @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It seems Ethereum is headed for a breakout month, as it consolidated just under its current resistance range of $3,900 over the weekend. As Crypto Potato reported, thiough, before the second largest cryptocurrency breaks its current record high of $4,380, it could retest the key support level of $3,600. In doing so, Ethereum might hit $4,000 before the end of October. However, some indicators have shown a strong pull back on ETH, which may douse out fiery expectations. Ethereum Price Prediction: Momentary Selloff Expected A typically decreasing trading volume and the expected volatility arising from the possible commencement of Bitcoin Futures Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) trading could affect Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies. Likewise a declining Relative Strength Index (RSI), particularly on a four-hour timeframe, could also indicate this temporary pullback. In addition, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) was shown to be bearish, thus strengthening that ETH bias of needing to retest support to attain further price increases. Read Also: Ethereum Price Prediction: Mark Cuban Sees Massive Surge for ETH Value Despite these indicators, bullish sentiment for Ethereum remains. However, ETH price may retest the critical support level of $3,600 before it could try to break record-high price levels. As such, Crypto Potato expects a short correction in the near-term. This means ETH's performance at the start of the week could provide an indication of where it is headed in the coming days. By Sunday night, Ethereum climbed 0.52 percent to $3,851.09 in a 24-hour period, Coindesk reported. Present consolidation in the $3,600 to $3,900 is seen to continue before Ethereum makes a momentous run toward a record-breaking month. This retest of support may be needed for bullish traders to gain that level of certainty to propel ETH price to above $4,000. Ethereum Seen Next to Flaunt ETF Listing After Bitcoin While ETH enjoys this positive sentiment, experts see Ethereum as the next cryptocurrency to flaunt that ETF listing after Bitcoin. They see that it would only be a matter of time before the Ethereum ETF would hit the market. Crypto investor Lark Davis said in an FX Empire report that he is bullish on the possibility, noting how Ethereum price had been "pumping" on the heels of the Bitcoin ETF. "The Wolf of Wall Street," a crypto investor and trader, also forecasted in the FX Empire report that the ETH ETF is "coming eventually." Their predictions come as cryptocurrency investment firms have started their push for an Ethereum ETF. Some of these firms, such as VanEck and ProShares, which is responsible for the Bitcoin Strategy ETF, have submitted applications to regulators for their own Ethereum futures ETF. But these firms soon withdrew their intent, leaving other Ethereum ETF applications pending with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that are based on Ethereum spot market prices. This includes applications from Kryptoin Investment Advisors and Gemini Trust Company, FX Empire added in its report. This possibility of having an Ethereum ETF is certainly not implausible, given the token's dominance rate of 18.4 percent on CoinMarketCap. Its price soared this year, rising more than 400 percent year-to-date due to its wider use of decentralized finance (DeFi) apps and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) traded on the blockchain. Related Article: Ethereum Price Prediction: Analysis Hints Massive $4500 Surge NASA marked International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday, and what better way to celebrate the event than having the Hubble Space Telescope share the Earth's natural satellite and other moons in the Solar System? NASA Hubble Images Show Breathtaking Lunar Photos In a tweet, the NASA Hubble Twitter account posted images of the Moon and others located in the Solar System, including those alongside Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. These photos certainly provide that astonishing view of such celestial bodies. We heard its #ObserveTheMoon night? Not only has Hubble observed our Moon, but its viewed lots of other moons across our solar system, too! Find out how you can get involved with International Observe the Moon night: https://t.co/dogbsfF1z9 pic.twitter.com/0piwb3YN37 Hubble (@NASAHubble) October 16, 2021 On Saturday, avid moon observers and astronomy buffs looked up to the moon to mark the annual event. NASA suggested that observers doesn't need to use tools, telescopes or binoculars to see that Earth's treasure of the night sky that is easy to spot, Space.com revealed. On International Observe the Moon Night, the Moon was at waxing gibbous, an intermediate phase in which it is not yet full, offering great chances for Moon viewing along the "terminator" or the line between night and day. The upcoming Full Moon phase is set on October 20. According to NASA, International Observe the Moon Night is a yearly event that offers opportunities for the public to "learn about lunar science and exploration, observe celestial bodies, and honor personal and cultural connections to the Moon." A "Global Moon Party" kicked off the event on October 9 with various social media activities. Public participation will continue until October 23. Read Also: NASA Captures Chilling Moon Shadow During Eclipse: What Is EPIC Camera and How Did It Take the Photo? NASA Holds Bevy of Activities for International Moon Night NASA also aired a pair of live webcasts, with hosts guiding viewers to a scientific and cultural expedition to the Moon, Space.com added in a separate post. During the webcasts, viewers enjoyed close-up views of the lunar surface as seen through telescopes in Chile and the Canary Islands. This was made possible through NASA's partnership with Slooh, an online remote telescope service that lets users control its robotic telescopes located in certain areas around the world. NASA stressed that the Moon is that "stepping stone" in exploring more about our Solar System, galaxy and universe. It coincides with the launch the U.S. space agency's Lucy mission to explore Trojan asteroids and allow people to better understand the origins of the Solar System. The Lucy probe will head out to Jupiter to take a close look at two groups of asteroids around the gas giant, which NASA said are remains from the formation of the planets, BBC reported. As such, these would provide important clues about the Solar System's evolution. NASA has pushed lunar exploration in the past decades, emphatically with Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin being the first men on the Moon on July 16, 1969, doing experiments and momentously leaving a U.S. flag on the lunar surface. NASA would soon continue this legacy with its planned Artemis mission, sending the first woman and first person of color to the Moon in the coming years. Related Article: Internet on the Moon? How NASA Artemis Mission Will Make Lunar Connectivity Possible The Google Pixel 6 price could go after Xiaomi and other smartphone manufacturers with ridiculously low price points. Many of the best inexpensive flagships produced this year may face stiff competition from the devices created by one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Thanks to a Target product listing, the Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro prices have leaked online. According to the Google Pixel 6 Price leak, Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will cost $599 and $898, respectively. With its low cost, even Apple and Samsung might have some good competition in the form of these new Pixel phones. Google Pixel 6 Price According to Android Central, the Google Pixel 6 price in Europe isn't a mystery, given the earlier leaks revealing at the very least a competitive price tag in that region. And now, in a recent leak, the costs of the phones in the United States have been revealed too. A pre-listed price for both devices was uncovered by a Target customer, showing how much the phones will cost in the US once it comes out. According to the source, the standard Pixel 6 will cost $599, while the Pro model would cost $898. The leaked pricing is for the 128GB storage variants of the phones. However, it's unclear whether these prices are permanent or just placeholders. If the rumors are correct, the Pixel 6 smartphones will give several of the greatest Android phones a run for their money, especially with its ridiculously low costs in the United States and some great feaures and specs for its price point. In a separate tweet, well-known leaker M. Brandon Lee corroborated this information and also stated when the Pixel 6 series will be purchasable. Google's forthcoming flagship phones, he claimed, would be ready for purchase on October 28. Here are the corroborated #Pixel6 and #Pixel6Pro prices in the Target inventory system in the US. Pixel 6: $599 Pixel 6 Pro: $898 Google has to be subsidizing this phone like crazy. This is insanity. #teampixel pic.twitter.com/OUBl8cXCBh M. Brandon Lee | THIS IS TECH TODAY (@thisistechtoday) October 18, 2021 Read Also: Google Pixel 6 vs. iPhone 13: Specs, Performance, and Which Is Better? Google Event Google will hold its Pixel fall event on October 19, and the wait for Google's latest Pixel devices will be over soon, as reported by GSMArena. The tech company confirmed this week that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will indeed be unveiled on the said date. Furthermore, as we get closer to the introduction of the new Pixels, a promotional brochure from a German retailer revealed that the Pixel 6 will cost 649 (around $753). A pre-order promotion for the Pixel 6 is outlined in advertising materials for the German store Saturn. Buyers who pre-order the smartphone from Saturn between October 19 and October 27 will receive a free pair of Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. Seems like the German Retailer "Mediamarkt" spilled the beans on the Pixel 6 and confirms the 649 Price. Source: https://t.co/H2wXIX8Lz4 pic.twitter.com/SvZMZiYIdL Nils Ahrensmeier (@NilsAhrDE) October 6, 2021 A long period of time has passed since Google announced such a comprehensive Pixel lineup, but here we are, just days away. With the Snapdragon 765G-equipped Pixel 5, Google will bring the Pixel series back to flagship status after a vacation in 2020. In addition, the Pixel brand will return to a more traditional lineup, with a standard, more affordable variant and a more expensive, plus-sized one. Comparing iPhone 13 & Galaxy S21 Price The Google Pixel 6 price contenders are the iPhone 13 and the Samsung Galaxy S21. According to Laptopmag, the 128GB option with 6GB of RAM costs $1,099 on the iPhone 13 Pro Max. You have the choice of upgrading to 256GB, 512GB, or the new 1TB option.The 256GB option costs an extra $100, but it's required for the new ProRes video function coming to the iPhone 13 Pro Max later this year. The 512GB and 1TB versions will set you back a further $200, bringing the total to $1,599. The Samsung Galaxy S21, on the other hand, is priced at $1,199 with the 128GB option and 12GB of RAM. You can upgrade to 256GB for $1,249, and the top-end 512GB model with 16GB of RAM costs $1,379. Related Article: iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. Samsung S21 Ultra: Specs, Design Differences, and Which Should You Buy? Facebook announced plans to hire 10,000 people in the European Union over the next five years to work on a new computer platform that promises to connect people virtually through the use of electronics that would make Facebook more integral over people's online life. However, they are also not blinded by the fact that the project could raise privacy issues. Mark Zuckerburg's Vision Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, has been a strong proponent of the metaverse, a virtual reality version of the internet that his company envisions as the way of the future. The word metaverse means meta-universe, a digital world in which the real and virtual collide in a science fiction concept that allows individuals to roam between gadgets, and communicate in virtual reality. It refers to augmented and virtual reality products and services in practice. In fulfilling that vision, Facebook just recently announced to the public its intentions to hire 10,000 people in the European Union to aid the creation of the metaverse. As stated in a Facebook blog post, "The metaverse has the potential to help unlock access to new creative, social, and economic opportunities. And Europeans will be shaping it right from the start... Today, we are announcing a plan to create 10,000 new high-skilled jobs within the European Union (EU) over the next five years". Facebook metaverse jobs are greatly prompted to invest in the EU anchors multiple advantages, like the readily available large consumer market, leading universities, and high-quality talent. Read Also: Facebook Down Today: Full Details of Global Outage, Best Reactions on Twitter Facebook Metaverse The word refers to cyberspace that is similar to the physical environment, and in which a group of individuals can interact through avatars. In his 1992 science fiction novel "Snow Crash," author Neal Stephenson invented the term. It's when physical, augmented, and virtual reality combines in a shared online space. As an example, certain video game communities have already begun to establish the seeds of meta-universes, such as "Roblox," a platform with a plethora of games produced by children and teenagers, or "Fortnite," a shooter and survival game with 350 million users. In April, during a "Fortnite" game, more than 12 million players saw five virtual performances by musician Travis Scott, who appeared as an avatar in "Fortnite." Screens, holograms, virtual reality headsets, and augmented reality glasses will gradually allow smooth movement of virtual universes in real-world locations, a process Zuckerberg compared to teleportation. As reported by First Post last month, Facebook announced a $50 million investment to support global research and collaborations with human rights organizations, nonprofits, governments, and universities to develop metaverse-friendly products. However, many of those studies will most likely take 10 to 15 years to "completely actualize." The Metaverse Technology According to Euronews, Facebook earlier announced the formation of a product team dedicated to metaverse-related workload. Facebook, the world's most popular social media platform, has substantially invested in virtual reality and augmented reality, acquiring gear like the Oculus VR headset and developing AR glasses and wristband technology. Furthermore, it has also acquired a number of virtual reality game firms, including BigBox VR with roughly 10,000 staff working on virtual reality. Facebook co-founder Zuckerberg believes that the metaverse will be the future of mobile internet and that forming this product division is the next step in helping to construct it. He believes metaverse is important in committing significant resources into shaping what he believes will be the next large computer platform. Related Article: Facebook Ray-Ban Smart Glasses vs. Snap Spectacles: Key Features, Release Date, What's Different In this Sept. 30 picture illustration, the Netflix series "Squid Game" is played on a mobile phone. Reuters-Yonhap "Squid Game," Netflix's biggest original series launch, is estimated to be worth almost $900 million for the streaming giant, Bloomberg News reported late on Saturday, citing figures from an internal Netflix document. The nine-episode thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly consequences in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38.58 million), became an international hit after it launched last month. In comparison to its estimated net worth, the show cost just $21.4 million to produce, Bloomberg said. According to the report, about 132 million had watched at least two minutes of the show in its first 23 days, easily breaking the record set by U.K. costume drama "Bridgerton," which was streamed by 82 million accounts in its first 28 days. Netflix had earlier announced the show had amassed 111 million fans, but Bloomberg said those figures were based on slightly older data. gettyimagesbank The inclination against having babies and raising a family, particularly stronger among South Koreans, has turned out to be a trend that apparently not even money can solve. South Korea's total fertility rate hit a record low of 0.92 in 2019, way below the 1.63 average of members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, proving that over 140 trillion won ($122.4 billion) in state funds poured into tackling the nation's low birth rate crisis over a decade since 2006 was futile. This trend does strike as particularly troublesome especially during an economy weighed down by the COVID-19 pandemic as reduction in jobs and thus overall income are undoubtedly detrimental toward efforts to overturn the country's low-birth, aging society conundrum. Under the circumstances, policymakers are keeping close tabs on the looming demographic challenge, as a structural change in the overall population is projected to have deep economic impacts on both the macroeconomic and individual scales. Last week, South Korea's top economic policymakers laid out a rough policy vision on dealing with the demographic crisis at hand, with a focus on sustaining the size of the country's working-age population, during an interagency meeting reviewing the state of the economy. South Korea's working-age population is projected to decline an average of 330,000 per year in the 2020s when baby boomers, born from 1955-1963, will reach over age 65. The country is also widely expected to become a super-aged society in 2025, in which the proportion of those aged 65 and older will hit 20 percent of the total population. To deal with this problem, the government said it aims to put priority on strengthening child care services to prevent more women from experiencing a career break due to childbirths and raising their children. "We will extend the child care program for elementary school students and expand all-day child care services to promote women's participation in economic activities," Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said at the meeting on Wednesday. Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae, left, and the U.S. director of national intelligence Avril Haines arrive at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul for a meeting, Monday. Yonhap U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and a top South Korean security official met in Seoul to discuss North Korean issues, a Cheong Wa Dae official said Monday, as Seoul and Washington crank up diplomacy to resume dialogue with Pyongyang. Haines met with Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae, over lunch earlier in the day to "have extensive discussions about the situation on the Korean Peninsula and ways to enhance the Korea-U.S. alliance," the official said. The two have shared their assessments of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, following Pyongyang's recent series of missile launches, according to the official. Another possible item on the agenda could include South Korean President Moon Jae-in's recent proposal to declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War, as Seoul ramps up diplomacy to revitalize its drive for lasting peace on the peninsula. Meanwhile it is not yet known whether a meeting among intelligence chiefs of South Korea, the United States and Japan, took place during the day. Haines had been widely expected to sit down Monday for talks with Park Jie-won, the head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), and Hiroaki Takizawa, Japan's Cabinet intelligence director, who arrived in the country earlier in the day. Park may have already held separate meetings with Haines and Takizawa during the day, and the meeting among the three chiefs could take place Tuesday. Pyongyang has remained unresponsive to Washington's overtures for dialogue, with denuclearization talks having stalled since the no-deal summit between then U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong-un in 2019. Takizawa's visit to Seoul is his first since Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took office earlier this month, and the discussions could possibly signal Tokyo's new policy direction on North Korea. The three could also discuss ways to strengthen trilateral intelligence sharing, as the leaders of the two East Asian countries attempt to patch up rocky relations over historic disputes stemming from Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910-45. On Friday, Moon and Kishida held their first phone call and agreed to develop their ties "in a future-oriented manner." Haines, who arrived in Seoul on Sunday, will meet senior security officials here after U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns met with Moon here last week. (Yonhap) Senior defense officials of South Korea and Saudi Arabia held talks in Seoul on Monday to discuss bilateral cooperation in the arms industry, security and other areas, the defense ministry said. Vice Defense Minister Park Jae-min and Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, the chief of the General Staff of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, held a session of the two countries' defense cooperation committee, as the latter was in Seoul to attend a defense exhibition set to open in Seongnam, just south of the capital, on Tuesday The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in military training, high-level exchanges and the defense industry, the ministry said. Park used the session to ask for Saudi Arabia's support for Seoul's efforts to foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. The Saudi official reaffirmed support for Seoul's peace efforts, the ministry said. Park also expressed hope the two countries' cooperation in the defense industry will be expanded further in a "mutually beneficial" direction. (Yonhap) Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung takes the oath during a National Assembly audit at Gyeonggi Province Office in Suwon, Monday. Joint Press Corps Scandal affects Lee's approval rating By Nam Hyun-woo Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung refuted main opposition People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers' questions and criticisms on a land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Monday, reiterating that members of the opposition party were at the center of the problematic scheme, during a National Assembly audit of the provincial government. Lee appeared at the Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee audit as governor of the province and most of the questions focused on the scandal and allegations linking him to the suspicious land development project in Seongnam in 2015, when he was the city's mayor. PPP lawmakers asked a barrage of questions on Lee's alleged connection to Hwacheon Daeyu, an asset management firm for the project that raked in massive profits thanks to a suspicious dividend structure, but failed to present key evidence connecting him to the company. Representatives from the DPK sought to protect their candidate by highlighting people from the opposition bloc who benefited from the scandal. During the audit, PPP Rep. Kim Do-eup alleged Lee was the owner of Hwacheon Daeyu, saying "The man [Lee] does not take political funds from large corporations. Rather the man makes his own political funds by giving development licenses to certain companies." Kim also pointed out that former Supreme Court Justice Kwon Soon-il had been paid 15 million won ($12,600) every month since last November by Hwacheon Daeyu to be its legal advisor, claiming this appeared to be a favor given to the judge who ruled in favor of Lee when the Supreme Court acquitted him of violating the Public Official Election Act in July 2020. Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung shows a panel that reads "a man who receives stolen money is a thief" during a National Assembly audit of Gyeonggi Province at the provincial office in Suwon, Monday. Joint Press Corps "When we say someone is thief, we say so because that person has the stolen money," Lee said. "If I were the owner of Hwacheon Daeyu, I would rather give money to a dog, than bribing Rep. Kwak Sang-do of the PPP." Kwak left the PPP and resigned as a lawmaker after reports that his son received 5 billion won in retirement pay from Hwacheon Daeyu after working there for just six years. DPK Rep. Back Hye-ryun supported Lee by stating that Kwak and other people who purportedly benefited from links to the company were all from the opposition bloc. The scandal broke after reports that Hwacheon Daeyu, a small newly established asset management firm, pocketed more than 400 billion won in dividends, despite the asset manager and an associated trust company only owning 7 percent of the project developer, Seongnam's Yard Corp. The amount collected was more than 1,000 times its initial investment and accounted for 68 percent of the total profits from the public-private partnership project. This was possible due to a suspicious dividend structure that gave the city-run Seongnam Development Corp., the largest stake owner of Seongnam's Yard Corp., the first payment of a fixed dividend while allowing Hwacheon Daeyu to take the remainder. During the audit, PPP lawmakers questioned the process of this dividend structure being approved, but Lee blamed Seongnam Development Corp. Acting President Yoo Dong-gyu, saying "I sincerely apologize to the public for the corruption of some officials under my command." Lee continued that he had long attempted to carry out the land development project as a public project, but the PPP prevented him from doing so. "The PPP was bribed to propose a private project and a PPP lawmaker disrupted Seongnam from developing the land in a public project," Lee claimed. "And those who benefited from the private company (Hwacheon Daeyu) were a PPP lawmaker or lawyers who are close to the PPP." Nam Wook, center, a lawyer who is suspected of playing a key role in a land development scandal in Seongnam, is escorted from Incheon International Airport, Monday, by investigators of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office. Yonhap This photo shows posters on display at Sungkyunkwan University's Seoul campus, put up by the New National Council of Student Representatives and a coalition of self-employed individuals, criticizing the planned strike of the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions. Courtesy of the New National Council of Student Representatives By Lee Hyo-jin Criticism is growing against a major umbrella union here over its plan to stage a mass rally on Wednesday, prompting fears over a possible virus resurgence that could disrupt the country's path towards a "Living with COVID-19" scheme. A group representing conservative college students and a coalition of self-employed individuals across the country have put up banners at around 100 university campuses that criticize a demonstration being organized by the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). The KCTU plans to launch the walkout to demand the improvement of working conditions for irregular workers, a minimum wage hike and revisions to labor laws, despite the government's repeated warnings that it will be in violation of the social distancing measures to manage the spread of the coronavirus. "The KCTU says that it will hold a general strike involving 550,000 participants in downtown Seoul at this point of time when many people across the country are struggling due to the prolonged social distancing rules," read the poster created by the New National Council of Student Representatives (NCSR), which is named after a different student activist group that was active from 1987 to 1993. The NCSR argued that the union, with its 1.1 million members, has "established itself as an undisputed political power," which goes beyond its role of fighting for the improvement of labor rights and working conditions. "We plan to file a police report if they push ahead with the strike on Wednesday, and hold a press conference in front of the KCTU office building," NCSR head Kim Tae-il, a student at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, told The Korea Times. The group of self-employed individuals denounced the union's planned action, expressing concerns over a possible virus resurgence that may disrupt the government's plan gradually to return to normalcy. "We are looking forward to the beginning of the living with COVID-19 policy in November, which has been achieved through the people's efforts and the sacrifice of medical workers, along with the self-employed," it said in a statement. "But the KCTU is threatening public safety with its general strike, ignoring the hopes of 7 million small business owners." Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a mass rally in central Seoul on July 3, demanding law revisions to improve working conditions for irregular workers, a minimum wage hike and safer working conditions. Yonhap Activists from the Seoul-based climate advocacy Solutions for Our Climate hold a protest decrying Korea's coal-heavy energy policies near where the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in Katowice, Poland, Dec. 13, 2018. Korea Times file By Lee Kyung-min Korea's overall climate action remains highly insufficient, as indicated by its heavy reliance on fossil fuels for energy generation, government financing for coal projects and a shortfall in its carbon emissions target, global climate advocacy said Monday. Korea should promptly phase out coal power by 2030, halt construction of new coal plants, streamline operation approval for generators of renewables and improve grid access, according to Climate Transparency, a global partnership of 16 think tanks and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The entity comprises experts from the majority of G20 member nations with a mission of advocating for stronger climate action by the G20 countries. Climate Transparency Report 2021, a comprehensive review of member nations' climate performances and opportunities, showed Korea lags behind in decarbonization efforts relative to its G20 peers. Korea had, the report showed, among the highest recovery spending relative to gross domestic product (GDP) since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but less than 30 percent of it was for green recovery. A considerable amount of spending supported fossil fuels, such as Doosan Heavy, the country's flagship coal plant manufacturer. Korea was the third-largest provider of public finance for fossil fuels, after Japan and China. Korea's annual financing for coal averaged slightly less than $8 billion (9.4 trillion won), whereas the figure for Japan was $10.3 billion. By Choe Chong-dae A special interest in pansori, a distinctive Korean musical storytelling form, led me to travel recently to Namwon, North Jeolla Province, accompanied by board members of the Korean Cultural Heritage Society. Namwon has a long musical tradition of pansori. Pansori is a distinctive form of narrative Korean folk song, performed by a vocalist accompanied by single percussionist. It is an indigenous form of oral tradition and culture that was not written down. Distinctive pansori performances were preserved in memory as storytelling with rhythm and repertory only. It is understood that there were 12 pansori works originally but only five remain: "Chunhyang-ga," "Heungbu-ga," "Simcheong-ga," "Sugung-ga," and "Jeokbyeok-ga." While in Namwon, I was fortunate to stay at a cozy guesthouse at Dongpyeonje Village, near Mount Jiri. It is the birthplace of Park Cho-wol (1917-83), a renowned pansori master who played a pioneering role in transmitting modern pansori. Dongpyeonje is also the name of a style of pansori, as is Seopyeonje. The highlight of our visit to Dongpyeonje Village was a recital of "Chunhyang-ga" performed by the traditional music group of the Korean Cultural Heritage Society. This famous epic tale, set in Namwon, depicts the tortuous love story between Chunhyang, the beautiful daughter of a courtesan entertainer, and Yi Mongryong, the son of a magistrate. It illustrates a wide range of social themes including discrimination and corruption. The "Chunhyang-ga" performance offered more than extreme emotions and astounding voices. We were entertained by the Korean traditional music performance by musicians of the village. Fittingly, tasty makgeolli, a fermented alcoholic rice drink brewed in Namwon, was served during the performance. An elegant atmosphere in Dongpyeonje Village was created for small audiences to appreciate the unique performance. Pansori is presumed to have originated in the 16th century during the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom, in the region of the Seomjin River of the Jeolla provinces, as a new unique way of performing the narrative songs of shamans. It is generally classified into two main styles: Dongpyeonje (eastern) and Seopyeonje (western). Dongpyeonje originated in the Namwon and Gurye area on the eastern side of the Seomjim River. Seopyeonje pansori originated on the western side of the river around Naju and Haenam. The repertories and tones of the two genres were developed and transmitted differently on both sides the river. Seopyeonje pansori is gently melodious and decorative, expressing delicate emotions, distinctive rhythms, complex vocal timbres and detailed composition. Dongpyeonje pansori, coming from the east side of the Seomjin River, an area with high and deep mountains, is a strong, powerful and unvarnished musical genre. Although pansori attracted the middle class and the patronage of the upper class, it was inevitably shared among commoners. The epic songs plumb the depths of Korean collective emotions and grief. The essence of pansori is to enliven our hearts and evoke feelings of joy, anger, sorrow, nostalgia and wistfulness. The songs greatly inspired the lower classes, such as farmers, peasants and laborers. It provided much needed catharsis. Pansori is an amazing art form bestowed on us by our ancestors. My hope is that it will be appreciated and performed more widely among Koreans in the future. Many beloved intangible cultural assets such as provincial songs, dances, music, traditional arts and skills are close to being lost because of rapid urbanization and industrialization. They represent our precious culture, identity and ingenuity. We should invest in their preservation. Choe Chong-dae is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co., and director of the Korean-Swedish Association. He can be reached at choecd@naver.com By Ricardo Hausmann CAMBRIDGE The concept of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) reporting standards has gone mainstream. Major Wall Street firms have adopted ESG standards as a guide to responsible investment, compelling the thousands of corporations in which they invest to do so as well. But is ESG helping investors and corporations that operate in the Global South to allocate capital more efficiently? Or is it just an expression of the rich world's postmodern values and priorities? ESG requires companies to report on their environmental practices and associated climate risks; on their treatment of workers, clients and the communities in which they operate; and on various governance criteria such as board diversity and the regularity of internal and external audits for bad behavior. The process is meant to leave investors more informed about a firm's overall impact on stakeholders, the implication being that unless firms are aware of their overall impact, overlooked or neglected issues may come back to bite them. The ESG approach thus mixes the dictum "what gets measured gets managed" with the late Harvard University professor John Ruggie's observation that corporations have an interest in adopting their stakeholders' values, such as human rights. On the face of it, this looks like an improvement over a narrow focus on the bottom line. But to what extent does ESG help countries in the Global South close the enormous income and welfare gaps separating them from advanced economies? A closer examination finds that nothing in the ESG framework would explicitly favor the kinds of investments needed to achieve this end. An alternative framework is urgently needed. Shared growth in most developing countries is constrained by the inability to sustain higher imports, which are needed to produce almost all modern goods and services. A dearth of foreign exchange reduces the availability of the necessary inputs. To import more, you need to be able to export more. Weak export capacity translates into a low import ratio and a growth rate that is highly sensitive to exogenous increases in the capacity to import, which could stem from improvements in the terms of trade, increased aid or easier access to finance, as happened during the 2004-14 commodity super-cycle. Consider the following comparison between Japan and Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Pakistan all countries with populations between 100 million and 200 million. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan was 19 times richer than Ethiopia and eight to nine times richer than the others. Its import-to-GDP ratio was two to three times higher than the others. And the price of a dollar in units of comparable domestic output in Japan was about one-third that in the other countries. A high price coupled with a low quantity is a telltale sign of a foreign-exchange constraint. Moreover, in Ethiopia, Pakistan and most other low-income countries, exports pay for less than half of the import bill. The rest comes from foreign aid or unsustainable borrowing. In a growing economy, it is important that exports complement the growth process as wages rise. If sustaining exports depends on keeping wages low, rising incomes will reduce the capacity to export, thus throwing a wrench in the growth process. Fast-growing countries in East Asia and Eastern Europe can sustain rising incomes because they have shifted their export basket toward more complex products. By contrast, Sri Lanka's export industries tea, cinnamon, coconuts and even garments struggle to keep up with wage increases in the rest of the economy. Hence, when its overall economy does well, these industries shrink, thereby reducing the country's capacity to import and triggering a balance-of-payments crisis and a growth slowdown. Sri Lanka has experienced this scenario repeatedly, including right now. Moreover, in middle-income countries, the domestic market is usually characterized by large conglomerates that have taken dominant positions in non-tradable activities such as retail, banking, insurance, construction, telecoms and beverages (typically beer and soft drinks). These sectors have enough monopoly power to be generous to their workforce. They can also design products for bottom-of-the-pyramid clients and excel in all the parameters that ESG cares about. Nevertheless, these industries require foreign exchange that they themselves do not help to generate. They therefore cannot push the country forward beyond the output that can be supported by the export capacity of others. Moreover, as I argued recently, they have dismal records in research and development and other metrics of innovation though none of this hurts them in the current ESG metrics. This type of business structure explains a feature of today's low- and middle-income countries that would have surprised Karl Marx. He predicted that capitalist production by firms that own their means of production and hire workers for a wage would displace artisanal production by craftsmen who own their own tools. Instead, capitalist production hires only half of the labor force in middle-income countries and much less than that in low-income countries. The rest of the labor force is self-employed or works in micro-enterprises that resemble those of Marx's own time. This situation is intimately related to the dearth of foreign exchange. Simply put, modern non-tradable activities cannot grow beyond the economy's capacity to generate foreign exchange. Unfortunately, ESG is disconnected from the criteria that would favor truly effective and transformative investments in the Global South. Instead, it inadvertently favors the monopoly producers of non-tradables that can afford the greater ESG reporting and governance costs. The motivation behind ESG comes from a good place. But the world needs a different scorecard, one that would favor specifically those export activities that allow for greater complexity, innovation and higher wages. Ricardo Hausmann, a former minister of planning of Venezuela and former chief economist at the Inter-American Development Bank, is a professor at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and the director of the Harvard Growth Lab. By Paul Tyson Foreign ministries have geographic and regional divisions and within them individual country desks headed by a desk officer. The Japanese foreign ministry, the Gaimusho, has a Korea desk. It is led by career diplomats in the ministry, Ken Ono and Katsutoshi Takeda. But neither should be considered the top Korea desk officer in Japan. That title goes to Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who served as foreign minister between 2012 and 2017 during the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. An analogous situation happened in the U.S. when George W. Bush was president. He had previously been U.S. ambassador to China and everyone in the U.S. State Department knew he should be considered the top China desk officer when he was in the Oval Office so they acted accordingly. Policy makers in Korea should keep this in mind as they try to forge a new relationship with Japan under Kishida. Their first step should obviously be to study the records of negotiations and meetings with Kishida. But these will only tell part of the story. President Moon Jae-in and his successor in Cheong Wa Dae would also do well to consult those foreign ministry officials and lawmakers who had dealt personally with Kishida. Think of meeting a friend who knows someone you are planning to meet. What is said over coffee or a drink often reveals much more beyond a CV. Is he personable or very formal? Is he direct? What does he drink if at all? What about his personal and family life? These questions are only answered in part by official records. Next, what issues was he involved with? In the case of Kishida, we know that he was involved with North Korea and helped lead the negotiations with Seoul on the wartime sex slavery issue. What do his Korean interlocutors on these issues have to say about him? What are his views? How does he negotiate? Is he direct or more obtuse? Hardline or willing to compromise? The best people to answer these questions will be the Korean officials who had face-to-face contacts with Kishida and his Gaimusho team. In turn, this will affect how the Blue House should staff future meetings with Kishida. Most countries would use the same people who have negotiated with him previously. They have met him, they know the history on the issues and they can move forward quickly. The danger with this, however, and something that is rarely discussed openly in top levels of government, is that the Japanese might have an aversion to some Korean officials they have dealt with in the past. If that is the case, it is better to put a new face forward and create the conditions for a fresh start. If the old negotiators who are disliked remain, it tends to lock in previous stances on the issues under negotiation. I have been in the room when a senior official has stated about another country's negotiating team, "I hope that SOB is not on their team. He is a pain in the ass." The best solution is to get them out of the way and bring in a new team. This exercise can also be applied by officials in Seoul to the team that Kishida and the Gaimusho will field in bilateral negotiations. If they see the same faces, they will know that there could be tough sledding ahead, but if there are new faces it might be a cause for optimism. Hopefully, the arrival of Kishida can go some way in thawing the chilly Korean-Japanese relations which are viewed as being at their lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1965. Much attention in Seoul has been paid to the fact that Kishida has retained the foreign and defense ministers as holdovers from the hawkish Abe administration. This is interpreted as showing that there will be little chance of progress in relations with Seoul. But Kishida may have kept them on to retain the support of the Abe faction in the ruling party ahead of general elections to be held at the end of October. Once the elections are over, he might decide to appoint new ministers to these key posts rather than remaining in Abe's shadow. Given his background as foreign minister, Kishida must surely be aware of the need to improve ties with Seoul. He did try to resolve the military sex slavery issue with the 2015 agreement made with former President Park Geun-hye, which was later scrapped by President Moon. He is also likely to be more courteous than his predecessor, Yoshihide Suga, who refused to meet with the Korean ambassador to Tokyo while he was in office despite repeated requests. Paul Tyson is a retired U.S. diplomat teaching diplomacy and government at New England College. Moon and Kishida disagree on historical issues President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida failed to narrow their differences on key issues, such as Japan's forced wartime labor and sex slavery, in their first phone call Friday, 11 days after the latter took office. They only agreed to disagree on those historical issues which have continued to strain bilateral ties. During the 30-minute conversation, Moon underlined the need for diplomatic approaches to resolve a far-reaching dispute caused by the 2018 rulings by Korea's Supreme Court that ordered Japanese firms to pay compensation to surviving South Korean victims of forced labor. Regarding the sex slavery issue, Moon called for measures that will satisfy surviving victims without affecting relations between the two countries. Despite Moon's onciliatory gestures, Kishida adamantly maintained Japan's earlier stance that Korea should first offer solutions that are acceptable to Japan. It is regrettable that the new Japanese leader showed no signs of backing down from his country's hardline positions on the thorny issues, only repeating unilateral demands put forward by his predecessors Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga. Touching on a possible face-to-face summit, Moon expressed the hope of meeting Kishida in the near future. However, fresh from the phone call, the Japanese leader told reporters, "Nothing has been fixed yet with regard to a Japan-Korea summit." In a nutshell, the phone call only reconfirmed that the two countries remain poles apart with no breakthrough in bilateral relations, which have remained at the lowest point ever since their normalization of diplomatic relations in 1965. The only encouraging point is that the two leaders recognized the need to keep up "communications and consultations." "Japan and Korea should continue to have more communications," Kishida said. In a sense, it is understandable for him to have maintained a cautious attitude toward Korea ahead of an Oct. 31 parliamentary election, given the prevalent anti-Korea sentiment in Japan. We hope the two nations will soon be able to find a way toward mutual rapprochement. The security situation in East Asia poses growing challenges to neighboring countries over how to denuclearize North Korea and how to deal with the rise of China. Given this, it is not desirable for relations between Seoul and Tokyo to remain deadlocked. Top intelligence officials from South Korea, the United States and Japan are meeting this week to discuss pending security issues while other representatives from the three countries will also have a separate meeting, highlighting the fact that they need to work together to ensure security and stability in the region. Despite this, it is deplorable that Kishida sent a ritual offering Sunday to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals from World War II. Though Kishida refrained from making an in-person visit to the controversial shrine, his predecessor Suga and some Cabinet members did visit. Tokyo should make sincere efforts to acknowledge and apologize for its past misdeeds; otherwise it cannot mend ties with Seoul, make true reconciliation and move toward a better future. Attendees walk past a Facebook logo during Facebook's F8 developer conference in San Jose, Calif., April 30, 2019. Facebook on Monday announced plans to hire 10,000 people in the European Union to build the "metaverse." Reuters-Yonhap Facebook on Monday announced plans to hire 10,000 people in the European Union to build the "metaverse", a virtual reality version of the internet that the tech giant sees as the future. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been a leading voice in Silicon Valley hype around the idea of the metaverse, which would blur the lines between the physical world and the digital one. The technology might, for example, allow someone to don virtual reality glasses that make it feel as if they're face-to-face with a friend when in fact they are thousands of miles apart and connected via the internet. "The metaverse has the potential to help unlock access to new creative, social, and economic opportunities. And Europeans will be shaping it right from the start," Facebook said in a blog post. "Today, we are announcing a plan to create 10,000 new high skilled jobs within the European Union (EU) over the next five years." The European hires will include "highly specialized engineers", but the company otherwise gave few details of its plans for the new metaverse team. "The EU has a number of advantages that make it a great place for tech companies to invest a large consumer market, first class universities and, crucially, top quality talent," the blog post said. Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg / Reuters-Yonhap Distraction from bad news? The announcement comes as Facebook grapples with the fallout of a damaging scandal, major outages of its services, and rising calls for regulation to curb its vast influence. The company has faced a storm of criticism over the past month after former employee Frances Haugen leaked internal studies showing Facebook knew its sites could be harmful to young people's mental health. The Washington Post last month suggested that Facebook's interest in the metaverse is "part of a broader push to rehabilitate the company's reputation with policymakers and reposition Facebook to shape the regulation of next-wave Internet technologies". But Zuckerberg also appears to be a genuine evangelist for the advent of the metaverse era, predicting in July that Facebook will transition from "primarily being a social media company to being a metaverse company" over the next five years. Facebook bought Oculus, a company that makes virtual reality headsets, for $2 billion in 2014 and has since been developing Horizon, a digital world where people can interact using VR technology. In August it unveiled Horizon Workrooms, a feature where co-workers wearing VR headsets can hold meetings in a virtual room where they all appear as cartoonish 3D versions of themselves. In this March 26, 2015, file photo, Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer talks about virtual reality while delivering a keynote address at the Facebook's F8 developer conference in San Francisco, Calif. AP-Yonhap Starbucks Korea employees pose for a picture at the Korean headquarters of the global coffeehouse chain in Seoul, on Oct. 15. Courtesy of Starbucks Korea Korean unit promises to hire 1,600 more workers By Kim Jae-heun Starbucks Korea has decided to hire 1,600 more employees to allay mounting complaints voiced by existing workers over heavy workloads. It also promised to adopt a new wage system and improve working conditions. The decision came 10 days after workers staged a street protest complaining about heavy workloads every time headquarters introduced new marketing promotions. "In addition to regular recruitment conducted in individual regions, Starbucks Korea plans to hire new workers nationwide on Oct. 22 to increase the efficiency of store management and secure personnel," a Starbucks Korea said. Starbucks Korea is reviewing changes to the current wage system by implementing differing pay depending on a worker's capacity and position. Incentives will be given to those who handle extra work. Starbucks Korea offers a minimum hourly wage of 9,200 won ($7.77) and employees have been expressing dissatisfaction over low pay. The Korean unit of the global coffee chain will establish a taskforce to deal with ongoing street protests. The new team will prepare measures to deal with projected hardships that store workers can face when Starbucks launches new events, while suggesting solutions in real time. The first-ever demonstration held by Starbucks Korea workers was triggered by a 50th anniversary event on Sept. 28. The chain served beverages in limited-edition, reusable plastic cups for only one day, attracting a huge number of customers during peak hours. At one Starbucks coffee shop in Seoul last month, baristas had to make 650 drinks in one day for customers who came only for the souvenir cups. Staffers have also been complaining about rest areas. One whistleblower said Starbucks Korea employees had to eat lunch in rest areas next to janitorial equipment. The headquarters office also pledged to create more suitable rest areas for workers within its coffee shops. Meanwhile, Starbucks Korea CEO Song Ho-seob made an official apology on Oct. 7 when the staffers staged a street demonstration for the first time since the coffee chain was launched here 22 years ago. However, his apology received a backlash for lacking specific plans to improve working conditions. Song only said sorry for putting pressure on employees. Moreover, he came up with another promotional event scheduled for Oct. 17. The Korea Confederation of Trade Unions, a local umbrella union, offered to help Starbucks Korea workers with their protest. But the Starbucks workers refused by saying they are not a union and they do not want KCTU to intervene. People pose nude for American art photographer Spencer Tunick's mass shoot in the desert landscape surrounding Arad, near the Dead Sea, Oct. 17. AFP-Yonhap Hundreds of models wearing only white body paint walked Sunday across a stark desert expanse in southern Israel near the Dead Sea, part of the latest photography project of American artist Spencer Tunick. As for Tunick, dressed, in black, he stood on the roof of a recreational vehicle and issued commands on a megaphone. "Everyone put your feet together," he said. "Hands down." The 54-year-old photographer visited Israel as a guest of the tourism ministry to portray for the third time the shrinking Dead Sea via nude subjects. "For me the body represents beauty and life and love," said Tunick, who has staged dozens of large-scale nude shoots around the world. Tunick depicted more than 1,000 nude models a decade ago on the shores of the salty Dead Sea, which is receding at about a metre (yard) a year. Israel and Jordan have diverted much of the upstream water for agriculture and drinking water, while mineral extraction and evaporation accelerated by climate change have made the problem worse. By the time Tunick returned five years later, the placid waters of his first shoot had receded, leaving behind crusty sand and gaping sinkholes. On Sunday, Tunick posed his subjects on stony brown hills overlooking the turquoise lake. About 200 people followed his directions, both men and women, standing straight and stooped, some thin and some rotund. He said he chose to cover the models in white paint to evoke the Biblical story of Lot's wife, who was said to have turned into a pillar of salt. Doctoral student Anna Kleiman, 26, said she joined the shoot to bring awareness to the environmental crisis. "It feels really natural, once you take your clothes off," she said. "You kind of don't want to put them back on. I think we just struggled with the rocks a little bit." Spencer Tunick speaks with media members during his nude photo installation overlooking the Dead Sea near the southern city of Arad, Israel, Oct. 17. EPA-Yonhap Volunteers work to prepare trees to be planted on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, at Bryan Station High School in Lexington, Kentucky. The tree planting event was a part of Lexington's fourth annual Tree Week. Photo by Martha McHaney | Staff 1. Comedian Amanda Seales (of HBOs Insecure) is about to take you to school. Sick of the stereotypes about African Americans in media and the overall lack of knowledge of black history, Seales mixes humor and her doctorate in African American studies with her love of games and music to cr We will be at home during the Thanksgiving holiday. We will make a brief trip away from home. We will spend most of the Thanksgiving holiday away from home. Vote View Results The International Marxist Tendency proudly presents the Winter 2021 issue of the In Defence of Marxism theoretical journal! This latest edition is themed around the topic of historical materialism. We publish below the editorial by Alan Woods. The success of the first issue of the new In Defence of Marxism magazine has surpassed even our most optimistic expectations. Our readers have given a particularly enthusiastic welcome to our emphasis on Marxist philosophy, and in particular to our polemic against the postmodernist craze. As we pointed out, this so-called philosophy is a many-headed Hydra. Its pernicious influence extends into many fields, and this polemic will continue so as to expose them, one by one. The present issue is dedicated to a particular field where the negative influence of postmodernism has had its most destructive consequences the study of history. We are pleased to present a new and thought-provoking study of the origins of class society by Josh Holroyd and Laurie OConnel, together with a reprint of my article on Civilisation and Barbarism, which was written in 2005 but which has not been readily available for some time. Postmodernism and history Self-styled philosophers of the postmodernist kind deny the possibility of finding any rational explanations for human history. It is alleged that there are no general laws, no objective factors that lie behind the conduct of individuals and determine their psychology and behaviour. From this standpoint the standpoint of extreme subjectivity all history is determined by individuals acting according to their own free will. To attempt to find some inner logic in this turbulent and lawless sea would be as futile an exercise as to try to predict the precise momentum and position of an individual subatomic particle. Modern science teaches us that everything in the universe, from the smallest molecules and atoms to the biggest galaxies, are governed by laws. Why should we accept that the entire universe is governed by laws, and yet, for some strange reason, our own history is not? / Image: hippopx Despite a certain superficial attractiveness, this subjective approach to history is quite empty. It signifies a complete abandonment of any attempt to discover the laws whereby human society has evolved, since it denies the very existence of any such laws. Now, if you come to think of it, this is a very extraordinary claim. Modern science teaches us that everything in the universe, from the smallest molecules and atoms to the biggest galaxies, are governed by laws, and it is precisely the discovery of such laws that is the main task and content of science. Why should we accept that the entire universe, from the smallest particles to the most distant galaxies are determined, and the process that determines the evolution of all species, are governed by laws, and yet, for some strange reason, our own history is not? That human beings are complex both on an individual and collective level hardly needs to be stated. After all, the human brain is the most complex organ known in the entire universe, and history is determined by an extremely complex interplay of many different minds, pursuing very different objectives. Yet it is patently untrue that human behaviour cannot be understood. Engels pointed out long ago that, whereas it is impossible to predict when an individual man or woman will die, it is perfectly possible to make such a prediction in the aggregate, a fact out of which insurance companies make healthy profits. In the same way, while it is not possible to determine with sufficient accuracy the position and momentum of a single subatomic particle, it is possible to make very precise predictions when dealing with a very large quantity of such particles. In dialectics, this is known as the transformation of quantity into quality. Historical materialism The Marxist method analyses the hidden mainsprings that underpin the development of human society from the earliest tribal societies up to the modern day. The way in which Marxism traces this winding road is called the materialist conception of history. The Marxist method analyses the hidden mainsprings that underpin the development of human society from the earliest tribal societies up to the modern day / Image: Hermann Vogel Very often, attempts are made to discredit Marxism by resorting to a caricature of its method of historical analysis. There is nothing easier than erecting a straw man in order to knock it down again. The usual distortion is that Marx and Engels reduced everything to economics. This absurd caricature has nothing to do with Marxism. What Marxism does assert and it is a proposition that surely nobody can deny is that in the last analysis, the viability of a given socio-economic system will be determined by its ability to develop the means of production, that is to say, the material foundations upon which society, culture and civilisation are built. This scientific method enables us to understand history, not as a series of unconnected and unforeseen incidents, but rather as part of a clearly understood and interrelated process. It is a series of actions and reactions which cover politics, economics and the whole spectrum of social development. To lay bare the complex dialectical relationship between all these phenomena is the task of historical materialism. Humankind constantly changes nature through labour, and in so doing, changes itself. A reactionary theory The idea that history knows no laws, that it is merely a series of unconnected random events, is very convenient for the defenders of the present system, for whom capitalism (or something very like it) has always existed and always will exist. But this comforting theory is not borne out by the known facts. Even the most superficial observer of history will immediately see the existence of definite patterns. Certain processes are constantly repeated: the rise and fall of certain socio-economic formations, societies and civilisations, economic crises, wars and revolutions. Just as individuals are born, grow, reach maturity, and then enter into a phase of decline, ending in death, and just as in evolution, long periods of stasis are followed by sudden explosions that can impel development or lead to reversals and decline, so we see a similar process in the history of definite socio-economic formations throughout the course of history / Image: public domain Just as individuals are born, grow, reach maturity, and then enter into a phase of decline, ending in death, and just as in evolution, long periods of stasis are followed by sudden explosions that can impel development or lead to reversals and decline, so we see a similar process in the history of definite socio-economic formations throughout the course of history. Slave society was succeeded by feudalism, which in turn was succeeded by capitalism, which has been the dominant socio-economic formation for the last three hundred years. Those centuries witnessed the most astonishing revolutions in science, industry, agriculture and technology ever seen. But this has now reached its limits. We are now living in just such a period of decline the death agony of capitalism. Some will doubtless see the entire course of history, to quote the words of the great historian Edward Gibbon as little more than the register of crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind. But at a deeper level, far more fundamental forces are exerting themselves. Every successive socio-economic formation opens up the possibility for a greater development of the productive forces and therefore increases humanitys power over nature. In this way, the material basis is prepared for what Engels described as humanitys leap from the realm of necessity to the realm of freedom. It is the task of socialism to realise the colossal potential for human development that has already been brought into existence by capitalism, but which it is powerless to bring to fruition. That is our task. And the prior condition for its realisation is the demolition of the existing order and the rebuilding of society on a new and higher foundation. A most necessary step in this work of demolition is to demolish the rotten ideological foundations of the present order, and that is the task we are performing here. Alan Woods London, September 2021 Subscribe to the In Defence of Marxism magazine Translated into multiple languages, readers can subscribe and will receive the In Defence of Marxism magazine four times a year, posted to your door. Or you can choose to subscribe to our digital editions, which will land directly in your email inbox. As Engels explained, alongside the economic and political struggle, there is the equally important struggle for theory. The In Defence of Marxism magazine is part of this struggle / Image: own work In the new issue, Josh Holroyd and Laurie OConnel examine the origins of class society. By analysing the development of the earliest civilisations, we come to understand the material basis for class exploitation and oppression under capitalism have not always existed. And if there was a time before class society, with all its exploitation and inequality, came into existence, this means they can be brought to an end (The Origins of Class Society). Secondly, Alan Woods exposes the idea that history is a random series of events or accidents. The method of historical materialism reveals clear patterns of development going back to the earliest days of human society. In this article, the pessimistic and reactionary ideas of the bourgeois historians are exposed as Alan provides genuine answers to whether historical progress exists, and whether society can move forward out of capitalism (Civilisation, Barbarism, and the Marxist view of History). As Engels explained, alongside the economic and political struggle, there is the equally important struggle for theory. The In Defence of Marxism magazine is part of this struggle, as a tool and a weapon for revolutionary class fighters all over the world, offering serious Marxist analysis on theoretical questions and burning issues facing the labour movement. The In Defence of Marxism magazine is a must have for all advanced workers and youth who wish to arm themselves with the revolutionary ideas and the method of Marxism. Subscribe here to get your copy; read and study it with your comrades, workmates or classmates, and prepare for the dramatic events to come! More than a dozen Jimmy Johns locations continue to operate throughout the state, with the closest ones to the Lehigh Valley being in Philadelphia and Lancaster, according to the chains website. Police said none of the injuries are considered life-threatening, and two of the people shot have been released from the hospital. Evidence at the scene and other information indicates that about six shots were fired. The district attorneys office will determine whether the bystanders actions were lawful and justified, police said. Brace said hes proud of the progress made during his time on the board. Hes most proud of work he has done to prevent the board from privatizing Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehab as well as stopping certain county services from being slashed. He also said he is pleased that the county was able to make it through the pandemic without raising taxes or laying off employees. Bidens visit to his birthplace in the key swing state of Pennsylvania comes just a week after first lady Jill Biden visited nearby Allentown. It is his first visit to the region as president. He also rejected the states claim that the voters and advocacy groups lack standing, finding that they have an immediate and direct interest in ensuring that their votes are accurately recorded. Finally, he rejected the states claim that the suit must be dismissed because it does not include the counties. Brobson found that because the petitioners are not seeking a remedy from the counties, they need not be named as respondents. Further, he wrote, the counties should be prepared in the event the voting machines they choose are decertified because the secretary of state has the power to do that at any time. [October 18, 2021] Ethernity Networks Receives Breakthrough $3m Order for FPGA-based 1G/10G PON OLT SoCs LOD, Israel, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ethernity Networks (AIM: ENET.L), a leading supplier of data processing offload solutions on programmable FPGA (field programmable gate array) for accelerating telco/cloud networks, is pleased to announce that it has signed a $3m contract with a Chinese broadband network OEM. Under the contract, Ethernity will supply its ENET 4820 and ENET 5200 FPGA System-on-Chip (SoC) devices with support for four Gigabit Passive Optical Networking (GPON) Optical Line Termination (OLT) ports and four 10Gbps XGS-PON OLT MAC ports, respectively, or for different combinations thereof. The SoCs will enable the two types of PON for use in the OEM's 5G fronthaul products, as well as other fiber access deployments. The total initial committed order, valued at approximately $3,000,000 from a mix of the FPGA SoCs, accrues from 2022 into 2023 with additional orders anticipated thereafter. Ethernity's ENET 5200 10G XGS-PON OLT SoC focuses on resolving major infrastructure issues related to the deployment of 5G cell towers, as detailed in a recent article in Lightwave Magazine by Ethernity's David Levi. The OEM will base its XGS-PON and GPON offerings on a unique architecture that utilizes a low-cost enterprise switch, as well as Ethernity's FPGA SoC with advanced traffic management, and the OLT PON MACs. David Levi, CEO, Ethernity Networks said: "This is Ethernity's largest single contract since the company's IPO in 2017 and builds on the multiple new contract wins and orders over the last six months. We are immensely pleased to have converted our PON technology into a deployable product via this significant entry into the Chinese marketplace, and plan to extend this offering to other worldwide markets. The addition of PON to our global implementations is a validation of our statement that Ethernity's products cover network processing 'from the tower to the 5G core.'" About Ethernity Networks Ethernity Networks (AIM: ENET.L) provides innovative, comprehensive networking and security solutions on programmable hardware for accelerating telco/cloud networks. Ethernity's FPGA logic offers complete Carrier Ethernet Switch/Router data plane processing and control software with a rich set of networking features, robust security, and a wide range of virtual function accelerations to optimize telecommunications networks. Ethernity's complete solutions quickly adapt to customers' changing needs, improving time-to-market and facilitating deployment of 5G, edge computing, and NFV. Media and Analyst contact: Kevin Tanzillo Email: [email protected] Tel: +1-903-865-1078 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ethernity-networks-receives-breakthrough-3m-order-for-fpga-based-1g10g-pon-olt-socs-301402151.html SOURCE Ethernity Networks [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\broadband-stimulus's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] DigitalBridge and Columbia Capital to Acquire Select Singapore Assets and Hong Kong Operations from Superloop DigitalBridge Group, Inc. (NYSE: DBRG) and Columbia Capital today announced that DigitalBridge Investment Management ("DigitalBridge"), the investment management arm of DigitalBridge Group, Inc., and funds affiliated with Columbia Capital, have agreed to acquire certain select assets from Superloop (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. and Superloop (Hong Kong) Limited for A$140 million. Under the terms of the agreement, DigitalBridge and Columbia Capital will become strategic partners of Superloop. "We are excited to announce our first fiber investment in the Asia Pacific region," said Justin Chang, Managing Director and Head of Asia at DigitalBridge. "Additionally, it is a terrific opportunity to partner with two leading industry players, investing alongside the experienced team at Columbia Capital and entering a long-term strategic partnership with Superloop to capitalize on the significant growth in network demand we see ahead." John Siegel, Partner at Columbia Capital, said, "Increasing regional demand from businesses and consumers for end-to-end connectivity is creating meaningful opportunities for long-term growth. We look forward to partnering with DigitalBridge, who bring more than 25 years of experience in digital infrastructure, on the acquisition of these high-quality assets, and to continue carrying traffic and providing connectivity services in the Singapore and Hong Kong markets." The transaction is expected to close in early 2022, subject to customary closing conditions. About DigitalBridge DigitalBridge (NYSE: DBRG) is a leading global digital infrastructure REIT. With a heritage of over 25 years investing in and operating businesses across the digital ecosystem including cell towers, data centers, fiber, small cells, and edge infrastructure, the DigitalBridge team manages a $35 billion portfolio of digital infrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and sharehlders. Headquartered in Boca Raton, DigitalBridge has key offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, and Singapore. About Columbia Capital Columbia Capital is a leading venture capital firm, focused on partnering with top operators to build companies in the digital infrastructure, enterprise IT, and mobility sectors. Since its inception in 1989, Columbia Capital has invested in over 175 companies across its sectors of focus. To date, Columbia Capital has raised approximately $5 billion of fund commitments. Columbia Capital is headquartered in Alexandria, VA. About Superloop Superloop is a leading Asia Pacific independent provider of connectivity services. The company owns and operates its carrier-grade metropolitan fiber networks in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong, connecting the region's key data centers and bandwidth-intensive buildings. In addition to its own fiber network, Superloop is connected to all NBN Points of Interconnect across Australia and operates its own nationwide fixed wireless network that collectively deliver high performance, connectivity solutions to businesses and homes underpinning the region's digital economy. 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, whether DigitalBridge and Columbia Capital will complete the acquisition of Superloop within the timeframe anticipated or at all, whether the parties will realize any of the anticipated benefits from the acquisition and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in the 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 other reports filed by DigitalBridge Group, Inc. (the "Company") 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/20211018005294/en/ [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\LTE's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Australia Cards and Payments Market Opportunities and Risks Report 2021-2025 - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "Australia Cards and Payments - Opportunities and Risks to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. 'Australia Cards and Payments - Opportunities and Risks to 2025' report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Australian cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cash, cards, credit transfers, cheques, and direct debits during the review-period (2017-21e). The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2021e-25f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including market shares of issuers and schemes. The report brings together the publisher's research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers detailed regulatory policies and recent changes in regulatory structure. This report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Australian cards and payments industry, including: Current and forecast values for each market in the Australian cards and payments industry, including debit, credit, and charge cards. Detailed insights into payment instruments including cash, cards, credit transfers, cheques, and direct debits. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments. Ecommerce market analysis. Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Australian cards an payments industry. Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, credit, and charge cards. Scope The proliferation of digital-only banks is likely to stir competition in the Australian banking sector and boost electronic payments. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank rolled out pureplay digital bank Up in October 2018 as part of its strategy to attract millennials. Australian neobank Volt Bank received a restricted authorized deposit-taking institution license from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) in May 2018, then secured a full banking license in January 2019. Judo Bank - an SME-focused digital bank - was launched in May 2019. Neobank 86 400 secured a full banking license from APRA in July 2019. In April 2021, Virgin Money Australia launched its digital bank in Australia, offering transaction and saving accounts along with Visa debit cards. In August 2021, digital-only bank Alex launched its operations in the country. The bank currently offers personal loans and plans to launch savings accounts in the future. Payment card growth has been fueled by increasing use of contactless cards. In December 2020, CBA collaborated with Queensland's government to enable contactless payments on the Gold Coast Light Rail network. Commuters can make payments by tapping contactless debit and credit cards, supported mobile wallets, and wearables against contactless readers. Buy now pay later is gaining popularity in Australia. This is mostly due to a shift in consumer preference from credit cards to buy now pay later, particularly among Generation Z consumers. While the market is dominated by established third-party providers such as Afterpay, Zip, and Openpay, new players are also entering the market. In January 2020, Sweden-based buy now pay later service provider Klarna launched in Australia in partnership with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). In July 2021, PayPal (News - Alert) launched its Pay in 4 buy now pay later service in Australia. In August 2021, CBA launched a buy now pay later service called StepPay, which allows users to make purchases in four interest-free installments. Meanwhile, in August 2021, US-based payment services provider Square entered into an agreement with Afterpay to acquire all issued shares of the latter company. The acquisition is subject to approval and is expected to complete in Q1 2022. Key Topics Covered: Market Overview Payment Instruments Card Based Payments Merchant Acquiring Ecommerce Payments Buy Now Pay Later Mobile Proximity Payments P2P Payments Bill Payments Alternative Payments Job Analysis Payment Innovations Payment Infrastructure and Regulation Appendix Companies Mentioned CBA Westpac ANZ NAB Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Credit unions and building societies Suncorp (News - Alert) Heritage Bank Bank of Queensland Citibank HSBC Visa Mastercard American Express (News - Alert) eftpos Diners Club For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/otgser View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005840/en/ [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com/wimax's Homepage ] 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. The Furnace, Oct. 9. Jake Howell stands before a crowd of dozens of Missoula music fans, singing a song he wrote, Saturdays when I forget Behind him is the band, four men he trusts with his life. Their first studio album, self-titled Cosmic Sans, has just dropped, and they are celebra International India, Israel agree to resume negotiations on FTA from next month JERUSALEM, OCT 18 (PTI) | Publish Date: 10/18/2021 11:54:39 AM IST India and Israel on Monday agreed to resume negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) from next month as the two sides are confident to conclude the long pending deal by June next year. It will be concluded by June of next year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced after he met Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. Israel has also joined the International Solar Alliance, a global initiative that India has spearheaded, with Jaishankar and Israels Energy Minister Karine Elharrar signing on the agreement. In order to ease travel between the two countries amidst the COVID pandemic, India and Israel have also agreed to mutually recognise vaccination certificates. Jaishankar, who arrived here on Sunday on his maiden visit to the country, would also call on President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. He will also be holding talks with leading academics from all over Israel, business community leaders and interacting with the Indian Jewish community. Jaishankar will also be visiting places of historical significance to India, demonstrating its long-term presence in the region and constructive role played in shaping the history of the region. India and Israel elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership during the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017. Since then, the relationship between the two countries has focused on expanding knowledge-based partnership, which includes collaboration in innovation and research, including boosting the Make in India initiative, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement ahead of his departure. International S.Korean, US, Japanese intel chiefs to discuss Pyongyang SEOUL, OCT 18 (IANS) | Publish Date: 10/18/2021 11:55:54 AM IST The intelligence chiefs of South Korea, the US and Japan will meet in Seoul on Monday behind closed doors for talks on North Korea and other pending issues, according to a source. Park Jie-won, the head of South Koreas National Intelligence Service (NIS), will meet Avril Haines, the US director of national intelligence, and Hiroaki Takizawa, Japans Cabinet intelligence director, Yonhap News Agency quoted the source as saying. The three will meet for the first time since May in Tokyo and are expected to share the assessments of the security situations on the Korean Peninsula, following Pyongyangs recent series of missile launches. Pyongyang has remained unresponsive to Washingtons overtures for dialogue, with denuclearization talks having stalled since the no-deal summit between then US President Donald Trump and the Norths leader Kim Jong-un in 2019. The top spy agency officials may also touch on South Korean President Moon Jae-ins recent proposal to declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War as Seoul ramps up diplomacy to revitalize its drive for lasting peace on the peninsula. The chief nuclear envoys of the three regional powers are scheduled to meet in Washington on Tuesday. Takizawas visit to Seoul is his first since Japans new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took office earlier this month, and the discussions could possibly signal Tokyos new policy direction on North Korea. The talks could also consider ways to strengthen trilateral intelligence sharing, as the leaders of the two East Asian countries attempt to patch up rocky relations over historic disputes stemming from Japans colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910-45. Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-17 22:50:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A health worker prepares a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination site in Yangon, Myanmar, Oct. 17, 2021. The number of COVID-19 infections in Myanmar has increased to 487,853 on Sunday after 1,002 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, according to a release from the Ministry of Health. (Xinhua/U Aung) YANGON, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 infections in Myanmar has increased to 487,853 on Sunday after 1,002 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, according to a release from the Ministry of Health. The release said 30 new deaths were recorded, bringing the death toll to 18,359 in the country as of Sunday. According to the ministry's figures, a total of 440,259 patients have been discharged from hospitals and over 4.62 million samples have been tested for COVID-19 so far. Over 4.5 million people have been fully vaccinated nationwide, while over 6.64 million people have received the first jabs of COVID-19 vaccines as of Saturday, the release said. Myanmar detected its first two COVID-19 cases on March 23 last year. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-17 22:55:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China will hold this year's national mass entrepreneurship and innovation week from Oct. 19 to 25 to galvanize broader business development, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has said. Themed "high-quality innovation, high-level entrepreneurship and employment," the annual event will see various activities kick off across the country, both online and offline, to display achievements in mass entrepreneurship and innovation, the NDRC said. A total of 144 typical projects selected across the country will be showcased at the main venue of the event in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, according to the NDRC. Meanwhile, investment summits, reform and innovation seminars as well as livestreaming events will be held in Zhengzhou simultaneously to motivate the public and promote mass entrepreneurship and innovation. The mass entrepreneurship and innovation policy, introduced in 2014, has been an effective driver for economic growth and the consistent transition between traditional and new growth engines. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 00:09:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Nov. 2, 2020 shows the third-generation hybrid rice at an experimental demonstration field in Hengnan County, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo) CHANGSHA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The third-generation hybrid rice developed by Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice," and his team achieved a new record of yield in rice fields in central China's Hunan Province. The new record of the hybrid rice planted in Qingzhu Village, Hengyang City, one of the hybrid rice's experimental fields, reached 1,603.9 kg per mu (about 667 square meters). Hunan is one of the major rice producers in China, where farmers plant double-cropping rice. Among the output of the hybrid rice, the yield of early rice came to 667.8 kg per mu in the test fields, and that of late-season rice stood at 936.1 kg per mu. Last year, the same hybrid rice variety made a double-cropping yield of 1,530.76 kg per mu in a year on the same plot. "Surpassing a yield of 1,500 kg per mu in a year on the same plot means that the target set by Professor Yuan Longping has been realized," said Li Jianwu, a researcher at Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center. The high yield under unfavorable conditions of the earlier continuous high temperature has shown that the variety has strong adaptability and has laid a good foundation for future promotion, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 05:01:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A waiter is busy at the terrace of a restaurant on its first reopening day in Paris, France, May 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) "For the first time in two decades, extreme poverty is on the rise. Last year, around 120 million people fell into poverty as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on economies and societies," Guterres said. UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday called for transformative, inclusive, and sustainable recovery from COVID-19 to end poverty and create a world of justice, dignity and opportunity for all. "Poverty is a moral indictment of our times. For the first time in two decades, extreme poverty is on the rise. Last year, around 120 million people fell into poverty as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on economies and societies," he said in a message for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which falls on Oct. 17. "A lopsided recovery is further deepening inequalities between the Global North and South. Solidarity is missing in action -- just when we need it most," he said. Vaccine inequality is allowing variants to develop and run wild, condemning the world to millions more deaths, and prolonging an economic slowdown that could cost trillions of dollars. There is a need to end this outrage, tackle debt distress and ensure recovery investment in countries with the greatest need, he said. The world needs a three-pronged approach to global recovery, said Guterres. First, the recovery must be transformative instead of going back to the endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities that perpetuated poverty even before the pandemic. "We need stronger political will and partnerships to achieve universal social protection by 2030 and invest in job re-skilling for the growing green economy. And we must invest in quality jobs in the care economy, which will promote greater equality and ensure everyone receives the dignified care they deserve," he said. Second, the recovery must be inclusive, because an uneven recovery is leaving much of humanity behind, increasing the vulnerability of already marginalized groups, and pushing the Sustainable Development Goals ever further out of reach, Guterres said. Third, the recovery must be sustainable to build a resilient, decarbonized and net-zero world, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 05:17:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton was released Sunday from a Southern California hospital where he had been treated multiple days for a non-coronavirus-related infection. "President Clinton was discharged from UC Irvine Medical Center today. His fever and white blood cell count are normalized, and he will return home to New York to finish his course of antibiotics," said Dr. Alpesh N. Amin, chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, who had been overseeing the team of doctors treating Clinton, in a statement shared by the former president's spokesperson Angel Urena on Twitter. "On behalf of everyone at UC Irvine Medical Center, we were honored to have treated him and will continue to monitor his progress," Amin added. Clinton, 75, was admitted Tuesday evening to the University of California Irvine Medical Center in Orange County for a urological infection that spread to his bloodstream, according to his aide. The former U.S. president was in Southern California for a private reception and dinner for the nonprofit Clinton Foundation. After meeting with friends in Orange County on Tuesday, he reported feeling fatigued, an aide to the former U.S. president was quoted as saying by The Los Angeles Times. Clinton is flying to New York with his wife, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and his daughter, Chelsea, reported the newspaper. Clinton, a member of the Democratic Party, served as the 42nd U.S. president from 1993 to 2001. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 13:18:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A worker welds building materials at the construction site of a "road-to-rail" project in Qian'an Ctiy, north China's Hebei Province, Sept. 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Mu Yu) In the case of LinkedIn, the Western press was attempting to convince global investors that China is a hostile environment for overseas companies. What these media outlets fail to realize is that China did not become the world's second largest economy by turning away foreign business. by Xinhua writer Ma Qian BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Western media purportedly claim to be unbiased and fact-oriented. But when it comes to China, the impulse to toss aside journalistic ethics and manipulate the truth is now boringly obvious. For the past several months, a number of mainstream media outlets in the West have kept their smearing machines humming. They either choose to echo fallacies about China's human rights record by unknowing politicians or simply make up stories, such as the bizarre "Wuhan lab leak" theory. The topic du jour this time around is LinkedIn. Earlier last week, the BBC, The New York Times and the Financial Times, garbled a decision by LinkedIn and hyped up the social networking platform's "China demise" by giving the wrong impression that the company decided to quit the Chinese market. The news outlets were soon left with egg on their face. LinkedIn denied such claims on its official Weibo account and called the reports "untrue." Later, LinkedIn's senior vice president Mohak Shroff posted online that "We will continue to work with Chinese businesses to help create economic opportunity." The LinkedIn incident is yet more evidence that Western media, with their dominant global sway, seize any opportunity to demonize China and mislead public opinion about Beijing. In the case of LinkedIn, the Western press was attempting to convince global investors that China is a hostile environment for overseas companies. What these media outlets fail to realize is that China did not become the world's second largest economy by turning away foreign business. Tourists admire the skyline view of Lujiazui area at the Bund in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) Much to the disappointment of these news media, the vicious disinformation campaign attempting to drive a wedge between foreign investment and China has come up short. In fact, a majority of Western enterprises remain confident in the Chinese economy and its increasingly open market. In an annual China Business Report released in September by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, 77.9 percent of the 338 surveyed U.S. companies were "optimistic" or "slightly optimistic" of the five-year business outlook in China, close to the 80 percent figure from 2015 to 2018. More than 82 percent of the respondents anticipated higher revenues in 2021 than in 2020, with the most confident industries being pharmaceuticals, medical devices and life sciences, auto-motive, non-consumer electronics and industrial manufacturers. The tide appears to be turning against all this negative coverage. More people around the world, and some Western journalists themselves, are beginning to feel indignant and disgusted by this customary negative portrayal of China. Javier Garcia, head of the office of the EFE News Agency of Spain in Beijing, said recently that he would soon leave journalism, as the flagrant information manipulation about China by Western media "has taken a good dose of my enthusiasm for this profession." In today's world, countries are growing increasingly interconnected and interdependent. And in the face of such formidable global challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, all countries need to come together as one community if they want to weather these crises. A doctor reads a thermometer at a quarantine site in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, Aug. 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Li An) Yet as Western media continue to produce and peddle lies, they damage much-needed trust and solidarity among the nations of the world, while stimulating hate, mayhem and hostility. Plenty of op-ed pieces and commentaries about China are written by folks who have never stepped foot inside the country. Yet such uninformed views of China have an outsized influence on the news-consuming public. The BBC and The New York Times once enjoyed a stellar reputation, but overly biased and misleading coverage of China has seriously eroded their credibility. Western news outfits should quit paying lip service to the journalistic principles of impartiality and "only the facts" and start reporting the truth about China. Their readers deserve better. Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 15:37:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close "Angel Island: Oratorio for Voices and String Quartet" by Huang Ruo is performed at Bard College, New York, the United States, on Oct. 12, 2021. (Photo by Karl Rabe/Xinhua) NEW YORK, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The local U.S.-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music staged its annual music festival in the form of a multimedia concert, opera and panel discussion from Oct. 12 to 17, the institute said on Sunday. Themed "Asian American Voices," the fourth China Now Music Festival highlights Asian American musicians' works and their stories amid the pandemic. The festival kicked off with an in-person concert featuring composer Huang Ruo's work "Angel Island: Oratorio for Voices and String Quartet," which is set to poetry inscribed on the walls of the Angel Island immigration center in San Francisco by detained immigrants during the early 20th century. "An American Soldier," an opera by Huang Ruo, tells the real story behind the death of U.S. Army Private Danny Chen, who was born and raised in New York's Chinatown and died in Afghanistan in 2011 from relentless hazing and racial maltreatment. Chen's family members were invited to attend the festival at Bard College. The festival also includes Peng-Peng Gong's "A Chinese in New York," a raw description of the experience of a Chinese student confronting cultural differences in the United States. An online panel discussion was held on Oct. 14 and panelists shared their experience as Asian American artists and reflect on how the global pandemic and the recent rise in anti-Asian discrimination have influenced their creation and their views on the role of the artist in society. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 19:29:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- How is democracy defined? What makes a system democratic or not? Is China's political system democratic? President Xi Jinping addressed these questions at a central conference on people's congresses earlier this month. His answers offer insight into how democracy works in the country. In a democratic political system, people should administer national, social, economic, and cultural affairs in accordance with the law, various sectors of society should participate effectively in national political affairs, and state decision-making should be rational and democratic, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, noted. "Democracy is not an ornament to be used for decoration; it is to be used to solve the problems that the people want to solve," he stressed. China's application of democratic principles follows an approach Xi has termed "whole-process people's democracy." The concept was put forward about two years ago, during a visit by Xi to a civic center in Shanghai. Earlier the same year, Xi had visited residents of a traditional "hutong" courtyard community in central Beijing and joined them for a "courtyard meeting hall" session. The "courtyard meeting hall" provides a platform for residents to discuss and debate public affairs. Residents' discussions that time focused on the renovation and preservation of the traditional architecture and heritage. "When the residents enjoy the right to discuss and decide their affairs, they will have a stronger sense of belonging and being masters, and community governance and service will be more accurate and meticulous," Xi noted after talking with the hutong residents. Whether a country is a democracy or not depends on whether its people are really the masters of the country, Xi said at the October conference. If the people are awakened only for voting but enter a dormant period soon after, if they are given a song and dance during campaigning but have no say after the election, or if they are favored during canvassing but are left out in the cold after the election, such a democracy is not a true democracy, he added. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 19:33:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Japan should be prudent about its words and actions on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine and make a clean break with militarism, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Monday. Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily news briefing in response to a question on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sending a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II and is deemed by neighboring countries to be a symbol of Japan's past militarism. Zhao said Japan's recent move on the Yasukuni Shrine issue once again reflects its wrong attitude towards its history of aggression, and China has lodged solemn representations through the diplomatic channel. Japan should earnestly abide by its statements and promises of facing up to and reflecting upon its history of aggression, be cautious in its words and deeds on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, make a clean break with militarism, and take concrete actions to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community, he said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 09:38:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LAGOS, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Eleven people were killed and 15 others injured in a road accident in central Nigeria's Kwara state on Sunday afternoon. The accident occurred on a busy road near the Onipako village of the Kwara state "as a result of wrongful overtaking," said Jonathan Owoade, sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Kwara, at a press briefing. Owoade told reporters that the rescue team has taken the injured to a local hospital for treatment. Deadly road accidents caused by overloading, bad road conditions and reckless driving are often reported in Nigeria. The commander cautioned motorists against speeding and wrongful overtaking as "life has no duplicate." Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 19:11:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KAMPALA, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Uganda and China on Monday marked the 59th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Chinese embassy here in a tweet said the bilateral relations are growing stronger. "Over the past 59 years, China-Uganda relations have been growing from strength to strength and are now at our best in history with promising future," the embassy said. China established diplomatic ties with Uganda on Oct. 18, 1962 just after Uganda had gained independence from British colonial rule on Oct. 9, 1962. Jeje Odongo, Uganda's Minister of Foreign Affairs on Sept. 28 described the relation between the two countries as historical. "Our commitment will continue to be anchored on solidarity, mutual cooperation, prosperity and quest for peace and stability," Odongo said on commemoration of 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. China through various concessional loans has supported Uganda build key infrastructure projects like hydropower plants, roads and hospitals, among others. Both countries in 2019 agreed to lift their relations to a comprehensive cooperative partnership. The two countries work jointly to implement the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the outcome of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit held in September 2018. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 20:36:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LAGOS, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 30 people have been killed by gunmen who attacked Sunday night a town in northwest Nigeria's Sokoto state, local authorities said on Monday. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 22:18:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KAMPALA, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan immigration department on Monday said they have rescued six Eritreans who were being trafficked to the east African country. Agnes Igoye, deputy National Coordinator of Prevention of Trafficking in Persons at the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, said the victims were rescued in the eastern Ugandan district of Jinja while en route to the capital Kampala from neighboring Kenya. "We have six victims, five male, and one female in total, and they don't speak English. We had to get an interpreter for them. They have no travel documents," Igoye told local media here. "Everybody in the chain is going to be arrested. Be very careful who you give a lift from the border," she added. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 22:51:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BUCHAREST, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Romania's Prime Minister-designate Dacian Ciolos announced on Monday that he had presented to Parliament his government's program along with the list of his minority cabinet. Ciolos, 52, who was appointed prime minister by President Klaus Iohannis last week, said at a press conference here that his government "will focus on the obvious current priorities. We need solutions and immediate measures for the health crisis ... and at the same time to prepare for the energy crisis, which could strongly hurt people this winter." Ciolos, who leads the center-right Save Romania Union (USR), stressed that "We are prepared to take responsibility for those difficult measures." "I hope the hearings and the vote (in Parliament) can be organized as soon as possible, right this week ... We are ready to take the plunge, to get to work as soon as possible, if this government gets Parliament's go-ahead." Parliament will give a vote of confidence to the new government in a few days. The proposed new cabinet would be made up entirely of members of the USR, which has just 80 seats in the 465-member Parliament. Ciolos lacks the support of the two other major parties (the National Liberal Party, PNL, and the Social Democratic Party, PSD) and the other smaller opposition groups there. Local analysts believe that the likelihood of Ciolos receiving the support of the required more than 50 percent of the vote in Parliament is very low. Marcel Ciolacu, leader of the PSD, the largest party in Parliament, called the program proposed by Ciolos a draft with "zero chances." Romania's coalition government led by PNL President Florin Citu collapsed on Oct. 5 in a censure motion initiated by the PSD one month after the USR announced its withdrawal from the cabinet. Enditem As Chicagos Mayor, I cannot and will not stand idly by while the rhetoric of conspiracy theorists threatens the health and safety of Chicagos residents and first responders. President Catanzara has time and again deliberately misled our police officers by lying about the requirements of the policy and falsely claiming that there will be no repercussions if officers are insubordinate and refuse to follow a City and Department directive or order, she said in a statement Friday. City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said that while the pending approvals will determine how the city ultimately proceeds, he expects the guidelines for the Moderna booster will be the same as those for the already approved Pfizer shot and that a broader swath of people will be eligible for the Johnson & Johnson booster. Hes taken over the town, Winkler recalled. There are no sound stages. There are drafty warehouses that he has built these incredible environments in. There are no stand-ins, so you do your standing in for about three hours until the shot is ready. Attendance rates were somewhat higher for kids living in shelters who signed up for in-person classes increasing from a low of 76% in January to a high of 84% in May as city officials welcomed more students back to face-to-face classes. Advocates noted that access to in-person instruction appears to have had a greater impact on the attendance of students in shelters than on that of their peers in permanent housing though disparities remained vast. Meanwhile, attorney Benjamin Dictor confirmed to the Daily News that he took Trumps testimony at Trump Tower on Fifth Ave for four hours starting at 10 a.m., questioning him about the circumstances surrounding a security crackdown on Mexican protesters on Sept. 3, 2015. The protesters, who had rallied outside Trump Tower in response to Trumps notorious comment during the campaign that Mexican immigrants were criminals and rapists, say their free speech rights were violated by Trump Tower security. We came from a big family, Daniel said. It was always a happy family reunion. My Auntie Ning was always going to be a nurse. She worked tirelessly to take care of her patients. I was just in disbelief. I mean, this doesnt happen to our family. It happens to other people. The Civilian Complaint Review Board called Monday for the NYPD to impose the highest form of discipline available known as charges and specifications against 37 officers for misconduct during the protests that swept the city after Floyd was killed by Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020. If found guilty after an administrative trial, those officers can face loss of vacation days, suspension or termination. The CCRB recommended another 28 officers face discipline through additional training or loss of vacation days. The Boyz n the Hood actor faces six misdemeanor counts of forcible touching and sexual abuse stemming from three women. The first two encounters allegedly occurred at Manhattan bars in 2018 and 2019. In one instance, prosecutors say he groped a womans breast. In the other, they say he pinched a womans buttocks. Details of the third alleged encounter are not known. Joshua-Dixon Taylor was riding his 2021 Talon motorcycle south on Ralph Ave. in East Flatbush when he was struck from behind by a 2012 Infiniti near Clarendon Road about 5:05 p.m. on Sunday, cops said. Dep. Insp. Michael King, who has run the Special Victims Division since August 2020, says he is determined to right the wrongs in a unit that has been under fire since the city Department of Investigation ripped the unit in 2018 as understaffed and dismissive of victims attacked by acquaintances. The audit also said some SVD detectives discouraged rape victims from cooperating and moved to close cases without full investigations. He walks very slow, in a daze, neighbor Brian Thomas, 55, a former NYPD officer, told the Daily News after Cowies death. Ive seen him slip up a few times, you know. ... He never hits the ground but youd see him falling and catching himself three or four times as he walked around. They [police] was after this guy, and they told him to freeze or some s--t and he ran. He ran right into the corner right here to that spot, said German Diaz, who was visiting his girlfriend, gesturing to a playground surrounded by crime scene tape. Then another cop car come from here to the other side they pull out and you hear bam bam bam. Two minutes after the first 911 call came in, the first officer arrived at the scene. A minute later, he reported that he had been stabbed in the neck. After Verdecia vanished, her mother used social media to try to track her last movements, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. A friend told her that hed seen Verdecia with a grimy man at a sandwich shop who identified himself as Pierson. The three men avoided arrest for more than two months and were charged only after Bryans cell phone video of the incident emerged on social media, sparking widespread outrage and accusations of racism. The shocking video, described by many as an example of modern-day lynching, went viral shortly before the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, leading to a historic movement against racial discrimination across the country and overseas. Its almost like catfishing from the beach, Cochran recalled to WSOC. Its kind of like what it is. You sit and wait after you take your bait out, and all of a sudden that reel started screaming. It was like being hooked to a car. This mug shot provided by the Tuscaloosa Police Department shows James Deanthony Reed. Police in Alabama say an 18-year-old has been arrested in the drive-by shooting that killed a 13-year-old boy who was playing with his iPad in his bedroom. (AP) They have grossly underestimated the dangers of too much water, too much rain, Voice of Gowanus member Penn Rhodeen said of city officials. The city has systematically done this kind of fraudulent use of irrelevant, outmoded, inaccurate, beside-the-point statistics about the amount of rain to be expected. I lost my mom seven years ago and I feel her loss every single day, but I feel her strength. And somehow I think mom, you had something to do with all this, but my mom on Earth is Hazel Dukes, she said at the time. She has befriended me, she has stood with me through thick and thin; shes my spiritual adviser, shes my mom adviser. We were not allowed to fail, Powell recalled in a 2006 interview. Didnt mean you had to be a general or a doctor or a lawyer. In fact, that was the furthest thing from my mind when I was a kid in New York City. But you had to stay in school, and you had to do well, and you had to meet our expectations: We didnt come to this country for the next generation to blow it. The Texas senator took the liberty of speaking out against Australian vaccine mandates last week, tossing in his two cents about its current government. On Sunday night, Cruzs words came back to wallop him, thanks to the chief minister of that countrys northern territory. Both seats are safely Democratic and the planned retirements will not, by themselves, rejigger the partisan arithmetic, even with both states planning redistricting that could change some district lines. If the Councils point is to offer a strong statement against Jeffersons participation in that immoral institution, the banishment of Jefferson from the building seems an inadequate catharsis. At the time of the completion of City Hall in 1812, slavery was legal in New York, and it remained so for a decade thereafter. Much of the original infrastructure of Lower Manhattan was built with slave labor, perhaps even City Hall itself. There was a slave market a few blocks to the south on Wall St. and a slave burial ground just to the north. The Governors Room, a small museum located just outside the Council chamber on the second floor, is full of questionable historic items, including a portrait of George Washington and his desk from Federal Hall. Even more troubling, Andrew Jackson once stayed in this room! RIP Betty Lynn, he wrote on Twitter. She played Thelma Lou on TAGS & brightened every scene she was in & every shooting day she was on set. I saw her last a few years ago where she still lit up the room with her positivity. It was great to have known and worked with her. She truly was 95 years young. In a non-Marvel update, the fifth Indiana Jones movie which again stars Harrison Ford as the titular adventurer will now debut on June 30, 2023. It had been scheduled to come out next July. At the beginning of the pandemic last year, I got locked down in Melbourne with one of my best mates and we fell in love, Snook told the magazine. Weve been friends since 2014, lived together, travelled together, always excited to see each other, but totally platonic. Weve just never been single at the same time. If that happens, we could lose genetic purity. This agency has the responsibility to protect that. Im very concerned when we have to use terms like chain of custody. That ought to tell us something. I dont want to be the board that lets that happen, he said. Once that bell has been rung ... ...How do we really project a healthy-for-you profile when you enter our stores? she said to CNBC. Tobacco is one of those areas thats under real scrutiny right now. Lopez said during the meeting, Uhrig told the victim and her father to write a letter to the state attorney that the rape didnt happen, avoid being served with a subpoena to testify in court and to lie during the deposition. Nunnally had pleaded guilty on April 29, 2021 to charges stemming from several videos made between 2018 and 2020 that depicted a minor child engaging in sexually explicit actions including some with Nunnally shown sexually abusing the child victim, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Middle District of Florida. In September last year, Miami Police detained him on suspicion of having cocaine with intent to sell or distribute near a school, a charge that wasnt pursued by prosecutors. In February 2020, Miami-Dade County Police held him on burglary and trespassing charges. In 2018, he was held on charges of stealing a car and resisting an officer without violence, the records show. The same year, Coral Gables police arrested him on a burglary charge, but prosecutors dismissed that case. In 2016, Miami-Dade Schools Police accused him of burglary and criminal mischief. In 2015, he was charged with resisting an officer without violence. Severin Beckwith was hiking the Appalachian Trail with his girlfriend, Anna Brettmann, in western North Carolina, the New Yorker reported. The couple was napping in a Lodge at Fontana Village Resort when U.S. Marshal officers came knocking at the door. Beckwith answered and saw the officers holding shields and pointing handguns at his face, the New Yorker reported. The second shooting happened early Sunday in West Palm Beach. Police said they responded to a call of an armed man smoking crack cocaine and found Allan Lorenzo Robb, 33. They say he was wanted for grand theft auto. He had been released from prison Sept. 17 after serving time for robbery. The head argues that all those people amassing on the U.S.-Mexico border, or living in camps across the English Channel, or trying to get into Turkey from Syria should be sent home. The heart argues that people anywhere denied a reasonable life in the place in which they were born are entitled to find what they seek: freedom from want. It argues, too, that immigrants have made us wealthy down through the centuries. In this undated image released by the Australian Space Agency, an imagined scene on the moon is depicted. Australia has agreed to build a 20-kilogram (44-pound) semi-autonomous lunar rover for NASA to take to the moon as early as 2026 in search of oxygen, the Australian government said on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. (Australian Space Agency via AP) (AP) Cairo, Egypt (PANA) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Vice President Alain Pilloux is on a four-day visit to Egypt since Sunday for for high-level meetings with government officials to discuss the upcoming country strategy, meet the business community and sign projects If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here NEWSALERT-VIRUS-US-PFIZER Pfizer says FDA opens up COVID-19 booster shots to all US adults; final hurdle expected Friday. (AP)Pfizer says FDA opens up COVID-19 booster shots to all US adults; final hurdle expected Friday. (AP) Prosecutors seek harsher sentence for man convicted of theatre construction embezzlement RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 16:59 18/10/2021 ST. PETERSBURG, October 18 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) Prosecutors seek to impose a stricter punishment on Maxim Korneyev, who has received suspended sentence for the embezzlement of funds allocated as part of the Federal Target Program Culture of Russia for a new building design of the Maly Drama Theatre, RAPSI has learnt from the St. Petersburg Prosecutors Office. A case against Maxim Korneyev, co-owner of several construction companies, and Vyacheslav Karasev, a former deputy director of economics and finances of a regional structure of the Culture Ministry, was considered by the Smolninsky District Court in St. Petersburg. Korneyev has been given a suspended term and Karasev has received a fine. Prosecutors have challenged the ruling. According to the prosecutors office, the court has failed to properly assess the gravity of crimes committed by the defendant. Korneyev has caused damage worth 242 million rubles ($3.4 million) to the state while the convict has compensated only 2.5 million rubles, prosecutors claim. According to case papers, in 2015, the Culture Ministry transferred the funds for the theatre building to a contractor. Korneyev purchased the shares of the company and took control over it. Then, the budget funds in the amount of 45.5 million rubles were transferred to the account of one of the defendants construction companies. The court also found that Korneyevs Stroyuz SV company received 196 million rubles for supplies of the equipment to the Moscow Art Theatres building in St. Petersburg. However, the contract was not executed. Ex-Inter RAO board member to serve sentence for espionage in Altai TASS, Mikhail Pochuyev 17:07 18/10/2021 MOSCOW, October 18 (RAPSI) A former board member of Inter RAO energy holding Karina Tsurkan convicted of espionage has been transferred to a penal colony in the Altai Krai, her attorney Anna Stavitskaya has told RAPSI. In December 2020, the Moscow City Court found Tsurkan guilty of espionage and sentenced her to 15 years in penal colony. The court also forfeited 656 million rubles ($9 million) seized from Tsurkan to the state. This October, the Supreme Court of Russia upheld the sentence. Prosecutors demanded an 18-year jail sentence for Tsurkan. Investigators claimed that in August 2004 Tsurkan became an agent involved in confidential and unofficial cooperation with a Moldovan secret service. In April 2015, while staying in Moscow she received a digital version of a document on project prepared by the Ministry of Energy. The project was allegedly related to the actions of Russian energy companies in the sphere of international cooperation. In September of the same year, she transferred the document to a secret service, according to case papers. The woman denied wrongdoing and claimed that she did not know representatives of foreign secret services and did not see the document in question. Preferential calculation of pretrial detention terms applies only to detained persons RAPSI, Eugeny Varlamov 17:41 18/10/2021 ST. PETERSBURG, October 18 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) The preferential rules for counting the time spent in a pretrial detention centers do not apply to those sentenced to imprisonment in general regime colonies or colony-settlements, if they are transferred to pretrial detention centers in connection with some other criminal case and are not taken into custody. The Russian Constitutional Court indicated in its determination published on its website that such persons just continue to serve their sentences. By its decision, the Constitutional Court dismissed a complaint submitted by Ivan Karpinchik, who tried to challenge the constitutionality of the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code. The contested norms as applied to the Karpinchik case envisage that one day of detention is counted for one and a half days of serving a sentence in a general regime correctional colony and for two days in a colony-settlement. The applicant, who was sentenced to imprisonment, believes that these norms do not comply with the Russian Constitution, since they do not apply preferential rules for calculating the time of detention as to those transferred to a pretrial detention center from a general regime colony or from a colony-settlement in connection with proceedings in another criminal case. The Constitutional Court indicated that the very fact of leaving convicts to imprisonment in a pretrial detention center or their transfer to a pretrial detention center from a correctional colony does not and cannot change the grounds and conditions for the execution of the punishment determined by a court decision that has entered into legal force. Therefore, this period is included in the term of imprisonment served by such convicted persons and does not imply the application of a measure of criminal procedural restraint in the form of detention, what means that the respective norms of the Criminal Code are not applicable to such persons, the Constitutional Court ruled. Legislative proposal to grant status of combat veterans to prosecutors reaches State Duma RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 12:25 18/10/2021 MOSCOW, October 18 (RAPSI) The Cabinet of Ministers has submitted a bill granting the status of a participant in military activities to prosecutors who served in the areas of counter-terrorism operations in the North Caucasus to the lower house of parliament, according to the State Dumas press service. The draft law gives the status of a veteran of military operations to the employees of the prosecutors office who performed their duties during the armed conflict in the Chechen Republic, as well as in the zones of counter-terrorist operations in the North Caucasus, an explanatory note to the initiative reads. According to Chairman of the Board of the Association of Lawyers of Russia (ALR) Vladimir Gruzdev, the activities of prosecutors and investigators of prosecutor's offices in the zones of operations aimed at restoring Constitutional order and the fight against terrorism did not differ from the activities of investigators and interrogators of other law enforcement agencies. Nevertheless, currently only military prosecutors and investigators have the status of a participant in military activities within the system of the prosecutors offices and the Investigative Committee, according to the ALR Chairman. As per the data available to the Prosecutor General's Office and the Investigative Committee, the number of citizens who, if the law is passed, will receive the status of participants in military activities, exceeds 1,300 persons. War veterans receive a number of benefits, including compensation for 50 percent of the cost of housing and communal services. In addition, family members of prosecutors and investigators, who died in action, will be eligible for serious measures of social support, Gruzdev added. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. In a significant development, a senior Shiv Sena leader urged the Supreme Court to order a probe by a sitting judge of the apex court into the affairs of Narcotics Control Bureau and violation of fundamental rights of Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan. Making the plea under Article 32 of the Constitution, Kishore Tiwari, accorded the Minister of State (MoS) status, has urged Chief Justice N.V. Ramana's 'top priority' intervention into the manner in which the 'biased' NCB is hounding film personalities, models and other celebs since the past nearly two years with 'malafide motives'. He said that under Article 32, the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India (CJI) are duty-bound to take cognisance of every matter pertaining to the fundamental rights violation, as guaranteed under Part III of the Constitution, which the NCB is flouting. Referring to the Special NDPS Court (Mumbai) deferring the verdict in the bail plea of Aryan Khan and other accused till October 20 citing public holidays, the plea said this has subjected the accused "to big humiliation and kept in jail in an undemocratic and illegal way" for 17 nights. This is in utter disregard to the fundamental Right to Life and Liberty as enshrined in the Constitution and the question of 'bail is the norm, jail is the exception', which has been upheld and settled by SC many times, as reiterated by former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi. Accusing the NCB and its officials of 'vendetta' by targeting select celebs, Tiwari demanded a probe into the role of the central narcotics agency and the Mumbai Zonal Director (Sameer Wankhede), whose wife is a well-known Marathi filmstar, in direct competition with the other stars and celebs being hounded. Pointing a needle of suspicion at Wankhede, the plea said the officer's wife is trying to make big in Bollywood, and that's why only leading names in the film industry, their families, national-international models, producers-directors are brought under the NCB lens. "Starting with the probe into the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, the probe has been 'totally diverted in an unrelated direction' ... The alleged NCB seizures are 'miniscule jokes' compared to the Mumbai Police achievements, or the DRI which last month seized 3000-kgs drugs from Mundra Port in Gujarat," Tiwari said in the plea. When the law has been settled by the highest court of the country, the NCB and the Special NDPS Court have "failed to give due regards" by depriving Aryan Khan and others bail, which could be done right away, even on public holidays, and thus there is 'total miscarriage of justice'. "With the recent shocking exposure on NCB by Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik, its high time the NCB Mumbai and all-India must be probed by an SC judge to unravel the rackets and the truth...It's a fit case for immediate intervention by the SC," Tiwari demanded, among other things. Contending the NCB's grudge and autocratic style are even more glaring, the Sena leader added that no contraband drugs were recovered from Aryan Khan, there was no medical examination proving consumption, etc., yet he has been shunted into different types of custody since October 3, echoing former Attorney General of India Rohatgi. After the NCB swooped on a luxury cruise ship to bust an alleged rave party on October 2, Aryan Khan, along with 7 others were detained, arrested on October 3 and have remained in NCB and judicial custody since for the past 17 days, with their bail order likely be delivered by Special Judge V.V. Patil on Wednesday (October 20). At least 24 people have died in Kerala due to flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains since Saturday. While the rain subsided by Sunday afternoon, authorities kept up a strict vigil with the threat of landslides. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued yellow alert -possibility of severely bad weather - in 11 districts for Monday. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged the people to take all precautions against the rain. He informed that the government has set up 105 relief camps across the State and arrangements have been made to start more camps. Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has said that in this festive season, his government was buying electricity at a cost up to Rs 22 per unit from outside sources because he did not wish to dampen the spirit of festivals. Yogi Adityanath said that on normal days the same power was purchased at Rs 7 per unit. Uttar Pradesh has been facing power crisis due to coal shortage. The chief minister, for the first time, admitted to the crisis while addressing party workers at a programme initiated by the BJP to reach out to the OBC community ahead of the UP assembly polls. The Chief Minister said, "We will not let the power crisis spoil the festivities in any of the districts. The state government is committed to provide power to the households of the poor and in rural areas to keep up the enthusiasm of the people, irrespective of caste, community, region or religion." He further said, "It is unlike previous governments when power was supplied to just a few districts while others were left out in the dark, literally. The Chief Minister's statement came amid reports that the private players were making money during the coal crisis that was precipitated after water percolated into coal mines because of incessant rains. Yogi Adityanath had asked the power officials to coordinate swiftly with the Centre and the Coal India Limited to mitigate the crisis which was threatening to worsen the situation of the financially ailing UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL). The UPPCL is already running at an accumulated loss of Rs 90,000 crore. Yogi Adityanath also slammed the previous SP government for fuelling riots and violence at the time of festivals. He further flayed the opposition saying that nepotism was the 'biggest hurdle' on the path to development of the society and the nation as a whole. He said the previous government followed the principle of 'sabka saath aur apne pariwar ka vikas'. On the contrary, he said, the ruling BJP sought welfare of all sections of the society, irrespective of caste, community and religion. A day after the state intelligence department issued an alert following the communal unrest in Bangladesh, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Monday instructed the administration and the police to stay alert and not allow the spread of any kind of communal instigation in the state. The state government has sent written instructions to all the Police Commissionerates, Additional CPs, SPs, DIGs and IGPs, IG (IB) of North Bengal, Regional IGs, ADGs, and DGP of Railways, urging them to be vigilant and take immediate action in case of any untoward incident. "There is Fateha-Dawaz-Daham on Tuesday and the district administrations have been asked to keep a strict watch on the sensitive areas. All the bordering districts have been put on high alert. The District Magistrates and SPs have been asked to instruct all the police stations to stay alert. Any kind of spread of provocative or communal messages will be strictly dealt with," a senior official of the state Home Department said. The state government's instructions came after an alert was issued by the state intelligence department on Sunday. In the wake of the incidents of vandalism and arson on Hindu temples and Durga Puja pandals in Noakhali and Chittagong districts in Bangladesh, and considering the immersion of Durga idols followed by Fateha-Dawaz-Daham in West Bengal, the state intelligence department had issued an alert to all the districts, particularly the bordering ones, asking them to sensitise the officers to avoid any kind of untoward incident. "Since October 13, social media platforms have been flooded with posts of vandalism of Durga Puja pandals in Bangladesh. Centering these issues, the bordering districts have become hyper sensitive and the leaders of different Hindu fundamentalist organisations have become pro-active and are delivering press statements and urging the Prime Minister to take necessary steps for the immediate relief of the Sanatani people of Bangladesh," the alert had said. It added, "It is pertinent to mention here that immersion of Durga idols in West Bengal has already begun and will continue till October 18, while the Muslim festival of Fateha-Dawaz-Daham is scheduled to be held on October 18 and 19. "We will not tolerate any kind of communal unrest in the state and all the district administrations and the police have been asked to handle any kind of communal situation strictly," the official added. Former US President Bill Clinton was released from a Southern California hospital on Sunday, where he had been treated multiple days for a non-coronavirus-related infection. "President Clinton was discharged from UC Irvine Medical Center today. His fever and white blood cell count are normalized, and he will return home to New York to finish his course of antibiotics," said Dr. Alpesh N. Amin, chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, who had been overseeing the team of doctors treating Clinton, in a statement shared by the former president's spokesperson Angel Urena on Twitter. "On behalf of everyone at UC Irvine Medical Center, we were honored to have treated him and will continue to monitor his progress," Amin was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. Bill Clinton, 75, was admitted on Tuesday evening to the University of California Irvine Medical Center in Orange County for a urological infection that spread to his bloodstream, according to his aide. The former US president was in Southern California for a private reception and dinner for the nonprofit Clinton Foundation. After meeting with friends in Orange County on Tuesday, he reported feeling fatigued, an aide to the former US president was quoted as saying by a leading daily. Bill Clinton is flying to New York with his wife, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and his daughter, Chelsea, reported the newspaper. Clinton, a member of the Democratic Party, served as the 42nd US president from 1993 to 2001. A country-wide polio vaccination drive will begin in Afghanistan on November 8 for the first time since the Taliban took over the country in August, the Unicef announced on Monday. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef welcome the decision by the Taliban, who support the resumption of house-to-house drive across the country, the agency said in a statement. The campaign will be the first in over three years to reach all children in Afghanistan, including more than 3.3 million kids in parts of the country who have "previously remained inaccessible to vaccination campaigns", Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying. "A second nationwide polio vaccination campaign has also been agreed and will be synchronised with Pakistan's own polio campaign planned in December," according to the statement. "This is an extremely important step in the right direction," said Dapeng Luo, WHO Representative in Afghanistan. "We know that multiple doses of oral polio vaccine offer the best protection, so we are pleased to see that there is another campaign planned before the end of this year. Sustained access to all children is essential to end polio for good. This must remain a top priority," he said. "This decision will allow us to make a giant stride in the efforts to eradicate polio," said Herve Ludovic De Lys, Unicef Representative in Afghanistan. "To eliminate polio completely, every child in every household across Afghanistan must be vaccinated, and with our partners, this is what we are setting out to do," he said. A new image taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope provides a detailed look at the galaxy pair Arp 86. Arp 86 is located approximately 217 million light-years away in the constellation of Pegasus. The system is composed of two galaxies: a barred spiral galaxy called NGC 7752 and a barred lenticular galaxy called NGC 7753. NGC 7752 is much smaller than NGC 7753 and is apparently attached to one of NGC 7753s spiral arms. The gravitational squabble between the two galaxies is doomed to end catastrophically for NGC 7752, Hubble astronomers said. It will eventually either be flung out into intergalactic space or be entirely engulfed by its far larger neighbor. The astronomers used Hubble to observe the Arp 86 system as part of a larger effort to understand the connections between young stars and the clouds of cold gas in which they form. Hubble gazed into star clusters and clouds of gas and dust in a variety of environments dotted throughout nearby galaxies, they said. Combined with measurements from ALMA, these Hubble observations provide a treasure trove of data for astronomers working to understand how stars are born. These observations also helped sow the seeds of future research with an upcoming space telescope, the NASA/ESA James Webb Space Telescope, they added. This telescope, due to launch later this year, will study star formation in dusty regions such as the galaxies of Arp 86. The five years of the Yahapalanaya Government had Ranil Wickremesinghe, by no means a Panas Haye Daruwa as prime minister but the president was Maithripala Sirisena who took over the presidency of the country on winning the election virtually on a UNP ticket. by Gamini Weerakoon The United Nations in December 1990 had declared October 1 as the International Day for Older Persons, which, despite our long years in the media, we were unaware of. We accidently came across it on the Internet only on its 30th Anniversary. Perhaps only few of the old codgers too would have known about it, in Lanka and elsewhere too. The UN-declared World Animals Day was on October 4 and reports in the media, both Lankan and international, showed that it was celebrated with intense heart-felt emotions, love and concern for animals of all kinds much more than for the old men and women who had nurtured these animal lovers to adulthood. It will be wrong to presume that the old men and women are today destitute and have none to care for them their progeny looking away. Certainly as individuals they are looked after with great care by their children and those near and dear to them. There may be only a few exceptions. However, in Sri Lanka the fast growing aging population is not looked upon as an entity that deserves special attention either by society or the state as in many other countries where citizens are by law provided with basic facilities in the name of social security. True, in Lanka, public servants are provided with pensions, other employees in state-owned institutions and the private sector have their provident fund savings. Beyond these two schemes, there are said to be other schemes for those over sixty but not known very much. A 2015 research paper by ESCAP says that only 30 percent of the 60+ population of Lanka receive any adequate pension to keep them out of the poverty line. There are five employment pension schemes listed for farmers, fishermen, self-employed persons and another category but we have not read or heard about these schemes which are probably non-functional. Perhaps we may be misinformed. Of course, we have heard Samurdhi payments and doling out of specific amounts to those below the poverty line through Gramasevekas during emergencies such as during the current pandemic but the vehement public protests of farmers threatened out of existence due to the ban on the import of chemical fertiliser and the recent protests of city dwellers locked up in their homes and unable to earn a living, bare the sufferings of the poor without mandatory social security. How did paddy cultivators and other vegetable producers who kept the nation fed with rice the only strategic material of Sri Lanka throughout history live when their crops were devastated by droughts, floods, plant diseases and pests in the past? Perhap, poor peasants who lived off the earth during good seasons passed away as their ancestors did unwept, unheard and unsung beyond their villages. Now their sole means of existence has been threatened with supposedly good intentions of improving the soil of Lanka. If their crops fail this season will they have the means to exist? The paradox of it is that each generation of leaders after Independence has been swearing on platforms to protect farmers at every given moment and declaring them to be fit enough to be a king when taken off the paddies and the mud washed off. But these mythical kings have always been beggars. Which generation of rulers can be held responsible for the desperate plight today of those who kept feeding the nation all these years? The Senanayakes, Bandaranaikes right up to Junius Jayewardene had a clear priority for economic development: Self Sufficiency in rice. And this target was reached after Jayewardenes Accelerated Mahaveli Development scheme. The current generation of rulers can be described as Sons of the 56 Revolution their fathers being the founding fathers of the Revolution on behalf of the cultivators and industrial workers among other categories. Some progeny of the 56 revolutionaries proudly call themselves the Panas Haye Daruwo. Most of them have been in politics for a long time Mahinda Rajapaksa since 1968 being appointed as SLFP organiser for Beliatta, Dinesh Gunawardena, appointed General Secretary of the MEP in 1974, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, comparatively new since becoming his brothers defence secretary in 2005. The daughter of the Revolution of 56 Chandrika Kumaratunga twice elected president and having had the present Yahapalanaya leaders under her, now appears to be keeping out of politics. The Sons of the 56 Revolution is now a generation long in the tooth, falling and dyed hair, while leading the people since 1994 since Chandrika Bandaranaike was elected president. Her second term ended in 2005 and many leading lights of the Rajapaksa Pohottuwa regime of today served under her presidency. This was followed by two terms of presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Thus, for almost 19 continuous years the visions of the Panas Haye Daruwos guided the country. The five years of the Yahapalanaya Government had Ranil Wickremesinghe, by no means a Panas Haye Daruwa as prime minister but the president was Maithripala Sirisena who took over the presidency of the country on winning the election virtually on a UNP ticket. He, however accepted SLFP leadership after being elected president of the country. He switched sides and sacked Wickremesinghe from premiership but not quite successfully. Sirisena still continues to be the president of the SLFP. Thus it could be said that even the five year Yahapalanaya regime was led by a Panas Haye Daruwa (Son of the 56 Revolution). Even the ardent Pohottuwa supporters are now trying hard to count the achievements of the Panas Haye Daruwo during the near two-year period of their rule ending next month. Splendiferous vistas for the future was what was offered but the Treasury vaults are empty with billion-dollar foreign debts left outside the door. What have their achievements been not only for the past two years but also since 1994? The singular achievement of the UNP regimes, self-sufficiency in rice, is being insanely dismantled. And there is a billion-dollar foreign debt accrued by the Sons of the 56 Revolution that has to be repaid. According to Central Bank Statistics, by the end of April 2021 the total outstanding debt of the Sri Lanka government was US$ 35.1 billion! Who is to blame? J.R. Jayewardene for switching on to an open economy ten years before India did? The imperial British who left behind one of the most stable economies in Asia or some Mafia whose Mahamolakaruwo (big brains) are conspiring against the Rajapaksa Government? The present generation of youth and future generations have been endowed by the Sons of the 56 Revolution with the $35 billion debt even though in every other speech made we hear their leaders proclaiming that all their labours have been and are dedicated for the benefit of future generations. The youth are behaving irresponsibly, it is claimed. They cannot appreciate contributions made on their behalf such as construction of walkways at great cost on ancient irrigations bunds for their recreation even during the height of a pandemic and they are not taking the anti-Covid virus injection given free of charge. A radical sociologist says the youth of today are being grossly misunderstood regarding vaccinations. The point is that they do not want to live anymore in this country because no one knows how to pay back the billion dollar foreign debt they have been endowed with and even though they may toil throughout their lives to pay it back, many, many generations after them too will have to do so or else sell the country! They feel that they are a generation betrayed by the Sons of the 56 Revolution. No wonder they dont give a damn for the UN Day for Older Citizens. Caring for animals on World Animals Day is a much nobler task, in their opinion, the sociologist explains. (The writer is a former editor of The Sunday Island, The Island and consultant editor of the Sunday Leader) System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. 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29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fdd85d758)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdd77b658)', '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(0x7f3fdd85d758)') 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(0x7f3fdd77b658)') 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(0x7f3fdd86cce8)') 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(0x7f3fdd77b658)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdd77b658)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdd38b418)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdd38a760)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdd38a760)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club Rally After hosting JOTA for 1st Clare Shannon Scouts, Sixmilebridge Scouts and Ruan Scouts on Saturday the 16th October, LCARC are announcing their next event. The Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club will hold a Rally in the Radisson Blu Hotel on Sunday, 7th of November 2021. Doors will open at 11:00 and the entrance fee will be 5 per person. As with previous rallys there will be a bring and buy opportunity. Tables for the bring and buy, exhibitors and related demonstrations are free. Tables should be booked through Michael Kingston EI2IX via email to rapidov66 /at/ gmail.com. LCARC now publishes a list of equipment, for sale at the Rally, on the clubs website www.limerickclareamateurradioclub.ie . Follow the 'Market Place' drop down menu. IRTS North Dublin Radio Club resume weekly meetings The North Dublin Radio Club is pleased to announce that, following relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, it has resumed its weekly meetings every Saturday night from 8pm. The venue is the Artane Beamont Family Recreation Centre on Kilmore Road at the roundabout beside Artaine Castle Shopping Centre. Directions and further details are available at ei0ndr.com. We look forward to welcoming new members, especially those who have recently passed the HAREC examination and of course anybody interested in studying the HAREC course, as we plan to run classes as well. So don't be shy, come along some Saturday night and join us at this friendly and informal gathering. You will be made most welcome. IRTS The text: Hello Miramar students and staff and principal me and my best abt to shoot Miramar high school up Monday morning anyone we see in the hallways we going to shoot yo ass until we get in trouble be prepared for the wrest b----es f--- Miramar high school everyone in this b---- hope yall die #f---miramar #beready. That building has had sewage problems for years, said Sandy Sallaz, a Davie resident who owns a condo in the south wing at 2200 South Ocean Drive. The sewage is coming up through the kitchen sink and bathroom toilet. And theres a river of feces that flows outside the building onto the grass. Hogans mother spoke with detectives on June 23, the day after Destiny and Daysha were found. She said the last time she heard from her daughter was in a family group text when Hogan sent a message wishing them a blessed day and to worship God. Her daughters religion had led her to become fanatical for awhile, Hogans mother told detectives, though she had no previous diagnoses of mental illness. The deputy apparently left and then returned because he wrote that someone asked if an object was on the bed and he agreed to go back. Because many of the words and sentences were blacked out, it was not clear who inquired or what the item was. At that point, Paulino entered Marcanos room, the report said, though the paragraph that likely described what he saw also was blacked out. Its just a shame in this day and age, Miller told the News-Journal. It never stops. We just have to deal with it and just remember that were still America. Unfortunately, people abuse some of the wonderful rights we have and take it to extremes to spread propaganda. Christian Aid Ministries came under public scrutiny in 2019, when one of the groups former workers based in Haiti was convicted of felony sexual abuse against minors in Ohio. Jeriah Mast, 40, is serving a nine-year sentence in an Ohio prison. During the hearing, the judge said Mast told him that he also molested at least 30 boys in Haiti in the span of about 15 years, according to The Daily Record newspaper in Ohio. Taddeo has been a vocal critic of the Florida Democratic Partys attempts at outreach or lack thereof to Hispanic voters, especially during non-election years. After the 2020 election, in which former President Donald Trump won Florida by 3% and Democrats saw several losses in legislative seats in Miami-Dade County, she sharply criticized the party for not doing enough to register voters and not pushing back forcefully at charges from Republicans that its candidates were socialists. Rents, for example, are soaring across the state, jumping by nearly 14% year over year from the summer of 2020. The research firm AdvisorSmith recently estimated Miami was the least affordable city in the nation for renters, with rent consuming nearly 50% of a familys income. The National Low Income Housing Coalition calculates that a worker needs to make nearly $25 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Florida. The practice of making untrue statements has become the norm in society. A product places an advertisement on a can, saying it is 50% more than a 7 ounce can, but the fact is that the company has never made a 7 ounce can and the new can contains less than the old 11 ounce can. The lottery claims you win $5 million, when you actually only get that much if you let the interest accumulate for 20 years. Prime Suspects (Adam Stone Novels) Written by: Geoff Collins Available In: eBook|Paperback Author Website: http://booksbycollins.com/ Prime Suspects is the second in the Adam Stone action-packed murder/mystery series. The dead body of the Joe Wallace, one of Charlestons premier defense attorneys, has just washed up on the shores of the Ashley River. Wallace possessed a dubious reputation as a heavy drinker, gambler, and frequent user of various controlled substancesnot to mention his notoriety for chasing skirt. There are no shortage of suspects, and as Adam Stone moves deeper into the investigation, the list continues to grow. One by one, he eliminates the potential killers until he finds himself face to face with the most dangerous of them all.the prime suspect. MBABANE - The economy of Eswatini, some economists say, is headed for the worst if government does not quickly come up with solutions to the political unrest. Economists interviewed by this publication regarding the ongoing situation in the country raised concerns about the effects the unrest would have on the economy. If it was not for the fact that Lilangeni was pegged to the South African Rand, one economist said, it would have weakened to its lowest level. The countrywide protests started in late June 2021 after government banned the delivery of petitions to their respective tinkhundla centres. Some businesses were looted, vandalised and some were set on fire. His Majesty the King announced a Reconstruction Fund where government pledged E500 million. Property, mainly schools were targeted by arsonists where either classrooms, staffrooms and other buildings were set on fire. Pupils After the minister of Education and Training, Lady Mabuza, announced the return to normal of learning for all pupils, learners staged protests and made a lot of demands, which included the release of of Members of Parliament (MPs)Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube of Hosea and Ngwempisi respectively. Last week, the country was marred by protests undertaken by employees in the transport sector. According to the economists, the recent public transport operators protests may also be detrimental to the economy of the country if government did not come up with solutions soon. They urged government to act promptly and respond to the grievances of the people. University of Eswatini Economist Sanele Sibiya said Eswatini may become a radicalised nation. He said this was because emaSwatis concerns were not being addressed. Sibiya said the current unrest was a clear indication that the kingdom might never reform back to normal. Decision Government has to make a decision on whether we are moving in a direction where we are a radicalised country or they call the nation to a dialogue to discuss the issues emaSwati want solutions to, which I see as the best decision government should take .They would then have to quickly come up with solutions to the problems as until then, nothing will change and people will continue protesting, he said. He said he foresaw a situation where the economy did not go back to its normal state but rather continued deteriorating. Sibiya mentioned that there was an urgent need for dialogue as the consequences of a continuation of the protests would plunge emaSwati in an economic crisis which would be hard to come out of. The country is already in a bad position following the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the country and its economy. As we were welcoming the easing of restrictions and opening of the country, riots began affecting the economy, he said. Sibiya expressed his fears about the upcoming 2023 elections if government failed to fix the current problems. Furthermore, Sibiya stated that the reason the countrys currency did not depreciate was because Eswatini was a member of the Common Monetary Area (CMA) and Lilangeni is pegged to the South African Rand. Namibia and Lesotho are also members of the CMA. The economist said the monetary union played a major role in ensuring that the strength of Lilangeni has not been affected by the unrest. Investors Another economist, Thembinkosi Dube, said the current unrest would also cause emaSwati to lose international investors. He said if investors would leave the country, a lot of emaSwati would would leave their jobs, increasing the already high employment rate. Currently, people are working to just make ends meet, which means that they are not performing at their optimal best. Should they be heard, a number of things would change in the kingdom as emaSwati would be giving their best effort, he said. Dube said investors favoured democratic countries because that meant a free economy. According to Dube, a countrys rule of law plays an important role in attracting foreign investment. He further mentioned that the positive which would come from the current situations was if investors chose to leave the country, emaSwati would occupy the spaces left vacant by those who would decide to leave. Dube then mentioned that Eswatini could experience a brain drain as emaSwati would go elsewhere and use their skills where they feel appreciated. On the other hand, head teachers also raised their concerns about the state of affairs in the country. They said the reconstruction of schools and replacement of damaged school property would cost a lot of money and take a lot of time to fix. Eswatini Principals Association (EPA) Secretary General Mduduzi Masilela expressed concern about the destruction of schools property and infrastructure. He said the learners and parents, and by extension, the community, would need the schools and property when the challenges had been resolved. He advised the Ministry of Education and Training to consider the severity of the prevailing situation and make the appropriate call. He further reiterated its conviction for prompt and genuine dialogue. He said the dialogue would hopefully identify the underlying causes of the discord, which had culminated in the disruption of teaching and learning. Protest SNAT Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini stated that although the current protests would impact the economy, their focus was to get solutions to the current political problems in the country. In Eswatini, the ongoing protests shall surely impact the economy negatively. Our focus as a nation should be in developing home-grown solutions to the current political problems instead of focussing on the impact of the demonstrations on the economy. All protests do lead to a downward spiral of the economy. Even a one day work disruption by workers does have a negative impact on the economy and that is the main objective of engaging in a protest. Its a strategy to pile up pressure on anyone, he said. He said the solution was to commit to an all inclusive dialogue wherein all stakeholders had a say in terms of how the country was to be governed. He further said that resorting to threats, violence and persecution of the people would not bring a solution to the problems. MBABANE Apostle Jeremiah Dlamini says he was not aware that a plank had hit someones head when His Majesty King Mswati III spoke about it last Friday. Even though he did not mention a name, the King had everyone in stitches when he made reference to an incident believed to be the one which went viral on social media a few days ago. The King was speaking during the official opening of the Mbabane Government Hospital Emergency Wing at Mandvulo Hall when he made reference to the incident. In the incident, Worship Centre Founder Apostle Justice Dlamini was seen being hit by what appeared to be a mirror mounted on a plank, while conducting a sermon live on his Facebook page. Some viewers commented about the incident while others concentrated on the message delivered by the apostle. Incident No one was aware that the King knew about the incident until he highlighted it at Mandvulo Hall. Siye sifise singemakholwa nebafundisi kutsi ngabe phela bayathandaza kutsi simo sibe kahle, kepha siphindze sitsi lonanabo sihle sibabona bakwabaywa ngemaplango kubakhumbuta kutsi yeyi usakhuluma livi lenkhosi yin wena na? the King was quoted saying in vernacular, loosely translated to; As Christians and pastors, we wish that they pray for the situation to subside, but then again we remember that sometimes we see them being hit on the head by planks reminding them if they are still preaching the Word of God. Apostle Jeremiah said he laughed just as everyone in the hall when the King spoke about the plank which hit a man of God. Sihleke sonkhe. Kuhleke indlu yonkhe futsi labanye betfu kufaka nami ekhatsi besingati kutsi lenkhulumo icondzene nabani. Ngitsite nangibukela tindzaba ku Channel YemaSwati ngabona sitfombe lapho umpostoli Justice Dlamini atsintfwa sibuko lesiseplangweni, kepha kute lengingakusho ngaloko ngoba besekwengcile, said Apostle Jeremiah in vernacular. This can be translated to mean; We all laughed. In fact some of us were not aware of the incident which the King was referring to. It was after I had watched the news bulletin from Channel YemaSwati that I suspected that the King might have been referring to that particular incident. The TV station played a video clip of the apostle when hit by the plank, but I have nothing to say because it has already passed. However, social media users, who saw Apostle Jeremiah laughing when the King made the reference, accused him of laughing at another man of God, something they deemed unethical and unprofessional. Jeremiah also shared his understanding about the Kings message. He said in his view, the message was not meant to mock anyone, but to remind church leaders about their mandate. He said the King wanted to remind church leaders to preach the true gospel and lead the way in prayer during the ongoing political unrest in the country. The message was to make people understand that pastors are the ones who should be telling the people that the King is an office that should be honoured by all emaSwati. Pastors should make people understand that the King should not be respected because he has impressed them, but because he has been appointed by God to hold the office, he said. Jeremiah said if people failed to respect the King, they challenged the appointing authority, who he said was God. The man of God said the Bible was clear that rebelling against the King was not a good thing to do. He mentioned that the Bible also warned people against showing ambition for power, resulting in them inciting people to rebel against the King. God has his own way of dealing with kings if he is not happy with them. When you read the Bible, there is a story where God was angry at King Saul. God was angry so much that He sent Samuel to communicate his anger and his desire to replace King Saul with David. The people around David persuaded David to kill Saul so that he could take over as King, he said. Humbled Jeremiah further mentioned that David humbled himself and continued to respect the appointing authority (God) and refused to either kill or revenge against Samuel. He said the battle lasted until Saul recognised faith in David. He said it was high time for men of God to educate and unpack the book to emaSwati. People will be judged by this book, he said. The apostle said what made him unique was that he did not comment or behave like other pastors when it came to serious issues affecting the nation. He stated that he was sticking to the old gospel and doctrine. When sought for comment, Apostle Justice said: No comment please. I did not listen to the Kings speech so I have nothing to say. I have no time for cheap talk, the country is burning. The apostle had been asked if he agreed with those who believed the King was making reference to his incident on facebook. MBABANE Some school head teachers have stated that expelling pupils who they fingered during protests is currently not in their plans. The head teachers of the schools where protests took place are adamant that their pupils welfare was important, regardless of their actions, and, therefore, hush disciplinary measures on the pupils fingered in the protests were not recommended. Some of the school head teachers, who were directly affected by the protests, were called to ascertain how best they would deal with the pupils fingered during the recent protests, more especially because some protested in full view of the educators, while others were identified in pictures and videos circulated on social media platforms. The identity of the head teachers and the names of the schools have been withheld to avoid victimisation. Property A head teacher in one of the schools in the Shiselweni Region stated that it was currently not easy to pinpoint the pupils who were implicated and they did not want to make presumptions as to who was responsible for the vandalism of the property in the school. However, he said the Ministry of Education and Training would most likely assist them in crafting a way forward once investigations by the police were completed and if those implicated turned out to be pupils of the school. It is not easy to simply expel or suspend the pupils we identified during the protests. The only appropriate next step is that once things die down and pupils return to school, we sit down with the pupils and engage them about the behaviour they exerted or even sit down with them and their parents to forge a way forward, he said. Another head teacher whose school was also affected by protests, said usually they discussed disciplinary issues with teachers and the school committee. However, she said it was currently difficult to determine what to do once the pupils returned to school because during the protests, police wanted to know the pupils who had been identified but the personnel at the school felt they wanted the police to do their own assessment and find the culprits because at the end of the day, as educators they had a duty to look after the well-being of the pupils. We feel that some of these children are being influenced by non-scholars, therefore, we cannot finger them and hope the police will gather information and identify those implicated in their own way without us intervening directly, said the head teacher. She also mentioned that as a school, they had a disciplinary committee which dealt with issues of this nature, therefore whatever steps were taken would be decided on internally. Some of these pupils we are familiar with, so the committee will contact the parents to alert them of the damage that particular pupil had caused and then the parent will bear part of the costs. The parents of the implicated pupils can then proceed to let us know how much they can contribute and things will be taken from there, she said. The head teacher mentioned that this would be done to avoid requesting for funds from all pupils because some of them were not involved in the protests, therefore, they should not be burdened with the costs. All we need is to reach an understanding with the parents to recover what has been lost, this, according to the head teacher, was part of the processes they would embark on once the pupils returned to school. She highlighted that the school had been hit twice by these protests, with the initial protests being light and the second wave being extensive and causing more damage. Therefore, according to the head teacher, the pupils would be dealt with according to the extent of the damage. Worth noting is that most of the head teachers indicated that when it came to the arson attacks on the schools, most of the perpetrators were not pupils of the schools but in the case where pupils were involved, they would rope in their parents or allow the police to conduct their investigations and do their job. The severity of the cases wont be the same, you find that one burnt tyres and shattered windows within the school premises and another sang political songs and refused to learn. Therefore, these cases will be handled differently by the disciplinary committees, she further said. However, the head teacher stated that they ruled out total expulsion as it was not included in their school regulations. She did mention though that suspension was not ruled out when meting out discipline. According to most of the interviewed head teachers, it was hard to determine at this point in time what disciplinary procedure would be used on the pupils found to have been protesting and vandalising school property as there were a lot of stakeholders that had to be consulted before a final decision was made. Decisions A head teacher from one of the primary schools, where protests took place, stated that primary school pupils were incapable of making decisions such as engaging in protests, therefore, what they were currently proposing to do was to sit down with the pupils and try to advise them against taking part in protests. These children are quite young and right now they need someone who will advise them and enable them to tell the difference between wrong and right, he said. When Clinical Psychologist Ndo Mdlalose was asked to share her expertise on how best the educators can handle the return of the pupils who took part in schools protests, she said; Thats a tough one. Ive also been going around town interviewing these children. Most of them are just gullible; and do not fully comprehend the whole purpose. However, against school rules and policy; they do need to be brought to order. Not punishing them will be a bad example to the other learners; as it will give them ideas on making the situation worse. Psychotherapy is essential; as some of these pupils have their own personal and domestic problems and these protests are a good way of projecting their anger and frustration. I interviewed some pupils in the streets; batsi it is so much fun; some benefit from the looting for their poor families. Finally; learner or not - the violence, bullying, arson, destruction of property, forcing innocent and uninterested citizens to join the struggle, intimidation and causing chaos is not right; but unfair to those who suffer the repercussions. Those need to be punished and the law enforcers take action, said Mdlalose. The Communications Officer in the Deputy Prime Ministers Office was also contacted on same and stated that Section 11 of the Childrens Protection and Welfare Act was relevant to the aforementioned topic. Section 11 is on the Children in Conflict with the Law, Age of Criminal Responsibility and Age determination. Treatment However, it was also gathered that Section three Sub-section 14; Right to protection from degrading treatment states that; (2) A child should be disciplined in accordance with his age, physical, psychological, emotional and mental condition and no discipline is justifiable if by reason of tender age or otherwise the child is incapable of understanding the purpose of the discipline. Save the Children Director Dumisani Mnisi has also previously been reported to have said the Childrens Protection and Welfare Act of 2012 was very clear that child incarceration was the last resort no matter how serious the crime was. Since its founding in 2002, the Bahrain Specialist Hospital (BSH) has dedicated itself to providing high-quality healthcare that is easily accessible to the communities in Bahrain. BSH has been credited to be the first hospital in the country to have received The Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation in 2011, and the only hospital in Bahrain to be accredited four times in a row in 2014, 2017 and 2021. Speaking on the occasion Hamid Rashid Al Zayani, Chairman of BSH said: The aim of starting this hospital was to establish a healthcare facility of the highest standard that would be an excellent landmark in Bahrain where people would get advanced treatment in the country without needing to go overseas for treatment. Before its establishment, several people in the community had to bear the high expense of going overseas to get treated, keeping in mind that many people could not afford. Dr Najah Al Zayani Founder & Vice Chairman of BSH said: Since its inception, BSH has responded to the needs of its community by providing excellent patient care, while expanding its range of medical specialties, and investing in advanced technology to remain on the cutting-edge of health care. Today, almost two decades after the hospital was established, BSH continues to serve the community by expanding the range of services both at the current location and at other locations in Bahrain and the region. BSH is known as a prominent healthcare facility that provides comprehensive care of the highest standards for patients not only in Bahrain but also from the region. The hospital is recognised regionally for excellence in all major specialties such as Gastroenterology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Kidney disease, Orthopedics, and more. Dr Kasim Ardati, Managing Director of BSH added: We are proud to have provided the community with high-quality healthcare for the past 19 years and we have grown in response to the needs of the community. We strive to continue providing up-to-date medical services by experienced Consultants and Specialists, using the latest technologies with the-state-of-the-art medical equipment and systems in Bahrain and the region. We look forward to continuing our efforts in collectively making a positive impact for many more years to come. BSH has been a trailblazer among hospitals in Bahrain, often being the first to perform pioneering medical procedures and introduce new medical technology. -- TradeArabia News Service The value of Bahrains exports of national origin increased by 76% to BD1.174 billion ($3.09 billion) during the third quarter (Q3) of 2021, compared to BD669 million for the same quarter 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 73% of the total value, with the remaining countries accounting for 27%, added iGAs foreign trade report of third quarter 2021, encompassing data on the balance of trade, imports, exports (national origin), and re-exports. Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, importing BD236 million from Bahrain. Meanwhile, the US was second with BD211 million and the United Arab Emirates third with BD108 million. Unwrought aluminium alloys emerged as the top products exported during third quarter2021 with BD382 million, agglomerated iron ores and concentrates was second with a value of BD250million, and Unwrought aluminium (not alloyed) third with BD63million. The total value of re-exports increased by22% to reach BD175 million third quarter2021, compared to BD143 million for the same quarter of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 84% of the re-exported value, while the remaining countries accounted for the 16%. Saudi Arabia ranked first with BD53 million, the United Arab Emirates second with BD50 million, and Singapore third with BD11 million. Four-wheel drive cars emerged as the top product re-exported from Bahrain with BD20 million, gold ingots came in second place with BD17 million, and parts for aircraft engines came thirdwithBD15 million. The trade balance, the difference between exports and imports, recorded a deficit totalling BD1 million during third quarter 2021 compared to BD335 million for the same quarter of the previous year, an improvement of the trade balance by 99.8%, That is reflected positively in the value of the trade balance. The value of imports increased by 16%, reaching BD1.349 billion during third quarter 2021 compared to BD1.166 billion for the same quarter the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 70% of the value of imports, with the remaining countries accounting for 30%. According to the report, Brazil ranked first when it came to imports to Bahrain, with a total of BD214 million,China was second with BD167 million, and the United Arab Emirates was third with BD95 million. Non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a total value of BD249 million, while aluminium oxide was second with BD80 million, and parts for aircraft engines third with BD52 million. TradeArabia News Service Kolkata,, Oct 18 (UNI) Former Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) last month, will formally tender his resignation as an MP on October 19. Taking to twitter handle, Babul Supriyo expressed his gratitude to Lok Sabha Speaker for granting him time and said, ' Sincere Gratitude to Hon'ble Speaker Sir @ombirlakota for granting me his time tmrw at 11am to formally resign as a MP ' ' I will not hold on to the Berth/Perks/Salary of a MP now that I am no longer a part of @BJP4India that I won the seat forIf I have it in me, wil win it again, ' he stated. UNI PC-SJC KK Panchkula, Oct 18 (UNI) A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Monday sentenced Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others to life imprisonment in Dera manager Ranjit Singh murder case. Special CBI Judge Dr Sushil Garg also imposed a fine of Rs 31 lakh on the Dera chief and Rs 50,000 each on other convicts Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Avtar Singh and Sabdil. On October 8, the court had convicted all the accused for the murder of Dera follower Ranjit Singh in 2002 and fixed October 12 for pronouncing the quantum of punishment but after hearing the arguments of both the sides the court had adjourned the sentence till October 18. Another accused Indrasen had died in the meantime. The Dera chief was produced in the court through video conferencing from Sunaria jail of Rohtak, where he is serving a 20-year term for raping two followers while the four other convicts were present in the court. The Dera chief was earlier sentenced to 20 years in prison in the rape case of two followers. Apart from this, he was also sentenced to life imprisonment in the Sirsa journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati murder case. Dera manager Ranjit Singh was shot dead by four assailants at his native Khanpur Kolian village in Kurukshetra district on July 10, 2002. As per the CBI charge sheet, the Dera chief had suspected that Ranjit Singh was behind the circulation of an anonymous letter, highlighting sexual exploitation of his female followers in the dera. Dissatisfied with the police investigation, father of Ranjit had filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in January 2003, seeking a CBI probe into the murder. After investigating the matter, the CBI registered a case against the accused and framed the charges against him and others in the special CBI court in 2007. There were 250 appearances and testimonies and statements of as many as 61 people were recorded in this case. There were three main witnesses, including eyewitnesses Sukhdev Singh and Joginder Singh and Khatta Singh, the driver of the Dera chief, in this case. However, Khatta Singh had retracted his statement in the court but after many years, he once again appeared in the court and gave his testimony. UNI TEAM DB ACL1819 Graduates of UWs WWAMI Program Begin Practicing in Cowboy State For nearly 25 years, newly graduated physicians from the Wyoming-WWAMI Medical Education Program at the University of Wyoming have focused on setting up in-state practices to bring their medical specialties to rural and underserved communities. However, they do not want the program to be one of the best-kept secrets in the Cowboy State. UW is home to the states medical school -- the Wyoming-WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Medical Education Program. WWAMI students receive two years of foundations training in their home states and then spend two years traveling around the five states to practice clinical skills. Once these medical students complete their residencies, they receive their medical degrees through the University of Washington School of Medicine. That is when the real adventure begins. Students who begin their medical education on the UW campus sign a contractual agreement to return to Wyoming to practice medicine for at least three years, but not all medical school graduates are able to find a fit for their specialty in their home state. This year, 15 newly minted physicians are returning to the Cowboy State as fully trained physicians. I am so excited to welcome these 15 physicians back to Wyoming, says Dr. Brant Schumaker, the new educational director for Wyoming-WWAMI. What a visible example of the way the WWAMI program is supporting the health care infrastructure in Wyoming. I am looking forward to interacting with these alumni of Wyomings medical school. Returning Home to Practice For Danielle Borin, returning to practice in her hometown as a pediatrician at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center was a natural fit. I just started practicing in Wyoming after being gone for some time for pediatric training, so I am definitely still adjusting, Borin says. So far, I feel everyone in the hospital and all of the families I have met are so extremely kind and welcoming, which has definitely made the transition easier. Borin encourages new doctors returning to Wyoming to keep an open mind, noting the challenges of moving to a place with fewer resources than many of the larger hospitals at which students train. Roberta Pritchard, a Navy veteran and returning emergency room physician from Thermopolis, says she has had a smooth transition in returning to the state, thanks to WWAMI resources. The state recruiter (Wyoming Health Resources Networks Karissa Viergets) keeps up to date with all available hiring opportunities and works directly with residents and physicians to find suitable employment, Pritchard says. I found this very helpful. I also knew that the environment of my specialty, emergency medicine, included a shrinking job market. So, with this in mind, I took an extra year of training in emergency ultrasound, which enabled me to provide a critical resource to a rural hospital. Pritchard adds that she would advise future physicians considering practicing in Wyoming to seek a specialty in high demand, especially family or internal medicine. The Wyoming-WWAMI Medical Education Program at UW accepts 20 applicants each year. While the application process is competitive, physicians from the program encourage students who have an interest in pursuing a medical career to find out more about what the program has to offer. I felt very prepared in starting my pediatric residency and felt I had incredible opportunities to practice medicine in rural sites before starting residency, Borin says. The rural sites also give you an idea of what it may feel like when you return to Wyoming. Pritchard adds that she would highly recommend any eligible future physicians to strongly consider the benefits afforded by the Wyoming-WWAMI program. Wyoming offers a unique and impressive contract to Wyoming-WWAMI students, which allows them to use time as a provider in state as reimbursement for their medical school debt, Pritchard says. This is a huge game-changer for financial planning. Recently graduated physicians returning to Wyoming to practice, listed by hometown, specialty and practice location, are: Big Horn -- Benjamin Widener, rheumatology/internal medicine, Sheridan Memorial Hospital. Casper -- Morgan Johnson Dheil, emergency room services, Wyoming Medical Center, Casper. Cheyenne -- Kelly Baxter, urgent care/family medicine, St. Johns Hospital, Jackson; Borin, pediatrics, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center; and Alexander Colgan and Bryan Dugas, both emergency room services, Wyoming Medical Center, Casper. Douglas -- Tricia Jensen, family medicine, Campbell County Health, Gillette. Gillette -- Sarah Gregory, OB-GYN, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. Jackson -- Cummings Rork, psychiatry, private psychiatry practice, Casper. Laramie -- Melissa Dozier, OB-GYN, Cheyenne Womens Clinic; and Ross Orpet, emergency medical services, Casper. Rock Springs -- Andrea Habel, family medicine, Family Physicians of Laramie. Sheridan -- Elise Lowe, internal medicine, Cody Regional Health. Thermopolis -- Pritchard, emergency room services, Campbell County Memorial Hospital, Gillette. Upton -- Doug Watt, radiology, Campbell County Health, Gillette. For more information about the Wyoming-WWAMI Medical Education Program, visit www.uwyo.edu/wwami. UW in the News State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent coverage: The Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T) and The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported that the UW Board of Trustees voted last week to extend the universitys mask policy. Masks will continue to be required for most indoor spaces at UW where 6-foot social distancing isnt possible. K2 Radio, Hits 106 and WyoToday Media published UWs release on the announcement. UW Senior Research Scientist Emily Grant talked with Wyoming News Now about data compiled on missing Indigenous people in Wyoming. The Wyoming Survey and Analysis Centers (WYSAC) report shows that Indigenous people represented a disproportionately large number of missing and murdered cases, but they did not receive equal attention from media outlets as compared to white people. The report has been cited by national and international media outlets in articles related to the death of Gabby Petito, a young white woman. Australias ABC News published a related article, which also referred to the WYSAC report. Wyoming Public Radio noted that the Laramie City Council proclaimed the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples Day. An official announcement was made last week at UW, which featured speakers, including UW law student Aly SoundingSides. UW scientists were among researchers who helped drill 32 holes from atop a Greenland glacier, through nearly a kilometer of ice, to measure water conditions at the interface between ice and bedrock, which forms an important boundary controlling groundwater flow below. A Smart Water Magazine article noted that Greenlands groundwater is changing due to a thinning ice sheet. The World Economic Forum published an article on blockchain technology and noted that UW is among entities that have developed the decentralized consortium funding model. The model supports the effective use of funding, assures achievement of strategic objectives and applies to any process involving funds and resource allocations. Committees charged with reviewing and advising on proposed changes to academic programs at UW have submitted final reports. WyoToday Media, Oil City News and Sheridan Media published UWs announcement that indicated UW administrators will make the recommendations to the Board of Trustees next month. Pejman Tahmasebi, a UW associate professor, and doctoral student Tao Bai have developed a machine learning model that improves the accuracy of detecting earthquakes by 14.5 percent compared to the most accurate current existing model. Wyoming News Now published UWs release on its website. Wyoming Public Radio interviewed Laura Vietti, museum and collections manager for the UW Geological Museum, for an article on Earth Science Week. The museum partnered with the Wyoming State Geological Survey and the Science Kitchen to offer 300 water science boxes to elementary school students. UW alumnus Mark Pedris documentary Morfars View of the Winds, featuring former UW Professor Conrad Smith, premiered on Wyoming PBS last week, according to County 10 and KGAB Radio. Smith has spent nearly a decade trying to locate the exact rock where Charles Preuss sat in 1842 to sketch the first published image from within the Rocky Mountains. The CS-T interviewed UW political science Professor Jim King for an article on the U.S. House primary race between incumbent Liz Cheney and challenger Harriet Hageman. The future of Wyomings economy may lie in an overhaul of its tourism industry, as well as a statewide move into more renewable energy. Economists, including UWs Anne Alexander, made those comments during an economics forecast meeting in Cheyenne last week, according to The Laramie Boomerang. The Laramie Reporter reported that the Laramie City Council met with UW student leadership and President Ed Seidel concerning issues of importance to the campus and students. Among topics discussed were food insecurity and tenant rights. UW graduate student Tanner Hoffman was interviewed for a Laramie Boomerang article on how the invasion of cheatgrass following a fire, such as last years Mullen fire, is a concern. His thesis research project, Recovery of Below- and Above-Ground Biodiversity Following the Mullen Wildfire, focuses on interactions between plants and microorganisms. Wyoming News Now published UWs release promoting The World Needs More Cowboys community event next week in Torrington. UW economics Professor Emeritus Sherrill Shaffer was featured in WalletHubs recent review of a credit card companys Double Cash Card. Shaffer discussed the program that offers rewards and has a $0 annual fee. The Jackson Hole News & Guide interviewed UW Assistant Professor Abby Sisneros-Kidd for an article focusing on how outdoor recreation activities affect wildlife. Experts weighed in on how to keep human disturbances to a minimum throughout the year. IMPACT 307, Sheridans business incubator, announced six finalists for the 2021 Sheridan Start-Up Challenge entrepreneur competition. The Sheridan Press noted that Pitch Night will be next month. The Cody Enterprise noted that The Butterfly Series: From the Collection of Jordan W. Finkelstein MD, MSc, a UW Art Museum touring exhibition, is on display in the Cody Library this month and will be on display in the Powell Library next month. The Riverton High School marching band recently competed in a contest at War Memorial Stadium. County 10 published UWs release, noting that 15 regional high school bands competed. New lawsuit against Jeffrey Epsteins estate says he trafficked Russian woman to US 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. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close "La Epoca 'Dorada' de Grazalema" La Epoca Dorada de Grazalema by Jose Manuel Amarillo was launched at the John Mackintosh Hall on Thursday evening. The Minister for Culture and Education, Dr John Cortes, a nature lover himself, endorsed the publication at an event which was also attended by The Mayor of Grazalema Carlos J Garcia. The Minister introduced the event by commenting on the many Gibraltarians who through the centuries have visited Grazalema, while the Mayor introduced the author and explained the importance to his town of the historical links with visitors from Gibraltar. The author gave a presentation outlining his research and explaining the inspiration for this publication which started with his coming across the visitors books of the Fonda Dorado hostel in Grazalema from the 1920s. The visitors books include numerous entries from Gibraltar residents, which are reproduced in the publication, and which included Governor General Godley, historian Dorothy Ellicott, and Gibraltarian surnames such as Hoare and Piccone, as well as military personnel stationed on the Rock. Old photos, cuttings and excerpts document the story featuring these visitors. Books can be purchased at The Gibraltar Heritage Trust, The Main Guard at 13 John Mackintosh Square. Anyone with memorabilia relating to stays at the Fonda Dorado in Grazalema in the early 20th Century is invited to contact the Development unit on 20049161 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as these might be included in future editions. Cardi B thinks the US school system is to blame for the ignorance surrounding "race, ethnicity and nationality". The chart-topping rap star - who is the daughter of a Dominican father and Afro-Trinidadian mother - has taken to Twitter to hit out at "uncultured swines", but also insisted they're not to blame for their own ignorance. Alongside a video discussing the Dominican population, Cardi wrote: "For the uncultured swines that dont understand the difference between race, ethnicity and nationality especially when its about Caribbean islands. I dont blame you tho. I blame the school systems (sic)" In the video, the narrator explains: "The Dominicans are one of the most diverse ethnic groups in the world, with around 73 percent of its population identifying as mixed. Historically, it was the first permanent settlement of the Spanish in the Americas and the first place to transport African slaves into the New World." Earlier this year, Cardi bemoaned the "one-sided" history lessons taught in US schools. The 'WAP' hitmaker - who was born and raised in New York City - took to Twitter at the time to educate Americans about the history of her ancestors. She said: "One more thing I want to make clear to Americans.Colonization did not just happened in the USA .Actually the first diaspora boat and slaves arrive in The Dominican Republic.Our Haitian & DR brothers & sisters were put against each other by their colonizers Spain & France. (sic)" Cardi, 29, then suggested that Americans aren't sufficiently well-informed about important historical events. She said: "I wish I can speak more about history and the one sided history these school be giving us. Besides this whole Latin lesson that Im giving ya there is soo much I have learn that if I speak on it I feel like the government will OFF me .Ill just talk to myself about it tho. (sic)" (The Center Square) Louisianans are paying more in cellphone taxes this year while the price of cellphone service continues to drop. The finding comes from the Tax Foundation, a Washington-based policy think tank that has been tracking wireless taxes, fees and government surcharges since 2003. The groups newly released study of state wireless tax rates shows an inverse relationship between the cost of consumer cell phone plans nationwide, and the taxes added to them. Fortunately for wireless consumers, the per-line price for wireless service continues to fall, the study said, adding, Unfortunately, this price reduction for consumers was partially offset by higher taxes. The study cites data from CTIA, a national wireless industry association, showing that average monthly revenue per subscriber has dropped 30% since 2008. However, during this same period, wireless taxes, fees, and government surcharges have increased from 15.10 percent to 24.96 percent of the average bill, the study said. Researchers explained a family with four cell phones on a family share plan paying $100 per month for cell phone service, also would pay $300 a year in taxes up from $270 in 2020. The average annual tax burden is roughly equivalent to three months of wireless service costs. A breakdown showed Louisiana cell phone users fare better than most states, ranking 35th out of 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico on a list of highest wireless tax rates. Louisiana has a 10.08% state and local wireless tax rate, the study showed, that when combined with an 11.8% federal tax, known as the Universal Service Fund (FUSF), yields a 21.87% tax on Pelican State cellphone users. The national average was 25%. Study authors pinpointed the tax increase as coming from an escalating federal tax burden applied nationwide. The rate of the FUSF surcharge has increased dramatically since 2018, from an effective rate of 6.6 percent in 2018 to 11.8 percent in 2021, they said. The issue disproportionately affects low-income individuals and families, researchers claimed, because nearly three-fourths of economically disadvantaged people use cellphones as their primary telecommunications service. The regressive nature of wireless taxes creates significant burdens on low-income consumers, the study concluded, while warning against the potential for future internet use taxes. Without the protection of the federal law, the high excise tax rates applied to taxable wireless services could be applied to internet access, and consumer tax burdens would be significantly higher, the study said. Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 08:54:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WELLINGTON, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government is making a four-fold increase in the support it provides to countries most vulnerable to the climate emergency, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday. New Zealand will provide 1.3 billion NZ dollars (921 million U.S. dollars) over four years to support countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, she said in the lead up to the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow. The investment will support clean energy projects in developing countries, ensure buildings are able to withstand more damaging storms, crops are resilient to droughts, floods and new pests, and communities are protected from sea level rise and storm surges, said the prime minister. Minister of Climate Change James Shaw confirmed that at least half of the new climate finance commitment, which covers the period 2022 to 2025, will go towards supporting New Zealand's Pacific neighbors who are already experiencing rising sea levels and more extreme weather. "For these countries, the impacts of climate change that scientists have been warning us about for decades are not academic, or a distant threat; they are happening right now," Shaw said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 13:28:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SEOUL, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's approval rating fell 0.8 percentage points from a week earlier to 39.2 percent last week, a weekly poll showed Monday. The negative assessment on Moon's conduct of state affairs gained 1.4 percentage points to 58.2 percent, according to the Realmeter survey. Support for Moon's ruling Democratic Party declined 1.9 percentage points over the week to 29.5 percent last week. The main conservative opposition People Power Party garnered a 41.2 percent of approval score last week, up 2.0 percentage points from the previous week. The minor center-right People's Party won 7.8 percent of support, trailed by the minor center-left Open Democratic Party with 6.9 percent and the minor progressive Justice Party with 3.1 percent. The results were based on a survey of 2,022 voters conducted from last Tuesday to Friday. It had plus and minus 2.2 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 16:21:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SEOUL, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday that the country will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from the 2018 level by 2030. Moon made the remark during a meeting on carbon neutrality, saying that the enhanced 2030 nationally determined contribution (NDC) represents the country's strong will towards carbon neutrality. The 2030 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions was sharply up from the previous 26.3 percent. Moon confirmed the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, noting that South Korea, as a responsible member of the international society, will join the global efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. The 2050 carbon neutrality commission, composed of government officials and civilian experts, proposed the 2050 carbon neutrality scenario. The scenario offered to stop coal-fired power generation in order to minimize carbon emissions from the process of electricity and heat production, while adopting the hydrogen-reduction steel manufacturing in the steel producing process. It proposed that fossil fuel and resources, which are used in the process of cement, chemical and oil refining, should be transformed to renewable fuel and resources, while enhancing energy efficiency in the building sector with zero-energy buildings and green remodeling. For the transportation sector, it suggested to enlarge the supply rate of non-pollutant vehicles to over 85 percent and transform to environment-friendly shipping system. It proposed to contain greenhouse gas emissions in the farming sector by reducing the use of chemical fertilizer, improving farming methods, providing low- or zero-carbon fishing ships and conducting low-carbon livestock management through the resource circulation of livestock night soil. South Korea's greenhouse gas emissions were estimated at 648.69 million tons in 2020, down 7.3 percent from the previous year. The emissions peaked at 727.69 million tons in 2018, according to the environment ministry. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 16:58:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has added 1,131 COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 339,536, the health ministry said Monday. Meanwhile, 14 more people aged over 40 have died from the disease in the past day, raising the total number of deaths to 1,483, the ministry said. In addition, 18,804 COVID-19 patients are being hospitalized across the country, while 59,603 patients are receiving home-based care due to a shortage of hospital beds and medical staff, according to the ministry. The resurgence of the virus has continued due to the highly contagious Delta variant, although 65.7 percent of the population has received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Mongolian health authorities have urged the public to receive a booster shot or third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to boost their immune systems. More than 367,100 Mongolians have received a booster shot so far. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 17:17:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close COLOMBO, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Over 7,000 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka so far this month, giving a boost to the country's tourism industry which took a blow due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reported Monday. According to official figures, 7,096 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka from Oct. 1 to Oct. 13. Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said if the present trend continues, October was likely to record the highest monthly arrivals for this year. The Tourism Ministry said that so far this year, September saw the highest tourist arrivals of 13,547. With the arrivals up to Oct. 13 added, 45,413 tourists have arrived in the country since the re-opening of borders on Jan. 21, the Ministry said. Ranatunga said that with the easing of travel restrictions, there was a growing interest from global travellers to visit the country. The majority of tourists who have arrived in Sri Lanka so far this year are from India, Kazakhstan, Germany, Ukraine, the United States, China, Canada, Britain, France and Russia. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 19:01:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Anti-Drug Department police have arrested two men for attempting to smuggle over 19 kilograms of illicit drugs into Vietnam, the National Police reported on Monday. The suspects, a 20-year-old Cambodian and an 18-year-old Vietnamese, were caught in Bavet City in Svay Rieng Province last Wednesday while they were transporting the drugs by a motorbike from capital Phnom Penh to Vietnam. "A total of 19.48 kg of illicit drugs, including 3.5 kg of heroin, 2.98 kg of methamphetamine, and 13 kg of ketamine, were seized from the duo during the raid," the National Police said on its website. A pistol with eight bullets and a motorbike were also confiscated from them, it added. The Southeast Asian nation has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its laws, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be imprisoned for life. The Anti-Drug Department said that during the January-September period of 2021, the authorities had detained 9,828 drug suspects in 4,461 cases across the country, confiscating some 1.05 tons of illicit drugs. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 19:07:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) on Monday officially issued a 30,000-riel banknote (around 7.5 U. S. dollars) to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords. A sub-decree on the issuance of the 30,000-riel bill was signed by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen. The new note displays a portrait of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk on the obverse and his picture taken with Hun Sen on the reverse, NBC Governor Chea Chanto said in an announcement. On the back side, it also depicts the pictures of the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. He said the banknote's main colors are green, brown and purple. The United Nations-brokered Comprehensive Cambodian Peace Agreements, better known as the Paris Peace Accords, were signed on Oct. 23, 1991 by the Cambodian government led by Hun Sen and the Democratic Kampuchea represented by Khieu Samphan, the regime's former head of state. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-10-18 19:47:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A man views an antique brass utensil during an exhibition featuring folk art and folk music in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Oct. 17, 2021. An exhibition titled "Bangabandhu Folk Art and Folk Music" is underway at Nalini Kanta Bhattashali Exhibition Gallery of the Bangladesh National Museum in capital Dhaka. (Xinhua) DHAKA, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition titled "Bangabandhu Folk Art and Folk Music" is underway at Nalini Kanta Bhattashali Exhibition Gallery of the Bangladesh National Museum in capital Dhaka. The exhibition, held from Oct. 16 till Oct. 26 in commemoration of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, brought together artists from across the country through folk arts. "I highlight the heritage of my country, the tradition of my Sonargaon (a historic place in Narayanganj) at wall mat and Nakshi kantha (embroidered quilt)," said Hosne Ara, a folk artist who sells her works to to earn bread and butter for her family. "For the last two decades, I've been trying to present our 2,000 years old paintings in my way," another folk artist Patua Nazir Hossain said. "We should try to present our culture in our ways," he said. The artist, who is trying to present the Royal Bengal Tiger to the whole world in his own way, said the Royal Bengal Tiger is on the verge of extinction. Tanvir Hossain Abir, a visitor from Kishoreganj district, said he is very happy to visit the exhibition. "Those who live in the city do not see these things. I would tell them to visit the exhibition and see the folk arts of Bangladesh," said the visitor. Enditem Authorities of the University of Liberia and those of the University of Sierra Leone have reached a consensus through signing a memorandum of understanding to facilitate collaboration in research, grant application, students, faculty and staff exchanges, curricula enhancement, visiting lectureship and seminars, cultural exchanges, joint publication and study visits amongst others. The MoU between the two neighboring countries with homogenous culture and historical backgrounds was signed in the presence of the Sierra Leonean President and Chancellor of the University, Julius Maada Bio. Representing Liberia's premier university, the University of Liberia, were the President, Dr. Julius Julukon Sarwolo Nelson, Jr., and witnessed by the Vice President for Institutional Development and Planning, Associate Professor Weade Kobbah Boley. Also signing for the University of Sierra Leone was its Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Dr. Foday Sahr, and witnessed by the Registrar, Madam Olive Kash Barrie. The signing ceremony on September 7 turned out to be attractive because, despite Sierra Leone University's many memoranda of understanding with other local universities in Liberia, was between two state universities and was witnessed by the Head of State and Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone, President Maada Bio. The University of Sierra Leone had signed memoranda of understanding with Cuttington University and the United Methodist University earlier making its presence felt among Liberian academicians. "The signing of memoranda would normally have been the business of the administrative heads of the universities. But the fact that the signing of this memorandum is being presided over by his Excellency the President, is not only another manifestation of the time and energy the President attaches to education at all levels in Sierra Leone, but also the relevance, recognition, and respect the President attaches to the long-standing bilateral relationship between Sierra Leone and Liberia; not only in the field of education but in many other areas of mutual concerns and interests," said Prof. Dr. Sahr. Prof. Dr. Sahr indicated that partnerships amongst higher education institutions are critical because no level of resource endowment can guarantee success for any institution in the education sector without collaboration. Usually, when an MoU is signed, witnesses and beneficiaries develop high expectations about its implementation, and against this backdrop, the Vice-Chancellor was quick to mention that USL remains fully committed to the provisions of the MoU with the desire to implement all of the elements therein. He assured further that the presence of President Julius Maada Bio at the signing ceremony consolidates the status of the MoU and raises the zeal that it is implementable. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Sierra Leone Education Liberia 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. Rev. Dr. Julius Nelson was especially excited by the presence of his namesake, President Julius Maada Bio, and he emphasized the commonalities between Liberia and Sierra in culture, academic system history, and economic approach. Both countries have colonial history traced to the repatriation of freed slaves; have agriculture and mining as bases of their economy, and are Anglophone countries. Rev. Dr. Nelson, realizing and acknowledging these commonalities, noted that they serve as a deep channel of integration for both countries' education systems through collaboration and partnership, which according to him is overdue. He noted that with the MoU, cross-cultural education will be enhanced through students, faculty, and staff exchange programs, which will promote peace, stability, and progress in the two countries aside from the direct net positive impact on research, innovation, and socio-economic development. He commended President Maada Bio for attending the signing ceremony which according to him gives momentum to the MoU by building solid hope that it is implementable. President Maada Bio, too, could waste no time challenging the two universities to begin the implementation of the MoU and to consider financing and sustainability mechanisms. The signing was also attended by key education stakeholders of Sierra Leone and Liberia including Education Minister Dr. Ansu Sonii. announcement Washington, DC Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer will travel to Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Mauritania for official meetings next week. He will be joined by National Security Council Senior Director for Africa Dana Banks and Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Michael Gonzalez. In Nigeria, Mr. Finer will affirm the importance of the U.S. relationship with Africas largest democracy. He will discuss our commitment to democratic progress, the rule of law, and combatting the threats posed by climate change and terrorism. He will also discuss U.S. commitment to global health security as 3.5 million U.S.-donated Pfizer vaccine have arrived in Nigeria. In Equatorial Guinea, the U.S. and Equatoguinean delegations will discuss maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. In Mauritania, the host of the G5 Sahel Executive Secretariat, the delegations will discuss our shared commitment to combatting terrorist groups as well as other issues of mutual interest. press release The total sales of this years Amazons Prime Day of $11.2 billion would cover the cost of ensuring everyone in the poorest countries could wash their hands with soap and water at home by 2030, WaterAid said today. A new report by WHO and UNICEF, released today on Global Handwashing Day, reveals that giving everyone in the worlds poorest countries access to handwashing with soap and water, would cost around $11 billion. That would transform the life-chances of people who are currently unable to simply wash their hands at home. Millions of lives could be saved and billions of dollars in untapped economic potential could be unlocked for the equivalent of just $1.40 per head of the global population, the charity added. As G20 leaders prepare to gather in Rome to improve pandemic preparedness, WaterAid warns that government investment must be made to provide handwashing for all as it plays a critical role in the fight against preventable diarrhoeal diseases and respiratory infections. According to latest estimates from WHO and UNICEF, three in 10 people worldwide cannot wash with soap and water at home, and at current rates of progress, 1.9 billion people families and children will still be without by 2030. WaterAids own recent analysis in its Mission Critical report, concluded that trillions of dollars could be unlocked over the next two decades through universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene. Achieving this could generate a net benefit of $45bn per year, and even just providing a tap in every household could yield $37bn USD annually. WaterAid warned today that progress is worryingly slow. For everyone to be able to wash their hands at home by 2030, one of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals, governments need to make progress at least four times faster than they currently are. However, the economic value of handwashing for all, alongside water and sanitation services, is vastly underestimated by governments, business and donors, resulting in chronic under-investment. Investing in water, sanitation and hygiene brings multiple wins for governments, WaterAid says: it is value for money, it helps achieve health targets and it increases productivity to support economic growth. If governments invested in even basic water, hygiene and toilets it would bring a return on investment of up to 21 times the cost. The provision of basic water services could save women and girls the equivalent of 77 million working days per year that they currently spend on fetching water, increasing their life and work options and greatly contributing towards gender equality. Good hygiene can reduce diarrhoeal and respiratory diseases at low cost, improving peoples health, reducing the costs of healthcare and freeing up peoples productive time. Achieving universal access to hygiene services by 2040 could prevent 96 million cases of diarrhoeal disease and 160 million respiratory infections each year. This equates to less than $10 USD spent to avoid each case. According to WaterAid's research, this could save up to $39 bn in lost productivity. Annie Msosa, Advocacy Advisor on Health for WaterAid, said: Investing in soap and water is a clear no regrets investment, in homes, health care facilities and in schools. Covid recovery and the preparedness for future pandemics cannot happen without it. Smart choices made by governments could play a vital role in ensuring a prosperous future, a healthier population, and a functioning society. Handwashing promotion is proven to be cost-effective. Investments in health, education, and improved water supply are all jeopardised if handwashing with soap is not included in the overall plan. Governments should not wait for another crisis to hit the nation before investing wisely in the health and well-being of its people and the resilience of its economy. Claire Seaward, WaterAids Global Campaigns Director said: As the G20 prepare to gather, its time governments and donors pay attention to the fact that an investment in water, sanitation and hygiene is a life-saving investment in future health and economic prosperity. These simple, but essential facilities have been side-lined for far too long, their value overlooked, crippling economies and trapping millions especially women and girls - in poverty and poor health. Now is the time for action. The UK and other governments need to kickstart behaviour change, set out clear roadmaps for achieving hand hygiene for everyone by 2030, and ringfence the financing to achieving it. Partnerships with businesses will be crucial to strengthening supply chains for hygiene products and services. Donors need to rapidly increase their financial support in low and middle-income countries, recognising the critical role that hand hygiene has in pandemic preparedness and addressing anti-microbial resistance. Notes to Editors: Amazons Prime Day sales total $11.19 billion USD Cost $1.40/head of ensuring handwashing for everyone in the worlds poorest nations is calculated as follows: global population is 8.875 billion. $11 billion USD/ 8.875 billion population is around $0.140 USD. It is estimated that half a million people die each year from diarrhoea or acute respiratory infections that could have been prevented with good hand hygiene. WaterAid WaterAid is working to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. The international not-for-profit organisation works in 28 countries to change the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 27 million people with clean water and 27 million people with decent toilets. For more information, visit www.wateraid.org, follow @WaterAidUK or @WaterAidPress on Twitter, or find WaterAid UK on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wateraid. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa Water 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. 771 million people in the world one in ten do not have clean water close to home.[1] 1.7 billion people in the world more than one in five do not have a decent toilet of their own.[2] Around 290,000 children under five die every year from diarrhoeal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation. That's more than 800 children a day, or one child every two minutes.[3] Every 1 invested in water and toilets returns an average of 4 in increased productivity.[4] Just 15 can provide one person with clean water.[5] [1] WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG Baselines 2 WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG Baselines 3 Pruss-Ustun et al. (2014) and The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2018) 4 World Health organization (2012) Global costs and benefits of drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to reach the MDG target and universal coverage 5 www.wateraid.org analysis Days before his death in July, the African National Congress (ANC) mayor of Johannesburg, Geoff Makhubo, wrote an article responding to critics of the city's managers. The critics say Johannesburg is in decline and falling apart. He emphasised the legacies of apartheid in the continuing inequality in South Africa's "city of gold". His short essay envisioned a future Johannesburg as a site where one tax base for one city will be used to ensure that people ... know they have as good a chance of success regardless of whether they are from Diepsloot or nearby Fourways. It would be absurd to argue against the view that apartheid bequeathed South Africa a highly unequal society. But to identify the historical roots of injustice is quite different to identifying how it is reproduced or reduced. Makhubo's reference to Diepsloot and Fourways, respectively among the poorest and richest areas in Johannesburg's north, was curious. These neighbourhoods have grown primarily in the post-apartheid era. What Makhubo did not mention is that the aspiration for "one tax base for one city" is long-standing. It's been held by successive ANC governments - and social movements - in the city since the early 1990s, as talks to end apartheid got off the ground. The idea was for the wealthy and overwhelmingly white areas of the city's northern suburbs to subsidise the development of the poor, and overwhelmingly black areas of the city's southern and northeastern peripheries. Weapons of the strong In the early 1990s, South Africa was considered ripe for transformative change. This meant undoing the racialised structure of wealth and the highly divided geography that rationed access to the benefits of city life. The ANC government entered power at all levels with extremely high degrees of political legitimacy. It was verboten to attack the basic tenets of social transformation it placed on the political agenda. At the national level, there were critical successes in building the kinds of state capacity normally seen as fundamental to reducing inequality. Tax collection has largely tracked or even beaten averages of countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. A third of South Africans receive one of three major social grants. But the structure of apartheid-era cities has largely been reproduced. It is this structure that, in many ways, was the raison d'etre of the apartheid state -- to serve the white urban minority. In my newly-published research conducted between 2015 and 2018, I examined why Johannesburg, South Africa's largest and richest city, has reproduced spatial inequalities since 1994. In particular the distribution of housing, sanitation and transport remains unequal. I tried to answer this question through 115 semi-structured interviews with local politicians, bureaucrats, activists and private developers in the city. I augmented the data with hundreds of documents collected through archival research in government and NGO publications, the South African History Archive and newspaper articles. I identified two relatively hidden strategies that traditional white elites - property developers and property owners - used to undermine the capacity of Johannesburg's black majority local government to redistribute urban goods. I call these strategies "weapons of the strong". Strikingly, these hidden strategies top the political agenda ahead of the November municipal elections. They speak precisely to the unfinished work of realising "one city with one tax base". Echoes of the 1990s in 2021 Mpho Phalatse, the Johannesburg mayoral candidate of the official opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has emphasised her desire to expand City Improvement Districts. Through these, individual neighbourhoods contribute to funding urban management services that are only for their specific areas. This echoes the first of the strategies that undermined municipal state capacity. I categorise this strategy as "ring-fencing" - area-based hoarding of taxes for local infrastructure improvement. By "ring-fencing", wealthy neighbourhood associations undercut attempts at municipal unification. Revenues are taken out of a general municipal funding stream, and put towards investments that reproduce disparities in the provision of public goods. The founder of one of the first City Improvement Districts in the suburb of Illovo in the mid-1990s described the motivation for establishing them: We definitely weren't going to give our contributions to the city, because there would be no guarantee that it would be spent in the area (p. 200). This strategy became a key means by which wealthier suburbs could ensure a much higher standard of urban management than that in poorer areas. The tax payments were held by the interim municipal "sub-structures" in the first years after apartheid. Another key strategy I identified was "venue-shopping". This is a process by which property developers sought construction approvals from the Gauteng provincial government - under which Johannesburg falls - to undercut the "urban development boundary" that the City of Johannesburg was attempting to enforce. The relatively austere capital expenditures of the city throughout the 2000s, and the lack of institutional capacity to enforce both land use regulations and inter-agency coordination, meant that private developers were still able to shape the spatial trajectory of the city. The terms of this year's mayoral debate in Johannesburg therefore expose battles that were once subterranean. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Business Urban Issues 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 ANC imagines that a redistributive agenda for the city can be built on references to the apartheid past, and top-down delivery through the state. The DA de-emphasises redistribution altogether, adopting strategies for fragmenting urban management. This will only benefit the largely white wealthy homeowners and property developers. The missing protagonist: movements What is missing is a role for housing movements to challenge the growing power of developers and wealthy property owners. These were once so militant they helped bring down apartheid. These movements have been demobilised and cast aside under the ANC. Government is supposed to deliver, and to do so alone. But, without a social movement base, municipal government has struggled to mobilise the bureaucratic power necessary to deliver housing, sanitation, and spatial transformation. This is because city authorities don't have political allies who can counter the often hidden power of homeowners and property developers. As a result, this group's "weapons of the strong" undercut local government authority. As I found in my research, housing movements are extremely fragmented and localised. To move beyond the highly unequal urban stalemate will require a long-term political project to reconnect movements to the local state in a way that has not happened since the dawn of democracy in 1994. Benjamin H. Bradlow, Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University Three notorious banditry kingpins are believed to have moved from Zamfara to new bases in Sokoto State. A few months after a notorious bandit, Bello Turji, fled his base in Zamfara State to Tozai in Sokoto, another outlaw, Halilu Sububu, has also shifted his headquarters to a forest in Sokoto. Several informed sources, including an intelligence officer, expressed different views on the reasons behind Mr Sububu's movement but all of them confirmed the location of his new headquarters. The terrorist was suspected to have organised the abduction of students of Zamfara State College of Agriculture and Animal Sciences in Bakura and over 80 other people in Gora village in Maradun Local Government Area of the state. He was born and brought up in Sububu in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Mr Sububu is one of the most feared bandits in the state and is believed to have strong ties with the infamous gun runner, Shehu Rekeb. Relocation Mr Sububu, who is also called Halilu Rocket by his commanders, had lived in Sububu forest for years. The forest is bounded by Maradun, Shinkafi, Bakura and Talata Mafara in Zamfara State and Raba, Tureta, Isa and Goronyo in Sokoto State. All the sources who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said Mr Sububu has now set up his base in Gwalama village, immediately after Suruddubu in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto. Basharu Guyawa, who has been following the activities of the bandits especially in Sokoto east and Zamfara north, said Mr Sububu fled to escape attacks from security personnel in Zamfara "I believe the reason he left Zamfara is because of impending attacks but he has now got what he needs because his new base shares boundaries with Niger Republic. He can easily run to Niger Republic when there is danger," Mr Guyawa said. Mr Guyawa added that the relocation will enable Mr Sububu and his lieutenants to easily attack Isa and Sabon Birni communities. An SSS official in Zamfara State however said the bandit must have relocated to restrategise. "There are several issues but we believe Halilu and all those who have relocated did so to make new strategies because they have exhausted their plans for now. They may also be thinking of crossing over to Niger Republic to continue their heinous operations," the intelligence officer said, asking not to be named as he had no permission to talk to journalists. The officer said bandits in North-west Nigeria are believed to be working now with fellow felons from Niger Republic. A resident of Galadi town, Hussaini Abdulaziz, said although Mr Sububu has left his base, he still visits his home in Sububu community. "Even last week, our people in the area confirmed that Halilu visited his house. But he has left, possibly because of attacks by soldiers and the fact that they (bandits) have ransacked every one of our villages." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs Conflict 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. Mr Abdulaziz said the bandits also probably consider operating in the Isa-Sabon Birni area as more lucrative than in Shinkafi. Bandits' relocation normal A social historian, Murtala Rufai, said relocations and movements are normal among bandits. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Rufai, who is a lecturer at the Department of History, Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, said bandits' movement are classified into temporary and permanent. "Sometimes they move to new bases to plan on how to undertake attacks. In such cases, whenever they are done with the attacks they normally return to their permanent bases. We also have situations whereby they move permanently for several reasons," he said. While confirming that Mr Sububu has left his known base, the university don said it could portend Turji and Sububu joining forces again. "The attack on Dama village where soldiers and other security personnel were killed was undertaken by Turji, Halilu and Shehu Rekeb. They are now together. Turji was trained by Sububu but he is now more dangerous than his master," Mr Rufai added. He noted that the duo most be familiar with the terrain for them to relocate to that axis. analysis The 26th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties, popularly known as COP26, is happening at a time when the world has just experienced one of the warmest years on record. The year 2020 reached temperatures that were about 1.02C warmer than average. These kinds of extremes, driven by climate change, are being felt intensely across Africa. Greenhouse gases - such as carbon dioxide and methane - are largely to blame for the changes to the climate. Some of the sun's energy is reflected back to space and is trapped by these gases leading to a warming of the earth. Increased concentrations of these gases in our atmosphere leads to global warming and consequently climate climate. Africa carries the heaviest burden of the associated climate change effects, despite contributing less than 5% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Industrialised countries - namely China, the US, India, Russia and Japan - top the list in the emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. Africa is the most vulnerable continent to the effects of climate change due to its low adaptive capacity, as a result of financial and technological limitations, and an over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture. The continent is also witnessing a higher rate of warming than the global average of 0.15C per decade between 1951 and 2020. Given the observed global warming, it is projected that the continent will experience an increase in hot extremes and more frequent and intense rainfall extremes. The projected changes in climate are likely to cause devastating impacts across the continent. The current case of food insecurity as a result of drought in East Africa is a case in point. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that sub-Saharan Africa has loses of over US$520 million in direct economic damages annually as a result of climate change since the beginning of this century. The cost of implementing the continent's response to the challenges posed by climate change is estimated at between US$7 billion and US$15 billion annually. This is projected to shoot to US$35 billion per year by 2050. Consider this, by 2050 climate change is projected to cost Africa 4.7% of its GDP while North America will lose 1.1% of its GDP. African countries cannot be ignored, or just listened to. Their needs should shape the agenda. There must be action that immediately addresses the challenges facing the continent. How can the world come to recognise the magnitude of all this? COP26 provides that platform. Revisiting the Paris Agreement The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Paris Agreement, created in 2015, aims to limit global warming to well below 2C, preferably to 1.5C, compared to pre-industrial levels. Essentially, the agreement brought all countries together in a common effort to combat climate change and adapt to its effects. The agreement provides a framework for financial and technical support to countries who need it. It also obliges developed countries to support developing countries in their mitigation and adaptation efforts - because they are largely responsible for the losses and costs associated with climate change. The developed nations promised to raise US$100 billion a year to support climate change adaptation and mitigation in vulnerable countries. However, reports show that this pledge has fallen short by at least US$20 billion since 2018. Unfortunately, there are no clear plans provided by the "rich" nations on how this deficit will be met. This is the time to hold them accountable. COP26 platform At COP26, countries will launch an adaptation goal and adopt strategies for achieving such a goal. This presents African countries with the opportunity to shape the agenda, once more. Leaders of African countries should approach the convention with a strong, unified voice, presenting their climate change concerns and needs. The negotiation outcomes at COP26 must succeed in favour of Africa and other developing countries by: Making finance more accessible and faster to African and other developing countries. Developed nations must pledge to boost non-financial efforts in climate change adaptation, such as education. A re-commitment of climate finance in line with the revised nationally determined contributions (NDCs). In addition, African countries should continue to remind developed nations of the need to complement local adaptation efforts with global emission reductions. The concentration of carbon dioxide is on an upward trend, despite a dip in 2020 as a result of economic slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The G20 countries account for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions with China alone emitting nearly 25% of the global emissions, closely followed by the US. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Climate Africa International Organisations 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. Despite emitting the least greenhouse gases, African countries have sought to mitigate the effects of climate change. On average, by 2019, African countries were already spending about 5% of their annual GDP to support adaptation and mitigation initiatives, exceeding their contributions to climate change. In addition, regional organisations such as the African Adaptation Initiative are doing their best to build Africa's resilience in the agricultural sector. Most African countries have explored renewable energy resources that can help reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. There have also been numerous carbon sequestration initiatives, among other environmentally sustainable investments, running across the continent. For instance, Morocco has taken the lead globally in production of solar energy, saving the world from over 760,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The harnessing of geothermal energy in Kenya is another notable initiative to reduce the country's emissions by 32% by 2030. African countries are playing their part. But it rests on the shoulders of all nations to stay committed to deliver on the Paris Agreement's promise of a fair, equitable, robust response to climate change. Victor Ongoma, Assistant Professor, Universite Mohammed VI Polytechnique and Portia Adade Williams, Research Scientist, CSIR-Science and Technology Policy Research Institute The Emir of Bungudu was kidnapped in mid-September on the Kaduna-Abuja highway. Bungudu Emirate Council in Zamfara state has announced the return home of their emir, Sarkin Fulanin Bungudu, Hassan Atto, 32 days after he was kidnapped. The emir was kidnapped in mid-September with his police orderly on the Kaduna-Abuja highway while they were travelling to Abuja. The gunmen killed another police officer attached to the emir during the incident . A statement issued on Sunday by the emirate council did not however say whether the emir was released by the bandits on payment of a ransom, or rescued by security personnel. A nephew of the emir, who is also an aide of the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, confirmed the release of the monarch. "They're presently in Kaduna with some family members," he said. Read the statement by the emirate council below: THE EMIR OF BUNGUDU HAS REGAINED FREEDOM The Emir of Bungudu (Sarkin Fulanin Bungudu) Alhaji Hassan Attahiru has regained freedom after 32 days in captivity. On behalf of the family and Bungudu Emirate, we wish to thank everyone for the prayers and support during this trying time. We appreciate all the efforts of Kaduna State Government throughout this challenging period. Our immense gratitude to the Zamfara State Government in playing a key role to see our father returned home safely. We salute the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) for the support in faciliting the release of the Emir. We wish to plead with the public to respect the privacy of the Emir in the coming weeks as he receives medical attention and post-trauma management. The federal government has stated that when fully harnessed, Nigeria has the capacity to generate as much as $18 billion from the export of its estimated 45 million metric tonnes cassava products every year. The Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Mr Niyi Adebayo, who made the disclosure when he received the Chief Executive Officer of BKG Exhibitions, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, weekend noted that the country had not fully taken advantage of the much-sought-after commodity. The minister lamented that though a world leader in cassava production, Nigeria is currently not an active player in the cassava trade in the international market, explaining that with the right collaborations, the situation would improve markedly. He said: "Cassava and oil palm are strategic commodities in our quest for growth and development of the non-oil sector of our economy. Available statistics point to the fact that Nigeria is a leading producer of cassava with a production capacity of 45 million metric tonnes per annum, estimated at about $18 billion. "This accounts for a fifth of the world's cassava production followed by Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, Ghana, Congo and others. However, though a world leader in cassava production, Nigeria is not an active player in cassava trade in the international market." The minister also recalled that Nigeria had maintained a leading position in the global production of palm produce between 1950 to 1960 and controlled well over 45 per cent of the global market. However, he lamented that at present, the country ranks 26th in global production, stressing that: "This is a clear indication that the fortunes of both commodities are declining drastically." Speaking on the agricultural hybrid expo scheduled to hold from November 2-5, 2021 at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, Adebayo stated that the programme would further showcase the enormous potential in the sector to the rest of the world. He added that the partnership with BKG Exhibitions Limited to organise the conference tagged PAC Africa Expo & Conference, will unlock the huge revenue in the area for sustainable economic growth. According to the minister, aside BKG Exhibition and his ministry, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Raw Materials, Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and other related agencies of government will be actively involved in the upcoming programme. Adebayo reiterated that the conference will bring together experts from diverse fields in the oil palm, cassava, agricultural technology and allied industries to discuss, educate, review and make informed inputs on current trends on global best practices and technology in the sector. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance Food and Agriculture 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. Earlier in his address, Agwu told the minister that over 300 local companies had been invited for the expo, adding that the committee was in talks with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to facilitate easy entry to Nigeria for the many international organisations that would be coming from Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil, Ghana and other countries. Agwu called on the minister to bring on board state governments to ensure easy acquisition of lands for the investors who may be willing to invest in Nigeria's cassava and oil palm sub-sector. "We seek the ministry's support in the area of speaking to the governors with a view to making lands easily available for agricultural investment. Our findings show that 24 states in Nigeria grow palm and our intention is to harness this for greater economic sustainability. Oil palm is said to be more costly in the international market than even crude oil," he said. Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), Rahama Sadau, Uzee Usman, and Yvonne Nelson will play the lead roles in the movie. Rogers Ofime, an award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, has announced plans to shoot Nollywood's first-ever movie on a moving train. Ofime told PREMIUM TIMES in Lagos that 95-percent of the movie will be shot along the Lagos-Ibadan route. The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Ofime, best known for producing several notable Nigerian television soap operas, including 'The Johnsons', 'Tinsel' and 'Hush', announced that the film, titled, 'Conversations in transit,' would be shot in partnership with Nigeria Railway Cooperation. With Native media tv taking the lead, the project is going to be the first of its kind in Africa; the entire movie would be shot on a moving train, from its arrival, transit, and departure. The movie would be shot at the Mobolaji Johnson Rail Station at Yaba Lagos State. Mr Ofime, who is the executive producer of the movie, thanked the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Ameachi, MD/CEO of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, F.E Okhiria for allowing his team to partner with them and opening their facilities to the filmmakers. Ofime, who has been producing movies for over a decade, hinted that the movie would showcase the infrastructural development in the transportation sector and Nigeria as a whole. Journey to the Project The movie was scripted by Tope Bolade- Akinbode and Dichie Enunwa. According to them, the idea that was birthed by Ummi Baba Ahmed, was turned into an amazing adventure. The writers said they had to travel by train from Lagos to Ibadan, so as to experience travelling via train from a first-hand perspective. After the tour, the writers scripted the storyline of the movie. The director, Robert Peters, added that scripts are the most pivotal element and foundation of a great movie. " Conversation in transit' screenplay is a solid foundation. This is one movie I can't wait to be part of," he said. Open arms Nyi Ali, director of Mobolaji Johnson train station, who represented the MD of the NRC at the gathering, said the NRC is open to partnering with filmmakers to showcase the laudable infrastructural developments of this administration not just to Nigerians but to the world. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Entertainment 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. Mr Ali revealed that the train station would commence online bookings and purchase of train tickets in the nearest future. He also frowned at the purchase of train tickets from touts, emphasising the need to purchase train tickets from the train station, as it is more affordable and convenient. He also revealed that most music videos are shot around the train station facilities. Plot and cast The movie tells a story of an heiress; Hajara, event planner; Ini, and a career woman; Adeola, on a train ride with an abusive fiance, a cheating and an alcoholic repentant husband. They have a prospect of indulging in a wild naughty weekend with total strangers while traveling from Lagos to Ibadan but the journey would change the course of their destiny. The movie cast is star-studded. Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), Rahama Sadau, Uzee Usman, Yvonne Nelson, will play the lead roles. Filming is set to commence in 2022 and would be premiered on a train in transit. Native Media Ltd is a multi-award-winning television production company, they are the producers of 'Oloibiri', 'Voiceless', 'Hush', 'Zamani', 'Hotel Majestic' amongst others blockbuster movies. Yes direct primaries seem the best way to give every party member an equal opportunity to determine who their standard bearer should be. It is reported in the news that the Senate is proposing an amendment to the Electoral Act to make it mandatory for all political parties in Nigeria to apply the direct primaries in the selection of candidates for election. As a Nigerian, I am deeply concerned that the Senate may be exercising too much prescriptive power over the right of political parties to choose how to conduct its affairs in a democratic manner. This is because selection of standard bearers of political parties by direct primaries is by no means the only democratic process to select candidates. I am further concerned about the practicability of this, given that the decision, if it becomes law, would place a huge burden on the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure its practicability. INEC is a regulator and has inherent power to regulate the affairs of election. However, INEC can only monitors but not organise the primaries of political parties. INEC also has no powers to nullify a party primary. Party primaries can only be nullified by the court. Yes direct primaries seem the best way to give every party member an equal opportunity to determine who their standard bearer should be. But the direct primaries would ony make sense if the parties have an agreeable and authentic list of members. To ensure that this happens, there would have to be a regulation from INEC that mandates every political party to publish and deposit their membership list with the Commission, as regulator by a given time before the elections. Let us look at some practical realities here. Supposing we want to have the primaries for the governorship election for all the existing parties. Each political party will have to pick a distinct date for its primary election because the primary election takes the form of a general, involving members to vote in public places, most ideally in the polling units. The organisers would then have to deal with the logistics and security of conducting that in every polling unit at the same period. Please note that a direct party primary is as huge in organisation as general election. Think back at how that is done in the US. It is even managable in the US because it is just two political parties involved and direct primaries is not applicable in every state. Too often when the legislature in Nigeria heaps responsibilities on INEC and the citizens excitedly supports that, they seem to lose sight of the fact that we have many political parties in Nigeria who should be equally monitored, not just the so-called 'major' political parties. To get a grasp of my point, let's use any state as case study. Let us assume that a state has 5000 polling units and all the existing 18 political parties are to conduct direct primaries to select their governorship standard bearers. This is even assuming that we don't eventually have more political parties than 18. It means that each of the 18 political parties that wants to select a governorship candidate will be seen in each of those 5000 polling units, each party on a different day and INEC will be there to monitor. So there will be party primaries in each polling unit 18 times! This is before the general elections. By the way, no state office of INEC has the staff strength to cover every polling unit to be monitored during party primaries. The only way INEC can monitor those would be to rely on ad-hoc staff, just like those who conduct general elections. Where would the cost for such humongous organization and monitoring come from, a total of 18 times before the general election? By the time people see 18 party primaries in a single polling unit for the governorship election, another 18 for the presidential elections, they would be so wearied that they will not be ready for the main general election. This is because polling units are located within the communities and to be effective, the direct party primary must take on the format of a general election (with all the anxiety, tension, commotion and even violence and disruption of activities). Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Many of the Polling Units are located in public facilities such as schools. Those primaries would disrupt activities in schools on each of those 18 days, because they cannot all be held on weekends. Even if a resident in the community is not a member of any political party, and as such not expected to go out to vote, his/her life's endeavours would have been disrupted at least 18 times in the community before the general election for just one position. Can we really afford such disruption to our lives? One hopes that the National Assembly in finally signing off on this would consider these fine details before deciding. My fear is that if we continue with this trajectory and hope to see all these in the 2023 election, we may run into a huge confusion and unmanageable process. WSJ had published a report on Sunday, alleging that the NAF brokered the deal to secure a 12.7 calibre anti aircraft gun as President Muhammadu Buhari was planning a trip to Katsina, his home state. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has described as false a newspaper report that it paid N20 million to some bandits in exchange for an anti-aircraft gun earlier seized from troops. The air force said the report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) was part of a campaign to further the cause of insecurity in Nigeria by elements who see it (NAF) as a threat following a series of successful exploits in operations against criminal gangs. What WSJ said The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) had published a report on Sunday, stating that the NAF brokered the deal to secure a 12.7 calibre anti-aircraft gun as President Muhammadu Buhari was planning a trip to Katsina, his home state. The media outlet said the money was delivered to the bandits in Rugu Forest by an officer who leaked details of the operation under anonymity. It stated that a young intelligence officer sent to retrieve the anti-aircraft missile paid nearly $50,000 in crisp Nigerian banknotes, not for a person, but to retrieve a weapon that directly threatened the president. It also said the military realised that it would be too risky to leave the weapon in the hands of violent criminals operating in an area the presidential jet would fly over. WSJ also said that a confidential report presented to Mr Buhari in July, stated that "Criminal factions appear to be better equipped with larger capacity advanced weapons than national security agencies," and that the herdsmen had reorganised operations mostly into banditry and kidnapping for ransom therefore escalating the rise in cases. NAF denies But in a statement on Sunday by its spokesperson, Edward Gabkwet, NAF said there was no iota of truth in the report, describing it as a spurious allegation designed to cast aspersions on the good image of the Force. "The NAF wishes to categorically state that there is absolutely no iota of truth in the spurious allegation that was undoubtedly designed to cast aspersions on the good image of the Service. The said report is totally false. It should therefore be taken as fake news and disregarded. "Indeed, we ordinarily would not have responded to such baseless and utterly illogical allegation but for the need to set the record straight as well as reaffirm the NAF's unflinching commitment to decisively dealing with the armed bandits and all other criminal elements in the Country in partnership with other services of the Armed Forces and other security Agencies," the statement said. Mr Gabkwet said there was no point paying bandits because, according to him, they had suffered defeat at the hands of the Air Force. According to him, the report could be a part of a campaign to further the cause of insecurity in Nigeria by some elements. He said: "For the avoidance of doubt, it must be stated that there is no basis for the NAF to pay bandits or any criminal elements that it has continued to attack and decimate in Katsina State, other parts of the North-West as well as other Theatres of Operation in the Country. "Indeed, as recent as 12 October 2021, NAF aircraft conducted 5 missions in the Jibia general area and engaged targets with rockets and cannons at Bala Wuta bandits' locations in Kadaoji. Similar successes were recorded at Fakai Dutsin Anfare, an area in Jibia LGA known for its high incidences of bandits' activities. "The false reportage therefore, begs the question as to why the NAF would negotiate for a weapon allegedly seized and still carry out air interdiction missions on the same bandits and their strongholds. The NAF is of the view that, this latest false report could be a part of a campaign to further the cause of insecurity in Nigeria by elements who see the NAF as a threat following a series of successful exploits in operations against criminal gangs." He further urged the general public to disregard the allegations, urging them to cooperate with the service in the fight against banditry. Read full statement by the Nigerian Air Force NAF DID NOT MAKE ANY PAYMENT TO BANDITS IN EXCHANGE FOR WEAPONS The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to news reports circulating on some media platforms alleging that the NAF, through one of its personnel, paid the sum of N20 Million to armed bandits operating in Jibia Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State in exchange for an anti-aircraft gun allegedly seized. The report went on to state that the reason behind the payment was to retrieve the anti-aircraft gun which, it alleged, the NAF feared could be used against aircraft operating within Katsina State. 2. The NAF wishes to categorically state that there is absolutely no iota of truth in the spurious allegation that was undoubtedly designed to cast aspersions on the good image of the Service. The said report is totally false. It should therefore be taken as fake news and disregarded. Indeed, we ordinarily would not have responded to such baseless and utterly illogical allegation but for the need to set the record straight as well as reaffirm the NAF's unflinching commitment to decisively dealing with the armed bandits and all other criminal elements in the Country in partnership with other services of the Armed Forces and other security Agencies. 3. For the avoidance of doubt, it must be stated that there is no basis for the NAF to pay bandits or any criminal elements that it has continued to attack and decimate in Katsina State, other parts of the North-West as well as other Theatres of Operation in the Country. Indeed, as recent as 12 October 2021, NAF aircraft conducted 5 missions in the Jibia general area and engaged targets with rockets and cannons at Bala Wuta bandits' locations in Kadaoji. Similar successes were recorded at Fakai Dutsin Anfare, an area in Jibia LGA known for its high incidences of bandits' activities. The false reportage therefore, begs the question as to why the NAF would negotiate for a weapon allegedly seized and still carry out air interdiction missions on the same bandits and their strongholds. The NAF is of the view that, this latest false report could be a part of a campaign to further the cause of insecurity in Nigeria by elements who see the NAF as a threat following series of successful exploits in operations against criminal gangs. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance Legal Affairs 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. 4. Perhaps, this provides an avenue for the NAF to yet again appeal to members of the media, both local and international, as well as social media, to be circumspect in their reportage and endeavour to always verify their facts before going public. The public is enjoined to disregard the falsehood emanating from some sections of the social and mainstream media. The NAF also uses this opportunity to call on citizens to continue to cooperate with security agencies as efforts are ongoing to rid the entire Nation of criminals and their activities. 5. On our part, the NAF, as a professional and disciplined force, will not in any way be discouraged from carrying out its mandate to rid the entire North-West Nigeria of banditry and other forms of criminality. We remain resolute in performing our function and will continue to work in synergy with other sister Services and security agencies to rid the Country of all criminal elements. 6. Kindly bring this information to the awareness of the general public. Edward Gabkwet Air Commodore Director of Public Relations and Information Nigerian Air Force 17 October 2021 THE Federal Government, through the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, the regulatory agency in the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry, has cancelled the operating licences of two oil firms; NOV Oil and Gas Services Nigeria Limited as well as Nov Oilfield Solutions Limited (National Oilwell Varco) over alleged breach of terms and conditions of the Oil and Gas Industry Service Permit, OGISP. The companies were accused of failing to abide by the rules and regulations governing the release of staff, failure to put in place a Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, and for contravening the extant laws within Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry with regards to committing anti-labour infractions and lack of respect for due process. NOV Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited and NOV Oilfield Solutions Limited are subsidiaries of Houston, Texas-based multinational National Oilwell Varco (NOV) Incorporation with total assets $20.21 billion and a revenue of over $10 billion. NOV Nigeria has participated in many projects in Nigeria including the Total Egina project which fetched the company over a billion dollars in the last five (5) years. It currently has ongoing contracts with IOCs in Nigeria. The cancellation of the licences was the height of the sanctions against the company for its perceived lack of respect for national and international labour laws, conventions, rules, and regulations, including the Trade Union Acts, the Nigerian Constitution and Regulation 15A of the Petroleum Drilling Act (as amended) 2019. The company paid a fine $250,000 for the infraction in early 2021 and was imposed a fine of another $250,000 on September 29, 2021, with a deadline for payment on October 6, 2021, for deliberately flouting extant laws, procedures and guidelines, while the DPR directed that the terminated workers should be recalled and reinstated. In a letter titled "Cancellation of Permit to operate as an oil industry service company, Director/CEO of DPR, Engr. Sarki Auwalu, dated October 5, 2021, to the Managing Director, National Oilwell Varco(NOV), insisted that "the permit shall not be re-issued until such a time that your companies are in compliance with the law and statutes." Recall that NOV Nigeria has been having a running battle with Organised Labour under the aegis of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, and regulatory authority and Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity over anti-labour and unprocedural practices in the country. The DPR directed the NOV Nigeria Management to put in place a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and discuss with the union before embarking on redundancy in 2014, which the Management refused to adhere to but went ahead to severe the employees' employment and a similar thing happened in 2019 when 23 employees who were members of PENGASSAN were sacked in 2020. Since June 2020, Management and PENGASSAN had engaged in CBA discussions at various times with the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, and the DPR. A CBA was however concluded on July 27, 2021, and signed by all parties including PENGASSAN, NOV Human Resources Manager in Nigeria and DPR representatives except the offshore Management representatives, Mr Francisco Cruz, Human Resources, HR, Director, the Middle East/Africa; Mr Pierre Yves Palud, Vice President, Africa Finance; Mr Juanita Olivier, Africa Regional Counsel and Mr Cesar Velasco, Vice President, Well Services, Middle East and Africa who refused to sign the agreed CBA/Minutes and this culminated in the industrial relations crisis and breach of the industry regulations. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Labour Governance Nigeria 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. Speaking on the anti-labour practices, Lagos Zonal Chairman of PENGASSAN, Eyam Abeng, said that the management had been engaging in harassment, victimisation, intimidation and sacking of its workers without following the laid down procedures for releasing of staff. "This has been the practice of the NOV Management in all its countries of operations. They will come into the country with over 100 local staff and within two years of operations, it will tactically reduce to 4 or 5 staff, while all jobs are gradually off-shored. "The Union is not averse to redundancy or release of its members but must be carried out in line with the signed CBA and extant laws of the industry in Nigeria. Offshoring of jobs by NOV Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited and NOV Oilfield Solutions Limited or any other company operating in the Oil & Gas industry in Nigeria will not be allowed henceforth. This action/practice is against the Nigeria Petroleum Act." Vanguard News Nigeria ? El presidente de la Republica, @PedroCastilloTe, se reunio con mas de 20 dirigentes sindicales del gremio de la prensa de la Asociacion Nacional de Periodistas, que agrupa a mas de 11 000 periodistas de las regiones de todo el pais. ?? Ver nota: https://t.co/8BiesdaLBT pic.twitter.com/MOO5451W5i 18:34 | Lima, Oct. 17. The Peruvian delegation, which had the support of PromPeru's Trade Office in France, expects to sign US$5.2 million in deals in the following months. Said delegation was made up of 16 co-exhibiting companies 12 of which were receptive domestic management companies (DMC) two hotels/lodges, one railway company, and one airline. The pre-launch of the " Awaken to Peru " campaign took place during this event in order to foster the promotion of regions like Cusco, Puno, Arequipa, Madre de Dios, and Loreto on the French market. GYUMRI, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS. According to preliminary results the Balasanyan Alliance led by incumbent mayor of Gyumri Samvel Balasanyan has won in the municipal elections of Armenias second largest city, with 9637 votes (36,59%). The runner-up is the Civil Contract Party, which garnered 7785 votes (29,56%). Four alliances and six parties were running for office in the election. The threshold required for alliances and parties to overcome was 6% and 4% respectively. The Zartonk National Christian Party received 2793 votes (10,60%). 1333 voters (5,06%) cast their ballots for the Republican Party of Armenia. Aprelu Yerkir party took 1489 votes (5,65%). 109,453 people were eligible to vote, but the turnout was only 24,14% (26,417 voters). Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is changing its system of providing work-based residence status to foreigners. The new draft proposes to facilitate the procedure of granting a work permit to foreigners. Head of the Migration Service Armen Ghazaryan introduced the draft to ARMENPRESS, stating that the changes will enter into force from January 1, 2022. -What was the reason for coming up with such an initiative and what problem does it solve? -Its already two years the works to reform the system on granting an employment-based residence status to foreigners are underway. It supposes quite large-scale legislative and technical amendments, and at the moment those changes are in process. The Parliament adopted respective legislative amendments this year in summer. Amendments were made to the Law on Foreigners, the Labor Code and the Law on State Fee, which will enter into force on January 1, 2022. Complete digitization of the system and the facilitation of the administration are expected. These are, probably, the main changes. -Can you, please, mention some examples on what we have by the current procedures and what changes are expected from January 1? -Currently, the process is being done with the following logic: in order to hire a foreign employee, the employer applies to the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia, gets a work permit for a foreigner and then the foreigner comes, personally applies to the Police and gets a temporary residency status. In fact, we have two different processes, which are a part of one chain. So what we propose now? We transfer this full chain to a digital platform and synchronize it. The foreigner will receive one document, that is the temporary residence status through employment. In that platform the employer will fill in the job description, and based on this if there is a citizen employee of the Republic of Armenia, the authorized body of labor affairs will propose his/her candidacy to the employer. And if the employee approves it, the process ends at that point and the citizen of Armenia starts working. If no agreement is reached, and a foreigner needs to be hired, his/her data are filled in the respective platform, all security checks are carried out and after that he/she can come and get his/her temporary residence card based on employment. -Do I understand right that the proposed changes concern both the employers and the foreigners who wish to work in Armenia? -Of course, in one part the reforms facilitate the administration, cut the deadlines for the employers, and in the other part the administration is facilitated for foreigners. Interview by Anna Gziryan Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani troops whove invaded the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia have built large shelters and amassed large supplies of firewood, as well as paved the roads leading to their positions with concrete, Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan warned in a statement. Tatoyan said the Azerbaijani troops have become more and more active in the recent period. Moreover, they continue to build new roads, the number of troops and armaments in their positions has increased. They are conducting re-enforcements of positions and active engineering works all the time, Tatoyan said. Ombudsman Tatoyan underscored that the Azeri troops are unlawfully located on lands owned by Armenian citizens. This information has been confirmed by the ombudsmans fact-finding mission with validated data from several sources, he said. These are the Azeri positions from where the Azeri troops are committing terrorisms against the civilian population of Armenia, regularly shooting at the civilian homes of the villages of Verin Shorzha, Sotk and Kut, among others, in the Gegharkunik province, committing mass arson of pastures owned by farmers. The servicemen of these positions have committed many thefts of livestock, Tatoyan said. Tatoyan stressed that the presence of the Azeri military in the vicinity of Armenian villages, moreover on sovereign Armenian territory, is explicitly unlawful and is by itself a violation of the villagers right to life and right to live safely, right to property and income and other vital rights. The ombudsman once again called for an immediate start of the process of creating a de-militarized security zone around the Armenian borders, and an immediate Azerbaijani withdrawal from the vicinity of Armenian villages and from the roads linking Armenian towns. This recommendation has been notably included in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 2021 September 27 Resolution N 2391. Ombudsman Tatoyan said he will send relevant reports to other international organizations and Armenian governmental bodies and civil society organizations. The Ombudsman concluded by noting that the Azerbaijani militarys criminal actions, gross violations of human rights are fueled by a single source: the Azerbaijani state-sanctioned anti-Armenian racism, genocidal policy and policy of hostility and ethnic cleansing. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The Entrepreneur + State Anti-Crisis Investments Fund managed by ANIFs subsidiary, will invest USD 4 million in the EU-Armenia SME Fund (hereinafter: the Fund) supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD) and the European Union and managed by Amber Capital Armenia. The committed capital of the Fund will hence reach the target size of USD 50million, which will be invested directly into the Armenian economy. The goal is to make equity investments in private companies operating in the Republic of Armenia to support business expansion plans. FMO ,the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, has also committed USD 7 mln to the Fund. FMO invests in the fund to support building the PE industry in Armenia, which in turn will help to make financing available for SMEs and facilitate the creation of jobs (SDG8). CEO of ANIF, David Papazian, said: "Today there are almost no alternative business financing tools in Armenia, such as private equity funds. Our subscription is of strategic importance, as it takes place along a subscription by a strategic European investor such as FMO. The investment is especially valuable for ANIF taken into account the contribution to the development of the Armenian economy, as well as its capital markets. Managing Partner of Amber Capital Armenia Anush Simonyan said: "We would like to thank ANIF for this investment. We believe it reflects the trust in the EU Armenia SME Fund, and lays foundation for a long-term mutually beneficial partnership between Amber Capital and ANIF." YEREVAN, 18 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received the head Rapporteur Group on Democracy of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the Council of Europe Ambassador Marten Ehnberg and the delegation headed by him. Ambassadors of France, Russia, Switzerland, Finland, Estonia, Andorra, Iceland and representatives of the Secretariat of the Council of Europe arrived within the delegation. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Minister Mirzoyan and Ambassador Ehnberg expressed satisfaction over the multidisciplinary cooperation and expressed confidence that efficient cooperation will have further development. Ararat Mirzoyan emphasized the fundamental role of support provided by the Council of Europe in democratic reforms, ensuring of the rule of law, and protection of Human Rights. In this context the implementation of the Council of Europe-Armenia action plan of 2019-2022 was highlighted. Referring to the aggression committed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh with gross violations of human rights and to the situation created as a consequence, the Minister highly appreciated the statements and calls by different bodies of the Council of Europe regarding the termination of military operations. In the context of overcoming the humanitarian crisis created in Artsakh, the Armenian FM emphasized the importance of the unhindered engagement by the appropriate bodies of the Council of Europe. Ararat Mirzoyan emphasized that until today Azerbaijan continues to hold hostage Armenian prisoners of war and civilians, which is a gross violation of international humanitarian law as well as its obligation assumed by the trilateral statement. The Azerbaijani armed forces that invaded Gegharkunik Province of Armenia have built large shelters, accumulated a large amount of firewood, and concreted the roads leading to their positions, Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan said in a statement. October 18, 2021, 11:03 Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan army that invaded Gegharkunik Province build large shelters, concrete roads STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 18, ARTSAKHPRESS: Tatoyan said the Azerbaijani troops have become more and more active in the recent period. Moreover, they continue to build new roads, the number of troops and armaments in their positions has increased. They are conducting re-enforcements of positions and active engineering works all the time, Tatoyan said. Ombudsman Tatoyan underscored that the Azeri troops are unlawfully located on lands owned by Armenian citizens. This information has been confirmed by the ombudsmans fact-finding mission with validated data from several sources. These are the Azeri positions from where the Azeri troops are committing terrorisms against the civilian population of Armenia, regularly shooting at the civilian homes of the villages of Verin Shorzha, Sotk and Kut, among others, in the Gegharkunik province, committing mass arson of pastures owned by farmers. The servicemen of these positions have committed many thefts of livestock, Tatoyan said. Therefore, the process of establishing a demilitarized security zone around the RA borders and immediately removing the Azerbaijani armed forces from the RA villages and roads between the communities should start immediately. This proposal of the RA Human Rights Defender is contained in a specific international document: Resolution No. 2391 (2021) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on September 27, 2021. The Human Rights Defender will also send relevant reports to international organizations and RA state bodies, civil society organizations. It is not the "Russian propaganda" and hackers that is a threat to American democracy but peoples mistrust to political institutions, as Tass informs, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday. October 18, 2021, 12:06 Threat to US democracy comes not from Russian hackers but from popular mistrust STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 18, ARTSAKHPRESS: "A threat to American democracy comes not from, as they say today, authoritarian regimes, but from mistrust of Americas own citizens to what is said by the political elite and global information companies-US monopolists," she wrote on her Telegram channel. She recalled that according to the polls released by the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research on October 8, propagation of disinformation is blamed not on "Russian troll factories," RT propaganda or Chinese cyber troops, but on American politicians, IT-corporations and social network users. "Nearly half of respondents (48% of Americans) are sure that the US government is responsible for deliberate publication of disinformation. It wrecks the entire conceptual basis the Western Russophobia rests on. One may suggest that this is what Republican supporters think about the public policy of the current Democratic administration, but it is not so. Each third Democrat, according to polls, thinks that Washington is lying, to things by their proper names," she noted. Decline of trust, in her words, is an alarming signal for the US authorities. "And it is even dangerous to hide behind "Kremlin hackers," because if they have hacked anything, it is moral standards of the American Establishment," she stressed. On October 18, a conference entitled "Current Problems of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery" dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Faculty of Dentistry of Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi was held in Stepanakert. October 18, 2021, 15:47 Conference entitled "Current Problems of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery" held in Stepanakert STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 18, ARTSAKHPRESS:The Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Artsakh, Mikael Hayriyan made an opening speech. "The Armenian Dental Association has always contributed to the development of in-university education for future dentists in Artsakh. During the recent war in Artsakh, the Armenian military medicine, in general, all the specialists involved in the healthcare system, did such great work, which, looking back, seems impossible. Today's conference assures that we will live and create in Artsakh forever," said Hayriyan. Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry of Yerevan State Medical University, President of the Armenian Dental Association Lazar Yesayan thanked the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Artsakh for organizing the conference at a high level. "We work with dentists in Stepanakert. In cooperation with Yerevan State Medical University, we hold training courses, seminars, conferences in Stepanakert. This process will be continuous," Yesayan said. During the conference, Honorary Doctor of Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi Bedros Yavru Sakuk delivered a lecture on "Children's Respiratory Disorders". During the conference, Honorary Doctor of Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi Bedros Yavru Sakuk delivered a lecture on "Children's Respiratory Disorders". Myofunctional therapist Valentina Gecha, Associate Professor of Medical Sciences Sergey Grigorev and others made reports at the conference. According to the Belarusian president, by saying it, he wants "Germany, France, the UK, and other countries to finally get real and realize what is happening with these migrants in Poland and Lithuania." Lukashenko emphasized that Warsaw and Vilnius were demonstrating everywhere that they allegedly placed migrants in special camps. "But in fact, these are only transit points, they specifically release migrants from the camps as [the countries] realize that these migrants [are not going to stay] in Poland or Lithuania as well as in Belarus," the head of state noted. "They will go to Germany, to warmer countries, as they say." Women fleeing domestic violence will be able to access the payments from Tuesday. (Images: Getty). Women and children escaping domestic and family violence will be eligible for $5,000 emergency payments from tomorrow, as Australia continues to battle a domestic violence crisis. An estimated one in six women in Australia will experience domestic violence in their lifetime, compared to one in 17 men. The average woman will require $18,000 and 141 hours to flee a violent relationship, the Australian Council of Trade Unions has found. Also read: We know that financial hardship, as well as economic abuse - which may involve interfering with work or controlling or withholding money - reduces womens ability to acquire and use money and makes it difficult to leave violent relationships, Womens Safety Minister Anne Ruston said. The payments will assist people who need financial support to leave. We know the size of the house a woman is fleeing doesnt matter often she bundles the kids into the car, maybe the dog too, and they leave with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. The Escaping Violence Payment offers $1,500 in cash and the remaining $3,500 in direct payments to cover items like rental bonds and school fees. The new payments are part of a two-year trial that was first announced in the 2021-22 Federal Budget in May. Community service network UnitingCare Australia Consortium will deliver the payments. The consortium has extensive experience supporting victim-survivors, and will use this knowledge to provide the payments and additional support, UnitingCare national director Claerwen Little said. We believe that all people, especially women and their children, have the right to live freely and without fear, and this payment is an important step forward to ending violence against women and their children, Little said. Story continues As part of the individualised support packages, UnitingCare Network agencies will provide tailored assistance and engage with other relevant agencies that support women and their children, including other commonwealth or state and territory government-funded community services. The payment is not considered taxable or reportable income and as such will not impact on other social security payments victim-survivors may be receiving. To claim the payments, women will need to show evidence of financial stress and of domestic violence. This could include a police report, AVO, court order or referral from a family and domestic violence service provider with a risk assessment and safety plan. Women can apply for the payment from 19 October through UnitingCare Network by visiting this site . A national crisis The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the domestic violence crisis, with support providers recording surging demand. A national survey of 362 domestic and family violence agencies and individuals released in June found most providers experienced higher demand, while nearly half said their clients were making more reports of controlling behaviours. The Queensland University of Technology survey analysed providers experiences between early June and the end of August 2020, and found two-thirds had experienced a growth in new clients. An Australian Government survey of 15,000 women in relationships also found 11.6 per cent of respondents had experienced at least one form of emotionally abusive or controlling behaviour in the three months to May 2020. Additionally, 4.6 per cent reported having experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of a current or former partner. On average, one woman is killed every week by a current or former partner, with more than 40 women having already been killed this year by abusive partners, according to the Red Heart Campaign. And every year, 7,690 women return to an abusive partner because they have nowhere to live, and 9,120 women become homeless because of domestic violence. Pregnant mother Michelle Darragh was found dead at the home of her former partner on 9 October, shortly after they separated. Days earlier, also pregnant mother Janet Dweh was found dead at her home in Perth. Police believe she was killed by someone known to her. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. Under 25? Call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or chat online. City Ashley L. Snow, 35, 26 N. Fulton St., Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Oct. 15. Robert L. Lewis, 41, 913 Church Hill Road, Dover, Delaware, was charged Oct. 17 with second-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Jessica M. Morales, 37, transient, Auburn, was picked up on two bench warrants Oct. 17 and charged with petit larceny, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and two counts of third-degree identity theft. County Christopher Michael Moore, 33, 3712 E. Genesee St. Road, Sennett, was charged Oct. 15 with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property. Robert Austan Hawkey, 19, 2921 Ryan Road, Brutus, was charged Oct. 16 with third-degree menacing and fourth-degree criminal mischief. Mercy Sherman, 21, 53 Rose St., Geneva, was charged Oct. 16 with fourth-degree stalking. Justin Douglas Villa, 31, 362 S. Railroad St., Parish, was charged Oct. 16 with third-degree menacing. Dionna N. Smith, 29, 38 Marlborough Road, Rochester, was charged Oct. 16 with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Kenneth H. Descoteaux, 51, 8 Lafayette Place, Auburn, was picked up on two bench warrants Oct. 16. John Wesley Smith, 37, 19 Franklin St., Auburn, was picked up on a bench warrant Oct. 16. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 A two-alarm fire caused heavy damage to a Union Springs house, displacing a family of four. Union Springs Fire Department Chief Garret Waldron said the family reported the fire at 3:12 p.m. Sunday after they returned to their 202 Cayuga St. home. The first firefighters on the scene encountered heavy smoke and fire coming from the kitchen area, with the fire advancing its way through the house. Waldron put out two alarms to bring in additional units to assist. The first alarm brought firefighters from departments in Cayuga, Aurora, Fleming and Aurelius. A second alarm brought another Fleming unit along with Owasco firefighters and county fire coordinators. Waldron said the fire was out in an about an hour, but the house sustained heavy damage, especially in the rear of the structure where the kitchen is located. No people were injured, but a pet cat died. County fire investigators are still determining the cause, but signs are pointing to an appliance issue, Waldron said. In addition to the fire departments on the scene, AMR Ambulance was there as a precaution and New York State Police assisted with traffic control, which included shutting down a portion of the road, which is also Route 90. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 5 Angry 0 As U.S. Rep. John Katko faces the possibility of challenges on multiple fronts, he continues to raise large sums of money and has more in the bank than any potential foe. Katko, R-Camillus, raised $488,743 in the October quarterly filing period, which runs from July 1 through Sept. 30. It is the most he has raised in a quarter this year and a personal third-quarter record for a non-election year. Katko raised $241,378 from individuals and $222,500 from political action committees and other campaigns. He also received $24,862 from joint fundraising committees. The campaign spent $143,568 and closed with a balance of $1.2 million a significant war chest before what's expected to be a fight-filled year for Katko. The four-term Republican congressman is facing a backlash within his own party over his support for former President Donald Trump's impeachment. Trump has pledged to support a primary opponent and some within the local GOP and Conservative Party are interested in an alternative. Other GOP leaders continue to support Katko, but it's not enough to avoid a possible primary battle in 2022. Redistricting will play a role in determining who Katko could face in a GOP primary. One possibility is that he will wind up in the same district as U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, a Utica-area Republican. Trump has already signaled that if given that choice, he would support Tenney over Katko. Despite opposition from the pro-Trump wing of the GOP, Katko continues to have the support of House Republican leaders. One of Katko's major donors, according to his recent filing, was House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican. Through Scalise's campaign committee and Eye of the Tiger PAC, Katko received $14,000. Take Back the House 2022, a joint fundraising committee led by House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, transferred $24,862 to Katko's campaign. That's significant because Trump has demanded that House GOP leaders cut off Katko from the fundraising committee. While Katko is looking ahead to 2022, he is also helping candidates in local elections. His previous filing showed that his campaign donated $13,500 to 17 local candidates. According to his most recent report, he gave $8,500 to local candidates or committees. The Onondaga County Republican Committee received $5,000 and the Oswego County Republican Committee got $1,000. Katko for Congress also contributed $1,000 to Friends of Knapp, Onondaga County Legislature Chairman David Knapp's campaign. Katko's campaign gave $500 donations to three candidates: Julie Abbott Kenan, an Onondaga County legislator; Josh Davis, a candidate for Syracuse Common Council; and Tim Lattimore, who is running for Auburn City Council. Democrats Two Democrats, Francis Conole and Steven Holden, filed their first fundraising reports since launching their bids to unseat Katko over the summer. Conole, a U.S. Navy veteran who sought the Democratic nomination in the 24th Congressional District in 2020, raised $213,134 in the third quarter. All but $5,000 of his total receipts came from individuals. The exception: Hold the House, a PAC launched by former Congressman Mike Honda, donated $5,000 to Conole's campaign. Conole, D-Syracuse, spent $33,963 and has $181,365 in the bank. Holden, an Army veteran who lives in Camillus, reported receipts totaling $44,122. Most of his money came from his own pocket he gave $28,500 to support his campaign, records show. He received $14,139 from individual donors and $1,483 from PACs and other committees. Holden's campaign spent $11,884 and has $32,237 cash on hand. Republicans Aside from Katko, there are two other Republicans in the race. John Murtari, a Lyons Republican, loaned his campaign $2,025 and spent $520. He has $1,505 cash on hand. Timothy Ko, a Fayetteville Republican, did not file an October quarterly report. He is a newcomer to the race. His statement of candidacy was filed on Oct. 7 after the end of the third quarter. Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Oct. 18, 1996 BALDWINSVILLE Weighing over 100 pounds, standing close to 6 feet tall on its hind legs and possessing piercing yellow eyes, the gray wolf may return to New York state. Defenders of Wildlife, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group, is trying to reestablish a wolf population in Adirondack Park. They, along with a group called Mission: Wolf, have been touring around the state in a campaign to educate people about the endangered breed. Hundreds of people turned out Thursday night at the Beaver Lake Nature Center to get a glimpse of the wild creatures that could once again roam the forest of the Northeast. Kent Weber, who leads the group's presentation, said thousands of wolves once lived in New York but were hunted to extinction. Today about 2,400 wolves still live in the U.S. wilderness. About 2,000 live in Minnesota. The rest are scattered through Montana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Idaho. Compiled by David Wilcox Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Shanghai (Gasgoo)- A new group standard for electric passenger vehicle-used shared battery swapping stations in China has sailed through review and is expected to be launched this year, according to the China Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Promotion Alliance (EVCIPA). The formulation of the yet-to-be-launched standard involves efforts of such public listed battery manufacturers as CATL and Sunwoda. At the review meeting, experts were discussing a slew of significant issues including the voltage platform and battery pack inclusion dimensions involved in shared battery swap stations. Dong Yang, President of the EVCIPA, said the battery swapping is one of the important energy supply methods to new energy vehicles and its standardization is getting increasing important as well. Geely's battery swapping station; photo credit: Geely Technology Group As publicly revealed, around 30 automakers in China, including NIO, BAIC BJEV, SAIC Motor, Geely Auto, and GAC Group, have tapped the battery swapping business with nearly 60 battery swappable vehicle models already launched. Nevertheless, a uniform industrial standard has not been released yet to normalize the infrastructure building of different companies. To solve this problem, the new document will include a wide range of standardize details, such as the logo & tagline and locations of battery swapping stations. The new industrial group standard is not a compulsory rule and will be continuously adjusted based on feedbacks of industrial players, the change of technologies, and the market development. Beijing (Gasgoo)- New energy vehicle (NEV) sales and foreign markets sales were two bright spots of Chinese automakers September performance even though most of them saw year-on-year decrease in overall monthly sales. Among the eight major local automakers Gasgoo compiled, six had year-on-year decline in September sales, but most of them had at least two-digit increase in NEV sales from a year earlier. For example, GAC Group sold 164,337 vehicles in September, down by 24.63% year on year, but its monthly NEV sales jumped 86.2% versus the same month of last year. Thanks to the sharp NEV sales increase, BYDs monthly sales managed to jump nearly 90% year on year. In terms of the year-to-date results, many local automakers saw much higher growth in NEV sales than total sales. Five automakers total NEV sales saw three-digit surge in the first nine months of this year. Great Wall Motor had the largest jump in NEV sales in the period. By NEV sales share out of the total monthly sales, six out of the eight automakers had a share of over 10% while the seventh was GAC Group, with a share of 9.25%. BYD had the largest NEV sales share among those said automakers. In September, 88.75% of those vehicles the Warren Buffett-backed company sold were NEVs, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The sales share of BYDs internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV) declined substantially since the beginning of this year, from 52.4% in January to 11.25% in September. From July to September, the ICE share was around 10%. During an investor meeting in September, BYD disclosed that it aims to replace ICEVs with DM-i models (PHEVs). The company is accelerating its electrification pace. In January this year, BYD launched its DM-i super hybrid technology; in September, it officially launched its BEV-dedicated e-platform 3.0 and the Dolphin, the first model built on the platform, hit the market at the 2021 Chengdu Motor Show. The first full-month sales of the Dolphin reached 3,000 units. Export/overseas sales are another bright spot for local automakers sales. For example, Cherys export sales in September surged 108.7% from a year earlier to 22,052 vehicles, driving its year-to-date export volume up by 155% to 187,910 vehicles, which accounted for 28.85% of its total sales cumulatively in the Jan.-Sept. period. Great Wall Motor sold 11,437 vehicles in foreign markets, representing a year-on-year increase of 47.1% while the total export volume soared 136.3% year on year to 97,946 vehicles, accounting for 11% of its total cumulative sales of this year. After the top SUV and pickup manufacturer bought a Brazil factory from Mercedes Benz, it revealed its strategy for European markets at the 2021 IAA Mobility. At the end of this year, European consumers can order the Coffee 01 PHEV and the ORA Haomao, with deliveries starting next year. At the beginning of this month, Great Wall Motor was reported in talks with Nissan over the possible takeover of the latters vehicle plant in Barcelona, Spain, which was considered feasible as the company is expanding its presence across the world. Geely exported 74,714 vehicles in the first three quarters of this year, growing 94% year on year while the monthly export in September were 8,013 vehicles. Last month, the shipping volume of LYNK & CO vehicles, namely 01 HEV and 01 PHEV to the European market was 2,000 units. The brands total shipping volume in the first nine months of 2021 was 7,950 units and a total of 1,990 units of vehicle were delivered to its subscription customers in the European market under its innovative subscription model so far this year. Beijing (Gasgoo)- SAIC General Motors (SAIC-GM) recently announced its Ultium super factory (Ultium Center) in Shanghai started operation, providing strong support for the production of those battery electric vehicles built on the Ultium platform. According to the automaker, the Ultium Center is one of the joint ventures RMB50 billion ($776.8 million) investment in the automotive electrification, intellectualization, and connectivity technologies field. The Ultium Center was upgraded on top of SAIC-GMs former automotive battery system development center, capable of power battery system manufacturing and testing. The factory currently produces battery packs of all types, including mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric. Photo credit: SAIC-GM Added to the joint ventures two new energy test centers in China, the factory helps to enhance SAIC-GMs new energy system development capabilities, providing solid technical support for its Ultium EV platform in the country. As the automakers electrification stepping stone, the Ultium platform integrated the companys 26 years of experience in the field. SAIC-GM and Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center have teamed up for the platforms architecture development, procuring 95% of the auto parts locally. In addition, SAIC-GM announced that the first Ultium-powered model, the Cadillac LYRIQ SUV, will start to presell this year and is expected to be on the market next year. The company plans to bring out over ten locally-made new energy vehicles from its three subsidiary brands by 2025. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Today, autonomous driving developers Baidu and Pony.ai were granted the first batch of driverless road test permits in the newly opened autonomous driving testing zone, in Beijing's intelligent connected vehicle policy pilot zone. The press conference; photo credit: Yizhuang District The pilot zone is located in Yizhuang District, covering 20 square kilometers, and offers over 100 kilometers of autonomous driving testing roads. Companies are permitted to perform road tests during non-rush hours with clearly visible autonomous testing marks on the vehicle. Notably, aside from Beijing, the Chinese autonomous driving startup, Pony.ai, was also licensed to perform unmanned road tests or operations in Guangzhou, and Californian cities, including Fremont, Irvine, and Milpitas. Photo credit: Pony.ai A city government official unscrambled the first normative policy document targeting intelligent connected vehicles' autonomous road test. The policies can be divided into four parts. Firstly, testing standards must be reinforce, and companies need to ensure network and data transmitting security; synergy between remote assistance platforms and vehicles in-test are also mandated. Secondly, tests are required to be as comprehensive as possible in-cars and on-roads for wholly unmanned driving realization. Thirdly, the testing process must be strictly monitored and underperformed companies will be eliminated from the testing zone. Last but not least, the accident treatment mechanism of participating companies has to be refined explicitly for autonomous tests. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding), the parent of China's largest private-owned automaker Geely Auto, recently added many new businesses into its business scope, including the manufacturing of batteries, electric motors and integrated circuits (ICs), according to the corporate information inquiry platform Tianyancha. Photo credit: Geely Holding Geely Holding was founded in March 2003 with a registered capital of 93 million yuan ($14.456 million). Its initial line of businesses included the investment activities with its own funds, and the sales of new vehicles and used cars. It is jointly held by Li Shufu (91.08%), founder and chairman of Geely Holding, and his son Li Xingxing (8.92%). The expansion of the business scope was in line with the importance Geely has ever attached to battery business. In late July, Geely Auto Group signed an agreement with Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery Co., Ltd. and Jirun Automobile (an indirect 99% owned subsidiary of Geely Automobile Holdings Limited) for the foundation of a joint venture dedicated to the sales and manufacturing of power battery packs for hybrid electric vehicles and vehicles fitted with the 48-volt systems. The joint venture was formally registered in late September. In mid-March, Geely announced it would build an electric vehicle battery factory with a planned annual manufacturing capacity of 42 GWh in China's eastern city of Ganzhou. Total investment in the project by Geely Technology Group will be 30 billion yuan ($4.663 billion). Adding the chip manufacturing into business scope indicates Geely's attempt to deal with chip shortage with its own effort. According to Geely Auto's latest monthly sales results, the automaker faced roughly 18% year-on-year drop in Sept. new vehicle sales, partly due to the global dearth of chips. The small storefront housing Noble Herb is seemingly always bustling. The parking lot tucked away behind an empty grocery store on Switzer Canyon is inevitably packed no matter the day, as is the overflow dirt parking lot just a short distance away. Customers move through the sleek space quickly, marveling at the selection of flowers, tinctures, edibles and other goodies protected by a layer of glass before being called up to the counter to make their selections. But, beyond a set of doors separating the retail space from the back-of-house, dozens of employees pack into the tight manufacturing space to transform a once illicit substance into tangy gummies and sweet caramel chews. Its a unique blend of culinary arts, old-fashioned candy making and weed all coming together to create Pure Edibles, one of the fastest-growing edible cannabis companies in the state. The space is a tight fit, but its a sign of how far Noble Herb formerly Greenhouse of Flagstaff has come. This year was monumental for dispensaries statewide with the rollout of recreational marijuana. Sales obviously soared with the introduction of an entirely new customer base. The same is true for Noble Herb. Ryan Hermansky, one of the three founders, estimated sales of their in-house edible brand grew by 250% since recreational sales started, though that number has since leveled out to a 150% increase from 2020. Staffing has more than doubled in the past year. Noble Herb employs more than 100 people between the retail side, manufacturing, farm and distribution. And theyre just getting started. Alongside a new name and logo, Noble Herb is set to expand drastically with a new, larger retail space in 2022. Pure profit No one saw this type of growth coming, especially Hermansky. He opened Noble Herb alongside his brother, Brandon Hermansky, and longtime friend Doug Daly in 2013 shortly after Arizona legalized medicinal marijuana. They werent sure what to expect, but the new venture seemed exciting and Flagstaff the perfect place for the Scottsdale natives to build their business. They were one of the first in Arizona to delve into edibles with the launch of Pure in 2015. It was a relatively underserved market at that time with most dispensaries focused on growing and selling flower. At the time, Daly was a practicing attorney and Ryan Hermansky was in medical device sales and studying marketing. Former chef Brandon Hermansky took the lead, utilizing his culinary experience to develop the recipes with a focus on local ingredients alongside natural flavors and colors. Ryan Hermansky and Daly were involved in the packaging, delivery and selling. It was immediately successful and they eventually found enough of a footing to leave their day jobs and go into cannabis production full-time. Pure differs from most other edibles on the market. Their chews come in five different flavors, ranging from caramel to horchata and sour blue razz. The gummies with flavors like watermelon, mango and tropical fruit are packed into secure, discrete round tins to ensure freshness. The dosage and a dividing line are molded onto each gummy to make accurate dosing easier. Most other gummies are coated in sugar to prevent them from becoming sticky. Pure instead utilizes a special non-stick coating that eliminates the need for sugar and keeps the dosage amount visible. Keeping things in-house and the focus on local ingredients helps keep costs low. We focus on quality and consistency, but since we make it all in here and were a local brand, were able to keep the cost exceptionally low, Ryan Hermansky said. Its a top-tier quality product with one of the best prices period. The manufacturing process looks more like candy-making than cannabis at first glance. In one tight kitchen space, employees process start the process by using huge pots to cook small batches of the liquid concentrate. The plant comes from Noble Herbs own organic farm in Camp Verde. The liquid for the gummies is then put into the molds bearing their signature shape and dosage amount to solidify before being packed into the tins. The brightly-colored chews are rolled out and shaped on an old-fashioned candy machine, lovingly dubbed Matilda. The 100-year-old Matilda was originally used for saltwater taffy by a North Carolina candy company. From there, the edibles are packaged and sold at Noble Herb alongside 85 other dispensaries across the state. The manufacturing space is hidden away from the retail space by just a door. Patients really get excited when theyre up front and find out its all made here and the flower just an hour away in Camp Verde, Ryan Hermansky said. A decade of growth The marijuana industry has changed drastically since Greenhouse first opened its doors nearly a decade ago, as has the stigma surrounding it. The Hermansky brothers and Daly watched the stigma change nationally firsthand. It was uncomfortable talking about it 10 years ago, Ryan Hermansky said. Now, thats all people want to talk about. Were fighting decades of the War on Drugs and now people are realizing marijuana doesnt fit into those categories and were helping a lot of people. The dispensary itself also changed drastically during that time, as did its owners. When we got into the industry, we had no experience nobody did, he added. It was a rollercoaster for the first five years and, in the last four years, the industry as a whole has really professionalized and thats the image we want to put forward now. Now, theyre taking that decade of experience and rolling it into the rebrand to Noble Herb. The founders felt it was time for a refresh and also wanted to separate themselves from other dispensaries with similar names. The new name was launched in September, accompanied by a new logo, signage and website. Pure Edibles and their concentrate brand, Everest Concentrates, remain unchanged by the switch. Alongside the rebrand, Noble Herb is set to expand into a new space next summer. Construction has already started on the new storefront, which was previously home to Kachina Restaurant. Both the interior and exterior will receive a major facelift before Noble Herb moves in. The new spot is nearly double the size of the current location at 7,000 square feet, while the manufacturing side of the business will remain in the Switzer building. The increased space means more products on the sales floor and an overall better experience for customers. It also comes with significantly more exposure as its located along Route 66 just a short distance away from downtown Flagstaff. To Ryan Hermansky, its another of just how far both Noble Herb and the industry have come. Weve crossed a lot of barriers in the past 10 years, he said. Its far more accepted now than it has ever been. It says a lot that we can build a beautiful building that Flagstaff is proud of. Were excited. Noble Herb Noble Herb is currently located at 460 N Switzer Canyon Dr. #100. The dispensary is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Visit https://nobleherbaz.com/ for more information and to order online. Bree Burkitt is the Niche Editor for the Arizona Daily Sun. Reach her 928-556-2262 at bburkitt@azdailysun.com. Love 10 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 3 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. I am an old man. I don't like to admit it, but it's true. What else are you when you turn 75-years-old? But, there is a big BUT here, and that is many people tell me they don't think of me as an old man and that provides some relief. At a recent appointment with my doctor, he told me I was 75 going on 65. That made me feel better for at least a week. That was my doctor talking! Age, what does it mean? And old age, what's that supposed to mean? Let me tell you a story about me when I was 27. I promise this story is related to my question about old age. I went to graduate school in educational psychology, so I could become what I am today, a counselor. It worked, except it wasn't exactly a straight line from here to there. Not even close. We studied a ton of stuff that was important to some but that I, personally, almost never used. I was bored during most of my classes, day after day after day. And then there were my counseling classes, whew! Not a ton of them but a few and they touched me. I knew what I loved. One memorable day, one of my professors, of blessed memory, whom I had gotten to know quite well hiking the Grand Canyon, asked if I would like to go with him to Esalen Institute in California. It was and still is a mecca for people who want to learn about themselves and then learn to teach others how to do the same. Fast forward. We sat in a circle on bean bags. If you wanted to work on something, you simply raised your hand and said, "I want to work," and then you would enter the circle and allow the leader to guide you on an exploratory path of discovery. Deep feelings of all kinds emerged. Sadness, fear, anger, disgust and joy were the main ones. All this, the brave person did in front of the group. No hiding. No pretending. Just plain old letting go and trusting. I was terrified and didn't say a word until day three, when I realized my time was running out. Only one day left. So I raised my hand and Frank looked over kindly and asked what I wanted to work on. I said, "All I know is I am too afraid to talk." That was it. Frank asked me to stand up and go around the room and tell the folks in the circle what I got out of being so scared. Huh? What I got out of it? I stood in front of the first person and said, "What I get out of being so scared is I don't have to do things I need or want to do." Then the next person, "People take care of me." Then another, "I could keep looking cool on the outside." A few more and I sat down, deeply relieved. It was a new day and the group all gave me warm, helpful feedback. That experience, in may ways, was the beginning of my adult life. From that point on, I tried to figure out how I was using my fear to protect myself, and then stop listening to it. As I sat down to write today, I was gripped with fear, just like that day at Esalen Institute. I couldn't write and I wouldn't make the call needed to free up my fear. I had some unfinished business with an old friend. I knew what I needed to do. Just call. Say what's on my mind. Finally, I built up the courage to call. We talked for a short time, just enough. The second I got off the phone, I was a different old man. A younger, lighter old man. And I started writing this message. Fear is a beast that never goes away. Courage is the antidote and it always pays dividends when used properly. Sending young love... Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 (Global Times) The Financial Times (FT) quoted on Saturday several sources saying that "the Chinese military launched a rocket that carried a hypersonic glide vehicle" in August and judged it to be a "nuclear-capable hypersonic missile." According to the FT article, the missile "flew through low-orbit space" and could help China "negate" US missile defense systems which are designed to target the fixed parabolic trajectory of a ballistic missile. The progress of the Chinese military has "caught US intelligence by surprise," the report said. The US generally has the ability to monitor global missile launches. If the FT report is to be believed, it means that there is a key new member in China's nuclear deterrence system, which is a new blow to the US' mentality of strategic superiority over China. According to the FT, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology announced the 77th and 79th launches of the Long March 2C rocket, but there was no announcement of a 78th launch. The report believes the 78th "secret launch" may be to test the above-mentioned hypersonic missile. The FT also reported that China has tested a new space capability with a hypersonic missile, citing sources. It said the missile missed its target by about more than 30 kilometers, yet the test showed that "China had made astounding progress on hypersonic weapons." But if Chinese authorities do not voluntarily release such top defense secrets, others can only speculate based on technical monitoring methods. It is meaningless to discuss the credibility of the FT report. But it is important to note the unstoppable trend that China is narrowing the gap with the US in some key military technologies as China is continuously developing its economic and technological strength. China doesn't need to engage in an "arms race" with the US - it is capable of weakening the US' overall advantages over China by developing military power at its own pace. In the long term, the comparison between the military powers of China and the US will be in the following paradigmThe US' overall military advantage will be maintained, while its air force and navy have higher quality and its global deployment and projection capabilities will be unmatched by China's. Meanwhile, China won't have any will to globally challenge the US' dominant position in military sphere, and the US shouldn't worry about losing its military hegemony. However, China's military buildup will focus on the Taiwan Straits and the South China Sea. It is inevitable that China will take an upper hand over the US military strength in these areas thanks to the geographical proximity and the continuous increase of China's input. Chinese society has not only strong expectations for this, but also strong determination and corresponding ability to realize this reversal. The US' conventional military superiority around the world will not translate into a guarantee of superiority in these regions. The US is very concerned about China's nuclear development. There is no doubt that China has no plans to build a nuclear force of the same size as that of the US. In other words, we have no intention of launching a "nuclear arms race" with the US. However, China will certainly improve the quality of its nuclear deterrence to ensure that the US completely eliminates the idea of nuclear blackmail against China at any critical moment and its idea of using nuclear forces to make up for the weakness that US' conventional forces cannot crush China. Greater survivability and penetration ability of Chinese nuclear missiles is clearly being accelerated through a variety of new missiles. Such development will ensure that neither country's nuclear forces will be used as a tool to solve regional problems. This would ensure that the damage to peace, if any, would be limited and that the region would not see a deadly collision between major powers. The US is constantly releasing rumors that China is strengthening its nuclear strategic tools, which is believed to pave the way for public opinion in the US to further increase its military expenditure from a high starting point. Perhaps we need to point out that no matter how much military spending the US increases and how much new equipment it procures, it is impossible for the US to continue enjoy overwhelming military superiority in China's coastal areas. Washington needs to be realistic and rethink its approach to China. The future strategic balance between China and the US cannot be achieved by carrying out an extreme "arms race." The two sides need to rebuild a certain strategic mutual trust, which is the key to forming a security buffer zone between China and the US. Can't major powers with different political systems cooperate with each other to achieve a win-win result? Must one overwhelm the other? As China and the US prepare for the worst, we must not give up. Both sides must explore a political and security framework that can accommodate the major long-term interests of both countries for the benefit of both countries and the world at large and never yield in that. 2. How should the city fund amenities like parks and trails? As our community grows, we need to have a better return on our investments. Our downtown, even though it is not as vibrant as we would like, generates about 30 times as much tax revenue per acre as the rest of the city. We need to focus on higher density mixed-use infill development, particularly in our downtown and aging arterials. This type of development generates more in tax revenues than it uses in cost of services, so our tax base can fund improvements to our parks and trail systems as well as public safety services that the whole community enjoys. 3. Do you support the public safety mill levy and why? Yes, I will vote for this levy, and I enthusiastically support it to everyone I talk to because our crime rate has risen much faster than our population and tax base. I like how the money will be allocated, with about 10% of the money going toward addiction and mental health services to try to reduce some of the root causes of the issues in our community. It also puts money where it is most needed, including the drastically overloaded legal and municipal court system. When the wheels of justice are bogged down, officers on the street are not supported. Colin Powell was a distinguished and trailblazing professional soldier whose career took him from combat duty in Vietnam to becoming the first Black national security adviser during the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency and the youngest and first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush. His national popularity soared in the aftermath of the US-led coalition victory during the Gulf War, and for a time in the mid-90s, he was considered a leading contender to become the first Black President of the United States. But his reputation would be forever stained when, as George W. Bush's first secretary of state, he pushed faulty intelligence before the United Nations to advocate for the Iraq War, which he would later call a "blot" on his record. The judge also dismissed Joshua Boles and Ron Claiborne, two Hertz customer service agents in Oklahoma, as a matter of jurisdiction. "There is nothing in (their) conduct that could have led them to reasonably anticipate being brought to court in North Dakota," Traynor said. "A customer service representative located in Oklahoma, over a concern brought up by a customer in Arizona, discussing a franchisee in North Dakota, does not have sufficient contacts in North Dakota." Neither Michael Wood nor his attorney immediately responded to a Tribune request for comment Monday. Nor did attorneys for the city and the officers, or for the two Hertz employees. Lawsuit continues Wood maintains in the lawsuit that Hertz franchisee Overland West charged his card about $4,700 for the Suburban rental fee and an insurance fee to cover any vehicle damages, and that when he left the state on Dec. 8, he had made arrangements to extend the rental and insurance "until such time as Overland could recover the vehicle." He does acknowledge that he returned the wrong set of keys for the Suburban, calling it a mistake. Hertz said the Suburban was found abandoned in Bismarck, not where Wood had indicated it was, and that it was extensively damaged. But how far can the Trump endorsement carry her? Even within the party, people are looking to be told what to think and what to feel, said Joey Correnti, chairman of the Carbon County GOP. But not everyone. There are some voters who didnt like her for governor and dont necessarily immediately take to Trumps endorsement, Correnti said. Some of Correntis colleagues have also pointed out that not all of Trumps endorsements pan out. Take Susan Wright for example, a House candidate in a Texas special election who secured Trumps endorsement, but lost in the Republican primary. Theyre wary of that, Correnti said. Voter fatigue? Then theres the question of how average voters will react to Hagemans 2016 views on Trump. By the time of the House primary, those views will be 6 years old. Will voters still care or even remember? Jim King, professor of political science at the University of Wyoming, doesnt think so. Voters generally have short memories, he said. Hagemans positions now are what will be important to pro-Trump voters, not positions she might have taken in the past. A federal judge has dismissed the city of Bismarck and two police officers as defendants in a civil rights lawsuit filed by a man who helped bring hundreds of military veterans to a Dakota Access Pipeline protest camp in North Dakota. U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor also dismissed two employees of Hertz Corp. as defendants in the lawsuit that centers around a rented Suburban. "There are no constitutional injuries within the complaint that have merit," Traynor wrote in a Friday ruling. The plaintiffs last spring voluntarily dropped Hertz as a defendant after the company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Traynor's ruling leaves Bismarck franchisee Overland West Inc. and two of its employees as the only remaining defendants in the suit that seeks unspecified money damages. Michael Wood Jr., of Glendale, Arizona, a former U.S. Marine and Baltimore police officer, rented the Suburban in 2016 when he came to Bismarck. The vehicle became snowbound in a blizzard that hit the protest camp that December, and what happened to it after that is unclear. Wood was charged in January 2017 with felony theft. He and his wife, Jessica, were detained at the U.S. border in California when returning from a Mexican vacation in August 2019, but they were not arrested. Prosecutors in March 2020 dropped the charge. Wood and his wife sued last March, alleging that rental company officials falsely accused him of stealing the Suburban in retaliation for his social media criticism of the company or his support of the pipeline protest that drew thousands of people to southern North Dakota over a six-month span of 2016-17. Wood claimed Bismarck police issued a warrant for his arrest on a felony theft charge without properly trying to find and notify him, for the same retaliatory reason, and that the malicious warrant made it impossible for him to find work in the law enforcement and security fields. The couple in their lawsuit claim that their constitutional rights including free speech and due process were violated in retaliation for their support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which fears pollution from the pipeline and has fought it in and outside of court. The Woods cite severe emotional distress and mental anguish along with economic damages due to past and future lost time and wages. Traynor concluded that authorities had probable cause to criminally charge Wood, that Officer Brad Jerome and Deputy Chief Randy Ziegler acted appropriately, and that the city did nothing wrong. "Plaintiffs have not pled sufficient facts to establish Bismarck had an unconstitutional policy or custom of its police officers retaliating against citizens," Traynor wrote. The judge also dismissed Joshua Boles and Ron Claiborne, two Hertz customer service agents in Oklahoma, as a matter of jurisdiction. "There is nothing in (their) conduct that could have led them to reasonably anticipate being brought to court in North Dakota," Traynor said. "A customer service representative located in Oklahoma, over a concern brought up by a customer in Arizona, discussing a franchisee in North Dakota, does not have sufficient contacts in North Dakota." The Woods' attorney, Roberto Alejandro, declined comment to the Tribune on Monday, citing the ongoing litigation. Attorneys for the city and the officers, and for the two Hertz employees, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawsuit continues Michael Wood maintains in the lawsuit that Hertz franchisee Overland West charged his card about $4,700 for the Suburban rental fee and an insurance fee to cover any vehicle damages, and that when he left the state on Dec. 8, he had made arrangements to extend the rental and insurance "until such time as Overland could recover the vehicle." He does acknowledge that he returned the wrong set of keys for the Suburban, calling it a mistake. Hertz said the Suburban was found abandoned in Bismarck, not where Wood had indicated it was, and that it was extensively damaged. The attorney for Overland West and employees John Kaelberer and Alexandria Huber in an answer to the lawsuit states in part that Wood violated the terms of the rental agreement, and that the Overland defendants did not agree to extend the rental and did not agree to retrieve the Suburban. Attorney Joel Flom asks for the lawsuit to be dismissed. U.S. Magistrate Jude Clare Hochhalter has scheduled a Nov. 15 pretrial conference. Court documents indicate a trial is not yet scheduled. The Veterans Standing for Standing Rock effort that Wood helped organize by raising nearly $1.2 million was controversial. The North Dakota Veterans Coordinating Council -- composed of the American Legion, AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Vietnam Veterans of America -- at the time publicly said it did not support the action and remained neutral on the pipeline dispute. Many people later questioned what happened to the money raised from 26,000 donors for the effort. Wood has said the money was not misused but spent on supplies, hotel rooms and transportation. He told the High Country News in April 2018 that auditing the donations would have cost too much and would not have been a good use of the money. But Wood also acknowledges in the lawsuit that he wasn't prepared to handle the windfall, saying "the fundraiser took off unexpectedly," and that "suddenly, what had been intended as a small effort became a great logistical challenge." Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Montana man who struggled with Bismarck police after they responded to a report that he was brandishing a firearm avoided prison time Monday, but the judges order of probation came with a stern warning that it was the man's one and only shot. Michael Warren, 56, of Columbus, Montana, entered an Alford plea on charges of terrorizing, preventing arrest and illegally carrying a concealed weapon. An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, but the defendant acknowledges there is enough evidence that a jury would return a guilty verdict. Courts treat Alford pleas as guilty pleas. Warren told South Central District Judge Daniel Borgen that he only meant to give his handgun to police when they encountered him at a Bismarck hotel. I had no intention ever of threatening or harming anyone in any way, Warren said. Its something that shouldnt have happened but it did. Warren allegedly struggled with Bismarck police in August 2020 after he reached for his gun as they attempted to search him for weapons. No officers were injured in the scuffle, authorities said. One officer considered pulling his own weapon but did not because of the risk of injury to others, Assistant Burleigh County States Attorney Mindy Anderson said during a Monday hearing. Police in such a situation dont know if a suspect reaching for a weapon will give it to them or point it at them, Borgen said. Youre lucky you werent shot and killed, he said. Borgen suspended a five-year prison sentence and gave Warren credit for 45 days served. A probation violation will result in prison time, Borgen said, adding that drugs and alcohol can't be part of Warren's future. This is your one shot on probation. Its a one and only shot, the judge said. Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. North Dakota's Health Department on Monday urged volunteers and people with medical experience to join the health care workforce due to what it called an "unprecedented staffing need." Active cases of COVID-19 in North Dakota have dropped to the lowest level in a month and the average test positivity rate appears to have started on a decline following a three-month rise, but virus-related deaths and hospitalizations remain high. Hospital capacity has been strained the past couple of months due to staffing shortages, people catching up on non-virus-related procedures, and the onset of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. There were 191 virus patients in hospitals on Monday, according to the department's coronavirus dashboard, and fewer than 9% of staffed inpatient beds statewide were available. The most recent state data showed 185 available staffed inpatient beds and 13 available intensive care unit beds statewide. In Bismarck, CHI St. Alexius Health had one general care bed available and no ICU beds; Sanford Health had no beds listed in either category. The Sanford Health system is experiencing "a historic workforce shortage, not only in nursing but in other patient care and non-clinical areas, said Theresa Larson, vice president of nursing and clinical services at Sanford Health in Fargo. We are seeing an increase in the volume of patients seeking health care today. In addition to treating COVID-19 patients, our hospitals are at peak capacity, she said. CHI St. Alexius also would welcome more people to augment its frontline staff, Vice President of Patient Care Raumi Kudrna said. The Health Department has reinstated its temporary nurse aide registration process, and the North Dakota State Board of Respiratory Care is offering a six-month temporary respiratory therapist license for those currently licensed in good standing in another state. North Dakota is experiencing an urgent need for more staff in our health care facilities, State Health Officer Nizar Wehbi said. Staffing shortages can have negative effects on patient care and limits the capacity of hospitals and health care facilities. We are asking for volunteers and anyone with experience in the health care field to join or rejoin the workforce. Interested people should contact the human resources department at a health care facility. For more information on temporary nurse aide registration, go to https://services.ndnar.org/emergency/. For more information on temporary respiratory therapist licensure, go to https://www.ndsbrc.com/article.asp?id=10. Daily data Active virus cases statewide on Monday dropped for a fourth straight day, to 3,210. That's the lowest mark since 3,104 cases reported on the dashboard Sept. 21. Monday's total for Burleigh and Morton counties of 669 active cases was the second-lowest for those two counties since Sept. 14. Cases do tend to decline over the weekend, as testing drops off. But the 199 new cases reported Monday were the fewest since Sept. 6. The state's 14-day rolling average test positivity rate has dropped seven straight days, to 7.46%, though it's still well above the state target of less than 5%. The rate bottomed out this year at 1.05% on July 5 and then steadily climbed to a reported 8.07% on Oct. 7. On the flip side of the positive trends are hospitalizations and deaths. The Health Department reported 11 new deaths over the weekend. The state no longer publicly reports the county, sex and age range of newly confirmed deaths, but the dashboard totals for Burleigh and Morton counties each increased by three, to 226 and 110, respectively. North Dakota's pandemic death toll has risen by 69 in the first 18 days of October, to 1,680. The Health Department has confirmed 141,683 COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, with 136,793 recoveries and 5,656 hospitalizations. More information The state's vaccine dashboard shows 54.5% of eligible North Dakota adults and 32.4% of adolescents in the 12-18 age group are considered fully vaccinated. North Dakota has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the U.S., according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People can go to https://www.ndvax.org or call 866-207-2880 to see where COVID-19 vaccine is available near them. The coronavirus transmission risk is considered substantial or high in all of North Dakota's 53 counties except Griggs, according to the CDC's COVID-19 data tracker website. The CDC recommends people in those risk categories wear masks in public indoor settings. The transmission risk in the Bismarck-Mandan region is considered high. A list of free COVID-19 testing offered by local public health units is at health.nd.gov/covidtesting. For more detailed information on coronavirus in North Dakota, go to www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus. For more information on coronavirus variants, go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant.html. Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. U.S. government attorneys say the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe were right to use their discretion in maintaining a culvert that washed out two years ago and killed two people, and they want a lawsuit filed by the families dismissed. But the families' attorney is urging a federal judge to deny the request, saying the BIA knew about the poor condition of the culvert and had adopted but not adhered to plans that required inspection and maintenance. Trudy Peterson and Jim Vander Wal, both of Mobridge, South Dakota, died in July 2019 when the vehicles they were driving entered a chasm left behind on a washed-out section of BIA Road 3. A culvert just north of the South Dakota line underneath what is known locally as the Kenel Road had been scoured away by 7 inches of rain that fell overnight. Peterson, 60, was headed from Mobridge to Fort Yates, where she worked at the Indian Health Services facility. Vander Wal, 65, was headed south from Bismarck to Mobridge with a load of U.S. mail. Their families in September 2020 filed an administrative claim against the BIA, claiming the agency knew the bridge was in disrepair and that its failure to replace it led to Peterson and Vander Wals deaths. The bureau had six months to deny the claims, settle them, or simply not respond. Attorney Tim Purdon filed a lawsuit in April 2021 after receiving no response from the BIA. He represents the families of Peterson and Vander Wal as well as two other men -- Steven Willard and Evan Thompson, who drove into the gap and were injured. All four were traveling to jobs on the reservation or driving the road as part of their jobs in the dark, early morning hours of July 9, 2019. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for wrongful death, personal injury and property damage. The government in an August response to the suit states 11 claims were submitted totaling more than $10 million. The BIA through Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas Chase says the claims should be barred. The BIA and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe have discretion to maintain roads subject to the availability of funds, and there is no mandatory directive requiring maintenance be performed in a specific way, the government said in its response to the suit. The BIA adopted road maintenance standards from the transportation departments of North Dakota and South Dakota, which Purdon says include inspection, maintenance and signage requirements. He argues that the washout could have been avoided if the BIA had adhered to those standards. The government argues further that the plaintiffs didnt exhaust administrative claims before filing the lawsuit, and that claims made by survivors werent properly presented in the administrative phase. Purdon argues that deficiencies in the forms submitted in that phase dont warrant dismissal of the case, adding that the government was plainly placed on notice of the survival claims because a legally trained reader would infer a survival action claim was being asserted. Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 2 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Colin Powell, the first Black US secretary of state whose leadership in several Republican administrations helped shape American foreign policy in the last years of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st, has died from complications from Covid-19, his family said on Facebook. He was 84. "General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19," the Powell family wrote on Facebook, noting he was fully vaccinated. A source familiar with the matter said Powell had multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells that suppresses the body's immune response. Even if fully vaccinated against Covid-19, those who are immunocompromised are at greater risk from the virus. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," the family said. Keep scrolling for a gallery of images from the life of Colin Powell Powell was a distinguished and trailblazing professional soldier whose career took him from combat duty in Vietnam to becoming the first Black national security adviser during the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency and the youngest and first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush. His national popularity soared in the aftermath of the US-led coalition victory during the Gulf War, and for a time in the mid-90s, he was considered a leading contender to become the first Black President of the United States. But his reputation would be forever stained when, as George W. Bush's first secretary of state, he pushed faulty intelligence before the United Nations to advocate for the Iraq War, which he would later call a "blot" on his record. Bush said in a statement Monday that Powell was "a great public servant" who was "such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend." Though Powell never mounted a White House bid, when he was sworn in as Bush's secretary of state in 2001, he became the highest-ranking Black public official to date in the country, standing fourth in the presidential line of succession. "I think it shows to the world what is possible in this country," Powell said of his history-making nomination during his Senate confirmation hearing. "It shows to the world that: Follow our model, and over a period of time from our beginning, if you believe in the values that espouse, you can see things as miraculous as me sitting before you to receive your approval." Later in his public life, Powell would grow disillusioned with the Republican Party's rightward lurch and would use his political capital to help elect Democrats to the White House, most notably Barack Obama, the first Black president whom Powell endorsed in the final weeks of the 2008 campaign. The announcement was seen as a significant boost for Obama's candidacy due to Powell's widespread popular appeal and stature as one of the most prominent and successful Black Americans in public life. Powell is survived by his wife, Alma Vivian (Johnson) Powell, whom he married in 1962, as well as three children. It is not clear if Powell had received a booster dose of the vaccine. Covid-19 vaccines are a highly effective tool in preventing severe disease and death, but no vaccine is 100% effective. More than 7,00 breakthrough cases of Covid-19 that have resulted in death have been reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through October 12. By that time, more than 187 million people in the US were fully vaccinated. That's one out of every 26,000 fully vaccinated people who has died of Covid-19, or 0.004%. Of those breakthrough cases resulting in death, 85% were among people age 65 and older and 57% were among men, according to the CDC. CDC data also show that the risk of dying from Covid-19 is more than 11 times higher for unvaccinated adults than it is for vaccinated adults throughout August. Among seniors, who are more susceptible to severe Covid-19, that gap is smaller. Among those 80 and older, the risk of dying from Covid-19 in August was about five times higher among unvaccinated people than among fully vaccinated people. Professional soldier Colin Luther Powell was born April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York, to Jamaican immigrants. After growing up in the South Bronx, Powell attended school at the City College of New York, where he participated in ROTC, leading the precision drill team and attaining the top rank offered by the corps, cadet colonel. "I liked the structure and the discipline of the military," Powell said, according to a CNN profile of him in the early 2000s. "I felt somewhat distinctive wearing a uniform. I hadn't been distinctive in much else." He entered the US Army after graduating in 1958, and later served two tours in South Vietnam during the 1960s, where he was wounded twice, including during a helicopter crash in which he rescued two soldiers. He stayed in the Army after returning home, attending the National War College and rising in leadership. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1979, appointed as Reagan's final national security adviser in 1987 and was tapped by the elder Bush in 1989 to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Powell's tenure in the elder Bush's administration was marked by his involvement in some of the most notable American military actions of the late 20th century, including the 1989 Panama operation, the 1991 Gulf War and the US humanitarian intervention in Somalia, though he retired from the Army days before the disastrous Battle of Mogadishu. Although Powell was initially reluctant to commit US troops when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, he became one of the administration's most trusted spokesmen when the assault on Saddam Hussein's army finally came. "First we're going to cut it off. Then we're going to kill it," Powell famously said at a news conference at the time, referring to the Iraqi army. Following the assault, Powell became something of a national hero, enjoying a 71% favorability rating in the first few year years after the war. His efforts during the war also earned him two prominent awards: a Congressional Gold Medal in March 1991 "in recognition of his exemplary performance in planning and coordinating" the US response to Iraq's invasion, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. As the elder Bush presented Powell with the award at a White House ceremony in 1991, he said the general's "deep compassion for every one of the thousands of men and women under (his) command will always be remembered." During Powell's time in the military, which lasted until 1993, he also received a number of other notable awards, including the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. He received his fourth star in 1989, becoming the second African American to rise to that rank. In addition to the military awards, Powell also received the President's Citizens Medal, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal, as well as a second Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded with distinction, from President Bill Clinton. Top diplomat during turbulent time With a prominent national profile, Powell was floated as a potential presidential candidate in the 1996 election. But in a highly anticipated decision, he declined to participate in the race, citing a lack of "passion" for electoral politics. "Such a life requires a calling that I do not yet hear," he told reporters in 1995. "And for me to pretend otherwise would not be honest to myself, it would not be honest to the American people." Powell was again encouraged to run in the 2000 presidential election, but rebuffed calls for him to mount a bid. He instead endorsed George W. Bush, delivering a speech at the Republican National Convention in which he argued that the then-governor of Texas would "help bridge our racial divides." He was Bush's first Cabinet selection when he was announced as the 43rd President's nomination for secretary of state, and with his expertise in foreign policy and widespread popularity, he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. He shared Bush's reluctance to project military strength across the globe, a view that was quickly displaced by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. As Bush's top diplomat, he was tasked with building international support for the War on Terror, including the Afghanistan War, but it was his involvement in the administration's push for intervention in Iraq, over the concerns of many of America's longtime allies, for which his tenure at State would become best known. In February 2003, Powell delivered a speech before the United Nations in which he presented evidence that the US intelligence community said proved Iraq had misled inspectors and hid weapons of mass destruction. "There can be no doubt," Powell warned, "that Saddam Hussein has biological weapons and the capability to rapidly produce more, many more." Inspectors, however, later found no such weaponry in Iraq, and two years after Powell's UN speech, a government report said the intelligence community was "dead wrong" in its assessments of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capabilities before the US invasion. But the damage was already done -- to both Iraq, which the US went to war with just six weeks after Powell's speech, and to the reputation of the once highly popular statesman, who was reportedly told by then-Vice President Dick Cheney before the UN speech: "You've got high poll ratings; you can afford to lose a few points." Powell, who left the State Department in early 2005 after submitting his resignation to Bush the previous year, later called his UN speech a "blot" that will forever be on his record. "I regret it now because the information was wrong -- of course I do," he told CNN's Larry King in 2010. "But I will always be seen as the one who made the case before the international community." "I swayed public opinion, there's no question about it," he added, referring to how influential his speech was on public support for the invasion. In his 2012 memoir, "It Worked for Me," Powell again acknowledged the speech, writing that his account of it in the book would likely be the last he publicly made. "I am mad mostly at myself for not having smelled the problem. My instincts failed me," he wrote, referring to the report he used that contained faulty evidence of supposed Iraqi WMDs. "It was by no means my first, but it was one of my most momentous failures, the one with the widest-ranging impact." "The event will earn a prominent paragraph in my obituary," Powell wrote. Shifting politics After leaving the Bush administration, Powell returned to private life. He joined the renowned venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins in 2005, where he worked as a strategic adviser until his death. For a time, he gave speeches at "Get Motivated!" business seminars, and he authored the 2012 memoir. Though the large majority of Powell's time as a public servant was spent in Republican administrations, the later years of his life saw him supporting Democratic presidential candidates and harshly criticizing top Republican leaders. By 2008, the longtime Republican's coveted presidential endorsement went to another party when he announced his support for Obama's White House bid. At the time, he touted Obama's "ability to inspire" and the "inclusive nature of his campaign," while criticizing attacks on the Illinois senator by Republican presidential nominee John McCain's campaign as "inappropriate." He was later named an honorary co-chair of Obama's inauguration and endorsed him again in 2012. Powell went on to vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016 over Donald Trump, whom he had strongly condemned as a "national disgrace and an international pariah." In an extraordinary move that year, three presidential electors in Washington state cast votes for Powell rather than Clinton, resulting in state fines that were later upheld by the Supreme Court. He again snubbed Trump in 2020 during the President's second campaign, announcing his support for Joe Biden in June of that year while blasting Trump's presidency. "We have a Constitution. And we have to follow that Constitution. And the President has drifted away from it," he told CNN, adding that he "certainly cannot in any way support President Trump this year." The retired general later delivered an address in support of Biden during the Democratic National Convention. And after Trump incited a deadly insurrection at the US Capitol in early January 2021, Powell told CNN that he no longer considered himself a Republican, with the longtime grandee of the GOP saying he was now simply watching events unfold in a country he long served. "I can no longer call myself a fellow Republican. I'm not a fellow of anything right now," he told CNN's Fareed Zakaria on "GPS." "I'm just a citizen who has voted Republican, voted Democrat throughout my entire career. And right now, I'm just watching my country and not concerned with parties." *** *** Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 North Dakota's oil industry could soon have a second option for disposing of radioactive waste within the state, and a regulator sees potential for more facilities. The North Dakota Industrial Commission recently permitted a second well slated for McKenzie County in which oil field waste would be mixed with saltwater into a slurry and injected deep underground. State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms anticipates the other three core Bakken counties -- Williams, Mountrail and Dunn -- could each have a well down the road. That would round us out pretty well and put us in a situation where much of our TENORM waste could be dealt with very economically and dealt with here in-state in an extremely safe manner, he said, using the acronym for technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material. About 100,000 tons of radioactive oil field waste is produced in the state each year. Until the first slurry well started operating near Watford City in April, it was all trucked to other states for disposal in landfills or, more rarely, dumped illegally. North Dakota did not have any options for disposal within the state. The waste stems from soil, water and rocks that naturally contain low levels of radiation underground. When those materials are brought up to the earths surface during oil production, radiation can become concentrated in filter socks used to strain oil field fluids, in sludge at the bottom of storage tanks and in scale that forms in well pipes. The well recently approved by regulators still needs to secure a radioactive material license from the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality to take in such waste. Its slated to be built north of Alexander by a company called GMJS Services. Company Director Gary Woolsey has worked on similar projects around the world for 30 years. He hopes to have the well operating by next summer. It will inject the slurry about 6,000 feet deep into the Inyan Kara, which is the same rock formation many wells target for the disposal of saltwater, a byproduct of oil production. This stuff is not coming back, he said, adding that disposal down a well "is safer than anything else." Helms said there have been no surprises with the way the first slurry well has operated so far. That well is run by a company called KT Enterprises. Waste Management of North Dakota also has proposed a well in McKenzie County. Landfills could also potentially store the radioactive material. Two sites near Williston are seeking permission to bury it following new rules that took effect in 2016 raising the cap on the level of radiation of the material a landfill could accept. There is no limit on the level for slurry wells. The Williams County Commission authorized the landfill projects this past summer, but they require state permits before they could begin taking in the material. Those projects have faced opposition from nearby residents with safety concerns. The GMJS well project has received complaints from a couple McKenzie County residents. I hope it works for them, but Im just not very happy with where theyre locating it, Tri Township Supervisor B.J. Lindvig said. I think there are better places for these types of things. A very big concern is traffic and trucks, and we will probably be getting complaints. The well would be located on land owned by the company Anytime Hydroexcavation off U.S. Highway 85. Its not far from a housing subdivision, and the area already has a lot of truck traffic due to an industrial park in the vicinity, Lindvig said. Woolsey said the site surrounding the well can accommodate up to 20 trucks at a time, which should keep vehicles from queuing up on the road. He added that the company would halt trucks from coming in and out when school buses were in the area. GMJS Services is a new company, founded after Woolsey found himself without a job given the oil industry downturn brought on by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. He lives in Houston and plans to open an office in Williston as the well project materializes. Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A letter titled Recent letters distort the truth dated Oct. 13 ends by asking why leftist rants are approved by the paper. I begin this letter by asking a few questions. Does the author of the Oct. 13 letter believe that only conservative and middle-of-the-road rants should be published by the Bismarck Tribune? Does he believe the Bismarck Tribune should only be accepting and publishing letters supporting conservative point of views? He says in his letter that North Dakotans reject the radical ideas that the left is spouting. Has he become the de facto spokesperson for North Dakotans? Local and regional newspapers, like the Bismarck Tribune, should allow the publication of different and diverse points of views. If readers dont want to be exposed to alternative perspectives in a newspaper, then they can always subscribe to publications that present only what they want to read and believe. Better yet, they could read articles on social media platforms, like Facebook, that use behavioral algorithms to determine what a reader should be seeing and reading. The day that the Bismarck Tribune stops publishing letters from people with differing perspectives in its Opinion section is the day it is no longer a publication for all North Dakotans. Robert Bauer, Mandan Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Hitachi Custom Site The future of the workplace is changing with employees expecting to be able to access the applications and data they need from anywhere. This custom landing page details the partnership between Hitachi and VMware, and their goal to help leverage the advantages of HCI to support the future of work. Open now to get started. 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Kendi, has admitted that his so-called antiracist movement believes that Jesus was a political revolutionary and that trying to save souls is racist theology which only breeds bigotry. Kendis excoriation of Christian orthodoxy come in a newly resurfaced video shot in 2019, inside a church, responding to an audience member who asks about any role that churches or communities of faith can play in this antiracist movement. Jesus was a revolutionary, and the job of the Christian is to revolutionize society, Kendi replies. The job of the Christian is to liberate society from the powers on Earth that are oppressing humanity. He goes on to contrast liberation theology with Savior theology the form of Christianity that 80% of white evangelicals have when they voted for Donald Trump in 2016. In Kendis view, those evangelicals believe that [t]he job of the Christian is to go out and save these individuals who are behaviorally deficient. In other words, we are to bring them into the church these individuals who are doing all these evil, sinful things and heal them, and save them. Of course, most Christians of all stripes believe that Jesus saves sinners and heals them, not the pastor or individual believers. But how does Kendi assess an evangelical faith that emphasizes evangelism? That goes right in line with racist ideas and racist theology, Kendi asserts, because it requires personal responsibility. It teaches that the reason many people are struggling on earth is because of what theyre doing behaviorally wrong. Kendi denounces the idea that it is my job as a pastor is to, sort of, save these wayward black people, or wayward poor people, or wayward queer people. That type of theology breeds bigotry. Antiracists fundamentally reject Savior theology, Kendi says. Instead, he avers, Marxist-influenced liberation theology breeds a common humanity against the structures of power that oppress us all. In reality the Gospel of wealth redistribution, far from emphasizing a common humanity, divides Gods children into alleged oppressor and victim classes. It is illuminating to have Kendi, who literally wrote the book on the topic, note that antiracism informed by critical theory and manifest as equity is incompatible with orthodox Christianity. Likewise, it is notable that he rejects the Gospel explicitly to oppose the concept of personal responsibility although the idea that different behaviors lead to different outcomes, on earth as in Heaven, is a core biblical truth. (See Proverbs 24:30-35 and 6:6-8; St. Matthew 25:31-44.) It may also explain why Kendi justifies discrimination based on the situational ethics of cui bono? who benefits? In other words, Ibram X. Kendi admits that he is offering his followers some other Gospel (Galatians 1:8). The notion that Jesus taught political revolution while popular among secularists or those who have left the faith it is not evinced by the Gospels. Jesus only words about government counseled principled obedience, a message the Apostle Paul amplified about the very empire that sentenced him to capital punishment. While Jesus had no trouble correcting the scribes and pharisees, He never amended John the Baptists instructions to the soldiers upholding Romes brutal occupation and colonization: Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages (St. Luke 3:14, ESV). The early Christians did not attempt to overthrow Caesar to revolutionize society. Christians are not to ignore the plight of the poor. But Jesus message of wealth redistribution was always personal: You give them something to eat; Go and do likewise. Christians collective efforts at poverty relief come voluntarily through the church, not government welfare programs funded by compulsory taxation. Most importantly, Jesus teachings encompassed and emphasized much more than food and earthly needs. The most effective rebuttal to Kendis talk came from Jesus and was delivered in real time. Engraved in a relief behind Kendi was Jesus idea of the job of the Christian: the Great Commission, in which Jesus commanded His followers to evangelize all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (St. Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus words are partly obscured behind a copy of Kendis book, literally and figuratively. Genuine Christianity has taught for 2,000 years that spiritual healing is the Great Physicians purpose. St. Athanasius the Great wrote that some in his day asked why Jesus took on human flesh instead of another manifestation, such as the sun, or moon, or stars, or fire, or air, instead of man merely: Let them know that the Lord came not to make a display, but to heal and teach those who were suffering. For the way for one aiming at display would be, just to appear, and to dazzle the beholders; but for one seeking to heal and teach the way is, not simply to sojourn here, but to give himself to the aid of those in want, and to appear as they who need him can bear it Now, nothing in creation had gone astray with regard to their notions of God, save man only. If He wished, Jesus could have become incarnate as a government. Yet it would have missed the heart of the problem: Kingdoms are governed by men. Only by redeeming the individual souls that make up the human race can the structures they create operate in righteousness. He came as a lowly servant, like us in every way except sin, to take on and redeem every aspect of the human person. Jesus message foments a revolution of a much more fundamental and interior kind. The Bible shows just how far removed the Gospel is from a utopian political philosophy when a man asked Jesus to intervene against his brother, who was unjustly withholding his portion of his inheritance. Jesus refused to intervene and then taught the man a lesson about covetousness and trusting in Gods providence (St. Luke 12:12-28). This brother was not pushing a nebulous case of social injustice by citing data about disparate impact; this was clear, direct, economic injustice of which the petitioner was the innocent party, the victim. Yet Jesus did not grant his petition, instead inviting the man to replace his carnal mindset with a deeper, spiritual understanding of life an invitation from which Kendi would benefit. A transcript of the video follows: Audience member: Im curious if you see any role that churches or communities of faith can play in this antiracist movement. Kendi: Im a preachers kid, and my parents pretty much met in what was as known as the black power movement but more specifically for them the movement for black theology. And so they were both Christians who imagined that the church was supposed to be an engine of liberation, that Christianity was supposed to be a source of liberation for black people and humanity. They looked at Jesus as black, with a fro, like they had their fros. And what I sort of ultimately realized in analyzing the form of Christianity that they were raised in, particularly during the black theology movement, and, sort of, just, I should say, contrasting that with the form of Christianity that 80% of white evangelicals have when they voted for Donald Trump, I think one of the ways we can distinguish it is, one being, liberation theology. In other words, Jesus was a revolutionary. And the job of the Christian is to revolutionize society, that the job of the Christian is to liberate society from the powers on Earth that are oppressing humanity. Everybody understand that? So, thats liberation theology in a nutshell. Savior theology is a different type of theology. The job of the Christian is to go out and save these individuals who are behaviorally deficient. In other words, we are to bring them into the church these individuals who are doing all these evil, sinful things and heal them, and save them. And then, once weve saved them, weve done our jobs. And to me, antiracists fundamentally reject savior theology. That goes right in line with racist ideas and racist theology, in which they say, You know what? Black people, other racial groups, the reason why theyre struggling on earth is because of what theyre doing behaviorally wrong. And it is my job as a pastor is to, sort of, save these wayward black people, or wayward poor people, or wayward queer people. That type of theology breeds bigotry. And so, to me, the type of theology of liberation theology breeds a common humanity, a common humanity against the structures of power that oppress us all. Further reading: Is Raphael Warnock right that the early church was a socialist church? How socialism causes atheism Kamala Harris Equality vs. Equity video endorses injustice and discrimination If anyone was ever a socialist it was Jesus: Democratic Socialists of America leader Jesus would vote for socialism: German socialist party Communism is the increase of the search for the Kingdom of God and His righteousness! In 1909, Scott Perky of Niagara Falls patented a font where each letter and symbol has a vertical line of symmetry. This allows you to write a word either forwards or backwards without needing to change or reverse the characters. In his patent filing which is online here and is quite delightful to read Perky notes that his font would allow you to print a document with each line going in the opposite direction. Or to put it another way, you'd read the first line from left to right, the next line from right to left, and then over and over again, zigzagging down the page. As Perky argues, this would reduce the amount of eye-transit in reading, because you wouldn't be continually zipping your eye across the page, going from the end of one line to the beginning of the next: The invention consists in certain means of printing alternate lines, whereby the reading can be done from left to right and from right to left in a continuous manner, and the skip ping from the end of one line to the opposite end of the next is avoided. It is hardly necessary to allude to the strain upon the eyes and brain, which results from much reading. To students, researchers and others whose lives are cast among books, any device which promises to facilitate reading in such wise as to lessen fatigue of the optical tract, and consequent headache and brain fag, will appear of unusual impor In ordinary reading where the intelligent action of the brain is exerted through the eyesin movements from left to right with alternate senseless skippings from right to left, there are some disadvantages which have to do, not only with the irrelative exercise of the brain in finding the beginning of the new line while remembering the connection of the text, but also with the rapidly recurring re versions of the eye balls in skipping back ward, which may be compared in effect to the rapid flashes of alternate light and dark through a paling fence as one passes by at high speed. This style of writing is actually quite old it was a common way of inscribing stone in ancient Greece, known as "Boustrophedon" writing, as I learned from Randy Ludacer's excellent post on Perky's font. Perky is right about the eyestrain that comes from eye-transit, but wow, I'm not sure having to decode words in both directions would be less tiring on the ol' noodle. Nonetheless, as with all inventions that are truly bonkers, my hat is off. If you want to see what text looks like printed in this zig-zagging format, Ludacer took the opening lines of Perky's patent filing and set them in Perky's own font! Le voila: (Via Weird Universe) The Centner Academy, a Florida school who claims "we are not anti-vaxxers," is banning students who dare to get vaxxed from showing up at school for 30 days after each shot. This is the same misinformed, up to $30,000-per-year Miami private school that discourages teachers from getting vaxxed. They have also warned students not to hug their vaxxed parents for more than five seconds. Their upside-down, Q-infected thinking leads them to believe the vaccine can transmit Covid-19. From WSVN: Parents of students at the Centner Academy recently received a letter from its Chief Operating Officer that read in part, "if you are considering the vaccine for your Centner Academy student(s), we ask that you hold off until the Summer when there will be time for the potential transmission or shedding onto others to decrease." The letter also spelled out a quarantine rule for parents who still choose to vaccinate their children. "Because of the potential impact on other students and our school community, vaccinated students will need to stay at home for 30 days post-vaccination for each dose and booster they receive and may return to school after 30 days as long as the student is healthy and symptom-free." Centner Academy first made headlines in April when the school's owners told their staff to hold off on getting vaccinated. The school owners said the reasoning was over concerns on side effects and fears that those who get the shot will infect those who don't get it. The Republicans who voted to impeach or convict Donald Trump for his actions leading up to and during the January 6th Moron's Rebellion are out raising the candidates the Orange Menace has backed against them. CNN: Republican Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington and Fred Upton of Michigan drew Trump's condemnation for their impeachment votes in his January trial in the House. All three collected more money in the third fundraising quarter than their Trump-endorsed rivals, according to reports filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission. And Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, one of seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Trump in February, raised nearly $1.1 million in the July-to-September quarter, more than twice the $465,945 collected by Kelly Tshibaka, who Trump endorsed earlier this year. Murkowski is the only one among the seven Republicans who voted to convict the former President who is up for reelection in 2022 Democratic Senate candidates display fundraising might in third quarterIn addition, Murkowski ended September with more than $3.2 million in cash reserves more than 10 times the amount Tshibaka had remaining in her campaign account India Walton, a black woman who identifies as a democratic socialist, defeated the incumbent party insider in this summer's Democratic primary election for the Buffalo mayoral race. Rather than accept the outcome and support their own candidate, New York's Dem establishment has done everything it can to avoid doing so. Party leaders refuse to endorse her. She was kicked out of a party event. They even played along with a Republican-backed campaign to get her defeated opponent on the ballot as an independent. And now state Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs compared her to David Duke, the Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard who once won a primary in Louisiana. Is it a requirement that if someone wins the Democratic primary they must always get the democratic endorsement of these people? And that's a question I would answer no, it's not. Let's take a scenario, very different, where David Duke remember him, the grand wizard of the KKK, he moves to New York, he becomes a Democrat, he runs for mayor in the city of Rochester, which is a low primary turnout [note: Buffalo's primary turnout was consistent with previous years] and he wins the Democratic line. I have to endorse David Duke? I don't think so. Hopeless and disheartening, to say the least. To anyone with a progressive or left-leaning bone in their body, what possible use is there in voting for a party that would compare its own candidatea black womanto one of America's most notorious and despised racists as part of a campaign to stop people voting for her? The Democratic Party's preferred constituents are corporations, wealthy donors and an all-but-imaginary political center, and it lives in mortal fear of being seen to support even center-left causes that mainstream media pundits might cast as too radical. But remember that the party is also a job club. There is no greater crime there than depriving one of its made men their sinecures. For another example of this, see the weirdly insistent campaign to find a prestigious appointment for former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who helped cover up the police killing of a child. One of the primary issues that led to that strike, now in its 18th day, revolves around staffing levels, a topic that has proved difficult to remedy. Shortly before noon Monday, Catholic Health spokeswoman JoAnn Cavanaugh had no updates but said the two sides were "still talking." The union representing the striking workers, CWA Local 1133, said Catholic Health presented a new offer over the weekend, which the union characterized as containing "positive movement." "While we still have work to do, we feel that we're in a good position and will work as hard as possible this week to get to an agreement with the hospital that will benefit all of our members," the union said in an update to its members Monday afternoon. +2 Health care industry pressures spurring strikes across the country The reasons health care workers cite for striking are similar: They have endured the demands and exhaustion of working through the pandemic and insist hospitals staff up to help shoulder the workload. As it is, Mercy Hospital is operating with replacement workers but has suspended inpatient elective surgeries, labor and delivery services and has temporarily diverted incoming ambulances to alternate facilities. That has put more pressure on Kaleida's hospitals and, as of 4 p.m. Monday, the emergency room wait times at Buffalo General Medical Center and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital were at least an hour. Eight months ago, a Dunkirk nonprofit agency and the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust unveiled plans to bring 50 affordable housing units to the East Side neighborhood, adjacent to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The goal of the deal, signed by Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton when she led the land trust in 2020, was to create more lower-priced options for residents, while offering a path to ownership. The plan was to use low-income housing tax credits to finance the venture, which would be co-owned by the land trust and Southern Tier Environments for Living, or STEL. The partners have struggled to gain consensus in the community, even after two years of behind-the-scenes discussions. And now the $20 million development proposal appears to be barely on life support. The land trust's interim leader abruptly backed out of the project over the summer, blaming Walton, its founding executive director, who stepped down last November to run for mayor. In a July 19 email from interim Executive Director Stephanie Simeon to STEL Executive Director Thomas Whitney, Simeon asked to cancel their contract, saying the 4-year-old land trust lacked the resources for the project. She also cited the inexperience of the group's previous leaders: Walton and former board chair Zaid B. Islam. "I believe it's clear that the agreement signed by then Executive Director: India Walton and President Zaid Islam was premature due [to] their inexperience with complex housing projects of this scale," Simeon wrote in the email, which was recently obtained by The Buffalo News. "Therefore we are asking to dissolve our agreement." The venture's failure comes at a time when Walton has been citing the project among her successes as "an accomplished executive director" in the Fruit Belt, as she campaigns for mayor against incumbent Byron W. Brown. The collapse of the plan demonstrates the challenge of working in a neighborhood like the Fruit Belt, with its divergent viewpoints. It also illustrates the shortcomings of a nonprofit organization with novice leadership that has plans but few financial resources or expertise. And it could potentially reinforce those like Brown who say Walton lacks the experience to run a complex city government. Simeon insisted on Friday that the land trust "never terminated its agreement with STEL," but that's what STEL and the city understood. The designated-developer agreement for 27 properties expired in late July. STEL won't work with the land trust again. And the city is ready to start all over. Walton spokesman Jesse Myerson said Walton had "no insight to offer" about the change in direction by the land trust. "Stephanie Simeon has decades of experience in this field and that, if she feels the deal wasn't prudent at the time, or is no longer in line with the organization's approach, India trusts her judgment," Myerson said. But the land trust's pullback doesn't sit well with Walton's critics. "STEL invested a whole lot of resources," said Divitta M. Alexander, an attorney and financial consultant who had been working with STEL. "It's significant for an organization of that size, and to be wasted for those reasons flies in the face of this project being an accomplishment." Whitney, STEL's executive director, declined to comment, citing a need for his organization to remain apolitical because it needs "the support of a myriad of governmental and funding agencies." New board members shifted aspirations From the start, the project was ambitious. It would have built one of the few large-scale housing projects in the Fruit Belt, which is largely comprised of single-family homes. To pay for it, the project's backers planned to rely on a complicated financing package built around tax credits. It would have built a 42,000-square-foot apartment building at the northeast corner of High and Peach streets, with 33 units. It also included five three-bedroom duplexes, one two-bedroom duplex and five single-family homes on 21 other nearby Fruit Belt properties. The below-market rents would be affordable to those earning less than 50% or 60% of the area median income. The deal was signed last year by Walton and Islam, as a means of quickly advancing their affordable housing goals for the neighborhood. But it butted up against the more cautious aspirations of newer board members. And it conflicted with the philosophy that Simeon brought that the land trust should focus on its core mission of preserving affordability and neighborhood control of the land, rather than become an affordable housing developer. The first signs of trouble came in February, when community members complained to the Buffalo Planning Board they were left out of the planning, and had not been consulted on the project. Questions were also raised about how much the board members of the land trust knew about the project and when even after Walton signed the agreement on the organization's behalf. Then, during a public meeting in late April that Whitney and Alexander attended, STEL and the land trust leadership were peppered with questions about how the agreement came about, and whether the land trust's by-laws had been followed. Simeon said STEL was also unable to respond to questions about the project budget and the makeup of the design and construction team, while the land trust's leaders did not explain how STEL was chosen for the project. Simeon took the next few months to evaluate the project, before announcing the decision to pull out in the July email. She said the land trust was "fully transparent" with STEL throughout the process. But the email still caught STEL officials off guard. Five days later, in an interview with The Buffalo News at the land trust's July 24 annual meeting, Simeon said she was trying to renegotiate the relationship, but did not say she had already asked to end it, nor did she say the project was not continuing. "I stand behind my statement made on July 24 during the annual meeting," Simeon told The News last week. She said the land trust wanted to amend the agreement to focus the project on larger, higher quality apartments, to target low- to moderate-income, single-parent households with children. Simeon wanted to ensure that some of the town houses could be converted from rentals to ownership, to have the buildings match the architectural design in the neighborhood, and to have the land owned solely by the trust. In her email to Whitney, Simeon said the land trust can't keep paying the $1,000 monthly lease fee to the city from its own funds to maintain the designated-developer agreement. STEL did not contribute toward those fees. "We have exhausted our unrestricted revenue," Simeon wrote. "We are paid up to date but can not expend additional resources until we have completed our strategic plan, which will give us the structure and leadership direction for the coming fiscal year." She also said in the July email to Whitney that the organization's "current staff that would have played in the co-developer role was inexperienced," and that community land trusts nationwide have rarely been successful with low-income housing tax credit deals. It "didn't make sense," Simeon repeated on Friday. The land trust lacked the experience and cash flow needed to undertake such a project, she said.. "The [land trust] just simply wasn't there as yet, nor would anyone expect an agency at its infancy stage to be able to do anything like what this project proposed." Simeon said Friday that Walton, Islam and former board secretary Robert Knoer were present for "a lot of development meetings" with STEL, but "they didn't properly document the action items and summarize the meeting so that the entire board remained thoroughly informed." While the land trust's "entire board was aware of the agreement," she added, they "didn't seem to be aware of all the nuances that a project at that scale would involve." "I do deeply apologize that the board liaison that you originally worked with didn't make you fully aware that the board wasn't properly informed about the scale of the project," Simeon had written to Whitney in July. Future of properties uncertain Walton, through Myerson, said the board "was intimately involved in every decision during her tenure," and said both she and Islam had been authorized to sign the contract with STEL. For his part, Islam who stepped down as board chair this summer said he and Walton had kept board members "fully abreast of what was going on." "We kept them informed of the scale and all the information they needed," he said. "On that point shes very wrong." Instead, he suggested that Simeon and a handful of new board members feared the scope of a project that they were not originally involved with. It was the magnitude of the work that some of them were afraid of, the responsibility, he said. For them to torpedo the whole thing and now say other things, Im very disappointed. I thought this new board could move forward, but they cant. Theyre stuck in their particular silos. Now the future of the vacant Fruit Belt properties and any development project on them is uncertain. STEL told the city in August that it was interested in salvaging the plan, although without the land trust, said Brendan Mehaffy, executive director of the city's Office of Strategic Planning. But STEL officials have not been in contact with city officials since then. Another option would be to put the properties out for public bid, Mehaffy said. But before the city agrees to any proposal or process, he added, officials plan to meet with Common Council President Darius Pridgen and the Fruit Belt community to discuss how to move forward with neighborhood support. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Industries across the board are competing for entry-level staff. That gives workers more options to choose from, including higher-paying jobs with better working conditions and benefits. Some retail workers moved on to new jobs during the pandemic. Others used the time to learn new skills. Concerns about Covid have kept many out of the workforce, and the seniors who traditionally come out of retirement to work the short holiday stint are the ones most vulnerable to the disease. "When you compare the average hourly wage in retail to other sectors of the economy and consider that many firms in these other sectors are also having difficulty attracting workers, it's not surprising to me that some retail workers have decided to seek out jobs in non-retail areas especially those jobs that value sales and customer service skills," said Charles Lindsey, a marketing professor at the University at Buffalo's School of Management. For a family of four, the recent pay increases bump wages above the poverty level, according to federal guidelines. With its risk of Covid exposure and abuse from increasingly irate and impatient customers, many workers have decided that retail is not the place they want to be during a pandemic. For as long as Ive been paying attention, Broadway in Lancaster has been a vale of fish fries, pierogi, pancakes and other staples of family dining. Last year, that changed with the addition of Six Friends Cabernet, Tony and Kim Martinos effort to offer the village an upscale alternative. In this case, its a restaurant that aims to creatively harness the work of local farmers whenever possible, and offer a wine tasting experience tilted toward New York State vintages. Despite the restaurants single-varietal name, it offers a wide variety of grapes in wine form, leading with tasting flights that encourage diners to have a little education for dinner. Tasting flights ($10) give sippers four chances to hit pay dirt from a list of vintages grown in the Finger Lakes, Niagara and Chautauqua regions. Theres also a dozen straightforward choices from distant wine regions, like California, Italy and Argentina. Its when you turn to the food that things really start to get interesting. Chef Jessica Arends is a kitchen veteran who has gotten a chance to put her creativity to work at last, and it shows. Law enforcement authorities said the investigation is continuing to determine what caused the fire, where it started and if there was foul play. A car parked in the driveway close to the house was ablaze when firefighters arrived just after 2:05 a.m. Law enforcement sources said they have identified "a person of interest" as they investigate if it was intentionally set. While confirming there were no detectors in the house, Commander John T. Eaton, head of the fire departments fire marshal office, which investigates fires in the city, said other aspects of the deadly blaze are currently under scrutiny. We have all the evidence and have forwarded it to the DAs Office and are waiting on a go-ahead if it is a viable case, Eaton said. Part of the investigation is to determine if it was accidental or if it was on purpose, Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said. Family frustrated Tossing her around by her arms, the ex-boyfriend also hit her in her stomach, ribs and legs, Williams testified. "There was an actual hole in the wall after that," she said. On another occasion, she saw the ex-boyfriend standing over Roland and choking her on a bed, Williams told the court. She said things between Benjamin and Roland "didn't get bad until after Brendan lost his job" and money "became a problem." Another violent incident followed an accident in which an infant child of Roland's fell out of a high chair. Benjamin attempted to get in a car and drive away from the home, but Roland followed him to the vehicle. At one point, Benjamin pushed Roland's face backward, and then he got out of the car. That's when he dragged her inside by her hair "like she was a dog," Williams said. Roland also grew up in a household where "whuppings" or "spankings" were normal, both Roland's sister, 20-year-old Makaela Davis, and Williams testified. As a young child, Roland suffered significant burns to the left side of her body when she had hot water poured over her, said her aunt, Catherine Johnson Peoples. New York created a formula to distribute aid for basic school operations in 2007, the year before the financial crisis and recession. It was to direct the most money to the neediest districts and provide a measure of predictability in how much aid would be allocated each year. The pot of money is called foundation aid, but it was never fully funded in the wake of the recession. Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the state Legislature agreed in April to fully fund foundation aid over three years, and the commitment was included in the state budget legislation. But settling the case is an important step, say those involved in the lawsuit. "This institutionalizes it," said Richard Timbs, executive director of the Statewide School Finance Consortium. "The governor's office is no longer saying, 'We don't have to pay this money.' " "The state is essentially going a step further to commit to doing what it said it would do in the enacted state budget," Lowry said. That's not to say that every district will receive a huge increase in state aid for the next two years, because some are at or near the formula limit, he said. But the state financial plan projection pledges extra support to high needs districts, he said. OLAF FUB SEZ: A favorite lyric from singer and songwriter Laura Nyro, born on this date in 1947, All I ask of livin is to have no chains on me. . . . WHATS NEXT? The Wilson Lions Club will sponsor a Cannabis Law forum and discussion at 6:30 p.m. today at the Victorianbourg Wine Estate, 4402 E. Lake Road, Wilson. Main speaker will be retired Niagara County Drug Task Force Investigator William Tony Evans. Reservations required. Email Anne Basile at SpelloftheYukon@aol.com. . . . LOOKING BACK Reservations are needed today for A Grave Discussion: Abandoned and Forgotten Cemeteries of the WNY Area, a presentation at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Tonawanda-Kenmore History Museum, 100 Knoche Road, Town of Tonawanda. Giving the talk will be Tonawanda-Kenmore Historical Society president Judy Tucker. To save a seat, call 873-6279 or email info@kentonhistory.org. Powell was a distinguished and trailblazing professional soldier whose career took him from combat duty in Vietnam to becoming the first Black national security adviser during the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency and the youngest and first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush. His national popularity soared in the aftermath of the US-led coalition victory during the Gulf War, and for a time in the mid-90s, he was considered a leading contender to become the first Black President of the United States. But his reputation would be forever stained when, as George W. Bush's first secretary of state, he pushed faulty intelligence before the United Nations to advocate for the Iraq War, which he would later call a "blot" on his record. Bush said in a statement Monday that Powell was "a great public servant" who was "such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend." Though Powell never mounted a White House bid, when he was sworn in as Bush's secretary of state in 2001, he became the highest-ranking Black public official to date in the country, standing fourth in the presidential line of succession. Today a majority of Americans believe that climate change is an urgent problem to address, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. However, most Americans appear unaware of the ongoing and urgent biodiversity crisis facing us, the Sixth Great Extinction, equally as dangerous as climate change. In Amid climate fears, scientists also sound alarm on biodiversity a New York Times article from Oct. 15 outlines the agenda of the 15th UN Meeting on Biodiversity in Kunming, China. Why is the meeting not joined with the Glasgow COP 26 UN Climate meeting as both global crises have been caused by human action? And why is biodiversity so important? Somewhere in the evolution of modern, industrial culture, humans forgot that our life depends on natural processes the diversity of all the plants and animals that provide food, oxygen and all the material from which we build our human world. The rapidity of climate destabilization causes great harm to natural systems with changes in temperature and moisture and traumas as fires and hurricanes. But the great driver of global extinction is the appropriation of land for humans needs and wants, destroying natural ecosystem. The train shed has been the very definition of disinvestment since DL&W train service ended there in 1962. Years of neglect led to vandalism in the building, which the NFTA purchased from the City of Buffalo and Conrail in 1979. The agencys use of the site as a train shed required that the ticketing and terminal areas be torn down. The terminal had some shops open on the ground floor that did not do well. The grand vision laid out in the consultants report would certainly draw more visitors, but success in the neighborhood between Canalside and the Cobblestone District is not guaranteed, even with its proximity to KeyBank Center and Lecom Harborcenter. Uncovering the buried architectural treasures in the terminal is an ambitious but worthy goal. Savarino pictures the skylight systems and vaulted windows flooding the terminal with natural light after they are uncovered and restored, which will be no small task. Other challenges have been mentioned in the past couple of years, including: Providing truck access to the upper floors exterior for delivery and garbage removal; Solving the complicated maze of underground utilities getting in the way of construction of a northern stair tower. With the stroke of his veto pen, the county executive has told 12 and 13-year-old recreational hunters that they are less responsible, less trustworthy, less capable of engaging in the safe and ethical conduct of deer hunting within Erie County, than their peers throughout Upstate New York. Likewise, the experienced hunter who is required to accompany and supervise the youths. In his justification to veto a recreational opportunity passed at the state and county legislative levels, the county executive cited all youth related firearms accidents. To conflate those with youth recreational hunting accidents is disingenuous at best. Young hunters undergo coursework, training and instruction in safe firearms handling in a recreational hunting context. The preparation beforehand is extensive and part of the overall hunting experience. The experienced sportsman accompanying the youth ensures its practice in the field. I would wonder if the county executive has any familiarity with any of these experiences, yet deems it justifiable to veto. Workshops / Conferences Giving your Business A Digital Face: A Website Design Workshop. Whether you already have a website for your business, havent created one yet, or think your website needs improvement, this workshop will be valuable. The Romain College of Business will be offering events on Tuesday, October 19, and Wednesday, October 20, in celebration of Womens Entrepreneurship Week and the entrepreneurial spirit. All events are free and open to everyone. Business professionals will be sharing their expertise at the following event: Giving your Business A Digital Face: A Website Design Workshop Registration is required, as seats are limited. Presenter: Dr. Sabinah Wanjugu, Assistant Professor of Marketing Tuesday, October 19, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM USI Business and Engineering Center, Room 1004 Often, business owners have to wear many hats including building their website. However, creating your website to give your business a digital face does not have to be as overwhelming. This workshop is designed for small business owners who are faced with the difficult task of having to build their website. A website is one of your biggest marketing tools for your business and every small business needs one. Whether you already have a website for your business, havent created one yet, or think your website needs improvement, this workshop will be valuable. Youll learn how to create, organize, optimize, improve, and manage your website and walk away with tools and resources to help your website meet its purpose. Learn more and register at USI.edu/wew The civil rights era was rife with discord. As part of the nations population fought for social and political equality, another strove for maintaining the status quo of segregation and denying the liberties of their neighbors. Graphic novelist Lila Quintero Weaver was 5 years old in 1961 when her family moved from their home in Argentina to central Alabama, just 27 miles from Selma. As a young immigrant in the Jim Crow South, Quintero Weaver remembers school desegregation. The marches from Selma in support of African-Americans right to vote and the violence surrounding it were the hallmark events of the region, she said. Quintero Weaver will reflect on these pivotal moments in her presentation, South American Eyes in the American South, a free virtual event at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 25. Her presentation is hosted in partnership through University of Wisconsin-Stout and the Chippewa Valley Book Festival, which runs Sunday, Oct. 24, to Friday, Oct. 29. It is made possible with the technology assistance of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire. Advance registration is required. Quintero Weaver is one of six national authors participating in the festival. She is the author of the graphic novel Darkroom: A Memoir in Black & White, listed on Book Riots 100 Must-Read Graphic Memoirs. Darkroom gives an alternate interpretation of the Jim Crow era and expresses Quintero Weavers discomfort when segregationist views grew as the civil rights movement gained momentum and eventually led to an urgent need to take a stand. Darkroom may be purchased at Bookends on Main in downtown Menomonie. A good book should make us feel less aloneQuintero Weavers primary inspiration in becoming a graphic novelist was Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. It was the first graphic memoir she read. She also finds artistic inspiration in street photography, black and white film, collage art and the Dutch masters. The meaning behind her memoirs title has two parts. In the literal sense it refers to my fathers photo-processing darkroom, she said. But it also serves as a metaphor for revelation and emerging knowledge. Her revelations about the civil rights movement and events in her hometown came in adulthood. Everything was hush-hush back then, she said. I had to dig out the facts on my own trace this event to that result. But this wasnt possible until many years had passed and people started speaking their truth. Readers have shared their stories with Quintero Weaver, from memories of the Jim Crow era to immigrants who have experienced the sense of isolation she describes in Darkroom. On college campuses, students have taken me aside to explain why my story clicked with them, she said. These are the reactions I treasure, because a good book should make us feel less alone and more connected. Quintero Weaver has suggestions for people as they seek to support each others differences and move toward more empathy and understanding: Read and listen to the stories of people who come from different worlds. Spend time with them, hear them out and afford them the respect we all want for ourselves. Step into the shoes of an outsider by traveling or studying a foreign language. Since these remedies are nothing new, we should ask ourselves why we dont do them, she said. Is it because we crave belonging and the comfort of the familiar? I think we have to accept that offering empathy often puts us into some level of discomfort. Even so, somebody has to make the first move. Expanding horizonsThe partnership between UW-Stout and the Chippewa Valley Book Festival started in 2018, when the university hosted a reading by Nickolas Butler of his novel Little Faith. Before that, Basu took Honors College students to Eau Claire to attend festival readings. Isa Small, programming and communications services manager at the Eau Claire library, and UW-Stout Professor Lopa Basu serve on the festivals Authors and Events Committee. Basu is co-chair of UW-Stouts Literature Committee. The Chippewa Valley Book Festival has a long history of partnering with organizations in the valley to host events, Small said. Dr. Lopamudra Basu has been instrumental in the partnership with UW-Stout. Basu believes the partnership is mutually beneficial. Stout students are exposed to a wide range of authors and programming. The festival benefits from new audiences and co-sponsorship, she said. We hope the partnership can continue in the future. Its always wonderful to expand your horizons and experience reading a different voice, or in the case of Lila Quintero Weavers work, a different genre of storytelling, Small said. I, like many others, tend to stick with what I know I like when it comes to books. But thats why I so appreciate the festival. It provides an opportunity to read outside of my comfort zone and discover some new favorites. Reading Across CampusQuintero Weavers presentation is in keeping with UW-Stouts Reading Across Campus program, which is focusing on another graphic memoir this year. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel explores LGBTQIA+ issues of identity and family trauma and is centered around Bechdels relationship with her tyrannical father. Many instructors in the English and philosophy department incorporate graphic novels in our composition and literature courses, and we have a comics concentration in the School of Art and Design, said Basu. Fun Home and Darkroom are hybrid artifacts, combining words and images. They speak to issues of equity, diversity and inclusiveness, a university priority for the next strategic plan, she added. Basu plans to teach Darkroom in her Multicultural American Literature course, this spring. Reading Across Campus is a collaboration between the English and philosophy department, the University Library and Menard Center for the Study of Institutions and Innovation. It is made possible by a grant from the Office of the Chancellor. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) After his failed presidential bid in 2010, former Defense chief Gibo Teodoro will attempt to make a political comeback, this time, as a senator. But what made him pursue his senatorial bid for the 2022 polls? Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source on Monday, Teodoro recalled how the decision to re-enter public service came up in a conversation with his family as early as February this year. "I think that's when the final decision within the family, my wife and our son talked about it, we agreed that it would be a go that I tried to make it back in public service," Teodoro shared. "Perhaps this is the best time that somebody whos had both the government and private sector experience could be helpful to the country." After losing to Benigno Aquino III in 2010, Teodoro stepped away from the political limelight and rendered his service to the private sector when he was elected to the Board of Directors of BDO Unibank, Inc., then chairing Sagittarius Mines, Inc. and Indophil Resources Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte offered him the defense secretary post in 2016, but he said he declined the offer to attend to his family and to focus on his private sector work at the time. Teodoro said he now has a "compelling reason" to go back to politics after the pandemic hit the country. "My family told me that it's your duty to the country that you do so. And that decision came up and came from there but there were a lot of people who were asking since even before the pandemic, 'bumalik ka na' (come back), why don't you give it another go but there was no compelling reason at the time," he said. "But after the pandemic, this I think is a compelling reason as you can have." Teodoro said with his background, hopefully, he would be able "to introduce more efficiencies into the government and try to make things easier for the private sector and any citizen" as a senator. "For any time that perhaps the country would need my services or the country would have the option should they wish to avail of my services and expertise...it's the right thing to do at the right time where there is no one person who probably has the monopoly of solutions, the wherewithal, the monopoly of skills needed to run the country but everybody should pitch in," he said. Teodoro said he initially wanted to gun for the second highest national post, a plan which earlier fueled speculations that he would run in tandem with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. The mayor, however, stood firm on her decision to seek reelection instead of a national post. Teodoro did not directly say whether this was his reason for settling for the legislative branch, but said that he and Mayor Duterte never talked about their political plans together. He added that joining the vice presidential race is already "very unlikely" at this time. RELATED: Gibo reveals eyeing VP post first, but no talk of tandem with Sara Teodoro is currently the lone senatorial candidate of People's Reform Party. He said that other political parties have already sent him feelers to adopt him in their slate ahead of the polls. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) The anti-viral pill molnupiravir will not be extremely expensive once it becomes available in the Philippines, a local official of the drug developer MSD Pharmaceuticals said on Monday. The statement comes after reports in the United States that the 5-day course treatment of molnupiravir would cost $700, or roughly 35,000. Im sure thats not the price we will be at here. I dont know what the price will be, but for now Im pretty sure it wont be $700, MSD Philippines President and Managing Director Dr. Beaver Tamesis said at the Foreign Correspondents of the Philippines forum. MSD, also known as Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics in the United States and Canada, signed voluntary licensing agreements with seven Indian generic manufacturers. Under a voluntary licensing, manufacturers will be able to develop generic versions of the medicine. Dr. Tamesis said this would greatly help the supply and improve the price point. The reason for that, we want to improve access and pricing. These companies, they know how to make things cheaper, Dr. Tamesis said. The fact that we have all seven companies potentially who may all come in here...if they will be competing in the marketplace, hopefully the market (would) now drive the price to a point where it is most affordable, he added. Dr. Tamesis confirmed that several local companies have expressed interest in manufacturing molnupiravir in the Philippines. As of posting, Ritemed has been tapped to distribute the anti-viral pill to hospitals, treatment centers and medical institutions. Merck has a pending application for emergency use authority before the US FDA. The initial result of the study showed molnupiravir cuts risk of hospitalization and deaths by half. It is the first oral drug developed for early treatment of COVID-19 infection. READ: What would an antiviral pill mean for the fight against Covid-19? READ: Countries in Asia are placing orders for a new drug to treat coronavirus. Poorer nations could miss out again (CNN) There was a time, not too long ago, when many people could only name one, maybe two, poets -- often a long-dead White man named William Shakespeare, Robert Frost or Walt Whitman. In recent years, though, a shift has occurred. Amanda Gorman, after reading her striking poem at President Joe Biden's inauguration in January, inked a modeling contract and was invited to the Met Gala. Rupi Kaur, whose poetry first became prominent on social media, has appeared on celebrity-dominated "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and has a special on Amazon Prime. And, for the first time since 1998, the MacArthur Foundation this year awarded its prestigious "genius" grant to three poets: Hanif Abdurraqib, Don Mee Choi and Reginald Dwayne Betts. Meanwhile, the Lincoln Center, which houses prestigious artistic institutions like The Juilliard School and the New York Philharmonic, named its very first poet-in-residence this year, Mahogany L. Browne. Though poetry has always existed and experienced waves of acclaim, the genre is finding new prominence in today's mainstream collective imagination, stripping itself of its previous relegation to sleepy high school English classes. And, for the most part, poets of color are leading the charge. In the past, poets of color weren't always supported Of course, poets of color -- from Phillis Wheatley to Sonia Sanchez and Joy Harjo -- have long lived and worked in the United States. But Tyehimba Jess, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and author of "Leadbelly" and "Olio," recalled a time in the early 1990s when the idea of getting an MFA in poetry, or even being a working artist and submitting to literary journals, was completely foreign to him. Then, in 1997, Jess happened upon a flier for Cave Canem, a foundation working to support Black poets in the US. At the time, the foundation was in its infancy, and books by Black poets were few and far between, he said. But being in that community is what first motivated him to follow poetry in a professional way. "What has happened in the last 25 to 30 years, is that there has been a renaissance of Black poetry and a lot of that is particularly due to the kind of work... of organizations and fellowships such as Cave Canem," Jess said, also naming organizations like Obsidian, a literary magazine dedicated to work from the African Diaspora, and the Watering Hole, a writing retreat for poets of color from the South. "All of these organizations have been striving and working through really tough times, mostly on the idea of hope and the urgent belief in the power of the word and also the urgency of poets ... bringing parts of our history forward that have been neglected, that have been really ignored for so long," Jess said. It is the work of these types of fellowships and organizations, Jess said, that has led to the resurgent moment we're seeing now. As writers of color are supported in their work, and they go on to become professors or teaching artists or editors or published authors, they create paths for publishing other poets from marginalized groups. It is the embodiment of "lifting as we climb" -- and one reason why it may feel like there are so many poets from marginalized backgrounds seeing mainstream success. More people are reading poetry, mainly people of color But poetry, as an art form, might also appeal to writers from marginalized backgrounds more than other mediums. Its inherent rejection of any notion of a straight answer creates room for the messiness of the human experience, said poet Ada Limon, whose latest book, "The Carrying," won the National Book Critics Circle Award. That space might appeal to certain writers over others. "For those of us in the between spaces ... who are not an easy box to be checked, if your identity is a bit slippery, poetry is the place where you can go to explore that, and it becomes a profound interrogation of who we are as humans," Limon said. "It's not just one way or the other, no one is trying to be right ... instead the poems are saying 'Yes, me too,' 'Yes, this also.'" And in Limon's experience, writers of color or those in other marginalized groups have had to resist oversimplifying themselves or their identities -- a fluidity that translates more naturally to poetry than, say, a plot-driven novel. Because poetry as a medium resists a summary or a single answer, these writers may be more drawn to it as a form of expression, Limon said. Limon's point is reflected in readership data, too. Black Americans, Asian Americans, and other non-White, non-Hispanic groups read poetry at the highest rates, according to data published in 2018 by the National Endowment for the Arts. Still, overall, more people are reading poetry now than before. In the US, 28 million adults read poetry in 2017, the NEA found, the highest readership ever recorded since 2002. And young people, between the ages of 18 and 24, led the charge, with a readership that doubled when compared to numbers from 2012. Rupi Kaur -- whose second book of poetry "The Sun and Her Flowers" was published in 2017, the year the NEA collected its most recent data -- was undoubtedly a part of many young people's internal poetry repositories. With a career that began in the early 2010s almost through word of mouth, as her signature short poems and drawings were rapidly shared on Tumblr and other social media websites, Kaur now boasts 4.4 million followers on Instagram and has three books to her name. When asked why she thinks her work resonates, Kaur noted that her writing is very personal and, as a result, her audience can find themselves and their stories in her words. "I delve into my own life. I talk about how loss, grief, and trauma have affected me. I try to come to terms with that grief by writing poetry. My books are simply a byproduct of that personal self-care process," Kaur said in a statement to CNN. "And I think when anyone is extremely honest with themselves, that honesty can relate universally." Poetry has become more visible in the mainstream Part of poetry's growth is due to its increasing visibility with mainstream audiences rather than elite literary circles. A lot has contributed to this visibility: podcasts such as Poetry Foundation's "VS" and "The Slowdown," now hosted by Limon, have helped, as has the increasing popularity of spoken word and slam poetry. The rise of highly popular young poets, people like Ocean Vuong or Morgan Parker, have also played a part, as have growing efforts in grade schools and colleges to teach the works of living poets. But there's one thing that's maybe helped the most: social media. "For all its faults," Limon said, "I think that social media has actually done one wonderful thing for poetry, which is provide access and in many, many ways allow for poetry to become completely accessible to anyone." It's much more different than just 15 years ago, she explained. From Instagram accounts like PoetryIsNotALuxury, which posts multiple poems daily from a wide-ranging span of writers, to living poets using social media as a way to spread their work (a la Kaur), social media has changed the way poems reach people. "That allows everyone, if you're having a cup of coffee and going through Instagram, to actually have a profound experience with an Audre Lorde poem, or a Lucille Clifton poem," Limon said. "That kind of one-on-one, in the moment connection with contemporary and ancestral poetry, it's just huge. And I just don't think we've had that before." Another shift, Limon said, has been the acknowledgement of the reader on the poet's part. When Limon was in graduate school, she felt like poems had to be written for other poets, which changes the poem -- making it more abstract, or intellectual, she said. Now, there's more acknowledgment of a reader who may not be as familiar with poetry, which shifts the engagement of the work to the wider community. "There's a certain recognition that poetry is in conversation with real, living humans on the other side of it, not just with the academic side of it," she said. "That's been a huge thing." She gave an example: Most readers, she said, don't have to know the reference points of a Shakespearan sonnet to appreciate a contemporary sonnet by Terrance Hayes. But in the past, Limon said there may have been literary references or language within the poem that kept "our poems for poets." Poets.org, which publishes a daily poem as part of its series Poem-a-Day, has seen its readerships for both the website and its daily poems grow every year since 2013, said Jennifer Benka, executive director of the Academy of American Poets, which produces Poets.org and Poem-a-Day. "American poetry -- thanks to it being perfect for sharing on social media, the work of poetry organizations nationwide that offer free publications and events, and its diversity of voices -- has never been more popular," Benka said. "During the pandemic, especially, we've seen many thousands more readers turn to poetry for comfort and to help make meaning of this moment." So far, in 2021 alone, Poets.org has seen a historic spike in traffic, with more than 1 million additional pageviews. That increase in traffic to the website is, in part, attributed to the success of Amanda Gorman at January's presidential inauguration, and the attention she brought to the art form, a spokesperson for the academy said. In this way, poetry's increasing accessibility and visibility have worked hand in hand, leading to rising sales and, naturally, rising interest. Chantz Erolin, an editor at Graywolf Press -- an independent publisher in Minneapolis whose repertory includes works by poets like Jane Kenyon, Tracy K. Smith and Danez Smith -- has also noted the "current excitement for contemporary poetry," calling it "thrilling." "The poetry landscape is vast and varied, and the increasing frequency (and visibility) of breakout collections has not only meant an increase in sales, but in more robust opportunities for engagement with poets and the press," he said. Though the number of poetry collections Graywolf publishes has remained rather steady, when it last accepted submissions for a single month in 2016, the press received over 4,000 manuscripts, Erolin said. "It is an amazing time to be alive in the world of poetry," Limon said. "I really feel that way." And though some scholars may argue that the true golden age of poetry was a long-ago era, Limon has a different point of view: The golden age of poetry, she said, is this moment -- right now. This story was first published on CNN.com 'Poetry is experiencing a new golden age, with young writers of color taking the lead' Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 17) "Everything is possible." That was Sen. Imee Marcos' remark during a radio interview on Sunday regarding the possible tandem of her brother, presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos, and vice presidential bet Sen. Bong Go in the 2022 elections. She said Bongbong is not backing out in the 2022 presidential race, ahead of the Nov. 15 deadline for substitution of candidates, adding that he is actively seeking a running mate at present. "I think what he's trying to do is put together a slate, wala pa siyang vice president. Tawa nga kami ng tawa, sabi namin eh, ano 'yankasi tinatanong siya, 'eh ano ka, Bongbong-Bong Go?' Nakakatawa nga eh, so let's see how it works out," Imee said. [Translation: I think what he's trying to do is put together a slate, since he doesn't have a vice president yet. We're laughing because people keep asking him if he prefers to have a Bongbong-Bong Go tandem. It's funny, so let's see how it works out.] Leaders of the PDP-Laban faction under Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi, which endorsed Go as their vice presidential bet, earlier denied they are talking with Marcos for a possible alliance in the 2022 polls. Imee added that her brother, a former senator from 2010 to 2016, is still trying to convince presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to run for a national position in next year's polls. "Tapos sabi pa nga niya na si Bongbong 'sige pumila ka na kasi hindi naman ako tatakbo.' [She even told Bongbong to 'line up (for the 2022 presidential race) because I will not run.'] I think we continue to hope for the best but at the end of the day, you know, she has to make a decision that's best for her," said Marcos, who admitted her shock when Mayor Duterte decided to seek re-election. The female lawmaker hopes that people will listen to Bongbong's platforms on governance, especially in charting the country's economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of focusing on intrigues. "There are many really serious problems that confront us. We better have a blueprint for the real new normal and the Philippines very, very soon," she said. Bongbong and Imee's father was the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who governed the country for 21 years, most notably under martial law from 1972 to 1981 in an era fraught with widespread corruption and human rights abuses. Rights group Amnesty International estimates some 70,000 people were imprisoned and 34,000 tortured under the 20-year Marcos regime. Meanwhile, over 11,000 fell victim to summary execution, torture, and other human rights violations, according to the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act. The Marcoses have been convicted in local courts on corruption-related charges, while other courts here and abroad have declared that the Marcoses acquired ill-gotten wealth, which the Philippine government has doggedly pursued. READ: Sandiganbayan orders return of hundreds of millions in Marcos ill-gotten wealth to govt Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) Thirteen more hospitals in the National Capital Region will participate in the vaccination of minors against COVID-19, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said on Monday. Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said local governments in Metro Manila have identified hospitals that will be included in the list of medical facilities that will join the inoculation of minors aged 12 to 17. "Magdaragdag tayo ng 13 additional local hospitals. Ito ay magsisimula ngayong Friday hanggang Oct. 31," he said during a virtual briefing. [Translation: Thirteen additional local hospitals will participate. It will start this Friday until Oct. 31.] Malaya identified three hospitals: Caloocan Medical Center, Ospital ng Paranaque, and Pasay General Hospital. Currently, there are eight participating hospitals: National Children's Hospital, Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, Philippine Children's Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, Pasig City Children's Hospital, Philippine General Hospital, Makati Medical Center, and St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig. The immunization of minors started last Friday. Malaya said the government aims to vaccinate over 144,000 minors with comorbidities this October. Only the COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna are approved for emergency use among minors in the country. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) The proposed reforms on the pension system for military and uniformed personnel will only cover new entrants, the Department of National Defense (DND) said on Monday. In a statement, the DND said that Department of Finance Director Valery Joy Brion recently explained in a military radio show that Senate discussions on the proposed reforms point to a dual pension structure which will retain the present pension and retirement benefits of active and retired personnel. Meanwhile, the reforms will apply only to those who will enter the service upon the passage and effectivity of the proposed measure. Among the proposed reforms in the pension system include mandatory contributions to fund pensions, discontinuation of automatic indexation, computation of pension benefits at-rank upon retirement, adjustment of pensionable age, and designating the Government Service Insurance System to administer the MUP pension system. DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the reform seeks to create a more financially sustainable pension system for military and uniformed personnel. He added that it also intends to control the looming 9.6 trillion worth of unfunded pension liabilities. President Rodrigo Duterte asked Congress during his fifth and last State of the Nation Address in July to pass a unified system for separation, retirement and pension of military and uniformed personnel. Government security officials earlier said they will only support the reforms if only applied to new entrants. The bills seeking reforms on the pension system are still being discussed in both chambers of Congress. (CNN) 17 missionaries from the United States and Canada, some of them minors, were kidnapped in Haiti on Saturday, according to the organization Christian Aid Ministries. "The group of sixteen US citizens and one Canadian citizen includes five men, seven women, and five children," read a statement released by the Ohio-based organization Sunday. "We are seeking God's direction for a resolution, and authorities are seeking ways to help," they said. An investigation is ongoing, according to a source in Haiti's security forces, who attributed the kidnapping to local gang members. Haitian officials are in touch with the US State Department about the kidnapping, the country's foreign minister, Claude Joseph, told CNN. The missionaries were traveling by vehicle Saturday to Titanyen, north of the capital Port-au-Prince, after visiting an orphanage in the Croix des Bouquets area. They were abducted along the route between the two places. Dan Hooley, a former field director for Christian Aid Ministries in Haiti, told CNN on Sunday that all of the kidnapped missionaries are believed to have been in one vehicle, and that some were able to contact the organization's local director before they were taken. The kidnappers have already made contact with the organization, he also said. "A couple of fellows right away messaged the director and told him what was going on. And one of them was able to drop a pin, and that's the last thing [the organization] heard until the kidnappers contacted them later in the day," Hooley said. One of the abducted missionaries, an American citizen, also posted a call for help in a WhatsApp group as the kidnapping was occurring, The Washington Post reported, quoting a person familiar with the abduction who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "Please pray for us!! We are being held hostage, they kidnapped our driver. Pray, pray, pray. We don't know where they are taking us," the message said. It is unclear whether the message was a video or a text sent to the WhatsApp group, and there is no information on the WhatsApp group itself in the Washington Post's reporting. CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of this message or the report. A spokesperson for the US State Department said late Saturday it was aware of the reports, and that "the welfare and safety of US citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State." According to a senior US official familiar with the situation, the FBI and State Department officials are working around the clock to secure the release of Americans, but so far do not know the current location of the kidnapped missionaries. Canadian officials are also working with local authorities and "implicated NGOs" to gather information, a spokeswoman for Global Affairs Canada told CNN. CNN has reached out to the Haitian Justice Ministry and the National Police but they have not yet commented. 'They knew the dangers that they were in' Kidnappings have surged in Haiti throughout 2021, with numbers rising nearly 300% since July. At least 628 kidnappings have taken place since January, of which 29 are of foreigners, according to data released earlier this month by the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights (CARDH), a non-profit based in Port-au-Prince. The rise in kidnappings in Haiti is largely due to the gang 400 Mawozo, which controls much of Croix des Bouquets and even taxes local businesses, according to CARDH. The gang, once notorious for car theft, has pioneered "collective" kidnappings of large groups of victims from buses and cars, the report says. 400 Mawozo typically demands ransoms of around $20,000 USD, it also says. While the Christian Aid Ministries community is reeling from the news, Hooley said that its members in Haiti would have been cognizant of the risks they were taking. "These are very dedicated people, people that have risked their lives, they knew the dangers that they were in, or at least were aware of what could happen, I'm sure," he said. He knows several of the victims personally, he also said. "Two of them are single fellas. One was down there for a while, the other one is a friend of ours who just flew in on Friday, and was planning to help out with the Haiti earthquake, the situation down there in the south." "And then there's a young couple there a young couple with two children that were also abducted. We lived with her (the mother) in Oregon, and knew her family very well," Hooley said. Kidnapping in Haiti is often indiscriminate, with even the poor targeted. Several kidnapping victims and their families previously told CNN that they were still working to pay off debts, after borrowing money from friends, employers and even banks to pay ransoms. In a case that has become notorious across the country even amid this year's hundreds of kidnappings, a 5-year-old girl was reportedly found dead early this year with signs of strangulation. Her mother, a peanut vendor, told Reuters she had been unable to come up with the equivalent of $4,000 for ransom. Just before the missionaries' abduction, a Haitian transportation union had called for an indefinite strike starting Monday to protest the spike in kidnappings, among other issues. "We call on the government to put an end to the kidnappings and provide us safety or for them to resign immediately. We are the most victims; the transportation sector is an easy target for kidnappers all over the country," Mehu Changeux, president of the Association of Owners and Drivers of Haiti, told CNN on Sunday. "We lost many members to the insecurity and dozens of members have been kidnapped. The latest tragedy of the kidnapping of the American missionaries shows no one is safe in this country," Changeux said. Turbulent year On Friday, the UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of the UN mission in Haiti by nine months, until July 15, 2022. At the UNSC meeting Friday, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, "As we all know, the past year has been especially turbulent in Haiti. By renewing the mandate of BINUH (the UN mission in Haiti), we have helped to ensure the UN can continue its vital efforts to support democratic institutions and planning for elections, strengthen the rule of law and promote stability." Haitian Foreign Minister Claude Joseph had urged the UNSC earlier this month to bolster the UN mission's mandate in order to help ensure security and protection for civilians, according to a UN news release. "These are the legitimate expectations of the people who have suffered enough from gang violence, kidnapping and widespread crime," Joseph said. This story was first published on CNN.com "17 American and Canadian missionaries kidnapped by gang members in Haiti" Editor's note: A version of this story appeared in CNN's Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country's rise and how it impacts the world. Sign up here. (CNN) "Let's fight a 'people's war' against the spies, so that they cannot move a single step and have no place to hide!" That was the rallying cry of a Chinese military newspaper on social media over the weekend, as Beijing urges public vigilance against American espionage following the launch of a CIA mission center dedicated to China. Beijing's propaganda apparatus is now intensifying a years-long campaign, following CIA director William Burns' October 7 announcement the China Mission Center would counter what he called "the most important geopolitical threat we face in the 21st century." A video by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV claimed without citing sources the CIA was recruiting Chinese-speaking agents who understand not only Mandarin, but also various tongues including Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hakka and Hokkien. The clip, published Saturday, was widely carried by state media outlets on social media and immediately went viral. On Weibo, China's heavily censored version of Twitter, a related hashtag became the top trending topic on Saturday, and has since garnered more than 280 million views. Nationalists flocked to the US embassy in China's official Weibo account, leaving mocking comments detailing their proficiencies in Chinese dialects and demanding to be recruited. "What should we do when the CIA is blatantly recruiting Chinese-speaking agents?" asked Junzhengping, a Weibo account run by the People's Liberation Army Daily, the Chinese military's mouthpiece. "Foreign hostile forces have been working very hard, and (we) should never drop our guard on national security work," it said in a post on Sunday, accusing the US intelligence service of having more "sinister and unbearable measures" up its sleeve. "But no cunning fox can beat a good hunter. To safeguard national security, we can only trust the people, rely on the people," it added. Last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry railed at the CIA's move, which it called "a typical symptom of the Cold War mentality." "(The) relevant US agency should view China's development and China-US relations in an objective and rational light, and stop doing things detrimental to mutual trust and cooperation between China and the US and China's sovereignty, security and development interests," ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a news conference on October 8. The propaganda push on the week-old news and the misinformation around it has seen Beijing repeat its familiar narrative that China's national security is under grave, constant threat from the United States, and that American spies are a bigger danger to the lives of ordinary Chinese people than they might think. Under President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government has unleashed a flurry of campaigns in recent years to remind the public of the purported threat and encourage them to act. In 2015, China set up a national hotline for citizens to report on suspected spies or espionage activities. On April 15, 2016, it marked its first annual National Security Education Day with an avalanche of propaganda, including a comic-style poster widely displayed across Beijing warning young female civil servants about dating handsome foreigners lest they fall for a potential James Bond. In 2017, the Beijing municipal government began offering rewards of up to half a million yuan ($78,000) for anyone who helps expose a spy. And for the country's second National Security Education Day, an online publishing house issued books for schoolchildren to learn how to safeguard national security, containing games like "find the spy." The Global Times, a state-run nationalist tabloid, said the books were part of an effort to mobilize students from primary schools to colleges as "a huge counter-spy force." About the same time, an unofficial notice circulated widely on social media, listing eight apparent "traits" of potential spies with foreign correspondents, missionaries and NGO staff identified as likely suspects. But the spy-catching campaigns have not stopped at planting suspicion on foreigners living in China. They have also been used to target government critics, social activists, lawyers, journalists, feminists and other outspoken members of the Chinese public. As Xi shores up nationalism and wages a sweeping crackdown on "Western values" such as democracy, press freedom and judicial independence, liberal-leaning voices which had once proliferated on Chinese social media following the country's economic opening have been mostly silenced by fervent ultra-nationalists. On social media, liberal commentators are often accused by nationalists of being traitors to their country and labeled "walking 500k" meaning they work for foreign spies and are worth a cash reward upon being reported to authorities. Their accounts are frequently attacked by nationalist trolls and reported to censors and subsequently wiped from platforms. The latest propaganda drive is likely to further spur such political witch hunts. Given Beijing's extremely broad and vague definition of "national security," anyone deemed "unpatriotic" is at risk of infringing it and being reported as a "spy." This story was first publoished on CNN.com, "China's propaganda machine is intensifying its 'people's war' to catch American spies." (CNN) -- The Airbus A380 is designed for long-haul flying, thanks to its hefty size and famously quiet inflight experience. But come November 2021, Singapore Airlines will deploy a superjumbo on a short-haul flight lasting a mere 60 minutes. Travelers heading on certain flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will board what is believed to be the shortest A380 passenger flight currently in service. Singapore Airlines confirmed to CNN Travel that the A380 will also be deployed on an "ad hoc basis" on flight routes SQ106 (SIN-KUL) and SQ105 (KUL-SIN) three times a week from November 4 to December 2, 2021. The A380 will also be flying on Singapore Airlines' SQ126 (SIN-KUL) and SQ125 (KUL-SIN) route four times a week from November 5 to December 3. Singapore Airlines also recently announced plans to reinstate its grounded A380s on select return flights from Singapore to London from mid-November. A Singapore Airlines' spokesperson said the A380 Kuala Lumpur flights were scheduled "for operational requirements." Return of the superjumbo Announcing the return of the A380 last week, Singapore Airlines' global public affairs head, Siva Govindasamy, told CNN Travel that Singapore Airlines' recognizes the A380s enduring appeal for passengers, and that's partly why the airline's returning the aircraft to rotation. "The A380 is a wonderful aircraft," Govindasamy said. "Some people just book the A380 specifically to fly on it." Singapore Airlines isn't the only airline to be operating one-off short-haul superjumbo flights this fall. From early November 2021, British Airways will send A380s on flights from London to select European destinations, a move the airline said is to "allow for crew familiarization" ahead of the superjumbo's return to transatlantic service. BA has yet to officially confirm which European short-haul flights will be operated by A380s, but its booking website currently indicates that select journeys on London to Frankfurt and Madrid routes will use the aircraft. For a while, Covid-19 seemed to spell the end of the superjumbo -- which is no longer being produced by Airbus. But although airlines including Lufthansa and Air France have retired their superjumbos, carriers such as Singapore Airlines and British Airways, as well as Emirates, Qantas and All Nippon Airways, remain committed to the A380. Check out our guide on where to fly on a superjumbo here. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Singapore Airlines to fly A380 on 60-minute flight" LANCASTER An armed bystander intervened after gunfire broke out in a Pennsylvania mall over the weekend, shooting one of the participants, police said. Lancaster police said there was a physical altercation between two males who knew each other at the Park City Center shortly before 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Police said at least one, a 16-year-old Lancaster resident, was carrying a concealed weapon. Police said a struggle over the gun ensued, and other people joined in the altercation. The teenager fired, hitting one of the participants, and another person joined the struggle for the firearm, after which another shot was fired, police said. At that point, police said, a bystander in a nearby store who had a legally possessed firearm, heard the gunshots and engaged the people fighting over the gun. The bystander fired shots, striking one of the suspects. The struggle ended and the bystander waited for the arrival of police and mall security, police said. The armed teenager was hospitalized and is in police custody pending charges, police said. Two other males involved in the altercation or the struggle over the firearm also had gunshot injures. A female walking through the mall with her family was struck in the arm. Two other females sustained minor injuries fleeing the scene. Police said none of the injuries are considered life-threatening, and two of the people shot have been released from the hospital. Evidence at the scene and other information indicates that about six shots were fired. The district attorneys office will determine whether the bystanders actions were lawful and justified, police said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The number of new cases of COVID-19 were down this weekend compared to last weekend in Cumberland County, though the number of overall tests reported also fell this past weekend. The state Department of Health reported Sunday on its online dashboard that 183 new cases of COVID-19 were reported over the weekend. That's down from the 200-plus two-day totals the last few weekends, but the department also reported that there were far fewer tests reported overall. In the last two days, there were only 427 tests reported - judging by just the positive and negative tests reported by the department - which is fewer than the 577 reported last weekend and the 743 tests reported the weekend before that. Because of that, the percentage of tests that came back positive did inch up slightly to 30.4%, compared to staying around 27% the last two weekends. Similarly to Cumberland County, most counties saw fewer positive cases reported this weekend compared to last weekend, though York County still remains high with a two-day total of 407 new cases of the disease. Even with two days worth of data, only a few of the counties saw more than 100 new cases: Dauphin (176), Franklin (110), Adams (109) and Blair (133) counties. Like last weekend, the department did not have updates to the number of deaths. While the number of cases are seemingly dropping, the number of those being hospitalized did increase in Cumberland County. In the last two days, the county saw four new patients hospitalized, with 115 in the hospital with COVID-19 as of Saturday evening. Another six patients were admitted to the ICU (27 total), and three more patients are now on ventilators (17 total). Of the 112 currently staffed ICU beds in the county, only eight are still available to patients. While the number of patients grew in Cumberland County, Dauphin County saw a drop in the number of COVID-19 patients. Decreasing by four, there were 120 patients in Dauphin County hospitals with COVID-19. The number of patients on ventilators also fell, dropping by one to 19 patients, though the number of patients in the ICU grew by five to 38 patients overall. Of the 198 ICU beds staffed in Dauphin, 33 are still available. Franklin County also saw a drop in patients, with 88 still hospitalized, compared to 93 on Friday. The number of adults in intensive care also dropped to 17, though the number of patients on ventilators remained at 13 over the last two days. Of the 31 currently staffed ICU beds, only six are still available. School-age children In its weekly update for the seventh week of the school year, the department reported another 118 cases among children aged 5-18 in Cumberland County during the week of Oct. 5-12, a decrease of 58 from the previous week. That brings the total number of cases in Cumberland County for this school year to 1,070. Statewide, the number of cases among 5- to 18-year-olds decreased for the third week in a row with 6,433 cases reported. The state said the total number of cases in that age group for the school year thus far is 48,617. Early Warning Dashboard Cumberland County saw an increase in its in percent positivity and its incidence rate per 100,000 people in the Health Department's weekly update to its Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard Friday. Cumberland County saw its percent positivity rise to 13.1% for the week of Oct. 1-7, up from 11.5% the previous week. The incidence rate per 100,000 people increased to 259.3, up from 241.1 the previous week. Philadelphia County, which includes the city of Philadelphia, holds the second lowest percent positivity in the state for the week of Oct. 1-7 at 4.5% and the lowest incidence rate per 100,000 people at 91.4. Penn State Health update (Oct. 15) Penn State Health lists a COVID-19 dashboard on its website tracking cases at each of its acute care hospitals Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, Hampden Medical Center and Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center. The dashboard will be updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Friday's update shows 114 total cases (109 adults, 5 pediatrics) in the health system's four hospitals 25 are fully vaccinated (21.9%) with three in an ICU and one on a ventilator, 72 are nonvaccinated (63.2%) with 27 adults in an ICU and 11 adults on a ventilator, and 17 are unknown status patients. All five children hospitalized are unvaccinated, with no one in an ICU and no one on a ventilator. Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill has 28 COVID patients. Twelve are fully vaccinated adults (one in ICU and one on a ventilator) and 16 unvaccinated adults (three in an ICU and one on a ventilator). Hampden Medical Center has 10 COVID patients. Eight are not fully vaccinated (three in an ICU) and two are fully vaccinated. Vaccinations The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labels Cumberland County as having "high" transmission of the virus the highest level, which is the transmission level for every county in the state. Community transmission is determined by the number of new cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days and the positivity rate over the last seven days, so the classification could vary from day to day based on those numbers. In data updated Saturday evening, the CDC says Cumberland County has seen 61.4% of its total population of 253,370 become fully vaccinated. For the county's vaccine eligible population of people ages 12 and older, 70.9% have been fully vaccinated. County numbers in the southcentral region (for Oct. 17) *new cases are 2-day totals: Adams County (pop. 103,009): 109 new cases; 12,818 total cases (10,532 confirmed, 2,286 probable); 43,636 negatives; 211 deaths; 49% of county population vaccinated 109 new cases; 12,818 total cases (10,532 confirmed, 2,286 probable); 43,636 negatives; 211 deaths; 49% of county population vaccinated Bedford County (pop. 47,888): 50 new cases; 6,531 total cases (4,430 confirmed, 2,101 probable); 12,272 negatives; 160 deaths; 34.1% of county population vaccinated 50 new cases; 6,531 total cases (4,430 confirmed, 2,101 probable); 12,272 negatives; 160 deaths; 34.1% of county population vaccinated Blair County (pop. 121,829): 133 new cases; 16,620 total cases (13,089 confirmed, 3,531 probable); 46,521 negatives; 369 deaths; 45.5% of county population vaccinated 133 new cases; 16,620 total cases (13,089 confirmed, 3,531 probable); 46,521 negatives; 369 deaths; 45.5% of county population vaccinated Cumberland County (pop. 253,370): 183 new cases; 27,225 total cases (21,447 confirmed, 5,778 probable); 99,762 negatives; 596 deaths; 61.4% of county population vaccinated 183 new cases; 27,225 total cases (21,447 confirmed, 5,778 probable); 99,762 negatives; 596 deaths; 61.4% of county population vaccinated Dauphin County (pop. 278,299): 176 new cases; 33,756 total cases (29,006 confirmed, 4,750 probable); 126,154 negatives; 623 deaths; 57.4% of county population vaccinated 176 new cases; 33,756 total cases (29,006 confirmed, 4,750 probable); 126,154 negatives; 623 deaths; 57.4% of county population vaccinated Franklin County (pop. 155,027): 110 new cases; 21,138 total cases (17,357 confirmed, 3,781 probable); 63,633 negatives; 432 deaths; 44.4% of county population vaccinated 110 new cases; 21,138 total cases (17,357 confirmed, 3,781 probable); 63,633 negatives; 432 deaths; 44.4% of county population vaccinated Fulton County (pop. 14,530): 15 new cases; 2,132 total cases (1,068 confirmed, 1,055 probable); 4,912 negatives; 26 deaths; 30.1% of county population vaccinated 15 new cases; 2,132 total cases (1,068 confirmed, 1,055 probable); 4,912 negatives; 26 deaths; 30.1% of county population vaccinated Huntingdon County (pop. 45,144): 46 new cases; 6,640 total cases (5,476 confirmed, 1,164 probable); 19,935 negatives; 152 deaths; 45.8% of county population vaccinated 46 new cases; 6,640 total cases (5,476 confirmed, 1,164 probable); 19,935 negatives; 152 deaths; 45.8% of county population vaccinated Juniata County (pop. 24,763): 21 new cases; 2,791 total cases (2,536 confirmed, 255 probable); 6,528 negatives; 114 deaths; 39.2% of county population vaccinated 21 new cases; 2,791 total cases (2,536 confirmed, 255 probable); 6,528 negatives; 114 deaths; 39.2% of county population vaccinated Lebanon County (pop. 141,793): 84 new cases; 20,047 total cases (17,157 confirmed, 2,890 probable); 62,113 negatives; 324 deaths; 49.8% of county population vaccinated 84 new cases; 20,047 total cases (17,157 confirmed, 2,890 probable); 62,113 negatives; 324 deaths; 49.8% of county population vaccinated Mifflin County (pop. 46,138): 57 new cases; 6,955 total cases (6,569 confirmed, 386 probable); 17,341 negatives; 187 deaths; 47.7% of county population vaccinated 57 new cases; 6,955 total cases (6,569 confirmed, 386 probable); 17,341 negatives; 187 deaths; 47.7% of county population vaccinated Perry County (pop. 46,272): 22 new cases; 5,118 total cases (3,953 confirmed, 1,165 probable); 13,001 negatives; 116 deaths; 45.9% of county population vaccinated 22 new cases; 5,118 total cases (3,953 confirmed, 1,165 probable); 13,001 negatives; 116 deaths; 45.9% of county population vaccinated York County (pop. 449,058): 407 new cases; 60,078 total cases (48,989 confirmed; 11,089 probable); 191,470 negatives; 940 deaths; 54.1% of county population vaccinated ZIP code-level counts (updated Oct. 17): 17013: 3,312 positives, 15,352 negatives - +18 since Oct. 15 17015: 1,963 positives, 7,554 negatives - +11 since Oct. 15 17050: 3,118 positives, 15,724 negatives - +20 since Oct. 15 17055: 3,504 positives, 17,961 negatives - +25 since Oct. 15 17011: 3,245 positives, 15,017 negatives - +13 since Oct. 15 17007: 470 positives, 1,917 negatives - +1 since Oct. 15 17065: 341 positives, 1,336 negatives - +2 since Oct. 15 17324: 366 positives, 1,397 negatives - +1 since Oct. 15 17241: 886 positives, 3,385 negatives - +4 since Oct. 15 17257: 2,273 positives, 7,664 negatives - +11 since Oct. 15 17240: 214 positives, 681 negatives - +2 since Oct. 15 17025: 1,490 positives, 6,092 negatives - +8 since Oct. 15 17070: 1,388 positives, 5,808 negatives - +14 since Oct. 15 17043: 477 positives, 2,198 negatives - +3 since Oct. 15 17019: 1,627 positives, 5,958 negatives - +11 since Oct. 15 17266: 26 positives, 135 negatives - +0 since Oct. 15 School district and college case counts (updated Oct. 14) The Sentinel's case counts for Cumberland County school districts and colleges or universities are updated Monday and Thursdays. The policy for each school districts reporting is noted in the list below. Big Spring School District (reports active cases in past 14 days with school exposure): 22 student cases and 7 staff cases as of Oct. 14. (reports active cases in past 14 days with school exposure): 22 student cases and 7 staff cases as of Oct. 14. Carlisle Area School District (reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 11 new cases since Oct. 11; 141 cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) (reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 11 new cases since Oct. 11; 141 cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) Camp Hill School District (posts chart that includes total case count): 8 student cases and 1 staff case since Oct. 7; 37 student cases and 6 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) (posts chart that includes total case count): 8 student cases and 1 staff case since Oct. 7; 37 student cases and 6 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) Cumberland Valley School District (reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 11 cases since Oct. 11; 156 cases this school year (started Aug. 31.) (reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 11 cases since Oct. 11; 156 cases this school year (started Aug. 31.) Mechanicsburg Area School District (chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 10 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Oct. 12. (chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 10 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Oct. 12. Shippensburg Area School District (reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure on Mondays): 16 new cases since Oct. 4; 136 cases this school year (started Aug. 19.) (reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure on Mondays): 16 new cases since Oct. 4; 136 cases this school year (started Aug. 19.) South Middleton School District (posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 9 new cases since Oct. 5; 66 cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) (posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 9 new cases since Oct. 5; 66 cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) West Shore School District (reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 50 student cases and 7 staff cases as of Oct. 14. (reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 50 student cases and 7 staff cases as of Oct. 14. Dickinson College : 5 student cases and 2 employee cases since Oct. 11; 27 student cases and 22 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 30.) : 5 student cases and 2 employee cases since Oct. 11; 27 student cases and 22 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 30.) Messiah University : 4 new student cases and 1 new employee case since Oct. 11; 46 student cases and 16 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 7.) : 4 new student cases and 1 new employee case since Oct. 11; 46 student cases and 16 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 7.) Shippensburg University: 7 new student cases and 3 new staff case since Oct. 11; 134 student cases and 14 employee cases this semester (started Aug. 1.) (Counties with a percent positivity above 5% in a week go on the Department of Health's watch list) Pennsylvania: Percent Positivity - 9.6% last 7 days (9.0% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 215.5 (205.6 previous 7 days) Adams County: Percent Positivity - 15.6% last 7 days (15.9% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 259.2 (283.5 previous 7 days) Cumberland County: Percent Positivity - 13.1% last 7 days (11.3% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 259.3 (241.1 previous 7 days) Dauphin County: Percent Positivity - 13.6% last 7 days (13.3% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 299.7 (285.7 previous 7 days) Franklin County: Percent Positivity - 18.3% last 7 days (19.1% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 270.3 (339.3 previous 7 days) Lebanon County: Percent Positivity - 14.9% last 7 days (14.0% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 271.5 (226.4 previous 7 days) Perry County: Percent Positivity - 19.9% last 7 days (16.6% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 272.3 (263.7 previous 7 days) York County: Percent Positivity - 15.6% last 7 days (14.1% previous 7 days) last 7 days (14.1% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 287 (276.4 previous 7 days) As families continue to face challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ameren Missouri is partnering with local community action agencies to connect customers with energy assistance and encourage them to apply for available funding. Less than 20% of the $324 million Missouri received in rental and utility assistance through the State Assistance for Housing Relief (SAFHR) program has been distributed. The Missouri Housing and Development Commission (MHDC) has so far awarded $51.2 million and approved more than 10,000 applications, with a vast majority of those funds going toward rental assistance. More than $270 million is still available. "We know many Missourians are doing their best to manage the challenges COVID-19 continues to present, and we want our customers to know help is out there," said Tara Oglesby, vice president of customer experience for Ameren Missouri. "We are partnering with state and local agencies to get these funds to the families who need them, in addition to the grants and flexible payment options we continue to offer customers." Helping local community action agencies Local agencies are making use of the $1 million in funding that Ameren Missouri provided as part of a $3.5 million effort to help low-income customers impacted by the pandemic. Eighteen Missouri agencies received the grants, which are intended to bolster and amplify the effectiveness of these grassroots efforts. Missouri Ozarks Community Action (MOCA) agency received $50,000 from Ameren Missouri. MOCA is using the funds to support its mobile office initiative, which allows the agency to serve more central Missouri families and connect them to available social services. In northeast Missouri, North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC) is using $75,000 donated by Ameren Missouri for outreach and advocacy efforts in the region. Other agency donations include: Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Inc.: $75,000 Jefferson-Franklin Community Action Corporation: $75,000 Community Action Agency St. Louis County Inc.: $100,000 East Missouri Action Agency Inc.: $75,000 Energy assistance resources Since the pandemic began, Ameren Missouri has provided millions of dollars in energy assistance to help low-income customers across the state. Visit AmerenMissouri.com/EnergyAssistance to learn more about various support options. In the coming weeks, Ameren Missouri will announce an additional energy assistance program intended to help middle-income families who may not qualify for state and federal funding. Eligible customers can apply for SAFHR funding at mohousingresources.com. If approved, payment typically takes place in two to four weeks, directly to your landlord and/or utility companies. If you need help applying, call 1-888-471-1029. Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 132,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 An Annapolis man facing numerous felony charges is now being charged with escape from custody after leaving the Iron County Jail on Thursday. Riley Joe Sherrill, 19, was charged Friday with the Class E felony of escape from custody. According to the Iron County Sheriffs Office, at 12:27 a.m. Thursday, Sherrill escaped from the Iron County Jail. Numerous agencies including the US Marshals Office, Missouri Highway Patrol, Wayne County Sheriffs Department and the Department of Corrections were notified. The press release states Sherrill was apprehended near the Glover junction of Highways 21 and 49 after deputies spotted him walking southbound on the train tracks. Sherrill fled into a nearby wooded area but MSHP troopers were able to apprehend him. There was an investigation conducted on how Sherrill escaped, the press release issued Monday states. The investigation revealed that the on duty jailer at the time failed to follow standard procedures and did not supervise Sherrill while he was out of his cell. Sherrill was brought out of his cell for fingerprinting. Sherrill walked to the side door of the booking room, unlocked the door and walked out. Iron County Sheriff Office has taken action and the jailers employment was terminated. Sherrill has four other pending criminal cases in Iron County which were filed between August and early October. Sherrill is charged with first-degree kidnapping, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and drug possession charges in one case filed in August. He is charged with second-degree burglary and stealing a firearm in the second case. In the third case, he is charged with two counts of stealing a firearm and one count of second-degree burglary. Both cases stem from incidents in August. The fourth case was filed early October, also stemming from an August incident. He is charged with second-degree burglary and first-degree property damage. On Aug. 24, at approximately 9:45 p.m., a deputy saw a grey passenger vehicle at Arcadia Sporting and Goods parked at the gas pumps with a man sitting in the rear passenger's seat. The report states that descriptions of the car had been reported to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The agency had received information that a young man had taken his mother hostage at gunpoint in Iron County. Police say the woman had contacted her boyfriend, telling him that her son, Sherrill, was at Arcadia Sporting and Goods, located where Highways 72 and 21 meet, with a gun in his pocket holding her hostage. A deputy reviewed outside surveillance video footage from the sporting goods/convenience store and reportedly saw Sherrill pull out what appeared to be a handgun in a black holster and lay it on top of the car while parked at the pumps as he changed his shirt. While the man was changing his shirt, the report indicates that his mother went inside the store. Once inside, she looked at the deputy quickly and reportedly recognized him as a law enforcement officer in plain clothes. The deputy noted in the report that the woman had a scared look on her face, like something was wrong, and turned to the store clerk to pay for her gas. While the woman was paying for the fuel, she reportedly said to the store clerk, with a scared tone of voice, "Tell him to run my plates," before leaving and returning to her car. The deputy reports that he was unaware of what was happening until the kidnapping call came in from dispatch after the woman and Sherrill had already left the store. The deputy requested that Washington County Central Dispatch trace the woman's cell phone, and authorities were quickly able to locate her and her son at the Shepherd Mountain Inn, just two miles north of Arcadia Sporting and Goods. Police searched the motel room and found a Ruger SR40 handgun on a table next to Sherrill. The serial number indicated the handgun was one of the firearms reported stolen days earlier. Sherrill was placed under arrest and transported to the Iron County Jail. From experience and training, a deputy said he noticed Sherrill's eyes were pinpoint, indicating drug use. The deputy said the man appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance at the time of the arrest. Sherrill's mother gave his bags to the officers to take to the jail with the man. Once at the detention facility, an inventory search was conducted on the man's bags. The search reportedly turned up two marijuana pipes and one glass pipe with a white powdery substance inside. Police also reportedly located another stolen handgun in Sherrill's bag. The report indicates that the gun was identified through its serial number as the Smith & Wesson .380 reported stolen on Aug. 21. During a police interview, Sherrill reportedly told investigators that he found the Smith & Wesson .380 in the woods and was going to turn it in. Sherrill reportedly had a similar explanation when asked about the other stolen handgun. According to the statement, Sherrill said he found the Ruger SR40 handgun in the weeds and was going to turn it over to law enforcement. A field test performed on the glass pipe and white powdery substance allegedly found in Sherrill's bag yielded a positive result for methamphetamines, according to the court filings. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 2 Angry 3 Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft recently announced the launch of the Missouri Bicentennial Photo Drive, celebrating 200 years of statehood. This effort is sponsored by the Missouri State Archives, a division within the public office. Starting Oct. 4, and running through August 2022, the public is invited to submit up to seven images each in an effort to expand Missouri's photographic history. The drive will focus on underrepresented target areas including cultural activities, events, people and places from Missouri history. Were encouraging Missourians to share culturally significant photos tucked away in their closets, old trunks and shoeboxes or even on their cell phones, said Missouri State Archivist John Dougan. This is a chance for these images to become part of our states diverse collective history! Online submissions can be uploaded at www.sos.mo.gov/BicentennialPhotoDrive. Those unable to access the provided form or who are without access to scanning equipment can schedule an appointment to have their photograph(s) scanned at the Missouri State Archives in Jefferson City by contacting MSAoutreach@sos.mo.gov or calling (573) 526-5296. Bicentennial Photograph Drive submissions will be added to the Missouri State Archives permanent collections for preservation and public access, as well as posted on Missouri Digital Heritage at www.sos.mo.gov/mdh under the Latest Updates section. The activities described here are funded, in part, through a National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant awarded to the Office of the Secretary of State and the Missouri Historical Records Advisory Board-the states central advisory board for historic records projects. To learn more about the Missouri Bicentennial Photograph Drive, future scanning events and to submit images online, visit www.sos.mo.gov/BicentennialPhotoDrive. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Like I said, preschool is a priority for me, I dont want us to pay for Buford, and then have those preschool students in Walker and temporary facilities just sort of indefinitely, Bennett said. Several candidates said renovating Buford wasnt enough and that the division should use this project as a chance to rethink what happens inside the classrooms. Morse, who teaches at the Community Lab School in Albemarle, wants to see opportunities for students to explore their interests, passions and values in the middle school curriculum as well as more project-based learning. The Community Lab School is a charter school thats defined by a project-based and student-centered approach. Its just important for us to not forget that with the new building of which I am strongly for that we also think about how to solve some of the academic issues for our students, he said. I know that there are a lot of community members that are for reconfiguration, including myself, but we also know that our challenge is to educate our students in our city, to make sure that we have strong leaders for the future that can advocate for themselves, advocate for their families, and create a strong community for us as a whole. A University of Virginia Medical Center clinic saw nearly three dozen patients on Saturday in a day-long event that provided initial visits to many of the refugees and special visa holders who arrived in Central Virginia this summer. The event helped get the new arrivals, mostly from Afghanistan, into regular family medical care at the International Family Medicine Clinic at UVa Health ahead of the anticipated arrival of as many as 250 more, most of who fled after the Taliban took over Afghanistan on Aug. 15, in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal of forces. When we started, the initial group was originally from Afghanistan. They were refugees from when the Taliban were taking over, said Dr. Fern Hauck, who founded the clinic in 2002. The Taliban were kicked out and theyre back again and now we have more coming in from Afghanistan. Weve come full circle. The clinic is part of the UVa Health systems Department of Family Medicine. Hauck created it in cooperation with the International Refugee Committee, the organization that sponsors and settles refugees in the area. Big-league political influencer Dominion Energy donated $200,000 to a secretive PAC attacking GOP gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin, a new filing shows. The money from Dominions PAC went to Accountability Virginia PAC in Washington, according to a public filing this weekend by Dominion with the Virginia Department of Elections. The political news outlet Axios reported in late September that the Accountability Virginia operation has ties to Democratic activists and is funding an ad campaign in which the Democrats pose as conservatives to drive a wedge between the Republican candidate for Virginia governor and his core voters. The ads on Facebook, Instagram, Google and Snapchat target rural areas of the state that support Youngkin, and the ads question his commitment to the Second Amendment, Axios reported. Dominion gave $200,000 between July and September to the PAC running the ads. Youngkins campaign said Democrats are desperate. Local opposition is largely based on the fact that these large renewable energy projects cause noise, impact health, reduce property values, kill wildlife, and despoil rural viewsheds. But rural residents are also righty concerned about what will happen to used wind turbine blades and solar panels when their usefulness is over. According to our research, cumulative waste productions will rise far sooner and more sharply than most analysts project, stated a recent article in the Harvard Business Review. We see the volume of [solar] waste surpassing that of new installations by the year 2031. By 2035, discarded panels would outweigh new units sold by 2.56 times. And most of the blades from decommissioned wind turbines are currently being sawed up and dumped in local landfills. Rural communities are seeing thousands of acres of arable land being converted to energy production. An industrial-sized solar farm, which produces intermittent energy, requires 450 times more land than a nuclear plant, which runs 24/7. And wind turbines take up to 700 times more land than a natural gas well to produce the same amount of electricity. If more rural communities say no to these projects, will government authorities use their eminent domain power to seize their land? 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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 Three people were injured overnight in Denver in separate shooting and stabbing incidents, the Denver Police Department said. The first assault happened at 12:41 a.m. Monday near East Evans Avenue and North Broadway in south Denver. Police said a man was found suffering from multiple stab wounds. Police said the man was a rideshare driver who was picking up a group of teenage boys. The driver told the boys he couldn't fit all five of them in his car. After an argument broke out, the boys stabbed the driver several times, police said. The driver is expected to survive his injuries, police said. None of the teenage boys involved have been identified or arrested. Less than one hour later, an unidentified adult was shot in the 5700 block of North Ceylon Street, in Green Valley Ranch in northeast Denver, police said. Another man was found shot later in the morning at West Second Avenue and North Santa Fe Drive in the Baker neighborhood. Police announced the final shooting at 4:46 a.m. Both of the shooting victims suffered nonlife-threatening injuries and are expected to survive, police said. Police do not know what led up to the shootings but none of the incidents are believed to be connected. No arrests have been made in any of the incidents as of Monday afternoon. The investigations are ongoing, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can be anonymous and are eligible for a $2,000 reward. Denver Democrat Scott Mangino, a candidate for the University of Colorado Board of Regents, said on Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, that he is switching from the race for Colorado's at-large seat to run in the Denver-based 1st Congressional District. He anticipates that the at-large seat, one of two on the nine-member board, will be eliminated before the 2022 election because the state is adding an eighth congressional district. Champa Street is scheduled to close in downtown Denver for several days this week as expansion construction continues on the Colorado Conventi The investment banking company JPMorgan Chase is donating $1.3 million to Colorados COVID-19 eviction defense program, the company announced Friday. The Colorado COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project supports eviction prevention in the state by providing tenants with resources including rental assistance, negotiation services, legal services and rehousing placements. The company's $1.3 million two-year investment comes as approximately 25% of renters in Colorado could be at risk of eviction by the end of the year, according to the project. "Colorado is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis, said Zach Neumann, executive director of the project. This investment will allow us to immediately expand our continuum of care model to thousands of additional renters in the Denver metro area, providing them with urgent eviction prevention services." Last year, JPMorgan Chase provided Colorado organizations with two $500,000 grants to address affordable housing challenges, the company said. The first grant funded Enterprise Community Partners program to help affordable housing nonprofits navigate pandemic-related challenges. The second grant went to the Neighborhood Development Collaborative and the Denver Foundation to assist nonprofit housing providers with pandemic-related revenues loss and increased costs. Access to safe, affordable housing is key to building wealth but out of reach for far too many families, said Heather Higginbottom with JPMorgan Chase. (This) announcement will help promote immediate housing stability for underserved households and is one step toward our goal of addressing barriers to affordable housing and homeownership, especially for Black, Latino and Hispanic families. The $1.3 million donation is part of JPMorgan Chases commitment to give $8.4 million to six organizations improving household stability for Black, Hispanic and Latino and other underserved households, the company said. The other five organizations are the Community Justice Project in Florida, Community Legal Services in Pennsylvania, Equal Justice Works in Virginia, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago in Illinois and Texas Housers in Texas. You are the owner of this article. Welcome to the Denver Gazettes Metro Moves. Youll get the latest metro Denver openings, closings, hiring and promotion briefs here. To submit your companys news, drop an email to dennis.huspeni@gazette.com. Now Open Denver residents can now get a taste of Hawaiian joe as the first Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii opened Thursday at 2990 Speer Blvd., Denver. Its the 22nd U.S. store opening for the Centennial-based franchisor Royal Aloha Franchise Company, LLC, and the first in Colorado. A second store has a planned January opening in Peyton, east of Colorado Springs. The name refers to the donkeys history with hauling coffee across the Kona island. For generations, the donkeys of Kona, Hawaii, could be heard bellowing as they carried precious loads of coffee beans down the steep mountains of the Big Island, according to a release. The native people of Kona named these hard-working donkeys the 'Bad Ass Ones' because of their reliably strong, but stubborn nature in carrying their precious cargo. The company launched its franchise brand in 1995. In 2019, Royal Aloha bought it and over the last 18 months it updated the national brand with a new logo, packaging and restaurant design. It has also hired 12 new full-time employees while adding new franchisees, opened new markets, expanded online sales and launched a wholesale operation, according to a release. Now Open Speaking of new food and beverage retailers in the state, I Heart Mac & Cheese opened its first Colorado location Wednesday at 1100 Sergeant Jon Stiles Drive #108, Highlands Ranch. The fast-casual style restaurant offers chef-inspired, custom, build-your-own macaroni and cheese bowls and grilled cheese sandwiches, according to a release. The new location handed out free mac & cheese for a year (one free entree per month per person) to the first 25 customers Wednesday. Vu Tran, restaurant industry veteran and former U.S. Marine, owns the location, the second restaurant to feature the brands new design concept featuring a sleek wooden interior anchored by a lush green wall and accented with iconic bright yellow seating and decor elements. Tran is hiring 30-40 new employees, from managers to service roles. Open positions are on the restaurants website iheartmacandcheese.com. Russia's first ecosystem interuniversity quantum network with open access has been launched in Moscow. The National University of Science and Technology (NUST MISIS) and Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI) have been interconnected by the network. According to local media reports, the ecosystem interuniversity quantum network consists of five nodes located in the buildings of NUST MISIS and MTUCI. It has an open architecture and scales up as new participants appear. Universities, scientific organizations, industrial partners, and government agencies get access to the network. Based on the network, they can develop modern software applications in the field of information security using quantum keys, it said. The media reports further said that the configuration of the quantum-protected communication channel corresponds to the one adopted in industrial networks. Keys generated at a speed of 30 Kbit/s are transmitted between trusted communication nodes using the quantum key distribution method over existing optical communication lines, which makes it possible to connect more than 10 high-speed encoders simultaneously. Meanwhile, the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers informed that Russia is planning to launch 7000 km of quantum networks in Russia by 2024. Argentine government-owned telecommunications company Empresa Argentina de Soluciones Satelitales Sociedad Anonima AR-SAT (ARSAT) has signed an agreement with the Secretary of State for Energy to expand the country's Federal Fibre Optic Network (Refefo) by lighting up some 4,405 kilometres of unused fibre cables. The meeting was attended by the Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers, Juan Manzur , the Deputy Chief of the Cabinet, Jorge Neme, our president Pablo Tognetti , the Secretary of Energy, Dario Martinez, the member of the ARSAT board of directors, Facundo Leal , and representatives of the Administration Committee of the Trust Fund for Federal Electric Transportation (CAF) and the company TRANSENER. The fibre links which span 14 provinces will be used to support the 35,000km Red Federal de Fibra Optica (Refefo) and help deliver connectivity to isolated locations. The infrastructure encompasses three pairs of fibre deployed via 15 lines originally built for extensions of power lines under Argentina's first federal electric transportation plan that are currently unused. The agreement that we signed today will enable ARSAT to improve the quality and extension of the Federal Fiber Optic Network. Advancing in telecommunications connectivity throughout our territory is one more step in the construction of a more federal country, said the Chief of Staff, Juan Manzur. "This joint work between different areas of the Government will make it possible to have more than 4000 km of optical fiber that is not being used in electrical power lines and can now be used to reduce the digital divide in 14 provinces of the NOA and Patagonia" Juan added. Indian Railways ministry technical arm RailTel Corporation and the state-run telecom research and development organisation Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) have signed a pact to work together in the telecom space with a key focus on the modernization and expansion of communication networks across the country. RailTel is a public sector unit and one of the largest neutral telecom infrastructure providers in India owning a Pan-India optic fiber network of 60,000 route kilometers on exclusive Right of Way (ROW) along the Railway track. C-DoT is the premier research and development (R&D) centre of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications. Both RailTel and C-DoT will focus on rationalizing the tech and equipment of communication networks across the country. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw handles both the Ministry of Railways as well as the Department of Telecommunications. According to a PTI report, RailTel CMD Puneet Chawla said that the synergy between C-DOT and RailTel will help in providing affordable broadband services to the masses in the rural areas by lowering the cost of equipment since all this will be 'make in India' using C-DOT's home-grown technology. The MoU has been signed with "the objective of working together in the diverse areas of telecom with a key focus on the modernisation and expansion of communication networks across the country", the RailTel statement said. The partnership will focus on making the technology more modern and also reduce its cost. This will help the ISPs save a lot of money when they invest in infrastructure which in turn will mean affordable services for the end consumer. RailTel is also in the process of rolling out services under the PM-WANI programme which aims to roll out wifi hotspots across the country. Slovenian operator T-2 has awarded a 5-year 5G network contract to Nokia. The deal will see Nokia upgrade T-2s existing Single RAN radio footprint as well as introduce enhanced 5G new radio (NR) services. The project is expected to deliver ultra-fast, low-latency, and high-capacity 5G connectivity delivering superior coverage to businesses and consumers alike. Nokia will provide equipment from its latest AirScale radio portfolio, all powered by Nokia's energy-efficient ReefShark System-on-Chip technology. This includes 5G RAN, AirScale base stations, and Nokia AirScale radio access products including its Single RAN portfolio for both indoor and outdoor coverage. These solutions will offer faster speeds and wider mobile coverage. Nokia will also provide digital design and deployment for a faster time to market as well as optimisation and technical support services. T-2 is one of the largest telecommunications providers in Slovenia and recently secured frequencies in the 2100MHz and 2300MHz bands at Slovenias spectrum auction. Nokia is a long-standing provider and key strategic supplier to T-2, and is the sole vendor for this contract. Jozef Zrimsek, CTO at T-2, said: This important project will enhance the delivery of compelling new 5G services and use cases to our subscribers across the country. Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: Our latest AirScale portfolio will help support T-2s ambitious 5G roll-out plans and deliver incredible connectivity experiences across the country. Many industries, especially labor-intensive ones like textile and garment and leather, are likely to face a labor shortage when they resume post-Covid-19. A survey done in 300 companies in early September found that only about 40 percent of their workers wanted to return to work when the city reopened on Oct. 1. Many even planned to return after Lunar New Year in early February next year, the survey by the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Business Associations (HUBA) found. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, more than half a million migrant workers left the city for their hometowns after the city eased lockdowns. Before the pandemic, the city had nearly four million laborers at more than 286,000 businesses, including 320,000 in export processing zones, industrial parks and one high-tech park. The en mass departure has left labor-intensive industries like garment, footwear and leather and commercial services bereft of workers. It has exacerbated a situation caused by garment and textile workers moving to other industries in recent years, leaving the sector with a shortage of at least 10 percent, Nguyen Thi Thuy, vice president of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Union, said. The shortage has increased to 30 percent from Oct. 1 as workers left the city, stayed at home to look after children since schools are closed or tested positive for Covid-19 or are in quarantine. Thuy hoped the industry would be able to hire workers from now since many service businesses are still closed and would not be competing for labor. However, when the economy fully recovers, it is going to be difficult for the textile industry to attract workers. At the beginning of 2020, when the pandemic broke out in Khanh Hoa, a textile factory belonging to the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group in Nha Trang found it easy to hire workers since tourism, hospitality and food businesses had closed, Thuy pointed out. There are also workers want to return to work to HCMC but cannot. Before the fourth wave of Covid began early last year, Pouyuen Vietnam Co., Ltd in Binh Tan District had more than 56,000 employees. When the company reopened on Oct. 6 after nearly three months of closure, it gradually planned to return to full production after starting at 30 percent. But 16,000 workers are unable to return to the city from provinces like Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, and Tay Ninh since they have not reached consensus on allowing people to travel, Cu Phat Nghiep, chairman of the company's labor union, said. The slow pace of resumption is not helping the situation either, he suggested. "If the factory does not increase capacity soon, workers will not be able to waitand have to find other jobs". Even before the outbreak began, Pouyuen had a shortage of more than 3,000 workers. It is one of more than 2,000 businesses with more than 1.5 million workers that make leather shoes and bags, Phan Thi Thanh Xuan, vice president of the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association, said. When Covid broke out, more than 90 percent of factories had to suspend production for three months as lockdowns were mandated, and workers returned to their hometowns. Now, with the pandemic gradually being controlled and localities reopening, enterprises are still only allowed to resume on a moderate scale of 20-30 percent, and so the risk of not getting back workers is serious. "Enterprises will have a labor shortage of around 30 percent if production fully resumes," Xuan said, adding the slower the reopening is, the more stressful the situation would become. The labor shortage will also occur at many businesses that did not try to retain employees during the pandemic. Companies that employed a few hundred workers without labor contracts and did not pay social insurance would have difficulty resuming production, Thuy of HUBA said. But foreign-owned enterprises would not have this problem since they have excellent HR policies that foster employee loyalty, he added. Tran Sy Manh, owner of a Thai food restaurant in District 4 and European food restaurant in District 1 that together employed nearly 40 workers, had to close both for more than four months. After the city announced it would gradually reopen, Manh planned to sell takeaway food, but the plan failed because 70 percent of his employees had returned to their hometowns and most are not vaccinated. The General Statistics Office said labor shortage is no longer a threat but has already disrupted supply chains. Its survey of 22,000 businesses found nearly 18 percent requiring workers. The shortage is worst in the southeastern region where 30.6 percent face a labor shortage. The industries affected most are leather and related products in which 52 percent of companies have a shortage, apparel (49 percent), electrical equipment (44 percent), textile (39.5 percent), and electronics, computers and optical products (5.6 percent). In the last three months of the year, HCMC needs 57,000 workers for businesses like restaurants, hotels, textiles, and leather and footwear, a study done by the city's Center for Human Resources Forecasting and Labor Market Information found. Quang Ngai authorities are looking into a case in which five grey-shanked douc langurs were shot dead by poachers in a local forest. The dead langurs were found last week in a forest managed by Ba To Forestry One Member Co. Ltd in Ba To District of the central province when an inspection team including rangers and police were patrolling the forest. The poachers had successfully run away when the team approached, leaving behind a motorbike, 53 lead bullets and silencers. The five grey-shanked douc langurs shot dead by poachers in Quang Ngai Province, October 18, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Linh Gray shanked douc langurs usually live along Annamite Forest in the central provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Kon Tum and Gia Lai. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)s Red List of Threatened Species categorizes them as "critically endangered". The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) also called the grey-shanked douc langur critically endangered, with a population estimated to be around 550-700 around the world. The main threats to all three species of douc langurs (including black-shanked and red-shanked doucs) are habitat loss and hunting, said the WWF. The forests on which douc langurs depend are disappearing at an exponential rate as logging and agricultural conversion continues while douc langurs are hunted for food, for use in traditional medicine and for sale as pets, it said. Cubas pro-democracy activists remain committed to free their island nation from oppression in spite of a harsh government crackdown. Starting on July 11, thousands of Cubans in dozens of cities and towns throughout their country took to the streets to peacefully demand respect for their human rights and fundamental freedoms. In response, Cuban security forces violently repressed the protests, arresting hundreds of demonstrators simply for exercising their rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Demonstrators and human rights advocates have since been convicted in summary proceedings lacking fair trial guarantees. As of September, the human rights group Cubalex said there have been 1,067 reports of detentions, with around half of them still allegedly detained, including over a dozen minors. Some have reported physical abuse while in regime custody. Other detainees remain incommunicado or are being held without formal charges. While for others, the Cuban government is seeking additional jail time from six to 12 years simply for participating in these peaceful demonstrations. In a statement urging the United Nations to take up the subject of Cuba, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the universal imperative to respect the human rights of all people. He added, It is vital that the international community speak out against the repression and mass arrests of Cuban protestors; demand the release of those unjustly imprisoned there; and support the Cuban peoples desire to determine their own future. Secretary Blinken urged the Cuban government as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Cuban people, enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Cubans deserve a chance to exercise their rights and voice their aspirations without fear of violence or imprisonment, declared Secretary Blinken. The United States will continue to support the Cuban people and will continue to take action to promote accountability for the Cuban governments human rights abuses. Ethiopias Tigray region and the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara are in the midst of a humanitarian disaster, the result of more than ten months of fighting between militant groups supporting the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces. Today, around 400,000 people are facing starvation while over four million people are experiencing acute food insecurity. Yet at the same time, the Ethiopian government is creating obstacles to the delivery of life-saving aid. According to the United Nations, the Ethiopian government is allowing the delivery of only about 10 percent of the supplies needed to keep the civilian population alive. To make matters worse, the Ethiopian government has expelled seven UN officials, accusing the United Nations of meddling in Ethiopias internal affairs. The officials include the country heads of UN agencies that are delivering life-saving assistance in Ethiopia and bringing attention to the urgent humanitarian crisis, and a senior official from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which has raised concerns about the human rights situation. The U.S. government condemns in the strongest possible terms the government of Ethiopias unprecedented action to expel the leadership of all of the United Nations organizations involved in ongoing humanitarian operations, said White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki. We agree with U.N. leaders: This is a stain on our collective conscience, and it must stop. The action follows the release of reports warning that hundreds of thousands of people are starving to death in northern Ethiopia. Were deeply concerned that this action continues a pattern by the Ethiopian government of obstructing the delivery of food, medicine, and other lifesaving supplies that most to those most in need. President Biden signed an executive order, earlier this month, enabling the U.S. government to impose financial sanctions on those prolonging the conflict in northern Ethiopia, said Spokesperson Psaki. We will not hesitate to use this or any other tool at our disposal to respond quickly and decisively to those who obstruct humanitarian assistance to the people of Ethiopia. We call on the international community similarly to employ all appropriate tools to apply pressure on the Government of Ethiopia and any other actors impeding humanitarian access, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. We urge the Government of Ethiopia to collaboratively work with the UN and international partners to allow and facilitate safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all in need. CARSON CITY The Nevada Division of Environmental Protections Bureau of Air Pollution Control has entered the public notice period for the new Class II Air Quality Operating Permit for Lithium Nevada Corp. The public comment period is from Oct. 18 through Nov. 18, 2021. The BAPC has reviewed the application and has made a preliminary determination to issue a new permit for the Thacker Pass Project, the bureau stated in a news release. At Thacker Pass in Humboldt County, about 18 miles west of Orovada, Lithium Nevada plans to operate an open-pit lithium mine and lithium processing operation designed to produce lithium carbonate end-product. The facility will recover lithium carbonate through ore crushing, acid leaching, and lithium processing, and the on-site facilities will include a sulfuric acid plant to supply sulfuric acid for leaching, according to the directors review and preliminary determination of permit issuance. The sulfuric acid plant will also generate steam for energy that will provide power to support the Lithium Nevada facility. The proposed project will not cause or contribute to a violation of any federal or State of Nevada air quality standards, the BAPC stated. Comments may be sent to Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Air Pollution Control, 901 S. Stewart St., Suite 4001, Carson City, NV 89701 or email to ndepthackerpass@ndep.nv.gov. A link to the notice of proposed action, directors review, and draft air permit can be found at https://ndep.nv.gov. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LOS ANGELES (AP) New York real estate heir Robert Durst, who days ago was sentenced in a two-decade-old murder case, has been hospitalized after contracting COVID-19, his lawyer said Saturday. Defense Attorney Dick DeGuerin said he was notified that Durst was admitted after testing positive for the coronavirus. DeGuerin said he didn't know Durst's condition and was trying to find out more details. Durst, 78, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without a chance of parole for the murder of his best friend more than two decades ago. Durst, who has numerous medical issues, sat in a wheelchair with a catatonic stare during much of the sentencing hearing. "He was very, very sick in the courtroom," DeGuerin said Saturday. He was convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court last month of first-degree murder for shooting Susan Berman point-blank in the back of the head at her home in December 2000. The killing had been a mystery that haunted family and friends for 15 years before Durst was arrested in 2015 following his unwise decision to participate in a documentary that unearthed new evidence and caught him in a stunning confession. DeGuerin said Thursday that Durst will appeal. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The official end to summer is a month in the rearview mirror but clocks are still set to make the most of those longer days now gone. That will change on 7 November as Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the US comes to an end for 2021 and clocks will be turned back an hour. The vast majority of Americans and Canadians will fall back at 02:00 on Sunday 7 November, meaning that clocks will turn backwards by an hour to 01:00. The shift is always done on the weekend to limit the amount of disruption caused, giving people an extra hour in bed. Residents in some states will not be changing their clocks There have been calls to end the practice of changing the hour twice a year, for the US the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November. 29 states have introduced legislation to do away with the twice-yearly switch, but the authority to do so has been under the Department of Transportation since 1966. The only parts of the US that do not have DST are sections of Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. Arizona experimented with the change beginning in 1918, but decided to permanently opt out of the Daylight Savings Time in 1968. Although the state observes Standard Time, the Navajo Nation, a Native American territory in the north-east of the state, which also crosses over into New Mexico and Utah, does make the twice a year time shift. Hawaii is the only other state that currently doesnt observe Daylight Saving Time, along with the other US territories in the Pacific and Puerto Rico. Since they are close enough to the equator that there is no significant difference in sunrise and sunset times across the year there are no benefits from changing the hour. Why we change the clocks for Daylight Saving Time The first person credited with suggesting the idea of changing our clocks to take advantage of the longer summer days was Benjamin Franklin while he was living in Paris. But the man created with getting the ball rolling was a British builder named William Willett who suggested the idea to Parliament as a way for the nation as a whole to make better use of daylight. However, Germany was the first to implement the practice of seasonal time changes, desperate to save energy during the First World War. The policy quickly caught on with most European nations the US and the United Kingdom along with its allies adopting the Daylight Saving Time by 1918. However many nations ditched the system in the years after the war only to adopt it again when there was a need to conserve energy., Does Daylight Saving Time really conserve energy? The Daylight Saving Time is credited with reducing crime, people are doing activities in the daylight so there are less opportunities for criminals, and saving lives and preventing traffic accidents. However the primary reason for the twice-yearly shift comes from the energy savings it is purported to have. According to the US Department of Transportation study in 1975, the US experienced nearly a one percent daily savings on energy use during the yearly Daylight Savings Time period. However, those findings have been contradicted by more recent analysis performed in 2006 when Indiana implemented Daylight Saving Time statewide, previously it had been in effect in just a few counties. Researchers found that residential energy consumption actually increased by around one percent. They ventured that although less lighting is needed that longer summer evenings caused a spike in AC usage. KUNMING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- China has made concrete commitments to preserving biodiversity, including creating more protected areas and setting up a new fund, under the guidance of the concept of ecological civilization, said the chief of a global conservation organization. The Chinese concept is "a vision that puts nature at the heart of our society, recognizing the value of nature from social, from economic, from cultural perspectives," Marco Lambertini, director-general of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) International, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. "Looking at nature effectively is the foundation for prosperous, equitable and safe society and safe future for humanity," Lambertini said via video link on the sidelines of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP15. At the meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced an initiative to establish a biodiversity fund and take the lead by investing 1.5 billion yuan (233 million U.S. dollars) to support biodiversity protection in developing countries. He added that the country is moving faster to establish a protected areas system with national parks as the mainstay, and will release implementation plans for peaking carbon dioxide emissions in key areas and sectors. "The statement was very welcome, very powerful and very inspiring," Lambertini said, noting that China's first set of new national parks covers an area almost equivalent to the whole of Britain. As "such an important economy in the world and such an important part of commerce in the world," China's commitment to "greening trade and greening investment abroad is a super important contribution," he said. COP15 kicked off in China's southwestern city of Kunming on Monday. Themed "Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth," it is the first global conference convened by the United Nations to highlight ecological civilization, a philosophy proposed by China. "I think this concept, ecological civilization, is fundamental because it is deeper than sustainable development," Lambertini said. "It's putting nature at the heart of our society as recognizing its value as a foundation for our economy, our health, our well-being of individuals. That's a really important and overarching principle and vision," he added. Lambertini highlighted the importance of COP15 that brings countries around the world in "common direction and common effort" to reverse biodiversity loss. "It's a super important conference to send a clear signal to the world, to the markets, to the economies that we have to change the course. We have to correct our course of development and economic growth," he said. "We need to develop and particularly develop in a way that supports the least developed economies in the world, and do it in a way that does not affect the environment and destroy the environment as we have done until now," he added. Editor: Zhang Zhou NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy simulates different scenarios for the heating season of 2021/2022, head of the company board Yuriy Vitrenko said. "We simulate different scenarios: how much gas is in the UGS, when it can be raised, and when there is limited capacity for taking; what production we have, what are the limitations, how much gas can be taken directly from the pipe, how much to supply, etc... We plan how to get through this heating season, in particular, to meet the gas needs for all our customers," Vitrenko said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine. According to him, the company also keeps in mind the worst scenario for the country: if the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline starts working and the Russian Federation decides to completely stop the physical transit of natural gas through the Ukrainian gas transportation system. Vitrenko recalled that Gazprom still refuses to sell gas to European companies on the Ukraine-Russian border, effectively blocking access to transit to Europe through the Ukrainian gas transportation system. "We insist that European companies should be able to buy this gas on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Then they themselves will be able to book the capacities of the Ukrainian GTS, which reduces the risk of interruption of transit. Thus, Gazprom would show the German regulator, which is considering the certification of the Nord Stream 2 operator, that Russia is ready to comply with European legislation and perceives gas as a commodity, and not a weapon or a tool of blackmail," he said. Saakashvili's doctor warns of his health's deterioration but yet sees no need for urgent action Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili's health is deteriorating on the 17th day of his hunger strike in a prison cell, his personal physician Nikoloz Kipshidze told reporters on Sunday. "His health is deteriorating, which was quite predictable, but Mikhail Saakashvili is not planning to end the hunger strike, and he's is morally strong," Kipshidze said. "It is hard for him to move about. He has severe paleness on his face, but there's no need for any urgent medical intervention right now," he said. Saakashvili secretly arrived in Georgia on September 29. He was detained in Tbilisi on October 1. At present, the former Georgian president is in prison in the city of Rustavi. Several criminal cases have been opened against Saakashvili in Georgia. Representatives of the Georgian authorities have repeatedly promised to apprehend him once he has crossed the border. Saakashvili said that his detention is illegal, and the charges brought against him fabricated. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, during his visit to Georgia and Ukraine next week, will urge these countries to carry out the transformations necessary to qualify for NATO membership, the Pentagon has said. "Austin will stress in both Georgia and Ukraine that there is an open door to NATO and encourage the nations to make the changes necessary for them to qualify for membership in the defensive alliance," the U.S. Department of Defense has reported. As reported, Austin will visit Romania and Belgium after Ukraine and Georgia. In Brussels, the head of the Pentagon will hold a meeting with the defense ministers of the NATO countries. According to the Pentagon, this meeting is expected to discuss Russia, as well as problems from China. Earlier, the Pentagon said Austin was going on a trip to Europe that weekend. In Georgia, he will meet with Prime Minister of this country Irakli Garibashvili and Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze, and in Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Defense Minister Andriy Taran. In Romania he will meet with President Klaus Iohannis and Defense Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca. The Verkhovna Rada will return to consideration of the bill on refusal to switch to daylight saving in winter, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and the author of the bill Ruslan Stefanchuk has said. "What happened is that we switched to daylight saving, and it seems to me that it makes no sense to vote it [the bill] during summer time, because the ideology that was laid down in this bill is to keep the natural time for Ukraine UTC + 2, and this is winter time. Therefore, I think that after Ukraine switches to winter time [the transition to winter time in 2021 will take place from October 30 to October 31], this discussion should be raised again," Stefanchuk said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday, explaining why the bill was not voted on at the second reading. He recalled that the European Union also supports the abolition of daylight saving time. However, according to Stefanchuk, the main factor in favor of the adoption of this bill is the biological rhythms of Ukrainian citizens, "because we can all feel like changes in time frames ... no logically proven savings, except for disruption of biorhythms and the health of citizens ... have been brought." Leader of UDAR, Mayor of the Ukrainian capital Vitali Klitschko initiates the creation of district councils in Kyiv and calls on the deputies of Kyiv council to support the decision. "I am initiating the consideration by Kyiv Council of the issue of creating district councils in Kyiv. Let me remind you that the district councils were taken from the people of Kyiv by the Yanukovych regime in 2010, and so far the basic local government in Kyiv has not been restored. Today politicians and high-level officials are trying to control Kyiv, although this should be done by the people of Kyiv. That is why the return of district councils is an increase in decentralization, which has been curtailed recently, and the European path of development of the capital," Klitschko said on his Facebook page. The mayor of the Ukrainian capital said the deputies of the district councils will be able to better represent the interests of Kyiv residents, will help to increase the transparency of the use of budget funds. "Firstly, Kyiv is too big a city for the people of Kyiv to be able to personally know their deputy, to complain and convey ideas. Deputies of district councils will be in constant communication with their neighbors, will be able to respond more quickly to their problems. Secondly, more representation means more transparency. The introduction of district councils will allow the people of Kyiv to understand what and how the budget is spent in their area, and to influence it," Klitschko said. The UDAR leader said the creation of district councils will not be burdensome for the capital's budget, the deputies will work on a voluntary basis. Klitschko also recalled that according to various opinion polls, about 70% of Kyiv residents want to return the district councils. Ukrainian delegation to TCG assesses holding of OSCE observers in Horlivka's forward patrol base as taking them hostage The Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas regards the detention of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission observers in the forward patrol base in temporarily occupied Horlivka (Donetsk region) as taking them hostage. "The Ukrainian delegation to the TCG states the Russian armed formations have moved on to hostage-taking. The maintenance of international observers by armed persons has signs of international terrorism," the Ukrainian delegation said on Telegram. The Ukrainian delegation calls on the international community, primarily the leadership of the Normandy format member states, to provide an appropriate assessment of the actions of the Russian side. However, such actions are viewed by the Ukrainian side not only as a systemic undermining of the powers of the OSCE SMM, but together with the non-extension of the mandate of the OSCE mission at the Russian border crossing points "Donetsk" and "Hukove," as "a consistent and conscious policy aimed at ousting the OSCE from occupied territories, which is a gross undermining of the security system in Europe, now also, by the methods of international terrorism." The Ukrainian delegation said the SMM's unrestricted access to all areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is critical to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the security situation. OSCE Permanent Council Decision No.1117 provides for the provision of safe and reliable access for the mission throughout Ukraine. EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering company on Monday signed a contract with Jazeera Airways to provide daily maintenance services to the Kuwaiti airline's aircrafts at six Egyptian airports. Egypts Universal Health Insurance System (UHIS) is a pioneering project and a model for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to follow, said French Ambassador to Egypt Marc Barety. Shoukry will reiterate, during the UN backed-event, Cairo's support of the Libyan-led comprehensive political process to end the conflict in the country Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry traveled on Tuesday to Germany to attend the Second Berlin Conference, a new round of peace talks on Libya, which is slated for Wednesday. Shoukry will affirm, during the United Nations-backed event, Cairo's "steadfast" stance aiming for protecting Libyas sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as fulfilling aspirations of the Libyan people for a better future, said Ahmed Hafez, the foreign ministry's spokesman. He will reiterate support for the Libyan-led comprehensive political process to end the conflict in the North African country. The top diplomat will also call for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from the Libyan territories and holding the general elections on December 24 as scheduled, Hafez said. Egypt has been pushing for a political settlement in Libya for years, calling for a ceasefire, a complete disarming of militias, an end to foreign intervention in the country, as well as a fair distribution of wealth between various regions in the country. The meeting is due to witness the participation of Libya's interim government, which is guiding the country until legislative elections are held in December. The first round of Berlin talks called for the formation of the interim authority, ending the foreign intervention in the country, and pushing for a political settlement. In a critical step towards unifying the nation, various delegates from Libya's warring factions selected earlier this year a new unified interim executive authority comprising four leaders to guide the oil-rich country through to the elections. Search Keywords: Short link: El-Sisi and Lurssen discussed the plans for the technological development needed for this strategic industry Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Thursday with Peter Lurssen, the CEO of the German shipbuilding company Lurssen, developing the maritime industry in Egypt, a statement by the Presidency read. El-Sisi and Lurssen discussed the plans for the technological development needed for this strategic industry, especially in light of the Egyptian states keenness to upgrade all aspects of the maritime industry and shipbuilding, the statement read. The presidency also affirmed that this goal requires comprehensive development in the training of manpower, including engineers and technicians. The meeting was attended by commander of the Egyptian navy Ahmed Khaled, head of the naval armaments department Mohamed Shalaby and Mohamed Al-Makhzangi from the naval forces command. ## El-Sisi also met with Jan Pieter De Nul, the owner of the Belgian Jan De Nul Group for marine engineering and dredging, where they discussed Egypts promising opportunities in this field and how to achieve them within the framework of the state's strategy for sustainable development Egypt 2030. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Medicine City is set to play a pivotal role in transforming Egypt to a regional hub for medical production and exports, said Amr Mamdouh, chairman of Gypto Pharma on Saturday. Mamdouhs remarks came during the first day of the second round of Al-Ahrams Pharmaceutical Conference (APHC) held in Cairo on 16 and 17 October. The conference, comprising nine sessions, is held under the patronage of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. Mamdouh was speaking during the session titled Strategic Partnership with International Companies and the Role of Egypts Medicine City. He said the road to localising the pharmaceutical industry begins with putting in place mechanisms for strategic partnerships with global firms. Egypt is one of the key pharmaceutical markets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, representing 16 per cent of the MENA market, said Mohamed Mostafa, Ego Pharmaceuticals regional director for Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The ranking of Egypt is set to advance in the pharmaceutical market from the 30th to the 21st spot by 2025. The country is expected to record the highest growth in MENA as well, he added. Medicine City is meant to achieve drug security and produce effective and safe medicines. It is also being prepped to become a regional hub for international companies and to venture into biotechnological industries, Mostafa stated. Yousri Nawwar, Pfizers country manager for Egypt and Sudan and head of the Egyptian Society for Drug Production and Research (ESDPR) spoke at the conference about the opportunities and challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt and the localisation of drug manufacturing. Nawwar said that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed the importance of developing the drug industry to support Egypts Vision 2030. The pharmaceutical industry is not an ambitious economic target only, but the strong defence line for the publics health, which is one of the main goals of the presidential Decent Life initiative. The ESDPR comprises 22 international pharmaceutical companies operating in Egypt. It seeks to consolidate the strategic partnership with the concerned authorities and various pharmaceutical sectors to help the Egyptian market receive and use modern and innovative treatments. The coronavirus, he added, has posed as the incentive for leading pharmaceutical companies based on scientific research to cooperate. At present, 4,100 medicines are being developed and researched to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, Nawwar stated. The ESDPR is committed to working with government authorities to effect policies and draft legislation to develop the pharmaceutical industry, he noted. Gypto Pharma was not constructed with the aim of monopolising the drug industry, explained BahaaZeidan, the president of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement. Rather, it is meant to facilitate the work of pharmaceutical companies functioning in Egypt. Zeidan stressed that if international drug companies want to produce medicines in Egypt, Gypto Pharma will offer them all the facilities and support possible. Egypt is currently working on constructing six internationally credited storage facilities to secure the countrys needs of drugs and medical supplies, he added. Zeidan revealed that Egypt will organise in June 2022 a conference and exhibition on healthcare in MENA. The event will serve as a meeting point for African countries, that want to exhibit their medical capabilities and their needs, and international companies. The conference will be held under the sponsorship of President El-Sisi. Ramez Mohsen, head of Janssen Egypt, owned by Johnson & Johnson, said the drug industry requires large, long-term investments. He said there are many investment opportunities in Egypt in the medical field due to the large population, the big number of public and private hospitals, the scientific research law, and the massive support the state extends to investors. Search Keywords: Short link: At one of the oldest workshops in the area, Abdu Al Dahsuri has been crafting and decorating Moulid El-Nabi dolls for the past 35 years. The Moulid sugar doll was the brain child of the Fatimids who ruled Egypt in 969 AD and are the first to celebrate Prophet Muhammads birth anniversary. Such state celebrations included sugar dolls, sugar horses and other candy figurines, as well as a variety of traditional sweets. Then comes the decoration phase: The big dark eyes and brows echo the ancient Egyptian tradition of using "Khul"(Traditional eye liner). The vivid pink blusher on her cheeks is also an ancient Egyptian flair. The veil, the dress with long and wide sleeves, the narrow waist line and generous, long A shaped skirt, along with an excess of frills, are typical Fatimid costume. As for the shimmering paper fans placed behind her head, these could be borrowed from the Khalifas fans that were part of the lavish lifestyle. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian Foreign Minister and the UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa James Cleverly welcomed on Sunday recent progress in bilateral relations since the Egypt-UK free trade agreement went into force earlier this year, as well as the easing of the travel restrictions between the two countries. Shoukry also discussed various means of boosting Egyptian-British ties with Cleverly, who is on his first official visit to Egypt. The British minister's visit comes nearly a month after the UK removed Egypt from a travel red list, which imposes a mandatory 10-day quarantine at a hotel on visitors from Egypt to the kingdom due to coronavirus concerns. The free trade agreement, known as the association deal, was signed between Egypt and the UK in December 2020 to provide a platform to deepen trade and investment relations between the two countries after Brexit. The two ministers said the new developments would contribute to promoting tourism and investment between Cairo and London, a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry said. Shoukry expressed during the meeting Egypt's support for the efforts made by the UK to make the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) successful. The event is scheduled to be hosted in Glasgow in November. Egypt is hoping the conference's outcomes will push forward efforts to combat climate change, most significantly providing support to developing countries under the 2016 Paris agreement, Shoukry added. Shoukry noted that Egypt is looking forward to hosting the next session of the COP in 2022, adding that the country seeks to help boost international efforts to face climate change. Egypt has been selected as a nominee to host the UN Climate Change Conference COP 27, scheduled for November 2022. Shoukry and cleverly also exchanged views regarding several regional issues, at the top of which is the situation in Palestine and the peace process, as well as the developments in Libya, Syria and Lebanon, according to the statement. Search Keywords: Short link: Minister of Health Hala Zayed is set to witness on Monday the inauguration of the AFri Egypt Medical Centre in Jinja, Uganda, as part of Egypt's efforts to boost bilateral cooperation in various fields. Zayed had arrived in the Ugandan capital along with a delegation of health officials earlier today. The centre was established by a consortium of Egyptian private and state-owned drug manufacturers, including the Arab Company for Drug Industries and Medical Appliances (ACDIMA) and the Holding Company for Pharmaceuticals. Egypt is keen to provide all means of support to improve the health system in Uganda and other African countries in light of strong relationship between Egypt and all African countries, read a statement by the health ministry. Search Keywords: Short link: Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir told British Minister for the Middle East James Cleverly, who is on a visit to Cairo, that Egypt is seeking to benefit from the UK's expertise in infrastructure projects to the maximum. The pair discussed means of boosting joint cooperation in the different transport sectors, a statement by the Ministry of Transport Ministry said. El-Wazir voiced desire to benefit from Britain's success story in the field of transport, which he said would "positively" contribute to upgrading the Egyptian infrastructure. He also expressed his appreciation to the current cooperation between Egypt and the UK to establish a monorail project that extends from the New Administrative Capital to the 6th of October City. In January, a consortium led by Bombardier Transportation, which is now part of Alstom, confirmed a deal with the Egyptian government to build two new monorails in Cairo. Egypts first mass-transit link between Greater Cairo, the New Administrative Capital, and 6 October city, which extends over 100km will become one of the longest monorail system in the world. The project will involve the construction of two monorail lines. The first will extend for 56km from eastern Cairo to the New Administrative Capital. The second, 43km long, will connect 6 October city and Giza. The monorail will intersect with the Cairo metro Line 3 as well as the high-speed rail network. The first line is set for completion by the end of 2022 and the second by April 2023. Search Keywords: Short link: The European Union has exported "over one billion" doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the past 10 months, the bloc's chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday. "Very clearly, the European Union is the largest exporter of Covid-19 vaccines," she said, announcing the "important milestone" in a brief broadcast and statement. Von der Leyen said that 87 million of the doses had been funnelled through the WHO-led Covax scheme to mid- and low-income countries. Most of the exports are orders paid for by other countries for Covid-19 vaccine doses manufactured in the EU. Von der Leyen said that, separate from the export figure, "the EU will donate in the next months at least 500 million doses to the most vulnerable countries". She urged other countries "to step up, too". Her declaration comes in the context of a sharp divide between wealthier regions and poorer ones in terms of Covid vaccination rates. The European Union, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Singapore and Japan all among those to have more than half of their populations fully vaccinated. Meanwhile many countries in Africa and other places such as Afghanistan, Egypt, Myanmar and Syria have less than 10 percent of their people inoculated. The European Union, which has 65.6 percent of its population fully inoculated according to an AFP tally of official statistics, has been stepping up exports of vaccines. So too is the United States, which has 57 percent fully jabbed. President Joe Biden said last week his government was raising its donations to Africa to a total 67 million doses. G20 countries have pledged to fairer distribution of Covid-19 vaccines after WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala pointed out early this month that, of more than six billion vaccine doses administered worldwide, only 1.4 percent of people in poor countries have been fully vaccinated. The European Union has in place a vaccine export control mechanism under which doses to be sent abroad have to be first approved by Brussels and the member state in which they are produced. Only one shipment -- a 250,000-dose consignment of AstraZeneca meant for Australia -- has been blocked under the scheme, back in April. "We have always shared our vaccines fairly with the rest of the world," von der Leyen said. "We have exported as much as we delivered to EU citizens. Indeed, at least every second vaccine produced in Europe is exported." She added: "Together with President Biden, we aim for a global vaccination rate of 70 percent by next year." Search Keywords: Short link: Monsurat Ojuade had just turned 18 when she was killed by a police officer, her sister Omolara said in a trembling voice. News of her death, during a raid in her neighbourhood of Nigeria's Lagos last month, shocked many in a country preparing to commemorate the first anniversary of EndSARS, a protest movement against police brutality that rocked major cities in the south. The protests came to a grinding halt after October 20, 2020, the date of a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters at the Lekki tollgate, the epicentre of the demonstrations. Monsurat's death in September was for many a sign that police brutality has continued in Africa's most populous country. And for the youth that mobilised massively for the first time in decades, her death was also a reminder that their demands for change have not been heard, and pervasive impunity and corruption still exists. "It was a Friday night, we were about to lock the shop. Monsurat saw some guys running," said her sister Omolara Ojuade, speaking to AFP by phone. "We were scared... someone started hitting the door -- he didn't identify as a policeman -- and he shot through the gate at Monsurat," the young woman recalled. The officer in charge was suspended and is facing trial for murder but for the Ojuade family, much more is needed. "They are not giving them (police) proper training," said the sister. "As a police officer you cannot just come to someone's gate and start shooting." Nothing changed Last year's protest movement, named after the social media hashtag #EndSARS, was first a campaign to end the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit, notorious for extortion, torture and extrajudicial killings. After it snowballed into wider protests against bad governance, the authorities suspended the unit and promised reforms. But the country's youth were sceptical and continued to protest -- until the Lekki crackdown. A year later, many wonder if their efforts had any impact. "Nothing has really changed," said Amnesty International researcher Damian Ugwu. "SARS may have been disbanded, but there were only cosmetic changes. "All the things people complained about, extortion, extrajudicial killings, torture, ill-treatment, all those things are still within the police force," said Ugwu. Police training was given, but there were no in-depth reforms, and security forces remain under-resourced and poorly paid. Harassment from corrupt police officers on the streets of Lagos has resumed, according to Femi, a taxi driver. "You have to give them money, or you have problems with them." Outside the economic capital, some security agents do not wear an official uniform and use clubs or whips to threaten drivers, an AFP journalist witnessed. After last year's protests, police violence initially "decreased" said Rinu Oduala, one of the leading figures of EndSARS, but in recent months it "resumed with more brutality than ever before". The 22-year-old has launched Connect Hub, an NGO that works to document police violence, "to show the world why we are fighting". "We have in the space of a month, close to 100 cases reported. We get cases ranging from extrajudicial killings to extortions, harassment, profiling, arbitrary arrests, rape and other crimes committed by the Nigerian Police." Neither the government nor the police responded to AFP's request for comment on her claims. Ten dead If police violence persists, it is mainly because of "impunity and (that) the government has not addressed that," said Amnesty's Ugwu. "Few policemen have been brought to justice," he said. "Most of the promises made by the police and the government have not been held." And in what is seen by many as a snub to the movement, the management of the company in charge of the Lekki tollgate, where the army shot at thousands of protesters on October 20, were never taken to court. "I'll never forget that night," said Legend Agboola Onileowo. The 29-year-old was at the tollgate when "the army came and shot on us (when) we were raising the Nigerian flag". According to Amnesty International, at least 10 people died. Onileowo said he saw at least four dead bodies and five or six people with gunshot wounds. The army later said it had fired only blanks and shot in the air. One year on, the judicial panel meant to investigate what happened has yet to publish its conclusions, and the army has failed to show up on several occasions. "I don't expect anything from the government," said Onileowo. "God will surely punish those people." Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's House of Representatives the lower house parliament approved on Monday granting EgyptAir Holding Company a loan of EGP 5 billion from the National Bank of Egypt and Banque Misr under guarantees from the minister of finance. Fakhri El-Fiqi, chairman of the House's Budget Committee, told MPs that the constitution stipulates that loans granted to holding companies should come through a law passed by parliament. "As a result, we are now discussing a two-article law that allows the minister of finance to issue guarantees necessary to open the door for the EgyptAir Holding Company obtain a loan of EGP 5 billion from the National Bank of Egypt and Banque Misr," said El-Fiqi. A report prepared by the House's budget committee said the loan is necessary to help the national carrier mitigate the negative economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its performance. "The pandemic dealt a severe blow to EgyptAir's operations over the last two years, and as a result, the company's cash inflows suffered a big drop, which has made it difficult for it to meet its financial obligations," said the report, adding that "foreign banks and international financial organisations could declare that EgyptAir is in a state of default." Amgad Aref, a consultant to the Minister of Civil Aviation, told MPs that EgyptAir suffered huge losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. "The losses are estimated at EGP 1 billion per month. But the company is currently recovering and it is planning to increase its fleet from 67 to 107 planes, and the loan will come on time to compensate some of the losses." The law was rejected by MP Ihab Ramzi, who argued that "EgyptAir's losses and debts (EGP 40 billion) are mostly due to mismanagement rather than to the coronavirus pandemic." Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed several issues with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday in a video call, including the developments in Libya and the latest developments with regards to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the Egyptian presidency said. El-Sisi and Merkel discussed the latest developments concerning the Libyan crisis, where they agreed on the necessity of moving forward with the political process in Libya, holding elections in the country in December, and the exit of all foreign forces from the country. President El-Sisi also reiterated Egypt's stance on reaching a legally binding agreement on the operation and filling policies of the dam. The Egyptian president discussed the Egyptian efforts to cement the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and to reconstruct the strip, as well as its efforts to revive the peace process based on international resolutions. For her part, Merkel expressed appreciation for the Egyptian efforts in this regard, saying that her country is keen on exchanging views on this matter. The two leaders also discussed boosting the bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially in commerce exchange and increasing German tourism to Egypt, as well as cooperation in new and renewable energy and education. Search Keywords: Short link: The Moroccan navy has rescued 310 Europe-bound migrants in the past three days, a military official said on Monday. The Moroccan navy has rescued 310 Europe-bound migrants in the past three days, a military official said on Monday. The migrants intercepted on board a variety of boats such as kayaks included nine children and 23 women, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, they were brought ashore safely before being handed over to the police, the source told AFP. At the end of August, the Moroccan navy rescued more than 400 migrants who had experienced difficulties on board makeshift boats in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Morocco is a major transit route for migrants from sub-Saharan Africa attempting to reach Europe and only 15 kilometres (about nine miles) separate it from Spain in the Strait of Gibraltar. Search Keywords: Short link: The western media helps to shape global perceptions while warping the truth, which is why people should be aware of the risks involved in following it. The western media is no better, if also no worse, than Hollywood, which, if it so chooses, manages to manipulate and mislead whether viewers like it or not. Cowboy and Indian movies, a prominent Hollywood genre of the 1950s and 60s, are a case in point. These Wild West movies misrepresented North Americas history by glorifying the colonial conquerors. It rendered the white cowboys as heroes and the dark-skinned Indians as brutal and wild, presenting them as always caving in to the colonialists. The injuns were pictured as savages and rarely perceived as human beings with rights to their lands, histories, and cultures. The Hollywood movies thus propagated a vision of the world that was unfair and unjust, and the world, simplistic in the extreme, accepted the depictions as authentic. Today, Hollywood remains selective in its choices of protagonists and antagonists and in what it perceives as good and bad and right and wrong. Clearly mightier than other movie makers, Hollywood leads the world on a path of its own. What may be considered taboo by some countries, Hollywood enforces and deems plausible, and how this might affect these other cultures remains to be seen. Consider how Hollywood depicts Arabs seeing them as terrorists with eccentric customs or indigenous peoples presenting them as savages with painted faces and feathers or Iranians as hostile and fanatical. Yet, while Hollywood distorts, disappointingly other cultures still sometimes embrace whatever is doled out to them. The same thing is sometimes true of the western media. Choosing its words craftily and its intentions purposefully, this highlights particular images and issues with the clear intention of making them stand out, while standing behind its own sponsors and supporters. Despite the western medias ability to come across as credible, touting itself as the epitome of reliability and objectivity, the prejudice against, say, China, Russia, Iran, and, undoubtedly, Egypt exhibits recognisable bias. Stories in the western media about these countries are constantly presented negatively, highlighting gloom and doom. Focus hard and try to remember a single article that speaks of any of these countries other than with ill-will. Shockingly, this turns the western media into a propaganda tool, if not simply an example of state-affiliated media. The western media also provides other media with descriptions that create negative stereotypes. Phrases such as Chinas tabloids say, Egypts pro-government media argues, Irans state-sponsored TV alleges, or Kremlin-affiliated media claims, inundate its pieces. These leave readers with stereotypical images: that Russia suffers from authoritarianism, that China lacks democracy, that Iran is fanatical, and that Egypt is under military rule, all eliciting bias that may become the norm with readers and a practice that alters and twists facts. Double standards are everywhere evident. While it smears some countries, the western media hails others. It gets to pick and choose what to cover and when to cover it. For instance, the western media gives protestors across the world the benefit of the doubt. Thousands flood the streets demanding a new revolution, is a typical headline, even while the same media reports on protests in the US as merely a day of anarchy. The western media can and does ignore what does not benefit its own objectives. In August during the Kabul Airport attacks, the US TV channel CNN repeatedly referred to the 13 US army troops killed in an explosion, ignoring the fact that 69 Afghanis had met the same fate. Of the 2014 coup in Ukraine, which the western media called a peoples revolution, Eric Zuesse, an investigative historian, writes that the western press lied about the 2014 coup in Ukraine, pretending that it was a real democratic revolution. The 30 June Revolution in Egypt is presented in the western media as a coup and not as a momentous day for all Egyptians as millions stood together to call for justice. Such smears do not, of course, apply to all the western media. Yet, last December the BBC posted two versions of the same video, entitled "How Everyday Life Has Changed in Wuhan, on YouTube. One was in Chinese, and the other was in English. Both versions had the same content, but the footage in the English version had a greyish filter added to make it darker and more depressing. The intention was clear. The same thing goes for Egypt. Influential western media sources that cover Egypt are selective in what they cover, intentionally presenting issues in a negative light. The only Egyptian writers to voice their views in the western media are those who have exiled themselves, are against the Egyptian government, or are Muslim Brotherhood members. Novelists Alaa al-Aswany and Ezzedine Fishere and US-based figure Mohamed Soltan are examples of those allowed to appear in the western media. They willfully feed the western medias craving for lopsided information about Egypt. Search Keywords: Short link: The celebration of Al-Moulid Al-Nabawy, the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, has been seeing new developments in Egypt over recent years On Thursday evening, the first day of Rabie Al-Awwal, the third month of the Hijri year, Omar Asran, a follower of a Sufi order in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Qena, joined fellow Sufis in an open-air gathering to remember the birth of the Prophet Mohamed that falls on the 12th of the Hijri month. For Asran, both as a Sufi and as a resident of Upper Egypt, celebrating the birth of the prophet is an annual ritual that reflects the love of the prophet and brings joy to him and others who attend the celebrations. These include zikr and madih (uttering the names of the Almighty and singing the praise of the prophet) and dars (a lecture on religion). It is also an opportunity to offer food, drinks, and sweets to all in an act of compassion. It is the tradition that during the first 12 days of Rabie Al-Awwal, every evening we spend a few hours celebrating the birth of the prophet. On the eve of the 12th and the day of the 12th itself, we call upon people to join us, irrespective of their association with our order or even if they are not all Muslims, Asran said. Asran has been joining the Al-Moulid Al-Nabawy festivities celebrating the birth of the prophet for as long as he can remember. As a child in the late 1980s, he remembers getting into minivans with many young and old men to drive through the streets of the villages of Qena singing the praise of the prophet. We would come across other parades, and women would be looking down from their windows and singing along and throwing down pieces of candy to kids on the streets. In the evenings there would be extended feasts for everyone to join, he said. However, these parades gradually disappeared. I think it was 15 years ago when I last saw one, as they became an issue because followers of radical Islamist ideologies that had infiltrated our society started casting doubt over our way of celebrating the memory of the prophet. As a result, even those who wished to keep the old traditions feared them, and now there are much-abridged versions of the original celebrations, Asran said. On the eve of the first day of Rabie Al-Awwal, Mohamed Wessam of Dar Al-Iftaa, Al-Azhars authority for issuing religious rulings, was online to answer queries about the lawfulness of celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. He offered an unequivocal answer: celebrating the birth of the prophet is absolutely compatible with the Islamic faith as it is a good opportunity for Muslims to remember the traditions of the prophet, to do charitable work, and to pray. Egypt is one of the countries that for at least ten centuries, according to conservative estimates, has observed the occasion with much festivity. This is not the case in the Arab Gulf countries, however, where millions of Egyptians have worked over the years. According to Gamil Suleiman, a 58-year-old Sufi, it is the job of good Sufis to explain to the public why it is perfectly correct to honour and celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. We should not allow those with doubts about this beautiful tradition that is perfectly compatible with our faith to let it slip away, he said. Suleiman is always ready with ample evidence on the issue. The style of the celebrations, he said, has metamorphosed, but they have always been about zikr, offering and eating sweets, or offering generous dinners and singing the praise of the prophet. For some people, the moulid might be one of the few days in the year when they can join a spiritual gathering and share a nice meal and sweets, he said. The growing impact of radical ideology is not to be blamed for the receding festivities that are expected this year, however. According to Ahmed Ibrahim, another Sufi from Qena, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic cannot be overestimated for breaking the momentum of joy and blessings. It would have been impossible to observe the full moulid tradition during the pandemic, he said. Traditionally, a group of young and older men, the servants of the moulid, would gather in a flat near one of the big mosques and spend two weeks cooking and giving food and drinks to all those who come to attend the zikr and madih or come to listen to Quran recitations or to a lecture on the life and habits of the prophet. Two years down the road from the beginning of the pandemic, Asran said, several Sufi orders now just allow small open-air gatherings where some meals are distributed. We want to keep the tradition going, if only partially, he said. For Suleiman, it is also about keeping charity coming and keeping the doors open for as many people as possible. When we offer food, we are probably keeping at least one person away from having to beg to feed himself and his family, and if we offer an opportunity for someone to be seated at the very far end of the entrance to a mosque to sell a few candy bars or sugar dolls, then we are helping those people make humble earnings. This is part of the blessings of the moulid, he said. Suleiman laments the fact that the economic constraints that many people are currently undergoing have limited the volume of charity related to the occasion. He underlines the commitment of Sufis to keeping up the tradition for the benefit of spirituality and for those who benefit from its blessings in many forms a hot meal for someone, or a few pounds for a street vendor. The moulid is always packed, he said. Moulid inspirations According to visual artist Ammar Abu Bakr, the moulid is also an opportunity to find inspiration from the layered scenes of the pursuit of spirituality and the pursuit of festivity or profit. He said that it is eye-catching to find a composition where a group of people is immersed in zikr while others are fully involved in bargaining over the price of a necklace that they wish to buy for good luck. Abu Bakr knows that this is typical of all moulids, those observed by Muslims and those observed by Christians. However, in the case of Al-Moulid Al-Nabawy, such scenes take place across the country. Unlike other moulids, where celebrations are confined to a particular mosque or shrine, the memory of the birth of the prophet is celebrated everywhere at the same time. Having worked in Upper Egypt at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Abu Bakr is fascinated by the occasion in this part of country. I think Luxor and Aswan are still the venues for some of the larger moulid celebrations, where one sees thousands and thousands of people and the costumes of the many Sufi orders and diverse crafts and trades, he said. These celebrations have often inspired Abu Bakr with sketches, murals, and installations. He draws the sellers of sweets and the fascinating way they display their commodities, along with the icon of the moulid for centuries: the aroussat al-moulid, or coloured sugar doll. Contrary to the assumption that it was the Fatimids, who ruled Egypt in the 10th century, who first introduced the doll into the Egyptian festivities, Abu Bakr is convinced that the doll has always been there. It is part of Egyptian tradition. The Pharaohs had dolls to celebrate the flooding of the Nile, the Copts have statues of Virgin Mary, and it was only natural that the Muslims should have a doll to celebrate one of their holiest occasions, he said. Painter and art professor Emad Rizk agrees that the doll has always been a source of inspiration for Egyptian artists. In many ways, and because it was never just about the Fatimids, the aroussat al-moulid sums up layers of our collective popular culture, he said. Having done his own paintings of elements of the moulid, Rizk could not have missed the doll. In every generation of modern and contemporary Egyptian painters, there are at least a few who have painted her in one form or another, he said. He is particularly fond of the early 1960s Mamdouh Ammar collection. He did this collection when he was studying in Europe for a few years, and he got a sense of nostalgia for Egypt. Drawing this collection was in a way about his getting in touch with the cultural reserves he had, Rizk said. Alongside paintings and the visual arts, calligraphy has also found inspiration in the festivities related to the moulid. I guess it is more about the love of the prophet than just about the moulid that prompts some to acquire the calligraphy that carries praise of the Prophet Muhammad, he said. During the past 10 years, this 32-year-old artist notes, there has been a growing trend of some form of Sufism among younger men and women. This, he said, brings interest in learning the poems of praise of the prophet and at times acquiring calligraphy that captures a few verses of poems of praise. The Qassidat Al-Burda is always of interest. This 11th-century poem of praise is the work of prominent Sufi poet Mohmed bin Said Al-Busseri. It is a fixture of many zikr and madih sessions and an obvious choice for keen calligraphers who want to celebrate the love of the prophet and of young men and women who have been showing a greater interest in taking up lessons in calligraphy, Atef said. A second favourite for many is the 20th-century poem by classical poet Ahmed Shawki Nahj Al-Burda, which was performed by the diva of Arab song Umm Kolthoum. According to Mohamed Shabana, a professor of folk singing, in addition to traditional singing, which could be in classical Arabic like that of Umm Kolthoum, or in colloquial like Mohamed Al-Kahlawis song For the Sake of the Prophet, there are large volumes of folk singing that have been inspired by the love of the prophet. These are mostly songs with anonymous authors and composers, but that have survived for many generations, especially in the Delta and Upper Egypt. Often enough, Shabana explained, some rural singers will perform these folk songs on relevant occasions. This grants perpetuity to this art that has been deprived of newer examples, possibly due to growing materialism, he said. Memorable heritage According to cultural researcher Hassan Al-Halwagi, it is impossible to talk of the collective cultural consciousness of Egyptians without thinking of their passion for the moulids of Muslim or Christian saints. The Al-Moulid Al-Nabawy comes out on top, given that it is celebrated all over the country, he said. With the passing of time, and when few artisans are still making the traditional sugar doll and sugar knight on the horse for the moulid, fewer families are still able to afford the food and sweets of the occasion. They may think of it as simply a long weekend. However, Al-Halwagi said that the occasion remains an integral part of the collective heritage. According to anthropologist Nahla Imam, the celebration is part of the Egyptian intangible heritage. There are many different ways in which it is celebrated, with specific foods associated with it not just the candies, but also the large dishes of kishk and ducks [sour milk pudding with fried onions and fried duck], especially in rural contexts. Then there is the exchange of gifts, especially candies, or simply joining the festive parades, she said. Imam said that retaining such traditions is an issue of identity, not just in the face of the more conservative versions of Islam that contest the celebration, but also in the face of Westernisation. She argued that social media has been quite purposeful in giving the celebration a boost, as older generations have shared their memories with younger generations to prompt their interest. However, Imam said that the sustainability of traditions required innovation. Khaled Abul-Leil, a professor of folk literature, is convinced that there will come a moment when this rich reservoir of heritage will be resurrected in one form or the other, as tales recorded on YouTube, or stories turned into drawings, or new poems. I think that as long as people continue to celebrate the occasion it will inevitably yield to new products, either because of the spiritual side or the commercial side, he said. It was in the late 1990s and early 2000s that a traditionally key element of the annual festivities made its comeback in the form of the halawet al-moulid, or the sweets associated with the occasion. According to Haitham Al-Abd, who co-runs one of the biggest sweets businesses in Egypt, the tradition of sweets for the moulid was going out of fashion, but then it came back as an expression of novelty. First, the business had to be upgraded from its original form, taking the bars of candied peanuts from their original round shapes and making them into a diversity of shapes and sizes with neater packaging. Then, he added, came the availability of more diverse choices with the introduction of candied pistachios, nuts, and almonds. Improving the quality of the ingredients and taking hygiene and packaging to much higher standards helped a lot to bring back some who had been put off by the downsides of the production, Al-Abd said. Then, about 10-12 years ago, came a new factor: distribution. Selling the bars in colourful boxes in the big supermarkets made it easier for shoppers to buy them along with their groceries and was firm factor in the comeback, he said. Online distribution, colourful Instagram promotion, TV commercials, and large outdoor billboards also contributed much, especially during the pandemic years, Al-Abd. However, Al-Abd added, this comeback was incomplete in the sense that younger kids were still not attracted to this type of candy. This was a big challenge, both in the business sense and also in the cultural sense because this is part of our job as well. During the past 10 years, new items have been added to the established list. Chocolate is a very big thing now, especially for kids. Having a few bars of marshmallows coated with chocolate alongside the bars of candied peanuts enticed children into the tradition, he said. According to Al-Abd, it was this attempt to play with the theme that gave the festivity growing recognition in quarters unfortunately alienated from their heritage. Today, he said, it is a source of rejoicing to note that some international schools have introduced the celebration of the moulid after having been confined to Western holidays. It was also, he added, an opportune moment to introduce the tradition of halawat al-moulid to deprived children through a set of charities. For Wael Nazim, marketing director with the same business, it is equally uplifting to note that over the past few years more and more shoppers have been looking for travel packaging to take over or to send to the countries where they are working, whether Arab or Western. When you think of people living overseas, it is very easy for them to be out of touch with their cultural customs, and it is nice to know that the modernisation of the business has helped there, he added. But there are still many opportunities for more items to be introduced or re-introduced, Al-Abd said. This year, he re-introduced the aroussat al-moulid in a whole new fashion. Instead of going for the all-sugar doll that had long gone out of fashion, he crafted a wooden doll ornamented with candy bars. Other businesses have ventured further, offering chocolate bars with moulid motifs on the packaging, or plastic dolls carrying boxes of chocolate, or crafting cookies in the shape of dolls and knights on horses. These are items for shoppers with a flexible budget. For Fadya and Hussein, a couple doing their halawat al-moulid shopping in Cairo this week, it was such a pleasant surprise to find the new format of sweets to take home to their two daughters. The relatively affordable price was also a pleasant surprise. The couple regretted not finding a hossan al-moulid (knight on a horse) for their son, so they opted for a small box with a drawing of the knight instead. This is how I think they will grow up to think of religion as something appealing and not as something that is hard. So, there are the prayers and the introduction to the Ramadan fast, but there are also the cookies of the feast and the candies of the moulid, Fadya said. *A version of this article appears in print in the 14 October, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: KYODO NEWS - Oct 18, 2021 - 23:07 | All, Japan None of the members of the Cabinet launched by new Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo during its two-day fall festival through Monday, in an apparent bid to avoid diplomatic spats with neighboring countries. While Kishida did not pay a visit, he sent a ritual offering the previous day for the Shinto shrine's biannual festival, prompting South Korea to express "deep disappointment and regret" and urge Japanese leaders to "squarely face history." The shrine, which honors convicted war criminals along with the war dead, is viewed as a symbol of the country's past militarism by its Asian neighbors. The "masakaki" offering was made under Kishida's name as prime minister to celebrate the shrine's biannual festival held in the spring and autumn, following the practice of his predecessor Yoshihide Suga after succeeding him this month. Kishida's tree offering to the shrine comes at a politically delicate time in Japan, as he dissolved the House of Representatives last Thursday for a general election at the end of this month. Health minister Shigeyuki Goto and Kenji Wakamiya, minister in charge of the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, also sent tree offerings to the shrine on Sunday. On Monday, Sanae Takaichi, policy chief of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, visited the shrine. The hard-line conservative member of the LDP, who often visited the shrine while she was a Cabinet minister, recently said she would continue going there even if she was elected prime minister. "As a Japanese, it is only natural to offer my gratitude" to those who "died for a national policy," said Takaichi, who lost in the party's leadership race late last month in which Kishida won and subsequently became prime minister. "This is not an issue of diplomacy." Past visits by Japanese leaders and lawmakers have especially angered China and South Korea, where memories of Japan's wartime acts still rankle. The shrine venerates those who died in wars fought by the Japanese government, worshipping their souls as deities. Most of the around 2.5 million people enshrined at Yasukuni are military servicemen and civilian employees of the Japanese military, but wartime Prime Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo and 13 other Class-A war criminals were added to the enshrined deities in 1978, stirring controversy in Japan and abroad. Related coverage: Japan's new PM sends ritual offering to war-linked Yasukuni shrine KYODO NEWS - Oct 18, 2021 - 13:51 | All, Japan Princess Mako's boyfriend Kei Komuro visited her parents Monday ahead of their controversy-hit marriage later this month, as the couple reunited for the first time in more than three years amid huge media attention. During a meeting at the Akasaka Estate, Komuro, 30, is believed to have explained to Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko his response to an unresolved financial dispute involving his mother that led to his marriage to Princess Mako being postponed for nearly three years. The princess's university sweetheart came back to Japan last month from the United States, where he has been working at a law firm since graduating from law school. He is also believed to have told the parents of the princess about his life in New York, where the two are planning to settle after their marriage on Oct. 26. Earlier in the morning, Komuro, wearing a suit and necktie, left his mother's house near Tokyo, which was being guarded by over 30 police personnel, and bowed to some 40 members of the press waiting outside. The ponytail he had sported after his return from the United States, creating a media frenzy, had been cut off. Around 60 media personnel waited for Komuro's arrival at the entrance of the Akasaka Estate, while at least one helicopter belonging to a news organization was seen flying above to record the view. Some passersby also stopped to catch a glimpse of Komuro, taking pictures using their smartphones. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno expressed the government's congratulations on the couple's upcoming marriage, saying at a press conference, "We extend our sincere wishes for many more years of happiness and greater prosperity to the imperial family." The trouble between his mother and her former fiance over 4 million yen ($35,000), including money spent on Komuro's education, has stirred public controversy and dampened the celebratory mood around the couple's impending marriage in Japan. Komuro returned to Japan in late September for the first time since leaving for New York in August 2018 to study at Fordham University's law school. He graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in May this year. An Imperial Household Agency official will submit legal papers to register the couple's marriage on Oct. 26 on behalf of Princess Mako, 29, a niece of Emperor Naruhito, and Komuro. The two are scheduled to hold a joint press conference later that day at a Tokyo hotel. The princess, who will lose her royal status after marrying her commoner boyfriend, will move out of the Akasaka Estate on the same day after the marriage is registered. Amid public unease over the marriage due to the money dispute on the Komuro family side, the traditional ceremonies associated with royal family members' weddings such as "Choken no Gi," an official meeting with the emperor and the empress prior to marriage, will not be held. While female imperial family members traditionally receive a lump-sum payment of up to around 150 million yen in taxpayers' money upon their departure from the household, the agency said it has accepted Princess Mako's request not to receive such a payment. The unprecedented decisions come as the crown prince maintains the view that the marriage is not supported by many Japanese and therefore the traditional ceremonies cannot be held. In lieu of the rites, the princess will meet with Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, at the Imperial Palace next Friday as well as her grandparents -- former Emperor Akihito and former Empress Michiko -- on Oct. 25, according to the agency. On Oct. 26, the couple plan to face the press for the first time in about four years since the revelation of the money issue on the Komuro family side. Komuro and the princess got unofficially engaged in September 2017, with their wedding initially scheduled for Nov. 4, 2018, but the agency announced in February the same year the postponement of ritual ceremonies following reports detailing the financial trouble between Komuro's mother and the former fiance. The agency revealed earlier this month the princess has been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder caused by what she described as psychological abuse the couple and their families received. Complex PTSD develops in response to prolonged and repeated experience of trauma including verbal abuse and cyberbullying, according to Tsuyoshi Akiyama, a psychiatrist who diagnosed the princess. The couple has often been subjected to derogatory comments on social media. Related coverage: Japanese Princess Mako attends last rite as imperial family member Princess Mako visits imperial graves ahead of high-profile marriage Congratulations, concerns abound over Princess Mako's marriage KYODO NEWS - Oct 18, 2021 - 17:59 | World, All, Japan The Chinese unit of Sony Group Corp. has been fined 1 million yuan ($155,400) after its Japanese parent planned to release new products on the anniversary of the start of the Sino-Japanese War, according to Chinese authorities. The Chinese market regulator said Sony's plan to release new products on the anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident on July 7 hurt the dignity of Chinese citizens. Sony posted an advertisement online on June 30 saying it would release new products on July 7. After criticism grew in China, the Japanese company deleted the advertisement and apologized. A skirmish between Japanese and Chinese troops near the Marco Polo Bridge in the outskirts of Beijing on July 7, 1937, escalated into full-scale warfare that lasted until Japan's surrender to the Allied Powers in 1945. Related coverage: China's ex-Prada brand ambassador faces punishment on tax evasion Chinese Communist Party official of Alibaba's base city being investigated PlayStation 5 booms in China after mid-May release KYODO NEWS - Oct 18, 2021 - 19:34 | All, Japan, World Japan will urge OPEC and its allies to boost oil production, industry minister Koichi Hagiuda said Friday, as prices have surged on concern that a post-coronavirus increase in demand will outstrip supply. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi held phone talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah and asked for the Middle Eastern country to help stabilize prices by increasing output. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, collectively known as OPEC+, are set to hold a ministerial meeting on Nov. 4, and Hagiuda said Japan will continue calling for increased production in the lead-up. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed members of his Cabinet to look out for the effects of the price surge on Japan's economy, telling reporters, "We are closely watching movements in the crude oil market as well as the impact on domestic industry and households." Oil prices have climbed sharply over the past two months as demand recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, with benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude futures rising to $82.28 per barrel on Friday in New York. Last week, the average price of regular gasoline in Japan hit a seven-year high of 162.10 yen ($1.42) per liter, possibly putting a damper on household spending at a time when domestic travel is expected to increase after the state of emergency was lifted at the start of this month. Cabinet members, including Hagiuda and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, held an emergency meeting Monday to discuss the government's response to the price surge. Kishida said he instructed them to work with the International Energy Agency to call on oil producers to increase output and "swiftly take appropriate action" to help industries that may be negatively affected. Hagiuda told reporters that the government has safeguards for industries such as transport, farming, and fisheries that could be hit hard because fuel makes up a large part of their expenses. Related coverage: Japan average gasoline price rises to 7-yr high By Dahee Kim, KYODO NEWS - Oct 18, 2021 - 19:38 | World, All The leader of South Korea's ruling party said Monday that its presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung, if elected, will work to rehabilitate soured ties with Japan by taking practical steps such as economic cooperation. In his first interview with foreign media since the Democratic Party chose the governor of Gyeonggi Province as its candidate in the March election, Song Young Gil said he himself will also work to improve bilateral ties through the personal connections he has inside Japan's ruling coalition. Song's remarks were in response to a question about Lee's stance toward Japan, which is seen inside Japan as hard-line given his past remarks. "We are going to prioritize practicality the most, and I am sure that the Democratic Party would be better at solving ongoing problems involving the two countries," Song said at the National Assembly in Seoul. "In that sense, the first agenda would be economics, especially the white list issue." In July 2019, Japan imposed stricter regulations on South Korea-bound exports of materials crucial to the production of semiconductors and display panels, citing undermined trust between the two countries. It proceeded to remove South Korea from a "white list" of trusted trade partners that receive preferential treatment. The Japanese moves came after South Korea's top court in late 2018 ordered Japanese firms to compensate Korean plaintiffs over forced labor during World War II, plunging the increasingly frosty ties to the worst level in decades. Japan has objected to the Supreme Court rulings and subsequent legal moves, calling on the South Korean government to take proper steps to deal with the issue. To solve the wartime labor compensation issue, Song said, "We can discuss ways to raise funds or use the remainder of the 1 billion yen from the foundation." He was referring to a foundation established in South Korea with a 1 billion yen ($8.75 million) contribution from the Japanese government based on a 2015 bilateral agreement on "comfort women" who were forced to work in wartime Japanese military brothels. The foundation was dissolved in 2019 after making cash payments to many of the eligible women. Song stressed that finding a point of agreement through a series of talks at different levels between the two countries is important in settling the wartime issues. The party leader also touched on his trip to the United States last month. He said he came away feeling the United States is very concerned about relations between South Korea and Japan, both its key allies in Asia, adding that he heard Secretary of State Antony Blinken has repeatedly met with the South Korean ambassador to discuss ways to improve the ties between Seoul and Tokyo. About inter-Korean ties, Song said it depends on North Korea's stance whether another meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae In and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could be held. Moon's single five-year term ends in May. "What we need now are measures to build trust (between the two Koreas)," Song added, claiming that reopening an industrial complex in the border city of Kaesong in North Korea could be one of such measures. The complex was the major inter-Korean joint project, but the South Korean government said in 2016 that it was completely suspending operations there over North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs. Lee, the Democratic Party nominee, has no experience in national-level affairs. Song said his nomination shows people's "strong desire for change." While Lee faces a corruption scandal surrounding a land development project in Seongnam during his time as mayor of the city, Song said, "Morality is also very important, but I see more demand for a president that can actually solve economic problems at hand." The main opposition and conservative People Power Party is scheduled to select its nominee on Nov. 5, with former Prosecutor General Yoon Suk Yeol widely expected to be chosen. Related coverage: Kishida urges Moon to take action to resolve Tokyo-Seoul rows South Korea seeks "future-oriented" ties with Japan after Kishida's win Japan, South Korea at odds over wartime issues, but vow to improve ties Beijing: Twenty-three pupils at a kindergarten in central China were taken to hospital last week after a teacher allegedly poisoned their morning porridge, state-run reported Monday. The teacher at the school in Jiaozuo city in Henan province, identified only by the surname Wang, was taken into custody after the March 27 incident, Xinhua news agency said, citing local officials. The pupils began vomiting and fainting after breakfast, the Beijing News said, citing unnamed city officials. One parent told the newspaper that he rushed to the hospital after receiving a call from the school to find doctors had already pumped his child's stomach to prevent high levels of toxicity in his blood. One child remains in hospital with "severe" symptoms, and seven others have been held for observation, Xinhua reported. The reports did not specify the ages of those affected, but typically, kindergarten students in China are aged three to six. A preliminary investigation has revealed that sodium nitrite, which is used for curing meats but can be toxic when ingested in high amounts, caused the poisoning, Xinhua said. The incident in Jiaozuo came just before a new regulation took effect Monday, requiring school officials from kindergartens to secondary schools in China to dine with their students in canteens to prevent food safety scandals. Schools are now also required to publicly identify food sources and suppliers, and set up risk prevention and control systems, Xinhua news agency said. In March, 36 primary school students in southwest China's Sichuan province were hospitalised after eating "mouldy food." The incident sparked a protest and led to the dismissal of the school principal, according to reports from the state-run Global Times newspaper. Photos of mouldy bread, discoloured meat pies and rotten seafood served at the Chengdu No. 7 Experimental High School, uploaded by parents, also ignited a heated online debate on Chinese social media on food safety at schools. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday formed an independent five-member commission to probe the alleged abduction, forced conversion and marriage of two teenage Hindu girls in Sindh province that led to massive protests by the minority community in the country. A high court bench led by Chief Justice of IHC Athar Minallah heard the petition filed by the two sistersReena, Raveenaand their alleged spouses, Safdar Ali and Barkat Ali, to seek protection. In their plea, the girls claimed that they belong to a Hindu family of Ghotki, Sindh but converted willfully as they were impressed by Islamic teaching. The counsel for the girls parents, however, asserted that the case pertained to forced conversion. Their father on Monday also filed a petition in the IHC for a medical board to determine the exact ages of the two sisters as well as to test the girls for Stockholm Syndrome, a state of mind when a victim develops trust or affection for kidnappers. Justice Minallah said the matter requires transparent inquiry and it is the governments job to conduct probes not the judiciarys. The chief justice said the court had to ensure that there was no forced conversion. The bench formed a five-member commission to probe the matter. The commission includes Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Chairperson Mehdi Hasan, National Commission on the Status of Women Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz, veteran human rights activist I A Rehman and renowned Islamic scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani. The federal government has been tasked to organise meeting of the commission. The incident came to light when a video surfaced online showing the teenagers father and brother claiming the girls were abducted and forcefully converted. It was followed by another video snippet in which the two girls claimed that they had converted to Islam. Amid the uproar, Prime Minister Imran Khan directed Sindh and Punjab to investigate the matter and recover the girls if the forceful conversion allegation was correct. Chief Justice Minallah also ordered that a medical board be constituted to determine the age of the girls. The court ordered the medical board to submit its report at the next hearing on April 11. Earlier, a medical report by Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences stated that the girls were not minors at the time of their marriages. The report was dismissed by the family of the girls as well as opposition lawmaker from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Darshan Punshi, who belongs to the Hindu community. Both the family and the lawmaker demanded an independent medical board to determine the age. The girls and their husbands had filed a petition for protection against threats to their lives. Already, the IHC on March 26 ordered state protection for the couples. The petition also stated that the two girls left their home on March 20 and two days later they willingly converted and entered into marriages. During the hearing, the chief justice noted the increasing number of forced conversion cases from Ghotki. He was irked at the governments failure to find a solution. Why are such incidents repeatedly being reported from one district of the Sindh province. He said the perception that minorities rights were not protected has to be changed. When speaking about the rights of minorities, Justice Minallah referenced the recent terror incident in New Zealands Christchurch that killed 50 Muslims and the Jessica Arden-led governments response. The judge asked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Ramesh Kumar Vankwani why the matter was not raised in the parliament. To which, Vankwani said he will bring the Houses attention to it. Until the inquiry is completed, the high court has ordered for the girls to remain in state custody. They are currently being housed at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Crisis Centre in Islamabad. The high court summoned reports sought by the premier and adjourned the hearing till April 11. The Hindu community in Pakistan has carried out massive demonstrations calling for strict action to be taken against those responsible for forced conversion and marriages of Hindu girls, while reminding Prime Minister Khan of his promises to the minorities of the country. Last year, Khan during his election campaign had said his partys agenda was to uplift the various religious groups across Pakistan and said they would take effective measures to prevent forced marriages of Hindu girls. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj last month sought details from the Indian envoy in Pakistan into the alleged abduction of the two Hindu teenaged girls and their forcible conversion to Islam. Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to media reports, approximately 25 forced marriages take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A Ghaziabad man was arrested for allegedly molesting a US-based freelance journalist of Indian origin near Shipra Suncity in Indirapuram on Friday night. The accused has been identified as 31-year-old Nishant Kaushik, who worked in a private firm in Noida and lived in the same housing society as the journalist in Indirapuram. The police said that Kaushik allegedly followed the 38-year-old journalist in his car for around 50 minutes, making lewd remarks all the while. At one point, he allegedly even asked her, 'Chalti hai kya nau se baarah?' (which roughly translates to, do you want to come with me) Kaushik was arrested later that night after she filed a police complaint. But the woman said that the incident had left her so shaken and terrified that she had decided to return to the US. She and her sister, also a journalist, had come to India in January and rented a flat in Indirapuram as they wanted to cover the general elections. The incident happened around 10 pm on Friday. The accused followed her in his car for some time and passed comments. He molested her as well. We have arrested him, said a police officer. I visited three shops in the locality and the man followed me in his Swift Dzire. This went on for nearly 50 minutes. He even tried to stop the rickshaw, I was travelling in, a few times. When I encountered him, he touched me inappropriately, the woman said in her complaint as reported by ToI. She called the guards of the housing society when she was near her and also made a phone call to her sister for help. I rushed to the gate and called the police control room. The accused was drunk and misbehaved with us when we tried to resist. He tried to flee, but the guards caught hold of him and handed him over to police, the sister said. Sandeep Singh, station house officer of Indirapuram police station, said, Based on the womans complaint, an FIR under sections 354 D (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the IPC has been registered at Indirapuram police station. The accused has been arrested and sent to jail while his car has been seized by police. For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty extended their gains in early trade on Tuesday, tracking positive domestic and global cues. The BSE gauge Sensex opened at 38,988.57 and briefly crossed the psychological 39,000-level in early deals. It, however, slipped slightly and was last quoted at 38,929.48, 57.61 points or 0.15 per cent higher. Similarly, the NSE benchmark Nifty started at 11,711.55 and went on to breach the key 11,700-mark before paring some gains. It was last trading at 11,673.15, up 4 points or 0.034 per cent. The 30-share BSE index Monday settled at 38,871.87, showing a rise of 198.96 points, or 0.51 per cent. Intra-day, it hit a life-time high of 39,115. Indian equities rally has been fuelled by hopes of an RBI rate cut and positive global sentiment following robust Chinese macroeconomic data and progress in US-China trade talks. Asian bourses followed Wall Street gains on Tuesday amid encouraging global economic sentiment. All benchmark equity indices in Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul advanced. Globally, investors were encouraged by macro indicators that showed manufacturing activity in China improving. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee weakened by 22 paise to trade at 69.36 to the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday owing to increased demand for the greenback from importers and banks. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) remained net buyers in the capital markets, putting in Rs 898.79 crore Monday, as per provisional data. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.23 per cent to trade at USD 67.17 per barrel. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will unveil on Thursday its first bi-monthly monetary policy decision of this new fiscal. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will meet from April 2 to 4 for the first bi-monthly policy statement for 2019-20. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Rajasthan Governor Kalyans March 23 remark where he had talked about Narendra Modis return as Prime Minister has landed him in controversy. Latest media reports say that the Election Commission is likely to write to President Ramnath Kovind against the Governor over poll code violation. On March 23, Singh had said on camera, Hum sabhi log BJP ke karyakarta hai aur iss naatey se hum zaroor chahengey ke BJP vijai ho. Sab chahengey ek baar phir sey kendra mein Modiji pradhanmantri banein. Modiji ka pradhanmantri banna ye desh ke liye avashyak hai, samaaj ke liye avashyak hai (We are all BJP workers, so we will want the BJP to win. Everyone will want Modi to become PM again. Modi becoming PM is necessary for the nation and society). Addressing BJP workers at his Aligarh residence on March 23, Singh had reportedly said, "All of us are BJP workers and we want the party to win. We want Modiji to become the prime minister." Singh, a former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, reportedly made these remarks to placate some agitated BJP members who had gathered outside his house over ticket distribution. After that, the Aligarh district magistrate on March 30 had submitted "evidence" to the Election Commission regarding Singh's reported remarks supporting the return of Narendra Modi as prime minister. The Election Commission had examined his reported remarks in the light of possible violation of the Model Code of Conduct, as holding a constitutional post makes the Governor "apolitical". According to the PTI report, the details and clip of the comments were submitted to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer Friday last week. In the 1990s, the Election Commission had expressed displeasure over Himachal Pradesh Governor Gulsher Ahmed campaigning for his son in elections. He had later quit. The Election Commission 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. The Election Commission said 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 second phase will be held on April 18, third on April 23 and fourth on April 29, fifth on May 6, sixth on May 12 and seventh phase on May 19. In the first phase, 91 constituencies will go for polls, 97 constituencies in the second phase, 115 constituencies in the third, 71 in the fourth phase, 51 in the fifth phase, 59 in the sixth phase and 59 in the seventh phase. New Delhi: The Delhi government has raised objection with the Centre over the latter's approval of only three of the six metro phase-IV corridors and change in the ambitious project's funding pattern, an official said on Monday. "The government has sought clarification over the number of corridors approved by the Centre. The Delhi government had approved all the six corridors of the phase IV, while the Centre gave clearance to only three of them," a senior government official said. "Even in the three corridors approved by the Centre, the funding pattern has been changed. So, clarification was sought how and why the number of approved corridors were reduced and funding pattern was changed," he said. The Aam Aadmi Party government has also sought clarity over the compensation to be paid for land acquisition, the official said. The Centre had approved three corridors of phase IV at an estimated cost of Rs 24,948 crore. The share of the Centre and the Delhi government in it was pegged at Rs 4,154 crore each, while rest of the funding is to be done through support from lending agencies. The Delhi government paid Rs 200 crore as balance amount of its share this year for the project and has sough clarification on the above points, the official said. The AAP government had approved six corridors of the project last December. The Union housing and urban affairs ministry had objected to two conditions imposed by the Delhi government while clearing the project at its end. It had asked for sharing of operational losses with Centre at 50:50 basis, while refusing to have any commitment regarding loan to be taken for the project. The three corridors cleared by the Centre are Aerocity-Tughlakabad (20.2 km), RK Ashram-Janakpuri West (28.9 km) and Maujpur-Mukundpur (12.5 km). Apart from these, Rithala-Narela (21.72km), Inderlok-Indraprastha (12.58km), Lajpat Nagar-Saket G-block (7.96km) are the rest three corridors that have yet to be approved by the Centre. New Delhi: Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena chief, on Monday said he was not a chowkidar as he was born a Shiv Sainik. I am not a chowkidar. I was born a Shiv Sainik, so I am sainik," Thackeray said in an interview with senior party leader Sanjay Raut. He, however, reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be given another five years term. "I don't work for Congress mukt Bharat but PM Modi should be given another five years, he said. Interestingly, Thackeray recently said the Sena and BJP have sunk their differences. "Amit Shah came to meet me, we held a discussion and our issues were resolved....Our ideologies and hearts are woven together. We have come together because Hindutva binds us," Thackeray said. Thackeray was present in Gujarat a day after the interview to show support to the NDA on March 29. Last year, Thackeray mouthed the Congress' oft-repeated jibe of "chowkidar chor hai" made in the context of the Rafale fighter jet deal to mount a veiled attack on his senior ally -- the BJP and Modi. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly hurling the "chowkidar chor hai" (the guard is a thief) jibe at Modi to claim irregularities and favouritism in the Rafale deal and award of offset contracts related to the Rs 58,000-crore defence agreement with France. However, the government has rejected the charges. The origin of this line dates back to the run-up of the 2014 general elections when Modi had promised to work as a 'chowkidar' to guard the people's money and their trust once elected to the top office. New Delhi: Bank of Baroda (BoB) surpassed Punjab National Bank (PNB) to become the country's largest nationalised lender after the merger of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank with Vadodara-based bank became effective Monday. The consolidated entity started the operation with a business mix of over Rs 15 lakh crore on the balance sheet, with deposits and advances of Rs 8.75 lakh crore and Rs 6.25 lakh crore, respectively. BoB, the second largest public sector lender after State Bank of India (SBI), now has over 9,500 branches, 13,400 ATMs, and 85,000 employees to serve 12 crore customers. The largest nationalised bank now has an expanded capital base and will be in a position to have deeper banking relationship with customers. To make merger a smooth affair, the government last week decided to infuse Rs 5,042 crore in BoB to enhance its capital base to meet additional expenses. Meanwhile, BoB completed share allotment to shareholders Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank as per the scheme of amalgamation. Shareholders of Vijaya Bank got 402 equity shares of BoB for every 1,000 shares held. In the case of Dena Bank, its shareholders received 110 shares of BoB for every 1,000 shares. The bank on Monday issued and allotted equity shares at approved share exchange ratio pursuant to 'Amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda Scheme, 2019', BoB said in a regulatory filing. Shares of BoB closed at Rs 132.85 per unit, up 3.14 per cent on BSE. The first three-way amalgamation is the first step in the consolidation of public sector banking industry recommended in 1991 by the Narasimham Committee report. Through this merger the government has created an institution of global scale and size, thereby providing significant benefit to all stakeholders. Consolidated entity will be able to realise multiple synergy benefits both on cost and revenue sides. Post-amalgamation, the bank will have a 22 per cent market share in Gujarat and 8-10 per cent market share in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the bank has said. All customers of Dena Bank, which is under prompt corrective action (PCA) framework of the RBI, will have renewed access to credit facilities immediately. The government in September last year announced the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India, with a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore, making it the third-largest bank after State Bank of India (SBI) and HDFC Bank. The announcement of the three-way merger was among several reforms initiatives undertaken by Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar to make public sector banks (PSBs) healthy, robust and globally competitive. As part of the reform process, the government had also announced transfer of majority 51 per cent stake to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) in IDBI Bank in August last year to transform the Mumbai-based lender. Besides, the Department of Financial Services made a record capital infusion of Rs 1.06 lakh crore in the PSBs in the fiscal 2018-19. As a result five public sector banks including Bank of India, Corporation Bank and Allahabad Bank were out of the prompt corrective action framework of the RBI earlier this year. Non-performing assets (NPAs) showed a negative trend in 2018-19 and reduced by Rs 23,860 crore between April-September 2018. Following the merger, the number of PSBs has come down to 18. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought a report from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on the sudden launch of NaMo TV. The channel was launched after the Model Code of Conduct came into effect. Some people are claiming that it is owned by the ruling BJP. However, its ownership is still unclear.A Based on complaint filed by Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, Election Commission of India has sought a response from I&B ministry on 24-hour channel 'NAMO TV'. pic.twitter.com/16Jj4AtKIZ a ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2019 Earlier on Monday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wrote to the poll panel complaining against the Namo TV, asking the poll panel if political parties having TV channels was in adherence to the Model Code of Conduct. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party asked the EC if the BJP had sought approval for the launch of the channel, which has Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph on its logo and runs all his speeches. "Can permission be granted to a party to have its own TV channel even after the Model Code of Conduct is enforced? If no permission was given by the ECI, then what action has been taken," the AAP said in its letter to the Election Commission. The party also asked if the ruling party had approached the Media Certification Committee, established to certify the contents and cost of a telecast. "If not, why show-cause was not issued for the violation of the MCC," asked the letter sent by the AAP's legal cell. The party also asked if the ruling party had approached the Media Certification Committee, established to certify the contents and cost of a telecast. "If not, why show-cause was not issued for the violation of the MCC," asked the letter sent by the AAP's legal cell.# The Congress in Madhya Pradesh has also lodged a complaint with the Election Commission demanding suspension of NaMo TV channel telecast. State Congress spokesman Neelabh Shukla said 'NaMo' television channel would be telecasting speeches of the PM, his rallies, besides the statements and programmes favouring the BJP. "NaMo is the abbreviation for Narendra Modi. With general elections round the corner, the BJP has started this channel which amounts to violation of the model code of conduct. We demand that the election commission immediately stops broadcasting on the channel," Shukla told reporters. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address public rallies at Jamui and Gaya in Bihar. Both these constituencies are going to polls in the first phase on April 11 and are being contested by BJPs alliance partners LJP and JD(U). He will then address a public meeting at Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters town of Kalahandi in western Odisha. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will release the party's polls manifesto for Lok Sabha Polls 2019 today. The Congress Central Election Committee will meet to discuss names of candidates for Punjab, Jharkhand and Bihar. 21:22 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bharatiya Janata Party releases a list of candidates for parliamentary constituencies of Mahesana and Surat in Gujarat and Thrissur in Kerala. Bharatiya Janata Party releases list of candidates for parliamentary constituencies of Mahesana and Surat in Gujarat and Thrissur in Kerala. pic.twitter.com/gRfDPPz3wT ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2019 19:49 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Gaya, Bihar: There are two kinds of people who have a problem with 'Chowkidar.' One type includes 'Maha Milawati' and the second includes all those who sponsor terrorists. 19:23 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Coimbatore, Tiruppur and many other cities were declared Smart City under the NDA: BJP president Amit Shah. 18:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Odisha: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) releases list of 9 candidates; 2 for Lok Sabha polls and 7 for Legislative Assembly polls. Mahesh Sahu to contest from Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat and Chandrani Murmu from Kendujhar Lok Sabha seat. 16:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Election Commission has sent notice to the Ministry of Railways over 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' teacups. 16:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In I seem to have read the manifesto more than Congress president: Arun Jaitley takes a jibe at Rahul Gandhi over employment promise in Congress manifesto. 16:35 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to accompany Congress President Rahul Gandhi to Wayanad in Kerala for the filing of his nomination from the parliamentary constituency on April 4. 16:24 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress names Babi Bagkar as its candidate to contest by-election from Mandrem (Goa) legislative assembly seat and Atal Shukla (UP) to contest by-election from Nighasan legislative assembly seat. Congress names Babi Bagkar as its candidate to contest by-election from Mandrem (Goa) legislative assembly seat and Atal Shukla (UP) to contest by-election from Nighasan legislative assembly seat. pic.twitter.com/UgQMEPstuj ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2019 16:23 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In If Congress wants to replace the rule of law with the rule of insurgents and terrorists, this is not acceptable to the people of India: Arun Jaitley. 16:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In They (Congress) say they will amend and review Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (AFSPA). What is AFSPA? Disturbed Areas Act deals with internal subversion. Armed Forces of the Union and Central Forces, excluding Navy... a sanction is needed to file a case against a member of the forces, says the finance minister. 16:20 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The manifesto states that The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC ) would be amended, that bail becomes a norm. It is the judiciary prerogative. Those who kill members of the forces, this provision has been entered to protect Maoists and enemies: Arun Jaitley. 16:18 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In No nation over the last 72 years has dealt with terrorism like India, says Jaitley. 16:18 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In From 2004 to 2014, I never believed Congress's budget declarations, I knew the devil was always in the detail: Jaitley. 16:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In When out of ignorance, he makes unimplementable and dangerous promises, I am sure the nation would not be in a mood to oblige him, for implementing the kind of promises which are contained in this manifesto, says Jaitley. 16:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Congress manifesto contains a statement of Congress President that whenever he makes a promise, he never breaks it: Arun Jaitley. 16:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In They (Congress) are saying the law of sedition will be removed, the party who makes such promises does not have the right to get a single vote: FM Arun Jaitley. 16:13 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress is moving forward on the agenda of the Nehru-Gandhi family's historic blunder on Jammu and Kashmir, says Jaitley. 16:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Nehru-Gandhi family committed a historic mistake regarding Jammu and Kashmir and the nation can't forgive them for that: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. 16:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In In its entire chapter on Jammu and Kashmir, Congress manifesto has nothing on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits: Arun Jaitley. 16:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Our fight against terrorism did not start from 26/11, people who wanted to break India were active in the country since long: FM Arun Jaitley. 16:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress party has an agenda in its manifesto that would break the country: Arun Jaitley 16:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Even though there was a drafting committee, but it appears that some of the important points have been drafted by the Congress president's friend in Tukde Tukde gang when it deals with Jammu and Kashmir, says Jaitley. 16:00 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Some of the ideas are positively dangerous in the Congress manifesto. They are for an agenda for the vulcanization of India: Arun Jaitley. 15:36 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Karnataka: Tejashwini, wife of late Union Minister Ananth Kumar, appointed vice president of the BJP. Karnataka: Tejashwini, wife of late Union Minister Ananth Kumar, appointed Vice President of the BJP. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/0zeDHdU1aT ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2019 14:42 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Union minister Shripad Naik, who is contesting from North Goa Lok Sabha seat, on Tuesday said the BJP has incorporated inputs given by late chief minister Manohar Parrikar for its poll campaign in the coastal state. We are certainly going to miss Parrikars presence in the poll campaign. He was one of our main speakers at rallies and a crowd-puller, Naik told PTI in an interview. 14:40 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BSP Chief Mayawati in Bhubaneswar: The way PM Modi's government implemented GST and demonetization, in haste, that affected small businesses; that also led to increase in unemployment. Congress was involved in Bofors and now BJP govt is involved in Rafale. 14:39 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Election Commission writes to President Ram Nath Kovind to bring it to his notice that Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh's remark that Narendra Modi should be re-elected as the Prime Minister is violative of the Model Code of Conduct. 14:39 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The announcements made by the BJP in the last days of their government are just for electoral gains," says BSP chief Mayawati in Bhubaneswar. 14:23 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Election Commission on Tuesday issued notification for phase four of Lok Sabha elections to be held on April 29 in which 71 seats across nine states will go to polls. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal will head for voting in all the seven phases of the general elections. 13:07 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In In last 5 years, BJP govt has spread hate, divisiveness; Cong will work towards uniting India, bringing people together: Rahul Gandhi. 13:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Rahul Gandhi at Congress' election manifesto release: I also said that whatever is going to be in this manifesto has to be truthful, I do not want a single thing in this manifesto that is a lie because we have been hearing large number of lies spoken everyday by our PM. 13:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress President Rahul Gandhi: PM had spoken about MGNREGA. He mocked and said it is a bogus and useless scheme. Today everyone knows how much it helped the country. So now we want to guarantee jobs for 150 days, instead of 100 days, under the scheme. 12:49 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In If a farmer can't repay loan, it will be a civil offence and not a criminal offence, says Rahul Gandhi in manifesto. 12:46 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In TDP spokesperson in Telangana joins TRS In a setback to TDP in Telangana, one of its spokespersons, B N Reddy joined the ruling TRS on Tuesday. Reddy joined TRS in the presence of its working president K T Rama Rao, TRS sources said. 12:44 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Purpose of Cong manifesto is to spell out the vision of moving towards forward-looking and inclusive economy, polity: Former PM Manmohan Singh. 12:44 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, ex-PM Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, release party's manifesto for Lok Sabha polls. 12:44 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Real issues in country are unemployment, farmer distress and women's safety, among others: Chidambaram at Cong manifesto launch. 12:43 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP trying to take narrative to hyper nationalism; Cong has to bring narrative to real issues: P Chidamabaram at Cong manifesto launch. 12:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In P Chidambaram says, You will find there is enough in the manifesto which addresses the concerns of Youths, minority, the state of healthcare and education and that concerns the internal and national security. 12:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In MP Rajeev Gowda says, Rahul Gandhi said he wanted something different this time in mainfesto, he said go out and listen to people of India and reflect it in manifesto. We took our mission very seriously, this manifesto reflects the ideas and hopes of people of India. 12:33 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala says, Today is a historic day. Todays Congress manifesto will help to make a strong and developed India. 12:22 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Jammu & Kashmir: Northern Command Indian Army chairs joint key security meeting at Srinagar to review current situation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Jammu & Kashmir: Northern Command Indian Army chairs joint key security meeting at Srinagar to review current situation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. pic.twitter.com/cE4P3hAY2K ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2019 12:20 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Former prime minister Manmohan Singh arrives at Congress office ahead of the release of the manifesto. 12:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In During long years of Congress rule at Centre there was no tribal affairs ministry...only in Vajpyeee government separate tribal affairs ministry was created. Congress and BJD have treated poor as vote bank. Rajiv Gandhi had told here in Kalahandi that if he is sending Rs 1 only 15 paise reaches poor. I can proudly say that if the central government sends Rs 1 for the poor the full amount reaches the poor: PM Modi 12:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Tej Pratap, the son of Lalu Prasad said, What will the party do if there are no people, Tejaswi should understand that we are demanding seat for our party members they are not from outside. If a situation arises I am also ready to fight, he (Tejaswi) is younger than me he should listen to me. We have to save the constitution of India, need to fight BJP and RSS as quoted by the CNN News18. 12:02 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Addressing the rally in Odisha's Kalahandi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asks, In the state, for the first time since Independence, who provided electricity to the villages in the state. He also said, BJP provided sanitation facility for poor and women. 50 lakh toilets were built for the safety of women. Our government also provided banking facilities for the poor. 11:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In "In the past 5 years, without taking a single holiday as much as a single body can work, I have worked day and night for the change that is happening today," says PM Modi. 11:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reaches Congress office ahead of manifesto release. 11:52 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP candidate BR Waghe and Congress nominee Atum Welly will vie for Pakke-Kesang seat in the newly created district in Arunachal Pradesh, which was earlier a part of the East Kameng district. The state is going to simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls on April 11. 11:50 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing an election rally at Kalahandi in Odisha. 11:36 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Preparations underway for the release of the Congress' manifesto, SEE PICTURE 10:53 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Supreme Court declines urgent hearing of Patidar leader Hardik Patel's plea seeking a suspension of his conviction in a 2015 case relating to rioting so that he can contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. 10:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bihar: Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey has been granted bail by a local court in connection with a matter where he had misbehaved with SDM KK Upadhyay in Buxar after the official had stopped his convoy for violating the model code of conduct. The incident had taken place on March 30. 10:17 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's 3-day tour of Bundelkhand has been cancelled for now. She was supposed to tour the area from April 3 onwards. The new schedule will be out soon. 09:30 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In A sari with AICC general secretary (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's image being sold outside the Congress' headquarters. Picture here: 09:29 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In RJD leader Tejashvi Yadav to hold a press conference today. 09:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BSP chief Mayawati will visit Uttarakhand's Roorki on April 6 and Congress president will tour the Piran Kaliyar constituency in the hill state. 09:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot to campaign in Haridwar's Manglaur on Thursday. Congress leader Sharmishtha Mukherjee to campaign in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar on April 6. 09:21 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP might just give the Bhadoi and Jaunpur seats in Uttar Pradesh to Nishad Party as allies are pressuring BJP. 06:51 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Agartala: Electoral officers of the West Tripura constituency took part in a one-day technical training on the Commissioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) & Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) on Monday. Agartala: Electoral Officers of West Tripura constituency took part in a one-day technical training on the Commissioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) & Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) yesterday. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/3ITZ8tFVBo ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2019 06:49 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Tamil Nadu: Urging people to vote in the upcoming elections, Coimbatore-based miniature artist Raja has carved 18 election party symbols in one gram silver, and milligram gold in a miniature EVM, a compass and a pencil in which a person raises his hands with the black ink-mark. 06:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress president Rahul Gandhi will release the party's polls manifesto for Lok Sabha Polls 2019 today. 06:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Congress Central Election Committee will meet to discuss names of candidates for Punjab, Jharkhand and Bihar. 06:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The prime minister will also address a public meeting at Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters town of Kalahandi in western Odisha. New Delhi: An Indian national Tuesday was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison for his involvement in an India-based call centre scam, the US Department of Justice said. Nishitkumar Patel, 31, who had pleaded guilty to the charges on January 9, has also been asked by a Florida court to pay USD 2,00,000, forfeit cash and a 2015 Land Rover that was seized in October 2018. According to court documents, Patel connived with the US-based co-conspirators and the India-based call centres to extort money from American residents by impersonating Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officers between 2014 and 2016. The IRS is the revenue service of the United States federal government. During this period, they mislead the victims in believing that they owed money to the IRS and would be arrested and fined if they did not pay their alleged taxes back immediately, as per the documents. The conspirators collected the fraud proceeds by withdrawing cash from prepaid cards purchased and funded by victims; hiring other conspirators (runners) to retrieve money wired by the victims to those runners; and/or hiring runners to open bank accounts into which victims deposited fraud proceeds, revealed the documents. The defendants collected the proceeds by providing the runners with the victims names, locations, and amounts paid. The runners were directed to retrieve the fraud proceeds in cash and turn the funds over to the defendants, often less payment to the runner for opening the account or conducting the transaction, according to the documents. Four others have already pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. On March 25, Alejandro Juarez was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. Hemalkumar Shah, Sharvil Patel and Brenda Dozier are currently awaiting sentencing. "We here at IRS CI recognise the heartache and concern these crooks cause innocent people. This is why we are eager to team up with our law enforcement partners to track down these impersonators in whatever corner of the globe they may be hiding in," said special agent-in-charge Mary Hammond of IRS Criminal Investigations, Tampa Field Office. J Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, said, Over the last several years, American taxpayers have been subjected to unprecedented attempts to fraudulently obtain money by individuals impersonating Internal Revenue Service employees. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A separate budget for farmers, filing up 22 lakh government vacancies and giving Rs 72,000 each to five crore poor families under the NYAY scheme were few of the key promises the Congress party made in its election manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which was released on Tuesday. The 55-page manifesto titled Hum Nibhayenge (We will deliver) was released by Congress president Rahul Gandhi who was accompanied by several party leaders, including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, senior leader P Chidambaram. Speaking at the launch event, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said, "The manifesto is a massive step for Congress. When we started this process a year back, I told them that this manifesto should reflect the wishes of the people and whatever is present in the document should be truthful." Terming the manifesto "voice of the people", the Congress chief said, "This is not a manifesto made in closed rooms. NYAY, jobs and farmers are among our focal points. NYAY will help the economy. We will deliver money to the poorest people in the country." On the party's showpiece minimum income guarantee scheme or Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), the party's manifesto promised to give Rs 72,000 per year to the poorest 20 per cent households in India. The Congress president said that their government will put the farmers from the path of "Karz Maafi" (loan waiver), to "Karz Mukti"(freedom from loans) through remunerative prices, lower input costs, and assured access to institutional credit. He also promised to make loan default case for farmers a civilian offence instead of a criminal. Gandhi said that Congress will allocate 6 per cent of GDP to education, strengthen government hospitals and give high-quality healthcare access to poor if voted to power. The party also promised to enact the Right to Healthcare Act and guarantee every citizen free diagnostics, out-patient care, free medicines and hospitalisation, through a network of public hospitals and enlisted private hospitals. On GST tax, the Congress said that it will radically simplify the GST regime with a single moderate rate of tax, zero-rating of exports, and exemption for essential goods and services. It also promised panchayats and municipalities a share of GST revenues. The Congress party vowed to make jobs its top priority, saying it will ensure 34 lakh jobs in the public sector by filling all 4 lakh central government vacancies before March 2020, persuading the state governments to fill 20 lakh vacancies and creating an estimated 10 lakh new Seva Mitra positions in every gram panchayat and urban local bodies. On women empowerment, the main Opposition party promised to pass the Womens Reservation Bill to provide 33 percent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies in the very first session of the 17th Lok Sabha. (With agency inputs) Gangtok: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday hit out at the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) for backing out the alliance between the two parties for inexplicable reasons a few days after making a firm commitment on the issue. "We were ready to accommodate most of the demands by the SKM leadership to sew up an alliance with us for Sikkim Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, but PS Golay led-party chickened out at the last minute without giving any reasons," a senior BJP leader, who was involved in talks with the SKM leadership, told PTI on the condition of anonymity. He said that the SKMs withdrawal from a pre-poll alliance in Sikkim has embarrassed the BJP no end as it had gone public about it on a commitment given by Golay himself following a meeting with BJPs North-East and Sikkim in-charge Ram Madhav in Delhi in the first week of March this year. The SKM leadership, however, took an about turn after reaching Sikkim and reneged on the alliance with the BJP without citing any reason, the BJP leader said. Ruing at the missed opportunity to oust the 25-year-old Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) from power, he said that the SKM will be held "squarely responsible" if the Pawan Kumar Chamling government returns to power for a sixth term in Sikkim. The BJP leader said that his party was undaunted with a setback to fructify an alliance with the SKM and said that it will aim to make its presence felt in political waters of Sikkim. He said that the BJP has put up candidates on 12 assembly seats and the lone Lok Sabha seat with an aim to open its accounts at the hustings. Elections to the 32 Assembly seat as well as the sole Lok Sabha constituency in Sikkim will be held simultaneously on April 11. The SKM and SDF are contesting on all 32 assembly seats. New Delhi: An Indian Muslim woman who was held captive in Somalia by her in-laws since July 2018 rescued after the personal intervention of PM Narendra Modi. According to the India Today report, the 31-year-old woman, Afreen Begum, was rescued from her captivity at Mogadishu in Somalia on March 28. She and her three daughters will land at the Mumbai airport on April 2. The ground operatives of Indian High Commission in Nairobi conducted the rescue operation with the help from police in Somalia as there is no Indian embassy in Somalia. According to the Somalian law, a mother cannot travel out of the country with children without permission of the kids' father. PM Modi intervened and spoke to the Somalian authorities and ensured safe and immediate return of Afreen Begum to her home in Hyderabad. It all started in 2013, when Afreen Begum married Mohamed Hussein Duale. At that time, Duale was working in a private firm in Hyderabad. Duale and Afreen lived in Hyderabad till July 2018 when Duale expressed his wish to visit his family in Somalia with Afreen and their three daughters. The couple left India on July 4 last year. After she left, the family was not been able to contact her for next 8 months. They would get occasional WhatsApp calls that Afreen made with the help of a woman in the neighborhood where she lived in Somalia. In February 2019, Afreen's father Syed Gafoor Ali approached the External Affairs Ministry (EAM), which alerted the Indian High Commission in Nairobi-nearly 2,000 km away from where Afreen had been held captive. The search to spot Afreen and her location began immediately. "It was a blind case. We did not have her house address in Somalia. Mogadishu is a place where bomb blasts occur almost every 10-15 days. Besides, the family of Afreen's husband was kind of warlord over there. It was a very difficult operation and we had to get all the paperwork ready before her actual rescue. It was impossible for us to keep her in Somalia for long," an operative involved in Afreen's rescue operation said to India Today. After the rescue, Afreen could not be moved out of the country because the Somalian immigration officials were not allowing her to take her three daughters. Finally, after the intervention of PMO, the four were allowed to fly out of Somalia at 2.40 pm IST by Ethiopian Airlines from Mogadishu to Addis Ababa. From there, they would take a flight to Mumbai at 10.50 pm and will land in Hyderabad on April 2 morning. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is being treated in a state hospital after being taken there from the centuries-old jail where she has been imprisoned since a corruption conviction, official said. The director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Brig Gen A K Mahbubul Hoque, says Zias condition is not life-threatening but there were complications. Earlier, Bangladesh court doubled her jail term to 10 years in a corruption case, piling pressure on the Opposition ahead of general elections. The verdict comes a day after Zia, the leader of the Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was sentenced to seven years in prison in another graft case. A High Court bench comprising Justice Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mostafizur Rahman had announced the verdict after accepting the Anti-Corruption Commission's review petition to increase 73-year-old Zia's imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case from five to 10 years. Zias party says the sentencing was politically motivated. A Dhaka court had sentenced Zia to five years in jail in the orphanage corruption case on February 8 2018. Zia has been imprisoned at the former central jail since then. No lawyer for Zia and other accused of the case was present in the court room. The bench did not say anything about other convicts of the case as they did not file any appeal and they are absconding. In her 35 years of political career, Zia went to the jail several times. During the 2007-2008 tenure of the army-backed caretaker government, she was in jail for about a year on charges of corruption. Zia was made vice-chairperson of the BNP in March 1983 after the assassination of her husband. She became chairperson of the party on May 10, 1984, a post she is holding till now. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will blow the National Democratic Party (NDA)s polls bugle in Bihar for the Lok Sabha Elections on Tuesday with two rallies in Jamui and Gaya Lok Sabha seats. Neither of the two Lok Sabha segments is being contested by the BJP. Both Jamui and Gaya seats are going to polling in the first phase on April 11 along with Nawada and Aurangabad (Bihar). According to a release issued by the BJP's state headquarters, the prime minister will be addressing a rally in the afternoon at Jamui where he will be joined by the partys national general secretary in-charge for the state Bhupendra Yadav and state president Nityanand Rai. PM Modi will land at Gaya international airport around 2 pm on Tuesday. From the airport, he will fly for Jamui by helicopter and return to Gaya around 4.45 pm. He will address a rally near Narayana bridge under Khaira block of Jamui in favour of the NDA candidate Chirag Paswan, the son of Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan. This would be followed by another rally at Gayas Gandhi Maidan in the evening where Modi will share the stage with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, among others. Neither of the two Lok Sabha segments is being contested by the BJP. In Jamui, LJP leader Chirag Paswan is seeking re-election and is pitted against the Oppositions grand alliance candidate, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party's Bhudeo Choudhary. In Gaya, the PM will rally for Janata Dal (United) candidate and stone-cutter-turned former MP Bhagwati Devis son Vijay Kumar Manjhi, who is pitted against former Bihar CM and grand alliance candidate Jitan Ram Manjhi, president of Hindustani Awam Morcha. With a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats, Bihar is considered politically important for the NDA to return to power. State police and central governments security forces in Jamui and Gaya are maintaining extra vigilance for PMs visit as both the districts are famous for frequent unlawful activities of Maoists. In Gaya, security agencies have virtually sealed the town to ensure that no anti-social element reaches up to the PMs rally venue. His scheduled programme might be shifted for 10 to 20 minutes due to security reasons especially in the wake of the Maoists call for bandh in entire Magadh region on the same day, a senior police officer said, as reported by TOI. Washington: Arctic warming weakens the temperature difference between the tropics and the poles, resulting in less precipitation, weaker cyclones and mid-latitude westerly wind flow -- a recipe for prolonged droughts, a study has found. The temperature difference between the tropics and the poles drives a lot of weather, according to the study published in the journal Nature. When those opposite temperatures are wider, the result is more precipitation, stronger cyclones and more robust wind flow. However, due to the Arctic ice melting and warming up the poles, those disparate temperatures are becoming closer, researchers said. "Our analysis shows that, when the Arctic is warmer, the jet stream and other wind patterns tend to be weaker," said Bryan Shuman, a professor at the University of Wyoming in the US. "The temperature difference in the Arctic and the tropics is less steep. The change brings less precipitation to the mid-latitudes," Shuman said. "Importantly, when temperatures have changed in similar ways to today (warming of the Arctic), the mid-latitudes -- particularly places like Wyoming and other parts of central North America -- dried out," he said. "Climate models anticipate similar changes in the future," said Shuman. Currently, the northern high latitudes are warming at rates that are double the global average. This will decrease the equator-to-pole temperature gradient to values comparable with the early to middle Holocene Period, that began 12,000 to 11,500 years ago, according to the researchers. Shuman said his research, using geological evidence, was helping to estimate how dry conditions have been in the past 10,000 years. "Lakes are these natural recorders of wet and dry conditions. When lakes rise or lower, it leaves geological evidence behind," Shuman said. The analysis included 236 records from 219 sites. During the past 10,000 years, many of the lakes studied were lower earlier in history than today, he said. The research group looked at the evolution of the tropic-to-pole temperature difference from three time periods: 100 years ago, 2,000 years ago and 10,000 years ago. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dhaka: Radical Muslims in Bangladesh attacked the minority Hindu community for 5 consecutive days. In a fresh attack on Sunday (October 17, 2020), fundamentalists stormed a village in the Pirganj sub-district of Rangpur division of Bangladesh and set 20 Hindu houses on fire. In a tweet, the Bangladesh Hindu Ekta Parishad (BHUC) said, "Hindus are currently being attacked in Pirganj in Rangpur. Attacks on Hindus are continuing all over the country. If this continues, it will be difficult for Hindus to survive in Bangladesh.'' At present Hindus are being attacked in Pirganj of Rangpur. Attacks on Hindus continue across the country. If this continues, it will be difficult for Hindus to survive in Bangladesh. pic.twitter.com/ilcSXgoRWn Bangladesh Hindu Unity Council (@UnityCouncilBD) October 17, 2021 A video footage shared by BHUC shows a mob of Islamist fundamentalists setting a temple on fire, with firemen attempting to extinguish it. The arson also burnt idols inside the temple complex. It further said, "The situation in Rangpur is very grim at the moment. Hindu houses and temples have been burnt down. A Hindu village in Pirganj sub-district of Rangpur district has been set on fire by a Muslim mob.'' The situation in Rangpur is dire at the moment. Homes and temples of Hindus have been burnt down. Muslim mob has set fire to a Hindu village in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur district. @UNHumanRights pic.twitter.com/kDma77F67W Bangladesh Hindu Unity Council (@UnityCouncilBD) October 17, 2021 According to reports, Muslims in Jelepoli in Majipara had alleged that a Hindu man had posted "material insulting religion" on Facebook. District Superintendent Mohammad Kamruzzaman said, "The police were guarding the house of Hindus. He survived the house, but the attackers set fire to other houses not far from him. A violent mob of extremist Islamists attacked three villages of Pirganj sub-district, Majipara, Botola and Hathibandha villages.'' Bigg Boss 5 Telugu: Shweta Varma shares some thoughts after elimination from Bigg Boss Fabindia begins 'Celebration-E-Custom' on Diwali, Twitter stirs PM Narendra Modi praises Uttarakhand Govt for 100% first Covid vaccine coverage Jerusalem: Air forces of 8 countries commenced the international "Blue Flag" air combat exercise in Israel, the Israeli military has said. The annual exercise is occurring at the Ovda Air Force Base in southern Israel, with the participation of air forces from the United States, Germany, Italy, Britain, France, India and Greece, according to reports. The twelve-days drill will simulate air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, advanced surface-to-air missiles threats, and various operational scenarios in enemy territory, the Israeli military said. The exercise began on Sunday with an honorary flyover, led by the Commander of the Israeli Air Force Amikam Norkin in an F-15, alongside an Israeli "Adir", the Israeli version of F-35 stealth jet. The Chief of the German Air Force Ingo Gerhartz flew with them in an "Eagle Star" Eurofighter, which has been specially painted with Israeli and German flags. The goal is "to strengthen strategic international cooperation through shared learning about the integration of fourth and 5th-generation aircraft in complex operational scenarios, with a focus on broadening and enhancing the operational capabilities," the spokesperson said in a statement. The exercise provides an opportunity to carry out "joint tactical flights against a variety of threats using advanced technology," the statement added. Australias island state Tasmania enters snap lockdown China National Meteorological Centre renews alert for cold wave Earthquake: 3 killed, 7 injured as moderate earthquake rocks Indonesias Bali Guwahati: Assam police have issued an alert in the state on Sunday. Police say Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and terror outfit Al Qaeda (al Qaeda) may carry out attacks in Assam. Based on intelligence inputs about such threats, the Guwahati Police Commissioner and all district police chiefs have been asked to remain alert and take "necessary preventive and precautionary measures" in a circular issued on Saturday. In fact, two civilians were killed and 20 others, including 11 policemen, were injured in an incident in Assam last month. The circular says it plans to target individuals including RASHTRIYA Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) cadres and army areas in ISI, Assam and other parts of India. It says that the global terror organization is a group meeting/organization. Bomb at places like mass transport, religious places etc. In fact, police had also received intelligence inputs about an alleged video message issued by the terror group Al Qaeda, specifically pointing to a call for jihad in Assam and Kashmir. Based on the input, Assam police has prepared ground source and intelligence collection machinery for all districts and "Global terrorist organizations and fundamental/fundamental" and "terrorist organizations". Radical elements have been asked to be vigilant for "thwarting any action". Hyderabad: With 'adequate capacity' to manufacture Covid vaccine Hyderabad: "The spirit of Alai Balai is bringing people from different sections together: Dattatreya Fuel prices unchanged on Monday after four consecutive days of hike GI Technology is mainly into the business of producing World Class Cashewnut producing Machinery.They are a Global Leading Company with around 1700 people working under the GI Technology Pvt. Ltd. They have a total of 9 sub companies ranging from GI Constructions Pvt. Ltd, GI Infrastructure Pvt ltd, GI Pharma Pvt Ltd. And Gayathri Pvt Ltd. BUSINESS BACKGROUND: Mr. Bharthi has a great vision of expanding his business to a high class level and he has been successful in every step he has taken so far. This has been possible only because of his constant dedication and hardwork and his humble nature. In the year 1993 to 1994,. Mr. Bharthi being a daily wage worker had a dream to start a electrical business. With the knowledge he gained through his previous years of experience he started a small workshop with his friends. In the year 1994, he established the Company and has been constantly working for its growth. In the year 2003, he stepped into the Export business and had given his supply of machinery to Madagascar, South Africa. Later he has extended his export businesses to Mexico, Tanzania and many more. They are at present exporting to upto 18 Countries, which is a huge milestone. Talking about their business growth and the legacy, Mr. Bharthi is also a social worker. He is taking care of around 500 families under his company and has been providing full support to the Employees Family. GI Technology Pvt. Ltd has fullfulled their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) upto 100 perecnt. FUTURE PROJECTS: At present, in the year 2021, they have started into a New Joint Venture under the name of GI Agro Tech Pvt Ltd. The project has vision to employ around 3600 workers in the area of 250 acre land in the Village of Brammadesam. HISTORY AND BACKGROUND: Mr. Bharthi's history is surely an inspiration to all. He was born to a farmer family and has faced a lot of struggles. He was born in Ayaneri village of Villupuram District. He did his primary schooling at his village and migrated to Chennai and did his scholling upto class 10. He then discontinued his studies and started working considering his family position. He worked as an Electrician in many Companies and gained knowledge and experience. He had the thrive and determination to succeed in his Life and he is now one of the Top Class business magnet. He is married and has a daughter and a son. Being born in a Farmer family and facing a lot of struggles in his early Life, Mr. Bharthi is such an inspiring soul to what he has become now. He has thus proved that with hardwork and strong determination, there will surely be success in Life. Apple removed Quran App from its app store Microsoft's big announcement, going to close 'LinkedIn' WhatsApp launched new feature, KNOW its benefits Israel: Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said on Monday that Palestine urged the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency meeting over the Israeli settlement issue. Sharing details before media, Al-Maliki said that Palestine intends to call on the UN General Assembly to meet or hold an emergency session of the UN Security Council on the escalation of settlement activities in the Palestinian territories. He added that "contacts and consultations are taking place with the US with the aim of pressing the Israeli government to stop its settlement plans in the West Bank and East Jerusalem". According to Israeli and Palestinian estimates, about 650,000 Israeli settlers live in 164 settlements and 124 outposts in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israeli settlement is the thorniest issue in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and one of the main reasons for stopping the last round of direct peace negotiations between the two sides in 2014. Earlier, Israel announced that it intends to build more new settlement projects in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. South Korean, Japanese, US intelligence chiefs to talk over Pyongyang Israel: Multiple cyberattack attempts on hospitals detected, officials say International "Blue Flag" air combat exercise commences in Israel Amritsar: A case of drug trafficking under the guise of politics has come to light in Punjab. Police have arrested Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Didar Singh on charges of drug trafficking. Police had recovered heroin worth Rs 34 crore ordered from Pakistan from the possession of accused Didar Singh. With this, the police had remanded the accused for two days in which important information has come to light. According to media reports, the accused has given several important inputs in the police interrogation which will be disclosed by the police soon. In fact, police had recovered about 6.5 kg of heroin on the trail of Didar Singh. The heroin was recovered from a plastic sack kept in a field across fencing near Tauki, an island of BSF on the border. Didar Singh had munged the heroin through Pakistani smugglers. Didar Singh is said to be closely associated with Pakistan's drug smugglers. According to police sources, BSP leader Didar Singh has made several shocking revelations during interrogation. This will make it easier for the police to break the syndicate for those involved in the drug trade. Senior police officials are also interrogating Didar thoroughly. International "Blue Flag" air combat exercise commences in Israel Mr. Bharti - The founder of GI Technology, being a inspiration to many Fire breaks out at Delhi's LNJP hospital causing panic among patients Kolkata: A group of citizens of Bangladesh who illegally filed Bangladesh citizens in India and made indian on papers has been unearthed in Chandan Nagar commissioner of Hooghly District in West Bengal. Police have taken action in the case and arrested six Bangladeshis along with Indian documents like fake passports, Aadhaar, rations, PAN cards etc. The main gangster is Akash Das, a resident of Halishahr in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. All the accused arrested by the police were produced before the court CJM Chuchuda. All have been sent to 7 days police remand by the court. Giving details in this regard, Cp Arnab Ghosh of Chandannagar Commissionerate said that police have arrested these Bangladeshi nationals under Sections 467, 468, 471 of IPC besides Section 14, 14A, 14C of foreigners Act, 1946. Police arrested all the accused from Bendel Litchu Bagan Green Park area of Chuchuda police station area. Police have recovered fake Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, voter cards and other papers from them. According to police sources, the main mastermind of the case is Akash Das, a resident of 24 Parganas district north of Bengal, who bought a flat on the third floor in a multi-storey building in Green Park, Bendel, Chuchuda police station area, where the six accused were staying in his own flat. Chief Minister YS Jagan reached Shri Ganapati Satchidananda Swami Ashram Uttar Pradesh: Lawyer shot dead inside Court, accused absconding Hindus and minorities leaving Kashmir after target killing by Islamic terrorists, like the 1990s " " William Jackson Harper as Royal and Thuso Mbedu as Cora Randall in "The Underground Railroad." Atsushi Nishijima/Amazon Studios Speaking on NPR's Fresh Air, Barry Jenkins, the director of "The Underground Railroad," noted that "before making this show ... I would have said I'm the descendant of enslaved Africans." "I think now that answer has evolved," he continued. "I am the descendant of blacksmiths and midwives and herbalists and spiritualists." As a scholar interested in how modern representations of enslavement shape our understanding of the past, I am struck by the ways Jenkins seeks to change the way viewers think about and talk about Black American history. In doing so, he takes the baton from scholars, activists and artists who have, for decades, attempted to shake up Americans' understanding of slavery. Much of this work has centered on reimagining slaves not as objects who were acted upon, but as individuals who maintained identities and agency however limited despite their status as property. Advertisement Pushing the Boundaries of Language In the past three decades there has been a movement among academics to find suitable terms to replace "slave" and "slavery." In the 1990s, a group of scholars asserted that "slave" was too limited a term to label someone a "slave," the argument went, emphasized the "thinghood" of all those held in slavery, rendering personal attributes apart from being owned invisible. Attempting to emphasize that humanity, other scholars substituted "enslavement" for "slavery," "enslaver" for "slave owner," and "enslaved person" for "slave." Following the principles of "people-first language" such as using "incarcerated people" as opposed to "inmates" the terminology asserts that the person in question is more than just the state of oppression imposed onto him or her. Not everyone embraced this suggestion. In 2015, renowned slavery and Reconstruction historian Eric Foner wrote, "Slave is a familiar word and if it was good enough for Frederick Douglass and other abolitionists it is good enough for me." Despite such resistance, more and more academics recognized the limitations of the older, impersonal terminology and started to embrace "enslaved" and its variants. The new language reached another pinnacle with the publication of The New York Times' 1619 Project. In the opening essay, project editor Nikole Hannah-Jones eschews "slave" and "slavery," using variants of "enslavement" throughout. However controversial the series may be, it is setting the terms of current discussions about enslavement. "Enslaved person" at least among people open to the idea that a fresh look at American chattel slavery necessitated new language became the new normal. What, then, to make of Barry Jenkins' saying he wants to push past this terminology? In that same NPR interview, Jenkins notes that "right now [Americans] are referring to [Black slaves] as enslaved, which I think is very honorable and worthy, but it takes the onus off of who they were and places it on what was done to them. And I want to get to what they did." I think that Jenkins is onto something important here. Whichever side you take in the ongoing terminology debate, both "slave" and "enslaved person" erase both personality and agency from the individuals being described. And this is the conundrum: The state of enslavement was, by definition, dehumanizing. " " Executive producer, writer and director Barry Jenkins directs Thuso Mbedu, as Cora Randall in a night scene. Atsushi Nishijima/Amazon Studios For artists, writers and thinkers it's difficult to reflect on the dehumanization of masses of people without diminishing some of the characteristics that make them unique. And once you step onto that path, it's a short journey to reducing the identity of the collective group including their ancestors to one that's defined by their worst experiences. Advertisement Seeing Slaves on Screen In some ways, because of the nature of their medium, filmmakers have fared better than their fellow artists at balancing the challenges of portraying the horrific experiences of enslaved people as a whole and elevating the particular experiences of enslaved individuals. So where does Jenkins fit in the lineage of cinematic depictions of enslavement? From the start, comparisons to "Roots" the first miniseries about American chattel slavery abound. "Roots," which appeared in 1977, was the first miniseries on American television to explore the experiences of slavery on multiple generations of one Black family. It also created powerful opportunities for interracial empathy. As critic Matt Zoller Seitz notes, for "many white viewers, the miniseries amounted to the first prolonged instance of not merely being asked to identify with cultural experiences that were alien to them, but to actually feel them." Some Americans might remember those eight consecutive nights in January 1977 when "Roots" first aired. It was a collective experience that started and shaped national conversations about slavery and American history. By contrast, "The Underground Railroad" appears in an age replete with representations of enslavement. WGN's underappreciated series "Underground," the 2016 remake of "Roots," 2020's "The Good Lord Bird," "Django Unchained," "12 Years a Slave" and "Harriet" are just a handful of recent innovative portrayals of slavery. The best of these series push viewers toward new ways of seeing enslavement and those who resisted it. "The Good Lord Bird," for example, used humor to dismantle ossified perceptions of John Brown, the militant 19th-century abolitionist, and opened up new conversations about when using violence to resist oppression is justifiable. Advertisement A Delicate Dance Between Beauty and Suffering Looking at "The Underground Railroad," I can see how and why Jenkins' vision is so important in this moment. In Jenkins' films "Moonlight" and "If Beale Street Could Talk," the director made a name for himself as an artist who can push past narrow, constraining visions of Black identity as one marked solely by suffering. His films are not free from pain, of course. But pain is not their dominant note. His Black worlds are places where beauty abounds, where the characters in the stories he tells experience vibrancy as well as desolation. Jenkins brings that sensibility to "The Underground Railroad" as well. Critics have commented on how Jenkins uses the landscape to achieve this beauty. I was struck by how the sun-soaked fields of an Indiana farm create a perfectly fitting backdrop for the rejuvenating love Cora finds there with Royal. In "The Underground Railroad," slavery for all its horrors exists in an environment nonetheless imbued with beauty. The curtain of Cora's vacant cabin flapping in the breeze and framed by the rough timbers of the slave quarters evokes the paintings of Jacob Lawrence. " " Pictured (left to right): Zsane Jhe (Lovey), Thuso Mbedu (Cora Randall) and Aubriana Davis (Rose) in a scene from "The Underground Railroad." Atsushi Nishijima/Amazon Studios In other scenes, Jenkins juxtaposes radically different landscapes and actions to emphasize the complexity of these characters' experiences. For example, Cora works as an actor at a museum, where she plays an "African savage" for visitors; in one scene, she changes out of the costume and into an elegant yellow dress. Walking the clean, orderly streets of Griffin, South Carolina, she transforms into a picture of middle-class propriety. Scenes portraying the manners and reading lessons offered by the faculty of the Tuskegee-style institute where Cora and other fugitives find shelter demonstrate the allure of these middle-class values. On first glance, it all appears promising. Only later, when Cora's pushed by her mentor to undergo forced sterilization, does it become apparent that she's landed in a horror show. These vignettes are but a few examples of the thoroughgoing power of Jenkins' aesthetic. Every episode yields moments of beauty. And yet at the flip of a switch, serenity can devolve into savagery. Living with the recognition that calm can instantly and unexpectedly become carnage is part of the human condition. Jenkins reminds viewers that for Black Americans both then and now this prospective peril can be particularly pronounced. William Nash is a Professor of American Studies and English and American Literatures at Middlebury College. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. You can find the original article here. Description Retired Admiral Ami Ayalon, a former director of Israels Shin Bet security agency, shares his own thoughts and philosophy about what Israel needs to do to achieve relative peace and security and to sustain itself as a Jewish homeland and a liberal democracy. In Friendly Fire, Ayalon shares his deeply personal journey of discovery, seeking input and perspective from both Palestinians and Israelis whose experiences differ from his own and from each other. Join Commonpoint Queens, along with Prof. Mark Rosenblum who will moderate the discussion, to hear how Ayalon has come to realize that the sustainable and democratic Jewish homeland for which he repeatedly risked his life can only be realized side-by-side with a Palestinian state whose citizens have genuine hope for their own bright future. A former Flotilla 13 (Israels navy SEALS) commando, a commander of the navy, cabinet minister, Knesset member, Ami Ayalon was the recipient of the Medal of Valor, Israels highest military decoration. An expert on the Middle East, Prof. Mark Rosenblum is Director of the Ibrahim Student Leadership and Dialogue Middle East Program with Queens College, and Director Emeritus of the Center for Jewish Studies and the Center for Ethnic, Racial, and Religious Understanding. $8 members / $10 non-members Register: https://www.commonpointqueens.org/event/friendly-fire-how-israel-became-its-own-worst-enemy/ For more information, please email kstrauss@commonpointqueens.org. Workforce White House COVID group extends leave for feds to get vaccinated Agencies are required to offer leave-eligible feds at least four hours of administrative leave per vaccine dose, according to a Wednesday update of the White House-led Safer Federal Workforce Task Force's website. Employees that have adverse reactions will be eligible for up to two days of administrative leave. If they need more than that, they can be covered by emergency paid leave granted by the American Rescue Plan Act or by sick leave, the guidance states. As part of a Biden administration policy announced in late July, all federal employees are required to either be vaccinated or follow stringent testing and masking requirements. Federal employees who get vaccinated outside of work dont get administrative leave or overtime, according to the website. Finally, the new guidance clarifies that feds can obtain administrative leave when taking a family member to get vaccinated. Feds can get up to four hours per dose. This decision is "based on President Biden's direction that the federal government should work aggressively to maximize the number of people receiving the COVID-19 vaccination," the website states. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 73.4% of American adults have received at least one dose. The new guidelines landed soon after the Food and Drug Administration issued full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, and an official vaccination mandate for all service members was issued by the Department of Defense. Workforce The workforce challenge facing the IRS The workforce is going to be a key part of any organizational transformation at the IRS, said experts during a panel on the tax agency workforce hosted by the National Academy of Public Administration on Oct. 12. Congress and the White House have been discussing potential surges to its budget as part of the Biden administration's plans for the agency, which include shrinking the growing tax gap. The Biden administration's plan for IRS would increase funding by $80 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Spending surges for the agency were originally in the bipartisan infrastructure spending package, although they were removed over the summer. Appropriations for the agency have fallen by about 20% since FY 2010, according to the Treasury Department's FY 2022 budget justification documents. The number of full time employees at the agency also fell by 15% during that time, and in enforcement roles in particular, there was a 31% drop, which translates into over 13,388 employees like revenue agents and officers who audit tax related crimes. "For the last 25 years the IRS has been shrinking while its workload is increasing" in the increasingly complicated economy and tax system, said former IRS commissioner Charles Rossotti. "Now the IRS will be expected to reverse all of these long term downtrends, reduce the tax gap, provide quality service to taxpayers and manage significant new responsibilities such as the monthly child tax credit," he said of new proposals for the agency. Using any new legislation and funding to "accomplish these goals" will be "one of the great leadership and management challenges of the next decade," he said. The workforce needs to be shored up, but also able to deal with the "increased complexity of the business world" and new technologies, he said, something that others echoed. Employees will need to be "technologically savvy," said Bobby Hunt, Portfolio Director at MITRE and Former IRS Senior Executive. Data literacy and analytics are also going to be increasingly important across the organization. The workforce will also need to be agile as the organizational structure changes and employees are asked to do new work, said Lacey Dingman, HR Director for Federal Reserve Bank of New York and former human resources director of the Securities and Exchange Commission. About the Author Natalie Alms is a staff writer at FCW covering the federal workforce. She is a recent graduate of Wake Forest University and has written for the Salisbury (N.C.) Post. Connect with Natalie on Twitter at @AlmsNatalie. The government's personnel system can make that difficult, though, she said. "We have such a rigid structure in the government that it makes it really hard to kind of really step into some of these competencies." Acquisition Optional caption goes here. Optional caption goes here. Optional caption goes here. Optional caption goes here. Thirty years ago, scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center found themselves at the heart of a consequential race against time albeit one far less publicized than that of their astronaut companions. Leaders from the technical, policy and procurement worlds convened at the center in 1992 to explore new, faster ways for NASA scientists to get their hands on the latest computers. The goal was to create a procurement method that would allow NASA to make critical purchases in a matter of months by reducing the red tape that delayed the acquisition of emerging technologies. NASA leaders eventually requested procurement authorities from the General Services Administration so that they could establish pre-competed indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts, which allowed them to negotiate their own prices and pre-qualify sellers. The program became known as NASA's Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP), and it served as the pilot project for an experimental approach at the time: the governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC). Joanne Woytek, who launched SEWP a year after those meetings were held at Goddard and continues to manage day-to-day operations as the GWAC's program manager, said its purpose remains largely unchanged despite nearly three decades and five distinct iterations. "While almost 30 years have gone by, much of the basics of SEWP I remain," Woytek told FCW. "With each iteration of SEWP, we have reviewed technology trends and customer requirements and expanded the scope of the contracts to be inclusive of all IT, AV and communication products, and with SEWP IV and V, all related services." Although its foundation is intact, SEWP continues to evolve and to serve as both a precedent and a trailblazer for other GWACs. Changes include switching from time-consuming paper-based updates of technology offerings to electronic updates that are typically executed in less than an hour and emphasizing support for agencywide initiatives rather than focusing on individual procurement actions. A streamlined process and IT expertise GWACs quickly grew in popularity after Congress passed the Clinger-Cohen Act in 1996. The law cemented the procurement method into law and designated the Office of Management and Budget to monitor the effectiveness of agencies' IT investments. As GWACs evolved, more agencies began using them, said Andrew Endicott, a principal research analyst at Deltek. For example, the Department of Homeland Security has expanded its use of GWACs and moved away from its own pre-established, multiple-award contracts such as the Technical, Acquisition and Business Support Services and the Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading-Edge Solutions. Perhaps the biggest selling point is that GWACs have focused on cost savings since their inception while becoming more innovative and streamlined. For example, there is a new emphasis on category management and a Best-in-Class designation for specific vehicles. GWACs also offer increasingly competitive rates on fees. NASA's SEWP has always had the lowest fee of any GWAC, starting at 2.6% in 1993 and dropping to the current rate of 0.34%, according to Woytek. Furthermore, these large pre-competed contract vehicles reduce the amount of effort and time other agencies need to expend on procurement. "The ability to utilize already established vehicles is a real cost savings for them as opposed to running these massive procurements that could take several years from inception to award and conclusion of any protests that will almost inevitably follow," Endicott said. On the industry side, GWACs have the potential to provide government contractors with a simplified process and access to federal IT acquisition specialists, said Linda Cureton, CEO of Muse Technologies and former CIO at NASA. "I've seen from both the government and industry side that, except for the NASA SEWP and [GSA's] 8(a) STARS III contracts, the government contracting personnel at the IDIQ level do not generally know a lot about IT," Cureton said. "Sometimes that's a hindrance but not necessarily a roadblock. This deficiency is overcome with contracting professionals who are more IT savvy, with a commitment to stay that way with depth better than the buzzword level of knowledge." She added that she believes "GWACs are making tremendous progress in that space." A level playing field for small businesses? Each iteration of a GWAC comes with significant growth. SEWP IV brought in more than $16 billion over its lifespan, but SEWP V has already hit $31.7 billion. The National Institutes of Health's CIO-SP2i brought in $4.1 billion, while the currently active CIO-SP3 has already seen $18.6 billion in awards. However, the expanding popularity of GWACs has some experts concerned that there could be an exclusionary ripple effect across the public marketplace. They say that although GWACs have the ability to bring a diverse coalition of new entrants into the federal marketplace, there are challenges. "While GWACs are difficult for startups to navigate, the model does help lead to federal work, can serve as a stamp of approval and opens door to make the procurement process more efficient in the long term," said Alec Longarzo, director of federal business development at technology services firm Dcode. "GWACs require a large resource investment and, in many instances, help from external consultants and partners. Small businesses can't always throw large teams at these vehicles and impact other aspects of their business as a result." Best in Class GWACs Governmentwide acquisition contracts are a key part of the Office of Management and Budget's category management strategy. Agencies are encouraged and in some cases required to use GWACs that have met OMB's Best in Class criteria because of their rigorous requirements definitions, appropriate pricing strategies, and supporting data to measure and manage performance. The following IT-related GWACs have been designated Best in Class. 8(a) STARS III Run by the General Services Administration, this GWAC focuses on integrated IT solutions from small, disadvantaged businesses that have been certified under the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program. ADMC-2 This Army-administered contract vehicle offers laptops and desktops as well as tablets, monitors, printers, and ruggedized and semi-ruggedized devices. Alliant 2 Administered by GSA, the current Alliant vehicle offers comprehensive and flexible IT solutions worldwide. CIO-CS Run by the National Institutes of Health's IT Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC), this vehicle offers commercial IT products and as-a-service solutions on site or in the cloud. CIO-SP3 and CIO-SP3 SB These NITAAC GWACs complement CIO-CS by offering a wide range of commercial and non-commercial IT solutions and services. CIO-SP3 is a small-business set-aside. Complex Commercial SATCOM Solutions This GSA-run GWAC covers large, complex, custom satellite solutions, including services and components. Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions The successor to Networx, EIS is GSA's comprehensive solution-based vehicle to address all aspects of agencies' IT telecommunications and infrastructure requirements. FSSI Wireless This GSA-run GWAC offers wireless services for governmentwide use. MAS IT The IT-focused section of GSA's Multiple Acquisition Schedule provides innovative hardware- and software-based technology products, services and solutions. There is also a subsection dedicated to wireless mobility solutions. OASIS and OASIS SB Administered by GSA, OASIS focuses on flexible and innovative solutions for complex professional services that span many areas of expertise, mission spaces and disciplines. OASIS SB is a small business-only vehicle. SEWP Now in its fifth iteration, NASAs SEWP delivers a broad range of commercial IT products and services governmentwide. VETS 2 A set-aside for small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans, this GSA-run GWAC provides federal customers with customized IT solutions. Similarly, Endicott said that "some small businesses have expressed concern about the increased utilization of GWACs. Smaller contractors may not have the time, resources or experience to go after these larger GWACs, and these companies worry they may be excluded from a sizable amount of work if those requirements are completed through vehicles." Vendor protests against contract awards have played a critical role in shaping GWACs since 1994, when Congress allowed government contractors a limited ability to file protests with the Government Accountability Office. Categories for protests have expanded over the years to encompass a wide range of potential issues, including objections to an order that exceeds the scope or value of the contract. Companies can only file protests against task orders greater than $10 million at civilian agencies and $25 million at the Defense Department. The number of protests filed in response to new task orders has risen over the years. Those protests serve to ensure that agencies are following procurement rules, but a multitude of protests against specific contract vehicles have the potential to derail procurement goals and deadlines for agencies working to achieve critical IT milestones. CIO-SP4, NIH's $50 billion health IT vehicle, has faced nearly two dozen complaints since the request for proposals was released in May. Reports indicate that the protests focus on a self-evaluation system used to identify eligible contractors. NIH officials declined to comment on CIO-SP4 for this article because it is an active procurement. Under the self-scoring evaluation system, contractors can be assessed for eligibility for certain contracts based on the information they provide about their products and services. The system can also help agencies determine whether a company has the expertise or products they need to fulfill mission objectives. Although the system is meant to reduce time and increase efficiency throughout the procurement process, it could hinder new entrants into the public marketplace. Nevertheless, GSA continues to use self-scoring methods for GWACs to alleviate administrative burdens. "With the movement toward scoring sheets, many small businesses have an uphill battle to achieve enough points to be in contention," said Riya Patel, senior program manager for government at Dcode. "GWACs would benefit from finding a way to include startups in the requirements or lowering the barrier to entry to promote innovation." Experts have also noted the CIO-SP4's self-scoring evaluation system may exclude small companies that participate in the Small Business Administration's Mentor-Protege Program, which connects small firms with established government contractors that can provide resources and guidance on building their federal business. The purpose of SBA's program is to help small businesses make deals with the federal government, but those opportunities will be all but impossible to find if firms are excluded from major procurement vehicles such as CIO-SP4. Alan Chvotkin, former executive vice president and counsel at the Professional Services Council, describes the challenges facing the GWAC as "a number of self-inflicted wounds [that] really gave CIO-SP4 a black eye." The concept of self-scoring is "emblematic of a trend taking place among GWACs generally," he added. "It's really at the heart of the problems CIO-SP has had and others have had as well." An essential tool for fast, effective procurement GSA has attempted to raise the value for civilian agency protests to $25 million to match that of DOD. Analysts warn that the move could wipe out nearly all protests against civilian agency task orders because the majority fall below $25 million. Some experts also point to growing competition within GSA, noting that the agency oversees a suite of GWACs and its own $45 billionconsolidated Multiple Award Schedule Contract that is the largest of its kind. Still, GWACs continue to find new success each year, and GSA officials see GWACs as key facilitators in achieving the Biden administration's priorities, particularly those focused on increasing investments in small woman- and veteran-owned companies and those located in disadvantaged communities. Laura Stanton, assistant commissioner for the Office of IT Category at GSA's Federal Acquisition Service, said the agency was "rocketing" toward its milestones for the Polaris GWAC, a vehicle that supplies IT services and solutions with a focus on emerging technologies and small companies owned by women or located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones. During an FCW Agency Spotlight webcast in September, Stanton described Polaris as a small-business set-aside with multiple pools that will initially focus on those distinct categories. A final request for proposals was set to be released by the end of the calendar year, she added, and GSA officials plan to host multiple events with small companies to help them prepare for submitting bids. "We want to make sure small businesses are both aware of and prepared for the solicitation," she said, adding that her team has taken lessons from previous campaigns and the launch of vehicles such as STARS III, another small-business set-aside. During that rollout, Stanton's office provided templates for new entrants to use when applying for contract orders, along with resources to help them compete and then sustain operations after they received contracts. Despite the difficulties, GWACs remain a largely uncontroversial procurement method. Most analysts agree that they are an effective means of procuring IT products and services under critical deadline pressure. "Agencies no longer have to start at square one," Chvotkin said about the benefits of using GWACs. "Most of the work has been done. All they need to do is describe what they want, how much they're willing to pay, then run a fair competition as a task order against that contract." This year, some GWACs are on track to set new records. Woytek told FCW she is projecting a nearly 10% increase in funding for new orders and for modifications to existing orders under SEWP compared to last year. That would allow the contract vehicle to reach a milestone of over $10 billion in such funding for the fiscal year. The increased reliance on GWACs may be due in part to the unprecedented investments agencies made with the private sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the use of the Defense Production Act to ramp up manufacturing in industries that make personal protective equipment and other critical supplies for first responders. However, the exact connection between the pandemic and the continued growth of GWACs remains unclear. Regardless, one thing is certain: GWACs and contract vehicles like them are essential for agencies to achieve dramatic digital transformations and cybersecurity milestones under tight deadlines. Toronto, Ontario --News Direct-- AbraSilver Resource Corp. AbraSilver Resource Corp. Toronto - TheNewswire - October 18, 2021 - AbraSilver Resource Corp. (TSXV:ABRA) (OTC:ABBRF) ("AbraSilver" or the Company) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Stephen (Steve) Gatley as an independent member of the Companys Board of Directors (the Board). Mr. Gatley is a mining engineer with over 40 years of experience in the minerals industry. He spent the early part of his career working for Rio Tinto, initially in the Cornish tin mines, before holding senior positions at underground base metal mines in both Europe and South America. The later part of his career was spent with Lundin Mining Corp. where he served initially as General Manager of the Galmoy zinc/lead mine in Ireland. Moving from mine sites to a corporate role, he held the position of Vice President Technical Services from 2012 to 2021. In this position, he provided technical oversight to Lundins operating mines and growth initiatives including the acquisition and subsequent construction of the high-grade Eagle underground nickel/copper mine in Michigan, USA, the acquisition and subsequent expansion of the Candelaria copper/gold open pit and its three underground mines in Chile and the acquisition and integration of the Chapada copper/gold mine in Brazil. Robert Bruggeman, Chairman of the Company, stated We are delighted that Steve Gatley has agreed to join AbraSilvers board because of his vast knowledge of mine engineering and development. As evidenced by our ongoing drill results, the Oculto deposit at Diablillos still has substantial exploration upside but the defined silver and gold Mineral Resources are of sufficient size and grade that we want to aggressively move the project forward towards production. Mr. Gatleys knowledge and experience will be of great benefit to the board as Diablillos moves toward a production decision. Mr. Gatley holds a Bachelor of Sciences Engineering degree from the Royal School of Mines, London. He is based in the UK and is currently a non-executive Director of Cornish Metals Inc. and has previously served as a non-executive Director of Union Resources Ltd. and Sunridge Gold Corp. He has also been a director of numerous Lundin Mining Corp subsidiary companies and remains as a director of their Portuguese subsidiary, Somincor S.A. Mr. Gatleys appointment is subject to the normal course clearing of his Personal Information Form (PIF) in accordance with the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V). Story continues About AbraSilver AbraSilver is a well-funded silver-gold focused advanced-stage exploration company. The Company is rapidly advancing its 100%-owned Diablillos silver-gold project in the mining-friendly Salta province of Argentina, which has a Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource base of over 160Moz on a silver-equivalent basis or 2.3Moz on a gold-equivalent basis. The Company is led by an experienced management team and has long-term supportive shareholders including Mr. Eric Sprott and SSR Mining. In addition, AbraSilver owns a portfolio of earlier-stage copper-gold projects, including the Arcas project in Chile where Rio Tinto has an option to earn up to a 75% interest by funding up to US$25 million in exploration. AbraSilver is listed on the TSX-V under the symbol ABRA and in the U.S. under the symbol ABBRF. The Diablillos resource estimate is N.I. 43-101 compliant. Full details of the Mineral Resources are available in a Company news release dated September 15, 2021. The full technical report, which is being prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI-43-101) by Mining Plus, will be available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) under the Companys issuer profile within 45 days of the news release dated September 15, 2021. For further information please visit the AbraSilver Resource website at www.abrasilver.com, our LinkedIn page at AbraSilver Resource Corp., and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/abrasilver Alternatively please contact: John Miniotis, President and CEO john@abrasilver.com Tel: +1 416-306-8334 Cautionary Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements that address future plans, activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur are forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. 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 View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/abrasilver-further-strengthens-board-with-appointment-of-stephen-gatley-as-independent-director-510338251 - Sisu Youth Services is the first organization in Oklahoma to begin testing for COVID-19 under Operation Expanded Testing (OET) - Media Invitation: On Wednesday, October 20, between 9:15 - 10 a.m. CDT, the staff and clients of Sisu Youth Services will receive COVID-19 tests as part of OET - Operation Expanded Testing (OET) is a federal government initiative to provide fully funded surveillance PCR testing to schools and community organizations as a safety measure against COVID-19 - Enrollment into OET for all eligible organizations is "click and go" through Affinity's website, affinitytesting.com ALEXANDRIA, Va. and OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla., Oct. 18, 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 Sisu Youth Services has been enrolled in Operation Expanded Testing (OET) and has begun providing no-cost COVID-19 tests to its clients and staff, marking the first organization enrolled in OET in the state of Oklahoma. Through OET, Sisu Youth Services is providing weekly testing for its approximately 35 clients and staff to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in its communal environment, with the goal of maintaining its community services throughout the pandemic. Sisu Youth Services is a charitable organization formed in 2015 to offer shelter and support to young adults, aged 15-24, experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma City. "Early in the pandemic, our organization quickly adapted by expanding the availability of our services to those in need. We immediately recognized the need for COVID-19 testing, but most of our options were with external vendors and the logistics of regular testing proved difficult," said Kylee Holland, Program Director at Sisu Youth Services. "Operation Expanded Testing was the answer to those problems. The program provides us with the materials and training to handle testing internally. The ability to test consistently and conveniently is really important for our community to stay safe from an outbreak of COVID-19." Story continues "We commend Sisu Youth Services for enrolling into Operation Expanded Testing and setting an example for COVID-19 safety in the state of Oklahoma. 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 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 Sisu Youth Services on Wednesday, October 20 to cover the first organization in Oklahoma to enroll into OET, the federal COVID-19 testing program. Testing will occur between 9:15 10:00 a.m. CDT for clients and staff of Sisu. Media representatives may enter at 3131 North Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73112. Staff members and clients being tested for COVID-19 will be available for interview and 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: OperationExpandedTesting@AffinityEmpowering.com, 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 Kylee Holland Program Director Sisu Youth Services kholland@sisuyouth.org David Melamed Russo Partners, LLC (212) 845-4225 David.Melamed@russopartnersllc.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/affinity-empowering-enrolls-first-organization-in-oklahoma-for-no-cost-covid-19-tests-through-operation-expanded-testing-301401755.html SOURCE Affinity Empowering, Inc. The effects of climate change are already being felt, from lethal heat waves to severe flooding, and Asia has been and will continue to be significantly impacted. With $4.7 trillion of GDP at risk, how can the business community reverse this trend and preserve the longevity of its businesses and human capital? LESA 2021 seeks to address this and more. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With the most to lose from climate change (up to $4.7 trillion in GDP according to recent McKinsey analysis), Asia is on the frontline of the climate crisis. The science is clear, and the financial sector has on its radar the increased risks of severe flooding, typhoons, and drought. Worldwide, Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) investing has experienced a wave of growth on the back of the pandemic and a fresh focus on sustainability, and ESG assets are set to account for over a third of assets under management by 2025 (Bloomberg). Change starts with you, today. Register now at www.asb.edu.my/lesa In Southeast Asia, sustainability-first business models, climate risk assessments, and ESG investing are still nascent, yet the impacts of climate change are already being felt. Are Asia's businesses equipped to face these challenges? How do we start to mitigate the impact? Is it too late? Prof. John Sterman, Director of the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative and keynote speaker at this year's upcoming Leadership for Enterprise Sustainability Asia (LESA 2021) conference is adamant that there is hope. Sterman will anchor this event, hosted by Asia School of Business located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which centers around the urgency for Southeast Asia and emerging world businesses to take critical steps to mitigate climate risk and chart a new way forward. Representatives from organizations such as MIT Sloan, McKinsey & Company, Esquel Group, BlackRock, United Overseas Bank (UOB) and many more will also be speaking during LESA 2021. As business leaders in the region prepare for "the next normal" and as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore recently announced their pledges to move towards becoming carbon neutral in the next few decades, LESA 2021 invites all business leaders, policy makers, entrepreneurs, and individuals to join in the conversation on both the challenges and the science-backed, economically viable solutions and technologies to adapt and face this climate-changed economy in an Asian context. Story continues "Instead of leaving things on a 'wait and see' basis, where individuals are depending on businesses, smaller companies are depending on large conglomerates to take the lead, and governments point to other governments to implement policies, LESA 2021 aims to spread the message that every single person and entity has a role and responsibility to play in steering us in the right direction before the consequences become irreversible," said Prof. Charles H. Fine, (Ph.D. Stanford) CEO, President, and Dean at Asia School of Business. Breaking Change Down into Small, Actionable Steps Having spent decades studying people's reactions and efforts to mitigate climate change, Sterman asserts that people do care about the environment. "The primary issue is that people are overwhelmed by the complexity and long-time delays, especially when we are so used to instant feedback." When we are faced with consequences that seem catastrophic, overwhelming, and hopeless, he says, "Most tend to convince themselves that 'the problem is not that bad', 'the market will solve it', or 'the government will address it'." To challenge these notions and call people to take individual and collective action, Sterman developed the En-ROADS and C-ROADS simulations, which uses the analogy of a bathtub ("The amount of CO2 in the air is just like the amount of water in a bathtub; if you continue to fill it faster than it drains out, by law of basic physics, it will rise until it overflows") and made the simulations available to the public at large. Just like preparing a pilot for a potential crash, simulations help teach and train pilots so that they can make necessary adjustments to prevent the crash. "The conclusion of the simulations is always the same - we all play a part, and no part is too small. Participants always emerge empowered," concludes Sterman, who has also run multiple such simulations for top government, corporate, and NGO levels in over 80 countries around the world, and for students including at Asia School of Business. This simple, but powerful idea that the cumulative effect of small actions can move mountains is exactly the key message that the Asia School of Business is attempting to spread through this year's LESA 2021 conference. Action and Change Stems from Mindset "Asia has a great opportunity to chart a new course forward in managing social, economic, and climate risks. But charting new territory will take fresh ideas, approaches, courage, agility, and a strategic mindset," said Prof. Fine. LESA, currently in its 9th year, will be held virtually this year from 15-18 November 2021. The conference consists of more than 16 hours of content spread over 4 days and features business leaders, industry experts, academics, and sustainability practitioners from all around the world who will focus on insights and learnings on how to embark upon sustainability for Asia. The conference will also see the culmination of the Iclif Leadership Energy Awards (ILEA), which is sponsored by Maybank and pays tribute to the individuals who are using their "Leadership Energy in Action" to make a positive, sustainable impact in their organizations or communities. The conference is also supported by Associate Sponsor Sarawak Energy. With sustainability as a key pillar for ASB and the urgent need for mass awareness amongst business leaders, LESA 2021 extends complimentary Discovery Passes to all interested individuals. The Discovery Pass provides access to a limited number of pre-selected sessions to make the insights shared at LESA accessible to a greater number. For the full LESA experience, an All-Access Pass which includes access (live and on-demand) to all keynotes, masterclasses, and panel sessions is now available for purchase at https://asb.edu.my/lesa. SOURCE Asia School of Business MUNICH, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ -- Nagarro, a global leader in digital engineering, has reached an agreement with the shareholders of the US-headquartered Advanced Technology Consulting Service (ATCS), to bring the companies together to better address key markets and verticals. Nagarro Logo ATCS, an established international firm, has experienced rapid growth owing to its strategic focus on niche areas, including digital, data, and analytics. The Inc. 5000 has placed ATCS among the "Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the US" for the past two years. The company has a well-established and robust client base across multiple industries, especially Automotive and Life Sciences, with clients in the US, Canada, Germany, India, China, and Australia. For Nagarro, the transaction primarily deepens access to the important US and German markets, aligns sweetly in terms of vertical and horizontal capabilities, and also adds new heft across the Asia-Pacific. For ATCS, the Nagarro affiliation represents a significant opportunity to further build on a stellar record of deep client impact by gaining access to a large digital engineering talent pool. Clients can expect an even more enhanced level of ATCS services with a continued focus on speed, flexibility, and value generation. ATCS has been tailoring its service offerings around the rapidly evolving digital landscape with the objective of supporting clients in their journey towards a data- and technology-driven business ecosystem. Nagarro will strengthen these offerings through greater access to talent, investments, and solution innovations. This agreement is the result of a thoughtful and careful evaluation of culture and spirit. Nagarro is well known for successfully building flat, non-hierarchical global teams and caring culture. ATCS, a recipient of the Gallup Great Workplace award, maintains a close-knit culture built on trust, collaboration, and entrepreneurial spirit. Working together, a positive aggregation of these two cultures will make this affiliation one of the best places to work and build a career. Story continues Manas Fuloria, co-founder of Nagarro, states: "On behalf of all Nagarrians, I would like to congratulate our new colleagues from ATCS for building a fantastic company over two decades. Our discussions and diligence has established that the ATCS team has great entrepreneurial energy, agility and solid values. We welcome them into the global Nagarro family." Manish Krishnan, founder, and CEO of ATCS, states: "The decision to join Nagarro came naturally to us primarily due to our similar culture and values. This affiliation will not only allow us to scale up more effectively and provide greater value to our clients but will also create new and bigger opportunities for our workforce. I am really excited and looking forward to doing great things together in the coming years." About Nagarro: Nagarro, a global digital engineering leader, helps clients become innovative, digital-first companies and thus, win in their markets. The company is distinguished by its entrepreneurial, agile, and global character, its CARING mindset, and its approach of thinking breakthroughs. Nagarro employs over 10,000 people in 26 countries. For more information, visit www.nagarro.com. FRA: NA9 (SDAX, ISIN DE000A3H2200, WKN A3H220) About ATCS: A global, innovative technology solutions company, ATCS was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, USA. ATCS specializes in Enterprise IT, Data & Analytics, Marketing Tech & Insights, and Digital Transformation with its highly skilled and engaged employees spread across 10 global offices in North America, Germany, China, and India. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/844192/Nagarro_Logo.jpg Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atcs-and-nagarro-join-forces-301402508.html SOURCE Nagarro Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2021/18/c0488.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - Bam Bam Resources Corp. (CSE: BBR) (OTC Pink: NPEZF) (FSE: 4NPB) ("Bam Bam" or the "Company") is planning additional drilling for the DeSoto Copper Oxide Target at the Majuba Hill Project in Pershing County, Nevada. Recent recognition of the near surface copper oxide potential from historic core has been combined with the soil results reported on by the Company (Press Release October 14, 2021). This points to three areas within the DeSoto Copper Oxide zone. Bam Bam has filed an Amendment to the Notice that is in place with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for the exploration currently underway. Typically, the Notice Amendments are processed and accepted in a very timely fashion. The Company expects the same with this amendment and is making plans to move one of the drill rigs on the project over to test these areas. Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6332/99894_253a1e9cf47a6bd2_001full.jpg David Greenway, President and CEO, commented: "The expansion of the DeSoto Copper Oxide Target to over one mile long is important. Because of our improved understanding of the leaching and enrichment environment at DeSoto, these will be significant drill holes. The nearness to the Majuba-Known Copper Oxide zone drilling means that encouragement at DeSoto could have an immediate impact on the project." Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") Measures, Chain of Custody The Company has implemented a QA/QC program using best industry practices at the Majuba Hill Project. The samples are transported from the BBR secure warehouse or directly from the drill to the ALS Sample Prep Facility in Reno or Elko, Nevada. ALS then transports the prepared pulps to their analytical lab in Reno, Nevada or Vancouver, B.C. Soil and rock chip samples are transported by the company directly to Elko or Reno, Nevada. Story continues Drill core samples are sawn in half lengthwise and one half is placed in labeled cloth sample bags. All samples are analyzed for copper, gold, silver, and 33 other elements. Gold is determined by ALS method Au-AA23 which is a fire assay with an AAS finish on a 30 gram split. Copper, silver and the remaining 31 elements are determined by ALS method ME-ICP61 which is a four acid digestion and ICP-AES assay. Approximately 5% of the submitted samples are drill duplicates and copper-gold-porphyry commercial standard reference material pulps. The sample rejects and remaining pulps will be retrieved from ALS. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed by E.L. "Buster" Hunsaker III, CPG 8137, a non-independent consulting geologist who is a "Qualified Person" as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101"). About Bam Bam Resources Corp. Bam Bam Resources Corp. (CSE: BBR) (OTC Pink: NPEZF) (FSE: 4NPB) is engaged in the identification, review and acquisition of latter stage copper and copper/silver/gold assets. This is in direct response to the growing worldwide demand and lack of supply for precious metals fueled by the Green New Deal in the US and most other developed nations with similar programs aimed at addressing climate change. Such programs are heavily reliant on silver, gold and especially copper to produce Electric Vehicles and other renewable power sources, as well as building infrastructure to provide clean and affordable electricity. The flagship project is the Majuba Hill copper, silver and gold District located 156 miles outside Reno, Nevada, USA. Management has been mandated to focus on safe, mining friendly jurisdictions where government regulations are supportive of mining operations. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. On Behalf of the Board of Bam Bam Resources Corp. "David Greenway" David C. Greenway President & CEO For further information, please contact: Joel Warawa VP of Corporate Communications E: jw@bambamresources.com P: 1 (855) 475-0745 Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking" statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Bam Bam Resources Corp. believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Bam Bam Resources Corp. management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Bam Bam Resources Corp. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. ### To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/99894 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - BAROYECA GOLD & SILVER INC. (TSXV: BGS) (the "Company") is pleased to announce assay results from the first group of channel samples taken at 1m intervals over the first 18m of exploratory tunnel on Vein #2 at its Santa Barbara gold project in Bolivar, Colombia. The Santa Barbara exploratory tunnel has been driven for 150m following a continuous shoot in a gold bearing vein (Santa Barbara vein or Vein #1). Vein #2 is parallel to Vein #1 and was intersected after a 40m northwest directed crosscut tunnel perpendicular to Vein #1. Channel sampling started at meter 40 from where the exploratory crosscut tunnel intersected Vein #2 under existing artisanal mining works mapped on surface. The exploratory tunnel was driven for 9m to the southwest and 8.5m to the southeast following the vein from the crosscut tunnel where it was intersected. Channel samples collected by Baroyeca (see Fig. 1 and Table 1) average 30.99 g/t Au and 67.51 g/t Ag. Raul Sanabria, P.Geo., President of Baroyeca commented: "We are stunned by the initial high-grade gold assay results from Vein #2 which continues to demonstrate the quality of the Santa Barbara project. Having an average of one ounce per tonne gold over the first 18m of the tunnel indicates consistent mineralization and we expect to see this continue along strike as we have observed with the surface occurrences and as has been shown in Vein #1 where the mineralized shoot is still open along strike, and pending development. We plan to collect a minimum 100-ton bulk sample from Vein #2 while the exploration crosscut tunnel continues on to reach Veins #3 and #4." The gold mineralized vein averages slightly under 0.30m in width (in some areas up to 0.4m thick) and it follows a right lateral fault striking N040, dipping steeply to the NW. The vein shows between 10% and 60% sulfide content (pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and minor chalcopyrite) in a gangue of quartz, manganese-bearing carbonates and calcite. Chlorite and sericite are conspicuously present as alteration minerals. Breccias and multi-episode banded textures are the most commonly present. Story continues Table 1. Channel Sample summary from Santa Barbara tunnel (2020). Sample ID Width Au g/t Ag g/t V2 001 0.3 33.53 112.9 V2 002 0.3 60.12 124.1 V2 003 0.16 14.77 33.6 V2 004 0.37 36.55 65.3 V2 005 0.28 49.89 193 V2 006 0.34 43.22 101.1 V2 007 0.2 20.89 39.8 V2 008 0.22 14.33 39.4 V2 009 0.2 19.89 72.5 V2 010 0.19 39.89 101.6 V2 011 0.28 41.22 68 V2 012 0.14 17.67 45 V2 013 0.22 8.199 11.4 V2 014 0.21 13.78 44.7 V2 015 0.17 17.67 31.1 V2 016 0.12 35.66 59.6 V2 017 0.19 36.12 42.7 V2 018 0.17 8.564 29.5 Figure 1. Santa Barbara vein traces at surface (red), tunnel trace (blue) over satellite imagery and Au g/t assay results at each location of channel samples collected over Vein#2 and Vein #1. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7881/99927_a7d29a6c64f15b36_001full.jpg Sample collection method Channel sample collection was designed at 1m intervals and where possible samples are collected in the upper and lower parts of the tunnel. Sampling is supervised by a Qualified Person at all times for QA/QC purposes. Baroyeca will continue the bulk sampling process with the same methodology employed for bulk sample #1, collecting and processing at the pilot gold processing plant individual nominal 15-ton sample batches. The mining method employed at the tunnel consists of splitting the vein from the barren wall rock, separating and collecting the vein material with a minimum of wall rock shoulder attached. The vein material from the tunnel is then bagged at the tunnel portal in woven plastic bags and individually weighed until an approximate nominal 15-ton batch sized sample is completed. Samples are then loaded in random order in a truck and taken to the Santa Barbara pilot gold processing plant. At the plant site, sample bags are dumped in random order to pass through a first stage of crushing to 2 inch and then a second stage of crushing to 0.5 inch particle size. Crushed material is then stored in a bin with a vibrating door that self-feeds the primary ball mill. Crushed material is then sent to the primary ball mill (>40% passing 150 mesh) and secondary ball mill (>60% passing 200 mesh) connecting with the three 15m3 cyanide leaching talks where the pulp is agitated before adding any reagent for homogenization purposes. The pilot plant does not have any gravity separation stage or flotation system therefore there is no loss of material in the process and the sample pulp once reaches the cyanide leaching tanks can be considered the entire sample and the sample being homogenized. A 1 kg head grade sample is then collected from the tank before the cyanide leaching process can start. QA/QC Rock samples are shipped by transport truck in sealed woven plastic bags to SGS sample preparation facility in Medellin, Colombia for sample preparation and analysis. SGS operates according to the guidelines set out in ISO/IEC Guide 25. Gold is determined by fire-assay fusion of a 50 g sub-sample with atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Samples that return values >10 ppm gold from fire assay and AAS are determined by using fire assay and a gravimetric finish. Silver is analyzed by inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) atomic emission spectroscopy, following multi-acid digestion. Silver is determined by ore grade assay for samples that return >500 ppm. About Baroyeca Gold & Silver Inc. Baroyeca Gold & Silver Inc. is a mineral exploration company focused on high-grade silver and gold projects located in Colombia. Baroyeca's flagship asset is the high-grade Atocha Silver-Gold Project located in Tolima Department, Colombia. The Company also holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Santa Barbara Property, Bolivar Department, Colombia, which is renowned for its high-grade gold mineralization and vein density. Current exploration activities on the Santa Barbara Property involve the bulk sampling of vein structures, which material then feeds into a trial production facility which has consistently been producing gold for over a year. The revenue from the sale of produced gold defrays part of the operating costs. The Company is planning to expand these activities. The Company's Board and senior management are committed to creating shareholder value through the discovery process, careful allocation of capital, and environmentally and socially responsible mineral exploration. Qualified Person Raul Sanabria, M.Sc., P.Geo., President of Baroyeca Gold & Silver Inc. and a qualified person ("QP") as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release. BAROYECA GOLD & SILVER INC. Per: "Raul Sanabria" Raul Sanabria, President FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Wilson - (604) 351-3599 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/99927 New BDC CEO Isabelle Hudon and special guests launch a week of events to provide insight and practical advice for entrepreneurs adapting to a new business landscape MONTREAL, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - This year's edition of BDC Small Business WeekTM (SBW) is an opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs to learn how to build a (better) way forward in a landscape that has disrupted the way we do business at an unheard-of rate in the last 18 months. SBW is all about navigating a new business environment, where over 80% of entrepreneurs say it's their responsibility to take action to protect the environment, 55% of employees say they prefer to continue working remotely and 8 out of 10 Canadians having purchased online during the pandemic say they will continue doing so moving forward. From growing labour shortages and climate events to the rise of remote work and the expansion of e-commerce, businesses will need to focus on innovation, inclusion, and sustainability to maintain growth. "In the past 18 months, entrepreneurs have clearly shown their agility and resilience, multiplying efforts to deal with disruption," says Isabelle Hudon, the first woman to be President and CEO of BDC. "BDC Small Business Week is an important time to take a break, celebrate progress and reflect. I am convinced that entrepreneurs, with the positive lessons learned from the pandemic, their great capacity for innovation and their strength, will continue to reinvent themselves and review their activities in order to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy, Hudon notes. BDC Small Business WeekTM is going completely virtual for the second year. Events include: On October 18 at 12 p.m. EDT, a one-hour conversation with the following participants: On October 20 at 11:30 a.m. EDT , join Pierre Cleroux for a live event during which he'll provide an overview of the Canadian economy and the main indicators to watch. You will also learn about the big trends reshaping our new business environment and the tangible implications for business owners. On October 21 at 12 p.m. EDT, Diversity and inclusion 101 Join Devika Pandey Manager, Learning and Knowledge Solutions at the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), and Steve Yan, Senior Advisor, Diversity & Inclusion, BDC, for practical strategies and initiatives on D&I for your business. BDC works alongside many knowledgeable organizations such as Futurpreneur and WEConnect International to offer valuable content during this unique week. Entrepreneurs can benefit from their expertise by joining these special events. For more information on SBW events visit: https://www.bdc.ca/en/small-business-week/events. Story continues About BDC Small Business WeekTM BDC Small Business WeekTM, Oct. 17-23, is an annual event that celebrates Canadian entrepreneurship and is now in its 42nd edition. Each year, close to 10,000 businesses owners annually take advantage of this event to learn, network and celebrate entrepreneurship About BDC BDC is the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs. It provides access to financing, as well as advisory services to help Canadian businesses grow and succeed. Its investment arm, BDC Capital, offers a wide range of risk capital solutions. For more than 75 years, BDC's only purpose has been to support entrepreneurs in all industries and at all stages of growth. For more information and to consult more than 1,000 free tools, articles and entrepreneurs' stories, visit bdc.ca. SOURCE Business Development Bank of Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2021/18/c4858.html Facebook will hire 10,000 new high-skilled workers across Europe over the next five years to build a digital world called the metaverse. It is a term used to describe a virtual space where multiple people can exist and communicate within a 3D environment, using technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. The social media giant said Europe will be at the heart of shaping the metaverse from the start, which will help bring new creative, social, and economic opportunities to the European Union. Europe is hugely important to Facebook, the company said in a blog post on Sunday night. From the thousands of employees in the EU, to the millions of businesses using our apps and tools every day, Europe is a big part of our success, as Facebook is in the success of European companies and the wider economy. As it begins the journey of bringing the metaverse to life, Facebook said there is a need for highly specialised engineers. Mark Zuckerberg and his company have made the metaverse one of their top priorities. Facebook first unveiled its plans to build the metaverse in July, touting it as the next stage of how people experience the internet. In September, Facebook committed to investing $50m (36m) in a global research programme to develop it responsibly. Facebook defined its vision for the metaverse as a virtual space where people can hang out with friends, work, play, learn, shop, create and more. The company claimed that it does not necessitate being online more but being online in a more meaningful way. Just like the internet, the metaverse exists whether Facebook is there or not. And it wont be built overnight, Facebook said in September. The metaverse isnt a single product one company can build alone. Its target markets for hiring include Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands and Ireland. The UK will miss out after exiting the EU last year following 47 years of membership. Nick Clegg, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats who is now Facebooks head of global affairs, and Javier Olivan, its vice-president of central products, said this is an exciting time for European tech. Story continues The EU has a number of advantages that make it a great place for tech companies to invest a large consumer market, first-class universities and, crucially, top-quality talent, they wrote in a blog post on Sunday. The company added: We look forward to working with governments across the EU to find the right people and the right markets to take this forward, as part of an upcoming recruitment drive across the region. And as Facebook continues to grow in Europe, we hope to invest more in its talent and continue to innovate in Europe, for Europe and the world. Facebook recently unveiled Horizon Workrooms, a collaboration app where people can hold meetings as avatar versions of themselves in a virtual reality space with the help of the companys Oculus Quest headsets. Read More How to watch the latest Apple event and when it will happen Bitcoin price surge pushes crypto market close to new record high follow live New Macbook Pro set to be unveiled at Apple event live Startup that replaces pilots with robots raises $100M How one Facebook worker unfriended the giant social network Bitcoin ETF news sends price of crypto soaring SCS Global Services Verified the Rotunda Forest Project Developed by Global Forest Support VIENNA --News Direct-- SCS Global Services VIENNA and EMERYVILLE, Calif., October 18, 2021 /3BL Media/ - Global Forest Support GmbH (GFS) and SCS Global Services (SCS) announced the completion of validation and verification of the first European Improved Forest Management (IFM) carbon project under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) administered by Verra. Based on this verification, Verified Carbon Units (VCUs)/carbon offsets can now be issued in association with this project. The forest carbon project is situated inside the 10,000-hectare Rotunda Forest Estate located within the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. The project consists of a 1,500-hectare commercial forest located outside of the Carpathian Mountains National Park boundary; it is projected to sequester more than 6,600 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) per year from the atmosphere. Implementation of the VCS Methodology, VM0012 Improved Forest Management (IFM) in Temperate and Boreal Forests (LtPF), was a collaborative effort between the forest owner, SC Rotunda SRL (Romania), and GFS with its in-house implementation specialists, GreenRaise Consulting GmbH. We would like to thank and congratulate our partners on this historic and influential accomplishment, said Jason Zimmerman, Managing Partner at Global Forest Support. Becoming the first European project to implement this robust VCS methodology is a cornerstone event in 2021. GFS is proud to be part of the joint effort in the fight against global climate change. We look forward to announcing further forest carbon projects in Europe and North America. GFS underwent a rigorous third-party assessment by SCS of its project including stakeholder engagement, spatial analysis and technical review of its carbon emission calculations under the IFM methodology. Upon successful completion, SCS verified the project, which provides credible assurance of the projects impacts and carbon credits generated. Story continues Carbon offset projects are becoming increasingly important across the globe as organizations and communities seek ways to fight climate change, improve the livelihoods of community members, create new jobs, and ensure sustainable practices in forests for future generations to enjoy, said Christie Pollet-Young, Director of Greenhouse Gas Verification at SCS Global Services. We are honored to work with Global Forest Support to independently verify this forest offset project, demonstrating its commitment to protecting forests and reducing greenhouse gas emissions with impactful results. Congratulations to Global Forest Support for becoming the first to use this IFM methodology in Europe, said Anne Thiel, Senior Communications Manager at Verra. This methodology under the VCS program works to protect forests and avoid emissions. It credibly quantifies the GHG emission reductions generated by improving forest management and preventing logging in temperate and boreal forests. READ MORE About Global Forest Support GmbHFounded by a European and North American forest certification implementer and an international forest/farmland asset manager in cooperation with forest owners, Global Forest Support works with forest owners to implement carbon offset projects in Europe and North America. For more information, please visit www.globalforestsupport.com. CONTACT: JASON ZIMMERMANN, Managing Partner, jason.zimmermann@globalforestsupport.com About SCS Global ServicesFounded in 1984, SCS Global Services (SCS) is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in natural resource management, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, supply chains, climate mitigation and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. For more information, visit www.scsglobalservices.com. Learn more about Carbon Offset Project Validation and Verification at www.scsglobalservices.com/services/carbon-offset-verification. CONTACT: NIKKI HELMS, Senior Marketing Manager, nhelms@scsglobalservices.com About VerraVerra is a global leader helping to tackle the worlds most intractable environmental and social challenges. As a mission-driven non-profit organization, Verra is committed to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve livelihoods and protect natural resources by working with the private and public sectors. We support climate action and sustainable development with standards, tools and programs that credibly, transparently, and robustly assess environmental and social impacts and enable funding for sustaining and scaling up projects that verifiably deliver these benefits. We work in any arena where we see a need for clear standards, a role for market-based mechanisms, and an opportunity to generate significant environmental and social value. CONTACT: ANNE THIEL, Senior Communications Manager, athiel@verra.org View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from SCS Global Services on 3blmedia.com View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/first-european-improved-forest-management-carbon-offset-project-achieves-independent-verification-446631278 OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Bill Blair, confirmed that the Government has approved a Request for Federal Assistance to provide surge capacity support to the Northwest Territories with infection prevention and control (IPC), contact tracing, and COVID-19 testing efforts. The Canadian Red Cross will provide one operations lead and nine Epidemic Prevention Control specialists. This support will be effective from October 19 until November 14, with the possibility of one two-week extension to November 28, 2021. This latest Request for Federal Assistance builds upon the two IPC specialists being provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the virtual contact tracing being provided by Statistics Canada under an existing agreement with the Northwest Territories. This aid also builds on other supports provided to the Northwest Territories, including a recently approved extension until October 28 for health human resources being provided by the Canadian Red Cross. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government Operations Centre has administered 139 requests for assistance from federal, provincial, and territorial partners. These requests have been administered in collaboration with federal organizations such as the Department of National Defence, Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, and non-governmental partners, such as the Canadian Red Cross. Quotes "The federal government continues to provide support to provinces and territories as they need it. Protecting the health and safety of Canadians during the pandemic is our top priority, and we stand ready to help all provinces and territories when support is requested." - The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness "The Canadian Red Cross continues to work in support of Public Safety Canada and the Northwest Territories to help fellow Canadians battling a fourth wave of the pandemic. The Red Cross is ready and well-positioned to help with epidemic prevention and control expertise to help limit transmission of COVID-19 and will continue to strengthen its capacity in order to be ready to provide this and other vital assistance to communities most in need." Story continues - Mr. Conrad Sauve, President and CEO, Canadian Red Cross Quick Facts To date, the Government has approved a total of nine Requests for Federal Assistance (including extensions) to support the Northwest Territories with their COVID-19 response, including: The Government Operations Centre is responsible for coordinating the Government of Canada's response to emergency events including the pandemic. It supports the Public Health Agency of Canada, which is the federal government lead for the response to COVID-19. In Canada, emergencies are managed first at the municipal level and if they need assistance, they request it from their province or territory. If the emergency escalates further, provinces or territories can get help from the federal government. A Request for Federal Assistance is initiated when an emergency event overwhelms or threatens to overwhelm the resources of a province or territory and federal government help is needed to effectively support the impacted region. Should a province or territory make an official Request for Federal Assistance, there is a well-established process in place for managing the request, through the Government Operations Centre, and includes provincial/territorial and interdepartmental consultation and coordination. Related products Associated Links SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2021/18/c5903.html Supporting customers and local teams across high-growth markets SINGAPORE, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Graphcore - maker of the Intelligence Processing Unit and IPU-POD datacenter systems for AI - announces the opening of its Southeast Asia regional hub in Singapore. Logo The office will support Graphcore's local teams and customers across ASEAN's fast-growing economies, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore itself. Demand for IPU-POD datacenter compute systems continues to increase throughout Asia, with customers choosing Graphcore systems because of their superior performance on today's AI workloads and their ability to unlock new AI techniques for tomorrow's emerging applications. Most recently, Korean technology giant NHN and Korea Telecom announced plans to use IPU technology in upcoming AI datacenter projects. Welcoming new partners Graphcore is also expanding its presence in Southeast Asia with the expert support of three new Elite Partners NetWeb and Cxrus, headquartered in Singapore, and INT2, based in Vietnam - who join Graphcore's global partners. Working with NetWeb, Cxrus and INT2, Graphcore aims to put IPUs into the hands of many more innovators across the ASEAN region through cloud and on-prem deployments - enabling them to advance the application of machine intelligence in fields such finance, healthcare, scientific research, industrial and automotive. Southeast Asia Country Manager at Graphcore, Philip Tan said: "There is a tremendous appetite for Graphcore technology across Southeast Asia and we are making excellent progress adding new customers and partners." "By establishing our regional hub in Singapore, we will be better placed to serve our in-country teams, support Graphcore users and open up more new markets." A drive to innovate As well as serving as a centre for Graphcore's operations in Southeast Asia, Singapore itself is a rapidly growing consumer of leading-edge technology. Story continues Ranked as the world's 8th most innovative country, Singapore's vibrant ecosystem is often likened to Silicon Valley thanks to its vast community of start-ups, enterprises and early adopters. The Singaporean government invests significantly in R&D, with up to $150 million set to be invested in AI by 2025. Welcoming Graphcore's decision to locate in Singapore, Natalie Black, Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific, said: "We congratulate Graphcore on their expansion in Singapore. This company is a great example of the UK's exciting, innovative tech sector and of our world-beating expertise in AI and DeepTech. Graphcore continues Bristol's long legacy of hardware engineering, and demonstrates the deep UK-Singapore digital trade relationship." The opening of Graphcore Singapore will create a number of new jobs, increasing over time. Details of open positions at all of Graphcore's locations world-wide can be found at graphcore.ai/careers. Research resources Graphcore will also be using its Singapore centre as a base for collaboration with leading local AI research institutes and universities another vital aspect of Graphcore's mission to accelerate AI innovation. Research labs and universities in Singapore interested in joint research collaborations can apply to Graphcore's Academic Programme for the chance to test and use IPU hardware in the cloud at no cost. About Graphcore Graphcore's Intelligence Processing Unit (IPU) hardware and Poplar software helps innovators make new breakthroughs in machine intelligence. The IPU is the first processor to be designed specifically for Machine Intelligence and offers significant performance advantages compared to other computing hardware, typically used in artificial intelligence. Graphcore has raised more than $730m in funding from leading financial and strategic investors and is headquartered in Bristol UK, with offices in Cambridge UK, London UK, Beijing China, Oslo Norway, Palo Alto USA, Munich Germany, Paris France, Singapore, Seoul Korea and Tokyo Japan. SOURCE Graphcore /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/ Directors and Senior Executives Are Electing to be Paid in Stock for Fourth Quarter 2021 All figures in USD unless stated otherwise TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ - Halo Collective Inc. ("Halo" or the "Company") (NEO: HALO) (OTCQB: HCAND) (Germany: A9K0) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved proposed changes to the Company's senior officer and director compensation such that 100% of remuneration for all executive officers and directors for the remainder of calendar 2021 is expected to be paid in common shares of the Company ("Common Shares") in lieu of cash. As a result of this proposed change in the Company's compensation program, through the end of December 2021, the Company expects cash savings of approximately $2.1 million. The issuance of the Common Shares in lieu of cash is subject to the approval of the NEO Exchange, and the Company will provide additional details in respect of the Common Shares upon the issuance thereof. www.haloco.com (CNW Group/Halo Collective Inc.) Kiran Sidhu, Chief Executive Officer of Halo, said, "We are bullish about Halo and the opportunity that's right in front of us to build a leading multi-state operator (MSO) focused on the west coast while we unlock value in the Company through innovative transactions for certain of our business operations such as Akanda Corp. and our proposed spin-off of Halo Tek Inc. What better way to demonstrate our confidence and alignment with shareholders than for the 15 most senior leaders of the Company to all elect to take their compensation in Common Shares in lieu of cash. We look forward to benefiting alongside shareholders from the long-term value we are creating." The Company's Board of Directors is evaluating, at its discretion, extending the compensation change to the first quarter of 2022, subject to market conditions, stock exchange and regulatory approvals, and certain other factors. Story continues About Halo Collective Inc. Halo is a leading, vertically integrated cannabis company that cultivates, extracts, manufactures, and distributes quality cannabis flower, oils, and concentrates and has sold approximately eleven million grams of oils and concentrates since inception. The Company continues to expand its business and scale efficiently, partnering with trustworthy leaders in the industry who value Halo's operational expertise in bringing top-tier products to market. Halo currently operates in the United States in Oregon and California, Canada, Southern Africa in the Kingdom of Lesotho, and the United Kingdom. The Company sells cannabis products principally to dispensaries in the U.S. under its brands Hush, Mojave, and Exhale, and under license agreements with Papa's Herb, DNA Genetics, Terphogz, and FlowerShop*, a cannabis lifestyle and conceptual wellness brand that includes G-Eazy as a partner and key member. As part of continued expansion and vertical integration in the U.S., Halo boasts several grow operations throughout Oregon and two planned in California. In Oregon, the Company has a combined 12 acres of owned or contracted outdoor, green house and indoor cultivation, including East Evans Creek, a six-acre grow site in Jackson County with four licenses owned and operated by Halo and two third-party licenses under contract to sell all of their product to Halo; Winberry Farms, a one-acre grow site located 30 miles outside of Eugene in Lane County with a license owned and operated by Halo; and William's Wonder Farms, a three-acre grow site in Applegate Valley, under contract to sell all of its product to Halo pending the closing of Halo's acquisition of its licenses and business assets. Halo has recently acquired Food Concepts LLC, a master tenant of a 55,000 sq.ft. indoor cannabis cultivation, processing, and wholesaling facility in Portland, Oregon operated by the Pistil Point entities (the "Pistil Point Acquisition"). In California, the Company is building out Ukiah Ventures, a planned 30,000 sq. ft. indoor cannabis grow and processing facility, which will include up to an additional five acres of industrial land to expand the site. Recently, Halo partnered with Green Matter Holding in California to purchase a property in Lake County, developing up to 63 acres of cultivation, comprising one of the largest licensed single site grows in California. Halo also plans to expand its operations in California by opening three dispensaries in North Hollywood, Hollywood, and Westwood. In Canada, Halo acquired three KushBar retail cannabis stores located in Alberta as a first in its planned entry into the Canadian market, leveraging its Oregon and California brands. With the KushBar retail stores as a foundation, the Company plans to expand its foothold in Canada. Halo has also acquired a range of software development assets, including CannPOS, Cannalift, and, more recently, CannaFeels. In addition, Halo owns the discrete sublingual dosing technology, Accudab. The Company intends to spin-off these assets and its intellectual property and patent applications into its subsidiary Halo Tek Inc. and expects to complete a distribution to shareholders on a record date to be determined by Halo. Halo has recently announced its intention to reorganize its non-U.S. operations into a newly formed entity called Akanda Corp., whose mission is to provide high-quality and ethically sourced medical cannabis products to patients worldwide. Akanda will seek to deliver on this promise while driving positive change in wellness, empowering individuals in Lesotho, and uplifting the quality of the lives of employees and the local communities where it operates, all while limiting its carbon footprint. Akanda will combine the scaled production capabilities of Bophelo Bioscience & Wellness Pty. Ltd., Halo's Lesotho-based cultivation and processing campus located in the world's first Special Economic Zone (SEZ) containing a cannabis cultivation operation, with distribution and route-to-market efficiency of Canmart Ltd., Halo's UK-based fully approved pharmaceutical importer, and distributor that supplies pharmacies and clinics within the U.K. With a potential maximum licensed canopy area of 200 hectares (495 acres), Bophelo has scalability that is arguably unmatched in the world today. For further information regarding Halo, see Halo's disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Connect with Halo Collective: Email | Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results including, but not limited to the proposed issuance of Common Shares to the Company's senior executive and directors in lieu of cash, the Company's plans to expand in Canada and California, the expected size and capabilities of the final facility planned at Ukiah Ventures, the size of Halo's planned cultivation facility in Northern California, the ability of Bophelo and Canmart to serve the U.K. market, the proposed spin-off with Halo Tek Inc. and Halo's proposed plans to reorganize its non-U.S. operations via Akanda Corp. By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Halo is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Halo has made certain assumptions. Although Halo believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Among others, the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: delays in obtaining any required regulatory approvals in connection with the Transaction, the inability of Akanda to raise capital on the terms currently expected by management of Akanda, changes in the consumer market for cannabis products, changes in the expected outcomes of the proposed changes to Halo's operations, delays in obtaining required licenses or approvals necessary for the build-out of Oregon operations, the proposed spin-out with Halo Tek Inc. or the proposed reorganization with Akanda Corp., delays or unforeseen costs incurred in connection with construction, the ability of competitors to scale operations in Northern California, delays or unforeseen difficulties in connection with the cultivation and harvest of Halo's raw material, changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; and the other risks disclosed in the Company's annual information form dated March 31, 2021 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Halo does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Halo or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. Non-Solicitation This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. SOURCE Halo Collective Inc. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2021/18/c9620.html INNIO Jenbacher offers solutions for off-grid stationary charging stations Jenbacher gas engines portfolio is "Ready for H2" and can be converted from natural gas to 100% hydrogen operations after modification later INNIO signed a contract with L-Charge to deliver a Jenbacher J312 gas engine for an off-grid charging station JENBACH, Austria, October 18, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--INNIO* Jenbacher* is offering gas engine solutions to help accelerate the ramp up of off-grid power charging for electric vehicles. Starting with natural gas, Jenbacher gas engines can be converted to hydrogen operation once hydrogen experiences increased economic availability. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005135/en/ Leon van Vuuren, Vice President Global Regions of INNIO Jenbacher and Dmitry Lashin, General Director of L-Charge (Photo: Business Wire) A huge portion of global greenhouse gas emissions is caused by transport activities. To significantly reduce greenhouse emissions, it is necessary to drive the transformation towards e-mobility and this requires the development of a widespread and powerful charging infrastructure. In order to foster the common goal of sustainable mobility, INNIO Jenbacher cooperates with L-Charge and supplies a Jenbacher J312 gas engine (600 kW). This engine will be the core of the solution L-Charge Stationary a stationary mini-power station for fast charging of EV. "To accelerate the ramp up of EV we are actively working on the creation of charging stations operating on natural gas and hydrogen. INNIO Jenbacher is a leading provider of gas engines solutions, distinguished by the efficiency and high fuel flexibility of its products and has just recently launched the first Ready for H2 product portfolio. We hope that the testing will be successful and intend to purchase many more Jenbacher gas engines for EV stationary charging stations." Dmitry Lashin, General Director of L-Charge. Story continues "We are pleased to be working with L-Charge on this innovative approach to providing off-the-grid power charging. INNIO is a shaper of the energy transition. Jenbacher gas engines offer affordable, reliable, and sustainable decentralized power solutions that can help build off-grid power charging for electric vehicles. Our technology provides the power where it is needed, directly at the point of use. And, with our Ready for H2 product portfolio, L-Charge is investing in our future-proofed technology that operates with natural gas today while having the option to convert to hydrogen when the supply becomes more readily available." - Leon van Vuuren, Vice President Global Regions of INNIO Jenbacher. *Indicates a trademark. About L-Charge L-Charge is a Russian-American EV charger manufacturer, providing rapidly scalable off-grid ultra-fast chargers powered by clean fuels. The innovative EV charger is offered in two variants: stationary and mobile. The stationary version can be installed in any location supermarkets, hotels, roads, traditional petrol stations, etc. The mobile version is an on-wheel unit that can move around a city and charge EVs. In July, the first mobile EV charger by L-Charge starts to patrol Moscow city streets, providing on-demand charging service to electric vehicles. Nearest plans to build 45 EV charging units to launch them as a mobile charger in Paris, Berlin, New York, Amsterdam and London. About INNIO INNIO is a leading provider of renewable gas, natural gas, and hydrogen-rich solutions and services for power generation and gas compression at or near the point of use. With our Jenbacher and Waukesha gas engines, INNIO helps to provide communities, industry and the public access to sustainable, reliable and economical power ranging from 200 kW to 10 MW. We also provide life-cycle support and digital solutions to the more than 53,000 delivered gas engines globally, through our service network in more than 100 countries. We deliver innovative technology driven by decarbonization, decentralization, and digitalization to help lead the way to a greener future. Headquartered in Jenbach, Austria, the business also has primary operations in Welland, Ontario, Canada, and Waukesha, Wisconsin, U.S. For more information, visit the company's website at www.innio.com. Follow INNIO on Twitter and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005135/en/ Contacts Susanne Reichelt INNIO +43 664 80833 2382 susanne.reichelt@innio.com Dan Pototsky L-Charge +7 926 423 8262 media@l-charge.org RADNOR, Pa., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP reminds The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM) ("Boston Beer") investors that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of those who purchased or acquired Boston Beer securities betweeen April 22, 2021 and September 8, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). KTMC (PRNewsFoto/Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check) Lead Plaintiff Deadline: November 15, 2021 Click Here to Submit Your Boston Beer Investment Losses Contact: James Maro, Esq. (484) 270-1453 Toll free (844) 887-9500 Boston Beer is a high-end alcoholic beverage company that produces hard seltzer, malt beverages, and hard cider at its cidery and under contractual arrangements at other brewery locations. The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, the defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Boston Beer's hard seltzer sales were decelerating; (2) as a result, Boston Beer was reasonably likely to incur inventory write-offs; (3) Boston Beer was reasonably likely to incur shortfall fees payable to third party brewers; (4) as a result of the foregoing, Boston Beer's financial results would be adversely impacted; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, the defendants' positive statements about the company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. Boston Beer investors may, no later than November 15, 2021 , seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP, or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. In order to be appointed as a lead plaintiff, the Court must determine that the class member's claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. Story continues Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country involving securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties and other violations of state and federal law. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP is a driving force behind corporate governance reform, and has recovered billions of dollars on behalf of institutional and individual investors from the United States and around the world. The firm represents investors, consumers and whistleblowers (private citizens who report fraudulent practices against the government and share in the recovery of government dollars). The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com. CONTACT: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP James Maro, Jr., Esq. 280 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 (844) 887-9500 (toll free) info@ktmc.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kessler-topaz-meltzer--check-llp--securities-fraud-class-action-filed-against-the-boston-beer-company-inc-301401401.html SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP LATI confirms its commitment to sustainability and to offering alternatives to fossil fuel plastics with the signing of a distribution agreement with The Hemp Plastic Company VEDANO OLONA, Italy and BOULDER, Colo., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LATI Industria Termoplastici of Vedano Olona, Italy ("LATI"), a leader in self-extinguishing and high performance thermoplastic compounds, and The Hemp Plastic Company, of Boulder, Colorado, USA ("THPC") a leading provider of sustainable hemp plastics today announced that the parties have signed an agreement for the distribution of The Hemp Plastic Company's line of ecological hemp blended plastics. These hemp plastics are usable across diverse sectors in the plastics industry, from packaging to automotive, from furniture to toys, and many others. The Hemp Plastic Company The road to a greener future undertaken by LATI, one of the most important European producers of technical thermoplastics for engineering use, continues thanks to this agreement with The Hemp Plastic Company for the distribution of environmentally friendly compounds that can address the technical, safety and supply requirements of different industrial sectors. For years LATI has been committed to offering alternatives to plastics based solely on non-renewable sources, with a lower environmental impact. LATI's range now includes sustainable products such as compounds based on polymers from mechanical or chemical recycling or from renewable sources. The themes of reuse and circularity have been in LATI's DNA since its foundation in 1945, when Cosimo Conterno founded the first factory to recycle war remnants. Since then, LATI has never abandoned its vocation towards circular economy and sustainability. "We are pleased to be working with LATI to bring our line of environmentally friendly hemp polymers to the European market," said Glen Kayll, CEO of The Hemp Plastic Company. "Hemp is one of nature's greatest natural carbon absorbers, and together with a leader like LATI, we can accelerate our mutual customers' transition to sustainable alternatives that reduce plastic and carbon emissions and are affordable, available in volume and relatively simple to implement." Story continues "Sustainability has always been a fundamental value for LATI that guides the way of conducting business and relating to all stakeholders," - said Vittorio Gerola, Sales Director of LATI. "Thanks to the partnership with The Hemp Plastic Company we provide an additional solution to the sustainability goals of our customers, and to reduce carbon emissions." LATI Industria Termoplastici S.p.A. Founded in 1945, LATI Industria Termoplastici S.p.A. is an independent European compounder at the forefront of self-extinguishing and high-performance thermoplastic compounds. Thanks to its technical expertise and an extremely varied product portfolio, LATI is able to provide customers with an answer to the most demanding applications requiring special materials and specific design know-how. All LATI's products are designed and developed to meet the most challenging requirements of its customers and according to the strictest quality controls. Mainly involved in the market of compounds for electrical and electronic equipment, household appliances and automotive, LATI provides solutions for any sector with a focus on sustainability and circular economy. The company is characterized by an annual production capacity of 40,000 tons developed in the two sites of Vedano Olona and Gornate Olona, 2,400 active formulations, 282 employees and about 2,000 customers. LATI achieved sales of EUR 130.9 million in 2020. The Hemp Plastic Company Founded in 2018, The Hemp Plastic Company develops, manufactures and sells advanced hemp biocomposites for leading organizations around the globe, including those in the packaging, component, durable goods, agricultural, industrial, sheet and construction markets. The Company provides a wide range of competitively priced standard and custom polymers to meet specific customer needs. For more information about THPC, visit the Company's website at www.hempplastic.com. LATI Industria Termoplastici Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lati-industria-termoplastici-signs-with-the-hemp-plastic-company-for-the-distribution-of-hemp-plastics-in-europe-301401837.html SOURCE The Hemp Plastic Company Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - Matica Enterprises Inc. (CSE: MMJ) (FSE: 39N) (OTCQB: MMJFF) ("Matica" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company's subsidiary, RoyalMax Biotechnology Canada Inc. D.B.A. West Island Culture ("West Island") has signed a Master Supply Agreement with the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation, doing business as the Ontario Cannabis Store (the "OCS"), which is the sole wholesale distributor of cannabis for the province. West Island was selected as part of the OCS's Limited Release program. Matica CEO, Boris Ziger states, "We welcome the opportunity to introduce our OUESTTM brand of premium craft cannabis to Ontario. We begin our entry into Canada's largest cannabis market with our flagship 'Sweet Demon', a super premium product that has become an instant classic in the Prairies. It is a privilege to be able to serve the people of Ontario and deliver the kind of rare quality that the market is now demanding." About Matica Matica is a multi-faceted, innovative company in the Quebec cannabis space. Its subsidiary, RoyalMax Biotechnology Canada Inc. is a Dorval, Quebec based Health Canada Licence Holder with standard cultivation licence, standard processing, medical sales and sales licences. Matica continues to work with Yunify Natural Technologies, a Quebec based health and personal care research and innovation company to develop proprietary products for Matica and RoyalMax, including topicals and ionic mists. Through its acquisition of Trichome Treats, an award winning chocolatier, Matica and RoyalMax intend on introducing edibles into the RoyalMax product mix. For more information on Matica Enterprises please visit the website at: www.maticaenterprises.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors MATICA ENTERPRISES INC. Boris Ziger Boris Ziger, CEO & Chairman The Company's public filings are available for review at www.sedar.com and www.thecse.com. Story continues For further information, please contact Boris Ziger, at: Telephone: 416-304-9935 E-mail: info@maticaenterprises.com Website: www.maticaenterprises.com , www.maticammj.com Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. The Corporation assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Corporation. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Corporation's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com. This news release contains statements about the Company's information that may be made available on the S&P Capital IQ Corporation Records Listing Program and the business of Matica that are forward-looking in nature and as a result, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them as actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, except as required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. We seek Safe Harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/99872 BERLIN, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ - My husband, Whit, and I, along with our fellow Canadian delegates, would like to thank President Steinmeier, as well as the German people, for welcoming us so warmly. Canadians and Germans share so much: core values, personal ties and common ground. More than 3 million Canadians are of German descent, deepening our people-to-people ties. Recently, Canadians have focused on the importance of and need for reconciliation, confronting great truths about the treatment of Indigenous peoples throughout our history. As a result, we are revisiting our past, seeing it in a different light. Though some truths can hurt, we are stronger when we face them together and reconcile past mistakes with future hope. By reaching beyond languages and borders, and by listening to and learning from each other, we can promote inclusion and diversity in our respective countries and on the world stage. One way to promote greater understanding is through our deep cultural links, which continue to grow. Canada is proud and grateful to be the Guest of Honour at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair. I'm looking forward to attending the opening ceremony and the launch of the Canada Pavilion. We hope to share the best of Canadian literature and culture with all Germans, and with the world. I'm also eager to meet with German officials, authors and many others, as well as to visit important German cultural sites, such as Humboldt Forum and the Jewish Museum in Berlin, and the Archaeological Museum in Frankfurt. I will also be meeting with Chancellor Merkel to congratulate her and express our country's gratitude on her 16 years of leadership. I look forward to strengthening the already robust relationship between our two countries. Mary May Simon Stay connected: Follow GovernorGeneralCanada on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. SOURCE Governor General of Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2021/18/c9986.html VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 18, 2021 / Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQX:PMMCF) is pleased to provide an update regarding its 4,200-hectare Block 4 Project in northern Chile, where the Company has completed detailed surface geological reconnaissance together with a ground magnetic geophysical survey of the project area. Pampa Metals' Block 4 project is located along the Cordillera de Domeyko Porphyry Copper Belt in northern Chile, which is host to some of the world's largest copper deposits and mines. The property is located along a highly prolific segment of this Andean mineral belt, centred along trend some 110 km south of the giant La Escondida - Zaldivar copper mining district and 115 km north-northeast of the El Salvador copper mine. Pampa Metals has a unique property portfolio of eight (8) projects covering a series of greenfield copper and gold targets along the highly productive, world-class mineral belts of northern Chile. The company has a highly qualified board and management, with lengthy experience with major and junior companies, participation in significant discoveries, and multiple decades of experience in South America. Current technical activities include: Ongoing geophysical, geochemical, and geological surveys have identified high-quality drill targets on 4 wholly owned projects; Recent drilling at 2 of these projects has given clear vectors towards what are interpreted to be mineralised porphyry centers; Value-add via third party expenditures with an Option & JV Agreement at 2 additional projects. Block 4: Summary & Highlights Intense quartz-veinlet stockwork in dacitic porphyry intrusion discovered in limited outcrops in center of Block 4 property boundary. Characteristic of porphyry gold systems elsewhere. Limited outcrops allow for limited rock-chip sampling - results pending. Clear, discrete, magnetic high associated with area of quartz-veinlet stockworking. No historic drilling associated with this discovered zone of interest. Other magnetic features of potential interest occur within the property boundary, including an area with sporadic copper oxides at surface that has been subject to historic (old) RC drilling (results unknown to the Company). Magnetic features of interest under cover to the east and north of the principal zone of interest are associated with lineaments that possibly reflect the extensions of mapped north-south faults. Further work programs being planned. Block 4: Technical Details Story continues The Pampa Metals technical team in Chile completed a 1:5000 geological mapping survey of the Company's 4,200 Ha Block 4 project in early October 2021. This work followed on from the recent completion of a ground-based magnetic survey (see news release dated August 3, 2021), which identified several magnetic anomalies of potential interest. Field mapping has delineated lithological units, structures, hydrothermal alteration, and mineralisation within the Block 4 property, where outcropping. Block 4 is located along the Cordillera de Domeyko Porphyry Belt - the world's most prolific copper producing belt - about 110 km south of the La Escondida - Zaldivar copper mining cluster (Figure 1). Significant portions of the Block 4 project area are characterised by post-mineral Miocene to Recent alluvial and volcanic cover, particularly to the north and east within the property boundary, where the underlying geology is obscured. Elevated sierras around the western and southern margins of the property expose basement rocks that include Palaeozoic felsic volcanics and intrusions, and Mid- to Late- Triassic andesites, sediments and andesite-dacite porphyries. The basement rocks are limited to the east by a series of north-south to north-northeast faults, which to the north have continuity with the Escondida Fault that cuts the La Escondida - Zaldivar mining district. Old reports and regional data indicate that Jurassic sediments are intruded by Lower Tertiary dioritic rocks under the gravels to the east of the north-south fault system. Palaeozoic felsic volcanic rocks in the central-northeastern part of the property display copper-oxide mineralization at surface associated with hydrothermal alteration with quartz veins and veinlets, the relationship of which to porphyry systems has been tested in the past by eleven, old, third-party RC drill holes identified on this portion of the property, the results of which are unknown to Pampa Metals. Felsic basement rocks in the central part of the project area are cut by a possibly Lower- to Mid- Tertiary porphyry of fine, dacitic composition that is poorly exposed over an approximate area of 600m x 300m. This shows strong evidence of porphyry-type development with phyllic alteration and narrow and thick veinlets of "A" type quartz veinlets together with sinuous, banded grey quartz veinlets (see photograph below). This veinlet style is typical of some gold-rich porphyry systems in northern Chile. Limited samples (due to the lack of outcrop) have been submitted for chemical analysis, with results pending. Quartz-Veinlet Stockwork in Center of Block 4 Project Area "A"-Type and Banded Grey Quartz Veinlets Various processed product maps from a ground magnetic geophysical survey recently completed at Block 4 consistently reveal a clear, isolated magnetic high in the central part of the property, which is coincident with the zone of quartz-veinlet stockworks. The magnetic anomaly is about 800m x 800m in surface plan view, and depth slices of the data suggest a subvertical, conical body at least 750m in vertical extent, possibly connected to a larger intrusion to the northeast and southeast (Figure 2). The magnetic data indicate additional anomalies that may be associated with magmatic centres and/or porphyry-related hydrothermal alteration zones, with minor copper oxides occurring in the exposed zones, while others under cover are associated with north-south faults or magnetic lineaments. One of these has 4 historic RC drill holes on its margins, with unknown results. Pampa Metals continues with the processing and interpretation of its field geological and geophysical data, including pending chemical analyses from limited sampling, to decide the next steps for the project, which may include one or more of further geological work, limited trenching, additional geophysical surveys, and reconnaissance drilling. Qualified Person Technical information in this news release has been approved by Mario Orrego G, Geologist and a Registered Member of the Chilean Mining Commission and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Orrego is a consultant to the Company. Note: The reader is cautioned that the Block 4 Project is an early-stage exploration property and reference to existing mines and deposits, or mineralization hosted on adjacent and nearby properties, is not necessarily indicative of any mineralization hosted on the Block 4 Project. COVID-19 The global outbreak of COVID-19 has led governments worldwide to enact emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus. Such measures may result in a period of business disruption including reduced operations, which could have a material adverse impact on the Company's results of operations, financial condition and the market and trading price of the Company's securities. As of the date of this news release, the duration and immediate and eventual impact of the COVID-19 pandemic remain unknown. It is not possible to reliably estimate the length and severity of these developments and the impact on the financial results and condition of the Company. The outbreak of COVID-19 has not caused significant disruptions to the Company's business to date, with field activities being conducted by Chile-based specialists and consultants, although international travel to Chile for management has not been possible to date. Important business communication is largely reliant on digital media. Notwithstanding progress to date, the COVID-19 outbreak may yet cause disruptions to the Company's business and operational plans. ABOUT PAMPA METALS Pampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE:PM) as well as the Frankfurt (FSE:FIRA) and OTC (OTCQB:PMMCF) exchanges. Pampa Metals owns a highly prospective 59,000-hectare portfolio of eight projects for copper and gold located along proven mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. The Company has a vision to create value for shareholders and all other stakeholders by making a major copper discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile, using the best geological and technological methods. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website www.pampametals.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Julian Bavin | Chief Executive Officer www.pampametals.com INVESTOR CONTACT Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos | Director investors@pampametals.com Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements." All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Figure 1: Location of Block 4 on Regional Map Together with Other Pampa Metals' Properties Along Domeyko Copper Belt (Blue Polygons) Figure 2: Block 4 - Ground Magnetics - MVI @ 100m Depth Central Magnetic Feature Coincides with Outcropping Quartz-Veinlet Stockwork Zone Isolated Anomalies in Central Western Portion of Project Area are of Potential Interest "Rubble" Anomalies to North & East Reflect Ignimbrite in Post-Mineral Cover SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/668435/Pampa-Metals-Identifies-Intense-Porphyry-Related-Quartz-Vein-Stockwork-at-Surface-at-Its-Block-4-Project-After-Completing-Geological-and-Geophysical-Reconnaissance To NASDAQ Copenhagen Executive Board Lers Parkalle 100 DK-2100 Kbenhavn www.rd.dk Telephone +45 7012 5300 Telefax +45 4514 9622 18 October 2021 Company Announcement No 88/2021 Prepayments, Realkredit Danmark A/S Pursuant to 24 of the Capital Markets Act, Realkredit Danmark A/S hereby publishes prepayments as at Friday 15 October 2021. Please find the data in the attached file. The information will also be available on www.rd.dk . Yours sincerely The Executive Board Any additional questions should be addressed to Hella Gebhardt Rnnebk, Chief Analyst, phone +45 4513 2068. Attachments New Name, Same Mission CALGARY, AB, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ - PsiloTec Health Solutions Inc. ("PsiloTec" or the "Company"), a mental healthcare and psychedelic therapy focused innovator, today announced rebranding and launch as Zylorion Health ("Zylorion" or the "Company"). The Company has been operating as PsiloTec since its inception, and the new brand and corporate logo comes at an important inflection point in the development of the Company and execution of the business strategy. Zylorion Health (CNW Group/Zylorion Health) "Our vision of achieving meaningful improvements in the lives of the estimated 971 million people globally experiencing some form of mental health condition, is becoming clear as the promise of psychedelics and enhanced therapies comes to life. Zylorion, derived from the words 'Zeal' to approach the cause with enthusiasm and 'Orion' as the rising star, is the quintessential name to guide us on our journey." Dr. Peter Silverstone, CEO & Director The Zylorion name is rooted in the Company's uncompromising commitment to growth and the opportunity to provide relief, restore and heal. We are bound by the convergence of inspirational new compounds, proprietary therapy programs, rigorous application of scientific approaches, and leading technologies, that together have potential to revolutionize the treatment of mental health conditions. The rebrand was carefully arrived at to reflect the vision of the Company and its mission to work collaboratively with practitioners to transform mental health care and address the growing crisis around the world. "The need for mental health support and treatment is absolutely overwhelming and of course, it's being made worse in the COVID-19 environment", commented Dr. Silverstone. "It is our goal to be an industry leading provider of psychedelic-based therapies that are developed through clinical trials with proven efficacy." Story continues PsiloTec has previously announced that the Company has entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the "LOI") with Michichi Capital Corp. (TSXV:MCCP.P) ("Michichi") to complete a business combination or other similarly structured transaction (the "Proposed Transaction") which will constitute a reverse take-over of Michichi. The process is on-going and pursuant to the terms of the LOI, completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to the satisfaction of various conditions as are standard for a transaction of this nature, including, but not limited to: (a) approval by the boards of directors and shareholders, to the extent required, of each of PsiloTec and Michichi in respect of the Proposed Transaction; (b) receipt of all required regulatory and third party approvals, including TSXV approval, and compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and conditions necessary to complete the Proposed Transaction; (c) the satisfactory completion of due diligence by both Michichi and PsiloTec; (d) the Proposed Transaction being structured in a manner that is satisfactory to PsiloTec and Michichi; (e) the absence of any change in the affairs of PsiloTec or Michichi that would have a material adverse effect; and (f) the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement in respect of the Proposed Transaction. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed on the terms proposed or at all. About Zylorion Zylorion is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and delivery of integrated mental health therapies to address psychological and neurological mental health conditions. Zylorion is focused on the research, development and commercialization of psychedelic-based compounds coupled with therapeutic treatment programs targeting a continuum of mental health conditions, such as MDD (major depressive disorder), TRD (treatment resistant depression), PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), general depression, anxiety disorders, and a number of addictive tendencies. Zylorion aims to leverage leading technologies to support the scalability and accessibility of its integrated therapy programs in its mission to enable those experiencing mental health challenges to thrive. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses 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 information. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/psilotec-announces-rebranding-and-launch-as-zylorion-health-301402031.html SOURCE Zylorion Health Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2021/18/c2078.html As the First Laboratory to Validate Ki-67 IHC MIB-1 pharmDx (Dako Omnis), Quest Plans to Make Testing Available Nationally by the End of October SECAUCUS, N.J., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, today announced that it will provide clinical laboratory testing using the Ki-67 IHC MIB-1 pharmDx (Dako Omnis) immunohistochemistry companion diagnostic. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated logo. (PRNewsFoto/Quest Diagnostics Incorporated) On October 13, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Eli Lilly and Company's Verzenio (abemaciclib), in combination with endocrine therapy (tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor), for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-), node-positive, early breast cancer (EBC) at high risk of recurrence and a Ki-67 score of 20% as determined by an FDA-approved test. Ki-67 is a marker of cellular proliferation. Verzenio is the first and only CDK4/6 inhibitor approved for this patient population. In aligned actions, the FDA also granted pre-market approval to Ki-67 IHC MIB-1 pharmDx (Dako Omnis) from Agilent Technologies, Inc. as a companion diagnostic for Verzenio. Quest is the first laboratory to have validated the test in conjunction with Agilent. Since the validation of an IVD assay can take weeks, Quest is committed to providing the test as soon as possible, with plans to make it nationally available by the end of the month. "The imminent addition of Ki-67 IHC MIB-1 pharmDx (Dako Omnis) testing to our oncology menu underscores our commitment to providing precision medicine innovations with potential to improve outcomes for patients with cancer," said Kristie Dolan, General Manager, Oncology Franchise, Quest Diagnostics. "It also reflects our ability to create value-producing relationships across healthcare, building on our long-standing precision medicine collaboration with Agilent." Story continues Quest Diagnostics is a leading diagnostics services provider in oncology and genetics. Covering the breadth of diagnostic services, from screening and diagnosis to treatment selection, prognosis and monitoring recurrence, the company's expertise spans nearly all cancers, including breast, thyroid, lung cancer, colorectal, prostate, cervical, multiple myeloma and leukemia/lymphoma, among others. About Early Breast Cancer and Risk of Recurrence It is estimated that 90 percent of all breast cancers are detected at an early stage. Although the prognosis for HR+ HER2- EBC is generally positive, 20 percent of patients will experience recurrence potentially to incurable metastatic disease.1 Risk of recurrence is greatest within the initial two to three years post-diagnosis, particularly in patients with node-positive, high risk EBC.2 Factors associated with high risk of recurrence include: positive nodal status, large tumor size (5 cm), high tumor grade (Grade 3), and high rate of cellular proliferation [Ki-67 score (20%)].3 Node-positive means that cancer cells from the tumor in the breast have been found in the lymph nodes in the armpit area. Although the breast cancer is removed through surgery, the presence of cancer cells in the lymph nodes signifies that there is a higher chance of the cancer returning and spreading. About Breast Cancer Breast cancer has now surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide in females, according to GLOBOCAN. With approximately 685,000 deaths in 2020, breast cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer death worldwide.4 In the U.S., it is estimated that there will be 281,550 new cases of breast cancer in 2021.5 Approximately 70 percent of all breast cancers are of the HR+ HER2- subtype.5 About Verzenio (abemaciclib) Verzenio abemaciclib is a targeted treatment known as a CDK4/6 inhibitor. Verzenio is a non-chemotherapy oral tablet. Verzenio works inside the cell to block CDK4/6 activity and help stop the growth of cancer cells, so they may eventually die (based on preclinical studies).* Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK)4/6 are activated by binding to D-cyclins. In estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer cell lines, cyclin D1 and CDK4/6 promote phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein (Rb), cell cycle progression, and cell proliferation. In vitro, continuous exposure to Verzenio inhibited Rb phosphorylation and blocked progression from G1 to S phase of the cell cycle, resulting in senescence and apoptosis (cell death). Preclinically, Verzenio dosed daily without interruption resulted in reduction of tumor size. Inhibiting CDK4/6 in healthy cells can result in side effects, some of which may be serious. Clinical evidence also suggests that Verzenio crosses the blood-brain barrier. In patients with advanced cancer, including breast cancer, concentrations of Verzenio and its active metabolites (M2 and M20) in cerebrospinal fluid are comparable to unbound plasma concentrations. Verzenio is Lilly's first solid oral dosage form to be made using a faster, more efficient process known as continuous manufacturing. Continuous manufacturing is a new and advanced type of manufacturing within the pharmaceutical industry, and Lilly is one of the first companies to use this technology. INDICATIONS FOR VERZENIO Verzenio (abemaciclib) in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-), node-positive, early breast cancer (EBC) at high risk of recurrence and a Ki-67 score of 20% as determined by an FDA-approved test. Verzenio is indicated for the treatment of HR+ HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer: in combination with an aromatase inhibitor for postmenopausal women, and men, as initial endocrine-based therapy in combination with fulvestrant for adult patients with disease progression following endocrine therapy as a single agent for adult patients with disease progression following endocrine therapy and prior chemotherapy in the metastatic setting Please see full Prescribing Information for Verzenio. About Quest Diagnostics Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com. 1 Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group (EBCTCG). Effects of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy for early breast cancer on recurrence and 15-year survival: an overview of the randomised trials. Lancet. 2005;365(9472):1687-1717. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66544-0. 2 Verzenio [package insert]. Indianapolis, IN: Eli Lilly and Company. 3 Cheng L, Swartz MD, Zhao H, et al. Hazard of recurrence among women after primary breast cancer treatment--a 10-year follow-up using data from SEER-Medicare. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012;21:800-809. 4 Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, et al. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2021;71(3):209-249 5 National Cancer Institute, SEER. Cancer Stat Facts: Female Breast Cancer. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html. Accessed September 14, 2021. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quest-diagnostics-to-introduce-ki-67-ihc-mib-1-pharmdx-the-first-companion-diagnostic-for-eli-lilly-and-companys-verzenio-abemaciclib-a-cdk46-inhibitor-for-certain-people-with-hr-her2--high-risk-early-breast-cancer-301401714.html SOURCE Quest Diagnostics Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road Exterior Representative exterior photo of the future Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road neighborhood Representative exterior photo of the future Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road neighborhood Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road Interior Representative interior photo of the future Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road neighborhood Representative interior photo of the future Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road neighborhood Charlotte, N.C., Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Redwood Living, Inc. is currently under construction with its third Charlotte-area neighborhood of single-story apartment homes. Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road will feature 102 apartment homes in a mix of four different floor plans ranging in size from 1,294-1,343 square feet. Monthly rent will start at $1,674, and the first residents are expected to start moving in this January. The Redwood experience has been well-received in this growing region, so we are thrilled to continue our momentum and offer even more top-notch apartment homes for Charlotte residents, said David Conwill, CEO of Redwood. The opening of Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road is an exciting start to 2022, and we look forward to sharing even more announcements about future neighborhoods throughout North Carolina in the near future. Regardless of the floor plan, Redwoods signature design includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with a two-car attached garage and ample storage. Quality construction combined with Redwoods signature single-story design provide built-in peace and quiet. Residents also feel at home with their own dedicated street address. Additional amenities include: Spacious, eat-in kitchens with large pantries and extra storage space Open floor plans Large closets Washer and dryer hookups Full-size appliances Vaulted ceilings Upgraded finishes and features Pet-friendly accommodations Green-centric neighborhood settings Bonus space that can be utilized based on lifestyle needs, such as a home office or personal gym Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road is located at 6110 A Gladiolus Lane, and offers easy access to highway 85 and 485, as well as nearby shopping. Redwood is currently pre-leasing for the new neighborhood and offering tours for prospective residents at Redwood Lake Wylie or Redwood Concord. As construction progress allows, tours at Redwood Charlotte Ridge Road will commence. Story continues The Ohio-based developer owns and manages 13,000+ apartment homes (with another 3,500 in development) in more than 100 neighborhoods throughout the United States. About Redwood Living, Inc. Redwood Living, Inc. (Redwood) is an innovative development and property management company already with neighborhoods in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky, but also more under construction in Nebraska and Illinois. The company believes that the growth of the rental population demands the response that Redwood provides. The success of this approach continues to be validated in new markets. Redwood is a company that believes in its mission, product and amazing people. It creates a simplified, relaxed lifestyle for residents, and offers a rewarding atmosphere for its employees. For more information, visit www.byredwood.com. Attachments CONTACT: Marketing Redwood Living Marketing@byRedwood.com LA-based cybersecurity company achieves 1,446% of growth over three years LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Resecurity, a cybersecurity and intelligence company, was recently recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the top 10 fastest-growing private companies in Los Angeles, California. Resecurity claimed the number four spot among almost 300 LA-based and LA-metro area private companies, achieving 1,446% of revenue growth over three years. Resecurity (PRNewsfoto/Resecurity) Located in Downtown Los Angeles, Resecurity plans to expand across Southern California and other states to build its partner ecosystem and new business alliances. Los Angeles is one of the fastest-growing economics globally, serving as an interaction of world-leading creative and media, innovative high-tech organizations and aerospace and industrial manufacturing excellence. In 2019, Los Angeles County accounted for 3.8% of all U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) with its $710.9 billion GDP equivalent to Saudi Arabia. Resecurity provides a unified cybersecurity platform for endpoint protection, risk management, and threat intelligence for enterprises and government agencies. With the cybersecurity market expected to grow from $217.9 billion in 2021 to $345.4 billion by 2026, Resecurity's rapid growth follows suit. In addition to developing their cybersecurity solutions and services, Resecurity also works with cybersecurity research partners to help understand, analyze, and combat the latest online threats and cybercrime activity targeting both consumers and enterprises. "From the start of Resecurity, we've been proud to call Los Angeles our home and headquarters for our leading cybersecurity company. We're honored to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in such a highly talented and competitive market like LA," said Gene Yoo, CEO of Resecurity. "Where you decide to grow your company plays a key role in its success. Los Angeles is an ideal environment for a cybersecurity company like Resecurity to innovate and make an impact. As proud Angelenos, we are truly excited to contribute to the global cybersecurity industry and protect critical business assets of Fortune 500 companies globally." Story continues Resecurity's recognition as one of Los Angeles's fastest-growing companies follows recent recognition as one of the nation's fastest-growing companies by Inc. Magazine. The company was ranked No. 317 in the 2021 Inc. 5000, representing a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Resecurity has also announced new internships in Southern California for cybersecurity specialists and emerging talent interested in cyber threat intelligence, digital risk management, digital crimes investigations, forensics, and incident response. To learn more about Resecurity, visit https://resecurity.com/ . About Resecurity Resecurity is a cybersecurity company that delivers a unified platform for endpoint protection, risk management, and cyber threat intelligence. Known for providing best-of-breed data-driven intelligence solutions, Resecurity's services and platforms focus on early-warning identification of data breaches and comprehensive protection against cybersecurity risks. Founded in 2016, it has been globally recognized as one of the world's most innovative cybersecurity companies with the sole mission of enabling organizations to combat cyber threats regardless of how sophisticated they are. Most recently, Resecurity was named one of the Top 10 fastest-growing private cybersecurity companies in Los Angeles, California by Inc. Magazine. To learn more about Resecurity, visit https://resecurity.com/ . Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/resecurity-named-as-a-top-10-fastest-growing-companies-in-los-angeles-by-inc-301401894.html SOURCE Resecurity By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Washington is concerned about hypersonic missile technology and its potential military applications by China and Russia, a U.S. arms control official said on Monday, after a media report that Beijing had tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic glide weapon. Hypersonic weapons are usually defined as missiles that fly more than five times the speed of sound, and a race is under way for the next generation of long-range weapons that are harder to detect and intercept. The Financial Times, quoting five people familiar with the matter, said at the weekend that China had tested a weapon in August that flew through space and circled the globe before cruising down towards a target which it missed. The Chinese foreign ministry denied the report. It said it had carried out a routine test in July, but added: "It was not a missile, it was a space vehicle." The United States and Russia have both tested hypersonic weapons but U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said that Washington had concerns about their possible use. "Hypersonic technology is something that we have been concerned about, the potential military applications of it and we have held back from pursuing, we had held back from pursing military applications for this technology," he told a small group of reporters in Geneva. "But we have seen China and Russia pursuing very actively the use, the militarisation of this technology so we are just having to respond in kind...We just don't know how we can defend against that technology, neither does China, neither does Russia." Wood was referring to the difficulty of missile defence systems to track such high-speed weapons that can manoeuvre and evade shields intended to stop them from entering territory. "The Russians have a hypersonic glide vehicle called the Avangard, one of their heavy ICBMs (inter-continental ballistic missiles)," Wood said. "We have known about (that). They have, in essence, it's captured in the New START agreement (on nuclear arms reduction), it's not quite developed yet." "But this type of technology is worrisome, because we just haven't had to face it before," he added. Story continues Russia and China did not immediately respond to his comments. CONCERN MIXED WITH HOPE Wood, who is the U.S. envoy to the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, voiced hope that the new technology could be addressed or "captured" in some kind of internationally agreed principle or legal mechanism in the future. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said separately that Washington was closely watching China's development of advanced weapons systems though he declined to comment directly on the Financial Times' report. "We watch closely China's development of armament and advanced capabilities and systems that will only increase tensions in the region," Austin told reporters during a visit to the former Soviet republic of Georgia. He said Washington would remain focused on the military challenge from Beijing. (Additional reporting by David Chkhikvishvili in Tbilisi, Writing by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Timothy Heritage) At approximately 12:30 a.m. Oct. 17, David LT Rhone, 19, of Fremont was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct following a disturbance complaint at a residence in the 800 block of West 10th Street, Fremont Police reported. When officers arrived, they had contact with Rhone who was shouting profanities in the street. He refused officers' requests to stop shouting profanities and was arrested. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with a top Qatari official about the situation in Afghanistan, a spokesman said late on October 17. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Blinken thanked Muhammad bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Qatars deputy prime minister and foreign minister, for the Gulf states assistance in transiting U.S. citizens and Afghans out of Afghanistan during the Western military pullout from that war-torn country in August. No further details of the call were immediately released. The United States and its allies were able to evacuate more than 123,000 foreigners and Afghans out of Kabul between August 14, the day before the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, and August 31, when the U.S. military ended its presence in the country after two decades. Qatar worked with the Taliban to reopen Kabul's airport amid international efforts to resume operations there to facilitate humanitarian assistance and further evacuations of foreigners and others seeking to flee Taliban rule. Pakistani officials say a policeman was killed and 17 people were wounded in an explosion in the city of Quetta in the southwestern province of Balochistan. The bomb was reportedly planted on a motorbike parked near a police van on October 18. Among the wounded were 13 policemen and four civilians. A visiting Kazakh presidential envoy has discussed humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and the resumption of trade and economic ties with top members of the Taliban-led administration. The press service of Kazakhstans President President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev made the announcement on October 17 following a visit by his special envoy for international cooperation, Yerzhan Kazykhan, to Kabul, according to TASS news agency. This was the first visit by a Kazakh delegation to Afghanistan since the Taliban seized control of Kabul from the internationally recognized government in mid-August. During his trip, Kazykhan held talks with the Taliban government's acting deputy head, Abdul Ghani Baradar, and the acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi. The sides expressed interest in resuming trade and economic relations, and in continuing educational programs for Afghan students in Kazakhstan, TASS quoted Toqaevs press service as saying. It quoted Kazykhan as telling the Taliban representatives that the Central Asian nation has delivered 5,000 tons of flour to Afghanistan as humanitarian aid over the past several weeks. With Afghanistan facing a looming major humanitarian crisis in the aftermath of the Taliban's takeover, Afghanistans Central Asian neighbors have been wary of the security threats emanating from the war-torn country and the potential for tens of thousands of refugees to pour over the border. Kazakhstan's overtures to the Taliban have been cautious, with Toqaev warning in early September that his country needed to brace for external shocks and a worst-case scenario. But the Kazakh president later announced that the Central Asian nation was ready for business contacts with Afghanistan," and the Kazakh ambassador to Afghanistan, Alimzhan Esengeldiev, met with Muttaqi on September 26. In the meantime, Kazakhstan flew 35 ethnic-Kazakh Afghan nationals from Kabul to the Central Asian nation. With reporting by TASS and RFE/RLs Kazakh Service Pakistani officials say one police officer has been killed and at least 17 other people wounded in an explosion in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the October 18 blast in the provincial capital, Quetta, near a sit-in protest camp of the Baloch Student Organization (BSO). Police spokesman Shahzada Farhat told RFE/RL that the bomb was planted on a motorbike that was parked near a police van. Those wounded included 13 police officers and four bystanders. The BSO has been demonstrating in front of the Balochistan University in support of another group of protesters who have been holding a sit-in protest for days in front of the Chief Minister House in Quetta calling for an investigation into the killing of two children earlier this month. The two minors were killed in a blast inside their house in the remote Kech district on October 10. Their parents and local residents say it was caused by a mortar shell fired by Frontier Corps personnel, but the paramilitary force and local officials claim a hand-grenade was to blame. Balochistan has been the scene of frequent attacks by Islamist militants and a long-running insurgency by groups seeking independence for the mineral- and gas-rich province bordering Iran and Afghanistan. MAYOR'S YOUNG LEADER AWARDS Mehal Jivan was a finalist in the annual Mayors Young Leader Awards presented recently in Colorado Springs. The awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of area professionals age 40 and under; the 2020 winners were selected from 30 finalists across six categories. Here are the winners: Community & Economic Impact: David Siegel, CEO of the Bee Vradenburg Foundation. Creative Industry: David Jackson, the inventor and CEO of CaveSim LLC. Education: Carole Frye, the principal of Monroe Elementary in Colorado Springs School District 11. Military Leader: Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Parks, Peterson Air Force Base installation emergency manager. Sports & Wellness: Timothy Corner Jr., a licensed massage therapist, certified personal trainer and owner of Man2Machine. Technology & Sustainability: Rodney Gullatte Jr., owner of Firma IT Solutions & Services and president of the Colorado Springs Rotary. The poll released Tuesday indicates Latinos on the Western Slope had higher incidences of food insecurity compared to the rest of the state at 40%, as well as 64% of those west of the Continental Divide who had difficulty paying their rent or mortgage. The Colorado Water Trust is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, with two decades of efforts to restore flows in Colorado rivers. But t Police searched for a male assailant who stabbed a male victim after closing time at a Colorado Springs bar early Monday morning, law enforcement said. The Colorado Springs Police Department arrived in the 200 block of North Cascade Avenue about 2:10 a.m. where two people were "involved in a disturbance," police said. Officers found a male victim with a serious but nonlife-threatening stab wound, police said. Emergency responders took the victim to a hospital, officers said. Police did not find the assailant, officers said. Lauren McKenzie likes to push against the status quo. "Ultimately," she says, "I'm quite the contrarian." That pushing of boundaries is helpful when it comes to her artistic and creative side, she says. "In order to be good at it, you have to do that a little bit." It's not always so helpful, though, when working for others. "I've been fired from almost every corporate job I ever had," McKenzie says. Looking back, she says, "I realize that was the entrepreneur in me trying to escape." And escape it did. McKenzie is the owner of REN Creativ, a Colorado Springs branding and marketing agency catering to small businesses, and a sister company, REN Creativ Photo. She was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Pikes Peak area Small Business Week Awards in June. Nikki Ricciardi was among those who cheered when McKenzie won that honor. "I am going to shout this loud and clear: YOU DESERVE THIS, YOU EARNED THIS!" she posted on Facebook. "I am so proud of this amazing, talented, kind, and fun woman who has continued to grow and thrive as a small business owner. Just a couple of years into starting her brand agency and she has successfully created a legacy of positive change in Colorado Springs while earning award and accolade time and time again." Ricciardi, in an email, said she and McKenzie started out as casual friends in 2015 and found they had a lot in common, including "a love for supporting local businesses, our Dobermans and similar career paths. We are both creatives with a passion for storytelling with a purpose." Ricciardi, an in-house communications professional for more than 20 years, hired McKenzie as a freelancer to assist with work-related template designs. As more freelance work came McKenzie's way, Ricciardi was excited to cheer her on and remembers conversations about her desire to be her own boss. She hails McKenzie's "true grit" in making that happen. McKenzie cites Ricciardi as a friend, client and sole investor in REN Creativ. "Its funny that she calls me her 'sole investor' in REN Creativ," Ricciardi said. "I just lent a 'paying it forward' helping hand to get her set up with the tools to help her business grow. A helping hand that she paid back in no time, and a gesture of paying it forward that she has extended to many people in the years since." McKenzie's two businesses began as one, but she decided after the first year or so to split them, as she found herself serving two client bases. While photography is just one of the skills she uses in REN Creativ, "then I have a clientele for just photography that is more lifestyle. So your families, your senior portraits and things like that." Her office and photo studio are downtown. Most of her business comes from word of mouth. "I do very little marketing for myself, which is pretty hilarious considering what I do for a living," she says. "But I'm too busy doing it for everybody else." Creative at a young age McKenzie, 31, is a native of Southern California; she spent her high school years in Arizona. She received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. Her creative side blossomed at an early age. "My grandmother said I was always with crayons, always with beads, always painting or cross-stitching or sewing." She took her first Photoshop class in fifth or sixth grade, she says, and was instantly hooked. Her passion for photography was sparked in high school. "I had my hands in every extracurricular class that you could imagine," she says. Photography was one of them and she found herself spending time before school, after school and during lunch breaks in the darkroom. In college, she became comfortable charging "a nominal amount" for her photos engagement photos and subjects like that, she says. Her first marketing job also came in college: She was waiting tables at a restaurant and when management found she was in school for design, they asked her to do their marketing. After college, she left the Texas Hill Country in favor of the Rockies. She got a series of jobs in Colorado Springs, from learning labeling and packaging design at one company to doing layout at the Colorado Springs Independent and graphic design at a PR and marketing company. She started working on REN Creativ full time at the start of 2018 with one client, Fieldhouse Brewing Co., already in hand. She had been pouring beer at Fieldhouse a couple of nights a week for extra income and was asked to assist in a rebranding effort as Fieldhouse became FH Beerworks. She was confident in her design and photo skills, but says she had a lot to learn in running her own business. "What I really had to learn the hard way and overnight was: How do invoice clients? What do I charge? How do I do my taxes? How do I file my LLC? How do I register my business online?" She got help through classes at the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center. But just months into the challenge of launching her own business, she also faced a personal crisis: Her boyfriend committed suicide. "That was really, really hard to navigate," she says, "while also trying to baby a brand-new business. ... I had never experienced something like that." It was difficult to allow herself time to grieve, she says, but she got help and started seeing a therapist; she also went on to meet "the love of her life," and they just got married this summer. A tough pandemic year Business has been good, McKenzie says. She's happy to be working directly with clients and enjoys the personal freedoms having her own business entails although she rarely truly feels free from work, as REN Creativ is largely a one-woman operation. "The downside to a lot of it is it's all consuming. I never stop thinking about my work. I never stop thinking about my clients. I'm never not laying in bed at 1 in the morning staring at my ceiling going, I forgot to send that email or I should follow up on that proposal." 2020 and the pandemic, of course, brought new challenges. "It was quite impactful financially, emotionally, mentally," she says. Luckily, she had signed a big contract with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs just before the pandemic hit. That enabled her to keep working with her smaller clients and help them through the crisis, even at times when they couldn't pay her. She also joined photographers across the country in taking "porch portraits." "I did that strictly on a donation basis," she says. "What that meant was we were all masked up and 6 feet away and I would come to your house and take a family portrait on the front porch. That was a really cool experience. I got to meet so many families." McKenzie also headed up Support the Springs, which brought fellow creatives together to create a website and social media platform connecting residents with small businesses struggling to survive the pandemic. "Something I really love about the Colorado Springs design community and creative community is we're all competitors, but we're all a big family as well," she says. "If a client comes to me and it's not a good fit, I give them 10 other designers in town to go see. We have a great relationship. So when the shutdown order came, I sent an email to 14 of us in town. I knew that they would be willing to help, too." The result, she says, "was a pretty magical experience" that brought calls from other communities wanting to do something similar. The effort is somewhat dormant now as the volunteers focus on their own businesses, McKenzie said, but she still hopes to see its footprint grow. As for the future of her businesses, "I've learned now doing this for four years that it's going to evolve and be whatever it wants to be. Does that mean we stay small? Maybe. Or maybe we grow at least a few people. ... As long as I'm serving my clients well and serving small businesses, and staying on track with what I believe in." Officials at Colorados primary mental hospital failed to protect a 20-year-old patient who suffered loss of brain function when he attempted to kill himself at the facility nearly three months ago, allowing violations in protocols meant to prevent such tragedies, state regulators determined. Among the host of problems, state regulators found that a clinical care associate at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo violated requirements for safety checks of patients and their rooms the day of the suicide attempt. Employees told The Gazette a contract health care worker was fired over the incident, although the state denied requests for termination information. Another patient found Kersey resident Chase Falk hanging in his room at 2:03 p.m. on July 27 and alerted hospital staff, who rushed in to untie sheets Falk had fashioned as a noose, the regulators found. No heart rate could be discovered. Falk was transported to a Denver-area hospital, where he was in a coma, said his father, Carl Falk. "They worked on him for 17 minutes before they got a pulse," an emotional Falk told The Gazette. "He never regained consciousness, and they froze him for three days in ICU. They had to work hard to get him back, and I'm super thankful." The survey conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in the wake of the suicide attempt found peril for other patients and wide-ranging problems so severe that federal regulators in September threatened to kick the Pueblo hospital out of the Medicare program by Dec. 14. Risks discovered included telephones used by unsupervised patients that posed a suicide risk due to 14-inch cords, and, more generally, the lack of a hospital-wide, data-driven quality assessment and performance improvement program. Terminating the Pueblo hospital from Medicare reimbursements would cripple the hospitals ability to bill for its psychiatric services. The loss of Medicare would also come at a time when Colorado is already struggling to adhere to a two-year old federal consent decree that found the state violated due process in the evaluation and treatment of mentally ill criminal defendants struggling with psychosis. Not complying with the terms of the consent decree has cost the state at least $17 million in federal fines since March 2019. A major stumbling block to adhering to the consent decree is the backlog of nearly 350 people jammed in county jails around Colorado waiting for admission to the states Pueblo facility, where court-ordered mental competency evaluations or restoration services for criminal defendants take place. Whether Colorado can avoid having the Pueblo hospital kicked out of the Medicare program remains an open question. In response to the survey, the Joint Budget Committee, a legislative group that crafts the state budget, in late September allocated $4.1 million in suicide mitigation funds for the Pueblo hospital to bring the facility into compliance with federal standards. The money will pay for new surveillance cameras, address suicide risks in patients rooms and pay for other upgrades. Officials with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in a September letter to Colorado officials said the Pueblo hospital still would have to pass another unannounced survey inspection by the state health department to stave off termination from the Medicare program. Madlynn Ruble, a spokeswoman for the states Department of Human Services, said that an unannounced survey has not yet taken place, though she said, all immediate jeopardies have been removed. We have requested and received funding to make environmental modifications for suicide mitigation, Ruble said. We expect surveyors to return to verify their implementation and clear all findings. The previous survey that took place after Falks suicide attempt began in July and concluded in August. Officials with the state health department declined to release their agencys survey findings, as did the Colorado Department of Human Services, which operates the Pueblo psychiatric hospital. In declining to release the report, the two state agencies said the suicide attempt was still being investigated, even though state law allows public release of state agency investigative records during an ongoing investigation if doing so is in the interest of public health, welfare or safety. The Gazette obtained a copy of the surveys findings from authorities with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, who disagreed with the determination from the state agencies that the findings werent a public record. The document makes clear that state health officials found issues that put other patients beside Falk in peril. In addition to failing to adequately check on Falk the day of the suicide attempt, staff at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo also allowed him to stockpile extra bed sheets and a large trash can he used in his attempt to take his life, the review by the states health department found. Other widespread instances of unauthorized linens were discovered in other patients' rooms, posing additional suicide risks, the regulators found. An employee has told The Gazette that Falks was at least the third suicide attempt this year inside the hospital. An adolescent girl used shards from a broken mirror and a man used a razor to harm himself. Suicide attempts are not common at the Pueblo hospital and occur at a frequency lower than other community settings, said Robert Werthwein, director of the Office of Behavioral Health in the state Department of Human Services. "We serve at any one time 500 people with serious mental illness," he said. "In the course of a year, it could be up to 1,000 people." The Department of Human Services would not provide statistics on numbers of suicide attempts inside its two psychiatric hospitals. Falk said he is frustrated at the lack of answers and apparent mishaps in preventing his son's suicide attempt. "We're like 'Why did you let this happen?'" Falk said. Despite being told he would receive a copy of an outside investigation into what happened that day that his son tried to take his life, Falk said he's now been told the hospital has a "no contact" order in place with the family, so he has been unable to obtain any information about the case. He also claims his lawyer was threatened if they continued to pursue the matter. While state regulators were examining conditions at the hospital, a patient escaped from the facility three days after Falks suicide attempt, according to the survey. The patient walked past four staff members and a kitchen employee and through an unlocked door, the regulators reported. The patient escaped from the hospital grounds for more than three hours before police escorted him back to the facility, the survey noted. Escapes from the facility also occur infrequently "from time to time," Werthwein said. "When they think of escapes, people think of scaling a wall or digging a tunnel, but in some units, depending on the security level, people can walk off on their own accord," he said. His department did not provide requested numbers of escapes from the facility. An employee said another had occurred in February. Patients also were being locked regularly in their rooms, a violation of seclusion and restraint policies, the survey also said, stating the facility failed to ensure a safe patient care environment in multiple areas due to a lack of required patient wellness checks and environmental safety checks. While the clinical care associate made rounds the day of Falks suicide attempt, his actual patient checks were cursory and insufficient to ensure safety, the state regulators found. Surveillance video showed he did not enter patient rooms during the rounds and stood before patient doorways for only one to two seconds. He failed to detect the trash can and bed sheets used in his suicide attempt, according to the surveys findings. Falk wrapped the extra sheet around his neck and put it into the door and closed the door. He stood on top of the upside-down trash can to hang himself. Protocols required staff to observe the patients face, neck, chest rise and fall, skin tone color, physical condition, emotional state, body language and tone of voice and document the observations. Falk said the description of what occurred doesn't make sense since his son is "almost as tall as the doors." And "that type of suicide takes planning it seems like it would take more than 15 minutes just to tie the sheets together," Falk said. Staff also regularly transported patients through an underground tunnel system, which had multiple pipelines, construction supplies, water leaks and additional unlocked doors to other tunnels that could allow for escape and criminal activity, according to the survey. The survey noted that nothing was done after reports of unlocked doors that would allow for escape from the facility. The lack of any follow-up contributed to a patient escaping from the hospital, according to the survey. In June, contracted electrical workers left a 15 to 20-inch metal pipe in the hallway, but no measures were taken to prevent such hazards from occurring again, the survey noted. Another patient in July hid a rusty, metal wire in his room, but when staff discovered the wire no interventions or investigation occurred. In another instance, a patient fashioned a weapon by filling a sock with rocks, but there was no evidence that incident was ever investigated, the regulators further reported. State officials pledged in response that they would hire a quality-improvement specialist. They said the specialist would monitor reporting on adverse events and ensure follow-up occurs. INDUSTRY INSIGHT The infrastructure bill wont be enough to close the digital divide The digital divide -- the gap in broadband access between rich and poor, urban and rural -- is one of Americas most persistent problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the inequalities by making high-speed internet access even more essential for work, school, health care and commerce. About 30 million people live in unserved or underserved areas, the White House estimates. President Joe Bidens $1.2 trillion proposal to overhaul the nations aging infrastructure is an important and overdue step toward achieving the vital goal of affordable broadband for all. The package, which is still being debated in Congress as of this writing, includes a $65 billion investment in high-speed internet infrastructure. While the plan would go a long way toward making the U.S. economy fairer and more sustainable, more will be needed. The digital divide is just too big. Thirty-five percent of rural America still lacks broadband access, the president told Congress. According to a Tufts University study, $250 billion is needed to close the digital divide -- nearly four times the current proposal. But closing the digital divide is not and should not just be about getting basic broadband to consumers and businesses. It should also be about ensuring that academics and other researchers in rural and underserved communities have the same ability to connect as their peers in metropolitan areas. That a community college in rural Kansas deserved access to the same high-speed backbone as, say, the University of California, Berkeley, is a matter of principle and common sense: Who knows where the next great innovator might come from? Ensuring opportunities for all students and researchers everywhere should be a national priority. Thats why representatives from dozens of the top U.S. universities and tech companies have banded together to launch The Minds We Need , dedicated to what should be a key component of a national broadband improvement plan: making sure every university, community college, historically Black university and minority-serving institution is connected to the best modern information and communications technology. The national infrastructure today is not uniform and does not reach all states, nor does it reach community colleges, which are feeders into four-year programs, one of the members, internet pioneer Vint Cerf , says on the organizations website. We must enable institutions in all 50 states to have high-speed capacity. The emphasis in any national plan must be on spreading capacity to the most underserved communities. The Minds We need is calling for a $5 billion, one-time public investment, to be completed in three phases, to bring more consistent broadband access to the countrys research and education sector, with a particular emphasis on institutions that have been chronically underserved Awards should be prioritized for nonprofit research and education networks, tribal institutions, community colleges, minority-serving institutions, colleges and university research-affiliated organizations that can then form partnerships, as appropriate, with private sector companies to implement the programs, with a goal of engaging our nations diverse system of 3,900 accredited, degree-granting higher education institutions, the group says. Academic institutions and tech companies have a shared interest in seeing the initiative succeed. For their part, academics in rural areas certainly would benefit from better connectivity, not only to engage in the same critical research as their peers in urban-suburban areas but also to more easily collaborate with those peers. Likewise for tech companies, fostering more inclusion in research and education infrastructure is not only altruistic, but it could help solve a critical talent shortage. A new survey by analyst firm Gartner shows that IT executives see the skills gap as the No. 1 adoption barrier to nearly two-thirds of emerging technologies. Talent availability even overtook implementation costs or security risks in the report as the top impediment to deploying a new technology. Plain and simple, the nation can no longer rely exclusively on the typical computer science and engineering schools to produce all the people they need and must look to tap into talent wherever it may be. Simply put, we can no longer live inside a bubble and ignore the untapped potential across the country. A crucial vote on the infrastructure bill is scheduled to take place in the House on Oct. 31. Passage would be a major move to shore up toward narrowing the digital divide. But to truly close it, well need a broader collaborative effort involving key stakeholders. We need more initiatives like The Minds We Need. Digital twin of Texas coastline informs flood resilience To protect Galveston Island and other parts of the Texas Gulf Coast from the impact of severe storms and coastal flooding, a team of researchers at Texas A&M University are developing a comprehensive digital twin to evaluate, model and test resilience scenarios. Coastal communities are more susceptible to natural disasters than ever before, due to rising sea levels and the threat of climate change. To boost resilience, federal, state and local agencies have been looking to develop more sustainable infrastructure along these shores. With resilient design becoming a top priority, more planners are looking to digital twins, or virtual models, which can be updated with real-time data. The research, funded by a two-year, $300,000 National Science Foundation grant, was launched with similar motivations, project lead and Texas A&M Associate Professor of Urban Planning Xinyue Ye said. A digital twin of Galveston is something that planners and citizens can use to better understand how planning and infrastructure alterations and additions can positively or negatively affect a communitys natural hazard resilience, he told Texas A&M Today. The project will integrate physical, cyber and social infrastructure data into an analytics platform that will allow for the collection and sharing of data, engagement from communities and promotion of a human-centered approach for infrastructure planning. It will pull data from a number of disciplines, including geography, urban planning, landscape architecture, computer science, construction science, and marine science. The digital twins will enable planners and policymakers to model and test different resilience scenarios. This project can have a huge upside, Ye said, because the team will be able to create simulations of hazard events under different policy or response protocols to determine the best science-based measures for the future. Its a visualized operating procedure that local residents and decision-makers can use to better understand the effects on hazard planning of the relationships among different planning efforts, disaster management, new construction, and infrastructure additions, repair, rehabilitation, retrofitting and maintenance, Ye said. More informed decisions and better inter-agency coordination may lower the costs of the coastal resilience protective system, Ye said. This decision/support framework will also act as a catalyst for further research in data-driven decision making by connecting different datasets and by providing training and collaborative research opportunities for local project participants as well as graduate and undergraduate students. A Kensett man is in MercyOne North Iowa hospital after the car he was driving was struck by a semi tractor-trailer on Monday morning. According to an Iowa State Patrol reporter: Michael Francis Fox Jr., 44, was driving a Ford F150 south on California Avenue around 6 a.m. when he failed to yield at the stop sign in the intersection with Hwy. 122 and was struck in the passenger side door by a 2019 Freightliner driven by Joel Wayne Crum, 41, of Nora Springs. Crum was uninjured. The road was blocked for a short time while first responders worked at the scene. Fox Jr. was wearing his seatbelt and was transported to MercyOne by the Mason City Fire Department. Besides the Mason City Fire Department, the state patrol was also assisted by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Department and the Mason City Police Department. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CLARIFICATION: This story has been changed to reflect that Hy-Vee expects OSHA's rule to be implemented in the next few weeks, not months. Communication circulated among Hy-Vee employees statewide last week regarding the company's reaction to President Joe Biden's emergency order requiring federal employees be vaccinated set social media rumbling. Many who posted and commented appeared to believe that a video posted on the Hy-Vee staff website and a letter circulated to Hy-Vee site managers were ordering employees to provide proof of vaccination by Oct. 22 or face weekly testing at their own expense. What's really happening, according to Tina Potthoff, Hy-Vee's senior vice president of communication, is that the company is preparing for a possible federal rule requiring all employers with at least 100 employees show proof their staffs are vaccinated or are being tested weekly for COVID-19. Companies that fail to comply could face up to $14,000 in fines per violation. The rule, which the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is developing, is expected in the next couple of weeks, according to Potthoff, but little is known beyond that, leaving companies to figure out how best to prepare. Hy-Vee is asking its 91,000 employees to provide the company a copy of their vaccination card by Friday so that it can get a better handle on how many tests it may need to have on hand on a weekly basis to meet the federal rule's requirements. "Hy-Vee is not mandating its employees get vaccinated," Potthoff said via email. "At this time, we're trying to be prepared, should this go into effect by the federal government." Hy-Vee is not the only Iowa company preparing for the rule, first unveiled by President Joe Biden on Sept. 9, when he also issued an executive order requiring all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated. Potthoff said her company has seen copies of communications from several other Iowa businesses preparing for the rule to be implemented. Several Iowa employers have gone a step further and enacted vaccine mandates, including MercyOne, Tyson and Meredith Corp. The Oct. 22 deadline was set for accounting purposes and not to force action, Potthoff said. If a Hy-Vee employee is not vaccinated or does not want to share their vaccination status with the company, their job will not be in jeopardy. And if an employee needs to be tested weekly, should the rule take effect, that will not come at the employee's expense, but Hy-Vee's, Potthoff added. But that also means the company, which says it's the state's largest employer, needs to have some solid numbers to go by. Until then, and if the rule does not go into effect, Hy-Vee's COVID-19 policy remains status quo. "We ask that employees who are not vaccinated wear a mask to work, but we have never mandated a vaccine and are not mandating one now," Potthoff said. The company is offering any employee who gets vaccinated a $100 gift card. About 50% of Iowans are fully vaccinated. There are more than 2,200 companies in the state that have more than 100 employees. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 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. DES MOINES -- Iowas elected leaders mostly struck hopeful tones, while not favoring either John Deere or its striking workers, when commenting on the ongoing labor dispute Monday. The lone exception may be Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, who expressed her support for the workers and labor union, and greeted striking workers on the picket line Monday in Ankeny. Monday marked the fifth day of the impasse between Deere & Co. and Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW). The two sides returned to the negotiating table Monday, a union spokesman and company officials said. The strike affects about 10,000 workers at factories in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas. I am confident that both parties will work together through the process and come to a successful resolution that benefits both the employees and the employer, Gov. Kim Reynolds said via her spokesman on Monday. Workers say the agriculture manufacturer isn't offering adequate wage and benefit increases as the company enjoys record profits. Union members say they experienced mandatory overtime, an increasing workload and lack of support from managers. In its latest offer, Deere bargained for incremental wage increases over six years, equal to about a 5-6% raise in hourly pay at the end of the six-year contract, according to employees. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is a former factory worker and union member at a furnace register company in Waterloo. He, too, expressed hope that a deal will be reached swiftly, and that the negotiations do not become too politicized. I know what its like to go on strike as a member of the International Machinists when I worked at Waterloo Register, Grassley said Monday via a spokesman. I hope this doesnt become too politicized. The rights of the workers are protected by law and I expect good faith bargaining by both parties. I hope all involved are able to come to a swift resolution. In a Friday social media post, Grassley added some empathy for the striking workers and their families. The Deere workers & their families now face a stressful situation, Grassley posted. I hope good faith bargaining can bring the dispute (to a) swift conclusion for the good of all parties & our Iowa economy. The bureau sought comment on the strike from Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, the states entire congressional delegation, and the Iowa Farm Bureau. The Farm Bureau did not respond, nor did the office of U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, whose eastern Iowa district includes the Deere factory in Waterloo. A spokeswoman on Friday told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier that Hinson does not have an official comment, and that she is monitoring the situation closely. A spokesman for U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst on Monday also said that Ernst is monitoring the latest on the situation. Axne spoke with striking workers on the picket line at the Deere factory in Ankeny on Monday. A spokesman for her office pointed to Axnes social media post about the strike. Our workers are the backbone of our economy and they deserve the pay & benefits that provide them a middle class life and retirement, Axne posted on Friday. Thats why I stand in solidarity with the hard-working members of (the union) as they begin their strike for a fair contract. A spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, whose eastern Iowa district includes the homes of many who work in a Quad Cities-area Deere factory, pointed to the Congresswomans social media post on the strike. John Deere has employed thousands of Iowa families for decades and has been a boost to the Iowa economy. I hope business and labor can rapidly find common ground that benefits each other and we can continue being a shining example of what a hard days work means, Miller-Meeks posted. U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who represents western Iowas 4th Congressional District, struck a similarly hopeful and balanced tone. John Deere, the manufacturing industry, and the men and women who build essential equipment are critical to the success of Iowas economy, said via his offices spokesman. I am hopeful that business leaders and workers are able to reach an agreement to resolve this dispute. Melanie Mergen is Local News Editor for the Globe Gazette. You can reach her at melanie.mergen@globegazette.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MOORHEAD, Iowa -- On a secluded ridge surrounded by trees and corn lies a unique piece of Monona County history that few seem to know exists. Fewer know the story behind the South Jordan Cemetery, and even those who have spent years researching the tiny plot, where members of a small group of African-Americans who settled in this area after the Civil War are buried, have numerous questions. Local history buffs hope the placement of the cemetery on the National Register of Historic Places earlier this year will lead to more publicity about the site and help them unearth answers to questions people like Judy Ehlers have pondered for years. "It's important to me because there isn't anyplace like this," said Ehlers, who grew up three miles down the road and lives in nearby Soldier. "There's just not a lot of Black cemeteries in Iowa." Chairwoman of the Monona County Historic Preservation Commission, Ehlers worked on the application for the National Register, a designation she thinks could help lead to grant funding to erect signage to raise awareness of the site and direct visitors to the remote location. Those signs could attract more visitors, and maybe one of them will show up with information key to solving some of history's mysteries about this scenic site in the middle of the Loess Hills. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wouldnt want you to mistake his push to forbid private companies and others from issuing vaccine mandates as just another attempt to court conservative voters or tee up a White House bid. His executive order seeking to ban mandates in his state plainly says its part of a larger plan aimed at protecting the health and safety of Texans. Sure, the order hopes to curtail federal overreach and stymie the Biden administrations bullying, but dont attribute that to partisan hackery. After all, the goal is achieving the least restrictive means of combatting the evolving threat to public health. Fortunately, two major airlines based in Texas understand that vaccinations are one of the most effective ways to protect public health in the COVID-19 era. They plan to ignore Abbotts browbeating. Other companies large and small should follow suit, no matter the political standoffs and threats in Texas and elsewhere. Theres early evidence that vaccine and testing mandates work, and plenty of companies were making use of them well before President Joe Biden said he would ask the Labor Department to issue rules for corporate America. Abbott warned he would fine companies and anyone else caught ignoring his order, and would stop short of jailing transgressors only because jail is not an available penalty for violating this executive order. That sounds like tough stuff, but Abbotts credibility as a COVID-19 cop would be firmer if his policy mistakes hadnt prompted Texas to import thousands of out-of-state medical workers to help battle last summers coronavirus surge. Besides, companies have their employees, the law and the federal government to consider. We are reviewing all guidance issued on the vaccine and are aware of the recent order by Governor Abbott, Southwest Airlines Co. said on Tuesday. According to the presidents executive order, federal action supersedes any state mandate or law, and we would be expected to comply with the presidents order to remain compliant as a federal contractor. Southwest, which is headquartered in Dallas and employs 54,500 people, is a federal contractor, and that part of its business depends on remaining in the White Houses good graces. Seven other carriers, including American Airlines Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Airlines Inc., are also federal contractors. That same group also flies nationally, meaning they cross state borders, engage in interstate commerce and are thus regulated almost exclusively by the federal government not by people who occupy governors mansions. American, which is based in Fort Worth and employs 117,400 workers, pointed out that the federal vaccine mandate supersedes any conflicting state laws, and this does not change anything for American. But lucrative contracts and regulatory burdens arent the only things informing some companies responses to Abbott. They also have the health and safety of their employees and customers to worry about. Southwest and American have encountered resistance from some employees opposed to mandates. Last week, a group of American workers estimated to be in the hundreds protested outside the companys headquarters. They carried signs saying Mandates Wont Fly, and Dont Fire My Dad. But American is sticking to a Nov. 24 vaccination deadline for its employees. Perhaps the company feels that protests from well under 1% of its workers shouldnt stop it from doing the right thing. Southwest experienced service outages last weekend, which anti-mandate stalwarts such as Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin attributed to worker shortages caused by draconian public health policies. Joe Bidens illegal vaccine mandate at work! Cruz bleated. Stop the madness before more damage is done, cried Johnson. Southwest and the head of its pilots bargaining unit responded to that carnival-barking by clarifying that the airlines service problems had nothing to do with worker shortages or no-show protests to vaccine mandates. Rather, bad weather hamstrung operations last weekend. Like American, Southwest plans to stay the course on vaccine requirements for its employees. Until we have more hard data and broader experience with how workers actually respond to mandates, we wont know with certainty how all this will play out. Undoubtedly, American's and Southwests decisions to act responsibly will be fed into the woke corporations meat grinder. Its unclear how Texas companies that dont rely on federal contracts and arent subject to federal regulation will respond to Abbotts gambit. Even so, its encouraging that at least two major companies in the state are willing to buck dangerous political posturing. Lets see how many more will step up. Timothy L. O'Brien is a senior columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 He urged Danvilles youth to learn more about the history of Danville. He ended with a quote from Williams: Bite off more than you can chew, and then chew it. Felice McWilliams, an artist-in-residence with the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, called Williams a beautiful, talented, educated and classy woman. She reminded the crowd of the permanent Camilla Williams exhibit at the museum with the most beautiful collection of Camilla Williams artifacts. Karice Luck-Brimmer, a member of the Virginia Board of Historic Resources, explained the mission of the board is to foster, encourage, and support the stewardship of Virginias significant historic architectural, archaeological and cultural resources. She remarked that although only 2% of the entries the organization receives for markers focus on the experiences of African Americans, that in the last 10 years, 48% of the markers have been for African Americans. Where we are Saunders concluded by saying he is so proud of our city. Youngkins leadership PAC, Virginia Wins PAC, which reports on a different time schedule, reported raising $640,500 between July 1 and Sept. 30 and finished the month with $315,078. Through August, Youngkin had poured $16.5 million of his own money into his campaign and contributed an additional $1 million to his leadership committee. Youngkin did not add personal donations in September. Princess Blanding, who is running for governor as the Liberation Party candidate, raised $8,367 in September and finished the month with a balance of $6,339. In the contest for lieutenant governor, Democrat Hala Ayala, a delegate from Prince William County, raised $1.62 million in September and finished the month with $1.06 million in cash on hand. Ayalas biggest donation in the month was $200,000 from Everytown for Gun Safety. Republican Winsome Sears, a former Norfolk delegate and business owner, raised $575,105 in September and finished the month with $480,965 on hand. Sears largest donation in the month was $100,000 from RSLC PAC, affiliated with the Republican State Leadership Committee, which works to elect Republicans to down-ticket statewide offices. RALEIGH During the coronavirus pandemic, especially the first months of restrictions, loved ones were not allowed to visit patients in hospitals and other health care settings. The result was that people died without a loved one present. For more than a year, state lawmakers have worked on a bill to make sure that wont happen again. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 191, the No Patient Left Alone Act, into law on Friday. The law becomes effective on Nov. 1. Visitation must be allowed for patients and residents in hospitals, nursing homes and combination homes, hospice care facilities, adult care homes, special care units and residential treatment facilities. Locations in North Carolina must follow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or any federal law about visitation. The $500 penalty will be per instance, per day, after a 24-hour warning period. Families of patients must also be provided with the facilitys visitation rules and contact information. Compassionate care visits are also required under the new law. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services praised the bill sponsors in a statement emailed to The News & Observer. REIDSVILLE Investigators with the Reidsville Police Department are seeking Robert Thomas Winchester Jr. in connection with the shooting of a local man early Saturday morning. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} At about 4:45 a.m., police responded to a call about a shooting and found Tyler Blackwell injured with multiple gunshot wounds at the 200 block of Graves Street. Blackwell was treated at a local hospital for wounds that were not life threatening, police said in a Monday news release. Investigators have obtained warrants for the arrest of Winchester, 37, and plan to charge him with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injuries, possession of a firearm by a felon and going armed to terror of the public, the release said. Investigators ask that anyone with information about the crime or the location of Winchester contact RPD Investigator Collins at 336-347-2343. To leave an anonymous tip, contact Rockingham County Crime Stoppers at 336-349-9683 or contact Rockingham County Communications at 336-634-3300. When a Texas governor moves to the right of Big Oil, its the end of the world as we know it. Its no secret, of course, that our country is in political crisis witness the continued refusal of so many Republicans to say Biden won the 2020 election and the Republican-led election subversion efforts in numerous states. But at least as dispiriting is our inability to have a sane conversation about how best to beat back a virus that as of Wednesday had killed more than 717,000 Americans. In 2019, political scientists Nathan Kalmoe and Lilliana Mason coined a term for our situation: lethal partisanship. Lethal turns out to have been no exaggeration. It is, in theory, possible to have a civil argument over vaccine mandates, where they are most appropriate, and whether there should be carve-outs for those with conscience objections. Biden sought to avoid requiring vaccinations earlier this year, hoping that persuasion and the overwhelming evidence of the vaccines efficacy would move Americans to get their shots. LIBERTY A Greensboro man is charged in the deaths of three people who were found unresponsive Saturday in Johnson's Mobile Home Park. Two other people were found very ill at the location and officials determined all five had ingested cocaine laced with fentanyl, according to a news release from the Liberty Police Department. Gumesindo Ala Acoste, Noe Garcia Zuniga and a third victim, whose name was being withheld until family members can be located and notified, died at the scene, police said. The other two people were treated at Chatham Hospital and released. Xavier DaShawn Andrews has been charged with three counts of death by distribution in connection with the case, according to the news release. The case is still under investigation and additional charges may be forthcoming, police said. Andrews surrendered to law enforcement officers on Saturday night and is being held in Randolph County Jail under $1 million bail. He also has multiple pending felony drug charges in Guilford County, according to the release. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The State Bureau of Investigation, the Randolph County SERT team, the Randolph County Sheriff's Office vice unit, the Liberty Fire Department and Randolph County EMS assisted the Liberty Police Department. A Johnston County jury has awarded $175,000 to a man injured at WakeMed in Raleigh after an employee crashed into him with a portable X-ray machine. Alfonzo Gutierrez was 73 at the time and walked with a cane, his attorney, Ellis Boyle, told the News & Observer. Gutierrez also had trouble hearing after serving in the Army and Air Force, and then as a military aircraft mechanic while a civilian. Gutierrez had traveled to WakeMed in 2017 to visit his wife, Hazel, who was in the emergency room. When he came to the intersection of two hallways, the machine hit him "so hard that it knocked him violently to the floor," according to the lawsuit filed in 2018. In that suit, Gutierrez' attorneys argued the Raleigh hospital had been negligent by failing to operate the machine properly or warn of any dangers. Boyle described it to the N&O as being the size of a large copier machine with a 6-foot tower in the center and operated with a self-propulsion lever too tall for a 5-foot-2-inch radiology technologist to see over and requiring mirrors to help with visibility. Would a flashing light have helped? At trial, Melanie Collins, who had been driving the machine, said she did not see Gutierrez before impact. "These students are sharp and some of their ideas are what we call MVPs minimal viable products that can go to market," said Spencer, who is also head of the fund's innovation and entrepreneurship division. "It tells me that all they need is opportunity." Ally launched the entrepreneurship competition as a way of supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs while also diversifying the marketplace. "All I'm doing is paying that forward," said Natalie Brown, director of corporate citizenship at Ally, and a Dudley High and N.C. A&T graduate. Weaver, who teaches financial literacy to grade school children and taught himself to trade in foreign exchange markets during the pandemic, credits a past participant with telling him and the others to think big. The group held a trial run making a pitch to their mentor about a literal tower of power, who gave them high marks on the research and presentation. When the winners were announced in September, Brown got the results when everyone else did. And although she says she holds a certain pride in seeing all the students do well, she took a moment to celebrate her school. "I texted Chancellor (Harold) Martin to say, 'Our Aggies won!" Brown said. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Macada Tagachian is an Argentine writer and journalist. She is the granddaughter of the third generation of Armenians in Argentina and is the author of three books: Don't Forget Me Armenohi (2016), The Armenian Spirit (2020) and Rojava (2021). She is also active in the Armenian community in Argentina and worldwide, and works in various press and literary fields. ANHA interviewed the Argentinian-Armenian writer about her new novel and the recent events in Rojava and Armenia. The Armenian Genocide and the Ethnic Cleansing of the Kurdish People The author sees a great similarity between what happened to the Armenians in 1915 and the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against them and what is happening now to the Kurdish people by the current representative of the Ottoman Empire (the Turkish state). Recognizing it, like the genocide in Sengal. Erdogan is trying to bring back the time of the Sultanate by occupying the neighboring countries and attacking the Kurdish people all over Kurdistan." The Argentine writer considered the agreement of the peoples of the region the best way to defeat fascism, saying, "Today, the Kurds and Armenians have the same common enemy, which is Erdogan's regime, which no one can stop or oppose." International silence towards the Armenians genocides and ethnic cleansing of the Kurdish people The writer says that the Kurdish people are exposed to the same tragedy of the Armenians in 1915, and confirms that Erdogan's new policy is a continuation of the policy of the Ottoman Empire, especially against ethnic and religious components. The world, international institutions, human rights NGOs and the international community in general continue their silence and the same cold reaction as it was in 1915 when the Ottoman Empire killed more than a million Armenians and committed genocide. The Kurdish people face the same threat and the same fate because there is no So far, no condemnation from international leaders, the United Nations or the international community." The writer believes that the reason for the international silence is their political interests with the Turkish state. The Turkish lobby, which is trying to draw the world's attention. The writer says in this context: "At the time of the Armenian Genocide, there was no international condemnation and no means of communication as now. The condemnation of the Armenian genocide came after decades later, but now we see the same crimes committed by the Turkish army continue and the ethnic cleansing that the people are subjected to in this open world on technology." She adds that "Turkey has good communication services and networks, as they sell the country policies in which they show Erdogan as an angel and the country as a paradise for the media and politicians alike. Their series that have spread in the world in the recent period and also through the invitations to senior journalists. And politicians to spend holidays in the country and whitewash their crimes. The Turkish bribery policy has silenced many media and politicians. I personally received an invitation to write about their policy, but I refused. But we must not forget that many politicians and media professionals accept it, and the evidence is the arrival of a group of the media went to the occupied city of Afrin and turned a blind eye to the crimes committed by (Turkey) there against women and civilians in general." 'The reaction of the international community is almost non-existent' Makda Tagashian criticized international attitudes to the genocidal attacks carried out by the occupying Turkish state against the Kurds, "the reaction of the international community is almost non-existent. Although there are 40 million Kurds in the world, they are considered a minority in the Middle East. They have established in Rojava a threatened self-administration Permanently, they have their army but they don't get support from anyone, the US and Russia are under pressure from the Turkish state.Armenia is a very small country trying to survive.It rarely appears in the media.That's why they (the Kurds and the Armenians) have to come together and unite and fight That common enemy is Erdogan." Regarding the recent attacks by the Turkish army on the areas of Tel Tamer and the Assyrian villages, the writer says: "Erdogan follows the neo-Ottoman policy, which is a continuation of what happened in 1915. The Rojava regime is a model that must be followed, not only armed struggle but also ideological. Erdogan feels That Rojava threatens his ideas and the neo-Ottoman project that his grandfathers started and which he is now continuing on the same path, Erdogan sees in him and the new role of women a threat to his patriarchal and radical ideas. In another context, the writer tries, through Rojava, to build a bridge in Argentina in order to trace the historical relations, which were sometimes conflicting, but in recent years have become close between the Armenian and Kurdish peoples. YPJ, Rojava champions The struggle of Kurdish women in northern and eastern Syria caught the attention of the Argentinian writer. I started reading about them in 2014, when the first news about them appeared in newspapers and international TV channels when they started the armed fight against ISIS mercenaries. The pictures of these armed women in military uniform in the middle of the desert with their guns raised seemed to the writer as a scene from the childhood of her ancestors and from the First World War. After that, she decided to write about them and about the heroism they presented in order to obtain their rights and also to deter terrorism, which was threatening the world at the time. 'I am fascinated by these Kurdish and Yazidi women' The Argentine writer says, When I write about the struggle of Kurdish women in northern and eastern Syria, I feel like I am writing about the struggle that my ancestors could not do in the face of the Ottoman Empire, as they became survivors and survivors of the Armenian Genocide in 1915. I am fascinated by these Kurdish and Yazidi women and optimistic about their goals "Revenge for their sisters who were burned alive, who were raped and sold like slaves, who killed their fathers and sisters. After writing my first two novels, I still dreamed of writing about Rojava and the Kurdish and Yazidi women's movement against ISIS, the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and Erdogan in Turkey." In her novel, the writer features a young Armenian woman who goes to Rojava in search of her ancestors, but joins the ranks of the female fighters. I saw the need to highlight these anonymous women who are fighting against patriarchy. That system that rules the world with the aim of diminishing the role of women in society. I think that women, throughout history, have been silenced, vilified, and called witches. About others and the many people who sacrificed themselves to eliminate the jihadists, I am also talking about the massacres against the Yazidi women. A ANHA Helena city officials said they were open to discussing the fate of a displaced Confederate monument, after the leader of the group that donated the water fountain again expressed support for moving it out of the Queen City. However, discussions were halted at the Oct. 13 Helena City Commission meeting when one commissioner said she was uncomfortable talking about it until it came back to the panel as an agenda item. Jewell Wellborn, president of the Margaret Howell Davis Hayes Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, spoke to the commission and repeated a request to relocate the fountain that was removed from a city park in 2017. It is our desire to remove the statue from Montana and move it to another location, where we have several statues that are basically displaced, she said. The then 101-year-old UDC Confederate Memorial Fountain that had been in Helena's Hill Park was removed due to racial concerns after a woman had been killed at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, during a clash over the removal of a statue honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The Montana Legislatures American Indian Caucus in 2017 also had requested the monument be removed from the Helena park, saying it was commissioned by a group that openly supported white supremacist views and said it sent a harmful message to Indians, minorities, and all Montanans of this great state. The fountain reportedly remains wrapped in a tarp in an undisclosed location. Wellborn requested discussions begin between the city and United Daughters of the Confederacy, which originally donated the statue to Helena. She realized some of the monument, such as the base, had been destroyed, but the group wanted what remains of the monument that is now in Helena under tarps. She said they would like to open the discussion and see where it leads. Wellborn first wrote about relocating the fountain in a Sept. 15 letter and Sept. 21 email to city officials. She said her UDC chapter, along with the Rocky Mountain Confederate Conservation Council, were interested in its relocation. Mayor Wilmot Collins said Oct. 13 he was open to the idea. I am sure we can open a discussion and discuss this further, he said. Collins suggested it be put on a future meeting agenda. Commissioner Sean Logan said the commission made a decision in 2017 to rid the community of the monument. He said to give it back makes a certain amount of sense and I am not entirely sure why we are hanging onto it. Commissioner Heather OLoughlin said as a matter of procedure she did not feel comfortable discussing the issue without it being placed on the agenda. According to a 2015 letter from the Helena/Lewis & Clark County Heritage Council, the granite fountain was designed by Helena architect George Carsley, the son of a Union Civil War veteran from Wisconsin. Carsley was inspired in his design by the Butt-Millett fountain in Washington, D.C., a memorial to Titanic victims, and that may explain why it resembles a lighthouse. The fountain was dedicated by the Winnie Davis Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in September 1916. Its inscription reads, A Loving Tribute to Our Confederate Soldiers on one side, and By the Daughters of the Confederacy in Montana, A.D. 1916 on the other. The fountain was commissioned at a cost of $2,000 by members of the UDC who moved to Helena after the Civil War. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 6 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 5 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. CHICAGO Chicago's postal delivery service has come under fire as "dysfunctional" for widespread delays in mail delivery at a recent congressional field hearing. The city's residents have complained for months that they aren't receiving important mail, including prescriptions or bills on time. "From the flawed onboarding process, training and retention of new hires, to the erratic and unpredictable operations, the Chicago post office is dysfunctional at best," Mack Julion of the National Association of Letter Carriers said at Friday's hearing. The problems include former postal carriers not being removed from payroll and package delays that aren't reflected in the system. From April through June of this year, the post office delivered about 82% of mail on time, compared to the national average of 90%, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. In an effort to address issues, Chicago got a new postmaster earlier this year and officials say they're recruited nearly 250 postal workers. The leadership of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy also came under scrutiny at the hearing. Recommended for you Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 With the first Monday in October behind us, perhaps we can at last put to rest the refrain about how the current term of the U.S. Supreme Court is among the most momentous in history. The courts terms are like presidential elections: Always, history has never seen one as important as the one coming up. But the wordsmith in me is aware that the rhetoric we use when discussing the Supreme Court and its work has scarcely changed in more than a century. In the summer of 1962, for example, the Los Angeles Times wrote that the justices had just ended their most important term of court in a quarter of a century. Why a quarter of a century? Maybe because exactly 25 years earlier, in 1937, The Associated Press had declared the year just past to be one of the most momentous terms" in Supreme Court history. Pick whatever date you like. In 1950, a Delaware paper warned that with the rights of accused Communists on its docket, the justices were beginning the most critical term since President Roosevelt introduced his court-packing plan. In September 1934, with New Deal legislation on the calendar, the New York Herald Tribune announced that this would be the most important term of the Supreme Court of the United States in generations. In 1910, with a ruling on the validity of federal antitrust statutes expected, a New Mexico newspaper told readers to prepare for the most momentous term of the United States supreme court since reconstruction days. Recommended for you The way commentators talk about the significance of pending cases is similarly unchanged. There has never been a more important issue or discussion before that high and powerful tribunal, wrote the San Francisco Chronicle in 1895, shortly before reargument in Pollock v. Farmers Loan and Trust Co., which struck down the federal income tax. The leftist philosopher and economist Harold Laski warned that the courts 1935 decision striking down the National Recovery Act may well be regarded, a generation from now, as its most momentous decision since the Dred Scott case which, 80 years ago, precipitated the American Civil War. But aside from the fact that the justices swiftly retreated, the Warren Court soon happened, providing plenty of fodder for those at the other end of the spectrum to declare that the sky was falling. Consider the 1964 one-person, one-vote decision, nowadays considered a cornerstone of democracy. Not all the uneducated are among the high school dropouts and the juvenile delinquents, huffed the right-leaning columnist Holmes Alexander. Some are on the Supreme Court. And so on and so on. We have been down this road before wrote Justice Neil Gorsuch for a plurality of the court in 2019, referring to the regrettable efforts by prosecutors to try to evade the Constitution by holding what look like trials while giving them other names. But we have been down many roads before, none more than the one along which we declare that this is the most crucial legal moment, the most momentous decision ever. Thats a road weve traveled enough. Stephen L. Carter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 HICKORY Hickory Public Schools announces the selection of Angela "Angel" Holland to serve as the executive assistant to the superintendent, Bryan Taylor, and as clerk to the HPS Board of Education, effective immediately. As an employee of Hickory Public Schools for nearly seven years, Holland has served as finance assistant to the HPS Finance Department. In her new role, Holland will provide numerous duties of administrative support for the superintendent and the board of education as well as the support of analytical and appropriate communication with internal and community groups. Prior to joining Hickory Public Schools, Holland served as legal assistant/paralegal for Sigmon, Clark, Mackie, Hanvey & Ferrell, P.A. for 18 years. As a North Carolina Certified Paralegal (effective 2006), Holland served the entire law firm with her primary assistance provided to Jeffrey T. Mackie, who previously served HPS as the board attorney. She served as a legal assistant to area law firms for a combined 25 years. A native of Hickory and a graduate of St. Stephens High School, Holland was always interested in law and pursued becoming a legal assistant immediately upon high school graduation. Through her service to Hickory Public Schools, she has expanded her knowledge of finance and technology while assisting the districts entire staff. A musician himself, frontman for Moose and Friends, Moose plans to play on the stage himself one day. I didnt build the stage not to play on it, Moose said. He found a love of music at an early age. His mother taught music lessons from their home, so he didnt have as much of a choice, he said. Playing in the Hickory area for two decades, Moose found support from the music community and grew an appreciation for the community. He also found a love of music festivals. He helps organize one in Union County every year. Its like youre around 20,000 of your best friends, its like-minded people creating community, Moose said. He hopes the hum will provide a similar atmosphere locally. I want it to have a music festival feel, he said. A lot of folks might not have that opportunity to go to big music festivals. Its going to be something you can get up and move around at and have fun. Moose hopes the hum will be able to entertain concertgoers who typically go to Asheville and Charlotte for concerts. He also aims to get bands playing in those areas to stop in Hickory to perform at the hum. Some of the defendants charged in the storming of the U.S. Capitol are turning away defense lawyers and electing to represent themselves, undeterred by their lack of legal training or repeated warnings from judges. That choice already has led to some curious legal maneuvers and awkward exchanges in court. A New York man charged in the Jan. 6 insurrection wants to bill the government for working on his own case. A Pennsylvania restaurant owner is trying to defend herself from jail. A judge told another New Yorker that he may have incriminated himself during courtroom arguments. The right to self-representation is a bedrock principle of the Constitution. But a longtime judge cited an old adage in advising a former California police chief that he would have "a fool for a client" if he represented himself. And Michael Magner, a New Orleans criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, observed, "Just because you have a constitutional right to do something doesn't necessarily mean that it's smart." Even though global milk production rose a collective 2.9% this past year, dairy demand kept pace with the growth. Dairy product consumption in emerging markets was largely responsible for the new sales. Demand growth also kept up thanks to the positive image of dairy as a healthy product in many parts of the world, especially in South and Southeast Asia, wrote a quartet of economists working at the IFCN group in Kiel, Germany. Some emerging markets in Africa also benefitted from higher milk availability due to stronger production in comparison to 2019. This analysis is part of a larger report titled, Dairy Report 2021. The comprehensive report combines the expertise from economists and researchers located in 100-plus countries around the globe. Dairy is a global product While demand was up in many areas, China has strong dairy import demand throughout 2020 and into 2021. On the farm front, the collective global milk price was off just 1.8%. The slight decline can be interpreted as the consequence of strong milk supply in 2020 coupled with jittery markets and concerns over milk demand holding up in light of the COVID-19 crisis, wrote Alice Diepenbrock, Phillip Goetz, Lukasz Wyrzykowski, and Milica Kocic in their paper, Impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the dairy sector. As for the current year, Still, 2021 points to a slight slowdown in milk production growth compared to 2020. Feed prices increased by more than 50% during the first half of 2021, caused by climatic conditions and strong demand, wrote the IFCN economists. This puts further pressure on farmers margins that have been either stable or decreased for the most part in recent years. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021 October 14, 2021 The Kruizenga Art Museum will host its 2021-22 Armstrong Lecture, an Artist Talk with Kelly Church, on Thursday, Oct. 28, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Fried-Hemenway Auditorium of the Martha Miller Center for Global Communication. The lecture will be followed by a reception from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the 1st-floor rotunda of the Martha Miller Center. The public is invited. Admission is free. Kelly Church is a fifth-generation Anishinaabe artist whose work interweaves traditional Native American culture with contemporary environmental concerns. As this years Armstrong lecturer, Church will discuss the history and cultural importance of Black Ash basketry among the Anishinaabe people of the Great Lakes region, and how that cultural tradition is threatened by an invasive insect, the Emerald Ash Borer, and other environmental forces. This years Armstrong Lecture coincides with the Kruizenga Art Museums focus exhibition, Native American Art: Recent Acquisitions from the Kruizenga Museum Collection, which opened on Friday, Sept. 10, and is continuing through Saturday, Dec. 11. The exhibition features 10 recently acquired Native American artworks from eight different artists, including a basket titled Traditional Transformations by Kelly Church. The artworks were acquired as part of the museums commitment to expand the cultural diversity of its collection by collecting work by modern and contemporary Native American artists. The museums goal is gradually to acquire artworks made by indigenous artists from different regions and tribes in a variety of media to reflect the continuing vitality, creativity and relevance of Native American culture. Both the Armstrong Lecture and the Native American Art focus exhibition were organized to complement and support the Hope College 2021 NEA Big Read Lakeshore program. The 2021 Big Read book, An American Sunrise, is a collection of poems by writer, musician and current Poet Laureate of the United States Joy Harjo. Harjo was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and An American Sunrise is her eighth collection of poetry. This years NEA Big Read Lakeshore will begin with a virtual presentation by Harjo on Monday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. Registration information and a complete schedule of this years events are available at bigreadlakeshore.com The Kruizenga Art Museum functions as an educational resource for Hope College and the greater West Michigan community. The museum features two public galleries as well as a classroom and climate-controlled storage space for its 7,000-object permanent collection. It is named in honor of a leadership gift from the late Dr. Richard and Margaret Kruizenga, both of whom graduated from Hope in 1952. The Kruizenga Art Museum is located at 271 Columbia Ave., between 10th and 13th streets. Public visiting hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the museum is always free. Please visit hope.edu/kam for additional information about the museum. Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, Hope is currently requiring that masks be worn by all individuals while indoors on campus unless in their living space or alone in their workspace. ABOVE IMAGE Traditional Transformations Kelly Church (American, b. 1967) 2019 Black ash, sweetgrass, copper, Rit dye, velvet, glass, emerald ash borer Hope College Collection, 2021.18a-c It looks like the defence industry lobby group, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, is running low on funds. Nothing else can account for the surfacing of its executive director Peter Jennings on the opinion pages of The Australian, conjuring up a fictional version of a Chinese bid to grab Taiwan. One finds it passing strange that Jennings would seek to write this kind of fantasy stuff after US President Joe Biden made it a point to stress that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had both affirmed their commitment to the existing Taiwan policy during talks in September. Additionally, the news that an online summit is planned between the two leaders was also ventilated. The US probably did that to try and cool things down, given reports that Chinese aircraft have been making flights close to Taiwan in increased numbers. So while the Americans are trying to cool down things, Jennings prefers to pump up the volume and indulge in fanciful scenarios. {laodposition sam08}ASPI's annual report for 2020-21 appears to be ready, but has not yet been placed on its website. The only part of the report which has been published on the Web is the funding breakdown for 20-21. When one looks at the list of sponsors for ASPI, it is clear why things do not look very bright for Jennings. A fair few have fallen off since I last wrote about the institute, among them the shipbuilder Austal and MBDA Missile Systems. Among ASPI's sponsors are US defence contractor Lockheed Martin, US defence supplier Northrop Grumman, Swedish defence company Saab, the Australian arm of American defence contractor Raytheon, French defence giant Thales, and Naval Group, the international design and build partner for Australias Future Submarine Program. Given Australia's jettisoning of the contract with France to build submarines, and the adoption of a new deal with the US and the UK to acquire nuclear submarines instead which may not eventuate until the 2040s Jennings may also lose the Naval Group as a sponsor within the next year or so. ASPI's cyber policy centre is backed by auDA, the American cloud behemoth Amazon Web Services, Facebook, the Australian Signals Directorate, AddAxis, the Cyber Security Co-operative Research Centre, Google, Jacobs, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Property Council of Australia, Splunk, Thales, Macquarie Government and UpGuard. In this latter group, too, Jennings has seen a few sponsors call it a day, among them the Australian Government department Services Australia. With money pouring in from all these sources, it's a mystery how ASPI calls itself independent and non-partisan. Its deception is helped no end by newspapers like The Australian and the ABC not identifying clearly who Jennings' backers are. Jennings has every right to propagate his own views, inflammatory as they are. But one should be given a clear picture of who is funding the show; the one who pays the piper calls the tune and Australians need to be told clearly who that paymaster is. And he never does that. ASPI has an agreement to receive $4 million a year in grants from the Australian Government from 2018-19 to 2022-23. An additional $5 million has been granted for an US office. Jennings' tactics are well-worn ones: hype up the fear factor so that countries in the region will stock up on arms. The arms industry will be laughing all the way to the bank and drop a few more crumbs ASPI's way. The US and the UK used to do it in the Middle East during the 1980s and 1990s, despite the fact that arms supplied to countries in that region would be needlessly used for bloodshed, and not to defend against an attack. In December last year, Jennings was beating the war drums at the same time that many business leaders and some politicians were calling for dialling down the rhetoric between Australia and China because of the fact that Beijing is an important export market. In his latest op-ed, Jennings says: "The Taiwanese assess perhaps a three-year time frame before an attack, while the US military command at INDOPACOM in Honolulu considers a military assault in six years is possible." But, of course, Peter Jennings, noble warrior that he is, sees it differently and would like to shirtfront Xi Jinping right away. Screenshots from ASPI funding breakdown. MATTOON The Mattoon City Council is scheduled Tuesday to vote on firefighter and police officer personnel changes necessitated by retirements. Tuesday's meeting will start with the council acknowledging the retirements of Engineer Ronnie Spurgeon after more than 21 years with Mattoon Fire Department and Lt. Donald Sweeney after more than 23 years with Mattoon Police Department. The council will then consider promoting Firefighter Anderton Cole to driver/engineer to fill the vacancy created by Spurgeon's retirement, and consider hiring Logan Ratliff of Lerna and Spencer Romine of Tuscola as probationary firefighters. The council also consider promoting Officer Devin Patterson to sergeant to help fill the vacancy created by Sweeney's retirement. Regarding the police department, the council also will consider purchasing 34 replacement bullet proof vests from Larry J. Fredericks, L.L.C. for $35,720 using safety funds. "The vests that officers are currently using will be 'expiring' soon. Manufacturers warn that after five years, the effectiveness of the materials used to manufacture the vest will deteriorate and will provide only limited or possibly no protection; therefore, to maintain optimal officer safety, it is important to replace the vests at appropriate intervals," said Chief Sam Gaines in his purchase request. In other matters, the council will consider purchasing 75-square-feet of land at the southwest corner of DeWitt Avenue and Logan Street from Timothy Tutt for $90. The purchase ordinance reports that the city will use this land to make sidewalk and handicap ramp improvements. The council meeting at 6:30 p.m. will be held virtually due to COVID-19 concerns. Those wishing to attending remotely can go to https://bit.ly/MattoonCC211019 or call 415-655-0001, meeting number 2554 524 9289 and password 20819. Contact Rob Stroud at 217-238-6861. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. (CNN) Jessica Desfosses shared the final heartrending text messages she exchanged with her police officer husband in the days before he died from COVID-19. "Commercial just came on tv a casket saying take Covid seriously... 0 consideration for those of us fighting for every breath," Stephen Desfosses wrote in a series of exchanges that began last Christmas Eve as his condition steadily deteriorated in a Massachusetts hospital. "Your husband is going to (be) changed forever no matter what happens...my life has flashed before my eyes and man it's scary," he wrote in another message, which his wife posted to Facebook last summer. Det. Sgt. Stephen Desfosses, 52, a veteran of more than 30 years with the Norton Police Department, died on Jan. 13. He was one of at least 231 officers who died of COVID-19 this year, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). There were 245 law enforcement deaths from COVID-19 in 2020, according to ODMP. The coronavirus has become the leading cause of death for officers despite law enforcement being among the first groups eligible to receive the vaccine at the end of 2020. The total stands at 476 COVID-19-related deaths since the start of the pandemic, compared to 94 from gunfire in the same period. "If you are serious about your commitment to protect the public ... and if you are serious about your personal commitments to your family, then that should be enough," Jessica Desfosses said in a plea for police officers to get vaccinated. Her appeal comes as law enforcement officers and their unions across the country have resisted vaccine mandates despite the Delta variant-fueled resurgence of COVID-19 and effectiveness of the shots in preventing severe cases and death. Reasons cited for the vaccine resistance among law enforcement officers range from disinformation to distrust in the science of the vaccines. The debate mirrors growing tension nationally between unions and employers as cities and businesses seek to enforce vaccine mandates. "You're not drafted into this job. This is something you volunteer for," said Charles Ramsey, a former Washington, D.C., police chief and CNN law enforcement analyst. "You understand when you take the job it's going to require some sacrifice on your part in a lot of different ways." Police unions challenge mandates In Chicago, up to half the rank-and-file officers in the nation's second largest police department face being placed on unpaid leave as their union and Mayor Lori Lightfoot clash over a city requirement that officers disclose their vaccine status. Lightfoot on Friday accused police union president John Catanzara of trying to "induce an insurrection" by telling officers to ignore a deadline to report vaccine status. The city filed a complaint alleging the union was "encouraging a work stoppage or strike." A Cook County Circuit judge ruled Friday night that Catanzara should not make public statements encouraging members not to comply with the vaccination policy. Catanzara "has never engaged in, supported, or encouraged a work stoppage," according to a union statement on Friday. Chicago officers had a deadline of midnight Thursday to disclose their vaccine status or be placed on unpaid leave, Catanzara said earlier this week. Lightfoot said the city would take the weekend to check with officers who haven't complied. She said officers should report for duty until they're told by supervisors that they've been placed on leave. Earlier this month, the former president of the union from 2014 to 2017 died of COVID-19. In Miami, officers are resisting a vaccine mandate. In Pittsburgh, the police chief sent out emails encouraging officers to protect themselves as the Delta variant sent COVID-19 cases soaring. In Seattle, the police department had "all non-patrol sworn personnel, detectives, training, support staff" ready to respond to emergency calls ahead of Monday's vaccination mandate deadline, said Sgt. Randy Huserik, a spokesman. The Seattle mayor's office said nearly 140 officers were unvaccinated or hadn't sought an exemption. Huserik said about 320 officers had already left the force since the beginning of 2020. Seattle could begin the process of separating officers from the department after the deadline, according to Mike Sloan, police union president. "If we lose what appears to be over 300 people because of this mandate, this public safety crisis we're experiencing will look like child's play," Sloan said. Across the U.S., law enforcement leaders have pleaded with officers who remain hesitant to get the shot. Still, many unions and their member officers continue to push back. "It's a right to obviously get vaccinated. It's an individual right and I firmly still believe in that," said Dan Yancey, chief of the Owasso Police Department in Oklahoma. "But I would certainly encourage people to do that." The national police union is encouraging vaccinations but opposes mandates. Catanzara has framed the issue as a labor dispute. "We are going to keep fighting this mandate and this dictatorship," said Catanzara, president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, echoing the sentiments of union leaders around the country. "You would think that there is no crime in this city to worry about. You would think that there is no murder, no robberies, no guns being fired." Jessica Desfosses wants to turn her unspeakable loss into an opportunity to save lives. "It's absolutely as bad as you would imagine to be raising two small girls without their dad," she said of her late husband, Stephen, who "wanted to be first in line for that vaccine" but never got the chance. "And if he had had the choice to give himself that extra protection so he could continue to serve the public and still come home to his family, he absolutely would have done it." The COVID-19 death toll in Forsyth County increased by five over the weekend even as some key measures, daily case counts and hospitalizations, continue to trend downward locally and statewide. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also reported Monday that Forsyth had 241 new cases between noon Friday and noon Monday, including 66 on Sunday. That brings the countys total since the beginning of the pandemic to 50,993 cases and 545 deaths. DHHS lists COVID-19 cases and deaths on the day they are confirmed by medical providers and public health officials, so people may have been infected or may have died days or weeks before their cases were counted. There have been 33 COVID-19-related deaths confirmed in Forsyth so far this month. Since the delta variant of COVID-19 became prevalent in early July, the vast majority of the COVID-related deaths in Forsyth, the Triad and Northwest N.C., and the state have been among unvaccinated individuals, public and local hospital officials say. About 32.7% of Forsyths COVID-19-related deaths, or 178, have occurred since April 15. The coalition formed in late May to bring community partners to form a solution to gun violence. One of the coalitions main goals is making sure people in the community are part of the solution and that the boots-on-the-ground groups already working in hard-hit areas get financial support. That financial support, they argue, should come from $56 million the county has in unallocated funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. The womens coalition is one of about 170 groups to apply for a grant. It hopes to get $5 million to be spent over three years for things such as mentoring, violence interruption and mental health services. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} We hear our leaders say, Wheres the community? Were here, said Kellie Easton, a member of the womens coalition and executive director of Action 4 Equity. Were tired of the band-aid approach. We cant lose one more child. Easton said that there are community groups working in the violent areas of the city, often using their own money, but they need resources. Were tired of chump change, she said of small grants of $5,000 and $10,000. Commissioner Fleming El-Amin attended part of the rally. He called gun violence a health issue. As interim senior aerospace/unidentified flying object correspondent for this award-winning publication, I often receive first-person close-encounter stories from readers. Well, maybe not often, but I did this week in the form of an email with the subject line UFO. When I get an email with the subject line UFO, I immediately open it, unlike emails with the subject lines Action Required or Past Due Notice or Dear Lying Liberal News Media Scum. The following are some excerpts from that email as well as my expert analysis of its contents. Well call the reader Robert, since that is the name he listed, but I wont reveal his last name because if the tale is true, he may be whisked away by some shadowy government entity because he knows too much. Come to think of it, after reading it, I may know too much, so Im not going to use my last name either. And if you continue reading, you may know too much so lets all just not use any last names so shadowy government entities cant find us and whisk us away. Roberts story begins. How would you like to look up and see this UFO hovering about 50 feet above your head? Until recently, as a Mexican American, I used to look forward to this time of year. It was a time when media companies, major corporations and political parties broke out of their stifling Black-and-white paradigm if only for a few weeks and took note of my people. I saw value in that. Not anymore. For me, the concept of Hispanic Heritage Month has played itself out. It has become trite, predictable and commercialized. Im not the only one who thinks so. A fellow Mexican American and I are planning a new podcast, and she insisted that we not launch it between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15. Too cheesy, she said. It also irks me that many of the same institutions that celebrate Hispanics for 30 days will then go on to exclude and ignore us for the next 11 months. Frankly, it feels like Hispanic Heritage Month was built by white people for native-born U.S. Hispanics like me. Were the ones who, saddled with cultural insecurities, crave respect and acknowledgment. Hispanic immigrants must look at all this and conclude that those of us who are U.S.-born need to spend time on a couch. They dont ask for accommodations. They come to work hard, provide their kids with better tomorrows and give back to a country that took them in. Her rebellion, so to speak, came when she picked up the blues in Houston clubs in the 1990s. Those were the clubs I could get into as a teenager with no ID, Wonderland said. You showed up with a guitar, come on in. I sucked, but I learned a lot. I dont how my life would have turned out if I hadnt grown up in Houston, going to the blues clubs as a kid. Three decades later, Wonderland is still playing blues clubs, like the Zoo, but shes also playing much larger venues and festivals with Mayall. I love a tight-packed dirty bar. Its fun, she said. Thats where the real hardcore fans are. But I like festivals, too, where you see kids and families and people who dont know much about you. Kids will let you know real quick if they dont like what youre doing. But theyll also get up and dance without getting drunk. Theres another big difference between playing with Mayall and crisscrossing the U.S. with her band. And it has nothing to do with what happens on stage. When we were in Europe, Id say to him you want to go to the Louvre? You want to visit the Colosseum? I could hear his eyes rolling back in his head. Hed done all that. He just wants to play, she said. I still do that with my band -- stop at some place, have some fun, be goofy. This is your life. Otherwise this pillow looks a whole lot like the one I slept on last night. Reach the writer at 402-473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com. On Twitter @KentWolgamott Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. * Regular updates of critical software help to apply program patches that ensure the latest version of a software program is installed in order to provide the best defense and optimal security updates. Unfortunately, critical updates can be missed when tech workers are overwhelmed and overextended. * Social engineering through phishing attacks is one of the greatest areas of vulnerability for schools and other entities. Social engineering banks on trust through the appearance of normalcy. A phishing attack occurs when an email or message that appears at first glance to be legitimate is actually a spoof; when opened or clicked on, it triggers malware, a program that may infect an entire network. The best defense against these (in addition to robust email filtering that flags potentially malicious messages) is to educate the end-user to beware. * Employees are not only your greatest asset; they are your greatest risk. In many busy workplaces, employees are dealing with a high volume of electronic correspondence and may take requests at face value. Unfortunately, this can lead to someone being duped by an email masquerading as a linked work task which actually triggers a virus when opened. After a 47-day journey, Momtazudin Furmoli and his family are finally headed home a new home, 7,000 miles away from the one they left in Afghanistan as refugees. Furmoli arrived at Wisconsins Fort McCoy on Aug. 30 with his wife, 5-year-old son, 2-year-old daughter and 15-year-old nephew. They recently departed for their new home in Utica, New York. Right now, they are happy, said Furmoli on their last night at Fort McCoy. Since they heard the news, he said the entire family had been counting the hours until their departure. Even my kids are asking me, When will we go? When will we go? said Furmoli. When the Taliban invaded Kabul, Furmoli was working for the U.S. Embassy in information and communication technology management. But when the embassy closed, he was out of work. Furmoli said the entire city was living in fear and uncertainty, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. The Taliban will search home by home who worked with the foreigners and who are the spies, so we felt like a day may come that they will capture us and maybe just even kill us, he said. Fearing for his safety, Furmoli made the difficult decision to leave Afghanistan. On Aug. 25, he and his family boarded a U.S. Air Force cargo plane headed for Qatar. Furmoli said they didnt even have seatbelts. After three days in Qatar, they flew to Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., for immigration processing. On Aug. 30, they finally arrived at Fort McCoy. Thirteen thousand (evacuees) came just within one or two weeks. It was a little hard for us, said Furmoli. Everything was a little disorganized. Conditions at Fort McCoy have been challenging, but Furmoli said they improved day by day. When he first came, he said they waited three to four hours for meals. Now, he said its an hour or less. Furmolis biggest concerns during his time at the base have been getting his resettlement paperwork processed and staying in touch with his family back in Afghanistan. When Furmoli and his family fled, they were forced to leave behind his mother and siblings in a precarious Kabul. We knew that if the Talbian once came into power, day by day, the political situation in the country will get worse, said Furmoli. He has spoken to his family by phone nearly every day and said that life in Kabul is deteriorating. The people are living in anxiety and uncertainty and a very poor situation, said Furmoli. He added that the cost of living has gone up significantly and that many people have lost jobs and are now without income. Furmolis sisters are both teachers, but since the Taliban has been restricting education for girls and women, they have not been able to go to work. Their daughters who were going to school and to the university, now there is no university, no school for them. All of them are at home, and they dont have any income. So this is a big problem for them right now, said Furmoli. As much as he worries for his family members back in Afghanistan, Furmoli said it has also motivated him to focus on getting his family settled in the U.S. When the news came last week that they would finally be leaving Fort McCoy, Furmoli said he was overjoyed to have a final destination. The resettlement agency booked his flight and rented a home for his family in Utica. Now, instead of worrying about the future, Furmoli is busy planning for it. He said he is eager to connect with his sponsor in Utica, get his drivers license, enroll his kids in school and find an English language class for his wife so they can all start integrating with the community. But his biggest concern is work. I have to find a job and be part of the workers there, said Furmoli, instead of getting just benefits from the settlement agencies. Furmoli said he hopes to find a job in his field information and communications technology and has already started applying. Once he has a steady source of income, Furmoli plans to pursue a masters degree. Six weeks after arriving, Furmoli is among the first wave of evacuees to be leaving Fort McCoy for resettlement across the country. At least this is a startup, and day by day it will be increased the capacity of the people who will leave here, maybe from hundreds to even (500 or 600) or 1,000. Regardless of the numbers, Furmoli said that seeing evacuees finally leave Fort McCoy after six long and difficult weeks is sending ripples of hope throughout the camp. As families like Furmolis depart for their new homes, other residents are more hopeful their turn will come soon. Furmoli said he knows some people may be apprehensive about welcoming Afghan refugees, but he is eager to share his Afghan culture with his new community. We hope to be a good neighbor for them, Furmoli said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Berenice Garcia chose to return to the classroom years after she had left it, determined to enroll at Gateway Technical College and earn her HSED 5.09 diploma after her oldest child began to take college courses. Garcia was helped greatly in reaching her goal because Gateway offered some of those HSED courses in Spanish, her primary language. Not all colleges offer coursework in Spanish, but Gateway felt it was important and began to do so in earnest a couple years ago. I think that it was important for me to take those courses in my first language, said Garcia. To be able to fully understand and comprehend the material was important to me. This is something I have waited so long to do, and being able to do well because I comprehended it helped me to succeed. The number of students interested in taking Spanish HSED 5.09 courses continues to increase and Gateway continues to work to meet that higher demand, says Guadalupe Badillo, Adult Basic Education instructor. Gateway and Badillo responded to that need in January of 2019 with Badillos first cohort of 25 students, who earned their HSED also called the High School Equivalency Diploma taking Spanish courses by December of that year. The demand and classes have increased, and the college expanded to offer three cohorts of Spanish-language courses. Without the Spanish language program, many would not have been able to earn their diploma, said Badillo, who has worked in the colleges Adult Basic Education program for more than 19 years. Many former students had tried to earn their HSED, but were unable to do so because their English and communication skills were not where they needed to be for that program, and/or they needed a structured class setting where they could strengthen their basic skills. Students who complete their studies in Spanish also find a sharpened ability in reading, math and writing. They feel more confident to go back into their ELL classes to learn English. They also feel more confident in their education, and some have gone on to enroll in college coursework to earn a degree. Online instruction Badillo notes the COVID-19 pandemic hasnt slowed down their efforts at all online instruction has allowed them to offer courses to students who may have otherwise been unable to enroll because of long commute times or hectic work schedules. Offering these courses provides students with the opportunity to better their future, to be able to change their lives, says Badillo. Once they obtain that diploma, they will be able to continue their education. They will be able to qualify for that job that will give them better pay and better benefits and will also change the lives of their families. Badillo speaks of several students whove taken the HSED 5.09 program in Spanish and have gone on to earn a technical diploma at Gateway or enter job fields such as the construction trades. Other colleges have taken note of Gateways success and have begun to look at its best practices to be able to offer Spanish courses in their own HSED programs. Life-changing experience Garcia agreed that the experience has been life-changing for her, too. The whole experience of the 5.09 HSED program has been great, especially for an adult who walks into a building scared, thinking in the back of your mind all the time that has passed and standing at the door of the building you ask yourself 30 times what am I doing here? said Garcia. Getting my diploma is a great achievement for me, its not just a piece of paper hanging on a wall...its the satisfaction of, after 20 years, finally feeling fulfilled. For more information on taking Spanish HSED 5.09 courses at Gateway Technical College, go to gtc.edu/ged. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 RACINE A patron walks into a library, and instead of heading for the shelves, they ask: May I see your social worker? Its not a common question at a librarys circulation desk, but Racine Public Library staff will likely hear it more with the coming of their new full-time social worker. Ashley Cedeno, a recent graduate who received her masters in social work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was added to RPLs staff in early September to address patrons needs beyond what they can routinely find at the library. Meet with the library's social worker The Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St., is encouraging community members seeking resources, advice, referrals or "even just a friendly person to talk to" to visit Ashley Cedeno, the library's new social worker. Cedeno is available for drop-ins from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursdays in the library's second floor study rooms. Virtual, phone or in-person appointments are also available. To book an appointment, call or text 262-321-9458, email socialworker@racinelibrary.info or stop in at the library for more information. The library's social worker services are free. Cedeno speaks both English and Spanish. Filling needs Since Cedeno arrived, she has addressed patrons concerns with housing, legal services, sexual assault services, mental health and even applying for benefits. So far, housing concerns have been most needed. The concerns ranged from simply looking for affordable housing/helping them apartment search, or giving them contact information for local shelters, Cedeno said. According to a press release from the library: In early 2019, its staff took a six-week course to address the trend towards social services in libraries across the country. Then, the library invited leaders from local organizations to discuss how best to serve the community. The library brought in a part-time intern social worker in the same year, and then partnered with Carthage College students later on to host more intern social workers. It was clear, from the patrons demand of the positions, that the library needed a full-time social worker to help bridge the gap between patrons and resources in Racine. Its a mistake to think that libraries are in the book business. Libraries are in the human business, said RPL Executive Director Angela Zimmermann. Libraries serve as community hubs that are indispensable connectors of education, information, resources, services, and access that attend to human needs Libraries will continue to play a fundamental and important role in society and our communities as we adapt to its needs, and the hiring of a social worker is a shining example of just that. To reach even more community members, the librarys social worker services are offered for free. I had one patron who called and asked, What type of insurance do you accept? And we dont have to accept insurance. There are no qualifications you need to meet, or anything, Cedeno said. Pioneering social work Social workers are relatively new in stock at libraries. According to NPR, the San Francisco Public Library is credited with being the first to bring a social worker on staff in 2009. RPL is in the one-fifth of U.S. libraries that employ a full-time social worker of their own. There are only around 185 libraries altogether in the U.S. that host social workers in some form, according to the 2019 book Whole Person Librarianship: A Social Work Approach to Patron Services. Those positions tend to just be part-time, interns or partners with outside agencies, meaning having a dedicated full-time social worker is a big step. But with the profession of library social worker being slightly over a decade old, there isnt much guidance on how to do the job. The focus is then put on meeting patrons needs individually, emphasizing on person-first social work. I think its just a lot of accepting were all very new at this and that were all figuring this out together, and being okay with that, and just taking it day by day, Cedeno said. Reaching out Originally from Blue Island, Illinois, a city about a half-hour south of Chicago, Cedeno is a first-generation college graduate who came to Wisconsin in 2015 to attend Carthage College. There, she earned her bachelors in social work before moving on to UW-Milwaukee. Prior to the library, Cedeno worked with organizations like the Job Center of Kenosha, the Kenosha Area Family & Aging Center, the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) Outreach Center in Kenosha, the Dewey Center and the Aurora Psychiatry Hospital. One of her most fulfilling social work experiences so far have been participating in a Birth to 3 program, offering services to children under the age of 3 with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. One of the most rewarding things is having a child come into the program and then graduate from the program either early or when theyre 3 years old, Cedeno said. Just knowing that you were a part of their success, and a part of their growth, I think is the most impactful thing ever. At RPL, Cedeno has began developing a sensory room for young children that will be open in January. Possible upcoming programs at the library include a Meet the Social Worker session, bringing in therapy dogs or partnering with other organizations for informational sessions. Ideas are still ruminating but I couldnt be more thrilled that RPL has been able to bring such an important position to fruition, Zimmermann said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Madison police officer inadvertently shot and injured a fellow officer during the arrest of a man who pointed a loaded handgun at police on State Street on Oct. 10, the Wisconsin Department of Justice said Monday. The departments Division of Criminal Investigation, which investigates police shootings, said in a statement that it is continuing to review evidence and determine the facts of this incident and will turn over investigative reports to the Dane County District Attorney when the investigation concludes. The disclosure comes more than a week after the Madison Police Department and DOJ announced the shooting, and DOJ said a person with a handgun had been arrested in the incident. In a statement Monday, the Madison Police Department said the police officer identified by DOJ as Keith Brown fired his weapon and was put on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. We respect the process and mandate of the state law requiring an independent investigation, the statement said. We recognize that DCI is still actively conducting this investigation and analyzing evidence collected in order to determine the entirety of this event. Until Monday, both agencies had declined to provide more information on the case to the Wisconsin State Journal. Shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 10, Madison police were attempting to arrest Katoine Richardson, 19, in the 500 block of State Street when Richardson ran from police, DCI said. Richardson, who was wanted for felony bail jumping, pointed a loaded handgun at officers, DCI said. At some point during the arrest, Brown fired a shot that hit another officer, who was taken to a local hospital and has since been released, according to DCI. Another officer sustained minor injuries during the arrest, and police took Richardson into custody without injury, DCI said. Madison police said the officer who had been shot is expected to make a full recovery. This incident highlights the dangers posed by individuals who choose to illegally possess and use firearms, and those dangers can no longer be tolerated by our community, the police statement said. We ask that the residents of our community remember the dangers our officers face every day as they try to keep this City safe. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said his office had not received reports from DCI and did not have an estimate on when DCIs investigation would be complete. Richardson later told an investigator he ran from police because he did not want to get caught carrying a gun while he violated a curfew imposed in other criminal cases pending against him. Richardson already had open felony cases in Dane County for armed burglary and bail jumping, as well as five open misdemeanor cases for charges including criminal damage to property and being a passenger in a stolen vehicle. Richardsons attorney, state assistant public defender Stanley Woodard, said when Richardson appeared in court on Tuesday that Richardson did not fire a gun and did not shoot anyone, and suggested the officer may have been shot by another officer. Richardsons bail was set at $16,000 after he was charged with possession of a firearm by a person found delinquent in juvenile court, resisting an officer causing a soft-tissue injury, carrying a concealed weapon, and three counts of felony bail jumping. He also faces a misdemeanor bail jumping charge for an unrelated matter. The complaint and a probable cause affidavit state that an officer, identified in the affidavit as Edward McKinley, told investigators he was on State Street and saw another officer, identified in the documents as Richard Bruess, tackle Richardson after a foot chase. McKinley said he saw Richardson holding a semi-automatic handgun. McKinley said he grabbed Richardson and began struggling with him. The affidavit states McKinley told an investigator he saw Richardson pull out a semi-automatic handgun and try to get a round into the guns chamber. He said he grabbed Richardsons hand and struggled with him. During the struggle, the complaint states, McKinley sustained a hip injury that resulted in numbness and nerve pain. It states he was admitted to St. Marys Hospital for treatment later on the day of the shooting. DCI, which is being assisted in the investigation by the Wisconsin State Crime Lab and Wisconsin State Patrol, said no further information was available. It is the first time in more than 20 years that a Madison officer has been shot in the line of duty, the police department said. Former Madison Officer Andy Garcia was shot in the leg and the chest on March 21, 1997, as he and Officer Tim Hahn were attempting to arrest a man on a La Crosse County warrant on the citys Southwest Side. The suspect, Timothy Wing, 38, a failed Libertarian Assembly candidate from Madison who was wanted for not showing up to serve a nine-month jail sentence for indecent exposure, was shot and killed by Hahn. The bullet to Garcias chest was deflected by a bulletproof vest, and Garcia survived the attack but suffered a deep chest bruise and injuries to his upper right thigh. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RANDALL Morgan Wallen, who was not invited to attend the County Music Awards in November despite having an album nominated for best of the year, is invited back to Country Thunder Wisconsin in July 2022. Wallen cancelled all 2021 summer appearances, including his scheduled performance last July at Country Thunder near Twin Lakes following backlash that arose early in the year when a video surfaced of Wallen using a racial slur. Eric Church replaced Wallen in the Country Thunder Wisconsin lineup. Promoters announced Monday via email that Wallen would be a headliner at Country Thunder Wisconsin, when the venue returns July 21-24, 2022, as well as other Country Thunder music festival locations. The day Wallen will perform was not included. No further details were available Monday from Country Thunder, which typically announces a significant portion of the lineup prior to the holiday gift buying season. Wallen's album "Dangerous: The Double Album" has received a nomination for album of the year. Sales of the record skyrocketed in early 2021. In March, Billboard reported the album topped the Billboard 200 for the first 10 weeks after its release making it the first album to do so since 1987. Wallen is on track in 2021 to sell more albums than any artist in any genre. Wallen publicly apologized in February for the incident involving the racial slur and announced in April the cancellation of his summer performances. I made some mistakes, Im figuring those out, and I apologized because I was truly sorry and have been making amends, Wallens letter to fans reads. Wallen, 28, said he used the time off to survey the man he became after moving to Nashville at age 22. Not only has this time revealed to me the ways in which I want to improve, but its also reminded me that I am still very proud of who I am and the man I am becoming, Wallen wrote. Precedent setting move But, consequences continue. It is the first time in the history of CMA that an artist has not been invited as a result of "conduct," country music news outlets report. The album has also been submitted for consideration in eight Grammy Award categories. Grammy nominations are scheduled to be announced on Nov. 23. Wallen returned to the stage for a benefit concert Sept. 8 and performed before a sold-out crowd at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, Tenn. The acoustic concert raised money in support of those impacted by flooding in Humphreys, Tenn. He is set to perform Oct. 30 at Bristol Motor Speedway, a venue also being promoted by Country Thunder. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 1. Yes. Council members appear to have taken time to review each section carefully. 2. Yes. The council has set up town halls and a public hearing to inform the residents. 3. No. The council should have set up a charter review committee, including residents. 4. No. Some of the items proposed so far benefit the council more than the community. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say until after the public has had more opportunities to weigh in. Vote View Results KEARNEY Law officers are equipped with pistols, stun guns, night sticks and pepper spray, but when they encounter an individual experiencing a mental health incident, the best weapon might be someone who knows about mental health. Its difficult because while we receive some training in mental health, there are people with a lot higher training who know how to help with a crisis, said Buffalo County Sheriff Neil Miller. The Buffalo County Sheriffs Department and Kearney Police Department soon will have mental health experts available to talk with individuals in crisis. In many situations, the professionals or co-responders will be on the scene with the deputy or police officer using their knowledge to safely de-escalate the situation and get the individuals to a place where theyll be safe and receive the help they need. The U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday that the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department will receive $250,000 during the next two years to make mental health professionals available 24/7 to respond in emergencies. The actress famous for portraying Thelma Lou on "The Andy Griffith Show has died. Betty Lynn, 95, the TV, radio and movie star who performed for American soldiers in war zones in Southeast Asia during WWII, died Saturday after a brief illness. Bettys performances as Thelma Lou and in other roles will continue to entertain generations of appreciative audiences. More than that, all who ever encountered Betty are forever grateful to have known such a truly beautiful soul, the Andy Griffith Museum announced on its Facebook page. Lynn played Barney Fifes girlfriend, Thelma Lou, on the show for 26 episodes between 1961 and 1966. Of Griffith actors still living at the time of Bettys death, only Ron Howard appeared in more episodes of the series than Betty, the museum said. The Missouri native began studying dance at age 5 and was performing by the age of 14 on local radio shows, where she was discovered by scouts for the United Service Organizations. She and guitarist Tommy Decker began their overseas tour with stops in Casablanca and then Iran before eventually making their way to the wars China-Burma-India Theater, where they visited and performed for servicemen throughout much of the war zone, but with their primary mission being to console and entertain wounded servicemen at military hospitals, the museum said. Lynn was honored after the war with a special commendation from the U.S. War Department and as an Honorary Colonel in the American Legion. After the war, Lynn moved to New York City and later Hollywood to pursue an acting career. She performed in roles with Twentieth Century-Fox, RKO, MGM and Universal. Her film performances included Cheaper by the Dozen, Many Rivers to Cross and Behind the High Wall. She also acted in television shows like the comedy Wheres Raymond, Peg O My Heart and many others. Betty was a fixture in television Westerns during the 1950s and 1960s. A partial roundup includes episodes of Bronco, Wagon Train, Cheyenne, Tales of Wells Fargo and Sugarfoot, as well as being co-star for two seasons of Disney Presents: Texas John Slaughter with Tom Tryon, the museum wrote. In the 1990s she joined "Andy Griffith" cast reunion events and festivals around the country. The fans are so sweet, Betty said. I really love meeting them and having the chance to visit a little bit. They come from all over the country. Its so touching that they still remember my movies and love The Andy Griffith Show like they do. And especially for the Griffith show, there are lots of young children who are fans, too. So, I think the shows popularity is carrying on through the new generations. That makes me happy. She died peacefully on Saturday, the museum reported. A private burial service will be held in Culver City, California. It is with an extremely heavy heart that we announce the passing of Betty Lynn. Thank you to all for your prayers, cards and love, the museum wrote. Betty will be dearly missed by all of us. We love you, Betty. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Monroe County prosecutors have filed multiple charges against a Waunakee woman after an Indiana man died from injuries in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 94. Carrie Jean Herbst, 41, has been charged in Monroe County Circuit Court with first-degree reckless homicide, homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, first-degree reckless injury, injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. The crash took the life of 29-year-old Khan Ghiyasuddin of Indianapolis and injured Cameron Hazzard of New Haven, Minnesota, and a teen-ager from Indiana. Prosecutors allege that Herbst was intoxicated Oct. 3 when she drove a westbound minivan in the eastbound lane of Interstate 94 near Warrens shortly before 9 p.m. Herbsts van struck Ghiyasuddins eastbound car, and a chain-reaction crash ensued involving a sport utility vehicle and Hazzards commercial vehicle that was hauling heavy equipment. Ghiyasuddin was transported to Gundersen Health in La Crosse, where he later died. A 16-year-old passenger in Ghiyasuddins car was also transported to La Crosse with non-life-threatening injuries. Hazzard was transported from the scene with non-life-threatening injuries, but sustained a broken hip that left him hospitalized for five days and unable to work after his discharge. Herbst was extricated from her vehicle and transported to a Black River Falls hospital before being airlifted to Madison. She is free after posting a $15,000 cash bond set by Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Richard Radcliffe. Court records show Herbst with no other drunk driving convictions in Wisconsin. She has a pre-trial conference set for Nov. 22 and a preliminary hearing set for Jan. 10. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A new strategy announced by the Biden administration Monday could directly aid La Crosse residents facing dangerous water contamination and the municipalities currently grappling with how to help them. The Environmental Protection Agency said it was rolling out initiatives to limit pollution from a group of forever chemicals known as PFAS, that have polluted more than 500 wells on French Island and thousands more across the nation. The strategy specifically would implement aggressive drinking water limits for PFAS, which are present in a number of everyday items such as nonstick cookware, stain-repellent material and more. In La Crosse, PFAS are believed to have originated at least in-part from firefighting foam that is federally required to be used at its airport, located on French Island. Under the EPAs plan, manufacturers of the chemicals would also be held more accountable and be required to disclose the toxicities of their products, and polluters would be responsible for the cost or manpower of cleanup. Its been nearly a year since the first tests revealed unhealthy levels of the chemical in the wells of French Island residents, and the response and remediation has been slow-moving, partially because of a hodgepodge of strategies across different levels of government. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, who lives on French Island and serves on the Congressional PFAS Task Force, told the Tribune he was thrilled to see the Biden administrations plan to tackle the crisis. For too long, too many communities across Wisconsin have been affected by PFAS contamination. We need to be working with local, state and federal stakeholders to respond to this growing public health crisis, Kind said. Over the summer, Wisconsin officials cautioned La Crosse residents that remediation would be lengthy, saying that the continued investigation into the pollution would not be complete until the full scope and extent of contamination was understood. Plus, efforts by the state to address the statewide PFAS crisis has received partisan pushback. Manufacturing lobbyists have specifically pushed to prevent manufacturers from being held responsible for cleanup, something that could now be federally required under the EPAs new plan. But it was immediately unclear exactly how the EPA would define the responsible polluter under this strategy. The city of La Crosse has currently been identified by the state of Wisconsin as the responsible polluter for the contamination on French Island, but officials have argued that it was using the foam only because it was mandated by the federal government. I appreciate the efforts of the EPA to take this small step towards addressing the PFAS crisis inflicted upon communities like ours throughout the nation, La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds told the Tribune. Treating these chemicals like the known health hazards they are will help hold manufacturers accountable for the damage they continue to cause. The new federal strategy could also help fill in gaps that were left in the states budget, which originally included more than $25 million to combat PFAS but was stripped by Republicans, leaving only $1 million to collect firefighting foam around the state. Meanwhile, immediate responses to the pollution have begun at the local level, but officials are still finding their footing on where to begin to look for long term solutions for the community. Thousands of residents on French Island are being provided bottled water by the state indefinitely, and lawsuits have been filed by both residents and the city of La Crosse. But serious deliberations on a possible new clean water source and clean-up of the sites have not yet happened, at least not in public. Whats more is the city is still federally mandated to use the firefighting foam at its airport, meaning if a fire occured its possible the foam could be used again, adding to the pollution. The EPAs new strategy does not appear to address this federal mandate, which the city has requested a waiver to bypass. Reynolds said he hopes the EPAs new strategy will come with more funding to support it. To ensure any kind of success, it is absolutely critical that adequate federal funding accompanies this regulatory effort, he said. It is irresponsible governing and simply unfair to expect small communities like La Crosse to shoulder the costly burden of remediation for hazardous chemicals even while some federal agencies continue to mandate their use, he said. Some early discussions around spending of American Rescue Plan Act dollars by the city and county have alluded to funding PFAS remediation, but both groups are still mapping out how to make those funding decisions and there have been no formal requests to use that money in that way. The EPAs plan to set stronger limitations of PFAS in drinking water could lend a direct hand to La Crosse residents who have been frustrated with the current standards, which are set by each state and vary largely, and have been used in the past to determine what type of help if any a resident will receive. French Island residents who have now been facing the realities that theyve been consuming contaminated water for what could be as long as decades have also expressed frustration that there are few answers about possible health risks. The chemical group has been linked to things such as cancer, infertility and birth defects, but there is not a concrete understanding of exactly how the chemicals affect the body. The new EPA plan would fund research to learn more about PFAS, which could reveal more information about these health factors. The timeline of this new strategy is not clearly mapped out just yet, but the EPA said it plans to have a proposed rule on PFAS in drinking water by 2023. This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. to include reaction from Mayor Mitch Reynolds. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A flurry of questions ran through Erika Rosales head during the college application process: Which schools might accept me? How can I afford it? Am I eligible for any scholarships? How should I answer the question of citizenship status? Navigating college can be tricky for any student, but even more so for Rosales and the hundreds of thousands of other undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as young children and who remain here under the temporary, renewable protections of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created by the Obama administration in 2012. Rosales, who now works for UW-Madison, figured out the path to earning bachelors and masters degrees largely on her own. She always wondered how much smoother her journey may have been if there had existed a place for her to pose questions and seek help something other states have to support DACA recipients but Wisconsin was lacking. Rosales and Erin Barbato, a clinical professor at the UW Law School, teamed up to lead a statewide Center for DREAMers where they will coordinate legal representation, mental and social services, and career and educational counseling for the nearly 7,000 estimated DACA beneficiaries living in Wisconsin. Young, undocumented immigrants have been referred to as Dreamers because of a federal bill first introduced in 2001 that would provide them with a pathway to citizenship through college, work or the armed services. Congress has introduced several versions of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, none of which have become law. The DACA program, created by executive order, is more vulnerable to legal challenges and changes in presidential administrations. My hope is that one day everyone with DACA has a pathway to citizenship, Barbato said. But until that happens, theres a definite need in Wisconsin for this center. The center, funded by a two-year grant through a university endowment, had a soft launch this month with offices set up in both the Law School and the South Madison Partnership building on Park Street. The hope, she said, is to be fully operating by January in one larger space. As director of the Law Schools Immigrant Justice Clinic, Barbato has received inquiries from DACA beneficiaries on a daily basis. She saw a need for more specialized attention for the community that lives their lives in seemingly perpetual legal limbo. Many questions come from Dreamers applying for or enrolled in college, though the center will help any DACA recipients regardless of their level of education. It just became a mission I couldnt turn away from, she said. More Dreamers? The Center for DREAMers will at least triple the amount of representation that the clinic can offer DACA recipients. And it could see greater demand in the future. A federal court may soon rule on whether the government can accept new DACA applications. Currently, only renewals are being processed. In addition, the Biden administration recently proposed a rule embedding DACA into the Federal Register, which would make the program more permanent and difficult to dismantle, Barbato said. The comment period on the rule is currently underway. Things change every few months for the DACA community because of evolving federal policy and legal challenges, Barbato said. Were trying to provide dedicated services to provide the DACA population with trusted information so they can pursue their dreams without barriers of knowledge. Finances, mental health Finances are a huge hurdle for Dreamers to earn a college degree, advocates say. They do not have access to federal financial aid. Thirty-four states provide DACA recipients with access to in-state or reduced tuition to at least some of their public institutions, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. Wisconsin is one of a handful that explicitly ban it. For Rosales, that meant a much higher tuition bill despite having lived in Wisconsin for more than a decade before enrolling at UW-Whitewater as an undergraduate. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in both his 2019-21 and 2021-23 state budget proposals called for providing DACA recipients with access to in-state tuition levels. The Republican-controlled budget-writing committee rejected his request both times. Do you have DACA-related immigration questions? The Center for DREAMers is hosting an appointment-based online legal clinic from 1-3:30 p.m. Oct. 29. Call 608-890-3753 to make an appointment. Karen Suarez Jimenez, who came to Wisconsin from Mexico at age 3, said the financial barrier is real but the emotional toll may be an even greater obstacle in pursuing a degree. Many DACA recipients are the first in their families to attend college and struggle with imposter syndrome, or the feeling of being inadequate and undeserving, the second-year UW Law student said. She said many Dreamers also carry additional weight when seeking answers from various government or university offices and worrying about whether to disclose their DACA status. It is such a delicate matter and an important matter, Jimenez said of disclosing ones immigration status. Having a dedicated center run by staff familiar with DACA eliminates that barrier of the unknown. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When the Biden administration proposed allowing the federal government to negotiate Medicare drug prices earlier this year, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the result would be drug price drops of between 57% and 75%. In 2019, when the Trump administration proposed doing the same thing, the nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund found that negotiating prices would cut premiums for Medicare drug plans by about $117 billion between 2020 and 2029. So why are policymakers still fighting about this seemingly simple change? Money. While most players in American health care are theoretically interested in controlling costs and improving care quality, absolutely no one is willing to cut his or her own salary to do it. At the moment, a great many people earn a salary based on the current method of paying (or overpaying) for drugs used by Medicare patients. Negotiating drug prices means creating a national drug formulary for Medicare a list of covered drugs and what the government is willing to pay for them. If a drug maker refuses to cut prices, the drug would be excluded from the formulary. Thats how large employers negotiate prices, and it sometimes results in pushback when their employees are prescribed drugs that arent on their drug formularies. Its worth recalling how America got to a position where virtually everyone knows how to save money but no one wants to make the necessary changes for fear of alienating Medicare patients. Medicare didnt cover prescription drugs used outside the hospital at all until 2003, when a Republican-led Congress passed the Medicare Part D drug benefit. That law specified that the drug benefit could only be delivered through private insurance companies and that the federal government could not negotiate drug prices. At the time, Republicans said they worried that the federal government, already the largest purchaser of medications, would bully big drug companies. The no-negotiations strategy was linked to another provision of the bill that required Congress to make adjustments to Medicare, including possible benefit cuts, if it exceeded certain spending benchmarks. Making Medicare overpay for drugs would have opened the door for Republicans to make other changes to the popular program that they had long opposed. But once Congress added a Medicare drug benefit, it had no more stomach for making other changes. The Biden administrations plan for lowering drug prices is crucial because the savings would help pay for his multitrillion-dollar Build Back Better initiative on infrastructure improvements. Both savings for seniors and investments in highways, bridges and improvements to the energy grid are possible if Americans stop overpaying for Medicare drugs. The federal government currently pays for drugs for 58% of the population enrolled in Tricare, Medicaid, Medicare and the Childrens Health Insurance Program. Negotiating prices on a few dozen drugs would save hundreds of billions of dollars per year. Congress should make this change without delay. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Update: Videos show Park City shooting aftermath, intervening bystander; employees, customers describe the scene A bystander armed with a gun intervened in a shooting in Park City Center on Sunday afternoon, shooting one of the participants, Lancaster police said. The unidentified bystander, who legally possessed the firearm, had heard gunshots related to a fight between two males that knew each other, police said. The bystander remained on scene until security and police arrived. Police said the initial shooting stemmed from an altercation between two males who knew each other and at least one of them a 16-year-old boy had a gun. They, and other people then struggled for the gun and the 16 year old fired at least two shots, striking at least one of the people involved. The bystander, who had been in a store nearby, heard the shots, came over and then engaged the subjects fighting over the gun and fired shots, striking one of the suspects. Police said the 16 year old was the initial shooter and will be charged. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. Two males involved in the initial altercation were also shot, but their injuries are not life threatening, police said. A fourth person, a female passing by with her family, was shot in the arm, police said; her injury also is not life-threatening. Police did not release further details and declined to answer questions. It was not clear if the bystander shot the 16 year old, or another suspect. All told, six shots were fired, police said, but it was not clear who fired how many times. Two guns were recovered. The Lancaster County District Attorney's office is investigating the bystander's actions, police said. The bystander was released after an interview with police. Though the bystander had a legal gun, Park City prohibits weapons. This is a breaking news post and will be updated. Update: A bystander armed with a gun intervened in a shooting in Park City Center on Sunday afternoon, shooting one of the participants, Lancaster police said. Hana Ali was working in Tabarek Al-Hana, an international food store she owns along with her sister inside Park City Center, when shots rang out on Sunday afternoon. Ali, 57, of Lititz, said an argument broke out between a group of four people just outside the store around 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m., centered around two adult men. A scuffle took place, during which one of the men brandished a gun and began making threats to the others. The gun was knocked from the mans hand and the second man then mounted him and shot him, Ali said. A second man, also part of the group, was also shot, though Ali was unsure how. Everything went so fast, she said. We were scared so we were hiding behind my register. EMTs and police were dispatched to the mall at 142 Park City Center at 2:26 p.m. Police have not said what led up to the shooting or who was involved. Dispatch reports indicate as six people were transported to local hospitals, two with gunshot wounds, and that two suspects were taken into custody. Police announced in a CrimeWatch post on Sunday evening that the injuries reported were non-life threatening. Ali said she believed she heard five or six shots fired. One of the men appeared to have been shot in the leg and shoulder. I hope they are alive, Ali said. I hope no one dies. 'A pretty scary feeling' Kevin Young, 68, of Lancaster, was shopping upstairs when he heard shots ring out through the mall. There were too many to count, he said. It was like a lot of firecrackers going off. Young saw a mass of people running throughout the mall, headed toward the exits. Some people were lying on the ground. Young was ushered into a back room where he hid for about half an hour, he said. Haley Miller, 24, of Hershey, was showing a customer jewelry at Reeds Jewlers, where she works as an associate, when she heard what she thought sounded like a loud balloon pop. When Miller looked up, she saw people running and heard more loud pops. It was blurry. It all just kind of happened, she said. Your brain kind of shuts down in that instance and you just think am I going to fight or am I going to run? Miller realized that the sounds were coming from a gun, and quickly began ushering customers behind counters and telling them to lay down. It was really loud and really disconcerting, she said. I didnt know what was going on or if I was going to leave the mall, which was a pretty scary feeling. Miller later brought the customers and co-workers into a back room, where they stayed for about half an hour. A federal judge on Monday determined that Samuel Lazar continues to pose a danger and therefore will remain locked up as he awaits trial for his Jan. 6 activities outside the U.S. Capitol. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson pointed to Lazars actions, words and what he wore -- all recorded on video -- in responding to Lazars bid for release pending trial. Lazar, 36, has been in federal custody since he was arrested at his Ephrata apartment on July 26. He is charged with assault and obstruction-related crimes. Video footage referenced by Jackson shows Lazar spraying police, taunting them and urging others to take their guns. At Mondays hearing, Jackson repeated Lazars words from his Facebook post the morning of Jan. 6: Donald Trump is going to shock the world! Were ready for war She noted a patch Lazar showed off for a videographer after he left the Capitol, Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle. Referencing his camouflage face-paint, goggles and tactical vest, Jackson said Lazar came to Washington dressed as though hes ready for war. Not as a tourist. Not for an ordinary day. Lazars appearance earned him the hashtag #facepaintblowhard by online vigilantes who have been trying to identify the hundreds of people in photos posted to the FBIs website. As to the defense claims that Lazar found the pepper spray on the ground, Jackson was skeptical. Even so, she said, Lazar did not turn it in to police, but instead weaponized it by spraying them. Lazar was not just a dangerous loudmouth or agitator but was someone who, by his own words, had planned for war and showed a blatant disregard to constitutional authority placed in law enforcement he is accused of attacking, Jackson said. Why shouldnt I take him at his word? Jackson asked. Lazars next court appearance is scheduled for Dec 16. He has been held nearly as long as a Manheim Township man charged with attacking a police officer outside the Capitol, stealing another officers body camera and later disposing of it. Michael J. Lopatic was released to home confinement in late April, nearly three months after he was arrested. Update: Videos show Park City shooting aftermath, intervening bystander; employees, customers describe the scene On a typical Sunday shopping trip, Dora Aipa, 51, was looking at earrings in Hot Topic at Park City Center with her 13 year-old daughter, Tori Stewart. Her sons, Logan and Ashton Aipa, 19 and 16 respectively, were waiting patiently outside the store. Dora Aipa heard a pop pop and in a matter of seconds looked down to see her daughter gone as she was swept into a sea of people rushing toward an exit at the back of the store. She attempted to call 911, but her hand was far too shaky, she said. The time on the phone was 2:20 p.m. I was like oh my god I dont even have my gun, where are my kids, said Dora Aipa, who has a concealed carry license. I was in total panic. I just froze, there was no fight or flight. I literally froze because I looked down and I didn't see my daughter. The mother of seven recalled hearing constant screaming from those around her. At the forefront of her mind were the children including the dozens of babies in strollers she had seen earlier that day. We were packed in like sardines, Dora Aipa said. It was total chaos and panic. She and several others were trapped in the employee hallway behind Hot Topic. The exit door at the end of the hallway was locked. [Logan Aipa] just took his shoulder and banged it so hard into the door and busted the door open, Dora Aipa said, adding that he injured his shoulder with the effort. It took 20 minutes from the time of the shooting for Dora Aipa to safely get to her car in the parking lot. It was there that she learned that her sons had run into the store at the time of the shooting and her daughter was whisked away by the Hot Topic employee she had been speaking with moments before. She just saw the guns and her instinct was to protect my daughter who's standing right next to her, Dora Aipa said of the employee she called "girl with the rainbow hair." She shielded my daughter, because the shooting was right outside the store this girl needs to be thanked. Her other son, Ashton Aipa, had tripped over a box in the hallway and fell on another person fleeing the shooting. In the scuffle, he lost his shoes, stubbed his toe and twisted his ankle. Dora Aipa said her son, who is diagnosed with Asperger's, didn't like to be in public even before the shooting. Hes scared to go out in public, she said, adding that he was most upset that he had fallen on top of someone else. Hes severely traumatized he could not sleep last night. At her car, Dora Aipa quickly tucked her gun into her holster. As she waited, crying inside of the car, parents of employees still inside came up to her. They wanted to know if she had been in the mall, and if, maybe, she had seen their children. I've been through a lot of stuff in my life but this is the worst thing I have ever been through, Dora Aipa said. 'I felt so helpless' When Michaela Wood, 24, returned to Francesca's, which is located in the J.C. Penney wing near the scene of the shooting, Monday morning she said "I felt sick to my stomach." Wood, a manager at the store, was shopping at the T.J. Maxx in Parkview Plaza across from Park City Center when she received a call from one of her employees about the shooting. She left the store and walked toward the mall as she heard sirens sound off in the distance. "I started hearing the sirens as I was on the phone with her and just kind of gave her that peace of mind that I hear the sirens," Wood said. She was not permitted to enter the store so she kept in touch with her three team members over the phone. "I felt so helpless," Wood said. "I thought 'do I just run in there and help or what do I do right now?'." One employee was scheduled to return to the store today but Wood gave her the day off. "The amount of phone calls I got thanking [the employees] made me beyond proud of them." In addition to answering the phone calls, Wood spent the morning cleaning up the store that had to be closed early Sunday. While there isn't any damage to Francesca's, Wood noted that glass had to be cleaned up from a Sephora store window that had been shattered. 'Everyone froze' Lydia Hamer, 20, of Quentin, grew up going to Park City Center with her grandmother when she was younger. On her most recent trip to the mall, with her boyfriend, the couple found themselves crammed in a single-person employee bathroom with 13 others, including a newborn child, in the back of Journeys after gunshots rang out Sunday. Hamer and her boyfriend were walking toward the center circle after leaving another store when they heard a loud bang, she recalled. I dont think anyone processed it, she said. Everyone froze, and then when the second (gunshot) happened, thats when the screaming started. The couple rushed into Journeys, the nearest store to them, where they ran back to the bathroom and barricaded the door with whatever they had around a metal Journeys sign and a plastic shelf. They stayed there for about 30 minutes. Everyone was decently calm, Hamer said, adding that one woman did start crying. It was absolutely terrifying. She said she still hasnt shaken off the shock. Even today, I feel weird, she said. It was a shock to have that happen right in front of you. The Journeys employees, who Hamer guessed were all in their early 20s, knew exactly what to do, she said. They were amazing, she said. Hamer said that her and her boyfriend plan on going back sometime soon, hopefully to suppress the trauma from Sunday. 'Life must go on' Hana Ali, 57 and her sister own the Tabarak Al-Hana, an international food store at Park City Center. Her sister Maal Al-Hussiny, 67, was working at the store when the shooting started yesterday. Ali was not in the store at the time but Al-Hussiny called her and Ali returned to the store. "I've been in the mall for almost 25 years and nothing like this happened," Ali said. Park City Center officials told her and other nearby stores that it was up to them whether or not they would reopen today. Ali said she was still feeling shocked and a little unwell today. When interviewed Monday morning before 10 a.m., she was not sure if Tabarek Al-Hana would reopen for half a day or at all. Yet, she knows she will have to return eventually. "We have to be careful, but things happen," she said adding that she is originally from Iraq and lived through the Desert Storm War. "Life must go on." Josh Gerlach, 26, is a manager for Hot Topic in Park City Center. While he was off work yesterday, an assistant manager called him with the news that something big just happened. When Gerlach found out shots had been fired in the mall, he said my first thought was just immediately, is my team OK?, Gerlach said. This morning he walked into a store with products strewn about the floor. Its a slow day at the mall, which he said doesnt mean people are wary but might just be giving it space. 'We got to go' Mary Dilazzaro, 28, a patient service specialist at Novacare Rehab, said she was on the first floor of JC Penny when she started to notice kids running past her. And one of them doubles back and says what are you standing there? Theres been a shooting, she said. I said to my mom drop the PJs, we got to go. They quickly made it to the exit, although they didnt immediately know where Dilazzaros father was. They were able to quickly connect by phone and the trio left together in their car. Update: A bystander armed with a gun intervened in a shooting in Park City Center on Sunday afternoon, shooting one of the participants, Lancaster police said. Park City Center is open to customers following Sunday's shooting that left four people with gunshot wounds. An official with mall management told a reporter that the mall is open - a directory online, however, indicates Alice's Candy and Presto Pasta are temporarily closed. Vehicles could be seen in each parking lot at the mall as of 10:27 a.m. in what appears to be a normal day for mall business. EMTs and police were dispatched to the mall at 142 Park City Center at 2:26 p.m. Police have confirmed there was some sort of altercation between several men inside the mall at the JC Penney's wing, but they are will working to piece together what happened. Dispatch reports indicate as six people were transported to local hospitals, two with gunshot wounds, and that two suspects were taken into custody. Police announced in a CrimeWatch post on Sunday evening that the injuries reported were non-life threatening. Police are not releasing any additional information at this time. Three males and one female were treated for gunshot wounds, police said. Two other females were injured while they were trying to run away from the area. Sgt. Glenn Stoltzfus said there is no new information as of 10:17 a.m. Employees and customers recounted hearing the gunshots ring out in the mall and then the panic as customers fled. Hana Ali, 57 and her sister own the Tabarak Al-Hana, an international food store at Park City Center. Her sister Maal Al-Hussiny, 67, was working at the store when the shooting started yesterday. Ali was not in the store at the time but Al-Hussiny called her and Ali returned to the store. "I've been in the mall for almost 25 years and nothing like this happened," Ali said. Park City Center officials told her and other nearby stores that it was up to them whether or not they would reopen today. Ali said she was still feeling shocked and a little unwell today. When interviewed Monday morning before 10 a.m., she was not sure if Tabarek Al-Hana would reopen for half a day or at all. Yet, she knows she will have to return eventually. "We have to be careful, but things happen," she said adding that she is originally from Iraq and lived through the Desert Storm War. "Life must go on." When Michaela Wood, 24, returned to Francesca's, which is located in the J.C. Penney wing near the scene of the shooting, Monday morning she said "I felt sick to my stomach." Wood, a manager at the store, was shopping at the T.J. Maxx in Parkview Plaza across from Park City Center when she received a call from one of her employees about the shooting. She left the store and walked toward the mall as she heard sirens sound off in the distance. "I started hearing the sirens as I was on the phone with her and just kind of gave her that peace of mind that I hear the sirens," Wood said. She was not permitted to enter the store so she kept in touch with her three team members over the phone. "I felt so helpless," Wood said. "I thought 'do I just run in there and help or what do I do right now?'." One employee was scheduled to return to the store today but Wood gave her the day off. "The amount of phone calls I got thanking [the employees] made me beyond proud of them." In addition to answering the phone calls, Wood spent the morning cleaning up the store that had to be closed early Sunday. While there isn't any damage to Francesca's, Wood noted that glass had to be cleaned up from a Sephora store window that had been shattered. On a typical Sunday shopping trip, Dora Aipa, 51, was looking at earrings in Hot Topic with her 13 year-old daughter, Tori Stewart. Her sons, Logan and Ashton Aipa, 19 and 16 respectively, were waiting patiently outside the store. Dora Aipa heard a pop pop and in a matter of seconds looked down to see her daughter gone as she was swept into a sea of people rushing toward an exit at the back of the store. She attempted to call 911, but her hand was far too shaky, she said. The time on the phone was 2:20 p.m. I was like oh my god I dont even have my gun, where are my kids, said Dora Aipa, who has a concealed carry license. I was in total panic. I just froze, there was no fight or flight. I literally froze because I looked down and I didn't see my daughter. The mother of seven recalled hearing constant screaming from those around her. At the forefront of her mind were the children including the dozens of babies in strollers she had seen earlier that day. We were packed in like sardines, Dora Aipa said. It was total chaos and panic. She and several others were trapped in the employee hallway behind Hot Topic. The exit door at the end of the hallway was locked. [Logan Aipa] just took his shoulder and banged it so hard into the door and busted the door open, Dora Aipa said, adding that he injured his shoulder with the effort. It took 20 minutes from the time of the shooting for Dora Aipa to safely get to her car in the parking lot. It was there that she learned that her sons had run into the store at the time of the shooting and her daughter was whisked away by the Hot Topic employee she had been speaking with moments before. She just saw the guns and her instinct was to protect my daughter who's standing right next to her, Dora Aipa said of the employee she called girl with the rainbow hair. She shielded my daughter, because the shooting was right outside the store this girl needs to be thanked. Her other son, Ashton Aipa, had tripped over a box in the hallway and fell on another person fleeing the shooting. In the scuffle, he lost his shoes, stubbed his toe and twisted his ankle. Dora Aipa said her son, who is diagnosed with Asperger's, didn't like to be in public even before the shooting. Hes scared to go out in public, she said, adding that he was most upset that he had fallen on top of someone else. Hes severely traumatized he could not sleep last night. At her car, Dora Aipa quickly tucked her gun into her holster. As she waited, crying inside of the car, parents of employees still inside came up to her. They wanted to know if she had been in the mall, and if, maybe, she had seen their children. I've been through a lot of stuff in my life but this is the worst thing I have ever been through, Dora Aipa said. THE ISSUE: Its Monday, the day we take a few moments to highlight the good news in Lancaster County and the surrounding region. Some of these items are welcome developments on the economic front or for area neighborhoods. Others are local stories of achievement, perseverance, compassion and creativity that represent welcome points of light in a still-difficult time of the pandemic. All of this news deserves a brighter spotlight. Elizabethtown College graduate Lt. Col. Kristal Turner-Childs became the first Black woman to be confirmed as deputy commissioner of staff for the Pennsylvania State Police, LNP | LancasterOnline's Dan Nephin reported. "As deputy commissioner of staff, Turner-Childs will help Commissioner Robert Evanchick develop policies to make the agency efficient in carrying out its responsibilities," Nephin explained. Gov. Tom Wolf, in a statement, praised the work of Turner-Childs, who joined the state police in 1998. Her exemplary service and commitment to protecting the public makes her extremely qualified for this leadership role, Wolf said. My administration is committed to ensuring that our workforce is reflective of Pennsylvanias diverse population and Im thankful for the lieutenant colonels passion for helping all Pennsylvanians throughout her career. In other good things: The Talk Tank is a new space at Ephrata Public Library "where anyone can quickly and discreetly connect with a mental health professional to ask questions and learn about support services," LNP | LancasterOnline's Aniya Thomas reported. The "tank" is a soundproof booth. Inside theres an iPad from which people can be connected with a professional from WellSpan Philhaven for between five and 15 minutes, Thomas reported. Appointments are not needed. The booth was funded by Ron Vogt in memory of his wife, Laurie Vogt. She died from breast cancer in 2019 and had worked as a WellSpan Philhaven therapist. The Ephrata Public Library was a place the two of them went often. Laurie would be ecstatic," Vogt told LNP | LancasterOnline. "My wife was always known as someone to have real conversations about real things. She always had a heart for people who were struggling. I hope it meets a need for people to access services. Too many people wait too long to reach out for help. We hope it helps, too. And we believe the Talk Tank stands as a wonderful tribute to Laurie Vogt. Three cheers for Lancaster Mennonite High School junior Qianxiang (Daniel) Ma. The school announced last week that the pianist won both the Gold Award and Best Performance of Virtuoso Composition in his category for the 2021 World Piano Teacher Association's China-North America International Piano Competition. You can watch one of his amazing performances on YouTube at lanc.news/Piano. Congratulations to Qianxiang, Lancaster Mennonite High School Principal Michael Badriaki stated. "I have interacted with him on a couple of occasions and I learned of his passion for classical music. Qianxiang thinks and feels deeply about his craft, art, and opportunities to practice and play piano. I wish Qianxiang more success as he continues to excel holistically. We share that sentiment. Its wonderful to have such musically talented young people in Lancaster County. Faubion Jewelry, a high-tech Lancaster startup, finished first in the Ben Franklin Technology Partners Big Idea innovation competition last week, earning a $30,000 prize, LNP | LancasterOnlines Tim Mekeel reported Saturday. The company, founded by Andrew Wolgemuth and Brian Elliott, makes unique engagement and wedding rings. Mekeel described how it works: Faubions process begins by collaborating with customers via Zoom to design a ring. Once the design is finished, Faubion uses a 3D printer to create a wax-resin version of the ring. From that version, a replica ring is cast in brass, set with cubic zirconia gems and then sent to the customer for approval. Once the customer approves, the real ring is made. Faubion Jewelry beat out 115 initial contestants to earn the top prize, a real feather in the cap for emerging entrepreneurship in Lancaster County. Finally, kids vs. bugs is not a category we thought wed have in this weekly roundup, but here it is. Kenny Box, an eighth grader at St. John Neumann Catholic School, won first place in the life science category of the North Museum Science and Engineering Fairs junior category by discovering several chemical options for eradicating dreaded spotted lanternflies without killing plants. The 13-year-old told LNP | LancasterOnline's Erin Negley how his idea came about. I have a fear of bugs, so its like, I dont want to actually squash them cause Im scared to, he says. So I just wanted to do it from a farther distance. To do that, I had to not harm the environment at the same time. We can absolutely relate to that feeling, Kenny. We don't like being around those gross, invasive bugs, either. To do the scientific work, Kenny and his father, Rob, collected 30 lanternflies. Disturbingly, and in another sign of how widespread the bugs are, the father and son didn't have to leave the yard of their East Hempfield Township house to collect most of the test subjects. Kenny then tested whether vinegar, insecticidal soap, neem oil (an organic insecticide) and a nonorganic insecticide would kill the lanternflies without harming plants, Negley reported. The big winner? Vinegar. Specifically, apple cider vinegar at 7% strength. It killed lanternflies the second-fastest of any chemical. It didn't kill the plants. And it's inexpensive. Thats a great combination. We're just glad Kenny did the research, so we didn't have to. Oct. 16 marked the anniversary of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, which led to the Iraq war. Two points: 1. That war is over. 2. Saddam Hussein is dead. Nonetheless, the authorization remains and can be used by presidents to initiate military action without further consultation with Congress. Senate Joint Resolution 10, calling for the repeal of the outdated and dangerous 2002 authorization, was passed out of committee with bipartisan support and now awaits further action in the Senate. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomeys staff has indicated he does not support repeal but prefers to replace the authorization. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker has indicated the same. An odd position, given the two points above. U.S. Sen. Casey has co-sponsored Senate Joint Resolution 10. Ask him to urge a floor vote on the issue. Ask Sen. Toomey and Rep. Smucker what a replacement of it looks like, in light of the points above. Anthony Crocamo West Hempfield Township United States officials are working with Haitian officials to try to secure the release of 12 adults and five children with a U.S.- based religious group. All were taken over the weekend by members of a criminal group known for killings and kidnappings. The 16 Americans and one Canadian are with Christian Aid Ministries. They were taken by a group called 400 Mawozo. The gang controls the Croix-des-Bouquets area east of the capital Port-au-Prince, said a police official. The kidnapping happened Saturday in the community of Ganthier, which lies in the gangs area. As officials sought the release of the 17 people, local unions and other organizations were set to launch a strike Monday to protest Haitis worsening security situation. Haiti is again struggling with a rise in gang-related kidnappings, which had lessened in recent months. The rise in such crimes follows the murder of President Jovenel Moise on July 7 and a powerful earthquake that killed more than 2,200 people in August. Everyone is concerned. Theyre kidnapping from all social classes, said Mehu Changeux. He is president of Haitis Association of Owners and Drivers. He spoke on Haitis Magik9 radio station. He said the worker strike would continue until the government could guarantee peoples safety. The kidnapping of the missionaries came just days after high-level U.S. officials visited Haiti and promised more resources for Haitis National Police. The U.S. State Department said Sunday that it was in communication with senior Haitian officials and would continue to work with them and other partners. The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State, the agency said in a statement. Christian Aid Ministries said the kidnapped group included seven women, five men and five children, including a 2-year-old. The organization said the group was taken while on a trip to visit an orphanage -- a home for children who do not have living parents. Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement, As an organization, we commit this situation to God and trust him to see us through. A yearly report published last year by Christian Aid Ministries said its American workers had returned to their base in Haiti after a nine-month break due to political unrest. It noted the difficulties that come from such unrest. Nearly a year ago, Haitian police publicly sought the supposed leader of the 400 Mawozo gang, Wilson Joseph. The police planned to charge him with murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, car stealing and the hijacking of trucks carrying goods. Joseph also goes by the name of Lanmo Sanjou, which means death doesnt know which day its coming. As kidnapping cases rise, gangs have demanded money in exchange for a persons return. The gangs have at times asked for more than $1 million. Sometimes they kill those they have kidnapped, officials report. At least 328 kidnappings were reported to Haitis National Police in the first eight months of 2021, compared with a total of 234 for all of 2020. Those numbers come from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. Gangs have been accused of kidnapping schoolchildren, doctors, police officers, bus passengers and others as they grow more powerful. In April, a man who claimed to be the leader of 400 Mawozo told a radio station that the gang was responsible for kidnapping five priests, two nuns and three family members of one of the priests that month. The people were later released. The increase in kidnappings and gang-related violence has forced Haitians to avoid some gang-controlled areas. Others choose to stay home. This, in turn, means less money for people like Charles Pierre. He is a moto taxi driver in Port-au-Prince. He has several children to feed. People are not going out in the streets, he said. We cannot find people to transport. Im Jonathan Evans. The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story ministry - n. religious leaders as a group gang - n. a group of criminals missionary - n. a person who is sent to a foreign country to do religious work (such as to convince people to join a religion or to help people who are sick, poor, etc. priority - n. something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first priest - n. a person who has the authority to lead or perform ceremonies in some religions and especially in some Christian religions nun - n. a woman who is a member of a religious community and who usually promises to remain poor, unmarried, and separate from the rest of society in order to serve God Families are invited to celebrate fall holiday traditions at several fun events planned at YMCA of the Prairie branches in October. The Orthman Community YMCA in Lexington (1207 N. Grant) will host a Monster Mash on Friday, Oct. 29, from 7-8:30 p.m. The event will include the Nightmare on Grant Street haunted trailer, Halloween snacks and drinks, a bounce house, face painting, games and more. Costumes are encouraged. Participants must register by Oct. 26. The fee is $10 per person for anyone age 4 and older. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The YMCA at Gothenburg Health (910 20th St.) will host a Halloween Spooktacular Extravaganza on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 1-3 p.m. Kids of all ages are invited to join in old-fashioned fall fun including crafts, pumpkin painting, cookie decorating and the YMCAs popular haunted house. The fee is $5 per person or $10 per family. At the Don Sjogren Community YMCA in Holdrege (1415 Broadway), the First State Bank is sponsoring the FREE annual family pumpkin decorating event from 9-10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30. Kids and families can decorate pumpkins with stickers, felt, yarn, googly eyes and more. No carving required and no mess to clean up! Indigenous Land Acknowledgement and Engagements The Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) acknowledges that we are living, working, and studying on the Indigenous lands of Turtle Island, an ancestral name for what now is called North America. We recognize and give thanks to the Alabama-Coushatta, Caddo, Carrizo/Comecrudo, Coahuiltecan, Comanche, Kickapoo, Lipan Apache, Tonkawa and Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, and all the American Indian and Indigenous Peoples and communities who have been or have become a part of these lands and territories in Texas. In recognition of the ongoing and cumulative challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples in Central Texas and globally, LLILAS is committed to: Actively recruiting and materially supporting Native American and Indigenous students, who currently comprise fewer than 0.2% of UT Austins student body. Fostering an ethics and practice of engaged scholarship, with and for Indigenous peoples and communities, locally and internationally. Related resources faculty, staff, and students may find helpful: Lewiston, ID (83501) Today Cloudy. Some light rain will fall throughout the day. High 44F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 33F. Winds light and variable. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. Mala Yoga Center is donating yoga mats for those who dont have them. Yoga props such as bolsters and blocks will be funded by a grant Schaub received from the Monona Grove Education Foundation. Schaub has been running a Yoga Club for students and staff members at various times before and after school. Right now the group is using the choir room, which has a big empty space, but she has plans to eventually use the library. I wanted to, I guess, relax and let some of my stress go before school, sophomore Aaliyah Rogers said about attending the club one morning last week. She also thought the yoga would help her as a runner on the schools cross country team. This will be good for that, said junior Erica Eastman, another cross country runner who joined the club. Eastman liked the stretching and found the balancing a challenge. Her favorite part was at the end when Schaub talked to the group about the importance of finding a moment to set an intention for what they want the day to bring. She also talked about how there are things that cannot be controlled, so it is important to grant themselves grace to accept that sometimes things dont go the way they intend. Federal authorities decision to review whether to relist gray wolves in the West under the Endangered Species Act challenges new anti-wolf laws passed in Idaho and Montana. Sportsman and conservation groups said the laws represented an overreach by the two states, dominated politically by livestock interests that have struggled since wolves were reintroduced in 1995. More significantly, the laws kicked over a hornets nest of outrage from wolf lovers worldwide, and led to the petitions and legal action that prompted the review. Idahos new law removed previous limits on hunting wolves. I told them when they passed this last session, they were risking something like this to happen, said Jonathan Oppenheimer, of the Idaho Conservation League, referring to the Idaho Legislature. Idaho Republican House Majority Leader Mike Moyle has been the recipient of some of the wolf lovers anger. He said he has received death threats and other egregious responses. Someone sent him a letter with excrement in it, he said. I think the feds were coming in anyway once (President Joe) Biden was elected, he said. Idaho Senate Bill 1211, which was introduced in early May, quickly passed through the Legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Brad Little on May 10. The law removed the 15-per-year wolf limit on hunting and trapping, allowing unlimited killing. It also authorized the Idaho Wolf Depredation Control Board to hire private contractors to kill wolves they deem a threat to livestock or wildlife. The Montana law allows hunters and trappers to kill an unlimited number of wolves, use metal neck snares and bait wolves to traps, and brings back a wolf bounty system by reimbursing hunters and trappers for kills. In both states, wolf pups can be killed in their dens. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said a listing may be warranted because the laws allow more wolves to be killed and, in Montana, bounties to pay people to kill them. Wildlife advocates presented in a petition what the agency called substantial information that potential increases in human-caused mortality may pose a threat to the gray wolf in the western U.S. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said that 75% of the wolves under consideration for protection live in Idaho and Montana and that the states plans may be inadequate to address this threat. The passage of the two bills ended an uneasy truce, in the words of ICL Conservation Director John Robison. Conservation groups, sporting groups and ranchers found common ground on other issues like water quality, sage grouse, wildfire and bull trout management. Other groups, such as the Center for Biological Diversity and the Defenders of Wildlife, fought for wolves nationally, but the Idaho Conservation League and the National Wildlife Federation could work collaboratively on other priorities. Now they, too, are backing efforts to protect wolves. Ranchers still feel effects of wolf reintroduction Ranchers saw wolf numbers rise, but in spite of low official counts of losses 84 livestock in 2020 many saw depredations on their herds of cattle continue, with the evidence concealed by scavengers and other predators, they said. Watching the calves he raised killed on the open range by wolves sickened rancher Steve Sutton, of Midvale. The losses also have had a lasting impact on his profit margin. Wildlife Services, a federal agency that kills wolves in response to livestock killings, will take out a couple of packs and the killings drop temporarily, Sutton said. By the time the problem gets dealt with, Im still going to get my a kicked, Sutton said. He asked the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in 2020 to open the wolf hunting and trapping season year-round in areas of chronic depredation like where he grazes his cattle, to help reduce wolf numbers. After pressure from former Republican Sen. Bert Brackett, the commission complied. Sutton was not involved in pushing the new law. He said management should be focused on the chronic depredation areas, not necessarily statewide. I dont think from a practical standpoint it will make a difference, Sutton said. Hunting groups divided after Legislatures big step At the same time, sporting groups have become increasingly divided over the issue of wolves. Elk numbers in popular hunting areas like the North Fork of the Clearwater River had dropped from historic numbers even before wolves were reintroduced and have not recovered. Other areas, such as parts of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, have seen elk numbers drop since reintroduction. But overall, the elk population has grown. In 2020, the elk harvest was up 12% from the 10-year average, the seventh straight year that Idaho hunters have harvested more than 20,000 animals. There remains a perception among many hunters that wolves have hurt their hunt, either by reducing the numbers or by moving the elk into farm areas out of the backcountry. But most groups opposed the new law because, in particular, it took management away from the Idaho Fish and Game Commission, which has had control over the states wildlife since a 1938 initiative, said Brian Brooks of the Idaho Wildlife Federation. It was the first time in commission history, Brooks said. This was a big step. Lawmakers rubbed salt into the wound by allowing the wolf population to be cut from 1,500, which was the estimate by Idaho Fish and Game, to as low as 150, which was the number set in the Idaho Wolf Management plan in 2000. Almost no one in the ranching, hunting or trapping community thinks that lower number will be reached, though. But Carter Niemeyer, a former trapper for Wildlife Services and former wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, worries that paying Montana trappers and hunters to kill wolves could give them an incentive to kill pups in the dens when they are most vulnerable. And he is skeptical of Idaho Fish and Games population estimates. I dont think there are as many as they say there are, Niemeyer said. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must decide by the end of May 2022 whether the new laws and other factors warrant the listing of wolves again. Im hopeful that wolves will eventually get the protection they deserve, but the Fish and Wildlife Service should have stopped the wolf killing now, said Andrea Zaccardi, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity based in Victor. Neither the states nor the federal government is going to satisfy anyone over an issue so fraught with emotion. Meanwhile, wolves continue to spread out where humans let them, in California, Colorado and elsewhere. Rocky Barker is author of Saving All the Parts: Reconciling Economics and the Endangered Species Act. He has covered wolves in the West since 1985. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 5 Sad 0 Angry 1 Selina Paul received multiple emails in one week from the Kuna School District telling her that her kids may have been exposed to COVID-19. But the emails dont tell parents in the district, where masks are not required, to quarantine their children. They let parents know their child may have been exposed, tell them to watch for symptoms, and let them choose whether to keep their children home or continue sending them to school. On the other side, the Boise School District follows a strict quarantine policy, using guidance from public health departments to be sure students who were exposed in certain situations are healthy before allowing them to return to school. Other school districts dont even let parents know when their child may have been exposed. Across the Treasure Valley, school districts are taking vastly different approaches to their quarantine policies. While some are strictly following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Central District Health and Southwest District Health, others are tweaking the guidance, and some are offering little guidance at all. Health officials have warned that schools without mask mandates which have become a big source of tension for school boards are more likely to have outbreaks. Many districts without quarantine policies also arent requiring masks. At the same time, COVID-19 cases have been rising among youngsters. The lack of consistency, the lack of following basic science guidelines if we would follow those clearly, we wouldnt be where were at right now, Dr. David Peterman, pediatrician and the CEO of Primary Health Medical Group, told the Idaho Statesman. What do quarantine policies look like across the Treasure Valley In the Boise School District, which requires masks, officials are contact tracing and enforcing quarantines for students who were exposed. The district is following guidance from the CDC and Central District Health. If a person is exposed to the virus in an instructional area, and both the person infected and the person exposed were wearing a mask at the time, the contact would not need to quarantine from school or extracurricular activities if they didnt have symptoms. That person would have to continue wearing a mask and monitoring for symptoms. If a person was exposed to the virus in a non-instructional setting, such as before or after school or at extracurricular activities, then that person, if unvaccinated, would have to quarantine. For people who are vaccinated and exposed to the virus who dont have symptoms, the policy advises they get tested at least three days after exposure and wear a mask indoors in public. If a person isnt vaccinated, and is exposed in a setting where they arent wearing a mask, they have to quarantine. The Caldwell School District, which is requiring masks through Oct. 14, is taking a similar approach. The district is contact tracing and notifying families of possible exposures in school, and then following the guidance from health districts for quarantine policies, said Jessica Watts, communications director for the district. In the West Ada School District, the policy is that students who are exposed to the virus while wearing a mask and/or vaccinated dont have to quarantine from school and other activities, regardless of whether the student infected was masked, but they would have to wear a mask for the next 10 days and monitor for symptoms. Students who arent masked would have to quarantine if they were exposed. Currently, all students in West Ada are required to wear masks in the classroom, but the district previously allowed parents to opt their kids out of the requirement. Other districts, such as Nampa, are not requiring anyone to quarantine. The district isnt contact tracing, except for employees, as its nursing staff is already overwhelmed as it is, said Kathleen Tuck, the director of communications and community relations in the district. If we had to go back to contact tracing for all of our students right now, we dont have the bandwidth, Tuck told the Statesman. But the district is sending out emails to parents after their kids were potentially exposed to the virus. Those emails tell parents they may want to take precautions, Tuck said. But we dont require anything, she said, in terms of quarantining. In Kuna, the district is also striving to notify families when their student is potentially exposed to COVID-19, said Allison Westfall, the communications director for the district. But the district isnt contact tracing, she said. We do not have the staff to support this responsibility of the health department, she said in an email. According to the districts decision tree, if a student was possibly exposed to the virus in school, parents have two options: monitor their child for symptoms as they continue to attend school and quarantine if symptoms develop, or have their child quarantine for 10 days. If someone in the district has symptoms, they can take a PCR test or isolate for 10 days. That guidance changes depending on spread within the city. If there is less spread, people with symptoms can return to school once they have not had a fever for 24 hours without medication and theyve had improved symptoms, according to the districts decision tree. The Emmett School District has a similar policy. Parents are notified if someone in their childs classroom tested positive for the virus and then can choose whether to quarantine or just monitor for symptoms. Often, were sending students home for 10 days when they are perfectly healthy, and then we require them to have a negative test result if they want to return early, Emmett Superintendent Craig Woods said in a news release last month. It makes it even more challenging for parents because its hard to get appointments for testing. At Vallivue, the district isnt notifying parents if their child is exposed to someone who tests positive for the virus in most cases unless the percent of people testing positive in the specific school reaches 3%. For schools where 0-3% of people have tested positive for the virus, the district posts on its website either the number of cases reported in the school over a two-week period, or what grades cases were reported in. Causing confusion The differing guidelines from school boards are confusing and creating a complicated situation out of what could be straightforward, Peterman said. Historically, schools and counties have relied on health departments to give guidance about diseases that are contagious or cause major harm, he said. He used the example of whooping cough. There have at times been cases of whooping cough in schools or day-care centers in Idaho. Under those circumstances, the health department would identify the case, identify who was exposed and give very specific advice schools would follow, Peterman said. Im unaware of ever there being any protest over the closing or testing or recommendations of medication for a whooping cough problem in our community, he told the Statesman. So we have a standard approach. But thats not what happened with the coronavirus. We are now relying on every different school district in Idaho to come up with its own rules. That is causing confusion, he said. When you have different rules for every different school district, its not surprising that coronavirus just continues to spread. The delta variant can spread rapidly in schools, and multiple studies have shown that mitigation efforts work, he said. The answer, he said, is simple: Schools need to follow guidance from health departments. Those include masking, distancing when possible and encouraging hand washing. When schools identify a person who has the virus or anyone experiencing symptoms, they should be pulled out of school, he said. Schools will have exposures, but if everyone is masked, he said, students who were exposed can stay in class unless they have symptoms. School boards should be aware of keeping kids safe, he said. But ultimately, on the coronavirus, schools should be turning to health departments for sound advice that is consistent throughout our state. And thats not what were doing, he said. Dr. Mark Borup, a physician from Saint Alphonsus Health System, said that if schools arent quarantining close contacts, theyre missing a chance to slow virus spread. One of the things we know about coronavirus is that you can have spread of the coronavirus even before you are symptomatic, and in some people, that can even be the time when you are most contagious, he said. Contact tracing is also important in a school setting, he said. The value of contact tracing is that you can hopefully get ahead of it, he said, otherwise the virus is 10 steps ahead. The response from parents Parents in districts across the Treasure Valley have been pushing for different quarantine policies, with some supporting those letting them choose whether to quarantine their children and others warning the virus could spread even more if students who are exposed dont stay home. In the West Ada School District, a group of parents has come out against the districts policy that allows for different options for students who mask and those who dont. Parents have said the policy is segregating kids and is meant to incentivize students to wear masks in the classroom. Many parents posted comments on the West Ada Parents Association website calling for a change to the policy that would prevent students from having to stay home from school if they were healthy. But parents in other districts with less strict or no quarantine policies are worried about the virus spreading, and about families not keeping their kids home when theyre exposed to the virus or even when theyre sick. Parents whose kids are immunocompromised are especially worried. A big fear of ours is the parents out there that dont believe in the masks or just feel that this is just another seasonal cold, arent going to take the precautions to see if their child has COVID, said Amanda Herrity, a parent in the Kuna School District. Herrity, whose son in kindergarten has a rare health condition and has undergone chemotherapy for years, is quarantining him after being notified he may have been exposed at school. She said she wants to make sure that if he does have the virus, he isnt spreading it to anyone else. But it doesnt seem like the district is making an effort to prevent the spread of the virus in school, she said. Paul, whose 9-year-old son has asthma and has had pneumonia about 25 times in his life, had been voluntarily quarantining her son after being notified he may have been exposed in the classroom. But shes worried other parents wont do the same, putting more kids at risk. And shes concerned the district isnt doing anything to fix it. Weve lost sight of whats important, and its our children, she said, keeping them safe and healthy. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 2 Some of the defendants charged in the storming of the U.S. Capitol are turning away defense lawyers and electing to represent themselves, undeterred by their lack of legal training or repeated warnings from judges. That choice already has led to some curious legal maneuvers and awkward exchanges in court. A New York man charged in the Jan. 6 insurrection wants to bill the government for working on his own case. A Pennsylvania restaurant owner is trying to defend herself from jail. A judge told another New Yorker that he may have incriminated himself during courtroom arguments. The right to self-representation is a bedrock principle of the Constitution. But a longtime judge cited an old adage in advising a former California police chief that he would have "a fool for a client" if he represented himself. And Michael Magner, a New Orleans criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, observed, "Just because you have a constitutional right to do something doesn't necessarily mean that it's smart." The decision by at least five defendants to defend themselves is bound to create a host of challenges, particularly for those behind bars. They risk getting themselves in more legal trouble if they say the wrong thing in court. They have to sift through the mountain of evidence investigators have collected in the attack. And the strategy is already testing judges' ability to maintain control of their courtrooms. "I would never represent myself if I were charged with a crime," U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth told Alan Hostetter before allowing him to handle his own defense against riot charges. The judge warned the ex-police chief that he has never seen anyone successfully represent himself since his appointment to the bench in 1987. Hostetter was arrested in June along with five other men on charges that they conspired to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election. The indictment links four of Hostetter's co-defendants to the Three Percenters, a wing of the militia movement. Hostetter, who began teaching yoga after more than 20 years as an officer, told Lamberth that the "corruption of this investigation" is one reason he wants to represent himself. His finances also were a factor. "I believe that it's a governmental strategy and tactic that if they can't convict you, they at least want to bankrupt and destroy you," Hostetter said. Another defendant representing himself, Brandon Fellows of upstate New York, recently unsuccessfully petitioned U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden to release him from jail. Video shows Fellows, who was photographed wearing a fake orange beard during the riot, with his feet propped on a table in the office of Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. Fellows was locked up this summer for missing a mental health evaluation appointment and harassing a probation officer. Fellows took the stand to argue for his release, brushing aside warnings from the judge that he could open himself to perjury charges if he testified. In doing so, Fellows may have compounded his legal troubles. Fellows told McFadden that he used what he described as a "loophole" he had read about online to disqualify a different judge overseeing an unrelated case in New York. Fellows said he listed a phone number for that judge's wife as his own number in court records to make it appear that he knows the woman. Fellows said he also asked the public defender who represented him before he rebuffed counsel in the riot case if he should try to get McFadden replaced by contacting the judge's family, but the lawyer warned him that would get him arrested. In denying Fellows' bid for release, McFadden told Fellows that he admitted to likely obstructing justice in the New York case and considering it in his riot case. McFadden, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, also jailed self-represented defendant Pauline Bauer last month for failing to comply with court orders to cooperate with probation officers during her pretrial release. Bauer was arrested in May along with a friend who joined her at the Capitol. Video from a police officer's body camera captured Bauer saying to bring out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to be hanged, the FBI says. Bauer, who owns a restaurant in rural Kane, Pennsylvania, has repeatedly interrupted the judge during hearings. She also has argued in vain that the court doesn't have any jurisdiction over her, expressing an ideology that appears to comport with the "sovereign citizens" extremist movement. During a July 19 hearing, Bauer told McFadden that she doesn't want "any lawyering from the bench." When the judge denied her request to dismiss her charges, she asked, "On what terms?" "You don't get to demand terms from me," replied McFadden. McFadden appointed lawyers to serve as standby counsel for Fellows and Bauer and assist at the defendants' request. After U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss ruled last month that Eric Bochene can represent himself, the upstate New York man submitted a "fee schedule" in which he appeared to be attempting to create a structure for him to collect fees for working on his own case. The filing indicates he wants to charge up to $250,000 for spending two hours in court if he feels he is appearing "under protest and duress" and $50,000 if he is there voluntarily. A "forced giving of bodily fluids" carries a $5 million charge under Bochene's billing schedule. The judge denied the request, noting that Bochene hasn't been ordered to take any actions requiring payment. "Furthermore, to the extent Defendant is seeking payment for appearing in Court, that argument lacks merit," said the judge's terse order. A fifth riot defendant, Brian Christopher Mock, began representing himself last month after having an assistant federal public defender as his attorney, court records indicate. A tipster told the FBI that Mock bragged about assaulting police officers and destroying property at the Capitol after he returned home to Minnesota. More than 640 people have been charged in the riot. Several cases already have been resolved with sentencing ranging from probation to jail terms of less than a year. Some defendants charged with the most serious offenses including conspiracy cases against extremist group members could face years in prison if convicted. It can be a challenge for judges to maintain their composure and control of their courtrooms when a defendant isn't represented by a lawyer. "The court will often wind up bending over backwards to make sure that people don't make their situations worse by wanting to be their own Perry Mason," Magner said. In February slain U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick lay in honor in the building he died defending as colleagues, lawmakers and President Biden paid their respects: Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 On Oct. 4, 56 mainland Chinese combat aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait and illegally penetrated sovereign Taiwanese airspace. That aerial show of force rated as the largest mainland Chinese airspace violation since 1949 when Chinese Nationalist soldiers retreated to the island and dug in. According to numerous media reports, the 56-plane demonstration by the Chinese Communist Partys Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) culminated three days of sustained military saber-rattling harassment. There have been other sustained military displays, including combat engagements, such as the air and artillery battles in the late 1950s. The Eisenhower administrations support for Taiwan led to a stalemate and a ceasefire. But with Ike in charge the Communists thought twice. In the 2021 President Joe Biden geopolitical context, the Oct. 4 violation was a multidimensional diplomatic and military probe in the form of a calculated outrage designed to generate maximum media headlines. The headlines erupted. At the military tactical and operational levels behind the headlines, the intrusion probed Taiwanese air defenses. It was recon. Very possibly the CCPs military gleaned valuable intelligence on technical capabilities, such as radar range and missile battery readiness. The probe could have provided insight into the Taiwan militarys decision-making. How long will the Taiwanese wait before intercepting the PLAAF attack formation? The strait is narrow. Delay has fatal consequences. At the strategic level, the penetration was another provocative Beijing test of Taiwans faith in reliable American support of its defense. To be frank, U.S. support for the defense of Taiwan translates into protecting the small democracys very existence. In a theoretical frame, the Chinese show of force air operation was a classic example of a power cocktail, mixing what strategists dub basic elements of power, in this instance diplomatic, intelligence/information and military power. However, Communist Chinas threat to Taiwan isnt theory. From Mao Zedong on, senior Chinese Communist leaders have vowed to seize Taiwan. Often Beijing obfuscates that vow with rhetoric like a formal declaration of Taiwan independence will immediately lead to a cross-Strait war. The Pentagon and several open-source analysts also identify other camouflage for Beijing aggression. In addition to formal independence, the cases include: No. 1: Unrest within Taiwan, and note Beijing could seed unrest No. 2: Foreign intervention in Taiwans internal affairs, and that could mean anything from selling Taiwan F-16 parts to providing loans No. 3: Taiwanese acquisition of nuclear weapons and like Japan and South Korea, Taiwan has the brains to produce them No. 4: A foreign nation stationing military forces on Taiwan. That is a warning to the U.S. Every so often commentators like me mull deploying a U.S. Army armored brigade combat team to Taiwan. Think tripwire forces in South Korea and, during the Cold War, West Germany. In the larger lens of willingness to fight a war for freedom: The probe was a material manifestation of the giant sucking sound, the huge Asian power vacuum and credibility vacuum created by Bidens disastrous Afghanistan bugout. The withdrawal was a self-inflicted disaster. The world knows it, even if the Washington Beltway media refuses to admit it. Power abhors a vacuum, and autocratic states and tyrannies like Communist China rush to fill power vacuums. The Oct. 4 show of force suggests that after the post-Afghanistan debacle Beijing senses opportunity. Communist China is Americas foremost security threat. Chinese president Xi Jinping is already arguing Bidens bugout demonstrates American promises are unreliable. China wants South Korea and Japan to observe closely, and India as well. Without strong leadership by democratic nations, primarily from the powerful U.S., our weaknesses, especially our self-inflicted weaknesses, could quickly become debilitating wounds the authoritarians will leverage, to our great loss. Austin Bay is an author, syndicated columnist, professor, developmental aid advocate, radio commentator, retired reserve soldier, war game designer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Robert Glen Wagoner Jr. of Bassett was charged with felony unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He pled guilty to an amended charge of misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The defendant was sentenced to 12 months in jail with 11 months and 15 days suspended and ordered to pay a $100 fine plus costs. The offense happened Aug. 25, 2020. Collin Joshua Russell of Stuart was charged with grand larceny. The defendant pled guilty to an amended charge of unlawfully possessing stolen property. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail with 6 months suspended and ordered to pay $1,982 restitution plus costs. The judge dismissed but may later reopen a charge of breaking and entering a building to commit larceny. The offense happened Sept. 23, 2019 resulting in arrest May 18, 2020. A judge dismissed but may later reopen a charge of methamphetamine possession against Larry Dirand McLaughlin of Axton. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Vershonda Tamika Renne Lewis of Bassett was charged with grand larceny of a motor vehicle. The defendant pled no contest to an amended charge of misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The defendant was sentenced to 90 days in jail with the full term suspended and ordered to pay costs. The offense happened May 16, 2020. Reversion in 2023 will fold the Martinsville City Public Schools system into Henry County, and Reynolds said that will create the need for a specific school to help non-English speaking students. We need a transition school so non-English speaking students can learn to function, Reynolds said. Its possible Martinsville High School could become both a transition school and a trade school after reversion, but weve got to have more money to operate the school system so kids get a proper education. Reynolds said he agreed with Martinsville Circuit Court Clerk Ashby Pritchetts opinion that the City and Henry County overstepped their legal authority by including the abolishment of Martinsville City Schools in the process of Martinsville reverting to a town. I think that Eric Monday [Martinsville city attorney and assistant city manager] and Martinsville City Council violated the laws, because the schools are a different entity, said Reynolds. They dont have the right. Reynolds added that the low state rankings of Henry County Schools have been a deterrent to the recruitment of new industry, and a fundamental change needed to take place starting with new representation among the Henry County Board of Supervisors. Today is Monday, Oct. 18, the 291st day of 2021. There are 74 days left in the year. 75 years ago, in the Martinsville Bulletin: A petition, signed by 79 qualified voters and residents of the Fieldale community, has been presented to Henry County Circuit Court in vacation, calling for the establishment of a Fieldale Sanctuary District of Henry county. The move is being made by the group of Fieldale citizens in accordance with provisions of Chapter 65-A of the Code of Virginia of 1942. The petition cites that the creation of a sanitary district is essential for the safety, health and welfare of all the people of the district. Also in 1946: Harnsbergers market in the Schottland building on East Main street will open for business tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. W. L. Harnsberger is well known in Martinsville as he was in charge of the local A&P meat department for the past 12 years. And again, from 1946: Commitments in the Henry county jail dropped from 3,026 for the year ending June 30, 1945, to 2,382 for the year ending June 30, 1946 During the first two months of 1945 a total of 143 prisoners were committed otthe city prison farm. A five-year legal battle between the Stafford Board of Supervisors (BOS) and the All Muslim Association of America (AMAA) over a proposed cemetery has finally ended in AMAAs favor, but not until Stafford taxpayers got stuck with a hefty $890,000 tab. The good news is that the U.S. Department of Justice which filed a federal lawsuit on AMAAs behalf is apparently still enforcing First Amendment religious rights. Good to know. Last week, the board voted 4-2 to approve a legal settlement that awards AMAA $500,000 and clears the way to county approval of the cemetery on 29 acres off Garrisonville Road that the Muslim group bought specifically for that purpose back in 2015. At the time of the purchase, a cemetery was a by-right development under the countys agricultural zoning laws, so the religious group did not need the countys approval to convert the former driving range into a burial ground. As a precaution, AMAA also bought a nearby home and obtained the consent of the property owner within 250 feet of the proposed cemetery. Mission Health has made a significant donation to provide preparedness for area schools by giving more than 550 Stop the Bleed kits to the McDowell County school system. Stop the Bleed (STB) is a national initiative begun in 2011 as a way to heighten the publics awareness of, and ability to respond to, immediate life threats posed by major arterial bleeding. Mission Health is proud to be part of a community effort to stop preventable deaths by supplying our schools with these lifesaving kits and with training to use them from our Mission Trauma Team, said Greg Lowe, President, HCA Healthcare North Carolina Division. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} On Oct. 4, over 550 Stop the Bleed trauma kits were delivered to the McDowell County School System, giving enough kits to provide one for each classroom across the school system. More than 4,300 kits at a cost of almost $200,000 are being given by Mission Health to schools in Buncombe, Macon, Mitchell and McDowell counties. Stop the Bleed is intended to encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. These kits are designed to be used by anyone present at an emergency to stop or significantly slow loss of blood at the point of injury. On a sunny, beautiful October afternoon, a memorial was finally dedicated to the thousands of men and women who labored under brutal conditions and some of whom gave their lives to build a railroad through the mountains more than 140 years ago. The long-awaited dedication of the RAIL Memorial took place Sunday afternoon at Andrews Geyser, west of Old Fort. The memorial honors the convict laborers, their work and their sacrifices, during the building of the Western North Carolina Railroad between Old Fort and Ridgecrest. The vast majority of them were African Americans who were convicted to long and harsh sentences in prison for minor offenses. Ray McKesson, president of the McDowell County chapter of the NAACP, was the master of ceremonies for the dedication, which drew around 100 to 200 people. Marion Mayor Steve Little, who has written books about the railroads construction, talked about the history of the incarcerated laborers. Foluso O. Ademuyiwa, MD, an associate professor of medical oncology, prepares to examine a patient at Siteman Cancer Center. Her team surveyed 277 cancer doctors around the United States and found that physicians believe that Black women experience more barriers than white women to genetic counseling and testing for breast cancer. The doctors self-reported practices with regard to counseling and testing for Black women also indicated that many believed Black women would be less likely to comply with their recommendations for genetic counseling and testing. Credit: Siteman Cancer Center Foluso O. Ademuyiwa, MD, an associate professor of medical oncology, prepares to examine a patient at Siteman Cancer Center. Her team surveyed 277 cancer doctors around the United States and found that physicians believe that Black women experience more barriers than white women to genetic counseling and testing for breast cancer. The doctors self-reported practices with regard to counseling and testing for Black women also indicated that many believed Black women would be less likely to comply with their recommendations for genetic counseling and testing. Credit: SITEMAN CANCER CENTER Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have surveyed cancer doctors to identify differences in physician attitudes and beliefs that may contribute to a gap in referrals to genetic counseling and testing between Black women and white women with breast cancer. The breast cancer mortality rate is 41% higher for Black women than white women. Part of the reason for that difference may be that white women are almost five times more likely than Black women to be referred for genetic counseling and testing, suggesting racial disparities in how some doctors refer patients for those services. Genetic counseling and testing can identify those at high risk for developing breast cancer. It also can be used to personalize cancer prevention for individual patients, and it can guide treatment in those who have hereditary breast cancer caused by gene mutations. Hereditary forms of breast cancerwhich account for 5% to 10% of breast cancer casesaffect Black and white women at about the same rates. The new findings, published Oct. 18 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, revealed that physicians believe Black women experience more barriers to genetic counseling and testing. The doctors' self-reported practices with regard to counseling and testing for Black women also indicated that many believed Black women would be less likely to comply with recommendations for genetic counseling and testing. "For breast cancer patients with genetic mutations, the treatment is different; the surgical options are different; the screening and surveillance going forward is very differentso it's important to identify those patients through genetic counseling and testing services," said first author Foluso O. Ademuyiwa, MD, an associate professor of medical oncology. "We wanted to learn why Black women are not being referred for this type of care as frequently. We hope these findings might help change that trajectory. We hope that Black women won't continue to be less likely to receive information and referrals that may help save their lives and even the lives of some of their family members." The researchers surveyed 277 cancer doctors around the country to learn why referrals are made so much less frequently for Black women. Of the doctors surveyed, 67% were white, less than 4% were Black, almost 59% were female and almost 62% practiced at academic medical centers. Although fewer than 2% of doctors surveyed said they were less likely to refer a Black patient than a white patient, other research has found that Black patients are being referred for genetic counseling and testing less than 60% of the time that such testing is recommended by National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. That compares with a referral rate of 93% for white patients. Ademuyiwa and her colleagues asked doctors whether they believed Black patients were more likely than white patients to refuse genetic counseling and testing. Almost 26% said yes. Another 46% of respondents cited cost as a barrier for Black patients and a potential reason not to refer. Almost 59% said that their Black patients were less likely to trust their doctors' diagnoses and referrals than white patients were. "The survey indicated that 14% of physicians felt their patients, in generalregardless of raceprobably would not follow through with genetic testing and counseling recommendations," said Ademuyiwa, who treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "But more than twice as many, 31%, thought their Black patients would be less likely than white patients to comply with their recommendations for genetic counseling and testing. We feel there is some bias here, and we want to understand how we as physicians can do better in closing this gap." Women with mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have a 55% to 85% chance of developing breast cancer during their lifetimes, but several studies have shown that doctors do not refer many of their patients for counseling and testing that could identify those mutations and help guide their treatment. One issue, Ademuyiwa said, is time. In 30 minutes with a new patient, some doctors may prefer to focus on upcoming surgery or chemotherapy rather than discuss the pros and cons of genetic counseling and testing. "In a prior study of 250 Black women with breast cancer in the St. Louis region, we found that among women who were eligible for genetic testing based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, only 60% had any testing done," said Laura Jean Bierut, MD, the Alumni Endowed Professor of Psychiatry and the study's senior author. "Why were 40% of these women not referred? It's important to learn why so many patients may not get access to these services." Data also suggest Black patients are more comfortable working with providers of the same race, but only about 3% of U.S. oncologists are Black. Based on the results of the new survey, Ademuyiwa and her colleagues are launching a pilot study at Siteman Cancer Center. Facilitators will be matched with patients of the same race and will perform in-person genetic screens of such patients. The facilitators then will share information from the screeningsincluding family histories and other pertinent detailswith treating physicians to see whether this strategy might increase rates of referrals to genetic counseling and testing. "We want doctors to check themselves, to take stock of what they have been doing and to take a little more time to make sure they are referring patients eligible for genetic counseling and testing," Ademuyiwa said. "Correctly referring women, regardless of their skin color, is very important and can improve survival for breast cancer patients of all colors in a very real way." Explore further Black and white women have same mutations linked to breast cancer risk More information: Ademuyiwa FO, Salyer P, Tao Y, Luo J, Hensing WL, Afolalu A, Peterson LL, Weilbaecher K, Housten AJ, Baumann AA, Desai M, Jones S, Linnenbringer E, Plichta J, Bierut LJ. Genetic counseling and testing in African American patients with breast cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, Oct. 18, 2021. Journal information: Journal of Clinical Oncology Ademuyiwa FO, Salyer P, Tao Y, Luo J, Hensing WL, Afolalu A, Peterson LL, Weilbaecher K, Housten AJ, Baumann AA, Desai M, Jones S, Linnenbringer E, Plichta J, Bierut LJ. Genetic counseling and testing in African American patients with breast cancer., Oct. 18, 2021. Pinar Zorlutuna talks with one of her graduate students in her lab. Credit: Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame The American Cancer Society estimates that 284,200 women will be newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, and 43,600 will die of the diseasethe second highest cause of cancer death in women. A woman's risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer increases with age, but while scientists have long studied cellular changes that take place in the body over time, a new study led by researchers at the University of Notre Dame examines how the extracellular matrix (ECM)an underlying network of molecules and proteins that provide the structure for tissue growthcan trigger invasive cancer-related genes. "This is the first time we've been able to show direct evidence that the aging ECM itself is changing the phenotype of normal epithelial cells," said Pinar Zorlutuna, the Sheehan Family Collegiate Professor of Engineering at Notre Dame and principal investigator of the study, published in Advanced Science. "Clinical data shows that aging is a big risk factor for breast cancer, and we wanted to investigate why that is. Cellular aging has been explored, but what we didn't know was what effect aging had on the extracellular matrix." Zorlutuna and her team studied the ECM tissue in healthy younger and older mouse models, seeding the matrixes with normal mammary epithelial cellscells that form a thin layer of tissue around the breastand cancerous cells. The research team found changes in the biochemical composition, structure and stiffness of the aged ECM. As the tissue ages, protein levels and collagen production decrease, and collagen fibers become thinner but curlier and form a denser "mesh." Lack of collagen production can leave the integrity of the ECM vulnerable to invasive tumor cells, while thinner and curlier fibers may contribute to the metastasis of cancer cells. "The normal epithelial cells in the aged matrix started to express more invasiveness-related genes associated with breast cancer," Zorlutuna said. "And we identified the gene critical to this transition called lysyl oxidase (LOX)." Normal epithelial cells grown on aged ECMs showed an elevated expression of LOX, preventing the formation of healthy cellular structures. In the models containing cancer cells, those cells became more motile and invasive. When LOX was inhibited, the study showed the original phenotype of the cells could be rescuedmeaning the epithelial cells returned to normal and were less motile as they were in young and healthy ECM models. The results could help scientists gain a better understanding of cell migration and invasion in aged tissues and inform new methods for prognosis, diagnosis and prevention of breast cancer. Zorlutuna said she and her team will continue to study the ECM as it relates to cancer initiation and progression. Explore further Cancer cells thrive in stiff tissue, according to new study More information: Gokhan Bahcecioglu et al, Aged Breast Extracellular Matrix Drives Mammary Epithelial Cells to an Invasive and CancerLike Phenotype, Advanced Science (2021). Journal information: Advanced Science Gokhan Bahcecioglu et al, Aged Breast Extracellular Matrix Drives Mammary Epithelial Cells to an Invasive and CancerLike Phenotype,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/advs.202100128 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain As cancer drug spending grows, so do doubts over the evidence supporting the drugs' approvals and efficacy. Two new studies led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute examine the use of and spending on new cancer drugs, by evidence of clinical benefit. Both studies appear in the October 18 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine. Therapies to treat cancers are expected to either extend lifespan or sustain quality of life. Many new cancer therapies come to market via the accelerated approval pathway, which allows the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve drugs for marketing using surrogate endpoints that are "reasonably likely to predict" clinical benefit (overall survival or quality of life). Manufacturers are required to prove the expected clinical benefit after the approval and market entry of these drugs. Despite growing concerns about the evidence supporting new cancer drug approvals, launch prices in the U.S. have substantially increased in recent years. Investigators from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, in collaboration with colleagues in the UK, China, and Canada, conducted two studies examining the use of new cancer drugs and the amount of money spent on them in relation to their evidence of clinical benefit. One study focuses on the use of and spending on oral targeted cancer drugs among U.S. residents with employer-sponsored health insurance between 2011 and 2018. Targeted cancer drugs interfere with mechanisms that are responsible for the growth, progression, and spread of cancers. The second study estimates Medicare spending on 10 accelerated approval cancer drug indications reevaluated by the FDA. In the employer-sponsored health insurance study1, study authors used deidentified claims data from insurers to examine the uptake and cost implications of 44 new oral targeted cancer drugs among a sample of 37,348 U.S. residents with private, employer-sponsored insurance. Investigators found that although most individuals received drugs for which evidence from randomized clinical trials existed, a growing share of patients received drugs without documented overall survival benefit. The proportion of patients receiving drugs without documented overall survival benefit increased from 13% in 2011 to 59% in 2018, accounting for 52% of the $3.5 billion estimated cumulative spending on 44 new oral targeted cancer drugs by the end of 2018. "The goal of any medical intervention should be to help patients live better longer. Our findings suggest that cancer drugs without documented overall survival or quality of life benefits are adopted in the health system and account for substantial spending," says key collaborator on both studies Huseyin Naci, MHS, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). In the Medicare study2, the authors estimated Medicare spending on the 10 accelerated approval cancer indications with confirmed lack of overall survival benefit that were reevaluated by the FDA. Study results show that Medicare Part B and D cumulatively spent at least $569 million between 2017-2019 on the 10 cancer indications following accelerated approval. Approximately $224 million of this spending was for indications that were later either voluntarily withdrawn by the manufacturers or recommended by the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee for withdrawal. "Unless the accelerated approval pathway is reformed, significant spending on drugs with no proven clinical benefit will likely continue," says Mahnum Shahzad, lead author of the Medicare-based study and research fellow at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute. "Our findings suggest that the combination of drug regulatory, pricing, and reimbursement policies may contribute to likely wasteful health care spending in the U.S." said Anita Wagner, PharmD, MPH, DrPH, senior author of both studies and Associate Professor of Population Medicine at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School. "Policy approaches should consider the health system context in which approval regulations, pricing decisions, and coverage mandates for cancer drugs intersect." Explore further Third of cancer drugs without proven clinical benefit continue to be recommended for patients More information: Real-world utilization of and spending on new oral targeted cancer drugs in the US, 2011-2018, JAMA Internal Medicine, 2021. Real-world utilization of and spending on new oral targeted cancer drugs in the US, 2011-2018,, 2021. 1 Employer-sponsored private health insurance study: Real-world utilization of and spending on new oral targeted cancer drugs in the US, 2011-2018 is co-authored by investigators from: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, Queen's University, and Peking University. 2 Medicare study: Medicare spending on cancer drug indications with confirmed lack of clinical benefit following FDA accelerated approval is co-authored by investigators from: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Journal information: JAMA Internal Medicine Provided by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute Credit: CC0 Public Domain Most universities are encouraging vaccination, and many have mandated vaccination for all students. Given the availability of effective vaccines, there is a growing need to reevaluate the importance of university COVID-19 protocols. If a student population is completely vaccinated, are testing and quarantine still important to limit viral spread on college campuses? Florida Atlantic University in collaboration with Duke University and the University of North Carolina conducted an analytical study of 5,000 simulated undergraduates to evaluate the use of surveillance testing and quarantine in a fully-vaccinated student population for whom vaccine effectiveness may be affected by the type of vaccination, presence of variants, and loss of vaccine-induced or natural immunity over time. For the study, researchers assumed that 100 percent of residential undergraduates were vaccinated. Under varying levels of vaccine effectiveness (90 percent, 75 percent, and 50 percent), they estimated the reductions in the numbers of positive cases under various mitigation strategies that involved surveillance testing and quarantine. Results, published in JAMA Health Forum, showed that if 100 percent were vaccinated with 90 percent vaccine effectiveness, surveillance testing and quarantine were not associated with a substantial reduction in infections. However, if vaccine effectiveness was reduced to 75 percent, weekly surveillance testing was associated with a substantial reduction in the number of infections; at 50 percent vaccine effectiveness, surveillance testing and quarantine were associated with a marked reduction in the estimated number of infections. At 50 to 75 percent effectiveness, surveillance testing was estimated to reduce the number of infections by as much as 93.6 percent. A 10-day quarantine protocol for exposures was associated with only modest reduction in infections until vaccine effectiveness dropped to 50 percent. "Findings from our study suggest that surveillance testing and isolation of positive cases may remain important mitigation strategies for universities even if 100 percent of the students are vaccinated. Our results also support the suggestion that quarantine may be unnecessary for a well-vaccinated student population," said Francis Motta, Ph.D., lead author and an assistant professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, who worked closely with Steven B. Haase, Ph.D., corresponding author and a professor of biology at Duke University. Mathematical models have been useful tools for exploring the SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics and the effects of various mitigations on university campuses. For this study, researchers used simulated infection dynamics of an agent-based, modified Susceptible, Exposed, Infected, Recovered (SEIR) model to investigate the effect of surveillance testing and quarantine in this student population. They also estimated the added reduction in viral transmission because of quarantining reported contacts or increasing surveillance testing frequency over weekly surveillance testing alone. "Our modeling efforts came at a time when many universities were abandoning their COVID-19 mitigation programs, when it looked like cases were plummeting in the U.S. and the Delta variant was not yet making headlines," said Motta. Recent CDC guidance suggests that mitigations, such as testing, quarantine, and masking are not necessary for vaccinated populations, and universities are likely to continue to adopt these guidelines as university policy. "Relaxing mitigations will necessarily increase the number of interactions within student populations; thus, without surveillance testing, limiting infections on campus will mostly rely on the capability of vaccines to prevent infection and transmission," said Motta. Explore further COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness changing with Delta predominance More information: Francis C. Motta et al, Assessment of Simulated Surveillance Testing and Quarantine in a SARS-CoV-2Vaccinated Population of Students on a University Campus, JAMA Health Forum (2021). Francis C. Motta et al, Assessment of Simulated Surveillance Testing and Quarantine in a SARS-CoV-2Vaccinated Population of Students on a University Campus,(2021). DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.3035 Credit: CC0 Public Domain The members of the Critical Care Societies Collaborative, which includes the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), and Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), strongly urge individuals to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus and to receive their influenza (flu) immunizations for the upcoming flu season. In most years, flu is a major cause of critical illness, respiratory failure, and death. Last winter was an exception, likely because the precautions taken to prevent transmission of the SARS CoV-2 virus were also effective at reducing the spread of flu. With adherence to mask wearing and social distancing waning, we risk returning to prior years' rates of infection. For example, there were 380,000 hospitalizations and 20,000 deaths caused by flu in 2019-2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Current forecasts for an active flu season foreshadow the potential for lives lost and further stress on a health care system that is already stretched far beyond resource capacity. Flu vaccination is also critical for patients with lung diseases. Every year, flu affects adults with COPD, asthma, and pulmonary fibrosis worse than the general population. People over age 65 and people with impaired immunity are also at higher risk of death. Flu can be especially severe in young children, for whom the mortality rate can be higher than in healthy adults. Children younger than 6 months, who are too young to receive the flu vaccine, depend on adults to be vaccinated to protect them. For all of these people, vaccines against COVID-19 and flu are an important component of personal and community protection against serious illness and death. "Influenza and the COVID-19 vaccinations help individuals protect themselves and their communities," says AACN President Beth Wathen, MSN, RN, CCRN-K. "For those who are eligible, vaccination supports the best health outcomes for everyone. Flu vaccination can reduce the number of patients who need hospitalization and lessen their impact on a health care system already overburdened by caring for those with COVID-19." "COVID has not made influenza disappear. Getting vaccinated against the flu is the best thing that everyone can do right now to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities, especially as we head into the holiday season and hope to gather with friends and family," said ATS President Lynn Schnapp, MD, ATSF. "Both the flu and COVID-19 can be incredibly dangerous for people with chronic health problems. The absolute best way to provide protection for yourself and those around you is to get vaccinated," says CHEST President Steven Q. Simpson, MD, FCCP. "The vaccinations for COVID-19 and the flu are proven to be safe for all eligible individuals, are readily available, and can be given at the same time. There is no reason not to receive your vaccinations before this flu season." "Influenza vaccination is the most safe and effective way to avoid severe forms of influenza and to save lives," says SCCM President Greg Martin, MD, MSc, FCCM. "Influenza hospitalizes hundreds of thousands each year, all too often leading to critical illness and need for prolonged ICU care. Influenza vaccination can prevent the 50,000 or more people who die of influenza each year in the United States alone." Everyone 6 months or older is recommended to get a flu shot annually, since the flu strains can change each year. The best time to get the shot is in the early fall before there are widespread cases, but it is not too late to get the shot throughout the flu season. Properties of SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Delta Plus variants and efficacy of protection by different vaccination strategies. A) Summary of special properties of SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Delta Plus variants compared to the virus circulating to the beginning of the pandemic (wildtype virus). B) Heterologous vaccination with Oxford-AstraZeneca's vector-based vaccine and BioNTech-Pfizer's mRNA-based vaccine Induces the production of more neutralizing antibodies against the Delta variant than homologous (two-shot) vaccination with Oxford-AstraZeneca. Credit: Markus Hoffmann The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants that can spread rapidly and undermine vaccine-induced immunity threatens the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The delta variant (B.1.617.2) emerged in India and subsequently spread globally within a short time period. Also in Germany, almost all recent infections are due to this variant. In addition to Delta, so-called Delta Plus sub-variants have been observed, which carry additional mutations that may make them more dangerous. A research team led by Stefan Pohlmann and Markus Hoffmann from the German Primate CenterLeibniz Institute for Primate Research in Gottingen and colleagues from the Hannover Medical School, the University of Gottingen Medical Center and the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nurnberg have investigated why the Delta variant spreads so efficiently and whether Delta Plus viruses are more dangerous. They were able to show that Delta and Delta Plus infect lung cells with higher efficiency than the original virus. In addition, one of four antibodies used to treat COVID-19 was not effective against Delta, and Delta Plus was even resistant against two therapeutic antibodies. Similarly, antibodies generated upon vaccination with the BioNTech-Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines were also less effective against Delta and Delta Plus compared to the original virus. Delta and Delta Plus, on the other hand, were comparably inhibited, suggesting that Delta Plus may not pose a greater risk to vaccinated persons than Delta. Finally, it was found that individuals vaccinated first with Oxford-AstraZeneca and then with BioNTech-Pfizer had significantly more antibodies that inhibited Delta than individuals vaccinated twice with Oxford-AstraZeneca. The combination of two vaccines may thus induce a particularly strong immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants (The Lancet, Cell Reports, Cellular & Molecular Immunology). At present, more than 99 percent of SARS coronavirus 2 infections caused in Germany are due to the Delta variant, according to the Robert Koch Institute. Using cell culture experiments, a team of researchers led by Stefan Pohlmann and Markus Hoffmann was able to show that Delta is better at entering lung cells compared to the original virus (the virus that circulated during the early phase of the pandemic). In addition, Delta is better at fusing infected lung cells with uninfected cells. "It is conceivable that by fusing cells in the respiratory tract, the Delta variant may spread more efficiently and induce more damage. This could contribute to a more severe course of COVID-19," assumes Arora Prerna, scientist at the German Primate Center and first author of two studies specifically focusing on the Delta and Delta Plus variants. Monoclonal antibodies are used to treat COVID-19. These antibodies are proteins that are produced by genetic engineering. Unlike our immune system, which produces a large number of different antibodies against pathogens during infection, only individual antibodies or combinations of them are used for COVID-19 therapy. The team led by Stefan Pohlmann and Markus Hoffmann studied four of these antibodies. They found that Delta is resistant against the antibody bamlanivimab, while Delta Plus is resistant against two antibodies, bamlanivimab and etesevimab, which are used in combination for treatment of COVID-19 patients. Delta and Delta Plus were less well inhibited (neutralized) by antibodies from infected and vaccinated individuals as compared to the original virus and this likely contributed to the rapid spread of Delta. A direct comparison of Delta and Delta Plus showed that both viruses were comparably neutralized. "This means that vaccination likely confers comparable protection against Delta and Delta Plus, and that Delta Plus is not significantly more dangerous than Delta," says Stefan Pohlmann. BioNTech-Pfizer's vaccine is the most widely used vaccine in Europe, followed by Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine. Due to very rare side effects following vaccination with Oxford-AstraZeneca, it is recommended in Germany and other countries that BioNTech-Pfizer is used for the second vaccination shot in people who have already received a first shot with Oxford-AstraZeneca. This strategy is referred to as heterologous vaccination. "Our studies show that heterologous vaccination induces significantly more neutralizing antibodies to Delta than two vaccination shots with Oxford-AstraZeneca. Individuals who have received such a heterologous vaccination may have a very good immune protection against Delta and Delta Plus," says Markus Hoffmann. "Our results are consistent with the observation that vaccination efficiently protects against development of severe disease after infection with the Delta variant, but frequently fails to completely suppress infection. In light of the efficient protection against severe disease, the goal continues to be a high vaccination rate. This can prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed in case of increased spread of Delta and closely related viruses during the winter months," says Stefan Pohlmann. Explore further Double COVID jab seems to curb Delta variant: EMA More information: Georg MN Behrens et al, SARS-CoV-2 delta variant neutralisation after heterologous ChAdOx1-S/BNT162b2 vaccination, The Lancet (2021). Georg MN Behrens et al, SARS-CoV-2 delta variant neutralisation after heterologous ChAdOx1-S/BNT162b2 vaccination,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01891-2 Prerna Arora et al, B.1.617.2 enters and fuses lung cells with increased efficiency and evades antibodies induced by infection and vaccination, Cell Reports (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109825 Prerna Arora et al, Delta variant (B.1.617.2) sublineages do not show increased neutralization resistance, Cellular & Molecular Immunology (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41423-021-00772-y Journal information: The Lancet , Cell Reports (HealthDay) - A new plan to limit pollution from so-called "forever chemicals" will include restricting their release into the environment and speeding cleanup of contaminated sites, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday. The chemicals, called PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are used in products ranging from cookware to carpets to firefighting foam. They're increasingly showing up in public drinking water systems, private wells and foods, and are associated with serious health problems such as cancer and reduced birth weight. "For far too long, families across Americaespecially those in underserved communitieshave suffered from PFAS in their water, their air, or in the land their children play on," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in an agency news release. "This comprehensive, national PFAS strategy will deliver protections to people who are hurting, by advancing bold and concrete actions that address the full life cycle of these chemicals. Let there be no doubt that EPA is listening, we have your back, and we are laser-focused on protecting people from pollution and holding polluters accountable." Reaction to the plan was positive. "Communities contaminated by these toxic forever chemicals have waited decades for action," Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), said in the EPA release. "So, it's good news that Administrator Regan will fulfill President Biden's pledge to take quick action to reduce PFOA and PFOS in tap water, to restrict industrial releases of PFAS into the air and water, and to designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances to hold polluters accountable." PFOA and PFOS are fluorinated organic chemicals that are part of the PFAS group. "It's been more than 20 years since EPA and EWG first learned that these toxic forever chemicals were building up in our blood and increasing our likelihood of cancer and other health harms," Cook added. The plan will also boost spending on research to find out where PFAS are found and how to prevent their spread. "We're going to use every tool in our toolbox to restrict human exposure to these toxic chemicals," Regan told the Associated Press. The EPA will set strict drinking water limits for PFAS under the Safe Drinking Water Act and will require PFAS manufacturers to divulge the level of toxicity of their products. PFAS will also be designated as hazardous substances under the Superfund law that allows the EPA to compel companies that cause contamination to foot the bill for cleanup work or to do it themselves. The measures will make it easier for the EPA to ensure that PFAS cleanups are conducted safely and that "the polluter pays for that," Regan told the AP. Congress is currently considering legislation to create a national drinking water standard for certain PFAS and to clean up contaminated sites nationwide, including military bases where high levels of the chemicals have been found, the AP reported. Even without such legislation, the EPA has the power to act on its own, Regan said. More information: Visit the EPA for more on Visit the EPA for more on PFAS. Copyright 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Does an infection also affect the immunization of subsequent generations? Researchers at Radboud University (Netherlands) have studied this together with the Universities of Bonn, Saarland (Germany), Lausanne (Switzerland) and Athens (Greece). Mouse fathers who had previously overcome an infection with fungi or were stimulated with fungal compounds also passed on their improved protection to their offspring across several generations. The team showed at the same time an improved immune response being passed on to the descendants. The study has now been published in the renowned journal Nature Immunology. Not just what is written in the DNA sequence is inherited. Scientific studies show that environmental influences are also passed on to the next generation. One example: children who grew in the womb during the hunger winter of 1944/45 show typical changes in their metabolism as an adaption to food scarcity during development and this is associated with a higher risk of diabetes and obesity. Epigenetic research investigates such relationships on the molecular level. It examines changes in gene function. "Not all areas of DNA are equally accessible for reading the genetic information," explains Prof. Dr. Andreas Schlitzer of the LIMES Institute at the University of Bonn. For example, if methyl groups block access, the gene cannot be read properly. These associations have been investigated for decades. Transmission of infection resistance to the next generation have been previously shown in plants and invertebrate animals. A research team from the Radboud University Nijmegen (Netherlands), the University of Bonn, Saarland University, the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) as well as the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece) has now for the first time intensively investigated whether effects of the innate immune system are also passed on to the next generations in mammals. Infection with fungi trains the immune system of mice The researchers infected male mice with thrush fungi (Candida albicans). After recovering from the infection, the animals were mated with completely healthy females. The researchers compared the resulting offspring with offspring from pairs of mice that were not infected previously with Candida. In order to investigate the status of the immune system experimentally, the team infected the males of the subsequent generation of mice with coliform bacteria. "The offspring of the male mice previously exposed to Candida were significantly better protected from a subsequent E. coli infection than the progeny of the uninfected male mice," reports Prof. Mihai G. Netea of the Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases. This effect was still evident in the next generation. How does this transmission of immunization to subsequent generations work? The team examined typical immune cells such as monocytes or neutrophils. No differences were detectable between the offspring of Candida-infected male mice and the non-infected control group. However, in the offspring of the previously infected mouse fathers, the MHC class II complex was upregulated, which activates parts of the immune system. In addition, the activity of genes involved in inflammation was also found to be upregulated in the offspring of Candida-infected male mice. In the offspring of fathers previously infected with thrush fungi, it was found that genes associated with inflammation were easier to read in monocyte progenitors than in sons of uninfected fathers. "This shows that monocyte precursors are epigenetically rewired if the fathers have previously undergone infection with Candida albicans," Schlitzer summarizes. Shift in gene activity is detectable in sperm How does the transmission of this information to the next generation take place? In cooperation with Saarland University, the researchers investigated the gene activity of the sperm of mouse fathers infected with Candida. They analyzed the extent to which methyl groups blocked access to genes. "A shift in gene markers was evident here," says Prof. Dr. Jorn Walter of Saarland University. Offspring of Candida-infected male mice showed fewer gene blockages in gene regions important for inflammatory processes and monocyte maturation. How the information about the sperm markings reaches the bone marrow, the birthplace of many immune cells, still needs to be explored in further studies. "The results have been made possible by the very good and close cooperation of researchers from different disciplines and institutions," emphasizes Prof. Netea. Together with Prof. Schlitzer, the researchers are also members of the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 and part of the Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES) of the University of Bonn. "The study is the first to show in mammals that adaptations to infectious diseases are also passed on to the offspring," Netea says. In contrast to the classical theory of evolution, which assumes slow adaptation through changes in the genetic code, this involves very rapid changes via the epigenetic regulation of gene activities, irrespective of the genetic code. The researchers do not yet know whether the findings obtained in mice can also be transferred to humans. "But we are assuming that this is the case," Schlitzer says. "The immune system mechanisms and cells involved are very similar in mice and humans." Explore further Mice fathers pass down stress responses to offspring via sperm More information: Jorge Dominguez-Andres, Transmission of trained immunity and heterologous resistance to infections across generations, Nature Immunology (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41590-021-01052-7 Journal information: Nature Immunology Jorge Dominguez-Andres, Transmission of trained immunity and heterologous resistance to infections across generations,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41590-021-01052-7 (HealthDay)A common group of bacteria may be causing deadly pneumonia or anthrax-like disease among metalworkers in the southern United States, health officials report. The bacteria, called Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), naturally occurs in soil and dust. B. cereus can cause food poisoning and anthrax-like disease, but why it singles out welders and other metalworkers is a mystery, according to researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also a puzzle is why it has only been reported in Gulf Coast states. "In the past, long-term exposure to welding and metalworking fumes has been associated with various forms of lung injury that can cause changes in lung function and increase susceptibility to lung infections, including fatal pneumonia," said senior researcher Dr. William Bower, a medical officer in the CDC's Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology. "However, it's not known why welders and metalworkers have been the only occupations reporting this specific infection," he said. "More research is needed to better understand how and why this particular occupational group is affected by this rare illness." Bower added that it's probable that more cases of this infection occur than is known. "It is likely some cases go unreported, but we believe this is still a rare condition," he said. "Infections with B. cereus are not reportable conditions; these cases were investigated because astute clinicians were concerned by the severity of the illness. Hopefully, this report will lead to more clinicians being aware of this disease." According to the report, 2020 saw two cases of anthrax pneumonia in welders caused by a rare B. cereus bacteria that contained anthrax toxin genes usually associated with the bacteria that causes anthrax. One patient died. In all, since 1994, seven cases of pneumonia infections with B. cereus bacteria with anthrax toxin genes have been seen. Five of these patients died. The other two were severely ill, remained hospitalized for a long time and had a long recovery. All were welders or metalworkers in Louisiana or Texas. Bower said that doctors should be on the lookout for this disease when workers, especially welders, develop severe pneumonia. "Health care providers should consider the possibility of Bacillus cereus infection when trying to determine the cause of severe, rapidly progressive pneumonia in welders and metalworkers, especially if they are working in U.S. Gulf Coast states. These types of bacteria have also rarely been associated with infections resembling anthrax skin lesions," he said. "Prompt and proper diagnosis could help improve patient care and survival." Also, welders and metalworkers should be educated about the disease and try to minimize inhaling harmful fumes, Bower said. Dr. Marc Siegel is a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. He said this bacteria is generally associated with gastrointestinal infections causing diarrhea. The severe pneumonia-like illness is much less common, he noted. "This is very rare, but something to be aware of for this group," Siegel said. The report was published Oct. 15 in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Copyright 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Fig. 1. Cumulative incidence and 95% confidence intervals for symptomatic Covid-19 infection in individuals given a heterologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 / BNT162b2 schedule and in corresponding controls. Credit: DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100249 People who had received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and received an mRNA vaccine for their second dose had a lower risk of infection compared to people who had received both doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. This is shown in a nationwide study performed by researchers at Umea University, Sweden. "Having received any of the approved vaccines is better compared to no vaccine, and two doses are better than one," says Peter Nordstrom, professor of geriatric medicine at Umea University. "However, our study shows a greater risk reduction for people who received an mRNA vaccine after having received a first dose of a vector-based, as compared to people having received the vector-based vaccine for both doses." Since the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca's vector-based vaccine against COVID-19 was halted for people younger than 65 years of age, all individuals who had already received their first dose of this vaccine were recommended an mRNA vaccine as their second dose. During a 2.5-month average follow-up period after the second dose, the study showed a 67% lower risk of infection for the combination of Oxford-AstraZeneca + Pfizer-BioNTech, and a 79% lower risk for Oxford/AstraZeneca + Moderna, both compared to unvaccinated individuals. For people having received two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the risk reduction was 50%. These risk estimates were observed after accounting for differences regarding date of vaccination, age of the participants, socioeconomic status, and other risk factors for COVID-19. Importantly, the estimates of effectiveness apply to infection with the Delta variant, which was dominating the confirmed cases during the follow-up period. There was a very low incidence of adverse thromboembolic events for all vaccine schedules. The number of COVID-19 cases severe enough to result in inpatient hospitalization was too low for the researchers to be able to calculate the effectiveness against this outcome. Previous research has demonstrated that mix-and-match vaccine schedules generate a robust immune response. However, it has been unclear to which extent these schedules may reduce the risk of clinical infection. This is the knowledge gap that the new study conducted by the Umea researchers aimed to fill. The study is based on nationwide registry data from the Public Health Agency of Sweden, the National Board of Health and Welfare, and Statistics Sweden. In the main analysis, about 700,000 individuals were included. "The results of the study may have implications for vaccination strategies in different countries," says Marcel Ballin, doctoral student in geriatric medicine at Umea University and co-author of the study. "The World Health Organization has stated that despite the promising results from previous studies regarding immune response from mix-and-match vaccination, there is a need for larger studies to investigate their safety and effectiveness against clinical outcomes. Here we now have one such study." More information: Peter Nordstrom et al, Effectiveness of heterologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and mRNA prime-boost vaccination against symptomatic Covid-19 infection in Sweden: A nationwide cohort study, The Lancet Regional Health - Europe (2021). Peter Nordstrom et al, Effectiveness of heterologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and mRNA prime-boost vaccination against symptomatic Covid-19 infection in Sweden: A nationwide cohort study,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100249 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Workplace infection risk and failing crisis information dissemination are both factors contributing to high incidence of COVID-19 among foreign-born workers in low-status occupations, a report from the University of Gothenburg's Unit of Occupational and Environmental Medicine shows. Prevalence of COVID-19 is not only high among employees in the health and social care sectors. Overrepresentation is also prevalent in jobs characterized by low pay, low educational requirements, and a high proportion of foreign-born workers. An interview study conducted by researchers at Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, and at Angered hospital, has focused on elevated risks of COVID-19 infection in taxi drivers, bus- and tram drivers, pizza bakers, cleaners, and janitors. The strength of the study lies not in its sizethe number of interviewees was limited to 11but in the information is obtained from people from especially vulnerable groups, who seldom take part in research studies. The researchers thus found new themes that can form the basis for larger studies. The interviewees' countries of origin were Iraq, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, and Turkey. The interviews were conducted in various languages, using semi-structured methodology, which combines a fixed template with open-ended questions allowing participants to describe their situation freely. Exposed to infection Workplace infection risks were mainly due to a lack of adequate protective equipment and to close proximity with other people. Taxi drivers might, for example, get explicit instructions to help people with physical disabilities on transportation service journeys. "When we get a booking, it's sometimes stated in detail that we have to go up to the apartment to assist the customer down to the car. Most of them are older people, who need help in getting from their apartment door to the car door," says a taxi driver in the report. Nearly all the participants had numerous social contacts, with both colleagues and others. Most were able to adhere to social distancing at work. Hospital cleaners, who are one example of an exception, described cramped spaces and belated introduction of protective measures. In summer 2020, plastic gloves were the only personal protective equipment available for use when cleaning hospital rooms where COVID-19 patients had been cared for. As one interviewee said, "At the beginning, they sent us to a ward called an intensive care unit, we went there without protection, without mouth protection, last summer." Other interviewees also testified to scarce or delayed protective measures and employers who turned a blind eye when staff came to work with obvious symptoms of illness. Customized crisis information lacking Another aspect that seemed highly important was shortcomings in the initial crisis information that was disseminated. The Swedish Public Health Agency was unknown to many, and there was no information outreach to them in a language they understood. Their sources were often social media, and media from their former homeland. A bus driver describes the situation in spring 2020: "Swedish children stopped taking the bus, our compatriots and their children continued traveling by bus. I felt that Swedes had more information about corona." However, several mentioned the local health center as a trusted place to which they could turn to. A janitor in the report says, "I'm newly arrived in Sweden, and there are lots of websites linked to government agencies I lack information about. I don't know who to contact, perhaps I'll go to the local health center or the pharmacy." According to the researchers, knowledge about the relevant occupational groups' vulnerability has been relatively sparse. Mia Soderberg, a researcher at Sahlgrenska Academy's Unit of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Gothenburg, and the study's first author:. "Our aim with this study is to enhance the understanding of structural inequalities, to avoid that blame for the spread of infection and disease being put on groups who, in their lives, lack influence over the structures that govern their life situation," she says. Explore further Pregnancy overshadowed by the pandemic Credit: CC0 Public Domain Pain management in the United States is inequitable, with Black people often receiving less aggressive and less accurate pain treatment than White people. New research in Social Psychological and Personality Science (SPPS) has identified a possible cause of this disparity, reporting that medical providers are better at discerning real from fake pain expressions for White people than Black people. Previous studies have investigated prejudice, false stereotypes, and empathy deficits as contributors to Black people receiving less-intensive pain treatments than White people. However, the new research, led by E. Paige Lloyd of the University of Denver, also demonstrates that participants recommended more accurate care for White people than Black people. "We argue this sensitivity deficit could be a contributing factor in racial disparities in pain care," says Dr. Lloyd. "Science that identifies processes underlying disparate care opens the door for evidence-based interventions and thereby more equitable healthcare." The research included 904 participants, including laypeople and medical providers, across six studies. In four studies, participants were shown videos of White and Black people expressing real and feigned physical pain. They were then asked to discern whether each expression of pain was real or fake. Both White and Black participants were better at discerning real expressions of pain from fake in White people than in Black people. In a subsequent study, participants were asked to recommend treatment for the people who had expressed real and fake pain. White people were recommended greater treatment when they expressed real pain, relative to fake pain, whereas treatment recommendations for Black people did not differ between genuine and fake displays of pain. This demonstrates that White people received more accurate treatment recommendations based on their actual pain experiences than Black people. "Our findings indicate that Black Americans are not just undertreated for pain, they may also receive pain treatment less calibrated to their needs," Dr. Lloyd explains. Researchers also warn that the implications of these failures in pain detection could extend far beyond a hospital or doctor's office. A caregiver may fail to address a child's genuine medical condition, a referee could ignore a truly injured player, or a judge might fail to validate a victim suffering from actual distress. Future research, Dr. Lloyd says, would do well to move beyond the lab and focus on medical settings. Examining possible intervention strategies is also an important next step. While current interventions focus on reducing bias, Dr. Lloyd notes that they are unlikely to improve doctors' ability to discern authentic pain in Black patients and treat it accurately. "Interventions that seek to improve sensitivity in identifying Black patients' pain, like providing performance feedback or training attention to areas of the face that are diagnostic to discerning authenticity, could provide additional value," says Dr. Lloyd. More information: E. Paige Lloyd et al, Race Deficits in Pain Detection: Medical Providers and Laypeople Fail to Accurately Perceive Pain Authenticity Among Black People, Social Psychological and Personality Science (SPPS) (2021). E. Paige Lloyd et al, Race Deficits in Pain Detection: Medical Providers and Laypeople Fail to Accurately Perceive Pain Authenticity Among Black People,(2021). DOI: 10.1177/19485506211045887 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Americans who get seriously ill from COVID-19 in 2021 might have to pay thousands of dollars in bills from their hospitals, doctors and ambulance companies, a new study suggests. The new University of Michigan analysis, published in JAMA Network Open, has implications for both policymakers and people who haven't yet gotten vaccinated, as well as people with underlying conditions that put them at risk of a severe breakthrough case of COVID-19. Most health insurance companies voluntarily waived co-pays, deductibles and other cost-sharing for hospitalized COVID-19 patients in 2020, but many major insurers lifted those waivers in early 2021. Tens of thousands of Americans have gotten severely ill and received hospital or emergency care in the surge of cases that has happened since early 2021. Based on data from actual patients hospitalized for COVID-19 last year, the study suggests the lack of waivers could mean bills of about $3,800 for people with job-related or self-purchased private insurance, and $1,500 for people with Medicare Advantage plans. "Many insurers claim that it is justified to charge patients for COVID-19 hospitalizations now that COVID-19 vaccines are widely available," said lead author Kao-Ping Chua, M.D., Ph.D., a health policy researcher and pediatrician at Michigan Medicine and the Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation Research Center. "However, some people hospitalized for COVID-19 aren't eligible for vaccines, such as young children, while others are vaccinated patients who experienced a severe breakthrough infection. Our study suggests these patients could substantial bills." The new study analyzes more than 4,000 COVID-related hospitalizations of people with private insurance and Medicare Advantage insurance between March and September 2020. The data come from the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus for Academics Database, which includes claims data from multiple insurers across the U.S. The researchers found that the vast majority of patients didn't have to pay for hospital services such as room-and-board changes, suggesting their plans waived cost-sharing for bills sent by hospitals. However, among the few patients who did have to pay for hospital servicesa sign that a waiver wasn't in placeout-of-pocket costs were in the thousands of dollars. That amount billed directly to patients is a small portion of the average cost of caring for a hospitalized COVID-19 patient. The study finds that each hospitalization of a person with private insurance cost a total of $42,200 on average, and that each hospitalization of a person with COVID-19 who had Medicare Advantage coverage averaged about $21,400. Chua and his colleagues originally published the findings as a preprint in June 2021. Since that time, the Kaiser Family Foundation analyzed the status of waivers from the two largest insurers in each state and found that 72% had ended their waivers for COVID-19 hospitalizations by August 2021. Waivers don't always cover bills from doctors The study also suggests that insurer cost-sharing waivers for COVID-19 hospitalizations don't always cover all hospitalization-related care. For example, patients in the study frequently received bills from the doctors who cared for patients in the hospital as well as from ambulance companies. Overall, 71% of privately insured patients received a bill for any hospitalization-related service, with an average size of $788. Among those with Medicare Advantage coverage, 49% received a bill, with an average size of $277. Chua notes that some insurers may only have waived cost-sharing for the hospital portion of the bill, but believes it is possible that some patients were mistakenly billed for services from doctors and ambulances because insurers implemented their waivers incorrectly or health care providers did not code all aspects of the care as being related to COVID-19. For people who receive a bill for COVID-19 hospitalization-related care even though their insurer still has a waiver, Chua recommends that they contact their insurer to ask whether the bill was sent in error. Policy implications Chua believes that charging patients for any emergency hospitalization is misguided but has particular concerns about charging for COVID-19 hospitalizations. "One of my main concerns is that the threat of high costs might cause some patients with severe COVID-19 to delay going to the hospital, increasing their risk of death," he said. To prevent this possibility, Chua said federal policymakers could require insurers to waive costs of COVID-19 hospitalization-related care throughout the pandemicjust as they already do for COVID-19 testing and vaccination. However, he added that policymakers are unlikely to do this given widespread anger against the unvaccinated. Hospitals that received special pandemic funding are already barred from billing patients directly for costs beyond what their insurance covers. Hospitals also get reimbursed by the federal government when they care for uninsured COVID-19 patients. Chua and colleagues also recently published a paper looking at out-of-pocket costs for people over 65 in Medicare Advantage plans who were hospitalized for influenza, as a way to estimate potential out-of-pocket spending for COVID-19 hospitalizations. That paper found the average bill for influenza hospitalization was around $1,000. In addition to Chua, the authors of the new study are Nora Becker, M.D., Ph.D., a primary care physician and health economist from Michigan Medicine, and Rena Conti, Ph.D., an associate professor and health economist from Questrom Boston University School of Business. Explore further Why a COVID diagnosis could cost you way more money in 2021 Credit: Shutterstock Through our work at the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre, we're used to receiving calls from concerned parents about what to do if their child has accidentally drunk some cleaning product. We also take calls from health professionals for advice on how to manage poisonings. But over the past 18 months, we've seen an increasing number of people calling us about home remedies to prevent or cure COVID-19, particularly during an outbreak. They're calling for advice before using items such as bleach or disinfectant. Or they're calling to ask about side-effects after gargling, spraying or bathing in them. When asked about the reason for using such products, callers say they did not know they could be harmful. Some say they thought it was better to do something, rather than nothing. We're concerned about the use of unproven COVID-19 home remedies. Here are some of the more common ones people have called our 24-hour poisons information service about, the types that can need medical care. 1. Inhaling hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is used in household disinfectants, chlorine-free bleaches, stain removers and hair dyes. And people have been calling about inhaling products containing hydrogen peroxide as a fine mist (called nebulising). Hydrogen peroxide (11.5%) mouthwashes have been recommended as an antiseptic before a dental procedure. However, results about whether it kills SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are conflicting. Nebulising hydrogen peroxide can cause irritation and swelling to the nose, throat and lungs. People can develop a cough and become short of breath; it can cause persistent damage to the lungs. These symptoms can be misinterpreted as a lung infection. If you have COVID-19, nebulising hydrogen peroxide can make you sicker and prolong your recovery. People also report nausea and vomiting after nebulising hydrogen peroxide. The risk is increased with solutions of higher concentrations, although we do not believe any concentration is safe. 2. Gargling or swallowing antiseptics People have also called about gargling or swallowing strong antiseptics. These can cause irritation, swelling and pain to the mouth, as well as vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pains. Gargling or swallowing corrosive household cleaning products, such as the type you'd use in your kitchen or bathroom, is particularly unsafe. This can lead to life-threatening injuries, including rupture and bleeding of the upper gut, between the mouth and stomach. A recently promoted home remedy is gargling antiseptics containing povidone-iodine. Some low concentration (0.51%) of products containing povidone-iodine can be gargled. And povidone-iodine (0.5%) mouthwash has been recommended before a dental procedure to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Small pilot studies have suggested that similar low-strength gargle and nasal sprays may shorten the survival of SARS-CoV-2 in the nose and mouth. But these results should be confirmed in larger studies. Although some people are allergic to povidone-iodine, low concentration solutions are usually safe when applied in the nose or mouth for a few months. However, many products contain much higher concentrations of povidone-iodine and other chemicals designed for use on the skin. So swallowing, gargling or inserting these products in the nose is not recommended. 3. Bathing in bleach or disinfectant Bathing in household cleaning products (such as bleach or disinfectant), or applying them directly to the skin, can cause mild-to-moderate irritation and rashes. Burns can occur with stronger products. 4. Spraying face masks Routinely spraying disinfectants into face masks, and then breathing in the fumes and residue for a prolonged period, can also harm. This can result in irritation to the throat and lungs, dizziness, headache and nausea. 5. Taking high-dose vitamins Taking over-the-counter supplements, including vitamins, for a prolonged period is also a concern as high doses can have side-effects: vitamin C can cause kidney stones zinc can cause loss of taste or smell vitamin D can cause high concentrations of calcium in the blood, with effects including headache, thirst and, uncommonly, seizures. It's a confusing time COVID-19 is arguably the most confusing time in recent history for making decisions about our health care. While people debate if any of these proposed home remedies work, it is essential to also consider their potential harms. Deaths and other complications are reported in people overseas due to well-meaning use of proposed treatments and home remedies. We hope to avoid this in Australia. Explore further Gargling with iodine won't stop you getting COVID This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: CC0 Public Domain A pregnancy constantly overshadowed by the unknown. That is how women in Sweden who have been pregnant during the pandemic describe it. A study lead by researchers from University of Gothenburg highlights the insecurity and loneliness they have been experiencing. The study, published in the scientific journal Women and Birth, is based on in-depth interviews with 14 women in Sweden. The purpose was to clarify how women who have not been infected with SARS-CoV-2 experienced being pregnant during the pandemic. The interviewees had given birth during the period from August to November 2020, and were interviewed in March and April 2021. Being pregnant is a life-changing event. It transforms a woman's existence, whether she is expecting her first baby or a mother already. Restrictions aimed at stemming the spread of SARS-CoV-2 have affected pregnant women in various ways. Globally, the emotional well-being of pregnant women has deteriorated in conjunction with concerns about COVID-19 and national lockdowns to prevent the spread of infection. In Sweden, a measurable rise in health-related anxiety among pregnant women was found at the outset of the pandemic, but how this has affected these women since then has been unclear. Feeling uncertain and lonely Verena Sengpiel, associate professor in obstetrics and gynecology at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and also an obstetrician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital: "We've known for some time that pregnant women are especially affected by mental stress during natural disasters or other traumatic events, since they're responsible for not only their own health and safety, but also the well-being of the unborn child," she says. "Globally, we've seen indications that pregnant women's emotional well-being has suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. But since Sweden chose a different strategy to prevent infection, it's uncertain whether these results are applicable to Swedish conditions." Karolina Linden, Ph.D., midwife and researcher in health and care sciences at the University of Gothenburg's Sahlgrenska Academy, is the study's lead author. She relates how the pregnant respondents felt "constantly overshadowed by the unknown," as they put it. "The experience was characterized by having to deal with the uncertainties caused by the pandemic and the need to constantly take in new information relating to COVID-19 and pregnancy. Women felt lonely and abandoned when their partner was not allowed to attend medical consultations, especially in cases where complications had arisen during the pregnancy," Linden says. "At the same time, the women had great trust in the prenatal and maternity care services, although they stated that they were not receiving enough information about pregnancy and COVID-19 from their health-care providers." Up-to-date information vital The researchers, who believe the study results have a potential bearing on the care of pregnant women, advise these women to proactively raise issues concerning anxiety, uncertainty, and how they should relate to the constant flow of information and knowledge. Linden again: "I urge all pregnant women to talk to their midwife about any worries they have about COVID-19. Today, we know more about how SARS-CoV-2 affects both the expectant mother and the unborn child during pregnancy. It's important for the maternity care services to communicate up-to-date information directly to pregnant women, especially since advice and recommendations change as we gain more knowledge. "This is especially vital now in terms of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, given that we've seen relatively low vaccination coverage of pregnant women, compared with the rest of the population. "Now that the restrictions have eased care providers also need to take note of the importance of allowing the pregnant woman's partner to attend care visits," Linden concludes. This recent research is part of the COPE (COVID-19 in Pregnancy and Early Childhood) study, a colloration involving researchers all over Sweden, in a variety of disciplines, who are jointly evaluating how SARS-CoV-2 infection and the COVID-19 pandemic affect pregnancy outcomes and the health of the woman, child, and (if any) partner. More information: Karolina Linden et al, Being in the shadow of the unknownSwedish women's lived experiences of pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenological study, Women and Birth (2021). Karolina Linden et al, Being in the shadow of the unknownSwedish women's lived experiences of pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenological study,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.wombi.2021.09.007 Viral vector vaccines vaccine use a safe virus to insert pathogen genes in the cell to produce an immune response. Credit: Shutterstock How would you go about solving a puzzle if you didn't know what pieces to use, how many you would need, how it was supposed to look when you were done or what possible function it would serve? Such a challenge faced Frank Graham in 1969 when he was a Canadian post-doctoral researcher in the lab of molecular biologist Alex Van der Eb in the Netherlands, working with human adenovirus 5 (Ad5). When he returned to Canada in 1973, he continued his work on Ad5 in the Cancer Research Group in the biology and pathology departments at McMaster University. The enduring technology he developed would go on to serve humanity in many ways. Some of them are still emerging today, but one stands out above the rest: Graham's Ad5 vector would serve as a world-wide platform for vaccines for COVID-19, including the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines approved in Canada. Viral vectors The puzzle Graham solved was making a valuable viral vector: a microscopic Trojan horse that can be easily assembled, cheaply manufactured in bulk and remains stable at regular refrigerator temperatures. Most importantly, it is efficient at transferring foreign DNA into mammalian cellsincluding human cells. Viral vectors are modified viruses that can trigger the body to generate protective responses without causing infections. These virus-like entities, which are usually rendered incapable of replicating, can achieve what natural, intact viruses can, but without the infectious destruction. They can enter human cells and instruct the machinery of those cells to express the genes carried by the vector, causing the cell to make and export the proteins encoded by those genesall without permanently modifying the host cell. That means that once a viral vector vaccine for COVID-19 is administered, it can express the COVID-19 spike protein that is engineered into the vector's genome. This allows the affected cells to present the COVID-19 protein antigen to the human immune system and stimulate immune defenses against a COVID-19 infection. Viral vectors induce a very potent immune response. They generate both a neutralizing antibody to prevent infection, and killer T cells (cytotoxic T cells or CTL) to destroy COVID-19-infected cells. Several recognized, non-replicating viral vectors have been developed for vaccines. These include those based on adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, herpes virus (such as cytomegalovirus) and vaccinia virus, along with retrovirus-based vectors, including Moloney murine leukemia virus and others based on modified lentivirus (HIV). All have been used in clinical trials of both gene therapy and vaccine delivery with varied success. However, for effective wide-scale use as safe vaccines, viral vectors based on adenovirus (infamous for causing the common cold) or vaccinia virus are preferred. In the COVID-19 vaccine arena, the ones that stand out most are based on adenovirus vectors. This is where Graham's discoveries come into play. The puzzle pieces As the first piece of the puzzle, Graham developed a method to transfer foreign DNA (in this case pieces of the genome of human adenovirus subtype 5) into a cell. The article describing this technique has been cited by more than 10,000 investigators since it was published, making it one of modern science's greatest hits. Because viral vectors are usually non-replicating, expansion (replication) of the vector for manufacture and vaccine production presented a challenge. Vectors need living cells to host them and do the vectors' bidding, allowing them to reproduce. What was needed was a self-perpetuating line of cells implanted with a modifiable virus, or vector. This was solved by Graham's second approach. At McMaster University, he used his DNA transfer technique to establish a stable, easy to grow and readily manipulated human cell line called HEK293 cells, which permanently contained the genes required to allow a replication-deficient vector to grow. Graham's article on this cell line is another classic, with more than 6,000 citations. The HEK293 cell line and its derivatives are now used around the world, in industry and both university and government research laboratories, to manufacture vaccines and many other biologics. As a third approach, Graham prepared stable and robust molecular biology tools to allow easy creation of stable adenovirus vectors with foreign gene insertions that could accommodate up to 8,000 base pairs (individual units of genetic code) of foreign genetic informationwhich is enough data to produce most useful proteins. This is used both for gene transfer and expression (in gene therapy) and for vaccine delivery, as we have seen with the COVID-19 vaccines. For vaccines, the process made it possible to take a virus that causes cold symptoms, remove the genes that enable it to reproduce and replace them with genes from an infectious agent, such as a different virus, that is a vaccine's ultimate target. Those added genes trigger the production of a harmless element of the target virus. The body then recognizes and attacks this element, generating immunity. In the case of the COVID-19 virus, this element is the protein spike. Putting the puzzle together These advances were accomplished with human adenovirus 5 and were applied directly in the COVID-19 vaccines developed by CanSino in China and the Sputnik V vaccine in Russia. The process has also been adapted to other adenovirus subtypes for COVID-19 vaccines. These include the chimpanzee adenovirus vector vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and the human adenovirus 26 vector vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson. Graham, now retired and living in Italy, certainly knew how to put a puzzle together. Today, half a century after his first successes in building viral vectors, billions of people around the world have him to thank for protecting them from the pandemic virus. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The clock is always ticking in the emergency room. A patient is rushed in with a condition that may be serious or life-threatening. Rapidly, the physician and staff must make decisions to keep the person alive. In those moments, however, information about the patient is limited and relationships with them barely scratch the surface. This setting creates situations in which physicians may dismiss, or make assumptions about, patients from backgrounds that are not similar to their own, said Adrianne Haggins, M.D., assistant professor of emergency medicine at Michigan Medicine. "You have so many things pulling you in different directions as an emergency physician, this can lead to miscommunications that affect the care you provide," Haggins said. "Despite requirements for all specialties to teach cultural competent care, the nature of emergency medicine and limited guidance by organizations makes delivering that education more difficult." Haggins and a team of researchers interviewed 24 emergency residents from three different academic medical centers. They sought to understand how residents process caring for diverse patients or underserved communities, as well as the challenges they faced and lessons learned. All interviewees had experience training at an academic medical center, a suburban hospital and a low-resource public hospital. Throughout the conversations, most residents emphasized the importance of their experiences and learning to deliver high-quality care to diverse populations, according to results published in AEM Training and Education Special Issue: Dismantling Racism with the Next Generation of Learners: Teaching Advocacy, Health Equity, and Social Justice. "After spending time working at [these] sites, I feel like I can connect better culturally, linguistically with [the] patients," one resident said. That skill was often shaped through modeling senior residents or faculty. With more diverse role models and teachers, many interviewees said they gained a deeper perspective and enhanced communication skills. "We have people with different sexual orientation, ethnicities [and religions] that increases the odds of delivering good care because you just have a better understanding," a resident said. "Sometimes, if you don't have that supply or diverse experience [in the residency program], you can be missing out on the efficacy of your care." Still, many of the residents did not feel their programs made enough effort to incorporate effective cultural competency education into the curriculum. These discussions often occur during medical school, but they taper off when you become a resident and are spending time caring for patients autonomously, Haggins said. "If we want our residents to be high-quality doctors and perform at a level where they feel ready to care for diverse populations, we have to continue incorporating that within the teaching that we provide our residents," she said. "I am just not sure organizations are often equipped, through programming or faculty makeup, to properly have these discussions." In the conversations, the research team urged residents to think of moments when their personal identity differed from a patient's and how that may have the affected care they provided. One resident mentioned spending 15 minutes in a room with an affluent white patient, a person who closely matched their identity, compared to spending a few minutes with a less affluent Black patient presenting with a similar condition. Another noted their frustration when working with a patient who required a translator, worrying communication struggles may have resulted in less accurate care. Several residents said their eagerness to work in underserved environments waned over time. They felt defeatedlike they were not able to make the difference they envisioned. "It became a repetitive thing that I leave my shifts very frustrated and being like, 'I didn't help anyone,'" one resident said. "It became just very frustrating for me in terms of [it being] hard to teach, educate and follow up. It almost felt like a broken system to me." Haggins and her team saw this diminishing interest as a warning sign. "If we continue to ignore this issue and simply expect residents to meet the goal of high-quality care for diverse populations without having more concrete discussions about race and its intersection with economics, social infrastructure and systemic racism, this might have lasting effects on who is willing to work with these populations and in low-resource areas," she said. Participants told researchers they would benefit from more deliberate discussions on cultural competency, not necessarily meaning more lectures. Researchers found this to be an opportunity for programs to innovate and think of dynamic ways of engaging with the communities they serve. "Community-based partnerships lead to more lasting, fruitful outcomes for our patients," Haggins said. "Moving forward, educators in emergency medicine should take insight from residents as a way to guide improvements to their training. Not addressing it in a more deliberate manner is potentially leading to errors in patient care. If emergency care is really going to be, 'anytime, anywhere, anyone,' we need to fill this gap." Explore further Emergency physician residents and health care workers at high risk of physical or verbal assault, new analysis shows More information: Adrianne Haggins et al, Untold stories: Emergency medicine residents' experiences caring for diverse patient populations, AEM Education and Training (2021). Adrianne Haggins et al, Untold stories: Emergency medicine residents' experiences caring for diverse patient populations,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/aet2.10678 A woman wipes her face as she walks past an empty columbarium wall prepared for funerary urns holding cremated remains of the deceased, near a crematorium in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. Russia's total number of coronavirus infections has topped 8 million and the daily infection toll hit a new record. The death toll is minutely lower than the record 1,002 tallied on Saturday, but it shows the country continuing to struggle with the virus as vaccination rates remain low. Credit: AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky Russia's total number of coronavirus infections has topped 8 million, more than 5% of the population, and the daily infection toll hit a new record. The national coronavirus task force said Monday that 34,325 new infections over the past day raised the pandemic total to 8,027,012. It also said 998 people died of COVID-19 in the previous day, bringing the total number of deaths to 224,310the highest virus death toll in Europe. The daily death toll is minutely lower than the record 1,002 tallied on Saturday, but shows that Russia is still struggling with the virus as vaccination rates remain low. Russian authorities have tried to speed up the pace of vaccinations with lotteries, bonuses and other incentives, but widespread vaccine skepticism and conflicting signals from officials have stymied the efforts. The task force said Monday that about 45 million Russians, or 32% of the country's nearly 146 million people, are fully vaccinated. Despite the mounting toll, the Kremlin has ruled out a new nationwide lockdown like the one early on in the pandemic that badly hurt the economy and dented President Vladimir Putin's popularity. Instead, it has delegated the power to enforce coronavirus restrictions to regional authorities. Some of Russia's 85 regions have restricted attendance at large public events and limited access to theaters, restaurants and other venues. Medical workers carry a patient suspected of having coronavirus on a stretcher at a hospital in Kommunarka, outside Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. Russia's daily death toll from COVID-19 has exceeded 1000 for the first time as the country faces a sustained wave of rising infections. Credit: AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko The authorities in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, on Monday introduced digital codes that must be shown beginning Nov. 1 proving vaccination or past infection to enter conferences and sports events. Starting on Nov. 15, those codes will be required at movies, theaters, museums and gyms and on Dec. 1 they become mandatory at restaurants, cafes and some stores. The city has reported the nation's second-largest number of new infections after Moscow. Moscow authorities so far have refrained from tightening coronavirus restrictions despite the mounting caseload and daily life in the capital has remained largely as normal. The highest concentrations of new cases are mostly in comparatively urbanized western Russia and in the developed areas along the Pacific Coast such as Vladivostok and Khabarovsk. Still, the sparsely populated Siberian region of Sakha and Chukotka in the extreme northeast is also showing high case rates of more than 150 infections per 100,000 people over a seven-day period. The official COVID-19 toll ranks Russia as having the fifth-most pandemic deaths in the world following the United States, Brazil, India and Mexico. However, state statistics agency Rosstat, which also counts deaths in which the virus wasn't considered the main cause, has reported a much higher pandemic death tollabout 418,000 people with COVID-19 as of August. Based on that number, Russia would be the fourth hardest-hit nation, ahead of Mexico. Explore further Russia sees highest daily new COVID case number 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain South Africa's health products regulator on Monday said it would not approve Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine due to concerns it could increase the risk of HIV infection among men. The decision was based on earlier studies testing the safety of a modified form of adenovirusa type of virus that causes respiratory infectionsknown as the Ad5 and contained in the Russian jab. "Use of the Sputnik V vaccine in South Africa, a setting of a high HIV prevalence and incidence, may increase the risk of vaccinated males acquiring HIV," the South African Health Product Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) said in a statement. It noted that the company behind the application for the use of Sputnik V in South Africa had no proof the formula would be safe "in settings of high HIV prevalence". "The rolling review of the Sputnik V vaccine will, however, remain open for submission of relevant safety data in support of the application," it added. Russia's Gamaleya Centre, which developed Sputnik V, said it would produce information to show that SAHPRA's concerns were "completely unfounded". "Speculation regarding the association between adenovirus type-5 vectored vaccines and HIV transmission in high risk groups has been based on small-scale studies," it said in a statement. The institute pointed to several clinical studies on over 7,000 participants that showed "there was no statistically significant increase of HIV-1 infection among adenovirus type-5 vectored vaccine recipients when all study participants and follow-up time were considered." South Africa, the country worst-hit by the pandemic in Africa, also has the world's highest number of people living with HIV. It has been struggling with vaccine hesitancy. Just over a quarter of 40 million targeted for vaccination by early 2022 are fully jabbed to date. South Africa is this week set to begin vaccinating children as young as 12 and offering booster shots to certain immuno-compromised citizens. It is currently offering the single-dose Johnson & Johnsonwhich also contains an adenovirus but of a different typeand the rMNA Pfizer/BioNTech jab. The Chinese-made Sinovac has also been approved. The World Health Organization has not yet given Sputnik V the green light for emergency use, although it is being administered in at least 45 countries. Explore further South Africa to start jabs for kids as young as 12 2021 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain Britain has repeatedly trumpeted its mass vaccination programme against COVID-19, hailing its early approval of jabs as a key part of the long struggle to return to normal life. But infection rates remain stubbornly high, contrasting sharply with its European neighbours and prompting fresh questions of the government. For two weeks, the number of new cases has wavered between 35,000 and 40,000 a day, and on Monday nudged closer to 50,000the highest since the July peak of the "Delta" variant outbreak. The daily death toll has often exceeded 100 since the summer, adding to an overall toll of more than 138,000, second only to Russia in Europe. "Sadly, at the moment the UK has a higher level of COVID-19 than most other comparable countries, this is seen not just in positive tests but in hospital admissions and deaths," said Jim Naismith, professor of structural biology at the University of Oxford. Across the Channel, France is recording some 4,000 cases a day and Germany 10,000. Deaths are running at about 30 and 60 daily respectively. Questions are being asked about the gulf in figures, even if Prime Minister Boris Johnsonwho survived a spell in hospital intensive care with COVIDappears unperturbed. Scientists have already voiced fears that the high underlying number of cases could overload the state-run National Health Service, which is often under pressure in autumn and winter from respiratory infections. "We always knew the coming months could be challenging," Johnson's official spokesman told reporters on Monday. "Obviously different countries are potentially at different stages of their vaccination programmes and have different measures in place, so it's difficult to compare and contrast," he said. "But it's important to strike the right balance between protecting lives and livelihoods." School-aged children Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said the rate of infections among older school-aged children "is clearly the driving force behind this sustained tide of new infections". Vaccination rates are low among schoolchildren in Britain, and masks are no longer mandatory, although the government said earlier this month that they could be reintroduced if cases continue to rise. While healthy children are generally able to fight off the disease, the rising case numbers "may be of concern to parents, grandparents with caring responsibilities, and teachers, some of whom may not be vaccinated or have health conditions that make them vulnerable," said Clarke. A deeper dive into the statistics shows that Britain conducts twice as many tests as France, and six times more than Germany. It also shows there are currently more people in intensive care units with COVID in France and Germany than in Britain, although overall numbers in hospital are comparable in Britain and France at about 7,000. But while France's daily hospitalisation rate has plummeted in recent weeks to around 150 admissions, Britain's has not dipped below 500 since the summer, and has now risen to more than 900. Infection rates in France, Germany and the Netherlands have also increased in recent days. Britain removed COVID restrictions in July, ending social distancing and mask mandatesalthough many transport operators still require them. Proof of vaccine for visiting crowded spaces such as restaurants, theatres and nightclubs is also not mandatory in England, and has only just been introduced in Wales and Scotland, which set their own health policy. Mitigation measures Britain has mainly used the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which was shown to be less effective at preventing infection from the Delta variant than the mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna predominantly used in Europe. The country also began its vaccination programme earlier, prompting questions about whether immunity is now waning, similar to Israel's experience. Only 41 percent of those vaccinated have received a booster shot so far, raising further questions about the effectiveness of the follow-up programme. Attitudes to mask-wearing also differ: according to a YouGov poll, around 15 percent of Britons say they never wear a mask in public. In Europe, it was about five percent. The survey also indicated that far more Britons are returning to public transport or large gatherings than on mainland Europe. That has prompted criticism that the government has become too lax on regulations, leading to complacency. Johnson, who wants to get the country's economy moving again, is reluctant to reimpose restrictions, including lockdowns. But Naismith said: "Some immediate mitigation measures (masking, ventilation) would seem desirable... With winter approaching, it might be worthwhile taking stock of where we are." Explore further Germany finds more people got COVID vaccine than thought 2021 AFP Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain UK Armed Forces veterans are nearly 11 times as likely to be problem gamblers as the general population, reveal the results of a survey, published online in the journal BMJ Military Health. And they cost society more in terms of their higher use of health and social care services, brushes with the police, loss of working hours, welfare benefits and heavier debt burden. There is now a good economic case for screening military veterans to pick up gambling related harms, conclude the researchers. Gambling is a growing public health concern and military veterans are at heightened risk, note the researchers. Gambling is associated with debt, job loss, relationship breakdown, poor health, criminal behaviour, and disrupted education. Estimates suggest it costs England around 1.27 billion every year. While some 10% of UK military veterans get into financial difficulties after leaving the forces, routine mental health assessments after deployment don't currently include gambling. To try and gauge the social and economic costs of problem gambling among military veterans, the researchers looked at differences in healthcare use and social service provision between a sample of former UK soldiers and a comparison group of civilians who hadn't served in the military, but who were matched for age and sex. They drew on online survey data collected as part of the UK Armed Forces Veterans' Health and Gambling Study. A total of 5147 responses were received, with 2185 people, of whom 1037 were military veterans, included in the final analysis. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their mental health, health related quality of life, and health services use. They were also asked about their ethnicity, marital status, educational attainment, hours worked, debt levels, welfare benefits, accommodation and size of the household. The veterans provided additional details about the length and type of their military service. Participants were nearly all men, aged 30-39; and over two thirds were in work. If participants said they gambled, they completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index PGSI) where a score of 0 indicates no problems while scores of 8 or more indicate problem gambling. Two thirds (67%) of those who hadn't served in the Army weren't problem gamblers. But more than 4 out of 10 (43%) of the military veterans were. Overall, veterans were nearly 11 times as likely to have a gambling problem as non-veterans 6.5% of whom fell into this category. The researchers compared costs and outcomes for the veterans according to their PGSI score. Resource use for the preceding 3 months was grouped by service type, while unit costs were obtained from previously published sources. Total costs were then calculated for health services use and social care plus societal costs, adjusting for potentially influential factors, such as ethnicity, country of residence, qualifications, and relationship status. Veterans generally reported higher use of healthcare services, including hospital stays, visits to GPs, and contact with social workers than non-veterans. And they made more use of gambling support, substance and alcohol misuse treatment services. They also had more brushes with the police, lost more working hours (33 vs 18), were in receipt of more benefits and had amassed larger debts than non-veterans (1375 vs 806). The cost analysis revealed that veterans incurred substantially higher health, social care, and societal costs than non-veterans of around 600 per person. While veterans' average costs were lower, if they were gamblers their use of services rose in tandem with increases in problem gambling severity scores, resulting in higher societal costs. These differences are likely to be driven by the impact of military service, which is known to be associated with greater physical and mental health needs, suggest the researchers. This is an observational study, and as such, can't establish cause. And the economic analysis has some limitations, acknowledge the researchers. Data were collected at a single point in time, and greater healthcare costs for veterans are likely to indicate greater physical and mental health problems for this group that are not related to gambling. Nevertheless, conclude the researchers: "Our findings support an economic case for screening for gambling-related harm among UK [Armed Forces] veterans. "The costs of routine post deployment and end of service screening are relatively low. However, while costs may increase for those identified with mental health conditions, there is an obvious trade-off in the costs saved from future healthcare resource use as well as criminal justice contact and accrued debt." Explore further Middle age is highest risk time for veteran suicide More information: Social and economic costs of gambling problems and related harm among UK military veterans, BMJ Military Health, militaryhealth.bmj.com/lookup/ military-2021-001892 Social and economic costs of gambling problems and related harm among UK military veterans, Credit: CC0 Public Domain More than a third of New Zealand high school students have tried vaping, with 10 percent vaping regularly and six percent vaping weekly or more often, researchers have found. About 80 percent of those who reported vaping regularly and 90 percent of those who vaped weekly or more often sometimes or always used e-cigarettes containing nicotine. Students often began experimenting with vaping at a young age, with 22 percent of Year 9 students (13- and 14-year-olds) saying they had tried vaping. The study is based on data from the Youth19 survey of secondary school students aged 13 to 18 in the Auckland, Northland, and Waikato education regions conducted in 2019. It reflects the situation before the Government banned the sale of vaping products to under 18-year-olds and prohibited e-cigarette marketing late last year. Researcher Dr. Jude Ball, from the University of Otago, Wellington, says the study highlights the importance of getting the balance right between making it easy for adult smokers to switch to less harmful vaping, while protecting young non-smokers. "Our findings suggest that during 2018 and 2019, that balance was not achieved." Dr. Ball says the survey found vaping to be two to three times more common than smoking among students, and was common among demographic groups unlikely to smoke. Two-thirds of those who had tried vaping, and nearly half of regular vapers, had never smoked. "Nationally, this would translate to 15,000 regular vapers and 6,700 weekly vapers in the New Zealand secondary school population who have never smoked." Dr. Ball says vaping among adolescents has increased sharply since the introduction of nicotine-containing 'pod' devices, such as JUUL and Vuse, to the New Zealand market in 2018. Many pod devices use 'nicotine salt' technology, which delivers nicotine more efficiently into the bloodstream, and enables high nicotine concentrations without causing a harsh sensation in the mouth and throat. "Our finding that 80 percent of students who vape regularly are using nicotine is in contrast to a 2018 study which showed only 23 percent of 14- and 15-year-old vapers had used nicotine the last time they vaped. "It is also concerning that 17 percent of those who had tried vaping, did not know whether they had used nicotine or not." Dr. Ball says while vaping carries lower health risks than smoking, it is not harmless. "Recent reports have highlighted the risk of acute lung injury in vapers, as well as chronic risks to cardiovascular, respiratory and oral health. "Since e-cigarettes have only been widely available for about 10 years and respiratory illnesses caused by exposure to toxic substances may only show up decades later, the impacts of long term use are still unknown." Dr. Ball says the research underlines the need for mandatory on-pack health warnings and education campaigns targeting youth. "Our findings show that vaping of nicotine has emerged as a new public health risk to adolescents, the vast majority of whom would otherwise be nicotine-free and smokefree. Thousands are now being exposed to vaping harms and potential nicotine addiction." Fellow researcher Associate Professor Terryann Clark (Ngapuhi), from the University of Auckland, welcomes new Government proposals to invest in social marketing campaigns aimed at supporting young people to stay smokefree and vapefree. "Our findings suggest that prevention campaigns will need to focus on much younger students, with one in five students having already tried vaping by the age of 14." She notes more needs to be done to enforce new laws brought in last year to restrict marketing and ban sales of vaping products to those under 18. "Online marketing continues to target young people with competitions and promotions despite the law change, and we are aware of retailers who are still selling vaping products to young people under 18. What we're hearing from schools is that prevalence of vaping has gone up, not down, since 2019." The study is the first to investigate vaping among all ages of high school students. Explore further Vaping is linked to heightened eating disorder risk among U.S. college students More information: Jude Ball et al, New Zealand Youth19 survey: vaping has wider appeal than smoking in secondary school students, and most use nicotine-containing e-cigarettes Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/fu 1111/1753-6405.13169 Journal information: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health Jude Ball et al, New Zealand Youth19 survey: vaping has wider appeal than smoking in secondary school students, and most use nicotine-containing e-cigarettes Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus V.Makei meets the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua On October 18, 2021 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, Denis Moncada Colindres, who is visiting Belarus on an official visit. During the meeting, the parties discussed a wide range of issues of Belarusian-Nicaraguan cooperation, including interaction between the two countries within the international organizations. Special attention was paid to the prospects for strengthening bilateral trade and economic ties. Following the meeting, the Foreign Ministers signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nicaragua on the Joint Economic and Trade Commission. print version The University of Montana responded to a federal lawsuit on Monday, asking for one of the four plaintiffs' claims to be thrown out of the suit and refuting the allegations. The lawsuit, filed in early August in federal court in Missoula by three former and one current UM employee, accused the university and Montana University System of sex-based discrimination and Title IX violations. The University of Montanas response today shows these accusations are not based on facts and do not have legal merit," UM spokesman Dave Kuntz said in a statement to the Missoulian. "The complaint contains false and inflammatory allegations, fails to establish a viable claim under Title IX, and we look forward to defending the universitys actions. In addition to the answer denying the factual allegations, the university has filed a motion to dismiss one of the complaints since it does not even meet the technical requirements to proceed further. We will rigorously defend the three other meritless claims in court, he added. Saying UM fostered a toxic environment where women were discriminated and retaliated against, the four plaintiffs describe treatment from the university they say is part of the good ol boys club. The plaintiffs Catherine Cole, Barbara Koostra, Mary-Ann Sontag Bowman and Rhondie Voorhees also specifically point to President Seth Bodnar creating a campus atmosphere where women were questioned and belittled. Title IX of the federal Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. The university is requesting Sontag Bowmans complaint be excluded from the suit because Plaintiff Bowmans claims are not actionable under Title IX, nor is Plaintiff Bowmans derivative claim for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, according to the motion for partial dismissal filed Monday. In order for a Title IX complaint to have merit, there needs to be an adverse action on the part of the defendant, and Sontag Bowman fails to identify such adverse action on the universitys part, Kuntz said. The factual allegations in her complaint fail to establish an adverse employment action that can be the basis of a retaliation claim, a brief in support of the motion said, adding no adverse employment action is alleged by the employee. Bowmans complaint surrounds the School of Social Work. At the encouragement of UM leadership, the only male faculty member and current chair sought a second 5-year term; effectively, foreclosing female leadership in the School of Social Work for a decade, Sontag Bowmans complaint reads. It goes on to say, Had UM not discouraged other applicants by selecting its preferred choice, Dr. Sontag Bowman would have applied for this leadership position. Since Bowman did not apply for the position, UMs argument is that Title IX does not apply in this situation. On Aug. 19, 18 additional women joined the suit, prompting the plaintiffs to request class-action certification. The amended complaint asks to include female employees employed by the university at any point since 2013 who have experienced harassment, retaliation or discrimination on the basis of sex, who were forced to resign, had their position terminated, or had limited options for professional growth. It alleges sex-based discrimination continues today at UM and MUS. The complaint cites John Doe defendants 1-50 but does not specify who John Does are or the allegations about them. In a wider response to the lawsuit, UM said the defendants failed to provide notice to the school regarding claims of sexual harassment or a hostile work environment. It goes on to say the plaintiffs were not deprived of access to educational opportunities or benefits. The four plaintiffs are represented by Hillary Carls and Sherine Blackford of Blackford Carls P.C. in Bozeman. The firm did not immediately return a request for comment. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Zoe Buchli Crime and courts reporter Follow Zoe Buchli Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Colin Powell, the first Black US secretary of state whose leadership in several Republican administrations helped shape American foreign policy in the last years of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st, has died from complications from Covid-19, his family said on Facebook. He was 84. "General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19," the Powell family wrote on Facebook, noting he was fully vaccinated. A source familiar with the matter said Powell had multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells that suppresses the body's immune response. Even if fully vaccinated against Covid-19, those who are immunocompromised are at greater risk from the virus. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," the family said. Keep scrolling for a gallery of images from the life of Colin Powell Powell was a distinguished and trailblazing professional soldier whose career took him from combat duty in Vietnam to becoming the first Black national security adviser during the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency and the youngest and first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush. His national popularity soared in the aftermath of the US-led coalition victory during the Gulf War, and for a time in the mid-90s, he was considered a leading contender to become the first Black President of the United States. But his reputation would be forever stained when, as George W. Bush's first secretary of state, he pushed faulty intelligence before the United Nations to advocate for the Iraq War, which he would later call a "blot" on his record. Bush said in a statement Monday that Powell was "a great public servant" who was "such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend." Though Powell never mounted a White House bid, when he was sworn in as Bush's secretary of state in 2001, he became the highest-ranking Black public official to date in the country, standing fourth in the presidential line of succession. "I think it shows to the world what is possible in this country," Powell said of his history-making nomination during his Senate confirmation hearing. "It shows to the world that: Follow our model, and over a period of time from our beginning, if you believe in the values that espouse, you can see things as miraculous as me sitting before you to receive your approval." Later in his public life, Powell would grow disillusioned with the Republican Party's rightward lurch and would use his political capital to help elect Democrats to the White House, most notably Barack Obama, the first Black president whom Powell endorsed in the final weeks of the 2008 campaign. The announcement was seen as a significant boost for Obama's candidacy due to Powell's widespread popular appeal and stature as one of the most prominent and successful Black Americans in public life. Powell is survived by his wife, Alma Vivian (Johnson) Powell, whom he married in 1962, as well as three children. It is not clear if Powell had received a booster dose of the vaccine. Covid-19 vaccines are a highly effective tool in preventing severe disease and death, but no vaccine is 100% effective. More than 7,00 breakthrough cases of Covid-19 that have resulted in death have been reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through October 12. By that time, more than 187 million people in the US were fully vaccinated. That's one out of every 26,000 fully vaccinated people who has died of Covid-19, or 0.004%. Of those breakthrough cases resulting in death, 85% were among people age 65 and older and 57% were among men, according to the CDC. CDC data also show that the risk of dying from Covid-19 is more than 11 times higher for unvaccinated adults than it is for vaccinated adults throughout August. Among seniors, who are more susceptible to severe Covid-19, that gap is smaller. Among those 80 and older, the risk of dying from Covid-19 in August was about five times higher among unvaccinated people than among fully vaccinated people. Professional soldier Colin Luther Powell was born April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York, to Jamaican immigrants. After growing up in the South Bronx, Powell attended school at the City College of New York, where he participated in ROTC, leading the precision drill team and attaining the top rank offered by the corps, cadet colonel. "I liked the structure and the discipline of the military," Powell said, according to a CNN profile of him in the early 2000s. "I felt somewhat distinctive wearing a uniform. I hadn't been distinctive in much else." He entered the US Army after graduating in 1958, and later served two tours in South Vietnam during the 1960s, where he was wounded twice, including during a helicopter crash in which he rescued two soldiers. He stayed in the Army after returning home, attending the National War College and rising in leadership. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1979, appointed as Reagan's final national security adviser in 1987 and was tapped by the elder Bush in 1989 to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Powell's tenure in the elder Bush's administration was marked by his involvement in some of the most notable American military actions of the late 20th century, including the 1989 Panama operation, the 1991 Gulf War and the US humanitarian intervention in Somalia, though he retired from the Army days before the disastrous Battle of Mogadishu. Although Powell was initially reluctant to commit US troops when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, he became one of the administration's most trusted spokesmen when the assault on Saddam Hussein's army finally came. "First we're going to cut it off. Then we're going to kill it," Powell famously said at a news conference at the time, referring to the Iraqi army. Following the assault, Powell became something of a national hero, enjoying a 71% favorability rating in the first few year years after the war. His efforts during the war also earned him two prominent awards: a Congressional Gold Medal in March 1991 "in recognition of his exemplary performance in planning and coordinating" the US response to Iraq's invasion, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. As the elder Bush presented Powell with the award at a White House ceremony in 1991, he said the general's "deep compassion for every one of the thousands of men and women under (his) command will always be remembered." During Powell's time in the military, which lasted until 1993, he also received a number of other notable awards, including the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. He received his fourth star in 1989, becoming the second African American to rise to that rank. In addition to the military awards, Powell also received the President's Citizens Medal, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal, as well as a second Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded with distinction, from President Bill Clinton. Top diplomat during turbulent time With a prominent national profile, Powell was floated as a potential presidential candidate in the 1996 election. But in a highly anticipated decision, he declined to participate in the race, citing a lack of "passion" for electoral politics. "Such a life requires a calling that I do not yet hear," he told reporters in 1995. "And for me to pretend otherwise would not be honest to myself, it would not be honest to the American people." Powell was again encouraged to run in the 2000 presidential election, but rebuffed calls for him to mount a bid. He instead endorsed George W. Bush, delivering a speech at the Republican National Convention in which he argued that the then-governor of Texas would "help bridge our racial divides." He was Bush's first Cabinet selection when he was announced as the 43rd President's nomination for secretary of state, and with his expertise in foreign policy and widespread popularity, he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. He shared Bush's reluctance to project military strength across the globe, a view that was quickly displaced by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. As Bush's top diplomat, he was tasked with building international support for the War on Terror, including the Afghanistan War, but it was his involvement in the administration's push for intervention in Iraq, over the concerns of many of America's longtime allies, for which his tenure at State would become best known. In February 2003, Powell delivered a speech before the United Nations in which he presented evidence that the US intelligence community said proved Iraq had misled inspectors and hid weapons of mass destruction. "There can be no doubt," Powell warned, "that Saddam Hussein has biological weapons and the capability to rapidly produce more, many more." Inspectors, however, later found no such weaponry in Iraq, and two years after Powell's UN speech, a government report said the intelligence community was "dead wrong" in its assessments of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capabilities before the US invasion. But the damage was already done -- to both Iraq, which the US went to war with just six weeks after Powell's speech, and to the reputation of the once highly popular statesman, who was reportedly told by then-Vice President Dick Cheney before the UN speech: "You've got high poll ratings; you can afford to lose a few points." Powell, who left the State Department in early 2005 after submitting his resignation to Bush the previous year, later called his UN speech a "blot" that will forever be on his record. "I regret it now because the information was wrong -- of course I do," he told CNN's Larry King in 2010. "But I will always be seen as the one who made the case before the international community." "I swayed public opinion, there's no question about it," he added, referring to how influential his speech was on public support for the invasion. In his 2012 memoir, "It Worked for Me," Powell again acknowledged the speech, writing that his account of it in the book would likely be the last he publicly made. "I am mad mostly at myself for not having smelled the problem. My instincts failed me," he wrote, referring to the report he used that contained faulty evidence of supposed Iraqi WMDs. "It was by no means my first, but it was one of my most momentous failures, the one with the widest-ranging impact." "The event will earn a prominent paragraph in my obituary," Powell wrote. Shifting politics After leaving the Bush administration, Powell returned to private life. He joined the renowned venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins in 2005, where he worked as a strategic adviser until his death. For a time, he gave speeches at "Get Motivated!" business seminars, and he authored the 2012 memoir. Though the large majority of Powell's time as a public servant was spent in Republican administrations, the later years of his life saw him supporting Democratic presidential candidates and harshly criticizing top Republican leaders. By 2008, the longtime Republican's coveted presidential endorsement went to another party when he announced his support for Obama's White House bid. At the time, he touted Obama's "ability to inspire" and the "inclusive nature of his campaign," while criticizing attacks on the Illinois senator by Republican presidential nominee John McCain's campaign as "inappropriate." He was later named an honorary co-chair of Obama's inauguration and endorsed him again in 2012. Powell went on to vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016 over Donald Trump, whom he had strongly condemned as a "national disgrace and an international pariah." In an extraordinary move that year, three presidential electors in Washington state cast votes for Powell rather than Clinton, resulting in state fines that were later upheld by the Supreme Court. He again snubbed Trump in 2020 during the President's second campaign, announcing his support for Joe Biden in June of that year while blasting Trump's presidency. "We have a Constitution. And we have to follow that Constitution. And the President has drifted away from it," he told CNN, adding that he "certainly cannot in any way support President Trump this year." The retired general later delivered an address in support of Biden during the Democratic National Convention. And after Trump incited a deadly insurrection at the US Capitol in early January 2021, Powell told CNN that he no longer considered himself a Republican, with the longtime grandee of the GOP saying he was now simply watching events unfold in a country he long served. "I can no longer call myself a fellow Republican. I'm not a fellow of anything right now," he told CNN's Fareed Zakaria on "GPS." "I'm just a citizen who has voted Republican, voted Democrat throughout my entire career. And right now, I'm just watching my country and not concerned with parties." *** *** You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Each decade our nation performs a census and congressional maps are redrawn to fit each states allocation of the 435 seats in our nations House of Representatives. For the first time ever, Montana has regained a second congressional district, putting all eyes on our state in 2022. The lines for these two seats and our legislative districts are determined by a five-member independent commission two chosen by Republican leaders, two by Democratic leaders, and one appointed by the Montana Supreme Court which has the authority under the Montana Constitution to set the boundaries. Our Montana Constitution mandates the districts be equal in population as possible, while Montana law states they be compact, contiguous, and not favor one political party over another. Prior to the 1990 census, Montanas congressional districts followed an east-west divide based on geographic and economic differences of two parts of the state. Former Congressman Pat Williams agrees that dividing our state into eastern and western districts is best for Montana. Williams stated Drawing from the northern border to the southern border again will give western Montana the opportunity to continue to be moderately liberal in its politics and give eastern Montana the same opportunity to follow its natural course, which has been to be moderately conservative in its politics. He went on to say, Theres no political shenanigans in that. Theres history to fall back on. In addition to Williams' perspective, one thing is clear from Montanans who submitted comments, attended public meetings, and testified at hearings they want the commission to follow the law and do not want maps drawn to favor one party over another. However, their voices were disregarded as the majority of the commission, in a partisan vote, adopted language to consider the partisan makeup of districts while drawing lines. This raises multiple red flags and is a breeding ground for illegal gerrymandering. Democratic-appointed commissioners were not shy about their attempt to draw one congressional district in favor of their party, claiming they did it in the name of competitiveness. Yet drawing a district that favors one political party is contrary to requirements set in place by Montana law. Democratic commissioners claim they want competitiveness, but their proposed maps violate their own discretionary goals by dividing our state into districts that are not competitive for either party. It simply gerrymanders a safe congressional seat for Democrats in a state where Republicans have achieved overwhelming wins. Former President Donald Trump won Montana by over 16 points in 2020. Gov. Greg Gianforte and Congressman Matt Rosendale both won by nearly 13 points and Sen. Steve Daines won reelection by 10 points. Republicans hold a super majority in Helena and have created laws that make this a great place to live, own a business, raise a family, and enjoy the natural wonders of the Big Sky State. Democrats in Washington, D.C. have a slim majority and this move by Montana Democrats makes it clear they will do anything for political gain, be it raising our taxes, implementing a federal takeover of Montana elections, or ignoring crises they created. As the Montana Republican Party chairman, I am committed to remaining engaged with the redistricting process and fighting to ensure districts are drawn fairly, not in a way that will give one party control over Montanas voters. The commissions final public meeting will be Oct. 30. I will be working day and night until then to contact the commissioners and demand they reject gerrymandered congressional maps and I urge my friends, family, and fellow Montanans to do the same. Don K Kaltschmidt is chair of the Montana Republican Party. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 The ink is barely dry on Republicans legislative attacks on democracy before we learn they want to inflict further outrages against Montana (Missoulian, Oct. 2). Now they want to join with the Arizona, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin Republican ignoramuses in establishing a probe of our own 2020 election outcomes. Their reason, according to State Senate President Mark Blasdel and House Speaker Wylie Galt, is simply that they received a letter from a majority of Republican state legislators, claiming suspected widespread voter fraud. This, from the same deep thinkers, the majority of whom still believe the Big Lie that the election was stolen and Trump won. So we should accept their unfounded theories of fraud, without so much as a shred of evidence, nor any valid examples, in our state widely regarded as having the most open, free, reliable, and secure elections in the U.S.? Someone should remind them that Trump carried Montana, as did every Republican running for major state office. So why would they try this outrageous political stunt now, having sufficiently trashed our voting rights with their newly passed laws, the rights that Montanans most treasure in their "last best place?" Like the above-mentioned states, it appears they wish only to discredit and cast doubt on the voting process itself, for their future gain, where some have actually passed laws permitting their state legislatures to overturn voting results and appoint their own selected electors or officers. Heaven forbid this outcome in Montana or anywhere clearly the last nail in democracys coffin. But in the unlikely event of enactment, what about cost? Its reported that the phony audit the Republicans held in Arizona of only Maricopa County has cost over $6 million. In Pennsylvania, where investigators are seeking individual voters personal information, costs will likely be higher. How about a state the size of Montana? And how would the Republicans pay for it? Yes, I know, they would take the money from healthcare, from education, or from law enforcement, all of which would be typical of them. But its really hard to believe they will get away with enacting this nonsense before they receive their just rewards being tarred, feathered, and ridden out of town on a rail. Actually, since this proposed action is altogether foreign to Montanas traditions of government and its financing, I suggest a novel new financing tool: Surely, no Democratic legislator would sign onto this travesty, so I propose that when they railroad it through, the Republican Party must pay for it in full. And I mean every dime of it, including the added costs of town and county election centers being examined, with not one penny of tax money being spent for this outrage. Surely a party so dedicated to its suspicions will eagerly put their money where their mouth is. They must not have subpoena power, nor the ability to run roughshod over the populace. And every step, every dollar, every minute, every communication of the probe must be documented, witnessed and monitored by a recognized neutral authority, including a final report submitted in full to the people of Montana. Further, their funding must be detailed, including all money raised for this purpose from any of their preferred dark-money donors, who will doubtless be delighted to contribute. Being held to this discipline might discourage the Republicans from similarly insulting Montana in the future. Why must Montana endure the humiliation of this democracy-hating party that has to lie and cheat to win? We really neednt, you know. We still have elections. But the clock is ticking. Bill Boughton is a small-business owner who lives in Missoula. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 15 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 I urge leadership in helping your congressional colleagues and your fellow Montanans understand the importance of passing the pending budget package. Exemplifying this need is a recent electricity resource decision by NorthWestern Energy. It will build a methane-fueled generator in Laurel, Montana that will annually emit 600,000 tons of CO2. Overwhelming scientific evidence points to this greenhouse gas as a primary cause of climate degradation that brings incalculably large costs to human society. NorthWesterns officers and board chose fossil fuel profits over consumers. They could easily have directed their talented planners to select clean energy sources. The $150 billion Clean Electricity Performance Program is part of the $3.5 trillion budget package pending in Congress. It would reward utilities that generate an increasing amount of electricity from wind, solar, nuclear, or other clean energy sources and penalize those that do not. It is the proper role of government to encourage investment that will benefit private business, workers, and consumers. Our parents and taxpayers gave us schooling that included science education. Lets not let them down by failing to recognize scientific truths in guiding our energy resource selections and preserving a livable planet. The following mug shots are taken from the top bond amounts from the week of Aug. 29- Sept. 4: Markus Levar Connelly, 39, of 308 Bouchelle St., Morganton, was charged with one misdemeanor count each of assault on a governmental officer or employee, communicating threats and disorderly conduct. He was transported to the Burke County Jail and placed under a $100,000 secured bond. Tracy Lee Cash, 40, of 301 Oak St., Morganton, was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. He was transported to the Burke County Jail and placed under a $50,000 secured bond. Jesse Shawn Pennington, 35, of 1703 Denton Ave., Morganton, was charged with felony possession of a firearm by felon and misdemeanor resist, delay or obstructing a public officer. He was transported to the Burke County Jail and placed under a $25,000 secured bond. Rocky Trent Walters, 43, of 300 Hopewell Road, Morganton, was charged with felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver and misdemeanor failure to appear or comply. He was issued a $24,000 secured bond and released. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} More vaccine locations Walmart Pharmacy in the Morganton Heights Shopping Center is offering the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Visit walmart.com/covidvaccine or call 828-433-8086. People are asked to bring their insurance card if they have it, but the vaccine is free. CVS Pharmacies in Rutherford College (call 828-874-2119) or Morganton (call 828-437-3141) or visit cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine. Ingles Pharmacy at the store on Carbon City Road in Morganton. Visit ingles-markets.com/pharmacy/pg1/pharmacy-sub/vaccinations. Appalachian Medical Health and Wellness PLLC at 306A S. Main St. in Drexel has doses of the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines available when supplies allows. Call 828-544-5317 to schedule an appointment. Morganton Drug. Visit morgantondrug.com or call 828-433-6353. Table Rock Pharmacy. Visit tablerockrx.com to make an appointment. Those who do not have access to the internet can call 828-438-9355. Walk-ins also are being accepted. East Burke Pharmacy. Visit bit.ly/3bPi4cf. Walgreens. Visit walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19 to make an appointment. Walk-ins will not be accepted. Burke Primary Care in Morganton Call 828-437-4211. Cannon Pharmacy in Morganton Call 828-433-5120. Rock Drug Store in Valdese Call 828-879-9812. Drexel Discount Drug in Drexel Call 828-433-6777. Good Samaritan Clinic in Morganton Call 828-212-4185. High Country Community Health-East Burke in Connelly Springs Call 828-874-2061. High Country Community Health-Burke in Morganton Call 828-608-0800. Morganton Drug Inc. in Morganton Call 828-433-6353. Bio Medical Applications of North Carolina Inc. BMA of Burke County for clients only. Born in County Kerry in 1845, John ORourke grew up during the worst of the Irish potato famine. He came to America with his family when he was seven years old, and in 1864 when he was 19, he joined the gold rush to Alder Gulch and Virginia City, Montana. Like most of the placer miners at Virginia City, ORourke was not very successful, but he relocated to the Blackfoot placers near Helmville and the Bearmouth area, where a decade of work gave him a fortune large enough to begin a wholesale liquor business in Butte at 321 North Main Street beginning in 1877. Hes most closely identified with the Red Boot Shoe Company established in Butte at 36 North Main about 1887, but his investments in mining and real estate also allowed him to establish an 880-acre ranch in California. ORourke was initially in partnership in the shoe company with Arthur Ducharme, who gave his name to the business, but ORourke came to own it and was still president of the company after he moved to Hanford, near Fresno, California, about 1899. The family home in Butte was at 103 West Quartz, an elegant French Second Empire house with a mansard roof and brick veneer built about 1887. In 1892 the ORourkes had an addition built north of their home, a three-story boarding house called the Merrimac. After John died in California April 9, 1907, his widow Mary had the original home on Quartz Street demolished and contracted prominent Butte architect William OBrien to design a larger apartment building attached to the Merrimac and called the ORourke. In Butte, the most significant architectural use of dolomite, a rock like limestone but more resistant to weathering because of magnesium content, is in the creamy pink cornices, lintels, sills, and nameplate of the ORourke Building. Mary ORourke lived in the apartment building and managed the ORourke Estate, which included additional real estate and mining property in Butte, until her death in 1949. John and Marys daughter lived there and managed the estate until 1979. Buttes economic and population decline left the ORourke vacant from the 1980s until 2021, when rehabilitation has returned it to upscale residences, just as it was in the 1910s. When John ORourke died in 1907, the Anaconda Standard recalled him as one of the best known of the old-timers of the state, part of the old school of Montana pioneers. Local geologist and historian Dick Gibson has lived in Butte since 2003 and has worked as a tour guide for various organizations and museums. He can be reached at rigibson@earthlink.net. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 James Crockett and seven other soldiers in the ambush squad moved in sync with the setting sun through rows of concertina wire circling the fire support base. The men walked into jungle near the Cambodian border northwest of Tay Nihn, South Vietnam. We had light duty and rested most of the day before going out that night on the ambush, recalled Crockett. His platoon had previously conducted a daylight reconnaissance patrol to identify potential ambush sites. Crockett was U.S. Army, 2nd Platoon, D Troop, 3rd Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry. The Oklahoma native was 21 years old. His year in Vietnam included a host of potentially dangerous situations, some more foreboding than others. Ambush duty, which involved lurking all night in restrained stillness in the jungle to try to surprise and kill the enemy, ranked high on that list. This is the most terrifying experience, Crockett said. Youre going out with only eight guys. Youre going out in an enemy held area. To sit there all night. The jungle was alive with nocturnal stirrings. The ambush squad listened for the slightest sound that seemed not to fit. Anti-personnel Claymore mines were deployed. The men carried M16 rifles. Crockett also armed himself with grenades. We set the ambush up with four positions with two men at each position, Crockett observed in writings about his experiences in Vietnam. One person had to be awake at all times, while the other could help his buddy stay awake or rotate taking short naps. Crockett said the men kept movement to a minimum. Talking was taboo. It is amazing how sharp ones senses become when ones life is in jeopardy, Crockett observed. He described this particular night of ambush duty during a recent interview at the log home he shares with his wife in the Deep Creek area of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County. Crockett, now 74 years old, believes that night was one of six such ambush outings during his year in Vietnam. None resulted in contact with the Viet Cong or the North Vietnamese Army. Still, this particular night turned out to be transformative. Crockett wrote about that nights duty in a tribute to a high school teacher who had supported his interest in the arts. He had graduated in 1965 from Altus High School in Altus, Oklahoma. As I sat in the mud and wet elephant grass, I began to think about going back to the World, he wrote. I thought about marrying Karen, my high school sweetheart, upon my return, having a family and living a long life together. As the light, misty rain fell, it was then when I made a commitment to myself to go back into the School of Architecture at Oklahoma University, become the best student possible and become a successful architect. As it turned out, all those things happened. He and Karen married and have been together for 53 years. Crockett returned to school and became an architect. The couple had a daughter, Hillary Marcum, who lives in Butte. Crocketts career as an architect included working for the National Park Service for 31 years. His first attempt at Oklahoma University was hamstrung by all the usual alternatives to studying that distract college freshmen. The distractions included fraternity revelry and river bottom parties along the Canadian River south of Norman, Oklahoma. Crockett weighed his alternatives after struggling his first year with some coursework. He decided to volunteer for the draft. He reasoned then that after two years he would be eligible for the GI Bill to help pay for returning to architecture school. Crocketts older brother, Jack, was a U.S. Marine. Jack also served in Vietnam, spending time near the DMZ, or demilitarized zone. After Crockett enlisted, he naively pitched the idea to the Army of serving as a combat engineer. His suggestion was roundly and gruffly rejected and Crockett was assigned to the infantry. He entered the U.S. Army on Sept. 9, 1966. Crockett completed basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas, and then continued training at Fort Polk in Louisiana. Later, Crocketts brigade moved to Fort Knox, Kentucky, for air cavalry operations and tactics training. More training followed with Special Forces troops and Army Rangers. Finally, Crocketts unit flew in September 1967 from Fort Knox to the Port of Oakland, California, where they boarded the World War II troopship USNS General Nelson M. Walker. The former architecture student marveled as the ship passed the Golden Gate Bridge. The young soldier wondered as the light faded whether hed ever see loved ones again. Crocketts parents, Jack and Benena Fay Crockett, had beseeched their younger son to seek a non-combat role given that their older son was also serving in Vietnam. Decades later, remembering his parents fervent request and his decision not to comply, Crocketts voice caught. I had already bonded with my unit, he said. We had trained together. I just couldnt do it. Youre not fighting for a certain cause at that point. You are fighting for the guy next to you. The long voyage to Vietnam aboard the troopship sent many seasick soldiers to port holes and railings. Crockett became so dehydrated that he was sent to the sick bay for IV fluids. His unit ultimately disembarked off the coast of Vung Tau, South Vietnam. Word spread about Crocketts artistic talents after his unit arrived at its first base camp. He retrieved art supplies from a supply depot at Long Bin and his parents also sent materials. Crockett was soon in demand - painting signs, adding cartoon figures to Jeeps, daubing crossed sabers on the nose of a helicopter. He later wrote that the art projects became a soothing and cathartic release from the stress and horrors of the war. Crocketts unit deployed often into the treacherous killing fields of Vietnam. It conducted reconnaissance missions for potential helicopter landing zones and other recon/intelligence operations. Crockett helped man listening posts outside the relative safety of a fire support base perimeter, a duty he described as even more harrowing than setting up an ambush. He was a loader for a mortar crew when he and his unit provided convoy security support. And more. During the last week of May 1968, D Troop was assigned to provide security support for resupply convoys traveling from Long Binh, passing through Cu Chi, and then offloading at the basecamp outside Tay Ninh City. On May 30, the units mission was to recon and sweep the highway from the basecamp at Tay Ninh to a small village at Ben Muong, near an old French rubber plantation. Around 10 a.m., as Crocketts unit approached Ben Muong, it was clear something was amiss. The Americans saw families fleeing the village and even noticed South Vietnamese soldiers abandoning positions. Intense enemy fire erupted from the area of the rubber plantation, from spider holes, underground bunkers and a group of thatched roof houses. U.S. troops returned fire and were supported by helicopter gunships and the battle ended quickly. The Americans suffered several wounded and at least one killed, Crockett recalled. Sgt. John R. Sinnock, 20, suffered a chest wound and died at the scene. Crockett recalled seeing Sinnocks body and the clear signs that the soldier from Ohio had died from massive blood loss. It is an image that still haunts me today and will for the rest of my life, Crockett wrote. When his tour ended and he flew into Travis Air Base in California, a lieutenant advised him and other soldiers that wearing their uniforms in public wasnt a good idea because of growing domestic opposition to the Vietnam War. Crockett resumed his civilian life. He married Karen. He completed his degree, worked for a private architectural firm and then had a long and successful career as an architect for the National Park Service. The couple lived in Houston and Colorado Springs before moving to their cabin in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, where the loudest noises include the wind-driven creak of lodgepole pines, the bugling of bull elk and the nasal growls of Stellers jays. Crockett, who has kinship ties to frontiersman Davy Crockett, said his time in Vietnam taught him the importance of living life fully every moment of every day. This is paradise, he said. Love 7 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 We had to get started earlier than normal just because people were starting to get in line, and we raised over $800 for our organizations plus tons of supplies, she said. Berns felt the event was successful because it gave people a safe and fun way to celebrate the holiday during the pandemic. With all the lights and decorations, its like Christmas at Halloween, and who doesnt like to see that? she said. Berns said the board would likely try to come up with an event that combines the Halloween Walk and the drive-thru in the future. I certainly feel like with the drive-thru event, we can cater to a larger group of people. Sometimes seniors couldnt come on our walk, but everyone is able to use a drive-thru, she said. I do know that we have a lot of families that still want us to go back to dressing up as characters and doing our skits, so were just thinking along the lines of a hybrid model. I think it would be good to be able to offer both, just so we can reach a wider group. The guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) transits the Pacific Ocean while participating in Rim of the Pacific Exercise on July 10, 2018. As wildfires become a more frequent and fearsome threat across California, a software developer is offering a smartphone app designed to push news, locations and photos of fires out to users as quickly as possible and in times when saving a few extra minutes can be the difference in saving ones self, family or belongings. Since Aug. 11, cellphone, computer and tablet computer users have been downloading Watch Duty, a program that pulls together information from police and fire scanners, websites, video cameras, satellite data and human observers into a single screen. The app, available for users of iOS and Android devices as well as web browsers, currently delivers updates on fires in Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties. After a succession of devastating fires that have claimed lives since the mid-2010s, destroyed homes and consumed swaths of drought-dried woodland, the creator of Watch Duty describes his service as a way for those in the North Bay to keep on top of the danger from wildfires in real time and perhaps evacuate or protect themselves sooner than they otherwise would. 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! After retiring in August 2020 from a career as a software writer and Silicon Valley executive, John Clarke Mills soon focused on what he saw as an unmet need a one-stop hub for news flashes about wildfires in progress, without the need to scan numerous and scattered apps and websites in an emergency. I like doing things no one else has done, which is hard to do, Mills, who was chief technology officer of the Zenput food-service software company before retiring last year, said last week. I can order food from 19 different places, and then you come up here (to this issue) and you say, Oh, crap. This is underserved, and its life-threatening. Talks with various fire departments and a visit to a Sonoma County 911 call center left Mills dissatisfied with what he saw as an inefficient flow of information, a disjointed hodgepodge of alerts and information in times of emergency with no obvious ways, for instance, of attaching pictures of far-off smoke plumes that night indicate imminent flames. In response, he organized a team of about 10 volunteer programmers to code a phone app that would show more detail about fires in progress, and in more detail. He also recruited a team of citizen information officers, people in Napa, Sonoma and Lake counties who already maintain Facebook and Twitter pages to relay public safety radio calls about fires and other incidents. Coding the Watch Duty app, which began in May and took about 80 days, was less challenging than gradually convincing the creators of scanner-to-internet pages to team with him, Mills said in a recent interview. I found these people and convinced them Im not a tech bro out to make money, but to keep myself and my community safe, and I wanted to build a bigger megaphone, he said of the project whose creator, Sherwood Forestry Service Inc., he organized as a nonprofit in April. These men and women are amazing people with huge followings. I said to them, Heres a bigger megaphone for you. (The app) is not a challenging build. Its about people; its not about software. Its for them I just build the tool. Update: Person of interest in American Canyon blaze hospitalized; Newell Fire 100% containment A man who was arrested close to a burning car near the site of the Newell Fire in American Canyon remained hospitalized Tuesday, according to the Napa County Sheriff's Office. Among the helpers are two firefighters and a photographer as well as Corey Edwards, the operator of a Facebook page devoted to Napa County public safety radio traffic. Watch Dutys citizen officers track a variety public safety radio channels streaming video feeds in their respective counties, then use the Slack collaboration program to discuss and evaluate the information before posting new fire reports or updating them, according to Edwards, who oversees the Facebook group Napa Valley, CA - Fire & Police Emergency Info. (unofficial). Wildfire listings appear on an iOS or Android phone or table as a flame icon on a map, accompanied by the fires name, address, acreage and level of containment. Updates can include wind direction, the rate of spread, the arrival of firefighters, and trucks and air tankers along images from internet cameras maintained by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and others. The app definitely helps people with awareness, he said Thursday. Its accurate, its current, its instant. Soon as we hear it on the radio, its getting pushed out onto the app. Weve had lots of feedback from people saying, Everything I need to know, its right there. When the Newell Fire broke out shortly after 6 p.m. on a Monday evening in east American Canyon, Edwards said, he helped post a notice to Watch Duty users at 6:21 p.m., a half-hour before the first official Nixle alerts issued by Napa County. Leah Greenbaum, emergency services coordinator, accepted that Watch Duty and similar apps can fill gaps during emergencies - but added that residents such understand that radio traffic can contain raw and unconfirmed details that may change by the time official alerts go out through Nixle, push texting and other county-operated systems. Sometimes government gets criticized for being slow in sharing information, but thats because government has a deliberate process in sharing information to make sure its accurate before it goes out, she said last week. Firewise your home: Ways to reduce risk during fire season in Napa Valley Wildfires are a part of life in California, but there are things homeowners can do to help protect their property. Much of the threat in recent years from megafires exceeding 100,000 acres including the North Bay firestorms of 2017 and 2020 has stemmed from self-generated wind patterns that can send flames on erratic courses that would stretch the ability of online systems to update endangered residents, added Erick Hernandez, spokesperson for Napa County Fire. As we keep learning, these megafires create their own weather patterns with their own wind shifts. Those changes would inundate apps, he said of disasters like last falls Glass Fire, which at various times pushed toward Angwin, Calistoga and Aetna Springs. Things are constantly changing because of the type of fuels we have, and the topography. Its not like the Diablo or Santa Ana winds where we know exactly where its going to go. Every fire is going to be different because of the location, the type of fuel and the weather patterns. Mills, the Watch Duty creator, acknowledged some distrust of the app from some emergency service officials, but hopes to eventually involve local public safety agencies in posting notices into the program. I think the counties should be involved in this product in order to use it, he said. Were trying to build a nonprofit for the greater good. Were not trying to go around anyones backs here. You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@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. Napa River is bone-dry in stretches and some have voiced the controversial claim that groundwater pumping amid a deep, two-year drought is partly to blame. Thats the backdrop against which Napa County is crafting a state-required Napa Valley groundwater plan. Twenty-five people from the wine industry, environmental community and other sectors are on an advisory committee working on the first draft. One thorny issue is determining if and when too much groundwater pumping for agriculture dries up the river and streams. That conversation comes at a time when dry waterways have the environmental community worried about fish and wildlife. 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 county Groundwater Sustainability Plan Advisory Committee secured the needed two-thirds vote last week to make recommendations on streamflow depletion. It took three meetings and several hours of discussion to do so, with plenty of disagreements. As they tried to reach consensus, some members of the advisory committee worried triggers to take action might not end up being sensitive enough. Others worried triggers might turn out to be too sensitive and require greater pumping reductions than needed. Recommended triggers involve looking at water levels in representative wells and computer model estimates for stream depletion due to pumping. If the triggers are met, resulting actions could include pumping reductions. All of this would be updated as new information comes to light. That latter point proved important. Various committee members questioned whether the voluminous data and computer model information is depicting the complete picture of the groundwater/Napa River link. David Graves, retired co-founder of Saintsbury winery, is chairperson of the advisory group. He said he doesnt think the work being done on groundwater will simply sit on a shelf, adding that so much depends on the state of the subbasin beneath the Napa Valley floor. The stakes are too high, Graves said on Friday. The Napa River runs from Mount St. Helena through the Napa Valley to San Pablo Bay at Vallejo. While the lower stretches through the city of Napa have tidal waters, the upvalley stretches do not. High groundwater levels can feed streams and the Napa River during the summer, providing pools where aquatic life can live. Low groundwater levels can lead to water seeping from streams into the aquifer, a county report said. Water is the lifeblood for the wine industry that looms large in the local economy. County studies show local that overall Napa Valley subbasin levels have been stable for the past several decades. The question is how the county might further regulate groundwater pumping. There has been much disagreement over how drastic of steps might be needed. My opinion is growers are already doing a good job, but we need to get the most out of every drop we use of groundwater, Graves said. Vineyard manager Jim Lincoln grew up along the Napa River on his parents property near Oakville. The river during the late 1960s and 1970s never dried up until the 1976-77 drought, he said. Now it seems to dry out every year, Lincoln said at Thursday's meeting. And the county records show the (groundwater) basin seems to fill up every year. So theres a disconnect there. He would like to see weather stations so growers can know more about evapotranspiration, Lincoln said. That helps determine how much water is needed for irrigation. Others during Thursday's meeting wanted to go further. Angwin resident Mike Hackett said more work will determine if the Napa River and streams are dry because of groundwater over-extraction. He asked whether the county in the meantime is taking steps to curb development amid the drought. Napa County isnt presently considering restrictions on vineyard, winery or housing development. In fact, California housing laws dictate Napa County and its five cities must provide an additional 3,800 homes, county Planning, Building and Environmental Services Director David Morrison said. Thats means planning for another 10,000 people who will need water, jobs and other resources. That is not optional, Morrison said. That is state-required. Local cities get much of their water from local reservoirs and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Rural farms, rural residents, and rural wineries largely depend on groundwater. As for the current drought, Morrison said the Napa River isnt unique. Sections of the Eel River are bone dry for the first time in 150 years. Low Mississippi River flow could reveal sunken ships. The lack of rain is widespread and devastating, he said. Napa County could take actions to try to head off the worst before future droughts hit, such as recharging groundwater at certain locations with runoff from when rains are plentiful. Such recharge along tributaries could increase spring flows in the Napa River, consultant Nick Newcomb told the advisory committee. Computer modeling shows that the increase tends to be relatively short-term and decreases in the summer. Consultants also used computer modeling to envision a 25% decrease in groundwater pumping for irrigation. That would increase upvalley Napa River stream flows and low flows from July through September, though there would still be no flow during a particularly bad drought. Graves said he doesnt doubt that groundwater pumping influences the stream system. Still, he raised the idea that the Napa River likely would have been dry for parts of this summer even without pumping. Local environmentalist Chris Malan wrote a letter to the advisory committee. She asked why, if superior wine grapes can be grown with less water, the county isn't reducing groundwater pumping 20% as soon as possible to save the Napa River ecosystem. St. Helena attorney and committee member Lester Hardy tried to bridge the gap between some wine industry and environmental representatives on the advisory committee. He talked about the challenge in getting to that seemingly elusive two-thirds vote for the stream flow depletion issue. Still, Hardy liked the two-thirds vote standard. A broad base of support is good, he said during Thursday's meeting. The Groundwater Sustainability Plan Advisory Committee has more work to do in the coming weeks. It will try to reach the two-thirds vote threshold to recommend the entire plan. The Napa County Board of Supervisors, sitting as the Groundwater Sustainability Agency, is to vote on the plan in December. Napa County has a Jan. 31 deadline to submit the plan to the state Department of Water Resources. Various communities across California are required to submit plans as part of the state push to regulate groundwater under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act passed in 2014. To see details of Napa County's proposed, somewhat technical standards for stream depletion, go to https://bit.ly/30wb9BH and look at that agenda item. You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@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. According to Census data, the average age of a person who lives in Napa County is 43 years old. Many young families are deciding that Napa is not hospitable due to the high cost of housing. The housing market in California, not just in Napa, is steadily rising due to the pandemic, but in Napa, the problem is compounded by limited space and the fact that limited permits are granted towards new developments. This problem isnt new as zoning laws have been limiting the number of new developments that can be built in Napa, which raises the price of everything that is approved. The Association of Bay Area Governments has mandated that Napa County must plan to build 3,843 homes from 2023 to 2031. This mandate is necessary and will help Napa tackle its lack of affordable housing and underemployment problem. The county is mandated by the ABAG to expand the number of housing units in the area. The county should support the ABAG mandate locally and incentivize young families to move to Napa through subsidies. Building smaller homes such as townhomes, condominiums, and apartments will attract this demographic as they are cheaper to build and more affordable for young families. These living spaces would also help builders maintain low costs in a community with a limited amount of available room to build. 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 key to attracting families to Napa County is housing thats affordable for the buyer and the builder. Building 5,000-plus-square-foot homes on two or three acres of land will continue to attract affluent Bay Area residents who buy property in the county to only come to visit their newly purchased home a few times a year. Napa has its charm of being a popular destination for agricultural tourism, and the fact that a bushel of grapes in Napa can sell for up to five times more than any other county in California doesnt hurt anyone who happens to own one of the hundreds of wineries in the region. The number of wineries in Napa County has increased by more than 75% since the wine boom of the 90s that attracted many millionaires and celebrities to Napa. The lack of affordable housing affects the whole community as many small businesses and restaurants display now hiring signs all year round. Workers are hard to find and especially to keep as the wages offered are not worth the hassle of commuting from a neighboring city that pays a similar wage. School enrollment is also declining as even young families who are median income earners cannot afford to live in Napa County. The lack of development which further limits the availability of houses on the market pushes potential new residents to look elsewhere. As the average age of a home in Napa was built in the mid-70s, according to census data. Napa needs to be revitalized with young families to bring youth back into the county. These young families will be raised in Napa and appreciate what the city and county have to offer. A greater sense of community will be achieved as these young families will be immersed in the culture that all Napans and tourist love. Young families setting a stake in Napa will also help businesses as they can hire workers young enough to work at a restaurant, vineyard, or storefront. The social fabric or DNA of this unique and inclusive community is stretched thin as many of the people who work in Napa do not live in Napa and have no incentive to become active in non-profit boards, advocacy groups, and youth leadership organizations. This means that the people most involved in local government are already established and have deep roots within Napa, and the industries that drive the local economy. The Napa Valley is a beautiful and unique region; people who are already established and native to the region make up 77.6% of the countys population. Napans must be open to young families and people who earn median incomes from different parts of California and beyond to set roots in Napa and contribute to the community. Napa County and the city of Napa must invest in the cities future and attract young families and young professionals through subsidies, such as the county providing loans to young families or help with a down payment on a new home. If young families are not attracted to live in Napa, then all the people who work in the storefronts, restaurants, vineyards, and boutiques will be outsiders with no roots or ties to Napa County. Its time to welcome young families who are up and coming because they deserve an opportunity to set a stake in Napa and become a part of an already inclusive and diverse community. Mark Sebastian Szatmari is working on his masters of social work at the University of Southern California. He lives in Napa. For parents of teens, the hot-button topics are cyberbullying, obesity, and suicide. Its hard to know how to initiate a conversation about such heavy subjects, so they often go undiscussed. On Thursday night, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. in the NVUSD District Auditorium, teens and parents have the opportunity to attend a free (but please reserve a seat at napacoe.org) sneak-peek preview of the film "Butter," described as a must-see film for young people and their parents. Winner of numerous awards, from New York and Portland to Venice and Florence, the film has been described as bold, authentic, and gripping. Despite the heavy topic, the film is a comedy-drama, and local high school students who piloted the film last year thought it was great. In addition to watching the film, the audience will have a chance to meet the lead actor, Alex Kersting, who plays Butter, and screenwriter and director Paul Kaufman. They will do a Q&A on stage with the audience immediately after the film. Joining Paul and Alex will be Jeni Olsen, founder of Teens Connect and Prevention Director for Mentis, to answer any mental health questions parents may have and suggest resources they can access. Lastly, we will be announcing a student contest related to the film in which 12 students will win a Dell XPS 13 inch, 2-in-1 laptop with a Touch Screen and 512BG of storage running Windows 10. Students will have the opportunity to respond to the following prompt, What would you do or say to Butter if you had the chance before its too late? Your response may be a letter, poem, podcast, video, cartoon, artwork or an original song. The rules of the contest will be explained on the night of the film. Dont miss this one-time opportunity. The film will open in theaters in February 2022, but you can see it first, for free, and meet the people who made it happen. Barbara G. Nemko Napa County Superintendent of Schools Opposition With Honor legislature faction MP: No one knows if Armenia petitioned to Russia for military assistance Armenia opposition MP: There is a threat that Baku will always get what it wants through use of force Lavrov is certain that the Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan summit will take place Ann Linde: OSCE working very closely with Russia to resolve Karabakh conflict Karabakh FM congratulates newly appointed Abkhazia counterpart Dollar relatively stable in Armenia Armenia parliament majority members do not deny possibility of exchange of territories with Azerbaijan Armenia ruling party MP: Public and competent authorities need to know circumstances behind captures of soldiers Armenia ruling party MP assures that situation on the border is currently stable Armenia ruling party MP: Confidentiality of process of preparing for demarcation is strictly necessary Armenia PM: Citizens of EEU countries will be able to receive loans in all territories of member states Armenian serviceman, 19, dies in Georgia's Akhalkalaki Armenia legislature majority faction lawmaker: Russia military intervention is not end in itself High commissioner: Diaspora is considering ways to help hundreds of Ethiopia Armenians Opposition With Honor parliament faction: Armenia authorities trying to push territorial losses issue to backburner Legislature majority faction MP: Armenia authorities do not make any demands on Russia Opposition Armenia Faction in parliament: Authorities are unable to distinguish between priority and secondary issues 3 more die of coronavirus in Artsakh Bruno Retailleau: France must support Armenia more firmly against aggressions by Azerbaijan Armenia parliament majority faction: Border delimitation preparation process will start from point zero PM: Armenia exports to other EEU countries increased by 27.8% Armenias Pashinyan: Azerbaijan provocations are aimed at disrupting arrangements reached by trilateral statements California Armenian couple accused of fraud flee leaving their 3 children behind 799 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Katherine Clark: Azerbaijan must acknowledge and respect Armenian sovereignty Eurasian Intergovernmental Council enlarged meeting underway in Yerevan Russia peacekeepers patrol along Karabakh border delimitation line MOD: According to current data Armenia has 6 military casualties as result of Tuesdays attack by Azerbaijan Turkish Islamic preachers organization denies reports of his death Newspaper: What happened to missing Armenia soldiers during recent hostilities? Armenia MOD dismisses reports about not allowing officers with higher rank than major to go up to combat positions US virtually completes development of new tactical nuclear gravity bomb B61-12 Newspaper: Officers with higher rank than major not allowed to combat positions during recent hostilities in Syunik Opposition MP: Granting corridor to Azerbaijan through Syunik Province will be gravest crime against Armenia US Department of State representative says why Azerbaijan is not invited to Summit for Democracy Armenian human rights activists to submit letters to ECHR regarding soldiers captured and considered missing Armenia FM stresses importance of addressable response to Azerbaijan's actions during talk with Greek counterpart Ex-ruling party official: Armenia authorities found reason for MOD's resignation after his visit to Karabakh Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson: Nikol Pashinyan gave a confessional testimony in parliament yesterday Armenia President talks about states' collective responsibility at Bloomberg New Economy Forum Turkish website reports poisoning of Fetullah Gulen Armenia FM holds phone talks with Cypriot counterpart, presents situation created after Azerbaijani attack Mirzoyan, Zas discuss CSTO's possible actions to stabilize situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border, if necessary Mothers of deceased servicemen demand Armenia PM's resignation Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire at tractor in Armenia's Verin Shorzha village Putin: Events unfolding on Armenia-Azerbaijan border attest to fact that situation has not calmed down in the region Lithuania supports Armenia's territorial integrity NEWS.am daily digest: 18.11.21 Ex-ruling party official: Incumbent authorities created deliberately organized chaos in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General's Office to examine news about 6 Azeri servicemen captured and then secretly returned Dollar goes up in Armenia Armenia MOD planning training camps for reservists Sergey Lavrov, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to discuss assistance to resolve situation in Karabakh High-tech industry minister receives Chinese recipient of Armenia State Prize for global contributions to IT sector Eurasian Intergovernmental Council's narrow-format session kicks off in Yerevan Pashinyan views Eurasian integration as one of Armenia's priorities Two Armenian citizens found in Afghanistan Armenian health ministry gets $ 2.5 million to fight COVID-19 OSCE Chairperson-in-Office has telephone conversation with Jeyhun Bayramov Deceased Armenian soldier Taron Sahakyan's brother refutes news that he was captured and tortured to death Armenia seeks to develop cooperation in food safety within EEU Armenia Ombudsman, UNICEF Representative discuss problems with right of children of borderline villages to education Armenia allocates AMD 462 mln for 4 subvention programs ahead of local self-government elections Major incidents not recorded in Armenia's border zones as of 2 p.m., operative situation is under army's control Armenia parliament approves several legislative amendments PMs discuss prospects for development of Armenia-Kyrgyzstan collaboration Turkish Nationalist Movement Party gifts Erdogan a map of Turkic World, with a part of Russia 'seized' Man, 49, found dead inside truck near Armenia village sand mine Armenia emergency ministry uses off-road vehicles to provide for needs of Syunik Province border villages, says minister There is investment activeness in Syunik Province, says Armenia economy minister Russia PM arrives in Yerevan Minister on Armenia economic growth: We are from optimistic realist to optimist Armenia President, Singapore deputy PM discuss avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation Ombudsman: Armenophobia, propaganda of enmity have reached extremist fascism in Azerbaijan (VIDEO) Russia peacekeepers carry out round-the-clock monitoring of ceasefire in Karabakh 1 more person dies of coronavirus in Artsakh Armenia premier: There is no Syunik Province settlement that is under blockade Office of Armenia commissioner for diaspora, SADA Global Delivery Center sign memorandum of cooperation Armenia government approves 2021-2026 action plan Armenia PM: Russia MOD made proposals on preparatory phase of border delimitation with Azerbaijan 1,019 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Senator calls for end to US military aid to Azerbaijan Armenia is elected to UNESCO Executive Board Whose body is brought from Baku to Yerevan by Russian Southern Military District deputy commander? Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan opened random fire at some directions of Tavush Province late Wednesday evening World oil prices still dropping Newspaper: Armenia has set task to change its foreign policy vector, Russia analysts say Newspaper: Coronavirus death statistics in Armenia are incomplete Armenian immigrant couple in California sentenced to prison for $20M fraud EEU countries PMs to arrive in Yerevan for intergovernmental council meeting Armenian army commander: Azerbaijan wants corridor, leader of Armenia gave consent to that, but refused later Armenia FM holds phone conversations with Russian counterpart, Karen Donfried and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office MTS launches inspection of its 'daughter' operations in Armenia upon request of U.S. Armenia MOD: Defense minister receives Rustam Muradov, who brought body of deceased Armenian soldier to Yerevan Taliban call on US Congress to ease sanctions and unfreeze Afghanistan's assets Armenia PM: The meaning of being captured and the circumstances of captivity need to be investigated Moscow, Ankara agree to not release details about joint manufacturing of S-400s OSCE Chairperson-in-Office welcomes ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan after Russian mediation Armenia Ombudsman discusses Armenian captives' issue with acting Head of ICRC Delegation Armenia PM refutes possibility of giving order 'to not open fire' when it comes to homeland defense The Azerbaijani armed forces that invaded Gegharkunik Province of Armenia have built large shelters, accumulated a large amount of firewood, and concreted the roads leading to their positions, the ombudsman of the Republic of Armenia (RA) informed Armenian News-NEWS.am adding that their activities have recently increased sharply. Moreover, they continue to build new roads, and increase the number of servicemen and armaments in the positions. They continuously carry out active reinforcement and engineering works. It is about the illegal deployment and criminal acts of Azerbaijan in the RA sovereign territory. They are physically present on the very lands owned by RA citizens with rights confirmed by legal documents These are the Azerbaijani positions from where the Azerbaijani servicemen commit terrorist crimes against the RA civilian population. They regularly fire on Verin Shorzha, Sotk, Kut, and other villages of Gegharkunik, and in particular on civilian houses, and set fire en masse to the pastures and grasslands of civilians. Officers from these positions have committed a number of large-scale thefts of the animals of RA residents. The presence of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the vicinity of RA villages, especially in the RA sovereign territory, is of an openly criminal nature, in itself violating the life and safety of the villagers, their right to property, earn family income, and other vital rights. Their presence disrupts the peaceful life of the people. Therefore, the process of establishing a demilitarized security zone around the RA borders and immediately removing the Azerbaijani armed forces from the RA villages and roads between the communities should start immediately. This proposal of the RA Human Rights Defender is contained in a specific international document: Resolution No. 2391 (2021) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on September 27, 2021. The Human Rights Defender will also send relevant reports to international organizations and RA state bodies, civil society organizations. It is obvious that the basis of Azerbaijani criminal acts, gross violations of human rights, their source of nourishment is one: the Azerbaijani authorities policy of Armenophobia and enmity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. YEREVAN. President of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, on Monday received new French Ambassador Anne Louyot, the NA informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. The parliament speaker emphasized Armenias multifaceted collaboration with France, adding that he is personally ready to make all the efforts in the deepening and dynamic development of these relations. Also, Simonyan noted with gratitude the numerous resolutions and calls by the two houses of the French parliament condemning the Azerbaijani-Turkish military aggression against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) last fall and the need for recognition of Artsakh, as well as the fourth French parliamentary delegations visit to both Armenia and Artsakh. The NA chairman highlighted the need for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts final and fair settlement within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and the recognition of Artsakh's status based on its right to self-determination. Their meeting focused on the activities of the parliaments of the two countries, which play an important role in developing and enriching the political dialogue between Armenia and France. The new French ambassador, for her part, stressed that the National Assembly is considered the center of democracy, and she expressed readiness to further contribute to the deepening of the strong cooperation formed with the legislature of Armenia. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahe Gevorgyan today delivered remarks at the event marking the 20th anniversary of Armenias accession to the Council of Europe. "Distinguished Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am glad to welcome you at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. Dear Colleagues, Following the World War II, the European leaders initiated the process of promoting the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law throughout Europe, as cornerstones of the peaceful future of Europe. Thus, the first Pan-European institution - the Council of Europe was founded on May 5, 1949, by the Treaty of London, which already has 47 full members. The city of Strasbourg in the Alsace region was symbolically chosen as the headquarters of the organization. During 72 years of its existence, the Council of Europe has consolidated the conventional system of the European Continent - the European standards and norms that have laid grounds for accomplishing the goals of the Council of Europe. Since the declaration of independence, Armenia has chosen the path of democracy. That choice was obvious. Armenia with its history and culture, the Armenian society with its values are an inseparable part of the European family. From 1991 until its full membership to the Council of Europe, Armenia substantiated its choice and became a full member of the Council of Europe on 25 January 2001. Ten years after the declaration of independence, the flag of the Republic of Armenia was hoisted in front of the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg. On many occasions, particularly in the last two parliamentary elections the people of Armenia once again reaffirmed their commitment to democracy, human rights and rule of law. The activities of the Council of Europe are aimed at ensuring the individual and collective fundamental human rights. Armenia follows the recommendations of the Council of Europe's statutory bodies, independent monitoring bodies and advisory committees. A number of governmental bodies of Armenia are engaged in the activities of this multifaceted organization. The Action Plan - one of the toolkits of the Council of Europe, through which the organization helps Armenia and other countries to fulfill their commitments and introduce European standards, is essential for Armenia. Currently, the fourth 2019-2022 Action Plan for Armenia is ongoing. Distinguished Ambassadors, this project is implemented through the voluntary contribution of your countries and the EU and I would like to express our gratitude in this regard. While glancing back at the 20-years long journey of Armenia since its membership to the Council of Europe, I should underline that enormous work has been carried out with the support of the organization. Armenia has joined 83 conventions of the Council of Europe, 66 of which have been ratified. Besides, Armenia has also joined 12 partial Agreements of the Council of Europe. The activities of the European Court of Human Rights are of utmost importance in terms of ensuring the rights of the citizens of Armenia. The court also has a significant role in protecting the rights of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives being held in Azerbaijan as a result of the 44-day war unleashed against Artsakh. Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished Ambassadors, It is important to highlight that both Armenia and Azerbaijan committed themselves, upon their accession to the Council of Europe, to use only peaceful means for settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Therefore, the 44-day war in 2020 demonstrates that Azerbaijan has neglected this commitment, thus, it should be properly addressed by the Council of Europe. You are well aware of the challenges Armenia encounters today. The humanitarian consequences of the war of aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh are one of the most urgent issues. The involvement of our international partners, including the Council of Europe, is of utmost importance. We consider that there should not be any grey zones in Europe for people to exercise their fundamental rights. The Secretary-General, the Commissioner for Human Rights, the PACE, the European Court of Human Rights, and relevant monitoring bodies have already tried to react in accordance with their mandates. Yet, the Committee of Ministers still has its role to play and I believe your presence here will help to move forward." Armenias Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan today received Head of the Group of Rapporteurs for Democracy of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), Permanent Representative of Sweden to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Marten Ehnberg. Among the delegates are the Ambassadors of France, Russia, Switzerland, Finland, Estonia, Andorra and Iceland to the Council of Europe and representatives of the Secretariat of the Council of Europe. As reported the press service of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Mirzoyan and Ambassador Ehnberg expressed satisfaction with the multisector cooperation between Armenia and the CoE and expressed confidence that the effective cooperation will grow. Mirzoyan underscored the fundamental role that the CoEs support plays in democratic reforms, ensuring of rule of law and human rights protection in Armenia. In the context, the parties attached importance to the implementation of the 2019-22 CoE-Armenia Action Plan. Touching upon the aggression that Azerbaijan unleashed against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) with gross violations of human rights and the situation created as a result of the aggression, the minister highly appreciated the statements and calls on the cessation of hostilities that various bodies of the CoE made starting from the very first days of the war. In the context of overcoming of the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh, the foreign minister also stressed the importance of the unobstructed involvement of international organizations, including the competent bodies of the CoE. Mirzoyan emphasized that Azerbaijan continues to keep Armenian prisoners of war and civilians as hostages something that is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and the commitments that Azerbaijan assumed under the trilateral statement. HK records five new imported cases The new patients were all asymptomatic. Image: Shutterstock Health authorities on Monday reported five newly confirmed imported cases of Covid-19. The five male patients, aged between 29 and 59, were all asymptomatic and flew in from the Philippines, Ghana, Nigeria and Britain via Finland. Four had been inoculated with two doses of coronavirus vaccine, while the man from Nigeria had received only one jab. Officials also said they had banned all Qatar Airways flights from Doha from landing in Hong Kong until the end of this month, after four passengers arriving on two of the airline's flights tested positive for the virus. Joe and Love aren't co-parents in the book and their son isn't named Henry John P. Fleenor/Netflix Netflix's "You" is based on a series of books by Caroline Kepnes, which are pretty different. Love isn't a killer in the books, Ellie doesn't exist, and Joe and Love don't raise Henry together. Editor's note: This post mentions suicide. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. The Netflix show "You" is based on the Caroline Kepnes book series of the same name, but they have some major differences. Kepnes' series consists of three books so far - "You," "Hidden Bodies," and "You Love Me." Although some of the characters are the same, the plots and settings of the latest book are quite different from season three of the show. Read on for things that happened in the books that are totally different from the third season of "You." Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season three of "You" and the "You" book series. Joe gets arrested in connection with Beck and Peach's deaths while Love is pregnant During the car accident Joe has on the way to Peach's house during season one and book one, he is stopped by a cop and gives his name as Spencer Hewitt. That same cop, Officer Nico, recognizes Joe when Dr. Nicky begins to talk to the press about a patient who he believed was obsessed with Beck. Once Officer Nico and Dr. Nicky realize that Joe was obsessed with Beck and was near the Salinger property when Peach died, Joe is arrested and kept in jail until after Love has the baby. Joe and Love don't raise their baby together Dottie Quinn is on a few episodes of season three of "You." John P. Fleenor/Netflix After Joe is released from jail, the Quinn family gives him $4 million and a house in exchange for his agreeing to leave their family alone. He signs a contract that states he cannot contact Love or ever meet his son, who is actually named Forty in the book. Although Joe watches Love's Instagram stories to see how his son is, he never meets baby Forty nor continues his relationship with Love. Joe moves to Bainbridge, not Madre Linda Story continues In the books, Joe's house is on Bainbridge Island in Washington, not the upper-crust part of California where season three takes place. Although some of his neighbors are as judgemental as the ones featured on the show, Bainbridge has more of a quiet, small-town vibe than the snobby and trendy atmosphere shown in Madre Linda. Bainbridge is also a real place. Madre Linda is not. Joe doesn't have a cage in his new home During every season of the show, Joe has a glass box that he uses as a cage. When Joe lives in Bainbridge in the book, he only keeps one person captive and she's locked in his basement. The basement in his house has a soundproof room called "the whisper room," which he uses as a makeshift cage. Love isn't a murderer On Netflix's "You," Love Quinn kills a few people. John P. Fleenor/Netflix Love has killed three women and her first husband before the latest season of "You" even begins, and she adds to her death toll throughout season three. In the book, Love never kills anyone. Joe kills Candace and Delilah himself, Forty's au pair isn't murdered, and Love's first husband, James, dies in a surfing accident. Natalie doesn't exist On the show, Natalie is the first woman in his new neighborhood that Joe obsesses over before meeting Marienne. In the books, the local librarian is the first and only woman that Joe stalks and obsesses over while he lives in Bainbridge. Joe doesn't send Ellie money The character Ellie doesn't exist in the books. Netflix Ellie doesn't exist in the books at all, as Delilah only has an older sister who Joe never meets. During season three of the show, Joe tries to support Ellie by sending her money he earns from stealing and repairing rare library books. Since Ellie isn't in the book, Joe doesn't steal from the library at all. In the books, Marienne's character is a married librarian named Mary Kay The librarian Joe falls for on the show is Marienne, a divorced recovering addict who is trying to raise her young daughter with her abusive ex-husband. In the book, Joe works with a librarian named Mary Kay who is still married when they first meet. Her daughter, Nomi, is also older. She's a senior in high school rather than a grade-school girl. Mary Kay doesn't personally deal with addiction, though her husband Phil does and he dies after relapsing. Joe adopts three kittens As part of his plan to impress Mary Kay, Joe adopts kittens that Phil didn't want. The three kittens are named Riffic, Tastic, and Licious, a prefix-free way of calling them terrific, fantastic, and delicious. Joe is a surprisingly caring pet owner and even cuddles with the cats when he feels disheartened about his relationship with Mary Kay. Sherry and Cary seem to be inspired by Melanda and Seamus, though they outlive their literary counterparts The Conrads live to the end of season three. John P. Fleenor/Netflix Although Sherry and Cary Conrad don't exist in the books, the social-media gossip Melanda and fitness-obsessed Seamus both live in Joe's neighborhood. Joe puts Melanda in the whisper room after she catches him stalking Mary Kay, and she dies by suicide while being held captive. Seamus dies as well after someone shoots him while Seamus is attempting to kill Joe. Joe is caught burying a body by a character who doesn't exist on the show The first body Joe buries in both Bainbridge and Madre Linda is that of a woman who he didn't kill himself. In the book, Oliver, a private investigator that the Quinns sent to watch Joe, catches Joe burying Melanda's body. Rather than turn Joe in, Oliver blackmails Joe into buying expensive art and furniture. Oliver becomes a big part of the book, as his presence forces Joe to limit his stalking behavior and keeps Joe from killing. Oliver is also the one to save Joe from being shot by Seamus. Joe and Mary Kay have a more serious relationship than Joe and Marienne Joe and Marienne's relationship doesn't get too serious on the show. John P. Fleenor/Netflix Mary Kay's husband, Phil, dies of an overdose while Joe and Mary Kay are having an affair. After Phil's death, his brother, Ivan, comes to stay with Mary Kay and Nomi. Ivan eventually sells their home to pay for his own legal fees, leaving the mother-daughter duo without a place to live. Mary Kay and Nomi decide to move in with Joe, who then proposes to Mary Kay. The two throw a wedding, though they don't actually end up legally getting married. Love shoots Joe and then dies by suicide After seeing that Joe has moved in with a new woman, Love asks Joe to meet her in California. He goes there expecting to finally meet his son, but is instead held at gunpoint by Love. Love feels ignored and unloved by Joe, who she says fell out of love with her and only saw her as a vessel for their child as soon as she got pregnant. She shoots Joe in the head before shooting herself, but Joe survives after spending 13 days in a coma. He is still not allowed to see his son, but Love's mother lets Joe follow her on Instagram so he can have photos and videos of him. Joe still skips town by the end of book 3 but doesn't leave the country At the end of this season, Joe has moved all the way to Paris to escape the mess he and Love made in Madre Linda and to continue searching for Marienne. In the book, Joe does move out of Bainbridge to get a fresh start, but he only goes as far as Florida. By the end of the novel, he has opened a combination bar and bookstore there. Read the original article on Insider Shutterstock.com Generation Z is coming of age. The oldest members of this generation, born from 1997 to 2012, are now in their mid-20s and striking out on their own. As they move out of their parents' homes and into the real world, the opportunity awaits for them to choose the city where they want to live. Discover: How Gen Z Plans To Avoid Student Loans Find Out: Surprising Ways Gen Z and Millennials Are Worlds Apart Financially Of course, that decision largely could be influenced by the college they attend or the job they get. But members of Gen Z would be smart to consider cities where they can live well on a budget so they can get ahead financially and not have to rely on support from their parents as many millennials have. To help Gen Zers find the best places to live, GOBankingRates analyzed the 100 largest U.S. cities based on several criteria. The study considered the population of 18- to 24-year-olds in those cities to determine whether they would be desirable places to live for young adults. In addition, the average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment, plus the average price of groceries, healthcare, utilities and transportation were examined. GOBankingRates added up the cost of those necessities then subtracted that amount from $35,578 the mean after-tax income of Americans ages 25 and younger to see how much money would be left over each month after covering costs in those cities. Find Out: The Worlds 20 Richest Millennials Each factor was scored, with median rent weighted triple, population and percentage of population ages 18 to 24 weighted double, leftover income weighted double and livability weighted double. The higher the score, the less affordable and desirable a city was. Some clear trends emerged. For the most part, the analysis revealed that cities in the South and Midwest tend to be where Gen Zers can save more money on monthly expenses. Check out the best places for members of the Z generations to live without breaking the bank. Story continues Last updated: Oct. 18, 2021 zrfphoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto 15. Baton Rouge, Louisiana Percentage of population 18-24: 17.6% Median monthly rent: $800 Annual cost of groceries: $2,614.08 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,466.21 Annual cost of transportation: $4,388.05 Annual cost of utilities: $1,982.90 Annual cost of necessities: $20,051 Money left over after necessities: $15,527 Livability: 63 Learn More: 35 Surprising Cities With Low Costs of Living Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com 14. Corpus Christi, Texas Percentage of population 18-24: 10.3% Median monthly rent: $850 Annual cost of groceries: $2,545.50 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,526.61 Annual cost of transportation: $3,139.38 Annual cost of utilities: $2,257.56 Annual cost of necessities: $19,669 Money left over after necessities: $15,909 Livability: 74 Keep Reading: These Are the 50 Best Cities for Renters Shutterstock.com 13. Columbia, South Carolina Percentage of population 18-24: 26.5% Median monthly rent: $949 Annual cost of groceries: $2,633.28 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,617.21 Annual cost of transportation: $3,009.40 Annual cost of utilities: $2,431.74 Annual cost of necessities: $21,080 Money left over after necessities: $14,498 Livability: 60 State to State: From Alabama to Wyoming: The Cost of Living Across America Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com 12. San Antonio, Texas Percentage of population 18-24: 10.6% Median monthly rent: $950 Annual cost of groceries: $2,507.10 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,408.83 Annual cost of transportation: $3,911.43 Annual cost of utilities: $2,119.12 Annual cost of necessities: $21,346 Money left over after necessities: $14,232 Livability: 77 Check Out: How Far a $100,000 Salary Goes in Americas 50 Largest Cities Long_Strange_Trip_01 / Getty Images/iStockphoto 11. Columbus, Ohio Percentage of population 18-24: 11.5% Median monthly rent: $860 Annual cost of groceries: $2,710.08 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,307.66 Annual cost of transportation: $3,549.04 Annual cost of utilities: $2,279.89 Annual cost of necessities: $20,167 Money left over after necessities: $15,411 Livability: 76 Ron and Patty Thomas / Getty Images/iStockphoto 10. Toledo, Ohio Percentage of population 18-24: 10.6% Median monthly rent: $595 Annual cost of groceries: $2,476.93 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,306.15 Annual cost of transportation: $3,320.58 Annual cost of utilities: $2,170.48 Annual cost of necessities: $16,414 Money left over after necessities: $19,164 Livability: 63 Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com 9. Tallahassee, Florida Percentage of population 18-24: 28.9% Median monthly rent: $800 Annual cost of groceries: $2,655.22 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,810.49 Annual cost of transportation: $3,462.38 Annual cost of utilities: $2,393.78 Annual cost of necessities: $19,922 Money left over after necessities: $15,656 Livability: 63 Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto 8. Tucson, Arizona Percentage of population 18-24: 15.4% Median monthly rent: $730 Annual cost of groceries: $2,619.57 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,230.65 Annual cost of transportation: $3,805.07 Annual cost of utilities: $2,219.60 Annual cost of necessities: $18,635 Money left over after necessities: $16,943 Livability: 64 SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com 7. Knoxville, Tennessee Percentage of population 18-24: 17.6% Median monthly rent: $840 Annual cost of groceries: $2,666.20 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,445.07 Annual cost of transportation: $3,222.10 Annual cost of utilities: $2,134.75 Annual cost of necessities: $19,548 Money left over after necessities: $16,030 Livability: 71 Invest Your Extra Money: How To Buy Stocks Online RiverNorthPhotography / iStock.com 6. Lincoln, Nebraska Percentage of population 18-24: 16% Median monthly rent: $790 Annual cost of groceries: $2,671.68 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,879.95 Annual cost of transportation: $2,993.64 Annual cost of utilities: $2,061.06 Annual cost of necessities: $19,086 Money left over after necessities: $16,492 Livability: 81 csfotoimages / Getty Images 5. Madison, Wisconsin Percentage of population 18-24: 21.3% Median monthly rent: $1,070 Annual cost of groceries: $2,685.40 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,303.13 Annual cost of transportation: $3,379.66 Annual cost of utilities: $2,400.48 Annual cost of necessities: $22,609 Money left over after necessities: $12,969 Livability: 75 Henryk Sadura / Shutterstock.com 4. Lexington, Kentucky Percentage of population 18-24: 14.2% Median monthly rent: $760 Annual cost of groceries: $2,688.14 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,355.98 Annual cost of transportation: $3,446.63 Annual cost of utilities: $2,029.80 Annual cost of necessities: $18,641 Money left over after necessities: $16,937 Livability: 76 DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com 3. El Paso, Texas Percentage of population 18-24: 11.1% Median monthly rent: $710 Annual cost of groceries: $2,523.56 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,309.17 Annual cost of transportation: $3,619.94 Annual cost of utilities: $2,168.24 Annual cost of necessities: $18,141 Money left over after necessities: $17,437 Livability: 78 Crowley Baldwin / Shutterstock.com 2. Lubbock, Texas Percentage of population 18-24: 18.9% Median monthly rent: $650 Annual cost of groceries: $2,520.82 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,582.48 Annual cost of transportation: $2,879.41 Annual cost of utilities: $2,087.86 Annual cost of necessities: $16,871 Money left over after necessities: $18,707 Livability: 74 Nagel Photography / Shutterstock.com 1. Fort Wayne, Indiana Percentage of population 18-24: 10% Median monthly rent: $629 Annual cost of groceries: $2,507.10 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,203.47 Annual cost of transportation: $3,210.29 Annual cost of utilities: $2,025.33 Annual cost of necessities: $16,494 Money left over after necessities: $19,084 Livability: 80 More From GOBankingRatesFourth Stimulus Checks Are Coming From These States Is Yours on the List? 10 Reasons You Should Claim Social Security Early What Is the Next Big Cryptocurrency To Explode in 2021? Heres How Much You Need To Earn To Be Rich in 23 Major Countries Around the World Cameron Huddleston contributed to the reporting for this article. Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best cities for Gen Z to live well on a budget by analyzing the 100 largest cities in the U.S. along the following criteria: (1) population aged 18 to 24 years old, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey; 18- to 24 year-olds were used to be representative of Gen. Z based on Pew Research's age ranges for Gen. Z ages 24 and under; (2) percentage of the population aged 18 to 24 years old, sourced from the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey; (3) average rent, based on Zumper and ApartmentList.com's median monthly rent from January to February 2021; itemized costs of living for necessities, sourced from Sperling's Best Places, such as (4) groceries cost of living; (5) healthcare cost of living; (6) utilities cost of living; (7) transportation cost of living; (8) amount of income leftover after paying for necessary costs of living, which is the sum of rent, groceries, healthcare, utilities and transportation subtracted from $35,578, the mean after-tax income of Americans ages 25 and under, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey; and (9) livability scores, sourced from AreaVibes. Each factor was scored, with average rent weighted triple, population and percentage of population aged 18 to 24 weighted double, leftover income weighted double and livability weighted double. All data compiled on Feb. 16, 2021. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: These Are the 15 Best Cities for Gen Z To Live Well on a Budget Aiven, a Finnish startup that helps companies combine various open source technologies with public cloud infrastructure resources, announced a $60 million investment on a $2 billion valuation today. The news follows a $100 million investment in March at an $800 million valuation, a hefty increase in such a short time. World Innovation Lab and IVP co-led the round with participation from Atomico -- all existing investors. Today's round, which is considered an extension of that $100 million C round announced in March, brings the total amount raised to $210 million, according to Crunchbase data. Company CEO and co-founder Oskari Saarenmaa says the company helps take the complexity out of managing open source projects in the cloud. "We started working on Aiven back in 2015 and we wanted to create a cloud data platform that we would have liked to have used ourselves [when we were working as engineers prior to creating the company]. We created this cloud operations platform that could turn the best open source data technologies into managed services on any public cloud." The company works with a portfolio of nine open source data technologies, including Kafka, Cassandra, OpenSearch and Grafana. Saarenmaa points out that they don't simply commercialize these technologies, they also contribute to the communities building these tools as well. In fact, they recently formed a team of 10 engineers devoted specifically to writing code for the open source projects that are part of their product portfolio. If you're thinking that many of these tools already have startups built on top of these open source technologies, you're right. He acknowledged that they do overlap sometimes with companies that have their own cloud services built around open source tooling such as Confluent does with Apache Kafka, but they are trying to package it in a way that simplifies it for the customers even more by providing the public cloud infrastructure, as well as the open source data technology required for any data processing project. Story continues Part of the reason the company is attracting this kind of investment is that it is growing quickly and currently boasts 700 customers across 50 countries around the world. They are also working with some ISVs to increase the company's market reach further. They have grown from a team of 40 people pre-pandemic, adding more than 200 employees since March 2020, with plans to continue building the team. As they do, Saarenmaa says they are making diversity a priority. "It is very important for us to be able to bring in leaders who candidates can really connect and identify with. I don't think there's any other option than to make diversity one of the top priorities," he said. That said, he admits that the staff still tilts heavily male, even as he is trying to change that. He says that in spite of the substantial valuation, the company sees great value in remaining private for the time being. "It makes a lot of sense for us to continue being an independent company and growing on this path that we've chosen, but that doesn't mean we don't see becoming a public company at some point. It is likely that is the way we are thinking, but we're not exactly working on filing our S-1," he joked. 'A significant aspect of my practice is based on dreams, as well. When I go to sleep, I am still working.' (Picture: Matthew Arthur Williams) Sekai Machache is a Zimbabwean-Scottish visual artist and curator based in Scotland. Her work is a deep interrogation of the notion of self. She is interested in the relationship between spirituality, imagination and the role of the artist in disseminating symbolic imagery to provide a space for healing. Sekai works with a wide range of media including photography. Her photographic practice is formulated through digital compositions utilising body paint and muted lighting conditions to create images that appear to emerge from the darkness. Sekai sat down with Bolanle Tajudeen, founder of educational platform Black Blossoms, to discuss how spiritual practice is part of her creative process and the importance of being engaged in the Scottish countryside as well as art institutions. Watch: Black art, Black stories, Black voices Bolanle Tajudeen: What was your first camera? Sekai Machache: Growing up, I had a little Fuji film camera, really basic. Then I got myself an entry-level DSLR which was my first proper camera, a Canon 1000 D, which I bought for myself when I was 21, and I used during art school. It got me into the process of taking pictures for my paintings. I would take wide shots of scenes and then more detailed images, which would help if I drew an eye or another facial feature. But now I shoot with a Sony A7R3 for my art projects and photography pieces. Bolanle: What is the process of photography for you? Sekai: The vast majority of work people see from me is photography, but before the photographs, other steps are taken to do the work; there is painting, drawing, costume making and set design. I consider all of this part of artistic practice, so I am more comfortable with the term 'multidisciplinary artist' when describing myself. Read more: Four Black women on beauty, business and identity Bolanle: When did you first realise that there just wasn't just one approach to your creative practice? Sekai: I'm interested in everything, and I want to try everything! When I was young, I used to want to be a musician, and I played piano, guitar, drums and then I used to sing too, which then moved into writing songs. I started to draw when I was about 14. I have always felt the need to create in multiple different ways. When I was at art school, I studied fine art. The course was a bit of everything; I could do painting, sculpture or performance, so I created a practice experimenting with lots of different things. Story continues Sekai describes herself as a 'multidisciplinary artist' since she's involved in photography, painting, drawing, costume making as well as set design. (Picture: Matthew Arthur Williams) Bolanle: As your practice has evolved, what is it now Sekai: I have more of a structure around the way I do work now. I usually start with ink drawings. I make lots and lots of ink drawings, maybe 100 before I even begin doing the rest of the project. I use these drawings as a kind of way of thinking through the things and concepts that I'm trying to bring into the artwork, so I'll be researching, reading, writing, and drawing throughout that process. At the end of the research, the ink drawings sometimes come in hand when I develop the work further. I'm currently working on a 'divine sky' project, and I could bring all of my different practices together. I started out drawing then transferred the drawing onto fabric. I then gave the material to a designer, and we made a costume together. I then wore it in a performance, which was photographed and filmed. I do that in all my work. The result is often performance to camera resulting in photography or moving images. So it is layers upon layers of different practices in this one project. Read more: 'Derry's home to 60 registered hairdressers, yet I couldn't get my hair styled in a salon for 15 years' 'My research is just lots of different things being pulled together from lots of different places. I listen to podcasts, audiobooks, watch videos, watch films, listen to music, and have conversations with my friends and peers.' (Picture: Matthew Arthur Williams) Bolanle: Interesting, What are you usually researching? Sekai: I use my intuition a lot and tend to follow synchronicities. If I'm reading a book, I'll read a few lines, be intrigued by it, and then go and research more. I don't tend to sit and read a book from beginning to end, but like to read multiple books at once. I listen to podcasts, audiobooks, watch videos, watch films, listen to music, and have conversations with my friends and peers. My research is just lots of different things being pulled together from lots of different places. A significant aspect of my practice is based on dreams, as well. When I go to sleep, I am still working; I wake up and write in my dream journal. I then end up pulling information from that, which ends up in my work. Bolanle: Can you tell me more about how dreaming plays a role in your artistic practice? Sekai: I have a very conscious spiritual practice. I have an altar, and my dreams connect with my ancestors. I have a deep relationship with them, and we have conversations, and they give me messages. I am from Zimbabwe, and when I started to research Shona culture (the Shona tribe is Zimbabwe's largest indigenous group), I found out that dreaming was a considerable aspect of our cultural practices before colonisation. Interestingly, without anyone in my family telling me about it, I somehow picked up on something that we'd been doing for thousands of years before we were colonised. So I am fascinated with how we inherit things in our psyches. 'I use my intuition a lot.' (Picture: Matthew Arthur Williams) Bolanle: Apart from spirituality, what other themes are present in your work? Sekai: Nature, I am someone who gets distracted by nature, such as a butterfly flying past or the wind going through the grass. And because I'm an artist, I look at things and get into the minutiae stuff. I have lived in Scotland my whole life, but I've never really engaged with the vast landscape in my art. And because it felt so vast, so grand, and so beautiful I almost felt that would overwhelm my work and that the result would naturally become about Scotland and its landscape alone. However, in the past couple of years, I've insisted on working in the Scottish landscape. I have realised the work can still be about identity and psychology while also engaging with the land. I'm also thinking about Black people in rural areas of the UK, a space we are not usually associated with or welcomed into and it is about reclaiming something within that. Bolanle: Barbadian-Scottish artist Alberta Whittle will represent Scotland in the Venice Biennale in 2022, a remarkable achievement. What is the Black art and creative scene like in Scotland? Sekai: In the last five to 10 years, there has been a massive buzz of the incredible, amazing Black artists, producers, dancers and makers doing fascinating things in Scotland. The visibility of that is starting to come through for people outside of the city. Many of us have an art practice embedded in collaboration, so you see us all pop up in each other's work. Read more: Black History Month 2021: 10 best books by Black authors to put on our list Bolanle: Collaboration is so crucial for artists, especially when there are intersecting levels of marginality. You are the trustee of the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. Why did you decide to join the board? Sekai: I decided to become a board member because people, especially artists, must be involved in or aware of how art institutions run from a governance perspective. Often, artists are basically at the mercy of these institutions and how they decide to engage with us. I also want to see more Black-led art institutions, and this is an excellent way for me to learn processes of what works, what does not work, and how to run a successful space. Bolanle: I agree. I want to see more Black-led art spaces too. You are a part of Disrupt Space, a commercial Black visual arts agency. What is it like? Sekai: Super cliche, but it has a family vibe. Everyone's got their unique style and their unique vibe, and the way that we do things. It is very supportive, too. Today, I was messaging everyone to say I will be in London for the 1-54 African Art Fair, which happens every year at Somerset House during Art Week in October. Everybody in the group was congratulating me; it is nice to have people supporting you. Paul, the director of Disrupt Space, also really listens to the artists. I mentioned to him I wanted to know more about non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Then a few weeks later, he presented us with the opportunity of working with Yahoo to create our NFTs and have access to all these great workshops led by industry experts. Bolanle: Can you share what your NFT will be? Sekai: I have created an NFT based on the tarot cards, the High Priestess. It is the third tarot card Ive created in my Major Arcana series. Watch: Equality & The Hunt For Hair Products in Wales M (Ralph Fiennes) and James Bond (Daniel Craig) in 'No Time to Die'. (Credit: Eon/Instagram) Taking Spectres lead, the new James Bond film No Time To Die is loaded with references to the previous Daniel Craig outings, but it also recalls various old-testament Bond films. Some of the references are fairly easy to pick up, (like the gadget-laden Aston Martin DB5 thats deployed and blown up one last time) but there are others weve noticed upon revisiting the film for a second or third viewing. Aside from wrapping up the Craig era, there are a lot of callbacks and references to the previous 20 Bond films too, with one standout in particular. Now that weve all had time to see No Time To Die, lets take a look at some of the bigger moments. Read more: What the future holds for the 007 franchise This feature contains major spoilers for No Time To Die, and several earlier James Bond films. Grave danger No Time To Die hits UK cinemas on 30 September (MGM/Universal Pictures/EON) Oh, SPECTRE how weve missed your elaborate yet escapable death traps. In the pre-title sequence, Bond goes looking for closure at Vesper Lynds tomb in Matera, only to find an octopus-engraved card at the grave and almost get blown up for his troubles. The callbacks to Casino Royale are to be expected by now, but curiously, Craigs fifth film also mirrors Roger Moores fifth outing For Your Eyes Only, which starts with a deliberately vague callback to Blofeld and SPECTRE as Bond visits his late wife Tracys grave. In 1981's For You Eyes Only Roger Moore's 007 visits the grave of his late wife Tracey (Keith Hamshere/Getty Images) In 1981, the rights to those characters were up in the air, and then so was the unnamed bald villain with a cat, as hes unceremoniously dropped into a smokestack from a helicopter. Dr Noh? No Time To Die hits UK cinemas on 30 September (MGM/Universal Pictures/EON) Pre-release, a lot of Bond fans speculated that Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) would turn out to be a villain from movies past. Specifically, the very first Bond villain Dr Julius No. Read more: The road to No Time To Die After more than 16 months of delays, you can see how theyd jump to that conclusion Spectre disguised Blofeld as Franz Oberhauser and the trailers didnt reveal much about Safin other than the Japanese Noh mask he wears in the opening sequence and the island base where the finale takes place. Story continues Scottish actor Sean Connery and Swiss actress Ursula Andress on the set of Dr. No, based on the novel by Ian Fleming, and directed by Terence Young. (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images) Its not just seeing a pattern where there isnt one, especially when that pattern is Maurice Binders animated dots, which main titles designer Daniel Kleinman homages at the start of the film. While Bonds sabbatical in Jamaica also recalls the island setting of the original Bond mission, were marking this particular theory down as a no No. The Timothy Dalton movies Daniel Craig's James Bond has the Living Daylights' Aston Martin V8 Vantage in storage (@007/Instagram) In the years since their release, many have reappraised Timothy Daltons tenure as the precursor to Craigs Fleming-flavoured portrayal of Bond. Accordingly, there are other moments reminiscent of the Dalton era in his other films, but Craigs swansong picks up a couple of major threads. Read more: Looking back at Spectre Firstly, theres the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante that Bond takes out of storage upon his return to London. Its the same colour and even the same licence plate as the model Daltons Bond drives (and blows up) in The Living Daylights, though as far as we can see, it doesnt have the same laser and rocket-launcher mod-cons. Timothy Dalton and co-star Maryam D'Abo with the soft top Aston Martin V8 used in 1987's The Living Daylights (Photo by Georges De Keerle/Getty Images) Theres also a sub-plot in which Bond seeks revenge for his brother from Langley, Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright), who meets his end when hes betrayed by CIA turncoat Logan Ash (Billy Magnusson), just as DEA agent Killifer sells out Felix in Licence To Kill. Aside from avenging a violent attack on Leiter, Bond also encounters Paloma, (the brilliant Ana de Armas) whose ties to Felix, kick-ass competence, and handy thigh-holster reminds us of Pam Bouvier (Carey Lowell) from Daltons second outing. However, when Bond catches up with Ash, its For Your Eyes Only which springs to mind again. Moore famously rankled at a scene where Bond finishes off an adversary by callously kicking a precariously balanced vehicle, but it sits well with Craig when he drops Ashs Range Rover on him. M people Robert Brown (far right) played Bond's boss M in four 007 films. (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images) Ralph Fiennes Mallory has a stressful time of it in this one. Hes developed a drinking habit and a bit of a paunch since we last saw him, mostly because hes upset that Heracles, the top-secret designer virus he approved, has been stolen by the baddies. During one moment of contemplation, Fiennes M sits under the gaze of his predecessors portraits, most prominently that of Judi Dench, (whose character also made a posthumous appearance in Spectre) but also Bernard Lee and Robert Brown, who held the job through the Connery, Moore, and Dalton eras. The portrait of Judi Dench as M which I was commissioned to paint for No Time to Die #Bond25 @007 pic.twitter.com/ma2ArH80Oo Desmond Mac Mahon (@DPMacMahon) October 4, 2021 Lees portrait also appeared in The World Is Not Enough, at an MI6 retreat in Scotland, but this is the first weve seen of Dench and Brown in the gallery of Ms. Whatever the next incarnation of Bond looks like, it will be interesting to see if Fiennes will reprise his role or similarly be commemorated, given how very, very sacked he should be after the events of this story All the time in the world No Time To Die saw James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) enjoying their honeymoon period after Spectre in Italy. (MGM/Universal Pictures/EON) Of course, the major influence in this particular story is 1969s On Her Majestys Secret Service, another recently reappraised outing. George Lazenbys sole outing as Bond is remixed extensively throughout No Time To Die, starting with references to its score and theme song and ending with a reversal of its tragic finale. Read more: The best gifts for James Bond fans Theres also a thread of bio-warfare to the villains scheme in OHMSS, which has Blofeld plotting to distribute bacteria via sleeper agents. In No Time To Die, Heracles takes out the extra step with its contagion as Bond observes, infecting enough people turn the worlds population into a weapon. Diana Rigg and George Lazenby starred together in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the 1969 James Bond referenced many times in No Time To Die. (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images) Naturally, its the callback to We have all the time in the world, both as a line of dialogue and in the choice of Louis Armstrongs original recording over the end credits, that stands out. The early references seem to foreshadow Madeleine (Lea Seydoux) going the same way as Tracy, but theyre actually teeing up Bonds demise. The fate of Daniel Craigs Bond under a sky fall of Royal Navy missiles is totally clear-cut, but the future of 007 on screen is left open by the final callback, which features at the end of all 25 films to date James Bond Will Return No Time To Die is in cinemas now. Watch the producers of No Time To Die explain how they chose the film's title. By Timothy Gardner and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. lawmakers are considering carbon pricing measures to slash climate-warming emissions, a top White House adviser said on Monday, as Democrats may be forced to drop a key global warming component of the spending bill that is opposed by centrist party member Senator Joe Manchin. "There's a lot of things in the mix now that people are thinking about ... climate fees are one of them, whether it's a sector based or it's a broad based fee, none of those issues are off the table," White House national climate adviser Gina McCarthy told a meeting of President Joe Biden's council of advisers on science and technology. "Congress is debating and hopefully we will see the end of that debate soon," McCarthy said. She did not say whether the White House is pushing lawmakers to support a carbon fee policy. Under a carbon tax, the government sets a price for each ton of greenhouse gas that polluters emit that gradually rises, incentivizing industries to move to cleaner energy sources. Focus has turned to the mechanism as Biden and his fellow Democrats may drop a major component of the spending bill known as the Clean Electricity Performance Plan that would reward power utilities for investing in renewable power and fine those who do not. Manchin has opposed that plan, saying utilities are already investing in renewable power, and should not get taxpayer money for doing so. Manchin, from West Virginia, a big coal and natural gas producer, has elevated power in the 50-50 Senate, because his vote can block the spending bill. Democrats are trying to pass the $3.5 trillion spending bill in a process that requires only a simple majority. Manchin and another Democratic centrist Senator Kyrsten Sinema have said they want the bill's price tag to be far lower. 'PIVOTAL' LEGISLATION Biden told reporters said he was urgently focused on winning Manchin's support on the bills. "We're doing that right now," he said as he returned to the Oval Office after a ceremony honoring U.S. teachers. Story continues Manchin's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said climate aspects would remain in the bills that form the core part of Biden's domestic agenda. Psaki said the bills include incentives on electric vehicles, phase-outs of super pollutants like hydrofluorocarbons to reduce emissions, and investments in offshore wind and solar that will slash emissions. "So, it is absolutely pivotal that these pieces of legislation have climate components -- and they will -- to address the climate crisis," Psaki said. Some lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, who is chairman of the Senate finance committee, have been advocating for a carbon fee and dividend program. That program could raise revenues to help pay for the reconciliation bill but would also have to abide by Biden's pledge not to raise taxes on families earning less than $400,000 annually. A carbon fee could also be crafted to avoid higher gasoline and fuel costs. But carbon fees have long been unpopular among industry advocates and could face opposition from moderate Democrats in the House from states that depend on revenues from fossil fuel production. Time is running short for Congress to act before the annual climate talks that begin on Oct. 31 in Glasgow, Scotland, where Biden is hoping to show the world that the United States is again committed to tackle climate change. McCarthy said that beyond congressional action, the executive branch can also act on climate. "Despite what happens on the Hill there are many ways in which we can continue to work through our authorities in the federal government and using our partnerships with states and local communities," she said. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; additional reporting by Jeff Mason and Andrea Shalal, Editing by Aurora Ellis) The rally that's carried Bitcoin above $60,000 last week extended into Monday, with investors relieved that regulators aren't moving to curtail opportunities in the cryptocurrency sector, as they become increasingly bullish about the arrival of a BTC-focused exchange traded fund (ETF). Bitcoin has added over 8% over the last week on clear and positive signals that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will approve the Proshares ETF on Tuesday, and has spiked by over 30% since late September. While SEC Chairman Gary Gensler recently reiterated that the crypto sector needs to be more heavily policed, markets have been relieved that U.S. regulators aren't heading toward a heavy-handed crackdown, such as that seen in China. Matthew Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise Asset Management, told Yahoo Finance that for the rest of this year, "really all that matters is [regulatory] clarity" for crypto investors. Bitwise has filed for a Bitcoin Futures ETF of its own, pending a late November approval deadline. The digital coin is on a bull run not seen since before the Chinese government banned cryptocurrency mining in May, as it zeroes in on its record high near $65,000, and expectations are growing that the ETF will open up new avenues of growth for crypto. On Monday, Fundstrat Global Advisors co-founder Tom Lee predicted the fund could see $50 billion in annual inflows. The regulatory approval is a seminal milestone in the digital coin's journey towards mainstream adoption, but some are decidedly lukewarm on the ETF's immediate impact. They question whether a futures-based product might spark the immediate pop so many crave and argue that most investors are still better served by directly owning Bitcoin. Debate about 'spot' vs. future ETFs During a time of increasing scrutiny of the crypto sector, bitcoin as volatile as it is has emerged as one of the safest crypto assets in the event of a doomsday-style regulatory clampdown. And the incoming Bitcoin ETFs presents a hallmark step for increasing adoption. Story continues Its advantage: investors with an online brokerage account can buy a Bitcoin ETF without directly holding the asset. Still, not all agree including some bulls like prominent investor Anthony Pompliano, who questioned the conventional wisdom and the timing of the SEC's approval. In a letter to subscribers last week, Pompliano asked if "the Bitcoin Futures ETF actually the best thing?" Answering his own question, he stated: "Honestly, probably not. The approval of a bitcoin 'spot' ETF would be better from investors, both from a price tracking and fee structure standpoint. But beggars cant be choosers in the beginning. So we are likely going to see the Bitcoin Futures ETFs trading" as early as this week, he wrote. Bitwise's Hougan said his firm will be "squarely in the middle of the Bitcoin ETF game." However, he also expressed some dissatisfaction with the what the first official crypto ETF ultimately offers. In addition to filing the futures-based Bitcoin ETF, Bitwise also performed copious amounts of research on the physical or spot Bitcoin ETF. This iteration of ETF is seen as having more upside, less complicated and diluted, than its futures equivalent launching tomorrow. That's why long time asset managers have spent spent the bulk of their time pitching a spot ETF to regulators, but to no immediate avail. Yet the SEC hasn't shown any sign of approving a spot ETF this year, something Hougan can attest to after having about 19 meetings with the agency over the last 18 months, he told Yahoo Finance. The SEC's main reservation on the spot BTC ETF: its regulated under 1933 securities law, which gives retail investors less protection than the 1940s act that covers futures-based products. A theoretical spot ETF is much simpler, said Hougan, who insisted it is "easier for investors to understand." By comparison, a futures-based ETF doesn't track the Bitcoin price so clearly. It can be priced lower or higher than the current Bitcoin price. For example, if an investor bought this fund at a price of $63,000, and the Bitcoin price did not budge above $62,000 by the time BTC Futures contracts expired, that investor would lose money. "Its not the experience that investors want. They just want to own Bitcoin," Hougan said, referring to this futures-based ETF. "We see this in other futures ETFs, like the U.S. oil ETF (USO) or the natural gas ETF (UMG). They often don't reflect the spot price of oil or natural gas." 'Another water hose in your bathtub' INDIA - 2021/10/16: In this Photo illustration a Bitcoin logo seen displayed on a smartphone with an ETF(exchange traded fund) logo in the background. (Photo Illustration by Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Still, for most market participants, any ETF is better than none at all especially for those who have been eager for mainstream acceptance of crypto assets for years. Martha Reyes, head of research at the digital asset prime exchange BEQUANT, agreed that while a spot ETF would be less costly and more efficient at tracking Bitcoin, a futures-based product was "a good start" that could eventually lead to bigger things, regardless of the potential for short-term disappointment. "The news seems largely priced in at this point but we remain positive on bitcoin into year end and would be buyers on any pullback towards $50,000," Reyes told Yahoo Finance. Historically, the expectations for BTC investment vehicles and instruments of a more institutional grade ended in a 'buy the rumor, sell the news' scenario for Bitcoin, according to Ulrik Lykke, founder and Executive Director at ARK36, a crypto-focused hedge fund. Just as when El Salvador made Bitcoin legal tender last month,and the Coinbase IPO earlier this year, "buy the rumor, sell the news" situations means a bull run leading up to such an event plus a nice price pullback the day of when many traders see an opportunity for profit taking once expectation becomes reality, Lykke told Yahoo Finance. Furthermore, he pointed to the launch of Bitcoin Futures by CME in 2017 or Bakkt in 2019 by the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) as both "rather disappointing" moments for those anticipating a major price pop. "It is like putting another water hose in your bathtub to fill it up more rapidly," Lykke joked. "Youll definitely see the water level rise quicker but the effect wont be as immediate as you may expect. The Bitcoin ETF will have a net positive effect on the development of the space, but it likely wont result in an immediate, dramatic rise in institutional adoption of digital assets, he added. David Hollerith is a senior reporter covering the cryptocurrency and stock markets. You can follow him @DsHollers. By Daniel Ramos LA PAZ (Reuters) - Members of a group involved in killing Haitian President Jovenel Moise in July had conspired to assassinate Bolivian President Luis Arce in 2020, Bolivia's interior minister said on Monday. Eduardo del Castillo said at a news conference that the government had seen emails, audio recordings, immigration data and hotel stays that proved the failed plot against Arce, a socialist who swept to power last year after a divisive period of right-wing interim government. "We are talking about the fact that days before the (Oct. 18 2020) elections, paramilitaries who would later kill the president of Haiti and mercenary contractors... were in Bolivia," said del Castillo, showing some of the materials. "The intention was ending the life of the president." Del Castillo made some of the data available to media. Reuters was not able to immediately confirm his accusations. Bolivia has been deeply polarized since 2019, when long-term socialist leader Evo Morales won a disputed election to seal a fourth term in office, despite term limits and a nationwide referendum that voted against him running. The election was later annulled after the Organization of American States (OAS) said there had been electoral fraud. Amid widespread protests, the military withdrew its support for Morales, who resigned and fled the country, decrying the events as a coup. Morales' Movement to Socialism eventually returned to power under Arce in November 2020. Jeanine Anez, who had taken over in the power vacuum after Morales resigned, was arrested in March and is in pre-trial detention, charged with terrorism, sedition and conspiracy, which she has called political persecution. Del Castillo accused Luis Fernando Lopez, the former defense minister under Anez, of being the man behind the failed conspiracy to assassinate Arce in 2020. He said the conspirators had aimed to recruit Colombian mercenaries who have since been implicated https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/why-were-colombian-ex-soldiers-haiti-experts-say-they-are-popular-mercenaries-2021-07-09 in the assassination of Moise. Story continues Reuters could not reach Lopez for comment. Government officials have said they believe him to be in hiding in Brazil. Arce's government is facing possible protests by Bolivians allied to the right-wing opposition and in particular conservative figurehead Luis Fernando Camacho, governor of Santa Cruz, the richest region in the country. Camacho said at a news conference in Santa Cruz that the government was seeking to make President Arce into a "victim." "He (Arce) is totally fine, there is nothing going on. There are no murderers here or people who want to make an attempt on the life of absolutely anyone," he said. (Reporting by Daniel Ramos; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Rosalba O'Brien) Here are the best gifts for the foodies in your life. Recommendations are independently chosen by Revieweds editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission. Edible gifts are the low-hanging fruit of the gift world, pun absolutely intended. Theyre crowd-pleasing, they typically wont break the bank and in the case of subscriptions and cooking ingredients, these gifts will keep on giving well beyond the holidays. Tackle your holiday shopping early with deals and expert advice delivered straight to your phone. Sign up for text message alerts from the deal-hunting team at Reviewed. Whether your giftee loves to cook or prefers to take it easy in the kitchen, we've rounded up the best food and beverage gifts for everyone on your list. Please note that many of these items could be in high demand as we head into the winter months. We recommend starting your holiday shopping early this year to make sure your items are still availableand to ensure that they'll arrive on time, as shipping could be delayed. Dont get thwarted by shipping delays or sold-out favorites this holiday season. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get the product reviews, deals and holiday gift guides you need to start shopping now. 1. For the one who appreciates a classic: a pear-filled gift basket Gifts for foodies: Harry and David pears Our editors have tried countless products from Harry & David over the years, including an especially favorable review of its Moose Munch. But nothing says "happy holidays" quite like Harry & David's iconic pears. Take your pick from pears with apples, pairs with cheese and more fruity bundles. Get Premium Pear Gift Baskets at Harry & David starting at $14.99 2. For the grill master: a butcher-approved meat share Gifts for foodies: Crowd Cow We've tested a lot of meat delivery services, and Crowd Cow is easily the best of the bunch. And this holiday season, Crowd Cow has an expert-assembled bundle with everything a grill master could ask for: two 16-ounce boneless ribeye steaks, two 8-ounce top sirloin steaks, four 1-pound packages of pasture-raised ground beef, two 12-ounce packages of beef hot dogs, and one 1-pound boneless pork chop. Whether they're looking to cook up a massive holiday meal or just host a fun barbecue, this bundle will be sure to please. Story continues Get the Grill Master Bundle at Crowd Cow starting at $101.54 3. For the spice collector: a build-your-own spice set Gifts for foodies: Diaspora Co. If your giftee loves to cook, chances are they'll love Diaspora Co.'s single-origin spices. This set allows you to build your own assortment of spices so you can customize it based on the recipient of this flavorful gift. From vibrant turmeric to comforting cloves, Diaspora Co. has an impressive lineup of delicious and equitably sourced products. Get the 6-jar Build Your Own Spice Pack at Diaspora Co. starting at $60 4. For the one planning to do Dry January: a festive non-alcoholic holiday tin Gifts for foodies: Ghia Le Works Holiday Tin I fell in love with Ghia's non-alcoholic aperitif when I tested booze-free beveragesit's perfect for an afternoon aperitivi, minus the buzz. This holiday season, Ghia is offering a holiday tin with big Christmas in Italy vibes. It includes the original Ghia Aperitif, a mini panettone made by a Sicilian bakery and, a jar of the brand's custom hazelnut spread called Ghianduja, all packaged in a limited edition tin. Get the Ghia Le Works Holiday Tin for $78 5. For the one who always orders the cheese board: a curated cheese collection Gifts for foodies: Jasper Hill This option is extra cheesy, but we're not talking dad jokesJasper Hill Farm offers a variety of curated cheese boxes that make incredible gifts. I tried one of Jasper Hill's curd-filled boxes and was delighted by the assortment of wheels and wedges, plus yummy accompaniments. The Diversion Cheese Pairing Collection is ideal for the giftee who loves to try different flavor combinations. And experimentation is 100% encouraged! Get The Diversion Cheese Pairing Collection at Jasper Hill Farm starting at $105 6. For the one who misses traveling: a Japanese snack box subscription Gifts for foodies: Bokksu Classic Gift Box Bokksu's monthly subscription boxes are a really fun option for anyone who misses traveling, whether they're staying home for health reasons or busy schedules. Each month your giftee will get a box containing a different of assortment Japanese snacks, from chocolate-filled wafer sandwiches to tiny potato sticks. Get Bokksu Classic Gift Box subscription starting at $39.95 per month 7. For the one who hates getting hangovers: a low-proof sampler kit Gifts for foodies: Haus Sampler Kit Let's face it: no one likes a hangover. But if your giftee still loves sipping on something tasty when 5 o'clock rolls around, consider giving them the Haus Sampler Kit. Haus' aperitifs are all 18% ABV, making them a low-proof alternative to other alcoholic beverages. You can either let Haus pick the flavors for you, or select the options you think your giftee will like most (this is what I did when I tested). Flavors include Citrus Flower, New Fashioned, Grapefruit Jalapeno, Rose Rose, Ginger Yuzu, Spiced Cherry and my personal favorite, Lemon Lavender. Get The Sampler Kit from Haus for $50 8. For the budding top chef: high-quality pantry staples Gifts for foodies: Pineapple Collaborative collection Great pantry staples will make good food taste even better. Enter: Pineapple Collaborative, the women-owned food brand and community platform that's been making delicious products since the launch of its olive oil in 2019. Pineapple's Holiday Set includes the building blocks of any pro's pantry: The Olive Oil, The ACV (that's apple cider vinegar, for short) and The Salt. Your giftee will thank you for making their meals that much better. Get The Holiday Set at Pineapple Collaborative for $82 9. For the chocoholic: a small-batch chocolate subscription Gifts for foodies: Raaka I love chocolate, but nowhere near as much as my stepdad does, which is why my sister and I gifted him this chocolate subscription last holiday season. Raaka is a small-batch chocolatier based in Brooklyn, N.Y. that emphasizes transparent trade and direct purchasing when it comes to sourcing cacao. With this subscription, your giftee will get three surprise chocolate bars delivered each month for three, six, or twelve months. My personal favorite Raaka flavors are Pink Sea Salt and Green Tea Crunch, but the subscription also includes experimental bars that aren't available to order a la carte, which is all the more reason to subscribe! Get the Raaka Chocolate Small-Batch Organic Chocolate Subscription at Food52 starting at $98 10. For the one who loves starting Sunday with mimosas: brunch in a box Gifts for foodies: Knack Brunch Gift Box This interactive gift is great for folks who love a lazy, carb-filled weekend. The Knack brunch gift box includes everything your giftee could need, except for champagne and orange juiceblueberry scone mix, pumpkin spice ground coffee, two artisanal jams and a cookbook filled with brunch recipes. Get the Let's Do Brunch box at Knack for $94 11. For the saffron enthusiast: Moonflowers Co. saffron tins Gifts for foodies: Moonflowers Saffron Tins This is hands-down the best saffron I've ever tasted, and while I'm no connoisseur of this particular spice, I think it's fairly easy to tell the difference between flavorful and flavorless saffron (the latter being what you'll find on most grocery store shelves). Moonflowers' saffron has seemingly limitless recipe applications, from hot tea to crispy tahdig, and it'll make your giftee feel like they've won the spice lottery. Get Moonflowers Co. Saffron Thread Tins starting at $21.99 12. For the coffee aficionado: pour-over Vietnamese coffee Gifts for foodies: Copper Cow Coffee Copper Cow Coffee is the brainchild of Vietnamese-American Debbie Wei Mullin. These single-serve pour-over packets are pre-ground, pre-measured, and individually packaged with a filter included, which we loved when we tested. Plus, they're conveniently available in a best-sellers bundlefeaturing Classic, Lavender and Churro coffeesthat's extremely delicious and highly giftable. Get the Copper Cow Coffee Best-Sellers Bundle for $44 13. For the one who's always craving Sichuan food: a trio of Sichuan sauces and spices Gifts for foodies: Fly By Jing Triple Threat Best known for its internet-famous chili crisp, Fly By Jing is the woman-owned food brand that was founded by Jing Gao in order to bring the authentic flavor of Sichuan-style chili crisp and other pantry staples to the world. All of the products are meticulously crafted in Jing's hometown of Chengdu and they taste good on everythingno really, one of our favorite pairings to come out of testing was the Sichuan Chili Crisp drizzled over vanilla ice cream. The Triple Threat bundle includes Sichuan Chili Crisp, Zhong Sauce and Mala Spice Mix. This set is great for elevating your favorite home-cooked meals, your go-to takeout dishes and even dessert. Get the Fly By Jing Triple Threat for $42 14. For the one still making sourdough bread: An artisan jam sampler collection Gifts for foodies: Trade Street Jam Co. Sampler Collection Butter and jam are toast's best friend, and if your best friend (or family member) is still baking bread, chances are they'd love a little extra jam. This Trade Street Jam Co. set includes 9-ounce jars of the following flavors: Strawberry Chipotle & Fig, Smoked Yellow Peach, Plum & Rose, Blueberry Lemon Basil, Sour Cherry Ginger and Blackberry Mulled Merlot. Get the Trade Street Jam Co. Sampler Collection at Macy's for $23.10 15. For the one who loves their Instant Pot: a limited-edition Asian sauce sampler Gifts for foodies: Instant Pot x Omsom Sampler If you're already gifting your loved one an Instant Potlike our favorite Instant Pot Ultrathen this Omsom sauce sampler will be the perfect complement. We tried a few of Omsom's sauce kits after seeing them all over Instagram and can confirm they're just as delicious and easy to use as advertised. The instant Pot x Omsom set includes the best-selling Omsom flavors and six exclusive recipes. Get the Instant Pot x Omsom Sampler for $29 16. For the frequent picnic goer: a one-glass wine subscription Gifts for foodies: Usual Wines Subscriptions Co-founded in 2018 by husband-and-wife duo Rachel Vodofsky and Matt Dukes, Usual Wines is the by-the-glass wine delivery service that followed the wildly popular first wine venture for the couple, Vinebox. Usual Wines offers subscriptions as well as one-off orders, and the former would make an extra special gift for the one-glass wonder in your life. Choose from 6-, 12-, 18- or 24-bottle boxes per month of either red, white, rose or mixed wine. Get Usual Wines subscriptions starting at $40 per month 17. For the legume lover: a chef-favorite bean sampler pack Gifts for foodies: Rancho Gordo Assorted Beans Sampler Pack These beans are loved by chefs and home cooks alike because they're thoughtfully sourced, easy to cook, and taste delicious. Rancho Gordo's legumes are extremely giftable because they're shelf-stable, so even if your giftee doesn't get around to whipping up a batch of garlicky chickpeas until next year, they'll still taste just as good. If you know the recipient of your gift is especially bean-crazy, consider giving them a subscription to the highly sought-after Rancho Gordo Bean Club. Otherwise, stick with the assorted beans sampler pack. Get the Rancho Gordo Assorted Beans Sampler Pack at myPanier for $33.90 18. For the nature buff: a camping meal kit for two Gifts for foodies: Patagonia Provisions 2-Day Camp Meal Kit Patagonia Provisions is the eco-friendly brand behind some of our favorite tinned fish, but its edible offerings go far beyond the ocean. This camping meal kit for two has all the provisions you'll need for a two-day camping trip, including red bean chili, organic breakfast grains, assorted tinned seafood, and much more. This would make the perfect gift for the outdoor enthusiast in your life. Get the Patagonia Provisions 2-Day Camp Meal Kit For Two for $89 19. For the one who enjoys their daily tea ritual: tea time in a box Gifts for foodies: Tea Time is Me Time Set This one is for the tea lover in your life. The Tea Time is Me Time set comes with Flying Bird Botanicals White Lemon Ginger White Tea, Bunches & Bunches Snaps Ginger Cookies and a gorgeous porcelain mug, perfect for an afternoon pick me up. Get the Tea Time is Me Time set at Knack for $66 20. For the one who can't fly home this year: a care package from their favorite restaurant Gifts for foodies: Goldbelly Care Packages If all else fails, give your giftee a tasty treat from their favorite hometown restaurant via Goldbelly. I tested this food delivery service at the height of the pandemic when I was incredibly homesick and, like magic, frozen pizzas from my favorite Atlanta-based pizza shop basically cured me upon the first bite. Goldbelly ships nationwide from restaurants, delis, bakeries and more, and its pre-curated care packages are almost guaranteed to put a smile on your giftee's face. Get Goldbelly Care Packages starting at $21 The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews and more. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time. This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Gifts for foodies: Best edible gifts to shop in 2021 A Chicago police officer was shot in the Goose Island neighborhood Monday afternoon, authorities said. Paramedics were called to the 1000 block of West North Avenue about 3:30 p.m., Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said. They transported a male officer to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, he said. The officer had injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening and his condition was stabilized, Langford said. Yellow tape blocked traffic south of the hospital, and police vehicles surrounded the south entrance along Wellington Avenue near Mildred Avenue. A person was in custody and a gun was recovered, Police Department spokesman Tom Ahern tweeted. The shooting took place after police were called to an Ulta Beauty store at 1000 W. North Ave. because someone was acting erratic inside the store, police Superintendent David Brown said at a news conference. The person and a police officer struggled outside the store, which continued after a second officer arrived, Brown said. The person fired three shots, hitting an officer once in the face. Brown described the injury as a through-and-through wound. The second officer arrested the person at the scene, he said. No officers fired their weapons, Brown said. Were just grateful that our officer is in non-life-threatening condition at this point, and were asking the public to continue with their prayers for our officer and all the officers for the city of Chicago, Brown said. Police had been doing extra patrols in the area because of recent incidents including burglaries, he said. The investigation is continuing. sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com Christopher Steele said an obscene video, described in a dossier he compiled, 'probably exists.' He speculated that it remains unseen, despite intense interest, because Russia had no need to show it. Steele said that Russia got "pretty good value" from the Trump presidency without blackmailing him. Christopher Steele, the former British spy behind a heavily disputed dossier on Donald Trump, said he believed an infamous "pee tape" of Trump does indeed exist. In an interview with ABC News, he speculated that Russia may have kept the tape hidden because Trump offered them "pretty good value" during his time in office. Steele made an unsubstantiated allegation in the 35-page dossier, which was compiled during the 2016 presidential election that Russian authorities had covertly filmed Trump being urinated on by prostitutes at a Moscow hotel room in 2013. "I think it probably does [exist]," Steele told host George Stephanopoulos in an excerpt of the upcoming documentary "Out of the Shadows: The Man Behind the Steele Dossier." Pressed on why Russia wouldn't have used such leverage, Steele replied: "Because I think it hasn't needed to be released because I think the Russians felt they'd got pretty good value out of Donald Trump when he was president of the US." While Trump was often criticized for a perceived closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin, there is no evidence to support the existence of the tape. Trump, who called the dossier a "pile of garbage" - reportedly most recently denied that specific allegation to a group of Republicans last week in unprompted remarks. "I'm not into golden showers," Trump told a group of Republicans in Palm Beach, Florida, The Washington Post reported. "You know the great thing, our great first lady - 'That one,' she said, 'I don't believe that one.'" The line appeared to be a joking reference to claims that Melania Trump does not always believe her husband's denials of wrongdoing. Story continues Steele's dossier claimed that Trump had in 2013 rented a room at the Ritz-Carlton in Moscow during a business trip to Russia. It said that he then hired prostitutes who performed sexual acts in the room which involved urination, Insider's Sonam Sheth previously reported. Some of the allegations in Steele's dossier have been partly substantiated over time, but many of the other allegations in Steele's dossier remain unsubstantiated. Steele admitted to ABC News that he was "prepared to accept" that not all of what he passed on was true, HuffPost reported. He said: "I stand by the work we did, the sources that we had, and the professionalism which we applied to it." Read the original article on Business Insider Rescue personnel and a helicopter successfully completed the highly technical recovery of a 29-year-old Denver woman's body from Kit Carson Peak in Colorado on this weekend. Anna DeBattiste of the Colorado Search And Rescue Association confirmed to CBS Denver that rescue team members safely returned from the operation some time after midnight on Saturday after recovering the body of Madeline Baharlou-Quivey. Kit Carson Peak Climber Madeline Baharlou-Quiveys Body Retrieved By Rescue Crews, Helicopter https://t.co/cp4tHpeXlr pic.twitter.com/efkuciFFH7 CBSDenver (@CBSDenver) October 17, 2021 Using ropes and climbing harnesses, Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue personnel made the climb from the Spanish Creek side of the peak, approaching Baharlou-Quivey's location from below, DeBattiste told CBS Denver. A helicopter from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control's Canon City Helitack flew the body out of the area. Saguache County Search And Rescue personnel hauled out rope and climbing hardware to the Alamosa climbers, DeBattiste added. Baharlou-Quivey sent out a message for help Monday evening, saying she had strayed from the standard route to the peak and was "cliffed out" below "The Avenue" section of the route. Rescue personnel responded the following morning but were unable to locate her as inclement weather rolled into the area. They did locate her the next day, Wednesday, and determined from aerial observation that she had died from a fall. A crew on the ground came to within 100 feet of her location before running out of daylight and aborting the recovery mission. Crews organized Saturday to continue the recovery effort. Hikers in the area were asked to avoid the peak while rescue personnel operated in areas below the trail that made them vulnerable to rockfall. Baharlou-Quivey had started in a nursing position at Presbyterian St. Lukes Medical Center in August. Officials work to rescue 17 hostages kidnapped in Haiti Colin Powell remembered as a groundbreaking figure in Washington Brooklyn restaurant combines Jewish and Japanese cuisines Colin Powell Colin Powell, the military leader who was instrumental in enacting the dont ask, dont tell policy but later supported its repeal, has died of COVID-19 complications. Powell died Monday morning, his family said in a Facebook statement. He was 84 and had contracted COVID despite being fully vaccinated. He had been treated for the disease at Walter Reed Medical Center. He also multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood cells. When Bill Clinton became president in 1993, promising to lift the ban on lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in the military, Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He opposed lifting the ban (under which many LGB people had been discharged and others served in the closet) and said in testimony to Congress that open service by LGB troops would be incompatible with military readiness. In notes from meetings with Clinton at the time, released by the Clinton library in 2014, it was revealed that Powell had said homosexuality would be a problem for the military and that parents of service members might be worried about straight and gay troops sharing quarters. Resistance from the military and many members of Congress led to the compromise of dont ask, dont tell. The idea was that LGB service members could not come out, but the military would not try to root them out either. It was initially seen as an improvement over the outright ban but didnt work out that way. Clinton said in 2010 that he regretted DADT and that Powell, as one of its key supporters, misrepresented how it would work. Now, when Colin Powell sold me on dont ask, dont tell, heres what he said it would be, Clinton told Katie Couric on CBS News. Gay service members would never get in trouble for going to gay bars, marching in gay rights parades, as long as they werent in uniform. That was what they were promised. Thats a very different dont ask, dont tell than we got. Indeed, under DADT the military continued to investigate service members sexual orientation and discharge them about 14,000. Story continues In 2010, when President Barack Obama floated the idea of reviewing DADT with an eye to repeal, Powell, by then a private citizen, endorsed the plan. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman had said they supported Obamas proposal. In the almost 17 years since the dont ask, dont tell legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed, Powell said in a statement to The New York Times, adding, I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen. DADT was repealed by Congress in 2010, and the repeal went into effect in 2011. In his later years, Powell also supported marriage equality. I have no problem with it, he told CNNs Wolf Blitzer in 2012, after Obama had endorsed legalization of same-sex marriage. In terms of the legal matter of creating a contract between two people thats called marriage and allowing them to live together with the protection of law, it seems to me is the way we should be moving in this country. And so I support the presidents decision. Powell was the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs, a position to which he was appointed in 1989, under President George H.W. Bush, and the first Black secretary of State, in President George W. Bushs administration. He had joined the military in 1958, saw combat in Vietnam, and eventually rose to general. In 2003, during the second Bush administration, Powell presented the case for war with Iraq to the United Nations, saying Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. But no such weapons were ever found. He later said he regretted the action, which he called a blot on his record. He left the secretary of State position in 2005. Powell, nominally a Republican, said he had voted for both Democratic and Republican candidates over the course of his life. He endorsed Obama in both his runs for president and was a strong critic of Donald Trump, calling him a national disgrace. After the insurrection by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol this year, Powell said he could no longer consider himself a Republican. Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman close to Venezuelas president, appeared in Miami federal court Monday after a long extradition fight on charges of siphoning $350 million from the Venezuelan government by bribing officials to secure building contracts for low-income housing in the economically depressed country. Saab, 49, was ordered detained for now by a federal magistrate judge but he can seek his release at a later date. Federal prosecutors told Magistrate Judge John J. OSullivan that they will ask that he be detained before his money laundering trial because they consider him a flight risk. Prosecutors noted that Saab fought his extradition from Cape Verde to Miami, where he was brought Saturday, for more than 400 days. Saab, who is represented by Miami defense attorney Henry Bell, is scheduled for arraignment on Nov. 1. Saab was carrying a Venezuelan passport when he was arrested last year in Cape Verde off the coast of Africa en route to Iran on what he called a humanitarian and medical mission. He claimed to be a Venezuelan diplomat who was immune from prosecution as he fought his extradition before the Cape Verde court, but to no avail. While being held in Cape Verde, he also tried to get his money laundering indictment dismissed in Miami, claiming immunity. After losing, he appealed in a matter that is still pending before the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. Now in custody at the Federal Detention Center in Miami, Saab could face a long prison sentence if he is convicted of a money-laundering conspiracy charge and related offenses under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Saab, who is close to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, is the latest suspect to be charged in connection with a series of corruption and money-laundering cases filed in the United States that accuse dozens of current and former Venezuelan officials, business people and lawyers of stealing billions of dollars from Venezuelas government and its state-run oil company, PDVSA. Story continues Saab was charged along with Colombian national Alvaro Pulido Vargas, 55, a fugitive. They are accused of paying off Venezuelan government officials to obtain contracts to supply building materials for low-income housing projects between November 2011 and September 2015, according to an indictment filed by federal prosecutors Kurt Lunkenheimer and Alex Kramer. Saab and Pulido paid bribes to obtain improper business advantages from Venezuelan government officials, the indictment said. In turn, the two men were paid in U.S. dollars from the Venezuelan governments foreign-currency exchange system based on false and fraudulent invoices and documents for goods that were never imported into Venezuela, the indictment said. Saab and Pulido are accused of conspiring with others to launder the proceeds of the illegal bribery scheme from Venezuelan bank accounts into the U.S. financial system, including South Florida, where co-conspirators held meetings to carry out the illicit plot, U.S. prosecutors said. Prosecutors are seeking to confiscate $350 million of Saabs assets, and have already seized about $12 million from his U.S. bank accounts. While Saab boasts a high profile in South America, he also struck up a discreet relationship with a University of Miami professor who was implicated in an unrelated money-laundering case in South Florida. Former UM professor Bruce Bagley pleaded guilty last year to two counts of money laundering stemming from helping Saab divert $2.5 million in illicit funds from a food company controlled by the Colombian businessman between 2017 and 2018. His sentencing has been postponed repeatedly during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now scheduled for mid-November. Bagley, who is considered an expert on Latin American crime and money laundering, deposited Saabs overseas transfers in his consulting companys bank account and then sent most of the money to an unknown business, according to federal law enforcement sources. Of the total, Bagley kept about $300,000 in fees. In 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Saab for allegedly profiting from a no-bid contract to import food to Venezuela for President Maduros socialist government the very deal in which Bagley consulted Saab, sources told the Miami Herald. At the same time, Saab was indicted in Miami federal court on charges of conspiring to commit money laundering and multiple related counts tied to a public housing program run by Maduro. Maduro himself was charged in a drug-trafficking case in New York federal court last year. Associated Press Thousands of farmers in central Iran joined a protest on Friday demanding authorities open a dam to relieve drought-stricken areas, state TV reported. Several prominent actors and athletes have taken part in the peaceful demonstrations in the city of Isfahan, urging the government to intervene to aid famers increasingly suffering from droughts that have worsened over the years. The country's top vice-president, Mohamad Mokhber, later gave a brief statement to state TV, saying that meetings were being held over the issue and we are seriously trying to solve the water problem ... especially for Isfahan. Financial fitness and mental wellness are intertwined (PHOTO: Getty Commercial) By Bryce Johns SINGAPORE As we have just observed World Mental Health Day, something that has been on my mind has been how mental health not only affects how we think and feel, but also has a strong link with our physical and financial health. While multiple studies have been done on the former, we are only just starting to discover the interconnectedness between our mental and financial fitness. On a more surface level, more people are using their finances to boost their overall wellbeing. Just think of the wellness economy, which is currently valued at US$4.5 trillion according to the Global Wellness Institute. In the US, people are spending about US$287 a month just on their mental health. But when you dig a bit deeper, you see an even more complex relationship. The UKs Money and Mental Health Policy Institute found that people with mental health problems are at significantly higher risk of financial difficulty, which in turn can exacerbate mental health issues and prolong mental health recovery. The HSBC Life + Factor Study which surveyed over 10,000 people across Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China and the UK between March and April 2021, showed some interesting findings. Of those in Singapore with very low mental health, only 15% considered themselves very financially fit. Conversely, a majority of people in Singapore who identified as having above average mental health scored "very fit" for their financial fitness. What this tells us is that the better our mental health, the better our overall financial fitness. When asked about their wealth and holistic wellness, 91% of people in Singapore indicated that they needed to be mentally healthy to allow them to enjoy their wealth, while 80% felt that their mental health and financial position were related. Another element to come out of the survey was an emerging health legacy to challenge the traditional concept of an inheritance based solely on wealth and property. With societys enhanced focus on wellbeing no doubt driven in part by the pandemic people indicated their legacy is not only about the wealth they pass onto the next generation, but healthy lifestyle habits as well. Story continues This health legacy phenomenon was prevalent across all age groups in the study but strongest amongst the 25 to 34 age group at 81%. When it comes to ways to boost our mental wellness, the study found significant differences in the level of mental wellbeing between people who do or dont undertake long-term financial planning. Respondents who review their financial plan at least once a year tended to be in better mental health than does who do not. Of respondents with a comprehensive retirement plan, 80% felt that they had average or above average mental health. This is understandable as having a proper plan in place can help to alleviate extra stress about the future. The pandemic has changed not only our lifestyle and behaviours, but also the way we think. It has shone a light on the importance of mental wellness and how we tackle it as a society. Now you must be thinking to yourself, why would a CEO of a Global Insurance business be so concerned about this. Simply put, one can no longer think about wealth without health both physical and mental. When your job is to offer protection to people, how can you not consider the interlinks between the core dimensions of wellbeing? Mental wellness should be something that we prioritise beyond World Mental Health Day, so I am pledging to talk with my family and friends about our holistic health, to take stock of each component and consider how they are connected. Im motivated to do this not only because it will help us be at our best financially, mentally and emotionally but also because our study identified a fourth dimension to holistic wellbeing: people with above average mental and financial health are more prone to contribute to society. They not only donate to charity and engage in community events more, they are also more likely to invest in sustainable or ESG funds. This highlights the fact that being mentally and financially healthy doesnt just benefit the individual, it also has a bigger impact on our contribution to society at large, which in turn allows us to enjoy a fuller life. The Covid-19 crisis is a significant call to build back a better, more inclusive and sustainable world. And its important we all do our part. Bryce Johns is Global CEO, HSBC Life and Insurance Partnerships, based in Hong Kong. Bloomberg Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says tensions over Taiwan risk leading to a miscalculation between the U.S. and China as both nations step up activity around the island. "I don't think it's going to war overnight, but it is in a situation where you can have a mishap or a miscalculation and be in a very delicate situation," Lee said Wednesday night in an interview with Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum event in Singapore. Chad Batka Dana H., along with Is This A Room, were the best pieces of off-Broadway theater just before the pandemic hit. Now, karma doing its best kind of thing, the two Vineyard Theatre plays are playing at the same Broadway theater. Both are rooted in two very different traumatic real-life events, and both use words that were really said in the reciting of those real events. While Is This A Room focuses on intelligence contractor Reality Winners FBI interrogation (using the transcript of that day), Dana H. reveals to the audience what happened in 1997 when Dana Higginbotham, mother of playwright Lucas Hnath, was kidnapped and held hostage for five months, her terrifying captor Jim moving her from motel to motel in a horrific, nightmarish road trip. Is This A Room Is a Real FBI Interrogation, and Now a Standout Broadway Show Hnathmulti-award-winning playwright of productions including A Dolls House, Part 2has crafted Dana H. It is around 75 minutes long, and directed by Les Waters, starring a transfixing Deirdre OConnell as Hnaths mother. OConnell first takes her seat on Andrew Boyces set, which evokes a nondescript motel room. She is wired up to a microphone and earbuds by stage hand. We learn via surtitles that she will lip-sync Higginbothams words, as recorded in an edited interview conducted by a theatrical colleague of Hnaths, Steve Cosson. And so this astonishing exercise begins. It is not just lip-syncing, though, which implies a very basic act of impersonation or mimicry. For one, OConnell masters every rustle, movement of the body, caught breath, laugh, rise of emotion. Every sound that is on tape, every pause, everything is replicated by her. But she also inhabits the character of Higginbotham commandingly too, sitting there, facing us. The play begins and ends with a meditation on death. Higginbotham, in her regular life, is a hospital chaplain who helps people and their loved ones prepare for death, this after her own life was taken away from her by her violent assailant and abuser. He begins as a referral whose notes she scanshe was in Folsom, San Quentin, Pelican Bay, uh for inciting riots, uh carjackings, uh attempted murders. Story continues He is a criminal and a member of an extremist hate groupthe plays producers have asked journalists not to name this group in reviews, which seems weird as Hnath himself does so in the play, many timesand explaining its influence is one reason Dana feels so trapped and imperiled. Why name the group in the play so often? The media, yes, could amplify the name by saying it, but its curious to ask the media not to invade your privacy and potentially endanger safety when you have done the same in such unsparing detail in the name of art. One would have thought the people not being named may know about the play whatever the media draws a veil over in these reviews. Jim first stays with Dana, sleeping on the couch downstairs. He slept on the couch downstairs: I remember him sharpening the pen... to make a weapon. There is a bloody suicide attempt. It is odd, the lack of professional boundaries, especially around someone so dangerous, but this is not elaborated upon. Eventually, Jim throws himself through Danas window and kidnaps her. And so her nightmare begins. The threat of death, and extreme violence, is what he uses to prevent her from escaping. She is in situationsin cafes, and public placeswhere she wants to make a break for it or try to tell someone what is happening. But she cannot. Higginbotham finds herself drawn deeper into his web of madness, with receding opportunities of escape. Every encounter with a cop ends with the kidnapper and the cop chumming up. The one time a cop tells her to make a run for it and he will hold Jim for as long as he can, Jim simply catches up to her again, and her captivity continues. She saysand this is perhaps a mixture of his use of coercive control and Stockholm Syndromethat she came to see him as her protector and that she was envious he had parlayed his anger into actually killing someone, as she herself had wanted to do on occasion. Jim eventually rapes her, violently. OConnells gallery of facial expressions and gestures conveys confusion, fear, and brutalizationand occasionally, amazingly, humor. We feel increasing, wrenching desperation watching this story of abuse and imprisonment, although more and more frustrated with Cosson as an interviewer. He asks questions, but they are of the extremely basic kind. Perhaps he was being understandably gentle with his friends mom, but interviews are interviews, and a play is a playand too much in Dana H. is simply left unasked and unanswered. We do hear of her rescue and then an embracing of a new life of manual steelworkand Jims apparent vanishing from her life. But the play prompts so many questionsabout her captivity, the lack of response to it, and what happened afterward. The text doesnt make clear if law enforcement generally knew and was trying to find her (she has occasional not very helpful encounters with local enforcement), but it seems odd that Higginbotham was kidnapped and essentially left her life for five months, and no family or authorities took notice of this, or proactively attempted anything to return her to safety. Maybe they did, and it is not related here. Dana H. stunningly escapes its own stage bounds near the end, when Waters, lighting designer Paul Toben, and sound designer Mikhail Fiksel bring the motel room to loud, insane life to convey the disorientation and terrorand geographical dislocationthat Higginbotham endured in so many different motel rooms at the hands of Jim. An uncredited actor playing a maid tidies the room (that is really many rooms) in this interlude before OConnell returns to the stage to complete her act of theatrical virtuosityand nothing that is missing from the dramatic account of the play diminishes that virtuosity. This is a singular, richly nuanced performance. Go and see it. 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. Rare public protests in Cuba on July 11, and a crackdown by security forces, led the Biden administration to accuse Havana of human rights abuse. "Down with the dictatorship," protesters shouted. (Yamil Lage / AFP/Getty Images) One of Cuba's most senior diplomats switches from Spanish to English when he describes the pace at which many Cubans expected a new President Biden to ease restrictions on the island nation. "Swiftly," Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said. Biden had campaigned with the vow of a fast rollback of many of the toughest policies imposed on Cuba by President Trump. But nearly nine months into the Biden administration, little has changed. To punish Cuba and win political points in Florida, Trump took steps to reverse the diplomatic thaw started by President Obama. Trump suspended remittances, the money Cuban Americans and others send to relatives and friends on the island; made drastic cuts in travel by U.S. citizens to Cuba; blocked some oil shipments to the country; and, on one of the last days of his administration, placed Cuba on the very short list of countries that sponsor terrorism. Far from lifting the sanctions, however, the Biden administration tightened them in July after Cuban authorities' violent crackdown on rare anti-government demonstrations and the arrest of hundreds. Despite promises early in Biden's presidency that limits on remittances long a key source of income for many Cubans would be eased, the State Department now says only that it has studied the issue and has sent recommendations to the White House. A senior State Department official in an interview declined to detail the recommendations but said the goal was to get remittances to ordinary people and not into the hands of the Cuban government or military. At the National Security Council, the official in charge of Latin America, Juan Gonzalez, declined through a spokeswoman to speak to The Times. People familiar with the State Department review said the recommendations include solid ideas, such as the use of electronic wallets, that would satisfy the stated goals. But some observers suspect the administration remains internally at odds over what to do about remittances and broader Cuba policy. Story continues "There is no excuse for the Biden administration not to have done something on remittances," said Ted Henken, a professor of Latin American studies at Baruch College who has written extensively on U.S. policy regarding Cuba. "They are more afraid of acting and making a mistake than acting." By easing sanctions, Biden could face political fallout among conservative Cuban Americans who make up a large voting bloc in the battleground state of Florida, as well as from lawmakers like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Cubans, from government officials to ordinary citizens, are frustrated. Remittances are a lifeline for many families. U.S. officials argue that part of the remittance money is skimmed off by the Cuban government, a concern Havana says is overblown. Antigovernment protesters march July 11 in Havana to protest food shortages. (Eliana Aponte / Associated Press) Plainclothes police in Havana detain a protester during massive demonstrations in July. (Ramon Espinosa / Associated Press) Fernandez de Cossio, who heads the section of the Cuban Foreign Ministry dedicated to U.S. affairs, claimed that coverage of the protest crackdowns, which included images and video of demonstrators being beaten, was exaggerated. He argued that the Biden administration is paralyzed by fear of domestic political reprisals. "They can't do anything and remain popular with those in Miami," he said in an interview on the margins of last month's United Nations General Assembly meeting. "This administration has not been able to find its voice for what it wants to do with Cuba." Southern and central Florida are home to thousands of people who fled communist or leftist governments in Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and elsewhere. In the 2020 presidential campaign, Trump capitalized on their dread of the left by falsely portraying Biden and other Democrats as socialists. Trump won the state. Biden's lack of action on Cuba, which sits just 90 miles south of the U.S., has served as another example for a small but growing group of foreign policy experts who argue that many of the president's policies are not so different from Trump's. Some Cuban Americans say the slow pace on remittances is doing less harm to the communist government or military than to average Cubans on the island. Those trying to get money to relatives and friends in Cuba must jump through hoops and work through third parties, and even then are often unsuccessful. "There is no direct way to do it, and the process is intricate, expensive and cumbersome," said Maria Isabel Alfonso, a Cuban American who teaches Cuban culture at St. Joseph's College in New York. She works with a group that advocates engagement with Cuba but does not support the government. Citizens facing acute shortages of food, medicine and fuel are suffering the most, she said. But Javier Larrondo who, as president of Prisoners Defenders, has advocated for scores of political prisoners detained in Cuba said Biden was wise to take his time addressing the problem, because circumventing Cuban government efforts to take a cut of incoming monies is difficult. "He needs to find a balance, how not to directly harm the people while diminishing the power of the dictatorship," Larrondo said. State Department officials in July put together a task force with representatives from the Treasury Department and other agencies, who consulted with outside experts for recommendations on remittances. The goal is "to support the Cuban people while holding the regime to accountability," the State official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, in keeping with government protocol. One area in which the administration appears likely to move more quickly is repopulating the U.S. Embassy in Havana. Obama reopened the embassy in 2015, a major step in ending half a century of Cold War tensions. But the staff shrank in part because of Trump's decision to freeze relations. Then, U.S. personnel were withdrawn after diplomats and others reported unexplained medical problems; the mysterious affliction, which has harmed U.S. diplomats around the world, is now known as Havana syndrome. In the coming weeks, the U.S. will send more diplomats to Havana and will allow them to bring spouses, a reversal of Trump-era rules. Without a full embassy staff, Cuban citizens cannot obtain U.S. visas without traveling to a third country. The administration is also insisting on uncensored access to the internet for Cuban citizens, who report frequent cuts in service that many think is aimed at silencing dissidents. The Cuban government blames a weak system and electrical outages. For some 60 years, since the Cuban Revolution carried Fidel Castro to power, successive U.S. administrations have, in varying degrees, sought changes in Havana, almost always unsuccessfully. Were going to be taking a close look at what has and has not worked in the past, and unfortunately, in the case of Cuba, there may be more that has not worked than what has worked," State Department spokesman Ned Price said of the review before recommendations were made to the White House. Last week, Price confirmed that the recommendations on remittances had been sent to the White House "some number of weeks ago" but offered no timeline for when action might be taken. "It is an issue that is not uncomplicated," he said. U.S. sanctions complicate efforts by other countries to trade and deal with Cuba, because those governments risk falling afoul of Washington. Fernandez de Cossio said Cubans are especially aggrieved at being placed on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, along with North Korea, Iran and Syria. Putting Cuba in that club, he said, is unfair and not supported by facts. Biden and others criticized the move, which Trump made eight days before he left office. But the new administration has yet to take action to reverse it. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. As sheets of oil washed on shore, the mayor of this surfing hub made a dire forecast: The community could be looking at an environmental disaster that could linger for years. The reality, fortunately, appears less grim after the U.S. Coast Guard announced last week that the early October spill is estimated to be only about one-fifth of what was initially feared. Officials had reckoned up to 144,000 gallons of oil leaked into the Pacific Ocean; the new estimate is closer to 25,000 gallons. Multiple investigations are examining everything from the cause of the spill to possible delays in reporting the accident, which may have worsened the spill. For now, officials believe an anchor from a cargo ship may have sliced open the pipeline. From our editor to your inbox: Editor-in-chief Nicole Carroll takes you behind the scenes of the newsroom in this weekly newsletter About a week after the oil spilled just miles from the iconic beach, it reopened to the public and its surfing crowds. The beach still remained fairly empty throughout the week, save for hundreds of orange and neon green vests that dotted the coastline: Workers cleaning up oil. But surfers were relieved and surprised to see their home on the water open so quickly. The jarring turnaround, officials and experts say, was the result of aggressive measures by government officials who learned lessons from past spills, a rapid response by environmental groups, lucky timing for some marine life, and weather conditions and currents that prevented the spill from forever changing the coastline of the Southern California beach. Floating barriers known as booms were in place Oct. 4 to try to protect the Talbert Marsh wetlands after an oil spill off Huntington Beach, California. How weather, ocean currents helped Huntington Beach avert disaster The first notifications about the spill didnt sound alarms in "Surf City USA." Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr told USA TODAY she learned of a possible spill on the morning of Oct. 2, and no one seemed to be especially worried. The citys Pacific Airshow was underway, an annual event that typically brings 1.5 million people to the tourist-dependent area. Story continues But throughout that afternoon, Carr said, reports seemed to indicate developing concern. The U.S. Coast Guard didnt expect oil to reach the shoreline until days later, on Oct. 4, Carr said. But boaters reported oil closing in on the citys coast. WATCH: How some of the most historic oil spills in U.S. history are still affecting us today By that evening, oil was washing ashore, days before Carr said it had been predicted. California has lost more than 91% of its historic wetlands, and some of the surviving 9% are in Huntington Beach. By late afternoon, booms floating barriers to prevent oil from escaping were deployed across the city to protect some of the fragile wetlands, which provide habitat for 90 species of birds and other wildlife. Carr says the move helped contain the damage to the area and its wildlife. Another crucial element was something crews had no way of controlling: the weather and currents that changed the direction of the spill. The California city of Huntington Beach, known as Surf City USA, is in the early stages of recovering from an oil spill. Southern California saw an onslaught of unusual and extreme weather events in the weeks after the spill. Large thunderstorms, widespread rain, wind gusts up to 50 mph and 11-foot waves struck the bottom half of the state the week after the spill, said NOAA senior meteorologist Alex Tardy. The conditions not only made it hard for meteorologists to estimate how much oil leaked into the ocean, Tardy said, but could have influenced the path of the spill. Oil moves with the ocean current and ocean waves, he said. With thunderstorms, heavy rain and gusty winds, youre probably going to disrupt it. Oil spill sends dead birds, fish onto California beaches: This map shows how big it really is But then came sunny weather and calm skies. Ocean currents, invisible to the human eye but constantly moving, along with the strong winds had pushed much of the oil south toward San Diego and away from Huntington Beach. While oil concentrated in one area can be easier to clean up, it can suffocate wildlife and the ecosystem. By being proactive, getting a little bit lucky with the weather ... we dodged a bullet, Carr said. California oil spill could have been 'a whole lot worse' for wildlife As beachgoers and surfers were welcomed back to Huntington Beach, the damage below the water and sand were still unclear. Oil continues to wash ashore, and tides coming in and out are mixed with chunks of tar. Oil spills have historically hurt marine life and underwater ecosystems, reducing populations of sea creatures and decimating smaller life forms like plankton. They can harm coral reefs, which can have a ripple effect on the larger ecosystem. The animal most people see affected first are sea birds. The Oiled Wildlife Care Network, a statewide agency that cares for wildlife after oil spills, said 77 oiled birds had been recovered. Of those, 47 died. Eleven fish were found dead from the oil. A worker with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife examines a sanderling contaminated by the oil spill in Huntington Beach, California. This could have been a whole lot worse, said wildlife veterinarian Ole Alcumbrac, noting the time of year probably helped reduce the toll. The birds, specifically, really lucked out because it was after the nesting season and before migration along the Pacific Flyway started, so there could have been a lot more birds in the area, or birds that were vulnerable because they were still nesting." The damage under the water will take time and a crystal ball to predict," Alcumbrac said. Some animals probably swam through the pollution and may have ingested toxins, which can pose long-term side effects. Many were displaced by the oil and would be searching for new homes. Cultural, economic affects remain mostly invisible along California coast Huntington Beach was notably empty on a sunny afternoon last week. Dozens of bikers and joggers cruised along the bike path, but few ventured onto the sand. Russ Jones, 64, was one of the only surfers out. He has lived in Huntington Beach for 40 years, and he surfs at least twice a week. The swell was good on this day, he said. Jones was around for Huntington Beachs 1990 oil spill, which leaked more than 400,000 gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean, and he feared the same disaster 30 years later. But the October spill is projected to have leaked much less oil than the 1990 spill and much less than originally feared. Oil washes up on Huntington Beach on Oct. 4. Jones was surprised the beach opened again so quickly, but he was happy nonetheless. Surfing is a huge part of my life, he said. So when they shut down something like that, it really affects you mentally and physically, because its therapeutic and its exercise. It clears your head. Cultural and economic harm may be the biggest, yet most invisible, result of the spill. Opinion: Latest California oil spill paints grim picture for future generations Californias Department of Fish and Wildlife shut down all fisheries in the area on Oct. 4, and they remained closed as of Thursday. Southern California also has a large community of shore-based fishers people who fish from the beach, jetties and piers, said California State University Channel Islands environmental science professor Sean Anderson. Those shore-based fishing communities tend to be dominated by first-generation immigrants, a majority from Southeast Asia, Anderson said. Fisheries will suffer economic damage, as well as the businesses that line the Huntington Beach coastline, which already have been battered by the pandemic. Then there are people on the shore who aren't just fishing for money theyre fishing for dinner. Until the spill is cleared, the effect on their way of life will remain very real. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Huntington Beach oil spill could have been a disaster for 'Surf City'. Iran is wasting time with a push for a sidebar meeting with European Union officials in Brussels, according to U.S. and European officials. We dont think its necessary, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Monday. "The destination we seek is in Vienna, not an intermediate step in Brussels. Iranian officials shifted last week from their summer-long practice of refusing to meet for talks with Western officials to now proposing a plan to huddle with European Union officials in the absence of the United States. This diplomatic gambit occurred just as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and allied officials signaled that they would discuss potential military options to counter the regimes nuclear program in an apparent final push to induce Iran to return to the negotiations in Vienna, not Brussels. NATO PANS RUSSIAN COMPLAINTS AFTER LAVROV SHUTTERS DIPLOMATIC OFFICES Such discussions would not replace the Vienna negotiations with the other participants of the JCPoA and the United States, a French foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters, using the formal acronym for the 2015 nuclear deal. Those talks were interrupted four months ago at Tehran's request, and Iran has not yet committed to a date for their resumption. European Union high representative Josep Borrell's team contradicted Iranian claims that a meeting would take place on Thursday. "At this stage we cannot confirm if or when a meeting will take place, EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali told reporters. That repudiation came on the heels of Borrell, the blocs lead diplomat, expressing his hope that we will have preparatory meetings in Brussels in the days to come as he arrived at the EUs regular meeting of foreign ministers. Price and French officials alike prioritized the Vienna talks as the avenue to broker a U.S. and Iranian return to compliance with the nuclear deal. In the meantime, it is urgent and crucial for Iran to end the activities of unprecedented gravity that it is conducting in violation of the JCPoA and to immediately resume full-fledged cooperation with the IAEA, the French foreign ministry spokesperson added, referring to Irans defiance of a United Nations nuclear watchdog that detected nuclear material at three undeclared nuclear sites. Story continues CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER That additional rebuke coincided with IAEA director general Rafael Grossis arrival in Washington for meetings Monday and Tuesday. His itinerary includes a briefing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where senior Democrats regard Irans refusal to answer questions about the missing nuclear material as a major impediment to returning to the 2015 nuclear deal. As we have said repeatedly, France, its E3 partners, its other JCPoA partners and the United States are prepared to return immediately to the Vienna negotiations and to resume them where they left off last June, in order to swiftly conclude an agreement on Iran's return to its commitments and the United States return to the JCPoA, the French foreign ministry spokesperson said. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Foreign Policy, National Security, Iran, France, European Union, IAEA Original Author: Joel Gehrke Original Location: We don't think it's necessary: US dismisses Irans push for extra EU meeting as nuke talks await By Francesco Guarascio BRUSSELS (Reuters) -More than a billion COVID-19 vaccines produced in the European Union have been exported since December 2020, making the bloc the biggest exporter of the shots, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday. The vaccines had gone to more than 150 countries, and the EU had exported as many doses as it had distributed to its own citizens, von der Leyen added in a statement. The bloc started exporting vaccines at the start of the global roll out at a time when other major producers such as the United States were building up their own supplies and restricting exports. Most EU exports have been directed to bigger economies, including Japan, Turkey and Britain, who had contracts with vaccine makers based in the bloc. Sales and donations to poorer nations have so far made up a small proportion of total exports, but the bloc was planning to distribute at least 500 million shots to the most vulnerable countries in coming months, von der Leyen said. Half of these doses would be supplied from a new contract that the EU wants to have with a producer of messenger RNA vaccines, officials said. The other half will be donations from EU states who have already bought vaccines. The bloc has already signed supply contracts with mRNA vaccine makers Pfizer-BioNTech for a total of up to 2.4 billion doses until 2023 and with Moderna for up to 460 million doses. The EU set up a vaccine export control mechanism in late January to monitor the outbound flow of shots from the continent. Although the mechanism allows the EU to block exports in the event of insufficient domestic supplies, it has been activated only once to prevent the shipment of 250,000 AstraZeneca vaccines to Australia in March at the height of a dispute with the Anglo-Swedish firm about its supplies to the EU. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, editing by Marine Strauss, Ed Osmond and Andrew Heavens) BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU and British negotiators need to be given time to discuss possible changes to Northern Ireland's trading arrangements, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Monday, expressing hope that they could register progress in the next few weeks. The European Commission has made a "major move" in trying to ease trade from Britain to Northern Ireland with a package that was "strongly welcomed" in the British province, particularly by the business community, Coveney said. "There is a process of dialogue now agreed between both sides and I think we need to give that time and space to work. The EU has not said their package is a 'take it or leave it' package," Coveney said. Coveney told reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers that the British government's statements in the first half of last week had been unhelpful and appeared to be creating a relatively new problem, over the role of the European Court of Justice, rather than simply solving problems on the ground. Since then Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic and British Brexit Minister David Frost have met in Brussels to discuss a solution. "The Frost-Sefcovic discussions since that package was launched last Wednesday would suggest that both sides are taking that dialogue and that discussion very seriously, and hopefully we'll see progress in the next few weeks," Coveney said. In a statement after Friday's Frost-Sefcovic meeting, the British government said it would discuss the EU proposals constructively and in a positive spirit. However, Frost repeated the British view that significant changes are still required to the current arrangements, including on governance. "We recognise that the British government has an issue there, but we also recognise that the British government has obligations under international law to comply with the treaty that they themselves designed, ratified and now have an obligation to implement," Coveney said. Further talks will continue in Brussels this week. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Gareth Jones) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) A fire erupted on Monday at a major oil refinery in Kuwait, the state-owned oil company said, reporting that some workers suffered from smoke inhalation and other light injuries. The blaze at the key Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery along Kuwait's Persian Gulf coastline north of its border with Saudi Arabia did not affect the electrical supply or oil exports, according to Kuwait's National Petroleum Company. Several oil contractors were receiving treatment for their burns at a nearby hospital, the company added. The refinery was built to handle 25,000 barrels of oil a day to supply Kuwait's domestic market primarily with gasoline and diesel and recently underwent an expansion to reduce its emissions and boost capacity to 346,000 barrels a day. Firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze in the refinery's treatment unit, which removes sulfur from the oil products. Residents in Kuwait's coastal Fahaheel district reported hearing a large explosion and shared footage on social media of thick, black smoke billowing over the highway. Kuwait, a nation home to 4.1 million people, is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of New Jersey. The nation has the worlds sixth-largest known oil reserves. SheKnows While the Cambridges and the Sussexes have been going about their royal duties and philanthropic endeavors like business as usual, there still seems to be some lingering tension between the two royal couples. But with Prince William and Kate Middletons upcoming 2022 trip to America for the continuation of the Duke of Cambridges Earthshot Prize, [] News broke early Monday that Powell had passed away from COVID-19 complications, instantly causing his name to trend on Twitter. The news broke early Monday morning that 84-year-old military and political leader Gen Colin L. Powell Americas first Black national security adviser, first Black Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman and first Black Secretary of State had died of coronavirus complications, instantly causing his name to trend on Twitter. A statement shared to his verified Facebook page reads: General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19. He was fully vaccinated. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Secretary of State Colin Powell arrives to pay his respects at the casket of the late former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state at the U.S. Capitol, December 4, 2018, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather, and a great American. The message is signed The Powell Family. Powell had multiple myeloma, according to NBC News. It is a type of blood cancer that hurts the bodys ability to fight infections. And in 2003, The New York Times reported that then-Secretary of State Powell had surgery to treat prostate cancer, which was detected in its early stages. Powell was a retired four-star general, politician and diplomat who began his career in the United States Army in 1958. It was only once I was in college, about six months into college, when I found something that I liked, and that was ROTC, Reserve Officer Training Corps, in the military. And I not only liked it, but I was pretty good at it, he told The Academy of Achievement in a 1998 interview. Thats what you really have to look for in life, something that you like, and something that you think youre pretty good at. And if you can put those two things together, then youre on the right track, and just drive on. I wanted to get on and say how sad my family and I are. We knew Gen. Powell and we greatly admired this giant of a man. I met him first in 1992. When he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He was a great American Hero. Our thoughts & prayers are with his wife & family. #ColinPowell https://t.co/8dkrCzN37O Sophia A. Nelson (@IAmSophiaNelson) October 18, 2021 PLEASE GET DOUBLE VACCINATED AND BOOSTERS! https://t.co/Q75xxhSTw2 Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) October 18, 2021 National Security Advisor Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Secretary of State 4-star General The trails this man has blazed At Ft. Campbell I remember he and my father had the same barber Rest in Peace Gen. Colin Powell Men like this don't come around everyday This world is not my home (@msonemic) October 18, 2021 Powell served in the Vietnam War as an adviser from 1962 to 1963, and returned to the region five years later as a major. After the war, Powell was a White House Fellow under President Richard Nixon, beginning his long tenure as a valued adviser to several Republican presidents. Story continues He also served as national security advisor under President Ronald Reagan from 1987 to 1989. Powell was then elevated to four-star general under President George H.W. Bush in 1989, and later that same year, Bush selected him as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A Republican who was respected on both sides of the political aisle, Powell was seen as a potential presidential candidate against Democrat Bill Clinton in 1996, and while he declined the nomination, he won the New Hampshire vice-presidential primary with write-in votes. He was again floated as a potential candidate in the 2000 election, and even won three electoral college votes in 2016. President George W. Bush nominated Powell for Secretary of State in 2000, and he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. He held the role from January 2001 to January 2005, and was influential in guiding diplomacy in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Powell played a role in the invasion of Iraq, addressing the United Nations Security Council in Feb. 2003 to argue for the support of a multi-national coalition to remove Saddam Hussein. During his speech, Powell presented intelligence that claimed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and planned to produce more. Much of the intelligence turned out to be incorrect. Powell would later call the United Nations speech, which laid out the Bush administrations rationale for war in Iraq, a blot on his distinguished record. In June of 2020, Powell spoke out against then-President Donald Trump, calling him a liar, denouncing the Republican Party and vowing to vote for Joe Biden. Im just a citizen who has voted Republican, voted Democrat throughout my entire career. And right now Im just watching my country and not concerned with parties, Powell said earlier this year. Former president George W. Bush and his wife issued the following statement: Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of Colin Powell. He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam. Many Presidents relied on General Powells counsel and experience. He was National Security Adviser under President Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under my father and President Clinton, and Secretary of State during my Administration. He was such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man. After his political service, Powell was a regular public speaker, an author, and served on the board of directors of Revolution Health and the Council on Foreign Relations. Powell was the founder of Americas Promise Alliance, the nations largest cross-sector alliance of nonprofit community organizations, businesses and government organizations dedicated to improving the lives of young people. Powell leaves to mourn his memory his wife Alma, son Michael, and two daughters Linda and Annemarie. Have you subscribed to theGrio podcasts Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today! The post General Colin Powell, the first Black Secretary of State, dead at 84 appeared first on TheGrio. BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) joined the Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens on Monday in approving a decision by party leaders to proceed with three-way coalition talks to form what they called "a government of the middle". The FDP leadership and members of parliament voted in favour of the start to negotiations after initial exploratory talks that saw the three parties agree a roadmap. The Greens and centre-left SPD had already given their approval. Party sources have said talks to form a "traffic light" alliance - named after the parties' red, yellow and green colours - could begin from Thursday, with the aim of swearing in a government by Christmas. Such a three-way coalition - the first of its kind at a federal level - would oust the conservatives after 16 years in government under Chancellor Angela Merkel, who did not stand for re-election. But FDP leader Christian Lindner said his party would ensure this would not herald a shift to the left. Instead, theirs would be a "government of the middle". "We see opportunities but we also see challenges," said Lindner, adding that there were big differences between the parties and "a lot of tolerance" would be necessary. The targeted alliance would be led by the SPD, which came first in last month's election, with the party's Olaf Scholz likely succeeding Merkel as chancellor. Scholz is currently finance minister and vice-chancellor in the outgoing coalition between Merkel's conservatives and their junior partner, the SPD. He and the leaders of the smaller Greens and FDP announced on Friday they aimed to move into formal coalition talks, publishing the roadmap of points on which they agreed and compromises they had already reached. Among other measures, the parties agreed to bring forward an exit from coal-fired power, to avoid tax increases and to raise the minimum wage. The Greens and FDP have kept open the option of turning to the conservatives should talks with the SPD stumble. (Reporting by Alexander Ratz; Additional Reporting by Holger Hansen; Writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Alison Williams) Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana). Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post/AFP via Getty Images Sen. Bill Cassidy said if voters are thinking about winning in 2024, Trump might lose the primary. "Elections are about winning," he said, adding the GOP lost the House, Senate, and White House under Trump. Cassidy was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict in Trump's impeachment trial. GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said he's not so sure former President Donald Trump would win the Republican nomination if he decides to run for president in 2024. "President Trump is the first president in the Republican side at least to lose the House, the Senate and the presidency in four years. Elections are about winning," Cassidy said during an interview with "Axios on HBO" that aired Sunday. Interviewer Mike Allen asked Cassidy if he thought Trump could lose the nomination. "Well, if you want to win the presidency - and hopefully that's what voters are thinking about - I think he might," Cassidy said. Cassidy was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump during his impeachment trial that followed the Capitol riot. Trump was acquitted, but Cassidy has repeatedly stood by his vote to convict. "I take an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and when there was a pattern of behavior that culminated, as it did, on January the 6th, and we've had revelations since, that just led me to that decision," Cassidy said in the interview. Trump has not officially announced plans to run in 2024, though he has repeatedly teased the idea at rallies and during media interviews. Cassidy told Axios if Trump does end up running, he won't be voting for him. Read the original article on Business Insider DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) Protests continued Monday in Bangladeshs capital to denounce a wave of violence against Hindus following an image posted on social media that was perceived as insulting to the countrys Muslim majority. New attacks took place Sunday night in a northern village, where unidentified people burned up to 26 homes of Hindus despite a warning by the government that such attacks would be firmly punished. The violence has prompted the United Nations to urge the government to take actions to stop it. On Monday, the followers of the Hindu group International Society for Krishna Consciousness were joined by students and teachers from Dhaka University in blocking a major intersection in Dhaka to demand justice. Several other Hindu groups also joined the peaceful protest at the Shahbagh intersection. Attacks on Hindu temples have intensified since last Wednesday after a photo was posted on social media showing a copy of Islams holy book, the Quran, at the feet of a statue at a Hindu temple in the eastern district of Cumilla. Local media reported that six Hindus were killed in separate attacks, but the figures could not confirmed independently. Local media downplayed their coverage of the violence, apparently under pressure from the government to control any new attacks as Hindus celebrated their largest religious festival, Durga Puja, that ended Friday. Muslims also held street protests after the images came out on social media, especially Facebook. Mia Seppo, the U.N.'s resident coordinator in Bangladesh, said in a Twitter post on Monday that the attacks on Hindus are against the values of the Bangladesh constitution and need to stop. We call upon Government to ensure protection of minorities and an impartial probe, Seppo said. We call upon all to join hands to strengthen inclusive tolerant. Asif Hasan, chief government administrator of northern Rangpur district, said Monday that attackers torched the homes of Hindus in a fishing village on Sunday night. They also stole cash, cattle and other valuables during the attack, he said. Hasan said 42 people were arrested. On Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred seven police officials from troubled areas for failing to control the violence. About 9% of Bangladeshs 160 million people are Hindu. Bangladesh follows a largely secular legal system based on British common law. Homeowners and businesses affected by the damage inflicted from Tropical Depression Ida will be receiving help after all, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced. In a Friday afternoon news release, Hogan made the announcement that $4 million in funding through the U.S. Small Business Administration will be made available to help homeowners and businesses rebuild. He also requested a disaster declaration from the organization in order to make low-interest loans available. In the absence of federal action, I am taking immediate steps to provide additional relief for the families and businesses affected by last months devastating storm, Hogan said in the release. Working with local leaders, we are going to continue to do everything we can to help the community get through this and recover. The Federal Emergency Management Agency denied the state's request for a disaster declaration. According to the release, the funding will be made available through the Department of Housing and Community Development, which will help homeowners with repairs, short-term rental assistance, and business loans. The governor made the SBA disaster request for Anne Arundel, Cecil, and Montgomery counties, which were the areas hardest hit by the storm in early September. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, State, Maryland Original Author: Brent Addleman, The Center Square Original Location: Hogan makes $4 million in funding available after FEMA denial Prosecutors said an Illinois woman killed a man because he declined to give her a kiss. Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images Prosecutors allege an Illinois woman shot and killed a man after he refused to give her a kiss. Claudia Resendiz-Flores has been charged with first-degree murder, according to police. A judge ordered Resendiz-Flores held without bail on Saturday, according to the Daily Herald. An Illinois woman was arrested after prosecutors allege she shot and killed a man because he refused to kiss her. Police arrested Claudia Resendiz-Flores on October 14 in Rolling Meadows, a suburb of Chicago, and charged her with first-degree murder, according to a release from the Rolling Meadows Police Department. Police found one victim, James P. Jones, who had been shot in the chest and was later pronounced dead, according to the statement. Resendiz-Flores had been drinking with a couple who she had recently moved in with at their home on Saturday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Prosecutors said Resendiz-Flores took Jones' gun and pointed it at him after he declined her request for a kiss, asking his girlfriend for a peck instead, the newspaper reported. Jones pushed the gun down, but Resendiz-Florez lifted her arm again and shot him once in the chest, prosecutors said. According to the Sun-Times, Jones' girlfriend then called 911 and police later found the gun in the couple's living room. Resendiz-Florez is married, but is separated from her husband and is the sole provider for her three children, the Sun-Times reported. Assistant Public Defender Courtney Smallwood, who is representing Resendiz-Flores, disputed that her client was living with Jones and his girlfriend and said Resendiz-Flores was actually living at a family home in Des Plaines, Illinois, according to the Sun-Times. A judge ordered Resindiz-Flores to be held without bail at a bond hearing on Saturday, The Daily Herald reported. She is next expected in court on Tuesday. Read the original article on Insider If you want to know who really controls PerkinElmer, Inc. (NYSE:PKI), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. Companies that have been privatized tend to have low insider ownership. PerkinElmer is a pretty big company. It has a market capitalization of US$21b. Normally institutions would own a significant portion of a company this size. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions are noticeable on the share registry. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about PerkinElmer. See our latest analysis for PerkinElmer What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About PerkinElmer? Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index. As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in PerkinElmer. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see PerkinElmer's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Institutional investors own over 50% of the company, so together than can probably strongly influence board decisions. It would appear that 7.0% of PerkinElmer shares are controlled by hedge funds. That worth noting, since hedge funds are often quite active investors, who may try to influence management. Many want to see value creation (and a higher share price) in the short term or medium term. The company's largest shareholder is The Vanguard Group, Inc., with ownership of 10%. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 9.8% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 7.0% by the third-largest shareholder. Story continues We also observed that the top 10 shareholders account for more than half of the share register, with a few smaller shareholders to balance the interests of the larger ones to a certain extent. While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future. Insider Ownership Of PerkinElmer The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. Our data suggests that insiders own under 1% of PerkinElmer, Inc. in their own names. Being so large, we would not expect insiders to own a large proportion of the stock. Collectively, they own US$164m of stock. It is good to see board members owning shares, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying. General Public Ownership The general public holds a 12% stake in PerkinElmer. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand PerkinElmer better, we need to consider many other factors. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for PerkinElmer (of which 1 is concerning!) you should know about. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. Oil spill in California. Mario Tama/Getty Images Federal investigators trying to determine what caused an oil spill off the Southern California coast earlier this month believe that during a heavy storm in January, the anchor of the MSC DANIT hit the underwater pipeline, pulling it for more than 100 feet. Coast Guard Lt. j.g. SondraKay Kneen said on Sunday that it's thought the anchor bent the pipeline, but did not break it. The MSC DANIT is a 1,200-foot cargo ship registered in Panama and operated by the MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company. The ship arrived at the Port of Long Beach this weekend, and investigators are on board. It's estimated that 25,000 gallons of oil spilled into the Pacific Ocean because of this leak, killing wildlife. Kneen made it clear that investigators do not know for certain yet if the DANIT's anchor caused the leak, or if there was another reason for the pipeline damage. "We're still looking at multiple vessels and scenarios," she said. You may also like Sicilian Catholic diocese bans godparents. Yes, it's partly due to Mafia godfathers. The American 'Great Resignation' by the numbers Halloween Kills scores best debut for a horror film during the pandemic TOKYO (AP) Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called for increases in Japan's military capability and spending in response to what he described as growing threats from China and North Korea in a public debate with eight other political party leaders ahead of upcoming national elections. The party leaders also discussed ways to mend the pandemic-hit economy and respond to any future waves of the coronavirus issues expected to feature prominently in the Oct. 31 elections. As head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, Kishida was selected prime minister earlier this month and called the election for the 465-seat lower house, the more powerful of Japans two-chamber Diet, or parliament. He said he is seeking a public mandate for his leadership and policies. Official campaigning for the election begins Tuesday. Kishida said Japan's security environment has been rapidly changing. He noted that North Korea likely possesses several hundred missiles capable of reaching Japan, and said Japan should consider acquiring the ability to strike back at an enemy base as a deterrence option allowable under international law. Pre-emptive strike and strike-back options are controversial and critics say they go beyond Japans war-renouncing Constitution, which strictly limits the use of force to self-defense. We have to prepare for realistic possibilities to protect our people and discuss a wide range of options, he said. Separately Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno also proposed stepping up Japan's missile defense capability, noting China's reported test of a supersonic missile in August. Matsuno called it a new threat that conventional equipment have difficulty dealing with. He said Japan will step up its detection, tracking and shooting-down capability of any aerial threat." Kishida, who earlier was considered a dovish moderate, has become increasingly hawkish, apparently to gain support within his party, which is controlled by right-wing heavyweights including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Story continues Kishida did not explain how he would gain support from his coalition partner, the pacifist Komeito party, whose leader, Natsuo Yamaguchi, recently questioned the governing party's plan to possibly double the defense budget cap to 2%. Yamaguchi has said the public would not approve of a sharp defense budget increase when money should be spent on economic stimulus and social welfare in a country with a fast-aging and declining population. On gender equality and sexual diversity, Yukio Edano, head of the largest opposition group, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, expressed support for legal changes allowing married couples to use different surnames and legalizing same-sex marriages. Edano also called for a narrowing of the gap between the rich and poor by promoting more distribution and creating a society where people support each other. He called for a quota system in future elections to promote gender equality in politics. Women currently account for only about 10% of the lawmakers in parliament. His party has formed an united front with three other opposition parties to cooperate on 20 campaign policies, including seeking a more inclusive society. Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan, which is among the groups cooperating with Edano's party, was the only woman in the debate. A lawyer active in human rights issues, Fukushima said she will promote gender equality, sexual diversity and a society without nuclear energy. Asked if they support legislation guaranteeing equality for sexual minorities and allowing separate surnames for married couples, all except Kishida said yes. (Bloomberg) -- JD Logistics Inc. is planning to set up its own fleet of planes as the Chinese firm eyes a greater slice of a cross-border cargo market engulfed by global supply chain snarls. Most Read from Bloomberg The logistics arm of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com Inc. aims to have no fewer than 100 planes by 2030, including leased and jointly purchased aircraft, said Chief Executive Officer Yui Yu. The company, which had previously chartered planes from airlines to transport goods, has already won approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China to operate its own air freight business. Businesses worldwide are scrambling for ways to move everything from masks to consumer electronics out of China as widespread lockdowns and delays in manufacturing led to jams at the countrys sea ports. Companies are increasingly turning to alternatives like air freight, but airlines are struggling to absorb the backlog and take in new orders, especially ahead of the Christmas shopping season. Read more: How Chinas shipping delays contributed to trade chaos Covid-19 has heavily impacted supply chain-related industries globally. Weve seen the shortage of shipping resources and air freight resources, the logistics firms CEO, who is often referred to as Yu Rui, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. While the pandemic-induced disruptions may not last long, the Covid-19 crisis has accelerated a shift to online shopping globally, creating new business opportunities for companies like JD Logistics, he added. JD Logistics, which raised $3.2 billion in a Hong Kong initial public offering in May, joins other internet giants in snapping up their own jets. Amazon.com Inc., for one, is considering purchasing used long-range cargo jets in a bid to directly fly imports from China, Bloomberg News reported last week. Story continues To grow its international business, the Beijing-based firm plans to beef up its overseas warehouse network, and will prioritize building highly automated delivery facilities in North America and Europe over the next two years. We want to serve the cross-border logistics market through and through, the CEO said. The company also plans to reduce its environmental footprint, saying on Monday that it will invest 1 billion yuan ($155 million) in low-carbon supply chain technologies over the next five years. (Updates with supply chain investment in eighth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2021 Bloomberg L.P. First lady Jill Biden shared in an emotional speech on Sunday how she regained her faith in God after the death of her son Beau in 2015 left her feeling "betrayed" and "broken" to the point where she wondered if she would ever feel joy again. Biden made an appearance at Brookland Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Charles B. Jackson Sr. as the church's pastor and to surprise the woman who helped her regain her faith the pastor's wife, Robin Jackson. A visit to the church in 2019 in which Robin Jackson asked Biden to be her "prayer partner" had a profound effect on the first lady as she still struggled to heal from her son's loss. Beau Biden, her son with President Joe Biden, died at 46 from brain cancer. Jill Biden, Beau Biden, Hunter Biden (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP) "In 2015, my faith was shaken," she said while getting choked up. "For over a year I watched my brave, strong, funny, bright young son fight brain cancer. Chemotherapy, operation after operation, weight loss. But still I never gave up hope. As a mother, you cant. "I had to be strong for my children and for my husband. But most of all for my son, Beau. I had to be strong for him. Because in the middle of it all, he was being strong for us. So I kept going. Every day, I put one foot in front of the other, and despite what the doctors said, I believed my son would make it." Beau Biden, who had served as the attorney general of the family's home state of Delaware, was married with two children when he died. "In the final days I made one last desperate prayer and it went unanswered," Jill Biden said. "After Beau died, I felt betrayed, broken." She said her minister occasionally wrote her emails inviting her to attend services following Beau's death, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. "I couldnt even pray," she said. "I wondered if I would ever feel joy again." Story continues Jill Biden (Tom Brenner / Reuters) A visit to Brookland Baptist Church in the summer of 2019 changed everything. "While we were worshipping, and I remember this so clearly, because we were sitting right there, Robin came up to me and she sat beside me and she said, 'Dr. Biden, I would like to be your prayer partner,'" Biden said. "I dont know if she sensed how moved I had been by the service. I dont know if she could still see the grief that I feel still hides behind my smile. But I do know that when she spoke, it was if God was saying to me, 'OK, Jill, youve had enough time. Its time to come home.' "And in that moment, I felt for the first time that there was a path for my recovering my faith. ... In the depths of our brokenness, we can start to believe that healing ourselves will never be possible. And the truth is, were right. We cant heal ourselves alone. But with God all things are possible. Robins kindness, her mercy and grace pushed past the calluses on my heart and like the mustard seed, my faith was able to grow once again." The president and first lady frequently honored Beau Biden during Joe Biden's successful presidential campaign in 2020. The president gave an emotional speech at the Major Joseph R. Beau Biden III National Guard/Reserve Center in Delaware the day before his inauguration in January, and visited Beau's grave on the morning of Election Day last year. The 2019 trip to Brookland Baptist Church came while Joe Biden was competing for the Democratic presidential nomination. "It brought me comfort in the long days of the campaign trail," the first lady said in her speech. "And you all know how hard they were. It brought me joy when I saw how strangers could sacrifice for each other. It reminded me of what was at stake, not an election, not a partisan battle, but a country in need of healing." Jill Biden said the church "changed my life" and helped "shape the course" of their journey to the White House. "Robins kindness, Pastor Jacksons leadership, and the work of each member of this congregation speaking out for justice and compassion and unity, it has grown into something bigger than any one of us," she said. Photograph: David J Phillip/AP Tributes poured in for former Republican secretary of state Colin Powell after the announcement of his death on Monday morning at the age of 84. Leading praise from the US and around the world, Joe Biden hailed a dear friend and patriot of unmatched honor and dignity on behalf of himself and the first lady, Jill Biden. In a statement issued by the White House, the US president, formerly Democratic US senator for Delaware before he was vice-president, continued: As a Senator, I worked closely with him when he served as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and as Secretary of State. Over our many years working together even in disagreement Colin was always someone who gave you his best and treated you with respect. Colin embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat. He was committed to our nations strength and security above all. Having fought in wars, he understood better than anyone that military might alone was not enough to maintain our peace and prosperity. From his front-seat view of history, advising presidents and shaping our nations policies, Colin led with his personal commitment to the democratic values that make our country strong. Biden went on to talk about Powells milestone as the first Black US secretary of state. Having repeatedly broken racial barriers, blazing a trail for others to follow in Federal Government service, Colin was committed throughout his life to investing in the next generation of leadership, he said. The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said the world had lost an extraordinary leader and a great man in Powell, the retired four-star general who preceded him as Americas top diplomat, as the public learned on Monday morning of Powells unexpected death, from complications related to Covid-19, which he contracted while being treated for cancer. Blinken added that Powell had been beloved at the state department because he had trusted officials and empowered them. Story continues He didnt bother with formalities or hierarchy, he wanted to hear from everyone, he said. Blinken predicted that his predecessors ideas would be studied by future diplomatic and military thinkers alike. He believed that America could and should lead with confidence and humility. That the world was safer when the United States was engaged and its allies and partners united. Kamala Harris, the first female and first Black and south Asian US vice-president, said Powell was an incredible American who served with dignity and grace. She praised Powell as an inspiration, as the first Black man in the US to rise to the high positions he achieved. She also said he was very supportive of Biden. The US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, also gave an impassioned response to Powells death, while travelling in Tbilisi, Georgia. Speaking to reporters he said: I feel as if I have a hole in my heart this morning. Austin, the first African American to serve as secretary of defense, said that Powell had acted as his mentor. He has been my mentor for a number of years. He always made time for me. He added that in his view the world had lost one of the greatest leaders we have ever witnessed. Austins comments echoed similar expressions of gratitude from Black politicians around the country. Jamaal Bowman, a Democratic first-term progressive congressman representing parts of the Bronx in New York, said that: As a Black man just trying to figure out the world, Colin Powell was an inspiration. He was from NYC, went to City College, and rose to the highest ranks of our nation. Sending love, strength and prayer to the family and friends of Secretary Powell. Rest in power, sir. Other public figures gave a more nuanced appreciation. Stacey Abrams, the Democratic voting rights activist in Georgia, commented that Powell had led with integrity and defended democracy. But she also noted that the former secretary of state had admitted fallibility. In his most heavily criticized action, Powell argued before the UN security council in February 2003 that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction in a move that was seen as a seminal step towards the invasion of that country. The following year Powell admitted that the intelligence on which he based his assessment may have been wrong, as was later proven to be the case. In 2011, he told the Guardian that he wanted the CIA and Pentagon to explain why they had failed to alert him to the unreliability of one of the key Iraqi sources who gave rise to the flawed claims. Tony Blair, who as British prime minister also backed the Iraq invasion, called Powell a towering figure in American military and political leadership over many years. He inspired loyalty and respect his life stands as a testament not only to dedicated public service but also a strong belief in willingness to work across partisan division in the interests of his country. Despite Powells role in amplifying faulty intelligence before the Iraq war, several prominent figures praised his integrity. Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations who worked alongside Powell through three successive presidential administrations starting with that of Ronald Reagan, said on MSNBCs Morning Joe that he was the most intellectually honest person I ever met. He was anti-ideology, he was open-minded. He didnt spend his time on theory, he was grounded in reality. Dick Cheney, Bushs vice-president who was a leading hawk on Iraq, simply said that working with Powell during the first Gulf war had shown him Powells dedication to the United States and his commitment to the brave and selfless men and women who serve our country in uniform. Colin was a trailblazer and role model for so many. Oct. 18Lobster industry advocates and environmental groups offered starkly different reactions Sunday to a judge's decision blocking a federal ban on lobstering in a section of the Gulf of Maine designed to protect the endangered right whale. The ruling, by U.S. District Judge Lance Walker, said federal regulators relied on "markedly thin" analysis that didn't provide hard proof of the whales' presence in the roughly thousand-square-mile area off the Maine coast. Advocates for the lobster industry had asked for a stay of the three-month ban, arguing there wasn't evidence that the critically endangered whales actually frequent the area. Environmental groups accused Walker of relying on his own analysis of data rather than that of scientists. Lobstering advocates, on the other hand, praised the judge for offering a lifeline to the $1.4 billion industry, which is critical to Maine's economy. "We are very excited," Virginia Olsen, of the Maine Lobstering Union, said in an interview. She acknowledged, however, that an appeal was possible. "We're very happy that this judge agreed (with us), and we'll just continue to stand up for the rights of fishermen and move forward." Olsen and other industry advocates had criticized the statistical modeling used by scientists from the National Marine Fisheries Service, among other federal agencies, to create the corridor where lobstering would have been banned. The area mostly centered on the known locations of lobster buoys, which are connected to lines that can ensnare the endangered whales. But more evidence was needed that whales actually spend time there, said Olsen, who, for her part, believes that the whales congregate farther from shore, where their food has migrated. "We need to have better data," Olsen said. "We're very thankful that the judge agreed with our objection there." U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine's 2nd District, applauded the court decision as "a positive signal that the voices of Maine lobstermen are being heard." Story continues "For the first time in this regulatory process, the concerns of lobstermen were weighed fairly and as a result we have a ruling grounded in common sense and the public good," Golden said in a statement Sunday. "The judge's decision acts on arguments that lobstermen have been making for years now: there is simply not hard data to support the idea that Maine lobster gear is killing right whales. As they have argued and as Judge Walker notes, implementing this closure would cause serious economic damage to lobstering communities without any demonstrated impact on saving right whales. I applaud the Maine Lobstering Union for filing and prevailing in this suit on behalf of their members. They are a great example of the power of unions to get results for working people. This struggle is not over in the courts nor in the federal government, and I look forward to working with lobstermen across the state to continue to fight for fair regulations based on accurate data and hard evidence." But environmental advocates such as the Conservation Law Foundation said the judge had overstepped in substituting his own analysis for that of scientists, endangering the whales during a time critical to the species' survival. "At this juncture every right whale death matters as to whether we lose this species or not," said Erica Fuller, an attorney with CLF who works on the right whale issue. "It is incredibly disappointing that a federal judge substituted his judgment of the scientific basis for this closure over the many scientists working to identify areas of particularly high risk. We're confident that the agency made an evidence-based and reasoned decision when it closed this area ... to reduce entanglement risks. These critically endangered right whales need the immediate protections of this (closure) they don't have years to wait." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one of the agencies supporting the ban, says North Atlantic right whales are "one of the world's most endangered large whale species, with less than 400 individuals remaining." Aside from entanglement in fishing lines, whales have been lost to collisions with vessels and have experienced disruption to their communications and behavior patterns from man-made ocean noise. Since 2017, NOAA has documented nine right whale deaths from entanglements and another 14 injuries. Another 11 have died after being struck by vessels, contributing to an overall 50 deaths in the past four years a sizable chunk of the dwindling population. Earlier this year, the Maine Lobstering Union, the Damon Family Lobster Co. and Fox Island Lobster Co. sued for a temporary injunction to block the closure, which would have taken away many lobsterers' primary winter fishing grounds. The ban would have taken effect between October and January, and would have allowed ropeless fishing, a technology that's still developing and that lobsterers expect to be more expensive. In his decision Saturday, Judge Walker noted that the National Marine Fisheries Service has deployed acoustic devices along the Maine coast that listen to whale song to locate their hot spots. That data is still being collected, and once available, would be preferable to the evidence that regulators have provider so far, the judge said. "I find the certain economic harms that would result from allowing this closure to go into effect outweigh the uncertain and unknown benefits of closing some of the richest fishing grounds in Maine for three months based on a prediction it might be a hotspot for right whale(s)," he wrote in his decision. Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen's Association, also praised the decision on Sunday. "The court's decision is welcome news for the lobster industry because it prevents unnecessary and significant harm the closure would have caused hundreds of Maine lobstermen, their families and communities," she said in an email. "But make no mistake, this important victory is just one step in a long fight we must pursue against the federal government's 10-year whale plan that would decimate our industry. The MLA has filed a lawsuit against this flawed plan which will devastate Maine's lobster fishery while failing to protect endangered right whales." Kansas City police have identified the person shot and killed Saturday afternoon in the Oak Park Southwest neighborhood as 47-year-old Andre M. Green. Police were in the area of 46th Street and Benton Boulevard around 3 p.m. when they heard the sound of gunfire, police said. A reported shooting came from the 4500 block of Chestnut Avenue around the same time. Arriving officers met with the person who called 911 and were told that someone had been shot inside a home there. Police found Green fatally shot inside. A person of interest in the killing has been in contact with homicide detectives, Sgt. Jake Becchina, a police spokesman, said Monday afternoon. A case file will be sent to the Jackson County Prosecutors Office for consideration of criminal charges, Becchina said. Greens death marked the 122nd homicide this year in Kansas City, according to data tracked by The Star. The Stars Aaron Torres contributed to this report. Armed forces secure the area where Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry placed a bouquet of flowers in front of independence hero Jean-Jacques Dessalines' memorial on Oct. 17. (Associated Press ) Haiti, suffering from a long string of natural and political disasters, is also plagued by lawlessness. Kidnappings are on the rise, with more than 300 reported in the first eight months of 2021, according to the United Nations. Even so, the hostage-taking on Saturday of 17 people associated with an American Christian aid group by a gang in Port-au-Prince stands out for its brazenness. It also illustrates the dangers American religious missionaries face while seeking conversions abroad. Here are several other high-profile cases of American religious workers who were kidnapped or killed across the globe. Philippines Martin and Gracia Burnham, Christian missionaries from Kansas who had been working in the Philippines for 17 years, were celebrating their wedding anniversary at a resort one night in 2001 when gunmen wearing ski masks abducted them and more than a dozen others. They were held in captivity for more than a year by a jihadist group called Abu Sayyaf, which demanded $1 million in ransom for the Americans. A 2002 government operation to free them from the mountainous jungle hideout where they were being held ended in disaster, with Martin Burnham and another kidnapping victim, Filipino nurse Deborah Yap, both killed. Gracia Burnham was shot in the leg but survived. El Salvador In 1980, one year into a bloody civil war that pitted a military-led government against leftist rebels, four female Catholic missionaries from the United States were raped and killed in El Salvador. Four Salvadoran national guardsmen were eventually convicted in the murders, with all later saying they were acting on "orders from above." The killings, which came just months after the slaying of Oscar Romero, the Catholic archbishop of San Salvador, were widely believed to be politically motivated. Many in the Catholic church had denounced brutal repression by the Salvadoran military, which over the course of the war killed thousands of people suspected of sympathizing with the rebels. Story continues The killings of the missionaries three nuns and one lay woman sparked outrage worldwide and led to new scrutiny of widespread U.S. support for El Salvador's then-military government. Russia Mormon missionaries Andrew Lee Propst and Travis Robert Tuttle were living in Saratov, Russia, in 1998 when they were invited to the apartment of a man who said he wanted to learn more about their faith. Instead of having a conversation about religion, they were attacked, handcuffed and blindfolded. The kidnappers demanded $300,000, but after news coverage of the incident mounted, the perpetrators released their victims with no ransom paid. The mastermind of the abduction was sentenced to four years in prison. The incident was later the subject of an American film, "The Saratov Approach." Somalia Scott Adam had a successful Hollywood career he had worked on film and television hits such as "The Goonies" and "The Love Boat" when he had a religious awakening and became a Christian pastor. He and his wife, Jean, dedicated their lives to spreading Scripture around the world, taking to the seas on their 58-foot yacht and distributing Bibles in different languages in far-flung corners of the globe. The couple and two friends were sailing off the coast of Oman in 2011 when their yacht, Quest named after a church where Scott Adam had worked was attacked by Somali pirates. U.S. Navy warships were dispatched for negotiations with the hostage-takers , but the pirates shot and killed the Adams and their friends. Ecuador In 1957, five American men flew to a remote rainforest in eastern Ecuador with the hope of bringing Christianity to the native Waorani people. After radio contact ceased with a base station, a search ensued, and the men were found dead, having been killed with spears. The story took a surprising turn when Elisabeth Elliot, the wife of one of the victims, returned to the region a few years later with her 3-year-old daughter. She lived alongside the Waorani for two years, later telling LIFE magazine that she understood why the missionaries were killed. The killer "was trying to preserve his own way of life, his own liberty," she said. "In America, we decorate a man for defending his country. Elliot went on to become a well-known speaker and author of 20 books, including one about Irish missionary Amy Carmichael, concerning the often complicated motivations of missionaries. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Kardashian and Barker made their first red carpet appearance as a couple at the 2021 MTV VMAs in September. Evan Agostini/ Invision/AP Kourtney Kardashian and Blink-182 rocker Travis Barker are engaged. TMZ first reported on the engagement, which happened on a beach in Montecito, California. Kardashian confirmed the engagement on Instagram with a post captioned "forever @travisbarker." Kourtney Kardashian and Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker are engaged. TMZ first reported on the engagement after Kardashian and Barker were spotted on Sunday on a beach in Montecito, California. According to TMZ, Barker got down on one knee in the middle of a massive display of flowers, where he popped the question. A representative for Kardashian confirmed the engagement, but did not provide a statement to Insider. Kardashian also confirmed the proposal, with an Instagram post captioned "forever @travisbarker." According to E! News, Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson were also at the sunset proposal. "Kourtney looked very surprised to see Khloe and Tristan there," said a source who spoke to E! News. "Travis escorted Kourtney down to the beach, where he had red and white florals set up in the shape of a heart. It looked very romantic. I could see Kourtney smiling from ear to ear and put her hand over her mouth looking surprised. The family cheered for them and went back into the hotel." Kourtney's sister, Kim Kardashian West, posted a video of Barker and Kourtney kissing following the engagement and showing off the engagement ring. -Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) October 18, 2021 Kendall and Kylie Jenner also posted snaps of Kourtney's ring on their Instagram stories. The Blink-182 drummer and reality star have been dating since December 2020, according to E! News. They then made their relationship Instagram-official this February, with Kardashian posting a snapshot of their intertwined hands. This is the oldest Kardashian sister's first engagement. She was previously in a well-documented, on-again, off-again relationship with Scott Disick. Disick is the father of Kardashian's three children, Mason, 11, Penelope, 9, and Reign, 6. Representatives for Barker did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider. Read the original article on Insider Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian. Noam Galai/Getty Images Wedding bells will be ringing in Calabasas after a whirlwind romance, Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are engaged to be married, Barker, 45, popped the question Sunday evening in Montecito, California. Witnesses told E! News that Kardashian, 42, appeared shocked by the proposal, which took place on a beach with the couple surrounded by flowers. Kardashian and Barker officially announced they were dating in February, after being friends and neighbors for years. Because where there's one Kardashian there's usually 10 more, E! News reports that Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, and Kris Jenner watched the proposal from afar and cheered for the happy couple, before they all privately celebrated at a restaurant. Both Kardashian and Barker have children from previous relationships, and "the families mesh seamlessly," a person close to the couple told E! News. This will be Kardashian's first marriage and Barker's second. You may also like Sicilian Catholic diocese bans godparents. Yes, it's partly due to Mafia godfathers. The American 'Great Resignation' by the numbers Halloween Kills scores best debut for a horror film during the pandemic More than five years after two of the schools first-ever Black students initiated a discussion about returning the work, a Benin Bronze held for more than 100 years at Jesus College in Cambridge, England, is headed back to Nigeria. Jesus College will be among the first institutions in the UK to undertake such a repatriation. The object being returned is a sculpture of a rooster known in Edo as an Okpa, or in English as the Benin Cockerel. Sculptures like it are common at sites paying homage to queen mothers in the Kingdom of Benin. It was gifted to the school in 1905 by George William Neville, who is known to have taken with him various looted objects following his stint as a shipping agent in Africa, and whose son was a student at Jesus College. More from Robb Report The Okpa belongs to a larger cache of works known as the Benin Bronzes, which were plundered from Benin by British troops in 1897. The thousands of objects constituting the group have ended up at institutions around the world, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the British Museum. Amid a recent push to recognize the looting of the Benin Bronzes as a symbol of European colonialism, various museums have undertaken efforts to begin sending back these objects, with the Met among them. Just this week, Germany signed an accord with Nigeria to repatriate thousands of Benin Bronzes in state holdings in 2022. Germany also agreed to help with the construction of the David Adjayedesigned Edo Museum of West African Art in Benin City, which is expected to house repatriated Benin Bronzes, among other objects. No institution had publicly committed to returning a Benin Bronze before Jesus College did so in 2019, when Sonita Alleyne, the schools master, sent an email to students saying that the Okpa is not, and never has been, owned by the College. Her message was the result of several years of activism by two Black students, Amatey Doku and Ore Ogunbiyi, who spotted the sculpture in 2015 and began researching its history. On Friday, Alleyne said in a statement, This is an historic moment. Story continues We thank Jesus College for being a trailblazer, said Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Nigerias minister of information and culture, and we look forward to a similar return of our artefacts by other institutions that are in possession of them. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The state's largest school district is holding elections in four of nine districts, our education reporting partner Chalkbeat writes. Let's meet the at-large candidates in the order they will appear on Denver residents' ballots. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Marla Benavides, 49, home-school parent Her focus: improving the district's literacy rate. She supports more choice when it comes to where kids go to school. "Parents have the absolute right to train their kids," she says. Backs the district's mask mandate but doesn't want it enforced. Scott Esserman, 55, consultant and former educator Leads the district's accountability committee and worked to keep two schools open. Believes too much money is going to the school choice system and wants dollars sent directly to all schools. Supports implementation of "Know Justice, Know Peace" resolution to add more diversity to history curriculums. Jane Shirley, 61, retired teacher and principal She says the district's current model allows some schools to fail and needs to be changed. Argues the school choice model is an illusion and needs an overhaul. Didn't support the decision to remove police from schools because she contends it was a one-size-fits-all mandate. Nicky Yollick, 35, hospice volunteer coordinator Believes the district's biggest problem is the "bloated central administration" that "continues to propagate corporatist and segregationist policies." Focused on addressing learning loss with one-on-one tutoring for those in need and child care for low-income families. He wants to stop the competition between schools to attract students. Vernon Jones Jr., 44, former educator He stepped down as director of the Northeast Denver Innovation Zone after the district expressed concern about its operations. He says the district's most pressing concern is its failure to serve all children, regardless of race and income levels. Regarding police officers in schools, he wants to make sure children are "not learning in a police state." Read more about the candidates from our partners at Chalkbeat More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) -Rebellious Tigrayan forces accused the Ethiopian government of launching air strikes on the capital of Tigray region on Monday, and though a government official initially denied strikes, state-run media later reported the air force conducted an attack. The reported raid follows intensified fighting https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ethiopian-offensive-two-northern-regions-intensifies-tigrayan-forces-say-2021-10-13 in two other Ethiopian regions, where the central government's military is trying to recover territory taken by the northern province's Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Tigrai TV, controlled by the TPLF, said the attack on the city of Mekelle killed three civilians. Ethiopia's government spokesman, Legesse Tulu, denied launching any attack. "Why would the Ethiopian government attack its own city? Mekelle is an Ethiopian city," he said. "Terrorists are the ones who attack cities with innocent civilians in them, not government," Legesse added. He accused the TPLF of killing civilians in fighting in neighbouring regions. But the state-run Ethiopian Press Agency said late in the day that Ethiopia's air force conducted an air strike and that it was aimed at communications infastructure in the city. The infrastructure had belonged to the government but had fallen under the control of the Tigrayan forces, the report read. The strike destroyed a communications tower and other equipment, the report read. Reuters was not able to verify any of the accounts in an area that is off-limits to journalists. A resident of the city told Reuters one strike hit close to a market, behind a hotel. An aid worker and a doctor in the region also said there had been an attack and a diplomat shared pictures of what they said was the aftermath, including pools of blood and smashed windows. All asked not to be named. Reuters could not confirm the authenticity of the images. Story continues "I WAS A FEW METRES AWAY" War erupted in Tigray almost a year ago between the Ethiopian military and the TPLF, the political party that controls the region, killing thousands of people and forcing more than two million to flee. Tigrayan forces were initially beaten back, but recaptured most of the region in July and pushed into the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions, displacing hundreds of thousands more https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ethiopian-families-fleeing-fighting-describe-hunger-rape-amhara-2021-10-18. A week ago, the Tigrayan forces said the military had launched a ground offensive to push them out of Amhara. The military acknowledged on Thursday there was heavy fighting there, but accused the Tigrayan forces of starting it. Reporting details of Monday's air attack, Tigray TV said the first strike hit the city's outskirts, near a cement factory, while the second struck in the city centre. A doctor in the region said they heard the first attack on Monday morning. "First I heard the sounds of jet and also an explosion from afar," the doctor told Reuters. "Then in the afternoon there was another sound, which seemed closer. This one seemed like it happened inside the city," the doctor said. A Mekelle resident told Reuters that around noon, (0900 GMT), a strike hit close to a market behind the city's Planet Hotel, in the city centre. "I was a few metres away, I thought they had hit our compound," the resident said. TPLF spokesperson Getachew Reda tweeted: "#AbiyAhmed's 'Air Force' sent its bomber jet to attack civilian targets in& outside #Mekelle," referring to Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Diplomats are worried that renewed fighting will further destabilise Ethiopia, a nation of 109 million people, and deepen hunger in Tigray and the surrounding regions. The United Nations has received alarming reports of aerial attacks in Mekelle but was still trying to verify details, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Monday. (Reporting by Addis Ababa newsroom; Additional reporting and writing by Nairobi newsroomAdditional reporting by Michelle Nichols in New YorkEditing by Alison Williams, Andrew Heavens, William Maclean) While some are satisfied with an index fund, active investors aim to find truly magnificent investments on the stock market. While not every stock performs well, when investors win, they can win big. In the case of Nabors Industries Ltd. (NYSE:NBR), the share price is up an incredible 340% in the last year alone. In more good news, the share price has risen 46% in thirty days. On the other hand, longer term shareholders have had a tougher run, with the stock falling 60% in three years. The past week has proven to be lucrative for Nabors Industries investors, so let's see if fundamentals drove the company's one-year performance. See our latest analysis for Nabors Industries Because Nabors Industries made a loss in the last twelve months, we think the market is probably more focussed on revenue and revenue growth, at least for now. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. That's because fast revenue growth can be easily extrapolated to forecast profits, often of considerable size. In the last year Nabors Industries saw its revenue shrink by 33%. So it's very confusing to see that the share price gained a whopping 340%. It's pretty clear the market isn't basing its valuation on fundamental metrics like revenue. To us, a gain like this looks like speculation, but there might be historical trends to back it up. The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image). Balance sheet strength is crucial. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time. A Different Perspective We're pleased to report that Nabors Industries shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 340% over one year. There's no doubt those recent returns are much better than the TSR loss of 12% per year over five years. We generally put more weight on the long term performance over the short term, but the recent improvement could hint at a (positive) inflection point within the business. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Nabors Industries that you should be aware of. Story continues If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. Steps away from a cot tucked under a tarp, David Graves, 42, smoked a cigarette and prepared to leave a homeless encampment near Union Station late last week. On Friday morning, the National Park Service enclosed the small park with a fence after asking roughly ten people experiencing homelessness, including Graves, to leave. Why it matters: Homeless encampments have been in the spotlight in recent months as both local and federal entities in D.C. resume clearing them. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free The encampment cleared on Friday was in a small sliver of green space along Massachusetts Ave. and 3rd St. NE, next to a liquor store and across the street from another park that had been fenced in months earlier. This park is on federal land, which means NPS was in charge of clearing it. What they're saying: In a statement, NPS told Axios that it's working closely with the D.C. Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services to increase outreach services to unhoused people moving from this location. "Once the fences do come down eventually, then people may return," NPS spokesperson Sean McGinty told Axios at the clearing on Friday. "We're not going to enforce the illegal camping that we normally would unless there is some sort of safety or health hazard that presents itself, like there was here." In its own statement sent Friday night, DMHHS said its outreach team was able to inform residents of the encampment of its clearing ahead of time. Graves has been in the park for four months and before that, he was in a park across the street which NPS also fenced-in a few months ago. He told Axios he's been on a housing voucher list for two years. He says outreach housing services had been in touch with people in the park, although Graves didn't say whether he'd been connected to housing yet. Go deeper: As the encampment was cleared on Friday, a U-Haul waited in the liquor store parking lot, rented by encampment residents and mutual aid groups to transport belongings elsewhere. Story continues Mutual aid groups, including Serve Your City - Ward 6 Mutual Aid, were on site offering packing help and giving out Ziploc bags with socks, masks, and toiletries. Graves said he and the others had ideas on where to go; this wasn't his first time being asked to leave an encampment after all, and Graves says he feels angry. "Our leaders don't know what to do," he said. "They're asking us, 'what do we want to do.' We want to do what's right." At-large council member Elissa Silverman, who attended the Friday clearing, said it was likely that encampments would move to a nearby area. "It just moves the problem to somewhere else in the city," she said. "That's not a long-term strategy." In a text message sent this weekend, Graves tells Axios that he's since moved under a nearby highway. Meanwhile, several D.C. council members have written letters to D.C. officials expressing both support and concern for aspects of the city's own pilot program to house some unhoused residents via 12-month leases and clear four encampments. Last month, the city moved to clear two encampments on L and M streets in NoMa while offering 12-month leases to just over 40 people as part of the pilot. One clearing was temporarily paused when an unhoused man was hospitalized after a small piece of heavy machinery the city was using lifted him while he was inside of a tent. Housing advocates and mutual aid groups have launched a letter-writing campaign asking officials to stop clearing encampments until every resident who chooses to participate is in permanent housing. Last week, eight D.C. council members sent a letter to DMHHS expressing support for expedited housing and targeted case management through the pilot, but asking for updated safety protocols following the man's hospitalization, calling it "wholly unacceptable." Earlier this month, Silverman wrote her own letter to DMHHS with recommendations which included public roundtable discussions about the pilot's goals such as pausing encampment clearings while housing needs are being met. Silverman tells Axios that she met with Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Wayne Turnage over her concerns and said he forwarded them to City Administrator Kevin Donahue. In the meeting, Silverman says she expressed concerns about the 12-month nature of housing for participants in the pilot, asking DMHHS to commit to a more permanent housing solution to avoid revolving people back into homelessness following the end of the lease. The bottom line: The next encampment clearing is scheduled for Nov. 4 at a park on New Jersey Ave. and O Street NW. A photo posted to Twitter shows a new clean-up date for the L Street encampment in NoMa on Oct. 28. Case managers are already working with newly housed residents from the NoMa encampment on more permanent housing solutions, says Christy Respress, executive director with Pathways to Housing DC, which is contracted by the city to provide housing services under the pilot. Earlier this month, DMHHS said 22 people have signed leases and an additional 8 would move into housing within the week. Respress did not offer updated numbers last week, but said a few people who had initially been moved into hotels for a couple of days as they awaited their leases have since moved into their apartments. "We're hearing so many stories of how thrilled people are to be settling into their new homes," Respress says. DMHHS did not respond to additional requests for comment. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free The citys police watchdog has recommended the NYPD discipline 65 cops for misconduct during the protests that followed the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota. The Civilian Complaint Review Board called Monday for the NYPD to impose the highest form of discipline available known as charges and specifications against 37 officers for misconduct during the protests that swept the city after Floyd was killed by Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020. If found guilty after an administrative trial, those officers can face loss of vacation days, suspension or termination. The CCRB recommended another 28 officers face discipline through additional training or loss of vacation days. The types of misconduct uncovered by the CCRB include use of force, abuse of authority, discourtesy and untruthful statements. One officer is accused of using his bicycle as a weapon against demonstrators. It is important for all misconduct to be taken seriously and all officers who commit misconduct must be held accountable, CCRB Chairman Fred Davie said. The Civilian Complaint Review Boards recommendations are the result of an ongoing investigation of 313 complaints against cops involved in the racial justice protests. The CCRB has completed 127 full investigations so far, and 103 are pending. About a third of the protest-related complaints against the police couldnt be fully investigated because investigators were unable to to identify the officer involved mostly because cops did not follow proper protocol. Some cops, the CCRB said, covered their name plates and shield numbers, wore protective equipment that belonged to someone else, did not properly operate their body-worn cameras, or did not properly complete paperwork. In a statement, the NYPD said the department provided hundreds of hours of body-worn-camera footage to the CCRB and thousands of pages of documents. The NYPD has made significant strides and continues to work toward making our discipline processes transparent. Like any citizen, police officers should be afforded a presumption of innocence until and unless proven guilty, the statement said. Story continues The NYPD response to the protests drew widespread outrage. In January, state Attorney General Letitia James sued the NYPD, saying the departments harsh tactics suppressed free speech. An assortment of class action lawsuits have also been filed against the city on behalf of protesters claiming they were mistreated by the NYPD. The select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection faces a potentially fatal roadblock: The committee wants to see a wide range of Executive Branch records and communications, presidential papers that could prove or disprove the reports that Donald Trump fully intended to undermine a fair election that he lost. And Trump, ever litigious, is going to court to stop the White House from sharing them. Trump is a master of using the courts to his own advantage, particularly as a stalling tactic, and this move could pay off more than one way. Even if Trumps constitutional claim of executive privilege over those papers completely fails and its legally tenuous, at best simply filing a lawsuit could delay things long enough to knock any disclosure into 2022 or beyond. By the time of any resolution, the Democrats may have lost Congress and the matter could simply vanish. That means the select committee and the White House must think creatively and do so now to ensure they get full access to the information they need. Fortunately, there are at least two paths to this end: one running via the courts, and the other through Joe Bidens office. Either approach will ensure Trump cant use the legal process strategically to thwart the rule of law and will steer the probe away from the morass that so often dooms congressional oversight. Legally speaking, theres little to debate about Trumps constitutional claim to his papers. His argument is, in fact, pretty weak. In 1977, the Supreme Court recognized the limited scope of former presidents constitutional interest in their confidential papers. Explaining why Richard Nixon, who brought the case, lost, the Court explained that the incumbent President was in the best position to assess the present and future needs of the Executive Branch, and hence to support invocation of the privilege. That is, even if a former president has an interest in the confidentiality of his or her official papers, its up to the incumbent president to decide on how and when that interest is honored. Story continues This remains the law. Indeed, a 2009 executive order, which Trump never changed, plainly puts the Oval Office incumbent in charge of disclosure decisions (and denies former president any right to sue). Even if Trump is correct that some documents are privileged, whether and how that confidentiality interest is overridden is simply not up to him. And Joe Bidens administration has already refused to go along with Trumps invocation on a first set of documents. Incumbent presidents rightly exercise this power because they work under an oath to the Constitution; former presidents are no longer covered by the same oath. Incumbents are also privy to information about the downstream effects of disclosures that former presidents do not have. As a result, the Supreme Court explained in 1988, incumbents have wide-ranging power to classify and control access to information bearing on national security given constitutional investment of power in the President. As Chief Justice John Roberts explained in upholding Trumps travel restrictions from majority-Muslim nations despite the former presidents stated anti-Muslim reasoning, there is a constitutional gap between a particular President and the authority of the Presidency itself. Given that Trumps constitutional claim to control disclosure is so weak, why should there be a worry about the House committees trajectory? The problem is that litigation between Congress and the executive over disclosure has become so protracted that it can be used to run out the clock on a legislative inquiry, even absent a meritorious claim. For example, three House committees first sought financial records from Trump and his family members in April 2019. The Supreme Court heard the ensuing legal challenge in May 2020, and decided against the president in June 2020 (more than 450 days after the subpoenas were first issued). A district court ordered some disclosures this August (another year later), and yet it still remains unclear whether anything much has been ponied up. Even Nixons notorious White House tapes, which were famously the object of litigation in 1974, were not fully disclosed until 2013. The original suit didnt lead to timely exposition of everything. The idea that justice delayed can be justice denied, of course, is nothing new Charles Dickens wrote a whole novel about it in 1852. But in this case, the White House has two tools to mitigate the problem without disrespect to the federal courts or the rule of law. First, the judicial process doesnt have to slow. Churches seeking an injunction against Covid restrictions have been quick to obtain injunctive relief from the Supreme Court. Within weeks, landlords challenging the recent nationwide eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control were able to get that measure struck down. The Justice Department can seek expedited resolution of the constitutional question by seeking declaratory relief against the former president in the D.C. District Court, and then request cert before judgment to get high court review quickly on the bounds of Article II authority. The Supreme Courts so-called shadow docket of expedited litigation has come in for considerable criticism, but in this case, a speedy legal process especially when delay itself threatens the rule of law is clearly warranted. The shadow docket hasnt always been controversial. No one, for example, complained when litigation from the 2009 Chrysler bankruptcy was considered on an expedited basis in the high court. So too here. Of course, the Roberts Court might not play ball: No doubt, some smart law clerk can conjure a reason why realtors, but not the president, deserve speedy justice. A second option for Biden would be to leverage the presidents broad authority under Article II of the Constitution to decide whether and how to release classified material i.e., not just whether to hand over a record, but over whether and how to keep specific facts confidential. As one Republican senator noted, an incumbent president has the power to declassify anything at any time. Here, moreover, Article II authority is at a zenith because disclosure also serves Congress Article I interest in effective oversight. Using his constitutional power to declassify at will, Biden could order his aides to take one of two paths. First, they could review the contested materials, and then disclose portions relevant to the committees inquiry with its staff. The disclosure might be constrained by certain rules, for instance allowing committee staffers to examine material only on-site in the White House. Alternatively, an even more conservative approach would be for presidential aides to examine material at the behest of select committee staffers and then share answers with those staffers without showing those staff the underlying materials. The practicality of this latter approach would turn on the exact question being posed. A precedent for such broad use of the presidents declassification power comes from the Trump years. Famously, as president, Trump employed this power cavalierly to disclose classified information to Russias foreign minister and ambassador. Trump also pushed law enforcement and intelligence agencies to declassify details about the Russia investigation. Having so recklessly used that power, hes hardly in a position to complain about it now. Both these approaches deal with the profound problem faced by the select committee not Trumps constitutional claim to executive privilege, but the strategic use of litigation to deflate the rule of law. And both have the virtue of fitting comfortably within our constitutional traditions in the process. The Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association Patriots Day luncheon returns this year, after the event was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The luncheon, followed by Gadsden's Veterans Parade, will be Nov. 10 at The Venue at Coosa Landing, GEPA President Leonard Kiser said. Kiser, a retired colonel in the Army National Guard, said association members are pleased to be getting back on track with the event's return. As it does with each luncheon, the association will induct new members into the Patriots Hall of Honor, This year's honorees are: Maj. Jeffery O. Ausborn, U.S. Air Force Retired LTC James Edward Hanks, U.S. Army Retired CSM Connie Grant, U.S. Army Retired LTC Dave Jensen, U.S. Army Etowah County Sheriff's Department Deputy Sgt. Lanny Handy Etowah County Commissioner Johnny Grant The association accepts nominations from the public for honorees, and it does not require past military service to consider candidates. As association members have long stressed, service in the community is a form of patriotism. Tickets are $25 for the luncheon, and are on sale at The Chamber of Gadsden & Etowah County, and at the Etowah Area Tourism Board office. Kiser said he's excited to hear from this year's event speaker retired Brig. Gen. John Scales, who as assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and later led a rifle platoon in Vietnam. He joined the 101st Airborne upon returning to the United States. Scales left active duty in 1975 and joined the 20th Special Forces Group of the Alabama National Guard, while getting a master's degree at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He worked as an educator and a scientist, and continued to advance in his career with the guard. After 9/11, he was assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command and led a combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan. Scale retired from the military in late 2002, and continued his career as an engineer in Huntsville. He's been granted six patents and published three military history books and one novel. Story continues Doors will open at 11 a.m. for the luncheon and the program will begin at 11:45 a.m. It will end at 1 p.m., to be followed by the Veterans Parade downtown. The event is sponsored by the GEPA, the Gadsden-Etowah Tourism Board, the City of Gadsden and the Etowah County Commission. Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com. This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Patriot's Day luncheon scheduled Nov. 10; honorees announced Evil cannot triumph over the democracy that Sir David Amess loved, Boris Johnson said as he led tributes to the late MP for Southend West. Parliament sat for the first time since the death of Sir David, who was killed in a suspected extremist attack at his constituency surgery on Friday. This country needs people like Sir David, this House needs people like Sir David and our politics needs people like Sir David, the Prime Minister said. While his death leaves a vacuum that will not and can never be filled, we will cherish his memory, we will celebrate his legacy and we will never allow those who commit acts of evil to triumph over the democracy and Parliament that Sir David Amess loved so much. Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, urged Britons to recommit to standing for decency in our disagreements and civility in politics. Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, said the circumstances of Sir Davids death marked an attack on our democracy, while Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, said he would do everything within his power to redouble security reforms for MPs. In a vibrant and emotional speech, Sir Davids close friend and colleague Mark Francois suggested the Government should introduce Davids Law to end horrendous abuse from people who hide behind a cloak of anonymity. Follow the latest updates below. 05:13 PM Southend to become a city in honour of Sir David Amess Southend-on-Sea will become a city in honour of Sir David Amess, the Conservative MP who was killed on Friday, reports Danielle Sheridan. Boris Johnson announced that the Queen had agreed to the move following a decades-long campaign by Southend West MP Sir David, who was killed at a surgery for constituents last week. Leading tributes in the Commons, the Prime Minister said he was "happy to announce that Her Majesty has agreed that Southend will be accorded the city status it so clearly deserves". The announcement was made ahead of the Queen officially designating new cities to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee next year. Story continues In a statement after Sir David's death, his family called for people to support the campaign, which he had been driving since 2000. Read the full story here 04:54 PM Watch: Widow of Sir David Amess reads tributes outside the church where he died Julia Amess, the widow of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, has visited the site of her husbands death. She arrived this morning with tearful friends and family at Belfairs Methodist Church, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, to view the hundreds of flowers and tributes piled high in memory of her late husband. 04:49 PM Procession from Parliament arrives at St. Margaret's A procession is currently taking place from Parliament to St. Margaret's Church, as MPs line up ahead of a prayer and remembrance service for Sir David Amess at 6pm. The House has adjourned and MPs have arrived at St. Margaret's ahead of a prayer and remembrance service - Jamie Lorriman 04:47 PM 'The moral panic over online anonymity won't stop abusive content' In the face of horrible acts of terror and violence, it is natural to grasp for reasons why they might have happened, and measures to ensure they can't do so again, writes Victoria Hewson. Since the murder of Sir David Amess on Friday, many MPs and Cabinet Ministers have reached for the online safety agenda in their reaction. Home Secretary Priti Patel cited Home Office efforts to regulate online platforms, and indicated that, although ending online anonymity is not currently a direct requirement of the Online Safety Bill, it is now being considered. Reflecting on the role of social media in Sir Davids murder, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said that the out-of-control online hate MPs are subject to is the elephant in the room. But far from being an unspoken taboo, online abuse aimed at MPs seems to have been the main focus of the response to the terrible events in Leigh-on-Sea. Victoria Hewson: There is little evidence a ban on anonymity would reduce online hate 04:38 PM A final word from Dr Rupa Huq When Jo Cox was taken from us we said we should live by the diktat 'more in common'. I feel that in life we should all be more like David, and that means being less cross, and more cross-party. 04:37 PM Tributes draw to a close The final contribution is made by Dr Rupa Huq, who said that "some of our best friends are on the other side" of the Parliamentary divide. "When I've been in a hall, sometimes it's people on that side who've helped me out and been friendly to me. It's all the more shocking to me because I'm probably the last Labour MP who saw him alive and it was on that delegation to the Middle East last week, at the baggage reclaim as it happens. Everyone else had scarpered. "He said 'no I'll wait with you'. That was the measure of the man, how kind he was. He was the last WhatsApp I saw, thanking everyone for their service. And how shocking he was taken in service - a public servant in the line of duty slain at his surgery. "His million dollar smile won over everyone. To one of these dignitaries, he said in his inimitable way: 'You know what, I thought I had a lot of kids because I had five - but you've got 24!' He said to us in advance on the coach - 'ladies, when we get there, I don't want any ruffling his hair, because he's already got three wives'." Dr Huq said that when she got onto the Panel of Chairs, he said: "You? You should be a shadow minister by now!" She looks at Keir Starmer and quips "no comment". 04:32 PM Polite and jovial, Sir David would always raise a smile - even at the Vatican Mark Menzies remembered getting to first know Sir David well on the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Holy See. "It's well-documented that Sir David was a devout Catholic, but even in the hallowed walls of the Vatican, Sir David did not lose his mischievous sense of humour," the MP for Flyde said, recalling how they slipped out of a theological seminar that they did "not really understand" to walk through the Vatican gardens. He recalled a separate meeting with a foreign minister who insisted the meeting should be in English, "the only problem being that the foreign minister did not actually speak English but had instructed his translators not to intervene". "Several minutes in, with only the minister understanding what was being said, I passed David a note to say this was getting ridiculous. David simply smiled in his usual way. About a minute later, Sir David leant forward and said to the minister: 'Minister, your English is superb. Where did you study?'" 04:26 PM 'He knew what to say and when to say it', recalls Natalie Elphicke Natalie Elphicke observed Sir David's gift for "knowing what to say, and when to say it". "He was a Christian soul, a fellow Catholic, and his life fully reflected his beliefs. He also enjoyed life, he loved people and had that lightness, that vivacity, an enthusiasm that drew people to him and was infectious." Ms Elphicke pointed out that the MPs had worked together on the Dame Vera Lynn project memorial in Dover, and that her enduring memories of Sir David "will be both of us, arm-in-arm, around the piano, singing to Dame Vera's songs, him taking selfies at the White Cliffs of Dover". She called on parliamentarians and the public to get the necessary funds raised, and to include a tribute to Sir David as part of the Vera Lynn tribute. 04:21 PM Sir David went out of his way for new MPs, recalls member of 2019 Tory intake Sarah Dines, the MP for Derbyshire Dales, reflected on how she was fortunate enough to have known Sir David as a family friend before she entered the House in 2009. "When I made my maiden speech last year, like many other members he was here, seated just behind me, his face beamed with delight when I recalled as a teenager that I had been the Young Conservative representative on the committee that elected him to become the prospective Conservative candidate for Basildon in 1983. "I remember then that young, that very good looking unconfirmed bachelor with a very flowing New Romantic hairstyle. He fought a very energetic election campaign in 1983. "I know David as a showman. When I found myself on these benches following the last election, he was delighted. He went out of his way to settle me in into the institution he loved so much." 04:13 PM Kim Leadbeater stands in solidarity with the Amess family Kim Leadbeater, the sister of the murdered MP Jo Cox and now the MP for Batley and Spen, said that while she did not know Sir David personally it has been a traumatic few days for many people. "Sadly, I know from my own all-too-similar experience that in reality there is nothing anyone can say to make things all right for them," she said of the Amess family. "But nor is it any use to stay silent. "So I welcome this opportunity to pay tribute to someone who was clearly a much-loved colleague. I do have a unique perspective on what those closest to them are going to, and I went to send them my love, support and solidarity. Kim Leadbeater - Paul Grover "I've blocked out much of what happened when Jo was murdered, but I remember very clearly the moment I took the phone call saying she had been attacked. I remember physically trembling and the visceral pain that overtook me. And it breaks my heart to think that another family has had to experience that phone call... It's a rollercoaster of deep trauma that no one should have to experience." Ms Leadbeater said that while Sir David's family will be in complete shock, she hoped the "beautiful and very funny" tributes would provide them with a "morsel of comfort". 04:08 PM Roger Gale: Today is the House of Commons at its best The tone of the House of Commons today is "as the House can be at its best", Sir Roger Gale has said. Speaking on behalf of the remnants of the 1983 intake, he noted that there only remain two MPs who have served continuously, and three who have returned after short breaks. "We had all hoped and expected that in the fullness of time, once my Right Honourable friend the member for Worthing had surrendered his position, [Sir David] would become the Father of the House. Because he would have made a magnificent successor. "Sadly and cruelly that has been denied. For those of us, many on both sides of the House, who worked with David on his campaigns, we know just what a doughty campaigner he was." Sir Roger spoke of the void in David's family home as well as in the Commons, and hoped his family would "take comfort in the fact that in this House there is clearly nothing but affection for his memory... That must speak volumes for the man whose life we celebrate today." 03:57 PM Sir David was a man of kindness and compassion, says Yvette Cooper Yvette Cooper, chairman of the home affairs committee, said "every one of us" had a story of things that they worked with Sir David on. Ms Cooper said they worked together on ensuring the safety of child refugees "and you could never predict the issue he would feel strongly about next". She praised his "kindness and compassion" at the heart of all of his personal and political endeavours. "His office is just above mine, so very often I'd just chat to him, walking to the votes. But you could never get wrong which floor you were on coming out of the lift to David's office. Because as many of you will know there is hanging on his door a giant cardboard cutout of a knight in shining armour, with the helmet tilted in a jaunty way just looking at you. "And that knight in shining armour is what Sir David would have been to so many of his constituents." 03:54 PM Service with a smile Sir Iain Duncan Smith said that in the 29 years he had known Sir David, he was "outstandingly and unfailingly kind, conscientious and generous". "I also remember later on when I got to know him better recalling that somebody in my constituency referred to David when he was in Basildon as 'somebody that went always to the opening of an envelope'. "So I put this to him, I said 'you are accused of going to the opening of an envelope'. And he said: 'I damn well hope so because I wrote it to them so I could go there in the first place!'" Sir Iain added that it was not enough for Sir David to be there when the Conservatives won Basildon Council, and he led a celebratory conga line of the newly-elected representatives. "His sense of humour was always there. For some of us in the chamber it's hard for us to smile enough, but for David it was hard not to smile and he would smile even in the most difficult circumstances." 03:48 PM Sir David had his Qatari gift covered, reveals Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price, the MP for Thurrock, pointed to the television footage over the weekend which showed the regard he was held in by constituents. "For me David was a great friend as well as a great constituent," she said. She recalled that Sir David last week only led a delegation of MPs to Qatar. "During the course of that visit we had the benefit of His Highness the Amir. And as the meeting came to a close, David with great flourish referred to the need to present a gift. And with his characteristic self-deprecation, he said: 'What could I give the man who has everything? Here is the inscribed copy of my book!' And that was David. "In actual fact if you read the book it is the authentic voice of David. It's a great insight into Parliament from someone who spent all of his career on the backbenches, but he loved this place. He genuinely thought it was a privilege to be a Member of Parliament. He may yet have become Father of the House." Ms Doyle-Price said in the 38 years he served in Parliament, Sir David lamented "the decline in respect for this institution and the people in it". "If we do anything to remember, that is something he would wish us to address as that makes this place worthwhile." 03:37 PM 'One of the best people I've known in my entire life' Mike Kane noted the importance of how important the Catholic faith was to Sir David, and says "Catholics believe extreme unction [last rites] help guide the soul after death". He suggested that rules should be laid out to ensure it can easily be accessed in hospitals. Andrew Rosindell, the MP for Romford, added that Sir David "was one of the best people I've known in my entire life" who commended him for "[looking] down on no-one... he was kind, he was generous, he was sincere." Mr Rosindell said that Sir David did not change his views in order to progress, but knew what he believed in and firmly stood up for it. "He was a man of enormous integrity, but he was a true friend to so many of us. He was a passionate believer in Britain, a true patriot, he was a royalist [who] was never afraid to fly the flag and to champion Great British values. He was a Christian and was proud to be a Christian and uphold the Christian heritage of this country. He also loved animals, as I do, and he almost loved my dogs as much as I loved his dogs." 03:32 PM In full: Boris Johnson pays tribute to David Amess 03:29 PM 'Every Member of this House has lost a friend' "Laughter, service, compassion," Theresa May opened her speech. These are three of the words that spring to my mind when I think of David Amess. Laughter because you could never have a conversation without David without smiling - whether it was because of one of the outrageous stories he was telling, perhaps about one of his colleagues or somebody else... But it was smiles, always laughter, always fun around David. Service because he had an extraordinary record of service towards his constituents. I suggest to anyone who wants to be a first-class constituency MP that you look at the example of David Amess. He was deeply embedded in his constituency, and as we all know championed it on every possible occasion. I don't think a question or speech from David in this House went by without his constituency being mentioned. His death is tragic, and the manner of his death appalling. But isn't it fitting that his last acts were acts of service to his constituents? And then there was David's compassion. Borne out of and strengthened by his faith. Compassion for the vulnerable, compassion for those in need. He didn't just talk about it, he acted, he changed laws. He made a difference to people's lives because he was an accomplished Parliamentarian and he knew a backbencher who is dedicated and resolute can make a real difference. We can also add to the legacy of David Amess by ensuring that in all our political debates, in all our political discourse, we bring to those debates and discourse the same respect, decency and compassion that were the symbols of his life. Because David Amess made a difference. His compassion made a difference to people outside this House, his kindness made a difference to people inside his house. His constituency has lost a much-respected and loved Member of Parliament... This House has loved a remarkable and valued Parliamentarian. And every member of this House has lost a friend. May he rest in peace. 03:25 PM ...and from the father of the House Sir Peter Bottomley, the Father of the House, hailed Sir David's fire safety parliamentary group and suggested the Government could make his legacy "the finding, and fixing and the funding" of problems around the leaseholder scandal. "Many of these attacks are done for calculated publicity and public reaction. We should try to make both act against the wishes of perpetrators. The only guarantee is that where there is a gap it will be filled." He said everyone should be defended where they are under attack, and insisted MPs should be "vigilant but diligent" in their contact with their constituents: "We should defend people in every walk of life, in politics and universities." 03:20 PM A tribute from the Mother of the House... Harriet Harman, the Labour MP and the Mother of the House, added her heartfelt condolences to Sir David's family. "Sir David was one of the most dedicated but also the most affable of MPs. He looked beyond party differences to work with so many of us on a multitude of issues of common concern and that's why there are tears on all sides of the House this afternoon. "Most recently, just one example, he took the lead on a cause which I then took up, which was the injustice done to young unmarried mothers whose babies were taken from them in the 1960s and 1970s. My tribute to him will be to redouble my efforts on that and remember to work in the spirit that he exemplified - commitment to constituency, commitment to Parliament, a belief that he could and did make a difference. Sir David Amess, make a difference" 03:16 PM 'Let's make some good of this horror' On a more sombre note, Mr Duddridge said the impact of Sir David's death had been "profound". Southend are in shock and I'm in shock, and the pathway going forward for the city will be difficult. I know this is going to be a long process. We don't want to be the city where the MP was murdered. In gathering my words I thought of the words 'cut short in his prime' and smirked to myself, given he was 69, but he was sprightly, a secret gym-goer, a head full of floppy hair. I just felt that there was more ahead of him than behind him. Sadly his future was stolen from us all and this House and Southend are poorer for it. Every story was very different, but at the same time every story was the same. David listened, David cared, David delivered. He had a knack to get things done. It's unbelievable that he's not coming back, I think of the last remembrance service, the last Christmas with him dressing up as Santa giving chocolates to the kids in Neptune Ward in Southend - whether they wanted them or not. This is not the last of David. He lives on in us all. He wouldn't have called himself a mentor, but that's what he was by demonstration and osmosis. Part-office, part-museum of decades of political memorabilia, part-pet shop. He is survived by a lovely family, Julia his wife, his children, and it's with sadness that the family comes from all corners to be back together in the city of Southend. Their statement yesterday was poignant. Let's take that message back to our constituencies, let's make some good of this horror and to Julia, Southend thanks your husband for his service. Rest in peace, my good friend, rest in peace. After the speech, Sir Lindsay Hoyle assured the House that Sir David's birds and fish - in place despite a Commons ban - were being well looked after. 03:12 PM A Holy Sweet - and a knight to remember James Duddridge, Sir David's neighbouring constituency MP, recounted the story of him waiting in line at the Vatican for a blessing, only to realise he had brought nothing except for a boiled sweet. "David got his timing wrong - the Pope took the sweet, thinking it was a revered object, to be blessed, blessed the revered object and David had to put it in his pocket," he said. "A holy sweet. And when David would tell the anecdote - as he would do many times - he'd reach into his pocket and say 'and this is the sweet that was blessed'! "As the neighbouring Member of Parliament for what we must now say is Southend City - and thank you Prime Minister - colleagues would sidle up to me and say 'you're David's neighbour aren't you?' I knew what was coming, it was a completely outrageous story about his behaviour at a meeting, particularly on overseas trips. It just completely broke the ice. "He was indeed a great man. He loved animals but there will no longer be the infamous Dog of the Day tweets. He will never again dress as a knight in full battle finery, man-to-horse, and rise across the city of Southend as he did after receiving a knighthood..." 03:07 PM Ian Blackford: It's time for politics' toxic culture to end Ian Blackford, the leader of the SNP in Westminster, said that for the first time he agreed with every word of Mark Francois's contribution. "Sir David Amess was valued in so many ways but above all else he was a good and a deeply decent man. A man that would always greet you with a welcoming smile whenever you met him. For Members and staff across this House, it will take time to come to terms with the senseless loss of another colleague." Mr Blackford said a "toxic culture of hate and intolerance has become all too common", as he urged the Commons to speak with one voice. He said the image of unity seen on Saturday, as Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer, should be witnessed far more often, as passionate disagreement has now "been badly diverted [and] infected by poison". "All of us can do better not to feed into that toxic culture, every single one of us has been a victim of it and we all have a responsibility to put an end to it. May his gentle soul now rest in peace - God bless you David." 03:03 PM Toughen up Online Harms Bill so Sir David did not die in vain, says Mark Francois Mark Francois said Sir David had become increasingly concerned about the "vile misogynistic abuse" female MPs had to endure online, as he referred to a powerful Conservative Home article written by Nadine Dorries about online threats. "All of us, wherever we come from, came here to help people," he added. "We may disagree sometimes passionately about how best to help people. But surely we can agree that we came here to try, for which we are now vilified, day-to-day. And I say simply enough is enough, for we all have at least one thing in common, we are legislators. "So I humbly suggest we get on and do some legislation." Mark Francois paid a moving and at times humorous tribute to his close friend Sir David Amess - House of Commons/PA Wire Mr Francois suggested the Online Harms Bill should be toughened up with 'David's Law' to ensure he did not "die in vain" - that while people in public life can be subject to criticism, "they can no longer be vilified or their families subject to the most horrendous abuse, especially form people who hide behind a cloak of anonymity". He said he was in a mood to drag the founders of Facebook and Twitter to the bar of the Commons "to look us in the eye", and said they had had enough time "to drain the Twitter swamp". 02:58 PM 'An animal-lover, a patriot and a Thatcherite' "Hurting terribly" as he made his contribution, Mark Francois has said Sir David was his "best and oldest friend in politics". He quipped that he hoped the House would forgive him for an "even more incoherent than usual" contribution, and praised the "beautiful and moving" words of Mr Johnson and Sir Keir. "Everything I ever learned about how to be a constituency MP I learned from David Amess. He sponsored me for the candidates' list and mentored me when I arrived. Without him I never would have become a Member of Parliament, so some may argue he has a lot to answer for." He recalled Sir David helping him win election to Basildon Council - "once described as the only place in Britain the councillors actively heckle the public gallery". "He was an animal-lover, a patriot, a Thatcherite, a Eurosceptic, a monarchist and a staunch Roman Catholic whose faith sustained him throughout his life. He was a truly great friend indeed, and a fine parliamentarian. He was potentially the best Father of the House we will never have. "He had a real joie de vivre, for him the glass was never half-empty, it was three-quarters full. He was a doughty champion for Basildon and then for Southend. [Making Southend a city] was the right thing to do... and apologies to Cleethorpes." Watch his incredibly moving full speech below 02:52 PM Lessons to be learned from Sir David's way of doing politics, says Starmer The Labour Party wants to acknowledge the pain felt on the Conservative benches, Sir Keir Starmer said as he recalled a conversation with Jo Cox's parents on Friday afternoon. "Of course our differences matter, that's what democracy is all about, but today we are reminded that what we have in common matters far more. I just want to take a moment for all of us to think about David's staff. This Parliament has lost one of its finest advocates, and the people of Southend have lost one of their own. Sir David was a dedicated constituency MP. I'm so pleased with the announcement the Prime Minister has just made, it's a very fitting tribute to all David's hard work." Sir Keir Starmer speaks in the chamber of the House of Commons - House of Commons/PA Wire Sir Keir said that even as a political opponent, Sir David was "a man we can all learn so much from" in that he held his beliefs "passionately but gently". "Civility matters and it matters in politics. A cowardly attack on a public servant doing his job is an attack on our country and our way of life. A way of life that prizes tolerance, democracy and mistake, that accepts our differences but champions our commonality. "Let us recommit ourselves to standing for the things he stood for, the things extremists will never comprehend - for decency in our disagreements, for kindness in our hearts, for our great democracy, and for the hope that through it we can make our country and our world a better place." 02:45 PM 'A committed public servant' In the last few days there has been tributes from all corners to Sir David, notes Sir Keir Starmer. "Each tribute paints its own picture of a committed public servant, of kindness and a man whose decency touched everybody that he met," he said. "Taken together these tributes are a powerful testimony to the respect, the affection and, yes, the love that David was held in across politics and across different communities. "Together they speak volumes about the man that he was and the loss that we grieve. Sir David was a dedicated Parliamentarian and his loss is felt profoundly across this house. We are united in our grief at this terrible time. We are thinking of David and his family, we are thinking once again of our dear friend Jo Cox who was killed five short years ago." 02:44 PM 'This country needs people like Sir David' "This country needs people like Sir David, this House needs people like Sir David and our politics needs people like Sir David," Boris Johnson concluded. "Firm and passionate in his beliefs, but never anything less than respectful for those who thought differently. Those are the values he brought to a lifetime of public service. There can be few among us more justified than him in his deep faith in the Resurrection and the life to come. A video grab from footage broadcast by the UK Parliament's Parliamentary Recording Unit (PRU) shows British Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressing the House of Commons - Handout/AFP "And while his death leaves a vacuum that will not and can never be filled, we will cherish his memory, we will celebrate his legacy and we will never allow those who commit acts of evil to triumph over the democracy and Parliament that Sir David Amess loved so much." 02:41 PM Breaking: Southend to become a city, Boris Johnson confirms Boris Johnson hailed Sir David's campaigning on animal welfare, democracy in Iran, and endometriosis. But above all, Mr Johnson said, he never let an achievement of a Southend resident pass without mentioning it. The Commons erupted in cheers as the Prime Minister confirmed: "I am happy to announce that Her Majesty has agreed that Southend will be accorded the city status it so clearly deserves." 02:38 PM Boris Johnson: 'Nothing I or anyone else can say will lessen the pain' "The passing of 72 hours has done little to numb the shock and sadness we all felt when we heard of the tragic and senseless death of Sir David Amess," Boris Johnson told the House. "This House has lost a steadfast servant, we've lost a dear friend and colleague, and Julia and her children have lost a loving husband and devoted father. Nothing I or anyone else can say will lessen the pain, the grief, the anger they must feel at this darkest of times. We hold them in our hearts today, we mourn with them and we grieve alongside them. "Sir David was taken from us in a contemptible act of violence, striking at the core of what it is to be a Member of this House and violating the sanctity both of the Church in which he was killed and the constituency surgery which is so essential to our democracy. "But we will not allow the manner of Sir David's death in any way to detract from his accomplishments as a politician or as a human being. Because Sir David was a patriot who believed passionately in this country, in its people, in its future. "He was also one of the nicest, kindest, most gentle individuals ever to grace these benches - a man who used his decades of experience to offer friendship and support to members of all parties, whose views often confounded expectation and defied stereotype, and who believed not just in pointing out what was wrong with society, but in getting on and doing something about it." 02:35 PM 'A lovely man' Sir Lindsay Hoyle told the Commons it was difficult to believe that Sir David would not stand in front of MPs again to make the case for Southend becoming a city. "He used his skills as a parliamentarian to pilot numerous pieces of legislation onto the statute book, reflecting his numerous priorities such as fuel poverty and of course animal welfare. Sir Lindsay Hoyle paid a personal tribute to Sir David Amess - AFP/Handout "He was much admired as a member of the Panel of Chairs, and respected across this House for his fairness and expertise. "On a personal level Sir David was a lovely man. He was well-liked by members and staff alike and during his almost four decades here earned a reputation for kindness and generosity, sustained by his faith. As much as we will miss a much-loved fellow parliamentarian, the loss felt by his wife Julia and their children is unimaginable." 02:27 PM Issue of lone attackers is not a new one, says Priti Patel The issue of 'lone wolf' attackers is not new, Priti Patel told the Commons. "Sadly we have seen too many lone attackers in previous years as well," she said. "There is a great deal of work taking place and we will continue to discuss, actually, the work across policing, security, policing and probation as well. "The work that takes place to prevent these attacks, but also the data and intelligence sharing that is undertaken across our systems, and Government, but also various institutions and society. But it is important to recognise we have some of the best intelligence and security agencies in the world." Ms Patel paid tribute to the intelligence services and police officers for the current investigation but also the "much wider work they do every day". 02:21 PM 'Tidal wave of stories' about Sir David's kindness There has been a "tidal wave of stories" about the kindness shown by Sir David Amess, Priti Patel said. "To me he was a dear and loyal friend. We are all utterly devastated for David's wife Julia and his loved ones. "He had a huge number of friends in this House, in his constituency, in the county of Essex and well beyond. The causes he supported were diverse, relating to people but also much-loved animals." Ms Patel's mention of his campaign for Southend to receive city status received cheers of approval from across the House. "Decency ran through him like the writing in a stick of Southend rock," she said. "David represented all that was good about this place, so let us all carry his light forward and reflect his passionate commitment to making things better for the people we serve." 02:07 PM 'He was kind and good, but above all else he was funny' Jess Phillips has added her voice to the Home Secretary's tributes to Sir David Amess and James Brokenshire. "He was kind and good, but for me above all else he was funny. And he didn't take himself too seriously," Ms Phillips said of Sir David. "And as for James as the immigration minister he was incredibly approachable and kind, and a good and thorough minister. "I wish also just to briefly say from this side of the House who know how it feels to have someone fall, our love through you Mr Speaker is with all of those friends and colleagues of those who have died." Ms Phillips asked whether the Home Office will fully implement the measures set out last month in a policing report that will safeguard against women and girls. Rachel Maclean said the report is a "very important" one that is currently being considered, with actions taken already including the establishment of a task force and an independent inquiry into the murder of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens. 02:00 PM Coming up... MPs will pay tributes to Sir David Amess from 3.30pm, with Boris Johnson, Sir Keir Starmer and Ian Blackford each given 10 minutes to speak at the start of the session. Tributes from ministers and backbenchers will take place across a period of approximately 90 minutes, before the Commons is expected to adjourn at 5.30pm. This will then be followed by a procession and church service in memory of Sir David. 01:45 PM Respect is vital in politics, says Priti Patel Chris Bryant said that although he never persuaded Sir David Amess to support gay marriage, "he always asked after my husband and I think that was the character of the man." He then lamented a "toxic way of doing our politics", and asked how we could become more like Sir David and James Brokenshire. In response, Priti Patel said we see "far too much cruelty online and we all have a responsibility and a duty to work together". Ms Patel said she would use one word when it comes to public life and the Commons - "and that is respect". Separately, Ms Patel described the Insulate Britain protests as causing "misery and distress to the law-abiding public", who have been prevented from going about their business. 01:41 PM 'An attack on our democracy' As questions for the Home Secretary began, Priti Patel described the killing of Sir David Amess as "a terrible and sad moment in our history, an attack on our democracy and an appalling tragedy". "We are all thinking of David, Julia and their family," Ms Patel said. She also expressed her sympathy with the family of James Brokenshire, the former Northern Ireland secretary who died of cancer on October 7. 01:39 PM Minute's silence in Parliament for Sir David Amess A packed House of Commons fell silent for a minute just before 2.35pm in memory of Sir David Amess. MPs across the House fell silent in memory of their late Southend West colleague - Handout/PRU/AFP "I'm sorry the House is returning in such tragic circumstances," Sir Lindsay Hoyle said. "Since we last met we have lost two outstanding friends and colleagues, Sir David Amess and James Brokenshire. "I know honourable and right honourable members in all parts of this House will share deep sadness in their loss and will want to join me in sending heartfelt condolences to their families." Sir Lindsay Hoyle asked for a minute's silence in the chamber to commemorate the life of Sir David - House of Commons/PA Wire Sir Lindsay said the circumstances of Sir David's death were "despicable", and undertakes to do "everything within my power to ensure these issues are treated with urgency, and the sense of priority they deserve". "I know that whatever political differences there are in the House, all Members want to ensure not just that we and our staff are able to work safely, but our democracy with a local Member of Parliament at the heart of each constituency." 01:30 PM Sir David Amess's widow visits church where he died to view tributes Julia Amess, the widow of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, has visited the site of her husbands death. She arrived this morning with tearful friends and family at Belfairs Methodist Church, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, to view the hundreds of flowers and tributes piled high in memory of her late husband. Sir David was stabbed multiple times during a constituency surgery on Friday and later succumbed to his injuries. Julia Amess visited Belfairs Methodist Church on Monday morning - Aaron Chown/PA Wire The family members, who stayed for 15 minutes, comforted one another, with an arm placed firmly around Mrs Amess during the visit. Wiping tears from her eyes, Julia Amess reads messages left by well-wishers 01:18 PM Northern Irish politicians pay tribute to Sir David Amess Northern Irish politicians paid tribute to Sir David Amess at the start of today's business at Stormont. Paul Givan, the DUP First Minister, described Sir David as "a giant of Westminster politics" who shared the values of the DUP and was a "close friend" of Northern Ireland. "Deeply pro-life, caring for people at all stages of their life and we mourn his loss," he said. "We have had multiple attacks on elected representatives over the years and members of this house continue to receive threats and that is to be condemned." Michelle O'Neill, the Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister, revealed that she had received numerous threats herself and had to physically remove an uninvited person from her home. "That's the type of thing we experience as public representatives and that is not acceptable for anyone to have to deal with that," she told the executive. "Just before I came in to the chamber I spoke to one of our MPs who had to phone the police to remove people from his office. People who have come to protest at his office but they intimidated the staff to the point where the staff were frightened and the PSNI had to be called." 01:09 PM Five ways Boris can restore his Tory credentials Its not hard to despair over the future of a government that has badly lost its way. Yes, the retreat of Covid is welcome news, writes Mark Littlewood. And yes, the country is all the better for Brexit being an established fact rather than a matter of heated debate. But, fresh from a brief holiday, Boris Johnson must discover some guiding principles to underscore his policy agenda if he is to avoid being remembered as simply having limped from one emergency to the next. The PM needs to discover some guiding principles or go down as a leader who simply limped between emergencies, argues Mark Littlewood - Steve Parsons/Pool via Reuters First, he needs to signal that he is serious about discipline on state spending. It is 20 years since any Chancellor presented a Budget which included a surplus, with the pandemic punching another hole in the public finances. Making spending cuts might be difficult but, at the very least, Johnson needs to keep a lid on it. Any proposals for more funding in one area should require corresponding cuts in others. Higher pay for nurses? Fine, but we will need to find that by bearing down on, say, state pensions. Mark Littlewood: I'm not optimistic about Johnson's sense of direction 12:56 PM Today's tributes to Sir David Amess, in pictures Cllr Margaret Borton, the Mayor of Southend, and mace bearer Adam Tregoning paid their respects at Belfairs Methodist Church over lunchtime. - Dan Kitwood/Getty Images The Freedom Hunters for Tamils campaigning group also paid tribute to Sir David outside Parliament today, praising his "unrelenting support to protect the human rights". - Victoria Jones/PA Wire Harriet Harman, the Labour MP and former House of Commons leader, viewed floral tributes on the ground at Leigh-on-Sea - Leon Neal/Getty Images Skateboarder Frances Murray skates in front of a mural of British MP David Amess - Andrew Couldridge/Reuters 12:42 PM Britain faces wave of terror attacks plotted by bedroom radicals Britains intelligence agencies have warned ministers of a potential new wave of terrorist attacks carried out by bedroom radicals bred during lockdown. Officials believe the country is facing a new threat from lone wolf terrorists who were radicalised online while spending months at home, The Telegraph understands. It comes as investigators seek to establish whether the 25-year-old suspect in the killing of Sir David Amess had been radicalised during the long months of the pandemic. One security source said: Counter-terror police and MI5 have been concerned for some time that once we emerged out of lockdown there would be more people out on the streets and more targets for the terrorists. Combined with the fact that lots of young people have been spending so much time online, it makes for a very worrying mix and there is a real concern about the possible rise of the bedroom radicals. Full story: Security services warn ministers over 'lone wolves' 12:28 PM 'Something he was very passionate about': Southend could be made a city next year Downing Street has suggested Southend could become a city as Number 10 looks at ways to pay tribute to Sir David Amess, writes Danielle Sheridan. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Obviously this was something he was very passionate about and we recognise that, as you'll know there is a formal process for this, as it's civic and there is a live competition to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee next year so I'm not going to get ahead of it." Asked if Parliament would do some specifically, he said it was for the Speaker but that "as a government, we would look at ways to acknowledge his huge contribution". 12:15 PM Pictured: The alleged jihadist held on suspicion of Sir David's murder The alleged jihadist being held on suspicion of murdering Sir David Amess has been pictured for the first time. Ali Harbi Ali, the alleged jihadist held on suspicion of Sir David Amess's murder Ali Harbi Ali, 25, remains in police custody over the death of the Tory MP, which is being treated as an alleged terrorist incident. The Telegraph understands that Ali had considered murdering other MPs, and that Sir David was not specifically targeted. 12:09 PM 'Challenging' winter ahead with Covid, warns Downing Street More from the Prime Minister's spokesman, this time on Covid: We obviously keep very close watch on the latest statistics. We always knew the coming months would be challenging. What we are seeing is case rates, hospitalisations and deaths still broadly in line with the modelling as set out a few months back now. The vaccination programme will continue to be our first line of defence, along with new treatments, testing and public health advice. But we will obviously keep a close watch on cases. But it is thanks to our vaccination programme that we are able to substantially break the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths. In some areas the rate of vaccine uptake among young teenagers is as low as five per cent, while only 15 councils have managed to give a first dose to a quarter of 12-to-15-year-olds. Downing Street said it was doing "everything possible" to contact those who are newly eligible for a vaccination, or people who have been offered a third booster shot, amid concerns about low levels of uptake. 12:03 PM Jacqui Smith: We all have a responsibility to keep MPs safe I can picture Sir David Amess arriving at his constituency surgery on Friday, writes Jacqui Smith. He will have greeted staff and constituents with a smile and a genuine enquiry about how they were. Then hell have headed into the church hall to do what was closest to his heart listening to and representing the people of Southend West. No doubt he was already thinking about how he might shoehorn in a mention of Southends bid for city status into the question he was due to ask when Parliament sits again. This would have been greeted with indulgent groans and laughs by his fellow MPs, who recognised his utter commitment to his constituency and who, in many cases, would have been on the receiving end of his kindness, decency and good humour. His killing is, first and foremost, a tragedy for his wife, his children and all those who knew and loved him. But it is also an attack on our system of democracy and particularly the role of constituency MPs. Jacqui Smith: Public life has become ever more toxic since Jo Cox's death 11:55 AM 'Giving the last rites is an emergency service' Hearing news of the attack on Sir David Amess last Friday, Father Jeffrey Woolnough rushed to the scene and asked if he might enter to give the MP the last rites, writes Tim Stanley. He says a policeman radioed in the request but it was denied. Fr Jeffrey, who did not know what condition Sir David was in last rites are not performed on the dead, though, had the person just died, or if there was a doubt, the priest can anoint and absolve respected this decision and prayed the rosary outside. I wrote to Essex Police to ask why they might turn away a priest tending to a believer and if they had a national policy on this subject. They replied that it was critical to protect the integrity of a crime scene and to allow emergency services to attend those in need, adding that access to the scene is at the discretion of investigating officers. This was confirmed to the Telegraph by the College of Policing, which states that currently there is no national guidance with regards to priests giving the last rites in such conditions. I find this incredible. And, as a Catholic myself, frightening. Tim Stanley: The absence of last rites guidance is totally unacceptable 11:47 AM Downing Street will do 'everything possible' on safety of MPs The Prime Minister's spokesman has pledged that the Government will do everything in its power to ensure the safety of MPs. "The review that the Home Secretary commissioned is ongoing so I'm not going to comment ahead of that," the spokesman said. "Of course, we will want to do everything possible to make sure MPs are able to carry out their vital work safely." Last week saw former minister Tobias Ellwood suggest that MPs should pause meeting their constituents, although a number of his Tory party colleagues pushed back on this and insisted that "business as usual" should continue. 11:40 AM Watch: There has been 'widespread vilification' of politicians, says Raab Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has told BBC Breakfast that there has been "widespread vilification of politicians" in recent times. Mr Raab said that many of his colleagues had received "worse abuse" than himself, but that he has been the victim of three recent threats that required "intervention" (see 8.25am). He also warned that online hate towards MPs is out of control after the murder of Sir David Amess. 11:30 AM Margaret Hodge speaks out about previously 'unthinkable' security measures Veteran Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge has said her life has "completely changed" since she was first elected in 1994. Dame Margaret, who is Jewish and received antisemitic abuse after speaking out about the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn, has long campaigned for greater curbs on social media anonymity. (see 8.04am) I just think of Labour party conference this year where I was advised before I went that I should not go unaccompanied, and that I should perhaps not use the front door as an entry into the conference centre. That was unthinkable 10 years ago, she told Sky News. Margaret Hodge has previously spoken out about the antisemitic abuse she has received - Leon Neal/Getty Images The current tone of debate in Parliament was "too much like the Bullingdon Club antics", she claimed. Dame Margaret has previously advocated for social media companies either ending anonymity or making users personally liable for the content that they post. 11:16 AM Sir David Amess received 'upsetting' threat in days before fatal attack Sir David Amess received an upsetting threat in the days leading up to the fatal attack on him during a routine constituency surgery, it has emerged. The threat to the veteran MP was made in the past few days and reported to police. But, despite the threat, Sir David chose to go ahead with his public appointments, including his surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, where he was stabbed to death on Friday at lunchtime. It is understood that Essex Police received a report of the threat, but they are not connecting it with Fridays attack. Patrick Sawer, Izzy Lyons and Edward Malnick have the story 11:09 AM People's backgrounds may be screened before they can meet MPs Constituents who book in meetings with their MPs could have their backgrounds checked, Priti Patel suggested during broadcast interviews on Sunday. Having an individual request a meeting with an MP rather than turn up unprompted at open surgeries would allow their details to be checked against terror watch lists. Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, visited Leigh-on-Sea on Saturday morning to pay her respects - Jamie Lorriman Other databases, such as lists of known criminals and the electoral roll, could also in theory be cross-referenced, with the latter revealing if the person seeking a meeting does not live in the constituency. It is one of a number of changes being considered after Sir David died following a stabbing attack that took place as he met constituents in his Southend West parliamentary seat. Ben Riley-Smith has the full story 11:00 AM Sir David Amess's widow arrives to view floral tributes The widow of Sir David Amess has arrived at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea to view the floral tributes that have been laid outside the scene of his death. Julia Amess was comforted by Reverend Clifford Newman as she arrived at Belfairs Methodist Church with friends and family members. Reverend Clifford Newman comforts Julia Amess as she visits the church where Sir David Amess died on Friday - Aaron Chown/PA Wire In a statement last night that encouraged tolerance and peace, his family said this is not the end of Sir David, as they asked for support to be directed at the charities he worked with. They urged people to find one close to your hearts and help. Lady Amess (centre) stands alongside family members as she surveys the tribute - Aaron Chown/PA Wire Asking the public to set aside hatred and work together, his family said: Whatever ones race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand." Read the family's statement in full 10:51 AM Radicalisation by algorithm: Why experts fear lone wolf attacks above all else Sarah Knapton, our Science Editor, looked in August at the problem of 'radicalisation by algorithm', and why experts now fear 'lone wolf' attacks more than anything else. It arguably feels even more relevant in light of the murder of Sir David Amess on Friday and fears that Britain faces a wave of terror attacks plotted by those radicalised online during lockdowns. Websites are directing users towards fringe, misleading and extreme material that can lead to self-radicalisation, Sarah writes - with algorithms prioritising engagement above all else. Experts believe that Covid made the problem of online radicalisation worse, with a perfect storm of people having been unmoored from their families while experiencing distress. Analysis: Why experts now fear 'lone wolf attacks' above all else 10:40 AM Brexit latest: European Court of Justice must keep Protocol role, suggests EU The European Court of Justice (ECJ) must maintain a key role in overseeing the Northern Ireland Protocol, the EU has suggested. Arianna Podesta, of the European Commission, said a "very intense period of discussions" is underway but would not be drawn on whether talks will even include the role of the ECJ. Britain's Minister of State Lord David Frost walks outside Downing Street - Hannah McKay/Reuters "We are following up on the package that we have proposed on October 13 - it is a far-reaching package," Ms Podesta told reporters in Brussels. Lord Frost last week vowed to enter negotiations with the EU without "red lines", but Maros Sefcovic struck a more bullish note as he insisted the role of the ECJ was a vital one with regards to access to the single market. 10:31 AM Robert Buckland: 'What has changed is social media' Robert Buckland, the former justice secretary and the MP for South Swindon, has added to Jess Phillips's calls for a change in how social media discourse is approached (see 11.21am). "The test of a civilised society isn't whether we agree, it's how we disagree and historically in this country we've been rather good at civilised, restrained, respectful disagreement. "What has changed is social media. There's no doubt that what people would say to each other's face is very different from the sort of language and demeanour we see, particularly from people who are anonymous - who are posting horrible and hateful things on social media every week and in particular women MPs bear the brunt of this appalling abuse." Mr Buckland said investigating authorities should "definitely" be able to determine the source of hateful messages in light of the debate on anonymous accounts (see 8.04am). 10:21 AM 'Some solution' needed to combat social media vitriol There has to be "some solution" to the problem of social media abuse, Jess Phillips has said. The Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley admitted there was no single answer to the questions raised by the murder of Sir David Amess, and signalled she did not want to be an MP who is not among or connected to her constituents. But on the subject of online vitriol, Ms Phillips was clear. "How social media interacts with our democracy is something that has been debated for a long time and there has to be some solution to how easy it is to terrorise any elected representative," she said in an interview with BBC News. Jess Phillips, Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence & Safeguarding, speaks to delegates at a Labour conference fringe event - Nicola Tree/Getty Images "We have changed the way that we worked in the last five years, you're much more likely to have a booking system, you have barriers and panic systems in place. But you can never mitigate for every single risk and any frontline worker will face that same vulnerability." The last few days have been "terribly reminiscent" of the murder of Jo Cox five years ago, Ms Phillips added. 10:11 AM Sunak considers cutting VAT on energy bills Rishi Sunak is considering a reduction in the 5pc VAT rate on household energy bills, in a move that would reduce the pain of soaring prices for consumers, writes Tim Wallace. The price cap rose more than 12pc this month amid global shortages and surging wholesale gas prices. More than a dozen energy suppliers have gone bust since August. Energy is already taxed at less than the 20pc VAT rate and the Government is unlikely to be keen to cut tax on fossil fuel use ahead of the looming COP26 conference. Rishi Sunak is looking at potential measures to ease the cost of living crisis - Simon Walker/HM Treasury However, the Chancellor is looking at the measure, amounting to a tax break of up to 1.5bn a year, due to pressures on the cost of living, the Financial Times reported. Inflation is already above three per cent and is expected to rise above four per cent in the coming months, more than double the Bank of Englands target. New VAT energy cut 'would be good use of Brexit freedoms' 10:05 AM 'Unrelenting' attacks made me consider quitting Parliament, reveals SNP MP An SNP MP has said that "unrelenting" attacks and abuse had made her consider quitting politics. Joanna Cherry, the party's former shadow home secretary and shadow justice secretary, was the subject of Twitter threats which saw Grant Karte, a supporter of her own party, banned from contacting her for five years in July. "On one occasion I required a police escort at my constituency surgery because of a death threat considered credible," Ms Cherry wrote in Scotland's Daily Record newspaper. Joanna Cherry, one of the SNP's MPs at Westminster - Jonathan Brady/PA Wire "On another occasion a constituent behaved in such a menacing and threatening manner I and my office manager were in fear of our lives. Unrelenting attacks do take their toll - recently I contemplated leaving elected politics due to the level of abuse and threats but I've decided to stay and fight my corner." Ms Cherry also suggested that MPs may need to return to holding constituency surgeries remotely - as they did while coronavirus restrictions were in place - while police decide on any new security measures that should be introduced. 09:50 AM 'Certain inevitability' that Southend will now become a city There is a "certain inevitability" that Southend will now become a city in honour of its late MP Sir David Amess, the Justice Secretary has said. "It feels like a certain inevitability about this campaign," Dominic Raab told LBC. "Let me respect the mechanism for deciding it but say that I think it will be a very fitting tribute if it should come to pass." Dominic Raab has joined calls for Southend to be made a city - Tayfun Salci/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, backed the campaign on Sunday. It has also been supported by Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who said it would be "the biggest and greatest thing we can do for David" (see 8.48am). Asked about the campaign, Ms Patel said: If you could see me now Im smiling at that suggestion, because David was a wonderful advocate." Sir David ran a decades-long campaign for Southend to become a city, arguing that with a population of 300,000 people it was "by definition too large to be a town". He joked only last month that he was disappointed not to be made the "minister with responsibility for granting city status to Southend". 09:37 AM UK must pound table for the return of imperial measures to Northern Ireland, urge Tories The Northern Ireland Protocol must allow pounds and ounces to be used in the province to prevent a two-speed UK, Tory Brexiteers have warned ahead of treaty talks with the EU. Imperial measurements will not be returning to Northern Ireland under government plans to slash EU red tape because of the Brexit deal to stop a hard Irish border. Traders in Britain will be able to sell exclusively in pounds and ounces as part of the bonfire of Brussels rules but Northern Irish shops and stalls will still have to display grams and kilograms. The Northern Ireland Protocol means the province follows some EU rules, including on measurements. Colin Hunt and Janet Devers, two of the six so-called 'metric martyrs' - Geoff Pugh Lord Frost begins negotiations with Brussels on Monday over the treaty, which grants Northern Ireland access to the Single Market but the UK argues disrupts trade with Britain. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, put Lord Frost under pressure to secure changes that would prevent a two-speed UK, saying Northern Ireland must be able to make the same reforms as the rest of Britain. A penny for your thoughts on James Crisp's latest piece 09:22 AM Global supply chain crisis to last another six months, predicts shipping executive The current global supply chain crisis is set to last for another six months, the chief executive of a shipping services firm has warned. James Gundy, chief executive of Shipping Services, predicted that problems will persist until the end of the coronavirus pandemic. "I don't see much easing up, we have to wait to see this pandemic completely cleanse itself out," he said. "We're seeing issues in major ports around the world. We're moving in towards the Christmas period so there's obviously going to be an increase even further." Mr Gundy told Sky that the Corby Brothers shipping agency, which is currently experiencing issues in Felixstowe, was among companies "really feeling the crunch". "They don't really see any ease-up until probably Chinese New Year in February, that filtering through until March," he told Sky. "So we've got another six months to go before we start seeing easement at container sites." Much of the chaos playing out across the world is simply a result of companies struggling to play catch-up as lockdowns and Covid rules come to an end. 09:10 AM Sir David Amess murder suspect 'considered killing other MPs' The man arrested on suspicion of murdering David Amess had considered killing other MPs, The Telegraph understands. The investigation into the tragic death of Amess suggests he was not specifically targeted, but picked at random as part of a plot to kill any national politician. The realisation three days into the police investigation that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Amess will further reinforce the need for MPs across all parties to tighten up security at their homes and constituency offices. A candle and a portrait of British MP David Amess,at the church of St Michael's and All Angels - Chris Radburn/Reuters Ali was seen using his mobile phone moments after the murder, according to sources. The Telegraph has not been able to establish whether the phone was used to record comments after the attack, or to send a message to a third party. The actions, seen by witnesses in the room, though, are understood to be at the centre of why investigators labelled the attack a terror incident within hours of the murder. Robert Mendick, Martin Evans and Ben-Riley Smith have the story 09:00 AM Man, 76, arrested after death threat sent to Labour MP A 76-year-old man has been arrested after a Labour MP received death threats in response to a call for kindness in the wake of Sir David Amess' killing, Gareth Davies reports. Chris Bryant, the MP for Rhondda, posted on social media on Saturday in the hours after the suspected terror murder, saying: "Lets all send a kind message on Twitter today to a politician we disagree with. Lets eliminate the negative." He signed off the tweet with the hashtags 'David Amess' and 'More in Common'. But instead of a sense of unity across the political divide, Mr Bryant's call to arms was greeted with vitriol. 08:47 AM 'Scum' comment made my heart sink, says Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing's heart "sank" when Angela Rayner describe Conservative politicians as "scum" at a Labour conference event last month, the Deputy Speaker has said. "I hesitate to get involved in that debate but my heart sank when I heard that, because it's bad enough when people who feel badly about politicians do it, or indeed those in the media," Dame Eleanor told Good Morning Britain. Dame Eleanor Laing has criticised Angela Rayner and some journalists for how they portray politicians - File Photo "Some of your colleagues are responsible for this, the insulting way in which they speak to politicians. But when one of our own does it, it's so much worse." In October 2020 it was Dame Eleanor who reprimanded Ms Rayner in the House of Commons for using the word "scum" about a Tory MP who was speaking. "From the frontbench we will not have remarks like that, not under any circumstances, no matter how heartfelt it might be - not at all," the Deputy Speaker said. Ms Rayner went on to apologise in a statement. 08:35 AM Father of alleged jihadi suspected of killing Sir David Amess had himself faced Islamist threats The father of the alleged jihadist being held on suspicion of murdering Sir David Amess had himself received death threats from Islamist terrorists, The Telegraph can reveal. Ali Harbi Ali, 25, was continuing to be questioned on Sunday night in connection with the frenzied knife attack on the Tory MP, which is being treated as an alleged terrorist incident. A police search team leaving the reported residence of Ali Harbi Ali, who is a suspect in the murder of David Amess - Leon Neal/Getty Images But Ali's own father, Harbi Ali Kullane - a former director of communications for the prime ministers office in Somalias Western-backed government - was previously targeted by Islamist radicals. Somali government sources said that during his time as an official in the countrys administration, Mr Kullane received numerous death threats from al-Shabaab, a terror movement that still controls parts of the country. Martin Evans, Colin Freeman and Izzy Lyons have more here 08:25 AM 'We have been in denial about the violent sickness in British society' As everybody debates the security of MPs and the tenor of our politics, we are in danger of missing a broader point, writes Nick Timothy. For we ought to be asking ourselves: what sort of society have we become? The suspect in the murder of Sir David Amess has been detained under the Terrorism Act and police have said that early investigations suggested a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism. After the conviction of Wayne Couzens, for example, the police officer who murdered Sarah Everard, the country agreed the police had to change. Yet last week it emerged that West Midlands Police refused to answer Freedom of Information requests asking how many serving officers had been charged with rape. The examples go on. Five years ago, Jo Cox was murdered by a neo-Nazi, but the threat of violence from the extreme Right is growing. And this is not even our greatest danger. In Coxs former constituency, Batley and Spen, a teacher remains in hiding after showing depictions of the Prophet Mohamed in a lesson, and the recent by-election there was marred by sectarian campaigning. We are in denial about the sickness of our society. We choose not to accept the reality before us that hate, extremism and violence are commonplace because that reality is scary, and confronting it is complex and hard. For many politicians, it means grasping issues that they find embarrassing, and saying what they lack the bravery to admit. Nick Timothy: We have failed to confront the reality we now face 08:15 AM Chris Bryant: Politics has become more sour in last two decades Politics has become more sour over the last two decades as a consequence of divisive debates and rhetoric, according to a Labour MP. Chris Bryant said that even after the murder of Sir David, "the death threats haven't stopped" (see 8.10am). "Somebody has been arrested in relation to a death threat to me this weekend and that stemmed directly from what's happened in Southend. "One of the sad things is in the last five years that's two colleagues. I think in my time in politics, the 20 years I've been in the House, politics has been more and more sour." Mr Bryant said newspaper coverage labelling political opponents 'traitors' and 'enemies of the people' across the last decade has "poisoned the well of British politics". Senior politicians are also responsible for the inflammation of tensions, the MP for Rhondda said. "Every time we spit venom in each other's face, in an interview or on social media, we contribute to that and make it worse. I do sometimes worry about the kind of nation we've become. We've had more murders in this country than the rest of Europe." 08:01 AM Coming up in Westminster today The House of Commons today returns from its recess after party conference season in the most tragic of circumstances. Prayers will start the day in Parliament at 2.30pm, followed by a minute's silence in memory of Sir David Amess. Home Office questions will be taken at 2.35pm. From 3.30pm onward Boris Johnson is to lead tributes among MPs to Sir David, with the House of Commons expected to adjourn at 5.30pm. There will be a church service in memory of Sir David this evening, with a procession at 5.30pm before the service, at St. Margaret's at the Abbey, commences at 6pm. An artwork at a Leigh-on-Sea skate park, simply called 'Why?', which appeared over the weekend in memory of Sir David - UK News In Pictures 07:55 AM 'Terrorism must not win and won't win' Terrorism will not be allowed to get in the way of democracy, Sir Lindsay Hoyle has vowed. In his interview with Sky's Kay Burley (see also 8.48am), the Speaker insisted that terrorism "mustn't win and won't win" in the face of "people who don't like our values". "That's why it was so important David was holding his surgery," Sir Lindsay said. "That's why I held my surgery on Friday. I wanted to make sure my staff felt it was right for them to do as well. What we have got is a duty of care, not just to politicians but their family, their staff and constituents who came to that surgery." Sir Lindsay Hoyle joined Boris Johnson, Sir Keir Starmer and Priti Patel to lay wreaths in memory of the Southend West MP on Saturday - Andrew Parsons/10 Downing Street The Speaker warned against a "knee-jerk reaction" to the events of Friday afternoon and noted that a range of security measures which are already available may not have been used since the pandemic. "I want to engage with MPs to say please take the measures we have available. There is security in place, there's even the ability to have private security in place... We've had that all along. "Social media monitoring is very important, what's being said, what's out there, what are other people thinking. We've got to get MPs to engage with that." 07:48 AM We need nicer politics, urges Sir Lindsay Hoyle The Speaker of the House of Commons has called on senior politicians to mind their language as he calls for a "nicer, better politics" domestically and internationally. Sir Lindsay Hoyle called for a legacy for Sir David Amess going forward, which would include awarding city status to Southend - a key focus or Sir David's campaigning. "What the family rightly says is we need nicer politics," he told Sky. "Let's be tolerant and respect each others' views. Hate needs to be taken out of the agenda. We've got a role to play as politicians but also the media and public out there, let's make this legacy a nicer place for David. A nicer, better politics right across the world." Asked about previous comments made by Boris Johnson and Angela Rayner, Sir Lindsay said: "That type of language has no place, and it wouldn't be allowed in the chamber. We have to think about the use of language we used. We saw what happened with Capitol Hill when you whip up a mob. "Let's have our differences, and that's important - I want to chair a chamber that has politicians. But let's have nicer politics, let's have more honest politics as well. Let's have a new beginning today - today is a starting point where we can change the face of politicians." Police moved the floral tributes overnight and put them all together outside the Belfairs Methodist church where MP Sir David Amess was murdered - Rob Welham / John McLellan 07:32 AM Rise of 'bedroom radicals' means terror response must adapt, says Dominic Raab 'Bedroom radicals' spending more time online throughout the course of the pandemic and lockdowns are part of "the dark side of what happens online", the Justice Secretary has said. People who were radicalised online as they spent months at home present a new wave of threats to national security, The Telegraph understands. "There is certainly an element of more people who are at-risk and vulnerable because theyve been spending more time online. Im absolutely confident that intelligent services and the police are monitoring that with maximum energy and vigour," Dominic Raab told Sky News. "What youre really seeing is behaviour morphing and changing and obviously weve got to adapt and respond to that." On the Today programme, Mr Raab added that issues of foreign policy, such as the withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan and its fall to Taliban militants, "can create implications for our domestic security at home". 07:25 AM 'It's been particularly vicious online' The climate of political debate has worsened since 2010 as abuse on social media has become more prevalent, Dominic Raab has said. "Particularly since 2010 its [been] particularly vicious online, the amount of abuse we get as politicians," the Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister told the Today programme. "When youre in a frontline job youll get more of it, but Ive had three threats to life and limb that have required intervention in the last two years. This is not entirely out of the blue because we had Jo Cox before, we had the case of Stephen Timms, but everyone has had this experience of intensifying abuse and that tipping into threats." Mr Raab also took aim at the often toxic nature of discourse in politics, and said that "for those who are mentally unwell and those at risk of radicalisation - who will jump on a pretext for violence and lower level of intimidation - it does feel like there is that link." 07:19 AM Jo Cox widower speaks of 'very physical' reaction to Sir David's murder The widower of Jo Cox has spoken of his reaction to learning of the murder of Sir David Amess on Friday. "I had a very physical reaction to it," Brendan Cox told BBC Radio 4. "There was just being back in that moment five years ago when I got a phone call about what happened to Jo, and in that moment it was very hard." Jo Cox, the MP for Batley and Spen, was killed in her constituency in a terrorist attack in 2016 - Dan Kitwood/Getty Images It came as Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the Commons, called for more protective measures for MPs when they are away from their constituencies. "We've got a fortress here [in Parliament] but what we've got to do to make sure we do is make sure that doesn't end when they step out of that gate," Mr Hoyle told Radio 4. Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, said in a BBC Breakfast interview that he had received "death threats, terrible letters and awful emails" since he entered Parliament in 2015. 07:10 AM Man arrested over death threat sent to Chris Bryant A man has been arrested in connection with a death threat sent to Labour MP Chris Bryant. A 76-year-old from Pontycymer, Bridgend County, was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications on Saturday after a message sent in response to a call from Mr Bryant to be kinder after the death of Sir David Amess. Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for Rhondda - Heathcliff O'Malley "The year before it was anti-vaxxers, the year before we had Brexit campaigners plastering the word 'traitor' all over my office," Mr Bryant told Radio Wales Breakfast. "I hope everyone dials down the nastiness in politics. It's been six years of everyone calling each other traitor. That needs to end, we need to be nicer to each other." 07:04 AM End of online anonymity will be considered 'very carefully', says Dominic Raab The Government will look "very carefully" at measures which would outlaw anonymity on social media, Dominic Raab has said. Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, yesterday signalled that online trolls could be stripped of their anonymity amid calls for online platforms to do more to tackle abuse on their platforms. Asked about her comments by Sky News, Mr Raab said: "I think well look at that. What we dont want to do is send a message to tyrants all over the world that they can expose those who are campaigning bravely. Equally, we know some of those campaigning are vulnerable or not wanting to be in the public domain. "On balance there is a case for looking very carefully at this. I dont see why people should be able to abuse their position on social media. "I know female colleagues of mine right across the parties who have come off Twitter because its just so vile. That cant be right, its narrowing debate and responsible public discourse." 06:58 AM MPs could have private security guards in wake of Sir David Amess murder Private security guards for MPs could be among changes made after the murder of Sir David Amess on Friday, the Justice Secretary has suggested. Dominic Raab said further targeted action to protect parliamentarians will be taken in the wake of the killing of Conservative backbencher Sir David. I think it depends on the individual. I think were more likely to look at things like private security guards, he told Sky News. Theres already money, I believe, available for that. The problem youve got is a lot of people coming to see their MP, its quite a thing to do, it takes quite a bit of courage, theyll feel vulnerable themselves. So we need to think about a proportionate approach and that will vary from person to person. But Mr Raab said he probably wouldnt choose to have plain-clothed police officers attend to his own constituency surgeries, and expressed concern about a potential chilling effect on democracy. 06:56 AM Good morning Boris Johnson will lead tributes MPs in paying tribute to Sir David Amess as Parliament returns from recess today. Here is the front page of today's Daily Telegraph: Oct. 18Mayor Kate Snyder has appointed a four-member subcommittee to guide the search for a new city manager. Snyder said at the City Council meeting Monday that she will chair the City Manager Search Subcommittee, which will also include Councilors Pious Ali, April Fournier and Mark Dion. The group will lay out a public process for vetting and choosing a new manager, she said. Snyder said there was a "broad willingness" among councilors to serve on the search committee. She said the search process will be open to the public. "Of course, the full City Council will have the final decision of any appointment," Snyder said. Jon Jennings, the current city manager, is slated to leave on Nov. 2 and become the new city manager in Clearwater, Florida. The search for a replacement comes as the Portland Charter Commission considers changing the roles and responsibilities of the city manager, who drafts the initial budget and oversees daily city operations. Jennings was expected to leave when his contract expires next July. Corporation Counsel Danielle West will take over as interim city manager beginning Nov. 3. She will serve until a permanent replacement for Jennings is found. Snyder said the subcommittee has not yet scheduled its first meeting. Oct. 17If you or someone you know needs resources or support related to sexual violence, contact the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault's 24/7 hotline at 800-871-7741. A Portland Public Schools employee accused of multiple sex crimes one against a child had past convictions for operating under the influence that would not have disqualified him from being hired. Benjamin Conroy, 32, an ed tech for Ocean Avenue Elementary School in Portland, is charged with multiple sex crimes, including the sexual exploitation of a child, a Class A crime, according to the Portland Police Department. Investigators say Conroy shared photos of a young girl with special needs from the elementary school via a dating app, WGME reported. According to court documents, Conroy sent the photos to a man, telling him the age of the little girl and that he had "done it to her a few times," the station reported. He also allegedly sent photos of other school-aged children in the Back Cove area and exposed himself to a woman on Portland's Western Promenade. The Maine Department of Education runs background checks for municipalities who then receive a certificate saying a prospective candidate for an education job is qualified. Under state law, Conroy would not have failed a state background check despite previous convictions for OUI in 2018, the Portland Press Herald reported. Conroy also has a past conviction of criminal trespassing that same year. Previous convictions involving physical or sexual abuse or exploitation of a child in the past five years would be reasons for the education department to deny or revoke Conroy's credentials. However, the law says that state officials can take into consideration whether lesser, nonviolent criminal convictions warrant the denial or revocation of a credential. A candidate must also "furnish evidence of good moral character when requested," the newspaper reported. School districts may opt to run their own background checks in addition to the check provided by the state if they so choose. Portland Public Schools did not run a criminal background check on Conroy before his hiring this summer, the Press Herald reported. Previous to working in Portland Public Schools, Conroy worked for CASA an association that advocates for abused and neglected children RSU 22 in Hampden and Hallowell-based RSU 2, the newspaper reported. Conroy is on administrative leave and is being held at York County Jail on $50,000 cash bail. Philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs is gearing up to invest $3.5 billion into climate-focused initiatives in the next 10 years. But if the donation patterns of her foundation continue, the public might never know where that money is going. A spokesperson with Powell Jobs company, Emerson Collective, said the widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs will spend the funds through her charitable organization, Waverley Street Foundation. Its board includes Powell Jobs' family members, including her son, Reed Jobs. The announcement came late last month as donors pledged billions towards conservation and other climate efforts in tandem with the United Nations General Assembly. Millions more were committed last week in the lead-up to the U.N.s Climate Change Conference, set to be held in Glasgow, Scotland at the end of this month. Foundations are required to list contributions they make in a 990 form they file annually with the IRS. But where Waverley Street, formerly called Emerson Collective Foundation, has directed most of its gifts thus far remains a mystery. Between 2017 and 2019, the foundation funneled $185 million into a donor-advised fund, which is comparable to a charitable investment account. Donor-advised funds, or DAFs, for short, allow donors anonymity -- something Powell Jobs has long prized in her work. The foundation's 990 for 2019, the latest year with publicly available information, lists its only direct gift as a $50,000 donation to a California-based environmental nonprofit. It's unclear where the other millions have landed, or even if they've gone out the door. The website Inside Philanthropy first reported on Waverley's DAF contributions. Critics have been calling for DAF reforms because the accounts arent required to make donations to working charities in any given year, but allow donors to take immediate tax deductions. (Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the DAF sponsor where Powell Jobs parked her contributions, says if a donor hasn't recommended any grants after two years of donating funds, it will distribute the contributions through its own community fund.) Story continues A spokesperson with Emerson Collective has confirmed reports to The Associated Press that Waverley Street, which as of 2019 had $1.8 billion in assets, will sunset its work after 10 years. However, the spokesperson declined to say if the foundation will continue to put its money in a DAF, which could allow it to retain advisory privileges over its contributions well after 10 years. The spokesperson also declined to say if the foundation has distributed the $185 million it has already deposited in a DAF. Its legal for private foundations to donate to DAFs in order to meet their required 5% annual minimum payout rate. However, that could change if a Senate bill aiming to speed up donations from DAFs - and bar private foundations from meeting their payout rates by donating to these funds - is enacted. The Ford Foundation, which recently elected Powell Jobs as a member of its board, has been backing similar DAF reform proposals. Ray Madoff, a Boston College Law professor who's been pushing Congress to act on reforms, argues the problem with DAFs goes well beyond Powell Jobs the foundations of Google co-founder Larry Page and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, for example, have made such donations in the past. Private foundations are subject to rules so that the public is supposed to be able to see what is happening with this money, Madoff said. And when Congress allows people to avoid these rules by putting the money into this closed box of the donor-advised fund, they are subverting the purpose of the disclosure rules. Powell Jobs, whose fortune tops $16 billion, according to Forbes, does much of her philanthropic work through Emerson Collective, a limited liability company, or LLC, that focuses on education, immigration reform, environmental causes and owns a majority stake in The Atlantic magazine. Because it's set up as an LLC, Emerson doesn't have reporting requirements similar to Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chans Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Melinda French Gates Pivotal Ventures. Wealthy philanthropists use LLCs because they offer them flexibility to contribute to political campaigns, invest in companies and make charitable donations using one organization. However, transparency watchdogs arent fans, arguing they allow donors to exert influence over a wide array of institutions with little public knowledge. Emerson was in the headlines this month for its prior investments in entities like Ozy Media -- which recently shut down after reports in the New York Times raised questions about its claims of millions of viewers and readers. Emerson's grants also drew some scrutiny last year when a report by The Colorado Sun revealed the company used the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to secretly passthrough a donation to Colorado Governor Jared Polis that allowed him to hire a special adviser on immigrants and refugees. Individuals who can be very influential are getting a lot more control over the messaging, and what they share about their grant-making simply by making this choice (of using LLCs)," said Sarah Reckhow, a professor at Michigan State University who specializes in education and philanthropy. And it makes it a lot harder for folks who are independently watching whats going on." Since 2000, Reckhow had tracked which organizations and school districts were receiving funding from the largest K-12 donors to detect how funders could be influencing policy changes. She collected data every five years, but halted her research in 2015 as LLCs - like Zuckerberg's CZI and Emerson - became more prominent donors. Without having them represented in the data that I was trying to collect and analyze, it would be an extremely incomplete picture of whats going on, Reckhow said. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative now publicly lists its grants, but Emerson Collective does not. Though, some outside observers believe Powell Jobs' quest for anonymity might be beneficial in her climate-focused work. "In general, I always try to counsel donors to be open and transparent about what theyre trying to do and how theyre trying to do it, but there are times where that may not make sense," said Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy. Sometimes you have to be realistic about the fact that there are organized interests (including political actors and those supported by the fossil fuel industry) that are opposing you and your philanthropic strategy. And therefore, you might not want to hand them your playbook," he said. The spokesperson for Emerson Collective has said the $3.5 billion Powell Jobs will invest will go towards initiatives and ideas to help underserved communities most impacted by climate change. The efforts, they said, will focus on housing, transportation, food security and health. ____ The Associated Press receives support from the Lilly Endowment for coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. The person was responsible for monitoring and reporting on the treatment and conditions of prisoners - True Images/Alamy Stock Photo A senior member of a watchdog at one of Britains biggest prisons has been accused of smuggling drugs and phones into the jail. The watchdog has been arrested and suspended from their post on the prisons independent watchdog after a police investigation. Prison sources said police were alerted from a tip-off which claimed the watchdog was bringing in the drugs and phones after striking up a relationship with one of the inmates in the jail. The member of the jails independent monitoring board (IMB) has been suspended but not sacked by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) or charged pending the investigation, which is understood to have begun in August. The MoJ confirmed last night that it involved the IMB at HMP Liverpool. As a member of the jails IMB, the person was responsible for monitoring and reporting on the treatment and conditions of prisoners. Members have unrestricted access to their local jail at any time and can talk to any prisoner or detainee they wish to, out of sight and hearing of a member of staff if necessary. The revelation comes just days after Dominic Raab, the Justice Secretary, revealed a new network of X-ray body scanners is now operating at all mens prisons. It has foiled 10,000 attempts to smuggle drugs, weapons and phones into jails. It is likely to lead to a review of how IMB members are vetted and supervised, as the Government seeks to stop organised crime bosses and drug dealing networks continuing to run their criminal empires from jail. A former prison service executive said: Theres been concern about the reach and sophistication of organised crime gangs and how they have infiltrated prisons. This raises worrying issues. IMB members are recruited as ordinary members of the public to provide independent, unpaid work monitoring the day-to-day life of prisons. They make on average two to three visits per month and are separate to the official HM Inspectorate of Prisons, which reports to Parliament. Story continues Faith Spear, a former IMB chairman at Hollesley Bay prison, in Suffolk, said there needed to be a major shake-up to tighten up scrutiny and checks on IMB members and their visits. She said neither she nor her bags had been searched once during her four years in post, while IMB members had free rein to go wherever they wanted in a jail without supervision. She cited one case when she was alarmed to discover one of her fellow IMB members had signed in two members of the public for a visit, without any checks being made. She claimed no references were needed to become a member of an IMB, suggesting that in some cases it was down to personal friendships. IMBs can be so desperate for members they will take anyone, she said. Last night, the MoJ said: A member of HMP Liverpools Independent Monitoring Board has been suspended pending the outcome of an ongoing police investigation. It would be inappropriate to comment further. The individual was asked to comment on Monday by The Telegraph but declined to do so. The MoJ said IMB members were subject to the same full vetting and checks as were done for prison staff. "While references are not taken, due diligence checks are carried out on all applicants as part of the appointments process," said the MoJ. A spokesman said that although they had unrestricted access, they were given a comprehensive induction which lasted a year, with a mentor and security training. Professor Ian Acheson, a former prison governor, said: Vectors of supply are being steadily shut down as the prison service finally gets the kit it needs to scan prisoners and packages for contraband. Given just how lucrative the jail drugs market is, this means there will be a shift to targeting, manipulating and exploiting more jail staff and others with legitimate access to prisons. That will include members of the IMB, who have unfettered access to prisoners. Corruption remains and where it is linked to organised crime, it will kill rehabilitation and help sow further despair and violence. The MoJ is spending 100million on security measures to prevent the smuggling of drugs, weapons and phones into jails. These include not only X-ray scanners at all male closed prisons, but also metal detectors, sniffer dogs and mobile phone jamming and tracking technology. Baltimore Sun BALTIMORE Despite pleas for a peaceful surrender, the four-day manhunt for ex-Baltimore County Police Officer Robert Vicosa and his two kidnapped daughters ended in tragedy Thursday, with both girls dead. Police found Giana and Aaminah Vicosa, ages 7 and 6, respectively, their father and his alleged criminal accomplice in a minor car crash Thursday afternoon after a brief chase into Western ... A Republican senator described former President Donald Trump as an election loser who is not guaranteed to win the GOP's presidential nomination in 2024 if he decides to run. Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of seven Republicans in the Senate who voted to convict Trump in connection to the Capitol riot, cut in with a dismissive answer when Axios co-founder Mike Allen posited that if Trump runs again, he will have a winning ticket within the party. "I don't know that," Cassidy intoned. "President Trump is the first president, on the Republican side at least, to lose the House, the Senate, and the presidency in four years. Elections are about winning." The Louisiana Republican ventured further by saying he thinks Trump, who does poll well among Republicans looking ahead to 2024, might lose the GOP nomination contest. SCHIFF REVEALS ASSURANCE FROM FBI DIRECTOR UNDER TRUMP Well, if you want to win the presidency, and hopefully that's what voters are thinking about, I think he might," he said in the Axios on HBO interview. Cassidy also said he would not vote for Trump in 2024. Trump endorsed Louisiana's other U.S. senator, John Kennedy, for reelection in June. At the same time, he expressed contempt for Cassidy. Unlike Louisianas other senator, Bill Cassidy, who used my name in ads and all over the place in order to get re-elected, and then went stupid, John Kennedy is the real deal a brilliant and highly educated man who will never let you down, Trump said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Trump survived the Senate impeachment trial, the second one he faced, and has teased the idea of running for president again in 2024. However, he has not made any commitments. Cassidy stressed that he was censured by his state's own Republican Party for voting to convict Trump on a charge of inciting an insurrection. "I slept very well that night," he quipped. The senator said he voted to convict Trump because he swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. And when there was a pattern of behavior that culminated as it did on January the 6th, and we've had revelations since, that just led me to that decision. Story continues Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Bill Cassidy, Congress, Donald Trump, 2020 Elections Original Author: Daniel Chaitin Original Location: Republican senator casts Trump as election loser destined to lose 2024 nomination Lloyd Hough, a military intelligence officer who served with the Virginia State Police before joining the Miami-Dade Police Department where he worked cases involving the Miami River Cops and the Cocaine Cowboys, died last week from lung disease and Parkinsons Syndrome. Hough, 85, was born in Smith County, Mississippi, and spent most of his life between South Florida and a 300-acre Georgia farm the avid hunter sold two years ago. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Nikki Hough. He absolutely loved his work and he loved his family, Nikki, 80, said this week from her Palmetto Bay home. I loved him because he was kind and he was honest and he was a man of great integrity. And he was just the best husband ever. After growing up in Houston, Hough joined the military in 1956, working his way up into intelligence operations. From there he went to work for the Virginia State Police and later began a career with Miami-Dade in 1967. Hough spent 13 years as a homicide detective in Miami-Dade, investigating some of the countys most high-profile murders. Among them, homicides connected to notorious Ricky Cravero and his gang, believed to be responsible for as many as 40 executions. Cravero served a life sentence for three murders. He was convicted in the 1974 St. Valentines Day murder of Stanley Harris, who was shot 23 times outside a bar. And after the conviction in 1976, he pleaded guilty to murdering drug dealer Randy Bethel in the Florida Keys. A prosecutor named Terrence McWilliams once said of Cravero: Thats one of the few trials where I lived with a rifle leaning up against the side of my bed. He liked killing people. Hough also worked on the Miami River Cops case in which a group of police officers stormed a boat on the Miami River behind Jones Boat Yard in 1985 and stole millions of dollars worth of cocaine. Three of the men on the boat jumped overboard and drowned. By the time the investigation into the rip-off finished, 20 cops involved in corruption, coercion and cocaine rip-offs were convicted and sent to prison. Story continues Hough also worked several cases involving the Cocaine Cowboys, a series of armed gunfights between drug lords that broke out over the cocaine trade. It made South Florida the murder capital of the nation in the 1980s. After serving in homicide, Hough moved on to internal affairs and later was the sergeant-at-arms for Miami-Dade county commissioners. It was at that post that Hough and County Clerk Harvey Ruvin made for a top-notch crime-fighting duo. In March 1989, Ruvin and Hough were on their way back from lunch at Bayside Marketplace when they noticed a tourist fighting with someone trying to rip him off behind a hotel on Biscayne Boulevard. When the tourist punched the older man and stole his wifes purse, Ruvin and Hough began their vehicular pursuit. It came to a halt when the robber tossed the purse out the window and Ruvin and Hough decided to grab it and give up the chase. Inside: $500. He was a dear friend, Ruvin said. I always have him in my heart. He was a loyal friend and he was a dedicated public servant. In addition to his wife, Hough is survived by granddaughter Raychel Feldman and nephews Doug and Richard Hulbert. The family chose to forgo services for Hough, who died on Oct. 13. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., speaks at a news conference outside of his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik Sen. Joe Manchin wants the child tax credit to cap family income around $60,000, sources told Axios. Manchin supported the credit under the American Rescue Plan in March with no work requirement. The first child tax credit payment lifted around 3 million children out of poverty, one study found. As Democrats continue to negotiate over their marquee social spending package, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is digging in on child tax credit, demanding a work requirement and a family income cap around $60,000, sources told Axios. The credit was initially expanded for a year under President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan in March, with Manchin's support and no work requirement. Under the measure, most families are eligible for monthly payments of $250 or $300 per child. Single-parent and two-parent families who made up to $112,500 and $150,000 respectively were eligible for the full credit under the plan. Manchin's income cap proposal would cut the number of families who qualify for the federal cash, fulfilling one of his key priorities to restrict eligibility for fresh government assistance to lower-income households. A strong majority of Congressional Democrats are lobbying to make the child tax credit permanent as it helps millions of families pay for basic necessities like housing, health care, child care, and education. A Columbia University study from August found that, under the American Rescue Plan, the first child tax credit payment in July lifted approximately 3 million children out of poverty. Still, Manchin argues that without a work requirement attached to the credit, our society and economy will develop an "entitlement mentality." In September, he told CNN's Dana Bash that tying the credit to parents with jobs would ensure assistance was provided to "the right people." Story continues An analysis released last week by researchers from the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University, Barnard College, and Bocconi University found the credit had "statistically insignificant impacts" on job seeking and workforce participation. The child tax credit program is just one of the policies facing cuts in the proposed $3.5 trillion social spending bill as Democrats in Congress try to win over centrists like Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, Insider's Joseph Zeballos-Roig reported. House Democrats are eyeing renewing the revamped child tax credit until 2025, maintaining the bulked-up benefit for four more years and locking in the credit's ability to be issued as monthly payments to the vast majority of American families. Previously, the credit's structure barred families with low or no tax bills from tapping into the full amount. It has a price tag of $556 billion, or a quarter of a potentially $2 trillion sum that Biden pitched as a compromise last month. To cut corners and save on cost, Senate Democrats are weighing a shorter extension until 2024. Read the original article on Business Insider LOS ANGELES --News Direct-- ShowStoppers ShowStoppers today announced it is partnering with Keiretsu Forum Southern California (K4Socal.com) to help journalists discover startups mentored and funded by the community of accredited private-equity and angel investors, venture capitalists, corporate and institutional investors, incubators, business leaders, entrepreneurs and universities. K4Socal.com is a region within Keiretsu Forum, a worldwide network of 54 chapters on 3 continents with capital, technology, talent, resources and deal flow that to date has invested more than $1B USD into companies including a record 314 fundings into seed, early-stage and late-stage companies during 2020, led by life science, healthcare and medical devices, consumer products, and environmental and emerging technologies. The Southern California region of Keiretsu Forum comprises four chapters in San Diego, Westlake Village, Los Angeles and Orange County. Startups working with K4Socal may elect to meet journalists and demo new products and services at press-only events that ShowStoppers produces during CES, MWC, IFA, CEATEC and other trade shows around the world and during the press conferences that stream on ShowStoppers TV, the digital platform that launched in April 2020. ShowStoppers TV broadcasts live and on-demand events that enable marketers, brands, startups, industry leaders, innovators and PR teams to pitch new products and engage in conversation with journalists around the world. Startups working with K4Socal may apply to participate in ShowStoppers Launchit the pitch events that connect startups to media, distributors, retailers and buyers. Startups working with ShowStoppers may apply to participate in K4Socal roadshow and investor forums, and may qualify for access to Keiretsu deal flow, talent, technologies and other resources needed to build and grow successful ventures. The investor community of K4Socal will be invited to participate at in-person and digital ShowStoppers events. Story continues Entrepreneurs need more than funding, said Connie Harrell, Regional President, Keiretsu Forum Southern California. They also need exposure with the press, marketing and promotions, to create a generous return for the investors who mentor and fund those entrepreneurs. This partnership with ShowStoppers provides that. About Keiretsu Forum Southern California Keiretsu is a Japanese term describing a group of affiliated corporations with broad power and reach. Keiretsu Forum Southern California is a region within Keiretsu Forum, a global community of more than 3,000 accredited investor members organized around private equity funding, interlocking relationships with partners and key resources that produces the highest quality deal-flow and investment opportunities. About ShowStoppers Now in its 26th year, ShowStoppers, https://www.showstoppers.com/, is the global leader in producing press and business events spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia. Each event organizes product launches, sneak previews and demonstrations for selected journalists, bloggers, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and startups exhibit to generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brand and open new markets. ShowStoppers produces official press events at CE Week, IFA and NAB; partners with CTA, IFA, GSMA and CEATEC; and produces events during CES, IFA, MWC, NAB, CE Week, CEATEC and other tradeshows. ShowStoppers streams online, broadcasting live events, month after month. To learn more about how you and your company can meet the press at ShowStoppers press events in person and online at ShowStoppers TV, contact Lauren Merel, lauren@showstoppers.com, +1 908-692-6068, or Dave Leon, dave@showstoppers.com, +1 845-821-6123. Contact Details For press registration, please contact Steve Leon +1 310-936-8530 sl@showstoppers.com For Keiretsu Forum Southern California, please contact Cindy Fraley +1 949-899-4849 hello@k4socal.com Company Website https://www.showstoppers.com View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/showstoppers-to-help-journalists-discover-startups-mentored-funded-by-keiretsu-forum-southern-california-333052215 Gucci Manes 1017 artists are showing solidarity with Howard University students who have been protesting inhumane living conditions, among other concerns, at the university over the past few days. Big Scarr, HotBoyWes, and Bic Fizzle were scheduled to perform for students during the HBCUs homecoming week celebration but ended up joining them in protest instead after learning that students were calling out the university and its officials over black mold found in dorms, lack of housing availability, inadequate COVID-19 testing, campus safety concerns, and an updated Board of Trustees decision to eliminate faculty, student, and alumni positions. Gucci Manes (C) 1017 artists (L-R) Bic Fizzle, Hot Boy Wes and Big Scarr stood in solitary with Howard University students. Photos: @bicfizzle/Instagram, @1017_records/ Instagram, @bigscarr/ Instagram Protests began on Tuesday, Oct. 12, when several students staged a sit-in at Howards Blackburn Multipurpose Center. 1017 artists, who joined the fight Oct. 15, can be seen helping and addressing the students in several social media videos, including one where HotBoyWes tells them I stand with yall before asking where my sign at?! The local chapter of the NAACP also voiced their support of the protest via an Instagram post that reads, We stand in solidarity with the student body who has continuously been ignored and mistreated. We stand in solidarity with the student body who has declared that enough is enough. #blackburntakeover. An email sent on Oct. 13 by Howards Vice President of Student Affairs Cynthia Evers discouraged the protest and rebutted the negative messages being spread by students about the school, while also warning students of the disciplinary actions theyd face if the protests continue. Even after meeting for lunch twice over the last two weeks with administrators, some of the protestors are distributing disinformation to encourage a public perception that the administration has not met with them. This is not the truth, reads the letter. The truth is you did not like the honest answers that you received when we met. The University cannot sustain operations if tuition is cut by 40%, when we already charge as much as 50% less than peer institutions. Our current occupancy rate in student housing is 94%. There is no housing shortage. There have been rooms in select residence halls that were affected by mold growth. Story continues The statement maintained that the mold issue is not widespread, and that the Universitys response held the third-party vendor fully accountable, and they are conducting mold remediation and HVAC duct cleaning in the impacted rooms, and throughout the building as part of third-quarter preventive maintenance. 1017 artists speaking with Howard University students. @thehilltophu/Instagram The Board of Trustees responded to students on Oct. 16, confirming a meeting between Howard University President Wayne Frederick, cabinet members, Rev. Dr. Bernard L. Richardson, dean of the chapel, and student leaders from various groups, including the Howard University Student Organization (HUSA), Undergraduate Student Assembly (UGSA), The Hilltop, among others. The conversation was the first of what the school hopes will be continued open dialogues to help bridge the gap between student and administration expectations. To read more stories like this, visit AtlantaBlackStar.com Oct. 18The Office of the State Auditor on Monday released an investigative report finding that a St. Paul charter school's $5 million investment with a hedge fund violated state law and the school's own investment policy. Hmong College Prep Academy lost $4.3 million between September 2019 and March 2021 before withdrawing the balance of its investment from Woodstock Capital, a U.K.-based hedge fund. The investment was supposed to help the school pay for its new middle school. "Given the high level of risk associated with the Partnership, it is not an investment consistent with the Charter School's policy objective of ensuring preservation of principal nor is it an appropriate investment for public funds," the state auditor's report reads. The school is suing Woodstock in hopes of recovering the lost funds, claiming the hedge fund failed to abide by a "side letter" directing it to invest in safer, more liquid vehicles. Woodstock denies such an agreement existed. The auditor's report, which notes that the subscription agreement included disallowed investments, such as European government bonds and "interest rate products," says the outcome of the lawsuit is "unlikely to impact our findings in this report." The auditor sent the report to Ramsey County Attorney's Office for review, citing a statute concerning the use of public funds. "If such report disclose malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office, the state auditor shall file such copy with the county attorney of the county in which the administrative offices of the political subdivision are located, and the county attorney shall institute such proceedings as the law and the public interest require," the report reads, quoting from the statute. A spokesman for the prosecutor's office did not respond to a request for comment. Bethel University, the authorizer for Hmong College Prep, has directed the school to follow a corrective action plan, which includes creating a separate chief financial officer position instead of letting the superintendent do that work. The board has begun implementing that plan, whose recommendations are described in the auditor's report as "reasonable and appropriate." Bethel also has urged the school board to fire Superintendent Christianna Hang, who made the investment. The school board has hired an attorney to look into the circumstances of the investment a possible step toward firing Hang for cause but most board members so far have indicated they want her to stay on as superintendent. Stellantis, the automaker formed through a merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Groupe PSA, has reached a preliminary deal with LG Energy Solution to produce battery cells and modules in North America. The deal, which still must be approved by regulators, is part of Stellantis' plan to invest 30 billion ($34.8 billion) in electrification and software through 2025 in a bid to offer EV options for every model it produces in the U.S. and to reach specific sales goals for the region. The company has said it wants EVs to make up more than 40% of its U.S. sales by 2030. The facility will help Stellantis achieve a total minimum of 260 gigawatt hours of capacity by 2030, according to CEO Carlos Tavares. The news comes the same day as Toyota announced its own plans to build a battery factory in the United States. Toyota Motor North America and Toyota Tsusho announced plans to build an automotive battery plant with the aim of starting production in 2025. The project includes an investment of about $1.29 billion until 2031, Toyota said. Toyota said it will invest about $3.4 billion in automotive batteries in the U.S. through 2030. Under the joint venture, Stellantis and LG Energy will build a new factory with an annual capacity of 40 gigawatt hours that will be up and running by the first quarter of 2024. To put that into perspective, that capacity puts it on par with the massive Panasonic-Tesla gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada. Tesla and Panasonic initially planned for the Gigafactory to have the capacity to produce 35 gigawatt hours of batteries each year. The companies didn't disclose the total cost of the factory or where it will be located. The location is under review and will be announced at a future date. Stellantis and LG Energy expect to break ground at the site in the second quarter of 2022. Batteries produced at the factory will be supplied to Stellantis and used in the production of plug-in hybrids to full battery electric vehicles at the automaker's assembly plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The companies have worked together since 2014, when LG Energy began supplying FCA lithium-ion battery pack systems and controls for the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Andrew Bailey, Bank of England governor, warned the Bank will 'have to act' to get a lid on rising inflation. Photo: PA European markets headed lower on Monday in London as speculation surrounding a potential UK interest rate hike reached fever pitch. The moves lower come following a speech by Bank of England (BoE) governor Andrew Bailey, who warned the Bank will "have to act" to get a lid on rising inflation. Bailey predicted rising energy prices would push up inflation higher, and make it last longer. Monetary policy cannot solve supply-side problems but it will have to act and must do so if we see a risk, particularly to medium-term inflation and to medium-term inflation expectations, said Bailey. The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) was 0.4% lower by the close. Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) was down 0.7% and France's CAC (^FCHI) headed 0.8% lower. "The market is now expecting an interest rate hike by Christmas, largely thanks to the inflationary pressures which will inevitably follow the energy crisis, and some markedly hawkish rhetoric from the governor of the Bank of England," said Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at AJ Bell. Read more: Amazon offering 3,000 joining bonus to avoid labour shortages ahead of Christmas "According to interest rate markets, there is now an 85% chance of a rate rise this year, and a 60% chance of a hike at the next MPC meeting in November. Markets are pricing in tighter policy because the energy crunch could prompt a dramatic U-turn on interest rate policy at the Bank of England." The moves lower also compounded jitters following GDP data in China that missed expectations. The data showed that China's economy grew 4.9% in the July to September quarter from a year earlier, the slowest pace in a year and worse than analysts had predicted. This was far slower than the previous quarter when growth was almost 8%, suggesting that recovery is weakening. Economic trends in China tend to precede similar moves in the west. Watch: What is inflation and why is it important? Story continues Markets are also braced for another busy round of company earnings. Among others, Barclays bank (BCS) and Unilever (UL) report this week. On Friday, stocks staged their best session in five months fuelled by strong US corporate earnings. US stocks were in positive territory by the closing bell in London, following a lower open. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) was up 0.2%. The Dow (^DJI) almost flat and the Nasdaq (^IXIC) headed 0.3% higher. Read more: UK emerges as Europe's top crypto hub with $170bn of deals Overnight in Asia markets were also buoyant, with the Hang Seng (^HSI) finishing 1% higher, Japan's Nikkei (^N225) up 1.7% and the SSE Composite (000001.SS) rising 0.1%. Eyes are on key data coming out of China, including fixed asset investment for September, retail sales, industrial production and jobs. "There is downside risk thanks to holidays, weather, the energy crunch, the government crackdowns along with rising material costs and supply chain disruption," said Jeffrey Halley, senior markets analyst for Asia Pacific at Oanda. "The National Bureau of Statistics press conference after will be worth following for signals on the path forward for Chinas economy for the rest for the year and into 2022." Watch: What are SPACs? Workers in Hollywood have a tentative agreement to stave off a strike that would effectively shut down the entertainment industry as workers across the United States flex their muscle in what activists are calling Striketober. The unrest comes as the nation is beset by labor shortages, potentially giving workers more power than they have had in decades when dealing with corporations. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) was set to strike Sunday night but came to an agreement with Hollywood production companies over the weekend, although the deal still needs to be approved by members. More than 60,000 workers, including costumers, makeup artists, camera operators and set builders, were threatening a walkout as they negotiated a living wage for the lowest earners, more rest periods and compensation from streaming productions. An IATSE banner outside the Costume Designers Guild offices in Burbank, Calif. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters) We went toe-to-toe with some of the richest and most powerful entertainment and tech companies in the world, IATSE International president Matthew Loeb said in a statement. Our members stood firm. However, many of those IATSE members have expressed dissatisfaction with the deal and said they might vote it down. Work will continue until the ratification vote in a few weeks. The vote earlier this month to authorize the strike was nearly unanimous, just one example of widespread labor militancy across the country. More than 10,000 John Deere workers in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas began striking last week, citing soaring profits for the company and a 160 percent raise for the CEO as they work to renegotiate their contract. Representatives from the farm equipment manufacturing company and the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America returned to negotiations Monday, the fifth day of the strike. Union leadership had reached a tentative contract agreement earlier this month, but it was soundly rejected by workers. Meanwhile, more than 28,000 health care workers at Kaiser Permanente in California and Oregon voted overwhelmingly this month to go on strike if their contract demands are not met. They would join other, smaller health care strikes already ongoing around the country, including one conducted by more than 2,000 workers in Buffalo, N.Y., who walked out on Oct. 1 seeking better pay, working conditions and staffing. Story continues Employees of managed care company Kaiser Permanente protesting in Baldwin Park, Calif. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) Workers in a wide range of industries from breakfast cereal manufacturing to whiskey distilling to home health care to coal mining have walked out in recent months. Earlier this year, workers at Nabisco and Volvo reached new contracts after strikes. According to the Labor Action Tracker project at Cornell, dozens of strikes have been started in October alone. The pandemic pushed a lot of buttons for people, Todd Vachon, a labor expert at Rutgers University, told Yahoo News. We saw a lot of unrest around workplace safety ... and even nonunion workers walking off the job and organizing in ways we havent seen in a long time. Over the last several decades, worker compensation has lagged well behind productivity, and CEO pay has risen sharply in comparison to that of the average worker. But labor activists say pandemic-related shutdowns and relief programs such as the expanded unemployment insurance and stimulus payments gave Americans a chance to assess their situations. Millions have switched industries, and many who left the workforce and took on child care responsibilities have yet to return. In August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that a record 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs, especially within the service, hospitality and retail sectors. All of this comes during a time when public sympathies have shifted toward labor. Applicants at a U.S. Postal Service job fair in Los Angeles. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) According to a September Gallup poll, support for unions is at its highest point since 1965; 68 percent of Americans now say they approve of unions, up 20 points from a low in 2009. That includes 90 percent approval by Democrats and 66 percent approval by independents. At the federal level, President Biden has consistently touted himself as pro-union, even encouraging Amazon workers to organize earlier this year. Labor activists have called on Congress to pass the Pro Act, a piece of legislation that would make workplace organizing easier, but its unlikely to overcome Republican opposition and the Democratic refusal to remove the Senate filibuster. People are choosing not to take the jobs that are being offered, so that builds some power and leverage for unions and bargaining that they havent had in decades, really, to be honest, Vachon said. [Employers] can bring in replacement workers, and that makes the strike less effective. But when theres folks refusing to take the jobs being offered, the strike is a lot more powerful of a weapon because it actually shuts down the production and the facility and brings the employer back to the table more quickly. In addition to the organized strikes, there have been waves of workers walking off the job in nonunion positions, such as fast food workers protesting allegedly unsafe working conditions and low wages despite being lauded as essential workers. Activists in Washington rally in support of raising the minimum wage. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Allynn Umel, director of the Fight for $15 campaign, told Yahoo News that the hypocrisy between being called essential and the need for workers to sacrifice themselves and their families over the course of the pandemic has been fueling a lot of frustrations that workers have been facing. Low-wage workers, Umel said, know this is a moment where they want to make it clear that the pre-pandemic status quo of unlivable wages and terrible working conditions are no longer acceptable." All of these factors have combined to form what former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich called a national general strike, as workers potentially gain more power than they have had in decades amid labor shortages and widespread dissatisfaction with income inequality. Workers, Vachon said, are withholding their labor because they dont like whats being offered, and thats essentially what a strike is. Its not organized by any organization, and theyre not all communicating about it across the whole economy. But whats happening is there is a de facto general strike, and that just increases the economic power of the workers who go on real strikes. ____ Read more from Yahoo News: The Supreme Court ruled Monday that police officers in two cases should be shielded from lawsuits claiming their conduct killed one man and injured another. The rulings, in cases from California and Oklahoma, are a further sign that the court is unwilling to second-guess police officers responding to emergency calls. Both cases resulted in brief, unsigned opinions with no noted dissents. In the Oklahoma case, a woman called 911 complaining that her ex-husband, Dominic Rollice, was intoxicated in her garage and would not leave. "It's going to get ugly real quick," she said on the call. After three officers responded, Rollice refused to leave the garage and grabbed a hammer. He raised it over his head and took a stance as if he was about throw it, according to court documents. Two of the officers fired their guns, killing him. In the California case, police from Union City responded to a 911 call from a 12-year-old girl who said her mother's boyfriend, Ramon Cortesluna, was in the house with a chainsaw. The girl said she was barricaded in a room with her mother and sister, fearing that he intended to hurt them. Police eventually ordered Cortesluna out of the house but noticed that he had a knife in his pants pocket. An officer put one knee on the left side of the man's back, near the knife, for no more more than eight seconds, according to court documents. Cortesluna sued, saying he suffered emotional and physical pain as a result of excessive force by police. In both cases, the Supreme Court said the officers were entitled to the form of legal protection known as qualified immunity. That judicial doctrine shields officers from lawsuits unless it can be shown that their conduct violated a clearly established right under the Constitution or the law. As applied by the courts, it requires a lawsuit to show that an officer's action was virtually the same as conduct ruled impermissible in a similar lawsuit, a difficult legal standard to meet given the complexity of law enforcement encounters. Story continues "We have repeatedly told courts not to define clearly established law at too high a level of generality," the Supreme Court said in the Oklahoma case. Qualified immunity protects "all but the plainly incompetent or those who knowingly violate the law," it added. Anya Bidwell, a lawyer at the Institute for Justice, a legal advocacy group, said Monday's rulings demonstrate that the court is "very deferential toward law enforcement when officers have to make split-second decisions." The death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer thrust the issue of qualified immunity into the national spotlight. Congress considered a proposal to dial back the protection, but the legislation stalled. Other cases are pending before the Supreme Court that challenge law enforcement conduct when split-second decisions are not an issue. One involves a refugee from Somalia who was imprisoned for nearly two years. Her lawsuit says a federal officer falsely implicated her in a crime. Another lawsuit says an officer held at gunpoint a man who was looking into the involvement of the officer's son in a drunken driving accident. The court has not decided whether to take up those cases. The cause of death for Erik Cowie, Joe Exotic's former zookeeper featured in Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, is "acute and chronic alcohol use," according to New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Cowie, 52, was found unconscious and then pronounced dead at a Brooklyn apartment on Sept. 3. Erik Cowie, who appeared in Tiger King, has died. (Photo: Netflix) More than six weeks later, officials also determined that the manner of his death was "natural." Cowie cared for the cats owned by Exotic whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage and housed at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Okla., before and after Exotic was imprisoned for offenses against animals and for attempting to hire people to kill big-cat activist Carole Baskin. He testified against his manager of roughly five years at Exotic's 2019 trial. When Cowie died, Exotic reacted bluntly. "So am I shocked he is gone? No, not a bit. I put him through rehab in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and still [gave] him a home and a job," Exotic told the Daily Mail in an interview published five days after his death. "He had a horrible disease of alcohol." Meanwhile, the zoo where Cowie once worked no longer exists. A court awarded the property to Baskin in June 2020, as part of a $1 million judgment that Exotic had been ordered to pay her in a lawsuit. She sold it in August 2021, with the stipulation that the owners could not use it as a zoo for 100 years and could not use words such as "tiger," "Joe Exotic," "G.W. Zoo" or "big cat" in the name, TMZ reported. In other Tiger King news, Discovery+ announced last week that Baskin will star in and executive produce a two-part documentary called Carole Baskin's Cage Fight, which trails her and her team, including husband Howard Baskin, as they search G.W. Zoo for "lingering evidence of animal trafficking and abuse." A second season of Tiger King presumably without Baskin, who has heavily criticized the series is expected later this year. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp's North American unit said Monday it will invest about $3.4 billion (380 billion yen) on U.S. automotive battery development and production in the United States through 2030. The world's largest automaker by volume also said it plans to establish a new company and build a new U.S. automotive battery plant together with Toyota Tsusho, the automaker's metals trading arm and a unit of the Toyota Group. The new plant, which includes a planned $1.29 billion Toyota investment through 2031, aims to start production in 2025 and is expected to create 1,750 new U.S. jobs. The funds are part of the $13.5 billion it announced in September it planned to spend globally by 2030 to develop batteries and its battery supply system. The largest Japanese automaker said in September it aimed to slash costs of its batteries by 30% or more by working on materials used and the way the cells are structured. Toyota said the new company will initially focus on producing batteries for hybrid vehicles. Toyota said it will later disclose production capacity, the new company's business structure and the plant site. Toyota North America CEO Ted Ogawa said in a statement the investment "will help usher in more affordable electrified vehicles for U.S. consumers." Automakers around the world are investing billions of dollars to ramp up battery and electric vehicle production as they face increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Toyota has mounted a lobbying campaign to try to convince U.S. lawmakers not to include an additional $4,500 tax incentive for union-made electric vehicles. In August, U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order setting a target to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions vehicles. Detroit's Big Three automakers said in August they aspire "to achieve sales of 40-50% of annual U.S. volumes of electric vehicles... by 2030." Story continues Toyota said last month it "unreservedly signed up to meet the challenge of making half of the vehicles we sell electric" by 2030. Bidens 50% goal and the automakers 2030 goals includes battery electric, fuel cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles that also have a gasoline-engine. (Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Diane Craft) Former US President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in Manhattan on July 19, 2021. James Devaney/GC Images Lawyers for Donald Trump sued on Monday to block congressional subpoenas related to January 6. Trump claimed that he intended to use 'executive privelege' to reject subpoenas. The lawsuit calls the subpoenas by congress unconstitutional and illegal. Attorneys for Donald Trump filed a lawsuit in a Washington, DC, federal court on Monday in an attempt to block the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the US Capitol from obtaining White House records. The lawsuit alleges the committee's subpoenas are "invalid and unenforceable through the Constitution and the laws of the United States." In early October, Trump's legal team instructed former aides subpoenaed by the committee, including Steve Bannon, not to comply with congressional subpoenas issued in September. On Monday, the Associated Press reported that the White House counsel sent a letter to Bannon's attorney saying that "at this point we are not aware of any basis for your client's refusal to appear for a deposition," and that Trump's claim of executive privilege did not shield the former adviser from his deposition. "President Biden's determination that an assertion of privilege is not justified with respect to these subjects applies to your client's deposition testimony and to any documents your client may possess concerning either subject," White House Deputy Counsel Jonathan Su wrote to Bannon's lawyer, according to the AP. The report added that former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former White House and national security aide Kashyap Patel are currently working with the committee, but Dan Scavino has not complied yet. Trump's lawsuit again claimed that the former president intended to use executive privilege to reject the subpoenas. Story continues The suit called the Biden administration's move to waive executive privilege for White House records, "a myopic, political maneuver designed to maintain the support of its political rivals," according to NBC News. Trump's lawyer Jesse Binall argued that Congress can only seek records in order to legislate and not to investigate. Binnall has represented Trump in four lawsuits related to the January 6 insurrection, as well as in Trump's unsuccessful effort to overturn an election loss in Nevada. Last week, the White House counsel asked the National Archives to quickly turn over Trump-related documents to the committee, NBC News' White House correspondent reported. Read the original article on Business Insider Former President Donald Trump is suing the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attacks in an attempt to block the disclosure of White House documents, describing the panel's demand as a "vexatious, illegal fishing expedition." "This self-described 'sweeping' request is almost limitless in scope and effectively seeks every presidential record and communication that could tenuously relate to events that occurred on January 6, 2021," the lawsuit states. More: January 6 committee seeks to hold Steve Bannon in contempt as ex-Trump aide refuses subpoena Previously: Biden blocks attempt by Trump to withhold White House documents from Jan. 6 probe Trump's legal action comes after President Joe Biden declined to assert executive privilege sought by the former president to sidestep the committee's demand. The lawsuit was brought on Trump's behalf by Jesse Binnall, a self-described "MAGA lawyer" from Virginia who was involved in failed voter fraud challenges following the 2020 election. Former President Donald Trump "Our laws do not permit such an impulsive, egregious action against a former President and his close advisors," the lawsuit states. The committee has issued subpoenas for documents and testimony against a number of former Trump aides, including former strategist Steve Bannon, who has refused to comply. The Jan. 6 committee is set to vote Tuesday to advance a contempt citation against Bannon. More: Jan. 6 committee subpoenas former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark, accused of attempting to overturn 2020 election Attorneys criticized the harsh tone of the lawsuit. Bradley P. Moss, a national security lawyer, called it "a third-rate legal document unworthy of the first-rate constitutional questions it purports to address." "These are serious legal matters and this lawsuit is little more than a political screed designed for fundraising purposes," Moss said. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., with Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speaks to the media following testimony during the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol adjourned their first hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on July 27, 2021. Barbara McQuade, law professor at the University of Michigan and a former federal prosecutor, called the lawsuit "a stall tactic" that will only delay the inevitable. Story continues "He may get a judge to consider his overbreadth argument and require the committee to narrow its request, but Congress has the power to subpoena these records," McQuade said. McQuade added that "Trumps executive privilege fails because the sitting president may waive it when a compelling national interest outweighs the privilege, as President Biden has done here." Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., has denounced Trump's executive privilege claims as "insufficient, blanket, and vague." Trump also names David Ferriero, the archivist of the United States, as a defendant in the civil lawsuit. The Trump team claimed that "former Presidents have inherent constitutional rights of privilege," and that the National Archives "has not even had the time to compile and organize the documents being requested by Congress." , This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump sues Jan 6. panel to block document disclosure By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former President Donald Trump on Monday sued the U.S. congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, claiming members made an illegal request for his White House records. Trump, in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asserted that materials sought by the House of Representatives committee are covered by a legal doctrine known as executive privilege, which protects the confidentiality of some White House communications. "The Committee's requests are unprecedented in their breadth and scope and are untethered from any legitimate legislative purpose," Trump's lawyer Jesse Binnall wrote in the lawsuit. Committee members Liz Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming, and Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, said in a written statement issued in response to Trump's lawsuit that the former president was seeking to "delay and obstruct" their investigation. "It's hard to imagine a more compelling public interest than trying to get answers about an attack on our democracy and an attempt to overturn the results of an election," Cheney and Thompson said in the statement. Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the seat of Congress on Jan. 6 in a failed bid to prevent lawmakers from certifying Democratic President Joe Biden's election victory. More than 600 people face criminal charges stemming from the event. Trump was impeached by the Democratic-led House on a charge of inciting the attack on the Capitol in a fiery speech at a rally earlier that day. He was acquitted by the Senate. Biden earlier this month authorised the National Archives to turn over an initial batch of documents requested by the select committee. The Archives has said it would turn over the requested material next month, according to Trump's lawsuit, which seeks an injunction halting that process. Michael Stern, a former congressional lawyer, said Trump's strategy may be to use litigation to stall the select committee's work. Story continues "If he is willing to pay for the lawyers, Trump could delay the production of records for some time," Stern said. The Jan. 6 committee has also issued subpoenas demanding testimony from Trump advisers, including political strategist Steve Bannon. Bannon has refused to provide testimony until Trump's assertion of executive privilege has been resolved by a court or through negotiations with the committee. The committee said last week it would formally ask the U.S. Justice Department to bring criminal charges against Bannon because of his defiance of the subpoena. The committee has subpoenaed other officials including former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, Trump former chief of staff Mark Meadows, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and former Defense Department official Kash Patel. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Peter Cooney) U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a longtime Democratic congressman from Austin, indicated to Axios that he plans to announce his run for a seat in a newly proposed congressional district in Austin. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Why it matters: The recently crafted district, part of the redrawing of political boundaries every 10 years to account for population growth, is expected to be a safe Democratic seat that will include parts of Travis and Williamson counties. It's also seen as a natural fit for Doggett, who spent his tenure as a political survivor in gerrymandered districts that have stretched to South Texas. The creation of the Austin congressional seat is part of an effort by Texas Republican lawmakers to protect GOP incumbents across the state and win back political power in Washington. What he's saying: "For years, I had the good fortune to represent all of Austin, the only city I have ever called home," Doggett told Axios. "After then being switched across Texas to Rio Grande City, LaGrange and San Antonio, Republicans have now created District 37, which for now reunites many of the Austin neighborhoods I was first elected to represent." "Though designed for the wrong reasons and refusing to acknowledge that 95% of the growth in Texas has been from people of color, this new gerrymander seems to at least mean that most Travis County residents will no longer be forced into districts of Trump-supporting Congress members," he continued. "I will be asking neighbors to permit my continued service in Washington as a voice for our shared values." State of play: Doggett has built deep loyalties and a wide network in his decades in office. Ahead of his announcement, other possible candidates included: Wendy Davis, the former Democratic state senator who drew national headlines for her 13-hour filibuster over a restrictive abortion measure. Story continues She's sought higher office before, facing a bruising defeat in her 2014 gubernatorial bid against now-Gov. Greg Abbott. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R) narrowly defeated Davis in 2020 for a seat representing a slice of Austin and the Hill Country. Davis, who lives in Austin, has punted questions about a possible run, saying instead she has "serious legal concerns" with the map: "Discussions around who may or may not run for election and in which districts is not the right conversation to have at this time." A spokesman for Davis declined to comment further. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, an Austin Democrat, was also seen as a possible contender for the new seat. Her state House district fits squarely in the new 37th Congressional District, and she drew national attention when she joined Democrats in fleeing the state earlier this year to break quorum over a sweeping GOP-led voting bill. Hinojosa previously said it's not the time to discuss possible candidates for the district. She maintained that position Friday, telling Axios she's "trying to protect the voting interests of Travis County" and "will make a decision about next steps once maps are voted out." What's next: In what amounts to a field-clearing move, Doggett isn't waiting for the congressional map to be finalized. Doggett said he will make his decision about where to run publicly on Monday outside Bryker Woods Elementary, the same location as his original announcement for Congress. He was first elected to Congress in 1994. Names floated for Doggett's old district include: Austin City Council Member Greg Casar State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, a San Antonio Democrat Julian Castro, former mayor of San Antonio and Obama-era Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Yes, but: While Castro's name recognition and cash-raising prowess would make him a favorite for the seat, the job may not best position him for a statewide run in 2024 against Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. A spokesman for Castro did not return Axios' request for comment. Our thought bubble: Even as Austin finally gets its own Democrat in Congress, it comes at the cost of communities of color across the state getting sliced and diced. Republicans did not add a new Hispanic-majority district in Texas, despite the group driving much of the state's population growth. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani about Afghanistan on Sunday, the U.S. State Department said. The readout of the call released by the State Department did not given any details, except that Blinken acknowledged Qatar's assistance to transit U.S. citizens and Afghans at risk. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim Coghill) WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department's inspector general will review the end of the Biden administration's diplomatic operations in Afghanistan, including the emergency evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Kabul, a spokesperson said on Monday. The department's acting inspector general will also look into its Special Immigrant Visa Program, the processing of Afghans for admission as refugees, and their resettlement in the United States. The acting inspector general, Diana Shaw, notified Congress on Monday that her office was launching "several oversight projects" related to the end of the U.S. military and diplomatic missions in Afghanistan. A congressional aide said a briefing by the IG was scheduled for Tuesday. The planned evaluation was first reported by Politico. The U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed in mid-August as the Taliban swept through the country at lightning speed and marched into the capital, Kabul. U.S. Republicans have harshly criticized President Joe Biden's administration for the spectacular collapse of the two-decade war effort, although the president's approval ratings have largely recovered from an initial hit tied to the chaotic withdrawal. Thirteen U.S. troops also died in an Aug. 26 suicide bombing https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/didnt-need-happen-pentagon-seeks-answers-deadly-attack-2021-08-28 as they tried to safeguard the evacuation effort that ultimately relied on support from the militant Islamist Taliban, a long-time U.S. foe. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Patricia Zengerle in Washington and Kanishka Singh in BengaluruEditing by Jonathan Oatis and Karishma Singh) (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Deputy Trade Representative Jayme White will travel to Brussels on Tuesday and then to London on Thursday to attend the G7 trade ministers meeting, the USTR office said. In Brussels, they will meet with European Union leaders and participate in roundtable discussions with labor and environment leaders, the USTR office added. Tai will return to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, October 23. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru) Vanessa Bryant speaks at a memorial service for her husband, Kobe, and daughter Gianna on Feb. 24, 2020. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County wants a judge to force Kobe Bryant's widow to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to prove she suffered emotional distress from leaked photos of the crash that killed her husband, daughter and seven others. Yet despite the lawsuits filed by Vanessa Bryant and other relatives of those killed in the January 2020 helicopter crash, which allege that images from the scene were taken and shared by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and firefighters, the county is refusing to allow Sheriff Alex Villaneuva or county Fire Chief Daryl Osby to be deposed. Bryant says she suffered severe emotional distress after learning of the photos, arguing they compounded the loss of her husband, Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. The county's lawyers argued in a filing Friday that Bryant must submit to an independent medical examination before the federal trial in February 2022. In asking the judge to compel the exam, they said that she"cannot be suffering distress from accident site photos that they have never seen and that were never publicly disseminated." Bryant and other families of the crash victims filed lawsuits last fall seeking undisclosed damages for emotional distress and a violation of their civil rights and privacy. Bryant has said the sheriff personally assured her the photographs taken at the crash site in Calabasas had not been disseminated, though it was later revealed a deputy had showed some of the photos in a bar. "Unable to defend the indefensible conduct of its employees who took and shared horrific photographs of plaintiff's loved ones ... the county has resorted to a scorched earth discovery tactic designed to bully plaintiffs into abandoning their pursuit of accountability," Bryant's attorney, Luis Li, argued in opposing the motion. Li also said it was "adding insult to injury" for the county to refuse to make the sheriff and fire chief available for a routine deposition that the surviving families have already endured. He also questioned whether the five county supervisors supported such a move. Story continues Skip Miller, partner of the Miller Barondess law firm, which is representing L.A. County, said that the fact remains that no crash site photos taken by first responders have ever been publicly disseminated." "We totally sympathize with the enormous loss Ms. Bryant has suffered," Miller said. "But as a legal matter, we dont believe she could be harmed by something that didnt occur. Although Villanueva has already been dismissed from the lawsuit, a Times investigation revealed that he ordered the deletion of the photos. He has said he did that to prevent their distribution and potential publication. A former captain warned that the move could constitute an order to destroy evidence. Bryant has identified four deputies she says shared the grim photos: Raul Versales, Rafael Mejia, Joey Cruz and Michael Russell. Two Los Angeles County firefighters are facing termination proceedings and a third was suspended in connection with the leaked images. Bryant's lawsuit alleges that Versales obtained multiple photographs of the crash scene on Jan. 26, 2020, while stationed at a makeshift command post and he shared them with members of the Sheriff's Department, including Mejia and a detective. Mejia shared the photos with Cruz, a trainee in the department at the time, who then sent them to Russell, according to the lawsuit. Two days later, while Cruz was at his mother's home, court records indicate that he showed the photos to his niece. That same day, at the Baja California Bar and Grill in Norwalk, he spoke about working the scene of the crash and was captured on the bar's security camera zooming in and out of the images while showing them to the bartender, the lawsuit says. The bartender described the images to a group sitting at a nearby table. One patron was so disturbed by what he heard, he filed a complaint with the Sheriff's Department, which The Times reviewed. The agency tried to keep a lid on the episode, opening an investigation only after The Times disclosed that the deputies had obtained the photos and were showing them to others. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Gordon Murray Automotives first creation is finally ready for the spotlight. The design legends new vehicle, the T.50, made its public debut at the 78th Goodwood Members Meeting over the weekend. Following two years of tantalizing teases, the silver speed machine didnt just look the part of a next-generation hypercar, it sounded it too. More from Robb Report Former racecar driver Dario Franchitti piloted the T.50 was piloted around the 2.37-mile Goodwood Circuit. The track legend, who plans to buy one of the supercars for himself, took it for three full turns around the course, showing just some of what the vehicle can do thanks to rain-slick track conditions. Despite this, you can really hear the scream of its powertrain in a video uploaded to the official Goodwood YouTube channel. Gordon Murray Automotives T.50 hypercar makes its debut at the 78th Goodwood Members Meeting - Credit: Goodwood Road & Racing/YouTube Goodwood Road & Racing/YouTube What a sound, one of the commentators exclaims early in the clip. Halloween is approaching and that sounds like the sort of banshee wail that would scare the children. That banshee wail comes courtesy of what may be the T.50s most impressive feature: its 12-cylinder Cosworth-sourced heart. With even supercar specialists embracing electrification and hybridization, a naturally aspirated 3.9-liter V-12 is a bit of an oddity in 2021. Its also a true powerhouse. Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the T.50 engine will churn out 654 horses and 344 ft lbs of torque and have a redline of 12,100 rpm. The marque has so far declined to release performance estimates for the vehicle, but Murray himself told Robb Report last summer that it would be blindingly quick. Aside from its head-turning powertrain, the T.50 has a curvaceous design that bears more than a passing resemblance to the designers most famous supercar, the McLaren F1 (both vehicles also have gullwing doors). Theres also a prominent 16-inch fan jutting out the rear that isnt just there for decoration but helps cool the engine and improves aerodynamics. Combine all of this with a curb weight of 2,174 pounds and the T.50 has the potential to be a rocket on wheels. Story continues Well get to find out soon enough. Gordon Murray Automotive plans to start building the T.50 in January, with deliveries scheduled for later in 2022. The marque has said it will build 100 examples of the $3 million hypercar. Production of a $3.4-million track-only version, the T.50s Niki Lauda, will commence in January 2023. We cant wait to hear how loud that variant is. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Today we remember trailblazing military commander and first Black secretary of state, Colin Powell. The national security leader died Monday at 84 from COVID-19 complications. I'm Alex, and welcome to Your Week a newsletter that rounds up the top stories you can't miss. Your subscription powers our journalism, and we can't thank you enough. Also in the news this week: Americans are quitting their jobs. Millennials are flooding the housing market. And the viral Netflix show "Squid Game" is not just gore, but an exploration of society and debt. First, spend time with these stories A storied legacy | Powell is remembered for his diplomatic and military legacy, writes USA TODAY's Tom Vanden Brook. His career was marked by firsts: the first and only Black officer to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the first Black man to become secretary of state. He made the case for the war to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, a cause that he was reluctant to push and for which he later expressed regret. Secretary of State Colin Powell looks on as President Bush addresses State Department employees at the State Department in Washington on Feb. 15, 2001. Left to rot | When Champlain Towers South ascended from the beachfront 40 years ago in the quaint Miami suburb of Surfside, the new condominium gleamed with promise. But even before developers sold off the 136 units to their first owners, the construction had been botched and the building had been set on a course to rot from the foundation up, a USA TODAY investigation shows. 'The pervasive stigma is insane' | Four police officers died by suicide after the Jan. 6 insurrection. It's the reason their names won't be memorialized. The Capitol attack, and the suicides that followed, reignited a national discussion about what constitutes a job-related death and the policies that advocates say perpetuate a long-standing bias that law enforcement has failed to confront. Today in the news Spotlight: The Great Resignation is changing America's workforce Story continues In August, 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs. Were you one of them? Many workers bolted in search of higher pay, better employment conditions and critical support in their daily lives. And it's a trend that's here to stay. USA TODAY's Paul Davidson breaks down why workers are quitting and what we can expect from the labor market in the future. Its no longer enough that employers are adjusting wages, said Becky Frankiewicz, president of Manpower group North America. Theyve got to address health and well-being, safety and flexibility too ... What people want from work and life has changed. We're getting less for our money. Food prices are climbing amid worker shortages, supply-chain problems and extreme weather. As offices reopen, workers resist bringing back the commute: 'Hours of my life I'm never going to get back.' Subscribe to The Daily Money, a morning newsletter that will bring you our best stories on how to make money and hold onto it. News you should know -- Thanks for reading. See you next week! This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Welcome to Your Week Yahoo Life is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. Some of the products written about here are offered in affiliation with Yahoo. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Spyware can strike at any time here's how to protect yourself. (Photo: Getty) Spyware is one of those terms that's thrown around a lot in cybersecurity that you might be a little hazy on what, exactly, it is. Still, you're probably at least aware on some level that it's bad. Spyware can strike at any time, and it most recently happened during an Apple data breach. The company issued an emergency spyware alert in September, urging users with iPhones, iPads and other Apple devices to update their software ASAP, after learning that Israeli spyware company NSO Group had developed a way to take control of nearly any Apple computer, watch or iPhone. You shouldn't panic about spyware, but you do want to make sure you're protected against it. One way to fend off spyware is to invest in powerful software like Norton Security Online a leader in cybersecurity. One account can help protect up to five mobile devices from all kinds of cyber threats. Once it's downloaded, Norton Security Online helps find and get rid of existing malware (including spyware), along with warding off future attempted attacks in real time. It even helps shield your personal and financial data, protecting your assets. Shop it: Norton Security Online, 30-day free trial, then $4.99 a month, subscriptions.yahoo.com One way to fend off spyware is to invest in powerful software like Norton Security Online. (Photo: Getty) OK, but what is spyware, exactly? Here's what you need to know. What is spyware? "Spyware is software with malicious intent or purpose," Tom Kelly, president and chief executive officer of the consumer privacy platform IDX, tells Yahoo Life. "This software can acquire information about a person or organization and send it to another entity to cause harm." Spyware can include hacking into the personal device of a user and bypassing security and firewalls, Kelly says. Story continues Spyware usually "monitors your behavior on a computer or device and then collects and transmits that data, with or without your permission," tech and cybersecurity expert Chuck Brooks, president of Brooks Consulting International, tells Yahoo Life. You may unintentionally pick it up when you download a free app, or it could even be installed when you click a link on a website, explains Brooks. Why is spyware bad? There are a few different reasons why you don't want spyware on your devices: It infringes on your privacy . "Spyware can install 'keyloggers,' which record your keystrokes," Brooks says. "That is, they record everything you type." Most people aren't aware they have it. "Most users are oblivious to its installation, use, and the implications of having their web searching and buying habits shared with companies," Brooks says. It can turn into a cyber-threat. "Often, the data is sold to third parties and is not protected," Brooks says. "The data can be valuable to hackers if accessed for social engineering attacks, especially for identity theft." Taking steps now to ward off future attacks will go a long way towards protecting your private information. (Photo: Getty) What are the different types of spyware? There isn't just one type of spyware there are actually different ones you may come across. Adware . Kelly describes this as "unwanted software that displays ads on your screen, most often within a web browser, in the form of a new tab opening or a change in your web page." Examples include weight-loss ads that promote cure-all pills and giveaways asking you to enter your credit card information for a free gadget. System monitors . This is special software that lets administrators or owners of a corporation monitor their internet infrastructure, explains Kelly. "It can provide an inside look into web traffic, downloaded programs, applications, etc., on an employee computer," he says. "But it also is a great resource for protecting privacy because its able to detect any disruptions or red flags. They do often run in the background, so users are typically unaware theyre being monitored." Web tracking . Web tracking is a tool that "measures website activity of a user and provides the operator with third-party information of the user, allowing them to store, collect and share information about a visitors activity on the website," Kelly says. He adds, "depending on who has access, this can both be beneficial to a corporation, but also harmful." Trojans. These are "malicious programs that look like desirable programs and applications," Kelly says, noting that "they are designed to cause identity theft, data harvesting and can even acquire computer data." Trojans usually come in the form of email attachments or broken web links that invite the user to click on something that gives a hacker the ability to gain access to their device. Overall, spyware is not something you want on any of your devices. Taking steps now to ward off future attacks will go a long way towards protecting your private information. Shop it: Norton Security Online, 30-day free trial, then $4.99 a month, subscriptions.yahoo.com Read more from Yahoo Life: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle's newsletter. CHICAGO Victor Cervantes, who performs as Victor Internet, had everything sorted out in the months before March 2020. Years before, Cervantes (who uses they/them pronouns) found indie success with the release of their debut, "Victors Debut," at only 17 years old. They were even profiled as a wunderkind in the pages of this paper. But a lot can change in a few years, or even just a few months. As an adult, Cervantes was eager to embark on a new musical journey across the country in Los Angeles. The cross-country move is not an unfamiliar one for young artists looking to gain more success and opportunities that cant be found in the Second City. I think I was looking for some peace and quiet after living in Chicago for so long, Cervantes said. But no one (at least not a young artist) could have predicted the unprecedented cultural and social changes of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Cervantes, this prompted them to move back to Chicago, which they did late this summer, but not before eventually finding time to return to the one thing theyve always loved: making music. The results of this work is BLUE 2000, Victor Internets sophomore project, out now. Many of Cervantess plans including working with a variety of producers fell through during those early days of the pandemic. Stuck at home during rolling quarantine orders, Cervantes, like many artists, found it difficult to get creative. At the beginning of the pandemic, I was shying away from calling my friends, Cervantes recalled. I kind of distanced myself from everyone, just kind of going through a really bad depressive episode. The COVID-19 pandemic has, among many things, solidified the fragility of life and the swiftness of death. Life can radically transform in an instant; what we once knew can never be the same. Much of that weighed on Cervantess mind. Im like, What if this last time we talked? What if one of them gets sick? So yeah, there was also this really big fear of just, what if this is our last goodbye? added Cervantes. That made me kind of keep my distance and I just wanted to hide. I was really scared. Story continues Growing up in Chicago with a single mother and multiple siblings, Cervantes was comfortable caring for others. They solidified their independence at an early age. But that self-reliant attitude can only go so far, especially during a time like the present. Among the many things Cervantes learned during the pandemic (including how to make pasta), reaching out to others became a focal point. I learned the importance of caring for yourself and taking care of your mental health and your physical health, said Cervantes. And talking to loved ones was a perfect remedy to not only heal emotionally, but reconnect to their creativity. I (couldnt) keep doing this so I started calling all my friends, my band, and it was so good to just talk to them again and see their faces. Thats what helped me start working again because I saw them actively working on themselves and Im like, Why should I stop working on myself? Let me continue to do the work even if I have to stay home, Cervantes said. It was other peoples stories that served as the inspiration for Cervantess new work. It is a practice they adopted from an early age. If other artists rely on pulling from their personal lives, Cervantes likes to piece together their friends experiences. These memories become what Cervantes described as living songs, new artifacts inspired by the specificities of their community. I love to tell stories, even if theyre not really about me, explained Cervantes. Im like, What would I do if I was in a situation like (that)? What are some things that Id be saying to myself, or some things that I would want to say to the other party involved? So I put myself in their shoes and I really like to just navigate what they would feel like in that moment. Despite the earlier delay of the pandemic, Cervantes did eventually get to work with new producers. Used to writing and creating alone, working with new producers allowed them to experiment in structure and sound. Many of their new songs maintain the raw and unstructured sound that made Victor Internet instantly popular. Vocals are layered and Cervantes still enjoys playing around with the pitch. But while their old tracks were largely produced on the computer, some of the new songs on BLUE 2000 were made more traditionally, using analog synths and techniques. The result is a seven-song collection that creatively pushed Cervantes in all the ways they had anticipated before the world turned upside down. I still have some of that indie pop sound. I have a little more experimental punk sound sometimes and [on] my latest single, Forever, I have like a Prince/Stevie Wonder influence, which is really fun, they said. I think I want to keep doing that ... just kind of exploring all these different production styles and just seeing what works best. The route to this moment may have been uncomfortable, but it also led Cervantes to some of their dreamiest, most satisfying music yet. Whatever I make, its still gonna have that Victor touch, they added. No matter what I make, its still going to have that flavor. But are children permanently behind and set up for failure in life? Is it impossible to even consider that what research is finding to be a two-to-three month gap for some in learning assessments cant be reclaimed? The reply should be to monitor childrens development even closer, especially lower-income families, where the greatest slips in education attainment have been tracked. And attention to young peoples mental health should never be discounted. One recent study published by the Journal of Pediatrics found that at least 140,000 children under 18 have had a parent or other caregiver die of COVID-19, or a pandemic-related issue. Just as the impact of crack was racialized and blown out of proportion, anything involving the pandemic and education can quickly take on a life of its own. Pfizer and BioNTech are asking for clearance by the FDA to give the vaccine to children aged 5-11, so conversations about the pandemics effect on children will soon escalate. The vaccine fears and hesitancies of parents will have to be respected and met with science-based facts. This could be a reset. We need fewer politically driven arguments, less labeling of good and bad parents and attention to pushing back against wild assumptions of permanent educational losses. Most of all, we dont need another sorry chapter in hyperventilated, stretched predictions meant to scare families, not help them. Mary Sanchez is a nationally syndicated columnist who has covered schools, immigration and other issues for the Kansas City Star. As the Taliban rose up to power soon after the withdrawal of all US troops, Afghanistan has been facing one of the biggest humanitarian crisis the world has ever encountered. Taliban invaded Kabul, President Ghani fled the country, the government collapsed. The innocent civilians got caught in the middle of an intense war between the Afghan Army and the Taliban, leading to thousands of casualties. Taliban has now taken over the entire Afghanistan and is guilty of several human rights violations and abuses. * Taliban is an Islamic militant organisation with extremist ideologies by which, over the years, it has strictly enforced Sharia Islamic laws on Afghanistan without any regards to the civilians and their human rights. Sharia forms the legal system and the religious concept of Islam. So in order to assert such harsh and radical beliefs on the people, Taliban has gone as far as committing assault, harassment and even execution. The people of Afghanistan have become victims of such an inhumane torture. This type of atrocious treatment would especially affect the children of Afghanistan, as they face abuse and have their youth snatched away from them in the cruellest way ever. DENIAL TO EDUCATION, DENIAL TO BASIC RIGHTS, DENIAL TO DEVELOPMENT Taliban officials have stated that co-education is banned as it goes against the laws of Islam. Girls would be able to study as long as they are in segregated classrooms and follow a proper dress code with a hijab and full face coverings, as well as other extreme restrictions. Male teachers are prohibited to teach female students. In the latest announcement regarding the re-opening of schools, boys could now continue to attend secondary school. However, there was no mention of girls in the announcement as Taliban has banned girls from secondary education. This action taken by the Taliban contradicts their previous statements about women being able to study for degrees. If girls are not provided with secondary education, their previous indications of their liberal ideologies are meaningless. Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani has disclosed that educational activities would take place in accordance with the Sharia Law. That means the Afghan education system would now be mended around the Taliban beliefs and ideologies. This arises many questions- does that mean that the students, being confined to such fanatic ideals, will grow up to follow the steps of Taliban? Will ill-treatment become the new norm for them? INNOCENTS CAUGHT BETWEEN INTENSE VIOLENCE FORCED TO FLEE The violence between the Taliban and the Afghan Army had caused great collateral damage. 32 percent of the total casualties were children- at least 27 were killed and 136 got injured under the span of just three days. Families were forced to flee their homes and look for places with safety, security as well as basic means of survival. More than half a million Afghan civilians have been internally displaced this year. Afghanistan is experiencing a huge socio-economic collapse. UNICEF has estimated that nearly 10 million children of Afghanistan are in need of humanitarian aid, as they are being deprived of basic healthcare, hygiene and food security. There is a possibility that if no urgent action is taken against this rising issue, one million Afghan children under the age of five will be malnourished by the end of 2021. Many of them can die from severe diseases, poverty and even abuse and exploitation. CHILDREN HANDED BOMBS, RECRUITED IN TERROR ACTIVITIES The Taliban, in its previous regime, had used its despotic power to recruit children in terror groups and armies. The ages of these children range from teenage to even just 6 years. They are often brainwashed into joining such terror groups and used as suicide bombers. Approximately 33,000 children have been killed or maimed over the past 20 years. Many Afghans fear that the same would happen in the present rule of Taliban and have their children stand at army frontlines. EARLY MARRIAGE-A BRIGHT FUTURE GETS SNATCHED AWAY FROM GIRLS Under USAs watch, there is no doubt that the women and girls of Afghanistan had the liberty to enjoy their freedom and rights that were missing during Talibans old regime. By 2020, 21 percent of all Afghan civil servants were women. 16 percent of them worked in senior management, while there had been none in the Taliban regime. Women made about 27 percent of Afghan MPs. Afghan women had various job opportunities and barely any restrictions regarding their rights. They could become soldiers and cops, surgeons, teachers, scientists, judges and prosecutors. The future of girls also felt secure at the time. But now after USAs withdrawal of troops, it seems that they have been ruthlessly left behind to suffer again after two decades of peace. Though the Taliban members have denied the accusations of forcing child marriage and calling them baseless and propaganda, many women activists have reported cases of their heinous acts. These accusations include Taliban members breaking into homes, exploiting the families and the daughters and forcing young girls into marriage. The fate of the girls in Afghanistan is in grave danger. MENTAL HEALTH OF AFGHAN CHILDREN PREDICTED TO BE IN GRAVE DANGER Many studies state that children raised in conflict ridden areas usually show greater symptoms of depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders and various other mental health issues compared to children raised in safer countries. Many Afghan children are growing up in a state of chaos and increasing poverty, which is clearly not the right environment for any child to grow up in. One in two people living in Afghanistan suffer from psychological distress. 11.5% of the children have shown high levels of mental health issues. Now with the Taliban regime, these stats are predicted to show worse in the future with increasing implementation of gender inequality, lack of basic needs for survival, an unreal amount of violence and no safe environment for healthy mental growth. Afghan children are in grave need of mental health support. MALALA YOUSAFZAI-YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani childs rights activist who fought for her rights to education and stood up against the Talibans ideologies. At the age of 15, she was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban. She not only survived the attacked, but also got a huge global platform where her voice was heard. Nine years later, now Malala Yousafzai stands in solidarity with the girls of Afghanistan and voices her concern. She was shook by the fact that women and girls had completely disappeared from the public, social and political life. Girls werent even mentioned in the announcements on school re-opening. Yet, Malala still has hope for the girls in Afghanistan. She expressed that she witnesses various women around the world challenging inequality and protesting, and this gives her hope that the situation would change for the better. She has urged those willing to make a difference to keep on fighting for justice and equality, for they can make a difference. Through her non-profit, the Malala Fund, Yousafzai has invested almost $2 million in Afghanistan for the education of girls. TAKEAWAYS The citizens of Afghanistan are in great need of humanitarian assistance. Studies show that about 97% of Afghans could be affected by poverty by mid 2022. Unemployment rates have stricken up like never before. People are becoming homeless and hundreds of displaced Afghans are desperately seeking food and shelter in order to survive. If no action is taken by the International organisations and those nations in power, a dark future for Afghanistan is inevitable. To help the rehabilitation of many internally displaced Afghans, resettlement and housing programs should be implemented by the government, with support of the United Nations and powerful neighbouring countries. This could drastically improve the lives of many Afghans physically and mentally. United Nations has acknowledged the violation of human rights by the Taliban as they restricted girls from attending secondary schools. UN has urged the Taliban to lift this restriction and fulfil their promises. It is now stated that the Taliban will let girls attend secondary schools soon. Though it sounds vague, hope remains that the Taliban will be affirmative to their commitments to provide all girls with education as soon as possible. REACH OUT A HELPING HAND Donations to the UNICEF, UNHRC and Malala Funds will make a change to improve the lives of Afghan children. Speak out against the injustice that is taking place in Afghanistan. Every word matters to make a difference in the reality of millions of Afghans. Dhaka [Bangladesh]: As communal violence escalates in Bangladesh, a group of people attacked houses of the Hindu community at a village in Rangpurs Pirganj Upazila over a post on social media that allegedly dishonoured religion. At least 20 houses were completely burnt in Majhiparas Jelepolli at Ramnathpur Union in the attack that was carried out late on Sunday. According to the local Union Parishad chairman, some 65 houses were torched during the attack. They attacker belonged to the local units of the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, Chairman Md Sadequl Islam told Dhaka Tribune. The situation in Rangpur is dire at the moment. Homes and temples of Hindus have been burnt down. Muslim mob has set fire to a Hindu village in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur district. @UNHumanRights pic.twitter.com/kDma77F67W Bangladesh Hindu Unity Council (@UnityCouncilBD) October 17, 2021 Police said tensions erupted after some people alleged that a Hindu man posted religiously abusive content on Facebook. Police reached the spot soon after tensions mounted and stood guard around the home of the young man. We could save that house but attackers torched some 15 to 20 nearby houses, Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Kamruzzaman told Dhaka Tribune. At present Hindus are being attacked in Pirganj of Rangpur. Attacks on Hindus continue across the country. If this continues, it will be difficult for Hindus to survive in Bangladesh. pic.twitter.com/ilcSXgoRWn Bangladesh Hindu Unity Council (@UnityCouncilBD) October 17, 2021 The Fire Service that the incident was reported around 9:50 pm. Firefighting units from Pirganj, Mithapukur and Rangpur city rushed to put out the flames. They are at the scene until 3 am on Monday. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The extremist jihadists of #CommunalBangladesh set fire at Rangpur.They burnt everything last night. Our temples and Houses are burning.the world is silent, the human rights organizations are silent.Have the people of the world lost their humanity? @POTUS @UN_HRC @SecBlinken pic.twitter.com/3OSAUeTnL1 Bangladesh Hindu Unity Council (@UnityCouncilBD) October 18, 2021 On Wednesday, communal violence broke out in several places in Bangladesh after news broke on social media about the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja venue on the bank of Nanuar Dighi. Several puja venues were vandalized in the area of Chandpur, Chittagong, Gazipur, Bandarban, Chapainawabganj and Moulvibazar. The clashes resulted in several casualties. On Friday, one man named Jatan Kumar Saha was killed and 17 others were injured in an attack in Begumganj Upazila of Bangladeshs Noakhali district. Also, a mob attacked an ISKCON temple in Bangladeshs Noakhali district on Friday and according to the community, one of its members was killed. Schramm Park will host its Homeschool Hikes nature exploration program on the third Wednesday of the month from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Join an outdoor educator for a guided hike on the Schramm Park hiking trails. Ask questions, draw, observe and make discoveries in nature. Register in advance at forms.gle/Vjg38GEqXHgGEkLFA. Cost is $4 per child and $5 per adult per program. This includes admission to the Schramm Education Center after the program. Family pass members participate free. This program is recommended for ages 5 and up. The Schramm Sunday Speaker Series, a monthly program offered at the Schramm Education Center, will focus on Common Butterflies of Eastern Nebraska from 2 to 3 p.m., 21502 W Highway 31. Register in advance for this free program at forms.gle/W5wEWtEorJgbDBuE6. Join Nebraska Master Naturalists Joanne Langabee and Holly Hofreiter to learn about their butterfly field research in eastern Nebraska that has led to the production of a new field guide, Common Butterflies of Eastern Nebraska. Also learn about the importance of both host and nectar plants for butterflies and head outside to search for butterfly host plants around the Education Center. The speaker series is held one a month in the centers classroom, accessible through the West Entrance. Visitors who also wish to tour the Schramm Education Center will need to pat admission and enter through the main entrance. No park permit is required in the centers parking lot. PARIS (AP) Hubert Germain, the last of an elite group of decorated French fighters who helped liberate France from Nazi control in World War II, has died. He was 101. The French presidents office announced the death in a statement Tuesday, saying Germain embodied a century of freedom. It didnt divulge details of his death. Born in Paris on Aug. 6, 1920, Germain was taking his entry exam for Frances Naval Academy in June 1940, just after the French state capitulated to the Nazis. Rising from his examination table, he preferred to hand in a blank paper rather than give a blank check to the France that had gone to bed, that had given in to resignation and renunciation, President Emmanuel Macrons office said in a statement. Just before his 20th birthday, Germain fled to London with a ship carrying Polish troops to join Gen. Charles de Gaulles Free French force. Wounded in Italy during the war, Germain also fought in Egypt, Libya and what is now Syria, and took part in the southern D-Day Allied landings on the shores of Provence in 1944. She taught at elementary schools in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts for more than a decade before being assigned to work in Nigeria. Rice spent 23 years in West Africa working as a teacher and pastoral guide. It was there that she started hearing about the plowshares movement, a reference to a Bible passage that refers to the end of all war: They will beat their swords into ploughshares. When she returned to the U.S., Rice began her involvement in anti-nuclear activism. I felt drawn to the peace movement, she said in the Catholic Agitator interview. I felt very inspired by direct action on nuclear issues. My uncle was such a strong influence and he was still alive at that time. Court records show she already had been convicted four times for protest activities when she and two fellow Catholic peace activists, Michael Walli and Greg Boertje-Obed, broke into the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in July 2012. The trio cut through several fences and and spent two hours outside a bunker storing much of the nations bomb-grade uranium, where they hung banners, prayed, hammered on the outside of the bunker and spray-painted peace slogans. Weve read, seen and heard it all before too many times. First comes doomsday predictions about what will happen to the United States and its economy if the nations debt ceiling isnt lifted by Congress. After considerable political wrangling, a short-term extension is approved, thereby alleviating the crisis for a few more weeks or months. 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. A 39-year-old North Platte man was sentenced to four to eight years in prison on Monday for a July 4, 2020, burglary. Clemente H. Carrizales received the term during an appearance in Lincoln County District Court. According to court records, he entered a home on the 200 block of North Park Drive with two other individuals. The group was eventually chased from the home by two individuals who were inside at the time. Judge Michael Piccolo said Carrizales criminal history and his unwillingness to participate in a pre-sentence investigation were both factors in the prison term. He was credited with 66 days served. Carrizales was sentenced in three other separate cases as well. In a pair of them, he received a two-year term. He was charged with burglary in a Nov. 16, 2019, incident; as well as theft by unlawful taking with a value of $1,500-$4,999. He also received a one-year term for violating a custody order on May 17 in another separate case. The terms for all four cases will run at the same time. Also on Monday, a 38-year-old North Platte man pleaded no contest to an amended count of first-degree sexual assault and also an incest count. North Platte Police Chief Dan Hudson offered appreciation at the Lincoln County commissioners meeting Monday for the outstanding work the Lincoln County Attorneys Office did in the recent murder trial of Keith Allen. Allen was convicted of first-degree murder in the May 22, 2020, shooting of Brett Torres. Hudson said Lincoln County Attorney Rebecca Harling and Chief Deputy Attorney Tanya Roberts-Connick did a great job. Through the work of the entire County Attorneys Office, we were able to get a first-degree murder conviction, Hudson said. I dont think the average person understands how difficult it is to get a first-degree murder conviction. Hudson said often a trial is about trying to prove who was the perpetrator. In this case we knew the who, it was trying to prove the why, Hudson said. The why is sometimes much more difficult because it goes to state of mind and a lot of other things. Hudson said the cooperation was tremendous, as the Police Department, the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office and the County Attorneys Office all spent every day trying to prove the why. Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Like a lot of politicians, Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, wouldnt be here if he didnt make a lot of people feel good about themselves. Hes never shied away from the impression that his career is a moral crusade, a counterpoint to the racism wafting off the modern GOP like a bad odor, and his inner showman has been glad to encourage it. There was the time he nailed a copy of the Ten Commandments to the wall outside the Charleston County Council chambers in 1997, proclaiming that it contained moral absolutes that his fellow council members should obey. When the Justice Department sued Charleston County over its use of at-large districts in 2001, which the DOJ said diluted the voting influence of Black residents, Scott decried their alternative as a kind of segregation. He claimed that a switch to single-member districts falsely assumed that Black people could only be fairly represented by Black officials. The department helpfully pointed out that Black voters in Charleston County werent being denied fair representation because so many white people were getting elected there, but because people like Scott were, whom theyd voted against in overwhelming numbers. But rather than hindering Scotts prospects, this gulf between the broad preferences of Black South Carolinians and his own made him an ideal Senate appointee in 2013. The decision to give him the job was announced the same month that the GOP launched its postmortem of Mitt Romneys failed presidential bid, which would conclude hilariously, in retrospect that the party needed more sincere outreach to nonwhite voters to win future elections. Scott was the perfect avatar for this prospective shift. He took up the mantle with gusto [Its] important for me to be around the country finding a way to build a more diverse representation in the party that I know is already more diverse, he told Fox News in April but has been most effective as a plausible-deniability conduit for the very animus that made his rise in conservative politics unlikely. He earned this seat for the person that he is, said Governor Nikki Haley when she appointed Scott, preempting the suggestion, basically a dictum among many of her fellow Republicans, that Black promotion is usually an unearned handout. Scotts popularity among voters and officials in the de facto party of white people can, in fact, be largely explained by his fierce opposition to handouts, or anything that might easily be demagogued as such. Among his more innovative would-be contributions to modern politics was a House bill he co-sponsored in 2011 that wouldve denied food stamps to anyone who became eligible because someone in their family was part of a labor strike. Add that to his later efforts to weaken the National Labor Review Board and his more recent attacks on President Bidens increased social spending, and the senators knack for laundering the predatory economic tastes of his donors with moral grandstanding is a clear indicator of why his future in the party looks so bright. Last week, Scott reported a massive $8.3 million third-quarter fundraising haul ample sustenance for a 2022 reelection bid in South Carolina, but also part of the groundwork, according to Politico, for a planned 2024 presidential campaign. Scotts emergence as one of his partys top fundraisers is the culmination of a yearlong effort, on his part, to better leverage his unique position as a Black leader within the GOP. This has mostly meant cozying up to his partys biggest donors, like Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, reports say, while tacitly reassuring them and his voters that giving him more money is also an investment in a moral project. The particulars of that project are evident in Scotts rebuttal speech to the presidents address to Congress in April and his more recent torpedoing of police-reform negotiations in the Senate. Both cast him as an honest and credible broker on racial issues that Democrats arent actually interested in, other than to use for demagoguery and partisan advantage. Hear me clearly: America is not a racist country, Scott said in April, lamenting each facet of Bidens agenda as a partisan wish list rife with wasteful spending. He expressed outrage at how just as Black children were taught a hundred years ago that if they looked a certain way, they were inferior kids again are being taught that the color of their skin defines them, and if they look a certain way, theyre an oppressor. Last month, Scott further clarified his position by killing the last hope for a federal policing reform bill assembled in response to George Floyds murder. As my colleague Jonathan Chait wrote, Scott abandoned the talks, where hed been leading the GOP side of negotiations since last summer, after souring on one of his own proposals. Back when the Democrats and Republicans were first writing their own respective versions of the bill, Scotts compromise with what he felt was overzealousness on the Democrats part was to tie federal funding to federal standards, which local police departments had to adopt if they wanted the money stuff like bans on chokeholds and no-knock warrants. But in recent months spurred by a public-relations blitz by police unions and their flacks in the media, GOP-held statehouses, and on Capitol Hill the false claim by Republicans that Democrats want to defund the police has become such a potent and politically volatile smear that Biden and his allies have dedicated a striking amount of energy to disproving it. Theyre even encouraging localities to use pandemic-relief dollars to give more money to their cops: quite literally funding the police. Rather than keep negotiating, Scott flipped and joined the bad-faith salvo. When you tell local law-enforcement agencies that you are ineligible for money, thats defunding the police, theres no way to spin that, the senator said, spinning a politically self-serving mischaracterization of his own ideas into a principled stand. The substance of that principle is, we are to believe, a concern for public safety and a rejection of the Democrats amoral and dishonest use of race to further an unrelated agenda. But it becomes clearer with time that a lot of Scotts behavior can actually be understood in terms of his partys unique expectations of him, and his of himself. He has routinely invoked the racial particulars of his American experience to be pulled over for no reason, or followed around a store while Im shopping, for example to suggest a sincere passion for fixing problems that stem from racism, like racially disparate policing, and a willingness to buck his own party line and work across the aisle with Democrats to find solutions. But his willingness to flip that purported sincerity, in the middle of what otherwise seems like promising progress, into accusations that Democrats are actually racial cynics, has aligned too neatly with lazy GOP talking points and political priorities, and proven too good for his own coffers, to be merely the organic product of his sober analysis and moral soul-searching. In other words, Scott has played his part ably telegenic cover for whatever the GOP wants to get done, plausible deniability with a pulse. Thursdays money haul was just the latest testament, a hint at the return on investment that Republican donors expect. Whatever tensions Scott might be wrestling with behind the scenes or in his own head, he knows and embraces that this is why hes here. Washington, PA (15301) Today Becoming partly cloudy later with any flurries or snow showers ending by noontime. High around 40F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 23F. Winds light and variable. The OPEC+ group saw its overall compliance with the collective oil production cuts at 115 percent in September, a delegate told Argus on Monday, down from the 116-percent compliance in August, but still higher than the market had hoped, with some members of the alliance failing to ramp up production in line with their quotas. The high compliance rate despite the monthly easing of the cuts by 400,000 bpd from the OPEC+ group suggests that not all members of the pact are capable of raising supply as quickly as their quotas under the deal stipulate. According to Bloombergs estimates, if all members of the OPEC+ alliance stuck to their respective production ceilings in September, the overall production of the group would have been 747,000 barrels per day (bpd) higher than what it was. OPEC+ was pumping 15 percent less crude oil than its overall production quota for September, delegates familiar with the output numbers told Bloomberg on Monday. For several months now, some OPEC+ membersincluding OPECs Angola and Nigeria and non-OPECs Azerbaijanhave struggled to raise their oil production to the highest possible level allowed under the deal. The struggles have come from technical issues, a lack of investments, and lower exploration efforts in recent years. The 115-percent estimated compliance of the OPEC+ producers in September is just a preliminary figure, which will be reviewed and amended if necessary by the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) in early November, before the monthly OPEC+ meeting of the ministers on November 4. For November, the required crude oil production from OPEC and its non-OPEC allies led by Russia is 39.694 million bpd, after OPEC+ decided to stick to the plan to ease the collective cuts by 400,000 bpd next month. If the OPEC+ group continues to under-produce compared to its overall quota, it could leave the oil market tighter than previously forecast. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The meeting last week between Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Alexander Novak, and Saudi Arabias Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, to discuss broadening and deepening the two countries cooperation in the energy sector and others marks a key point in the ongoing attempts by Moscow to decisively split the Kingdom away from its long-time ally, the US. This strategy aligns with the ultimate intention of Russia and China to neuter US influence across the Middle East, which, in turn, is a central plank in Russias plans to increase its influence over Europe, with the endgame being to split up the NATO security alliance. It also accords with Chinas plans to roll-out its multi-generational power-grab project One Belt, One Road - that would see it replace the US as the number one superpower across the globe. The genesis for this seismic shift in geopolitical alliances was the failure of Saudi Arabias 2014-2016 Oil Price War, which was launched with the specific intention by the Kingdom to destroy - or at least severely disable for as many years as possible the USs then-nascent shale oil sector. It was obvious to the Saudis at that point that the unchecked build-out of lower fixed cost, lower lifting cost, US shale oil in ever increasing volumes would eventually mean the extreme diminution of Saudi Arabias power in the world and as a key player in the Middle East, given that its only true basis of power is its oil supplies. In short, the Saudis had no real choice but to try to take on the USs shale sector, and it did, but it lost and paid a terrible price, with all of this including the real figures relating to Saudis crude oil reserves, spare capacity, and production - analysed in full in my previous book on the global oil markets. The immediate aftermath of the 2014-2016 Oil Price War was not only that Saudi had devastated its own economy and those of its OPEC brothers for years to come but, more importantly from a geopolitical perspective, that it had lost its credibility as the de facto leader of OPEC and that OPEC had lost its credibility as the indomitable force in global oil markets. This meant that OPECs pronouncements on future oil supply and demand levels and therefore, on pricing had lost much of their potency to move markets in and of themselves, and that their joint production deals were diminished in effectiveness. At the end of 2016, then, and fully cognisant of the enormous economic and geopolitical possibilities that were available to it by becoming a core participant in the crude oil supply/demand/pricing matrix, Russia agreed to support the OPEC production cut deal in what was to be called from then-on OPEC+, albeit in its own uniquely self-serving and ruthless fashion. Since then, Russia has used its position as the true key player in the OPEC+ alliance to do what it does best: cause pockets of chaos into which it can project its own solutions and thus extend its power. In the case of the Middle East, this cornerstone strategy has been employed in virtually all of the Shia crescent countries albeit most obviously recently in Iran, Iraq, and Syria but it has also been systematically whittling away at the foundation stones of the longstanding US-Saudi alliance. As also highlighted in my last book, the basis for this relationship had been formulated at a meeting on 14 February 1945 between the then-US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Saudi King at the time, Abdulaziz. The landmark agreement made was this: the US would receive all the oil supplies it needed for as long as Saudi had oil in place, in return for which the US would guarantee the security both of the ruling House of Saud and, by extension, of Saudi Arabia. By the end of the 2014-2016 Oil Price War, though, the agreement had been changed slightly to reflect the growing US impatience with Saudis attempts to hamper the development of its shale oil sector. The new agreement was: the US will safeguard the security both of Saudi Arabia and of the ruling House of Saud for as long as Saudi guarantees that the US will receive all of the oil supplies it needs for as long as Saudi has oil in place, and that Saudi Arabia does not attempt to interfere with the growth and prosperity of the US shale oil sector. Related: Saudi Arabia Looks To Attract Tourists With Epic Offshore Rig Thrills Russia saw in this added codicil a huge opportunity to decisively split Saudi away from the US and since then it has been building out the relationship foundations for this to be achieved, latterly with the assistance of China as well. In a textbook strategy by which intelligence agencies recruit and develop new sources, a deal was discussed between Saudi Arabia and Russia in the third week of June 2020 that laid the foundations for much greater co-operation in the future. In theory, it looked like only a marginal extension of the OPEC+ agreements that had been in place between Russia and Saudi since 2016 but it also included additions that were based on discussions undertaken during the visits to Moscow by King Salman in 2017 and MbS in 2019. This new mutual understanding was clearly signalled when Russias President, Vladimir Putin, invited Saudi Arabias King, Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, to Russia in October 2017 the first ever visit to Moscow made by a sitting Saudi monarch. At this meeting, and the many corollary meetings between officials of the two countries in which the real business is done, several tangible deals were made across a wide range of areas, not just in the oil sector. Among the US$3 billion or so specific deals announced at just that time, was an investment by the Saudis of at least US$150 million into Russias Eurasia Drilling Company and, on the other side, Russian petrochemical company Sibur was considering building a US$1.1 billion plant in Saudi Arabia. Russias Energy Minister, Alexander Novak, also flagged at the time that Russian gas producer Novatek was in talks for Saudi investors to take part in its Arctic LNG2 project, a follow-up to its US$27 billion plant in the Yamal peninsula. At the same time, it was agreed that Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, was to establish a US$1 billion fund alongside Russias sovereign wealth fund, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which would invest in Russian technology companies. In the same vein, Russian state-owned hydrocarbons companies Rosneft and Gazprom entered talks with Saudi counterpart Aramco to conduct co-ordinated oil and gas trading operations bringing in the expertise and non-crossover contacts of Lukoils Litasco trading operation when required and the establishing of a joint research and technology centre. Even more seriously from the US perspective were two other key points discussed and agreed in principle - between Russia and Saudi Arabia during these meetings. Firstly, the Saudis rowed back on their demand that Syrias President Bashar al-Assad be removed from power and, secondly, and perhaps most extraordinarily, Saudi signed a memorandum of understanding for the purchase from Russia of its S-400 air defence system. These two latter points can be regarded as the first clear evidence of the deal creep that Russia had been looking to leverage since it began co-operation with the OPEC+ deals back in 2016 and, by so doing, decisively move Saudi away from its longstanding relationship with the US and replacing it with one with Russia (and, by extension, China). By the time that the 2019 visit to Moscow of MbS came around, Russia was in an even stronger position. Firstly, Saudi Arabias finances were still deteriorating markedly, given that its then-US$84 per barrel of Brent budget breakeven price was still higher than the spot oil price. Moreover, any attempt to move the oil price up had been effectively cut-off by U.S. President Donald Trumps Tweet that: He [Saudi King Salman] would not last in power for two weeks without the backing of the US military. Secondly, Saudis security vulnerability had been shown up by the rocket attacks on 14 September 2019 by the Iran-backed Houthis on two of the Kingdoms key oil facilities the massive Abqaiq oil processing facility and the Khurais oil field. Since that point, of course, Saudi Arabias relationship with the US was worsened when the Kingdom broke the added codicil prohibiting further moves against the US shale oil sector with its 2020 Oil Price War, and, as this occurred, so it has moved closer to Russia and continues in this drift eastwards. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: European natural gas prices have recently increased by about 400% after a five-year period of relative stability. There are several factors cited: a rapid rebound in gas demand in an improving post-Covid European economy, a sharp rise in carbon taxes in Europe, and uncertainty of supply. Regardless of the cause, a sudden spike in energy prices of this magnitude presents an immediate burden for consumers and an issue for politicians. Across Europe, the range of political responses has varied from a proposed profit clawback in Spain, price caps in the UK, and outright payments to offset energy bills to low-income households in France. Italy and Greece are also considering proposals for consumer energy relief. Looking specifically at the UK, when Thatcherite deregulators redesigned energy markets in the 1990s they made two key assumptions. 1) That energy markets would operate as supposedly free markets. And 2) that political or regulatory interference would be minimal. The latter was key if the forces of supply and demand were supposed to work. In other words, even though it is politically unpopular, allowing extremely high prices during periods of relative shortage compensates investors for bringing new supply to markets and also compensates suppliers for unattractively low prices at other times in the energy cycle. But there are two factors British deregulators failed to take into account: human nature in the sense of the political opportunism of future politicians in dealing with their respective energy crises and the simple fact of the consumer's short term inelastic demand for energy. First, it is very difficult for politicians not to intervene in a crisis or at least appear to be sympathetic to the publics distress. But we believe misunderstanding the nature of inelastic demand was the bigger policy oversight of the UKs architects of deregulation. Stated simply, the consumers inelastic demand for gas or electricity means that we need a vital commodity almost instantaneously and more importantly there is no readily available substitute. This means the commodity provider, especially a large corporate monopoly, has enormous leverage versus the typical consumer. For example, do we really have a choice whether or not to heat our homes in winter because gas prices are high? The consumers choice during periods of high energy prices is either to sit in a cold, dark place or pay whatever seemingly extortionate prices the markets demand or regulators unwittingly permit. In contrast with the UK, US regulators were somewhat less ideologically blinkered and realized power markets were not really markets at all. Yes, commodities were bought and sold in bulk, but this involved captive customers with no real alternatives or viable substitutes and with inelastic demands. That means insanely high prices could and would occur during periods of commodity scarcity for whatever reason. As a result, US regulators adopted the expedient of putting price caps on those peak power prices which also capped producer profits. What this did in the least onerous way was acknowledge the potential for extreme volatility of certain commodity prices against the backdrop of inelastic consumer demand and literal monopoly suppliers. The basic issue which each political system decides for itself is how to provide a basic service such as gas or electricity at reasonable prices to as many of its citizens as possible. Unless the entire energy supply chain is domestically produced and price controlled, the government and regulators cannot control commodity or input prices. Effectively they impose crude price caps when prices rise too sharply. What this does in effect is simply bankrupt energy retailers whose revenues are capped and whose expenses rise dramatically with the underlying commodity. These energy markets as presently designed do not compensate investors in a timely manner for building and maintaining ample gas storage capacity. But with artificially restrictive price caps, governments in the UK (and perhaps Spain) wont permit businesses full price recovery either. What results is the least attractive attributes of both markets and regulation all the volatility of commodities and temporary scarcity and the governments blindness to monopoly providers of an essential consumer commodity with inelastic demand characteristics. What we get as a result are crude temporary fixes. But they are both crude and reactive. A temporary political patch with superficial popular appeal and little real understanding. One of many famous Warren Buffett-isms is that you really only know whos swimming naked (i.e. financially exposed inappropriately) when the tide goes out. A rapid rise in European gas prices has exposed a number of under-dressed swimmers so to speak in the energy retail business. But there is one aspect of the short term inelastic demand concept of consumer behavior that bears additional scrutiny. Short-term consumption choices with respect to commodities are driven by various types of competing technologies or even more specifically individual appliances. Over the long term, governments have the wherewithal to encourage, tax, or subsidize technologies, like heat pumps and EVs which will increase electrification and displace fossil fuel usage. But this exacerbates the issue of our demand inelasticity, making customers even more reliant on their utility for vital services like heating in winter. Dramatic price spikes or shortages in key commodities like natural gas or petrol tend to stir up the public and often engender financially crude responses from politicians. Price caps and profit clawbacks may provide some satisfaction to the public which is eager for remedies. But it is no substitute for an energy policy based around economy wide electrification. Given its centrality to the economy, energy policy in our view should command as much government planning attention as monetary policy. Price spikes and other recent energy unpleasantness (queueing at gas stations in the UK) ultimately reflect policy failure. The good news is that policies, especially poor or ill-conceived ones, can be modified and improved. But what we really need to do is change the concept of energy markets. The typical energy consumer purchasing gas or electricity is about as captive a customer as we can envision. They have inelastic demand and purchase a commodity product from monopoly suppliers. Feeble government efforts that effectively clawback some utility profits in an effort to protect consumers are no substitute for national energy planning with an eye to genuine reliability and resilience. Yes, this would probably be more expensive. However, we believe it would be far preferable to the current policymaking-in-a-crisis we have witnessed recently. By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Germany depends on Russia for its gas supply, and the current government must negotiate more supplies with Moscow, the co-chairman of the country's Greens told media, as quoted by TASS. According to Robert Habeck, however, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline cannot be approved because of the EU Gas Directive. "We depend on Russia and it restricts gas supplies," Habeck told TV channel ARD in an interview. "[Gas] storage facilities [in Germany] are not full but the demand is high. The current German government must waste no time and speak with Russia to change this situation." "It looks like Russia is playing a kind of poker with us. But this is a matter of foreign policy, which the German government can at least discuss," the politician also said. Germany's most likely future chancellor, Olaf Scholtz, has said that the approval of Nord Stream 2 is a question of "absolutely formal processes." The Nord Stream 2 pipeline has been completed and is currently awaiting the approval of German energy regulatory authorities before gas starts flowing. There has been talk in the EU that Russia was deliberately withholding additional gas supplies in order to push Germany to approve the pipeline. According to Russian PM Alexander Novak, however, additional gas supplies need talks and contracts. In an interview with a Russian news outlet, Novak said, in response to a question regarding European accusations of Russia not delivering more gas, "What does it mean we could have delivered more? Deliver it where, to Grandpa in the country? There must be the respective orders and contracts." Interestingly, Novak also said there is no actual gas shortage in Europe despite lower than normal storage facility fill rates. This was echoed by German energy minister Peter Almeier, who said that gas storage in the country was 75 percent full and that Germany was not dependent on Russia for its gas supply. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Fun. That has been the operative word for Gordon and Joy Watanabe since they opened Nobbies Parties in west Omaha in 1988. Originally a branch of Oriental Trading Co. which Gordons father, Harry, founded in 1932 and is now owned by Berkshire Hathaway Nobbies evolved over the decades to stand on its own as one of the regions top party superstores. Now the fun at Nobbies is about to come to an end. The Watanabes, who married in 1986, plan to retire and close the store sometime after Halloween. Until those doors close at 2500 S. 120th St., the sense of fun and lightheartedness the Watanabes have practiced over the last 33 years will be present each day. Nobbies will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. All of the stores inventory, including retail fixtures, will be sold. During a recent visit to the store, the couple dressed in Toy Story costumes, with Gordon as Buzz Lightyear and Joy as Jessie described closing the store as bittersweet. We have so many people that come in that say theyre going to miss us, Gordon said. For many people, the Watanabes have played roles in the most important moments of their lives. On the retail side, Nobbies has been the one-stop shop for many birthday, graduation and holiday parties. On the staffing side, Nobbies has employed many young people over the years some of whom went on to get married after meeting at Nobbies. By the Watanabes count, six couples met at Nobbies. They have been stopping in and saying, Hey, thanks so much, Joy said. We had a former employee currently living in Richmond, Virginia, that sent us a lovely note. We have customers from Kearney, Nebraska, that stopped in and said they come here for every Halloween for some of their Halloween products. It has been bittersweet to talk to the customers and hear their stories. The strong bond the Watanabes have formed with their customers and employees helped Nobbies thrive through the changes that have upended the retail industry in the last 33 years. We really worked with our team and created a culture. We even created an acronym called PASTA, where it was Pride, Attitude, Service, Teamwork and Accountability, Joy said. Thats the service we wanted to be sure that we provided. The Watanabes also embraced change. One of the first instances came in 1993, when they moved from a store that was 15,000 square feet to their current location, which has 32,500 square feet. The additional square footage allowed Nobbies to expand its inventory. Gordon and Joy also met the challenges that came with online retail. While Nobbies was a regional retailer that at one time also operated stores in Bellevue and the Des Moines area, its online presence attracted customers from throughout the country. Nobbies also listed some of its inventory on Amazon. Online shopping, Gordon said, just complemented what we were doing. While running a business for 33 years and adapting to the retail changes involved a lot of hard work, the Watanabes strove to keep a sense of fun at the forefront. Thats what we sell. We sell fun, Joy said. Thats why people come here: because its fun. Gordon added, What we sell are products that makes memories. One of the couples fondest memories came in 1998, during the stores 10th anniversary celebration. Staff celebrated by dropping 10,000 pingpong balls from a present that was hanging by a crane in the stores parking lot. Lucky customers who collected the balls received anything from T-shirts, mugs and gift cards to rare and coveted Beanie Babies. It was such a success, and it was a lot of fun, Joy said. In at least one instance, the fun was had at Nobbies expense. One track on a 1996 album by New York City comedy act The Jerky Boys featured a Nobbies employee who received a prank phone call. During the call, a foul-mouthed father asked how many helium balloons would be needed to float his 65-pound child on a chair around a house. The amused employee played along, estimating that it would take about 200 balloons to accomplish the task. Nobbies received a complimentary copy of the album. We had no idea until the CD came in with a thank-you, Gordon said. The Watanabes are quick to point out that none of the fun would have been possible without their staff. Because of the stores employees, the couple were able to raise their five kids who are now adults and attend their school and social activities. We were very blessed with wonderful employees, Joy said. Nobbies longest-tenured employee, Nancy Hulett, has worked for the retailer for 29 years. Hulett, the warehouse manager, described a culture where having fun at work is encouraged. She said the Watanabes took the time to get to know their employees. Gordon and Joy are great to work for, she said. Theyre family. But soon, everyone at Nobbies will embark on a new chapter. While Gordon and Joy Watanabe dont know where retirement will take them, if the past is indicative of anything, one thing is assured. It will be fun. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Rauf, who works with a network of about 100 relatives and friends still in Afghanistan, was able to arrange a 50-hour overland trip, past 12 Taliban checkpoints, for Khalili and his family, who had been in hiding from the Taliban. They were finally able to hike across the border into Pakistan on Oct. 5. They dont have the kind of ground support that I have, Rauf said, referring to other groups that had tried and failed to evacuate the family. U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., who has worked with Raufs group, praised its heroic work in a press release last week. Organizations like Human First are, in a certain sense, replacing government efforts, Fortenberry said. But they need the support of the United States government and charitable organizations to finish this work so we can save more lives. Rauf said that the congressman has helped clear passage for evacuees to neighboring countries, and put Human First in touch with U.S. State Department officials. The State Department, he said, recently began working with Human First on evacuation flights. Rauf was granted permission to immigrate to the U.S. in 2010, 16 years after his first family member, his oldest sister, gained her OK, and four years after his parents. At 25 years old, Emily Ethington is the youngest election commissioner to be appointed in Sarpy, Douglas or Lancaster County in at least the last two decades. Shes also twin sister to another appointee of Gov. Pete Ricketts, State Sen. Julie Slama of Sterling, who the governor appointed to the Legislature at 22 years old after serving as press secretary during his 2018 campaign. Ricketts pick to run elections for the third-largest and fastest-growing county in Nebraska prompted surprise among some local officials and criticism from the chair of the state Democratic Party. But others are reserving judgment, and her lack of elections experience coming into the job is not unusual in the states three largest counties, where the governor appoints the election commissioner. Ethington, who denied The World-Herald an interview but answered an emailed list of questions, said she has always had a passion for service and community involvement. My goal is to fulfill the duties of this position in accordance with federal and Nebraska laws, and to ensure that elections in Sarpy County are conducted fairly, effectively and efficiently, Ethington wrote. When she sent the first letter to her prospective pen pal nearly 75 years ago, Nebraska native Dorothy Reicks had no idea a lifetime of friendship was to follow. Reicks, who grew up in Pierce, Nebraska, was about 10 years old when she wrote her first letter to Joanne Thome of Johnsburg, Wisconsin. On Thursday, Reicks, now 83, who has stage 3 ovarian cancer, was surprised with a visit from Thome at the nursing home where shes staying in Grand Island. Back in elementary school, Reicks said, she reached out to a few girls through a Catholic newspapers pen pal program, but only Thome responded. Reicks was in the fifth grade and Thome was in the third grade when they started exchanging letters. The two continued to write back and forth at least every other week for decades, Reicks said. Reicks and Thome dont remember exactly what was in those letters, but they guessed they wrote mostly about their everyday lives as children school, church and family. The letters between the two girls continued until they finally arranged to meet in person in January 1959, when Reicks traveled to Wisconsin to be a bridesmaid in Thomes wedding. LINCOLN Former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel remembers a February 2008 trek to Afghanistan as a side trip, arranged as part of a visit by him and fellow Sens. Joe Biden and John Kerry to officially monitor the presidential election in neighboring Pakistan. We were a long way from Bagram (the American air base in Afghanistan). We went to meet some chieftains along the border with Pakistan. It was a pretty dangerous area, Hagel told The World-Herald. The weather was terrible. It was a very bad time (of year) to go. Skirting across mountains 10,000 to 15,000 feet high, the party, flying in two Black Hawk helicopters, decided to take a look at Tora Bora, a complex of caves in eastern Afghanistan were Osama bin Laden was thought to be hiding at the start of the war. The pilots thought we had enough fuel, but it was very close, Hagel said. Passing over the tops of these mountain ranges, the helicopters were straining. All of a sudden, we hit a snow squall. It just whited everything out. You just couldnt see anything. So the helicopters put down on a mountaintop. It was late in the afternoon, Hagel said, and they could see a group of Taliban a mile or two away, advancing. The Death of Ben Butler by Woody LaBounty (Originally published by Ocean Beach Bulletin) They found him in the surf, bleeding from multiple wounds. They recognized him by his immense size and his distinctive head of hair. He looked up at the men and moaned once, before taking his last breath on the cold sand. It was noon on July 6, 1895. Big Ben Butler the sea lion was dead. With the possible exception of pigeons, San Franciscans have always had a soft spot for the wild animals that intersect with our urban lives. Perhaps our origin as an instant city built of entrepreneurs and fortune hunters gives us a particular sympathy for the marginalized natural world and its fauna that have the pluck to survive in less than natural surroundings. In the city's early days, two stray dogs named Bummer and Lazarus were so admired for their rat-catching abilities and apparent devotion to each other that they received constant coverage in the local papers. When Bummer died in 1865, Mark Twain reported on the funeral, and the bodies of both dogs were stuffed and put on display for decades. And many San Franciscans will remember the nationally reported adventures of Humphrey the humpback whale, who visited the bay and Sacramento River in 1985 and 1990. Perhaps this affection explains why Big Ben Butleran impressively large male sea lion of almost 5,000 pounds, with a distinctive shaggy forelock of hair on his headwas Ocean Beach's animal celebrity for more than 40 years. The view of Big Ben and his fellow pinnipeds sunning on the rocky outcrops below the Cliff House was a major draw from the time of the roadhouse's opening in 1863 until the great sea lion's death. Supposedly it was a visiting Horace Greeleythe famed newspaper publisher frequently credited with encouraging America to "Go west"who nicknamed the enormous sea lion on Seal Rocks, noting a resemblance to Benjamin Butler, the Civil War general, congressman and governor of Massachusetts. At least on the west coast, it was hard to say which Ben Butler became more famous. After the human Ben Butler died in 1893, a local teacher's elegy for the man confused his students who knew only the sea lion. Observers who found the great sea lion dying on July 6, 1895 noted numerous wounds. Big Ben did have some enemies. Local fishermen grumbled that the sea lion chased off schools of fish, stole the catch and damaged nets. Big Ben Butler's wounds appeared the result of battle with another male during mating season, but it was also not unknown for fishermen to shoot at the sea lions. The San Francisco Call newspaper reported just a few months before Ben's death that the sea lions' human competition "denounces the sentimentality which permits them to dwell unmolested on the rocks." Despite the fishing community's scorn for his popularity, Big Ben's death was major news and his status as a local tourist attraction would not end. The New York Times published his obituary. For days, the sea lion's massive 15-foot-long body was displayed on Ocean Beach under a striped canvas tent. San Francisco Mayor Adolph Sutro, who was in the process of rebuilding the Cliff House into its grand Victorian version and creating his pleasure grounds and natatorium of Sutro Baths, had Big Ben sent to a taxidermist. Just as he had ruled over his harem in life, Big Ben Butler dominated the promenade of curiosities in Sutro Baths for decades. Outside at Seal Rocks, the public soon attached itself to a new attraction: a large female sea lion they called Mrs. Ben Butler. Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places! The Octagon House at Land's End by John Martini September 2009 Nearly engulfed by trees above the Land's End parking lot is an overlooked piece of San Francisco's maritime history, the octagonal-shaped Point Lobos Marine Exchange Lookout Station. Completed in early 1927, it was the last of a series of stations that stretched back to the Gold Rush whose function was to watch for approaching ships and announce their arrival. Once a ship was spotted, the lookout relayed the information (especially the ship's name or company insignia) to the Embarcadero where a small army of stevedores, tugs boats, taxis and drayage companies waited to unload the vessel's cargo and transport her passengers. The easiest way to alert everyone simultaneously to the pending arrival was to establish to a notification network through which information could be quickly exchanged between interested commercial groups, hence the station's original name of "Merchant's Exchange Lookout." During the Gold Rush, information about a ship's pending arrival was relayed to downtown by a series of semaphore towers equipped with signal vanes. Upon spotting a ship, the Point Lobos lookout at Land's End would adjust the signal arms atop his station to represent the type of ship approaching the Golden Gate. (For example, arms outstretched at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions meant "sidewheel steamer.") An observer at a similar station atop Robb Hill in the Presidio watched the Land's End station through a telescope, and relayed the signal settings. Overlooking the crowded harbor was the final semaphore station, located atop the hill called Loma Alta and visible to all downtown businesses. Locals quickly nicknamed the prominence Telegraph Hill. The construction of telegraph lines in 1853 made the semaphore system obsolete, but the need to determine the identity of arriving ships and announce their arrival remained. At one point in the early 1900s there were actually two stations on the hillside above Land's End, one owned by the Merchant's Exchange and the other by William Randolph Hearst, who operated a competing Exchange service to his subscribers. It should be remembered that all this occurred in the era before radios and ship-to-shore telephones allowed captains to simply call ahead and announce their arrival. And even when wireless transmission began to come into use, they weren't foolproof. (Think of the frequent drop-offs of cellphone service we currently endure.) Hence the need for visual confirmation of a ship's arrival continued for decades. In addition to sending out notifications about arriving ships, the Point Lobos lookout also provided a valuable safety service in the pre-radar era by watching for vessels in distress in the crowded Golden Gate. The Merchant's Exchange station was relocated three times over the years, and even received a new name in 1911 when it became part of the city's Chamber of Commerce. When the present building was dedicated the Chronicle gave its full title as the "Point Lobos observation station of the marine department of the Chamber of Commerce." (Whew.) The name Marine Exchange shortly came into use. The reason for constructing the new lookout station appears to have been civic improvement. A previous Merchants Exchange station had stood since 1889 at the site of the present USS San Francisco Memorial, but the shingled structure was smack-dab in the middle of a planned scenic overlook being developed as part of El Camino Del Mar -- the ill-fated boulevard that once connected Sea Cliff with the Cliff House. The existing lookout station was still serviceable but it was simply in the way. In 1926 the city decided to demolish the old building and construct a new one on the hillside partway between El Camino Del Mar and the Fort Miley military reservation. The present station was dedicated in February 1927. Originally, the lookout and his family lived in a residence on the first floor of the station while the watch room upstairs contained a huge telescope (reportedly with a 30 mile range) along with telephone and radio equipment. A garage occupied the lowest level. The building's eight-sided design resulted in a rather unique interior floorplan with several pie-slice shaped rooms. In 1940, a WPA-commisioned history of San Francisco described the station's purpose as "to report vessels entering the harbor to their owners, the Immigration Department, the Customhouse, the press, supply houses, taxi companies and hotels. Craft are identified after they pass the light-ship near the Farallones." A family member who grew up at the station posted this information to the Outside Lands message board: "There were two lookouts assigned to the Point. Julius Larsen with his family lived there first. He had been with the Marine Exchange for some time already and had moved up from the older station ... which the new station replaced. He was followed by his night relief lookout, William Sloan Morrissey. William married Mr. Larsen's daughter Anne and together they lived there raising four children until Anne took ill in 2002. William had passed away in 1975 but the family had been allowed to retain the house [by the City] in lieu of a pension. The National Park Service honored that contract until Anne was no longer able to live in the house." The Marine Lookout Station is now owned by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and plans are being developed for the unique building's preservation and future reuse. Read memories and more about the Marine Station building on our message board. Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places! San Francisco's Parkside District: 1905-1957 by Richard Brandi and Woody LaBounty In 2007 the Western Neighborhoods Project received a grant from the Historic Preservation Fund Committee of the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development to produce a historical context statement on the Parkside District. A historical context statement is more than a general history of an area; it can be an invaluable resource for planners, developers, and residents to evaluate individual properties under review for proposed alteration or demolition. The link below is to a pdf document that is 3.7mb, almost 60 pages long, with dozens of historical photos, and is the March 2008 draft of the statement before presentation before the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board. Context Statements are by their nature always subject to updating as knowledge from surveys and research is increased and honed. This statement will no doubt change over time. Parkside Historical Context Statement Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places! Streetwise - Final Services Will Be Held by Frank Dunnigan March 2016 Its not too often that a family business manages to thrive for three full generations, while still making meaningful contributions to the community. Sometimes a company will fail to keep pace with changing times (buggy-whip manufacturing or telephone answering services, as examples), while in other cases, operations may be moved to another country for the purposes of reducing taxes and/or production costs (such as manufacturers of everything from clothing to food products to automobiles). However, one business, owned by a family with deep roots in the western neighborhoods of San Francisco, has been in place for 92 years now, quietly serving the needs of the communityArthur J. Sullivan Funeral Directors. But if you wish to avail yourself of their services, time is shortthe business will disappear this month, with its Upper Market Street space replaced by a condo-retail complex. Please do not blame changing times, thoughit is not a story involving techie takeovers or unscrupulous landlords. The current generation of Sullivansbrothers Arthur III and Jimare both well past the usual age for retirement, and the younger generations of the family are not interested in taking over daily management duties. The business began in the years just after the end of World War I, when the original Arthur J. Sullivan, who lived with his family near the southeastern corner of Golden Gate Park, went into business with his brother Alfred at 2254 Market Street, with the sign reading Arthur J. Sullivan, Undertakers. Over time, the original Arthur took over the business on his own, and the sign morphed into the industrys new standard moniker, Funeral Directors. In that era death was, sadly, a regular visitor to most households. The lack of antibiotics and preventative medical treatments and diagnostic testing took many San Franciscans to an early grave. Childbirth was the largest single cause of death among otherwise healthy young women. Todaywhen anyone who dies at less than age 90 is said to have gone so soonit is difficult to imagine the frequency of funerals involving younger people who were often in the prime of their lives. San Francisco was dotted with funeral establishments in the 1920s, with more than 50 listings in each annual edition of the City Directory for that era. Services were just beginning to be held outside the home, and various establishments were striving to provide a homey atmosphere for pre-funeral visitation and for the service itself if the family was not planning to have a church service. This was also a time when the automobile was a comparative rarity in many households, so undertaking parlors tended to be conveniently located in virtually every San Francisco neighborhood in order to provide easy access for mourners. (These business were also located with easy access to neighborhood barsoften on the opposite cornerbut thats a Streetwise story for another time.) Many firms in the 1920s had horse-drawn hearses and the public transit system even offered electric streetcars specifically for funerals that ran to the Colma cemeteries via Mission Street and the center median of El Camino Real. Firms like Sullivans were among the first to introduce that new amenitythe automobilefor transporting both the casket and the mourners. In the old days, this was a trade that maintained a regular clientele, with families returning again and again to the same firm in times of need. Jewish families generally sought out the services of Sinai Memorial Chapel, while most Italian families gravitated to Valente-Marini-Perata. The once-large San Francisco Irish community had split loyalties, with many favoring the old firm of Carew & English, located for years at Masonic and Golden Gate Avenues. The Mission District was home to several establishmentsDuggans, Driscolls, Reilly Company/Goodwin & Scannellwhile the Richmond District had McAvoy & OHara at 10th Avenue and Geary Boulevard. Sunset District residents of an earlier era might choose from Hogan & Sullivan on 9th Avenue or Currivans Chapel of the Sunset on Irving Street. Arthur J. Sullivan, with its central location on Market Street, was known to many people citywide. Gradually, consolidations began to occur and many firms vanished over time. Some of those still in business, such as Halsted & Co. on Sutter Street, are an amalgam of many different firms with deep roots in San Francisco history. A sign at Halsteds indicates that their firm has absorbed N. Gray (a Gold Rush-era coffin maker that survived well into the twentieth century), Carew & English, Gantner-Felder-Kenny (previously at Market and Duboce Streets), Gantner-Maison-Domergue, H.F. Suhr Company, Godeau Funeral Home, Martin & Brown Funeral Directors, and Quock Fook Sang Mortuary. Some of the Halsted records go back to N. Grays services, with transactions dating from the 1850s. Even into the relatively modern 1950s and 1960s, funerals were often enormous events because many individuals died at relatively young ages, still in their working years and with many friends and relatives still living in San Francisco. Sullivans experienced congestion in their small parking lot in those days, and the family member in charge at the time, Arthur J. Sullivan, Jr., a life-long Sunset District resident, wisely purchased a dilapidated old structure facing 16th Street, had it demolished, and created a larger lot to accommodate the constant stream of cars bringing mourners to the establishment each day and night for visitation. During the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s, Sullivans was recognized by the San Francisco Department of Health as being one of the only funeral establishments that would provide funeral services to victims. The Sullivan family has long been known for possessing generous quantities of both common sense and compassion. In 1986, second-generation family member, Arthur Jr. passed away, and his wife Catherine took over the helm, overseeing the work of her two sons, Arthur III and Jim (one living in the Parkside and the other near West Portal). The business changed with the times, as the brothers noted that more and more local residents were opting for simpler funerals, often with cremation instead of open-casket viewing. Changing migration patterns, particularly among their largely Irish-Catholic clientele, meant that many families who once availed themselves of Sullivans services were no longer residing locally. Nearly a decade ago, Sullivans completed a merger agreement with Duggans Serra Mortuary, another firm with deep roots in the San Francisco community, thus setting the groundwork for the current transition. Its interesting to note that within the western neighborhoods of San Francisco, many Moms of baby boomers used to share a wry expression among themselves that defined their personal wishes for remaining at home and aging in place as they grew older. Most widows, dozens and dozens of them regularly announced to family and friendsthis writers own mother includedthat the only person who will ever get me out of my house is Arthur J. Sullivanand that will be feet-first. We boomers generally tried to abide by such strongly-held wishes. Now, the final two Sullivan brothers are about to embark on well-deserved retirements, and the Duggan family, with its younger generations still moving into management positions within their family-owned firm, will be taking over completely. The Market Street building is slated to become retail space, while the large adjacent parking area will see the construction of housing units. Ill likely wander through that new space whenever some future retailer sets up shop, just for a final look at the spot where our family once said good-bye to so many loved ones. Thanks again to the Sullivan Family for 92 years of loyal service to San Francisco. Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places! The notice issued Saturday morning on behalf of First Deputy Superintendent Eric Carter says that during roll calls supervisor briefings before each Chicago Police Department shift for five consecutive days, the following message will be read: Until further notice, the use of elective time by sworn CPD members is restricted. The announcement goes on to say elective time, also known as personal time off from work, will require approval from someone with the rank of deputy chief or higher. Last week, the dispute over Lightfoots vaccine reporting mandate came to a boil when the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police and mayors office filed dueling lawsuits over the matter. That legal sparring followed FOP Lodge 7 President John Catanzara repeatedly directing his thousands of members to disobey the citys orders to fill out a form indicating their vaccination status by midnight Friday night. By the early evening, a Cook County judge had ordered Catanzara to temporarily refrain from further encouraging members to defy the citys vaccination reporting mandate via social media or other public statements. But the citys lawsuit alleging that his actions constitute an illegal strike because law enforcement cannot engage in such a work stoppage in Illinois remains pending. Catanzara, on the other hand, sued the city around the same time to attempt to force arbitration over their vaccination reporting requirement, which orders city employees to report their vaccination status or face potential no-pay status. Those who indicate they are unvaccinated must submit to regular COVID-19 testing at their own expense. Catanzara has said there are enough FOP members willing to follow his direction that should the city place them on no-pay status, about 50% of the Chicago police force would not be at work. But neither he nor the city have said how many officers have currently indicated their status in the city portal. The Chicago police brass move Saturday to restrict time off for officers a move often reserved for historically violent holiday weekends was seen by some in the department as preparation for potential staffing shortages over mass noncompliance with the mandate. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WATERLOO, Iowa Farmers and Deere & Co. suppliers are worried about what the strike at the tractor maker's factories will mean for their livelihoods. More than 10,000 Deere employees went on strike last week at 14 Deere factories in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado and Georgia after the United Auto Workers union rejected a contract offer. The longer the strike continues, the greater the impact will be on the communities around the plants. If this gets sorted out in a couple of days, great, Brian Jones, who farms in central Iowa, told the Des Moines Register. But if it drags out for weeks, you start to get a little concerned about things. Lance Lillibridge, who farms in eastern Iowa near Cedar Rapids, said he worries about not having parts should his John Deere combine break down. We have a lot of big equipment out here that were using to bring in a harvest, and if a part breaks down that we cant get, were done, said Lillibridge, who is also president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association board. Burk Skeet Miehe of American Pattern & CNC Works in Cedar Falls, Iowa, said his business was doing OK initially because it worked ahead to meet orders from Deere. If it does go longer, it could affect us, Miehe told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Casting Cleaning Inc. in Cedar Falls, which does chipping and grinding work of foundry castings for John Deere, was closed Friday because of lack of work, but company President Shannon Closson said it's expected to reopen Monday. Long term, (the strike) would be very detrimental to our business. Short term, well be able to power though and get through it, Closson said. At John Deere equipment dealer Sloan Implement in Fulton, Illinois, store manager Eric Maloney said the business is doing the best it can to manage through the strike, as well as supply chain problems related to the coronavirus pandemic. The dealer has been relying more than usual on repairing parts instead of replacing them. Were going to just keep right on forging ahead as best we can, Maloney said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The company said in a blog post-Sunday that those high-skilled workers will help build the metaverse, a futuristic notion for connecting people online that encompasses augmented and virtual reality. Facebook executives have been touting the metaverse as the next big thing after the mobile internet as they also contend with other matters such as antitrust crackdowns, the testimony of a whistleblowing former employee and concerns about how the company handles vaccine-related and political misinformation on its platform. In September, Facebook committed $50 million towards building the metaverse, where companies like Roblox Corp and "Fortnite" maker Epic Games have an early foothold. The company earlier launched a test of a new virtual-reality remote work app where users of the company's Oculus Quest 2 headsets can hold meetings as avatar versions of themselves. Facebook also said in July it was creating a product team to work on the metaverse which would be part of Facebook Reality Labs, its augmented reality and virtual reality group. "This investment (in new jobs) is a vote of confidence in the strength of the European tech industry and the potential of European tech talent," the company said. In a separate blog post-Sunday, the company defended its approach to combating hate speech, in response to a Wall Street Journal article that examined the company's inability to detect and remove hateful and excessively violent posts. Source: FRANCE 24 with AP, REUTERS Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Association of International Certification Schools (ASICS) Ghana, representing 42 international curriculum schools, has expressed "great disappointment" with a press release issued by the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) last Thursday, October 14, 2021. "For the record: ASICS would like to state categorically that all our schools are duly accredited with the respective international regulatory bodies," a statement issued by the Executive Council of ASICS, for and on behalf of members of the association at the weekend, said. The statement insisted that, "ASICS is not averse to paying fees to be licensed in Ghana. Once the fees for the current year have been approved by the government agency authorised to do so, our schools will comply as they have always done". Seeking audience It explained that ASICS had earlier sought audience with the former Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, at the time he was the sector minister and also sought audience with the current minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, which were granted. "Both audiences resulted in constructive conversations about our roles and responsibilities as private institutions allowed to operate under the auspices of the Ministry of Education. We have been grateful for these interactions. "Our interactions with NaSIA, however, have not been fruitful. We have met with NaSIA on several occasions to understand the terms of engagement, and to resolve an ongoing dispute concerning the inequitable levying of license fees. We have not been met with fairness, openness nor an indication of NaSIAs understanding of the role private institutions play in the overall education space," the statement said. Open door policy The statement said ASICS schools had always been open to inspection and monitoring since that promoted best practice. The statement said it was the desire of the association to work with local agencies with the goal of transparency and integrity. "Our schools, while private, continue to contribute immensely to the national education agenda. By this statement we are assuring parents and all stakeholders that our member schools continue to be in good standing with international regulatory bodies. The following links provide accurate and transparent information on the status of international curricular schools for the scrutiny of our stakeholders. The statement provided links: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/why-choose-us/find-a-cambridge-school/ and https://www.british council.org.gh/partner-schools https://www.ibo.org/programmes/find-an-ib-school/ to the curriculum accrediting bodies which allowed for anyone to check the status of their childs schools with either the Cambridge Assessment International Education or the International Baccalaureate Organisation. 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 In commemoration of Global Handwashing Day, Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), through its Zoom kids Club programme, has begun an operation to intensify the proper way of handwashing among school children in basic schools across the country. The goal of this activity is to increase the awareness of handwashing with soap and water in basic schools as an effective way to prevent diseases such as diarrhoea and pneumonia and help save lives. The exercise, which will be carried out in all the 526 Zoomkids Club basic school members, started on Monday, October 18, 2021, in some beneficiary schools in Adenta, Ashaley Botwe and Madina in Accra. Since 2008, Global Handwashing Day has been marked yearly on October 15 to promote handwashing with soap and water as an affordable way to prevent disease. The theme for this years celebration is Our Future is at Hand Let Us Move Together, and the slogan; Seconds Save Life. Speaking to journalists, the acting Managing Director of Zoomlion, Mr Ernest Kusi, said the operation will involve a demonstration to the school children on the proper way of washing of hands. He said the demonstration will be done in a form of drama, educating the children on the significance of handwashing and also donating training materials to them. He explained that the essence was to prevent the children from catching diarrhorea and other infectious diseases And we also know the connection related to Covid. That when you wash your hands well and put on your nose mask, you will be protected from catching the virus and other diseases, he pointed out. According to Mr Kusi, Zoomlion will be sponsoring the handwashing activities in all the Zoomkids Club member schools. He said this formed part of Zoomlions corporate social responsibility (CSR). And as part of our CSR, Zoomlion has, over the years, been giving back to society through the Zoomkids Club project, he stated. The Chairman of the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (WASH) who is also the Technical Coordinator of World Vision Ghana, Attah Arhin, explained that the purpose of the day was to promote the culture of handwashing with soap in all societies, create awareness on the state of handwashing in each country and inform people about the importance of handwashing. He also used the chance to appeal to government to set up other facilities in public places to help in the regular washing of hands. At the Nii Sowa Din Memorial Cluster of Schools in Adjirigarno, a demonstration was done on the proper way of washing of hands. It involved the use of soap to wash hands under a running water. For her part, the School Health Coordinator, Adentan Municipal Education Directorate, Patience Akudugu, praised Zoomlion for helping to educate school children on proper hygienic practices. We have 36 schools in the municipal, and today was at Sowa Din Memorial Cluster of Schools. We will extend it to other schools within the municipality, she said. 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 University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) last Thursday graduated 1,094 students with a call on the graduates to go out with strength and courage to help in the transformation of the country. The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, who made the call, urged the graduates to be transformed by the renewal of their minds and have the courage and strength to lead in the development of the country. The 13th congregation saw the award of two honorary doctorate degrees to the Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance, Mr Patrick Nomo, and the Group Managing Director of Village of Hope, Mr Frederick Boadu Asare. The graduating students comprised 905 undergraduates and 189 diploma students. Discernment Mr Ofori-Atta charged the graduates to be discerning and be bold in their opinions, given the level of education that they had acquired. He told them that it was imperative that they acknowledged the privilege of going through their periods of studies successfully, adding that they needed to recognise that they had been blessed, and would, therefore, become responsible custodians of the republic. So the future for you with regard to jobs is the most important thing at this stage. We have gone through a period where most people look to the government for jobs. That payroll is full, I can tell you that because we are spending some 60 per cent of our revenue on remunerating some 650,000 people and thats not sustainable. The question really is whether the UPSA has trained you to be entrepreneurs. When you have the skill set, you do what you have to do and our responsibility is to create the environment of micro stability, currency stability and ensure that you have access to the relevant skills, he said. Hopes, aspirations The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Dr K.K. Sarpong, who was the guest speaker, congratulated the graduates for working tirelessly to complete their programmes successfully. I believe all of you are graduating with goals, hopes and aspirations. It is the right attitude to have. Without goals, hope and aspirations, there is very little one can accomplish in life. Equally important, however, is the need for you to acquire 21st-Century skills and core competencies that will enhance your employability and advancement in your career, he said. He noted that the innovative programmes on offer at the university which incorporated entrepreneurial development in the training of graduates was very laudable and needed to be commended by all. I have learned that in addition to the entrepreneurship hub that has been in existence for about five years now, you recently launched UPSAs Enterprise and Innovative Centre to provide an avenue to mainstream entrepreneurship education and training, he said. Industry Dr Sarpong said currently, industries searched for graduates who had more than a university degree and that they considered also life skills such as creativity, innovation, critical thinking, collaboration, teamwork, communication, empathy, digital literacy, among others, as essential skills for effective individual performance. Those life skills mentioned and affirmed by UNESCO, he said underpinned the abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that aid in dealing effectively with the challenges of everyday life, particularly, work. Maximising The Vice Chancellor of the UPSA, Prof. Abednego F.O. Amartey said the university was maximising the opportunities provided by online education tools to include the optimisation of its learning management system for effective teaching and learning. The UPSAs investment in technology, focused on elevating online teaching and learning space and capabilities have served us well and we will continue on this trajectory. Additionally, the universitys state-of-the-art library now included a vast array of online resources for research and reference for faculty, staff and students, he pointed out. He indicated that the university enrolled 8,247 new students at the beginning of the 2020-2021 academic year, bringing the total student population to 18,074 and that the number included 1,687 postgraduate students, 13,434 undergraduates, 2,793 diploma students and 160 professional students. 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 Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has said Ghana will deepen ties with Guyana for the mutual benefit of the two countries. We want to see the cooperation between Ghana and Guyana go beyond oil and gas to the sharing of experiences in the areas of agriculture, industrialisation, real estate, health and digitisation which Ghana has embarked upon, he said. Dr Bawumia was speaking during bilateral discussions with his Guyanese counterpart, Mr Bharrat Jagdeo, who was on a three-day official visit to the country, in Accra last Friday. Mr Jagdeo and members of his delegation were in the country to learn about Ghanas experiences in the oil and gas sector, with particular reference to local content and participation, the legal framework and best practices in the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon find discovered on a large scale in 2015. Agreements Dr Bawumia said the visit was also to build on agreements that had been reached over the years, culminating in mutual visa exceptions and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on mutual investments and cooperation, including air service agreement. He said there were also a couple of technical cooperation issues which had been agreed upon but were yet to be signed, as well as technical assistance in the oil and gas industry on which the Ghana team was developing an MoU for more discussions. The Vice-President expressed Ghanas readiness to share its experiences in oil and gas with Guyana, as the latter embarked on the journey to build on the massive oil find in that country. He traced the long-standing relations between the two nations from the days of slavery to the period of Ghanas independence, saying that the names, cultures and natural resources found in both countries were almost similar. We are building a Ghana Beyond Aid to make our economy and country more self-reliant, he said. Dr Bawumia commended Guyana for supporting Ghana to get on to the UN Security Council. Consolidation of ties For his part, Mr Jagdeo said it was time to give meaning to South-South relations by concretising agreements and moving deep into areas of investment and trade, as well as people-to-people contact. He said given the emerging opportunities in the oil and gas industry, in particular, that industry could be a catalyst for the flow of trade and investment between the two countries. According to him, Ghana was a great inspiration to the struggle for Guyanas independence and singled out Dr Kwame Nkrumahs personal role in bringing parties together for the attainment of Guyanas independence. As part of the visit, officials of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), the Petroleum Commission (PC), the Ghana Gas Company, the Energy Commission and other stakeholders in the energy sector shared ideas and experiences with their Guyanese counterparts. 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 Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi together with Kwaku Ohene Gyan and Deputy Executive Director have toured various national service registration centers in Kumasi, Sunyani and Tamale respectively. The purpose of the tour was to afford the management opportunity to monitor the activities at the various registration centres and get firsthand information. The delegation was received by the various NSS directors. They had interactions with the staff and volunteers and further headed to the registration stands to witness the fast and smooth activities. Other members of the team included Arstrong Essah, Head of Corporate Affairs and Emmanuel Akorsah, NASPA President. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Nzema Advocacy for Peace and Development (NAPAD), an environmental advocacy group in the Western Region, on Thursday raised the alarm about the invasion of sargassum weed species sprawling along the western coast of Ghana. The group in collaboration with concerned citizens of Nzema, including Nzema Koyele Eku, Nzema Advocacy for Peace and Development (NAPAD), have petitioned the Western Regional Minister, complaining about the devastations the local communities were suffering due to the invasion of brown sea weed along their coasts. Signed by Elizabeth Alluah Vaah, a member, the petition was copied the office of the President, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), National Disaster Organisation (NADMO),Ghana Gas, Tullow Ghana, Members of Parliament and District Assemblies in Jomoro, Ellembelle and Nzema East. Over the past eight weeks, the weed, which piles up along the coast and gives-off a putrid odour when decaying, has since seen a gradual increase in size and area of coverage. From the coast of New Town on Ghanas border with La Cote DIvoire to Dixcove, all in the Western Region of Ghana, this brownish weed has carpeted the shoreline, making it dangerous for children and adults to have access to the sea, they lamented. Apart from this danger, the brown seaweed, some claimed, had brought economic activity to a halt either directly (fishermen and fishmongers) on the sea or indirectly (retailers, food vendors, who sell to the fisherfolk. In addition, the dire lack of fish from the sea, had deprived the people of a very critical source of protein and of nourishment in general, adding that the same situation had also brought tourism activities along the coast to a halt. Our enquiries indicate that even though some personnel from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) have come around and taken samples, there has been no feedback on what they found. Meanwhile, the petition demanded that the Western Regional Minister take concrete and urgent steps to get all the agencies and organisations mentioned to act to resolve the problem facing the communities. Again, the EPA, as a matter of urgency, should share their findings on what this disturbing phenomenon is, and indicate what action it proposed to deal with it both in the short term and on a permanent basis. The advocacy group further called on the Ellembelle, Evalue Ajomoro Gwira and Jomoro municipal assemblies to engage the local people to explain steps to remove the nuisance seaweed from the shores. This, they suggested would prevent the seaweed from returning to sea and causing extreme destruction to fishing activities in and along the coast. Source: The Ghanaian Times 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 Tanzania, a former District Commissioner, Lengai Ole Sabaya and three others, have been sentenced to 30 years in prison after they were convicted of armed robbery. They were found guilty on all three counts with each handed a 30-year jail term, that will run concurrently. The Arusha Resident Magistrates Court had earlier on Friday, October 15 convicted Sabaya and three co-accused of armed robbery. Senior Resident Magistrate Odira Amworo said the court was satisfied that the prosecution has proved armed robbery charges against them and has convicted them. During mitigation, prosecution asked court to sentence them to a minimum of 30 years in prison. Sabaya was a known ally of former President John Pombe Magufuli who died earlier this year of heart complications. Local media outlets have reported that Sabaya is considering appealing the ruling of the court. Source: thecitizen.co.tz 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 Chief Hamilton Biney, Deputy National Organizer of the largest opposing National Democratic Congress (NDC) has in response to Lord Commey said the power of the people is always greater than those in power. According to him he has noticed that Ghanaians and some members of the NDC are not happy about the comments from the Director of Operations at the Presidency, Lord Commey. "My simple message to him is that the power of the people is always greater than those in power, when the NDC wins convincingly and he and his NPP squad of goons try to undermine the power of the people then I bet you we will resist the oppressors' rule by taking out the oppressors with all our will and might to protect the democracy our late President JJ Rawlings handed over to President JA Kuffour," he posted on his facebook wall. Lord Commey has declared that the governing NPP has no interest in breaking the 8 and will not hand over power to the NDC. Chief Biney posted on his facebook wall: "I have noticed that Ghanaians and some members of the NDC are not happy about the comments from the director of operations at the Presidency (Lord Commey), that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said to him and the NPP that he is only interested in handing over power to another NPP presidential candidate. My simple message to him is that the power of the people is always greater than those in power, when the NDC wins convincingly and he and his NPP squad of goons try to undermine the power of the people then I bet you we will resist the oppressors' rule by taking out the oppressors with all our will and might to protect the democracy our late President JJ Rawlings handed over to President JA Kuffour. #GhanaMustWork NPP Will Sustain Power Director of Operations at the Presidency, Lord Commey has declared that the governing NPP has no interest in breaking the 8 and will not hand over power to the NDC. According to him, the NPP will retain power. Mr Commey said this at the Greater Accra Regional Delegates Conference on Friday. Speaking on behalf of the President at the conference, he added that the President has every intention of handing over power to the next NPP flagbearer and not the opposition. 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 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hopeful Ghana will build back much more strongly as the country seeks to overcome the shocks left in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. I acknowledge that life is still not as easy as it should be, he observed, saying, the pandemic had temporarily derailed the nations progress. However, for one thing for which I have accepted is that, there are solid reasons to hope for a brighter tomorrow, he assured. President Nana Akufo-Addo, who was addressing the Ash-Town Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church, in Kumasi, on the occasion of the Churchs 100 years anniversary, said transforming the lives of the people positively was the main preoccupation of his Administration. I came to office with the goal of improving the living standards of the Ghanaian people. The policies and programmes being implemented by my government have taken roots. They are growing, and they are bearing fruits, the President noted. Some key initiatives taken under the Nana Akufo-Addo-led Administration in line with its promises to enhancing socio-economic growth, encompass the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, One District, One Factory (1D1F) project, National Digital Property Addressing System, and focus of economic policy from taxation to production. Additionally, the government prides itself of guiding Ghana to officially exit the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, restart of the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, introduction of a pension scheme for cocoa farmers, restoration of the nursing trainee allowance, and road infrastructure projects Touching on the relevance of the Free SHS policy, the President said it had brought enormous benefits to parents, especially those who could not afford to pay their wards school fees. According to him, the governments vision remained constant, that is, to build a Ghana beyond aid. That is, Ghana, that has discarded the mentality of dependence on aid, charity, and hand-outs. We can. We should be able to build a Ghana which looks to the use of our own resources and their proper management as the way to engineer socio-economic growth in our country, President Nana Akufo-Addo stated. He rallied the SDA Church to be supportive of the governments development agenda to bring prosperity to the people. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, in a message delivered on his behalf, tasked Christians to uphold religious virtues and also spread the Gospel with resilience to salvage the society from evil deeds. They should demonstrate patriotism and also be law-abiding for the nations sustainable development, the king advised. Pastor Dr. Kwanin Boakye, President of the Northern Ghana Union Conference of the SDA Church, said the Church had over the years been worthy partners of the state in development. This was visible in the numerous health and educational projects initiated by the leadership to enhance the welfare of the people, he said. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the decision taken by his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama, to build the Komenda Sugar factory, without first establishing a sugarcane plantation, betrays every principle of construction. It is like building a house, and say you are going to start from the roof, before you have a foundation. How does the house get built? You going to start from the roof, when you havent built the foundation? President Akufo-Addo asked. According to President Akufo-Addo, You would think that every industrial activity would begin with, first of all, what you want to do, what you want to produce. Once you identify that, then clearly, your next step has to be what are the inputs, what are the things that you need to be able to feed into your factory, to get to your outputs and you are therefore to be satisfied when you start producing your production, those inputs are there. But this, he said, is not John Mahamas way of doing things, as he will rather build the roof, once the roof has been built then he will come down and then build the foundation. You know that a house built on that principle will collapse, just as Komenda collapsed. The President made this known on Monday, 18 th October 2021, during an interview on Eagle FM, at the commencement of his 2-day working visit to the Central Region, in response to comments made by the former President last Friday. It will be recalled that during an interview on Cape FM, former President Mahama stated that Im not that foolish to set up a factory and have no plan for the provision of raw materials. I knew what the vision was. It was to get the raw materials first, despite having not setup a single sugarcane plantation to serve as a raw material source for the factory. Information from an October 2017 Technical Audit Team, made up of experts from the academia, industry, and independent sugarcane consultants, revealed that a test run was never completed before the Komenda Sugar Factory was commissioned in May 2016, due to the unavailability of sufficient sugarcane for the test run. In addition, the factory, on commissioning, was not in a position to produce the required refined sulphurless white sugar due to the absence of 35 component parts/units, which were not fully installed before the test run including for melt clarification, vertical crystallizers, molasses weighing system, bagasse compressor and a dosing system. The Effluent Treatment Plant had also not been constructed at the time of the commissioning. President Akufo-Addo also revealed that a preliminary assessment the value of the factory revealed that the factory had been over valued to the tune of some US$12 million. The Report of a Forensic Audit has been submitted to EOCO, which has since then written to Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice to conduct further investigations for possible prosecution. Revival Plan Towards the revival of the factory, the President revealed that a Strategic Investor, Park Agrotech Ghana Limited, had been selected as the preferred Strategic Investor for the Komenda Sugar Factory, and their recommendation was approved by Cabinet. However, negotiations between the Transaction Advisor (Price Water House) and the Strategic Investor has been unduly prolonged due to a number of demands made by the Strategic Investor, as well as the effects of the emergence of COVID-19 Pandemic, which restricted consultations between the investor and the Transaction Advisor. With the delays in concluding negotiations between the Transaction Advisor and the Strategic Investor, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, after given the required notice, terminated the negotiations with the Strategic Investor on 1 st September 2021 for their failure to fulfil the conditions precedent to the offer made to them. The President indicated that the services of the Technical Partner with expertise in the sugar industry has been engaged to manage the technical operations of the factory. In addition, traditional authorities in Komenda and the adjoining districts have been engaged to acquire large tracts of land for sugarcane plantation. President Akufo-Addo was expectant that the Komenda Sugar Factory will commence commercial production in the first quarter of 2022. 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 beef between two popular Ghanaian gospel artistes, Brother Sammy and Ernest Opoku may be far from over or if it has ever been over, then it may soon be revived as Brother Sammy has for the first time spilled the beans on why he and Ernest Opoku are at each other's throats. Brother Sammy, speaking on UTV's 'United Showbiz', disclosed there is conflict between Ernest Opoku and him because the former has refused to honour him. According to him, he mentored Ernest Opoku to develop his music prowess as the latter copied his style of singing but he (Ernest Opoku) has refused to tell Ghanaians and the world the truth. Giving the impression that Ernest Opoku doesn't give him gratitude, Brother Sammy said; "It disturbs him (Ernest Opoku) to say I'm his father or mentor or was following me. This is what has brought about all this problem . . . It worries him to admit this and publicly honour me''. Watch his full submissions below: Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video " " Former president Donald Trump is the only U.S. president in history to be impeached twice. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images At around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, 1868, Senator Edmund Ross of Kansas sat at his desk in the Senate chamber shredding paper into smaller and smaller pieces until his lap and feet were covered in scraps of white. The stress must have been getting to him. One by one, all around him the voices of his fellow senators were answering a single question from Chief Justice Salmon Portland Chase: "Mr. Senator, how say you?" On that day, the senators of the United States were voting, for the first time in the nation's history, whether to impeach their commander in chief President Andrew Johnson. Johnson had been Abraham Lincoln's vice president and moved into the Oval Office after Lincoln's assassination in April 1865. By December of that year, the new president's Republican opponents in Congress were beginning to rail against him, and a year later they would begin the first in a series of attempts to impeach him. Advertisement In the wake of the Civil War, U.S. Representative Thaddeus Stevens and his followers felt that Johnson had failed to stop the brutalization of freed slaves by their previous owners, and was likewise ceding control of the Southern states to former Confederates. Now at last, Congress had the opportunity to do something about the situation. To impeach a president requires a so-called "super-majority," or two-thirds, of the Senate vote. The problem was that in the time leading up to the impeachment vote, corruption, backroom deals and bribery had been rife. As a result, it was, by this time known exactly how all the senators were going to vote. All, that is, except for Edmund Ross of Kansas. Ross was the lynch pin, the fulcrum, the straw that could break the proverbial camel's back. Hence the anxious paper-shredding routine as he waited for his name to be called. Senator after senator voted exactly as expected. Finally, the chief justice said the words everyone was waiting to hear, "Mr. Senator Ross, how say you?" Edmund Ross rose from his chair, his face as white as the shredded paper falling from his lap. He felt, as he would later say, as though he were facing death. Nevertheless, he quickly and clearly declared, "Not guilty." A sigh went through the chamber, whether of disappointment or relief, it was difficult to say. Although the voting continued, everybody now knew what the final result would be: The first effort to impeach a U.S. president had failed by a single vote [source: Stewart]. " " When does redistricting tip over into gerrymandering? Noun Project Representative democracy is a beautiful thing, but the process of drawing the lines for congressional and state legislative districts can get ugly. The Constitution is vague on how voting districts should be drawn, saying only that they should be updated every 10 years and be roughly equal in population. Over the centuries, American politicians have seized on the once-a-decade redistricting process to redraw voting maps to their advantage. While partisan redistricting is an accepted if bemoaned practice, the courts have found it unacceptable to redraw voting districts for the express purpose of suppressing the voting power of Black voters and other racial minority groups. Gerrymandering is the manipulation of voting districts for hyper-partisan or racist reasons, but the line between legit redistricting and unethical gerrymandering is blurry at best. It's ultimately up to judges to decide whether a redistricting plan is kosher or not. Advertisement Quick Primer on Voting Districts Every 10 years, the United States conducts a census. The constitutional purpose of the census is "apportionment," the process of determining how many seats each state should have in the House of Representatives. While the Constitution automatically allots two senators for every state, the apportionment of representatives in the 435-seat House is based on population, with populous states like California getting 52 representatives (as of the 2020 census) and sparsely populated states like Wyoming and South Dakota only getting one seat each. Members of the House are voted into office by the voters in their congressional district back home, and according to the Constitution, those districts should each be approximately the same size, meaning that each of the 435 House members represent roughly the same number of people. The average congressional district now holds 761,169 people. The same is true for state legislatures. Both state senators and state house members represent specific voting districts that are divided equally among the state's population. Who draws the district maps? A handful of states appoint independent commissions to draw their district lines, but those are the outliers. Right now, state legislatures in 39 states draw their own congressional districts, including the six states that only have one congressional district. And it's a similar story for state-level voting districts, where 34 state legislatures have full control of the process. " " Co-chairs of the Special Joint Committee on Redistricting Sen. Will Brownsberger and Rep. Mike Moran (out of frame) speak about the recently released draft maps of the state legislative districts at Ashburton Park in Boston, Oct. 12, 2021. Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images If the state legislature is firmly in the hands of one political party as it is in more than half of all states then that party exercises a lot of control over the redistricting process. By tweaking the size and shape of voting districts, they can boost the voting power of their party and increase the odds of winning congressional and state legislative seats. But when does partisan redistricting cross the line and become illegal gerrymandering? Advertisement The Rules of Redistricting When state legislators sit down to redraw their voting district maps, even in solidly Republican or Democratic states, they are expected to play by some basic rules, says Doug Spencer, a law professor and election law scholar at the University of Colorado Boulder: Districts have to be of roughly equal population; a deviation of a few percentage points is OK Districts have to be contiguous, meaning they have to be contained by one boundary Districts should be compact, not long and snake-like Of those three characteristics, the compactness (or non-compactness) of a district is usually the one that triggers accusations of gerrymandering, says Spencer, who also manages the website All About Redistricting. "If you see a bizarrely shaped district, that raises your antennae that it may not have been drawn neutrally, but in a way that favors some group: a political group, a racial group or something else." " " The original gerrymandered district: This 1812 political cartoon was a reaction to the newly drawn state senate election district created by the Massachusetts legislature to favor the Democratic-Republican Party. The bizarre shape of the district was likened to a salamander and labeled the Gerry-mander after its creator Gov. Elbridge Gerry. Wikipedia After all, it was the freakish shape of a Massachusetts congressional district that helped coin the term "gerrymander" in 1812. The long and snaking district was approved by Gov. Elbridge Gerry and delivered a powerful electoral advantage to his party, the Democratic-Republicans. A newspaper cartoonist noted the salamander-like shape of the district and labeled it "the Gerry-mander" after its partisan creator. Advertisement Partisanship Alone Isn't Illegal According to Spencer, the courts have recognized that partisanship in the redistricting process is an accepted outcome of state elections. If voters put control of the state legislature in the hands of one party, then there is an expectation that party officials will make redistricting decisions that benefit their party. "The question becomes, how much partisanship is too much?" says Spencer. "That's a line that's hard to distinguish." Some state legislatures are blatantly honest about what they are trying to accomplish with redistricting efforts. In North Carolina, the Republican chair of the state's redistricting committee said in 2016, "I propose we draw the maps to give an advantage to 10 Republicans and 3 Democrats, because I do not believe it is possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and 2 Democrats." And in Maryland, the Democratic governor testified that a new district was drawn to "create a district where the people would be more likely to elect a Democrat than a Republican, yes, this was clearly my intent." Do such statements go too far? For its part, the Supreme Court is keeping out of the controversy. In 2019, the justices ruled 5-4 that the nation's highest court would not get involved in challenges to state redistricting plans on strictly political grounds. They left those challenges to state lawmakers and state courts. Advertisement Racial Gerrymandering Is Still Outlawed Racially motivated gerrymandering is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law. But before the 1964 Voting Rights Act was passed, state legislatures in the Jim Crow-era South used a pair of gerrymandering tactics to strip Black voters of equal electoral power: packing and cracking. "It was a strategic choice," says Spencer. If Black voters were concentrated in certain geographic areas of a state, then the legislators would "pack" them into one or two districts. Even if that created strong Black voting blocks in those districts, their vote would be outweighed by all of the majority-white districts. If Black voters were more geographically dispersed, then the districts were drawn in order to "crack" or dilute the Black vote by assigning small numbers of Black voters to several different districts. In that way, their voices were guaranteed to be drowned out by the white majority. That was supposed to change with the Voting Rights Act, which included a provision that six Southern states had to receive federal approval for their redistricting plans. Those six states Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Virginia were flagged for extra scrutiny because of a history of race-based gerrymandering. In the 1970s, three more states were added: Alaska, Arizona and Texas. But in a landmark 2013 case, the Supreme Court "bailed out" those nine states from having to seek congressional preapproval for their redistricting plans, stoking fears of a new wave of racially motivated gerrymandering in Republican-controlled Southern legislatures. "In [the 2021-22] cycle, for the first time since the 1960s, state legislatures can redistrict without getting their plans reviewed and approved by the federal government," says Spencer. " " A Fair Maps Rally was held in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26, 2019, in Washington, D.C. The rally coincided with the Supreme Court hearings in landmark redistricting cases out of North Carolina and Maryland. Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post via Getty Images Advertisement When Courts Step In The reality is that racial gerrymandering is still unlawful and can be challenged in both state and federal courts. A lawsuit intended to block a state's redistricting plan on racial grounds must be filed by a voter of color living in the district, says Spencer, not an outside political organization. It's then up to a judge or judges to determine if there's enough evidence to conclude that the district lines were, in fact, drawn to disenfranchise minority voters. "The judge's job is to evaluate the evidence testimonies, emails and texts between lawmakers, etc. to suss out if the redistricting decisions were merely partisan, which is allowed, or was in reality about race," says Spencer. There were two high-profile Supreme Court cases in recent years in which redistricting plans were rejected on grounds of racial gerrymandering: In Cooper v. Harris , the Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision that the 2011 redistricting plan passed by the North Carolina legislature was a racial gerrymander because it packed Black voters into two congressional districts. The court rejected the state's argument that redistricting was done on purely partisan grounds. In Bethune-Hill v. Virginia Board of Elections , the Supreme Court effectively blocked Virginia's 2011 redistricting plan on the grounds that racial quotas were a leading factor in how the lines were drawn. The Virginia legislature created 12 districts, each with at least a 55 percent Black voting age population. What makes the line between redistricting and gerrymandering so blurry is that the electorate has become increasingly polarized along racial lines, says Spencer. In the 2020 presidential election, 92 percent of Black voters chose the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden. Meanwhile, white voters continued to skew Republican in 2020, particularly non-college-educated whites, 65 percent of whom voted for Donald Trump. What that means for Republican-held legislatures, especially in the South, is that any attempt to crack or pack Democratic districts risks targeting Black voters. Now That's Cool In 2011, The Washington Post ran a reader contest to name crazy-looking congressional districts. The winners were "Goofy Kicking Donald Duck," "The Praying Mantis" and "Beavis Eating Pizza." Left: A curving tunnel, with lines formed by the tunnel lights and road lane markers, forms a similar geometry to the proposed model of the North Polar Spur and Fan Region (photo by Pixabay/ illustration by Jennifer West). Right: The sky as it would appear in radio polarized waves. Credit: Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory/Villa Elisa telescope/ESA/Planck Collaboration/Stellarium/Jennifer West A University of Toronto astronomer's research suggests the solar system is surrounded by a magnetic tunnel that can be seen in radio waves. Jennifer West, a research associate at the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, is making a scientific case that two bright structures seen on opposite sides of the skypreviously considered to be separateare actually connected and are made of rope-like filaments. The connection forms what looks like a tunnel around our solar system. The data results of West's research have been published in The Astrophysical Journal. "If we were to look up in the sky," says West, "we would see this tunnel-like structure in just about every direction we lookedthat is, if we had eyes that could see radio light." Called "the North Polar Spur" and "the Fan Region," astronomers have known about these two structures for decades, West says. But most scientific explanations have focused on them individually. West and her colleagues, by contrast, believe they are the first astronomers to connect them as a unit. Made up of charged particles and a magnetic field, the structures are shaped like long ropes. They are located about 350 light-years away from us, and are about 1,000 light-years long. Jennifer West, a researcher at U of T's Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, says two magnetic structures seen on opposite sides of the sky form what looks like a tunnel around the solar system . Credit: Jennifer West "That's the equivalent distance of traveling between Toronto and Vancouver two trillion times," West says. West has been thinking about these features on and off for 15 yearsever since she first saw a map of the radio sky. More recently, she built a computer model that calculated what the radio sky would look like from Earth as she varied the shape and location of the long ropes. The model allowed West to "build" the structure around us, and showed her what the sky would look like through our telescopes. It was this new perspective that helped her to match the model to the data. "A few years ago, one of our co-authors, Tom Landecker, told me about a paper from 1965from the early days of radio astronomy," West says. "Based on the crude data available at this time, the authors [Mathewson and Milne], speculated that these polarized radio signals could arise from our view of the Local Arm of the galaxy, from inside it. "That paper inspired me to develop this idea and tie my model to the vastly better data that our telescopes give us today." West uses the Earth's map as an example. The North pole is on the top and the equator is through the middleunless you re-draw the map from a different perspective. The same is true for the map of our galaxy. "Most astronomers look at a map with the North pole of the galaxy up and the galactic centre in the middle," West explains. "An important part that inspired this idea was to remake that map with a different point in the middle." Illustrated map of Milky Way Galaxy shown with the position and size of proposed filaments. Inset shows a more detailed view of the Local environments, and the position of Local Bubble and various nearby dust clouds. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt/SSC/Caltech with annotations by Jennifer West "This is extremely clever work," says Bryan Gaensler, a professor at the Dunlap Institute and an author of the publication. "When Jennifer first pitched this to me, I thought it was too 'out-there' to be a possible explanation. But she was ultimately able to convince me. Now, I'm excited to see how the rest of the astronomy community reacts." An expert in magnetism in galaxies and the interstellar medium, West looks forward to the more possible discoveries connected to this research. "Magnetic fields don't exist in isolation," she says. "They all must to connect to each other. So, a next step is to better understand how this local magnetic field connects both to the larger-scale galactic magnetic field, and also to the smaller scale magnetic fields of our sun and Earth." In the meantime, West agrees that the new "tunnel" model not only brings new insight to the science community, but also a ground-breaking concept for the rest of us. "I think it's just awesome to imagine that these structures are everywhere whenever we look up into the night sky." Explore further Radio signals from distant stars suggest hidden planets More information: J. L. West et al, A Unified Model for the Fan Region and the North Polar Spur: A bundle of filaments in the Local Galaxy. arXiv:2109.14720v1 [astro-ph.GA], Journal information: Astrophysical Journal J. L. West et al, A Unified Model for the Fan Region and the North Polar Spur: A bundle of filaments in the Local Galaxy. arXiv:2109.14720v1 [astro-ph.GA], arxiv.org/abs/2109.14720 This image courtesy of the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt shows the Nebra Sky Disc. The British Museum will display what it says is the world's oldest surviving map of the stars in a major upcoming exhibition on the Stonehenge stone circle. The 3,600-year-old "Nebra Sky Disc," first discovered in Germany in 1999, is one of the oldest surviving representations of the cosmos in the world and has never before been displayed in the U.K., the London museum said Monday. Credit: Juraj Liptak/State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt via AP The British Museum will display what it says is the world's oldest surviving map of the stars in a major upcoming exhibition on the Stonehenge stone circle. The 3,600-year-old "Nebra Sky Disc," first discovered in Germany in 1999, is one of the oldest surviving representations of the cosmos in the world and has never before been displayed in the U.K., the London museum said Monday. The 30 centimeter (12 inch) bronze disc features a blue-green patina and is decorated with inlaid gold symbols thought to represent the sun, the moon and constellations. The "World of Stonehenge" exhibition planned for next year will be the first time the disc has been loaned out from Germany for 15 years. The U.K. is only the fourth country the disc has travelled to after it was discovered buried in the ground in eastern Germany. It will feature alongside an extremely rare 3,000-year-old sun pendant described by the British Museum as the most significant piece of Bronze Age gold ever found in Britain. "The Nebra Sky Disc and the sun pendant are two of the most remarkable surviving objects from Bronze Age Europe," said Neil Wilkin, the exhibition's curator. "While both were found hundreds of miles from Stonehenge, we'll be using them to shine a light on the vast interconnected world that existed around the ancient monument, spanning Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe," he added. "It's going to be eye-opening." The exhibition aims to share a wider history of the mythology and cosmology surrounding the 4,500-year-old Stonehenge in southern England. Hundreds of artefacts from across Britain and Europe telling the story of Stonehenge will also be displayed. The exhibition runs from Feb.17 to July 17, 2022. Explore further Stonehenge likely made with stones from older monument: study 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Fig. 1. SRW female survival and climate change. (A) Female survival probabilities for SRWs (E. australis) identified between 1971 and 2017 at Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. Estimated survival in year t should be read as the probability of surviving to the end of that annual period. Estimates are shown with 95% CI (error bars). Years are categorized by ENSO phase (color code). (B) Oceanic El Nino Index (ONI) representing 3 months running mean sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in El Nino 3.4 region from 1970 to 2019 (ONI values greater than 0.5, red line, represent the warm phase/El Nino; ONI values lower than 0.5, blue line, represent the cool phase/La Nina; ONI values between 0.5 and 0.5, black line, represent the neutral phase). Data are taken from the rsoi R package. (C) Mean monthly SST of SW Atlantic Ocean (30W to 70W, 42S to 77S) from 1970 to 2019. Data are taken from the COBE Dataset (www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/gridded/data.cobe.html). (D) Mean density (individuals m2) of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) within the SW Atlantic Ocean, based on standardized densities. Years with >50 (black) and <50 (red) stations are plotted, yielding 6544 stations from the updated KRILLBASE database from 1981 to 2016 (www.iced.ac.uk/science/krillbase.htm). (E) Relationship between female survival probability and ONI [logit( = 5.359 1.371 * ONI)] during cool phase/La Nina (blue), neutral phase (gray), and warm phase/El Nino (red). Estimates are shown with 95% CI (error bars). SRW and krill illustrations are by A. Diaz. Credit: DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh2823 An international team of researchers has found evidence suggesting that if global warming continues, the recovery of southern right whales may be stifled. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes their study of the whales and what they learned about them. Southern right whales are a type of baleen whale that live in the Southern Hemisphere and are currently listed as endangered. Prior to modern whaling, their population is believed to have been approximately 35,000. Their numbers dwindled significantly until the 1930's when protection laws were put in place. In this new effort, the researchers have found evidence suggesting the recovery of the whales may run into trouble if global warming continues. The work by the team focused on the Southern Right Whale Program, a project involving the study and preservation of the whales that includes 50+ years of data. Included in the data are population numbers of whales that calf near the Valdes peninsula each year, which is a measure of population growth in general. The researchers noted population dips following El Nino yearsboth in 19971998 and 20152016. They suggest the dips were the result of warmer waters melting more glacial ice in Antarctica resulting in reductions in krill, which is the main food source for southern right whales. Noting that prior studies have suggested that as the planet continues to grow warmer, El Nino events are likely to occur more often, they built a model to find out how global warming may impact southern right whale population growth. The model showed that if the frequency and intensity of El Nino events remain as they are now, the population of the whales will continue to growreaching approximately 85% of their pre-whaling days numbers over the next century. But if the frequency and intensity of El Nino events increase due to global warming, the situation grows dire. The worst-case scenario (a 4.4C global rise in temperatures over the next century) showed the increase in population slowing to the point that the whales would never reach their former numbers. Explore further Acoustic research sheds new light on whale sounds More information: Macarena Agrelo et al, Ocean warming threatens southern right whale population recovery, Science Advances (2021). Journal information: Science Advances Macarena Agrelo et al, Ocean warming threatens southern right whale population recovery,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh2823 2021 Science X Network Flower of Allium negianum. Credit: Pandey et al. The genus Allium contains about 1,100 species worldwide, including many staple foods like onion, garlic, scallion, shallot and chives. Even though this group of vegetables has been making appearances at family dinners for centuries, it turns out that it is a long way from running out of surprises, as a group of researchers from India recently found out. In 2019, Dr. Anjula Pandey, Principal Scientist at ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources in New Delhi, together with scientists, Drs K Madhav Rai, Pavan Kumar Malav and S Rajkumar, was working on the systematic botany of the genus Allium for the Indian region, when the team came across plants of what would soon be confirmed as a new species for science in the open-access journal PhytoKeys. The plant, called Allium negianum, was discovered in the Indo-Tibetan border area of Malari village, Niti valley of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. It grows at 3000 to 4800 m above sea level and can be found along open grassy meadows, sandy soils along rivers, and streams forming in snow pasture lands along alpine meadows (locally known as "bugyal" or "bugial"), where the melting snow actually helps carry its seeds to more favourable areas. With a pretty narrow distribution, this newly described species is restricted to the region of western Himalaya and hasn't yet been reported from anywhere else in the world. The scientific name Allium negianum honours the late Dr. Kuldeep Singh Negi, an eminent explorer and Allium collector from India. Plants of Allium negianum under cultivation. Credit: Pandey et al. Wild habitat of Allium negianum in Niti region of Himalaya, India. Credit: Pandey et al. Although new to science, this species has long been known under domestic cultivation to local communities. While working on this group, the research team heard of phran, jambu, sakua, sungdung, and kachodifferent local names for seasoning onions. According to locals, the one from Niti valley was particularly good, even deemed the best on the market. Bulb and underground parts of Allium negianum. Credit: Pandey et al. So far only known from the western Himalaya region, Allium negianum might be under pressure from people looking to taste it: the researchers fear that indiscriminate harvest of its leaves and bulbs for seasoning may pose a threat to its wild populations. Explore further Treatments tested for invasive pest on allium crops More information: Anjula Pandey et al, Allium negianum (Amaryllidaceae): a new species under subg. Rhizirideum from Uttarakhand Himalaya, India, PhytoKeys (2021). Journal information: PhytoKeys Anjula Pandey et al, Allium negianum (Amaryllidaceae): a new species under subg. Rhizirideum from Uttarakhand Himalaya, India,(2021). DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.183.65433 Composite image of NGC 2005 (left) and the Large Magellanic Cloud (right). The chemical composition of the stars in the globular cluster NGC 2005 differs from other stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud. It is the first evidence of merging dwarf galaxies outside our Milky Way. Credit: HLA/Fabian RR/ESO/VMC Survey/Astronomie.nl [CC BY-SA 3.0] Astronomers know that the Milky Way grew by taking in smaller galaxies. But now, a team of Italian-Dutch researchers has shown that a small galaxy neighboring the Milky Way has in turn absorbed an even smaller galaxy from its vicinity. The researchers will publish their findings on Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy. According to the prevailing theory, large galaxies such as our Milky Way were formed by mergers with smaller galaxies. In recent years, evidence for this has indeed been found for our Milky Way thanks to the Gaia satellite. An Italian-Dutch team of researchers wanted to prove the hypothesis that small galaxies are in turn made up of even smaller ones. Globular clusters To test their hypothesis, the researchers studied the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring galaxy to our Milky Way. They focused in particular on globular clusters. Globular clusters are groups of thousands to millions of stars. The idea is that the core of such a globular cluster can hold out even after billions of years of pushing and pulling in a galaxy. The researchers analyzed the chemical composition of eleven globular clusters collected by the Very Large Telescope and the Magellan telescopes in Chile. Of the 11 globular clusters studied in the Large Magellanic Cloud, one was found to have a distinctly different chemical composition. It is globular cluster NGC 2005. This cluster contains about 200,000 stars and is located 750 light years away from the center of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Among other things, it contains less zinc, copper, silicon and calcium than the ten other clusters. Relic of earlier merger Based on the chemical composition of NGC 2005, the researchers deduced that the cluster must be a relic of a small galaxy in which the stars formed rather slowly. Billions of years ago, this small galaxy would have merged with the then not so large Large Magellanic Cloud. Over time, most of the small galaxy was pulled apart and most of the stars were scattered, but the central globular cluster NGC 2005, remained. Researcher Davide Massari, who works in Italy and at the University of Groningen (the Netherlands), says, "We are actually seeing a relic of an earlier merger. And we have now convincingly demonstrated for the first time that small galaxies neighboring our Milky Way have in turn built up from even smaller galaxies." Explore further Thousands of new globular clusters have formed over the last billion years More information: A relic from a past merger event in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Nature Astronomy. doi.org/10.1038/s41550-021-01493-y Journal information: Nature Astronomy A relic from a past merger event in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Ensuring China's future food security will have huge environmental impacts, both domestically and globally. A study by IIASA researchers and Chinese colleagues shows that carefully designed policies across the whole of China's food system, including international trade, are crucial to ensuring that future demand can be satisfied without destroying the environment. China is one of the most populous countries on Earth and supplying its growing population with enough to eat without harming the environment is one of the greatest sustainability challenges it faces in the coming decades. While domestic production makes a substantial contribution to the country's food security, imports are currently playing an important role in satisfying China's food demand, especially in terms of the growing demand for livestock products like meat and dairy, which may have negative environmental impacts on both China and the rest of world. The authors of the study just published in Nature Sustainability, looked into this issue and have provided a comprehensive forward-looking assessment of the environmental impacts of China's growing food demand on the country itself and on its trading partners. "Assessing the impacts of future food demand requires comprehensive analyses of the agricultural sector, while tracking global environmental impacts calls for models representing trade with other regions individually. We focused on China in the global context, projecting the dynamic global future compared with other local models," explains study lead author Hao Zhao, who is jointly associated with the Integrated Biosphere Futures Research Group in the IIASA Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. According to the authors, Chinese food demand is projected to increase continuously, especially for livestock products and related feed crops. In this regard, pasture expansion, along with an associated increase in agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, will pose a significant challenge to sustainable domestic agricultural development. The country's increasing reliance on agricultural imports also has implications for the global environment. The study found that by 2050, twice as much additional agricultural land will be "imported" to China in the form of agricultural products from abroad, than what would be brought into production domestically. For specific countries, on average about 30% of environmental challenges will relate to exports to China. For example, 48% of agricultural land and 33% of greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector in New Zealand, 16% of nitrogen use from Canada, and 11% of irrigation water from the United States are projected to be exported to China by 2050. The distribution of the environmental impacts between China and the rest of the world would substantially depend on the development of trade openness. As an example, in a globalized trade scenario developed in the study, more dairy imports from the EU and bovine meat imports from the USA would lead to less GHG emissions relative to a business-as-usual scenario. On the downside, this scenario would also lead to increased beef imports from Latin American countries where land footprints from the livestock industry are high. The researchers conclude that to fulfill China's food demand, the priority should be to sustainably provide more domestically produced food, especially for livestock products. Ruminant productivity has substantial room for improvement. Moreover, coupled livestock and crop production systems would benefit both resources use and environmental sustainability through, among others, reduced nitrogen inputs and less pollutants. The researchers say that altering consumer preferences could also help, although there are still many challenges in terms of both people's awareness, and the government's promotion of these issues. "China's rising demand for agricultural products is one of the greatest challenges on the way to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, not only domestically, but also in China's trading partners. To reduce the global impacts, policies promoting both sustainable consumption and production need to be further pursued in China, and promoted globally, also through appropriate trade agreements," notes coauthor and IIASA Integrated Biosphere Futures Research Group Leader, Petr Havlik. In a globalized world, international trade plays an important role in facilitating socio-environmental interactions among countries. The researchers hope that their work could help to promote global sustainability and thereby help to relieve the pressure on our fragile planet. Explore further New study analyzes global environmental consequences of weakening US-China trade relationship More information: Petr Havlik, China's future food demand and its implications for trade and environment, Nature Sustainability (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00784-6 Journal information: Nature Sustainability Petr Havlik, China's future food demand and its implications for trade and environment,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41893-021-00784-6 A female eastern lowland gorilla in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. The gorillas are one of the world's most endangered species. A veteran gorilla descended from a celebrated forebear immortalised on a banknote has been found dead near a national park in the Demoratic Republic of Congo, the protected reserve announced on Monday. "The solitary gorilla Mugaruka, aged about 35, died of bloody diarrhoea" on Friday, park spokesman Hubert Mulongoy told AFP. The body was discovered by rangers in a tea plantation close to Kahuzi-Biega. The gorilla was the last descendant of Maheshe who was killed by poachers and remembered on a banknote under Mobutu Sese Seko's presidency. "It's an enormous loss," Mulongoy said. "He would come regularly to visit us in the general area of the park, to the public's delight." Mugaruka lived alone having lost an arm in a trap at the age of three. The 600,000 square kilometre (2,300 sq mile) reserve, lies between two extinct volcanoes near Bukavu, in one of the most troubled areas of the vast country. Kahuzi-Biega provides a habitat for one of the last populations of eastern lowland gorillas, made up of about 250 primates, according to its website. In August, the parkclose to the Rwanda bordercelebrated the birth of an eastern lowland gorilla. It is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in danger because of the presence of armed groups and settlers, poaching and deforestation.str-bmb/bp/pbr Explore further Gorillas in our midst: DR Congo park fetes rare birth 2021 AFP A humpback whale is seen off the Chilean coast on October 6, 2021, near the site where environmentalists are opposing a huge mining project. The Humboldt archipelago off the northern Pacific coast of Chile is a "natural treasure" and refuge for unique species of fauna, including a particular type of penguin and an otter on the brink of extinction. But its fragile ecosystem is under threat, say environmentalists, from a $2.5 billion mining project on the nearby mainland that has stirred the debate in Chile between the economic benefits of mineral extraction and the need to protect the planet as a climate catastrophe looms. To make matters even more complicated, the Dominga Mining project in the Coquimbo region is also at the center of a corruption scandal that could topple President Sebastian Pinera. The archipelagomade up of eight islands, including three that form a national reserveis a "natural treasure" of biodiversity, Carlos Gaymer, an academic at the Catholic University of the North, told AFP. As well as being home to 80 percent of the world's Humboldt penguins, a threatened species, the archipelago is full of eared seals, bottlenose dolphins and chungungos, the world's smallest otter, which is in danger of extinction. "Scientists all over the world agree that there is nowhere else on the planet like this," said Gaymer. He said the mining project should shock peoplealmost as if it were being proposed near the world-renowned Galapagos Islands. The Humboldt archipelago's waters attract thousands of birds and 14 species of whales. Llama-like guanacos are seen on October 5, 2021 in the area of La Higuera, Chile where eco-activists say the Dominga mining project will endanger several rare species. 'Destruction of our culture' For many locals, the mining project poses a threat to their traditional way of life. "Perhaps the riches we possess are not material, but rather in our archipelago, in navigating freely between our islands," Elias Barrera, 26, a third-generation fisherman and diver, told AFP. Locals in Punta de Choros, who wake to a view of the archipelago from their homes on the mainland, have survived off sustainable fishing in the area for generations. "For us the Dominga project is the destruction of our culture, our ancestral culture, the culture of the Chango people, the culture that has prevailed for 10,000 years living in these territories in an integrated and sustainable way with our environment," Barrera said. Around the proposed site of a cargo port and two open-air mines, close to the town of La Higuera, live wildlife of startling diversity: guacanos (closely related to the llama), desert foxes, and colonies of huge Tricahue parrots facing a risk of extinction but which enliven sunset from nests built into sand dunes with a cacophony of calls. The construction of the cargo port, including a desalination plant, is crucial to making the mining project profitable. A submarine view of fish in Punta Choros, La Higuera, Chile, on October 7, 2021, in an area where a huge new mining project has raised sharp concerns among environmentalists. But environmentalists say it will seriously jeopardize both land and marine life on the nearby archipelago. For Matias Asun, Greenpeace director for Chile, the mining project is a "true environmental crime." "Putting a mining project here, (the) best project you could design, would be like putting a discotheque inside a maternity ward," said Asun. 'Work for everyone' Not everyone living locally opposes the project. "It's a tremendous opportunity for La Higuera, despite the possible impact on the environment, because all projects have an impact," the town's mayor Yerko Galleguillos told AFP. The town of nearly 4,000 people has no public drinking water, sewage system or supermarket. "Here there are a lot of people who go away to look for work, leaving their families behind. If Dominga comes here there will be work for everyone," said Johanna Yvonne Villalobos, a 47-year-old homemaker. A fisherman is seen in Punta de Choros, La Higuera, Chile, on October 5, 2021; local fishermen fear a big mining project will foul local waters and harm their livelihood. In August, Coquimbo's environmental authorities ruled in favor of the project, to the shock and chagrin of environmentalists, although the decision still requires supreme court approval. The Dominga project is located in the far south of the Atacama desertthe driest in the worldsome 530 kilometers (330 miles) north of Santiago but just 30 kilometers from the Humboldt archipelago. Mining, particularly for copper for which Chile is the world leader, is crucial to the South American country's economy. Dominga owners Andes Iron plan on building a treatment plant, a desalination plant, and two waste deposits. Company officials declined to speak to AFP. The company aims to exploit the mines for 22 years, producing 12 million tonnes of iron and 150,000 tonnes of copper a year. Andes Iron promises to create 10,000 direct and 25,000 indirect jobs during construction, and 1,500 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs once the mines are operational. View of seals in Punta de Choros, La Higuera, Chile, on October 6, 2021. Need for 'alternatives' Biologist Cristina Dorador, a member of the 155-strong body that will draft the country's new constitution, says Chile needs to change its development model, which relies on mineral extraction at the expense of nature. "Of course we will have to develop alternatives ... so that Chile can transform into a society of awareness that no longer depends on external markets and demand for minerals," Dorador said. Perhaps that shift is closer than it might seem. The opposition moved on Wednesday to impeach Pinera over the sale of the Dominga mine in 2010 by a company owned by his children to another in the hands of one of his closest friends. The deal, mostly concluded in a tax haven, came out in the recent leak of financial documents known as the Pandora Papers. It included a clause that would suspend a final payment instalment if the mine area is declared a protected reserve. Pinera's government ruled in favor of Andes Iron and against the environmentalists. Explore further Chile penguins win battle in war against mine 2021 AFP Under the right conditions, soft sponge tissue made from spongin fibres can create a distinctive fossil. Credit: Elizabeth C. Turner, Author provided Ever wonder how and when animals swanned onto the evolutionary stage? When, where and why did animals first appear? What were they like? Life has existed for much of Earth's 4.5-billion-year history, but for most of that time it consisted exclusively of bacteria. Although scientists have been investigating the evidence of biological evolution for over a century, some parts of the fossil record remain maddeningly enigmatic, and finding evidence of Earth's earliest animals has been particularly challenging. Hidden evolution Information about evolutionary events hundreds of millions of years ago is mainly gleaned from fossils. Familiar fossils are shells, exoskeletons and bones that organisms make while alive. These so-called "hard parts" first appear in rocks deposited during the "Cambrian explosion," slightly less than 540 million years ago. The seemingly sudden appearance of diverse, complex animals, many with hard parts, implies that there was a preceding interval during which early soft-bodied animals with no hard parts evolved from simpler animals. Unfortunately, until now, possible evidence of fossil animals in the interval of "hidden" evolution has been very rare and difficult to understand, leaving the timing and nature of evolutionary events unclear. This conundrum, known as "Darwin's dilemma," remains tantalizing and unresolved 160 years after the publication of On the Origin of Species. Required oxygen There is indirect evidence regarding how and when animals may have appeared. Animals by definition ingest pre-existing organic matter, and their metabolisms require a certain level of ambient oxygen. It has been assumed that animals could not appear, or at least not diversify, until after a major oxygen increase in the Neoproterozoic Era, sometime between 815 and 540 million years ago, resulting from accumulation of oxygen produced by photosynthesizing cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. It is widely accepted that sponges are the most basic animal in the animal evolutionary tree and therefore probably were first to appear. Yes, sponges are animals: they use oxygen and feed by sucking water containing organic matter through their bodies. The earliest animals were probably sponge-related (the "sponge-first" hypothesis), and may have emerged hundreds of millions of years prior to the Cambrian, as suggested by a genetic method called molecular phylogeny, which analyzes genetic differences. This may be an 890 million year old sponge fossil. Credit: Elizabeth C. Turner, Author provided Based on these reasonable assumptions, sponges may have existed as much as 900 million years ago. So, why have we not found fossil evidence of sponges in rocks from those hundreds of millions of intervening years? Part of the answer to this question is that sponges do not have standard hard parts (shells, bones). Although some sponges have an internal skeleton made of microscopic mineralized rods called spicules, no convincing spicules have been found in rocks dating from the interval of hidden early animal evolution. However, some sponge types have a skeleton made of tough protein fibers called spongin, forming a distinctive, microscopic, three-dimensional meshwork, identical to a bath sponge. Work on modern and fossil sponges has shown that these sponges can be preserved in the rock record when their soft tissue is calcified during decay. If the calcified mass hardens around spongin fibers before they too decay, a distinctive microscopic meshwork of complexly branching tubes results appears in the rock. The branching configuration is unlike that of algae, bacteria or fungi, and is well known from limestones younger than 540 million years. Unusual fossils I am a geologist and paleobiologist who works on very old limestone. Recently, I described this exact microstructure in 890-million-year-old rocks from northern Canada, proposing that it could be evidence of sponges that are several hundred million years older than the next-youngest uncontested sponge fossil. Although my proposal may initially seem outrageous, it is consistent with predictions and assumptions that are common in the paleontological community: the new material seems to validate an extrapolated timeline and a predicted identity for early animals that are already widely accepted. If these are indeed sponge fossils, animal evolution can be pushed back by several hundred million years. The early possible sponges that I describe lived with localized cyanobacterial communities that produced oxygen oases in an otherwise low-oxygen world, prior to the Neoproterozoic oxygenation event. These early sponges may have continued living in similar environments, possibly unchanged and unchallenged by evolutionary pressure, for up to several hundred million years, before more diverse animals emerged. The existence of 890-million-year-old animals would also indicate that biological evolution was not substantially affected by the controversial Cryogenian glacial episodesso-called "snowball Earth"that began around 720 million years ago. My unusual fossil material may provide a new perspective on Darwin's dilemma. However, radical new ideas are generally not fully accepted by the scientific community without vigorous discussion; I expect lively controversy to ensue. At some point, probably years in the future, a consensus may develop based on further work. Until then, enjoy the debate! Explore further First sign of animal life on Earth may be a sponge fossil This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Top panel: Phase-folded TESS photometry of TOI-530. The red solid line represents the median posterior model. Bottom panel: The residuals of the TESS data after subtracting the best-fit transit model. Credit: Gan et al., 2021. Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has detected a new giant alien world. The newfound exoplanet, designated TOI-530b, is only about 17 percent smaller than Jupiter. The finding is reported in a paper published October 8 on the arXiv pre-print repository. TESS is conducting a survey of about 200,000 of the brightest stars near the sun with the aim of searching for transiting exoplanets. So far, it has identified over 4,500 candidate exoplanets (TESS Objects of Interest, or TOI), of which 159 have been confirmed so far. A group of astronomers led by Tianjun Gan of Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, has recently confirmed another TOI monitored by TESS. They report that a transit signal has been identified in the light curve of an M dwarf star known as TOI-530. The planetary nature of this signal was confirmed by follow-up observations. "We report the discovery of TOI-530b, a transiting giant planet around an M0.5V dwarf, delivered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. ... We verify the planetary nature of the transit signals by combining ground-based multi-wavelength photometry, high resolution spectroscopy from SPIRou [SpectroPolarimetre InfraROUge] as well as high-angular-resolution imaging," the researchers wrote in the paper. TOI-530b has a radius of about 0.83 Jupiter radii, while its mass is estimated to be 0.4 Jupiter masses. This gives a density at a level of 0.93 g/cm3. The planet orbits its parent star every 6.39 days at a distance of 0.052 AU from it. The equilibrium temperature of TOI-530b was calculated to be some 565 K. The planetary system is located about 481.5 light years away from the Earth. The host TOI-530 (also known as TIC-387690507) is an M dwarf about half the size and mass of the sun. The star has a metallicity of approximately 0.376 and its effective temperature is estimated to be 3,659 K. The absolute V-band magnitude of TOI-530 was found to be 15.4 mag, while its bolometric luminosity was measured to be 0.049 solar luminosities. This makes it one of the faintest stars accessible by ground-based spectroscopy. In concluding remarks, the authors of the paper noted that although TOI-530b is not a promising target for future atmospheric composition studies due to the faintness of the host star, it could be used by astronomers for some other purposes. "TOI-530b is the sixth transiting giant planet hosted by an M-type star,which is predicted to be infrequent according to core accretion theory, making it a valuable object to further study the formation and migration history of similar planets," the scientists explained. Gan's team proposes future observations of the TOI-530 system to further investigate its properties. The researchers suggest that the system should be investigated with high precision radial velocity spectrographs on large telescopes like the red-optical MAROON-X or near-infrared instruments like InfraRed Doppler spectrograph (IRD). More information: Tianjun Gan et al, TOI-530b: A giant planet transiting an M dwarf detected by TESS. arXiv:2110.04220v1 [astro-ph.EP], Tianjun Gan et al, TOI-530b: A giant planet transiting an M dwarf detected by TESS. arXiv:2110.04220v1 [astro-ph.EP], arxiv.org/abs/2110.04220 2021 Science X Network Credit: CC0 Public Domain The value of UK agriculture could be boosted by millions of pounds a year if thousands of honeybee hives were deployed on solar parks across the country, a new study reveals. However, scientists caution that the benefits of managing solar parks for wild pollinators over honeybees should be prioritized where appropriate and should be assessed on a site by site basis. A team of researchers from Lancaster University and the University of Reading has for the first time quantified the potential economic benefits and costs of installing honeybee hives on solar parks across the UK. Solar parks are playing an increasingly important role in our national shift towards carbon zero as their contribution to electricity generation rises. However, solar parks take up a lot of land, and as more parks are created to meet clean energy demand the it is important to look at how they can be used to bring about other environmental or commercial benefits. One opportunity is to install honeybee hives on solar parks. A lot of solar parks are located in areas of intensive agriculture where many wild pollinator habitats have been lost or degraded. Honeybee hives provide ready-made armies providing a pollinating service to increase crop production in surrounding farmland. Although some honeybee hives have been used on solar parks, the potential economic benefits of this were, until now, unknown. The research team used detailed land cover maps, such as those produced by the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology, to understand where solar parks are located, as well as crop distribution and rotations, existing data on honeybee hives, crop pollination requirements and crop values. They also factored in the cost of installing and managing the honeybee hives on the solar parks. Using crop distribution patterns in 2017, the researchers found that deploying honeybees on solar parks could have raised the value of crop yields that year by 5.9 million. The study looked at field crops such as field beans, linseed and oilseed, top fruits such as apples and pears including varieties to make cider and perry, as well as soft fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants. The findings showed that in England the crop that would potentially benefit the greatest from installing honeybee hives is oilseed, because it is so widely cultivated. Though soft fruits, and especially strawberries, would see the greatest economic benefit per land area given their high market value and relatively high dependency on honeybee pollination. Based on 2017 data then honeybees on solar parks could boost field crop yields by 2.6 million, top fruits by 1.3 million, and soft fruit yields by 1.9 million. There were also regional patterns in the findings with values being highest in the east and south of England because those are the areas where a greater proportion of oilseed and soft fruits are grown. They also found that, if taken to the extreme of all UK crops being grown within a 1.5km honeybee foraging radius of solar parks around the UK, then this could boost the value of those crop yields by 80 million a yearbut researchers recognize this scenario is unlikely to be possible given other factors. Given these findings, if UK agriculture wanted to maximize the economic benefits of having honeybees on solar parks then soft fruit growing would need to be prioritized within honeybee foraging zones of 1.5km around solar parks. However, the researchers are keen to point out that the suitability of placing honeybee hives on solar parks needs to be assessed for each location. This is because not all locations including their climate and soil types are suitable for all crops, and individual farmers have preferences about what and where they produce. Also, different crops vary in their pollination needs and so the research team's results cannot be generalized across all crop types and varieties. In addition, great care needs to be taken to ensure the honeybees would not be competing with already established wild pollinator species. The researchers also highlight that where possible encouraging wild pollinators would provide greater ecological benefits than installing honeybee hives. Dr. Alona Armstrong, Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University and lead author of the study, said that "managing solar parks for honeybees can have positive impacts on crop yields and thus financial returns. But, it is important to consider the suitability on a site by site basis given the potential implications for wild pollinators and the benefits of managing sites for biodiversity more broadly." Professor Simon Potts from the University of Reading and co-author of the paper said that "our study demonstrates how multi-disciplinary research can find novel land management practices which can simultaneously benefit energy producers, farmers, beekeepers and consumers." The researchers' findings will help inform energy policy, future business cases for future solar parks, as well as informing sustainable investments and decisions about including honeybee hives into energy and land management. The findings are outlined in the journal Biological Conservation. Explore further Ten ways to ensure bees benefit from the solar power boom More information: Alona Armstrong et al, Honeybee pollination benefits could inform solar park business cases, planning decisions and environmental sustainability targets, Biological Conservation (2021). Journal information: Biological Conservation Alona Armstrong et al, Honeybee pollination benefits could inform solar park business cases, planning decisions and environmental sustainability targets,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109332 Credit: CC0 Public Domain In the Indian state of Karnataka, many smallholder farmers have traditionally sold their products to intermediarieswholesale traders who turn around and resell the goods for a quick profit. Much of the dealing between farmers and those traders has occurred locally, and farmers do not typically know what should be a "fair" price for their products. Recognizing that these farmers were not getting a reasonable share of the value of the products they grow, with many still living in poverty, the Karnataka state government wanted to create more transparent markets. They initiated a new digital market platform to connect over 150 previously isolated physical markets and unify all trading. To further improve the platform, the government started a collaboration with MIT Associate Professor Karen Zheng, an operations management scholar whose work often relies on field research to create data-driven new ideas, especially about supply chains. The first step in the collaboration was a rigorous empirical assessment of how much the platform has increased prices for farmers. The analysis revealed that although prices increased significantly for some products, the prices of others practically stayed the same. So Zheng, working with several colleagues and students, began looking for solutions to boost prices for these products. Eventually they designed a new two-stage auction, with a second round of bidding added on for the highest-offering traders from the first round, and ran a pilot of the new auction for a major lentils market. The result? Over a three-month period in the spring of 2019, average prices increased by about 5 percent, benefitting more than 10,000 farmers who traded under the new auction design, when compared to a similar market using the legacy auction format. "Implementing the two-stage auction really led to significant improvements," says Zheng, the George M. Bunker Associate Professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management. "It is equally exciting to see that the same improvements persist into the next selling season." Agricultural markets are hardly the only kind of topic Zheng studies. She examines a wide variety of supply-chain issues, including matters of corporate social responsibility. But the Karnataka project does reflect the kind of work Zheng does more broadly, in that her research takes a multimethod approach, is based on extensive field work, and aims to have an applied impact. "This whole process is really important to me as a researcher and reflects my perspective," Zheng says. "I want to know how I can model a problem correctly and shape my research to capture what is happening in the real world. And then you bring practical solutions back to the field and evaluate their outcome. I really enjoy this entire cycle of doing research." For her research and teaching, Zheng was granted tenure at MIT last year. Driving changes Zheng, who grew up in China, credits her parents for fostering an environment focused on education. "They put a lot of their influence and hope in me, but in a good way, not in a very pressurized way," Zheng says. She attended Tsinghua University in Beijing, receiving her undergraduate diploma as well as a master's degree in the field of automationa blend of computer science, electrical engineering, and control theory. Zheng then earned a Ph.D. in management science and engineering at Stanford University, fulfilling a longstanding ambition of studying abroad. "At that time, it wasn't that I had determined I had to go into academia and become a professor," Zheng says. "I always just wanted the experience." Zheng might have ultimately gone into the private sector, but at Stanford she became increasingly interested in the research challenges and practical applications of operations management. "I like the applied aspect of mathto develop sensible mathematical models to capture practical challenges, and then solve them to create solutions that actually drive changes," Zheng says. "I think that's why I settled on operations management. I like to apply math to figure out how we can improve the world." Zheng received her Ph.D. from Stanford in 2011 and joined the MIT faculty later that same year. She has remained at the Institute ever since. Having now gone through the rigors of the tenure track at MIT, Zheng adds that she appreciates "the transparency they [her senior colleagues] offered me throughout the process, and the frequent feedback on what I was doing. I've been very thankful for all the support I've received." Visibility, transparency, and responsibility Zheng's current and future research has multiple threads. While she continues to examine supply chain efficiencies and logistics in agriculture and other sectors, she also continues to pursue projects regarding environmental and social responsibility in supply chains. "A lot of my work looks at social responsibility, especially in labor practices," Zheng says. Referring to the 2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse in Bangladesh and the string of suicides at a Foxconn plant in China, she adds, "All of these tragedies were part of the motivation." A starting point for her research in this domain, Zheng says, is the lack of transparency in global supply chains. Even multinational brands cannot usually track the sourcing of many of the materials and parts in their products. "It's not only that consumers don't have visibility, but companies often don't know where products come from, how things are made," Zheng says. "Traditionally, they at best know their first tier of suppliers, and have little knowledge beyond that." Using modeling, behavioral experiments, surveys, and on-the-ground-studies of companies, Zheng has been studying the potential benefits of greater visibility into companies' global supply chains. For one thing, her research has shown, creating transparency into the social responsibility practices in supply chainsoutdoor wear firm Patagonia is a well-known examplepays some obvious dividends. "If I'm Patagonia and I tell you 80 percent of my suppliers are compliant and another 20 percent need work, versus another company with no history of supply chain monitoring but making a similar claim, what is the reaction of stakeholders?" Zheng says. "We find differences, in that companies with better visibility into their supply chains gain more trust from their stakeholders." Ultimately, the goal of this area of Zheng's research is to motivate firms and their suppliers to develop end-to-end transparency in the supply chain and to adopt more responsible practices, both for the environment and for the people. "You need a coordinated effort from all companies," Zheng says. "Look at it from the suppliers' perspective. If I'm working with 100 companies and only one is telling me to change my practices, I'm not going to change as much as if 99 tell me to change. The bigger challenge is how to organize that coordinated industry-level, and even cross-industry-level, effort." That's an ambitious goal, but as Zheng knows, creating work that can have an impact is a long-term endeavor that blends theory, field testing, and action. "We have a theory of change," Zheng says. "Can we create a system, together, that will generate value for all? I believe the answer is yes, though not an easy yes, and I am excited to be part of the MIT family to contribute to that effort." Explore further New research analyzes investor reaction to robo-advisors: Some investors miss opportunities Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Americans may respect and admire how individual billionairesthink Oprah Winfrey or Bill Gatesmade their billions, even as they rage against the "top 1%" as a group, new research finds. In eight related studies, people tended to have fewer problems with hearing about the extreme wealth of a particular wealthy person, even as they thought it was unfair that billionaires in general controlled so much riches. "When there's this group of people at the top, we think that's unfair and wonder how luck or the economic system may have played a role in how they made all the money," said Jesse Walker, co-author of the study and assistant professor of marketing at The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business. "But when we look at one person at the top, we tend to think that person is talented and hard-working and they're more deserving of all the money they made." And this difference may have real-life implications: People are more likely to support wealth taxes on the super-rich when they think about a group like the top 1%, but less likely to support these taxes when they think about a specific rich person. Walker conducted the study with Thomas Gilovich, professor of psychology, and Stephanie Tepper, a Ph.D. student in psychology, both at Cornell University. Their findings were published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In one study, 201 survey respondents had very different opinions about how much more a CEO should make relative to the average employee depending on how this fact was presented. One group of participants read that the salaries of the CEOs of the largest 350 companies in America had grown from 48 times the average worker in 1995 to 372 times today. The other group of participants read about one specific company in the top 350, called Avnet, and how Avnet's CEO, Robert Eisen, had seen his salary grow from 48 times the average worker in 1995 to 372 times today. Participants in the study read that observers attributed the growth of all 350 companies, or the growth of Avnet, to their CEOs. Those who were told about Avnet's CEO thought that the ratio of his salary to the average employee should be significantly higher than did those who were told about the whole group of CEOs. "We appear to be a bit more tolerant of lavish compensation when it is an individual CEO being compensated, rather than CEOs as a group," Walker said. The way the wealthy are portrayed and praised in society and the media may play a large role in how accepting people are of economic inequality, he said. In one study, participants were shown a Forbes magazine cover. Half saw a cover adapted from an issue that highlighted the wealthiest people in the world. The cover was edited to remove five billionaires that most people were familiar with, such as Gates and Winfrey, in order to eliminate any positive or negative biases people might have toward them. It included only the seven billionaires that most people would either know nothing about or not feel strongly about. The other half were shown a cover with only one of the seven billionaires. After reading a brief description of the person or persons on the cover, participants were asked to write a few sentences conveying how they felt about the person or persons, and rate how much the person or persons deserved their wealth and how they thought they earned those riches. The findings were striking, Walker said. The comments of those who wrote about the individual were less angry than those who wrote about the group, and more likely to reflect the belief that the individual billionaire's success was due to talent and hard work. "People in our study were clearly more upset by the wealth of the seven individuals pictured on a single cover than they were by any one of them pictured alone," Walker said. And there was more. People who saw the seven billionaires pictured together were more in favor of an inheritance tax to close the gap between the wealthy and poor than were those who saw only one billionaire. "How we think of the wealthiest peopleas a group or as individualsseems to affect even our policy preferences," he said. The issue of how we think about policy regarding inequality is important, Walker said. Economic inequality has grown substantially over the past decades, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. One analysis suggests that U.S. billionaires saw their wealth surge $1.8 trillion (62%) during the pandemic. Research has shown that countries with greater economic inequality tend to have higher homicide rates, greater infant mortality, lower well-being and lower commitment to democratic institutions. "How we express and communicate information about inequality is important. Talking about "the 1%" is going to get a different reaction than personalizing it by talking about one person in that exclusive club," Walker said. "And as consumers, we need to pay attention to how we react to news about the rich and inequality. How that information is presented to us can influence us, even our policy preferences, in ways that we may not always consciously realize." Explore further People love winning streaks by individualsteams, not so much More information: People are more tolerant of inequality when it is expressed in terms of individuals rather than groups at the top, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences People are more tolerant of inequality when it is expressed in terms of individuals rather than groups at the top,(2021). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2100430118 Tomato plant leaves showing brown, dried-out spots characteristic of infection with a common pathogen, Xanthomonas perforans. Credit: Gary Vallad Sometimes the pathogens that infect plants also affect peoplethrough our pocketbooks. Which is why plant pathologist Erica Goss, a University of Florida professor with the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, spends a lot of time studying microbes that infect tomatoes, peppers and strawberries. These are the state's top three grossing vegetable and berry crops, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. And a lot of microbes like them just as much as we do. In 2019, the Florida tomato industry produced 39% of the US market for fresh tomatoes, worth about $426 million, while Florida's fresh pepper crop was valued at $235 million. Which is why growers are worried about pathogens that cause dark dried-out looking blemishes on tomatoes and peppers. "We lump several different bacterial species under this disease called bacterial spot of tomato and pepper," said Goss, who is also a faculty member of the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute. "But different species and even individual strains have different plant hosts and geographic ranges." The disease has been known to scientists for 100 years and there are four Xanthomonas lineages that cause bacterial spot of tomato and pepper. X. perforans is the one found on tomatoes all over the Sunshine State today. Goss frequently collaborates on her research into bacterial spot of tomato and pepper with two UF professors: Jeffrey B. Jones, a bacteriologist, is a distinguished professor in IFAS; and Gary Vallad, is a plant pathologist and bacteriologist at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. Jones has studied Xanthomonas for more than three decades and Vallad works closely with Florida tomato growers and has expertise in plant disease epidemiology and disease management. The trio have been awarded grants together (from USDA and the Florida Tomato Committee) and in their most recent work, they applied some unusual methods to better understand the genetic diversity of this microbe and how it spreads to new host plants. Tracing X. perforans through fields and production When a tomato or pepper plant becomes infected with X. perforans, it develops spots on its leaves or fruits. The infected leaves may become spotted or may wither and die. When this happens, the fruits can develop sunscald. But the fruits can also become infected if the pathogen enters through the blossom. This leads to malformed or spotted tomatoes or peppers. Either way, they fetch less money but are harmless to eat. But how do the plants become infected? It usually starts with infected seeds, and with an international supply network, this spells trouble. Few people are aware that the production of tomatoes is international," Goss said. "You may grow a tomato in Florida, but it could have started as a seed in Asia. These are all hybrid seeds." Goss, Jones, and Vallad's teamwork has shown there are many pathways in addition to seeds. The microbes could sit in greenhouses and then spread to the seedlings as they grow. Or, most greenhouses have an overhead irrigation system and X. perforans could hitch a ride on water droplets that splash from an infected leaf to an uninfected one. Or it may sit in soil in the growing fields or have an undetected reservoir in other plants. But somehow it colonizes fields once the tomato and pepper plants are growing. Plant-to-plant spread can happen in the fields too. Air with high humidity, or splashes from one plant to the next due to wind-driven rain or sprinkler irrigation can foster spread. Or leaves of two different plants might touch and foster plant-to-plant spread. While growers can sometimes use copper to control the disease, X. perforans has quickly picked up close to 100% resistance via genes on plasmids. Plasmids are exchangeable packets that bacteria use to swap beneficial DNA. "Once it is copper resistant, there are not many options for reducing this disease in the field," Goss said. Where X. perforans is found X. perforans is prolific. It occurs along the East Coast, but also in central Mexico, eastern Canada, southeastern Brazil, Sicily, Iran, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Taiwan and South Korea. Its broad global distribution is a reflection of the global trade networks for seeds. For researchers like Goss, such a broad distribution also begs the question: Why? "Why does it seem like this pathogen is getting to be a big problem in recent years? Is that pathogen evolution, or are new strains coming in from somewhere else? Or has something else about production changed?" Goss asked rhetorically, explaining the questions that guide her research. "How do we reduce the disease in the field? How is it getting out there and spreading?" Tomatoes with brown spots caused by X. perforans fetch lower prices in fresh market sales. Credit: Gary Vallad Understanding how and why X. perforans changes genetically Goss uses molecular techniques, such as whole genome DNA sequencing, to detect genetic variation in X. perforans and changes over time. "The X. perforans we've been studying in Florida seems remarkably genetically diverse," Goss says. "There are these lineages that we find that are very different from one another. But then we also have a lot of variation within those. It's clearly evolving very quickly." One of her current projects is supported by a US Department of Agriculture grant to detect genetic changes and variation in tomato fields. She plans to look at mutation rates and to monitor for the movement of plasmids between host plants. This will give insight into how the bacteria is diversifying within Florida after being introduced at some point from the production system. Other recent molecular work Goss, Jones and Vallad have published this year characterizes the state of X. perforans in Florida. It details how X. euvesicatoria used to be the cause of bacterial spot of tomato and pepper in Florida, but was outcompeted by X. perforans in the early 1990s. Her team collected 585 Xanthomonas strains from 70 tomato fields in Florida. They found that the strains were genetically diverse and that nearly half produced a compound capable of killing X. euvesicatoria. In a different paper, published this spring, the team reported the use of unusual methods to test how a specific gene gave X. perforans an advantage in the field. They wanted to test how an effector gene, xopJ2, influenced the microbes' fitness. Others had hypothesized the gene conferred an advantage, but no one had direct evidence of what it did. Goss' collaborators used lab techniques to engineer a mutant form of xopJ2 that was silenced. They then tracked two main groups of X. perforans in the field: one that had the natural, functional xopJ2 gene, and one that had the silenced version. "This was like a mark-release-recapture study, but to look at the relative spread of the different bacteria," Goss said, referring to a type of study design used by ecologists. It helps to estimate a population's size in cases where it can be impractical to count every organism, in this case, to study the effect of the gene on the population of the pathogen. They found that the microbes with the functional gene moved three times as fast in the field compared with the microbes that had the silenced, mutated version. Such a powerful advantage in the ability to move, combined with the deadly compound that can kill competing types of Xanthomonas, may explain how this lineage was able to rapidly replace the previous X. euvesicatoria lineage in Florida. "But we noticed several years ago that one of the lineages of strains we were studying had lost the ability to make this compound," Goss said. "It makes it a better competitor on the leaf when X. euvesicatoria is present, but in its absence, we hypothesize that it's a waste of energy to make, it's too costly. So they stopped making it." In a third paper, the team explored how the tomato production system influences genetic diversity in X. perforans. They found that when growers produced their own seeds, the strains of X. perforans on their plants tended to be less diverse and genetically distinct. In contrast, growers that used multiple sources for seeds or seedlings were mixing pots for these microbes: they had the most genetically distinct and diverse strains of X. perforans. "Sequencing genomes of hundreds of strains and looking at pathogen evolution and variation, this is pretty new for plant pathology," Goss said. "There are still few studies at this scale." Looking forward Goss said findings from this work could potentially be used to engineer genes resistant to X. perforans that can be bred into tomato and pepper plants. The work is costly and slow, but she is collaborating with researchers at the Gulf Coast Research Center to identify multiple resistance genes. "It may not work against 100% of the pathogen's population, but even if it works against 30-40% that's better than no resistance," Goss said. She is also investigating pathogens that affect strawberries and cacao, and cases where pathogens have suppressed invasive grasses. "My goal is to better understand how a plant pathogen emerges," Goss said. "What are the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms behind a new or worse disease problem? How is the pathogen evolving or are new versions coming in?" Understanding these processes will lead to a more refined understanding of what helps promote a destructive plant pathogenand its success. Knowledge like this will help crop scientists and growers in years to come, to ensure both crop values and a healthy food supply. Explore further Bacteria enters through natural openings at edges of corn leaves to cause Goss's wilt More information: Jeannie M. Klein-Gordon et al, Assessing Changes and Associations in the Xanthomonas perforans Population Across Florida Commercial Tomato Fields Via a Statewide Survey, Phytopathology (2020). Jeannie M. Klein-Gordon et al, Assessing Changes and Associations in the Xanthomonas perforans Population Across Florida Commercial Tomato Fields Via a Statewide Survey,(2020). DOI: 10.1094/PHYTO-09-20-0402-R Anuj Sharma et al, Need for speed: bacterial effector XopJ2 is associated with increased dispersal velocity of Xanthomonas perforans, Environmental Microbiology (2021). DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15541 Jeannie M. Klein-Gordon et al, Whole genome sequences reveal the Xanthomonas perforans population is shaped by the tomato production system, The ISME Journal (2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01104-8 Journal information: Environmental Microbiology , ISME Journal The iron-based superconductor material, Ba 1x K x Fe 2 As 2 , is mounted for experimental measurements. Credit: Vadim Grinenko, Federico Caglieris The central principle of superconductivity is that electrons form pairs. But can they also condense into foursomes? Recent findings have suggested they can, and a physicist at KTH Royal Institute of Technology today published the first experimental evidence of this quadrupling effect and the mechanism by which this state of matter occurs. Reporting today in Nature Physics, Professor Egor Babaev and collaborators presented evidence of fermion quadrupling in a series of experimental measurements on the iron-based material, Ba 1x K x Fe 2 As 2 . The results follow nearly 20 years after Babaev first predicted this kind of phenomenon, and eight years after he published a paper predicting that it could occur in the material. The pairing of electrons enables the quantum state of superconductivity, a zero-resistance state of conductivity which is used in MRI scanners and quantum computing. It occurs within a material as a result of two electrons bonding rather than repelling each other, as they would in a vacuum. The phenomenon was first described in a theory by, Leon Cooper, John Bardeen and John Schrieffer, whose work was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1972. So-called Cooper pairs are basically "opposites that attract". Normally two electrons, which are negatively-charged subatomic particles, would strongly repel each other. But at low temperatures in a crystal they become loosely bound in pairs, giving rise to a robust long-range order. Currents of electron pairs no longer scatter from defects and obstacles and a conductor can lose all electrical resistance, becoming a new state of matter: a superconductor. Only in recent years has the theoretical idea of four-fermion condensates become broadly accepted. For a fermion quadrupling state to occur there has to be something that prevents condensation of pairs and prevents their flow without resistance, while allowing condensation of four-electron composites, Babaev says. The Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory didn't allow for such behavior, so when Babaev's experimental collaborator at Technische Universtat Dresden, Vadim Grinenko, found in 2018 the first signs of a fermion quadrupling condensate, it challenged years of prevalent scientific agreement. What followed was three years of experimentation and investigation at labs at multiple institutions in order to validate the finding. Babaev says that key among the observations made is that fermionic quadruple condensates spontaneously break time-reversal symmetry. In physics time-reversal symmetry is a mathematical operation of replacing the expression for time with its negative in formulas or equations so that they describe an event in which time runs backward or all the motions are reversed. If one inverts time direction, the fundamental laws of physics still hold. That also holds for typical superconductors: if the arrow of time is reversed, a typical superconductor would still be the same superconducting state. "However, in the case of a four-fermion condensate that we report, the time reversal puts it in a different state," he says. "It will probably take many years of research to fully understand this state," he says. "The experiments open up a number of new questions, revealing a number of other unusual properties associated with its reaction to thermal gradients, magnetic fields and ultrasound that still have to be better understood." Explore further A new theory of superconductivity More information: Vadim Grinenko, State with spontaneously broken time-reversal symmetry above the superconducting phase transition, Nature Physics (2021). Journal information: Nature Physics Vadim Grinenko, State with spontaneously broken time-reversal symmetry above the superconducting phase transition,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-021-01350-9 Titan passes in front of Saturn, as seen by the Cassini Spacecraft on June 8, 2015. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute. Giant planets like Saturn don't just tilt over all by themselves; something has to knock them over, or tug on them gravitationally, to push them off axis. Scientists expect that when new planets are born, they form with almost no tilt at all, lining up like spinning tops with their equators level to the orbital plane in which they circle around their sun. But no planet in our solar system is perfectly level. Jupiter is the closest, boasting an obliquity (tilt) of just 3.12 degrees. Earth's obliquity is much more substantive at 23.45 degrees, causing us to experience an annual cycle of seasons as our homeworld wobbles on its axis. Saturn's tilt is more extreme yet, with an obliquity of 26.73 degrees (though it's nowhere near as extreme as Uranus, which is practically sideways, spinning at a 97.86-degree angle to its orbital plane). We can learn a lot from these obliquities. We know, for example, from geological evidence gathered during the Apollo missions, that Earth's tilt was likely the result of massive impacts with other rocky objects early in the planet's history, the largest of which broke off and formed our Moon. Just as archeologists examine clay pots and fragments of bone to piece together ancient cultures, physicists can examine planetary tilts to understand the Solar System's past. Modern-day wobbles are evidence of dramatic events long ago. Or, as a new paper suggests, perhaps not so long ago. A team of researchers from the Paris Observatory and the University of Pisa, led by Melaine Saillenfest, suggest that the origin of Saturn's tilt may be much more recent than previously believed, and that its largest moon, Titan, may be to blame. Astronomers traditionally believed that Saturn's tilt had nothing to do with its moons, but rather more to do with interactions between it and its fellow gas giants. One mainstream theory of solar system formation, known as the Nice model, suggests that about four billion years ago, a great migration occurred in which the giant planets moved slowly outwards, under the gravitational influence of each other and smaller planetesimals. According to this model, the culprit responsible for Saturn's tilt was Neptune, which tugged the ringed giant over as it swept out towards the Kuiper belt (and evidence from the Cassini mission showed that Saturn's rings are fairly newthey probably weren't around during the great migration; but I digress). If the Nice model is to be believed, planetary obliquities were set in stone a long time ago and have remained relatively stable since. The new theory proposed by Saillenfest and the team disagrees. They suggest instead that a migration of Titan in the recent past (about 1 billion years ago) is equally capable of explaining the tilt Saturn has today. Titan's orbit may have remained regular for billions of years, but their model shows that an orbital resonance with Saturn could have occurred recently, simultaneously changing the moon's orbit and forcing a nearly upright Saturn to fall sideways. It's hard to be sure which model is correct without more evidence (maybe the upcoming Dragonfly mission to Titan can turn up something). But the possibility of such a recent migration opens up opportunities for future changes to the Solar System. As the researchers put it, the obliquities of giant planets "are not settled once for all, but continuously evolve as a result of the migration of their satellites." The Solar System as we know it today may not be as stable or unchanging as it seems and may be in for future disturbances to come (though I wouldn't lose sleep over itit won't change for a billion years or so). Saillenfest and coauthor's Giacomo Lari and Gwenael Boue published their paper in Nature Astronomy earlier this year. Explore further Saturn's tilt caused by its moons More information: Melaine Saillenfest et al, The large obliquity of Saturn explained by the fast migration of Titan, Nature Astronomy (2021). Journal information: Nature Astronomy Melaine Saillenfest et al, The large obliquity of Saturn explained by the fast migration of Titan,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-020-01284-x A quasi-two-dimensional crystal placed between contacts is excited by a laser pulse (red). In the irradiated region its physical properties can change dramatically on ultrashort, femtosecond time scales. This can lead to light-induced superconductivity, switching between insulating and metallic phases, or novel Floquet topological states with unusual charge transport properties. Credit: Alberto de la Torre, Dante Kennes, Martin Claassen, Simon Gerber, James McIver, Michael Sentef An international team with participation of the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI shows how light can fundamentally change the properties of solids and how these effects can be used for future applications. The researchers summarize their progress in this field, which is based among other things on experiments that can also be carried out at the Swiss X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL, in the scientific journal Reviews of Modern Physics. The researchers explore how light can fundamentally alter the properties of solidsand how these effects can be harnessed in future applications. The review on the latest developments in ultrafast materials science is both meant as a guide for graduate students entering the field as well as a standard reference for the community. In addition to PSI researcher Simon Gerber, it was written by MPSD group leaders James McIver and Michael Sentef as well as Dante Kennes from RWTH Aachen University, Alberto de la Torre (Brown University, U.S.) and Martin Claasen (University of Pennsylvania, U.S.). The team discusses experiments and theoretical ideas for how solids react to excitations with short laser pulses or the coupling of light and matter during irradiation with light. A piece of material, when left alone, is usually in thermal equilibrium and governed by the laws of thermodynamics, in which a few known external conditions (such as temperature and pressure) fully determine its behavior. However, many practical applications require the knowledge not only of the equilibrium state of a given material, but also of its excitations. "If we could design excited states at will, this would allow us to create new applications, for instance in high-speed information processing and storage, lossless energy transfer, and quantum technologies," explains Simon Gerber. Like a second compared to the age of the universe In recent years, the field of 'pump-probe experiments' has seen tremendous progress. In these experiments, which can are carried out at the Swiss X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL, a short 'pump' laser pulse drives a material into an excited state. Stroboscopic 'probe' measurements then create stop-action movies of the ensuing dynamics. "Thanks to technical developments, scientists can now exert control over electrons, their spin and orbital degrees of freedom, and the crystal lattice of ions," says Michael Sentef. "Importantly, we are able to track these controlled states of matter with a time resolution of femtoseconds." To review this rapidly growing field, the scientists formed a team involving both experimentalistsde la Torre, McIver and Gerberand theoristsClaassen, Kennes and Sentef. "We believe that it is vitally important to identify unifying themes of how we can control materials with light, and to push towards applications," says Dante Kennes. Simon Gerber highlights the novel aspect that different probing techniques can be combined to learn about different parts of a dynamical system at the same time. "When you hit a material with a laser, the electrons get pushed around and the ions that form the crystal lattice start to move at the same time," he explains. "Unlike in thermal equilibrium, where there is always a balance between these different constituents of a system, the laser can disrupt this balance, leading to nonequilibrium states where energy flows within the material in sometimes unexpected ways. It is invaluable to learn about how the different parts react to the external driving force but also to each other. For instance, we have learned about the mutual forces between electrons and ions by monitoring both of their dynamics simultaneously." Such new insights pave the way for future work, adds Sentef: "The knowledge gleaned for instance allows us to better understand which forces pair electrons to create better superconductors, materials that conduct electricity without heat losses and make for fantastic magnets." Inspiration through the combination of theory and practice "New experimental capabilities also stimulate theoretical ideas, which in turn motivate experimentalists to look for ways to realize those ideas," says Martin Claassen. "For instance, around ten years ago theorists proposed changing a material's topologya quantum-mechanical property which can lead to dissipationless transport along its edges while being insulating in the bulkby shining light on it. This is called Floquet engineering after the French mathematician who invented a formalism to describe dynamical systems which are driven by forces that oscillate in real time." The resulting Floquet topological states were only recently measured in an experiment led by James McIver. "We had to invent and build a whole new experiment to achieve that," he says. "In our review, we stress the synergies that are created when theory and experiment go hand in hand. We believe that the field is now ripe to move from discoveries of new effects in laser-driven materials towards harnessing these effects for potential technologies." De la Torre adds that "one way to achieve this is to make use of material growth techniques in order to design samples with desired equilibrium and excited states. These can then be controlled by short laser pulses. This is clearly a team effort, driven both by experimental progress and theoretical understanding, and we hope that our review can help form an even stronger community and attract particularly young researchers to join this scientific journey." Explore further Future information technologies: Topological materials for ultrafast spintronics More information: Alberto de la Torre et al, Colloquium: Nonthermal pathways to ultrafast control in quantum materials, Reviews of Modern Physics (2021). Journal information: Reviews of Modern Physics Alberto de la Torre et al, Colloquium: Nonthermal pathways to ultrafast control in quantum materials,(2021). DOI: 10.1103/RevModPhys.93.041002 An artist's impression of the colliding bubbles that can produce extremely low frequency gravitational waves during a cosmological phase transition in the early Universe. Credit: Riccardo Buscicchio New methods of detecting ultra-low frequency gravitational waves can be combined with other, less sensitive measurements to deliver fresh insights into the early development of our universe, according to researchers at the University of Birmingham. Gravitational wavesripples in the fabric of Einstein's spacetimethat cross the universe at the speed of light have all sorts of wavelengths, or frequencies. Scientists have not yet managed to detect gravitational waves at extremely low 'nanohertz' frequencies, but new approaches currently being explored are expected to confirm the first low frequency signals quite soon. The main method uses radio telescopes to detect gravitational waves using pulsarsexotic, dead stars, that send out pulses of radio waves with extraordinary regularity. Researchers at the NANOGrav collaboration, for example, use pulsars to time to exquisite precision the rotation periods of a network, or array, of millisecond pulsarsastronomers' best approximation of a network of perfect clocksspread throughout our galaxy. These can be used to measure the fractional changes caused by gravitational waves as they spread through the universe. The question of what is producing these signals, however, has yet to be determined. Scientists in the University of Birmingham's Institute for Gravitational Wave Astronomy, argue that it will be extremely difficult to settle on an answer using only data from pulsar timing arrays (PTAs). Instead, in a letter published today in Nature Astronomy, they suggest that combining this new data with observations made by other projects such as the European Space Agency's Gaia mission, will help the different signals still lingering from the earliest periods of our universe to be disentangled and interpreted. The main theory for ultra-low frequency gravitational waves is that they are caused by a population of the supermassive black holes at the center of merging galaxies. As galaxies merge, their central black holes pair up, forming binaries and generating gravitational waves. In this case, a detection of gravitational waves by PTA would offer exciting new ways to study the astrophysics of the assembly and growth of galaxies. But there are other possibilities too. Nanohertz gravitational waves could tell the story of our infant universe, well before galaxies and black holes form. In fact, it has been suggested that extremely low frequency gravitational wave signals could instead be generated shortly after the big bang by other processes; for example if the Universe underwent what physicists refer to as a phase transition at the correct temperature. Lead author, Dr. Christopher Moore, said: "The first tentative hints of a gravitational wave signal using pulsar timing arrays might recently have been seen by NANOGrav and we expect the next few years to be a golden age for this type of science. The variety of explanations for these signals is exciting, but also a maze. We need a way to tell the different possible sources apart from each other. Currently, this is extremely difficult to do with pulsar timing array data alone." Co-author Professor Alberto Vecchio said: "Pulsar timing arrays may offer unprecedented insights into ancient cosmological processes. Developing the sophisticated methods to interpret these insights will mean we can truly begin to understand how our universe was formed and took shape." Explore further Pulsar timing arrays take us closer to figuring out supermassive black holes More information: Christopher Moore, Ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves from cosmological and astrophysical processes, Nature Astronomy (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41550-021-01489-8 Journal information: Nature Astronomy Christopher Moore, Ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves from cosmological and astrophysical processes,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-021-01489-8 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Peatlands are valuable ecosystems that store water and large quantities of carbon and that support high biodiversity. However, 20 percent of the European raised bog habitat is currently under threat from climate change and dewatering. In new research published in PNAS scientists of among others Wageningen University & Research show how peat can disappear and be created. Tipping point Forests and peatlands are inextricably linked, according to the study conducted by researchers at Wageningen, Amsterdam, Utrecht and other universities. These two ecosystems can exist happily side by side but as soon as they pass a certain point, critical limits are exceeded. Then peat can turn into forest and forest can become peat. Wherever organic material accumulates, the soil becomes wetter and fewer trees grow, so the soil become even wetter, ultimately turning into peat. Conversely, desiccation causes trees to grow on peat, which gets even drier, becomes depleted and eventually disappears. Jakob Wallinga, Professor of Soil Geography and Landscape at Wageningen University & Research says that "from this study we have learned a lot about tipping points in landscapes, in addition to insight into shifts between peat and forest systems. This knowledge will be useful in new research projects aimed at a climate-robust future for landscapes in the Netherlands." Creation or preservation of peatland The study developed a model that shows where in Europe the conditions are right for the creation or preservation of peatland. One third of Europe has a climate that is, in principle, suited to preserving existing peatland. In contrast, the formation of new peatland is possible in only a fraction of those areas. The new study in PNAS is important because never before have peatlands been studied so explicitly from the point of view of the landscape. The researchers argue that a landscape perspectiveincluding interactions between peatlands, forests and riversis essential to understand and control the future of peatlands. Explore further Peatland fires reduce future methane production in peat soils More information: Ype van der Velde et al, Emerging forestpeatland bistability and resilience of European peatland carbon stores, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Ype van der Velde et al, Emerging forestpeatland bistability and resilience of European peatland carbon stores,(2021). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101742118 The researchers observed for the first time the evolution of warm gas coming from an active black hole: they were able to look at these structures, strongly reminiscent of the smoke streams produced by volcanic eruptions with unprecedented detail and on a time scale of a hundred million years. Credit: University of Bologna An international team of researchers, including scholars from the University of Bologna and the Italian National Astrophysics Institute (INAF), observed for the first time the evolution of warm gas coming from an active black hole. They were able to look at these structures, which are strongly reminiscent of the smoke streams produced by volcanic eruptions, with unprecedented detail and on a time scale of a hundred million years. Their study, published in Nature Astronomy, focused on the Nest200047 systema group of roughly 20 galaxies approximately 200 million light-years away. The central galaxy of this system houses an active black hole around which researchers observed many pairs of gas bubbles diverse in age, some unknown filaments of magnetic fields, and relativistic particles in special relativity as big as hundreds of thousands of light-years. These observations were possible thanks to LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray), the largest low-frequency radio telescope in the world. LOFAR can intercept radiation produced by the oldest electrons currently detectable. This state-of-the-art tool stems from the great effort of nine European countries and allowed researchers to "go back in time" to more than 100 million years ago and retrace the activity of the black hole sitting at the center of Nest200047. "Our investigation shows how these gas bubbles accelerated by the black hole are expanding and transforming in time. Indeed, they create spectacular mushroom-shaped structures, rings and filaments that are similar to those originating from a powerful volcanic eruption on planet Earth," states Marisa Brienza who is the first author of this study and a researcher at the Department of Physics and Astronomy "Augusto Righi" of the University of Bologna and a member of INAF. Bubbles made of particles At the core of each galaxy sits a supermassive black hole. The activity of the black hole crucially impacts the evolution of the galaxy and the intergalactic environment hosting it. For years researchers have been trying to figure out how and at what rate the action of these black holes produces those effects. Warm gas coming from the active supermassive black hole at the centre of the Nest200047 system: the activity of such a black hole crucially impacts the evolution of the galaxy and the intergalactic environment hosting it. Credit: University of Bologna When active, black holes consume whatever surrounds them and, in that process, they release enormous amounts of energy. Sometimes this energy comes in the form of particle streams moving at close to the speed of light and producing radio waves. In turn, these streams generate bubbles of particles and magnetic fields that, by a process of expansion, can heat and move the intergalactic medium surrounding them. This has an immense influence on the evolution of the intergalactic medium itself and, as a consequence, on star formation rates. This study proposes that active black holes have effects on scales that are up to 100 times bigger than the hosting galaxy and that that impact lasts up to hundreds of millions of years. "LOFAR gave us a unique view of the activity of black holes and their effects on their surrounding environment," explains Annalisa Bonafede, one of the authors of the study and a professor at the University of Bologna as well as INAF member. "Our observations of Nest200047 crucially show how magnetic fields and the very old particles accelerated by black holes and consequently aged play a central role in transferring energy to the outer regions of groups of galaxies." For this study, researchers also exploited observations in the X-ray band obtained using the eROSITA telescope on board the SRG space observatory. X-ray data allowed researchers to better study the characteristics of the intergalactic medium surrounding the radio-emitting gas bubbles. Gas filaments These observations brought about other unexpected discoveries: thin gas filaments as long as a million light-years made of particles moving at approximately the speed of light. The researchers observed for the first time the evolution of warm gas coming from an active black hole: they were able to look at these structures, strongly reminiscent of the smoke streams produced by volcanic eruptions with unprecedented detail and on a time scale of a hundred million years. Credit: University of Bologna According to the researchers, these filaments are the remnants of the bubbles that the Nest200047 black hole produced hundreds of millions of years ago and that are now shattering and mixing with the intergalactic medium. It is believed that studying these structures will lead to discovering new and important information about the physical features of the intergalactic matter and the physical mechanism regulating the energy transfer between the bubbles and the outer environment. "In the future, we will be able to study the effects of black holes on galaxies and the intergalactic medium with increasing detail. Eventually, we will be able to unveil the nature of the filaments we discovered thanks to the angular resolution of LOFAR combined with the data from international LOFAR stations," adds Gianfranco Brunetti, co-author of this study as well as an astrophysicist at the INAF Bologna and Italian coordinator of the LOFAR consortium. Telescopes LOFAR is managed by ASTRON, the Netherland Institute for Radio Astronomy, and is composed of thousands of antennas hosted by 51 radio stations scattered over different European countries. LOFAR can intercept the lowest frequencies of radio waves on Earth (between 10 and 240 mega-Hertz). The National Astrophysics Institute (INAF) is the head of the Italian team of LOFAR and contributes to the development of a new generation of electronic devices for the telescope and of the software regulating its functioning. The SRG spacecraft was designed by the Lavochkin Association, as part of the Roskosmos corporation and launched on July 13, 2019 with a Proton launcher from the Baikonur cosmodrome. The SRG observatory was built with the participation of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in the framework of the Russian Federal Space Program by the initiative of the Russian Academy of Sciences represented by its Space Research Institute (IKI). The eROSITA telescope was built under the leadership of the Max-Planck-Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) and DLR. The SRG spacecraft is operated by the Lavochkin Association and Deep Space Network Antennae in Bear Lakes, Ussurijsk, and Baykonur funded by Roskosmos. This study is titled "A snapshot of the oldest AGN feedback phases" and was published in Nature Astronomy. It is the result of a combined effort of experts in radio, optical and X-ray astronomy from: Universita di Bologna, INAF-IRA, INAF-OAT, INAF-IASF, ASTRON, Leiden Observatory, Hamburger Sternwarte, Kazan Federal University, Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan, Space Research Institute (IKI), Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, University of Hertfordshire, DIAS, SRON, University of Tokyo, Observatoire de Paris (GEPI, USN), Rhodes University. Explore further Help find the location of newly discovered black holes in the LOFAR Radio Galaxy Zoo project More information: Marisa Brienza, A snapshot of the oldest active galactic nuclei feedback phases, Nature Astronomy (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41550-021-01491-0 Journal information: Nature Astronomy Marisa Brienza, A snapshot of the oldest active galactic nuclei feedback phases,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-021-01491-0 Provided by Universita di Bologna Schematic diagram showing the main factors that can drive changes to the storms: the quasi-stationary planetary waves generated by large-scale orography, the oceancontinent contrast, and the oceanic fronts and eddies. This diagram highlights the role of oceanic fronts and eddies, in addition to the traditionally acknowledged factors. Credit: Guidi Zhou Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning. The adage holds some truth: the relationship between ocean and atmosphere can be smooth sailing or stormy. Yet, despite extensive research on their co-dependence, it is still not fully understood how sea-air interactions influence weather and climate and everything in between, according to a research team based in China. Guidi Zhou and Xuhua Cheng, both researchers at Hohai University, examined more than 250 papers focused on these interactions, with an emphasis on currents and boundaries in the North Pacific Ocean. While there were some consistent findings in the peer-reviewed scientific studies dating from this year to the late 1980s, the researchers said more investigation is needed. They published their review on Sept. 22 in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences. "Given the numerous research efforts which sometimes yield conflicting and perplexing results, we believe it is timely to review the currently available studies, make an informative comparison of their results, organize the knowns and unknowns, and try to provide insights for future research," Zhou said. The team focused on research concerning the Kuroshio-Oyashio Extension region in the North Pacific Ocean, which is where the warm Kuroshio Extension from the Japanese coast meets with the cold Oyashio Extension from the subarctic sea to form the North Pacific Current. Oceanic processes in this region are complex and dynamic, Zhou said, due to powerful currents, multiple ocean fronts that mark the divide between water masses and several circular currents that can stretch up to 1,000 kilometers. "The atmospheric storm track and circulation, as well as their interaction, have been extensively studied in meteorology for decades, yet our current knowledge on mesoscale ocean perturbations and their interaction with oceanic jets is still limited," Zhou said. The mesoscale describes the in-between of weather and climate, typically comprising a large area and can influence a variety of weather events. For example, the same eddy may circulate through calm or stormy areasbut whether the eddy contributes to the resulting weather is not well understood, according to Zhou. "Based on the current understanding of the research, ocean fronts and eddies most likely do impact the atmosphere in terms of driving changes to both weather and climate," Zhou said, noting that the eddies and fronts may even be able to influence atmospheric changes that last about a decade. "Large uncertainties, however, are present and much more in-depth investigation is needed." Explore further Gulf Stream and Kuroshio Current found to be synchronized on decadal time scale More information: Guidi Zhou et al, Impacts of Oceanic Fronts and Eddies in the Kuroshio-Oyashio Extension Region on the Atmospheric General Circulation and Storm Track, Advances in Atmospheric Sciences (2021). Journal information: Advances in Atmospheric Sciences Guidi Zhou et al, Impacts of Oceanic Fronts and Eddies in the Kuroshio-Oyashio Extension Region on the Atmospheric General Circulation and Storm Track,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s00376-021-0408-4 Credit: University of Texas at Arlington A theorist in astrophysics at The University of Texas at Arlington is leading a project to study the explosive phenomena of X-ray bursts in order to better understand neutron stars. Nevin Weinberg, associate professor of physics, will head the study, titled "Spectral and Radiation Hydrodynamic Models of Photospheric Radius Expansion X-ray Bursts." Funded by a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Astronomical Sciences, the project will also involve students from UTA and physicists from the University of Virginia. A neutron star is formed when a massive star explodes in a supernova and the remnants condense and collapse upon themselves due to extremely powerful gravitation. This material is packed in so tightly that protons and electrons combine to make neutronsthus the name neutron stars. If the neutron star is in a binary system with another star, it can draw hydrogen- or helium-rich material from the other star that then forms a thin layer on its surface. Once the neutron star reaches critical mass, this layer ignites in a thermonuclear explosion, heating the entire surface of the neutron star to tens of millions of degrees Kelvin and releasing a sudden burst of X-rays. Around 20% of these X-ray bursts are photospheric radius expansion (PRE) bursts, in which the luminosity of the burst is so high that radiation forces drive an optically thick wind that lifts the photosphere (the outer shell from which light is radiated) off the neutron star's surface. "Apart from a black hole, a neutron star is the most dense, compact known stellar object," Weinberg said. "It has a mass that's one and a half to two times the mass of our sun, but a radius of only 10 kilometers, so it's extremely compact. If you took a teaspoon of this material, it would weigh more than a billion tons. The study will utilize state-of-the-art numerical simulation tools to provide the most sophisticated simulation of PRE X-ray bursts to date. The researchers will compare their results directly with observations from telescopes. "Neutron stars are interesting objects not just for astrophysics, but for fundamental physics," Weinberg said. "At these very high densitiesdensities higher than the nucleus of an atomwe don't actually know how matter behaves." X-ray bursts have been detected by telescopes since the 1970s, but much remains unknown about them. "This is where our project comes in. We're going to try to improve the models of X-ray bursts," Weinberg said. "The goal is to understand them better and to have a better agreement between the models and the observations, which will allow us to make more precise statements about the underlying neutron star that's supporting the burst." The teams from UTA and the University of Virginia will study the physics of PRE X-ray bursts using a combination of sophisticated computer models. The anticipated simulations will allow astronomers to better understand neutron stars, the burning processes during X-ray bursts, and the composition of the wind ejected during a burst. The project will provide three years of funding for a graduate student in Weinberg's research group. It also will allow him to mentor undergraduates from UTA's Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Summer Research Academy, which provides research opportunities for students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM education. Alex Weiss, professor and chair of the UTA Department of Physics, said Weinberg's project could yield exciting new insights into the properties of neutron stars. "The computer simulations of X-ray bursts that will be used in this study, together with observations from X-ray telescopes, could provide answers to some of the questions we have about neutron stars," Weiss said. Explore further Astrophysicists explain the origin of unusually heavy neutron star binaries In a recently released Freedom House report on internet freedom, we found that 48 of 70 countries surveyed pursued at least one form of regulatory action on online content, personal data or competition against technology firms over the last year. More than a dozen new laws threaten the future of free expression online. More governments are pressuring companies to remove broad swaths of content, often under the pretext of protecting users from misinformation, incitement to hatred or material that is harmful to minors. Their true aim is to suppress anti-government speech, investigative reporting and expressions of LGBTQ+ identity and other posts that may be politically disfavored. Some government leaders have taken the opposite tack and attempted to ban platforms from moderating content, which could allow for the proliferation of false or hateful propaganda and threats of violence to drown out authentic discussion and debate. Only in a few cases do laws require companies to be more transparent over their content moderation, advertising practices and use of algorithms, and provide content producers with an avenue for appeal when their content is restricted. Oct. 11 marked the official closure of the U.N. Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen (also known as the Group of Experts). For nearly four years, the Group of Experts has been investigating human rights violations in Yemen amidst ongoing conflict, which has resulted in more than 100,000 dead including over 12,000 civilians and over 4 million Yeminis displaced since 2014. As Yeminis are bludgeoned by Saudi and U.S. airstrikes, drone attacks and constant warfare, access to food, shelter, safety, health care and education in the country remains precarious. And disbanding one of the primary international groups dedicated to protecting the basic human rights of Yemenis will only make matters worse. This is a major setback for all victims who have suffered serious violations during the armed conflict, the Group of Experts wrote in a statement the day after the U.N. Human Rights Council refused to extend a mandate for continuation of the groups work. The Council appears to be abandoning the people of Yemen, the statement says, adding that victims of this tragic armed conflict should not be silenced by the decision of a few states. As a result, the courthouse barring an unexpected development is headed for demolition. Just a brief history of the more recent fight over the building's future: It was in the summer of 2018 that the county board voted to transfer the courthouse to the public building commission for the purpose of tearing it down. Then, in 2019, a coalition of individuals and groups, including Landmarks Illinois, went to court to stop it. The suit was dismissed a short time later. But in July 2020, on appeal, an Illinois appellate court panel reversed the dismissal in part, ruling that a temporary restraining order should be put in place "until the consultation process required by the (Illinois) Preservation Act has been completed." In other words, the court found that contrary to the county's claims that it had to subject itself to the state's historic preservation statute. In a statement to this newspaper last week, County Board Chairman Richard Brunk said, "The recordation is the result of that consultation process outlined by state statute." Unfortunately, it took a lot of taxpayer money and months in and out of court to get the county to go through this process. But we are at that point now. Ray-Ray, who forced me a plodder and planner before our paths crossed to live each day like there was no tomorrow is running out of tomorrows. The doctor talked weeks instead of years. The beer truck, the way Ray-Ray and I discussed many times would be our perfect end has run over Ray-Ray. My family will be devastated when they read this. My sisters liked Ray-Ray much better than me even though he treated their male suitors just as badly as I did. He was a smooth talker and always made them giggle. They always liked Ray-Rays girlfriends and had no patience for mine. Growing up, my home was like a Holiday Inn in the 1960s and 70s. It was also like the United Nations, for my parents despite one of them being from a segregated town in Missouri never saw color. In a different time, my parents were the model by which we all should have been living. Ray-Ray did not look like one of their kids, but he was treated like he was. We value our service members and what they bring to the table, he said. We have trained these airmen and these soldiers for months and for years, and we value them in our organization. Though separation is an option, ultimately, the Iowa National Guard want all of our service members to continue to serve, Waldron said. The outcomes could vary depending on the service member, whether they follow and look for a medical or religious exemption, he said. The outcomes of that either approved or denied could determine the follow on steps from there. If someone continues to refuse or (is) not willing to proceed with a vaccination, then there are a number of administrative things that we could do and that could be dependent at the time, he said. We will look at different options on an individual basis to determine what is the best for them and what is best for the organization. During a recent iHeart radio interview, Gov. Kim Reynolds indicated that while I may have the power to alter that requirement as Iowas commander in chief, the Republican governor said she was concerned the Biden administration would pull federal Defense Department funding from Guard operations if the Iowa National Guard did not comply with the mandate. The Biden administration has acknowledged that in the last fiscal year the U.S. failed to issue roughly 80,000 green cards that should have been given to legal immigrant workers. The shortfall adds to a backlog of more than 1 million people waiting to receive employment-based visas. Congress should ensure those green cards are used and then set about fixing a system that pointlessly burdens skilled immigrants and the businesses that employ them. Each year, the U.S. issues a maximum of 140,000 green cards to immigrants sponsored by employers and approved for permanent residence a number frozen since 1990. Another 226,000 family preference green cards are reserved for family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. In years when the ceiling for family preference visas is not reached, due to low demand or processing delays or both, the unused visas move to the employment-based category, but have to be awarded by the end of the next fiscal year. South Dakota lawmakers have summoned two people who were present at a meeting Gov. Kristi Noem held last year that included her daughter, Kassidy Peters, and state employees who were overseeing Peters' application for a real estate appraiser license. The Legislature's Government Operations and Audit Committee, which is controlled by Republicans, sent letters asking Secretary of Labor and Regulation Marcia Hultman and the former director of the state's Appraiser Certification Program, Sherry Bren, to show up at a meeting next week. Although it isn't clear what will be asked of the women, the requests for them to appear at the meeting show that lawmakers want more answers from the Republican governor. Bren and Hultman were central to the episode that has raised concerns from ethics experts. They attended the meeting in the governor's office in July 2020, just days after Bren's agency moved to deny Peters a certification to become a residential appraiser. Peters received her license four months after the meeting. And days after she received it, Hultman allegedly pressured Bren to retire. Bren eventually left her job this year after the state paid her $200,000 to withdraw an age discrimination complaint. Both sides have limited their comments about the matter, in part because the settlement agreement bars them from disparaging each other. Noem has dismissed concerns about the episode by saying she never requested special treatment for her daughter. She also has said the initial report on the meeting from The Associated Press was a political attack. Noem, 49, has generated speculation that she might run for president in 2024 because she formed a federal political action committee, has been assisting campaigns across the country, and has attended many of the same events as other potential GOP hopefuls. The audit committee has scheduled the matter as its first item of business on Thursday of next week. It also requested the presence of the president of the state's appraiser association, who has been critical of Noem's handling of the agency and called for a thorough investigation. In addition, lawmakers want to hear from the Office of Risk Management, which negotiated the settlement with Bren. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 8 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 3 A close look at academic progress in elementary and middle school, along with a first reading of a policy regarding medical cannabis, will be among the topics to be taken up at the Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the City Hall Council of Chambers, at 300 6th St. The board is also scheduled to vote on substantial completion of a district wide intercom upgrade project and a Grandview and Warehouse Exterior and Interior LED Lighting Upgrade. The meeting is scheduled to include a first reading of the Administration of Medical Cannabis to Qualifying Students. Superintendent Lori Simon noted this issue during the last meeting. Valerie Seales, the districts director of teaching, learning and innovation, is set to deliver a report regarding academic progress for elementary and middle school. The school district uses the NWEA MAP Growth assessment. Katy Urban, the districts public information manager, described some of the focus of this sort of assessment. What youre really trying to gauge is growth, Urban said. Throughout the year well be able to track (students) progress, and well be seeing if theyre making gains in math and reading. Also slated to be taken up by the board is potential approval of the John T. Vucurevich Foundation Delta Dental Bus Scholarship. A report on the districts website notes that the district has partnered with the Delta Dental of South Dakota Foundation for the last three years to bring the dental bus to RCAS students. The district has now been approved to receive a grant of $20,000 that would enable the Delta Dental bus to support RCAS students three or four times per year for the next three school years. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Top lawmakers are feuding over whether taxpayers should pay for the state House speaker's legal defense as he faces a lawsuit for refusing to release the names of House legislators who supported a special session this year. Sen. Lee Schoenbeck who as pro tempore oversees the Senate's conduct asserted in an email to legislators last week that House Speaker Spencer Gosch, a fellow Republican, should personally foot the legal bill to avoid expense to taxpayers. Gosch has replied that South Dakota statute calls for the attorney general to come to his legal defense if the state Supreme Court considers the lawsuit. The House is set next month to meet in a special legislative session to decide whether to move forward with impeaching Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg for his conduct following a crash that killed a pedestrian last year. In the run-up, Gosch declined to release the names of lawmakers who petitioned for the session. The Sioux Falls Argus Leader and the South Dakota Newspaper Association have sued Gosch, alleging that he violated open records laws. Gosch has argued the list of lawmakers is exempt from public disclosure. Schoenbeck, who had released the names of senators who petitioned for the session, emailed fellow legislators last week to press for a meeting of the Legislature's executive committee if Gosch intended to involve the Legislature in the legal battle. There is no legal basis for the Speakers actions and I will not support any expenditure of taxpayer funds on this behavior," he wrote in the email obtained by The Associated Press. Gosch replied by asserting that he was acting in his official capacity as speaker when he made the decision not to release the names and he expected the attorney general to represent him if the state Supreme Court considers the lawsuit. He added that a meeting of the Legislature's Executive Board would not be appropriate at this time because the court has not yet indicated whether it will hear the lawsuit. Gosch said Monday that Schoenbeck basically is just wrong on everything in the matter. Rep. Steve Haugaard, the previous speaker, was represented by the attorney general's office when he was sued in 2019 for barring a lobbyist from the chamber's floor. However, Haugaard had to personally pay for the lobbyist's legal fees after the two entered a settlement agreement. Meanwhile, the media organizations are asking the Supreme Court to order the Legislature to halt plans for the special session, which is slated for Nov. 9, until the litigation is resolved. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 3 An Amish buggy carrying two adults and eight children was struck from behind on a Cumberland County roadway on Sunday causing the death of a woman and the horse pulling the carriage. It is the second crash involving an Amish buggy this month, according to the Virginia State Police, who say the horse-drawn vehicles are becoming more popular in the Buckingham, Cumberland, Charlotte and Halifax counties. Sundays collision occurred before 8 p.m. on state Route 45/Cumberland Road, about 1.3 miles south of state Route 634, in Cumberland County. A 2005 Toyota Tundra was traveling south on state Route 45 when it struck the rear of the horse-drawn buggy, which was also headed south along Route 45. The Toyota continued on, but the driver, a 60-year-old Farmville man, returned to the scene a short time later, police said. The man was not injured, and charges are pending, according to state police. Barbie Esh, 38, of Farmville, died at the scene. Her husband is being treated at University of Virginia Medical Center for life-threatening injuries, police said. Their eight children, ranging from 9 months to 16 years of age, were all taken to nearby hospitals for treatment of injuries that range from minor to serious, police said. The McAuliffe campaign declined to answer questions, including whether McAuliffe was aware of Accountability Virginia PACs involvement in the election or if he had spoken with anyone about the PAC prior to news coverage of it. While Dominion Energy is consistently one of the top donors in Virginia politics, its money goes to both parties. But some members of both parties observing how the utility persuades lawmakers to approve utility-friendly legislation too complicated for people outside of a regulatory background to understand have sworn off Dominions campaign money. Two of the Republicans who scrutinize Dominion weighed in Monday. Its not as if Dominion gave money to a known Democratic entity that then did something embarrassing, said Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County. This is a group that has only existed for a few months, he said of Accountability Virginia PAC. These things dont exist except for message advocacy. This is like giving money to a known hit man, and then when the hit man goes out and commits violence saying, Who knew he was going to go out and commit violence against my adversaries? Its obvious they couldnt get people to come back to work, Petersen said in an interview, and as a result, they didnt have walk-up, in-person service. Holcomb tried to counter that perception in his appearance before the House Appropriations Committee on Monday. DMV always has been open, even when we suspended in-person operations, he said. Our state employees have always been working. Its not an easy job, he said. Front-line workers must handle a broad range of sensitive transactions getting new driving and vehicle credentials after moving from another state, proving identify for REAL ID licenses and identify cards, testing new drivers for knowledge and skills, or ensuring that vehicles are properly insured. Our job has gotten more sophisticated and were not paying at that level, Holcomb told the budget committee. Before raising wages on Sept. 25, DMV paid a minimum wage of about $13 an hour higher in Northern Virginia because of the cost of living there. Under a state law adopted last year, employers were required to pay at least $9.50 an hour up from the federally mandated $7.25 an hour on May 1, escalating to $11 an hour on Jan. 1, $12 an hour in 2023, $13.50 an hour in 2025 and $15 an hour in 2026. Virginias redistricting commission is assessing a proposed unified map of the states congressional districts that would draw Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, out of the district and split Henrico County into three congressional districts. The commission, which has a week to reach an agreement on a congressional map, appears far from consensus, and members said the proposal is far from a finished product. The panel of eight Democrats and eight Republicans would need a supermajority 12 of its 16 members to send a map to the General Assembly for its consideration. If either the commission or the legislature fails to agree on a map, the state Supreme Court will draw the new boundaries. The proposed division of Henrico did not sit well with Democratic legislators and public commenters at Mondays meeting, or with dozens of people who left online comments for the commission. It is absolutely outrageous that Henrico County is being split into three congressional districts, Brittany Rose, a resident of western Henrico, told the panel. Like public housing, the voucher ensures families pay no more than 30% of their monthly income on their rent and utilities. But unlike public housing, the vouchers are attached to a household, not a physical unit, meaning families that possess one are supposed to be able to move freely in the private rental market. The vouchers are coveted, and getting one can take years. When the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority held an application period for the chance to get one of the subsidies, calls from tenants crashed its phone system. By the end of the week, it had received 15,000 applications for one of 5,000 slots on its wait list. A tenants freedom to choose where they live is a key piece of the program that is meant to give families access to neighborhoods closer to jobs, transportation, better schools and opportunities they wouldnt otherwise be able to afford. However, some landlords and property managers have used vouchers as a way of screening out potential tenants. In the Richmond region, that has led to a pattern of voucher holders living in neighborhoods with a high poverty rate. On Sept. 28, Axios reported on the PAC, saying a group tied to prominent Democratic strategists was posing as a conservative outfit to try to drive a wedge between the Republican candidate for Virginia governor and his core voters. Dominion gave another $75,000 to the PAC the next day, according to a report filed this weekend with the Virginia Department of Elections. While Dominion Energy is consistently one of the top donors in Virginia politics, its money goes to both parties. But some members of both partiesobserving how the utility convinces lawmakers to approve utility-friendly legislation too complicated for people outside of a regulatory background to understandhave sworn off Dominions campaign money. Two of the Republicans who scrutinize Dominion weighed in Monday. Its not as if Dominion gave money to a known Democratic entity that then did something embarrassing, said Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County. This is a group that has only existed for a few months, he said of Accountability Virginia PAC. These things dont exist except for message advocacy. Just like the previous plan, the Union Hall village center was classified as the intersection of Virginia 40 and Kemp Ford Road. The village would stretch approximately a mile in all directions. Information from residents at the initial meeting will be used by the county and consultants to develop a final plan expected to be completed for review sometime early next year. Once completed, a public hearing will be held on the plan before final approval by the Franklin County Board of Supervisors. For anyone interested in providing input on the Union Hall Village Plan that was unable to attend the Oct. 5 meeting, a survey is available online. The eight-question survey will be available until Oct. 31. Cooper said 56 people have taken the survey so far, but she would like to see many more before the Oct. 31 deadline. The questions ask a range of questions to get a better feel of how Union Hall residents would like to see the community grow in the future. While the process is expected to take several months, Cooper said any Union Hall resident can sign up to be part of an email list to get updates on the village plan. The list will allow residents to know of any upcoming meetings concerning the village plan. Earlier this year, senators tabled a bill to reinstate parole while the Virginia State Crime Commission studies the issue. Morrissey said its challenging to explain to the public and even lawmakers that parole eligibility does not mean someone walks out the doorit only means a panel of experts can evaluate people to decide who should qualify for release. Matthieu Belanger, a 2020 graduate of Washington and Lee University School of Law who helps people in prison schedule appointments with the parole board, said the public doesnt get to see the details. Many people in prison committed crimes when they were young after growing up exposed to drug use and violent crime. After years of therapy and rehabilitation in prison, a lot of them express a great deal of remorse for what they did, and an understanding that theyre never going to be able to fully make it right because they cant bring that person back. If theyre released on supervision many want to mentor teens or find ways to help prevent crime, he said. What do you want to be when you grow up a dentist, an engineer, or a budtender? The cannabis industry is absorbing a significant part of the workforce, and if it wasnt on the list of dream jobs before, theres a reason its attracting more and more people. An estimated 321,000 people now work in the legal cannabis industry in the U.S. Thats a 32% increase over last year, making it one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country. The U.S. cannabis workforce now outnumbers dentists, paramedics and electrical engineers. The marijuana industry is one of the very few sectors of the economy that has continued to grow amid the pandemic. As dispensaries and cultivation facilities were deemed as essential, the industry became a refuge for workers who had been laid off or furloughed. Most of them came from the retail and restaurant industries, which are still struggling to get them back, even with adding various benefits upon the sign-up. Even as the pandemic eased, cannabis jobs have continued to grow, adding nearly 80,000 jobs in 2020, more than double what it did the year before. Overall, the U.S. economy lost 22 million jobs in 2020, though it has regained three quarters of that so far this year. Sales of legal cannabis grew nearly 60% to $19 billion last year, representing a 71% increase over 2019. Sales are expected to reach $35 billion by 2025, according to New Frontier Data. Most U.S. states 37 of them, plus the District of Columbia now allow cannabis for medical us, with a growing number of them legalizing it altogether. According to a new poll by Pew Research, some 90% of adult Americans currently favor legalizing marijuana, which is a record high. To accommodate the growing industry and consumers, businesses in some states where recreational marijuana has been legalized are moving to ease drug testing requirements for jobs. In June, Amazon announced that it would stop testing for cannabis metabolites as part of its drug screening program. Earlier this year Atlanta, Georgia, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an executive order suspending pre-employment drug screenings for public employees, saying that the testing requirements were outdated and calling them costly barriers to onboarding new talent in the city of Atlanta There is a glitch in the system, though: The federal marijuana prohibition means that the U.S. Department of Labor cant actually count these jobs. Instead, we have to rely on numbers from the Leafly Jobs Report. However, the prohibition might come to an end soon. In April, the U.S. House of Representatives passed SAFE Banking Act legislation that would allow banks to provide services to cannabis companies in states where it is legal. Currently, due to federal restrictions, most federally regulated banks wont service the industry, forcing cannabis companies to resort to cash-run operations. Then, in June, Democrat leaders sponsored the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, which would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and allow states to determine their own cannabis laws. Once the prohibition is over, it will also end some 1.5 million marijuana related arrests annually, where at least third it for nonviolent lower-level marijuana possession offenses. " " Amanita phalloides, the death cap mushroom, is establishing itself across the North American continent, increasing the need for awareness of its dangers from the general public. Wikimedia Commons ( CC BY-SA 3.0 , the death cap mushroom, is establishing itself across the North American continent, increasing the need for awareness of its dangers from the general public. Following a mushroom bloom in the San Francisco Bay Area in late 2016,14 people consumed a poisonous fungus and fell drastically ill. One child even suffered permanent neurological damage. These were just some of the latest in a string of poisonings over the past few decades a small handful of which proved to be fatal. The toxic cause: Amanita phalloides, better known by its grim moniker, the "death cap" mushroom. Amanita phalloides is what's known in the world of mycology as a "mutualist," according to Anne Pringle, the Letters and Science Rubenstein Professor of Botany and Bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "A mutualism is, very simply, a relationship between two organisms of different species that result in a benefit for both organisms," says Pringle. As an ectomycorrhizal fungus (a fungus that grows outside the plant's roots), the death cap mushroom forms this relationship with a host tree. The fungus grows in the soil and mingles with the tree's roots, drawing out nitrogen from the soil and bringing it to the tree in exchange for carbon. In California, where the death cap mushroom is fairly common possibly due to its pleasant Mediterranean climate the fungus normally grows in tandem with coast live oak. On the east coast, the fungus usually attaches to pine. And in the fungus' native Europe, it's a combination of beech and oak. Advertisement Where Did the Death Cap Come From and Where Is It Spreading? Pringle's research confirms what other mycologists have theorized: Amanita phalloides is a non-native species that was introduced to California from Europe in the not-too-distant past. How did she establish this? "By building an understanding of the relationship between the California populations and the European populations," says Pringle. If Amanita phalloides was native to California, it would be genetically different from the European variety. But the California death cap is genetically interrelated to the European one. Ergo, the fungus is one and the same. Pringle states that the first known sightings in California were at the Del Monte hotel in 1938 and on the University of California-Berkeley campus in 1945. How on Earth did Amanita phalloides get to California? One common theory is that individuals from Europe transported cork oak from Europe to California to plant the tree locally, and that's how Amanita phalloides growing on the cork oak's roots may have reached North America. It's not a bad theory, but there's little hard evidence to support it. "It's not like anyone has the smoking gun, 'Here's the cork oak, and I sampled its roots and found phalloides!" says Pringle. But what we do know is that someone at some point in time brought a plant that carried Amanita phalloides from Europe to North America. While the death cap is considered an invasive species in California, that's not necessarily the case on the East Coast. It's partly due to a difference in habitat. In California, the fungus grows in pristine environments, particularly in forested areas like the Point Reyes National Seashore in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. On the East Coast, you'll often find it in more contained urban settings like parks, where someone may have planted a tree that hosts the death cap. It's the spreading of the fungus that makes it invasive on the West Coast compared to the East Coast. The fungus is spreading in British Columbia too. Some scientists like Pringle are interested in managing the spread of invasive fungi like the death cap. Pringle's team has mapped nearly 100 genomes of phalloides, so it's possible that future research could help curb the mushroom's deadly reach. Advertisement The Death Cap's Poisonous Effects What happens if you accidentally ingest a death cap mushroom? According to Rais Vohra, medical director for the Fresno-Madera Division of the California Poison Control System, Amanita phalloides contains a couple of toxins. These include phallotoxin, which "causes severe nausea, vomiting, and dehydration with resulting kidney damage and electrolyte imbalances," says Vohra. But the kicker is the "alpha-amanitin (also called amatoxin)," which "stops cell functioning by targeting the transcription of RNA by RNA polymerase II, and this prevents the cell from making essential proteins and cell components." This last toxin descends quickly upon the liver. Previous victims have required emergency liver transplants. The poisoning is spread out over three phases, as it can take several hours for symptoms of the death cap's toxins to present in the body. Phase I: nausea and vomiting. Phase II: in a cruel twist, the nausea and vomiting might cease, but liver damage progresses in dramatic fashion. Phase III: advanced liver failure, seizures, loss of blood pressure, brain swelling and comas can occur. And, in the worst-case scenario: death. Yikes. " " Two young death caps (Amanita phalloides) with a match box for size comparison. Wikimedia Commons Advertisement Not for Human Consumption The No. 1 takeaway: Do not consume the death cap in any form. In fact, unless you're extremely familiar with the fungi in your area, Pringle urges that you hold off on wild mushroom foraging, as it can be tricky to identify and separate poisonous mushrooms from safe ones. If you spot a mushroom that you suspect may be an Amanita phalloides and want help verifying its identity, Pringle suggests heading over to Mushroom Observer to seek guidance. In addition to its coloring, which Pringle describes as "olivaceous with a green tinge," mature death caps also have "brown striations" or markings on the cap and possess a unique ring around their stem.Touching Amanita phalloides should be fine, since there's no evidence that the toxins transmit through skin contact. However, Pringle advises that you should wash your hands after handling any sort of mushroom. But let's not get too carried away. Although they cause the majority of mushroom-related fatalities globally, Amanita poisonings are still pretty rare in the U.S. Moreover, Vohra says the fatality rate for Amanita poisonings is believed to be in the range of 10-15 percent of cases. That's nothing to sneeze at, but it's not exactly a death sentence, either. IMPORTANT: If you suspect that you've ingested a death cap (or any poisonous mushroom), call the American Association of Poison Control Centers' toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-222-1222 immediately. If you live outside the U.S., contact the local poison control center in your region or country. Now That's Interesting Legend has it that Agrippina may have murdered Roman Emperor Claudius to secure the throne for her son, Nero. The murder weapon? Many speculate that it was a poisonous mushroom, perhaps Amanita phalloides. "Doing Justice in Sentencing" | Main | Federal double jeopardy cert grant and two summary reversals awarding police qualified immunity on new SCOTUS order list October 17, 2021 New special issue of Science explores "Criminal Injustice: Mass Incarceration in the United States" This new issue of Science includes a special section of articles exploring the deep roots and deep consequences of mass incarceration in the United States. This introduction, titled "An outlier of injustice," sets up what follows this way: For much of the 20th century, the incarceration rate in the US was relatively stable. But beginning in the early 1970s, several decades of tough on crime policies contributed to a dramatic rise in incarceration. Today, despite recent declines, the US incarceration rate remains a global outlier. This system of mass incarceration is particularly hostile to Black Americans, who have been imprisoned in stunningly disproportionate numbers. Amid burgeoning interest in scholarship on criminal justice, this special issue examines social science research on the state of mass incarceration in the US: its origin and expansion, its far-reaching effects on families and communities, and why the public tolerates and encourages it. Tracing the systems roots back to slavery, researchers examine the interplay between incarceration, labor demand, and racial domination in the labor market. As criminal justice infrastructure has grown more costly and vast, the system has extracted wealth from poor communities that it preys upon to fiscally survive. This ever-expanding web of incarceration entangles extraordinary numbers of people of all racial groups, with close to half of all Americans having a spouse or coparent, parent, sibling, or child that is or has been incarcerated. To support such a system, many Americans psychologically deny that structural racism is at the heart of criminal justice. Government responses to social justice protests often ignore root social causes and possible remedies and instead rely on policing. Also, law enforcement increasingly draws upon commercial technologies that challenge public oversight and democratic policing. Research on these topics is critical to reveal how we got here, as well as to inform and inspire change. Here are links to the articles that follow, all of which are worth checking out: "Policing social unrest and collective violence" by Elizabeth Hinton "The corporate shadow in democratic policing" by Elizabeth E. Joh "Assessing mass incarcerations effects on families" by Hedwig Lee and Christopher Wildeman "Exclusion and exploitation: The incarceration of Black Americans from slavery to the present" by Christopher Muller "Toward an understanding of structural racism: Implications for criminal justice" by Julian M. Rucker and Jennifer A. Richeson "The predatory dimension of criminal justice" by Joshua Page and Joe Soss October 17, 2021 at 07:30 PM | Permalink Comments "many Americans psychologically deny that structural racism is at the heart of criminal justice" Haven't we all had about enough of this lunacy? Black people are more violent than other races. Period. And yes,there should never have been differences between powder and crack cocaine, but that was more on an elitist thing than a race thing. The authors of this paper also have it wrong. The run up in incarceration did not really begin until the early 80s and it wasn't just blacks that were caught in the net. It's papers like this one that are so stupid in their focus on fake "systemic racism" which does not exist, that makes one wonder if the over-incarceration problem in America will ever be resolved. With friends like these ones, who needs enemies. I urge everyone to repudiate this putrid nonsense. Posted by: restless94110 | Oct 19, 2021 2:59:55 PM Post a comment COLUMBIA, Md., October 18, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Three renowned research partners pulled from academia, industry, and nonprofit are hosting a joint symposium later this month focused on the current and future state of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, open and free to all. The MATRIX AI Consortium, housed in The University of Texas at San Antonio, BigBear.ai, and the Maryland Innovation & Security Institute (MISI) will host the conference live and virtually. The conference program will focus on the current state of AI and Quantum Computing and discuss the potential impact of the convergence of these two transformational technologies. "MATRIX has been offering a series of transdisciplinary AI seminars and workshops since its inception. In this offering, we feature how AI systems are inextricably linked to its societal impacts with respect to matters of fairness, privacy, bias, and energy constraints. We also present how the interplay with quantum computing can impact emerging computing systems," said Dhireesha Kudithipudi, founding director of the MATRIX AI Consortium. "Organizations across the public and private sectors are drowning in data, and the amount of data created over the next three years is expected to exceed the data created over the last 30 years," said Reggie Brothers, chief executive officer of BigBear.ai. "AI-powered tools augment the human decision-making process, and the convergence of quantum computing and AI will meaningfully strengthen those tools and expand the potential for leaders to harness the power of their information and achieve decision dominance. BigBear.ai is thrilled to partner with UTSA and MISI to explore what the future holds as these two important technologies converge." "AI and Quantum and its future role in the defense and competitive advantages to our society are foundational to the work MISI Mission Accelerators, DreamPort and MindScape, are focused on. Our nation has trailed in making the investments needed to ensure supremacy in the AI and Quantum race, but this is changing and organizations such as MISI and its partners across academia, industry and the leading partners of the US are pivotal to the work our organization has and continues to engage in on behalf of our stakeholders. We are happy to engage in this effort in doing our part to support the continued advancement, collective thinking, and information sharing needed to support this very important national and global challenge," added Armando Seay, co-founder and director of the Maryland Innovation & Security Institute. Story continues Keynote speakers include Sebastian Risi, associate professor from the IT University of Copenhagen whose research is focused on computational evolution, deep learning, and crowdsourcing, with applications in robotics, video games, design, and art; Michael Hayduk, deputy director of the Information Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) where he plays a key role in overseeing an annual budget of over $1.8 billion, leading the activities of over 1,200 scientists, engineers, administrative and support personnel; and Zachary Chase Lipton, assistant professor of operations research and machine learning, Carnegie Mellon University, whose research is focused on machine learning (ML) algorithms, and for healthcare, empirical deep learning, natural language processing, and causal inference and discovery. Over two dozen panelists and moderators will participate in the program, including representatives from the Army Research Laboratory, BigBear.ai, CACI International Inc., The Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CyManII), the Department of Energy, Honeywell Quantum Systems, MITRE Corporation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Rochester Institute of Technology, Sandia National Laboratories, University of Massachusetts Amherst, UT Austin and UTSA. A full line-up of speakers is available here. AI and Quantum Computing are transformational technologies that will fundamentally change how we observe, interpret, and interact with the world of data that surrounds us every day. AI is becoming ubiquitous, as we observe a recent wave of advancements driven by technical achievements that include GPUs and high-performance computational platforms that process massive volumes of data faster and with steadily improving accuracy. Quantum computing is still in its early stages of development, but we have observed a steady stream of breakthroughs and innovations, coupled with a significant investment in the technology needed to bring quantum supremacy, or the ability of a quantum computer to outperform their classical counterparts. Quantum computing has the potential to add significant power to AI technology, overcoming the limitations that restrict the functionality of AI inherent in classical computers. Quantum computers perform calculations based on the probability of an object's state before it is measured. Compared to classic computers, which are based on binary values (1s and 0s), the quantum computer has the potential to process exponentially more data. This has tremendous potential to impact AI - which relies on processing huge amounts of complex datasets to develop new algorithms that allow for better learning, reasoning, and understanding. This conference will explore how quantum computing is likely bring significant new advances in AI, and the work underway to achieve critical milestones to be considered a mature technology, including: The continued advancement and development of less error-prone and more powerful quantum computing systems to support AI advancement The development and wide adoption of open-source modeling and training frameworks and quantum AI algorithms The development of a trained workforce and a substantial and skilled developer ecosystem The demonstration of compelling AI applications for which quantum computing that outperforms classical computing To register for the free event, visit: https://misi.tech/events/event-ai-quantum-computing-symposium.php. To attend virtually, register here: https://misi.tech/events/event-ai-quantum-computing-symposium.php. To attend in person, register here: https://misi.tech/reg/reg-ai-quantum-computing-symposium-vip.php. About The MATRIX AI Consortium for Human Well-Being The MATRIX AI Consortium for Human Well-Being (MATRIX) is a transdisciplinary multi-stakeholder research enterprise focused on achieving excellence in artificial intelligence (AI) research and scholarship. MATRIXs mission is to conduct transformative research in the design, use, and deployment of AI that enhances human life; and offer rigorous research training opportunities that transcend disciplinary boundaries. Comprised of over 60 researchers from its four core collaborating institutions in the greater San Antonio area The University of Texas at San Antonio, UT Health San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute, and Texas Biomedical Research Institute. https://ai.utsa.edu About BigBear.ai A leader in decision dominance for more than 20 years, BigBear.ai operationalizes artificial intelligence and machine learning at scale through its end-to-end data analytics platform. The company uses its proprietary AI/ML technology to support its customers decision-making processes and deliver practical solutions that work in complex, realistic and imperfect data environments. BigBear.ais composable AI-powered platform solutions work together as often as they stand alone: Observe (data ingestion and conflation), Orient (composable machine learning at scale), and Dominate (visual anticipatory intelligence and optimization). BigBear.ais customers, which include the U.S. Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, the U.S. Federal Government, as well as customers in the commercial sector, rely on BigBear.ais high value software products and technology to analyze information, identify and manage risk, and support mission critical decision making. Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, BigBear.ai has additional locations in Virginia, Massachusetts, Michigan, and California. http://bigbear.ai | follow BigBear.ai on Twitter: @BigBearai. About Maryland Innovation & Security Institute (MISI) Founded in 2018, MISI has rapidly become the gathering place for the US Government it global partners, world leaders in technology seeking to accelerate advancements in cyber, AI, next cryptology, zero trust and critical infrastructure protection. Its stakeholders include the DoD, Intelligence Community, state and local government and leading corporations. The award-winning organization was founded as a not-for-profit and has fostered a well-earned reputation for getting the critical work of technology innovation discovery, integration and viability testing. MISI partners with the leading technology disrupters, corporations, academic researchers and global technology change makers as key mission partners. MISI applies deep solutions thinking that pushes the envelope in the current state of AI and ML to solve as yet unsolvable problems for its stakeholders. MISI is headquartered in Columbia, MD and operates the DreamPort and the newly launched MindScape Mission Accelerator. https://misi.tech Summary Details: Date: October 21-22, 2021 Time: 9 a.m. 3 p.m. each day Venue: MISI DreamPort (7000 Columbia Gateway, Suite 150, Columbia MD 21046 / 443-626-4450) Mix of individual speakers and panels, with a networking opportunity over lunch Hosts: UTSA MATRIX AI, BigBear.ai and MISI DreamPort View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005059/en/ Contacts For UTSA: UTSA University Strategic Communications Bruce Forey, APR 210-551-1625 For BigBear.ai: Reevemark Paul Caminiti/Delia Cannan/Pam Greene 212-433-4600 For MISI: Maryland Innovation & Security Institute (MISI) Karissa Seckman 443-458-2334 There was a moment last year, as COVID-19 brought the entire planet to a standstill, when the chef and owner of one of the world's most renowned and expensive restaurants thought he might lose everything. Daniel Humm's restaurant, Eleven Madison Park, has three Michelin stars and had recently topped the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. But like so many other less famous restaurants during the pandemic, it had to lay off all its employees, was struggling to pay its vendors and was facing the once-unthinkable prospect of filing for bankruptcy. "At times I thought, well, if we're going bankrupt with Eleven Madison Park, maybe that's the end of a chapter," Humm told CNN in an interview in August. "I actually got to the place where I was comfortable with that idea. I mean, you have to." Humm came to find the idea liberating, he said. Like many others before him he had previously concluded the food system required less meat consumption to be sustainable long-term. So if he might lose the restaurant anyway, why not take a chance? That thinking laid the groundwork for a decision that shocked the food world: In early May, Humm announced that when Eleven Madison park reopened the following month it would go completely plant-based. (The only exception, he said at the time, would be cow's milk as an add-on for coffee or tea.) The menu which includes items like a vegan caviar service made from tonburi, roasted eggplant with coriander and sesame tofu with squash is all served with the signature flair and detail that Eleven Madison Park is known for. But the move comes with significant risks. By going meatless, Humm is potentially shrinking his customer base to a smaller niche of diners. And those diners currently have cheaper options among other vegan or vegan-friendly fine-dining establishments in New York. Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy, for example, has been creating plant-based fine dining since 2008, with a tasting menu that runs for $130 per person including wine. Daniel Boulud opened his "vegetable-forward and seafood centric" restaurant Le Pavillon earlier this year, and a six-course vegetarian tasting menu is $155. Humm, however, didn't cut the price when cutting the meat. EMP's prix-fixe menu is still $335 per person more if you add wine to the tab. Reputation matters a lot for a restaurant like EMP, which is in a tier that relies on staying buzzy. In a pre-COVID-19 world, it was the kind of restaurant people traveled thousands of miles for after working hard to cinch a notoriously difficult reservation. Since the reopening diners have largely been New Yorkers, but that is unlikely to be the case long-term once travel picks up again. The question is whether the new menu can keep up the appeal and the hype that's critical to EMP's survival. The reviews so far including a scathing piece from the New York Times' Pete Wells The early reviews of the new EMP have largely not been positive. Some have even been downright scathing. "This $1,000 dinner for two is not going to change the world. It is not a redefining of luxury, or anything close to it," Eater's Ryan Sutton wrote in September. "Omnivores have long been seeking out accessible yet ambitious vegetarian and vegan fare, and Humm, based on a mid-August meal, doesn't yet appear to fully possess the palate, acumen, or cultural awareness to successfully manipulate vegetables or, when necessary, to let them speak for themselves." New York Times critic Pete Wells' review last month went viral for its withering lines, including one about an EMP beet tasting like "a cross between lemon Pledge and a burning joint." Beyond his problems with the food itself, Wells also pointed out that people who have environmental concerns about meat may not have much reason to celebrate EMP's move. "People tend to think of factory farms and feedlots when they hear about meat and sustainability. But Eleven Madison Park didn't buy industrial pork for its compressed brick of suckling pig. As the servers were always reminding you in the old days, the pork, eggs, cheese and other animal products came from small, independent regional farms...If every restaurant that supports sustainable local agriculture followed Mr. Humm's new path, those small farms would be in deep trouble," he wrote. And, importantly, he noted that through the end of this year, EMP still offers a meat option for customers who book a private dining room, a "metaphor for Manhattan, where there's always a higher level of luxury, a secret room where the rich eat roasted tenderloin while everybody else gets an eggplant canoe." Wells did note that EMP has a history of correcting itself, however: "Each time the restaurant has overhauled itself the cryptic grid menu, the magic tricks at the table, the themed New York City menu it has gone overboard, then pulled back to a less extreme place," he said, adding that "its talent for overcoming its own missteps was one reason I gave it four stars in its last review in The New York Times, in 2015." A spokesperson for EMP would not comment on Wells' and Sutton's critiques, noting it is restaurant policy to not comment on reviews. The spokesperson confirmed the restaurant's decision to offer meat in the private room in a statement. "It is an incredible undertaking to reopen a restaurant, especially in the midst of a rapidly evolving pandemic, and it took the entirety of our staff's focus and efforts to execute this at the level Eleven Madison Park operates," the statement said. "Our intention was always to transition the private dining room to be fully plant-based as well. In early September, we made the decision to remove the last remaining animal products from the private dining room menus by January 1, 2022." Taking a cue from Tesla Others say Humm deserves some credit for his decision to go meatless. "The problem is [Humm's] going plant-based creates a narrative of novelty and freshness and vision on his part when there have already been chefs going in this direction who haven't gotten this attention," Alicia Kennedy, a writer who has written extensively about vegan and vegetarian food, told CNN. Still, Humm's move has significance because of his place in the industry similar to how a top luxury fashion designer refusing to use leather or fur still has meaning even now, Kennedy said. "If Daniel Humm making this choice has influence on chefs who look up to him ... then it is serving a really good purpose," Kennedy said. If it trickles down even further, to neighborhood suburban spots, that's even better, she said. As for Humm, he said he felt EMP could do with food what Tesla accomplished with cars. "It was only really until Tesla created an electric luxury car that they made it sexy," he said. "They made it luxurious. They made it beautiful. And so it took that for the whole world to change. And I thought of having this similar responsibility of this restaurant that we actually were in a very unique position. Most restaurants don't have the luxury to make that kind of risky move." That doesn't address the question of whether a meatless menu will keep people coming through EMP's doors in the long run. But Humm said in August that the wait list was massive, with "15,000 table requests at one time." Reservations for Eleven Madison Park have continued to sell out the morning they are released, a spokesperson said. Since it reopened, the restaurant has been serving roughly the same number of tables as it did prior to the pandemic, but in total, it's serving far fewer people: It's now open for dinner only six nights a week, and before, it served dinner nightly and lunch three times a week. When asked to elaborate on other metrics like sales and profitability, the spokesperson said EMP does not share financial information. Humm, as ever, is focused on the food. And he has remained optimistic that a vegan EMP can be successful. "I think it's the best cooking we've ever done," Humm said. "By a long shot." *** Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SIOUX CITY --- About 30 members of the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City will be deployed to help resettle Afghan refugees. A total of 65 Iowa National Guard members, including members of the 185th and the 132nd Wing in Des Moines, will be assigned to an undisclosed location in the U.S. to assist with Operation Allies Welcome, an ongoing effort to bring U.S. citizens home from Afghanistan and to resettle vulnerable Afghan refugees, according to a press release from the Iowa National Guard. The guard members will deploy for approximately 60 to 90 days under Title 10 federal deployment orders, starting in November. They'll be providing logistical, sustainment and interagency support for Afghan refugees in the U.S., according to the Iowa National Guard. Capt. Kevin Waldron, deputy public affairs officer with the Iowa National Guard, said Monday he could not immediately provide details about where in the U.S. the 185th Airmen are going. "It could be a variety of locations," Waldron said. "They do fall under U.S. Northern Command, so, that command encompasses the greater 50 states and U.S. territories. So within that region." Tens of thousands of Afghan refugees evacuated from Kabul after the Taliban took control of the country arrived in the U.S. in recent months, largely without a clear roadmap to resettlement. Many evacuees are temporarily living at U.S. military bases. U.S. forces departed Afghanistan late this summer on the order of President Joe Biden, who vowed to end the 20-year military engagement there. U.S. troops arrived in 2001 and quickly toppled the Taliban, which had provided sanctuary for al-Qaeda, perpetrators of the Sept. 11 attacks. The Taliban rapidly took control of the country as U.S. forces were leaving, bringing with them the threat of harsh reprisals against Afghans who had allied themselves with U.S. fighting forces. The Biden administration faced a torrent a criticism for a faulty and slow evacuation plan that criticism claimed left many U.S. citizens and Afghan allies behind. Since Aug. 14, nearly 130,000 people, including about 5,000 Americans, were airlifted out of Afghanistan. At least 53,000 Afghans who left on those fights have been housed at U.S. bases, according to federal officials. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- An Emerson, Nebraska man was injured in a shooting in Sioux City on Saturday night. At around 11:54 p.m. Saturday, Sioux City Police officers were dispatched to UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's, 2720 Stone Park Blvd., where a man had arrived with a gunshot wound to his stomach, according to a press release from the Sioux City Police Department. Officers spoke with "multiple parties" and determined that the shooting occurred in the 2600 block of Douglas Street. The victim was identified as 44-year-old Gary Wendte of Emerson. He is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SIOUX CITY -- The U.S. Marshals Service Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force is seeking the public's assistance in locating the following person: David Barragan, 25. He is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds. Barragan is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service for violation of his federal probation. He was placed on federal probation after release from prison for federal drug crime convictions. ONAWA, Iowa -- A Sioux City man who ran over a man on a motorcycle on Interstate 29 and stole two pickup trucks has been found guilty of attempted murder and other charges. A jury in Monona County District Court returned its verdict Friday evening, finding Jayme Powell guilty of two counts each of attempted murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and operating a motor vehicle without owner's consent and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. District Judge Roger Sailer scheduled sentencing for Dec. 3. Powell, 40, faces 25-year prison sentences for attempted murder, 10-year prison sentences for intimidation with a dangerous weapon and five-year prison sentences for each of the remaining charges. At sentencing, Sailer will determine if the sentences will be served consecutively -- one after the other -- or concurrently -- at the same time -- or some combination of the two. Powell was arrested Dec. 27 after he fired shots at a woman in her vehicle and then ran over Richard Polack, who was driving a motorcycle, on southbound Interstate 29 near Whiting, Iowa. Powell's pickup left the road and was immobilized after coming to rest on top of the motorcycle. He left the scene and stole a pickup from a nearby farm and crashed through a livestock fence and into a tree before abandoning it. He stole a second pickup from another residence and was later found driving it in Sioux City and arrested. Polack, of Sioux City, was hospitalized in Sioux City after the incident. Powell and Polack had been in a fight earlier in Sioux City. Investigators found two bullet holes in the vehicle driven by the woman who had reported the shooting on the interstate. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. FRESNO, Calif. -- A Sioux City man charged with a California homicide is scheduled to stand trial in January. Isaac Helms, 20, pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of murder, second-degree robbery and receiving stolen property. His trial was scheduled for Jan. 13 in Fresno County Superior Court in Fresno. Precious Green, 21, of Sioux City, also is charged with murder and second-degree robbery. Her arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 4. Both are charged with a Sept. 26, 2019, robbery setup that resulted in the fatal shooting of a Fresno man. A third Sioux Cityan, Hannah Haywood, 21, pleaded guilty in November to second-degree robbery in exchange for the dismissal of a murder charge. Alexa Ramos, 22, of Firebaugh, California, also has pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery and will have a murder charge dismissed. Neither Haywood nor Ramos have been sentenced. Authorities believe Helms, Green, Haywood and Ramos set up a meeting with Tyrel Truss, 20, in order to rob him. According to the Fresno County Sheriff's office, while the five were riding in a car, an altercation took place, and Helms shot Truss. Helms, Green, Haywood and Ramos then attempted to flee but were detained by officers dispatched to the scene. Detectives found a gun believed to have been used in the shooting, and Helms, Green, Haywood and Ramos were found in possession of Truss' items. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison for a shooting near downtown Sioux City. Tyronn Mallory, 20, pleaded guilty in writing Thursday in Woodbury County District Court to willful injury, going armed with intent and reckless use of a firearm. A charge of attempted murder was dismissed as part of a plea agreement. District Judge Roger Sailer entered the sentencing order Monday morning. Mallory must serve a minimum of five years before he's eligible for parole. Mallory shot the victim July 28 in an alley behind 1411 Pierce St. Police obtained video showing Mallory shooting the 33-year-old victim in the lower back, buttocks and the back of the knee. Mallory was arrested two days later. The victim was hospitalized at MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center for treatment of his wounds. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man accused of shooting a woman outside a Sioux City gentleman's club now faces federal prosecution. A complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Sioux City charges Rudy Johnson, 27, with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. He also faces possible revocation of his supervised release from a previous federal conviction for a 2012 armed robbery. A federal grand jury has yet to return an indictment in his case. Johnson is accused of shooting Krista Kruckenberg, 28, of Sioux Falls, outside Mavericks Gentlemen's Club, 416 Cunningham Drive, on Dec. 20. According to court documents, Kruckenberg and her friends began arguing with another woman and her friends, and they went outside to fight. During the fight between Kruckenberg's friend and a woman who was Johnson's girlfriend, Johnson fired eight shots into the group of people watching. Kruckenberg was struck six or seven times, including in her jaw, shoulder, pelvis, foot and both arms. Johnson then grabbed his girlfriend and they fled. Johnson was arrested July 16 in Indiana. He was charged in Woodbury County District Court with willful injury, going armed with intent, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, assault while participating in a felony, reckless use of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm and was to stand trial Oct. 26. Woodbury County Attorney Patrick Jennings filed for a dismissal of the case last week after the federal complaint was filed. District Judge Roger Sailer dismissed the case Friday. Johnson was sentenced in 2013 to more than 16 years in federal prison, but a portion of that sentence was vacated in accordance with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the wording in one of the charges of which he and his co-defendants was convicted was unconstitutional. In December, a federal judge resentenced Johnson to time served and placed him on three years' supervised release. Johnson was subsequently released from federal prison. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- South Sioux City eighth grade students got the opportunity to create art outside of the classroom this month. Art Teacher Tracia Blom started a project creating murals in two parts of town. The morning of Oct. 8, students took cans of spray paint and started filling in the carefully created outline of a mural under the Veterans' Memorial Bridge between South Sioux City and Sioux City. The second mural was under Highway 77 towards Atokad. Blom took a class in July called service, learning, community. She has taught for 36 years and has done project like this before so she decided to do it again. Spray paint was not only an easier form of paint, it also allowed the students to see the result of their work right away. Blom approached the principal, superintendent, city administrator, city council, school board, police department and the Nebraska roads department before going ahead with the project. She painted the first outlines in September and will do some final detail work after the students complete it. There were two classes of eighth graders, totaling 41 students, working on the project. Around 100 cans of spray paint was purchased for it with funds from the superintendent and the city. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The girl was 6 years old when she first told child advocacy workers that she had suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a Wahoo police officer. Yet Sean Vilmont was not arrested. She reported worsening abuse, in 2017, at age 9. Again, Vilmont was not arrested. He remained a Wahoo police officer and was even promoted to lieutenant and second-in-command in July 2019. The girl said the inappropriate touching continued. It was only when she reported the sexual abuse a third time in January, when she was 13 years old and with different law enforcement agencies assigned to the case that her disclosure resulted in an arrest and charges. Vilmont, 51, was charged last month with three counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child. If convicted, he could face up to nine years in prison. Vilmont put up $1,000, or 10% of his $10,000 bail, to be released from jail Sept. 24, the same day he was arrested. He declined to comment Friday when reached by phone. A newly unsealed affidavit shows that Vilmont was twice investigated by Fremont police, in 2015 and 2017, but that arrest warrants were denied by the Dodge County Attorneys Office. The third time the girl told officials about sexual abuse, the Nebraska State Patrol investigated, the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office prosecuted, and Vilmont was arrested. Several law enforcement officials involved with the case declined to comment or provide insight into why an arrest wasnt made until recently. Fremont Police Chief Jeff Elliott said detectives followed up on the leads they had at the time and provided all the evidence they had to the Dodge County Attorneys Office, which was then led by Oliver Glass. I dont know what the rationale was to declining to file (charges), but Ive reviewed both (cases) and believe both of the investigations were handled correctly and there was not sufficient evidence, Elliott said. He declined to provide specific details or the previous reports or warrant applications. He said those would have to be subpoenaed. Vilmont became a Wahoo police officer in June 2011. He was terminated Sept. 22, the day charges were filed in Dodge County. Vilmont can appeal his firing. Wahoo Police Chief Bruce Ferrell, who took the job in 2018, and former Police Chief Kenneth Jackson declined to say whether they were aware of the previous investigations into Vilmont. Wahoo and Fremont are about 20 miles apart. Elliott said the Wahoo and Fremont Police Departments work together as necessary, but he said that he didnt know Vilmont and that he had never had a conversation with him. Speaking generally, Elliott said that in sexual assault cases, detectives will look for more evidence than just he said or she said. Dodge County Attorney Paul Vaughan said the cases in 2015 and 2017 were handled by two different attorneys who no longer work in the office. Vaughan declined to name those attorneys or provide additional details but said records noted that the attorneys didnt believe there was adequate evidence to file the charges. According to the affidavit written by State Patrol investigator CJ Alberico, the girl first told her school counselor in 2015, when she was 6, that Vilmont touched her bottom with his hands over her clothing when she was on his bed. She said she did not like it. Fremont officers interviewed Vilmont, who said he was never alone with the girl. Elliott said his department received the report of the alleged abuse in January 2015, and an application for an arrest warrant was filed the next month. It was denied. Elliott said the County Attorneys Office decides whether to file charges based on the evidence presented. Unless more evidence is requested, he said, the investigation is over if prosecutors decline to file charges. Two years later, when the girl was 9, she said in an interview with child advocates that Vilmont had touched her privates over her clothes with his hands. The girl said Vilmont laid her on his bed after she bathed, wearing only a towel. Vilmont then touched her, making her feel uncomfortable, according to the affidavit. Fremont police interviewed Vilmont, who said he had been alone with the girl in the past two years but had never shared a bed with her. He said the girl was fabricating the allegations and that she was beginning to discover her own body. The affidavit said the girls mother did not believe her daughter. She said the girl was on medication that caused delusions, the affidavit said. Fremont officers again submitted an arrest warrant application, which was denied. In a child advocacy interview in January of this year, the then-13-year-old girl talked about sexual abuse she said had occurred more than five times. She said Vilmont pulled her pants down and touched her genital area and bottom with his fingers and penis and forced her to touch his penis. The girl said the acts occurred in Vilmonts bedroom and a vehicle. The girl told her fathers girlfriend that Vilmont had given her toys, makeup, a cellphone and fake fingernails, saying she earned them. The girls father and relatives told investigators that they supported and believed her. The girl said she last was sexually assaulted by Vilmont on Jan. 19, and her GPS device location history put her at or near Vilmonts residence in Fremont that day. Vilmont was placed on paid administrative leave in early February, according to Wahoo city records. Alberico, the State Patrol investigator, filed the arrest warrant affidavit last month. She declined to comment and referred a reporter to prosecutor Corey OBrien of the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, who also declined to comment. Glass, who had been Dodge County attorney since 2011, resigned in February after being arrested on a second DUI charge. Last month, he was indicted on federal cyberstalking charges as officials alleged that he used his elected position to harass his estranged wifes boyfriend. Glass did not respond to a voicemail Friday, but his attorney, Clarence Mock, said Glass relayed to him that he has no memory of handling the previous Vilmont cases himself. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is offering a new program that can increase the acceptance rate of students into the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps Prep program helps students interested in the Corps take the right classes at UNL, find internships and give them hands-on experiences to boost their applications. The Peace Corps is a two-year program that sends volunteers overseas to aid countries with economic development, medical care, education and more. "I think a lot of young people right now are interested in global development and the interconnectedness between countries," said Katherine Lacy, who volunteered in China from 2010-12. "I think this is such a great opportunity to learn more about our world and to participate in it." Students can join the prep program as freshmen and complete it throughout their four years at UNL, or even join with just two semesters left, program coordinator Rebecca Baskerville said. To complete the program, students will take a variety of classes that cater to the Corps' six sectors: agriculture, environment, community economic development, health, education and youth development. Corps volunteers will work under only one of the six sectors. So, having a college major that falls under a sector can make the program completion process easier, said Baskerville, who also volunteered in the Corps. I think student to student, it will really vary whether theyre adding several additional classes to their degree plan or if its something they'll accomplish very naturally, she said. The program itself is free to join, but students still have to pay tuition for the classes they take for the program. However, if a student studies abroad, they become eligible for scholarships through the program, which is something few other schools have. This is something that is unique to UNL and isn't offered by most other universities, Baskerville said. Upon completion of the program, students will receive a certificate from the Peace Corps. Because the Corps is a highly competitive organization, having certification can give students an edge in the application process, said Anthony Abate, a Peace Corps program specialist. Students who complete the program don't have to apply to the Corps, but even with the credential, there is no promise of acceptance. "Students can start the prep program as early as freshmen. By the time they graduate, they'll be 22 or 23. Their life plans may change," Baskerville said. The program was put together with the help of both the Education Abroad Department and the School of Global Integrative Studies. The university applied to become a Peace Corps prep institution in December, and the program became official in July. Students accepted into the program will officially start the process in January. Even without the program, UNL students have been going into the Peace Corps for years. In the last 60 years, more than 500 UNL alums have volunteered in the Corps, Abate said. All Peace Corps volunteers were removed from their countries and brought back to the U.S. at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring of 2020, Abate said, but they plan to be back overseas soon. Even with an uncertain future for the Peace Corps in the pandemic, Lacy said she highly recommends students take advantage of the program and the opportunities the Corps has to offer. "The Peace Corps is such a great way to learn about the world while learning about yourself," Lacy said. "As much as it is about learning about a new culture and a new environment, it's also about learning about yourself, your interests and finding out what you're capable of." Reach the writer at jebbers@journalstar.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group. Dear Care and Feeding, My 18-year-old-son Chads depression is becoming overwhelming and exhausting for me. My son is amazing, intelligent, and bright. Growing up he always had a lot of energy, was optimistic, enthusiasticetc. He was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia around third grade. He thrived both academically and socially despite that. Right around the time high school started he started getting depressed. Advertisement We started seeing a counselor together. And then he saw him (and still does) independently. The counselor has been a lifesaver to our family. Hes helped me understand what my son is going through and gave me tools and guidance to try to help Chad through his struggles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About a year ago things got really bad. He said he wanted to kill himself, and we ended up in the hospital overnight. It led to him seeing a doctor and getting on antidepressants, which helped, but he did not like the way they made him feel so he stopped taking them. He is now in college (locally) and still very much struggling. My issue isIm exhausted. And embarrassed to say, Im losing patience. I know depression is a lifelong illness. I know its not his fault. I know I will always love my son no matter what. But its taking a toll on our entire family. We have three other kids. We expect a certain level of chores and cleaning up after yourself from all of them. (They do dishes after dinner, make their own lunches and clean up after that, do their own laundry, etc.) When Chad is clearly going through a rough patch, he tends to walk away from chores. Hell just absentmindedly leave the room. When brought to his attention, sometimes its fine and hell apologize and proceed to help. Other times itll send him spiraling into self-loathing. Advertisement Advertisement Ive spent countless, sleepless nights in his room talking things over with him. Ive canceled countless things to rush home and be by his side when hes called me in a panic. Ive done his laundry for him so hes got clean clothes and has one less thing to stress/feel bad about. Weve all started just doing his share of the dishes and other chores for fear saying anything will send him spiraling again. His dad is always saying its not fair to the other kids. Hes the oldest and should be the biggest help/example. He thinks Im babying him. But I truly believe hes depressed and Im desperate for him to get the help he needs. Its beginning to feel endless and Im beginning to feel hopeless myself. Im less available to my other kids when hes home and feel guilty about that as well. Advertisement Advertisement Helpless to Help Dear Helpless to Help, It sounds like you and your family are doing the best that you can to help Chad. Its great that you found a counselor whos been helpful; I hope that you and Chad are still seeing him. Youre right that clinical depression is a lifelong condition that Chad will have to manage. You, your husband, and your other three children will, in turn, have to manage your expectations. Chad may not be capable of contributing to household chores as regularly as the rest of the family. He may not be able to participate in every family activity. And sometimes, youll have to accept that and give him the space to contend with his illness, while continuing on with your daily routines and responsibilities. Take whatever measures you can to ensure his safety if hes ever left home alone, but dont necessarily cancel or postpone what needs to be done until Chad is able to participate in the way that you imagine he can and should. Advertisement Advertisement Have you and your husband considered joining a support group for parents of children with depression? Having a wider network of support may help you to feel less frustrated and alone. Talking with other parents may also provide you with a greater sense of perspective, as well as new strategies to help Chad navigate his condition. Theres strength in community and I hope youre able to shore yours up. Your family needs as much encouragement as Chad does, and I hope you all find a wealth of it. Slate Plus members get more Care and Feeding from Stacia each week. Sign up today! From this weeks letter, Our Otherwise Excellent Nanny Does One Thing That Really Worries Me: My daughter is only 2does she even notice or care? Advertisement Advertisement Dear Care and Feeding, My adult daughter is 21 and breaking my heart. About two years ago, I divorced her father due to very private things within our marriage after he cheated on me. I did not disclose to my children the cause of the divorce, because I felt like that was between my ex-husband and me, and I did not want the kids to hate their father. Hes a great dad, always has been, but we could no longer stay married. We are completely fine with no drama between us, and we co-parent our child that is still at home extremely well. The kids always came first. Advertisement My daughter was away at college and living her own life well before the divorce. Since then, my daughter has clung to her father. I was the one that filed the divorce and my daughter puts all of the blame for my failed marriage on me. She truly resents me and shuts me out. When I call her, shes rather short to me and honestly downright mean. She posts terrible memes on Facebook about terrible moms and childhood trauma to the point that friends and family call me, concerned about her behavior and wondering what shes talking about. Advertisement It was never like this before. We were always so close when she was growing up. I never dealt with teenage attitude, and I was the first person that she would always call. Ive tried to give her space to come to terms with divorce, and Ive tried talking to her about her feelings. She always says shes fine and shuts down. Ive received no empathy from her on how hard this divorce must have been for my ex or myself. It was not an easy decision for us to come to, but it was the right one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If I say anything about my life, she responds with garbage like, You should have thought about that before you decided to break up our family. Im not looking for her to pick my side, but I want her to know that she has two loving, kind parents. My ex has never owned his part in the demise of our marriage, but would my childrens lives be better knowing that my ex cheated on me multiple times (starting very early on), and I could no longer be in that marriage? Advertisement Should I disclose this information? How can I repair my relationship with her without dragging my ex and exposing the dirty details of our marriage? It feels like I should have the right to some privacy. Heartbroken Mama Dear Heartbroken Mama, You are entitled to privacy about the specific details that led to your divorce. If youd prefer to keep your ex-husbands infidelities to yourself, youre well within your rights to do so. You and your ex are adults, who handled your marriage and its dissolution as you thought was best. As far as co-parenting your younger child is going, at least, it sounds like youve done a few things well. Advertisement Bear in mind, however, even when children are never told the details of their parents marriage, theyre constant, live-in observers of the union. They can sense when things are tense, troubled, and unstable. This is true whether there are loud shouting matches, hushed post-bedtime arguments, or extended periods of silent treatment. Absences and excuses for absence can be as telling as an outright admission of infidelity. Advertisement You say that your husband began his extramarital relationships early on in your marriage. Is it possible that your daughter picked up on the problems (without knowing exactly what they were), long before the two of you decided to divorce, and decided to keep quiet about them over the years, just as you did? If so, she may view the divorce as a disruption of the status quowhy didnt you keep overlooking its problems, as you had for her entire childhood. Advertisement Its unfortunate that shes blaming you, and Im sorry that her behavior is causing you such pain. You dont deserve to bear the brunt of her disappointment about the divorce. At minimum, consider setting a boundary with her about what sorts of comments you will and will not entertain. Remind her that she doesnt know the details and inform her of your reasoning for withholding them. Advertisement Advertisement Your daughter is an adult now, and while she may be hurting, she should be able to have a mature conversation with you about your new family dynamics. If you attempt this on your own, try asking her what her perception of your relationship was when she was growing up? Is she idealizing it or does she remember it as it was, imperfect and, perhaps more often than not, unhappy? If starting that conversation seems too daunting to undertake alone, ask your daughter if shes open to seeing a family counselor with you. If you missed Sundays Care and Feeding column, read it here. Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group! Dear Care and Feeding, I have a 7-year-old grandson, an all-around great kid. His parents never married and they co-parent 50/50. It is a rocky alliancethe mom blames the dad for getting her pregnant, and has a mental illness for which she refuses treatment, choosing to self-medicate with alcohol. The dad, on the other hand, makes a good effort dealing with the situation, and is often frustrated by Moms lack of cooperation. The problem: When my grandson is with his dad (my son), he often calls me telling me he is sad and he misses his mother. Talking with me used to work. Advertisement Advertisement Both his dad and I are at a loss about how to help him. Nights at Dads are often rough and both parties lose sleep. My grandson is afraid to sleep alone in his bed claiming there are monsters. Hes afraid of the dark. When he was younger, 4 or 5 years old, this was not a problem. He has a fun bed that he used to enjoy (think tent). Dad goes through their bedtime routinebath, story, prayer, hug. When at his moms house, he sleeps with her. His mom is aware he has trouble sleeping at Dads but makes no effort to change things on her end and feels it is normal for a boy to sleep with his mom as long as he wants. She also insists he use baby talk, such as wa-wa for water. She tells him riding the school bus is dangerous and insists on picking him up at school rather than the bus stop. In essence, she is keeping him dependent. Dad treats him with age-appropriate boundaries, chores, etc. It appears as though she may be keeping him dependent on her for her own emotional needs. The dad and I are at a loss. Dad has exhausted all methodslights on/lights off, monster (scented water), music, extra stories, allowing him to sleep in the living room, happy thoughts, drawing things he loves, etc. My grandson is so sad. It breaks my heart to hear him so unhappy and afraid. Please guide us toward the best ways to help him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lost on the Plain Dear Lost on the Plain, Heres whats going well: Your grandson has equal time with two parents who each keep him safe when hes in their care. Though it does seem that there are some major differences in parenting styles and circumstances within the separate households, it doesnt sound like your grandsons mother is a danger to him. Consistency across households is a co-parenting ideal, but it isnt always the reality. People who parent under different roofs tend to approach the task very differently. That may just have to be something you and your son accept. Its also something your son will have to explain to your grandson: Rules and routines are different at his house than they are at his moms. Reassure him that youll all do what you can to ease the transition between homes, but he cant expect the same things that happen at his moms to happen at his dads. Seven is a decent age to start introducing that concept, and though it may take some time for it to stick, hell need to embrace it for as long as the shared custody agreement remains as it is. Advertisement It does sounds like your grandson may need more help adjusting to those differences than you and your son can offer on your own. Consider finding a family counselor for him to talk to. For more of Slates parenting coverage, listen to Mom and Dad Are Fighting. Dear Care and Feeding, I desperately need some advice. My husbands sister, Kira, has had a troubled past. She struggled with addiction and ultimately lost custody of her first child. However, she got clean, got a job, and had three more children with a new partner. For years I completely believed she was an excellent, responsible mother. Her current partner, Cody, is the father of her youngest three, and is addicted to painkillers. They have had a volatile relationship, Kira disparages his parenting openly, and many times Kira claimed she was leaving him. Advertisement Advertisement Recently, Kira began disclosing more and more information about this situation. She alluded to a car accident Cody was involved in, and although originally Cody told me it was caused by poor weather, Kira later said it was due to Cody being under the influence. All three children were in the vehicle at the time and thankfully unharmed. I was very disturbed by this, as well as later revelations by Kira, like the fact that Cody passed out from drugs while watching the children. Even though I felt deeply conflicted, I still held back from notifying authorities because I truly believed in Kira and was worried she would lose her three children. Advertisement Advertisement Recently, a family member claimed that Kira is now also abusing drugs again. I am very torn. I do believe it, as she has stopped calling us, borrowed money and not repaid it, and the family member who told us this is one I trust. On one hand I believe what I have to do is report the situation. On the other hand, I worry it would just further destroy the childrens lives. My husband does not want to talk about it and says I cannot report something I have no proof of. I am sick with guilt that keeps me up at night, but I am also terrified that if I make a report it will do more harm than good. Please help me. Advertisement Sick to My Stomach Dear Sick to My Stomach, Its very difficult to determine when to intervene in situations where addiction is a factor. Kira has a history of substance abuse, and both she and her partner have recently shown multiple signs of ongoing struggles with addiction. Kiras claims about Cody endangering the children while under the influence are serious. You should take them seriously. The onus isnt on you to prove the veracity of Kiras claims. It would be the job of a child welfare professional to do so, most likely by conducting a home visit and interviewing Kira, Cody, and the children. Advertisement Advertisement You cant see the future. You dont know whether or not your intervention will further destroy the childrens lives. All you know is what youve heard directly from Kira and what youve observed of her and Codys behavior. Do you believe theres enough of an ongoing threat to the childrens well-being for you to request a welfare check? If so, you should. Advertisement Stacia More Advice From Slate My husband and I are not particularly well-off, but we are incredibly proud of our daughter, who has worked her butt off and gotten into our (excellent) state school as well as a handful of prestigious private colleges. She wants to go to one of the latter, and apart from a small amount of need-based financial aid, shes looking at taking on a lot of student loan debt. The rest of the family thinks we should help pay for part of it by cashing out our 401(k). Truly, I do not love the idea of her leaving college with that kind of debt, but Im extremely hesitant to put our savings on the line at this point in our lives. How to Do It, Slates sex advice column, now has its very own podcast featuring Stoya and Rich. Twice a week, theyll tackle their most eye-popping questions yet in your earphones. The second episode each week and this transcript are available exclusively to Slate Plus members. For a limited time, become a member now and get $25 off your first year. Have a question? Send it to Stoya and Rich here. Its anonymous! Dear How to Do It, Ive got a bit of a moral dilemma that Im hoping you can help with. My husband (M 36) and I (F 33) have been happily married for nearly five years. When we first got together in our 20s, we were completely transparent about our kinks and nonmonogamous leanings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What started as a pretty standard swinging arrangement evolved to us playing separately or my husband occasionally watching or joining in with my playmates (e.g., MFM). My husband plays separately less often than I do, and were both OK with that. And while I do hook up with random guys here and there, a drastic reduction in business travel during COVID means Ive spent significantly more time with just one other play partner who lives very close to us. To be clear, this relationship is purely physical in nature and, oh boy, physical it is. This guy totally rocks my world in the bedroom (and every other room in our respective houses for that matter). I saw him several times before my husband met him and after finally having dinner and drinks as a group one night earlier this year, we decided to have a threesome. At that point my husband got to witness the fact this guy was not only off the charts in stamina but also very large downstairs. Advertisement We had a great time together that night but afterward my husband, probably in response to watching my reaction to my lovers performance and equipment, made some pointed comments about both those things. They were mostly in jest but I could sense a slight twinge of jealousy in him. I assured him he had nothing to worry about and he legitimately didnt. At the time. Advertisement Fast forward a few months. I continued seeing this other guy regularly. At home, sex with my husband remains very good by almost every measure, and any sense of jealousy from him passed. However, the sex is next-level great with the other guy. He hits spots that my husband physically cannot, and I got to a point where I am no longer able to orgasm from PIV penetration alone with my husband (clitoral stimulation still gets me every time). Herein lies my dilemma. I havent had the heart to tell my husband this and have gone so far as to faking orgasm with him. This has gone on for a few months, my husband is none the wiser, and my desire to have sex with my husband hasnt waned despite the lack of orgasm from penetration. Advertisement Advertisement Heres where Id love some advice. Do I tell my husband? Do I keep it to myself to spare potential hurt feelings, break it off with my lover and hope I recalibrate to my husbands equipment? Do I keep things as is and just keep this secret to myself? Fake It til I Make It Dear Fake It, Advertisement You have to ask yourself what good it would serve to tell your husband that the other guy rings your bell with far more resonance. I cant imagine any. You already know that he has some feelings about that guys ability and endowmentletting him know the full extent of the disparity may push him further into insecurity, and perhaps disrupt your happily consensual nonmonogamy. While I think honesty is very much the ideal to strive for, there are things we must keep from the people that we love in order to spare their feelings. You are doing nothing wrong by enjoying sex with your play partner; you just happen to have a stronger sexual connection with him. This is something you risk in an open arrangement, and though the physical reasons you give may be the extent of the explanation, theres probably some psychology in there as well. Maybe you enjoy sex with this guy so much because of the very noncommittal nature of your connection with him, for example. Advertisement The main reason not to tell your husband about this is because you are still having very good sex with him. Your newfound inability to orgasm through PIV sex with your husband would be more of an issue if you didnt have clitoral stimulation to get yourself there. In short, you have everything in place to continue having gratifying sex with both of these men, whom you appreciate for different reasons, which is completely reasonable as they are different people. You have a good thing going on both ends; dont rock the boat. Advertisement Get the How to Do It Newsletter Sex advice from Rich and Stoya, plus exclusive letter follow-ups, delivered weekly. 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. Dear How to Do It, Im a 33-year-old gay man in Montana with a problem. Ive never had good sex, and Im starting to worry I never will. In fact, Ive not had ANY sex since 2015. My last sexual encounter was in 2019 and didnt progress beyond some heavy making out. Im fit and told Im attractive; when I open dating apps I receive plenty of offers, but Ive never been able to commit to doing the deed. Every time I consider it, my anxiety kicks into high gear. Cold sweats, shaking, the works. I back out every time. Advertisement I would like the next person I sleep with to be someone I have genuine romantic interest in. Somehow, I feel that would cure my sexual anxieties. But when I reveal to a potential how inexperienced I am and how long my dry spell has been, I get a disappointing mix of pity and scorn in response. I hear from friends I should just break the seal and hook up to get it over with, that itll be easier once Ive taken the plunge. Do you think this is good advice? Am I being naive in hoping that finding the right guy will make this easier? I feel Im missing out on so much, and that its all my fault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Self-Saboteur Dear Self-Saboteur, Lets think about fault for a second. If your lack of sex were all your fault, there would be no dilemma. Youd be in complete control of your feelings and ensuing behavior, and youd be satisfied with that. You and I wouldnt have the pleasure of making each others detached and semi-anonymous acquaintance if you were steering this ship. Advertisement Clearly, whats going on is somewhat beyond you. I dont know where the anxiety is coming from, but I suspect you wont make headway until you do. If you dont know, it might be worth talking to a professional to work through things until you reach an answer. What exactly is keeping you from the sex that you are setting out to have when you open those apps? Advertisement I dont know that ripping the Band-Aid off is really what you need. If your anxious response to the notion of hooking up has any grounding in trauma, a hasty encounter could just leave you worse off. While not everyone needs to have a romantic connection with the person theyre having sex with, some people do, and at 33, Im willing to trust that you know enough about yourself to know what you need. So pursue that. If the dating apps youre using are less euphemistically considered hookup apps (do they end in a d or ff?), try out ones that arent so bathouse-y. Pete and Chasten Buttigieg met on Hinge and they seem to be doing well. Re: Hinge, Chasten told the New York Times in 2018: I wanted a platform where youre not necessarily inundated with hookup culture and sex. Anyway, try Hinge and you might meet someone like Pete or Chasten! Advertisement Or go out and meet people in personI cant imagine that Montana is a hotbed of queer culture, but there are queer-oriented things going on in your state. Join them. Being in front of people may eradicate the uncertainty-based fear you are experiencing. If you feel like youre missing out, well, start finding things in which to involve yourself. Help us keep giving the advice you crave every week. Sign up for Slate Plus now. Advertisement Dear How to Do It, For the first 10 years of my adult life, I identified as a lesbian, and also as a strongly independent, self-sufficient person. I was in one multiyear relationship that ended because we were becoming too codependent, and I knew it wasnt what I wanted. Advertisement Ive recently started having sex with men. It turns out Im way into itand very into being submissive. Now Im starting to think about dating again. But Im scared of being in a heterosexual relationship. Im worried about losing my queer identity. Im even more scared of sacrificing the independent life Ive built. Weirdly, I dont feel any shame about telling my friends about my newfound kinks, but the idea of someday introducing them to my boyfriend makes me want to gag. Having a male partner just seems anathema to everything I understand about myself. I feel embarrassed even thinking about it in private. Advertisement I know this is nonsense. I dont want to push away people who could be wonderful partners just because theyre men, especially not when Im sexually oriented toward that crowd these days; but thats exactly what Im doing. What can I do to get over my internalized heterophobiaand even more importantly, my anxiety about losing my independent, go-it-alone identity? Advertisement Unsure Dear Unsure, Your life is expanding and your mind is slow to catch up. Youre holding onto principles and ideas about yourself that your body has since rendered untrue. Having sex with men doesnt make you less queerit just makes your sexual palate larger, which one could argue makes you, in fact, queerer. Beyond the mechanics, I think of queerness as openness, a willingness to think and exist beyond certain structural imposition, even when youre rubbing up right alongside of said structure. The ideas you have imposed on yourself about your identity can be just as rigid as those that come from society. Either way, the only path to happiness is to let yourself be. You may remember feeling similarly disconcerted when you started having sex with women. I certainly did when I started having sex with men. Its often hard to reconcile what you are with what youre supposed to be, no matter if the voice is coming from inside or outside of the house. Gay was not the vision I had for myself, and yet there I waswith enough practice I found the ability to accept myself, and I think you can as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Understand that having sex with men doesnt make you anything but someone who is having sex with menat least for now. What this means in the bigger picture of your identity you will determine in time. Its still so new, and youre still catching up. Take it slow, keep your hookups casual. Retaining and losing identity is something people grapple with irrespective of the genders of their partners. If you look at this as something that youre doing for you, and not a rush to shack up ASAP, I think you will keep your head on straight er, queer. Did you write this or another letter we answered? Tell us what happened at howtodoit@slate.com. Advertisement Dear How to Do It, I am a straight man in my late 20s. I am currently single, but am casually keeping an eye out for people I might like to date, and Im on a number of apps. I also subscribe to a few OnlyFans pages (the total monthly price comes out to about the same as a gym membership, if that is relevant). My question is: When should I disclose this to people I date? I figure its probably not a good plan to detail my porn-viewing habits on a first date (unless they ask first), but I also want to relatively quickly filter out potential partners who would consider OnlyFans subscriptions cheating or otherwise not permissible. How can I best strike a balance between not oversharing and not lying by omission? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OnlyFans Fan Dear OnlyFans Fan, I dont think you really have to worry about lying by omission here. It is safe to assume that any straight man in his 20s is viewing porn, at least from time to time. I do understand your desire to filter people out quickly, though. (I applaud this impulsethe world has a lot of people in it and you wont have time for all of them, so best get out your red pen and commence to crossing out.) Unfortunately for you, this is the kind of thing that you can only tell is an issue when it becomes an issue. If you talk about it too early, you will come across as indeed oversharing and (to many) disconcertingly attached to your porn. I mean, maybe thats what you are, and maybe it would be good to be upfront about it. I tend to think of an individuals porn use, though, as no one elses business as long as it remains in the realm of no one elses businessthat is, as long as its legal and its financial/time impact cannot be felt by the other party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve gotten plenty of questions to this column about these matters, and I rarely side with the person who is judging their partner for their porn uses or imploring them to give it up. Perhaps, then, you can broach this topic more generallywhat does your potential partner think of pornography, generally speaking? What do they think of its proliferation on the internet and do they have opinions on porn consumers? If you find someone who is largely sex positive, someone who views sex work as work, youre probably in the vicinity of compatibility on this issue and will have something to work with, should push ever come to shove. Rich The 3.5 million U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico and other territories do not get as much support from the federal government as citizens living elsewhere in the United States. Thats no surprise: After all, they cannot vote for president, lack any voting representation in Congress, and have no real autonomy. As a result, they get short-changed in a range of federal programs other communities in the United States take for granted, like Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), to the tune of billions of dollars a year. These inequalitieswhich are grounded in an uncomfortable history of systemic racism towards residents of the territorieswill come to head over the next month as all three branches of the federal government are presented with the opportunity to bring this second-class treatment to an end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the first time ever, the president and congressional leaders have not only promised to eradicate the federal benefits disparities facing citizens in the territories, but also settled on a legislative vehicle for them to deliver in the form of the pending budget reconciliation bill. If Congress nonetheless fails to act despite this historic alignment of the political stars, that should make clear to the Supreme Court that there is the kind of political process failure that demands greater judicial intervention. Continuing federal discrimination against citizens in the territories is getting increased national attention as the Supreme Court prepares to hear argument next month in United States v. Vaello-Madero. On November 9th, the justices will consider whether to uphold two lower court decisions concluding that the denial of SSI benefits to a U.S. citizen who moved from New York to Puerto Rico violates equal protection. The SSI program is one of the countrys most essential social safety net programs, recognizing the inherent dignity of millions of the most vulnerable, low-income Americans who are aged, blind, or disabled by providing them with a basic income to help them care for their needs. While these critical benefits are taken for granted in most American communities, they are not available to otherwise eligible citizens in most U.S. territories simply because of where they happen to live. Advertisement Advertisement Last year, during the heat of the presidential campaign, then-candidate Joe Biden promised in response to a tweet announcing the Trump administrations appeal of Vaello-Madero to the Supreme Court that [t]his ends when Im elected president. But when pressed as president to stop defending these discriminatory laws in court, Biden blinked. To the chagrin of many, the Biden Justice Department continued defending the denial of SSI in Puerto Rico, arguing in its brief to the Supreme Court that the Constitution vests Congress, not the courts, with responsibility for making appropriate changes. The Justice Department did, however, concede there was a strong policy case for increasing federal aid to needy residents of Puerto Rico. Apparently, when Biden promised this ends, his eye was towards Congress, not the courts. Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, in an awkward statement issued just hours before the Justice Department filed its brief, now-President Biden reiterated political promises he had made during the campaign to emphasize that citizens in the territories should be able to receive SSI benefits, just like their fellow Americans in all 50 states and Washington D.C. To back up his strong words that there can be no second-class citizens in the United States of America, Biden called for greater parity for SSI and other federal programs in the territories as part of his 2022 Budget Request to Congress. Advertisement When disenfranchised citizens in the territories are singled out to be excluded from national programs every other citizen takes for granted, the Supreme Court should intervene. It would seem that Democratic leaders in Congress are well-positioned to deliver on Bidens promise to bring and end to the denial of SSI to vulnerable citizens in U.S. territories. After all, at the core of the proposed budget reconciliation package is the historic expansion of federal efforts to care for vulnerable Americans. Furthermore, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the chief architect of the new spending plan, has introduced legislation that would extend SSI to the territories and permanently bring an end to other federal benefits disparities. And including SSI for the territories through reconciliation receives majority support from Democratic, Republican, and independent voters alike. Advertisement All this might lead you to think that by the time the Supreme Court takes up oral argument in Vaello-Madero on November 9th, or certainly by the time it rules sometime next year, that Biden and congressional Democrats may have already extended SSI benefits to Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, that seems like wishful thinking. So far, the reconciliation package pending before Congress includes literally nothing to fix SSI or other federal benefits disparities for citizens in the territories. And that was before the latest revelations that the original $3.5 trillion dollar plan will be dramatically cut. Advertisement Advertisement This state of affairs speaks to a question that the Supreme Court should take seriously when it hears oral argument in Vaello-Madero next month: Are Puerto Ricans powerless? Advertisement While the lower courts held that Congresss denial of SSI benefits to residents of U.S. territories lacks any rational basis, Jose Luis Vaello Madero and many of the more than two dozen amicus briefs (including one filed by my nonprofit, Equally American) also argue that the Supreme Court should apply a greater level of scrutiny given that these citizens remain structurally disenfranchised. In what has become known as the most famous footnote in constitutional law, the Supreme Court wrote in 1938 that courts should provide a more searching judicial inquiry when lines are drawn that spring from prejudice against discrete and insular minorities who are unable to protect themselves through the political process. In short, politically powerless groups deserve greater judicial protection. This is why the Justice Departments argument that the proper mechanism to extend SSI benefits to citizens in the territories is action by Congress should ring hollow to the nine justicesjust as it does to the 3.5 million U.S. citizens in the territories who have been shut out of the political process now for almost 125 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greater judicial scrutiny is also justified by the fact that residents of U.S. territories are 98 percent racial or ethnic minorities. It is foundational that the Supreme Court considers racial discrimination to be constitutionally suspect. Next month, the justices should ask themselves how likely it would be that citizens in Puerto Rico would be denied SSI benefits if their racial demographics mirrored, say, Vermont or West Virginia. Indeed, that citizens in Puerto Rico continue to face federal discrimination at all is a legacy of the Supreme Courts blatantly racist decisions in the Insular Caseswhich in the early 1900s labeled residents of newly acquired island territories alien races and likened them to a fierce, savage, and restless peoplesomething the court has still yet to deal with. Advertisement Advertisement The bottom line is that the pending reconciliation bill offers the president and congressional leaders the best opportunity that we have seen in a generation to extend SSI to citizens in the territories. And it will likely be another generation before we see this kind of opportunity again. So if Congress and Biden fail to deliver now, then the Supreme Court should take that as a clear indication that there is a fundamental malfunction in the political process. When disenfranchised citizens in the territories are singled out to be excluded from national programs every other citizen takes for granted, the Supreme Court should intervene. If not, then the words Equal Justice Under Law inscribed on the U.S. Supreme Court will be devoid of any meaning to citizens in the territories. Colin Powell, who was the nations top diplomat, its top general, and the first Black man to be either, died on Monday at the age of 84. Rarely, if ever, has an American statesman or warrior risen to such heights of power, then been cut off at the knees by his bureaucratic rivals. Born in Harlem to Jamaican parents, a classic tale of a working-class kid pulling himself up by his own bootstraps, Powell joined the Army, fought in Vietnam as a grunt, rose through the ranks to corps commander, then, after a stint as President Ronald Reagans national security adviser, was named by President George H.W. Bush to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Advertisement As a rare officer who combined battlefield experience with political savvy, Powell turned the chairmanship into a powerhouse, utilizing his large staffseveral hundred of the militarys smartest officers, split into several specialized unitsin a way that, as one official at the time told me, ran circles around the rest of the national-security bureaucracy. It was in that position that Powell emerged as a public figure, devising much of the strategy for the first Gulf War, which pushed Iraqs invading army out of Kuwait, and explaining the strategy at several televised press conferences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During that time, he also enunciated what came to be called the Powell doctrine, a view that the U.S. should go to war only if the political objectives are vital and defined, if military force can achieve those objectives at an acceptable cost, if all nonviolent means have failedand then, if war is necessary, that we should go to war only with overwhelming force. The doctrine amounted to a critique of the U.S. intervention in Vietnamboth its flawed rationale and its piecemeal tacticsand has influenced the debate on the proper role of military force ever since. Advertisement After Democrats regained the White House in 1992, Powell wrote a bestselling memoir, My American Journey, and considered running for president. (His wife, Alma, urged him not to run, fearing that some racist would assassinate him.) When the Republicans won again in 2000, President George W. Bush named Powell secretary of state, to unanimous acclaim, in what seemed the pinnacle of his risebut it proved to be the start of his downfall. Taking office with an air of confidence, assuming that he could rule the realm of foreign policy through his clout and popularity, he soon found himselfto his initial surpriseoutmaneuvered, on one major issue after another, by the tag team of Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who had been friends and colleagues dating back to the Nixon administration. Advertisement Advertisement Powell accomplished a great deal on issues that Cheney and Rumsfeld didnt care about. In the fall of 2001, they let him conduct the shuttle diplomacy that may well have prevented war between the nuclear-armed nations of India and Pakistan. Powell also helped soothe tensions with China after its shoot-down of a U.S. spy plane. However, he lost almost every other battle. In one of his first statements, Powell declared that he would resume President Bill Clintons nuclear negotiations with North Koreaonly to be told by Condoleezza Rice, Bushs national security adviser, that he would do no such thing. He had to eat his words. Advertisement Whenever Powell tried to initiate any form of arms control, his undersecretary of state, John Bolton, who had been installed in the job as a spy for Cheney, did his best to sabotage the move. On the few occasions when Powell won a debate in the National Security Council, Cheney would go talk with Bush privatelyand usually get the decision reversed. Advertisement By the middle of Bushs first term, his counterparts in Europewho had celebrated Powells appointment and spoke with him frequentlycame to realize that his views, which they found agreeable, did not reflect the presidents views, and he lost his influence abroad. When Bush wanted to send a message on the Middle East, he sent Rice. When he dispatched an emissary to Western Europe to lobby for Iraqi debt cancellation, he sent James Baker, the Bush familys longtime friend who had been his fathers secretary of state. Advertisement The war in Iraq might have served as Powells off-ramp to redemption but instead deepened his downslide to Nowheresville. As Bush crept toward the invasion, Powell warned him of its pitfallsmost prophetically on what he called the Pottery Barn rule: you break it, you own itbut to no avail. (Shortly before the war started, a European diplomat reminded him that Bush was said to sleep like a baby. Powell replied, I sleep like a baby, tooevery two hours, I wake up screaming.) Once again, though, he was outmaneuvered. Unable to muster support for the invasion, either on the homefront or among allies, Cheney came up with the diabolical idea of having Powellthe one senior Bush official with international credibilitymake the case for war before the U.N. Security Council. Initially, Powell resisted, tearing up the script the White House gave him to read. But then, in an effort to be helpful and loyal, he went to CIA headquarters and buried himself in documents and briefings for days on end, tossing out claims that had no support and leaving in those that seemed at least plausible. In the end, he gave his fateful speech, with passion. Many critics of the invasion were won over, in good part because it was Colin Powell making the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But all the claims that Powell was believedall the evidence he recited to support the idea that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destructionturned out to be false as well. In his excellent book, To Start a War, Robert Draper wrote that plenty of CIA analysts could have told Powell that the claims were false, or at least dubiousbut that CIA Director George Tenet, eager to please Bush with the conclusions Bush wanted to hear, deliberately kept Powell from talking with them. Powell left the administration after Bushs first term. Toward the end, he was portrayed in several journalistic accounts, most notably Bob Woodwards Plan of Attack, as a critic of the war who regarded Cheney as having the fever for invasion; but, even a year after leaving his post, Powell stayed mum on these matters in public. As late as June 2005, six months into Bushs second term, Powell went on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart in one of his first TV guest spots since leaving office. Stewart asked questions that left him wide openings to take jabs at his former colleagues, who were still in power, or at the war, which was still raging. But he took none of them. Sure, there were disagreements, Powell said, but thats true in any administration. The president is the boss, and hes a swell guy. Why, he and Laura were just over at his house for dinner the previous week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Powell later openly regretted his role in the U.N. speech and denounced those whod manipulated him at Langley. Too late. If he had resigned in protest before the invasion, he might have stopped the war from happening; if he had spoken out after leaving office, he might have affected its future course. But this wasnt his way. He was, at heart, a team player, a good soldier. Advertisement Over time, he turned away from the Republican Party. In the 2008 presidential election, he endorsed Barack Obama, calling him a transformational candidate, to the great dismay of his old friend and Obamas opponent, Sen. John McCain. However, Obama rarely called him for advice on defense issues. Powell subsequently endorsed only DemocratsObama again in 2012, Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Joe Biden in 2020. In recent years, apart from the endorsements, Powell remained out of the limelight of national politicsthough it wasnt clear whether this was by choice. He devoted most of his time to personal and public causes, especially the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at his alma mater, the City College of New York. He wrote more bestselling books and spoke widely, sometimes for fees, sometimes not. He had a wonderful life. At one pivotal moment in our history, it could have been a more decisive one. In her office in Freiburg im Breisgau, a town in the sunny southwestern corner of Germany at the foot of the Black Forest, Sarah Pohl is overwhelmed. A woman has called in distress after her husband said he would divorce her if she got vaccinated. A man has lamented that his wife refused to send the kids to school, fearing that wearing masks would damage their brains. Another woman was alarmed after her partner insisted that they migrate to Paraiso Verde, a Paraguayan community offering newcomers a life outside of the matrix without 5G, chemtrails, and mandatory vaccinations. Advertisement Tending to such calls is Pohls job. A blond-haired, soft-spoken therapist in her 40s, she holds what must be one of Germanys most peculiar taxpayer-funded jobs: Shes a counselor on cult duty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. While the rest of the world tends to see German affairs as stable and even boringly predictable, in the last year and change of the Merkel era, the country has become a flashpoint for conspiratorial thinking. The majority of Germans supported the governments handling of the pandemic, but the country also saw some of the fiercest pandemic-related protests in the world, according to multiple media reports, with many started by a group called Querdenken, which originated near Freiburg. In August 2020 in Berlin, a few hundred protesters who believed that Donald Trump had come to the German capital to liberate the country even attempted to storm the Reichstag. And ahead of the September 2021 general election, theories circulated that the Green Party leaders college degree was fake, that the floods that ravaged the countrys west in July were planned by Merkels government to gin up support for her party in the polls, and that mail-in ballots would lead to widespread voter fraud. Advertisement Calls began to pour in from confused people wondering if they should break off contact with conspiracy theorist and pandemic-denying relatives or friends. Most of these theories reached Pohls office. Over the course of many months, she and her four co-workers, who call their specific intervention services Zebra (there are multiple such offices by different names and with slightly different focuses in other states), came to play a distinctive role in untangling the ways pandemic-related theories have driven rifts among Germans, separating families and turning friends against one another. Pohls team was tasked with helping to defuse conflicts, build bridges, and mend the suffering and anxiety that so many across the West have experienced since the start of the pandemic. Their services, like those offered by the other regional offices, are free to all citizens. Advertisement Zebra (not everything is black or white, its website reads) was founded on Feb. 15, 2020, just a few weeks before the German government introduced the first restrictions to contain COVID-19. Michael Blume, the antisemitism commissioner of Baden-Wurttemberg, advised the state government to set up the center because he predicted that digitalization would turn conspiracy myths into a great danger. He thought of it as a public service: Whenever citizens were confused about any theories they heard or worried about a relatives engagement with them, they had a place they could turn to, with someone who would listen and help them make sense of the situation. Anyone who is affected by conspiracy beliefs or is in danger of losing close relatives should find open ears and advice from the state and churches, Blume says. Advertisement Advertisement At first, conspiracy theories were supposed to be only one of Zebras focuses, alongside other problems like cults. But the pandemic and the explosion of disinformation that accompanied it meant conspiracy theories quickly came to dominate the requests that reached Zebra. I have never seen conflicts escalating like this, Pohl says. As the pandemic forced people to take positions on restrictions, vaccines, and the new normal, calls began to pour in from confused people wondering if they should break off contact with conspiracy theorist and pandemic-denying relatives or friends. Frequently, after offering an initial explanation of the situation, clients would break down on the phone, asking What should I do? Advertisement Pohl has personal experience here. After growing up in a very religious family, she felt the pull of conspiracy theories herself. After 9/11, she remembers avidly scrolling through alternative explanations of the attack. I would hear these theories and think, Oh, wow, thats interesting! she says. I realized how fascinating it could be to see a seemingly new world open up before your eyes. Then, about 15 years ago, a close friend of hers who believed several conspiracy theories died by suicide. She had already been thinking about starting to advise people who might go through similar crises, and that further showed her how important such work could be. She worked for eight years in a counseling center that provided advice for people who had extrasensorial experiencesfor example, people who claim to see ghosts or read minds or that theyre under a magic spellwhich she says was a formative experience that helped her take this new set of tasks on. We dont judge, she says. People have different ways to explain the world to themselves. I am more interested in understanding why they do that, and how that might fit into their life story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When someone calls Zebra, Pohl and her co-workers make an appointment in person, online, or via phone. Every case is different: It could end after the first meeting or the counseling could go on for months, all free of charge. There is no one recipe we use, but we look at how bad the conflict has got, she says. For example, are they still talking to each other? In many cases, things are pretty bad. Most callers are not the conspiracy theorists themselves (those people dont want to be saved, Pohl says), but people whose relationship with a conspiracy theorist family membertypically a spouse or a parentis deteriorating rapidly. Or they might be alarmed that their loved one is becoming radicalized. They often call Zebra as a last resort: It takes a certain amount of suffering before someone calls us, says Pohl. And when they do, a lot has broken down in their relationship. This is not always idealsometimes we think it would have been better if they had called earlier, Pohl says. Often, angry and sour, callers ask Pohl to tell my wife shes an idiot, or to be given figurative ammunition to win arguments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But rather than trying to convince conspiracy theorists or coax them back from the brink, Zebra doesnt pick a side in the argument and encourages callers to learn to deal with their partners new beliefs differently. Often there is a lot of intolerance on both sides of the argument, Pohl says. Both sides get extreme because they no longer speak to each other. Sometimes, Zebra advises callers to establish boundaries; rediscover shared interests to avoid long, sensitive discussions; or make an effort to understand the psychological reason their loved one might have turned to a conspiracy theory. Other times, its about shifting discussions from facts to feelings in the belief that people change through emotional experiences, not discussing ideas. Or Pohl and her colleagues try to reframe the conspiracy theories callers get upset at being bombarded with. She encourages some people to see fake news and pseudoscience as even a misunderstood form of affection. Its a bit like with cats, says Pohl. Cats sometimes bring dead mice to the people they love. Advertisement Advertisement In some cases, the results are encouraging. In April, a middle-aged man in distress called Zebra, concerned about his wife. The woman had developed crushing anxiety about vaccines and face masks; she would spend hours trawling Telegrama messaging app that became popular among many COVID skeptics in Europe after they were banned from other social media platformsfor information about the pandemic. She was crying a lot and couldnt sleep at night. After she started refusing to wear a mask, which she mistakenly believed would cause blood oxygen levels to drop and make her sick for inhaling her germs, she lost her job as a physiotherapist. When he first called, the husband said his last straw was that she wouldnt let him get vaccinated for fear he would become immunocompromised and die. He wondered if they should break up. Advertisement Advertisement As they do in many cases, Pohl and her team invited the man to come in with his wife. Over several meetings, almost like couples counselors, they guided the couple to explore the reasons and feelings behind their stances. The relationship had been strained for some time, which made every disagreement turn into a fight. The woman came from East Germany, where distrust in the state is high, and had developed a huge existential fear after losing her parents at an early age. The man had always adjusted to his wifes fears and was now trying to push back after a long time. Talking about their feelings helped the couple get closer to each other, Pohl says. Neither changed their opinion, but the fights slowly stopped. The man was able to get vaccinated; the wife still believes many widely debunked conspiracy theories but recognizes that the constant scrolling was harming her. She limited that, and shes able to get a good nights sleep again. Advertisement Advertisement Preaching tolerance and openness can seem like a risky strategy at a time when, in Germany too, scores of vaccine skeptics and conspiracy theorists are becoming increasingly radicalized. At the end of September, a 49-year-old man shot dead a 20-year-old student and cashier at a petrol station after being told to wear a mask. Authorities said the murder was no surprise given the intensity of the COVID skeptic movement. Online, some Telegram users glorified the murder and hoped more attacks would follow. People are coming to us increasingly to ask, are my relatives dangerous? says Tobias Meilicke, the head of another state-funded conspiracy theory counseling center, Veritas, founded in Berlin in January. (A third center in Germany is Sekten-Info, in the western state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, although conspiracy theories make up a smaller part of its work.) Advertisement Advertisement Helping them and their family members maintain relationships and understand one another, Pohl says, is itself a way to prevent them from radicalizing. Pohl says its important not to downplay the risk of terrorism, but also not to assume that everyone who believes in pandemic conspiracies and disinformation is an extremist in the making. There are many people who are not violent at all and come from a completely different place, Pohl says. The large crowd does not go out and shoot around. Helping them and their family members maintain relationships and understand one another, Pohl says, is itself a way to prevent them from radicalizing. If you feel understood, conflicts can be de-escalated and cease to be violent, she says. On the other hand, people who dont feel understood get louder and louder. Empathy is also important with an eye to the future: Conspiracy theories tend to lose their appeal as the crisis that created them ends. If believers still have contact with loved ones who are nonbelievers, that is often the easiest way out. If all contacts are broken off and conspiracy theorists are isolated, theyll be more likely to radicalize further. Hence the centers emphasis on tolerance, acceptance, and de-escalationMeilicke says their work is a way to make people an offer to remain part of this society. Advertisement Advertisement But this theorythat the pandemic getting better will lead to de-escalationisnt actually playing out just yet. In the past few months, as the COVID-19 caseload decreased in Germany and widespread vaccination drove down the number of casualties, Pohl was sure she and her colleagues would have more time on their hands. But the opposite has been true: All three of the German counseling centers are currently overwhelmed. Pohl says her team cant take on much more work; Sekten-Info is struggling to offer intensive follow-up appointments; Meilickes Veritas currently has a 60-people waiting list. We have so many cases in Germany that we are no longer able to respond to them because centers like ours are few and small, says Meilicke. They also report that cases are becoming more violent and radical. Pohl thinks a point will come when pandemic-related fears and insecurity will abate, and when that happens, so will the polarization, conflicts, and conspiracy theories that prey on them. But shes not confident shell stop being exposed to the grueling, kaleidoscopic spectrum of human miseryseparations, fights, trauma, heartbreak, social media addictionanytime soon. In some cases, irreparable damage has occurred, she says. Some people have developed enormous mistrust of the state; others have become radicalized past the point of no return. I also think that new conspiracy theories will spread, she said, causing her services to remain in high demand. The question is whether they will change behaviors as much as they have in the pandemic. A pathetic spy trial is going on in West Virginia. Unlike our most cherished spy films and novels, as well as the most ballyhooed real-life cases of espionage, the grim tale of Jonathan and Diana Toebbe does not bank on high drama and ideological ideals. Jonathan, a 42-year-old Navy nuclear engineer, and Diana, a 45-year-old private school teacher, residents of a modest home in Annapolis, Maryland, plotted to sell secrets to a foreign intelligence agency but screwed up in the very first step of what theyd thought was a finely honed scheme. Advertisement Their motives are not yet clear; their first hearing before a judge takes place this week. But judging from the Justice Departments 23-page criminal complaint, filed earlier this month in a U.S. district court, the couple seemed to be driven by a desire for money (not a fortune, simply a comfortable nest egg) and a bit of adventure, the prospects for which they seem to have gleaned from romanticized books and movies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. In April 2020, Jonathan Toebbe sent a letter to a foreign governmentwhich the complaint refers to as Country1, but it seems to be France (for reasons Ill explain later)containing some fairly routine manuals on the nuclear propulsion system of the U.S. Navys Virginia-class submarine and promising much more if the recipient sent him a down payment. Advertisement Thats already where he went wrong. In December (its unclear why this took so long), the foreign government turned over the package to the FBI, which then assigned a special agent to the case. That agent, Justin Van Tromp, the author of the affidavit, spent the better half of the following year corresponding with Toebbe, pretending to be the foreign intelligence contact of the wannabe spys dreams. What follows in Van Tromps affidavit is a chronicle of encrypted letters, dead drop locations, and cryptocurrency transfers, all rather expertly instigated by Toebbe, a self-proclaimed amateur in this realm, which suggests that he picked up the lingo and tools of tradecraft from the world of cinema and publishing. (Some of Toebbes letters, reprinted at embarrassing length in the complaint, seem to lift entire quotes from The Courier, the underrated movie about the Oleg Penkovsky case, which, by coincidence, I recently watched.) Advertisement Advertisement Over the brief time when they lived out their fantasies, the Toebbes dropped off more than 11,000 pages of Restricted Data in thumb drivesin one case, tucked inside a peanut butter sandwichin exchange for a total of $100,000 in crypto payments, with visions of much more money to come. Then, on the morning of Oct. 9, they hired a babysitter to watch their two small children and drove to a prearranged drop spot in rural West Virginia, where FBI agentswhod followed them there from the start of their tripclosed in for the arrest. If found guilty, the couple could be sentenced to life in prison. Advertisement What can we infer from the story, as we know it thus far? Advertisement First, it is likely that the Toebbes were trying to sell the documents to a U.S. ally. There are a few bits of evidence for this. The countrys officials turned over the initial documents to the FBIsomething that Russia or China would not likely do. Early on in this caper, Toebbe asked the FBI agent, who he thought was a foreign official, to display a signal from some property that his country owned in D.C.likely an embassywhile the Toebbe family was visiting there over a Memorial Day weekend. Apparently the signal was sent, which means the FBI persuaded the foreign embassy to play along. Again, the Russians or Chinese would probably not have cooperated. Finally, there is this bit from a letter Toebbe sent to his contact: Advertisement Advertisement Thank you for your partnership as well, my friend. One day, when it is safe, perhaps two old friends will have a chance to stumble into each other at a cafe, share a bottle of wine, and laugh over stories of their shared exploits. A fine thought, but I agree that our mutual need for security may make that impossible. Whether we meet or no, I will always remember your bravery in serving your country and your commitment to helping me. Leaving aside for a moment the pitiful naivete that this letter conveys in retrospect, where might the daydreaming Toebbe envision such a future run-in to take place? The wine, the cafeit could be anywhere, but sounds a lot like a wannabe spys vision of post-heist life in Paris. Advertisement So lets say its France. If French officials cooperated with the FBI on this matter, it must have been particularly galling when the Biden administration then struck a deal to share nuclear technology with Australia, thus squelching a contract that France had negotiated long ago. This is the same nuclear technology that the Toebbes thought they were providing to France. If France had taken the Toebbes up on their offer, it might have been able to save the contract with Australia. Instead, the French notified the FBIand for their trouble, they got screwed. This may be the backstory on why French President Emmanuel Macron was particularly peeved. Advertisement Advertisement This leads to a larger question: Just how traitorous were the Toebbes? How damaging would it have been to U.S. security if Franceor whatever nation was involved, assuming the nation was an allyhad acquired this technology? Advertisement Its not entirely clear from the complaint, which redacts several passages of Toebbes letter describing the contents of the documents and how they might help Country1s navy. However, their indiscretions seem pretty severeand unambiguously criminal. Jonathan Toebbe was a Navy engineer, working on the Virginia-class submarines nuclear propulsion system since 2012. He also worked on the technology that makes those submarines particularly quietand thus undetectable to any adversary as they prowl underneath the oceans surface. If Country1 is France, would it have mattered if the French acquired these secrets? Maybe not. But maybe so, especially if some French spy passed the secrets on to some other country. In one of the most infamous spy cases of recent years, Jonathan Pollard, a Pentagon official, supplied U.S. nuclear weapons secretstrue crown jewels of intelligenceto Israel, which, according to some reports, passed them on to the Soviet Union, in exchange for a more liberal policy allowing the emigration of Russian Jews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the scale of perfidy, the Toebbes dont remotely approach Pollard. They are charged with violating the Atomic Energy Act, which, in the words of the complaint, prohibits, among other things, individuals who have possession of, access to, control over, or are entrusted with any document, writing, sketch, photograph, plan, model, instrument, appliance, note, or information involving or incorporating Restricted Data from communicating, transmitting, or disclosing it to any individual or person, or attempting or conspiring to do so, with the intent to injure the United States or to secure advantage to any foreign nation. Advertisement This statute covers a broad swath of offenses. It bars not only disclosing this material but merely attempting or conspiring to do so. (In other words, legally, it doesnt matter that the Toebbes didnt actually provide much to Country1.) And the leak is criminal if its consequences injure the United States or if they secure advantage to any foreign nation. And note the phrase any foreign nationit doesnt matter if the country is friend or foe. Note also that its immaterial whether the leak actually injures the United States or helps a foreign nation; it is criminal merely if the leaker acted with the intent to do so. Advertisement And the Toebbes seemed to have that intent, or at least Jonathan Toebbe did. In one letter to his contact, he wrote, I have considered the possible need to leave on short notice, presumably if the feds found out what he was doing. Should that ever become necessary, I will be forever grateful for your help extracting me and my family. (This too, by the way, is a near-verbatim quote from The Courier.) Jonathan and Diana Toebbe reportedly have obtained separate lawyers for this trialwhich raises the possibility of a schism in the defense. Dianas lawyer may argue that she had no knowledge of what was going onhence, no intent. The Justice Departments complaint portrays her mainly as a lookoutmaking sure that no one was watching while her husband planted the thumb drives in various drop boxes. The complaint quotes no letters from her, nor does it cite evidence that she had possessed or saw Restricted Data. (Jonathan had a Q security clearance, providing access to atomic secrets; Diana did not.) This legal tactica sensible move by any defense attorneywould abase the proceedings with another cliche of human banalities: the family squabble. Jonathan Toebbe, and perhaps Diana too, aspired to join the ranks of dashing secret agents from literature and history. But their story, at least what we know of it so far, is pulp of the grimmest, saddest sortno heroes or antiheroes, no grand visions, just an all-too-ordinary, stupid plot set in motion by smart people who werent nearly as smart as they thought they were. Last monthmore than a year after the murder of George Floyd, and several months after a Minneapolis police officer was convicted for killing hima consortium of news organizations asked 800 Minneapolis voters what they thought of the citys police department. Most viewed the department unfavorably. Nevertheless, three-quarters of the polls Black respondents said the city shouldnt reduce its police force. Black voters were considerably more opposed to this idea than white voters were. When the poll offered an alternativereplacing the police department with a Department of Public Safety, which might include cops but would focus on public health and be more closely supervised by the City Councilwhite respondents favored the idea. But Black respondents, on balance, rejected it. Advertisement These results were no fluke. The same thing had happened in July, when pollsters asked similar questions in Detroit. That survey, commissioned by the Detroit Free Press and USA Today, presented a list of eight issues and asked residents which was the biggest one facing the city. White respondents were slightly more likely to choose police reform than public safety. But Black respondents named public safety as their top concern, and they ranked police reform last. White residents opposed defunding the police, but Black residents rejected it even more decisively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The findings in Minneapolis and Detroit are part of a larger story. When people are asked what they really think about criminal justice, the answers are complicated. Many white people are open to police reform, and many Black people are wary of curtailing law enforcement. These aspects of public opinion are important to understand as Democratic politicians and advocates of reform grapple with a treacherous political environment. Floyds death brought sustained attention to the ongoing problem of unjust police violence, but calls to defund the police backfired in the 2020 elections, hurting Democrats and undermining the movement for reform. Meanwhile, homicides surged in many cities, alarming residents and boosting public support for law and order. Republicans, emboldened by this support, have drawn a hard line in the Senate, rejecting Democratic proposals to reform law enforcement. Advertisement The challenge, in short, is that crime is returning to prominence as a national issuewhether justified or notand Democrats havent figured out how to deal with it. They want to root out bad cops, rectify racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and rein in police practices that have caused unnecessary deaths. But they have to do this without getting swept up in ideas that scare many voters and dont represent the needs or wishes of people of color. To clarify how Americans of all backgrounds think about these issues, Ive looked at more than 100 recent polls. The surveys, comprising tens of thousands of interviews, show how reformers can make a more effective case for changing the system. Advertisement Lets start with the no-brainers. Across the political spectrum, theres a consensus for requiring officers to wear body cameras, mandating independent investigations of officer-involved shootings, and creating a national registry of police misconduct records. By 2 to 1, the public supports banning chokeholds and no-knock search warrants. In a survey of more than 1,800 Americans, conducted in April and May by the Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 60 percent of respondents said police supervisors should be penalized for racially biased conduct by their officers; only 15 percent disagreed. Advertisement Theres also broad support for easing up on prosecutions of nonviolent first-time offenders. Two-thirds of Americans favor shorter sentences for this group and want to let them serve time in community service, drug rehabilitation, or some other alternative to prison. Advertisement In bipartisan Senate negotiations on police reformwhich collapsed in SeptemberRepublicans refused to abandon qualified immunity, a rule that shields officers from being sued directly for conduct on the job. But the public supports changing the rule. When the question is phrased neutrally in various ways, the results are consistent: Nearly 60 percent of Americans favor allowing such lawsuits; only about 30 percent disagree. 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. If you go beyond lawsuits and try to prosecute cops, however, Americans get a lot more squeamish. In May, a PoliticoMorning Consult survey asked whether the federal government should lower the standard for convicting a police officer of misconduct, from willful to knowing or reckless. Only 42 percent of voters were ready to take that step. Thats more than the 35 percent who opposed the idea, but probably not enough to change the law. Advertisement One of the worst things to propose, politically, is defunding the police. Americans reject that idea by about 40 percentage points. Democrats and people of color are against it. The only idea thats less popular is abolishing the police, which, in an Economist-YouGov poll taken this month, lost by 45 points among Black Americans, by 64 points among Democrats, and by 76 points among all voters. The problem with threatening to defund police is that the public likes police. Cops have a strong favorable rating, even among liberals. Activists who think police departments are overfundedor that some of their money would be better spent elsewherewould be wise to choose less confrontational language, such as advocating for redirecting money to mental health or other community services. In polls, that language earns the support of around 35 percent to 40 percent of Americans, but half of the public is still against it. Softening the language again, by promising to shift the money gradually, gets a little more support but still doesnt reach 50 percent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To attract majority support, critics of police funding can do a couple of things. First, they can specify that money subtracted from police budgets would be moved not to unrelated needs, but to other kinds of policing or emergency response. A solid majority of Americans, around 60 percent, favors shifting some police money to community policing or non-police first responder programs. In May, an Axios-Ipsos poll showed that this message could dramatically change the political equation. Only 27 percent of the polls respondents supported defunding police, but 57 percent endorsed moving money to community policing and social services. Another way to get majority support is to make it clear that any transfer of money away from police budgets would be accompanied by a transfer of responsibilities so that cops are relieved of certain burdens. In April, Data For Progress, a progressive strategy group, asked likely voters about the idea of reallocating portions of police budgets to create a new class of first responders who would deal with issues related to mental illness. Sixty-three percent of respondents favored that idea. The message behind such proposals is that advocates of reallocation arent trying to punish cops. Theyre trying to liberate cops from duties to which theyre ill-suited, and pay somebody else to handle those duties instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But theres a simpler way to get around the unpopularity of defunding police: Dont mention police budgets at all. Dont say reallocate, divert, or any of those words. Just talk about funding mental health services, social workers, and non-police first responders. When pollsters test these ideas on their ownwithout any suggestion that the money would come from copstheyre overwhelmingly popular. In a Navigator survey taken in July, only 43 percent of voters endorsed moving funding away from the police into other resources, like social services. Most respondents opposed that idea. But in the same poll, 83 percent of voters, including 79 percent of Republicans, supported investing in additional services to reduce pressure on police. Advertisement Advertisement The lesson for activists and politicians is clear: Dont talk about defunding police. Instead, talk about investing in alternatives, and make those alternatives work. Then we can have a conversation about how many cops we need to handle the work that remains. And in the meantime, rather than getting bogged down in a debate over defunding, we can talk about how to make law enforcement work better. A few years ago, I was talking with a group of friends about parents who leave their kids in cars in hot weather. One person in the group, who was Black, said that if he were to see a child in such a situation, he would find a way to help, but he wouldnt call the cops. I was stunned. I didnt realize it at the time, but my amazement was part of a larger gulf: Many white Americans are still seriously out of touch with how Black Americans experience law enforcement. An Axios-Ipsos survey, taken from April through May, illustrates this gap: Most white respondents claimed that police look out for Black or Brown people well, but two-thirds of Black respondents said that wasnt true. Advertisement Advertisement Most Black Americans, unlike white Americans, view cops unfavorably and disapprove of how police are doing their job. Seventy-two percent of white people say most officers can be trusted; only 32 percent of Black people agree. Seventy-seven percent of white people trust police to promote justice and equal treatment for people of all races; only 42 percent of Black people agree. Most white people have at least some confidence in the criminal justice system; most Black people have very little or none. Seventy-seven percent of Black people say police violence against the public is a very serious problem; only 36 percent of white people share that view. Advertisement White people and Black people agree that police dont treat everyone equally, but they disagree about what that means. White people are more inclined to see the inequality as a matter of class, while Black people see it as a matter of race. In the Axios poll, 40 percent of white respondents agreed that a wealthy Black person will get better treatment from the criminal justice system than a poor white person; only 23 percent disagreed. Black respondents saw it the other way around: Most said a rich Black person wouldnt be treated better; only 20 percent said she would. Advertisement Advertisement Distrust of cops is only half the story. Another difference is that Black people worry more about crime than white people do. Theres also a stark racial gap in feelings about encounters with law enforcement. Most white Americans agree that if you abide by the law, the police will leave you alone, no matter your race or your ethnicity. Two-thirds of Black Americans disagree. White people say theyre far more likely to feel reassured than fearful when they see a police car in their neighborhood; Black people say theyre more likely to feel fearful than reassured. In the Axios poll, most Black respondents agreed that calling the police or 911 in uncertain situations often does more harm than good. Only 25 percent of white respondents felt that way. These anxieties among Black Americans are based, in many cases, on direct experience. In this months Economist-YouGov poll, Black respondents were nearly three times as likely as white respondents22 percent to 8 percentto report that they or someone in their family had been the victim of violent use of force by police. Most Black respondents worried that they or their family members would suffer such violence; only 23 percent of white respondents expressed such worry. Advertisement Given their distrust of police, Black Americans are significantly more likely than white Americans to insist on independent monitoring of officers. Theyre also more wary of practices that can lead to unnecessary and potentially fatal confrontations. For instance, most white people approve of allowing police to stop and search people for weapons and drugs, but most Black people oppose it. Only 30 percent of white Americans say its very important that bystanders record video of encounters with police; among Black Americans, the number is 60 percent. Advertisement Advertisement But distrust of cops is only half the story. Another difference is that Black people worry more about crime than white people do. Theyre more likely than white respondents to say that violent crime is a major problem in their communities and in the country as a wholeand that they or their family members have been victimized. This might be one reason why, despite their misgivings about cops, many Black Americans worry about law and order. Advertisement When Black Americans complain about police, part of their complaint is that police arent doing enough to protect them from crime. Most white Americans express a great deal of confidence in police to keep them safe; fewer than 20 percent of Black Americans share that confidence. More than 70 percent of white Americans trust police to improve public safety; most Black Americans dont. Sixty-five percent of Black likely voters say regular police patrols in your neighborhood would make them feel safer. These concerns about crime and inadequate law enforcement make defund the police a tone-deaf message to most Black Americans. Its true that Black people are more likely than white people to support cutting police budgets, but their support level is still low. Black respondents are more likely to oppose than support defunding police, by about 10 to 20 percentage points. And when polls ask about abolishing police, the margin of opposition among Black Americans rises far higher. In fact, most Black voters think the defunding of police departments is a contributing factor to violent crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What most Black people want is better policing, not less policing. And theyre willing to pay for it. Sixty percent of Black Americans favor increasing funding for the police to put more officers on duty, and 64 percent favor deploying more police officers to street patrols. When theyre asked how much money should be spent on police reform, 60 percent of Black people say more; only 17 percent say less. Its not so much the funding or defunding that appeals to them. Its changing the system and protecting the community. Advertisement Defunding police is an even worse message to Latinos. Most Latinos, unlike most Black Americans, trust police and view them favorably. Many are wary of interacting with law enforcement, but most affirm that police officers are generally good and well-meaning. Sixty percent agree that police look out for people like you. When theyre asked which problem worries them morecrime in your community or police brutality against minoritiesLatinos are slightly more likely to say crime. In a JuneJuly Gallup survey, Latinos expressed less confidence in police, but more confidence in the criminal justice system, than white people did. Advertisement Given these sentiments, Latinos overwhelmingly favor bigger, not smaller, police budgets. Most Latinos, unlike most white Americans, agree that recent incidents of police brutality and misconduct warrant major changes to police practices. But they dont want defunding. They want reform. People of color can form a strong base of support for police reform. But theyre not enough. To build a political majority, they need allies. Thats a challenge, because many white people are hostile to or wary of reform. Others, however, are sympathetic, and many more are persuadable. Polls suggest three ways to reach this audience. First, dont challenge the integrity or trustworthiness of law enforcement officers. Instead, talk about whats wrong with the process of policing. Second, broaden the conversation to the whole criminal justice system. And third, focus on holding bad cops accountable, not on arguing about how many cops are good or bad. Advertisement Most white Americans agree that police and the criminal justice system treat some people better than others. They also recognize that police violence against Black people is common. Theyre significantly more likely to agree that the loss of Black lives in police encounters reflects a broader problem than to dismiss these deaths as isolated incidents. Nearly half of white respondents acknowledge systemic racism in law enforcement; only a third deny it. But when advocates of reform personalize this indictmentwhen they go beyond complaints of systemic inequity and accuse officers of direct racial discriminationthey lose a crucial segment of the white audience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By emphasizing accountability, advocates of reform can persuade white Americans to choose a message of solidarity with Black Americans over a message of solidarity with cops. Personalization is the key. When poll questions focus on the experiences of Black people in interactions with law enforcementasking, for example, whether Black people and white people receive equal treatment from the policewhite respondents are significantly more likely to acknowledge unequal treatment than to deny it. But when the questions focus instead on officers conduct and motives from their own perspectiveasking whether police are generally tougher on Black people, more likely to use deadly force against a Black person, or more likely to use excessive force if the culprit is Blackwhite respondents are slightly more likely to deny bias than to admit it. They dont like the implication that cops are personally racist. Advertisement White Americans are also more willing to criticize the criminal justice system than to criticize police. This gap shows up in polls that repeat the same question, asking it first about cops and then about the system. A pivotal segment of white respondentsroughly 10 to 15 percentagrees that the criminal justice system treats Black people unequally and needs major changes, but doesnt agree when the same statements are made about police. Given this discrepancy, its easier to build white support for criminal justice reform by focusing on prosecution or incarceration, not policing. White Americans narrowly oppose mandatory minimum sentences for drug convictions. They support limiting or abolishing cash bail. Forty-three percent support reducing the criminal justice systems focus on policing and prosecuting low-level offenses. Many of these changes would benefit communities of color but are broadly embraced by white people because, in addition to focusing on nonviolent incidents, theyre framed as race-neutral. Advertisement Advertisement White people agree that policing needs to be reformed. They want to ban chokeholds and no-knock warrantsthats why those changes have the wide support mentioned earlierand they dont think cops should have broad discretion to stop and frisk. But what they really like is accountability. Given their overwhelming sympathy for law enforcementmore than 75 percent view police favorablythey tend to see bad officers as anomalies. Thats one reason why they hate defunding police. But theyre willing to expose and punish bad cops. In the Economists October poll, 60 percent of white respondents said controversial police actions should be subject to oversight by the Department of Justice or other government agencies; fewer than 20 percent said such investigations should be left entirely to police departments. Advertisement Advertisement Thematically, the fight over police reform hinges on which side owns the message of accountability. When conservatives advocate targeted punishment of bad officers and portray the alternative as radical change, they win the white vote and split the electorate. In April, a Navigator survey tested this scenario by asking voters which side they agreed with more: making serious changes to policing to prevent police brutality and misconduct, or punishing a few bad apples without major reform. White voters chose the bad apples position, 55 percent to 38 percent. Advertisement Advertisement But the same poll showed that when reformers control the accountability message, they win. When voters were asked to choose among three optionshold police more accountable, give them more power, or dont change police practices50 percent of white voters chose the accountability option, making it by far the dominant choice among all respondents. Most white Americans also favor changing the law to let citizens sue officers for misconduct. And in the AP-NORC poll, they endorsed penalizing police supervisors for racially-biased policing by their subordinate officers. Advertisement By emphasizing accountability, advocates of reform can overcome a central challenge in the criminal justice debate: They can persuade white Americans to choose a message of solidarity with Black Americans over a message of solidarity with cops. In April, a Washington PostABC News survey asked respondents to choose between two statements: The country should do more to hold police accountable for mistreatment of Black people, or The country is doing too much to interfere in how police officers do their job. Despite their trust in police, white respondents chose the former message, 53 percent to 39 percent. When the debate is about holding wrongdoers accountableeven wrongdoers who are officers of the lawmost white Americans agree that the system must change. The details in these polls are sometimes complex, and the numbers can be overwhelming. But taken as a whole, they teach three basic lessons. First, policing has to be reformed. Even if you generally trust law enforcement officers, theres a pragmatic reason to change some of their rules and practices: The fear and distrust many Black Americans feel toward police is dangerously high. Cops cant do their jobs effectively when the community sees them as a threat. Second, the rhetoric of defunding police, let alone abolishing them, is politically disastrous. It alienates white people, and it doesnt represent the views of people of color. It sets back the cause of criminal justice reform, and it threatens to further undermine public safety in minority communities. Black and Latino Americans, like white Americans, support mental health services, drug rehabilitation, and other non-police approaches to reducing crime. But they dont want less policing. They want better policing. Third, theres a strong consensus for accountability. It crosses racial and party lines, and it supports significant policies, such as mandatory body cameras, civil liability for officer misconduct, and independent investigations of deadly police violence. Republicans in Congress have rejected Democratic proposals to make such changes. They think Democrats will fold because so many Americans support law enforcement. But support for law enforcement is just one aspect of what these Americans believe. A richer understanding of public opinionBlack, brown, and whitepoints toward reform. On Monday, the Supreme Court once again rejected any meaningful change to its jurisprudence around qualified immunity, the court-created doctrine that shields police officials from lawsuits in cases of possible misconduct. The courts harsh rulings in a pair of per curiam decisions with no noted dissents came on the heels of a recent announcement that the Senate failed to reach an agreement on long-awaited federal legislation to transform policing in America. The Senates failure was a clear betrayal of the millions around the country who took to the streets to demand accountability and change in the wake of George Floyds murder last year, and the Supreme Courts decisions this week compounded the consequences of that betrayal. With our federal government now having failed to affirm the rights of victims of police abuse, its now fully up to the states to protect Americans from the horrific consequences of qualified immunity. A few states have started to make some reforms, but so far not nearly meaningfully enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qualified immunity is a judge-made doctrine that has been repeatedly used to shield law enforcement officers from civil liability even when they seriously violate peoples constitutional rights. Since its introduction in the late 1960s, the courts increasingly aggressive application of the doctrine has enabled law enforcement officers to escape liability for atrocities such as shooting an innocent child while trying to shoot his nonthreatening dog; stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from suspects while executing a search warrant; and denying a pretrial detainee visitation rights to see his children for ten months. The brutal approach of the courts and inaction in Congress does not mean, however, that meaningful reform is impossible. Just as the Constitution protects the civil rights of all Americans, every state has its own constitutional protections for the civil rights of people within its borders. (Indeed, sometimes these state-level protections are more expansive.) And just as federal statutes let people sue for the violation of their federal constitutional rights, states have their own statutes that let people sue for the violation of their state constitutional rights. Advertisement States and cities must now pass legislation to ensure that qualified immunity does not apply to police officers and other state officials who are sued in state court over alleged violations of peoples civil rights. That way, if police or other state officials violate a persons rights in a serious manner, but in a manner that doesnt exactly match the facts of a prior legal decision as the federal qualified immunity jurisprudence reaffirmed by the court on Monday demands, they can still be held accountable for the pain and suffering they have caused. Advertisement Any such legislation must be guided by two overarching principles. First, states should ensure that everyone who has their rights violated by state officials has a clear path to monetary relief through the state courts. Second, states should ensure that the officials themselves are held accountable. Under current law, state and local police departments indemnify officers in more than 99 percent of cases, often amounting to millions of dollars of public funds. We have seen how ineffectual the threat of civil liability is to deter misconduct when officers know taxpayers will foot their bill. Law enforcement and other officials will only be deterred from future bad conduct by a real threat of personal liability. Advertisement Advertisement Some places have already begun to enact new legislation that reforms qualified immunity, but the new laws honor these principles to varying degrees, and three new laws have fallen short. For instance, New Mexico passed legislation in April 2021 that grants individuals the right to sue state and local government when their rights have been violated. This law helps ensure that victims get redress, but does little to deter misconduct on an individual-officer basis. An earlier version of the bill had proposed ending qualified immunity entirely, but lawmakers caved to pressure from law enforcement, and removed the language that would have held officers personally accountable for their misconduct. Advertisement Californias reform efforts met a similar fate. Lawmakers in that state also pursued police reform legislation that would have eliminated state immunities for officers, drawing opposition from law enforcement groups. The bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last month removed immunity for just three specific kinds of law-enforcement misconduct: falsifying arrests, failing to provide medical care, and injuring an incarcerated person. Advertisement New York City enacted a limited reform in April, curtailing qualified immunity as a defense to unreasonable searches and seizures conducted by the police, but not other constitutional violations by police or other government officials. As in California, this legislation denied too many victims of official misconduct a fair opportunity in court, and ensured that many official wrongdoers wont be held accountable. To date, Colorado provides the gold standard for qualified immunity legislation. After the murder of George Floyd, Colorado legislators acted swiftly and decisively, enacting a law in June 2020 that allows individuals to sue officers who violate their rights and explicitly prohibits the qualified-immunity defense. The government is required to indemnify defendant officers, but if an officer acted in bad faith, then the officer has to pay up to $25,000 toward a judgment. In so doing, Colorado satisfied both goals of qualified immunity reform: victims can get redress, and officials who violate the constitution are held accountable. Advertisement Advertisement And while this law is still in its infancy, it has already been invoked by victims of law enforcement abuse, including in a lawsuit challenging a group of white officers handcuffing and holding at gunpoint four Black girls, aged six to seventeen, without any suspicion that the girls had done anything wrong. The law has also helped at least one group of plaintiffs keep their lawsuit moving when it otherwise might have stalled to resolve the immunity issue. States cannot eliminate qualified immunity altogether, but they can make major progress toward protecting people from being victimized by the kind of unconscionable behavior that has all too often been enabled and protected by the doctrine of qualified immunity. Colorado has proven that meaningful reform is possible and, having been on the books for well over a year, that reform does not equal lawlessness. That makes the experiences of California and New Mexico, where lawmakers capitulated in the face of law enforcement advocacy, all the more disappointing. But reform efforts in new states can learn from these experiences. Good intentions by legislators are not enough; public pressure is needed to ensure that legislators hold firm in the face of inevitable law enforcement pressure to impede or dilute efforts at reform. The Supreme Court dealt a blow to police reform in two unanimous decisions on Monday shielding officers from lawsuits accusing them of illegal brutality. Both rulings endorse a nearly insurmountable version of qualified immunity, the doctrine that protects police and other state officials from suit, raising the bar even higher for victims of unconstitutional conduct. The rulings are a major setback for the campaign to rein in qualified immunity and a clear signal that a majority of the court remains eager to protect violent officers from accountability. Advertisement Each of Mondays decisions involves claims of unconstitutional force. In the first, Rivas-Villegas v. Cortesluna, officers shot a man with a bean bag round (actually a lead shot in cloth) twice at close range because he had a knife pointing face up in his pants pocket. The officers then kneeled on the mans back for eight seconds. In the second case, Tahlequah v. Bond, officers fatally shot a man because he refused to drop a hammer that he was allegedly wielding as a weapon. The plaintiffs in both cases accused the officers of violating the Fourth Amendments prohibition against excessive force. The officers sought to dismiss the suits by asserting qualified immunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Surprisingly, the courts of appeals denied the officers requests, allowing both cases to go to a jury. These decisions were unusual because the Supreme Court has imposed a stringent requirement on civil rights plaintiffs suing state officials, including police: They must not only prove that an officer infringed on a constitutional right but also that this right was clearly established at the time. Unless there is precedent explicitly stating that the officers conduct was illegal, the victim cannot even take their case to a jury. Instead, a judge must throw the case out by granting the officers qualified immunity. Advertisement This rule, which the Supreme Court made up out of whole cloth, has wreaked havoc on Fourth Amendment rights, preventing countless victims of police brutality from getting their day in court. Most lower courts apply the doctrine vigorously, granting qualified immunity unless there is a precedent with virtually identical facts. If a victim cannot point to a past decision in which a court found that the exact same conduct was unconstitutional, they lose immediately. 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. This approach leads to grotesque results. Consider, for instance, the officer shielded from suit after shooting an innocent man in his own home for no reason, or the officer protected by qualified immunity after allowing his police dog to maul a random homeless man. In both cases, the cops received qualified immunity because the courts could not identify a precedent with indistinguishable facts in which a court found a constitutional violation. As a result, the rights at issue were not clearly established. On the rare occasions when lower courts denied qualified immunity, the Supreme Court routinely reversed them in an unsigned summary opinion (called a per curiam) without oral argument or full briefing. In 2020, a Pulitzer Prizewinning Reuters investigation found that courts are granting qualified immunity to cops in a huge and ever-growing number of cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past year, however, it appeared that the justices were retreating from their near-absolute position. In November, the Supreme Court issued a per curiam decision in Taylor v. Riojas. The facts of the case were appalling: Correctional officers in Texas forced a man to sleep naked in a cell covered in feces and sewage for six days. Incredibly, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted qualified immunity to the officers who inflicted this torture, finding that they violated no clearly established right. By a 71 vote, the Supreme Court summarily reversed the 5th Circuit. The majority held that the victims treatment was so egregious that any reasonable officer should have realized that it violated his constitutional rights. Instead of focusing on whether these rights were clearly established, the majority focused on their obviousness. Advertisement The court dashed any hopes that it would seriously reconsider qualified immunity. Three months later, the Supreme Court summarily reversed another 5th Circuit decision granting qualified immunity to vicious prison guards, McCoy v. Alamu. The case involved an officer who blasted an incarcerated person in the face with pepper spray for no apparent reason. Initially, the 5th Circuit found that this act violated no clearly established right. But the Supreme Court ordered it to reassess that conclusion in light of Taylor. Advertisement These decisions led observers to speculate that the court was stepping back from its unwavering commitment to qualified immunity. Specifically, the justices seemed to relax the standard for clearly established rights, suggesting that officers could lose immunity if they engaged in obviously plainly unreasonable barbarity. The speculation intensified in June when SCOTUS issued a 63 decision vacating a grant of qualified immunity to correctional officers who held an incarcerated person inmate in a prone position while putting pressure on his chest. Advertisement On Monday, though, the court dashed any hopes that it would seriously reconsider the doctrine. Rivas-Villegas and Tahlequah are blunt decisions filled with harsh language toward the lower courts for daring to deny qualified immunity. In both cases, the lower courts cited precedents with roughly similar facts in which they found a violation of a clearly established right. Yet SCOTUS retorted that they had defined these rights at too high a level of generality. It insisted that these precedents were materially distinguishable on the basis of minor differences in fact patterns. For example, in Tahlequah, the officers walked at a normal pace toward the victim; in a past case, the officers sprinted toward him. In Rivas-Villegas, the officer merely placed his knee on the victim; in a past case, the officer dug his knee into him. These distinctions, the court concluded, are enough to merit qualified immunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The courts hair-splitting exercise illustrates what one judge called an Escherian Stairwell. No two cases are exactly alike; there is always a way to distinguish precedents. If a court wants to grant qualified immunity, it can almost always find some way to differentiate a previous case from the one before it. In Mondays decisions, SCOTUS sent a message that it will flyspeck lower court decisions granting qualified immunity, scolding them for ruling against cops in all but the most egregious cases. Rivas-Villegas and Tahlequah tell judges that they are on much firmer ground when they shield police from civil suits. The rulings incentivize decisions in favor of the police, even in cases with brutal facts. And so, by extension, they normalize reckless and violent behavior by law enforcement officers, who can remain confident that SCOTUS wont force them to answer for their misconduct. Advertisement No justice dissented from Mondays rulingsnot even Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who is often a lonely voice against police brutality. The odds that the Supreme Court will reform its own qualified immunity jurisprudence are extremely low. Congress could abolish it, but Republicans refuse to weaken the doctrine even slightly, calling reform a poison pill. States can end qualified immunity under their own laws, and several already have, granting relief to victims who are locked out of state court. This progress is certainly welcome, but it shouldnt be necessary in the first place. The Supreme Court invented qualified immunity all by itself. And the court should bear the burden of destroying it. Jacob Bogage is a reporter at the Washington Post. Hes been covering the U.S. Postal Service as it goes through some of its biggest changes in years. The change thats most noticeable has already taken effect. Your post office used to aim to deliver the mail within three days of receiving it. Now, the goal is delivery within five days. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says his agency is running up too many costs. The slowdown on mail is just one way hes trying to fix that. Democrats in Congress have been unhappy with DeJoys changes. Advertisement Let me just say: The idea of mail makes sense, as a concept, sure. But the U.S. Postal Service is confusing. And the debates over how it should fulfill its mission and what its finances should look like are practically guaranteed by the law governing this agency. I say this because that law does not make sense. And if you have any doubt of that, Jacob Bogage will read the law to you: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have done Talmudic scholarlike level reading on 39 U.S.C. 101. You could not write a more confusing thing if you tried. The Postal Service shall have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal services to bind the nation together. And then you have one sentence that says and the value is also very important. I read Section A to you; Section B is shall provide maximum degree of effective and regular postal services to rural communities. No post office shall be closed for operating in a deficit. OK, well then how do you expect it to make money? In planning and building new postal services shall emphasized the need for facilities and equipment designed to create desirable working conditions. So its basically like spend all this money on everything but break even, please. Advertisement With a law that muddled, neither snow nor rain will keep us from arguing about the Postal Service. And the core disagreement is profound. Questions about what we want our Postal Service to be are not fundamentally about the mail. They are about what we expect from our government, Bogage says. On Mondays episode of What Next, I spoke with Bogage about this fundamentally debate and why the mail is slowing down even though the Democrats our now in charge. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Mary Wilson: What are the most controversial parts of the new plan thats been approved for the USPS? Jacob Bogage: Theres two main parts that are most controversial, and they work in tandem. One is the service slowdowns. Your mail is going to get slower. No matter where you were in the United States, if you sent a piece of first-class mail, it was supposed to be delivered, previously, within one to three days. Now that will be within two to five days. It could be longer for offshore areas, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, other territories. Advertisement Advertisement The other is a price increase that will go hand in hand with that. So not only is your mail going to get slower, you are going to pay more for it. The Postal Service is required by law to be self-sustaining. Now, the way thats been interpreted is the Postal Service does not get taxpayer funding. It supports itself based on the rate pay. You send a piece of mail; that is what qualifies as the Postal Services funding, the profit it can take from that. The Postal Service clearly is not self-sustaining, because it has all this debt. It cannot pay it back. That, however, drives so much of the decision-making of postal leadership that they feel an obligation to rein in spending to get back on that track. What none of them will tell you is that getting back on that track without writing off a lot of that debt and putting it on the taxpayer anyway is impossible. We have passed the point of no return for a self-sustaining post office unless we want to ask it to do a bunch more things, or we want to start paying taxes to it, which most other developed countries do. Advertisement Advertisement Maybe the Biden administration would like a post office that doesnt need to be self-sustaining. But Biden cant radically change the way the post office works right now. The agency isnt under the thumb of the president. Its run by a board. And the CEO the board chose last year, with much input from the Trump administration, is Louis DeJoy. Louis DeJoy is the postmaster general of the United States. Thats a position that originated in 1775 with Benjamin Franklin. The Postal Service of the United States is older than the country itself. That speaks to the import of this position that Louis DeJoy inherits in June of 2020. He is a former supply chain logistics executive that was in the business of getting objects from Point A to Point B. Hes also a major donor to the Trump campaign, in the order of millions of dollars for his 2020 reelection effort. Less than a month after he takes over in June of 2020, he hands down a series of organizational changes at the Postal Service, instructing postal workers to slow down the mailthat we cannot afford anymore to be heroic. We can be dedicated and consistent. And that completely frazzles the agencys network. Were seeing mail left behind. Were seeing piles and piles and piles of packages stacked up in postal facilities such that there are fire hazards and folks have to push them out of the way to create safe exits in the case of emergency. And this is all happening as its becoming very, very clear that this election, that elected Joe Biden president of the United States, is going to be conducted in large part through the mail. And its becoming even more clear that even though it may not have been Donald Trumps original design, hampering the Postal Service is going to be a major pillar of his attempt to delegitimize the election and ultimately try to cling to power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right, Democrats were just freaking out last year. DeJoy was seen as like the apotheosis of their fears. What do we know about how the USPS actually handled election related mail? They did a decent job. Of the mail pieces that they were able to identify as ballots, which were not all of them. Just about half. Right. Just about half. They delivered the vast, vast majoritymore than 95 percenton time. And they spent money doing that. They made the effort to do it. And they spent money doing that because they were ordered by four federal courts to do that. So the election happens. Joe Bidens generally accepted as the winner of the election on Nov. 7. He forms a transition team, as all presidents do. He even forms a transition team for the post office, which is unheard of, because its in such poor shape. By February, after hes taken office, he names three nominees to the Postal Services nine-member board of governors. He does this before his attorney general nominee, Merrick Garland, is even confirmed. These were among his first appointments. Advertisement Why is that so significant? There was a recognition that the Postal Service was in deep turmoil, both financially and operationally. There was a deep distrust of this fundamental institution, and part of the Build Back Better agenda was restoring faith in institution. That made revamping the Postal Service a major priority. Before those nominees can be confirmed by the Senate, the Postal Services board of governors, which at that point was entirely appointed by President Trump, rushes to approve its 10-year plan for the Postal Service, that includes cost-cutting and service slowdowns. And immediately after the new members to the postal board are confirmed, all three of them speak out publicly, saying, We have strong disagreements with the service slowdown portions of this plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And so thats where we are now with this deeply divided board that is trying to reconcile the future of this institution with the deep distrust that the American people have developed. Its enduring financial problems in a service crisis that really has not resolved itself. I want to pivot back to the planthis 10-year plan that has taken effect, at least in part. And I want to talk about how its changing the Postal Service and how its discussed by DeJoy. Whos expected to be most affected by the slowdown in mail? So the Postal Service wont discuss who is going to be most affected by these mail slowdowns, which is why we did the math for them. What we found in our analysis of these slowdowns is that this is going to most affect folks on the coasts and the outer edges of the country. Why? Because were going to drive stuff across the country instead of flying it across the country. Thats going to take more time. So if I send something to my grandmother in Florida, thats going to take longer than it once did. Because that letter is not going to ride in the belly of a Southwest Airlines flight on the way down there. Its going to go in a truck, and its going to ride down 95. That has a big impact on consumers because think about the things that you rely on in the mail. Prescription medication is huge. Your bills, your paychecks. A lot of those are sent from centralized mail houses that are scattered around the country. They are not necessarily sent from your workplace or your doctors office down the street or your insurance company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I get emails and letters from folks all the time saying, I got a late fee on my credit card bill because my bill didnt show up on time. My prescription medications were late. I had to go to the pharmacy and beg them to fill me something. These are the kinds of issues that folks face. And were about to gear up for the holiday season. What a mess that could be. Theres been a lot of pushback about the mail slowdowns in particular and the 10-year plan generally. But I have to say when Ive read what the postmaster has said about this shift that this plan represents, hes trying to move the Postal Service away from mail and toward packages Advertisement Yes, that is the future of revenue for the post office, yes. And that makes sense, that makes utter sense to me. I can also see why people are very skeptical of this plan because no ones trying to compete with the Postal Service on first-class mail. Thats something that private companies dont want a piece of. The Postal Service already does it well. So why would you try to do that less well if youve already cornered the market in that spot? Advertisement Think about it a little bit more skeptically. The Postal Service has a monopoly on mail service. It does by law. FedEx cant use your mailbox. Amazon cant use your mailbox. The mailbox belongs to you and your mail carrier. Thats it. If nobody else can break into that market, why do you need to be more efficient in that market? If youre going to compete with Amazonwhich is building out its own distribution service, which is a huge threat to the Post Officeif youre going to compete with FedEx and UPS, you need to offer services that truly do compete with those firms. Advertisement Advertisement The Postal Service in the package area, they rely on this thing called coopetition, which is we have to go to 161 million addresses six days a week, which means that Amazon and FedEx and UPS, if were already going there, they can just give us that stuff and well take their money to do it. The more its competitors build out their own distribution networks, which they used the pandemic to do, the more that model no longer works for the Postal Service. They need to innovate in the package area. And frankly, they needed to do that even before the pandemic. Advertisement Last year, I spent a lot of time reading and hearing about how the Postal Service could be updated to reflect the way the worlds changed. And the reasoning was, well, if post offices are crucial, but snail mail isnt, lets have a post office that provides other crucial services. Is any of that happening so far? Advertisement So there is a pilot program underway right now to offer some expanded financial services, such as you can cash a paycheck up to $500 at four post offices on the East Coast. Its only four of them, but it will expand in the new year. The Postal Service is pushing to get money from Congress to buy new electric mail delivery truck up to 165,000 of them. They would also need charging stations. If you put charging stations at post offices and the trucks are not there all day because theyre out delivering the mail, then could other folks use those charging stations? And could the Postal Service collect revenue from that? This gets back to the fundamental question of what do we expect our government to do and how active do we expect our government to be? Because putting banking services in a post office is not fundamentally about the post office. Its about serving unbanked and underbanked constituencies. Putting electric vehicle charging stations at post offices, sure, I guess it helps the post office, but what else does it do? It takes gas-guzzling trucks off the road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These questions about the Postal Service, these are not necessarily about the mail, right? This is about how all of society is changing, and the Post Office is fundamental to the function of society. And so how can you leverage this fundamental institution to help more folks? And if you truly believe the government should be in the business of helping more folks, then its a great tool for you. If you dont believe thats the role of government, which a lot of people do not, then this is an agency that maybe does not need to have the same role in American society as it once did. I immediately think of the conservatives I know who, for all their feelings about the government, really want to get their mail in two to three days. Its not a controversial agency, really. This is why there has been a yearslong campaign about postal policy, because this is a very attractive way to expand the role of government without using other levers of government that are less popular. The Postal Service comes to your door every day, and theres someone in a nice little uniform, in a cute little car that waves to you and drive slowly through your neighborhood so they dont run over your child chasing a ball through the street, and they bring you your paycheck, and they bring you medications, and they check on your in-laws. And now they want to be a bank. Oh, the poor little Postal Service wants to be a bank. The poor little Postal Service wants new trucks. You know that those are massive expansions of governments role through a massively popular institution. And I think that is why, for one reason, conservatives kind of see through this veneer of, well, were just tinkering with postal policy. No, youre not just tinkering the postal policy, youre tinkering with so much more. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday. Its 2017, and people are still debating whether or not women are intellectually inferior to men, and whether we are entitled to a workplace that isnt toxic to people simply based on their gender and sex. The Google employee memo about the apparent harms of diversity policies in Silicon Valley is both a shocking news story for the general public and for many women and gender minoritiesespecially of colorworking in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine, a banal sign of normalcy. Advertisement At least science is helping us make progress, right? Science is sold to us as an almost holy, objective pursuit: a pure endeavor, a way of pursuing truth and only truth. As a high school senior planning to study physics and astronomy in college, I was thoroughly convinced that solving quantum gravity would trickle down to improved human relations. Of course, I was adorably naive about both the difficulty that quantum gravity presented us (weve made little progress in the 18 years since I started university) and about the relationship between science and humanitys various imperfections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My education as a scientist did little to disabuse me of this simple view of science as a great unifier, as an objective means of distilling information. When skeptical members of my family argued that physics was dangerous because of nuclear weapons, I pointed out that it wasnt science that was the problem but rather how people used it. But nowhere is it more evident that this perspective is flawed than when we consider the uses and abuses of evolutionary biology and its sibling, evolutionary psychology. Advertisement It is impossible to consider this field of science without grappling with the flaws of the institutionand of the deificationof science itself. For example: It was argued to me this week that the Google memo failed to constitute hostile behavior because it cited peer-reviewed articles that suggest women have different brains. The well-known scientist who made this comment to me is both a woman and someone who knows quite well that peer-reviewed and correct are not interchangeable terms. This brings us to the question that many have grappled with this week. Its 2017, and to some extent scientific literature still supports a patriarchal view that ranks a mans intellect above a womans. Advertisement Advertisement Its easy to end up in an endless loop of using our prodigious scientific skills to carefully debunk the shoddy science that props up this argument. This is important and valuable work, but its also worth considering why this loop exists at all. Sciences greatest myth is that it doesnt encode bias and is always self-correcting. In fact, science has often made its living from encoding and justifying bias, and refusing to do anything about the fact that the data says somethings wrong. Most saliently in the context of the Google memo, our scientific educations almost never talk about the invention of whiteness and the invention of race in tandem with the early scientific method which placed a high value on taxonomieswhich unsurprisingly and almost certainly not coincidentally supported prevailing social views. The standard history of science that is taught to budding scientists is that during the Enlightenment, Europe went from the dark ages to, well, being enlightened by a more progressive mindset characterized by objective science. It is the rare scientific education that includes a simultaneous conversation about the rise of violent, imperialist globalization during the same time period. Very few curricula acknowledge that some European scientific discoveries were in fact collations of borrowed indigenous knowledge. And far too many universally call technology progress while failing to acknowledge that it has left us in a dangerously warmed climate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of the science that resulted from this system, conducted primarily by white men, is what helped teach us that women were the inferior sex. Racial taxonomies conveniently confirmed that enslaving African people was a perfectly reasonable behavior since, as Thomas Jefferson put it, black people were inferior to the whites in the endowments of body and mind. Of course, this apparent inferiority never stopped Jefferson from repeatedly raping his wifes half-sister, Sally Hemings, herself a product of rape. Jefferson is remembered as a great thinker, but when one reads his writing about race, it becomes immediately evident that rather than being much of a scientist, he was a biased white supremacist who hid behind science as a shield. Advertisement The problem is that science was just the shield he needed in the 18th century, and unfortunately, it seems that it continues to function that way today. In other words, pseudoscience has always been a core feature of post-Enlightenment scientific knowledge and it remains that way because scientists refuse to integrate contemporary science, technology, and society studies research into university curricula. And so too many of us get out of school and end up in a world where we are suddenly forced to grapple with the reality of how science, in practice, is not as objective as we hoped. Enough of us have heard a man, sometimes the president of our college, sometimes our research adviser, express the view that womens brains just work differently and arent suited to technical skills the way mens are. Nonbinary people dont exist, and transgender people are de-normalized in these narratives. Women of color listen to white women normalize Europe as the birthplace of scientific intelligence while telling us that our curly hair isnt professional-looking. Senior men who we would hope could be mentors turn out to be our sexual harassers, and with some frequency, senior women tell us to suck it up and lean in, rather than helping us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, a study of women in astronomy and planetary science led by University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign professor Kathryn Clancy found that women of color especially suffer from hostile working environments. In June, I contributed to a Nature Astronomy feature on gender discrimination in astronomy. As someone on Twitter reminded me last week when I posted a new paper on particle physics, because the authors of the paper are women, based on the results of one featured study in that Nature Astronomy issue, we can expect 10 percent fewer citations. Google bro would argue that we ought to consider the possibility that white women and racial minorities simply produce lower-quality work, which is why we struggle to be recognized as competent knowledge producers. Its time to turn the tables on this debate. Rather than leaning in and trying endlessly to prove our humanity and value, people like him should have to prove that our inferiority is the problem. Eliminate structural biases in education, health care, housing, and salaries that favor white men and see if we fail. Run the experiment. Be a scientist about it. For UFO believers, Luis Lue Elizondothe former director of the now defunct Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, a Defense Department project tasked with investigating reports of unidentified aerial phenomenais like a prophet coming down the mountain. He claims to have seen the burning bush (i.e., classified, up-close, high-definition images of UFOs), and his every utterance sparks feverish interpretation in the cloisters of the UFOs subreddit and UFO Twitter. 2021 has been a busy year in the UFO sphere, and thus a busy year for Elizondo. On June 25, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a much-anticipated and baffling report on unidentified aerial phenomena, also known as UAP. In the weeks leading up to the reports release, Elizondo tantalized audiences on cable TV and social media. On NBC News: Were 99 percent sure its not foreign adversarial technology, so that only leaves one other option. Its someone or some things else. On 60 Minutes: Im telling you its real. The question is What is it? What are its intentions? What are its capabilities? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report itself was more tentative in its language. Of the 144 incidents reviewed by the task force, 143 remain unexplained. It said that most of the UAP in question probably do represent physical objects, and a handful appear to demonstrate advanced technology, executing high-speed maneuvers without visible means of propulsion. We dont know exactly what they are, former President Barack Obama admitted in a May late-night interview. We cant explain how they moved, their trajectory. The question of what UAP are is intertwined with what they might mean. Three days before the reports release, while appearing on a June 23 podcast, Elizondo answered a well-posed questionIf the general public knew or saw what you saw what would the next week look like? How would the public react?with a muted bombshell. Somber, he said. I think there would be this big exhale for about a day. And then this turning inward and trying to reflect on what this means for our species and to ourselves. He continued, I think you would have some people turning to religion. You might have some people turning away from it. Advertisement Elizondo isnt quite saying aliens, not out loud anyway, but his message is clear enough: UFOs are of intelligent, nonhuman origin. Skeptics bristle at the ufologists tendency to leap from unidentified objects to otherworldly intelligence(s), whether its extraterrestrial A.I., interdimensional travelers, or glitches in the simulation; to entertain such fantastic speculations is too much, too soon for the majority of scientists. Even still, Americans want to believe in aliens now more than ever, according to polls by Gallup and Pew Research. Why wait for the fruits of SETIs radio searches or NASAs astrobiology research when the answer to life, the universe, and everything might be hovering just off the coast of Virginia? Advertisement Advertisement What should we make of this new form of religiosity, as D.W. Pasulka, author of American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology, has described the most recent wave of UFO mania? And if intelligent beings were to show upin the lower atmosphere of our planet or in the upper atmosphere of another, perhaps as revealed by the soon-to-launch James Webb Space Telescopehow would it affect Americans feelings about mind and matter, about the soul and the world, in an increasingly irreligious culture? Advertisement To hazard a guess, I spoke with religious leaders and thinkers about the possibility of space-faring intelligent life and how UFOs fit into Americans evolving belief systemsnow and in the future. When I raised the possibility of extraterrestrial life to Reggie Blount, a pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, he shared a verse from the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians: We look through a mirror dimly. For Blount and many Christians, the full reality of Gods creation will be forever obscure to human beings, like opaque glass. As Blount sees it, in a universe containing a potentially infinite number of galaxies, aliens may very well exist. But, he emphasizes, I dont think other intelligent beings would change our relationship to God. Advertisement Advertisement Blounts perspective aligns with most of the clergy with whom I spoke. For the planets 4 billion monotheists, there are two planes of existence: one constituting material reality and another inhabited by a loving God who exists outside (and yet also paradoxically within) time and space. For Christians, Muslims, and Jews, UFOs and even aliens are fascinating, to be sure, but they neednt represent a major disruption to a metaphysical system in which the fundamental dichotomy between God and the world is already and permanently decided. The universe may contain undiscovered, extravagant life forms, but the accompanying theological challengesabout the breadth of creation, the possibility of conversion, the moral status of nonhumansneed not threaten a monotheistic picture thats always been multidimensional. Pope Francis, for his part, has said he would baptize an extraterrestrial who asked for it: Who are we to close doors? Advertisement Advertisement Jimmy Akin, an expert on Catholic theology and the host of Jimmy Akins Mysterious World, a podcast that examines fascinating phenomena in the physical world from a Catholic perspective, said that if there are intelligent aliens, they are simply other creatures of God. We should learn about them and their place in Gods plan. He continued, We know that God has created other intelligent creatures: the angelsin fact several different kinds of angels. As for UFOs, Akin echoed what was a familiar refrain in my conversations with religious thinkers Im open to wherever the evidence goes. Advertisement Imam Asad Zaman, the executive director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, was less tentative on the question of unidentified flying objects: I think people equating UFOs with extraterrestrial life is definitely a stretch. But, he said, the discovery of extraterrestrial life wouldnt be problematic for most Muslims. After all, the Quran specifically names God the creator of worlds, plural. Zaman went on to paraphrase a few lines from the 56th surah of the Quran: I swear by the station of the stars, and if you only knew how big of an oath that was. Of course, Zaman said, we now understand the nature and scale of the galaxies. This allows us to contemplate that the creation of God is much bigger than we can fathom. Advertisement In his book Religions and Extraterrestrial Life, astronomer David Weintraub describes this capacity of modern religions to evolve and adapt: Historically, some religions have shown that they have enough theological dexterity to survive the regular challenges to doctrine and belief that emerge from humankinds increasingly sophisticated knowledge about the natural world (e.g., despite its very public spat with Galileo, the Roman Catholic Church has adapted to the scientific knowledge that the Earth orbits the Sun). According to Weintraub, with the exception of a few fundamentalist sects, the Big Three religions are robust enough to accommodate the paradigm-busting news that the discovery of extraterrestrial life would present. Beyond those, a number of Eastern religions, including Buddhism and Hinduism, already explicitly posit other worlds and sentient beings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This isnt to say that uncomfortable theological challenges do not exist, especially for the Abrahamic religions and their offshoots. Rabbi Sam Kaye of the Temple in Atlanta told me that he didnt know if aliens could become Jewish, on account of their potentially lacking the necessary (ahem) anatomy to be circumcised. Southern Baptists and other evangelicals believe that Christ is the only way to eternal salvation and that human beings maintain a special relationship with God; its easy to see how ETs might represent an unwelcome third party. In his book, Weintraub raises a fascinating problem for Muslims, who would likely be eager to proselytize to aliens: If extraterrestrials exist and live at a great remove from Earth, how would they determine the direction of Mecca, five times every day, for prayer? Advertisement These issues might explain in part why the faithful arent especially interested in thinking or talking about UFOs and aliens. But I also suspect that religions have simply become more secularized and scientifically minded than is often assumed by outsiders. A number of clergy were hesitant to speak with me, and those who did struck me as cautious and uneager to speculate without better evidence. At times, I was reminded of something the British Reform rabbi Lionel Blue once said: The secular world is more spiritual than it thinks, just as the ecclesiastical world is more materialist than it cares to acknowledge. Sometimes, in other words, the pious play the role of the skepticsand vice versa. On the question of aliens, your neighborhood pastor is more likely to affiliate with the Out There? crowdpunting the idea of ETs a few light-years into the depths of outer spacethan fall down the Theyre here! rabbit hole. Rabbi Adam Bellows, of the United Hebrew Congregation in St. Louis, shared his own statement of purpose: My Judaism inspires me to get to know the universe, and science is how I do that. As for UFOs, Bellows demurred, invoking Occams razor: The simplest explanation is the best one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adam Frank, an astrophysicist at the University of Rochester and a practicing Buddhist, recently argued that while UFOs sightings, which date back to at least 1947, are synonymous in the popular imagination with evidence of extraterrestrials scientifically speaking, there is little to warrant that connection. In my conversation with Frank, he emphasized the fallacy of searching for aliens close to home when possibly inhabited exoplanets beckon: You wouldnt look for Manhattanites somewhere other than Manhattan! What about the so-called religious nones, the rapidly growing number of Americans who dont believe in God? And what about the kind-ofs, the churchless Protestants, the raised Catholics, and the cultural Jews who dont attend services and for whom religion is more of an inherited abstraction than a lived experience? It turns out that nonbelievers are the ones doing most of the magical thinking when it comes to extra-, intra-, and ultraterrestrial beings. Advertisement Clay Routledge, a psychology professor at North Dakota State University, wrote in a New York Times op-ed: People who do not frequently attend church are twice as likely to believe in ghosts as those who are regular churchgoers. The less religious people are, the more likely they are to endorse empirically unsupported ideas about U.F.O.s, intelligent aliens monitoring the lives of humans and related conspiracies about a government cover-up of these phenomena. Advertisement There are likely far more nonreligious people in the United States than self-reported surveys suggest. Knowingly or not, the nones (and Id bet many of the kind-ofs too) subscribe to a worldview known as scientific materialism, which posits matter and energythe physical universeas all there is. The materialist paradigm was captured most poetically by Carl Sagan (We are star stuff) and most dramatically by Friedrich Nietzsche (God is dead). But, however its phrased, scientific materialism isnt exactly psychologically satisfying. A gnawing spiritual hunger, what the psychoanalyst Julia Kristeva calls this incredible need to believe, compels human beings, along a thousand different streams, toward a nonhuman intelligence who knows more than we do. Advertisement Advertisement Heres Routledge again: [B]ecause beliefs about U.F.O.s and aliens do not explicitly invoke the supernatural and are couched in scientific and technological jargon, they may be more palatable to those who reject the metaphysics of more traditional religious systems. Where the pastors sermon once gave hope, now its podcasters asking particle physicists, What do you think about aliens, man? Where religious revivals once held Americans attention, now its grainy YouTube videos of flying somethings. Whatever they are, UAP are objects of immense wonder for millions: faceless, flying triangles and Tic Tacs that may just hold the key to reality if only theyd just sit still. What if, the nonbelievers wonder, a higher power represents something far stranger than the old prophets couldve imagined? Advertisement Advertisement For now, UAP remain a mystery, one that will continue to hold considerably more power for the metaphysically undecided. When I asked Adam Frank (who, I should emphasize, is skeptical about UFOs) how hed explain Buddhism to an alien, he offered a succinct response: I would say that Buddhism is just this. Its a religion that focuses on exactly whats happening: nothing more. I suspect believers and nonbelievers alike would do well to go with the Buddhists on this one and regularly take measure of a universe thats at once perplexing and comprehensible. Somethings happeningin the skies, in our souls, or both, or neither, depending on whom you askand everyones this deserves a fair hearing. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. ARCHIVED - Hundreds of immigrants flocked to Spain over the weekend The coasts of Andalucia, Valencia and Murcia have been inundated with irregular immigrants Its been a tragic weekend for irregular immigrants arriving on Spanish shores as the authorities have reported that some 540 people have tried to illegally make their way to Spain over the past couple of days alone. Among them were several minors and pregnant women. The boats reached the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, as well as the Mediterranean coasts of Valencia, Murcia and Andalucia. Sadly, one patera the name given to a small migrant boat disappeared in the Cape Trafalgar area on Thursday October 14 with 28 people on board and the search for the wreck continues after the bodies of ten people were discovered in the area. On Sunday morning, 16 boats were intercepted at different points of the Balearic Islands with 203 migrants on board, including three pregnant women. Around 90 people arrived at the Canary Islands, 45 to Gran Canaria, one of whom was a deceased woman, and another 45 to Lanzarote, including 15 women, a baby and four minors, all of sub-Saharan origin. These arrivals follow the news that a pregnant immigrant had given birth to twins en route to Gran Canaria on Thursday October 14. In the Community of Valencia, 73 immigrants were rescued off the eastern coast of Alicante over the weekend, all of Algerian origin and in apparent good health, according to the Red Cross. In Andalucia, 62 people arrived on the southern coast of Cadiz in four separate boats, while eight immigrants were intercepted in the Spanish autonomous community of Ceuta on the border with Morocco. In addition, ten boats were rescued in the waters of Murcia carrying 103 people. The number of irregular immigrants flocking to Spain has skyrocketed in recent months, with an increase of 51% between January and September this year compared to the same period in 2020. According to the latest data published by the Ministry of the Interior, 28,729 people illegally entered Spain during this period, the vast majority by sea. Image: Salvamento Maritimo Apart from the new campaign, the Health Ministry continues in its informational activities to boost the vaccination rate. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled "A big virus that can be defeated only by the vaccine" describes a poster of a new campaign to boost the vaccination against Covid in Slovakia. Our paywall policy: The Slovak Spectator has decided to make all the articles on the special measures, statistics and basic information about the coronavirus available to everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope. The Health Ministry is using new TV, online and radio ads and graphics, which feature mottos like We all have a common enemy or Lets defeat it before it defeats us. The ads and graphics were designed in cooperation with the MUW Saatchi & Saatchi agency, which won the public procurement. Depicting the enemy The new creative concept is said to reflect the current moods in society that are quite polarised, according to the Health Ministry. The aim is to show that society is only one enemy the coronavirus and that the only effective way to defeat it is vaccination. It seems as if the entire society got infected by Covid during the past year, said Kamil Charvat of MUW Saatchi & Saatchi, adding the trust in institutions is dropping and the solidarity from the first wave is disappearing. It no longer makes sense to build a communication campaign on the rational benefits of vaccination everything has been said in the media and on social networks. This is why they decided to give a concrete form to Covid and remind people of the need to join forces and defeat it. https://www.youtube.com/embed/mblWgCmIpK8 For now, the vaccine is the only reasonable solution, Charvat said, adding they also created channels to communicate the benefits of vaccination. Informational activities still on The Health Ministry meanwhile continues in its own activities to boost the vaccination rate, using targeted informal campaigns in municipalities across Slovakia. Moreover, people aged 45 years and over will receive informational text messages about vaccination in the areas they live in. Nursing homes now have informational leaflets about vaccination thanks to the Health Ministry's cooperation with the Labour Ministry. The Health Ministry is also actively using social media. Read more about the vaccination against Covid in Slovakia: https://sputniknews.com/20211018/allies-of-former-french-president-sarkozy-stand-trial-for-alleged-polling-fraud-1090013304.html Allies of Former French President Sarkozy Stand Trial for Alleged Polling Fraud Allies of Former French President Sarkozy Stand Trial for Alleged Polling Fraud The development comes a month after Mr Sarkozy was sentenced to one year in prison after court found him guilty of illegally financing his 2012 re-election... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T15:19+0000 2021-10-18T15:19+0000 2021-10-18T15:19+0000 france nicolas sarkozy europe /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090009456_0:171:2730:1707_1920x0_80_0_0_7b2a5ab2751c024e460aefb6bba678dd.jpg The first day of the trial of allies of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun in France. Former Chief of Staff Claude Gueant, ex-adviser and consultant Patrick Buisson, former adviser Julien Vaulpre, and ex-aide Emmanuelle Mignon are accused of misusing public money, cronyism, and embezzlement. Also on trial is Pierre Giacometti, former managing director of the Ipsos France polling company.The case refers to opinion polls commissioned by the Elysee Palace between 2007 and 2009. The prosecution says contracts for polling services worth 7.4 million euros ($8,5 million) were awarded to companies owned by Patrick Buisson and Pierre Giacometti without competition, which is a violation of a French law on public financing that requires transparency and competitive bidding.The defendants may face up to seven years in prison as well as hefty fines. They deny the accusations.Jerome Karsenti, a lawyer for local anti-corruption group Anticor, said the case illustrates "the way in which Nicolas Sarkozy governed, using the presidency and state resources for his personal interests, worrying foremost about his image and his re-election to the detriment of the law.French media write that Mr Sarkozy himself is not on trial because he is protected from liability by his presidential immunity. Some reports say that the former head of state may testify during the trial, which is expected to last for four weeks.This comes a month after Sarkozy was sentenced to one year in prison for illegally financing his 2012 re-election bid. Earlier this year the politician was found guilty of corruption and received a one year sentence. He will not serve time in prison, with courts ruling that he can serve sentences at home. Mr Sarkozy plans to appeal both verdicts, which he described as a "witch hunt". france Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Max Gorbachev Max Gorbachev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Max Gorbachev france, nicolas sarkozy, europe https://sputniknews.com/20211018/china-denies-testing-hypersonic-missile-says-it-was-space-vehicle-trial-1090001837.html China Denies Testing Nuclear-Capable Hypersonic Missile, Says It Was Space Vehicle Trial China Denies Testing Nuclear-Capable Hypersonic Missile, Says It Was Space Vehicle Trial China Denies Testing Hypersonic Missile, Says It Was Space Vehicle Trial 2021-10-18T09:23+0000 2021-10-18T09:23+0000 2021-10-18T11:07+0000 asia & pacific us china hypersonic missiles hypersonic weapons /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106062/72/1060627236_0:15:1133:652_1920x0_80_0_0_e851257eb6c66e64df5f637451809f50.jpg China did not carry out a test of hypersonic weapons, but instead carried out a trial of a spacecraft, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian has stated. Zhao Lijian added that it was a "routine test" for reusable space rocket technology.The American company SpaceX successfully tested similar technology with the goal of reducing the costs of space travel and of sending cargo into orbit. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Beijing also hopes that the technology tested this summer will "provide a cheap and convenient method for humans to peacefully travel to and from space".US Reportedly 'Caught by Surprise' by TestThe newspaper, the Financial Times, reported last Saturday that the US intelligence community was "caught by surprise" by China's alleged test of a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile this summer. The missile purportedly carried a hypersonic glide vehicle that made a full circle around the globe, travelling via low Earth orbit before landing. The FT claimed the test took place in August, but Zhao Lijian insists it actually happened in July.The newspaper claimed that the weapon missed its designated target by about two-dozen miles, but nonetheless demonstrated the "astounding progress" that Beijing had made in developing hypersonic armaments, which are believed to be more capable of penetrating ground missile defences than regular ballistic missiles.The Financial Times pointed at the possibility of the alleged Chinese hypersonic missile flying over the South Pole before hitting US territory. Washington has purportedly concentrated its radar and air defence capabilities on its northern borders expecting a potential missile strike to come from the direction of the North Pole.The US first started testing hypersonic missile technologies at the end of the 20th century, but abandoned them after seeing poor results. It has revived research into this technology in recent years in light of the progress made in the field by Russian and Chinese defence industries. The two countries have boasted developing working prototypes of hypersonic armaments, with Russia reporting about the start of deployments in its armed forces. In addition, North Korea also reported testing its first hypersonic missile on 30 September. https://sputniknews.com/20210916/unbelievably-slow-hypersonic-bureaucracy-1089136071.html Barros LOL. US is out of date! 7 WhatTheFishIsThis China says "We ain't got it till you see it" .. ROFL 6 11 china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg asia & pacific, us, china, hypersonic missiles, hypersonic weapons https://sputniknews.com/20211018/china-may-boost-accuracy-of-its-hypersonic-weapons-via-ai-technology-report-says-1090004202.html China May Boost Accuracy of Its Hypersonic Weapons Via AI Technology, Report Says China May Boost Accuracy of Its Hypersonic Weapons Via AI Technology, Report Says Chinese PLA researchers are reportedly seeking to improve the accuracy of the country's hypersonic delivery systems via artificial intelligence, according to... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T11:06+0000 2021-10-18T11:06+0000 2021-10-18T11:06+0000 news world military & intelligence us asia & pacific china hypersonic missiles artificial intelligence financial times hypersonic weapons /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106188/72/1061887212_0:182:1001:745_1920x0_80_0_0_465f9e4e714b15f4f8d89ef5c3165013.jpg Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Monday refuted a report by the Financial Times saying that the country conducted a hypersonic missile test in August. First, it was not a missile but a space vehicle; second, the trials took place in July, Zhao specified.Earlier, FT dropped a bombshell by claiming that China had tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon. According to the report, the Chinese military launched a rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle that circled the Earth through low-orbit space before cruising towards its target.Beijing's recent statement does not mean, however, that China's hypersonic missile research has not been going at full throttle. On 14 October, Stephen Chen, the South China Morning Post's Beijing-based senior reporter who investigates major research projects in China, reported that People's Liberation Army (PLA) scientists are seeking to step up the accuracy of hypersonic weapons via the usage of artificial intelligence (AI).Chen quoted a research paper by Xian Yong and Li Bangjie, from the Rocket Force Engineering University's College of War Support, who proposed giving the weapon more decision-making power. This could step up the weapon's overall positioning accuracy "by one to two orders of magnitude", according to the researchers. Given that a hypersonic carrier has to travel up to thousands miles to deliver its load while making complex manoeuvres during the flight, this depends on how precisely it can determine its position.Yet, the weapon's built-in inertial sensors are typically subjected to physical disturbances during assembly, transport, and routine maintenance, argued Xian and Li. In addition, powering the hypersonic weapon up may cause further deviations from its factory settings and subsequently affect its precision capabilities, according to the study.To fix this problem, Xian and Li's team proposed replacing the factory settings with AI technology. The AI would start working once the weapon is launched and "write" the weapon's software "on the fly". It would calculate the missile's position using the signal from the GPS or the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and compare it with the results generated by the on-board sensors. By using this data, the AI would create a unique positioning algorithm for the weapon's flight control programme.The SCMP reporter remarked that while the speed of the processors used in China's hypersonic military programme is classified, their performance is said to be increasing steadily.Several years ago, the Chinese media also discussed the development of a family of cruise missiles with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. On 21 September 2016, The Diplomat examined these reports arguing that the Chinese sources provide no insight into the specific nature of the autonomous technology. At that time, The Diplomat expressed scepticism about the use of AI technology in cruise missiles, admitting, however, that AI "is considered indispensable in the development of new-age naval weapons, in particular hypersonic missiles".In 2020, the Washington-based Brookings Institution issued a review emphasising "significant investments in robotics, swarming, and other applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)" in China's PLA. The report noted that the PLA's official dictionary included a definition of an "AI weapon" as early as in 2011.However, China's military AI programmes remain top secret prompting the authors of the report to acknowledge that "the PLA's trajectory in the development and potential employment of AI/ML-enabled and autonomous weapons systems remains uncertain" while "the maturity of these capabilities cannot be assessed with high confidence at this point". https://sputniknews.com/20211017/stop-poking-the-dragon-chinas-hypersonic-missiles-can-reach-us--uk-in-blink-of-eye-netizens-say-1089986994.html https://sputniknews.com/20211013/already-over--ex-pentagon-official-claims-china-has-bested-us-in-artificial-intelligence-battle-1089877967.html koursk koursk the gangster billionaires, who run the nato zone, are in a hurry to defeat russia and china by the connitive attitude, where only the knowledge capable of beating russia and china would be transmitted to humans *** to corrupt humans by the money is easy, but it doesn't weigh much, in the face of ultra-programmed artificial intelligence 6 babai So... is it illegal to test a hypersonic weapon?! Or... do you need permission from the Almighty? 5 2 china 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 news, world, military & intelligence, us, asia & pacific, china, hypersonic missiles, artificial intelligence, financial times, hypersonic weapons, hypersonic glider https://sputniknews.com/20211018/chuck-schumer-suggests-using-sniffer-dogs-to-compensate-for-potential-staff-shortages-at-airports-1090002167.html Chuck Schumer Suggests Using Sniffer Dogs to Compensate For Potential Staff Shortages at Airports Chuck Schumer Suggests Using Sniffer Dogs to Compensate For Potential Staff Shortages at Airports The statement comes amid reports that US citizens may face problems while visiting their families for Thanksgiving due to low vaccination rates among... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T09:52+0000 2021-10-18T09:52+0000 2021-10-18T09:52+0000 us us transportation security administration (tsa) shortage thanksgiving /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090002016_0:14:3000:1702_1920x0_80_0_0_21c5a4d5e8bf31505a4542a8e16ff721.jpg US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has suggested using sniffer dogs to compensate for potential staff shortages at airports during the Thanksgiving season. The New York senator insisted that his proposal "really" could avert travel haos and that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should look at the Empire State to try out his idea.Commenting on the low vaccinate rates among TSA employees, the Senate majority leader urged personnel to get inoculated. "There is no reason on God's green Earth why anyone let alone a TSA agent shouldn't have the vaccine", Schumer said.His statement comes several days after TSA Administrator David Pekoske revealed that about 60 percent of staff has been vaccinated, prompting concern that if the agency fails to meet the 22 November deadline set up by the Biden administration thousands of its employees may face suspension.Last month, Joe Biden signed an executive order requiring federal workers and contractors to get fully vaccinated in 75 days. According to local media, the mandate impacts over 2 million employees. Individuals not complying with the rules may face disciplinary action, which includes short-term suspension from work and even termination.Thus, unvaccinated TSA workers must receive their first shot of the Pfizer vaccine by 18 October in order to meet the 22 November deadline (the second shot can be administered 21 days later) or Johnson & Johnson's one-shot dose.The vaccination mandate has been met with opposition from some federal workers. Pilots from Southwest Airlines, a major transportation company in the United States, asked a court in Dallas to temporarily block the mandate, citing alleged US labour law violations. According to them, the vaccine may cause side effects that could potentially end their careers as pilots. Last week, Southwest Airlines cancelled over 2,000 flights, citing staff shortages as well as poor weather conditions. However, some Republican lawmakers suggested that the issue has to do with employees protesting against the vaccination mandate, a claim the company has categorically denied. TruePatriot Proving once gain (up)Chuck is a blithering idiot. I'm going for those 40% that aren't jabbed to just walk off the job and tell the US idiot government to get stuffed. 1 FeEisi Vaccine mandate refugees need a place. The Navajo Nation, Cherokee Nation, and Siox Nation may be places that can provide refuge. Mexico under president AMLO may also welcome mandate refugees. 0 2 us Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Max Gorbachev Max Gorbachev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Max Gorbachev us, us, transportation security administration (tsa), shortage, thanksgiving https://sputniknews.com/20211018/doj-asks-us-supreme-court-to-re-suspend-texas-anti-abortion-law-after-lower-court-drops-ban-1090018573.html DOJ Asks US Supreme Court to Re-suspend Texas Anti-Abortion Law After Lower Court Drops Ban DOJ Asks US Supreme Court to Re-suspend Texas Anti-Abortion Law After Lower Court Drops Ban Texas controversial heartbeat law will return to the US Supreme Court again as the US Department of Justice tries to get the law suspended during... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T20:15+0000 2021-10-18T20:15+0000 2021-10-18T20:15+0000 supreme court roe v. wade us department of justice us texas abortion /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0b/03/1080967567_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_d6a95003e07558cf8bc95bb1b26d6dcd.jpg The new brief filed on Monday by Acting Solicitor General Brian Fletcher asks the Supreme Court to remove a stay put in place by a federal appeals court last week. That stay reversed another order by a US federal judge the week prior, which suspended the law, SB 8, while litigation over its legality was still playing out in the courts.SB 8 was previously at the Supreme Court in early September, when a group of abortion providers and womens health advocates petitioned the court to block the law from going into effect. The court rejected their petition in a late-night shadow docket decision, arousing fury among not only the activists, but also the courts three-judge liberal minority, who felt the decision had been made too hastily.So-called heartbeat laws like SB 8 ostensibly ban abortions once a doctor can detect what abortion opponents describe as a heartbeat; however, the indicator to which they refer isnt a true heartbeat, but rather electrical signals fired by a group of cells that would eventually develop into the fetus heart many weeks later. The law effectively bans abortions as early as six weeks after conception, at a time when the vast majority of women are not yet aware they are even pregnant.SB 8 makes no allowance in its ban for rape or incest; in response to criticisms of the laws inflexibility, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who signed the bill into law in April, said his administration would eliminate all rapists in the state. The law also has an unusual enforcement method, as it allows anyone to sue anyone else for not just performing a banned abortion, but also anyone who aids and abets such an abortion - an extremely broad and ill-defined concept.The DOJs Monday filing takes up this argument, writing that SB 8 defies those precedents by banning abortion long before viability - indeed, before many women even realize they are pregnant. Texas is not the first State to question Roe and [Casey v. Planned Parenthood]. But rather than forthrightly defending its law and asking this Court to revisit its decisions, Texas took matters into its own hands by crafting an unprecedented structure to thwart judicial review Texas has, in short, successfully nullified this Courts decisions within its borders.On December 1, the high court is also scheduled to hear Jackson Womens Health Organization v. Dobbs, a case dealing with a similar law to Texas but in which the court has explicitly been asked to review the legality of the 1973 Roe ruling. In the wake of its September 1 decision on SB 8, abortion advocates fear the courts conservative majority is now positioned to strike down Roe entirely.In response, Democrats have passed through the US House of Representatives a bill that would codify Roe vs. Wade into federal law, but it is unlikely to pass the Senate, where Democrats lack sufficient votes to break the filibuster that Republicans can use to stonewall the bills progress, as they have numerous other bills on US President Joe Bidens political agenda. As many as 40,000 protesters demonstrated in Washington, DC, in early October in support of the bill and of Roe in general. newGeneration every human life deserves to be given birth. Murdering a baby in the womb will only send you to hell where you belong. Disgusting nation! 1 Ladyshadow Time to let the citizens decide not the politicians making decisions about a women's health care, they aren't being influenced by special interest groups. 1 3 us texas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.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 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg supreme court, roe v. wade, us department of justice, us, texas, abortion https://sputniknews.com/20211018/fbi-reportedly-helping-secure-release-of-17-missionaries-taken-hostage-in-haiti-1090015023.html FBI Reportedly Helping Secure Release of 17 Missionaries Taken Hostage in Haiti FBI Reportedly Helping Secure Release of 17 Missionaries Taken Hostage in Haiti WASHINGTON, October 18 (Sputnik) - The FBI is helping the US State Department secure the release of 17 Christian missionaries who were taken hostage in Haiti... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T16:32+0000 2021-10-18T16:32+0000 2021-10-18T18:39+0000 us haiti hostages /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/17/1083444602_0:106:2048:1258_1920x0_80_0_0_46ea6e722f2abb68f6bba033ec880593.jpg The FBI is assisting efforts to find and recover 16 Americans and one Canadian, including five children, who were abducted and taken hostage during a trip to an orphanage outside the capital city, Port-au-Prince. FBI agents reportedly arrived in Haiti just hours after the abductions were confirmed.White House spokesperson Jen Psaki confirmed later on Monday that the FBI is currently involved in efforts to rescue US missionaries who were kidnapped in Haiti over the weekend.Psaki said the US Embassy in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince has been in contact with the local authorities and is providing assistance to the affected families to resolve the situation.The US State Department on Sunday said that they are aware of the reports of the kidnapping. The missionaries organization, US Christian Aid Ministries, also confirmed in a statement published Sunday that their employees had been abducted.The missionaries were reportedly kidnapped by the notorious armed gang called 400 Mawozo, who are known for extorting businesses and ransoming kidnapped victims. The New York Times on Sunday said that the whereabouts of the hostages remain unknown.Then-Prime Minister of Haiti Joseph Jouthe in December 2020 lauded police operations to neutralize members of 400 Mowozo, saying that armed gangs will have "no respite" in Haiti. haiti 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, haiti, hostages https://sputniknews.com/20211018/floods-in-indias-kerala-rescue-team-finds-bodies-of-mother-son-hugging-each-other-in-debris-1089999992.html Floods in India's Kerala: Rescue Team Finds Bodies of Mother-Son Hugging Each Other in Debris Floods in India's Kerala: Rescue Team Finds Bodies of Mother-Son Hugging Each Other in Debris The latest incident is dreadfully reminiscent of the 2018 and 2019 landslides in the state of Kerala. In 2018, the bodies of two children were found hugging... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T11:15+0000 2021-10-18T11:15+0000 2021-10-18T11:15+0000 india rain landslide flood kerala /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090005433_0:0:2562:1441_1920x0_80_0_0_cbf69c770768ec260332f528f4b7916d.jpg Heavy rains have been pounding the southern Indian state of Kerala since Friday and it has led to at least 25 deaths, with a yet unknown number of people missing. The incessant downpours have led to heavy flooding and landslides in various areas. A rescue team in the landslide-hit regions of Kottayam and Idukki witnessed some heart-wrenching scenes while digging beneath the debris. In one such instance, they came across a mother who died while holding her son in her arms, and a baby's body lying in a cradle. The woman and child have since been identified as 28-year-old Fauziya and her 10-year-old son Ameen. In another instance, as the team dug through the debris, they found the bodies of three children hugging each other as they met their death. The three have now been identified as Amna (7), Afsan (8), and Ahiyan (4) as per a report by the News Minute. As per media reports, all of the dead bodies have been sent to the Medical College Hospital in Kottayam. Although the intensity of the rain receded in central and southern Kerala on Sunday, the state will remain on high alert. Several isolated cases of drowning were also reported from several parts of the Indian state. On Sunday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared on Twitter that he had spoken with Kerala State Chief Pinarayi Vijayan and discussed the rain and landslide situation. Meanwhile, state authorities in Kerala have announced aid in the amount of INR 400,000 ($5,315) to the dependents of the deceased. https://sputniknews.com/20211016/at-least-10-people-died-18-missing-in-indias-kerala-state-due-to-bad-weather---reports-1089976557.html india kerala 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 india, rain, landslide, flood, kerala https://sputniknews.com/20211018/from-favourite-of-presidents-to-test-tube-secretary-world-responds-to-colin-powells-death-1090017146.html From 'Favourite of Presidents' to 'Test Tube Secretary': World Responds to Colin Powell's Death From 'Favourite of Presidents' to 'Test Tube Secretary': World Responds to Colin Powell's Death The first African-American to hold the post of secretary of state died on 18 October due to complications from COVID-19. Although he was fully vaccinated... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T19:23+0000 2021-10-18T19:23+0000 2021-10-18T19:23+0000 us colin powell russia iraq germany uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090017120_0:0:3000:1688_1920x0_80_0_0_02a59750350e5614a6c8a1f41bec2117.jpg The death of Colin Powell from COVID-19 sparked reactions around the world, especially in the US, where Powell was known as a distinguished general who had also served as national security advisor, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state under three different presidents. One of them, George W. Bush, was among the first to offer his condolences to the family and praise Powell as a "great public servant".Incumbent US President Joe Biden, in turn, hailed Powell as a man who embodied "the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat". He stressed that the ex-secretary of state understood that "military might alone was not enough to maintain our peace and prosperity". Ex-POTUS Barack Obama joined the public commemoration of the late general, praising him for helping young Americans "set their sights higher".Another former US President, Jimmy Carter, also extended his condolences to Powell's family, calling him a "true patriot and public servant" whose courage and integrity will be an inspiration for generations to come. Current Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin noted that the US lost one of its greatest leaders, while he himself lost a "tremendous friend and mentor".US lawmakers on both sides of the aisle joined former and current officials in commemorating the late ex-secretary of state. Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said that America lost "a trailblazing leader" on this day, while fellow GOP Senator Lindsey Graham praised him as both a "great military leader" and a man who "had a passion for diplomacy". Republican Senator Mitt Romney also remarked on Powell's "undaunted courage":Democratic Senator Mark Warner, in turn, called Powell a patriot and a public servant. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised Powell as a patriot who left a "blazing a trail for generations to come" with his servitude to the country.Powell Viewed Differently AbroadColin Powell was commemorated not only at home but also in the foreign countries he worked with in his capacity as secretary of state. Former British Prime Minister John Major called the late US general "the finest men [he] ever met". Another former UK head of government, Tony Blair praised Powell's "hugely likeable and warm personality" while noting his "lovely and self-deprecating sense of humour".The former head of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen admitted that he was deeply saddened by the news of the passing of his "friend", underscoring his immense positive image in the US and his contribution to "the cause of freedom around the world".Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also commemorated Powell's passing and called him a friend of Israel, noting his "legacy" as a man who fought for freedom and democracy. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, in turn, noted that with Powell's death the US lost a "straight-talking foreign policy official", acclaiming him as a "trans-Atlantic bridge-builder".Igor Ivanov, who served as Russia's foreign minister when Powel was the US secretary of state, called the late general a "worthy partner" who acted with dignity even in the complicated situations both found themselves in.Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commemorated the late secretary of state as a man who will go down in history as having made his way through the ranks to the top positions in the government. She praised his professionalism and the ability to listen to the other side as a diplomat a "skill that modern US politicians lack so much".However, not everyone had only positive things to recall in the context of Powell's passing. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian Federation Council, Konstantin Kosachev, noted that for all his achievements as a public servant, Powell will still be remembered as the "test-tube secretary", referring to the late secretary of state's speech at the UN where he brandished a tube with white powder - an alleged Iraqi weapon of mass destruction. That speech, which Powell himself called a "blot" on his record, led to the bloody war in Iraq in 2004, Kosachev recalled.Many Iraqis can't forgive Powell for that speech to this day. A member of the Iraqi Party of Progress and Socialism, which holds 22 seats in the country's parliament, Abdulkarim Abtan accused the late general of being part of the US administration that planned and executed "Iraq's destruction". Powell himself, despite regretting his UN speech, insisted that the US achieved a lot of good in Iraq by ousting the "terrible dictator" Saddam Hussein.Muntadher al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist who is widely remembered as the man who threw shoes at then-US President George W. Bush at a 2008 press conference, commented on Powell's passing, saying he regretted that he never stood trial "for his crimes in Iraq". He also expressed confidence that "the court of God" is waiting for him. https://sputniknews.com/20211018/son-of-jamaican-immigrants-colin-powell-would-go-on-to-make-bogus-case-for-us-war-in-iraq-over-wmds-1090008947.html ron This person caused lots of pain, suffering, lost of life and the contamination of the soil from depleted uranium - which cause thousands of deformed babies in Iraq. 12 Kiwi Terrorist and war criminal. Good riddance. 9 14 russia iraq germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Tim Korso https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg us, colin powell, russia, iraq, germany, uk https://sputniknews.com/20211018/he-was-unlucky-david-amess-was-killed-at-random-report-says-1089997632.html 'He Was Unlucky': David Amess Was Killed 'at Random', Report Says 'He Was Unlucky': David Amess Was Killed 'at Random', Report Says The Metropolitan Police Service announced in an early Saturday memo that Friday's fatal stabbing of Conservative MP Sir David Amess in the Essex town of... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T05:52+0000 2021-10-18T05:52+0000 2021-10-19T06:07+0000 mi5 government lawmaker killing investigators politicians essex uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1089997983_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_23a15bbf45c944c20ca4954939a94ef5.jpg UK media outlets have reported that Ali Harbi Ali, the suspect behind Tory MP Sir David Amess' murder was plotting to kill any UK politician, including Labour and Tory MPs, and that the 69-year-old lawmaker was stabbed to death "at random".Earlier, both police and investigators were mystified over why the 69-year-old was picked for an attack by Ali, a British national of Somali heritage. Initial reports asserted that Sir David a Roman Catholic and eminent Brexiteer - had been targeted because of his political views or religion.Ali Reportedly Watched Videos of Islamist Preacher The insiders' claims come as former friends of Ali argued in an interview with The Sun that Ali was radicalised after he watched YouTube videos of convicted Islamist hate preacher Anjem Choudary.In 2016, Choudary was sentenced to five and a half years after he was convicted of inviting support for Daesh*. The radical preacher was released on license from HMP Belmarsh in 2018 and he was subject to more than 20 conditions at the time.Choudary is notoriously known for heading a now-banned group supporting an extreme interpretation of Islam.As for Ali, a few years ago he was reportedly referred to Prevent, the UK government's counter-terrorism programme, but that his behaviour was not believed to be extreme enough to alert MI5, Britain's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency.On Monday afternoon, MPs are due to pay tribute to Amess in the House of Commons ahead of a church service in his memory at Westminster Abbey.His family earlier thanked the public and his colleagues for their "wonderful" tributes following Sir David's "cruel and violent death" last Friday.Southend West MP Amess was meeting constituents at his weekly "surgery" in Leigh-on-Sea when Ali walked in and stabbed him at least 17 times. Paramedics battled for more than an hour to save the 69-year-old father of five, but to no avail. Police arrested Ali at the scene.*Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20211017/david-amess-murderer-what-we-know-so-far-about-somali-suspect-1089984102.html Tom One What rubbish. Clearly the guy was targeted or are they saying the radicalised idiot would have wandered the street, possibly for days with a machete down his trousers ? The bloke knew Amess was there and targeted him for the news it would make for Islam, ISIS etc. lets just hope the shrinks dont get there before the courts and pull a mental health stunt before hes banged up or better deported 2 Hajj Qassem They missed a trick with this one, they could have framed Iran for this as Amess was a staunch supporter of MKO terrorist Maryam Rajavi as an alternative to Islamic Republic. 1 6 essex Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.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 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg mi5, government, lawmaker, killing, investigators, politicians, essex, uk https://sputniknews.com/20211018/italian-fans-sending-love-to-johnny-depp-prove-actor-is-still-adored-outside-us-1089996243.html Italian Fans Sending Love to Johnny Depp Prove Actor Is Still Adored Outside US Italian Fans Sending Love to Johnny Depp Prove Actor Is Still Adored Outside US The 58-year-old actor and rock musician is still trying to restore his reputation after ex-wife Amber Heard claimed in an op-ed that Depp is an abuser, which... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T02:30+0000 2021-10-18T02:30+0000 2021-10-18T02:30+0000 italy rome fan johnny depp viral /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1089996481_0:21:3072:1749_1920x0_80_0_0_66dbcc18d67e105e59da0c73e77b6a68.jpg Although Johnny Depp may indeed be seen as an outcast by some in the US due to the stigma of being labeled an "abuser" and an "alcoholic", the world-famous actor recently received a fair amount of love from throngs of fans in the capital of Italy.Multiple videos circulating online show the star of "The Pirates of the Caribbean" arriving on the red carpet for the Rome Film Festival premiere of his new animated TV series, "Puffins," on Sunday, with a swarm of fans cheering him on and chanting his praises from afar while he cheerfully waved and played along.The actor sure seemed to appreciate the fans' cheers by the way he acknowledged everyone, bowing down to them at one point, and blowing kisses to everyone yelling his name. Depp faced a crowd of people waiting for him on his way out, and he responded to their support there, too. He eventually got into a waiting SUV, although he did not seem to be in a hurry to get in.As some American tabloids have noted, Depp's public image at home is much different than it is in Europe. The actor claimed that he has been blacklisted and ostracized in the US as a result of his defamation lawsuit in the UK against The Sun publishers, whose article dubbed him a "wife-beater." He eventually lost the case this March.He was swiftly fired from the projects he was working on at the time and has not been able to obtain a major Hollywood job since. But many of his fans, who refer to themselves as Depp's "warriors," have expressed hostility towards Heard and the court cases and statements regarding her ex-husband, even collecting signatures for a petition demanding that she be deprived of advertising contracts and roles in Hollywood blockbusters. https://sputniknews.com/20210923/johnny-depp-says-no-one-is-safe-from-cancel-culture-as-he-hints-that-metoo-got-out-of-hand-1089326725.html NCC-1701 Everyone except you. It's about the injustice done to him by a British Judge who clearly fancied Amber. 1 dozacosmo Who cares about stupid random American actor. 0 3 italy rome Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Kirill Kurevlev Kirill Kurevlev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Kirill Kurevlev italy, rome, fan, johnny depp, viral https://sputniknews.com/20211018/january-6-could-be-washingtons-part-of-fbis-multi-state-operation-cold-snap-argues-us-observer-1090012824.html January 6 Could Be Washington's Part of FBIs Multi-State Operation Cold Snap, Argues US Observer January 6 Could Be Washington's Part of FBIs Multi-State Operation Cold Snap, Argues US Observer FBIs involvement in 6 January riots could be bigger than the mainstream media have recently acknowledged, according to US political commentator Julie Kelly... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T15:13+0000 2021-10-18T15:13+0000 2021-10-18T15:13+0000 joe biden donald trump world us opinion surveillance michigan capitol hill trap riots /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/08/1083099113_0:237:2797:1810_1920x0_80_0_0_22faebea76a8a6fecf7d309dbf5008c7.jpg The US Department of Justice announced on 8 October 2020 that six men had been arrested and charged federally with conspiring to kidnap the Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The DoJ's press release said that "through confidential sources, undercover agents, and clandestine recordings, law enforcement learned particular individuals were planning to kidnap the Governor and acting in furtherance of that plan".However, on 12 July 2021, BuzzFeed revealed that the FBI allegedly used at least 12 informants in the Whitmer kidnapping case, who not only kept the agency in the loop, but were allegedly used by the FBI to "induce or persuade" the defendants to go along with the violent scheme. The agency's operation was called Cold Snap.According to BuzzFeed, the FBI assets "had a hand in nearly every aspect of the alleged plot, starting with its inception".One of those infiltrators, Stephen Robeson, 57, helped organise a series of meetings around the country "enthusiastically pushing people he knew to attend" and even "paid for some hotel rooms and food as an incentive to get people to come". At these meetings many of the alleged plotters first met one another.Another informant, an Iraq War veteran, known as Big Dan, rose to the second-in-command of the group, encouraged members to work with other potential suspects and paid for their transportation to meetings. He allegedly urged the supposed mastermind of the Whitmer kidnapping plot to carry his plan out, and then laid the trap that eventually led to the arrest. The defendants in the kidnapping case later accused the FBI of "entrapment", saying the infiltrators encouraged the group and even led military-style trainings for the plot.She noted that the blame for the plot was pinned on then-President Donald Trump. "There is a through line from President Trumps dog whistles and tolerance of hate, vengeance, and lawlessness to plots such as this one", then-presidential candidate Joe Biden claimed on 8 October 2020.Citing a testimony by one of the lead FBI special agents in the Whitmer case, the political commentator highlighted that there had been other FBI "domestic terrorism" investigations in Baltimore and Milwaukee and Cincinnati and Indiana involving other militia members.According to Kelly, "Big Dan" was also ordered by the FBI to convince a man in Virginia to participate in a plan against Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. "Just like in the Whitmer plot, 'Big Dan' advised his target how to build an explosive device and urged him to attend a training camp in Wisconsin", she noted.The AG senior contributor insists that "its hard to imagine Operation Cold Snap ended with the arrest of Whitmers would-be abductors". According to her, the 6 January riot, attended by several groups of right-wing militia, could have been a continuation of the same FBI op, this time in Washington, DC.She suggested that it was hardly a coincidence that FBI chief Christopher Wray promoted Steven M. DAntuono, special agent in charge of the Detroit Field Office, Michigan, to head of the DC FBI Field office on 13 October 2020 just five days after the arrest of kidnap plotters and ahead of the November 2020 elections. Apparently, DAntuono was seen as a man for the job, according to the political commentator.Citing a New York Times' article unveiling FBI infiltrators' role in 6 January riots, Kelly presumed that the NYT report could only be seen as the start of a slow drip of information about the extent" of the agency's role in the Capitol breach. https://sputniknews.com/20210706/domestic-terrorists-or-political-prisoners-fbi-on-911-style-hunting-spree-for-january-sixers-1083321129.html https://sputniknews.com/20210623/what-if-capitol-riots--qanon-were-fbis-handiwork-to-entrap-trump-supporters-journo-wonders-1083218684.html michigan capitol hill Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ekaterina Blinova joe biden, donald trump, world, us, opinion, surveillance, michigan, capitol hill, trap, riots, us capitol, informants, fbi, fbi agents, gretchen whitmer, us election 2020 https://sputniknews.com/20211018/major-evacuation-flight-departs-kabul-for-qatar-with-over-350-people-on-board---reports-1089995702.html Major Evacuation Flight Departs Kabul For Qatar With Over 350 People on Board - Reports Major Evacuation Flight Departs Kabul For Qatar With Over 350 People on Board - Reports MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The ninth evacuation flight from Afghanistan since August 31 has carried more than 350 people out of the Afghan capital of Kabul, a senior... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T00:36+0000 2021-10-18T00:36+0000 2021-10-18T00:37+0000 afghanistan flight kabul international airport qatar /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1089995677_0:277:3073:2005_1920x0_80_0_0_0b56948591f230a64c73083565968ca8.jpg The plane, one of the largest evacuation flights with 353 people on board, including faculty, staff, and students from the American University of Afghanistan, departed Kabul on Sunday and is on its way to Doha.The exact number of Americans on board remains unclear. There are also citizens of Afghanistan, the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia on board, according to the Qatari government official.The evacuees will remain in Doha, Qatar until their departure for final destinations.US media reported earlier this month that the US intends to resume evacuation flights from Afghanistan by the end of this year. Until that happens, the US State Department will be organizing flights to Qatar.After the Taliban* took over Kabul on August 15, hundreds of people rushed to the airport, which resulted in several days of chaos. As foreigners and Afghans who helped foreign forces were striving to leave, the airport was shaken by terrorist attacks organized by a local affiliate of Daesh*.Since mid-August, Qatar has been facilitating the evacuation of people from Kabul to Doha. Most of the evacuees are headed for Qatar, where they are hosted temporarily before departing on flights to their onward destinations. According to the Qatari Foreign Ministry, some 114,000 people have left Afghanistan on evacuation flights, with over 58,000 of them via Qatar.*Terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other states 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 afghanistan, flight, kabul international airport, qatar https://sputniknews.com/20211018/nato-regrets-russias-decision-to-suspend-work-of-missions-1090017483.html NATO Regrets Russia's Decision to Suspend Work of Missions NATO Regrets Russia's Decision to Suspend Work of Missions BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - NATO regrets the decision of Russia to suspend the work of the missions of the alliance and Russia, NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu told... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T18:48+0000 2021-10-18T18:48+0000 2021-10-18T18:52+0000 world russia nato /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/10/1082090658_0:105:2000:1230_1920x0_80_0_0_d292cc6ab0c7610b3b9730de8ab7c763.jpg On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced Russia's retaliatory measures to the expulsion of diplomats from NATO: in addition to suspending the work of the NATO military liaison mission in Moscow, its information bureau is also shutting down. The Russian permanent mission to NATO also suspends work from November 1 or a little later. For contacts with Russia, the alliance should now contact the Russian ambassador to Belgium."We have taken note of the decision by Russia to suspend the work of its diplomatic mission to NATO, and of NATOs Military Liaison Mission in Moscow, and to close down NATOs Information Mission in Moscow. We regret these steps," Lungescu said.Against the background of Russia's decision on missions, NATO declares its openness to dialogue, including through the NATO-Russia Council, she said.Meanwhile, Russia has suggested to agree on measures of de-escalation with NATO, including a mutual decrease in military activity along the borders of Russia and the alliance's countries, Russia's deputy envoy at the UN and other international organizations in Geneva, Andrey Belousov, said at a meeting of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly.According to the diplomat, today "steps are required to improve the situation, as well as focus on the conscientious implementation of existing agreements, including the Vienna Document.""Additional voluntary measures of transparency are useful. We propose to agree on de-escalation measures, including a mutual reduction in military activity along the border between Russia and NATO countries, and on improving mechanisms for preventing incidents and dangerous military activities," Belousov said. Xtr3me_1 NATO never wanted a mutual relationship. Russia/NATO just had a sit down and they responded like a bunch or a**holes expelling diplomats of which they admit there was no instance of wrongdoing by the "spies" they claim was at the mission. Russia gave the appropriate response. 16 vigilante NATO is falling apart, it has never been weaker. Soon it will become irrelevant. To show off it's dwingling power .. it keeps announcing that it wants deals with Russia but only on NATO conditions. That does not work for Russian. NATO will soon backtrack on its provocative actions . against Russia. It needs an aggressive Russia to justify it's existences 15 15 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 world, russia, nato https://sputniknews.com/20211018/private-security-for-mps-mulled-by-westminster-as-pm-paid-tribute-to-murdered-sir-david-amess-1090012302.html Private Security for MPs Mulled by Westminster, as PM Paid Tribute to Murdered Sir David Amess Private Security for MPs Mulled by Westminster, as PM Paid Tribute to Murdered Sir David Amess UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has paid tribute to the Conservative lawmaker Sir David Amess, who died after being stabbed to death last week. 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T15:05+0000 2021-10-18T15:05+0000 2021-10-18T15:27+0000 sir david amess murder uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090013134_0:217:2580:1669_1920x0_80_0_0_4ee104df509c1b253818a229266933d5.jpg Johnson told the House of Commons on Monday that "David was the nicest, kindest and gentlest of individuals to grace these benches".The PM also announced that Southend, where Sir David served as an MP, will be given city status, adding that the Queen has approved the move already.Sir David was meeting with his constituents in Leigh-on-Se on 15 October when he was stabbed multiple times, leading to his death at the scene.The politicians murder has raised questions of the parliamentarians personal security as they conduct public work and meet their constituents in person.Although reservations over the necessity for private security for the MPs still remain, UK Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has suggested that it could be a likely option in some cases.Life-threatening encounters between UK politicians and member of the public have taken place in the past.In the case of the Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox, it led to her murder by shooting and stabbing during a constituency surgery in 2016.An attempted murder by stabbing of East Ham MP Stephen Timms in 2010 saw Roshonara Choudhry, a 21-year-old British former student and an Islamist extremist jailed for life.Asked if he thought it was the right time to consider some form of MP protection during surgeries, such as a police escort, Stephen Timms said: Following Sir David's stabbing, a British citizen of Somali heritage, Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested on suspicion of murder and has since been held under the Terrorism Act. The leader of the Labour party, Sir Keir Starmer, told the Parliament on Monday that "we must not lose sight of the fact that David's killing was 'an act of terror in our country'". Syria Forever Just as i said some days ago.. ;D Of course. Police officers have to report misconduct by the MP (if they do or not is another thing). Privat security gives a damn about it... and.. it gives great opportunities to get money to 'relatives and friends'... The world will be a better place when those political parasites are gone.. for good.. 0 1 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Evgenia Filimianova Evgenia Filimianova 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 Evgenia Filimianova sir david amess, murder, uk https://sputniknews.com/20211018/raab-slams-hate-speech-against-members-of-parliament-after-lawmaker-stabbed-to-death-1090011325.html Raab Slams Hate Speech Against Members of Parliament After Lawmaker Stabbed to Death Raab Slams Hate Speech Against Members of Parliament After Lawmaker Stabbed to Death MOSCOW (Sputnik) - UK Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said on Monday that the amount of online hate speech against members of parliament is getting "out of... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T13:49+0000 2021-10-18T13:49+0000 2021-10-18T13:49+0000 dominic raab stabbing uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107534/36/1075343694_0:0:2001:1125_1920x0_80_0_0_a38029f8df1ef5ca6cc6d351f5455c14.jpg He then noted that Home Secretary Priti Patel is considering amending the law on a right to anonymity on social media, which is aimed at stopping the abuse members of parliament face online.Last Friday, Conservative lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death during a meeting with his constituents in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. The police have arrested a 25-year-old suspect with British citizenship and are treating the attack as terrorism.In 2016, another high-profile attack on a UK legislator prompted a debate on the need to reconsider the safety of members of parliament. Thomas Mair shot and stabbed a member of parliament Jo Cox ahead of the Brexit referendum, considering her "stay" stance to be treacherous. 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 dominic raab, stabbing, uk https://sputniknews.com/20211018/russian-teen-arrested-after-opening-fire-in-school-reports-say-1089997142.html Student Opens Fire at School Near Russian City of Perm Student Opens Fire at School Near Russian City of Perm A shooting has occurred at a school in the Oktyabrsky District of the Perm Region of Russia, but luckily nobody was hurt, local police told Sputnik. 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T04:24+0000 2021-10-18T04:24+0000 2021-10-18T04:56+0000 russia school shooting perm region /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107831/01/1078310179_0:205:2915:1844_1920x0_80_0_0_b81311bd67617755e2b1d7575958572c.jpg A student was detained by Russian police after bringing a firearm to his school and firing it twice.The shooter turned out to be a 6th grade student at the school, authorities told Sputnik. Police are investigating the motives behind the incident and where exactly the firearm came from. liana sammartino Behind the student there surely is an adult who wants to create chaos and destruction to the Russian society.... 4 Nevi'im Not again! I sure this has only happened a while ago? Perm is beautiful city, what's wrong with the University there? 2 3 perm region Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.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 Evgeny Mikhaylov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/07/1080390164_0:0:1440:1440_100x100_80_0_0_46c187f2ab0908f86849a7d09a7def57.jpg russia, school, shooting, perm region https://sputniknews.com/20211018/south-korea-worried-about-japans-looming-radioactive-water-dump-1090004089.html South Korea Worried About Japan's Looming Radioactive Water Dump South Korea Worried About Japan's Looming Radioactive Water Dump MOSCOW (Sputnik) - South Koreas Foreign Ministry has expressed concerns to Japan about its planned discharge of water used to cool the reactor of the crippled... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T10:28+0000 2021-10-18T10:28+0000 2021-10-18T10:28+0000 south korea fukushima asia & pacific japan radioactive water /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/16/1082155776_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_d4f425d438ea2595016cc09a70e84962.jpg The official said that Japan made the decision to flush the radioactive water into the sea without consulting its neighbours. Russia, China and South Korea are worried that the disposal of a million tonnes of radioactive water could damage the ecosystem.Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during a visit to the power plant on Sunday that the sight of all the cisterns containing treated wastewater made him realize that its release could no longer be delayed.Japan said in April that the wastewater would be released gradually starting in 2023. The global nuclear watchdog, IAEA, said nuclear power plants routinely dump decontaminated wastewater, although the amounts stored at the Fukushima plant make it a "unique and complex" case. south korea fukushima japan 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 south korea, fukushima, asia & pacific, japan, radioactive water https://sputniknews.com/20211018/state-dept-ig-launches-probe-into-end-of-us-diplomatic-operations-in-afghanistan---reports-1090021074.html State Dept. IG Launches Probe Biden's Withdrawal From Afghanistan - Reports State Dept. IG Launches Probe Biden's Withdrawal From Afghanistan - Reports WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US State Department Inspector General is launching a probe into the manner the Biden administration ended the United States'... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T22:02+0000 2021-10-18T22:02+0000 2021-10-18T22:04+0000 us afghanistan investigation evacuation kabul international airport inspector general /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090021042_0:164:3075:1894_1920x0_80_0_0_f7ec326da6bf427c36b65f7716809450.jpg The probe will particularly look into the State Departments Special Immigrant Visa program; resettlement of refugees and visa recipients; as well as the emergency evacuation of the US Embassy in Kabul, the report said, citing documents and State Department and congressional officials.Diana Shaw, the State Department acting Inspector General, notified Congress of the investigation on Monday, the report said.After the Taliban* took over Kabul on August 15, hundreds of people rushed to the airport, which resulted in several days of chaos. As foreigners and Afghans who helped foreign forces were striving to leave, the airport was shaken by terrorist attacks organized by a local Daesh* affiliate.* Terrorist organizations outlawed in Russia TruePatriot Here let me fix some of the text: "resettlement of collaborators and visa recipients..." There you go. There were no refugees per se at all. 2 Ladyshadow Just a waste of tax dollars, shut the door and move on. 1 2 us afghanistan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 us, afghanistan, investigation, evacuation, kabul international airport, inspector general https://sputniknews.com/20211018/ten-years-after-shalits-release-chief-campaigner-talks-about-battle-to-bring-idf-soldier-back-home-1089998066.html Ten Years After Shalit's Release, Chief Campaigner Talks About Battle to Bring IDF Soldier Back Home Ten Years After Shalit's Release, Chief Campaigner Talks About Battle to Bring IDF Soldier Back Home Gilad Shalit, a former Israeli soldier, spent five years in a Hamas prison. During his time in captivity, thousands rallied to free him, with Tel Aviv... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T08:51+0000 2021-10-18T08:51+0000 2021-10-18T08:51+0000 israel idf /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/11/1089980292_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_16628d7ca4f857b02bcca560d8c00088.jpg On 25 June 2006, Shimshon Libman, an Israeli entrepreneur and activist from Mitzpe Hila in the north of the country was in his car when he heard a news bulletin announcing that Hamas, an Islamic group that controls the Gaza Strip, had kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.Natural DecisionThe Shalit family also resided in Mitzpe Hila, but Libman had never met them. That, however, didn't prevent him from turning his car around and making his way to extend a helping hand.For Libman, it was a "natural decision". He was brought up on the values of voluntarism, contribution to society, and helping others.Libman has lived on a kibbutz, a collective community in Israel, for more than two decades. Over the years, he has been a principal and the chairman of a local club helping at-risk children. And this is why assisting the Shalits was an obvious move.Initially, it was only Gilad Shalit's father, Noam, Libman, and one other person who joined forces to put pressure on the government to free the IDF soldier. But as time went by, they garnered thousands of people to rally to their cause. Campaigning For His ReleaseLibman became the head of the campaign to free Gilad Shalit. Together with others he engaged PR firms and advertising agencies, who worked on a voluntary basis, and came up with a number of initiatives aimed at raising public awareness about Shalit and to the need to bring him back home.Then, after Libman realised that there was no other choice, he told Noam that the campaign should take a different direction.Hamas had earlier demanded that Israel release more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners held in jails on terrorism charges. Shalit's chief campaigner was eager to go ahead with the deal if it meant Gilad's liberation.Dividing Public OpinionBut many others were not ready to see the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for one Israeli soldier. Thousands rallied against the potential deal and called on the authorities not to give in to pressure.Libman says he understood their pain. "It is a story of pain against pain. We had bereaved families that supported our struggle and wanted to see Gilad released. Others rejected this idea. We respected their feelings but we also needed to show them that we believed in our path".That belief kept Libman going despite the hatred directed at his movement and in spite of the constant failures in negotiations with Hamas.On 18 October 2011, it finally happened. Shalit was first interviewed by leading Egyptian journalist Shahira Amin at the Rafah crossing connecting Egypt to the Gaza Strip before he was taken to see his family.Recalling that moment, Libman says that activists rushed to the car when Gilad arrived at his house. But the chief campaigner stood aside. For him, it wasn't the battle over Shalit as a soldier. For him, it was a struggle of values, and that path had come to an end.Libman didn't use the success of that campaign to score political points. Neither did he use it to become a politician. Ten years after Shalit's release, Libman continues to run his business. He gives lectures about that battle to bring the IDF soldier home, and he's penning a book about that struggle the struggle over values. israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Elizabeth Blade Elizabeth Blade 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 Elizabeth Blade israel, idf https://sputniknews.com/20211018/trump-sues-house-panel-probing-january-6-1090019556.html Trump Sues House Panel Probing January 6 Events Trump Sues House Panel Probing January 6 Events Former US President Donald Trump has asserted in a new court filing that the documents sought by a Congressional panel investigating the January 6, 2021... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T20:44+0000 2021-10-18T20:44+0000 2021-10-18T23:06+0000 donald trump us lawsuit congressional probe /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/0a/1089812953_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_2ee22de23b82fbf07d24258a4fff2ba5.jpg The lawsuit, filed Monday in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, targets both the US House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol and the National Archives and Records Administration and seeks to block what it calls "an illegal, unfounded, and overbroad records request."The former president seeks relief in the form of permanent injunctions against both the National Archives for supplying the documents and the House committee for requesting them, as well as "a declaratory judgment that the Committees requests are invalid and unenforceable under the Constitution and laws of the United States" or "a declaration that the Presidential Records Act is an unconstitutional violation of separation of powers and is void ab initio." Trump also wants to be reimbursed for the cost of the suit.The filing dismisses the committee's requests as "almost limitless in scope," noting it seeks "every presidential record and communication that could tenuously relate to events that occurred on January 6, 2021," including "records with no reasonable connection to the events of that day."The committee has made more than 50 requests for documents from more than 30 individuals, including "[a]ll documents and communications relating in any way to remarks made by Donald Trump or any other persons on January 6, including Donald Trumps and other speakers public remarks at the rally on the morning of January 6, and Donald Trumps Twitter messages throughout the day," and [f]rom November 3, 2020, through January 20, 2021, all documents and communications related to prepared public remarks and actual public remarks of Donald Trump.Trump has rejected characterization of the events of January 6 as a riot or insurrection and has continued to uphold his claims that led to the event - namely, that he was the rightful winner of the November 3, 2020, election and that US President Joe Biden won via fraud. He has also dismissed the congressional probe, launched by a Democratic-majority House, as a "sideshow to distract America" from the "massive failures" of Biden's administration.When thousands of Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol building on the afternoon of January 6, they did so immediately after a rousing rally hosted by Trump at the White House and with the intent of blocking congressional certification of the election results. Many also voiced an intent to arrest or even lynch members of Congress or the federal government, such as those who chanted "Hang [Vice President Mike] Pence" and erected a gallows on the western terrace.Five people died during the riot, including a Capitol Police officer and a female rioter shot by an officer outside the House chamber. However, they failed in their ultimate aims and were later dispersed by thousands of National Guardsmen who arrived to garrison the capital city. Trump was later impeached on charges of incitement to insurrection, but was acquitted in a trial in the weeks after he left office. vot tak Obvious zionist troll. 6 vot tak Decent report. The israeli likudite netanyahoo boy toy and traitor trump is trying a "nixon" now. His actions remind me of nixon trying to save his sorry arse after watergate was exposed, trying every trick he could think of and lying like hell. While I'd rather see trump hang for his numerous war crimes and his treason as a israeli agent, if they nail him for instigating the 6 jan riot, I'll be happy. 5 11 us Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.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 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg donald trump, us, lawsuit, congressional probe https://sputniknews.com/20211018/uk-daily-covid-19-cases-almost-50000---but-are-fatalities-also-rising-1090015302.html UK Daily COVID-19 Cases Almost 50,000 - But are Fatalities Also Rising? UK Daily COVID-19 Cases Almost 50,000 - But are Fatalities Also Rising? Nearly 50 million of the UK's 67 million population have had at least one dose of a vaccine against COVID-19 since the immunisation drive began in December... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T19:04+0000 2021-10-18T19:04+0000 2021-10-18T19:04+0000 britain great britain coronavirus covid-19 boris johnson pandemic deaths uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/08/1081392117_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_a8c93cd8c6f50881d774562802c93d10.jpg Nearly 50,000 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the UK in one day but the death rate is holding steady.The Public Health England (PHE) daily update on Monday showed 49,156 new cases reported that day. That brought the total number of cases in the past seven days to over 309,000 an average of 44,145 per day up 16.2 percent on the previous weekThe PHE site's headline figure for deaths from the virus in the past seven days had increased 11.4 percent to an average of 124 per day.But when listed by the actual date of death rather than when they were reported, the number of fatalities was falling gradually, and averaged just over 100 per day.The daily death toll peaked at 1,359 on 19 January during the second wave of the pandemic, when case numbers were roughly the same as now. Since then most precautionary restrictions have been relaxed despite warnings from opposition parties and some academics.A total of 915 COVID-positive patients were admitted to hospitals around the country on 12 October, the latest day for which full data was published, showing a steady rise. As of 15 October there were 7,097 infected people in hospital, although only 791 of those were ill enough to be put on a ventilator.The number of coronavirus tests carried out was holding steady at just under one million per day since the start of October, unlike in September, when the number of tests, cases, hospitalisations, and deaths rose and then fell in sync with each other.Over 49 million people in the UK have now been vaccinated, out of a total population 0f 67 million, with the jabs recently approved for children aged 12 to 15. Uptake among over-65s, the most vulnerable age group, is around 95 percent.The total death toll since the first case was recorded in the UK in January 2020 is now 138,629, with almost 8.5 million confirmed cases in that time.The response to the pandemic by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was criticised in a recent report by Parliament's Science and Technology Committee. https://sputniknews.com/20211018/cases-of-psychosis-on-rise-in-england-amid-covid-pandemic--1090001527.html elloboferoz More proof that the franken shots do not work. 1 TruePatriot Indeed. And, that the death in a bottle jabs GIVE one covid, because after all the spike protein is being injected INTO one. 1 2 britain great britain Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 James Tweedie https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png James Tweedie https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png 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 James Tweedie https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1c/1080307270_0:3:397:400_100x100_80_0_0_7777393b9b18802f2e3c5eaa9cbcc612.png britain, great britain, coronavirus, covid-19, boris johnson, pandemic, deaths, uk https://sputniknews.com/20211018/us-not-pessimistic-about-jcpoa-vienna-talks-with-iran-but-says-they-cannot-go-on-indefinitely-1090016915.html US 'Not Pessimistic' About JCPOA Vienna Talks With Iran, But Says They Cannot Go on Indefinitely US 'Not Pessimistic' About JCPOA Vienna Talks With Iran, But Says They Cannot Go on Indefinitely US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Monday that Washington was not "optimistic, not pessimistic," but simply "clear-eyed" about a new round of... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T18:25+0000 2021-10-18T18:25+0000 2021-10-18T19:10+0000 iran joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) us state department vienna talks /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/08/1082567891_0:151:3291:2002_1920x0_80_0_0_3176e594730362ecf6d58d38b0f6d612.jpg As Iran prepares to return to Vienna, Austria, for a seventh round of talks with the US on returning to the 2015 nuclear deal that lowered economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic, the US is posturing in favor of a more stringent deal than that agreed to in 2015.The US pulled out of the deal in 2018, with then-US President Donald Trump claiming Iran was secretly violating the deal and reimposing sanctions, although the deal's other parties were unconvinced by US claims. Nonetheless, Iran began reducing its own commitments to the deal, producing more refined uranium in higher purities, in an effort to convince Washington to return to the deal.US and Israeli officials claim Iran seeks a nuclear weapon and have vowed to stop them from acquiring it, although Tehran has forsworn all weapons of mass destruction and the head of Israeli military intelligence recently said "they are not heading toward a bomb right now."Earlier, officials from the European Union, a party to the 2015 nuclear deal, downplayed the possibility of a meeting with Iran about the nuclear deal outside of the Vienna framework.Similarly, Price said that "the destination we seek is in Vienna, not an intermediate step in Brussels."Iran and the US are expected to begin their seventh round of talks in Vienna in early November. Hess The US is using the empty talk as a pretext for aggression. It is Israel which leading the US on a leach. 5 TruePatriot More US stupidity. Is it any wonder why they are NOT at the negotiating table? What will the yanks do when the committee comes to an agreement that the US can rejoin the JCPOA but has to drop all the sanctions and pay back all the damages caused by them to Iran? I don't think there are enough nappies in US warehouses to handle all the changes that will be required. 4 4 iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.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 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg iran, joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa), us state department, vienna talks https://sputniknews.com/20211018/were-scared-migrants-leave-jammu--kashmir-as-militants-target-civilians-death-toll-rises-to-11-1090004642.html Were Scared: Migrants Leave Jammu & Kashmir as Militants Target Civilians, Death Toll Rises to 11 Were Scared: Migrants Leave Jammu & Kashmir as Militants Target Civilians, Death Toll Rises to 11 Since 2 October, a total of 11 civilians have been shot dead by militants in Jammu and Kashmir. Most of them hailed from the Indian state of Bihar and belonged... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T14:12+0000 2021-10-18T14:12+0000 2021-10-18T14:12+0000 kashmir world india world lashkar-e-taiba jammu kashmir liberation front (jklf) jammu and kashmir india /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/12/1090012197_0:165:3071:1893_1920x0_80_0_0_6a665813c1d2f651f8f7b563738de465.jpg A day after two migrants from India's Bihar state were shot dead in Jammu and Kashmirs Kulgam district, videos of many such people from other states, who were there to earn their livelihood but had begun leaving the union territory, emerged on social media.In a video posted by a Twitter user, Aditya Raj Kaul, a migrant worker can be heard saying, We are saddened after Sunday's death. Nothing more to say, cant stay here any longer. We are scared We will leave.In recent days, a string of killings of civilians in Jammu and Kashmir has caused a widespread sense of unease and fear in people, particularly among the region's minorities Hindus and Sikhs. The killings have sparked public outrage across India, with politicians from all parties condemning the attacks."The recent killing of Hindus and Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir is a continuation of genocide that had been perpetrated on the minority community for decades", Anoop Bhatt, a Kashmiri Pandit, told Sputnik over the phone."This is an attempt to create a wave of fear in the minority community", he added. In 1989-90, the selective killings of minorities, mainly Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs, by militants triggered widespread fear among the Kashmiri Pandit community. It forced them to move out of Kashmir and settle in different parts of the country. Now, when non-Muslim people are being targeted to make them leave the region, many people have started comparing the recent situation to the late 1980s."The government's protection of these innocent lives is a matter of concern", he added.Security Measures for Migrant WorkersAmid the unabated killings, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have "asked all [their] district chiefs in the valley to gather non-resident labourers and bring them to the nearest security camps immediately, Indian daily Financial Express reported. In a message flashed to all district police, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar said "All non-local labourers in your respective jurisdiction should be brought to the nearest police or central paramilitary force or army establishment just now. The matter is most urgent", the daily reported. The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, has claimed responsibility for most of them.The Resistance Front, designated as a terror organisation by India, was created months after the Indian government ended Jammu and Kashmir's special status in 2019. It claimed responsibility for attacks against civilians last week, when two teachers were shot dead. kashmir india jammu and kashmir Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.jpg Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.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 Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.jpg kashmir, world, india, world, lashkar-e-taiba, jammu kashmir liberation front (jklf), jammu and kashmir, india https://sputniknews.com/20211018/whereabouts-of-american-missionaries-kidnapped-in-haiti-remain-unknown-reports-say-1089997502.html Whereabouts of American Missionaries Kidnapped in Haiti Remain Unknown, Reports Say Whereabouts of American Missionaries Kidnapped in Haiti Remain Unknown, Reports Say MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US authorities remain unaware of the whereabouts of the American Christian missionaries and their families abducted in Haiti, The New York... 18.10.2021, Sputnik International 2021-10-18T05:16+0000 2021-10-18T05:16+0000 2021-10-18T05:22+0000 haiti world us kidnapping missionaries /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106621/06/1066210653_0:182:3501:2151_1920x0_80_0_0_3e3e075cda72483cc8c48d3b909a9d92.jpg The hostages, 16 Americans and one Canadian, and five children among them remain in captivity following their abduction on Saturday during a trip to visit an orphanage outside the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.According to the newspaper, the US government says it is aware of the kidnapping, but there has been no information on the whereabouts of the hostages, who were kidnapped by a gang called 400 Mawozo.On Sunday, the religious charity US Christian Aid Ministries confirmed that more than 10 of its employees were abducted in Haiti. It said the abducted include five men, seven women, and five children.According to Haitian Foreign Minister Claude Joseph, the country is in contact with US authorities on the kidnapping situation. Willyspit So they went to Haiti to steal some kids and ended up been kidnapped themselves. KARMA. 3 Nevi'im US Christian Church Charities are supported by the CIA as a propaganda leverage on 3rd political influence. They have very American first views. 2 13 haiti 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 haiti, world, us, kidnapping, missionaries Following recent Open-level wins at both Harrington and Yonkers, Jacks Legend N ($2.60) made his return to Harrah's Philadelphia a winning one, pulling the pocket and striding clear to an emphatic 1:49.4 win over his five foes in Sunday's (Oct. 17) featured $16,200 top-level conditioned pace. Dexter Dunn pushed forward with the seven-year-old Bettors Delight gelding, and the pair cleared Lyons Steel through a :27.1 first quarter before yielding control to Workin Ona Mystery with a circuit to go. After drafting through middle sectionals of :54.4 and 1:21.4, Jacks Legend N re-emerged off the far turn, overpowering Workin Ona Mystery and evading the late challenge of runner-up Stone Hanover by a widening 2-1/2 lengths. Workin Ona Mystery faded to third. Trainer Josh Green co-owns 27-time winner Jacks Legend N with Rich Lombardo Racing LLC, David Kryway and Eric Good. The feature win was one of three on the day for Dunn. Todd McCarthy and Tim Tetrick also registered hat tricks on the 14-race card. Racing returns to Harrah's Philadelphia on Thursday (Oct. 21); post time is 12:25 p.m. (EDT). (Harrah's Philadelphia) I had nothing but excellent care here, she said. Everybody was so professional and so kind. Mulholland ended up getting a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction to follow. She has since been cancer free. Dr. (Jeffrey) Holloway was my surgeon and just absolutely fantastic. Dr. (Matthew) Malamet, we are so blessed to have him in this community. He is fabulous he did my reconstruction and (is) just a fabulous doctor, so professional, she said. I have nothing but good things (to say). Mulholland said between the professional care she received at Regional West to the support she got from the community, she felt she couldnt have been in a better place to undergo her second bout with cancer. Even with COVID, the first surgery, my husband couldnt be there, and so he dropped me off and that was I dont know its just kind of comforting to have somebody there, she said. But the doctors and nurses were aware that I was alone, and they were just so kind and kept checking in on me until it was (time for the procedure). The rules for campground users, guests and other details will be addressed in an operations plan developed by the city and the management partner, OKeefe said. One chief goal of the new site is avoiding the physical disturbances and drug activity seen at the Reindahl encampment, Madison police East District Capt. Jamar Gary said. But Dairy Drive is different in several key respects: It will have a property manager, capacity is limited to 30 people and there will be services offered to campers on site, he said. The Police Department has been part of the planning with other city agencies, and once the operator is named, the department will work with it to determine how best to keep the site safe, he said. Its also important to treat the campers with dignity and respect, he said. Transportation will be a challenge, most agree. Some have cars. Others will rely on public transportation or on friends and family, OKeefe said. Discussions are underway about how to facilitate/subsidize the use of transit and how to coordinate other transportation options that can help people get to where they need to go, whether for groceries or medical appointments or laundry services. Coal production is increasing in Montana and Wyoming as demand in the Asia Pacific ratchets up. Coming off a volatile year in 2020, which saw mine closures and furloughs, Montanas mining industry has turned out 20.3 million tons of coal in the first nine months of 2021. Thats a 2% increase of 524,000 tons over 2020, when the state had two more mines operating than it does currently. Production numbers through Oct. 2 are reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Wyoming production is up 11.8 million tons compared to the first nine months of 2020, a 7% increase. Exports have been a main driver in Montana coal production, explained Steve Read, who manages coal sales for Signal Peak. Exports are the mines bread and butter. If theres coal on a train from Signal Peak, its on its way to British Columbia for shipping and most likely bound for Japan. We have spent years developing the Japanese market and that is our most reliable market. It is the highest valued market for our product, Read said. Mary bought lights for it. She attached skis in the winter so she could take it out in snow and ice. While Jim drove it now and then, Mary was the primary driver. It was pulled by her team of mules. It was relaxing. It wasnt like being in a car with the radio on. You were outside and you could visit. We didnt buy it to parade in. We brought it just to have it, like an old collectors car, she said. Mary even drove her daughter to the senior prom in it in 2004. She and her date met here at the house. We loaded up and took them over to the city auditorium where they had the prom, she said. They were tickled. Everyone else had limosines. Hobbes: a human? Perniceks mustang Hobbes pulled the spring wagon, too. Hobbes was born on a farm near Elm Creek, and when his mother died eight hours after his birth, Pernicek adopted him. She brought him home and bottle-fed him and broke him in by having him pull the spring wagon. He didnt know he was a horse. One day when we were remodeling the house and didnt have a complete kitchen, I came into the kitchen, and he came right in behind me, she said. The mastermind of the abduction was sentenced to four years in prison. The incident was later the subject of an American film, "The Saratov Approach." Somalia Scott Adam had a successful Hollywood career he had worked on film and television hits such as "The Goonies" and "The Love Boat" when he had a religious awakening and became a Christian pastor. He and his wife, Jean, dedicated their lives to spreading Scripture around the world, taking to the seas on their 58-foot yacht and distributing Bibles in different languages in far-flung corners of the globe. The couple and two friends were sailing off the coast of Oman in 2011 when their yacht Quest named after a church where Scott Adam had worked was attacked by Somali pirates. U.S. Navy warships were dispatched for negotiations with the hostage-takers, but the pirates shot and killed the Adams and their friends. Ecuador In 1957, five American men flew to a remote rainforest in eastern Ecuador with the hope of bringing Christianity to the native Waorani people. After radio contact ceased with a base station, a search ensued, and the men were found dead, having been killed with spears. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} This (ABC Educational) grant will allow us to help young people learn the importance of healthy decisions including education on alcohol, substance abuse and peer pressure, Leslie Morrison, executive director of Speak Life and Live, said. The educational grants help fund the EMS Community Response Team, a program that offers support to individuals and families affected by substance abuse issues. Blair Richey, Iredell EMS director, said that the ABC funding has played a significant role in our program over the last few years, and were extremely grateful to have the ability to continue those efforts over the next year. This grant opportunity has enabled our team to help anyone who is struggling with alcoholism or substance use disorder and their families, to educate the public on alcoholism and substance use disorder, and to bring hope to those who feel hopeless while battling these deadly diseases. The funds awarded by the ABC Board are used by Pharos Parenting to provide parenting classes for families dealing with substance abuse and recovery and help fund in-home parent aides for families wanting to improve their parenting skills and break the cycle of abuse. Aftershock Youth Empowerment is receiving funding to be used for substance abuse and alcohol education workshops and events for students in Iredell County. I think everybody in the nation is short on school bus drivers, said Meade. Its everywhere, Jefferies agreed. According to a recent national survey, a little more than half of the school transportation coordinators who responded described their driver shortage as severe or desperate and about three-quarters said their shortage has gotten worse. About two-thirds of those surveyed also said the bus driver shortage was their number one concern, while only 1% said it was not a problem for them. The survey, jointly conducted by the National Association of Pupil Transportation, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services and the National School Transportation Association, was undertaken to determine the extent of the shortages, as well as which direction the trend is going and which solutions are being used to remedy the problem. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} While the industry seems to struggle with driver shortages each year, this years shortage has a different feel to it and having the data to really understand it is invaluable, NASDPTS Director Ronna Weber said in a release on the survey. We hear anecdotal reports all the time but being able to point to real information will ensure we are responding to this situation in the best manner possible for our members. A Russian actress and a film director returned to Earth Sunday after spending 12 days on the International Space Station (ISS) shooting scenes for the first movie in orbit. Yulia Peresild, 37, and Klim Shipenko, 38, landed as scheduled on Kazakhstan's steppe at 0436 GMT, according to footage broadcast live by Russia's Roscosmos space agency. Shipenko appeared distressed but smiling as he exited the capsule, waving his hand to cameras before being carried off by medical workers for an examination. Peresild, who plays the film's starring role and was selected from some 3,000 applicants, was extracted from the capsule to applause and a bouquet of flowers. The actress said she is "sad" to have left the ISS. "It seemed that 12 days was a lot, but when it was all over, I didn't want to leave," she told Russian television. "This is a one-time experience." The team was ferried back to terra firma by cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky, who had been on the space station for the past six months. - 21st century space race - The filmmakers had blasted off from the Russia-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in ex-Soviet Kazakhstan earlier this month, travelling to the ISS with veteran cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov to film scenes for "The Challenge". If the project stays on track, the Russian crew will beat a Hollywood project announced last year by "Mission Impossible" star Tom Cruise together with NASA and Elon Musk's SpaceX. The Russian movie's plot, which has been mostly kept under wraps along with its budget, centres around a surgeon who is dispatched to the ISS to save a cosmonaut. Shkaplerov, 49, along with the two Russian cosmonauts who were already aboard the ISS are said to have cameo roles in the film. The mission was not without small hitches. As the film crew docked at the ISS earlier this month, Shkaplerov had to switch to manual control. And when Russian flight controllers on Friday conducted a test on the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft the ship's thruster fired unexpectedly and destabilised the ISS for 30 minutes, a NASA spokesman told the Russian news agency TASS. The team's landing, which was documented by a film crew, will also feature in the movie, Konstantin Ernst, the head of the Kremlin-friendly Channel One TV network and a co-producer of "The Challenge", told AFP. - Russian firsts - The mission will add to a long list of firsts for Russia's space industry. The Soviets launched the first satellite Sputnik, and sent into orbit the first animal, a dog named Laika, the first man, Yuri Gagarin and the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova. But compared with the Soviet era, modern Russia has struggled to innovate, and its space industry is fighting to secure state funding with the Kremlin prioritising military spending. Its space agency is still reliant on Soviet-designed technology and has faced a number of setbacks, including corruption scandals and botched launches. Russia is also falling behind in the global space race, facing tough competition from the United States and China, with Beijing showing growing ambitions in the industry. Russia's Roscosmos was also dealt a blow after SpaceX last year successfully delivered astronauts to the ISS, ending Moscow's monopoly for journeys to the orbital station. In a bid to spruce up its image and diversify its revenue, Russia's space programme revealed this year that it will be reviving its tourism plan to ferry fee-paying adventurers to the ISS. After a decade-long pause, Russia will send two Japanese tourists -- including billionaire Yusaku Maezawa -- to the ISS in December, capping a year that has been a milestone for amateur space travel. Google Bay View, the companys newest campus, consists of three squat buildings nestled near the San Francisco Bay shoreline a few miles east of its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. The first things visitors notice are the roofs. They curve down gently from pinched peaks, like circus tents, sloping almost to the ground. Each roof is blanketed with overlapping solar panels that glisten with a brushed metal sheen on the edges. Google calls this design Dragonscale, and indeed it looks as if a mystical beast is curled up by the water in Silicon Valley. Google envisions its latest campus as the embodiment of a grander ambition to run its operations entirely free of carbon. The company plans to open Bay View in January to a limited number of employees, depending on the pandemic. Beneath the buildings, thousands of concrete pillars plunged into the ground will serve as a sort of geothermal battery, storing heat to warm the building and water supply without natural gas. The roof panels were constructed with a unique textured glass to prevent glare and with canopies that emit a soft, glowing light into the spacious atria inside. We call this the Cathedral of Work, says Asim Tahir, who oversees energy decisions in Googles real estate division. He stands by the southern entrance in a hard hat, mask, and safety vest. Sundar Pichai, chief executive officer of Google and its parent Alphabet Inc., pokes his head inside for a look. During the pandemic, construction crews had set strict rules limiting entry for guests, even the boss. Its the first Friday of September, and the normally reserved executive is eager to talk to Bloomberg Green about his companys climate ambitions. Outside, the air is thick with wildfire smoke, a new annual reality for all of California. Hurricane Ida is pummeling the East Coast. Each disaster underscores how late corporate America is to the climate change fight. I wish we were at this moment a decade earlier, Pichai admits. Im worried and very anxious were losing time. Last year, Pichai announced Googles plan to run every office and data center on electricity from clean sources, around the clock. He set 2030 as the deadline, marking perhaps the most ambitious corporate commitment to decarbonization ever. Google calls it a moonshot, the term it reserves for audaciousand so far mostly fruitlessprojects such as self-driving cars and delivery drones. Its a bit stressful, Pichai says, because we dont fully have all the answers to get there. Googles data centers, which house the servers that power billions of web searches, emails, and mapping routes every day, account for most of its electricity consumption: 15.1 million megawatt-hours in 2020. Last year, Google met 67% of its data center electricity needs with renewable sources on an hourly basis, a 6% jump from the prior year. Data centers in certain places, such as Oklahoma and Oregon, run on close to or above 90% clean sources. But getting off carbon elsewhere is a bigger challenge, and Google is aiming well beyond typical corporate targets. Dozens of companies have pledged to reach carbon neutrality, covering their energy usage either with renewable sources or offsets. (A carbon offset is a credit companies can buy that stands in for one ton of emissions that otherwise would have polluted the atmosphere; the money is supposed to go toward emissions-reducing projects.) Apple Inc. achieved carbon neutrality with its own operations and vowed to do the same with its supply chain by 2030. Amazon.com Inc. promised to be carbon neutral by 2040. Google aims to go even further. Its committed to go free of carbon, without using offsets and relying only on clean energy purchased near its locations, 24 hours a day. That means in Chile, where solar panels power Googles data center during the day, the company must find a solution when the sun sets. In dense Taiwan and Singapore, where its data centers run almost entirely on fossil fuels, it must find massive amounts of green alternatives very quickly. To hit its goal, Google is relying on unorthodox procurement contracts and a grab bag of novel technologies such as lithium-ion battery storage, algorithms that predict wind patterns, and geothermal wells that drill into the Earths crust. Earlier this summer, Microsoft Corp. followed Google with another pledge to go carbon-free 24/7. These companies, pioneers of innovation worth trillions, are trying to cut out carbon while still maintaining spectacular growth: Google and Microsoft added more than $91 billion in profits last year as much of the economy contracted. Although theyre huge and influential energy consumers, theyre mostly at the mercy of antiquated utilities built on fossil fuels. Google knows this. The ultimate solution is to get the power grids to carbon-free all the time, says Michael Terrell, Googles director of energy. We still dont know the path everywhere, and thats really challenging. Googles environmental record isnt spotless. Critics have charged it with funding politicians who deny global warming, accepting green-washing advertisements, and boosting climate conspiracies on YouTube. Employees have condemned its cloud-computing deals with oil companies. Google server farms use considerable amounts of water. Yet the companys approach to renewable energyit purchased 15.4 million megawatt-hours in 2020has earned widespread praise. Risk management company MSCI Inc. grades Google poorly on governance and social impact, citing its numerous competition lawsuits; on environmental issues, it gives Google perfect marks. Pichai has pledged that Googles climate work will create more than 20,000 clean energy jobs and help hundreds of cities reduce carbon footprints. Google will need to spend considerable amounts to become carbon-free, and it might have to curb its enormous appetite for computing horsepower. Still, the effort makes business sense for Pichai, who says Googles investments will drive down costs for existing renewables and spur new ones. Google will try selling some energy efficiency technologies, too. Tech employees are starting to demand greener business practices and sustainable workspaces such as the Bay View campus, not simply as niceties but as vital parts of making the future livable. Pichai says businesses that dont get off carbon will be left in the dust. If you dont do this correctly, you wont be able to attract talent, he says. When I look at the younger generation, people who are teenagers now, I cant see them making the choice to work for a company which they feel is polluting. Google began planning its Bay View campus in 2015, but its design ideas took seed well before then. The companys founders had a crunchy California streak, demanding its first offices include low-impact carpets and recyclable materials. Tinkering staff once stuck 12 bores into the pavement as an early geothermal experiment, which pumped up hot water for a campus cafe. Engineers played around with solar prototypes in a parking lot. These green projects were also about saving money. Fifteen years ago the search engine was expanding ferociously, adding energy-hungry services such as Gmail and YouTube. That was always really shocking when you looked at the bill, recalls Urs Holzle, a senior vice president and early employee. In 2007, Google installed a 1.6MW solar array atop its headquarters and started a program to fund a slate of renewable projects with the aim of driving their costs below coalthey named the project REC. That year, Google also claimed it had offset all its carbon emissions, though it shared little data. They said, Were carbon neutraltrust us, remembers Gary Cook, who tracked technology companies for Greenpeace Inc. Solar and wind prices fell precipitously, prompting Google to drop REC. Yet it kept buying renewables. It made a power purchase agreement (PPA) in 2010 for a 114MW wind farm in Iowa. Two years later the company set a goal to buy enough excess renewables to cover the amount of fossil fuels it used. The company assumed this process would take a decade. Thanks to a rush of new wind farms and solar systems, it took five years. With that achievement, Google was hailed in the press as 100% renewable. Some employees, however, bristled at the technical inaccuracy, according to Holzle, who oversees Google infrastructure. Google didnt use renewables 100% of the time. Take this data center, at this time, Holzle recalls the argument. Clearly it is using coal. Google needed a better goal. Terrell runs the division responsible for energy purchases and utility relations. When Google first considered round-the-clock renewables, he found the prospect really, really out there. Google had signed 26 PPAs by 2017, but each required jumping through exhausting regulatory hoops. Solar and wind were getting cheaper, but storing the power they generated wasnt. Google kept expanding. From 2017 to 2020, it opened 15 new data centers for its consumer and cloud services. Terrells team had to get creative. Typically, when power outages hit a Google site, the company flips to backup generators to keep its services running. In Belgium, Google worked with a local power company, Elia Transmission Belgium SA, to swap out diesel generators for hulking lithium-ion batteries at a data center in St.-Ghislain, near the French border. Terrell says the company is exploring ways to route excess energy stored in the batteries to the local utility provider. Instead of just having them sit there, why not actually help an operator manage the grid? he says. He predicts Google will take this elsewhere. In Nevada, where Google owns a sprawling data center outside Las Vegas, the company cut a deal to buy power from Fervo Energy, a startup working on a novel approach to geothermal. Fervo head Tim Latimer, a former oil engineer, borrowed oil extraction techniques for cleaner aims. Most geothermal wells are dug thousands of feet into the Earth to tap its natural heat; Fervos system will also dig horizontally across underground reservoirs to capture more energy. The startup plans to open its first Nevada wells next year. Google is optimistic that green hydrogen and advanced nuclear will emerge as available sources soon, too. Naturally, Google is also turning to software to tackle the challenge. Engineers developed a tool, called carbon-intelligent computing platform, that schedules computing tasks during dips in energy use. Google deems certain activities, such as encoding a YouTube video or adding a new term to Google Translate, nonurgent, unworthy of instant gratification. These software tasks are put on hold until enough sunshine or wind is available. Other computer models are used to predict when wind power will be strongest. Google later added a feature for shifting tasks to different data centers. In Virginia, Google offloaded its 24/7 plan to energy distributor AES Corp. The companies signed a 10-year deal in May, for an undisclosed amount, covering 500MW of renewable projects that AES owns or will buy. The power distributor is relying on a mix and match of solar and wind generation as well as its lithium-ion batteries that store energy to deliver for Google, says AES CEO Andres Gluski. Other tech companies have inked similar decarbonization deals with AES, he says, though he declines to name them. That corporate rush might complicate Googles 24/7 plans or at least make them pricier. Land with the exact interconnection rights utilities require is scarce, and AES anticipates shortages on some equipment, such as solar panels and batteries, as soon as 2023. There are going to be bottlenecks, Gluski says. The former telecom executive compares the upcoming renewables market to mobile phones in the 1990s, when demand suddenly skyrocketed. Were talking about a ramp-up which is nothing like the electricity sector has seen, he says. AES has committed to provide Google with entirely clean energy by its target date. Google has a different problem in Asia. There arent enough clean energy producers or much room for production. In Singapore the company bought electricity from rooftop solar on public housing. In Taiwan it managed a deal with government officials to gain access to 40,000 panels hoisted on poles above lakes. Still, most Google Asian operations run on fossil fuels. Im not sure we can reach 100% in Asia, Holzle admits. Terrell says policy changes are probably the only way Google hits its 24/7 goal there. In 2020, Google released a lengthy white paper on the 24/7 plan, listing its methodology and accounting standards in surprising detailat least for Google, which rarely reveals internal data. Such disclosure has won over previous critics including Cook, who now serves as global climate campaigns director for the environmental advocacy group Stand.earth. Youre certainly not getting this from Amazon, Cook says. Google has some advantages: It doesnt have Amazons gigantic fulfillment centers and counts fewer employees than Apple and Microsoft. Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford, says he wishes Google offered granularity about its storage battery capacity and its plans to power sites at night and on cloudy days. (A Google spokesperson says the company has signed commitments of more than 280 megawatts in energy storage and it plans to tap always on clean energy sources, like geothermal, to cover electricity bills around-the-clock.) Still, Googles endeavor goes beyond what Ive seen from most other companies, Jackson says. Its exciting to see. Even if Google manages major breakthroughs in battery storage or geothermal, its still beholden to the grid and to lawmakers. In the past, Google toyed with ideas for remaking utilities altogether. Co-founder Larry Page often told staff about his desire to modernize the power grid by switching it from alternating current to direct current voltages, which can transmit electricity across long distances more efficiently; he reportedly brought this up at a sit-down with President Donald Trump in late 2016. (Page has since stepped away from the company.) Years before, Google hired a former U.S. Department of Energy official who, according to reports, began work on Google-style tools for managing power lines and systems. Holzle says Google actually applied for a license to trade excess renewables it purchased and this maneuver was mistaken as a plan to overhaul utilities. Although remaking the grid was tempting, Google didnt pursue it. (I mean, you cant do everything, Holzle offers.) More recently, Google has opted to work with utilities and lean on grid customers. In 2015 the company recruited Kate Brandt, another Energy Department alum, to oversee the sustainability efforts across Googles services, not its buildings or procurement. Part of her remit includes nudging consumers toward greener decisions. Nest, which Google owns, rewards thermostat owners with bill credits if they turn down the AC or heat during grid rush hours. Google lists greener options in Maps and carbon emissions for flights in its travel search. Google Finance, its information service, lists Carbon Disclosure Project scores next to other stats for close to 10,000 companies. Theres a lot more coming, Brandt says. She also deals with curbing emissions that dont fall under Googles carbon-free commitment: those from employee commuting, business travel, and device manufacturing. Googles carbon contributions here are smaller than those of some peers, such as Apple, but theyre not nothing. (In 2020, Google reported 9.4 million metric tons in greenhouse gas emissions in these categories.) The company has pledged to invest 5GW of new clean energy over the decade in places where its gadgets are made. The pandemic helped cut employee travel footprints, for now. Brandts most significant work might be persuading others to follow Google. She was a keynote speaker for the companys recent software developer summit and its shareholder meeting. Her team is creating a blueprint of its 24/7 plan for cities and companiesthose outside tech and without Googles piles of cash. This isnt just about Google reaching a goal, she says. This is about how we share our practices. Pichai says most conversations with fellow CEOs touch on sustainability and Googles carbon-free plan, even if thats not on the agenda. People want to understand how we are doing it, he says. He declined to share how much Google is budgeting for its endeavor. To achieve carbon-free operations, Google would need to spend at least $491 million for an additional 10.8 million megawatt-hours of renewable energy, according to estimates from BloombergNEF, a clean energy research group. Money isnt a major concern for Google, which has about $135 billion of cash on hand. But it needs massive amounts of clean energy to buy, and it knows laws must change for that to happen. The company has endorsed a U.S. clean energy standard and says its backing similar proposals elsewhere. To some outsiders, however, Googles policy efforts are inadequate. Bill Weihl worked at the company from 2006 to 2011 as its green energy czar and now runs ClimateVoice, an advocacy nonprofit. He says he believes, as do many experts, that the fastest way to decarbonize the grid is through rewriting laws, not corporate procurement. With Democrats controlling the White House and Congress, Weihl sees a very short window for expansive new legislation. And he sees relatively little activity from Silicon Valley. Most companies are silent, Weihl says. And the fossil fuel companies are really vocal trying to weaken, slow down, or just stop all those kinds of policies. Google dropped $7.5 million in federal lobbying last year and often outspends every other corporation. Much of that lobbying is reserved for labor, antitrust, and consumer issues, according to data from Bloomberg Government. Weihl says Google could do far more on climate. He says he wishes the company would halt any expansion in places such as Oklahoma (whose senior senator, James Inhofe, has famously denied global warming), until the state commits to stronger emissions reductions. Google hasnt. But it did decide not to build a data center in a state whose politics were very unfriendly to clean energy, Holzle says. (He wouldnt say where.) In some less welcoming states, including Alabama, where Google operates an old coal plant, Holzle says Google is an instigator for cleaner energy rules. Pichai agrees, arguing that his financial investments have ripple effects in states and cities. I havent quite thought lobbying is the best way to accomplish it, he says. But weve always advocated for these issues. Google Bay View sits next to NASAs sprawling Ames Research Center and was built so Google employees, perched high in the offices, can see a rocky patch of simulated alien dirt where the science agency tests its Mars rover. Its a nice perk. While the campus was under construction, the pandemic struck, prompting all companies to reevaluate office amenities and real estate plans. Google has, so far, stayed committed to a future inside offices and says this new one can showcase its green ingenuity. Googles Tahir says the campus is meant to capture Googles spirit of innovation, community, and ecology. Google hired Heatherwick Studio, an English design company, and Danish architect Bjarke Ingels for the project, but Google has described the campus as one the company designed from scratch. Tahir thinks conventional buildings are illogical messes. They evaporate water to cool the air and burn gas to generate heat, sometimes at the same time. Its very bizarre, he says. For Bay View, Google scrapped the normal office pipes for a ventilation system that pulls in outside air and saves loads of water (5 million gallons a year, the company estimates). Its underground network of geothermal piles will store excess heat and pump it back up during the winter, without burning natural gas. Up top, the Dragonscale solar roofs were created to be practical and visually impressive; Pichai calls them aesthetically amazing. Tahir expects the 50,000 panels will power around 40% of the campus, with the remainder coming from the grid. The buildings applied for LEED Platinum, but the U.S. Green Building Council cant yet evaluate all of Googles innovations. Were doing things here they dont have certificates for, Tahir says. These energy efficiency measures in Bay View arent meant merely to burnish Googles green credentials; the company anticipates they can bring payoffs. DeepMind, a Google research lab, examined data coming from sensors inside Googles data centers to predict when temperatures would fluctuate. It then invented an algorithm to adjust the dials used for cooling rows of servers more efficiently, cutting the power bill as much as 40%. Google offers this temperature control system as a cloud computing service to other companies. Googles cloud business, a key priority for Pichai, is where it expects financial returns for its big clean energy gamble. The company recently introduced a feature for cloud customers to select data storage locations running on more clean energy. Yet Google will have hard choices ahead if it wants Bay View to be anything more than an exhibition of an unattainable dream. The companys cloud business, which it markets as the cleanest cloud, is also growing at more than 50% a year. Thats a lot more energy that Google has to provide without fossil fuels. Cloud customers typically want their data stored nearby, so, unlike the sprawling server farms for Gmail and YouTube, Google cant place cloud centers anywhere it pleases. As the 2030 deadline approaches, Google may find it impossible to keep its carbon-free commitment and keep growing the way it always has. Pichai, sitting under an awning of his lavish new campus, admits as much. There will be sacrifices we will have to make, he says. It may lead to some services we cant build. Thats a rare admission from the leader of a business that has tried building virtually everything. Tech companies have yet to treat their computing heft, and the energy it demands, as finite resources, like their cash or engineersor like Lake Tahoe, which saw raging fires while Pichai discussed his plans. He mentions those fires, the extreme Gulf Coast heat, and these runaway scenarios of climate change. You read one of those articles, the CEO says, and youre like, Everything else we do ends up not mattering. NASA has been known to take up challenging tasks, but this one is really unique. In a first of its kind mission, NASA has shot off the Lucy space probe with the mission to study Trojan asteroids found near planet Jupiter. The mission is to study some asteroids that are remnants of the material that formed our solar system's outer planets. Even as it looks at the Trojan asteroids, the real mission of Lucy space probe is to find out the origins of the solar system and that in itself will provide clues as to the creation and existence of Earth in its present form. Not just the past, perhaps it will even provide clues as to the future of our planet or at least chalk out the trend it is moving on. Believed to be rich in carbon compounds, the asteroids may also provide new insights into the origin of organic materials and life on Earth, NASA said. Earlier on Saturday, NASA said that the Lucy space probe, aboard the Atlas V rocket, lifted off on schedule from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. What is Lucy mission agenda? The Lucy mission will last as long as 12 years and it will study asteroids. This is the first ever attempt to explore the Trojan asteroids. No other single science mission has been designed to visit as many different objects independently orbiting the sun in the history of space exploration, NASA said. Trojan asteroids are thousands of rock-like objects that orbit the sun. The curious part about these is the role of Jupiter - these asteroids are in 2 groups with one ahead of Jupiter and one behind it. The largest known Trojan asteroids, named for the warriors of Greek mythology, are believed to measure as much as 225 kilometers (140 miles) in diameter. Scientists hope Lucy's close-up fly-by of seven Trojans will yield new clues to how the solar system's planets came to be formed some 4.5 billion years ago and what shaped their present configuration. "The Trojan asteroids are leftovers from the early days of our solar system, effectively the fossils of planet formation," said Harold Levison, principal mission investigator at the Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado. What is Lucy? US paleoanthropologist Donald Carl Johanson discovered the fossil of a female hominin australopithecine known as "Lucy" in Ethiopia. The importance of Lucy fossil is that it is a 3.2 million-year old skeleton of a human ancestor. Johanson was the lead discoverer in the team. Where did the Lucy name come from? The name Lucy has its origins in a song. The song was by the iconic rock band The Beatles and was called Lucy in the sky with diamonds, which was released in 1967. Johanson and others named the skeleton Lucy because the team played this song repeatedly throughout the night to celebrate the finding of this critical fossil specimen. To further honour Johanson, Lucy space probe will do a fly-by of an asteroid called DonaldJohanson too. NASA says Lucy space probe will create history in one more way. Its spaceflight route will circle back to Earth as many as three times to gain gravitational assistance as it heads to Jupiter. Lucy will thereby become the first spacecraft ever to return to Earth's vicinity from the outer solar system. The Toyota logo is shown on a dealership in Manchester, N.H., in this Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, file photo. Toyota plans to build a new $1.29 billion factory in the U.S. to manufacture batteries for gas-electric hybrid and fully electric vehicles. The plant location wasn't announced, but the company said it eventually will employ 1,750 people and start making batteries in 2025, gradually expanding through 2031. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File Global automakers and tech companies are stepping up the pace when it comes to building factories and prepare for what many believe will be a fast-moving transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. On Monday, Toyota, Stellantis, Foxconn, Ford and Volvo all made announcements about electric vehicle component or assembly plants, or plans to raise capital to fund the transition. The moves come on top of previous plans from Ford and General Motors to build five U.S. battery factories in anticipation of the shift to electric power. The moves are ahead of demand at the moment, but forecasters predict that the share of electric vehicles will rise dramatically as more battery-electric models are rolled out as governments increase requirements for zero-emissions vehicles to fight climate change. At present, only about 4.8% of the roughly 80 million new vehicles sold globally run solely on electricity, according to LMC Automotive. But the consulting firm Alix Partners predicts that will rise to 11% in 2025 and 24% in 2030. If plug-in gas-electric hybrids, which can travel short distances solely on electricity, are included, that figure rises to 28% in 10 years. Simultaneously, Alix Partners predicts that global sales of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles will fall from the current 89% to around 39% by 2030. Gas-electric hybrids, which run on gasoline and electricity at the same time, rise from 7% currently to 33% in 2030. In this Aug. 12, 2020 file photo, Unifor President Jerry Dias, left, elbow bumps Ryan Kantautas, Vice President of Human Resources at Ford Canada, after a photo opportunity at the start of formal contract talks with the Detroit Three automakers, Fiat Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, in Toronto. Global automakers are stepping up the pace when it comes to building factories to prepare for what many believe will be a fast-moving transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. On Monday, Toyota, Stellantis, Foxconn, Ford and Volvo all made announcements about electric vehicle component or assembly plants, or plans to raise capital to fund the transition. Credit: Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP, File "All of us are trying to get a fix on how customers will accept electric vehicles," Chris Reynolds, chief administrative officer for Toyota in North America, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We don't know for sure, but we have to be ready." Toyota said it plans to build a new $1.29 billion factory in the U.S. to manufacture batteries for hybrid and fully electric vehicles. The location wasn't announced, but the company said it eventually will employ 1,750 people and start making batteries in 2025, gradually expanding through 2031. The plant is part of $3.4 billion that Toyota plans to spend in the U.S. on automotive batteries during the next decade. It didn't detail where the remaining $2.1 billion would be spent, but part of that likely will go for another battery factory. Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, and LG Energy Solution said Monday that they plan to build a battery manufacturing facility to help the automaker get 40% of its U.S. sales from vehicles that run at least partly on electricity by 2030. They didn't say where the plant would be. Also Monday, the Taiwanese company that makes smartphones for Apple and others, Foxconn Technology Group, said it would produce electric cars and buses for auto brands in China, North America, Europe and other markets. Volvo Cars on Monday unveiled more details of its initial public offering that will fund its ambitious plan to transform into an all-electric vehicle company by 2030. The Swedish auto brand, owned by Chinese carmaker Geely, said the IPO would value the company at 163-200 billion kronor ($18.8-$23 billion) when shares start trading Oct. 28. This Thursday, June 25, 2020, file photo shows the electric Endurance pick-up truck at Lordstown Motors Corporation, in Lordstown, Ohio. Global automakers are stepping up the pace when it comes to building factories to prepare for what many believe will be a fast-moving transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. On Monday, Oct. 18, 20231, Toyota, Stellantis, Foxconn, Ford and Volvo all made announcements about electric vehicle component or assembly plants, or plans to raise capital to fund the transition. Credit: AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File And Ford Motor Co. announced that it will turn a transmission factory in northwest England into a plant that will make electric power units for cars and trucks sold throughout Europe. Most of the announcements lacked specifics such as locations, and some didn't say how many jobs would be created. Jeff Schuster, president of global vehicle forecasting for LMC Automotive, said that's because it's "in vogue" for automakers to make such announcements, which are well-received by investors. But he said the plants will be necessary, especially in the U.S., where battery manufacturing capacity was lagging Europe and China. "Behind the scenes this has been building as we look at moving to electric vehicle technology globally," he said. "This is the foundation. You need the batteries before you can get there." The moves come just after Ford and General Motors recently announced large investments in U.S. battery factories. GM plans to build battery plants in Ohio and Tennessee, while Ford has plans for plants in Tennessee and Kentucky. Toyota will form a new company to run its new U.S. battery plant with Toyota Tsusho, a subsidiary that now makes an array of parts for the automaker. The company also will help Toyota expand its U.S. supply chain, as well as increase its knowledge of lithium-ion auto batteries, Toyota said Monday. A promoter stands near the all-electric Volvo XC40 during the Shanghai Auto Show in Shangha, in this Wednesday, April 21, 2021, file photo. Global automakers are stepping up the pace when it comes to building factories to prepare for what many believe will be a fast-moving transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. On Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, Toyota, Stellantis, Foxconn, Ford and Volvo all made announcements about electric vehicle component or assembly plants, or plans to raise capital to fund the transition.Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File The new plant would likely be near one of the company's U.S. assembly plants in Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama or Texas. Toyota plans to sell 2 million zero emission hydrogen and battery electric vehicles worldwide per year by 2030. In the U.S., Toyota plans to sell 1.5 million to 1.8 million vehicles by 2030 in the U.S. that are at least partially electrified. Reynolds said no one can predict exactly how fast the shift to battery power will happen, but he said a transition to gas-electric hybrids happened faster than Toyota anticipated when it introduced the Prius in the late 1990s. He sees hybrid and plug-in hybrids as a bridge between full internal combustion engines and battery-electric vehicles. Now in the U.S., Toyota offers hydrogen vehicles, hybrids and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Toyota says vehicles that operate at least partially on electricity now account for about a quarter of its U.S. sales, and it plans for that to rise to nearly 70% by 2030. The company says it will have 15 battery electric vehicles for sale globally by 2025. 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain One of two recognized leaders of an employee activist group within Apple has been fired. Janneke Parrish, a program manager for Apple Maps working in Austin, Texas, said she was fired Thursday. She is one of the co-founders of an employee group that this summer opened an #AppleToo website and began publishing former and current Apple employees' stories about harassment and discrimination on Medium. "I believe that it is retaliation. One does not casually speak out publicly against Apple and expect that to go ignored," Parrish told U.S. TODAY. Her firing was first reported in an interview with The Verge. More than 500 people have come forward about workplace issues, Parrish and Cher Scarlett, another Apple employee who helped start the group, told The New York Times, which also confirmed Parrish's firing. Parrish said an internal investigation at Apple began last month after audio of an all-staff meeting with CEO Tim Cook was leaked to The Verge and The New York Times. She was told the company suspected her of leaking the feed, Parrish told The Verge. She was suspended on Oct. 8, she said. Then on Oct. 14, Parrish said she was told she was fired for deleting files on the company devices she had turned in. "I think when I came under investigation that was a pretext to find something that they could use to fire me," Parrish said. "Prior to turning in my devices, though, I did remove some of my personal data from these devices, because well, my private conversations ... those are not Apple's business. And similarly, my financial information on apps like Robinhood is not Apple's business. Because I deleted files from my devices before turning them in, that is the reason that was given for why I was terminated." In response to a query about Parrish's firing, Apple sent a statement to U.S. TODAY: "We are and have always been deeply committed to creating and maintaining a positive and inclusive workplace. We take all concerns seriously and we thoroughly investigate whenever a concern is raised and, out of respect for the privacy of any individuals involved, we do not discuss specific employee matters." This is just the latest incident involving Apple and employee concerns. Just prior to Parrish's firing, her comments appeared in a story by The Washington Post about Scarlett, who is on medical leave from the company. Parrish's firing was also confirmed by The Washington Post. In that story, Scarlett said she had attempted to look into whether there was a pay gap for Apple employees across the country, which angered some other employees. She said some used the company's internal Slack channel to accuse her of leaking confidential information to reporterssomething Scarlett told the Post she hadn't done. She has since hired a lawyer and sought to go on paid medical leave because of the accusations' effect on her health. Apple also recently fired Ashley Gjvik, who had been suspended in early August after sharing her concerns about workplace safety due to workplace pollution. After her suspension, she says she filed workplace complaints with state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as the National Labor Relations Board. In documents Gjvik shared with Bloomberg, Apple claimed the senior engineering program manager was terminated for violating policies including not cooperating with the investigation and disclosure of confidential product information. Gjovik said she was fired in retaliation for reporting concerns about work conditions to the government and press, and for organizing with employees. The #AppleToo movement arose from employee outcry over Apple's May 2021 hiring of Antonio Garcia Martinez, a former Facebook product manager and author of the book "Chaos Monkeys." A letter signed by more than 2,000 employees and forwarded to Apple management, expressed concerns about "misogynistic statements in his autobiographysuch as 'Most women in the Bay Area are soft and weak, cosseted and naive despite their claims of worldliness, and generally full of shit," The Verge reported at the time. "That was a moment where we realized that employee activism could make a difference, that our voices in solidarity with each other could have a positive impact on our work at Apple," Parrish said. But issues of remote work advocacyincluding employees' ability to advance if not at Apple's Cupertino, California headquartersand pay equity "did not get a positive response from leadership," she said. Vincent White, an attorney at White, Hilferty and Albanese in New York City, said Parrish plans to file complaints in federal court and possibly with federal agencies. "It is clear that Apple has forgotten, no matter how wealthy your company is, the government can still slap you around when you openly defy its laws," he said. Parrish posted on Twitter Friday that "There are consequences for speaking out. There are consequences for doing the right thing. But we do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. #AppleToo is about asking Apple to do better, to end systemic discrimination, abuse and pay inequity." Explore further Apple faces employee resistance in office return plan: report (c)2021 U.S. Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A pair of economists, one with the University of Calgary, the other, the University of California, along with a civil engineer from Carnegie Mellon University, is suggesting in a Comment piece in the journal Nature, that electric vehicles (EVs) need to be lighter if they are to replace gasoline-powered vehicles. In their paper, Blake Shaffer, Maximilian Auffhammer and Constantine Samaras suggest that the added weight of EVs makes them less safe and less efficient and therefore less economical. In their paper, the authors note that climate change has put EVs on a path to replace cars powered by gasoline. But they also note that for the changeover to be successful EVs need to be made much lighter. EVs are heavier than gasoline-powered vehicles because of their heavy battery packs. They are also heavier because engineers have to add strength to the vehicles to allow them to carry such heavy batteries. Therefore, the authors conclude, batteries need to be made lighter. They note that up until now, most of the engineering effort involved with batteries has been focused on making them hold more energy so that EVs can travel farther on a charge. But they suggest that focus now needs to include reducing weight. They point out that heavier EVs, in addition to being less efficient because of their weight, pose a danger in collisions with gasoline powered cars due to the weight differential. They note also that heavier vehicles produce more tread wear on tires, which means more roadside pollution. The authors have several suggestions to help the EV industry reduce its weight problem. The first is to shrink the size of the batteries by using other materials that are more energy dense and removing those that are heavy, such as the liquid electrolytes. They also suggest it should be possible to lighten the frames of EVs that had been made heavier to hold the heavy batteriesagain, by using other, lighter materials. They note also that adding technology to reduce crashes could help with acceptance of EVs. And they suggest that efforts could be made by communities to promote less driving. The pandemic, they point out, has shown that more people could be working at home. Explore further Why some electric car owners revert back to buying gasoline-powered vehicles More information: Blake Shaffer et al, Make electric vehicles lighter to maximize climate and safety benefits, Nature (2021). Journal information: Nature Blake Shaffer et al, Make electric vehicles lighter to maximize climate and safety benefits,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-021-02760-8 2021 Science X Network A week after a lawyer representing one of three men on trial for murder in the death of an unarmed, jogger complained about Black pastors in the courtroom, hundreds came from around the country and held a rousing prayer rally in front of the Glynn County Courthouse. Looking for in-depth reporting on labor issues? You're in the right place. Subscribe to The Chief and get stories that cover every side of civil service in New York City and beyond. You can sign up in minutes for immediate access. LIFE SENTENCES: Valerie Gaiter died of cancer at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in 2019 after serving nearly 40 years following a double-murder conviction. Advocates, including the authors of a recent report documenting deaths in state prison, said more-just policies would have let the state Parole Board consider Ms. Gaiters 'accomplishments and transformation...earlier in her life,' possibly leading to her release. MONDAY EVENTS Music Friendly Community Workshop, 6 p.m. at Grand Stafford Theater, 106 S. Main St. in Bryan. Texas Music Office Director Brendon Anthony will be present to explain the Music Friendly Community designation and answer questions. Prayer tent revival, 6:30 p.m. Christ United Methodist Church, 4201 Texas 6 in College Station. Habitat for Humanity pumpkin patch, through Oct. 31 at 2301 E. 29th St. in Bryan. Open noon to 8 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays. Proceeds benefit Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity pumpkin patch, through Oct. 31 at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 220 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. Open from noon to sunset on weekdays, 8 a.m. to sunset on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to sunset on Sundays. Proceeds benefit Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity. Brazos Church Pantry food distribution, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at 304 W. 26th St. in Bryan. brazoschurchpantry.org. Windows 10, iOS 15, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Exchange Server, and Ubuntu 20 were successfully broken into using original, never-before-seen exploits at the Tianfu Cup 2021, the fourth edition of the international cybersecurity contest held in the city of Chengdu, China. Targets this year included Google Chrome running on Windows 10 21H1, Apple Safari running on Macbook Pro, Adobe PDF Reader, Docker CE, Ubuntu 20/CentOS 8, Microsoft Exchange Server 2019, Windows 10, VMware Workstation, VMware ESXi, Parallels Desktop, iPhone 13 Pro running iOS 15, domestic mobile phones running Android, QEMU VM, Synology DS220j DiskStation, and ASUS RT-AX56U router. The Chinese version of Pwn2Own was started in 2018 in the wake of government regulation in the country that barred security researchers from participating in international hacking competitions because of national security concerns. With the exception of Synology DS220j NAS, Xiaomi Mi 11 smartphone, and an unnamed Chinese electric vehicle, attacks were mounted successfully against every other target Adobe PDF Reader Apple iPhone 13 Pro (running iOS 15) Apple Safari ASUS RT-AX56U Docker CE Google Chrome Microsoft Exchange Server Microsoft Windows 10 Parallels Desktop QEMU VM Ubuntu 20/CentOS 8 VMware ESXi VMWare Workstation The two-day tournament, which took place over the weekend on October 16 and 17, saw security researchers winning 1.88 million in prize money, with Kunlun Lab taking the top spot ($654,500) for demonstrating successful exploits in iOS 15, including a remote code execution flaw in mobile Safari within 15 seconds. Researchers from the cybersecurity firm also pwned Google Chrome "to get Windows system kernel level privilege with only two bugs," Kunlun Lab's CEO @mj0011 tweeted. Team PangU emerged second with a total haul of $522,500 for showing off a remote jailbreak in iPhone13 Pro running iOS 15, marking the first time the newly released iPhone model has been cracked at a public forum, while the Vulnerability Research Institute (VRI) came third with $392,500. Details of the flaws have not been made public, but the companies are expected to release patches for the newly uncovered flaws in the upcoming weeks. 108 Years of Leadership is the theme for the 108th annual Nebraska Farmers Union state convention, set for Friday, Dec. 3. Despite the ongoing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the service work and focus of our general farm organization to serve the needs of family farmers, ranchers and rural communities goes on, said John Hansen, NeFU president. While we were hoping for the return of our normal in-person state convention with handshakes and hugs, it is the judgment of our board of directors that in order to conduct the necessary elections and business of the organization, and keep our members safe from the delta variant, we will be doing our state convention virtually via Zoom. The 2021 NeFU State Convention originally planed for the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, will instead take place in farm homes across the state. NeFU delegates and members will elect directors for three year terms from Districts 2, 4 and 6. Lynn Belitz is running for election for District 2 as the result of the retirement of Jim Knopik. Vern Jantzen is running for re-election in District 4. Graham Christensen is running for re-election in District 6. The final district caucuses to field potential additional candidates and all elections will be between 11 a.m. and noon Friday. If there is ever a deadly anhydrous ammonia gas leak on Roberts Street and Broadwell Avenue is blocked, a plan is now in place for employees in that area to evacuate safely. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway has granted Hall County access to its egress off Roberts Street in case of such an emergency. Several Grand Island operations on Roberts Street use anhydrous ammonia gas: Agricultural Services Inc., McCain Foods and Americold Logistics. If theres an emergency that happens in this neighborhood, theres a lot of facilities around here and a lot of employees that would need to be able to find safety, said Jeff Thomas, Lineage Logistics general manager, at Thursdays meeting of the Hall County Emergency Planning Committee. Roberts Street can only be accessed from Broadwell Avenue. In case that access is blocked, and there is an emergency, Thomas requested from BNSF to be able to use the railways hard-packed gravel egress that leads from behind Lineage to Capital Avenue. As the lay of the land is, we have Roberts Street and it ends at the Americold gate, so theres basically no access or egress either from that point to the east, the south or the north, he said. Neurologist joins CHI Health St. Francis Grand Island-CHI Health Clinic Neurology (St. Francis) welcomes board certified neurologist Adeolu Oluwaseun Morawo, MBChB, to its medical staff. Dr. Morawo earned his medical degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. He completed an internal medicine residency at Obafemi Awolowo University,and a neurology residency at Penn State University Hospital, Hershey, Pa. Dr. Morawo also completed a vascular neurology fellowship at University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore, and a neurocritical care fellowship at Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn. Neurologists specialize in diagnosing, treating, and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system including, but not limited to, Alzheimers disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), concussion, epilepsy, migraine, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease and stroke. Dr. Morawo joins neurology nurse practitioner Rachel James, APRN. Their practice at 908 N. Howard Ave. Suite 105, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon Friday. Dr. Morawo is accepting new patients. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 308-398-8900. Isley attends world staffing conference The pandemic has taught us many things, such as how essential broadband has become and that it may not measure up to increasing demand. The true measuring stick for each of us is does your broadband meet your needs? Some need more, some need less. And, how we use it varies widely. The State of Nebraska has been gathering broadband data for several months now. Once the study window closes, the data will show where there is no Internet service (unserved) and deficient Internet (underserved). This study is targeting homes via their physical addresses and captures the internet connection speed at the time the test is initiated. As with any data collection effort, the more you gather the better the data results. The minimum sample needed for statistical significance for Hall County is 378. As of the end of September, Hall County has only seen 82 tests. We need 296 more. That is where you can help. If you or someone you know feels your internet connection does not meet your demand, please consider taking the test. The test is accessible by visiting nebraskaspeedtest.org. You will be prompted for your physical address which is used for data map-pinning only, not for any other purpose. You are encouraged to test multiple times at various times of day for the best information. YORK Raymond J. Coll, III, 36, of York, has been sentenced to probation for violating the states sex offender registration act, which is a Class 3A felony. He was facing a possible maximum sentence of three years in prison with 18 months of post-release supervision. The case began when a deputy with the York County Sheriffs Department stopped Coll for a traffic violation in the southern portion of York. The deputy says in the affidavit filed with the county court that Coll presented him with a Pennsylvania drivers license. The deputy said when he conducted a records check, he found that Coll is a lifetime registrant of the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry stemming from a conviction for indecent exposure to a minor in Kings County, California. The deputy said that in reviewing Colls registry information, he did not have the license plate, vehicle description, or regular storage location of the pickup truck that he was driving listed in updated information for the registry. In York County District Court, York County Attorney John Lyons said he would be recommending probation, per an agreement with the defense. YORK Rachel Mayfield, the technical services and acquisitions coordinator at Kilgore Memorial Library, was awarded the Sandra Herzinger Award by the Technical Services Round Table (TSRT) of the Nebraska Library Association (NLA). This state award is to recognize distinguished service by a member. The award was announced during the Nebraska Library Associations annual conference. According to the TSRT web site for this award, The Sandra Herzinger Award is given to a Nebraska library worker who has demonstrated exceptional work in the profession and/or has been an advocate for technical services. The staff at Kilgore Memorial Library said they believe this describes their co-worker. The nomination was submitted by Yorks library director, Deb Robertson, with letters of support from librarians at the Crete Public Library and the Hastings Public Library. In her nomination Robertson shared that Mayfield has been a member of the Nebraska Library Association and the Technical Services Round Table since 2013. She holds a level III public librarian certification from the Nebraska Library Commission and is working on an advanced certification in cataloging, as classes are offered. In the eight years she has worked for the City of York at Kilgore Library she has experienced a migration to new library automation software and a new library director. Both of these events offered many opportunities to learn, lead and change for everyone at the library. Mayfield has been a mentor for her co-workers through every step, Robertson said. If you walk into Pinckneyville Community Center at 203 N. Walnut St. in Pinckneyville or Sparta Police Department at 114 W. Jackson St., you will find blessing boxes with free food and hygiene items for anyone who needs them. Rhonda Shubert of Perry County 4-H said the blessing box was created by Perry County 4-H members to provide items for those who cannot afford them. The Pinckneyville box focuses on personal hygiene. We have plenty of food pantries in our area and we didnt want to take away from them, Shubert said. "We hope that this box can truly make a difference for the city of Sparta and that the community itself will help with this ongoing project, Michaela Castens of Randolph County 4-H said. Blessing boxes follow the philosophy of take what you need, leave what you can, as boxes are filled with donated non-perishable food items, hygiene products and household items that are in need throughout Southern Illinois. 4-H Clubs in Perry, Randolph, Williamson and Franklin Counties decided to help provide foods and other items to their communities using the blessing boxes. The program began when 4-H made it their mission to do more mobile food ventures. Toni Kay Wright, a SNAP educator for the extension service, contacted The Southern Illinoisan to see if they would donated newspaper sales boxes. The newspaper donated several newspaper displays to 4-H programs in Franklin, Perry, Randolph and Williamson counties to repurpose into blessing boxes. Heather Willis, marketing and communications extension program coordinator for the University of Illinois Extension, said boxes will go up in each county. The most-needed items included canned proteins, vegetables, soups, shelf-stable meals, boxed pasta and cereals. Hygiene items of greatest need are shampoos and conditioners, dental care products, deodorants, and feminine hygiene items. Household items that can be donated include toilet paper, power towels, diapers, wipes, and garbage bags. Some items are not wanted for blessing boxes, including homemade food, opened packages, glass jars, perishable items, dented canned goods or expired products. The month of September is the start of a new 4-H year. To learn more about 4-H, contact Cindy Bauman of Franklin County 4-H at bauman1@illinois.edu or 618-439-3178; Rhonda Shubert of Perry County 4-H at rkshuber@illinois.edu or 618-357-2126; Ramona Girtman of Williamson County 4-H at girtman@illinois.edu or 618-993-3304; or Michaela Castens of Randolph County 4-H at mes379@illinois.edu or 618-443-4364. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. EDWARDSVILLE An Edwardsville man has been indicted on drug- and weapon-related felony charges. Steven W. Cobb Jr., 43, of Edwardsville was charged with unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, a Class X felony, and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, both class 3 felonies. The case was originally presented by the Madison County Sheriff's Department. According to court documents, on Oct. 3 Cobb allegedly was found to have 15-100 grams of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, Alprazolam with intent to deliver, and a .357 Magnum revolver. He has a 2020 St. Clair County conviction for unlawful delivery of methamphetamine . Bail was originally set at $100,000. In a separate case, George Garcia, 18, of Collinsville, was indicted for criminal damage to property over $500 and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, both Class 4 felonies. The criminal damage charge was originally filed by the Illinois State Police and the fleeing charge by the Madison County Sheriff's Department. On Sept. 12 Garcia allegedly threw an object at a 2020 Dodge Ram truck belonging to another person, causing in excess of $500 damage. On Sept. 14 he allegedly fled from a Madison County sheriff's deputy. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Even the best system cant stop a determined criminal from committing crimes. But the unfolding Murdaugh saga from the boat wreck that wasnt properly investigated to the attempted suicide-insurance scam and now evidence of elaborate extortion schemes has given even lawyers and judges an uneasy feeling about South Carolinas legal system. Is the rot confined to one community, one law firm, even one man? Or is this an exaggerated example of the sort of thing that happens throughout a state with an insular network of lawyers and judges the overwhelming majority of whom attended the same law school, many of whom travel in the same social circles, particularly in smaller communities where conspiracies can be easily hatched and nurtured? A Columbia attorney put an exclamation point on that vague feeling of unease when he made an apparently unprecedented request for Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen to give a deposition in his lawsuit alleging that Alex Murdaugh conspired to steal millions of dollars in insurance money due the sons of his deceased housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield. Although Eric Bland said he believed Mullen had been misled when she apparently signed an order approving a $2.7 million insurance payment to Satterfields sons and $1.6 million in fees to attorney Cory Fleming, the request raised questions. Why, after recusing herself from the criminal case against Alex Murdaughs son Paul because of close ties to the family, did Mullen involve herself in the insurance matter? Or did she? Does she usually sign orders when no lawsuit has been filed? At best, that suggests a too-casual and trusting approach to her job. Do her orders frequently end up unfiled? Bland withdrew his request a day later, saying he had been pressured to drop it, and besides, he had found enough other evidence against Murdaugh and Fleming that he no longer needed the judges testimony. We hope that pressure came from lawyers who just dont like the idea of breaking the tradition of judges speaking only through their court orders, and not from judges who erroneously believed they were protecting the integrity of our judicial system. Because the rest of us still need to hear from Judge Mullen, as the first of many steps to help clear up growing questions about what protections we have to ensure that lawyers are representing the interests of their clients and how we ensure that judges dont allow their personal relationships with lawyers to cloud their judgment. We take some comfort in how our criminal justice system has worked since Paul and Maggie Murdaughs murders turned the powerful Hampton County familys saga into daily dinner table conversation in South Carolina and beyond: Alex Murdaughs law partners say they discovered he was cheating clients and the firm, and forced him to resign; the S.C. Supreme Court suspended his law license; SLED discovered the alleged conspiracy behind his shooting; Bland unearthed the unfiled legal order that showed the millions owed Satterfields sons, which might never have happened if not for all the publicity; and the high court suspended Flemings law license, even though he had agreed to give the sons his legal fees, along with payments to come from malpractice insurance. The S.C. judiciary has some serious soul searching to do, and the Legislature has some serious questions to ask. That will not be quick or easy work, because theres no obvious solution. At this point, we dont really even know how big the problem is. But we know it can only be resolved through the sort of transparency that our court system seems determined to guard against, with its secretive attorney and judicial disciplinary systems and the judicial code of silence. This editorial is from The Post and Courier of Charleston via The Associated Press. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Today Plenty of sunshine. High 57F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 34F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 58F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. ASSET by asset, the liquidators of the CL Financial group are selling off the company that it took Cyril Duprey and his nephew, Lawrence, 73 years to build up. The liquidators are plodding through the sale of thousands of acres of land, millions of dollars worth of shares in a local conglomerate, a major local insurance firm, a manufacturer of resins and a security company. Jerrod Johnson is the point of the spear of a new wave of soca parang music. Aptly, Johnson is known in music circles as Bongo Spear. The Palo Seco-born musician catapulted into the national consciousness last year with his parang soca hit Ah Not Eating. His comical refrain of ah not eating nothing dat smelling so after being offered food by a neighbours wife became the unofficial anthem of Christmas 2020. Mother of four, Rehana Jaggernauth, was beaten, stabbed and strangled before being thrown into the Guayamare River, where she drowned, an autopsy has found. And her relatives are convinced that Jaggernauth was lured to her death by someone she knew. Is mask wearing more important than purchasing testing kits for Covid-19? Proper mask wearing prevents you from transmitting or receiving infection. The testing kits tell you if you are asymptomatic but carrying the virus. Wearing your mask properly prevents you from spreading it. A Covid-19 testing kit cannot do this. I am of the view that while it is nice to know if you are a carrier how many times do you have to self-test? The effort, known as the Helios Adelante Scholars Initiative, will grant 900 scholarships of $1,000 each to students who graduated from an Arizona high school in 2020 or 2021 and have not yet enrolled in post-secondary education. To be eligible for the scholarship, students must: Have graduated from an Arizona high school in 2020 or 2021 Be entering college for the first time in Spring 2022 Be enrolling in an accredited college or university at least half-time Have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or are not eligible for FAFSA Go to adelantescholars.org for more information, or to fill out a scholarship application, Teachers, schools awarded combined $20,000 Four educators, along with their respective schools, each received $2,500 awards this month as part of the sixth annual Raytheon Leaders in Education Award program. I think that if someone knows that the minimum wage is $15 an hour and goes to apply for a job and theyre not going to get $15 an hour theyll self-report, Cross said. I think they will say, they are not paying $15 an hour, Im going to go down the street and get $15 an hour (from) the guy whos going to do it. Cross said road repair is one of the most important issues she hopes to address. She has accused the city of misappropriating lottery revenue that was supposed to fund all road work needed, though she admits she doesnt know how much cash the lottery actually generates for transportation projects in Tucson. Up to $23 million of Arizona lottery revenue is dedicated to funding public transportation programs across the state annually. Tucson currently spends about three times that amount each year just for road repair. Sitting council members have recently downscaled some roadway projects that arent needed in order to free up funding for others. Cross wants to take a similar approach by reallocating money to cover costs while avoiding taxes increases. A $20,000 fine was imposed April 29 after a health department inspection in January found dozens of deficiencies that put patients at risk, records show. The inspection, which included live observation, staff interviews and a review of internal records for the previous six months, found, among other things: Three times in one day, an inspector saw staffers fail to properly disinfect the skin of dialysis patients before inserting needles or tubing. Its the fourth time in five years the center has been cited for that deficiency. The report cited 102 cases in which theres no solid record that water used for dialysis treatments was tested for chlorine, which is highly toxic to such patients and must be removed with carbon filters. The unreliable testing logs posed a significant risk to patients for serious life-threatening events, the inspector said. At least 80 times, staffers did not keep proper track of whether a solution used to help stabilize pH levels during dialysis was mixed at proper strength and was not past its expiration date. Erratic blood pH levels can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. Photo editor Rick Wiley is the photo editor of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson. From 1995-2004, he was director of photography at the East Valley Tribune in Mesa. From 1988-94 he was a photographer at the Tucson Citizen. He is a graduate of ASU (yes, that ASU). The pandemic has caused added stress for many adults, here's how to know when it's time to find professional help and what to consider when looking for a therapist in Tucson, Arizona. In recognition of Veterans Day, Aspen Dental locations nationwide will open their doors to provide free care to military veterans across the country. Now in its 7th year, the Day of Service provides much-needed dental care for veterans at no cost to honor their service and break down barriers to health care. WHAT: Aspen Dentals Day of Service WHEN: Saturday, November 6, 8:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. WHERE: Offices in Bartlesville, Claremore, Tulsa (Woodland Hills) HOW: Veterans can call 1-844-277-3646 (1-844-ASPENHMM) to find a participating Aspen Dental office in their community and schedule an appointment. Advance appointments are required. WHY: Millions of Americans struggle to access dental care every year, and veterans are no exception. In fact, U.S. veterans are ineligible for dental benefits through the Veterans Administration unless theyre 100% disabled, have a service-related mouth injury, or were a prisoner of war. Whats more, during the COVID-19 pandemic, dentists have reported increases in teeth-grinding, cavities and gum disease, largely attributed to pandemic-related stress and changes in health habits. MORE: For more information about Day of Service and the Healthy Mouth Movement, visit www.HealthyMouthMovement.com. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Jenks Public Schools Foundations Trojans Read the Way Bookmobile is one of three recipients of the 2021 Outstanding Program Awards for Oklahoma School Foundations. Originally based out of a van, the foundation raised enough funds to retrofit a retired school bus to accommodate bookshelves and a freezer for popsicles. During summer 2021, the bookmobile distributed more than 2,300 new and gently used books and served an average of 150 students per week. Other recipients include the Grove Foundation for Excellences Get Books, Not Twix! vending machine and the Community and Schools Together Initiative sponsored by the Putnam City Schools Foundation. Along with a plaque and $1,000, the honorees will present a webinar on Oct. 27 on their respective programs. Life after high school: The Osage Nation Education Department will host its sixth annual College and Career Fair on Nov. 4 at the Osage County Fairgrounds in Pawhuska. The event is open to all local high school students. Sabra Tucker, executive director of the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association, told those gathered at Waldrons study that stress amid increasing criticisms and demands from society is the primary driver of teacher retirements right now. What I heard from people is that my health is not worth staying in the classroom. As much as I love teaching and students, I do not love all the stress of being in the classroom with unrealistic expectations and more and more demands than I have ever had before in my entire career, Tucker said. Waldron said legislative action at this juncture is a must. It will get worse the longer we as legislators dont act to solve it. I am humbled and encouraged by the House Common Education Committee, under the leadership of Chair Rhonda Baker, for taking this issue seriously There is a problem. We must work together to fix it. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle, a former elementary school teacher and school district administrator, held a study last week on how meaningful training and professional development for teachers could help improve teacher retention rates, while Baker, R-Yukon, and chair of the House Common Education Committee, hosted an interim study about innovative approaches to improving Oklahomas teacher shortage. U.S. Sen. James Lankford made a small gesture, as if to indicate What can I say?, when asked how he feels about being called a RINO. Republican in Name Only is the horse collar Lankfords announced primary opponents Jackson Lahmeyer and Nathan Dahm are trying to hang around his neck. Because Lankford did not vote to overturn Joe Bidens election as president, they contend, and because he apologized to some Black constituents for saying something that offended them, says Lahmeyer, hes not a real conservative. When all of this started, wed just returned to the Capitol, Lankford said while in Tulsa last week. Dick Durbin of Illinois, whos a true liberal, crossed the aisle, walked over to me, and said, Youre not a conservative? Lankford won more votes than Donald Trump in winning re-election in 2016, and to date the attacks on him do not seem to have made a serious dent in his popularity among Republicans. But, as the two major parties are pushed to the extremes, the meanings of conservative and liberal, Republican and Democrat, often seem more and more transitory. Most of it is not even rational, Lankford said. FORT SMITH, Ark. Police in Arkansas said Sunday that three people were dead after an incident in which an officer fired his weapon while defending himself from a knife attack. According to the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, the unidentified officer found a man hitting another individual, identified as a 15-year-old boy, in the face and head with a brick. When told by the officer to stop, 40-year-old Christofer Conner appeared to comply but Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker said when the officer attempted to put Conner in restraints, he produced an edged weapon and sliced the police officer in the throat and neck. The officer then fired two shots, killing Conner. The boy, identified as Conners son, was pronounced dead at the hospital. He had sustained multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma, the newspaper reported. Inside the home, police saw evidence of a violent attack and located the body of Julia Marie Moore who had suffered multiple stab wounds. A 5-year-old child, also found inside the house, was placed with relatives, the Southwest Times Record reported. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. I joined the Tulsa World in 1988 after graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma. I lived in Saudi Arabia before graduating from Broken Arrow High School. I'm married to Karen Gilbert and have three grown children. Phone: 918-581-8349 This feature will be in video form, with a quick interview of the brewer or representative talking about one particular beer, the style, the name, and the taste and anything else they want to add. The CDC death count soon will be posted regularly on the states coronavirus data webpage, Taylor said, with the states count of investigated deaths published in its weekly epidemiological report each Friday. Taylor said data reporting processes have been strained the past three months as COVID-19 inundated hospitals, which improvised ways to handle patient loads far exceeding normal capacity. The state mostly was able to keep pace until November, he said. If you have to make the decision between keeping records or caring for a patient, we all are going to first and foremost say that the patient care has to take the priority, Taylor said. But that has had an impact on our ability to do these investigations as promptly as we would like. Taylor said epidemiological investigations and surveillance methods are the typical way in which the state tracks any infectious disease deaths, not just those attributed to COVID-19. He said its uncommon perhaps exquisitely uncommon that a physician might mischaracterize a patients death. So he said he expects there to be only an exceedingly small number of cases in which the state finds a death that is attributed to COVID-19 on a death certificate not actually to have been caused by COVID. U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe and 4th District Congressman Tom Cole praised former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell Monday following Powells death at 84. His was a life marked by distinguished service to the nation first in uniform, then as a diplomat and public servant, said Inhofe. I always appreciated General Powells perspective and how he prioritized his long-standing relationships with Congress even when there were differences of opinions. Although both Republicans, Powell and Inhofe did not always see eye-to-eye. A four-star general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the invasion of Panama and the first Persian Gulf War, Powell proved to be a political moderate as President George W. Bushs first secretary of state. In 2007, after Powell had left the administration, Inhofe told a reporter, Ive never been one of the real strong fans of General Powell. Cole praised Powell as a genuinely wise and decent man. Secretary Powell was a role model and a patriot revered and respected by millions of Americans of every race, ethnicity and political persuasion, Cole said. Thats a good number of weapons off the streets. The Childrens Defense Fund has its own suggestions: strengthening background checks, incentivizing safe storage of weapons and investing in after-school and mental health programs for youths. The possibility of enacting these measures is mixed. Gun control legislation, even as modest as background checks, often meets stiff resistance in Congress and is a non-starter in the Oklahoma Legislature. Building after-school and mental health programs for youths are areas with improved prospects for legislative support. State and local policymakers should redouble efforts to explore and enact diversionary programs that meet these needs. Lastly, there are easy, practical steps all gun owners can take. Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin noted that firearms stolen from unsecured vehicles can easily be turned into tools for criminals. Unsecured weapons in peoples homes can become additional sources of deadly incidents. Securely storing weapons can prevent many sorrows. In addition to properly securing firearms, owners ought to be practicing with their weapon regularly in safe environments. Just possessing a weapon does not ensure an owner can safely use it when necessary. While no cure-all, investing in the well-being of young people and taking proactive steps to secure firearms are uncontroversial solutions that can help curb gun violence among youths. These measures should be explored and enacted before youth firearm deaths become the new normal. Subscribe to Daily Headlines Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Trung Nam Group, an energy company in Ho Chi Minh City, held a flag-raising ceremony on Sunday afternoon after the last wind turbine was installed at its VND5 trillion (US$219.4 million) Dong Hai 1 project in southern Tra Vinh Province. Dong Hai 1 is an offshore wind power project with a total capacity of up to 100 MW, funded by Trung Nam Tra Vinh 1 Wind Power JSC, a member of Trung Nam Group. About 1,100 engineers and workers finished erecting the last of 25 wind pillars at the project on Sunday afternoon, ten months after its construction started. They used a total of more than 18,000 metric tons of steel and buried 115,000 meters of steel piles into the seabed to build foundations for the wind pillars. A Vietnamese national flag is raised during a ceremony at the Dong Hai 1 wind power project in Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam, October 17, 2021. Photo: Ngoc Hien / Tuoi Tre Each wind pillar is capable of producing four megawatts, and the project will generate 330 million kWh of clean electricity per year once in stable operation in the Mekong Delta province. The installation of the wind turbines is the final step before the projects commercial operation date, when the facility officially starts to generate power for the national grid. A total of 106 wind power plants nationwide with a combined capacity of more than 5,655 MW have registered to conduct commercial operations and join the national grid, according to Vietnam Electricity, a state-owned utility. As of early August, 21 wind power plants able to produce 819 MW had begun commercial operations, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Many teachers and students have been on tenterhooks as they lost contact with the director of a Ho Chi Minh City-based English training company that has shut down a series of its centers across Vietnam without settling wages and tuition. Around half a month ago, the citys Department of Education and Training contacted Do Van Quan, director of Master English Education Company Limited, which owns the Saigon American English (SAS), asking him to explain tuition-related complaints from students of some SAS centers that had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a report sent later to the department, Quan said the COVID-19 epidemic had severely affected the companys operations and solvency, making it fail to fully pay its staff and teachers, Nguyen Phuc Huy Tung, head of the departments continuing education division, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. In his report, Quan pledged to resolve SAS students complaints and said the online training model would be applied. He also promised to pay teachers interest on the unpaid amounts of salary. However, the department could not get in touch with Quan when many SAS teachers and students reported him to police as he had allegedly fled away without paying salary and tuition fees to them. I've been unable to reach Quan by phone during the last two days after hearing that a lot of SAS centers across the country have stopped operations, Tung said. The divisions head added that local education authorities are ready to coordinate with police, if required, to protect the legitimate rights and interests of students. Over the past few days, thousands of SAS students, teachers, and staff were upset by the sudden closure of SAS centers, not only in Ho Chi Minh City but also in tens of other localities, including Can Tho, Tien Giang, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Lam Dong, Da Nang, Thua Thien Hue, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, and Quang Ninh. Quan has signed many commitments to refund tuition fees and pay wages using his private bank account, but nobody could get back their money or speak to him. M.H., a student of an SAS center in Ho Chi Minh Citys Go Vap District, told Tuoi Tre that she paid a total of VND25.2 million (US$1,110) in March for a course of English communication for her and her sister. Their course was suspended in May due to the pandemic and the center has given no information to them since then, H. said, adding that she could no longer get in touch with the centers employee who gave consultancy on her enrollment. B.D.B., a teacher of an SAS center in the citys Binh Thanh District, said since the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in early 2020, the center has made late wage payments. Not only me but also dozens of other teachers, including foreigners, and employees of many other SAS centers have had their salaries unpaid," B. said. Talking to Tuoi Tre last week, V.P.T.A., Quans deputy, said he had lost contact with Quan for a week and that many people have also been looking for him. So far this year, thousands of students, teachers, and employees have kept calling me to ask for payment of tuition fees and unpaid salaries, but I am just a staff member and I have personally had nearly VND300 million [$13,200] in salary owed by the company, A. said. As far as Tuoi Tre knows, the SAS ran nearly 70 centers in more than 20 cities and provinces nationwide. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The 2020 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Program is now calling for applications from Vietnamese youngsters who will have the chance to take part in academic, exchange, and skill training activities at home and abroad, according to the U.S. Mission to Vietnam. YSEALI is a short-term academic program whose purpose is to promote regional strategic goals, reduce barriers to communication among Southeast Asia's young generations, and strengthen cross-border partnerships with the U.S. youth. The program is seeking Vietnamese talents aged 18-35, who are either undergraduates or postgraduates with outstanding leadership skills expressed in excellent academic performance and dynamic extracurricular activities. Eligible candidates are those with proficiency in English and profound enthusiasm for social contributions at their universities or working institutions. The program includes a virtual academic course and an integrated in-person experience approximately two to three weeks in length. During the virtual module, selected candidates will participate remotely in useful activities including academic sessions, site visits, leadership development training, and cultural engagement. In the event of better travel conditions in fall of 2022 or spring of 2023, candidates will be involved in a trip to the U.S. which provides socio-cultural activities and hands-on interactions with locals. The deadline for application is November 5. The U.S. Mission to Vietnam additionally provides opportunities for emerging leader seeds with the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Professional Fellows Program (YSEALI PFP), an exchange program designed to enhance the bilateral relations between Southeast Asian and U.S. talented young leaders aged 25-35. Participants are expected to develop their expertise and foster leadership capabilities during the program, in addition to experiencing discussions and seminars on global issues. All costs including program administration, flight tickets, materials and allowances, housing and supplementary expenses will be sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! At least five people have gone missing after being swept away by raging floods that were triggered by continuous downpours in central Vietnam over the past few days. Among the victims, two were in Nghe An Province, two in Thua Thien-Hue, and one in Quang Tri, according to a brief report of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control on Sunday. One person was injured after being hit by an uprooted tree along a street in Thua Thien-Hue Province. Twelve roads in multiple provinces were inundated or blocked by mudslides, while over 150 households in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak were evacuated due to serious inundation, the report added. A neighborhood is flooded in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam. Photo: Duc Tai / Tuoi Tre The combined effect of an enhanced cold front and a tropical convergence zone has resulted in torrential rains in the central and Central Highlands regions since Friday evening. The National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting stated that an average rainfall of 300-600 millimeters battered the localities between Ha Tinh and Thua Thien-Hue Provinces from 7:00 pm on Friday last week to 1:00 am Monday. Precipitation of 200-300 millimeters also lashed the places from Da Nang to Binh Dinh throughout this period. A man takes his buffaloes to higher ground in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Lan / Tuoi Tre In Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Gia Lai, rains were measured at 100-200 millimeters. The cold snap is forecast to continue causing torrential rains in central Vietnam and the Central Highlands on Monday. It will also make temperatures drop to 18-21 degrees Celsius in the northern region. A neighborhood is flooded in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam. Photo: Duc Tai / Tuoi Tre A road is blocked by a landslide in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, October 17, 2021. Photo: Hoang Linh / Tuoi Tre A woman stands inside her flooded house in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam. Photo: Duc Tai / Tuoi Tre Residents travel on a boat due to serious flooding in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, October 17, 2021 in this supplied photo. A neighborhood is flooded in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, October 17, 2021 in this supplied photo. Officers assess the risk of mudslides at a residential area in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Photo: H.Nam / Tuoi Tre A tree is uprooted in Thua Thien-Hue Province, central Vietnam, October 17, 2021. Photo: Phuoc Tuan / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read what is in the news today: Politics -- Pandemic prevention and control policies must be unified nationwide, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told an online conference with the Steering Committees for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of 63 provinces and cities on Sunday. COVID-19 Updates -- Vietnam has received 92.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility, foreign government aid, and purchase contracts, the Ministry of Health said on Sunday. -- Health workers in Ho Chi Minh City have administered a COVID-19 vaccine to 98.7 percent of residents aged 18 and older, the citys Center for Disease Control reported on Sunday morning. Society -- Vietnamese functional forces are preparing a plan to rescue a cargo ship that has been stranded two kilometers offshore Quang Tri Province while it was waiting to load 26,000 metric tons of sand near the north-central provinces Cua Viet Port for a trip to South Korea. -- Water levels in rivers from Quang Binh to Binh Dinh in south-central Vietnam and Kon Tum and Gia Lai in the Central Highlands region are rising rapidly due to heavy rains. -- Downpours and whirlwinds unroofed and damaged 45 houses in central Quang Ngai Province on Sunday. Business -- Trungnam Group, an energy company based in Ho Chi Minh City, held a flag-raising ceremony on Sunday afternoon after the last wind pillar had been installed at its VND5 trillion (US$219.4 million) Dong Hai 1 project in southern Tra Vinh Province. -- National carrier Vietnam Airlines has officially resumed flights on the domestic route between Hanoi and Can Tho City in an experimental period from Monday to Wednesday. Sports -- Vietnams U23 football team defeated their Kyrgyz counterparts 3-0 in a friendly in the UAE on Sunday evening, their last game in preparation for the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled to run from October 23 to November 2. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Leaders of Phu Tho Province in northern Vietnam shuttered several K-12 schools last weekend after 47 local students were found infected with COVID-19. The direction was confirmed by Nguyen Van Manh, director of the Phu Tho Department of Education and Training, during an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday. The education authority plans to close in-person classes for one week so that officers can perform COVID-19 screening and outline high-risk areas related to infections. After this phase, the department will consider resuming school operations or switching to online classes based on the real situations. The education department allowed several schools in Viet Tri City and Lam Thao District to halt classes from Saturday to monitor and report individuals that had come into contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients, according to Manh. On the weekend, Phu Thos medical forces were put on full alert as they detected six new COVID-19 infections from the communities in Viet Tri City and Lam Thao District, the source of transmissions remaining unclear. Among these six cases is a pair of siblings who were respectively attending Chu Hoa Elementary School and Chu Hoa Middle School in Viet Tri. Subsequent contact tracing and mass testing efforts on Saturday evening detected another 45 coronavirus-positive patients, all of whom are seventh-graders from Chu Hoa Middle School in Viet Tri, according to Manh. Starting 12:00 pm on Sunday, Viet Tri City has ceased all outdoor events, festivals, as well as non-essential businesses, including karaoke parlors, bars, Internet cafes, massage parlors, beauty lounges, gyms, and sit-in dining services. Phu Tho Province has discovered 68 infection cases since the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections emerged in Vietnam on April 27, with 54 cases reported over the past week, according to news site VnExpress. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Soc Trang and Ca Mau Provinces have become the new COVID-19 hot spots in Vietnams Mekong Delta after welcoming a large number of residents who returned from virus-hit localities. Ca Mau was among the Mekong Delta localities with the least cases, recording only 369 local infections from April 27 to October 1, according to the provincial Department of Health. However, the local tally exceeded 1,100 cases from October 1 to 16, with most of the new patients coming from virus-hit locales. Statistics showed that more than 30,000 people have returned to Ca Mau from such hotbeds as Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai Province, and Binh Duong Province since October 1 following the relaxation of COVID-19 movement restrictions nationwide. Similarly, over 40,000 people have returned to Soc Trang Province from Ho Chi Minh City and some southeast provinces. The province has been logging an average daily count of 200 over the past days, the provincial health department stated. As of October 16, Soc Trang had documented over 3,300 local transmissions in its 11 districts, towns, and cities, most of whom were from virus-hit areas or in direct contact with COVID-19 patients. Boosting treatment capacity To cope with the rising infections, authorities in Ca Mau have put into operation all makeshift hospitals and implemented pandemic prevention and control measures at the highest level. Some hospitals will also be turned into COVID-19 treatment facilities to raise the provinces capacity to more than 1,700 beds, said Nguyen Van Dung, director of Cau Maus Department of Health. Dung predicted that the number of patients will continue surging in the coming time, adding that the province will need assistance from other localities and the central government. Ho Chi Minh City has so far sent four doctors and two nurses while providing 1,000 folding beds, 11,000 medical masks, 175kg of disinfectants, and 5,000 boxes of instant noodles to the southernmost province. In Soc Trang, about 1,980 people are being treated for COVID-19 at local healthcare facilities, according to chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Tran Van Lau. Local authorities have activated many field hospitals and planned to invest VND19 billion (US$833,000) in the construction of new COVID-19 treatment facilities, Lau continued. Ten doctors and 60 nurses from other provinces have been mobilized to Soc Trang, while nearby Can Tho City has sent 100 medical students to assist the vaccination progress. Ho Chi Minh City has supplied vehicles designed for mobile COVID-19 testing and 10,000 biological products required for conducting the tests. Vietnam had recorded 864,053 COVID-19 cases as of Monday afternoon, with 791,844 recoveries and 21,194 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. The country has reported 859,372 local infections in 62 out of 63 provinces and cities since the fourth wave began on April 27. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Ministry of Health logged 3,168 new COVID-19 patients in Vietnam on Monday, along with 1,136 recoveries and 75 fatalities. The latest cases, including nine imported and 3,159 local infections, were documented in 45 provinces and cities, the health ministry said, elucidating that 1,261 patients were found in the community. Ho Chi Minh City confirmed 968 of the domestically-infected cases, Binh Duong Province 439, Dong Nai Province 393, Soc Trang Province 174, An Giang Province 109, Kien Giang Province 99, Tien Giang Province 94, Ca Mau Province 77, Khanh Hoa Province 31, Can Tho City 27, Ba Ria-Vung Tau eight, and Hanoi six. Vietnam had registered 3,175 locally-acquired infections on Sunday. The country has reported 862,531 community transmissions in 62 out of its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave emerged on April 27. Ho Chi Minh City is a hotbed with 418,692 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 225,853, Dong Nai Province with 59,015, Long An Province with 33,733, Tien Giang Province with 15,105, Dong Thap Province with 9,211, Khanh Hoa Province with 8,512, Da Nang with 4,932, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 4,405, and Hanoi with 4,344. Vietnam detected only 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in total in the previous three waves. The health ministry documented 1,136 recoveries on Monday, taking the total to 792,980. The toll has risen to 21,269 deaths after the ministry recorded 75 fatalities on the same day, including 51 in Ho Chi Minh City and 14 in Binh Duong Province. Vietnam has reported 867,221 patients since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit it early last year. Health workers have administered over 63.4 million vaccine doses, including 1,312,650 shots on Sunday, since inoculation was rolled out on March 8. More than 18.1 million people have been fully vaccinated. Health authorities target to inoculate at least two-thirds of a population of nearly 98 million people against COVID-19 by the first quarter of next year. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam's functional forces are preparing a plan to rescue a cargo ship that has been stranded two kilometers offshore of Quang Tri Province while it was waiting to load sand near a port in the north-central province for a trip to South Korea. Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier Glory Future, captained by 50-year-old Chinese Jwo Quojiang, was anchored about three nautical miles off Cua Viet Port on Sunday morning when big waves and strong winds caused the vessel to drift to the south and run aground two kilometers from the shore of the port. Twenty crew members, including 12 Vietnamese and eight Chinese, were on board the ship as it was about to receive and transport 26,000 metric tons of sand en route to South Korea at that time. Upon receiving reports of the case, Quang Tri border guard officers coordinated with the provincial port authority and the captain to draw up a rescue plan. They agreed to temporarily anchor the ship at the stranded position and wait until heavy rains end before carrying out the rescue. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Western Australias Telethon 2021 has smashed a fundraising record with a whopping $62,115,467 raised for sick children -blitzing 2020s record of $46.3 million. The event included Birds of Tokyo, cast and crew from the Wizard of Oz, Perth rock star End of Fashion Indigenous artist Gina Williams, The Ten Tenors, soprano superstar and The Voice winner Bella Taylor Smith from the Sunrise studio. Premier Mark McGowan donated $10 million on behalf of the State Government. Telethon, as we know, supports 65 charities around Western Australia that support children and research and very important causes for kids like these two kids, McGowan said. And its loved by West Australians and we want to make sure that, as a government, we support Telethon as much as we can. Every cent is valued. We have some amazing philanthropists, and the shared community support for Telethon is particularly inspiring, Telethon chairman Richard Goyder said. Our Telethon beneficiaries are incredible people doing great things with huge amounts of passion and energy. More than $400 million has been raised over 54 years. Source: 7news.com.au As part of Aus Music Month, MTV will be showcasing Australian artists and their music. From Monday, 1 November, Club MTV will rebrand to Aus MTV to celebrate local artists past, present and future, with all-Australian music 24/7 for the entire month. Jam packed with hosted countdowns, genre music blocks, short-form series and iconic throwbacks, the channel will be a true celebration of all your favourite local artists. Aussie acts Vera Blue, KLP, Travis Collins, Southbound, David Novak from Polish Club and many more are all set to host a series of Countdowns that showcase the best of the best in Aussie music. From ultimate Aussie anthems and undisputed dance floor fillers, to the best of County music and everything in between, MTV has your daily soundtrack sorted. Following a tough year for the entire industry, MTV is seeking to provide tangible benefits to artists by spotlighting some of the quirky merchandise you can purchase direct from our homegrown talent. In a series of infomercials hosted by Polish Clubs David Novak, merch from the likes of Tones and I, Amy Shark, G Flip, Baker Boy, Jack River, Client Liaison, The Rubens, Ocean Alley, Violent Soho, Ruel, The Wolfe Brothers, Young Franco, Cub Sport, Ngaiire, Jasmine Rae, Fanny Lumsden, Polish Club and Daryl Braithwaite will all be showcased. MTV is also partnering with Support Act for their annual Aus Music T-Shirt Day, which is back on Friday, 19 November. The initiative is focused on raising funds to help Australian artists get back on track after live music and touring was so disrupted this past year. Head to www.ausmusictshirtday.org.au to get yourself one of Support Acts range of premium Australian artist tees and make your way to www.mtv.com.au/merch to support our local artists and invest in some serious swag. Northern Pictures recently won the global Jackson Wild Media award for Conservation Long Form for its 2020 ABC Documentary After the Fires profiling the progress following the Black Summer. The awards are considered Nature films equivalent to the Oscars and Northern Pictures managed a win over Sir David Attenboroughs A Life on our Planet -no small feat. Head of Factual, Karina Holden (pictured) told TV Tonight, Winning a Jackson Wild Media Award is an incredibly proud moment for us all, especially with our film up against David Attenborough. But it is testament to the global relevance of After the Fires, which gave viewers a real perspective on the impact Black Summer had on our living ecosystem. As a small, yet nimble team, we were on the ground immediately during the fires, documenting real scenes on-the-ground and highlighting the emerging heroes protecting our wilderness and wildlife. Unlike the news crews, we were committed to documenting the ecological story as it unfolded over the 12 months after the fires, and the stories that emerged reflect the urgent need for Australia to put in place real action on climate change and environmental protection. We hope films like this are able to galvanise the call for action. The doco has previously won at the Cannes World Film Festival, Jackson Hole World Wildlife Day Film 2021, Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, International Wildlife Film Festival and was selected for the Matsalu Nature Film Festival. Musician Desmond Dezzy McKenna, better known as drummer Animal on Hey Hey its Saturday, has died. Friends posted a tribute on social media, noting he had passed away in Chaiyaphum province in Thailand, where he had been living since the mid 1990s. He was a regular in the Hey Hey band alongside the likes of Red Symons, Wilbur Wilde, Daryl McKenzie, Peter McCutcheon, known for his killer beats and silent grimacing from behind a pair of sunglasses (and tossing himself into the GTV9 pool while using crutches). Brother of producer Rick McKenna, he also performed as part of Jo Jo Zep & the Falcons and was billed as Austral-Asias swinging-est, laziest, funniest, second quietest, third loudest, and 7th fastest drummer. Phil Rudd of AC/DC once described him as a Solid Sitter while US jazz trumpeter Nat Adderley once said, Here we have a hard swinging drummer. McKenna also made fleeting appearances in The Pirate Movie, The Bit Part and the notorious Houseboat of Horror. His death comes less than a week after the screening of the Hey Hey 50th anniversary special. What most call flyover country, University of Dayton law student Andrew Ferguson calls a classroom. What many would confuse for the lyrics of Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" are places Ferguson has attended class in the Law@Dayton program, one of the nation's first online hybrid J.D. programs. A lead engineer for the U.S. Air Force's F-16 program, Ferguson has attended University of Dayton law classes while on planes enroute to or while in Seattle, Shreveport (Louisiana), St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Fort Worth (Texas), Orlando (Florida), Norfolk (Virginia), Tucson (Arizona), Wichita (Kansas) and Washington (D.C.). He's also attended classes flying to or in the United Kingdom and Belgium. "Plane flights are a really good opportunity to lose all distractions and focus hard on reading a case or briefing, or writing. I've spent many, many, many hours on (watching downloaded) classes and doing homework on planes across the country or across the Atlantic." Ferguson, whose home base is Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in nearby Fairborn, Ohio, and who lives in the Dayton suburb of Bellbrook, is the type of student law school Dean Andrew Strauss had in mind for Law@Dayton. "When I heard of Andrew and his experiences, I thought 'This is why we started our online hybrid program. Being in a particular place at a particular time to attend law school doesn't fit everyone's lives," Strauss said. "Online technology means that the legal profession no longer has to miss out on highly accomplished individuals like Andrew." Ferguson said time differences and other scheduling snafus have sometimes thrown a wrench into "going" to class, but overall the flexibility of the program has been a huge reason for his success. "When I went into the program, I realized it was going to be really hard to juggle classes with work and family time," he said. "But I've found professors have been really flexible. I think the administrators and professors understand this program is for people who have a professional and/or family life outside of law school. I've been really impressed with how the program has allowed us to juggle careers and family. In addition to the scheduling flexibility of the Law@Dayton program, Ferguson, who expects to graduate in 2023, said he's thankful he can work while going to law school. "Fiscally, there are a lot of benefits to this program. I have the ability to maintain a full time, well-paying job," Ferguson said. "That's huge, compared to any other program where you have classes during the day and can't do a 9-to-5 job. "I would have never been able to go to full time law school, otherwise. It's been a good opportunity." Anyone interested in learning more about or applying to Law@Dayton can visit https://onlinelaw.udayton.edu/. For interviews, contact Shawn Robinson, associate director of news and communications, at srobinson1@udayton.edu. FILE PHOTO: Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Coveney speaks at the launch of his party's manifesto for the Irish General Election in Dublin BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU and British negotiators need to be given time to discuss possible changes to Northern Ireland's trading arrangements, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Monday, expressing hope that they could register progress in the next few weeks. The European Commission has made a "major move" in trying to ease trade from Britain to Northern Ireland with a package that was "strongly welcomed" in the British province, particularly by the business community, Coveney said. "There is a process of dialogue now agreed between both sides and I think we need to give that time and space to work. The EU has not said their package is a 'take it or leave it' package," Coveney said. Coveney told reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers that the British government's statements in the first half of last week had been unhelpful and appeared to be creating a relatively new problem, over the role of the European Court of Justice, rather than simply solving problems on the ground. Since then Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic and British Brexit Minister David Frost have met in Brussels to discuss a solution. "The Frost-Sefcovic discussions since that package was launched last Wednesday would suggest that both sides are taking that dialogue and that discussion very seriously, and hopefully we'll see progress in the next few weeks," Coveney said. In a statement after Friday's Frost-Sefcovic meeting, the British government said it would discuss the EU proposals constructively and in a positive spirit. However, Frost repeated the British view that significant changes are still required to the current arrangements, including on governance. "We recognise that the British government has an issue there, but we also recognise that the British government has obligations under international law to comply with the treaty that they themselves designed, ratified and now have an obligation to implement," Coveney said. Further talks will continue in Brussels this week. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Gareth Jones) Advertiser Disclosure PokerNews is a free to access, online resource that offers fresh daily content, world leading live reporting and poker strategy content and provides comparison features of various online poker sites to its visitors. Visitors should be aware that that the operator of this site (iBus Media Limited trading as PokerNews) receives affiliate and advertising revenue from the companies that appear on the site, and said remuneration may impact the location and order in which the companies banners and offerings are promoted on our site. Visitors should also note that room rankings can be impacted by a number of different variables and should not be relied upon for accuracy purposes. Whilst we do our utmost to try to ensure all companies advertised on our site are trustworthy and hold the requisite licences for their offerings, the rankings or prominence of any banner/advertisement do not necessarily imply endorsement of the companies or their products by iBus Media Limited trading as PokerNews. Except as expressly set out in our Terms & Conditions, all representations and warranties regarding the information presented on this site are disclaimed. The information which appears on this site is subject to change at any time. 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. On the twenty-second day of the war, October 18, Armenia violated the second truce introduced the day before at 23:00. Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani liberation army advanced to the Araz River, and Iranian citizens greeted it from the other side. In the morning, new video footage of the consequences of the Armenian Armed Forces' fourth missile strike on Ganja was published, the rubble at the site of the terrorist attack was dismantled only by 15:00. In the morning it also became known that immediately after the announcement of the second truce, the Armenian Armed Forces sent a heavy bomber to the positions of the Azerbaijani army. Video footage of the occupying troops of Armenia abandoning fortified military units, without waiting for the counter-offensive of Azerbaijani forces, was published. By the morning of the war's twenty-second day, the invaders recognized the death of 673 soldiers and officers. At about 11:30, another Su-25 of the Armenian Air Force, attacking Azerbaijani positions in the Jebrail region, was shot down. A mass action was held in Moscow to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attacks committed by the Armenian troops against the peaceful city of Ganja. Meanwhile, the occupying forces continued to fire at the front-line peaceful settlements of Azerbaijan, a school was hit in Terter. The Aghdam region was also under fire from the invaders. After the liberation of the city of Fizuli, desertion in the Armenian occupation forces became widespread. The occupying command tried to compensate for this with drone strikes. At about 15:00, the Azerbaijani liberation army reached the famous Khudaferin bridges connecting the two Azerbaijani-populated banks of the Araz River. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev thanked Iran and Georgia for banning the supply of weapons to Armenia through their territory. After 15:00 it became known that another medium-range missile was launched by the Armenian Armed Forces in peaceful regions of Azerbaijan far from the front - it fell just 100 km from Baku, in the Khizi region, the investigation showed that it was an S-300 missile. Baku offered Yerevan to transfer the bodies of the liquidated occupiers across the border in the Tovuz region. The Armenian prisoners thanked Azerbaijan for the good treatment. Closer to 16:00, EU diplomacy condemned the terrorist attack in Ganja carried out the day before. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke in the evening condemning Armenia's attacks on the civilian population of Azerbaijan. ANAMA reported that over 22 days of the war, about 200 unexploded shells were found on the territory of Azerbaijan, fired by invaders from the occupation zone and across the border of the two countries. In the evening, it became known that the invaders' reinforcements sent to the front refused to fight. There was video footage of the hoisting of the Azerbaijani flag in Fizuli. In Georgia, the main TV tower was painted in the colors of the Azerbaijani flag. A rally was held in Iran to demand the closure of the Nurduz border checkpoint on the border with Armenia. Thus, on the twenty-second day of the war, the liberation army of Azerbaijan reached a straight road along the Araz River and the Iranian border to the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Since the invaders did not have significant military fortifications in the depths of the occupation zone, the liberation of the Zangilan and Gubadli regions was a matter of time. After the liberation of Fuzuli, the redoubts of the invaders built on the former contact line of the troops lost all meaning, since now the liberation of the Azerbaijani land took place from the rear of the occupation forces. In essence, the war had already been won. Today, Azerbaijan is marking the State Independence Day. On October 15, 2021, the Azerbaijani parliament adopted a bill renaming the Republic Day of Azerbaijan, which was celebrated on May 28 as Independence Day and October 18 as the Restoration of Independence Day. The bill was approved by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Azerbaijan has a centuries-long history of statehood and established the first ever-democratic Republic in the East in 1918. Azerbaijan lost its state independence in 1920 only to restore it in 1991 in the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union. With its glorious victory in the 44-day war with Armenia in 2020, the country has set as the ultimate goal of its overall strategy to ensure the prosperity, sustainable development, and well-being of Azerbaijan and to contribute to maintaining security and stability in the whole region. This is Azerbaijan's historic victory and the nation has been waiting for this day for about 30 years. Turkey never looks at cooperation with African countries as short-term, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday. Recep Tayyip Erdogan was speaking at a news conference at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul before departing for Angola's capital Luanda. He is also due to visit Togo and Nigeria as part of his four-day Africa tour. "I have made 38 visits to 28 African countries, including during my Prime Ministry term. This trip is also important as it is the first official visit from Turkey at the presidential level to Angola and Togo," he said. Erdogan said that they will continue to bring Turkey and Africa closer in every field, Anadolu Agency reported. Turkey stands out as a strategic partner for African countries, with a $25 billion trade volume by the end of 2020, the president added. EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs meet on 18 October 2021 in Luxembourg. The meeting is chaired by Josep BORRELL, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Foreign affairs ministers will discuss EU relations with the Eastern Partnership (EaP), particularly how to bring EaP countries closer to the EU both economically and politically. The discussion will also feed into the preparations for the Eastern Partnership Foreign Affairs Ministers in November and the EaP summit in December. The ministers will also discuss Afghanistan, Tunisia, Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership, climate diplomacy, and the situation in Varosha. Furthermore, the Foreign Affairs Council exchanges views on the situation in Nicaragua and in Ethiopia. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed the Azerbaijani people on occasion of 30th anniversary of the restoration of independence. assessing it as the revival of the statehood traditions of Azerbaijani people. "On 18 October 1991, Azerbaijan obtained the opportunity to gain independence for the second time in the 20th century and declared to the world that it was the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic with the Constitutional Act On State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan," he recalled in the first place. "In the first years of independence, Azerbaijan was faced with many threats and severe tests. Internal strife, arbitrariness and incompetence in public administration, as well as a severe political and economic crisis, brought the country to the brink of civil war and called its future into question. It was under these conditions that the Azerbaijani lands were occupied by the Armenian armed forces and hundreds of thousands of our fellow compatriots were expelled from their ancestral lands. What was happening was further evidence of the fact that it is far more difficult to preserve independence than to gain it," Ilham Aliyev noted. "In this difficult period in Azerbaijan's history, great leader Heydar Aliyev returned to power at the request of the people. Only then was the threat of losing independence again prevented. In a short period of time, the fundamental principles of our country's independent domestic and foreign policy strategy were identified, public and political stability and state discipline were ensured, and the implementation of democratic reforms and the army-building process began. By signing the Contract of the Century, which has played the key role in the future of the country, Azerbaijan secured a special place on the world energy map, joined the process of integration into the global economic environment and took bold steps leading to future success," the president of Azerbaijan stressed. "Today, our country is an initiator and active participant in major regional and global projects. Azerbaijan pursues an independent foreign policy based on its national interests and is globally recognized as a reliable partner. In recent years, our economy has more than tripled, strong economic infrastructure has been created, significant progress has been made in the protection, development and promotion of our cultural heritage, education, health and other social spheres, and the material well-being of our people has improved significantly. Despite the fact that 20 percent of its lands were under occupation for almost 30 years and there were more than one million refugees and IDPs, Azerbaijan has always confidently advanced towards its goals and not deviated from its goals," the Azerbaijani leader stated. "The logical result of the strategic line to the comprehensive development of Azerbaijan for many years and the continuous work done to further strengthen our country has been the restoration of historical justice the reinstatement of the territorial integrity of our country. Demonstrating true heroism and patriotism on the battlefield, our brave Army saved our lands from occupation in just 44 days. The Patriotic War waged by the Azerbaijani people resulted in the signing of an act of capitulation on the part of Armenia. Azerbaijan's victory in the Patriotic War has created new realities in our region. Our historic victory is the beginning of a new era in the development of both our country and the region as a whole," Ilham Aliyev pointed out. "We once again express our gratitude to all our brave sons who gave us the Victory and respectfully commemorate the memory of our martyrs who died for the territorial integrity of our Motherland," he added. "Dear fellow compatriots! Following the adoption of the draft law put forward on my initiative, 18 October will from now on be celebrated as the Day of the Restoration of Independence in our country. Today, for the first time in our 30-year history of independence, we are celebrating the anniversary of the restoration of our independence as a victorious nation that has restored its territorial integrity. I once again sincerely congratulate all the people of Azerbaijan on this significant event in our recent history and wish you all the best. Our independence is eternal, irreversible and unshakable!" the Azerbaijani leader concluded. Talks to restart the stalled Iran nuclear deal will resume this week, an Iranian member of parliament said on Twitter, about four months after negotiations were delayed as a new ultra conservative administration took office. The tweet by Behroz Mohebbi-Najmabadi followed the October 17 meeting with the foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in parliament and is the first time an Iranian official during the new presidency of Ebrahim Raisi has given a timetable for talks to begin again. "The government will start the talks in the current week," which began Oct. 16, Mohebbi-Najmabadi said. Amir-Abdollahian was invited to the parliament to discuss, among other things, the foreign ministry's nuclear negotiations policies and tactics, according to the parliament's presiding board speaker Nezameddin Mousavi, as cited by state television. The minister held talks with the EU envoy Enrique Mora on Oct. 14 in Tehran and said that they will resume discussions in Brussels without giving more details. First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva has made an Instagram post on the Day of Restoration of Independence. In a post on her official Instagram page, the First Vice-President said: "Today we are celebrating the Day of Restoration of Independence, which embodies the state sovereignty, the freedom, strong will and solidarity of our people. I sincerely congratulate all the people of Azerbaijan on this holiday and wish each of our fellow-citizens robust health, love, joy and happiness." "I ask Gods mercy for all our martyrs who died for the Motherland. May the state independence of Azerbaijan, peace and tranquility in our country last forever!" she added. The Olympic flame of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Chinas Beijing was lit on Monday during a solemn ceremony in Ancient Olympia. The traditional event of lighting the Olympic flame was attended by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, President of the Greek National Olympic Committee Spyros Capralos, and other officials. This year the ceremony was held without spectators in attendance, just like before the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, as a preventive measure against the spread of the novel coronavirus. The first leg of the Olympic torch relay was ran by Greek alpine skier Ioannis Antonio, who was also one of the torch bearers for the 2014 Olympics in Russias Sochi and was a flag bearer of his national team at the 2018 Olympics in South Koreas PyeongChang, TASS reported. Due to the pandemic restrictions, only three legs of the torch relay were scheduled to be run today before the flame was delivered to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. The flame will be handed over on Tuesday to the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee delegation. The ritual of lighting the Olympic flame dates back to the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. It is a reminder of the legend of titan Prometheus, who stole fire from the Gods and gave it to human beings as a gift. The modern tradition was revived in 1928, at the Amsterdam Olympics, when the Olympic flame was for the first time lit at the main stadium. And in 1936, before the Olympic Games in Berlin, a torch relay was held for the first time in modern history. The 2022 Winter Olympic Games in the Chinese capital of Beijing are scheduled to be held between February 4 and 20. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has arrived in the Georgian capital for the first leg of a three-nation visit to the Black Sea region to show support for allies and partner states in the face of Russia's "destabilizing actions." "The United States is committed to helping Georgia build its defense capacity and advance its Euro-Atlantic integration, and Im looking forward to my meetings here," Austin tweeted after landing at Tbilisi International Airport early on October 18 for the first visit to the country by a Pentagon chief since 2014. He was met by Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze and U.S. Ambassador Kelly Degnan, who said that the sides will discuss "what more the United States and Georgia can do together to increase Georgias security and stability," according to the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi. Austin is scheduled to visit Georgia, Romania, Ukraine and Brussels during his European tour, Agenda.ge reported. Russia will suspend the NATO military liaison mission in Moscow and recall the accreditation of its staff in response to the alliances decision to withdraw the accreditation of eight Russian diplomats, Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Monday. "In response to NATOs actions, we are suspending the activity of the NATO military liaison mission in Moscow and will recall the accreditation of its staff from November 1 this year," Russias top diplomat said, replying to a question from TASS. Also, the operation of the NATO information office in Moscow that was set up at the embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium will be terminated, Lavrov said. "If NATO has some urgent matters, it may contact our ambassador in Belgium on these issues," the foreign minister added. NATO announced on October 6 that it had cut the staff of the Russian mission at the alliance from 20 to 10 members, revoking the accreditation of eight diplomats and abolishing two vacant positions. The North Atlantic alliance told the Russian diplomats to leave Brussels by late October. A study by the Iceland-based Association for Sustainability and Democracy (ALDA) and the British policy think-tank Autonomy concluded that Iceland's four-day workweek model has been a great success. The study was conducted in two phases, between 2015 and 2019, with 2,500 workers, about 1% of the working-age population in Iceland. In this program, participants were allowed to work four days/week without salary deduction. According to the research team, work productivity and service quality at the pilot workplaces remained the same or even improved somewhat compared to the six-day/week workplaces. In addition, workers' lives significantly improved in all respects, from feeling less stressed and exhausted, to better conditions of physical and mental health when they could balance work and rest. The results show that the idea of working less time but still ensuring efficiency can be realized, and it is being widely tested globally. Optimistic tests Iceland's 4-day work week model has been a "great success". Photo: Unsplash The study in Iceland is said to be a valuable lesson for other countries. This model was tested in a variety of working environments, from offices and hospitals in the capital city of Reykjavik to many other locations. Similar to Iceland, several countries have piloted the 4-day work week and recorded a number of benefits such as significant reductions in pollution, reduced use of transport and most obviously, improved health of workers. In 2020, the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Finland proposed the idea of reducing the number of working days per week to four. Although there is not yet a national test like Iceland, many companies and corporations of these two countries have been ahead of the governments in applying the 4-day work week model. From an idea once considered "crazy", the 4-day work week model is increasingly becoming a global trend and is widely applied on a business scale. In Spain, about 200 companies have pioneered this model since early 2020. In early 2021, following a proposal from the Mas Pais party, the Spanish government agreed to pilot the 4-day workweek model, with the participation of 3,000-6,000 workers across the country. It is expected that from August 2021, this program will be implemented over a period of 3 years, with an estimated cost of up to 50 million Euro. Many companies in the UK, Denmark and Japan are also joining the trend of reducing workers' working hours per week. Two large enterprises in Japan, Uniqlo and Microsoft Japan, are pioneering with the participation of more than 10,000 employees. The Japanese parliament has officially discussed the proposal of the 4-day working week model in early 2021. New model with many benefits More than 44% of Activpayroll survey respondents agreed that the 4-day work week model helps increase labor productivity. According to a survey by Henley University (UK), many companies that tried this model found that employee productivity and efficiency increased significantly, specifically 20% for Killer Visual Strategies and 40% for Microsoft Japan. In addition, 64% of employees also saw an increase in productivity and 63% of the work recorded with better results. When businesses shorten working hours, employees understand the importance of time, so they are forced to focus more on work and change the working process to improve work efficiency and productivity. Another benefit of this model, from the perspective of human resource management, is that it will attract young human resources. For Generation Z, the key human resource of the future, practical benefits related to work-life balance are becoming their top priority. According to economist Julia Pollack, companies implementing the new model will attract more young applicants. A survey by Henley University (UK) showed that when reducing the working hours per week, 70% of employees felt less stressed and 78% felt happier. The number of employees taking sick leave also decreased significantly. The reason for this is that once employees feel less stressed mentally, they have time to improve their overall health and better connect with family. If this trend is legislated, it will become the most revolutionary change since the introduction of the eight-hour workday more than 100 years ago. There are still many shortcomings Around 67% of Americans support working 4 days a week. Although this model has proven its value, it still reveals shortcomings once it is widely applied. Firstly, this model may not be suitable for some areas. There are industries that cannot reduce workdays such as manufacturing, engineering, construction and services, because they require continuity and availability of workers. Secondly, reducing work days can affect the customer experience for services. Besides, this requires the employee's work management ability to be optimized to complete the previous workload in 32 hours/week. Regarding this new model, Ruby Nguyen, Chief Operating Officer of the media company Vietcetera, said: "Vietnamese labor productivity is still low compared to other countries in the region, not to mention developed countries. If productivity is already low and working time is reduced, it will be difficult for businesses to compete in the market. Currently, the labor productivity of Vietnamese people is only 7.2% compared to Singapore, 18.4% compared to Malaysia, 36.2% compared to Thailand. In addition, Vietnam's key industry is the manufacturing sector, where up to 98% of enterprises are small, medium and micro. Therefore, the policy of reducing working hours will hardly be implemented immediately in Vietnam. However, some businesses can still apply reduced working hours right now. They can experiment with a small, highly productive team/division, and then measure efficiency/productivity to compare between a 4-day and 5-day workweek. If the results are positive, they can expand to other departments. Viet Anh Youth prefer freelancing, working from anywhere As technology is developing at a lightning speed, more and more young people want to give up their dedicated desks in offices and work from anywhere in the world. Policymakers and economists are looking for resources to speed up the Vietnamese economic train that has stalled for the past three months. In Hanoi, where strict social distancing measures were implemented for two months, the GRDP in the third quarter of 2021 is estimated to decrease by 7.02% year on year. At a recent meeting with voters in District 12, National Assembly deputy Tran Hoang Ngan said the prolonged epidemic had forced many businesses to close and dissolve. Ho Chi Minh City's Gross regional domestic product (GRDP) in the third quarter of 2021 decreased by more than 24.39%, and for the January-September 2021, it reduced by 4.98%. "The city's economy has never declined to such an extent, which is an unprecedented record. Ho Chi Minh City contributes about 22% of the country's GDP, 27% of the country's total budget revenue. If the city has difficulties, the whole country will suffer," he said. In Hanoi, where strict social distancing measures were implemented for two months, the GRDP in the third quarter of 2021 is estimated to decrease by 7.02% year on year. If the two biggest cities which are compared to the two engines of the national economic train that account for 42% of the country's GDP are in difficulty, then the speed of the train will be affected, not to mention 21 other provinces that have also been under lockdown for the last 2-3 months. In Ho Chi Minh City, a few businesses implemented the models called "3 on-site", "1 road, 2 destinations" or "4 green", maintaining operations, while the rest had to stop production during the time of social distancing. The labor index at processing and manufacturing enterprises decreased by 63.3% over the same period in 2021. In January-September 2021, the labor force decreased by 22.1% over the same period of last year. Industries with a decrease in labor index included: beverage with a reduction of 44.3%; leather and related products 32.9%; motor vehicle manufacturing 31.3%; production of prefabricated metal products (except for machinery and equipment) 26.8%. In January-September 2021, the production index of industry in HCM City decreased by 12.9% year on year, particularly 13.1% for the processing and manufacturing industry. In Hanoi, development investment capital in the third quarter was estimated at VND 82.9 trillion, down 12.4% from the previous quarter and 28.6% over the same period last year. Many businesses and people are in a difficult situation due to the prolonged lockdown. Speed of train slows down From a national perspective, the General Statistics Office said that GDP in the third quarter of 2021 was estimated to decrease by 6.17% compared to the same period last year, which is "the deepest decline since Vietnam calculated and announced the quarterly GDP." GDP in January-September 2021 increased only 1.42% year on year. Thus, GDP in the third quarter as well as in the first nine months of the year is the lowest since 1986. The prolonged Covid-19 epidemic has pushed many businesses into a risk of bankruptcy while domestic and international supply chains are disrupted due to successive waves of social distancing. The number of newly registered enterprises in September 2021 dropped dramatically in both quantity and registered capital. In September 2021, the number of newly registered enterprises only reached 3,899 enterprises, down 62.2% year on year, while registered capital was only VND62.4 trillion, down 69.3%. In the first nine months of 2021, the total number of newly established enterprises was 85,500, down 13.6% over the same period of last year while the number of enterprises withdrawing from the market was 90,300, an increase of 15.3%. Dr. Tran Dinh Thien said that in the first 9 months of 2021, a decline in growth is inevitable. In the two years struggling with the covid-19 pandemic, it is still an encouraging result to maintain a positive GDP growth rate. However, he noted that Vietnam should "pay special attention to the warning value of the sudden sharp drop in GDP growth rate in the third quarter. Although a series of reasonable and objective reasons can be given to explain this decline, the most important thing to pay attention to is the "subjective" aspect of the situation: Weakness in capacity and ability to operate and manage the situation is the reason that with a "shocking" event, the economy could easily fall into a dangerous situation. Until the end of the second quarter, the economy still maintained an optimistic growth rate (5.6%). However, with the appearance of the delta variant, third-quarter growth rate reversed sharply. It should be noted that in the world, many economies also encountered the delta variant but perhaps few economies have experienced such a strong growth reversal like Vietnam. Seeking resources for recovery Dr. Thien emphasized that a special "recovery" coordinate of the economy is promoting public investment. This trend is positive, but it is far from becoming a powerful and effective economic recovery engine as it could be. According to him, this is the fastest and most effective "blood transfusion" channel for the weakened economic body. However, tangled up in the piles of procedures, the process of the "ask - give" mechanism, it is impossible to get rid of that mess overnight. However, the Government has clearly identified the problem. The Prime Minister has set up a special working group to promote disbursement of public investment capital. This is a drastic solution. Accelerating this effort will not only help promote economic recovery, but more importantly, help uncover the irrationality of the current complicated public investment mechanism and process to find ways to reform and innovate it. The Government has issued Resolution No. 63/NQ-CP on key tasks and solutions to promote economic growth, disbursement of public investment and sustainable exports in the last months of 2021 and early 2022, aiming to disburse 90-95% of public investment capital this year. The Prime Minister issued Official Dispatch No. 1082/CD-TTg on this issue while other resolutions and documents of the Government and the Prime Minister also mentioned a lot about this content. However, the disbursement is still slow. Only four ministries and 11 localities have a disbursement rate of more than 60%. There are 76 of 114 ministries, and central and local agencies with disbursement rate below the national average (47%), and some agencies have not yet disbursed any VND. Tu Hoang Lan Anh Economic momentum in 2021 takes a knock Prolonged social distancing in many localities have led to lower-than-expected economic growth for the first nine months, but with the accelerated vaccine rollout, the economy is expected to gain growth momentum soon. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and local authorities to count the number of children who became orphans in the Covid-19 epidemic and propose policies to support them. HCM City Chairman Phan Van Mai talks with an orphan in Binh Tan district on September 20. Photo: DX According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, in the 4th outbreak, over 1,500 students lost their parents, including more than 490 primary school students, 580 secondary school children, and the rest high school students. But the figure may be much higher in reality when considering the children not included in the education system. Earlier, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs asked localities nationwide to quickly design solutions to care for children orphaned by COVID-19. In a document sent to centrally-run cities and provinces, the ministry stressed that the complicated developments of COVID-19, especially the fourth wave of outbreaks, in many localities, have left over 1,000 children orphans. The Ministry, along with the National Committee for Children, required the Peoples Committees of provinces and cities to give alternative care for those children in line with the Law on Children and other regulations, prioritizing the family-based alternative care to ensure their highest interest. Nursing facilities will be considered the last choice. Localities, especially those with large numbers of children orphaned by COVID-19, were also requested to issue their own policies and plans to give immediate and long-term support and care for the children, while giving them legal assistance to ensure their rights and interest and protect them from being abused. The move aimed to make sure that all children orphaned by COVID-19 will receive all necessary support to overcome this tough and challenging time, and receive care and love. FPT Group, a technology giant in Vietnam, announced that the company would establish a school to raise over 1,000 children whose parents died of Covid-19. The school will operate for the next 20 years and FPT will commit to spending at least VND80 billion ($3.5 million) each year on it. Students will be trained up to college level and even higher if they want. The urban complex FPT City Da Nang is set to be the location for the school including accommodations. Under Governments Decrees 20/2021/ND-CP, orphans aged under 4 years old receive monthly financial support of about VND900,000 while older children get VND 540,000 monthly. Children whose mothers had Covid-19 or those whose parents/guardians died of Covid-19, with financial difficulties will receive VND 2 million each from the National Fund for Vietnamese Children as Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung has decided. According to the Ministry of Justice, on October 23, Ho Chi Minh City will hold a ceremony to hand over adopted children to 91 families from European countries. This was approved by the Government and the Ministry of Justice has coordinated with other ministries and agencies, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and 22 cities and provinces where the adopted children are from and the embassies of countries like France, Italy, Spain, Ireland m, Sweden, Norway, Germany, and Luxembourg to implement this program. The Ministry of Justice believes that this is a task that shows the humanity, efforts and commitment of the Government and competent agencies of Vietnam in ensuring that children are adopted and given proper care and a family environment in the best interests of the children. Thu Hang Orphans to be given support to study until age of 18: HCMC chairman HCM City Chairman Phan Van Mai said the city will issue a support policy for children who have lost their parents due to Covid-19. While no incidents have been reported, Holt said the district does not want to wait to address what is obviously an issue. I dont want to wait until it happens and then have a reaction. I would like to be proactive before we get there, Holt said. If the bond does not pass, the districts only choice at the moment would be to stay in the current building. It would be the same building. Our kids would still be missing out on the same things, Holt said. The district got a quote from an engineer to fix maintenance and electrical issues at the current location. It would cost close to $18 million, he said. The district is aware of rumblings of opposition to the bond, but he hopes concerned community members take the time to go on a tour of the facility before heading to the polls, Holt said. Walk-throughs are available Wednesday nights, and the district is holding virtual meetings Monday nights. More information, including a few videos, is also available at connally.org/page/bond-2021. I would just encourage them to come and view the building and make a decision on their own, Holt said. They have a right to go vote but I would encourage them to come see it. Colin Powell succumbs to the complication of Covid-19. His family states the former general and U.S. Secretary of State was fully vaccinated. In a tragic turn of events, Colin Powell, who served Democratic and Republican presidents in war and peace but whose sterling reputation was forever tarnished when he appeared before the United Nations and made false claims to justify the United States' war in Iraq, has died as a result of COVID-19 complications. He was 84 years old. Mr. Powell, a Vietnam War veteran, climbed through the ranks to the level of four-star general before becoming the first African-American to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989. In that capacity, he supervised the United States invasion of Panama in 1989 and the subsequent war of Kuwait in 1991 to remove the Iraqi Army. However, he was harmed when he appeared before the United Nations Security Council in 2003 as Secretary of State and presented the case for a U.S. invasion of Iraq at a time when world opinion was overwhelmingly opposed. He used faulty intelligence to suggest that Saddam Hussein had covertly stored weapons of mass devastation in his country. Iraq's assertions that it had no such weapons were "a web of falsehoods," he told the United Nations, General Assembly. When Mr. Powell's family announced his death on social media, they said he had received all of his vaccinations. In a statement, the family stated, "We have lost a wonderful and loving husband, father, and grandpa, as well as an outstanding American." In Bethesda, Maryland, Mr. Powell had been treated at Walter Reed National Medical Center for his injuries. In October 2001, Mr. Powell made a hasty trip to Pakistan to demand that the country's then-President Pervez Musharraf cooperate with the United States in pursuing Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network, which had a presence there as well as in Afghanistan, where bin Laden was later killed. Mr. Powell was the first American official to publicly attribute the 9/11 terrorist attacks to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network. As Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, Colin Powell presided over a State Department skeptical of the military and intelligence agencies' belief that Saddam Hussein had or was developing weapons of mass devastation. Despite his misgivings, he made the administration's case to the United Nations Security Council in the run-up to the war, arguing that Saddam Hussein did indeed represent a significant regional and global danger. Powell's speech, which included a demonstration of a vial of what he claimed could have been a biological weapon, was later criticized and derided as a low point in his career, even though he later changed his mind about some of its elements, believing they were based on faulty intelligence assessments. Mr. Powell died on Sunday, and President Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush expressed their "great sadness" over his passing on Monday. "He was a brilliant public servant" who was "widely regarded both at home and abroad," according to President Bush. "Most importantly, Colin was a devoted husband, father, and friend. Laura and I express our heartfelt sympathies to Alma and their children during this time of reflection on the life of a wonderful man." Mr. Powell came to national prominence under the administrations of Republican presidents, and he contemplated running for president himself, but he eventually decided against it. He has supported Democrats in the past four presidential elections, beginning with former President Barack Obama in 2012. Over the last several years, he has emerged as a strong opponent of Donald Trump, characterizing the president as "a national disgrace" who should have been removed from office via impeachment. Following the assault of the United States Capitol on January 6, Mr. Powell said that he no longer considered himself a Republican. He enlisted in the Army and was one of more than 16,000 military advisors sent to South Vietnam by President John F. Kennedy in 1962. A succession of promotions brought him to the Pentagon. He was assigned as a military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, who served as his unofficial sponsor and became his unofficial mentor. Later, he rose through the ranks to become commander of the Army's 5th Corps in Germany and then national security advisor to President Ronald Reagan. In his capacity as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Powell established the Powell Doctrine, which stated that the United States should only commit forces to a conflict if it has clear and achievable objectives that have public support, sufficient firepower, and a strategy for bringing the conflict to a close, among other things. At the United Nations, including during his Iraq speech, Mr. Powell was frequently accompanied by fond memories of his childhood in the city. He was raised as the son of Jamaican immigrants and worked at the Pepsi-Cola bottling plant directly across the East River from UN headquarters. Mr. Powell was appointed Secretary of State in January 2005. The Hickory Aviation Museum in Hickory, North Carolina took delivery of a Grumman A-6E Intruder (BuNo.155629) on October 1st. A team of their volunteers had ventured up to Rhode Island over the previous week to disassemble the aircraft for transport via low-loader to its new home. The video clips below show the Intruders fuselage arriving at its new home. This aircraft had been a part of the now-moribund Quonset Air Museum since December 7th, 1994, having flown there into retirement from NAS Oceana while serving with VA-34 Blue Blasters. (Sadly the Quonset Air Museum had to close its doors permanently in 2016; its impressive collection of airframes has slowly moved on to other museums in the interim, although at least one, SP-2E Neptune BuNo.131427, ended up scrapped in May, 2018.) The aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. She started life as an A-6A variant, but was modified into an A-6B for Wild Weasel missions to take out enemy fire-control radars/missile sites. She is known to have served with VA-165 Boomers aboard USS America (CVA 66) during their combat cruise off the coast of Vietnam in 1969/70. She also served with VA-52 Knightriders aboard USS Kittyhawk (CVA 63) during their combat cruises in 1970 and 1972. The museum is presently in contact with a pilot from that squadron who flew seven missions over Vietnam in BuNo.155629. Interestingly, the aircraft is also known to have spent some time as a test airframe on detachment with Air Development Squadron FIVE (VX-5) at NAS Oceana in August, 1971. At some point, likely during the late 1970s, the BuNo.155629 underwent conversion into an A-6E variant, which featured a marked avionics upgrade from the types previous incarnations. The aircrafts last assignment was with VA-34 at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia, as mentioned earlier. Now that the Intruder is in Hickory, the museum will pause for a little to catch their breath from all that was involved with getting the aircraft on site. As one of the museum personnel noted in a recent e-mail: Weve not begun to start work on it yet. Were all volunteer staffed with real jobs and our crews used up a lot of vacation time to get the jet, so we probably wont be doing anything with it for awhile. While the aircrafts paint is a little weathered, the airframe itself is in great shape apart from the nose radome, but the museum does have a replacement for that once they have the time to begin working on the rebuild. The aircraft is also remarkably complete, with a fully-intact cockpit and engines. She will make a great exhibit once reassembled and tidied up. We wish the Hickory Aviation Museum great success with their endeavors and look forwards to reporting more once further news becomes available. WATERLOO A Waterloo man awaiting trial for a 2019 shooting and drug offenses is facing new charges after sheriffs deputies found a weapon in his cell last week. Black Hawk County deputies said they discovered a six-inch shank in Ernesto Rodriguez-Avilas belongings while cleaning out his cell after he was reclassified from C-Pod to A-Pod at the jail Wednesday. He was arrested for possession of a weapon in a correctional institution. Bond for that and other charges he is facing currently stands at $102,000. The new charge came days after Rodriguez asked the court for a bond reduction on his other pending charges. Court records show he was arrested in 019 for allegedly firing a shotgun at an occupied vehicle in the area of East Fourth and East Parker Streets in May. He was released from jail pending trial, but by March 2021 he began to miss pretrial appointments with corrections officials, who then requested an arrest warrant. On Sept. 23 sheriffs deputies found him during a traffic stop, and they also located a 9 mm Glock handgun and a glass pipe with meth. He was arrested for carrying weapons and possession of meth. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Deere & Co. and Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) representatives headed back to the negotiating table on Monday, according to Brian Rothenberg, communications advisor for UAW. As union workers began their fifth day on strike along the streets of Waterloo and several other cities gripping blue and white signs, Deere negotiators and union representatives discussed terms of employment to potentially create a new tentative agreement that would end the strike. Deere officials issued a statement about the return to talks. We are fully committed to the collective bargaining process and resolving the strike, said Jen Hartmann, director of public relations and enterprise social media. We remain committed to providing our production and maintenance employees with the opportunities to earn the best wages and most comprehensive benefits in our industries. One union worker in Milan, Illinois, hoped the new negotiations will bring improved terms. If Deere comes back with a lesser or similar offer, that worker said, tensions might boil over. Thats only going to incite the people that are already mad, the worker said. The six-year offer from Deere would have raised wages by roughly 5% over the life of the contract. The deal also limited retirement benefits for workers hired after the contract was ratified. Deere workers have faced forced overtime and poor treatment from managers and other company leaders, multiple employees said on the condition of anonymity, fearing retribution. They said the last contract offer was unacceptable, especially considering the companys record-high profits over the past year. For the 2020 fiscal year, Deere & Co. net income totaled $2.751 billion, according to the company. On the picket lines Max, a four-legged, hefty lab and husky mix, and his union worker sat near a barrel fire at the entrance to John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline amid a crowd of UAW on strike signs. Next to Max and his owner, whose main frustration with Deere was the attempt to cut retirement benefits for newer employees, was a two-foot-high pile of supplies. Cases of water and energy drinks were the base for boxes of donuts, Caseys pizza boxes, chips, sandwiches, and other foods donated by the community over the past five days. Firewood and rain ponchos donations were also piled under the white tent, donations that would support picketers through more turbulent weather. Its really nice to see everybody come together, said David Schmelzer, a union worker at the Milan plant, while standing in front of his own plants stockpile of food donations. Hopefully after this you know well be stronger for it. At all Deere plants in the Quad-Cities, picketers have seen large donations of food, firewood, and weather gear from community members, local businesses, local unions, and others as an expression of solidarity toward workers while they advocate for better benefits. Members of other local unions also have delivered firewood, hand warmers, doughnuts, and other food throughout the past five days at the entrance to the Milan plant, according to Schmelzer. It means everything to us, even though we may work for different companies, in some cases we work for competitors, but were all fighting for the same things, Schmelzer said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEDAR FALLS Alan Heisterkamp believes Cedar Falls Community Schools took a crucial step towards greater inclusivity when its equity committee became more active last year in the wake of the national racial justice movement. The work of that committee, of which he is a member, has been an important part of his nearly 2-1/2 year tenure on the Board of Education. The 59-year-old is running for another term in the Nov. 2 election, one of six people vying for three at-large positions. He joined the board after a special election to fill a vacant position. Heisterkamp said the committee began meeting on a monthly basis, which really provided us an opportunity ... to just call time-out and step back and listen to our families and students of color. Those students talked about their sense of how they were treated in district schools, including some experiences that were less-than-positive with their peers and a few staff members. Those experiences were anecdotal but very helpful, said Heisterkamp, who is director of the University of Northern Iowas Patricia A. Tomson Center for Violence Prevention. Improvements can be made in terms of being a district thats really serious and supportive of caring about all of our students, he said. Cedar Falls Schools falls short in really paying attention to the data, including disproportionately higher discipline referrals for students of color, said Heisterkamp. Questions are being asked right now by the committee as to why thats happening. Addressing those disparities when they surface, he said, is our challenge, thats our bar to reach. It is definitely going to increase ... our effectiveness as a learning institution and, I think, will strongly and positively impact our broader community. On the recent decision to use a limited mask mandate at individual elementary schools, he said it was appropriate for the administration to collaborate with local officials in determining how to proceed. That only goes into effect based on absences and the countys rate of virus spread. Personally, though, he would take a more cautious approach. I would tend to lean more towards the mandatory masks, particularly for those who are not able to receive the vaccine at this time, he said. I would lean more towards a mandate for all students. ... Masks have never been anything else, in my opinion, but a public health tool. Heisterkamp would prioritize remaining federal COVID-19 relief funds received by the district toward any improvements needed in ventilation systems to keep air moving. While noting that the one-time money cant be used for staffing, he said the efforts that schools have made in helping our students access mental health services is another priority for the funds, along with nursing services. We should be looking at having both of those in our long-term (school) sites for students and families. Heisterkamp grew up near Onawa and earned a teaching degree and a masters in school administration from the University of Northern Iowa. He also has a masters in educational psychology and counseling from the University of South Dakota, as well as work towards a doctorate. He and his wife, Pat, have four adult children. During a 37-year career in education, Heisterkamp has worked as a teacher and principal in Sioux City and as a consultant in violence prevention before coming to UNI a decade ago to lead the center. Education is a very service- and servant-minded profession, and I think thats what Ive enjoyed and want to continue to support and preserve moving forward, he said. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DES MOINES Iowas elected leaders mostly struck hopeful tones, while not favoring either John Deere or its striking workers, when commenting on the ongoing labor dispute Monday. The lone exception may be Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, who expressed her support for the workers and labor union, and greeted striking workers on the picket line Monday in Ankeny. Monday marked the fifth day of the impasse between Deere & Co. and the UAW. The two sides returned to the negotiating table Monday, a union spokesman and company officials said. The strike affects about 10,000 workers at factories in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas. I am confident that both parties will work together through the process and come to a successful resolution that benefits both the employees and the employer, Gov. Kim Reynolds said via her spokesman Monday. Workers say the agriculture manufacturer isnt offering adequate wage and benefit increases as the company enjoys record profits. Union members say they experienced mandatory overtime, an increasing workload and lack of support from managers. In its latest offer, Deere bargained for incremental wage increases over six years equal to about a 5-6% raise in hourly pay at the end of the six-year contract, according to employees. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is a former factory worker and union member at a furnace register company in Waterloo. He, too, expressed hope that a deal will be reached swiftly and negotiations do not become too politicized. I know what its like to go on strike as a member of the International Machinists when I worked at Waterloo Register, Grassley said Monday via a spokesman. I hope this doesnt become too politicized. The rights of the workers are protected by law, and I expect good faith bargaining by both parties. I hope all involved are able to come to a swift resolution. In a Friday social media post, Grassley expressed empathy for the striking workers and their families. The Deere workers & their families now face a stressful situation, Grassley posted. I hope good faith bargaining can bring the dispute (to a) swift conclusion for the good of all parties & our Iowa economy. The Des Moines Bureau sought comment on the strike from Gov. Kim Reynolds, the states entire congressional delegation, and the Iowa Farm Bureau. The Farm Bureau did not respond, nor did the office of U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, whose eastern Iowa district includes the Deere factory in Waterloo. A spokeswoman on Friday told The Courier that Hinson does not have an official comment, and that she is monitoring the situation closely. A spokesman for U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst on Monday also said that Ernst is monitoring the latest on the situation. Axne spoke with striking workers on the picket line at the Deere factory in Ankeny on Monday. A spokesman for her office pointed to Axnes social media post about the strike. Our workers are the backbone of our economy and they deserve the pay & benefits that provide them a middle class life and retirement, Axne posted on Friday. Thats why I stand in solidarity with the hard-working members of (the union) as they begin their strike for a fair contract. A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, whose eastern Iowa district includes the homes of many who work in a Quad Cities-area Deere factory, pointed to the congresswomans social media post on the strike. John Deere has employed thousands of Iowa families for decades and has been a boost to the Iowa economy. I hope business and labor can rapidly find common ground that benefits each other and we can continue being a shining example of what a hard days work means, Miller-Meeks posted. U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who represents western Iowas 4th Congressional District, struck a similarly hopeful and balanced tone. John Deere, the manufacturing industry, and the men and women who build essential equipment are critical to the success of Iowas economy, said via his offices spokesman. I am hopeful that business leaders and workers are able to reach an agreement to resolve this dispute. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Motorists zipping down State Road in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, last week could be forgiven for thinking theyd passed through some kind of time warp back to the 1970s when they got to the Kelloggs cereal factory and saw several dozen workers walking a picket line, hoisting large signs reading On Strike or Fighting Corporate Greed $$$. Actually, many of those eastern Pennsylvania drivers probably werent even alive in 1985, which was the last time that unionized workers at this Lancaster facility staged a labor walkout. Today, the facility employs 380 workers who make breakfast staples such as Frosted Flakes and Rice Krispies. In the 36 years since then, most large corporations like the Battle Creek, Michigan-based cereal giant have used threats of accelerated layoffs or moving jobs to Mexico in a business-friendly America as a club to prevent strikes. Times have changed, and rapidly. During the depths of the pandemic in 2020, Kellogg Co. actually posted skyrocketing profits about $1.2 billion for the year because consumers stuck at home on lockdown had emptied supermarket shelves. To meet that surge in demand, workers at its factories like the Lancaster facility were leaned on to give up their weekends or to work grueling 12-hour shifts making extra cash, but losing time with their family and utterly exhausted when they did finally make it home. Although Kelloggs stock hit recent highs during the pandemic, boosting its shareholders, members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union were stunned when management demanded concessions as the current five-year contract expired. Existing workers would, in their opinion, be nickeled and dimed by givebacks on vacation time or pension contributions while any new hires would be paid substantially less, under a two-tier system. For the first time in more than a generation, workers decided to walk. Its all about corporate greed, Kerry Williams, the president of Local 374G of the BCTWGM union at the Lancaster plant, told me last week, echoing the most common refrain on the picket line. Theyve been paying their shareholders and bonuses to their top executives. But now the men and women on the assembly line want their fair share just like Kelloggs CEO, Steven Cahillane, who made $11.6 million in 2020, or the shareholders boosted by a major stock buyback. If a large, old-fashioned labor strike nationwide, some 1,400 union members have walked out at four main Kelloggs cereal plants feels like a nostalgic oddity, it wont feel that way for long. Experts say the food industry icon is on the cutting edge of what theyre calling a strike wave that will hit America this fall. The Guardian reported that planned work stoppages from other traditional factories to hospitals to college campuses could number tens of thousands before autumn is done. On the West Coast, as many as 35,000 nurses or other unionized staffers for the health care giant Kaiser Permanente are either already on strike or planning walkouts, burned out by the long-running COVID-19 crisis and now insulted by lowball wage increases proposed by the company. The recent roundup by The Guardian pointed to a score of other current or looming planned work stoppages, from transit and public works employees to John Deere factory workers to university grad students. In many ways, a fall strike wave would mark a new chapter in the dramatic change in worker-employee relations that began in tandem with the pandemic lockdowns of spring 2020. Either extended unemployment or the brutal conditions faced by essential workers who did stay on the job has caused millions of Americans to rethink their fundamental relationship with work. Millions have looked to change careers, held out for better opportunities, retired early or gone back to school creating labor shortages from restaurants to ports and the school bus line. It was probably inevitable that this new take-this-job-and-shove-it mentality would make its way into those labor unions that have survived the shrinkage of the latter 20th century. The upside-down condition of the job market has fed-up workers more inclined to fight back and call their bosses on their threats (like moving more work to Mexico, as Kellogg has suggested). The fact that so many employers are desperate for help in 2021 has given workers who choose to strike a potential safety net that didnt exist a generation ago. The looming strike wave also shines a light on the broader debate in American politics these days how best to elevate an American middle class thats seen a smaller share of the pie since 1980. Almost all of the focus has been on Capitol Hill, where President Joe Bidens $350 billion-a-year human infrastructure plan is the current subject of intense wrangling. But while key components of the Biden plan expanded child care, free community college would be a huge boost, the efforts by the nations shrunken labor unions to reassert some power are a reminder that government isnt the only way to save the working class. Interestingly, America has been here before. In 1946 after essential workers worked long hours and made sacrifices to get the United States through a different kind of crisis, in World War II millions of mostly factory workers joined the largest and also one of the most violent strike waves in the nations history. Despite GOP lawmakers working to impose some restrictions on union power (in the Taft-Hartley Act, still in force today), the overall impact was historys greatest rise in middle-class prosperity, lasting from 1946 to 1973 and dubbed the Great Compression by economists because of the decline in income inequality. Beaten down by the changes in labor relations that accelerated when then-President Ronald Reagan fired striking air traffic controllers in 1981, unions are ready to fight back but they could, in fact, use a helping hand from Washington. Also nearly forgotten in the spending debate is the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, known as the PRO Act, which passed the House back in March and would help unions counter some of the anti-organizing tactics spearheaded by giant firms such as Amazon. Biden strongly supports the PRO Act and so do almost all Democrats, but the measure is DOA unless Senate Democrats get rid of the filibuster. In many ways, the Kelloggs strike show both the past success of the labor movement in America as well as green shoots of hope for its future. Officials with the cereal giant insist their current contract offer is fair because BCTWGM members are already well-paid compared to the average American worker. They are. Current legacy union members make an average of $35.26 an hour, with a possibility of more with overtime. Thats a measure of what unions once accomplished and what theyre fighting to preserve for tomorrows workers. Were fighting for the future generation of Kelloggs workers, Lancasters Williams told me. We know that we have good-paying jobs thats why a lot of families have worked here for three or four generations. For them, progress is back to the future keeping alive the ideal of building a strong middle class through collective action. Will Bunch is national columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Freshness is something that really stood out in our tastings and ratings of top New Zealand wines ... The wines have an uncanny texture and vibrant flavor profile that combine in a unique way not only with ripe and transparent fruit character but also with round mouthfeel, brightness and length. Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 Average score 97.5. 96.8. 96.8. 95.5. 94.5. 93.5. 88.5. 88.0. 85.3. 84.5. 84.0. 84.0. 83.5. 83.0. 83.0. 80.3. 79.5. 79.3. 76.8. 76.5. 71.8. 71.5. 70.5. 69.8. 69.3. 69.3. 68.8. 67.8. 67.3. 66.3. 65.8. 65.5. 65.5. 64.5. 63.8. 62.3. 61.8. 61.3. 61.0. 59.3. 58.8. 58.8. 58.5. 56.8. 56.5. 56.0. 54.0. 53.0. 53.0. 50.3. 50.0. 50.0. 50.0. 48.0. 44.3. 43.5. 41.3. 40.3. 39.8. 39.0. 38.0. 37.5. 37.0. 36.5. 35.3. 33.8. 32.3. 30.0. 29.8. 29.5. 28.8. 28.3. 28.3. 27.5. 26.3. 25.3. 25.0. 24.0. 24.0. 23.8. 23.0. 22.0. 21.8. 21.8. 21.3. 20.3. 20.0. 16.8. 16.5. 16.0. 14.3. 13.8. 12.5. 11.5. 9.5. 9.5. 9.3. 8.5. 7.0 Winery Craggy Range Destiny Bay Felton Road Wines Framingham Kusuda Wines Dry River Wines Pegasus Bay Quartz Reef Trinity Hill Elephant Hill Estate Clearview Estate Winery Te Mata Estate Villa Maria Church Road Vidal Estate Greystone Wines Pyramid Valley Vineyards Terra Sancta Smith & Sheth Ata Rangi No 1 Family Estate Blank Canvas Seresin Estate Te Whare Ra Wines Akarua Fromm Winery Esk Valley Giesen Wine Estate Rockburn Wines Astrolabe Wines Kumeu River Man O'War Vineyards Mills Reef Neudorf Clos Henri Misha's Vineyard Stonecroft Margrain Vineyard Dog Point Vineyard Black Estate Palliser Estate Valli Sacred Hill Wines Tantalus Estate Amisfield Chard Farm Saint Clair Family Estate Foxes Island Wines Obsidian Nautilus Estate Escarpment Grasshopper Rock Mondillo Vineyards Forrest Estate Matt Connell Wines Tony Bish Rapaura Springs Domain Road Vineyard Te Awanga Estate Te Motu Soho Wine Co Mudbrick Two Rivers Luna Estate Nga Waka Hunter's Wines Urlar Alpha Domus Coopers Creek Huia Mahi Wines Lawsons Dry Hills Wines Whitehaven Johanneshof Cellars On Giants Shoulders Sam Harrop Wines Jules Taylor Wines Isabel Estate Vineyard Mount Edward Johner Estate The Elder Pinot Wines Borthwick Vineyard Clark Estate Lamont Wines Te Kairanga Estate Yealands Estate Wines Ash Ridge Wines Cable Bay Vineyards Tohu Pask Moutere Hills Wither Hills Zephyr Mission Estate Allan Scott Family Winemakers Two Sisters Vineyard Black Barn Vineyards Mt Beautiful Peregrine Wines A few weeks ago, I discussed a possible listing of The Real top wineries of Australia . What I did was look at the winery rankings from The Real Review , a web site run by Huon Hooke and Bob Campbell, along with their collaborators ( listed here ). Huon is an Australian and Bob a New Zealander, so both countries are covered by the website. Here, I look at the New Zealand wineries.New Zealand wine has become globally recognized. For example, the JamesSuckling.com site has just released their notes for the 760 bottles that they rated in the past year and a half ( New Zealand comes alive: Vibrancy, diversity and a Goldilocks vintage ). The average quality score was 91.8 (with a median of 92); and one wine scored 100: Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu Mate's Vineyard 2020. The report summary notes:Each year since 2018, The Real Review has presented a ranking of the wineries from New Zealand. The rankings are based on the average scores for all of the wines they have tasted during that year, from each of the wineries. However, it is important to emphasize that only a subset of the wines of New Zealand get tasted in any given year. In this sense, it is entirely possible for a winery to not be ranked in a particular year, even if it has scored highly in other years, simply because insufficient wines were rated that year (the minimum necessary appears to be 2).Many wine commentators seem to see their job as encouragement, and thus present optimistic wine ratings, for example. The Real Review, on the other hand, prides itself on being much more realistic. In this sense, their wine scores and winery rankings might well be a very good place to start listing top wineries.As I did for Australia, what I have done is download the winery lists for each of the four years ( 2018 2021 ). These simply list the wineries in rank order of their wine scores, with a different number of wineries each year. I then pooled the yearly lists for each country, giving me a combined list of 262 wineries for New Zealand, which I will report on here.From these combined lists I extracted the data for only those wineries that appeared in all four yearly lists, which is 99 (38%) of them. (Number of wineries that appeared three times: 51, appeared twice: 51, appeared once: 61.) These consistent wineries were then given a new rank, within each year, based solely on this subset of the wineries. I then averaged these rankings, thus producing a list showing those wineries that rated consistently well across all fours years.This final list is included at the bottom of the post.Bizarrely, if we compare this list with the Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries of 2021 (as determined by their performance in the magazines two-step blind-tasting process, and celebrated for their exceptional wines), then we find no wineries listed at all. Australia and Chile each get three wineries listed, and Chile and South Africa get one each, but New Zealand gets absolutely nothing.On the other hand, The Worlds Best Vineyards is an annual listing that highlights the very best winery destinations in the world ... [This] provides an insight into the best all-round winery experiences. From the list below, we find Craggy Range (11th), Felton Road (52), Black Estate (63), Ata Rangi (69), Man O'War Vineyards (79), and Kumeu River (91). Missing from our list is Rippon Vineyards, from Central Otago (15th), which had insufficient wine reviews to be included in the Real Review listing.Interestingly, if we peruse the regions from which these wineries come, Marlborough accounts for 30% of them, although it produces 75% of New Zealands wine. Hawke's Bay comes next, with 18% ow the wineries, followed by Martinborough, with 11%.Finally, The Real Review does have a list of Top Value Wines of New Zealand . However, this may not do you much good this year, since it has been noted that NZ wine lovers are facing shortages and higher prices , due to a small vintage and massive international demand. Dance fans set their clocks by Alonzo King Lines Ballet, whose fall and spring performances at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts are anchors of the San Francisco arts scene. Finally, after 18 months adrift on the choppy, performance-less pandemic waters, Lines is returning. For two nights only, on November 6th and 7th, the company returns to the YBCA stage with a program titled Coming Back Home, and it's sure to be a joyous reunion with Bay Area audiences. As always with Lines, there will be much more onstage than marvelous moving bodies. A Lines performance is an immersion for the soul and spirit, a musical journey, and a visual marvel. Take Azoth, the centerpiece of the five-piece mixed bill. Choreographed by King in 2019, the critically acclaimed Azoth is illuminated by Jim Campbell's bold lighting installation and set to a recorded original score by jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd and composer-pianist Jason Moran. "Alonzo has a way of hearing," says Moran, a MacArthur Fellow and artistic director for Jazz at the Kennedy Center. "His choreography becomes melodic content." Moran is touching on an elemental point: Every Lines ballet is more than the sum of its parts, and the parts meld into something new during each performance. "Azoth was believed to be the essential agent of transformation in alchemy," wrote King in his program notes. "It is the name given by ancient alchemists to mercury, the animating spirit hidden in all matter that makes transmutation possible. Azoth is believed to contain the complete information of the whole universe." Lines Ballet dancer Madeline DeVries.(Photograph by RJ Muna) King and the dancers conjure the spiritual through the physicalthe kinetics of movement, the expansive potential of the human body, morphing shapes in space, and the visceral pleasure of being in the room where spectacular dance is happening. "The dancers don't listen and react to the music," wrote the Bay Area Reporter of Azoth's premiere, "they are the music." That alchemy was in full force during the first weekend of October when Lines performed at the San Francisco Symphony's re-opening night concert. "King's choreography for four movements from Alberto Ginastera's ballet Estancia was a kinetic joyride, from the breathless vertical extensions of the opening movement to the gentle roundelay of 'Wheat Dance,'" wrote San Francisco Chronicle classical music critic Joshua Kosman. "The full nine-member ensemble gathered for a potent physical explosion in the final 'Malambo.'" Azoth shares the bill with excerpts of four other Lines works, each offering a unique constellation of sound, movement, and art. The music of jazz saxophone legend Pharaoh Sanders sets the tone for Radius of Convergence, while Grace, commissioned by Grace Cathedral, is set to sacred music and investigates the relationship between our physical and spiritual selves. Tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussein created the evocative music for Rasa, which underscores shimmering virtuosic movement. And King's masterful Writing Ground draws from poems by award-winning Irish-American author Colum McCann in episodic dances set to eclectic music from cultures around the globe. A few days after the shows at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Lines will embark on a two-month tour of France, from Saint-Denis and Avignon to Toulon and Rennes. Two nights in San Francisco may not be a lot, but King, the dancers, and the audience will make the most of itand their next homecoming is only a matter of time. // Alonzo King Lines Ballet performs November 67; for info and tickets, go to linesballet.org. This article was written by Claudia Bauer for SF/Arts Monthly. Claudia is a writer and critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, Dance magazine, Pointe magazine, DanceTabs.com, and more. She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and covers dance internationally. A study recently published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases mirrors the CDCs findings: The median age of a small group of seriously ill, yet fully vaccinated, patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at the Yale New Haven Health System between March and July was 80.5 years. Another paper, yet to be peer reviewed, tracks similar trends. Chronic diseases, delta and dwindling immunity are likely to blame Throughout the pandemic, older adults have been more likely to suffer from COVID complications than their younger peers, and experts say the same reasons that made them more susceptible from the get-go could be causing them to bear the burden of severe breakthrough cases, although research is ongoing. Take, for example, underlying health conditions, which affect about 80 percent of older Americans. Many chronic diseases put people at greater risk for a serious case of COVID-19, and emerging research shows these illnesses can still be a disadvantage even after vaccination. Older adults also have a less robust immune system than younger people, and the protection afforded by the vaccines may wane faster for them because of it, says Mark K. Slifka, an expert in vaccine development and the longevity of vaccine-induced immune responses at Oregon Health & Science University. Add to the mix the fact that Americans 65 and older were first in line to get their shots last year, says Jill Foster, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease physician at the University of Minnesota Medical School, and that its not unusual for vaccines to fall from their peak efficacy as time goes on. Plus, now were dealing with the highly contagious delta variant, which is just different enough from the virus that the vaccine was developed for that you also need to have super-extra-high amounts of antibodies to fight it, Foster adds. A recent CDC report found that overall, the vaccines have been 86 percent effective at preventing hospitalization from COVID-19 during deltas dominance; among adults 75-plus, that number drops to 76 percent. This gap is one reason health officials are considering booster shots for older adults as early as this fall, pending all the necessary approvals. Boosters could change the trends If the boosters do get the green light and another shot is recommended, dont think of the vaccines as falling short of expectations. These vaccines continue to provide very secure protection against severe disease, says William Schaffner, M.D., a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. More than 90 percent of people who wind up in the hospital with COVID-19 are unvaccinated, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, M.D., confirmed in a recent briefing. An additional dose, however, could maximize vaccine-induced protection and prolong its durability, health officials say, helping high-risk populations mount an even stronger defense against COVIDs wrath. Research out of Israel, which started administering booster shots to its older population over the summer, shows the booster significantly reduced the risk of infection and severe disease. So it can kind of reset that clock in terms of protection, Slifka adds. And we should see the same thing here. It continues to be a time to be cautious Given that older adults are more likely to experience these severe breakthrough cases than younger populations, practicing a few extra precautions doesnt hurt, experts say. For example, Schaffner who is fully vaccinated but says, I have gray hair myself runs errands early in the morning when crowds are less dense and avoids large group events indoors. He also wears a mask in indoor public settings, which the CDC recommends regardless of vaccination status. Interactive exhibits introduce the famous designers associated with Chicago, including Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. The Me to We gallery explores the future of cities everywhere and what that means for buildings, infrastructure and people. In 2050, 70 percent of the worlds population will live in cities, says Osmond. We will go from being individuals to being a collective. An exhibit on vernacular architecture the bungalows, Victorians and two-flats seen in Chicago neighborhoods helps orient you to the citys varied looks before you set out on any of the CACs 85 unique guided tours. That includes the centers signature, guide-led 90-minute ride on the Chicago River. Across the street from the center, board the Chicagos First Lady tour boat for fantastic views of the skyscraper canyon, walled by such landmarks as the corncob-shaped Marina Towers and the white terra-cotta Wrigley Building. Most of its other tours require walking a mile or two, but on some you travel by bus or on the citys signature elevated train, the L, which puts you at eye level with office dwellers and reveals building details hard to see from the street. Youll head into the neighborhoods from the oldest-money Gold Coast on the North Side to Hyde Park on the South Side, site of the 1893 Worlds Fair to walk the streets with docents. Osmond suggests going out into the neighborhoods and doing one of the citys cemetery tours. She recommends Graceland Cemetery on the North Side, resting place of city legends including retailer Marshall Field and railroad magnate George Pullman, with lavish monuments designed by the likes of architect Louis Sullivan and sculptor Lorado Taft. You not only get to see an entirely different neighborhood but you get to hear the stories of all the amazing icons of Chicago buried there. More to see A visit to the Chicago Architecture Center provides a natural springboard for exploring the area through an architectural lens. If you have multiple days in the city, add these sites to your dont-miss list. Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. While working in Chicago early in his career, acclaimed architect Wright developed his signature Prairie Style, a school of design that embraced horizontal lines and organic materials. In suburban Oak Park, 12 miles west of downtown, Wright built his home and studio, where he both lived and grew his practice. On a 60-minute tour ($20) of this architectural magnet, you can visit both private spaces, including a vaulted childrens playroom and living areas with decorative art glass windows and skylights, as well as the light-flooded drafting room where Wrights apprentices worked. The house itself, restored to its appearance in 1909, is transitional in style away from Victorian yet not fully Prairie but on the blocks surrounding it lies an encyclopedic collection of Wright-designed buildings. These include multiple examples of Prairie Style homes, with horizontal bands of stone and cantilevered roofs above leaded-glass casement windows, as well as the meditative Unity Temple, a Unitarian Universalist church. On a separate audio walking tour ($15), you can explore the area at your own pace. 951 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park Frederick C. Robie House. Back in Chicago, in the South Sides Hyde Park neighborhood, tour ($20) the interior of this Wright-designed home finished in 1910, when he was at the peak of his Prairie powers. Outside are the overhanging eaves and horizontal bands of brick and limestone he became known for. Inside, get a close look at his art glass windows and furnishings designed specifically for the space, including chairs, dining tables and light fixtures (clients were famously admonished to make no changes). 5757 South Woodlawn Ave. University of Chicago. Near the Robie House, take a self-guided tour of this architecturally significant campus (the university offers a free map online). The main quadrangle, built in the 1890s, was modeled on the Gothic style of Oxford University and does an impressive job of impersonating England on the South Side. Look up to see more Gothic Revivalism in the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, with its 72-bell carillon the worlds second-largest carillon, renowned for summer concerts. Among other interesting landmarks is the Helmut Jahndesigned Mansueto Library, which is largely underground beneath a grand elliptical glass dome. Architect Rafael Vinoly uses cantilevered roofs to pay modern homage to the Robie House at the Booth School of Business building. Advises of Takeover Discussions Brisbane, Oct 18, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Senex Energy Limited ( ASX:SXY ) ( FRA:UDB ) ( OTCMKTS:VPTOF ) advises that it is in discussions with POSCO International Corporation ("POSCO International") in relation to a potential change of control transaction.On 2 September 2021, POSCO International submitted a revised non-binding and indicative proposal to acquire 100% of Senex for a cash offer price of A$4.40 per share ("Revised Proposal"). This followed the submission of two prior non-binding proposals on 30 July 2021 (offer price: A$4.00 per share) and 27 August 2021 (offer price: A$4.20 per share).The Senex Board met and carefully considered this Revised Proposal and the prior proposals, including consulting with external advisers. On 15 September 2021, Senex granted POSCO International a period of exclusivity (subject to the usual fiduciary carve-outs) in order to complete their due diligence enquiries and further advance the proposal.Following further discussions between the parties, Senex has now agreed to extend POSCO International's exclusivity period to 5 November 2021, in order to provide POSCO International with additional time to assess a further revised proposal at a price higher than A$4.40 per share.The Revised Proposal offer price represents a 40% premium to the 30-day VWAP on 2 September 2021, being the date prior to the receipt of the Revised Proposal, and represents a 19% premium to the 30-day VWAP on 15 October 2021 (being the last trading day prior to the date of this release).POSCO International has indicated that if a transaction proceeds, it is likely to be implemented by way of an off-market takeover offer which would be subject to a 50.1% minimum acceptance condition and Foreign Investment Review Board ("FIRB") approval; however, the transaction would not be subject to a financing condition.Any such offer from POSCO International is subject to various pre-conditions before it can be made or implemented, these pre-conditions include: the negotiation and execution of a bid implementation agreement, the parties agreeing to the terms and conditions of an off-market offer, POSCO International implementing its proposed financing arrangements and board approval of both Senex and POSCO International.The Senex Board believes it is in the best interests of its shareholders to continue to engage with POSCO International and will assess any proposal received on its merits. Senex has appointed Macquarie Capital and Rothschild & Co as financial advisers and Clayton Utz as legal adviser.There is no certainty that discussions between POSCO International and Senex will result in any binding agreement on a transaction. Senex's shareholders do not need to take any action at this time. This announcement does not constitute a proposal to make a takeover bid for the purpose of section 631 of the Corporations Act.The Senex Board will update shareholders and the market in due course in accordance with its continuous disclosure obligations.Background to POSCO InternationalPOSCO International (047050.KS) is listed on the Korea Stock Exchange with a market capitalisation of US$2.4 billion as of 15 October 2021. POSCO International specialises in oil & gas exploration and production, LNG, agri-resources and steel trading; it owns an extensive global network of 105 overseas branches and subsidiaries in 45 countries, including an office in Sydney.POSCO International is majority owned by POSCO, who has a 62.9% equity interest in the company. POSCO is the sixth largest steel producer globally by production and listed on the Korean and New York stock exchanges with a market capitalisation of US$24.2 billion as of 15 October 2021. POSCO has a BBB+ (Positive) and a Baa1 (Stable) corporate credit rating with Standard & Poors and Moody's respectively.POSCO also has a strong track record of investment in Australia which includes past investments in resources projects and companies that include: the POSMAC iron ore joint venture, the Foxleigh, Newpac, Cockatoo and Sutton Forrest coal mines, Jupiter Mines, Roy Hill iron ore mine, Ravensthorpe nickel mine, Black Rock Mining, and an equity investment and downstream partnership in lithium with Pilbara Minerals.About Senex Energy Limited Senex Energy Ltd (ASX:SXY) (OTCMKTS:VPTOF) (FRA:UDB) is an established, rapidly growing and low-carbon Australian natural gas producer. Our long life Surat Basin assets contribute around 20 petajoules of natural gas per year into the east coast gas market to support our customers. Senex is focused on sustainably delivering balance sheet strength, resilient cashflows, growing dividends to support Australia's energy needs as it transitions to a lower carbon future. Resource Expansion Eyed as Moblan Acquisition Closes Brisbane, Oct 18, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Emerging lithium producer Sayona Mining Limited ( ASX:SYA ) ( FRA:DML ) ( OTCMKTS:SYAXF ) has further advanced its leading position in the North American lithium industry, successfully closing on 15 October 2021 (Montreal time) its US$86.5 million acquisition of a 60% stake in the Moblan Lithium Project in Northern Quebec.Moblan is 40% owned by SOQUEM Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Investissement Quebec, which waived its right of first refusal in connection with Sayona's acquisition of the Moblan Interest (refer ASX release 30 September 2021).The acquisition follows an oversubscribed A$100 million Placement to North American and other global institutional investors (refer ASX release 4 October 2021), demonstrating strong investor confidence in Sayona's Quebec expansion amid accelerating lithium demand from North America's EV industry. A Non-Renounceable Rights Issue (refer Prospectus issued 4 October 2021) aims to raise an additional A$25.5 million at the same offer price as the Placement, ensuring all shareholders have the same opportunity to participate in Sayona's growth.Sayona is planning an additional drilling program at Moblan next year aiming to expand its lithium resource. The Company also will undertake a revised definitive feasibility study targeting an increase in its spodumene production capacity.Welcoming the successful acquisition, Sayona's Managing Director, Brett Lynch commented: "Moblan in northern Quebec adds to our established Abitibi lithium hub as we build the leading lithium asset base in North America."This is an important step as this expansion in our lithium resource further strengthens our capacity and plans to move downstream into lithium hydroxide/carbonate production in Quebec, capturing added value and ensuring the province plays a leading role in North America's clean energy drive."Proposed battery manufacturing investments in Quebec by Britishvolt, Lion Electric, StromVolt and others together with multi-billion dollar investments in EV production in Ontario highlight the strength of demand from the booming North American EV and battery storage sector."The world needs a renewable energy solution to climate change and North America needs supply chain security for battery metals. Quebec has the necessary lithium resources and Sayona will be there to deliver."Located about 130km north-west of Chibougamau, Moblan is host to high-grade spodumeme mineralisation, hosted in a well-studied deposit with more than 17,000m of diamond drilling.The project is located in a proven lithium mining province, Eeyou-Istchee James Bay, which hosts established, world-class lithium resources including Nemaska Lithium's Whabouchi mine. It is well serviced by key infrastructure and has access to low-cost, environmentally friendly hydro power.Sayona continues to expand its Quebec lithium assets, having recently announced the potential for a significant resource expansion at its newly acquired North American Lithium (NAL) mine (refer ASX announcement 13 September 2021).Recent drilling at the Company's nearby Authier Lithium Project also has the potential to increase its lithium resource, together with planned drilling at the emerging Tansim Lithium Project.About Sayona Mining Ltd Sayona Mining Limited (ASX:SYA) (OTCMKTS:SYAXF) is an Australian, ASX-listed (SYA) company focused on sourcing and developing the raw materials required to construct lithium-ion batteries for use in the rapidly growing new and green technology sectors. The Company has lithium projects in Quebec, Canada and in Western Australia. Please visit us as at www.sayonamining.com.au Mangaroon North Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd-Au Exploration Update Perth, Oct 18, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Venus Metals Corporation Limited ( ASX:VMC ) is pleased to provide an update on its recent field exploration activities in the Mangaroon North project area that abuts Dreadnought Resources Ltd's ( ASX:DRE ) tenure (refer ASX release 19 July 2021) in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia and is prospective for Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd, Au and rare earth mineralization.- An initial soil geochemical survey totalling c. 1,500 samples was completed across E 09/2422, E 08/3229 and ELA 08/3375 (Figure 1*). Samples have been submitted for a multi-element suite with assays pending.- In addition to the soil survey, 58 rock chip samples were collected from gossanous outcrops, pegmatites and quartz veins (Figures 2-4*), and these specimens are being analyzed for a multi-element suite including PGE, Au, REE and Li-Cs-Ta-Nb.The tenements E 09/2422 and E 08/3229 cover a total of 295 km2 and abut Dreadnought Resources Ltd's ( ASX:DRE ) and First Quantum Minerals Ltd's ( TSE:FM ) ("FQM") Mangaroon Project targeting magmatic Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd mineralization associated with the mafic-ultramafic Money Intrusion (refer DRE ASX releases 15 March 2021 and 7 April 2021) and the Lumpy's Find Prospect. DRE recently identified gossanous outcrop over 1 km strike at Bookathanna Bore in the northern part of the Money Intrusion with significant rock chip results of up to 1.0% Cu, 0.6% Ni, 0.04% Co and 0.3g/t Pt-Pd-Au (refer DRE ASX release 16 July 2021). The outcrop is located approximately 3 km east of Venus' E 08/3229) (Figure 1*).Within Venus' E 09/2422 and E 08/3229, several northwest trending Narimbunna igneous intrusives (dolerite and gabbro sills) and north-northeast trending Mundine Well dolerites, dykes, sills and small intrusions (possibly extending into ELA 08/3375) are considered highly prospective for magmatic Ni-Cu-Pt-Pd mineralization similar to that discovered in the Money Intrusion (Mundine dolerite) at Lumpy's Find and, more recently, at Bookathanna. E 09/2422 and E 08/3229 are also considered prospective for gold mineralization along strike of the historical high-grade Star of Mangaroon gold mine, at structural targets along several shear and fault zones that transect the tenements and along strike of historical gold workings.Based on the results of its initial sampling programme, Venus will prioritize potential target areas for further work including detailed follow-up sampling, ground geophysical surveys and drilling.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Venus Metals Corporation Limited Venus Metals Corporation Limited (ASX:VMC) is a West Australian based Company with a focus on gold and base metals exploration. The Company aims to increase shareholder value through targeted exploration success on its projects. The Company's major gold project is the Youanmi Gold Mine, located 500km north east of Perth. The Youanmi Gold Mine is now jointly owned by Venus Metals (30%) and Rox Resources Limited (70%) (OYG JV); Indicated and Inferred Resources of the mine is 1.7 million ounces of gold. Exciting new discoveries at the Youanmi Gold Mine have been made at the Grace prospect in footwall granites where very high grades of free milling gold have been intersected, including 25m @34.7g/t Au from 143m (RXRC 287) and 13m @60.49 g/t from 181m (RXRC 239). The Grace Prospect may substantially add to the Youanmi Gold Mine resources. Q: I have a question that is very confusing to me, so I have attached a link to a website that explains the idea. This seems like a reputable company. They explain that if a husband and wife in a community property state run a business together, the IRS allows them to report as partners in a partnership or to just report on an IRS Schedule C for self-employed people. They use an example where the business has $250,000 of income. If partners in a partnership each spouse reports one-half of the income and pays self-employment tax of 15.3% on their full share. This rate is a combination of a 12.4% tax and a 2.9% tax. If they instead report on a Schedule C, the self-employment tax is greatly reduced because the share taxed at 12.4% hits the legal limit. Can you confirm that this actually works? A: I cannot. I do not think the explanation is right. I did check the calculations and explanation in the link and you are explaining their approach in the same way that they do. I just think its wrong. I will walk through this step-by-step. The self-employment (SE) tax is imposed on self-employed individuals. It is intended to replicate what is paid by an employee and his employer for payroll taxes. The payroll tax is 6.2% for Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) and 1.45% for Medicare. The employer and the employee each pay this total tax of 7.65% of covered wages. The OASDI tax is imposed only on $142,800 of wages. The Medicare tax applies to all wages. If one individual has $250,000 of wages, the tax is lower than if two people had $125,000 each. If a person is self-employed, they will pay both the employers and the employees share of the tax, which makes the direct rate 15.3% up to the OASDI limit and 2.9% thereafter. The IRS has said that an unincorporated business entity owned by spouses as community property may report as a partnership (two owners) or as a disregarded entity. If the choice is made to report as a disregarded entity, any income is reported on the appropriate tax form for the operations of the entity. If the entity runs a business, a Schedule C would be the right form. At this point, I agree completely with everything that the article you attached in the link says. Where I believe they go wrong is assuming that if there is no partnership tax filing then the overall income can hit the OASDI limit. Section 1402(a)(5)(A) of the tax law addresses this point. It says that if business income that constitutes community property is earned outside of a partnership, the SE tax applies to the income of the spouse that carries on that business. The problem is that it continues, and says that if both spouses carry on the business, the SE tax applies separately to the spouses based on their respective distributive shares of income of the business. The income tax would treat one-half of the business income as belonging to each spouse under community property law. Section 1402 has a special rule that applies only to the SE tax shares of the income. The conclusion in your attached article applies only if only one spouse carries on the business. If both are involved then the income must be split based upon respective shares earned by each. I will also note that Section 1402(a)(5)(B) applies when a partner produces community income in a partnership. It also allocates the SE income only to the partner who carries on the business. This means if a wife is a partner in a New Mexico law firm, her share of the partnership income is her SE income alone. Her husband does not report one-half of the partnership income. If that same wife operated her law practice as a sole proprietor, the income would again be her SE income alone. In both cases, the SE tax issue is resolved by reference to who produces the income, not by community property laws. You and I seem to read the articles suggestion the same way. Unless we are missing something, the explanation is just not right. James R. Hamill is the Director of Tax Practice at Reynolds, Hix & Co. in Albuquerque. He can be reached at jimhamill@rhcocpa.com.
Dear J.T. & Dale: My boss keeps dropping hints that the only way Im going to get promoted to his level is if I get an MBA. But I dont want to go back to school or spend all that money. It really upsets me, because I could do his job in my sleep. All he does is brag about his degree, but hes really not that smart. Do you think I could go around him and talk to his boss to see if I really do need this MBA? Carola J.T.: I dont know that I necessarily would go around him. If he found out that you went to his boss, he could be pretty upset. DALE: On the other hand, if its the sort of company where you occasionally run into and chat with various executives, you could casually bring it up. No need to mention your boss, just ask execs how they feel about an MBA, mentioning that youve been weighing the idea. If all goes well, youll know if its a corporate necessity or just your bosss personal obsession. J.T.: If that casual approach doesnt succeed, you may have to do some more formal information gathering. Im concerned because it sounds to me that your manager is using his MBA as a way to make sure that you dont pass him in the companys employment hierarchy! What I would do is go find some managers who are his level or above in other departments and see if you can meet and talk about MBAs. If one clearly isnt required, then youll want to sit down with your boss and explain what you learned and that youd really like to focus on the next steps to advancing in the company without another degree. If hes not willing to do so, then I would say its really time to move on. Dear J.T. & Dale: I have been working remotely from my parents house in Florida for the last year. My boss did not know this. I just found out that a month from now, they want us to start coming back into the office a couple days a week. I dont want to leave Florida. How soon before were supposed to go back should I present the idea that I would like to stay remote? I dont want to lose my job without a new one, and Id like to keep this job if possible. Robb J.T.: I think you need to meet with your boss right away. I would create an outline of all the things that youve done throughout the pandemic to be of additional value to the company. I would then explain that you want to live in Florida and that you would not be able to come into the office. Also mention that if they cant make the exception, youd like to work together over the next month so that you could land a new job before they let you go. If youve earned some kind of trust with management, I hope they would be willing to do that. Plus, Im sure they dont want you to just give two weeks notice out of the blue, so this is an opportunity for both of you to end your time together on a positive note. DALE: With a significant proportion of employees balking at going back into the office, I think your employer will need to be flexible. And, given that they are talking about returning just a couple of days a week, I sense theyll be open-minded. However, I wouldnt count on it. Thats why I would NOT suggest that you declare that youre quitting if you cant be remote. Instead, Id gently test the waters with management to see if they are making any exceptions to the new policy. If not, start a job search there in Florida and keep your job, even if you have to fly back and forth a few times. Given the huge shifts in workplaces going on, you need to buy time and keep your options open. Jeanine J.T. Tanner ODonnell is a career coach and the founder of the leading career site www.workitdaily.com. Dale Dauten is founder of The Innovators Lab and author of a novel about H.R., The Weary Optimist. Please visit them at jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via email, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2021 by King Features Syndicate, Inc. WATERLOO, Iowa Farmers and Deere & Co. suppliers are worried about what the strike at the tractor makers factories will mean for their livelihoods. More than 10,000 Deere employees went on strike last week at 14 Deere factories in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado and Georgia after the United Auto Workers union rejected a contract offer. The longer the strike continues, the greater the impact will be on the communities around the plants. If this gets sorted out in a couple of days, great, Brian Jones, who farms in central Iowa, told the Des Moines Register. But if it drags out for weeks, you start to get a little concerned about things. Lance Lillibridge, who farms in eastern Iowa near Cedar Rapids, said he worries about not having parts should his John Deere combine break down. We have a lot of big equipment out here that were using to bring in a harvest, and if a part breaks down that we cant get, were done, said Lillibridge, who is also president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association board. Burk Skeet Miehe of American Pattern & CNC Works in Cedar Falls, Iowa, said his business was doing OK initially because it worked ahead to meet orders from Deere. If it does go longer, it could affect us, Miehe told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Casting Cleaning Inc. in Cedar Falls, which does chipping and grinding work of foundry castings for John Deere, was closed Friday because of lack of work, but company President Shannon Closson said its expected to reopen Monday. Long term, (the strike) would be very detrimental to our business. Short term, well be able to power though and get through it, Closson said. At John Deere equipment dealer Sloan Implement in Fulton, Illinois, store manager Eric Maloney said the business is doing the best it can to manage through the strike, as well as supply chain problems related to the coronavirus pandemic. The dealer has been relying more than usual on repairing parts instead of replacing them. Were going to just keep right on forging ahead as best we can, Maloney said. PHOENIX Police have identified a man who was fatally shot during a fight in Phoenix. They said 21-year-old Earl Harrison Begay was taken to a hospital Saturday where he later died. Police received a report of a shooting about 9 a.m. and reported finding Begay with a gunshot wound. Begay was involved in an altercation with another man who pulled out a gun as the fight escalated, according to investigators. Police said the shooter was detained for questioning, but his name hasnt been released yet. The case has been submitted to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office to determine if any charges will be filed. ROSEMONT, Penn. Megan Rice, a nun and Catholic peace activist who spent two years in federal prison while in her 80s after breaking into a government security complex to protest nuclear weapons, has died. She was 91. Rice died of congestive heart failure Oct. 10 at Holy Child Center in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, according to her order, the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Sister Megan lived her life with love full of action and zeal, said Carroll Juliano, American Province Leader for the order. Her commitment to build a peaceful and just world was unwavering and selfless. Rice was born in New York to activist parents who would meet with well-known Catholic writer Dorothy Day during the Great Depression to craft solutions for societal problems, she said in a 2013 interview with the Catholic Agitator. Her activism was also heavily influenced by her uncle, who spent four months in Nagasaki, Japan, after it and Hiroshima had been leveled by atomic bombs to hasten the end of World War II, bombings that Rice would later call the greatest shame in history. While still a teenager, she entered the Society of the Holy Child of Jesus to become a nun. She made her final vows in 1955 and took on the religious name Mother Frederick Mary. Rice later earned degrees from Villanova and Boston University, where she earned a Master of Science. She taught at elementary schools in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts for more than a decade before being assigned to work in Nigeria. Rice spent 23 years in West Africa working as a teacher and pastoral guide. It was there that she started hearing about the plowshares movement, a reference to a Bible passage that refers to the end of all war: They will beat their swords into ploughshares. When she returned to the U.S., Rice began her involvement in anti-nuclear activism. I felt drawn to the peace movement, she said in the Catholic Agitator interview. I felt very inspired by direct action on nuclear issues. My uncle was such a strong influence and he was still alive at that time. Court records show she already had been convicted four times for protest activities when she and two fellow Catholic peace activists, Michael Walli and Greg Boertje-Obed, broke into the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in July 2012. The trio cut through several fences and and spent two hours outside a bunker storing much of the nations bomb-grade uranium, where they hung banners, prayed, hammered on the outside of the bunker and spray-painted peace slogans. They were arrested and charged with felony sabotage. Federal prosecutors described Rice and her codefendants as recidivists and habitual offenders who would break the law again as soon as they are physically capable of doing so, according to court records Rices attorneys sought leniency from U.S. District Judge Amul Thapar, arguing the nuns devotion to Christian nonviolence posed little threat to the public. Rice wrote a letter to the judge asking him to follow his conscience. But the judge was unmoved, telling the defendants their moral beliefs were not a get out jail free card. Rice was sentenced to three years in prison and Walli and Oertje-Obed each received more than five years. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the sabotage charge and the three were freed in May 2015 after serving two years. They were later resentenced to time already served on a lesser charge of injuring government property. While testifying during her jury trial, Rice defended her decision to break into the Oak Ridge uranium facility as an attempt to stop manufacturing thatcan only cause death, according to a trial transcript. I had to do it, she said of her decision to break the law. My guilt is that I waited 70 years to be able to speak what I knew in my conscience. Editors note: This story has been corrected. The Albuquerque Community Safety Department does not have an office in the building. Its something of a quandary, one that Bev McMillan has been grappling with since taking over the management of the Albuquerque Family Advocacy Center, a place she calls the citys best-kept secret but shouldnt be and then again it needs to be. Hence, the quandary. The center, which she likes to call the FAC (rhymes with back), provides free social, legal and law enforcement services to survivors of rape and domestic violence under one roof a one-stop shop, if you will, to make the grueling next steps after an assault a little less complicated, a little more cohesive, a lot more caring. Agencies at the FAC include the Domestic Violence Resource Center, New Mexico Legal Aid, Rape Crisis Center of Central New Mexico, Albuquerque Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) and Para Los Ninos. The Albuquerque Police Department also has an office in the building but in a separate wing on the same floor. When it opened in October 2007, the FAC was lauded as a groundbreaking way to combine efforts for victims in need of support, law enforcement in need of evidence and social services agencies in need of leasing a safe place to provide care. Then-Mayor Martin Chavez called it one of the most important things that will be accomplished during his tenure. Ten years later, the FAC was called a beacon of light in a very dark world, but officials acknowledged that the light wasnt bright enough to reach as many victims as it should. To that end, McMillan was hired in 2017 to help reignite awareness of the FAC. At the same time, that very dark world has grown even darker. To keep the survivors and families safe and to protect them from their abusers, the FAC requires layers of security and some anonymity. It is a best-kept secret, but in a way it has to be, McMillan said. But maybe its a little too secret, she acknowledges. And so I am here at the FAC to shine a light on a space that shouldnt be secret to survivors. The building itself on Silver SW, originally the Mountain States Telephone offices in the 1950s and later the local offices of New Mexicos U.S. senators, reveals nothing about its current occupants from the outside. But if you know, you know. McMillan awaits upstairs in the FAC lobby, which like much of the offices is awash in tones of purple, the color for domestic violence awareness month, observed every October. A purple pumpkin sits on the lobby table McMillans own creative contribution. Purple ribbons wrapped with small copper acorns adorn most of the doors in this maze of hallways where the agencies well-appointed offices, exam rooms, supply rooms, waiting rooms and play rooms are located. To get to them, we must pass a receptionist and a series of security doors. It feels safe here but not confining. Medical exam rooms include baskets of stuffed animals. In one room, the size of the tables stirrups, which hold the feet of the rape victim during a pelvic examination, are smaller and covered in fabric decorated with cartoon turtles, a horrific reminder that some victims of sexual assault are children. We had a 2-month-old who was sexually assaulted and examined here, and I couldnt wrap my head around what kind of person would do that to a tiny child, McMillan said. Para Los Ninos, part of the University of New Mexico Health System, provides evaluation, treatment and follow-up care for these children and adolescents. SANE, a nonprofit now in its 25th year, also performs medical/forensic evaluations and provides support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Here, an assault victim can speak with a police investigator if she chooses and then go to the FAC for the examination and collection of evidence in the same facility, instead of traipsing between police station and hospital. A shower and new clothing are also available after the exam is concluded. Down the hall is a room filled with bins of clothing and shoes, sorted and marked according to size, gender and item. Racks of business attire are here as well for court appearances and job interviews. Clients can also choose from among the bounty of items in the food pantry and the assortment of toiletries and diapers. We try to anticipate every need a victim might have, McMillan said. We can also help with temporary housing. Other rooms are set aside for counseling and interviewing, the child-centered rooms equipped with sand trays, a whiteboard and toys. One room features a massive bean bag chair, where traumatized children can cuddle with Graham, a friendly black Labrador retriever who is APDs crisis response canine. Another room, nicknamed the Reflection Room, features a working waterfall and reading material, including the Bible. Domestic Violence Resource Center advocates can help victims file restraining orders; Legal Aid workers can help with other machinations of separation, such as divorce and custody issues. The FAC exists with generous support from the United Way of Central New Mexico, which pays McMillans salary, and local corporate donors. The city of Albuquerque provides office space for the agencies rent-free, although each agency keeps its own budget to fund its services. As we walk through the hallways, Im struck by how new and welcoming the place is, how eager the staffs from the various agencies are to let the public know about the work they do and how there are no clients, at least none I am able to see. Perhaps its just a slow morning as McMillan says. I know its not because Albuquerques problem with sexual assault and domestic violence has dramatically decreased. As we speak, McMillan responds to emails from iHeartRadio. Billboards are also going up, she said. Brochures are being printed, some in Spanish. Theyre just some of the efforts she is employing to spread the word about the FAC. Its time this stopped being a secret to those who need it. UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column. Reach Joline at 730-2793, jkrueger@abqjournal.com, Facebook or @jolinegkg on Twitter. Finding FAC The Albuquerque Family Advocacy Center, 625 Silver SW, Suite 200, accepts walk-ins 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, but appointments and after-hours help are available at 505-243-2333. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal LAS CRUCES New Mexico State University will soon derive half of its total electricity from a new, 3-megawatt solar array that El Paso Electric Co. built on the NMSU campus in Las Cruces. Its scheduled to come online in November with 10,000 solar panels and a 1-MW battery system that can provide up to four hours of backup power when the sun goes down. The array is on prominent display in a previously vacant 29-acre parcel at NMSUs Arrowhead Park, which the university is developing into an industrial hub on the south side of campus. Its nestled between Interstates 10 and 25 a strategic location deliberately chosen to offer passing motorists a sweeping view of the facility, Arrowhead Executive Director Wayne Savage said. Its a highly visible site designed to draw attention, Savage told the Journal. NMSU and EPE want to be known and seen as leading the way in grid transformation. The solar facility is the latest development in a new, broad university vision to turn NMSUs campus into a model for low-carbon, energy-efficient technologies to both power up university facilities while simultaneously offering hands-on learning opportunities for students, faculty, community professionals and policy makers. The university wants to convert its campus into a living lab for energy research and development to assist New Mexico and other states as they transition from fossil fuels to non-carbon resources, NMSU Chancellor Dan Arvizu said. Other universities, like Stanford, are doing similar things, but our concept of using the university system as a living lab is unique in our region, Arvizu said. We can provide significant contributions to help the state move from aspirational objectives to strategy implementation to reach its goals. As former director of the U.S. Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado, Arvizu is leading the charge to transform NMSU into a prime mover and shaker in the energy transition, not only in New Mexico, but at the national level. In September, the White House appointed him to the national Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which makes science, technology and innovation policy recommendations to the president. Arvizu also heads a new energy Cabinet at NMSU that includes university deans and representatives from NREL and Sandia National Laboratories who meet monthly to help guide energy strategies in the public and private sectors. NMSU is now heading two state-level initiatives. One, funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, aims to help communities around New Mexico tap into the states emerging green energy economy to promote business development and job creation. The other, funded by the DOE, is working to build a clean energy cluster of startup companies through NMSUs Arrowhead Center, which manages all of the universitys entrepreneurship and technology-transfer programs. The university is now pursuing federal funding for more initiatives. One would turn NMSUs statewide system of agricultural science centers into hands-on demonstration sites for methods to lower greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural industry. Another would convert a now-defunct solar demonstration site, which the DOE operated at NMSU in the 1980s, into a modern clean energy technology lab for research, technology commercialization and workforce development, said Patricia Sullivan, engineering associate dean and director of the chancellors Strategic Initiatives Office. Its an outdoor test facility with structures already in place and wired up, Sullivan told the Journal. We need to upgrade and convert it for modern research. That facility could become a tiny microgrid to study emerging technology and controls, said Olga Lavrova, associate professor of electrical engineering. Under Lavrova, the engineering school is already conducting extensive research on microgrids, smart energy technology, solar generation, battery storage and other things at a dedicated Power Systems Lab that receives real-time data from El Paso Electric and regional grids, and from on-campus power systems managed by NMSUs Utilities and Plant Operations. The lab monitors and stores the data on its own servers for processing and analysis. Theres even a simulated microgrid in the lab that emulates power supply and consumption in a mock, smart-wired neighborhood, with a supercomputer to process and analyze the data. The universitys real energy jewel, however, is its Utilities and Plant Operations, which directly supplies 52% of NMSUs electricity and all heating and cooling on campus. Over the past decade, campus managers developed a unique, real-time, monitoring-and-control network to maximize energy efficiency, immensely cutting consumption and costs while significantly lowering carbon emissions. The entire system has become a living lab for university research and education, Utilities and Plant Operations Director Patrick Chavez said. Now, the newly built solar array at Arrowhead Park will add an entirely new dimension to NMSUs power supply, offering research and learning opportunities when it goes online next month. EPE will own, manage and maintain the system under a special-rate contract with NMSU approved by state regulators. The $8 million facility will generate all campus electricity not supplied by Utilities and Plant Operations, while allowing NMSU students and faculty to study such things as dust mitigation and seamless operational shifting of output between the solar panels and backup battery system. Its also educational for EPE, utility engineer Ruben Quiroga said. Its our first company-owned, utility-scale solar system with battery storage, Quiroga said. Its a learning experience for both sides. ASSOCIATED PRESS U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haalands mother, Mary Toya, a longtime civil servant and U.S. Navy veteran, has died. Officials with the Interior Department confirmed Toyas passing Saturday but didnt immediately release her age or cause of death. We celebrate Mary Toyas long life and are grateful for her 25 years of service to Native students as a member of the Interior team within Indian Affairs, department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz said in a statement. Haaland testified during her confirmation hearing earlier this year that her mother served in the Navy, worked at the Bureau of Indian Education and raised four children as a military wife. Haalands father, who is also deceased, was a career Marine who served in Vietnam and received the Silver Star. Mary spoke Keres, raised her children in a Pueblo household and passed traditional wisdom down to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Schwartz said. Her legacy will live on in Secretary Haaland, all of her relatives and the countless Native people she inspired. Haaland became the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary when she took office in March. She is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and a 35th-generation New Mexican. She attended 13 public schools as a military child before graduating from Highland High School in Albuquerque. Haaland, a Democrat, served as chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party from 2015 to 2017 and as U.S. representative for New Mexicos 1st congressional district from 2019 to 2021 before becoming Interior secretary. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal BY ELISE KAPLAN JOURNAL STAFF WRITER A 20-year veteran of the Albuquerque Police Department and former state representative has announced he will run for Bernalillo County sheriff next year. Pat Ruiloba grew up in the Adobe Acres neighborhood of the South Valley, and he and his wife are raising their three children there. He joined APD in 1988 and rose through the ranks to detective before retiring in 2008, according to a news release. Ruiloba, a Democrat, served in the New Mexico House of Representatives from 2015 to 2020 and was vice chairman of the Business and Industry Committee and then chairman of the Transportation and Public Works Committee. As a legislator, Ruiloba sponsored and supported legislation to secure millions in funding for equipment for Albuquerque area law enforcement and fire departments, the release says. He sponsored legislation, signed by the governor, to require specific training for school resource officers and provide increased funding for equipment and training for police departments. Since 2010, he has worked for the Albuquerque Public Schools Police Department as a civilian training school resource officers and school staff in restorative practices, according to the release. Ruiloba is the second candidate to announce his candidacy for sheriff. Former BCSO Sgt. John Allen is also running. I will balance my commitment for a more effective, equitable, and thoughtful approach with a strong commitment to protect our community, Ruiloba said. I will focus on strategies to successfully prevent and respond to crime, including working to ensure our children are safe in school. The primaries will be held in June, and the general election will be held in November 2022. A person was killed after being struck by a vehicle near northbound Interstate 25 and Mountain NE early Monday morning. Officer Chase Jewell, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded to the area near 5 a.m. The individual died at the scene. Police didnt release any additional details about the investigation. Jewell said later Monday morning that New Mexico State Police was going to be leading the investigation into the crash. Northbound I-25 was temporarily shut down after the wreck. MINNEAPOLIS Derek Chauvin has hired an attorney to represent him as he appeals his murder conviction in the death of George Floyd, according to court documents made public Monday. Attorney William Mohrman filed a document with the court Friday saying he would represent Chauvin in his appeal. Chauvin was convicted in April on state charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyds 2020 death. He was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison. Chauvin filed documents last month saying he intends to appeal his conviction and sentence on 14 grounds, including that he believes his trial should have been moved from Hennepin County and that the jury should have been sequestered. He asked for a public defender to represent him on appeal, but the state Supreme Court denied that request this month, saying a review of his assets and debts showed he was ineligible. When Chauvin made the request, he said he had no income aside from nominal prison wages and that the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Associations legal defense fund, which paid for his initial attorney, told him its obligation to fund his legal representation ended when he was convicted and sentenced. Mohrman, a partner at Minneapolis-based Mohrman, Kaardal & Erickson, did not immediately reply to messages seeking comment. The firms website says Mohrmans areas of practice include commercial litigation, intellectual property law, First Amendment litigation and employment litigation. The firm was involved in a lawsuit in Arizona that sought to vacate the 2020 presidential election results, prompting complaints against Mohrman and others from the Arizona State Bar. The Arizona Republic reported that the complaints were dismissed after the attorneys moved to withdraw their lawsuit, which claimed, among other things, that some shadow government orchestrated by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg handed out grant money to direct the actions of elections officials. Mohrmans firm is also representing nearly 200 Minnesota health care workers who have sued their employers over COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Last week, a federal judge denied their request for a temporary restraining order that would have blocked the mandate from being enforced, according to the court record. Separately, Chauvin is also charged in federal court with violating Floyds civil rights when he knelt on the Black mans neck for about 9 1/2 minutes as Floyd was facedown on the pavement, not resisting and pleading for air. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges. ___ This story was updated correct the spelling of William Mohrmans last name in every instance. ___ Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd BEIRUT Lebanons Hezbollah leader declared for the first time on Monday that his powerful militant group has 100,000 trained fighters. His speech appeared to be meant as a deterrent to domestic foes following the nations worst internal violence in years. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah disclosed the size of the Shiite groups militant arm in his first speech since seven people were killed in gunbattles on the streets of Beirut on Thursday the worst street violence the city has seen in years. The confrontation erupted over a long-running probe into last years massive port blast in the city. It is difficult to verify the 100,000 fighters figure as Hezbollah is largely secretive. If true, it would be larger than the size of Lebanons armed forces, estimated at about 85,000. The speech came at a time of heightened tension in Lebanon over the clashes and the course of the investigation into the Aug. 4, 2020 blast in which over 215 people were killed. We have prepared (those fighters) with their diverse weapons to defend our territory, our oil and gas that is being robbed before the eyes of Lebanese, to protect the dignity and sovereignty of our country from any aggression (and) terrorism and not for internal fighting, Nasrallah said. In his speech, Nasrallah accused the head of a right-wing Christian party, Samir Geagea, of seeking to ignite civil war in the small country. Addressing Geagea directly, Nasrallah said: Dont miscalculate. Be wise and behave. Learn a lesson from all your wars and all our wars. Geageas office declined to immediately comment late Monday. At the end of the countrys 15-year civil war in 1990, Hezbollah was the only group to retain its weapons. It has fought several rounds of war with Israel and took credit for Israels troop withdrawal from the countrys south in 2000. Hezbollah has also sent its fighters to support Syrias armed forces in that countrys decade-long civil war. Hezbollah and its allies have been highly critical of Judge Tarek Bitar, who is in charge of the port blast investigation, accusing him of being selective and going after some officials and not others while seeking to politicize the probe. They asked that he be removed. The clashes Thursday came as officials from Hezbollah have suggested the judges investigation is leaning toward holding them responsible for the port blast. Bitar has been criticized by other political groups, too, after he summoned senior officials as part of the investigation, including former ministers and a former prime minister, and charged them with intentional negligence that led to the deaths of over 215 people. The judge has not publicly commented or responded to the criticism. Thursdays clashes saw gunmen battling each other for several hours with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades in the streets of Beirut. It was the most violent confrontation in the city in years, echoing the nations darkest era of the 1975-90 civil war. Nasrallah accused Geagea of manufacturing Thursdays clashes in the Tayuneh area of the city and described him as a criminal and a killer. The real program for the Lebanese Forces is civil war, Nasrallah said. The biggest threat to the social peace in Lebanon is the Lebanese Forces. Nasrallah accused Geagea and his party of seeking to scare Lebanons Christians over Hezbollahs intentions. He said thats mostly to serve foreign countries that have also made the Shiite group an enemy, including the United States, Israel and some Gulf states. Geagea is a close ally of Saudi Arabia, which is critical of Iran-backed Hezbollah. Geagea led the Lebanese Forces Christian militia during the 1975-90 civil war and spent more than a decade in prison. He was released after an amnesty following Syrias withdrawal from Lebanon in 2005. The anti-Syria Geagea now leads the Lebanese Forces political party. Nasrallah said his group and its ally, the Amal movement, expect results in an investigation into how the violence broke out Thursday. He suggested that if the army opened fire at protesters from the two Shiite groups, it should be held accountable. It wasnt clear from Nasrallahs speech if his group and Amal are ending their call for the removal of the judge a move considered by many as interference in judicial affairs. The newly installed government has come to a standstill after opposition from Hezbollah- and Amal-allied ministers over government inaction against the judge. The crisis is the latest to beset the small nation of 6 million, already struggling with one of the worst financial crises in the world in the last 150 years. ___ Associated Press writers Zeina Karam and Bassem Mroue contributed to this report. DENVER A Colorado state judge was removed from his leadership position after being charged with felony menacing on Saturday. Judge Mark Thompson, the chief judge for the 5th Judicial District, is accused of using a real or simulated weapon in the alleged July 25 menacing incident, which was investigated by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, according to limited online court records. The case was listed as suppressed from public view and documents detailing the allegations against Thompson were not available. In a court filing, prosecutors requested the secrecy because Thompson is a public official and prominent member of the community, The Denver Post reported. The release at this time of any of the documents of record in this matter could result in disclosure of information that could result in destruction, or secreting evidence and tampering with identified and unidentified witnesses, which could jeopardize the ongoing investigation and/or interfere with the rights of the defendant, including irreversible harm to reputation, and the defendants and the Peoples right to a fair trial, the prosecutors wrote. Judge Paul Dunkelman granted the request in a one-line order Saturday. Although judges have been required since May to issue written orders that explain why they are limiting public access to a case and why there is not a less restrictive way to protect information, such as through redactions, the order does not address that. A message left for Thompsons lawyer was not returned Monday. Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian Boatright on Saturday appointed Dunkelman to serve as interim chief judge for the district, which includes Clear Creek, Eagle, Lake and Summit counties, while the criminal case against Thompson is pending. Thompson is on planned paid time off and will resume his duties as a judge when he returns, judicial branch spokesperson Rob McCallum said. ___ This story has been corrected to say that a judge did issue a written order allowing the case to be suppressed. PHOENIX Ron Watkins, one of the most prominent figures in the QAnon conspiracy movement, said Monday he is running for Congress in Arizona because the state is at the forefront of the fight by many Republicans over the 2020 election results. Watkins, a prominent promoter of false claims that the presidency was stolen from Donald Trump, said he wants to fix the elections from inside the machine. In the past year or so, Ive been really involved in election integrity issues and especially out in Arizona, so I decided to come out here and just take it to the next step, Watkins told The Associated Press in a brief phone interview. Arizona has been the epicenter of the push by Trump many of his supporters to find evidence backing the former presidents false claims that the 2020 election was marred by fraud. Trump supporters hired by state Senate Republicans to recount ballots and review election data confirmed Bidens victory but spun falsehoods about deleted data, double voting and other malfeasance in a report that ignored basic facts about how elections are run. For several weeks, Watkins has posted videos on the social networking site Telegram of his unsuccessful efforts to speak with Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich, whom he is pressing to file charges over the claims of election irregularities. Watkins has been vague about his ties to Arizona. Watkins said he lived in Yuma briefly as a child, guessing it was between the ages of 5 and 7, but couldnt remember if he attended school there. As supporting evidence of his Arizona ties, he emailed a photo of him as a child with his father and the family dog at the Grand Canyon. He also said he has family in the state but declined to elaborate. Watkins said he moved to Arizona about two weeks ago but repeatedly refused to say where in the state hes living, citing death threats he said hes received. On papers filed with the Federal Elections Commission, he lists the address of a Phoenix condominium that has been owned since 2014 by Liz Harris and her husband, according to Maricopa County property records. Harris led a group of volunteers who interviewed voters at their doors and published a report claiming there were tens of thousands of lost and ghost votes, but it had no supporting evidence and drew nonsensical conclusions. Online real estate listings say the property has a pending sale. For his campaign headquarters, Watkins lists a Sedona address that appears to be a post-office box. He said he plans to live in the same district as Democratic Rep. Tom OHalleran once the new congressional district boundaries are finalized. Under the U.S. Constitution, Watkins needs only to be an inhabitant of Arizona on Election Day next year. There is no minimum period he must live in the state, nor a requirement to live in the district he wants to represent. Watkins was the longtime administrator of 8kun and its predecessor, 8chan, online message boards that were known for misinformation and hate speech, and which played a crucial role in seeding the QAnon conspiracy movement. He has said he gave up the role last year. A core belief for QAnon followers is that Trump was secretly fighting a Satan-worshipping, child sex-trafficking cabal of prominent Democrats, Hollywood elites and deep state enemies. An internet poster calling himself Q fueled the movement by posting clues on the 8kun message board. Many believe Watkins himself is responsible for the messages posted by Q. He denied it. Im not Q. I never was Q. I never posted as Q. I dont know who posted as Q, Watkins said. I mean, everybodys got their own hypothesis. I dont have any facts to back that up. Arizonas congressional district boundaries are still in the works, but OHalleran is almost certain to face a tough re-election fight. I dont think common-sense Arizonans want extremists representing them in Congress, OHalleran said in a video posted on Twitter Monday, which highlighted Watkins QAnon ties. In addition to election issues, Watkins said he wants to pass a Digital Bill of Rights to prevent technology companies from restricting online discourse. We need to make sure that bots and companies and stuff arent censoring us, and were not being destroyed by algorithms, and were able to get our word out, and talk about the things that are important without getting banned and censored everywhere, said Watkins, who has been banned from Twitter. He also said he wants to eliminate COVID-19 public health mandates and said he fears the United States is inching toward creating a Chinese-style social credit system that would restrict people from services based on their purchases or public activities. Watkins is getting help from Tony Teora, a science fiction author who has run unsuccessfully for the California Assembly. If they raise enough money, they plan to hire a campaign manager, open an office and build out a campaign, Teora said. Rons going to build a true campaign out here. But its going to be based upon whether he has support, so hes going to find out shortly, Teora said. YouTube Celebrity The beloved television star, who was best known for playing Don Knotts' onscreen girlfriend, has passed away at the age of 95 following a short battle with an illness. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - "The Andy Griffith Show" star Betty Lynn has died, aged 95. The TV treasure, who played Thelma Lou - the girlfriend of Don Knotts' character Barney Fife, on the beloved show, passed away on Saturday (16Oct21) following a short illness, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Lynn also appeared in the films "June Bride" and "Cheaper by the Dozen" as a contract player at 20th Century Fox. She also played the wife of Tom Tryon's title character on "Texas John Slaughter". She appeared in over 25 episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" after joining the cast in 1961, and reprised her TV character for a 1966 episode, in which Fife attends a reunion hoping to meet up with Thelma Lou, only to discover she is married. The couple eventually found each other in the 1986 TV movie "Return to Mayberry", following Thelma Lou's divorce. Lynn reunited with Griffith for a handful of first-season episodes of "Matlock" in 1986. She played his character's secretary. The actress kicked off her career onstage in Chicago, Illinois before becoming a USO star who performed for U.S. troops stationed in China, Burma, and India. She made her movie debut in the 1948 comedy "Sitting Pretty", opposite Robert Young, Maureen O'Hara, and Clifton Webb. Her TV credits also included "Where's Raymond?", "Wagon Train", "Lawman", "Family Affair", "My Three Sons", "Mod Squad", "Little House on the Prairie", "Police Story", and "Barnaby Jones". WENN/DJDM Celebrity Kathleen Jenkins claims that the former star of 'That 70s Show' raped her after she, her husband and their daughters got invited to attend a 'Dracula 2000' cast party. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - The number of Danny Masterson's alleged victims has continued to grow. The former star of "That 70s Show", who is facing trial of his rape case, has gotten one more woman coming forward with similar accusations. Kathleen Jenkins brought up her claims via Twitter. Replying to a 2017 tweet from Bobette Riales, who is also an alleged victim, Kathleen wrote, "I was also raped by Danny Masterson have been too afraid to admit it but you have given me the courage." Kathleen went on to thank Danny's ex Chrissie Carnell Bixler for inspiring her to speak up. "Thank you @ChrissieBixler #metoo #sisters #dannymasterson #rapedrug." Kathleen Jenkins accused Danny Masterson of raping her. Kathleen divulged that she had been unaware about rape allegations against Danny until last week. "I still work in film, and I just work all day and come home and I don't really read the news," she told The Underground Bunker. Kathleen started to think about the ordeal once again after her niece suspected that she'd been "roofied" by a "rape drug" while she was at a bar recently. It led her to search Danny's name on Google and shocked to find out about the rape allegations. Kathleen, who's originally from Ireland, told the outlet that her story was pretty much similar like Chrissie, Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2's testimony in open court at Masterson's preliminary hearing in Los Angeles in May. The incident allegedly occurred at a "wrap party" of Jennifer Lopez's 2001 film, "Angel Eyes". She said she and her husband had booked a room so they wouldn't need to go home following the bash. Coincidentally, another film crew was also having a party at the same venue. Kathleen said Gerard Butler invited her , her husband and two of their teenage daughters to come up to his suite where the actor, Danny and other cast members of "Dracula 2000" were partying. Kathleen alleged that she was chatting with Danny when her husband was out on the balcony. The last thing she remembered was she woke up in a hotel room with "severe pain in both the vaginal and anal areas." "I remember the next morning walking out of their hotel room and my 16-year-old stepdaughter was walking out of another hotel room at the same time. I assumed the same thing had happened to her, and she didn't want to talk about it. But we were both in a lot of pain," she explained. "We both came out at the same time. That is so vivid. It was the strangest thing. I'd never been drugged before." Danny is currently facing trial over three rape allegations from different women. If he's convicted, he could face 45 years to life in prison. WENN/Pat Denton/Ivan Nikolov Celebrity The 'Mystic River' actor is seen rocking his wedding band when visiting his friend in Los Angeles a day after his wife filed divorce papers to end their one year of marriage. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Sean Penn is still wearing his wedding ring after being hit with divorce papers. The "Mystic River" actor was spotted rocking his band one day after his wife Leila George filed the legal documents to the court to end their 15-month marriage. In photos obtained by Page Six, the 61-year-old actor was photographed wearing a ring on that finger when he stepped out in Malibu, California on Saturday, October 16. The "I Am Sam" star was spotted having a lunch meeting with a man at Ollo restaurant. After finishing their meal, Sean and his friend continued chatting outside the restaurant as the actor took a smoke break. For the outing, he sported a black T-shirt, black leather jacket, faded blue jeans and a pair of white sneakers Sean's public outing came after his Australian actress wife, Leila, filed to legally end their union in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, October 15. The details of the divorce case, including the reason for the split, remain undisclosed. The divorce news came following reports claiming that Sean had to "win back" Leila, with whom he's been in an on-off relationship since 2016. Things continued that way for several years until the last time they went their separate ways, which prompted the "Flag Day" star to "work hard" on fixing their romance. A source spilled in August 2020, "Leila has been in Sean's life for a while. They got together and then they broke up and Sean won her back." The so-called inside source went on to add, "[Sean] realized he had made a mistake and when he felt he might lose her, he worked hard to get her back." The couple isolated together amid the coronavirus pandemic and it was alleged lockdown helped strengthen their relationship. The insider added, "They got back together during COVID and became really close and got engaged a few months ago, early during quarantine." Sean and Leila tied the knot in July 2020, during an intimate ceremony. A month later, "The Gunman" actor, who was previously married to Madonna, confirmed during his appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" that he and Leila were married. "We did a COVID wedding," Sean said. He then added, "By that I mean it was a county commissioner on Zoom and we were at the house, my two children and her brother. And we did it that way." Instagram Celebrity The professional boxer and the social media influencer confirm the baby's arrival just months after the 26-year-old athlete was accused of cheating on her. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Gervonta Davis and Vanessa Posso are introducing their baby to the world. Having welcomed their first child together, the professional boxer and the social media influencer made use of social media to offer the first glimpse at the newborn. On Sunday, October 17, the 26-year-old dad took to his Instagram Story to post a picture of him smiling to the camera as he cradled the infant. In the snap, his girlfriend was seen sitting in front of him. On the top of the image, he wrote, "Blessing." As for Vanessa, she took to her own Instagram page to share a black-and-white picture of her hand holding the baby's. She then followed it up with a selfie taken from her hospital bed. The entrepreneur, who is a former girlfriend of rapper Meek Mill, confirmed her pregnancy back in June. At that time, she shared a mirror selfie on Instagram in which she put her bare baby bump on display. The baby news came months after Gervonta was accused of cheating on Vanessa. In April, Gervonta took to Instagram Story to let out notes that read, "I can't stop cheatin on my girl" and "I'm f**king retarded." Following the confession, Vanessa shared a cryptic message. "I HATE my lurking skills I be finding exactly what I'm looking for," she penned at that time. "Including the whole family and GMA don't play." Hours afterwards, however, the Maryland athlete denied that he was the one who posted the notes. "None of that bulls**t was me," he declared. Unfortunately, many of Internet users were not buying his claim. "the color still in purple gervonta," one person reminded him, while another echoed, "Y'all use the same font n color tho." A third then chimed in, "Didn't even think to change the font and the color..bye boy." Movie The newly-unveiled official footage also sees Robert Pattinson's Batman hell-bent on revenge and chasing after Colin Farrell's The Penguin as Gotham is ravaged by crimes. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - The first full trailer of "The Batman" is finally here for viewing pleasure. Debuted during DC FanDome over the weekend, the video, which has now also been made available online, shows Robert Pattinson's gritty take on the DC superhero. The video opens with a hint of the presence of The Riddler, portrayed by Paul Dano, in the city as he is being arrested by Gotham City police in a cafe. The man, whose face is not seen, leaves a question mark design on the coffee. Batman later explains the meaning of the Bat-Signal to Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). "Fear is a tool. When that light hits the sky, it's not just a call. It's a warning," he says as the captain stands near the Bat-Signal and looks up at the sky, seemingly waiting for the vigilante. Batman then faces a group of thugs sporting face paint like Joker's before he visits an inmate, who claims he's been trying to reach to the superhero. Getting emotional, Batman punches the window that separates them as he demands to know, "What have you done?" In a chilling voiceover, The Riddler gives Batman a puzzle to solve as he asks, "What's black and blue and dead all over?" The Caped Crusader later seems to realize the threat posed by The Riddler as he says, "This city is a powder keg, and Riddler's the match." But The Riddler isn't the only villain that Batman is facing as he's also seen chasing after The Penguin (Colin Farrell) in a high-octane action scene. His Bat Car emerges from explosion and quickly bumps into The Penguin's. The dynamic between Batman and Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) also takes center stage in the video, as the latter tries to warn the former that things will only get more dangerous for him. Seemingly disregarding his safety, he declares himself as "vengeance." Matt Reeves directs the film that is said to explore Batman's early year of fighting crime. It also stars John Turturro as a Gotham crime lord, Peter Sarsgaard as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson, and Andy Serkis as Alfred among others. Written by Reeves and Peter Craig, the movie is set for release on March 4, 2022 in the United States. Instagram Music The 'Let Me Hold You' rapper previously took to his Twitter account to voice his frustration about the tour, complaining that he only had a 15-minute set. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Bow Wow will keep performing at "The Millennium Tour" thanks to Omarion. The "Let Me Hold You" rapper, who previously threatened to quit the show, decided to stay in the line-up after squashing the issue with his pal. On Saturday, October 16, Bow Wow took to Twitter to inform fans that he will still take the stage of the Atlanta concert. "Just got off phone w O. Tonight gone be one for the ages i promise you that! Im going CRAZY i swear to god!" he tweeted, to which Omarion replied, "Energy!! energy!!" Omarion cheered up Bow Wow following the latter's rant. This arrived after Bow Wow vented his frustrations about "The Millennium Tour", which also features Ashanti, Pretty Ricky, Ying Yang Twins, Lloyd, Sammie and Soulja Boy. "Too much b***hing and complaining on this tour! Im bussn cats a**es EVERY NIGHT!" he argued in a tweet. "Every night they try and complain and take something away from me! I give 1000% and yall know it! ATL I HOPE YALL SHOW TOGETHER! IMA BUSS YALL A** FOR 45 mins straight! TRY ME!" he continued, before adding in a separate tweet, "This might be my last show! .. I've had enough." "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" actor went on fuming, "Heres the truth! I do 15 min EVERY NIGHT! I cant even do my full songs. AND I STILL BE BUSTING FOLKS A**! think the fans dont complain about my set being 15 mins? Only way i show up tonight if i do my full set! Straight up!" He further noted, "I knew i shoulda waited this out. Shoulda rested up and did 2022 with my bro [Chris Brown]." Fortunately, Bow Wow still showed up at the Atlanta show and took to Instagram to share some pictures from the event. One of the snaps showed him posing with T.I. while another one displayed him performing with 2 Chainz. In the caption of the post, Bow Wow wrote, "ATLANTA recap #millenniumtour2021 Sold out !" He then gushed, "Thanks to my big bro TIP and my brotha 2Chain for supporting me last night! I love yall man! And ATL yall showed up. Craziest show so far. Im so thankful." WENN Celebrity Also in attendance at the 'Alice in Wonderland'-themed event are Kris Jenner, Sofia Richie, Rachel Zoe, Gigi Gorgeous, Caroline D'Amore and Elisha Cuthbert among others. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Paris Hilton celebrated a lavish bridal shower with family and friends ahead of her wedding to fiance Carter Reum. The hotel heiress enjoyed the party which was attended by her mom Kathy Hilton and aunt Kyle Richards on Saturday, October 16. Offering some insights into the special occasion was Kyle. In an Instagram post, the reality TV star posted some phpyos of her with Kathy and some cast members of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills", including Garcelle Beauvais, Dorit Kemsley and Crystal Kung Minkoff. "Celebrating @parishilton bridal shower today," so Kyle wrote in the caption. For the event, Kathy opted for a blush pink dress with a floral design. As for Kyle, she looked stunning in a multicolored floral dress. Garcelle also shared a picture of her and the main character of the night, Paris. "The Simple Life" alum donned a white floral embroidery dress. She completed her look with a heart-shaped glasses. "Congratulations @parishilton your bridal shower was just as fabulous as you are #parisinlove," Garcelle raved in the caption. Also in attendance at the "Alice in Wonderland"-themed event were Kris Jenner, Sofia Richie, Rachel Zoe, Gigi Gorgeous, Caroline D'Amore, Elisha Cuthbert, Nicole Williams English, Jasmine Sanders and Jocelyn Chew. According to report, the party featured oversized flowers and teacups. It also had a dessert table which was designed with the Mad Hatter's tea party with a cake featuring "Paris and Carter" on an edible teapot. "Wishing you a WONDER full WEDDING," was allegedly written in the dessert. The bridal shower arrived after it was reported that Paris and Carter would be exchanging wedding vows at a church on November 11 with a reception taking place at her late grandfather Barron Hilton's Bel-Air, California estate. "They sent out the save-the-date. They didn't include the location, but [the reception] is going to be at Barron's house," a source previously claimed. Another informant shared that while the invitation didn't reveal the location, the insider believed that "it will be at a church and then [Barron's estate is] the buzz for the reception. It's highly likely it will be there. The invite says November 11. It's a beautiful invitation. It came in a blue box. It sort of looked like a Tiffany's box." Instagram Celebrity Francesco Facchinetti and his wife say they were 'having fun' and hanging out with the former UFC champion before the MMA fighter suddenly threw a punch at him and broke his nose. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Another man may have become the victim of Conor McGregor and his violent streak. Italian DJ Francesco Facchinetti claims he has been attacked by the MMA fighter in Rome for an unknown reason, leaving him with a broken nose. Francesco made use of his social media account to come out with the allegation against Connor. He said he and his wife were hanging out with the former UFC fighter this weekend and were all "having fun" for two hours when Connor invited them to another party. When the DJ accepted the invite, the Irish star allegedly struck the DJ in the nose unprovoked. "At 2.30 this night I was attacked by Mr. McGregor," Francesco said in the Instagram video, translated from Italian, posted on Sunday, October 17. "The very famous McGregor, who punched me in the mouth, broke my nose in front of 10 witnesses, his friends and his bodyguards. He attacked me without motivation as we talked for more than two hours and we also had fun together." For that reason, Francesco considers to sue Conor as he labeled the fighter a "violent and dangerous" person. "I could have shut up and not say anything to anyone, but since I'm here to tell it, I must say that that person is really violent and dangerous," he explained to Il Massaggero. "I took a punch for nothing. That punch could go to anyone. My friends, my wife, or other friends. That's why I decided to sue Conor McGregor because he is a violent and dangerous person." Supporting Francesco's story, his wife Wilma detailed what went down that night. "Then out of nowhere, he threw a punch in the face of Francesco," she said. "He was inviting us to another party. Francesco said, 'Okay, let's go' and he hit him." "Luckily, he [Francesco] was very close so he [Conor] couldn't load up on his punch. Francesco flew back, fell on the table, and then on the ground. The first thing that came to mind was 'are we kidding? Is it a show?' Then I was paralyzed," she recounted. Wilma said it could've turned worse, but luckily security guards broke them off. "I turned around and saw that his friends were holding him against the wall because he wanted to continue beating Francesco. Then they took him away. I turned on the light and the guards turned them off," so she claimed. "Francesco was bleeding. I wanted to help him and the guards chased us away." Echoing her husband's warning about Conor, Wilma told social media users, "He will stay in Italy until October 26th. If you see him stay away from him. Don't go near him and ask for autographs because he is an unstable and dangerous person." Conor has had a quite long record of being involved in attacks. Back in 2018, he was caught smashing a UFC tour bus in New York. Then in 2019, he threw a punch at a man at a pub in Dublin. Just last month, he was involved in an altercation with Machine Gun Kelly on the red carpet of MTV VMAs. WENN/Avalon Celebrity In addition to the 'Harry Potter' actress, royal couple Kate Middleton and Prince William attend the inaugural Earthshot Prize ceremony, which takes place in London. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Emma Watson was dressed to kill at her first public event in nearly two years. When gracing the red carpet of the inaugural Earthshot Prize ceremony in London, the "Little Women" actress got risque in a backless dress. At the Sunday, October 17 event, where she served as a presenter, the 31-year-old donned a white, backless and sleeveless lace and tulle asymmetrical gown-like top. It's made up of 10 dresses from Oxfam. To complete her outfit, the Hermione Granger depicter in the "Harry Potter" film series opted to go with a pair of black flared trousers. She also sported what appeared to be black chunky boots. Also attending the Earthshot Prize ceremony wearing a recycled look was Kate Middleton. The Duchess of Cambride, who was accompanied by husband Prince William, wore a regal lavender Alexander McQueen gown that she debuted 10 years ago at a BAFTA event in Los Angeles. The Sunday event marked Emma's first major social event since the "Little Women" premiere in December 2019. It also came a few weeks after reports about her split from Leo Robinton made media headlines. Revealing the relationship status of Emma and Leo was Deuxmoi. After a fan asked, "Emma Watson split from boyfriend???" the gossip account simply replied on Instagram Story, "YES!" The page, however, didn't offer more details about the two's split. Both the British actress and the Los Angeles businessman, who were last seen together back in the summer, have yet to confirm their separation. In May, Emma shut down rumors suggesting that she was engaged to Leo. "Dear Fans, Rumours about whether I'm engaged or not, or whether my career is 'dormant or not' are ways to create clicks each time they are revealed to be true or untrue," she began her tweet. "If I have news - I promise I'll share it with you," the activist continued. "In the mean time please assume no news from me just means I'm quietly spending the pandemic the way most people are - failing to make sourdough bread (!), caring for my loved ones and doing my best not to spread a virus that is still affecting so many people." WENN/Sheri Determan Celebrity In an Instagram Story, the 'Magic Mike' actor admits that while he's a fan of the comedian, he acknowledges how hurtful the comedian's comments about trans people are. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Channing Tatum has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Dave Chappelle, who has been criticized for his transphobic remarks on his new special on Netflix. Taking to his Instagram account, Channing admitted that while he's a fan of the comedian, he acknowledged how hurtful Dave's comments were. In an Instagram Story on Sunday, October 17, the "Magic Mike" actor wrote, "I understand that Dave is a very dangerous person to talk about at the moment." He continued, "I understand and hate that he has hurt so many people with he has said." Referring to a clip of Dave sharing the advice his mother gave him when he was a "sensitive" child, Channing went on to say, "Any human can hurt someone (usually cause they're hurt) but any human can heal and heal others just the same. This little piece healed me back in the day. I can't forget that." Channing Tatum commented on Dave Chappelle controversy. In the video, Dave said, "I was a soft kid. I was sensitive, I'd cry easy and I would be scared to fistfight." The comedian continued, "My mother used to tell me this thing 'Son, sometimes you have to be a lion so you can be the lamb you really are.' I talk this s**t like a lion. I'm not afraid of any of you. When it comes word to word, I will gab with the best of them, just so I can chill and be me." "And that's why I love my art form, because I understand every practitioner of it. Whether I agree with them or not, I know where they're coming from. They want to be heard. They've got something to say. There's something they noticed. They just want to be understood. I loved this genre. It saved my life," he added. Dave landed in hot water for his remarks on "The Closer". "Gender is a fact. Every human being in this room, every human being on earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on earth. That is a fact," he said on the special, before making fun of the genitalia of trans women. Additionally, Dave defended "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling, who has been labeled TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist). "They canceled J.K. Rowling -- my God," he said. "Effectually she said gender was a fact. The trans community got mad as sh**, they started calling her a TERF. I'm team TERF... Gender is a fact." WENN/Instar Celebrity The 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' alum and her estranged husband reportedly 'have been communicating better than they have in months' as they maintain good co-parenting. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Kim Kardashian apparently wants to keep things amicable with Kanye West. Nearly eight months after their divorce filing, the former "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star and the "Donda" artist are reportedly "in a good place" as they spend "more time together." "Kanye and Kim have been communicating better than they have in months.He's been seeing the kids a lot more, too," a source close to the 40-year-old reality star told HollywoodLife.com. "Because of this, they're spending more time together. They're finally in a good place." The so-called inside source went on saying that Kris Jenner also played a role in Kim and Kanye's relationship following their divorce. "Kris really helped Kanye and Kim get to a place where they're communicating more. Kim doesn't love the fact that she's so involved in this way, but she knows she's good at it," the insider added. "Kris is always helping her girls with the fathers of their children. Kanye was upset with Kris right when he and Kim first split, but they're in a better place now, too," the informant shared. "Kanye knows Kris is to thank for getting to this better place with Kim." The report came after Kim scored a major win in their divorce as she was awarded the $60 million estate in Hidden Hills, California. It's reported that the former couple negotiated a buyout price for the property, which they bought for $20 million in 2014. They fully remodeled the house, the design and construction of which was spearheaded by Kanye, in 2019. Kim and Kanye lived in the estate for several years of their marriage. The SKIMS founder has continued to stay in the mansion with her four children, North, 8, Saint, 5, Chicago, 3, and Psalm, 2, since she filed for divorce in February. Of their relationship, a source previously claimed that Kim and Kanye "are not back together." The insider added, "He is still her family, and they are friends. They've been working on their friendship for the kids, and continue to support each other. He'll always be her family, and they'll always support each other." Instagram Celebrity When asked what she would like to achieve in 2022, the former 'Game of Thrones' star admits that she has never experienced just popping on a train and traveling wherever. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Emilia Clarke wants to "seize the moment" more. The former "Game of Thrones" star admitted the coronavirus pandemic has made her want to travel more, "wherever and whenever," because she wishes she'd taken advantage of the easy transport in her home city of London in the years before lockdown and restrictions. Asked what she'd like to achieve next year (2022), she told Britain's Marie Claire magazine, "I want to do the jobs that I had planned. We're meant to be finishing 'The Seagull' next summer. And also the two films that were postponed." "I also just want to travel - wherever and whenever. Living in London, we could just pop on a train and go to Paris. But I never did that. I don't know anyone who ever did that. Now I want to do that more than anything." "I want to call someone and say, 'Are you free this weekend? Shall we just book a f**king 10 flight to Croatia?' It's about seizing the moment, that that right now feels impossible. Why didn't we do that more before?!" Weeks earlier, in an interview with PEOPLE, Emilia admitted that she "didn't have a carpe diem 'seize the moment' situation" when she suffered brain hemorrhages. "It didn't happen for me," she said. "I just got very scared of dying, ironically." "What the f**k is wrong with ageing? What are the two truths in life? Taxes and death. It's happening," she went on sharing why she now doesn't feel negatively about ageing. "Getting older is a guarantee. I think the women who look most beautiful are the women who don't look younger." Instagram Celebrity The Motley Crue frontman is reported to have been rushed to the hospital after taking a tumble while performing 'Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)' at the Monster on the Mountain festival. Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Vince Neil is recovering from a stage fall at a concert in Tennessee on Friday night, October 15. The Motley Crue rocker was rushed to hospital after taking a tumble at the Monster on the Mountain festival in Pigeon Forge with his solo band. Sources claim he was only a few songs into his set when he fell through a gap between a speaker and the stage, and had to be helped to his feet by a roadie and a security guard. He reportedly fell while performing "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)." Bassist Dana Strum told the crowd, "Vince fell and broke ribs... He can't breathe and he's gonna get dealt with medically. He was so excited to be here. He lives in Tennessee. But he was willing to stick it out and tough it out when the people back here were telling him, 'Don't do it.' Let's have one good round of applause, please, for this guy." The band carried on without Vince, with guitarist Jeff Blando taking over lead vocals. This was not the first time Vince had to bow out early during a live performance. In late May, the 60-year-old rocker hit the stage for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. He, however, struggled to complete the headlining gig, and gave up while in the middle of singing "Girls, Girls, Girls". Speaking to the crowd at the Boone Iowa River Valley Festival in Boone, Iowa, Vince said, "Hey, guys I'm sorry, you guys. It's been a long time playin'. My fuckin' voice is gone Eh We love you, and we'll hopefully see you next time, man. Take care." Instagram Movie The 'Deadpool' star reveals on Instagram that he is taking 'a little sabbatical from movie making' after wrapping up his movie 'Spirited', but his wife says that 'Michael Caine did it first.' Oct 18, 2021 AceShowbiz - Blake Lively always knows how to steal the moment from Ryan Reynolds on social media. The "Gossip Girl" alum trolled her husband after the Canadian actor made a major career announcement on social media. On Saturday, October 16, the "Deadpool" star wrapped up the filming on his upcoming movie "Spirited" in which he stars alongside Will Ferrell. Marking the last day of production, he posted on Instagram some behind-the-scenes pictures with his co-stars and the film's crew along with a touching note. "That's a wrap for me on Spirited. Not sure I'd have been ready to say yes to a film this challenging even three years ago," the 44-year-old hunk wrote of making the film. "Singing, dancing and playing in the sandbox with Will Ferrell made a whole lotta dreams come true. And this is my second film with the great @octaviaspencer" Making it a little more personal, he announced his plan to take a short hiatus. "Perfect time for a little sabbatical from movie making," he added. "I'm gonna miss every second working with this obscenely gifted group of creators and artists." "These days, kindness matters as much as talent," Ryan went on noting, before concluding, "I've been lucky to work with folks who are flush with both." But before fans make it big about Ryan's so-called sabbatical leave, Blake reminded that he's not the first to do so. "Michael Caine did it first," she penned in the comment section, referencing the British actor's supposed retirement plan, which he has since denied. Blake Lively trolled Ryan Reynolds after his sabbatical leave announcement. The 88-year-old led people to think that he quit acting after his upcoming film "Best Sellers" due to spinal injuries and a lack of scripts that excite him. "Funnily enough, it has turned out to be what is my last part, really, because I haven't worked for two years, and I have a spine problem, which affects my legs. So, I can't walk very well," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Kermode and Mayo's Film Review. "The Dark Knight" star added, "There haven't been any offers, obviously, for two years, because nobody's been making any movies I want to do. But also, I'm 88. There aren't exactly scripts pouring out with a leading man who's 88." However, he later confirmed he's not stepping away from the spotlight in a simple one-sentence tweet, using one of his most repeated movie lines. "I haven't retired and not a lot of people know that," so he clarified. WENN Celebrity The former U.S. Secretary of State has passed away at the age of 84 after suffering from complications following Covid-19 diagnosis despite being fully vaccinated. Oct 19, 2021 AceShowbiz - Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has died of COVID complications. The Republican politician, who helped shape U.S. foreign policy during the late 20th/early 21st century, was fully vaccinated against coronavirus, his family confirmed. They said in a statement, "General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19." "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American. (sic)" He was 84 years old. Powell, a highly decorated army officer who served in Vietnam, became the first Black national security adviser during the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency. He went on to become the youngest and first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush. Powell hit peak popularity in the mid-1990s following the U.S.-led coalition victory during the Gulf War and was hotly tipped to become the first Black President of the United States. However, his reputation faltered when, under Bush's leadership, he pushed faulty intelligence before the United Nations to advocate for the Iraq War. He later called the incident a "blot" on his record, reported CNN. He later grew disillusioned with the Republican Party's views and went on to help elect Democrats to the White House, most notably Barack Obama, the U.S.'s first Black President. Powell is survived by his wife, Alma Powell, whom he married in 1962, as well as three children. Let me tell you a little story. Nine years ago, Barack Obama won a second term in office, and there was talk of an emerging Democratic majority in presidential elections. Then came Donald Trump, the least liked major party nominee of all time, who won the 2016 election albeit without winning the popular vote. Now, there is talk of Democrats potentially being locked out of a Senate majority for a time to come because of trends in the electorate. I am skeptical of this -- at least over the long term. History tells us that parties adjust messaging and tend to find the best pathway to a majority, leaving this to be a 50/50 country on average. Political scientist David Hopkins articulates the idea of this nation being a 50/50 one well. He notes that since the 1980 elections, Democrats and Republicans have won control of the House, Senate and presidency about the same number of times. They have controlled all three for about the same time, including for the Democrats at this point. This shouldn't be surprising. As political analyst Sean Trende posited in the book "The Lost Majority," history is filled with examples of majorities falling apart and the parties coming in and out of power. The book was published before the 2012 elections and has held up quite well. Obama won a second term with a decent economy in 2012. Despite Trump being unpopular as he was, we saw the presidency change hands after 2016 as it often does when one party has been in the White House for more than a term. Then we saw a president lose in 2020 with a weak, though not terrible, economy and a pandemic unlike anything the country had experienced in more than a century. All of these election results were predicted to a fairly accurate degree by fundamentals based political science models. So why would the future be any different when it comes to the Senate? Well it comes down to two pretty simple points. First, Democratic power is more concentrated than Republican power in terms of geography. You can see this in the 2020 results with now-President Joe Biden reaching a clear majority in the Electoral College and popular vote, but only winning 25 states. Trump, on the other hand, took 30 states in 2016, despite losing the popular vote and winning with a similar number of electoral votes. Second, and this is key, presidential and Senate voting patterns are more closely aligned than at any point in recent history. Just one state (Maine in 2020) voted differently in the Senate and presidential races that were on the ballot in the last two presidential elections. And since each state has an equal number of senators, a nation that votes 50/50 in the popular vote on the presidential level will have more Republican senators over the long-term because that translates into winning more states. To be clear, the idea of Republicans having a structural advantage in the Senate isn't a new one. It's one I made in 2013 when I was trying to rebuff the talk of an emerging Democratic majority, which is why I take the point so seriously. But I'm not sure I was correct eight years ago. The thing I didn't take into account is that this hasn't been a 50/50 nation in the presidential popular vote over the last three decades. Democrats have earned more votes nationwide in seven of the previous eight presidential races. That's the most popular vote wins in eight presidential elections for either party since the Democratic Party was founded in the first half of the 19th century. Republicans, of course, have still managed to win three of the last eight presidential elections. Recently, the party has adjusted to win elections with fewer votes by having their votes are concentrated in the right places. This is something some Republicans note openly. Indeed, the nomination of Trump was a tacit acknowledgment of that strategy. You put someone on the presidential ticket whose support comes disproportionately from White voters without a college degree, which is a group that has a disproportionate amount of power in the Electoral College (in large part because of the Great Lake battleground states). In doing so, you're losing more voters overall, but allowing you to win with fewer votes because they're in the right places. Over the long term this has come out to being close to a wash in states won. Since 1992, Democrats have won 25.5 states in the median election. Republicans have won 24.5. On average, Democrats have won 25 states to Republicans 25. In the last three presidential elections, Democrats have won 25 states in the median election and 24 on average. I point out the last three because the strong correlation between presidential and Senate results really only started in the 2010s. If you play out these Senate elections over and over again, you'd probably end up with pretty equal power in the Senate between Democrats and Republicans assuming straight ticket voting between Senate and presidential voting. To be clear, this doesn't mean that Republicans won't end up winning the Senate more times than Democrats. If voters are prone to balancing power (which they usually do), Republicans will do well in midterms and that could carry over to more wins overall because only one-third of the Senate is up for election every presidential cycle. Republicans could easily take back control of the Senate in 2022, which I think is the most likely outcome. It's that the default isn't as pro-Republican as one might assume. I'll end by saying we have no idea if the current degree of straight ticket voting will stay the same, pick up or even shrink in years to come. We don't know what the coalitions will look like. Just like Trump came on the scene and exacerbated the educational divide, another candidate may change the electoral calculus in the future. Parties and their messages aren't stagnant. Just this past election, Biden actually performed better by a few points among White voters without a college degree than Hillary Clinton. At the same time, the gap between Whites and people of color (which used to be growing) shrunk, something I don't think most thought would happen given Trump's rhetoric. During the Biden presidency, that racial divide in voter preferences may be going down even more, as The Washington Post's Phillip Bump has called attention to. The bottom line is no one knows where voter opinion and election outcomes will go from here. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. CALIFORNIA - School walkouts happening across the state Monday over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate the governor laid out for school-aged children earlier this month. Many parents took their students out of school Monday to protest the mandate. Some parents and kids were out in front of Butte County Public Health in Oroville on Monday. In Redding, people are at the Riverbend Park protesting the vaccine mandate. The mandate will require all elementary through high schools students to get the COVID-19 vaccine once it gains final approval by the U.S. Government for different age groups. RELATED: Statewide school walkout against vaccine mandates happening tomorrow Parents at Butte County Public Health said this is the first of many protests and they want to put an end to the mandate now before it goes into effect. There was also a walkout in Alturas where the wet weather did not stop protestors to say no to the mandated vaccines for students. The protest in Alturas was peaceful and there were about 100 people and covered several blocks. Thousands of people were at the state Capitol protesting the mandate as California is the first state in the country to say it is going to require the COVID-19 vaccine for schoolchildren. The Associated Press contributed to this article. REDDING, Calif. - An investigation is underway after two people were injured after being hit by a vehicle near the Sundial Bridge on Friday night, according to the Redding Police Department. On Friday, the Redding Police Department responded to a report that two people were hit by a blue minivan near the south entrance of the Sundial Bridge. The minivan took off from the scene and officers learned it was intentional. 18-year-old Kaden Fritz and 18-year-old Kaden Metheny were with a group of friends on the Sundial Bridge when the group began to verbally antagonize 40-year-old Lawrence Williams who was under the bridge with 36-year-old Sarah Stimson. It quickly turned into a physical altercation that began between Williams and the group. Police said the group reportedly hit Williams in the head and kicked him while he was on the ground. Williams and Stinson took off in their vehicle that the group was standing in front of and throwing rocks at. When Williams and Stinson took off is when Fritz and Metheny were hit and sustained injuries. Fritz and Metheny are in stable condition. Williams also sustained injuries but police have not been able to contact Williams for the investigation. Police spoke with Stimson who provided a statement to officers. No arrests were made and the investigation is ongoing. BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - A statewide walkout against vaccine mandates in school will happen Monday. We spoke with several parents of students to see if they will participate in the walkout. Heidi Cummings, who lives in Chico, said this is a great way for students against the mandate to make a point. She does not think her daughter will participate in it though. I think she supports the walkout, but she doesnt want to leave school. I mean theyve been out of school so much and its so unsettled right now that she just wants to go and get her education," said Cummings. Autumn Avalos, who lives in Chico, believes everyone who is able to get the vaccine, should get it, so all students can be able to learn safely. "I personally dont believe that there should be a walkout because I believe pulling kids out of school is a detriment to them and their education," said Avalos. This walkout plans to affect elementary, middle and high schools as online fliers ask parents, teachers, professionals, students and all to unite to participate. Shasta County parents are planning for a walkout meet-up at Riverbend Park in Redding tomorrow. Mihir Jain is Sales and Marketing Director of Insight Cosmetics, a company started by his father Dinesh Jain as colour cosmetics manufacturing company in 1986. Having joined the company in 2016, Mihir Jain has been leading the operations in sales, Finance and Online division since 2017. Under Mihirs leadership, the company has managed to expand its business to multiple online platforms and has launched its own website. Under his leadership, the companys online division has seen a growth of 40% every quarter. He also introduced routine creative brainstorming about products, customer experience and safety in the company. What particular skill sets do you think you bring to the table? As a young MBA from SP Jain University, I came with new ideas and a new view on marketing. Insight Cosmetics was initially available only on retail counters across the country and the availability was limited. I came to Insight Cosmetics with a mindset to reach every consumer across India, regardless of the brands retail presence in the city. I joined Insight cosmetics with a vision to take the brand online and getting the brand onto the digital market space. Simultaneously, I focused on the product design and the packaging design when we launched any new product, especially on the digital platforms. The write-ups, the sneak peeks, the packaging, the countertop units, the font I focused on all the aspects before every new product launch. How did you join your current organisation? I initially planned to go the US to do my masters, but then I realised that the cosmetics market in India is entering a phase of evolution. I was interested in the marketing of cosmetics since the start. And I thought this was the perfect opportunity for me to bridge the gap between Insight Cosmetics marketing and digital presence. I wanted to take the company into the digital phase with a new look, design, and packaging. Having majored in finance, cost control was very important. I could ensure the new look of Insight Cosmetics did not affect its price nor quality. Icons in this field you look up to and how they have influenced you and your work? Ray Kroc, CEO of McDonalds. The way he visualised the marketing and placement of McDonalds is something even the founders could not envision. The way he grew the company into a global brand beyond just burgers shows that you do not need to have a unique product, but it is essential to scale at a fast pace so the world can see and experience your product. What are the five most productive things that you do in your everyday routine? Wake up early and exercise daily to keep myself healthy and fit. My schedule keeps me busy, so I ensure I make time for a quick exercise routine at the start of my day. Prioritise my work so I get important and difficult meetings done in the first half of my workday. Write my goals to achieve my daily, weekly, monthly goals. Writing them out helps me visually see what I have achieved and still need to work on. I take time out for self-care and brainstorm on new ideas, concepts, and ways to expand and reach new target markets. I achieve this by taking, what I call, a think week, a week off twice a year month just to step aside and see the bigger picture and how I can help Insight Cosmetics achieve that. Read many books on various topics, which helps me stay updated with current trends and allows me to learn from the trendsetters of the past. Do you think a career in this field is a viable one in the long term? The Indian cosmetics industry has a lot of scope for growth. It is one of the fastest-growing industries globally, which has just started to pick up pace in India in recent times. With the multiple IPO applications in the cosmetic sector, the industry will soon see a massive change in how it works. However, I want to add that only the companies that adapt to changing trends and mindsets will survive and succeed in the longer run. What does it take to succeed in a career? It is too early in my journey to advise someone else on their career. Its been just four years since I took up this role as Sales and Marketing Director for Insight cosmetics. However, if there was one suggestion I would give newcomers, it would be to be as persistent as possible. It is one of the biggest lessons that I have learnt from my father and my idol. When you have a business, you know something new every day, a new issue to solve, a unique solution, a new trend. The key is to stay persistent at your end goal. What would be your advice to youngsters planning to enter this industry? Personally, I feel anyone who enters the cosmetic industry should have in-depth knowledge about the product. The research done behind it, the ingredients used, why specific components work better together. They also need to be open to changing and evolving as the trends in the industry change. The cosmetic industry is growing fast in India, and if anyone wants to succeed in this industry, they must evolve with the times. Youngsters should take the risk and do something out of the box. The landscape of the cosmetics industry has changed drastically. They should make the most of that and show their abilities to the fullest. Lastly, it is essential to bring your visions to life. Simply thinking of solutions is not crucial; implementing them and bringing them to life is more important. Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself starting a new skincare centric brand, a sister brand for Insight Cosmetics. Simultaneously, I would like to bring Insight Cosmetics to an automated system to grow at the same pace without my active involvement personally. I would like to focus on fundraising and sales while the system and processes carry on daily operations. In my early 30s, I would like to invest in few sound companies with strong foundation and brands I believe in as an angel investor, expanding my knowledge and sharing all that I have learnt through my experiences. Bumble, the women-first dating app and social networking platform, announced a renewed commitment to support women leaders making positive change through its Moves Making Impact feature. To date, the company has donated and pledged over $1 million to Vital Voices and the women leaders featured within its app. We are so thrilled to introduce the next round of changemakers Bumble is supporting through our Moves Making Impact program, said Lisa Roman, Bumbles Vice President of Public Policy. As a company that has deep-rooted interest in empowering women globally, we want to continue giving Bumbles global community the unprecedented agency to make an impact on the issues and communities they care about most just by doing what they already do every day in Bumble: make the first move. Launched in 2019, Moves Making Impact is a product feature where Bumble gives back on behalf of every person who makes the first move on its app. Bumble users can choose one of three causes - human rights, womens health, or inclusive arts and culture - that they want to support through making the first move. The feature also allows people on Bumble to change the cause they prefer to support at any time while using the app. Bumbles renewed commitment to the Moves Making Impact program comes with direct monetary support of up to $60,000 for each woman leader with additional funding from the company over the next 12 months based on the number of first moves made on Bumble that are associated with their cause. The donations will be made to each woman through Vital Voices, a nonprofit that works with women leaders across the world. The Vital Voices leaders who are receiving this critical support from Bumble through the Moves Making Impact Program are changing our world and tackling the greatest challenges of our time, said Alyse Nelson, President and CEO at Vital Voices Global Partnership. We are grateful to Bumble for its long-term partnership and its commitment to investing in women leaders who use their power to empower, their courage to encourage, and their bold ideas to embolden others. The new group of women who are recipients of Bumbles Moves Making Impact initiative are: Cristina Sevilla is a human rights lawyer in the Philippines who has devoted her life to fighting for victims of gender-based violence. She founded Action Against Violence and Exploitation, Inc. (ACTVE) to advocate for policy reform and provide free legal aid to marginalized women and children. Dr. Vandana Kanth is a project director at Duncan Hospital in Bihar, India where she organizes programs to provide underserved communities with access to healthcare. Dr. Kanth's work goes far beyond basic public health she's also educating her community how mental health, socio-economic status, and gender play a role in health risk. Jacqueline Ngo Mpii made it her mission to show the world just how vibrant Afro-French culture is after her beloved neighborhood La Goutte dOr was declared a no-go zone by the international press in 2015. Through her company, Little Africa, Jacqueline provides a platform for entrepreneurs and artists from the African diaspora. Moves Making Impact is one of many social good ventures from Bumble. In the past year, Bumble contributed nearly $3 million to organizations worldwide that align with the companys mission of empowerment. This includes commitments made through the Bumble Fund, the Community Grant initiative that was created to support small businesses during the pandemic, and donations made in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and action against racism. Most recently, the company collaborated with UNICEF to help fund urgent COVID-19 relief programs in India and also partnered with local mental health organizations to give the people access to free and affordable mental health and wellness resources during the second wave of COVID-19 in India. After a spate of successful campaigns revolving around the ease of investing in cryptocurrencies, Indias safest crypto exchange, CoinDCX has now launched a Mega drive to address key concerns surrounding crypto investments amongst the Indian audience. Coined as Future Yahi Hai, this campaign will see leading Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana educate young Indians about crypto being Simple and Safe to invest. The kickoff ad to be released during the festive season will feature the actor taking a humorous yet informative approach on crypto. The idea to bring onboard a superstar like Ayushmann Khurrana comes into play to dismiss myths related to crypto. As a celebrity and role model for scores of Indians, Ayushmann Khurrana embodies the essence of a true achiever who has wowed the Indian masses with his talent across various spectrums of acting, singing, writing and television hosting throughout his career spanning nearly two decades. He comes across as a credible personality who is much loved by scores of Indians for his warm, effusive, and friendly demeanour. On being part of the campaign for CoinDCX, Ayushmann Khurrana added, Im delighted to be associated with CoinDCXs Future Yahi Hai Campaign which, in the truest sense, is an initiative to raise awareness about the rising asset class of crypto-based investments. Im impressed with CoinDCXs persistent endeavour to guide investors towards making educated and smart investments after thorough research. Ramalingam Subramanian, Head of Brand, Marketing and Communications, CoinDCX said, Ayushmann has always come across as being a friendly and credible personality who has a knack for connecting with both younger and older generations with his exemplary work. Our focus during this campaign will be to dispel the various myths surrounding crypto-based investing and breaking down the simple steps needed to enable anyone to start their crypto investment journey. We are delighted with our association with Ayushmann and look forward to a great association with one of Indias most-loved celebrities. With its Future Yahi Hai Campaign, CoinDCX continues with its approach of adopting a simple but engaging narrative to connect with both seasoned and new investors by demystifying crypto for everyone while developing an understanding of crypto-enabled financial services. Morepen Laboratories Limited, a leading healthcare company, roped in versatile performer and ace Indian actor, Boman Irani in an all-new brand campaign focused on the medical devices business. In its latest advertisement, he briefly guides about the benefits of having Dr.Morepens effective, accurate and handy home care devices. The medical devices are effortless unlike any other applications or gadgets, they can be used by following just few simple instructions to get accurate readings to keep ones health in check. Even elderly people, who need to use simple solutions, can rely on these devices and be rest assured that these devices are quick and easy to use, without any hassles. Monitoring health is the best precautionary measure to avoid complication and manage sound health. In the words of Mr. Boman Irani, Nowadays, its imperative to have healthcare devices like glucose monitor and blood pressure monitor also at home, besides having a thermometer. I consider this collaboration with Dr. Morepen a good opportunity to communicate how easy as well as important it is to self-monitor health. Dr. Morepens devices are user-friendly, quick and reliable. With the help of these devices, we may in fact add Health to our DIY lists, instead of depending on others! Morepen Laboratories is investing heavily in technology and mastering the process of home testing and make it convenient for the users to keep a tab on their vitals conveniently with help of latest digital devices that also stores and analyse the data for you. . Mr. Anubhav Suri, CEO of Medical Devices Business, stated, We are honored to have associated with legendary Bollywood star who has won many hearts for playing memorable characters in the film industry. The harsh pandemic has completely changed our perspective of health and safety, we have become more conscious about our choices and lifestyle to maintain well-being. Thus, we at Morepen are always focused on creating trouble-free technical solutions to help people to examine their health in safer and quicker ways. Our medical devices make it convenient for people to keep a record of their health in comfort of their houses. Mr. Boman Irani resonates and embodies the seriousness of this topic and rightfully shares insight in the latest ad. It gives us immense pride and satisfaction that Dr. Morepen products stand guard in every Indian home and not just takes care of family health but also the financial ruin that follows due to late detection of medical problem. A small investment in home diagnostics will act as an armour and protect your health. Mr. Sushil Suri, Chairman & Managing Director added, Our association with Mr. Irani is step forward to increase the reach and penetration of Medical Devices in India at a larger level and help our increase consciousness about the increasing menace of diabetes and cardiac disease which have entered fourth house in the country. We are confident that our association will go a long way in sending the message across the country through various channels To focus on the growth and big expansion plans of this fast-growing business segment, the shareholders of the company approved transferring the into a wholly subsidiary Morepen Devices Limited. The home monitoring market is currently US$ 25 billion and is expected to grow to US$ 50 billion in the next two years. There is an influx of medical devices that are aiding this transition, at the same time it is necessary to adapt to the changing environment as going to diagnostic centers might pose threat to the health. Educating the masses on the development is pivotal, and association with Indian cinema icon, Boman Irani will provide an additional boost. In line with the Bombay High Court order of June 30, 2021 with regard to New Tariff Order (NTO) 2.0, TV18 has revised its Reference Interconnection Offer (RIO), effective December 1, 2021. The broadcaster has revised its bouquet offering, which will not have the key GECs. Hindi GEC Colors and Kannada GEC Colors Kannada are being offered as a la carte and have been priced at Rs 21 each. Meanwhile, the other regional GECs are being offered as part of the bouquets Colors Family Packs which include Colors Marathi (MRP Rs 12), Colors Bangla (MRP Rs 8), Colors Odia (MPR Rs 6) and Colors Gujarati (MRP Rs 5). Kids channel Nickelodeon has been priced at Rs 7. Meanwhile, TV18 also announced that it is converting its Hindi movies channel, Colors Cineplex Bollywood from free to air (FTA) to pay channel, and the MRP of the channel has been kept at a nominal 10 paise. The conversion will be effective December 1, 2021. Pepperfry, India's no.1 furniture and home products marketplace, announces the appointment of Piyush Agarwal as the Head of Supply Chain. In his new role, Piyush will be responsible for leading the next phase of growth in Pepperfrys supply chain agenda across the country. His appointment is effective immediately and will be based out of Pepperfry House, Mumbai. Piyush has close to a decade long experience in supply chain functions across various verticals like materials, planning, operations, inventory management, warehousing, forecasting & transportation. Previously, he was associated with Colgate Palmolive where he was instrumental in leading large scale warehousing projects. His knowledge in operations and associated complexities is unparalleled. A Computer Engineer, Piyush is also an alumnus of NITIE where he pursued MBA in Supply Chain. Commenting on the appointment, Ashish Shah, Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer, Pepperfry said, I am delighted to welcome Piyush as the Head of our Supply Chain. We have built Indias first and largest big-box logistics network specializing in furniture distribution and have mastered the art through first-hand experience in the category. Today we have a reach that is unparalleled and provide an experience that is world class. Piyushs appointment is to further strengthen our capabilities and beef up our distribution as we look to significantly expand our reach going ahead and offer our services to more clients in the space. I wish him great success in his new assignment. Piyush Agarwal said, Pepperfry has exhibited disruptive growth over the years and has displayed exceptional abilities in building a highly specialized supply chain for big boxes. I am thrilled to join the team and look forward to making this domain the strongest pillar of growth going forward. With the largest warehouse network, 40 distribution centres, 100+ experience centers, Pepperfry caters to 15,000+ pin codes in 500+ cities across the country. Pepperfrys Mumbai fulfilment facility is Indias largest furniture warehouse and one of a kind ISO certified WH for ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001. The company has an inhouse fleet of 400 delivery vehicles and more than 1500 staff who make deliveries and assemblies across 500+ cities every day. With the use of advanced technology and innovative warehousing techniques backed with solid logistics infrastructure, Pepperfry today boasts of the lowest damage rates and fastest delivery of products across the country. Going ahead, the company is looking to offer the Fulfilment Services to other furniture and large item businesses in India. Recent times have transformed the manner in which content is consumed and created. As audiences worldwide migrate to the digital world, they are ever more eager to explore a myriad of formats to consume content across multiple channels. Effectively, there has been a significant rise in audio content, leading to the growth of podcast consumption in India. Taking this thought ahead, Sakal Media Group has joined hands with Ideabrew Studios, one of Indias fastest growing podcasts companies to launch a multi-genre line-up of podcasts. The launch is in line with Sakal Media Groups objective to expand their digital foray and create newer avenues to reach out to newer, younger and digital-first audiences. The line-up will feature varied podcast content covering news, inspirational stories, sports, general news trivia, and many more. It includes Sakalchya Batmya, which will provide daily dose of news showcasing the Top 10 news of the day; IPL Run-Sangram, an IPL-focused show with daily previews and reviews of the matches; Lakshya Asta Maaza, a news-commentary podcast hosted by Prasann Joshi; and Inspiring Stories, a show focused on sharing motivational stories about people who have had to face struggles to make it big in their fields. Under the association, Ideabrew Studios will create, produce, distribute, and monetize podcast content for Sakal Media Group. Talking about the association, Stefanie Maria Feicht, Head of Platform - Content, Sakal Media Group said, As we begin a new chapter for us at Sakal Media, we are glad to associate with one of the leading platforms for podcasts. Ideabrew will be instrumental in giving shape to our audio shows through their insights and industry expertise. With the association, we want to explore newer avenues to reach out to audiences by being present on the platforms where our target audience are consuming content. Adding on, Swapnil Malpathak, Head of Digital Business, Sakal Media Group said, With the listeners consuming content through different platforms, we wanted to expand our digital footprint and also our offerings. Our various offerings feature eminent industry experts, who, through their insightful conversations, aid in inculcating a sense of innovation and motivation amongst the people. Speaking on the collaboration with Sakal Media, Aditya Kuber, CEO, Ideabrew Studios said, At Ideabrew, our vision is to create content that appeases the listener and benefits the brand. Sakal Group aims to inform people and elevate the brand to newer heights through digital avenues. The podcasts offer multi-genre content, right from daily news to IPL trivia to inspiring stories, while also getting experts on-board for the listeners. We are excited to partner with Sakal Media and this is just the start. Sakal Daily is the one of the most widely-read Marathi language newspapers in Maharashtra. Digitally, esakal.com is one of the most-visited Marathi news websites globally. These podcasts are available onall audio platforms including Spotify, JioSaavn, Gaana, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Prime Music, Wynk, Hungama, Epic ON and over 50 other platforms globally. General Secretariat of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications; General Secretariat DETEC Bern, 18.10.2021 - Switzerland today signed a bilateral agreement with Georgia on climate protection. Similar agreements already exist with Peru, Ghana and Senegal. They allow Switzerland to count emission reductions achieved in these countries towards its own reduction target. Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga stressed: With these agreements, we have created a standard for international climate projects that respects human rights and nature. Under the Paris Climate Agreement, Switzerland has committed itself to halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. This goal remains in place despite the rejection of the revised CO2 Act. Switzerland will achieve this primarily through domestic measures. However, according to the Paris Agreement, it may also support climate projects abroad in order to achieve its climate goals. Switzerland can count the emission reductions achieved there towards its national reduction target. Switzerland has already concluded such agreements with Peru, Ghana and Senegal. Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga and Georgian Environment Minister Levan Davitashvili signed the bilateral agreement between Georgia and Switzerland in Bern today. It is due to come into force later this year and will enable the development of a national support programme for energy efficiency in buildings. The many years of experience from the Swiss Buildings Programme will be of particular benefit in that respect. Well-insulated houses and efficient heating systems reduce CO2 emissions. This will help protect the climate, and people will also benefit from these measures, said Federal Councillor Sommaruga. Address for enquiries Harald Hammel, DETEC Communications, harald.hammel@gs-uvek.admin.ch; Tel. +41 58 463 12 74 Publisher General Secretariat of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications; General Secretariat DETEC https://www.uvek.admin.ch/uvek/en/home.html Federal Office for the Environment FOEN http://www.bafu.admin.ch/en Paul Scherrer Institut Villigen, 18.10.2021 - Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have identified a chemical compound that may be suitable as an active agent against several different unicellular parasites. Among these are the pathogens that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis. The point of attack for this promising substance is the protein tubulin: It helps cells divide and therefore is essential for the multiplication of the parasites. The study appears today in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine. The idea behind this approach comes from tumour research: Blocking the protein tubulin in cancer cells prevents the cells from dividing successfully and thus also from multiplying. Physicians have long been applying this principle successfully in chemotherapy and administering tubulin-inhibiting substances to patients. PSI researchers Natacha Gaillard and Ashwani Sharma from the Laboratory of Biomolecular Research have now extended this concept to unicellular parasites, including the pathogens that cause malaria (Plasmodium sp.) and toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii). Their cells, too, need tubulin for cell division. "If this protein no longer works the way it is supposed to, it hits the parasite hard," says researcher Ashwani Sharma. "That makes tubulin a good point of attack for drugs. The protein has been known for a long time in tumour research, but until now it hasn't gotten much attention in parasitology." The pathogens that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis are counted among the apicomplexa, a group of single-celled eukaryotic parasites. Their cells possess a true cell nucleus, and they go through both sexual and asexual phases of reproduction. Apicomplexa use humans or animals as hosts or intermediate hosts. Every year, many millions of people are afflicted by the infectious diseases they cause. Searching for points of attack All eukaryotes, from amoebae to humans, produce the protein tubulin. In the form of long filaments, it spans the cells as a kind of scaffolding. From this, a so-called spindle apparatus forms during cell division that pulls the chromosomes apart and distributes them to two daughter cells. From one organism to another, the protein differs in just a few places, but these differences can potentially be important. For scientists to find active agents against the protein specific to eukaryotic unicellular parasites and thus block it, the precise structure of the protein must be known. So PSI researchers isolated tubulin from cells of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. "Its protein is virtually identical to that in apicomplexa," explains scientist Natacha Gaillard. "And that saves us from having to work with malaria pathogens in the laboratory." Using the Swiss Light Source SLS and electron microscopy, the researchers deciphered the molecular structure of the protein. They then searched for a chemical compound capable of inhibiting the protein. A substance data bank yielded five candidates as potential active agents in the laboratory, one chemical compound proved effective. The researchers named it parabulin. "It prevents tubulin from forming long, stable protein filaments. Thus it also blocks successful cell division," Gaillard says. Parabulin blocks the protein exactly at the place analogous to where cancer drugs dock in human tubulin. Hope for future medicine PSI's cooperation partners at the University of California in Irvine, USA, tested the compound on Toxoplasma gondii in human cells. And in fact, the parasite was practically incapable of reproducing any more. In contrast, parabulin had virtually no effect on human cells. "That is a good sign: The substance apparently acts only on the tubulin of the parasite a basic requirement to be able to use it as a drug against infectious diseases," Sharma explains. The assumption is that parabulin works not only against Toxoplasma gondii, but also against all representatives of the apicomplexa, including the malaria pathogen. PSI has now filed a patent and plans to continue testing parabulin in the laboratory, with the aim of later developing it into a drug with the help of the pharmaceutical industry. The study appears today in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine. Text: Paul Scherrer Institute/Brigitte Osterath About PSI The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI develops, builds and operates large, complex research facilities and makes them available to the national and international research community. The institute's own key research priorities are in the fields of matter and materials, energy and environment and human health. PSI is committed to the training of future generations. Therefore about one quarter of our staff are post-docs, post-graduates or apprentices. Altogether PSI employs 2100 people, thus being the largest research institute in Switzerland. The annual budget amounts to approximately CHF 400 million. PSI is part of the ETH Domain, with the other members being the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, as well as Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology), Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) and WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research). Original publication N. Gaillard, A. Sharma, I. Abbaali, T. Liu, F. Shilliday, A.D. Cook, V. Ehrhard, A.J. Roberts, C.A. Moores, N. Morrissette, M. Steinmetz, 18 October 2021 (online)https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.15252/emmm.202013818 Address for enquiries Dr. Mirjam van Daalen Head of Communications Paul Scherrer Institute CH-5232 Villigen PSI Phone: +41 56 310 56 74 mirjam.vandaalen@psi.ch Publisher Paul Scherrer Institut Paul Scherrer Institut Villigen, 18.10.2021 - An international team with participation of the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI shows how light can fundamentally change the properties of solids and how these effects can be used for future applications. The researchers summarise their progress in this field, which is based among other things on experiments that can also be carried out at the Swiss X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL, in the scientific journal Reviews of Modern Physics. The researchers, including Simon Gerber Head of the Quantum Technologies Group at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, just publish an article in the prestigious Reviews of Modern Physics, and explore how light can fundamentally alter the properties of solids and how these effects can be harnessed in future applications. The review on the latest developments in ultrafast materials science is both meant as a guide for graduate students entering the field as well as a standard reference for the community. In addition to PSI researcher Simon Gerber, it was written by MPSD group leaders James McIver and Michael Sentef as well as Dante Kennes from RWTH Aachen University, Alberto de la Torre (Brown University, USA) and Martin Claasen (University of Pennsylvania, USA). The team discusses experiments and theoretical ideas for how solids react to excitations with short laser pulses or the coupling of light and matter during irradiation with light. A piece of material, when left alone, is usually in thermal equilibrium and governed by the laws of thermodynamics, in which a few known external conditions (such as temperature, pressure) fully determine its behavior. However, many practical applications require the knowledge not only of the equilibrium state of a given material, but also of its excitations. "If we could design excited states at will, this would allow us to create new applications, for instance in high-speed information processing and storage, lossless energy transfer, and quantum technologies," explains Simon Gerber. Like a second compared to the age of the universe In recent years, the field of pump-probe experiments has seen tremendous progress. In these experiments , which can be carried out at the Swiss X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL, a short pump laser pulse drives a material into an excited state. Stroboscopic probe' measurements then create stop-action movies of the ensuing dynamics. "Thanks to technical developments, scientists can now exert control over electrons, their spin and orbital degrees of freedom, and the crystal lattice of ions,", says Michael Sentef. "Importantly, we are able to track these controlled states of matter with a time resolution of femtoseconds." One femtosecond is an incredibly small amount of time. It is to one second what one second is to the age of the universe. To review this rapidly growing field, the scientists formed a team involving both experimentalists de la Torre, McIver and Gerber and theorists Claassen, Kennes and Sentef. "We believe that it is vitally important to identify unifying themes of how we can control materials with light, and to push towards applications," says Dante Kennes. Simon Gerber highlights the novel aspect that different probing techniques can be combined to learn about different parts of a dynamical system at the same time. "When you hit a material with a laser, the electrons get pushed around and the ions that form the crystal lattice start to move at the same time," he explains. "Unlike in thermal equilibrium, where there is always a balance between these different constituents of a system, the laser can disrupt this balance, leading to nonequilibrium states where energy flows within the material in sometimes unexpected ways. It is invaluable to learn about how the different parts react to the external driving force but also to each other. For instance, we have learned about the mutual forces between electrons and ions by monitoring both of their dynamics simultaneously." Such new insights pave the way for future work, adds Sentef: "The knowledge gleaned for instance allows us to better understand which forces pair electrons to create better superconductors, materials that conduct electricity without heat losses and make for fantastic magnets." Inspiration through the combination of theory and practice "New experimental capabilities also stimulate theoretical ideas, which in turn motivate experimentalists to look for ways to realize those ideas," says Martin Claassen. "For instance, around ten years ago theorists proposed changing a materials topology a quantum-mechanical property which can lead to dissipationless transport along its edges while being insulating in the bulk by shining light on it. This is called Floquet engineering after the French mathematician who invented a formalism to describe dynamical systems which are driven by forces that oscillate in real time." The resulting Floquet topological states were only recently measured in an experiment led by James McIver. "We had to invent and build a whole new experiment to achieve that," he says. "In our review, we stress the synergies that are created when theory and experiment go hand in hand. We believe that the field is now ripe to move from discoveries of new effects in laser-driven materials towards harnessing these effects for potential technologies." De la Torre adds: "One way to achieve this is to make use of material growth techniques in order to design samples with desired equilibrium and excited states. These can then be controlled by short laser pulses. This is clearly a team effort, driven both by experimental progress and theoretical understanding, and we hope that our review can help form an even stronger community and attract particularly young researchers to join this scientific journey." Text based on a communication from the Max-Planck-Institut fur Struktur und Dynamik der Materie About PSI The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI develops, builds and operates large, complex research facilities and makes them available to the national and international research community. The institute's own key research priorities are in the fields of matter and materials, energy and environment and human health. PSI is committed to the training of future generations. Therefore about one quarter of our staff are post-docs, post-graduates or apprentices. Altogether PSI employs 2100 people, thus being the largest research institute in Switzerland. The annual budget amounts to approximately CHF 400 million. PSI is part of the ETH Domain, with the other members being the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, as well as Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology), Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) and WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research). Original publication Alberto de la Torre, Dante M. Kennes, Martin Claassen, Simon Gerber, James W. McIver, Michael A. Sentef, 14.10.2021 (online)DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/RevModPhys.93.041002 Address for enquiries Dr. Mirjam van Daalen Head of Communications Paul Scherrer Institute CH-5232 Villigen PSI Phone: +41 56 310 56 74 mirjam.vandaalen@psi.ch Publisher Paul Scherrer Institut One headteacher was quoted saying, We are at crisis point. It is heartbreaking to always be talking about budgets when someone comes to you asking for a new set of picture books." A poll of London schools found 28 per cent have made cuts this year and 35 per cent expect they will be forced to do the same next year. The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), which carried out the research, said the crisis is a result of 10 years of underfunding. The piece revealed that more than a quarter of headteachers [are] having to make cuts to balance their budgets. On October 7, 2021 there was an article in the Evening Standard that actually called the situation a funding crisis. Occasionally there is a really concerning story about what more and more disabled students are costing local governments. No one has any long-term interest in pursuing this, however. Actually it really doesnt matter because there are always the educators and county officials who are all excited and positive sounding about multi-millions in special ed spending. Invariably these stories contain phrases like growing need and increasing demand, that no one ever bothers to explain. By Anne Dachel Almost every day British news sites announce yet another new school for special needs kids who cannot be educated in mainstream schools. The cost of special ed is a big part of the picture. Funding for children with special educational needs has been particularly badly impacted by under-investment, schools said. Headteachers in London were questioned by the NAHT for its funding survey, which also revealed nearly one-third of school leaders predict a deficit budget in 2021-22. Almost all (95 per cent) of headteachers said funding for pupils with special educational needs in their school is insufficient. The Department of Education responded to all this by saying they are providing billions more in funding. This Government is providing the biggest uplift to school funding in a decade 14 billion in total over the three years. This is a 7.1 billion [$9.7B] increase in funding for schools compared to 2019-20. No matter how big the funding increases are, they are never big enough. A brief piece from a Hertfordshire in southern England showed how this is all playing out. Liberal Democrat Councillors have expressed concern and disappointment in the 5.5m [$7.5M] slippage of vital special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) capital spend from the current year. Readers were told, Given the continuing increase in demand for education, health and care plans (ECHP) and the councils failure to deliver for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), it is shocking that HCC has not expedited this much needed expenditure to provide essential facilities for young people with SEND across Hertfordshire. That is, of course, the given in all these stories. THERE IS INCREASED DEMAND. That is always the given. Its the situation we need to deal with, no questions asked. Likewise a story on October 8th from Bedfordshire in SE England showed the impact of rising demand. The county council there has no school places for 52 special needs students. They said they were at rock bottom. A mother cited in the piece talked about how she has battled for four years for help for her autistic son. Meanwhile there seems to be no end in sight to the number of special schools opening in England, and people couldnt be happier about it. How could anything be really wrong here when were told how amazing it is and how excited everyone is? These are the stories I found over the past week. (And Im sure I missed a few.) Luton: (E. England) New special secondary school for 120 students opened. The Creating Tomorrow Trust and Luton Borough Council (LBC) worked together on the school due to the increased demand for secondary for children and young people with SEND. The town's three other special schools were full, so Windmill Hill School provides much-needed extra capacity in Luton. Kevin Latham, Chief Executive Office, Windmill Hill School, added: We are both excited and privileged in equal measures to be given the opportunity to work with Luton Council to develop a high-quality provision that compliments the current fantastic special schools in Luton. Pembrokeshire: (SW of Wales) Here the council has allotted more funds for special schools. A report to members by the director of education and the director of resources will recommend investment of 20.3m [$28M] at Portfield School, which provides education for pupils with statements of special educational needs aged between three and 19. It will also recommend investment of 18.2m [$25M] at the Neyland site of the Pembrokeshire Learning Centre, which provides education for pupils aged between 11 and 16 with complex needs Portsmouth: (S. central England) A story announced a new preschool for children who need additional support along with more special needs places at two other schools. It follows Portsmouth City Council making funds available to help 21 mainstream schools in the city to become even more inclusive for children with special needs. Wisbech: (E. England) Local D of E is searching for a site for a special needs school. The work with the sponsor for the 60 place social, emotional and mental health school, which will share the Barton Road site with the proposed secondary school, is progressing well and is still on track to be delivered by September 2023. Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales: The local county council is looking into building a new special school (in addition to the four they currently have serving a total of 600 students) to cope with increasing pupil numbers. The increases are ongoing, and not only are there more special needs students, but their disabilities are more complexsomething that needs to be explained, but never is. The cabinet report said there had been a consistent increase in learner numbers in both Ysgol Hen Felin and Ysgol Ty Coch with the former going up from 169 back in 2016/2017 to 191 in September of this year and Ysgol Ty Coch increasing from 137 in 2016/2017 to 185 this year. The report said it was not just the increasing numbers that needed to be catered for but it was also the increase in the complexities of the childrens needs and the staffing numbers required to meet need. The report also said it seemed inevitable that the number of pupils would continue to grow over the next five to 10 years with options to extend the current sites now limited. The cabinet report said the only feasible alternative was to build a brand new provision on a new site, growing the special school provision within the county borough and increasing the number of special schools from four to five. The report said: The benefits to the council will include financial benefits in terms of cost avoidance in relation to very costly out of county placements for learners with the most complex medical and health needs. Councillor Joy Rosser, the cabinet member for education, said the number of pupils at special schools in RCT had risen from 483 in 2014 to 600 this year, an increase of 24%. She also said that there had been an increase in the complexity of need as well as the numbers of pupils. On councillor called all this, excellent news. Eastbourne: (SE England) Plans set for a new special school to open in 2022. The new school will create 135 local school places for children aged five16 with autism, complex learning and medical needs, according to a Morgan Sindall Construction spokesperson. Harlow: (SE England) New special school for 64 students and 15 residential ones proposed. Spalding: (E. England) $9.8M project to expand special ed services This extension will cater for 58 primary school students and 69 secondary school students, with an overall capacity of 127 students. Its part of a $117M investment in special ed in Lincolnshire so the county doesnt have to pay the exorbitant cost of outsourcing special ed services. Northumberland: (N. England) The local special school is relocating to cope with a steady upward trend in demand for places Theres more autism. Some of the key issues highlighted include the number of children and young people in Northumberland who have been diagnosed with autism, said Sue Aviston, the county councils head of school organisation and resources. Yorkshire: (N. England) A new special school for 100 students is in the works. Things are going to get far worse: a 24 percent increase in the next five years is predicted. There are currently 3,574 children in North Yorkshire with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, which is a 102 per cent increase on the same point in 2015. That number is expected to rise by 24 per cent over the next five years to 4,225 children and young people in 2026. The greatest areas of increase are in pupils identified with communication and interaction needs and children identified with social, emotional and mental health needs. Northern Ireland: There is a severe lack of services for children with dyslexia in the six counties there. The EA also revealed that almost 200 children were currently on a waiting list for "direct intervention" support for their dyslexia. We were told that special services were under considerable strain and not delivering as they need be because of the increasing number of pupils with special educational needs, including children with dyslexia. EA officials later agreed that the data on the prevalence of dyslexic pupils "isn't as informative as we'd want it to be at this present time". Cynthia Currie, from the EA, said that it was "difficult to pinpoint exactly" the number of schoolchildren in Northern Ireland who had dyslexia. But she said that Department of Education census data indicated that "over 9,300 children have been listed as dyslexia or specific literacy difficulties" in the 2020/21 school year. She said that 1,621 children had a statement of SEN where dyslexia was named as a primary or additional special need. Yorkshire: Another story from N. Yorkshire laments the lack of residential places for children with autism. The county council is proposing to expand a reasidential school there. The story left us with this chilling statement: The number of children with complex needs relating to Autism Spectrum Disorder is expected to continue to grow over the coming years. Twickenham: (SW London) New elem school for 28 special needs kids has opened. One of the councillors explained it this way: There is an increased recognition of the need to ensure that young people who have speech, learning and communication difficulties are being properly managed within the education system. With the increased demand for specialist schools, We are always looking to see where we can expand the provisions that were making. The headteacher said things were great and fantastic. Salisbury: (S. central England) New autism school is scheduled to open. SAIL Academy will provide 150 places for children and young people with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC) and for those with social and emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) One official said he was extremely proud and things were great and exciting. Shaftesbury: (About 20 miles away from Salisbury) a new special school has a new principal. The school will open in 2022 with plans to grow to around 280 students over the next five years. This is being done to meet growing needs. Dorset Council took the step of securing the extensive site to meet the growing need for more high-quality special education provision. The new school is part of the councils wider 37.5 million [$52M] plan to improve the lives of Dorset children with SEND. More provision is also being created at existing special and mainstream schools. One councillor said he was delighted and proud of how things were going. This is what Ive found from just over one week in the British press. Next week will be more of the same. I cannot explain why there is no national alarm or even just concern over whats happening. There has to be a reason why demand is always increasing and never enough funding. I also cant explain why there is almost nothing in the American news about the impact of increasing special needs students. It seems our only concern is COVID at the moment. Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism. She has created a memorial website that catalogs the demise of education around the world: Loss of Brain Trust. SIMPSON, Ill. It was a radical idea, planting seeds directly into unworked soil so radical no machine existed that did such a thing. So Donnie Morris made one. Morris, who spent his 35-year career as a mechanic at the University of Illinois Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, cobbled together various parts to make what may have been the first no-till planter in 1966. The late University of Illinois soil scientist George McKibben, who along with a handful of others had been researching no-till since the early 1960s, struggled to come up with an efficient means of testing out the new cropping method. Initial efforts included using a screwdriver to punch holes in the ground and insert seeds individually by hand, but that was never going to be a long-term solution. So he and Morris developed a machine that would allow planting on a larger scale. After trying some changes on conventional planters, it was apparent that that route wasnt going to get us a good no-till planter, said Morris, 87, who still lives on the Pope County farm where he grew up. I made a different back wheel that was heavier. But it wouldnt pull the ground back together. The problem was getting the seed in the ground. The lightweight planters designed for worked-up dirt wouldnt penetrate sod. The breakthrough came with the creation of what Morris calls a cutter-packer wheel to use on the single-row planter. It was probably nearly a foot in diameter, he said. I put a coulter blade on the side of it. This blade was about 3 inches bigger than the wheel. I put it on a pivot that you could adjust the angle of it. You could adjust the height of it in relation to the opener runner. While much is still unknown about what tax changes may or may not be included in any Congressional tax legislation this year, it appears most of the scary stuff for farmers is off the table as the country heads toward Halloween. What has come to light is that a lot of rural lawmakers listened to their constituents and came to the conclusion there was a lack of support for some of the proposed changes to the tax system, says Kristine Tidgren, director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State University. To be clear, as of last week, Congress had not passed any changes to the tax system. Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., have been in negotiations over spending and tax bills throughout the summer and fall and thus far they have not reached agreement. But the most dramatic changes that were put on the table last spring appear to be off the table now, Tidgren says, and that shows that both Democrats and Republicans in rural areas have had an impact on the proposals. President Joe Biden campaigned on the ideas of investing in infrastructure, recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and revising the tax code. Early in 2021, he and Democrats in Congress pushed through a COVID-19 relief bill, but his broad proposals to revise the tax code and spend large amounts of money on infrastructure ran into early roadblocks, and some of the tax code ideas sent farmers and landowners into a state of near-panic. One of the biggest of those items was a proposal that would have effectively eliminated stepped-up basis. Last week, a study by Dr. William Doyle, from the Caesar Rodney Election Research Institute, that appeared in The Federalist presented some startling discoveries pertaining to the presidential election of 2020. The study revealed that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan donated nearly $419 million to nonprofit originations that aided in the administration and infrastructure of the 2020 election. These donations were specifically made to The Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) and The Center for Election Innovation and Research (CEIR). These organizations claimed to be both non-partisan and non-profit. However, there is a lot more here than meets the eye. How did the CTCL and CEIR use their funds? To begin with, the CTCL actively lobbied for the promotion of universal mail-in voting and extending deadlines that favored mail-in over in-person voting using COVID-19 as a reason. This probably contributed to most states changing their rules around voting, with nine states and the District of Columbia sending mail-in ballots to all active registered voters. In the end, a record-breaking 64 million Americans cast their ballots by mail during the 2020 presidential election. Mail-in ballots inherently compromise the confidentiality and integrity of votes. Federal laws clearly restrict partisans and activists from making overt political displays or indulging in coercion or intimidation, or even asking voters whom they voted for, anywhere near polling stations on Election Day. However, these laws do not apply to mail-in ballots. This is where CTCL and CEIR saw an enormous window of opportunity. CTCL/CEIR funded activists in Wisconsin, who euphemistically called themselves "vote navigators." Their job was to "assist voters, potentially at their front doors, to answer questions, to assist in ballot curing and witness absentee ballot signatures." Wisconsin went to Biden by a narrow margin. They also funded a temporary staffing agency affiliated with Stacey Abrams called "Happy Faces" to assist in counting votes amid the election-night chaos in Fulton County, Georgia. Georgia also went to Biden by a narrow margin. CTCL also promoted the practice of unmonitored private drop boxes for ballots, which are vulnerable to myriad fraudulent practices such as ballot-stuffing. They also allowed the inclusion of numerous questionable postElection Day ballots. CTCL increased funding for temporary staffing and poll workers all over the country, which led to Democrat activists infiltrating election offices and vote-counting stations. In the end, all of this yielded huge benefits for the Democrats. CTCL funded 25 cities and counties with $1 million or higher grants in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, totaling $87.5million in grants. Biden won 23 of those jurisdictions in the election. It is amply clear that battleground states, specific cities, and counties across the country were surgically targeted to affect the results of the election. The study also showed that counties that Biden won were three times more likely to get funding from the above organizations than Trump ones. It is now perfectly obvious why Biden's handlers chose to keep him in his basement. They knew that their proxies were working tirelessly to rig the outcome such that he didn't need to shed a drop of sweat. U.S. elections already have very serious issues pertaining to campaign financing. It is legal for private individuals and organizations to donate millions of dollars to finance electoral campaigns. This functions as a legal form of bribery. NASCAR drivers with endorsement stickers attached all over them is a symbolic representation of an elected candidate funded by big donors. The elected representative obviously fulfills obligations to his big donors first, including voting for certain bills and endorsing certain projects. The consequences of his actions may be disastrous for his voters, who pay his salary with their tax money. But the candidate is more concerned about the same big donors funding his re-election campaign. This grave problem was compounded when, for the first time, private donations were made and accepted for government-run election administration and infrastructure. We therefore have private individuals who are not content merely buying candidates; they also want to buy the entire electoral process. To put things in perspective, Zuckerberg's contributions nearly matched the federal and state funding for COVID-19-related election expenses, which totaled $479.5 million during the 2020 election. A perfect example is the state of Wisconsin, which Biden won, where the Legislature gave the city of Green Bay, a Democrat-heavy area, roughly $7 per voter to manage the election. But CTCL boosted resources in Green Bay to $47 per voter. Similar disparities were found in Detroit, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Flint, Dallas, and Houston, all of which received large grants from CTCL. Funding and managing elections must strictly be a government function because government employees are, at least on paper, subject to accountability and transparency. If matters go awry, they are compelled to submit themselves for investigations and hearings. Private individuals or enterprises have no such obligations. They donate and leave it to their proxies to do the dirty work. The conducting of free and fair elections trusted by every citizen is the hallmark and the foundation of a thriving democracy. The fact that Zuckerberg's donations were not rejected by government bodies is proof that democratic values are gradually eroding and are being replaced by a subtle form of totalitarianism. There will be elections, and you will be able to vote, but the outcome will have been decided already by a few wealthy and powerful individuals. They bend rules and regulations to facilitate the desired outcome. Conducting audits of these votes may not lead to the discovery of many discrepancies because the votes are probably genuine. It is just that the circumstances that led to the choice are compromised. With so much time, money, and effort involved, it isn't beyond the realm of possibility that master forgers may also be employed to make it impossible to differentiate between real and bogus votes. This story should have hit headlines across newspapers and should have been debated on each and every TV news show. When the government is compromised, it is the media that should be the watchdog and make enough noise to compel the government to take action. The current mainstream media are not compromised. They are instead a department of the Democrat party. When they see a story such as this, they either spin it or disparage it and dismiss it as a "right-wing conspiracy theory." Finally, they bury it. Since most people are casual consumers of the news, they probably never discover these shocking facts. It is left to the Republicans to fix the situation. Thus far, they have made all the right noises. "Are our elections for sale? Did Zuckerberg purchase the Wisconsin presidential election?" asked Kentucky senator Rand Paul. Florida governor Ron DeSantis blasted Zuckerberg and touted new election laws he recently signed into law as a ban on "Zuckerbucks" in Florida. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said: "I continue to question whether Mark Zuckerberg's highly partisan 2020 election spending was even legal." The question is, will these words be backed by actions to investigate the extent of voter fraud and to prevent it from ever occurring again? We must be cautiously optimistic! Image: Anthony Quintaine via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. In the last couple of weeks, concerns about the nations education system have become a major factor in the Virginia gubernatorial election. Democratic Virginia candidate Terry McAuliffe launched what National Review called a War on Parents when he emphatically told voters, I dont think parents should be telling schools what they should teach. Lending impact to his declaration, McAuliffe stated, Im not going to let parents come into schools and actually take books out and make their own decisions. McAuliffes attitude flies in the face of expert opinion. There is agreement across the board that parents who are actively involved in their childrens learning give them the best opportunity for success in school and in life. The technology app Entelechy, with the logo, The Realization of Potential, lists 18 reasons preventing U.S. education from being preeminent; number one on their list is Parents are not involved enough. The National PTA states unequivocally that the most accurate predictors of student achievement in school are not family income or social status, but the extent to which the family... becomes involved in the childs education at school. In short, parental involvement in education leads to greater student success and increased confidence, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, or parents level of education. The attitude that education is the exclusive preserve of the federal educational bureaucracy and elites is a pivotal issue in the upcoming Virginia election; worse its a major reason for the failures of American education. Years ago, a young friend began working for the U.S. Department of Education. On his first day, as he tried to go in the main entrance, he discovered a handwritten sign, The door be broke. That long-ago note, sadly, describes education in America today -- our public schools are decidedly broken. No wonder school choice has become such a hot-button issue. No wonder more than one-third of the nations students have left public schools for private education. No wonder the number of children being homeschooled has increased so dramatically -- up from around 3% before COVID to now around 11%. No wonder Charter Schools (publicly funded schools that operate like private schools) are popular; Statista 2021 reports that there are nearly 7,500 Charter Schools in the U.S. Despite federal programs like No Child Left Behind and spending more on education than any other country in the world (an average of $16,268 per student in 2018), the United States lags behind many of the other advanced industrial nations in terms of achievement. Every four years since 1995, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) has measured students at the 4th- and 8th-grade levels. The latest IEA report, 2019, shows America, once again, in the middle, largely because of the gap between top-and bottom-performing students. Far too many students are slipping through the cracks of our broken educational system. Why? They explained that weve recognized the socioeconomic disadvantages faced by struggling students, but we sometimes we overlook the problems of middle and upper-class students whose parents careers and interests cause their lack of involvement. Its a given that education makes a significant, measurable difference in a persons future employment, earnings, and life success. A report by Princeton University and the Brookings Institution estimates that a high-school dropout will earn nearly a quarter of a million dollars less over his lifetime than a high school graduate that completes no further education. Over a lifetime, that makes a significant income difference. If the weak academic standards werent enough cause for concern, parents are increasingly worried about the pervasiveness of cancel culture, drugs, wokeness, and even the personal safety of their children in todays public schools. The Parent and Family Involvement in Education: Results from the National Household Education Surveys Program of 2016, noted that 17% of homeschooled students had parents who reported dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools as the most important reason for homeschooling, while 16 percent reported a desire to provide religious instruction as the most important reason for homeschooling. But an amazing 80% of parents indicated that they decided to homeschool their child or children because of the negative environment (safety, drugs, negative peer pressure, etc.). The largest percentage (34%) gave as their most important/significant reason for homeschooling was their concern about the environment at their local school. Many parents recognized that the recent controversy over a serious rape incident in a Loudoun County, Virginia school was not an isolated incident. Parents were already fed up with the school hierarchy over the Critical Race Theory emphasis in the current curriculum. Then, they were stunned to discover that school officials tried to cover up an alleged bathroom rape of a 15-year-old girl by a skirt-clad transgender boy. In fact, Luke Rosiak of the Daily Wire reported that in Loudoun County schools there have been multiple sexual assaults occurring over several years that were not reported (in violation of state law that clearly mandate every case be reported). Rosiak also noted that state law requires the school superintendent be held personally liable for violations of the reporting mandates. School officials, instead of investigating the allegations, called the objecting parents domestic terrorists and accused them of hate crimes. The father of the attacked student, Scott Smith, reports that multiple friends have urged him to just keep quiet and the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Terry McAuliffe, tells parents that they shouldnt expect to have input into their childrens educational curriculum or school policies. Experts provide evidence that parents should, indeed, be involved -- very vocally and collectively -- in the education of their children. Reform is really quite simple. To paraphrase a Fordham report: (1) Parents should be able to choose the best school for their children. (2) High standards and accountability are necessary. (3) A solid curriculum with well-trained, knowledgeable teachers who provide interesting lessons is essential. (4) Education must focus on childrens education (not the whims of educators or teachers' unions.) It has become increasingly evident that factors far beyond the teachers control have a dramatic influence on student outcomes. It is obvious to even casual observers that family breakdown is the root problem of public education. As broken, dysfunctional families increase and as stressed, chaotic home life increases because of parental career emphases, far too many parents are leaving their children to fend for themselves in school. Before we can begin to solve the problems of American public education, we must address the decline in cultural values, the wokeness of contemporary attitudes, and the breakdown of the family. Only then can we successfully close the educational gaps in our public schools. Janice Shaw Crouse, Ph.D., is author of Children at Risk, which includes a chapter on how education fails the nations children. She is also a former public-school teacher as well as a former university academic administrator. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. I can think of few better ways to ensure that fewer qualified people will apply to join the nation's most elite fighting unit than the policy just announced by the U.S. Navy's COVID Consolidated Disposition Authority. It has issued a directive that, as Hank Berrien reports, threatens "removing them from special warfare, reducing their salaries, and forcing them to repay training." Since training a SEAL is very expensive, this amounts to financial ruin for the heroes who undergo incredibly harsh training and who offer their lives to protect us. President Trump's interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, a former SEAL, appropriately criticized the plan on Facebook: Our Nation's best don't sign up to be a Navy SEAL to cash in on our training years later. We give a blood oath to fight for freedom and defend the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. In doing so, we bear a burden of emotional, psychological, physical, and family stress of constant deployments and low pay because we love our Country. Shame Mr. President for not recognizing the service and sacrifice and further insulting SEALs by making this about money. Put aside any consideration of the effectiveness of the vaccines or of the side effects that may take years to become apparent. This escalation of bullying of the bravest and most self-sacrificing among us threatens national security. Trying to bully people like this? Really? Physically fit young adults like the SEALS face a negligible threat from COVID, so why sacrifice the effectiveness of the nation's elite fighting units? The price that is being inflicted on the nation far outweighs any benefit from the vaccines. Photo credit: JamieCat CC BY 2.0 license. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. After the election of Donald Trump, there was a rise in hate crime hoaxes. Note: I did not say hate crimes. The crimes supposedly committed by right-wing Trump-supporting thugs were actually hoaxes. We are all familiar with the attempted lynching of Brett Kavanaugh. Many of us were appalled at the attack on Nick Sandmann. In my opinion, though, the most egregious of the anti-Trump hate crimes was perpetrated by Jussie Smollet back in 2019. Jussie Smollet was an actor on a primetime soap opera called Empire, where the characters rejoiced in names like Luscious and Cookie. I do not care for soap operas. My tastes run to film noir and foreign films. I had not heard of Empire before the Smollett incident, but it seems the show made him famous. In his own mind, he was not famous enough, so, apparently, he was attacked by racist Trump supporters, which made him an international figure. Smollett's story began to unravel almost immediately. He claimed to have been out at 2:00 A.M. in Chicago, in freezing temperatures, to buy a sandwich. He claimed he was attacked by two men in MAGA hats, who yelled racial slurs and pro-Trump slogans, then put a noose around his neck and poured bleach on him. He claims to have fought back, and he was so valiant that he saved not only his life but also his cell phone in one hand and his sandwich in the other. Dave Chappelle mocked Smollet's story in his Netflix special "Sticks and Stones." (Warning: graphic language and racial slurs.) Certainly, it was an absurd story, a transparent attempt to brand Trump-supporters as monsters while propelling Smollett to new heights of fame. Clearly, he would have been better off sticking to acting, where he was given lines, rather than producing, where one must create a plausible story that the audience can believe. No one thought Smollett would get away with this nonsense. He was charged with filing a false police report. But then prosecutors dropped the charges against him, sealed all the evidence, and closed the records. The outrage was so great that a special prosecutor was assigned to investigate the handling of Smollett's case. In August 2020, the special prosecutor concluded that State Attorney Kim Foxx abused her power in dropping the charges against Smollett. The pandemic intervened, but Jussie Smollett is finally going to be brought to trial. He has been indicted for a second time for filing a false police report and faces additional felony charges of disorderly conduct for lying to the police about being the victim of a hate crime. He may or may not be convicted, and if convicted, he may or may not go to prison. In any case, there is some small measure of justice in seeing a hate-crime hoaxer being held accountable for his actions. Pandra Selivanov is the author of The Pardon, a story of forgiveness based on the thief on the cross in the Bible. Image: Jussie Smollett (edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. In their bid to remake the world, Democrats are always surprised to find that their best-laid plans are full of unintended consequences. This time, the "splat" is on them. Get a load of this Rasmussen poll from last Friday: 69% Oppose Plan To Have IRS Monitor Bank Transactions More than two-thirds of voters are against plans in Congress to give the Internal Revenue Service access to data on all bank transactions over $600, and most believe Democrats are lying when they say they'll only raise taxes on the rich. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 69% of Likely U.S. Voters are opposed to legislation that would require banks to report data to the IRS on transactions over $600, including 55% who strongly oppose the measure. Only 23% support the proposal, which is part of the so-called "Build Back Better" agenda Democrats are attempting to push through Congress. (To see survey question wording, click here.) Well, gee. That kind of puts a monkey wrench into their grand plans to remake the entire American economy through their $3.5-trillion porkulus "reconciliation" bill, which they are still trying to shove through Congress. The bill is big because Democrats know they can often get positive polling responses from broad questions about handouts and making everything "free," but when the ugly specifics get out, public opinion can turn against them rapidly. That's why they don't like standalone bills, such as, say, a bill on amnesty for illegals. Things like that get slipped into behemoth bills on the logic that the public will be so focused on those "free" Obamaphones or similar that they won't notice. Well, the public has noticed this one a sneaky scheme to empower the IRS to become Big Brother and snoop on little guys' bank accounts on the premise that they might be billionaires cheating on their taxes. That quiet little deet could affect 100 million households, according to a report from Fox23. It reminds me of the kind of logic that existed in Chile in the pre-Pinochet era. Chileans, who now famously produce world-class wines, were actually forbidden in those days from planting new vineyards on the grounds that it could increase alcoholism. Democrats, were they to hear of it, would take that particular idiocy as a how-to guide, so don't tell them. Now that the public knows about their $600 snoop-and-spy scheme, and they're turning against it. That's obvious enough as the Democrats scramble to modify the disgusting Trojan horse measure. According to the Washington Examiner: Congressional Democrats, concerned over lukewarm public enthusiasm for their massive social welfare spending package, may be forced to modify a tax-raising provision that has prompted significant backlash. A plan to provide the IRS with access to individual bank accounts with balances as low as $600 may end up significantly modified or even dropped altogether amid opposition from lawmakers and trade groups who say it would infringe on privacy and create significant liability for financial institutions as well as add new costs for consumers. The Examiner headline calls it "backlash." The Rasmussen poll signals that the idea stinks to the public. The unintended consequences of this measure, should it pass, are already being felt in the banking sector. According to John Solomon's JustTheNews: Organizations representing community banks and credit unions are blasting the Democrats' commitment to expanding IRS reporting requirements, calling the proposal a government overreach that would require financial institutions to spend more money on compliance costs at the expense of products and services for their members. According to the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, customers at some credit unions have already decided to close their accounts over "government intrusion" concerns fueled by the prospect of such new rules taking effect. The Democrats' proposal would require financial institutions to report account activity above $600 to the IRS. What's more, banks don't like it, either the onerous reporting requirements involve huge uncompensated costs for them even as customers yank accounts and stuff money under their mattresses, same as the Argentinians do. The Argentines have a word for this: "colchonbank," which means "mattress bank." I learned about that when I visited Buenos Aires in 2002. Democrats thought they could sneak this in as they yakked about "free college" and "child tax credits," and they got found out. Now they realize that they're the ones who are going to pay the piper. The public may take a few weeks to rouse, as seemed to be the case here with this outrage as stories about it percolated through the news - and once they do, they can become a formidable political force. Survival-minded Democrats know this. They know how forceful such movements can get. Good luck, morons, beating back the sea with a hammer. Image: PXFuel, free for commercial use. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. There is more than the usual turbulence in public schools these days. It's driven by things like the asinine mandates for kids to wear masks throughout the school day and the introduction of divisive programs like Critical Race Theory (CRT) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the school. This squeezes school boards between the professional educrats and an angry community. In this matter, there is no doubt which side the Democrat party is on. As a way of throttling criticism of school boards, Attorney General Merrick Garland has threatened to sic the FBI on parents objecting to CRT at board meetings while other high-profile Democrats such as Terry McAuliffe are claiming that parents have no right to say what is taught to their children. In this environment, it is fair to ask what the role of public school boards is. There are two answers. One is the theoretical role of the boards, and the second, and the more important one, is how the boards actually function. As to the theoretical role of school boards, do an internet search of their role, and it's all pristine Civics 101. This one is typical. First and foremost, school boards look out for students. Education is not a line item on the school board's agenda it is the only item. School boards are accessible to the public and accountable for the performance of their schools. School boards ensure that students get the best education for the tax dollars spent. If only that were so. This brings us to how school boards actually function. In my view, they're typically led around by the nose by the superintendents they hire, who in turn bend to the teachers' unions while all of them dance to the tune played by the education blob in Washington. In this scenario, the role of the community is to provide kids for the schools and the money to run them. The school boards function as window dressing to give the appearance of community control of their schools when in fact little exists. Things don't have to be this way. But getting back to real community control is a herculean task. Even school board elections are gamed to favor the educrats. How? Board elections like those in Ohio are held in off-years. This guarantees low turnout, favoring progressive activist-types who naturally gravitate to government. And these people are invariably in full accord with the educrats. Also, the school elections are "nonpartisan." This means voters do not know the party affiliation of the candidates. This is vital information. Republicans and Democrats hold widely divergent views as to what constitutes a good education. Conservative Republicans believe in emphasizing academics, while Democrats believe that a person is not well educated unless he is fully indoctrinated and trained to be politically correct. However, things might be starting to change. In Summit County, Ohio, for example, the Akron Beacon Journal, reports that a third of school board members are not seeking re-election this November. Apparently, the heat from their communities was too much for them. The paper goes on to say mask mandates and CRT/DEI being introduced in the schools are the reasons why. This has translated to conservatives running for school board positions. This is probably being replayed across the country. The bottom line is that the education blob should not dictate how schools are run. Under its tutelage, the academic performance of American public education has been steadily declining for years while costs have skyrocketed. CRT/DEI and mask mandates can only accelerate this trend. It's almost as if the elite wanted quality education for their kids but to dumb down everyone else's. To end this, communities need to take effective control of their schools. By both words and deeds, the boards need to inform the administrations, teachers, and all others employed in the schools that they are the hired help of the community, not its boss. And with that, nonsense like CRT/DEI and other touchy-feely educational fads and consultants need to be shown the door. Image: PxFuel. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. By any standard, President Biden was the answer to so many activists' prayers. After all, didn't he open the border after saying no such thing during the campaign? Well, President Biden now faces major backlash from open borders, especially in South Texas, where even border-region Democrats are screaming about his policies. He is also about to bring back the "Stay in Mexico" policy, and the activists can't handle that. This is the report: Dozens of immigration activists walked out on top Biden officials during a virtual meeting, protesting the administration's plans to reinstate the Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" policy. "I cannot stand one more meeting of them pretending," Ariana Saludares, an activist from the New Mexico-based Colores United, who attended the Saturday meeting, told Politico. "They give us accolades on the outside, but on the inside, we're having to take out the metaphoric knives from our back." The activists asked for time before the meeting with Biden officials, such as Department of Homeland Security officials and the White House Domestic Policy Council's Esther Olavarria. They read a statement saying the Biden administration is "playing politics with human lives" and said they could no longer "come into these conversations in good conscience." I guess that letting over a million unvaccinated people in the country in the middle of COVID and delta is not enough or something like that. Frankly, I blame President Biden here. Unfortunately, he lifted the activists' hopes with a number of executive orders reversing sound Trump policies, especially the "Stay in Mexico" program. He then filled their heads with talk of DACA and limiting deportations. Well, the courts had something to say about that. What do these activists want? They want open borders and no immigration rules. Unfortunately, that's madness, and President Biden's sinking poll numbers are confirming that. Wonder when these activists show up at Speaker Pelosi's asking for her support? PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk). Image: NathanMac87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. American Marxism, unable to use economics to attack America, now opts for tribalism, dividing Americans into victims and abusers. The abusers are always straight White men. Currently, the left's two primary victim classes are Blacks and LGBTers, especially so-called transgender people. Anything you say about them that is not slavishly supportive is hate speech, and that's true whether your statements are factually accurate or not. And that's why popular YouTuber Steven Crowder has been put in YouTube's deep freeze. Steven Crowder is a popular conservative with a website and two channels on YouTube, one with 5.5 million subscribers and the other with 1 million subscribers. Between the two channels, he uploads streaming content (his show) and videos that advance his mainstream conservative viewpoints. On Friday, YouTube sent Crowder a notice that it had deleted an offending video and frozen for a week the channel that ran the video as punishment for his having dared to state that so-called "transgender women" (i.e., men) are a rape risk to women: On September 30, Mr. Crowder uploaded another video that YouTube has determined continues his prior conduct. The video entitled ""Special Guest ALEX JONES on 'Great Reset' & Joe Rogan TRIGGERS Leftists AGAIN!" contains a segment that targets the transgender community in an offensive manner, for example, by indicating that trans people pose a rape threat to women. Consistent with the recklessness provisions of its hate speech policy, YouTube has removed this video from the service and assessed a strike against the Steven Crowder channel. Per YouTube's strikes policy, this results in a one-week upload freeze for the channel. Further violation of YouTube's hate speech policy will result in additional penalties. According to YouTube, as you see, Crowder was "recklessly" putting so-called "transgender" people at risk. But of course, Crowder was doing nothing more than stating the truth. Because California now houses so-called men in women's prisons, women are finding themselves the victims of sexual assault, with one of these women recently becoming pregnant thanks to an alleged transgender rape. Then there's Chris Chan. He's a Virginia man who claims to be a woman. He's also a man who raped his 79-year-old mother, a woman with dementia. And because Virginia is now a blue state governed by leftists who believe they can bend reality to their will, the fact that Chan "identifies" as a woman means that he is being housed in a women's jail. England has taken the lead in this madness of housing men in women's prisons. The results have been predictable and terrible for the women trapped in prison with these mentally ill men (emphasis mine): The United Kingdom Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has revealed that inmates who identify as transgender are responsible for a rate of sexual attacks that is exponentially higher than their proportion of the population of women's jails and prisons. In response to a question that former Labour Party General Secretary Baroness McDonagh put before Parliament, the MoJ has acknowledged that, while inmates who identify as transgender make up about one percent of the 3,600 inmates in women's jails and prisons, they have committed 5.6% of all reported sexual assaults. Just one more example will suffice to show that Crowder spoke the truth. England's "Karen White" is a man who was put in prison after he stabbed a neighbor. Although he had a long history of sexual assault, exposure, sexually abusing minors, and cruelty to animals, because he "identifies" as a woman, the British authorities put him in a woman's prison. Once there, he promptly sexually assaulted female prisoners. In other words, men who claim to be women absolutely pose a threat to women. Not all such men are rapists. Indeed, very few may be. But transgender madness assures that the rapists among them are given easy access to vulnerable women. So Steven Crowder spoke the truth but because the LGBT class in America is not a victim class, but a protected one, Crowder is now paying the price for his honesty. All that needs to be done to change this situation is to alter the existing law regarding social media sites to hold that if these sites act as editors rather than bulletin boards, they can be sued. Let the marketplace of ideas, including the crucible of an honestly conducted trial, cut them down to size. I also recommend that conservatives start putting their original content on Rumble, thereby depriving YouTube of the traffic it gets. Image: Steven Crowder. Rumble screen grab. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Pets hold a special place in our hearts. For a flat rate of $50 along with a photo, celebrate their life and a special message through placing a Pet Obituary today. Pet Obits are published once a week in the Anchorage Press and on AnchoragePress.com. Our customer service team will contact you directly if there are any questions during our regular business hours. Thank you and please accept our deepest sympathies for your loss. Click here to submit Your guide to the summer treasures of the North of Boston and Merrimack Valley regions Click Here A recent LinkedIn job listing suggests that Microsoft is looking to hire a Director of SoC Architecture. The person will be responsible for working on an exclusive chip for Surface devices. According to Phone Arena (via HotHardware), news recently broke that Microsoft and AMD are working together to develop a laptop processor. In terms of graphics performance, this processor can surpass Qualcomm processors. The joint chipset of Microsoft and AMD will likely feature Cortex-X1 core and mRDNA 2 GPU. Moreover, an Exynos modem for 5G connectivity will also be included. The coincidence of these two news leads us to conclude that Microsoft, with its new ad, is looking for someone to take responsibility for developing new chips for Surface devices. The new chipset will use a 5nm architecture. Advertisement Heres what Microsoft said in its LinkedIn job listing: Are you passionate about building cool devices and technologies? The Surface team is lighting up Microsoft experiences with the next generation of devices. A fundamental part of our strategy is bringing productivity and mobility together through devices that enable new experiences helping people and organizations unlock their creativity, passion, and potential. Microsoft Surface duo 2 is the latest Surface device by the company using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset. The GPU is Adreno 660. The phone will be available to purchase on October 21. Moreover, The price starts at $1,499. Ditching flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon chips wont be an easy process for Microsoft, and it requires a high level of engineering to ensure the performance of Surface devices. However, the collaboration between Microsoft and AMD can be a safe solution. Advertisement Microsoft is looking for an in-house chip for Surface devices This is not the first Microsoft effort to develop an in-house chip for its devices. The company has worked with Qualcomm to develop the Microsoft SQ1 chip for Surface Pro X in 2019. Also, Microsoft has also been looking to hire some engineers from Intel, Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm. Dates back to December 2020, Bloomberg reported that Microsoft wants to design chips for server computers and Surface devices. Relying on in-house chipsets for devices will allow the companies to have more control over the performance and building costs. Apple has followed this procedure for a long time, and other smartphone manufacturers like Samsung and Huawei have been doing the same for years. Likewise, Google is also looking to launch its Pixel 6 series with the in-house Tensor processing unit. So, Microsoft doesnt want to lag behind. A group of U.S. Republican Senators led by Marco Rubio has written to the Biden administration demanding the blacklisting of Huaweis former unit, Honor. The letter dated October 4, 2021, states that Honor is essentially the arm of the Chinese government which now has access to U.S. technology. The letter was co-signed by Senators John Cornyn and Rick Scott, according to Reuters. Beijing has effectively dodged a critical American export control, Senator Rubio wrote in the letter. Advertisement By failing to act in response, the Department of Commerce risks setting a dangerous precedent and communicating to adversaries that we lack the capacity or willpower to punish blatant financial engineering by an authoritarian regime. Huawei sold off the Honor brand last year amidst stiff sanctions from the U.S. Huawei previously said that it wont hold shares in the spinoff or involve itself in the management of Honor. Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Washington has accused the U.S. of smearing Huawei without credible evidence. The White House under President Trump made the decision to put Huawei on the trade blacklist. At the time, the administration alleged that Huawei posed a national security threat. The blacklisting meant that Huaweis U.S. suppliers had to acquire separate licenses to sell components, including semiconductors to the company. Advertisement Not too long after, Google was restricted from providing its software and Google Mobile Services to Huawei. This, in combination with the sanctions, meant that Huawei eventually had to sell off Honor. Early last week, Honor tweeted it has managed to secure cooperation with a number of supplier partners in the early stage. The Huawei spinoff added that the upcoming HONOR 50 lineup of phones will come built-in with Google Mobile Services. We got some evidence of this on our HONOR 50 hands-on last week. The HONOR 50 packs a 6.57-inch 23401080 OLED screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate. A mammoth 108-megapixel camera lies in the back, complemented by an 8-megapixel ultrawide, 2-megapixel depth, and 2-megapixel macro sensors. Advertisement The smartphone also offers a single 32-megapixel punch-hole selfie camera. It runs on the octa-core Snapdragon 778G 5G SoC and has a 4,300 mAh battery. The HONOR 50 comes with Android 11 with the Magic UI 4.2 skin. While its not available globally yet, we do know that the HONOR 50 will reach Europe on October 26. Thousands of animals including moon bear Jeanne have found sanctuary thanks to the compassion of Marchig Animal Welfare Trust 18 October 2021 It was a warm spring day in Nanning, China in May 2021. Animals Asia was in the middle of the biggest bear rescue operation ever undertaken anywhere in the world. We were moving 101 moon bears from an ex-bile farm in the province to our award-winning Chengdu bear sanctuary, the only bear sanctuary in China, 750 miles away. Jeanne was one of the bears being prepared for the momentous journey that day. Jeanne was named after the founder of the Marchig Animal Welfare Trust, the late Madame Jeanne Marchig of Geneva who had a deep love and concern for nature and animals. Founded in 1989, its aims are to protect animals and promote and encourage practical work in preventing animal cruelty and suffering. Our guardian angels Jill Robinson, Animals Asias founder and CEO describes the phenomenal impact Marchig has had on Animals Asias work including the Nanning homecoming mission which, without the support of organisations like Marchig, would not have been possible: The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust has supported us for the last twenty years, and they have been instrumental to many of our successes, helping us overcome some of our hardest challenges including caring for and relocating over 100 bears from Nanning." "Animals Asia owes Marchig an enormous debt of gratitude. Not just for rescuing the bears, but for rescuing us in times of hardship. Theres no way wed be where we are today, for so many animals across Asia, without their commitment and incredible support." Throughout these two decades they have been faithful friends of the bears and to the organisation worldwide. It is not an exaggeration to say that they have been our guardian angels and I want to take this opportunity to thank them from the bottom of my heart for everything they have done and helped us achieve for so many animals." Marchig presents Jill Robinson with award In 2015, Marchig presented Jill with an award in the European parliament in honour of her work to end bear bile farming. Speaking at the event, Jeanne Marchig said: The Trustees received a large number of nominations for its annual Award from all over the world. With so many worthy candidates, it was very difficult to reach a decision. However, we are pleased to make the Award to Animals Asia in recognition of the contribution it has made and continues to make to animal welfare in China. Madame Marchig continued: This remarkable organisation is working tirelessly in the front line of the fight to end suffering and cruelty to animals. Jeanne bear comes home And with this amazing support from Marchig, after years living in a tiny cage at Nanning, Jeanne bears time to leave had finally come. She calmly, steadily and confidently walked into her transport cage which shed been trained to do as if to say, Im ready, lets go. Jill Robinson remembers her in those early days, Jeanne was in a dreadful condition with damaged, rotten and painful teeth, and her claws were growing back in a deformed fashion after being declawed by the farmers. She was a calm, sweet and gentle bear and despite multiple other problems, including a mass that turned out to be benign, she tottered on contentedly perhaps knowing that better days were coming. Home at last Jeanne was integrated with six other bears after she had completed her mandatory 30-day quarantine period. The rescue and bear care team watched with their breaths held as they waited to see how the bears would get on. In Nanning, we tried to integrate Jeanne and (the late) Bunny but it didnt work out. Just like us, bears dont get on with everyone, so we were slightly tentative as to how she would respond to her new housemates. But we neednt have worried The best of friends Within days of Jeanne being introduced to Pindari, another female bear, a strong and beautiful bond developed between them. Jeanne and Pindari are the best of friends Ryan Marcel Sucaet, Bear & Vet Team Director who managed the Nanning homecoming explains. Pindari follows Jeanne everywhere and they protect each other from the younger, more rambunctious males! Its a really remarkable relationship. The healing qualities of sanctuary life Jeanne has adapted to sanctuary life really well and is reaping the benefits of fresh air and open spaces to play in. While at Nanning Jeannes hindquarters would become bald, inflamed and itchy through the summer, but this hasnt happened since being at Chengdu, Ryan said. Yang Li, Bear Team Manager and Jeannes primary carer added, Jeanne loves the natural grasses, branches, straw and leaves we give her and spends ages playing with banana leaves and the bamboo puzzle feeders. She seems to enjoy scouting around the enclosure foraging for treats and then will climb into the basket bed in her den for a well-earned nap. Thanks to the Marchig Animal Welfare Trust and our supporters across the world, Jeanne and the other Nanning bears are finally safe, healthy and happy and their lives can now truly begin. Read more: Watch the Nanning Moon Bear Homecoming film (ANSA) - ROME, OCT 18 - Three Italian dancers and another person died in a car crash in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, sources said Monday. The victims were named as Antonio Caggianelli from Bisceglie near Bari in Puglia, Giampiero Giarri from Tivoli near Rome and Nicolas Esposto, an Agrigento man of French origin. They were all in their early 30s. The three were with a 10-strong all-Italian dance troupe in the Arab country to help inaugurate a theatre. Sunday was their day off and they decided to go for an excursion in the desert. For reasons as yet unknown their vehicles crashed into a gully and overturned, crushing them to death, along with the unnamed fourth victim. Another three people were involved in the accident. One is in serious condition while the other two were unhurt. The Italian foreign ministry got in touch with the victims' families, who flew to Saudi Arabia to identify them. photo: Esposto (ANSA). Egypt: hearing for hardline dissident Alaa Abdel Fattah in court after two years in preventive custody (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, OCTOBER 18 - Amid the silence of the mainstream Egyptian media, Alaa Abdel Fattah, one of the most well-known and irreducible dissidents of the country, returned Monday in court in Cairo, this time at the end of another long period of preventive custody - two years. "The first hearing is today", a judicial source told ANSA. The source was referring to the new trial of the left-wing activist, an icon of the 2011 revolution against then-president Hosni Mubarak but also of the sporadic and immediately repressed demonstrations against the current head of State, Abdel Fattah al Sisi. Abdel Fattah, together with two defendants, is accused of "belonging to a terrorist group", "abuse of social media platforms" and "publication of fake news", recalled on Saturday Middle East Eyes (Mee), a news website that was obscured in Egypt, quoting their lawyer and also referring to Mohamed al-Baqer and blogger Mohamed Ibrahim, called "Oxygen". The trial is held in front of a "tribunal for minor crimes against State security" and the three have been detained since September 2019. Amnesty International has slammed the charges as "unfounded" and called "inhuman" the condition of their detention, recalled Mee. The sister of Abdel Fattah, Mona Seif, on Saturday said she visited her brother in jail noting that "he is behaving as if he should die in prison". "I have never seen my brother in such a situation. Never in my life have I seen him so angry and tired of life", said the woman, who is also a dissident. This is only the most recent chapter of the judicial story of Abdel Fattah, which has been ongoing for seven years. The former computer engineer who became a blogger and civil rights activist was a protagonist of the movement that ten years ago led to the fall of president and autocrat Mubarak, becoming one of the faces of that revolution. Alaa was arrested again 10 days after anti-government protests in September 2019 which he attended despite the fact that he was on probation and had to sleep at the police station. The 39-year-old, who in March that year completed a five-year prison term, last year was reported to be in the high security prison Tora 2 (known as 'Scorpio 2') where - Amnesty International said - "detention conditions were abysmal". The five-year term, following the revision of a 15-year term, was inflicted in February 2015 after he took part in a demonstration that degenerated in disorders in November two years ago. The incidents were reported in the capital in 2013 in front of the headquarters of the Consultative council that was examining a proposal of constitutional reform in the months of power of the military junta after the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. The activist had already been arrested four times: one under Mubarak (2006) and three during the first phase of the Egyptian revolution (2011-2013). The American NGO "Freedom House" classified Egypt as a "non-free country" and many other institutions and international organizations criticizing Cairo on the respect of human and civil rights. (ANSAmed). Migrants: over 500 landings over weekend in Spain Mainly on Balearic islands, 12 missing off Andalusia (ANSAmed) - MADRID, OCTOBER 18 - Repeated migrant landings were registered over the weekend along the coasts of Spain, particularly on the Balearic Islands where new arrivals were also registered last night. Overall, more than 300 people arrived in less than 48 hours on the archipelago, according to data released by authorities, the Efe news agency reports. Several landings were also recorded in areas of south-eastern Spain, in particular in the province of Alicante and in the region of Murcia, where about 200 arrivals were notified over the past few hours. Just south of the area, in Almeria, Andalusia, a migrant shipwreck was reported by local media. Two survivors said that an additional 12 people were travelling with them. Authorities are searching for the missing passengers. According to Efe, yesterday at least 21 people arrived in the area of Almeria. The Balearic Islands and these coastal areas of southeastern Spain are usually the main points of landing of migrant boats departing from the Algerian coast. (ANSAmed). Strasbourg, Malta must guarantee media, refugees, women Human rights commissioner after visit to country (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 18 - Malta's "authorities should start to quickly implement reforms" necessary to "guarantee the security of journalists and deal with lack of confidence in the media", said the Human rights commissioner of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatovic, after a visit to the country. She also urged to implement recommendations included in a report on the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and the connected responsibilities. The commissioner also observed that on refugees' rights uncertainties remain on guarantees concerning measures of detention. She urged authorities to act in order to guarantee dignified conditions to migrants detained in the center of Safi. Mijatovic then spoke about women's rights, urging Malta's authorities to intensify measures to boost equal opportunities. The commissioner stressed that "the fact that abortion is still criminalized and stigmatized not only endangers the health of Maltese women but also affects their equal enjoyment of other human rights". (ANSAmed). Headteachers unions are calling for children to be allowed to use walk-in vaccination centres in England after new figures revealed the scale of the low take-up of the Covid-19 jab among young teenagers. In some areas the rate of vaccine uptake is as low as 5%, while only 15 local authorities in England have managed to give a first jab to at least a quarter of 12- to 15-year-olds, data shows. The picture is very different in Scotland, where young people can also receive doses of the jab in drop-in vaccination centres, as the take-up is already over 50% in half of local authority areas. School leaders unions are concerned that 12- to 15-year-olds in England are missing out on getting the Covid-19 vaccination in school due to a high level of cases amongst the cohort, as well as logistical problems with vaccination teams having insufficient staff to deal with students needing jabs. (PA Graphics) Three million pupils aged between 12 and 15 across the UK are eligible to receive a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as part of a rollout that began a month ago. In England, jabs are being carried out in schools by nurses and immunisation teams. By contrast, in Scotland doses can be received by attending drop-in vaccination centres at GP clinics, pharmacies and community centres. But reports suggest that children under 16 in England could soon be offered jabs at walk-in centres due to delays with the vaccine rollout. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said they are going to keep the vaccination programme for 12- to 15-year-olds under review as he said it was at a scale and pace which is unusual. Figures show that take-up of a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine among young teenagers is below 10% in just over a third of the main local authorities in England. Analysis by the PA news agency of Government data for vaccinations delivered up to October 16 shows that: In 55 of the 149 upper tier local authorities in England, or 37% of the total, fewer than one in 10 children aged 12 to 15 are estimated to have received a first dose. Barking & Dagenham has the lowest take-up (3.5%), followed by Newham and Lewisham (both 5.2%), all of which are in London. Wokingham in Berkshire has the highest take-up (36.2%) and is the only area currently above 33%, followed by Derbyshire, Hertfordshire and Warrington (all 29.1%). In Scotland, 16 of the 32 local authority areas have now given a first dose to at least 50% of all 12 to 15-year-olds, with Dumfries & Galloway recording the highest take-up (62.9%) followed by Perth & Kinross (62.6%) and the Orkney Islands (62.1%). Highland (17.0%) has the lowest take-up. Take-up among 12 to 15-year-olds for the whole of Scotland now stands at 46.5%, compared with just 15.0% in England. (PA Graphics) James Bowen, director of policy for school leaders union NAHT, said: Allowing 12-15 year olds to attend walk-in vaccination centres would be a sensible decision. Those who want to get the vaccination should be able to do so as quickly as possible. We know that the high level of cases amongst this age group has led to some pupils who want the vaccine not being able to get it in school, either because they are absent on the day or because they have tested positive for Covid-19 within the last 28 days. Assuming that this is designed to complement the existing in-school arrangements then it seems the sensible thing to do. It remains crucial that the in-school programme is rolled out as quickly as possible. We know that the health teams working in schools are working tirelessly to achieve this, but they need full support from the Government. A first dose of vaccine cannot be delivered to someone if they are within four weeks of testing positive for Covid-19, waiting for the results of a coronavirus test, or self-isolating. Around one in 10 children in England in school years seven to 11 were likely to have tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to October 9, the highest rate for any age group, according to estimates from the Office for National Statistics. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: We are hearing reports from around the country of very varied delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine to 12 to 15-year-olds in schools and significant delays to the vaccination programme, which the Government had originally hoped to complete by half-term. Schools have reported logistical problems such as the vaccination teams having insufficient staff to deal with the number of students needing jabs, running out of vaccines or even not turning up when they have arranged to. The Government needs to do everything possible to boost the delivery and take-up of the vaccination and we are encouraged by reports that allowing young people to attend vaccination drop-in centres, in addition to schools, is being actively considered. This would seem a very sensible way of quickly boosting the number of students who have been vaccinated. Asked why there appeared to be problems in getting jabs into the arms of pupils, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: There are a number of different factors, theres no one single issue that presents a challenge. As ever with Covid-19 there are a number of challenges to overcome. In response to anti-vaccination campaigners protesting outside schools, the spokesman said: It is completely unacceptable for anyone to direct abuse or misinformation towards parents, teachers or indeed children. It was abhorrent and the authorities would support those affected, he added. In a joint letter to parents of secondary school and college pupils last week, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and Health Secretary Sajid Javid urged parents to get their children vaccinated against Covid-19. Vaccines are our best defence against Covid-19. They help protect young people, and benefit those around them. Vaccination makes people less likely to catch the virus and less likely to pass it on, the letter said. Separate figures published by Public Health Wales show that as of October 10, Neath Port Talbot was the only local authority in Wales where fewer than 10% of 12 to 15-year-olds had received one dose of vaccine (7.4%). All other local authorities were above 10%, ranging from Gwynedd (10.2%) to Merthyr Tydfil (48.5%). The overall take-up for Wales as of October 10 was 21.8%. Northern Ireland has yet to begin publishing vaccination figures for 12 to 15-year-olds. Passengers at Stansted Airport faced long queues and temporary luggage losses after a technical issue on Sunday. The fault affected the airports hold baggage system, meaning that luggage had to be manually processed. Queues spread across the airport as passengers tried to access their belongings or find members of staff to assist them. People flocked to social media to request help from the airport, with one person describing it as chaos and complaining there were no staff around to help. Speaking to the BBC, Neil and Gemma Jackson, who arrived at Stansted at 4.30am after travelling from Kent with their children, described their experience as off the rails. Mrs Jackson said: It started off ordinarily, we queued up to check in and that progressed quite quickly. But where it really went off the rails was we were all advised to drop our bags at a particular zone. There was absolute chaos. Every single passenger from every airline seemed to be in the same queue. Luggage trolleys at Stansted Airport in Essex (Chris Radburn/AP) There was no crowd control, it snaked around the entire airport, people were pushing in. We waited politely at security control. Then our gate closed and we were turned away. Stansted has since apologised for the incident, but has also requested that customers still arrive at least three hours before their flight due to the knock-on effect. A spokesperson for Stansted airport said: London Stansted apologises for any inconvenience caused to passengers this morning due to a technical issue affecting the airports hold baggage system. Contingency measures were immediately put in place with our airlines to mitigate disruption and manually process baggage while engineers worked to fix the issue. The system is now operating as normal but passengers are still asked to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight departs in accordance with their airlines latest advice. In May, Stansted airport completed its biggest baggage network upgrade since the terminals launch in 1991, costing 70 million. The work took four years and involved replacing the previous system of conveyor belts and chutes with 2.4km of track and 180 automated carts. Nightclubs are urgently calling for Government intervention to a worsening shortage of bouncers which industry bosses say could become a threat to public safety. The Night Time Industry Association (NTIA) said last month that one in five night-life and hospitality businesses closed or reduced operating hours due to a shortage of security staff. However, it said the situation has deteriorated further as demand continues to soar from customers keen to enjoy a night out following the easing of lockdown measures. Security worker numbers have become depleted as many left the industry while clubs were closed throughout the pandemic for jobs with preferable hours, while exiting EU workers also added to the problem. Bosses at nightclub operator Rekom UK and bar chain Revolution have also told the PA news agency that the shortage is a pressing concern. Peter Marks, chief executive of 42-site business Rekom UK, which runs brands including Pryzm and Atik, said the problem had been building slowly but has become so much worse since the pandemic. He told PA: Its been a real struggle at times but weve fortunately often been able to push back with security agencies to find the teams we need just in time. But even then, on one or two occasions weve had to limit numbers into venues because of security levels. We are in a particularly strong position though as we can agree to take on staff in larger numbers this is particularly hitting independent clubs hard. Mr Marks added that the shortage has resulted in increasing fees for staff, as firms deal with a litany of other cost rises such as higher energy bills and rebounding VAT levels. I think the cost has gone up by around 15%, he said. But that is slightly different everywhere. In somewhere like Dartford where we are the one club, it might not be that much, but in big cities like Nottingham it becomes very competitive trying to secure those staff. Mr Marks said the problem came amid roaring trade as people return to clubs for the first time since before the pandemic. The NTIA stressed that security staff in venues are fundamental to public safety as it called for Government action. Michael Kill, chief executive officer of the trade body, said: If shortages continue to get worse, there is a very real chance it could become a threat to public safety. Like in other sectors currently seeing shortages, this is a long-term issue and decline in security resources can be tracked back at least three years, but this has been hugely exacerbated by the pandemic with many licensed staff leaving the sector when the bars and clubs closed and now choosing not to return. Brexit hasnt helped either, but it is far from the only factor at play here. There are steps the Government can take to ease the problem, whether that be funding training initiatives, streamlining new training requirements, or tackling shortages through legislation and I would also like to see them revisit the issue of temporary visas to assuage the crisis. Rob Pitcher, chief executive of Revolution Bars, also told PA that the group has seen a particular issue hiring security staff for venues. Some large companies will have to start publishing the impact they have on the environment, under new rules announced by the Chancellor on Monday. The Government said the new plans will make it easier for customers to decide where to shop, for investors to place their money, and for businesses to decide which suppliers to choose. The rules will apply to certain large businesses, pension schemes, investment products and asset managers. While most people in the UK want their money to go to good causes, the lack of shared definitions has allowed companies to move the goalposts to fit their own businesses. This is leading to greenwashing, misleading investors and consumers about how green a product really is, the Government said. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: We are already a world leader in green finance, and todays roadmap will give us the opportunity to set new global standards for sustainability that will boost the economy, protect the planet and support our net zero goals. We want sustainability to be a key component of investment decisions, and our plans will arm investors with the right information to make more environmentally-led decisions. A new Government report lays out what changes will be needed to give investors and consumers the information they need to make decisions. Mr Sunak first announced the plans at his Mansion House speech earlier this year. The plan will bring together existing reporting requirements on the climate. Ministers are preparing for next month, when the UK will host global leaders at the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow. The UN conference is seen as an opportunity to ensure that countries around the world live up to the targets to limit global warming which were set in the 2015 Paris Agreement. In the run-up to the conference many large businesses have announced plans to slash their emissions to net zero by the middle of the century. This is in line with the plan for the UK as a whole. MPs have shared fresh experiences of receiving death threats as they prepare to pay tribute to Sir David Amess in the wake of the Conservative backbenchers murder. Labours Chris Bryant said a man has been arrested over a threat on his life after the MP for Southend West was killed while meeting constituents in Essex. Justice Secretary Dominic Raab spoke of having received at least three threats on life and limb in the past two years, with the latest being of an acid attack. Their comments came as Sir Davids widow Julia and other family members visited the scene of his murder at Belfairs Methodist Church on Monday morning. Wiping tears from her eyes, she read messages on floral tributes that were piled up outside the church in Leigh-on-Sea. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will lead tributes in the Commons to Sir David later on Monday before MPs and peers attend a service in his honour nearby at St Margarets Church. The killing on Friday led to fresh scrutiny over the security of MPs. Just a day later, Mr Bryant said he received a death threat after returning from Qatar where he has been investigating the situation faced by refugees from Afghanistan. I got back on Saturday and the first message in my inbox was this death threat, pretty clear, so I notified the police and they have taken action, he told the PA news agency. Flowers and tributes at the scene near Belfairs Methodist Church (Aaron Chown/PA) He said abuse in British politics has risen in recent years, particularly over Brexit and from anti-vaccine protesters who he said had targeted his Rhondda constituency office in the last year. A South Wales Police spokeswoman said a 76-year-old man from Bridgend was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications after the threat levelled at the Labour MP. Mr Raab said colleagues particularly women have received worse abuse than himself but that he has been the victim of three recent threats that required intervention. I have had three threats to life and limb over the last two years, the Deputy Prime Minister told BBC Breakfast. He told ITV that the most recent was someone threatening to throw acid over me. A police officer arranges flowers and tributes outside Belfairs Methodist Church (Aaron Chown/PA) While recognising the need for security, many MPs have been careful to warn against allowing the attack on Sir David to create detachment from their constituents. Mr Raab said having plain-clothes police officers on the doors of surgeries with constituents could have a chilling effect, but he would understand if colleagues decided otherwise. We dont let the terrorists win by creating wedges or walls between us and those who vote us in, he told Sky News. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle called for fresh understanding of how politics can be made safer, but discussed the extensive protections of his US counterpart as he warned against a knee-jerk reaction. Do I want to be like Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi, who cant go anywhere without armed police? Is that a life I want? No, he told ITVs Good Morning Britain. Forensic officers and police at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Sir Davids killing was the second murder of an MP within five years, after Labours Jo Cox was targeted by a right-wing extremist outside a West Yorkshire library where she was due to hold a constituency surgery. Her widower, Brendan Cox, warned supporters from across the political spectrum against a celebration of political segregation. I think that is absolutely something that we have to challenge. And linked to that we have to stop dehumanising our opponents, he told Times Radio. Politicians will share their memories of Sir David in Parliament after a morning of prayers and a minutes silence at 2.30pm on Monday. His family said their hearts are shattered by the killing of their strong and courageous father. So, we ask people to set aside their differences and show kindness and love to all. This is the only way forward. Set aside hatred and work towards togetherness, they said in a statement. A 25-year-old man, understood by PA to be Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of Sir Davids murder and remains in police custody. He has been detained under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and detectives are expected to continue to question him until Friday after a warrant of further detention was granted. A comrade of a Coldstream Guardsman killed in an elephant charge in Malawi has told an inquest how the soldier was attacked as he tried to climb a tree in a bid to escape. Lance Sergeant Robert Padgham told Oxford Coroners Court how he pulled injured Guardsman Mathew Talbot into cover, before providing medical assistance and helping to carry him on a stretcher to a vehicle pick-up point. An inquest which started on Monday was told 22-year-old Gdsm Talbot, from Great Barr, West Midlands, suffered fatal injuries while navigating as part of an eight-day, five-man anti-poaching patrol in Liwonde National Park in Malawi on May 5 2019. Patrol Leader LSgt Padgham gave evidence to the hearing via video-link, explaining that he was forced to twice climb a tree to ensure he was not injured by a number of elephants. The soldier, who used two firecrackers in an attempt to scare away the animals, said in a statement read to the court: I recall that we were patrolling directly west. Guardsman Mathew Talbot, who was killed while on an anti-poaching patrol (MoD/PA) At about 10.00 hours we were patrolling through elephant grass, which is roughly seven feet in height and visibility is limited. An elephant appeared roughly five metres to my right. The inquest was told that both soldiers and three park rangers began running in different directions, and as Gdsm Talbot attempted to climb a prominent branch of the tree, he was seen being thrown and knocked into the air. LSgt Padgham described the actions of the elephant as a sweeping motion with its head. The witness told the court he had then lit and thrown a firecracker in an attempt to scare a group of elephants away, and they initially left the immediate scene. A memorial erected to Guardsman Talbot in Liwonde National Park (Dominic Lipinski/PA) LSgt Padgham, who immediately began first aid, said: As I went down to him initially, I dragged him into the cover of that tree. Asked how suddenly the incident had occurred, the soldier went on: The lead ranger gave the signal for dangerous game to the front. We started to back off and then from my right it came charging through so we just dispersed, like we were taught. LSgt Padgham said soldiers on anti-poaching patrols had been taught to fire warning shots, to scare away animals posing a danger, only as a last resort. But he added: In my mind personally, if an attack like that happened and I was in a position to, I would have fired a warning shot. The Duke of Sussex lays a wreath in tribute to Guardsman Talbot 2019 (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Explaining why he had not fired a warning shot after climbing into a tree during the elephant attack, he added: The sharp shooter is quite long-barrelled. I was hanging on the tree with one hand. I didnt want to fire a shot in the direction where the animal was in case of hitting Mathew. The inquest was told a report into the death had identified the leadership and personal strength of LSgt Padgham in evacuating Gdsm Talbot on a stretcher and controlling a haemorrhage as being initially life-saving. The first day of the inquest was also told Gdsm Talbot died from complications of chest and soft tissue injuries. Statements were read to the hearing on behalf of the three park rangers who took part in the patrol, including one who said he was aware of an elephant chasing me personally prompting him to fire a warning shot to scare it away. The inquest, sitting without a jury, follows a Ministry of Defence (MoD) service inquiry, published last year, which highlighted shortcomings in estimating how long it would take to get a casualty from a remote location to the nearest hospital. In September 2019 the Duke of Sussex honoured the sacrifice of Gdsm Talbot by laying a wreath at a memorial during a visit to Liwonde National Park. The dukes handwritten message attached to the wreath read: In grateful memory of Guardsman Talbot who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of his country and conservation. Rest in Peace. The inquest will hear evidence over two weeks, covering the command and management of the incident, preparation and procedures in force in Malawi, and resources available at the time. The hearing continues. A third Scottish health board has requested help from the armed forces as it faces staffing shortages ahead of winter. NHS Grampian has made a formal request for military assistance as the health service faces growing pressure as a result of coronavirus and the backlog of care built up during the pandemic. Last week, the British Army was called in to help NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Borders, with a total of 86 personnel deployed for a three-week period. Soldiers are also helping the Scottish Ambulance Service vehicles under a separate arrangement. Soldiers are already helping the Scottish Ambulance Service (Andrew Milligan/PA) An NHS Grampian spokeswoman confirmed a request for military assistance had been made and the health board was awaiting a response. Staffing pressures mean acute services such as emergency departments, surgeries and diagnostics in the NHS are operating at capacity. Following the request for support last week, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the armed forces would provide additional capacity. He said: With increasing levels of social mixing and close social contact, it is expected that this winter Covid-19 will circulate alongside respiratory viruses, such as flu, adding to the winter pressures usually faced by the NHS. This military support will allow both boards to support existing staff to reduce waiting times, enhance care and provide a better experience for our patients. As always I would like to thank all those involved in our healthcare systems for their continuing hard work and dedication over this particularly busy time. Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the latest request showed the governments support for the NHS was inadequate. He said: We are not even near the peak winter period yet we have three health boards requesting urgent military assistance. That is a direct result of Humza Yousafs delays and inaction. His flimsy NHS Recovery pamphlet and belated winter plan for our health service are simply not cutting it. More and more patients are paying the price for his lack of leadership. Support from our UK armed forces is hugely welcome and will hopefully ease the pressure on my colleagues on the front line. Gen. Colin Powell, the first Black U.S. secretary of state and a trailblazing figure in Washington, D.C., and around the world, died on Monday of complications from COVID-19. He was 84. According to a statement from his family posted to Facebook, Powell had been fully vaccinated and was being treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He was also being treated for multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that suppresses immunity, a spokesperson told CNN. We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment, the statement read. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American. Powell is survived by his wife, Alma, whom he married in 1962, and three children. Gen. Colin Powell testifies before a House Armed Services subcommittee in 1991. (Marcy Nighswander/AP) Powell, who was wounded in Vietnam, served as national security adviser under President Ronald Reagan, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush and secretary of state under President George W. Bush, breaking the color barrier each time. I think it shows to the world what is possible in this country, Powell said of his Senate confirmation hearing for secretary of state in 2001. It shows to the world that: Follow our model, and over a period of time from our beginning, if you believe in the values that espouse, you can see things as miraculous as me sitting before you. Despite serving under three Republican presidents, Powell became disillusioned with the direction of the GOP later in his life. In 2008, he broke with the Republican Party and endorsed Democrat Barack Obama, who would become the nations first Black president. Powell also endorsed Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden over Donald Trump, whom he called a national disgrace and an international pariah. Powell speaking in New York in 2011. (Eric Reichbaum/AP) Following the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection that was incited by Trump, Powell told CNN he didnt consider himself a Republican. I can no longer call myself a fellow Republican, he said. Im not a fellow of anything right now. A complicated legacy Powell will forever be associated with his role in pushing faulty intelligence under President George W. Bush to justify the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. During a controversial presentation to the U.N. Security Council in February of that year, Powell made the case that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was stockpiling chemical and biological weapons. But that intelligence turned out to be erroneous. Powell later admitted it represented a blot that would always be a part of his record. My instincts failed me, he wrote in his 2012 memoir. It was by no means my first, but it was one of my most momentous failures, the one with the widest-ranging impact. The event will earn a prominent paragraph in my obituary, he added. Powell, then secretary of state, holds a vial representing a small amount of anthrax during an address to the U.N. Security Council in 2003 in which he made the case that Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Reactions pour in In a statement, George W. Bush said he was deeply saddened by news of Powells death. He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam, Bush said. Many presidents relied on General Powells counsel and experience. He was National Security Adviser under President Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under my father and President Clinton, and Secretary of State during my Administration. He was such a favorite of presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice, Bush continued. He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man. President George W. Bush with Powell in the Rose Garden in 2003. (Gary Hershorn/Reuters) He upheld the highest standards, representing our nation with dignity, grace, and strength, Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement. The legacy that he leaves behind on Americas national security and on the leaders he mentored can be seen every day across our nation and the world. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the former Republican presidential nominee who lost to Obama in 2012, said, The nation lost a man of undaunted courage and a champion of character. Georgia Democrat and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams tweeted that Powell led with integrity, admitted fallibility and defended democracy. As a Black man just trying to figure out the world, Colin Powell was an inspiration, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., wrote on Twitter. He was from NYC, went to City College, and rose to the highest ranks of our nation. Sending love, strength and prayer to the family and friends of Secretary Powell. Rest in power sir. Though we disagreed on many issues, I always respected him and was proud of his achievements, tweeted the Rev. Al Sharpton. When he and I ran into each other and conversed, I always left feeling he was a sincere and committed man to what he believed in. Secretary Powell was, simply and completely, a leader, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in remarks at the State Department. He treated people the way he expected them to treat each other. He made sure that they knew that he would always have their back. The result was that his people would walk through walls for him. Speaking to reporters on an overseas trip earlier Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the nations first Black defense secretary, reflected on Powells death. The world lost one of the greatest leaders that we have ever witnessed, Austin said. Alma lost a great husband, and the family lost a tremendous father. I lost a tremendous personal friend and mentor. He always made time for me, and I could always go to him for tough issues, Austin added. I feel as if I have a hole in my heart. Powell during a speech at the White House in 2011. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) 'One of our great Americans' President Biden released a lengthy statement calling Powell a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity: He believed in the promise of America because he lived it. And he devoted much of his life to making that promise a reality for so many others. As a Senator, I worked closely with him when he served as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and as Secretary of State. Over our many years working together even in disagreement Colin was always someone who gave you his best and treated you with respect. Colin embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat. He was committed to our nations strength and security above all. Having fought in wars, he understood better than anyone that military might alone was not enough to maintain our peace and prosperity. From his front-seat view of history, advising presidents and shaping our nations policies, Colin led with his personal commitment to the democratic values that make our country strong. Time and again, he put country before self, before party, before all else in uniform and out and it earned him the universal respect of the American people. Secretary of State-designate Colin Powell with Sen. Joe Biden on Capitol Hill in 2000. (Harry Hamburg/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) Having repeatedly broken racial barriers, blazing a trail for others to follow in Federal Government service, Colin was committed throughout his life to investing in the next generation of leadership. Whether through his care for the women and men serving under his command and the diplomats he led, or through the work he shared with his wife Alma at the Americas Promise Alliance to lift up young people, or through his years leading the Eisenhower Fellowships, Colins leadership always included a focus on future. Above all, Colin was my friend. Easy to share a laugh with. A trusted confidant in good and hard times. He could drive his Corvette Stingray like nobodys business something I learned firsthand on the race track when I was Vice President. And I am forever grateful for his support of my candidacy for president and for our shared battle for the soul of the nation. I will miss being able to call on his wisdom in the future. Jill and I are sending all our love and strength to Alma, their children, Linda, Annemarie, and Michael, their grandchildren, and the entire Powell family. Our nation mourns with you. Colin Powell was a good man. He will be remembered as one of our great Americans. Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at the White House and all federal buildings in Powell's honor through Oct. 22. A flag was lowered atop the White House following Powell's death on Monday. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images) Obama also paid tribute to Powell in an equally lengthy statement: Years ago, when he was asked to reflect on his own life, General Colin Powell described himself as first and foremost a problem-solver. It was true, of course. But he was far more than that. General Powell was an exemplary soldier and an exemplary patriot. He was at the center of some of the most consequential events of our lifetimes serving two decorated tours in Vietnam; guiding U.S. strategy in the Gulf War; serving as National Security Advisor, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State; offering counsel to four presidents; and helping shape American foreign policy for decades. Everyone who worked with General Powell appreciated his clarity of thought, insistence on seeing all sides, and ability to execute. And although hed be the first to acknowledge that he didnt get every call right, his actions reflected what he believed was best for America and the people he served. Along the way, General Powell helped a generation of young people set their sights higher. He never denied the role that race played in his own life and in our society more broadly. But he also refused to accept that race would limit his dreams, and through his steady and principled leadership, helped pave the way for so many who would follow. It was the way Colin Powell saw the world not as a starry-eyed idealist, but as someone with deep and abiding faith in this country and what it stands for that made him such a central figure. On a personal level, I was deeply appreciative that someone like General Powell, who had been associated with Republican administrations in the past, was willing to endorse me in 2008. But what impressed me even more was how he did it. At a time when conspiracy theories were swirling, with some questioning my faith, General Powell took the opportunity to get to the heart of the matter in a way only he could. The correct answer is, he is not a Muslim; he's a Christian, General Powell said. But the really right answer is, What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Thats who Colin Powell was. He understood what was best in this country, and tried to bring his own life, career, and public statements in line with that ideal. Its why, for all the battles he fought and problems he solved, Michelle and I will always look to General Powell as an example of what America and Americans can and should be if we wish to remain the last, best hope of earth. Our family sends our thoughts to Alma, their three children and grandchildren, and everyone mourning his loss today. ____ Read more from Yahoo News: FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, President Donald Trump speaks during a rally protesting the electoral college certification of Joe Biden as President in Washington. Trump has filed a lawsuit to block the release of documents to the Jan. 6 select committee, challenging the decision of President Joe Biden to release them. Trump claims in the lawsuit that the request "is almost limitless in scope," and seeks records with no reasonable connection to that day. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) WASHINGTON (AP) Former President Donald Trump on Monday sought to block the release of documents related to the Jan. 6 insurrection to the congressional committee investigating the attack, challenging the decision of President Joe Biden. In a federal lawsuit, Trump said the committee request was almost limitless in scope, and sought records with no reasonable connection to that day. He alleged the committee is seeking potentially millions of presidential records that he asserts are covered by a broad range of privileges, including those that cover presidential communications and conversations between lawyers and a client. The committees request was a vexatious, illegal fishing expedition, unprecedented in scope and untethered from any legitimate legislative purpose," the lawsuit said. Video: Trump questioned in suit over protester crackdown The lawsuit takes aim at the core oversight functions of Congress, saying the records being sought by lawmakers are not for legitimate legislative purposes and the committee does not have the powers of a law enforcement agency. It seeks an injunction to bar the archivist from producing them. Biden has said he would not block the release to the committee, because the Jan. 6 attack was such an unprecedented event that executive privilege should not factor in. Lawmakers are seeking the documents as part of its investigation into how a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building on Jan. 6 in an effort to halt the certification of Bidens win. The committee demanded a broad range of executive branch papers related to intelligence gathered before the attack, security preparations during and before the siege, the pro-Trump rallies held that day and Trumps false claims that he won the election, among other matters. Trump's lawsuit says the boundless requests included over fifty individual requests for documents and information, and mentioned more than thirty individuals, including those working inside and outside government. The suit says the request could include conversations with (or about) foreign leaders, attorney work product, the most sensitive of national security secrets, along with any and all privileged communications among a pool of potentially hundreds of people. The lawsuit was filed by Jesse Binnall, an attorney based in Alexandria, Virginia, who represented Trump in an unsuccessful lawsuit late last year seeking to overturn Bidens victory in Nevada. Trump and his allies have continued to make baseless claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election. Carlton Renfroe and his family moved to Dunwoody permanently in 1941. His father bought their Tilly Mill Road home in 1925, but his mother refused to move there until the road was paved and electricity and phone service were available. This is just one of the many memories of Carlton Renfroe I enjoyed hearing. Mr. Renfroe passed away Sept. 25, 2021, and he will be missed. He was born at the family home in Atlanta in 1931, at the corner of Techwood Drive and Harris Street. When his parents and five siblings moved to Dunwoody, the children began attending Dunwoody School. He had fond memories of the school and its teachers, recalling, Each teacher knew how to play the pianowed sing a lot. Renfroe described himself as an outsider in Dunwoody in those early years because everyone knew everyone and were related. The older families had married into other nearby families. So, as he described it, there were a lot of cousins. His best friend was Jeff Porter, whose family moved on land in 1939 that is today home to Marcus Jewish Community Center, so they were a new family as well. He had memories of attending Christmas services at Dunwoody Methodist Church and swimming in the pool built into the creek along Vermack Road. He and Jeff Porter joined the first Boy Scouts troop in Dunwoody. The troop began in 1947, under the leadership of Reynolds Green with assistance from Hugh Spruill. I called on Carlton Renfroe often to share his memories, and in 2017 Dunwoody Preservation Trust recorded him telling those stories. He remembered listening to the radio with his family the day of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. His father was a plumber who worked at Lawson General Army Hospital in Chamblee. That work gave his parents access to more fuel than most people. People didnt ride much back then, because they didnt have any gas. After graduating from Chamblee High School in 1950, Renfroe served during the Korean War. He was injured by shrapnel and spent a month in the hospital. Renfroe was in the National Guard through 1985. In 1953, he married Margaret Louise Copeland of Dunwoody. They raised four children in the Tilly Mill Road home. Renfroe leaves behind his wife of 11 years, Mildred Carter Renfroe, four children, four siblings, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He came to Brook Run Park on two occasions during Lemonade Days to help me greet people stopping by the Dunwoody Preservation Trust history booth. I always told him it meant so much more to people to hear the stories directly from the source. He was a good storyteller. I have always found that most people want to help other people, especially if that act of helping is easy, really easy. Hey, I am going over to Harrys to help remove debris from that big storm. He just had surgery and cant lift anything. You want to drive over with me and well pitch in for an hour or two? Sure, when do you want to go? So, here is the situation and it is all set up for you and for me. I already pitched in and wrote a check to the situation for $500. It could have been for any amount. Thats all I had to do. Thats all that was asked. Help us pay for this situation. Everything else someone else is doing. What you may be thinking is this situation? Glad you asked. I have written about this before. There are over 200 children who live in an extremely poor part of Kentucky a coal town who, because in large part of my friends Ralph and Sarah Rucker and Larry and Joyce Smith and a loyal group of their local supporters will have Christmas presents this year. These kids will know that just because they are poor and happened to have been born in a place that isnt so full of opportunities like we have here in North Atlanta, that doesnt mean that other people dont care about them. Every year, the Ruckers and Smiths and their friends and supporters as well as a ministry start buying presents around mid-summer, well over 200 bundles of Christmas presents, gifts, and food. This is a really substantial effort. The bundles of presents are driven up in a semi-truck full to the brim. The group budgets about $200 for each kids bundle of Christmas presents, about the cost of one nice meal in downtown Alpharetta. And every year, that is what they spend, even when it means that a lot of those dollars come out of their own pockets. Ralph and Sarah are well into their 80s. I dont know how old Larry and Joyce are, but if they are hanging out with Ralph, they, lets say, arent spring chickens. And they are not wealthy. I know Ralph still works 5-7 days a week doing landscape work and some concrete. Sarah only recently retired from work at the hospital. Ralph and Sarah, Larry and Joyce and all their supporters annual Christmas effort is an act of love, a pure act of kindness and caring. We all should thank them for the example that they provide to us. So, if you want something good, really good that you are responsible for that will brighten up your day and of course also the day of a whole lot of children who didnt have the good fortune to have been born in North Fulton County, pull out your check book and feel the sun and see light in these all too dark times. Its easy. Ralph and Sara, Larry and Joyce and their support group do almost all the heavy lifting. You need only lift your pen. Thats it. While they dont really have a formal deadline, I know that they usually drive up in late November or early December, so the time to kick in funds to help buy the presents for these children is now. Checks should be made out to Integrated Community Ministries the ministry in Kentucky that hosts the Christmas effort. Mail to Ralph Rucker, C/O Appen Media Group, 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA, 30009, or just swing by our office and drop off. If you have questions, Ralph can be reached at 678-898-7237. I also can be reached to answer any questions: 770-527-4042. You can also go on the website for Integrated Community Ministries and donate. The web address is Ky-ICM.org and if you go to their site, be sure to click on What we do and then check out the Annual Christmas Program! Smile! Well all get through this trying time together. And helping others is the ticket. Online Access for Print Subscribers. Do you have a print subscription with the Argus-Press? If yes, then click here to enjoy complimentary access to our Online Content! The number of clashes between the security forces and militant groups has significantly increased Srinagar: A large part of the non-local workforce has left Kashmir as the recent incidents of targeted killings of two Hindu vendors from Bihar and a Muslim carpenter from Uttar Pradesh created an atmosphere of fear and dread in the Valley. Also, the number of clashes between the security forces and militant groups has significantly increased, leaving at least 13 ultras and nine Army soldiers dead in the past week alone. This together with widespread police crackdown on activists and sympathisers of separatist groups, alleged former stone-pelters, suspected over ground workers (OWGs) of militant outfits and other 'undesirable elements' and 'potential troublemakers' and even some social media users has created a fear psychosis. The authorities insist that the crackdown is part of the investigation "to break the chain of attacks." Ravinder Kumar, a carpenter from Bihar, heading an eight-to-12-strong workforce including his younger brother and an uncle who come to the Valley every summer for the past two decades, left for home on Sunday morning. "We had decided to leave by this time as Diwali is approaching and we want to celebrate it with our families back home. The local people have been very good to us, but it is true that all of us are filled with fear after the killing of two non-local street vendors and a carpenter," he said. Marble mason Azad Ahmed and false ceiling worker Ravichandran both from Bihar come to the Valley in March and return by mid-November. "I have decided to leave early. I think I must leave the moment the work is complete. It may take two or three more days," said Ravichandran. Seasonal labourers in their tens of thousands from the north and eastern states particularly Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, turn to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in summer to work mainly at construction sites. They are hired also by the farmer families to work in paddy fields and apple orchards. With the onset of winter, the majority of these labourers and other workforce return to their homes or move to other places outside the Valley. While in the Valley to earn comparatively better wages they have occasionally faced threats from militant outfits and some have fallen prey to human error as well as incidents of violence blamed on the separatists by the authorities. Ironically, the last time they were, along with tourists, forced to quit the Valley en masse was by the government, citing security concerns but as part of its gameplan for the abrogation of Article 370. Post-abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution which guaranteed special status to J&K and special privileges including rights on land, properties, government jobs and admissions in professional colleges to permanent residents of the erstwhile state, many people see in these outsiders potential future "usurpers" of their rights and "occupiers" of their land and properties. Vast sections of J&K's population is seething with anger over the Centre introducing new laws and amending existing ones since August 5, 2019, particularly the land laws, making all Indian citizens eligible to own immovable properties in what is now called the Union Territory of J&K. Mainstream parties other than the BJP have held protests in Srinagar and Jammu, asserting such moves go against the interests of the erstwhile state and its people. Some of these and separatist Hurriyat Conference have alleged that stripping J&K of its special status and splitting it into two Union territories and subsequent moves at changing laws and administrative arrangements are aimed at changing the demography of the Muslim-majority region. The government effort to reclaim some of the properties of migrant Kashmiri Pandits too has become a source of irritation for a section of residents. A vast majority of Kashmiri Pandits and other Hindus fled the Valley to escape violence in 1990, leaving behind their immovable properties. While many of them later sold these to local Muslims, hundreds of Pandits residential houses were either destroyed in acts of arson, violence and floods and other natural disasters or remain abandoned, most in dilapidated condition. Some of the properties have been forcibly occupied by land mafia and other unscrupulous elements. The land mafia had been very active in this. While the DCs and revenue authorities of almost all the ten districts of the Valley have received complaints against the alleged illegal occupiers of land and houses, some Pandits have pleaded before the officials to declare sale deeds they entered with local Muslims as "done in distress". Several buyers have, on the other hand, complained that they are being harassed by the authorities is understandable though they had purchased the properties of Pandits and other Hindus and some Sikhs who left the Valley during the depths of militancy at market rates and after completing legal formalities. Some Kashmir watchers see the targeted killings in the backdrop of this state of apprehension and mistrust. However, the police have sought to dispel the notion that Hindus and Sikhs are the prime target of militants. They said that out of 30 civilians killed by gunmen so far this year, eight were non-Muslims including five locals and three outsiders whereas the rest of the victims were Kashmiri Muslims. Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range), Vijay Kumar, said, "It is not possible for us to give protection to one and all, but yes, those who are vulnerable will be protected." J&Ks lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, vowed to hunt down the perpetrators as well as their sympathisers to bring them to justice SRINAGAR: Two more Hindu seasonal labourers from Bihar were shot dead by unidentified assailants in Kashmir Valley on Sunday evening. A third was injured in the terror attack, the officials said. The J&K police while blaming the latest attacks on separatist militants said that the victims Raja Reshi Dev, Jogindar Reshi Dev and Chun Chun Reshi Das were targeted by them in Kulgams Laran Ganjipora area. While Raja Reshi and Joginder Reshi died on the spot, Chun Chun Reshi was injured in the attack and rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in neighbouring Anantnag town. His condition was stated to be stable. He has received firearm injuries in the back and arm. His condition is stable, Medical Superintendent GMC Anantnag, Dr. Iqbal Sofi, was quoted as saying by local news agency GNS. The security forces have laid siege to the area to capture the assailants dead or alive, the officials said. On Saturday evening, street-vendor Arbind Kumar Sah and carpenter Sagir Ahmed, resident of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, were shot dead by assailants in Srinagars Idgah-Safa Kadal area and Littar village of southern Pulwama district, respectively. Earlier this months, seven civilians including a Kashmiri Pandit chemist Makhan Lal Bindroo, street-vendor from Bihar Virender Kumar Paswan, cab driver Muhammad Shaffi Lone, school principal Supinder Kour, teacher Deepak Chand (also a Kashmiri Pandit) and two other residents, Abdul Majid Guroo and Muhammad Shafi Dar, lost their lives in a spate of target killings in and outside Srinagar. The J&K police blamed The Resistance Front (TRF) which it insists is an offshoot of proscribed Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) organisation for most of the 32 target killings that have taken place in the Valley so far this year and also many other terror activities in J&K. On Saturday, Inspector General of Police, Vijay Kumar, had claimed that at least five of those involved in these gory attacks are among the 13 militants eliminated by the security forces in their swift counterinsurgency operations in the past one week. J&Ks lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, had earlier during the day on Sunday vowed to hunt down the perpetrators as well as their sympathisers to bring them to justice. He said in his monthly radio programme Awaam ki Awaaz (the voice of people): I pay my heartfelt tributes to the martyr civilians and condolences to the bereaved families. Well hunt down terrorists, their sympathisers and avenge every drop of innocent civilians blood. Paying tributes to nine Army personnel, including two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO), killed in the ongoing gunfight with militants in frontier Poonch-Rajouri region, Mr Sinha urged the people to remember the security personnel who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. He said, When we light the Deepavali lamps next month, lets light one lamp in remembrance of the martyrs among the security forces who were prematurely snatched from us by the enemies of humanity. In 2015, Indias ranking on the Global Hunger Index was 55. Last year, in 2020, it fell by 39 places to land at 94. In 2015, Indias ranking on the Global Hunger Index was 55. Last year, in 2020, it fell by 39 places to land at 94. India went behind Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. This index tracks undernourishment, child stunting (low height for age), child wasting (low weight for age) and child mortality (number of children who die before the age of five). At that time, the government did not accept the data (which is collected mostly by agencies linked to the United Nations and the World Bank). In Parliament, the government had offered an unusual defence of its performance. Agriculture minister Parshottam Rupala said that in India whenever a street dog gives birth in our village, even though it bites, our women provide them with sheer (sweet dish). So we should not be sensitive to such reports As far as these surveys are concerned, even healthy and strong children are counted there should be awareness in society, our dynamic minister Smriti (Irani) ji has started a Jan Andolan, and 13 crore events have been done. Now this year, India has fallen another seven places to land at 101. Only 15 nations like Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen and some other African countries are worse off than India. This time the government has again refuted the finding that the proportion of undernourished Indians has gone up from 14 per cent to 15.3 per cent. The government has said: The report completely disregards the governments massive effort to ensure food security of the entire population during the Covid-19 period, verifiable data on which are available. The opinion poll does not have a single question on whether the respondent received any food support from the government or other sources. The representativeness of even this opinion poll is doubtful for India and other countries. The government appears to be saying that it is doing its job by providing free grain (five kilos of rice or wheat and one kilo of dal) to 60 per cent of the population, or over 800 million people. This is true, and it has been doing this since the past year. The question then is why are so many Indians queueing up each month for free rations? The answer can only be that they are hungry, and need it. As I wrote last week, the Indian governments own National Family Health Survey of 2019-20 says that things have deteriorated on the malnourishment front. In fact, in Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal, a higher percentage of children were found wasted in 2019-20 compared to 2005-06. This means that 15 years of progress has been ceded. More than half the surveyed states reported that every third child below the age of five is suffering from chronic malnourishment. The governments survey put out data for 22 states and Union territories. Its analysis of 10 major states showed that anaemia among children was higher in all the 10 states in 2019-20 compared to 2015-16. In seven of the 10 states which were analysed, a higher percentage of children were underweight (low weight for age) in 2019-20 compared to 2015-16. This is a crisis that we need to first acknowledge and then work on. It is a difficult problem and will require the Union and state governments as well as civil society, meaning NGOs, to work together. What is happening instead is that the Government of India has become defensive about every finding that shows a deterioration in governance. When the Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index showed that India had fallen by 26 places from 27 to 53, the government refused to engage on the subject in Parliament. It said the issue is very sensitive in nature but also trivial. The United States Commission for International Religious Freedom last year marked India as one of the 15 nations globally as countries of particular concern. This was because the minorities in India were under assault. The government said that its biased and tendentious comments against India are not new. This year again the USCIRF has returned the same findings, retained India as a country of particular concern and recommended sanctions against some Indian individuals. When Freedom House demoted India from being free to partly free and Jammu and Kashmir from being partly free to not free, the Indian government said that the political judgments of Freedom House are inaccurate and distorted, and for example, on the Covid-19 situation, there is a widespread appreciation in the world of our response. With every new report coming out which shows that things are slipping, we have become creative in trying to show how everyone else is wrong. When the Global Terrorism Index showed that India was stuck as the eighth most affected nation on earth, the Niti Aayog questioned how the organisation could provide country-wise national peace reports with just 24 staff members and six volunteers. On four dozen indicators, India has fallen since 2014. Our response in all of these has not been to engage with the facts as many other nations have done. Our response is to say that the findings are wrong because under this government, India can simply do no wrong. The diplomatic jostling has increased between India and China after the in-person Quad summit hosted by US President Joe Biden in September The diplomatic jostling has increased between India and China after the in-person Quad summit hosted by President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington in September. The gradual tightening of the Chinese tourniquet in South Asia all around India is an old factor. A series of events demonstrate this phenomenon. First is the situation in Afghanistan after the US military withdrawal and the swift capture of Kabul by the Taliban, with the support of Pakistan. India finds itself progressively pushed into the role of a bystander, largely dependent on multilateral pressure to handle the new Taliban regime. China, on the other hand, is dealing directly with the new power wielders in Kabul. The G-20 special meeting of leaders on Afghanistan on October 1, hosted by Italy, saw both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin giving it a miss. Instead, they had sent lower-level participants. While the G-20 agreed that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan needed addressing, there was no agreement yet on whether or when to recognise the Taliban regime. China also finds itself in a fix in dealing with the Taliban as its precondition that the Uyghur militants of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) be handed over is proving problematic. The suicide bombing at a mosque in Kunduz, which killed 50 people, was done by an Uyghur. The Islamic State (Khorasan), or ISIS-K, in a statement, claimed responsibility for the bombing, which it claimed was because the Taliban was wrongly negotiating about the fate of Uyghurs with China. Separately, President Putin claimed ETIM has deployed 2,000 fighters in east Afghanistan. There are reports that 30 ETIM fighters had escaped from Afghan jails during the transition of power. The Indian governments concern is that the escalating terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir are flowing from an emboldened Pakistan in the aftermath of the Talibans victory and a more destabilised western neighbourhood. But the BJPs electoral needs, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, and national security concerns are rubbing against each other. The sudden and unilateral decision to increase the operational control of Border Security Force (BSF) in Punjab from 15 km on the India-Pakistan border to 50 km is one such example. The reason given is the need to control drug smuggling and weapons. It can be argued that when tonnes of heroin are coming undetected via the Adani ports, why would smugglers need to send smaller quantities by drones. Also, such blatant seizure of power from the local police is a serious dilution of the federalism principle. Turning to Sino-Indian relations, it has been clear for some time, and especially since the last round of the corps commander-level talks, that China was resisting accepting the status quo ante on incursions across the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. The 13th round of talks was held on October 10. The stalemate became obvious when neither side attempted to hide their disappointment. Global Times, the English propaganda tool of the Chinese Communist Party, went a provocative step further arguing that Indias demands were unrealistic and not in line with the real situation or its strength. It even alleged India was being opportunistic. The implication was that India was exploiting the China factor to draw closer to the United States. The talks had been preceded by an intrusion on August 30 in the middle sector at Barahoti by 100 PLA soldiers on horseback who proceeded to destroy some Indian installations. Then, on September 30, Indian soldiers confronted the intruding PLA soldiers near Yangtze and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. The visit by Indias vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu to Arunachal Pradesh a day before the corps commanders talks was perhaps done recognising that China was anyway hell-bent on adopting a recalcitrant stand on the border issue. The outcome was thus more confirmation of what India expected, rather than any surprise. Against this background, the October 14 agreement between Bhutan and China on a three-step approach to solve their border issue came as an unpleasant surprise. The external affairs ministry of course maintained public indifference by simply noting it, while adding that it was part of a process ongoing since 1984. But internally there would be concern that any exchange of territory between Bhutan and China, as proposed in the past by China, may lead to greater Chinese entrenchment in the Chumbi Valley. Four years ago, in mid-2017, there was the India-Bhutan-China standoff in the Doklam plateau, which is located dangerously close to the Siliguri Corridor. In case of any Chinese military action in the eastern sector in Arunachal Pradesh, the corridor has to remain open to enable an appropriate Indian military response. China, contrariwise, would like to get close enough to be able to threaten the choke point. These series of episodes across the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control indicate that China is determined to tie India down on the South Asian subcontinent by applying pressure across the unsettled border as well as by weaning away the last reliable buffer, Bhutan. Nepals reliability in this regard is already suspect. This seems intended to distract India from its Quad commitments across the maritime domain in the Indo-Pacific region. Simultaneously, President Xi has mellowed his rhetoric as seen during his address at the 110th-anniversary commemoration of the XinHai revolution. Also, there appears to be an attempt underway to engage the United States before the planned Xi-Biden summit before the yearend. On October 6, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Zurich, and the Chinese foreign ministry dubbed the meeting as constructive and conducive to enhancing mutual understanding. It seems that China has realised that its across the board obduracy has created greater convergence between most of the states in its neighbourhood, which the US has been able to exploit. Is it then adopting a differentiated approach, which involves its engagement of the United States and a stiffening of its stand vis a vis select neighbours such as India? That would be a reversion to the historical Chinese strategy of playing one barbarian against another. India has to thus remain vigilant when playing the new game of balancing between the old hegemon US and the rising power China. Alongside, the BJP has to stop playing its communally divisive electoral games at home. Indias external environment is now too destabilised by the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and an increase in Chinas power grab to allow for such reckless electoral politics at home. AMG All the camo in the world cannot hide the naughty nature of the vehicle, which will set itself apart from the normal GLC family by adopting a wide body design, beefier bumpers, Panamericana grille, and a more aggressive diffuser at the rear, with cutouts for the quad exhaust pipes.Thebadges will decorate the exterior, and the car will ride on bespoke AMG wheels, shod in sticky tires, which will spin around the uprated brakes with drilled rotors and red calipers on the pictured prototype. It will also feature a more aggressive chassis tune and will be stiffer over the rest of the lineup.Beneath the skin, the new generation GLC will share its nuts and bolts with the latest C-Class. In turn, the GLC 63 will be a jacked up variant of the C 63 , and unsurprisingly, it too will ditch the sonorous twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 in favor of an electrified four-banger.The engine of choice will be the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder from the 45 series, believed to have been tuned to develop around 450 hp. It will be assisted by an electric motor generating in excess of 200 hp, reports claim, and in total, it should boast over 650 hp.With the BMW X3 M, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, and other premium compact super crossovers in its sights, the all-new Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 is understood to premiere late next year . In all likelihood, the first units will start arriving at dealers in selected markets shortly after, and the model should go on sale as a 2023 model year. The 1970 Pontiac GTO we have here is one of those cars that is certain to make a splash when it sells. It is scheduled to do so later this week, during an auction held by Mecum over in Chicago.The car is said to be one of 158 GTO convertibles to have been made by Pontiac back in 1970. That means it is rare, but also over half a century old. Yet it clearly doesnt show it, because the re-build process was completed in 2021, making this GTO one of the freshest now on the market.Wrapped in Cardinal Red on the outside and wearing a matching color over the interior, the build looks impressive, to say the least, even for those who are not GTO fans. All that shine hides underneath the original drivetrain, comprising the 455ci (7.5-liter) engine and 4-speed transmission.The engine now breathes through a dual exhaust system with chrome splitters and spins suitable Rally II wheels wrapped in Firestone tires. There are custom bits in there as well, mostly at the interior, including the sport steering wheel and seat belts, among others.The car now shows only the test miles ran post-restoration, and it goes complete with documentation (including the original broadcast sheet and warranty booklet). The GTO is listed for sale at the mentioned auction with reserve, but we are not being told how much that is.As usual, well return to this shiny red muscle car as soon as we learn how big of a splash it made during the auction. With a new mindset & a revolution in our headquarter Wolfsburg we can succeed the new competition.Good meeting with 200 top managers in Alpbach. Big responsibility at a crucial point for our company. Thx for joining @ErinMeyerINSEAD & @elonmusk,we will visit you soon in Grunheide pic.twitter.com/dwYyXZnBT8 Herbert Diess (@Herbert_Diess) October 16, 2021 Bringing the head of a competitor to your executive conference is a bold move, but Volkswagen invited several other personalities to its conference held in Austria, as we have observed from Herbert Diess' Twitter feed. While he joined Twitter just last December, VW Group's CEO is quite active on the platform. Elon Musk was described as a surprise guest by the CEO of the Volkswagen Group . According to media reports, Diess invited Musk to speak to VW Group's top executives, so this was not a surprise for the two leaders of two big names in the world of automobiles.So, you might be wondering what Elon Musk said during his discussion with Herbert Diess and his speech made in front of 200 executives from the Volkswagen Group. According to the German daily Handelsblatt (German, sub. req.), Musk praised VW for "being an icon," as well as "Tesla's greatest challenger."Herbert Diess then clarified on Twitter that Volkswagen has emerged as Tesla's main contender for global electric vehicle leadership. Diess also underlined the fact that he and VW will continue to dialogue with Tesla and Elon Musk.On a different social media platform, the boss of the Volkswagen Group praised Tesla for managing to rewrite software that would enable it to switch to a different type of microchip in just two weeks. The unspecified microchip went out of stock and Tesla's quick reactions made the company ready to continue production despite the shortage.Musk's invite to speak in front of so many Volkswagen executives is meant to motive the German conglomerate's leaders to accelerate the switch to EVs and bring a different mindset within the company. After all, VW is to thank for today's care for the environment after the Dieselgate scandal erupted. SUV EV We had no clue how the Taiwanese titan would name its electric bus, and Foxconn decided to name it the Model T. Yes, the same name for Fords sales champion, the car that put the world on wheels. Hon Hai will have to think about other names to put these vehicles into production or to cut an excellent deal with Ford to keep the ones it chose now. Tesla has tried to name the Model 3 as Model E and failed: Ford threatened to sue it.Regardless of what the names will be, Hon Hai shared more information about its future Foxtron products. The most important one is the Model C, a C-segmentthat is 4.64 meters (182.7 inches) long and has a wheelbase of 2.86 m (112.6 in). According to the company, it will be a 5+2 vehicle, probably like the Opel Zafira once was, with the two folding seats on the third row.The most impressive thing about the Model C is its range: 700 kilometers (435 miles). Foxconn did not disclose under which testing cycle but said it was possible because of a focus on energy efficiency. Despite being an SUV, the Model C has a drag coefficient of 0.27. It would also be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph (97 mph) in 3.8 seconds.The company did not mention when it plans to sell it but said it would have a reasonable price, comparable to a fuel-powered car. Asia Nikkei went to the event and got the information that the Model C should be for sale by 2023. The source also revealed that Foxconn plans to sell this vehicle for less than 1 million New Taiwan dollars ($35,696 at the current exchange rate).The Model E was indeed developed with Pininfarina, as we have anticipated. The E-segment sedan did not have its dimensions revealed, only its performance numbers. According to Foxconn, it could reach 100 kph from a standstill in 2.8 s thanks to 750 hp, all that with a 750-km range, also under an undisclosed test cycle.The HHTD21 (Hon Hai Tech Day) was held on Hon Hais founders birthday. Terry Gou said thewas the best birthday present he could ever receive, which was why he arrived at the event driving the machine.The Model T the electric urban bus has already run 200,000 km (124,274 mi) in acceleration endurance tests and undergone 1,000 hours of rigid strength tests. The company did not reveal how big its battery pack is nor how big are those in the other two EVs but said it could resist 400C (752F) and offer a range of 400 km. Its top speed is 120 kph (75 mph).Hon Hais automotive partner was also present at the HHTD21 (Hon Hai Tech Day). Yulons CEO, Lilian Yen Chen, said that the first partners to use the MIH Open Platform would be its brands Luxgen and CMC. That suggests that the first vehicles to be sold with it will be those from Foxconns automotive brand, Foxtron According to Asia Nikkei , Hon Hai plans to produce its EVs closer to their markets to reduce costs. In the U.S., they will be made at the former Lordstown factory, which will also manufacture the Endurance pickup truck for the American startup. In Asia, Foxconn will establish an EV factory in Thailand with the oil company PTT. Foxconn Chairman Young Liu said that the company would soon announce its plans to make EVs in Europe. There are plenty of closing factories in the Old Continent that would suit Hon Hai pretty well. For this, the two companies have used the toymakers TT02 chassis and a shrunken fuel cell, wrapping it up in a car shell that mirrors the looks of the real Mirai , albeit on a 1/10 scale. The new RC car can cover twice the distance of an equivalent battery-powered model, the Japanese automaker states, and even though it looks ready to hit the shelves, it is actually quite far from it.We believe these adapted hydrogen-powered Tamiya cars are the first hydrogen fuel cell RC cars in the UK, and they mirror the way full-size vehicles will be powered in the future. Its been great to see them in action at the model village (Old New Inn Model Village in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire); they performed really well, said Alistair Brebner from Tamiya UK. While we are a long way off being able to offer a hydrogen powered RC car for purchase, this challenge has proved that a scaled down and adaptable version of H2 can be a superb energy platform for our cars.Since weve briefly mentioned the range of the RC car, we will remind you that the real Toyota Mirai can cover up to 400 miles (644 km) on a full tank of hydrogen. Nonetheless, Toyota has actually managed to set a Guinness World Record for such vehicles earlier this year, with a second-generation Mirai that traveled for 845 miles (1,360 km) between refills. The auto firm thus broke the previous record set by Hyundai, which used a Nexo FCV to go from Melbourne, Australia, to the outback, running 551.5 miles (887.5 km).Toyota is offering the 2021 Mirai in two trim levels, the XLE and Limited, in the United States. Pricing starts at $49,500 and $66,000 respectively, and both of them are offered with a no-cost maintenance plan and free 24-hour roadside assistance. The base variant has an EPA-rated range of 402 miles (647 km), and the more expensive option can travel for 357 miles (575 km) on a single tank of hydrogen. Hyzon Motors is a New York-based fuel cell mobility company, but its operations expand across the globe, including in the Netherlands. For decades, Hyzon has been researching fuel cell innovations, and it claims it has developed the highest-density fuel-cell stack on the market, validated by third-party testing authorities.The American company recently attended a symposium on energy transition , which took place in Groningen, in the Netherlands, where the King of the Netherlands himself, King Willem-Alexander, got to try out a Hyzon hydrogen-powered truck. The King opened the symposium called Winds Meets Gas, where over 400 specialists from the energy sector got together for a two-day event.The main focus of the symposium was green hydrogen, meaning hydrogen that is produced sustainably, through the use of solar power or wind energy, instead of natural gas hence the title of the event. Hydrogen could be the perfect solution, King Willem-Alexander stated, but large-scale production and use of the green version is still only at the beginning. This is why government support is still needed at this point. Hyzon s largest production site opened earlier this year in Winschoten, the Netherlands. The location was chosen strategically because its situated close to a major freight train station, an international freight harbor, and also close to Germany. This particular area in the Northern Netherlands is the first one in Europe to benefit from a subsidy for developing a green hydrogen chain.Hyzons facility in Europe can currently produce up to 500 fuel cell electric trucks per year. The goal is to double its capacity by 2022. Furthermore, to support a green hydrogen chain, it will develop hydrogen-powered trucks and lightweight hydrogen storage systems. SUV After all, owners will probably end up seeing each others rides on their way to their private jets. But this time around, unlike on other occasions, no planes are visiting Daniel Abts latest video (embedded below). Instead, the Urus and Cullinan gathered on the little airstrip for a challenge that wasnt unexpected, though it remains highly unlikely in the real world: a drag race (or two, as well as a rolling battle).Come to think about it, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan doesnt stand a chance against the hulking-yet-nimbler Lamborghini Urus. After all, the latter was built as the ultimate Super, while the former is the successful Magic Carpet Ride response to Bentleys Bentayga. Still, the German racing driver (English subtitles are available) tried to make this race as fair as possible, bringing in a Cullinan Black Badge for the quarter-mile skirmish.A quick look at the technical cards (seen at the 1:35 mark) will easily showcase this is still one highly unbalanced encounter. The Cullinan Black Badge is way heavier than Lambos Urus, severely overpriced, and also a tad underpowered. But is anyone going to miss the fun? We didnt think so either, because its not every day you get to see a hulking luxobarge getting shamed... by another bulky/expensive/almost-just-as-irrational SUV.So, without further ado, the first drag race round kicks off at the 4:54 mark, after the customary sound check. As expected, the Urus takes the lead from the very beginning, no matter the Cullinans Black Badge enhancements (additional power and torque, fine-tuned dynamic handling). The Rolls-Royce takes an equally severe beating during the second round from the 6:09 mark, and not even the roll race has the power to change the (equally) obvious outcome.Actually, we could have seen or rather hear this flawless victory from the onset, as the sound battle (from 3:20) was easily and decidedly won by the Italian luxobarge SUV representative! Once trained on the Jovian system (that is Jupiter with its rings and moons), the telescope has been sending back images of the place for years. Scientists have been looking into them for just as long and now, as they finished with the observations spanning from 1999 to 2015, found that Hubble proved that there might be long-term water vapors on Europa.Thats not entirely unexpected, as scientists have long believed the moon harbors a vast ocean underneath its icy surface, which might offer conditions hospitable for life. Even more, Hubble once confirmed 60-mile (97 km) high plumes of water vapor erupting from the surface, but until now, evidence of a constant presence of water vapor was unheard of.What is strange though is that these long-term water vapors are to be found only on one of the moons hemispheres, namely on the one that is always opposite to its direction of motion along its orbit.According to NASA , although this phenomenon is mysterious, it should help pave the way to a better understanding of the formation and evolution of Jupiter and its moons. Such a discovery also only fuels the scientists desire to send exploration missions there, and there are already two of them in the works: NASA's Europa Clipper and ESAs Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer.As for Europa, the place may look inhospitable the temperature on the surface is minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 162 degrees Celsius) but it does have a lot of things going for the existence of life in one form or another.The moon is one of many to orbit the massive gas giant (there are close to 80 that we know of), and one of three to be almost confirmed as having oceans of water under a sheet of ice, alongside Ganymede and Callisto. NHTSA An official document made public by the safety agency reveals that the hazard lights, which work together with the pre-collision safety system to warn those behind the Taycan of a potentially dangerous situation, could exceed the automatic activation.What does this mean? In short, that they might activate in non-emergency situations. If this happens, then it could confuse other road users, which might increase the risk of a crash. Drivers will be aware of the problem, however, because the turn signal lamps will flicker in the instrument cluster.A total of 11,827 units of the Porsche Taycan are included in this safety campaign. The cars , which are all sedans, were made between October 21, 2019, and September 17, 2021. The recall is expected to kick off in a couple of months, and owners should hear from the automaker by or on December 13.Dealers were already informed of the recall last week and will inspect all cars, upon scheduling an appointment, reprograming the hazard lights free of charge. Since all vehicles included in this recall are still covered by the factory warranty, Porsche will not offer a reimbursement plan.The official Porsche number for this recall, which the German car manufacturer became aware of at the end of August, and two months later, decided that the vehicles do not comply with the local safety regulations, is AMC1. Owners of the affected Taycans will have to use it should they want to get in touch with them at 1-800-767-7243, and they can also contact thes Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. The Nellie Bly tugboat, named after the pioneering journalist who traveled around the world in 1889, is almost at the end of its 1,020-nautical mile voyage, which began in Germany, with several stops in Denmark. Interestingly enough, this European, record-breaking journey is actually being controlled from more than 3,600 miles away, in the U.S. The project is called The Machine Odyssey, and it was developed by Sea Machines, a Boston-based company specializing in autonomous systems for the maritime industry.The innovative tugboat began its autonomous voyage at the end of September, equipped with the Sea Machines SM300 technology that includes computer vision, obstacle detection features, remote payload control, plus several specialized cameras and radars. U.S. Coast Guard-licensed officers, at the companys control center in Boston, are in charge of commanding operations for Nellie Bly, as it makes its way through Europe.But theres another remarkable fact about this autonomous tugboat it also aims to be sustainable, by using safer alternatives instead of conventional fuel. The company announced that it has been using renewable Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) biofuel, produced by Bunker One in Denmark, as the main fuel for its autonomous boat.At the stops it made throughout Denmark, the boat was refueled with HVO biofuel, which is supposed to reduce toxic emissions by 90%. This sustainable alternative represents around 70% of the fuel used by Nellie Bly throughout its journey. At the end of the pioneering trip, the Sea Machines boat will have consumed around 4,000 liters of biofuel.The entire record-breaking voyage, which combines long-range autonomous boating with sustainable fueling , has been streamed in real time, on the Machine Odyssey dashboard, available here Those 10,000 units are incomplete because of the global chip shortage, as well as other components that have affected their delivery schedule. The Czech marque wants to deliver those vehicles to customers as soon as possible.Previously, Skoda Auto representatives explained that they have been struggling with a "big shortage of critical components." At the time , company officials stated that "not even Skoda Auto is able to avoid this global crisis," as Tomas Kotera, the company's spokesperson, explained.Meanwhile, Skoda will reportedly have to limit its production up to the end of 2021, as Reuters notes. Due to those production curbs, which are currently the biggest in Central Europe, overall car production should reach the level of 2020 in the Czech Republic. This will happen due to the fact that the country also hosts a Toyota and a Hyundai factory. The former has faced outages as well, but not as severe as Skoda's.Analysts fear that these shortages will have a negative impact on the country's industrial sector, which relies on vehicle production, since the company that builds Skoda automobiles currently hires about 35,000 people in the Czech Republic. Moreover, this figure does not include suppliers and all supporting industries around the company's factories in the country.While based in Mlada Boleslav , where the marque has its museum and a factory, Skoda Auto also has two other factories in the Czech Republic. One of them is the Kvasiny, while the other plant is a facility that currently only builds seven-speed DSG transmissions, located in Vrchlabi On a global scale, Skoda Auto employs 180,000 people , and it is responsible for a quarter of the Czech Republic's industrial output. Meanwhile, customers have to wait for months for the arrival of their new cars, which is why the company wants to get the backlog of unfinished vehicles cleared as soon as possible. The reaction we had as we set eyes on this here pic (click main photo to enlarge) was however not the one the Air Force ( USAF ) probably had in mind when it released it not long ago. Instead of being impressed by it, were mildly amused, as these very flat things look nothing like the killer machines theyre supposed to be, at least from eye level, and appear more like some flat pancakes spread across a plate.The image shows no less than three B-2 Spirits (these things come out in packs on very rare occasions) on the tarmac of the Keflavik Air Base in Iceland at the end of August. Theyre deployed with Team Whiteman out of the Air Force base with the same name in Missouri, and they were out on their first Bomber Task Force Europe deployment.According to the USAF, the bombers presence in the Arctic region allows the worlds only stealth bomber fleet to be ready for any mission, anywhere in the world at any time.Technically, this airplane doesnt need to be all that close to its targets. The Northrop Grumman machine can fly thanks to its tanks and the four General Electric engines that power it for distances of up to 6,900 miles (11,000 km), at speeds that can reach 630 mph (1,010 kph).It can sneak up on its target undetected, being stealth and all, and drop all sorts of weapons, including, if need be, nuclear ones. Luckily, in all the conflicts it was involved in since its introduction in 1997, it did not need to do that. BEV In just four years, WeRide has demonstrated an impressive evolution. With operation centers throughout China, as well as in San Jose, in the U.S., the company launched its first robotaxi service in 2019, in Guangzhou. During the first year, WeRide robotaxis have completed almost 150,000 trips, with more than 60,000 passengers.In addition to the Robotaxi and the Mini Robobus, WeRide is now introducing the first Level 4 autonomous cargo van in China, the Robovan. The company will work with Jiangling Motors (JMC), to design purpose-built models for mass production, which will be equipped with the WeRide autonomous driving (AD) system. A third company, ZTO Express, will acquire and use the Robovan for express delivery services.WeRides ambitious goal with Robovan is to eventually provide uninterrupted logistics services. This autonomous cargo van is supposed to make deliveries faster and more convenient. Based on JMC's battery electric vehicle () model, the Robovan will be equipped with full-stack software and hardware AD solutions and will operate in coordination with WeRides AD fleet management platform.The technology developed by the Chinese company includes in-house built HD maps that cover thousands of kilometers through various cities, plus real-time localization, thanks to a series of integrated sensors. The result is a Level 4 autonomous vehicle that can drive even through tunnels that are longer than 0.6 miles (1 km), in challenging weather conditions, such as heavy rain. The future cargo van will be able to provide delivery services both day and night, in any kind of weather.Earlier this year, WeRide was authorized by the California Department of Motor Vehicles to begin testing two autonomous cars with no safety driver, in San Jose. Perhaps it wont be long until the Robovan will also start circulating on Californian roads. 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. Siradeghians death was announced by his wife and son in a short statement issued at the weekend. They did not specify its cause, reveal his last place of residence or say whether they want to bury him in Armenia. A former novelist, Siradeghian was one of the leaders of a popular movement for Armenias unification with Nagorno-Karabakh that erupted in 1988 and toppled the then Soviet republics last Communist government in 1990. He became one of the newly independent countrys most powerful men when serving as interior minister in the administration of its first President Levon Ter-Petrosian from 1992-1996. Both during and after his tenure, Ter-Petrosians political opponents and some media outlets accused Siradeghian of abusing his powers to enrich himself and his family. He denied that. One year after Ter-Petrosian resigned in 1998, Siradeghian was charged with ordering a string of contract killings. State prosecutors claimed in particular that he set up in the early 1990s a death squad to eliminate and terrorize opponents of the Ter-Petrosian administration. In July 2000, two members of the alleged gang were sentenced to death while seven others got jail terms ranging from 4 to 11 years. One month later, eleven former officers of Armenian interior troops were given lengthy sentences after a Yerevan court convicted them of murdering two men in 1995. The former interior minister strongly denied ordering those killings. He and his supporters insisted that the charges were fabricated as part of then President Robert Kocharians efforts to neutralize his political foes. Siradeghian fled Armenia in April 2000 ahead of the Armenian parliaments decision to allow law-enforcement authorities to arrest him pending the outcome of his trial. Although the authorities for years claimed to be trying to track him down and have him extradited, his whereabouts always remained unknown to the public. Throughout his exile Siradeghian never went on record to comment on political developments in the country. He continued to enjoy the backing of Ter-Petrosian and members of the ex-presidents entourage. In a weekend statement, Ter-Petrosians Armenian National Congress (HAK) party, paid tribute to Siradeghian, saying that as interior minister he managed to quickly root out crime and maintain internal stability and law and order and thus contributed to the Armenian victory in the 1991-1994 war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The HAK also deplored the trumped-up charges brought against him during Kocharians rule and urged the current Armenian authorities to allow Siradeghians family to bury him at the National Pantheon in Yerevan. Email Dan Walters of CalMatters at dan@calmatters.org. CalMatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more columns by Walters, go to calmatters.org/dan-walters. Bluefield, WV (24701) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High near 40F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 27F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Images of WWII come for many from school textbooks or old John Wayne movies -- maybe Netflix documentaries. The rough and tough idea of men fighting in faraway places can seem as distant as the history itself. What may not be made clear in these sources, however, is the critical importance of Beaumont and Port Arthurs oil refining role in the Allies plans for victory during the war. In fact, the Germans recognized this importance, too, and sought to destroy and disrupt as much of the American war effort as they could by releasing deadly U-boats against oil-laden cargo ships in the Gulf of Mexico. To combat that threat, the U.S. created the Civil Air Patrol to keep watchful eyes on the Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean. The patrol flew from a series of 21 bases that stretched from Texas to the coast of Maine. The story of these men, mostly civilians, is told in Penny Clarks new book from Arcadia Publishing, Beaumonts Civil Air Patrol in World War II, now on sale at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other retailers. Clark is the unlikely personification of the often gritty and savage scenes of battle we might think of, but she has the gusto and enthusiasm for military history that rivals any general. This is a war of engine and octanes, I love that quote and its attributed to Joseph Stalin, Clark said. It sums up the struggle that would be required for an Allied victory. The Allies were going to have to produce massive amounts of petroleum to win the war. Clark is Special Collections Librarian at Lamar University and her passion for war led her to explore the story of Beaumonts and Texas contributions to the war effort from the home front. Civil Air Patrol Coastal Base No. 10 was located at Beaumonts Municipal Airport from 1942 to 1943 during its only operational period. The group was a part of the Office for Civilian Defense and was responsible for searching for enemy submarines and survivors of attacks, logging more than 14,000 hours of flight time. The men, those mostly too old for military service, often provided their own private aircraft. The book is a jam-packed visual history of the people, places and planes that served during the units operational existence. All but three photos in the book come from the Larry Jene Fisher Collection housed at the Mary and John Gray Library at Lamar University. The collection boasts more than 8,000 photographs from Fisher, who served in the CAP unit as pilot, photographer and archivist. The situation was grave in 1942, Clark said. U-boats sank 12 vessels in January and another 42 in March. By May, the losses were so bad the government released no statistics. The men in the U.S. Merchant Marine had greater odds of dying than any other uniformed service, according to Clarks research, with approximately 4% killed during the war a higher percentage than the Army, Navy or Marines. Clark said approximately 150 Merchant Marine seamen from Southeast Texas perished from U-boat attacks in the Gulf during WWII. The Beaumont CAP saw four pilots killed in missions over the Gulf during the 1942-1943 period due to accidents, mechanical failures or weather. While trained in military protocols, the pilots remained civilians throughout the duration of their service and were often able to return to their homes after completing a mission. The flights over the Gulf of Mexico were dangerous, Clark said. The unit and pilots faced many challenges of never knowing if their next mission would be their last. The unit faced other challenges, too. As a non-frontline fighting unit, CAPs needs were not always available or timely when it came to training and equipping the pilots. There were housing and supply shortages, men needed training in both flight and military procedures they struggled to get paid on time, Clark said. It was a quintessentially American outfit. It was disorganized, especially in the beginning. They lacked modern equipment and even safety devices. There were arguments about who they reported to the Army or Navy? The visual story in the book gives glimpses of many facets of wartime culture with men too old or too young for military service being the prominent force behind homeland defense. Women were moving into untraditional workplaces to fill production needs, and people of color were lawfully allowed to compete for jobs with whites as the government started to introduce fair labor and anti-discrimination laws and employment policies. Rationing was in place and the unit sometimes struggled to find the necessities to perform the missions, but the photos also demonstrate the sense of civic responsibility these men and the community shared. The unit participated in war bond drives, with one bond drive raising more than $73,950 in just 12 hours. They marched in a Navy Day parade that brought out 60,000 people to the streets of downtown Beaumont featuring a Japanese mini submarine captured at Pearl Harbor. That submarine now sits in the collection of the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas. While the book covers the service of many, Clark said it would not have been possible without Larry Fishers photography and preservation. He came to Beaumont as a movie house organist and, later, some people called him, The Renaissance Man of East Texas, she said. He was a folklorist, aviator, a writer, a playwright, and he was also always promoting this wonderful collection and this area. Im grateful to be able to tell this story. Stephan Malick is a freelance writer. Click here to read the full article. Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has died of COVID-19 complications. His family confirmed his death on Monday in a public Facebook post, noting that he was fully vaccinated. Powell was 84. More from Variety Morgan Freeman to Play Colin Powell in Biopic The statement, signed by The Powell Family, reads: General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19. He was fully vaccinated. We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American. A 35-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Powell the Harlem-born son of Jamaican immigrants was the first African American to serve as Secretary of State (2001-2005) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-1993). Former President George W. Bush released a statement shortly after the Powell family, calling the former Secretary of State a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam. Continued Bush: Many Presidents relied on General Powells counsel and experience. He was National Security Adviser under President Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under my father and President Clinton, and Secretary of State during my Administration. He was such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man. Born on April 5, 1937, Powell was raised in Harlem and South Bronx and went to the City College of New York before enrolling in the army and serving in Vietnam from 1962-1963 and again from 1968-1969. He later attended George Washington University and became a White House fellow in 1972, just three years after returning from Vietnam. After becoming an assistant to Frank Carlucci, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, he rose through the ranks, and was eventually tasked with oversight of the Armed Forces Command in 1989. Later that year, President George Bush nominated him as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff a position that saw him play a prominent role in the planned invasion of Panama, as well as the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations of the Gulf War. He retired from the military in 1993 and later joined the Republican Party. In January 2001, Powell was made Secretary of State by President George W. Bush, and went on to become a key figure in the Iraq War. He made a notorious speech to the United Nations in 2003, where he attempted to make a case for the war using what was later discovered to be false evidence. Powell resigned as Secretary of State in 2004, shortly after Bush was re-elected, and was replaced by Condoleezza Rice. He has appeared as himself in a number of documentaries over the years, most recently serving as an interviewee in Apple TV Plus and BBC documentary 9/11: Inside the Presidents War Room. His autobiography, My American Journey, was published in 1995. Powell is survived by his wife of 59 years, Alma, and their three children and four grandchildren. His son, Michael Powell, spent eight years at the Federal Communications Commission, from 1997 to 2005, and is now president and CEO of telecommunications lobbying organization NCTA. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If youve ever watched Houston television newscasts, Tom Abrahams might seem familiar. Hes the Emmy-winning weekend evening anchor for the ABC Eyewitness News. Hes also an extremely successful and prolific novelist. Abrahams released his first novel in 2012. Since then, hes written 31 more. His latest title, Buffalo Bayou, goes on sale later this month. A noir thriller, Buffalo Bayou is set in present-day Houston. It follows John Druitt, a homicide detective with the Houston Police Department, during a spree of killings that make headline news. Druitt is far from the typical hero. Hes flawed and damaged. I think damaged people are the most interesting to explore, especially as they seek redemption, Abrahams says. Here, hes not looking for redemption for himself. He seeks it for others. And that's something new. Druitt is certainly something new among Abrahams usually honorable protagonists. Druitt lives with his wife and his wifes girlfriend. Hes well-known to the prostitutes and pushers on the streets as both a cop and a client. His colleagues are wary, if not outright suspicious, of him. We cant say that he enjoys his work, but he is comfortable in the mayhem he finds and sometimes creates. Abrahams captures the noir tone perfectly. Druitt is not only cynical but fatalistic. The world he lives in is shadowy and dangerous. And the city of Houston is much more than just a setting. In this book, Houston is a character, Abrahams tells us. Nobody knows what rain and floods can dredge up better than those of us living along the southeast Texas coast. Most of Abrahams books include a nod to Texas in some way but here, life in Houston is expertly captured. Druitt moves through wealthy and poverty-stricken neighborhoods that butt up against each other (just like real life). The action includes frequent, often unexpected, rains and floods (again, just like real life). Buffalo Bayou was originally a short story, part of the anthology Houston Noir. Abrahams expanded it into a stand-alone novel over the summer. I love creating new characters and so I'm always looking to explore new stories, places, and people. Abrahams writes an average of four novels a year. Thats one full-length novel every 90 days. Most authors in his genre, like Michael Connelly and James Patterson, write one book a year. Abrahams usually writes his books in series and his fans expect the next installment more quickly. It's not that Im writing fast, he tells us. Its that I write consistently, averaging about 1,000 words a day. Of the 32 completed novels, I've written 30 of them since 2015. I do sometimes feel pressure from fans to deliver the next book but in general, I like to think of myself as a storyteller, first and foremost, whether it's my day job or my side hustle. A story is a story. Abrahams next book, The Crusader, a post-apocalyptic thriller in which the United States suffers an electromagnetic pulse attack, is set for release in November. Buffalo Bayou is set for an October 19, 2021 release. Visit Tom Abrahams at Piton Press. https://www.pitonpress.com/ Olivia Flores Alvarez is a freelance columnist for The Beaumont Enterprise. Earlier this week, the New York Times published an article arguing that COVID-19 is not a crisis, but rather an era, the effects of which human beings will deal with far after the illness fades. The piece includes an interview with Allan Brandt, a historian at Harvard University, who says that we tend to think of pandemics as episodic when they are actually much more impactful and long-lasting. We are living in the Covid-19 era, not the Covid-19 crisis, Brandt says. "There will be a lot of changes that are substantial and persistent. We wont look back and say, That was a terrible time, but its over.' There have been so many heartbreaking changes to our lives, but there have also been smaller, more nuanced shifts. Little details of life can seem inconsequential, even silly, when compared to the horrors of the pandemic. But they also give us tangible examples of how we will move in this new world. Such is the case with bellying up the bar, a time-honored tradition that may become one of those substantial and persistent changes that happens once society fully reopens. Bellying up is the act of walking into a neighborhood dive, finding an open spot along the bar, and standing there. Its building a rapport with the bartender, striking up conversations with strangers, and finding communion in a sacred space. It also means not standing in a single-file line like were boarding an early-morning flight to somewhere terrible. Standing in line to order a beer is annoying. Before the pandemic, if there was a line, nothing thrilled me more than watching someone bypass it and head straight for an empty space. First, I was inspired by their gall. Second, they always every single time got served immediately because in my experience most bartenders hate lines, too. In recent months, as weve reemerged from lockdown, masked and battling spike after spike, the line is everywhere. It makes sense we needed to space out, bars are understaffed, and it helps tame the chaos of a packed room. But its also a reminder that the experience of bellying up to the bar is likely gone, anesthetized along with everything else. Since the countrys inception, the neighborhood bar has always not only been a place for community, its been the backdrop for some of Americas most important moments. In an August interview with Smithsonian Magazine, Christine Sismondo (who wrote an entire book on dive bars called America Walks into a Bar), discusses the cultural significance of a local watering hole. Bars have always been where people share news and discuss it. And theres an unwritten code in most neighborhood bars that people are supposed to check their degrees at the door, Sismondo says. Standing around a bar, she says, is the great equalizer. It breaks down class structure and creates one of the only spaces for the "lawyer, university professor, taxi driver and dishwasher" to gather together without pretense and exchange ideas. Sismondo also notes that nearly every American city has some bar with a historical marker, an illustration of the saloon's place in U.S. history. Among the historic events that started in a bar include the American Revolution, the Stonewall Riots, and the planning of the Boston Tea Party. Would we still have seceded from the British if we were standing in line quietly staring at our phones? Probably not. Is this romanticizing bars? Absolutely. But 18 months without something allows for a certain amount of idealization. Bellying up to the bar creates a space for possibility (the booze helps with this, too) whether were on the hunt for a partner, a passionate discussion, or just a good time. After months in isolation, seeing patrons standing quietly in single-file just seems sad. They get their drinks, swipe a card, and return to their tiny little tables and the friends they already know. If we weren't still in this pandemic era, perhaps this story would end suggesting the next time you head out to your favorite neighborhood haunt, you bypass the line and belly up to that bar. But everything is still changing and suggesting that seems irresponsible. So instead we wait to see if this is just a blip on our way back to normalcy, or if the pandemic really did kill the great American dive. Very few people live to be 100. Far fewer are still working at the age of 100, and even less than that have been working at the same vocation for 75 years. Father Luis Urriza checks all of those boxes and one more. He has spent the majority of his 75 years as a Catholic priest at the same church - Cristo Rey - which he founded upon immigrating to Texas from Spain in 1951. This is really unprecedented, and he is quite an amazing man, Bishop David Toups said, adding, I think thats also why Pope Francis wrote him a personal letter to congratulate him on his amazing life. Im so grateful for the life and ministry of Fr. Luis, and in particular his care for the Spanish-speaking members of our church. He has shown extraordinary love for them, and has been a Godsend for them for many years. Thursday, August 19, Fr. Urriza gathered with parishioners, Bishop Toups and fellow priests for a mass of thanksgiving celebrating his 100th birthday. And in true fashion, he was working, leading the mass and performing the consecration of communion- a sacred rite hes performed at the very least 3,900 times. It is one of many Catholic rites and ceremonies Fr. Urriza has performed for Southeast Texans over the years. The number of weddings, first communions, last rites, and baptisms hes done is innumerable. Some are documented in thick bound volumes shelved at his office in the rectory, like his Baptismal Registry. It logs 912 baptisms - its last entry dated 2021 with the baptism of Jonathan Torres. Among those hes baptized is Father Stephen McCrate, head pastor at St. Louis Catholic Church in Winnie. Fr. McCrate delivered the homily at Fr. Urrizas birthday mass, recounting stories of the pastor that brought laughter to the congregants as well as Fr. Urriza, who countered his stories with a well timed wag of his finger and clever reply. It was mere evidence of how much Fr. Urriza the centennarian is on top of his game now as much as hes been for decades. The fact that he has been able to maintain his schedule of masses, baptisms, marriages, and other celebrations in the community is remarkable. He hears confessions daily and takes walk up appointments to the parish on a daily basis. I have been edified since my arrival at his extraordinary availability to the people of God, Toups said. Fr. McCrate gathered with Fr. Urriza and fellow priests in a back room as parishioners filled the pews for the celebratory mass. Many looked through a booklet filled with old photos chronicling Fr. Urrizas life, from his birth in Spain to his installation as a priest and later as head pastor at Cristo Rey. The booklet ended with a holiday portrait - Fr. Urriza and parish children dressed in their finest for Christmas mass. As Fr. Urriza processed to the altar, parishioners held their phones aloft, recording the historic moment. It is a moment of which he was the feature, but merely one of many memorable moments encountered throughout his lifetime. There have been wars, upheavals in the church, a global pandemic before the novel coronavirus made its entry on the world stage - the second pandemic through which Fr. Urriza has lived. Hes seen changes in policy to immigrants, especially those of Hispanic descent, and a new bishop who finally addressed the Southeast Texas Hispanic community in their own language upon his installation. Fr. Urriza was among the first to stand in applause as then-Monsignor Toups addressed his community of priests - first in English, then Spanish. It wasnt always that way when Fr. Urriza arrived. He came to America after getting permission from his superiors in Spain following multiple requests from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Port Arthur for him to come and serve as a parish priest and organist. He is an accomplished organ player who still dabbles upon the keys of the piano in the rectory. When he arrived after 15 days at sea, he found another priest already in the position and was then asked by the diocese if hed be interested in working in Beaumont instead. I began to think, what am I going to do in Beaumont? he recalled. Researching the area he found hundreds of Hispanic families in the community who had no place, no priest, and sent a letter to his superiors in Spain, asking them to alter his assignment. They approved, and that day he said his first mass at the Bishops house. Soon after, he got to work building Cristo Rey. He reached out to the Hispanic community, asking if they wanted a church of their own. One man told him, Yes, if you build it, I will come to church. That man would be part of the crew that helped build Cristo Rey when they broke ground in 1953 and became one of its first congregants. Over time, Fr. Urrriza has served multiple generations of families whove joined Cristo Rey - becoming a part of their families as much as theyve become part of his - a family for which hes continued to advocate. Little by little, its growing, and getting better, Fr. Urriza says of the Beaumont diocese in its service to the Hispanic community. Fr. Urriza has been instrumental to that growth through his lengthy service that is unusual in a church climate that sees few priests lasting decades leading the same congregation. We all owe Fr. Luis a debt of gratitude for what he has done for our community, Toups said. That gratitude extends beyond Cristo Rey Church and the Diocese of Beaumont to the heart of the Catholic church. The congregation gasped as Bishop Toups ended the birthday mass reading from a letter thanking Fr. Urriza for his life-long service - a letter that was signed, Yours, Francisco. Pope Francis, the first Hispanic Pope, was among many, including Felipe VI, the King of Spain, recognizing Fr. Urrizas special gifts, particularly as they relate to the Hispanic Catholic community. The documents now sit among the many mementos filling Fr. Luis rectory office. They will be among the most beloved memories he will pack soon for a move back to Spain. Fr. Urriza was recently told by the diocese that he had to retire given his age. Its news that neither he nor his parishioners wanted to hear. People are really crying and crying. They are worried, he said, adding, Im really sorry to have to leave. I dont want to retire. This is my home, but theres nothing I can do. He was told, St. Peter told us that you had to retire. Fr. Luis has found a small church just outside Madrid that will allow him to continue working. It is the next step in a life-long priestly journey that began at the age of 12. He remembers his mother telling him one day, tomorrow were going to the seminary, and then we went and now Im here. But I have no regret, he said, adding, God called me and Im here, and I will do anything I can to work in the church - here or anyplace. Though he is sad to be leaving his house at Cristo Rey in the final chapter of his life as a priest, Fr. Luis said, God will be with me - that I know for sure. kbrent@beaumontenterprise.com Dreamstime, HO Some three years later, a trial date has been set for a homicide that happened in early December 2018. Jury selection will begin this afternoon for the first-degree murder trial of Hebert Clark Jr. Clark is accused in the fatal shooting death of Scharonn Laroyce Cole on Dec. 2. WASHINGTON - A wealthy Trump donor who helped finance the rally in Washington on Jan. 6 also gave $150,000 to the nonprofit arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association, records show, funds that a person familiar with the contribution said were intended in part to promote the rally. The nonprofit organization paid for a robocall touting a march that afternoon to the U.S. Capitol to "call on Congress to stop the steal." On Dec. 29, Julie Jenkins Fancelli, daughter of the founder of the Publix grocery store chain, gave the previously undisclosed contribution to RAGA's nonprofit Rule of Law Defense Fund, or RLDF, records reviewed by The Washington Post show. On the same day, the records show that Fancelli gave $300,000 to Women for America First, the "Stop the Steal" group that obtained a permit for the rally featuring former president Donald Trump. Funding for the events in Washington that day is a focus of the House select committee investigating the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol that followed the rally. The panel is also interested in the role state officials, including attorneys general, played in encouraging people to go to Washington on Jan. 6 and in supporting Trump's efforts to overturn the election, according to people familiar with the committee's work. The leaders of Women for America First have been subpoenaed by the committee, as has Caroline Wren, a Republican fundraiser who was listed on that group's permit as a "VIP ADVISOR." Both of Fancelli's donations were arranged by Wren, according to the records and the person with knowledge of the contributions, who like some others interviewed for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. "We have many questions about coordination and funding, and we are actively seeking records and testimony that will answer those questions," said committee spokesman Tim Mulvey. "Many witnesses are already engaging with the committee, and we expect cooperation to help us get the answers we're seeking." The documents sought by the subpoenas sent to rally organizers were due Wednesday. Fancelli, who is not involved in Publix business operations, did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment,and it is unclear if she knew about the robocall ahead of time. In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, which reported in January that Fancelli had given approximately $300,000 to support the rally, she said: "I am a proud conservative and have real concerns associated with election integrity, yet I would never support any violence, particularly the tragic and horrific events that unfolded on January 6th." Alex Jones, a far-right talk show host and conspiracy theorist who was involved in the Jan. 6 rally, has said that it cost "close to half a million dollars." He has also said a donor he did not identify paid for 80% of the rally. In a statement to The Post, Wren's lawyer said: "Ms. Wren, in her role as an event planner, assisted many others in providing and arranging for a professionally produced and completely peaceful event at the White House Ellipse with hundreds of thousands of Americans who were in D.C. to lawfully exercise their first amendment rights, a primary pillar of American democracy. Ms. Wren was not present at the United States Capitol or the Capitol Grounds on January 6th." Before the rally, the robocall showed that the effort to get people to march on the Capitol was backed not just by Trump activists but by a law-and-order organization in the GOP establishment. After the riot, the robocall led to upheaval at RAGA. Then-executive director Adam Piper - who was also president of the RLDF, according to a source familiar with the organizations - resigned amid a furor. Several corporate donors said they would no longer support the group. Piper was replaced in April by Peter Bisbee, who was executive director of RLDF at the time of the rally. Bisbee's ascension was followed by more than a half dozen resignations, many in protest, including that of then-finance director Ashley Trenzeluk. Trenzeluk's resignation letter, which was reported by Alabama Political Reporter, said Bisbee approved the robocall expenditure. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr stepped down as RAGA chairman after Bisbee was elected executive director, citing disagreements over the direction of the organization. Carr was also among the minority of Republican attorneys general who did not back Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's failed effort at the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge Joe Biden's victory in four states, including Georgia. "This fundamental difference of opinion began with vastly opposite views of the significance of the events of January 6," Carr wrote in his resignation letter. "The differences have continued as we have tried to restore RAGA's reputation internally and externally and were reflected once again during the process of choosing our next executive director." Bisbee declined to comment for this story. A RAGA spokesman, Johnny Koremenos, did not respond to detailed questions about the robocall, including its cost, but said in a statement: "Over the last 10 months, the Republican Attorneys General Association and every Republican AG have repeatedly condemned the violence that took place on January 6. RLDF's participation in the events was limited to a robocall and those involved with those decisions are no longer with the organization." Piper did not respond to numerous calls and texts from The Post. "What took place at the Capitol on Wednesday truly sickens me," he wrote in a Jan. 11 email to RAGA staffers that was obtained by The Post. "It is fully inconsistent with what I have spent my entire career fighting for - the preservation, promotion and protection of freedom and opportunity." RLDF, a tax-exempt organization, is not required by the Internal Revenue Service to disclose its donors. The nonprofit "promotes the rule of law, federalism, and freedom in a civil society," according to its website. "I'm calling for the Rule of Law Defense Fund with an important message," stated the robocall, which was first reported by Documented, a watchdog group that focuses on corporate influence. "The March to Save America is tomorrow in Washington D.C. at the Ellipse in President's Park between E St. and Constitution Avenue on the south side of the White House, with doors opening at 7 a.m. At 1 p.m., we will march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal. We are hoping patriots like you will join us to continue to fight to protect the integrity of our elections. For more information, visit MarchtoSaveAmerica.com. This call is paid for and authorized by the Rule of Law Defense Fund, 202-796-5838." The voice on the call belonged to an RLDF staffer, according to former RAGA staffers. The website it mentioned was created by right-wing activist Ali Alexander's "Stop the Steal" team that was urging Congress to object to Biden's victory, according to a person familiar with the website and records reviewed by The Post. The website identified RAGA as a "coalition sponsor" on the morning of Jan. 3, and then later referred to RLDF as a "participating organization" in the run-up to Jan. 6, according to archived versions of the page that are no longer online. The robocall was also promoted, along with the website, in a text sent out by American Principles Project, a Virginia-based conservative nonprofit. The text, which included a telephone number where callers could hear the RLDF robocall, called on supporters to join the president and Paxton "in DC tomorrow 2 fight for the integrity of our elections!" The Texas attorney general spoke at the rally. Terry Schilling, executive director of the American Principles Project, declined to comment Friday. Paxton did not respond to requests for comment. The Post was not able to determine how many people received the robocall or the text. Fancelli, who goes by the first names Julie and Julia in public records, donated nearly $1 million to a joint account for the Trump campaign and Republican Party in 2019 and 2020, according to Federal Election Commission records. She has been registered as a nonpartisan voter in Polk County, Florida since 2001, public records show. Publix Super Markets has distanced itself from Fancelli, noting in a Jan. 30 tweet that she "is not involved in our business operations, nor does she represent the company in any way." After the 2020 election, many RAGA members joined with Trump in promoting baseless allegations of massive voter fraud. Seventeen of the 26 GOP attorneys general signed on to a brief asking the Supreme Court to reject the election results from four battleground states won by Biden. After Jan. 6, however, Piper said in a statement that no Republican attorney general had "authorized the staff's decision" to promote the rally. "Organizationally and individually, we strongly condemn and disavow the events which occurred. Yesterday was a dark day in American history and those involved in the violence and destruction of property must be prosecuted and held accountable." Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who was then the chairman of RLDF, told reporters that decisions to support the rally were made without his knowledge and that he had ordered an internal review. "Every decision Adam made on behalf of RLDF was with the best of intentions and with the organization's best interests in mind," Marshall said in a statement at the time. A handful of other Republican attorneys general expressed outraged. "I am shocked and angered by this unauthorized act by a rogue staffer, which I found out about through a press report," Ohio's Republican attorney general, Dave Yost, said in a Jan. 9 tweet. "It is the opposite of the rule of law and contrary to what I stand for." RAGA has been a fundraising powerhouse in recent election cycles. But since Jan. 6, the organization's fundraising prowess has suffered. RAGA raised about $2 million less in the first half of 2021 than the $8.5 million it raised during the same period in 2019, according to IRS records. A person familiar with RAGA funding said those numbers need to be considered in light of the pandemic, and noted that 2019 was an especially expensive year for the organization. Even so, after the group's role in the events of Jan. 6 was disclosed, several companies vowed to cut off donations, including Facebook and Lyft. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has supported RAGA substantially in the past, did not donate during the first half of this year. Of the $6.7 million RAGA has received through June 2021, $2.5 million came from the Concord Group, a conservative organization founded in part by Federalist Society co-chairman Leonard Leo, according to published reports. Bisbee previously worked at the Federalist Society. Warnings are statements or events that indicate a possible or impending problem or danger. Too often the most ignored warnings are those from God. The first warning given by God was during creation. Man ignored this warning and that came at a great cost. Gods warnings are for our benefit to help and guide us. These are also ways that God tries to get our attention. Jesus warned His followers against sin and evil. He said: Watch out! Be on guard (Luke 12:15). He also warned His followers against false and hypocritical religious people and leaders: Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, I am he, and The time is near. Do not follow them. These warnings are for our safety, issued because of Gods great love for us. Here are six important things Jesus warned us about. Sin We are supposed to avoid sin but this can be quite a task because we are sinful beings. As much as we dont want to, we still sin in our daily lives because of the sinful nature that was injected into us through the fall. Because God is holy, He cannot tolerate sin, and our sin separates us from him, becoming a barrier to our fellowship with Him and even causing us to lose the joy of our salvation. Isaiah 59:2 says, Your iniquities have become a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that He does not hear. Jesus had many sayings that warn us regarding the nature of sin itself. A few of these include, Sin is a master to whom we become enslaved (John 8:34), only the truth will set us free (John 8:32) and For the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). The seriousness of sin should make us realize we cannot tolerate it or give sin any ground in our lives. The Devil There are certain satanic strongholds that imprison us each day that we must be aware of. The battles are taking place every day and the devil uses them to break us down. Luckily, Jesus warns us of the devil and his advances. One way the devil tries to attack us is when were alone. We can see this in Matthews writings. He does this because he knows we are most vulnerable when were at our weakest point. The Bible tells us, Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1). He knew Jesus was alone and he tempted Him. The devil can detect when youre feeling alone. In these moments of attack, he wants you to believe that youre all alone. At times when you feel like the devil wont leave you alone, its important to remember that God is with you! Being Materialistic When Jesus said, Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19), the term lay up is often believed to mean having possessions. But it did not simply speak of having possessions, but of your possessions having you. The term lay up is better understood as a hoard. In this passage, Jesus is not saying that it is wrong to have things as many often believe. He was warning against becoming materialistic or letting things become more important than God. God created us to love people and use things, but a materialist loves things and uses people. Jesus did not lift up poverty as some great virtue. In fact, only one time did He tell someone the rich young ruler to sell his possessions and give to the poor. The rich young ruler was possessed by his possessions. When Jesus said, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me (Matthew 19:21), the Bible says that he went away sorrowful. This was a test to see whether God was more important to him than his things. Those Pretending to Be Christ Christ appeals to Scripture, but false christs dont appeal to Scripture. They have an entirely different appeal. There is often a monetary motive involved or an entirely selfish motivation. Its important that you pay close attention to their message. We have the word of the prophets made more certain and you will do well to pay attention to it (2 Peter 1:19). God has spoken, and Christ appeals to His Word. The false christ makes a rather different appeal: By appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error (2 Peter 2:18). Ask yourself what kind of message is this person delivering? If you feel like any part of their message isnt aligned with Gods message, they are a counterfeit and you need to be aware of it. Hypocritical Judgment People often believe that Jesus is saying in Matthew 7:1-5 to not judge. This is usually in the context of someone committing some wrongdoing, and the person responding with Who am I to judge? Were all sinners and God calls us to judge not, right? Not quite. Contrary to popular belief, Matthew 7:1-5 is not a prohibition against all judgment. These verses are a warning against hypocritical judgment, not judgment in itself. Jesus is saying we cant judge others when we are guilty of the same sin. What people fail to realize is when they interpret this verse in this way, they are declaring a judgment on the person who they are claiming is being judgmental. If you dive further into the passage, Matthew is not forbidding judgment but hypocrisy. This is why the context is so important. You have to read the surrounding text to understand the verse. What Jesus is doing in this full passage is passing judgment on those who improperly judge. We know from continuing to read the verses that we will all be judged by the same measure that we use. If we cant apply this standard to our own lives, we cant apply this standard to others. Lacking Humility Matthew 5:3 says, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Most Christians interpret poor in spirit to mean a false piety cultivated by poverty of personality or material wealth, when it actually means we must be humble in our spirits. If you put the word humble in place of the word poor, you will understand what He meant. In other words, when we come to God, we must realize our own sin and our spiritual emptiness and poverty. We must be self-satisfied or proud in our hearts, thinking we dont really need God. If we are, God cannot bless us. The Bible says. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Its interesting note that Peter closed his writings with a warning to believers: Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory now and forever! Amen (2 Peter 3:17-18). Here, Peter is emphasizing how important it is to place our trust in Jesus. When we put on the full armor of God and protect ourselves from the ways of this world that counter Jesus. Local-news hot featured Beloit library hosts Zinefest highlighting artists of all kinds Austin Montgomery/Beloit Daily News Shown above, Chicago-based graphic designer Mel Dempsey and comic artist Sean Dempsey work as a tandem duo to craft a wide range of comics and adventure zines. Shown at right are closeup views of some of Sean Dempseys work that was on display at the Beloit Public Library this weekend. Artists from Wisconsin and Illinois took part in Zinefest at the Beloit Public Library this weekend. Austin Montgomery/Beloit Daily News Zinefest in Beloit was Milwaukee-based artist Bianca Brandolino's first-ever in-person event due to the COVID-19 pandemic as artists gathered from around Wisconsin and Illinois to highlight their creativity and self-expression. From right: Zinefest in Beloit featured a panel discussion with various Zine artists including Liz Mason, John Porcellino, Aim Ren and Edward Witt. Austin Montgomery/Beloit Daily News Pictured are closeups of Chicago-based comic artists Sean Dempsey's work on display at Zinefest in Beloit over the weekend. Austin Montgomery/Beloit Daily News Good Omens, a zine by Milwaukee-based artist Bianca Brandolino highlights the beauty in small things. Her work along with a range of artists were on display over the weekend as the Beloit Public Library hosted Zinefest. BELOITThe Beloit Public Library was bustling with creativity over the weekend as it played host to Zinefest that brought self-publishing artists of all kinds out to show off their diverse work to curious visitors. The event was organized by Beloit Public Library Volunteer Coordinator Jessica Graminske who spent time tracking down artists from both Illinois and Wisconsin to highlight the unique artistic medium that is self-publishing. I always thought zines were a really cool way for self-expression and I wanted to bring that to Beloit to show all the creativity we have to offer. I am really excited and its great to see more people out again to get people excited again to come to the library, Graminske said. Zines are small circulation, self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images. Artists are able to touch on many themes and through complete creative control are able to highlight issues they find important. Zines are also a common form of self-expression for marginalized groups that are underrepresented in popular culture. For some artists, zines are a great platform to tell fantastical stories that transport readers to other worlds. Sean Dempsey, a Chicago-based cartoonist, crafts comics that focus on curiosity and adventure through traveling or misfit characters. With zines, I am able to be there to draw them, write them and actually make sure they are going to come together the way I want to, Sean Dempsey said. I went to school for comics specifically and I had some professors introduce me to underground comics, zines and mini-comics. It was a whole other world of possibilities. You can do whatever you want with this. Thats where Mel Dempsey, Seans wife, comes in as a graphic designer making sure all the elements of each zine are properly formatted. We have to keep up on what our stock is, Mel Dempsey said. We have to buy the paper and then follow the printing notes for each comic and then a bunch of things are hand-cut. For others, self-publishing zines can lead to raising awareness about important issues. Milwaukee-based artist Bianca Brandolino said she felt zines were a great way to merge her passions for graphic design and painting while being able to raise awareness about mental health struggles and gender identity. Mental illness impacts me and a lot of the people I really love. Were entering an age where people are publicly addressing the mental health stigma, Brandolino said. To me, its super important that my work be accessible but also I dont want it to be literal. I want people to be able to take away from it what they need to. One of her recent works Good Omens, showcases small things in Brandolinos life that bring her joy, with the end of the zine offering the reader a chance to document the small things in their everyday lives that bring them joy. Its a good way for me to find awe in my life each day, Brandolino said. Milwaukee-based artist Tyler Schoen said zines were a great way to break rules and highlight diversity. Schoen creates under the artistic pseudonym the Shy Electron and makes works focused on themes of queer identity, language, magic, nature and humor. I had a story I really wanted to tell and I didnt want to be restrained by any mediums so I was going to take the approach that I had the most control with and thats what ended up being my first zine, Schoen said. As with every industry, the pandemic had an impact on artists being able to gather in the same space thats forced many artist-focused events to switch to digital. This was Schoens first event in-person in nearly two years and Brandolinos first-ever in-person event. The top diplomats of Indonesia and Malaysia together amplified their nations concerns Monday about Australias plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, warning this could draw other powers into disputes over the South China Sea and provoke a regional arms race. Under the so-called AUKUS pact signed last month the United Kingdom and the United States will provide Australia with technology needed to build such submarines. After holding bilateral talks in Jakarta on Monday, the Malaysian and Indonesian foreign ministers reiterated concerns about the pact that they had articulated in recent weeks. Although the country [Australia] stated that these are nuclear-powered submarines and not nuclear-armed ones, both our governments expressed concern and disturbance, Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah told a joint news conference after meeting with his host and Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi. This could attract the involvement of more powers in the ASEAN region and the South China Sea, he said. Retno said Indonesia and Malaysia were committed to maintaining peace and stability in the region. Both of us dont want the current dynamics to lead to tensions caused by an arms race and power projection, she told reporters. Such a situation will not benefit anyone. The AUKUS pact has, however, led to a regional schism. At least two other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are backing AUKUS. The Philippines and Singapore say it will help restore a regional imbalance a clear reference to Chinas growing military might and contribute to stability. In early October, Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told parliament that both Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta believed that strong military cooperation among ASEAN members would ensure greater security in Southeast Asia. Security analysts say AUKUS aims to help Australia develop nuclear-powered submarines as well as deter Chinas aggressive military posturing in the contested South China Sea. Beijing, which has sweeping claims in the strategic waterway, has denounced the pact. Malaysia, a claimant to waters in the South China Sea, meanwhile, is also a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangement (FPDA) along with Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. As Saifuddin and Retno were warning about the potential negative consequences of AUKUS, Malaysia, Australia, the U.K. and the other members of FPDA were marking that pacts 50th anniversary with a large-scale aerial and naval display in Singapore, according to news reports. Myanmar During their news conference on Monday, the Indonesian and Malaysian foreign ministers also talked about a decision made by ASEANs top diplomats last week not to invite Myanmars junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, to the regional blocs summit later this month. The decision, based on the Burmese militarys failure to take steps to restore democracy after it ousted a civilian government in a coup on Feb. 1, was the right thing to do, Retno said. Our efforts as a family have not been met with a good response from the Myanmar military, Retno said during the press conference, referring to the 10-member regional bloc. This decision will not get in the way of ASEANs commitment to helping Myanmar, including sending humanitarian aid. On Saturday, ASEAN chair Brunei said that the bloc would invite a non-political representative from Myanmar to its summit, scheduled for Oct. 26-28. [S]ome ASEAN member states recommended that ASEAN give space to Myanmar to restore its internal affairs and return to normalcy in accordance with the will of the people of Myanmar, Bruneian Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof said in a statement. In response, the Burmese junta issued a statement the same day alleging that the decision to exclude Min Aung Hlaing from the summit was taken without all members agreement ASEAN decides on issues and actions based on consensus. Myanmar is extremely disappointed and strongly objected [to] the outcomes of the emergency foreign ministers meeting as the discussions and decision on Myanmars representation issue was done without consensus and was against the objectives of ASEAN, the ASEAN charter and its principles, the junta said. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya, Malaysia, April 5, 2021. Malaysians expressed shock and disbelief Monday after a court granted a request by former Prime Minister Najib Razak to travel to Singapore for his grandchilds birth, although he was convicted last year on charges stemming from a massive corruption scandal. Najib can have his passport back temporarily so he can make the trip to the neighboring city-state, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal ruled, the state-run Bernama news agency reported. The court found that there were reasonable grounds for this application, said Judge Kamaludin Md. Said, the head of the panel, according to Bernama, which was the only news outlet allowed to send a reporter to the courtroom due to pandemic restrictions. The court allows this application and the passport will be returned, the judge ruled in a verdict that was unanimous. It will be the ex-PMs first trip abroad since authorities confiscated his passport and blocked him from leaving Malaysia after his UMNO party crashed out in the 2018 general election. The party is back in power. Citizens on social media, an anti-corruption activist, and a prominent lawyer were among those criticizing the decision to allow Najib, who is appealing last years conviction and is also standing trial in a second case tied to the 1MDB scandal, to go to Singapore. They also expressed dismay with the prosecution not objecting when the panel agreed to hear Najibs application to regain access to his passport. Cynthia Gabriel of the Center for Combating Corruption and Cronyism (C4), said it was ridiculous that the prosecution did not object. A convicted criminal in court is allowed to travel [abroad]? But PTPTN borrowers cannot leave the country! she said on Twitter, referring to the National Higher Education Fund Corporation by its more common acronym. Borrowers who are blacklisted for failing to pay their education loans with government funds are not allowed to leave the country if they have not settled their debts with PTPTN. Regional analyst James Chin captured what many Malaysians on social media were expressing when he said that people were disgusted by the courts decision allowing Najib to travel. Many cannot understand how a guilty person can travel, Chin said on Twitter. Most think its a done deal that they will get away with the 1MBD scam. Tainted former first couple In May 2018, the then-new government of Mahathir Mohamad barred Najib and his wife Rosmah from leaving the country amid international money-laundering probes linked to billions of dollars allegedly siphoned from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state fund that Najib had started in 2009 to spur development in his country. In July 2018, Najib was required to surrender his two diplomatic passports after he was charged with criminal breach of trust and abuse of power in connection with the 1MDB scandal. Last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found Najib guilty of one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust, and three counts of money-laundering over allegations that he had illegally received 42 million ringgit (U.S. $9.67 million) from SRC International, a 1MDB subsidiary. Najib filed an application to get his passport back on Friday, the same day that his wife, Rosmah Mansor, got permission from the high court to temporarily access her passport to travel abroad. Rosmah, who is facing a criminal trial related to corruption involving a school solar panel project in Sarawak, had been asked to surrender her passport as a condition of bail after being charged with graft in 2019. The former first couples daughter, Nooryana Najwa Najib, 33, is expected to give birth to her second child in Singapore in about two weeks. The court allowed Najib access to his passport from Oct. 20 until Nov. 22. Rosmah can travel from Oct. 22, but must return to Malaysia by Nov. 21 and surrender her passport to the court on or before Dec. 6. The former PM was the third person facing a criminal trial to get access to his or her passport since last Monday when Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the president of Najibs party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), was similarly granted his request. UMNO returned to power unelected in August, three years after it was swept out of power by a wave of popular criticism in the wake of the looting of 1MDB. Early last year, the party regained a great deal of power when it became a member of Malaysias then-ruling coalition headed by Muhyiddin Yassin. Muhammad Rafique, a prominent criminal lawyer, said Rosmah and Zahids trials were still ongoing, which made their cases different from convicted criminal Najibs. The risk of [Najibs] absconding, however slight, still remains, Rafique told BenarNerws. The temporary release of travel documents was done at the discretion of the court, the lawyer said. But the Attorney Generals chamber not objecting leaves much to be desired, he said, referring to the prosecution. If this is the stance of the prosecution, we hope that normal ordinary folks also get the same treatment. Chinese survey vessel Da Yang Hao has left Malaysias waters, two weeks after the Malaysian Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest. Ship-tracking data on Monday showed the 4,600-ton vessel is now on its way northward, more than 200 nautical miles west of the Philippines. Its hard to have any certainty as to Chinas decision-making, said Sharihman Lockman, a senior analyst at Malaysias Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS). Da Yang Hao was obviously there as a form of protest against Malaysias oil and gas activities so China has probably calculated that theyve made their point and left, he told BenarNews. Since late September, the Da Yang Hao had been operating in an area that runs through the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of three countries: Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. At one point it was only 40 nautical miles from Philippines Balabac Island and 60 nautical miles from Malaysias coast. On Oct. 4, Malaysias Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it had summoned Chinese Ambassador Ouyang Yujing to protest against the presence and activities of Chinese vessels in Malaysian waters. Among them was the survey ship Da Yang Hao, which was running back and forth off the coasts of the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak. The ship first appeared in the area around Sept. 25-26. Kuala Lumpur called its activity inconsistent with Malaysias Exclusive Economic Zone Act 1984, as well as the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS defines an EEZ as extending 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from shore, and grants the coastal state the sole right to explore and exploit the natural resources. The statement from the Foreign Ministry added that Malaysia had also protested against the previous encroachments by other foreign vessels into our waters. Malaysia had always been cautious in dealing with China, its biggest trading partner, but the strong wording this time suggested that the Malaysian leadership was under pressure to show a firmer attitude against Beijings increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea. The analyst Lockman said he doubted that Malaysias protest was decisive in this regard, but it probably helped by further publicizing Chinas actions. In a similar incident last year, another Chinese survey ship, Haiyang Dizhi 8, only left after a month-long standoff with a Malaysian drill ship contracted by the state-run firm Petronas. Another Chinese survey vessel, the Haiyang Dizhi 10, has been operating in an oil field in Indonesias EEZ since the end of August and was still there on Monday. Chinese ships often show up uninvited in disputed waters in the South China Sea, especially when there are maritime activities by neighboring countries and their allies. Naval ships from the U.S., U.K. and other nations have been conducting exercises and port calls in the Indo-Pacific, most recently in a two-week drill called Bersama Gold 2021. China claims historic rights to almost 90 percent of the resource-rich South China Sea which is also claimed in parts by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Southeast Asian countries and China are discussing a so-called Code of Conduct for the South China Sea in order to resolve disputes peacefully and in accordance to the international law. Experts say it is unlikely an agreement would be achieved in the foreseeable future due to the parties conflicting interests. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (right) sits next to Norwegian national Kjartan Sekkingstad as they meet in Davao City after Sekkingstad was freed from the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Islamist militant group in Sulu, southern Philippines, Sept. 18, 2016. Authorities in the southern Philippines have arrested a suspected Abu Sayyaf militant, who acted as a ransom negotiator and was involved in the abductions of two Canadians who were executed by the Islamic extremist group in 2016, police said Monday. The national polices Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) backed by police commandos, marines, and intelligence agents, arrested Adzrimar Sali Ammat on Friday after raiding his safehouse in Zamboanga City, officials said. The house was located within two kilometers of a military base. Ammat, 30, who is also known as Abu Omar or Guru Adin, was involved in the 2015 kidnappings of Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, as well as Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Marites Flor, police said. The latter two were freed after a year in captivity. Ammat alias Abu Omar was tagged as the negotiator of the Abu Sayyaf group that seized the four captives, including three foreigners and a Filipina in 2015, AKG chief Brig. Gen. Rudolph Dimas said in a statement. He did not say why it took police three days to publicize the suspects arrest. On Monday, officials at the Canadian Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a BenarNews request for comment. The Abu Sayyaf, or Bearers of the Sword, a militant group based in the southern Philippines, is blamed for the countrys worst terrorist attacks, including bombings of military camps. Founded by an Afghan-trained militant in the 1990s, the group later branched out to raising funds through kidnapping when its leader was killed. Police said that two other kidnap victims, who were not named by them, positively identified Ammat as a negotiator. It was not clear whether they were held together with the two Canadians. The regional police office in Zamboanga said Ammat had two standing warrants of arrests, one issued by a Davao Court for two counts of kidnapping with homicide on Sept. 29, 2016, and kidnapping with ransom issued by another court on Sept. 2, 2019. The two Canadians, the Norwegian and the Filipina were abducted in September 2015 from the Holiday Oceanview Resort on the island of Samal in Davao del Norte, and were later taken to the jungles of Jolo Island the stronghold of Abu Sayyaf in the far south police said. Ridsdel was beheaded in April 2016 and Hall was beheaded two months later. In June 2016, Flor, Halls girlfriend, was also freed and recounted the cruelty of Abu Sayyaf militants. We were treated like dogs. If we made mistakes, we were beaten, Flor told reporters then, shortly after the militants freed her. President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered negotiators to get her and the remaining hostage alive. Flor was freed three months earlier than Sekkingstad, the Norwegian. The national police then said that a ransom of 30 million pesos (about $600,000) was paid for his release, although they never revealed who was the source of that money. In hostage situations, the Philippines government officially has a policy of not negotiating for ransom. Philippine police and soldiers killed four Chinese drug suspects in a shootout during a sting operation outside Manila on Monday, the countrys police chief said of the second deadly counter-narcotics raid since September targeting suspected traffickers from China. Agents from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, backed by soldiers and police intelligence officers, traded fire with the Chinese in a residential area near the city of Angeles, north of Manila, National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said. The suspects got wind of the sting and engaged law enforcement agents in a shootout just as they were about to be arrested, he said, adding that The shootout resulted in the death of the suspects. The suspects were known distributors of illegal drugs in the National Capital Region and Region 4-A, Eleazar said, referring to heavily populated suburban areas south of Metropolitan Manila. During the raid, the authorities seized 38 kilograms of crystal meth, worth some 262.2 million pesos (5.2 million dollars), he said. They also recovered four handguns from the slain suspects, who ranged from 29 to 43 years old, and came from Fujian and Shanxi provinces, officials said. Mondays drug confiscation was the second biggest since last month when government operatives also killed four Chinese drug suspects and seized 500 kg (1,100 lbs) of crystal meth valued at some 67.7 million dollars the biggest haul so far in the Philippines in 2021. Since taking office in 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte has launched a deadly war on illegal drugs, vowing to eradicate them from the country. Under his administration, the police have killed about 8,000 suspected drug addicts and dealers whose markets are primarily located in the sprawling slums of Manila. The number could be as high as 30,000, according to human rights advocates and drug-war survivors. Duterte now faces the prospect of being prosecuted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as he ends his six-year term and loses presidential immunity next year. 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 campus of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox was once the home of the The Bible Speaks cult. Author Betsy Dovydenas, who has written the book "In Case You Want to Know How I Got Brainwashed," will give a talk at the campus on Saturday about her experience with the cult. PITTSFIELD State Rep. Paul Mark is running to represent the Berkshires in the state Senate, he says, to really make a difference for working families. And hes doing so with the support of his fellow Berkshire County representatives, local labor leaders and other area Democrats. Mark, 42, a Peru Democrat first elected in 2010, announced his candidacy for the Senate on Monday in Pittsfields Park Square. State Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield; John Barrett III, D-North Adams; and William Smitty Pignatelli, D-Lenox, endorsed Mark at the event, which was attended by more than 30 people, including local Democratic officials and activists. State Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield, is running for lieutenant governor and will not seek reelection in the Senate. With funds flowing to the state from Washington, Mark sees an opportunity to undertake projects that are once in a generation and transformational to the region. He says his record makes him the right person for the job, pledging to build upon his work in the House if voters elect him as senator for the 57-municipality Senate district, which covers all of Berkshire County and parts of Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden counties. Ive taken on the fight for Medicare for All and access to health care, Mark said. Ive taken on the fight for student debt relief and additional funding for vocational programs across our state. Ive pushed for big and transformative solutions to combat the climate crisis while providing good-paying jobs for our communities and ensuring Western Massachusetts has access to affordable transportation and high-speed broadband. Marks announcement has been expected after the Legislatures proposed redistricting maps eliminated Marks House district, cutting Berkshire Countys four House seats to three. Had Mark run for reelection, he may have become a Franklin County representative; Farley-Bouvier said she submitted one map to the redistricting committee in which Mark would still have had a House seat. Liz Recko-Morrison, a union member with the Massachusetts Community College Council, introduced Mark as a champion of the rights of working families. Paul understands what its like to come from a family that doesnt know whether they are on secure ground, said Recko-Morrison, Berkshire Community Colleges coordinator of assessment and testing. He understands that unions make lives bearable, in fact move people into the middle class. Mark hailed his late father and the late state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi, D-North Adams, as he shared his personal story, from growing up in a union family to his time as a member of the Legislature. His father, a Teamster, worked in a warehouse until everything changed when Mark was 12 and that warehouse shut down. The next three years, we struggled financially, lost homes, Mark said. There were times when we even went without hot water There were days when I wouldnt eat at school so I wouldnt let other kids know I was on a voucher. He spent a year in college before dropping out when he realized he could not afford it, Mark said. Afterward, he worked at Bell Atlantic, now Verizon, and joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Union benefits largely paid for his five educational degrees, which include a law degree and another professional doctorate in law and policy. His and others personal experiences from working-class cities to rural hill towns, Ive met family after family who know and feel the struggles, Mark said have informed his work on Beacon Hill. Mark, who said he is the only member of the Legislature from a town of under 1,000 people, has chaired the redistricting committee and now serves as vice chairman for the telecommunications, utilities and energy committee. He has worked on legislation to address student debt, bolster funding for public higher education and promote worker ownership, among other priorities. Barrett said that once the delegation learned of Hinds departure, they wanted Mark to run for Senate. Each and every one of us in unison said, Paul has to run. He has to be our candidate, Barrett said. Farley-Bouvier said Mark has been a strong partner in representing and advocating for Pittsfield and also knows rural communities needs. For those reasons and for many more, Paul has earned my support for state Senate, she said. Pignatelli, who called Mark the best choice for Senate, said he and Mark have the two geographically largest districts in the House, although Marks district will be eliminated in redistricting. Sadly, were losing a voice, Pignatelli said of redistricting. Were going to be losing Paul Marks voice, but heres our opportunity to retain Paul Marks voice. Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bowler and Pittsfield City Councilor At-Large Pete White stood behind Mark as he announced his campaign, and Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington and Pittsfield City Councilor At-Large Yuki Cohen also attended. Marks campaign for Senate is holding a meet and greet, its first official event, from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Becket Arts Center, 7 Brooker Hill Road. He has represented 29 cities and towns across Berkshire, Franklin and Hampshire counties, and he pledged to spend every hour I possibly can going to every one of [the Senate districts] 57 cities and towns during the campaign. Mark is the first Democrat to enter the race. Former state Sen. Andrea Nuciforo, D-Pittsfield, has said he will not run for the seat he held from 1997 to 2007. Brendan Phair, an independent from Pittsfield, has said he is running. Democratic primaries are scheduled for September 2022, and the general election will be held that November. Spearfish, SD (57783) Today Mostly cloudy. High 53F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early followed by a mixture of light rain and snow overnight. Low 34F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 50%. Spearfish, SD (57783) Today Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. High around 50F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. Snow showers developing late. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 50%. An unfaithful wife, a prophet of God, and a spiritually bankrupt nation seem an unlikely backdrop for a revelation of Gods stunning loyal love. Yet, through what Hosea's daughter Lo-Ruhamah teaches us about God's love and mercy, this attribute of Gods character shines. Gods requirements of the Old Testament prophets may seem to us eccentric and difficult to understand. At times He used the prophets themselves as graphics. God told the prophet Jeremiah to Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck (Jer. 27:2 NIV). Ezekiel laid on his left side 390 days with his face to a griddle. (Ezek. 4) Isaiah went stripped and barefoot for three years (Isaiah 20). And Hosea was asked to marry an unfaithful woman. When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said: Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry And children of harlotry, For the land has committed great harlotry By departing from the Lord Hosea 1:2 NKJV. Who Was Lo-Ruhamah in the Bible? Lo-Ruhamah was the second child of the prophet Hosea and his wife Gomer. Their marriage symbolized Gods covenant with Israel. Gomer represents the nation of Israel. Hoseas love and forgiveness pictures Gods passionate desire for his chosen but wayward people. Hosea and Gomers marriage provides a powerful representation of the disparity between Gods loyal love and Israels disloyal response to Him. Hosea, the first of 12 Old Testament Minor Prophets, pulls the curtain back on Israels moral corruption and idolatry. Israels drift from Gods covenantal relationship, calls for judgment. Hosea ministered during a difficult and unstable time in Israels history, especially in the Northern Kingdom. Hoseas imagery both of family and nature portrays a nation desperately needing to return to God. Baal worship with ritual prostitution and the nations impending conquest tainted the land. Israel exchanged intimacy with God for pagan counterfeits thereby committing spiritual adultery. If ever a marriage began fraught with trouble, this was the case for Hosea and Gomer. Gods blunt description of Gomers harlotry laid the ground for a despicable union. What Does Lo-Ruhamah's Name Mean? The name Lo-Ruhamah means No Mercy. Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, For I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them awayHosea 1:6 NKJV. Her name symbolizes Gods coming judgment on Israel. Ruhamah, the root of Hoseas daughters name means having obtained mercy and refers to Gods tender mercy and compassion. The addition of a negative prefix, Lo reverses its meaning to, she has not received mercy. The babys name predicts the withdrawal of Gods compassionate mercy from Israel. Lo-Ruhamahs birth is sandwiched between two siblings who were also given prophetical names. The first child born to them, a son, was named Jezreel. His name, a prediction of judgment meant, God Sows or God Will Scatter. Their third child Lo-Ammi meaning, Not My People, represented Gods rejection of Israel. It referred to breaking covenant with God likened to a marital divorce. Lo-Ruhamah seems like a sad label for a child. However, Hosea 1:7, immediately following the announcement of her name, points to a merciful and loving Savior. But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen Hosea 1:7 ESV. Jesus would be born from the line of Judah and the house of David (Hosea 3:5). Gods faithful and perfect remedy eventually came through Jesus, reaching out not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. Lo-Ruhamahs no mercy offers the promise of a Redeemer who would not only reverse sins curse but also provide complete mercy to remove its penalty. In one of the tenderest verses of Hosea, God reassures Israel of his steadfast love. When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son Hosea 11:1 ESV. The story of Mary and Josephs flight into Egypt with Baby Jesus, Gods Son cites this verse in Hoseas prophecy. And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, Out of Egypt I called my son Matthew 2:14-15 ESV. God demonstrated by His faithfulness throughout history and brought to pass His promised mercy in His plan for our redemption through the Messiah. Despite warnings, God gave a message of hope. What Does Her Name Teach Us about God's Mercy? Lo-Ruhamah helps us glimpse the unfathomable richness of Gods steadfast love and mercy despite our own faithlessness. Israel looks forward to future restoration in the book of Hosea. Blessings ahead include numbers as the sand of the sea reaffirmed from the Abrahamic Covenant (1:10), a remnant in both Judah and Israel (1:11), and a prophecy of the Messiah, one head (1:11). The book of Hosea pleads a return to God and with it, a subsequent name change, Say to your brothers, You are my people, and to your sisters, You have received mercy Hosea 2:1 ESV. The prophet Hosea with persistent and unmerited love pursued Gomer, even as God pursued Israel, and as He pursues us. Hoseas obedience illustrates Gods compassion and steadfast love when he is asked to take back his wife from whom he had been separated. Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel Hosea 3:1 ESV. Without Christ, we are as Gomer was, unfaithful slaves to the sinful nature within us. We were not yet submitted to the steadfast mercy and love of Christ. But God through the sacrifice of His perfect Son demonstrated mercy. His unfailing love reached down to us and drew us into His arms of forgiveness and grace. Paul draws this parallel from Hosea: As indeed he says in Hosea, Those who were not my people I will call my people,and her who was not beloved I will call beloved. And in the very place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be called sons of the living God Romans 9:25-26 ESV. Lo-Ruhamah, a daughter of somewhat uncertain parentage, with a name that depicted no mercy points ahead to where mercy will be offered freely. Her story reminds us that God remains steadfast in mercy and love despite underserving and wandering hearts. This offers hope. 5 Important Facts about Lo-Ruhamah and Hosea Hoseas obedient life illustrates how Gods love and mercy are foundational and inseparable from Who He is. Lo-Ruhamahs story ultimately reaffirms Gods faithful mercy to His people. Hosea and Lo-Ruhamah confirm Gods purposes are bigger than what we can see. Gods steadfast loyal love and mercy was greater than the hopeless sinful state which surrounded Hosea and Lo-Ruhamah and it is greater than our sins as well. God always offers hope. The book of Hosea is not an easy one to understand, its characters complicated and unseemly. Yet in a story where sins darkness is evident, Gods mercy beckons. Ruhamah, having obtained mercy is our blessed reality through Jesus Christ as Savior. Photo credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Rawpixel Sylvia Schroeder loves connecting Gods Word with real life and writing about it. She is a contributing writer for a variety of magazines and online sites. Sylvia is co-author of a devotional book and her writing is included in several book compilations. Mom to four, grandma to 14, and wife to her one and only love, Sylvia enjoys writing about all of them. Her love for pasta and all things Italian stems from years of ministry abroad. Shed love to tell you about it over a steaming cup of cappuccino. Connect with Sylvia on her blog, When the House is Quiet, Facebook page or Twitter. This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. We have compiled these articles to help you study those whom God chose to set before us as examples in His Word. May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul. The Bible Story of Elijah The Life of Ruth - 5 Essential Faith Lessons The Bible Story of Queen Esther The Greatest Villain - King Nebuchadnezzar The Bible Story of Mary Magdalene Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Bill O'Reilly According to the latest polling, the president's job approval rating is falling faster than Eric Holder's credibility. The latest Fox News poll has the President's job approval at 44 percent; 50 percent disapproving. That's a three-point drop since the beginning of the year and the trend is down. The reason, Mr. Obama has not been aggressive in defining Benghazi, the IRS, snooping on reporters and now snooping on Americans. In fact, his comments have been tepid. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: I think it's important to recognize that you can't have 100 percent security and also then have 100 percent privacy and zero inconvenience. It should not matter what political stripe you're from, the fact of the matter is that the IRS has to operate with absolute integrity. The whole issue of this, of talking points, frankly throughout this process has been a side show. Journalists should not be at legal risk for doing their jobs. Our focus must be on those who break the law. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: Ok, fine. But the president has put forth no specific strategies to stop the bleeding in his administration. For example, Attorney General Holder is a lightning rod, but he's still there. There have been no firings at the IRS. There have been no further definition on who screwed up in Libya. So, what the president seems to be counting on is that the American public will get tired of all the controversies. It's summertime; the living is easy, we are going on vacation! So is Mr. Obama. Throughout his life, Barack Obama has been patient. When things go against him he goes to ground. He's not a confrontational man, nor is he a problem solver. We're living in an age where high tech adversary attention. The President knows that he knows that millions of Americans are disengaged, lost in a world of their own making staring at machines for hours. No longer are fire side chats necessary. Press conferences are simply an opportunity for Mr. Obama to give mini speeches and his trips around the country are primarily to raise money. This is the new America where politicians can hide from unpleasant things. American public gets bored easily. Will they still carry about Libya, the IRS and evening domestic spying in August? The President is banking on a "no" answer to that question. By the way you may have noticed that Mr. Obama rarely gives interviews anymore. But when he does they are carefully orchestrated. So what we have now is an executive branch largely unaccountable. Mr. Obama knows he doesn't have to run again, he also knows he can keep quiet and very possibly ride all this stuff out. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Bill O'Reilly This is an important "Factor" tonight because we're going to tell you straight up where the campaign is at this point in history -- no spin, no nonsense, no ideology. Two new polls today have very good news for President Obama. Yet the polling in general continues to be fluid. That is, there is a wide discrepancy in the results and most importantly more Democrats were polled than Republicans so the results are somewhat suspect. First the "The Washington Post" poll in Florida. It has President Obama leading Romney by four points, four points; 51 percent, 47 percent. But the "New York Times" poll has Obama up by nine points; 53 percent, 44 percent. Same state, same likely voter scenario. In Ohio, "The Washington Post" has the President up by eight; 52 percent 44 percent. "Times" poll has Obama up by 10 over Romney; 53 percent, 43 percent. However, in the Rasmussen Daily Tracking poll, the national survey, the race is tied. A dead heat 46 percent 46 percent. On this day four years ago, Rasmussen had Mr. Obama up by five points over John McCain; 50 percent, 45 percent. So a case could be made that Mitt Romney is doing better than John McCain did. But that might be misleading. The presidential race is going to come down to just a handful of states Ohio and Florida being the most important. Governor Romney must win in both places; that's why today's polling news is causing controversy. "Talking Points" has said from the very beginning that the debates this year will be the deciding factor. One week from tonight in Denver, Colorado, the President will meet the Governor beginning at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time. There's no question, and all the polls show this, that most Americans are not happy with President Obama's leadership, especially on the economy. But the polls also say that many of the folks don't trust Mitt Romney. However, if the Governor can do what Ronald Reagan did in 1980, that is keep the incumbent President on the defense during the debates, then the polls will surely change. But that's not an easy thing to do because the debate formats allow the candidates to say pretty much whatever they want to say. the moderator next week Jim Lehrer, is not going to control Obama or Romney. He'll ask a question the keep quiet. That's not a knock on Lehrer that's just the way it is. Any interruptions are deemed inappropriate. The problem Mitt Romney has right now is the perception that he's out of touch with the folks. The President has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on ads stating that. And the Governor does come across as a classic rich guy. It's tough to picture him super-sizing his meal at McDonald's. The Kennedys were like that as well. But in this class warfare age, that perception is certainly holding Romney back. The President's record is dubious to say the least. But many Americans aren't paying attention and will vote on emotion, thus the rich guy versus the regular guy scenario. So Governor Romney has only one chance. He must convince voters during the debates that if the President is re-elected, things are going to get much worse in America. Can he do that? Only God knows. And that's "The Memo." You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Bill O'Reilly Listen to this. President Obama is making a big deal out of Mitt Romney's Bain Capital tenure, you know that. The Obama campaign accusing Romney of being a big outsource guy. Encouraging the companies Bain invested in to send jobs abroad. Romney denies that but the attacks just keep on coming. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RAHM EMANUEL (D), MAYOR OF CHICAGO: Stop whining, if you want to claim Bain Capital is your calling card to the White House. Then defend what happened to Bain Capital and what happened to those jobs that went overseas, those jobs that were actually cut and eliminated the companies that went into bankruptcy. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: According to analysis by FactCheck.org, Bain Capital under Romney did invest in companies that did outsource. But that's not unusual. So did the Obama administration and Rahm Emanuel was right there. And that's the rub. How can President Obama attack Romney for outsourcing when he did the exact same thing? The Obama administration has continued to make billions of taxpayer dollars available to the General Electric Corporation, mostly through loans but there were some grants for green energy projects. G.E. employs about 300,000 people. Fewer than half, 131,000 are working in the USA. Let me repeat. Less than half of G.E.'s workforce are employed in America. G.E. has 277 plants in 43 countries and keeps overseas profits overseas. Thereby avoiding U.S. income tax. In fact, General Electric paid zero federal income tax in 2010 according to the "New York Times." Nevertheless, President Obama is a huge fan of G.E. and its CEO Jeffrey Immelt. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRESIDENT OBAMA: I am so proud and pleased that Jeff has agreed to chair this panel. My council on jobs and competitiveness because we think G.E. has something to teach businesses all across America. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: Well, "Talking Points" would like to know exactly what G.E. could teach corporations across America? How to create jobs overseas? How to avoid U.S. corporate income taxes? How to borrow billions from the taxpayers? What lessons are we talking about, Mr. President? So how can the Obama team be outraged over Mitt Romney's outsource exposure when it champions General Electric, an outsourcing kingdom? A simple question because I am a simple man. Here is the end game. Outsourcing a fact of life in capitalism. I don't like it but it's legal and companies profit from it the Obama administration has embraced corporations that practice outsourcing big time and so did Mitt Romney. So I would call it a tie with the Obama campaign having some deep explaining to do. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads & Patriots" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor WATCH: Trump on 2024: 'I will do whatever it takes' Tonight on the No Spin News, your humble correspondent will go one-on-one with President Trump and discuss all matters including Joe Biden, the U.S.-Mexico border chaos, and a 2024 presidential run. In this exclusive clip, Bill asks Trump if he would consider changing his demeanor and tactics in a 2024 run. Specifically, Bill asked if he would be less "harsh." "I will do whatever it takes to make America great again," Trump responded. "If I have to be harsh, I'll be harsh." Watch the full interview starting TONIGHT, Monday, October 18th @ 6pm ET on BillOReilly.com. [Sign up to watch O'Reilly's interview with President Trump and get a free copy of 'Killing the Mob' or 'Killing the Killers'] Mainly Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province & Ringing Trips to Bahrain Delia Sieff has spent 30 years working in the marketing communications space. The last 15 years focussed on PR and managing virtual teams across Middle East and Africa for large technology companies. Today, she is the head of communications at SAP Africa... Delia Sieff, head of communications at SAP Africa When I look back over my career, it is with a sense of great pride at the role that PR has played in building trust and positive perceptions for the brands I have represented. I am grateful that I get to be part of that every day. How would you describe your organisation? How did you find yourself in the PR industry and what qualities or qualifications would you recommend for aspirant newcomers to the industry? For me, the critical skills for newcomers are excellent writing skills. I think this is more important than ever as much of our role is around content creation. Can you describe some highlights of your career in PR so far? How can marketers benefit from PRs knowhow in inserting the right content into the right media? What role does PR play in advertising awards and integrated marketing categories? Can you name some leading companies or brands that your PR has had an impact on? Are there any people, clients or organisations that stand out as having inspired or mentored you so far? How important to brand reputation is storytelling about individual personalities in business? I think its about finding the balance in storytelling and never losing sight of the brand. Would you care to share any future trends or predictions for the PR industry? In all the roles Sieff has held, the two things she is most proud of are the high performing teams she has built with a culture of learning and collaboration, and the great content she has created. She has had the privilege of launching innovative products, sharing programmes that have uplifted economies and communities, to hosting global CEOs in countries across the region, and managing crises that she never dreamed imaginable. And while the entire marketing mix played a part in the success, PR was the element that brought authenticity and credibility to every situation.SAP is a large, global technology company and the market leader in several software areas. The company places purpose at the centre of the organisation and we live the vision of helping the world run better and improving peoples lives every day. For SAP Africa, we have the global ethos combined with local relevance and a focus on how we can contribute to positive economic growth for the continent.My entry into the industry was somewhat accidental. I had planned to study Geology but quickly realised that it wasnt what I had hoped. I signed up for a PR Diploma thinking it would be a stop-gap, found that I absolutely loved it, and 30 years later I am still working in the discipline.You need to be organised and able to prioritise as there is always more to do than hours in the day. There is also an element of courage. PR is often the function that has to raise the unpopular opinion or point out the pitfalls in a plan. And, finally, digital and social media skills are now critical they are a core part of the channel media mix.I have had the privilege of working on both the agency and corporate side and both have brought fantastic opportunities.In the mid 90s, I was part of an agency team that worked on the relaunch of the Blue Train. The maiden trip had a star-studded guest list including President Mandela and Graca Machel and a number of celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Imran Khan, Mia Farrow and Quincy Jones. We hosted an event at every station along the route from Pretoria to Cape Town, culminating in a massive gala banquet and auction for the Nelson Mandela Childrens Fund at the Waterfront. I think it was the most logistically intensive project Ive ever been part of.My most personally rewarding project was when I managed the PR for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at the CITES convention in Zimbabwe, lobbying against downgrading the elephants and allowing the trade in ivory.Working for incredible global companies like Nokia and Microsoft, I had the privilege of hosting their CEOs, Stephen Elop and Satya Nadella, in multiple countries South Africa, Kenya, UAE, Turkey, Egypt, Israel and managing the media relations for those visits.A definite career highlight was the global launch of Microsoft Windows 10 in Nairobi with Satya Nadella. It was his first year in the role as CEO and he selected Nairobi to host the global launch which was amazing to be part of.What I love most about now working for SAP is the ability to do incredible storytelling on topics that are so relevant to our world financial inclusion, sustainability, equality. SAP plays a leading role in creating many technologies that enable our customers to become more environmentally sustainable, but also more purposeful. We have an ambition called Chasing Zero which is basically about Zero Emissions, Zero Waste and Zero inequality.Right now, we are working on a project called 5x5x25 which aims to have 5% of our own corporate procurement spend with social enterprises and another 5% with diverse small businesses by 2025. These are things that can contribute massively to economic inclusion on the continent and PR plays an important role in driving the awareness and garnering the support to scale the programmes.I have worked in both PR and marketing and the relationship between the two is critical. I think the value PR brings is that we view things through a different lens. When marketing evaluates a publication, they are looking purely at the reach, and the potential ROI for their spend. PR managers know the media intimately they understand the nuances of each section and reporter. They understand the readership in a more qualitative way. While something may not look obvious on a rate card, PR brings the back story on why it makes sense for that piece to be placed there and also how it should be written for maximum effect.If you look at it from a brand funnel perspective, PR plays at the top of the funnel in creating awareness and interest. The value that PR brings is credibility and using a 3rd party voice for endorsement, whether through a journalist, an online influencer, a customer, PR creates the positive brand perception that allows marketing to then more deliberately promote and sell. The two are complementary and when they work together, can drive incredible end to end results. In that way, I think PR contributes greatly to advertising and marketing awards, even if it is not always obvious.In the early days of my career, I worked for a PR agency that serviced many local companies. My favorite was working for Tiger Wheel & Tire. They were a great client and they were progressive, open to trying new approaches around media engagement. I felt like my work positively contributed to their brand.During my tenure at Intel, we launched a couple of local initiatives that helped position the brand to more of a consumer audience. We created the first wireless beach on Clifton 4th Beach in Cape Town using Intel Centrino. We even had a wireless surf board and the PR brought relevance to a brand that had played mostly in the B2B space.I am probably most proud of the my contribution to the Nokia brand. At a time that, globally, the brand was struggling against new market entrants in the smartphone space. However, in Africa, we remained the Number 1 mobile phone brand for several years. We had a strong communications team and created local relevance and brand affinity.At the time I joined SAP, the company had undergone an entire leadership change within South Africa and was trying to rebuild trust both internally and with external stakeholders. A very deliberate approach to driving an integrated internal PR programme has seen enormous gains in employee morale and engagement. Similarly, by having a strong, relevant voice through our MD as a spokesperson, we have reestablished credibility in the market.Honestly, there have been many. Ill call out only a couple. As far as organisations go, I will highlight Nokia which was an incredible place to work. People who worked there were driven by passion and a love of the brand. It felt like being part of a family and that drove collaboration everyone would jump in to help when needed.The head of regional communications for Nokia at the time, Doug Dawson, has definitely been a mentor to me for many years. He is smart, articulate, no-nonsense and gets things done. He inspires the same in his team and I was very fortunate that he moved from Nokia to Microsoft during the acquisition and I got to continue working with him in my role there.I will also call out Frank Shaw, the Microsoft global head of communications, who is undoubtedly one of the smartest people and certainly a top-notch communications head. He has a way of connecting the dots in a way you hadnt thought of and really bringing strategy to life. He is also a fantastic storyteller and reading one of his mails to the team is a treat. If you have worked at Microsoft, it is impossible not to acknowledge the leadership of Satya Nadella. He truly turned the culture of a massive, established company around and can only be admired. For me, what I found most inspiring was his humility and his authenticity.Finally, I would call out the managing director of SAP Africa. Cathy Smith joined the organisation at a very difficult time for the brand. Her courage, tenacity and authenticity are unwavering. She is a huge supporter of PR and understands how it contributes to the organisation, both internally and externally, which has allowed me to do some of my best work under her leadership.This is an interesting one. Theres no doubt that individuals like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Henry Ford, Richard Branson have defined brands for years and I believe there will always be those iconic leaders. People will be interested in their stories and they will contribute to the brand perception. I think leaders that are approachable, have a point of view, are thought leaders within their industry, and are open to telling their stories and build trust. They build trust in the leadership of the organisation but also in the brand itself.I think the downside of that is when leaders become so iconic that they almost overshadow the brand. When their personal brand becomes bigger than the mission of the company, that can be a challenge, especially if they leave the organisation. While everything else in the organisation may still be intact the brand can flounder because of the association. Its the same if leaders make mistakes. That can have a very negative impact on the brand.The PR industry is critical. The channels will change, but the core tenet of creating positive perception will not change, and will always be relevant. If you look at the level of fake news and general mistrust in the world, there has never been a better time for credible PR. People are overwhelmed by information. The ability to create content and tell memorable stories that move people will grow in importance. The soon-to-be-launched Get SACE CPTD looks to bridge the gap between professional development (PD) providers and teachers, allowing for more widely accessible and cost-effective further development resources for educators. The information and service hub will be free to all South African educators and schools. Source: Getty Images Earn PD points "For over six years, weve worked hard to help teachers navigate the Continuing Professional Development System (CPTD) and better themselves as educators," says Paige Davidson, managing director of Get SACE CPTD (a division of Get SACE). "The last two years have seen a significant uptake in the number of teachers using the system as a tool to further their careers and embrace ongoing skills development. After spending years in this space, we identified the problem that many South African teachers do not have easy and affordable access to the full extent of the activities they can complete to earn CPTD points, many of which are available online. The Get SACE CPTD online platform provides a simple solution to this problem."Launching virtually on 27 October 2021, Get SACE CPTD aims to serve as South Africas most comprehensive listing of PD providers - offering activities, workshops, webinars, online courses and resources to South African educators. The platform will offer solutions for PD providers and South African educators concurrently.Teachers who are looking to earn PD points, as per legislature set out by the South African Council for Educators (SACE), can use the site to browse and enroll in activities from anywhere, at any time. Providers will gain access to a comprehensive suite of services including assistance with SACE accreditation, an online listing of their offering to teachers, and the facilitation of their online webinars.Through Get SACE CPTD, teachers and schools will be able to access webinars, workshops, online courses, helpful resources, Q&A sessions, panel discussions, conferences and more informal gatherings which could take the form of a Professional Learning Community.Offerings will fall under the following categories: Teaching Tips; Teacher Wellness; Management; EdTech and Innovation; Diversity, Equality and Transformation; Inclusion and Intervention, The Whole Child, and; Leadership and Development.Through this platform, we aim to centralise CPTD by bringing together PD providers, teachers and schools on one easy-to-use online platform. Our desire is to reform CPTD through making quality opportunities easily accessible to South African teachers and schools. We are confident that this service will help to make the system more widely available and user-friendly, Davidson comments. Ryan McManus, chief creative officer at VMLY&R South Africa How do you feel about judging at this years Loeries? Tell us more about yourself and why you believe you were selected your judging experience and so on. When you heard about being selected as a judge, how did you celebrate the news? What does this mean to you, personally? I love to be challenged by ideas, people and debate so I feel like these things always alter and push your perspective forward. Which category will you be judging? What do you expect to experience as a judge? What specific criteria will you be looking for when judging? You have some major experience in the creative industry. Could you comment on the impact of Covid-19 on the industry? Share a few of your favourite Loeries-related moments over the years either from attending personally or agency winning work-related. Any predictions of trends that are likely to stand out at Loeries 2021? What do you believe SA creatives bring to the Loeries judging mix? If we look at the rise of the quality of creative work from the Middle East over the last few years .. or how Brazil went from nowhere to some of the best work in the world.. we have the ability and talent to do that.. but we have to fight for it. And get the best work made. Lastly, what are you most looking forward to from Loeries 2021? What does #FightTheGoodFight mean to you? Disappointed I dont get to hang out with all these smart people in person.. but always an honour to be part of judging The Loeries and seeing the best work in our industry.I suppose being selected comes from the work you do, the awards youve won, and the reputation youve built for your agency. Ive been back in SA for eight years and have judged Loeries every year since returning.Its always a fantastic experience and a chance to connect with other creative leaders, to learn, get inspired and grow. I think its important to bring your own personal and professional lens to the judging process as it can help shape the industry and lift up the type of work we should aspire to do.I would love to say thanks with tequilas in a crowded bar, but I just sent a mail of thanks.I love to be part of the discussions and always feel richer for it.It is always a privilege and an honour.Integrated, OOH, PR and Media.Heated debate. Critical discussions. Inspiration.Work that resets the bar. That adds value to both people and the brand it is made for. That challenges the status quo and creates a more inclusive world.That is a long answer. I dont think its been good for the level of SAs creative work. I have seen much more focus on efficiency in the way we work, but very little focus on asking; Or dreaming; Or doing deep and slow thinking on a problem.I feel that we need to carve out the space for more deep and slow thinking to get to more creative and innovative solutions. We need to get out of survival mode. I think there are some examples of great creative work... but not nearly enough. The ones who have stood out are the ones who really thought about the problem, the situation of Covid and what it has brought on, very deeply, to discover new insights that birthed the ideas. If we are just reactive, we cant create compelling work.Winning is always a massive highlight of course, but for me, its always about the time you get to spend with great creative people... not in a meeting, but just talking freely and hanging out.Sharing your creative philosophy or approaches. Spending time with your own agency people and others from different agencies and production houses. Its always a great time to be provoked and inspired to do better. It reminds you of the talent we have in SA, and how we need to feed and nurture it.Work that really did something. Work that felt more like an action than an ad. Work that was simple. And work that helped to sculpt a better version of the world.Very different perspectives. Diversity. A love for the work. But a hate for the ordinary. We are thick-skinned as a people. We are resilient. And our country forces us to live a very contrasted life. I think it helps contribute to the way we can jump to different points of view or perspectives when discussing ideas while still remaining passionate about the work. I hope we all aim to elevate the standard though. I feel that we are a great creative country, but we should be doing better.And this also means that the business side of marketing has to fight for creativity too. It is the differentiator. It is the thing that ultimately brings value and growth to shareholders. Otherwise, we are all just doing the same thing as our competitors.A real-life in-person meet-up.Fight to turn your dreams into reality Suhana Gordhan, executive creative director at Duke How do you feel about judging at this years Loeries? Tell us more about yourself and why you believe you were selected your judging experience and so on. When you heard about being selected as a judge, how did you celebrate the news? What does this mean to you, personally? It means I get to represent the industry in setting the bar on work that is outstanding. Which category will you be judging? What do you expect to experience as a judge? What specific criteria will you be looking for when judging? You have some major experience in the creative industry. Could you comment on the impact of Covid-19 on the industry? I think creativity is resilience and while it is our livelihood, its also the place where all our grief can go, to turn into something beautiful. Share a few of your favourite Loeries-related moments over the years either from attending personally or agency winning work-related. Any predictions of trends that are likely to stand out at Loeries 2021? What do you believe SA creatives bring to the Loeries judging mix? Lastly, what are you most looking forward to from Loeries 2021? What does #FightTheGoodFight mean to you? I was quite curious to see what the Film category would yield this year. I know that marketing budgets are constantly being slayed so I was interested to see how the industry would meet this challenge. I also think that in South Africa, were really good at making The Big TVC and I was keen to see if this is still the case, in a content landscape that is changing everywhere else in the world.I think its because Im an Aunty! (Lol, meaning that I have been in the industry for a while) I was first invited to be a Loeries judge in 2013, so I think my experience counts. But I also think that curators of panels look for a range of things in a judge beyond just experience diversity is one of them, and someone who will bring a different voice to the panel.With quiet, little internal flic-flacs that Im unable to do in real life! In all seriousness, it is always a privilege to be invited to judge and never something I take for granted. I think the honour increases every year, especially when the rest of the panel is revealed, and you realise what awesome and seasoned talent you will be amongst.It means a great deal to me because I believe you have to earn your place on a panel, so in many ways its a nod to your career growth.And lastly, it means I get to learn something because every single year the experience is slightly different, and you always walk away with knowledge.FilmI expect to be moved in some way to see work that provokes me, makes me laugh out loud or cry. I love seeing work that is brave and reminds me why we chose this industry as a career.Ill be looking for strong insights, brand relevance, surprising solutions to a problem, work that makes a dent and sticks with you work that you can fall in love with.I think weve all suffered an immense collective grief over the last two years. Apart from lamenting the loss of so many industry greats, weve also had to experience loss in so many other forms. Weve seen the diminishing of budgets, the decreased appetite for edgy, provocative ideas and the dearth of big integrated campaigns for more short-burst retail work. Despite all of this, I think that creativity always endures.For me, the Loeries is always a story of extremes. Intense joy, weepy misery, massive euphoria, fizzy reunions, that unsettling feeling like something or someone is missing, five solid days of deep-fried food, and always always the post-party pain. My favourite moments are as big as being the Chair Aunty for two years, and as tiny as driving through all of Durban in a packed car looking for food at 1am. But always there is the crazy security in knowing that whatever happens, we will all find each other at the Tall Ships bar some time before the sun rises, whether were clutching gold or not.I think that like last year, there will be a fair amount of work tackling Covid conundrums and social issues. However, I think that by now there is some fatigue around these issues and well be looking for work that goes beyond the context of our time, but still honours big, fearless, innovative thinking.Sense of humour our daily lives play out like a soap opera. I think we are resilient people with lots of rich, unique stories to tell. This brings a powerful dynamic to the panels. But most importantly, we are super passionate, and this is contagious. Finally, weve held our own on international stages and so, I think we hold up a high standard of excellence.Seeing the faces of old friends, reconnecting, and repeatedly saying no to tequila even though tequila is extremely pushy and always wins.Its getting harder and harder to make brave, outstanding work and the glory belongs to the ones who are willing to defend the work despite resistance. For me, #FightTheGoodFight is not just about upholding the power of creativity, but knowing when to fight, and which ideas to fight for. Its about annihilating mediocrity and indifference. Its not just a creatives fight. Its everyones fight. Its about getting into battle so that baby ideas grow up in the world unscathed. And its about understanding that we fight because nothing great comes easily and we fight because without creativity - without great ideas - there is no industry. Thibedi Meso, executive creative director at Think Creative Africa Which category will you be judging? How do you feel about judging at this years Loeries? Tell us more about yourself and why you believe you were selected your judging experience and so on. When you heard about being selected as a judge, how did you celebrate the news? What does this mean to you, personally? What do you expect to experience as a judge? What specific criteria will you be looking for when judging? You have some major experience in the creative industry. Could you comment on the impact of Covid-19 on the industry? Share a few of your favourite Loeries-related moments over the years either from attending personally or agency winning work-related. Any predictions of trends that are likely to stand out at Loeries 2021? What do you believe SA creatives bring to the Loeries judging mix? Lastly, what are you most looking forward to from Loeries 2021? Outside of big budgets, what does #FightTheGoodFight mean to you? I will be judging the Craft Film category. Popping a cherry on this one. Theres really nowhere to hide when it comes to craft so Im sure well have some great conversations around the work.Im very excited as this is a new category for me to be judging in. Im looking forward to seeing whats on show because things have really gotten interesting with the inclusion of work from the rest of Africa and the Middle East. Im excited to see the work that I wouldnt have seen or heard whilst driving around Joburg or scrolling through the timeline.As a creative, Ive always believed that a piece of communication has to be fully bought into by all sides; the brand managers, the creatives involved, as well as the consumers were trying to reach. I know well enough the challenges that creatives and marketers are faced with when tackling a brief, solving real business problems and making sure that the message resonates and converts. Id like to believe that my work over the years has shown that and maybe thats what got me in. Ive also had the honour of judging for the past seven years so you could call me a friend of the Loeries.I posted it on the Gram.It means a nice break from my day job. Somewhat. But more importantly, it means getting to check out the competition and celebrating the talent we have in Africa and the Middle East. Judging Loeries always has me wondering about and appreciating the journey it took to get to that final product we get to judge. Its inspiring.Meeting new people and hearing different perspectives. I think we have some judges who are not from the agency side sitting on the panel which is great. The more we can make that circle bigger the better. Id love to hear what our LSM 4-7 consumer profile would have to say about the work (for example).In Film Craft Im looking for exceptional execution. Eye-and-ear candy if you will. Ive seen budgets decreasing drastically and timelines getting tighter of late so the struggle to make beautifully executed work is real. Hopefully, well have a good turnout.Before Covid, it was so much easier for creatives to share thoughts on briefs and have mini-reviews with their peers before bringing in their work for review. You could validate your ideas with your small group before taking it to your CD/ ECD. That little bit of interaction is missing for me. It would weed out the ideas people werent sure about and ultimately save time in the process. The knock-on effect is more (frustrating) rounds of reviews in a time where theres really no time to waste.One year, 2016 I think, I witnessed one of the biggest celebrations for a win on stage. A couple of minutes later I went outside the auditorium where the event was taking place, I bumped into a disgruntled friend who had just lost out in the same category. In a matter of minutes, I had seen how much this industry meant to the two people equally invested in their work. Win or lose, passion and self-belief won for me that day.Surprisingly we didnt see a whole lot of Covid work come through last year. I think thats because of the awards cycle so I anticipate well see a bit more of that this time around. I could be wrong.As South Africans weve grown up in a multi-racial, multilingual, multicultural country, so what we bring to the mix is an understanding of diverse backgrounds, empathy and appreciation for various storytelling.Can I look beyond 2021? Ive mentioned before about bringing in (even) more people outside the agency to judge the Loeries, I look forward to a time when we can make that a reality because I think it gives us a more balanced view of effectiveness and appreciation for creativity. Another thing I look forward to is the addition of more categories that celebrate industry efforts holistically.One account manager Ive worked with proudly displays her portfolio at interviews because shes sweated as much as the creative teams; how about a portfolio prize for those in client service? What about the baddest strategy? How about we recognize (successful) Pitch of the Year as a category? This one could be particularly special because nowhere else is the playing field levelled amongst agencies than in pitch rooms. Just a thought.For me it means honouring your position, putting brands before self, respecting your work and making a place for everyone to feel welcomed and to see growth in the industry. The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has announced that it expects to convene an inquiry into allegations of racial discrimination within the advertising industry next year. Image source: Michal Bednarek 123RF.com The inquiry is expected to sit during the last week of February 2022.According to the SAHRC, the inquiry comes on the back of the fighting and publication of advertisements that have caused uproar from within the industry and society because of racist undertones.In order to avoid the publication of another tone-deaf racist or discriminatory advert, and to ensure... [the promotion] of respect for human rights, a culture of human rights, and protection, development and attainment of human rights, the Commission will undertake an investigation, into, amongst other aspects, the creation and publication of adverts and the people involved.The commission said following the inquiry, medium to long term interventions will be drafted for the industry.[These] will instil... a culture of human rights and produce mechanisms that promote equality and prevent unfair discrimination, and, in doing so, prevent the publication of... racist, sexist, tribalist, homophobic, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic or ableist... advertisements.The SAHRC has invited members of the public, advertising agencies, retailers, regulatory bodies, marketers, organisations, government departments and entities and interest groups to make written submissions to the Commission in this regard.The deadline for submissions is Friday, 31 January 2022.Written submissions may be submitted via email at az.gro.crhas@yriuqnI , fax at 011 403 0668 or hand delivered to 1st Floor, 27 Stiemens Street, JD House, Braamfontein The COVID-19 vaccination rate is lower among California state workers than among the state's general population, according to data from the state Human Resources Department. Fewer than two-thirds of state workers about 62% were vaccinated as of Oct. 7, according to preliminary figures provided by department spokeswoman Camille Travis. That compares to a rate of about 72% among all Californians, according to state data. The employee data is incomplete, accounting for about 213,000 of the state's 238,000 employees, Travis said. But the relatively low rate identified so far suggests many workers weren't moved by Gov. Gavin Newsom's July orders to workers to get vaccinated or submit to regular testing. Several of the largest state departments shared vaccination rates for their staff: 52% of California Highway Patrol employees, 60% of Department of Motor Vehicles employees and 60% of prison employees have received the shots. Caltrans reports a higher rate, with 70% of its employees vaccinated against COVID-19. The Newsom administration's shot-or-test rules for state workers are less stringent than those the governor imposed on health care workers, who must get vaccinated unless claiming a religious or medical exemption. Newsom's administration also is defending state prison employees' ability to choose whether they get vaccinated. The Democrat's administration is appealing a ruling from federal judge who ordered the state to ensure that all prison employees are vaccinated against the virus. A judge in New York City has blocked a fathers right to see his three-year-old daughter unless he agrees to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Yes, really. In early September, Evan Schein, an attorney acting on behalf of the mother in the couples divorce case (the family has not been named), raised concerns about the fathers vaccination status, leading high profile judge Judge Matthew Cooper to suspend his visitation rights until he received the jab. According to Cooper, the father needs to submit to the shot because it has become a prerequisite to participate meaningfully in everyday society. The dangers of voluntarily remaining unvaccinated during access with a child while the COVID-19 virus remains a threat to childrens health and safety cannot be understated, said the judge. Unfortunately, and to my mind, incomprehensibly, a sizable minority, seizing upon misinformation, conspiracy theories, and muddled notions of individual liberty, have refused all entreaties to be vaccinated, he added. The fathers only other option is to pay for expensive PCR tests every week in addition to taking a biweekly antigen test within 24 hours of his every other weekend visits. The ruling was praised by the mothers attorney, who called it an incredibly important one that highlights the extraordinary times we are living in and reinforces that a childs best interests are paramount. New York City judge STOPS Long Island father from visiting his three-year-old daughter in Manhattan unless he gets the shot or has weekly COVID-19 tests via https://t.co/Ggez6clg1M https://t.co/vjFbA2NZ9e Samantha DelVecchio (@SamanthaDelVec1) October 15, 2021 However, Lloyd Rosen, the fathers attorney, warned that the ruling sets a terrible precedent. My client is not a conspiracy theorist, Rosen said. He has concerns about the vaccine. Hes heard about side effects. He once had a bad reaction to a flu vaccine. This judge must feel that 80 million Americans who arent vaccinated are placing their children at imminent risk or harm and, therefore, the courts should intervene and remove those children from their parents, he added. This is an absurd position to take. The father has previously been infected with COVID-19, meaning he has antibodies that offer him far greater protection than the vaccine, but that isnt even being taken into account. As we previously highlighted, patients who are in urgent need of life-saving organ transplants are now being denied treatment due to their refusal to take the vaccine. As we warned all along, the agenda behind mandatory vaccination schemes is to make life a living hell for refusniks who dont comply, while maintaining all along that the vaccine isnt mandatory. We are now hurtling full throttle towards a Chinese-style social credit score system where basic functions of living are denied to those who choose to exercise their bodily autonomy. Follow on Twitter: Follow @PrisonPlanet Brand new merch now available! Get it at https://www.pjwshop.com/ ALERT! In the age of mass Silicon Valley censorship It is crucial that we stay in touch. I need you to sign up for my free newsletter here. Support my sponsor Turbo Force a supercharged boost of clean energy without the comedown. Get early access, exclusive content and behinds the scenes stuff by following me on Locals. The murderer who brutally stabbed Conservative MP Sir David Amess to death earlier today in what is likely an Islamic terror attack has been identified as a 25-year-old of Somali origin. Amess was attacked while attending his his constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. The pro-Brexit, anti-abortion MP was stabbed more than a dozen times by the attacker and subsequently died on the scene while paramedics tried to treat his wounds. It is understood the man being held on suspicion of murder is of Somalian origin, reports the Telegraph. BREAKING: Police have arrested a 25-year-old Somalian man on suspicion of murdering the Conservative MP Sir David Amesshttps://t.co/VFHSd4yODE The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 15, 2021 Although authorities say they are keeping an open mind about the motivation behind the attack, the investigation is being led by counter-terrorism officers. According to the Independent, The murder is being treated at this point as a probable Islamist terror attack. The identity of the perpetrator will once again open up a debate in the UK about the threat posed by mass immigration, especially given the record numbers of boat migrants arriving on Englands south coast. The same leftists who rush to blame conservatives and white people in general after every right-wing terror attack will also pull their usual trick of claiming any focus on the terrorists nationality or religion is Islamophobic. They will also continue to insist that diversity is a strength. The vast majority of terror attacks in the United Kingdom over the past 20 years have been carried out by Islamists, including the devastating 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, which was carried out by a jihadist who had been rescued from Libya as a refugee by the Royal Navy. Follow on Twitter: Follow @PrisonPlanet Brand new merch now available! Get it at https://www.pjwshop.com/ ALERT! In the age of mass Silicon Valley censorship It is crucial that we stay in touch. I need you to sign up for my free newsletter here. Support my sponsor Turbo Force a supercharged boost of clean energy without the comedown. Get early access, exclusive content and behinds the scenes stuff by following me on Locals. America-hating billionaire George Soros is stepping up his efforts to personally increase the violent crime rate in Americas cities. Not content to just sponsor pro-crime DAs who release and/or fail to prosecute criminals, Soros is now pouring money into defund the police efforts. As cities, some of them on the down low, have been refunding police they previously defunded or are increasing hiring due to police forces being decimated by low morale fueled by lack of local support, ridiculous pro-crime policies, and various WuFlu-related mandates, Soros is busily shelling out money to keep crime up, criminals on the streets, and fewer police to keep communities safe. His latest target is reportedly Austin, Texas. Last year, Austin gleefully leapt on the defund the police bandwagon and cut its police budget by nearly a third. Unexpectedly, violent crime skyrocketed to the point that the city recently told citizens not to call 911 unless they really really needed to. The Wall Street Journal reported last week: Beginning this month, the Austin Police Department has asked the public not to call 911 for non-emergency situations if there is no immediate threat to life or property, where crimes are no longer in progress, and when the suspect(s) are no longer on scene or in sight. The directive applies to burglaries, thefts, prostitution, vandalism, and several other crimes. The police urged victims and witnesses to call 311 or file a report online instead. The police department says this will reduce contact between police and the public amid a pandemic. But the new policy is also in large part a result of recent staffing challenges that we have had, and as we are working through those, we are looking to see how we can deploy staff in the most appropriate manner and respond to those calls that need them the most, said Chief of Police Joseph Chacon in a news conference in late September. In fiscal 2020-2021, the Austin police budget was $292.9 million, down from $434.5 million the previous year. The City Council slashed $31.5 million directly from the police budget last year. It also put $121.7 million in a reserve fund that was intended to decouple or reimagine some public-safety functions from the police department but which ended up funding police operations, says Alicia Dean, a spokesperson for the city. The City Council also canceled three cadet classes and cut 150 officers from the budget last year, says City Councilor Mackenzie Kelly, an outspoken supporter of the police. Apparently, the city tried to hire back at least one officer for a $5k signing bonus type deal plus extra benefits. He was livid. Fox News reports: A former Austin, Texas police officer who left the force amid the citys move to defund the police sent a scathing letter to the department rejecting their offer to hire him back. I am personally offended by your offer, the former officer wrote in a letter obtained by Fox News in response to the citys offer of $5,000 plus extra benefits for returning to duty. I did not leave APD for money. I suspect my peers did not either. No amount of money could make me return. The offer from the chief shows just how out of touch he is with his officers. What we crave is leadership. The one thing that has been consistently withheld. The former officer, who identified as a military veteran, went on to explain in the letter that failed leadership is the reason for the decision to leave the department. The working environment within APD is one of the most dangerous in the nation, the former officer wrote. Not because of the hazards each officer faces in the streets, but because of the senior leaders that have no formal professional development leader training, do not value each officer as a person, push all responsibility to the patrol officer level, and holds them to unrealistic expectations. As the city of Austin struggles under increased crime and angry citizen backlash, Soros poured $1M into efforts to stop them hiring more police. The Washington Free Beacon reports: Left-wing billionaire George Soros is throwing at least a million dollars behind an effort to stop the hiring of hundreds of new police officers in Austin, Texas, according to campaign finance documents reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon. The Hungarian-born political activist gave $500,000 through the Soros-backed Open Society Policy Center to a political action committee in opposition to a ballot initiative that forces the city to employ two police officers per 1,000 residents. Soross donation, made on Oct. 12, is his second of the month and comes as Austin experiences a decades-high spike in violent crime. The city has seen at least 67 homicides this year, the highest since at least 1981. Aggravated assaults are also up at least 10 percent, following a 26 percent spike in 2020. On Oct. 1, the Open Society Policy Center cut its first $500,000 check to Equity PAC, a Texas-based political organization that backs left-wing causes. The donation is the latest example of Soross involvement in various left-wing causes at the local level. In 2020, Soros donated over $600,000 to a Texas-based left-wing group that backed the election of Jose Garza, who now serves as district attorney for Travis County, where Austin sits. Since 2015, Soros has spent more than $17 million on various local races, including donations to left-wing prosecutors and state legislators. Virtually every candidate backed by Soros and the Open Society Foundations has supported a dramatic reduction in or elimination of cash bail and other policies critics say lead to higher crime. . . . . Voters will decide on the ballot initiative at the polls on Nov. 2 or via early voting from Oct. 18 through Oct. 29. Estimates for the cost of hiring new officers range from $54 million to $120 million a year, per the citys chief financial officer. Its not clear how the vote will go, but Austin is blue. Really really blue. Its chock full of tech and other industries that fled California after their leftist voting choices made the state an uninhabitable hellhole. Theyre voting the same way in Austin. Go figure. The billionaire CEO of the multibillion-dollar corporation that recently purchased the news media outlet Politico has said that its newly acquired employees will be required to support Israel and the capitalist world order. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Mathias Dopfner, CEO of the German publisher Axel Springer, said that Politico staffers will be required to adhere to a set of principles which include support for a united Europe, Israels right to exist and a free-market economy, among others. These values are like a constitution, they apply to every employee of our company, Mr. Dopfner told WSJ. People with a fundamental problem with any of these principles should not work for Axel Springer, very clearly, he said. I mean, how refreshing is that? How often does a billionaire corporation buy up a media property and just straightforwardly tell you theyre going to be using it to push propaganda? They even say what the propaganda will be. It makes you feel like your intelligence is being respected. Supporting global capitalism and defending the Israeli apartheid regime are both very standard positions promoted by all billionaire media outlets in the western world; they just arent normally honest enough to tell you that. Normally they pretend to be an objective free press reporting truthfully about whats going on in the world; their executives do not customarily come forward to explain the specific establishment biases its reporters will need to promote if they dont want to be fired. That sort of thing normally happens a lot more subtly. Can you imagine if Jeff Bezos had purchased the Washington Post in 2013 and been open about the fact that billionaires need to buy up narrative control to protect the status quo upon which their sprawling kingdoms are built? If hed just come right out and announced ahead of time all the ugly plutocratic propaganda his outlet would be promoting on his behalf? I think that would have been far better than the feigned objectivity we normally get from these people. Dopfner is reportedly worth over a billion dollars, and Axel Springer is worth an estimated $6.8 billion. He is married to the daughter of a former management board member of Deutsche Bank. So propagandizing the public in favor of a free-market economy as opposed to a centrally planned economy or an economy built to benefit the needful and the environment is a no brainer. Dopfner has called himself a non-Jewish Zionist, and has long called support for Israel a German duty. While I am sure there are better ways for Germany to atone for its past than to back a racist apartheid ethnostate which imprisons a persecuted ethnic and religious demographic in an open air concentration camp to the geostrategic advantage of todays genocidal imperialist western power based in Washington DC, the transparency is refreshing to hear from someone who will be manipulating public thought on such matters going forward. And I just think thats wonderful. If the Germans can spread some of their world-renowned frankness throughout the operation of mass-scale plutocratic propaganda, well all be better off for it. As soon as someone rises to a certain level of wealth, they very often begin buying up narrative control in the form of media outlets, conveniently placed advertising in news media, PR firms, online platforms, funding for think tanks and NGOs, philanthropy, and other ways of manipulating how people think at mass scale. This is because if people werent trained how to think about things, they would never consent to allowing so much of the worlds wealth and power to go toward so very few people who are so consistently ill-suited to rule the world for the benefit of everyone. Plutocrats who fail to manufacture the consent of their subjects have historically wound up with their heads in baskets. Thats why they work so hard to manipulate the way the public thinks, acts and votes, and thats why our society is as messed up as it is. ______________________________ My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, following me on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud or YouTube, or throwing some money into my tip jar on Ko-fi, Patreon or Paypal. If you want to read more you can buy my books. The best way to make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for at my website or on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish, use or translate any part of this work (or anything else Ive written) in any way they like free of charge. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what Im trying to do with this platform, click here. Bitcoin donations:1Ac7PCQXoQoLA9Sh8fhAgiU3PHA2EX5Zm2 British spies played a part in the mass murder of of Indonesians in the 1960s, urging locals, including army generals, to cut out the communist cancer, declassified papers have revealed. The Indonesian Armys brutal clampdown on the PKI in 1965 and 1966 is considered to be one of the worst mass murders of the 20th century. Between 500,000 and three million supporters of the Communist Party were slaughtered, according to various estimations. Declassified Foreign Office documents, which were recently released by Britains National Archives and seen by The Guardian newspaper, indicate that the UK isnt without fault in those shocking events. The British Foreign Office had always denied the countrys involvement in the brutal clampdown on those blamed of communist links in Indonesia. But it turns out that London focused its propaganda machine on the founding Indonesian President Sukarno and his communist backers over the leaders stern opposition to the Federation of Malaya, which the UK thought should unite its former colonies in the region. Several months before that, a team of specialists from the Foreign Offices Information Research Department (IRD) had already been deployed in Singapore to produce black propaganda to undermine Sukarnos rule, according to The Guardian. The failed coup only made it easier for the propagandists to influence their intended audience, which included anti-communist politicians and Indonesian army generals. The propaganda was shared through an Indonesian-language newsletter, which was said to have been the work of Indonesian immigrants, but was actually issued by British specialists in Singapore. Within a year, some 28,000 copies of the newsletter had been published. The UK also funded a radio station, which Malaysians had been broadcasting into Indonesia. Shortly after the massacre of the communists by the military began, the British-produced newsletter called for the PKI and all communist organisations to be eliminated. It claimed that Indonesia will remain in peril as long as the communist leaders are at large and their rank and file are allowed to go unpunished. Procrastination and half-hearted measures can only lead to our ultimate and complete destruction, the authors of the pamphlet warned their readers. The killings allegedly intensified across the Indonesian archipelago in the weeks following the publication of the newsletter, with The Guardian insisting that there can be little doubt that British diplomats became aware of what was happening. The UK spies in the region had all the means to intercept Indonesian government communications and monitor the movement of its military, according to the paper. One of the newsletters, released during the clampdown on the communists, had praised the fighting services and the police for doing an excellent job. The British propagandists compared the PKI to Adolf Hitler and Genghis Khan in the pamphlet, and insisted that the work started by the army must be carried on and intensified. Moreover, a letter from Norman Reddaway, one of the leading propagandists working in Singapore, to the British ambassador in Jakarta revealed the UKs strategy to conceal the fact that the butcheries have taken place with the encouragement of the generals. He wrote that such an approach shouldve been taken in the hope that the generals would do us better than the old gang. The Foreign Office experts and Indonesian generals were singing in harmony, Reddaway insisted in another declassified document. He also celebrated the British propaganda for being able to abolish Sukarnos opposition to the Federation of Malaya project at minimal cost and within just half-a-year. What Reddaway described as the old gang was completely crushed by the bloody events of the mid-1960s. President Sukarno was arrested in 1967 and died three years later under house arrest. He was overthrown by General Suharto, who had been leading the Indonesian Army. Suharto then ruled Indonesia until 1998, enjoying political and economic support from the West. Transparency International (TI) labeled him the most corrupt politician in modern history in 2004, claiming that he embezzled between $15 billion and $35 billion during his time in office. Documents that were declassified in the US in 2017 revealed that Washington also not only had detailed knowledge of the massacre of communists in Indonesia, but provided active support for those actions. A Yale University study described the slaughter ordered by Suharto as an absolutely essential cleaning out, detailing the killing of from 50 to 100 PKI members every night by civilian anti-communist groups with the blessing of the military. British Conservative MP David Amess was reportedly stabbed to death by a 25-year-old Somali Muslim male while speaking with constituents at a church in Essex on Friday. From The Daily Mail, "Sir David Amess died in a terror attack: Tory MP was killed in murder 'linked to Islamist extremism', say Met Police after he was stabbed 'more than a dozen' times as they arrest British Muslim of Somali descent, 25, and search two homes in London": The death of Sir David Amess was today being treated as a terror attack 'linked to Islamist extremism' as officers raided two homes in London and a British Muslim man of Somali descent remained in police custody. Sir David was holding a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, when a knifeman in the church building launched a frenzied attack. The 69-year-old politician was wounded at least 12 times and died at the scene. Horrified constituents waiting to see the veteran MP, who has campaigned to help refugees, watched in horror as the assailant leapt on him just after midday. Shortly after midday, the knifeman waited calmly in line after booking in at the constituency surgery before launching the fatal attack, according to witnesses. Scotland Yard last night confirmed their Counter Terrorism Command are working with officers from the Eastern Region Specialist Operations Unit (ERSOU) and Essex Police - and formally declared the incident as terrorism. Amess backed the Black Lives Matter movement in America in June 2020 amid widespread rioting and demanded Britain not provide any riot gear to help our police, whom he said committed "murder" in the death of George Floyd. "I have been shocked, horrified and repulsed at the murder of a US citizen by a policeman, with three officers standing by and doing nothing to help," Amess said in statement on June 4, 2020 as American cities were going up in flames. "Absolutely unforgivable in every respect." "I have also added my name to the cross-party letter to Liz Truss asking the government to freeze exports of riot control equipment to the United States." Though Amess found the actions of Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's back "unforgivable," he rushed to defend Harvey Weinstein from allegations of sexual assault in Oct 2017. From The Evening Standard, "Tory MP Sir David Amess retracts 'horrifying' comments about Harvey Weinstein and blames his staff": A Tory MP has been slammed after comments dismissing the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault allegations as "dubious to say the least" were attributed to him. Sir David Amess, MP for Southend West, was quoted as saying the "sudden flurry of alleged inappropriate advances beggars belief". However, hours later he issued a retraction, blaming his parliamentary office for issuing a press release which had not been "authorised". Amess was a champion of refugee resettlement in the UK who backed the Red Cross's "Every Refugee Matters" campaign and worked to break down the "barriers" blocking migrants from "accessing education and healthcare," a.k.a. collecting welfare. "It is vital that we are able to help and provide protection to the world's most vulnerable," Amess said in a June 2019 press release. After being stabbed at least 12 times by one of the "world's most vulnerable," Amess was reportedly denied his last rites: As word spread, a Roman Catholic priest, Father Jeffrey Woolnough, arrived at the police cordon stretching across tree-lined Eastwood Road North, offering to administer the last rites to the devoutly Catholic MP. He said: 'The officers said that because it was a crime scene, and also the nature of the scene, it just wasn't possible.' Whereas the murder of Jo Cox was broadcast throughout the world for days with endless calls for introspection and the blame placed on Brexiteers and British nationalists, we all know Amess's murder is just going to be brushed under the rug. It's "part and parcel of living in a big city." Nonetheless, Christians United for Israel (UK) said Friday that he will be remembered as "a friend of Israel and advocate for Holocaust education." Remembering Sir David Amess MP, a friend of Israel and advocate for Holocaust education https://t.co/MgI0m9YFLh CUFI UK (@CUFI_UK) October 15, 2021 Follow InformationLiberation on Twitter, Facebook, Gab, Minds, Parler and Telegram. Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of UK Parliaments House of Commons, has supported initiatives to remove anonymity from internet users, linking threatening messages received by politicians online with their general safety, particularly in light of last weeks fatal stabbing of an MP. Hoyles comments came in the wake of the murder of Conservative member of parliament David Amess, that is treated as potentially a terrorist incident, while the suspects motives are thought to be linked with Islamist extremism. The suspect, a British citizen of Somali origins, was several years ago referred to the voluntary Prevent scheme that is devised as a way to combat risk of terrorist radicalization. Its unknown at this time if the suspect had previously targeted his victim on social media, and why the connection is being made. But several high ranked officials, including Hoyle and Home Secretary Priti Patel, are using the deadly incident to explore ways to provide better protection to MPs, and one of the things theyre coming up with is stripping online users of their anonymity. UK media say that Hoyle revealed he received a message from an offshore account that a bomb would be put under his car. He criticized tech companies as not doing enough and hinted that he was in favor of new legislation that would make it possible to track people on the internet if they are believed to be sending threats. Patel, on the other hand, wants social media accounts to be linked to real world identities, and mentioned the controversial upcoming Online Harms Bill, that those behind it say will reduce racism and threats on the internet, while critics fear it may jeopardize free expression in the process. Under the bill, tech companies could be ordered to pay up to 18 million or 10 percent of annual global turnover in fines, while their executives would be held criminally liable in some cases. Patel said that it was difficult to remove posts from social media that are found to be offensive or threatening, and suggested unmasking users was a way to tackle the problem. Major platforms have to take faster action when councilors and MPs report the kind of behavior that would be illegal in the real world, said Conservative MP David Warman, adding, that starts with accepting that anonymity provides cover for language that would never be used to anybodys face. The post UK lawmakers use MP murder to call for social media ID verification system appeared first on Reclaim The Net. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 814-368-3173 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. A local author has partnered with A&L Cycle to raise funds for the Westman Trails Association. Advertisement Advertise With Us CHELSEA KEMP/THE BRANDON SUN Mark Timmons holds his book "Man on the Run" at A & L Cycle Saturday. Proceeds from the books have been in support of the Westman Trail Association. A local author has partnered with A&L Cycle to raise funds for the Westman Trails Association. Mark Timmons first began work on "Man on the Run" after a trip to Nepal and a race at Mount Everest in 2014. "Some significant events happened at that race that I thought were worthy of a bit of a story," Timmons said. He never expected his personal memoir would one day become a larger story. Timmons collected tales as he travelled over the years. "I started documenting more and more little short stories about all of my running adventures," Timmons said. Since retiring from teaching and being stuck with pandemic-induced free time, he set out to blend the stories into a cohesive tale: "Man on the Run." The finished book includes a collection of trail-running stories stretching from Brandon to Mount Everest. He approached Cam Wirch, co-owner of A&L Cycle, to see if there would be any interest in helping fund the project A&L signed up right away and they began work with Leech Printing to create hard copies of the book. "Man on the Run" is now available to purchase at A&L Cycle. All funds raised from the book support the Westman Trails Association. Around $400 has been raised for the association so far. Timmons always wanted to give back to the Westman Trail Association because of the important role the Brandon Hills has served in his life as a runner. He began road running about 10 years ago and later began to explore the trails of Brandon Hills. "Thats really when I got captivated by trail running and realized what an incredible trail system we have. It has been so instrumental in my life," Timmons said. "I realized for me to be out there and enjoy the beauty and the facilities that someone had to look after it." He saw "Man on the Run" as the perfect opportunity to give back to an organization that has given him so much and help with the upkeep of the trail system. Its been exciting to see "Man on the Run" gain traction he even had a colleague recently call to say she spotted it in an Alberta bookstore Instagram post. "Its kind of interesting to see that there is that exposure out there, and the fact that people are enjoying the story makes me happy. Its not just a running story, as far as Im concerned. What Ive tried to do is make it a story about human relationships and human struggles as much as possible," Timmons said. "After the book had some success locally, Ive started to get a few more people in western provinces that are interested in the books." Wirch said A&L Cycle values the opportunity to promote outdoor activity, because it leads to a healthier society. Supporting the Westman Trail Association through this project was a great way to back up this philosophy. "Man on the Run" was an exciting idea, he said, and hopes promoting the book will encourage people to seek out their own adventures outside. "Maybe theyll take up trail running or hiking, just something to get them outside and be active," Wirch said. A&L Cycle has been a proud supporter of the trails since the 1980s and has continued on this legacy with its support of the Westman Trails Association. Wirch said they appreciate how the organization cares for the trails and ensures they can be accessed and enjoyed by the entire community. Kevin Newton, a Westman Trails Association executive member, said the Brandon Hills have seen a boost in popularity over the last couple of years. Roughly 130 members volunteer to look after and maintain 50 kilometres of trails in the area. "It takes a lot of volunteer hands and bodies out there working together to keep it going four seasons of the year," Newton said. "We have a pretty nice volunteer base of willing people ready to come out and share in the work. The trails have never looked so good." The increased access of the trails has encouraged the association to explore how the trails are managed and ensure they have good relationships with landowners and the wildlife management areas liaisons, along with good maintenance of the physical trails to ensure the safety of users. Newton said the association is grateful for the donation because it will help maintain the trail system. Funds generated by the book have been earmarked to repair bridges on the single-track trails at the Brandon Hills. "Its humbling to have the support of a local business and the people that are using the trail and recognizing the efforts were putting in," Newton said. Kevin Newton is available at A&L Cycle in Brandon, Poor Michaels Books Shop in Onanole and Prairie Cycle Works in Dauphin. ckemp@brandonsun.com Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp The Dauphin and District Chamber of Commerce will officially be known as the Parkland Chamber of Commerce starting Monday. Advertisement Advertise With Us The Dauphin and District Chamber of Commerce will officially be known as the Parkland Chamber of Commerce starting Monday. The name change for the non-profit has been in the works for several years, said executive director Stephen Chychota. The new name was chosen to focus on supporting the greater district as a whole. "Were very excited to be finally unveiling this for everybody," Chychota said. "We took our time with it. We wanted to ensure that we got this right and connected with the right municipalities and talked with the other chambers and community groups." He noted at this time there is no intention to overtake, or request amalgamation with other chambers in the area. Parkland Chamber of Commerce intends to fill the gaps in the region, Chychota said, and have greater connections within its focus area of Grandview to the west, Winnipegosis to the north, McCreary to the east and areas surrounding Riding Mountain National Park to the south. The name change takes the chamber to the next level and makes it look and sound different, he said. Parkland will continue working closely with other chambers in the area to collaborate on special projects and share information as often as possible. Moving forward, the chamber will strategize to clearly define its goals for the coming years. "We will be there more and more for those smaller communities in the Parkland area and make sure these businesses have support," Chychota said. "Where we go from here is only up, and we will continue to try and strive to do more and be better." The Dauphin and District Chamber of Commerce (DDCC), launched in 1903, has seen consistent growth over the past five years to almost 300 members 20 per cent of the total membership base operates outside the city. A resolution passed at its annual general meeting in March 2017 directed the DDCC to explore the possibility of a name change. Chychota added the chamber has also approached municipal governments for assistance in working with local businesses and was encouraged to forge ahead. "The goal to be a regional support is not much different than what we do now. Parkland Chamber of Commerce will continue to keep the lines of communication open for businesses, community groups and municipal governments across the region," Chychota said. "We strive to create better programs and services to support businesses, regardless of where they are located in the Parkland or what industry they are in." Plans to change the name have been underway for about six years, Chychota said. The chamber observed limited business supports for the communities surrounding Dauphin, and it was decided they should start looking after the region as a whole. Chychota described the rebrand as a step to ensuring local businesses have the support they need from the chamber. He hopes the Parkland Chamber can contribute to a cultural mind-shift, inspiring residents to take pride in actively supporting local businesses. The chamber has taken steps to encourage residents to shop local, especially at the start of COVID-19, as did other community groups. "There was this real sense of understanding from a lot of people, that you do have to support these businesses when they are in your home town or in your region because they are creating these jobs and they are supporting these other community groups and making these donations," Chychota said. While each individual community has its own unique, feel and opportunities, they can join forces to find success, Chychota said. He added the chamber has been working behind the scenes to get municipalities on board with this messaging and begin work on special projects. The chamber can paint a picture of what the Parkland region is and has to offer, while sharing hidden gems people might not know about in neighbouring communities, he said. "Its so much stronger when you can look at the region as a whole and how everybody plays a part," Chychota said. "Were stronger together As a region we have so much potential." ckemp@brandonsun.com Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp Brandon City Council will be asked to consider a plan to take advantage of food that would otherwise be wasted at its meeting on Monday. Advertisement Advertise With Us Brandon City Council will be asked to consider a plan to take advantage of food that would otherwise be wasted at its meeting on Monday. On the agenda for the meeting is a presentation from the John Howard Society of Brandons Ross Robinson. In a document attached to Mondays agenda, Robinson states that the society wants to partner with the city to act on an opportunity to receive surplus food from suppliers in Winnipeg and redistribute it. "The challenge is there is no place in Brandon to receive, store or break down large loads to a size suitable for Brandons not-for-profits or families," the document reads. According to a report linked in the document from Second Harvest, the largest food rescue organization in Canada, approximately 60 per cent of food produced in Canada 35.5 million metric tonnes is lost annually. Of that amount, Second Harvest states that 32 per cent of the food lost 11.2 million metric tonnes can be avoided and sent to people and communities that need it. The total financial value of this lost food is apparently $49.46 billion. To help take that potentially wasted food from Winnipeg, the John Howard Society is looking for a plot of light-industrial-zoned real estate similar to the land the Brandon Humane Society occupies, to sort and process the food. Complicating matters is that the societys current freezer space has to be returned by Nov. 1, and it needs a new location to complete projects going forward. Probably the highest-profile food effort put on by the society is Everyone Eats Brandon, which prepares low-cost or free meals for those in need multiple times a week out of its current home at Prairie Oasis Seniors Centre. Another member of the public, Ben McGillivary, is listed on the agenda to deliver a presentation to council regarding his concerns about accessing the citys records and public hearings. City manager Ron Bowles, who started work at the city earlier this year, will give one of his biggest presentations to council yet, when he shows off an update on the citys strategic plan. According to the agenda, the plan has identified 40 projects or initiatives that support the citys plan to support economic development, infrastructure, downtown resurgence, community safety and social issues. While the city has launched an economic restart program to help businesses invest in their future with the aid of grants up to $2,500, the strategic plan lists an economic incentive program for businesses as in development and is expected to be launched by the end of the year. In a related effort, the city states it is undertaking consultations with the Brandon Downtown Development Corporation for an incentive program for downtown businesses. The expected completion date for that program is Dec. 31, 2022. Under the recreation category, there are several programs in early stages. The Sportsplex Canteen will look for a contractor to provide hot-food service and a renovation is planned for the space. Earlier this year, a group of residents expressed interest in bringing some kind of water park to Brandon, and it appears the city is kicking some tires on that front. The strategic plan states that a grant application for a potential outdoor water recreation facility has been submitted to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure program and a feasibility study to determine what kind of land it would require and what location would be best will be included in the citys 2022 capital plan. Rounding out the agenda for Mondays meeting include presentations from councillors on the Brandon Police Board and the finance committee, a potential amendment to the citys sump pump and backwater valve regulations and a final vote on adding the city manager as a non-voting member to the Brandon Urban Aboriginal Peoples Council. cslark@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ColinSlark Chris Tomlin and UNITED will co-headline their long-awaited 2022 Tomlin UNITED Tour, set to kick off at the Greensboro Coliseum on Feb. 9th, 2022. | Rogers & Cowan After a long season of isolation, award-winning Christian music artist Chris Tomlin and the popular worship band UNITED are hoping to bring joy and unity to thousands across the country through their long-awaited 2022 "Tomlin UNITED Tour." "I can't think of a more critical moment in time for us to come back together and worship ... unified and as one voice," Tomlin told The Christian Post. "For me, what is so important to remember is that music is God's idea. ... Isn't that beautiful? God gave us not only a way to worship Him but also to connect and communicate with Him through music. Worship is different from any other concert. It's your soul connecting to God. It's eternal and an opportunity to join in everlasting praise." Kicking off at the Greensboro Coliseum on Feb. 9, the live worship experience includes 33 dates across the U.S. They will make stops in major markets, including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Miami and two shows in the New York area before ending in Duluth, Georgia, on April 13. Tickets for the Tomlin UNITED Tour will go on sale to the public beginning Oct. 22. "We really believe this tour is going to be an experience unlike any other," Jonathon Douglass of UNITED told CP. "We've wanted to do this for a long time and we have a real sense of trust in the fact that this is the right time. We want these nights to be about hope, the living hope, and for people to leave with a little more of it than they came in with. Music has the power to touch people in this way, and I'm excited for that." Click here to read the full story on The Christian Post. Harrisonburg, VA (22807) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 44F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low near 20F. Winds light and variable. Mining giant BHPs iron ore shipments from Australia slipped 5 per cent in the September quarter as major maintenance works, a labour shortage and ongoing COVID-19 border restrictions slowed production of the nations most valuable export. BHP told investors on Tuesday it had shipped 70.6 million tonnes of the steel-making raw material in the three months to September 30, a decline of 5 per cent compared to the same time last year and 3 per cent less than the previous quarter. BHP and other Australian miners have received a massive boost over the past year as the price of iron ore, the nations biggest export, hit a record $US230 a tonne. Credit:Tony McDonough BHPs operations delivered reliably during the first quarter and we completed planned major maintenance activities across a number of our assets, BHP chief executive Mike Henry said. We continue to skilfully navigate the ongoing challenges of COVID-19. BHP said the slowdown across its flagship Pilbara iron ore assets mainly reflected higher planned maintenance works including on a car dumper at its Jimblebar mine, as well as temporary rail labour shortages. The company said the impact was partially offset by strong mine performance at Yandi. BHPs target of shipping between 278 million and 288 million tonnes of iron ore in the year to June 2022 remained unchanged. The developer of the largest clean hydrogen hub in Australias south-east has struck a $30 million deal with United States-based manufacturer Babcock and Wilcox to deliver a biomass-to-hydrogen project at the site. As governments and industry step up investments in building the nations nascent zero-emissions hydrogen economy, Port Anthony Renewables is bringing New York-listed Babcock and Wilcoxs technology for producing hydrogen from waste timber to its hub at Port Anthony in Victorias Gippsland region. Port Anthony Renewables has struck a hydrogen deal with US-based Babcock and Wilcox. Credit:Justin McManus The Port Anthony area has always been a cornerstone of the offshore energy industry, Port Anthony Renewables managing director Ben Anthony said. This jointly developed Babcock and Wilcox project represents not only accelerated growth of the Port Anthony Renewable Hydrogen precinct, but sees us well on our way to 25 tonnes a day of hydrogen just in the next two or three years ultimately leading to the decarbonisation and repurposing of the Bass Strait oil and gas sector. Hydrogen, which burns cleanly and emits only water, is touted as an important growth technology in the push to arrest global warming due to its potential to decarbonise parts of the economy that cannot be easily electrified, such as a range of industrial processes. Eventually, it is hoped clean hydrogen could also become an exportable store of renewable energy produced in Australia and shipped to customers in Asia. The COP26 summit will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31-November 12 after it was delayed due to the pandemic. To many observers, its the most crucial meeting yet because it will test whether the framework for co-operative emissions reductions agreed to in Paris can, in fact, curb climate change. Test your knowledge and stay up to date with our COP26 coverage here It has been three sleepless nights for the Western Australian family of missing four-year-old Cleo Smith, as her mother Ellie opened up about the living nightmare about not knowing where her little girl has gone. Ms Smith, who remains at the campground Cleo disappeared from, was also resolute that wherever her daughter would be able to overcome whatever situation she was in whether she is lost or abducted. Cleo Smiths mother Ellie Smith and partner Jake Gliddon. I know shes strong. Cleo was born eight weeks early, she was premature and shes been strong since the day she was born, Ms Smith said. I know she can get through whatever she is going through. On Friday afternoon, Ms Smith travelled to the Blowholes campsite a remote site 75 kilometres north of Carnarvon in regional WA with Cleo, her partner Jake Gliddon and their recently born daughter. The family set up their tent, went to bed and by 6am the next morning, Cleo was gone. Read more here. Choir of Hard Knocks former musical director Jonathan Welch AM would like to apologise for any confusion over whether his Play It Forward musical education company, which he has referred to as a charity, is in fact a registered charity. The choirmaster hit prime time 15 years ago when the famous Choir of Hard Knocks for the homeless and disadvantaged ran as an ABC docuseries. After leaving the choir Welch has forged a reputation as a choirmaster, promoter and, er, establisher of community singing groups. Readers will be familiar with the response sorry, outcry in Casey over his attempts to set up a rival to the Voices of Casey local choir. But its not the only pot he has on the boil. He is also building a charitable project, Play It Forward. But is it a charity? Jonathan Welch with the asylum seeker choir Voices without Borders in 2014. Credit:Pat Scala Welch benignly tweeted in 2019: Im very excited continuing my work with my new inclusive arts charity @ Play It Forward. And Play It Forwards website boasts it is not a one size fits all arts charity. Great train robber Ronnie Biggs being escorted by three police officers in 1963. Credit:Evening Standard/Getty Images Ronald Arthur Biggs, 40, the last of the Great Train Robbers, has vanished without a trace. Train robber may still be here First published in The Age on October 20, 1969 But police are confident that Biggs, who has eluded them for three days in the nations biggest manhunt, is still in Melbourne. Biggs is wanted for escaping from prison in Britain four years ago. He was goaled for 30 years for his part in the $5 million mail train robbery. State and Commonwealth police have been placed on a 24-hour alert. Every criminal haunt in the Eastern States have been raided. Police say Biggs panicked after his picture appeared in newspapers last week and abandoned an elaborate escape plan to flee the country. He left his neat brick home in Hibiscus Road, Blackburn, on Friday only minutes before armed consorting squad detectives arrived. Sydney Harbour could become a swimmers paradise under a new plan to build multiple pools along the citys foreshore and improve the quality of the waterway. Unveiling the plan, City of Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore said parts of the harbour that were currently too polluted for swimmers could be transformed with minor infrastructure work once pollution levels were managed. An artists impression of a City of Sydney proposal for new harbour-side pool on the Glebe foreshore. Credit:Andrew Burges Architects Swimming in the harbour is no pipe dream. Cities around the world are turning to their natural harbour assets rather than building more infrastructure, she said. Copenhagen spent 15 years transforming its harbour from a highly polluted waterway to a swimmers paradise where wildlife is thriving. The council commissioned an architect to examine options for a swimmable harbour, making ambitious proposals for waterside pools and other upgrades at locations including Pirrama Park in Pyrmont, Elizabeth Bays Beare Park, Barangaroo, Rushcutters Bay and the Glebe foreshore. A suspended Queensland police officer accused of going to a border checkpoint and illegally getting his daughter into the state has appeared in court. Senior Constable Robert William Eickenloff, 56, fronted the Brisbane Arrests Court on Monday where his case was briefly mentioned and adjourned to next month. Suspended Queensland police senior constable Robert Eickenloff leaves Brisbane Arrests Court on Monday. Credit:Toby Crockford It would be alleged Senior Constable Eickenloff went to a Gold Coast border checkpoint on September 15 because his 20-year-old daughter was trying to cross from NSW without a valid pass. She was accused of illegally entering Queensland, in breach of the Chief Health Officers border directions, handed a $4135 fine and ordered into mandatory hotel quarantine. New Zealand Warriors fullback Reece Walsh, who admitted to possessing cocaine after a night out on the Gold Coast, has been fined and placed on a good behaviour bond. The 19-year-old NRL star pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and contravening a police move-on direction in the Southport Magistrates Court on Monday. Reece Walsh was banned for two games after being caught with cocaine. Credit:Getty Images He admitted to having a small bag of cocaine on him when searched by Queensland police officers after being arrested in the early hours of September 25. Walsh had fronted a press conference after the incident alongside Warrior chief executive Cameron George and his manager, Nash Dawson, where he admitted to taking cocaine during the night. A man will face court on Monday accused of stabbing three pedestrians in a Sunshine Coast street at the weekend over comments made about his driving. Emergency services were called to Ocean Street in Maroochydore just after 4am on Sunday after reports of a fight between pedestrians and the two occupants of a vehicle. It will be alleged the confrontation was sparked when one or more of the pedestrians made comments to the car driver about the manner of his driving and the situation escalated from there. Detectives believe the pedestrians and motorists did not know each other before the confrontation. Police said during the fight, the driver of the vehicle armed himself with a knife and stabbed three male pedestrians, before fleeing the scene on foot. Restrictions or quarantine requirements will be a thing of the past for those who are fully vaccinated once Queensland reaches the 90 per cent double-dose target, Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick says. He also told ABC Brisbane on Tuesday that fully vaccinated Queenslanders would be promised more freedoms with the possibility of hospitality and entertainment industries being granted no restrictions to venues. Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick discusses what the future of Queensland will look like once the state reaches higher vaccination targets. Credit:Attila Csaszar Fully vaccinated people from interstate hotspots would be allowed to enter the state by air, but will need to undergo home quarantine for 14 days if they have a negative COVID-19. Once the state hits 80 per cent of Queenslanders with double doses, fully vaccinated domestic travellers from hotspots would be allowed in from December 17. Police have been ordered to pay the legal costs of a Brisbane councillor over a now-dropped traffic charge after it emerged the officer involved had made comments critical of the councillor in the past two years. Jonathan Sri, who represents the Gabba ward in Brisbanes inner-south, had been riding his bicycle home from a protest on January 26 when he passed through a yellow traffic light and was stopped by the police officer with lights and sirens running. Greens councillor Jonathan Sri was handed the fine in January while on the way home from a protest on his bicycle. Credit:Jocelyn Garcia After later learning the officers full name, Cr Sri recognised him as a Facebook user who had left a number of comments on posts made from his public profile dated back to October 19, including that the councillor was a dishonest grub. Police said earlier this month a brief of evidence was being compiled in the long-running case and would determine their decision to proceed. Queenslanders have been warned the dates announced in the roadmap to reopening revealed on Monday are fixed, and the state will reopen even if vaccination targets are not met. The announcement signalled that vaccination would become the first line of defence in Queensland, not border restrictions or lockdowns as had been the case in the state throughout the pandemic so far. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed the roadmap on Monday after weeks of public pressure to give Queenslanders certainty about the path out of lockdowns. Travel will be allowed again from November 19, when the state is expected to hit 70 per cent of the eligible population double-dosed, for fully vaccinated people from hotspots if they arrive by air and do 14 days home quarantine. Members of a Melbourne family are calling for a major overhaul of the states firearm registry after an inquest into their mothers murder uncovered an inadequate police investigation and data showing more than 100,000 guns are missing across Victoria. Ex-lawyer Charles Bisucci used friends and acquaintances to circumvent the police gun licensing and regulation division and hide guns for 13 years before he shot his partner of six years, Marilyn Burdon, 70, with a .33 Winchester lever-action rifle at her Kew home in 2017. He then took his own life. Nicholas, Natalie and Rebecca Burdon are calling for the government to act on the coroners recommendations. Credit:Simon Schluter Siblings Rebecca, Nicholas and Natalie Burdon say the state must learn from its failings after an inquest found a litany of errors and missed opportunities to seize missing guns belonging to Bisucci. Their call comes as new data shows more people than ever are being charged with possessing guns despite being prohibited from doing so. A lockdown protester charged with separate attacks on police officers who were on horses was refused bail even though a magistrate accepted he might not face trial until 2023. Dennis Basic is accused of repeatedly hitting a policewomans horse with a flagpole during a protest last year, and then hurling a traffic bollard at another mounted policewoman nine months later. Lockdown protesters march through central Melbourne on July 24. Credit:Eddie Jim Mr Basic was charged over the first incident and on bail when he hit the second policewoman in the head with the weighted plastic bollard, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard. The 36-year-old has spent 80 days in custody since he was arrested, days after he joined thousands of lockdown protesters in the July 24 protest in central Melbourne. His lawyer, David Cronin, on Monday argued delay was a major reason the accused man should get bail. Supreme Court Justice Rene Le Miere has passed the baton to Justice Jennifer Smith in a decades-long multibillion-dollar mining dispute between two of Western Australias wealthiest families, just as its much-anticipated trial is under threat of being derailed. Hancock Prospecting, owned by Australias wealthiest magnate Gina Rinehart, and Wright Prospecting, belonging to WA billionaire heiress Angela Bennett and her two nieces, are due to go to trial over Lang Hancocks iron ore legacy, Hope Downs mines, in April 2022. War of the Rineharts: Bianca Rinehart is challenging her mother Gina to Hancock Prospectings Pilbara assets. Credit:Fairfax Media Lang and business partner Peter Wright etched out much of the Pilbaras iron ore mining landscape in the 1960s and 70s and their tenements and partnership deals have been the subject of litigation between their warring children, and even between family members internally, ever since. In July, Justice Le Miere delivered three significant decisions, two of which left open a door to Mrs Rineharts children Bianca Rinehart and John Hancock in their claim of being unfairly prohibited from their rightful inheritance to own Hope Downs via a family trust. Deputy Premier Roger Cooks department exempted a Texan oil and gas company from Western Australias onshore gas ban in the hope it will build a pipeline to open up the region to more gas production. The decision came just months before the WA government plans to make public its process to develop interim greenhouse gas emissions targets towards net-zero by 2050. Paths of cleared vegetation for seismic testing to find oil and gas in the Kimberley. Credit:Lock the Gate In early October, Black Mountain Oil and Gas Valhalla field became the second project allowed to export onshore gas from WA since a ban was introduced in August 2020. Black Mountain subsidiary Bennett Resources wants to drill up to 20 exploration wells as deep as four kilometres over seven years, according to its submission to the WA Environmental Protection Authority. The Auditor-General has found the ABC did not have documented advice or policies to support its decision to pay star reporter Louise Milligans $200,000 in legal costs after she was sued by federal Liberal MP Andrew Laming over a series of tweets where she incorrectly accused Mr Laming of upskirting. In a formal response to an investigation request instigated by Liberal senator Eric Abetz, Auditor-General Grant Hehir concluded he was unable to form a view on the appropriateness of the ABCs decision to pay $79,000 damages plus legal costs to Dr Laming to settle the case. The ABC paid star reporter Louise Milligans $200,000 legal bill after settling a defamation case with Federal Liberal MP Andrew Laming, with the Auditor-General finding the ABC no formal advice to support its decision to do so. Mr Hehir said the ABC had advised him its decision to pay Milligans personal legal costs was a business decision of the ABC, and the ABC was under no express legal obligation to meet these costs. Milligan was represented by external legal firm Bird & Bird. The ABC advised the business decision placed the ABC in a better position to facilitate a swift resolution to the Dr Laming proceedings and to assist the progress of the separate legal proceedings, Mr Hehir wrote in a letter responding to Senator Abetz, published on the Australian National Audit Office website on Monday. Australias decision not to boost its 2030 emissions reduction target will disappoint key allies that have called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to do more ahead of next months United Nations climate summit in Glasgow. Mr Morrison told Parliament on Monday he would stick with the target that he took to the 2019 election, which was set by former prime minister Tony Abbott in 2015, to reduce emissions by at least 26 per cent from 2005 levels. His decision comes after Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce on Sunday all but ruled out support for a higher 2030 commitment. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, left with Barnaby Joyce, told Parliament on Monday he would stick with the target that he took to the 2019 election. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen British cabinet minister Alok Sharma, who will head the COP26 climate change conference, has called on Australia to set a 2030 emissions reduction target of up to 50 per cent. The United Kingdom has committed to cut emissions 68 per cent by 2030 while the United States has set a goal to reduce emissions by 50 per cent and urged Australia to increase its near-term target. Japan is targeting 46 per cent, South Korea 40 per cent and the European Union 55 per cent. Climate scientists say deep emissions cuts by 2030 are needed to achieve the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees, and as close to 1.5 degrees as possible to avoid the worst damage from climate change. Waiting longer to reduce greenhouse gases will allow too much carbon to build up in the atmosphere and cause heating long after 2050, even if net zero is achieved by then. An industrial commissioner who railed against vaccination mandates as medical apartheid in a recent unfair dismissal case has been criticised by a senior NSW Supreme Court judge, who says she descended into politicking and made claims without evidence. In a judgment dismissing a challenge to NSWs vaccine mandates on Friday, Justice Robert Beech-Jones lashed the comments last month by Fair Work Commission deputy president Lyndall Dean after one of the parties in the case he was overseeing relied on her reasoning. Fair Work Commission deputy president Lyndall Dean has claimed vaccine mandates are an abhorrent concept and tantamount to segregation. Credit:Industrial Relations Society of NSW website A majority of the Fair Work Commissions full bench in September upheld the dismissal of a receptionist at a NSW aged care facility who refused to get a flu vaccination shot. But in a minority decision, Ms Dean said the worker had been unfairly fired and claimed vaccine mandates were an abhorrent concept and tantamount to segregation. While the Fair Work case was not about COVID-19, it was widely seen as a litmus test for whether employers would be able to sack workers who failed to comply with vaccination mandates. Despite being outvoted by her colleagues, Ms Deans dissenting opinion has been used by some lawyers and political activists to suggest their views have high-level endorsement. A NSW bureaucrat has told a corruption inquiry it would have been critical to know then-treasurer Gladys Berejiklian was in a relationship with disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire at the time she was advocating for a multimillion-dollar grant in his Wagga Wagga electorate in 2016. Office of Sport director Michael Toohey on Monday said he had serious concerns about a flimsy and deficient business case behind the grant application for the Australian Clay Target Association in Wagga Wagga, for which Ms Berejiklian gave top billing on the governments agenda. Michael Toohey arrives at ICAC on Monday. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer I cant see that was anything but a conflict of interest, he said, having first learnt of the secret five-year relationship at an Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing last year. Mr Toohey was the first witness to give evidence in the two-week corruption inquiry into the conduct of Ms Berejiklian and Mr Maguire in securing two grants worth more than $35 million for the Wagga Wagga electorate. Theres a tragedy unfolding on our doorstep. Papua New Guinea is experiencing its worst COVID outbreak since March. The Delta variant is rapidly spreading nationwide. Virtually all hospitals are full of COVID patients, in desperate need of oxygen, ventilators and basic drugs. This means other critical health needs are being ignored. Only 194,962 vaccine doses have been administered in the country, enough to fully vaccinate only 1.2 per cent of the total population of around 8 million. Fiji, by comparison, has fully vaccinated more than 80 per cent of its population. Vaccination rates in PNG are among the worlds lowest. Credit:SMH Even before COVID, PNGs health system struggled with staffing and supplies. The nations maternal, child and infant mortality rates are among the highest in the region. PNG has the worlds lowest vaccination rates for infants for diseases like measles, diphtheria, and whooping cough. Theres little doubt that PNG has been badly let down by a lack of decisive leadership in the vaccine rollout and public messaging. The number of cases in PNG since the pandemic began has reached 24,041 in the last week. All 266 COVID-related deaths have been people who were not fully vaccinated. on Monday launched its sub-compact SUV 'Punch' in the country, with price starting at Rs 5.49 lakh (ex-showroom). Designed across Tata Motor's studios in India, the UK and Italy, the model has been developed to herald an entirely new category the sub-compact SUV, to address a growing customer need for a small in size but big on space, safety, performance and features. Built on the company's Agile Light Flexible Advanced (ALFA) Architecture, Punch would sit below Nexon in the company's product line-up. It comes with a 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to both manual and automatic transmissions. As per Tata Motors, the manual trims of the model deliver an ARAI certified fuel efficiency of 18.97 kmpl while the AMT (automated manual transmission) variants offer 18.82 kmpl to a litre. The model comes with SUV attributes like tall seating, high ground clearance, 370 mm water wading capability and traction feature to aid recovery in off-road situations. It has received 5-star adult safety rating for adult occupant protection in a crash test from Global NCAP, an internationally renowned vehicle safety accreditation group. Five stars indicate the highest score while zero star rating points to the minimum score during the vehicle crash test. "With Punch, we have created an entirely new category altogether to address a growing need for small-in-size cars with a true SUV character," President Passenger Vehicles Business Unit (PVBU) Shailesh Chandra noted. The model offers a tall stance, high ground clearance and commanding driving position to navigate all the unexpected challenges that Indian roads throw in one's way, he added. "Even ahead of its launch, Punch has already got off to a great start by bagging the GNCAP 5-star rating for safety. This is a proud moment for us not only as an entity but also as an Indian carmaker as we continue to deliver on our promise of safety with almost every new product in the market," Chandra stated. Punch is the third car from to receive top crash test rating after Altroz in January 2020 and Nexon in December 2018. Punch has received 16.45 points for adult occupant protection, the highest rating points any vehicle has received in India. The model comes in four grades with customisation packs to match diverse lifestyles. Feature list includes engine drive modes, idle start stop function, cruise control, push button start, 366 litres of boot space, cooled glove box, Harman Infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, fully automatic temperature control, auto headlamps and rain sensing wipers, among others. (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 second quarter of FY22 continued to show double digit growth for the top four IT services providers, with every vertical and geography growing well, even though the total contract value (TCV) looked soft for all the players. The trend was first evident in Accentures Q4 numbers, which saw its TCV in outsourcing deals softer. A soft TCV does not mean that growth is declining, but it does point to the trend of few and scarcer mega deals. Analysts Business Standard spoke to said that the soft TCV is a concern, but the near-term double-digit growth of the sector is ... Byjus, the worlds most valuable company, announced the appointment of Mukut Deepak as Head of Business to lead its class 4 to 10 school segment. In his role, Deepak will be responsible for expanding and leading the flagship business for the class 4 to 10 segment. Working in conjunction with the product, marketing, and sales teams, Deepak will forecast, build and propose strategies for the growth of his vertical and establish systems and operations to optimise the company's goals. He will report directly to the Chief Operating Officer of Byjus, Mrinal Mohit. Mukuts (Deepak) strong expertise in developing businesses for various corporations will help scale the offerings of brand Byjus for classes 4 to 10, said Pravin Prakash, Chief People Officer, Byjus. We are confident that under his able leadership the business will further strengthen and we look forward to extending all the support in his journey with us. Before joining Byjus, Deepak was the Chief Business Development Officer at Limited and a Director for Tata Skys Digital venture. A business leader with over two decades of experience in varied sectors, he brings on board his expertise in envisioning and building new-age digital businesses, entrepreneurship, sales, strategy, service excellence, and more. He has been an entrepreneur twice over, once as a founder of a distribution venture focussed on retailing innovative financial services products called Distribution 2.0 and then as a Director and Head of advisory for a logistics start-up called Thinklink Supply Chain Services. He spent nearly a decade in management consulting across Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Company working with CEOs and board members across a host of topics. He started his career in the sales and marketing function at Unilever (India). Byjus has taken the transformative power of education to students in every part of the country through its innovative online learning model, said Deepak. He said the company has grown exponentially in the past couple of years, displaying a promising future in revamping the face of education. I am looking forward to further building and scaling the business and making Byjus the most preferred after-school destination for students across the country, said Deepak, who holds a degree in business administration from India Institute of Management, Calcutta, and a bachelors degree in Chemistry from St. Stephens College, Delhi. Bay View, the companys newest campus, consists of three squat buildings nestled near the San Francisco Bay shoreline a few miles east of its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. The first things visitors notice are the roofs. They curve down gently from pinched peaks, like circus tents, sloping almost to the ground. Each roof is blanketed with overlapping solar panels that glisten with a brushed metal sheen on the edges. calls this design Dragonscale, and indeed it looks as if a mystical beast is curled up by the water in Silicon Valley. envisions its latest campus as the embodiment of a grander ambition to run its operations entirely free of carbon. The company plans to open Bay View in January to a limited number of employees, depending on the pandemic. Beneath the buildings, thousands of concrete pillars plunged into the ground will serve as a sort of geothermal battery, storing heat to warm the building and water supply without natural gas. The roof panels were constructed with a unique textured glass to prevent glare and with canopies that emit a soft, glowing light into the spacious atria inside. We call this the Cathedral of Work, says Asim Tahir, who oversees energy decisions in Googles real estate division. He stands by the southern entrance in a hard hat, mask, and safety vest. ALSO READ: India 6th most affected country by ransomware, says Google Sundar Pichai, chief executive officer of Google and its parent Alphabet Inc., pokes his head inside for a look. During the pandemic, construction crews had set strict rules limiting entry for guests, even the boss. Its the first Friday of September, and the normally reserved executive is eager to talk to Bloomberg Green about his companys climate ambitions. Outside, the air is thick with wildfire smoke, a new annual reality for all of California. Hurricane Ida is pummeling the East Coast. Each disaster underscores how late corporate America is to the climate change fight. I wish we were at this moment a decade earlier, Pichai admits. Im worried and very anxious were losing time. Last year, Pichai announced Googles plan to run every office and data center on electricity from clean sources, around the clock. He set 2030 as the deadline, marking perhaps the most ambitious corporate commitment to decarbonization ever. Google calls it a moonshot, the term it reserves for audaciousand so far mostly fruitlessprojects such as self-driving cars and delivery drones. Its a bit stressful, Pichai says, because we dont fully have all the answers to get there. Googles data centers, which house the servers that power billions of web searches, emails, and mapping routes every day, account for most of its electricity consumption: 15.1 million megawatt-hours in 2020. Last year, Google met 67% of its data center electricity needs with renewable sources on an hourly basis, a 6% jump from the prior year. Data centers in certain places, such as Oklahoma and Oregon, run on close to or above 90% clean sources. But getting off carbon elsewhere is a bigger challenge, and Google is aiming well beyond typical corporate targets. Dozens of have pledged to reach carbon neutrality, covering their energy usage either with renewable sources or offsets. (A carbon offset is a credit can buy that stands in for one ton of emissions that otherwise would have polluted the atmosphere; the money is supposed to go toward emissions-reducing projects.) Apple Inc. achieved carbon neutrality with its own operations and vowed to do the same with its supply chain by 2030. Amazon.com Inc. promised to be carbon neutral by 2040. Google aims to go even further. Its committed to go free of carbon, without using offsets and relying only on clean energy purchased near its locations, 24 hours a day. That means in Chile, where solar panels power Googles data center during the day, the company must find a solution when the sun sets. In dense Taiwan and Singapore, where its data centers run almost entirely on fossil fuels, it must find massive amounts of green alternatives very quickly. To hit its goal, Google is relying on unorthodox procurement contracts and a grab bag of novel technologies such as lithium-ion battery storage, algorithms that predict wind patterns, and geothermal wells that drill into the Earths crust. Earlier this summer, Microsoft Corp. followed Google with another pledge to go carbon-free 24/7. These companies, pioneers of innovation worth trillions, are trying to cut out carbon while still maintaining spectacular growth: Google and Microsoft added more than $91 billion in profits last year as much of the economy contracted. Although theyre huge and influential energy consumers, theyre mostly at the mercy of antiquated utilities built on fossil fuels. Google knows this. The ultimate solution is to get the power grids to carbon-free all the time, says Michael Terrell, Googles director of energy. We still dont know the path everywhere, and thats really challenging. Googles environmental record isnt spotless. Critics have charged it with funding politicians who deny global warming, accepting green-washing advertisements, and boosting climate conspiracies on YouTube. Employees have condemned its cloud-computing deals with oil Google server farms use considerable amounts of water. Yet the companys approach to renewable energyit purchased 15.4 million megawatt-hours in 2020has earned widespread praise. Risk management company MSCI Inc. grades Google poorly on governance and social impact, citing its numerous competition lawsuits; on environmental issues, it gives Google perfect marks. ALSO READ: Google will show cloud customers their carbon footprint: Report Pichai has pledged that Googles climate work will create more than 20,000 clean energy jobs and help hundreds of cities reduce carbon footprints. Google will need to spend considerable amounts to become carbon-free, and it might have to curb its enormous appetite for computing horsepower. Still, the effort makes business sense for Pichai, who says Googles investments will drive down costs for existing renewables and spur new ones. Google will try selling some energy efficiency technologies, too. Tech employees are starting to demand greener business practices and sustainable workspaces such as the Bay View campus, not simply as niceties but as vital parts of making the future livable. Pichai says businesses that dont get off carbon will be left in the dust. If you dont do this correctly, you wont be able to attract talent, he says. When I look at the younger generation, people who are teenagers now, I cant see them making the choice to work for a company which they feel is polluting. Google began planning its Bay View campus in 2015, but its design ideas took seed well before then. The companys founders had a crunchy California streak, demanding its first offices include low-impact carpets and recyclable materials. Tinkering staff once stuck 12 bores into the pavement as an early geothermal experiment, which pumped up hot water for a campus cafe. Engineers played around with solar prototypes in a parking lot. These green projects were also about saving money. Fifteen years ago the search engine was expanding ferociously, adding energy-hungry services such as Gmail and YouTube. That was always really shocking when you looked at the bill, recalls Urs Holzle, a senior vice president and early employee. In 2007, Google installed a 1.6MW solar array atop its headquarters and started a program to fund a slate of renewable projects with the aim of driving their costs below coalthey named the project REC. That year, Google also claimed it had offset all its carbon emissions, though it shared little data. They said, Were carbon neutraltrust us, remembers Gary Cook, who tracked technology companies for Greenpeace Inc. Solar and wind prices fell precipitously, prompting Google to drop REC. Yet it kept buying renewables. It made a power purchase agreement (PPA) in 2010 for a 114MW wind farm in Iowa. Two years later the company set a goal to buy enough excess renewables to cover the amount of fossil fuels it used. The company assumed this process would take a decade. Thanks to a rush of new wind farms and solar systems, it took five years. With that achievement, Google was hailed in the press as 100% renewable. Some employees, however, bristled at the technical inaccuracy, according to Holzle, who oversees Google infrastructure. Google didnt use renewables 100% of the time. Take this data center, at this time, Holzle recalls the argument. Clearly it is using coal. Google needed a better goal. Terrell runs the division responsible for energy purchases and utility relations. When Google first considered round-the-clock renewables, he found the prospect really, really out there. Google had signed 26 PPAs by 2017, but each required jumping through exhausting regulatory hoops. Solar and wind were getting cheaper, but storing the power they generated wasnt. Google kept expanding. From 2017 to 2020, it opened 15 new data centers for its consumer and cloud services. Terrells team had to get creative. Typically, when power outages hit a Google site, the company flips to backup generators to keep its services running. In Belgium, Google worked with a local power company, Elia Transmission Belgium SA, to swap out diesel generators for hulking lithium-ion batteries at a data center in St.-Ghislain, near the French border. Terrell says the company is exploring ways to route excess energy stored in the batteries to the local utility provider. Instead of just having them sit there, why not actually help an operator manage the grid? he says. He predicts Google will take this elsewhere. In Nevada, where Google owns a sprawling data center outside Las Vegas, the company cut a deal to buy power from Fervo Energy, a startup working on a novel approach to geothermal. Fervo head Tim Latimer, a former oil engineer, borrowed oil extraction techniques for cleaner aims. Most geothermal wells are dug thousands of feet into the Earth to tap its natural heat; Fervos system will also dig horizontally across underground reservoirs to capture more energy. The startup plans to open its first Nevada wells next year. Google is optimistic that green hydrogen and advanced nuclear will emerge as available sources soon, too. Naturally, Google is also turning to software to tackle the challenge. Engineers developed a tool, called carbon-intelligent computing platform, that schedules computing tasks during dips in energy use. Google deems certain activities, such as encoding a YouTube video or adding a new term to Google Translate, nonurgent, unworthy of instant gratification. These software tasks are put on hold until enough sunshine or wind is available. Other computer models are used to predict when wind power will be strongest. Google later added a feature for shifting tasks to different data centers. In Virginia, Google offloaded its 24/7 plan to energy distributor AES Corp. The companies signed a 10-year deal in May, for an undisclosed amount, covering 500MW of renewable projects that AES owns or will buy. The power distributor is relying on a mix and match of solar and wind generation as well as its lithium-ion batteries that store energy to deliver for Google, says AES CEO Andres Gluski. Other tech companies have inked similar decarbonization deals with AES, he says, though he declines to name them. That corporate rush might complicate Googles 24/7 plans or at least make them pricier. Land with the exact interconnection rights utilities require is scarce, and AES anticipates shortages on some equipment, such as solar panels and batteries, as soon as 2023. There are going to be bottlenecks, Gluski says. The former telecom executive compares the upcoming renewables market to mobile phones in the 1990s, when demand suddenly skyrocketed. Were talking about a ramp-up which is nothing like the electricity sector has seen, he says. AES has committed to provide Google with entirely clean energy by its target date. ALSO READ: Facebook plans to hire 10,000 in European Union to build 'metaverse' Google has a different problem in Asia. There arent enough clean energy producers or much room for production. In Singapore the company bought electricity from rooftop solar on public housing. In Taiwan it managed a deal with government officials to gain access to 40,000 panels hoisted on poles above lakes. Still, most Google Asian operations run on fossil fuels. Im not sure we can reach 100% in Asia, Holzle admits. Terrell says policy changes are probably the only way Google hits its 24/7 goal there. In 2020, Google released a lengthy white paper on the 24/7 plan, listing its methodology and accounting standards in surprising detailat least for Google, which rarely reveals internal data. Such disclosure has won over previous critics including Cook, who now serves as global climate campaigns director for the environmental advocacy group Stand.earth. Youre certainly not getting this from Amazon, Cook says. Google has some advantages: It doesnt have Amazons gigantic fulfillment centers and counts fewer employees than Apple and Microsoft. Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford, says he wishes Google offered granularity about its storage battery capacity and its plans to power sites at night and on cloudy days. (A Google spokesperson says the company has signed commitments of more than 280 megawatts in energy storage and it plans to tap always on clean energy sources, like geothermal, to cover electricity bills around-the-clock.) Still, Googles endeavor goes beyond what Ive seen from most other companies, Jackson says. Its exciting to see. Even if Google manages major breakthroughs in battery storage or geothermal, its still beholden to the grid and to lawmakers. In the past, Google toyed with ideas for remaking utilities altogether. Co-founder Larry Page often told staff about his desire to modernize the power grid by switching it from alternating current to direct current voltages, which can transmit electricity across long distances more efficiently; he reportedly brought this up at a sit-down with President Donald Trump in late 2016. (Page has since stepped away from the company.) Years before, Google hired a former U. S. Department of Energy official who, according to reports, began work on Google-style tools for managing power lines and systems. Holzle says Google actually applied for a license to trade excess renewables it purchased and this maneuver was mistaken as a plan to overhaul utilities. Although remaking the grid was tempting, Google didnt pursue it. (I mean, you cant do everything, Holzle offers.) More recently, Google has opted to work with utilities and lean on grid customers. In 2015 the company recruited Kate Brandt, another Energy Department alum, to oversee the sustainability efforts across Googles services, not its buildings or procurement. Part of her remit includes nudging consumers toward greener decisions. Nest, which Google owns, rewards thermostat owners with bill credits if they turn down the AC or heat during grid rush hours. Google lists greener options in Maps and for flights in its travel search. Google Finance, its information service, lists Carbon Disclosure Project scores next to other stats for close to 10,000 companies. Theres a lot more coming, Brandt says. She also deals with curbing emissions that dont fall under Googles carbon-free commitment: those from employee commuting, business travel, and device manufacturing. Googles carbon contributions here are smaller than those of some peers, such as Apple, but theyre not nothing. (In 2020, Google reported 9.4 million metric tons in greenhouse gas emissions in these categories.) The company has pledged to invest 5GW of new clean energy over the decade in places where its gadgets are made. The pandemic helped cut employee travel footprints, for now. Brandts most significant work might be persuading others to follow Google. She was a keynote speaker for the companys recent software developer summit and its shareholder meeting. Her team is creating a blueprint of its 24/7 plan for cities and companiesthose outside tech and without Googles piles of cash. This isnt just about Google reaching a goal, she says. This is about how we share our practices. Pichai says most conversations with fellow CEOs touch on sustainability and Googles carbon-free plan, even if thats not on the agenda. People want to understand how we are doing it, he says. He declined to share how much Google is budgeting for its endeavor. To achieve carbon-free operations, Google would need to spend at least $491 million for an additional 10.8 million megawatt-hours of renewable energy, according to estimates from BloombergNEF, a clean energy research group. Money isnt a major concern for Google, which has about $135 billion of cash on hand. But it needs massive amounts of clean energy to buy, and it knows laws must change for that to happen. The company has endorsed a U. S. clean energy standard and says its backing similar proposals elsewhere. To some outsiders, however, Googles policy efforts are inadequate. Bill Weihl worked at the company from 2006 to 2011 as its green energy czar and now runs ClimateVoice, an advocacy nonprofit. He says he believes, as do many experts, that the fastest way to decarbonize the grid is through rewriting laws, not corporate procurement. With Democrats controlling the White House and Congress, Weihl sees a very short window for expansive new legislation. And he sees relatively little activity from Silicon Valley. Most companies are silent, Weihl says. And the fossil fuel companies are really vocal trying to weaken, slow down, or just stop all those kinds of policies. Google dropped $7.5 million in federal lobbying last year and often outspends every other corporation. Much of that lobbying is reserved for labor, antitrust, and consumer issues, according to data from Bloomberg Government. Weihl says Google could do far more on climate. He says he wishes the company would halt any expansion in places such as Oklahoma (whose senior senator, James Inhofe, has famously denied global warming), until the state commits to stronger emissions reductions. Google hasnt. But it did decide not to build a data center in a state whose politics were very unfriendly to clean energy, Holzle says. (He wouldnt say where.) In some less welcoming states, including Alabama, where Google operates an old coal plant, Holzle says Google is an instigator for cleaner energy rules. Pichai agrees, arguing that his financial investments have ripple effects in states and cities. I havent quite thought lobbying is the best way to accomplish it, he says. But weve always advocated for these issues. Google Bay View sits next to NASAs sprawling Ames Research Center and was built so Google employees, perched high in the offices, can see a rocky patch of simulated alien dirt where the science agency tests its Mars rover. Its a nice perk. While the campus was under construction, the pandemic struck, prompting all companies to reevaluate office amenities and real estate plans. Google has, so far, stayed committed to a future inside offices and says this new one can showcase its green ingenuity. Googles Tahir says the campus is meant to capture Googles spirit of innovation, community, and ecology. Google hired Heatherwick Studio, an English design company, and Danish architect Bjarke Ingels for the project, but Google has described the campus as one the company designed from scratch. Tahir thinks conventional buildings are illogical messes. They evaporate water to cool the air and burn gas to generate heat, sometimes at the same time. Its very bizarre, he says. For Bay View, Google scrapped the normal office pipes for a ventilation system that pulls in outside air and saves loads of water (5 million gallons a year, the company estimates). Its underground network of geothermal piles will store excess heat and pump it back up during the winter, without burning natural gas. Up top, the Dragonscale solar roofs were created to be practical and visually impressive; Pichai calls them aesthetically amazing. Tahir expects the 50,000 panels will power around 40% of the campus, with the remainder coming from the grid. The buildings applied for LEED Platinum, but the U. S. Green Building Council cant yet evaluate all of Googles innovations. Were doing things here they dont have certificates for, Tahir says. These energy efficiency measures in Bay View arent meant merely to burnish Googles green credentials; the company anticipates they can bring payoffs. DeepMind, a Google research lab, examined data coming from sensors inside Googles data centers to predict when temperatures would fluctuate. It then invented an algorithm to adjust the dials used for cooling rows of servers more efficiently, cutting the power bill as much as 40%. Google offers this temperature control system as a cloud computing service to other companies. Googles cloud business, a key priority for Pichai, is where it expects financial returns for its big clean energy gamble. The company recently introduced a feature for cloud customers to select data storage locations running on more clean energy. Yet Google will have hard choices ahead if it wants Bay View to be anything more than an exhibition of an unattainable dream. The companys cloud business, which it markets as the cleanest cloud, is also growing at more than 50% a year. Thats a lot more energy that Google has to provide without fossil fuels. Cloud customers typically want their data stored nearby, so, unlike the sprawling server farms for Gmail and YouTube, Google cant place cloud centers anywhere it pleases. As the 2030 deadline approaches, Google may find it impossible to keep its carbon-free commitment and keep growing the way it always has. Pichai, sitting under an awning of his lavish new campus, admits as much. There will be sacrifices we will have to make, he says. It may lead to some services we cant build. Thats a rare admission from the leader of a business that has tried building virtually everything. Tech companies have yet to treat their computing heft, and the energy it demands, as finite resources, like their cash or engineersor like Lake Tahoe, which saw raging fires while Pichai discussed his plans. He mentions those fires, the extreme Gulf Coast heat, and these runaway scenarios of climate change. You read one of those articles, the CEO says, and youre like, Everything else we do ends up not mattering. Subir Chaki, (pictured) the Managing Director of prominent engineering firm Kilburn Engineering, and his driver were found killed in Gariahat locality of south Kolkata, police said on Monday. The bodies of Chaki (61) and his driver Rabin Mondal (65) were found with multiple stab injuries on their neck, legs and back at an ancestral building owned by the businessman on Sunday night. While the body of Chaki was found in a pool of blood on the second floor, that of his driver was recovered from the first floor of the building on Kakulia Road. Chaki, who had bought an apartment in New Town, where he lived with his wife and mother, wanted to sell off the property, police said. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Monday allowed Ventures Ltd (RRVL) and & Fashion Lifestyles Ltd (RRFLL) to hold extraordinary general meetings (EGMs) of their shareholders and creditors to acquire Future Groups businesses. The said the objections raised by American retail giant were premature and could be dealt with later. On September 28, the had allowed six to hold meetings of their respective shareholders and creditors. Lawyers said the permission to hold the meeting was a preparatory step. The Supreme Court will take the final decision. I do not see any major departure from the orders in the proceedings inter se and Future Retail, said Sameer Jain, managing partner, PSL Advocates & Solicitors, a Delhi-based law firm. In August last year, RRVL, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, announced it was acquiring the retail, wholesale, logistics and warehousing businesses, including debt, from for Rs 24,713 crore. According to the regulations, all mergers and acquisitions require the courts approval and hence both Reliance had approached the NCLT for its clearance. While the will hold their EGMs from November 10 to November 14, RRVL and RRFLL will do so on November 30, said a source close to the development. The NCLTs final clearance of the deal will be subject to the Supreme Courts order, where both Future Retail, a Future Group company, and are litigating. After and Future Group announced their transaction in August last year, Amazon, which holds 49 per cent in a holding company of Future Retail, objected to the deal, saying the transaction breached its non-compete agreement with the Future Group promoters. Amazon later moved the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), which, in an interim order, restrained the transaction. Future Retail later moved the Delhi High Court, which held there was no arbitration agreement between Amazon and the company. Amazon moved the division bench of the Delhi High Court, which ordered a status quo. The matter is pending in the Supreme Court, which has asked both parties to wait for the final order from the SIAC. According to the plan, various Future Group companies -- Future Retail, Future Consumers, Future Supply Chain Solutions, Future Lifestyle Fashion, Future Brands, and Future Market Network -- will first merge into Future Enterprises. Subsequently, the retail and wholesale undertaking will be transferred to RRVL and RRFLL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RRVL. At the same time, the logistics and warehousing undertaking will be transferred to RRVL. Future Enterprises will have left with a few businesses, including two insurance joint ventures. The retail and wholesale business includes Big Bazaar, fbb, Foodhall, Easyday, Nilgiris, and Central and Brand Factory chains. India pushing to get LIC IPO done on time: FM Sitharaman The government is pushing to get the initial public offering of state-backed Life Insurance Corp. of India across the line by next March and any delay wont be due to a lack of political will, according to Finance Minister We are pushing to have it done, Sitharaman said in an interview with Bloomberg when asked if it will manage to complete within the current financial year. The problem is not that we dont want it or we are pussyfooting on it now, it is more a question of doing the due process. Read more Ranjit Singh murder case: Dera chief and four others get life imprisonment Special CBI court in Haryana's Panchkula on Monday awarded life imprisonment to all the accused, including Dera Sacha Sauda's Gurmeet Ram Rahim and four others in Ranjit Singh murder case. A fine of Rs 31 lakh has been levied on Ram Rahim and Rs 50,000 on the remaining accused. A few days ago, the court had held Dera Sacha Sauda chief guilty in the murder case of Dera follower Ranjit Singh. Read more 'Cannot cut corners': WHO expecting more info from for Covaxin approval The said on Monday it expects to provide more information on its COVID-19 vaccine in a further setback to the Indian company's hopes of getting an emergency-use listing for the shot. Without WHO's nod the two-dose Covaxin is unlikely to be accepted as a valid COVID-19 vaccine around the world. has been pursuing a WHO emergency-use listing for several months, having submitted data on a rolling basis since July. Read more allows Reliance Retail's shareholders to hold meetings for Future deal The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Monday allowed Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) and Reliance Retail & Fashion Lifestyles Ltd (RRFRL) to hold extraordinary general meetings of their shareholders and creditors to acquire Future Groups businesses. said the objections raised by the American e-commerce giant are premature and can be dealt with at a later stage. On September 28, the had allowed six Future Group to hold the meetings of their respective shareholders and creditors. Read more As the coronavirus figures show the signs of declining in Maharashtra, the state government has allowed the reopening of amusement parks from October 22, the Chief Minister's secretariat said on Monday. However, water rides in amusement parks have still not been permitted, it added. The meeting of the COVID-19 Task Force was held here by Chief Minister to discuss the extension of the timing of restaurants and shops. We are slowly relaxing the restrictions and the number of patients seems to be decreasing. We are also reopening cinemas and theatres from October 22. There is a constant demand to extend the working hours of restaurants and shops, the statement quoted Thackeray as saying. It was also decided to allow rides (except water rides) in the open space in amusement parks, it added. Thackeray directed officials to prepare guidelines for extending the operational hours for restaurants and shops. The chief minister also instructed the Public Health Department to coordinate with the Centre on the availability of vaccines for children. He also asked them to prepare a plan for inoculating children once the Centre approves it. Although the second wave of the pandemic has subsided, the danger of a third wave is still there and it is very important to follow COVID-19 protocols like wearing masks and keeping a safe distance, the CM said. Vasant Nagvekar, infectious disease consultant at Global Hospital at Parel in and a member of the state's COVID-19 Task Force said, with the chief minister likely to announce relaxations for restaurants and shopkeepers, people of the city and must follow the social distancing norms like compulsory masking and vaccination. The chief minister had last month announced that cinema halls and drama theatres can reopen in from October 22 on the condition that they follow all the protocols required to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Earlier in the day, the chief minister said theatres and cinema halls, which will reopen from October 22, should start with proper fire and structural safety checks after meeting the representatives of the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association. Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally stood at 65,91,697 as of Sunday, leaving the state with 28,631 active cases. (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.) Rising seas are already making storm damage more costly, adding to the impact on about 700 million people who live in low-lying coastal areas at risk of flooding. Scientists expect sea-level rise will exacerbate the damage from storm surges and coastal floods during the coming decades. But predicting just how much and how fast the seas will rise this century is difficult, mainly because of uncertainties about how Antarcticas ice sheet will behave. The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projections of Antarcticas contribution to sea-level rise show considerable overlap between low and high-emissions scenarios. But in our new research, we show the widespread collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is avoidable if we can keep below the Paris target of 2 degrees Celcius. In West Antarctica, the interior of the ice sheet sits atop bedrock that lies well below sea level. As the Southern Ocean warms, scientists are concerned the ice sheet will continue to retreat, potentially raising sea level by several meters. When and how quickly this process could happen depends on a number of factors that are still uncertain. Our research better quantifies these uncertainties and shows the full impact of different emissions trajectories on may not become clear until after 2100. But the consequences of decisions we make this decade will be felt for centuries. A new approach to projecting change in Antarctica Scientists have used numerical ice-sheet models for decades to understand how ice sheets evolve under different climate states. These models are based on mathematical equations that represent how ice sheets flow. But despite advances in mapping the bed topography beneath the ice, significant uncertainty remains in terms of the internal ice structure and conditions of the bedrock and sediment below. Both affect ice flow. This makes prediction difficult, because the models have to rely on a series of assumptions, which affect how sensitive a modelled ice sheet is to a changing climate. Given the number and complexity of the equations, running ice-sheet models can be time consuming, and it may be impossible to fully account for all of the uncertainty. To overcome this limitation, researchers around the world are now frequently using statistical emulators. These mathematical models can be trained using results from more complex ice-sheet models and then used to run thousands of alternative scenarios. Using hundreds of ice-sheet model simulations as training data, we developed such an emulator to project Antarcticas sea-level contribution under a wide range of emissions scenarios. We then ran tens of thousands of statistical emulations to better quantify the uncertainties in the ice sheets response to warming. Low emissions prevent ice shelf thinning To ensure our projections are realistic, we discounted any simulation that did not fit with satellite observations of Antarctic ice loss over the last four decades. We considered a low-emissions scenario, in which global carbon emissions were reduced quickly over the next few decades, and a high-emissions scenario, in which emissions kept increasing to the end of the century. Under both scenarios, we observed continued ice loss in areas already losing ice mass, such as the Amundsen Sea region of West Antarctica. For the ice sheet as a whole, we found no statistically significant difference between the ranges of plausible contributions to sea-level rise in the two emissions scenarios until the year 2116. However, the rate of sea-level rise towards the end of this century under high emissions was double that of the low-emissions scenario. By 2300, under high emissions, the Antarctic ice sheet contributed more than 1.5m more to global sea level than in the low-emissions scenario. This is because the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapses. The earliest warning sign of a future with a multi-metre Antarctic contribution to sea-level rise is widespread thinning of Antarcticas two largest floating ice shelves, the Ross and Ronne-Filchner. These massive ice shelves hold back land-based ice, but as they thin and break off, this resistance weakens. The land-based ice flows more easily into the ocean, raising sea level. In the high-emissions scenario, this widespread ice-shelf thinning happens within the next few decades. But importantly, these ice shelves show no thinning in a low-emissions scenario most of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet remains intact. Planning our future The goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep warming well below 2 degrees celcius. But current global government pledges commit us to 2.9 degrees celcius by 2100. Based on our emulator projections, we believe these pledges would lead to a 50% higher (70cm) Antarctic contribution to sea-level rise by the year 2300 than if warming remains at or under 2 degrees celcius. But even if we meet the Paris target, we are already committed to sea-level rise from the Antarctic ice sheet, as well as from Greenland and mountain glaciers around the world for centuries or millennia to come. Continued warming will also raise sea levels because warmer ocean water expands and the amount of water stored on land (in soil, aquifers, wetlands, lakes, and reservoirs) changes. To avoid the worst impacts on coastal communities around the world, planners and policymakers will need to develop meaningful adaptation strategies and mitigation options for the continued threat of sea-level rise. Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science; Mario Krapp, Environmental Data Scientist, GNS Science, and Nick Golledge, Professor of Glaciology, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The positivity rate of new Covid-19 cases in breached the one per cent mark for the second time within a period of four days on Sunday while six fresh fatalities were reported, an official bulletin said. Altogether 205 new cases were registered in the state during the day from 19,350 tests conducted, taking the total caseload to 6,06,468, the bulletin issued by the Health Mission, Assam, said. The daily positivity rate was at 1.06 per cent on Sunday, after it had touched 1.53 per cent on Thursday. The rate was 0.93 per cent on Friday and 0.82 per cent on Saturday. Six deaths were reported during the day, one less than the previous day's figure. Two fatalities each were registered from Barpeta and Dibrugarh districts while Kamrup Metropolitan and Kamrup Rural districts recorded one death each, the NHM bulletin said. The total Covid-19 death toll now stands at 5,950, while the number of patients dying due to other causes remained at 1,347. Among the new cases detected on Sunday, 68 were from Kamrup Metropolitan and 24 from Jorhat districts. As many as 245 patients were discharged across the state during the day, taking the number of recovered people to 5,97,082 with a recovery rate of 98.45 per cent. The number of active cases in the state currently is 2,089. Meanwhile, 1.97 crore vaccine doses were administered in the state so far. The bulletin said 65,84,511 people have received both doses. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Monday reported a net reduction of 6,152 in active cases to take its count to 189,694. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 1.06 per cent (one in 94). The country is tenth among the most affected countries by active cases. On Sunday, it added 13,596 cases to take its total caseload to 34,081,315 from 34,067,719 an increase of 0.1%. And, with 166 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 452,290, or 1.33 per cent of total confirmed infections. With 1,205,162 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Sunday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 977,947,783. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 33,439,331 or 98.12 per cent of total caseload with 19,582 new cured cases being reported on Monday. Now the tenth-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases and recoveries, India has added 109,708 cases in the past 7 days. India now accounts for 1.06% of all active cases globally (one in every 94 active cases), and 9.21% of all deaths (one in every 11 deaths). India has so far administered 977,947,783 vaccine doses. That is 2869.45 per cent of its total caseload, and 69.99 per cent of its population. Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Uttar Pradesh (122975598), Maharashtra (96099596), West Bengal (70641381), Gujarat (70391210), and Madhya Pradesh (68669419). Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Kerala (1116036), Delhi (1102783), Gujarat (1102060), Jammu and Kashmir (1057371), and Uttarakhand (1019079). Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 41 days. The count of active cases across India on Monday saw a net reduction of 6,152, compared with 5,786 on Sunday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Nagaland (12), Haryana (9), Punjab (8), Himachal Pradesh (5), and Bihar (4). With 19,582 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 98.12%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.33%. The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.75%), Uttarakhand (2.15%), and Nagaland (2.13%). The rate in as many as 16 is higher than the national average. Indias new daily closed cases stand at 19,748 166 deaths and 19,582 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 0.84%. 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 1737.2 days, and for deaths at 1888.2 days. Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (7555), Maharashtra (1715), Tamil Nadu (1218), West Bengal (624), and Odisha (443). India on Sunday conducted 989,493 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 591,924,874. The test positivity rate recorded was 1.4%. 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 (13.21%), Goa (12.47%), Sikkim (12.24%), and Maharashtra (10.8%). Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added are Kerala (8.51%), Nagaland (7.02%), Manipur (3.74%), West Bengal (3.44%), and Mizoram (3.1%). 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 (1531017), J&K (1152169), Kerala (1028984), Karnataka (731332), and Telangana (686465). The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6591697), Kerala (4854321), Karnataka (2983459), Tamil Nadu (2687092), and Andhra Pradesh (2060472). Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 1715 new cases to take its tally to 6591697. Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 7555 cases to take its tally to 4854321. Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 326 cases to take its tally to 2983459. Tamil Nadu has added 1218 cases to take its tally to 2687092. Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 432 to 2060472. Uttar Pradesh has added 9 cases to take its tally to 1710028. Delhi has added 32 cases to take its tally to 1439390. chief and four others were sentenced to life imprisonment by a special CBI court on Monday for the murder of sect manager Ranjit Singh in 2002. Ram Rahim Singh, who was in 2017 sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for raping two disciples, is currently lodged in Rohtak's Sunaria jail. The Special Court in Haryana's Panchkula had convicted him and four others - Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Avtar Singh and Sabdil - in the murder case on October 8. The court has given the life sentence to five, CBI special prosecutor H P S Verma said after the hearing was held amid tight security. The CBI had sought capital punishment for them. Verma said the Dera chief was also fined Rs 31 lakh and half of the amount will go to the victim's family as compensation. Reacting to the verdict, Jagseer Singh, son of Ranjit Singh, said it was a big day for the family as they got justice after a long wait. Jagseer, who was eight years old when his father was murdered, said he was satisfied with the verdict, though his family was seeking death sentence for Ram Rahim Singh. The Dera chief, who enjoyed a large following, had frequently courted controversies and after his conviction in the rape case in 2017, violence had broken out in Panchkula and Sirsa leaving over 40 dead. Police had tightened security in Panchkula and Sirsa, where the sect is headquartered, ahead of the hearing. In Panchkula, prohibitory orders under Section 144 were clamped. Former Dera manager Ranjit Singh, who was also a follower of the sect, was shot dead on July 10, 2002 at Khanpur Kolian village in Haryana's Kurukshetra. According to the CBI charge sheet, the Dera chief believed that Ranjit Singh was behind the circulation of an anonymous letter and hatched a conspiracy to kill him. The letter narrated how women were allegedly being sexually exploited by the sect head at the Dera headquarters. The five were convicted under relevant sections, including 302 (murder), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. Over two years back, the sect head was also awarded life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Farmers in Punjab and Haryana squatted on rail tracks on Monday morning as part of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's six-hour 'rail roko' protest demanding the dismissal and arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The stir disrupted the movement of trains in both the states, causing inconvenience to passengers who could be seen waiting for long hours with their baggage. Protests were held at many places, including Punjab's Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Moga, Patiala and Ferozepur and Haryana's Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat, Kurukshetra, Jind, Karnal and Hisar. Protesting farmers, including women, raised slogans against the BJP-led government and demanded the arrest of Ajay Mishra. Security was deployed at railway stations in the wake of the 'rail roko' protest. Farmers sat on rail tracks in several sections including the Ferozepur-Fazilka section in Ferozepur city and the Ferozepur-Ludhiana section at Ajitwal in Moga, officials said. In a statement, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions spearheading the agitation against the Centre's three agri laws, had said "protests will be intensified until justice is secured" in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. During the 'rail roko' protest, all train traffic will be stopped from 10 am till 4 pm on Monday, the SKM had said. "To press for its demand for MoS Home Ajay Mishra's dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be secured in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre, Samyukt Kisan Morcha has announced a nation-wide Rail Roko programme. "SKM put out a call to its constituents to stop rail traffic for six hours on October 18 between 10 am and 4 pm. The SKM asks for this action to be taken up peacefully, without any destruction and damage of any kind to any railway property," it had said. At Ludhiana railway station -- one of the busiest in Punjab -- a person headed for Jodhpur rued that he came to know about the protest after reaching the station. He appealed to farmer leaders to lay siege to the residences of politicians rather than harassing the common man. "They should think about the public." A man waiting for his train at Ludhiana station with his family said they have to rush for Gonda in Uttar Pradesh as one of their relatives has died. At Patiala railway station, Dinesh Joshi searched frantically for milk and hot water for his child as the train he was travelling in had stopped due to farmers' protest. A group of protests put up a banner with 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' written on it in front of a train forced to stop at Moga. They also carried photos of four farmers killed in the Lakhimpur violence. Demanding the arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher on Monday said the KMSC will hold protests at 20 places in 11 districts of Punjab. Four of the eight people who died in the violence on October 3 were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers. Angry farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles. The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver. Farmers have claimed that Ashish Mishra was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and Ajay Mishra who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time. Ashish Mishra was arrested in the case on October 9. (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.) Rajasthan Chief Minister on Sunday expressed happiness over the resumption of power production in some of the closed units of Suratgarh, Kalisindh and Kota thermal plants in the midst of the coal crisis. He directed officials to maintain power supply ahead of the festive season and coordinate with the Centre to ensure adequate supply of coal. Gehlot was reviewing the power supply situation in the state in a meeting held at the chief minister's residence. He said that in order to give relief to the people, the state government has purchased electricity worth Rs 182 crore in October. Coal India Limited's subsidiary company NCL and SECL are supplying coal on an average of 5-6 rakes per day out of 11 rakes allotted to the state. Due to this the thermal power plants have not been able to generate power with full capacity. Gehlot also directed officials to coordinate with the Union Environment Ministry to start mining in 1,136 hectares of the second phase of Parsa Kanta captive coal block and to obtain clearance for it at the earliest. In a review meeting of the Public Works Department, Gehlot said that construction and repair of roads in the state are among the priorities of the state government. He said that officials of the department should not compromise on quality and engineers should check the quality of construction works by inspecting them from time to time. Gehlot said it should be ensured that the contractor repairs roads if they are damaged during the liability period. The chief minister said that in eight districts, proposals worth Rs 145 crore have been invited, where the roads are in a bad shape. (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.) Members of ISKCON Mayapur and Kolkata on Sunday took part in demonstrations, seeking action against miscreants who attacked its temple in two days ago, reportedly leaving one person dead and many injured. The protesters took out a candlelight march, sang kirtans to the accompaniment of 'khol kartal' and chanted Hare Krishna' at both the places. In Kolkata, they demonstrated outside the Deputy High Commission here for around two hours as the police barricaded its entrance. Mayapur is the global headquarters of ISKCON. Many of the protesters held posters in hand that sought protection for Hindus in "We are anguished and hurt. We promote peace and brotherhood. How could a mob target us? We have always been on the side of the people of Noakhali (in Bangladesh) all these years," Radharaman Das, the Kolkata vice-president of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), maintained. Das also said that ISKCON members would on Monday hold protests outside all embassies, consulates, high commissions of Bangladesh around the world, demanding security for minorities in that country and action against those involved in the He added that a letter has been written to the United Nations protesting against the incident. Two days ago, the global organisation tweeted, "ISKCON temple & devotees were violently attacked today by a mob in Noakhali, Bangladesh. Temple suffered significant damage... "We call on the Govt of Bangladesh to ensure the safety of all Hindus & bring the perpetrators to justice." On Saturday, it said that one ISKCON member, Partha Das, was killed by a mob of over 200 people. His body was found in a pond next to the temple. Several temples and Durga puja pandals have come under attack in Bangladesh over the past few days, triggering clashes and tension in the neighbouring country. At least four people are said to have died in the violence. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, earlier this week, said action will be taken against those trying to "disturb communal harmony". She said the perpetrators will be hunted down and punished. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that the government in the neighbouring country has reacted promptly to ensure that the situation was under control and said that the Indian mission is in close contact with the Bangladeshi authorities over the matter. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a frightening replay of the Delhi court incident, a lawyer was shot dead inside the Shahjahanpur civil court on Monday. The incident took place on the third floor of the court and the lawyer, Bhupendra Pratap Singh, was shot dead by a country-made firearm. The Sadar police that reached the spot soon after the incident have recovered the firearm. The motive behind the crime is not yet known, but local said that it could be related to rivalry in cases being handled by the lawyer. The body has been sent for post-mortem and further details are awaited.--IANS amita/dpb (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 will inaugurate Kushinagar international airport in on Wednesday to facilitate air travel requirements of Buddhist pilgrims in India, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Monday. "The inaugural flight will land at the Kushinagar airport from Colombo, Sri Lanka carrying 125 dignitaries and Buddhist monks," the ministry's statement noted. Kushinagar is an international Buddhist pilgrimage centre where Lord Gautam Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana. After the airport's inauguration, the prime minister will also address a programme on Wednesday at the Buddhist site of Mahaparinirvana stupa and temple in which Sri Lankan Buddhist monks and ministers of the Sri Lankan government will take part, the ministry mentioned. Kushinagar is the centre point of the Buddhist circuit, which consists of pilgrimage sites at Lumbini, Sarnath and Gaya. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will also be present at the airport's inauguration along with the prime minister, the ministry said. The Kushinagar airport's new terminal building, which is spread across 3,600 square meter, was built at a cost of Rs 260 crore by the Centre-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) in association with the government, it mentioned. The terminal building at this airport is capable of handling 300 passengers during the peak hours, it noted. Direct aviation connectivity with South Asian countries will make it easier for tourists arriving from Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore to reach Kushinagar and experience the rich heritage of the region, it said. Tourism inflow is expected to rise by 20 per cent with inauguration of the airport, it mentioned. Journey of Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Rajgir, Sankisa and Vaishali of Buddhist circuit will be covered in lesser time after this airport's inauguration, it said. Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23 last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May 2020 and under bilateral "air bubble" arrangements with approximately 28 countries since July 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.) Chief Minister on Monday condemned the targeted killing of Bihari migrant workers in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the incidents have created an "environment of fear". Kumar said he has spoken to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and senior officials are in touch with their counterparts in the union territory over the incidents. "It's a matter of serious concern that people who have gone for work are being deliberately targeted in J&K. Authorities concerned must remain alert to check such incidents there," he told reporters after winding up his public interaction programme 'Janata Ke Durbar Mein Mukhyamantri' (Chief Minister in the Court of People). Two labourers from were gunned down by terrorists in Kulgam district on Sunday, taking the number of civilians killed in targeted attacks in J&K this month to 11. Another labourer sustained bullet injury. Kumar said he has conveyed his concern over the killings to Sinha. "Every citizen is free to go to any corner of the country for work. The latest incident in which two labourers from Bihar were killed in J&K is quite serious as militants barged into the accommodation of the victims and fired on them. Their bodies are being brought back to Bihar," he said. Sunday's was the third attack on non-local labourers in less than 24 hours. The deceased have been identified as Raja Rishidev and Joginder Rishidev, while Chunchun Rishidev was injured. Arvind Kumar Sah, a golgappa seller, was shot dead a few days ago. "I hope that J&K authorities will now be alert and make adequate security arrangements to ensure that no one, especially migrant workers, is attacked there. They should obtain information about migrant workers and the place where they are residing," Kumar said. The Bihar government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased, and issued instructions to the department of labour and social welfare to ensure that benefits under relevant schemes reach the bereaved families. Meanwhile, former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has also condemned the killings and even targeted the prime minister and the union home minister. "I'm deeply upset because our Bihari brothers are being killed in Kashmir. If Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are unable to improve the situation in Kashmir, then they should leave it to us Biharis, we will turn things around in 15 days," said Manjhi in a tweet. The terror attacks have drawn strong condemnation from political parties across the spectrum. (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.) Two police constables and a criminal were injured during an encounter in Babutara village here, police said on Sunday. Additional Superintendent of Police (West) Rohit Mishra said that acting on tip-off, police raided the hideout of a criminal on Saturday night but he opened fire at the cops. In the firing, constables Satyam (28) and Ram Singh (30) got injured. Mishra said that in retaliatory fire, criminal Taufiq was injured, while his associate Khurshid was arrested after the encounter. Police recovered two pistols and ammunition from Khurshid. Taufiq was detained and admitted to SRN Hospital in Allahabad where was undergoing treatment, the official said. Both the cops were admitted to a medical college in Pratapgarh but Satyam was referred by the doctors to SRN Hospital, the ASP said, adding that the matter is being probed. (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.) Governor on Sunday said women are playing a vital role to curb the dowry system and other such regressive tradition prevailing in society for a long time. Women empowerment will become successful when they will concentrate on the education of their children, he said. Patel distributed kits to 181 anganwadi centres at a private institute at Mohan Nagar. She gave out Rs 2.83 crore worth of cheques to 11,000 members of self help groups (SHGs). During her visit to the district jail, the Governor provided 3 LED lights and five computers for the barracks of women inmates for skill development, an official 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.) India banks solely on police data for estimating deaths in road accidents, ignoring other critical sources, leading to a data gap that impairs its emergency response system, makes it difficult to design and implement accident prevention strategies, and leads to an underestimation of accidental deaths, experts say. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified India's official data on road traffic fatalities as "unusable" or "unavailable" because of "quality issues" in its 2019 Global Health Estimates released in December 2020. This study is still the latest available source of global data on death and disability by region, country, age, sex and cause. In its methods and country-level data sources handbook, the WHO pointed out that it has official figures from India for only 2001-2003 and 2010-2013. For the remaining years, it has had to collate numbers from the Global Burden of Diseases(2019) study produced by its partnering institute, the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent research center at the University of Washington, said a WHO statistician who did not wish to be named. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)'s data on road crash deaths are not complete because the data reporting process of the police departments is flawed, there is significant underreporting especially in rural India, and not enough public trust in the police, experts told IndiaSpend. The WHO classifies all countries into four categories on the basis of data availability on the cause of death: "high completeness", "low completeness and/or issues with cause-of-death assignment", "low completeness with severe quality issues" and "data are unavailable". In the case of road deaths, for example, Japan is listed in the "high completeness" category and Thailand in "low completeness", while India's numbers are categorised as "data are unavailable". While Japan collates road deaths data from sources such as hospitals, ambulance services, forensic investigation of crash sites and insurance providers, Thailandbanks on its ministries of public health, interior and transport and so on for estimates. However, this gap is normal because the WHO and the Indian government use different methods to collect numbers and it is difficult to prove which method is more robust, Anshuman Mohanty, economic advisor, Transport Research Wing, MoRTH, told IndiaSpend. A comprehensive crash investigation system is required to offer every stakeholder--the public, the police and policy makers--strong evidence on the contributing factors, wrote Benedicta Isaac-Kumar, a consultant with Chennai-based Citizen consumer and civic Action Group, a non-profit, voluntary and professional citizens group. Why police data are incomplete In India, there are two reports on data relating to road traffic accidents--the 'Road Accidents in India' report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the 'Crime in India' report of the Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). As in many countries, the data are sourced entirely from the police departments of states and union territories. Here is how the police collect crash information. Once they are informed about a by someone involved in the mishap, a witness or a police officer at the site, a First Information Report (FIR) is recorded.Its content can only be changed with the permission of the High Court or the Supreme Court of India, explains a 2020 Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-Delhi) study. Once the investigation concludes, a case file is prepared. After this, the offending party is charged under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act of India 1988. In the case of serious injuries and instantaneous death, the survivor or the victim's family may file an FIR only if they want to pursue the case in a court or claim compensation, insurance after adjudication by the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal. The IIT study also reported that most cases are attributed to "human error" and this means that factors such as vehicular and infrastructural problems are not included. The cause of the crash has to be recorded as the "fault" of a "road user" as per the India Penal Code (IPC) and Motor Vehicle Act 1988, ignoring all other factors. On the shortcomings of the data reporting mechanism in India, the MoRTH report itself pointed out that if a victim dies in a hospital after 30 days of the accident, it is not reported as a road traffic fatality. "Collecting data from different sources to build meaningful analysis of road crashes is vital," said Piyush Tewari, founder of the New Delhi-based SaveLIFE Foundation (SLF), an independent non-profit organisation focussed on improving road safety and emergency medical care. "For example, data can be collected from police officials, ambulance service providers, information from bystanders etc." "We don't have any trauma registry database where hospitals need to report deaths or injuries, like now all hospitals need to report Covid-19 cases on a central portal," M.C. Misra, the former director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), told IndiaSpend. Underreporting of deaths Due to the inadequate police presence in India's rural areas, it is possible that about 50% of road crash deaths there go unreported, said the IIT study. For urban pockets, this figure is lower but still significant, 10-20%. In urban areas, most of the road accident deaths and injuries get reported which occur in a hospital. Due to the sparse density of hospitals in rural areas, the chances of missing accidents, deaths and injuries are higher. Data on non-fatal crash injuries in India may also be unreliable because survivors may choose not to report them to the police or hospitals, the IIT Delhi study noted. Lack of trust, bias Road traffic accidents and injuries go unreported because of entrenched biases among both the police and civilians. Accident survivors in India are reluctant to report cases because they believe the police to be apathetic and also because they do not want to be caught up in lengthy police procedures, especially in rural areas, said G. Gururaj, former director of the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS). He pointed to the fact that in rural areas, an accident victim is first cremated and then the case reported to the police. When accidents occur, police officials tend to assume that drivers of large vehicles such as truck drivers are at fault, ignoring the conditions of the vehicle, fatigue among drivers, road conditions, and so on, said Tewari of SLF, adding that this is why truck drivers tend not to report accidents. About 40% of respondents in the 2020 SLF survey on truck drivers said they were dissatisfied with their jobs because of harassment from the police, the transport authorities and local residents. Skewed distribution of traffic resources Police departments are also stretched for human and other resources. About 27% of the vacancies in traffic police departments across India have yet to be filled, according to the 2020 Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) report on 'Data on Police Organizations'. Eight states--Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Telangana, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar--have more than 40% of posts waiting to be filled in their traffic police forces. Among them, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Gujarat appear in the top 10 list of most number of road accidents in India in 2019, per MoRTH report. The deployment of traffic constables and head constables in states does not align with the vehicular density of states. An average 26% of posts lie unfilled in the traffic police departments of 10 states with the most vehicular density, shows a combined analysis of the MoRTH's 2017-18 and 2018-19 Road Transport Year Book report and the BPR&D report. Finding solutions To allow the data on road accidents to be more robust, the government introduced the 2019 Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act (MVAA). It aimed to enable officials to investigate road crashes for better and more comprehensive data. The government also launched the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) project. The iRAD is a central accident database management system launched in January 2020 that connects information from multiple sources--hospitals, ambulance services, blood banks, insurance companies, and so on. It was deployed for "live accident data entry" in six states--Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu--in February 2021. Its data processing mechanism was still in progress as of March 18, 2021, Gadkari said responding to a question during the March 2021 parliament session. The SLF has started training traffic police in India's 15 most accident-prone states, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Delhi, Telangana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh. The Uttar Pradesh police have started conducting forensic investigations for road crashes on the Yamuna Expressway in collaboration with the SaveLIFE Foundation. However, data integration is challenging in India because it is "a poor country" with "a lot of diversity", Mohanty, economic advisor, Transport Research Wing, MoRTH, told IndiaSpend. "I don't have any update on the implementation of iRAD in India. I have to check," he added. Case study: Why data is critical In 2016, the SLF collaborated with the Maharashtra government on a Zero Fatality Corridor (ZFC) project on the 95.4-km Mumbai-Pune Expressway (MPEW), aiming to create a safety model that could be replicated across roads in India. They looked for solutions in four areas commonly stated as "4 E's of Road Safety": engineering, emergency care, enforcement and engagement. The project undertook various initiatives--issued 46,563 challans using speed-traps, installed Vehicle Activated Speed Sign (VASS) to alert motorists about speeding and barricaded 10,300 parked or stalled vehicles to prevent rear-end collisions. As a part of the initiative, around 150 km of Tactile Edge Lines--yellow road tiles to indicate hazards and the direction of travel--were installed on the highway to address fatigue-related crashes. The project also pinpointed 15 types of road engineering errors--poorly designed slopes and lack of siding space for trucks on uphill tracts--which had been repeated 2,145 times across the two corridors of the highway. Later, these engineering errors were rectified by the SLF in collaboration with the state government. The SLF also developed a 'Chain of Survival' initiative consisting of on-ground, ambulance and in-hospital care services for road accident victims. This model helped slash the number of road crash fatalities on the MPEW by 43% between 2016 and 2021--the numbers fell from 151 to 86. Replication of this model, the use of data science and forensic investigation--all these can make Indian roads safer, said Tewari of SLF. In hundreds of Indias small cities and towns, a generation that has hardly had any experience with stocks and bonds is heading straight for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano and Solana. The average age of the 11 million users of CoinSwitch Kuber, a cryptocurrency trading app that didnt exist 18 months ago, is 25, and 55% of them are from outside large metropolises like New Delhi or Mumbai. Widespread acceptance of digital tokens by millennials and Generation Z is helping the industry step out of the shadows, a far cry from 2018 when the cofounders of a crypto exchange were briefly in police custody for daring to put up a kiosk in a Bangalore shopping mall where people could swap their for money. Now trading is all very public, and highly visible. CoinSwitch Kuber has signed up a popular Bollywood youth icon for an ad campaign with the tagline, Kucch toh badlega--something will change. For CoinSwitch, which started out as an aggregator of best real-time prices for digital assets around the world, something already has. In 2018, the fledgling venture couldnt play on its home turf because Indias monetary authority had instructed banks not to entertain customers who dealt in virtual currency. It was only in March last year that the Supreme Court overturned the ban. CoinSwitch, whose app was released in June, acquired 11 million customers in 16 months. Investors took notice of the startup: It recently became the first in the country to raise money from Silicon valley venture capitalist Andreessen Horowitz, at a valuation of $1.9 billion. ALSO READ: Will target 50 mn Indian crypto users in 2 years: CoinSwitch Kuber CEO Having gone mainstream in such a short time, the industry itself is demanding to be regulated. Weve decided that well show our faces, says Ashish Singhal, one of CoinSwitchs three cofounders. Even if regulation harms our business in the short run, its better than being forced to operate in a gray area with little certainty and not much room for growth. Fears of being outlawed have swirled since last years court order that gave the dying industry new life. But that risk is now receding. While Beijing last month announced, in most unequivocal terms, its resolve to root out all transactions in virtual currencies, the consensus opinion is that New Delhi will hesitate to take such an extreme step. Thats partly because the relationship between private business and the state is different in India, where politicians need corporate donations to fight expensive elections, and citizens dont like being told by the government whether tutoring, online gaming--or owning crypto assets--is bad for them. But in part the industrys confidence stems from the belief that policy makers have been persuaded of benefits to the economy from blockchain-based innovation. iSPIRT, an influential Bangalore-based think tank, is advising India to embrace the growing field of decentralized finance to close a $250 billion funding gap for small and midsize firms, and build a Wall Street for all on the internet, as Balaji Srinivasan, formerly the chief technology officer at Coinbase Global Inc., the largest U.S.-based crypto exchange, describes it. We, as a country, missed out on internet 1.0, says Singhal. We gave world-class talent to Google and Microsoft, including their current CEOs, but we didnt create those titans. With blockchain, we can build some global giants. Still, mass adoption of continues to make authorities--especially the central bank--uncomfortable. CoinSwitch isnt the only firm employing celebrity endorsement to drum up business ahead of Diwali, the traditional gold-buying season. According to Bloomberg News, officials recently met with Amitabh Bachchan to inform the Bollywood superstar of their concerns over his brand-ambassador deal with CoinDCX, another Indian crypto exchange. ALSO READ: RSS chief Bhagwat slams OTT platforms and bitcoin, calls for regulation The current speculative fervor could use some tamping, though its too late to try anything more draconian. Putting an entire asset class off limits wont be fair to Generation Z investors. They have grown up on the internet, says Sharan Nair, CoinSwitchs chief business officer. Many are techies like us who like to solve problems in the crypto world by contributing code. What can they do as shareholders of a bank whose website they dont like? About 83% of urban Indians are aware of digital currencies, while 16% actually own them, according to a survey by data analytics firm Kantar. Many more want to--the draw of crypto is now half as powerful as that of mutual funds, a product with which older generations have a far deeper familiarity. That offers a glimpse of what investor portfolios will look like in future: A mix of digital assets and traditional financial products. Even without the reflected light of Bollywood stars, Indias crypto industry isnt going dark again. 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 India and the UK on Monday held their inaugural maritime dialogue in a virtual format which involved exchanges on cooperation in the maritime domain and the Indo-Pacific, the Ministry of External Affairs said. India and UK held their inaugural maritime dialogue in a as agreed in the India-UK Roadmap 2030 for future relations adopted at the Virtual Summit between the two Prime Ministers in May 2021, the MEA said. The consultations, which were led by the two Foreign Ministries, involved exchanges on cooperation in the maritime domain, Indo-Pacific and regional/multilateral cooperation, the statement said. In a joint statement issued after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Boris Johnson earlier this year, the two sides had affirmed their shared vision of an open, free, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, rule of law, transparency, freedom of navigation and overflight in the international seas, unimpeded lawful commerce, and peaceful resolution of disputes. (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.) To kickstart the ambitious One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) project floated by the (ISA), the South Asian network and existing power transfer between India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh would be boosted in the first phase of the action plan. Prime Minister in his Independence Day address last year, reiterated the mega plan of having OSOWOG or a transnational electricity grid supplying solar power across the globe. The idea was first announced by the PM in 2018 during the first assembly of another international entity, the ISA. A government statement said, the Fourth Assembly of the ISA, which is being hosted in India this week, will deliberate on the key initiatives around the operationalisation of the OSOWOG initiative, the $1 trillion Solar Investment Roadmap for 2030, and approval of a blended financial risk mitigation facility. The ISA during the first day of meetings in its fourth general assembly discussed the OSOWOG plan and the need for it to be part of the Indias climate action plan. Ajay Mathur, director general, ISA said the this is an economically viable idea and ISA will soon release the report it commissioned to study the viability of the project. He said the tender ISA floated with the was won by a consortium led by French utility EDF along with French consultancy firm AETS and TERI from India. The World Bank, which has signed a tripartite agreement with ISA and the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) for implementing OSOWOG, said during the assembly that the project has two key components South Asia Power Pool and India GCC Electricity Interconnection. Amit Jain, senior energy specialist, World Bank, said the plan does not only restrict to a global grid but includes energy storage, decentralised renewable energy and all forms of renewable energy projects. It will be an interconnection of regional interconnections. The OSOWOG is also collaborating with the UK which is planning a Green Grids Initiative (GGI). We have also identified projects in Africa and the UK with their own super grids which can be part of global connection, Jain said during his presentation on OSOWOG. He said as the first step, the electricity transfer between India and the neighbouring countries can be boosted. There is already 3 Gw of transfer capacity already installed between Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal with India. It can be increased to 7 Gw by 2023, and if plans are fulfilled, this capacity can be doubled to 14 Gw by 2025, Jain said. He added there are informal discussions taking place to grow inter-regional transfer capacity to 63 Gw between these nations. In the ongoing fourth general assembly of the ISA, member countries will also discuss the strategic plan of the ISA for the next five years encompassing a Country Partnership Framework, Strategy for Private Sector Engagement, and initiatives such as Viability Gap Financing scheme to facilitate affordable finance for projects across ISAs membership. The assembly comes just weeks ahead of the UN Conference (COP26) which is slated to take place at the end of this month in Glasgow, UK. Officially announced during the COP21 in Paris in 2015, the ISA is a partnership of solar resource-rich countries. Currently, 121 countries have agreed to be members of ISA. Most of these are countries with a large participation from Africa, South-east Asia, and Europe. Pakistan and China are not members of the ISA. It is headquartered in Gurugram. The (RBI) on Monday imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1.95 crore on Bank for not complying with various directions issued by the central bank with regard to customer protection, cyber security framework in banks, credit card operations of banks, and creation of a central repository of large common exposures'. This action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers, the central bank said in a statement. Upon carrying out a statutory inspection for supervisory evaluation (ISE) of the bank, RBI found that the bank did not credit amounts involved in unauthorised electronic transactions (shadow reversal) and did not report cyber security incidents within the prescribed time period. Further, it authorised the direct sales agents (outsourced third party) to conduct KYC verification. Also, it failed to ensure integrity and quality of data submitted in the Central Repository of Information on Large Credits (CRILC). RBI issued a show-cause notice as to the bank asking why a penalty should not be levied on it for not complying with various guidelines of the central bank. And, after hearing the banks side of the story, RBI decided to levy the penalty. RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank, to the extent of non-compliance with the aforesaid directions, the RBI said. The country's largest lender on Monday said it has raised Rs 6,000 crore by issuing Basel III compliant In June, the bank had received approval from its central board for raising fresh additional tier 1 (AT 1) capital of up to Rs 14,000 crore. The committee of directors for capital raising at its meeting on October 18, 2021, accorded its approval to allot 6,000 Basel III compliant fully paid-up debt instruments in the nature of debentures qualifying as AT 1 capital of the bank to bond subscribers, said in a regulatory filing. The non-convertible, taxable, perpetual, subordinated, unsecured of the face value of Rs 1 crore each aggregates to Rs 6,000 crore. The bear a coupon of 7.72 per cent per annum payable annually, said. Perpetual bonds carry no maturity date, so they may be treated as equity, not as debt. Shares of SBI closed at Rs 497.85 apiece on BSE, up 1.50 per cent from the previous close. (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) - American Express Co will allow to work from anywhere they want for up to four weeks a year, Chief Executive Officer Stephen Squeri said in a memo to staff on Monday. That will include the 15 days when are allowed to work outside their country, according to the memo. Adopting a more relaxed stance on work-from-home than most of the big U.S. banks, AmEx has divided staffers into hybrid, onsite and fully virtual categories. Most of the hybrid model staffers must work from office two days a week, it said, while onsite workers will come in for four to five days. in the fully virtual category can continue to work from home. Data from a survey earlier this year showed nearly 20% of the credit card issuer's employees wanted to work virtually full-time. AmEx will start bringing its employees in the United States, UK and Germany back to offices from Jan. 24. (Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath) (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.) is considering asking media from Holdings to to let rivals access and display their content in search results, a move that could further eradicate online barriers and shake up the internet advertising arena. The Ministry of Industry and IT is debating rules to make hundreds of millions of articles on Tencents WeChat messaging app available via search engines like Baidus, people familiar with the matter said. Its also considering making short videos from ByteDances Douyin TikToks Chinese cousin show up in searches. Regulators are polling for feedback and its unclear whether they will go ahead, the people said. If implemented, the policy decision would mark a significant advance in Beijings campaign to break down barriers among Chinas internet giants, especially and Alibaba Group. Inc plans to hire 10,000 in the over the next five years, the social media giant said on Monday, to help build the so-called metaverse - a nascent online world where people exist and communicate in shared virtual spaces. This would be a significant step the company is taking towards the concept, something top boss Mark Zuckerberg has touted in recent months. In September, committed $50 million towards building the metaverse, where like Roblox Corp and "Fortnite" maker Epic Games have an early foothold. The company earlier launched a test of a new virtual-reality remote work app where users of the company's Oculus Quest 2 headsets can hold meetings as avatar versions of themselves. also said in July it was creating a product team to work on the metaverse which would be part of Facebook Reality Labs, its augmented reality and virtual reality group. "This investment (in new jobs) is a vote of confidence in the strength of the European tech industry and the potential of European tech talent," the company said. "Europe is hugely important to Facebook." (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 fire erupted on Monday at a major in Kuwait, the state-owned oil company said, reporting no immediate casualties. The blaze at the key Mina al-Ahmadi along Kuwait's Persian Gulf coastline north of its border with Saudi Arabia did not impact electrical supply or oil exports, according to Kuwait's National Petroleum Company. The refinery handles 25,000 barrels of oil a day to supply Kuwait's domestic market primarily with gasoline and diesel. Firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze in the refinery's treatment unit, which removes sulphur from the oil products. Residents in Kuwait's coastal Fahaheel district reported hearing a large explosion and shared footage on social media of thick, black smoke billowing over the highway. Kuwait, a nation home to 4.1 million people, is slightly smaller than the US state of New Jersey. The nation has the world's sixth-largest known oil reserves. (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.) Five members of the U.S. House Judiciary committee wrote to com Inc's chief executive Sunday, and accused the company's top executives, including founder Jeff Bezos, of either misleading or possibly lying to it about Amazon's business practices. The letter also states that the committee is considering "whether a referral of this matter to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation is appropriate." Addressed to CEO Andy Jassy, the letter followed a Reuters investigation last week that showed that the company had conducted a systematic campaign of copying products and rigging search results in India to boost sales of its own brands - practices has denied engaging in. Jassy, a longtime Amazon executive, succeeded Bezos in July. The letter states that "credible reporting" in the Reuters story and recent articles in several other news outlets "directly contradicts the sworn testimony and representations of Amazon's top executives - including former CEO Jeffrey Bezos." "At best, this reporting confirms that Amazon's representatives misled the Committee. At worst, it demonstrates that they may have lied to in possible violation of federal criminal law," the letter states. Reuters reviewed a copy of the letter. In response, an Amazon spokesperson issued a statement that said: "Amazon and its executives did not mislead the committee, and we have denied and sought to correct the record on the inaccurate media articles in question." It added: "As we have previously stated, we have an internal policy, which goes beyond that of any other retailer's policy that we're aware of, that prohibits the use of individual seller data to develop Amazon private label products. We investigate any allegations that this policy may have been violated and take appropriate action." Since 2019, the House Judiciary Committee has been investigating competition in digital markets, including how Amazon uses proprietary seller data from its platform, and whether the company unfairly favors its own products. In sworn testimony before the Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee last year, Bezos said the company prohibits its employees from using data on individual sellers to benefit its own private-label product lines. In another hearing in 2019, Nate Sutton, Amazon's associate general counsel, testified that the company does not use such data to create its own branded products or alter its search results to benefit them. Asked during the 2019 congressional hearing whether Amazon alters algorithms to direct consumers to its own goods, Sutton replied: "The algorithms are optimized to predict what customers want to buy regardless of the seller." The lawmakers' letter gives Jassy "a final opportunity" to provide evidence to corroborate the company's prior testimony and statements. It also notes that "it is criminally illegal to knowingly and willfully make statements that are materially false, conceal a material fact, or otherwise provide false documentation in response to a congressional investigation." It gives the CEO until Nov. 1 to provide a sworn response to clarify "how Amazon uses non-public individual seller data to develop and market its own line of products" and how Amazon's search rankings favor those products. It also requests copies of all documents mentioned in the Oct. 13 Reuters investigation. "We strongly encourage you to make use of this opportunity to correct the record and provide the Committee with sworn, truthful, and accurate responses to this request as we consider whether a referral of this matter to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation is appropriate," the letter states. The Reuters probe was based on thousands of pages of internal Amazon documents - including emails, strategy papers and business plans. They showed that, at least in India, Amazon had a formal, clandestine policy of manipulating search results to favor Amazon's own products, as well as copying other sellers' goods - and that at least two senior company executives had reviewed it. In response to the Reuters report, Amazon said, "We believe these claims are factually incorrect and unsubstantiated." The company did not elaborate. The company said the way it displays search results doesn't favor private-brand products. The lawmakers' letter also cites other recent stories in the Markup, the Wall Street Journal and the Capitol Forum about Amazon's private-brand products and use of seller data. The letter's sharp wording ratchets up the rhetoric between Washington and Big Tech. including Amazon, Facebook Inc, Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google have been under growing scrutiny in Washington, Europe and other parts of the world, fueled by concerns among regulators, lawmakers and consumer groups that the firms have too much power and are engaging in unfair practices that hurt other businesses. The lawmakers' letter was signed by a bipartisan group, and included the judiciary committee's chairman, Democrat Jerrold Nadler, and four members of the antitrust subcommittee - its chair, Democrat David Cicilline, vice chair Pramila Jayapal and Republicans Ken Buck and Matt Gaetz. On Wednesday, following publication of the Reuters investigation, U.S. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, a prominent critic of Amazon, called for breaking up the company. In India, a group representing millions of brick-and-mortar retailers urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to take action against Amazon. (Reporting by Steve Stecklow in London, Aditya Kalra in New Delhi and Jeffrey Dastin in Palo Alto. Editing by Peter Hirschberg.) (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 and on Monday agreed to resume negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) from next month as the two sides are confident to conclude the long pending deal by June next year. "It will be concluded by June of next year," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced after he met Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. has also joined the Solar Alliance, a global initiative that India has spearheaded, with Jaishankar and Israel's Energy Minister Karine Elharrar signing on the agreement. In order to ease travel between the two countries amidst the COVID pandemic, India and have also agreed to mutually recognise vaccination certificates. Jaishankar, who arrived here on Sunday on his maiden visit to the country, would also call on President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. He will also be holding talks with leading academics from all over Israel, business community leaders and interacting with the Indian Jewish community. Jaishankar will also be visiting places of historical significance to India, demonstrating its long-term presence in the region and constructive role played in shaping the history of the region. India and Israel elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership during the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017. Since then, the relationship between the two countries has focused on expanding knowledge-based partnership, which includes collaboration in innovation and research, including boosting the 'Make in India' initiative, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement ahead of his departure. (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.) External Affairs Minister on Sunday met with the Indian Jewish community in and hailed their manifold contribution to the ties between the two countries. Jaishankar, who arrived here earlier in the day on his maiden visit to the country, also said that he was confident that the Indian Jewish community in will bring the two countries even closer together in the coming years. "Very pleased to meet the Indian Jewish community in Valued their manifold contribution to India-Israel ties. Confident that they will bring us even closer together in the coming years," he tweeted after his interaction with the Indian Jewish community here. He also released a book titled Bombay/Mumbai: City Heritage Walks' by Prof. Shaul Sapir, an India born scholar, who was a professor at the prestigious Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "Pleased to receive a copy of the book-Bombay Mumbai: City Heritage Walks by Dr. Shaul Sapir, Jaishankar tweeted. During his visit, Jaishankar would call on President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. He will also be holding talks with leading academics from all over Israel, business community leaders and interacting with the Indian Jewish community. Jaishankar will also be visiting places of historical significance to India, demonstrating its long-term presence in the region and constructive role played in shaping the history of the region. India and Israel elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership during the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017. Since then, the relationship between the two countries has focused on expanding knowledge-based partnership, which includes collaboration in innovation and research, including boosting the 'Make in India' initiative, the said in a statement ahead of his departure. (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.) Everyone who followed the withdrawal of American troops from was horrified by the drone attack, called a tragic mistake by the Pentagon, which killed ten members of a single family, including 7 children. Zemari Ahmadi, who worked for Nutrition and Education International, a U.S.-based aid organization, became the target because he drove a white Toyota, went to his office, and stopped to pick up containers of clean water for his extended family. Those actions, deemed suspicious by the drone surveillance program and its human handlers, were enough to identify Ahmadi falsely as an ISIS-K terrorist and place him on the kill list for that day. It would be comforting to think that the Ahmadi killing was one of those one-in-a-thousand tragic affairs from which no conclusion could be drawn, but such a belief would itself be a mistake. In fact, as many as one-third of people killed by drone strikes have been found to be civilians. While it is difficult to get an accurate count of deaths resulting from drone strikes, there are many documented reports of civilians having been mistakenly targeted and killed. Human Rights Watch found that the 12 men killed and 15 injured by a U.S. drone strike in Yemen in 2013 were members of a wedding party and not militants, as U.S. officials told journalists they were. In another example, a 2019 U.S. drone strike targeting an alleged ISIS hideout in mistakenly targeted 200 pine nut farmers resting after a days work, killing at least 30 and injuring 40 more. U.S. drone attacks, initiated in 2001 when George W. Bush was president, have increased dramatically from approximately 50 total during the Bush years to 12,832 confirmed strikes in alone during Trumps presidency. In the last year of his presidency, Barack Obama acknowledged that were causing civilian deaths. Theres no doubt that civilians were killed that shouldnt have been, he said. The escalation paralleled the transition of the war in Afghanistan from maintaining large numbers of U.S. ground troops to a reliance on air power and drone attacks. A primary rationale for the change in strategy was reducing the threat of U.S. casualties. But no attempt to reduce the deaths of American soldiers should also cause more parents, children, farmers, or other civilians to die. Suspicion of terrorism, particularly based on faulty intelligence, cannot justify execution, nor can the desire to save American lives by substituting for feet on the ground. The use of certain weapons determined to be grossly inhumane, or that fail to distinguish between military and civilian targets, has already been banned under law. The widespread use of poison gas in World War I caused humanitarian lawyers, together with civil society, to fight for their prohibition, resulting in the Geneva Protocol of 1925, which exists to this day. Other weapons have similarly been banned over the course of the last century, including chemical and biological weapons, cluster bombs, and landmines. While not all countries are parties to treaties banning these weapons, most countries honor them, which has saved many lives. The use of as lethal weapons also should be prohibited. It is important here to note that there are two types of drones used by the military to target and kill those that operate as fully autonomous lethal weapons, using a computer algorithm to determine who lives or dies, and those operated by humans who are safely ensconced in a military base thousands of miles away from the people targeted to be killed. The killing of the Ahmadi family demonstrates that all weaponized drones, whether autonomous or human-directed, must be banned. There are far too many examples of innocent civilians who were killed erroneously. Prohibiting the use of drones as weapons is required by law. It also is the right thing to do. India will bat for a lower price of at the coming edition to CERAWeek, a premier conference that is to be held in Delhi later this week. prices have already crossed the tipping point of around $70 a barrel, said a senior oil ministry official aware of the stand India is expected to take. This years CERAWeek is taking place at a time when global oil prices are hitting historical high. India will be anchoring this international meeting that will be attended by representatives from the worlds largest oil producer, and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec). Oil prices had hit a fresh three-year high on Friday, climbing above $85 a barrel on forecasts of a supply deficit over the next few months as rocketing gas and coal prices stoke a switch to oil products. There will be ministerial addresses by Sultan Al Jabar, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud, Minister of Energy, Saudi Arabia, and Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Petroleum, during the event. The global price was on top of the agenda for the coming CERAWeekIndia has held multiple rounds of talks with oil producing nations and apprised them of our position, the oil ministry official said. According to CERAWeeks agenda document, there is a session on will high prices hasten the transition away from oil. OPECs Secretary General, Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo is expected to address this session. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to meet 30 senior executives from the oil and gas industry at the sidelines of CERAWeek. In the past, high oil prices have increased the cost competitiveness of low-carbon alternatives and made such investments more attractive. Oil and gas prices are now reaching multi-year highs, creating additional momentum by policy makers and environmentalists to further accelerate the pace of transition, the agenda document said. Another session at CERAWeek is about balancing the interests of oil and gas consuming and producing nations. Historically, demand pressures were the prime catalyst of long-lasting cycles of deficit and rising prices. But this situation is changing as supply-side dynamics become the prime catalyst, which could shorten both cycles of surplus and deficit, the agenda document said. Global crude oil prices have been on an upward trajectory and have crossed $85 a barrel, much above the comfortable range for India. These prices have risen from lows of around $19 a barrel in March 2020, resulting in more expensive transport and cooking for most Indians. This makes it harder for oil importing countries like India. According to data, India's oil imports in September 2021 stood at $17.44 billion (Rs 1.28 trillion), which was almost 200 per cent higher compared to $5.83 billion (Rs 42,812.53 crore) in September 2020. Oil imports from April to September 2021 were at $72.99 billion (Rs 5.4 trillion) which was 127.99 per cent higher compared to $32.01 billion (Rs 2.4 trillion), over the same period last year. As many as six companies, including Nykaa, and & Allied Insurance, have received capital regulator Sebi's go-ahead to launch initial share-sales. Apart from these, Penna Cement Industries, Latent View Analytics and Sigachi Industries too received Sebi's clearance to raise funds through the initial public offerings. These six companies, which filed their preliminary IPO papers with between May and August, obtained its "observations" during October 11-14, an update with showed on Monday. In parlance, issuance of observations implies its go-ahead to float the Going by the draft papers, the IPO of FSN E-Commerce Ventures Ltd, which runs online marketplace for beauty and wellness products Nykaa, comprises fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 525 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of 43,111,670 equity shares by promoter and existing shareholders. Those selling shares in the OFS are -- promoter Sanjay Nayar Family Trust and shareholders, TPG Growth IV SF Pte Ltd, Lighthouse India Fund III, Lighthouse India III Employee Trust, Yogesh Agencies & Investments, J M Financial and Investment Consultancy Services and some individual shareholders. According to merchant banking sources, the initial share-sale is expected to fetch Rs 3,500-4,000 crore valuing the company in the range of USD 5 billion to USD 5.5 billion. Adani Wilmar's proposed IPO will be in form of fresh issue of equity shares for an amount of up to Rs 4,500 crore (approximately USD 600 million). There will not be any secondary offering. The company, which sells cooking oils under the Fortune brand, is a major player in the edible oil industry. is a 50:50 joint venture company between the Adani group and the Wilmar group. and Allied Insurance Company's IPO comprises fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 2,000 crore and an offer for sale of up to 60,104,677 equity shares by promoters and existing shareholders, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP). Those offering shares through the offer for sale are promoter and promoter group Safecrop Investments India LLP, Konark Trust, MMPL Trust; and existing investors Apis Growth 6 Ltd, Mio IV Star, University of Notre Dame Du Lac, Mio Star, ROC Capital Pty Ltd, Venkatasamy Jagannathan, Sai Satish and Berjis Minoo Desai. Star Health, leading private health insurer in the country, is owned by a consortium of investors like Westbridge Capital and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. The Hyderabad-based Penna Cement's IPO comprises fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 1,300 crore and an offer for sale of up to Rs 250 crore by the promoter, as per the DRHP. Latent View Analytics' IPO consists of fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 474 crore and an offer of sale of equity shares to the tune of Rs 126 crore by a promoter and existing shareholders. As a part of the offer for sale, promoter Adugudi Viswanathan Venkatraman will offload shares worth Rs 60.14 crore, shareholder Ramesh Hariharan will sell Rs 35 crore shares and Gopinath Koteeswaran will offload Rs 23.52 crore shares among others. The IPO of Sigachi Industries, manufacturer of cellulose based excipient, will see sale of upto 76.95 lakh equity shares. Shares of all the six companies will be listed on BSE and NSE. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Investors should observe maximum due diligence while investing in stock market and should not be carried away by the stories of unrealistic gains being made by others, Whole Time Member G Mahalingam said on Monday. He, further, said that an investor should invest by taking into consideration his/her own risk appetite and should invest time in studying the fundamentals. "A rule of thumb for having exposure in the equity market is to subtract one's age from 100 and invest that percentage amount in the equity market and balance in diversified asset classes," he was quoted in statement issued by BSE. He was speaking at physical seminar on investor's awareness conducted in Chennai by BSE Investors Protection Fund (BSE IPF) in co-ordination with regulator Sebi, depository CDSL and ministry of finance. The programme was conducted under the "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" series. This was the first of 100 programmes planned to celebrate 75 years of India's independence and promote investor awareness and education to achieve financial independence. " has in recent times introduced various measures such as e-KYC for opening of trading and demat accounts, pledge mechanism of securities for margin, interoperability amongst Clearing Corporations, shortening the period for blocking of investors funds from 6 to 4 days in IPOs etc," Khushro Bulsara, Head- BSE IPF said. According to Bulsara, these measures have resulted in large number of investors entering the capital market and taking India's market capitalisation to the fifth largest in the world. At the event, Mahalingam also launched a special initiative by BSE IPF and Priya Agarwal of Vibgyor Education on pledgecertificate.com where investors in India and all over the world, can create personalised Certificate of Pledge by adopting qualities of a prudent investor and pledge to achieve financial independence. Already, over 11,000 investors have created their own Pledge Certificates and are sharing on various social media, the exchange 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.) Antony Waste Handling Cell fell 4.12% to Rs 369.75 after the Income Tax department conducted search at the offices of the company and three of its subsidiary companies. In a regulatory filing, Antony Waste Handling Cell said the Income Tax Department conducted a search at the company's premises and that of three of its subsidiary companies -- AG Enviro Infra Projects, KL EnviTech and Antony Infrastructure and Waste Management Services. The search proceedings were concluded on 15 October 2021, the company said without disclosing the reason for the IT action. The company said it has provided all assistance to the officials and furnished explanations, information and clarifications as sought by them. "We wish to inform that the proceedings have absolutely no impact on the operational performance of the company," it said. On a consolidated basis, Antony Waste Handling Cell's net profit surged 129.90% to Rs 16.76 crore on 58.60% rise in net sales to Rs 145.37 crore in Q1 June 2021 over Q1 June 2020. Antony Waste Handling Cell is one of the top five players in the Indian Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management industry with an established track record of 17 years, providing full spectrum of MSW services which includes solid waste collection, transportation, processing and disposal services across the country, primarily catering to Indian municipalities. It is also present in the emerging waste management area in India which is MSW based Waste to Energy (WTE). Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CG Power & Industrial Solutions was locked in an upper circuit of 5% at Rs 124.45 after the company entered into a settlement and signed a binding term sheet with Evie Real Estate for the sale of the company's property at Kanjurmarg, Mumbai. In an exchange filing, the sale consideration was of Rs 382 crore, as per the term sheet, in addition to the repayment of Rs 20 crore of deposit. CG Power & Industrial Solutions had entered into an agreement for sales with Evie Real Estate on 28 October 2015. The sale of the property was to be completed by 27 December 2019. However, the sale transaction could not be completed before the 'closing date' under the agreement, due to various developments that took place in the company, giving rise to claims and counter claims between the parties. However, the company, under the new management, has since discussed with Evie Real Estate for completion of the transaction and reached settlement and has signed a binding term sheet on 16 October 2021. CG Power & Industrial Solutions' consolidated net profit (from continuing operations) stood at Rs 48 crore in Q1 June 2021 (Q1 FY22) over a net loss of Rs 262.88 crore in Q1 June 2020 (Q1 FY21). Net sales surged 189.5% to Rs 1,050.04 crore in Q1 FY22 from Rs 362.73 crore in Q1 FY21. CG Power and Industrial Solutions is a global pioneering leader in the management and application of electrical energy. Its offerings include electrical products, systems and services for utilities, power generation and industries. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HDFC Bank reported an 17.6% increase in its net profit to Rs 8834.30 crore in Q2FY22 over Q2FY21. The bank's net revenues rose 14.7% to Rs 25085.20 crore in Q2FY22 over Q2FY21. HCL Technologies reported 1.6% increase in consolidated profit to Rs 3,265 crore on 2.9% rise in revenue to Rs 20,655 crore in Q2FY22 over Q1FY22. Avenue Supermarts' reported consolidated net profit of Rs 418 crore in Q2FY22 as compared to net profit of Rs 199 crore in Q2FY21. The company's total revenue rose to Rs 7789 crore in Q2FY22 from Rs 5306 crore in Q2FY21. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories along with its subsidiaries announced the launch of Carmustine for Injection, USP, a therapeutic equivalent generic version of BiCNU (carmustine for injection) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. is voluntarily recalling select batches of Irbesartan Tablets and Irbesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide Tablets to the consumer level. Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is the U.S. based wholly-owned subsidiary of Lupin. IndusInd Bank has scheduled a meeting of the board of directors of the bank on 21 October 2021 to consider and approve, the proposal relating to raising of funds in Indian or Foreign Currency through the issuance of Unsecured Non-Convertible Redeemable Basel III-Compliant Regulatory Tier II Bonds, subject to receipt of regulatory / statutory approvals. PNB Housing Finance said that its board has decided not to proceed with a preferential issue of shares to investors led by Carlyle after the plan was delayed due to pending legal proceedings. NBCC (India) secured the total business of Rs. 2100.96 crore in September 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.) Hindalco Industries Ltd is quoting at Rs 546.9, up 5.97% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 199.34% in last one year as compared to a 56.16% jump in NIFTY and a 164.85% jump in the Nifty Metal. Hindalco Industries Ltd gained for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 546.9, up 5.97% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 1.1% on the day, quoting at 18540.75. The Sensex is at 61942.75, up 1.04%. Hindalco Industries Ltd has gained around 23.06% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Metal index of which Hindalco Industries Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 18.12% in last one month and is currently quoting at 6019.2, up 4.19% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 171.08 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 103.08 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark October futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 546.95, up 5.74% on the day. Hindalco Industries Ltd is up 199.34% in last one year as compared to a 56.16% jump in NIFTY and a 164.85% jump in the Nifty Metal index. The PE of the stock is 60.49 based on TTM earnings ending June 21. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Infosys Ltd is quoting at Rs 1773.15, up 3.35% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 57.49% in last one year as compared to a 56.03% spurt in NIFTY and a 69.07% spurt in the Nifty IT index. Infosys Ltd gained for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 1773.15, up 3.35% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 1.02% on the day, quoting at 18525.2. The Sensex is at 61871.8, up 0.92%. Infosys Ltd has risen around 5.05% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty IT index of which Infosys Ltd is a constituent, has risen around 2.17% in last one month and is currently quoting at 35744.8, up 1.18% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 70.96 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 65.2 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark October futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 1758.95, up 3.42% on the day. Infosys Ltd is up 57.49% in last one year as compared to a 56.03% spurt in NIFTY and a 69.07% spurt in the Nifty IT index. The PE of the stock is 36.57 based on TTM earnings ending September 21. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) PNB Housing Finance was locked in a 5% lower circuit at Rs 607.10 after the housing finance company shelved its proposed Rs 4,000 crore preferential issue to private equity giant Carlyle Group citing delay due to pending legal proceedings. PNB Housing Finance, in a regulatory filing to the exchanges on Thursday, informed that it has decided not to proceed with the deal after the plan was delayed due to pending legal proceedings. The board of the housing finance company said that the proposed preferential issue has been held up for more than four months due to the pending legal proceeding before the Securities Appellate Tribunal. "There continues to be no visibility or certainty as to the timeline for judicial determination of the legal issues," PNB Housing said in the filing. On 31 May 2021, the board of the housing financier approved a capital raise of up to Rs 4,000 crore, led by entities affiliated to The Carlyle Group Inc. PNB Housing will raise Rs 3200 crore through preferential equity shares and Rs 800 crore through warrants. The issue price of equity shares and warrants is fixed at Rs 390 each. It soon hit a roadblock after a proxy advisory firm reportedly red flagged the preference issue, contending it was not in the interest of the promoter and the minority shareholders of the company. Soon, SEBI restrained the company from going ahead with its proposed share sale to the Carlyle Group. SEBI directed PNBHF to carry out the valuation process as per the relevant legal provisions. The market regulator said the resolution regarding the deal, which was to be put for shareholders' vote on 22 June 2021, was "ultra-vires" of the company's articles of association (AoA). In an exchange filing before market hours on 21 June 2021, PNB Housing Finance said that it had filed an appeal before SAT against the letter issued by SEBI. On the same day, in a separate filing, the company said that SAT has allowed the company to go ahead with the shareholders' meeting on 22 June 2021. However, results of the shareholders' voting will not be disclosed till further directions from the tribunal, it added. Pronouncing its order on 9 August 2021, the two-member bench of the SAT gave a split verdict, saying there was difference of opinion between the members of the bench. SAT directed that its interim order of 21 June 2021 will continue till further orders, restraining PNBHF from disclosing the voting results by the shareholders on the fund raise plan. Following the announcement of collapse of the deal, few brokerage houses have already cut ratings to 'sell' and reduced-price targets significantly owing to uncertainty regarding lack of growth capital, weak balance sheet and elevated non-performing assets. Carlyle arm Pluto Investments S.a.r.l and other investors will now withdraw the proposal to buy stake in the housing finance company. The company said it will evaluate other alternatives to raise capital. PNBHF is a deposit-accepting housing finance company, with second largest deposits outstanding within housing finance companies. The company provides housing loans to individuals for purchase, construction, repair, and upgrade of houses. The company reported on a 5.40% decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 243.28 crore on a 9.53% fall in net sales to Rs 1691.81 crore in Q1 FY22 over 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.) Ramkrishna Forgings rose 1.04% to Rs 1,175.55 after the firm entered into an agreement with Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) to make materiality assessment, ESG vision document and implementation roadmap. Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) will develop a ESG Roadmap and integrate it with overall corporate strategy along with implementation of the same. PwC has customised its ESG Strategic Framework to deliver a diagnostic benchmarking study for Ramkrishna Forgings focusing on identifying gaps, shortlisting various initiatives, and designing an implementation of this ESG roadmap. Commenting on the occasion, Lalit Khetan, the executive director (ED) and chief financial officer (CFO) of Ramkrishna Forgings, stated: "We at Ramkrishna Forgings would like to assess the current market practices, review competitive behaviour and understand what gaps lie in our approach to ESG factors. With PwC coming on board, we would strive to improve on each of the ESG parameters enabling us to be an ideal corporate citizen. With integration of ESG strategy in our corporate strategy, we are working towards long-term business sustainability which is expected to result in operational and financial outperformance. Our commitment towards ESG will be reflected in our business practice which will be environmentally sustainable along with socially responsible and supported by strong corporate governance." The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 44.06 crore in Q2 FY22 as against a net profit of Rs 1.45 crore in Q2 FY21. Net sales during the quarter increased by 129.7% Y-o-Y (year-on-year) to Rs 578.82 crore. Ramkrishna Forgings is a manufacturer of supplier of open and closed die forgings of carbon and alloy steel, micro alloy steel and stainless-steel forgings. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav, Chirag Paswan, the president of Lok Janshakti party (Ram Vilas), has slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for being 'insensitive' and not doing enough over the killings of Bihari labourers in Chirag Paswan, after reaching Patna on Monday said that due to huge unemployment, a large number of people migrate to other states for jobs. "It is a complete failure of Nitish Kumar who has been in power for the last 16 years in Moreover, he has announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia to the deceased's family. This is sheer insensitivity. What would happen with just Rs 2 lakh? Is he mocking the victim's families?" Paswan said. "We demand government jobs for one of the deceased's family members," he said. "We have written to the chief minister and asked them to form a separate ministry for migrants so that their issues will be addressed there," Chirag said. Chirag Paswan, after reaching Patna airport, went to the poll-bound Kusheshwar Asthan in Darbhanga district for election campaign in favour of the party's candidate. Earlier on Sunday evening, Tejashwi Yadav levelled similar allegations at Nitish Kumar on the attacks against the Bihari labourers in Former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi also reacted sharply on gruesome murders of Bihari labourers in "We are under extreme pain due to the gruesome murder of unarmed Bihari people in Kashmir. I want to urge PM Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah to give responsibility to Bihari people to wipe out militancy from the Kashmir valley in 15 days," Manjhi said in a tweet. Terrorists on Sunday gunned down two labourers -- Raja Rishidev and Yogendra Rishidev -- in J&K's Anantnag district while Chunchun Rishidev was seriously injured in the firing. All three of them are natives of Bihar's Banka district. On Saturday, the terrorists had killed a Golgappa vendor, Arvind Kumar Shah in Srinagar and a carpenter named Sagir Ahmed of Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, a terror group -- United Liberation Front of Jammu & Kashmir -- has issued a letter and asked non Kashmiris to leave J&K immediately. --IANS ajk/dpb/skp/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghalaya Governor on Sunday said that if the Centre would provide a (MSP) guarantee through a law, they can resolve the farmers' agitation against the farm laws. Pointing out that the agitating farmer would not compromise on less than the MSP guarantee law, Malik said that it is the only thing that farmers need. "If the government (Centre) provide MSP guarantee through a law then it can be resolved (farmers' agitation against the three farm laws). There is only one thing so why are you (Centre) not fulfilling it? They (farmers) will not compromise on less than MSP," he said. Farmers have been protesting nationwide since November 26 last year against the three newly-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. (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.) Just a month before the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttarakhand, then irrigation minister Yashpal Arya, a prominent Dalit face in the Congress, had joined the BJP. Aryas entry into the BJP had dealt a big blow to the Congress, then the ruling party in the state, already reeling from the shock of the desertion by 10 MLAs, who too had joined the BJP a year earlier. In the elections, the Congress was reduced to a paltry 11 in the 70-member House as it faced the biggest humiliating defeat in the hill state. And the BJP won with a brute majority of 57 seats. After the formation of the ... is hosting an online event named Unleashed on Monday, October 18 from the Steve Jobs Theater at the Park campus in Cupertino, America. At the Unleashed event, the American technology giant is expected to announce the successor of its ARM architecture-based M1 chip. Touted by technology enthusiasts to be called the Apple M1X, the new chip would debut in the new line of MacBook Pro and Mac Mini. Alongside, the company is expected to announce the macOS Monterey release date. Though not likely, Apple might take us by surprise by also announcing a new addition to its Apple AirPods line at its event on October 18. Apple Unleashed event: When and where to watch livestream in India The Apple Unleashed event will start at 10:30 pm on Monday, October 18 in India. It will livestream online on the Apple website and Apple TV app. The events livestream will also be available on Apples official handle on the microblogging site Twitter. Alternatively, you can watch the Unleashed event livestream on Apples channel on YouTube. The YouTube livestream feed has been embedded below for easy reference. Apple Unleashed event: What to expect M1 chip successor The second-gen Apple Silicon is expected to bring performance improvement across the board, including computing and graphics. According to a news report in Bloomberg, the new chip will feature a ten-core CPU (central processing unit) with eight performance cores and two efficiency cores as part of the package. The new chip is expected to come with 16 or 32 graphics core variations. As part of the upgrade, the chip is expected to support up to 64GB RAM. MacBook Pro Apple is expected to announce a 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, both powered by the M1 chip successor. Both the models are expected to feature a mini-LED display technology, which was first used in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro announced earlier this year. Other upgrades may include the addition of an HDMI and SD card slot, both of which were missing in the M1 chip-powered MacBook Pro. Mac Mini Like the MacBook Pro, the Mac Mini is expected to get the new chip with a 10-core CPU, 16 or 32 core GPU, and up to 64GB RAM. It is expected to get additional ports, including 4 x Thunderbolt 3, 2 x USB-A, Ethernet, and HDMI. The Mac mini is likely to get the magnetic power connector, similar to the one Apple first introduced with the 24-inch iMac earlier this year. macOS Monterey Announced at the Apples Worldwide Developers Conference 2021 (WWDC 2021), alongside the iOS 15, iPad OS14, and watchOS 8, the macOS Monterey is still due for official release. With the new MacBook Pro and Mac Mini, Apple is likely to announce the official release date for the macOS Monterey. AirPods 3 The AirPods 3 are expected to be a new addition to Apples AirPods line. It is expected to feature a semi-in-ear design with stems shorter than the AirPods Pro. The AirPods 3 might lack some of the premium features of the Pro model, including Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode. However, it might get wireless charging, a big capacity battery, and improvements concerning audio performance and connectivity. The Taiwanese company that manufactures smartphones for Apple Inc. and other global brands announced plans Monday to produce electric cars for auto brands under a similar contract model. Technology Group will produce cars and buses for brands in China, North America, Europe and other markets, said its chairman, Young Liu. He said the clients can modify their appearance and features for their markets. Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., enters a crowded global market with electrics being offered by almost every established automaker and dozens of ambitious startups. The flagship Model E sedan, developed with Italian design house Pininfarina, is due to be launched in 2023, the company said. It said the Model E will seat five and have a range of 750 kilometres on one charge. Liu mentioned automakers Fisker Inc. and Taiwan's Yulong Group as clients. The newspaper Taiwan News said last week other potential customers include Stellantis, the automaker formed by the merger of FIAT Chrysler and Peugeot, but Liu did not confirm that. said its first electric bus, the Model T, will have a range of less than 400 kilometres on one charge. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 18 (ANI/PRNewswire): (https://apply.tauedu.org/study/gy-md-india/?utm_source=Online-PR & utm_medium=Cision-Press-Release & utm_campaign=Online-PR) Texila American University (TAU) has produced nearly 1,500 Physicians and Health Care Professionals across the world in its 10 years of contribution to medical & healthcare education and research who have gone into various communities and society to serve the public at large. Texila American University is considered to be the best medical school to study medicine in the Caribbean at affordable cost. The university has empowered graduates to meet the challenges of the 21st century world of medicine. Texila has been constantly evolving through research activities and staying ahead of time through the exchange of ideas and latest innovations through conferences it regularly organizes. Texila's well-structured medical curriculum, state-of-the-art infrastructure and highly skilled educators are complemented by opportunities for real-life experience for graduates standing on the threshold of a challenging career in medicine. The university enjoys strong ties with reputed hospitals in Guyana, the Philippines, and the United States, where students have the opportunity to hone their clinical skills - a crucial requirement for effective patient care. Its affiliated hospitals are Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Georgetown, Guyana, Region 1 Medical Center, Dagupan, Philippines, and Tuscan Medical Center, TMC Arizona, where students can acquire hands-on experience during 'clinical rotations' or 'clerkship' under expert supervision. (https://gy.tauedu.org/doctor-of-medicine) Texila American University students who are keen on practicing medicine in the US, are eligible to register with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) for taking United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). TAU also provides training for the USMLE examination which is a partnership with Kaplan Test Prep, one of the world's leading USMLE review program providers. TAU also assists deserving students with the opportunity to complete residency programmes in US hospitals, putting at their disposal top career options. Also, residency is mandatory before taking the final US licensing test that certifies one as a doctor. Texila American University, Doctor of Medicine program has been the most preferred choice for students from Nigeria and India apart from 52 other countries. TAU graduates have consistently achieved high scores in licensing exams worldwide including the USA, India, Nigeria, and the Caribbean. A truly international school, TAU has student representation from 54 different countries with hundreds of graduates practicing across the world. It is one of the few private medical universities across the world that has contributed significantly to medical education, medical students, healthcare professionals and academicians. One of the channels being the Texila international conference. Texila has organized 11 semi-virtual conferences in the academic, medical and management realms and have seen the presentation of 1,700 papers, participation of 15,800, exchange of more than 900 ideas and endorsement of 308 speakers. In this line, the 8th Texila World Conference for Scholars to be held early next year (15-17 February 2022) will assert the importance of embracing change led by breakthroughs in innovation and creativity. The testimony to its successful engagement of students in the rigorous learning process is its scintillating line-up of alumni. Texila American University alumni play an important role in healthcare operations across the world and belong to global organizations that work for optimum public health. Being a part of Texila's strong alumni organization has helped professionals broaden their network and connections that may in turn contribute to growth in their careers. Along with raising medical professionals of caliber, Texila American University supports deserving students with scholarships enabling students from various backgrounds to study at an international university, ensuring equity in education. It is to be noted that Indian students are eligible for 50 percent scholarship. Texila American University is registered with the National Accreditation Council Guyana (NAC) and is a member of IAU-UNESCO. It is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools and is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), further strengthening its credentials as a top medical university. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aspira, the Irish-owned international consulting and technology business, has announced the creation of 40 new high-level jobs at the official opening of their new headquarters in Penrose Dock, Cork. The company also announced its intention to open a Portuguese office in November, to enhance delivery capability in response to increased sales activity in mainland Europe. The 40 new roles are due to be rolled out over the next 18 months, with the positions to include opportunities for project managers, business analysts and technology professionals. A number of the roles created will be reserved for new graduates. Aspira has experienced accelerated growth, doubling in size every three years, due to an increased demand for technology expertise in both the private and public sector, including pharmaceuticals, banking, energy, utilities and e-commerce. This latest announcement comes following the companys 2020 expansion, which saw the opening of its Asia-Pacific regional headquarters in Malaysia and the expansion of its mainland European operations with the opening of its second office in The Netherlands. An Enterprise Ireland client, Aspira was established in 2007 and currently employs 160 people. The company caters for a diverse, international client base, including leading players in the IT, financial services, pharma/med devices, healthcare and energy sectors. Speaking at the Aspira head office, An Taoiseach said, "An Irish-owned business, Aspira has enjoyed sustained growth both at home and internationally. The opening of their new head office in this landmark building, and creation of 40 new high quality roles, is testament to the ambition and vision of the company. I look forward to their continued successes." Aspira CEO, Pat Lucey added, "This is an incredibly exciting time for the company and we look forward to welcoming our new hires to Aspira over the coming months. Many organisations are now reigniting and accelerating the deployment of major technology projects that may have been delayed due to the pandemic. The creation of these new roles will further strengthen our capabilities to deliver these large-scale innovative projects. We are also looking forward to expanding our international team with more roles to be created at our Portuguese office in the future." Source: www.businessworld.ie A new survey has revealed that more than 1 in 10 Irish officer workers (12%) wouldnt immediately tell their employer if they realised the device they were working on had been compromised with malware or ransomware. The survey conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Auxilion and involving more than 500 office workers in Ireland also found that 82% of respondents said they are confident in their ability to detect phishing emails. Furthermore, 30% of workers admitted to clicking on a link or attachment in an email from a sender they didnt recognise. In terms of the top security concerns when working remotely, suspicious emails were the biggest worry (37%), followed by using home wi-fi (30%) and hackers accessing webcams (29%). Scam calls and a lack of in-person support rounded out the top five biggest concerns among Irish workers working remotely. Some 55% are suspicious of sharing information on video calling platforms, while 21% are worried about using personal devices for work purposes. Despite this, almost a quarter (23%) of office workers revealed that they use their employers business video communications accounts to socialise with family and friends. The research also revealed that a quarter of respondents (25%) admitted that they use the same passwords for work as they do for personal accounts or devices. Meanwhile, 83% think their employer has adequate security measures in place to protect them when remote working, with almost three quarters (74%) of organisations having a code of conduct for the use of collaboration tools. Moreover, 81% of respondents trust their employer to securely protect confidential data at all times. Speaking about the findings, CTO of Auxilion, Donal Sullivan said, "Business leaders need to make sure they have the right tools and processes in place which can enable people to do their jobs whilst safeguarding data and systems. This includes adequate training and awareness as well, coupled with an openness to flag issues and be transparent if a breach occurs. Failing to take these steps could prove very costly, both financially and reputationally." Source: www.businessworld.ie The Cadillac Salvation Army is looking for volunteers, donations and people to help as it is entering its busy season. Cadillac Salvation Army Major R.C. Duskin said the first event the office is getting ready for is the Ed Kellogg Food Drive followed by the Red Kettle Campaign. (Nikkei Asia) Chinas curbs on carbon-intensive industries and the ensuing energy crisis have scrambled supply and demand calculations for some of the worlds key commodities, sending prices on a wild ride that market players say may not yet be over. Directives from Beijing this year have crashed prices for iron ore and inflated those for aluminum, among others, but disruption in the countrys industrial heartland and concern about the property sector leave some predicting more policy swerves. With the government of President Xi Jinping determined to cut carbon intensity and emissions across industry and achieve net zero emissions by 2060 attention will focus on China and how policy evolves from now on, said Tatsufumi Okoshi, a senior economist at Nomura Securities. A central focus for traders is the steel industry, which has been a main target of environmental policy action and whose fate is tied up with a construction boom that looks in jeopardy. The price of iron ore, steels main ingredient, surged over 40% between the start of the year and mid-July, only to slump by almost half before a low at the start of this month. The government earlier this year ordered steel mills to ensure that total output for 2021 remained on par with 2020 levels something few believed possible as Chinas steel production was running at a record high in April. After the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party in July, the Chinese authorities started demanding steel mills strictly comply with the target. Output in August was 12% down from a year earlier and was 15% lower than in April, a decline that would have a significant impact on iron ore, said Atsushi Yamaguchi, analyst at SMBC Nikko Securities. Chinese steel mills will have to keep output at Augusts depressed level for the rest of the year so as not to exceed 2020 levels. And the restrictions keep coming. The Ministry of Industry last week asked more steel mills to cut production from Nov. 15 to March 15 next year to achieve the output reduction target. The policy is also designed to prevent air pollution during Februarys Beijing Winter Olympics and as a response to power shortages. The use of energy from coal-fired power plants has also been curtailed under environmental rules, via restrictions on industrial electricity use that started to bite late last month, causing a cascade of other effects. Particularly hard hit is the energy-intensive aluminum industry, suffering from power cuts and coal shortages. Several smelters reduced production and the global benchmark price for the metal already elevated because of high global demand rose further. It is now up 51% from the beginning of the year. According to Chinese state-backed research house Antaike, the countrys major copper smelters in September kept output flat month on month, as maintenance and curbs on power usage prevented them making more metal. Copper stocks in the warehouses of the London Metal Exchange fell 27% from late August to around 187,000 tons in mid-October. The crunch is increasingly affecting other raw material industries such as zinc smelters as well as copper and nickel refineries. China is the biggest supplier of major refined metals, accounting for at least one-third of the worlds needs in the commodities, so supply strains there usually directly lead to rises in global benchmark prices. From Oct. 1 to 15, prices of zinc, copper, and nickel jumped between 5% and 14%. Due to domestic supply strains, China is buying refined metals from abroad, said Takayuki Honma, chief economist at Sumitomo Corp. Global Research. Some analysts expect the authorities could widen their energy clampdown. As we head into winter, if cuts to the aluminum industry do not work, then we could see the curtailments being more widespread, said a copper expert, Nick Pickens, research director at Wood Mackenzie. Anguish from industry has prompted Beijing to shift policy in some areas, but not necessarily in ways that will reverse the upward pressure on some commodity prices. Last week, China gave coal-fired power plants more freedom to raise prices, eliminating a disincentive to boost output at a time when high global coal prices have been crimping their profits. Chinese government rules have largely prevented power producers from passing on higher costs to users, but due to this shift, coal-fired electricity prices will be allowed to fluctuate by up to 20% around a peg, compared with a current cap of 10%. Naohiro Niimura of Market Risk Advisory, a commodities consultancy in Tokyo, believes this will raise metals production costs and therefore global metals prices. But there are conflicting forces at work as a result of the energy crisis: tight supply but also weak demand. Its sort of a double-edged sword, said Sean Mulshaw, principal analyst at Wood Mackenzie, who pointed to the example of nickel, where supply has been restrained due to power cuts but demand for use in stainless steel is weak because of the steel production curbs. On the one hand, youre taking away demand and on the other, youre taking away supply. There are other reasons to see weak demand for industrial metals. Honma of Sumitomo said that auto production continues to be curtailed due to the chip shortage. And analysts are nervously watching the crisis surrounding China Evergrande Group, the giant property developer which has stopped paying some of its debts, and the latest data on the Chinese economy, which has shown signs of cooling. Evergrandes problems could have implications across the property sector. Beijing has spent the past year trying to quell real estate speculation by limiting borrowing by the big developers, with consequences for construction activity. But it has also flooded the financial system with liquidity as Evergrande has teetered, and some analysts have predicted it could ease its pressure on the developers after having proved its resolve and shown that no one company is too big to fail. Chinas construction activity accounts for roughly 25% of global steel consumption. Any change in the level of investment would have a huge impact on global iron ore demand. The Evergrande crisis may offer a turning point for China that had been conventionally dependent on construction investment for its growth, said Yamaguchi at SMBC Nikko Securities. One copper trader at a Japanese trading house said investors were left weighing up many unpredictable factors, particularly around energy policy. Depending on Chinas policy, copper consumption is likely to further grow for electric vehicles, the trader said. But in the short term, energy restrictions... act as downside risks for copper prices. China is not what it used to be, when it was relatively negligent in environmental issues. Another trader added: Well have a volatile market for the time being. 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. Painter Zhang Ben opened his new exhibition on Nov. 6 at Shanghai's M50 Art Zone. Zhang, born in Huangshan, East Chinas Anhui province, in 1984, is now working at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. Known for his Symbolist oil paintings, Zhang presents a surrealistic space that reflects his inner self, including religious elements. Xiangwai Artha, an art-sharing platform, contributed to todays gallery Nov 19, 2021 06:03 PM St. Johnsbury, VT (05819) Today Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the morning. High 37F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low around 25F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Mazda has unveiled the first of its five all-new SUVs slated to arrive in the next two years the first-ever CX-50. Designed to meet the req... Portions of the Emerald Isle strand will look like this again in spring of 2022, as town commissioners agreed Tuesday night to fund a project to plant 300,000 pieces of vegetation to stabilize dunes created in recent beach nourishment projects. (Carteret County Shore Protection Office photo) The Beaufort Harbor and Waterways Master Plan Advisory Committee will hold an input session on the draft master plan for the town's transient docks next month. The committee is taking a holistic look at the town's harbor- and waterways-related assets, like the Front Street boardwalk, seen here in 2018. (News-Times photo) Carroll, IA (51401) Today Windy and becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 47F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Low 31F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Photo: Unsplash/Hunters Race Canadian entrepreneurs are concerned their offspring aren't ready or are unwilling to take over the family business. A report by the Family Enterprise Foundation found half of family business owners share the concern about transition of their business. A big wealth transition is now underway, the foundation says, with ownership of more than 60 per cent of family enterprises expected to be handed off within the next decade. "The clock is ticking! Whether ready or not, transfers within Canadas family businesses are coming soon. It's imperative that family business leaders prepare their family, as well as their business, for this imminent transition of wealth, ownership and leadership," says foundation general secretary Olivier de Richoufftz. The research was conducted by Abacus Data and is summarized in the report, Ready, Willing and Interested or NOT? The main concern among 51 per cent of owners is that the next generation isn't ready. Meanwhile, 39 per cent say their kids aren't interested in taking over. "After spending most of their lives working to build a strong and successful family business, founders may assume that their children share their passion and drive, but this is not always the case. Having meaningful conversations about the future is a critical first step to family wealth and continuity planning," says Richa Arora, a family advisor with KPMG. Half (52 per cent) of respondents expect to transition the business to family, while one-third (36 per cent) are planning to sell. The most-cited reason among those looking outside the family is disinterest/lack of experience among family members. The success of the upcoming wave of transitions is vital to the Canadian economy, the foundation says, as family businesses employ seven million people. The survey was conducted June 3-11 with 300 Canadian business owners, involved in family-owned businesses with 20 or more employees. Photo: Roscosmos Space Agency A Soyuz space capsule carrying a cosmonaut and two Russian filmmakers has landed after a 3 1/2-hour trip from the International Space Station. The capsule, descending under a red-and-white striped parachute after entering Earths atmosphere, landed upright in the steppes of Kazakhstan on schedule Sunday with Oleg Novitskiy, Yulia Peresild and Klim Shipenko aboard. Actress Peresild and film director Shipenko rocketed to the space station on Oct. 5 for a 12-day stint to film segments of a movie titled Challenge, in which a surgeon played by Peresild rushes to the space station to save a crew member who needs an urgent operation in orbit. Novitskiy, who spent more than six months aboard the space station, is to star as the ailing cosmonaut in the movie. After the landing, which sent plumes of dust flying high in the air, ground crews extracted the three space flyers from the capsule and placed them in seats set up nearby as they adjusted to the pull of gravity. They were then taken to a medical tent for examination. All appeared healthy and cheerful. Peresild smiled and held a large bouquet of white flowers as journalists clustered around her. But she said she also felt a touch of melancholy. Im feeling a bit sad today. It seemed that 12 days would be a lot, but I did not want to leave when everything was over, Peresild said on state TV. The transfer to the medical tent was delayed for about 10 minutes while crews filmed several takes of Peresild and Novitskiy in their seats, which are to be included in the movie. More scenes remain to be shot on Earth for the film whose release date is uncertain. Seven astronauts remain aboard the space station: Russia's Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov; Americans Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur; Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency; and Japan's Aki Hoshide. Turkey maintains its pace Published 18 October 2021 The Turkish cement sector has experienced a challenging year on a number of levels. However, despite an increase in costs, the industry has managed to keep up the pace in terms of its contribution to the economy. Meanwhile, cement plant investments continue to support the EUs climate and environmental policies, and the sectors carbon roadmap is soon to be presented to the country. By TURKCIMENTO, Turkey. Since March 2020 to the present day, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt by Turkey in every area, and particularly its economy. The Turkish government has had to resort to a number of measures, including social isolation to prevent the spread of the virus, while at the same time, fight against an economic contraction of an enormous scale. As with other countries across the world, various short-term measures were introduced in Turkey, starting with the sectors most affected by the pandemic. A number of sectors that were expected to be negatively affected by the virus from an early stage were covered by force majeure implementation in terms of taxation and social security obligations. Unfortunately, the cement sector was unable to receive such benefits. 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 Missed Delivery? If missed delivery or wet paper please call our office 909-628-5501 ext 110 Leave a detailed message with name, address, and phone number. Readers must call before 1 p.m. on Saturday. Re-deliveries are available for Chino residents until 1 p.m. Saturdays. Click Here The clerk at Mapco at 1227 East Main St. said a white male came into the store, caused a "ruckus," and took two honey buns. The clerk told him to leave the property, but he refused. Upon police arrival, the male had already left the scene. The clerk did not want to press charges but did want him trespassed from the property. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate the man. * * * An officer was flagged down about property damage at the corner of East 3rd Street and High Street. A Brinks armed guard was driving down East 3rd in a Brink's company work truck and a public works employee was weedeating on the side of the roadway. When the Brinks employee approached the intersection a rock came up from the weedeater and broke the passenger window on his work truck. It is unknown at this time how much it will cost to repair the window. * * * A man on Amnicola Highway said while his Ford Excursion was left unattended someone cut off the catalytic converter. He said the cost to repair is $750. There is no suspect information at this time. * * * An officer saw two homeless people behind the business complex at 5450 Highway 153. The officer spoke to and identified the two white males. The officer ran both of the men and did not find any warrants. They gave the officer permission to search their bags, which the officer did and did not locate any contraband. * * * A woman on Hixson Pike was stopped by police for not having a tag on her vehicle. She gave the officer her identifying information and said her license plate and driver's license had been stolen and she had not gotten them back from the police after they were recovered. Her story was true and police wanted to note this for future officers that could potentially stop her. * * * Police responded to trouble on Horse Creek Drive. While patrolling the area nothing was located, and no suspicious activities were detected. * * * An employee at Circle K at 4900 Brainerd Road said a man had gone into the restroom and "bathed". She told police she wanted him to leave and be trespassed. The officer spoke with the man and told him not to come back onto the property. * * * A woman on 6870 Spence Lane said her roommate would not let her go to sleep. Police spoke with both people and they agreed to separate for the night. Police ran both of them for any active wants or warrants which came back negative and then left the scene with no further police action taken at this time. * * * A member of the cleaning crew at Aldi at 5706 Lee Hwy. said he was tasked with sanitation for the building. During the cleaning they saw a black male wearing a gray shirt enter the building and walk towards the rear offices. The crew members told him to leave the area, which prompted the man to start yelling and make threats. The man was last seen walking west on Lee Highway. * * * While on routine patrol, an officer saw two men on bikes on Lupton Drive. The officer spoke with them and identified them. They said they were headed to their homes coming from "the store." The officer ran them both for warrants and did not observe any. * * * Police initiated a traffic stop on Market Street on a silver Toyota for not having tag lights on the license plate. The car was occupied by two men and a woman. The driver was licensed in another state but she claimed she had lived in Tennessee for a while. Police had her step out of the vehicle to ensure that she was safe to operate a motor vehicle. The officer had her perform SFST's and did not see enough evidence of impairment for further police action. * * * A man and woman were walking across the dam at 650 Highway 153. They said they didn't know it was illegal to be walking on the dam. Police asked them where they were headed and both said Walmart. Police ran both of them for any active wants or warrants which came back negative and then gave them a ride to the CVS in Hixson. * * * Police made contact with a man on Highway 58 who said he was homeless and had nowhere to go. Police ran the man for any active wants or warrants which came back negative and then allowed him to leave with no further police action taken at this time. * * * An employee at Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy at 1802 Bailey Ave. told police over the phone he last knew his gun (pistol) was in his car when he got to work around 7 a.m. the day before. He said that the car stayed parked there until he left work at 3:30 p.m. and he stopped by Walmart in Cleveland on his way home. He later discovered that the gun was gone when he got home around 5 p.m. and he had left it in the console. He said he always leaves his vehicle locked but there was no damage. The gun was entered as stolen. * * * A man on Bradington Avenue called police to say that sometime in August someone stole his cellphone and wallet. He said he was down sick and had a couple of caregivers come and go. He said the phone and wallet were on top of his dresser and someone could easily have taken it while he was asleep. * * * A man on East 5th Street called police to say he was alerted to three separate transactions that happened from credit cards that were in his desk at work. He said he went to work to check to see if the credit cards were still there, which they were. The man said the credit cards were for two different businesses - one was a Master Card and the other was a Capital One credit card. He said the credit card companies said the chip was used at each location meaning that the cards had to be present. The officer asked him where the cards were used and how much was spent. He said that both cards were used at a Walgreen's - the Master Card for $205 and Capital One card for $305, and the Capital One was also used at a Speedway for $20. The man had already contacted the card companies and they have refunded all the money on both cards. The officer asked the man who he believes stole the cards that night and used them and returned them before the next day. He said they had a cleaning company in their office that night. He also had heard that one of the cleaners just got back from medical leave and he believes they used the cards to purchase medications. He has also contacted that cleaning company and he told them about what happened and that he doesn't want that cleaning crew anymore. * * * A man on Willow Lake Circle said earlier this year he had purchased a truck but when Tennessee was assigned to the vehicle it was registered in the wrong county. The man drove the truck back to Chattanooga before this was realized. He said he sent the plate back to the car dealership that it came from in the middle of July. The dealership was supposed to issue him a new plate. The man said the dealership assigned him a temporary plate but he never received a new plate. The man went to the tag office to get a permanent plate and they would not issue one due to there being an active plate for the vehicle. The man thinks the dealership either never received the old plate or never processed it. The man was told at the tag office that he would need a lost property report in order to get a new plate. * * * The owner of Sunset Market at 541 Browns Ferry Road told police an older white male with a black Under Armor shirt and black pants came into his store and stole a 20oz Coke Classic in his pocket. The suspect walked past the point of sale and did not stop when the complainant asked him to. The suspect is unknown at this time, but got into a white GMC SUV. * * * An employee of Trek Bicycle Store at 301 Manufacturers Road said he came to work and parked his pickup truck in the parking lot. Wen he came outside, he noticed his pickup had been hit. The man also mentioned the incident could have possibly happened between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. During the investigation officers also noticed there was a camera outside the Rock Creek store pointing in the direction of the parking lot. Officers proceeded to make contact with the assistant store manager in order to get access to the camera footage. The assistant store manager said she has no access to the camera footage. Due to lack of evidence officers were not able to locate the suspects. It is believed, based on evidence on scene, the damage may have been caused by the handle bar of a bicycle. * * * A complainant called into dispatch requesting to speak with an officer via cell phone. The woman said she was currently in Knoxville and that she had been held hostage at a 4th Avenue location by a man. She told dispatch that she finally got out of the house and then went to Knoxville and wanted to speak with police about what to do. An officer attempted to call the woman via cell phone and she did not answer the phone. The officer was unable to make contact with the woman via cell phone and have not spoken with her about the incident. It is unknown if she has already reported this incident with police. Youve probably seen it if youve come up the Ruby Falls side of Lookout Mountain in the past several months. And if not, youve probably heard tell of a prehistoric creature with impressive dental work that is lurking just behind the guardrail near Mountain Memories. Becky Sutter noticed it a while back, and thought how much part of the dead tree looked like a dinosaur. She pondered on this every time she drove down the mountain, and then one day she realized she wasnt the only one with this vision! All of a sudden, the creature was clearly a creature! Sporting huge googly eyes, the lower jaw that could have possibly been mistaken for a thick slab of bark no longer could be. There was clearly a mouth just below the eyes, and it was massive. So massive one didnt have to imagine much at all to picture frightening pointed teeth in that gigantic mouth. Gay Burns had considered this dead tree stump for right at a year, all during the pandemic, and she knew folks would get a kick out of the creature. Knowing everyone in the community could use a little levity, she set out to attach eyes where they clearly belonged. She planned to creep across the busy highway in the dead of night so she wouldnt be seen. Her son Mac Newell, home for a visit, told her in no uncertain terms that this was not a good idea for a number of reasons, and to placate her, he did it himself. So the next morning, all channels of social media were abuzz with the sighting, and folks had a very fun topic of conversation after a very long, unsettling year. There was only one problem with the not-so-threatening creature: it had no teeth! Not unlike the abominable snowman in Rudolph, a T-Rex was just plain sad without some dangerous-looking teeth. We do not know who the dinosaurs dentist is, but we gotta say, thats a very impressive mouthful of teeth! After Gay Burns and her bunch managed to put a large googly eye on the dead tree near Mountain Memories, Dr. Philip Carson was perplexed. Fully aware that the creature was and always had been a dinosaur, he wondered if folks might mistake it for something else, say a swan with its long neck or an earthworm or some other ridiculous thing, like a turkey or a duck. What this critter needed was a mouthful of teeth, and Dr. Carson, dentist extraordinaire and lover of all things fun, was just the man for the job. He gathered a few triangular-shaped reflectors that had fallen on the highway and took them to his dental rejuvenation workshop (aka garage) and set about re-cutting each reflector to a more suitable point. Really, if youre going to be a Tyrannosaurus Rex and loom menacing over the highway where you threaten hundreds of jaded folks each hour, youd better look the part. Philip bolted each sharp tooth to a stick for form the upper gum, and repeated it for the lower gum. Under the guise of darkness, he grabbed all manner of tools and headed down the mountain on his motorcycle. Near his destination, he somehow crept along the highway, climbed over the guardrail and drilled the soon-to-be-well-defined jaw of the newly named Mountasaurus. What he hadnt counted on was rotten wood. The whole thing was rotted, completely porous, Dr. Carson said. It wouldnt hold the screws. But it takes a lot more than a major glitch to derail this dentist. Ever on the forefront of dental advances, he has accumulated more than 2,500 hours of continuing education since graduating dental school in 1984, including completing a mastership course in general dentistry at the University of Alabama and Periolase Laser training at the University of Colorado. He thought about it for a minute, and realized he needed to brace the two dental bridges for support. His client was clearly well pleased, both with his dental work and the admiration received. The Lookout Mountain Neighborhood Page on Facebook blew up with comments, starting with Carlin McRae posting, To whoever put the googly eye on the tree stump next to Scenic Highway - thank you, that made my morning! And after a long, anxious year, folks appreciated the chance for a sure laugh on their way to work. Surely not a driver goes by Mountasaurus who doesnt grin at the surprising creature popping its head out of the woods. I saw it when it had one giant googly eye; now it has a mouth with teeth! Great way to make people smile! Sarah Turnbull posted. Kristen Faith Logan said her kids love it and it makes their day every time they drive by, adding that she wanted to thank whoever was responsible for brightening the mood of so many during a very anxious year. So to Gay Burns and Philip Carson, thanks for the smiles! * * * Ferris Robinson is the author of three childrens books, The Queen Who Banished Bugs, The Queen Who Accidentally Banished Birds, and Call Me Arthropod in her pollinator series. Making Arrangements is her first novel. Dogs and Love - Stories of Fidelity is a collection of true tales about mans best friend. Her website is ferrisrobinson.com and you can download a free pollinator poster there. She is the editor of The Lookout Mountain Mirror and The Signal Mountain Mirror. Prosecutors from all over the state will converge in Chattanooga for the annual Tennessee District Attorney General Conference this week at the Chattanooga Convention Center. District Attorney General Neal Pinkston said he is very pleased to host this years conference. This annual conference is a very important event for all district attorneys and their staff from across the state, said General Pinkston. I am honored to host this years conference and look forward to getting reacquainted with fellow District Attorneys General and the educational experience that comes with it. In fact, some of my staff are sharing their expertise on a couple of important topics. The three-day, statewide conference is held every year to provide the staff with a diverse array of continuing education training classes. Some of the topics at this weeks conference include: - Mass violence protocols - Update on DUI sentencing - Victim witness training - Effective communication with victims of violent crimes - Prosecuting second degree murder cases based on drug overdoses - Juvenile prosecution issues - Prosecuting domestic violence cases with uncooperative victims General Pinkston said the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference was created by the General Assembly in 1961 to provide for a more prompt and efficient administration of justice in the courts of this state. The conference is composed of both the district attorneys general from the states 31 judicial districts and the office of the executive director. All the wokeness movements and attempts to pitch one race against another has blinded many Americans from realizing some of the great accomplishments that have occurred in our society. When we consider the prior societal problems pre-1970s, we have come a long way toward internal peace. When I consider the advances made by those who are Black and Hispanic, I realize that someone, or some group, has been living under a rock, or they intentionally attempt to divide us as a nation. Prior to the 20th Century, women were unable to own property. In the late 20th Century, my wife, who is Hispanic, was told by a banker that it is was better for her husband to be on a land deed, even though she was a disabled veteran after four years of honorable service. She experienced the same problem with the purchasing of an automobile as well. How many women out here experienced this in the last century? It was not until August, 1920, when the 19th Amendment was ratified, that women were permitted the right to vote; 55 years after African and African American slaves were freed. Unfortunately, African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American women were excluded from the 19th Amendment, and they could not vote until the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment. Notwithstanding the 15th Amendment, from 1920 to 1971, women who were Native American, and Asian American were granted piecemeal voting rights. Today, we see members of Congress who are multicultural and women. Another mere example is when we see individuals, such as General Colin Powel (African American), Dr. Joxel Garcia (Hispanic), as an assistant secretary of Health & Human Services, and local individuals who are Black and Hispanic and excelling in their field as recently presented on Page 2 of the Business section of the Sunday Edition of the Times Free Press. This is a small example of how far we have come from 1971 to present. We build a better future through our children. We teach our children to judge others by their character, have tolerance for differences that others bring to the community, and embrace the edicts of our U.S. Constitution. We should appreciate each other for what we can share and do for one another to make America a better place to raise our children, grandchildren, and future family members. Yes, we have come a long way. We continue to make progress and my suggestion is that we do not look back, rather, move fast and work hard toward the future to make our lives, as Americans, better. We do this by being unified as Americans and opposed those who attempt to divide us. The seven red stripes on our flag symbolize our unity, courage, and strength. Those who oppose our way of life oppose all Americans. United we stand, divided we fall. We need to stand united! Don Gala, Ph.D. Disabled Veteran, Retired Public Servant In the summer of 1959, the Roark-Conner family held its first reunion in Birchwood, Hamilton County. Every year, descendants gathered in the Birchwood area to meet with each other, remember ancestors, visit local historical sites, and share family history. The annual Roark-Conner Association Reunion has become an important gathering of Roark and Conner descendants and relatives of local pioneer families who settled, during the mid to late 1830s, in the eastern portion of Hamilton County. With continued COVID-19 uncertainties, this year the Association will hold its 63rd Family Reunion virtually on its website: Roark-Conner.org. The theme for the Virtual Reunion is: How do you want to be remembered? After 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 24, the program will be available for cousins to view. Participants may visit the Virtual Reunion at their convenience and return as often as they wish through Sept. 26. Featured presentations will highlight ancestors Joseph and Juda Roark and The Conner Family, headed by Martha Palmer and Maximillian H. Conner, two of the pioneer families who settled in the Birchwood area in the 1830s. Programs will include an interview with author and past president, John J. Roark, and a tribute to cousins 90+ years young. There will be a Birchwood Cemetery Tour and a workshop on Writing a Legacy Letter by Jay Sherwin, Life Review Advisor. The Board of Directors Meeting will include a memorial service for cousins who have passed. Family members will be able to participate in Worship and Song with messages from cousins Rev. James Scott and his son Rev. Aaron Scott. A song written for the reunion entitled, To Be Remembered will be provided by musician Dan Roark. The Learning Center will allow family members to learn about ancestors; link to R-CA books and DVDs which are at the heart of the familys rich, well-documented history; and participate in activities for children. Visit the Roark-Conner.org website, and click on 2021 Virtual Reunion on the home page, to participate. For information, call (801) 450-6864. Amazon Prime Videos latest film features up-and-coming actor Diana Silvers. Birds of Paradise puts the young star in the spotlight, and she absolutely shines. Its her first leading role, although she has had plenty of screen time in the Netflix series Space Force. Birds of Paradise is a ballet drama debuting in the wake of the wildly successful Netflix series Tiny Pretty Things. Birds of Paradise is one film, so it cant deliver the intricate plot that Tiny Pretty Things offers, but its sure to be an impressive flick. Diana Silvers: From magazine covers to runways to your TV Diana Silvers | Pascal Le Segretain/GC Images via Getty Images Before her acting career took off, Diana Silvers spent most of her time modeling. Shes appeared in several magazines, including Vogue, Elle, and Marie Claire. She also graced the runway for the closing of the Fall/Winter 2019 Stella McCartney show. On Silvers IMDb page, she is quoted as saying, Im lucky Im tall and skinny, and I got to model to put myself through college. 2019 was a big year for Silvers, as she also made her big-screen acting debut. She had a supporting role in the comedy Booksmart, which followed two best friends through one crazy night as they tried to make up for missing out on four years of high school fun. She also had a small role in the blockbuster M. Night Shyamalan film Glass. Silvers got her big break in another 2019 film, Ma. She co-starred alongside veteran actor Octavia Spencer, who played a lonely middle-aged woman bent on revenge. In 2020, Silvers garnered more screen time (this time on the small-screen) with a significant role in the Netflix comedy Space Force. Space Force allowed Silvers to shine The Netflix hit comedy Space Force started thanks to former President Trumps creation of a sixth branch of the armed forces in 2018. The new branch was a space force tasked with, well, exactly what it sounds likeprotecting whatever the U.S. might have out in space. As one can imagine, it drew quite a bit of criticism and an equal number of laughs from the public. Comedic icon Steve Carell and producer Greg Daniels saw the golden opportunity that this new space force presented. They created the Netflix comedy that followed the life of the wacky General Naird, a pilot who had hoped to one day run the Air Force. That plan gets derailed when Naird is sent to Colorado to oversee the new space force branch. Diana Silvers plays Nairds daughter, Erin. In an interview with Vogue, Silvers recalls how excited she was when she got the part. When my agent told me, I started crying. It was a dream come true, but also something I could never have imagined. She enjoys working with Carellthe two immediately hit it off during Silvers audition. According to Seventeen, Silvers is a massive fan of The Office, so she must be thrilled to work with Carell. Diana Silvers takes the lead in Birds of Paradise The new Amazon film, Birds of Paradise, puts Diana Silvers front and center. Shell play one of two lead roles, sharing the spotlight with Kristine Froseth. The movie takes place at an elite ballet school in Paris, where the two girls will build a tenuous friendship while also competing for a spot with the Opera national de Paris. The film is adapted from the YA novel Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small. Silvers will play Kate, a talented dancer who also happens to be a tomboy and somewhat of an outcast among the other ballerinas. Shes also poor and earned a scholarship to attend the dance school. Froseth plays Marine, who is pretty much the opposite of Kate. Marine is struggling with the recent suicide of her brother. Birds of Paradise director, Sarah Adina Smith, told Variety that she wrote the parts with both actors in mind. I wrote these roles specifically for Kristine Froseth and Diana Silvers, who I believe are going to take the world by storm. Having the roles tailored to both women will make their performances more authentic and create chemistry that may otherwise have been missing. According to Collider, Jacqueline Bisset also plays a significant role in the film. The movie is shot in Budapest, and viewers are sure to enjoy the beautiful visuals and striking dance numbers. Birds of Paradise premiered on Amazon on Sept. 24, 2021. RELATED: Booksmart and Birds of Paradise Star Diana Silvers Recalls the Moment Oprah Saw Her Naked in a Hallway Eve is about to add a new title to her name: mom. The Philadelphia-born rapper turned actor and talk show host has long expressed her desire to become a mother. Now, the former Fetish clothing line owner and her longtime husband, Maximilian Cooper, are expecting their first child. Eve and Maximillion Cooper attends the official launch party for the Gumball 3000 Rally 2018 | David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Gumball 3000 Eve opens up about her infertility struggles Eve and Cooper met in 2010. They officially married in 2014 in a beachside ceremony in Ibiza, Spain. She became a stepmother to Coopers four children from a previous relationship. After a few years of marriage, Eve began opening up about her desire to become a mother. Unfortunately, she found it difficult to conceive. Source: YouTube Related: What Was Eves Characters Full Name on Her UPN Sitcom? During a 2019 episode of The Talk, she talked about the shame she felt for not having a child. As a woman, you just think things happen naturally and I felt like I was damaged, she said. I felt like I was broken. I felt like, oh well maybe Im not good enough. She officially left the show in 2020 amid the COVID-19 travel restrictions. She was commuting from England, where she and Cooper live, to LA to film the show. Eve chose to leave the show to focus on building her family. She later revealed that she had a myomectomy to remove fibroids from her uterus. She also admitted to being nervous about becoming a stepmother Though Eve fell madly in love with Cooper, she admits it was difficult to adjust to becoming an active part of his four childrens lives. She spoke exclusively with People Magazine about getting comfortable in her stepmother role. Source: YouTube Related: Trina vs. Eve: Which Rapper Has the Highest Net Worth Its been now 10 and a half years Ive been in their lives and theyve been in my life, she said. Theyve grounded me. In the beginning, when I first met my husband, then-boyfriend, I was like, This is never gonna last because you got four kids! Hows this gonna work? But then I met the kids and honestly was like Wow, kids are amazing. She says the adjustment period was longer than anticipated, but worth it. I will say it took years, though, Im not gonna lie. It did take two or three years to adjust, just our relationship with the kids. But I have to say Im very lucky. I feel very, very lucky that I had my insta-kids I call them my bonus children! Eve and her husband announce they are expecting their first child The couple have been married for seven years and finally have their dream fulfilled of having their own child together. The rapper took to Instagram to share the news. Donning an all-Black outfit with a black hat, she shared two images of her cradling her growing bump. She also shared one with Cooper cradling her stomach. Can you believe it @mrgumball3000 we finally get to tell everyone!!!!!, she wrote. You all know how long weve been waiting for this blessing!!! We get to meet our lil [sic] human February 2022. Cooper also shared the news. Congratulatory comments from celebrity friends and Eves fans began pouring in. Jersey Shore has featured many combative situations between its cast members throughout its 12 years on MTV. Their fights are legendary. The show was an instant smash and made the areas landmark spots as popular as the show itself. One of those, the scene of Sammi Sweetheart Giancolas most savage fight, is set to be demolished. (L-R) Jersey Shore cast members Jenni JWoww Farley, Angelina Pivarnick, Sammi Giancola, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Paul Pauly D DelVecchio, Vinny Guadagnino, Nicole Snooki Polizzi, and Mike The Situation Sorrentino on June 7, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. | Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic The Jersey Shore cast frequented this hotspot The Bamboo Bar was located blocks away from the casts home at 1209 Ocean Terrace in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. This area was where the group lived and worked in seasons 1, 3, 5, and 6. Miami was the setting of season 2 and season 4 filmed in Italy. NJ.com reported both The Bamboo Bar and Karma, another Seaside Heights club frequented by the cast, filed for bankruptcy in 2019. Bamboos demolition takes place over the next several months. Broker Rudy Daunno, president of Daunno Realty Services, said he grew up in the area. He recalled when these hotspots were the places to frequent at the Jersey shore. I grew up going to Seaside in the summers. Daunno said, To see the town brought back to what it used to be is a great thing. He claimed the housing and retail spots taking their place would pay homage to the history of the famed nightclub. Duanno remarked, Somewhere in the name of the future condos will be Bamboo.' Bamboo was the place of Sammi Sweetheart Giancolas savage fight Sammi Giancola attends the Fire Island New York premiere at Atlas Social Club on April 20, 2017, in New York City. | Photo by CJ Rivera/FilmMagic In 2012, Giancola found herself on the other end of a hair pull by another Bamboo patron. The original Jersey Shore cast members enjoyed a night out at the club when a female patron assaulted Giancola. She pulled on Sammis hair as the shows cameras captured the entire exchange. Giancola yelled after the fight, You dont yank the new weave that I just got. However, the Jersey Shore star appeared to be proud of herself for taking down her foe. Giancola was removed from the club by Bamboos bouncers. She screamed, It was me against the world, as the cast walked home. Giancola would later tell MTV News, I never had somebody disrespect me in that way. To pull on my hair for no reason. So, of course, I turn around and throw my drink, and it just went downhill after that. Jersey Shore: Family Vacation is currently on hiatus. RELATED: Jersey Shore: 5 Rules the Cast Had to Follow and 1 Rule They Broke Prince William recently launched the inaugural Earthshot Prize, a huge initiative to combat climate change. Of course, Kate Middleton was right there alongside him to show support. Because of the theme of the event, Kate donned an outfit that showed off her eco-friendly mindset. Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Earthshot Prize in 2021 | Joe Maher/Getty Images Kate Middleton supported Prince William at the Earthshot Prize On October 17, 2021, William launched the first-ever Earthshot Prize ceremony. It highlighted many innovations around the world that are playing their parts in helping the environment. The award ceremony included a total of 15 finalists and five winners in various categories. Kate was there to support William in his groundbreaking project. The Duchess of Cambridge was one of the award presenters for the event. She handed out the prize for the Protect and Restore Nature category to the country of Costa Rica for its efforts in restoring rainforests. Nature is vital to us all. A thriving natural world regulates our climate, nurtures our physical and mental health, and helps feed our families, Kate said in her speech. Other stars at the Earthshot Prize include Emma Watson, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, and Emma Thompson. The Prize will also become an annual event and be hosted by other countries in the future. Kate Middleton made an eco-friendly move with her outfit RELATED: The Pandemic Has Made Kate Middleton More Popular Than Ever Before, Royal Expert Says True to its message, the Earthshot Prize tried to be as eco-friendly as possible. Participants were encouraged to join via video calls instead of flying into London. Musical performances were also powered by 60 cyclists. Kate, whose fashion always garners a lot of attention, made sure her outfit reflected the message of Earthshot as well. She re-wore an Alexander McQueen gown that she donned to the 2011 BAFTA. According to Marie Claire, in re-wearing an outfit, Kate seems to be sending a message about overconsumption. This is, indeed, a big problem in the fashion industry and one that is contributing to environmental degradation. Other participants also tried to be eco-friendly with their fashion statements. For example, according to E! News, Emma Watson wore a top made from 10 wedding dresses. Kate Middleton has re-wears clothes many times RELATED: Prince William Was Drawn to Kate Middleton Because of Her Stability, Royal Expert Says Kate is no stranger to recycled outfits. Ever since she joined the royal family in 2011, she has re-worn clothes many times. In fact, Kate specifically re-wears items when she attends weddings. Kate attracts a lot of attention everywhere she goes, and this seems to be a way for her to shift some attention to the bride and groom at hand. When she attended Prince Harrys 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle, Kate donned a cream Alexander McQueen coat dress that she already wore three years earlier at her daughters christening. Similarly, at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank a few months later, Kate wore a pink Alexander McQueen dress that was similar to something she wore at Trooping the Colour in 2017. Meghan Markle is one of those people who can somehow manage to pull off any look with ease. Whether she is making an appearance at Wimbledon in wide-legged white pants and a blue and white striped shirt or stepping out on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in a pale rose-colored ensemble, Markle looks amazing every time. The world was thrilled when she and Prince Harry announced that they were expecting a baby, and it is easy to look back and see that Markle certainly did not sacrifice style as her bump got bigger. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex | James Whatling/Getty Images Most women mistakenly think that pregnancy is going to limit their fashion choices, but the Duchess of Sussex more than proves that is not the case. Lets talk about how Meghan Markles pregnant maternity style is easily replicable. Meghan Markles pregnancy style rules Both times that she was expecting, Markle had a set of fashion rules that helped her look amazing no matter what point she was at in her pregnancy. As it turns out, the style is surprisingly simple to replicate, meaning that anyone could look like royalty just by following a few simple guidelines. According to Elle, she wasnt afraid to showcase her figure, wearing sleek and stylish dresses in bold colors, and even pairing them with high heels. Fans definitely wont soon forget the black velvet one-shoulder Givenchy dress that the duchess wore at the Fashion Awards, while she lovingly cradled her baby bump. Monochrome gowns are also on the list of Markles pregnancy style rules, such as the glamorous and flattering one that she wore for the famous interview that she did with Oprah Winfrey alongside Harry. Vogue reports that the duchess second pregnancy took on a California vibe, and the rules are surprisingly easy to abide by. The second time around, Markle opted for softer colors, floral designs, and fluid silhouettes. Just like the flowing dress that she wore in her second pregnancy announcement, the mom of two knew that it was important to stick to styles that adapted to her growing bump and were relatable to the elegant style that she has always embodied. How wonderful that Markle was able to stick to fashion guidelines during both of her pregnancies that anyone can follow and look just as amazing as she did. How many times was Meghan pregnant? It was during a royal tour of Australia that Markle revealed that her first baby was on the way. Fans couldnt have been happier, and according to Harpers Bazaar, the news came five months after their lavish royal wedding. Archie Harrison arrived in May 2019, and it appeared as if the couple took to parenthood immediately. Royal family fans could hardly contain their excitement when they learned that the Sussexes were going to become a family of four when it was announced Meghan Markle pregnant again. Both times, Markle had one of the best-dressed baby bumps around, from the time she announced her second pregnancy right up until she welcomed little Lilibet Diana in June 2021. Harry and Meghan pregnant appearances Markle is a very busy woman, and she sure didnt let pregnancy slow her down. So, what were some of her most iconic pregnancy appearances? Today can report that they made an appearance at the virtual Spotify Stream On event, where Markle looked absolutely stunning. She also attended events in Australia shortly after announcing the upcoming arrival of her first baby, looking perfectly put together from head to toe. Markle made quite a few appearances alongside her husband, Harry, while pregnant in places such as New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, and Sydney, nailing the pregnancy look each and every time. RELATED: Meghan Markles Pregnancy Might Bring About Mixed Emotions After Miscarriage, According to Mental Health Experts Wrapping Supergirl was obviously an emotional moment for all of the cast and crew after spending six years making the show. But Melissa Benoist, who portrays Kara Danvers, recently revealed the one thing she will not miss about playing Supergirl. And, lets just say that we cant blame her for not wanting to do this stunt anymore. Melissa Benoist | Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW Melissa Benoist wont miss flying in Supergirl If theres one part of Melissa Benoists job as Supergirl that isnt very glamorous, its pretending to fly. Of course, when fans watch Kara soar over National City, it looks very fun and effortless. But, according to Benoist, flying is not all its cracked up to be. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Benoist talked about the end of Supergirl and what it was like to wrap the show. She said, I have to say, I dont know if Ill miss flying Because I hurt my body so much! Benoist explained that the way that films and television shows simulate flying had been the same since Christopher Reeve did it in the original Superman movies. She gets strapped in wires and a harness thats like a diaper. We can imagine that that can be pretty painful. However, Benoist admitted that she might get nostalgic over flying as Supergirl later down the line. She said, Im sure Ill miss it months from now. I say that now because its fresh. There is one thing that Benoist will undoubtedly miss, and thats wearing the Supergirl suit. Kimmel asked her in the interview if she got to keep the costume. Benoist responded, Im not at liberty to say, which basically means that she hilariously stole the outfit from the set. Though, as Supergirl, she should have been offered to keep the suit, in our opinion. Benoist later alluded in the interview that people might see her wearing the Supergirl suit on Halloween with her child. Benoist will appear during the Supergirl farewell tribute at DC FanDome 2021 Warner Bros. and DC Comics annual convention, DC FanDome, will take place on Oct. 16. It will feature a special Supergirl farewell tribute that will show the cast reflecting on the last six seasons of the Arrowverse series. In a sneak peek at the tribute, Benoist discusses her craziest stunt day on set, which also included flying. The Supergirl actors who will appear at DC FanDome 2021 are Azie Tesfai, Chris Wood, Chyler Leigh, David Harewood, Jeremy Jordan, Jesse Rath, Julie Gonzalo, Katie McGrath, Mehcad Brooks, Melissa Benoist, Nicole Maines, Peta Sergeant, and Staz Nair. The Supergirl farewell tribute will hopefully show fans an exclusive look at the last five episodes of the series. But, nothing has been confirmed by either DC FanDome or Supergirl. Superheroing isnt easy. West Coast, a new episode of #Supergirl starts NOW on The CW! #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/2biZv1sf3F Supergirl (@TheCWSupergirl) October 13, 2021 Everything we know about the series finale The series finale of Supergirl will air on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 8/7c on The CW, and it will be a two-hour, two-part event. If we had to guess, we would say that the Super Friends will face off against Nyxly for the last time during the episode. Lex will also probably appear in the finale since the showrunners recently announced that he would return and partner up with Nyxly, both strategically and romantically. Three fan favorites will make their return for the series finale. Mehcad Brooks, Jeremy Jordan, and Chris Wood, who play James Olsen, Winn Schott, and Mon-El, respectively, will all join the Super Friends in their final fight. Supergirl airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW. RELATED: Supergirl Actor Chyler Leigh Teases Final Episodes and Series Finale The Netflix Korean drama My Name had a lot of storyline to unpack in its 8 episodes. Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee) goes down a dark path of revenge after she witnesses her fathers murder and looks to find the killers identity. She is well aware the killer is tied to her fathers involvement with Dongcheon, South Koreas biggest drug crime ring. As Ji-woo becomes a monster willing to kill, she is faced with the startling truth behind her fathers death. My Names teasers and main trailer gave fans small tidbits of what the K-drama had in store. Fans would not have expected how the dramas storyline played out and the real evil behind Ji-woos broken heart. [Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers about My Name.] Yoon Kyung-ho as Dong-hoon in My Name K-drama | via Netflix Yoon Ji-woo deals with her fathers death and joins Dongcheon My Name episode 1 introduced Ji-woo, her inner turmoil, and her loneliness. Ji-woo is questioned by detectives surveilling her home about her fathers whereabouts. She has been shunned by the neighborhood and bullied at school after they discovered her father, Yoon Dong-hoon (Yoon Kyung-ho), is a member of the Dongcheon gang. The catalyst moment that will drive the storyline occurs when Ji-woo tells her father never to return home. Feeling guilty over his actions, Dong-hoon goes to see Ji-woo despite being in hiding. Outside the apartment, Dong-hoon is shot. He begs the killer not to harm Ji-woo as he stops her from opening the door. As Ji-woo deals with the grief of his death, she meets Choi Mu-jin (Park Hee-soon). Mu-jin is the mob boss of Dongcheon and Dong-hoons closest friend. Time passes, and Ji-woo is in a downwards spiral as the police drop the case. According to Decider, My Name promises larger intrigue ahead after setting up its protagonists very personal reason for revenge. Ji-woo wants retribution for her fathers death. She is taken in by Mu-jin, who promises her the revenge she seeks. Now a member of Dongcheon, she is underestimated by the others and Do Gang-jae (Chang Ryul), a member envious of Ji-woo. Yoon Ji-woo abandons her past life to become Oh Hye-jin in K-drama storyline RELATED: My Name: New Still Cuts Reveal Han So-Hees Kickass Character in Netflix K-Drama In a gang fight to prove their worth, Ji-woo goes head to head with Gang-jae and wins. Gang-jae is embarrassed by the loss. With another member, he tries to assault her and almost kills her before others intervene. Mu-jin banishes Gang-jae for his insolence and uses the event as a way to fake Ji-woos death. In a restaurant, Mu-jin reveals to Ji-woo that the person behind her fathers murder was a police officer and hands her the revolver used. The only way for her to enact revenge is to become Oh Hye-jin and join the police force. My Names storyline goes through a time-lapse where Ji-woo becomes an officer. During an investigation, Ji-woo meets narcotics detective Jeon Pil-do (Ahn Bo-hyun). Their encounter leads Ji-woo to become a new member of the narcotics team and meets its captain Cha Gi-ho (Kim Sang-ho). This is where things get interesting as Ji-woo remembers seeing Gi-ho after her fathers murder. As Ji-woo works for the police force, she is still a member of Dongcheon and Mu-jins informant. The truth of Dong-hoons murder slowy comes to light in My Name storyline RELATED: My Name: Han So-Hee Takes Extreme Measures for Revenge in Official Netflix Teaser Ji-woo and Pil-do investigate a new drug on the market where fans learn Gang-jae is alive. Gang-jae wants revenge against Mu-jin and Ji-woo. Later on, Ji-woo is stunned when a raid operation, led by Gi-ho, is to apprehend Mu-jin at a new drug facility. A new detail to My Names storyline is added when Ji-woo purposely plants the gun used to kill her father at the scene. The gun rattles Gi-ho as he starts to suspect a mole in the police force. Meanwhile, Gang-jae sends a message to Mu-jin and attacks his men at the gangs gym. The narcotics team investigates, and Ji-woo becomes aware of Gang-jaes involvement. Gi-ho soon suspects Ji-woo has a link to the leaked information and warns Pil-do. Ji-woo learns the gun used to kill her father belonged to Song Joon-su. Gi-ho explains Joon-su was once a member of the team but was killed by Dongcheon. Later on, Ji-woo comes face to face with Gang-jae. Mu-jin comes to her rescue before her real identity is revealed to Pil-do. After the events, Ji-woo remeets Sergeant Cho, the officer in charge of her fathers case years ago. In a twist of events, Cho is on Mu-jins payroll and alludes to Mu-jin being the one behind burying Dong-hoons murder case. Yoon Ji-woo has her first kill and the truth about her father RELATED: My Name: Co-Stars and Director Praise Han So-Hees Dedication: I Had to Invest a Lot of Time At the meetup between Mu-jin and Gang-jae, the police plan an ambush. After saving Mu-jin from Gang-jae, Ji-woo kills him when he threatens to reveal her identity. She later receives a late package from Gang-jae with a photo of her father as a police officer. Wanting answers, Mu-jin explains Dong-hoon was an undercover officer named Song Joon-su planted in Dongcheon. Joon-su switched sides and betrayed the force implying Gi-hun killed him. Ravaged by anger, Ji-woo hunts Gi-hun to finally get her revenge. But Gi-hun was first attacked by Mu-jins henchmen. Ji-woo reveals her identity to Gi-hun and he tells her the truth. Dong-hoon, aka Joon-su, was a cop until the end. Mu-jin had him killed over his deception and hands Ji-woo all the necessary evidence. Mu-jins henchman tries to kill Ji-woo but fails. Before his death, he tells her Mu-jin always personally acts out his revenge. To avoid arrest and to test Ji-woo, Mu-jin turns himself in to the police. But Ji-woo wants her revenge and steals evidence setting Mu-jin free. The narcotics team and Pil-do now know of Ji-woos double-cross. Later on, Pil-do learns from Gi-hun about her real past and how Mu-jin manipulated her. Ji-woo and Pil-do develop an unexpected romantic relationship. Pil-do convinces Ji-woo to arrest Mu-jin instead. Wanting Ji-woo to enact her revenge on him, Mu-jin kills Pil-do. Now broken over the events, Ji-woo becomes the monster Mu-jin wanted. In the end, she kills him and gets her revenge. In the epilogue, Ji-woo visits her familys grave and returns to her identity as Song Ji-woo. She visits Pil-dos grave before walking away. So many people are waiting to watch more of The Chair, the new Netflix comedy starring Sandra Oh. It is hard to deny the fact that the show was absolutely wonderful it follows the journey of Ji-Yoon Kim, portrayed by Oh, as she is named chair of the English Department at Pembroke University, becoming the first woman of color to do so. Sandra Oh as Ji-Yoon Kim in The Chair | Eliza Morse/Netflix Created by Amanda Peet and Annie Wyman, the cast includes other big names, and is described by The Hollywood Reporter as a dramedy that paints a picture of a department thats already in crisis. As for the show, the English Department at the prestigious university is dealing with a major crisis, and it will be interesting to see what unfolds. So, how many episodes does the show have, and will there be more? How many episodes does The Chair have? Many people may be wondering just how many episodes we can expect to see. The first season of The Chair has episodes. Also, behind the scenes in the making of the series which is sure to be instantly iconic are David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. According to Digital Spy, a second season of the show has yet to be confirmed and there have been no hints more episodes of the first season will be dropping anytime soon. However, given the shows popularity, its likely a second season could be ordered by Netflix. The premise of the show Sandra Ohs Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim has a difficult situation to deal with, but her comedic skills really help her with her day-to-day experiences. Kim must find a way to navigate her way around the Ivy League school while going out of her way to prove herself in a place that is mostly dominated by male employees. It is nothing that she cant handle, however, and she rises to the challenge while being in charge, making budget cuts, and dealing with any type of scandal that arises. Kim is finding that most of the academic staff has outdated views which are hindering the progress of students and not allowing the department as a whole to move forward and prosper. She knows that she has to change this, and the show will follow her journey to do just that. The trailer is absolutely enticing, and Dr. Ji-Yoon Kims line of I feel like someone handed me a ticking time bomb because they wanted to make sure a woman was holding it when it explodes, pretty much sets the tone for the entire series. Who does the cast consist of? What other big-name actors appear in the series? According to IMDb, quite a few. Holland Taylor, best known so far for her role as Evelyn Harper in the sitcom Two and a Half Men, portrays Professor Joan Hambling, while we also see Bob Balaban as Elliot Rentz. Fans can also expect appearances by Everly Carganilla, Ron Crawford, Jay Duplass, Christine McBurney, and more. Filmed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, its the perfect fall show for fans to enjoy, and we cant wait to see what might be next for the Netflix series. RELATED: The Chair: Netflix Release Date, Main Cast, and What to Expect Ridley Scott has dominated the movie scene for decades. The prolific director brought audiences unforgettable films like Alien, Gladiator, Blade Runner, and Hannibal. He has directed films in numerous genres, always delivering sweeping visuals and intense action. Scotts newest film explores events that occurred in the 14th century. The Last Duel is sure to be full of the excitement fans are expecting, but it will also tell an important story of an unknown woman and her fight against injustice. The Last Duel: Ridley Scott does it again Ridley Scott attending The Last Duel premiere | Dominique Charriau/Getty Images For Disney Ridley Scotts latest project is a sweeping epic based on a true story. These true crime events occurred during the Hundred Years War, but the theme still resonates powerfully in todays society. The film follows the story of Jean de Carrouges, a beloved knight, and Jacques Le Gris, a well-respected noble. The two friends turn into bitter enemies when Carrouges wife accuses Le Gris of rape. Le Gris denies the accusations, but Carrouges believes his wife and the court agrees to a trial by combat. The two men are then set to participate in a final duel, which affects their lives and that of Carrouges wife. If he should lose the duel, she will also face death for making false accusations. The Last Duel has a powerful cast, including Matt Damon (Jean de Carrouges), Adam Driver (Jacques Le Gris), and Ben Affleck (Count Pierre dAlencon). Additionally, Jodie Comer of Killing Eve will play Marguerite de Carrouges, who is really at the center of the entire film. Her performance is sure to be phenomenal, as she portrays a fearless woman who was defiant enough to stand up for her rights at a time when such an act was unheard of. The film is based on a true crime book The Last Duel is based on the book The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager. Extensive research in Normandy and France uncovered the intriguing tale of the three characters in the new film. The book delves deep into the customs of the time, which seem archaic but reflect similar problems in society today. In 1386, public executions were common and not only used for punishment but as a way to entertain the masses. Duels to the death were rare, however, and the public eagerly awaited the chance to see something so exciting. The duel between Le Gris and Carrouges was the last legally sanctioned combat in France. According to Publishers Weekly, Jager is careful to explain the customs and beliefs of the time without appearing condescending. It is difficult to imagine how a duel between two men could prove their innocence and how the outcome of that duel has anything to do with whether a woman is telling the truth or lying about her accusation. However, 14th-century marriages were very different from now, and social standing in court played a big part in almost every conflict. The Last Duel screenwriters were eager to put this heroic woman in the spotlight She will not stay silent. Based on a true story, see #TheLastDuel only in theaters October 15. pic.twitter.com/M98EYZFL6Y The Last Duel (@TheLastDuelFilm) October 1, 2021 Its easy to tell who the star of The Last Duel is, even just from watching the trailer. It may be named after the battle between the two leading men, but the catalyst for the story is Marguerite de Carrouges and the courage needed to fight her own personal battle. Many fans of Ridley Scotts work will flock to the theater, eager for epic sword fights and thrilling visuals. While Scott will undoubtedly deliver everything the audience expects, the writers also want to ensure that the story hits the mark. Nicole Holofcener, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck worked together to write a film that encompasses the key components of historical content while also keeping the audience interested. In an interview with Variety, Holofcener, Damon, and Affleck reiterated the importance of their message. This film is an effort to retell the story of a heroic woman from history whom most people havent heard of. We admired her bravery and unwavering determination and felt this was both a story that needed to be told and one whose drama would captivate audiences the way it moved us as writers. They also feel that the story, although centuries old, has a real connection to the problems we face today. As we further explored the story, we found so many aspects of the formal, codified patriarchy of 14th century Western Europe to still be present in vestigial ways (and in some cases almost unchanged) in todays society. RELATED: Why Matt Damon Never Used His Trailer While Making The Last Duel Cherokee Nation citizens Natalie and Nathan Armstrong are twins who were awarded Cobell Scholarships. The scholarship is named after Elouise Cobell (Blackfoot), who was the lead plaintiff in the Cobell v. Salazar case that challenged the United States mismanagement of trust funds belonging to more than 500,000 Native Americans. Memorial service for Kevin Hair, 65, of Chickasha, OK will be held at 2:00pm, Saturday, November 13, 2021 at the Southern Oaks Church of Christ in Chickasha. Floyd Kevin Hair was a well loved father, son and brother. He was such a good brother-in-law that he just had to be called "brother." The Reformed Church in Americas 214th General Synod, taking place in Tucson voted Saturday to appoint a team to develop a restructuring plan for the nearly 400-year-old denomination as it divides over LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage. The convention also adopted regulations for churches that have chosen to leave the RCA to retain their assets and buildings. The restructuring team and the regulations for exiting churches, recommended in a report to the convention called Vision 2020, passed by wide margins. Saturdays votes come after several conservative splinter groups have already broken off to form independent church networks, with other churches promising to follow. According to their website, one of the networks has already had more than 125 churches express interest in joininga blow to a denomination with fewer than 1,000 churches. The Vision 2020 team was initially formed after leaders at the 2018 General Synod recognized that the RCA was at an impasse. In 2016, General Synod passed an amendment to the Book of Church Order that defined marriage as between a woman and a man. However, the measure lacked the two-thirds approval of classes required to pass the amendment. The restructuring team, to be composed of 10-15 individuals representative of the denomination, will consider reorganizing the RCAs regional church groups by affinity rather than geography, allowing each group, called a classis, to associate according to its views. The new groups would retain their right to decide on ordination and marriage. The organization of General Synod and regional synods would also be reexamined. Some delegates expressed concerns that reorganizing the denomination by affinity would create chaos. Abandoning geography is going to create multiple problems, said James Brownson, a professor at Western Theological Seminary, during the debate. Does this mean that the RCA is going to reorganize every time there is a new divisive issue? Others saw the recommendation as the best way to resolve the RCAs decades-long gridlock over LGBTQ issues. I know there will be loss. But Im in this for the long haul, said Jonathan Garbison, a minister from the Classis of Wisconsin. We have to be exploring new ways of working together, of worshiping together, of being on mission together. Delegates also approved recommendations for rules allowing those churches transferring to another denomination to retain their assets and buildings. Individual churches, however, will be responsible for any liabilities. We believe that the RCA has an opportunity in this moment to act in an exemplary way by providing a generous exit path for churches who decide to leave, and also by inviting these churches to act generously themselves, said Brian Keepers, a Vision 2020 team member who presented the recommendation. By a vote of 198 to 9, delegates strongly voted against a recommendation that would create an external global mission agency to house the RCAs current global missions work. The intent of the proposal was to allow departing congregations to continue to support RCA missionaries. The debate reflected the delegates concerns about the logistical challenges of transferring the RCA Global Missions 33 endowmentsworth $8.5 millioninto a new nonprofit organization. Before its conclusion on Tuesday, October 19, the General Synod will vote on a further proposal about the structure of regional synods, which oversee a group of classes. As it stands, Overture 10 proposes to reorganize existing regional synods into two new regional synods: one that would affirm a conservative view on LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage, and one that would not. Churches could then opt-in to one of the two synods. The RCAs history goes back to the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam in the early 1600s. Today, member churches are often polarized, with some reflecting mainline sensibilities and others evangelical. The denominations divides over LGBTQ inclusion are based on members disparate interpretations of Scripture, with some advocating for what they call a grace-filled approach and others emphasizing the penalty of endorsing what they believe the Bible clearly calls sin. Originally scheduled for debate in June 2020, the RCA has been waiting over a year to decide on the Vision 2020 Report. The delegates concluded Saturdays plenary with a standing ovation for the Vision 2020 team. This has been hard work, said Keepers. Again, there has been pain in it, but we believe in a God who is doing something new, and a God who is faithful. New law puts additional requirements on any religious leader who was trained abroad. | Image: Max Ryazanov / Getty Images For half a decade, Russian evangelicals have feared the repercussions of anti-extremism laws that monitor and restrict religious life in the country. New amendments to the religion laws, set to go into effect this month, extend government regulations on religious training following a string of recent seminary shutdowns. The country has mandated that all clergy, religious leaders, and missionaries who were trained abroad take a course in state-confessional relations in the Russian Federation and then become recertified by a centralized religious organization, Forum 18 reported earlier this year. Like many Russian evangelical leaders, Moscow Theological Seminary president Peter Mitskevich is concerned about the implementation of the new amendments, which are said to be the biggest increase in government control of religion since the 2016 Yarovaya law banned evangelism in the country. We want to work legally in Russia so we can focus on influencing Russia for the gospel, said Mitskevich, who also serves as executive director of the Russian Baptist Union. We are taking steps to make sure we understand the requirements and try to meet all the issues. Moscow Theological Seminary has already experienced the effects of the countrys legal oversight. The seminary lost its license and had its buildings sealed after an inspection by the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science (Rosobrnadzor) in October 2018. The agency reported the seminary had lacked a developed and approved educational program and listed what government inspectors considered occupational safety and health issues. It wasnt until July 2021 that the government issued a new license for the school to reopen. Mitskevich attributed the problem to what he called paperwork and bureaucracy and described the new license as a miracle from the Lord. Moscow Theological Seminary was one of three Russian evangelical seminaries whose licenses have been annulled in the past three years. As Forum 18 reported, Russian Pentecostal Unions Eurasian Theological Seminary lost its license in November 2018 after court cases brought against it by Rosobrnadzor. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria lost its higher education license on April 6, while another Lutheran seminary is fighting in court to keep its license. Russian evangelical leaders said they had anticipated further regulations even before President Vladimir Putin signed them into law in April. Many churches and ministries in Russia began strategizing several years ago to ensure their pastors and other staff members with degrees from foreign universities or seminaries enrolled in religious studies programs at Russian institutes of higher education, according to Alexander Negrov, former president of St. Petersburg Christian University. The majority of current faculty members at St. Petersburg Christian University all have Russian state-approved degrees along with courses in religious studies, said Negrov, who moved to the US and founded the Hodos Institute in 2013. The institute focuses on ethical and moral leadership training for the Eurasia region. The requirements for those trained abroad apply to both citizens and noncitizens of Russia, but the 2016 Yarovaya law caused practically all foreign missionaries to leave the country. Konstantin Bendas, president of the Moscow-based Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture, Science, and Education, said he considered the amendments equivalent to or even more stringent than the provisions of the Yarovaya law. While the 2016 law mostly targeted the external activity of a religious association, such as gathering and evangelizing, Bendas said the new changes concern the churchs inner life, such as education and hiring. The education requirements apply to clergy and nonclergy and target those with a teaching or leadership role in a ministry. From now on, the state can check everyone who, during the service, rises on the stage and generally shows some kind of activity in the church community, Bendas said. Russian evangelical leaders say a large part of the uncertainty relates to unequal or unpredictable enforcement of the law. According to Forum 18, the amendments also bar persons designated as extremists from participating in religious groups, and companies such as bookshops and NGOs are banned from using religious phrases or designations in their names without permission. Its not really the wording of the law thats important, but a lot of it is how local authorities are interpreting it, Negrov said. We dont really know what will happen. As a result, many leaders fear their ministries could be penalized next. In some areas, law enforcement officials try to enforce the law fairly, but some police officers who dont know the limits of the law go beyond their jurisdiction. Some policemen make a big effort to work with churches, said Vitaly Vlasenko, general secretary of the Russian Evangelical Alliance. Other policemen dont know the law. We need time to educate them. A government official described the requirement for additional training for foreign-educated clergy as aimed at protecting the spiritual sovereignty of Russia. In the longer term, evangelical leaders see the amendments as a way for the Russian government to keep out foreign ideas and strengthen the ties between the Kremlin and Russian Orthodox Church leadership. Sergey Rakhuba, president of Mission Eurasia, a mission agency to Eastern Europe and Russia based in Franklin, Tennessee, called the amendments a very powerful tool. Its part of the plan the government has had for a long time of working with the Russian Orthodox Church, Rakhuba said. Minority faiths are challenged in Russia, particularly if deemed extremist. Outside of Jehovahs Witnesses, who were banned from operating in the country in 2017, evangelicals were the religious group punished the most in the first few years of the anti-evangelism laws. Mitskevich said that in the past, Russian Christians have found ways to share the gospel even under governmental obstacles. Now, they again will have to find a way to adapt to political conditions. We want spiritual unity, the opportunity and freedom to do ministry, build churches, do evangelism, and have schools, said Mitskevich, who continues to hope for a spiritual awakening in the country. To do this, all of us will have to adjust. One miracle has already happened, he said. Franklin Graham has accepted an invitation from the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists to speak on July 9 and 10, 2022, in St. Petersburg during what has been named the Hope Festival. The site of the festival will be the 12,000-seat St. Petersburg Ice Palace. Mitskevich said Russian churches plan to use the event to spur evangelism efforts throughout the year. Pray for big crowds and for many people to hear the gospel, he said. The CEO of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) has stepped down to start a new apologetics organization. Sarah Davis led RZIM through her father Ravi Zachariass death, the posthumous investigation of his sexual abuse, and the breakup and dramatic downsizing of the global apologetics ministry. Now, she will go out on her own and launch a new ministry called Encounter. According to incorporation papers filed with the state of Georgia, Encounters purpose is carrying the Gospel invitation to individuals and engaging in their questions so that they may encounter the love of Christ and enter relationship with Him. It will also engage thoughtful individuals in Gospel conversations, and work on training and discipling messengers of Christs love for their spheres of influence. The mission is not that different from the one stated on RZIMs incorporation papers filed in the state of Georgia in 1986, when Davis was 10. RZIM was founded for proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world and assistance in the development of evangelical Christian leadership. Davis, now 46, declined to answer questions about the new ministry. An RZIM spokesperson did not return a request for comment. Daviss departure may pave the way for RZIMs relaunch. The ministry announced in March it would regroup and rebrand as soon as a complete culture review was finished. The exit appears to mark an end to the internal struggle over that culture review. RZIM leadership disagreed over whether the ministry bears any corporate responsibility for Zachariass sin and whether there was a need for a full examination of RZIMs culture and practices to move forward. According to multiple people familiar with inner conflict at RZIM, Davis contracted Guidepost Solutions to review the ministrys structures, finances, and practices, including the handling of abuse allegations. The RZIM board of directors moved to limit the scope of the investigation and keep any findings from becoming public. The Guidepost evaluation was aimed at identifying areas of unhealth, according to Davis, and help the ministry do everything we can to prevent any kind of abuse in the future. CT reported that some in the international ministry knew about allegations against Zacharias as early as 2008 but chose to take his denials at face value without further investigation. World reported a meeting took place at RZIM headquarters in 2009 about an allegation that Zacharias asked a massage therapist for more than a massage. According to the investigation of Zachariass abuse funded by RZIM, there are also unanswered questions about ministry funds being diverted from their designated purpose to facilitate sexual abuse. The majority of the board, however, sharply disagreed with the need for any more investigation, and many members objected that the Guidepost review was being foisted on them. Debates about how and whether to release any details about the evaluation appear to be ongoing. Guidepost finalized its report to the board in the summer. According to an RZIM public relations representative, further information from the board was expected in late September. It has not yet been made public. The top official remaining at RZIM is Michael Ramsden, who previously served alongside Davis as the organizations president. One of Ramsdens first tasks will be to releaseor not releasethe boards summary of the evaluation. The divisions on the board appear to have taken a toll. When Zacharias died, there were 21 people on the board. Today its down to about 12. Some boad members resigned because they didnt believe Zacharias did anything wrong and wanted the ministry to defend him. Some left in protest over the scope of Guideposts evaluation. At least one left in frustration that the board was not committed to a thorough and serious review of RZIM culture, despite multiple internal and external statements about repentance, restitution, learning, and serving. The board approved downsizing and reorganization of RZIM before Guidepost had time to evaluate the ministry. The RZIM board is anonymous. The ministry registered itself as a church around 2015, stopped filing any information with the Internal Revenue Service, and removed information about the board members from its website. According to multiple sources who have worked with the board in the last year, however, the executive committee making the key decisions about the Guidepost review, rebranding, and future leadership for RZIM is made up of five people: Christopher Blattner, William Payne, Casey Cook, Paul Kepes, and Peter Sorensen. They are all business leaders and longtime financial supporters of RZIM. Several took a leading role in defending Zacharias from previous allegations of sexual abuse. Davis, meanwhile, is parting ways with RZIM, but not going too far. The new apologetics ministry is expected to share office space with the old one in RZIMs five-story building in Alpharetta, Georgia. Encounter may also receive funding from RZIM as the ministry remakes itself into a grant-giving organization, distributing millions in donations to groups that care for sexual abuse victims and apologetics ministries that carry on the work Zacharias was committed to. According to several people familiar with plans for Encounter, Davis will be joined by a few junior speakers from RZIM, which once employed nearly 100 apologists in more than a dozen offices around the world. Encounters team will include Alycia Wood, who studied criminal justice and social justice and has been with RZIM for about seven years; Alexandra Xandra Carroll, who joined RZIM about a year ago and specializes in faith and science; and Louis Phillips, who previously worked for a purity ring ministry and has spoken frequently about sexual ethics. Phillips joined RZIM in 2018, traveled internationally with Zacharias, and hosted the apologists online memorial service in May 2020. Davis herself has done little public speaking, preferring to run the day-to-day operations during her time at RZIM. Before she joined the ministry in 2001, she worked as an advancement officer at Pepperdine University and a marketing assistant at CNN. In a video acknowledging her fathers sexual abuse, released a year after his death, she said she hadnt intended to get involved in apologetics ministry at all. It was really the last thing I wanted to do, she said. In many ways, my life as the daughter of an evangelist hasnt been what I would have hoped. Colin Powell dies from COVID-19 complications amid cancer battle; he was fully vaccinated Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Gen. Colin L. Powell, the first African American to serve as U.S. secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, died Monday morning from COVID-19 complications despite being fully vaccinated his family announced. He was 84. Former U.S. Secretary of State and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Colin L. Powell, who was the first African American to hold both offices, died Monday morning from COVID-19 complications despite being fully vaccinated, his family announced. He was 84. "He was fully vaccinated. We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," the Powell family said in a statement. Powell also suffered from multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that makes it difficult to fight infections even if a person is vaccinated, according to The New York Times. As news of his passing spread Monday, many praised Powell for the life he lived, even if they disagreed politically. "Today, the nation lost a man of undaunted courage and a champion of character," Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, tweeted. "A statesman & trailblazer, devoted to America and the cause of liberty, Colin Powell's legacy of service & honor will long inspire. Ann & I offer our love & sincere condolences to Alma and his family." Donna Brazile, the former chair of the Democratic National Committee and current King Lecture Chair at Howard University in Washington, D.C., called Powell a "good decent man." "He made a way out of no way for so many to serve," Brazile tweeted. "I'll never forget his kind words about my Dad who served in the military. May his soul rest in power. To all who knew him and worked along his side, my sympathy to you and his family." Alexander Vindman, the former director for European Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council and retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, said Powell was the "epitome of a soldier-statesman." "Agree with him or not, he was a patriot committed to public service and doing his very best to advance U.S. interests," Vindman stated on Twitter. "He left an indelible mark on the U.S. Military and this nation. May his memory be a blessing." Powell was born April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York, to Jamaican immigrants. He grew up in the South Bronx, then attended school at the City College of New York, participating in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Upon graduation in 1958, Powell was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He met and married his wife Alma while stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, in 1962. The union produced three children daughters Linda and Annemarie and son Michael. A year after Powell got married, he was sent as one of 16,000 advisers to South Vietnam by President John Kennedy. He was wounded by a punji-stick booby trap and received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service. Powell took over the Army Forces Command and was made chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by President George H. W. Bush in 1989, becoming the first African American to rise to that position. He would continue as chairman of the Joint Chiefs in the first few months of the Clinton administration. In 1993, Powell retired from the Army. In a 1994 Howard University commencement address, Powell urged graduates to "never lose faith in America." Powell was raised in the Episcopal Church. "Above all, never lose faith in America. Its faults are yours to fix, not to curse. America is a family: There may be differences and disputes within the family, but we must not allow the family to be broken into warring factions," he said in the speech. "From the diversity of our people, let us draw strength and not seek weakness. Believe in America with all your heart and soul, with all of your mind. Remember, that it remains the 'last, best hope of Earth.' You are its inheritors and its future is today placed in your hands." In 1995, Powell published his autobiography, My American Journey, highlighting aspects of his personal life and lessons learned from his service in the military. He also served as chairman of America's Promise, a nonprofit dedicated to building character and competence in young people. At the time of his death, he and his wife served as co-chairs of the organization. Powell was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2001 as secretary of state. At the time, his appointment as secretary of state was the highest rank in civilian government held by an African American. While serving in that position, Powell faced heavy criticism for his role in building the case for the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Since his retirement in 2005, Powell remained active politically, openly criticizing different administrations over the years. Police name suspect in David Amess murder as 25-year-old man on terror watch list Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Police have identified the suspect in the brutal murder of Conservative British MP Sir. David Amess as a 25-year-old self-radicalized man, Ali Harbi Ali, the son of a former prime ministerial adviser in Somalia. Im feeling very traumatized. Its not something that I expected or even dreamt of, the suspects father, Harbi Ali Kullane, said at his sisters home in north London, The U.K. Times reported, adding that officers believe the suspect was a lone operative and known to counterterrorism police. Anti-terrorist police from Scotland Yard had visited the suspect, who was likely radicalized online during lockdown, and referred him to Prevent, the governments deradicalization program, the newspaper said, citing anonymous sources. The program is for those who have displayed potentially disturbing behavior, such as writing inflammatory posts on social media. The suspect, however, was not being monitored by British intelligence, which is otherwise keeping an eye on more than 3,000 people who could potentially plan a terror attack. Security services in the U.K. fear that COVID-19-related restrictions might have contributed to many vulnerable people being radicalized online as they remained within their homes. After stabbing Amess 17 times, the suspect sat down next to his body, waiting for the police to arrive, The Telegraph reported. Detained under the U.K.s terrorism laws, the suspect will remain in police custody until Friday. Amess, who was married with five children and was known for his socially conservative viewpoints and pro-life stance against abortion, attended a public meeting for his "constituency surgery" at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea when the attack occurred. In the U.K., constituency surgeries are face-to-face meetings that officeholders have with their constituents. The suspect supposedly booked a slot a week in advance after the lawmaker announced the event on Twitter and on his website. Southends Muslim community has condemned the murder as an indefensible atrocity. The Essex Jamme Masjid (mosque) said in a statement that all Southend mosques are praying for the victim's family. Sir Davids murder was an indefensible atrocity, committed on the grounds of a place of worship and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms, the statement read. This act was committed in the name of blind hatred, and we look forward to the perpetrator being brought to justice. Local Muslim faith leaders remembered Amess as upstanding friend to our Muslim community. John Lamb, chairman of the Southend Conservative Association, was quoted as saying that Amess' family had recently celebrated the wedding of one of his daughters, Alexandra, and were preparing for the wedding of another. He was a family man, its just tremendously sad. They cant believe that Sir. Davids gone, the wife cant believe that her husband has gone and that it happened at a place he loved being. He will never go home again. Thats the disbelief. Cardinal Vincent Nichols said after Amess' murder that he was "shocked and saddened," Crux Now reported. "This death throws a sharp light onto the fact that our Members of Parliament are servants of the people, available to people in their need, especially in their constituencies," he said. "This horrific attack, as David was undertaking his constituency surgery, is an attack on our democratic process and traditions." The cardinal added that the lawmaker "carried out his vocation as a Catholic in public life with generosity and integrity," and pointed out that he was "respected by all political parties across the House." Archbishop Justin Welby also issued a statement, saying he was "truly devastated." Ghosts, Ouija boards, and the line you dont cross Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment If youve never watched one of the 320,000 different ghost hunter-type shows on cable, I can save you the trouble by quickly describing every episode thats ever been recorded. First, theyre all shot in the dark, so youre watching everything occur through green night vision. At some point during the show, the following conversation between the ghost hunters will take place: Bob the ghost hunter: Zak, I just felt a cold spot! Zak the other ghost hunter: No way Bobwhere? Bob the ghost hunter: Over here by the door. A cold draft? Over by a door? Hold the phone, that never happens so it must be supernatural. And wait, Bob, whats that glow coming from your flashlight? These shows have the same thing in common with all the Bigfoot programs, which provide everything you want to see except one thing: an actual Bigfoot. Even though today we have drones, motion-sensitive trail cameras, thermal imaging technology that can spot a caterpillar crawling on a mountainside, and countless hikers with cell phone cameras that capture images mile away Bigfoot, by all measures, remains the hide-and-seek world champion. If you believe in ghosts, I hate to burst your bubble, but they dont exist. And by ghost, Im using the traditional definition of a person who has died and is manifesting themselves in some way to the living, their spirit being trapped between this life and the next. No, there are no such things as ghosts. But there is something much worse that is real. The real thing In 2015, the cable channel Lifetime released a series, called I was Possessed, that chronicled cases of reported demonic possession. When I saw it, I assumed it was going to be along the same lines like all the other ghost hunter shows. Turns out, it surprised me. Im not going to tell you that I believe every case they documented was legitimate.[1] But what I can say is that, given the small amount of experience Ive had in this area, a number of the cases followed the same pattern Ive encountered. A person with no history of mental instability moves into a residence where some form of occultic activity was habitually performed or they naively begin to dabble in the occult themselves through Ouija boards, seances, or similar activities. Most times, nothing immediately happens. But then things start to change. What seems like an all-encompassing irrational fear descends on them. An oppressive heaviness starts to weigh them down. Physical disturbances sometimes start to occur. Out-of-character thoughts begin to intrude into their mind, which leads to compulsive urges to carry them out. A dislike for Christian artifacts may develop. The person is plagued by fear, anguish, guilt, and helplessness not knowing what is happening or who to turn to for help. Some become crippled from a normal life standpoint until they find their way to an experienced Christian who can work with them to bring about deliverance. The New Testament uses the Greek term daimonizomai to describe a person troubled by demons, and we see Jesus and His disciples overcoming their affliction in the Gospels numerous times. Theres nothing in Scripture I see that indicates demonic oppression and possession cant occur today; in fact, there are a number of news stories stating they are on the rise. A hotly debated question Merrill Unger, a noted theologian and professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, wrote a book entitled Biblical Demonology. In it, he argued the case that a Christian cannot be demonically possessed or oppressed. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Unger began receiving letters from missionaries, pastors, and other Christians detailing their accounts with born-again believers who experienced demonization. Dr. Unger did something that is very rare today he thoroughly investigated an opinion contrary to his published belief. After researching what had been sent to him and other cases, Unger ended up writing another book, What Demons can do to Saints, where he changed his opinion to one where he stated Christians can be demonized given certain conditions. This is a strongly debated issue with some aghast at the thought that a demon can trouble a believer, while others, like Chuck Swindoll, in his little book entitled Demonism, state: For a number of years I questioned this, but I am now convinced it can occurI have personally worked with troubled, anguished Christians for many years. On a few occasions, I have assisted in the painful process of relieving them of demons. My opinion is that there are enough warnings in Scripture aimed at Christians about the devil to make me believe we arent immune to enemy attacks. The analogy I use to warn believers of demonic assault is that of a dangerous dog, which lives within the boundaries of an electric/invisible fence. If you stay outside the dogs domain, he cant get to you. But cross that border into his sphere, then its game on, and the primary blame for whatever happens falls on you. Real spiritual warfare is the exact opposite of the ghost hunter shows on the cable networks that attract many (hopefully not you). Ghosts arent real; the enemy and his army are. Do yourself a favor and dont cross the line via repetitive sin or occult interest into his territory, give him a foothold (Eph. 4:27), and make yourself a meal for him. [1] An enormous amount of mental illness exists in society, especially today, and some confuse mental instability with a spiritual problem like demonization. This is why most Christians who assist such people insist that they first seek help from a medical professional. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment My Faith Votes recently sat down with Don Bentley to discuss the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan after the grossly mishandled withdrawal of American troops from the country. Bentley is an Afghanistan combat veteran and a retired Army Apache helicopter pilot. For his service, he was awarded the Air Medal with V device for valor, the Combat Action Badge and the Bronze Star Medal. Following his military service, Bentley worked as an FBI Special Agent and as a SWAT team member. He is the author of the Matt Drake trilogy and the New York Times bestselling author of Target Acquired: A Jack Ryan, Jr. Novel, continuing the story set in motion by the late Tom Clancy. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length. You can watch the full conversation at My Faith Votes here. You recently wrote an op-ed titled Was It Worth It? in response to the troop withdrawal and the ensuing crisis in Afghanistan. I know you wrote that from the perspective of someone whos been there. Did you arrive at an answer to your question? I was an Apache pilot in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2006. I flew into the Kabul airport hundreds of times, and so I know that area very, very well. To see what was happening there, to see Afghans who would rather try and hang on to the landing gear of a C-17 probably knowing that its certain death rather than face the Taliban, to see mothers take their children and hand them off to strangers rather than face the Taliban, it just rips something inside of me. And when you see it fall apart, when you see whats happening there right now, it really shakes your soul and it makes you ask that question: Was it worth it? My oldest son is a sophomore in college. He wants to be a Marine officer when he graduates. As a father looking at a generational war thinking, My son, who was born after Sept. 11, could potentially go back to Afghanistan, you start seeing things in a completely different light and saying, Was it worth it? Its hard to answer that question right now, especially with everything falling down around us. Was the original push into Afghanistan worth it? Absolutely. Do I think that the people who sacrificed their blood did so in vain? No, I absolutely dont think they did. But I cant help but look at whats happening now and think, You know what? We were the ones who deployed to Afghanistan. About 800,000 people deployed to Afghanistan. We live in a nation of 330 million. Thats less than a quarter of a percent that bore that weight for 20 years, often multiple tours of duty while doing it. Those of us that did that were owed a better outcome than this. We were owed a better outcome than watching people fall off C-17s as they flew out of the Kabul airport. So was it worth it? I hope so. What would you want to hear military or political leaders say to those who have lost family or friends? What we have right now is not a failure of military capability but a failure of political will. I wish our political leaders would understand that Americans don't sign up to join the military to be safe. They sign up to do a job. And putting them in Afghanistan in harm's way is what they signed up to do if they're going out to do their mission. If our political leadership would be decisive and have our folks go out and do what they would do, Americans would back that because we dont leave people behind. That is the solemn vow that America makes to its sons and daughters that go into harms way: We will not leave you behind. That applies to our civilians, to the Afghans that stood up and are now being hunted down for the sole crime of helping Americans. To think that we would leave our own countrymen and women or those people who bled on our behalf behind is just disgraceful. On Sept. 1, you called people to prayer via Facebook. You kept it very simple and focused on the Lord's Prayer. Why did you choose to focus on the Lord's Prayer? I chose the Lord's Prayer for a couple of different reasons. Number one, I wanted people to feel like wherever they were, no matter where they were on their faith journey, no matter what their faith tradition is like, that they could take part in this. I love the Lord's Prayer because even Jesuss disciples struggled with how to pray and what to say, and when they asked him, How do we pray? he gave them this very simple prayer, almost a poem: the Lord's Prayer. When I do my devotions every morning, a lot of times I'll start with that. When I'm at a point in my life where I don't know what to say, when I don't have the words to convey what's going on in my heart, I often default to the Lord's Prayer. Were helpless in that were not in Afghanistan, but there's something that we can do: pray. It doesn't depend in that moment in time on a faith tradition, on a political leaning, just a reflection that, as Americans, we know that we have sons and daughters and brothers and sisters who are in harm's way. And 13 families just became Gold Star families. Thats why I did it. The Gospel includes politics and economics Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment When I look at the comments section here, in the channel of The Christian Post that focuses on business, finance and economics, I note that often, instead of attempting to apply the Bible to these topics, commenters deny that Christianity has anything to say about them at all. Or they deny that Christians should apply their faith in the broader culture. Or sometimes they even deny that a Christian publication should publish any content about culture, politics, economics or finance at all, but should rather stick to "the Gospel." For example, look at this fascinating article by Bible scholar, Mark Horne, who has written important commentaries on the Gospel of Mark and more recently on the Book of Proverbs. Pastor Horne argues that as Christians engage with our nation, we should heed Solomon's warnings about the tendency for anger to be counterproductive. We should not fight political tyranny with anger, because anger itself is a kind of tyranny. This analysis is fascinating in a good way, but what is fascinating in a not-good way is how much of the comments section is filled by people who simply deny that Christians should have any political goals. This world-flight cultural surrender is quite common and it is one of the reasons our culture is declining so rapidly. This idea that Christians should be interested in something they call "the Gospel" - and not politics - shows a highly truncated concept of what the word "Gospel" means. A gospel, an euangelion (the Greek word in the New Testament translated as "Gospel" or "good news"), is the announcement of a new emperor. In the pagan context in which the New Testament was written, it would have referred to the announcement that a new Caesar has ascended to power. In the Jewish context in which the New Testament was written, it referred to the coming of the Messiah, who was both a religious and political figure, particularly as prophesied in Isaiah. The word translated as Gospel has clear political implications within its semantic range, and the fact that the English word we use to translate it no longer carries those implications is so much the worse for our understanding of the Bible. I'm increasingly seeing conservative ministers play down or deny any political or cultural content in the Gospel. A friend who is a conservative Christian journalist recently tweeted out a reference to something that Pastor Alistair Begg has said: "The gospel was not preached in order that the culture of Ephesus might be changed. The gospel was not preached so that the temple of Diana would be pulled down. The gospel was not preached so that Christian people could have a kind of better lifestyle for themselves as a result of the benefits of the gospel message spilling out into the culture. No, the gospel was preached for no other reason than that men and women might be saved." TruthForLife While I admire Pastor Begg a great deal, I think this statement involves a false dichotomy. Is not bondage to false gods like Diana one of the things we are saved from? After all, Paul says they are truly demons. The pagan religion of Diana was economically oppressive, which is why idol makers were a major force behind the pagan riots against Paul. Is that not one of the things we are saved frombondage to exploitative superstitions? When I responded to this journalist, suggesting that this Gospel vs. Culture approach is a false dichotomy, one of her followers weighed in on her side, writing, "In 1 Cor 15:1ff, Paul lists out what is most important (his words) he then defines the gospel he preached, nowhere is cultural transformation mentioned or even hinted." But it seems to me that the whole passage is rife with cultural transformation, culminating in, "For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet" 1 Corinthians 15:25-27 It doesn't list cultural transformation as a separate category because it is in the "all things in subjection under His feet." John says that "The son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8) Are not pornography, abortion, debauchery, Communism, Fascism, etc. among the works of the devil? If so, then preaching the Gospel of the Son directly confronts those evils, and changing them is part of that preaching. Culture is one of the things either clean or defiled which comes out of the heart (Mark 7:14 and following.) The Fruit of the Spirit, the Beatitudes, the Decalogue, all of that is cultural transformation. As Tom Wright, who knows a thing or two about Greek grammar, keeps saying: If Jesus is Lord, then Caesar is not. The irony is that these people who deny the cultural mandate are highly engaged in politics. The two Twitter people I mentioned are almost constantly tweeting about politics... attacks on never-Trumpers, attacks on mask and vaccine mandates, attacks on President Biden, it's almost all politics for them. But it is a certain very specific kind of populist conservatism, not the whole counsel of God. What I'm increasingly seeing among a large segment of conservative Christians is simultaneously a denial of any political content to the Bible in sync with greater and greater political obsession. What that amounts to is that we remove the Gospel's influence from our politics at the moment when we are most politically engaged. Remember that interview that Jerry Falwell Jr. did (Jerry Falwell Jr.: 'I do believe Trump is a Christian' - CNN Video) in which he denied that the Bible should inform politics? He said that if we apply the bible to politics, we're liable to support the welfare state and unlimited immigration... so let's leave the Bible out of it. I remember watching Tucker Carlson on Fox News a few years ago responding to someone who quoted the Bible about the compassionate treatment of immigrants, and he waved the quote away, saying, "We're not a theocracy." Now, I don't think allowing the Bible to govern our politics necessarily or even probably leads to unlimited immigration or a welfare state, but if it did, then we should have unlimited immigration and a welfare state, because Jesus is Lord. We don't wave away the Bible because a certain reading of it contradicts the current political mood of our core demographic group. The Gospel means Jesus is the new Lord of all Creation. Our job is to do the work, study His word, follow what He taught and teach it to individuals and nations. Dean Cain blasts DC Comics after Superman's son revealed as bisexual: 'Theyre bandwagoning' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An actor well-known for playing Superman in the 1990s is weighing in on DC Comics' branding of the character's son as bisexual, alleging that the move is not bold or brave. DC Comics announced Monday that an upcoming issue of the comic book series Superman: Son of Kal-El will profile a romantic relationship between Jon Kent, son of the original Superman Clark Kent, and a male journalist, suggesting that the character is bisexual. Actor Dean Cain, an outspoken conservative who starred on the TV series "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" from 1993 to 1997, reacted to the news during an appearance on "Fox & Friends First" Tuesday. Cain pushed back on the idea that making Jon Kent bisexual constituted a "bold new direction" for the Superman franchise by noting the increasingly large number of superhero characters revealing themselves as LGBT. "I say they're bandwagoning. Robin, of Batman & Robin just came out as bi or gay recently. And honestly, who's really shocked about that one?" "The new Captain America is gay. My daughter in 'Supergirl' where I played the father, she was gay. So I don't think it's bold or brave or some crazy new direction," he added. "If they had done this 20 years ago, perhaps that would have been bold and brave." The 55-year-old actor offered his assessment of how the Superman comic's authors could be "brave." "Brave would be having him fighting for the rights of gay people in Iran, where they'll throw you off a building for the offense of being gay," he asserted. "They're talking about him fighting real-world problems like climate change, the deportation of refugees and he'll be dating a 'hacktivist,' whatever a 'hacktivist' is. Why don't they have him fight the injustices that created the refugees whose deportation he's protesting? That would be brave." Cain suggested that Jon Kent should start "fighting for the rights of women to attend school and have the ability to work and live, and boys not to be raped by men under the new warm and fuzzy Taliban," referring to the situation in Afghanistan after the United States withdrew troops from the country. "There's real evil in this world today, real corruption and government overreach, plenty of things to fight against human trafficking, real actual slavery going on." "It would be brave to tackle those issues, shine a light on those issues," Cain maintained. "I'd like to see the character doing that." He predicted that he would not read the upcoming issue of Superman: Son of Kal-El because he could "just watch CNN or MSNBC to get this information." Cain elaborated in an op-ed published by Real Clear Politics Thursday titled "'Woke' Superman's Mission is Neither Bold Nor Brave." The actor delivered a message to the "cultural gatekeepers busily rethinking which of our national heroes or iconic superheroes, for that matter, belong on pedestals." "Inclusiveness is healthy, but tinkering with the sexuality or political outlook of fictional heroes does not necessarily improve their character," he wrote. "Here, after all, was the initial description of the man from Krypton: 'Superman, champion of the oppressed. The physical marvel who had sworn to devote his existence to helping those in need!" Cain took issue with the replacement of Superman's longtime catchphrase "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" with "Truth, Justice, and a Better World." He lamented that "the cool thing right now is to bash America. He defined a "better world" as "one in which people have more freedom and independence" and "protection from government overreach and corruption." He classified the ideas mentioned above as synonymous with "the idea of America." The reintroduction of well-established superhero characters as gay or bisexual is not a new phenomenon. In addition to the characterization of Batman's sidekick Robin as bisexual in the August issue of the DC Comics book series Batman: Urban Legends, the character of Batwoman was portrayed as a lesbian on the CW television series of the same name. Nearly a decade ago, DC Comics faced considerable backlash for depicting the Green Lantern as gay. The assignment of characters first created decades ago into the LGBT community is not limited to superheroes. A 2019 episode of the PBS children's series "Arthur" based on the long-running children's book series featured the title character's teacher, Mr. Ratburn, getting married to another male character. The portrayal of superheroes and other characters on notable programs designed for children comes as the LGBT advocacy group GLAAD has called for 20% of all television characters to be LGBT by 2025. Calif. church offers religious exemption letters for people opposed to COVID vaccine Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A church in California that has a history of defying pandemic lockdown orders is offering religious exemption letters for people opposed to being vaccinated against COVID-19. KCRA News reports that after Sunday services last week, there were long lines of people waiting to pick up exemption letters from Destiny Christian Church in Rocklin, led by Pastor Greg Fairrington. Some say they traveled over two hours to get a letter. Fairrington told the outlet that he doesn't believe vaccine requirements are "right." "America is a free country. We have freedom of religion, and if a person has a moral objection to taking the vaccine, we want to come alongside of them," he said in a video interview. Destiny Christian Church, which averages 10,000 people online and in-person for its worship services, recently sent a statement to the Los Angeles Times explaining the importance of the exemption letters. Fairrington said the church has gotten thousands of phone calls from doctors, nurses, educators, and first responders, in tears, fearing that their livelihoods hang in the balance because of their religious convictions. The vaccine poses a morally compromising situation for many people of faith, stated Fairrington. The religious exemptions we are issuing speak to that, honor that, and affirm that. Earlier this month, Fairrington and his wife, Kathy, led their congregation in a prayer for those who work in healthcare, education or other fields threatened with losing their job because they refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine on moral grounds. Michelle Mello, a professor of law and medicine at Stanford University, told the Times that she believes the exemption letters are irrelevant since most workplaces and the courts already recognize bona fide and sincere religious exemptions. You have to do one of two things to protect other people from the risk that you pose to them, Mello told The Los Angeles Times, getting vaccinated or getting tested regularly. Thats not a mandate. A mandate is when you withhold an important benefit because a person declines to receive vaccination. As the COVID vaccine becomes more widely available, many schools and businesses have required workers and others to get vaccinated or, if exempted for medical or religious reasons, to submit to wearing face masks in public and getting tested regularly. While Destiny Church has offered to provide religious exemption letters, other Christian bodies like the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York have refused to allow their clergy to give such exemptions. In a memorandum dated July 30, Chancellor John P. Cahill informed all clergy and staff that there is no basis for a priest to issue a religious exemption to the vaccine. Pope Francis has made it very clear that it is morally acceptable to take any of the vaccines and said we have the moral responsibility to get vaccinated, wrote Cahill. By doing so [a priest] is acting in contradiction to the directives of the Pope and is participating in an act that could have serious consequences to others. The archdiocese concluded that while a person is free to exercise discretion on getting the vaccine based on his or her own beliefs, their clergy should not be active participants to such actions. Fairrington made headlines earlier this month when he urged congregants to vote to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom during the recall election on Sept. 4. He told The Sacramento Bee that Newsom's policies during the pandemic have had "traumatic consequences for families, schools, communities, and the church." Newsom came under fire as his administration enacted restrictions on in-person worship services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several churches disobeyed the guidelines and some challenged them in court. In April, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a lower court ruling against South Bay Pentecostal Church, which sought injunctive relief against the restrictions. JD Greear, Paul Tripp identify No. 1 issue facing the Church and how pastors should address it Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Paul Tripp and J.D. Greear said that identity is the number one issue facing the Church today and challenged pastors to have joyful courage while speaking biblical truth to a generation that has abandoned these fundamental categories. I think that the number one issue [facing the church] is identity, said Tripp, pastor, author and head of Paul Tripp Ministries, to Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, during a recent episode of the Gospel Coalition podcast. I think the further we get away from a biblical worldview, the further we get away from these wonderful categories that God has given us that help us make sense of who we are and who we are in relation to one another, who we are, gender, sex ... you have this horrible loss of those categories and then people grabbing for categories. I think its one of the reasons why we have all the tribalism that we have now because being part of a tribe gives me identity. This is who I am. This is what Im about. This is the meaning of my life. ... I just think we have to do better at talking about that issue in the way that really speaks to the lostness of people, he added. Tripp called the loss of identity terrifying, adding: I think were going to see that in families, younger children. I think we just exploded things that are fundamental for understanding life, and the church better be ready to deal with that. When it comes to dealing with the issue of identity, Tripp advised pastors to quit assuming that people come into our churches with that in place. I think you go back 50 years, you could make that assumption: People sort of knew who they were. They knew where they fit in Gods economy, he added. People just dont anymore. And theres a way in which, say youre preaching through a passage of scripture, you have to have that in your background. That passage may assume things that you cant assume of your congregation. You have to fill things in, in order to make this particular moment in preaching make sense because of what the people youre preaching to have brought into the room. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, noted that many large churches and seeker-friendly ministries have a tendency to dumb down Christianity to practical life lessons. But it behooves pastors, he said, to preach the whole counsel of God while also equipping and empowering people to go out and become disciple-making disciples. I think that dichotomy between deep preaching and relevant preaching is youre going to see that go away, not just in the minds of theologians but in the minds of the seekers themselves, he said. Tripp urged pastors to have joyful courage as they address a generation that has abandoned these fundamental categories. Whatever that person is experiencing, its addressed by this incredible Gospel story, he said. Greear added that the Church is going to be challenged to decide who they really are in terms of identity themselves. Christians are Gospel people, and that means that theres a lot of important things that have to give way to the most essential thing, he said. And I think, ... youre just going to find churches that are going to group together around certain political advocacy, certain political things that, again, are good, but theyre just not the most essential Gospel thing. A recent study from Barna found that two-thirds of teens and young adults (65%) agree that many religions can lead to eternal life, compared to 58% of teens and young adults surveyed in 2018. Additionally, 31% of teens and young adults strongly agree that what is morally right and wrong changes over time, based on society, compared to just 25% in 2018. In an interview with The Christian Post, Mark Clark, founding pastor of Village Church in Vancouver, Canada, said that in light of these statistics, the onus is on Christian parents and teachers to have a clear, full picture of Jesus, as the next generation is going to reject Christianity based on how Christians live their lives and the hypocrisy and divisions they see in the church. Depending on our ideological bent, we'll home in on different aspects of Jesus and then ignore other aspects, he said. Yes, Jesus was all about the Golden Rule, but He was also about the scandalous idea that you have to give up your family life if its an idol in order to follow Him. We focus on Jesus saying, I'm the truth and forget that He loved, served, and gave His life for the people and loved the poor and the marginalized and that Christianity actually flourishes among the margins. We need to see Jesus clearly and fill in the pieces weve gotten wrong." JD Greear urges Southern Baptists not to engage in Pharisee hypocrisy on sexual abuse, racism and CRT Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Outgoing Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear warned the largest Protestant denomination in the United States against being Pharisee-like hypocrites on issues pertaining to sexual abuse, racism and how they handle critical race theory. More than 15,000 Southern Baptists came to Nashville, Tennessee, for the SBCs annual meeting, held Tuesday and Wednesday at the Music City Center. The annual meeting has garnered extensive attention from those outside of the SBC due to issues like the debate over critical race theory, traditional gender roles, and complementarian theology taking center stage. At his final address as president of the SBC, given Tuesday afternoon, Greear focused his remarks on Matthew 23, in which Jesus warned His disciples against the hypocrisy, or leaven, of the Pharisees. While speaking positively of the SBCs Conservative Resurgence, stating that the curse of liberalism is real, he added that Jesus warned that there is more than one way to lose the Gospel. There was another, said Greear. A leaven Jesus warned about also, perhaps one even more deceptive than liberalism, He called it the leaven of the Pharisees. What is most dangerous about this leaven is that it grows in the soil of orthodoxy. Greear warned that Pharisee tendencies threaten the SBC, such as focusing on the more minute parts of the law while ignoring the weightier parts, and gave examples of how he believed that looked in the modern day. Might look like any institution that creates unnecessary obstacles for victims of sexual abuse to seek justice by hiding behind legal smokescreens or [non-disclosure agreements], continued Greear. It looks like a convention that polices itself rigorously on complementarian issues, but allows female abuse victims to be mistreated and maligned. It looks like an SBC that expends more energy decrying things like CRT than they have done lamenting the devastating consequences of years of racial bigotry and discrimination. While Greear stressed that he is opposed to CRT, saying it stems from a belief system at odds with the Gospel, he added that denouncing it falls on deaf ears when we remain silent on the suffering of our neighbors. We must make certain that our zeal to clarify what we think about CRT is accompanied by a pledge to fight with them against all forms of discrimination. To make clear that we stand with our brothers and sisters of color in their suffering, he said. The outgoing president stressed the importance of racial minorities in the growth of SBC, getting a lengthy applause after he told them from the stage that we need you. Greear went on to express concern that political calculus might be elevated to divine authority, declaring that whenever the church gets in bed with politics, the church gets pregnant. And the offspring does not look like our Father in Heaven. His remarks were on the first day of the SBC's Annual Meeting, in which over 15,000 messengers attended to determine resolutions and hear reports for the Convention. CRT proponents trace their origins to the 1970s, as civil rights activists at the time responded to what they viewed as a backlash to the civil rights movement of the 1960s. According to University of Alabama professor Richard Delgado and his colleague Jean Stefancic, who co-wrote the book Critical Race Theory: An Introduction, CRT is defined as a movement comprised of activists and scholars interested in studying and transforming the relationship among race, racism, and power. The movement considers many of the same issues that conventional civil rights and ethnic studies discourses take up, but places them in a broader perspective that includes economics, history, context, group- and self-interest, and even feelings and the unconscious, wrote Delgado and Stefancic. Unlike traditional civil rights, which embraces incrementalism and step-by-step progress, critical race theory questions the very foundations of the liberal order, including equality theory, legal reasoning, Enlightenment rationalism, and neutral principles of constitutional law. Critics of CRT have long warned of its ties to Marxist critical theory. Opponents have noted that the ideology uses Marxist tactics of class struggle to divide people among race, gender and ethnicity. Some have argued that the CRT wrongfully vilifies the United States and its history, as well as stoking its own racially-charged vitriol. Last year, The Council of Seminary Presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention released a statement denouncing racism and CRT as both being incompatible with Baptist beliefs. Albert Mohler of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary said in comments released with the statement that CRT has no rightful place within an SBC seminary. Instructed by the Bible and motivated by the Gospel, we are called to stand together in opposing the sin of racism. We must make clear that racism has no rightful place within the SBC, our churches, or our entities, stated Mohler at the time. We are not to be guided by secular ideologies, but by the Word of God alone and in the love of Christ. I believe that Southern Baptists are up to this task. Potters House charity, churches raising aid for 25K Haitian families after massive quake Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A group of churches that includes the charity arm of Bishop T.D. Jakes The Potters House are raising aid for approximately 25,000 families affected by the recent severe earthquake in Haiti. United MegaCARE, the humanitarian group of The Potter's House, announced Monday that they were joining Perfecting Faith Church of New York and Tabernacle of Glory in Miami, Fla. to provide relief to Haitians in need. T.D. Jakes Ministries emailed The Christian Post comments from the leadership of United MegaCARE, explaining that they had a history of sending aid to Haiti in times of crisis. For this latest endeavor, our objective is to meet the immediate need following both the 7.2 magnitude earthquake earlier this month and Tropical Storm Grace, stated the charity group. Were currently focused on helping offset the cost of relief kits (and efforts) currently underway with our partners on-the-ground in Haiti and partners making their way to Haiti. United MegaCARE told CP that they expect to ship the supplies by the end of the month, noting that they have yet to fail in meeting the objectives we set out to do when helping those in need. Our financial contributions to our team members on the ground in Haiti is part of our Phase 1 relief efforts. Supplies like tents, PPE, non-perishable food and emergency supplies are all part of the kits being developed, they explained. Our Phase 2 relief efforts are currently in development following an additional on-site assessment of the people, their needs and future requirements. The timeline for Phase 2 relief efforts are not yet finalized. Earlier this month, Haiti experienced a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, which was greater in severity than the earthquake that hit the Caribbean nation in 2010 that killed over 300,000 people. The epicenter of the earthquake from earlier this month was near the town of Petit Trou de Nippes, which is located 93 miles from the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. Archdeacon Abiade Lozama of St. Sauveur Episcopal Church in Les Cayes told The New York Times that the streets were filled with screaming and people searching for loved ones. People are sitting around waiting for word, and there is no word no word from their family, no word on who will help them, Lozama explained. When such a catastrophe happens, people wait for word or some sort of confidence from the state. But theres nothing. No help. Haiti's Civil Protection Agency announced on Sunday that the current death toll for the earthquake is approximately 2,200, with over 300 still missing and more than 12,000 injured. Pat Robertson says God is not a Republican,' discusses the 'trouble' with 'partisan politics' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Notable televangelist Pat Robertson, who is known for mobilizing conservative Christians to vote, said during a Fox News interview Sunday that "God is not a Republican." On the Oct. 17 episode of "Fox News Sunday," host Chris Wallace featured Robertson on the "Power Player of the Week" segment, which included an overview of the 91-year-old's public career mixed with recent interview comments. The feature comes just weeks after Robertson announced that he is retiring from hosting the Christian Broadcasting Network daily talk show "The 700 Club," a program he started in 1966. Regarding Robertson's history of rallying conservative Christians to vote for Republican candidates, Wallace asked if there were any downsides to tying evangelical Christianity to the GOP. Roberston, who ran for the Republican nomination for president in 1988, also founded the Christian Coalition, a lobbying organization that sought to mobilize the Christian vote and distributed voting guides to churches. "Well, I became to realize without question that God is not a Republican, that God loves everybody," Robertson said. "The trouble with, you know, getting involved in partisan politics is that half the electorate you're going to make mad at you. And I should be dealing with eternal matters and not secular politics." Robertson admitted that one of his biggest accomplishments in life was mobilizing Christians "into the political arena." "It was thought before those politics was something dirty," he said. "We had enormous amount of influence and I think it was important." Robertson founded the Christian Broadcasting Network in 1960, funded by small donations. In 1966, "The 700 Club" daily news magazine program was launched. The show has become one of the longest-running shows on television in the U.S. Wallace asked Robertson why he decided to change programming from more formal sermons and revival meetings to a talk-show format. "People would call in and the things that were going on in their life, people would call in prayer and they would call in answers," Roberston said. "And the interactive format is what we've been using ever since." Wallace also asked Robertson about some of his past controversial remarks, specifically the televangelist's history of blaming natural disasters on immorality. "I did say that we had the power to speak to those storms and tell them to go away, like Jesus commanded the waves to cease," he said. "And we commanded them in His name and and they went away." Earlier this month, Robertson announced that he is stepping down from hosting the program after decades of serving in that role. He plans to continue making periodic appearances on the "The 700 Club" and teach at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, a school he helped to found. "His legacy and the example of his prayer life will continue to lead The 700 Club in the years to come," stated his son, Gordon Robertson, who is tapped to be the show's new host. "And the best part is, he is just going across the street to Regent University and will be on The 700 Club regularly in the future." Robertson's long tenure as host was often marked by controversy surrounding comments either he or guests of the program made on various hot-button political and religious issues. Shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, for example, Robertson interviewed the Rev. Jerry Falwell on the program. Falwell placed some blame for the tragedy on the U.S.' acceptance of homosexuality and liberal activists. Robertson simply replied: "I totally concur." Right after the broadcast, Robertson released a statement clarifying that he held "no one other than the terrorists and the people and nations who have enabled and harbored them responsible for [the] attacks on this nation." Pro-life pregnancy center sues Connecticut to halt 'deceptive' advertising law Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A pro-life pregnancy care center in Connecticut has sued the state over a law that it claims will prohibit the organization from advertising services unless it promotes abortion. Care Net Pregnancy Resource Center of Southeastern Connecticut, a faith-based organization located in New London, filed a suit against Connecticut Attorney General William Tong on Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. At issue is Connecticut Public Act 21-17, a measure that prevents pregnancy care centers that do not perform abortions from engaging in what it calls "deceptive" advertising. The legislation prohibits what it describes as "limited services pregnancy centers" from making "any statement concerning any pregnancy-related service or the provision of any pregnancy-related service that is deceptive, whether by statement or omission, and that a limited services pregnancy center knows or reasonably should know to be deceptive." Care Net alleged in the lawsuit that Public Act 21-17 "bans Care Net from communicating freely with the individuals it serves and with those it wishes to serve, unless Care Net agrees to provide abortions, dispense abortifacient drugs, or offer referrals for abortions or abortifacient drugs." "The Act is a speaker-based, viewpoint-based law targeting the speech only of speakers espousing certain pro-life moral, religious, and philosophical beliefs," read the suit, in part. "To stop this imminent irreparable harm, Care Net asks this Court to enjoin enforcement of the Act and to declare it unconstitutional, so Care Net may freely speak its beliefs, freely exercise its faith, and freely serve the women of Connecticut who may wish to benefit from its free support services." The complaint also states that Connecticut already has a law prohibiting deceptive and unfair practices from various entities, known as Connecticut's Unfair Trade Practices Act, or CUTPA. "CUTPA does not single out the speech of certain types of entities, and it applies to Care Net and other pro-life pregnancy centers," added the lawsuit. Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group that has won religious freedom cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, is representing Care Net in its legal proceedings. ADF Senior Counsel Denise Harle said in a statement that she believes the state law "impedes women's ability to receive critical services during a very difficult time in their lives." Further, Harle argues that the law "suppresses the free-speech rights of Care Net and other faith-based pregnancy centers serving women in the community, and punishes those who abide by their religious beliefs." "This law allows the state attorney general to decide if he likes what you're saying, and if he doesn't, you must 'correct' it or be punished," she added. "The Supreme Court has made it clear that the government can't target certain messages because it doesn't like a particular viewpoint. Care Net should have the freedom to continue serving women in southeastern Connecticut without government censorship." Originally known as Senate Bill 835, or "An Act Concerning Deceptive Advertising Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers," Public Act 21-17 took effect on July 1 after Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont signed it into law in May. Lamont contends that the law should have the support of people regardless of their views on the abortion debate because it is "abhorrent for anyone to advertise healthcare services they cannot or do not provide and give information to someone with the intention of misleading them." Lamont maintains that the law "in no way prohibits anyone from practicing their constitutionally protected, faith-based beliefs." "Rather, all this law does is make it clear that if you do not offer certain types of services or referrals to these services, then you cannot deceive the public by saying you do," he continued. New York must allow religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccines, judge rules Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A federal judge on Tuesday granted a preliminary injunction against New York's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers after a group of 17 Christian medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, protested in a lawsuit that the mandate violated their religious freedom by not allowing employers to consider religious exemptions. U.S. District Judge David N. Hurd issued a new order blocking the New York health department from rejecting employer-approved religious exemptions to the vaccine mandate enacted on Aug. 26. It comes as a similar order issued in September was set to expire. "The question presented by this case is not whether plaintiffs and other individuals are entitled to a religious exemption from the State's workplace vaccination requirement," Hurd wrote in his ruling. "Instead, the question is whether the State's summary imposition of 2.61 conflicts with plaintiffs' and other individuals' federally protected right to seek a religious accommodation from their individual employers." "The answer to this question is clearly yes," the Bill Clinton appointee continued. "Plaintiffs have established that 2.61 conflicts with longstanding federal protections for religious beliefs and that they and others will suffer irreparable harm in the absence of injunctive relief." The vaccine mandate dictated that more than 600,000 workers in public and private hospitals and nursing homes throughout the state receive their first dose of a vaccine by midnight Sept. 26 to continue working the following day. On Sept. 14, Hurd issued an order to temporarily prevent New York's health department from rejecting employer-approved religious exemptions. The order was extended on Sept. 20 until Oct. 12, when Hurd made his decision. In their lawsuit, the Christian medical workers, represented by religious liberty advocate group Thomas More Society, argued that the state allows a medical exemption and should also consider religious exemption requests. "With this decision the court rightly recognized that yesterday's 'front line heroes' in dealing with COVID cannot suddenly be treated as disease-carrying villains and kicked to the curb by the command of a state health bureaucracy," Thomas More Society Special Counsel Christopher Ferrara, the lead counsel in the case, said in a statement. "Some of these plaintiffs contracted COVID while treating patients, recovered, and were allowed to return to work with the same protective measures that were good enough for the 18 months that they were the heroes in the battle against the virus. There is no 'science' to show that these same measures are suddenly inadequate especially when they are allowed for those with medical exemptions." The preliminary injunction prohibits New York's Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and any agencies or persons under her authority from "enforcing, threatening to enforce, attempting to enforce, or otherwise requiring compliance" with the COVID vaccine mandate. The state is also forbidden from taking "any action, disciplinary or otherwise, against the licensure, certification, residency, admitting privileges or other professional status or qualification" of medical professionals that seek or obtain a religious exemption from mandatory COVID-19 vaccination. "These plaintiffs are not anti-vaxxers," Stephen Crampton, Thomas More Society senior counsel, said. The plaintiffs, who oppose abortion under any circumstances, object to taking the vaccines because "they all employ fetal cell lines derived from procured abortion in testing, development or production." The ruling comes after Hochul told a Brooklyn megachurch last month that vaccines against COVID-19 are God's answer to "our prayers." She vowed to appeal the injunction. "My responsibility as Governor is to protect the people of this state, and requiring health care workers to get vaccinated accomplishes that," the governor said in a statement reacting to the injunction. "I stand behind this mandate, and I will fight this decision in court to keep New Yorkers safe." Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The abortion industry often uses lofty language to dress up appalling actions. Phrases like termination of a pregnancy, abortion care, reproductive health care and pro-choice are just a smattering of examples. This tactic was on full display recently at the United States Capitol. During the House Oversight Committees hearing on newly enacted pro-life laws, Dr. Ghazeleh Moayedi, an OB-GYN, testified against Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB8). The bill took effect on September 1 and outlawed abortions after a preborn babys heartbeat can be detected. While speaking against SB8, Dr. Moayedi added this pernicious line. I know firsthand that abortion saves lives. For the thousands of people Ive cared for, abortion is a blessing, abortion is an act of love, abortion is freedom (emphasis added)." If you did a double-take after reading that, youre not alone. These brash and brazen lies should shock the conscience. Lets start with the doctors assertion that abortion saves lives. Weve heard much about following the science over the last year and a half. And when discussing life in the womb, the science is crystal clear. Life begins at conception. The scientific field of embryology confirms this. Keith Moore, Ph.D., writes in Essentials of Human Embryology, Human development begins after the union of male and female gametes or germ cells during a process known as fertilization (conception). T.W. Sadler, Ph.D., concludes in Langmans Medical Embryology, The development of a human begins with fertilization. And Bruce M. Carlson, M.D., Ph.D. writes in Pattens Foundations of Embryology, Almost all higher animals start their lives from a single cell, the fertilized ovum (zygote) The time of fertilization represents the starting point in the life history, or ontogeny, of the individual. As to when life begins, the science is settled. Therefore, every abortion takes at least one life. That of the preborn child. Now, is abortion a blessing or an act of love? Not even close. Thomas Aquinas defined love as willing the good of the other. A woman who actively wills the elimination and destruction of her preborn child is acting directly contrary to love. As are those men who encourage their partner to abort their child. And if you ask almost any parent, theyll tell you that though parenthood is challenging and trying, children are a blessing. Abortion, the violent and systematic elimination of those children, isnt. For those who deliberately obscure what abortion really is, the Good Book has something to say: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness. (Isaiah 5:20). Pope John Paul II, in his 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae, translated The Gospel of Life, wrote, Today there exists a great multitude of weak and defenseless human beings, unborn children in particular, whose fundamental right to life is being trampled upon. Only respect for life can be the foundation and guarantee of the most precious and essential goods of society, such as democracy and peace, he added. Americans frequently pride themselves on living in the freest, greatest, and most exceptional nation on earth. Why else would a nearly 20 foot tall, bronze Statue of Freedom sit atop our U.S. Capitol building? But consider, can a nation that kills nearly 1 million preborn children each year really be called exceptional, great or free? If you were one of the hundreds of thousands of preborn children aborted in the United States this year, how would you see our nation? To be clear, abortion isnt an act of love. Choosing life is. Pakistan: 2 brothers shot and killed by Muslim mob in attack on Christian neighborhood Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A mob of Muslim men opened fire on a Christian neighborhood, killing two brothers, after authorities in Pakistans Punjab province allowed Christians to lease a disputed piece of land, according to a report. Yaqoob Masih and his brother, Haroon Masih, who were among five Christians who were visiting the property after being awarded the lease, were killed last Friday in Punjabs Okara District, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reports. A Muslim family had religious hatred against us and other Christians living in the village, Indriyas Masih, a witness and survivor of the attack, was quoted as saying. They never like the development of Christians in the village and therefore opposed us in getting a contract for a piece of land for cultivation. Local Muslims were upset after the Christians applied to lease 6 acres of land for cultivation, Indriyas explained. After several months of arguments, local authorities settled the matter by allowing the Christians to lease the land. On the incident day, five of us went to the agricultural fields for irrigation work when a mob of over two dozen armed men attacked, Indriyas added. The attack resulted in the killing of Yaqoob and Haroon. Indriyas said he could identify nine people in the mob who shouted anti-Christian slogans as they opened fire on the five Christians. Police registered a formal complaint, ICC said. However, the Christians are treated as slaves bounded to Muslims, Asif Muniwar, a local human rights defender, explained. Christians enjoy no rights, no dignity, and no protection in this country. The overall system of society is based on religious hatred against Christians and other minorities. ICCs Regional Manager for South Asia, William Stark, called it yet another incident of deadly violence motivated by the widespread intolerance that exists against Christians in Pakistan. Pakistan must do more to combat the extremism and intolerance that motivates anti-Christian incidents like this, Stark said. No one should be treated as a second-class citizen simply because of the faith they profess. In Pakistan, however, the faith you profess drastically affects how you are treated by society. Last month, a group of heavily armed Muslim men fired bullets indiscriminately at a church and Christians homes, wounding at least four Christians, including a six-month pregnant woman, in Lahore city in Punjab, according to a report. Attorney Javed Gill, a senior leader of the Christian Lawyers Association of Pakistan, said there were conflicting reports about the motive for the firing. Several residents have claimed that the accused were opposed to the presence of a church in the locality and had been pressuring them to stop worship there, while some are saying that the incident was an outcome of a dispute over a girl, Gill was quoted as saying. Nonetheless, even if it was a dispute between two people, how can anyone justify the targeting of the entire Christian neighborhood with automatic weapons? An estimated 1.6% of Pakistans 17 million people are Christian, both Catholic and Protestant. Around 97% of the Pakistanis are Muslim, predominantly Sunni. International persecution watchdog group Open Doors USA ranks Pakistan at No. 5 on its 2021 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution due to an extreme level of Islamic oppression. 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. Courtesy, WarnerMedia Last month, news broke that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were renting a condo in Austin. The story lit up the internet, as only news about Bennifer 2.0 can do, leading to wild speculation about where and if the mega-celebrity couple would pop up around town. On Saturday, October 16, we got our first shots of Affleck on set of his new film, Hypnotic, a thriller from San Antonio-born, Austin-based director Robert Rodriguez. The film is an action thriller, according to Deadline, that follows a detective who becomes entangled in a mystery involving his missing daughter. Click here to read the full article. Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the January 6th Select Committee and the National Archives in his latest desperate attempt to prevent the committee from acquiring White House records related to the insurrection, Politico reported on Monday. The lawsuit, which was filed in D.C. district court on Monday, called the congressional inquiry into the events surrounding the Capitol attack a vexatious, illegal fishing expedition, and argued that a federal judge should deny the committees request for documents from the National Archives because the requests are invalid and unenforceable. Not only that, Trumps lawyers want the court to stop the archives from turning over any materials to Congress related to the investigation. Instead, they say, according to Politico, the Archives should first identify all Trump White House documents that might apply to the committees request. The Archives should then let Trumps lawyers examine them thoroughly before Congress can see them, a time-consuming process. Last month, Trump attempted to claim executive privilege to suppress the release of communications within and among the White House and Executive Branch agencies surrounding January 6th, records that the committee requested in August. The White House last week officially rejected Trumps executive privilege request to prevent a batch of documents from going to the committee. Explaining the decision, White House Counsel Dana Remus wrote that Trump using executive privilege is not in the best interests of the United States. The constitutional protections of executive privilege should not be used to shield, from Congress or the public, information that reflects a clear and apparent effort to subvert the Constitution itself, Remus added. Trumps lawyers argue in the lawsuit that the committees investigation is a misguided attempt to intimidate and harass President Trump and his supporters under the guise of investigating the events of January 6th, 2021. In a statement to Politico, Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich said, Today, President Donald J. Trump filed a lawsuit in defense of the Constitution, the Office of the President, and the future of our nation, all of which the sham Unselect Committee is trying to destroy. The fact is America is under assault by Pelosis Communist-style attempt to silence and destroy America First patriots through this hyper-partisan and illegitimate investigation. The committee has also requested personnel records to examine whether the administration installed political loyalists into government positions after Trump lost the 2020 election, as well as documents and communications related to the mental stability of Donald Trump or his fitness for office. Trumps decision to sue the committee was probably only a matter of time. As has been made abundantly clear over decades in the public eye, filing lawsuits is one of the former presidents favorite ways to solve disagreements. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas Republicans on Saturday night closed in on redrawn U.S. House maps that would shore up their eroding dominance as voters peel away from the GOP in the states booming suburbs. In a key late-night vote in the Texas House, Republicans gave early sign-off to new congressional boundaries that would give them more breathing room after some close calls in 2018 and 2020, while also opening a new path for the GOP along the border with Mexico. But in a preview of legal challenges to come, Democrats spent hours blasting the maps as discriminatory and all but blind to the states surging number of Latino residents, who made up more than half of the nearly 4 million new Texans over the past decade. Many live around Dallas and Houston, where under the GOP-engineered maps, there would be no new districts that give Latinos a majority. Republican state Rep. Todd Hunter, who has presided over the redrawn maps in the House, defended the changes and said they comply with the law. The maps will still need final negotiations in the coming days between the House and Senate before being sent to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign them. The redrawn congressional districts would make make it easier for many incumbents to hold their seats, but critics say they also threaten Black and Hispanic communities political influence, even as those voters drive Texas growth. The new lines, the product of a once-in-a-decade redistricting process, create two new districts and make several less competitive for Republican lawmakers. Texas was the only state to gain two congressional seats following the 2020 census, which showed that people of color accounted for more than 9 of 10 new residents in Texas. Race is clearly the factor here, Democratic state Rep. Rafael Anchia said of how the maps were drawn. Not partisanship, but rather race. One revision by the Texas House during hours of debate Saturday would increase the number of Hispanic voters in two districts, but those changes must still make it through another round of approval. Democrats and voting rights advocates are preparing to challenge the maps in court in what would be yet another high-profile, high-stakes legal battle over Texas politics already the epicenter of disputes over abortion and voting rights. Republicans who control both chambers of the Legislature have nearly complete control of the mapmaking process. They are working from maps that experts and courts have already declared as gerrymandered in their favor, and the state has had to defend their maps in court after every redistricting process since the Voting Rights Act took effect in 1965. But legal challenges face new hurdles this round the first since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that Texas and other states with a history of racial discrimination no longer need to have the Justice Department scrutinize the maps before they are approved. Plaintiffs must now wait to file claims and must show that maps were intentionally meant to discriminate by race. Drawing maps to engineer a political advantage is not unconstitutional. Republican state Sen. Joan Huffman, who authored the maps and leads the Senate Redistricting Committee, has told lawmakers they were drawn blind to race. She said her legal team ensured the proposal followed the Voting Rights Act. The proposal would make 24 of the states 38 congressional districts safe Republican districts, with an opportunity to pick up at least one additional newly redrawn Democratic stronghold on the border with Mexico, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of data from last year's election collected by the Texas Legislative Council. Currently, Republicans hold 23 of the state's 36 seats. Republicans with newly fortified advantages include Rep. Van Taylor, whose district in Dallas' exurbs went for President Donald Trump by a single percentage point last year. Under the new maps, Trump would have won the district by double-digits. Rep. Michael McCaul, who Democrats aggressively targeted the last two cycles, would now represent a solidly pro-Trump district under lines that exclude Houston's suburbs and liberal parts of Austin. And a long, vertically drawn district stretching from the Rio Grande Valley to San Antonio that President Joe Biden won by just over 2 percentage points would now slightly tilt toward Trump voters. In a late-night win for Democrats, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat who is serving her 14th term, had her home drawn back into her Houston district, which was restored nearly entirely to its former shape. So, too, was the nearby district of U.S. Rep. Al Green after both had seen longtime constituents of minority communities drawn out of their districts. Texas lawmakers are also redrawing the maps for their own districts, with Republicans following a similar plan that would keep their party in power in the state House and Senate. Those proposals are also expected to be sent to Abbott by next week. ___ Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber contributed to this report. Coronado is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. A new Texas law designed to limit how race-related subjects are taught in public schools comes with so little guidance, the on-the-ground application is already tying educators up in semantic knots as they try to follow the Legislatures intent. In the most striking instance so far, a North Texas administrator informed teachers last week at a training session on House Bill 3979 that they had to provide materials that presented an opposing perspective of the Holocaust. A recording of the Oct. 8 training at Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, obtained by NBC News, has reignited the debate over the so-called critical race theory law. Just try to remember the concepts of [House Bill] 3979, Gina Peddy, Carroll ISD s executive director of curriculum and instruction, is heard telling teachers on that recording. And make sure that if you have a book on the Holocaust, that you have one that has an opposing that has other perspectives. Its not the first time the Carroll school district in Southlake the affluent suburb that sits between Fort Worth and Dallas has made news with its interpretation of the new law, which is an attempt to keep critical race theory, or CRT, an academic discipline usually taught at the university level, out of schools. Critical race theory's central idea is that racism is not something restricted to individuals. Instead, the theory contends that bias is something embedded in policies and legal systems. Two weeks ago, the Carroll school board voted 3-2 to reprimand a fourth grade teacher who had an anti-racist book in her classroom after a parent complained about it last year. And Southlakes earlier struggles with a school diversity and inclusion plan as well as how parents opposed to the plan started a political movement there were the subject of a seven-part NBC podcast released earlier this year. The Texas law states a teacher cannot "require or make part of a course" a series of race-related concepts, including the ideas that one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex, or that someone is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive based on their race or sex. Since Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the anti-critical race theory bill into law June 15, reports of schools struggling to comply with it have surfaced, most notably in Southlake. Since then, one Carroll teacher covered a classroom library with yellow DO NOT ENTER tape. Last week, NBC reported that teachers there have been given scoring tools known as rubrics. Those scoring sheets, also obtained by The Texas Tribune, ask teachers to move through a complicated chart to evaluate library offerings to make sure they are in compliance with the new state law. The cards ask teachers to consider whether an author of each book has provided multiple perspectives. If an author provides balanced information by providing multiple perspectives, the book is given a maximum of two points. A book may get zero points if the author perspective/bias distorts content, making the material inappropriate for use with students. In one email sent to teachers, also obtained by the Tribune, Carroll ISD administrators told teachers that classroom libraries could not be used until they have been vetted, using the rubrics. We want your staff to know that the classroom libraries will continue to be available for students, but we will continue to vet the material in those libraries for the remainder of the semester, an email sent to teachers read. After news surfaced this week about Southlakes Holocaust guidance to teachers, state Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, wrote a letter Thursday to Mike Morath, the Texas Education Agency commissioner, requesting a review of how school districts are implementing the law to refute hateful and racist rhetoric in our Texas public schools. When this bill passed legislators warned that racist attacks would occur. It is our job to take every step possible to ensure an open and diverse forum, without subjecting our children to racism and hateful rhetoric, Menendez wrote. State Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, tweeted Thursday simply that Southlake just got it wrong. He added, School administrators should know the difference between factual historical events and fiction. ... No legislation is suggesting the action this administrator is promoting. Paul Tapp, attorney with the Association of Texas Professional Educators, said his organization has received questions from teachers because they dont know what they can teach. A biology teacher asked if they should give equal time to creationism and evolution. These are two good examples of what the dangers of this kind of law are, Tapp said. The point of public education is to introduce the world to students. It's not there to protect students from the world. Carroll ISD Superintendent Lane Ledbetter quickly clarified late Thursday that the comments made in the training were in no way to convey that the Holocaust was anything less than a terrible event in history. As we continue to work through implementation of HB3979, we also understand this bill does not require an opposing viewpoint on historical facts, Ledbetter said. Still, Carroll is not the only district in the state struggling with how to conform to the new law. In Katy Independent School District earlier this month, administrators postponed an event by critically acclaimed author Jerry Craft after parents claimed his books "New Kid" and "Class Act" promoted critical race theory. The district removed the books, reversed itself and rescheduled the author event after a review committee deemed the books did not contain offensive material. Katy ISD did not respond to an interview request. In June, in what seemed to be the first application of HB 3979, McKinney school officials ended their students participation in the nationwide Youth and Government class. A McKinney social studies curriculum coordinator wrote to educators that in light of the new laws ban on political activism and policy advocacy, we will no longer be allowed [to] offer Youth & Government as an elective course for credit. The cancellation of the elective course appeared to be a misapplication and one of the first instances that resulted in educators trying hard to understand the new law. So far, the law only applies to required social studies classes, not electives like the McKinney class. State Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, the bills author, said in June that the Youth and Government elective doesnt have anything to do with lobbying members, so there is no reason [McKinney] would have to cancel it. Following the Legislatures intent may get even more complicated for schools, teachers and parents in the coming months. This December, Senate Bill 3, authored by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, and passed in the states second special session in August, will place more restrictions on a schools curriculum. SB 3 says that at least one teacher and one campus administrator at each school must undergo a civics training program. Also, it says teachers cannot be forced to discuss current controversial topics in the classroom, regardless of whether in a social studies class or not. If they do, they must not show any political bias, the law says. What I would hope most of all is that school districts will actually read the law, and apply the law as written and not go beyond what the law actually requires them to do, Tapp said. As soon as I read the bills, I expected that this would be the result of it, and I don't think we've heard the last of it. The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Gov. Greg Abbott's latest executive order banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private companies in Texas has sparked outrage and questions of jurisdiction, but the measure could be impossible to enforce if deemed legally actionable, according to University of Texas law professor Randall Erben. A former legislative director for the governor, Erben says Abbott's powers under the Texas Disaster Act of 1975 are broad but do not allow him to supercede federal laws. Erben explains this latest order, which he calls "carefully and thoughtfully crafted," doesnt actually stop businesses from mandating vaccines, but rather bans entities from compelling someone to get inoculated. What this order is doing, assuming it's valid and enforceable, is allowing an employee to avoid a vaccine mandate, Erben says. It empowers the individual not to be compelled to have the vaccination. It says you can have one, or you cannot have one, but you cant make one of your employees or customers have a vaccination. Executive Order GA 40, issued Monday, states that "no entity in Texas can compel receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine by any individual, including an employee or a consumer, who objects to such vaccination for any reason of personal conscience, based on religious belief, or for medical reasons." The order also applies to private companies, which until now Abbott has allowed to make their own rules for their workers. Abbott is also calling for the Legislature to pass a law with the same effect, according to the Texas Tribune. Erben notes that the governor's order doesn't actually cover if someone gets fired for refusing to get vaccinated. All this order is saying is 'you cant make me put a needle in my arm,' Erben says. The rest of that would need to be litigated in a completely different context but were not there yet. The order could be trumped by a conflicting federal law requiring all federal contractors and agencies to mandate vaccines or test weekly for COVID-19, which can be confusing. I would say at least for federal agencies and federal contractors that order would prevail under the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution because that says that any federal law prevails over any state or local laws in conflict, Erben says. How and whether the order will be enforced is an entirely different question, he adds. Only a local district attorney has the power to enforce Abbott's executive order, a process that would involve suing an entity for being in violation, Erben explains. But doing so might be more complicated than its worth, he says, pointing to many school districts refusing to follow Abbotts order banning mask mandates. He sees this measure playing out in a similar way. Until and unless a case gets all the way to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court issues a blanket order saying you cant have an order mandating masks, theyre just going to keep going, Erben says. Companies are already snubbing Abbott's edict. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, which already require workers to be vaccinated, have released statements saying the new order will not change those requirements. In an emailed statement, Houston Methodist spokesperson Stefanie Asin said she doesn't see an immediate impact on the hospital as the deadline for employees to get vaccinated was four months ago. The hospital system was the first in the country to require COVID-19 vaccinations for employees. "Our staff is 100% in compliance with our mandate already," she wrote, adding only 153 employees were terminated or resigned after the June 7 deadline out of the hospital's 26,000 employees. These former employees will not be reinstated, Asin added. The hospital is still in the process of determining whether new hires will need to meet the requirement following this order. "We expect all our new employees and physicians to get vaccinated," Asin wrote. Erben says its too early in the process to get a clear answer on how and if Abbott's latest order will be challenged. I dont think were going to get a clear answer for this just like we arent going to get any clear answer for these mask mandates until we get a blanket order out of the Supreme Court," he explains. "I just dont see that happening any time soon." A home like no other is available for the first time in Indianapolis. There arent that many round houses with round rooms, the listing agent, G.B. Landrigan, says of the circular dwelling on North Sherman Drive. On the market for $424,900, the home consists of two main silolike buildings with shake conical roofs. Inside the round compound is a total of 3,111 square feet of living space. The four-bedroom residence was built in 1962, and a single family has raised five children there since constructing the place six decades ago. Interior of home in Indianapolis Threesixty Indy Trulli homes in Italy Realtor.com Exterior Threesixty Indy Exterior Threesixty Indy The design was inspired by the trulli homes of the Itria Valley in Puglia, Italy. They were typically built from limestone and had conical roofs. The structures were chiefly designed as temporary shelters or storage areas in the 19th century. Today, they endure as charming residences in southern Italy. Back in Indiana, this home's architect, Evans Woollen, combined details from trulli homes into his design. The house is a midcentury version of a 200-year-old village in Italy, Landrigan says. Kitchen Threesixty Indy Interior Threesixty Indy Stairs Threesixty Indy Interior Threesixty Indy The larger of the two buildings has the main bedroom and most of the living spaces, and the other building houses the remaining bedrooms. It was actually intended that the larger side would be the adult side, if you will, and then the slightly smaller wing would be the children's wing, Landrigan explains. The second building has three bedrooms, an open playroom, a full bathroom, as well as space for laundry and a finished attic. The two round structures are connected by a short passageway. Interior Threesixty Indy Bedroom Threesixty Indy Bathroom Threesixty Indy Walls separate the circles into different rooms, and they wind into each other. Landrigan says most visitors like the unique feel of the house, but not everyone. You always have a few people who come in and just don't quite get it," he says. Some, he adds, comment, "A room must be square. How do you fit a bed in? Staging has helped allay some of the fears of potential buyers who can't think outside the box. People can see that queen-sized beds to do fit in here, and you don't have to have every piece of furniture being round, he says. Structurally, the home is in pretty good shape, but a new owner will probably want to update the roof, modernize the HVAC, and make a few cosmetic updates. Thanks to the distinctive shape of the residence and its somewhat advanced age, the buyer pool may be limited. It's going to appeal to a smaller set of people than is typical with square houses. and beyond that, it requires some renovation and replacement, Landrigan acknowledges. Bedroom Threesixty Indy Interior Threesixty Indy Interior Threesixty Indy That isn't to say that the home doesn't have its fair share of boosters. Indianapolis Monthly Magazine recently named the property the Coolest House in the city, noting its unique architecture and desirable location as key selling points. Landrigan says the home has received plenty of attention, especially after three price reductions. It initially landed on the market in July for $599,900. We were optimistic at first, because it was one of Indianapoliss most notable houses, so there was optimism therelargely on my part. Frankly, I was wrong, Landrigan admits. We've pretty quickly gotten down to where we're doing well now with showings and repeat showings at this point. Landrigan says there are two types of buyers circling the property. We've had people who have said that they would want to restore it to how it was in 1962," he says. "We've had others who have said they certainly won't destroy the key architectural features of the house, but they'd like to do a soft renovation that respects the architectureand maybe add more modern countertops and cabinets. Whether a vintage lover who doesn't want to change a thing or an architecture aficionado who appreciates the home's bones, the perfect buyer is out there. We can say it won't be a square. Landrigan imagines that it will be someone who has an appreciation for architecture and art and someone who probably plans to live there for some time. ... Its someone who's clearly open-minded and probably fun. Interior Threesixty Indy Interior Threesixty Indy Interior Threesixty Indy Interior Threesixty Indy Dining area Threesixty Indy Interior Threesixty Indy Exterior Threesixty Indy Exterior Threesixty Indy The post Inspired by Italy, a Conical Home in Indiana Is Available for the First Time Ever appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. A. A sales tax would have meant visitors contributed to repaving. B. We already are taxed too much. C. Money for repaving should be put into the county's annual operational budget. C. The road resurfacing program is behind schedule so the county needs to act ASAP. Vote View Results Florida, FL (34429) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 76F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Low 62F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. A summary of Canadian immigration pathways from temporary residence to permanent residence, family-class sponsorship, or getting permanent residence on arrival. How to immigrate to Canada from the U.S. How to immigrate to Canada from the U.S. A summary of Canadian immigration pathways from temporary residence to permanent residence, family-class sponsorship, or getting permanent residence on arrival. How to immigrate to Canada from the U.S. A summary of Canadian immigration pathways from temporary residence to permanent residence, family-class sponsorship, or getting permanent residence on arrival. How to immigrate to Canada from the U.S. A summary of Canadian immigration pathways from temporary residence to permanent residence, family-class sponsorship, or getting permanent residence on arrival. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A If your goal is to get Canadian permanent residence, you have a number of options depending on your individual circumstances, and your settlement goals. For starters, you will want to decide if you are going to Canada as an economic-class immigrant or family class. If you do not have close family in Canada, then you might want to explore the more than 100 Canadian economic-class immigration programs. There are a number of ways to become eligible for these programs. Given that they are under the economic class, they will be tailored for people who are coming to Canada to build a career. So the program requirements will look at your educational achievements, as well as your work experience. Language proficiency will also play a role, even if English is your first language. Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration It is oftentimes beneficial to get Canadian experience before entering the labour market. Studies show that immigrants with previous experience working and studying in Canada can boost your earning potential. Study Permits and Post-Graduation Work Permits If you want to study in Canada, you need a study permit. You can apply for one once you get a letter of acceptance from a Canadian institution. Study permits allow you to legally go to school in Canada, work part time during the school year and full time during scheduled academic breaks. To qualify for certain immigration programs you need a Canadian education from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Many of the programs offered at these institutions will qualify you for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), which will allow you to work in Canada for up to three years. Through this combined work and study experience, it will open the doors to many immigration pathways. However, if you are done with your studies and just want to work in Canada there are a number of options for you as well. Especially if you are a U.S. citizen. Discover your options to study in Canada CUSMA Formerly known as NAFTA, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) makes it easier for U.S. citizens to work in Canada. If you can come to Canada on a CUSMA work permit, your Canadian employer gets to skip the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process, which can be lengthy and expensive. There are four categories of CUSMA work permits: CUSMA Professionals A CUSMA Professional must be qualified to work in one of approximately 60 targeted professions, and have CUSMA pre-arranged employment in Canada in an occupation that matches their qualifications. CUSMA Intra-Company Transfers CUSMA Intra-Company Transferees must be transferred to Canada on a temporary basis in order to work for a branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of their U.S. employer. They must work in a capacity that is considered managerial, executive, or involving specialized knowledge. CUSMA Traders A CUSMA Trader must demonstrate an intention to carry out substantial trade of goods or services between Canada and the U.S. The trader must be employed as a supervisor or executive, or have duties that involve essential skills. CUSMA Investors A CUSMA Investor must demonstrate that they have made a substantial investment in a new or existing Canadian business and that they are seeking entry to Canada to develop and direct that business. Work permits in the CUSMA Investor category may also be granted to employees of the primary Investor who can be considered essential staff. If you do not fit under any of these categories, or you are a U.S. resident with citizenship in another country, there are other work permit options for you. Temporary Foreign Worker Program and International Mobility Program The key difference between work permits under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) versus the International Mobility Program (IMP) comes down to the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). TFWP work permits require the Canadian employers to complete the LMIA process. A positive LMIA is basically a document that proves there will be a positive or neutral impact to the Canadian labour market if the employer hires the foreign worker. Employers will oftentimes have to demonstrate that they advertised the open position for a set amount of time, and no domestic worker was available to fill the role. The mandate of the TFWP is to fill gaps in the labour market. On the other hand, the IMP is more for broadening Canadas economic, social, and cultural interests. These work permits do not require an LMIA. IMP work permits are largely based on bilateral agreements with other countries, such as CUSMA. Another example of this program is the Global Talent Stream, which has a two-week processing standard and offers a pathway to Canada for H-1B holders in the U.S. Those are just some of the examples of how to come to Canada temporarily. There are also a number of immigration programs available to those who want to go right for permanent residency. Get help with Canadian work permits Express Entry Express Entry is an online application management system for three Canadian immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Although the pandemic has pushed back processing for most of these programs, Express Entry was created to offer a shorter pathway to permanent residency, compared to the previous paper-based application system. The processing standard was six months for 80 per cent of applicants, but the pandemic has pushed most lines of business to processing CEC applications, and pushed the others to the back seat. The CEC is the top Express Entry program for candidates who are already in Canada. One key eligibility criterion is that candidates need to have at least one year of Canadian work experience in a skilled occupation. Although Canadian work experience is valued in the Express Entry points system, it is not necessarily required to qualify for the FSWP. The FSWP requires you to have one year of continuous skilled work experience, a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French, and an education credential. You also have to score 67 out of a possible 100 on the FSWP points grid, which is separate from the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) used by Express Entry. It is not necessary to have a job offer. The FSTP is for skilled trades workers with at least two years of full time work experience in an eligible occupation. Among other criteria, they must have a valid job offer for a period of at least one year in Canada, and hold a certificate of qualification in a skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial, or federal authority. The Express Entry system invites the highest-scoring candidates to apply for permanent residence. You cannot apply for permanent residency without an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Canadas immigration department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), holds regular rounds of invitations where it sends the ITAs. If your CRS score is not high enough to receive an ITA, you may be able to try for a provincial nomination, which will support your Express Entry application. Provincial Nominee Program Almost all of Canadas provinces and territories, except Nunavut and Quebec, have Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). There are two types of PNPs: enhanced programs, which are aligned with Express Entry; and base programs which operate independently from the Express Entry system. Enhanced programs pull from the Express Entry pool of candidates. If you receive a provincial nomination through one of these PNPs, you get 600 CRS points added to your overall score. This award will push you to the top of the pool, priming you to receive an ITA in a subsequent Express Entry draw. Base PNPs work a little differently, and can be an option for people who are not eligible for Express Entry. To immigrate through a base PNP, you apply to the province, and if you are eligible, get a nomination. With your certificate in hand, you can then apply for permanent residence to the federal government. Family-class sponsorship Canada allows citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouse, common-law partner, children, or parents and grandparents. Canadians can only sponsor relatives like a brother, sister, aunt or uncle in specific circumstances. They cannot sponsor relatives who are considered criminally or medically inadmissible. Spouses and common-law partners can either be sponsored from inside Canada or in another country. Essentially, to be eligible you have to be over the age 18, and in an ongoing, genuine relationship with a Canadian who can financially support you and any children you may have. Canadian citizens can sponsor from abroad, but permanent residents must be in the country. If you both want to wait out the process in Canada, as the foreign spouse or common-law partner you may be able to get a spousal Open Work Permit. The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is a pathway to permanent residence for parents and grandparents of Canadians. The program currently operates like a lottery system, where there is a temporary intake window where IRCC accepts interest to sponsor forms. The immigration department then invites candidates to apply for permanent residence. An alternative option to the PGP is the Super Visa, which allows parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to two years at a time. Canadians can also sponsor their biological or adopted children who are under the age of 22. Sponsor your family for Canadian immigration CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. Roles involving emerging technologies have accounted for an increasing percentage of all new hiring in IT in recent years. With this has come a raft of new titles aimed at cementing organizations interest in exploring the value these new technologies could bring to their businesses. The pandemic has added its own twist. For every new technology title, theres one thats more of an adjustment to respond to challenging times. The prevalent trend is to expand or make existing titles more specific to address new needs, frequently without increasing headcount. Quantum computing engineers are addressing new opportunities at the same time business analysts are evolving their roles to increase the bottom line in a rapidly shifting business landscape. Here are some roles tech leaders see appearing of late that they believe will have staying power in the years ahead. Quantum computing engineer Maire P. Walsh, chief commercial officer at Altada Technology Solutions, says shes seeing quantum computing engineers hired to solve difficult problems at an accelerated pace, part of a larger effort to apply artificial intelligence in business settings. Key to making AI possible and delivering outcomes to advance clients transformation and profitability is a team of deep technology experts, Walsh says. Quantum computing will play a critical role in making huge leaps ahead. Walsh says applying quantum computing principles to problems her financial services clients are facing can help solve intractable issues. Custom-built and trained AI models use millions of data points and real-time sentiment analysis, which enable us to gain meaningful market insights that give clients a competitive advantage. Human-in-the-loop modeling ensures continuous improvement of our models over time. We operate in a business world where due diligence efficiency is improved by 30 times, ensuring complex deals are done in a matter of days, not months, she says. Related, Walsh sees the role of head of emerging technology as one that will incorporate quantum computing, DevOps, and blockchain engineering as well as data science. Digital transformation is key and more importantly continually investing in the next wave of technology that will drive this transformation further across all industries, Walsh says. Security and compliance manager The need to make remote work secure has increased dramatically due to the pandemic, while new risks continue to emerge, such as attacks on critical infrastructure. Demand for cybersecurity workers continues to trend upward, reports tech industry group CompTIA. [Our] analysis of employer job posting data for IT occupations shows that so far this year cybersecurity positions account for 20% of postings compared to 18% in 2020 and 17% in 2019. Security risks coupled with new data privacy laws are forging roles that exist at the intersection of government policy and technology, says Beanworks CIO Tracy Huitika. The need for a security and compliance manager has become a critical function in the IT realm, Huitika says. GDPR compliance is a must-have for operating in Europe, but there are new data and privacy laws across North America that companies need to be aware of, including the California Consumer Privacy Act. Companies that need to comply with new laws such as these require someone who can understand legal documents and software as well as the ability to protect users data in increasingly distributed environments, she says. This mix of skills is difficult to come by in existing IT teams, Huitika says. And the effort required to obtain and maintain multiple different levels of compliance is a full-time job. Were launching localized versions of our software for the French, UK, and German markets in 2022. Its critical for us to ensure were compliant with security and privacy requirements outlined in GDPR for operating in Europe. Big data engineer Theres a critical need for big data engineers in cloud development, says Alon Kleinman, vice president of engineering at Earnix. The complexities vary depending on the size of the company and the number of customers, but even smaller companies have a big appetite for using large amounts of data, Kleinman says. Companies in financial services and insurance, in particular, have to constantly improve their systems and enhance automation capabilities, which is a prerequisite for extracting meaning from big data and then using those insights to make informed decisions in real time. Big data developers are both highly in demand and some of the best-paying jobs in the technology sector. IT staffing firm Robert Half calls big data engineering its No. 1 paying job. Businesses need individuals who can transform large amounts of raw data into actionable information for strategy-setting, decision-making, and innovation, the firm reports. Head of analytical innovation Kleinman says the role of head of analytical innovation needs to be able to develop new ideas and solutions for the back end, as well as new jobs that marry machine learning and statistical modeling to produce models that can address planning for what-if scenarios. These positions are a prerequisite for driving innovation and remaining competitive in the market, regardless of the sector, he says. The main purpose of these important roles is to improve the infrastructure to proactively address incoming business needs and manage complicated algorithms that can have an impact on its day-to-day operations, and in the long-term, their competitive positioning in the market. Kleinman says research and development teams and analytics teams need to work together to identify existing capabilities while creating new ones that deliver results for the business. Building models that fit certain constraints requires the deep experience of data scientists and the analytics team, he says. DataOps engineer Chris Bergh, CEO of DataKitchen, says a shift in titles has occurred around big data pros who are hard to hire and hard to retain as organizations look to increase the value they get from their current staff. Data organizations are looking toward tools automation to boost data analyst, scientist, and engineer productivity, eliminate waste, and orchestrate development environment creation, and analytics integration, delivery, deployment, testing, and monitoring. DataOps means applying automation techniques to data analytics, and the person pulling the levers behind the curtains is a DataOps engineer, he says, adding that Gartners spotlight of DataOps on its hype cycle curve has helped cement DataOps engineer as the hottest job in the data industry. Bergh compares the DataOps title to that of DevOps engineers, sometimes previously called software release engineers, who were poorly compensated compared to their software engineer peers that is, until software release snafus caused organizations to realize that the release engineers were the ones who were key to making sure product rollouts were successful. The thinking went something like this: Developers could make or break schedules and that directly contributed to the bottom line, he says. Release engineers, on the other hand, were never noticed, unless something went wrong. As you might guess, the job of release engineer was compensated less generously in those days than development engineer. Often, the best people vied for positions in development where compensation was better. Now, Bergh says, release engineers are some of the highest compensated engineers in the business. This same dynamic is now beginning to happen within data organizations of large enterprises, and it is driving demand for DataOps engineers, Bergh says. A DataOps engineer who understands how to automate and streamline data workflows can increase the productivity of a data team by orders of magnitude. A person like that is worth their weight in gold. While the role may go by several different names, DataOps engineer skillsets include hybrid and cloud platforms, data architecture, data orchestration and integration, data transformation, CI/CD, real-time messaging, and containers, he says. New-era IT titles to reflect new-era IT value Justin Donato, vice president of IT at Nintex, says as IT evolves from business support to business partner, technology roles are starting to get titles that more accurately reflect the value they bring to an organization. As IT leadership, we are expecting these roles to embrace corporate objectives, partner with diverse business units and work on projects that touch all areas of the business. As a result, titles like program manager are becoming more acceptable and a better reflection of what is being delivered, he says, adding that in many cases these title changes reflect greater specialization and specificity. The standard title of systems or network engineer is lagging the expectation of how people perceive the value they bring to an organization, Donato says. CloudOps, SecOps, DevOps engineer has a much stronger statement on that value proposition, while also adding depth to the underlying career path. And this underlying career element is key. New titles help IT leadership have a more relevant conversation on career development, he says. This has an impact on organizational structure, the potential tiering of roles, and the individuals success. Donato thinks these roles will gain traction as IT leaders work to retain top talent, and that talent wants clear direction, along with a title that shows the value they bring to the business, paving the way for future career success and achievement. An accurate title may have once been a hygiene factor in motivating team members, he says. It now has the potential to transform into a value statement and defining characteristic that helps retain and attract the people you need in your business. High performers are looking for more than just a salary. Understanding how your candidates perceive the business value of your open role is a great way to start a meaningful conversation about outcomes and business drivers. The first half of 2021 saw some of the largest merger and acquisition (M&A) deals of the past five years in the technology, media, and telecommunications sector, according to PwC, although nothing quite rivaled AMDs $35 billion bid last year for Xilinx, or Salesforce.coms now-closed $27.7 billion acquisition of Slack. The number of deals this past quarter has continued apace, with smaller firms merging or being swallowed up to extend the functionality offered by the giants of enterprise software and services. Mega-mergers, however, have slowed of late, and one reason for this may be a fear of government intervention. A key concern is the trend toward increased regulatory scrutiny in the sector and issues around protectionism of technology assets in major markets. Many dealmakers have already faced some regulatory and geopolitical headwinds, and more are likely to emerge, according to a recent report from law firm Morrison and Foerster and industry tracker Mergermarket. For CIOs, tech M&As can disrupt strategic rollouts, spell a need to pivot to a new solution, mean the potential sunsetting of essential technology, provide new opportunities to leverage newly synergized systems, and be a bellwether of further shifts to come in the IT landscape. Keeping on top of activity in this area can help your company make the most of emerging opportunities and steer clear of issues that often arise when vendors combine. Here CIO.com rounds up of some of the most significant tech M&As of recent months that could impact IT. Analytics automator Alteryx acquires Hyper Anna Alteryx has snapped up a small Australian SaaS company, Hyper Anna, to add more AI-driven visualizations and reporting features to its analytics automation platform. Genesys to buy Pointillist and Exceed.ai Cloud-based customer contact center specialist Genesys has agreed to buy Pointillist, developer of a customer journey orchestration tool, and Exceed.ai, a conversational AI platform provider, to enhance its customer experience management offering. BMC adds StreamWeaver to its AIops portfolio StreamWeaver will bring plug-and-play integrations for more streaming enterprise data to BMCs Helix AIops platform. Qualtrics closes acquisition of Clarabridge for $1.1 billion Qualtrics International, the experience measurement company that was briefly part of SAP, closed its $1.1 billion all-share acquisition of Clarabridge on Oct. 1. Where Qualtrics uses online surveys to ask people how they feel, Clarabridge uses AI to identify sentiment by analyzing social media, chat sessions, and other information sources. TrueCommerce acquires DiCentral With its acquisition of EDI API provider DiCentral, supply chain connectivity provider TrueCentral has added another 30,000 connections and 5,000 customers to its global commerce network, making it easier for enterprises to hook up with trading partners. Perforce buys BlazeMeter from Broadcom Chipmaker Broadcom has been buying up software businesses over the past few years, but heres one piece of software its selling: the BlazeMeter Continuous Testing platform. The buyer is Perforce Software, which offers a number of software development and lifecycle management tools, including Helix Core and Methodics IPLM. Aptean sews up deal to buy SCM and fashion ERP specialists In late August, Aptean added a new outfit to its collection of industry-specific software: Exenta, a developer of ERP, PLM, and shop-floor control software for the fashion industry. Earlier in the month, it picked up V-Technologies, the developer of shipping applications StarShip and ShipGear. RFP competitors combine Response management software vendors, RFPIO and RFP360, are joining forces. The two help sales teams respond to RFPs by automating the process of searching for relevant content used in previous responses. RFPIO claims to have helped one of its users, Microsoft, save $2.4 million in labor costs in this way. SNP acquires rival SAP migration automation expert Datavard SNP has bought its rival Datavard. The companies, based in Germany but operating globally, offer consulting services and tools for helping SAP customers migrate from its older ERP product, ECC, to its cloud-ready S/4HANA platform. Together, SNP and Datavard will be better placed to help ECC companies that havent yet made the leap to S/4HANA select which of their legacy data to migrate. Qualtrics buys Usermind Usermind, a small Seattle software company that built an experience orchestration platform for marketing, is now part of Qualtrics International, where it will add to what Qualtrics calls a human sentiment database profiling companies interactions with customers and employees. Atos makes hat-trick of acquisitions Atos, a giant French consulting company you might know from its Olympics sponsorship, made a hat-trick of acquisitions on July 27. Texan cloud data analytics firm Visual BI, product lifecycle management systems integrator Ideal GRP, and high-performance cloud computing specialist Nimbix are all now part of the French services giant, which employs 105,000 in 71 countries. Indias Sterlite buys UK network integrator Clearcomm Sterlite Technologies, an Indian broadband services company, is building a portal into Europe with the $20 million acquisition of a small British networking company, Clearcomm. Sterlite is slowly expanding the global reach of its network integration services. Salesforce.com closes $27.7 billion acquisition of Slack Salesforce.com closed its acquisition of Slack for $27.7 billion on July 21, 2021. The deal will enable it to make the enterprise chat tool the new interface for its Customer 360 platform. Integration with Slack is increasingly seen as a key feature for SaaS apps in conferencing, ticketing, calendaring, or project management. Salesforces support will open the door for Slack at more enterprises and give it the resources it needs to go head-to-head with Microsofts Teams product. Salesforce, though, will likely need to add more components to its platform if its to be seen as a full-featured alternative to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Ping Identity buys antifraud service SecuredTouch Ping Identity, a provider of cloud-based enterprise identification services, has acquired SecuredTouch, a fraud and bot detection service, for an undisclosed sum. Ping intends to integrate SecuredTouch with its platform, although it plans to continue to offer a standalone version too. Addison Group buys HCM specialist ArcLight Consulting Professional services firm Addison has added to its talent management capabilities with the acquisition of ArcLight consulting, a specialist in Oracle HCM Cloud implementation. Cloud-native ERP vendor Unit4 changes hands for $2 billion ERPx developer Unit4 is under new ownership. Former owner Advent International sold its stake in Unit4 to TA Associations and Partners Group for over $2 billion but retained ownership of the companys student information systems business, which it has since relaunched under the Thesis brand. Infor sells EAM business to Hexagon for $2.75 billion Infor, the cloud ERP vendor swallowed by Koch Industries in February 2020, has agreed to sell its enterprise asset management (EAM) business to Swedish firm Hexagon for $2.75 billion. Infors EAM customers continue to be served through a strategic relationship between the two companies, while Koch keeps a finger in the EAM pie through a stake in Hexagon and the nomination of one of its directors. Hexagon also snapped up a small Finnish spatial mapping provider, Immersal, in July for its augmented reality capabilities. WSO2 buys Platformer, adding Kubernetes to new integration platform June 16, 2021, was a big day for WSO2: It launched a new integration platform-as-a-service, Choreo, and announced the acquisition of Platformer, enabling it to offer Kubernetes deployment capabilities within Choreo right out of the gate. ServiceNow integrators change hands Gryphon Investors has bought the ServiceNow business unit of integrator Highmetric, along with its name, and folded in two other acquisitions, Fishbone Analytic and Iceberg Networks, making what it claims is the largest pure-play ServiceNow partner in the world, with 300 employees. Meanwhile the company that used to be Highmetric is now called MajorKey Technologies, and its 420 remaining staff will continue to offer other digital strategy consulting services. Epicor acquires CPQ capabilities for its cloud ERP platform Privately-owned Epicor has bought up configure-price-quote and visualization software provider KBMax to strengthen its suite of industry-specific ERP software. KBMax allows buyers to configure a product online and instantly see 3D renderings and dimensioned drawings of what they are buying. The companys own price was not disclosed. Dell sells Boomi to private investors for $4 billion Dell Technologies is casting off Boomi, the enterprise integration platform-as-a-service company it acquired in 2010, to refocus on its core infrastructure and PC businesses. TPG Capital and Francisco Partners hope to close the deal, valued at $4 billion, by year-end. TPG has previously invested in Ellucian, a developer of ERP software for academic institutions, and cloud security platform Zscaler, while Francisco Partners has stakes in manufacturing ERP platform Plex Systems and in-memory database developer Redis Labs. Dell and VMware to split up Dell Technologies and VMware will soon be changing their relationship status from its complicated to separated. On April 14, 2021, Dell announced plans to dispose of its 80.6% stake in the virtualization software company in a process that will net it a special dividend of around $9.5 billion. The companies will remain friends, though, continuing to collaborate on sales and solution design for at least five years, and the special dividend will go some way to lightening Dells $48 billion debt load. Ensono buys Amido, gets bought Chicago-headquartered Ensono snapped up a small British cloud consultancy, Amido, on April 6, 2021. Eight days later, the hybrid IT provider was itself acquired by investment firm KKR from previous owners Charlesbank Capital Partners and M/C Partners. KKR owns BMC Software and last year sold cloud ERP provider Epicor for $4.7 billion. Australias Ampion snapped up by Wipro On April 1, 2021, Wipro agreed to buy Ampion, an Australian company formed in September 2020 from the merger of IT service provider Revolution IT and cybersecurity firm Shelde, for a reported $117 million. With the deal, The giant Indian IT consulting and business processes company is looking to bulk up its operations in Australia to take advantage of the growing adoption of cloud solutions there. Wipro offers $1.45 billion for financial consulting firm Capco Wipro has its eye on far larger opportunities on the other side of the world: In March it agreed to pay $1.45 billion for Capco, a management and technology consultancy serving financial institutions in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Wipro hopes the move will give it access to higher-margin financial services business as profitability diminishes in the increasingly commoditized business process outsourcing services market. Intellibot to help ServiceNow with process automation With its acquisition of Indian robotic process automation (RPA) vendor Intellibot, announced in March 2021, ServiceNow will expand both its workflow management platform and its Indian workforce. India is already the site of ServiceNows second-largest R&D center, and the deal will enable it to double its headcount in the country over the next three years. Content services providers merge: Hyland buys Nuxeo Hyland Software, a Canadian content services provider, agreed in March to buy enterprise content management platform vendor Nuxeo, just a month after the French company opened a New York headquarters. Investment firms Goldman Sachs Growth Equity and Kennet Partners, which have owned Nuxeo since 2016, expect to make a 5x return on their investment. Citrix closes $2.25 billion acquisition of collaboration platform Wrike Citrix is already well-placed to profit from the move to hybrid working. Its Workspace desktop and application virtualization tool enables employees to access enterprise and SaaS applications from anywhere, through a unified interface. Wrike, the online project and work management service it has just acquired for $2.25 billion, enables teams to communicate but in a more structured environment than Slack or Teams, as it is focused on tracking the progress of projects and the tasks they comprise. Wrike also offers low-code workflow automation capabilities with which Citrix can bolster the existing automation functions in Workspace. Precisely is under new ownership Precisely has a new owner, which is also its old owner. The data integrity specialist, formed in December 2019 from the merger of Syncsort and Pitney Bowes Software & Data, offers tools to integrate data from mainframes and legacy databases with cloud platforms including Databricks, Microsoft Azure Synapse, and Snowflake. Investment firm Clearlake Capital owned Syncsort until 2017, and now it and TA Associates have bought a majority stake in Precisely. Qualcomm buys server chip designer to make laptops After rapidly equipping millions of office staff to work at home, itll be a while before many enterprises buy another Windows laptop but their next wave of refreshes might have Qualcomm processors inside. In March, Qualcomm paid $1.4 billion to buy Nuvia, a company that had been designing processors for servers. Qualcomms put a stop to that, though, and put Nuvia to work conceiving chips for high-end laptops. They could be coming out of the factories and on their way to laptop designers by late 2022. Diligent to buy Galvanize and Steele Compliance Solutions Diligent is expanding the capabilities of its enterprise governance platform. It is acquiring ethics and compliance specialist Steele Compliance Solutions, and governance, risk, and compliance SaaS vendor Galvanize in separate deals that it expected to close in March 2021. Managed data services provider Calligos acquisition spree takes it to the US Calligo, an outsourcer of managed IT and data privacy services, has been on an acquisition spree of late: Last year it bought Network Integrity Services in the UK, and Cinnte Technologies, Itomic Voice & Data, and DC Networks in Ireland. Now its reinforcing its position in the US, buying data analytics specialist Decisive Data. Skynamos field sales app picks up digital catalogue maker mSeller Skynamo, a South African software developer active in the US and UK, has beefed up the mobile app linked to its field sales management platform with the digital catalog developed by its recent acquisition, UK software house mSeller. It offers apps tailored for several industries, and integrates with ERP systems, including SAP and Acumatica. Apptio buys Targetprocess Following its October acquisition of SaasLicense to help optimize spending on cloud applications, Apptio is buying Targetprocess, this time to help CIOs figure out what internal software development projects they should invest in next. With SignRequest, Box takes step towards business process management Box already stores signed contracts and other documents for many enterprises; now its hoping to manage the signing process too, with the acquisition of SignRequest for $55 million. The company expects to use SignRequests capabilities to offer a new service, Box Sign, in the third quarter. Red Hat buys StackRox to secure Kubernetes With its OpenShift platform, Red Hat is increasingly helping its customers run workloads in containers using Kubernetes. Securing those workloads, and the many layers of code they are wrapped in, is a challenge one that Red Hat hopes to meet with its acquisition of StackRox, which closed in late February. StackRox has a software platform that can secure Kubernetes workloads running not just on OpenShift but also on Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. Red Hat plans to open-source the StackRox code, and to use it to secure container build and continuous integration/continuous deployment processes. Oracles bid for stake in teen video app TikTok on hold As of Feb. 11, a bid by Oracle and Walmart for 20% of TikTok Global, a sort of mobile YouTube used by millions of teenagers, was still on hold. The Trump administration didnt want TikToks Chinese parent ByteDance controlling an app on millions of U.S. smartphones, prompting ByteDance to create a US subsidiary and search for a buyer. President Biden, though, is in no rush to approve the deal while his administration reviews its policy on China. Its hard to see what Walmart wants with the stake but Oracle has already won something from the controversy: TikTok will pay to host its US operations in Oracles data centers. Like the similar hosting deal with lockdown conferencing sensation Zoom Video Communications, this adds weight to Oracles pitch to be seen as a serious provider of cloud infrastructure. IBM buys Salesforce specialist 7Summits IBM is adding some Salesforce integration expertise to its professional services division, IBM Global Business Services, with the acquisition of 7Summits, a small consulting company based in Milwaukee. Its a small step, but a sign that IBM is keeping a close eye on where growth in demand for its services will come from in future. Cognizant to buy Servian, Linium, and Magenic Technologies Cognizant went on a tear in January, agreeing to buy three companies. First came Servian, a cloud data and analytics consulting firm in Australia, through which Cognizant plans to expand its capabilities in the region. Next was Linium, a small cloud transformation consultancy focused on ServiceNow. Its 150 staff are based in New York state, Canada, India, and the UK. Third on Cognizants list was Magenic Technologies, a custom cloud software developer with 475 staff in the US and another 350 in the Philippines that Cognizant hopes will beef up its cloud modernization capabilities. It will fold Magenic into Softvision, another software developer it acquired in 2018. Deloitte Consulting buys HashedIn Technologies Deloitte Consulting, too, is expanding its cloud software engineering capabilities, in January closing a deal to purchase HashedIn Technologies, an Indian software developer specializing in SaaS projects. HashedIn will add 750 staff worldwide to Deloittes 50,000-strong workforce. Navisite buys SAP specialist Velocity Technology Solutions Managed cloud service provider Navisite has acquired another SAP partner, strengthening its support for ERP in the public cloud. The latest acquisition, Velocity Technology Solutions, offers managed services to help companies move to SAPs S/4HANA, and joins SAP consulting firm Dickinson + Associates under the Navisite umbrella. You will receive 5-day a week delivery of the Citizen Tribune newspaper to your home or business, plus full, ad-free access to CitizenTribune.com as well as full access to the Electronic Edition of the newspaper. ONLY $13.99 per month for the first 3 months! Only $16.00 per month after promotional period. Or ONLY $169.99 for a full year Only $192.00 per year after promotional period. When Sean Jacobs started blogging in 2005, he named his page after Leo Africanus, the 16th century Moroccan-Andalusian traveler whose book Descriptions of Africa corrected ill-informed European notions of Africa (the northern region at least). Jacobs, who is from South Africa, had recently joined the faculty at the University of Michigan. The narratives he saw of Africa in western media at the time, he says, either focused on terrorism or save Africa stories. A lot of that stuff reduced Africa to not this continent with 54 countries, you know, 800 million diverse people. It basically, in effect, became one place, he said. In 2009 he renamed his blog Africa Is A Country, and it is now a website devoted to writing about the news, stories, and opinions that Africans on the continent and in the diaspora find most interesting. CJR spoke to Jacobs from his home in Brooklyn. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Feven Merid: First things first. Why the name? Sean Jacobs: I got obsessed with the way people were talking about Africa in the West. So what I did on that old blog, whenever I was exasperated, discussing political happenings or some art I would say and Africa is a country. Coming to the New School in 2009 to teach, I was kind of like, I think I should change the name of this blog, and I just came up with that and it stuck. Once I called it Africa Is A Country I noticed people were reading it a lot more because its like clickbait so it got way more readers. Youve written in a piece that there are some benefits to thinking of Africa as one? Sign up for CJR 's daily email I wrote a piece actually where I quoted one of the people [Neelika Jayawardane] who was involved in the site, she said on the one hand youre trying to debunk this notion that its one place, but on the other theres also this way in which we were building some kind of community. Like a Pan-African type of thing? Its doing what a couple of other magazines did before it, like the magazine Transition in the 60s and 70s. It was published by this Ugandan Indian guy called Rajat Neogy and that was the place that you had [Wole] Soyinka debating [Ali] Mazrui debating [Nadine] Gordimer. Kwame Nkrumah was there. It was a place where Africans thought about the future, and I kind of think about it like that, that its got to be that space where we try to imagine the futures we want. Are there other inspirations or influences that you draw from for Africa Is A Country? I grew up under apartheid. At the time I was in high school, there were a lot of protests and so I was impressed by the big political movement which was called the United Democratic Front. On top of it, South Africa has a really strong history of not just activist media but what was called in South Africa the Alternative Press small nonprofit newspapers that werent interested in making money, but exposing information and really reflecting the debate of the progressive left-wing [and] Black consciousness movement[s] in South Africa. When I came to the US, I was reading a lot of Black journalists who wrote for the big American papers in the late 80s, early 90s, like Joe Wood and Adolph Reed Jr. at The Village Voice, Brent Staples at The New York Times. And I was quite influenced by publications like In These Times and the style, though not necessarily the politics, of The New Republic. I noticed this distinction: in the US you have opinion magazines or sections, in the UK and other cultures you have more a journalism that is unafraid to tell you about its ideological orientation. In South Africa historically, newspapers and magazines didnt pretend to be everything to everybody like The New York Times likes to pretend to be. Those things drove how I thought, and where Id place Africa Is A Country. How did you go about finding the team of people you have now? I would say we found people who thought of themselves as writers, but didnt have access to formal journalism outlets. For example, there was Ndeye Debo Seck, a Senegalese school teacher I met who had ideas and opinions I thought were really interesting about the Senegalese experience. There are other people, like academics, who wanted to write in a popular medium, but they just didnt have that sort of journalistic lexicon. So thats how it was, sort of by osmosis, it wasnt really a strategy, it was just kind of picking people up with you as you meet them so if a topic came up I might know somebody. Id ask them to write something and say, try and say it in 900 words and dont worry well edit it. There was a point around 2012 where we made a conscious decision to be mindful of the balance of the people. They cant all be from the diaspora because if youre writing about a cultural phenomenon like Black Panther youre viewing it differently if youre watching it in Accra than New York. We have a fellowship that we offer to ten young writers and of those ten we made sure most were Africans living on the continent. How does funding the site work? When we started nobody got paid, including myself. [In 2019] I became a Shuttleworth fellow and they give you $275,000 per year for the project youre working on, and Ive been lucky to have received that fellowship three years in a row so that meant I could employ people. I employ a managing editor; he gets a salary. Then I employ a number of contract employees including copy editors, a senior editor, and our staff writer. I think Im always going to have to fundraise. However, we are trying to do other things; were trying to integrate merchandise. Were actually working on simplifying the process for people to donate. All our content is free, its published under a Creative Commons license so you can copy it, run it on your website translated, you dont have to pay us for it. Africa Is A Country has projects focusing on climate change and capitalism in African countries. Why those topics? Its about the fact that these resources are there and multinational corporations and governments are going to extract them. So the question becomes, if that is a fact and it is happening, how do we ensure they are accountable to the communities who live in the Niger Delta, or the platinum belt in South Africa, or the natural gas fields of Mozambique? The other part is to say the model of extraction is not sustainable, this idea that we should just have this continuous growth is not sustainable. Its not just about making the corporations accountable, its also about how do we strengthen the capacity for governments to make things better. Theres an idea that Africans are on the margins of capitalism, that theyre not part of the way that money is moving. But actually theyve always been part of capitalism, since the arrival of colonialism, and they are intimately involved in it. A place like Nairobi is a capitalist city and one of the things we did there is connect with this group called the Mathare Social Justice Center. It doesnt do much theorizing, its work has to do with police brutality, housingvery local strugglesbut around them they have young intellectuals emerging, people who are thinking about how they are living. They set up a little team and made this proposal to us called Capitalism In My City to make videos showing things like pollution, and unemployment. The way were going to write about capitalism cant be like the New Left Review or some obscure leftist journal type thing. It has to be in line with regular people and also people who are not necessarily interested in Kenya or might think the life somebody lives in Nairobi is not like theirs in New York. Coverage around African LGBTQ rights is one particular area that tends to be very bleak in Western media. How does your site approach it? Theres a lot happening that might be oversimplified. One example: when Binyavanga Wainaina came out in his piece headlined I am a homosexual, mum. He was interviewed by NPR and said he did not want this to be published in a Western publication because opponents of gay rights in Africa would say, Oh, youre promoting that Western thing. So the essay was published in Chimurenga and Africa Is A Country. Thats the function we serve: its a conversation among ourselves about whats already there. If you think these countries are only homophobic, it turns out there is a long history of multiple sexualities, of non-heteronormative sexualities. If the state is not there yet to make laws happen, thats only one part of the story. Lastly, you recently wrote about your sites efforts to make more connections with communities in other parts of the world, like Asia, South America, Australia etc. Whats the thought behind that? The connection to the diaspora South America has a large and very influential population of Africans. And there are communities who are not necessarily African but their place, their relation to the world is similar. Weve run articles on what can Africa learn from Asia. And for a long time nobody second guessed or questioned Europeans and Americans on why they were talking about other parts of the world. We took it [for granted] that somehow they could speak on anything while we were only supposed to speak about the little places were from. Eventually, when people go to the site, they will be able to read about stuff in other parts of the world written by Africans. Its interesting that its not deemed as normal. But if an American person goes to a place or has an interest in it, that somehow gives them some level of objectivity or insight. Its a strange phenomenon. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Feven Merid is CJR's staff writer and Senior Delacorte Fellow. This spring, as the coronavirus ravaged the United States, mutual aid groups proliferated. In Chicago, where I live, I watched businesses close and people suddenly lose their jobs. I saw essential workers, mostly Black and brown folks from the citys South and West Sides, taking the bus to fulfill their duties at the peak of the pandemic. I saw our county jail become the nations largest known source of covid-19 infections, even as up to a fourth of those incarcerated were there on low-level offenses, because they couldnt afford to pay their bond. At the same time, governments and medical institutions became overwhelmed, and I saw neighbors spring into action to meet the needs of their communities. These self-organized networks distributed masks and medical supplies, delivered groceries and packages, provided child and elder care, and transferred cash. Groups of clergy members, death doulas, therapists, social workers, and healers offered mourning support for those who had lost loved ones. The rise of mutual aid solidarity networks has resulted from untenable economic disparity and social breakdown. That should tell journalists something we badly need to hear: when government and civic institutions fail to provide equal benefits across society, marginalized people will create new systems. The news industry is no exception. Black Lives Matter Chicago, in an August report on police violence committed against protesters, put it bluntly: We have to be our own media. Their words underlined the fact that the dominant system of information-sharing in place in this country is badly broken. Journalists tend to think of themselves as individual talents; driven by their own intrepid instincts, they find and uncover the stories of others. Instead, we should think of our work as one element within an interconnected ecosystem of social services. Imagine the scene of a fatal shooting, a single tragedy that involves numerous actors: first responders arrive, families grieve, organizers launch crowdfunding efforts, insurance companies assess costs, funeral services inter the dead, academics produce reports on firearm registration, government officials write crime-prevention laws, schools ban (or increase) the presence of guns. Meanwhile, the media tells a story thats detached from this ecosystemusing generic details and a mug shot, both provided by police. These breaking-news articles are produced quickly, written to maximize attention, and designed to compete with similar stories from other outlets to be first, not necessarily useful. This approach to journalismtop-down, focused on individuals and events isolated from contextdoesnt serve readers: it skews the public perception of resource-starved communities, diminishes systemic harms by centering individual actions, and values institutional authority and expert opinion over the people for whom the stakes are highest. In addition, the press tends to represent communities unevenly. In Chicagowhere I cofounded City Bureau, a nonprofit newsroom focused on local civic journalismthere is a stark difference in residents news experiences based on where they live. According to a survey of nine hundred Chicagoans conducted in 2018 by City Bureau and the University of Texas at Austins Center for Media Engagement, people living on the South and West Sides were twice as likely as their North Side and downtown neighbors to think that coverage of their community was too negative; they were more likely to think that news coverage quotes the wrong people; they were more likely to feel that local media does not accurately depict whats going on in their midst; and they were more likely to have never talked to a journalist. According to one recent estimate, the South Side and the West Side are only 10 percent white; the North and downtown are 50 percent white. In a survey of the majority of the coverage by twenty-one Chicago news organizations, conducted over two weeks in February 2019 by the Center for Media Engagement, 90 percent of outlets referred to locations on the North Side and in downtown areas of the city, yet just 19 percent mentioned the South Side and only 5 percent mentioned the West Side. When the West Side was covered, it was more frequently mentioned in stories about crime. Across the country, the American Society of News Editors diversity survey has shown again and again that newsrooms do not reflect the communities they serve. One revealing benchmark: of the newsrooms polled in asnes 2019 survey, only a handful with twenty-five or more staffers met or exceeded parity in representation of people of color as compared with the communities they cover. In the coming months and years, as each community in the US navigates four interrelated crisessystemic racism, a global pandemic, economic depression, and ecological disasterjournalism will need to adapt. As I witnessed the collective efforts taking shape around me this summer, I considered, not for the first time, the role that journalists occupy in a communityand our failure to address the fundamental human needs within it. I wondered: What is the mutual aid equivalent for local news? Journalists should think of our work as part of an ecosystem of social services. America has a long history of mutual aid efforts. After successive epidemics struck San Francisco at the turn of the nineteenth century, Chinatown mutual aid societies built the Tung Wah Dispensary (known today as the Chinese Hospital), the first medical facility serving a Chinese community in the continental United States. In the following decades, sociedades mutualistas in the American Southwest provided healthcare, insurance funds, education, and workforce advocacy for the Mexican-American communities that needed them. As Jessica Gordon Nembhard, a political economist, writes in her book Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice, mutual aid movements in the Black community endured from before the Civil War to the present day. Freedmen and enslaved alike formed mutual-aid, burial, and beneficial societies, pooling their dues to take care of their sick, look after widows and children, and bury their dead, Nembhard writes. In the absence of professional journalismin so-called news deserts across the countrycritical information systems are left to the algorithmic biases of a few social media giants. Dig further, though, and youll find block club newsletters, school newspapers, library workshops, public access broadcasts, grassroots community teach-ins, and barbershop conversations that are for and of communities. Mutual aid efforts suggest a way forward, a new type of newsroom that serves as the nerve center for local information hubs by reflecting and connecting the people it serves, prioritizing lived experience and disavowing the notion of objective gatekeeping. These newsrooms will redistribute journalism skills away from selective and expensive higher-education programs and to the public. They will collaborate with nontraditional news sources to reduce a scarcity of resources exacerbated by competition. They will democratize the news industry by providing more access to decision-making processes. These newsrooms will do away with heroes and hierarchies by sharing the responsibility of shaping how news and information are created and distributed. And this new newsroom cant come soon enough: since 2008, half of all newsroom jobs at papers in the US have been lost, while the need for accurate, trustworthy information rises. Mutual aid efforts suggest a way forward, a new type of newsroom that serves as the nerve center for local information hubs. Some newsrooms have already remade themselves. My workplace, for instance, is inspired by mutual aid organizers and principles. Founded by four peoplea reporter, an editor, a publisher, and an educatorCity Bureau now has thirteen staff members who run three year-round programs: Our Public Newsroom event series has hosted more than a hundred and thirty workshops that highlight community voices. Our Documenters program is a participatory media network composed of local partners and hundreds of nonprofessional reporters in Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit who are trained and paid to attend public meetings and report on policy decisions using a centralized hub for government data. Our paid reporting fellowship has trained over a hundred journalistsmostly journalists of color new to the fieldwho collaboratively create community-centered news and go on to work in local media. Our network isnt limited to traditional journalists; it includes organizers, artists, teachers, librarians, students, parents, and many others. Were not alone in building newsrooms that are integrated into local ecosystems. Outlier Media, a nonprofit in Detroit, provides what it calls service journalism on demand: city residents can text questions directly to journalists in English, Spanish, and Arabic about subjects including food, jobs, health, schools, housing, taxes, and utilities. The Devil Strip, a free arts and culture news publication started in Akron, Ohio, in 2015, is the countrys first community-owned local news cooperative. Canopy Atlanta, an online news organization that launched in fall 2020, has built a community advisory board in Atlantas West End neighborhood to shape coverage reported by Canopy journalists as well as West End community members. These local news hubs tend to be smaller and fewer compared to what the public is accustomed to, but they operate with a set of values that encourages networked collaboration, resource-sharing, diverse representation, and new opportunities within their local ecosystems. To survive the upheaval of 2020, journalists must relearn much of what we know. Confronting the existential issues shaping our world requires the creation and distribution of quality informationnot simply a journalism degree. A healthy and democratic future demands that the skills journalists possess be distributed among manynot bestowed on a select few. The journalists we need today are not heroic observers of crisisthey are conveners, facilitators, organizers, educators, on-demand investigators, and community builders. Most of all, they strengthen the systems that make communities resilient. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Darryl Holliday is a journalist, participatory-media advocate, and media entrepreneur based in Chicago. Hes the cofounder of and director of the news lab at City Bureau, a civic journalism nonprofit based on the South Side. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A top Southern Baptist Convention administrator is resigning amid internal rifts over how to handle an investigation into the SBCs response to sexual abuse, a decision that underscores the broader ongoing turmoil in the nations largest Protestant denomination. Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBCs Executive Committee, announced his departure Thursday in a statement critical of recent decisions related to the third-party review that is getting underway. An investigative firm is looking into allegations the Executive Committee mishandled abuse reports and mistreated survivors. Due to my personal integrity and the leadership responsibility entrusted to me, I will not and cannot any longer fulfill the duties placed upon me as the leader of the executive, fiscal, and fiduciary entity of the SBC, said Floyd, who is leaving at the end of the month. Members of the divided Executive Committee voted Oct. 5 to waive attorney-client privilege, agreeing to turn over legally protected records to investigators. The vote was the result of multiple meetings and mounting pressure from across the convention in favor of the waiver. Proponents of the waiver of attorney-client privilege said it was a key demand of the thousands of Southern Baptist delegates who set the third-party review into motion. Opponents said it was financially risky and could jeopardize insurance policies. Floyds statement said the Executive Committee was committed to the review, but it could have been done without creating these potential risks relating to the Conventions liability. Floyd, a longtime Arkansas pastor who became the Executive Committee president in 2019, is not the only recent departure. Several members of the Executive Committee have resigned their posts, and the committees longtime law firm cut ties with the body, citing the decision to waive privilege. This is the latest tension point in the conventions ongoing reckoning with a sex abuse scandal that was thrust into the spotlight by a 2019 Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News report that documented hundreds of cases of abuse in Southern Baptist churches, including several in which alleged perpetrators remained in ministry. The last several weeks have been trying and difficult for our convention, said SBC President Ed Litton in a statement. While I was grateful for the outcome of last weeks Executive Committee meeting, I regret that Dr. Floyd and other trustees feel that this has placed them in a position where they can no longer continue to serve in their current capacities. The response to sex abuse is one of several issues causing controversy in the conservative evangelical denomination, which has experienced years of declining membership in addition to some high-profile departures. Tensions have flared in recent years over critical race theory, womens leadership roles in the church and partisan politics. What were seeing in the Southern Baptist Convention is both a reflection and a magnification of the tumult in the culture, said Ed Stetzer, a Southern Baptist and executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. The SBC is perpetually at war with itself for as long as Ive known it, Stetzer said. In June, Litton was elected the new SBC president in a narrow vote, temporarily tamping down an effort to push the convention even further to the right but embittering critics who remain hostile to him. Stetzer thinks the SBC needs to fix its problems and then focus on the evangelical mission that unites the convention. The SBC is at a key fork in the road and who the SBC will be is really going to be decided in the next few months and years, said Stetzer. The Executive Committee has become a lightning rod for controversy as its members wrestled with how to handle the investigation. The third-party review is being funded by the Executive Committee, conducted by Guidepost Solutions and overseen by a new Southern Baptist sexual abuse task force. The Executive Committees reputation has suffered because of this ordeal, said Adam Greenway, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He was among the wave of Southern Baptists calling on the committee to move the third-party review forward without further delay. The committee should function like the sound technician in your church, which means you should never hear about it or talk about it if its doing its job well, Greenway said. The committee acts on behalf of the SBC when it is not holding its two-day national meeting. Greenway said it is not meant to be the face or the voice of the decentralized denomination and its leadership should see its role as supporting and facilitating the work of the convention and its more than 40,000 churches. Executive Committee member Dean Inserra, a Florida pastor who supported waiving attorney-client privilege, said he wishes Floyd had carried out the assignment given by the delegates. Its just really been honestly sad just to see the state of affairs, said Inserra, a new committee member. The good news is I think culture change is in play and is coming. So I actually truly am optimistic. The Rev. Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas, an SBC megachurch, expressed hope that the turmoil would not harm the the individual churches that give the denomination its strength. Yet he expressed concern. The departure of Floyd and other Executive Committee members does not portend well for the denominations future, Jeffress said via email. As Jesus said, `A house divided against itself cannot stand. Christa Brown, a church sexual abuse survivor and a longtime critic of the SBCs sexual abuse response, said Floyds resignation is worth celebrating, but the work of pushing for institutional reforms continues. A systemic cure for this institutions ails will be painful, and it will mean sacrifice, Brown said. But if the SBC winds up needing to sell nearly all its assets for the sake of providing reparations and restitution to those it has so grievously harmed, then this would be for the good. Associated Press reporters Peter Smith and David Crary contributed to this report. About the photo: In this June 16, 2021, file photo, people attend the morning session of the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn. A top Southern Baptist Convention administrator is resigning after weeks of internal division over how best to handle an investigation into the denominations response to sexual abuse reports. Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBCs Executive Committee, announced his departure Thursday, Oct. 14, in a statement. He said he will leave the post at the end of the month. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Four people are in critical condition with burns after they were pulled from an airplane that went down Thursday afternoon near a private airstrip in Sacramento County, fire officials said. The plane landed between trees in the large front yard of a home and caused a small vegetation fire that was quickly extinguished, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District told television stations ABC 10 and KCRA 3. The plane landed in the Wilton area, southeast of Sacramento and east of Elk Grove. Steven Scharf told KCRA 3 that he saw the aircraft crash and burst into flames. He jumped out of his truck and ran across the street with his fire extinguisher. He saw a man he believed to be the pilot crawling away from the flames with an apparent broken leg and doused him with the extinguisher. Scharf said he helped three other people a woman who appeared to be pregnant and two teenage boys out of the aircraft. The station also showed video of the aircraft, a white biplane, taking off at around 4:15 p.m. from nearby Alta Mesa Airpark, then quickly veering left and coming down behind trees. The Federal Aviation Administration said it has not yet identified what type of aircraft it was that crashed. The privately operated airpark has a 2,600-foot runway typically open only to residents living next to the tarmac, The Sacramento Bee reported. No one on the ground was injured, and no structures were threatened by the crash, Fire Capt. Parker Wilbourn told the newspaper. The four people were extricated and were in critical condition with burns, fire officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration had yet to identify the type of aircraft that crashed. The crash came four days after the pilot of a twin-engine plane crashed in a San Diego suburb, killing the pilot and a delivery driver on the ground and burning homes. While the cause of Mondays Southern California crash is still under investigation, the pilot disregarded repeated pleas from an air traffic controller to increase altitude and stay on course. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Beachwood, OH (44122) Today Flurries or snow showers possible early. Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. High 38F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 27F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) Only a small portion of the target beneficiaries availed of a program for people to return to the provinces, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday. A total of 267 families returned to their home provinces since the government's Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa" program was launched last year to help informal settler families and affected workers by the pandemic to have a fresh start in a bid to decongest Metro Manila. In a Senate budget hearing, DSWD said few family heads returned to the capital region for work. The program targets 200,000 beneficiaries until the end of President Rodrigo Dutertes term next year. We have to admit that of the 267 [families], merong three family heads lang naman po, not the family, na na-monitor nating bumalik dito sa Maynila dahil nagbukas po kung saan po sila nagta-trabaho, said DSWD director Janet Armas. [Translation: We have to admit that of the 267 families, there are three family heads that we have monitored who returned to Manila because their workplaces have reopened.] Armas said the agency makes sure applicants to the program are decided to stay in the province. Senator Nancy Binay raised the issue of employment in the province for the program beneficiaries. So safe to assume na hindi sila makakuha ng trabaho sa probinsya na pinuntahan nila kaya napipilitan silang bumalik dito sa Metro Manila as we open the economy here, said Binay. [Translation: So its safe to assume that they cannot secure a job in the province where they relocated, thats why they are forced to return here in Metro Manila as we open the economy here.] Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista said: Pagaaralan namin yan para ma-iwasan natin na may mga susunod pang magbabalikan. [Translation: We will look into that so we can prevent them from returning to Manila.] The government set aside 3.2 billion for Balik Probinsya. Unemployment Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo Lacson questioned hardly any improvement to unemployment rates despite more funds for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). The 4Ps budget increased from 62.6 billion in 2016 to 108 billion in 2020, he said. Nung 2016, 2.363 million yung ating unemployed. Nung 2017, 2.441 million; 2018, 2.3 million bumaba. Tapos 2019, 2.3 million. Tumaas ito noong 2020, said Lacson. [Translation: In 2016, 2.363 million are unemployed. In 2017, there were 2.441 milion; 2018, 2.3 million and it decreased. Then in 2019, it was 2.3 million. It increased in 2020.] He said families should graduate from the program, which also gives health and educational grants. Kung ating ija-juxtapose sa unemployment rate ng ating bansa doon sa binibigyan natin ng ayuda, parang hindi nagre-reconcile, said Lacson. [Translation: If we juxtapose this with our unemployment rate with the aid we are providing, it does not reconcile.] Through the program's education grant, Lacson further noted that there must be beneficiaries who graduated from college and already helping their families. But 4Ps national program manager Gemma Gabuya explained that the agency maintains the target beneficiaries at 4.4 million as program graduates are replaced with new ones. Ang ating targeted na beneficiaries ay 4.4 million hanggang 2022. Kapag may umaalis po, meron tayong replacements na additional beneficiaries as long as nandoon pa rin sila sa Listahanan, she said. [Translation: Our target beneficiaries is at 4.4 million until 2022. If someone graduates, we have replacements of additional beneficiaries as long as they are included in Listahanan.] Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, CNN Philippines, October 18) Mobility restrictions in Metro Manila may be downgraded further by Christmas if COVID-19 figures continue to decline in the capital region, a health expert said on Monday. "Kung mapagpatuloy natin ito at bumaba ang hospital utilization and other metrics, baka mas mapababa pa natin (alert level). Lalo na sa Pasko, baka maka-level 2 na tayo," Dr. Edsel Salvana, infectious diseases specialist and a member of the Health department's technical advisory group, said in a virtual briefing Monday. [Translation: If we can continue this and further lower hospital utilization and other metrics, the (alert level) may be downgraded even more. Especially at Christmas, we might be placed under level 2.] Metro Manila is under Alert Level 3 until the end of October, allowing establishments to expand their operations, with 50% outdoor venue capacity and an indoor venue capacity of 30% for fully vaccinated individuals. READ: Cinemas, theme parks at limited capacity: What to expect under Alert Level 3 Salvana said that while the emergence of new coronavirus variants and gatherings that may lead to superspreader events pose threats to the improving COVID-19 situation, he said he is "cautiously optimistic" that the country passed the peak. He said that as long as people observe health protocols, coupled with the government's accelerated vaccination efforts, Filipinos "can look forward to a happier Christmas". In an interview with CNN Philippines' New Day on Monday, OCTA Research fellow Guido David said people should remain on alert as many Filipinos are still unvaccinated against COVID-19. "We're averaging about 1,400 cases now per day in Metro Manila, which is you know, far less than almost 6,000 average during the surge but still, we should not be complacent," David said. Both experts attributed the downward trend to the hard lockdown in August as well as the vaccination drive. "I think we're almost at low risk in Metro Manila or at moderate risk. But hopefully there will be no spike in cases because you know, people are congregating in public places," David said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) The online precinct finder of the Commission on Elections is slated to be in service again by January 2022, months ahead of the elections. "For the precinct finder, it will be available only after the finalization of the list of voters... Kapag po final na ang database in December, we can make it available in January," Comelec Information Technology Department Director Jeannie Flororita told the Senate Finance Committee on Monday. The precinct finder indicates where a voter should proceed to cast their ballot come election day by encoding personal information. In 2016, a massive data breach hit the Precinct Finder web app and was said to have compromised the voter database and other internal Comelec databases. RELATED: Chairman Andres Bautista criminally liable for Comelec data breach National Privacy Commission The Comelec said local election officers have been directed to finalize the number of precincts and voting centers needed to accommodate all registered voters. Polling precincts used in the 2019 midterm elections are currently under review and may be transferred if the area is being used as a quarantine facility, the location is congested, or the local political situation is "volatile," according to Comelec's new rules. Comelec offices would also need to finalize precinct assignments per voter, which can only be done after the voter registration period that ends Oct. 30. A maximum of 800 voters can be assigned per clustered precinct, down from 1,000 in the previous polls to enforce physical distancing due to the COVID-19 crisis. READ: Comelec eyeing more barangay courts, halls as voting centers in 2022 There are now 63.7 million registered voters as of Sept. 30, where 6.1 million are first-time voters. Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said he expects between 350,000 to 500,000 more Filipinos to sign up this month, for a total of over 64 million possible voters on May 9. Overseas voters During the hearing, Senator Imee Marcos asked Comelec if it can reopen the voter registration process for Filipinos abroad, saying thousands more have not yet signed up to vote next year. The poll body earlier gave a two-week extension for overseas voters to register at Philippine embassies and consular offices, which ended on Oct. 14. Like in Metro Manila, there were long lines of last-minute registrants in areas like Hong Kong and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. READ: Long lines greet Filipinos abroad as registration for overseas voters ends Marcos said additional registration days may be offered only in countries with a high number of Filipino residents. Abas said the Comelec en banc will consider the proposal on Wednesday. "Pag-uusapan namin kung kaya pa naming i-stretch yung sa OFOV (overseas voting). Stretched na stretched na po siya pero i-try pa rin namin [We will discuss if we can still stretch the deadline further for overseas voting. It's already very stretched but we'll still try]," Abas said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 19) The Department of Justice on Tuesday filed a non-bailable case of possession of illegal drug against Julian Ongpin, son of businessman and former Trade Secretary Roberto Ongpin. The case was filed at the San Fernando City, La Union Regional Trial Court, the Office of the Prosecutor General said in a message to reporters. Yes, it was already filed in court today. We dont know yet kung saan branch ng RTC po siya mara-raffle (We dont know yet in which branch of the RTC it will be raffled), Prosecutor Honey Delgado said. In a briefer released to the media on Monday, the DOJ said it has "resolved to indict" Ongpin. The DOJ also said a precautionary hold departure order against Ongpin was issued on Oct. 8 by the San Fernando court to prevent him from leaving the country. But Delgado said there is no arrest warrant yet for Ongpin. Last month, local police filed drug complaints against Ongpin after he was caught in possession of cocaine and tested positive for cocaine use. Authorities were able to retrieve 12.6 grams of the dangerous drug in a hostel room in San Juan, La Union, which Ongpin shared with his supposed girlfriend, painter Bree Jonson, who was found dead in the same room. Ongpin is being implicated in Jonsons death, as he was reportedly the artists last companion. However, in a move that sparked allegations of special treatment, Ongpin was later ordered released from detention by the La Union Provincial Prosecutors Office pending the preliminary investigation into the incident. Police earlier said Jonson died of asphyxia, or lack of oxygen due to strangulation, but added that an initial probe showed no signs of foul play. They said investigators only saw ligature marks under her chin, but could not conclude yet if she was strangled or if they were self-inflicted. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) Accused of being a "parking lot" for unused public funds, the Philippine International Trading Corporation confirmed receiving more than 50 billion from various government agencies in the past seven years, but claims it has the necessary memorandums of agreement. Bills have been filed at the Senate and the House of Representatives seeking the abolition of the PITC, along with the Department of Budget and Management's Procurement Service, amid congressional probes into alleged procurement anomalies during the pandemic. Lawmakers say funds transferred to these government entities are prone to corruption. At a Senate subcommittee hearing on the PITC's proposed budget for 2022 on Monday, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon quizzed Officer-in-Charge Christabelle Ebriega about PITC's vision of being the "procurement agent of choice of all government agencies." Ebriega said Presidential Decree No. 1071, or the PITC's charter, a 1977 law signed by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, grants it the authority to procure. Drilon then asked if the PITC entered into MOAs to specify terms of the fund transfers. He noted this was something the Department of Health failed to do when it moved over 41 billion to the DBM-PS amid the coronavirus crisis. "We have MOAs with all our client agencies," Ebriega said. Philippine Army top client Ebriega disclosed that the Philippine Army transferred a total of 13.4 billion to the PITC from 2014 to 2020, making it its biggest client. Asked for comment, Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad told CNN Philippines these were used to procure "mission-essential equipment and items that the Army needs." He said the outstanding balance is now at 3.1 billion. Projects worth 10 billion have already been delivered. The University of the Philippines System, including the Philippine General Hospital, was a far second with 4 billion in fund transfers, followed by the Department of Information and Communication Technology with 3.5 billion, Bureau of Fire Protection with 3.4 billion, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority with 3.3 billion. Of the 50 billion total, 20 billion were either paid to suppliers or sent back to the Treasury, while 10.2 billion had been reverted from January 2020 to September 2021, leaving a balance of more than 20 billion. Drilon pointed out that it covered the period when he vehemently protested the parking of funds at the PITC. Ebriega said it was their "understanding" that funds received by the PITC are considered obligated and had no deadline for utilization. She said another 1.9 billion may be returned to the Treasury within the month. Skirting rules Drilon also questioned the increase in fund transfers under the Duterte administration, or since 2016. Ebriega said this may be due to the PITC's marketing efforts, but lawmakers were not convinced. "Don't you think it's a little odd na yung mga government agencies bago mag-lapse yung pondo nila at bumalik sa Treasury, ipa-park po sa PITC [that just before government agencies' funds lapsed and were about to be returned to the Treasury, they would be parked with PITC)?" Senator Joel Villanueva asked. "That has nothing to do with marketing," Drilon said. "It has got to do with the effort to go around the law because under the rules and under the regulation of the DBM and the national Treasury, you are supposed to return to the national Treasury the budget which are not disbursed by the end of the year. To go around this, billions of pesos are being transferred to the PITC from these government agencies in order to make it appear that they had a good disbursement rate," he added. Ebriega admitted that may be the intention. "That may be so By obligating the funds to PITC, well, that would answer some of their concerns regarding the utilization," she said. On the part of the PITC, she said there was no intention to be used as a "parking lot." "Hindi naman po parked kaya lang kulang po 'yung mga dokumento nila [It does not mean the funds are parked, but the documents are not complete] that's why we cannot proceed with the procurement," she added. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) Senatorial aspirant Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. is not in favor of conducting another round of peace talks with communist rebels and reimposing death penalty for drug-related crimes. "Actually no. That's already been done," Teodoro told CNN Philippines' The Source on Monday when asked about his stance on peace talks during the "yes or no" segment. Teodoro served as Defense secretary from 2007 to 2009 under the Arroyo administration. In 2010, he ran for president but lost to Benigno Aquino III. The aspiring lawmaker is also not in favor of the reimposition of death penalty for drug-related crimes, citing lapses in the country's judicial system. "No, not because I oppose it but because the judicial system might lack resources to guarantee a fair trial," he explained. But Teodoro said "yes" to the lifting of limits to foreign ownerships; easier access to statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth; and having a sitting president run for vice president in the upcoming election because the "people will decide on it anyway." President Rodrigo Duterte earlier announced that he would retire from politics once his term ends. He was initially endorsed by the PDP-Laban faction headed by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to gun for the vice presidency, but his former aide and incumbent Sen. Bong Go replaced him. WPS dispute and pandemic response On the other hand, Teodoro believes that the country should be "more aggressive" when it comes to protecting its maritime resources in the West Philippine Sea, but he shares Duterte's sentiment on the function of the United Nations. [It is] one of the most undemocratic organizations because of the veto power of the permanent members of the Security Council," Teodoro said. He also shared his thoughts on the Senate probe into the government's procurement of medical items, a move which he said should continue to hold those accountable, but must not stall the country's vaccination drive. "Where there is smoke, there is fire. It should be pursued by professional investigators in an impartial way. Whoever has done something wrong should suffer for it basically, but this should not stall the need to acquire vaccines as quickly as possible because vaccinations are necessary and crucial in order for our economy to open," he said. He also pushed for more investments in digital and physical infrastructures that would improve the government's pandemic response and storage facilities for vaccines, particularly in less developed localities with lesser technological capabilities. After a decade-long hiatus in the political arena, Teodoro sought to make a comeback. He filed his candidacy for senator under the People's Reform Party two weeks ago, with a goal of "introducing more efficiencies into the government" using his background as a former public official and a leader in the private sector. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) The Metro Manila Council (MMC) will release "clearer" guidelines on allowing minors aged 17 and below to go outside of their homes. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora told CNN Philippines of the development after the Metro Manila mayors met on Sunday, but he did not disclose when the rules will be released to the public. Zamora said it was a consensus among fellow mayors that minors are still prohibited to dine at restaurants and enter malls. The San Juan City chief executive also said they will release clearer rules, as minors aged 12 to 17 with comorbidities are now allowed to get vaccinated against COVID-19. "At dahil ang 17 and below ay hindi pa vaccinated ngayon, kung meron man nabakunahan ay first dose pa lamang, hindi pa sila considered fully vaccinated, kaya maglalabas ang MMC ng mas malinaw na panuntunan patungkol dito upang maging gabay sa aming mga mayor sa tamang implementasyon," said Zamora. [Translation: And because those aged 17 and below are not yet fully vaccinated, if ever they would only have received their first dose and not yet fully vaccinated, the MMC will issue clearer rules regarding this to guide us mayors on the right implementation.] The MMC guidelines will also include specific parameters on the interzonal and intrazonal travel of minors. "Meron isang clause run nakalagay interzonal travel. Ibig sabihin within Metro Manila sila po ay makakabiyahe. So maglalabas po ang MMC ng mas malinaw na panuntunan kung anong klaseng biyahe ba ang puwedeng gawin," Zamora added. [Translation: There is one clause regarding interzonal travel. This means they can travel within Metro Manila. So the MMC will release more specific guidelines on what kind of travel will be allowed.] MMC chairman and Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez was sought to comment on Zamora's remarks, but he has yet to respond to CNN Philippines. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases recently allowed the point-to-point travel of minors living in Metro Manila to areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ. Metro Manila is currently under COVID-19 Alert Level 3 until Oct. 31, where granular lockdowns are enforced in hotspots to prevent the spread of the disease. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) With just a little over eight months in office, the Philippine National Police hopes to give the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte a "strong finish" for his controversial anti-drugs drive and a "decisive victory" to put an end to the communist insurgency. Speaking at a virtual media forum on Monday, PMGen Rhodel Sermonia, the head of the PNP Directorate for Operations, outlined the agency's four main priorities in the remainder of Duterte's term. These are the war on drugs, counter-insurgency, COVID-19 response and the conduct of peaceful and orderly 2022 elections. 'Strong finish' Despite the International Criminal Court giving the go-signal last month to investigate the Philippine's deadly crackdown on illegal drugs, Sermonia said the PNP is eyeing to give Mr. Duterte a "strong finish" regarding the controversial campaign. Sermonia pointed out that law enforcement operations have been intensified to cut the demand and supply chain of drugs to meet the June 30 deadline, insisting that "we're almost there. We need to have a strong finish." He also highlighted the PNP's own drive to support the administration's target of ending the more than five-decade-old insurgency, one of the world's longest running conflicts, by the time Duterte steps down from office. These include actively backing the operations of the military in going after communist leaders and fighters, and "cutting (rebels') lifelines in the communities" by dismantling their "financial network," as well as their so-called legal fronts. The PNP boasts of efforts to "counter mobilizations of mass organizations" by launching its own short-term social service programs, especially in areas identified as rebel bailiwicks. "Hindi po natin pwede sabihin in the next coming months, or in the next four months. Mahaba-haba pa po ang June 30. Pero sa tingin ko, kagaya ng sabi ko, yung decisive victory abot kamay na po natin," Sermonia said. [Translation: We can't really say we can end it in the coming months or in the next four months. June 30 is still a little far off. But in my opinion, like I said, the decisive victory is within reach.] Aside from supporting the government's pandemic response, Sermonia said the PNP is now busy laying out the security preparations for the 2022 national and local elections. Their operations include ensuring all PNP members remain impartial, re-examine the list of partisan armed groups, update the list of areas vulnerable to poll-related violence, discourage candidates from paying campaign fees to rebels, and to go after politicians with links to narco groups. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) The Philippine Red Cross on Monday said the COVID-19 test results produced by its Subic laboratory were found "valid and reliable" by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. In a statement, the humanitarian organization said the RITM completed on Oct. 13 its investigation into claims of inaccurate results from the Subic facility. "In their letter, it states that it 'found no evidence of contamination for the forty-eight (48) cases tested by PRC Subic laboratory and the results were found to be valid and reliable,'" the Red Cross said. Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Department of Health to look into reports of false positive COVID-19 cases recorded in the PRC's testing laboratories. Duterte said these include claims that over 40 hospital personnel were found positive for COVID-19 by the PRC's Subic laboratory, but later tested negative in another facility. The Red Cross welcomed the RITM's conclusion, saying it has found itself "a victim of unsubstantiated allegations in recent months." "The PRC is grateful to the RITM for its unbiased investigation into the matter," it said. Both the organization and the DOH earlier explained that the timing of specimen collection may be among the factors behind the difference in test results. Duterte's directive to probe the allegedly false positive cases coincided with his rants against PRC and its chairman Senator Richard Gordon, who heads the Senate panel investigating the administration's questionable pandemic response spending. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has opened a community marketplace for farmers and fisherfolk hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The diversified conglomerate on Monday said it formally inaugurated the San Miguel Market in Sariaya, Quezon. "This means more income in their (farmers and fishermen) pockets for their families, and for customers, more affordable food choices," SMC President Ramon Ang said. The Ang-led company aims to support the livelihood of farmers and fishermen through this public market, where they can sell their produce. Our farmers and fisherfolk truly need all the support they can get during this pandemic. Many instances, a lot of them have no recourse but to throw away their freshly harvested fruits and vegetables or sell these at a loss due to lack of buyers, limited access to markets, and possibly, lower demand, for various factors," Ang said. "Helping to capacitate and enable local fishermen and farmers and strengthening agriculture is a priority for us," he added. The SMC also donated 18 fishing boats to the Malasakit Management, Inc, which is composed mainly of relocatees from the San Miguel-Christian Gayeta Homes, "so they can ensure a stable supply of fresh fish in the market." Ang said he wants to eventually expand the San Miguel Market and convert it into a "bagsakan" or wholesale market for all produce coming from Sariaya and other parts of Quezon province. It will be complemented by the earlier completed "Fishermen's Dock," where fishermen can store their boats, engines, and fishing supplies. These are just some of the establishments included in the SMC's planned agro-industrial complex in Sariaya. A brewery, grains terminal, feed mill, ready-to-eat manufacturing plant, high-tech poultry facility, fuel tank farm, as well as port facilities are in the works too. With SMC food production plants to be set up in Sariaya in the coming years, we can source ingredients from local farmers and provide employment to many residents," Ang said. "San Miguel Market can then serve as a major food distribution outlet for agriculture and San Miguel products in South Luzon and even as far as the Bicol region," he added. The SMC has launched efforts to provide assistance to local farmers and fisherfolk and ensure stable food supply since the onset of the pandemic last year. These include the "Better World" Diliman, a "ready-market for excess produce at better-than-farmgate prices," and the "Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita" farmers' produce stalls in Petron stations, among several others. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 18) Vince Dizon has tendered his irrevocable resignation as the president and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), but he remains a part of Duterte's Cabinet, an official confirmed on Monday. BCDA Executive VP Aileen Zosa told senators that Dizon offered his resignation to President Rodrigo Duterte effective October 15, but did not explain the reason. "I think it was an irrevocable resignation but he will stay in the Cabinet for the anti-COVID efforts of the government," she said during the discussion on BCDA's proposed budget for 2022. Aside from being the deputy chief implementer of the National Task Force against COVID-19 and testing czar, Dizon is also the presidential adviser for flagship programs. Dizon was not among Duterte's appointees who filed candidacy for the 2022 elections, but substitution is open until Nov. 15. CNN Philippines has requested comment from Dizon. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 19) The Philippine National Police said it recorded more minimum health protocol violations in the National Capital Region after it was placed under Alert Level 3. Speaking to CNN Philippines The Final Word, PNP Spokesperson Col. Roderick Augustus Alba said violations increased by 48.85% to 8,273 after the region shifted to the more relaxed classification on Oct. 16. Sa assessment po ng ating NCRPO, maa-attribute ito sa increasing number ng tao as you have observed, iyong convergence like iyong sa mga simbahan, malls, markets, restaurants. Dahil din ito sa pag-lift nga ng NCR ng Alert Level 3, he explained. [Translation: In the NCRPO's assessment, this can be attributed to the increasing number of people as you have observed, the convergence in churches, malls, markets, and restaurants. This is also due to easing NCR to Alert Level 3.] Last week, the governments pandemic task force decided to place the capital region under Alert Level 3 from Oct. 16 to 31, loosening restrictions and expanding the operation of establishments. PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar said he already issued a directive for unit commanders in Metro Manila to ensure the publics compliance on COVID-19 protocols. More police officers will also be deployed to help in the implementation, he added. Alba also urged a collective effort to ensure rules are followed to control the spread of the coronavirus. Prior to announcing the shift in alert levels, health officials and experts had observed a downtrend in the number of cases in Metro Manila. Latest data shows that COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila are now at 840,696, with 13,869 active cases. Google has been boasting since at least June that Workspace, its productivity and collaboration platform, has 3 billion users, highlighting the huge scale of its largely consumer customer base. But for business adoption, the company still faces several barriers to wrestling market share from its biggest rival, Microsofts Office 365. The latest Workspace user stats amount to a significant increase from 2 billion at the end of 2019. Although Google hasn't offered details, the majority of these are likely Gmail users: Google Workspace (previously G Suite) has four paid subscription options, and is also available for free, providing access to features such as Gmail, Drive, Docs, and Meet at no cost. As of March 2020, there were 6 million paid customers, according to Googles most recent publicly available stats. Adoption by businesses especially larger enterprises is growing, but slowly, according to analysts, particularly when it comes to matching the scale of market leader Microsoft and its Office 365 suite. Google grew its share of the productivity software market to 10.3% in 2020, according to research from Gartner, taking about 2% from Microsoft. Microsoft is still the clear leader however, with 89.2%. Overall, the productivity software suite market grew 18.2% during 2020. Our market share analysis shows that Google is continually growing and taking market share, but at a rate that's still quite minimal: its not making a huge dent into what is a Microsoft-dominated space, said Michael Woodbridge, research director at Gartners Digital Workplace, Content and Insights team. Other research paints a similar picture. In Oktas annual survey of workplace apps used by its own identity management software customers, Microsoft 365, which bundles Office 365 and Windows 10, remained as the clear leader, with Workspace in fourth place. (Oktas view here is likely conservative: as a competitor to Microsofts Active Directory, its customer base naturally skews towards customers that use non-Microsoft products.) A recent CCS Insight report on app collaboration usage showed that Teams, the workstream collaboration tool within Office 365, is the most widely used (42% of respondents), compared to Google Workspace as a whole (21%). That latter number represents a 17% increase from the previous year. Google Google Meet being used in a Google Doc It's quite an uptick year-on-year, said Angela Ashenden, principal analyst at CCS Insight, citing adoption of Googles Meet video app during the pandemic as a potential driver. Nevertheless, theres still some way to go in terms of widespread enterprise adoption, she said. Interconnectedness becomes a major theme Google has made several significant changes to Workspace since the arrival of general manager Javier Soltero from Microsoft in late 2019, as it works to convince more businesses to adopt the software suite. The rebranding of Workspace from G Suite in 2020 coincided with efforts to remove some of the silos between applications, with interconnectedness emerging as a key theme in the past year. This has included the ability to access different Workspace apps without switching screens, such as being able to start a Meet video call directly from Docs to collaborate with colleagues. Google earlier this year also introduced its Smart Canvas concept, which breaks down elements of its productivity apps into modular components such as tasks and polls that can be inserted into multiple documents and updated in real time. While others such as Microsoft and various startups have similar capabilities, its an example of how Google wants to support new ways of working going forward, particularly around hybrid remote work. Google Google Smart Canvas If you create a platform where the bleed between the different capabilities is much more natural, then more people will use more parts of the product, said Ashenden. This, in turn, makes the product stickier for users, with the potential to become much more central to an organization's collaboration strategy, she said. At last week's Cloud Next event, Google furthered this aim of connectedness throughout its portfolio with the integration of AppSheet into Gmail, a move Google hopes will make the no-code platform it acquired last year more accessible to users. Enabling new ways of working (such as popularizing co-authoring) has long been a focus for the company with Google Apps, G Suite, and now Workspace. That message resonates even more at a time of significant disruption to how office work is carried out. The future of work is the battleground [for software vendors], said Woodbridge. Google comes at this with a proposition that provides you with new way of workingentirely browser-based, interlinked, collaborative, synchronous editing in all the applications, new content types. All of that starts to move an organization into thinking about work in a more collaborative way. However, that kind of messaging can be a double-edged sword; many businesses are conservative when it comes to change and slow to adopt either new technologies or different approaches to work. The proposition of huge disruptive change makes large enterprises anxious, said Woodbridge, particularly when competing with or dislodging productivity and collaboration apps that workers may have used for decades. Another strong point for Google Workspace in relation to Office 365 has been cost, and it remains unclear what impact Microsofts recent price increases here will have on market share. Collaboration and workflow A key area of competition between the Google and Microsoft suites involves workstream collaboration, said Woodbridge. Although Workspace like G Suite before it features an instant messaging tool (called Chat in its most recent guise), Googles strategy for collaboration largely centered around Gmail as the hub for teamwork in recent years. This played to one of Googles advantages, the prevalence of its email client (there were 1.5 billion Gmail users in 2019). There have been signs of a strategy shift, however, with greater emphasis now on Workspace Chat and Spaces, which arrived last month to replace Chat Rooms, as the way to connect workers. Spaces, which serves as a central area for collaborating on documents, viewing team messages, and more, is a closer competitor to Slack and Teams, although it launched just weeks ago and so is pretty early in that cycle, said Woodbridge. The adoption of Teams to support [collaboration] has grown exponentially over the past two years, and Teams has become the primary user application within Microsoft 365 to support remote work. Thats not as strong in the Google platform, said Woodbridge. At Cloud Next, Google indicated that enabling users to get work done in Workspace is a priority, and it's focusing on adding first-party integrations with its own tools with third-party apps. The integration with Atlassians ticketing software Jira announced at Cloud Next contributes to this vision, though Workspace lags rival workstream collaboration platforms in this respect, because they have more extensive ties with external apps. Other companies have begun to strengthen ties with their own business apps, with the goal of more deeply embedding team collaboration into user workflows. Its an area where Google lacks its own story: though it developed tools for the contact center in recent years, it doesnt have its own portfolio of business apps to connect to Workspace. The big question they're trying to address is around workflows and integrations: How do we bring processes into Workspace rather than it just being the place where you discuss things? How do we make it where the work is done? That has been a bit of a gap in their strategy, said Ashenden. While Google is moving in the that direction, theres more to be done in building out third-party integrations that enable workflows in Workspace. Its going to take a while before a.) they have enough of them and b.) they communicate to customers that it's something they can do in Workspace. So theres definitely some catching up that needs to be done in that regard. India, US kick off military exercise in Alaska India and the US have kicked off military training exercise, EX YUDH ABHYAS 21, at the Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Alaska which will enable their two militaries to undertake joint operations at the Battalion level in mountainous terrain with cold climatic conditions under the ambit of United Nations. Some 300 US Army soldiers belonging to First Squadron (Airborne) of the 40th Cavalry Regiment and 350 soldiers of 7 MADRAS Infantry Battalion Group of the Indian Army are participating in the exercise. Photo courtesy: Twitter/@5thSFAB The opening ceremony saw the unfurling of the national flags of both countries amidst playing of the national anthems, 'Jana Gana Mana' and 'The Star-Spangled Banner', as per media reports. Some 300 US Army soldiers belonging to First Squadron (Airborne) of the 40th Cavalry Regiment and 350 soldiers of 7 MADRAS Infantry Battalion Group of the Indian Army are participating in the exercise. The 14-day exercise includes activities on joint training in a counter insurgency/counter terrorism environment under United Nations mandate. During the opening ceremony, Major General Brian Eifler, Commander US Army, Alaska, formally welcomed the Indian contingent. He urged both contingents to focus on improving cohesion and interoperability to achieve training objectives of the exercise. He stressed the importance of free exchange of ideas, concepts and best practices between the troops and the necessity to learn from each others experiences. The joint exercise will facilitate both Armies to know each other better, share their wide experiences and enhance their situational awareness through information exchange. Meanwhile, the eighth Edition of the 12-day joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the Sri Lankan Army, Exercise MITRA SHAKTI which was conducted culminated at Combat Training School, Ampara today. Exercise Mitra Shakti, based on counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations in semi urban terrain is the largest bilateral exercise being undertaken by the Sri Lankan Army and it forms a major part of India and Sri Lankas growing defence partnership. During the past 14 days, both the contingents displayed great enthusiasm and professionalism while practising joint drills, executed as part of the exercise. The culmination phase of the exercise was jointly witnessed by the visiting Chief of the Indian Army, General MM Naravane and General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff & Commander of the Sri Lankan Army on 15 October 2021. Besides promoting synergy and interoperability amongst the Armed Forces, Exercise Mitra Shakti further helped in cementing ties between both the Nations. The participating contingents expressed immense satisfaction at the termination of the exercise in terms of standards achieved during the conduct of the said exercise. 10/18/2021 Photo (c) RealPeopleGroup - Getty Images Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.) Total U.S. confirmed cases: 44,937,514 (44,804,149) Total U.S. deaths: 724,417 (723,214) Total global cases: 240,805,141 (240,341,245) Total global deaths: 4,901,012 (4,899,313) Colin Powell dies of COVID-19 Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has died from complications related to COVID-19. His family reported Powells death on Facebook today. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather, and a great American," his family members wrote. The Facebook post also noted that the 84-year old Powell was fully vaccinated. Powell was a career military officer who rose to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He served in Republican administrations as national security adviser and secretary of state. CDC releases guidance for holiday celebrations Despite there being a decline in COVID-19 cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says Americans should exercise caution during the upcoming holiday season. In its holiday guidance, the agency said the great outdoors is the preferred place for large groups to gather. At the top of the list, the CDC recommends vaccinations for all participants in holiday celebrations. The agency says thats particularly important when unvaccinated children are present. "I think we're making some important progress in terms of increasing vaccinations, but the fact of the matter is there are still dangerous gaps in immunity throughout the country, and as long as that's the case, there are still pathways for the virus to spread," Jennifer Nuzzo, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told CNN. Resistance to vaccination mandates grows Businesses ordered by the Biden administration to impose vaccination mandates on their employees are facing strong pushback from unvaccinated workers. Hospitals, which are already operating with depleted staff, have scrambled to replace health care workers who quit rather than be vaccinated. The resistance also appears to be growing in law enforcement. The New York Times reports that the head of the Fraternal Order of Police in Chicago has urged police officers there to ignore the mayors order that city employees report their vaccination status. The issue may be felt most deeply in Seattle, which already has numerous vacancies on the police force. A police union official says the citys vaccination mandate is likely to cause more officers to quit. Around the nation California: The states vaccination rate is among the highest in the nation except when it comes to state employees. The California Human Resources Department reports that nearly 40% of state workers are defying Gov. Gavin Newsoms vaccination mandate. Arkansas: Gov. Asa Hutchinsons latest COVID-19 report shows that the state is making progress, with 1,027 fewer active cases over the last week. The sooner we get vaccine doses into the arms of Arkansans, the sooner we can see a further decline of hospitalizations and deaths from covid-19," Hutchinson wrote in a weekend tweet. Colorado: San Juan County has among the highest vaccination rates in the country. Federal health data shows that nearly 100% of the eligible population has been vaccinated. The county recorded its first hospitalizations of the pandemic in August. Hawaii: After keeping tourists at arms length during much of the summer because of a surge in COVID-19 cases, Hawaii is about to put out the welcome mat again. In the days ahead, Gov. David Ige is expected to make an official announcement encouraging tourists to return to the state. 10/18/2021 Photo (c) Pantea Naghavi Anaraki EyeEm - Getty Images In the event of an emergency or natural disaster, consumers want to be as prepared as possible to safely evacuate. However, for pet owners, theres an extra level of disaster preparation thats necessary. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from James Cook University found that when consumers make a point of having a disaster plan that involves their pets, theyre more likely to have the best survival outcomes. Other researchers have suggested the pets as protective factor principle in which companion animal guardianship can actually motivate owners to be proactive in disaster risk management planning, said researcher Dr. Yetta Gurtner. They suggest that focusing on individual preparedness for the sake of your pet will deliver better engagement for planning pet evacuation and self-reliance that will, in turn, yield higher human survival rates. Protecting consumers and pets safety For the study, the researchers surveyed over 240 pet owners in Turnersville -- a city in Australia that is vulnerable to natural disasters. They asked questions about the participants disaster preparation, including what plans they have in place that include their pets. One of the biggest takeaways from the study is that over 90% of the participants wouldnt leave their pets behind if an emergency occurred. However, only half of the participants had an evacuation plan ready, and less than 40% of the group had a disaster plan in place that accounted for their pets. This is important because keeping pets safe was a priority for the participants, and this can impact pet owners safety. The desire to safeguard animals in an emergency situation can ultimately result in human fatalities, and people who risk their safety for the welfare of animals remain a significant emergency management issue, Dr. Gurtner said. Know your resources The researchers also suggest that pet owners know what emergency resources are available to them and their pets. This study revealed that 71% of pet owners werent sure which shelters allowed pets that werent service animals. Overall, having a comprehensive disaster plan in place for emergencies is likely to lead to the best safety outcomes for consumers and their pets. Given the varied contexts and capacities, people who own animals should seek advice from local authorities for up-to-date information specific to local circumstances, said Dr. Gurtner. Congratulations, genopal.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Genopal.com scored 64 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 3/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 19 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. genopal.com is very popular in Stumble Upon, Delicious and Facebook. It is liked by 60 people on Facebook, it has 16 twitter shares and it has 1 google+ shares. The total number of people who shared the genopal homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the genopal homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the genopal homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if genopal has a Facebook fan page). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the genopal homepage on Twitter + the total number of genopal followers (if genopal has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the genopal homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. Basic Information PAGE TITLE GenoPal - Harmonious Color Schemes DESCRIPTION Harmonious Color Schemes with Genopal KEYWORDS color, harmonious color, color scheme, color schemes, RGB, CMYK, HSB, HEX, color software, color picker, color tool, color from pictures, picture inspired color, recoloring, color moods, generate color, color palettes OTHER KEYWORDS The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. 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 HTML 4.01 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE ISO-8859-1 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2.2.19 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.19 OpenSSL/0.9.8e-fips-rhel5 DAV/2 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635 (PHP/5.2.17) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Operative System running on the server. The language of genopal.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for genopal.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The URL of the found Facebook page. The 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 total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. 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 type of Facebook page. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Hoardingindia.in 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 5 Jan 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the hoardingindia homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the hoardingindia homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the hoardingindia homepage on Twitter + the total number of hoardingindia followers (if hoardingindia has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the hoardingindia homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the hoardingindia homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if hoardingindia has a Facebook fan page). Basic Information PAGE TITLE Hoardings in Delhi India, Outdoor Media Advertising Agencies, Billboard Advertising, OOH, UP, Bih DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS advertising, outdoor, india, hoarding, outdoor advertising, hoarding india, product 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 title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2 The language of hoardingindia.in as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for hoardingindia.in 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 description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/HoardingIndia DESCRIPTION Hoarding India is a talented agency which can handle all the aspect s of advertising with matchless proficiency . ACCOUNT CREATED ON 10 Oct 2012 LOCATION Delhi TWEETS 13 FOLLOWERS 11 LISTED 0 Sadovod.net 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 4 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the sadovod homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the sadovod homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if sadovod has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the sadovod homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the sadovod homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the sadovod homepage on Twitter + the total number of sadovod followers (if sadovod has a Twitter account). Basic Information PAGE TITLE " " . . DESCRIPTION , , , KEYWORDS , , , OTHER KEYWORDS CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. 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 Russian Russian SERVER Apache/2.2.3 (Red Hat) (PHP/5.1.6) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux The language of sadovod.net as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. 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 sadovod.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 Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The type of 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. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND 100% Website tcd.ie uses latest and advanced technologies like: Php. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 17617 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 44540 bytes (43.50 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-11-03, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Yourlease.com.au 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 30 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the yourlease homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the yourlease homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the yourlease homepage on Twitter + the total number of yourlease followers (if yourlease has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the yourlease homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if yourlease has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the yourlease homepage on StumbleUpon. Basic Information PAGE TITLE YourLease DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The 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 HTML 4.01 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE SERVER (Servlet/2.5 JSP/2.1) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Type of server and offered services. The language of yourlease.com.au as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. 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 yourlease.com.au 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. 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. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The type of Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Western strategy to build new relationship with the Taliban through bankrolling the countrys economy makes sense However, the US takes a lukewarm attitude toward Troika Plus precisely for the same reason, namely, that it might get entangled needlessly with Moscow when it is better off on its own, as the Taliban are no strangers anyway. To be sure, the spectre of the US and Western powers leveraging the Central Asian states directly over the Afghan situation, bypassing Russia, must be haunting Moscow. Indeed, the US sees any cooperation with the Central Asian states over the Afghan issue as working to its advantage in expanding its influence in that strategically important part of the Eurasian region where Russia and China currently exercise a preeminent presence. Suffice to say, the Russian proposal to hold a meeting of the Moscow format (after an interlude of 3 years) on October 20 aims at creating space for the Taliban to negotiate with the US and Western powers, and secondly, to encourage the Taliban to diversify its relationships instead of putting all its eggs in the Western basket. But then, the Taliban is keen on integration into the international community and is acutely conscious of the criticality of funding by the international financial institutions. The Taliban knows that Washington holds the key. Interestingly, a high-level Taliban delegation led by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, including senior intelligence officials, left Kabul for Doha today. Presumably, Muttaqi will have discussions with American officials. For the Taliban, the top priority is to govern the country. It has no geopolitical agenda. It faces an acute situation insofar as its cadres are inexperienced in managing the administration and second, it lacks financial resources to run the country. This is where the Western strategy to build a new relationship with the Taliban government through bankrolling the countrys economy makes sense. --- * Former Indian diplomat. Sourced on Globetrotter, and distributed by Independent Media Institute, this article was produced in partnership by Indian Punchline and Globetrotter Moscows preference is still for Troika Plus as it provides a window of opportunity to work with the US on Afghanistan. Moscow considers that any selective engagement with the US would ease US-Russia tensions and might even have a salutary effect on the overall relations between the two superpowers.However, the US takes a lukewarm attitude toward Troika Plus precisely for the same reason, namely, that it might get entangled needlessly with Moscow when it is better off on its own, as the Taliban are no strangers anyway.To be sure, the spectre of the US and Western powers leveraging the Central Asian states directly over the Afghan situation, bypassing Russia, must be haunting Moscow. Indeed, the US sees any cooperation with the Central Asian states over the Afghan issue as working to its advantage in expanding its influence in that strategically important part of the Eurasian region where Russia and China currently exercise a preeminent presence.Suffice to say, the Russian proposal to hold a meeting of the Moscow format (after an interlude of 3 years) on October 20 aims at creating space for the Taliban to negotiate with the US and Western powers, and secondly, to encourage the Taliban to diversify its relationships instead of putting all its eggs in the Western basket.But then, the Taliban is keen on integration into the international community and is acutely conscious of the criticality of funding by the international financial institutions. The Taliban knows that Washington holds the key. Interestingly, a high-level Taliban delegation led by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, including senior intelligence officials, left Kabul for Doha today. Presumably, Muttaqi will have discussions with American officials.For the Taliban, the top priority is to govern the country. It has no geopolitical agenda. It faces an acute situation insofar as its cadres are inexperienced in managing the administration and second, it lacks financial resources to run the country. This is where the Western strategy to build a new relationship with the Taliban government through bankrolling the countrys economy makes sense.--- The Taliban is getting many suitors lately. It is far from the pariah that the Biden Administration thought it was destined to be. During the past month alone, the Taliban received six suitors from the region and beyond offering courtship the foreign minister of Qatar; the special envoys of Russia, China and Pakistan; the High representative of UK Prime Minister; and the foreign minister of Uzbekistan who visited Kabul on Thursday.They all conveyed goodwill and made pledges of selfless affiliation. The Taliban leadership is mulling over the overtures. Ironically, the Taliban runs the risk of getting entrapped in the bitter jealousies that have surfaced amongst the outside powers.Broadly, the outside powers have formed two blocs: Qatar is teaming up with the UK and other Western countries, while Russia, China and Pakistan tend to bond together mostly. Uzbekistan has one foot in each camp.Qatar is acting as the bridge between the West and the Taliban and that is important for the US not only because the Pentagons Central Command is based in Doha but the Taliban leaders and their families have enjoyed for years the Qatari state hospitality and are beholden to the Gulf regime.For the US, in particular, and the West in general, any recognition of the Taliban government at this stage is difficult as the chaotic withdrawal from the Kabul Airport is still fresh in everyones memory and remains a live issue in US politics, although it is steadily fading as more pressing domestic issues return to the centre stage vaccination, economy, jobs, infrastructure bill and President Bidens social safety net, etc.But Global Britain is raring to go and has engaged with the Taliban officials directly. In reality, the UK is making things easy for the US to return to Afghanistan and start dealing with the Taliban government sooner rather than later. Britain senses that it is not in Western interests that the Russia-China-Iran regional axis calls the shots in Kabul.Reports have appeared that emergency plans are being worked out in the Western capitals for cash airlifts to Afghanistan to prevent a total collapse of the countrys economy where cash is short. The emergency funding is aimed at averting a humanitarian crisis. Bizarre as it may sound, one way this could be done is by sending planeloads of US dollar bills to Kabul for distribution via banks in payments to the public directly.The Taliban government has been sensitised about it. It is entirely conceivable that the Taliban may accept an arrangement whereby the Western powers (and the UN) replenish the Afghan banks directly.Again, there is a parallel idea also to establish a trust fund, so to speak, out of which salaries could be disbursed to government employees and schools and hospitals are kept functioning. Plainly put, the US and other western donors would be resuming in some form their previous commitment (before the troop withdrawal), to bankroll the Afghan government, which by the World Bank estimates, amounted to a whopping 75 percent of all public spending (all in grants.)Suffice to say, there is realisation in the Western capitals that the cash crisis could lead to the collapse of the economy, which in turn could trigger mass migration to the West from Afghanistan. The cash lifeline is reportedly being established already on a trial basis and larger air deliveries of cash from Pakistan are under consideration to inject cash into the Afghan economy.Clearly, this project will create economic and trade levers. The current regional tour by the US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to Tashkent and Islamabad appears to be related to the finalisation of the project to kickstart the Afghan economy.Both Uzbekistan and Pakistan are gateways to Afghanistan. While the cash injection is best handled from Pakistan, Uzbekistan is the most feasible gateway to establish a humanitarian corridor. Besides, Washington has conceived an innovative idea to source relief supplies and other materials related to Afghan reconstruction from the production bases in Central Asian countries.The Central Asian states are greatly interested in the idea Uzbekistan in particular which figured at the recent discussions of the C5+1 foreign minister level meeting between the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Central Asian counterparts.Needles to say, the Western countries are returning to Afghanistan riding the wings of a humanitarian-cum-economic-cum-trade project based on geoeconomics. But it will have profound geopolitical overtones as time passes.These developments have prompted Russia to energise its moribund Moscow format to engage with the Taliban. The Moscow format is a negotiation mechanism established by Russia in 2017 to address Afghan issues. It includes Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, and some other countries.It held several rounds of talks in Moscow in 2017 and 2018 but thereafter became dormant, as Russia developed yet another compact exclusive format called Troika Plus Russia, the US, China, and Pakistan. If there's anything we learned from the Tarzan soundtrack and that killer drum solo in In The Air Tonight it's that when Phill Collins does something, he goes hard arguably much harder than he theoretically should. However, it seems this unshakable tenacity evidently spans well beyond music and into his other passions namely, Collin's collection of Alamo memorabilia. Although roughly seven years ago, the legendary drummer donated his vast trove of Alamo-related artifacts, as the Wall Street Journal called it, to the state of Texas with the caveat that his metric f--kton of historical items be used to launch an Alamo museum by the erm, ever-approaching deadline of 2021, his donation has recently caused quite the ruckus. While ground has been broken on the $140 million development that is now set to open circa 2026, it seems the museum (and therefore Collins) managed to launch the second-most notable battle the Alamo has ever faced a showdown about what, exactly, should be remembered in its collections, according to a new report from the business publication. Even after years" of workshops and public hearings, local leaders and politicians have still locked horns about what the museum should center on, namely, whether the exhibits should tell the tale of the small group of leaders who played key roles," in the Alamo's history, a la Davey Crockett, or whether the locale should "reflect a broader, more complicated tale, focusing on the contributions of people of color, including Tejanos (a.k.a Texans of Mexican heritage), Indigenous people, and Black people who were indentured or enslaved. So far, 2021 has proved to be somewhat of a security annus horribilis for tech giant Microsoft, with numerous vulnerabilities impacting several of its leading services, including Active Directory, Exchange, and Azure. Microsoft is no stranger to being targeted by attackers seeking to exploit known and zero-day vulnerabilities, but the rate and scale of the incidents it has faced since early March has put the tech giant on its back foot for at least a moment or two. What follows is a timeline of the significant security events that have afflicted Microsoft in 2021, why it remains susceptible to serious vulnerabilities and attacks, and an assessment of its response according to experts from across the cybersecurity sector. March 2: Microsoft Exchange Server vulnerability The first notable security incident occurred in March, when Microsoft announced vulnerability CVE-2021-26855 in its Exchange Server. The vulnerability was remotely executable and exploitable at the protocol level across one or more routers. While it classified attack complexity as low, Microsoft stated that CVE-2021-26855 was being actively exploited and that attackers did not require authorizations or access to files/settings. Whats more, the vulnerability could be exploited without any interaction from a user and lead to both total loss of confidentiality and protection. On its vulnerability update page, Microsoft wrote: This vulnerability is part of an attack chain. The initial attack requires the ability to make an untrusted connection to Exchange server port 443. This can be protected against by restricting untrusted connections, or by setting up a VPN to separate the Exchange Server from external access. However, this would only protect against the initial portion of the attack and other portions of the chain can be triggered if an attacker already has access or can convince an administrator to open a malicious file, it added. Microsoft released and advised urgently installing updates on externally facing Exchange Servers. June 8: Microsoft patches six zero-day security vulnerabilities Microsoft released patches for security issues impacting various Windows services, with six serious vulnerabilities already being actively targeted by attackers. As reported by security researcher Brian Krebs, the six zero days were: CVE-2021-33742: A remote code execution bug in a Windows HTML component CVE-2021-31955: An information disclosure bug in the Windows Kernel CVE-2021-31956: An elevation of privilege flaw in Windows NTFS CVE-2021-33739: An elevation of privilege flaw in the Microsoft Desktop Window Manager CVE-2021-31201: An elevation of privilege flaw in the Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider CVE-2021-31199: An elevation of privilege flaw in the Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider July 1: Windows Print Spooler vulnerability Attackers were detected exploiting a vulnerability in Microsofts Windows Print Spooler service, dubbed PrintNightmare. The remote code execution vulnerability, CVE-2021-34527, involved improper privileged file operations in the service and was exploitable with basic user capabilities and required no user interaction. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights, Microsoft wrote. Advised mitigation included immediately installing security updates, along with ensuring the following registry settings were set to 0 (zero) or are not defined: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PointAndPrint NoWarningNoElevationOnInstall = 0 (DWORD) or not defined (default setting) UpdatePromptSettings = 0 (DWORD) or not defined (default setting) August: Researchers disclose Microsoft Exchange Autodiscover vulnerability Researchers from security vendor Guardicore discovered and publicly disclosed a design issue in Microsoft Exchange Autodiscover with the potential to cause Outlook and other third-party Exchange client applications to leak plaintext Windows domain credentials to external servers. This is a problem with both the design of how Microsoft initially implemented that [protocol] and a problem in how third parties are implementing it. Its a two-fold issue: Its both a design issue and an implementation issue, commented Amit Serper, VP of security research. Meanwhile, Microsoft began investigating and taking steps to mitigate the threat to protect customers. We are committed to coordinated vulnerability disclosure, an industry standard, collaborative approach that reduces unnecessary risk for customers before issues are made public. Unfortunately, this issue was not reported to us before the researcher marketing team presented it to the media, so we learned of the claims today, said Jeff Jones, senior director at Microsoft, in an emailed statement. Serper explained that Guardicore had indeed not contacted Microsoft as the underlying problem with how Autodiscover builds URLs was not a zero-day vulnerability and has been known since 2017. August 26: Researchers access data of several thousand Microsoft Azure customers Researchers at Wiz gained complete, unrestricted access to the accounts and databases of several thousand Microsoft Azure customers due to a series of flaws that affect Azures flagship database service, Cosmos DB. Dubbed ChaosDB by the researchers, the vulnerability allowed any user to download, delete, or manipulate a large collection of commercial databases trivially and without other credentials. Microsofts security team deserves enormous credit for taking immediate action to address the problem, the researchers wrote. We rarely see security teams move so fast! They disabled the vulnerable notebook feature within 48 hours after we reported it. Its still turned off for all customers pending a security redesign. However, customers may remain vulnerable since their primary access keys were potentially exposed, they added. Microsoft notified over 30% of Cosmos DB customers that they need to manually rotate their access keys to mitigate this exposure. Microsoft only emailed customers that were affected during our short (approximately weeklong) research period. However, we believe many more Cosmos DB customers may be at risk. The vulnerability has been exploitable for at least several months, possibly years. September 7: Microsoft MSHTML vulnerability In what turned out to be the first of several significant security issues in the space of a month for Microsoft, the tech giant warned of a remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2021-40444) impacting MSHTML (aka Trident) being actively exploited in the wild. Trident is a proprietary browser engine for the Microsoft Windows version of Internet Explorer and was under threat from attacks using specially crafted Microsoft Office documents hosting the browser rendering engine. The attacker would then have to convince the user to open the malicious document. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights, Microsoft wrote. Exploitation was described as low in complexity and repeatable, with the capability to impact resources beyond the security scope managed by the security authority of the vulnerable component. Microsoft released security updates to address the vulnerability on September 14 and urged customers to keep anti-malware products up to date. September 14: Microsoft discloses several non-exploited vulnerabilities On the same day it released security updates to mitigate the Trident flaw, Microsoft issued details on a raft of non-exploited (at the time of disclosure) vulnerabilities across its services. CVE-2021-36968: An elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows DNS. Microsoft said the vulnerable component was not bound to the network stack and the attackers path is via read/write/execute capabilities. Either the attacker exploits the vulnerability by accessing the target system locally (e.g., keyboard, console), or remotely (e.g., SSH); or the attacker relies on user interaction by another person to perform actions required to exploit the vulnerability (e.g., tricking a legitimate user into opening a malicious document). Microsoft warned of the potential for total loss of availability as the result of attack, granting an attacker the ability to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component. CVE-2021-38647: A vulnerability affecting Open Management Infrastructure (OMI) via some Azure products. Some Azure products, such as Configuration Management, expose an HTTP/S port listening to OMI (typically port 5986), Microsoft wrote. This configuration where the HTTP/S listener is enabled could allow remote code execution. It is important to mention that most Azure services that use OMI deploy it without exposing the HTTP/S port. An attacker could send a specially crafted message via HTTPS to port listening to OMI on a vulnerable system. Microsoft warned that the remotely exploitable vulnerability was low in attack complexity, required no user interaction, and could potentially lead to the full denial of access to resources in the impacted component. A fix was issued on GitHub on August 11 to allow users to mitigate risks before full CVE details were made public by Microsoft. CVE-2021-36965: A vulnerability affecting Windows WLAN AutoConfig services. Microsoft said the vulnerability was bound to the network stack, but the attack is limited at the protocol level to a logically adjacent topology. This means an attack must be launched from the same shared physical or logical network, or from within a secure or otherwise limited administrative domain. Threatening a total loss of confidentiality and integrity, an exploit is limited to resources managed by the same security authority. According to Microsoft, a complete vendor fix solution is available. CVE-2021-36952: This remote code execution Visual Studio vulnerability was described by Microsoft as not bound to the network stack, with an attackers path via read/write/execute capabilities. CVE-2021-36952 could rresult in an attacker fully denying access to resources in the impacted component. CVE-2021-38667: Two months after CVE-2021-34527, a new elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Windows Print Spooler was disclosed. The attacker is authorized with (i.e., requires) privileges that provide basic user capabilities that could normally affect only settings and files owned by a user. Alternatively, an attacker with low privileges may have the ability to cause an impact only to non-sensitive resources, Microsoft wrote. CVE-2021-36975 and CVE-2021-38639: Two new elevation of privilege vulnerabilities, this time impacting Win32k, were also shared by Microsoft. Both had the potential to be successfully exploited repeatedly by an attacker. September 16: APT actors exploit vulnerability in ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus A joint advisory from the FBI, United States Coast Guard Cyber Command (CGCYBER), and the CISA warned of cyber threats associated with active exploitation of a new vulnerability (CVE-2021-40539) in ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus, a self-service password management and single sign-on solution. While the risks posed were third-party related rather than directly aligned with Microsoft itself, they do present notable threat to Microsoft Active Directory. September 27: APT29 targets Active Directory Federation Services Security researchers flagged a notorious cyberespionage group with ties to the Russian government deploying a new backdoor designed to exploit Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) and steal configuration databases and security token certificates. Microsoft attributed the malware program FoggyWeb to the group NOBELIUM (also known as APT29 or Cozy Bear)believed to be behind the SUNBURST backdoor. Microsoft stated it had notified all customers observed being targeted or compromised by this activity, recommending users to: Audit on-premises and cloud infrastructure, including configuration, per-user and per-app settings, forwarding rules, and other changes the actor might have made to maintain access. Remove user and app access, review configurations for each, and re-issue new, strong credentials following documented industry best practices. Use a hardware security module (HSM) as described in securing AD FS servers to prevent the exfiltration of secrets by FoggyWeb. Microsoft added that its security products had implemented detections and protections against the malware. Microsoft remains a significant attack target As the incidents of the last several months show, Microsoft services remain a significant target for attack and exploitation, while vulnerabilities within them continue to come to light. Microsoft apps and systems continue to be high-value targets for hackers because they are so widely deployed across the globe, Forrester research director and principal analyst Merritt Maxim tells CSO. The White Houses Counter-Ransomware Initiative event, facilitated by the National Security Council (NSC), concluded two days of public-facing and closed-door sessions. Present were ministers and representatives from more than 30 countries and the European Union. Interestingly, Russia, the country where cybercriminals apparently enjoy safe harbor from which to launch malware, including ransomware attacks against non-Russian targets, was excluded from the meeting. The White House noted it fully expects Russia to address ransomware criminal activity coming from actors within Russia and that the Experts Group has had frank and professional exchanges and We (United States) have shared information with Russia regarding criminal ransomware activity being conducted from its territory. That is not to say that Russia isnt trying to get a seat at the table of global discussion on cybersecurity. Russia is attempting to shape the global discussion and is leading the effort within the United Nations to organize a cybercrime treaty, pushing through a resolution in May 2021 calling for the Ad Hoc Committee to organize six ten-day sessions on the topic to begin in January 2022. Collaborate to disrupt ransomware The two-day meeting, which was announced by President Joe Biden within his statement on Cybersecurity Awareness Month, highlighted the importance of bringing the full strength of our capabilities to disrupt malicious cyber activity. Of particular note, especially for CISOs, was the purpose of international engagement, designed to accelerate cooperation on improving network resilience, addressing the financial systems that make ransomware profitable, disrupting the ransomware ecosystem via law enforcement collaboration, and leveraging the tools of diplomacy to address safe harbors and improve partner capacity. The four areas of import were identified as: Disrupt ransomware infrastructure and actors Bolster resilience to withstand ransomware attacks Address the abuse of virtual currency to launder ransom payments Leverage international cooperation to disrupt the ransomware ecosystem and address safe harbors for ransomware criminals The countries worked through six sessions, which began with a plenary (open to the press). The virtual event concluded with a joint statement from the participating countries. In the statement the governments recognize the need for urgent action. It also provided a roadmap for the areas of importance, which CISOs will find heartening, and identified the challenges ahead. Resilience: This is more than technology, policy, frameworks, resources, governance, rehearsed incident response, trained and ready workforce, and public-private partnership. The participants are dedicated to working together and with the private sector to promote improvements in basic cyber hygiene, and sharing among CERTS. This is more than technology, policy, frameworks, resources, governance, rehearsed incident response, trained and ready workforce, and public-private partnership. The participants are dedicated to working together and with the private sector to promote improvements in basic cyber hygiene, and sharing among CERTS. Countering illicit finance: This includes actions to drive down economic incentives for ransomware actors and enhance the capacity of our national authorities, to include regulators, financial intelligence units, and law enforcement to regulate, supervise, investigate, and take action against virtual asset exploitation. This includes actions to drive down economic incentives for ransomware actors and enhance the capacity of our national authorities, to include regulators, financial intelligence units, and law enforcement to regulate, supervise, investigate, and take action against virtual asset exploitation. Disruption and other law enforcement efforts: Degrade and hold accountable criminals and enable timely cooperation among intelligence, law enforcement, cybersecurity, et al working together to disrupt and destabilize criminal operations. Degrade and hold accountable criminals and enable timely cooperation among intelligence, law enforcement, cybersecurity, et al working together to disrupt and destabilize criminal operations. Diplomacy: Create rules-based behavior to address operations taking place from a nations footprint and coordinate action to counter states that take no action to address cybercriminals. Use diplomacy to share approaches to capacity building. Upon the conclusion of the event, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology, Anne Neuberger said, There can be moments of extreme difficulty in our work to improve resiliency and fight cybercrime. It will be important moving forward to recall this moment of partnership and that no one country is ever truly alone in the fight against ransomware. While Dr. Ivana Stradner, Jeanne Kirkpatrick visiting research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute noted, This meeting is a step in the right direction. However, combatting ransomware requires not only strong cyber defense but also forceful offensive cyber capabilities. Only a few EU member states possess offensive capabilities, which might be problematic for the transatlantic cyber partnership. She also cautioned how this effort, may find itself heading into a collision course with the UNs effort at creating a cybercrime treaty, especially regarding the rules of the road, as the UN effort is being led by Russia. Simon Hunt, executive vice president for cyber production innovation at MasterCard, sums it up nicely for CISOs: Don't forget, ransomware is just another name for malware. All the things you do to protect your company from viruses, etc., protect you from ransomware. BRANFORD Police are trying to identify a man who robbed the Liberty Bank on West Main Street Friday morning. Officers were dispatched to the bank around 10:40 a.m., police said in a news release. When officers arrived, bank staff told them the man handed a note to the tellers demanding money and instructing them not to activate the banks alarm. 3 1 of 3 Meghan Friedmann / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Sarah Kyrcz/Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 GUILFORD In collaboration with the statewide initiative, Guilford Police collected 123 firearms from residents during the departments third annual gun buy-back event held on Saturday. Police hosted a voluntary gun buy-back and safe firearm storage event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Guilford Police Department at 400 Church St. Authors Note: Hi AllI want to take the time to introduce myself to the credit union community. My name is Justin White and I started at NAFCU in August 2021 as a Regulatory Compliance Counsel. I graduated from Suffolk University Law School in May 2020 with an interest in financial services and government regulatory law. I am excited to continue pursuing these interests as a Regulatory Compliance Counsel and I look forward to serving NAFCU members. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently published a report discussing its recommendations to strengthen NCUA oversight over troubled credit unions . The report focuses on NCUAs activities from 2010-2020, with a specific focus on credit union failures during this time frame. While economy of scales and competition from non-depository financial services companies led to an increase in credit union consolidation and asset concentration, losses to the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) also dwindled. During the same period, the GAO report assesses NCUA did not fully implement NCUAs own Office of Inspector General (OIG) recommendations to strengthen oversight over the credit union industry. Here are some of the reports main findings: Credit Union Failures Declined Last Decade, With Losses to NCUSIF Increasing Only in Two Years of the Decade Over the last decade, credit union assets grew while failures and losses to the NCUSIF declinedwith only measured increases in 2012 and 2018. The report finds credit unions that did fail were typically smaller than the industry median and had higher loan portfolio concentrations, such as having a high concentration of taxi medallion loans. The reasons for these failures varied depending on the size of the credit union. The NCUA OIG linked credit union failures to insufficient board or committee oversight, passive and untimely NCUA action, the credit unions own lending practices, the credit unions risk-management practices, the credit unions loan portfolio concentration, weak or non-existent NCUA guidance, and a lack of NCUA resources. The report frequently cites committee or board oversight and NCUA examination supervision and oversight as reasons a credit union failed. Reva Mae Love, age 75, of Dalton, Georgia passed away on Thursday, November 18, 2021. She was born on September 10, 1946. She is preceded in death by parents, Herbert and Lela "Grant" Lawson; brother, Charles Lawson. She is survived by her husband, Bubba (Harold) Love of Dalton; son, Brian F FILE - In this May 5, 2006 file photo, former Secretary of State Colin Powell gives the closing keynote at the World Congress of Information Technology in Austin, Texas. Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state, has died from COVID-19 complications. In an announcement on social media Monday, the family said Powell had been fully vaccinated. He was 84. (AP Photo/Jack Plunkett) According to conventional Left-wing opinion, the late Sir David Amess could not have been one of the good guys. He was a Conservative MP and therefore one of the type the Labour Party deputy leader Angela Rayner recently described as 'scum'. More, he was firmly on the Right of the party, a Brexit-supporting Thatcherite. He was also a supporter of the restoration of the death penalty and, as his obituary in The Times recalled, 'offered to act as executioner if capital punishment were restored'. But the much more important aspect of the man, evoked by colleagues across the political spectrum in the days since he was stabbed to death while conducting his constituency 'surgery', is that he was a thoroughly good human being. Or, in the word now greatly overused: caring. In the days since the late Sir David Amess was stabbed to death while conducting his constituency 'surgery', his colleagues across the political spectrum have said he was a thoroughly good human being Urgent Ed Holmes, who used to work in the Southend MP's constituency office, recalled that Amess didn't show much concern, still less anger, when Holmes forgot to pass on an 'urgent call' from the then party leader, David Cameron, 'but when he heard someone he knew in the constituency was dangerously ill, he would call everyone he could think of. 'I remember listening to him late into the evening, on the phone to some of the most senior medics in the land, nagging, cajoling, pleading for them to intervene. David never stopped trying. No votes to be had, no cameras in sight.' In other words, this was a man and a politician who was much less interested in being seen to be caring than in actually doing the right thing. As a devout Catholic (despite his support for the death penalty), Amess would have absorbed the Gospel injunction: 'Let us not love in word and speech, but in deed and truth.' This was the approach of Amess's political hero, Margaret Thatcher. As a devout Catholic (despite his support for the death penalty), Amess would have absorbed the Gospel injunction: 'Let us not love in word and speech, but in deed and truth.' This was the approach of Amess's political hero, Margaret Thatcher She was disconcertingly hostile to those she dismissed in a notorious broadcast as 'people who drool and drivel that they care', but in her dealings with her most junior staff she was unfailingly solicitous and personally kind. This apparent contradiction was explained to me by a friend who had been a secretary to many MPs over the years. She said that those whose image was generally of being 'caring' tended to be the most unpleasant to work for. Whereas those whose public face seemed to be harsh, and even unfeeling, turned out to be a delight as an employer. I am not mounting a defence of the kindness of Conservative MPs versus Labour ones. My friend only worked for Tory members, so her observations reveal ghastly hypocrites within those ranks. John McDonnell (pictured) described the Conservative MP and then Cabinet minister Esther McVey as 'a stain on humanity' The point is that we should not be in the least surprised when a so-called 'Right-winger' turns out to be much more decent than many who would consider that very person's politics to define him as wicked. That was and is the mindset within the Corbynite faction of the Labour Party, most notably demonstrated by the former leader's left-hand man, John McDonnell, who described the Conservative MP and then Cabinet minister Esther McVey as 'a stain on humanity'. That style of denouncing all Tories as wicked (or 'lower than vermin', in the words of the Labour minister Aneurin Bevan in 1948) actually repels voters, who see more cruelty in such rhetoric than in the policies of those who are being denounced. One of those Labour MPs who forfeited her apparently 'unlosable' seat in Labour's so-called Red Wall, precisely as part of this general public revulsion against McDonnell-style politics, is Paula Sherriff. Last week, in a deeply affecting interview on the BBC, she recalled Amess's personal kindness to her when she was afflicted with illness and said: 'On paper, David and I possibly shouldn't have been friends. But he was the most wonderful man; he was caring and kind, and a great support to me when I was diagnosed with cancer.' One of those Labour MPs who forfeited her apparently 'unlosable' seat in Labour's so-called Red Wall, precisely as part of this general public revulsion against McDonnell-style politics, is Paula Sherriff (pictured) Hope There was a similar, though much less touching, encomium from the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell. He also stressed the deep personal kindness of the murdered Tory MP, and observed that while he didn't share Amess's politics (perish the thought) he 'had the same values'. I don't think we should hold out any hope for a similar admission from the Bishop of St Davids, Joanna Penberthy, who tweeted last year: 'Never, never, never trust a Tory', and, when an opinion poll showed the Tories with a tremendous lead over Labour, declared: 'A very sad indictment of the British electorate that so many still want to vote Tory. Absolutely appalling. I am ashamed of each and every one of them.' This idea that to vote for a 'Right-wing' party is to participate in a moral crime might actually be described as the Left's own presiding sin. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, also stressed the deep personal kindness of the murdered Tory MP, and observed that while he didn't share Amess's politics (perish the thought) he 'had the same values' Besides, the whole notion of 'Left' and 'Right' is entirely divorced from the cares of voters, which are, as David Amess always understood, not about abstract notions of political affiliation but about how we actually behave. Or, as one of his Essex constituents told a reporter over a pint of beer in a pub: 'He was a diamond geezer. And I ain't even a blue.' He added, which might be taken as a special token of respect: 'They should hang whoever did this.' Putin needs to admit Russia stole our vaccine Which was the first government to approve a vaccine against Covid, and thus get a head start in protecting its people against infection? Contrary to widespread belief, it was not the UK. No, that prize goes to the Russian government of Vladimir Putin. But when, many months ago, I made this point to a friend involved in the British government's vaccine programme, he exclaimed: 'But that's because their spies stole the Oxford/AstraZeneca data!' Now it has been reported that our security services have proof of this. In fact, the late James Brokenshire when a minister responsible for overseeing these matters said last year that he had 'confidence' in the belief that the Kremlin's agents had been hacking UK bodies developing a Covid vaccine. Which was the first government to approve a vaccine against Covid, and thus get a head start in protecting its people against infection? Contrary to widespread belief, it was not the UK. No, that prize goes to the Russian government of Vladimir Putin There are indeed technological similarities between the Russian vaccine (known as Sputnik V, in honour of the Russians' trailblazing space satellite of 1957) and the Oxford formula. Naturally, the Kremlin dismisses the allegation as a mere smear. But here's the real irony: far from being inspired by this apparent triumph of their own government, the Russian people are intensely suspicious of the Sputnik vaccine, and even though it was available to them from the beginning of last December, only about a third of the population have taken it. The result is that Russian deaths from Covid-19 have just hit the 1,000-a-day mark. Last week, Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, urged the Russian people: 'It is really irresponsible not to get vaccinated.' One of the problems, however, is that it's partly because it is a Russian vaccine that it is being spurned. One Muscovite, Samyr Oynushev, told NBC news: 'If I had a choice, I would rather take a non-Russian vaccine. 'I think that [low vaccination rates] are primarily the fault of the government, that people don't trust them so much.' And Vasily Vlassov, an epidemiologist, pointed out: 'Russians know German cars are better than Russia's cars, and they have a problem believing a Russian vaccine is better.' The point behind his remark is that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine (the first to be used in the UK) was created and developed in Germany. As it happens, the Sputnik vaccine is highly effective and safe just like the Oxford one. So here's a suggestion for Putin. Admit that Sputnik was based on the Oxford/Astra Zeneca data, stolen or not. Do that and your people might be much less nervous about rolling up their sleeves. When photos emerged of Boris Johnson at an easel painting while on holiday in Marbella, critics were quick to mock. Labour MPs accused him of mimicking his political hero Winston Churchill, who was an accomplished artist. But Boris, who wrote a well-received book on Churchill in 2014, was actually channelling his mother, Charlotte Johnson Wahl, who died last month aged 79. In every political office Boris has occupied for the past decade, he has given pride of place to a painting his mother whom he once described as the familys supreme authority gave him in 2012 Charlotte, who was divorced from Boriss father Stanley in 1979, was an acclaimed painter whose subjects included Joanna Lumley and Jilly Cooper. In every political office Boris has occupied for the past decade, he has given pride of place to a painting his mother whom he once described as the familys supreme authority gave him in 2012. Its the view of Tower Bridge and the Thames heading eastwards that Boris, when London Mayor, could see from his office. A friend of the PM says: Boris loves it because his mother painted it for him. He likes to tease visitors and ask them if they can name the artist. Most people are very surprised when he says: Wrong! Its my mum. Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner is on the warpath after reports that the Tories will kill off a backbench bill to outlaw fire and rehire, when people are dismissed and taken back on at a lower rate of pay. Fire and rehire is immoral, economically damaging and has absolutely no place in our society. Well, she should know. She was removed as Labour Party chair in a reshuffle by leader Sir Keir Starmer in May then appointed to an even bigger portfolio. But did she take a pay cut? One of the most touching tributes to Sir David Amess from the Labour benches came from Cat Smith, the MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, who said: Taken doing what he loved, serving the people of Southend. The cheeky smile, always a plug for making Southend a city, and a true constituency MP. A portrait of David Amess MP ahead of a service at St Michael's Church in Chalkwell in Leigh-on-Sea This is the same Cat Smith who last year reported Sir David to Kathryn Stone, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, after he plugged his book Ayes & Ears: A Survivors Guide To Westminster at Prime Ministers Questions. Smith alleged in her complaint that Sir David might potentially personally profit from the intervention which would be against the rules. The proceeds from the book were, in fact, going to charity. Britains gas reserves amount to a pitiful four or five winter days. Our main gas reserve was shut down in 2017 because of maintenance costs and upgrades that meant it was financially non-viable. At the time, industry leaders warned the Government of potential trouble ahead. But the then Business Secretary dismissed those fears. And the guilty man? Step forward Greg Clark, chairman of the Commons Science and Technology Committee which last week lacerated the Government for being ill-prepared for the Covid crisis. Those in glass houses..? Consistently top of the Conservative Home websites league table of ministers, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is seen increasingly in some circles as the Tories next woman leader. Truss is taking a leaf out of her heroine Margaret Thatchers book with plans for a high-profile trip to the Falkland Islands, which of course were visited by the then PM following their liberation by British troops from Argentine invaders in 1982. Truss also changed her hairstyle, which is starting to look suspiciously like the Iron Ladys distinctive do. Pity she cant deliver a speech like Maggie. A fan club has been set up on Facebook for the former Speaker, that pompous pipsqueak John Bercow. Its called ORDER! The Sir John Bercow Fan Club. In his dreams. Hes still plain Mr John Bercow, the first Speaker in more than 200 years not to be automatically elevated to the House of Lords. Did Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner plumb the depths of public discourse when she referred to Conservative party members as 'Tory scum'? Without doubt. Was the physical assault that followed on former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who was hit in the neck with a traffic cone as he walked to his party's conference in Manchester, abhorrent? Absolutely. Is it totally unacceptable that almost all high-profile politicians, journalists, broadcasters, sportspeople and public figures including me receive death threats and other unconscionable attacks anonymously on social media on a daily basis? Definitely. But did any of that have anything to do with the barbaric suspected terrorist act that resulted in the murder of MP Sir Davis Amess on Friday? Not one jot. I have watched dumbfounded over the past 72-hours at the near total disconnect between what we know about the suspected terrorist and the humbuggery from the media and political class around why this tragedy happened. A conversation about online anonymity or civility in politics may well be important, but, let's be real for one damn minute, it's totally irrelevant here. Amess' suspected killer Ali Harbi Ali wasn't some sort of partisan keyboard warrior trolling Sir David with vicious and unsettling abuse. Everything we know about this 25-year-old of Somali heritage including from the police suggests he was an Islamist extremist, radicalised right here in the UK, probably wanting to kill an elected representative. DAN WOOTTON: I have watched dumbfounded over the past 72-hours at the near total disconnect between what we know about the suspected terrorist and the humbuggery from the media and political class around why this tragedy happened DAN WOOTTON: A conversation about online anonymity or civility in politics may well be important, but, let's be real for one damn minute, it's totally irrelevant here Obviously, he has not yet been charged with any crime and is innocent before proven guilty, but Scotland Yard said on Friday: 'The fatal stabbing in Leigh-on-Sea has tonight been declared as a terrorist incident, with the investigation being led by Counter Terrorism Policing. The early investigation has revealed a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism.' We must talk about that. And in fairness, British newspapers have been doing their job in uncovering a disturbing trove of information about this young man, which is chillingly familiar to the homegrown terrorists who have struck before. The Daily Mail revealed today the alleged killer was referred to the government's flagship counter-extremism programme Prevent when he was still at school. The Sun quoted former friends claiming he was radicalised after watching YouTube videos of hate preacher Anjem Choudary. The Daily Telegraph reported that police and security services are certain his broad motivation was to strike down an MP to further the Islamist cause spouted by groups such as al Qaeda, Islamic State and especially al Shabaab, which is active in Somalia, where his family are from. I can think of a multitude of questions more important at this moment that need urgent investigation than the toxicity of social media. Why isn't the Prevent programme working and how can it be prioritised so the young people being radicalised can be stopped before it's too late? How can we get to young men who have spent a large proportion of the past 20 months locked in their bedrooms being influenced by radical preachers? And, if we're talking about social media, why do the big tech giants continue to allow a platform for hate preachers like Choudary specifically designed to create young British terrorists? It's been well over four years since YouTube and Facebook were shamed for continuing to host videos about how to make suicide bombs and yet here we are. But asking those questions in 2021 runs the risk of going against the woke orthodoxy and being accused of Islamophobia. That creates the most bizarre tone of debate, with an almost wilful blindness about what probably occurred. Consider London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who initially said Amess had 'passed away', as if he had been lost to the world from natural causes rather than brutally killed in a likely terrorist attack. DAN WOOTTON: I can think of a multitude of questions more important at this moment that need urgent investigation than the toxicity of social media. Why isn't the Prevent programme working and how can it be prioritised so the young people being radicalised can be stopped before it's too late? Labour's Shadow Culture Minister Alison McGovern wrote a lengthy column for The Guardian headlined: 'Political debate has coarsened. We MPs can take the lead in restoring calm and respect.' In 883 heartfelt words there were criticisms of the 'tone' of the political media, politicians being 'forever at war' with themselves, 'security consequences' and 'social media norms' needing to change. But there was not one word about terrorism or the Islamic extremist ideology that continues to be a serious threat. Homegrown Islamist terrorism has been responsible for a host of attacks in the past two decades, from 7/7 to the Manchester Arena atrocity, claiming 20 lives in the last five years alone. And we know that last year the MI5 was investigating 3,000 extremists, with another pool of 40,000 potential radicals. Far from this being an isolated incident, 31 planned terrorist attacks have been stopped by authorities in the past four years. I was particularly struck by Sohail Ahmed of the national security think tank The Henry Jackson Society, who was previously subjected to an Islamic radicalisation attempt, and was one of the few voices in the media accurately dealing with the matters at hand. Speaking on GB News this afternoon, he said: 'When it comes to Islamist extremism in particular, I would say that the Islamist ideology creates this structure that funnels genuine grievances that people have and perhaps mental health issues into a particular direction, a direction towards violence. Extremism is far more prevalent than when I was in school.' We should be hearing the voice of Sohail, who turned back on this form of extremism, much more in the mainstream media this week and learning from his experiences. Sir David Amess was a great man that rare politician not in it for himself; the type of MP you want to have representing you. I am delighted Boris Johnson and the Queen have accorded Southend city status, fulfilling his passionate decades-long campaign posthumously. What a legacy. But we also owe it to Sir David to properly discuss the circumstances behind his death. This murder was nothing to do with the nastiness of social media or coarsened political debate. It is strongly suspected that it was about jihadi terror which doesn't care whether we are naughty or nice on social media or in a TV debate. Only acknowledging that and, if the man under arrest is charged and found guilty and the motive for the murder is as suspected, attempting to stop the scourge of Islamic radicalisation of young British-born men will contribute to ensuring this type of attack never happens again. But what hope do we have, if most of our leaders don't even want to talk about it? The minute's silence that engulfed the House of Commons at 2.30pm yesterday was a moment of raw emotion. There stood our legislators: heads bowed, arms by their side, the whole chamber wrapped in solemnity, that swarming cockpit of confrontation suddenly so utterly stilled. The odd muffled beep of mobile phones coming from pockets and handbags only intensified the silence. Members of Parliament held a minute's silence in memory of their colleague, Conservative MP Amess, who was stabbed to death in a church hall on Friday The House had come together to pay tribute to Sir David Amess, the Southend MP whose life was taken so brutally last week. Gone were the usual playground punch ups and unseemly squabbles we're used to seeing. Conjecture and rancour were notably absent. In fact, after the hubbub of the past few years, I can honestly say I have never seen the House quite so unified and consensual. The atmosphere was funereal. Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds his head in his hand at the service to honour Sir David Amess at St Margaret's church today Black ties, black dresses. And on all sides of the House, MPs appeared to be pondering afresh the dreadful event on Friday. And who could blame them? This was one of their own after all, a dedicated public servant murdered in cold blood while carrying out his weekly duties at his constituency surgery. The Speaker had called a special debate, giving members a chance to pay their respects to their fallen colleague. And it was a deeply moving occasion. Boris Johnson arrived without fuss or fanfare. He hovered for a while behind the Speaker's chair before taking his seat, allowing himself perhaps a moment or two more to give his speech one last meticulous once over. His face was drawn, his voice smokily sorrowful. Yet he brought both a sense of composure and headmasterly warmth to the proceedings. Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition, sat beside the PM paying tribute to their killed colleague Sir David Amess Last Friday's horrific attack had robbed Parliament of one of the 'nicest, kindest most gentle individuals to have graced these benches,' the Prime Minister said. Amess had been the victim of a 'contemptible act of violence'. When he announced that the Queen had agreed to grant Southend city status, something for which Amess had long campaigned, growling cheers erupted. A scattering of Labour MPs burst into applause. A good moment. Sir Keir Starmer's response oozed gracefulness. He spoke of the need 'to reach across and to acknowledge the pain that is felt on the opposite benches'. Whatever his shortcomings as a performer, the Labour leader does empathy very well. His appearance in Southend on Saturday alongside the PM seems to have earned him some new admirers. It was touching to see how well attended Labour's benches were. Former Prime Minister Theresa May praised him for his 'laughter, service and compassion'. Every MP had 'lost a friend,' she added Directly behind Sir Keir sat Kim Leadbeater (Lab, Batley & Spen) whose sister Jo Cox was murdered in her constituency in 2016. Sorrow etched on her face, she expressed heartbreak that 'another family has had to experience that phone call and the nightmare which follows'. The best speech of the day belonged to Mark Francois (Con, Rayleigh), who described Amess as his 'best and oldest' friend in politics. Next to him there remained a space where Amess would usually have been perched. Francois is often seen as a figure of fun in these parts, a hardline Brexiteer who's fond of a military metaphor or three, he's not considered an homme serieux. But he delivered a performance both witty and hard hitting. He demanded a crackdown on the social media firms where female MPs are routinely subjected to misogynistic attacks. The best speech of the day belonged to Conservative MP for Rayleigh, Mark Francois, pictured, who described Amess as his 'best and oldest' friend in politics He threatened to drag Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey to the Commons 'kicking and screaming if I have to' to answer for their inaction. At times he was emotional, damming the waterworks as best he could, but as he signed off with a remark about Amess being 'quite simply the best bloke I ever knew', he choked. As soon as Francois resumed his seat, it was clear his speech had struck a nerve. Attorney General Suella Braverman's top lip trembled. Next to her, Lord Commissioner of the Treasury Rebecca Harris ducked into her bag to search for some Kleenex with which to dab her eyes. The SNP's Ian Blackford rose and lightened the mood in an appropriate fashion, announcing with jocular incredulity that was probably the first time he agreed with everything Mark Francois had said. Then for two hours, the tributes flowed. Some funny, others touching, all of them warm and respectful. PM Boris Johnson pictured with Home Secretary Priti Patel, as they listened to tributes in memory of the slain MP Amess James Duddridge (Con, Rochford) recalled how Amess, a devout Catholic, had been in the receiving line at the Vatican once where the Pope mistakenly blessed a cough sweet Sir David was holding up at the time. That every MP seemed to have heard this story before did nothing to stifle the laughter. At the forefront of every speech made in his honour was Sir David's defining dignity and courtesy of manner. Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer as they walk from the Houses of Parliament to attend a service of remembrance and prayer for Sir David Amess Former prime minister Theresa May praised him for his 'laughter, service and compassion'. Every MP had 'lost a friend,' she added. Andrew Rosindell (Con, Romford) described Amess as 'one of the nicest people I have ever met in my entire life'. Eventually at 5.30pm, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle adjourned the House and led members over the road to St Margaret's Church for a service of remembrance. So often it is in response to senseless acts of barbarity that Parliament shows itself at its best, at its kindest. It certainly felt that way yesterday. Advertisement US politicians yesterday warned they are on course to lose a new Cold War following reports China secretly flew a nuclear-capable missile around the world. The Long March hypersonic rocket, which can travel at five times the speed of sound, is said to have touched down 24 miles from its target during a test flight in August. Beijing has played down the row, claiming the launch was just a routine test of a new space vehicle. Yet US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood yesterday said they were very concerned, adding: We dont know how we can defend against that type of technology. Congressman Mike Gallagher blasted the US government for complacency, saying: This test should serve as a call to action. If we stick to our current course... we will lose the new Cold War. Until yesterday morning, few people outside of the military, intelligence and security services, and the defence industry had heard of hypersonic missiles or had a clue as to what they were or their significance. What a difference 24 hours makes! The revelation that China has tested such a missile and that it was nuclear-capable has sent shock waves around the world. The fact that it missed its presumed target by up to 24 miles brings scant comfort. While the US is developing its own hypersonic missiles, Russia has already tested them and even North Korea last month claimed to have test-fired one. China is not alone but it has shown it is far more advanced than the West suspected. Now Washington and other world capitals are waking up to the implications of Beijing possessing a missile that can circle the globe at five times the speed of sound and can sneak under the radar of US anti-missile defences. The missile, carried on a hypersonic glide vehicle, was launched into space by rocket boosters (similar to those that launch spacecraft) in August. When they run out of fuel typically within minutes the boosters detach and fall away, and the glide vehicle continues to orbit the Earth at nearly 4,000mph, under its own momentum. China's thirst to rule the world has just gone hypersonic Although slower than ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles fly at much lower trajectories more like cruise missiles so are easier to manoeuvre and harder to track. Taylor Fravel, a US expert on Chinese nuclear weapons policy, said such a weapon could help negate American defence systems. These are designed to destroy incoming ballistic missiles which soar high into space before descending on their target. Certainly, Chinas achievement is a game-changer in East/West relations. For a generation, the West has been used to China manufacturing more and more of what we buy as consumers. More than a quarter of manufactured goods bought in America are made in China, for example. But when it came to high tech items, not least in the defence sector, the assumption was that the US still held a distinct edge over China. In the space of a week that complacency has been rocked to its core. Even before the news of the Chinese hypersonic test, Nicolas Chaillan, the Pentagons former chief software officer, warned that Beijing is heading for global dominance because of its advances in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and cyber capabilities and that gap was growing. Chaillan said he resigned in protest earlier this month because of the slow pace of technological transformation in the US military, which he believed was putting the future of his children at risk. Now, Chinas new hypersonic missile launch puts the West on notice that its technological advantage over our rivals is an illusion. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose What the advent of hypersonic weapons does is shatter faith in anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems as our guarantee against a surprise attack by a nuclear-armed rival. ABM defensive systems, such as the American Patriot, point up at missiles incoming in a supersonic arc through outer space from launch pad to target. Targeting a low-flying hypersonic missile which harnesses AI to dodge defences is a vastly harder prospect. Since the 1980s, America has invested billions in anti-missile defence. It was started by president Ronald Reagan who believed effective defence against ballistic missiles would reduce the risk of nuclear war making disarmament and peace possible. Sadly as so often in history scientists have found ways around apparently invulnerable defence systems. German tanks bypassed the incredibly sophisticated French fortifications that made up the Maginot Line in 1940 by diverting through Belgium. Now hypersonic missiles effectively undercut Americas anti-ballistic Maginot Line mentality. So having (almost) nailed the technology, could an emerging superpower China be tempted to repeat the kind of surprise attack which Japan inflicted on the Americans at Pearl Harbor in 1941? A U.S. hypersonic missile launches from Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii, on March 19, 2020 Back in the 1980s, the architect of Chinas extraordinary economic upswing, leader Deng Xiaoping, advised future Chinese leaders to ensure their country rose unobserved. Deng recognised that China must bide its time until it reached full spectrum domination, from the military to the economic spheres, and that meant avoiding antagonising rivals and neighbours. Todays leader, president Xi Jinping, is more inclined to exploit Chinas new heavyweight standing. From border disputes with India to bullying breakaway Taiwan, Xi has been flexing his muscles. Indeed, Taiwan is the most likely flash point between the superpowers. President Xi is bent on reunifying the Chinese-speaking island democracy, while, after his humiliating retreat from Afghanistan, President Biden is determined not to look weak over Taiwan. What if Beijing thinks American public resolve is just bluff and makes a grab for the island? Miscalculation leads to world wars. In the 20th century, the democracies led by Britain and the US came out on top in two world wars. The Americans guided the West to a peaceful defeat of Soviet Communism in the Cold War. But past glories do not guarantee future victories. Nor do decades of mutual nuclear deterrence between Washington and Moscow mean that the growing number of other nuclear-armed states will show the self-restraint of the Cold War era. Any war between nuclear-armed states is too horrible to contemplate or should be. But the development of hypersonic missiles and new AI weaponry raises the terrible spectre of Chinese Dr Strangeloves calculating the chances of emerging from their bunkers into a post-atomic desert as the worlds only superpower. When Mao said that the Chinese would outnumber all the other survivors of any nuclear war 60 years ago, the then Soviet leaders thought he had gone mad and promptly cut nuclear cooperation with his regime. Maybe todays vastly more powerful and technologically sophisticated Communist China has escaped from Maoist thinking. But if it hasnt, it is fast acquiring the futuristic weaponry to put its founders chilling words into practice. Worst case scenarios are never certain. But planning for the best case is never wise. Chinas military modernisation is going at hypersonic pace. The West must catch-up and fast. Mark Almond is director of the Crisis Research Institute, Oxford The past year has been a challenge for all of us, but for many business-owners it has felt trickier than ever to stay afloat. From the Covid-19 pandemic to the resulting recession, small businesses have faced a host of difficulties as they try to grow and reach new customers, all while competing with bigger companies with bigger budgets. But now entrepreneurs from across the UK have revealed how digital tools from Facebook, like personalised advertising, have transformed their businesses, helping them to build and connect to a community; the kinds of capabilities only the giants of industry used to have. And in a bid to support small businesses, Facebook has launched its #DeserveToBeFound campaign in which companies can win an invaluable shout out from serial entrepreneur and TV star, Steven Bartlett. Read on to discover how to get involved but first, meet the business owners already making personalised advertising work for them... 'PERSONALISED ADVERTISING HAS HELPED ME BUILD A COMMUNITY' Self-confessed rebel Colin Melville, from Devon, feels personalised advertising should be part of the tools that 'any business' needs to grow today Bored of sickly sweet cliche'd art, self-confessed rebel Colin Melville, from Devon, decided to give up his career in media and launch his own online store, Famous Rebel, which offers unusual wall art, cards and gifts. The entrepreneur took a huge risk by launching the business on Black Friday. He explained: 'In my last job in media, I was managing advertising budgets of 100K. 'But that day, it was just me, 50 prints and a 20 Facebook ad budget.' Colin's top tip for other small businesses Start small and learn, learn, learn. Tell your own story because people want to read and hear about you, not just your products. Don't just make ads that just sell things with a price and no story. You wouldn't do that in a real shop, you would chat to your customers and talk about why you started and why your products are great. And Colin quickly realised he didn't need huge budgets to build a community and a customer base. So, he continued to invest in personalised ads, which he knew would appeal to fellow rebels. In fact, by February 2020, the entrepreneur found spending 100 on targeted advertising to promote a one-day sale, led to 700 purchases from customers. Personalised advertising is now a key part of his business model. 'I spend between 150-400 per week and the return is around 1.5 - 2 times investment,' he says. 'But it's not always about the immediate return. 'For us, it's about getting our name out there and our story told so that people remember us and when they want something unique in the future they come to us. 'Personalised advertising like Custom and Lookalike Audiences on Facebook, for example, allow us to target a niche audience and build a community, encouraging people to engage with the brand for long-term growth.' Less than two years later, he has even opened a physical store in Totnes. But 95 per cent of Famous Rebel's sales still come from online customers. 'We know our products sell well in our retail store in Totnes, but it's a limited audience,' he says. 'Facebook ads allow us to get these products in front of literally millions of potential customers, we can also specifically target people who have tastes like ourselves and will possibly purchase the products. 'More importantly, the platform has allowed us to tell our story to loads of people out there who would never hear it.' Colin confessed: 'Without personalised advertising, we would cease as a business.' 'PERSONALISED ADVERTISING BOOSTED OUR SIDE HUSTLE INTO FULL-TIME WORK' James Martin, from Harrogate, launched Glawning in 2013 as a side hustle, but personalised advertising has helped him and his wife Sarah make it a full time job How a simple hashtag could help YOUR business... Inspirational entrepreneur Steven Bartlett could be giving YOUR business a shout out! Facebook believes businesses deserve to be found online, no matter how big or small they might be. Thats why the social media platform has launched a movement to celebrate small businesses and the brilliant ideas behind them. The Facebook #DeserveToBeFound campaign aims to support and showcase entrepreneurs like Colin, James, Sarah and YOU! All you have to do is share the hashtag #DeserveToBeFound on Facebook or Instagram and your business could be featured on Steven Bartlett's Facebook channels in the coming weeks. It's a fantastic opportunity for your idea to be seen by thousands of potential new customers. Show off your products, tell your story or say thank you to your customers, as you spread the word about your business and why you #DeserveToBeFound Meanwhile you can also download Facebook's free posters to share with your community. Click HERE to find out more. What have you got to lose? James and Sarah Martin, from Harrogate, were camping in their van when their 'nasty nylon awning' blew off in the middle of the night. It was then they decided there had to be a better product - and they were the people to launch it. Tapping into the trendy, glam campers market, James and Sarah set up Glawning in 2013 as a side hustle. The couple began selling bell tent awnings for camper vans and glamping accessories for the awning interiors. The high quality, 100 per cent cotton canvas campervan awnings are a luxury item, fashionable and allow campers to have a fire inside just what glampers want. And because their product is relatively niche, James and Sarah use personalised online ads to target customers based on their behaviours, interests and model of van. They can even trigger promotional campaigns to activate when they need to boost sales. When they spend 500 on a personalised ad, the couple know they can earn revenue in excess of 10,000 thanks to their personalised marketing. James explained: 'Personalised ads have a direct impact on our sales. 'If there is a month we arent hitting sales targets we can just put an ad up and be pretty sure exactly what were going to make off the back of it.' And after the success of their side-hustle, they've developed a cult following and ditched their jobs to sell awnings full-time. Do YOU want to learn more about personalised ads and how the tools could help you grow your business? Visit Facebook to learn more about the digital tools and free resources available to support your business. A childhood cancer survivor who had to have her left leg amputated to save her life has shared the abuse she received from online trolls after posing in lingerie. Model and fashion stylist Cherie, now 29, from New Plymouth, New Zealand, lost her leg after being diangosed with bone cancer at the age of six. In her teens, she struggled with being different and always being stared at, but in her early 20s, she started to realise that her disability would always attract attention, and decided to harness that in a more positive way. She decided to pursue a career as a model and has since shot campaigns for big brands such as Bluebella and Modibodi, as well as sharing her photos on social media. However, it's led to critcisim from trolls who accuse Cherie of faking her disability for likes. 'People on social media often accuse me of faking having one leg and claim that I Photoshop my leg out of my photos for attention,' she said. Cherie Louise (29), from New Plymouth, New Zealand was diagnosed with bone cancer at six years old. Pictured at her home The rare Osteosarcoma meant Cherie lost her left leg and half her pelvis in order to save her life. Pictured as a young girl Cherie first realised something was wrong aged six, when she kept getting a high recurrent fever and persistent pain in her left hip, and had trouble running and keeping up with the other kids at school. She was taken to countless doctors appointments to find the cause of her symptoms before finally being diagnosed with a rare bone cancer called osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is a form of bone cancer where the tumours look like early forms of bone cells that normally help make new bone tissue. Cherie's parents were informed that she would need to have her entire left leg and half of her pelvis amputated in order to save her life. Growing up, Cherie had never seen other amputees anywhere except for once a year when the Paralympics were on TV. Pictured at her home This type of amputation, called an external hemipelvectomy, is extremely rare and risky, it makes things like using a prosthetic quite difficult. Cherie had a hard time acclimatising to having one leg, she was extremely self-conscious and hated standing out and being stared at all the time. Additionally, exposure on social media brought an influx of trolls with insensitive things to say about Cherie's disability, with some even accusing her of photoshopping her leg off to gain attention. 'They can't grasp that images flip depending on whether you use the front or rear camera on your phone, or if a photo is taken in a mirror,' she said. 'People will also see a reflection of something on the floor and claim it is proof that I have photoshopped my leg out.' 'I know their comments are ridiculous and easily disproved, so some might think it's just funny when people say that. When she was about sixteen Cherie went to a fashion school and discovered a love for clothes and beauty. Pictured at her home 'For me, it's quite annoying, given everything I've gone through to survive and get to a point I am now where I'm confident in who I am and what I look like, all for people to put it down to just being fake and photoshopped.' Growing up, Cherie had never seen other amputees anywhere except for once a year when the Paralympics were on TV. 'When I was young, I didn't believe I would get a job, fall in love, have a family or any of those things because I'd never known an amputee who had,' Cherie says. 'There were countless nights spent crying over photos of myself pre-amputation, questioning why it happened to me, wishing I would wake up one day and have two legs again.' Growing up there were countless nights Cherie spent crying over photos of herself pre-amputation. Pictured at her home Trolls on social media have heinous, insensitive things to say about Cherie's disability. Pictured posing for her follwers 'I always stood out, and that made me eventually retreat from doing things that brought me more attention, like playing sports. 'I went through the rest of school wanting to blend in as much as possible.' Cherie had a change of heart regarding her disability in her twenties, she realised people will always stare so why should she let unwanted attention stop her from doing what she wanted. 'Social media actually played a big part in gaining self-confidence for me because I found the more I put myself out there on social media, the less I cared about how people reacted to me in person,' said Cherie. Growing up Cherie often wished she would wake up one day and have two legs again but now she's a successful model 'One thing that happened along the way, maybe five years ago now, was that I found a model with the same amputation as me on Instagram.' 'Her name was Cacsmy/Mama Cax (@mamacax), she sadly passed away a couple of years ago.' 'I remember seeing that she had posted photos of herself in swimsuits and even had photos showing her scars.' 'While I had shared many photos of myself, I'd never been brave enough to share something such as a swimsuit photo.' Cherie had a hard time acclimatising to having one leg, she was extremely self-conscious and hated standing out and being stared at all the time. Pictured posing at home 'Seeing her look amazing in these photos, and be such an amazing model and disability advocate really pushed away some of the remaining fears that I had.' Connecting with the disabled community led Cherie to become more aware of the work society needs to do to be more inclusive. It also gave her the confidence to pursue her modelling career. 'As a teenager, I realised my dream was to work in fashion,' says Cherie. 'When I was about sixteen I went to a fashion school and from there I started styling shoots before moving to Melbourne when I was twenty to pursue styling further.' Cherie's first official modelling job was for a lingerie brand, Bluebella. Posing has built her self confidence 'Back then I didn't really see modelling as something that I could pursue. 'It wasn't even just being an amputee that made me feel like I couldn't model, but also that I was too short and any amputees I did see modelling always had a prosthetic.' 'I felt like people would always choose an amputee with a prosthetic rather than one that uses crutches.' 'I always kind of set these limits in my head of how far I believed the industry was willing to stretch when it came to diversity.' Cherie was extremely self-conscious as a child and hated standing out and being stared at all the time but now she's grown to accept herself People claim that Cherie photoshops her leg out of her photos for attention and troll her on her photos but Cherie continues to advocate for disabled people Her first official modelling job was for a lingerie brand, Bluebella who put out an open casting for a secret project. Cherie applied and was selected to be a part of the World's Biggest Online Fashion Show, a fashion show where all the models filmed their own catwalk from their homes. One of Cherie's favourite bookings was for Modibodi, the period pants brand. 'What I loved about working with Modibodi is that it didn't feel like they use diverse models for the 'hype and likes', it feels like they genuinely believe the importance behind it,' she says. 'That was why I wanted to get into modelling in the first place, in my heart what I really care about is advocating for disabled people.' 'I know that the easiest way I can do that is by spreading my own image and pushing accurate representation of disabled people.' 'I hope to be seen by disabled children who aren't sure what the future has in store for them. I want to break into the industries that have forever made up stories for us, instead of letting us tell them.' Australian women are racing to buy the world's first four-piece bikini that flatters every shape and size with revolutionary reversible fabric. Amber Marell Boyers launched sustainable swimwear label Baiia in 2016 with the aim of creating trendy pieces that make women feel sexy, regardless of their body type. Tired of the frumpy, full-coverage looks targeted at shoppers who wear larger dress sizes, the fashion designer from Brisbane started with a $269 three-piece 'wrapsuit' that sculpts the stomach and glides seamlessly over the behind without pinching. Made from premium triple-lined Italian fabric, the suit made such waves in the Australian fashion industry that Ms Boyers was inspired to create a multi-wear bikini that includes a $149 two-piece top and $119 two-piece bottoms. Scroll down for video Australian women are racing to buy the world's first four-piece bikini that flatters all sizes with revolutionary reversible fabric, designed by Brisbane woman, Amber Marell Boyers (pictured) The fashion designer from Brisbane started with a $269 three-piece 'wrapsuit' that sculpts the stomach and glides seamlessly over the behind without pinching 'I knew how instrumental a swimsuit could be in changing how a woman felt about herself.. in what other garment is a woman showing up in public, half-naked?' Ms Boyers told Daily Mail Australia. 'If you can feel sexy, supported and at home in your body while half naked in front of a bunch of strangers, imagine how else you could show up in the rest of your life.' Available in sizes 6 to 26, Baiia is a true champion of body inclusivity, offering a broader size range than almost any other mainstream swimwear brand on the market. The bikini features two reversible chest pieces and a side-tie belt, while the full coverage, ultra-high waisted bottoms are lined with compression fabric that supports you in all the right places. In a video that shows you how to put the bikini together, Ms Boyers (pictured) starts by slipping into the bottoms and pulling the one-shouldered piece of the top over her head Baiia is a true champion of body inclusivity, offering a broader size range than almost any other mainstream swimwear brand on the market In an Instagram video that shows you how to put the bikini together, Ms Boyers starts by slipping into the bottoms and pulling the one-shouldered piece of the top over her head. She pulls the larger piece of the bikini top up over her legs, then ties the belt around her waist. The reversible fabric means each piece can be twisted around for endless variations. The sets have proved wildly popular, with shoppers snapping up more than 2,500 in September alone. Ms Boyers believes her designs have captured the imagination because they are suitable for every kind of woman. 'I'm really proud to be a brand that resonates with literally all ages, shapes and walks of life,' she said. Ms Boyers believes her designs (pictured) have captured the imagination because they are suitable for every kind of woman The brand's top seller used to be the wrapsuit in Tanami, Bahamas and Tahiti prints, but now Ms Boyers says everyone is buying the bikini (pictured) 'We are all so different, but one thing remains the same: we all want to feel good in our own skin. I love how Baiia is able to help different generations of women feel that way.' The brand's top seller used to be the wrapsuit in Tanami, Bahamas and Tahiti prints, but now Ms Boyers says everyone is buying the bikini. 'Our best-seller is the Martinique, it has beautiful hand-painted artwork,' she said. Ms Boyers plans to expand the range with premium resort-wear made from recycled materials, but for now her main priority is getting as many women to slip into her world-first bikinis as possible. 'I like to focus on one thing and do it really well,' she said. 'I want more women to show up and show off. To feel sexy and comfortably show more skin than they thought they could, but still feel supported.' Posing alongside an ancient Egyptian coffin that seemed to mirror her killer curves, gold outfit and thick mascara, Kim Kardashian must have thought her photo opportunity at the 2018 Met Gala would make great content for Instagram. But the viral snap of the reality star unexpectedly helped solve a long-running criminal case featuring the golden coffin, forged documents and an international antiquity-looting-and-trafficking ring. In his recent podcast Art Bust: Scandalous Stories of the Art World, British journalist Ben Lewis delves into the crucial role this seemingly innocuous photo played in pinning down thieves who had stolen the golden coffin of Nedjemankh, from the 1st century BC, and sold it to the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art for $4million using fake documentation. It had been dug out of the ground during the 2011 Egyptian revolution and, following a series of twists and turns, had landed in the Met in 2018, ahead of the Met Gala on the first Monday of May. That same month Manhattan assistant district attorney Matthew Bogdanos was emailed the viral photo of Kim by an informant in the Middle East who had received it from a member of a gang of looters - annoyed that he hadn't been paid for digging the coffin out of the ground during the Egyptian revolution in 2011. For Bogdanos, head of the Manhattan DAs antiquities trafficking unit, Kims viral photo was the key to unlocking a long-running case that he had begun investigating in 2013 targeting international antiquities dealers. The elaborately decorated coffin, viewed by nearly a half-million visitors when it was made the centrepiece of a major exhibition in July 2018, was returned in 2019 to Egypt, where it was displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo. In May 2018, Manhattan assistant district attorney Matthew Bogdanos was emailed the viral photo of Kim by an informant in the Middle East, revealing it had been looted This ancient Egyptian coffin purchased for near $4million was pulled mid-run from a stunning Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition named after it The informing looter had seen the image of Kim and the coffin because it had gone viral and he recognised the golden artefact. Theres no honour among thieves, Bogdanos said, after explaining the looter had yet to be paid for digging up the artefact, according to The Times. For half a decade, Bogdanos had been conducting a worldwide electronic surveillance operation by gathering texts, emails and other content stored in the cloud. Thanks to this, he had hundreds of files capturing freshly excavated antiquities, which looters had dug up and sent photos of to dealers in the hopes of a sale. In May 2018, Manhattan assistant district attorney Matthew Bogdanos was emailed the viral photo of Kim (pictured at the Met Gala in 2018) by an informant in the Middle East to whom it had been passed by a member of a gang of looters - the informing looter hadnt been paid for digging the coffin out of the ground during the Egyptian revolution in 2011 Unfortunately, Bogdanos, who could only act on items when they were within his jurisdiction in New York, could not match any of the low-resolution pictures to the new acquisitions he was aware of. The informants tip-off after seeing Kim's picture wasnt enough alone, so Bogdanos requested that the informant ask the looter if he had access to any digital images of the coffin. The looter sent across photographs of the artefact captured just after it had been excavated and Bogdanos was able to match these to identical photos in emails gathered by his surveillance operation. Bogdanos, who then opened a grand jury investigation, could now piece together the journey that the artefact had been on and discovered that the coffin had been looted in the Minya region in 2011 during the Egyptian revolution. The elaborately decorated coffin (pictured), viewed by nearly a half-million visitors when it was made the centrepiece of a major exhibition in July 2018, was returned in 2019 to Egypt, where it was displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo When digging up the artefact, the looters dumped the mummified remains of Nedjemankh - who was a high priest in ancient Egypt - in the River Nile - but mistakenly left a finger bone inside of the coffin which was still attached when it appeared at the Met. Bogdanos claimed evidence showed that Dib wired money to the local smugglers and traffickers in exchange for transporting the antiquities to Germany. Revealed: The ancient items that the Mets parted with because they may have been stolen The ancient Egyptian coffin purchased for near $4million by the Metropolitan Museum of Art before it was returned to Egypt was just the latest of several incidents that raised questions about the thoroughness of the Mets vetting procedures when acquiring antiquities, according to The New York Times. The return of the coffin wasnt the first time the Met had to part with ancient artefacts that may have been stolen. Around ten years ago, the museum restored ownership of a 2,500-year-old vase known as the Euphronios krater to the Italian government, which believed it had been looted in 1971 from a tomb. Then in 2017, the district attorney's office seized from the museum a 4th-century BC terracotta vase, by Greek artist Python, which had been on display in the Mets Greco-Roman galleries for more than two decades. The 2,300-year-old piece - which depicts Dionysus, the god of grape-harvest, riding in a cart pulled by a satyr, was said to be looted by tomb raiders in Italy in the 1970s. In 2018, the museum announced that it was returning two sculptures to India: an eighth-century stone sculpture of a Hindu goddess, Durga Mahishasuramardini, and a limestone sculpture from the third century, Head of a Male Deity. The Durga was donated in 2015, while the Head of a Male Deity was donated to the Met in 1986. It had discovered the latter was part of the excavated inventory of the Nagarjunakonda Site Museum. In statements following the return of the Egyptian coffin, museum officials said it would review and revise its acquisitions process. Advertisement In 2013, the coffin was given to Hassan Fazeli, a dealer in Sharjah, who exchanged emails about it with European details, labelling it the yellow, according to Bogdanos. Fazeli completed an export form wrongly labelling it as a Greco-Roman artefact to cover up the coffins origins and legality and dispatched it to Europe. It later came into the hands of Roben Dib, who managed the Dionysos Gallery in Hamburg, which is owned by Serop Simonian. It is unclear what he knew of the coffins origins, said The Times. Dib set up the restoration of the artefact and, according to Bogdanos, faked an Egyptian export licence that illustrated it had been legally exported in 1971. The coffin was then dispatched to the French antiquities scholar and dealer Christophe Kunicki and his partner Richard Semper. It is unclear what they knew about the coffins original origins, said the publication. They offered it to the Met, with the museum agreeing to pay $4million. However, Bogdanos said in his letter that the curators at the Met should have been more rigorous in investigating the origins of the coffin. In June 2020 French officials arrested Kunicki and Semper. They were charged with fraud, money laundering and forgery, but the case has not yet gone to trial. Vincent Noce, an investigator from The Art Newspaper, spoke to Kunicki and Semper last year, who both insisted on their innocence. In August 2020, German police arrested Dib on suspicion of art trafficking, according to Noce. Dib told of his complete innocence to The Art Newspaper in the same month Its unclear whether he was charged or convicted. Serop Simonian has not been implicated, said The Times. Announcing the return of the ancient gilded coffin to Egypt in February 2019, Met CEO Daniel Weiss apologised to the nation's people and specifically to Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany. 'After we learned that the Museum was a victim of fraud and unwittingly participated in the illegal trade of antiquities, we worked with the DA's office for its return to Egypt,' Weiss said. The museum said it would 'consider all available remedies to recoup the purchase price of the coffin' and would commit itself 'to identifying how justice can be served, and how we can help to deter future offences against cultural property.' Following the incident, the Met vowed to 'review and revise its acquisitions process.' Upon learning they were duped and had unknowingly participated in the illegal trafficking of antiquities, museum officials returned the coffin and cancelled the few months that remained of a Nedjemankh exhibit in February 2019. MailOnline has contacted the Met for comment. The almost 6-foot long coffin is sheathed in gold, which the ancient Egyptians associated with the gods. It is inscribed with the name of Nedjemankh, a high-ranking priest of the ram-headed god Heryshef of Herakleopolis. According to ancient texts, the use of gold in the coffin would have helped the deceased inside to be reborn in the next life. The coffin's elaborate exterior has scenes and texts that were intended to give Nedjemankh protection and guide him on his journey from death to 'eternal life as a transfigured spirit.' Some unique features include thin sheets of silver foil on the interior of the lid, intended to add more protection, bu this time to Nedjemankh's face. Ancient Egyptians considered precious metals to represent the flesh and bones of the gods, or the sun and the moon, reports ARTFIX Daily. More specifically, they were the eyes of the cosmic deity Heryshef, whom Nedjemankh served. Theres an inscription on the lid that reads: 'Oh gold! Oh gold! Oh flesh of the god! Oh flesh of the god! Oh fine gold! Oh fine gold!' Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. gave a special nod to his office's Antiquities Trafficking Unit during the return of the coffin. In 2019, it was revealed the unit had recovered 'several thousand stolen antiquities collectively valued at more than $150million, many of which have been returned to their rightful owners and repatriated to their countries of origin,' Vances office said in a released statement. The returned artifacts include three marble Lebanese statues; a Roman mosaic excavated from the Ships of Nemi; an Etruscan relic stolen from the site of a historic necropolis known as the 'City of the Dead'; a marble sarcophagus fragment; a Buddhist sculpture stolen from an archaeological dig site; a pair of 12th century Indian statues; a collection of 8th Century B.C.E. bronze statues; and a set of ancient Greek coins, among others. Prince Harry has said an area known as a 'natural beating heart' of southern Africa must be protected with a moratorium on oil and gas drilling. Starting with rivers in Angola, the Okavango flows through Namibia's Kavango region to a delta in Botswana, with Harry describing it in 2019 as 'this magnificent last Eden'. In an opinion piece co-authored with Namibian environment activist Reinhold Mangundu for the Washington Post, the Duke of Sussex, 37, called the drilling an 'imminent threat' to Botswana's wildlife. The pair penned: 'The Okavango watershed is a natural beating heart that has nourished humans and wildlife in southern Africa for generations and it's at risk.' Prince Harry, 37, has said an area known as a 'natural beating heart' of southern Africa must be protected with a moratorium on oil and gas drilling. Pictured, speaking onstage during Global Citizen Live, New York on September 25, 2021 in New York An aerial view of the Okavango Delta in northern part of Botswana, Africa The royal and Mr Magundu added: 'The Okavango River Basin is under siege by ReconAfrica, a Canadian oil and gas company that has been granted licenses for exploratory drilling in an area of Namibia and Botswana larger than some European countries.' The authors said they held 'critical' concerns about the environmental effects of drilling. They went on to cite examples of the recent pipeline leak off the coast of Southern California as well as an oil company lighting the ocean on fire in the Gulf of Mexico in July. The pair penned: 'To protect the Okavango River Basin, we call on the world to stand in solidarity with us, our allies and local communities in advocating a full moratorium on oil and gas development in the region.' Prince Harry on October 28, 2016 while he worked in Malawi with African Parks as part of an initiative involving moving 500 elephants over 350 kilometers across Malawi from Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve 'Now, the choice is simple: Either we honor our natural and life-sustaining ecosystems, preserving them for generations to come, or we exploit them on a path to permanent destruction. Will you stand with us?' The delta is one of the largest freshwater wetlands in southern Africa, the main source of water for a million people, and one of Africa's richest places for biodiversity. Ahead of a visit to the region in 2019, Harry said in an Instagram post from his official account: 'Known by the locals as 'source of life', this ecosystem is wilderness at its best, playing an absolutely crucial role for the planet, people and wildlife. 'This is our one and only chance to save this magnificent last Eden.' Sadie Frost has reaveled she's single after splitting from her partner of eight years, businessman Darren Strowger. The mother-of-four, 56, told Stella Magazine there was 'no drama or stress' in the 'amicable' split, and is embracing the single life and the change to focus on herself, after decades of being in relationships and raising her children. Sadie is mother to Finlay Munro Kemp, 31, who she shares with Gary Kemp, and Rafferty, 25, Iris, 20 and Rudy Law, 19, from her marriage to actor Jude Law. 'Ive decided to spend time on my own because of all my life changes, because of work, and the house. I want to live the life I want to live,' Frost said. 'Maybe it sounds incredibly selfish, but my kids are finally [at an age where] I dont have to worry about them and Im on a mission for me.' Sadie Frost has revealed she's single after splitting from businessman Darren Strowger after eight years together London designer and filmmaker Sadie Frost, 56, revealed she is now finally able to focus on herself now that her children are grown (pictured at the Filmmaker Teas during the 65th BFI London Film Festival at The Mayfair Hotel on October 10, 2021) The former social butterfly who partied in Primrose Hill with the likes of Kate Moss and Noel Gallagher said she now enjoys a more solitary lifestyle of peace and quiet, and wants to move to the country once the last of her children have moved out. She completed a MA in film studies at Staffordshire University before following it up with a course on documentary making, and has just premiered her documentary on the designer Mary Quant at the BFI. She added she is single and not dating, but has no regrets about her past relationships. 'Ive been in relationships for a long time and Im quite happy being on my own right now. It feels really good,' she said. She said she is on good terms with both her ex husbands, and has focused on co-parenting effectively. Sadie, pictured with her three-sons, from left t right: Finlay Munro Kemp, 31, Rudy Law, 19, and Rafferty Law, 25 With Kemp and Law going on to have another three children respectively with other partners, in total, her four children have six step-siblings. The designer, who previously ran her own label FrostFrench and recently launched her line of yoga attire with Selfridges, dipped her toe into the fashion world in 1999. She revealed she fired her agent the day she realised she was a single mother, following her divorce from Law.. She said she only agreed to do small acting roles and focused on her fashion career after her divorce so she could focus on parenting her children, and relied on the help of her friends for moral support. The couple met on the set of Shopping in 1994 and got together shortly after, with their oldest son Rafferty born in 1996. She said she was met with judgement as a young mother raising her children, and the public narrative was that Jude's star kept rising while hers was dwindling. However, Frost said she is proud of her career and said that Hollywood blockbusters are not the only way to be successful. She added that while her 40s where chaotic due to her parenting duties and looking after her children, she feels her 50s are the perfect time to get back to school and back to work. Sadie was married to actor Jude Law from 1997 to 2003 after their met in 1994 and quickly fell in love. The couple, pictured in 1996, had three children together: Rafferty, Rudy and Iris, 20 She added she wants to move to the country to enjoy a more peaceful lifestyle, but explained one of her sons hasn't moved out yet, and another has just moved back in, so has put the move on hold for now. She said she doesn't regret her partying days, even though she suffered being in the public eye after her divorce from Law. She added she is more solitary now and enjoys the peace and quiet. She has quit drinking, and instead wakes up at 5am for early meditation session and yoga. She admitted if she gets out of bed at 7am, she struggles to feel alert throughout the day. Q At 76, I have fairly good skin but I hate the sagging underneath my chin. Am I too old for a thread lift? A Age is just a number when it comes to threads, says Dr Vincent Wong. As long as skin is in good condition, he says, and can still generate collagen (a doctor must assess this), you can have a thread lift. Wong favours threads by Relife Definisse as theyre made from the most collagen-stimulating material (meaning they will make skin firmer) and whose design gives optimum lift. An anonymous reader asked Inge van Lotringen for advice to stop sagging underneath her chin (file image) The procedure, which involves injecting surgical threads under the skin to pull it up, is painless under local anaesthetic and starts from 1,600 at Vindoc Aesthetics (drvincentwong.com, cosmedic-clinic.co.uk). But, Wong warns, often skin sagging in the chin area is also due to volume loss, requiring additional dermal fillers in the jawline. So a combination of treatments is often advised. Fillers would cost around 900. Wong does say that for dramatic improvement of quite slack skin (which would necessitate additional heat-based treatments such ultrasound or radiofrequency, with the whole lot totalling up to 5,000), lower facelift surgery is often a better option and not that much more expensive. The key is to select a reputable physician who can discuss all options with you honestly. Inge van Lotringen (pictured) shared advice from Dr Vincent Wong who recommends threads by Relife Definisse Email your questions to Ingeborg van Lotringen, author of Great Skin, at inge@dailymail.co.uk. Hands up. Who remembers the old Marks & Spencer St Michael logo? A wardrobe stalwart, it was ditched in 2000 after 72 years on the shopfloor, as part of a brand modernisation bid. But now it has made a mini-comeback, with the launch of a St Michael-emblazoned rugby shirt (29.50) and sweatshirt (25). M&S says it is not officially relaunching the St Michael label, and is just having fun with our archive. However, Wes Taylor, head of M&S menswear, has said the retailer is starting to play with it and test reaction, which suggests a St Michael revival could happen. St Michael Skirt suit, 62, St Michael on depop.com; jumper, 15, marksandspencer.com; heels, 195, lkbennett.com St Michael Shirt, 69.99, and trousers, 62, St Michael on depop.com; shoes, 215, russellandbromley. co.uk It would be a savvy move. Thanks to a vintage shopping boom, preloved St Michael items are hugely popular on resale sites like eBay, Depop and Vinted. Shoppers are also snapping up secondhand John Lewiss own-brand Jonelle (axed in 2003); Hennes & Mauritz the H&M branding scrapped in 1999 plus Chelsea Girl, that became River Island in 1988. And shoppers are willing to pay a fair bit to get their hands on the old-school ranges. On eBay a St Michael double-breasted wool blazer is going for 115, and a beige, belted St Michael trench coat for 65 (a new M&S one costs 69). A 1984 Chelsea Girl striped, acrylic jumper is 60. Chelsea Girl Dress, 75, Chelsea Girl on depop.com; shoes, 195, russellandbromley.co.uk Jonelle Shirt, 25, and skirt, 45, Jonelle on depop. com; heels, 195, lkbennett. com Jonelle Cardigan, 20, and trousers, 15, Jonelle on ebay.co.uk; shoes, 215, russellandbromley.co.uk So why are retro styles having a moment? It is partly nostalgia. Consumer insight agency WGSN, says nostalgic buys have offered a comforting influence to shoppers during the pandemic. The St Michael logo in particular is shorthand for the quality many feel is hard to come by on the High Street today. Clothing with Made in Britain on the label, that has held together and kept its shape for decades, harks back to a time before flimsy fast fashion. Then, of course, there is social cachet in buying second hand. And with retail giants falling, the old labels recall the High Streets heyday when heading to the shops was a treat. Giving these retro labels a second life feels like bringing some of that magic back. A clinical psychologist has offered her simple breathing technique that will ease anxiety and soothe your mind in just minutes. Gabby Goodier, from Perth, Western Australia, said the 'straw breathing' exercise has become a 'go-to' daily routine for her which involves inhaling through your nose, then exhaling through a drinking straw. 'The key piece here is that your exhale is longer than your inhale... this is how we activate part of the brain that helps us to calm down,' she wrote on Instagram. 'For example if you inhaled for a count of two, then exhale for a count of four. This activates the part of your brain that will calm your nervous system - helping you to find that much needed "calm button".' Perth psychologist Gabby Goodier (pictured) has offered her simple breathing techniques to help you ease anxiety and soothe your mind in just seconds Gabby's five 'straw' breathing tips 1. Practice outside to start with 2. Sit up straight and inhale normally and naturally through your nose 3. Exhale fully through your mouth with your lips pursed (like you're breathing through a straw; or use a straw) 4. Ensure your exhale is longer than your inhale - this is how we activate part of the brain that helps us to calm down 5. Repeat five times, ideally twice per day Advertisement The founder of The Sage Society, an online practice that specialises in health and happiness, said the breathing method helps her get through 'those days'. 'The days where my emotional buttons seem to be a little more pushed than normal, where my window of tolerance is shrinking and my ability to call on my calm feels challenging,' she said. For beginners, she suggested practicing the breathing technique outdoors. 'Here's the thing, calling on this skill when we're distressed or when we're feeling that calm evaporate and we've never tried it before is going to be hard,' she said. 'So I'd love you to practice this outside of these moments to start with. To build up that muscle memory. That habit. So that next time you're in that space, this little skill is much easier to pull out of your toolkit.' To get started, simply sit up straight and inhale normally and naturally through your nose. She said you need to exhale fully through your mouth with your 'lips pursed like you're breathing through a straw' or use a drinking straw. For beginners, she suggested practicing the breathing technique outdoors (stock image) 'Repeat five times, ideally twice per day,' she said. 'I'm not going to lie, some days these tools gets pulled out a lot, but it's my anchor. My way to manage my regulation so that when my kids are dysregulated, they can call on mine.' After sharing her breathing technique, many said they couldn't wait to give it a go. Those who have tried straw breathing exercises insisted the method has helped with stress relief, with one saying: 'This really does wonderful things. Very powerful.' While another added: 'This strategy is something I draw on almost every single day and it serves me well.' Clarify: A new inner beauty powder claims to clear the complexion in a matter of weeks A new powder claims to clear the complexion in a matter of weeks by healing your gut and cell health. Clarify Inner Beauty Powder, the latest launch by popular Australian brand The Beauty Chef, is a multi-tasking powder that supports skin and digestion with Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, Zinc and the brand's Flora Culture (beneficial bacteria). The $65 formula, which is designed to be mixed into water or a smoothie, also claims to repair damaged skin and congestion and protect cells from free radical damage with fermented wholefoods. BEFORE: This woman struggled with redness, dryness and breakouts so started on Clarify AFTER: By week eight, her skin was radiant and almost completely free of congestion 'We can all relate to that disheartening feeling that surfaces when we stand in front of the mirror only to be met with skin that's angry, inflamed, irritated, sensitive or congested,' The Beauty Chef founder, Carla Oates, told FEMAIL. 'For radiant, glowing and healthy skin, we must first turn our attention to our gut; this is especially relevant if you're looking to ameliorate specific skin conditions as well as inflammatory skin manifestations like congestion or breakouts.' Carla said Clarify was designed as a powder to specifically aid in reducing skin issues that are caused by digestive health, hormonal health and environmental factors as it offers a 'targeted solution'. 'We can all relate to that disheartening feeling that surfaces when we stand in front of the mirror only to be met with skin that's angry, inflamed, irritated, sensitive or congested,' The Beauty Chef founder, Carla Oates (pictured), told FEMAIL Carla Oates: Your diet could be to blame for your stubborn acne I often talk about how our skin is a great barometer for what's going on inside our gut and this is true when it comes to acne too. Unfortunately, it can be an incredibly complex skin condition to treat. The skincare industry is awash with over-the-counter topical acne treatments that promise to cure acne. While prescription medication and topical products such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can certainly play a role in how we treat acne - especially if you're working with a dermatologist to manage a more severe form of acne - they are just one piece of the puzzle. TIME TO LOOK AT YOUR DIET A poor diet is as detrimental to our overall health and wellbeing as it is to our skin - by causing damage and irritation to our gut. Gluten, dairy, refined sugars and carbohydrates as well as excess red meat, alcohol, caffeine, additives, preservatives and artificial sweeteners may have a negative effect on our digestive health - triggering dysbiosis (or a balance of bacteria in our gut), inflammation and gut health issues. Not surprisingly, these foods are also commonly linked to skin conditions such as acne in certain cases, too. It's important to note that you should never eliminate any food group without the direct and personal advice of a trusted healthcare practitioner - even if there is clinical evidence to show a connection. While strong clinical evidence proving that certain foods directly cause acne has not yet been established, there have, however, been many review studies examining potential food culprits that worsen acne in some people. For example, there has been evidence to show that the quality of carbohydrates consumed can play a role in acne pathogenesis. This isn't surprising as high-GI sources of carbohydrates can cause a spike in blood sugar and insulin. Consequently, a spike in insulin is linked to a rise in IGF-1, has been shown to boost sebum production. It's important to therefore always consume small and balanced quantities of low-GI carbohydrate sources at every meal to help regulate and keep blood sugar levels steady all day long. A poor diet can disrupt our balanced gut microbiome. An unbalanced microbiome can cause systemic inflammation and intestinal permeability. This has been linked to a higher prevalence of inflammatory skin conditions such as acne. Advertisement 'Containing a potent blend of bio-fermented probiotic wholefoods, every ingredient has been carefully selected for its skin-boosting benefits,' she said, adding that it was created in their fermentation plant alongside microbiologists and nutritionists. 'We recommend using the product daily for a minimum of eight to 12 weeks. We had excellent results with our consumer trial, with participants reporting a significant decrease in skin breakouts and congestion after using the product for eight weeks.' The Clarify powder joins the brand's hugely successful range of inner beauty powders and beauty boosters, including the famed $65 'Glow' powder. BEFORE: Customer Grace was struggling with hormonal cystic acne and started on Clarify AFTER: She saw results within a matter of weeks and by week 12 her skin had drastically improved and she had a natural glow Carla, the Feeding Your Skin author and former stylist, created her company in 2009 after healing her family's skin issues and discovering that beautiful, glowing skin begins with a healthy gut. When her daughter began to experience similar skin issues to the eczema and allergies she herself had experienced as a child, Carla put her family on a gut-healing protocol that included probiotic-rich, lacto-fermented wholefoods. Very quickly Carla noticed a profound difference in her daughter's skin, as well as the improved wellbeing of the whole family and friends and family began asking why her skin looked so 'glowy'. Carla, the Feeding Your Skin author and former stylist, created her company in 2009 after healing her family's skin issues and discovering that beautiful, glowing skin begins with a healthy gut What is Carla's typical day on a plate? My philosophy to food is similar to Michal Pollan's: 'eat food, not too much and mostly plants'. I eat lots of wholefoods, not processed foodand make sure that my plate is balanced. WAKE UP RITUAL I usually start my day with GLOW Inner Beauty Essential and COLLAGEN Inner Beauty Boost in a big glass of filtered water. The health of our gut microbiome can have a major impact on how we react to environmental allergens and food intolerances, so I make sure I have this health-supporting combination every single day to bolster my immunity. BREAKFAST I love combining the joy of cooking with the science of nutrition, so when it comes to my recipes, both gut health and flavour are always top of mind. Depending on what's in season, breakfast often consists of eggs, which I have with mushrooms, tomatoes and salmon, or maybe a hearty bowl of porridge made with buckwheat, quinoa, miso, apple and almonds. LUNCH Lunch could be anything from a salad with veggies and protein, or a piece of grilled or steamed fish with baked sweet potato and sauerkraut, a slow roast, a warming curry or a slow-cooked soup or stew with lots of veggies, herbs, spices and bone broth. DINNER An ideal dinner would look like organic, free-range protein (making up 25% of my plate), with colourful salads or vegetables (making up 60% of the plate), drizzled with organic olive oil and lemon juice; healthy, low GI carbs (making up 15%). My number one rule with all meals is to always have more veggies than meat on my plate. Advertisement She began experimenting with lacto-fermenting skin-loving superfoods in her kitchen and that's how first came to be. Now the team works with leading microbiologists, naturopaths and nutritionists to build on the range and they've developed a loyal following the world over. 'It doesn't sound very glamorous, but the gut is where the seeds for health and beauty are planted,' Carla said. Consumer experts have ranked dishwasher detergents from best to worst, with a $7.69 bargain buy from Aldi taking out the top spot for leaving dishes squeaky clean. Australian consumer organisation CHOICE rated tablet, powder and gel dishwasher detergents based on their value for money and cleaning performance against common stains like red wine, egg yolk, rice starch and baked-on cheese. Of the 27 products tested, Aldi's Logix Platinum 18 In 1 Dishwashing Tablets Lemon ($7.69) beat out stiff competition from big-name brands like Finish and Fairy to be crowned the best on the market after scoring a stellar 78 per cent. Consumer experts have ranked dishwasher detergents from best to worst, with a $7.69 bargain buy from Aldi taking out the top spot for leaving dishes squeaky clean Revealed: The best and worst dishwasher detergents Top performing detergents 1. Aldi Logix Platinum 18 In 1 Dishwashing Tablets Lemon: $7.69 2. Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Pro 0% Tabs: $20 3. Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Pro Tabs Lemon Sparkle: $20 4. Fairy Platinum All In One Dishwasher Capsules: $26.50 5. Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Pro Tabs Baking Soda: $36 Worst performing detergents 1. Earth Choice Dishwasher Powder Lemon Fresh: $9 2. Woolworths Shine Dishwasher Powder Concentrate Lemon: $3.90 3. Aldi Logix 2X Concentrate Powder Lemon: $3.69 4. Coles Ultra Concentrate Dishwasher Powder Lemon: $3.90 5. Morning Fresh 2X Super Concentrate Dishwashing Powder Lemon: $10 Advertisement Runner-ups Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Pro 0% Tabs ($20) and Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Pro Tabs Lemon Sparkle ($20) tied with 76 per cent. Fairy Platinum All In One Dishwasher Capsules ($26.50) and Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Pro Tabs Baking Soda ($36) rounded out the top five with 75 per cent. The judges with more than 30 years experience in dishwashers recommended the top five detergents out of the 27 products tested. Earth Choice Dishwasher Powder Lemon Fresh ($9) received the lowest score of just 46 per cent, followed by Woolworths Shine Dishwasher Powder Lemon ($3.90) with 47 per cent. Of the 27 products tested, Aldi's $7.69 Logix Platinum 18 In 1 Dishwashing Tablets Lemon (pictured) took out the top spot with the highest score of 78 per cent Runner-ups Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Pro 0% Tabs ($20) and Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Pro Tabs Lemon Sparkle ($20) tied with 76 per cent Fairy Platinum All In One Dishwasher Capsules ($26.50) and Finish Powerball Quantum Ultimate Pro Tabs Baking Soda ($36) rounded out the top five with 75 per cent The experts listed worst performing detergents, including Earth Choice and Morning Fresh Other products to avoid included Aldi Logix 2X Concentrate Powder Lemon ($3.69), Coles Ultra Concentrate Dishwasher Powder Lemon Fresh ($3.90) and Morning Fresh 2X Super Concentrate Dishwashing Powder Lemon ($10). 'It doesn't matter how good your dishwasher is if the detergent you use performs poorly. Avoid these duds,' the experts said. 'Switch to a good quality detergent and you'll notice better cleaning performance straight away, without needing to upgrade your expensive appliance.' To test the detergents, the experts used four identical dishwashers to clean 'pre-stained dishes' to compare the product performance fairly. 'These plates are prepared in the Netherlands... These stained plates are embedded with a specific amount of dirt, are identical and made up of a very specific formula,' Choice's expert Ashley Iredale said. 'We test each detergent four times, and then use a spectrophotometer to compare how clean our test plates are compared to to how dirty they were pre-wash.' Advertisement The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at the first Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in a fully electric Audi, hours after it was revealed Prince William has installed a charging point at Kensington Palace. Last night's star-studded event at Alexandra Palace was the first in Prince William's decade-long global environmental competition, awarding 1million to five winners for an idea to protect the planet. Kate Middleton and William, both 39, were chauffeured to the ceremony in an Audi RS e-tron GT, which uses electric battery powered motors to drive without carbon dioxide emissions and ranges in price from 110,950 to 133,105. While anyone with the cash to spare can purchase the vehicle, an Audi spokesperson said buyers will usually have to wait eight months to receive the car, but should check with their local Audi centre. It was revealed yesterday that the Duke has installed an electric car charger at his royal residence in London, as Prince Charles, 72, praised his son for his 'growing commitment to the environment'. The royal couple arrived in the Audi RS e-tron GT (pictured), which is built alongside the legendary Audi R8 at the Bollinger Hofe facility in Germany The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, both 39, arrived at the first Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in a fully electric Audi Kate Middleton and William, both 39, were chauffeured to the ceremony in an Audi RS e-tron GT, which uses electric battery powered motors to drive without carbon dioxide emissions and ranges in price from 110,950 to 133,105 The couple arrived in the Audi RS e-tron GT, which is built alongside the legendary Audi R8 at the Bollinger Hofe facility in Germany. It features a 800-volt lithium-ion battery and provides a range of up to 283 miles, with the engine taking around five minutes to charge enough power for the next 62 miles. Charging the engine for around 23 minutes will take the battery charge from 5 per cent back up to approximately 80 per cent. Unlike petrol or diesel-powered engines, the eco-friendly motor can be re-charged at home and The Mail on Sunday previously learned that William has had a charging point installed at Kensington Palace for an electric car. It features a 800-volt lithium-ion battery and provides a range of up to 283 miles, with the engine taking around five minutes to charge enough power for the next 62 miles. Pictured, William and Kate walking away from the vehicle Charging the engine for around 23 minutes will take the battery charge from 5 per cent back up to approximately 80 per cent. Pictured, the royal couple leaving the car behind them as they head to the event A source said it was 'the first phase of a project to install charging points across the entire Royal estate'. Charles also recently revealed that his 51-year-old Aston Martin - gifted to him by the Queen for his 21st birthday in 1969 - had been converted to run on surplus wine and whey from cheese. The car now runs on a fuel called E85, which is made up of 85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent unleaded petrol. The Audi RS e-tron GT (pictured) at the Auto Shanghai 2021 show. Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jnr drove an early prototype of the battery-powered GT in the Marvel movie Avengers Endgame, where he played Iron Man The interior of an Audi RS e-tron GT car at the Audi stand during the 42nd Bangkok International Motor Show 2021 The Audi electric vehicle at the Auto Shanghai 2021 show. The racing-inspired Audi RS e-tron GT costs from 110,950 but rising to 125,340 for the Carbon Black trim and a staggering 133,105 for the Carbon Vorsprung With charging ports behind both front wheels, the GT can charge overnight on a 11kW AC charger as standard. Pictured, an Audi RS e-tron GT car is seen during the 19th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in Shanghai on April 19, 2021 The car (pictured at the Audi stand during the 42nd Bangkok International Motor Show 2021) has night vision and laser lights and takes its inspiration from muscle cars of the 1950s, 60s and 1970s, standing 4.99m long, 1.96m wide and just 1.41m high stretched over a 2.90m wheelbase By blending petrol with ethanol, motorists don't need as much fossil fuel, which reduces carbon emissions and allows the vehicle to run 'cleaner'. Prince William's 110,950 Audi RS e-tron GT The Audi RS e-tron GT is built alongside the legendary Audi R8 at the Bollinger Hofe facility in Germany. Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jnr drove an early prototype of the battery-powered GT in the Marvel movie Avengers Endgame, where he played Iron Man. The standard Audi e-tron GT quattro starts from 79,900, rising to 106,000 for the 'ultra-high' specced Vorsprung trim. Meanwhile, the racing-inspired Audi RS e-tron GT costs from 110,950 but rising to 125,340 for the Carbon Black trim and a staggering 133,105 for the Carbon Vorsprung. It has night vision and laser lights and takes its inspiration from muscle cars of the 1950s, 60s and 1970s, standing 4.99m long, 1.96m wide and just 1.41m high stretched over a 2.90m wheelbase. The RS has a total combined 598 horse-power (440kW) and the GT Quattro 476 horse-power (350kW). However, if you apply the launch control which gives an additional 2.5 second burst of energy from standstill, that increases the total available power for the RS to 646 horse-power (475kW) and the GT quattro to 530 horse-power (390kW). That added boost enables the RS to accelerate from rest to 62mph in just 3.3 seconds up to a top speed restricted to 155mph. The GT quattro will manage the same in just 4.1 seconds up to a top speed of 152mph. Powering the new GT is a 85kW lithium ion battery configuration comprising 396 pouch cells arranged in 33 modules. With charging ports behind both front wheels, the GT can charge overnight on a 11kW AC charger as standard. On a fast-charging DC terminal, charging up to 80 per cent is achievable in under 23 minutes, said Audi. A five minute charge will get you 62 miles, it previously added. The sporty but minimalist cockpit-like interior has a dashboard with 12.3 inch screen plus a 10.1 inch infotainment screen - designed to face towards and surround the driver who is separated from the front passenger by a wide centre console housing the gear selector switch. Depending on the model bought there are three versions of seats 8, 14, and 18 way electrically adjustable - with the latter also having ventilation and massage capability. To help create extra legroom in the rear, passengers benefit from a sunken 'foot garage' which dips into a space in the battery cells beneath the floor. The windshield is made of noise-insulating glass, as are side and rear windows in higher spec models. Advertisement In a rare and touching public statement of support ahead of last night's award ceremony, Charles spoke of William's 'bold ambition' when it comes to the environment. He added: 'As a world, we need to come together to inspire, reimagine and build the sustainable future we so desperately need. 'Over the coming decade, with future generations in mind, the Earthshot Prize, and its inspirational nominees, will help us find the innovative solutions.' The Earthshot prize was launched last year to search for ways to tackle the problems facing the planet and the first-ever five winners were revealed last night at a glittering ceremony held in London. Each winner will receive 1million prize money and a global network of support to scale their cutting-edge environmental solutions to repair our planet. No stars flew into London for the ceremony and guests were asked by organisers to 'consider the environment when choosing their outfit'. Most guests followed WIlliam and Kate by re-using an outfit they had previously worn. William wore the same bottle green jacket at Centrepoint's 50th Anniversary two years ago, while Kate wore a 4,290 Alexander McQueen dress she first wore ten years ago in 2011, at a Bafta reception in Los Angeles. William warned that we live in 'the most consequential time in human history' as he addressed the audience at the ceremony. 'The future is ours to determine, and if we set our minds to it, nothing is impossible. I want to say something to all the young people watching tonight.' 'For too long, we havent done enough to protect the planet for your future. But Earthshot is for you. In the next ten years we are going to act. We are going to find the solutions to repair our planet. ' Following a performance by Coldplay and Korean boy band BTS, powered by 60 people pedalling bicycles, William gave a stark warning that 'time is running out' to tackle climate change, adding: 'The actions we choose or choose not to take in the next 10 years will determine the fate of the planet for the next thousand. The five winners, which span the globe from Costa Rica to India, include transformative technologists, innovators, an entire country, and a pioneering city and were chosen for their ground-breaking solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing our planet. The first award to be handed out went to Gator Halpern and Sam Teicher of Coral Vita - a project which grows coral on land to replenish life in dying ocean ecosystems. Its methods grow coral up to 50 times faster than typical methods and improves resilience to the impact of climate change. They beat competitors Pristine Seas and Living Sea Walls. Actors Emma Thompson, Emma Watson and David Oyelowo are joining Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, in handing out the awards at Alexandra Palace in north London. Emma Watson presented the second award, which went to AEM Electrolyser, which turns renewable electricity into emission-free hydrogen gas. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, both 39, walked side by side as they headed into the ceremony of the most ambitious environmental prize in history William closed the event by announcing that the following year's Earthshot event would be held in the United States - where his brother Prince Harry lives with Meghan Markle Radiant: The Duchess joined Prince William to attend the first Earthshot Prize awards ceremony at Alexandra Palace last night Vidyut Mohan of Takachar, which converts leftover crops in fuel, won the following prize. Takachar developed a cheap, small-scale, portable technology that attaches to tractors in remote farms, converting crop residues into bio-products like fuel and fertilizer. Emma Thompson presented the fourth Earthshot award to the city of Milan, whose Food Waste Hubs aim to halve waste by 2030. Each hub recovers food, primarily from supermarkets and companies' canteens, and gives it to NGOs who distribute it to citizens. And presenting the fifth and final award, The Duchess of Cambridge said: 'Nature is vital to us all... But for too long we've neglected our wild spaces and now w'ere facing a number of tipping points. If we don't act now we will permanently destabilise our planet and rob our children of the future they deserve.' It was revealed yesterday that the Duke has installed an electric car charger at his royal residence, as Prince Charles, 72, praised his son for his 'growing commitment to the environment' Charles explained how he had his Aston Martin converted so it runs on English wine and whey from cheese production The award went to the Republic of Costa Rica, whose Ministry for Environment paid citizens to protect forests, plant trees, and restore ecosystems, leading to the country's forests doubling in size. William closed the event by announcing that the following year's Earthshot event would be held in the United States - where his brother Prince Harry lives with Meghan Markle. In a video message pre-recorded from the London Eye, Prince William said yesterday: 'Today the warning sounds around the world are clear. We don't need a Moonshot, we need Earthshots. Each year for the next 10 years we will award five prizes, one for each Earthshot, to those who bring hope into our future.' Sir David Attenbrough is pictured bowing to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the first Earthshot Prize awards ceremony The Duchess of Cambridge talks with broadcaster David Attenborough as they attend the first ever Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London William said many of the answers to mitigate the challenges the earth faces are 'out there' but 'we need everyone from all parts of society to raise their ambition and unite in repairing out planet. William's Earthshot Prize takes its inspiration from the Apollo moon landings, nicknamed Moonshot, which helped advance mankind's technological achievements. It features five categories, or Earthshots - Protect and restore nature; Clean our air, Revive our oceans; Build a waste-free world; and Fix our climate - which organisers say, if achieved by 2030, would improve life for all. Not only did Kate Middleton prove her fashion prowess yesterday when appearing at the Earthshot Prize's first awards ceremony in a recycled 4,290 Alexander McQueen dress - but she also nailed her makeup look, according to an expert. The Duchess of Cambridge, 39, opted for 'go-to' smokey eyes, a rose blush and 'dark statement brows' as she joined Prince William, also 39, on the green carpet at Alexandra Palace in London. To match the event's ethos, the mother-of-three recycled a dress she first wore ten years ago in 2011, at a Bafta reception in Los Angeles while she and Prince William were touring America as newlyweds. Speaking to FEMAIL, Laura Kay, make-up expert and brow guru from Laura Kay London, suggested Kate appeared truly ethereal thanks to her age-defying make-up look. She also claimed the royal had possibly enhanced her appearance through microblading - a semi-permanent eyebrow treatment where pigment is implanted under the skin. The Duchess of Cambridge (pictured), 39, opted for 'go-to' smokey eyes, a rose blush and 'dark statement brows' as she joined Prince William, also 39, on the green carpet at Alexandra Palace in London To match the event's ethos, the mother-of-three (pictured) recycled a dress she first wore ten years ago in 2011, at a Bafta reception in Los Angeles while she and Prince William were touring America as newlyweds Laura said: 'Kate is a showstopper. She is truly ethereal at her latest red carpet appearance. She oozes confidence and will be self aware of the direct comparisons people will be making about her Alexander McQueen dress which she wore a decade ago. She looks amazing both times she wore the McQueen dress and is defying the laws of ageing. With a classic yet modern twist, Kate has given her latest look edge by incorporating subtle hints of sparkles and autumnal tones to her hair and make up. What is microblading and how does it work What is microblading? Microblading is a semi-permanent eyebrow treatment where pigment is implanted under the skin. With a needle-like tool, the surface of the skin is delicately scratched to mimic natural brow hairs. Microblading works on the second layer of skin, unlike tattooing, which works on the third layer of skin. How does it work? Eyebrows are waxed to give a clean, smooth surface and remove unwanted hairs Anaesthetic cream is applied and left for at least 20 minutes to numb the eyebrow and nose area A mixture of pigments matching the client's natural colour is inserted into a hand-held tool carrying up to 12 small blades The blades penetrate the skin, injecting the pigment in brush strokes designed to mimic natural eyebrow hairs For the next two weeks vitamin A and D cream is applied three times a day. To prevent infection, eyebrows must avoid contact with sweat or water Advertisement 'Kates make-up is fresh with a pink rosy blush to contour her cheekbones. She again has opted for deep smokey eyes that is recently becoming her go-to look when she makes a public appearance.' She added: 'What is more noticeable is her dark statement brows. Kates brows are full and bushy and you can see fine hair strokes to the outer edges of her brows. 'Kates eyebrows are naturally thin so in my opinion she could have had microblading to enhance them. 'She looks to have filled out the brows more on the night further by smudging a pencil through the centre of her brows in an outward motion to give an ombre effect. This really helps give brows high definition and is fast becoming Kates signature style.' The expert continued: 'Besides Kates defined eyes, her make-up is natural, apart from her lips where Kate has opted for a silver metallic sparkle that helps her earrings and belt dazzle for the cameras. 'She has used an oil free matte foundation for a soft glam make -up look that also balances perfectly with her autumnal toned silky hair. Kate proved her environmental chops at yesterday's Earthshot Prize green carpet as she stunned in a gorgeous powder purple dress she first wore in 2011. The Alexander McQueen gown was cinched at the waist with a dazzling golden belt and boasted delicate pleating to perfectly complement the duchess' slender frame. Known for her effortless style and poised looks, the royal wore her hair in her signature bouncy blow-dry with a light curl. Kate has a close afflation with Alexander McQueen having worn the British fashion house's designs on notable occasions, most famously to her wedding in 2011. Making sure they kept up with the sustainability, William and Kate arrived in their new Audi car after installing electric charging points at Kensington Palace. Ditching his usual black tuxedo for a trendy polo neck and green velvet jacket, William, who created the Earthshot Prize with the Royal Foundation, looked like the picture of 007 while Kate sported classic Hollywood glamour. Kate stunned in a gorgeous powder purple dress as she joined Prince William at Alexandra Palace in London on the green carpet for the first ever Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony She hasn't aged a day! Kate first wore the dress to the BAFTAs in 2011 (left) and looked almost identical yesterday (right) in the Alexander McQueen number Effortless style: The Duchess opted for a glamorous make-up look with foundation and blusher as well as a dramatic smokey eye The outfit had echoes of Daniel Craig's pink velvet tuxedo that he wore to the No Time to Die premiere in London earlier this month. No stars have flown to London for the ceremony and guests were asked by organisers to 'consider the environment when choosing their outfit'. Most guests followed William and Kate by re-using an outfit they had previously worn. William wore the same bottle green jacket at Centrepoint's 50th Anniversary two years ago. Emma Watson, 31, wowed in a backless white dress and trouser combo with rubber boots Beautiful in blue! Emma Thompson, 62, sported a navy suit for the green carpet. The British actress showed off her effortless style in the double breasted jacket TV royalty: Dermot O'Leary was joined by Clara Amfo on the carpet. Dermot sported a black tuxedo while Clara wore a white suit with patchwork detail THE 1MILLION EARTHSHOT WINNERS The Earthshot Prize Winners for 2021 are: Protect and Restore Nature The Republic of Costa Rica With an innovative policy paying citizens to protect the rainforests and restore local ecosystems, the people of Costa Rica and their Ministry for Environment have reversed decades of deforestation. Since the programme launched, Costa Rica's forests have doubled in size, leading to a boom in ecotourism and contributing 4 billion to the economy Through winning The Earthshot Prize, Costa Rica will expand their work to protect the ocean and support the replication of their approach in other countries, especially in the Global South. Clean our Air Takachar, India New Delhi-based Takachar has developed pioneering technology to help end the burning of agricultural waste, which causes severe air pollution. Their cheap, small-scale, portable technology attaches to tractors and converts crop residues into sellable products like fuel and fertilizer and helps reduce smoke emissions by up to 98%. By winning The Earthshot Prize, Takachar will expand its operations to more rural communities around the world with a goal to cut a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Revive our Oceans Coral Vita, Bahamas Coral Vita's innovative approach to coral farming of growing coral on land then replanting it in the ocean can grow coral up to 50 times faster than traditional methods and improves coral resilience to the impact of climate change. Winning The Earthshot Prize will accelerate Coral Vita's goal to establish a global network of coral farms to grow a billion corals each year. Build a Waste-free World The City of Milan Food Waste Hubs, Italy As the first major city to enforce a city-wide food waste policy, Milan's Food Waste Hub programme recovers food from local supermarkets and restaurants and distributes it to citizens in need, recovering about 130 tonnes of food per year, an estimated 260,000 meals equivalent. Through winning The Earthshot Prize, the city of Milan's model can be scaled to other cities. Fix our Climate AEM Electrolyser, Thailand/Germany/Italy The AEM Electrolyser from Enapter turns renewable electricity into emission-free hydrogen gas with a technology that has been developed quicker and cheaper than ever before and can transform how we power our homes and buildings and fuel transport. Funding from The Earthshot Prize will help scale mass production, making it universally easy to buy and install AEM Electrolysers wherever activities have high energy demand. Advertisement Following a performance by Coldplay and Korean boy band BTS, powered by 60 people pedalling bicycles, William gave a stark warning that 'time is running out' to tackle climate change. He said: 'The actions we choose or choose not to take in the next 10 years will determine the fate of the planet for the next thousand. 'The future is ours to determine, and if we set our minds to it, nothing is impossible. I want to say something to all the young people watching tonight. 'For too long, we havent done enough to protect the planet for your future. But Earthshot is for you. 'In the next ten years we are going to act. We are going to find the solutions to repair our planet. ' William closed the event by announcing that the following year's Earthshot event would be held in the United States - where his brother Prince Harry lives with Meghan Markle. The first-ever five winners were revealed yesterday at a glittering ceremony held in London. Each winner will receive 1million prize money and a global network of support to scale their cutting-edge environmental solutions to repair our planet. The five winners, which span the globe from Costa Rica to India, include transformative technologists, innovators, an entire country, and a pioneering city and were chosen for their ground-breaking solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing our planet. The first award to be handed out went to Gator Halpern and Sam Teicher of Coral Vita - a project which grows coral on land to replenish life in dying ocean ecosystems. Its methods grow coral up to 50 times faster than typical methods and improves resilience to the impact of climate change. They beat competitors Pristine Seas and Living Sea Walls. Actors Emma Thompson, Emma Watson and David Oyelowo joined Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, in handing out the awards at Alexandra Palace in north London. Emma Watson presented the second award, which went to AEM Electrolyser, which turns renewable electricity into emission-free hydrogen gas. Vidyut Mohan of Takachar, which converts leftover crops in fuel, won the following prize. Takachar developed a cheap, small-scale, portable technology that attaches to tractors in remote farms, converting crop residues into bio-products like fuel and fertilizer. Emma Thompson presented the fourth Earthshot award to the city of Milan, whose Food Waste Hubs aim to halve waste by 2030. Each hub recovers food, primarily from supermarkets and companies' canteens, and gives it to NGOs who distribute it to citizens. And presenting the fifth and final award, The Duchess of Cambridge said: 'Nature is vital to us all... But for too long we've neglected our wild spaces and now w'ere facing a number of tipping points. 'If we don't act now we will permanently destabilise our planet and rob our children of the future they deserve.' The award went to the Republic of Costa Rica, whose Ministry for Environment paid citizens to protect forests, plant trees, and restore ecosystems, leading to the country's forests doubling in size. Viewers of The Larkins have branded the The Darling Buds of May remake 'dreadful and very disappointing' after revealing they 'switched off' the second episode last night. ITV watchers claimed the reboot 'has nothing on the original', which first aired in 1991 for three series and featured Catherine Zeta-Jones as frisky daughter Mariette and David Jason and Pam Ferris as her parents. The remake of H.E. Bates' 1950s novel includes The Chase host Bradley Walsh and Bridgerton's Sabrina Bartlett stepping into the shoes of Pop and Mariette Larkin - with this week's episode seeing the Kent-based Larkins visited by the taxman. However, fans were left unimpressed by the series - with some saying they won't continue to watch the show after giving it another try yesterday. For its first episode, The Larkins had a peak of 5.1million viewers. Its currently unclear what this weeks viewing figures are. Viewers of The Larkins have branded the The Darling Buds of May remake 'dreadful and very disappointing' after revealing they 'switched off' the second episode last night. Pictured, Pop Larkin (played by Bradley Walsh) ITV watchers claimed the reboot 'has nothing on the original', which first aired in 1991 for three series and featured Catherine Zeta-Jones as frisky daughter Mariette and David Jason and Pam Ferris as her parents. Pictured, Cedric Charley Charlton (played by Tok Stephen) One person wrote: 'Tried The Larkins again, hoping for better than the first episode, needless to say I won't watch it again.' Another said: 'Well I thought Id give it another try, but no its still rubbish so Ive turned it off #TheLarkins.' A third added: 'That's the second episode of The Larkins and the final one for me. I've tried but it's got nothing on the original and not laughed once.' A fourth wrote: 'I have a funny feeling there won't be a second series of this dreadful programme?' Reaction: Some fans were left unimpressed by the series - saying they won't continue to watch the show after giving it another try yesterday From government officials and snobbish second homeowners to aggressive urban developers, the Larkins never take threats to their idyllic way of life lying down. But when Cedric Charley Charlton (played by Tok Stephen) arrived to inspect their taxes things were looking bleak for the family. Soon distracted by the beautiful Mariette, Charley quickly discovered that he had a romantic rival in the form of the handsome and mysterious Tom Fisher (Stephen Hagan). Mariette, who wants to go to France, agreed to stay for the summer and with the arrival of Charley and Tom her heart appeared to be pulled in many directions. The remake of H.E. Bates' 1950s novel includes The Chase host Bradley Walsh (pictured right) and Bridgerton 's Sabrina Bartlett stepping into the shoes of Pop and Mariette Larkin - with this week's episode seeing the Kent-based Larkins visited by the taxman However, it wasn't all negative reactions for the second episode of the programme, with some saying they 'laughed all the way through' 'I think we can learn a lot from a family like this,' Bradley Walsh recently told Weekend Magazine. 'I think the pandemic has made people realise how much they miss people in their lives and want to stop racing around and spend more time with their family.' For Joanna Scanlan, in the role of Ma Larkin, who loves nothing more than feeding her brood of six children and anyone else in the village, The Larkins reminds us that pleasure doesn't need to be prefixed by the word 'guilty'. From government officials and snobbish second homeowners to aggressive urban developers, the Larkins never take threats to their idyllic way of life lying down. Pictured, Mariette Larkin played by Sabrina Bartlett 'I hate that wrong-headed phrase, as we're not meant to spend our lives on a constant treadmill,' she says. 'We live in a society that makes it very hard to feel OK about enjoying life. 'The Larkins work hard one episode shows Pop doesn't stop all day but they also know how to relax. 'They know pleasure can be found in good company, having a drink and a lovely meal, a few cuddles or just being with people you love. They take pleasure where they can and I hope viewers see the importance of that.' Italian socialite Countess Vera Arrivabene married her businessman beau in a lavish ceremony in Venice this weekend. Model Vera, 28, hails from the Italian Savoia dynasty, and alongside her sister Viola, is also the designer behind Vibi Venezia, a line of hand-crafted Venetian slippers known as furlanes. The socialite tied the knot with her boyfriend Briano Martinoni Caleppio, who is her second cousin once removed, on Sunday at the San Pantalon Church in the Italian city. The bride opted for a stunning cream Prada gown for the occasion which she paired with a pearl and diamond tiara. Italian socialite Vera Arrivabene, 28, has married her beau in a lavish ceremony complete with balloons and inflatable pool toys in Venice After tying-the-knot at the San Pantalon Church in the Italian city, the couple hopped aboard a water taxi which was full of inflatable toys and balloons (pictured) And at the reception, the couple joined excited guests on the dancefloor where they could be seen snapping pictures on disposal cameras (left and right) Snaps shared on Instagram of the couple revealed they tied-the-knot in a church decorated with heaps of greenery and white flowers (pictured) The gown featured a square-cut neckline, full length sleeves and an A-frame skirt. Meanwhile she opted to wear the same pearl and diamond tiara that her mother, Princess Bianca of Savoy-Aosta, wore on her wedding day in 1988. It belonged to the brides paternal grandmother, the late Graziella dei Conti Brandolini DAdd. Snaps shared on Instagram of the couple revealed they tied-the-knot in a church decorated with heaps of greenery and white flowers. Meanwhile Vera's socialite sisters wore dresses in bold jewel tones with pearl detailing for the occasion (pictured, helping her get dressed for the big day) Guests waited patiently in the church for the couple to arrive ahead of the ceremony over the weekend The aisle to the stunning church in Venice was lined with greenery and white flowers (pictured, guests awaiting the arrival of the bride and groom) Vera was walked down the aisle by her father, Venice's Count Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzag (pictured together) Guests in colourful gowns and suits watched on as a small group of flower girls and page boys walked down the aisle after the bride and groom. Meanwhile her socialite sisters wore dresses in bold jewel tones with pearl detailing for the occasion. After saying their vows, the couple left the church to be greeted by guests tossing huge white petals in place of confetti, and raised their hands into the air with joy. In a joyful moment, they left the venue in a boat decorated with red and white balloons and inflatable toys including a blow up dolphin and palm tree. The bride was surrounded by family members as she said her vows to her beau Briano in the church (pictured) Vera's sister Tartianna, who donned a vibrant orange gown with pearl detailing for the big day, could be seen handing out white flower petals after the ceremony After saying their vows, the couple left the church to be greeted by guests tossing huge white petals in place of confetti, and raised their hands into the air with joy And at the reception, the couple joined excited guests on the dancefloor where they could be seen snapping pictures on disposal cameras. Vera is the second child of Venice's Count Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga and Princess Bianca di Savoia Aosta, a descendant of Queen Victoria through her paternal grandmother, HRH Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark. The couple, who are both descendants of King Louis XIV of France through King Ferdinando IV of the Two Sicilies and his wife, Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria, married in a glamorous wedding in 1988. They passed their good looks onto daughters Viola and Vera, who are often spotted mingling with fellow society beauties at events like the Venice Film Festival. The newlyweds left the venue in a water taxi decorated with fake flowers, inflatable animals and huge red and white balloons (left and right) Even in a country full of impossibly chic women, Italian model Vera has long stood out from the crowd. She has previously been selected by Tatler as one of the continental movers and shakers who it is worth 'cultivating an entente cordiale with' before Britain left the European Union. Meanwhile in 2019 she was featured in a shoot with young royals from across the world for Paper magazine Alongside their modelling careers, the sisters run their own footwear brand and are ambassadors for fashion house Dior. The bride could be seen cuddling up with guests at the reception (left) and posing for pictures alongside her socialite sisters during the wedding breakfast (right) Later the newly married couple posed for snaps on a stairway filled with romantic candles (pictured together) Their ultra-luxe range of slippers, ViBiVenezia, are created in an array of sumptuous fabrics and colours. Meanwhile Briano is the director and partner of the eco-sustainable brand Cest la vie. The son of Barbara Parodi Delfino, known as Bambi, and of the second husband Paolo Martinoni Caleppio, he worked for Prada for seven years before launching his own business. Despite just turning one year old, one intrepid American baby has already been on an incredible 45 flights and visited a whopping 16 US states. Briggs Darrington has seen bears in Alaska, wolves in Yellowstone National Park, the Delicate Arch in Utah, and beaches in California. The young travelers mom, Jess, believes Briggs who was born on October 14, 2020 and went on his first glamping trip at three weeks old might just be the youngest travel influencer in the world. Despite just turning one year old, one intrepid American baby has already been on an incredible 45 flights and visited a whopping 16 US states Briggs Darrington has seen bears in Alaska, wolves in Yellowstone National Park, the Delicate Arch in Utah, and beaches in California The young travelers mom, Jess, believes Briggs might just be the youngest travel influencer in the world Briggs' adventures have already attracted a huge online following, with more than 250,000 likes on his Where Is Briggs? TikTok page and nearly 30,000 fans on Instagram. And Jess, 28, who is a full-time travel blogger and lives in Idaho Falls with her husband Steve, reveals that her son earns around $1,000 a month in trips and fees, while working with tourist boards and brands. 'I had been running a blog called Part Time Tourists for a few years, being paid to travel the world,' Jess said. 'But when I got pregnant with Briggs in 2020, I was really nervous that my career was over, as I didnt know if it was possible to continue with a baby. 'But my husband and I really wanted to make it work. So I started to look for social media accounts that talked about baby travel, I couldnt find a single one! 'I saw a gap and decided to set up social media accounts as a fun way of sharing everything that I learned the good and bad of traveling with a baby, to help other first-time parents. Briggs was born on October 14, 2020 and went on his first glamping trip at three weeks old Jess, 28, who is a full-time travel blogger and lives in Idaho Falls with her husband Steve, reveals that her son earns around $1,000 a month in trips and fees Briggs' adventures have already attracted a huge online following, with more than 250,000 likes on his Where Is Briggs? TikTok page and nearly 30,000 fans on Instagram 'I saw a gap and decided to set up social media accounts as a fun way of sharing everything that I learned the good and bad of traveling with a baby,' said Jess 'I never dreamed that it would end up helping so many new moms that are dealing with postpartum anxiety and depression due to changing their previous lifestyle or being too nervous to leave the home. 'Now Briggs the world's first baby travel influencer!' she said. Briggs was just three weeks old when Jess took him on his first overnight glamping trip while they were living in Nebraska and he was only nine weeks old when he went on his first flight. Since then, Briggs has traveled to 16 US states, including Kansas, Utah, Arizona, Florida, Alaska, and New Mexico. He's seen hot springs along a remote river in Idaho; watched a balloon fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and enjoyed beach time in Florida, Oregon, and Hawaii. And his longest flight was about eight hours, from Utah to Hawaii. But his first trip was closer to home. Jess said that her husband couldn't meet them on their first trip until 8 p.m. the day they left, so she and Briggs drove an hour to the glamping site by themselves. Briggs slept the whole way. Briggs has traveled to 16 US states, including Kansas, Utah, Arizona, Florida, Alaska, and New Mexico He's seen hot springs along a remote river in Idaho; watched a balloon fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and enjoyed beach time in Florida, Oregon, and Hawaii His longest flight was about eight hours, from Utah to Hawaii Jess said the family has managed to travel in between coronavirus lockdowns, and made the decision to continue with their trips by sticking to safety guidelines 'We checked into our dome, then we were doing stuff by ourselves, including a nature walk by the campsite, we set up a fire, and we took a nap together inside the dome,' she said. 'I was working at the time, and Id been hired to feature the glamping site. So I was baby-wearing, setting up the tripod, talking to the owner, writing a story and Briggs and I worked together for our first little gig. 'Then when Steve arrived later that evening, we broke out the smores. 'I found it harder to stay at home than to get out of the house,' Jess went on. 'I got a little of the baby blues, and I felt if I got out of the house during the day, it went so much smoother and I felt more like myself. 'And it was so rewarding to share some of what I loved to do with him.' Jess said the family has managed to travel in between coronavirus lockdowns, and made the decision to continue with their trips by sticking to safety guidelines. The family focused on road trips and local vacations where they could maintain social distance. Briggs' first plane ride was when he was nine weeks old. Jess explained that they put a lot of safety precautions in place to ensure they protected themselves. Briggs' first plane ride was when he was nine weeks old. Jess explained that they put a lot of safety precautions in place to ensure they protected themselves 'We avoided big city travel, so we haven't been to places like New York City. Instead weve focused on finding those hidden gems, and traveling outdoors, too,' Jess said 'Exposure to different people, different cultures, different environments, different places, is critical for their development,' she said 'We would wear masks and socially distance ourselves from people,' she said. 'For example, at the airport, instead of going directly to our gate, which would have been busy, we found a gate of a plane that had already left, so it was completely empty, so we had a lot of space. 'We also disinfected everything. And if his pacifiers fell on the floor, we wouldnt hand them back to Briggs. 'We avoided big city travel, so we haven't been to places like New York City. Instead weve focused on finding those hidden gems, and traveling outdoors, too.' Although Jess admits it can be hard to travel with a baby at times, she says it's worth it in the long run for the benefits and exposure Briggs gets to different experiences. And she adds that all the trips have either been comped or the family has been paid to go, in her role as a travel blogger. 'They won't remember anything at this age,' she said. 'They're not going to remember that beach vacation you took them to, they're not gonna remember that airplane ride. They're not going to remember meeting all of these new faces. 'But exposure to different people, different cultures, different environments, different places, is critical for their development.' Although Jess admits it can be hard to travel with a baby at times, she says it's worth it in the long run for the benefits and exposure Briggs gets to different experiences The family has already worked with baby companies including Ergobaby and Guava Family, and tourism boards such as Visit Idaho have hired Briggs for a glamping road trip The family has one sponsor who provides them with free diapers and wipes Briggs' social media accounts already have a huge following and Jess's videos can garner 500,000 views with travel brands keen to work with the mom-and-son duo. The family has already worked with baby companies including Ergobaby and Guava Family, and tourism boards such as Visit Idaho have hired Briggs for a glamping road trip. Jess estimates Briggs is already earning about $1,000 a month from sponsored social media posts and trips, and they also have a sponsor who provides them with free diapers and wipes. 'We had been doing Part Time Tourists for the past couple of years, and he has quickly become much more popular than us with brands and tourism boards. and I dont blame them, hes so cute, Id want to work with him too! 'I think we found such a niche market where before I had Briggs, I was doing a ton of research on how to travel with the baby and I couldn't find a single Instagram or TikTok account specifically dedicated to baby travel. 'I think we found such a niche market,' Jess said of her influecner baby 'There's a ton of kid travel, but nothing aimed at babies. So that's also a niche we found that people were hungry for, to learn about,' she said 'I don't ever see us stopping traveling together as a family. Maybe when he gets married and has his own family, he won't come with us anymore!' she said 'There's a ton of kid travel, but nothing aimed at babies. So that's also a niche we found that people were hungry for, to learn about.' Jess doesn't see that she will stop traveling with Briggs any time soon, and the family is planning a trip to Europe, including London, in the next six months. 'I don't ever see us stopping traveling together as a family. Maybe when he gets married and has his own family, he won't come with us anymore!' she said. 'But for the foreseeable future, I can totally see us continuing to travel as a family - along with our mini travel influencer.' Prince Charles has revealed told how his grandson Prince George is learning about climate change as he introduced a documentary ahead of Cop26. The Prince of Wales, 72, appeared in the new The Sky Kids Original documentary Cop26: In Your Hands, and explained his eldest grandson, eight, has been learning global warming is causing 'the big storms, and floods, the droughts, fires and food shortages' around the world. During the clip, Charles added: 'When I was his age, people had no idea about the damage they were doing, but by the time I was a teenager I started to see that if we didn't stop polluting our planet, we would face a very dangerous future indeed.' The royal's comments come after it was revealed Charles has written the foreword for a new children's book about global warming. Prince Charles, 72, has revealed told how his grandson Prince George, eight, is learning about climate change as he introduced a documentary ahead of Cop26 In the documentary, Charles, shown holding a revolving earth in the footage, told viewers their 'future depends on the future of the planet' In the documentary, Charles, shown holding a revolving earth in the footage, told viewers: 'Your future depends upon the future of the planet.' The Sky documentary features six young climate change activists Darielen, aged 15 from Brazil; Hannah, 17, from the UK; Kynan, 16, from Indonesia; Queen, 17, from Cameroon; Sophia, 15, from Canada; and 16-year-old Tamsyn, from Australia who highlight the devastating impact climate change has had on their corners of the earth. The prince told viewers: 'I'm old enough to have a grandson. 'Like you he is learning how climate change is causing the big storms, and floods, the droughts, fires and food shortages we are seeing around the world.' The Prince of Wales explained his eldest grandson has been learning global warming was causing 'the big storms, and floods, the droughts, fires and food shortages' around the world (pictured) He expressed concern that 'we have forgotten that we have to put back into nature as much as we take out'. Earlier this week The Duke of Cambridge said Prince George becomes 'confused and annoyed' when rubbish reappears after he's picked up litter. The eight-year-old royal has been collecting rubbish with his 20,000-a-year school, Thomas's Battersea, in south west London, but expressed frustration to his dad that litter continues to appear in the same place daily. Meanwhile Town&Country reported The Princes Foundation and What on Earth Publishing have partnered on a new childrens book about climate change. The royal's comments come after it was revealed Charles has written the foreword for a new children's book about global warming Its Up to Us by Christopher Lloyd is being launched alongside the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, at the beginning of November. The book will be donated to every primary school in Scotland and half of all proceeds from sales will go to The Prince's Foundation to support its charitable work. Prince Charles writes in the foreword: 'Children have a unique curiosity for Nature and for this amazing planet we call home. 'All the people in the world need to do everything they can to keep Nature healthy so that people and animals can be healthy. 'This means that we need all of the worlds countries, cities, businesses and organizations to work together. 'This is why I created the Terra Carta as a roadmap for Nature, People and Planet.' But it's not the first children's book the royal has written - he previously wrote a tome called The Old Man of Lochnagar in 1980 to raise money for the Children's Trust. In authoring a children's book she follows in the footsteps of fellow Royals Sarah, the Duchess of York, who has produced her own money-spinning series, Princess Michael of Kent and even Prince Charles, who penned a children's book called The Old Man of Lochnagar in 1980 to raise money for the Children's Trust. The news comes after the Duke of Cambridge staged his inaugural Earthshot Prize eco-awards ceremony an ambitious 50 million 10-year initiative designed to find solutions to the world's environmental problems. Taking to Instagram, the Prince of Wales praised his eldest son yesterday for his 'growing commitment to the environment and the bold ambition of the Earthshot Prize'. Taking to Instagram, the Prince of Wales praised his eldest son yesterday for his 'growing commitment to the environment and the bold ambition of the Earthshot Prize' In a rare and touching public statement, Charles wrote: 'I am very proud of my son, William, for his growing commitment to the environment and the bold ambition of the Earthshot Prize. 'As a world, we need to come together to inspire, reimagine and build the sustainable future we so desperately need. 'Over the coming decade, with future generations in mind, the Earthshot Prize, and its inspirational nominees, will help us find the innovative solutions. 'In parallel, through my Terra Carta and Sustainable Markets Initiative, we will work to mobilize the trillions of dollars required to transition the global economy onto a more sustainable trajectory. 'Together, with all those who join us, we have a real opportunity to deliver a brighter future for humanity while restoring harmony between Nature, People and Planet.' World leaders are preparing to gather at the Cop26 UN climate change conference in Glasgow at the end of the month. Princess Charlene of Monaco has sparked concern among fans following her latest appearance online. The former Olympian, 43, who has been living in her home country of South Africa for much of this year, took to Instagram yesterday to share a photograph of her meeting with Misuzulu Zulu, the present head of the Zulus, on October 5. However, the snap with the ruler - which comes amid a succession battle between the Zulu royals - has left some of her 351,000 followers worried over her 'tired' and 'frail' look. On October 8, Zimbabwean-born Charlene underwent a final operation to deal with an ear, nose and throat infection she contracted in May - with a palace source telling AFP that the procedure 'went very well'. Earlier this month Prince Albert insisted that his wife is likely to return to Monaco by the end of the month - after the pair denied rumours of a rift and insisted Charlene's absence from the principality is due to her contracting the 'serious sinus infection'. Princess Charlene took to Instagram yesterday to share a photograph ((pictured) of her meeting with Misuzulu Zulu, the present head of the Zulus, on October 5 Glamorous: Princess Charlene, pictured attending the Red Cross Ball Gala in Monaco in July 2019 with Prince Albert Earlier this month Prince Albert insisted that his wife (pictured with their children) is likely to return to Monaco by the end of the month 'Thank you for your kindness and support,' Charlene captioned the photograph, which was posted as a video as music played over it. Dressed in a layered ensemble which featuring a striped cardigan, Charlene sported a beaded cross necklace while folding her hands together. The mother-of-two, who last week said she 'can't wait to get home to her children', wore a smattering of makeup and styled her fringe to the side. But her appearance in the social media post concerned fans, with one writing: 'Get well soon, you look so frail, take care, hope you get back to Monaco to your lovely family.' Another said: 'Its good to see you looking so beautiful - but build up your strength,' while a third added: 'Too bad to see her so weak. God bless you!' Reaction: Charlene's snap with the ruler - which comes amid a succession battle between the Zulu royals - has left some of her 351,000 followers worried over her 'tired' and 'frail' look However, some of Charlene's followers just suggested the royal had shared a 'bad photo' The princess added an exclamation in Zulu, 'Bayede Nkosi', which roughly translated is thought to mean Salute to the King. It comes after Charlene offered to mediate in a family dispute between the Zulu royals, despite rumours of her own troubles with Prince Albert. Key players at the centre of the Zulu succession battle Sibongile Dlamini The first wife, Queen Sibongile Dlamini and her daughters: Sibongile Dlamini, who married Zwelthini in 1969, has challenged the king's other wives, claiming that she is his only legal spouse and that only her children can ascend the throne. She is supported by her daughters, Princess Ntandoyenkosi and Princess Ntombizosuthu, who claim in a separate legal action that the king's will was forged. A handwriting expert has reportedly been hired to try to prove that the king's signature is a fake. The queen and her daughters are taking their respective cases to Pietermaritzburg High Court in legal battles that are captivating South Africa. Queen Sibongile Dlamini is demanding half of the monarch's estate, as well as recognition that she is the true 'Great Wife', owing to the fact that she was the king's first bride. Prince Lethukuthula Zulu Prince Lethukuthula, the son of Queen Sibongile MaDlamini, died in November 2020. There was speculation he might have been chosen as heir to the throne. The 50-year-old was found dead at his home in a Northwold, Johannesburg, in mysterious circumstances. Five people have been accused of his murder. Some in the monarchy believe his death could have been an attempt to prevent him from ascending to the throne but this has not been proven. Prince Mbonisi and Princess Thembi Queen Dlamini-Zulu, 65, was interim leader after the death of her husband, King Goodwill Zwelithini. She died only a month into her reign in April of an unspecified illness and there is no evidence of foul play. Amid the family rift over who will become the next monarch, Prince Mbonisi and Princess Thembi have denied rumours that they played a part in the Zulu queen's death. 'People think we're murderers,' Princess Thembi told local media, adding that they were 'not plotting to overthrow anyone' and expressed hurt at the inference. Chief Buthelezi Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi Chief Buthelezi is seen as the late king's traditional prime minister. He has played a central role in announcing the death of the monarch and the regent. He has sparked criticism from some princes and princesses for silencing dissent and being a dictator. Chief Buthelezi has reportedly dismissed Princess Thembi as being 'an illegitimate child of my cousin, King Cyprian.' Advertisement The former Olympic swimmer urged Zulus to end their succession battle 'for the sake of unity,' according to South Africa's national broadcaster. A personal friend of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, Charlene attended his funeral sat among his wives and children in their ancestral lands at Nongoma, later describing her 'many special moments of the years' with the monarch. A bitter war of succession has followed the end of Goodwill's 50-year reign, including sensational allegations of poison plots and a forged will, between the feuding relatives. Misuzulu Zulu, the eldest son of the late leader, was named the heir but some family members have rejected his claim to the throne. Last week Princess Charlene said she 'can't wait to get home to her children' but made no reference to her husband Prince Albert in an interview given in South Africa. Charlene, who wed Prince Albert II in 2011, has been living in her home country of South Africa for much of this year, and the extended stay has stoked speculation that the royal couple may be headed for divorce. However they have denied rumours of a rift and said Charlene's absence from the principality is due to her contracting the 'serious sinus infection' making her unable to travel and forcing her to miss key events, including her 10-year wedding anniversary and her children's first day of school. In an interview which took place earlier this month and was shared on Charlene's Instagram page last week, the royal said she 'misses her children, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, terribly', adding: 'Any mother out there who has been separated from her children for months would feel the same way I feel.' In the clip, she said: 'I came to South Africa to oversee some foundation projects. I was unwell at the time, unknowingly, with an infection. It was addressed immediately. Unfortunately, it grounded me for some months in South Africa. 'I had my one procedure - it was very successful. I'm well, I'm feeling much stronger. I have one more procedure. Then I cannot wait to get home to my children, who I miss terribly. Elsewhere in the interview she touched on community in South Africa, saying she would like to impart 'unity and strength.' She said: 'Obviously I would never like to touch on anything politically. But what can be done, is people need to set their differences aside and think of the generations to come and less of themselves. 'Too much emphasis is put on ourselves and less on the future generations to come. What do they have to look back on? Who is their guide? That needs to be installed.' Speaking about the anti-poaching work she has been undertaking while in South Africa this year, she said: 'I am determined to come back and continue the work I set out to do as I have done in many countries over Africa and in South Africa. 'Conservation, preservation, restoration and education. That is what my foundation stands for. We save lives.' The release of the interview came days after a palace source said her final operation to deal with an ear, nose and throat infection she contracted in May 'went very well'. The operation in South Africa was performed under general anaesthetic, and 'is the last she had to undergo following her ENT infection. She will be under observation for 48 hours,' the source told French news agency AFP. Earlier this month Albert insisted that his wife is likely to return to Monaco by the end of the month, telling RMC Radio: 'She will be back very soon, we have to talk to the doctors in a few days.' BATTLE FOR THE THRONE: There is a bitter war of succession being waged within the palace among King Goodwill Zwelthini's five surviving wives and at least 28 children - not just for the title but for the vast wealth and land which goes with it It comes amid reports that Albert 'applied for sovereign immunity' in his court battle to fight claims he fathered a third love child before marrying Charlene. The 63-year-old prince, who already supports two illegitimate children, is alleged to have had a relationship with a Brazilian woman which resulted in a daughter in 2005. The claim, which his lawyers dismissed as a 'hoax', is particularly painful as he was dating Charlene at the time, having met the former Olympic swimmer in 2000. It was reported last year that the case would go to court in Milan in February, however according to Town&Country, the prince's lawyers pleaded sovereign immunity and the case has been delayed. It comes amid reports that Prince Albert (pictured) 'applied for sovereign immunity' in his court battle to fight claims he fathered a third love child before marrying Charlene Lawyer Erich Grimaldi, who is acting on behalf of the woman, said he hopes the judge will reject Albert's plea and he is waiting for the case to come back to court, which he believes will happen 'imminently'. The 34-year-old claimant who cannot be named for legal reasons says she had a passionate affair with Albert, leading to the birth of their daughter whose name is also classified on July 4, 2005. Albert received a handwritten letter from the child, who is now 16, in September last year reading: 'I don't understand why I grew up without a father, and now that I have found you, you don't want to see me.' Last December, legal papers were also filed, as lawyers for the claimant called on Albert to undergo a DNA test just as he did before finally being identified as the father of two illegitimate children born in the 1990s and early 2000s. Zimbabwean-born Charlene, 43, who wed Prince Albert II in 2011, has been living in her home country of South Africa for much of this year, and the extended stay has stoked speculation that the royal couple (pictured) may be headed for divorce 'This was before Charlene and Albert were an item, but the latest case covers a time when she was already in love with him,' a source who works closely with the Monaco Royal household revealed at the time. 'Charlene has had a terrible year, with one family crisis after another including Albert going down with coronavirus, and now she's gearing herself up for this hell.' The princess, whose maiden name was Charlene Wittstock, was an Olympic swimmer for South Africa when she first met Albert at a Monaco aquatic competition in 2000. How Charlene and Albert made solo outings in South Africa and Monaco during nine months apart January 27 - Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. March 18 - Charlene is pictured at the memorial for the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini at the KwaKhethomthandayo Royal Palace in Nongoma, South Africa April 2 - Charlene posts an Instagram picture of herself, Albert and their twins Jacques and Gabriella for Easter. It is unknown where the image was taken. May 8 - Albert, Jacques and Gabriella attend a Grand Prix event in Monaco without Charlene May 10 - Albert attends Monaco Gala Awards in Monaco without Charlene May 18 - Charlene shares her first picture from her conservation trip in South Africa June 1 - Prince Albert II, Jacques and Gabriella attend event at Oceanic Museum in Monaco June 3 - New photos emerge of Charlene on her conservation trip June 5- Charlene puts on a united front as she shares a photo with her family to mark her niece's fifth birthday with her brother's family and Albert and the twins in South Africa June 7 - Albert and the twins attend the World Rugby Sevens without Charlene June 17 - Prince Albert attends Red Cross Summer concert in Monte Carlo with his sister Princess Caroline of Hanover June 18 - Prince Albert appears alone Monte Carlo TV Festival June 24 - Charlene's foundation releases a statement saying the royal is unable to travel and is undergoing procedures for an ear, nose and throat infection July 2 - Charlene and Albert mark their 10th anniversary separately. 'This year will be the first time that I'm not with my husband on our anniversary in July, which is difficult, and it saddens me,' Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene said in a statement. July 3 - Albert appears with glamorous niece Charlotte Casiraghi at the 15th international Monte-Carlo Jumping event, which is part of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Monaco, July 27 - Prince Albert attends Olympics alone in Tokyo August 13 - Charlene undergoes a four-hour operation. The reason is not announced August 25 - Charlene shares photos of Prince Albert, Gabriella and Jacques visiting her in South Africa August 31 - Speculation mounts in the media about couple's relationship September 1 - Charlene is admitted under an alias to the Netcare Alberlito Hospital after suddenly 'collapsing' September 2 - She is discharged, with a statement from the Palais Princier reading: 'Her Highness is closely monitored by Her medical team who said that Her condition was not worrying' September 23 - Prince Albert attends the 2021 Monte Carlo Gala for Planetary Health September 29 - Prince Albert is joined on the red carpet by actress Sharon Stone for a first look at the eagerly anticipated James Bond release September 30 - Charlene releases a stylish video promoting her anti-poaching campaign from her South African bolthole October 3 - Princess Charlene shares a photograph of herself smiling in front of a bible in her first snap since being discharged from hospital following her health scare October 5 - Prince Albert attends Sportel Awards Ceremony in Monte Carlo with nephew Louis Ducruet October 6 - Albert tells RMC radio Charlene is 'ready to come home' October 8 - Princess undergoes surgery in South Africa. The reason is not announced. Advertisement They began dating soon afterwards, before Charlene married into the House of Grimaldi at a star-studded wedding in July 2011. Their twins daughter Gabriella and son Jacques were born three years later and are seen as the family's official heirs. By this time, Charlene had come to terms with Albert's hard fought legal battles with women who eventually won financial settlements over children they had with Albert even though he originally denied their claims. In May 2005, just before he was enthroned as Prince of Monaco, Albert confirmed he was the biological father of Alexandre, whose mother was Nicole Coste, a former Air France flight attendant from Togo. A DNA test in May 2006 also confirmed Albert was the father of Jazmine Grace, the result of an affair with Tamara Rotolo, an American estate agent he met while she was on holiday in the South of France. Jazmine was born in the 1990s and Alexandre in 2003. The Brazilian woman says she travelled around the world with the Prince in the 2000s. Lawyer Grimaldi said he had filed papers with specific details of his client's love affair with Albert, including trips to Brazil, the USA, France and Russia. While in Moscow, the lovers are even said to have had a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, who gave the Brazilian 'a warm hug', according to court papers. Albert's lawyer, Thierry Lacoste, has described the allegations as a 'a hoax', saying: 'There are no intimate photos, no tangible facts surrounding a possible relationship.' Neither Albert's daughter Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, now 28, nor his son, Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, 17, can claim the throne of Monaco, according to negotiated financial agreements. The line of succession instead favours Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, six, and who frequently appear in their parents' social media posts. The latest revelations come days after it emerged Princess Charlene's return to Monaco had been further delayed due to further surgery in South Africa. The royal, who is originally from Cape Town, has been in her native South Africa for at least six months since contracting a 'serious sinus infection' making her unable to travel and forcing her to miss key events, including her 10-year wedding anniversary and her children's first day of school. A statement from her foundation published on Friday read: 'Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco will be placed under general anaesthetics for her final procedure taking place today. The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation wishes her the best with this final operation and her recovery process.' The exact nature of the procedure was not revealed, and it remains unclear how long Charlene will remain in hospital. The former Olympian underwent a 'four-hour operation under general anaesthesia' in August - although it was not made clear whether this was linked to the sinus infection. Charlene and Albert reunited shortly after for the first time in months after the monarch and their children - six year old twins Jacques and Gabriella - flew to South Africa, but photographs of the pair embracing were branded 'awkward' by a body language expert. In the last few weeks, Prince Albert has hit back at rumours of marital woes insisting Charlene 'didn't leave in a huff' and remains in South Africa only because of 'medical complications' following a 'severe ear, nose and throat infection'. The royal told People that the speculation over the state of his relationship with the Olympic swimmer has 'affected' them both, but that he didn't address it early because he 'was concentrating on taking care of the kids'. In recent weeks, lifestyle magazines across Europe have speculated feverishly that the royal couple could be headed for divorce. French magazine Madame Figaro stated the images 'failed to convince the Monegasques' amid reports Charlene is looking for a house in Johannesburg. The magazine asked: 'How long can she remain away from her children, her duties?' How long will the fight against rhinoceros poaching remain the Princess of Monaco's top priority? 'How long will Albert II of Monaco go on bearing this affront, which is becoming ridiculous?' Historian Philippe Delorme said that 'lots of people got the impression it was an arranged marriage' between Charlene and Albert, adding: 'Albert chose a wife who resembled his mother, and Charlene clearly felt very ill at ease in this Grace Kelly role they wanted her to play'. The mounting speculation about the couple's marriage comes after Charlene shared professional photographs of her reunion with Prince Albert online, saying she was 'thrilled' to have her family back. She shared a series of photos cuddled up with her kids in South Africa with the caption: 'I am so thrilled to have my family back with me (Gabriella decided to give herself a haircut!!!) Sorry my Bella I tried my best to fix it,' referring to her daughter's choppy fringe. However a body language expert told FEMAIL Charlene showed 'no emotional bond' towards her husband Prince Albert in the images. Judi James said that rather than being the loved-up reunion photo one would expect of a couple surrounded by split rumours, the royals' poses suggested 'no signs of connection between awkward-looking Albert and Charlene'. An American dumpster diver has called out her local Whole Foods for throwing away hundreds of dollars of unopened, unexpired products in a single night after she pulled countless packages of bread, olive oil, and even toilet paper from their trash. A TikToker who goes by Dumpster Diving Freegan posted videos of her eye-opening haul, which included nearly 100 different bags of bread, a case of baby food, and six perfeclty good packages of pricey organic toilet paper. The TikToker said that she was able to donated 90% of the salvaged food and goods to a local food bank, and called on the Amazon-owned grocery chain to do better when it comes to disposing of food. TikTok user Dumpster Diving Freegan has shared videos of everything she picked up from a local Whole Foods dumpster in a single night She found nearly 100 packages of different type of bread, incuding pricey organic loaves, naan, bagels, and baguettes None of the items had reached their 'best buy' date, and some were two days away from it Dumpster Diving Freegan posts a lot of dumper-diving content, but was inspired to check out a local Whole Foods after watching another TikTok video by an ex-Whole Foods employee. The ex-employee, who had recently quit, had shared a photo of all the food she was ordered to throw away at Whole Foods that day. It certainly seemed to show a lot of stuff but Dumpster Diving Freegan found even more. 'This is everything that I found in one night at one location. There are nearly 100 loaves or packages of bread here,' she said, panning over just the bread products from her haul. Spread out in rows on the floor were several full loaves of bread from brands like Dave's Killer Bread, Rudi's Bakery, and Silver Hills. There were also items from Whole Foods' own 365 brand, including naan, hot dog buns, and pita pockets. She also found a full case of unopened organic toilet paper that costs $17.49 per package She also found six packages of 'environmentally friendly' Preserve brand reusable cups, which cost $7.98 for a pack or $47.88 total thrown out A whole case of CereBelly baby food, including six boxes (costing a total $47.94) was also in the dumpster Other items included packages of Unbagels, baguettes, rolls, and more sliced bread. 'And the worst part is, none of this stuff was expired,' the TikToker said. 'Everything that I found was at least two days before its "best buy" date and could have easily been doanted, frozen, or given to people who needed it.' 'Honestly, this is not OK,' she added. In a followup video, she showed off even more that she pulled from the sumpster, including six packages of Caboo bamboo bath tissue that she found 'in a case, brand new, sealed. The unused, unopened toilet paper costs $17.49 per package, with the total amount tossed coming to $104.94. She also found six packages of 'environmentally friendly' Preserve brand reusable cups, which cost $7.98 for a pack or $47.88 total thrown out. A whole case of CereBelly baby food, including six boxes (costing a total $47.94) was also in the dumpster. Most expensive of all were the four full cases of California Olive Ranch baking blend sweet vanilla olive oil. Each unopened case included 24 bottles of oil, which - at $9.49 each - would come out to $227.76 Her haul also included two bags of apples and six bags of red creamer potatoes 'This has not been recalled and does not expire until 2022,' the TikToker revealed. Other items included boxes of tea ranging in price from $3.49 to $14.25, two bags of apples, and six bags of red creamer potatoes. There was a 'brand-new' $22 cheesecake, as well as another 'brand new' $24 marzipan French pastry. Most expensive of all were the four full cases of California Olive Ranch baking blend sweet vanilla olive oil. Each unopened case included 24 bottles of oil, which at $9.49 each would come out to $227.76. Dumpster Diving Freegan estimates that the total cost of everything she found was about $1,000. Other items included boxes of tea ranging in price from $3.49 to $14.25 There was a 'brand-new' $22 cheesecake, as well as another 'brand new' $24 marzipan French pastry She also assured viewers that she donated 90 per cent of what she found to local food bank She also assured viewers that she donated 90 per cent of what she found to local food bank. However, she did point out that this sort of food waste isn't actually a problem across the board for all Whole Foods locations but a better system needs to be put in place to make sure the brand does better. 'Many Whole Foods DO donate as they have programs in place,' she told DailyMail.com 'Most grocery stores have the same kind of waste that is shown in the video I posted, but many are not able to donate because they do not have a nonprofit that can pick up their donations.' She said that Whole Foods is 'doing a lot of good,' but 'they could just be better.' 'The video was to show what kind of unnecessary waste is normal for grocery stores,' she said. A spokesperson for Whole Foods told DailyMail.com that they have partnered with the national organization Food Donation Connection, and that annually they donate millions of pounds of perishable and nonperishable food to local food banks and food rescue agencies across the United States. 'Since 2013, Whole Foods Market has donated approximately 180 million pounds of food through our Grocery Rescue Program. This equates to approximately 150,000,000 meals for people in need in our local communities,' the spokesperson said, adding that Whole Foods donated over 27 million meals in 2020 alone. The chain is also expanding its Nourishing our Neighborhoods program, which 'provides refrigerated vans to community-based food rescue programs in markets across the US.' Two years in, they have 28 vans that can resue 20,000 pounds of food per week. Jenna Bush Hager has paid tribute to the late Colin Powell and shared personal memories of the first black U.S. secretary of state, recalling how the family friend taught her cousin sportsmanship during a heated game of Monopoly. The Today host, 39, opened up about the time she spent with Powell on Monday's show after learning the fully-vaccinated public servant died earlier that morning from COVID-19 complications at the age of 84. Powell, who was also battling blood cancer and Parkinson's when he passed away, was close with Jenna's late paternal grandfather, George H.W. Bush, and her father, George W. Bush, after serving in both presidents' administrations. 'He was a trailblazer as everybody knows. He was obviously the former U.S. secretary of state. He did so much as a politician, but I knew him as a person,' she told her fourth-hour co-host Hoda Kotb. Scroll down for video Looking back: Jenna Bush Hager, 39, paid tribute to Colin Powell on the Today show Monday, saying: 'He did so much as a politician, but I knew him as a person' Memories: Jenna, pictured playing a game with Powell and her twin sister Barbara Bush, recalled how he would go on vacation with her family Loss: Powell, the first black U.S. secretary of state, died Monday at the age of 84 due to complications from COVID-19. He is pictured with his wife, Alma Jenna shared the thoughts that were running through her head as she watched her colleagues recognize Powell's incredible achievements earlier on the show. 'I knew his wife Alma, whom I adored and adore, and I was thinking about him as a husband and as a father, but I remembered him as a man,' Jenna said. 'He was very close with my grandfather and we would go on vacations.' Former President George H.W. Bush named Powell as the first black person to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989. The four-star general later returned to the White House as former President George W. Bush's secretary of state in 2001. Jenna went on to share one particular memory of Powell that has stayed with her and her cousin Pierce Bush. 'We once played a game of Monopoly, where my cousin Pierce was a bad sport,' she recalled of her uncle Neil Bush's only son. 'He was like, 'No!' because he lost, and Colin Powell said to him, like, "Pierce," in his kind of deep lovely voice, "we don't have to be a bad sport."' Candid: Jenna said Powell once calmed down her cousin Pierce Bush after he got upset about losing a game of Monopoly Life lesson: Jenna told her co-host Hoda Kotb that Powell said to Pierce: 'We don't have to be a bad sport' Jenna said Pierce had texted her that morning, writing: 'I'll never forget him teaching me sportsmanship, and I think he forgave me for my bad behavior.' 'He was just such a wonderful, wonderful man, and he represents so much for our country,' she added of the four-star general. 'I just admired him and loved him.' Powell is survived by his wife of 59 years, Alma, and three children. He was fully vaccinated but died of COVID-19 complications at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland, his family announced on Facebook. 'General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from COVID,' the statement said. 'He was fully vaccinated. We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American.' He served under several Republican administrations including for Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush. Pierce, pictured with his late grandfather George H.W. Bush, texted Jenna about Powell on Monday morning, writing: 'I'll never forget him teaching me sportsmanship' Making history: Jenna's grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, named Powell as the first black person to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989 Decorated: President George H.W. Bush awarded Powell the Medal of Freedom in 1991 Before his death, Powell had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that suppresses the immune system and prevents the production of antibodies. Although he was fully vaccinated, the immunocompromised are at greater risk if they contract COVID-19. He was due to receive a booster shot for his vaccine last week but could not because he had fallen ill, The New York Times reported. Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, led tributes to the larger-than-life figure, who rose from modest means to oversee some of the most significant foreign policy shifts across the late 20th and early 21st centuries. 'Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of Colin Powell' the couple said in a joint statement. 'He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam. 'Many Presidents relied on General Powell's counsel and experience. He was National Security Adviser under President Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under my father and President Clinton, and Secretary of State during my administration. Legacy: Powell served as secretary of state under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He's pictured with Bush less than two weeks after the 9/11 terror attacks Family: Powell is survived by his wife Alma and three children, Linda, Michael, and Annemarie. The family is pictured after he was appointed national security advisor to Ronald Reagan in 1987 Mourning: Powell's family announced his death on Facebook Monday morning, saying he was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 'He was such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. 'And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend.' President Joe Biden released a statement shortly after noon on Monday, four hours after Powell's death was announced, commending him as having 'the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat' and commemorating his humble beginnings. He also ordered all U.S. flags across government buildings and military posts nationwide to fly half staff until October 22. 'Jill and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity, General Colin Powell,' Biden said. 'The son of immigrants, born in New York City, raised in Harlem and the South Bronx, a graduate of the City College of New York, he rose to the highest ranks of the United States military and to advise four presidents. He believed in the promise of America because he lived it. And he devoted much of his life to making that promise a reality for so many others.' 'As a Senator, I worked closely with him when he served as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and as Secretary of State. Over our many years working together even in disagreement Colin was always someone who gave you his best and treated you with respect.' Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel put on a stylish display as they attended a dinner at the Swedish Ambassador's Residence in Rome, Italy, on Monday. Mother-of-two Victoria, 44, donned a glamorous silver dress with metallic heels, while Prince Daniel appeared equally polished for the lavish meal, which marked the second of their three-day visit to Italy with a Swedish trade delegation. The royal duo were accompanied by Anna Hallberg, who is Sweden's Minister for Foreign Trade. The trip comes less than a week after the busy couple visited Kronoberg County to draw attention to efforts in connection with the covid-19 pandemic. Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel (pictured) attended a dinner at the Swedish Ambassador's Residence in Rome, Italy, today Crown Princess Victoria stunned in a floor-length sparkly dress, as she and Daniel met with Anna Hallberg, who is Sweden's Minister for Foreign Trade (pictured) Crown Princess Victoria completed her look by sweeping her hair into a high bun, while opting for very subtle makeup. Pictured: Swedish royals at the dinner Today, Crown Princess Victoria opted for a floor-length sparkly dress which she coordinated with metallic silver court heels. The mother-of-two completed the look by sweeping her glossy brunette hair into a high bun, which revealed jewels to match her glamorous ensemble. She also opted for subtle makeup for a fresh-faced look, while Prince Daniel stepped out looking dapper in a double-breasted blazer with a matching tie to complement his white shirt. The Swedish royals appeared in good spirits as they posed for photographs outside the Swedish Ambassador's Residence in Rome. Anna Hallberg, Sweden's Minister for Foreign Trade, was among those who they stopped to take snaps with. Prince Daniel appeared equally dapped alongside Crown Princess Victoria as he stepped out in a double-breasted black blazer and a white shirt The Swedish royals, who have been married since 2010, are currently on a three-day visit to Italy with a Swedish trade delegation Crown Princess Victoria, who is next in line to the Swedish throne which is currently reigned by her father King Carl XVI Gustaf, married Prince Daniel at at Stockholm Cathedral in 2010. Despite being parents to Princess Estelle, nine and Prince Oscar, five, the Swedish royals maintain a busy calendar. Less than a week ago the Victoria and Daniel visited Kronoberg County to draw attention to efforts in connection with the covid-19 pandemic. They began the visit at Hogasen's special accommodation in Alvesta, which was the first place in the county to be first affected by the pandemic. The pair had the opportunity to meet with healthcare workers, before continuing to the governor's residence in Vaxjo followed by a meeting with the forest owners' association Sodra. The Crown Princess is expected to continue having a busy month with attendance at the World Wide Fund for Nature WWF's annual meeting, alongside King Carl XVI Gustaf on the schedule for this week. Trial leader said vaccine may play 'important role in overcoming the pandemic' The Government dropped out of the 1.2billion deal for the injections last month French drug firm Valneva today reported successful results from its Covid vaccine trial a month after the UK cancelled its contract for 100million doses. The vaccine produced a stronger antibody response than AstraZeneca's rival jab when trialled on thousands of Britons, the company said. It also induced a strong T-cell response and triggered few side effects. No serious cases of Covid were spotted among recipients given the jab. Ministers last month pulled out of its 1.2billion deal for 190m doses of the vaccine citing a 'breach of obligations'. Valneva 'strenuously' denied the accusation. Health Secretary Sajid Javid later said the contract was cancelled over 'commercial reasons' and because the jab would not have been approved by the UK's medicines watchdog. But Professor Adam Finn, trial chief investigator and member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises No10 on the vaccine rollout, said the results suggest the jab 'is on track to play an important role in overcoming the pandemic'. And he said Valneva is 'cautiously optimistic' the vaccine will be approved in the UK by the end of the year, and it is not clear why Mr Javid said it would not be. The biotech firm has been manufacturing the vaccine at its plant in Livingston, West Lothian, which Boris Johnson visited in January. The vaccine produced a stronger antibody response than AstraZeneca 's rival jab when trialled on thousands of Britons, the company said The graph shows the antibody levels known scientifically as the geometric mean titre (GMT) triggered by Valneva's vaccine (left), compared to AstraZeneca's jab (right) on day one (dark blue bar) and two weeks after the second dose is administered (light blue bar). Trials of 4,012 Britons found the French-made vaccine on average produced 39 per cent more antibodies among those who received it than those injected with AstraZeneca Professor Adam Finn, trial chief investigator said the results suggest Valneva's jab 'is on track to play an important role in overcoming the pandemic' The Cov-Compare trial involved 4,012 18 to 55-year-olds across the UK who were given Covid vaccines in two doses four weeks apart. Around two-thirds were given the French-made injection, while the others were given AstraZeneca. WHAT DO VALNEVA COVID JAB TRIALS SHOW? Valneva has reported the phase one, two and three clinical trial results for its coronavirus vaccine. The most recent trial involved 4,012 British volunteers who received two doses of the Valneva or AstraZeneca vaccine two weeks apart. Participants were asked to report any side-effects, and had their blood tested for Covid antibodies two weeks after getting their second dose. Does the jab trigger Covid-fighting antibodies? Results showed everyone who received a high dose of the jab had Covid antibodies in their blood stream. The company said the vaccine 'demonstrated superiority' over the AstraZeneca vaccine. Is Valneva's vaccine safe? No safety concerns were raised during earlier clinical trials scientists said, paving the way for it to be advanced to the next stage. The third phase found the jabs was 'generally well tolerated' and participants reported 'significantly fewer' side effects in the week after vaccination compared to the Oxford jab. And no serious adverse events were recorded. How does the vaccine work? The vaccine is the only one being developed in Europe to use an inactivated whole Covid virus to trigger an immune response. When it is injected the body attacks the spike proteins on the virus - which it uses to invade cells - by making antibodies that can bind to them, stopping an infection from happening. The virus is killed before it is injected using chemicals, heat or radiation, meaning there is no risk of it triggering an infection. This type of vaccine is already used to protect against polio and flu. What is the next stage for the vaccine? The company is in the process of asking the UK and European Union to approve its vaccine. The injection was also one of the seven Covid vaccines included in the Cov-Boost trial. The study, led by researchers at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, aims to determine which jab is the most effective for booster doses. Valneva's is also trialling its jabs on older adults in New Zealand and preparing to test it on five to 12-year-olds. What was Valneva's agreement with the UK? The UK ordered 100million doses from the French vaccine-maker to be delivered in 2021 and 2022. The contract also allowed the UK to order an additional 90million jabs between 2023 and 2025. But Valneva announced in September that the Government terminated the contract, claiming the company breached its obligations. Advertisement Blood samples were taken from participants two weeks after their second jab. In phase three results released today, Valneva said its vaccine called VLA2001 'demonstrated superiority' over AstraZeneca by triggering 39 per cent more neutralising antibodies. The company said its vaccine induced broad T-cell responses, a part of the immune system believed to be involved in long-term immunity. The side effects from the injection were 'significantly more favourable' that the comparator vaccine, with less people reporting a sore arm and other reactions. Around one in 10 people will suffer from side effects after the AstraZeneca jab, such as a sore arm, tiredness and headache. The number of Covid cases were similar between those given AstraZeneca or Valneva, suggesting they were just as effective. And the 'complete absence' of any severe Covid cases in the group suggest both vaccines offer protection against currently circulating variants, the company said. Professor Finn said it was 'ethically impossible' to measure the vaccine's efficacy because other vaccines were already being rolled out rapidly in the UK. Instead, under an an approach agreed with the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the jab was tested by comparing it to a vaccine that had already been approved. For Valneva's jab to be licensed, its vaccine has to trigger a higher immune response than AstraZeneca's jab. This approach is already used to license new meningitis vaccines, Professor Finn said. The vaccine is the only one being developed in Europe to use an inactivated whole Covid virus to trigger an immune response. When it is injected the body attacks the spike proteins on the virus which it uses to invade cells by making antibodies that can bind to them, stopping an infection from happening. The virus is killed before it is injected using chemicals, heat or radiation, meaning there is no risk of it triggering an infection. This type of vaccine is already used to protect against polio and flu. Professor Finn said vaccinating people who are reluctant to receive Covid jabs using 'newer vaccine platforms' is a priority, so there is a role for Valneva's jab in countries that are advanced in the rollout, as well as countries struggling with dishing out injections. Professor Finn said: 'The low levels of reactogenicity and high functional antibody responses alongside broad T-cell responses seen with this adjuvanted inactivated whole virus vaccine are both impressive and extremely encouraging. 'This is a much more traditional approach to vaccine manufacture than the vaccines so far deployed in the UK, Europe and North America and these results suggest this vaccine candidate is on track to play an important role in overcoming the pandemic.' Thomas Lingelbach, chief executive officer of Valneva, said: 'These results confirm the advantages often associated with inactivated whole virus vaccines. 'We are committed to bringing our differentiated vaccine candidate to licensure as quickly as possible and continue to believe that we will be able to make an important contribution to the global fight against the Covid pandemic. 'We are keen to propose an alternative vaccine solution for people who have not yet been vaccinated.' It comes after Mr Javid said it was 'clear to use that the vaccine in question that the company was developing would not get approval by the MHRA here in the UK'. But Professor Finn said: 'We don't really know why he said that.' Mr Javid subsequently corrected his comments and acknowledged he 'got it wrong', he said. The biotech firm has been manufacturing the vaccine at its plant in Livingston, West Lothian, which Boris Johnson visited in January The Government cancelled its contract with Valneva for up to 190million Covid vaccines last month. Some 100million had already been ordered for delivery in 2021 and 2022 and the UK had the option of requesting an additional 90million that would be delivered between 2023 and 2025. Now the agreement has been terminated, Pfizer is the most-ordered jab in the UK, with 135million due to arrive in Britain by next year. Some 100million doses of AstraZeneca have been ordered, along with 60million doses each of the jabs made by GSK and Novavax. Meanwhile, the Government has requested 50million CureVac vaccines, 20million Janssen and 17million Moderna injections He added: 'The data presented today is as good as we could have hoped for in the strategy toward authorisation that the MHRA set out. 'So we are cautiously optimistic we will get authorisation based on this data.' Some 100million doses of the vaccine were put on order after the UK increased its request by 40million back in February. The Government had the option of ordering an additional 90million doses to be supplied between 2023 and 2025. Professor Finn said 'we are all drifting into position we are talking like pandemic done and dusted', but there are uncertainties about how the virus will evolve, how the vaccines will perform over time and global supply. 'So having a wider range of vaccines puts us in a more secure position everywhere,' he said. 'We need more vaccines, more platforms and we need to give ourselves options to cover ourselves against things we don't know that are going to happen in the future.' Valneva said today it has submitted its vaccine for approval by the MHRA and its decision will depend on the outcome of a final clinical study report. The company said it is also preparing to ask the European Medicines Agency to approve its jab and will approach other countries, including the US, in the first half of next year. If the jab is approved, it will only be authorised for 18 to 55-year-olds due to difficulties recruiting older groups during the UK participants due to the quick rollout of first doses to older groups earlier this year. The company is now trialling the injection on 306 volunteers aged 56 and over in New Zealand. The vaccine maker is also preparing to trial its jab in youngsters aged five to 12 and as a booster jab. These results will then be given to regulatory authorities, so the vaccine could subsequently be approved for younger and older groups. Advertisement Just one in 30 young teens have had their first Covid vaccine in parts of the UK that are lagging behind in the roll-out, an analysis revealed today. NHS figures suggest vaccine uptake among 12-to-15-year-olds is only 15 per cent for the whole of England, despite the age group being eligible to come forward for their first dose nearly a month ago. But the picture is very different in Scotland, where the rate stands at around 46.5 per cent, with some areas of the country having already jabbed almost two-thirds of their young teens. The figures come off the back of rising concerns about a surge in coronavirus infections among young teens in England, with experts fearing sky-high rates could kickstart a fourth wave. Random swabbing data suggests around 8 per cent of secondary school pupils were carrying the virus last week. Separate figures show infection rates in children have reached record highs. The prevalence of the virus in schoolchildren has prompted Government ministers to put forward plans to create 'walk-in' vaccine clinics for 12-to-15-year-olds in the next few weeks in an effort to speed up the jab rollout. Sources also claim the new clinics are an attempt to keep anti-vaxxers away from the school gates. First doses of Covid vaccine started being rolled out to all the UKs 3.2million 12 to 15-year-olds on September 20. But the move was heavily controversial, with concerns over a rare risk of heart inflammation called myocarditis estimated to strike up to one in 20,000 boys under the age of 16 after their second jab. Girls are at less risk of the complication. North and south divide. Scotland is roaring ahead with rolling out the first dose of the Covid vaccine to 12-to-15-year-olds compared to England. All 10 of the best performing areas were north of the border with England hosting the bottom 10, the majority of which are in London The Government has been criticised over the slow rollout of the Covid vaccine to children but the latest figures reveal that the scheme is having mixed success across the country, with Scotland soaring ahead of England This graph shows the number of first doses administered in the UK since September 20 when 12-to-15-year-old first became eligible for the vaccine. The chart shows the number of daily doses has, on average, increased since then but not hugely Areas where the most UK teens have been vaccinated 1. Dumfries and Galloway 62.9 per cent 2. Perth and Kinross 62.6 per cent 3. Orkney Islands 62.1 per cent 4. Aberdeenshire 61.8 per cent 5. Angus 59.3 per cent 6. Scottish Borders 57.0 per cent 7. Fife 55.4 per cent 8. Falkirk 53.7 per cent 9. Stirling 53.7 per cent 10. East Dunbartonshire 53.4 per cent Advertisement While in most cases the condition is mild, scientists do not know the long term implications. Earlier this year the Government's vaccine advisors, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised against routinely vaccinating healthy 12 to 15-year-olds because they have just a one in 2million chance of dying from Covid. The JCVI urged ministers to seek advice from England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and his fellow chief medical officers in the devolved nations about the wider benefits vaccination could provide. Areas where the fewest UK teens have been vaccinated Barking and Dagenham 3.5 per cent Newham 5.2 per cent and Lewisham 5.2 per cent Tower Hamlets 5.6 per cent Waltham Forest 5.7 per cent Bristol 5.8 per cent Hackney and City of London 5.9 per cent Greenwich 6.1 per cent Stoke-on-Trent 6.2 per cent Newcastle upon Tyne 6.2 per cent Advertisement Professor Whitty eventually ruled that youngsters would benefit getting vaccinated against Covid, despite the odds of them becoming critically ill from the virus about two in a million. The latest vaccine uptake figures for England and Scotland the two nations currently publishing daily statistics on take-up show wide variations across the countries. More than a third of England's 149 upper tier local authorities (55) have vaccinated fewer than one in 10 young teens. The three worst areas for England and the UK are in London. Barking & Dagenham has only jabbed 3.5 per cent of its young teens, followed by the boroughs of Newham and Lewisham (both 5.2 per cent). Wokingham in Berkshire was England's best performer, having given 36.2 per cent of its young teens their first Covid jab. Other 'high' performers for England were Derbyshire, Hertfordshire, and Warrington which all recorded a rate of 29.1 per cent. But north of the border Scotland has roared to success compared with its southern neighbour. Half of the nation's 32 local authority areas have now delivered jabs to at least 50 per cent of their young teens. Dumfries and Galloway leads the UK, having vaccinated 62.9 per cent of its 12-to-15-year-olds. It is followed by Perth & Kinross at 62.6 per cent and the Orkney Islands with 62.1 per cent. The lowest uptake was in the Highlands (17 per cent), which is still higher than a third of authorities in England. The difference between Scotland and England might be down to more than just demographics with the countries offering young teens their first does of the Covid vaccine in different ways. In England, jabs are being carried out in schools by nurses and immunisation teams. But in Scotland doses can be received by attending drop-in vaccination centres at GP clinics, pharmacies and community centres. Uptake is also likely to have been affected by the level of infection circulating in the community. A first dose of vaccine cannot be delivered to someone if they are within four weeks of testing positive for Covid, waiting for the results of a coronavirus test, or self-isolating. Covid vaccination rates across the UK can be as high as 60 per cent or as low as 4 per cent depending where you live in the country a new analysis has found Around one in 10 children in England in school years 7 to 11 were likely to have tested positive for Covid in the week to October 9 the highest rate for any age group according to estimates from the Office for National Statistics. But while the overall prevalence of Covid in England has risen to around one in 60 people in Scotland the estimate has been falling for several weeks and currently stands at one in 80. There was spike in cases in children in Scotland in August after they returned to the classroom which eventually subsided, with some arguing that England, where children went back to school later, now experiencing the same. Mass Covid testing in schools should stop, senior doctor says Mass Covid testing in schools is sparking 'unnecessary chaos' and should be brought to an end, a senior doctor has said. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's president, Dr Camilla Kingdon, also warned children should not be left to 'carry the burden' of the pandemic. Schools in England dropped virtually all virus-control measures in July, except twice weekly testing of pupils. Those who get a positive swab must stay home for 10 days. But amid rising infection rates among youngsters, some schools are quietly reintroducing measures including face masks and telling children to stay home if their sibling has the virus. It comes as the NHS plans to unveil walk-in vaccine clinics for school children within weeks in an effort to speed up the jabs rollout. The president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Dr Camilla Kingdon (pictured), said that twice weekly testing in schools should be dropped Dr Kingdon railed against the return of more rules in the classroom today, telling the Daily Telegraph that the age group is at very low risk from the virus. She said: 'You are asking completely healthy children to test, with the potential to be excluded (from school), there is just a real concern that we are increasing a level of chaos into the system that is unnecessary.' Advertisement In a letter to parents of an English secondary school last week, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and Health Secretary Sajid Javid asked for parents 'support' to 'come forward' for the jab to ensure face-to-face lessons can continue. 'This is one of the best things young people can do to protect themselves and those around them,' the letter said. 'Vaccines are our best defence against Covid. They help protect young people, and benefit those around them. Vaccination makes people less likely to catch the virus and less likely to pass it on.' Separate, weekly, figures published by Public Health Wales show that as of October 10, Neath Port Talbot was the only local authority in Wales where fewer than 10 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds had received one dose of vaccine (7.4 per cent). All Welsh other local authorities were above 10 per cent, ranging from Gwynedd 10.2 per cent to Merthyr Tydfil 48.5 per cent. The overall take-up for Wales as of October 10 was 21.8 per cent. Northern Ireland has yet to begin publishing vaccination figures for 12 to 15-year-olds. On Saturday the Mail on Sunday revealed that Ministers are planning to create walk-in vaccine clinics for schoolchildren in an effort to speed up the jabs rollout. In addition to speeding up the vaccine effort, the move is also said to be an attempt to keep anti-vaxxers away from the school gates. Last night, there were fresh calls to speed up the vaccination of teenagers after an analysis of official figures by found almost half of new Covid cases in England are now in the under-20s. When schools went back early last month, 33 per cent of new cases were in that age group. But by the second week of this month, the proportion had grown to 46 per cent. Teenagers now make up the lion's share of infections in the under-20s. There are also concerns about the level of testing in schools in England with one senior doctor saying the policy is sparking 'unnecessary chaos' and should be brought to an end. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's president, Dr Camilla Kingdon, also warned children should not be left to 'carry the burden' of the pandemic. Schools in England dropped virtually all virus-control measures in July, except twice weekly testing of pupils. Those who get a positive swab must stay home for 10 days. But amid rising infection rates among youngsters, some schools are quietly reintroducing measures including face masks and telling children to stay home if their sibling has the virus. Dr Kingdon railed against the return of more rules in the classroom today, telling the Daily Telegraph that the age group is at very low risk from the virus. She said: 'You are asking completely healthy children to test, with the potential to be excluded (from school), there is just a real concern that we are increasing a level of chaos into the system that is unnecessary.' A helmet that zaps your brain with infrared light could help cure dementia, a study has found. Researchers from Durham University have developed a device which shines light directly into the brain through the skull. A trial found that wearing the helmet twice a day for six minutes at a time boosted memory, motor function and brain processing skills in healthy adults. The scientists said that if the results were replicated in people with dementia it could be a 'game-changer' in the fight against the incurable disease, which affects 850,000 Britons. The 7,250 helmet works through a process called 'photo biomodulation' where pulses of infrared light are directed deep into the brain. The study saw 14 healthy Britons wear the helmet (pictured) for six minutes twice a day for one month, with infrared light was beamed into their brains at a wavelength of 1068 nanometres Lead researcher Dr Paul Chazot (left), who has spent 20 years of studying particular infrared wavelengths for dementia treatment, pictured with GP Dr Gordon Dougal, who devised the helmet and Tracy Sloan who used it to improve her memory It was devised by Dr Gordon Dougal, a GP in County Durham who worked with scientists to trial the so-called transcranial photobiomodulation therapy (PBM-T). The study saw 14 healthy Britons, aged 45 and over, wear the helmet for six minutes twice a day for one month, with infrared light was beamed into their brains at a wavelength of 1068 nanometres. A control group of 13 people who used a dummy helmet, and both groups were set tests before and after the treatments. The researchers noted a significant improvement in performance in motor function, memory and brain processing speed, for those using the real helmet over those given the placebo. They said the 'rapid improvement in memory performance' suggests infrared light treatment could be a 'game-changing therapy' for people with dementia. Further research will seek to establish if it could help reverse Alzheimer's. Dr Dougal said the helmet 'may well help dying brain cells regenerate into functioning units once again'. He added: 'Much more research is needed to fully understand the mechanism of action.' Research has shown wavelengths of infrared light help reverse nerve cell damage in dementia patients. The treatment boosts mitochondria which gives cells their energy, which stimulates the brain to activate immune cells that sweep away toxic proteins linked to dementia. Researchers believe the therapy also increase levels of nitric oxide, and therefore improves blood flow in the brain, making sure more oxygen can reach brain cells. They hope the helmet might also be beneficial to other disorders, such as Parkinson's, traumatic brain injury or motor neurone disease. It can be easily worn by patients, meaning the therapy can be readily delivered at home. Lead researcher Dr Paul Chazot, who has spent 20 years of studying particular infrared wavelengths for dementia treatment, said: 'We've shown what appears to be real improvements in memory and other neurological processes for healthy people when their brains are exposed to a specific wavelength of infrared light for consistent, short periods of time. 'While this is a pilot study and more research is needed, there are promising indications that therapy involving infrared light might also be beneficial for people living with dementia and this is worth exploring. 'Indeed, we and our US research collaborators recently also published a new independent clinical study which provides the first evidence for profound and rapid improvement in memory performance in dementia. 'This could provide a novel disease-modifying strategy for dementia, with the potential to alleviate many of the serious problems faced by people with dementia and reduce the burden on their caregivers.' The PBM-T helmet, developed by the firm Maculume, delivers infrared light from 14 fan-cooled LED light arrays. Last year a study in the US on 228 people found infrared treatment had a positive effect on people with mild to moderate dementia. The research is published in the journal Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery. Despite being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Colin Powell's age and medical history put him at risk of severe disease and death. Powell, who was the first Black Secretary of State and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, died from complications of the virus on Monday, his family said in a statement. He was 84 years old, severely immunocompromised because he had been treated for multiple myeloma - a cancer of white blood cells in bone marrow - and suffering from Parkinson's disease. 'The main issue is that he had an unlucky confluence that gave him a perfect storm for being at severe risk despite being fully vaccinated,' said Dr Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. Doctors say that although Powell's breakthrough infection resulted in his death, cases such as these are quite rare. They explained to DailyMail.com why his conditions put him at increased risk of death - and why it doesn't mean that COVID-19 vaccines are ineffective. Colin Powell, the first black Secretary of State, died of COVID-19 complications on Monday, despite being fully vaccinated, at age 84. Pictured: Then-Secretary of State Powell listens to a question during a news conference in Beijing, China, October 2004 Doctors say his age, his battle with multiple myeloma - a type of blood cancer - and Parkinson's contributed to his heightened risk of death. Pictured: Powell, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, holds a news briefing at the Pentagon, January 1991 'Colin Powell's death illustrates the complex layers of managing COVID-19 risk,' Dr Stuart Ray, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University, told DailyMail.com in an email. 'His death is exceptional, in general, because he was fully vaccinated. 'However, his age and comorbidities remind us that vaccination is never 100 percent protective, and people at special risk (and those around them) are wise to take special precautions that we know to be effective. ' No COVID-19 vaccine prevents every single infection, thus so-called 'breakthrough' cases - in which a fully vaccinated person contracts the virus - are bound to occur, but they rarely result in hospitalization or death. As of October 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 24,717 out of 187 million fully vaccinated people, or 0.013 percent, have been hospitalized. An even smaller number - 7,178 fully vaccinated people, or 0.003 percent - have died, and 85 percent of those are aged 65 and older. This means that it is very rare for fully vaccinated people to contract COVID-19 and die, and those who do are mostly elderly. 'As you become older, your ability to mount an immune response is affected just by virtue of their age,' Dr Abhijit Duggal, of the department of critical care at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, told DailyMail.com. However, people suffering from underlying conditions such as cancer are at an elevated risk. A spokeswoman said Powell had successfully undergone treatment for multiple myeloma in the past. Patients suffering from hematologic cancers - including related to the bone marrow, and other blood-related tissues like Powell - are at especially high risk. Hematologic cancer patients' immune systems don't tend to produce antibodies to fight off diseases the way they should be. What's more, many commonly used treatments for these cancers affects parts of the immune systems, such as B cells, which fight bacteria and viruses. This also prevents the immune system from being able to mount a full response when a patient gets vaccinated. Powell was immunocompromised from being treated for multiple myeloma, meaning he didn't likely mount an immune response when he was vaccinated. Studies have shown cancer patients mount less of an immune response to vaccines (left) compared to healthy patients (right) Older people, like Powell, are also at risk for severe infection due to having less robust immune systems than older adults. COVID-19 vaccines are still more than 90% effective against severe disease and death and fewer than 0.01% of those with breakthrough infections have died. Pictured: Powell and his wife Alma on their wedding day in August 1962, left, and at the 2019 Ford's Theatre Gala in Washington, DC, June 2019 'What you have to realize is that multiple myeloma and other disease conditions decease the immune system's response,' said Duggal. 'When we give them a vaccination, we hope the immune system will get ramped up to develop antibodies. 'But the fact is. because the immune system is depressed, the capability to generate immunity from vaccination is not as good as someone who has an intact immune system. 'The effectiveness of the vaccine is not going to be as good as in someone who has a robust immune system.' A CDC report in August found that between 40 and 44 percent of people hospitalized with breakthrough COVID-19 infections are immunocompromised despite making up only three percent of the U.S. population. One Israeli study from May found 10 percent of cancer patients who got two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine did not develop a high level of antibodies compared to everyone in a group of healthy patients. And another July study found only 45 percent of patients with active multiple myeloma 'developed an adequate response' after getting either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. 'It's fully possible that Colin Powell was fully vaccinated but never developed a full immune response,' Chin-Hong said. But Powell had another condition that weakened his immune system: Parkinson's disease, a central nervous system disorder that affects movement, often including tremors. Studies have found that the loss of brain neurons in Parkinson's could be due to an attack by the person's own immune system. 'Parkinson's is more of a contributing factor than a main reason, but it could be that Parkinson's patients have more intensive home care needs,' Chin-Hong said. 'It puts them in touch with more people to take care of them, which could introduce them to infection or make it harder to clear the respiratory system.' The doctors say that, despite evidence suggesting waning efficacy of the vaccines against infection, they are still highly effective against severe disease and death. New CDC data found that, in August 2021, unvaccinated people were 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than vaccinated people. And, even if a vaccinated person contracts COVID-19, at least 98 person do not fall severely ill. 'The message isn't that someone got the vaccine and died, but that there are people in the society that need to be protected by us getting the vaccine,' Dr Ali Mokdad, an epidemiologist with the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, told DailyMail.com 'He got COVID-19 because someone around him was not vaccinated, not wearing a mask or not paying attention.' Experts have said that reaching herd immunity, which is when a large proportion of a community becomes immune, so that spread of a disease is unlikely, is key to stopping COVID-19 in its tracks. Estimates suggest 85 percent of the U.S. population needs to be vaccinated, but only 66 percent of Americans have received at least one dose so far, according to the CDC. 'Colin Powell could have been more protected if more people in that community had been vaccinated,' Chin-Hong said. 'We get vaccinated not to just protect ourselves but to protect people like Colin Powell and that's the real issue. We should not use him as the poster child for vaccines not working.' Duggal agreed: 'The best thing for somebody like General Powell is if everyone around him is immunized; then this risk of infection goes down.' The experts recommend that immunocompromised people get COVID-19 vaccine boosters as soon as possible, as seen with other popular vaccines, to shore up protection. Ray from Johns Hopkins said three doses are often given for the hepatitis B vaccine to provide long-lasting protection and Mokdad pointed out that kids received boosters for the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccines. 'The breakthrough infections are normal. You need immunity today and then you need a booster. This happens all the time,' Mokdad said. 'However, if the end game is to prevent hospitalization and death, then the vaccines are very effective.' A rare disease has struck New York City - and rat urine appears to be responsible for it. At least 15 cases of Weil's disease, or leptospirosis, have been reported in the Big Apple this year as well as one death. Only 57 cases of the disease were detected in New York from 2006 to 2020, meaning 2021 alone already accounts for more than 25 percent of the total over the previous decade and a half. The disease is spread from animals to humans, and it is likely that humans are picking up the virus from infected rat urine. Why exactly the outbreak is occurring this year is not known, though some experts believe the rise in temperatures and other climate-related factors could be playing a role. Leptospirosis is a rare condition caused by bacteria transferred from animals to humans when they interact with infected urine. It infects around one million people globally every year, and causes nearly 60,000 deaths. Pictured: Kidney tissue infected with the bacteria leprospira At least 15 cases of leptospirosis have been detected in New York City, and the city's many rat infestations are likely the cause. Bacteria that causes the disease can be transferred to humans via interaction with rat urine, Pictured: A rat in New York City, date unknown Weil's disease is a bacterial disease spread through the urine of infected animals. A person can become infected when they come in contact with the infected animal urine through food or water. Animals that can transfer the disease to humans include cows, pigs, horses dogs and rodents - like rats - according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can appear abruptly from two days to four weeks after a person is exposed to the bacteria, and often include fever, headache, chills, abdominal pain and diarrhea among others. Some infected people will even suffer from jaundice, a condition where the skin and eyes of a person turn yellow. WHAT IS LEPTOSPIROSIS AND HOW DOES IT SPREAD FROM ANIMAL URINE Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection nicknamed 'Weil's disease' after the German scientist who discovered in in the late 17th century Humans can be infected with the disease after coming into contact with urine from animals like cows, pigs, horses, dogs and rats Disease can occur is two phases, with the first relatively minor wave featuring flu-like symptoms and jaundice among others Second phase is more serious, and can lead to kidney or liver failure, or death Around 100 to 200 cases are reported in the U.S. every year, though a majority are in Puerto Rico, not the mainland NIH study finds that more than one million people are infected and 59,000 die from leptospirosis globally every year Source: CDC & NIH Advertisement Symptoms will disappear, but in more serious cases will return for a second, more serious, phase. Patients who suffer the second phase could experience kidney or liver failure, meningitis or even death. A study published by the National Institutes of Health in 2015 estimates that there are over one million cases of the disease globally and 58,900 deaths from it every year. However, it is rare in the U.S., with only 100 to 200 reported every year, most occurring in Puerto Rico. The New York City Department of Health issued a warning on September 22 about the sudden rise of the disease. The warning notes that the disease has been detected in four of New York's five borough - only Staten Island having dodged leptospirosis so far - and 13 of the 14 reported cases at the time resulting in hospitalization. Health officials identified one case of a person picking up the disease during travel. The others, however, were each linked to severe rat infestations around the city. Three of the cases were among homeless people. Health officials are working to clear out rat infestations around the city to stop the disease from spreading even more. Why exactly an outbreak of leptospirosis is occurring now can not be determined, but environmental factors may be at play. The bacteria that causes the virus thrives in warmer temperatures that are becoming more common in the city. 'The bacteria may persist in warm moist environments. Changes in climatic conditions that allow the bacteria to persist (warmer and moist climate conditions), could contribute to an increase in human cases,' the health department told Gizmodo. Britain's landlords did not embrace the stamp duty holiday with fervour as feared, new research suggests. The share of homes going to property investors edged up slightly, but not to the degree that some had suggested it would in a forecast rush to take advantage of lower tax rates. In fact, buy-to-let investors completed tens of thousands fewer transactions than they did during a similar 15-month period in 2016 ahead of the extra 3 per cent surcharge on second and investment homes coming in, despite similar tax savings on offer. The share of properties bought by landlords in the run-up to the tax holiday, which started in July 2020, was 11 per cent and rose to 12 per cent during it, according to estate agent Hamptons International. The stamp duty holiday failed to lead to a buy-to-let boom, despite landlords being eligible for the tax saving of up to 15,000 and having the chance to take advantage of rising rents This was despite rents rising at their fastest pace for more than a decade in the year to July. There were a total of 215,000 investor purchases across Britain between July 2020 and September 2021. This was below the 242,400 purchases which were made during the 15-month run up to the introduction of the 3 per cent stamp duty surcharge for landlords on 1 April 2016. During the stamp duty holiday, the average landlord who did buy a property saved 3,000, the equivalent of around three months' rent and a 35 per cent reduction on their 8,500 average tax bill before July 2020. What was the stamp duty holiday? The stamp duty holiday was introduced by chancellor Rishi Sunak in July 2020, in a bid to jump-start the housing market after the first national lockdown. It lasted for 15 months in total. From July 2020 to July 2021, both owner-occupiers and investors could save up to 15,000, as they did not need to pay stamp duty on the portion of any property purchase under 500,000. From July to September 2021, the limit was reduced to 250,000, offering them a maximum saving of 2,500. The rates returned to pre-pandemic levels on 1 October. Average bills are set to return to around 8,400 from 1 October 2021, just below what investors were paying on the eve of the stamp duty holiday. The figures suggest landlords were not willing to outbid home buyers as house prices continued to rocket. This may have been a result of increasing taxes and regulations on landlords over the past few years, which started with the introduction of the 3 per cent surcharge in 2016. At the time, many landlords bought up properties beforehand to get in under the wire. As well as the standard stamp duty bill, buy-to-let investors and anyone buying a second home must pay a 3 per cent surcharge on top of the standard rates for owner-occupiers. In the run-up to that policy being introduced, the proportion of home sales made up by landlords in Britain was much higher at 17 per cent, according to Hamptons. The deeply unpopular surcharge is often cited by landlords as a reason for not expanding their portfolio, or even quitting the market altogether. Landlords bought up more homes ahead of the introduction of new taxes on buy-to-let in 2016, than they did during the stamp duty holiday over the past 15 months Overall, the stamp duty holiday meant that the average investor paid less in stamp duty than at any time since April 2016, when the 3 per cent stamp duty surcharge was introduced. Despite this, the average bill during the holiday remained twice the level it was before the surcharge was introduced. What about those landlords who did buy? There is little indication that landlords who did buy properties during the stamp duty holiday took advantage of the saving to buy bigger properties in more expensive areas. Instead, 83 per cent of investor purchases were under 250,000, meaning their savings from the holiday were significantly smaller than those enjoyed by home movers. During the holiday the average price paid by a landlord rose by just 1 per cent to 181,000, despite wider house price growth of 10 per cent over the same period. Landlords who did buy homes during the stamp duty holiday paid just 1% more for them, despite house prices as a whole rising by as much as 10% according to some estimates According to the September House Price Index from Nationwide, 22,613 has been added to the cost of the average home in just a year, with the average price of a home increasing 10 per cent to 248,742. Commenting Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons, said: 'The overall impact of the stamp duty holiday on investor activity has been relatively muted. 'The holiday resulted in a small uplift in the number of new buy-to-let investors, but despite their reduced bills, they were not outbidding owner-occupiers on any significant scale.' What is happening to rents? Average rental growth across Britain hit 8 per cent in September, the third fastest annual rate of growth recorded this year, according to Hamptons. Regions in the South of England, but outside of London, led the way. The South West saw the highest rent increases in the past year, reaching 1,011 The average rent on a new home rose 14.8 per cent to 1,011 in the South West, 14.7 per cent to 1,252 in the South East and 10.8 per cent to 1,106 in the East of England. September marked the sixth consecutive month where annual rental growth hit double figures in the South West. The region has benefited from people relocating away from cities during the pandemic, as well as an increased appetite for longer-term holiday lets. London rents have also continued to recover. Although Inner London was the only region in the UK to see a decline in rents year-on-year, the 4.4 per cent or 100 year-on-year fall was far smaller than the 22.1 per cent decrease recorded in April when the market bottomed out. In Outer London, rents grew 3.2 per cent annually in September, rising for the thirteenth consecutive month. This kept Greater London rents overall in positive territory, up 1.8 per cent year-on-year. Beveridge added: 'While rental growth rates typically peak over the summer months, this year they have continued to rise into the autumn. 'This means average monthly rents have passed 1,100 for the first time nationally, led by big increases on larger homes. 'The average four-bed home now costs 120 per cent more than a one-bed, up from 95 per cent pre-pandemic. 'While we are expecting this growth to moderate in the final few months of the year, it is likely 2021 will mark some of the fastest rates of rental growth in a generation.' Nowadays there are mobile apps to manage our savings and bank accounts, to invest in stocks and shares, and even to dabble in cryptocurrencies. We may soon have an app for investing in buy-to-let, too, as the duo behind a popular podcast are set to launch their fractional property investment proposition later this month. Manchester-based property landlords, Rob Bence and Rob Dix, are launching a new app called Portfolio which will enable investors to become part-owners in a portfolio of rental homes. Rob Bence and Rob Dix are co-founders of Property Hub and creators of The Property Podcast The pair, who are the co-founders of Property Hub and The Property Podcast, say people will be able to invest with just a few clicks - giving them a share of the rental profits and potential house price gains. The app, which launches on 4 November, claims to give investors the benefit of having their investment diversified across different homes across the UK at a far lower cost than purchasing a single buy-to-let - though they will still need to stump up a minimum of 10,000. 'Portfolio has been several years in the making,' says Bence. 'We wanted to make property investment accessible to those who lacked the time, money or confidence to invest the more traditional way.' It could be an opportunity for would-be landlords to dip their toe into property ownership without such a big financial or time commitment. It also means that they will not personally feel the effects of some of the more punitive tax measures levelled at buy-to-let landlords in recent years, such as the 3 per cent stamp duty surcharge on purchases and the inability to offset mortgage interest against rental income to reduce their tax bill. But Portfolio will select and manage the homes, meaning those who buy in will have less control over their investments - and similar buy-to-let co-investment schemes have run into issues in the past when lots of investors have tried to leave at once. This is Money digs into the detail on the Portfolio app, and asks whether fractional property ownership schemes are worth committing money to. How does it work? Portfolio is structured as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). A REIT is a company that is listed on a stock exchange, set up with the purpose of owning and renting out property to generate a return for its shareholders. To qualify as a REIT a fund must pay out 90 per cent of its rental income to its investors through a dividend. REITs are tax-efficient structures which are not charged corporation tax on any profits made, whether that be from the rental income or the sale of its properties. Investors will be able to buy shares in Portfolio, which is listed on the International Stock Exchange. The value of each individual share in the fund will be determined by the overall net value of the fund's assets - which is mainly made up of the properties it holds. The Portfolio app is currently in testing but the waitlist to join is open. To ascertain the value of the assets, and therefore the shares, all properties within Portfolio will be valued every three months by an independent RICS valuer. If the value of the fund's assets increases after an investor has bought in, they will make a paper gain that they can realise by selling some or all of their investment. Rob Dix says: 'We chose this structure because it's mainstream and it allows anyone to invest. 'As an investor you're exposed to the performance of all the property within Portfolio, so you effectively qualify for a share of the income that all the properties pay out and if the properties grow in value your share becomes more. 'This also gives investors maximum diversification and removes the need to have the specialist knowledge to identify a single property they believe will perform best.' How will Portfolio differ from other residential property funds? There are more than 50 REITs listed on the London Stock Exchange, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk, with a combined value of around 54billion - plus many more which like Portfolio are listed elsewhere. Most REITs in the UK focus on commercial property, such as offices or shopping centres. Some of the biggest examples on the London Stock Exchange include British Land, Land Securities and Hammerson, who generate returns from the rents that companies and retailers pay them when they lease out that space. But there are other notable REITs with a residential focus, such as Residential Secure Income plc, as well as non-listed funds, such as L1 Capital's UK Residential Property Fund, which is rumoured to be considering a London listing, and Hearthstone Investments' TM home investor fund. Bence and Dix believe one major drawback with other forms of non-direct property investment is that they lack any tangible feeling of ownership, which they think attracts people to buy-to-let rather than alternative investments. REITs are tax efficient structures which are not charged corporation tax on any profits made whether that be from the rental income or the sale of its properties Portfolio will provide video tours of properties and frequent updates through the app. Dix says: 'Making sure investors get all the excitement and pride that comes with being a property investor was a really important factor when we were developing the app. 'It was finding a way of allowing for a traditional investment experience but without any of the hassle of property ownership. 'Along with the financial benefits rental income and potential capital growth Portfolio investors will receive video updates, property tours and get notified of key events directly through their app.' There are also other propositions out there that are similar to Portfolio. These include Property Partner, which while not listed on a stock exchange, offers investors the chance to own a share of buy-to-let properties with a lower minimum investment of 1,000. Another similar scheme was Bricklane, a REIT which was also listed on the International Stock Exchange - though this recently closed its site to individual investors. What type of properties make up its portfolio? Although the fund is expected to officially launch next month, it is already up and running, and has bought and rented out around 4million of property. The fund will target homes in key towns and cities across the UK where there is strong rental demand. 'We target properties with great fundamentals; public transport, amenities and schools,' says Bence. 'All the aspects you'd look for if you were purchasing a buy-to-let property yourself.' What costs can an investor expect? A typical buy-to-let landlord could expect to pay maintenance costs, letting and management fees and buildings insurance as well as service charges and ground rents. There are also taxes on property purchases and rental income to consider. As a REIT, Portfolio will not have to pay tax on rental income as long as it pays 90 per cent of the income to investors as dividends and meet a range of other criteria. However, Portfolio investors can expect to contribute towards covering all the other costs, though they won't have any of the responsibility of administrating them. Rob Bence says: 'There are all the property-related costs you'd pay if you owned a property yourself, plus costs associated with running the fund vehicle. 'These are all deducted from rental income before profits are calculated.' How do people buy and sell shares? The new app, Portfolio, allows investors to become a part-owner of a portfolio of rental homes based across the UK For those wishing to invest there will be a minimum deposit required of 10,000, although the founders say they are keen to reduce this in the future so that Portfolio can become more accessible. Although Portfolio will be listed on The International Stock Exchange, it won't be available through other platforms - only through the app. When it comes to getting your money out of Portfolio, investors can make a request to sell their shares at any time although the ability to sell within a particular timeframe is not guaranteed. This means investors may have to wait to get their money, during which time the value of their shares could fall. This is because if someone wants to sell, there needs to be a buyer. If there aren't any buyers, the REIT can decide to buy back from its own cash reserves, although there is no obligation for it to do so. This will avoid it being forced into making hurried property sales at a disadvantageous time. Bence says: 'There's no guarantee that investors will be able to sell when they want to just like you can't be guaranteed to find a buyer for a buy-to-let property at a price you're happy with. 'But under normal market conditions, we expect it to compare very favourably with buying or selling property directly which typically takes at least several months, and of course doesn't provide the option of selling only part of your holdings.' With new and untested schemes such as Portfolio, investors should be aware that selling their shares could potentially be a challenge - depending on how the fund performs. Who will it appeal to? Portfolio could appeal to buy-to-let investors who may lack either the money, time, or confidence to make a start themselves. Being a buy-to-let landlord also often involves management, upkeep, awareness of regulations and active relationships with either tenants or letting agents. Portfolio may therefore also appeal to those who are perhaps put off by the hands-on nature of property investment. 'Something like Portfolio would have allowed us to get started with property much earlier and would have taught us valuable lessons before buying directly,' says Bence. The Property Podcast popular with landlords, and Bence and Dix have also shared their knowledge through four bestselling books 'Even though we've built up a business in property because we love being actively involved, this also makes us very aware of the hassles and drawbacks of owning property directly and we constantly come across people who love property as an investment but just don't have the desire or ability to be hands-on. 'We're excited that Portfolio will potentially open up property investment to these people, without them having to sacrifice the excitement we experience from being hands-on.' Aside from property enthusiasts, any person looking to diversify their investments may find Portfolio appealing particularly given the recent property boom. Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown says: 'Given the red-hot property market, it's understandable some investors might want to share in what they see as huge returns. 'Although people might assume they understand residential property, often they only know it as somewhere to live and investing in it is entirely different. 'REITs are often seen as an easy way to own a share in an income-producing property portfolio.' Should you invest? The tax environment for buy-to-let landlords has become less attractive in recent years with a 3 per cent stamp duty surcharge to pay, the eradication of mortgage interest tax relief and a raft of regulatory requirements such as minimum EPC standards, electrical installation condition reports and gas safety checks. Laura Suter, head of personal finance at AJ Bell says: 'The entry price to investing is pretty high, particularly if youre buying in more expensive areas, and managing the property and tenants can become time-consuming. 'That means something that offers the chance to invest in rental properties but with a low entry price and no hassle of managing them is likely to be popular.' But despite its obvious appeal, there will be some who may prefer to wait and see how well Portfolio is received and how well it performs. At launch there will be a minimum investment of 10,000, which the two Rob's say they are focused on reducing as quickly as possible to open up Portfolio to more people There have been examples in the past of REITs struggling due to market conditions, particularly when swathes of investors seek to exit all at once. And new investment schemes are open to changes of management or ownership, and changes to their fees, terms and conditions as they grow in size - sometimes to the detriment of smaller investors. For example, in 2019, investors in Property Partner criticised the platform for introducing new AUM and account fees, which they said were punitive for individual investors. And Bricklane, which also offered individuals the opportunity to hold shares in its portfolio of properties located across London and other UK cities, has recently decided to close to retail investors. On its website it states: 'Due to the ongoing fire safety crisis affecting high-rise flats across the UK, Bricklane has decided that it is in the best interests of individual investors to sell the property portfolios and return net proceeds to investors, before closing the London and Regional Capitals REITs.' Some investors may also prefer to opt for more established funds which already have a reliable track record. For example, Hearthstone Investments' TM home investor fund, which owns and rents out 200 UK properties, has a nine-year track record, having been set up in 2012. Unlike Portfolio, it enables its customers to invest via an Isa or Sipp. 'There are many REITs and funds that have been running for years, have solid track records, have already built up a portfolio of different properties and have experienced managers at the helm,' says Suter. 'A couple specialise in buy-to-let while others invest in a range of commercial property. 'If this investment cannot be held in an Isa or Sipp, investors could also face unnecessary taxes, when compared to investing with an existing alternative REIT.' However, despite being the new kid on the block, Portfolio will likely attract attention - not least because of the two people behind it. While it could offer an easier alternative to becoming a buy-to-let landlord, investors should make sure they are comfortable with the concept - and scope out the alternatives - before committing. Britain's manufacturing industry has urged ministers to stop blaming business as 'the enemy within'. The comments represent a marked change in tone from Make UK, whose members include car, defence and steel manufacturers. The sector is being battered by rising costs for energy, shipping and parts including microchips, of which there is a shortage. Stamp of approval: The manufacturing sector is being battered by rising costs for energy, shipping and parts including microchips, of which there is a shortage Ahead of next week's Budget, it demanded the Government stop 'fighting the last war' over Brexit and develop a long-term economic plan. Chief executive Stephen Phipson said: 'There is a feeling within industry that the Government sees business as the enemy within.' Pandora will hand a 500,000 pay rise to its UK staff as it fights to retain them in the run-up to the vital Christmas period. The Danish jewellery brand, whose ad campaigns have been fronted by Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, will today announce a 6 per cent increase in salaries for its 1,200 UK workers. This will increase hourly wages for the lowest paid shop staff from 8.91 to 9.50 outside London, adding 1,070 to the annual pay packet of a full-time worker. In London pay will increase from 10.25 to 10.85, adding 1,100 to salaries. Out of this world: Pandora's ad campaigns have been fronted by Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown (pictured) Rasmus Brix, managing director of Pandora UK and Ireland, said: 'We need to retain and hire more people. We offer very competitive terms.' After a series of problems, companies are struggling with the worst staff shortages since the late 1990s. Pandora, which has more than 160 shops in the UK, made profits of 282.7m last year, down from 434m in 2019, on revenues of 2.1billion, down from 2.4billion the year before. It expects revenues to grow to 2.5billion in 2021. Tax experts have claimed the British taxpayer will 'subsidise' the 7billion private equity takeover of Morrisons as investors prepare to vote through the deal tomorrow. US firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice is expected to be confirmed as the grocer's new owner at a price of 287p per share after a four-month bidding war. But MPs and tax campaigners last night said the deal 'stinks' and will likely result in Morrisons paying less tax to the Exchequer. Concern: MPs and tax campaigners said the deal 'stinks' and will likely result in Morrisons paying less tax to the Exchequer Sir Terry Leahy, 65, who led the CD&R bid, wrote to an MP last week seeking to provide assurances that Morrisons 'will remain a British business, registered and headquartered in the UK'. Experts said this was only partly relevant as they raised a red flag over the financing of the deal. Richard Murphy, of Sheffield University Management School, said: 'If CD&R put the debt on to Morrisons to buy it, then the profits are reduced due to the interest payments sent offshore. 'The Government will be subsidising this if there is debt involved. Is that a good use of taxpayer money?' George Turner, from research group Tax Watch, said: 'No one is suggesting that the owners will be moving the supermarkets to the Cayman Islands. 'The issue is that taxable profit in UK businesses can collapse after a takeover by a private equity fund.' Tax deductions for debt interest, paid to banks and bondholders, are available for all companies in the UK. But private equity companies borrow billions of pounds to fund large acquisitions, rather than fund operations or company growth, which are offset against profits, reducing the amount of corporation tax paid into the Treasury. Veteran MP Margaret Hodge, 77, who has long campaigned against tax avoidance, said: 'This deal simply stinks. I urge the Government to ensure that the taxpayer is not getting ripped off.' Sir Terry was boss of Tesco in the late 2000s when it admitted using offshore structures to avoid stamp duty. Morrison's chairman Andrew Higginson said the winning CD&R offer 'represents excellent value for shareholders' and protects the 'fundamental character of Morrisons for all stakeholders'. CD&R declined to comment. Two young Aussies are the masterminds of an ethical investment company the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have invested in. Johny Mair and his business partner Doug Scott left their homes in Queensland and Victoria as young men with ambitions of conquering Wall Street. Both enjoyed a modest upbringing in Australia before moving overseas. Mr Mair grew up in a housing commission home with 'little money' while Mr Scott was raised on the outskirts of Melbourne in a region constantly under threat of bushfires in Australia's often unforgiving climate. Two states separated them as boys, but both have credited their families for raising them to be confident and socially and environmentally conscious. Both men worked at Deutsche Bank for several years and, along with their colleague, Briton Jay Lipman, eventually branched out on their own to create a business more suited to their values. The co-founders of Ethic, Johny Mair (pictured left) and Jay Lipman, say they 'love hippies' to invest with them, because the team consider themselves hippies too Mr Mair tried his hand at several startups before settling on Ethic, including launching a toilet paper brand called Sh**ter which printed the entire contents of a person's Twitter feed onto a white cotton roll of toilet paper The trio launched Ethic in 2015, a startup which assists wealthy clients in ethically investing their money, with a focus on issues like climate change and human rights. This week the billion-dollar empire got an even greater boost, signing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on board as 'impact partners'. It's not yet clear what the Sussexes role as 'impact partners' will be, but it is expected to be a supercharged brand ambassador gig. It is the couple's latest move in their efforts to build what experts believe could be a $1billion brand in the US after quitting the Royal Family for independence and to earn their own money. The Sussexes have not said how much of their fortune they have invested in the 1.3billion investment fund, having been introduced to the founders by a mutual friend. For the two Aussies at the helm, signing the Royal couple is a major coup. Ethic was founded in 2015 by Briton Jay Lipman and Australian friends Doug Scott and Johny Mair (pictured left to right). All three worked in investment banking, including funds investing in oil, before setting up their $2.4billion fund in New York Mr Mair's work ethic saw him rise through the ranks quickly wherever he went and he moved from team to team until he felt he found his niche This week the billion-dollar empire got an even greater boost, signing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on board as 'impact partners'. It's not yet clear what the Sussexes role as 'impact partners' will be, but it is expected to be a supercharged brand ambassador gig Mr Mair tried his hand at several startups before settling on Ethic, including launching a toilet paper brand called Sh**ter which printed the entire contents of a person's Twitter feed onto a white cotton roll of toilet paper. He credits his father for giving him the confidence to follow his dreams - no matter how risky they might've felt. 'Dad was a big influence... He taught me that rules were meant to be broken and even as a child treated me like an equal, always asking my opinion regardless of topic,' he said in a blog post in 2014. In the same self-published piece, Mr Mair revealed he was raised in 'housing commission with little money' and his parents divorced when he was still young. As the middle child of the family, Mr Mair recalls feeling as though he was 'always in the middle'. Mr Mair, who worked upwards of 80-hour weeks as a labourer in his youth, quit his job at 22 to pursue a career in technology - a totally foreign industry to anything he'd ever done before Mr Mair shared this photo as he said he credits his father for giving him the confidence to follow his dreams - no matter how risky they might've felt Mr Mair, who worked upwards of 80-hour weeks as a labourer in his youth, quit his job at 22 to pursue a career in technology - a totally foreign industry to anything he'd ever done before. By the time he got a job three months later, he was so broke he could barely afford a takeaway McDonald's meal. Now at the helm of a business managing an estimated $AUD2.4billion, Mr Mair 'vividly recalls' his colleagues inviting him for a beer on his first week. He had to make up an excuse not to go because he was 'down to [his] last $20'. Mr Mair's work ethic saw him rise through the ranks quickly wherever he went and he moved from team to team until he felt he found his niche. At one company, Mr Mair said he worked for free for four months from 6.30am to 9am before starting his own job in a different department to prove just how much he wanted a transfer. 'I'm not scared of new challenges or risk taking,' he said. 'By no means am I a genius, but I am smart enough for my intelligence to not be a problem.' Meghan and Harry are becoming 'impact partners' and investors at sustainable investing firm Ethic. Mr Lipman's mother Marilyn and eldest son Stef, 37, spoke to MailOnline and said: 'He's a fun-loving hippie banker. He might not say it himself but that's what he is' Pictured: Mr Scott (left) and Mr Lipman (right) at an event that Mr Scott was speaking at Johny Mair's key qualities for success In a blog post back in 2014 - before Mr Mair had even launched Ethic - he revealed a list of key qualities he considered necessary for success. Sense of humor 'This is a quality you need if you want to keep your sanity,' Mr Mair said. He revealed a business idea once stemmed from a 'joke club' he established among friends. They created a business, 'Sh**ter' printing entire Twitter feeds onto toilet paper for a laugh. Empathy 'Having experienced quite a bit in my life, I feel this helps me understand people. Having empathy is one of the most important skills for understanding people whether it be the users of your product, colleagues or more generally just being a good human being. 'I have had my heart broken. I was a middle child..always in the middle. My parents are divorced. I have lost someone close to me. I have fallen in love. I have worked 80+ hours a week. I have worked as laborer. I have worked on a trading floor next to millionaires. I have lost money. I have made money. I have made bad decisions. I have followed my heart and wonand been burnt. I grew up in housing commission with little money. I have been on the front page of Reddit. I have played music in front of a crowd. I have raced motorbikes. I have spoken in front of 2000+ people. I have travelled all over the world. I have lost all my photos off my computer (pre-cloud). I have broken 3 bones. I have had surgery. I have been shat on by a bird.' Dedication 'I have driven 12 hours in a car and slept at a truck stop on the day of an interview... worked till 3am every night for 3 weeks to get a product out the door,' Mr Mair said. Adventurous / Risk taking 'I am not scared of new challenges or risk taking. On 3 occasions I have packed up my life by myself and moved to a new city in another country in search of opportunity. I have quit jobs with no idea where the next opportunity would be. I have travelled by myself. Its always scary but its been so rewarding all throughout my life.' His other key qualities for success are: Self Starter Curious Passionate Persistence Naivety Intelligence Advertisement Meanwhile Mr Scott was raised on the outskirts of Melbourne and grew up with two socially and politically conscious parents who encouraged him to develop his own values. In early 2020, the 33-year-old shared a video not far from his hometown, revealing the region had been decimated by Australia's worst bushfire season on record. 'This is the area that I grew up in and where my parents still live,' he said. He revealed the region was 'constantly under a bushfire threat' and that he grew up 'on high alert every summer'. Being raised in such a volatile natural environment helped to shape Mr Scott; who upon completing high school studied a Bachelor of Commerce and Engineering double degree at the University of Melbourne. He graduated with first class honours. Mr Scott moved to the US and landed a role at Deutsche Bank, conducting financial and strategic analysis. It's understood this is where he met Mr Mair and Mr Lipman. The royal couple say they were introduced to Ethic by friends. The investment firm has a $2.4billion fund and only invests in firms it deems fair and green The Sussexes have not said how much of their fortune they have invested in the 1.3billion investment fund, having been introduced to the founders by a mutual friend 'I was working with incredibly talented and driven people, who cared about the work involved with our clients. It just didn't sit well with my value set,' he said. By 2015, he, along with Mr Lipman and Mr Mair, were ready to go it alone. They launched Ethic, bright-eyed and hopeful it would herald a new dawn of conscious wealth investment. The New York-based fintech asset manager has a laid back workplace common in tech firms on the west coast of the US and pumps money into companies with what they deem acceptable environmental and social goals. Ethic, which was set up by the two men along with Briton Jay Lipman - a red-haired Prince Harry lookalike from London now settled in the US - 'loves hippies' to invest with them, because the team, several of whom worked for JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, consider themselves hippies too. Ethic's 'staff' included a number of dogs, including Roux and Gigi, apparently responsible for 'security', and Byron, pictured, who is named 'Chief Smile Officer' Also included in the ranks are Roux and Gigi, two dogs supposedly responsible for 'security', and Byron, who is appointed the 'Chief Smile Officer'. Harry and Meghan announced their latest tie-up with a statement on their Archewell website which read: 'When we invest in each other we change the world'. And in a joint interview with the New York Times, Meghan, a multi-millionaire former actress who lives with her royal husband and children in a $14million LA mansion, said: 'From the world I come from, you don't talk about investing, right? You don't have the luxury to invest. That sounds so fancy.' She added: 'My husband has been saying for years: ''Gosh, don't you wish there was a place where if your values were aligned like this, you could put your money to that same sort of thing?'',' adding the couple were introduced to Ethic by friends. It is not yet clear how much they invested 'earlier this year' or if they are being paid a salary for their 'impact partner' roles. Ethic claims to only invest in businesses that meet its 'social responsibility criteria', including on racial justice, climate change and workplace standards such as gender equality and fair pay. In early 2020, the 33-year-old shared a video not far from his hometown, revealing the region had been decimated by Australia's worst bushfire season on record Mr Lipman, a University of Edinburgh graduate, claims clients make just as much money with them as those putting money into more traditional portfolios including fossil fuels and tobacco companies. Ethic said it was thrilled to be welcoming the couple. Harry and Meghan 'share a lot of values with us, and we suspect, with many of you as well. 'That's why we're so excited that they're joining us as impact partners,' a statement on its website said. It said the Sussexes wanted to 'shine a light on how we can all impact the causes that affect our communities'. 'They're deeply committed to helping address the defining issues of our time-such as climate, gender equity, health, racial justice, human rights, and strengthening democracy and understand that these issues are inherently interconnected,' it added. 'So much so, in fact, that they became investors in Ethic earlier this year and have investments managed by Ethic as well.' An Indian woman claims to have had her first child at the age of 70, making her one of the oldest first-time mothers in the world. Jivunben Rabari and her husband Maldhari, 75, proudly showed off their son - whose name they have not revealed - to reporters as they said he had been conceived through IVF. Rabari has said she does not have ID to prove her age, but told reporters it was 70, which would make her one of the oldest first mothers in the world. However, another Indian woman, Erramatti Mangayamma, is believed to be the oldest after having twin girls in September 2019 at the age of 74. Rabari and Maldhari, from a small village called Mora in Gujurat, India, have been married for 45 years and have been trying unsuccessfully for a baby for decades. They were able to have a child through IVF, which can be effective after menopause. The couple's doctor Naresh Bhanushali said it was 'one of the rarest cases I have ever seen'. Indian woman, Jivunben Rabari, who claims to be 70 has welcomed her first baby, which would make her one of the oldest new mothers in the world Jivunben Rabari and her husband Maldhari, who is said to be 75, welcomed a son through IVF this month The couple, from a village called Mora in Gujurat, India, have not revealed what they have named their son Dr Naresh Bhanushali described Jivunben's pregnancy and successful delivery as one of the 'rarest' cases he had ever seen How is it possible for a woman in her 70s to give birth? The chances of getting pregnant in your seventies naturally are virtually zero. This is because the overwhelming majority of women go through the menopause between their late 40s and early 50s. Most women over the age of 45 can't conceive without the help of IVF, and the older they are, the more difficult it is. But the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) claims that any woman of any age can get pregnant with medical help provided that she has a 'normal uterus', even if she no longer has ovaries. But the success rate is just one in 50 for women over 44, let alone those into their seventies. Medics use an egg donated by a much younger woman and it is fertilised outside of the body using a man's sperm. Eventually, the embryo is placed inside the woman's womb in the hopes that she'll become pregnant. Most clinics in the West have age limits in place, which means rarely will women in their senior years be accepted for the procedure. Generally the NHS will only support treatment for the women up to the age of 42. This is done for the health of their baby and themselves. Elderly women are more likely to develop life-threatening complications and severe long-term consequences like high blood pressure and diabetes. Babies born to older women are also at an increased risk of getting a genetic disorder or developing mental health problems including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or autism. They are also more likely to be born prematurely, which can be deadly. There have, however, been a number of instances of women into their 60s and 70s having children through IVF in India. Advertisement Dr Bhanushali said: 'When they first came to us, we told them that they couldn't have a child at such an old age, but they insisted. 'They said that many of their family members did it as well. This is one of the rarest cases I have ever seen.' The chances of a woman in her 70s getting pregnant naturally are virtually zero due to most women going through the menopause between their late 40s and early 50s. But the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) claims that any woman of any age can get pregnant with medical help provided that she has a 'normal uterus', even if she no longer has ovaries. Medics use an egg donated by a much younger woman and it is fertilised outside of the body using a man's sperm. Eventually, the embryo is placed inside the woman's womb in the hopes that she'll become pregnant. There have been several instances of women into their 60s and 70s having children through IVF in India. Mangayamma is believed to be the oldest woman in the world to give birth after welcoming twins through IVF aged 74. Mangayamma gave birth to twin girls in a 'medical miracle' on September 5, 2019, following IVF treatments involving a donor's egg and her husband's sperm. The pensioner, of Andhra Pradesh state, revealed she was inspired to try for a baby after her 55-year-old neighbour conceived. She and husband Sitarama Raja Rao, then 82, welcomed the babies after 57 years of marriage without children, and described themselves as the 'happiest couple on earth'. Mangayamma said at the time: 'I cannot express my feeling in words. These babies complete me. My six decade-long wait has finally come to an end. Now, no one call me infertile anymore.' Mangayamma gave birth at the Ahalya IVF clinic today under the guidance of Dr S Umashankar. Dr Umashankar said it came as a 'surprise' when the patient approached him last November, but revealed he saw it as a 'challenge'. It is believed the Ahalya IVF clinic in Guntur city paid for most of the procedure as medics knew it would be an historic achievement. Mangayamma conceived in January 2019 after her first cycle of IVF. She was kept in hospital throughout the pregnancy where a team of ten doctors monitored her health. The birth smashed the previous oldest first mother by eight years. The world's oldest mother was officially listed by Guinness World Records as Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara, who was 66 years and 358 days old when she gave birth to twin baby boys, Christian and Pau, in December 2006. Father Sitarama Raja Rao, 82, pictured with his hands resting on the baby's cot, suffered a heart attack one day after declaring himself and his wife the 'happiest couple in the world' because of the successful delivery of their twin girls by IVF They used an egg from a donor, fertilised with Mr Raja Rao's sperm and conceived in the first round of treatment The world's oldest parents: Age 74: Erramatti Mangayamma gave birth to twin girls in September 2019 following IVF treatment. The pensioner, of Andhra Pradesh state, revealed she was inspired to try for a baby after her 55-year-old neighbour conceived. She and husband Sitarama Raja Rao, then 82, welcomed the babies after 57 years of marriage without children, and described themselves as the 'happiest couple on earth'. Rao died from a heart attack a year after the twins were born. Erramatti Mangayamma (pictured) gave birth to twin girls in September 2019 following IVF treatment Age 72: Daljinder Kaur delivered her first child in April 2016 after conceiving through IVF. Daljinder had her first child after 46 years of marriage after her husband Mohinder Singh Gill, 80, agreed to have IVF treatment following several failed attempts at having their own child. Son Armaan Singh weighed just 3lbs 9oz at the time of birth. Daljinder Kaur delivered her first child in April 2016 after conceiving through IVF Age 66 and 358 days: Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara gained worldwide notoriety when she gave birth to twins aged 66 in December 2006. The former shop worker, who was single, was branded 'selfish and irresponsible' by her own family over her decision to conceive so late in life. She admitted lying about her age in order to receive fertility treatment at a private clinic in Los Angeles, for which she paid a reported 30,000 Maria returned to Barcelona where she delivered her sons by caesarean section. She claimed to be feeling healthier than ever and predicted that she would see her children live into adulthood and eventually become a grandmother herself. She told reporters at the time she believed she would live past 100 as she had 'longevity in her family'. But she died in July 2009 from cancer, having been diagnosed a year after giving birth. Age 66 and 358 days: Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara gained worldwide notoriety when she gave birth to twins aged 66 in December 2006 Age 66: Elizabeth Adeney, from the UK, who gave birth to a son in May 2009, following IVF treatment. Adeney travelled to Ukraine for the IVF treatment as clinics in the UK refuse to treat women over 50. The case reignited the debate over post-menopausal motherhood which has been made possible by modern scientific techniques. Adeney first had fertility treatment two decades before giving birth, but was told by medical experts at the time that she could no longer continue with attempts to fall pregnant. She gave birth to her son, weighing 5lb 3oz, via caesarian section in May 2009. Elizabeth Adeney, from the UK, who gave birth to a son in May 2009 Advertisement At least five people charged with storming the U.S. Capitol have refused defense lawyers and are electing to represent themselves, undeterred by their lack of legal training or repeated warnings from judges. That choice already has led to some curious legal maneuvers and awkward exchanges in court. Among the five who've opted to go it alone are cop-turned-yoga teacher Alan Hostetter, 57, who believes the official inquiry into the riot is fixed. Also representing himself is Brandon Fellows, 27. He sought to have the judge trying his case removed by mooting a possible trick he'd tried during separate legal proceedings in New York. That saw him find out the phone number of the other judge's wife, then putting it down as his number on his contact form, in the hopes the perceived relationship would end the case. Fellows has yet to make that move for the riot case, and is said to have been warned that doing so could see him arrested again. Meanwhile, Pauline Bauer is representing herself because she believes the US legal system has no right to try her - and intends to make that clear when she has her day in court. This image, from the criminal complaint, shows a Brian Christopher Mock, center, in an image captured in police body worn video on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Mock is one of at least five people charged in the riot at the U.S. Capitol who have chosen to defend themselves in court, brushing aside federal judges' repeated warnings about the risks of trying to navigate their high-stakes cases without an attorney The right to self-representation is a bedrock principle of the Constitution. But a longtime judge cited an old adage in advising a former California police chief that he would have 'a fool for a client' if he represented himself, with many of those who've opted for self-representation now likely to trip themselves up. Brandon Fellows, 27, is another who has chosen to defend themselves in court without a lawyer And Michael Magner, a New Orleans criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, observed, 'Just because you have a constitutional right to do something doesnt necessarily mean that its smart.' The decision by at least five defendants to defend themselves is bound to create a host of challenges, particularly for those behind bars. They risk getting themselves in more legal trouble if they say the wrong thing in court. They have to sift through the mountain of evidence investigators have collected in the attack. And the strategy is already testing judges ability to maintain control of their courtrooms. 'I would never represent myself if I were charged with a crime,' U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth told Alan Hostetter before allowing him to handle his own defense against riot charges. The judge warned the ex-police chief that he has never seen anyone successfully represent himself since his appointment to the bench in 1987. Hostetter, 56, was arrested in June along with five other men on charges that they conspired to stop Congress from certifying Joe Bidens victory in the presidential election. The indictment links four of Hostetter's co-defendants to the Three Percenters, a wing of the militia movement. Hostetter, who began teaching yoga after more than 20 years as an officer, told Lamberth that the 'corruption of this investigation' is one reason he wants to represent himself. His finances also were a factor. This image from Metropolitan Police Department body worm camera video and contained in the Statement of Facts supporting an arrest warrant for Pauline Bauer, pointing second to left, taken in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. She is representing herself in court Pauline Bauer (left), who stormed the Capitol on January 6 and allegedly threatened to lynch House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has claimed in court that she has immunity from the law thanks to 'divine empowerment' 'I believe that it's a governmental strategy and tactic that if they can't convict you, they at least want to bankrupt and destroy you,' Hostetter said. Another defendant representing himself, Brandon Fellows of upstate New York, recently unsuccessfully petitioned U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden to release him from jail. Video shows Fellows, who was photographed wearing a fake orange beard during the riot, with his feet propped on a table in the office of Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. Fellows was locked up this summer for missing a mental health evaluation appointment and harassing a probation officer. Fellows, 27, took the stand to argue for his release, brushing aside warnings from the judge that he could open himself to perjury charges if he testified. In doing so, Fellows may have compounded his legal troubles. Alan Hostetter, 56, speaks during a pro-Trump election integrity rally he organized at the Orange County Registrar of Voters offices in Santa Ana, California in November 2020. Hostetter has decided to represent himself in court without the expertise of an attorney Fellows told McFadden that he used what he described as a 'loophole' he had read about online to disqualify a different judge overseeing an unrelated case in New York. Fellows said he listed a phone number for that judge's wife as his own number in court records to make it appear that he knows the woman. Fellows said he also asked the public defender who represented him before he rebuffed counsel in the riot case if he should try to get McFadden replaced by contacting the judge's family, but the lawyer warned him that would get him arrested. In denying Fellows' bid for release, McFadden told Fellows that he admitted to likely obstructing justice in the New York case and considering it in his riot case. McFadden, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, also jailed self-represented defendant Pauline Bauer last month for failing to comply with court orders to cooperate with probation officers during her pretrial release. Bauer was arrested in May along with a friend who joined her at the Capitol. Video from a police officers body camera captured Bauer saying to bring out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to be hanged, the FBI says. Smoke fills the walkway outside the Senate Chamber as supporters of President Donald Trump, including Eric Bochene, far right, are confronted by U.S. Capitol Police officers inside. Bochene is one of at least five people who will not use the services of a lawyer in court Bauer, who owns a restaurant in rural Kane, Pennsylvania, has repeatedly interrupted the judge during hearings. She also has argued in vain that the court doesnt have any jurisdiction over her, expressing an ideology that appears to comport with the 'sovereign citizens' extremist movement. During a July 19 hearing, Bauer told McFadden that she doesnt want 'any lawyering from the bench.' When the judge denied her request to dismiss her charges, she asked, 'On what terms?' 'You dont get to demand terms from me,' replied McFadden. McFadden appointed lawyers to serve as standby counsel for Fellows and Bauer and assist at the defendants' request. After U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss ruled last month that Eric Bochene can represent himself, the upstate New York man submitted a 'fee schedule' in which he appeared to be attempting to create a structure for him to collect fees for working on his own case. Closeup body camera footage sees Bauer arguing with a police officer in the Rotunda Texts, Facebook posts and video grabs from the FBI placing Pauline Bauer in the midst of the Capitol insurrection on January 6th, 2021 In a series of photographs, Bauer could be seen entering the Capitol rotunda It's alleged that while she was in the Capitol rotunda Bauer told police that she wanted to kill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, pictured Earlier this year, Bauer filed court documents that she claimed freed her from government control The filing indicates he wants to charge up to $250,000 for spending two hours in court if he feels he is appearing 'under protest and duress' and $50,000 if he is there voluntarily. A 'forced giving of bodily fluids' carries a $5 million charge under Bochene's billing schedule. The judge denied the request, noting that Bochene hasn't been ordered to take any actions requiring payment. 'Furthermore, to the extent Defendant is seeking payment for appearing in Court, that argument lacks merit,' said the judge's terse order. A fifth riot defendant, Brian Christopher Mock, began representing himself last month after having an assistant federal public defender as his attorney, court records indicate. A tipster told the FBI that Mock bragged about assaulting police officers and destroying property at the Capitol after he returned home to Minnesota. More than 640 people have been charged in the riot. Several cases already have been resolved with sentencing ranging from probation to jail terms of less than a year. Some defendants charged with the most serious offenses - including conspiracy cases against extremist group members - could face years in prison if convicted. More than 640 people have been charged so far in the siege (file photo) It can be a challenge for judges to maintain their composure and control of their courtrooms when a defendant isnt represented by a lawyer. 'The court will often wind up bending over backwards to make sure that people don't make their situations worse by wanting to be their own Perry Mason,' Magner said. New York civil rights lawyer Ron Kuby, who has served as standby counsel for about a dozen self-represented defendants, has practiced law for nearly 40 years and never seen one such defendant secure an acquittal. But a favorable verdict isnt always their primary objective, he said, adding that sometimes a defendant wants to use a trial to make a political point. He said laypeople shouldnt represent themselves for the same reason that lawyers shouldnt, either. 'You dont have objectivity,' Kuby said. 'You need to to be able to look at the case in an objective way, which is hard to do when you feel youre being criminalized for preventing an illegitimate president from seizing power, however crazy that may sound.' At least 25 people have died in landslides and floods triggered by heavy rains in India, officials have said. Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala over the weekend, while rescuers have been scouring for survivors in muddy debris and the military flew in emergency supplies. People were cut off in parts of the coastal state of Kerala after the rains, which started to intensify from late Friday, swelled rivers and flooded roads over the weekend. Eleven bodies have been found so far in Idukki district and another 14 in Kottayam district, officials told AFP, after the areas were hit by landslides and flash floods. Among the dead are a family of six - including three children and a grandmother - who were killed in a landslide in Kottayam district. At least 25 people have died in landslides and floods triggered by heavy rains in India, officials said Sunday Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala Video shared on social media showed debris strewn across streets and bridges in Kerala state 'There were four landslides that happened there [in Kuttikkal village] yesterday, the hill behind me, which brought water and other items downwards,' a local resident told Reuters partner ANI on Sunday, standing in front of now-barren hillside. One distraught man told Kerala news channel Manorama TV in Koottickal town in Kottayam, after it was hit by a landslide: 'It was my livelihood. Everything is gone.' 'The hill broke off near us. There has been a lot of damage and loss. The house has gone. Children have gone,' a woman from Koottickal added. The bodies of three more children - aged eight, seven and four - were recovered from under debris in the Idukki district, the BBC reported. At least 100 relief camps have been set up, Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Sunday. The army, navy and airforce are assisting with flood relief and rescue operations, with fishing boats also deployed to help the effort. Officials could not say how many people were missing. Video shared on social media showed buses and cars submerged in floodwaters. Other footage showed the dramatic moment a two-storey house collapsed into flood waters and was swept away in Kottayam district. Over the weekend as rescuers scoured for survivors in muddy debris and the military flew in emergency supplies Residents were cut off in parts of the coastal state of Kerala as the rains, which started to intensify from late Friday, swelled rivers and flooded roads Rescue teams from the Indian navy flew into Kerala state on Sunday to aid evacuation efforts At least 25 people were killed in land- and mudslides caused by heavy rain in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala Water rushes through forests in Kerala state in the aftermath of a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences and said authorities were working to help those who were affected or hit by the deluge. The India Meteorological Department said the heavy rains, caused by a low pressure area over the southeastern Arabian Sea and Kerala, were expected to ease on Monday. In northern India, some states including the Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are forecast to experience 'heavy to very heavy rainfall' in the next two to three days, the weather bureau said. The northern weather system would be caused by a low pressure area over Afghanistan and its surroundings interacting with strong winds from the Bay of Bengal, it added. In 2018, nearly 500 people were killed in Kerala when it was ravaged by the worst floods to hit the state in almost a century. The army, navy and airforce are assisting with flood relief and rescue operations, with fishing boats also deployed to help the effort Video shared on social media showed debris strewn across streets as the water raged through towns in Kerala state Rescue workers carry the body of a victim after recovering it from the debris of a residential house following a landslide caused by heavy rainfall at Kokkayar village, Kerala state Rescue teams helped recover bodies of victims trapped under rubble and debris after landslides in southern India caused by heavy rainfall The India Meteorological Department said the heavy rains, caused by a low pressure area over the southeastern Arabian Sea and Kerala, were expected to ease on Monday Investigators probing an oil pipeline leakage in California have shared the name of a container ship whose anchor may have snagged the pipe nine months earlier, as they probe whether that impact may have triggered the ensuing leak. Federal investigators from the National Coast Guard and National Transportation Board had mounted the Panama-registered MSC DANIT hours after the ship arrived this weekend off the Port of Long Beach, the same area where the leak happened. The suspected DANIT impact is feared to have shattered a concrete protective layer around the pipeline, sparking fears that may have caused the oil line to rupture months later. The early October spill was estimated to have leaked 25,000 gallons of crude along the Southern California coastline that killed birds, fish and mammals. The Mediterranean Shipping Company, or MSC, along with the vessel's owner Dordellas Finance Corporation have been named 'parties of interest' for their part in the leak investigation. The MSC Danit, belonging to the Mediterranean Shipping Company, and its owner Dordellas Finance Corporation has been named 'parties of interest' in the early October oil spill investigation The 165,000 ton cargo ship was said to have possibly hit an underwater pipeline off of the Southern California coast about nine months before the leak The 25,000 gallon crude leak had killed animals living off the southern California coast including birds, fish and mammals An aerial view shows the closed off oiled up shore of Newport Beach on October 6 The DANIT's operator, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, is headquartered in Switzerland and has a fleet of 600 vessels and more than 100,000 workers, according to the company. During a prior visit by the ship during a heavy storm in January, investigators believe its anchor dragged for an unknown distance before striking the 16-inch steel pipe, Coast Guard Lt. j.g. SondraKay Kneen told the Associated Press on Sunday. The impact would have knocked an inch-thick concrete casing off the pipe and pulled it more than 100 feet, bending but not breaking the line, Kneen said. Still undetermined is whether the impact caused the October leak, or if the line was hit by something else at a later date or failed due to a preexisting problem, Kneen said. 'We're still looking at multiple vessels and scenarios,' she said. The DANIT arrived in Long Beach this weekend after voyaging from China, according to marine traffic monitoring websites. Workers are seen cleaning the contaminated Huntington Beach on October 11 Workers in protective suits clean the contaminated Newport Beach on October 6 The investigation into what caused the spill could lead to criminal charges or civil penalties, but none have been announced yet, and Kneen said the probe could continue for months. Attorneys for MSC and Dordellas will have the chance to examine and cross-examine the governments witnesses in the case and also to call their own witnesses, according to the Coast Guard. The investigation also includes the National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies. Kneen declined to say if any damage was found to an anchor on the DANIT after a team of at least five investigators spent much of Saturday aboard the ship. At least two other vessels were previously boarded by investigators, who are examining logs kept by the ships' captains, officers and engineers and voyage data recorders - equivalent to the so-called black box on airplanes. A view of the spilled oil formed in the Pacific Ocean following the spill on October 2 The pipe (circled in red) was dragged 105 feet away and is bowed after a suspected anchor dragged it across the ocean floor In response to the new focus on the DANIT, the Houston-based owner of the damaged pipeline, Amplify Energy, thanked the Coast Guard for its continued work on the case. The accident just a few miles off Huntington Beach in Orange County fouled beaches and wetlands and led to temporary closures for cleanup work. While not as bad as initially feared, it has reignited the debate over offshore drilling in federal waters in the Pacific, where hundreds of miles of pipelines were installed decades ago. Jill Biden on Sunday returned to the South Carolina Baptist church where she says she began to repair her relationship with God following her son's death from brain cancer six years ago. Leaving from D.C., the first lady was wearing a caramel colored jacket and holding a bouquet of what appears to be red roses with other white flowers likely a gift for the pastor being celebrated. The first lady quietly flew to West Columbia for a surprise appearance at the 50th anniversary celebration for Pastor Charles B. Jackson Sr. of Brookland Baptist Church. She was raised by agnostic parents, and confirmed as a Presbyterian aged 16. President Biden is a practicing Catholic, with the first lady regularly seen joining him at mass, although it's unclear if she has converted too. Dr. Biden was accompanied for the Sunday afternoon trip by Anthony Bernal, a senior adviser who was deputy campaign manager for Joe Biden's 2020 campaign with a long history in Democratic politics working for Vice President Al Gore during the Clinton administration as well as various roles in the Obama administration from 2009-2017, including as the director of scheduling for the second lady Biden. Jill Biden is pictured speaking at the Brookland Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, on Sunday morning The first lady gave an extensive speech about how she returned to her faith following her son Beau's death in 2015 The first lady quietly flew to West Columbia for a surprise appearance at the 50th anniversary celebration for Pastor Charles B. Jackson Sr. of Brookland Baptist Church Upon arriving in the Palmetto State, the first lady was changed into a powder blue skirt suit. She arrived at the church around 3:30 p.m. and immediately participated in a photo line with members of the congregation. Biden praised Charles Jackson for presiding over a ministry that helps feed the hungry, provides college scholarships and runs a health and wellness program. 'This church changed my Life. You brought countless people to God's grace,' she told him. 'You remind us that we are the body of Christ.' But she opened her remarks by retelling the story of how she and Robin Jackson met, saying the relationship has 'shaped my life.' The Bidens' son Beau, who was 46, married and had two young children, died of brain cancer in 2015. The first lady has said she prayed and prayed that he would live, and was devastated when her prayers went unanswered and he passed away. The Bidens' son Beau, who was 46, married and had two young children, died of brain cancer in 2015. The first lady has said she prayed and prayed that he would live, and was devastated when her prayers went unanswered and he passed away. Joe and Beau are pictured in 2008 'I felt betrayed, broken,' she said Sunday, her voice breaking. She said her own pastor emailed her occasionally to check in and invite her back to service. 'But I just couldnt go. I couldnt even pray. I wondered if I would ever feel joy again,' she said. Four years later, she had that chance encounter with Robin Jackson. 'Every Wednesday Robin would text Dr. Jill to let her know she had called their names in prayer,' the city's newsletter said in January 2021. 'Dr. Jill would always return a text expressing appreciation.' Jill Biden uses the professional title 'Dr.' because of her doctorate degree. Jill Biden told talk-show host Kelly Clarkson in February 2021 that regular contact with Robin Jackson had made a difference. 'It really helped me find my faith again,' the first lady told Clarkson. The pastor posted a message of thanks online as he celebrated 50 years as Brookland Bapstist Church's pastor Dr. Jill Biden was a guest to celebrate The Rev. Charles B. Jackson, Sr.'s 50th anniversary at Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia Her role in celebrating the pastor's 50th anniversary was intended to be a surprise for Robin Jackson. The Jacksons' son, the Rev. Charles B. Jackson Jr., said his mother did not know the first lady was coming. 'It took everything in us to keep it from her,' he told the audience after the first lady had concluded her remarks, calling her appearance 'an expression of love and friendship.' Sunday is not the first time Dr. Biden has been to Brookland Baptist Church in Columbia, which is located in a quiet, predominantly Black neighborhood. In May 2019, the church hosted Jill and then-candidate Biden for a service while he was campaigning to be the Democratic candidate to take on Donald Trump. At that service, Jill established a relationship with the pastor's wife, Robin Jackson, the first lady's office relayed. She has previously spoken publicly about her 'personal connection' to the church specifically when detailing how she was struggling with faith while attending a service there during the campaign and shortly after her son Beau died. A woman at this church who happened to be the pastor's wife approached Dr. Biden and asked her to become her prayer partner. The White House did not publicly announce Sunday's trip and the first lady flew, apparently by coincidence, on an unmarked D.C. Air National Guard airplane. But she also travels in a motorcade with police escorts, and flashing lights and sirens, and U.S. Secret Service agents show up at her destinations ahead of time to make sure the properties are secure. She arrived at the church about a half-hour before the event began and, wearing a black face mask, shared a front-row pew with the Jacksons and Crystal Person, who is originally from the area and is married to Fran Person, a longtime personal aide to Joe Biden. Robin Jackson was among religious leaders who recited prayers for Joe Biden during a virtual prayer service the morning after his inauguration in January. Dr. Biden and The Rev. Jackson's wife, Robin Jackson have become close friends since the Biden's first visited the church several year ago Joe and Jill Biden are pictured attending a service at Brookland Baptist in West Columbia during a trip to South Carolina in May 2019. 'More recently, First Lady Jackson provided a recorded prayer for the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, which was held virtually on January 21, 2021,' the statement adds. 'FLOTUS and President Biden watched from the White House.' During Jill's trip, President Biden was laying low. He did not have any public events on Sunday and while the presidential pool was instructed to gathered around 1:00 p.m., a lid was called at 12:50 p.m. meaning members of the press could go home. On a rare Saturday night in the district considering the Bidens often opt to go to their home in Wilmington, Delaware over the weekend the first couple went out for dinner at DC Michelin-starred restaurant Fiola Mare in the harbor of Georgetown. The two were pictured at the seafood restaurant 'date night' after attending Saturday evening mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown. The couple held hands as they made their way into the restaurant, followed by secret service agents dressed in black suits and black face masks. Gabby Petito's mother has told of how she believed Brian Laundrie would keep her daughter safe on the ill-fated road trip that saw the young woman strangled to death. During a 60 Minutes Australia interview posted online Sunday, Petitos mother said that while she worried about the trip before it began in July, she believed Laundrie would protect her daughter. It felt safe because she was with Brian and I felt like she would be OK, Nichole Schmidt told the outlet. I thought he would take care of her. Schmidt recalled a time when she was fond of Laundrie. Nichole Schmidt (right) is pictured with daughter Gabby Petito, who was slain in August Earlier in their relationship, he would visit the familys home, and draw pictures and read books to Petitos younger sibling. He was very polite and quiet, she said. He just seemed like a nice guy. She now has a different impression of Laundrie, who did not accept her calls before going missing. The grieving mom, who flew to Wyoming to collect her daughter's ashes over the weekend, said she hopes Laundrie is hunted down and jailed. Schmidt said she believed her daughter would be safe with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie Hes a coward, she said. I dont want to say hes insane because he went home, hes hiding, he used her credit card. Thats not somebody whos gone crazy. He knew what he was doing. She added: 'I just want to get him in a cell for the rest of his life.' Even though she trusted her daughter with Laundrie, she urged Petito to take caution on the trip. 'I worried,' she told 60 Minutes. 'I told her to be careful, be safe. To be aware of your surroundings. Dont trust anybody.' Petito, 23, was discovered dead September 19 in Wyomings Grand Teton National Park, months after she and boyfriend Brian Laundrie embarked in a cross-country trip in their Ford Transit camper van. Her boyfriend returned from the trip September 1 alone, and refused to say what became of his partner. Laundrie the only person of interest in the case is now missing, and police arent sure whether hes hiding or dead. Petito's body was discovered in a campsite close to the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19 - eight days after her family reported her missing, and 22 days after the last reported sighting of her alive on August 27. She was strangled and was likely killed three-to-four weeks before her body was discovered, a coroner said. The couple extensively documented their travels online, presenting a happy front for social media. Behind the scenes, they fought. Their van was pulled over August 12 after witnesses spotted a physical altercation in Moab, Utah. Witnesses told police they saw Laundrie strike Petito, although she told police she was the aggressor. The couple was separated for the night, but no one was arrested or charged. Petito was reported missing after Laundrie returned from a cross-country trip without her Before she was slain, her mom (pictured at left with Petito's stepfather James Schmidt) said Laundrie 'seemed like a nice guy.' Her impression of him changed after Petito disappeared About a week after Petito was reported missing, Laundrie also disappeared. Police aren't sure whether the 23-year-old - the only person of interest in the case - is dead or in hiding Petito and Laundrie began their road trip in June, and lived in this Ford Transit camper van Petitos mom became worried when several days passed without hearing from her daughter and reported her missing September 11. She learned that night that Laundrie returned to his parents North Port, Florida, home alone. His parents reported him missing after September 17, claiming he failed to return home from a hike. They steered investigators toward the alligator-infested, 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota, Florida. Investigators spent more than $1million scouring the area for Laundrie, but didnt find him. The FBI issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie last month after alleging he used a Capitol One Bank debit card that wasnt his. The agency said Laundrie is wanted for 'use of unauthorized access device' related to his activities between August 30 and September 1, following Petito's death, and that he used the card to obtain items totaling $1,000 or more. A 4'8 black woman who lost her eye in a car accident was filmed being flung to the ground by a white sheriff's deputy with such force that her braids broke off. Shantel Arnold, 34, was attacked by the deputy from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office on September 20 after she was previously ambushed by three neighborhood boys, locals say. Arnold, standing at a height of 4'8 and weighing 100 pounds, was seen as an easy target for the boys due to her small, skinny frame and her missing eye from a prior car accident, it is claimed. The deputy then went after Arnold, who had used a stick to fend the boys off as her stepfather Lionel Gray, 71, shooed them off, according to eyewitnesses. He is said to have begun attacking Arnold after she refused to talk to him about what had happened, because she just wanted to get home. A 14 second video showed the deputy, who hasn't been named, hurling Arnold to the ground, prompting outrage among family members and racial justice groups who say she was the victim. 'I'm on my way home. I ain't make it all the way to the block, the police come out of nowhere, swarming, getting me like, 'Come here.' I'm like, 'What's going on? I just got beat up by two children, what ya'll doing?', Arnold told NOLA.com. Video footage captured the moment a black woman was seen being pulled by her braids and slammed to the ground by a white Jefferson Parish deputy officer Shantel Arnold, 34, was considered an easy target for a trio of neighborhood boys who had previously attacked her. Arnold stands at a height of 4'8 and weights only 100 pounds as well as only having one eye. The footage of the attack, recorded by a witness, captured the officer attempting to pick a struggling Arnold up off the street. The officer then aggressively grabs Arnold by her braids and slams her to the ground a couple of times. He then appears to kneel on her back as the video ends. During the restraint, the cop is said to have grabbed Arnold by her braids to hard that several of them were torn out. Arnold was then taken to the hospital, and did not face any criminal charges over the alteraction. But she sustained multiple injuries including bruises and scratches across her body, a busted lip, and recurring headaches. Her sister Mercedes, 32, had arrived at the scene where the deputy who attacked Arnold was still present. He then tried to convince Mercedes to call the coroner and have her sister be committed to a mental health hospital, with the family claiming that was just a ruse by the deputy to justify his behavior. 'He was just trying to cover up what he did by saying my sister is crazy,' Mercedes said after she refused the officer's request. The deputy officer remained unprovoked by Arnold after he attempted to forcibly pick her up by her arms for fending off the boys with a stick The deputy officer then appeared to put his knee on Arnold's back The officer who attacked Arnold has not been named but is currently under investigation. The unnamed officer has even showed up to the Arnold's home since the attack, according to family members, who believe it may be a form of intimidation. Witnesses to the incident, including Gray, have said that Arnold did not even provoke the officer in the attack. 'She didnt have a chance to pull away because, you know, this guy was strong,' Gray said. 'He grabbed her arm, and some kind of move he made, and she went down to the ground. 'So I was walking up to him and he told me, If you come any closer Im going to kick everybodys a** out here. So, I said ... you dont have to use that type of force on that little woman right there, shes a midget. Others who have responded to the video have called the attack 'shocking' and 'outrageous', as well as questioning the integrity of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. 'Yet another testament to the shocking frequency that JPSO targets and brutalizes innocent, unarmed members of the Black community,' Alanah Odoms, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana said. Sam Walker, emeritus professor of criminal justice at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, questioned the department's training in regards to control and de-escalation tactics 'There are essentially two answers here. One is they do, and he ignored his training, Walker said. 'Or answer number two is no, they don't, which is to say their training program is completely unacceptable. So, it's either him or the organization.' The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office has long been accused of using forceful tactics by the area's black residents The black residents of Jefferson Parish have long complained of JPSO targeting them and the abusive deputies from the department. The department has allegedly used brutal force and made false arrests, according to those from the community. An investigation on these allegations saw that more than 70% of black individuals were targeted and shot at in the past eight years, according to a story by ProPublica and WWNO/WRKF. That comes despite black people making up just 35 per cent of the parish's population. The investigation also saw that 12 of the 16 people who died after being shot at or restrained by deputies were black. DailyMail.com reached out to Shantel Arnold for comment. Scott Morrison is on the cusp of announcing a target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 despite fears the plan could cost the average Australian hundreds of dollars a year. The Prime Minister announced on Friday he would attend the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow at the end of this month. His decision came as the Queen - Australia's head of state - was recorded on a hot mic criticising world leaders who 'talk but don't do' and Aussie comedian Dan Ilic booked satirical adverts mocking his lack of climate action in New York's Times Square. Aussie comedian Dan Ilic booked satirical adverts (pictured) mocking Mr Morrison's lack of climate action in New York's Times Square on Saturday The majority of the Liberal Party wants to adopt the target so Australia can do its bit to slow climate change which will make heatwaves and bushfires, flooding and droughts more frequent and intense in the coming years. But the policy now rests with their junior Coalition partner - the National Party - which is locked in talks about whether to agree to a net zero plan, with several members opposed due to fears it would harm economic prosperity in their regional electorates. They fear power prices would go up or jobs would be lost if the nation moves too fast towards renewable energy - but net zero supporters say the cost of inaction would be far greater. The Prime Minister will be hoping to secure a deal - which may involve offering billions of taxpayer dollars to regional Australia - so the country doesn't look like a pariah on the world stage. So what would a net zero target mean for everyday Australians? Will power bills go up? Currently 77.4 per cent of Australia's electricity is generated from the fossil fuels coal, gas and oil while 22.6 per cent comes from renewables such as solar, wind and hydro. Net-zero sceptics say moving too fast towards renewable energy would leave the nation short on power and see electricity prices skyrocket. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has been pointing to the UK where gas bills rose 12 per cent in the first two weeks of October. This is partly because the UK, which normally generates around 20 per cent of its electricity from wind, had its least windy summer since 1961, meaning more gas had to be bought from overseas. But prices are also being affected by increased global demand as the world recovers from the coronavirus pandemic and Russia deliberately holding back supply. Mr Morrison presented a poll to his Cabinet this week which found about 80 per cent of Aussies support a net zero target by 2050, even if it would cost them an extra $300 a year. Net-zero sceptics say moving too fast towards renewable energy would leave the nation short on power and see electricity prices skyrocket. Pictured: Wind turbines near Bungendore, 40km east of Canberra But the poll found support decreased if the cost rose to $500 a year. Nationals Senator Matt Canavan - who is the most vocal politician against net-zero - has repeatedly pointed out that no-one knows how much a net-zero target will cost each Australian. 'If you don't know what something is going to cost, don't buy it,' he says. However, net zero proponents say Australia can get reach the target while maintaining reliable power at low prices. The think tank Grattan Institute released a report in April which found that 'moving to a system with 70 per cent renewable energy and closing about two-thirds of today's coal-fired power plants would not materially increase the cost of power'. 'Australia can make the historic transition to a low-emissions electricity system without the lights going out and without power bills skyrocketing,' it said. The report said generating 100 per cent of Australia's electricity from renewables by 2040 would push up prices, especially during rare wind droughts, meaning gas would have to be used as transition fuel. The report noted that most of Australia's coal-fired power stations are scheduled to be retired by 2040 and said no taxpayer money should be used to extend them. Will jobs be lost? Net-zero sceptics fear jobs in high emitting industries such as mining, manufacturing and agriculture - which are mostly in regional areas - would be lost under a net-zero plan. According to the Minerals Council of Australia, the coal mining industry employed about 50,000 workers in 2020 and sceptics are always keen to point this out. But net-zero supporters say the green energy revolution will actually create thousands of jobs, especially in regional areas. Some coal-miners are worried that net zero by 2050 would put them out of a job faster. Pictured: A miner in Clermont, Queensland during a pro-coal demonstration in 2019 According to net-zero sceptics, jobs in high emitting industries such as mining, manufacturing and agriculture - which are mostly in regional areas - would be lost under a net-zero plan A UTS report in 2020 found Australia's renewable energy sector employs 26,000 people but this could rise to 45,000 by 2025. Currently three quarters of those jobs are temporary such as wind or solar construction roles but by 2035 around half will be permanent, the report said. Labor - which backs a net zero target - says renewable energy will be cheaper and allow thousands of jobs in manufacturing to be created in Australia. Meanwhile, Fortescue Metals boss Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, who is investing in hydrogen hubs, says the hydrogen industry will provide more jobs than coal in Australia by 2050. 'We need all those skills from coal miners, from oil and gas,' he said last week. Hydrogen - created by splitting water in hydrogen and oxygen - produces no emissions when burned and can be used to generate electricity and power cars. Net zero supporters also point out that coal jobs will decrease anyway as global demand for Australia's coal reduces while major markets Japan, South Korea and China decrease reliance on coal power and turn to renewables. Is it more costly to do nothing? Re-insurance firm Swiss Re has calculated that global wealth will fall 10 per cent by 2050 if net zero targets are not met. This is because wildfires, heat waves and droughts, and river and flash floods will dramatically increase, causing damage and reducing economic activity. Sea-level rising as polar ice melts may also wipe out large swathes low-lying countries, with Australia's Pacific neighbours among the most at risk, sparking a huge migration crisis. Australia's 2019-2020 bushfires, which killed 34 people and destroyed 5,900 homes, are estimated to have cost $100billion in terms of damage to homes, infrastructure, water systems, roads and the tourism industry among other costs. Pictured: Smoke blotted out the skies on the Greek island of Evia in August, leaving locals fearing for their lives In July western Europe saw its worst flooding in decades, leaving more than 180 people dead after heavy rainfall hit Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands. A blistering heatwave killed hundreds of people across the west coast of the US and Canada, while more than 300 died and almost 13 million others were affected by floods that engulfed Henan province in China at the end of July. In August a UN report said the Earth is likely to warm by 1.5C within the next 20 years - a decade earlier than previously expected - and heatwaves, flooding and droughts will become more frequent and intense. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the new report a 'code red for humanity'. He warned: 'The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk.' What happens now? On Sunday night the Nationals concluded an epic four-hour meeting seeking more information - and they will meet again on Monday. Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud said after the meeting there had been 'divergent views' expressed. 'There were still some more questions that need to be answered,' he told Sky News. 'There will be no agreement until such time we get comfort ... I don't think it would be responsible (to agree immediately), I think it would be reckless.' He said supporting a more ambitious emissions target would be one of the biggest decisions his party had ever made and he and colleagues would not be rushed into it. If temperatures continue to rise, there could be devastating effects here on Earth, including a dramatic loss of sea-life, an ice-free Arctic and more regular 'extreme' weather The Nationals are adamant the coal industry must be allowed to continue well into the 2050s. Mr Littleproud said there was strong support within the Nationals for nuclear power to reduce emissions, but to achieve it would require 'an environment for a mature conversation', rather than people informed by Chernobyl and The Simpsons. Before the meeting, Mr Joyce effectively vetoed raising the government's medium-range target, which is currently set at reducing emissions by 26 to 28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030. It is now likely that, instead, the government will unveil 'projections' showing the 2030 target will be easily beaten, potentially achieving a 40 per cent cut in that period as more renewable energy comes on stream. Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said a global shift was occurring and the government was confident of landing 'strong commitments and strong plans' to take to Glasgow. Melissa Caddick's husband has released a cringeworthy album about the dramatic police raid on their home days before the conwoman vanished. Anthony Koletti, 39, appeared on Channel Seven's Spotlight on Sunday night, when he denied his wife ripped off her family, friends and investors - despite the mountain of evidence against her. His music featured heavily throughout the program - and is now available online in full. The album, titled 'Raid' and released under the name Paws Off, starts with a maudlin dirge called Introduction. Melissa Caddick's (left) husband Anthony Koletti (right) has released an album 'November 11, 2020, 5am. This is a true account of what happened on the day of the raid. Parental guidance is recommended,' Koletti says in the song. The second track, Good Morning, features Koletti putting on a high pitched voice to represent a female police officer outside his home, speaking above the sound of snoring. 'No, no, we don't have any proof or evidence, we'll just get them,' the police officer says. 'Yeah, that's good enough for me,' Koletti says, in a deeper voice, presumably meant to represent a male police officer. Another deep voice says 'Freeze, don't move' over a bed of generic hip hop beats. 'Parental guidance is recommended' for Anthony Koletti's album 'Oh, nice pyjamas, did you just wake up?,' he says. In the song No Rights he moans 'when you're told you've got no rights, that's what you believe', while Privacy Zero says the crimes committed by Caddick are a 'one-sided story told by one large corporation, spending millions.' He later sings 'privacy zero, have a laugh before you go.' Post Traumatic Stress Disorder opens with Koletti telling the listener: 'If you think that the raid that happened on November 11, 2020 affected nobody, you were wrong.' Melissa Caddick (left) and Anthony Koletti (right) in better times, before her crimes were discovered In Bragging, he accuses police of storming into his home to 'break things and disrespect all of us'. 'People spin out when I tell them I've got a six-figure salary,' Koletti says, acting as a police officer. He goes on to accuse a police officer of 'cheating on a Federal Police exam' adding that it 'isn't that bad, think of all the things I could buy with the extra money'. Ten Minutes Too Late shows Koletti embracing a conspiracy theory about his wife's disappearance, saying he will never know 'if you walked out on your own accord, or if you were taken from the front door. I woke up 10 minutes too late.' His last track Outroduction finishes with the line: 'The damage is done.' Koletti, 39, appeared on Channel Seven's Spotlight on Sunday night, when he denied his wife ripped off her family, friends and investors - despite the mountain of evidence against her Missing millionaire Melissa's Caddick's hairdresser husband is mocked for claiming the 'love of his life' ISN'T a conwoman The husband of multi-millionaire swindler Melissa Caddick has been mocked online for an interview many viewers found hard to take seriously. Even high-profile personalities like Natalie Barr and Derryn Hinch weighed in on the tell-all TV interview that audiences labelled 'cringeworthy'. Anthony Koletti, 39, told Seven News Spotlight he doesn't believe 'the love of his life' ripped off family, friends and investors despite the mountain of evidence collected by investigators. The rollerblading hairdresser also told bewildered veteran journalist Michael Usher he still doesn't understand what a 'Ponzi scheme' is. Ruthless commenters also mocked the amateur DJ for his denials and took aim at his music, which was featured heavily in the soundtrack of the program. Ruthless commenters also slammed the armature DJ for his music which was featured heavily in the program 'Melissa Caddick's husband is in denial about her crimes, not to mention his music is s**thouse,' one commenter wrote. Another added: 'The cringe of the husband's music on the Melissa Caddick Spotlight episode is off the scale.' 'This thing on Caddick is hilarious. Who produced this? It's an absolute comedy. And the promotion of her husband's music in the background. I can't,' a third wrote. A fourth predicted: 'Melissa Caddick's husbands music is surely going to be the most downloaded on Spotify after all the plugs his given during the interview about his missing, presumed dead wife.' Caddick, 49, stole millions from the life savings of family and friends in a brazen Ponzi scheme, taking the funds and spending it on herself instead of investing it for them as she promised. As an ASIC investigation closed in on her $30 million scam, she left her luxury home in Sydney's eastern suburbs for a dawn run on November 12 last year and then vanished. Her disappearance sparked a massive manhunt until her rotting foot drifted ashore in February on Bournda Beach, 400km south of Sydney, and she was declared dead. Caddick's 'penniless' husband (pictured together) has been slammed for doing the TV special But mystery still surrounds her final movements and her fate. Some have put forward wild theories she may have had her foot amputated to fake her own death before fleeing overseas. Others debated whether she committed suicide or was killed. Although ASIC investigators found a litany of evidence against Caddick including false documentation, Mr Koletti said: 'I don't believe a word that any of them say'. 'You could think that but I don't see my self as a victim of Melissa Caddick I see myself as a survivor of ASIC,' he said. 'Even if she was as guilty as hell, she didn't deserve to die. The way they interrogated her was inhuman. 'Whether she committed suicide, whether she was murdered. She died because of their raid.' While the leading theory of investigators is that Caddick ended her own life as ASIC's net closed in on her and her criminal operation, Mr Koletti dismissed the suicide theory and said murder is 'most likely'. Caddick's disappearance sparked a massive manhunt until her rotting foot (pictured) drifted ashore in February on Bournda Beach, 400km south of Sydney, and she was declared dead He laid all blame at the feet of fraud investigators for raiding her home the night before she vanished. Mr Koletti claimed the investigation either enraged an investor who wrongly believed she swindled their money, or made her so distraught she took her own life. But social media users found his denials of her crimes 'infuriating'. Former radio shock jock and Australian senator Derryn Hinch called dismissed the program as 'staged'. Channel Seven's own TV personality Natalie Barr said the 'interview with the husband... [was] compelling and infuriating'. The Sunrise host was telling a viewer they missed out after declaring they would not be watching the show because it would reveal nothing new. The Dover Heights home (pictured) is worth $6.2million, and was raided by Federal Police in November last year Viewers were also left baffled by Mr Koletti's claim he did not question Caddick after the dramatic police raid and a subsequent 14-hour search at their multi-million home the night before she went missing. He told the program the couple 'spooned' in bed before he went down stairs to make music. But there were some who leapt to his defence after finding his denials credible and had sympathy for his situation. 'I actually believe Melissa Caddick's husband. I think he's innocent in the whole thing,' one audience member wrote. Caddick's crimes include a detailed Ponzi scheme involving 60 friends and family, totalling $30 million - only $7 million of which was ever repaid. The rest of the money vanished. From 2012 onwards, after creating her finance company Maliver, it was common for her to tell interested clients who approached her that she was 'too busy' to help them - then later tell them they were in luck, somehow finding time for their business. Anthony Koletti is set to break his silence about the disappearance of his wife, saying 'someone got greedy and wanted her dead The brochure she handed out for Maliver lied about her credentials as she was not a certified financial planner and did not have a masters of business. The company operated using someone else's Australian Financial Services Licence. Once she had their money, she created a fake CommSec share trading account for each client. Where she needed to, she forged not only clients' signatures but also that of the nearest available justice of the peace - her father-in-law Rodo Koletti. She emailed clients a fake monthly report claiming stunning returns of up to 30 per cent, which convinced them to invest more with her, and to get her more word-of-mouth business. Daily Mail Australia understands Mr Koletti was to be paid $50,000 for the TV special. He is still living in their $6.2 million Dover Heights home, where most of the interview was filmed. Anthony Kolleti (pictured) blames the ASIC raid for his wife's death For those on the outside, Michelle Darragh appeared to have the perfect life - regularly sharing loving snaps of her 'hunni' boyfriend, their three dogs and beautiful two young boys. But two Saturdays ago, Ms Darragh's lifeless body was found next to her critically-injured partner Ben Coman inside his Melbourne home. The pair had split up two weeks earlier and Ms Darragh had reportedly visited the home to pick up some of her belongings. Her father found her in a pool of her own blood after climbing over a neighbour's fence when she didn't return to their home in The Basin for several hours. Ms Darragh was declared dead at the scene and Mr Coman was rushed to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition where he remains under police guard. Michelle Darragh (left) was found in critical condition in a pool of her own blood next to estranger partner Ben Coman (right) on Saturday night. The pregnant mother didn't survive Images from the months and years leading to her death show a happy young mother No charges have been laid over Ms Darragh's grisly death and police are not looking to interview anyone else. Ms Darragh and Mr Coman had been living at the house with their two sons prior to them separating two weeks ago. It's understood the mother, who was expecting her third child, had stopped by Mr Coman's house on Saturday night to pick up some of her belongings. A neighbour told news.com.au that Ms Darragh would regularly drive from her parents to Mr Coman's house on weekends so he could see the children. Her parents live about six kilometres from the family home. Mr Coman, a tradesman who runs a cabinet-making business, was seen going for a walk hours before his body was found alongside his estranged partner. Homicide police have launched an investigation into Ms Darragh's death. Images from 2016 show her in a bridal party with her sister, who has been described as one of her best friends The pair regularly posted pictures from coastal holidays they took together with their dogs and children throughout their five-year relationship Forensic specialists scoured the home on Sunday which was cordoned off with police tape. Victoria Police said they were 'not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident'. Ms Darragh's heartbroken family said they want her to be remembered as 'the most beautiful soul that you could ever get,' a family member told The Age. 'She lived for her kids and family and always put other people first in front of her own self. 'We will always remember her beautiful nature and her infectious smile that lit the room up when she walked into it.' Ms Darragh returned to her former partner Ben Coman's Bayswater North house (pictured) to collect some belongings on Saturday Michelle Darragh, 32, died at her former partner Ben Coman's Bayswater North home in Huntington Avenue east of Melbourne on Saturday at about 7:30pm. The former couple are pictured together They said she adored her two sons and was a dedicated, loving mother. A neighbour of the deceased woman said he saw the victim's parents outside the house crying and screaming. Neighour Trent Falahey said he saw Ms Darragh's distraught parents crying outside the home before the woman's mother asked if he had 'heard anything'. 'You don't expect these things to happen in your neighbourhood,' he said. He added they were a 'fantastic' and 'lovely couple' who had been at the property for about four years. 'They were great neighbours it is a pretty tight neighbourhood we all know each other,' he said. Police are pictured at the home Bayswater North The family of a student who died of meningitis believes he would have lived if he had seen a GP face-to-face. David Nash, 26, had four remote consultations with doctors and nurses at a GP practice over 19 days. Relatives said none spotted that he had developed mastoiditis in his ear which caused a brain abscess, sparking meningitis. Parents Andrew and Anne suspect that the mastoiditis could have been spotted and treated with antibiotics if their son had a face-to-face examination at his first appointment last year. David Nash, 26, (pictured) had four remote consultations with doctors and nurses at a Leeds GP practice over a 19-day period before he died of meningitis on November 4, 2020 The couple, from Nantwich, Cheshire, believe later phone consultations were further missed opportunities to diagnose their son's life-threatening condition. They said when David deteriorated dramatically he and his partner Ellie had five 'shambolic' calls with the NHS 111 system including one which categorised his problem as 'dental' ending in him being taken to St James's Hospital in Leeds by ambulance. His parents said he was left alone in A&E despite being in a confused and serious state, and fell, suffering an injury to his head. The family of the law student believe he would not have died if he had been seen face-to-face by a GP Law student David died two days later despite efforts to save him by neurosurgeons at Leeds General Infirmary. Mr and Mrs Nash are paying thousands of pounds for an independent neurosurgeon to investigate how their son died and are hoping an inquest next month will provide answers. Airline pilot Mr Nash, 56, said: 'The mastoiditis is readily treatable with modern antibiotics and it should never have been left to get to the stage where it caused the complication of a brain abscess. 'He should never had gone to A&E in that condition. It is something that should have been sorted out way before then and, having approached his GP practice on four occasions, not to see him I think is the primary reason that they failed to recognise his condition and treat it.' The couple hope there will be a change in attitude from GPs towards face-to-face consultations. Parents Andrew and Anne suspect that the mastoiditis could have been spotted and treated with antibiotics if their son had a face-to-face examination at his first appointment last year Mr Nash asked: 'How do you diagnose an ear infection what type of ear infection it is without actually looking in the ear?' He added: 'David was caring, charismatic and funny, managing to find humour in almost everything, however mundane. He was 6ft 7in tall so when he walked into the room you noticed him.' The Leeds GP practice and the trust which runs St James's Hospital said they were unable to comment ahead of the inquest. An NHS spokesman stressed: 'Every GP practice must provide face to face as well as telephone and online appointments as part of making primary care as accessible as possible.' Two young boys were photographed squeezing through the railings surrounding the White House Sunday afternoon while President Joe Biden was inside. One unidentified child in an orange shirt looked jubilant as he hopped in and out of the property shortly after 11am. A slightly older child in a white shirt and rainbow sleeve stepped halfway inside at around 1.20pm, as onlookers extended their arms into White House property to get a closer shot of the presidential residence. The fence was 8 ft tall, including a 2 ft stone base, until renovations began in July 2019 to raise it to 13 ft, according to the National Park Service. Construction was expected to end this year, but the current status of the project, which has been completed in phases, is unclear. A young child smiles as he climbs through the White House fence Sunday morning President Joe Biden was inside the presidential residence as the child hurried back out Shortly after 1 pm, another child climbed through the fence circling the 18-acre property Construction on new, taller fencing around the White House began in 2019 The new barrier will use 3,500 feet of steel fencing to encircle the 18-acre property. The width between the black railings is unknown, though they're clearly wide enough to accommodate intrepid intruders given they're small enough. The National Capital Planning Commission approved preliminary development plans for a new fence in December 2016 Omar Gonzalez was arrested by the Secret Service after he jumped the White House fence and somehow made it all the way to the Executive Mansion with a knife in September 2014 The improvements were inspired by an attack on September 2014 , when 42-year-old Army veteran Omar J. Gonzalez of Copperas Cove, Texas jumped the black iron fence and walked through the North Portico door, which faces Pennsylvania Avenue. He was wielding a folding knife with a three-and-a-half-inch serrated blade, according to the New York Times. He was tackled immediately, Secret Service said. President Obama and his family had left the residence for Camp David minutes before. On Sunday, the children seemed to pose little threat as they slid through the fence. President Biden, above near the fence on Inauguration Day, appeared to be home Sunday A temporary fence, extending way past the usual point, was erected around the White House during Black Lives Matter protests following the police killing of George Floyd The White House fence, above in March, was 8 ft tall until a project to raise it to 13 ft was started in July 2019. Construction was expected to end this year, though the status is unclear President Joe Biden was inside the White House, according to photographer Tom Brenner, who snapped the photos of the younger child. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden was on her way to Columbia, South Carolina for a surprise appearance at the 50th anniversary for Pastor Charles Jackson Sr. of Brookland Baptist Church. Dr. Biden has credited Jackson with helping her regain her faith after stepson Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015. The 78-year-old commander-in-chief, meanwhile, had nothing on his schedule today, according to website factba.se, which compiles a presidential calendar based on publicly available data. During George Floyd protests last year, a temporary fence was erected way past the usual line on June 1. It sectioned off Lafayette Square, the seven-acre public park directly north of the White House. The fence was quickly decorated with Black Lives Matter posters and photos of people killed by police. It is one of a host of security features at the White House, including snipers on its roof and a highly-classified underground bunker. A 'non-scalable' fence in November 2, 2020 in anticipation of Election Day unrest 'He put this out here to push us away, to divide us,' Pete Brennan said of Trump shortly after adding his own poster, according to the Washington Post. 'But the people made it beautiful.' The Secret Service first said the new fence was a security effort to allow for 'peaceful demonstration,' but later said it was part of the fence replacement project, according to the Washingtonian. A white, wall-like fence went up in July, though that one was related to the fence replacement project, a spokesperson for the National Park Service told Insider. The same wall-like fence was erected before Election Day. The US Secret Service and Capitol Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment from DailyMail.com about Sunday's mini-breaches. Decades-old scanners and X-ray machines could thwart efforts to tackle record NHS waiting lists, a shocking audit reveals. A severe shortage of staff to operate the equipment and interpret the results also poses a risk to patients, experts say. Officials advise that CT and MRI scanners are replaced every ten years to ensure they continue to operate reliably and produce clear images. But 27.1 per cent of health trusts in England have at least one CT scanner that is more than a decade old and 34.5 per cent have at least one MRI this age. Great Ormond Street Hospital Trust in London has the oldest MRI scanner at 21 years old, according to responses to Freedom of Information requests. One CT scanner at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is 16 years old, while St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in south London has an X-ray machine acquired 44 years ago. Officials advise that CT and MRI scanners are replaced every ten years to ensure they continue to operate reliably and produce clear images. But 27.1 per cent of health trusts in England have at least one CT scanner that is more than a decade old and 34.5 per cent have at least one MRI this age (stock image) Meanwhile, the UK has some of the lowest numbers of scanners in the developed world, league tables show. Germany has four times more CT scanners per head of population and five times as many MRI scanners. An MRI scanner costs around 1million, a CT 900,000 and an X-ray machine 160,000. In total, the NHS in England has around 3,000 X-ray machines, 516 CT scanners and 425 MRI scanners. Dr Julian Elford, of the Royal College of Radiologists, also stressed that the NHS was short of 2,000 radiologists, adding: 'There's no doubt there is an urgent need to upgrade imaging equipment in the UK. CT and MRI machines start to become technically obsolete at ten years. Meanwhile, the UK has some of the lowest numbers of scanners in the developed world, league tables show. Germany has four times more CT scanners per head of population and five times as many MRI scanners (stock image) 'Older kit breaks down frequently, is slower, and produces poorer quality images, so upgrading is critical. ' And Emlyn Samuel, of Cancer Research UK, said: 'Diagnosing cancer early gives patients the best chances of survival so it's disheartening to see how far behind the UK is in terms of diagnostic equipment.' Coroners have repeatedly raised concerns about the shortage of radiology staff and scanners, mentioning it in 48 Prevention of Future Deaths reports between 2016 and 2021, according to Channel 4's Dispatches. Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said: 'Replacing or upgrading equipment such as ageing scanners, would help trusts make significant inroads into hospital waiting lists as well as increasing diagnostic capability.' Saffron Cordery, (pictured) deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said: 'Replacing or upgrading equipment such as ageing scanners, would help trusts make significant inroads into hospital waiting lists as well as increasing diagnostic capability' A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care insisted: 'We have backed the NHS with 525million to replace diagnostics equipment over the last two years and have recently set up 40 new one-stop-shop diagnosis centres in the community to deliver 2.8million more scans for patients.' Clapped Out: Is The NHS Broken? Dispatches will be shown at 8pm tonight on Channel 4. Horrified shoppers at a Pennsylvania mall began screaming Sunday afternoon after a gunman opened fire, injuring at least two people. The Park City Mall shooting, which happened about 2:25pm, did not result in any life-threatening injuries, the Lancaster City Bureau of Police said in a statement. A woman could be heard shrieking 'oh my God' as gunshots rang through the mall in a video posted online by a shopper as she fled the scene. Police didn't say how many people were shot, although the video appeared to show at least two people struck down by bullets, and it's still unclear what caused the shooting in the first place. 'There were some injuries,' a sergeant at the department told Fox News. 'I cant confirm how many, and I dont know how many are related to a gunshot, compared to people just tripping and falling.' At least two people were injured after a gunman opened fire inside a Pennsylvania mall The Sunday afternoon shooting at Park City Mall in Lancaster left shoppers running for cover A shopper captured the terrifying scene on video while screaming 'oh my God' and fleeing Two women hid inside in a Lush store after hearing the terrified screams of fellow shoppers, the York Daily Record reported. Brenda Mosser said she was at the mall with her husband Scott when the gunplay began. 'There were sounds of guns firing... many many times,' she said on Facebook. 'I cowardly ran to the back of the store with all of the employees at the phone store as my husband went out into the mall helping people who were stunned and confused. 'Oh he made me sooo mad that he would not run to the back with me and my head hurts now for yelling at him to hide until police came. I think its time we take a class in gun safety and get one myself.' A patient who appeared alert was wheeled away from the scene on a stretcher Another woman said on social media that she arrived to the mall about the time police were responding to the shooting. 'We literally never go to the mall and for whatever reason decided to go today of all days,' Karlye Greaves said on Facebook. 'Never made it inside. I'll stick to online shopping too.' Police shut down Park City Mall shooting for the remainder of the day to investigate The mall has been shut while police investigate, and police said there is no immediate threat to the public. Police arrested two people, according to the Lancasteronline.com. Lancaster is about 80 miles west of Philadelphia. Mass Covid testing in schools is sparking 'unnecessary chaos' and should be brought to an end, a senior doctor has said. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's president, Dr Camilla Kingdon, also warned children should not be left to 'carry the burden' of the pandemic. Schools in England dropped virtually all virus-control measures in July, except twice weekly testing of pupils. Those who get a positive swab must stay home for 10 days. But amid rising infection rates among youngsters, some schools are quietly reintroducing measures including face masks and telling children to stay home if their sibling has the virus. It comes as the NHS plans to unveil walk-in vaccine clinics for school children within weeks in an effort to speed up the jabs rollout. The president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Dr Camilla Kingdon (pictureD), said that twice weekly testing in schools should be dropped Yesterday the UK reported 45,140 cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 8,449.165 The number of Covid deaths in the UK yesterday was 57, down 61 per cent on last Sunday Ministers plan walk in clinics to speed up vaccine rollout for pupils Walk-in vaccine clinics for schoolchildren will be unveiled within weeks in an effort to speed up the jabs rollout. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Ministers are planning to launch the scheme for 12-to- 15-year-olds shortly. It comes amid concern that the Government has been far too slow in rolling out the vaccination programme in schools. Sources also claim the new clinics are an attempt to keep anti-vaxxers away from the school gates. Last night, there were fresh calls to speed up the vaccination of teenagers after an analysis of official figures by The Mail on Sunday found almost half of new Covid cases in England are now in the under-20s. When schools went back early last month, 33 per cent of new cases were in that age group. But by the second week of this month, the proportion had grown to 46 per cent. Teenagers now make up the lion's share of infections in the under-20s. Advertisement Dr Kingdon railed against the return of more rules in the classroom today, telling the Daily Telegraph that the age group is at very low risk from the virus. She said: 'You are asking completely healthy children to test, with the potential to be excluded (from school), there is just a real concern that we are increasing a level of chaos into the system that is unnecessary.' Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge near Sheffield, Miriam Cates, also slammed the tests as 'utterly pointless' and 'just another example of treating children as second-class citizens'. She told the newspaper: 'In my constituency, absence rates are considerably higher than normal. 'Not all children are actually ill but because they have had a positive test they are not allowed in school for ten days. 'There is absolutely no reason to continue with mass testing children. All it's doing is prolonging the disruption and prolonging the fear.' Children who test positive using lateral flows are required to get a PCR test. If this is also positive they must isolate for ten days. Schools in Trafford, parts of Northamptonshire and areas of the South West have already brought back face masks. Health bosses in Cumbria are also urging siblings of Covid-infected children to stay at home. And there are fears that others in the country may follow suit as Covid cases continue to surge in the age groups. Children aged 10 to 14 had the highest infection rate in England over the week to October 12, the latest available, at 1,647 cases per 100,000 people. This was the highest level since the pandemic began, and up more than a quarter on the same time last week. Those aged 15 to 19 had the second highest infection rate in the country, at 729.6 per 100,00, up by more than 20 per cent in seven days. More than 200,000 children had a Covid-related school absence in the final week of September, the latest week available, according to official figures. This is equivalent to one in 40 pupils in England. Yesterday it was revealed that ministers are planning walk-in Covid clinics for 12 to 15-year-olds. Vaccine uptake in the age group is lagging, data shows, with less than 15 per cent having been vaccinated by the week ending October 10, the latest available It comes as ministers plan walk in Covid jabbing clinics to speed up the roll out to 12 to 15-year-olds. Children in the age group were told to get one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine last month, but uptake has been slow in the age group. And analysis shows that almost half of new Covid cases in England last week were among the under-20s. Dr David Strain, who led an Exeter University study looking at how jabbing teenagers could help others, said the increase was 'really quite scary' and showed the campaign needed to be ramped up. He warned teenagers acted as a 'viral reservoir' which would rarely become seriously ill but could spread the virus to more vulnerable age groups. He said: 'In our study, we anticipated six weeks or so of infections rising in children and adolescents after they started mixing. Then there would be an uptick of cases in over-65s. 'If you look at the past couple of weeks' worth of data, that's what's starting to happen. Our next concern is that this [spread to older age groups] is going to cause hospitalisations to rise.' A staffer in NSW Premier Dom Perrottet's office has been hauled over the coals after he fired off a tone-deaf reply to a concerned female voter's email. Adam Foda, also apparently known as Adam Fargo, sent an abrasive email to NSW resident Susan Eaton when she questioned the rookie premier's photo call in a pub. Ms Eaton said the pictures of a group of men standing and drinking at the bar sent the wrong message, and asked him to use his position to change the image of the state in future. But she was stunned by the reply she received three hours later from the staffer in the Premier's Epping electoral office in Sydney's north-west. A staffer in the NSW Premier office has been hauled over the coals after he fired off a tone-deaf reply to a concerned voter's email about this pub photocall with Dom Perrottet The Project TV host Lisa WIlkinson (pictured) was forwarded the email exchange and blasted the reply on Twitter 'There is no need to bring in Mr Perrottet's gender into this - in fact, it is rather inappropriate,' said Mr Foda's brief and blunt passive-aggressive email. 'I thought in 2021 we would have moved beyond such things.' READ SUSAN EATON'S EMAIL IN FULL I am very concerned that all the photos of the Covid re-opening in Sydney are of 'men, either standing or sitting, drinking alcohol'. I hope Dominic Perrottet understands that there would be an outcry in the media if it was 'women, either standing or sitting, drinking alcohol'! Of course, the women are at home, working, home schooling & doing the housework. Dominic Perrottet, you have the opportunity to change some of these images for the state of NSW. Please do so. Advertisement The Project TV host Lisa Wilkinson was forwarded the email exchange and blasted the reply on Twitter. 'What a completely reasonable point for this NSW voter to make,' she posted. 'And what an utterly bizarre response from the new NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet's office.' The tweet was liked almost 9,000 times and was retweeted almost 2,500 times, sparking a furious backlash among her followers. 'As a former state government employee (QLD) who has responded to literally hundreds of ministerial correspondence- that is the most unprofessional and inappropriate response I've ever seen,' wrote Vicki Scholfield. 'Just the sort of sneering, patronising waffle you would expect from his office,' posted another. 'First a bloke telling us his religion is nothing to do with us and now his gender! Same script, obviously,' added one. 'The response tells us everything we need to know about the new Premier.' The NSW Premier's office later said they were 'disappointed' by the staffer's reply and said they had spoken to him about it. Premier Dom Perrottet told Daily Mail Australia: 'I contacted the staff member in my electorate office and expressed my disappointment with the unacceptable and inappropriate response that was provided. 'I have reminded the staff member, and all my staff, of their obligations in serving the community and treating all members of the public with respect.' The email exchange came less than 10 days after the conservative Catholic and dad of six, soon to be seven, took charge of NSW as Premier, following the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian. The Project TV host Lisa Wilkinson was forwarded the email exchange and blasted the reply on Twitter Lisa Wilkinson's tweet (pictured) was liked almost 9,000 times and was retweeted almost 2,500 times, sparking a furious backlash among her followers Mr Foda - who has since apparently deleted his LinkedIn profile which also gave his name as Adam Fargo - joined the Premier's electoral office in November 2019. His online bio said he had previously worked as a research assistant for former right-wing NSW Liberal kingmaker and ex-Justice Secretary David Clarke from April 2018. In January 2019, he then became an acting office manager for Hawkesbury MP, Robyn Preston, who took over the constituency from Mr Perrottet in 2019. Adam Foda (pictured) - who has since apparently deleted his LinkedIn profile which also gave his name as Adam Fargo - joined the Premier's electoral office in November 2019 On Monday, Mr Foda was refusing to take calls about the exchange and all enquiries on the subject were referred to the Premier's media team in Macquarie Street. It's understood the premier has since ordered his electorate staff to contact Ms Eaton and apologise for the email response. They will also be given training and instruction on best customer service practice by the Department of Parliamentary Services. A corruption probe has heard an explosive recording of Gladys Berejiklian giving evidence behind closed doors as the ICAC inquiry into the ousted NSW Premier began, while a senior bureaucrat said the former premier's relationship with an MP led to 'a conflict of interest'. Ms Berejiklian was spotted sporting a power suit, new hair cut and confident smile at her lawyer's office on Monday morning, as the Independent Commission Against Corruption revealed the basis of the claims that led to her resigning in disgrace. ICAC is investigating the conduct of Ms Berejiklian and her ex-boyfriend the former Liberal MP for Wagga Wagga, Daryl Maguire, concerning $35 million in state government grants issued to the Australian Clay Target Association and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Mr Maguire's electorate when Ms Berejiklian was NSW Treasurer. The inquiry began with counsel assisting ICAC Scott Robertson playing a recording of a private hearing from September 18 where Ms Berejiklian was repeatedly pressed on whether she had suspected Mr Maguire of engaging in misconduct. Mr Robertson questioned if she had suspicions about Mr Maguire's activities after he first appeared before a separate corruption inquiry in 2018, resulting in his sacking from her government. Michael Toohey, a director in the Office of Sport, said the Australian Clay Target Association proposal 'was a very risky idea' and of Ms Berejiklian's secret relationship with Mr Maguire: 'I can't see how that's anything but a conflict of interest.' Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is seen at Northbridge Plaza on Monday morning as ICAC begins public hearings into her conduct while premier 'I was in shock, I didn't know what to think. I didn't have enough detail. I hadn't read what was happening. I can't remember what I thought at that time,' Ms Berejiklian said when asked if she had suspicions about Mr Maguire. Mr Robertson said he wasn't asking if she knew specifically about his corrupt conduct, only if she suspected any corrupt conduct. After saying several times that she couldn't be sure, Ms Berejiklian eventually said the answer was no. Mr Robertson also said that though Ms Berejiklian had previously disclosed potential conflicts of interest, she 'never gave a disclosure under the NSW ministerial code of conduct in relation to Mr Maguire'. ICAC is investigating whether Ms Berejiklian 1. Engaged in conduct between 2012 and 2018 that was 'liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct' by former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire, with whom she was in a close personal relationship between 2015 and 2018 2. Exercised her official functions dishonestly or partially by refusing to exercise her duty to report any reasonable suspicions about Mr Maguire to the ICAC 3. Exercised any of her official functions partially in connection with two multimillion-dollar grants in Mr Maguire's electorate, to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music. Advertisement Ms Berejiklian has repeatedly, strenuously denied any wrongdoing and said she always acted in the best interests of the people of NSW. Mr Robertson described the grants to the Australian Clay Target Association Inc and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music as 'case studies'. He said private ICAC hearings established that public officials involved with these grants would say they had been 'influenced in the steps they took' based on what they thought to be 'Ms Berejiklian's support for or interest in those projects'. ICAC heard evidence that Ms Berejiklian, who was then the NSW state treasurer, approved a funding submission for Wagga Wagga's Australian Clay Target Association to be put before the state government's expenditure review committee in December 2016. The public hearings started shortly after 10am on Monday and are expected to run for two weeks. Another former NSW premier, Mike Baird, is among the witnesses set to front the inquiry this week, as is NSW Trade Minister Stuart Ayres. Ms Berejiklian is not expected to appear until next week. Mr Toohey, the first person the inquiry is hearing evidence from, previously worked in the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Michael Toohey, director at the Office of Sport, arrives at the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearing in Sydney on Monday, October 18 He told the inquiry he was asked to put together in just one day a draft expenditure review committee (ERC) submission for funding for the Australian Clay Target Association Inc. Mr Toohey said it was 'extremely unusual' to be asked to put together an ERC submission on such short notice. He did not recall this happening ever before. 'I thought it was a very risky idea,' he said. Mr Toohey told ICAC he never got a satisfactory answer as to why a funding submission for a multimillion-dollar government grant was such a matter of urgency in late 2016. 'What was the rush? Why couldn't it wait?' Mr Toohey said he asked at the time. Mr Robertson asked Mr Toohey if he 'Would you have done anything differently, would it have affected what you did [if you knew about the relationship between Ms Berejiklian and Mr Maguire]?' 'Absolutely. I would have expressed my concerns ... to say I thought this was problematic.' He said he would have questioned why the Office of Sport was asked to draft a funding submission for an allocation of funds to a project in an MP's electorate based on 'scant information' when the person was in a personal relationship with the then NSW treasurer. 'I can't see how that's anything but a conflict of interest,' Mr Toohey said. The Australian Clay Target Association grant is one of the 'case studies' at heart of the ICAC investigation. The association was located in Mr Maguire's former electorate of Wagga Wagga. Mr Toohey said there was an 'idea being thrown around' that the association's facilities were going to be relevant to getting the Invictus Games (an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, both serving and veterans) in Sydney. 'Invictus Games doesn't have shooting events. The claim that this was somehow related to the bid was imaginative,' Mr Toohey said. At that time, 2016, Ms Berejiklian was the NSW Treasurer. Mr Toohey said 'There was no way of knowing that the costs were right'. 'It was quite deficient on what I thought were material matters. We didn't even know how the project was going to be managed.' He said it was not clear if it was a 'feasible project' and that he recalled that the analysis was predicated on an assumption of increased tourism to the region. Mr Toohey said an analysis focused on the benefit to Wagga Wagga of funding the construction of a new clubhouse for the Australian Clay Target Association in the city is an 'incomplete analysis'. 'It has to benefit the state,' he said. Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is seen in a smart power suit at Northbridge Plaza on Monday morning as an ICAC hearing into her behaviour starts its public hearings Mr Robertson said in his opening address that under the ministerial code of conduct NSW ministers must exhibit, and be seen to exhibit, the highest standards of probity. He told ICAC that there are some circumstances where a person's 'ordinary entitlement to privacy must be subordinated to their public duty. Put another way, public duties come first'. 'While a person holds office of public trust, for example, like the office of premier of that of treasurer, it may be necessary for that person to disclose that she or he is in a personal relationship with a particular person if the existence of that relationship is something that could objectively have the potential to influence the performance of the officeholder's public duties.' The hearing heard that Ms Berejiklian had previously disclosed potential conflicts of interest, including that two of her cousins work in the NSW public service and she had attended functions with a person the government was considering appointing to a board. But 'as far as the material presently available to this commission reveals, Ms Berejiklian never gave a disclosure under the NSW ministerial code of conduct in relation to Mr Maguire', Mr Robertson said. Former NSW premier Mike Baird (pictured right) is set to appear before the ICAC inquiry into another former NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian (pictured left) Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured right) is seen arriving at her family home with her partner, Arthur Moses SC (left) Dominic Perrottet, who replaced Ms Berejiklian as premier two weeks ago, says he spoke with her over the weekend and 'she's doing well'. He would not comment, however, on the ICAC proceedings, saying he wasn't going to 'provide a running commentary'. 'My ministerial team are focused on the people of the state, the integrity agency will do their work and we'll go from there,' he said. 'There are always public hearings when it comes to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, they've got a job to do, they should do the job. 'If there's anything the NSW government needs to act on following these inquiries, then we will, but obviously we'll just wait. 'I'm not going to provide a running commentary in relation to these public inquiries,' said Mr Perrottet. Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian seems to have a lot on her mind as she walks in Northbridge on Sydney's north shore Gladys Berejiklian has her mask at the ready on a walk on Monday morning in north Sydney ICAC is investigating whether Ms Berejiklian encouraged or allowed corrupt conduct by her secret ex-boyfriend and disgraced former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire between 2012 and 2018. Her mother Arsha told Daily Mail Australia last Wednesday that while her daughter was initially 'heartbroken' at having to step down while NSW was emerging from the Covid pandemic, she had come to accept her decision, and was 'smiling and happy'. Gladys Berejiklian (pictured left) with her arm around her father Krikor (right) Gladys Berejiklian pauses for thought at Northbridge Plaza in Sydney on Monday morning Many believed Ms Berejiklian's confession at the hearing into Mr Maguire last October would mean the end of her time as state premier, and he remains the primary subject of ICAC's ongoing Operation Keppel. The disgraced MP admitted receiving thousands of dollars in commissions from China for a 'cash for visas' scheme and to using his parliamentary position to conduct business for his company G8way International, which he failed to disclose his interest in. Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian (front) and her former boyfriend Daryl Maguire Gladys Berejiklian (pictured right) is under investigation by ICAC for her conduct while NSW premier in relation to her former boyfriend, ex-MP Daryl Maguire (pictured left) Despite the Maguire revelations Ms Berejiklian soldiered on and her popularity increased as she led NSW through the ups and downs of the Covid-19 pandemic. For much of the past 18 months she had been credited as the premier who had done more than any other to help hold the nation together and keep business running during the pandemic. But she quit on October 1, after four and a half years in the state's top job and will also step down as Willoughby MP and leave state politics for good as soon as a by-election can take place. She spent Saturday in the comfort of her family home surrounded by close relatives. The ex-NSW premier, 51, looked happy and relaxed as she arrived bearing gifts at the red brick North Ryde home of her elderly Armenian parents, Arsha and Krikor in Sydney's north. She was accompanied by her high-profile lawyer boyfriend Arthur Moses SC, both casually dressed in dark jeans, black boots and sunglasses. Gladys Berejiklian (pictured right), 51, looked happy and relaxed arriving at her family home with boyfriend Arthur Moses (left) on Saturday A determined looking Gladys Berejiklian is seen in Sydney on Monday morning as an ICAC hearing begins into her conduct while NSW premier Mr Maguire publicly announced $5.5 million in funding for the Australian Clay Target Association on January 2, 2017, but did not point out that the funding was conditional. Mr Robertson said 'You let out a bit of a sigh' as he showed Mr Toohey Mr Maguire's media release. 'I was just surprised that this announcement had been made. I thought it was a long way off being guaranteed,' Mr Toohey said. He felt Mr Maguire's media campaign was an attempt to 'wedge' public servants to ensure the funding was guaranteed before other steps were followed, including a proper business case being shown. 'It makes it very difficult for the business case process ... I thought it was a premature statement. It makes it very difficult for people to say no.' The inquiry will continue on Tuesday, hearing from Paul Doorn, who also worked at the Office of Sport. Advertisement Beijing has mocked America by saying their secret test of a 21,000mph nuclear-capable missile, which orbited the globe before returning to Earth to strike its target, is a 'new blow to the US's mentality of strategic superiority over China'. The jibe follows a report from the Financial Times, which cited five unnamed intelligence sources, said the Chinese military launched the Long March rocket in August carrying a 'hypersonic glide vehicle' into low orbit. It circled the globe before descending towards its target, which is missed by about two dozen miles, in a technological development that would overcome US anti-ballistic missile systems. The incident caught the US intelligence community by surprise, sources say, as it shows 'China has made astonishing progress on the development of its hypersonic weapons'. One person familiar with the test said: 'We have no idea how they did this.' And to rub salt into their wounds, an op-ed in the Chinese state media outlet Global Times, Beijing's mouthpiece, said the test means 'there is a key new member in China's nuclear deterrence system', adding that this is a 'new blow to the US's mentality of strategic superiority over China'. The hypersonic missiles can reach speeds of up to 21,000 mph and can strike anywhere on Earth from space within minutes. The system would be able to overcome US anti-ballistic missile defence systems that are based in Alaska and set up to shoot down projectiles coming over the North Pole - the Chinese system would be able to strike the US from the south. A report from the Financial Times, which cited five unnamed intelligence sources, said the Chinese military launched the Long March rocket in August carrying a 'hypersonic glide vehicle' into low orbit. It circled the globe before descending towards its target, which it missed by about two dozen miles. The system would be able to overcome US anti-ballistic missile defence systems that are based in Alaska and set up to shoot down projectiles coming over the North Pole - the Chinese system would be able to strike the US from the south Shenzhou-13 spacecraft is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on October 16 Preparations underway: Pictures from earlier this month show the Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft, sitting at the launching area at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the country's northwestern Gansu province Pictured: China launches the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft on October 16, carried on the Long March-2F carrier rocket, to Chinese Tiangong space station This is the latest development in a terrifying arms race taking place in Asia as tensions between China and Taiwan continue to grow. China's ministry of defence did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment on Sunday. Along with China, the United States, Russia and at least five other countries are working on hypersonic technology, and last month North Korea said it had test-fired a newly-developed hypersonic missile. At a 2019 parade, China showcased advancing weaponry including its hypersonic missile, known as the DF-17. Ballistic missiles fly into outer space before returning on steep trajectories at higher speeds. Hypersonic weapons are difficult to defend against because they fly towards targets at lower altitudes but can achieve more than five times the speed of sound - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). The Pentagon did not comment on China's testing of the hypersonic missile, but did acknowledge China as their 'number one pacing challenge'. 'We have made clear our concerns about the military capabilities China continues to pursue, capabilities that only increase tensions in the region and beyond,' John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesperson, told Fox News. 'That is one reason why we hold China as our number one pacing challenge.' An op-ed in Beijing's state media outlet Global Times said: 'If the FT report is to be believed, it means that there is a key new member in China's nuclear deterrence system, which is a new blow to the US' mentality of strategic superiority over China. 'It is important to note the unstoppable trend that China is narrowing the gap with the US in some key military technologies as China is continuously developing its economic and technological strength.' 'China doesn't need to engage in an 'arms race' with the US it is capable of weakening the US' overall advantages over China by developing military power at its own pace,' the editorial added. It comes as the Chinese military today condemned the United States and Canada for each sending a warship through the Taiwan Strait last week, saying they were threatening peace and stability in the region. China claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, and has mounted repeated air force missions into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) over the past year, provoking anger in Taipei. China sent around 150 aircraft into the zone over a four-day period beginning on Oct. 1 in a further heightening of tension between Beijing and Taipei that has sparked concern internationally. The US military said the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey sailed through the narrow waterway that separates Taiwan from its giant neighbour China along with the Canadian frigate HMCS Winnipeg on Thursday and Friday. 'Dewey's and Winnipeg's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific,' it added. China's People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said its forces monitored the ships and 'stood guard' throughout their passage. 'The United States and Canada colluded to provoke and stir up trouble... seriously jeopardising peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,' it said. 'Taiwan is part of Chinese territory. Theatre forces always maintain a high level of alert and resolutely counter all threats and provocations.' The US said the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey sailed through the narrow waterway that separates Taiwan from its giant neighbour China on Thursday and Friday, an act China condemned (Pictured: USS Dewey file photo) Pictured: The Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Winnipeg which sailed through the Taiwan strait this week with USS Dewey U.S. Navy ships have been transiting the strait roughly monthly, to the anger of Beijing, which has accused Washington of stoking regional tensions. U.S. allies occasionally also send ships through the strait, including Britain last month. China strongly condemned Britain for sailing the 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. Earlier this month, Britain's HMS Queen Elizabeth led a huge naval exercise in the Philippine Sea alongside US and Japanese aircraft carriers. While tensions across the Taiwan Strait have risen, there has been no shooting and Chinese aircraft have not entered Taiwanese air space, concentrating their activity in the southwestern part of the ADIZ. Taiwan's defence ministry said on Sunday that three Chinese aircraft - two J-16 fighters and an anti-submarine aircraft - flew into the ADIZ again China has dramatically stepped up its military operations around the island - flying 150 aircraft close-by in a huge show of force coinciding with the island's National Day holiday. Taiwan has warned that China will be ready for a full-scale invasion of the island by 2025, ramping up tensions further after the UK's Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier led a huge naval exercise alongside the US and Japan in the region at the weekend At the same time, Beijing's mouthpiece media has been warning that it is 'only a matter of time' before the island falls into their hands and that World War Three could be triggered 'at any time'. Yesterday. Chinese defense ministry spokesman Tan Kefei described Beijing's military as an 'high alert' and 'ready to fight any time', according to Communist Party controlled newspaper The Global Times. The spokesman insisted that Taiwan belongs to China and accused the US of 'confusing white with black' - pledging that 'external interference' would be beaten back. Another article warned that Taiwan was facing a 'doomsday', according to the Sun, and said the 'hope of a peaceful resolution to the Taiwan question is declining sharply'. Earlier this week, satellite images emerged showing how China has upgraded military air bases close to Taiwan, in the latest hint at potential invasion plans. Three bases in Fujian province along China's south-eastern coast have been upgraded or reinforced with improved defences that could boost Chinese efforts in the event of aerial conflict with Taiwan. The Longtian airbase (pictured) has been expanded and adapted for air defence sites. At least five storage bunkers are being constructed and new administrative buildings have popped up At the Huian base bombproof aircraft shelters and hangers of a different design, including three most likely used for munitions storage, are visible in the satellite image At the Zhangzhou base, home of the Eastern Theatre Command's air force, a newly-constructed air defence site is visible as well as several new buildings The images come after the People's Liberation Army air force launched 149 sorties into Taiwanese air defence identification zone (ADIZ) from October 1 to 4 - a record number - amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan. Taken above the Longtian, Huian and Zhangzhou bases, the pictures reveal the construction of storage bunkers and new administrative buildings. The pictures, taken by Planet Labs and first published by U.S. automotive and military website The Drive, show that construction work at the bases, where most of the infrastructure dates back to the 1980s, began in early 2020 and continued throughout the pandemic. The Longtian airbase has been expanded and adapted for air defence sites. At least five storage bunkers are being constructed and new administrative buildings have popped up. The image of the base, taken on October 2, also shows an expanded apron and four hardened aircraft shelters under construction. The shelters are directly connected to the runway for quick dispersal, according to a label on the image. At the nearby Huian base bombproof aircraft shelters and hangers of a different design, including three most likely used for munitions storage according to Planet Labs, are visible in the satellite image. While at the Zhangzhou base, home of the Eastern Theatre Command's air force, a newly-constructed air defence site is visible as well as several new buildings. Antony Wong Tong, a Macau-based military expert, told the South China Morning Post that the upgrades offer clues about how the bases might be used in a potential future conflict with Taiwan. 'Longtian looks like it will be used as an alternate aerodrome after massive refurbishment, while the four new hardened aircraft shelters and the existing functional 24 aircraft sunshade shelters in Huian airbase tell us it will be able to house a full-scale aviation brigade,' he said. Reports of the improvements follow previously reported upgrades at other Chinese military bases and come amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan. China claims the self-governing island off its east coast as its territory, and says Taiwan must eventually come under its control and reserves the right to use force if necessary, according to AP. Last week, Taiwan's president said the territory will not bow to pressure from Beijing and will defend its democratic way of life. Taiwan's national day celebrations at the weekend were a rare show of Taiwanese defence capabilities in the annual parade and underlined Tsai's promise to resist China's military threats Taiwanese honor guards take part in a parade marking National Day in Taipei on Sunday amid heightened tensions with China 'The more we achieve, the greater the pressure we face from China,' President Tsai Ing-wen said in a speech marking Taiwan's National Day on Sunday in the capital of Taipei, adding: 'Nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us.' The National Day celebrations were a rare show of Taiwanese defence capabilities in the annual parade and underlined Tsai's promise to resist China's military threats. The president added: 'We hope for an easing of... relations [with Beijing] and will not act rashly, but there should be absolutely no illusions that the Taiwanese people will bow to pressure. 'We will continue to bolster our national defence and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us.' Chinese President Xi Jinping broke off official communication with Taipei following Tsai's election five years ago, and has since ramped up economic, diplomatic and military pressure. The latest flare-up was marked by the surge in flights by Chinese fighter jets and nuclear-capable bombers into Taiwan's ADIZ earlier this month. A man has been charged with attempted murder after a woman was stabbed and a four-month-old baby taken in Victoria. The 30-year-old Mooroopna man will appear before the Shepparton Magistrates Court on Monday after being charged with multiple offences on Saturday night. Police say they found a woman critically injured on Parker Street in Shepparton on Friday afternoon. A 30-year-old man has been charged with multiple offences including attempted murder after a woman was found with stab wounds (pictured, Parker Street in Shepparton) The 25-year-old woman was taken to hospital with suspected life-threatening injuries (pictured, Shepparton Magistrates Court) The 25-year-old from Shepparton was taken to hospital with suspected life-threatening injuries. It's alleged the man fled the scene with the four-month-old baby boy and was arrested shortly. The baby was uninjured. Analysing wastewater samples from long-haul flights of returning Australians could be the key to detecting COVID-19 earlier - before passengers show any symptoms. A CSIRO study of wastewater from Australian repatriation flights returning from hot spots is the first time researchers have matched the plane wastewater testing with follow-up clinical data studies of passengers in quarantine. The world-leading research could provide a convenient and cost-effective way to detect and manage the importation of the virus and help improve confidence as Australia reopens to the world. CSIRO's study of wastewater from Australian repatriation flights could be the key to managing the importation of Covid-19 (pictured, a passenger arriving at Sydney International Airport) Qantas is starting international flights to and from NSW from November after Premier Dominic Perrottet on Friday announced the scrapping of hotel quarantine for fully vaccinated international arrivals from next month. CSIRO lead author Dr Warish Ahmed said as global travel returns, wastewater testing of flights can be an effective way to screen incoming passengers for COVID-19 at points of entry. 'It provides an extra layer of data, if there is a possible lag in viral detection in deep nasal and throat samples and if passengers are yet to show symptoms,' Dr Ahmed said. 'The rapid on-site surveillance of wastewater at points of entry may be effective for detecting and monitoring other infectious agents that are circulating globally and provide alert to future pandemics.' The study of wastewater from flights returning from hot spots could be a convenient way to detect the spread of the virus (pictured, Qantas wastewater sampling) CSIRO lead author Dr Warish Ahmed (pictured) said as international travel begins again, the method could be the best way to screen against Covid-19 Author Jochen Mueller from University of Queensland said wastewater testing could be a useful additional tool to stem the spread of the virus. 'Wastewater surveillance from large transport vessels with their own sanitation systems significantly improves our ability to control the spread of infection from overseas travellers,' Prof Mueller said. The samples were taken from toilets of 37 Australian government repatriation flights from COVID-hotspots including India, France, UK, South Africa, Canada and Germany landing at Darwin International Airport between December 2020 and March. NSW is set to re-open to the world with Qantas begging flights to and from the state in November (pictured, a Qantas jet) The research found wastewater samples from 24 of the 37 repatriation flights - 65 per cent - showed a positive signal for the virus that causes COVID-19 despite all passengers, except children under age five, testing negative to the virus 48 hours before boarding. Infected people shed the virus in their faeces about two to five days before showing symptoms. During 14 days of mandatory quarantine after arriving in Australia, clinical tests identified only 112 cases of COVID-19 among the 6570 passengers - 1.7 per cent. There was an 87.5 per cent match between the positive detections by surveillance of the wastewater and the subsequent clinical detections made during the passengers' quarantine. Parents may be teaching their children to be bullies by letting them watch ultra-violent Squid Game, an expert has warned. Dr Sandra Wheatley said the Netflix show could be harming youngsters' 'social and emotional development' if they watch it too young. It may encourage them to 'stand by' or 'join in' rather than help if they see a peer harmed, she added. The South Korean 15-rated series has caused furious rows on parenting site Mumsnet, with some saying it was fine for children aged eight. It sees characters compete in challenges based on childhood games but with fatal twists to win 27million. Scenes depict someone shut in a coffin and people shot in the head. Dr Sandra Wheatley said Netflix show Squid Game (pictured) could be harming youngsters' 'social and emotional development' if they watch it too young The South Korean 15-rated series has caused furious rows on parenting site Mumsnet, with some saying it was fine for children aged eight Dr Wheatley, a social psychologist specialising in parenting, said primary-age children may not be old enough to understand the context of the violence, adding: 'It may make them question, 'why is nobody helping them?' Clearly there are messages there that we really don't want our kids to take on board.' Last week, John Bramston Primary School in Ilford, east London, wrote to parents warning them pupils were copying scenes in the playground. 'That might well shake the foundations of what they're being taught at school, which is that we care and we help each other. 'We don't stand by if we witness an injustice. If we see somebody else being bullied or hurt, we tell a teacher, and we don't just join in or walk away. 'Clearly there are messages there that we really don't want our kids to take on board.' It comes after primary schools warned pupils had been seen mimicking violent scenes from the show. And Mumsnet users caused outrage by admitting they had let their primary-age children watch it. One wrote of her nine-year-old daughter: 'I watch it with her and fast forward bits. She was hooked.' Another wrote of her daughter aged eight: 'I watch it with her in the room. I fast forward sex scenes or really brutal violence but she knows it's not real.' A third admitted: 'My 9 and 11-year-old asked me if they could watch it and have seen bits.' Many others condemned the action as 'bad parenting' with one saying: 'Scummy parents let their kids watch violent shows' and another saying: 'It's child neglect - so sad.' Nuzhat Uthmani, a primary school teacher, also wrote in a blog for TES magazine that some of her pupils had watched Squid Game and she worried it could impact on their 'mental health'. She said: 'It is frustrating the number of conversations you have to have, as a primary teacher, with pupils about age-appropriate content... 'Ultimately, it is the responsibility of parents and carers to police this.' Dr Wheatley said while parents should have the 'freedom' to choose what their children watch, it was wise err on the safe side. She said young children take a 'different message' from adult content to their parents because they are too young to understand the themes. Liz Truss yesterday condemned the treatment of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe by Iran as an 'appalling continuation of a cruel ordeal'. The Foreign Secretary's intervention comes after the British-Iranian mother's appeal against her sentence was rejected, meaning she could be sent back to prison at any time. The charity worker's conviction for spreading propaganda which she strongly denies was upheld without a hearing. Miss Truss said: 'Iran's decision to proceed with these baseless charges against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is an appalling continuation of the cruel ordeal she is going through. Iran must release her permanently so she can return home. We are doing all we can to help Nazanin get home to her young daughter and family.' Liz Truss yesterday condemned the treatment of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe by Iran as an 'appalling continuation of a cruel ordeal' Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 43, who is living with her parents in Tehran, was jailed for five years in 2016 on charges of plotting to overthrow the government Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 43, who is living with her parents in Tehran, was jailed for five years in 2016 on charges of plotting to overthrow the government. On release she was faced with the propaganda charge. Tehran authorities have told her she was being detained because of the UK's failure to pay a 400million debt to Iran. Yesterday, her husband Richard Ratcliffe said she could be called back to prison at any point following the decision. Technically, shes now just waiting for the phone call, saying Turn up at this prison on this day, he said. Essentially, theres a sword hanging over us now, it will at some point fall down. Its hard to know when, and its hard to know what could stop it falling at this point. Its clearly a signal that the balls in the Governments court to do something. Richard Ratcliffe (pictured) criticised the Governments handling of his wifes case, stating that it does not deal with problems until they become crises He added the family is now thinking what they can do to protect Nazanin once she is in prison, but added he does not have any clear answers on that at this point. He also criticised the Governments handling of his wifes case, stating that it does not deal with problems until they become crises. He said that the rejection of the appeal was the Iranians signalling theyre not prepared to wait forever and they will do what they need to do. Is this going to be a wake-up call for the Government? Maybe, maybe not, he said. One of the challenges I find with this Government is that it doesnt deal with problems until they become crises. This is Iran threatening a crisis. One hopes that the Government takes it seriously. Mr Ratcliffe said the Foreign Secretary Truss had spoken to Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe on the phone on Saturday after her appeal was rejected. He said: Nazanin said that she sounded angry on the phone and I can hear the anger in her words. But at this stage I am interested in her latest sentence: the actions she is taking beyond more pressing Iran. Their MP, Labours Tulip Siddiq (pictured), warned that losing the appeal meant she could be sent back to prison at any time Their MP, Labours Tulip Siddiq, warned that losing the appeal meant she could be sent back to prison at any time. She said: This is yet another piece of devastating news for my constituent, her family and the millions around the world who care about her. For Nazanin to face a return to prison after the ordeal shes been through is nothing short of a catastrophe. It seems that every time we dare to hope that Nazanin might soon be free, there is another dreadful setback that puts freedom out of sight. Shoppers have been filmed leaving Kmart stores in a mess after trashing folded piles of clothes and dumping them on the ground as end of lockdown madness sets it. An upset customer filmed the trail of mess left behind at one of the hugely popular retail stores located in Sydney. It's understood the footage was captured around the time the city emerged from four months of lockdown last Monday. Massive queues formed outside some of the stores across Sydney with shoppers lining up at the stroke of midnight to be the first ones inside. The video shows mounds of clothes covering the floor after they were ripped off their hangers on the clothes racks. Kmart customers have been filmed leaving clothes on the floor after trashing folded piles of shirts and pants as end of lockdown shopping madness grips Sydney Shelves are seen trashed with pants, jumpers and shirts dumped on the floor or thrown into a heap on top of the display Shelves are seen trashed with pants, jumpers and shirts dumped on the floor or thrown into a heap on top of the display. Footage of the wreckage was uploaded to TikTok with the disapproving caption: 'This is not how we do shopping'. Social media users were quick to air their disgust and condemn shoppers for their lack of respect for staff. 'Appalling,' one person wrote. 'The disrespect for other people's property and the poor workers who have to clean this up.' Another person added: 'If I walked into that for my presentation shift I would honestly just go home.' Customers had their first taste of shopping in months after restrictions were eased when the state hit the 70 per cent double jab milestone. Kmart stores in Blacktown and Mt Druitt saw dozens of shoppers queueing in lines which snaked 50m from the entrance just before midnight last Monday. A spokeswoman for Kmart acknowledged the lines and chaos ensuing at Kmart stores across the state. 'In many of our stores today there have been queues to enter and to check out, as our team and customers adjust to new processes and government requirements including checking vaccination status,' she said. Lacee (pictured with her daughter Kahlani) is shopping for Christmas as well as getting essentials Maya Urquhart found some bargains on her Freedom Day shopping at Kmart Meanwhile shoppers at Broadway in Sydney were enjoying the freedom to shop in person they had waited so long for. 'It's fantastic, it's nice to feel that you're living your normal life again, not restricted in your own house or in your own LGA,' said Lacee. 'It's quite amazing to have the freedom to be able to do what you want, whenever you want.' Lacee is a mum of three and says her girls have grown so much in the lockdown months that 'none of their clothes fit them' anymore. Another customer, Maya Urquhart was expecting it to be busier. 'It feels very weird to be back here, with everyone around. But everyone seems to be a lot calmer, very polite, keeping a distance.' She said the queue to get into the shop was smooth and well run. 'It's a very good process, easy to get in. There's two people at the door, keeping everyone safe, which is good.' Customers had their first taste of shopping in months after restrictions were eased when the state hit the 70 per cent double jab milestone Ms Urquhart was also shopping for Christmas and found some bargains. 'They have reduced prices of the things they're trying to get out before new stock comes in. I got a T-shirt for a dollar, cheap than a cup of coffee.' Rosie also said she was pleased to be able to shop in person. 'I've had a bit of a hiatus from buying crap that you always thought you needed but don't really need. Kmart CEO John Gualtieri quoted a 19th century American poet and philosopher in expressing his joy at reopening in NSW. 'I believe it was Ralph Waldo Emerson who once said life was about the journey and not the destination ... but on this occasion, I think we would all disagree,' said Mr Gualtieri. Queensland University of Technology retail and consumer behaviour expert Gary Mortimer said the rush to visit Kmart was due to residents being in lockdown for so long. 'For the rest of this week, people will be keen to get out, taking selfies of themselves at a restaurant, at a bar, or in a retail store, engaging in that activity that they've not engaged in for some time,' he told news.com. Cleo Smith's family have brought in local Aboriginal bush trackers to help find the four-year-old after she disappeared from a campsite in the dead of night. Ellie Smith last saw her daughter about 1.30am on Saturday inside the shared family tent at Blowholes campsite, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia. Cleo's parents had an 'interaction' with the youngster in the middle of the night, but she was nowhere to be seen when they woke up at 6am. A friend of the family assisting in the search told Daily Mail Australia Ms Smith is 'overwhelmed' by the situation and mammoth search ahead. Forensics teams from Perth, SES crews and volunteers are being assisted by local Indigenous bush trackers who know the area well, the friend said. Cleo Smith went missing while camping with her family at the Blowholes campsite near Carnarvon in Western Australia (pictured, four-year-old Cleo left with mum Ellie) A GoFundMe page has been set up to donate money to two local helicopter businesses which have been working in the search Ms Smith also confirmed trackers have arrived to assist in the search. The camp ground is located 75km from Carnarvon and 875km from Perth with nothing but bushland and scrubs in between. It is bordered by the ocean on one side and desolate, rugged terrain on the other. Bush trackers have historically assisted in baffling missing persons cases. Most recently, the family of 'miracle boy' AJ Elfalak called in experienced tracker Jake Cassar to help find their three-year-old son. Mr Cassar told Daily Mail Australia the role of a tracker is to think outside of the box and consider all possibilities regarding a person's disappearance. 'I'm here to keep an open mind,' he said. 'The way I see it, if you've got two feet and a heartbeat anything is possible. Doesn't matter if you're a 97-year-old woman or a three-year-old.' Police hold grave concerns for Cleo's safety, noting it is an unusual and disturbing case. Police Inspector Jon Munday said experts have advised the four-year-old could have wandered up to 5.2km from her last known position if she is lost in the bush A desperate search for a missing four-year-old girl has entered its third day with police releasing footage of the remote campsite from where she disappeared Professional bush tracker Jake Cassar (pictured) was brought in to help find little AJ Elfalak after he disappeared. He said the role of a bush tracker is to keep an open mind and think outside of the box Thousands of strangers who were moved by the missing person's report have since joined in the search in any way they can - from volunteering to help on the ground to simply sharing her picture online. Psychic mediums have reportedly offered to assist in the search, but it's not clear if any are working directly with the family. One friend of the family said they're willing to try 'anything' to be reunited with their little girl. Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that Cleo was abducted, and officers have been stopping cars and caravans to search vehicles as they exit the campsite. Inspector Jon Munday described the case as 'extremely concerning' and said the state's 'best investigators' have been called to the scene. According to 9News, those detectives include members of the homicide squad. 'We are trying to paint the picture of who was around here during the window of opportunity between the early hours of Saturday morning and 6am Saturday and what leads that could give us,' he said. A frantic search is underway after Cleo Smith disappeared from her family's tent during the early hours of Saturday morning. Pictured: Cleo in the outfit she was wearing when she went missing Locals joining the search have been told to check garbage bins and roadsides for a red sleeping bag that was being used by Cleo and that went missing with her (pictured, locals have urged more people to join the search by taking to social media) Locals have been told to check garbage bins and roadsides. A red adult-sized sleeping bag believed to have been Cleo's for the trip has been reported as missing with her. Mr Munday said detectives were no closer to finding the little girl or clues about her mysterious disappearance. He said it was very unusual for a child to disappear from a tent they shared with their parents during the middle of the night. Cleo Smith, four, was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday at the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia (pictured, the campsite Cleo went missing from) 'Unfortunately we have not had any major breakthroughs,' he told reporters on Sunday. '[The disappearance] is extremely concerning and not something we come across very often at all. 'We are throwing everything at this, but at this point in time we do not have any answers about where Cleo is.' Police urged every newsroom in Western Australia to broadcast details of the missing girl. Russia has offered to 'rescue' the UK from rising energy costs by increasing gas supplies and said it was in 'no hurry' to reach net zero emissions. Russia's ambassador Andrei Kelin also denied that the country is withholding gas supplies, appearing to suggest commitments to increase supply will take time to take effect. The Russian ambassador to the UK also said that it is his understanding that no decision has yet been taken in Russia as to whether President Vladimir Putin will attend the Cop26 climate conference being hosted in Glasgow from the end of October. It comes after Putin accused European leaders of being 'out of their minds' as he denied withholding gas from the continent as a geopolitical 'weapon'. The Russian president insisted his country has always kept the taps into Europe open, including during the Cold War, and dismissed any suggestion that he is throttling supplies as 'complete nonsense'. Asked on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show if Russia understands the pressures of gas supply and price increases on people in Europe and the UK, Mr Kelin said Russia is following the situation, but appeared to play down the significance of the issues in the UK. However, he also suggested Russia will come to the 'rescue' if needed - despite only about two per cent of the UK's gas coming from the country. Russia's ambassador Andrei Kelin also denied that Russia is withholding gas supplies, appearing to suggest commitments to increase supply will take time to take effect Russia has linked easing Europe's gas crisis with approving the Nord Stream 2 pipeline (top), but experts say the Kremlin already has plenty of capacity to boost supplies without bringing the new route online (pictured) Mr Kelin said: 'If it will be an opportunity we will come to rescue, we will do what we can of course to alleviate difficult conditions which are now being created.' The ambassador said Russia has increased gas supplies to assist Europe amid a global increase in prices, but also argued the country could do more if the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline were to be approved. He also told the BBC that Russia has increased gas supplies to western Europe, and cited two different figures, an increase of both 10% and 15%. Asked if Russia is withholding supplies for political reasons, the ambassador said: 'Certainly we do not withhold it for political reasons'. He said Russia has increased gas supply to western Europe through Ukraine by 10%, but added that the pipeline cannot increase capacity further. He said the Nord Stream 2 is ready to operate and that he expects Germany will give the new pipeline the go-ahead. The new 764-mile pipe runs across the Baltic Sea to Germany, bypassing Ukraine, but has sparked opposition from the US and many eastern European countries worried about energy security and climate goals. Asked whether Russia should aim for net zero quicker than 2060, Mr Kelin said: 'We are not very much in a hurry, we do not want to jump. We do not believe that putting artificial goals and not very much calculated goals will help.' The Russian ambassador to the UK also said that it is his understanding that no decision has yet been taken in Russia as to whether President Vladimir Putin will attend the Cop26 climate conference being hosted in Glasgow from the end of October Mr Kelin's comments follow claims that Russia has been limiting gas supplies in a bid to prod regulators in Europe into moving quickly to certify the controversial new pipeline. Last week, Government minister Lord Agnew of Oulton said spiralling energy costs were nothing to do with supply shortages, but were due to a 'geopolitical move' by Russia to put pressure on Europe. Challenged by Andrew Marr that there is no evidence in publicly available data that Russia has increased supply through Ukraine by 10%, Mr Kelin said he is not a specialist in that area, but added: 'Gas travels at not the speed of light of course, it goes very slowly by that. So what do you expect? Once the president has said (we will supply more gas) and tomorrow prices will go down? This is not possible.' Asked if Russia is doing everything it can to get more and cheaper gas to Western Europe, Mr Kelin said Nord Stream 2 would help to address those issues. And asked if it gas supplies will increase from November 1 whether or not Nord Stream 2 is granted approval, Mr Kelin said: 'I simply do not know. But we have, as I said, we increase it by 15% right now.' Elsewhere in the interview the Russian ambassador insisted BBC news correspondent Sarah Rainsford - who was expelled from Russia earlier this year - can return to the country if visas are granted to Russian journalists to work in the UK. Officials have sterilised 24 of more than 80 animals, and when the project is complete the hippos will die out naturally Since his death in 1993, they have prospered in the countryside near his former range because they encounter no natural predators The infamous 'cocaine hippos' bought for Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar were illegally imported for his private zoo The infamous cocaine hippos bought for Colombia drug lord Pablo Escobar are being sterilised to end their presence in the country. The hippos were illegally imported for Escobars private zoo and since his death in 1993 have prospered in the countryside near his former ranch because they encounter no natural predators. Officials have now managed to sterilise 24 of more than 80 animals. When the project is complete, the hippos will die out naturally. Hippos at a care centre in Doradal, northeast of Bogota in Colombia Before Pablo Escobar was shot dead by police, he had purchased a number of exotic animals to live on his range, including flamingos, giraffes, zebras and kangaroos Escobar led the Medellin cartel in the 1980s which was behind countless killings. Before he was shot dead by police, the notorious Escobar had purchased a number of exotic animals to live on his ranch, including flamingos, giraffes, zebras and kangaroos. After his death, all but the hippopotamuses were sold to zoos. Escobar originally acquired a single male and female hippos. On the former range of late drug lord Pablo Escobar, 24 out of 80 hippos were sterilised due to the 'uncontrolled growth' of this 'invasive' species An expert prepares a dart to put hippos to sleep in order to sterilise them at a care centre in Doradal, Colombia They were left to roam on his Hacienda Napoles estate, which has since been converted into a theme park, as they were considered too large to try to move, but since then their numbers have multiplied. The hippos were shot with darts to inject them with a medicine called GonaCon, according to a bulletin by Cornare, a regional environmental protection organization in the northwest of Colombia. "It's a contraceptive that is effective in males and females" and cheaper than surgical sterilization, said Cornare. "However, it's complicated because experts suggest giving three doses." Another 11 hippos were previously sterilized by more traditional means. Experts believe this to be the largest herd of hippopotamuses outside of Africa and it has led to problems. "The presence of these animals in an ecosystem that is not their own, brings consequences such as the displacement of local fauna," said David Echeverri, a Cornare expert quoted in the bulletin. The hippos are also responsible for "changing ecosystems" and attacks on local fishermen. Escobar became one of the richest men on the planet, according to Forbes, thanks to the drug trafficking empire he built. Almost 30 years since his death, Colombia remains the largest producer of cocaine in the world, much of it smuggled to the United States. Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis made a surprise appearance at a Republican dinner on Saturday, telling the crowd she's 'sure as hell not giving up' after her husband revealed she's been diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this month. DeSantis, 41, was in good spirits as she took the stage in a scarlet red dress with her brunette tresses down at the Hernando County Republican Party Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner. 'I hear when you get a standing ovation before you even walk in the door you should probably just leave,' she joked after accepting the microphone from her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis. The governor revealed that his wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer in a statement released October 4, though he did not say at what stage the cancer was detected. 'Probably the most important person that has stood by me is our wonderful first lady,' the Republican told the crowd Saturday before revealing that she was in attendance. 'But I'll tell you one thing is for sure. Im sure as hell not giving up,' the mother-of-three told a cheering audience at a Hernando County Republican Party dinner on Saturday Gov. Ron DeSantis, 43, announced that his wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this month, though he did not specify the stage of the disease 'I trust in the Lord, I know how tough she is. She's doing very well. In fact, she's doing so well that she wanted to come here tonight and say hello to you, so here she is.' The crowd greeted the First Lady with a standing ovation and a healthy dose of cheers. DeSantis, who shares three children with the governor, delivered a message of perseverance in a one minute, 30-second video obtained by Fox News. 'I think theres a lot that we can be upset about, that we can be sad about: The direction of our country, the future of our nation, our families, our communities, our safety, our children, their education, their futures, our health and our wellbeing,' the First Lady proposed. 'But I'll tell you one thing is for sure. Im sure as hell not giving up,' she said, attracting more cheers from the rapt audience before looking over her shoulder at her husband. Casey and Ron DeSantis, 43, are the parents of Madison, 4, Mason, 3, and Mamie, 18 months DeSantis is an Ohio native. She attended the College of Charleston and won an Emmy Award while working at local TV station WJXT in Jacksonville, Florida from 2003 to 2009 'Never ever ever give up the fight, ever.' Hernando County, the site of Saturday's dinner, is part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan statistical area. Former President Donald Trump took the county with more than 70,000 votes in November 2020, compared to 37,519 for President Joe Biden. Gov. DeSantis, 43, announced his wife's diagnosis earlier this month. 'I am saddened to report that Florida's esteemed First Lady and my beloved wife has been diagnosed with breast cancer. As the mother of three young children, Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as First Lady,' the governor said in a statement. 'As she faces the most difficult test of her life, she will have not only have my unwavering support but the support of our entire family, as well as the prayers and well wishes from Floridians across our state. Casey is a true fighter, and she will never, never, never give up.' Casey and Ron DeSantis are the parents of Madison, 4, Mason, 3, and Mamie, 18 months. The cost per plate of Saturday's dinner was not immediately available, though a speech by the sitting governor is sure to come with a hefty price tag. The Hernando County Republican Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com. Casey DeSantis is a native of Troy, Ohio. She earned a degree in economics from the College of Charleston, according to her State of Florida biography. She's a three-time National Champion equestrian, as well as a runner-up Division I NCAA Champion. She worked for the PGA Tour as a producer and on-air host and earned an Emmy for on-air talent while working in Jacksonville, Florida, where she was a reporter, anchor and producer at local station WJXT from 2003 to 2009, according to her LinkedIn. Question Time panellist Nazir Afzal today backed Fiona Bruce, saying he had 'no criticism' of the host after accusing her during the show of asking him first about the cricket racism row because he is a 'brown person'. The BBC programme has become embroiled in an 'unconscious racism' row after Bruce asked Mr Afzal, the only non-white member of the panel, to be the first person to answer an audience member's query about racism. During the show, Mr Afzal agreed with Bruce that he thought she was 'wrong' to go to him first. But reacting this morning after the incident prompted huge debate online, Mr Afzal tweeted: 'I have no criticism of Fiona Bruce. I made point that racism is something which everyone should have a view on, not just minorities. If the subject was say child or domestic abuse, you wouldn't just ask the victim. It's everybody's business.' The question, which was partly about recent allegations of racist abuse made by cricketer Azeem Rafiq, was asked last night to a panel made up of former crown prosecutor Mr Afzal; white psychologist Jordan Peterson; and three white MPs - Mims Davies from the Conservatives, Stella Creasy of Labour and Stephen Flynn from the SNP. Bruce then immediately turned to Mr Afzal and asked him to answer, prompting him to say: 'The brown person will answer first'. As he made the comment he turned to the audience and laughed, which saw some chuckle with him. The presenter then asked him: 'Nazir, so do you think that was wrong of me to come to you first?' Mr Afzal replied: 'I think so' and attempted to continue answering the question while pointing towards the audience. But Bruce then added: 'Well let's not do it. I'm not being sarcastic at all. I mean if that's how you feel, I respect that.' Mr Afzal then stopped speaking and sat silently, while Bruce went to Mr Peterson to hear from him instead. Moderate Democrat Senator Joe Manchin will only support Joe Biden's flagship child tax credits policy if the existing program is made markedly less generous, sources say. The West Virginia senator says that if the program is to continue into 2022, it must have a firm work requirement to try and deter recipients from using it as their sole means of income. Manchin also wants the program only to be made available to families with an income of $60,000 or less, a huge reduction on the current earnings cap. Currently, families earning up to $150,000 are eligible for up to $3,600 for each of their children. Such demands by Manchin would cripple one of President Biden's signature programs designed to help working families, but they will also cut the package's overall costs. Previously, Manchin had said he would not support any spending package higher than $1.5 trillion. His demands, reported by Axios, are also set to infuriate the progressive wing of the Democrat party. Manchin has made them even though his home state has a child poverty rate of 20 per cent - double the national average of nine per cent. But West Virginia has leaned Republican since the 2000 presidential election, and backed GOP candidates in every run-off since then. Manchin is no doubt mindful of supporting any policy that could be construed as an example of profligate socialism by his state's burgeoning conservative population. West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has informed the White House he would like to see child tax credit include a requirement of work and $60,000 income cap Democrats are looking to make Joe Biden's temporary increase to the child tax credit under the American Rescue Plan permanent. Under current US tax code the normal maximum child tax credit outside of the pandemic is $2,000 President Biden's American Families Plan, part of his sweeping Build Back Better agenda, raised yearly child tax benefit to $3,000 per child aged 6 to 17, and $3,600 for children under 6. Families eligible for the newly-boosted child tax credits began receiving the checks from July 15, with the program set to run for the remainder of the 2021 tax year. Before that boost, the maximum annual child tax credit is $2,000, doubled from $1,000 by Donald Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Under the Biden plan that went into effect in July, two parent families on a combined salary of up to $150,000 are eligible for the tax credit. Families with a single 'head of household' being paid up to $112,500 a year are also included. A head of household is an unmarried person who covers more than half their family's living costs, and lives with them for more than half of the year. Single parents on salaries of up to $75,000 also currently receive the credit. The program received funding for one year in Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package passed in March President Joe Biden greets children as he visits the Capitol Child Development Center, Friday Parents are getting half the credit they are eligible for in 2021, and will be able to claim the rest back when completing this year's federal tax return. The Democrats' proposal takes away the minimum income requirement. A parent with two children younger than 6 and no reported annual income would be eligible to receive $7,200 from the federal government per year under Biden's plan. Federal investments in US families have been a main talking point for Democrats and Biden officials promoting the bill. Biden's child tax credit boost is the same as his temporary increases under the American Rescue Plan, which was passed to help the US through the COVID-19 pandemic. President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the Capitol Child Development Center, Friday in Hartford, Connecticut It became the largest child tax credit in US history when it was signed into law in March, but is only effective through 2021. Now Democrats are hoping to make it permanent through their $3.5 trillion spending bill, which also includes funding for free community college and historic expansions to Medicare and Medicaid, among other reforms. The bill has no Republican support and is getting pushback from moderate Democrats who think the price tag is too high. The president's party had been hoping to pass the measure through the reconciliation process, which would allow it to pass with a simple majority. But with just a slim majority, Democrats - particularly in the Senate- will have to vote in lock-step to get it passed. The American Rescue Plan, signed by Biden in March, allows child tax credits of up to $3,600 per year to be distributed in monthly payments instead of annually for each child of couples earning under $112,500 Biden said Friday that although he expects the package to shrink, 'we're going to come back and get the rest' after it's passed. 'We're not going to get $3.5 trillion. We'll get less than that, but we're gonna get it. And we're going to come back and get the rest,' Biden said during remarks at a child care center in Connecticut. Democrats on Capitol Hill are working to reduce the sweeping package to about $2 trillion in spending, which would be paid for with higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy. The proposal includes everything from free child care and community college to dental, vision and hearing aid benefits for seniors and a number of significant provisions meant to combat climate change. They're all key items for progressives, but moderates have balked at the original $3.5 trillion price tag. One almost certain reduction would be in the proposal for free community college. 'I doubt whether we will get the entire funding for community colleges but Im not going to give up on community colleges as long as Im president,' Biden said. His wife, Jill, is a professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College. One person died and seven others were injured in a shooting at Grambling State University in Louisiana early on Sunday, the second such deadly incident on campus in four days. Multiple shots were fired at around 1.15am in the school's quad area on Sunday, Tisha Arnold, a spokesperson for the university, told KOCO. As a result, a student and six others who were attending the school's homecoming festivities were injured, with one listed in critical condition. Another non-student was killed. The names of the victims have not been released. A shooting occurred on the campus of Grambling State University early Sunday morning In a tweet, school officials updated the public on the precautions they were taking in the aftermath of the shooting, the second one on the campus in just one week At the time of the incident, Arnold said, a homecoming event was being held at the McCall Dining Center, but all those in attendance sheltered in place until campus police gave the all-clear. Further homecoming events planned for Sunday were canceled, and classes were canceled for Monday and Tuesday. A curfew was imposed on campus from 9.30pm to 6am until further notice, the school said. It was further restricting access to the campus by nonstudents and limiting extracurricular activities, Rick Gallot said at a news conference following the shooting, according to WAFB. He noted that the school has already put in roadblocks to restrict traffic in the evenings and are requiring students to show their IDs to enter the campus. Gallot also assured parents that their children are safe, saying: 'We will find ways to continue to ensure our students' safety.' He added that the school will provide counseling for students and employees and conduct wellness checks. Students and staff members also began seven days of fasting and prayer for healing for the campus and community at noon on Sunday. Louisiana police are searching for Jatavious Carroll, 18, in connection with a shooting at the school on Wednesday The shooting came just days after a non-student was fatally shot by another non-student early on Wednesday in front of the university's Favrot Student Union building, Grambling State said. Two students fleeing the area suffered non-life-threatening injuries on Wednesday. That incident also occurred around 1am at a non-sanctioned event, officials said, with the name of the victim who died not yet released. The university said on Wednesday it would increase security on campus after that shooting. Louisiana State Police, who are investigating both incidents, said the two shootings are believed to be unrelated. Authorities have released no information about a possible suspect or suspects in Sunday's shooting, but the agency said it had identified Jatavious Carroll, 18, also known as Rabbit, as a suspect in Wednesday's shooting. A warrant has been obtained for his arrest, charging him with one count of second-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder and one count of possessing a firearm or weapon on school property. The agency asked for help in locating Carroll. School president Rick Gallot, seen here when he was a state senator in 2013, blamed outsiders for the increase in violence School authorities, meanwhile, are blaming the violence on outsiders who have a reckless disregard for life and the safety of others, with one telling WAFB: 'We are not going to stand for it.' And in a statement before Sunday's news conference, Gallot said: 'Our campus community has worked tirelessly to keep our students and others safe for the homecoming activities. 'Yet with all of our planning and coordination with our local, parish, regional and state law enforcement partners, we still find ourselves grieving the loss of life and injuries - just as too many communities in our country have experienced as well. 'Why would someone come to the campus of our Dear Ole Grambling and shoot innocent people?' 'Our students come here for an education and far too often it's outsiders who have created these situations that have put life and limb into danger,' he added at the press conference. 'That's not why we're here. That's not what we're about after 120 years, and so again, our priority is keeping our students safe.' A cancer nurse killed in Times Square by a phone mugger was visited by grief-stricken loved ones at an open-casket viewing service. Maria Ambrocio, 58, was visited by grieving relatives at the S. Fryczynski & Son Funeral Home funeral home in Bayonne, New Jersey, on Sunday, nine days after she was killed October 9. She wore a white outfit, and held on to rosary beads as stricken friends and family members knelt before her casket to pray. The room was filled with red roses, which were Ambrocio's favorite flowers, with a priest also on hand to say prayers. Ambrocio's funeral will take place on Monday, at St Henry's Catholic Church in Bayonne. Ambrocio, who had two stepchildren, failed to regain consciousness after she fell and smashed her head into the concrete when she was pushed into the ground by a mugger the day before. A viewing was held for late New Jersey nurse Maria Ambrocio, 58, at the Frycznski and Sons Funeral Home in Bayonne, New Jersey Ambrocio was remembered fondly as 'Ning Ning' or 'bright star' by her family and friends Maria's friend Norma Lardizabal, 75, and Fidela Daniel Javate, 79, grieve the loss of their beloved Ning Ning Grieving relatives held one another for comfort at Ambrocio's funeral Sunday Two family members said a prayer over the later cancer nurse's casket Another man was filmed kneeling over the coffin to say a final farewell to the 58 year-old She was one of eight murder victims in NYC between October 3 and 10 - an increase of 100 per cent in the four people maliciously killed for the week before. Family and friends fondly remembered the late Ambrocio who had previously left her native Philippines years ago to give her family a better life. 'Her nickname (Ning Ning) means bright star, and thats what she basically is, a bright star,' Ambrocio's stepdaughter Lehrie told the Post. 'She took us in like she was our mother. She cared, she was patient.' Ambrocio's stepdaughter added that her death felt very 'surreal' to her as well as 'heartbreaking.' Her younger stepdaughter Lalia Lillia also expressed her sorrow, even mentioning how difficult it was for her to tell her children. Lardizabal (above) was with Ambrocio when she had been knocked down in Times Square Ambrocio's stepdaughters Lalia Lilia and Lehrie Ambrocio fondly spoke off their stepmother who had come from her native Philippines to give her family a better life A collection of photos and memories were put together in remembrance of Ambrocio 'I was telling my kids, I have to tell you something. Lola Maria is in the hospital and shes in a coma right now, Lilia said. 'I had to explain to them what that is. Theyre still young so it was very hard for them to understand. 'The next day I dont even have the heart to tell them that Lola Maria is gone. 'They were asking me, Is she going to be OK? I dont know. They cant grasp that shes gone.' Fidela Daniel Javate, Ambrocio's aunt also offered heartfelt sentiments about her niece. 'She loved Facebook. Every two days she was posting one of her activities,' she told The Post. 'Sometimes they were of dancing at a park in Bayonne. She was full of life.' Homeless mugger Jeremiah Foster, 26, had knocked Ambrocio down in Times Square while she was walking with her friends and left her unconscious on the ground Javate had told News 12 that it was 'difficult' to her about her niece's death in the wake of the rise of NYC crime. 'We all know these things are happening all over,' she told the network. 'There's no safe place. But when it comes and you hear it happens to your family it's really hard to take in.' Jeremiah Foster, 26, was arrested on felony assault, robbery and now murder charges for allegedly aggressively shoving Ambrocio to the ground. He had previously stolen another woman's cell phone before he knocked Ambrocio over who she was walking with two friends on the afternoon of October 8, police say. Norma Ladrizabal, 75, was one of Ambrocio's friends who was with her at the time of the attack. 'Immediately, she was comatose', Lardizabal said. 'She never recovered. It broke my heart.' Other friends and even a former patient were devastated by the news of Ambrocio's passing. Ambrocio's co-workers had attended the service in remembrance of her hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic 'When I saw what happened on the TV I was extremely heartbroken that someone could do this horrible thing to a person that was randomly walking and minding her own business,' Ashley Connolly-Romeo, a former patient, told News 12. 'My personal condolences are with the family and everyone that knew her and worked with her at BAM Hospital and all her friends and loved ones.' Her fellow staff members also remembered Ambrocio for her work during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'She was asked to help and pass through COVID but this sad incident happened to her,' Rosalie Gambito of the Jersey Medical Center said. 'This is you know really sad and tragic.' A funeral mass is scheduled for Monday at St. Henrys Catholic Church in Bayonne. The rise in murder crimes have increased significantly throughout this past week with numbers representing cases over the course of the week prior, as per NYPD stats. Murders have risen by 100 per cent, from four between October 3 and 10 2020 to eight between October 3 and 10 2021. That 100 per cent increase included Ambrocio's killing. The 28 day interval has also seen a 14.7% change with 34 cases for September 12 and 39 for October 10. There has been no change, however, between the past year with both 2020 and 2021 having 374 cases. As Melburnians prepare to emerge from their lockdown slumber, Victorian health authorities are urging people to get tested for sexually transmissible infections. The city's world-record lockdowns have not only limited the spread of Covid-19 but also ostensibly STIs, with home visits banned to all but intimate partners and those in single bubbles. But the return of freedoms and the reopening of Melbourne meeting places such as pubs, cafes and restaurants before this weekend is set to lead to more social interactions, including those of the intimate variety. Victorian health officials are urging residents to get tested for sexually transmissible infections (pictured, secondary syphilis case) The Department of Health's Maria Bubnic says anyone who is sexually active can get or have an STI, and noted sexual health testing fell last year during lockdowns and again in 2021. The department's current testing campaign will run from October 17 - 23 and Victorians are being urged to talk with health officials and workers about being tested for STIs. 'This means people may have an undiagnosed STI and potentially be at risk of passing an STI onto a partner,' the executive director of public health said in a statement on Monday. 'That is why it is so important that when restrictions ease, and freedoms return, that people talk to their GP about a sexual health test.' She said sexually active people should get tested for STIs such as HIV, gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia and blood-borne forms of hepatitis every 12 months, or even earlier if they planned to conceive. Most STIs are curable and all are treatable but if not remedied can cause long-term health conditions, including infertility. Congenital syphilis, where a baby is born with infectious syphilis, has recently become an emerging public health issue in Victoria. Cases of congenital syphilis, which can cause miscarriage and serious birth abnormalities in babies, have increased over the past two years, including two foetal deaths. As the state emerges from lockdown the Department of Health is urging people to get tested to halt the spread of STIs (stock) The Department of Health figures showed 12 cases of congenital syphilis in Victoria since 2017, and only two cases in the 20 years prior to 2017. Data released in May by Alfred Health's Melbourne Sexual Health Centre reported a 220 per cent increase in sexually transmitted infections in the past few years. Cases grew from 636 cases in 2014 to 1,659 cases in 2019. The health department says it's a timely reminder for people planning a family to get tested. 'It is estimated that around one in every six people will get an STI in their life - and most won't even know it,' Ms Bubnic said. 'There are many types of STIs, most are curable and all are treatable. 'If left untreated, STIs can cause long term effects on the body, including infertility.' A young Woolworths worker who tragically took his own life slammed the supermarket giant in a series of notes discovered after his death. Zachary Hendricks, 21, claimed his job dealing with online orders was a 'nightmare even Freddy Krueger wouldn't want'. The young man died when his sedan smashed into a tree and burst into flames on the Bruce Highway in Midgee, 10km south of Rockhampton on Queensland's mid-north coast, at about 4.45am on September 22. It took emergency services 30 minutes to quell the flames and assess him for injuries, but he died in the blaze. Police said the investigation is ongoing, with his distraught mother Dhanni telling Daily Mail Australia her son's 'awful' job pushed him to the brink. Pictured: Zachary Hendricks in his Woolworths uniform. He worked there for 18 months before he took his own life Zachary Hendricks (pictured) spent six years in the RAAF Cadet Corps, which his mother said was his 'whole world' 'A week and a half before he died, he was thrust into management position without being trained,' she said. 'We knew about a year ago that the job was stressful, but we didn't know how bad it was - the new position was a whole other level.' A Woolworths spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the company is 'devastated by Zachs tragic passing' and will review the circumstances surrounding his employment up until his passing. 'We've extended our deepest condolences to the family and been in close contact over recent weeks to offer our care and practical support,' he said. Zachary started working at Woolworths about 18 months ago on a casual basis, but he was soon put on a full time contract - working 38 hours per week. 'It was 38 hours too much,' Dhanni said. Distraught mum Dhanni said she didn't know how stressed Zachary (pictured) was before he took his own life in September His mother Dhanni found a series of letters Zachary (pictured) left before he died describing the pressure he was under She only became aware of how much his job was impacting his mental health after the car crash, when she found a series of notes. 'He wrote quite a few letters and they were all about the work,' she said. Zachary said his job was 'a nightmare not even Freddy Krueger would want',' according to his mother. The line referenced Nightmare On Elm Street - a 1980s horror film featuring serial killer Freddy Krueger, who killed his victims in their dreams. Dhanni said her son's complaint about bullying and the workload to HR 'went nowhere'. The Woolworths spokesman said: 'Woolworths is currently unaware of any workplace complaints being made by Zach.' Dhanni made a memorial page for Zachary (pictured), and says his death has been indescribable When asked about impact Zachary's death has had on her family, she said it was 'indescribable'. In a Facebook group dedicated to her son, Dhanni said the supermarket chain was 'worse than Covid' and accused Woolworths of 'corporate manslaughter'. 'They drove him to the edge and pushed him to take his own life after dismantling and crushing his mental health. I have the letters to prove it,' she wrote. She also coined the hashtag #YWLM - Young Woolworths Lives Matter. Thousands of people flocked to the page to pay their respects, and to share their stories working for large corporations. 'I worked for the Woolworths group and had a very similar experience that led to me making an attempt on my own life,' one woman wrote. 'I was unsuccessful and given a second chance to get out but unfortunately people like your son did not get that. I am so very sorry for your loss.' Another wrote: 'This is heartbreaking, I left the company earlier this year after 11 years of service when my mental health had severely spiralled after years of consistent bullying.' Queensland Police have prepared a report for the coroner. For 24/7 confidential support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles has launched a scathing attack on NSW's 'reckless' decisions as the state opens up the borders for Christmas. Following Annastacia Palaszczuk's announcement quarantine-free travel will be available between Queensland, NSW and Victoria by December 17, Mr Miles boasted his state was governed by a premier with a 'measured, cautious and safe approach.' 'One that is informed by the best health advice, which puts the safety and health of Queenslanders and our economic interests first,' he said. 'It's based on the best advice and the best available modelling, not a series of reckless decisions as we have seen from New South Wales. 'We will not give up on having a plan as the Prime Minister has, Queenslanders we can do this and we can do it with a plan.' Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles has launched a scathing attack on NSW's 'reckless' decisions as the state opens up the borders for Christmas The Queensland border will open up in two stages with 70 per cent of the eligible population expected to be fully vaccinated on November 19. On this date anyone who has been in a declared hotspot within the past 14 days can travel into Queensland as long as they are double vaxxed but must arrive by air only. They will need to provide a negative Covid test in the past 72 hours and undertake home quarantine for 14 days. Then once the 80 per cent vaccination target is hit on December 17, vaccinated travellers can arrive from interstate by road or air and will not have to home quarantine. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said those dates would be brought forward if the state hit the 70 and 80 per cent vaccination targets earlier. The Queensland leader did rule out lockdowns from some rural areas should Delta outbreaks occur once the state was reopened. She said the December 17 date for welcoming back interstate visitors would not be moved even if the state had not reached 80 per cent full vaccination of the eligible population. Mr Miles took a not so subtle swipe at NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet while speaking at a press conference on Monday Mr Miles' snub wasn't the first swipe he made at NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and on Sunday declared the state had 'gone rogue'. He told reporters that Queensland authorities are committed to the national plan that says states can start opening up on November 14, once they reach vaccine targets - the same national plan he said NSW leaders 'abandoned'. 'The prime minister's so-called national plan is in tatters now, thanks to his buddy in NSW going off script, going rogue,' Mr Miles said. His comments were a response to Mr Perrottet announcing vaccinated international arrivals would be allowed to enter his state without any form of quarantine from November 1 - two weeks ahead of the national plan. It comes after Queensland recorded no new community-acquired cases for a 13th consecutive day on Monday. The Sunshine State had been under pressure to announce a road map to reopen as vaccination rates increase and NSW and Victoria begin to emerge from lockdown. There is currently just over 56.58 per cent of eligible adults fully vaccinated, compared to NSW which celebrated the 80 per cent milestone on Saturday. Ms Palaszczuk said many parts of regional Queensland were behind the Brisbane area on vaccination rates. Pop up vaccination sites were set up at Bunnings Warehouses over the weekend She said ministers from the government would travel to some regional areas to urge Queenslanders to get vaccinated. Pop up vaccinations sites were recently set up at Bunnings Warehouse stores around the state over the weekend in bids to encourage residents to roll up their sleeves. Ms Palaszczuk defended the delay in announcing a plan to reopen the state. 'In NSW and Victoria there has been a sense of urgency to get vaccinated because they had widespread Delta outbreaks, they had people in hospitals, people in their homes who've been very ill with Covid and that has been an incentive to get their lives back to some sort of normality,' she said. 'I'm asking Queenslanders to get vaccinated to keep our sense of lifestyle.' A man wearing only his underpants has taken an interesting approach to getting rid of a huntsman spider lurking around his bathroom - shooting at it with a pellet gun. The footage, which was posted to TikTok on Sunday, shows the anonymous man poking a toilet brush holder with the end of a broom before readying his gun. 'Welcome to Australia, where spiders attack you,' the footage posted by account @notjacksonjansen was captioned. @notjacksonjansen we ended up scooping it up and putting it out side original sound - Notjacksonjansen After the man takes a few shots, the arachnid crawls towards him at great speed, prompting him to shoot a barrage of pellets at the huntsman. As the cameraman runs away, the man is still firing his pellet gun when it's revealed the heroic 'gunman' isn't wearing any clothes. The spider appears to be unharmed by the bizarre encounter and the man 'ended up scooping it up and putting it outside', the video later revealed. Hilarious footage of a man wielding a broom and pellet gun taking on a huge huntsman spider has emerged on TikTok (pictured, the man in his undies) TikTok Users in the comment section were quick to find humour in the video, with one person claiming that 'even the scream has an accent'. 'There is an essential oil for that, it's called gasoline,' one person said. 'Another fantastic example of why you'll never see me in Australia,' another viewer wrote. When he opens fire, the huge arachnid runs at him causing the man to scream and the person filming to run away (pictured, the huge spider) Huntsman spiders are incredibly common in Australia and are large, brown long-legged arachnids. The species are often found inside homes but generally are harmless if left alone and are brilliant at keeping flies and bugs at bay. Although their bites can be painful they are considered low-risk in terms of venom and an ice pack is the best form of treatment if bitten. An Ohio woman who refuses to get the COVID-19 vaccine for religious and medical reasons was denied a life-saving transplant because she refuses to get the shot, but the hospital says she needs it as the transplant would weaken her immune system. Michelle Vitullo, 65, has been going to the Cleveland Clinic for treatment for her stage 4 liver disease since 2019. At that stage, the liver is permanently damaged and many of its cells turn into scar tissue. But she has refused to get the vaccine for religious reasons, and also over fears it could damage her health, with that stance now derailing an urgently-needed transplant. Despite the drama, Vitullo is still refusing to have the vaccine, and is now hoping another hospital might perform the procedure instead. Michelle Vitullo, 65, has stage 4 liver disease and was denied a lifesaving transplant this month Vitullo was initially excited on learning that her daughter Angela Green was an exact match. Doctors were set to remove part of her liver and use it to save her mother when the entire procedure was suddenly called off at the end of September, around two weeks before the surgery was scheduled. 'We were told to get ready,' Green, 43, told WJW in Cleveland. 'Then we get the news we were taken off the list and we can't do it without the vaccine and it was heartbreaking.' The Cleveland Clinic released a statement saying that it recently began requiring organ donors and transplant candidates to be vaccinated. The hospital requires a COVID-19 vaccine for donors and recipients, but Michelle, her husband Jim and their daughter Angela believe the vaccine is a 'big mistake' Angela, who was going to donate portion of her liver to her mother, says she's worried about 'adverse reactions like blood clotting and heart problems' from the vaccine 'For the living donor, preventing COVID-19 infection around the time of a surgical operation is crucial,' the world-renown hospital said. 'For the transplant candidate, in addition to a major operation, medications taken after an organ transplant weaken a person's immune response. Serious complications of COVID-19 are most likely to develop in those individuals who have weakened immune systems, as their body has a reduced ability to fight and recover from infections.' The entire family is suddenly facing the prospect that Michelle may not get better - though they still refuse to get the vaccine. 'It's just wrong,' said Jim, Michelle's husband. 'And I thought, "How can you do that to somebody?"' Jim told station WJW that the family did everything to follow the rules at great expense. 'They had us sign an agreement that we would live within one hour of the Cleveland Clinic, I had to quit my job because of all the visits, ended up sleeping literally hundreds of days in my car in the carport there because of the expense,' he said. The entire family, including daughter Angela, oppose the vaccine for medical and religious reasons. 'To us, its a big mistake. Its against our beliefs,' Jim said. 'Weve heard of adverse reactions like blood clotting and heart problems,' Angela said. The world-renown Cleveland Clinic requires vaccines for donors an recipients, citing the weak immune system caused by medications taken before a transplant 'It's just wrong,' said Jim Vitullo. 'And I thought, "How can you do that to somebody?"' 'Those are not supposed to happen from a vaccine and we dont feel comfortable taking on that many risks.' The Clinic had already performed rigorous testing on the mother-daughter donor-patient duo. Michelle had undergone treatments to stabilize her health and they were ready for surgery at the end of September when the procedure was cancelled less than two weeks later. In April, the Centers for Disease Control lifted a temporary pause on the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine after reports of six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot after they got the vaccine. By May 12, the number had grown to 28 people, including three deaths, though 9 million doses had been administered, according to the New York Times. The CDC and other health officials still recommend the vaccines and argue that benefits far outweigh risks. 'The FDA-authorized vaccines have been determined to be safe and effective and are the best way to prevent severe illness and death from COVID-19,' the clinic said. 'I feel bad because my grandkids, they say, "Grandma, were praying for you to get better." It breaks my heart because now I have to tell them I may not get better,' Michelle said Michelle Vitullo has stage 4 liver disease, in which the liver may become enlarged or shrink, liver cells are replaced by scar tissue, and the liver cannot function properly In Stage 4 liver disease, the liver may become enlarged or shrink, liver cells are replaced by scar tissue, and the liver cannot function properly, according to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Cirrhosis, as it's also known, can be fatal and is typically the final stage before a transplant becomes necessary, according to the hospital. Patients with cirrhosis are also at higher risk of developing lung cancer. In a liver transplant with a living donor, the donor's remaining liver regrows and returns to its normal size, volume and capacity within a couple of months after the surgery, according to the Mayo Clinic. The transplanted liver portion grows within the recipient and restores normal liver function. The liver is responsible for storing glycogen, which the body needs for energy, making bile, which helps digest fats, making substances that help blood to clot and repair damaged tissues, helping the body fight infections and removing alcohol and toxins from the body, according to the UK's National Health Service. Michelle and her daughter broke down in tears when they thought about what might happen without the surgery. 'I dont think they do care,' said Michelle, 'I feel bad because my grandkids, they say, "Grandma, were praying for you to get better." It breaks my heart because now I have to tell them I may not get better.' Also in Cleveland, University Hospitals said the vaccine is required for transplant patients, while MetroHealth recommends it but does not mandate it. In similar circumstances, a woman with stage 5 renal failure was denied a transplant at the University of Colorado Hospital this month because neither she nor her donor had the COVID-19 vaccine. Leilani Lutali, 56, who has stage-5 renal failure has been denied a life-saving kidney transplant because she and her prospective donor are unvaccinated due to religious beliefs 'It's your choice on what treatment you have. In Leilani's case, the choice has been taken from her. Her life has now been held hostage because of this mandate,' said Jaimee Fougner, 45, who met Lutali in a bible study and decided to donate her kidney to her friend Leilani Lutali and her donor Jaimee Fougner met at Bible study 10 months ago. They also oppose the shots because of a combination of religious and medical reasons. The hospital gave them 30 days to begin the vaccine series, and Lutali said she would sign a 'waiver' if it meant not having to get the vaccine. 'I said Ill sign a medical waiver,' she told KCNC. 'I have to sign a waiver anyway for the transplant itself, releasing them from anything that could possibly go wrong. It's surgery, it's invasive. I sign a waiver for my life. I'm not sure why I can't sign a waiver for the COVID shot.' The pair said they didn't know they needed the shot until the last minute. 'At the end of August, they confirmed that there was no COVID shot needed at that time,' Lutali told KCNC. 'Fast forward to September 28. Thats when I found out. Jamie learned they have this policy around the COVID shot for both for the donor and the recipient.' As of October 7, they were looking at hospitals out of state to complete the procedure. Earlier this month, a helicopter meant to take 29-year-old Gabriela Acuna from Las Vegas to Los Angeles for a double-lung transplant took off without her because Nevada Medicaid would not pay for the procedure. The state insurer does not cover lung transplants, according to its policies. Acuna was unvaccinated for COVID-19, with her sister saying she was waiting for the go-ahead from her OBGYN. Disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh is back in jail after being extradited from his Florida rehab facility to South Carolina on $4m fraud charges. Murdaugh, 53, was arrested on two felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses on Thursday after being released from a drug rehabilitation center in Orlando, Florida. He was booked Saturday into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in his home state on Saturday, and remained there as of early Monday morning, prison records show. Murdaugh is accused of collecting $4 million on a life insurance policy for his former maid, Gloria Satterfield, 57, that should have gone to her sons after she died in a mysterious 'slip and fall' accident at his home in 2018. The kids were awarded $4 million after a wrongful death lawsuit but they say Alex stole $3 million and the remaining $1 million went to legal fees. He had allegedly promised her family they would be financially taken care of before he conspired with a fellow attorney 'to deprive the Satterfield family of insurance settlements owed to them by converting [the money] to Murdaugh's own use,' according to an arrest warrant obtained by the New York Post. The fall was never reported to the local coroner's office, according to the Post, and officials Satterfield's death was 'inconsistent with injuries sustained in a trip and fall accident.' Murdaugh has since admitted he stole millions from the housekeeper's sons and his law firm, blaming a decades-long opioid addiction for his 'stupid, illegal' behavior. He denies, however, any involvement in the murders of his sons and wife, who were found shot dead in June at the family's South Carolina home. Alex Murdaugh, 53, was arrested on Thursday for stealing $4 million from a settlement awarded to the sons of his housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, right, who died in a mysterious fall at his home in 2018 Murdaugh was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in his home state of South Carolina on Saturday, and remained there as of early Monday morning The check for $2.96 million above was paid to Murdaugh's shell company called Forge the same day a settlement was reached over Satterfield's death, court documents claim The housekeeper, Satterfield, had been the employed by the Murdaughs for about 25 years when she died following a mystery 'trip and fall' inside the family home in 2018. Her sons sued the Murdaughs for wrongful death afterward and were awarded $4.3 million. But Alex is accused of drafting in a lawyer and banker pal to get his hands on that money instead. He did so by asking Satterfield's sons to let Cory Fleming - Murdaugh's old college roommate - act as their attorney, with Fleming then pursuing the payouts that got Murdaugh the $3.9 million. Chad Westendorf from Palmetto State Bank was also part of the scheme, and helped ensure Murdaugh got his hands on the money. Neither he nor Fleming have been charged with criminal wrongdoing, but the pair and Murdaugh are all named as defendants in a suit brought by Satterfield's sons Tony Satterfield and Brian Harriott. He syphoned off $3.5 million of the insurance payout to his own shell company called Forge - which was actually a PO Box in Hampton, South Carolina, it is claimed. The remainder of the $4.3 million settlement is said to have been spent on legal fees. Alex has also been accused of stealing millions from his law firm PMPED. He resigned from the firm in September, just two days before asking Edward Smith, his cousin turned client, to kill him. Medical records released last week have confirmed that he was shot in the head on September 4 in a botched suicide attempt, as he claimed. The records were released by the troubled legal heir's attorney on Friday in an attempt to boost his credibility. Murdaugh has said he paid Smith to shoot him on the side of the road. He wanted it to look like a drive-by shooting so that Buster, his surviving son, would receive a payout on his life insurance policy. Smith did shoot Murdaugh, but he survived and called 911. At first he said he had been killed in a drive-by shooting. Edward Smith, an accused hitman, is claiming he had no role in Murdaugh's suicide scam and was trying to stop him from killing himself when the gun went off Now, Smith - who is facing charges for the incident - is claiming he had no role in the suicide scam and was trying to stop Alex from killing himself when the gun went off. The medical records confirm Alex was shot twice and that he had to go to the hospital. He had a fractured skull from 'two superficial appearing bullet wounds to the posterior scalp' but the bullets did not penetrate his brain. When he arrived at the hospital, doctors confirmed he was high on barbiturates - a group of drugs in the class of drugs known as sedative-hypnotics - and opioids. The 53-year-old arrived at the hospital with his head bleeding and wrapped in gauze. He had to be taken to the ICU because he was in such grave condition. The report reveals that he told medics he at first could not see, but that he regained his sight to the point that he was able to see his phone and dial 911. He was released after two days in the hospital. On Friday, his attorney Dick Harpootlan appeared on Good Morning America in an effort to dispel what he called 'hysterical theories' about his client and paint him as a desperate, drug addict - but not a murderer GMA EXCLUSIVE: Alex Murdaughs attorney Dick Harpootlan speaks one-on-one with @GStephanopoulos as his client faces new charges. https://t.co/hEVFbfERji pic.twitter.com/yw5CpzsIuM Good Morning America (@GMA) October 15, 2021 But even before the medical records were released, Murdaugh's attorney Dick Harpootlan made a desperate attempt to clear his name on Friday in a bizarre interview where he said his client knows he is going to prison for financial crimes, did 'stupid, illegal things' because he is a drug addict - but insisted he is not behind his wife and son's murders. Harpootlan appeared on Good Morning America in an effort to dispel what he called 'hysterical theories' about his client and painted him as a desperate, drug addict - but not a murderer. Harpootlan said Murdaugh does not deny financial crimes, would 'address them' at a bond hearing next week, and that he is 'reconciled' with the fact that he is going to prison for them. 'Obviously the financial issue is something he regrets. He is going to try to right every wrong, financial wrong... he is reconciled to the fact he is going to prison. 'He understands that. He is a lawyer - he gets it,' he said. However, he strongly denied that his client is a murderer and said he had no 'knowledge or involvement' in the murders of his wife and son. 'He has a long-term, OxyContin addiction which put him in a position where he did these stupid illegal things. 'They keep trying to pound that square peg in a round hole. Someone out there is responsible for the horrible, almost execution-style deaths of Maggie and Paul. 'It is not Alex.' Harpootlan says he is being wrongly suspected because he is the one who found Maggie and Paul dead. 'When the police show up and they find a dead wife and a dead son and a husband finds them, you know, most times, it's going to turn out to be the husband is involved. Maggie and Paul Murdaugh (left) were found shot dead at the family's home in June. No one has been arrested for their killings and Murdaugh's attorney insists he had nothing to do with them 'That [is] unfortunately the assumption SLED [South Carolina Law Enforcement Division] made that night.' Harpootlan added that when he represented Paul in a 2019 case where he was accused of being responsible for the death of teenager Mallory Beach, all he saw was a happy family. 'All I saw was domestic tranquility, love and affection,' he said. He has a long-term, OxyContin addiction which put him in a position where he did these stupid illegal things The attorney said Alex wants to 'set the record straight' and clear up 'lies' that had been told in the media, including that Maggie consulted a divorce attorney before she was murdered. 'The reason I am on this show this morning is just the thirst for knowledge for this case has driven a number of outlets that are false.' He also sough to undermine comments made by Eddie Smith - the hitman Alex asked to shoot him in June, and also his cousin - in a botched suicide-by-hitman. Smith - who was arrested for the botched shooting - claimed earlier this week that the gun went off as Alex was trying to kill himself. He denied pulling the trigger. But Harpootlan says he is lying to get himself out of trouble. 'According to Alex, he met with Smith - Smith was his longtime drug dealer. He met with Smith on the side of the road, gave him the gun, said "I'm going to look like I broke down, drive by and shoot me" which is exactly what Smith did. 'Unfortunately, or fortunately, Smith's bullet did not penetrate his skull. It did fracture his skull... they had to put him in ICU. He suffered a bullet wound to the head. Eddie Smith is not telling the truth,' he said. Murdaugh in court last month over his botched plot to hire a hitman to kill him for an insurance windfall Harpootlan said that he has known the family for years and that they 'enjoy success and privilege.' Alex's father was a prominent attorney in the area. He died, apparently of natural causes, just days after Maggie and Paul were found dead. 'The family enjoys status and financial success for over 100 years... with that privilege comes responsibility and Alex has forgotten that at some point,' his lawyer said. Alex said he bought the drugs from Smith, his cousin turned drug-dealer turned hitman. Sex offenders and violent thugs will be deported more easily in a bid to thwart lenient judges under new laws before Parliament. Currently non citizens have their visas automatically cancelled if they are sentenced to at least a year in jail - but attempts to deport criminals with shorter sentences can lead to lengthy and costly legal battles. New laws before the Federal Parliament state offenders guilty of crimes that carry a two-year sentence under ACT law would fail a 'character test'. This means they can be kicked out of Australia regardless of how long they are actually jailed for. Sex offenders, paedophiles and violent thugs will be deported more easily in a bid to thwart lenient judges under new laws before Parliament. Pictured: Police arrest a suspect The Government hopes the change will stop left-wing judges deliberately sentencing migrants to less than a year in jail so they don't get deported. The law will also outline 'designated offences' that can lead to deportation including violent and sexual crimes, breaching personal protection orders like AVOs and using or possessing a weapon. The Government says the changes, which will apply retrospectively, will allow it to boot out a raft of criminals who previously escaped deportation. These would include Mauritian stalker Jean Marie Amoorthum who in 2014 was jailed for eight months for trying to force a 22-year-old woman into his car at knifepoint after following her to her boyfriend's house at 2.40am in Melbourne. According to a tribunal hearing, he held the knife near her throat and said words to the effect of 'be quiet or I will cut you', or 'I will slice you' before her boyfriend emerged from inside and shouted at him and he drove off. The Government refused his visa but in March 2019 the Administrative Appeals Tribunal said he did not fail the character test and allowed him to stay in Australia. The new law would also apply to a British man and an Indian man who assaulted women and two illegal immigrants who were allowed to settle in Australia despite various crimes. Who could be deported if the new laws passes? Jean Marie Amoorthum, Victoria From Mauritius. Jailed for eight months for trying to force a 22-year-old woman into his car at knifepoint. A tribunal ruled he did not fail the character test Naysar Lunavat, NSW From India. Handed a 12-month good behaviour bond for repeatedly punching a woman in the back and head as well as slapping her in the face. A tribunal ruled he did not fail the character test Iraqi citizen An illegal immigrant held offshore was convicted in the District Court of Nauru to two counts of indecent assault and jailed for nine months. A tribunal ruled he did not fail the character test and let him in to Australia Benjamin Harris From the UK. Convicted in the UK of battery (known as assault in Australia) but sentence was suspended for 12 months. Refused a visa to enter Australia but a tribunal ruled he did not fail the character test and let him in Iranian citizen, NSW An illegal immigrant, convicted of assaulting a police officer, stalking and affray but was only given good behaviour bonds and three months in jail. A tribunal ruled he did not fail the character test and let him remain in Australia Advertisement The law change will be made with an amendment to the Migration Act which passed the lower house in 2019 but has since been stuck in the senate where it will be debated again this week. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke called on Labor to finally back the new laws. 'The Morrison Government takes very seriously the protection of Australians from dangerous, non-citizens involved in criminal conduct,' he said. 'Australians expect us to act swiftly to remove such people, and the Government is working to strengthen its removal powers for this reason. 'However, these laws have been blocked by Labor since 2019, creating an ongoing threat to our community, and to women and children in particular. 'Holding an Australian visa is a privilege that dangerous and violent non-citizens do not deserve. Anthony Albanese needs to back these new laws this week for the safety of the community or explain to all Australians why he will not.' Anti-racism and migrant advocacy groups have raised concerns that news laws could mean relatively low-level offending ends in deportation. Public Interest Advocacy Centre said the bill would 'introduce arbitrary and unreasonably low thresholds' for deportation. 'This change would catch a much wider group of people who may have received only very light sentences or committed only minor offences,' the group said in a statement. 'This Bill could see refugees and people seeking asylum who have been in Australia for years forcibly sent back to their country of origin to face persecution or serious harm when they fail this further widened, discretionary 'character' test.' But the Government says the new law will be used to target to serious crimes perpetrated by criminals who pose a risk to the Australian community. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Albanese for comment. Airfares costing just $50 to the Gold Coast have gone on sale following Annastacia Palaszczuk's announcement Queensland would finally open its borders. The cheap one-way flights are on offer through Jetstar and are for travellers from Sydney planning to fly in December. For any Melburnians eyeing up a beach holiday, they can fly to the Gold Coast for as little as $74. Jetstar is also offering flights to Brisbane from Sydney for a low price of $84 one-way and just $114 to Cairns. Airfares costing just $50 from Sydney to the Gold Coast (pictured) have gone on sale following Annastacia Palaszczuk's announcement Queensland would finally open its borders Qantas has also jumped on the sale offering one-way flights from Sydney to Brisbane for $109 in the wake of the major announcement. BEST DEALS ON ONE-WAY FLIGHTS TO QUEENSLAND Sydney to the Gold Coast $50 Sydney to Brisbane $84 Sydney to Cairns $114 Sydney to Hamilton Island $117 Sydney to the Sunshine Coast $70 Melbourne to Brisbane $100 Melbourne to Cairns $97 Melbourne to the Gold Coast $74 Melbourne to Hamilton Island $104 Advertisement Another deal too good to miss is Qantas's fares to Hamilton Island where Sydneysiders will need to fork out just $117. Jetstar also have flights on sale to Hamilton Island from Melbourne with one-way tickets at just $104. Virgin are offering fares from $155 one-way to Cairns between December and April, while flights to the Sunshine Coast are at an affordable $70 one-way. Flights to Townsville are also on sale from Virgin with one-way tickets starting at $169 from December 1. The Queensland Premier on Monday said interstate travellers from hot spots such as NSW and Victoria would no longer have to quarantine upon arrival into the state from December 17. The Queensland border will open up in two stages with 70 per cent of the eligible population expected to be fully vaccinated on November 19. On this date anyone who has been in a declared hotspot within the past 14 days can travel into Queensland as long as they are double vaxxed but must arrive by air only. They will need to provide a negative Covid test in the past 72 hours and undertake home quarantine for 14 days. Holiday-starved Aussies should book their flights into Queensland now with airfares on sale (pictured in the Gold Coast) Tickets to Cairns are also on sale with flights from Sydney starting at $114 Brisbane will welcome back travellers in December with flights from Melbourne to the Queensland capital at $100 one way Then once the 80 per cent vaccination target is hit on December 17, vaccinated travellers can arrive from interstate by road or air and will not have to home quarantine. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said those dates would be brought forward if the state hit the 70 and 80 per cent vaccination targets earlier. It comes after Queensland recorded no new community-acquired cases for a 13th consecutive day on Monday. The Sunshine State had been under pressure to announce a road map to reopen as vaccination rates increase and NSW and Victoria begin to emerge from lockdown. Chuck Schumer has suggested using sniffer dogs to replace people at airports if the fast-approaching deadline for COVID vaccinations for all staff causes a shortage of workers. The Senate Majority leader, who represents New York, told a press conference in Manhattan that he had a solution for Thanksgiving travel chaos. About 40 per cent of TSA workers are currently at risk of being fired for refusing to get the coronavirus vaccine. Approximately 24,000 employees, including some airport screeners, have until November 22 - the Monday before Thanksgiving - to get the shot or risk being fired under President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for all federal workers. But Schumer said he could avert chaos with the help of four-legged replacements for human staffers. 'If TSA lags in jabs, send in the dogs,' he said. 'There is no reason on God's green Earth why anyone let alone a TSA agent shouldn't have the vaccine. 'Now if the agency plans now with contingencies, including the deployment of the canine dog teams, wherever the vaccine rates are impacting staffing and security, travel headaches can be avoided,' Schumer said. Chuck Schumer on Sunday (pictured) suggested the TSA 'send in the dogs' to replace workers who refused to get vaccinated, and were fired as a result A bomb sniffer dog, Rufus, is seen at work in an airport in Arlington, Virginia. Schumer suggested the dogs could be more widely used He said his idea 'really works' and should be seriously considered. 'The canine teams are really effective,' he said. 'They can help secure national security and allow TSA agents to more effectively and efficiently screen individuals for explosives. It really works and moves the lines along.' He added that the TSA should 'particularly look at New York' to try out his idea, given the large numbers of passengers passing through and the low vaccination rate among TSA workers in the city. Schumer's suggestion was widely mocked online. 'Fear not! Chuck Schumer has solved it. Dogs! (Not Babylon bee or onion),' said one, referring to two satirical news websites. 'Can these dogs replace stupid Senators? @SenSchumer,' another joked. Another critic added: 'To be fair, a dog would be a much better senator than Chuck Schumer.' Only about 60 percent of the TSA has been vaccinated, Transportation Safety Administrator David Pekoske told CNN on Wednesday 'That number needs to go up quite a bit higher over the next few weeks.' But meeting the deadline is already tight. The last possible date for a TSA agent to get a Pfizer vaccine is October 18, and the last day to get the first dose of the Moderna vaccine already passed on October 11. Pfizer requires a three-week waiting period between doses, and Moderna requires a four-week waiting time. The last possible date to get a single-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine is November 8 - two weeks before the deadline. Anyone without at least one shot could face disciplinary action as early as November 9, the Office of Personnel Management announced October 1, noting that failure to comply with the federal mandate is an act of misconduct. Approximately 24,000 TSA workers have until November 22 - the Monday before Thanksgiving - to get the COVID vaccine or risk being fired under President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for all federal workers In order to meet the deadline, they have until October 18 to get their first Pfizer dose or November 8 to get a single Johnson and Johnson vaccine President Joe Biden said on Thursday that vaccine mandates should not divide people, as he warned that more directives for private businesses could be coming The office recommended agencies begin to pursue 'progressive discipline' by November 9 for any employee who has not begun the vaccination process, according to Federal News Network. 'Agencies are encouraged to consider whether lesser disciplinary penalties are adequate, as an initial matter, to encourage an employee to be vaccinated, such as a short suspension of 14 days or less,' said an office official. If the unvaccinated federal worker demonstrates at any point during the suspension that they are taking steps to comply with the mandate, though, the OPM says agencies should effectively pause disciplinary action and give them a deadline for receiving a final dose and providing proof of vaccination. Once they have provided that proof, agencies should stop the disciplinary process. But if the temporary suspension does not compel the employee to get vaccinated, the OPM recommends agencies consider greater disciplinary measures - including termination. The office pointed to Mazares v Department of Navy, in which the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the Navy's decision to fire two civilian employees who refused to get the anthrax vaccine before a deployment on a naval ship to Korea. The court ruled at the time that the employees' termination was not excessive as they were fired because they failed to obey a direct order from a supervisor. In the interview with CNN, Pekoske said he is 'very hopeful' that the agency's employees can meet the deadline, and there will not be worker shortages. Still, he said: 'We are building contingency plans for if we do have some staffing shortages as a result of this, but I hope to avoid that.' He said he has been holding employee town halls to encourage TSA workers to get the vaccine so they will not be fired. In total, the agency reports, more than 10,000 employees have contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic, with 30 deaths associated with COVID. There are now 335 employees currently on leave with the virus. Nationwide, the CDC says the rate of transmission remains high, even as there were only 84,086 new cases reported nationwide on October 12, with 1,252 deaths. About 65.6 percent of all Americans have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine as of Wednesday, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control, and 56.6 percent are fully vaccinated. TSA Administrator David Pekoske said he has been holding employee town halls to encourage TSA workers, like the screener seen here, to get the vaccine so they will not be fired In total, the agency reports , more than 10,000 employees have contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic, with 30 deaths associated with COVID Pekoske also said he has contingency plans in place to avoid long lines at the TSA screening checkpoints over the holiday season Biden announced the mandate for all federal workers last month, and said on Thursday that vaccine mandates shouldn't divide Americans. He warned that more directives were coming for private businesses. 'Let's be clear, vaccination requirements should not be another issue that divides us,' Biden said. 'That's why I continue to battle the misinformation out there.' A proposed rule that would mandate vaccines for companies with more than 100 people is also moving forward, with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration submitting the rule to the Office of Management and Budget on Tuesday. The rule will be implemented once OMB's review is complete and it's published in the Federal Register. 'The Labor Department will soon issue an emergency rule for companies with 100 or more employees to implement vaccination requirements among their workforce,' Biden said Thursday. White House press secretary Jen Psaki wouldn't give a timeline when asked about the rule on Wednesday. 'We don't, as a ... longstanding practice, comment on the timeline of how long that takes because we want to allow that process to happen,' she answered. 'But, you know, it should be an indication that it's there and now it is being reviewed. 'And once it is finalized and through the [Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs] process and review, it will be posted publicly in the Federal Register and you will all have access to every detail of it.' Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly told CNBC on Tuesday he believes businesses should not impose COVID vaccine mandates on their employers. 'I've never been in favor of corporations imposing that kind of mandate,' he said. 'I'm not in favor of that, never have been. 'But the executive order from President Biden mandates that all federal employees and all federal contractors, which covers all the major airlines have to have a mandate in place by December 8, so we're working through that.' He said the week before, that 56,000 employees still had to be vaccinated in accordance with the mandate. The announcement came just a few days after Southwest Airlines had to cancel almost 2,000 flights over the weekend. Mike Van de Ven, the president of the airline, told employees in a video on Sunday that staffing shortages were to blame. The airline, meanwhile, initially told the public that air traffic control issues in Florida caused the problem, but the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) then issued a statement saying there were problems for a few hours on Friday, but not at the weekend. Furious passengers said that they were told in airports that the cancellations were due to Southwest employees walking out in protest at the airline's decision to enforce COVID-19 vaccinations. But the airline said that that was not the case, and that poor weather in Jacksonville, Florida, sparked a cascading effect. 'Southwest Airlines extends a tremendous apology to our Customers and Employees for the flight cancellations and delays which occurred over the weekend and on Monday,' the airline said. 'On Friday evening, the airline ended the day with numerous cancellations, primarily created by weather and other external constraints, which left aircraft and Crews out of pre-planned positions to operate our schedule on Saturday. 'Unfortunately, the out-of-place aircraft and continued strain on our Crew resources created additional cancelations across our point-to-point network that cascaded throughout the weekend and into Monday. 'Southwest Teams have been working diligently to restore stability to the network, and we are experiencing less disruptions on Monday. We hope to restore our full schedule as soon as possible. 'As a note, the operational challenges were not a result of Southwest Employee demonstrations.' The mother of Ahmaud Arbery arrived at a Georgia court today where jury selection from a huge pool of a thousand potentials, began for the trial of three white men involved in the death of the black jogger. While most criminal cases select jurors from a pool of 100 to 150, though some trials require a larger pool because of the notoriety and controversy surrounding the case. The trial for Derek Chuavin, the cop convicted of killing George Floyd, had a pool of 300 potential jurors. Glynn County court, Georgia, officials said they expanded the pool to 1,000 people - one for every 85 county residents - because of the case's huge media coverage and controversy. The jury selection could last two weeks or more. Yet, Arbery's mother Wanda Cooper-Jones remains concerned over whether her son can truly get justice. 'I have my concerns being that the jurors will be picked from this community,' Wanda Cooper-Jones told CBS News on Monday as she and Arbery's family arrived at the courthouse. She added, 'There has been a lot of miscommunication in the beginning on what happened on that day, but hopefully we will get the right people in the right place to make the right decision.' Cooper-Jones appears to be referring to the dueling narrative that emerged from the February 2020 shooting. Former sheriff Greg McMichael, his son Travis McMichael, and their neighbor William 'Roddie' Bryan, claimed they suspected Arbery was a burglar after spotting him in their neighborhood, after security cameras had previously recorded him entering a home under construction. They claimed Travis shot Arbery because he feared for his life as they grappled over the shotgun Travis had been pointing at him. But state prosecutors say Arbery was simply out for an innocent jog when the father and son, and Bryan - who was filming the incident - began to chase the black man down in their truck. They believe race is a component after one of the men allegedly yelled the n-word at Arberry. When the footage of the incident was released, which appeared to back the prosecution's account, it sparked a national outcry. Wanda Cooper-Jones, Ahmaud Arbery's mother, arrived at the Glynn County Courthouse on Monday where the jury selection began for the trial of the three men accused of killing her son Notices were mailed to 1,000 people as potential jurors in the trial, which is far greater than the 100 to 150 jury candidates for a typical case. Court officials said it would take longer to find an impartial jury because of the mass news and social media coverage the case received. Above, supporters of Arbery gathered outside the courthouse The judge needs to seat a final jury of 12 people, plus four alternate jurors. Above, Attorney Ben Crump and Arbery's father Marcus Arbery Sr. arrived at the courthouse on Monday The killing of Arbery (pictured above) stoked outrage in the summer of 2020 during a period of national protests over racial injustice The video shows the McMichaels tailing Arbery with their truck before a gunshot is heard off camera and a struggle ensues between Arbery and Travis McMichael. Within seconds, Travis shoots Arbery, who collapses in the street. After the video went viral, Greg McMichael reported to the Glynn County Police Department - where he once worked - that he and his son were trying to make a citizen's arrest, which is legal in Georgia, by chasing Arbery and that they had 'solid probable cause for it', claiming they thought he was a burglary suspect. He said they intended to subdue Arbery until police arrived but that Arbery 'initiated' a fight by grabbing for Travis McMichael's gun. He added that Travis was lawful in shooting him because he feared for his life and it constitutes a 'stand your ground' killing. They also argued that Arbery had two prior run-ins with the law and was not just an innocent jogger. But Arbery's family and activists called the killing a 'lynching' and said the McMichaels had no cause to pursue him in the first place and did not know about his prior convictions when they did. Arbery's father Marcus Arbery Sr. shared Cooper-Jones's sentiments. He said he's praying for an impartial panel and a fair trial, adding that black crime victims too often have been denied justice. 'This is 2021, and its time for a change,' Marcus Arbery Sr. told the Associated Press. 'We need to be treated equally and get fair justice as human beings, because weve been treated wrong so long.' Travis McMichael (left), his father Gregory McMichael and William 'Roddie' Bryan Jr. are charged with killing Arbery after hunting him down while he was jogging. Defense attorneys maintain that the three defendants have not committed any crimes Arbery is seen stumbling and falling to the ground after being shot as Travis McMichael stands by holding a shotgun Arbery's killing stoked outrage in the summer of 2020 during a period of national protests over racial injustice. More than two months passed before the McMichaels and Bryan were charged and jailed, only after the video of the shooting leaked online and state investigators took over the case from local police. Prosecutors say Arbery was merely jogging when the McMichaels armed themselves with guns and chased him in a pickup truck. Bryan joined the pursuit in his own truck and recorded the now-infamous cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery three times at close range with a shotgun. Defense attorneys insist the three men committed no crimes. Greg McMichael told police they pursued Arbery suspecting he was a burglar after security cameras previously recorded him entering a nearby home under construction. He said Travis McMichael fired his gun in self-defense after Arbery attacked him, punching and trying to grab the weapon. Investigators have testified that they found no evidence of crimes by Arbery in the Satilla Shores subdivision and he was unarmed when the McMichael's followed him. To ensure an impartial jury, candidates were mailed a three-page questionnaire asking what they already know about the case and what news outlets or social media platforms were their main sources of information. The form also asks whether prospective jurors posted any online comments about Arbery's killing and if they visited the scene of the shooting or did other research into the case on their own. Attorneys on both sides will spend the coming days questioning the jury pool, in groups and individually, to determine whether they have formed opinions about the case that render them incapable of serving. The judge needs to seat a jury of 12 with four alternates, who will be on standby to fill in for any jurors who get sick or are dismissed before the trial ends. Once a jury is seated, the trial itself could take more than two weeks, Glynn County Superior Court Clerk Ronald Adams said. Last month, a Georgia judge ruled that defense attorneys for the three men charged with killing Arbery will be barred from presenting evidence of his past run-ins with the law. Attorneys for the McMichaels wanted the jury to hear about Arbery's two prior arrests to cast doubt on prosecutors' contention that he was merely an innocent jogger. Defense attorneys say the white men reasonably suspected Arbery had committed a crime when they began the pursuit that ended in his death. Arbery's cousin Kim Cummings and other relatives arrived at the courthouse on Monday Thea Brooks, Arbery's aunt, stood in front of a mural in Brunswick, Goergia, dedicated to her slain nephew. She joined other family members as the jury selection began Monday Prosecutors argued that defense lawyers were seeking to put Arbery on trial by making his criminal record and other prior legal problems part of the case. None of the three defendants knew Arbery, or anything about his past, prior to the shooting. Prosecutors said his past was irrelevant to their decision to arm themselves and ultimately shoot a man who was trying to run away. In a written order, Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley ruled evidence of Arbery's past run-ins with the law could unfairly 'lead the jury to believe that although Arbery did not apparently commit any felony that day, he may pose future dangerousness in that he would eventually commit more alleged crimes, and therefore, the Defendants' actions were somehow justified.' 'The character of victim is neither relevant nor admissible in murder trial,' the judge wrote in his ruling on the matter. Jason Sheffield, one of Travis McMichaels lawyers, called the judge's ruling 'baffling.' He argued to that not allowing the defense to bring up Arbery's 'prior motives' would result in jurors being 'denied the truth,' reported Atlanta Journal Constitution. There are mounting concerns for little Cleo Smith's safety as the search for the missing four-year-old at a remote campground enters its fourth day, with close friends of the family warning 'she would not have wandered' off. The four-year-old was last seen by her mother Ellie Smith in bright pink pyjamas about 1.30am on Saturday inside the family's shared tent at Blowholes campsite, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia. Ms Smith and her partner Jake Gliddon had an 'interaction' with the youngster in the middle of the night, but she was nowhere to be seen when they woke up at 6.30am and her grey and red sleeping bag was also missing. Her biological father Daniel Staines spent nearly three hours in Mandurah Police Station on Monday, 1,000km south from where Cleo disappeared, after voluntarily coming in to give a statement. Investigators have not ruled out anything in relation to her disappearance and are exploring theories she may have been abducted - with homicide detectives working 'a million miles an hour' to find her. Police refused to confirm reports a car was heard skidding off as it left the area around 3am on Saturday, after other campers reported the odd noise. Meanwhile, social media sleuths who are trying to crack the case from home have shared several other concerning possibilities. There are mounting concerns for little Cleo Smith's (pictured with her mum Ellie and partner Jake Gliddon) safety after she went missing at a remote campsite on Saturday morning The four-year-old (pictured) was last seen by her mother Ellie Smith in bright pink pyjamas about 1.30am on Saturday inside the family's shared tent at Blowholes campsite, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia The camp ground is located 75km from Carnarvon and 875km from Perth with nothing but bushland and scrubs in between 1. Swept out with the tide One possibility is that little Cleo may have woken in the night and wandered toward the nearby ocean, only to have fallen off a dangerous cliff and been swept away by rising waters. The tide was at its lowest at 12.51am and gradually rose until 6.16am, when it reached high tide. First light occurred at 5.25am, while sunrise was recorded at 5.48am. While the area is known for strong tides, exhaustive marines searches over the past three days have so far found no evidence Cleo and her sleeping bag entered the water. 'The searches we have done for this marine environment are the best we can get and they have done the best they can, and in that environment we haven't found any sign of Cleo,' Inspector John Munday, who is leading the police search, said on Monday. 'And that marine search has been scaled back at this time.' One possibility is that little Cleo (pictured) may have woken in the night and wandered toward the nearby ocean, only to be swept away by rising waters. But so far marine rescuers have found no evidence of this The Blowholes campsite is also known as Point Quobba (pictured) and is a popular but remote camping destination The desperate search is entering its fourth day with police releasing footage of the remote campsite (pictured) where she disappeared A chart shows waters were at low tide on the night Cleo went missing without a trace from her mum's tent 2. Fell down a hole-in-the-ground toilet The grounds of the campsite and surrounds are flat and bare, making it easy for helicopters to scan the area from the skies above. But locals and passersby who have visited Blowholes before say the site is littered with sheds and drop holes usually used as toilets. There are fears Cleo may have wandered off in the dead of night, only to fall into one of the many holes nearby. 'Are the toilets out there "long drops" still or done up? How far away are the toilets from their camp?' one person asked on the Bring Cleo Smith Home Facebook page. 'Just asking did anyone check?' SES crews, volunteers, Indigenous bush trackers and homicide police confirmed they have been on the scene tirelessly searching the surrounds for three days but found nothing. Those close to the family have also dismissed the idea. 'She is an intellectually advanced little girl,' a family friend told the West Australian. 'She is a smart little girl and she would not have wandered.' There are fears Cleo (pictured) may have wandered off in the dead of night, only to fall into one of the many holes nearby. But close family friends insisted the four-year-old wouldn't do that SES crews, volunteers, Indigenous bush trackers and homicide police confirmed they have been on the scene tirelessly searching the surrounds for three days but found nothing 3. Abduction The most widely accepted theory circulating online is that little Cleo was abducted. Police say they have grave concerns for the child and that 'everything is on the table' in the unusual and disturbing case. Late into the third day of the search investigators made a public plea for anyone who was anywhere near the campsite from Friday to Sunday, to come forward and contact police - particularly if they have dashcam footage. They said it will assist police to track and trace the movement of everyone in the area, raising speculation a kidnapping is now the main working theory of what happened Cleo. The camp ground is located 75km from Carnarvon and 875km from Perth with nothing but bushland and scrubs in between. Internet sleuths suggest police search dogs would have found the girl by now if she was still in the area because the campsite is bordered by the ocean on one side and desolate, flat, rugged terrain on the other. Another element which has raised suspicions she was snatched is that her sleeping bag is also missing. Some campers reportedly heard a vehicle speed off at about 3am on Saturday, but police have so far declined to comment on the matter. It has been confirmed that detectives have seized CCTV footages from roadhouses in the area as part of their investigation. The most widely accepted theory circulating online is that little Cleo (pictured) was abducted Police have released an image of Cleo's sleeping bag and are urging members of the public to come forward if they have seen it 4. Mediums claim 'green rusty tin door' is involved Several people claiming to be mediums, and who are not directly linked to the family, have also expressed concerns about a potential abduction. One woman insists a 'green rusty tin door' is crucial to finding the four-year-old after seeing it in a vision. 'May I please have a map ASAP,' the woman who claims to be a professional medium said on social media. 'Green rusty garage tin door needs looking into.' While there is no evidence her premonition holds any significance to Cleo's disappearance, another Facebook user pointed out a curious fact about the camp grounds. One woman insists a 'green rusty tin door' is crucial to finding the four-year-old after seeing it in a vision - while another pointed out there are similar doors at the campsite 'There are camp sheds with spray painted numbers throughout the whole camp site,' the person wrote. 'They are green, tin and rusty.' A second so-called medium indicated she sees 'a hole... also possibly a blue 4WD' and 'her crying for her mum'. But with the family and the Facebook page bombarded by those claiming to have supernatural abilities, moderators have begun deleting 'medium posts'. Anyone who may have any information about Cleo's disappearance is urged to contact police immediately. Police say they have grave concerns for the child (pictured) and that 'everything is on the table' in the unusual and disturbing case A second so-called medium indicated she sees 'a hole... also possibly a blue 4WD' and 'her crying for her mum' With the family and the Facebook page bombarded by those claiming to have supernatural abilities, moderators have begun deleting 'medium posts' While investigators still have no solid leads about the mysterious disappearance, there was a development on Monday afternoon. Cleo's biological father, Mr Staines, spent three hours inside a police station on Monday after detectives asked him to make a statement. Seven News reported he was at work during the morning before coming into Mandurah Police Station, 1,000km south of where Cleo vanished, of his own accord with his parents by his side. There is no suggestion he has anything to do with his daughter's disappearance. Friends of Cleo's family said the smart four-year-old (pictured) 'wouldn't just wander' away from the tent Daniel Staines (pictured, right) went to Mandurah Police Station - 1,000km from where she disappeared - to give a statement about his daughter's disappearance Police roped off the area where Cleo vanished from her tent in the middle of the night (pictured) as they continue to investigate her disappearence Inspector Jon Munday said there are 'grave concerns' for Cleo as the hunt to find the little girl gets more desperate 'every hour'. 'With a four-year-old out in this environment there is limited water supply, it is warm, there is very limited shelter so it is very, very concerning,' he said. Cleo has reportedly visited the area with her mother on camping trips since she was a baby. Investigators are concerned rain expected on Tuesday may hamper the search, but said they would keep up efforts for another 48 hours, at least. Her devastated mum and her partner have stayed at the campsite to assist the search, desperately hoping the four-year-old will emerge. Police are calling on anyone who was anywhere near the area over the weekend to come forward, particularly if they have dashcam footage as it may help to 'track and trace' the movements of people in the vicinity. 'We are really interested in anybody who was at The Blowholes campsite from Friday the 15th of October through to Sunday,' Inspector Munday said. Cleo Smith, four, (pictured) was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday at the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia 'You don't even have to have stayed here, even if you just passed through. We need to speak to you... so we can track and trace where people were. 'And if anybody has any dashcam footage or any footage at all of the area we really would be interested in those people coming forward.' The child's mother in a Facebook post on Saturday morning made her own public plea. 'It's been over 24 hours since I last seen the sparkle in my little girl's eyes! Please help me find her,' Ellie Smith wrote. 'Last seen 1.30am and gone when woken up at 6am from our shared tent. Very very unusual for Cleo. Please if you see anything unusual or suspicious call the police.' Police have made a desperate plea for anyone who visited a remote campsite in Western Australia where a four-year-old girl went missing to come forward, as marine search teams are scaled back. Investigators want anyone who was anywhere near the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon, and may have seen anything suspicious over a 72-hour period to contact police - particularly if they have dashcam footage. Cleo Smith was last seen at about 1:30am by her parents after an 'interaction' but when they woke up at 6am she was nowhere to been seen and her sleeping bag was also missing. Details of the interaction have not been revealed. Police are urging anyone who was in the area from Friday all the way through to Sunday, to try and remember if they may have seen anything unusual. Cleo Smith (pictured) was last seen at about 1:30am by her parents after an 'interaction' but when they woke up at 6am she was nowhere to been seen Police have released an image of Cleo's sleeping bag and are urging members of the public to come forward if they have seen it 'We are really interested in anybody who was at The Blowholes campsite from Friday the 15th of October through to Sunday,' Inspector John Munday who is leading the police search told reporters on Monday. 'You don't even have to have stayed here, even if you just passed through. We need to speak to you... so we can track and trace where people were. 'And if anybody has any dashcam footage or any footage at all of the area we really would be interested in those people coming forward.' Authorities have now released aerial footage of the campsite as they scour the remote bushland in search of the missing girl amid fears the child may have been abducted. The camp ground is located 75km from Carnarvon and 875km from Perth with nothing but bushland and scrubs in between. The campsite is bordered by the ocean on one side and desolate, rugged terrain on the other. A desperate search for a missing four-year-old girl has entered its third day with police releasing footage of the remote campsite (pictured) where she disappeared Police are probing all possibilities of Cleo's mystery disappearance - including kidnapping - and have been scouring bushland and stopping cars and caravans in search of the missing girl Cleo Smith, four, was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday at the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia One of the theories was that young Cleo may have wandered off towards the water and was washed away by the rising tide. But exhaustive marine searches have so far found no evidence she entered the water. 'The searches we have done for this marine environment are the best we can get and they have done the best they can and in that environment we haven't found any sign of Cleo,' Inspector Munday said. 'And that marine search has been scaled back at this time.' Police have not ruled out the possibility that Cleo was abducted, with officers stopping cars and caravans to search the vehicles. Detectives from the homicide squad have also been called into to scour the area. Locals have been told to check garbage bins and roadsides for a grey and red sleeping bag used by Cleo at the time she went missing. Cleo Smith, four, was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday at the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia (pictured, the campsite Cleo went missing from) A frantic search is underway after Cleo Smith disappeared from her family's tent during the early hours of Saturday morning. Pictured: Cleo in the outfit she was wearing when she went missing Cleo Smith went missing while camping with her family at the Blowholes campsite near Carnarvon in Western Australia (pictured, four-year-old Cleo left with mum Ellie) The young girl was last seen wearing pink one-piece pyjamas with a blue and yellow pattern when she was last seen. A full scale search took place on Saturday and began again from first light on Sunday. The crews consisted of land, air and sea teams searching the coastline in and around campgrounds nearby where the family was staying. Posters have also been put up at roadhouses within a 1,000km radius of the campsite and police are poring over dash camera footage and CCTV footage from the area. A major search effort to find the missing toddler entered its second day on Sunday Police Inspector Jon Munday said experts have advised the four-year-old could have wandered up to 5.2km from her last known position if she is lost in the bush A GoFundMe page has been set up to donate money to two local helicopter businesses which have been working in the search A Victorian woman who survived years or rape and brutal abuse at the hands of her former husband including being pimped out so he could watch on livestream has said 'every painful and humiliating step' was worth it after he was jailed. Jon Seccull, a former White Ribbon ambassador, on Monday fronted the Victorian County Court, where he was sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison. The 43-year-old had denied all wrongdoing but a jury found him guilty of nine counts of rape, two assaults and one threat to cause serious injury against his then-wife Michelle Skewes between 2011 and 2015. Ms Skewes, who gave AAP permission to name her, said her primary concern was not how many years Seccull spent in prison. The important thing, she said, was that her story could inspire others to 'regain control of their lives and reclaim their dignity'. Jon Seccull (pictured) was sentenced to 15 years jail on Monday over five years of abuse directed at his wife 'The road to this point has been an extremely challenging one but it has been worth every painful and humiliating step,' Ms Skewes said in a statement after the sentencing hearing. 'I remain dumbfounded by how much acutely personal and embarrassing information I had to present, confirm and reconfirm before the court would accept it as evidence. 'But the bottom line is that guilt was eventually pronounced and a very dangerous individual has been eliminated as a threat to society, albeit only temporarily. 'I wish every victim the strength to change their circumstances. You can get through it and you can win in the end.' The court heard Seccull once pointed a loaded gun at Ms Skewes before unclipping the ammunition and saying she wasn't worth the cost of the bullet. He then threatened to shoot himself in the driveway so their children would see. The former corrections officer made degrading sexual demands of his wife and punished her even when she complied with them. He would arrange for his wife to meet other men for sex - which he would secretly livestream so he could watch. He would remind her beforehand that she belonged to him and he would punish her if she refused to follow through. He would also punish her if she did follow through out of fear - after the first filmed encounter he dragged her to the bathroom of their house and raped her. 'This was a brutal, brutish, cowardly rape, encompassing punishment,' Judge Gucciardo said. Another time he said to her: 'I'm your husband and I can f***ing touch you whenever I f***ing want. You are mine.' Michelle Skewes (pictured) met Seccull at the local fire brigade when she was 20 and the pair married three years later Judge Frank Gucciardo said the Ballarat man derived pleasure from the cruelty and 'oppressive subjugation' of his wife that involved 'vile and sadistic acts'. 'Such abhorrent conduct is breathtaking,' Judge Gucciardo told the court. 'The offending leaves the court bereft of adequate words to describe its depravity.' Judge Gucciardo also said Seccull had shown an 'utter lack of remorse or skerrick of regret' after pleading not guilty and claiming that witnesses had lied in court. Ms Skewes met Seccull at the local fire brigade in 2000 and married him three years later. But he became increasingly abusive during the marriage until their separation in 2016. The court heard the couple's three-year-old died in 2011, but the judge said that did not explain the man's brutal behaviour. 'Your offending goes well beyond anything which PTSD may have contributed to. While the loss of a child is an immense tragedy ... it is neither an excuse nor an explanation for demeaning treatment of your wife,' Judge Gucciardo said. Ms Skewes (left) has spoken about her trauma, with Judge Frank Gucciardo at the sentencing saying Seccull (pictured right) showed no remorse Ms Skewes previously said she had been left second guessing her ability to make decisions and still apologises for everything. 'I cannot shake the sense that everything is my fault, even when it clearly is not,' she said. 'And since I dared break the code of silence that enshrouds domestic violence, (I) faced the wrath of outing the abuser and besmirching 'the good bloke'. 'I have to remember to lay that blame firmly at the feet of the perpetrator, the man who was meant to love me, my then-husband.' Seccull must serve at least 10 years and six months behind bars before being eligible for parole. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Myanmar will free more than 5,000 anti-coup protesters days after the country's junta chief was excluded from a key summit of regional leaders, which will also be attended by US President Joe Biden. Junta head Min Aung Hlaing announced the release of 5,636 prisoners after foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) refused to invite him to the October 26-28 summit. A 'non-political representative' from Myanmar was asked to attend the summit instead of Min Aung Hlaing because of 'insufficient progress' in a peace roadmap following the coup in February. There has been chaos in Myanmar since the coup, with more than 1,100 civilians killed in a bloody crackdown on dissent and more than 8,000 arrested, according to a local monitoring group. More than 7,300 are currently behind bars, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Min Aung Hlaing said the release was to mark the Thadingyut festival later in October. There has been chaos in Myanmar since the coup, with more than 1,100 civilians killed in a bloody crackdown on dissent and more than 8,000 arrested More than 7,300 are currently behind bars, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (pictured, Insein Prison in Yangon) Junta head Min Aung Hlaing announced the release of 5,636 prisoners after foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) refused to invite him to the October 26-28 summit Min Aung Hlaing gave no details on who would be included in the list and prison authorities did not respond to AFP requests for comment. Myanmar authorities released more than 2,000 anti-coup protesters from prisons across the country in June, including journalists critical of the military government. Those still in custody include the American journalist Danny Fenster, who has been held since being arrested on May 24. More than 1,300 of those due to be released would be freed on the condition they sign agreements promising not to re-offend, Min Aung Hlaing said. Such agreements were 'basically a form of parole that entails constant menacing surveillance', David Mathieson, an analyst formerly based in Myanmar, told AFP. 'It doesn't absolve the SAC (State Administration Council, as the junta dubs itself) of nine months of extreme violence.' Myanmar will free more than 5,000 anti-coup protesters days after the country's junta chief was excluded from a key summit of regional leaders Min Aung Hlaing gave no details on who would be included in the list and prison authorities did not respond to AFP requests for comment The release comes on the heels of ASEAN's decision to exclude miltiary chief Min Aung Hlaing from an upcoming summit of the 10-country bloc over his administration's commitment to defusing the bloody crisis. The bloc, widely criticised as a toothless organisation, took a strong stand after the junta rebuffed requests for a special envoy to meet 'all stakeholders' in Myanmar - a phrase seen to include ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The ASEAN statement, issued by Brunei which is hosting the summit, noted 'insufficient progress' in the implementation of a five-point plan agreed by the bloc's leaders in April to end the post-coup turmoil. It added the situation in Myanmar 'was having an impact on regional security as well as the unity, credibility and centrality of ASEAN.' The junta slammed the exclusion, saying it was 'extremely disappointed and strongly objected' to the decision. In a statement the military accused ASEAN of breaching its policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of member states. 'The discussions and decision on Myanmar's representation issue was done without consensus and was against the objectives of ASEAN,' the foreign ministry said. Protesters carried signs that read 'Coups have no place in our modern world' as they marched in Mandalay on March 14 Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar wanted ASEAN's special envoy, Erywan Yusof, (pictured) to visit the country as agreed, but some of his demands were non-negotiable Min Aung Hlaing on Monday blamed his opponents for the prolonged unrest and insisted the ruling military was committed to peace and democracy. In his first comments since Myanmar's neighbours decided to exclude him from an upcoming ASEAN summit, he called on the organisation to consider the provocations and violence being carried out by its opponents. He made no mention of the ASEAN decision, but suggested the outlawed National Unity Government (NUG) and armed ethnic groups were trying to sabotage the ASEAN-led peace process. 'More violence happened due to provocations of terrorist groups,' Min Aung Hlaing said in a speech on television, where he appeared in civilian attire. 'No one cares about their violence, and is only demanding we solve the issue. ASEAN should work on that.' Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar wanted ASEAN's special envoy, Erywan Yusof, to visit the country as agreed, but some of his demands were non-negotiable. He did not elaborate. The NUG, a broad alliance of anti-coup groups that includes members of Suu Kyi's ousted ruling party, has backed the training and formation of militias called 'People's Defence Forces' behind attacks on security forces in several regions of the country. The NUG recently declared a nationwide rebellion against military rule. The shadow government on Monday welcomed ASEAN's exclusion of the junta leader, but said the NUG should be the legitimate representative. 'ASEAN excluding Min Aung Hlaing is an important step, but we request that they recognise us as the proper representative,' said its spokesman Dr. Sasa. However, he said the NUG would accept inviting a truly neutral alternative Myanmar representative. Min Aung Hlaing's administration has justified its power grab citing alleged vote rigging in last year's elections, which Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won convincingly Myanmar will free more than 5,000 anti-coup protesters days after the country's junta chief was excluded from a key summit of regional leaders - which will also be attended by US President Joe Biden Myanmar, mostly ruled by the military since a 1962 coup, has been a thorn in ASEAN's side since it joined in 1997. Min Aung Hlaing's administration has justified its power grab citing alleged vote rigging in last year's elections, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won convincingly. The coup snuffed out Myanmar's short-lived dalliance with democracy and the 76-year-old Suu Kyi now faces a raft of charges in a junta court that could see her jailed for decades. Last week, her chief lawyer said he had been banned by the junta from speaking to journalists, diplomats or international organisations. The other lawyers on her legal team also faced a similar ban - effectively muzzling the key sources of information on court proceedings, from which journalists are barred. Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who has spent much of her life resisting Myanmar's generals, is scheduled to testify in court for the first time later this month. Dominic Raab, pictured today, has said he has received several death threats and an acid attack in the past two years Dominic Raab today backed proposals for all MPs to have private security at their surgeries instead of police guards after the murder of Sir David Amess and revealed he has had three threats to 'life and limb' since 2019 including an acid attack. The Deputy Prime Minister has said he wouldn't want plain clothes officers outside his surgeries as it would have a 'chilling effect' - but wouldn't criticise MPs who ask for it and also said he was 'happy to look' at whether politicians should wear stab vests. Mr Raab also signalled he could support closing anonymous social media accounts to tackle online hatred and claimed that there is now the 'constant vilification of MPs' in the UK. It came as Priti Patel said that police may be drafted in to guard MPs during surgeries and that airport-style scanners would also be considered in the wake of Sir David's murder in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday lunchtime. But Mr Raab rejected the idea of plainclothes police protecting him and said: 'I would be more inclined to look at private security guards and there's already more money for that'. He told Sky News: 'I probably wouldn't choose to have them (plainclothes police) outside a surgery that I had. I would worry about the chilling effect, I'm not sure it's necessary to have that.' Mr Raab also revealed that has had three threats to 'life and limb' over the past two years - and said the most recent threat he has received was of an acid attack. Asked about the possibility of MPs wearing stab-proof vests, he told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I'm happy to look at any practical measures, but the reality is that people will threaten you with something else. The most recent threat I've had was someone threatening to throw acid over me.' He said there was an 'intervention' in relation to the threat - but didn't say what police had done. Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP as he met with his Southend West constituents on Friday afternoon Left to right: Katie, wife Julia, Flo, Sir David Amess, Sarah and Alex at Flo's wedding in August Police officers erect a tent outside a house in north London, thought to be in relation to the death of Sir David Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the veteran Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday Man, 76, is arrested after Labour MP Chris Bryant received death threat on social media following killing of Sir David Amess A pensioner has been arrested on suspicion of sending Labour MP Chris Bryant a death threat on the day after Sir David Amess was murdered in a suspected terror attack. Mr Bryant, 59, whose constituency is Rhondda, was targeted after he posted on Twitter that people should consider being kinder in the wake of the tragedy. The politician revealed he had been threatened later, adding: 'You only have to look through some of the responses to this tweet to see the poison that is infecting British politics. And now I've had yet again another death threat.' South Wales Police said a 76-year-old man from Pontycymer, near Bridgend, had been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications. A spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'South Wales Police was called around 4.30pm on October 16 following reports of malicious communications being sent to a 59 year old man from Porth. 'A 76 year old man from Pontycmer, Bridgend, has been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications.' Advertisement He added: 'There will be people who have worse abuse than me, and I particularly feel for the female MPs, and I know colleagues of mine who have come off, for example, Twitter because it's just so vile. I have had three threats to life and limb over the last two years.' Mr Raab stressed the significance of the Government's Prevent anti-terror scheme but said he feels more at risk from 'misguided or mentally unwell' people. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I personally think I'm more at risk from those who are either misguided or mentally unwell than from a concerted, organised terrorist attack. 'But Prevent is important. 'It is one line of defence, one mitigation against the risks we face. Prevent is under review, it has been under iterative review throughout its existence; we will of course learn all the lessons as the result of that and this terrible, appalling case.' The Try MP also said politicians deserve 'maximum scrutiny' but added traditional and social media have a role to play in reducing hate. 'I think there has also been quite widespread vilification of politicians in the media,' he added. 'The constant - sometimes surreptitious, sometimes ostentatious - vilification of politicians creates the kind of climate in which these episodes take place.' Amid the rise of online hate, the senior Tory said he could support closing anonymous social media accounts to tackle online hatred. He raised concerns that he did not want to 'send a message to tyrants all over the world that they can expose' campaigners who need anonymity. He told Sky News: 'On balance I think there is a case for really looking very carefully at this. 'I don't see why people should be able to abuse the position on social media from a veil of anonymity. The Home Secretary said 'protection' for MPs holding talks with constituents was one of a 'spectrum' of options being considered following the killing of Sir David Amess. Others include airport-style scanners to ensure visitors are unarmed. Priti Patel hints police will guard MPs' weekly surgeries and refuses to rule out ending anonymity on social media to curb threats Priti Patel today insisted MPs must keep meeting voters as she hinted that police will guard weekly surgeries - and refused to rule out ending anonymity on social media to curb threats. The Home Secretary said it would be unacceptable for the murder of Tory veteran David Amess to 'break the link between an elected representative and their democratic role, responsibility and duty to the people who elected them'. She confirmed that security has already been ramped up since the deadly attack with politicians reminded to share their locations with police. The government is looking at ensuring every MP gets officers on guard at their surgeries - a move backed by Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. Ms Patel also said the government is 'looking at' whether there needs to be more action to stop threats and abuse being posted anonymously online. However, Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell, a close friend of Sir David, lashed out at the police for ignoring threats. Advertisement Miss Patel said discussions were under way with MPs, who have all also been contacted by their local police forces. She told Sky News's Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme that MPs could be asked to share their whereabouts at all times with the police in a bid to keep them safe. 'There are other options that are being considered, such as when you hold your surgeries could you have officers or some kind of protection?' she said. 'We need to close any gaps where we feel there are concerns. This isn't a case of let's wait for two weeks, three weeks, four weeks; these are immediate protective measures.' But she was adamant that MPs should continue to be accessible to the public. Former Cabinet minister David Davis told Sky News that suspending public meetings with MPs would be a 'terrible reflection' of what Sir David stood for, adding: 'I don't think we should do that. I don't think David would either.' Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke held a surgery at a supermarket this weekend, saying he would continue to do so even if he had to 'add a few more precautions'. He tweeted: 'We cannot let events like this diminish the deep relationship between an MP and their constituents.' It came as a Tory former Defence Minister doubled-down on his call for a temporary suspension of public meetings between MPs and their constituents this evening, as he warned 'there could be a copycat-style attack' following the killing of Sir David. Tobias Ellwood, the chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee, urged a 'pause in face-to-face' consultations between parliamentarians and members of the public until a safety review had been completed in the wake of Sir David's death on Friday. His proposal was shot down by defiant Conservatives including former Cabinet minister David Davis. Labour's Harriet Harman called for an official review of MPs' safety, while ex-Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott also rallied against 'airport-style screening' - but told the BBC she would support meeting constituents behind a screen to prevent possible stab attacks. And Home Secretary Priti Patel insisted MPs must keep meeting voters, telling the BBC's Andrew Marr Show it would be 'unacceptable' for the killing to 'break the link between an elected representative and their democratic role, responsibility and duty to the people who elected them'. However, the killing of Sir David at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea as he met with Southend West constituents has prompted the Government to look at ensuring every MP gets police on guard at their weekly surgeries - a move backed by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Speaking to Channel 4 this evening, Mr Ellwood doubled-down on his proposal, warning: 'Ultimately we have to recognise that there could be a copycat-style attack. The police have already made that clear. So yes, absolutely, let's stand up to the terrorists, let's make sure that our lifestyles and the way we go about is not altered, that they do not win. But we need to do that in a cognitive way to make sure that MPs, staff and indeed the general public are kept safe.' The MP for Bournemouth East, who was hailed as a hero for his attempts to save the life of Pc Keith Palmer during the Westminster terror attack in 2017, also told the broadcaster that he had discussed the security implications of the withdrawal from Afghanistan for terrorism and extremism with Sir David last week as they visited Doha in Qatar. Tobias Ellwood (left), the Tory chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee, urged a 'pause in face-to-face' consultations between parliamentarians and members of the public until a safety review had been completed following the killing of Sir David Amess (right) by a suspected terrorist Home Secretary Priti Patel insisted that MPs must keep meeting voters, telling the BBC's Andrew Marr Show this morning it would be 'unacceptable' for Sir David's killing to 'break the link between an elected representative and their democratic role, responsibility and duty to the people who elected them' Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer join Home Secretary Priti Patel and the Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle as they pay their respects to Sir David 'Nobody should die in that way. Nobody': Family of murdered MP Sir David Amess say 'our hearts are shattered' but urge people to 'show love to all' and support causes he championed in his memory so 'some good can come from this tragedy' The devastated family of Conservative MP Sir David Amess today said they are 'absolutely broken' by his killing, adding in an emotional statement: 'As a family, we are trying to understand why this awful thing has occurred. Nobody should die in that way.' In a statement released through the Metropolitan Police, Sir David's family said: 'The family would like to thank everyone for the wonderful, wonderful tributes paid to David following his cruel and violent death. It truly has brought us so much comfort. The support shown by friends, constituents and the general public alike has been so overwhelming. As a family it has given us strength. 'We have realised from tributes paid that there was far, far more to David than even we, those closest to him, knew. We are enormously proud of him. Our hearts are shattered. However, there was still so much David wanted to do - this we know from the events of the last few days. So, this is not the end of Sir David Amess MP. It is the next chapter and as a family we ask everyone to support the many charities he worked with. There are so many to mention, so find one close to your hearts and help. 'David had recently joined a campaign to help raise funds for a memorial to Dame Vera Lynn. To him she epitomised the strength and courage of our nation. We would ask as many people as possible to support this and meet the target to complete the project. 'Closer to home, David was working hard for Southend to gain city status. In his memory, please show your support for this campaign. Strong and courageous is an appropriate way to describe David. He was a patriot and a man of peace. So, we ask people to set aside their differences and show kindness and love to all. This is the only way forward. Set aside hatred and work towards togetherness. 'Whatever one's race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand. As a family, we are trying to understand why this awful thing has occurred. Nobody should die in that way. Nobody. Please let some good come from this tragedy. We are absolutely broken, but we will survive and carry on for the sake of a wonderful and inspiring man. 'We ask at this time that the family's privacy be respected so that we can grieve in private.' Advertisement Defiant MPs continued to hold constituency surgeries as normal on Saturday, while debate raged over whether Parliamentarians should be given police guards. Mr Shelbrooke, Tory MP for Elmet and Rothwell, who held a surgery at a local supermarket yesterday, said: 'We cannot let events like this diminish the deep relationship between an MP and their constituents. 'This is a relationship I value deeply: I want my constituents, regardless of whether they voted for me or not, to be able to approach me in the street, in the pub, at the supermarket or at one of my surgeries.' Mr Davis said suspending public meetings would be 'a terrible reflection of what David stood for'. Mr Largan, Tory MP for High Peak, tweeted: 'I'll keep on doing my weekly surgery, all year round, whatever the weather! We all need to stand up for our democracy!' And Dr Kieran Mullan, the Tory MP for Crewe and Nantwich, tweeted: 'Surgery today, we must not let people force us to do things differently. David would not have wanted that.' Meanwhile, the longest continuously serving female MP, Ms Harman, said she would be writing to the Prime Minister urging him to back a Speaker's Conference to look into what needs to change to ensure parliamentarians are safe in their constituencies. Speaking to the BBC, the veteran Labour politician said: 'We cannot have the death of an MP being a price worth paying for our democracy.' She added: 'I don't think anybody wants to go to a situation where the police are vetting individual constituents who come and see us, but I'm sure there is a safer way to go about our business. 'Since Jo Cox's tragic killing, we've had changes in our home security, we've had changes in security in Parliament, but we haven't looked at the issue of how we go about that important business in our constituency, but do it in a safe way - and I think we must do that now.' Conservative MP Kevin Foster, who represents Torbay, said it is 'not practical' to have airport-style security at MPs' surgeries. Defence minister James Heappey, the Conservative MP for Wells, echoed that sentiment, telling PA news agency: 'Tweaks to security might be necessary but nothing can fundamentally change: those surgeries are foundations on which service as MP is delivered.' Tory Harrow East MP Bob Blackman said he and his colleagues will now be 'wary' of what they do following Sir David's death, but former universities minister Chris Skidmore - who represents Kingswood constituency - said it still felt 'absolutely natural that I would continue to hold in-person events'. That sentiment was mirrored on the Labour benches, with Hull East MP Karl Turner arguing against vetting who elected representatives see and that politicians had to accept there is a risk involved with their work. 'I think you can do as much as you can possibly do but if a knife-wielding maniac bursts into your room, what can you do about that really?' he told PA. 'I think you've got to take the risk. I'm not pretending to be any kind of a hero, far from it, but I think it is a pretty bad deal if you can't see your MP.' Ms Abbott said she would support meeting constituents behind a screen to prevent possible stab attacks, but she too rallied against 'airport-style screening'. 'I would prefer going forward to meet constituents behind a screen, as we have now for Covid and so on - that might be quite complicated to arrange but at least you know someone's not going to just lean over the desk and stab you, which could happen now,' she told the BBC. After the attack on Friday, police were said to be contacting all MPs to check on their security. Writing in The Observer and the Mail on Sunday, Sir Lindsay said he was 'working closely and at pace with the Home Office and the police' to identify ways to improve MPs' safety. The attack came five-and-a-half years after Labour MP Jo Cox was killed by a far-right extremist in her Batley and Spen constituency in West Yorkshire. Britain faces a new wave of terrorist attacks from 'bedroom radicals' bred during lockdown, the intelligence services have warned. Officials believe there is an increased threat from 'lone wolves' who were radicalised online while spending months at home during lockdown. It comes as police investigate whether a 25-year-old terror suspect arrested on suspicion of murdering Tory MP Sir David Amess was radicalised online over the pandemic. Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP as he met with his Southend West constituents on Friday afternoon Concerns have been raised about the threat from 'bedroom radicals' after Tory MP Sir David Amess was stabbed to death on Friday. He is pictured with his family at his daughter Flo's wedding in August. Pictured: Katie, wife Julia, Flo, Sir David, Sarah and Alex One security source told The Telegraph: 'Counter-terror police and MI5 have been concerned for some time that once we emerged out of lockdown there would be more people out on the streets and more targets for the terrorists. 'Combined with the fact that lots of young people have been spending so much time online, it makes for a very worrying mix and there is a real concern about the possible rise of the bedroom radicals.' It is now feared extremists around the world may seek to activate their recruits and encourage them to carry out terror strikes across the UK. Peter Neumann, Professor of Security Studies at KCL, said spotting 'lone wolves' would require the security services to infiltrate online forums where they operate. 'It is very rare that people are completely isolated,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'A lot of lone attackers are interacting with people, albeit online, so do have social relationships with others. 'No terrorist is doing it for themselves - they want approval, and often this approval is going to be from the people they've met online who they imagine will be the audience for their action.' 'I think that the security services should imagine the online world as a place, just like a radical mosque or a meeting place in the 'real world', although it is hard to distinguish between who is violent and who isn't.' The Met Police confirmed that Sir David's killing is being treated as a terror incident 'with links to Islamist extremism' as a British man with Somali heritage remains in police custody on suspicion of murder On Sunday, it emerged that Sir David's suspected killer Ali Harbi Ali had been referred to anti-terror programme Prevent several years ago but his behaviour was not considered extreme enough to pass on to MI5. Professor Neumann said police faced an 'overload of information'. 'Lots of people are being referred and only a few people are being kept an eye on, so there is an overload of information,' he said. The academic added that paying attention to posts on social media about planned attacks could help to foil future ones. 'Attackers have the urge to let their friends on social media and elsewhere know about these attacks, so we need to pay more attention to that,' he said. Yesterday, Sir David's family said their hearts had been 'shattered' by his 'cruel and violent death' at a constituency surgery in Essex. They said they could not understand why the 'patriot and a man of peace' was targeted by a knifeman he had never met. The 69-year-old father of five was ambushed at his Friday meeting with the public and stabbed 17 times in a frenzied attack. Police officers erect a tent outside a house in north London, thought to be in relation to Sir David's death In a heartbreaking statement his family called for people to 'set aside hatred', adding: 'Nobody should die in that way. Nobody. 'Whatever one's race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand. We are absolutely broken, but we will survive and carry on for the sake of a wonderful and inspiring man.' Detectives were last night still quizzing Ali who was arrested on suspicion of Sir David's murder at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday. The British-born Muslim, who is of Somalian descent, had been referred to the Prevent programme over radicalisation fears by a concerned member of the community. It is understood that the referral was not made by a member of the police or the security services. It is not known whether it was a friend or relative, or someone from healthcare, education, social services or a religious group. It resulted in Ali taking part in a course, which is believed to have been a 'Channel' mentoring scheme. Despite this intervention, which is thought to have taken place several years ago, MI5 was apparently not alerted and Ali was not investigated as a potential terror threat by police. Priti Patel said a review of Prevent would examine whether it was 'fit for purpose'. 'It's right that we review what works, what doesn't work, what needs bolstering if there are any gaps, all of that, because Prevent isn't just about policing,' the Home Secretary said. 'Prevent is about how multi-agency partners come together.' Yesterday critics questioned whether experts missed opportunities to stop a suspect described by investigators as a 'lone wolf' extremist. Sam Armstrong of the Henry Jackson Society think-tank said: 'Questions must be asked about this case. Counter-extremism professionals seem to have lost sight of their duty which is to prevent terrorism. 'There has been an under-referral of Islamist cases and an over-referral of extreme Right-wing cases and we are now seeing the deadly consequences. The Prevent review has been derailed by Left-wing groups trying to litigate every aspect of its work and yet a cold hard look at the number of cases in which Prevent has fallen short shows this is only the latest in a long line.' The Home Office scheme, which has an annual budget of around 40million, has been under scrutiny for years after a series of terrorists slipped through its net, including Reading attacker Khairi Saadallah. The Government first promised scrutiny of Prevent in 2019, the year after parliament's intelligence and security committee highlighted a series of shortcomings. But the independent review did not start formally until earlier this year and has still not reported back to Miss Patel. Former justice secretary Robert Buckland called for a shake-up of Prevent to ensure a more 'joined-up' approach. He said more co-operation between schools, the NHS and other public agencies was required to ensure security forces could intervene early and prevent attacks. 'I very much hope that when it comes to community supervision and community involvement with people like this particular individual, that it is much more joined-up between health services, education, whatever it might be, who have had some involvement with that individual in the past,' he told Times Radio. 'And that element of being joined-up is what we really need to work on urgently.' He added: 'There may be records or information from schools or colleges or from the health service which can tell us much more about individuals and their activities. We need to join this up much more effectively because what we're talking about here is community prevention. 'We've got to make sure that every arm of the state is absolutely working together in order to understand as much as possible about these individuals, and then to intervene if we judge the risk to be so significant that an intervention could prevent the sort of appalling incident that we saw not just last week but also in the Jo Cox case and other examples.' Mrs Cox, the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, was murdered by a far-Right fanatic in the street in 2016 as she was about to carry out a constituency surgery. An end to Brighton's disruptive bin strike could be in sight after union chiefs and council bosses struck a deal last night. Rubbish has been piling high on the streets of the Sussex city during the industrial action - which enters its 14th day today. Latest pictures from the seaside city, taken yesterday evening, show 5ft high mounds of bin bags and rubbish strewn across the city's streets. Residents say they have been forced to stay in their homes because of the stench. Hopes of an end to the disruption were dashed on Friday when talks between the Green-led city council and the GMB union collapsed. But officials at the union say a deal has now been agreed to end the bitter dispute over working conditions and pay for refuse works. GMB and council officials spent most of Sunday thrashing out the new agreement, which it is hoped will prevent a further 30 days of strikes due to start on Thursday. Rubbish has been piling high on the streets of the Sussex city during the industrial action - which is now into its 14th day Latest pictures from the seaside city, taken last night, show 5ft high mounds of bin bags and waste Residents, meanwhile, say they have been forced to stay in their homes because of the stench. Pictured: Rubbish bins pile high on the city's pavements GMB and council officials spent most of Sunday thrashing out the new agreement, which it is hoped will prevent a further 30-day of strikes due to start on Thursday. Pictured: Rubbish bins pile high on the city's pavements Gary Palmer, GMB organiser, said: 'Subject to GMB members' sign-off on Monday and the council passing it at the policy and resources committee meeting on Tuesday, an agreement between Brighton and Hove council and the GMB has been reached. 'If the agreement is passed by both parties, GMB will immediately suspend 30 days of strike action due to start on October 21.' It comes after a deal to end the disruption collapsed on Friday night, with a union rep accusing the council of 'prolonging the agony of residents'. Private businesses have been locking and chaining bins up to stop people dumping their rubbish inside The local authority has been under fire from residents who have been forced to stay in their homes because of the appalling stench caused by the strike. The crisis affects 120,000 households. Piles of uncollected bin bags have formed in many streets, spilling waste on to pavements and roads across the seaside city. Rats, foxes and seagulls have been tearing open the abandoned bags, leaving decaying refuse strewn around the smart Georgian streets. Drinks cartons, rotten food waste and nappy bags have all spilled out. One Brighton local said: 'We've had to keep all the windows shut because just opening them during the day it's horrible, really horrible.' Another said: 'Absolutely disgusting, there are rats everywhere. All the streets are just covered in bins, I've got four or five bin bags sitting outside my home waiting to be taken.' Another added: 'The piles of rubbish are growing daily and the stench is absolutely appalling. The risk to public health is extremely worrying as vermin are everywhere. 'The GMB is hugely powerful in Brighton and Hove and it is holding the council over a barrel yet again.' Refuse workers have been in a long battle with the council over imposing changes to daily duties and the removal of drivers from long-standing rounds without warning. Binmen at a picket line outside the Hollingdean Depot in Brighton on October 8 Refuse workers have been in a long battle with the council over imposing changes to daily duties and the removal of drivers from long-standing rounds without warning. The GMB says changes in driver duties, crew variations and alterations in collections has had a detrimental impact on the health of HGV drivers. A council spokesman said the pandemic and a shortage of HGV drivers had created pressure and it was felt appropriate to make crew changes or move a member of staff from one round or crew to another. A council spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We had positive talks yesterday and thank GMB representatives for meeting on a Sunday. 'Were pleased that the formal resolution proposal has this morning been agreed by GMB members and it will now be put forward to the councils Policy & Resources Committee for ratification in the next few days. 'We apologise to residents, business and visitors to the city for the disruption during the last few weeks and thank you for your patience.' Dominic Raab today suggested it is 'inevitable' Southend-on-Sea will become a city as he said it would be a 'very fitting tribute' to murdered Tory MP David Amess. The Deputy PM stressed there is a 'mechanism' for taking the decision on whether the Essex resort is given the new status. But he pointed to the two-decade campaign by Sir David, who raised the issue at every opportunity in the Commons. Mr Raab told LBC radio: 'It feels like a certain inevitability about this campaign. 'Let me respect the mechanism for deciding it but say that I think it will be a very fitting tribute if it should come to pass.' Speaker Lindsay Hoyle also backed the move, saying: 'I would love to see city status for Southend.' Sir David had relentlessly pushed for the Essex resort to be made a city since 2000- most recently arguing that it would help attract some much-needed investment post-Brexit and Covid. Colleagues from both sides of the aisle are calling for his wish be granted, arguing it would be a fitting memorial for the 69 year old. The Queen is set to designate new cities in celebration of her Platinum Jubilee next year, and local authorities have been putting forward their towns for city status since June. Boris Johnson could give an indication of the government's feeling on the issue this afternoon when he leads tributes in the Commons. With a population of around 183,000, Southend is a large coastal town and is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend Pier, measuring 1.33 miles (pictured) Dominic Raab (left) pointed to the two-decade campaign by David Amess (right), who raised the issue at every opportunity in the Commons Boris Johnson (pictured jogging this morning) could give an indication of the government's feeling on Southend's status this afternoon when he leads tributes in the Commons Home Secretary Priti Patel also gave a warm response to the idea when she gave a round of interviews yesterday. 'I'm smiling at that suggestion... It would be a wonderful tribute to my dear friend David,' Ms Patel told Times Radio. Ms Patel told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: 'When David's name is mentioned going forward he will bring great cheer and smiles.' 'He was Mr Southend, he was Mr Essex, he would always put Southend front and centre of his work and that was David through and through.' Conservative MP for Kingswood Chris Skidmore said: 'David would badger me constantly about making Southend a city. 'Not only did we exchange many letters, had meetings, every time I saw him in the tea room or passed him in the corridor he would shout out 'don't forget to make Southend a City'. No opportunity was ever missed. 'He told me once that it was his one great ambition left in Parliament that he would one day see Southend become a city. 'It became a running joke every time he raised it, but he was passionately serious about making it happen.' He added: 'So with the jubilee next year, let's give Southend city status and see Sir David's final ambition realised. 'Tragically he will never see that moment happen, but it would be a fitting memorial to a man who dedicated his life, and ultimately laid it down for his community.' With a population of around 183,000, Southend is a large coastal town and is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend Pier, measuring 1.33 miles. It also has London Southend Airport less than two miles north of the town centre. Conservative MP for Lichfield Michael Fabricant said: 'David campaigned for so many wonderful things, including animal welfare and to make Southend a city. 'That would be a fitting memorial.' Victoria Prentis, Tory MP for Banbury, added: 'No one could have done more for his constituents. We all know that Southend should be a city.' Replying to a tweet suggesting Southend be given city status, Charlotte Nichols, Labour MP for Warrington North, said: 'Absolutely; I can't think of a better way to honour his memory.' In one of the latest interventions in his campaign, Sir David argued: 'Our country and the whole of the world will need to rebuild itself and particularly in terms of the economy. 'Southend becoming a city would be of enormous benefit in terms of attracting investment post-Brexit.' Making Southend-on-Sea (pictured) a city was one of Sir David's main goals as a politician and he famously pushed for it at every moment he could Home Secretary Priti Patel insisted it is not for her to make a final decision on where is upgraded to the status The Essex resort is a popular staycation resort and his the London Southend Airport less than two miles from its centre In March 2018, prime minister at the time Theresa May was being quizzed over Russia-UK relations following the recent Salisbury poisonings - but Sir David had other priorities. During Prime Minister's Questions, he asked Mrs May if she was aware that a charity for learning difficulties in his constituency had just broken the world record for dinging the most triangles - and whether or not she thought, as he did, that this was enough of a reason to make Southend-on-Sea a city. At the Westminster Dog of Year contest this year, Sir David entered his French bulldog Vivienne. Asked why she should win, he said: 'Because she is an enthusiastic supporter of Southend becoming a city.' An Australian leader has fired back at Texas Republican Ted Cruz after he attacked the nation for its 'disgraceful and sad Covid tyranny'. The conservative American senator slammed the Northern Territory's Chief Minister for introducing a controversial vaccine policy for thousands of workers. Michael Gunner announced employees who come into contact with the public - including bar staff and supermarket workers - would be fined $5,000 if they turn up to work unvaccinated from November 12. The vaccine policy has sparked a social media frenzy across Australia and the world, with Mr Cruz taking to social media to blast the decision. Conservative American senator Ted Cruz (pictured with his daughter) slammed the Northern Territory's Chief Minister for introducing a controversial vaccine policy for essential workers The war of words began when Mr Cruz reposted a video of Mr Gunner announcing the Northern Territory's roadmap out of lockdown to Twitter on Thursday (pictured) 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 974 votes Yes - for all workers 1835 votes No - no one should have to 5656 votes Now share your opinion The war of words began when Mr Cruz reposted a video of Mr Gunner announcing the Northern Territory's roadmap out of lockdown to Twitter on Thursday. 'I love the Aussies. Their history of rugged independence is legendary; I've always said Australia is the Texas of the Pacific,' he said. 'The Covid tyranny of their current government is disgraceful & sad. Individual liberty matters. I stand with the people of #Australia.' However, it wasn't long before Mr Gunner caught wind of the public diss and decided to hit back at Mr Cruz with his own tough response. 'G'day from Down Under @TedCruz. Thanks for your interest in the Territory. I'm the Chief Minister. Below are a few facts about COVID down here,' he wrote. Mr Gunner attached a fact sheet to his tweet and began by citing the 70,000 Covid-related deaths reported in Texas throughout the pandemic. 'There have been zero deaths in the Territory. Did you know that?' he questioned. However, it wasn't long before Chief Minister Michael Gunner (pictured) caught wind of the public diss and decided to hit back at Mr Cruz with his own tough response 'G'day from Down Under @TedCruz. Thanks for your interest in the Territory. I'm the Chief Minister. Below are a few facts about COVID down here,' Mr Gunner tweeted (pictured) The chief minister said vaccination was important in the Northern Territory because it was home to some of the oldest and most vulnerable cultures on the planet. 'We've done whatever it takes to protect the Territory. That's kept US safe and free,' Mr Gunner continued. 'We have been in lock down for just eight days in 18 months. Our schools and businesses are open. Did you know that? 'We don't need your lectures, thanks mate. You know nothing about us. And if you stand against a life-saving vaccine, then you definitely don't stand with Australia. 'I love Texans (go Longhorns), but when it comes to Covid, I'm glad we're nothing like you.' 'The Covid tyranny of their current government is disgraceful & sad. Individual liberty matters. I stand with the people of #Australia,' Ted Cruz (pictured) tweeted on Thursday The chief minister (pictured) defended his newly-announced vaccine mandate which requires essential workers to be fully vaccinated by Christmas Day or risk a $5000 fine While some Twitter users cheered the chief minister on for the 'burn' others agreed with the American senator's critique of Australia's 'Covid tyranny'. 'Alas, they're becoming the North Korea of the Pacific,' one user agreed. 'It's enough to make me get on a plane and fly to a resort in Mexico with my family to escape. #AustraliaHasFallen,' another tweeted. 'Hey, thanks for your concern, Ted, but we're ok,' an Australian replied to Mr Cruz. 'We're just here getting vaccinated and looking out for our fellow Australians. 'We've kept the numbers down so as not to overwhelm our health system - which, by the way, is free.' It comes after the chief minister's announcement of the mandate for essential workers made headlines across Australia and around the globe. Already in NSW and soon to be in Victoria, workers who come into contact with the public are being told to get vaccinated or face being stood down if they cannot work from home. While some Twitter users cheered on Mr Gunner (pictured) for the 'burn' others agreed with the Mr Cruz's critique of Australia's 'Covid tyranny' It comes after the chief minister's announcement of the mandate for essential workers made headlines across Australia and around the globe (pictured, people wait for coffee in Darwin) The Northern Territory government has now warned local workers to get jabbed or cop a $5,000 fine if they go to work unvaccinated. Mr Gunner said essential workers, anyone in a face-to-face customer service role, or Territorians working with vulnerable people would cop the fine if they turn up to work without at least one dose by Friday, November 12. All workers who come into contact with the public or are essential workers must be fully-vaccinated by Christmas Day. That puts him just 28 days away from enacting what is believed to be the toughest vaccine mandate in the world. 'Simply not wanting the vaccine is not a reason [to avoid it],' Mr Gunner warned. 'You must receive a Covid-19 vaccine if in the course of your work, you come into contact with vulnerable people, your workplace poses a high risk of infection, or you perform work that is necessary for the operation or maintenance of essential infrastructure or logistics in the Territory,' he said. Mr Gunner's tough ultimatum, which was part of his plan to reopen the Northern Territory's borders, sparked a social media frenzy identified by the hashtag #Australiahasfallen. Mr Gunner is just 28 days away from enacting what is believed to be the toughest vaccine mandate in the world (pictured, a man talks to a policeman outside a testing site in Darwin) While many of the critics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook were locals, at least an equal number seemed to be American or British vaccine sceptics or libertarians. Senator Cruz has repeatedly spoken out against vaccine mandates but has insisted he supports the inoculation of US residents. The conservative politician recently criticised President Joe Biden for asking the US Labor Department to require businesses with more than 100 employees to all get the jab. 'While I support the vaccine and have received it, Americans have the right to exercise personal choice when it comes to their health,' Mr Cruz said. 'Getting the vaccine is a decision to be made in consultation with one's doctor, not forced on Americans by the government.' Angela Merkel's would-be successor as Chancellor has said he will quit frontline German politics after leading his party to its worst ever election defeat. Armin Laschet, 60, will take the rap for the CDU's awful showing in the September federal elections to decide the country's new government. He has indicated his willingness to step down as leader of the party and has now said he will soon leave his position as president of the North Rhine-Westphalia region, Germany's most populous state. The party's 16 years in power came to an end in the vote when it managed only 24.1 per cent of the vote, down from 32.9 per cent in 2017. 'The responsibility for this result lies with me as leader and candidate for the chancellorship,' Laschet told a party congress in Munster. Armin Laschet, 60, will quit as party leader after taking responsibility for the Christian Democrats' awful showing in the September federal elections to decide the country's new government The Social Democrats won the most votes and on Friday announced a preliminary deal to form a new coalition government with the Greens and the free-market liberal FDP. If an agreement is reached, the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz should succeed Merkel as chancellor. Laschet said the conservatives should now prepare to enter the opposition in the Bundestag, a position they have not had since 2005. Laschet also said he would soon leave his position as president of the North Rhine-Westphalia region, the heartland of the CDU. He called for a renewal of the party, through a generational change in leadership and greater involvement of women The CDU's loss is the latest embarrassment to outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's legacy Laschet also urged greater unity within the CDU, a call echoed by Health Minister Jens Spahn who spoke of a 'a crisis of cohesion'. Spahn, 41, put himself forward as a candidate to 'shape this new CDU', adding that it was for 'the generation after Merkel to accept its responsibilities'. A day earlier, another potential candidate for the party, the ultraliberal Friedrich Merz, had warned that the CDU was 'on the verge of collapse'. While accepting responsibility for the defeat, Laschet he also pointed to the CDU's poor behavior during the campaign. It comes as the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz is set to lead the country as his party announced a preliminary coalition deal with the Greens and the liberal FDP Laschet was nominated to run for chancellor in April after a bruising internal battle with more popular rival Markus Soeder, the leader of the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union party. Sniping from the CSU and other Soeder backers persisted in the following months. The Social Democrats, by contrast, who themselves have seen plenty of infighting in recent years, decided last year that outgoing Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz would be their candidate to succeed Merkel and united behind him. 'That is what we have to learn,' Laschet said. 'Any mayoral election will be lost if there's a decision that `he or she is our candidate,' and afterward those who weren't chosen say `Yes, but we had a better one.'' 'The Social Democrats showed how you can run a united election campaign despite contrasts,' he added. 'That was once the Union's strength, and it must in the future become the Union's strength once again...We must again learn this virtue of standing together if we want to win elections in the future.' Scholz, who pulled his party out of a long poll slump, now appears on course to become Germany's next leader in a coalition with the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats. Laschet, who pledged before the election to go into national politics whatever the outcome, plans to step down as North Rhine-Westphalia's governor later this month. A soldier who died during an Army training exercise on Salisbury Plain could not be freed because the tank he was trapped in was reportedly full of live ammunition. Private Jethro Watson-Pickering, 23, of the 1st Yorks Regiment, was part of a crew operating an armoured vehicle in a training area near the village of Enford, Wiltshire, when the incident happened on Friday. The soldier was pronounced dead at the scene and a joint investigation between Wiltshire Police, the Army and the Health and Safety Executive has now been launched. According to the BBC, the vehicle overturned near Enford and hit a tree, trapping several soldiers inside. Citing an unnamed source, the BBC added that it took 'several hours' for rescuers to free the soldiers because the vehicle was carrying live ammunition. This meant that fire crews could not use cutting equipment to extricate the soldiers from the overturned vehicle and the task of freeing them fell to the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Pvt Jethro Watson-Pickering who died during an Army training exercise on Salisbury Plain could not be freed because the tank he was trapped in was reportedly full of live ammunition Around a dozen officers from Wiltshire Police and the Military of Defence Police were in attendance and an air ambulance was scrambled to the scene. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it sent two fire engines, from Pewsey and Ludgershall, and a heavy rescue unit from Trowbridge to the scene. A Hazardous Area Response Team, made up of a group of specialist paramedics trained to deal with the most serious of incidents, and several other south Western Ambulance Service ambulance vehicles were seen responding alongside firefighters but Pvt Watson-Pickering was pronounced dead at the scene. In a statement, the regiment said: 'The Yorkshire Regiment very much regrets to announce the death on Friday October 15 of Pte Jethro Watson-Pickering. 'He was from Boosbeck, Redcar and Cleveland, and was deployed on exercise on Salisbury Plain. 'The thoughts and prayers of the regimental family are with his family.' Pvt Watson-Pickering, 23, died from his injuries at the scene after the crash on Friday Wiltshire Police have launched a joint investigation with the army and health and safety watchdog. Pictured: Police vehicles on scene at the Salisbury Plain training area on Friday A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: 'We are investigating the circumstances following the death of a 23-year-old soldier at midday on October 15. 'He was part of a crew operating an armoured vehicle and was taking part in a military exercise on Salisbury Plain Training Area near the village of Enford. 'This is now a joint investigation between Wiltshire Police, the Army and the Health and Safety Executive. 'Our thoughts are with the soldier's family and friends at this difficult time, and we would ask that their privacy is respected.' An Army spokesman added: 'It is with sadness that we can confirm the death of a soldier on Salisbury Plain Training Area. 'Wiltshire Police are investigating and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further.' Reports suggest an armoured vehicle overturned and crashed into a tree, trapping the crew inside and that it took 'several hours' for Army engineers to free them. Pictured: Salisbury Plain It comes as friends took to social media to pay their respects on the The Yorkshire Regiment Facebook page. Pamela Watson wrote: 'We are all very shocked at the news. Its lovely to see so many condolences for him. Thank you. 'Ever since Jethro was a little boy he wanted to be in the army. So it is a small comfort knowing he died doing what he loved. We were all very proud of the man you had become.' Karen Cooke wrote: 'Rip so sorry to read this having my daughter on this exercise hits home a bit. 'Heartfelt condolences to his family and friends and work colleagues.' Lynn Forrest added: 'Such sad news, my son is on this exercise and was a very close friend to him, condolences to all his family and friends.' Dale Hopper added: 'Gutted to hear this. Watson-Pickering was a cadet in my Company before joining the army, there's a lot of people that will miss him dearly.' The British Army currently has about 76,500 soldiers, with about 15,000 based around the West Country. Just half of GP appointments in England are with a qualified doctor, official figures show. A total of 52 per cent of consultations in July were with an actual GP, with the rest carried out by nurses, pharmacy assistants, and even acupuncturists. The NHS Digital data reveals that in some parts of the country, patients are given an appointment with someone other than a GP two-thirds of the time. Defending the figures, the Royal College of GPs claimed that family doctors were not always the most appropriate person for patients to see. But campaigners claimed they feared that patients were being diverted to take some pressure off of GPs' workload. It comes amid an escalating row over a lack of face-to-face GP appointments, which are still below pre-pandemic levels. Ministers have threatened to name and shame the worst performing surgeries unless they start seeing more patients in-person. The parents of late student David Nash, 26, claimed a lack of in-person consultations led to their son's meningitis being missed. They believe he would have lived if he had seen a GP face-to-face. NHS Digital data shows in Bury, Greater Manchester, patients saw a doctor just a third (36 per cent) of the time in July. Patients were also put through to another staff member two-thirds of the time in North East Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire. Doctors saw patients in less than 40 per cent of appointments in North East Essex, Portsmouth, Kirklees, Bradford and Craven in North Yorkshire A total of 52 per cent of consultations in July were with an actual doctor, with the rest carried out by other healthcare staff, such as nurses, pharmacy assistants, and even acupuncturists The NHS figures show just 51.9 per cent of appointments in July were with a GP, the lowest figure since the second wave last December. In Bury, Greater Manchester, patients saw a doctor just a third (36 per cent) of the time in July. Patients were also put through to another staff member two-thirds of the time in North East Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire. Doctors saw patients in less than 40 per cent of appointments in North East Essex, Portsmouth, Kirklees, Bradford and Craven in North Yorkshire. But in other parts of the country the rates were slightly higher. In South Sefton, Hertfordshire and South West London, up to 67 per cent of all GP consultations were with actual doctors. And six in 10 appointments were with doctors in South East London, Manchester, North East London and Frimley. Professor Martin Marshall, chairman at the RCGPs, said GPs are not always the best person to treat a patient. NHS Digital lists acupuncturists, osteopaths and chiropodists, as well as health visitors and counsellors, as the non-GP health staff who may see patients. NHS Digital noted the statistics are 'experimental' and there are problems with the quality of the data, such as the medic present in appointments not being recorded in three per cent of cases. Professor Marshall told the Times general practice is a team of different professions and 'sometimes a GP is not the most appropriate healthcare professional for a patient's health needs'. It comes after data revealed earlier this month that there is one GP for every 2,038 patients in England. The figure has risen five per cent in the last six years and in some areas there is nearly 3,000 patients to each doctor. Dennis Reed, head of campaign group Silver Voices, told the newspaper in regions with a higher patient to doctor ratio there will be 'a bigger temptation, or necessity, to allocate appointments at a lower level'. He said: 'In one area, if it's held a GP appointment is appropriate and for the same condition in another area a GP appointment is not found to be appropriate, there is something wrong there.' An NHS spokesperson said: 'Every GP practice must provide face-to-face as well as telephone and online appointments and continuing to offer all of these methods of consultation is part of making primary care as accessible as possible. 'Other healthcare professionals in the practice team, such as nurses, physiotherapists and paramedics are sometimes more qualified to help people with specific needs, supporting people with a wide range of services such as screening checks, routine immunisations, and care for those with long term conditions.' David Nash, 26, (pictured) had four remote consultations with doctors and nurses at a Leeds GP practice over a 19-day period before he died of meningitis on November 4, 2020 The number of GP appointments taking place face-to-face tumbled at the start of the pandemic when surgeries were told to see patients remotely where possible. But despite the country largely returning to normal, in-person visits are yet to climb back to pre-pandemic levels. The above graph shows the number of face-to-face GP appointments (red line) by month since the end of 2019 The average number of sessions GPs works in a day have gone down over the last decade while their wage growth has gone up. In 2012 the average GP worked 7.3 sessions a week but this has now fallen to 6.6 a week, the equivalent of just over three days of work a week. In the same period the average GP income went up by more than 6,000. A GP's daily work is divided into sessions. According to the NHS, a full-time GP works 8 sessions a week, formed of two sessions a day, generally starting at 8am and finishing at 6.30pm, though these hours can vary It comes after Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced plans last week to publish figures on how many face-to-face appointments have taken place at individual GP surgeries in England. And those that do not provide sufficient numbers of in-person consultations will not be able to access extra funding. GPs reacted with fury, saying the plans would trigger a wave of retirements and 'sink the ship altogether'. But patient rights campaigners have said they need to work amid a wave of doctors seeking part-time roles. Data for July shows 57.2 per cent of appointments took place in-person, while the majority of the remaining consultations happened over a phone call. Earlier this month the Royal College of Emergency Medicine warned difficulties in seeing a GP means patients are going to emergency or walk-in services instead. But GPs have said it's wrong to suggest they are not seeing patients in-person, and insisted the notion of a 'part-time' GP is wrong. It comes as Andrew and Anne Nash spoke of the 'shambolic' calls their son had with NHS 111 after GPs failed to see him face-to-face four times. David Nash, 26, had four remote consultations with doctors and nurses at a GP practice over 19 days. Relatives said none spotted that he had developed mastoiditis in his ear which caused a brain abscess, sparking meningitis. Parents Andrew and Anne suspect that the mastoiditis could have been spotted and treated with antibiotics if their son had a face-to-face examination at his first appointment last year. The couple, from Nantwich, Cheshire, believe later phone consultations were further missed opportunities to diagnose their son's life-threatening condition. They are now paying thousands of pounds for an independent neurosurgeon to investigate how their son died and are hoping an inquest next month will provide answers. A pensioner has been arrested on suspicion of sending Labour MP Chris Bryant a death threat on the day after Sir David Amess was murdered in a suspected terror attack. Mr Bryant, 59, whose constituency is Rhondda, was targeted after he posted on Twitter that people should consider being kinder in the wake of the tragedy. The politician revealed he had been threatened later, adding: 'You only have to look through some of the responses to this tweet to see the poison that is infecting British politics. And now I've had yet again another death threat.' South Wales Police said a 76-year-old man from Pontycymer, near Bridgend, had been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications. A spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'South Wales Police was called around 4.30pm on October 16 following reports of malicious communications being sent to a 59 year old man from Porth. 'A 76 year old man from Pontycmer, Bridgend, has been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications.' Labour MP Chris Bryant said he received a death threat on Saturday after he urged kindness The death threat came a day after Sir David Amess MP was murdered in a suspected terror plot Sir David, 69, was found critically injured in a surgery in this church and could not be saved Mr Bryant, MP for Rhondda, said he had faced threats every year since becoming an MP. He said: 'Over the years I have had a lot of death threats. They happen about four to five times a year. People have been arrested, cautioned by the police and one has gone to jail for it. 'The year before it was anti-vaxxers, the year before we had Brexit campaigners plastering the word 'traitor' all over my office. 'There are many people putting themselves in harm's way on behalf of the public every day but there can't be many workplaces that have suffered two murders in five years. People look at flowers left by the police cordon nearby the Belfairs Methodist Church Candles are lit next to a portrait of David Amess during a vigil for him at St Michaels Church, in Leigh-on-Sea Police officers erect a tent outside a house in north London, thought to be in relation to the death of Sir David Dominic Raab says private security guards could be used to protect MPs at surgeries instead of police officers as he reveals he was targeted with death and acid attack threats Dominic Raab today backed proposals for all MPs to have private security at their surgeries instead of police guards after the murder of Sir David Amess and revealed he has had three threats to 'life and limb' since 2019 including an acid attack. The Deputy Prime Minister has said he wouldn't want plain clothes officers outside his surgeries as it would have a 'chilling effect' - but wouldn't criticise MPs who ask for it and also said he was 'happy to look' at whether politicians should wear stab vests. Mr Raab also signalled he could support closing anonymous social media accounts to tackle online hatred and claimed that there is now the 'constant vilification of MPs' in the UK. It came as Priti Patel said that police may be drafted in to guard MPs during surgeries and that airport-style scanners would also be considered in the wake of Sir David's murder in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday lunchtime. But Mr Raab rejected the idea of plainclothes police protecting him and said: 'I would be more inclined to look at private security guards and there's already more money for that'. He told Sky News: 'I probably wouldn't choose to have them (plainclothes police) outside a surgery that I had. I would worry about the chilling effect, I'm not sure it's necessary to have that.' Mr Raab also revealed that has had three threats to 'life and limb' over the past two years - and said the most recent threat he has received was of an acid attack. Asked about the possibility of MPs wearing stab-proof vests, he told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I'm happy to look at any practical measures, but the reality is that people will threaten you with something else. The most recent threat I've had was someone threatening to throw acid over me.' He said there was an 'intervention' in relation to the threat - but didn't say what police had done. Advertisement 'I hope everyone dials down the nastiness in politics. It's been six years of everyone calling each other traitor. That needs to end, we need to be nicer to each other.' Police have been asked to review security for MPs after the killing of Mr Amess last Friday. Police were called to the scene in Eastwood Road North shortly after 12.05pm on Friday, where they found the 69-year-old injured. He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene. A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder after officers arrived at the scene and a knife was recovered, Essex Police said. Counter-terror police are leading on the investigation, which has held Ali Harbi Ali, 25, over the attack. The British-born Muslim, who is of Somalian descent, had been referred to the Prevent programme over radicalisation fears by a concerned member of the community. It is understood that the referral was not made by a member of the police or the security services. It is not known whether it was a friend or relative, or someone from healthcare, education, social services or a religious group. It resulted in Ali taking part in a course, which is believed to have been a 'Channel' mentoring scheme. Despite this intervention, which is thought to have taken place several years ago, MI5 was apparently not alerted and Ali was not investigated as a potential terror threat by police. Priti Patel said a review of Prevent would examine whether it was 'fit for purpose'. 'It's right that we review what works, what doesn't work, what needs bolstering if there are any gaps, all of that, because Prevent isn't just about policing,' the Home Secretary said. 'Prevent is about how multi-agency partners come together.' Yesterday critics questioned whether experts missed opportunities to stop a suspect described by investigators as a 'lone wolf' extremist. Sam Armstrong of the Henry Jackson Society think-tank said: 'Questions must be asked about this case. Counter-extremism professionals seem to have lost sight of their duty which is to prevent terrorism. 'There has been an under-referral of Islamist cases and an over-referral of extreme Right-wing cases and we are now seeing the deadly consequences. 'The Prevent review has been derailed by Left-wing groups trying to litigate every aspect of its work and yet a cold hard look at the number of cases in which Prevent has fallen short shows this is only the latest in a long line.' Speaker Lindsay Hoyle reveals he received a CAR BOMB threat from an offshore social media account as he backs moves to strip users of anonymity Speaker Lindsay Hoyle today revealed that he received a car bomb threat from an offshore social media account as he backed moves to strip users of anonymity. Sir Lindsay spoke about his experience amid intense debate about how to protect MPs better after the murder of David Amess. As Priti Patel said she could act to link social media accounts to identities, the Speaker said some firms were 'not working as well as they should' and needed to 'get their act together'. He said offshore accounts were being used for 'threats and intimidation' and people who post must be trackable. 'When someone threatened to put a bomb under my car just recently that was done from an offshore account. These things happened, these threats will continue,' Sir Lindsay said. 'The companies have got one chance. If it was up to me and I was in charge of legislation I would have done something. But it is now up to others who are in charge of legislation to come forward.' The government is currently drawing up plans to increase the liability of tech giants following a report by the Committee of Standards in Public Life calling for social media companies to take immediate action against online abuse. Ms Patel told Sky News: 'I want us to look at everything. There is work taking place already. We have an Online Harms Bill that will come to Parliament, there is working taking place on it right now. 'I've done a lot of work on social media platforms, mainly around encryption and areas of that nature. Tributes at the scene near Belfairs Methodist Church in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where Conservative MP David Amess died after he was stabbed several times Conservative MP Sir David Amess poses for pictures at his daughter's wedding on August 23, 2021. He was killed at a constituency surgery on Friday A growing number of floral tributes have been laid for Mr Amess in the road in Leigh-on-Sea where the MP was tragically murdered Boris Johnson (left), Sir Keir Starmer and Priti Patel pay respects to Mr Amess at Belfairs Methodist Church 'But we can't carry on like this. I spend too much time with communities who have been under attack, basically who have had all sorts of postings online and it is a struggle to get those posts taken down.' Conservative MP David Warman, who until last month worked in the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, also urged the likes of Facebook, Google and Twitter to make it increasingly difficult for social media users to hide behind anonymous profiles and abuse politicians online. He said: 'Major platforms have to take faster action when councillors and MPs report the kind of behaviour that would be illegal in the real world, and that starts with accepting that anonymity provides cover for language that would never be used to anybodys face.' MPs have regularly highlighted deeply offensive insults and threats they have received on social media since its inception. Two men who uploaded and shared a viral racist video mocking the Home Secretary were jailed in August. Jake Henderson, 30, was jailed for 10 weeks for recording a video in which he made a racially offensive mark during a Covid briefing, while Robert Cumming, 26, was jailed for six weeks for sharing the post. Labour's Nadia Whittome, Britain's youngest MP at 24, took a break from work earlier this year when she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder just weeks after complaining of death threats, racist abuse and incessant trolling online. Labour MP for Nottingham East Nadia Whittome took a break from social media earlier this year after being diagnosed with PTSD The details of Ms Whittome's condition are not known, but she has previously spoken about receiving online abuse since entering Parliament MailOnline uncovered abusive, racist and threatening messages sent to the young MP in the past year Conservative MP Andrew Bowie said comments he had received included 'greedy s***', 'demented' and 'Tories can't even be trusted with fish and chips' Fellow Labour MP Jess Phillips was also forced to call in a locksmith to her home as part of an effort to ramp up protection for her family amid streams of abuse on social media. She also told of how she was bombarded with 600 rape threats online in a single night in 2018. Amber Rudd made a video with the Joe website in which she and other female MPs read sickening examples of the sexist abuse and threats they have received online. Conservative MP Andrew Bowie had to endure a barrage of abuse after he posted a picture of his fish and chips dinner on social media. Government plans to increase accountability, which will be set out in the upcoming Online Harms bill, follow the murder of Jo Cox during the 2016 EU referendum campaign. All MPs will be offered face-to-face police protection or private security guards while they hold their constituency surgeries following Mr Amess' death. Shadow minister for domestic violence Jess Phillips has also been targeted by trolls on Twitter and claimed she received 600 threats of being raped in a single night The Labour MP posted a picture on Twitter of locksmiths at her family home after receiving abuse online Mr Harman added that he has met with Twitter and other companies to assess what further action can be taken to better protect MPs online. The Online Harms Bill aims to protect young people and clamp down on racist abuse and threats online, while also safeguarding freedom of expression. Although yet to pass through Parliament, it would place more responsibility on social media companies to remove and limit the spread of illegal and harmful content online. However, tech companies are yet to have introduced many of the measures the bill proposed to create. Mr Warman continued: 'Too many young staff in Parliament are deluged by the abuse and threats aimed at their bosses. 'Social media platforms increasingly provide extensive support for their own staff but arent doing enough to make it manageable for others.' The new bill would see Ofcom given the power to fine companies up to 18 million, or 10 per cent of annual global turnover, if they are found to be failing in a new duty of care. A new criminal offence for senior managers has also been included as a deferred power if tech firms do not step up their efforts to improve safety. Labour MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood Cat Smith called police after she received vile messages claiming she should be 'raped by 100 Muslims'. Jada Botterill, Yvette Cooper's former office manager, said earlier this year that she resigned due to the number of death threats she read at work. Official statistics from Twitter showed a 132 per cent rise in posts removed in the second half of 2020, compared to the first six months of the year. Met Police chief Cressida Dick also warned that the criminal abuse and harassment of MPs is running at unprecedented levels following the Brexit referendum at a parliamentary committee in 2019. Twitter says it prohibits content that makes violent threats against an identifiable target. Its guidelines add that it does not tolerate content that wishes, hopes, promotes, incites, or expresses a desire for death, serious bodily harm or serious disease against an individual or group of people. Advertisement US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has warned China that 'we are watching you closely' after Beijing launched a hypersonic nuclear-capable missile. The missile is designed to travel in low orbit to dodge missile detection and defence systems, allowing China to strike virtually anywhere on the planet with little or no warning. While China was known to be working on the technology, the test took analysts by surprise and indicated Beijing's missile programme is more advanced than previously thought. 'We have no idea how they did this,' one said. Austin told reporters during a visit to the former Soviet republic of Georgia: 'We watch closely China's development of armament and advanced capabilities and systems that will only increase tensions in the region.' It comes amid warnings from experts that America will lose a new Cold War arms race to China within the next decade unless it takes a tougher stance against Beijing. Mike Gallagher, a member of the armed services committee, blasted the Biden administration for 'complacency' and said America needs to 'aggressively' re-think its relations with China after security sources reported that Beijing launched a rocket that carried a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile into space in August. However, Beijing played down the launch's threat today, claiming it was a 'routine test' of a new civilian spacecraft. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the launch was of 'great significance for reducing the use-cost of spacecraft and could provide a convenient and affordable way to make a round trip for mankind's peaceful use of space. 'China will work together with other countries in the world for the peaceful use of space and the benefit of mankind.' China's space program is run by its military and is closely tied to its agenda of building hypersonic missiles and other technologies that could alter the balance of power with the United States. Issuing a stark warning after news of the test became public at the weekend, Mr Gallagher said: 'If we stick to our current complacent course... we will lose the New Cold War with Communist China within the decade. 'The People's Liberation Army now has an increasingly credible capability to undermine our missile defenses and threaten the American homeland with both conventional and nuclear strikes.' Meanwhile, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, speaking after the launch of the new missile was revealed, said the alliance will reposition itself to tackle the growing threat from China separate from its historic focus on Russia. A report from the Financial Times, which cited five unnamed intelligence sources, said the Chinese military launched the Long March rocket in August carrying a 'hypersonic glide vehicle' into low orbit. It circled the globe before descending towards its target, which it missed by about two dozen miles. The system would be able to overcome US anti-ballistic missile defence systems that are based in Alaska and set up to shoot down projectiles coming over the North Pole - the Chinese system would be able to strike the US from the south Weapons race: A comparison of the most advanced (columns from left) missiles, aircraft carriers, tanks and aircraft possessed by China, the US and Russia China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose Pictured: China launches the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft on October 16, carried on the Long March-2F carrier rocket, to Chinese Tiangong space station 'Nato is an alliance of North America and Europe. But this region faces global challenges: terrorism, cyber but also the rise of China, he told the Financial Times. 'So when it comes to strengthening our collective defence, that's also about how to address the rise of China. What we can predict is that the rise of China will impact our security. It already has. 'China is coming closer to us . . . We see them in the Arctic. We see them in cyber space. We see them investing heavily in critical infrastructure in our countries. And of course they have more and more high-range weapons that can reach all Nato allied countries.' Meanwhile British MP Bob Seely, a member of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said the launch is 'another wake up call' for the West. 'Britain and other European states need to contribute more to global security,' he told MailOnline. 'Because as we saw in World War Two if you lose that security and you don't have a strong enough deterrent, winning comes at an horrendous cost. 'We need to be weaning ourselves off China's economic power and influence. We are ridiculously over-dependent.[We] are still taking a relatively benign approach to this country... I think we have to get real to what is happening.' US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters during a visit to the former Soviet republic of Georgia: 'We watch closely China's development of armament and advanced capabilities and systems that will only increase tensions in the region.' China carried out a test of the new hypersonic weapon back in August, which defence analysts said was launched into space on a Long March rocket. What is the new 'weapon' that China has tested? Intelligence sources say Beijing has tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic warhead that flew around the planet in low-Earth orbit before coming back down. If confirmed - Beijing denies it, saying it actually tested a civilian spacecraft - then it marks a major jump in the country's nuclear programme, though the technology itself is nothing new. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Soviet Russia had a FOBS system - comprising, at its peak, of 18 R-36O missiles - which were active from 1969 until 1983 when it scuttled the programme in response to changes in America's missile defence systems. China now appears to be pursuing the technology anew, while coupling it with a new 'hypersonic glide vehicle' to carry the warheads. The 'HGV' is thought to make the warhead easier to manouevre while in orbit and increase its accuracy. Despite its 'hypersonic' name, it actually travels much slower than ICMB warheads - some 3,800mph compared to 15,000mph+ for 'traditional' nukes. Russia and the US are both developing HGVs of their own, though neither has put them to use in the same way as Beijing. Moscow has one that can be fitted to its latest Satan 2 ICBM, while the US is working on one that can be launched from a B-52 bomber - though two recent tests of the system have failed. Advertisement Beijing has been regularly announcing launches of the rocket, including the 77th launch in July this year and the 79th launch in late August. But it never announced a 78th launch. It is now thought that rocket was carrying a dummy nuclear warhead. Analysts believe that the rocket was carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle - of the kind that China has showed off before in military parades - which was released into low-Earth orbit, circling the globe at speeds up to Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. It was then brought out of orbit and came crashing back to Earth, missing its target by some 24 miles. While this shows the weapon is not ready for deployment, it never-the-less stunned analysts who believed China was still far off being able to mount an active test. Beijing did not report the test or its results at the time, but after it was disclosed the country's state media mocked America by saying it is a 'new blow to the US's mentality of strategic superiority over China'. An op-ed in the Chinese state media outlet Global Times, Beijing's mouthpiece, said the test means 'there is a key new member in China's nuclear deterrence system', adding that this is a 'new blow to the US's mentality of strategic superiority over China'. It is just the latest move in a global arms race between Russia, China and the US which is taking place against the backdrop of mounting tensions between the superpowers in the eastern Pacific. All three countries are engaged in wholesale updates of their militaries including the development of new nuclear technology with which they can strike each-other at range. Russia and China have, in recent years, unveiled new and more-powerful ICBMs which are capable of launching multiple nuclear warheads at targets many thousands of miles away. But China's new hypersonic missile takes the technology one step further. ICBMs work by firing the nuclear warheads into space on an arched trajectory, before they fall back to earth at speeds up to 18,000mph - detonating just above their intended targets and wiping them out. Because they fly on an arched trajectory, the missiles and the warheads they carry fly far above the atmosphere before coming back down. Current missile defence technology is designed to detect those launches, track the warheads as they reach the peak of that arch, then shoot them as they fall - before they hit their targets. The hypersonic warhead is different. It flies low in the atmosphere, making it harder to track, and can be repositioned in flight, making it difficult to calculate where it will land and therefore difficult to intercept. And because it uses the Earth's orbit to propel itself, it has potentially limitless range. This means it can be fired in any direction - blindsiding radar systems that are currently pointed in only one direction, over the North Pole, which is where any nuclear attack on the US using ICBMs would come from. The United States, Russia and at least five other countries are working on hypersonic technology, and last month North Korea said it had test-fired a newly-developed hypersonic missile. Russia has previously tested a hypersonic cruise missile known as Zircon, but it flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. The Pentagon did not comment on China's testing of the hypersonic missile, but did acknowledge China as their 'number one pacing challenge'. 'We have made clear our concerns about the military capabilities China continues to pursue, capabilities that only increase tensions in the region and beyond,' John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesperson, told Fox News. 'That is one reason why we hold China as our number one pacing challenge.' An op-ed in Beijing's state media outlet Global Times said: 'If the FT report is to be believed, it means that there is a key new member in China's nuclear deterrence system, which is a new blow to the US' mentality of strategic superiority over China. 'It is important to note the unstoppable trend that China is narrowing the gap with the US in some key military technologies as China is continuously developing its economic and technological strength.' 'China doesn't need to engage in an 'arms race' with the US it is capable of weakening the US' overall advantages over China by developing military power at its own pace,' the editorial added. China unveiled a hypersonic glide vehicle during a military parade in 2019, which is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Beijing has now used a hypersonic vehicle to test a low-orbiting weapon capable of defeating nuclear defences It is just the latest episode of nuclear sabre-rattling to come out of Beijing, after a senior Chinese diplomat suggested that Beijing should abandon its long-standing policy of not using nuclear weapons first in conflict. Sha Zukang, the country's former ambassador to the UN, told a summit of Chinese nuclear policy experts that it is time to 're- examine and fine-tune' a long-standing commitment to only use nukes in retaliation as the US 'builds new military alliances and as it increases its military presence in our neighbourhood.' Beijing's current policy - which has been in place since the 1960s - has given China the 'moral high ground' but 'is not suitable . . . unless China-US negotiations agree that neither side would use [nuclear weapons] first,' he said at a meeting in Beijing last week Zukang's comments - which come as China builds hundreds of new nuclear missile silos - are significant because Beijing often floats changes of policy through senior diplomats. The body he was speaking to - the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association - is officially independent, but has strong ties to the Communist party. China became a nuclear power in 1964 with its first successful test of a bomb, and adopted its 'no-first-use' policy four years later. It states that Beijing will never be the first to use nukes in a conflict, but will use them if struck first. It mirrors a policy that Russia implemented between 1982 and 1993, though abandoned due to fears that the weakened state of its army following the break-up of the Soviet Union could encourage an attack by the US. The US has a policy to never use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against a majority of other nations including all those without nuclear weapons - but has exempted China, Russia and North Korea from the policy. Global nuclear policy is rapidly changing as a number of Cold War-era treaties - notably New START and the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty - expire, with Washington hoping to renegotiate them to include China. Zukang, in his speech, said it is 'only a matter of time' before such a deal is negotiated, but that Beijing should be prepared to take a more-aggressive stance until the trio put pen to paper. China is in the midst of a major upgrade of its nuclear forces, which in recent years has seen it unveil more-advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and hypersonic nuclear missiles that are thought to be un-stoppable by current missile defence systems. Beijing is thought to possess around 320 nuclear warheads that can be fitted to those missiles at present, but is also thought to be in the midst of a major expansion of that arsenal. 14 silos are currently under construction at the site (in yellow) while land has been cleared for 19 more (in green). But analysts who looked at the site believe it could eventually expand to house 110 silos, each of which can hold a nuclear missile A second site, under construction near Yumen, has space cleared for up to 120 silos - meaning China's arsenal of nukes could expand from roughly 320 at present to almost 900 Both sites were identified by distinctive tents erected over the top of the under-construction silos that hide their inner workings from spy satellites It comes after the discovery in July of two huge new missile silo bases under construction in remote desert regions of China. Experts believe the first, near the city of Yumen, will eventually house 120 silos while the second, near the town of Hami, will house 110. A dozen more are under construction near Jilantai, with older sites also being upgraded. Each silo can house a nuclear missile, with each missile capable of carrying up to 12 nuclear warheads if China upgrades all of them to carry its latest DF-41 rocket. That means China's nuclear arsenal could theoretically expand to 875 warheads. Hu Xijin, editor of the state-mouthpiece Global Times newspaper, has previously argued that it should expand to 1,000. The move would elevate China above the low-ranking nuclear powers such as the UK, Pakistan, France and India which have stockpiled warheads in the low hundreds. But it would still be well short of the US and Russia, the world's two largest nuclear powers, which possess arsenals of around 4,000 warheads each. The construction of hundreds of silos also marks a major shift in the make-up of China's nuclear threat, which currently relies heavily on mobile road-based launchpads and nuclear-capable bombers. China also has four nuclear-armed submarines. China is expanding its military as its economy balloons to rival that of the US, having lagged behind for decades. In addition to building new nuclear missiles and silos, it has constructed new aircraft carriers, tanks, fighter jets, spy and attack drones, along with new rifles for its troops. Beijing has used the new hardware to take a more aggressive stance in the Pacific: Imposing its rule on Hong Kong, menacing Taiwan, and laying claim to a number of uninhabited islands in the South China Sea which it has constructed military bases on top of. It has also been pressing its claim to a number of other islands whose ownership is disputed, creating tensions with other regional powers such the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and others. Similar disputes are underway in the East China Sea, around islands claimed by Japan. China claims rights over the South China Sea in its entirety, which would hand Beijing control over hugely valuable international shipping lanes, fishing grounds which neighbouring countries rely on for food, and deposits of coal and oil which dot the seabed. The US and its allies have been pushing back on these claims, and frequently conduct what they call 'freedom of navigation' operations through waters that China claims as its own in defiance of Beijing. A former Labour MP has accused police officers of 'laughing' at a death threat made against her. Paula Sherriff, who represented the constituency of Dewsbury from 2015 to 2019, said police came to her office to listen to a threatening answer phone message and had 'laughed'. She also said officers had been slow to respond to somebody leaving swastikas outside of her office. Meanwhile, it emerged police have arrested a man on suspicion of sending a death threat to Labour MP Chris Bryant. The Rhondda MP said the level of vitriol in British politics is higher than he had known it in 20 years in Parliament. It comes after the killing of Tory MP Sir David Amess who was attacked while meeting constituents at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex on Friday. A 25-year-old man, understood to be Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of Sir David's murder and remains in police custody. He has been detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and detectives are expected to continue to question him until Friday after a warrant of further detention was granted. Tory MP Sir David Amess was attacked while meeting constituents at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex on Friday. He is pictured at an event in Paris in June 2018 Ms Sherriff blasted the police response to threats made against her when she was an MP. The Dewsbury seat is next to the constituency of Batley and Spen, the seat represented by Labour MP Jo Cox who was killed in 2016 while on her way to a constituency surgery. Ms Sherriff told Sky News: 'When somebody was leaving swastikas at my office door, the police took several weeks to actually view the CCTV that we then managed to obtain to establish if we could see who was actually doing it. 'Then they wrote to me to tell me that the man who had been doing it was having trouble sleeping. 'When we received a death threat at my office by telephone, it was somebody who had left a message on the answer phone, the police came to my office and they laughed. 'And then when a man was continually harassing me over a period of months on an incessant basis, the police went out to see him and told him that they sympathised with him.' A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said 'we are looking into the serious allegation made' and 'we will respond accordingly when we have more information'. Meanwhile, Mr Bryant said British politics is in a 'pretty sour' state as he revealed he had recently received a death threat. He said: 'I got off a flight from Qatar, where oddly enough David Amess was as well we have been looking at what's happening to the refugees from Afghanistan who are all transiting through Doha. 'I got back on Saturday and the first message in my inbox was this death threat, pretty clear, so I notified the police and they have taken action.' Mr Bryant said MPs had been subjected to a 'steady stream of horrific abuse' in recent years. 'It's pretty sour. It's more sour now than I've known it in 20 years,' he said. 'Some of the political debates have been really vicious and sharp, especially over Brexit though this has nothing to do with Brexit in itself and for that matter the anti-vaxxers and so on.' A South Wales Police spokeswoman said: 'South Wales Police was called around 4.30pm on Saturday October 16 following reports of malicious communications being sent to a 59-year-old man from Porth. 'A 76-year-old man from Pontycmer, Bridgend, has been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications. ' It came as Tobias Ellwood, the Tory chairman of the Defence Select Committee, said physical meetings with voters should be paused. He told Sky News that MPs 'must be able to continue our duty but we have to have a responsible approach to this'. He said: 'We must recognise that when it comes to the security of MPs, Islamic extremism, the threat from it, is indeed rising. 'Our sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan for example has energised terrorist groups across the world, including individuals, who see our departure as a defeat against a superpower, against the West, a justification for 9/11 and this illustrates, the attack that took place against David Amess, just how vulnerable MPs can be. 'I am absolutely with my colleagues in saying we must be able to continue our duty but we have to have a responsible approach to this.' DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE MISSING PORTRAIT IS? If you know anything about the whereabouts of the missing portrait, please email chay.quinn@mailonline.co.uk. Advertisement BBC presenter Mishal Husain has launched a social media appeal for help finding a lost portrait of her mother that was stolen in the 1990s. The Today Programme host, 48, posted a grainy photograph of the Hailstone portrait of her mother, Shama, now 76, on Twitter on Sunday night with an appeal for help to her over 243,000 followers. She posted: 'A long shot .. can anyone help me locate this portrait of my mother? It was stolen while stored in a garage in London in the 1990s and most likely ended up in a skip. But if not - it would be amazing to find it. Artist was Bernard Hailstone'. Shama Husain was a teacher and former producer for the Pakistan Television Corporation. Together with her husband, Tazi, a urologist and keen amateur painter, the family moved from Britain to the Middle East, in 1985. Husain's father, Tazi, who died in 2016, commissioned the painting from Hailstone sometime between 1978 and 1980, which Husain has attributed to his love of pastel paintings and wanting one in his house. The portrait of Husain's mother by Bernard Hailstone was stolen from a London garage in the 1990s The BBC presenter posted the appeal last night but admitted that finding the painting was a 'long shot' MISHAL HUSAIN Born in Northampton, Husain spent most of her early life in the UAE after her dad got a job at a specialist urology unit overseas when she was two. She returned to the UK when she was 12 to attend boarding school and went to New Hall, Cambridge to read law before studying for a Masters in Law at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. Husain started in journalism as a producer at Bloomberg in 1996 before moving to the BBC in 1998. Mishal Husain, 48, was named as one of the 500 most influential people in Britain in January 2016 Her nightly news programme on BBC World News developed a devoted following in the early 2000s around the time of the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Husain joined the Today programme in 2013 after 15 years of service at the BBC and now anchors BBC News on Sundays. She was named as one of the 500 most influential people in Britain in January 2016, the year after winning Broadcaster of the Year at the London Press Club Awards. Husain was the 11th highest-paid woman at the BBC in 2019-20, taking home between 265,000 and 269,999. Advertisement Tazi organised the sitting to be London and had the one square-metre painting hang in the family home in Abu Dhabi. Before Mishal's family moved back to the U.K their belongings were transported and stored in a garage in north London that belonged to relatives. Mishal said: 'One day the garage was burgled and was completely cleared out. All the contents were personal possessions and I always imagined the burglars tearing this open and being terribly disappointed. I have often thought they probably just dumped it on a skip. 'But I have never forgotten about that painting because it is such a good likeness of my mother as I remember her in my childhood. 'The portrait came up in conversation with her recently and I said that if she could find a photo of it, then I would try via social media to see if it can be found. 'Maybe there is someone out there who bought this painting all those years ago and have always wondered who the woman was. It would be wonderful if it can be found and returned to us.' Twitter users have already helped Husain by digitally enhancing the old photograph of the painting to help those seeking the portrait. Husain tweeted her delight at the enhancements to the low-quality photograph she had posted. She said: 'Poor photo of the lost portrait already improved! Thank you' Bernard Hailstone found fame as a portrait painter during the Second World War while he was serving as part of the Auxillary Fire Service. It is not known why Mishal's mother was selected as a subject. His most famous works were of the Royal Family, including portraits of the Queen, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Lord Louis Mountbatten and the Queen Mother. Hailstone also painted the last officially-commissioned portrait of Sir Winston Churchill in 1955 before his death in 1965. Hailstone was a prolific painter, creating several portraits of ordinary people, particularly transport workers and civil defence, during his career. Shama Husain, 76, sat for the portrait in London with revered painter Bernard Hailstone sometime between 1978 and 1980 Bernard Hailstone carrying out the portrait of Her Majesty - who once asked him to move her TV aerial so she could watch the horse racing during a sitting Hailstone's work included portraits of political heavyweights like Sir Winston Churchill and members of the Royal Family such as the Queen Mother A cache of Hailstone originals were found at his former studio in Tonbridge, Kent in 2017 including portraits of the Queen. The art haul was valued at around 35,000 and later sold. Do you know the whereabouts of the portrait? - email chay.quinn@mailonline.co.uk. Chicago's top cop is warning police officers that their benefits could hang in the balance if they refuse to comply with the city's COVID vaccination policy, while the mayor has accused the union head of trying to 'induce an insurrection.' Police Superintendent David Brown is warning that officers who don't comply with the city's vaccination policy could be fired and lose their retirement benefits. About half of the city's 13,000 cops could be terminated under the rule if they don't disclose their status. Meanwhile, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday that the city has already stopped the pay of a 'very small number' of officers who refused to cooperate with the mandate. She said they'll now go through a disciplinary process. Earlier in the day, she lashed out against the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) union and its president John Catanzara. 'What weve seen from the FOP and particularly the leadership is a lot of misinformation, a lot of half truth - and frankly flat-out lies in order to induce an insurrection,' Lightfoot told reporters. 'If you ignore a directive of your supervisor or even worse, a direct order thats lawfully given youre going to destroy your career. That is going to follow you forever. Chicago's police officers - around 6,500 - could face disciplinary action because of a dispute between the city's mayor, Lori Lightfoot (pictured), and their union over the vaccine requirement Lightfoot has accused union boss John Catanzara of trying to 'incite an insurrection' by discouraging police officers to get vaccinated Lightfoot herself violated pandemic rules October 17 when she flaunted state and local mask mandates by posing bare-faced at a basketball game. The feud between Lightfoot and Catanzara began when Lightfoot announced a mandate requiring the city's 13,000 cops to disclose their vaccination status by October 15 or face unpaid leave. Catanzara has hinted at a strike in response and said that up to 6,500 Chicago cops could be left without a job. Lightfoot brought her war with the union to court last week after filing a complaint for injunctive relief against the FOP and Catanzara. She said in Thursday's filing that the police union president was 'engaging in, supporting and encouraging a work stoppage or strike.' On Friday, the FOP filed its own complaint seeking a temporary restraining order to compel the city to go into arbitration over the mandate. The feud between Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (left) and head of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) John Catanzara (right) started when Lightfoot announced a mandate requiring the city's 13,000 cops to disclose their vaccination status by October 15 or face unpaid leave. Catanzara has hinted at a strike in response and said that up to 6,500 Chicago cops could be left without a job Meanwhile, Chicago's police chief is threatening to fire officers who don't comply with the city's COVID-19 vaccination police and warned that their retirement benefits could also be yanked. In a memo sent Sunday night, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said that those officers who do choose to retire rather than comply 'may be denied retirement credentials,' the Chicago Tribune reported. It wasn't immediately clear what Brown meant by the statement, but according to the Chicago Policemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund, officers with less than 10 years of service are ineligible for an annuity. They would instead have to apply to receive their contributions in a lump sum. 'The retirement benefits earned by sworn members of CPD are not impacted by compliance or noncompliance with the portal and vaccine mandate,' Erin Keane, executive director of the Policemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago, told DailyMail.com. She added that a memo sent earlier by First Deputy Eric Carter said: 'Sworn members who retire while under a disciplinary investigation may be denied retirement credentials.' Chicago is restricting cops from taking time off as the city prepares to ax up to half of its 13,000 officers who are yet to declare their Covid-19 vaccination status. Pictured: Chicago Police officers guard the front entrance the their headquarters building during a rally on April 15, 2021, file photo Right now, Chicago is also restricting cops from taking time off as the city prepares to ax up to half of its 13,000 officers who have yet to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status. The mayor on Monday continued her attack on Catanzara, who was suspended from the police force in February for allegedly falsifying police reports. He was also accused of making seditious and profane posts on his Facebook account between November 2016 and February 2018. Now, he's discouraging officers to get vaccinated. 'John Catenzara destroyed his police career,' Lightfoot said. 'Destroyed it. Hes not fit, and hes never going to go back to the department in any kind of active position. I dont want him to lead these young officers astray and have them destroy their careers like hes destroyed his.' Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said officers who quit rather than comply with the vaccine mandate 'may be denied retirement credentials' In a memo issued by the city's police department a day after officers were required to disclose their vaccine status, officers were informed elective time off will be restricted, according to WLS. 'Until further notice, the use of elective time by sworn CPD members is restricted,' the memo obtained by the local network said. 'Furthermore, the use of elective time will require prior approval from the Deputy chief or above within the requesting member's chain of command.' The memo was issued to all sworn Chicago PD officers on Saturday, and was to be read at all department roll calls for five consecutive days, WLS reported. City employees in Chicago were required to report their vaccination status by the end of Friday, with those who are not vaccinated to be subject to two tests per week. A second memo issued on Sunday, also obtained by the news network, threatened to fire officers who do no comply with the CPD's vaccination policy. Any civilian or sworn employee who disobeys a direct order to comply with Chicago's vaccination policy 'will become the subject of a disciplinary investigation that could result in a penalty up to and including separation from the Chicago Police Department,' the memo said. 'Furthermore, sworn members who retire while under disciplinary investigations may be denied retirement credentials,' it added. The memos were sent as up to half of Chicago's police officers - around 6,500 - could face disciplinary action because of a dispute between Lightfoot and their union over the vaccine and disclosure requirements. Catanzara has spoken out against the mandate to report vaccination status. He has told officers they are not required to comply with the order, saying that the police department has its own COVID-19 policy. 'If we suspect the numbers are true, and we get a large number of our members who stand firm on their beliefs that this is an overreach, and they're not going to supply the information in the portal or submit to testing, then it's safe to say the city of Chicago will have a police force at 50% or less for this weekend coming up,' he said last week. 'That is not because of the FOP; that is 100% because of the mayor's unwillingness to budge from her hard line. So whatever happens because of the manpower issue, that falls at the mayor's doorstep.' Speaking on Friday - the deadline for disclosure - Lightfoot said the city would take the weekend the check with officers who have not complied with the disclosure mandate. 'This notion that individual officers get to be insubordinate as they as they choose, and pick and choose. We're not having that,' she said at the time. In a memo issued by the city's police department a day after officers were required to disclose their vaccine status, officers were informed elective time off will be restricted. Pictured: A woman is given a dose of a Covid-19 vaccine (file photo) But there have been warnings from other officials that push for officer to get vaccinated could leave Chicago's police department short staffed. 'No vacation, no comp, no personal days for the foreseeable future, is because they know that come Monday, there's going to be a situation where they're going to start sending officers home because of their refusal to participate in the vaccine mandate and they're reporting,' Alderman Ray Lopez said, according to WLS. The 15th Ward alderman added: 'This should have been very simple issue for us. Get vaccinated. Let us know so that we can move forward, but instead it's become a battle of wits.' 'Roughly 38% of the sworn officers on this job, almost 40% can lock in a pension and walk away, today,' Catanzara warned. 'Whatever happens because of the manpower issue, that falls at the mayor's doorstep.' According to the Officer Down Memorial page, Covid-19 is the leading cause of death among officers across the country in 2020 and 2021, with more than 460 dying from Covid infections - more than four times as many to have died from gunfire in the same time period. Chicago is not the only city which is facing a dispute between the local government and law enforcement unions. City employees in Chicago were required to report their vaccination status by the end of Friday, with those who are not vaccinated to be subject to two tests per week In Baltimore, a police union leader told officer not to disclose their vaccination status to officials amid negotiations over a mandate that is scheduled to take effect in the city from next week, according to local media. City leaders in San Jose, California made a last-minute U-turn by decided that unvaccinated officers could remain employed until the end of the year just as a mandate was about to take effect. Despite pushback from police in Ann Arbor, Michigan, officials reiterated a vaccine mandate for all city employees this week. Meanwhile in Seattle, a police union warned that the city's shortage of police officers will be made worse by vaccine mandates. The feud between Lightfoot and Catanzara escalated when Lightfoot brought the fight to court and filed a Complaint for Injunctive Relief against the police union and Catanzara. She said in Thursday's filing that the police union president was 'engaging in, supporting, and encouraging a work stoppage or strike'. The FOP fired back and filed a lawsuit against the city, mayor and police Superintendent David Brown, asking for more intervention on the matter, according to the Chicago Tribune. On Friday evening, a judge granted the city's request for a temporary injunction barring Catanzara from making any public comments that encourage FOP members to disobey the city's COVID-19 vaccine mandate until the next hearing on the city's lawsuit on October 25. Judge Cecilia Horan ruled there was potential irreparable harm if Catanzara continued such statements. Some officers who refused to follow the vaccine mandate were placed in a no-pay status City attorneys argued they were tantamount to him advocating 'sedition' and 'anarchy' because he was directing members to disobey an order from their superiors. Lightfoot asked the court to prohibit the union and its officers from 'engaging in any concerted refusal to submit vaccination status information' to the city's portal. She also asked it to order Catanzara to stop urging members to refuse to provide their vaccination status information and to 'issue a retraction and disavowal of his ... directives to FOP members that they refuse to submit vaccination status information.' Lightfoot said that by urging union members to not report their COVID-19 by Friday's deadline, Catanzara put the public in danger. According to the Officer Down Memorial page , Covid-19 is the leading cause of death among officers across the country in 2020 and 2021 'By doing so, and by predicting that 50% or more officers will violate their oaths and not report for duty, Catanzara is encouraging an unlawful strike and work stoppage which carries the potential to undermine public safety and expose our residents to irreparable harm, particularly during an ongoing pandemic,' she wrote in the court filing. Catanzara has maintained that the officers have a legal right to follow his request to show up for work and be sent home for refusing to fill out the city's COVID-19 portal. 'This is not a job action, not a call for a strike - none of that illegal stuff that I'm sure the city is going to make it out to be,' he said in a video posted Tuesday. In a video posted Thursday, he told union members that if a superior orders them to submit their vaccination status to the portal, they should refuse because he said it would be an improper and illegal order. He also called on members to try to record any attempts to force them to comply with the city's order on their body cameras. On Thursday afternoon, Lightfoot and top police officials tried to assuage public concerns that the department would be severely understaffed this weekend, saying officers would not be sent home if they showed up to work Friday and refused to go onto the portal and provide the vaccination status. Lightfoot said officers who do refuse to the provide the information will be placed on unpaid leave, but that it wouldn't happen until after the weekend because confirming compliance would take a few days. She did make it clear, though, that there would be consequences for refusing to provide the information, which Lightfoot said would constitute an act of insubordination. First Deputy Eric Carter said that officers were expected to meet Friday's deadline unless they had an approved medical or religious exemption. Those who don't comply could face discipline as severe as being fired. He also said that under the city's rules, those who aren't vaccinated by Friday must get tested twice per week on their own time and at their own expense until the end of the year, when they would be required to be vaccinated. According to data from the New York Times, Illinois recorded a daily average of 2,265 coronavirus cases on Sunday, and 33.1 daily average deaths. In the state, 54 percent of people have been fully vaccinated. Advertisement Since the 9th Century, the Camino de Santiago has been one of the most famous pilgrimages in the world but all those footsteps may have been in vain. Bones which have long been believed to belong to Saint James the Great, one of Jesus Christ's Twelve Apostles, are held at the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela in North-West Spain. But a new study claims that the saint's actual cranium may have been wrongly attributed to Saint James the Less another of Christ's disciples who is also venerated in the cathedral. It casts into question the validity of Saint James the Great's official remains. According to the New Testament, the first man, who was also known as James, son of Zebedee, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, and is the patron saint of Spain. The Bible claims that he was beheaded with a sword on the order of Herod Agrippa I, king of Judea, in AD44. James the Less, who was also one of Christ's Twelve, is believed to have been stoned and beaten to death in AD62. The Spanish cathedral is believed to hold both men's remains, but if the new study is correct, those of James the Less should be re-attributed to James the Great, whilst the validity of the latter's official relics would be cast into doubt. Fernando Serrulla, head of forensic anthropology at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Galicia, claims that the cranium attributed to James the Less shows signs consistent with beheading, whilst there are no signs on the skull attributed to St James the Less of 'blows or stoning', El Pais reported. Bones which have long been believed to belong to Saint James the Great (left), one of Jesus Christ's Twelve Apostles, are held at the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela in North-West Spain. But a new study claims that the saint's actual cranium may have been wrongly attributed to Saint James the Less (right) another of Christ's disciples who is also venerated in the cathedral Pilgrims have walked the 500-mile route to the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral for more than 1,000 years James the Great vs James the Less Both disciples of Jesus Both James the Great and James the Less were disciples of Jesus, who is believed by Christians to be the son of God. The former was also described in the New Testament as James, son of Zebedee and is styled 'the Greater' to distinguish him from his counterpart. However, their respective names refer to age or height, rather than respective importance. Both James the Great (left) and James the Less were disciples of Jesus Where they are mentioned in the Bible James the Great The Gospels claim that James, along with his brother John, was one of the first disciples to join Jesus. He was one of only three Apostles who Jesus selected to watch his Transfiguration where he appeared radiant on a mountain. In the Gospel of Luke, James and his brother John were said to have wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan town, but they were then rebuked by Jesus. Later, in the Acts of the Apostles, it is recorded that 'Herod the king' usually identified as Herod Agrippa I had James Executed. James the Less Long-standing tradition stemming back from early Christian writings claims that James the Less is James, son of Alphaeus, who was known to be one of Christ's Apostles. James, son of Alphaeus, is mentioned in the Gospel of Mark as being one of Christ's Apostles. However, this occurs only once, when he is among a list given by Mark. He was also referred to as 'the Minor', 'the little' and 'the Lesser'. Some writings also identify him as James, brother of Jesus. In the New Testament, James the Less is only mentioned in connection with his mother Mary. This Mary may have been Mary of Clopas, who is mentioned in St John's Gospel. It is unlikely to be Mary the mother of Jesus. The Gospel of Mark names three different Jameses but does not distinguish between them. James the Less's death is also described in Acts. It says he was arrested along with other Christians and executed by King Herod of Agrippa. Key facts: James the Great: Born: 1st Century BC, in Bethsaida, Galilee, Roman Empire Died: AD 44 in Jerusalem, Judea, Roman Empire. Executed on orders of King Herod Agrippa I Family: John the Apostle (brother) Claim to fame: One of only three Apostles selected by Jesus to witness his Transfiguration James the Less: Born: 1st Century BC, Galilee, Judea, Roman Empire Died: Around 62AD, in Jerusalem, Judea. He is believed to have been stoned to death on the orders of King Herod of Agrippa. Claim to fame: What is believed to be part of his body is held in a reliquary in the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Advertisement According to tradition, James the Great had visited Spain after Jesus's Crucifixion to spread the gospel. However, after his execution in Jerusalem, his corpse is believed to have been taken by two of his followers to the port city of Jaffa in what is now Israel. From there, a boat without sails or crew is said to have miraculously carried them to Padron, which is 16 miles south of Santiago de Compostela. His body was then buried and forgotten for 750 years, before part of it was found in 813 and is said to have ended up in the cathedral. The skull attributed to James is the Less is believed to have arrived in Santiago de Compostela in the 12th century, after being brought from Jerusalem. According to Serrulla's study, the remains attributed to St James the Lesss were affected by a fire in 1921. However, his examinations show 'that the remains belong to a mature adult male and the injuries to the skull were probably produced by a small blunt instrument such as a sword. 'The pathological signs show signs of beheading by execution, something compatible with the fact that they belonged to St James the Great.' Whilst James the Great's bones were examined in the 19th century, Serulla was only given access to James the Lesser's official remains in 1991. They are held in a 14th-century bust reliquary the name for a container used to hold religious relics. Serulla said he has only just published his findings because he had previously only been focused on the analysis of James the Less, and had not linked his work to James the Great. The expert, whose study was published in the journal Forensic Anthropology, also cast doubt on the process which led to the other remains being attributed to James the Great, casting doubt on their authenticity. The Camino pilgrimage is also known as the Way Of St James, because of the fact that it ends where James the Apostle is said to be buried. It now attracts more than 300,000 pilgrims a year, up from just 2,000 in 1986. The journey, which can be made by several different routes, was declared one of the 'three great pilgrimages of Christendom' by Pope Alexander VI in the late 15th century. It takes between 30 and 40 days for a pilgrim to walk the whole route, but many perform it in stages and go back year after year. The most popular route is known as the Camino Frances and starts from St Jean de Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees. The walk covers two mountain ranges, plains and a huge variety of countryside. Along the way, pilgrims can see other holy places, such as the monastery of San Marcos in Leon. The Santiago de Compostela Cathedral was built in the early 13th century. The other two churches in the world which are said to be built over the tomb of an apostle of Jesus are St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and St Thomas Cathedral Basilica in India. Both James the Great and James the Less were disciples of Jesus, who is believed by Christians to be the son of God. The former was also described in the New Testament as James, son of Zebedee and is styled 'the Greater' to distinguish him from his counterpart. The Gospels claim that James, along with his brother John, was one of the first disciples to join Jesus. He was one of only three Apostles who Jesus selected to watch his Transfiguration where he appeared radiant on a mountain. His death is recorded in the Bible's Acts of the Apostles. The site of his martyrdom is located in the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral of St James in Jerusalem. Whilst parts of his body are believed to be in Spain, his head is buried under the alter and is marked by a piece of red marble. Long-standing tradition stemming back from early Christian writings claims that James the Less is James, son of Alphaeus, who was known to be one of Christ's Apostles. However, he appears only four times in the New Testament, each time on a list of the Twelve. James the Less's death is also described in Acts. After his remains were found in the Ninth Century, the region's then king Alfonso II of Asturias and Galicia ordered the construction of a chapel on the site of the discovery. This was followed by the construction of two further churches on the site, with the latter being ordered by King Alfonso III of Leon. The cathedral has long been the focus of the attention of Christians both in Spain and elsewhere A group of pilgrims pass in front of a sign indicating the schedule of masses while making the Camino de Santiago The Camino pilgrimage is also known as the Way Of St James, because of the fact that it ends where James the Apostle is said to be buried The journey, which can be made by several different routes, was declared one of the 'three great pilgrimages of Christendom' by Pope Alexander VI in the late 15th century People walk down a central street in the city of Santiago de Compostela, on June 6, 2021 The Santiago de Compostela Cathedral was built in the early 13th century. A photo taken during mass shows priests standing in front of the stunning altar A Madrid school group walks towards Santiago de Compostela along the French Camino de Santiago route on June 17, 2021, in Lugo, Galicia It was this third place of worship that put it on the map as a major place of pilgrimage. In 997, this church was burnt to the ground during a raid carried out by Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir, an Arab military leader. Construction of the current cathedral then began in 1075, under the reign of Alfonso VI of Castile. But it was not fully built until 1211, when it was consecrated in the presence of king Alfonso IX of Leon. A rival tradition places James the Great's relics in the church of St Saturnin in Toulouse in France. Other modern scholars also reject the notion that James was buried in Compostela and claim that his presence in Spain was impossible. A suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a cabbie engaged cops in a gunbattle in Brooklyn on Sunday before being arrested. New Rochelle Police had been staking out an address at Myrtle Avenue and Fleet Walk in Fort Greene after spotting a Dodge car belonging to the 52-year-old male. The suspect walked out of a building at around 10.30am and started shooting at officers who returned fire, sources told Eyewitness News. 'All of a sudden you hear "hey, hey," and guys running from them, officer running up and all of a sudden cops pull up "bam, bam, bam," guys hiding behind a tree,' local resident Germain Diaz said. People scattered as shooting broke out across the street, with one bullet smashing through the glass window of an empty store. Police officers at the scene in Brooklyn on Sunday after the shooting with the 52-year-old male suspect People scattered as shooting broke out across the street, with one bullet smashing through the glass window of an empty store The suspect is wanted in connection with the killing of 62-year-old taxi driver Andres Valenzuela (pictured) who was shot twice in the early hours of Thursday after wrapping up his shift and parking his cab at his usual spot outside a catering hall on Main Street. 'We all jump to the ground, lady fall in front of me, guy fell came back up, old man tripped, started flying,' Germain added. The suspect, who has not been identified, was later detained and a gun retrieved from the scene. There were no reports of any injuries to either the suspect or the cops. He is wanted in connection with the killing of 62-year-old taxi driver Andres Valenzuela who was shot twice in the early hours of Thursday after wrapping up his shift and parking his cab at his usual spot outside a catering hall on Main Street. Valenzuela worked for Express City Taxi for the last decade, sometimes working up to seven days a week. 'All the drivers are feeling bad, you know. Shocking. It's a surprise. New Rochelle usually is a quiet city,' said his colleague Marcos Pazos last week. Neighbor J.P. Morfin said: 'He's a really good guy. I would just, like, see him. He always, we used to work the night shift and he was just a good guy. He always would just say hi to everybody. He was just a good guy in general.' Police said last week that robbery could have been a possible motive. Authorities told Eyewitness News that the suspect was also wanted for his alleged role in an attempted murder in Connecticut. Police officers and detectives at the scene of the shooting in Brooklyn on Sunday Cop cars which responded to the shooting at Myrtle Avenue and Fleet Walk in Fort Greene A map showing the New York City boroughs where crime has increased (in red) and decreased (in green) in September 2021 compared to the same month last year It comes amid soaring crime in New York, which like many major cities in the US, has seen a staggering increase in shootings during the pandemic. New York has seen a major rise in gun violence since the pandemic started, which has continued into this year, with more than 1,200 shootings recorded so far - a rise of about 4 percent on 2020. Although murders are down by 4.4 percent in 2021, the previous year was a record-breaker, with murders spiking by 47 percent from 319 in 2019 to 468 in 2020. Felony assaults this year are up by around 6 percent, while rape is up by more than 3 percent. The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox today called for an end to the 'dehumanising' behaviour on both the Left and Right in the wake Sir David Amess' murder. Brendan Cox, whose wife was killed by a far-right extremist in 2016 while a serving Labour MP, said people needed to challenge comments which 'celebrate political segregation'. Giving an example, the 42-year-old, who has become a prominent campaigner in the wake of his wife's murder, said he knows people who say 'I've never kissed a Tory' as a 'badge of honour'. 'It's almost a celebration of political segregation,' Mr Cox told Times Radio. 'I think that is absolutely something that we have to challenge. And linked to that we have to stop dehumanising our opponents.' Mr Cox was speaking in the wake of the murder of Tory MP Sir David, who was stabbed to death during a constituency surgery event in Essex on Friday. Brendan Cox (pictured speaking to the BBC today), whose wife was killed by a far-right extremist in 2016 while a serving Labour MP, said people needed to challenge comments which 'celebrate political segregation' Mr Cox, whose MP wife Jo (pictured left) was stabbed to death in 2016, was speaking in the wake of the murder of Tory MP Sir David (pictured right), who killed during a constituency surgery in Essex on Friday A 25-year-old man, Ali Harbi Ali, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, while officials are investigation a possible link to Islamic extremism. Mr Cox, a father-of-two, also spoke about his reaction to the news of the killing of Sir David, as he compared it to his own thoughts when he heard about the fatal attack on his wife in 2016. Man, 76, is arrested after Labour MP Chris Bryant received death threat on social media following killing of Sir David Amess A pensioner has been arrested on suspicion of sending Labour MP Chris Bryant a death threat on the day after Sir David Amess was murdered in a suspected terror attack. Mr Bryant, 59, whose constituency is Rhondda, was targeted after he posted on Twitter that people should consider being kinder in the wake of the tragedy. The politician revealed he had been threatened later, adding: 'You only have to look through some of the responses to this tweet to see the poison that is infecting British politics. And now I've had yet again another death threat.' South Wales Police said a 76-year-old man from Pontycymer, near Bridgend, had been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications. A spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'South Wales Police was called around 4.30pm on October 16 following reports of malicious communications being sent to a 59 year old man from Porth. 'A 76 year old man from Pontycmer, Bridgend, has been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications.' Advertisement Ms Cox, then Labour MP for Batley and Spen, was shot and stabbed by far-right extremist Thomas Mair, who murdered her near to where she was due to hold a constituency surgery. 'I had a very physical reaction to it (the news of the attack on Sir David)', he told Times Radio. 'I found it extremely difficult to function for a while. That was both from being back in that moment five years ago when I got the call from somebody in Jo's office telling me that she had been attacked. 'But also just knowing what that family would be going through. 'The pain of the desperate hope in those immediate minutes when you hope that they are not too badly hurt to then the realisation of what's happened and the darkness and sadness of that, that is then with you for years, for the rest of your life.' It comes as Sir David's family last night paid tribute to the stalwart Conservative MP, who was stabbed 17 times as he met with his Southend West constituents on Friday afternoon. In a heartbreaking statement his family called for people to 'set aside hatred', adding: 'Nobody should die in that way. Nobody. 'Whatever one's race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand. 'We are absolutely broken, but we will survive and carry on for the sake of a wonderful and inspiring man.' It comes as the suspect accused of stabbing Sir David had been forced to attend an official deradicalisation course after a teacher spotted his extremist views at least five years ago. Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP as he met with his Southend West constituents on Friday afternoon. It is believed the suspected Islamist terrorist may have chosen his victim at random having become obsessed with killing any MP. His friends have claimed he was further radicalised and turned into a lone-wolf killer during lockdown watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary with police and MI5 also looking whether Sir David was chosen due to his support for Qatar, which has been exerting its influence in Somalia, the country of his diplomat father's birth. Ali, the son of a former Somalian diplomat who was born in Britain and raised in Croydon, was referred to the flagship anti-extremism scheme, Prevent, which aims to stop individuals becoming terrorists. But there are major questions after his behaviour was not considered to be extreme enough to alert MI5. These referrals are not currently mandatory. Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP as he met with his Southend West constituents on Friday afternoon Police officers erect a tent outside a house in north London, thought to be in relation to the death of Sir David Left to right: Katie, wife Julia, Flo, Sir David Amess, Sarah and Alex at Flo's wedding in August MP Mark Francois lays flowers at the scene near Belfairs Methodist Church in Eastwood Road North Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the veteran Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday Dominic Raab says security guards could be used to protect MPs at surgeries instead of police officers Dominic Raab today backed proposals for all MPs to have private security at their surgeries instead of police guards after the murder of Sir David Amess and revealed he has had three threats to 'life and limb' since 2019 including an acid attack. The Deputy Prime Minister has said he wouldn't want plain clothes officers outside his surgeries as it would have a 'chilling effect' - but wouldn't criticise MPs who ask for it and also said he was 'happy to look' at whether politicians should wear stab vests. Mr Raab also signalled he could support closing anonymous social media accounts to tackle online hatred and claimed that there is now the 'constant vilification of MPs' in the UK. It came as Priti Patel said that police may be drafted in to guard MPs during surgeries and that airport-style scanners would also be considered in the wake of Sir David's murder in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday lunchtime. But Mr Raab rejected the idea of plainclothes police protecting him and said: 'I would be more inclined to look at private security guards and there's already more money for that'. He told Sky News: 'I probably wouldn't choose to have them (plainclothes police) outside a surgery that I had. I would worry about the chilling effect, I'm not sure it's necessary to have that.' Mr Raab also revealed that has had three threats to 'life and limb' over the past two years - and said the most recent threat he has received was of an acid attack. Asked about the possibility of MPs wearing stab-proof vests, he told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I'm happy to look at any practical measures, but the reality is that people will threaten you with something else. The most recent threat I've had was someone threatening to throw acid over me.' He said there was an 'intervention' in relation to the threat - but didn't say what police had done. Advertisement He is alleged to have shown an interest in radical Islam and was referred to Prevent, believed to be when he was in his late teens. He decided to move in with an aunt and her sons in a council house in the upmarket North London enclave of Kentish Town, in a street of 2million three-storey townhouses. His referral is understood to have coincided with a deterioration in his relationship with his Somali-born parents. Ali's parents split up when he was young and his father returned to Somalia. One neighbour, who has known the family for twenty years, said that Ali spoke of hopes of becoming a doctor with the NHS, saying: 'He told me he'd been doing exams and he seemed westernised.' Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the 69-year-old Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Reports had initially suggested that Sir David, a devout Roman Catholic and prominent Brexiteer who was MP for Southend West, had been selected because of his political views or religion. Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had plotted to kill any national politician - and had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday. Sources close to the investigation believe Ali may have considered killing other MPs, including Labour and Tory politicians, before picking Sir David, according to The Telegraph. One government insider told the paper: 'He was unlucky. He was not targeted because of his political party. David Amess was not specifically targeted.' The revelation raises urgent questions about the mentoring scheme and whether an opportunity was missed to avert the MP's horrific murder. Police are also investigating the alleged close ties between Sir David and Qatar. The Tory MP was chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Gulf state and returned from his latest visit there on Wednesday last week. The man being questioned over the stabbing is the son of a former adviser to the office of the Prime Minister of Somalia. Qatar supports the present Somali President. Security sources told The Times that all avenues were being explored in the case. Last night former friends of Ali, a British national of Somali heritage who grew up in a three-bed 1980s terrace house in Croydon with his mother, two sisters and brother, claimed he was radicalised after watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary. Speaking to The Sun, they claimed the videos turned Ali from a 'popular pupil into an extremist'. The father of two children who were killed during a sleepover massacre has made a heartbreaking plea to friends and family attending their funeral. John Paul Bennett, 13, Lacey Bennett, 11, their mother Terri Harris, 35, and Lacey's friend Connie Gent, 11, were found dead by officers at a property in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, last month. Damien Bendall - the boyfriend of Terri Harris - has been charged with all four murders and has been remanded in custody. The 31-year-old is due to stand trial in March next year. In preparation for his children's funeral, father Jason Bennett has issued a plea to those planning to attend in a heartbreaking post on social media. Mr Bennett wrote: 'Me and my babies always used to sing a certain song in our car and belt it out like nothing else matters. 'I'm trying to stay strong and while I'm carrying both my babies on my shoulders I'm determined to belt the song they love out loud as if we were in our car. Jason Bennett, father of two children (pictured with Jason) who were killed during a sleepover massacre, has asked mourners to his children's favourite song when they attend their funeral Lacey Bennett (right), 11, and her 13-year-old brother John Paul (left) were both found dead alongside the bodies of their mother Terri Harris and their best friend 11-year-old Connie Gent 'Sing along if you like and give me hope and strength and celebrate my beautiful happy babies.' Below the post is the music video for Never Enough from the movie musical The Greatest Showman with an additional note, adding: 'Practice if you like...all my love to you all.' In the wake of their deaths, the devastated father collapsed in tears as he laid flowers for his children Lacey and John Paul near the home where they were killed. Pictured: Connie Gent, 11, was at a sleepover where she was found dead alongside friend Lacey, John and their mother Terri Harris Mr Bennett stayed at the scene for more than half-an-hour, and said he was 'heartbroken; million pieces; shattered'. In a statement, he said: 'Life will never be the same again. Families have been left broken by the awful loss of John, Lacey, Terri and Connie. 'I've been left broken. I'm devastated. John and Lacey came into our lives and brought so much love and happiness and were adored by myself and their big sisters, forever loved and remembered. 'We would also like to thank everyone for their loving support and our thoughts go out to everyone affected by the tragic loss of four precious lives.' Connie's father Charles Gent said: 'The pain is indescribable. I wake up every morning hoping this has all been a terrible nightmare, but it's not. It's the unbearable reality that my little girl has gone. 'Connie was an absolute superstar in every way. She had a gift - if someone was down she could instantly make them feel okay. 'She lit up every room she went in and meant something to everyone she came across, even in hard times. Connie had the ability to keep everyone smiling. Pictured: Terri Harris (left) and (right) with her children Lacey Bennett with John Paul Bennett Pictured: Floral tributes left near to the scene in Chandos Crescent, Killamarsh, last month 'This by far is the hardest thing I've ever had to go through; it still doesn't even feel real. 'Fly safe my angel. They came for you and left me behind. I could never say goodbye, so I'll see you soon. I love you more than you can possibly imagine forever and always.' Ms Harris's parents, Angela Smith and Lawrence Harris, issued a joint statement through the force in which they said: 'Our Terri, our daughter, our world, our everything. From the day she was born she was our princess and remained so until she was cruelly taken from us. 'She was an amazing mum; her babies were her world. 'Terri would put herself out not just for her family and friends but anyone who needed her help. She absolutely loved her work as a care worker and would go above and beyond for the people she cared for. Pictured: Damien Bendall is next due to appear at Nottingham Crown Court on November 26 'She will be missed more than any words can ever express, not only by her family but by anyone who had the privilege to have been in her life.' An inquest hearing into the four deaths was told all victims died as a result of a 'violent attack'. Bendall, of Chandos Crescent, is due to enter a plea to the charges at Nottingham Crown Court on November 26. An Instagram influencer allegedly got behind the wheel while drunk and hit three parked cars before rolling her luxury SUV on the way back from a wedding. Patricia Hadija, 27, was allegedly three times the legal alcohol limit when she crashed her Jeep Grand Cherokee in Maroubra in Sydney's east on Saturday night. Ms Hadija has more than 39,000 followers on Instagram where she goes by the name 'Torpedo Trish' and had posted a photo holding a champagne glass from a wedding earlier that afternoon. Patricia Hadija (pictured left) allegedly crashed her Jeep on Saturday after attending a wedding reception The Instagram influencer (pictured) has been charged with high-range drink driving Police rushed to the scene about 9.50pm and found the vehicle rolled over on Duncan St, cops say. Residents in the area said they rushed out of their houses to find Ms Hadija and her male passenger, a 29-year-old man, pulling themselves out of the wreckage. 'We were watching telly, we heard that sickening thud you know a car crash sounds like,' one neighbour told The Daily Telegraph. 'I came out and looked up the road and it was a really strange looking sight, it looked a bit like a UFO had landed because the tail lights were up where they shouldn't be normally.' Ms Hadija works as a social media consultant providing advice on how to run a successful influencer account Noticing the two passengers moving inside the 4WD, they rushed back inside to call an ambulance. Another neighbour said they also heard the crash and immediately bolted into the street where people had already begun gathering. Witnesses said the driver and passenger, who paused while climbing out of the car to get out a cigarette, waited at the scene for emergency crews to arrive. Ms Hadija was given a breath test at the scene which allegedly returned a positive reading. 'She was arrested and taken to Maroubra Police Station, where she returned a breath analysis of 0.181,' NSW Police has alleged. She has been charged with high-range PCA. Her licence was suspended and she was given a notice to appear at Waverley Local Court on November 10. Tory Brexiteers have told the Government that Northern Ireland must have the same Brexit freedoms as the rest of the UK as they push for shops in the province to be allowed to sell goods in pounds and ounces. The Government announced in September that it is looking at allowing UK shops to sell fruit and vegetables in imperial measurements as part of a bonfire of EU red tape. But the Brexit divorce deal reportedly means that Northern Ireland will have to stick to the metric system of grams and kilograms. Talks between Britain and Brussels over improving the Northern Ireland Protocol are due to get underway tomorrow and Tory MPs want Lord Frost, the Government's Brexit chief, to secure changes to avoid a 'two-speed UK'. Lord Frost is under pressure from Tory MPs to ensure Northern Ireland can take advantage of the same Brexit freedoms as the rest of the UK Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, said changes to EU red tape should apply to the whole of the UK Ministers are looking at all of the EU laws which were kept on the UK statute book after Brexit. Legislation made in Brussels will be 'improved or repealed' if it is judged not to benefit the British people. The shake-up will include a review of EU restrictions on selling goods in pounds and ounces in what could pave the way for a return to using more imperial units. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory former leader, was in charge of an initial Government-commissioned review on EU red tape. That process resulted in a wave of recommendations on EU laws and rules which could be repealed. Sir Iain told The Telegraph that Northern Ireland must be treated the same as the rest of the UK. He said: 'All of the things we do on the GB side must also be relevant to those who live in the United Kingdom on the Northern Ireland side. 'The TIGRR report [Taskforce on Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform] is aimed at the whole of the United Kingdom, not just GB. I made that point to Lord Frost.' The British Weights and Measures Association group said shops in Northern Ireland should be able to sell their goods according to UK rules. Warwick Cairns from the group said: 'We can see why the EU would want to insist on goods exported from Britain to the EU following their labelling rules. 'But when it comes to how people buy, sell and measure goods within the UK, we can't see how it affects them or why they would expect to set the rules.' The Government's response to Sir Iain's report set out a 'package of proposed individual regulatory reforms to laws inherited while a member of the EU'. The proposed changes include looking at whether to change the rules on people being allowed to sell goods using imperial units of measurement. The Government said in its 'Brexit opportunities' document: 'We will review the EU ban on markings and sales in imperial units and legislate in due course.' The current law states that traders must use metric measurements like grams, kilograms, mililitres and litres when selling packaged or loose goods. The only products which can be sold in imperial units are beer or cider by the pint, milk in a returnable container by the pint, and precious metals by the troy ounce. The existing rules state that traders 'can display an imperial measurement alongside the metric measurement but it cannot stand out more than the metric measurement'. The EU and UK are set for an intense round of negotiations in the coming weeks after Brussels last week published a range of proposals aimed at improving post-Brexit border rules in Northern Ireland. The Government announced in September that it is looking at allowing UK shops to sell fruit and vegetables in pounds and ounces The UK and the EU are due to meet for talks this week as they try to improve post-Brexit border arrangements in Northern Ireland The EU has offered to slash the number of customs checks on goods moving from GB to Northern Ireland. But its offer did not address a key UK demand the removal of the oversight function of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in the operation of the protocol. UK Brexit Minister Lord Frost has warned the Government is prepared to suspend aspects of the protocol by triggering the Article 16 mechanism if it cannot reach agreement with the bloc on changing how it operates. That has raised the prospect of the EU taking retaliatory action, potentially in the form of further restrictions on trade with the UK. The protocol, agreed as part of the original Brexit deal, requires checks on goods to be carried out at ports in order to avoid the return of a land border with the Republic. But it has caused disruption to trade and angered unionists who have demanded the rules be scrapped, arguing they create a barrier between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. Russell Hill and Carol Clay vanished from East Gippsland camp in March of 2020 Detectives have warned whoever killed two elderly campers who went missing last year should feel 'very uncomfortable' as the secret couple's children break their silence. Russell Hill, 74, left his property in Drouin, Victoria, on March 19 last year and picked up Carol Clay, 73, from her home in Pakenham in his white Toyota Landcruiser. They had planned a trip in the rugged bushland of Wonnangatta Valley in East Gippsland from which they have never returned, with their campsite mysteriously destroyed by fire. Squad head Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said his team were edging closer to solving the mystery and now have a 'very good picture of who was in the valley' at the same time. Russell Hill, 74, left his property in Drouin, Victoria , on March 20 last year and picked up Carol Clay, 73, from her home in Pakenham in his white Toyota Landcruiser (pictured) Russell Hill, 74, (pictured, left) had been friendly with Carol Clay, 73, (right) for decades before they started having an affair 'We'll keep going until we get the answers and I'm confident that will happen. I'd like to think every day we're getting closer,' Inspector Stamper told the Herald Sun. The detective is convinced Ms Clay and Mr Hill never left the valley and said he has not narrowed the potential offender down to just one individual. 'We firmly believe they're still in that area somewhere,' he said. Detective Acting Sergeant Brett Florence told the publication that whoever killed the elderly campers should be 'very uncomfortable'. Acting Sgt Florence said his team would 'leave no stone unturned' in their mammoth search efforts that have continued for nearly 20 months. Meanwhile, Mr Hill's grieving daughters Colleen and Debbie have spoken out publicly for the first time in an effort to boost public awareness of the case. Last week marked their beloved father's 76th birthday, with the pair admitting it was hard to grieve him when there was still uncertainty whether he was dead or alive. Sisters Colleen (left) and Debbie (right) have made an emotional plea for information on their father's whereabouts with those that know anything to contact Crime Stoppers The pair went missing in the Wonnangatta Valley, more than 200km north east of Melbourne 'I don't really believe he could be alive. He wouldn't hide,' Debbie said. 'It's really hard. It's not getting any better. It's not knowing you're just stuck.' The sisters say they miss their father's phone calls and grieve for their children who didn't get to know the practical, problem-solving man they grew up with. Ms Clay's sister Jill has some choice words for whoever is responsible for the disappearance of her 'vibrant and vivacious' sister Carol. 'My message is that you've undertaken a heinous act. You've got to live with that for the rest of your life,' she said. Jill said she had a bad feeling about the camping trip from the start and believes the 'vile act' was premeditated. Cadaver dogs, which specialise in locating human remains, have been sent to the region twice but both times failed to find any trace of Ms Clay (left) or Mr Hill (right) She echoed the sentiments of Mr Hill's daughters when she said it was frustrating knowing so little and not being able to throw a funeral for her beloved sister. While Mr Hill had worked in the Gippsland logging industry for many years, Ms Clay had been heavily involved in the Country Women's Association. The 74-year-old man was last heard from on March 20 via HF radio, stating he was at Wonnangatta Valley in Victoria's high country. Ms Hill had told friends she was heading away and was expected to return home on March 28 or 29. Campers found Russell's vehicle with signs of minor fire damage at their campsite, which was completely destroyed by fire, near Dry River Creek Track in the Wonnangatta Valley on March 21. Cadaver dogs, which specialise in locating human remains, have been sent to the region twice but both times failed to find any trace of the pair. An earlier school of thought from police was that Mr Hill and Mrs Clay (pictured) were ambushed or shot by deer hunters Wild conspiracy theories about the disappearance have emerged, but investigators from the missing persons squad have long maintained the pair, who were engaged in a secret affair, were set upon by unknown attackers. An earlier school of thought from police was that Mr Hill and Mrs Gray were ambushed or shot by deer hunters. Inspector Stamper previously told A Current Affair officers have zeroed in on a driver of a white ute that was seen in the valley a day before the pair disappeared. 'It might seem like only a very small possibility that those in the white ute will have information about Russell and Carol's disappearance but we can't afford to leave any stone unturned,' he said. Investigators have been told Mr Hill took his DJI Mavic drone with him on the trip and the drone is still yet to be recovered. Victoria Police detectives moved their search 80km northwest to the Mount Hotham area in April where they found two shovels in thick bush off the Great Alpine Road. The status of those shovels remains unknown after they were sent off to be forensically examined. Ms Clay (pictured) had been heavily involved in the Country Women's Association in Victoria Investigators have focused on areas along the Dargo High Plains Road, Cynthia Range Track, Herne Spur Track and the Wonnangatta Track as a result of information obtained from previous searches. Previous searches had seen detectives from the Missing Persons Squad joined by the police helicopter, drone unit, search and rescue and staff from Parks Victoria. Information has been received about a sighting of an older person or pair in the Black Snake Creek, Eaglevale River crossing and the Ollies Jump area on March 22-23, but detectives have never been able to establish if it was the missing campers. Detectives and the pair's devastated family members are now calling on the public to be their 'eyes and ears' as the weather begins to warm up. Authorities have asked anyone in the area to report findings of clothing, a drone, or any other clue that could help bring closure to the elderly camper's families. A 'socially awkward' Sydney man who persistently encouraged underage teen girls to send him explicit material over Facebook and TikTok will be eligible for parole in 12 months. Zach Daniel Moore, 26, covered his eyes and bowed his head on Monday as a NSW District Court sentencing judge recalled how the Rooty Hill man targeted 10 victims over 20 months. When one victim told him she was 13 years old, Moore responded: 'Oh, that sounds fun. ... I hope I can see you nude in photos.' He threatened to 'show the world how dirty' a 14-year-old girl was if she didn't send him nude photos while other children were dubbed the man's 'toy', 'pet' or 'slave' and told to refer to him as their master in text-based sexually explicit conversations. Zach Daniel Moore, 26, has been jailed after pleading guilty to sending 10 young girls explicit messages over Facebook and TikTok (stock image) After a tip-off from Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency, Moore was arrested in October 2020. He entered early guilty pleas to 10 offences including using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material. Moore told the court in September sexual gratification was a factor but he 'mainly done it for time to kill' and 'was never just focusing on the chats'. The level of bullying Moore suffered in high school meant he had an extremely limited social circle, was 'socially awkward' and struggled outside the home without his ill father, the court was told. He turned to online conversations in 2016, finding he was more comfortable. The Crown accepted the offender had a deprived background and a depressive disorder but that only slightly reduced his moral culpability for consistent requests of child abuse material. He was jailed for three years and eight month in NSW district Court (pictured) on Monday, to be backdated to his October 2020 arrest Judge Karen Robinson accepted the 26-year-old was genuinely contrite and had 'some' appreciation for the harm caused to his victims. She found Moore's offending generally lacked sophistication, noting he'd used his own name when communicating with the children. There was no evidence any material received by Moore was transmitted elsewhere. But jail was the only option for such serious offending, she said. The head sentence of three years and eight months was backdated to Moore's arrest. He will be eligible for parole on October 20, 2022. The Taliban will help Washington to evacuate US citizens and Afghans on flights out of Kabul before the end of the year, according to a senior source at the State Department. More than 124,000 civilians, including Americans, Afghans and others were able to escape after the US-backed government fell to the Taliban but around 100 US citizens, as well as thousands of other US-allied Afghans, were unable to make it out. The airport remains closed to regular commercial flights and it is not clear who will manage air-traffic control and ground staff. Since the last US troops left on August 31, a small number of planes have evacuated Americans, Afghans and other foreign nationals from Kabul and the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif. Washington has yet to set a start date for the resumption of evacuation flights because it must reach agreements with the Taliban, as well as neighbouring countries, the State Department source told The Wall Street Journal. Pictured: Passengers board a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA), Afghanistan, August 24, 2021 'As soon as we have the right combination of documentation and logistics, we will get going again,' the senior official told the paper. Qatar, where many of flights land as their first stop, requires all passengers to have valid travel documents. There have also been concerns over stowaways. 'We haven't been able to get a flight out in a couple of weeks,' the official told the WSJ. State Department spokesman Ned Price hit out at the claims, saying that there were no plans to resume evacuation flights 'a la what we had prior to August 31.' 'The charter flights have been routine,' Price said. 'Our goal is to make them even more routine to lend a degree of automaticity to these operations so that we can facilitate the departure of Americans, of lawful permanent residents and others.' At the end of the September, it was reported that the United States was aware of around 100 American citizens and legal permanent residents (LPRs) who were still in Afghanistan after the bulk of the evacuations had been completed. At the time, the State Department said it was working on getting those people onto flights our of the country. 'Our highest priority in Afghanistan, of course, remains helping those American citizens who wish to leave the country now to do so,' an official said. Since U.S. forces departed and handed over the airport on August 31, 85 American citizens and 79 LPRs have left Afghanistan on sporadic flights, the official added. However, some of the American citizens who were still there did not want to leave Afghanistan without family members who did not have the required travel documents to enter the U.S. Evacuees wait to board a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan August 30, 2021. Picture taken August 30, 2021 The official said the United States would intensify its efforts to get the necessary documentation to the immediate family of American citizens who did not have it. However, such documentation would not be given to their 'extended' families. 'I entirely understand how painful that choice may be for them, but for matters of law and policy, up to this point, we have not extended support for expedited departure and resettlement in the U.S. for extended family members of U.S. citizens,' the official said. News that the Taliban would assist the US with evacuations came after The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing on a Shiite mosque in southern Afghanistan that killed 47 people and wounded scores more. In a statement posted late Friday on social media, IS said two of the group's members shot and killed security guards manning the entrance of the Fatimiya mosque in Kandahar province. Friday's attack was the deadliest to strike Afghanistan since the dramatic U.S. exit from the country, which allowed the Taliban to seize control of the Afghan capital. It was also the first major attack by the group in the country's south. IS carries out frequent attacks in its eastern stronghold, but recently has shown signs of expansion, with attacks in the north and Kabul. The attacks have brought into question the Taliban's ability to counter the growing IS threat. The Taliban have pledged to restore peace and security after decades of war and have also given the U.S. assurances that they will not allow the country to be used as a base for launching extremist attacks on other countries. Police are searching for a Pakistani man suspected of killing his two daughters and four grandchildren after one of them married without his permission. Manzoor Hussain allegedly set fire to the home that sisters Fauzia Bibi, 19, and Khurshid Mai, 35, shared in a village in the Muzaffargargh district of central Pakistan, an official told Reuters. All six of them died in the blaze, as well as Khurshid's husband. Fauzia had married Mehboob Ahmad about 18 months ago against her father's will in a so-called love marriage, according to the official, as opposed to an arranged marriage. Fauzia Bibi, 19, and her son, and Khurshid Mai, 35, her husband and their three children were all killed in a house fire in a village in the Muzaffargargh district of central Pakistan 'The incident is outcome of the rivalry between the two families over the love marriage,' police officer Abdul Majeed said. Hussain, the father being searched for, lives in a nearby village, he added. A case has been registered at the Civil Lines Police Station against two suspects on charges of burning to death seven people. The second is believed to be Hussain's brother. Bibi's husband Ahmad told police he was not at home at the time of the fire and had found the house ablaze when he returned from work early in the morning, according to his statement to officers. 'I was in Multan for business. When I returned and was near my home, I saw it in flames,' he told police according to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn. 'While two men Manzoor Hussain and Sabir Hussain were also seen fleeing the spot.' He also alleged that his father-in-law and brother-in-law were unhappy with the marriage and they set his home ablaze 'in rage'. Ahmad said his four-month-old son had died, along with Mai's three children aged two, six and 13. Police said the cause of the fire was being investigated, and that officials were working to understand why none of the women or children were able to escape when the fire started. Hundreds of women in Pakistan are killed by relatives every year for marrying without consent, or against their family's wishes, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. A man who pretended to be an airline pilot to his girlfriend has been jailed for stabbing her and leaving her to die in a field after she dumped him over the lies. Christopher Crichton, 33, duped Clare Wright, 29, with his tall tales of having a high-flying career after they met and started dating early last year. The romance fraudster from Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, received a discretionary life sentence with a minimum term of 15 years in prison after he admitted attempted murder and kidnap at an earlier hearing. Ms Wright survived thanks to help from a cyclist who was passing by. Crichton had mental health issues and a 'shocking' history of convictions for violence and sexual offences against women including rape. Ms Wright, who lived in the Norfolk village of Kirby Cane, broke up with Crichton on the morning of April 26 earlier this year. She began to suspect what Crichton was telling her was untrue and found it odd 'there was no evidence to support' his story that he was an airline pilot, Norwich Crown Court heard last Friday. He began to pack his things after she told him their relationship was over, but later called her upstairs saying he wanted help. Clare Wright, 29, who lived in the Norfolk village of Kirby Cane, broke up with Crichton in her house on the morning of April 26 earlier this year That morning Christopher Crichton,33, was seen dragging the 'kicking and screaming' Ms Wright into a car Crichton told her 'she had hurt him but now I'm going to hurt you' before pushing her on the bed and punching her 'repeatedly to the face'. He forced her to look at her facial injuries as she tried to calm him down, and took her downstairs where she feigned collapse. Ms Wright was terrified and again tried to calm him down before running out of the house, said Mr Jackson. But Crichton emerged with a kitchen knife and stabbed her several times including in her left leg and back. That morning Crichton was seen dragging the 'kicking and screaming' Ms Wright into a car. Crichton pulled the knife out and left it on the drive outside Ms Wright's house as he dragged her into the car She 'became aware that the knife had become stuck in her back', before Crichton pulled it out and left it on the drive, and dragged her into the car. He drove her around for more than two hours as she begged him to take her to hospital. The fraudster finally stopped in Nacton, near Ipswich, Suffolk, where he dumped Ms Wright's body in a field about 300 yards away from the nearest house. Before driving away, he told her that she was she was 'bleeding out' and left her there. Crichton drove for over two hours and finally stopped in Nacton, near Ipswich, Suffolk, where he dumped the badly injured Ms Wright Ms Wright was saved by a passing cyclist who went to her aid at 11.20am and called the emergency services nearly three hours after the stabbing. She was flown by air ambulance to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge and was treated there for two weeks. Crichton was arrested at the Copdock Retail Park in Ipswich around an hour after Ms Wright was found. Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, said: 'It's the prosecution's case that in stabbing her repeatedly he intended to kill her. 'Having stabbed her causing her life threatening injuries, he kept her a prisoner in his car and left her in an isolated place to die.' Ms Wright did not want her victim impact statement read out in court, but Mr Jackson said she had suffered 'serious physical and psychological harm'. A detective at Norfolk Police described Crichton as an incredibly dangerous individual Judge Anthony Bate told Crichton: 'The victim's trust in you was utterly betrayed. 'You deceived her from the outset of your relationship'. Mr Jackson added that Crichton had a 'a significant record of violence towards women' and described him as a 'practiced and accomplished conman'. Andrew Thompson, defending, said Crichton told police immediately what he had done and had always intended to plead guilty. He said Crichton has a 'complex mental health history' and had made at least two attempts on his life, in April and May this year, and had also carried out a third serious self-harm incident. Mr Thompson added that Crichton felt terrible about what he had done and hoped Ms Wright made a full recovery. Detective Inspector Tom Smith of Norfolk Police said after the hearing on Friday: 'Crichton is an incredibly dangerous individual and today's sentencing will ensure he can't be a threat to anyone else. 'I want to thank the victim in this case for the outstanding strength and resilience she has shown throughout this investigation. 'She has been incredibly brave and, along with the strong support of her family, I hope today's result will help her move forward from what has been an incredibly traumatic ordeal.' Pictured: Mohammed Khubaib has been jailed for four years after admitting kidnapping and blackmail at Bradford Crown Court A schoolboy who boasted on social media about making money trading in Bitcoin was kidnapped by a gang who demanded 10,000 for his safe return, a court heard. The terrified teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was confronted outside a takeaway in the Bradford, West Yorks., in May and bundled into a car. After one of the kidnappers put his hand over the boy's mouth he was punched and forced into the back of a Toyota Auris. Muhammed Khubaib, who owned the car, activated the vehicle's central locking as the boy sat between two men in the rear of the Auris. Khubaib, 22, then punched him in the face with a glove containing sand, Bradford Crown Court heard. Prosecutor Laura McBride said the boy was told he would have to ring his mother and tell her to hand over '10,000 or her son wouldn't be going home'. The boy's mother was called and she described how the kidnappers demanded money while her son was crying, the court heard. Miss McBride said it was agreed the mother would give the men 900 and she came out of her home to hand over the cash when Khubaib drove the Auris to the house. The incident was subsequently reported to the police and Khubaib was arrested a few days later. He pleaded guilty to charges of kidnap and blackmail, but the court heard that the three other men involved had not be identified or prosecuted. The Recorder of Bradford Judge Richard Mansell QC said the youngster had 'clearly been targeted' by the men. He said they kidnapped him after seeing social media posts which suggested he had made 'a reasonable amount of money' from trading in Bitcoin or other crypto-currency. At Bradford Crown Court (pictured), the judge described Khubaib as a 'prime mover' Shufqat Khan, Khubaib's barrister, said he had been in custody since May and was now learning the hard way that 'you are the company you keep'. He submitted that his client had been carried along by more criminally-minded associates. But Judge Mansell suggested that Khubaib was a prime mover in the offence because he had been watching the boy in the takeaway and jailed him for four years. The court heard the victim was no longer living in Bradford and Judge Mansell said the offending had resulted in 'profound consequences' for the youngster and his family. The judge explained that Khubaib would have been jailed for five years after a trial, but his guilty plea meant his sentence could be reduced to four years. Speaking after sentencing, Detective Constable Paul Maxwell, West Yorkshire Police said: 'We welcome the sentence which has been passed down to Khubaib today at court. He pleaded guilty to both counts he was charged with in May. 'The victim, a young teenager, was vulnerable to criminal exploitation and Khubaib tried to exploit him for money. 'This was an incredibly distressing incident for both the victim and the victim's mother, but thankfully both were not injured during the incident and have been given help and support by the police and partner agencies.' The Metropolitan Police and Transport for London are investigating anti-Israel posters, based on controversial author Sally Rooney's Normal People book cover, that appeared on a London bus stop. A picture was posted on Twitter yesterday appearing to show a poster that read 'Normal People Boycott Israel' on the Vauxhall Park bus stop in front of the Better Vauxhall Leisure Centre in Lambeth. Last week, the award-winning Irish author, 30, was accused of anti-Semitism after reportedly refusing to allow her new book - Beautiful World, Where Are You - to be published in Hebrew. The Met Police and Transport for London are investigating anti-Israel posters, based on controversial author Sally Rooney's Normal People book cover, that appeared on a London bus stop Normal People's original front cover was designed by artist Henn Kim and features two lovers in a sardine can Normal People's original front cover was designed by artist Henn Kim and features two lovers in a sardine can. A spokesperson for Transport for London (TfL) said: 'These adverts are not authorised by TfL or our advertising partner JCDecaux. 'It is fly posting and therefore an act of vandalism which we take extremely seriously. 'We have instructed our contractors to remove any of these posters found on our network immediately.' TfL added: 'Our contractors went to the shelter that was photographed, but the poster was no longer there. 'They checked all the shelters in the surrounding area as well and nothing was found. 'We can't confirm how many have been found across the network. It seems there were a few photos taken, including of both a red and green poster.' The picture sparked outrage on Twitter with one user commenting: 'How is this acceptable? How is this acceptable!' A spokesperson for Lambeth Police told MailOnline: 'We were alerted to this poster on 18 October and officers will be investigating. 'We've also been in touch with TfL who will be sending a contractor to remove it as soon as possible.' Lord (David) Wolfson of Tredegar QC, a minister in the Ministry of Justice, said: 'Would you please clarify - was this 'advertisement' originally approved by TfL, but now is under investigation? Or was it put up without any TfL input or approval?' Sally Rooney, 30, was asked by Israeli publisher Modan to translate her new book - Beautiful World, Where Are You - but the author allegedly rejected the request A spokesperson for Lambeth Police said: 'We were alerted to this poster on 18 October and officers will be investigating' Responding to the picture on Twitter, a spokesperson for Transport for London said: 'This has been raised with the relevant team to investigate - it will be removed very soon' JCDecaux, the company that sells advertising space for TfL, replied on Twitter: 'Regarding the images circulating on social media today. Assuming these were flyposting, our team visited the first site and there was no poster. 'We have not found any sign of these posters on our ad sites and continue to check. 'So far, it appears that these are photoshopped images.' MailOnline contacted various businesses in the area near where the advert was reported to have been seen with one confirming the poster was not visible on the bus stop. It comes after Miss Rooney was asked by publisher Modan to translate her new book into Hebrew, but the author allegedly rejected the request because she supports a cultural boycott of Israel. Her new book was released in September and topped book charts in the UK and Ireland. The row has sparked a wave of criticism against the Irish author and screenwriter, whose book Normal People won a series of awards and was later adapted into a BBC TV drama. Some took to social media to accuse Miss Rooney's decision as 'anti-Semitic', while others questioned why her books were published for an audience in China - which has been accused of human rights abuses over its treatment of Uighur Muslims. Miss Rooney's Normal People was later adapted into an acclaimed BBC series in 2020 But the author defended her decision - which she said was not to have the book published by an Israeli-based publishing house - and that the Hebrew language rights were 'still available'. The two previous novels written by Miss Rooney, Conversations With Friends and Normal People, have both been published in Hebrew by Modan. Miss Rooney's support for a boycott of Israel has seen her sign an open letter which called for 'an end to the support provided by global powers to Israel and its military; especially the United States' and also urged governments to 'cut trade, economic and cultural relations'. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency also noted that in her second novel, Normal People, the main characters attend a protest against Israel's role in the 2014 Gaza war. MailOnline has contacted representatives of Sally Rooney for comment. America has already slipped into a recession that could be as bad as the 2008 financial meltdown according to key consumer data, a Dartmouth College professor has warned. David Blanchflower, of Dartmouth, and Alex Bryson, of University College London, say that every slump since the 1980s has been foreshadowed by 10-point drops in consumer indices from the Conference Board and University of Michigan. The indices are drawn from questions put to ordinary Americans about their income expectations, employment conditions and what they expect for the US economy in the near future. The Conference Board has measured a 25.3-point drop in 2021, while UM has recorded an 18.4-point slump. This compares to a 19-point and a 21-point dip for the indices respectively ahead of the 2008 global financial crash. 'It seems to us that there is every likelihood that the United States entered recession at the end of 2021,' the authors write in a new research paper. Blanchflower served on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee from 2006 to 2009. David Blanchflower said the increasing 'mood music' that rates are about to be lifted was 'foolish' as price rises coming through the system now are almost certainly 'terribly temporary' The Conference Board has measured a 25.3-point drop in its Consumer Confidence Index in 2021 The University of Michigan recorded an 18.4-point slump in its index this year Blanchflower and Bryson say that the indices are crucial to understanding the state of the economy because they provide real-time information about what is happening on the street. They argue that GDP growth figures are lagging behind by nearly a year and that unemployment numbers have been skewed by furlough schemes. 'The economic situation in 2021 is exceptional, however, since unprecedented direct government intervention in the labor market through furlough-type arrangements has enabled employment rates and unemployment rates to recover quickly from the huge downturn in 2020,' the study says. 'There are clear downward movements in consumer expectations in the last six months which, according to our rules of thumb regarding 10-point declines, would suggest the economy in the United States is entering recession now (Autumn 2021) - even though employment and wage growth figures suggest otherwise.' The authors predict that fears linked to Covid-19 have persisted and continue to dent economic growth, with workers afraid of contracting the disease either by commuting or at the workplace. 'Such concerns have been exacerbated by the appearance of the Delta variant of the virus,' the paper says. In conclusion, Blanchflower and Bryson say: 'There is a possibility of course, that these data are giving a false steer. However, missing the declines in these variables in 2007, as most policymakers and economists did, proved fatal. 'It is our hope such mistakes will not be repeated this time around. They missed it last time, hopefully they won't miss it this time. These qualitative data trends need to be taken seriously.' For months, the global economy has been expanding at break-neck speed after industries shutdown by the pandemic reopened. But while some restaurants and bars have been able to reap the rewards, more complex businesses are being hit by supply issues, with a shortage of semiconductors for cars and massive backlogs in the shipping industry. After the 2008 crash, there were an abundance of workers but not enough spending to get people back into work. The opposite has happened since the world reopened after the Covid lockdowns. Pent up savings, trillions of dollars in federal stimulus and rapidly rising wages mean that there is plenty of demand. But companies are struggling to recruit workers and source the raw materials needed to meet it. Dozens of ships are anchored at California ports waiting to unload products needed to fill shelves in American stores and car factories have been closed down over the global semiconductor shortage. Builders are having trouble ordering windows, appliances and other essential products to complete new homes. It is unclear when the supply woes will end and there are still concerns over the Delta variant. The economy also faces other far less predictable threats, including the impact of soaring inflation and the bursting of a colossal debt bubble in the Chinese real estate sector, with Evergrande struggling to pay off loans worth $300 billion. The consumer price index rose 5.4 percent in September from a year ago, up slightly from August's gain of 5.3 percent and matching the increases in June and July Prices are up on a wide range of key goods as high inflation continues to hit US consumers Speaking to the BBC on Monday, Blanchflower said: 'We've just had a big furlough scheme which has meant that much of the labor market data is really hard to understand. 'Traditionally what happens when the unemployment rate rises we go into a recession, wage growth falls. Well around the world it's risen. 'It just means this is really complicated, not least because the bottom part of the labor market has basically dropped out for a long time.' He said consumer confidence had 'basically collapsed' in the US. 'There is every evidence that the US is probably headed to recession and there is some evidence in the UK,' he said. 'It is just time when you should be steady as you go. There is nothing to stop you waiting, waiting to see what the [British] Chancellor does, waiting to see what happens when the furlough scheme comes off 'This just doesn't look like something sensible, it looks like they are being pushed by some degree of public opinion.' On whether the UK was likely to follow America into recession, Blanchflower said: 'The US sneezes and the UK really does catch a cold. The answer is it potentially could the danger would be in a few months with the spreading virus still and Delta still around that potential is it pushes the economy into recession.' The former Bank of England adviser added: 'This looks like an absolute disaster if the Bank of England did it it is not a done deal, but they are certainly pushing the mood music.' A man standing vulnerably in a tree-clearing has been filmed hiding behind a wheelie bin as he is repeatedly swooped by an aggressive plover. Footage posted on TikTok shows the Brisbane resident running from a car to try and collect a green bin sitting on the edge of an isolated road. But as soon as he arrives at the garbage bin, a territorial bird flies over head squawking loudly as it tries to scare him away. He manages to duck down behind the bin as it passes over, then jumps to his feet and grabs the handle to start making an exit. A man has been filmed sheltering behind a green wheelie bin to escape a swooping plover (pictured) But he's again forced to huddle behind the plastic receptacle when the native animal doubles back for another attack. As soon as the creature flies overhead, he grabs onto the bin and races back to the car, diving into the passenger seat as the bird comes in for a third swoop. 'Spiders and snakes are not the only thing to worry about in Australia,' text superimposed over the clip reads. The video has racked up more than 48,000 likes, with many commenting on the perils of living in Australia. 'In Australia, where you are lucky to survive when going outside to collect the bin or mail,' on person joked. 'If you haven't been swooped by a bird, are you really Australian?' another chimed. After the bird passes overhead a second time, the man grabs the bin and dashes towards the car 'May the odds be in your favour. STRAYA!' a third wrote. Magpies are also known to swoop, with the birds having high intelligence and a well developed memory, meaning they can differentiate between friends and enemies. Swooping season takes place for about six weeks from the start of spring, as males scare away potential threats in proximity to their nest. However, it is an uncommon trait among the species, with only around 10 per cent of the males using the technique to defend their young. They can swoop up to 100 metres from their nest and will repeatedly swoop familiar faces for their 23-25 year life span. New Taliban government in Afghanistan has banned girls from attending school Malala has written a letter to the Taliban demanding they let girls in Afghanistan return to school. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, who was shot by the group's Pakistani outshoot, urged the country's new rulers to stop 'denying millions their right to learn'. It has been one month since the hardline Islamist Taliban, which seized power in August, excluded girls from returning to secondary school while ordering boys back to class. Women and girls were completely banned from schools and universities under the previous Taliban rule between 1996 and 2001. Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban's Pakistani outshoot in 2012, urged Afghanistan's new rulers to stop 'denying millions their right to learn' After taking back control in August, the group ordered male teachers and boys aged 13 and over back to secondary schools, but made no mention of women teachers or girl pupils, creating a de facto ban. In an open letter on Sunday, Malala and other Afghan women's rights activists wrote: 'To the Taliban authorities...reverse the de facto ban on girls' education and re-open girls.' She called on the leaders of Muslim nations to make it clear to the Taliban that 'religion does not justify preventing girls from going to school'. In an open letter on Sunday, Malala and other Afghan women's rights activists wrote: 'To the Taliban authorities...reverse the de facto ban on girls' education and re-open girls' 'Afghanistan is now the only country in the world that forbids girls' education,' said the writers, who included the head of the Afghan human rights commission under the last US-backed government Shaharzad Akbar. The Taliban have claimed they will allow girls to return once they have ensured security and stricter segregation under their interpretation of Islamic law - but many are sceptical. Images from some schools in Kabul show women have in places return to classes, although these are segregated and have not necessarily been sanctioned by the Taliban. The letter's authors also called on G20 world leaders to provide urgent funding for an education plan for Afghan children. 'Discussing the importance of education isn't enough,' read the letter. 'Use the G20 Leaders' Declaration to call on the Taliban to allow girls to go to school and provide urgent funding.' A petition alongside the letter had on Monday received more than 650,000 signatures. It has been one month since the hardline Islamist Taliban, which seized power in August, excluded girls from returning to secondary school while ordering boys back to class Pictured: Afghan girls attend a class at a school in Kabul, Afghanistan, in September. They are segregated from boys and are taught different subjects Yousafzai, has been a long-time advocate for women's rights to an education and was shot in the face by gunmen from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, an offshoot of the Afghan Taliban, in her home town in the Swat valley while on a school bus in 2012. Her life was saved in a five-hour operation and she spent months recovering from the attack, partly at a Birmingham hospital. She was the youngest person to win a Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her advocacy. Now 24 years old, she advocates for girls' education, with her non-profit Malala Fund having invested 1.5million in Afghanistan. Bill Cassidy, a U.S. senator and physician, said all leaders in the federal executive, legislative and judiciary should be subject to cognitive tests as they age, claiming they should undergo this evaluation before the 'rapid decline' in their 80s. The 64-year-old Republican from Louisiana told Axios on HBO in an on-camera interview that he wasn't calling out any government leaders in particular. 'It's usually noticeable,' the gastroenterologist said. 'So anybody in a position of responsibility who may potentially be on that slope, that is of concern. And I'm saying this as a doctor.' Cassidy added: 'I'm told that there have been senators in the past who, at the end of their Senate terms were senile.' 'I'm told that was true of senators of both parties.' Many leaders are approaching or are already in their 80s, which Cassidy says is the time-frame for when these cognitive tests should be administered. Some of the highest leaders in U.S. government right now are elderly including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 81, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, 70, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, 79. President Joe Biden who is 78, has faced increasing questions from conservatives over his mental fitness to serve in the highest position of government. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician, said leaders in all three branches of government should be subject to cognitive tests before the 'rapid decline' in their 80s 'It's usually noticeable... and I'm saying this as a doctor,' the gastroenterologist said in an Axios on HBO interview with Mike Allen (left). 'I'm told that there have been senators in the past who, at the end of their Senate terms were senile' Cassidy said he was not talking about anyone in particular or calling out one party but gaffe-prone President Joe Biden has faced criticism from conservatives over his mental fitness The three highest leaders in Congress are elderly. L-R: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, 70, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 81, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, 79 Cassidy said 'of course' it's reasonable to require Supreme Court justices, members of Congress and executive branch leaders to submit an annual cognitive evaluation. 'We each have a sacred responsibility to the people of the United States,' Cassidy said Axios' Mike Allen. 'It is not about me,' he continued. It is about my ability to serve the people.' When it comes to the Supreme Court, senior-most Justice Clarence Thomas, a conservative who was sworn into his post in 1991, is 73 and senior-most member by age is liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, 83. Since the Supreme Court is a life-time appointment, justices can remain on the court until their death if they wish. This was the case with liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on the court in September 2020 at the age of 87. This caused much controversy because the GOP-majority Senate was able to confirm a third Supreme Court pick for then-President Donald Trump before he was replaced by Biden. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Trump's third and final pick, replaced the oldest member of the court to become the youngest at 49-years-old. Conservatives have questioned Biden's mental capacity and have raised concerns over conspiracies that the president is being kept out of the public eye and avoiding reporters because he is being controlled by his handlers. The oldest Supreme Court Justice is liberal Stephen Breyer, 83, (left). On right is the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on the court in September 2020 at the age of 87 Since taking office on January 20, 2021, Biden has only given 10 one-on-one interviews with the media. This is in stark contrast to the 113 interviews Barack Obama completed in his first year as president and the 50 done by Trump. Former President Trump, now 75, has repeatedly boasted that he 'aced' a mental cognitive test administered in the second year of his presidency. While campaigning against Biden in the summer of 2020, Trump started bringing the gaffe-prone candidate's mental fitness into question suggesting he also take the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. The 10-minute test is meant to detect mild cognitive impairments, like early onset dementia. Ministers have failed to respond to a major anti-terror report published in February which called for a crackdown on 'dangerous' legal 'loopholes', it was claimed today. Sir Mark Rowley, the former head of UK anti-terror policing, co-authored a review into the nation's counter-terrorism strategies which found new laws were needed to stop hateful groups from 'operating with impunity'. The review was published in February but Sir Mark said he had heard nothing back from the Home Office on the recommendations it made. It came as Dominic Raab defended the Government's flagship counter-terrorism Prevent programme amid questions over whether it is fit for purpose following the killing of Tory MP Sir David Amess. Sir Mark Rowley, the former head of UK anti-terror policing, co-authored a review into the nation's counter-terrorism strategies which found new laws were needed to stop hateful groups from 'operating with impunity' Justice Secretary Dominic Raab today defended the Government's flagship counter-terrorism Prevent programme Sir Mark conducted the review along with the Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE). It said extremists were exploiting gaps between existing hate crime and terrorism legislation. But as counter-terror police continue to investigate the killing of Sir David, Sir Mark told The Independent that ministers have not provided a response to the review. 'I have had no feedback from the Home Office on their plans in relation to our report on the absence of a coherent legal framework to tackle hateful extremism,' Sir Mark, who retired as the head of UK counter-terrorism policing in 2018, told the newspaper. 'It remains legal in some circumstances intentionally to stir up race or religious hatred or to glorify terrorism. 'These are dangerous loopholes highlighted in our report that continue to be exploited by hateful extremists.' The CCE set up by Theresa May after the Manchester Arena attack has repeatedly warned that more needs to be done to tackle terrorism threats facing the UK, including closing legal loopholes that allow those who inspired terrorists to go free. But the newspaper said ministers have not formally responded to any CCE reports released since 2019 and no suggested measures have been enacted. Sir David was attacked while meeting constituents at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex on Friday. A 25-year-old man, understood to be Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of Sir David's murder and remains in police custody. He has been detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and a warrant of further detention, which allows detectives to hold the suspect until October 22, was granted at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday. The Metropolitan Police earlier said its investigation had 'revealed a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism'. The Home Office would not comment on reports that the suspect had previously been referred to the Prevent programme which aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Mr Raab, the Justice Secretary, today defended the Prevent programme and said he feels more at risk from 'misguided or mentally unwell' people. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I personally think I'm more at risk from those who are either misguided or mentally unwell than from a concerted, organised terrorist attack. 'But Prevent is important. It is one line of defence, one mitigation against the risks we face. 'Prevent is under review, it has been under iterative review throughout its existence; we will of course learn all the lessons as the result of that and this terrible, appalling case.' New York banned schools from using the technology in December 2020 because it misidentifies women and people of colour Nine schools are using the new software which is considered more hygienic Schools in North Ayrshire say the system will speed-up school dinner service Nine schools in Scotland have today started using facial recognition on students to speed up school lunchtimes. The system, which has been implemented at sites across North Ayrshire, will allow schools to take payments from children using facial recognition. It is said to speed up transactions and reduce queues and is also considered to be a more hygienic approach than card payments and fingerprints in a post-Covid world. However, parents and campaigners have expressed concerns regarding the privacy of children, and believe students haven't been properly warned about the potential dangers of facial recognition. Twitter was awash with people responding to the news. @NckDrk wrote: 'Spending money on facial recognition in schools just in case a kid steals a meal rather than just spending that money on giving kids free school meals is obviously completely normal and logical' The system, which has been implemented in nine schools across North Ayrshire, Scotland, will allow schools to take payments from children using facial recognition (file image) Parent Nick Payne said: 'My kids' school uses a fingerprint ID system for canteen payments, which works fine & isn't anywhere near as sinister. So why can't they just do that, rather than going for facial recognition - which also has significant issues with non-white faces?' Caroline Kenyon added: 'Surely we need air filtration units in schools, not face recognition? The priorities of this government are utterly skewed.' Despite the concerns, North Ayrshire council say 97% of children or their parents consented to the use of facial recognition in schools. Lauding the benefits, David Swanston, the managing director of CRB Cunninghams - the company that provided the system - told the Financial Times: 'It's the fastest way of recognising someone at the till. Parents and campaigners have expressed concerns regarding the privacy of children, and believe students haven't been properly warned about the potential dangers of facial recognition 'In a secondary school you have about a 25-minute period to serve potentially 1,000 pupils. So we need fast throughput at the point of sale.' Fraser Simpson, Biometrics Commissioner for England and Wales says if there is a less intrusive way for children to pay for their lunches, then that method should be used instead, Sky News reported. In New York, schools have been banned from using the technology till at least July 2022 because the technology frequently misidentifies women and people of colour, therefore heightening the risk discrimination for people in those groups. Responding to developments in Ayrshire, campaigners are concerned that the technology exposes people to potential arrest without reasonable cause. Silkie Carlo, the head of civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, told MailOnline: 'No child should have to go through border style identity checks just to get a school meal. 'We are supposed to live in a democracy, not a security state. This is highly sensitive, personal data that children should be taught to protect, not to give away on a whim. 'This biometrics company has refused to disclose who else children's personal information could be shared with and there are some red flags here for us.' She added: 'Facial recognition technology typically suffers from inaccuracy, particularly for females and people of colour, and we're extremely concerned about how this invasive and discriminatory system will impact children. 'We've written to a number schools who are using this facial recognition system to set out our legal concerns and urge that they immediately stop.' In the UK, police have been using facial recognition since 2015 to prevent and detect crime by helping officers find wanted criminals. The system has been used in a range of environments to identify individuals in a crowd, from E-Gates at airports to Notting Hill Carnival. Millions of Australians have been given the green light to book a summer vacation, with Queensland the latest state to open its borders to fully-vaccinated travellers. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced residents from NSW and Victoria would be able to travel to the Sunshine State without quarantining from November 17. It comes just days after NSW declared it would open its doors to the rest of the world from November 1, sending Sydneysiders scrambling to book an overseas flight. As the weather warms up across the country, Daily Mail Australia have compiled a must-read guide to where you and your family can travel over the festive period, and what restrictions to expect. Millions of Australians have been given the green light to book a summer vacation, with Queensland the latest state to open its borders to fully-vaccinated travellers (stock image) Fully-vaccinated Australians will be able to travel to Queensland for Christmas and summer beach breaks without having to quarantine (pictured, a couple in Surfers Paradise) Queensland Fully-vaccinated Australians will be able to travel to Queensland for Christmas and summer beach breaks without having to quarantine. Borders will open to the rest of the country from December 17, but this date could be brought forward if the state hits the 80 per cent double-dose rate sooner than expected. The Sunshine State will open its doors even if the state doesn't hit this milestone, the premier has warned, adding this is Queenslanders' 'last chance' to get vaccinated. Anyone who has been in an interstate hotspot will be able to travel to Queensland when the state hits the 70 per cent double-dose rate, earmarked for November 19. Travellers must arrive by air, return a negative Covid test within 72 hours and spend 14 days in home quarantine. These restrictions will be scrapped on December 17, with home quarantine to be extended to international arrivals at 80 per cent and removed at 90 per cent. NSW will reopen its border with the rest of the world from November 1, with vaccinated Australians to enjoy quarantine-free travel (pictured, Byron Bay) New South Wales The state will reopen its border with the rest of the world from November 1, with vaccinated Australians to enjoy quarantine-free travel if they return to NSW. Also on this date, limits on the number of people allowed into the country via NSW will be scrapped as well as quarantine restrictions on vaccinated travellers. On this same date, unrestricted trips between Greater Sydney and regional NSW will also be permitted. From October 18, marking the day the state hit the 80 per cent double-dose mark, caravan parks and camping grounds have been reopened. Intrastate travel was initially due to restart at the 80 per cent milestone, but has been delayed to allow time for regional NSW to boost their own vaccination rates. From November 1, vaccinated Australians will be able to travel overseas from any state, but only NSW will allow them back without quarantine (pictured, a couple in London) Australia's borders will not yet open to tourists, with the focus to remain on giving citizens, permanent residents and their families the chance to travel (pictured, a woman in Singapore) Overseas From November 1, vaccinated Australians and their families will be able to travel overseas from any state, but only NSW will allow them back without quarantine. Australia's borders will not yet be open to tourists, with the focus to remain on giving citizens, permanent residents and immediate families the chance to travel. The Commonwealth Government has made no decision to let in other visa holders including skilled workers, student visa holders or international travellers. Australians who arrive in Sydney will still face quarantine requirements when entering other states due to border closures with NSW. Caps on the number of people allowed into the country through NSW will also be scrapped on November 1. But with many international airlines scrambling to get their planes out of storage and re-plan routes Down Under, flights in and out of the country may be cancelled or changed at the last minute. The Western Australian government has signalled it won't open to Covid-hit states or restart international travel until next year (pictured, a couple on the south coast of Western Australia) Western Australia The Western Australian government has signalled it won't open to Covid-hit states or restart international travel until next year. Premier Mark McGowan has refused to budge on his hard border closure and revealed they will remain closed to the rest of the country until 90 per cent of residents have been vaccinated. The state is not expected to reach the 80 per cent vaccination milestone until as late as mid-December, meaning thousands of families could be separated for Christmas. Fully vaccinated NSW residents will be able to travel to Victoria without having to isolate for 14 days on arrival from October 19 (stock image) Victoria Fully vaccinated NSW residents will be able to travel to Victoria without having to isolate for 14 days on arrival from October 19. The border will open up to NSW from 11.59pm at October 19, and will require travellers to get tested for Covid-19 three days before arrival. Travellers will then get tested as they enter Victoria and will need to isolate until they are given a negative result. Children under the age of 12, who are at the moment too young for the vaccine, will be allowed to enter the state under their parent's permit. Those who are not fully-vaccinated will still need to complete 14 days of quarantine upon arrival in Victoria. Travelling to regional areas will remain off limits for Melburnians until the state reaches 80 per cent double dose target, due in early November. Premier Peter Gutwein has indicated he won't reopen until all Tasmanians have had the opportunity to be vaccinated against the virus (pictured, South Bruny National Park) Tasmania Tasmania is open to travel from Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia but has declared a number of areas in each state as high risk. The island state still maintains a hard border with Covid-hit NSW and Victoria and is expected to unveil its reopening plan this week. Premier Peter Gutwein has indicated he won't reopen until all Tasmanians have had the opportunity to be vaccinated against the virus. He has put in a target of 90 per cent being fully-vaccinated by December 1 and says any decision to reopen to mainland states with Covid-19 will still be subject to public health advice. South Australia plans to open up its borders to fully-vaccinated travellers just in time for Christmas (stock image) South Australia South Australia plans to open up its borders to fully-vaccinated travellers just in time for Christmas. Premier Steven Marshall said the government was in talks to open to interstate travellers from NSW and Victoria. The plan means travellers who are fully-vaccinated won't have to quarantine once they arrive in the state. Mr Marshall added those who have visited exposure sites or had not been fully vaccinated may still face mandatory quarantine. Visitors would still need to be tested for Covid-19 with restrictions in place including caps on gatherings and density limits. Chief Minister Andrew Barr says travel to Sydney and the NSW south coast is likely to be possible for Canberrans by November (pictured, Sydney International Airport) ACT While ACT residents are still not able to enter NSW unless for essential reasons, Chief Minister Andrew Barr says travel to Sydney and the NSW south coast is likely to be possible by November. Travel restrictions for Canberrans going into NSW are expected to be in place by that point for only high-risk local government areas. The ACT is also on track to have 99 per cent of its eligible population fully-vaccinated, and is expected to reach the milestone by the end of November. Interstate border restrictions are due to be eased in November when 80 per cent of the eligible population will be fully-vaccinated (pictured, Uluru in the Northern Territory) Northern Territory Interstate border restrictions are due to be eased in November when 80 per cent of the eligible population will be fully-vaccinated. The NT will them move to a 'traffic light' system for interstate hotspots with less quarantine restrictions for fully-vaccinated travellers. Travellers from 'red' zones would be able to quarantine at home instead of in a facility, with those from an 'orange' zone required to self-isolate until they return a negative test. International arrivals will still face strict Covid-19 protocols if they arrive in the Northern Territory. The biological father of missing four-year-old girl Cleo Smith has spent nearly three in a police station 1,000km from where she went missing after being asked to give a statement. It's been three days since the child vanished from a remote campsite in Western Australia and so far there are no signs of what happened to the little girl, despite an exhaustive land, sea and air search. Seven News reported that Daniel Staines was at work before he was asked to come into Mandurah Police Station, 1,000km south of where Cleo vanished, to give a statement. He did so willingly with his parents by his side and there is no suggestion he has anything to do with his daughter's disappearance. Daniel Staines (right) went to Mandurah Police Station to give a statement about his daughter's disappearance Cleo Smith (pictured) was last seen at about 1:30am by her parents after an 'interaction' but when they woke up at 6am she was nowhere to been seen The child was last seen at about 1:30am by her mother Ellie Smith in bright pink pyjamas about 1.30am on Saturday inside their shared tent at Blowholes campsite, north of Carnarvon. Cleo's parents had an 'interaction' with the youngster in the middle of the night, but she was nowhere to be seen when they woke up at 6am and her grey and red sleeping back was also missing. Detectives have not ruled out anything in relation to her disappearance - and are exploring theories she may have been abducted, as marine search teams are scaled back after almost 72 hours scouring the water. Police are urging anyone who was in the area from Friday all the way through to Sunday, to try and remember if they may have seen anything unusual or suspicious. Cleo Smith, four, was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday at the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia Police have released an image of Cleo's sleeping bag and are urging members of the public to come forward if they have seen it Detectives have not ruled out anything in relation to her disappearance - and are exploring theories she may have been abducted 'We are really interested in anybody who was at The Blowholes campsite from Friday the 15th of October through to Sunday,' Inspector John Munday who is leading the police search told reporters on Monday. 'You don't even have to have stayed here, even if you just passed through. We need to speak to you... so we can track and trace where people were. 'And if anybody has any dashcam footage or any footage at all of the area we really would be interested in those people coming forward.' Authorities have also released aerial footage of the campsite as they combed through the remote bushland in search of the missing girl amid growing fears the child may have been snatched. The camp ground is located 75km from Carnarvon and 875km from Perth with nothing but bushland and scrubs in between. The recreation site is bordered by the ocean on one side and desolate, rugged terrain on the other. A desperate search for a missing four-year-old girl has entered its third day with police releasing footage of the remote campsite (pictured) where she disappeared Police are probing all possibilities of Cleo's mystery disappearance - including kidnapping - and have been scouring bushland and stopping cars and caravans in search of the missing girl One of the theories was that young Cleo may have wandered off towards the water and was washed away by the rising tide. But exhaustive marine searches have so far found no evidence she entered the water. 'The searches we have done for this marine environment are the best we can get and they have done the best they can and in that environment we haven't found any sign of Cleo,' Inspector Munday said. 'And that marine search has been scaled back at this time.' Police are continuing to probe the possibility that Cleo was abducted, with officers stopping cars and caravans to search the vehicles over the weekend and seizing CCTV footage from nearby roadhouses as part of the investigation. Detectives from the homicide squad have also been called into to scour the scene. Locals have been told to check garbage bins and roadsides for the grey and red sleeping bag used by Cleo at the time she went missing. Cleo Smith, four, was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday at the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia (pictured, the campsite Cleo went missing from) Marine searches for Cleo (pictured) have been scaled back after three days Cleo Smith went missing while camping with her family at the Blowholes campsite near Carnarvon in Western Australia (pictured, four-year-old Cleo left with mum Ellie) The young girl was last seen wearing pink one-piece pyjamas with a blue and yellow pattern when she was last seen. A full scale search took place on Saturday and began again from first light on Sunday and will continue for the next 48 hours at least. The crews consisted of land, air and sea teams searching the coastline in and around campgrounds nearby where the family was staying. Posters have also been put up at roadhouses within a 1,000km radius of the campsite and police are poring over dash camera footage and CCTV footage from the area. Gabby Petito's grief-stricken mother said she wants 'coward' Brian Laundrie to spend the rest of his life 'in a cell' in an interview that aired on Sunday as she returned from collecting her murdered daughter's ashes in Wyoming. Nichole Schmidt made the comments during an interview with 60 Minutes Australia that aired on Sunday, as she and her husband Jim returned to their home in Long Island after retrieving her daughter's ashes. DailyMail.com exclusively obtained pictures of the pair leaving the Jackson mortuary where Gabby's remains were being held, along with Gabby's father Joseph. Gabby, 22, was found dead in Wyoming near the truck where she and Laundrie were using to tour the country. He remains on the run with a federal warrant out for his arrest, presumably hiding in a Florida reserve, awaiting arrest for her murder. Schmidt said she and her husband thought Gabby would be safe with Laundrie when they embarked on the trip. Now, she sees him as a cold-blooded killer who is being protected by his parents, who still refuse to talk to them. 'Silence speaks volumes. I believe they know most of the information. I would love to just face to face ask, "Why are you doing this? Just tell me the truth." 'He's a coward. I don't want to say hes insane because he went home, hes hiding, he used her credit card. That's not somebody whos gone crazy. 'He knows what he is doing, he knew what he was doing. I just want to get him in a cell for the rest of his life.' Jim, her husband, added: 'We want vengeance. And justice.' An autopsy revealed last week that Gabby had been strangled. Her mother said she hopes she did not suffer or feel 'any pain.' 'I hope she didn't suffer and that she wasn't in any pain. That she was in a place she wanted to be, looking at the beautiful mountains. This was evil. She was taken at somebody else's hand. It's not fair.' Scroll down for video Nichole Schmidt, Gabby Petito's mother, with her husband Jim in an interview on 60 Minutes Australia that aired on Sunday About a week after Petito was reported missing, Laundrie also disappeared. Police aren't sure whether the 23-year-old - the only person of interest in the case - is dead or in hiding Jim, Gabby's stepfather, angrily reacted to Brian being labeled 'missing' and said his family haven't done enough to try to find him. 'Change missing to hiding. Gabby was missing. There's a lot of other people out there missing. He's hiding. We were up every day and every night until we found Gabby. 'Are the people that love him doing the same for him? If not, then why not? If they were, maybe he would have been found by now.' Nicole told how Brian and Gabby had become engaged 'quickly' after meeting and that she thought he would take care of him. 'Nobody expects anything like this to happen let alone the attention it's gotten. It's very surreal. 'It's almost like you're on the outside, looking in. 'It happened pretty quickly. He was quiet, polite. He would read books to my little one at night before bed. He just seemed like a nice guy.' She said she was worried about the trip initially but thought Laundrie would take care of her daughter. 'I worried. I told her to be careful, be safe, make sure to be aware of your surroundings, don't trust everybody but I felt safe because she was with Brian and felt like she would be OK. 'I thought he would take care of her.' Gabby's father Joseph said his last words to her were 'I love you.' She said the same back to him She said it was 'hard to watch' police bodycam footage of the pair being interviewed by Utah police officers after a domestic fight on August 12th, two weeks before Gabby was last seen alive. Witnesses had watched Brian 'punch' Gabby and called the cops. When they arrived, they determined Gabby had been the aggressor. They separated the couple for the night. 'It's just hard to watch. I wanted to jump through the screen and rescue her. It's a shame that it ended the way it did. It makes me sad. I saw a young girl that needed someone to just hug her and keep her safe. I just felt so bad for her. I wish that she reached out to me,' Nicole said. Gabby's father Joseph said he thought the pair were happy, as everyone else in the family did. 'Outside looking in, she did look happy but as we look more into this it might not have been as great as people online perceived,' he said. Gabby's father Joseph Petito retrieved the white boxes containing her ashes from th the ashes from Valley Mortuary in Jackson, Wyoming Nichole is shown in Wyoming over the weekend, collecting Gabby's ashes. Jim and Nichole stop to look at Elk grazing with their attorney Richard Stafford. It is near where Gabby's body was found Petito was discovered dead September 19 in Wyomings Grand Teton National Park, months after she and Laundrie embarked on a cross-country trip in their Ford Transit camper van - eight days after her family reported her missing and 22 days after the last reported sighting of her alive on August 27. She was strangled and was likely killed three to four weeks before her body was discovered, a coroner said, ruling her death a homicide. Her fiance returned from the trip alone on September 1 and refused to say what became of his partner. 'I was worried probably day four and five. I was texting her every day anyway but I wasn't getting responses. By day six, seven, I was checking her social media and I didn't see any activity. I started calling her dad and talking to Jim. I was like, "I'm worried." It's not like her,' Nicole said. She contacted Brian and his family but no one replied. On September 11, she reported her missing. She later found out that Brian had returned home to Florida without her. 'The night of the 11th when the detective came to my door to let me know the van was in Florida with him. She also let me know that he had obtained a lawyer. I almost fell on the ground. I was just like, "where's Gabby?" I just went to shock. I knew something was wrong,' Nicole said. Petito was reported missing after Laundrie returned from a cross-country trip without her Before she was slain, her mom (pictured at left with Petito's stepfather James Schmidt) said Laundrie 'seemed like a nice guy.' Her impression of him changed after Petito disappeared Petito and Laundrie began their road trip in June and lived in this Ford Transit camper van Laundrie the only person of interest in the case is now missing, and police arent sure whether hes hiding or dead. His parents reported him missing after September 17, claiming he failed to return home from a hike. They steered investigators toward the alligator-infested, 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota, Florida. Investigators spent more than $1million scouring the area for Laundrie, but didnt find him. The FBI issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie last month after alleging he used a Capitol One Bank debit card that wasnt his. The agency said Laundrie is wanted for 'use of unauthorized access device' related to his activities between August 30 and September 1, following Petito's death, and that he used the card to obtain items totaling $1,000 or more. Advertisement Colin Powell, the first black Secretary of State who formulated foreign policy under several presidents, died Monday morning at the age of 84 of complications from COVID. The Pentagon powerhouse who served as a soldier in Vietnam and went on to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was fully vaccinated and battling blood cancer and Parkinson's when he passed away at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland, according to his family. Retired Four-Star General Powell, who was also suffering from Parkinson's, is survived by his wife of 59 years, Alma, and three children, and has a celebrated career that saw him rise up the military ranks after growing up in a Jamaican immigrant family in Harlem. Alma Powell also had a breakthrough case of COVID but responded to treatment, according to reports. President Joe Biden released a statement shortly after noon on Monday, four hours after his death was announced, commending Powell as having 'the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat' and commemorating his humble beginnings. He also ordered all US flags across government buildings and military posts nationwide to fly half staff until October 22. 'Jill and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity, General Colin Powell,' Biden said. 'The son of immigrants, born in New York City, raised in Harlem and the South Bronx, a graduate of the City College of New York, he rose to the highest ranks of the United States military and to advise four presidents. He believed in the promise of America because he lived it. And he devoted much of his life to making that promise a reality for so many others.' 'As a Senator, I worked closely with him when he served as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and as Secretary of State. Over our many years working together even in disagreement Colin was always someone who gave you his best and treated you with respect.' The first black Secretary of State, Colin Powell (left), died Monday at the age of 84 due to complications from COVID-19. He is leaving behind his wife, Alma (right), who also had a breakthrough case of coronavirus Powell is survived by his wife Alma (pictured) and three children Michael, Linda and Annemarie. He and Alma met while Powell was stationed in Fort Devens, Massachusetts and got married in 1962 He listed off Powell's numerous accomplishments both on and off the battlefield, adding: 'Above all, Colin was my friend. Easy to share a laugh with. A trusted confidant in good and hard times. He could drive his Corvette Stingray like nobodys businesssomething I learned firsthand on the race track when I was Vice President. And I am forever grateful for his support of my candidacy for president and for our shared battle for the soul of the nation. I will miss being able to call on his wisdom in the future.' Vice President Kamala Harris also commended Powell on his trailblazing career as the first black Joint Chiefs chair, Secretary of State and national security adviser. 'What an incredible American. He obviously served with dignity, he served with grace. He was the epitome of what it means to be strong, but at the same time, so modest in terms of everything that he did and said, in a way that it was never about him and it's about the country, and it was about the people who served with him,' Harris told reporters aboard Air Force 2. 'Every step of the way, when he filled those roles, he was - by everything he did and the way he did it - inspiring so many people.' Powell's family confirmed his death in a statement on Facebook, but didn't mention whether he had received a booster shot. It's also unclear when he was diagnosed with COVID or how long he was hospitalized for, but he had previously been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that impacts the body's ability to fight infections. 'General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from COVID', his family's statement said. 'He was fully vaccinated. We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American.' He served under several Republican administrations including for Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. Former Presidents Bush and Carter, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also led tributes from around the world to the larger-than-life figure, who rose from modest means to oversee some of the most significant foreign policy shifts across the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The American flag flies at half-staff above the White House to honor the late Secretary of State Colin Powell American flags across the country are flying half staff on Monday to honor Powell's passing. Joe Biden ordered them to stay at half mast until sunset on October 22 The retired four-star general's decades-long legacy was marred by a 2003 speech to the United Nations Security Council in which he claimed Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. 'Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of Colin Powell', they said in a joint statement. 'He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam. 'Many Presidents relied on General Powell's counsel and experience. He was National Security Adviser under President Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under my father and President Clinton, and Secretary of State during my administration. 'He was such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom - twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. 'And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend.' The oldest living former president, Jimmy Carter, 97, also expressed his condolences for his former staffer. 'A true patriot and public servant, we were honored to work beside him to strengthen communities in the United States, help resolve conflict in Haiti, and observe elections in Jamaica,' Carter released in a statement. 'His courage and integrity will be an inspiration for generations to come.' Powell served in Carter's Democratic administration as an executive assistant in the Energy and Defense Departments. His first senior White House role came when Ronald Reagan appointed him to be his national security adviser. The Reagan Foundation released a statement on Monday declaring Powell's life to be emblematic of the 'American Dream.' Doctors explain why former Secretary of State Colin Powell's blood cancer and Parkinson's disease increased his risk of death from COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated By Mary Kekatos U.S. Health Editor for DailyMail.com Former Secretary of State Colin Powell died from complications of COVID-19 on Monday. The death was a shock considering that Powell had been fully vaccinated against Covid, his family said in a statement. However, the 84-year-old, who spent four decades in public service, was severely immunocompromised, having been treated for multiple myeloma - a cancer of white blood cells in bone marrow - and suffering from Parkinson's disease. Doctors say that despite Powell's breakthrough infection that resulted in his death, cases such as these are quite rare. They explained to DailyMail.com why his conditions put him at increased risk of death and why it doesn't mean that COVID-19 vaccines are ineffective. , COVID-19 deaths among the fully vaccinated are uncommon with just 0.003 percent of 187 million people dying of the virus as of Monday, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show. But people with cancer have an increased risk of becoming severely ill and dying from COVID-19, even if they are fully vaccinated. A spokeswoman said Powell had successfully undergone treatment for multiple myeloma. 'Among breakthrough infections, the majority of these are among immunocompromised,' said Dr Ali Mokdad, an epidemiologist with the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation told DailyMail.com. '[Powell is] one of those people that the vaccine alone cannot produce immunity for him.' A CDC report in August found that between 40 and 44 percent of people hospitalized with breakthrough infections of COVID-19 are immunocompromised despite making up only three percent of the U.S. population, Those with hematologic cancers - related to the bone marrow, immune system, and other blood-related tissues like Powell had - are at especially high risk. Hematologic cancer patients tend to have defective immune systems. In other words, these patients' bodies aren't able to produce antibodies and fight off disease in the way that they should be. Plus, some of the common treatments for these cancers can exacerbate immune system defects - targeting B cells (which fight viruses) and other parts of the system. This prevents the immune system from being able to mount a full response to vaccination. One Israeli study from May found that 10 percent of cancer patients who got two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine did not develop a high level of antibodies compared to everyone in a group of healthy patients. And another July study found only 45 patients wih active multiple myeloma 'developed an adequate response' after getting either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. 'Conditions and medications that compromise the function of B cells (such as myeloma) that produce antibodies appear to carry special risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19,' said Dr Stuart Ray, a professor of medicine from Johns Hopkins University told DailyMail.com. But Powell had another condition that weakened his immune system: Parkinson's disease, a central nervous system disorder that affects movement, often including tremors. Studies have found that the loss of brain neurons in Parkinson's could be due to an attack by the person's own immune system. The doctors say that, despite waning efficacy of the vaccines against infection, they are still highly effective against severe disease and death. 'The message isn't that someone got the vaccine and died, but that there are people in the society that need to be protected by us getting the vaccine,' Mokdad said. 'He got COVID-19 because someone around him was not vaccinated, not wearing a mask or not paying attention.' The experts recommend that immunocompromised people get boosters as soon as possible, as seen with other popular vaccines, to shore up protection. 'Vaccine dosing that generates high and sustained protective immunity, similar to the zero, one, and sox month dosing we've used for decades to provide sustained protection against hepatitis B virus infection, seems to provide the highest level of protection particularly for those at highest risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and/or complications of COVID-19. Advertisement A young 1950s Powell shown on left, and on right the most recent image of Powell on September 11, 2021 coming off the stage at the Kennedy Center after speaking at a 9/11 Commemoration concert featuring the National Symphony Orchestra and the United States Marine Band Powell's family announced his death on Facebook Monday morning. They said he was fully vaccinated against coronavirus Powell (second right) poses with his wife Alma (right) and three children Linda, Michael and Annemarie at the White House after being appointed as National Security Advisor to Ronald Reagan in 1987 Linda Powell, one of Powell's daughters, posted this touching family tribute to Instagram after her trailblazing dad's death It also credited Powell for helping Reagan bring an end to the Cold War. 'With sadness, the Reagan Foundation joins the American people in mourning the loss of Gen. Colin Powell. His life story was, in many respects, a reflection of the American Dream: Raised in the South Bronx as the son of hard-working immigrants, he rose to the highest reaches of our nation's military and political leadership,' the late president's foundation wrote. 'His wise counsel was indispensable to many of President Reagan's foreign policy triumphs - most significantly, bringing a peaceful end to the Cold War. 'President Reagan trusted Colin Powell for his sound and honest advice on what was right for the country. He often shared with friends that he hoped one day Colin Powell would run for president and that, if he did, he would proudly vote for him. Colin Powell and his battle with myeloma, the blood cancer that devastates the body's ability to produce antibodies to fight infection Before his death former Secretary of State Colin Powell had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that suppresses the immune system and prevents the production of antibodies. He was fully vaccinated, but even the immunocompromised are at greater risk if they contract COVID. While immunocompromised people, like Powell, had first access to the COVID-19 booster shot, it is unclear if had received his. In a study published in July, researchers found that just 45 percent of those with active multiple myeloma 'developed an adequate response' after receiving either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, immunocompromised individuals make up 40-44 per cent of hospitalized coronavirus breakthrough cases. Multiple myeloma is a cancer that begins to form in bone marrow. While plasma cells ordinary help the body fight infection, in people with multiple myeloma the cells that live inside soft marrow rapidly develop to cause tumors in hard marrow. As it causes the tough bone to weaken it makes it difficult to develop good blood cells and platelets. There is no known cure for the form of blood cancer. As COVID vaccines became mainstream in the spring, a study found that 1 in 10 cancer patients did not produce high enough levels of antibodies after the second dose meaning the vaccine is less effective in cancer patients. Approximately 30,000 African Americans are diagnosed with multiple myeloma each year. Black people are twice more likely to develop the disease than white people. Some medical experts believe that occupational exposure can play a part in developing the disease. Sufferers with jobs that expose people to petroleum, herbicides, heavy metals and an extensive list of other things have a higher likelihood or developing the blood cancer. Most people who suffer from the disease 96 oer cent are over 45 years old. People over the age of 65 make up 63 per cent of the group. Men are also more likely to have multiple myeloma. Those with a family history of it are four times more at risk and people considered obese are also at higher risk. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) has also been linked. While MGUS the development of abnormal monoclonal protein produced by white blood cells - can be considered unproblematic, some have linked it to multiple myeloma. Strong cancer treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy, stem cell transplants and various drugs can help those living with multiple myeloma live a longer life. Complications can include anemia, kidney failure, dangerously high levels of calcium in the blood, organ infection and fractures or a loss of movement. Advertisement 'Today, the Reagan Foundation is grateful for Gen. Powell's extraordinary service, and we extend our deepest condolences to Alma and his family at this difficult time.' The four star general was the first black secretary of State and to this day is the only black man to ever serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He served under several Republican administrations including for Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. Also, from 1991-1993, he served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Bill Clinton after being appointed to the post halfway through Bush Sr's tenure. 'Colin Powell was a courageous soldier, a skilled commander, a dedicated diplomat, and a good and decent man. The son of immigrants, he rose to the top levels of military, civilian, and non-governmental service through intelligence, character, and the ability to see the big picture and attend to the smallest details,' Clinton said through his spokesman Angel Urena. 'He lived the promise of America, and spent a lifetime working to help our country, especially our young people, live up to its own ideals and noblest aspirations at home and around the world. Hillary and I send our condolences to Alma, Michael, Linda, Annemarie, the entire Powell family, and all the people whose lives he touched through his service and example.' Former President Barack Obama also weighed in, calling Powell 'an exemplary soldier and an exemplary patriot.' 'And although he'd be the first to acknowledge that he didn't get every call right, his actions reflected what he believed was best for America and the people he served.' On a personal level, Obama stated he was 'deeply appreciative' that Powell not only endorsed him in 2008 but 'what impressed me more was how he did it.' 'At a time when conspiracy theories were swirling, with some questioning my faith, General Powell took the opportunity to get to the heart of the matter in a way only he could.' He recalled a time Powell corrected someone on Obama's religious faith, and added, 'What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president?' Obama continued on to say 'That's who Colin Powell was.' Current Secretary of State Antony Blinken memorialized his Republican predecessor in a televised address late Monday morning. Blinken said he was a 'huge admirer' of Powell's and said the late general was always 'very generous' with him. 'Secretary Powell was, simply and completely, a leader and he knew how to build a strong and united team. He treated people the way he expected them to treat each other and made sure that they knew he would always have their back - the result was that his people would walk through walls for him,' Blinken said. Blinken credited Powell for modernizing the State Department, working to shift American focus to diplomacy-based solutions rather than military might and establishing the Powell Doctrine for military use-of-force. 'Colin Powell dedicated his life to public service because he never stopped believing in America, and we believe in America in no small part because it helped produce someone like Colin Powell. Thank you, Mr. Secretary,' he concluded. 'The world lost one of the greatest leaders we have ever witnessed,' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said when speaking of Powell's passing on Monday. 'Alma lost a great husband. And I lost a tremendous personal friend & mentor. He has been my mentor for a number of years. He always made time for me.' 'And I can always go to him with tough issues, he always had great, great counsel,' Biden's top civilian military leader continued. Austin paid tribute to the 'first African American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, first African American Secretary of State, a man who was respected around the globe.' 'It will be, quite frankly, it is not possible to replace him,' he said. 'We will miss him. Again, my thoughts & prayers go out to the family. And we're deeply, deeply saddened to learn with this.' Austin added that he feels 'as if I have a hole in my heart.' Despite being a lifelong Republican, Powell said in June 2020 that he was planning to vote for Joe Biden because Trump 'drifted away' from the Constitution and was turned off by the president's inclination to insult 'anybody who dares to speak against him'. Trump responded to the criticism in a tweet at the time saying: 'Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden.' Powell praised other retired generals who denounced the then-president specifically in response to the protests that precipitated after the death of George Floyd. 'I think what we're seeing now with the most massive protest movement I have ever seen in my life, I think it suggests that the country is getting wise to this and we're not going to put up with it anymore,' Powell told CNN at the time. Powell was born to Jamaican immigrants in New York City and raised in the South Bronx, according to his biography. He first joined the military as part of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) during college and went on to serve as an Army lieutenant after graduation. 'He believed in the promise of America because he lived it': Joe Biden's statement on the passing of 'warrior and diplomat' Colin Powell Jill and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity, General Colin Powell. The son of immigrants, born in New York City, raised in Harlem and the South Bronx, a graduate of the City College of New York, he rose to the highest ranks of the United States military and to advise four presidents. He believed in the promise of America because he lived it. And he devoted much of his life to making that promise a reality for so many others. As a Senator, I worked closely with him when he served as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and as Secretary of State. Over our many years working together even in disagreement Colin was always someone who gave you his best and treated you with respect. Colin embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat. He was committed to our nations strength and security above all. Having fought in wars, he understood better than anyone that military might alone was not enough to maintain our peace and prosperity. From his front-seat view of history, advising presidents and shaping our nations policies, Colin led with his personal commitment to the democratic values that make our country strong. Time and again, he put country before self, before party, before all elsein uniform and outand it earned him the universal respect of the American people. Having repeatedly broken racial barriers, blazing a trail for others to follow in Federal Government service, Colin was committed throughout his life to investing in the next generation of leadership. Whether through his care for the women and men serving under his command and the diplomats he led, or through the work he shared with his wife Alma at the Americas Promise Alliance to lift up young people, or through his years leading the Eisenhower Fellowships, Colins leadership always included a focus on future. Above all, Colin was my friend. Easy to share a laugh with. A trusted confidant in good and hard times. He could drive his Corvette Stingray like nobodys businesssomething I learned firsthand on the race track when I was Vice President. And I am forever grateful for his support of my candidacy for president and for our shared battle for the soul of the nation. I will miss being able to call on his wisdom in the future. Jill and I are sending all our love and strength to Alma, their children, Linda, Annemarie, and Michael, their grandchildren, and the entire Powell family. Our nation mourns with you. Colin Powell was a good man. He will be remembered as one of our great Americans. Advertisement Politicians and pundits were taken back by the seemingly sudden death. Rudy Giuliani, former New York City Mayor and personal attorney to Trump, tweeted: 'Colin Powell was a great American and a good friend.' 'I was one of a small, but determined group, that urged him to run for President in 1996,' he added. 'What if???' Former Vice President Dick Cheney, whose years-long and sometimes strained relationship with Powell survived both Bush administrations, said he was 'fortunate' to have worked with the late Republican. 'I'm deeply saddened to learn that America has lost a leader and statesman. General Powell had a remarkably distinguished career, and I was fortunate to work with him. He was a man who loved his country and served her long and well,' Cheney wrote in a statement released by his daughter, GOP Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney. 'Working with him during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, I saw first-hand General Powell's dedication to the United States and his commitment to the brave and selfless men and women who serve our country in uniform. Colin was a trailblazer and role model for so many: the son of immigrants who rose to become National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and Secretary of State. 'Lynn and I extend our prayers and profound condolences to his wife, Alma, and to their children. His legacy and unparalleled record of service will never be forgotten.' Richard Grenell, the former Acting Director of National Intelligence under Trump, tweeted: 'Thank you for your service, former Secretary of State Colin Powell. RIP. And a sincere thank you to your family for their sacrifices, too.' GOP Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a fellow military veteran, wished Powell's family well and called the late general 'legendary.' 'I was surprised and saddened to hear of the passing of one of the great American leaders of any time, General Colin Powell. His service to our nation was legendary on so many fronts,' Graham wrote in a series of Twitter posts. 'General Powell cared deeply about the men and women of the State Department. He is noted as a great military leader, justifiably so, but he also had a passion for diplomacy and the benefits of avoiding war by stabilizing troubled regions.' 'The men and women of the foreign service never had a better champion. My prayers are with his family and many friends in the days ahead.' Powell served as secretary of State under President George W. Bush from 2001-2005 (pictured with Bush in the Rose Garden less than two weeks after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks) Powell was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. To this day he is the only black man to have ever held that post (pictured at a press conference with Clinton in September 1994) Powell got his first senior White House gig when Ronald Reagan named him as his national security adviser (pictured on Thursday, November 5, 1987 in Washington for outgoing Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger) Powell speaks with then-President Barack Obama in the Oval Office on December 1, 2010 Among the many awards Powell earned over the years was the Presidential Medal of Freedom - twice. Here First Lady Barbara Bush fastens the Medal around Powell's neck as then-President George H. W. Bush watches in 1991 Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah also weight in. 'Today, the nation lost a man of undaunted courage and a champion of character,' he tweeted. 'A statesmen & trailblazer, devoted to America and the cause of liberty, Colin Powell's legacy of service & honor will long inspire.' 'Ann & I offer our love & sincere condolences to Alma and his family.' House Republican leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California said: Colin Powell leaves behind a distinguished legacy of service. He will be remembered as a man dedicated to country who broke barriers and led an impressive decades-long career serving our nation. We pray for the Powell family as they mourn his loss.' Senator Ted Cruz lauded Powell's civilian and military achievements and wished his family well. 'Heidi and I send our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of General Colin Powell during this time of mourning. As our nations first African American Secretary of State, Powells life was as historic as it was extraordinary,' Cruz wrote on Twitter. 'In his tenure as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff & throughout his remarkable career, General Powell dedicated his life to the defense & security of our nation. We'll always remember the life & contributions of such a distinguished public servant & a proud American soldier.' Democratic lawmakers also chimed in to thank Powell for his lifetime of service. Progressive Rep. Maxine Waters of California wrote on Twitter, 'Colin Powell served as a four-star Army general, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, & Secretary of State. He was a highly accomplished individual who made so many people in this country proud, especially those of us in the Black community. May he rest in peace.' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: 'Today, the nation has lost an historic leader who dedicated his life to defending our nation and our families.' 'The sad loss of Colin Powell is another sad indication of the devastating toll that the coronavirus continues to take on our country. As we pray for the General Powells loved ones, we pray for the families of the nearly 725,000 Americans who have been taken from us by this vicious virus.' Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who like Powell was born and raised in New York, highlighted Powell's modest beginnings in a Twitter tribute. 'Colin Powell was born in Harlem, raised in the South Bronx, a product of NYC public schools and CUNY. And he became the first African American to be head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and to be Secretary of State. My thoughts are with his wife Alma and his whole family,' Schumer wrote. Stacey Abrams, the first black woman from a major political party to run for governor of Georgia, tweeted: 'Godspeed to Secretary Colin Powell who led with integrity, admitted fallibility and defended democracy. Deepest condolences to his loved ones and friends.' Powell started his military tenure in the Vietnam War. This photo from 1986 shows him and wife Alma during a farewell ceremony in Frankfurt when Powell was a Lieutenant General Powell is sworn in as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney (left) in 1989 Powell demonstrating on a map of downtown Baghdad in a 1993 press conference in Iraq. He had continued to serve as Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair under the Clinton administration for nearly Clinton's entire first year Then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Colin Powell talks with a soldier who has stomach problems while visiting the Air Transportable Hospital in Saudi Arabia in September 1990 'My condolences to the family of Colin Powell,' the Reverend Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader, tweeted. 'Though we disagreed on many issues, I always respected him and was proud of his achievements,' the liberal added. 'When he and I ran into each other and conversed, I always left feeling he was a sincere and committed man to what he believed in.' New York State Attorney General Letitia James tweeted: 'General Colin Powell was a proud New Yorker and City College graduate who always put his country first.' 'Colin Powell will be missed, and my condolences go to his family and loved ones,' she added. 'May he rest in peace.' Former Bush Jr. official Robert Charles also responded on Fox Monday morning: 'He was ever a listener but he is honest as the day is long. This is a man who was his own man and a great leader.' 'We won't see the likes of Colin Powell again for a long time,' he added. Christine Todd Whitman, who served alongside Powell as a Cabinet secretary in the George W. Bush administration, tweeted: 'I'm heartbroken. #ColinPowell was a wonderful person, public servant and friend.' 'We did so much together in our various roles that it's hard to imagine not seeing him again,' said Whitman, a former governor of New Jersey. 'My prayers go out to Alma, his family, and to all whose lives he touched,' she added. 'Rest In Peace, friend.' 'This is hitting me hard,' wrote Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Jaime Harrison. The former candidate for a Senate seat in South Carolina added: 'Colin Powell was a statesman who put his country & family above all else.' 'As a young Black man, he inspired me & showed that there are no limits to what we can be or achieve,' Harrison tweeted. 'Sending my prayers to his family.' A missing woman, 29, who had been 'acting strangely' was found dead in a police van three weeks after she disappeared. Surveillance footage captured Christina Nance climbing inside the retired van, parked outside the busy Huntsville Police Department headquarters, in Alabama, on September 25. Video showed her acting strangely, laying in the nearby bushes, lounging on top of a cop car, and checking other vehicles, before popping open the window of the police van, and climbing inside. But the prisoner transport van, which had not been used since March, could not be opened from the inside. Surveillance footage from the municipal lot shows Nance moving around inside the vehicle, and opening and closing windows for three days after she climbed inside. Then, she goes still. Her body was discovered on October 2, 12 days after she first climbed in. A police officer had finally spotted Nance's shoes, which she had taken off and left outside the vehicle, and opened the van. Her family reported her missing on October 2, Huntsville Police said. Footage from the municipal lot in Huntsville (pictured) shows a figure that they said is Christina Nance, 29, slowly walking about for ten minutes around 12.39 pm, laying in the bushes, approaching other vehicles and sitting on the hood of another police car before she gets into the van where her body was found 'Cars go by, people walk nearby the van,' said Deputy Chief Dewayne McCarver. 'We just wish that she would have hollered out to someone or something, because unfortunately there were what we see as potential opportunities for this not to be a tragedy - and unfortunately, no one was able to realize that she was in that van' Footage from the municipal lot in Huntsville, released by police, shows a figure that they said is Christina Nance, 29 (pictured), slowly walking about for ten minutes around 12.39 pm, laying in the bushes, approaching other vehicles and sitting on the hood of the car where her body was found 'Cars go by, people walk nearby the van,' said Deputy Chief Dewayne McCarver. 'We just wish that she would have hollered out to someone or something, because unfortunately there were what we see as potential opportunities for this not to be a tragedy - and unfortunately, no one was able to realize that she was in that van.' The department has come under scrutiny as advocates and Nance's family question how she went undetected for 12 days in the official car parked in the heavily-trafficked lot. Police said they are treating the case as a criminal investigation. Last Friday, footage of Nance's last moment in the parking lot were shared at a press conference - until then, advocates had pressed the department for the release of the video. McCarver said that authorities, even with the footage, 'have no idea of knowing what her state of mind was, what is going on there.' The department had been 'working with' Nance's family for over a year via their Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), a program through which first responders handle crisis calls involving people with a mental health condition - the team, McCarver said, 'knew [Nance] pretty well.' The vehicle, which had not been used since March, was once used to transport prisoners and could not be opened from the inside. The surveillance footage shows movement in the car and its windows being opened until September 28. 'They have worked with her in the past to provide resources and different things,' he said. 'We are familiar with her - very familiar with her.' An initial assessment conducted by Dr. Tyler Berryhill of the Madison County Coroner shows no signs of foul play or bodily trauma; a full autopsy and toxicology report are scheduled for the coming weeks. Nance's family, however, said they plan to conduct a private autopsy of their own, and have retained famous civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to represent them. The details, they said, just 'don't add up.' 'The video was not clear enough to indicate that that was our sister Christina Nance,' said Whitney Nance. 'It was just very heartbreaking to know that we didn't get the clarification that we really needed, that we wanted.' 'I was very confused,' said Nance's other sister, Latusha, in an interview with FOX 54. 'Like, Im thinking, yall calling us down to show us some footage, I was thinking everything was gonna be clear, there was going to be some clearer indication of how she died. I dont know if that was my sister.' 'I was very confused,' said Nance's other sister, Latusha (pictured), in an interview with FOX 54. 'Like, Im thinking, yall calling us down to show us some footage, I was thinking everything was gonna be clear, there was going to be some clearer indication of how she died. I dont know if that was my sister' The department has come under scrutiny as advocates and Nance's family question how she went undetected for 12 days in the official car parked in the heavily-trafficked lot. Police said they are treating the case as a criminal investigation Nance's family said they plan to conduct a private autopsy of their own, and have retained famous civil rights lawyer Ben Crump (pictured) to represent them. The details, they said, just 'don't add up' Whitney Nance noted that the 'date... [and] the time was off' in the footage from the parking lot - although the timestamp on the video says 12.39 am - police said that the camera was set up incorrectly, and recording actually begins at 12.39 pm. Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels called for an independent autopsy on Friday, citing the peculiarities of Nance's death. 'In light of the many unanswered questions surrounding her death, there should be an independent autopsy and the investigation needs to be thorough and comprehensive,' he wrote. McCarver said at an October 15 press conference that Nance should not have been able to get into the unused police car in the first place - he said that all department vehicles, even ones that are out of commission, must be locked per their policy. 'It is an accountability issue on our part,' he said. 'The should not have happened. And now we have to look at that, and we have to make sure that we have things in place so that does not happen again.' Investigators said that they pored over two weeks of footage before spotting Nance. McCarver said that investigators were initially thrown off course when Nance's family gave the 'incorrect date' for when they last saw her. 'We worked our way back to the 27th, and then as we reviewed the video, we realized she was there, and we had to then start working our way back again,' McCarver said. Investigators said that they pored over two weeks of footage before spotting Nance. Deputy Chief Dewayne McCarver (pictured) said that investigators were initially thrown off course when Nance's family gave the 'incorrect date' for when they last saw her 'What happened to Christina Nance?!' tweeted attorney Crump on October 13. 'The 29-year-old was found deceased inside a police van at the Huntsville Police Department headquarters on Thursday, October 7. We will continue to pray for her family as they mourn & demand the TRUTH about her death!' The van where Nance died was purchased in 1995 and was repurposed for evidence transportation in 2000. It had not been used since March. Once the doors are closed, McCarver said, 'someone needs to let you out' of the back seat. 'What happened to Christina Nance?!' tweeted attorney Crump on October 13. 'The 29-year-old was found deceased inside a police van at the Huntsville Police Department headquarters on Thursday, October 7. We will continue to pray for her family as they mourn & demand the TRUTH about her death!' Nance's family described their deceased relative as a 'sweet, quiet person' who loved to sing and dance. Her sister Latusha recalled her last memory of her sister to WHNT: 'I just looked back at her and she was smiling,' she said. 'And I said 'Christina, why are you smiling like that?" and she just said "Oh, nothing. It's nothing." That's the last memory I have of my sister.' Neither Nance's family nor Crump's office could be reached by Dailymail.com at press time. Russia said on Monday it would halt the activities of its diplomatic mission to NATO after the Western military alliance expelled eight Russians in a row over spying. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that in return, staff at NATO's military mission in Moscow would be stripped of their accreditation from November 1, and that the alliance's information office in the Russian capital would be shuttered. 'We are suspending the work of our official mission to NATO, including the work of our military representative from November 1 or it could take a few more days,' Lavrov told reporters. In response, NATO said it had taken note of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's comments but had received no official communication on the issues raised. 'We have taken note of Minister Lavrov's comments to the media, however we have not received any official communication on the issues he raised,' a NATO spokesperson said later on Monday. Russia said on Monday it would halt the activities of its diplomatic mission to NATO after the Western military alliance expelled eight Russians in a row over spying. Pictured: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Lavrov said that Russia would also be ending the alliance's liaison mission - established in 2002 1 to improve understanding between NATO and Russia and hosted at the Belgian embassy - and information office in Moscow. The Russian mission isn't based at NATO's Brussels headquarters, but in a leafy neighbourhood in the south of the Belgian capital. The latest row comes after NATO said on October 6 it had expelled eight members of Russia's mission to the alliance who it said were 'undeclared Russian intelligence officers'. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the time that the decision to kick out the Russian representatives was not 'linked to any particular event' - but gave no more details over the move. Moscow said at the time that the expulsions undermined hopes that relations with the U.S.-led alliance could normalise. On Monday, Lavrov cited 'recent moves' by NATO, saying there were no longer 'basic conditions for common work.' 'NATO is not interested in equitable dialogue and joint work,' Lavrov said on Monday, announcing the closure of the Russian mission. 'If that's the case, then we don't see the need to keep pretending that changes in the foreseeable future are possible.' 'If NATO members have any urgent matters, they can contact our ambassador in Belgium on these questions,' he added. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in response that Russia's announcement had made a troubling situation even more difficult. 'It makes things more difficult and they were already difficult. Germany has sought, within NATO, for there to be a dialogue with Russia,' Maas told reporters after a meeting of European Union foreign ministers, adding Russia had previously signalled a willingness to talk. 'We must acknowledge more and more that Russia no longer seems to be (willing),' he continued. 'It's more than just regrettable, this decision taken in Moscow ... It will seriously damage the relationship.' Pictured: The NATO logo is seen on flags outside the alliance's headquarters in Brussels. In response to Russia's announcement, NATO said it had taken note of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's comments but had received no official communication on the issues raised Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that in return, staff at NATO's military mission in Moscow would be stripped of their accreditation from November 1, and that the alliance's information office in the Russian capital would be shuttered. Pictured: A security guard patrols outside a building that houses the NATO information office in Moscow on October 18, 2021 Russia has long had an observer mission to NATO as part of a two-decade-old NATO-Russia Council meant to promote cooperation in common security areas, but it is not a member of the US-led alliance. The Russian mission has been downsized once before, when seven of its members were ejected after the 2018 poisoning by the Novichok nerve agent on a Russian former double agent, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter in Britain. The dispute marks the latest deterioration in East-West ties that are already at post-Cold War lows. Russia accuses NATO of provocative activity close to its borders, and recently staged major exercises of its own. The alliance says it is determined to reinforce the security of member states close to Russia following Moscow's annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and backing for separatists in eastern Ukraine. Advertisement At least 100 self-proclaimed anarchists tore through Portland, setting dumpsters aflame, smashing windows and causing $500,000 in damage, but police stood idle because of a new state law that restricts how law enforcement can respond to riots. The city just reached the 'grim' milestone of 1,000 shootings through 2021 in what has been a year of destructive protests, violent street clashes and a police staffing crisis. Now police say a recently passed law ties their hands even further as it prohibits police from using crowd control techniques like pepper spray or tear gas. Instead, law enforcement agencies are told to rely on follow-up investigations to hold rioters accountable. Portland's latest round of violence broke out after a memorial for Sean Kealiher, an Antifa activist who was struck and killed by an SUV in October 2019 after getting in a fight with the driver at a bar earlier that night. Police have not made any arrests in connection to Kealiher's death, though his mother Laura believes they have identified the culprits, according to the Oregonian/Oregon Live. She organized last Tuesday's protest on Twitter, writing that it was 'not a peaceful event' and dubbing it 'a night of rage and anger.' Portland was rocked by a violent, 100-person protest last Tuesday night that caused $500,000 in damage Police stood idle as rioters destroyed the city, citing a new law that prevents law enforcement from using means of crowd control like pepper spray, tear gas or incapacitating projectiles Violence broke out after a memorial for Sean Kealiher, an Antifa activist who was struck and killed by an SUV in October 2019 after getting in a fight with the driver at a bar earlier that night There have not been any arrests made in connection to Kealiher's death his mother Laura blames police for not bringing her son's killer to justice. Kealiher is pictured above She delivered on her promise as police say 35 separate locations were targeted - including banks, retail stores, coffee shops, and government buildings. Beginning at 10pm, the mob ran amok through the streets and shattered windows, setting fires, spraying graffiti messages like 'anarchy means attack,' 'riots work,' and 'breaking windows is good.' 'The reason that we did not intervene goes back to what we talked about last month with House Bill 2928 and the restrictions placed on us in a crowd control environment,' Portland Police Lt. Jake Jensen said in a Pearl District Neighborhood Association meeting, as reported by KOIN. 'That's the way the legislature said we need to operate in a crowd control environment so that's how we're going to act in a crowd control environment.' House Bill 2928, whose chief sponsors are Democratic Representative Janelle Bynum and Republican Representative Ronald Noble, bans police from using force to respond to riots and charges any violations as second degree official misconduct. Jensen said, 'The fact of the matter is without being able to use pepper spray, without being able to use our 40 millimeter less lethal devices in that kind of environment really prevents us from having access to the tools that we need in large part to keep us safe.' Jensen added that the issue wouldn't be solved by adding officers, as many officers were at the scene of the riots last Tuesday and could not intervene. Residents frustrated by the violence last Tuesday questioned whether that meant anything goes now in Portland. 'Does that mean we are now like a lawless city? Anybody could come in and just bash around and do all the damage that they want without any repercussions whatsoever?' Linda Witt asked during the meeting with police. Jensen explained that rioters could only facer consequences retroactively and said, 'Well certainly not without any repercussions, the consequences are gonna come not on the night of, but through follow up investigation.' He added that they're looking for ways around the issue like using shields. 'The law clearly allows Portland Police to use effective tools necessary to control violent crowds,' House Minority Leader Christine Drazan told The Associated Press on Friday. 'However, activist attorneys are deliberately misinterpreting legislation to prevent police from intervening. They have no business putting law enforcement and community safety at risk.' She organized last Tuesday's protest on Twitter, writing that it was 'not a peaceful event' and dubbing it 'a night of rage and anger' Police say the law ties their hands as it prohibits them from using crowd control techniques like pepper spray or tear gas. Instead, law enforcement agencies are told to rely on follow-up investigations to hold rioters accountable Beginning at 10pm on Tuesday, the mob ran amok through the streets and shattered windows, setting fires, spraying graffiti messages like 'anarchy means attack,' 'riots work,' and 'breaking windows is good' The exception to the new law is when the circumstances constitute a riot and if the officer using the chemical incapacitant reasonably believes its use is necessary to stop and prevent more destructive behavior. Portland Police Sgt. Kevin Allen told the Associated Press that officers have been made aware of the 'potential implications' of the legislation and that its being analyzed by the city attorneys office. 'Until we have some clarity on the bill we have to follow the most restrictive interpretation of it,' Allen said. Authorities say although police did not directly intervene, officers did give direction to disperse over a loudspeaker and a Mobile Field Force moved in, at which point the crowd splintered. Portland has seen ongoing, often violent protests since the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. Some activists have complained that the police have been heavy handed in their response. In August, Mayor Ted Wheeler ordered local police officers to not intervene unless civilians were seriously getting hurt or a 'life safety emergency' occurred. This saw members aligned with the Proud Boys and Antifa fighting each other with paintball guns, bats and chemical sprays. One of the most intense of the frays centered on a conservative rally called the Summer of Love, where police ended up getting involved when the groups exchanged gunfire. Just two months earlier, Portland's 50-person riot squad resigned in response to the indictment of member Corey Budworth for assault during an incident in which he allegedly struck photographer Teri Jacobs in the head during a riot in August 2020. Jacobs says she was attacked despite carrying a press card. She was not charged with any crime, and received a $50,000 settlement from the City of Portland as a result of the baton strike. Cops have continued to insist she was part of a violent protest at the time in which rioters set a government building alight with a petrol bomb. In December 2020, Portland was also home to an 'autonomous zone', known as the 'Red House occupation' due to its location in a red foreclosed home, that had been been built by Antifa activists and other criminal agitators in North Portland. Similar to Seattle's 'Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone' (CHAZ), the Red House occupation scaled about two and a half blocks in which activists set up homemade booby traps, including spike strips, to keep police vehicles out from the area. There were stockpiles of weapons, Portland Police reported, and strategically placed piles of rocks around the interior and exterior for activists to use as weapons should police make an attempt at entry. There were guards protecting the zone, a stocked kitchen serving two free meals a day, and a nearby coffee shop supportive of the movement providing free coffee, Fox News reported. Numerous attempts from police to barge into the house proved to be unsuccessful, but the autonomous zone had been dismantled after Portland's mayor brokered a deal with protesters and apologized to them. Antifa rioters tore through the city following the memorial, spraying painting messages encouraging violence against police Police say 35 separate locations were targeted - including banks, retail stores, coffee shops, and government buildings. Above is the damage done to Portland's tenth-tallest building the Moda Tower Mayor Ted Wheelers office confirmed a deal had been struck, though it was not clear if the house was ever sold back to the Kinneys, the family that was evicted after defaulting on a second mortgage taken out to pay a relatives legal fees in a criminal case, according to the Red House on Mississippi, a group of social justice activists. Mayor Ted Wheeler did not publicly address Tuesday's violence. Among the damaged buildings was locally-owned Elephants Delicatessen. Anne Weaver and her husband have owned the metro area's seven Elephants Deli locations for a couple of decades. Their location at SW 1st and Salmon opened just before the start of the 2020 riots and pandemic and had never been vandalized before now, according to KOIN. Weaver told the news outlet, 'We always try to be the business for the force of good. We're a B Corp and we strongly believe in equity and social justice We provide meals to shelters and homeless and partner with all kinds of organizations all the time, even through COVID.' Weaver said one of their managers at the World Trade Center location told them Wednesday morning that five huge windows had been broken. 'Just immense sadness, you know, here we were thinking we had maybe turned the corner of this really, really arduous hard time we've all endured coming on two years now,' she said. Weaver said the deli will close early starting this week and that, despite the damage, she still has hope the city can recover. She said, 'I'm still optimistic that we're going to get this thing figured out and that they'll be some healing and growth and beautiful Portland again, I believe it in my soul. The cup's always half full with Elephants we're always eternally optimistic.' Chief Chuck Lovell told KOIN, 'I'm concerned about the brazen criminal acts that took place downtown last night. I want to assure those who were victimized that investigations are underway, and we will do whatever we can to identify and arrest those who were responsible. We ask that anyone with information please reach out to us. Thank you to all the officers who responded to a challenging situation.' On Saturday, Lovell posted a series of tweets regarding the city's gun violence issues. His first read, 'This week we passed a grim milestone. @PortlandPolice has now documented over 1,000 shootings this year. Too many have prematurely ended lives and caused injury. But all shootings cause trauma to our community.' On Saturday, Lovell posted the above tweet addressing Portland's gun violence, which saw over 1,000 shootings over the past year He added, 'I'm happy to work with our partners addressing this terrible problem and do our part. The Enhanced Community Safety Team is working hard to investigate these cases, and I call on the community to share information with them so we can arrest those committing gun crimes.' 'We're also working hard at building the Focused Intervention Team, which has a goal to deescalate and lower the tensions in the community that are feeding the contagious gun violence crisis. I'm looking forward to making more announcements about that soon.' 'Thank you to our officers, sergeants, criminalists, and detectives who have responded to every one of these shootings, performing trauma first aid and comforting victims, and gathering critical evidence. This crisis affects you too and your efforts are deeply appreciated.' Meanwhile, a Portland gun violence unit has been having trouble recruiting new officers after it was dismantled during last year's calls to defund the police and brought back when gun violence shot up this year. Since May, only four people have applied to 14 spots on the Portland Police Department's new Focused Intervention Team. The original Gun Violence Reduction Team was shut down after the Portland City Council voted to cut $15 million from the police budget and eliminate 84 sworn positions last June. In August, Lovell told KPTV that he's not sure how he's going to fill the remaining positions on the new anti-gun violence team. 'I'm not 100 percent sure yet where those officers will come from,' Lovell said. 'We're to the point now, staffing-wise, where being able to do this means greatly impacting our ability to do something else.' Last year's cuts included the gun violence team, which was singled out because 52 percent of its stops in 2019 were of Black people, who make up just 5.8 percent of the city's population, according to the Wall Street Journal. Colin Powell has died at age 84, his family announced (pictured defending the US invasion of Iraq in 2003) Colin Powell, the Harlem-born son of Jamaican immigrants who was awarded military honors for saving fellow soldiers from a burning helicopter crash in Vietnam and went on to become the first black Secretary of State, has died at age 84. The former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs was fully vaccinated but died of COVID-19 complications, his family announced on Facebook. He had previously been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that impacts the body's ability to fight infections. Powell also suffered from Parkinson's and underwent surgery for prostate cancer in 2003. He was born in New York on April 5, 1937 to Luther and Maude Powell, who arrived in Philadelphia on a 'banana boat' steamer from Jamaica in the 1920s. Powell spent his youth being educated in the New York City public school system through college, when a military career first attracted his attention. A larger-than-life figure across global community, Powell rose from modest means to oversee some of the most significant foreign policy shifts across the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The retired four-star general's decades-long legacy was marred by a 2003 speech to the United Nations Security Council in which he claimed Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. Using information that was later proven false, the then-Secretary of State used the purported evidence to justify the US invasion of Iraq. He stepped down from his position at the end of Bush's first term. Powell told ABC in 2005 he regarded the speech as a 'blot' that will 'always be a part of my record,' adding 'It was painful. It's painful now.' But the former chief diplomat was highly regarded across multiple administrations beginning as a White House Fellow under Richard Nixon. Powell was born in Harlem, New York to Jamaican immigrant parents in 1937. His mother and father arrived in Philadelphia on a 'banana boat' from the Caribbean island in the 1920s Powell posted this photo of himself from the 1950s on Facebook. He spent much of his early years in the South Bronx Along with his many military honors he also earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice, the Congressional Gold Medal and an award from the NAACP. 'Many Presidents relied on General Powell's counsel and experience,' George W. Bush wrote in a statement on Powell's death. 'He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man.' Powell grew up in the South Bronx and graduated from Morris High School in 1954. His parents referred to him as 'Chal-in', the British pronunciation Jamaicans used, when he was growing up. But kids on the street started calling him 'Coh-lin' in honor of the hero Second World War fighter pilot Colin Kelly Jr, who died fighting the Japanese navy in the days after Pearl Harbor. Powell met his wife, Alma Johnson, while stationed in Massachusetts and married her in 1962 Cousin of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Muriel Meggie, foreground, talks about the house that was a home of Powell's father in Top Hill, Jamaica in this Dec. 17, 2000 file photo He joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) while at the City College of New York, where he was studying to earn a Bachelor of Science in Geology. Along with earning his degree Powell graduated college in 1958 as a second lieutenant in the US Army. That led to a 35-year career in the Army, including leading the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. While stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, Powell met his wife Alma Johnson. They married in 1962 and went on to have two daughters and a son. Powell's overseas service began in Vietnam that same year, where he was sent by John F. Kennedy to train South Vietnamese forces. He was injured soon after in 1963 when he stepped on a booby trapped stake while on patrol, earning a Purple Heart award. Powell went back to Vietnam in 1968 for a second tour, where he famously escaped a helicopter crash and returned to the burning wreckage multiple times to rescue his fellow soldiers. Powell's parents (pictured in their British passport photos) immigrated to the United States from Jamaica in the 1920s Pictured are the bride's parents, Alma and Colin Powell, and Powell's parents Luther and Maude 'Get mad, then get over it': Colin Powell's '13 Rules' that he used to guide his personal and professional life 1. It aint as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. 2. Get mad, then get over it. 3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. 4. It can be done! 5. Be careful what you choose. 6. Dont let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. 7. You cant make someone elses choices. 8. Check small things. 9. Share credit. 10. Remain calm. Be kind. 11. Have a vision. 12. Dont take counsel of your fears or naysayers. 13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Advertisement 'With complete disregard for his own safety and while injured himself, Major Powell returned several times to the smoldering aircraft which was in danger of bursting into flames,' his subsequent Soldier's Medal commendation read. But his years in the military were also marked by a controversial probe into the devastating My Lai massacre. In 1968 US troops slaughtered as many as 500 Vietnamese civilians, which the military kept under wraps until 1970 to widespread condemnation. In Vietnam Powell was assigned to investigate a letter from a soldier that allegedly backed reports of the massacre. But upon looking into it Powell declared, 'in direct refutation of this portrayal, relations between American soldiers and the Vietnamese people are excellent.' He was later accused of covering for the military at a time when the extent of atrocities committed against civilians by US troops wasn't well known. Upon his return from Vietnam, Powell worked toward a Masters of Business Administration at George Washington University. From there Powell embarked on a career in government service when he earned a prestigious White House Fellowship under the Nixon administration in 1972. After that he returned to active duty from 1973 to 1974 where he commanded a battalion in South Korea. From 1975 to 1976, Powell attended the National War College. In 1976, Powell was promoted to temporary colonel. He served in the Democratic Carter administration as an executive assistant in the Energy and Defense Departments. Powell is shown in Vietnam in this 1963 file photo. That same year he was injured by a booby trap for which he earned a Purple Heart Powell's two tours in Vietnam took place in 1963 and 1968. He was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel in 1970, and to permanent major in 1972 During his second tour he famously escaped a helicopter crash and returned to the burning wreckage multiple times to rescue his fellow soldiers Among the many awards Powell earned over the years was the Presidential Medal of Freedom - twice A formal group photograph of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. L to R: Gen. Carl Edward Vuono, USA; Gen.Larry D. Welch, USAF; Gen. Colin L. Powell, USA; Gen. Robert T. Herres, USAF; Adm. Carlisle A.H. Trost, USN and Gen. Alfred M. Gray, USMC. Photograph, Nov. 7, 1989 Dick Cheney swears Powell in as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George HW Bush The Powell Doctrine: Eight questions a president must ask themselves before taking military action Is a vital national security interest threatened? Do we have a clear attainable objective? Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed? Have all other nonviolent policy means been fully exhausted? Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement? Have the consequences of our action been fully considered? Is the action supported by the American people? Do we have genuine broad international support? Advertisement Powell worked his way up the military chain of command for years until Reagan appointed him his national security adviser in 1987. During that time he continued to rise through the military ranks with a promotion to Brigadier General in 1979, major general in 1983, lieutenant general in 1986 and four-star general in 1989. His Army service culminated in George H.W. Bush naming Powell as the first black person to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989, where he was confirmed unanimously. Powell's first big test came soon after he took office when the Gulf War began in 1990. As the nation's highest-ranking military adviser he guided US forces through Operation Desert Storm. The US's successful Middle East campaign had then received rare public praise for the government's handling of a conflict and earned Powell a parade in his hometown of New York. The military code he guided by was dubbed the 'Powell Doctrine' in the media. Powell himself outlined it as a series of eight questions on the national security risks, objectives and public support of any proposed military action. A president considering military action must answer all eight Powell Doctrine questions affirmatively before authorizing military action, under his philosophy. He stayed on Joint Chiefs job for most of Bill Clinton's first year in office but clashed with Clinton officials on a number of social and strategic military fronts. Colin Powell and his battle with multiple myeloma, the blood cancer that devastates the body's ability to produce antibodies to fight infection Before his death former Secretary of State Colin Powell had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that suppresses the immune system and prevents the production of antibodies. He was fully vaccinated, but even the immunocompromised are at greater risk if they contract COVID. While immunocompromised people, like Powell, had first access to the COVID-19 booster shot, it is unclear if had received his. In a study published in July, researchers found that just 45 percent of those with active multiple myeloma 'developed an adequate response' after receiving either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, immunocompromised individuals make up 40-44 per cent of hospitalized coronavirus breakthrough cases. Multiple myeloma is a cancer that begins to form in bone marrow. While plasma cells ordinary help the body fight infection, in people with multiple myeloma the cells that live inside soft marrow rapidly develop to cause tumors in hard marrow. As it causes the tough bone to weaken it makes it difficult to develop good blood cells and platelets. There is no known cure for the form of blood cancer. As COVID vaccines became mainstream in the spring, a study found that 1 in 10 cancer patients did not produce high enough levels of antibodies after the second dose meaning the vaccine is less effective in cancer patients. Approximately 30,000 African Americans are diagnosed with multiple myeloma each year. Black people are twice more likely to develop the disease than white people. Some medical experts believe that occupational exposure can play a part in developing the disease. Sufferers with jobs that expose people to petroleum, herbicides, heavy metals and an extensive list of other things have a higher likelihood or developing the blood cancer. Most people who suffer from the disease 96 oer cent are over 45 years old. People over the age of 65 make up 63 per cent of the group. Men are also more likely to have multiple myeloma. Those with a family history of it are four times more at risk and people considered obese are also at higher risk. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) has also been linked. While MGUS the development of abnormal monoclonal protein produced by white blood cells - can be considered unproblematic, some have linked it to multiple myeloma. Strong cancer treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy, stem cell transplants and various drugs can help those living with multiple myeloma live a longer life. Complications can include anemia, kidney failure, dangerously high levels of calcium in the blood, organ infection and fractures or a loss of movement. Advertisement Those included a hesitance to conduct an aggressive airstrike campaign in Bosnia and standing against the Clinton administration's push to allow gay people to serve in the military. After Clinton defeated Bush Sr. in 1992, Powell was widely seen as the favorite to run against the charismatic Democrat. He opted not to run for office, however, telling CNN in 2007 that he 'never found inside of me the internal passion that youve got to have to run for elected office.' Powell retired from the military as a four-star general in 1993. Still highly regarded across the country, Powell returned to the White House as George W. Bush's Secretary of State where he was again confirmed unanimously in the Senate. Another global conflict struck soon after Powell took on his new trailblazing role, in the form of the September 11 terror attacks. The Bush administration looked to Powell, the most popular person in government at the time, to persuade the global community that attacking Iraq was necessary to US national security. Powell began his career as a senior White House official when Ronald Reagan named him as national security adviser (pictured during a press conference from the time period) George HW Bush stands beside Powell, the youngest and first black person to be nominated to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the podium outside of the White House Powell finished his years in government service as George W. Bush's Secretary of State Powell had advised fellow officials at the time at any aggressive action should wait for support from allies and the creation of a long-term occupation plan, reportedly telling them: 'You break it, you own it.' But he was overruled. His infamous 75-minute UN speech remained a blemish on his record, and his subsequent public regrets over the matter made him a target for Bush allies who chaffed at his comments on the Iraq War. Along with expressing regret Powell also defended himself as a soldier carrying out his orders, albeit years later. He told CNN in 2009 of presidential authority, 'Its just like in the military - you argue, you debate something, but once the president has made a decision, that becomes a decision for the Cabinet.' During his tenure as Bush's Secretary of State Powell clashed with far more hawkish officials like Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. Powell biographer Karen DeYoung wrote in 2006 that Powell had ambitions to move the country forward in the new millennium but instead found himself 'serving as a brake on rash presidential actions and misguided policies.' Bush asked for his resignation in 2004 and in 2005 Powell was replaced with Condoleezza Rice. In 2008 and 2012 Powell, a Republican, endorsed Barack Obama over John McCain for president. He said on NBC that Obama was a 'transformational figure' ushering in a new era on the world stage. Powell later endorsed Barack Obama for president in 2008 and 2012 He also expressed concern in 2008 that the Republican Party had 'moved more to the right than I would like to see it.' In 2016 he stood behind a new Democratic candidate, fellow former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Leaked emails from around the time showed Powell calling Donald Trump a 'national disgrace.' 'Trump is nuts. Everybody wants me to speak out, but I will pick the time and place for maximum effect like I did in 2008 and 2012. Right now, Trump is his worst own enemy,' Powell had written. He also spent much of his political life giving back to his hometown roots, founding City College of New York's Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service in 1997. The City University of New York system established the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership in 2013 in his honor. Powell is survived by his wife Alma, and their three children Michael, Linda and Annemarie. 'General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19. He was fully vaccinated. We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American,' the Powell family wrote on Facebook Monday. College students at schools across America are lashing out against ongoing COVID-19 rules that include tracking them with apps, restricting their travel, threatening them with arrest unless they disclose their vaccination status, and making them leave the classroom if they want to take a sip of water. The messy new era of the pandemic has some students and millions of Americans increasingly frustrated, with one student calling it 'the growth of the surveillance state' and that it 'feels like the school is blackmailing me.' The rules vary by school. In some, they apply only to unvaccinated students, with those who have received the shots able to come and go as they please once they prove they are vaccinated. But in some, even vaccinated students are being told they must undergo weekly testing and continue to wear masks in classrooms. Colorado State University, where tuition is $31,712 a year for out-of-state students, is going further and threatening any student who doesn't register their vaccine status with arrest for trespassing. The University of Southern California, where fees are $60,446 a year, will not allow students to even take sips of water in class because it means they would have to slip their masks down to their chins. They must leave the room if they want to have a drink. Harvard is mandating vaccines for all students and staff, and Yale is enforcing it among students. Other Ivy Leagues, like Princeton, are forcing unvaccinated students to continue wearing masks. Many students say the rules are an 'overreach' by college staff and a violation of their privacy. Colleges across the country are still enforcing mask mandates indoors even if students are vaccinated and are requiring regular Covid testing, too. Others are enforcing stricter rules like excluding unvaccinated students from online classes or asking them to submit health data Colorado State University issued this letter to students at the end of September warning them they could face arrest if they don't register their vaccine status They have organized Change.org petitions to reverse rules like a mandatory 'bio button' at Oakland University in Michigan that would give schools student health data but also track their movements. The college was offering the buttons out free to staff and students but were requiring that they be worn. Angry students who opposed it said it was too much of an invasion. 'Many students are already hesitant, at best, to be tracked as they stay on campus (and as they leave for the weekend to visit home, go to class, grocery shop, etc.) 'A large portion of students feel that this in violation of their privacy and some students have stated that their rejections of this idea come from a religious basis,' a Change.org petition that opposed it said. The petition received 2,477 signatures and the college walked back the mandate, making the buttons optional. Oakland University in Michigan wanted to force students to wear 'bio buttons' that would tell the school what their temperature was Students at Oakland protested against the 'bio buttons' which they said would be a violation. The school made them optional Harvard is requiring all students and staff to be vaccinated and to undergo routine testing. They must also all still wear masks indoors Albion College, also in Michigan, wanted to make students sign up to Aura - a tracing app. Colorado State University was criticized for sending a letter that warned students they would face trespassing charges if they were caught on campus without telling faculty whether or not they were vaccinated. The letter was sent to 1,300 students in the final week of September. The kids hadn't told the school if they were vaccinated or not. Initially, some interpreted it as a threat toward anyone who was unvaccinated. The school has since said that unvaccinated students are welcome - they just need to know who they are. Rutgers University in New Jersey excludes unvaccinated students from online classes if they have chosen not to get the shot rather than been deemed medically exempt Rutgers University in New Jersey excludes unvaccinated students from online classes if they have chosen not to get the shot rather than been deemed medically exempt. The rules represent a 'messy' new era in the pandemic that is frustrating students and millions of Americans. 'It feels like the school is blackmailing me, they get all this personal information and in exchange I get an education. 'Its the growth of the surveillance state,' student Dan Smith, from Wayne State University in Detroit, told The Wall Street Journal. 'It just feels like overreach.' 'You wonder, where is all this medical information going? Can professors see it?' sophomore Marin Ruiz, from the University of Southern California, added. Parents in Michigan set up this Change.org petition to protest against Albion College's attempt to make kids use an app called Aura that would track them on campus It matches a wider trend of debate over vaccine mandates and COVID rules across America. Police departments like Chicago and Seattle are mandating the shots for cops, whereas all city and state workers in New York must either be vaccinated or face routine testing and wear masks. California is mandating vaccines in public schools, even though they haven't become available yet for many kids. In the private sector, airlines like Southwest have mandated the shots for their staff. It was one of the aggravating factors in a nightmare staff shortage earlier this month that led to a weekend of cancelations and delays. Businesses like McDonald's and CVS are making some but not all staff have the vaccine if they want to work for them. McDonald's is forcing corporate staff to be vaccinated if they come to the office, but restaurant workers don't have to be. CVS is asking patient-facing staff to be vaccinated, but cashiers and store workers do not have to be. A doctor who spun a web of lies in an attempt to sabotage his ex's other relationships has been jailed for 15 months. Javed Saumtally, 28, was 'obsessed' with his flatmate and still carried a torch for him after the pair had a brief relationship while living in Brighton, East Sussex. During an 18 month campaign of harassment, the jealous doctor faked abusive texts from others in order to stop his flatmate from moving on. He also created bogus screenshots on WhatsApp in an elaborate deception to make it look as if his flatmate's new partner had been unfaithful. Saumtally, who now lives Ipswich, Suffolk, showed 'absurd obsessive behaviour', his own defence barrister said. Javed Saumtally (right) covers up as he leaves Hove Crown Court during the trial The court heard Saumtally has been on the NHS front line at the peak of the Covid pandemic He appeared at Hove Crown Court for sentencing today after being convicted of perverting the course of justice following a trial. During the trial, it was heard that Saumtally carried out an 18-month campaign of harassing and threatening messages to his flatmate - culminating in the summer of 2018. He allowed his friend to believe that this abuse was the work of the friend's ex-partner. Saumtally continued this harassment even though he was aware of how severely the ordeal was affecting his friend's well-being, encouraging him to leave Brighton and move to Ipswich to live with him. His flat-mate's ex-partner, a completely innocent man, was arrested twice by police as a result of Saumtally's false allegations and kept in custody both times. This young man, an ex-Ghurkha soldier of 'impeccable character', almost lost his job as a result and his training as a military nurse was interrupted for months. Facing the doctor in court, this man said the false accusations he faced were 'life-changing'. 'It was deeply hurtful to have our time together ruined in such a bitter way,' he added, referring to Saumtally's flatmate. He said the 56 days he spent waiting for the police to return his IT devices 'felt like Covid isolation'. He added: 'It's so important for me to get justice and find out why such deceitful lies were told to me.' In July 2018, Saumtally's flatmate, by now living near him in Ipswich, began a new relationship - which Saumtally set about sabotaging. He used spoofing technology to create WhatsApp images as well as fake emails from police; and persuaded his flatmate that the young man was cheating on him. He also reported this young man to Suffolk Police for harassment. Prosecutor Jonathan Atkinson told jurors the various lies were part of a 'concerted ploy' by Saumtally to deliberately undermine the relationships of his flatmate. Mr Atkins said Saumtally wanted to make his ex feel threatened, 'all the while pretending to act as an understanding friend and companion'. Saumtally has now been sentenced to 15 months in prison for his deception He added: 'He was devious, he was determined and technologically adept.' 'No-one else stood to gain, he had the motive, he had the means throughout these incidents.' Defence barrister Janet Weeks said Saumtally has now expressed remorse and has accepted responsibility. She described his actions as 'absurd obsessive behaviour' but cited his 'truly exemplary conduct outside his offending'. Judge Jeremy Gold QC said it was a 'tragedy' that a doctor such as Saumtally, who had been praised for his work on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic, should carry out such serious offending and end up in court. Judge Gold said that Saumtally had 'developed an unhealthy obsession' with his flatmate and took 'extraordinary steps'. Investigator Rose Horan, who probed the case for Sussex Police, said: 'Javed Saumtally was right at the centre of each incident. He went to enormous lengths to perpetrate an intricate deception. 'He was devious, manipulative and technologically adept. His motive appears to have been an obsessive jealousy of his flat-mate's relationships, and a dogged determination to sabotage each and every one.' Democrats return to Capitol Hill this week with 13 days until Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Halloween deadline to pass President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill and his budget package of social programs. The clock is ticking toward a series of events at the end of the month that are driving the legislation: transportation funding runs out at the end of October, Biden needs to head to Rome for the G20 summit and Democrats need a win ahead of the Virginia governor's election, where their candidate Terry McAuliffee is struggling. If the two pieces are legislation aren't passed by then, Pelosi will face the tough to decision to delay another vote on the infrastructure package, which would infuriate moderates or try to push it through and thus angering liberals. Its Democrats who are endangering the president's agenda as the two wings of the Democratic Party - the moderates and liberals - will spend the next few weeks batting it out over the topline number of Biden's social program. With moderate Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema said to support a topline number of $1.5 trillion or $2 trillion that means the party would have to come to consensus on how the package roughly in half from its $3.5 trillion price tag. Going into the week, Democrats are frantically rewriting the climate provisions after Manchin made it clear he opposes program to punish utilities that burn fossil fuels. His home state of West Virginia is a massive producer of fossil fuels. His opposition is a blow to Biden and come as the president will head to Scotland in the beginning of November for the COP26 climate conference. Also looming for Democrats is the Nov. 2 gubernatorial election in Virginia, which is being seen a referendum on Biden. The result will be used to forecast Democrats chances of retraining control over Congress in next year's midterm election. Manchin also is reported to be concerned about the child tax credits policy, saying if the program is to continue into 2022, it must have a firm work requirement to try and deter recipients from using it as their sole means of income. Manchin also wants the program only to be made available to families with an income of $60,000 or less, a huge reduction on the current earnings cap. Currently, families earning up to $150,000 are eligible for up to $3,600 for each of their children. He is pushing for the cuts even though his home state has a child poverty rate of 20 per cent - double the national average of nine per cent. His demands, reported by Axios, are also set to infuriate the progressive wing of the Democrat Party and would be the second time he has managed to cut the cost of Biden's massive package of social programs that effect education, health and climate issues. Democrats return to Capitol Hill this week with 13 days until Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Halloween deadline to pass President Biden's congressional agenda West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has informed the White House he would like to see child tax credit include a requirement of work and $60,000 income cap Democrats are looking to make Joe Biden's temporary increase to the child tax credit under the American Rescue Plan permanent. Under current US tax code the normal maximum child tax credit outside of the pandemic is $2,000 President Biden's American Families Plan, part of his sweeping Build Back Better agenda, raised yearly child tax benefit to $3,000 per child aged 6 to 17, and $3,600 for children under 6. Families eligible for the newly-boosted child tax credits began receiving the checks from July 15, with the program set to run for the remainder of the 2021 tax year. Before that boost, the maximum annual child tax credit is $2,000, doubled from $1,000 by Donald Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Under the Biden plan that went into effect in July, two parent families on a combined salary of up to $150,000 are eligible for the tax credit. Families with a single 'head of household' being paid up to $112,500 a year are also included. A head of household is an unmarried person who covers more than half their family's living costs, and lives with them for more than half of the year. Single parents on salaries of up to $75,000 also currently receive the credit. President Biden heads to Europe at the end of the month for the G20 summit in Rome and the COP26 climate summit in Scotland The program received funding for one year in Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package passed in March President Joe Biden greets children as he visits the Capitol Child Development Center, Friday Parents are getting half the credit they are eligible for in 2021, and will be able to claim the rest back when completing this year's federal tax return. The Democrats' proposal takes away the minimum income requirement. A parent with two children younger than 6 and no reported annual income would be eligible to receive $7,200 from the federal government per year under Biden's plan. Federal investments in US families have been a main talking point for Democrats and Biden officials promoting the bill. Biden's child tax credit boost is the same as his temporary increases under the American Rescue Plan, which was passed to help the US through the COVID-19 pandemic. It became the largest child tax credit in US history when it was signed into law in March, but is only effective through 2021. Now Democrats are hoping to make it permanent through their $3.5 trillion spending bill, which also includes funding for free community college and historic expansions to Medicare and Medicaid, among other reforms. The bill has no Republican support and is getting pushback from moderate Democrats who think the price tag is too high. The president's party had been hoping to pass the measure through the reconciliation process, which would allow it to pass with a simple majority. But with just a slim majority, Democrats - particularly in the Senate- will have to vote in lock-step to get it passed. The American Rescue Plan, signed by Biden in March, allows child tax credits of up to $3,600 per year to be distributed in monthly payments instead of annually for each child of couples earning under $112,500 Biden said Friday that although he expects the package to shrink, 'we're going to come back and get the rest' after it's passed. 'We're not going to get $3.5 trillion. We'll get less than that, but we're gonna get it. And we're going to come back and get the rest,' Biden said during remarks at a child care center in Connecticut. Democrats on Capitol Hill are working to reduce the sweeping package to about $2 trillion in spending, which would be paid for with higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy. The proposal includes everything from free child care and community college to dental, vision and hearing aid benefits for seniors and a number of significant provisions meant to combat climate change. They're all key items for progressives, but moderates have balked at the original $3.5 trillion price tag. One almost certain reduction would be in the proposal for free community college. 'I doubt whether we will get the entire funding for community colleges but Im not going to give up on community colleges as long as Im president,' Biden said. His wife, Jill, is a professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College. The family of slain 19-year-old Florida college student Miya Marcano have slammed the police investigation into her disappearance, saying that 'critical hours were lost' during the search, An attorney for the family spoke out against the Orange County Sheriff's Office after the department released a heavily redacted, four-page report into Marcano's disappearance on September 24. 'The incident report lacks critical details,' the family's lawyer Daryl Washington said on Sunday. 'What we do know is that critical hours were lost and if it hadn't been for this family's strength and determination we may still be searching for Miya.' The sheriff's office did not respond to requests for a comment about the allegation that it initially failed to thoroughly investigate Marcano's disappearance. Scroll down for video Miya Marcano, 19, was killed in September in Florida, and her body, with her arms and legs bound, was found on October 2 Marcano's family slammed this heavily redacted report that was released by the Orange County Sheriff's Office last week, saying it contains more questions than answers Sheriff John Mina has said that in the hours after Marcano vanished, deputies didn't have enough evidence to detain person of interest Armando Caballero, 27, and she was likely already dead. During a press conference earlier this month, Mina released a timeline of the investigation, which said Caballero was at the Tymber Skan apartments, where Marcano's body was found, between 8.20pm and 8.40pm on September 24, about an hour before her parents reported they were unable to reach their daughter. 'I understand this family has been through unimaginable pain and loss, and we can't begin to express the sorry that we feel for Miya's family and loved ones,' the sheriff said. 'Unfortunately, all these things that we're talking about wouldnt have prevented anything. She was already left dead at Tymber Skan apartments before we were ever called.' The 19-year-old's body, with her arms and legs bound with duct tape, was found on October 2, five days after Caballero was found dead of an apparent suicide. Marcano was a Valencia College student who lived and worked at the same apartment complex where Caballero was employed as a maintenance worker. Investigators eventually determined that Caballero used a master key to enter Marcano's apartment. Miya Marcano's family has released a video showing a conversation they had with maintenance worker Armando Caballero (left) - who was named a person of interest in Miya's disappearance - in the hours after the 19-year-old went missing The footage showed Caballero, 27, speaking with an Orange County officer while members of Miya's family asked him questions off camera. 'Don't try to make this like I'm a stalker,' Caballero said when an unidentified woman from Miya's family said that 'there's evidence of obsession'. 'You're fascinated with Miya,' she said off camera, to which Caballero replied: 'It's not only from my side' Attorney Daryl K. Washington called for the firing of Deputy Samir Paulino, saying his actions fell below national standards According to the visible portions of the report, Deputy Samir Paulino arrived at the apartment complex about 9.20pm on September 24 after Marcano's mother said her daughter had stopped returning text messages and missed her flight home to South Florida. Paulino spoke to a roommate who said Marcano texted her about 5pm saying she was heading to the airport. The deputy wrote that her bedroom was locked, but he peered through a window and 'nothing suspicious stood out to me.' The deputy apparently then left, but returned because he wrote that someone asked if an object 'was on the bed,' the report said. It wasn't clear who inquired because so much of the report was blacked out. 'By looking into Miyas room, he could see that dresser is propped against the door and the back window was open,' Washington argued, as WFTV reported. The deputy returned again at the request of Marcano's relatives, who had driven to the apartment complex from South Florida, arriving after midnight. Paulino then spoke to Caballero, who told him he had found out 'from a mutual friend that Miya is missing,' the deputy wrote. Orange County Sheriff John Mina defended his deputies, claiming they did not have probable cause to detain Caballero at the time Caballero (left) killed himself before Marcano's (right) body was found According to a statement from the Marcano family, a security guard tried to lift fingerprints from the college student's window while her relatives searched her apartment, and then tried to give the possible fingerprints to a responding deputy, but the deputy did not take them, saying this 'wasn't a high priority case,' the statement said. Marcano's family videotaped their heated exchange with Caballero, which took place outside Miya's apartment in front of the deputy. 'Don't try to make this like I'm a stalker,' Caballero said when an unidentified woman from Miya's family said that 'there's evidence of obsession'. 'You're fascinated with Miya,' she said, to which Caballero replied: 'It's not only from my side.' Miya's family member said in the clip: 'As of right now you have sent obsessive texts to Miya. We have all seen the texts. You talked about giving her your life savings. You Cash App-ed her money and you claim that you weren't in touch.' The deputy noted in his report that Marcano's relatives said text messages showed Caballero had been stalking her, but he said he was unable to read them. Washington said the deputy should be fired, or at the very least suspended from duty, because his actions fell below national standards. Marcano was laid to rest on Friday following a funeral that was attended by 2,000 mourners Family from as far as Trinidad and the Virgin Islands attended the service for Marcano 'Sheriff Mina, in one of his press conferences, stated that Deputy Paulino "could not detain Caballero based on a hunch," essentially ratifying the conduct of his deputy,' Washington said. 'We believe that Deputy Paulino had more than enough evidence to detain Caballero based on the fact that Caballero had full access to Miya's room, he said that he wanted to date Miya but she declined his advances, he was driving around the Arden Villas at 3am.' The incident report was released on the same day as Marcano's funeral, which was attended by some 2,000 mourners. A crown was placed on Marcano's coffin at Cooper City Church of God in Florida for the service, where the family asked for Marcano not to be forgotten. Ex-Microsoft boss Bill Gates was reportedly told by two top executives at the firm to stop sending flirtatious emails to a female employee he had propositioned while he was CEO and married to Melinda Gates more than a decade ago. The revelation comes just months after Gates' wife filed for divorce, claiming that the marriage was 'irretrievably broken.' The divorce was finalized in August. Despite the acrimonious end to their marriage, the former couple reunited over the weekend in Westchester County, New York for the wedding of their oldest daughter, 25-year-old Jennifer Gates. Jennifer Gates wed 30-year-old Egyptian equestrian Nayel Nasser in front of 300 guests at her 142-acre estate in North Salem, New York. The 2008 emails from Gates were sent to a midlevel employee at the software giant. They were later discovered by Microsoft executives. Gates was summoned to a meeting by the companys top lawyer at the time, Brad Smith, and Lisa Brummel, the firms most senior human resources executive. During the meeting, Smith and Brummel told Gates that the emails were inappropriate and that he needed to stop, according to The Wall Street Journal. Ex-Microsoft boss Bill Gates (seen right with then-wife Melinda Gates in 2010) was told by two top executives at the firm to stop sending flirtatious emails to a female employee he had propositioned while he was CEO and married to Melinda Gates more than a decade ago, it has been reported Brad Smith (left), who was Microsoft's top lawyer at the time, and Lisa Brummel (right), the company's most senior human resources official, told Gates the emails were inappropriate and that he needed to stop, according to The Wall Street Journal Gates reportedly agreed to stop corresponding with the woman. According to the Journal, Smith and Brummel informed the company board of the emails. The board met and determined that no further action was necessary since there wasn't any physical altercation, according to the report. A spokesperson for Microsoft told the Journal that the company was made aware of Gates' emails to the mid-level female employee in 2007 - just months before Gates was set to retire as a full-time employee. The spokesperson, Frank Shaw, told the Journal that Gates offered to meet the woman outside of work and off campus. 'While flirtatious, they were not overtly sexual, but were deemed to be inappropriate,' he said. Shaw said that the employee never filed a complaint against Gates about the incident. Bridgitt Arnold, a spokesperson for Bill Gates, told the Journal: 'These claims are false, recycled rumors from sources who have no direct knowledge, and in some cases have significant conflicts of interest.' Brad Smith (left) currently serves as Microsoft's president and chief legal officer. He is seen alongside CEO Satya Nadella, who continues to rely on Gates as a technical adviser Maria Klawe, who was a director at Microsoft from 2009 to 2015, told The Wall Street Journal that while she was not aware of any specific complaints against Gates, she felt that he behaved as though the rules did not apply to him Bill Gates' affair in 2002 with a female subordinate came to light after the employee wrote to the board in 2019 detailing it - and allegedly asked that Gates' estranged wife Melinda read the letter. The chairman of the board at the time, John W. Thompson (above), asked other members of the committee reviewing the letter not to reveal the existence of an investigation due to the sensitivity of the matter Around the time that Gates' wife petitioned for divorce earlier this year, news stories began to emerge about the Microsoft co-founder's penchant for pursuing romantic relationships with female underlings. There were also several reports about Melinda's unhappiness over Bill's friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Earlier this year, it was learned that Gates had an 'inappropriate' sexual relationship with a different female staff member in 2002, and resigned while an investigation into the relationship was being investigated by the company board. The affair came to light after the Microsoft employee wrote to the board in 2019 detailing it - and allegedly asked that Gates' estranged wife Melinda read the letter. The letter was seen by Smith, who is currently Microsoft's president and vice chair, and CEO Satya Nadella. The chairman of the board at the time, John W. Thompson, asked other members of the committee reviewing the letter not to reveal the existence of an investigation due to the sensitivity of the matter, according to the Journal. The board members who read the letter were then required to return their copies of the letter to the company's general counsel. It is considered unusual for a company conducting such an investigation not to notify all board members of its existence, according to legal experts who spoke to the Journal. 'While governance best practices are always evolving, the Board Chair and the Committee, with advice from outside legal counsel, decided to use the responsibility given to it and move forward with the initial stages of the review, recognizing that the matter could then move to the full Board in its later stages,' Shaw told the Journal. Gates, 65, quit the board suddenly in March 2020 while the investigation was still underway. His spokeswoman confirmed there had been an affair almost 20 years ago but said his decision to leave Microsoft's board was not linked to it. Gates' ex-wife, Melinda Gates, was seen on Sunday departing Westchester County Airport north of New York City Melinda Gates flew to Westchester County to attend the wedding of her 25-year-old daughter, Jennifer The Journal reported on Monday that board members decided Gates should step down before the investigation was completed. Current and former members of Microsoft's board told the Journal they believe all matters related to Gates' behavior toward female subordinates were handled appropriately by the company. Maria Klawe, who was a director at Microsoft from 2009 to 2015, told the Journal that while she was not aware of any specific complaints against Gates, she felt that he behaved as though the rules did not apply to him. 'He certainly gave the impression that he felt that he had a standing that gave him a particular, a set of rights, that other people wouldnt have,' Klawe, who is currently president of Harvey Mudd College, told the Journal. In her 1998 book The Microsoft File, author Wendy Goldman Rohm claimed Gates was very far from the asexual geek many people assumed he was. Rohm identified an attractive young sales manager at Microsofts German office with whom Gates had a globetrotting romance - five years after he started seeing Melinda. According to the Journal, at least one Microsoft board member was told by a top executive about an affair that then-CEO Gates had with a female Microsoft executive in 1992. The board was not notified of this, according to the Journal. In the 1992 biography Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire, author James Wallace revealed Gates had an alleged affair with a married woman 13 years older than him when he was 27 years old. Gates' alleged affair was with the wife of an Osborne Computer executive who lived abroad, according to the biography. In 2006, Bill Gates allegedly asked a female Microsoft employee out to dinner in an email after attending a presentation she had given, The New York Times reported. 'If this makes you uncomfortable, pretend it never happened,' Gates wrote in the email obtained by The New York Times. The woman took his advice and pretended it never happened. A couple of years later, Gates asked out an employee with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The pair were in New York for a work trip, when he told her: 'I want to see you. Will you have dinner with me?' The woman told the Times the approach made her feel uncomfortable, but she laughed it off. The report said there was no expectation that the women would suffer professional repercussions for spurning Gates' advances. A photo shows Bill and Melinda Gates while they were dating before getting married in 1994 The ex-couple are pictured with their three kids Jennifer (center), Rory (right) and Phoebe (left) in 2019 It's not clear whether Melinda was aware of her husband's advances. The Microsoft co-founder and his wife announced in May they were ending their 27-year marriage. A King County, Washington State Superior Court judge signed the dissolution decree in August. The New York Times reports the court documents didn't detail how they would divide their assets. Bill Gates was formerly the world's richest person and his fortune is estimated at about $132.7billion. They met after she began working at Microsoft as a product manager in 1987. The two were married in 1994 in Hawaii. The Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the most influential private foundation in the world, with an endowment worth about $50billion. It has focused on global health and development and US education issues since incorporating in 2000. The two have said they will continue to work together as co-chairs of their foundation. However, if after two years Bill and Melinda decide they cannot continue in their roles, Melinda will resign her positions as co-chair and trustee, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced in August. If Melinda resigns, Gates would essentially buy her out of the foundation, one of the world's largest private charitable organizations, and she would receive resources from him to do her own philanthropic work. The resources received would be separate from the foundation's endowment, according to foundation. Despite the acrimonious end to their marriage, the former couple reunited over the weekend in Westchester County, New York for the wedding of their oldest daughter, 25-year-old Jennifer Gates (seen second from right in between her parents on Saturday) Jennifer Gates poses for photos with her new husband Nayel Nassar as she celebrates her wedding at her 142-acre, $16 million North Salem farm in a reported $2million ceremony In July, it was reported that Bill was on the verge of tears when he told an audience of wealthy business magnates in Idaho that it was his fault the marriage to Melinda ended. During an off the record question-and-answer session at the Allen & Co. conference in Sun Valley, Idaho in July, the New York Post reported that Gates 'fessed up to messing up.' 'He basically referred to the fact that it [the divorce] was his fault,' a source told the newspaper. The source added: 'He did seem a bit emotional about it. He might have been on the verge of tears.' Melinda, who now goes by Melinda French Gates, was also upset at the way allegations of sexual harassment against Michael Larson, one of Gates' key lieutenants and the manager of his personal fortune, were handled. Advertisement The 50million M49 junction dubbed Britain's most expensive 'dead end' after its completion in 2019 may finally be connected to surrounding roads, but not until the end of 2022. The junction was built by National Highways to connect a large distribution park, used by Tesco, Lidl, Amazon and The Range, to the M49 near Avonmouth, Gloucestershire. However, a link road is still yet to be built nearly two years on due to a long-running battle over who is responsible for connecting the new junction to the local road network. South Gloucestershire Council claims the owners of the business park, Delta Properties, are responsible for the link road. That claim is refuted by the owners, who claim to have 'no legal obligation' to construct it. As a result of the stand-off, no traffic is using it and motorists that drive down the motorway junction come to a dead-end. The local council, though, said it has now made 'important step forwards' towards the junction finally being completed. The 50million M49 junction dubbed Britain's most expensive 'dead end' after its completion in 2019 may finally be connected to surrounding roads, but not until the end of 2022 The M49 junction near Avonmouth, Gloucestershire, was completed by National Highways at the end of 2019 with the aim of providing a link to a distribution park used by Tesco, Lidl, Amazon and The Range A decision was made 'to approve the officer recommendations to deliver the link road to join the new M49 junction with the local highway network' at a council meeting last week. A spokesperson added: 'At their meeting on October 11, our Cabinet has agreed an approach with the Department for Transport and National Highways that will help the delivery of the M49 link road. 'This decision is an important step forwards and will allow us to progress work with our partners in delivering the M49 link to unlock the significant benefits that it will bring to South Gloucestershire, local communities and the wider region.' The spokesperson said there was no update regarding who would fund the construction of the link road. The land is believed to be around 160 metres long and is part-owned by Delta and National Highways. The new 50 million motorway junction has yet to open due to a long-running stand-off over who is responsible for building a link road Local parish councillor Peter Tyzack said he has serious doubts that the project would be completed by Christmas next year. He said: 'All the traffic that would be going on the motorway is coming through the villages, which is a nightmare for us. 'From the day they dig the first turf, itll be 12 months before the road can be opened 'Well be lucky if we get it open for next Christmas.' The new junction would be the only one on the short M49 - which links the M5 at Avonmouth with a bridge that crosses the River Severn. A Russian court will consider a request to transfer an ex-US Marine to America after he was jailed for 16 years for 'spying.' A lawyer for Paul Whelan, 50, said the hearing will take place in the city of Nizhny Novgorod on November 8. Whelan, who holds American, British, Canadian and Irish passports, was jailed in June 2020 for allegedly stealing state secrets amid outcry in Washington after a closed-door trial with scant evidence produced in court. He held up a sign saying 'Sham trial!' and 'Paul's life matters' as he was sentenced in Moscow. The Kremlin claims Whelan was caught red-handed with a flash drive containing classified information, but throughout the trial he maintained his innocence, comparing himself to the hapless comedy character Mr Bean. Paul Whelan held up a sign saying 'Sham trial!' and 'Paul's life matters' as he was sentenced in Moscow in June, 2020 Whelan (pictured with a Labrador) publicly declared himself the victim of 'an absurd political kidnapping' and appealed to President Trump to help him and to 'keep America great' by taking steps to secure his release Prosecutors accused Whelan of being at least a ranking U.S. military intelligence colonel. In June 2019, Whelan publicly declared himself the victim of 'an absurd political kidnapping' and appealed to President Trump to help him and to 'keep America great' by taking steps to secure his release. 'Mr. President, we cannot keep America great unless we aggressively protect and defend American citizens wherever they are in the world,' he said. He also called the legal processes he experienced as the 'Moscow goat rodeo'. U.S. diplomats have described the case as a 'significant obstacle' to improving already poor bilateral ties and have repeatedly said there is no evidence against him and asked Russia to release him. Whelan has maintained he was visiting Moscow for a friend's wedding when he was arrested in his hotel room by Russia's FSB security service in December 2018. At the time he was working as a security director for the American auto parts supplier BorgWarner but had previously served in the Marines, which he left on a bad-conduct discharge in 2007. The case has been shrouded in secrecy with Russia not publicly saying what Whelan has been accused of. However, details of the case have emerged through Whelan's lawyer and through the Russian media. According to reports, he is accused of stealing state secrets to pass back to Washington. Whelan has protested his innocence and his lawyers have said he was framed by a friend of 10 years who works for the FSB. The friend allegedly visited him in his hotel room and gave him a memory card that he thought contained photos of a recent vacation together. The drive actually contained classified materials and moments later the FSB raided the room and arrested Whelan, his lawyers have said. Whelan believes the friend set him up because he owed the ex-marine over $1,000 for two iPhones, Zherebenkov said. Whelan (pictured in the Marines) said he was visiting Moscow for a friend's wedding when he was arrested in his hotel room by Russia's FSB security service in December 2018 The friend has not been named by Whelan's lawyers but his family have identified the individual as a Russian agent called Ilya Yatsenko. Russian newspaper Kommersant last month reported that Yatsenko works as a major in the powerful Department 'K' of the FSB and that the agent appeared in court twice during the trial. Whelan, who travelled to Russia on vacation for many years, has urged the US government to step in with a prisoner swap. Speculation has mounted that the US could exchange the former marine, who holds Irish, British and Canadian citizenship, for Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko who is currently being held in the US on drug smuggling charges. The US has made several calls for Moscow to release Whelan and blasted the nation for what it has described as Cold War-style tactics. Advertisement Boris Johnson declared that the Queen has granted David Amess's 20-year dream of Southend becoming a city today as the Commons gathered to express its grief at his killing. The PM told a packed chamber the attack on the Tory veteran had been 'contemptible' and struck at the 'core' of what it means to be an MP. But he insisted that the fundamental functions of democracy would not be damaged by the murder of 'one of the nicest, kindest and most gentle' individuals ever to have sat in the House. To cheers, Mr Johnson said Her Majesty had agreed that Southend will be upgraded to city status - something Sir David had tirelessly campaigned for over two decades. A gap was left on the green benches where Sir David typically sat. Parliament cancelled almost all of its business today for tributes. The Prime Minister later led a sombre procession of around 800 politicians as they filed in to a church service to remember their colleague, Sir David. Wearing black suits, dresses, and face coverings, the MPs and peers walked from Parliament to St Margaret's Church in Westminster Abbey, central London. MPs and peers fell silent as the service to remember Sir David Amess as politicians from all parties, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, Priti Patel and Lisa Nandy sat in the rows behind Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who sat on the front row nearby Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle. The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of Sir David as a 'friend to his constituents' who had a 'robust fairness of spirit and charity of heart' which endeared him to MPs from all parties. Mr Johnson had today told a packed chamber the attack on Sir David was 'contemptible' and had struck at the 'core' of what it means to be an MP. Mr Johnson said all MPs mourn with Sir David's family, adding in the Commons: 'Sir David was taken from us in a contemptible act of violence striking at the core of what it is to be a member of this House, and violating both the sanctity of the church in which he was killed and the constituency surgery that is so essential to our representative democracy. 'But we will not allow the manner of Sir David's death in any way to detract from his accomplishments as a politician or as a human being. Sir David was a patriot who believed passionately in this country, in its people and in its future. He was also one of the nicest, kindest and most gentle individuals ever to grace these benches.' Sir Keir Starmer added Labour's condolences, saying Sir David was 'a man and a politician we can all learn so much from'. He said making Southend a city was a 'fitting tribute'. As touching tributes were paid to the MP today: Boris Johnson told the House of Commons that Southend -on-sea will be accorded city status in honour of Sir David Amess; Ali Harbi Ali was referred to counter-terrorism programme Prevent - but not considered 'extreme enough' to be passed on to MI5. Friends warned that he was becoming an extremist and was being whipped up by Anjem Choudary's YouTube videos, which he was 'utterly obsessed' with; Spies and police scour suspect's family connections to Somalia and Kenya for any clues and whether Sir David's campaigning for Qatar could form part of killer's motive. But one government insider claimed: 'He was unlucky. He was not targeted because of his political party. David Amess was not specifically targeted'; Westminster politicians are split over whether police should protect them at constituency events or if private security should be deployed instead; MPs this afternoon paid tribute to Sir David Amess as politicians on all sides grieve his death; Dominic Raab says he has had serious threats to his life - and admits he is open to discussion on MPs wearing stab vests at events. Senior Tory Tobias Ellwood has called on constituency meetings being paused; The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox, Brendan Cox, said people needed to challenge comments which 'celebrate political segregation' citing people who say 'I've never kissed a Tory' as a 'badge of honour'; Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and SNP Wesminster leader Ian Blackford attend a service of remembrance for British MP David Amess The seat of Sir David Amess was left empty in a touching tribute to the MP during Monday's House of Commons session MP's and Peers arrive for a service of remembrance for British MP David Amess at St Margaret's Church in Westminster in London, Monday The House of Commons pictured today where tributes were made to honor the Conservative lawmaker David Amess MPs said prayers and observed a minute's silence today as the Commons gathered to pay tribute to the Tory veteran. Sir David's usual seat was left empty Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks in the chamber of the House of Commons, Westminster, as MPs gather to pay tribute to Conservative MP Sir David Amess Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel in the chamber of the House of Commons today where tributes were made to honor the Conservative lawmaker David Amess A packed chamber was hushed as Speaker Lindsay Hoyle condemned the 'despicable' attack on the Tory veteraA packed chamber was hushed as Speaker Lindsay Hoyle condemned the 'despicable' attack on David Amess Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends a service to honour Sir David Amess at the Church of St Margaret, in the grounds of Westminster Abbey The Commons has cleared almost all its business today for the tributes to Sir David Making Southend-on-Sea (pictured) a city was one of Sir David's main goals as a politician and he famously pushed for it at every moment he could Queen grants David Amess's dream of city status for Southend The Queen has granted Southend city status as tribute to murdered MP David Amess. Sir David had campaigned for two decades for the Essex resort to be elevated, raising it in parliament at every opportunity. Announcing the Queen's approval in the House this afternoon, Boris Johnson said: 'As it is only a short time since Sir David last put that very case to me in this chamber, I am happy to announce that Her Majesty has agreed that Southend will be accorded the city status it so clearly deserves.' Sir Keir Starmer said he was 'so pleased' at the announcement of Southend becoming a city, telling the Commons: 'It is a fitting tribute to Sir David's hard work, it really is.' With a population of around 183,000, Southend is a large coastal town and is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend Pier, measuring 1.33 miles. It also has London Southend Airport less than two miles north of the town centre. City status in the UK can be associated with having a cathedral or a university. A large population is also often associated with city status. However, formal UK city status is ultimately granted by the monarch, on the advice of ministers. The city process has become more structured in recent decades, with towns submitting bids and winners being chosen. Advertisement Announcing the Queen's approval for elevating Southend to city status, Mr Johnson said: 'As it is only a short time since Sir David last put that very case to me in this chamber, I am happy to announce that Her Majesty has agreed that Southend will be accorded the city status it so clearly deserves. 'That Sir David spent almost 40 years in this House, but not one day in ministerial office, tells everything about where his priorities lay. 'He was not a man in awe of this chamber, nor a man who sought patronage or advancement. He simply wanted to serve the people of Essex.' Downing Street said the award of city status to Southend was a 'very rare honour'. 'This was an exceptional circumstance,' the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said. 'It is a very rare honour which Sir David campaigned passionately for. 'He was a tireless champion of Southend, celebrating its achievements, the work of its residents and its thriving local businesses and diversity.' Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told the chamber earlier: 'The circumstances of Sir David's death are despicable and raise the most fundamental issues about how members of this House are able to perform their vital democratic responsibilities safely and securely. 'In light of the ongoing police investigation I will not say more about the events, but I give the House my undertaking I will do everything in my power to ensure that these issues are treated with urgency and with the sense of priority that they deserve.' Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'His killing is a terrible and sad moment in our history, an attack on our democracy and an appalling tragedy. 'We are all thinking of David Jr and his family.' Conservative former minister Mark Francois described Sir David as his 'best and oldest friend in politics'. He proposed bringing forward 'David's law' to crackdown on the online abuse suffered by MPs. Former prime minister Theresa May said every MP had 'lost a friend' as she paid tribute to Sir David, telling the Commons: 'Laughter, service, compassion these are three of the words that spring to my mind when I think of David Amess.' The Commons chaplain, Tricia Hillas, said: 'May the bright memory of his rich life ever outshine the tragic manner of his death.' Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves a memorial service for Sir David Amess at St Margaret's church on October 18 Candles left at a vigil for MP Sir David Amess outside parliament in London, Britain, 18 October, 2021 Matt Hancock talks with fellow MPs as thy walk from the Houses of Parliament to attend a service to pay tribute to slain British lawmaker David Amess Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord McFall of Alcluith speaks during a service to honour Sir David Amess at the Church of St Margaret From left, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and SNP Wesminster leader Ian Blackford Sir David's heartbroken wife and children today visited the church where the Tory politician was stabbed to death by a suspected Islamist terrorist who was allegedly bent on murdering any MP he could get close to. His widow Julia Amess wiped away tears as she read messages of love for her late husband outside the Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea along with two of their five children this morning. Mrs Amess, who also worked for her husband as a part-time caseworker for his Southend West constituency, came to mourn her husband hours after the family said that their hearts had been 'shattered' by his 'cruel and violent death' at a constituency surgery in Essex. They said they could not understand why the 'patriot and a man of peace' was targeted by a knifeman he had never met. Sir David walked his daughter Flo down the aisle in 2019 and she was at her mother's side today with her American husband Shawn. Flo's sister Katie, an actress and model, also came to look at the flowers and mourn her father while supported by her husband, the Southend rapper Verses Bang. But Alexandra, who the MP gave away at her wedding in August, daughter Sarah and son David Jr were not at the church today. Julia cried as she viewed the huge number of floral tributes piled outside the church where her husband was stabbed to death. Family members comforted one another, with one placing an arm around her, and they stayed for around 15 minutes. Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, along with MPs and peers, arrives at The Church of St Margaret, in the grounds of Westminster Abbey, London, to attend a service to honour Sir David Amess Sir David Amess (pictured) was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery on Friday Flo Amess leads the family with her husband Shawn (far right) followed by her mother Julia (centre left) and her sister Katie (centre right with blonde hair) along withher husband, the Southend rapper Verses Bang (far left) The huge numbers of flowers and tributes at Belfairs Methodist Church today, where Sir David was murdered on Friday The Essex resort is a popular staycation resort and his the London Southend Airport less than two miles from its centre The minister of Belfairs, Rev Clifford Newman, hugged Sir David's widow during the family visit to the church. The six visitors bowed their heads and formed a semi-circle around the churchman as he gave a short private address. It came as it was revealed the suspect arrested for murdering him forced to attend an official deradicalisation course after a teacher spotted his extremist views at least five years ago after becoming a 'huge fan' of hate preacher Anjem Choudary and his sickening YouTube sermons. Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP as he met with his Southend West constituents on Friday afternoon. It is believed the suspected Islamist terrorist may have chosen his victim at random having become obsessed with killing any MP. In a heartbreaking statement his family called for people to 'set aside hatred', adding: 'Nobody should die in that way. Nobody. Whatever one's race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand. We are absolutely broken, but we will survive and carry on for the sake of a wonderful and inspiring man.' Tears for a murdered husband and father: Sir David Amess' heartbroken widow and daughters view floral tributes left for tragic Tory MP at Southend church where he was killed after 'being chosen at random by terror attacker' By Martin Robinson, Chief Reporter for MailOnline Sir David Amess' heartbroken wife and children today visited the church where the Tory politician was stabbed to death by a suspected Islamist terrorist who was allegedly bent on murdering any MP he could get close to. His widow Julia Amess wiped away tears as she read messages of love for her late husband outside the Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea along with two of their five children this morning - hours before Boris Johnson revealed the Queen has given Sir David's beloved Southend-on-Sea city status in his memory. Mrs Amess, who also worked for her husband as a part-time caseworker for his Southend West constituency, came to mourn her husband hours after the family said that their hearts had been 'shattered' by his 'cruel and violent death' at a constituency surgery in Essex. They said they could not understand why the 'patriot and a man of peace' was targeted by a knifeman he had never met. Sir David had walked his daughter Flo down the aisle in 2019 and she was at her mother's side today with her American husband Shawn. Flo's sister Katie, an actress and model, also came to look at the flowers and mourn her father while supported by her husband, the Southend rapper Verses Bang. But Alexandra, who the MP gave away at her wedding in August, daughter Sarah and son David Jr were not at the church today. Julia cried as she viewed the huge number of floral tributes piled outside the church where her husband was stabbed to death. Family members comforted one another, with one placing an arm around her, and they stayed for around 15 minutes. Julia Amess, the widow of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, arrives to view flowers and tributes left for her late husband at Belfairs Methodist Church and speaks to the vicar with her daughter Flo behind her Flo Amess leads the family with her husband Shawn (far right) followed by her mother Julia (centre left) and her sister Katie (centre right with blonde hair) along with her husband, the Southend rapper Verses Bang (far left) Flo hugged her mother (centre right) as the read the messages of love for Sir David, the second MP to be murdered in six years Two of Conservative MP Sir David Amess' four daughters, Katie, right, and Flo, left, view flowers and tributes left for their late father at Belfairs Methodist Church Sir David in happier times with wife and family at daughter Flo's wedding to American Shawn Braddy in 2019. From centre Flo, Sir David, Julia, Katie, Sarah and Alexandra Mrs Amess (left) was supported by two of their daughters at the church where her husband was stabbed to death on Friday. Flo and her American husband Shawn Braddy pictured behind Sir David's widow Sir David's daughter Katie, far right, was pictured with her partner Verses Bang leading the way to look at the flowers. Julia Amess is far left linking arms with a family friend The Rev Clifford Newman of Belfairs Methodist Church, hugs Julia Amess as she arrived. Rev Newman has said that the church where Sir David was killed 'has been defiled' by the murderer Mrs Amess holds her face as she spent around 15 minutes reading the messages and looking at the flowers that have been left outside the church A tearful Katie Amess looks at the flowers, cards, messages and photos left for her beloved father Sir David's son in law Shawn (far right), husband to Flo Amess, looks at the messages and flowers at the church in Leigh-on-Sea today Julia Amess was supported by a family friend as they visited the church this morning Conservative MP for Southend West Sir David Amess, pictured with his wife Julia and his four daughters as he gave away Alexandra Amess in August. Alexandra was not at the church today as the family grieves his loss The minister of Belfairs, Rev Clifford Newman, hugged Sir David's widow during the family visit to the church. The six visitors bowed their heads and formed a semi-circle around the churchman as he gave a short private address. It came hours before the Queen granted the veteran politician his 20-year wish of Southend becoming a city as the Commons gathered to express its grief at his killing. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told a packed chamber the attack on the Tory veteran had been 'contemptible' and struck at the 'core' of what it means to be an MP as colleagues paid emotional tributes. He insisted that the fundamental functions of democracy would not be damaged by the murder of 'one of the nicest, kindest and most gentle' individuals ever to have sat in the House. Meanwhile it was revealed the suspect arrested for murdering him forced to attend an official deradicalisation course after a teacher spotted his extremist views at least five years ago after becoming a 'huge fan' of hate preacher Anjem Choudary and his sickening YouTube sermons. Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP as he met with his Southend West constituents on Friday afternoon. It is believed the suspected Islamist terrorist may have chosen his victim at random having become obsessed with killing any MP. In a heartbreaking statement his family called for people to 'set aside hatred', adding: 'Nobody should die in that way. Nobody. Whatever one's race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand. We are absolutely broken, but we will survive and carry on for the sake of a wonderful and inspiring man.' In Parliament today, Mr Johnson said Her Majesty had agreed that Southend will be upgraded to city status - something Sir David had tirelessly campaigned for over two decades. Announcing the Queen's approval for elevating Southend to city status, Mr Johnson said: 'As it is only a short time since Sir David last put that very case to me in this chamber, I am happy to announce that Her Majesty has agreed that Southend will be accorded the city status it so clearly deserves. 'That Sir David spent almost 40 years in this House, but not one day in ministerial office, tells everything about where his priorities lay. 'He was not a man in awe of this chamber, nor a man who sought patronage or advancement. He simply wanted to serve the people of Essex.' 'A much respected and loved Member of Parliament': Theresa May leads MP tributes to Sir David Amess Theresa May: 'Every member of this House has lost a friend' The former prime minister said every MP had 'lost a friend' as she paid tribute to Sir David Amess in the House of Commons this afternoon. She said: 'Laughter, service, compassion these are three of the words that spring to my mind when I think of Davis Amess. 'Laughter because you could never have a conversation with David without laughter and smiling, whether it was because of one of the outrageous stories he was telling perhaps about one of his colleagues or somebody else but there were always smiles, always laughter, always fun around David.' Mrs May said Sir David gave an 'extraordinary' service to his constituents, adding: 'I suggest to anybody who wants to be a first-class constituency MP that you look at the example of David Amess.' Theresa May said every MP had 'lost a friend' as she paid tribute to Sir David Amess in the House of Commons this afternoon Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks in the chamber of the House of Commons, Westminster, as MPs gather to pay tribute to Conservative MP Sir David Amess Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks in the chamber of the House of Commons Mrs May said Sir David 'made a difference to people's lives', before noting it was a 'wonderful legacy' that Southend will be given city status and she urged MPs to 'bring the same respect, decency and compassion that were the symbols of his life' when discussing issues. She concluded: 'His compassion made a difference to people outside of this House, his kindness made a difference inside this House. Our thoughts and prayers are with Julia and the family. Their loss is devastating. 'His constituency has lost a much respected and loved Member of Parliament. This House has lost a remarkable and valued parliamentarian, and every member of this House has lost a friend. May he rest in peace.' Mark Francois: 'Everything I ever learned about being a constituency MP I learnt from David Amess' Conservative former minister Mark Francois described Sir David as his 'best and oldest friend in politics'. Mr Francois told the chamber: 'I confess I am hurting terribly so I hope the House will therefore forgive me if because of that my contribution this afternoon is even more incoherent than usual.' The MP for the neighbouring seat of Rayleigh and Wickford added: 'Everything I ever learned about being a constituency MP I learnt from David Amess. He sponsored me for the candidates' list and he mentored me when I arrived. 'Without him I would never have become a Member of Parliament, so some might well argue he has much to answer for.' Conservative former minister Mark Francois described Sir David as his 'best and oldest friend in politics' Mr Francois recalled campaigning to help Sir David retain his Basildon seat in 1992, adding: 'We were out canvassing on a council estate in Pitsea, I'll never forget it, we knocked on this door and this monster of a bloke opened the door and he looked at us both and looked at the blue rosettes and he said: 'Conservative? Tory? You must be bloody joking, I'm voting for that David Amess'.' Mr Francois proposed bringing forward 'David's law' to tackle online abuse targeted at MPs, telling the Commons: 'In the last few years David had become increasingly concerned about what he called the toxic environment in which MPs, particularly female MPs were having to operate in.' He added: 'He was appalled by what he called the vile misogynistic abuse which female MPs had to endure online and he told me very recently that he wanted something done about it.' Harriet Harman: 'One of the most dedicated but also the most affable of MPs' Veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman said Sir David looked 'beyond' party differences and worked with a multitude of different MPs. The MP for Camberwell and Peckham said: 'Sir David was one of the most dedicated but also the most affable of MPs. 'He looked beyond party differences to work with so many of us on a multitude of issues of common concern and that's why there are tears on all sides of the House this afternoon. Veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman said Sir David looked 'beyond' party differences and worked with a multitude of different MPs 'Most recently, just one example, he took the lead on a cause which I then took up, which was the injustice done to young unmarried mothers whose babies were taken from them in the 1960s and 70s. We've all got examples where he has worked with us. 'My tribute to him will be to redouble my efforts on that, and to remember and to work in the spirit that he exemplified: commitment to constituency, commitment to Parliament, a belief that he could and did make a difference.' James Duddridge: 'David was a man of faith and convictions' James Duddridge, the Tory MP who represents the neighbouring seat of Southend East, described Sir David Amess as a 'great man', and thanked the Prime Minister for announcing the move to city status. Mr Duddridge told the Commons: 'David was a man of faith and convictions. Faith in his religion, and convictions in his politics. 'He was above and beyond everything else a family man, and a very funny man. He'd often break all the rules, cutting through pomp and ceremony, and connecting with people.' James Duddridge, the Tory MP who represents the neighbouring seat of Southend East, described Sir David Amess as a 'great man' Mr Duddridge, describing Sir David's character, said the late MP would frequently make up stories when introducing him to others, for example introducing him as a lottery millionaire when attending a charity fundraiser. And he told 'the story of boiled sweet', describing how on a trip to the Vatican Sir David once accidentally had a boiled sweet blessed by the Pope. Mr Duddridge thanked Mr Johnson for announcing that Southend will be made a city, saying 'it means a lot to everybody, it really does'. He added: 'The impact of David's death has been profound on the city. Southend are in shock. And I am in shock.' Kim Leadbeater: 'It's a rollercoaster of deep trauma that no one should have to experience' The Labour MP Kim Leadbeater recalled the moment she was told her sister Jo Cox had been attacked, and described the 'rollercoaster of deep trauma that no one should have to experience'. Speaking in the Commons, she said she did not know Sir David Amess personally, but said he 'was clearly a well-respected and much loved colleague to many people in this place'. She said: 'It's been a traumatic few days for many people, none more so than David's family and friends, and it's they who remain at the forefront of my mind this afternoon. 'But sadly I know from my own all-too-similar experience that in reality there is nothing anyone can say to make things all right for them. But nor is it any use to stay silent. The Labour MP Kim Leadbeater recalled the moment she was told her sister Jo Cox had been attacked, and described the 'rollercoaster of deep trauma that no one should have to experience' 'I do have a unique perspective on what those closest to David are going through and I want to send them my love, support and solidarity, from myself, my parents, our family, and the people of Batley and Spen. 'I have blocked out much of what happened when Jo was murdered, but I remember very clearly the moment I took the phone call saying she had been attacked. I remember physically trembling, and the visceral pain that overtook me. 'And it breaks my heart to think that another family has had to experience that phone call, and the nightmare which follows. It's a rollercoaster of deep trauma that no one should have to experience.' Ms Leadbeater said she hoped the tributes will 'provide a morsel of comfort amidst their pain'. Lord Speaker Lord McFall: 'An exemplar of decency and courtesy' The Lord Speaker, Lord McFall of Alcluith, led tributes in the upper chamber to Sir David Amess as he said the MP 'had an ability to make every encounter bright'. The peer told the House of Lords: 'Sir David was not a member of this House but he was one of us, he was a true parliamentarian. 'He was also an exemplar of decency and courtesy.' Lord McFall of Alcluith, the Lord Speaker, led tributes in the upper chamber to Sir David Amess as he said the MP 'had an ability to make every encounter bright' Lord McFall said Sir David 'relished working across the party divides' and was 'not tribal' in his beliefs. He added: 'Not once did I meet him in these corridors over the 34 years we served together without being met with an enormous smile as he bounded towards me with a spring in his step. 'He had an ability to make every encounter bright, something which reminded me time and time again of the inherent goodness of humanity.' Lead author said viewing memes can help with pandemic-related stress Those who viewed three memes reported feeling more positive emotions Internet memes are meant to be humorous but they may also have another positive effect helping us cope with pandemic stress. A study of nearly 800 people found those who looked at memes compared to other types of media were more relaxed and cheerful. And people who saw memes that mentioned the coronavirus were felt less stressed about the pandemic, compared to people who viewed similar images without Covid-related captions. Lead author Professor Jessica Gall Myrick, from Pennsylvania State University, said: 'As the pandemic kept dragging on, it became more and more interesting to me how people were using social media, and memes in particular, as a way to think about the pandemic. 'We found viewing just three memes can help people cope with the stress of living during a global pandemic.' A swathe of studies have laid bare the impact of Covid and lockdowns on people's mental health, with stress and anxiety levels thought to be at record highs. The study involved showing participants three randomly selected memes from a pool of 112 (including the two above) and measuring their moods afterwards Covid has made us more miserable than ever before Britons were more miserable than ever in the first year of the Covid pandemic, data revealed today. Wellbeing levels plunged to the lowest figure since records began almost a decade ago. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) report also revealed anxiety rates soared to their highest ever level in the year ending March 2021. The survey of hundreds of thousands of participants across the UK shows the impact of the first year of the pandemic on British attitudes. People spent much of the 12-months under stringent measures to control the spread of the coronavirus, meaning they were stuck at home, unable to see loved ones and only allowed to venture outside for exercise once a day or essential shopping. Advertisement The study, which was published in the journal Psychology of Popular Media, measured how nervous or stressed the American participants felt. Some were then shown three randomly selected memes, while others looked at control conditions with plain text and no images. After viewing the media, people were asked to rate what they had seen based on the humour and cuteness. They were also asked about their levels of anxiety and positive emotions such as calmness, relaxation and cheer, and how much it caused them to think about other information they knew about Covid. Researchers noticed those who viewed memes compared with other types of media reported higher levels of humour and more positive emotions. People who saw memes with captions related to coronavirus were even more likely to have lower stress levels about the pandemic than people who viewed memes without Covid-related captions, the study authors claimed. Professor Myrick said: 'While the World Health Organization recommended that people avoid too much Covid-related media for the benefit of their mental health, our research reveals that memes about Covid could help people feel more confident in their ability to deal with the pandemic. 'This suggests that not all media are uniformly bad for mental health and people should stop and take stock of what type of media they are consuming. 'If we are all more conscious of how our behaviours, including time spent scrolling, affect our emotional states, then we will better be able to use social media to help us when we need it and to take a break from it when we need that instead.' It comes after official data last week revealed Britons were more miserable than ever in the first year of the Covid pandemic. Wellbeing levels plunged to the lowest figure since records began almost a decade ago. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) report also revealed anxiety rates soared to their highest ever level in the year ending March 2021. The survey of hundreds of thousands of participants across the UK shows the impact of the first year of the pandemic on British attitudes. People spent much of the 12-months under stringent measures to control the spread of the coronavirus, meaning they were stuck at home, unable to see loved ones and only allowed to venture outside for exercise once a day or essential shopping. Former President Trump will appear in a videotaped deposition today as part of a law suit related to a demonstration outside his New York City building during his campaign in 2015, according to a Bronx judge order. A group of Mexican protestors are alleging they were assaulted outside of Trump Tower by security guards. They were protesting Trump's comments on Latin American immigrants as he ran for president. The lawsuit names several defendants including Trump, his campaign and his former head of security Keith Schiller. The former president said in a 2016 affidavit he had no knowledge of the altercation and was not directly involved in hiring security personnel. His attorney had tried to get him out of testifying, but a judge decided his testimony was 'indispensable.' Trump is in the midst of at least 10 civil lawsuits. Lawyers for the protesters will question Trump, the former president, whose deposition will be taped inside Trump tower. Donald Trump was ordered by a Bronx judge to appear for a videotaped deposition on Monday or by the end of October at the latest in relation to a protest outside Trump Tower in September 2015 Trump's former director of security and longtime bodyguard Keith Schiller (right) reaches for protester Efrain Galicia (center in a blue shirt) on September 3, 2015 Images from outside Trump Tower that day show Schiller in a physical tussle with Galicia. The plaintiffs are alleging Trump's security guards assaulted them and infringed on their First Amendment freedoms The protesters claim in the lawsuit that Trump's security guards assaulted them and infringed on their Freedom of Speech in peacefully demonstrating. The plaintiffs also allege that Schiller hit Efrain Galicia, one of the protesters, in the head. It also claims he tried to take away a sign reading: 'Trump: Make America Racist Again.' Several images from that day in New York shows Schiller and Galicia in a tussle. The protest in question happened in September 2015 when then-candidate Trump made a blanket statement claiming Mexican nationals who illegally cross into the U.S. are criminals and rapists. This was the height of Trump promoting his future administration's hard-line illegal immigration policies, including building the southern border wall. The four men of Mexican descent who were protesting outside Trump Tower were wearing Ku Klux Klan suits, according to The Washington Post. However, the image of Galicia does not show him wearing the white robbed garb. The men say in their lawsuit that Trump's security guards emerged from the building during their protest, grabbed their signs and pushed them before hitting Galicia over the head. Here Schiller is shown conversing with Galicia before it got physical There are several lawsuits plaguing the former president. Trump's tax filings and businesses are under investigation by district attorneys in Manhattan and New York State. He is also facing another potential deposition by the end of 2021 in relation to a defamation lawsuit filed by Summer Zervos, a former 'Apprentice' contestant. Zervos alleges Trump sexually assaulted her at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 2007 and claims she was defamed when he denied the alleged assault during his campaign for president. Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll is also suing Trump for defamation after he accused her of lying about an allegation of a rape during the 1990s in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman. Meanwhile, Trump and his children Eric, Don Jr. and Ivanka are facing are also being sued in the same courthouse by a group who claims that the family convinced them to make bad investments in businesses they had a stake in. The lawsuit alleges Trump did not disclose he was being paid millions to promote the companies. Police are hunting for a four-year-old girl who has been missing for three days after vanishing from a campsite in rural Australia. Cleo Smith was last seen by mother Ellie on Saturday in a tent they were sharing at the Blow Holes campsite on the coast of Western Australia. Ellie said she had an 'interaction' with Cleo around 1.30am, but when she woke up again at 6am the girl was gone - and has not been seen since. Police say they have 'grave concerns' for Cleo's safety, and are not ruling out the possibility that she was snatched from the tent. The case drew immediate comparisons with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann - who went missing from her family's apartment at the Praia da Luz resort in Portugal aged three in 2007 and has not been seen since. Cleo Smith, four, was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday at the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia Police are probing all possibilities of Cleo's mystery disappearance - including kidnapping - and have been scouring bushland and stopping cars and caravans in search of the missing girl Officers said she was last seen wearing a wearing a pink/purple one-piece sleep-suit with a blue and yellow pattern. Police say Cleo is 3ft, 7ins tall and has honey-blonde coloured hair and hazel eyes. At the times she was last seen, Cleo was in a red and black sleeping bag which is also thought to have gone missing. Inspector Jon Munday, who is leading search efforts, said Monday that 'everything is still on the table' including the possibility that Cleo was taken. He said officers have interviewed other people camping in the area to 'paint a picture of who was around here during the window of opportunity.' Having spent several days searching the surrounding terrain using helicopters, drones and marine search teams, Munday said the search has now expanded to a number of coastal shacks. Vehicles in the area are also being searched, including at least one caravan seen driving away from the campsite. 'Weve gathered a lot of information and a lot of intelligence from things like dashcams, CCTV cameras around the place [and] at roadhouses,' Munday said. Police are also considering the possibility that Cleo wandered off in the night and got lost, he said, adding: 'Were going as hard as we can for as long as we can to try to find Cleo.' On Monday it was also revealed that Daniel Staines, Cleo's biological father, has been called in for questioning - though there is no suggestion he was anything to do with the disappearance. Police have released an image of Cleo's sleeping bag and are urging members of the public to come forward if they have seen it Detectives have not ruled out anything in relation to her disappearance - and are exploring theories she may have been abducted Staines spoke to police for three hours after being voluntarily called in to give a statement, Sky News reported. He did so willingly with his parents by his side, the station added. 'We are really interested in anybody who was at The Blowholes campsite from Friday the 15th of October through to Sunday,' Inspector Munday told reporters. 'You don't even have to have stayed here, even if you just passed through. We need to speak to you... so we can track and trace where people were. 'And if anybody has any dashcam footage or any footage at all of the area we really would be interested in those people coming forward.' Authorities have also released aerial footage of the campsite as they combed through the remote bushland in search of the missing girl amid growing fears the child may have been snatched. The camp ground is located 45 miles from Carnarvon, where Cleo's family are from, and they were familiar with the area having camped there several times. The recreation site is bordered by the ocean on one side and desolate, rugged terrain on the other. Cleo Smith, four, was last seen at about 1.30am on Saturday at the Blowholes campsite on the coast at Macleod, north of Carnarvon, in Western Australia (pictured, the campsite Cleo went missing from) One of the theories was that young Cleo may have wandered off towards the water and was washed away by the rising tide. But exhaustive marine searches have so far found no evidence she entered the water. 'The searches we have done for this marine environment are the best we can get and they have done the best they can and in that environment we haven't found any sign of Cleo,' Inspector Munday said. 'And that marine search has been scaled back at this time.' Police are continuing to probe the possibility that Cleo was abducted, with officers stopping cars and caravans to search the vehicles over the weekend and seizing CCTV footage from nearby roadhouses as part of the investigation. Detectives from the homicide squad have also been called into to scour the scene. Locals have been told to check garbage bins and roadsides for the grey and red sleeping bag used by Cleo at the time she went missing. A billionaire associate of Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Clinton, whose private jet was nicknamed the 'f*** jet' and 'air f*** one' has donated $200,000 to Terry McAuliffe's campaign to become Democratic governor of Virginia during the past year, according to new financial filings. They reveal that private equity Ron Burkle, who bought Michael Jackson's former Neverland ranch last year, made a $100,000 donation in September. That comes on top of a $100,000 contribution at the end of last year, according to data published by the Virginia Department of Elections The new details will trigger fresh scrutiny of McAuliffe's run. High-profile Democrats have descended on Virginia during the past month trying to shore up his narrow lead over former business executive Glenn Youngkin, in a state that Joe Biden won by 10 percentage points a year ago. But his campaign received a generous boost in September from Burkle, who is worth about $2.6 billion according to Forbes. The 68-year-old made his money buying and selling supermarket chains, cash that saw him become a major Democratic fundraiser and a tabloid star for his luxury, bed-room equipped 757 that ferried Clinton around the world. His latest contribution, revealed in a campaign finance report published at the weekend, was seized on by the Youngkin campaign. 'I guess if youre best friends with predators like Harvey Weinstein and spent decades doing God knows what with Jeffrey Epstein pal Bill Clinton, cozying up to the likes of Ron Burkle is just another day that ends in Y for Terry McAuliffe,' said Youngkin spokeswoman Macaulay Porter. Billionaire Ron Burkle (l) has given $200,000 to Terry McAuliffe's campaign for Virginia governor. They include a payment of $100,000 in September and in December last year, according to campaign finance reports Burkle, founder of Yucaipa, is seen with former President Bill Clinton in 2006. The former president began disengaging with the firm in 2007 ahead of his wife's run for president 'Burkles usual means of transport is the custom-converted Boeing 757 that Clinton calls Ron Air and that Burkles own circle of young aides privately refer to as Air F*** One,'" according to a 2008 Vanity Fair piece The McAuliffe campaign and Burkle's investment firm did not respond to requests for comment. Burkle rose to public prominence as a close associate of Clinton when the former president joined his financial firm Yucaipa, and their travels became the subject of tabloid headlines. 'Burkles usual means of transport is the custom-converted Boeing 757 that Clinton calls Ron Air and that Burkles own circle of young aides privately refer to as Air F*** One,'" said a Vanity Fair piece in 2008. The plane included a private bedroom suite. The two used the private jet extensively, including on a trip to meet Nelson Mandela. In 2002 they flew on Epstein's jet to Africa, according to flight logs obtained by Gawker, on an anti-Aids and economic development trip. A source close to Burkle later said he flew home on a commercial jet and found Epstein to be 'creepy.' Even so, it emerged this year that Clinton later flew on Burkle's jet with Epstein's close associate Ghislaine Maxwell - now awaiting trial awaiting trial on sex abuse and trafficking charges - during a trip to India in November 2003. Details were revealed by journalist Vicky Ward in her podcast 'Chasing Ghislaine' three months ago. And Burkle's misspelled name was discovered in Epstein's 'black book' of the rich and powerful, alongside the likes of Britains Prince Andrew and former Prime Minister Tony Blair. His relationship with Clinton appeared to fizzle amid salacious tabloid headlines when former first lady Hillary Clinton prepared for her first White House run. In a 2016 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Burkle said the jet was far from a flying frat house. 'No woman could get within 100 miles of [Clinton] while I was on watch,' he said. However, he remained a deep-pocketed Democratic donor. In 2014, McAuliffe - then in his first stint as Virginia governor - traveled to Los Angeles for a fundraiser hosted by the billionaire. Other business associates of Burkle include disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein. In 2010 the billionaire backed Weinstein's effort to buy back the Miramax company he had cofounded with his brother. They failed but Burkle went on to work with the Weinstein Co. on several movies, including The Iron Lady, Long Walk to Freedom and August, Osage County. Clinton is seen here with Burkle on the balcony of the billionaire's mansion in Santa Monica, California, in 1997. Burkle says he raised more than $10 million for the Clintons' campaigns McAuliffe is in a tight race with former business executive Glenn Youngkin in Virginia. The state was won by Biden by 10 points last year and a Republican win would be hailed by the GOP as a harbinger of success in next year's midterm elections First lady Jill Biden campaigned for McAuliffe last week and former President Barack Obama is expected at the weekend as Democrats bring out heavy hitters as Election Day approaches Details of his political donation emerged at a critical moment in the Virginia campaign. The two candidates are locked in a tight race that will be seen as a bellwether contest ahead of next year's midterm elections. Defeat for McAuliffe would be taken to mean President Biden faces deep trouble when his party tries to hold on to control of the House and the Senate. In a sign of the stakes in play, first lady Jill Biden stumped for McAuliffe last Friday and former President Barack Obama is expected in the state at the weekend. On Monday, the White House declined to answer whether Biden himself might put in an appearance before he leaves for Europe at the end of next week. Early voting began on Sept. 17 ahead of Election Day on Nov. 2. A survey of likely voters by Christopher Newport Universitys Wason Center for Civic Leadership suggested the election remained in the balance. It gave McAuliffe held a four-point lead over Youngkin, with five percent percent of respondents still undecided in a poll with a margin of error just above four percentage points. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivered an emotional tribute to former Secretary of State Colin Powell Monday shortly after learning of the death of a man he called a mentor. 'The world lost one of the greatest leaders that we have ever witnessed,' Austin. 'Alma lost a great husband, and the family lost a tremendous father and I lost a tremendous personal friend and mentor,' said Austin who as the nation's first black secretary of defense followed in Powell's footsteps. Powell was the first African American chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. 'He has been my mentor for a number of years. He always made time for me and I could always go to him with tough issues. He always had great counsel. We will certainly miss him. 'I feel as if I have a hole in my heart just learning of this,' said Austin, who spoke to TV cameras while traveling in Europe hours after Powell's family announced his passing. 'I feel as if I have a hole in my heart just learning of this,' said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in remarks on the death of former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Austin, who is traveling in Europe, called Powell a mentor He then listed off some of Powell's accomplishments. 'First African American chairman of the joint chiefs, first African American secretary of state a man who was respected around the globe. And who will be, quite frankly, it is not possible to replace a Colin Powell. We will miss him.' He concluded: 'My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. We are deeply, deeply saddened to learn of this.' Austin was one of numerous top officials and dignitaries to honor Powell with statements. President Bush and former First Lady Laura said on Monday they were 'deeply saddened' by the news of Powell's passing. Under Bush, Powell backed the Iraq War in 2003 and was instrumental in the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban after 9/11. 'Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of Colin Powell', they said in a joint statement. 'He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam. 'Many Presidents relied on General Powell's counsel and experience. He was National Security Adviser under President Reagan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under my father and President Clinton, and Secretary of State during my administration. 'He was such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom - twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. 'And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend.' Former President Jimmy Carter said in a statement called Powell 'a true patriot and public servant.' We were honored to work beside him to strengthen communities in the United States, help resolve conflict in Haiti, and observe elections in Jamaica. His courage and integrity will be an inspiration for generations to come.' Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited with Powell July 4t, spoke of how Powell 'was beloved here at the State Department' after transitioning from military leader to the nation's top diplomat. 'He gave the State Department the very best of his leadership, his experience, his patriotism,' said Blinken. 'He gave us his decency, and the State Department loved him for it.' Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright called Powell a friend as well as an American icon whose career in public service will always be celebrated and remembered. Powell served as secretary of State under President George W. Bush from 2001-2005. 'Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of Colin Powell', the Bushes said in a joint statement. 'He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam' Powell, the first black Secretary of State who helped formulated foreign policy under several presidents, died Monday morning at the age of 84 of complications from COVID. The Pentagon powerhouse who served as a soldier in Vietnam and went on to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was fully vaccinated when he passed away at Walter Reed Medical Center in Baltimore according to his family. Retired four-star general Powell, who was also suffering from Parkinson's, is survived by his wife Alma and three children, and has a celebrated career that saw him rise up the military ranks after growing up in a Jamaican immigrant family in Harlem. Alma Powell also had a breakthrough case of COVID but responded to treatment, according to reports. His family confirmed his death in a statement on Facebook, but didn't mention whether he had received a booster shot. It's also unclear when he was diagnosed with COVID or how long he was hospitalized for, but he had previously been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that impacts the body's ability to fight infections. 'General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from COVID', his family's statement said. 'He was fully vaccinated. We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American.' He served under several Republican administrations including for Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. President George W. Bush (L) embraces former US secretary of state Colin Powell (R) as Bush and US First Lady Laura arrive for a private dinner at Powell's residence 31 May 2005 in Mclean, Virginia Dignitaries giving statements on Powell include Sen. Mitt Romney and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair The first black Secretary of State, Colin Powell (left), died Monday at the age of 84 due to complications from COVID-19. He is leaving behind his wife, Alma (right), who also had a breakthrough case of coronavirus Powell's family announced his death on Facebook Monday morning. They said he was fully vaccinated against coronavirus Powell (second right) poses with his wife Alma (right) and three children Linda, Michael and Annemarie at the White House after being appointed as National Security Advisor to Ronald Reagan in 1987 Tributes to Colin Powell from world leaders TOM RIDGE, FORMER PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR WHO WAS GEORGE W. BUSH'S HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISER "Colin Powell served with great distinction & honor, a patriot who led our nation's foreign diplomacy in those difficult days after 9/11. He was a steady and trusted advisor to the President and I was proud to have served with him." FORMER JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN MARTIN DEMPSEY "Just learned of the passing of my friend and mentor, Colin Powell. A superb soldier, statesman, and lifelong public servant." U.S. SENATOR MITT ROMNEY, ON TWITTER: "Today, the nation lost a man of undaunted courage and a champion of character. A statesman & trailblazer, devoted to America and the cause of liberty, Colin Powell's legacy of service & honor will long inspire. Ann & I offer our love & sincere condolences to Alma and his family." FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR "Colin was a towering figure in American military and political leadership over many years, someone of immense capability and integrity, a hugely likeable and warm personality and a great companion, with a lovely and self-deprecating sense of humor. "He was wonderful to work with, he inspired loyalty and respect and was one of those leaders who always treated those under them with kindness and concern. His life stands as a testament not only to dedicated public service but also a strong belief in willingness to work across partisan division in the interests of his country. "I am so sorry to hear the news of his death. He still had so much to give. My thoughts and prayers are with Alma and all his large and loving extended family." ROBERT CHARLES, WHO SERVED AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE UNDER POWELL - FOX NEWS "This was probably one of the greatest men to live during my lifetime. He was both a good and a great man... He had a great sense of humor. He deeply cared about people ... He was a friend to all; he did not take things personally. That was probably one of the ways that he got to the points in life that he got to. He was an incredibly compassionate person. He cared about everyone." "He was decent and honest with people. Integrity was always at the forefront... this was a guy who truly walked the walk; he lived the words that he spoke... always optimistic." CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST REVEREND AL SHARPTON ON TWITTER "My condolences to the family of Colin Powell. Though we disagreed on many issues, I always respected him and was proud of his achievements. When he and I ran into each other and conversed, I always left feeling he was a sincere and committed man to what he believed in. RIP" RETIRED U.S. GENERAL MARK HERTLING - CNN "He was a terrific soldier, a phenomenal leader." U.S. SENATOR OF VIRGINIA MARK WARNER ON TWITTER "General Powell was a patriot and a public servant. May he rest in peace." Advertisement From 1991-1993 Powell served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Bill Clinton after being appointed to the post halfway through Bush Sr's tenure. Despite being a lifelong Republican, Powell said in June 2020 that he was planning to vote for Joe Biden because Trump 'drifted away' from the Constitution and was turned off by the president's inclination to insult 'anybody who dares to speak against him'. Trump responded to the criticism in a tweet at the time saying: 'Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden.' Powell vouched for Austin when Biden nominated him for Defense Secretary, as Congress considered whether to grant a waiver on a requirement he serve at least seven years in civilian life before assuming the post. Powell called him a 'superb choice.' Powell praised other retired generals who denounced then-president Trump specifically in response to the protests that precipitated after the death of George Floyd. 'I think what we're seeing now with the most massive protest movement I have ever seen in my life, I think it suggests that the country is getting wise to this and we're not going to put up with it anymore,' Powell told CNN at the time. Powell was born to Jamaican immigrants in New York City and raised in the South Bronx, according to his biography. He first joined the military as part of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) during college and went on to serve as an Army lieutenant after graduation. Politicians and pundits were taken back by the seemingly sudden death. Rudy Giuliani, former New York City Mayor and personal attorney to Trump, tweeted: 'Colin Powell was a great American and a good friend.' 'I was one of a small, but determined group, that urged him to run for President in 1996,' he added. 'What if???' Richard Grenell, the former acting director of National Intelligence under Trump, tweeted: 'Thank you for your service, former Secretary of State Colin Powell. RIP. And a sincere thank you to your family for their sacrifices, too.' Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah also weight in. 'Today, the nation lost a man of undaunted courage and a champion of character,' he tweeted. 'A statesmen & trailblazer, devoted to America and the cause of liberty, Colin Powell's legacy of service & honor will long inspire.' 'Ann & I offer our love & sincere condolences to Alma and his family.' Stacey Abrams, the first black woman from a major political party to run for governor of Georgia, tweeted: 'Godspeed to Secretary Colin Powell who led with integrity, admitted fallibility and defended democracy. Deepest condolences to his loved ones and friends.' 'My condolences to the family of Colin Powell,' the Reverend Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader, tweeted. 'Though we disagreed on many issues, I always respected him and was proud of his achievements,' the liberal added. 'When he and I ran into each other and conversed, I always left feeling he was a sincere and committed man to what he believed in.' Former Bush Jr. official Robert Charles also responded on Fox Monday morning: 'He was ever a listener but he is honest as the day is long. This is a man who was his own man and a great leader.' 'We won't see the likes of Colin Powell again for a long time,' he added. Christine Todd Whitman, who served alongside Powell as a Cabinet secretary in the George W. Bush administration, tweeted: 'I'm heartbroken. #ColinPowell was a wonderful person, public servant and friend.' 'We did so much together in our various roles that it's hard to imagine not seeing him again,' said Whitman, a former governor of New Jersey. 'My prayers go out to Alma, his family, and to all whose lives he touched,' she added. 'Rest In Peace, friend.' 'This is hitting me hard,' wrote Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Jaime Harrison. The former candidate for a Senate seat in South Carolina added: 'Colin Powell was a statesman who put his country & family above all else.' 'As a young Black man, he inspired me & showed that there are no limits to what we can be or achieve,' Harrison tweeted. 'Sending my prayers to his family.' Powell was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. To this day he is the only black man to have ever held that post Powell speaks with then-President Barack Obama in the Oval Office on December 1, 2010 Powell is survived by his wife Alma (pictured) and three children Michael, Linda and Annemarie Powell started his military tenure in the Vietnam War. This photo from 1986 shows him and wife Alma during a farewell ceremony in Frankfurt when Powell was a Lieutenant General Powell is sworn in as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney (left) in 1989 A man with an uncanny resemblance to Brain Laundrie, the sole person of interest in Gabby Petito's homicide, says he was questioned by federal investigators at gunpoint after being mistaken by tipsters as the wanted fugitive. Severin Beckwith, and his travel companion Anna Brettmann, were at a lodge on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina around October 7 when U.S. Marshals stormed into their room. 'Next thing I see is a bunch of guys with riot shields with 'U.S. Marshals' written on them,' Beckwith told The New Yorker. 'Handguns pointed at my face.' The hiker, still in his underwear, was handcuffed while investigators - responding to alleged Laundrie sightings - worked to confirm his identity. Severin Beckwith (pictured) says he was questioned by federal investigators at gunpoint after being mistaken by tipsters as wanted fugitive Brian Laundrie Beckwith (left) said the U.S. Marshals agents had a 'side-by-side' photo comparison of him and Laundrie (right). He said: 'It was Brian and then me on the phone calling to get the shuttle' Brian Laundrie, 23, (left) is the sole person of interest in the homicide of his fiancee, Gabby Petito, 22 (right) Beckwith and Brettmann, of Ithaca, New York, had been camping and hiking the Appalachian Trail since late September. Due to several days of heavy rain and poor sleep, the couple decided to check into the Lodge at Fontana Village Resort, located about two miles off the trail, in Dam, North Carolina. They booked the room with a credit card linked to a New York I.D. 'Which, I guess, was good enough motive to come in,' Beckwith said, noting that Petito was also from New York. Speaking with DailyMail.com on Monday, Graham County Sheriff Jerry Crisp said his department had received calls from several tipsters over the last few weeks reporting possible Laundrie sightings. He said they responded to Fontana after receiving a photograph of Beckwith, whom it was presumed could be Laundrie. 'Somebody sent a photo of him to our investigators and he looked a lot like the possible suspect,' Crisp said. 'Our team got in contact with the fugitive task force and they said "we're on our way." They felt confident enough it was him.' When authorities arrived on scene, they knocked on Beckwith's door. The sheriff said they called out Laundrie's name several times, noting that Beckwith responded. 'He answered to the fictitious name but wouldn't come to the door,' Crisp said. 'We called out the name again. He responded to the fictitious name but still didn't come.' Law enforcement forcibly entered the room and put Beckwith in handcuffs. Beckwith claims the agents touched the side of his head and claimed he had a 'notch in the upper part of my inner ear just like [Laundrie].' Severin Beckwith, and his travel companion Anna Brettmann (pictured), were napping at a lodge on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina when U.S. Marshals stormed into their room Crisp says they questioned the young man, examined his hands in search of Laundrie's tattoo and took his prints on a remote fingerprint scanner to confirm his identity. Beckwith told The New Yorker that the agents touched the side of his head and claimed he had a 'notch in the upper part of my inner ear just like [Laundrie].' The U.S. Marshals also presented the tipster's photo to Beckwith during questioning. 'They had a little side-by-side,' he told the magazine. 'It was Brian and then me on the phone calling to get the shuttle.' Crisp said Beckwith was surprised by the resemblance and told investigators he had been stopped before. 'He told us, "I've been stopped by law enforcement three or four times. OMG What can I do? I look just like him,"' the sheriff recalled. 'I don't know who it was but someone in the room - law enforcement - suggested he change his appearance or maybe shave his beard until the possible suspect was caught.' Beckwith was later released and, according to The New Yorker, given a free night's stay at the lodge for his 'unique troubles.' The Fontana Village Resort and Marina declined to comment to Dailymail.com on Monday about the incident. Beckwith claims the federal agents told the couple they 'now had a good story to tell.' The couple, of Ithaca, New York, had been camping and hiking the Appalachian Trail since late September. Due to several days of heavy rain and poor sleep, the couple decided to check into the Lodge at Fontana Village Resort (pictured), located about two miles off the trail They were given a free night's stay at the lodge for their 'unique troubles' Beckwith (pictured) told the New Yorker he did end up shaving his beard and 'immediately regretted it because I have much less of a chin than Laundrie does' Beckwith told the New Yorker he did end up shaving his beard and 'immediately regretted it because I have much less of a chin than Laundrie does'. He also also told the magazine that he believes an employee at a nearby marina was responsible for the photo that prompted law enforcement response. The hiker said he and Brettmann had requested to use the individual's phone in an effort to call a shuttle from the Fontana Lake marina earlier in the day. He recalled that the employee 'responded strangely' to his request and, without Beckwith's knowledge, had photographed him. Beckwith did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment. The U.S. Marshals Service, who aided the sheriff's department, confirmed the encounter in a statement Monday. It reads: 'The USMS often supports investigations conducted by our federal, state, local, and tribal partners. In this instance, the Graham County Sheriffs Office (GCSO) in North Carolina had received a tip that the fugitive Brian Laundrie had been sighted in their jurisdiction. 'GCSO asked the USMS task force to support them in making contact with the subject. The USMS was not the lead investigative agency in this matter and was acting in support of the GCSO.' There have been several alleged Laundrie (pictured with Petito) sightings on the Appalachian Trail Timeline of Gabby Petito case July 1: Gabby Petito and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie left Blue Point, New York for a cross-country road trip Gabby Petito and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie left Blue Point, New York for a cross-country road trip August 12: Police in Moab, Utah respond to a domestic incident involving the couple Police in Moab, Utah respond to a domestic incident involving the couple Aug. 17: Laundrie allegedly flies back to Florida to 'clear out a storage unit' Laundrie allegedly flies back to Florida to 'clear out a storage unit' Aug. 21: Petito's father, Joseph Petito, has his last FaceTime video call with his daughter who was in Salt Lake City, Utah Petito's father, Joseph Petito, has his last FaceTime video call with his daughter who was in Salt Lake City, Utah Aug. 23: Laundrie flies back to Utah to 'rejoin Gabby' on their trip Laundrie flies back to Utah to 'rejoin Gabby' on their trip Aug. 24: Petito is last seen at a hotel in Salt Lake City with Laundrie Petito is last seen at a hotel in Salt Lake City with Laundrie Aug. 25: Petito makes final call to her mother, Nichole Schmidt, saying she was in Grand Teton National Park Petito makes final call to her mother, Nichole Schmidt, saying she was in Grand Teton National Park Aug. 25 or 26: The couple chats with the owner of a shop called 'Rustic Row' in Victor, Utah for about 20 minutes The couple chats with the owner of a shop called 'Rustic Row' in Victor, Utah for about 20 minutes Aug. 27: Video of Petito's van was taken by blogger Jenn Bethune around 6.30 pm at the Spread Creek Campground; Witnesses say they saw a 'commotion' with the couple at Merry Piglets Tex-mex restaurant in Jackson, Wyoming Video of Petito's van was taken by blogger Jenn Bethune around 6.30 pm at the Spread Creek Campground; Witnesses say they saw a 'commotion' with the couple at Merry Piglets Tex-mex restaurant in Jackson, Wyoming Aug. 29: The day that Wisconsin TikToker Miranda Baker claimed that she and her boyfriend were approached by Laundrie at Grand Teton National Park and asked them for a ride at 5.30pm The day that Wisconsin TikToker Miranda Baker claimed that she and her boyfriend were approached by Laundrie at Grand Teton National Park and asked them for a ride at 5.30pm Aug. 30: Schmidt receives the last text from Petito's phone: 'No service in Yosemite' Schmidt receives the last text from Petito's phone: 'No service in Yosemite' Sept. 1: Laundrie returns to his parents' home in North Port, Florida in a van without Petito Laundrie returns to his parents' home in North Port, Florida in a van without Petito Sept. 6-7: Laundrie and his parents visit Fort De Soto campsite in Florida Laundrie and his parents visit Fort De Soto campsite in Florida Sept. 11: Schmidt reports Petito missing to authorities in New York; Petito and Laundrie's van was impounded by police in Florida that same day Schmidt reports Petito missing to authorities in New York; Petito and Laundrie's van was impounded by police in Florida that same day Sept. 12: Grand Teton National Park rangers search for Petito Grand Teton National Park rangers search for Petito Sept. 13: Laundrie's lawyer says on October 5 that his parents now 'believe' this was the day they last saw him heading for a hike Laundrie's lawyer says on October 5 that his parents now 'believe' this was the day they last saw him heading for a hike Sept. 14: Laundrie issues a statement about Petito's disappearance through his lawyer; Laundrie's parents claim on September 17 that Laundrie left his parents' home for a hike this day and they hadn't seen from him since Laundrie issues a statement about Petito's disappearance through his lawyer; Laundrie's parents claim on September 17 that Laundrie left his parents' home for a hike this day and they hadn't seen from him since Sept. 15: Laundrie is officially named a person of interest in Petito's case Laundrie is officially named a person of interest in Petito's case Sept. 17: Laundrie family attorney confirms his whereabouts are unknown Laundrie family attorney confirms his whereabouts are unknown Sept. 18: North Port police and the FBI start searching the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County for missing Brian Laundrie North Port police and the FBI start searching the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County for missing Brian Laundrie Sept. 19: Bethune realizes she has video of Petito's van around 12am and submits the FBI with the footage 10 minutes later; Officials announce a body was found near Grand Teton National Park that matched Petitos description in the afternoon Bethune realizes she has video of Petito's van around 12am and submits the FBI with the footage 10 minutes later; Officials announce a body was found near Grand Teton National Park that matched Petitos description in the afternoon Sept. 21: Coroner confirms remains found in Grand Tetons belong to Petito. Her death is ruled a homicide but her cause of death is still under invesetigation Coroner confirms remains found in Grand Tetons belong to Petito. Her death is ruled a homicide but her cause of death is still under invesetigation Sept. 20 - 22: FBI and North Port police continue search for Laundrie in Carton Reserve FBI and North Port police continue search for Laundrie in Carton Reserve Sept. 22 : Neighbors say they saw the Laudrie family pack up their detached camper on the day Gabby was reported missing. DailyMail.com photos show the camper was back in the driveway two days later, on September 13 : Neighbors say they saw the Laudrie family pack up their detached camper on the day Gabby was reported missing. DailyMail.com photos show the camper was back in the driveway two days later, on September 13 Sept. 23 : FBI issues an arrest warrant for Laundrie for 'use of unauthorized access device' for fraudulently using a Capitol One Bank debit card that was not his between August 30 and September 1 to spend $1,000; A probe is launched into the police handling of the Utah police incident on Aug. 12; Laundrie's parents visit their attorney in Orlando : FBI issues an arrest warrant for Laundrie for 'use of unauthorized access device' for fraudulently using a Capitol One Bank debit card that was not his between August 30 and September 1 to spend $1,000; A probe is launched into the police handling of the Utah police incident on Aug. 12; Laundrie's parents visit their attorney in Orlando Sept. 25: Dog the Bounty Hunter joins the search for Laundrie Dog the Bounty Hunter joins the search for Laundrie Sept. 26: A funeral is held for Petito in Holbrook, New York, and her family launch a charity to help parents find missing children A funeral is held for Petito in Holbrook, New York, and her family launch a charity to help parents find missing children Sept. 27: Manhunt for Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve is scaled back after 10 day search doesn't find him. Dog the Bounty Hunter says Laundrie and his parents stayed at Fort De Soto Park from September 1-3 and September 6-8 - and that on the latter visit only the parents left Manhunt for Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve is scaled back after 10 day search doesn't find him. Dog the Bounty Hunter says Laundrie and his parents stayed at Fort De Soto Park from September 1-3 and September 6-8 - and that on the latter visit only the parents left Sept. 28: Laundrie's mom is accused of using a burner phone to contact her son Sept. 29: Documents reveal Laundrie's mom canceled a reservation for the Fort De Soto Park campsite for two from September 1 to 3 and booked for three from September 6 to 8; FBI seizes surveillance footage from site; FBI investigates lead Laundrie bought a burner phone on September 14; Laundrie's mom is accused of using a burner phone to contact her son Sept. 29: Documents reveal Laundrie's mom canceled a reservation for the Fort De Soto Park campsite for two from September 1 to 3 and booked for three from September 6 to 8; FBI seizes surveillance footage from site; FBI investigates lead Laundrie bought a burner phone on September 14; Sept. 30: Bodycam footage from a second officer at the August 12 incident is released showing a distressed Petito admitting Laundrie hit her; FBI agents collect more evidence from the Laundrie home Bodycam footage from a second officer at the August 12 incident is released showing a distressed Petito admitting Laundrie hit her; FBI agents collect more evidence from the Laundrie home Oct. 1: It emerges Laundrie's sister had contact with him after she said she did It emerges Laundrie's sister had contact with him after she said she did Oct. 2 : A hiker along the Appalachian Trail claims to have seen Laundrie near the border of Tennessee and North Carolina : A hiker along the Appalachian Trail claims to have seen Laundrie near the border of Tennessee and North Carolina Oct. 3 : Investigators searched the area on the Appalachian trail for any signs that Laundrie had been there : Investigators searched the area on the Appalachian trail for any signs that Laundrie had been there Oct. 4 : Laundrie's sister told protestors outside her home that her family has been ignoring her after they rebuked her story and that she does not know where her brother is : Laundrie's sister told protestors outside her home that her family has been ignoring her after they rebuked her story and that she does not know where her brother is Oct 5 : Laundrie's sister appeared on Good Morning America to say she would turn her brother in if she knew where he is; : Laundrie's sister appeared on Good Morning America to say she would turn her brother in if she knew where he is; Oct. 7: Laundrie's father Christopher joins FBI agents on the search for his son at the Carlton Reserve but the search brings up no clues Laundrie's father Christopher joins FBI agents on the search for his son at the Carlton Reserve but the search brings up no clues Oct. 12: Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue announces autopsy findings which show Petito died by strangulation; No specific date of death was given - only that she was dead 3-4 weeks before her body was found Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue announces autopsy findings which show Petito died by strangulation; No specific date of death was given - only that she was dead 3-4 weeks before her body was found Oct. 16 : Petito's parents are seen collecting her ashes from the Valley Mortuary in Jackson, Wyoming : Petito's parents are seen collecting her ashes from the Valley Mortuary in Jackson, Wyoming October 20 : Human remains found in Carlton Reserve Advertisement There have been several alleged Laundrie sightings on the Appalachian Trail since he went missing. Earlier this month, hiker Dennis Davis said he was '99.9 percent' certain he spotted the fugitive. A local resident also come forward to DailyMail.com claiming he saw a scruffy, bearded stranger resembling Laundrie, 23, walking along the same secluded rural road in Waterville, North Carolina. Investigators have chased down leads in multiple states since Laundrie was last seen in September, but to date there has not been a confirmed sighting of him. He is the sole person of interest in his fiancee's homicide. Petito, 22, was discovered dead on September 19 in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, months after she and Laundrie embarked on a cross-country trip in their Ford Transit camper van. She was found eight days after her family reported her missing and 22 days after the last reported sighting of her alive on August 27. Petito was strangled and likely killed three to four weeks before her body was discovered, a coroner said, ruling her death a homicide. Due to Wyoming law, the coroner did not provide additional details about the autopsy's findings, including if her body was buried, whether any drugs were found in her system and whether she was killed in the same spot her body was found. The coroner did, however, add that DNA samples had been taken by law enforcement as the investigation into her murder and who was responsible continues. Authorities have not named a suspect in her murder but it is possible they may already have named one behind closed doors, a former FBI agent told WPBF 25. 'That piece of information, I would bet, has gone into grand jury - there is now a sealed indictment for the apprehension for the person who is responsible for the death of Gabby Petito,' former FBI agent Stuart Kaplan said. 'This can of course include him [Brian Laundrie] as being the attacker or responsible person for causing Gabby Petito's death or it could exclude him.' He believes it is unlikely the suspect's name will be released until after an arrest is made. State Attorney Dave Aronberg in Palm Beach County, Florida, said Laundrie's DNA might not appear on the samples found on Petito's body due to the time her body spent exposed to the elements, but other evidence such as cell phone records could still be used against him. Laundrie returned from their trip alone on September 1 and refused to say what became of his partner. Petito's family contacted Laundrie and his family but no one replied. On September 11, Petito's mother, Nichole Schmidt, reported her daughter missing. She later found out that Laundrie had returned home to Florida without her. Laundrie -the only person of interest in the case -is now missing, and police aren't sure whether he's hiding or dead. His parents reported him missing after September 17, claiming he failed to return home from a hike. They steered investigators toward the alligator-infested, 25,000-acre Carlton Reserve in Sarasota, Florida. Investigators spent more than $1 million scouring the area for Laundrie but didn't find him. The FBI issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie last month after alleging he used a Capitol One Bank debit card that wasn't his. The agency said Laundrie is wanted for 'use of unauthorized access device' related to his activities between August 30 and September 1, following Petito's death, and that he used the card to obtain items totaling $1,000 or more. Schmidt, Petito's grief-stricken mother, said she wants 'coward' Laundrie to spend the rest of his life 'in a cell.' She made the comments during an interview with 60 Minutes Australia that aired on Sunday, as she and her husband Jim returned to their home in Long Island after retrieving her daughter's ashes in Wyoming. Schmidt said she and Jim thought Petito would be safe with Laundrie when they embarked on the trip. Now, she sees him as a cold-blooded killer who is being protected by his parents, who still refuse to talk to them. 'Silence speaks volumes. I believe they know most of the information. I would love to just face-to-face ask, 'Why are you doing this? Just tell me the truth.' 'He's a coward. I don't want to say he's insane because he went home, he's hiding, he used her credit card. That's not somebody who's gone crazy. 'He knows what he is doing, he knew what he was doing. I just want to get him in a cell for the rest of his life.' Jim added: 'We want vengeance. And justice.' An autopsy revealed last week that Petito had been strangled. Her mother said she hopes she did not suffer or feel 'any pain'. 'I hope she didn't suffer and that she wasn't in any pain. That she was in a place she wanted to be, looking at the beautiful mountains. This was evil. She was taken at somebody else's hand. It's not fair.' Jim, who is Petito's stepfather, angrily reacted to Brian being labeled 'missing' and said his family haven't done enough to try to find him. 'Change missing to hiding. Gabby was missing. There's a lot of other people out there missing. He's hiding. We were up every day and every night until we found Gabby. 'Are the people that love him doing the same for him? If not, then why not? If they were, maybe he would have been found by now.' Schmidt told how Laundrie and Petito had become engaged 'quickly' after meeting and that she thought he would take care of him. 'Nobody expects anything like this to happen let alone the attention it's gotten. It's very surreal. 'It's almost like you're on the outside, looking in. 'It happened pretty quickly. He was quiet, polite. He would read books to my little one at night before bed. He just seemed like a nice guy.' Schmidt said she was worried about the trip initially but thought Laundrie would take care of her daughter. 'I worried. I told her to be careful, be safe, make sure to be aware of your surroundings, don't trust everybody but I felt safe because she was with Brian and felt like she would be OK. 'I thought he would take care of her.' Over the weekend, DailyMail.com exclusively obtained pictures of the pair leaving the Jackson mortuary where Petito's remains were being held, along with her father, Joseph Petito. Faces etched with pain, the family made their way out of the Valley Mortuary in Jackson, Wyoming, on Saturday morning clutching an urn containing the ashes of the 22-year-old van life blogger - the final stop on a whirlwind trip that included visits to the last places Petito went to before she was murdered and a meeting with detectives working on the case. Mom Nichole appeared visibly upset as they left the funeral home, while black-clad father Joe held the white box containing Petito's body to his chest. The remains of blonde Petito will now be taken home to Long Island, New York, for burial. Earlier this week, Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue announced the results of Petito's autopsy: she had been manually strangled before being dumped close to a remote campsite in Grand Teton National Park. Petito's father Joe and his wife Tara and her mother Nichole and husband Jim have been in Jackson since Wednesday afternoon and spent Thursday morning at the campsite where she was found. They were escorted to the Spread Creek campsite, which is 27 miles out of town, by officers from the Teton County Sheriff's Office. The remote site where the blogger's body was discovered on September 19 has become a shrine to Petito, complete with a stone cross dotted with flowers. Afterward, the family spent the afternoon at the sheriff's office being briefed by detectives working on the case. On Friday, they met with rescuers from the Teton County Search and Rescue Team, which took part in the hunt for Petito's body and visited Jenny Lake where her van was seen parked up shortly before she vanished. Dad Joe posted a photo of the lake on his social media with the caption: 'I now know why you came here. #GabbyPetito has a beautiful view from now on. Love you and miss you.' Gabby's father Joseph Petito clutches the ashes of his murdered daughter, whose remains were found at a nearby campsite on September 19 Gabby's family retrieved the white boxes containing her ashes from the Valley Mortuary in Jackson, Wyoming on Saturday A memorial of stones arranged in a cross pattern at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campsite east of the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 20 - where Petito's body was found one day earlier Petito's disappearance and subsequent murder has generated a frenzy since she was first reported missing after her fiance lawyered up and refused to cooperate with investigators before going on the run. The case has drawn the attention of TV personalities like Duane Chapman - known as Dog the Bounty Hunter - and longtime 'America's Most Wanted' host John Walsh, who are now also working to track him down. Laundrie's family, however, have been refusing to answer questions and are still citing the Carlton Reserve as the last place he was seen. The Laundrie family lawyer, Anthony Bertolino, gave a statement attempting to express sympathy to Petito's family on Thursday after her cause of death was revealed. 'Gabby Petito's death at such a young age is a tragedy,' he wrote. 'While Brian Laundrie is currently charged with the unauthorized use of a debit card belonging to Gabby, Brian is only considered a person of interest in relation to Gabby Petito's demise. 'At this time Brian is still missing and when he is located we will address the pending fraud charge against him.' Petito's mother texted a reported a curt, blunt response. 'His words are garbage. Keep talking,' she wrote to a reporter from WFLA in Florida. Advertisement White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that President Biden is 'concerned' about China's military capabilities but welcomes 'stiff competition' after the Chinese tested what is thought to be a new hypersonic nuclear-capable missile. She refused to comment on the specific report, but said: 'We've made clear we are concerned about the military capabilities that the PRC continues to pursue & we've been consistent...We welcome stiff competition, but we do not want that competition to veer into conflict.' Psaki was echoing comments from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier Monday, who said the US is closely monitoring China's development of advanced weapons systems. The missile is reportedly designed to travel in low orbit to dodge missile detection and defense systems, allowing China to strike virtually anywhere on the planet with little or no warning. While China was known to be working on the technology, the test took analysts by surprise and indicated Beijing's missile program is more advanced than previously thought. 'We have no idea how they did this,' one said. Beijing denied testing a missile, saying it was a 'routine test' of a new civilian spacecraft. Austin declined to address this specific test, but told reporters during a visit to the former Soviet republic of Georgia: 'We watch closely China's development of armament and advanced capabilities and systems that will only increase tensions in the region.' He said the US was focused on the military challenge from Beijing. Austin spoke during a European tour to 'reassure allies and partners of America's commitment to their sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression.' He said the US would help Georgia bolster its defense capabilities after it fought a losing war with Russia in 2008. A report from the Financial Times, which cited five unnamed intelligence sources, said the Chinese military launched the Long March rocket in August carrying a 'hypersonic glide vehicle' into low orbit. It circled the globe before descending towards its target, which it missed by about two dozen miles. The system would be able to overcome US anti-ballistic missile defence systems that are based in Alaska and set up to shoot down projectiles coming over the North Pole - the Chinese system would be able to strike the US from the south Weapons race: A comparison of the most advanced (columns from left) missiles, aircraft carriers, tanks and aircraft possessed by China, the US and Russia Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., warned that America will lose a new Cold War arms race with China within the decade unless it takes a tougher stance on Beijing. Gallagher, a member of the armed services committee, blasted the Biden administration for 'complacency' and said America needs to 'aggressively' re-think its relations with China after security sources reported that Beijing launched a rocket that carried a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile into space in August. The United States and Russia have both tested hypersonic weapons, typically missiles that can fly five times the speed of sound. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Monday's launch was of 'great significance for reducing the use-cost of spacecraft and could provide a convenient and affordable way to make a round trip for mankind's peaceful use of space. 'China will work together with other countries in the world for the peaceful use of space and the benefit of mankind.' China's space program is run by its military and is closely tied to its agenda of building hypersonic missiles and other technologies that could alter the balance of power with the United States. Issuing a stark warning after news of the test became public at the weekend, Gallagher said: 'If we stick to our current complacent course... we will lose the New Cold War with Communist China within the decade. 'The People's Liberation Army now has an increasingly credible capability to undermine our missile defenses and threaten the American homeland with both conventional and nuclear strikes.' Meanwhile, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, speaking after the launch of the new missile was revealed, said the alliance will reposition itself to tackle the growing threat from China separate from its historic focus on Russia. China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose Pictured: China launches the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft on October 16, carried on the Long March-2F carrier rocket, to Chinese Tiangong space station Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., warned that America will lose a new Cold War arms race with China within the decade unless it takes a tougher stance on Beijing 'Nato is an alliance of North America and Europe. But this region faces global challenges: terrorism, cyber but also the rise of China, he told the Financial Times. 'So when it comes to strengthening our collective defence, that's also about how to address the rise of China. What we can predict is that the rise of China will impact our security. It already has. 'China is coming closer to us . . . We see them in the Arctic. We see them in cyber space. We see them investing heavily in critical infrastructure in our countries. And of course they have more and more high-range weapons that can reach all Nato allied countries.' China carried out a test of the new hypersonic weapon back in August, which defence analysts said was launched into space on a Long March rocket. What is the new 'weapon' that China has tested? Intelligence sources say Beijing has tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic warhead that flew around the planet in low-Earth orbit before coming back down. If confirmed - Beijing denies it, saying it actually tested a civilian spacecraft - then it marks a major jump in the country's nuclear programme, though the technology itself is nothing new. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Soviet Russia had a FOBS system - comprising, at its peak, of 18 R-36O missiles - which were active from 1969 until 1983 when it scuttled the programme in response to changes in America's missile defence systems. China now appears to be pursuing the technology anew, while coupling it with a new 'hypersonic glide vehicle' to carry the warheads. The 'HGV' is thought to make the warhead easier to manouevre while in orbit and increase its accuracy. Despite its 'hypersonic' name, it actually travels much slower than ICMB warheads - some 3,800mph compared to 15,000mph+ for 'traditional' nukes. Russia and the US are both developing HGVs of their own, though neither has put them to use in the same way as Beijing. Moscow has one that can be fitted to its latest Satan 2 ICBM, while the US is working on one that can be launched from a B-52 bomber - though two recent tests of the system have failed. Advertisement Beijing has been regularly announcing launches of the rocket, including the 77th launch in July this year and the 79th launch in late August. But it never announced a 78th launch. It is now thought that rocket was carrying a dummy nuclear warhead. Analysts believe that the rocket was carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle - of the kind that China has showed off before in military parades - which was released into low-Earth orbit, circling the globe at speeds up to Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. It was then brought out of orbit and came crashing back to Earth, missing its target by some 24 miles. While this shows the weapon is not ready for deployment, it never-the-less stunned analysts who believed China was still far off being able to mount an active test. Beijing did not report the test or its results at the time, but after it was disclosed the country's state media mocked America by saying it is a 'new blow to the US's mentality of strategic superiority over China'. An op-ed in the Chinese state media outlet Global Times, Beijing's mouthpiece, said the test means 'there is a key new member in China's nuclear deterrence system', adding that this is a 'new blow to the US's mentality of strategic superiority over China'. It is just the latest move in a global arms race between Russia, China and the US which is taking place against the backdrop of mounting tensions between the superpowers in the eastern Pacific. All three countries are engaged in wholesale updates of their militaries including the development of new nuclear technology with which they can strike each-other at range. Russia and China have, in recent years, unveiled new and more-powerful ICBMs which are capable of launching multiple nuclear warheads at targets many thousands of miles away. But China's new hypersonic missile takes the technology one step further. ICBMs work by firing the nuclear warheads into space on an arched trajectory, before they fall back to earth at speeds up to 18,000mph - detonating just above their intended targets and wiping them out. Because they fly on an arched trajectory, the missiles and the warheads they carry fly far above the atmosphere before coming back down. Current missile defence technology is designed to detect those launches, track the warheads as they reach the peak of that arch, then shoot them as they fall - before they hit their targets. The hypersonic warhead is different. It flies low in the atmosphere, making it harder to track, and can be repositioned in flight, making it difficult to calculate where it will land and therefore difficult to intercept. And because it uses the Earth's orbit to propel itself, it has potentially limitless range. This means it can be fired in any direction - blindsiding radar systems that are currently pointed in only one direction, over the North Pole, which is where any nuclear attack on the US using ICBMs would come from. The United States, Russia and at least five other countries are working on hypersonic technology, and last month North Korea said it had test-fired a newly-developed hypersonic missile. Russia has previously tested a hypersonic cruise missile known as Zircon, but it flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. The Pentagon did not comment on China's testing of the hypersonic missile, but did acknowledge China as their 'number one pacing challenge'. 'We have made clear our concerns about the military capabilities China continues to pursue, capabilities that only increase tensions in the region and beyond,' John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesperson, told Fox News. 'That is one reason why we hold China as our number one pacing challenge.' An op-ed in Beijing's state media outlet Global Times said: 'If the FT report is to be believed, it means that there is a key new member in China's nuclear deterrence system, which is a new blow to the US' mentality of strategic superiority over China. 'It is important to note the unstoppable trend that China is narrowing the gap with the US in some key military technologies as China is continuously developing its economic and technological strength.' 'China doesn't need to engage in an 'arms race' with the US it is capable of weakening the US' overall advantages over China by developing military power at its own pace,' the editorial added. China unveiled a hypersonic glide vehicle during a military parade in 2019, which is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Beijing has now used a hypersonic vehicle to test a low-orbiting weapon capable of defeating nuclear defences It is just the latest episode of nuclear sabre-rattling to come out of Beijing, after a senior Chinese diplomat suggested that Beijing should abandon its long-standing policy of not using nuclear weapons first in conflict. Sha Zukang, the country's former ambassador to the UN, told a summit of Chinese nuclear policy experts that it is time to 're- examine and fine-tune' a long-standing commitment to only use nukes in retaliation as the US 'builds new military alliances and as it increases its military presence in our neighbourhood.' Beijing's current policy - which has been in place since the 1960s - has given China the 'moral high ground' but 'is not suitable . . . unless China-US negotiations agree that neither side would use [nuclear weapons] first,' he said at a meeting in Beijing last week Zukang's comments - which come as China builds hundreds of new nuclear missile silos - are significant because Beijing often floats changes of policy through senior diplomats. The body he was speaking to - the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association - is officially independent, but has strong ties to the Communist party. China became a nuclear power in 1964 with its first successful test of a bomb, and adopted its 'no-first-use' policy four years later. It states that Beijing will never be the first to use nukes in a conflict, but will use them if struck first. It mirrors a policy that Russia implemented between 1982 and 1993, though abandoned due to fears that the weakened state of its army following the break-up of the Soviet Union could encourage an attack by the US. The US has a policy to never use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against a majority of other nations including all those without nuclear weapons - but has exempted China, Russia and North Korea from the policy. Global nuclear policy is rapidly changing as a number of Cold War-era treaties - notably New START and the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty - expire, with Washington hoping to renegotiate them to include China. Zukang, in his speech, said it is 'only a matter of time' before such a deal is negotiated, but that Beijing should be prepared to take a more-aggressive stance until the trio put pen to paper. China is in the midst of a major upgrade of its nuclear forces, which in recent years has seen it unveil more-advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and hypersonic nuclear missiles that are thought to be un-stoppable by current missile defence systems. Beijing is thought to possess around 320 nuclear warheads that can be fitted to those missiles at present, but is also thought to be in the midst of a major expansion of that arsenal. 14 silos are currently under construction at the site (in yellow) while land has been cleared for 19 more (in green). But analysts who looked at the site believe it could eventually expand to house 110 silos, each of which can hold a nuclear missile A second site, under construction near Yumen, has space cleared for up to 120 silos - meaning China's arsenal of nukes could expand from roughly 320 at present to almost 900 Both sites were identified by distinctive tents erected over the top of the under-construction silos that hide their inner workings from spy satellites It comes after the discovery in July of two huge new missile silo bases under construction in remote desert regions of China. Experts believe the first, near the city of Yumen, will eventually house 120 silos while the second, near the town of Hami, will house 110. A dozen more are under construction near Jilantai, with older sites also being upgraded. Each silo can house a nuclear missile, with each missile capable of carrying up to 12 nuclear warheads if China upgrades all of them to carry its latest DF-41 rocket. That means China's nuclear arsenal could theoretically expand to 875 warheads. Hu Xijin, editor of the state-mouthpiece Global Times newspaper, has previously argued that it should expand to 1,000. The move would elevate China above the low-ranking nuclear powers such as the UK, Pakistan, France and India which have stockpiled warheads in the low hundreds. But it would still be well short of the US and Russia, the world's two largest nuclear powers, which possess arsenals of around 4,000 warheads each. The construction of hundreds of silos also marks a major shift in the make-up of China's nuclear threat, which currently relies heavily on mobile road-based launchpads and nuclear-capable bombers. China also has four nuclear-armed submarines. China is expanding its military as its economy balloons to rival that of the US, having lagged behind for decades. In addition to building new nuclear missiles and silos, it has constructed new aircraft carriers, tanks, fighter jets, spy and attack drones, along with new rifles for its troops. Beijing has used the new hardware to take a more aggressive stance in the Pacific: Imposing its rule on Hong Kong, menacing Taiwan, and laying claim to a number of uninhabited islands in the South China Sea which it has constructed military bases on top of. It has also been pressing its claim to a number of other islands whose ownership is disputed, creating tensions with other regional powers such the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and others. Similar disputes are underway in the East China Sea, around islands claimed by Japan. China claims rights over the South China Sea in its entirety, which would hand Beijing control over hugely valuable international shipping lanes, fishing grounds which neighbouring countries rely on for food, and deposits of coal and oil which dot the seabed. The US and its allies have been pushing back on these claims, and frequently conduct what they call 'freedom of navigation' operations through waters that China claims as its own in defiance of Beijing. A British man who claimed he was held hostage and tortured by a gang in Italy has been accused by his alleged captors of staging the kidnapping to pay off his debts. Londoner Patrick Sam Kourosh Demilecamps, 25, claims he was on holiday in Italy when he was kidnapped and held captive for eight days by the gang - three men and a woman - to extract 7,000 (5,900) from his wealthy family. Police were able to trace him to an apartment in Monte San Giusto, a small town in the central Marche region, and arrested four people - Rubens Beliga Gnana, 18, Ahmed Rajraji, 21, Dona Conte, 22, and Aurora Carpani, 20 - on charges of kidnapping for the purpose of extortion. But according to reports in the Italian media, one of the suspects told a judge on Friday that the kidnap was staged in order for Demilecamps to get the 7,000 from his parents to pay off a debt he owed to the group. A British man who claimed he was held hostage in an apartment in Monte San Giusto (pictured) and tortured by a gang in Italy has been accused by his alleged captors of concocting a fake kidnapping 'It wasn't a real kidnapping but a fiction to convince the Englishman's family to send him 7,000 euros to pay off a debt,' Rubens Beliga Gnana said at the Macerata magistrates court La Stampa, an Italian news outlet, reported. According to The Daily Beast, the alleged kidnapper said that Demilecamps owed them the money for an undisclosed 'loan', and that he was the one who devised a plan to get his father to send the cash to him. He even asked them to take photographs of him in handcuffs to gain sympathy from his father, Mr Gnana claimed. The judge has freed all suspects from jail and placed them under house arrest, requiring all but Carpani - the woman in the group - to wear an electronic tag. Questions have been raised over the value of the ransom demanded by the alleged kidnappers, with the motive still shrouded in mystery. Officers are said to be 'curious' about why the ransom was so low. Demilecamps, who is yet to make an official statement to the press, claims was held handcuffed and barefoot in the flat for eight days, with his captors demanding a 7,000 ransom for his release, police said after the rescue on Wednesday. He was apparently fed only scraps by his alleged captors, who are said to have allowed the Briton to call his wealthy unnamed parents, asking for the money. By using some sort of code word, Demilecamps was able to alert them to his predicament. In turn, his parents contacted the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), who alerted Italian authorities, who authorised an armed raid to rescue him. Italian police have arrested four people - Rubens Beliga Gnana, 18, Ahmed Rajraji, 21, Dona Conte (pictured left), 22, and Aurora Carpani (pictured right), 20 - on charges of kidnapping for the purpose of extortion Colonel Nicola Candido, who was involved in the rescue, said: 'His family, who are fairly wealthy, received a message from him and contacted the British police and the National Crime Agency, who in turn contacted the carabinieri [Italian police]. 'We checked out the case and then planned the rescue raid.' Police found the man in a darkened room with furniture pushed up against the wall, with Italian police saying he was 'psychologically tested' by the experience. 'We acted following information from British counterparts and our information is that he is from an extremely wealthy family,' an Italian police source told The Sun. 'However there are certain aspects which are still being looked at such as the small amount of ransom demanded. 'The four people held are three men and a woman and they will be questioned by a local prosecutor.' Ahmed Rajraji, one of the four people that have been arrested in Italy over the incident. All four have since been released, with the three men being ordered to wear an electronic tag The Londoner has since told police about his alleged ordeal, claiming that the suspects chained him to a radiator and tortured him with a taser and by holding him underwater. He said that his alleged kidnappers were known to him before he was abducted, and that they had seen him spending his money. 'I had been with my captors several days prior to being kidnapped and they had seen me spending lavishly,' Demilecamps, of Bordon, Hants, told police. 'I was tasered, held underwater in the bath and beaten during the time I was held in the flat. I was also subdued with drugs and given very little food.' Demilecamps told officials that he had been taking an extended holiday in Italy since early June after travelling there to escape the UK after the Covid-19 lockdown. In the months leading up to the alleged kidnapping, he visited a number of cities in the country including Naples, Sorrento, Florence and Bologna, before arriving in Macerata, according to The Guardian. At the time of him being captured, he had been with a friend who was able to escape and inform relatives in Britain of the kidnapping. Sean Kelly, Operations Manager for the NCA's Anti Kidnap and Extortion Unit, said: 'We have been working closely with the Italian authorities since the kidnap of a British man was reported. 'NCA officers in Italy and specialists from AKEU, working together with UK policing, have been providing close support to the Carabinieri Police as part of its ongoing investigation. 'We are pleased that this incident has been resolved successfully.' The commander of the carabinieri unit involved in the operation, Colonel Francesco D'Ecclesiis, said on Friday: 'Within 36 hours, we had located the apartment in which he was being held prisoner. 'The raid took place at 14.45 on Wednesday. We surrounded the apartment block, arrested the captors, and released the hostage.' The mayor of Monte San Giusto said the town of 8,000 people was 'dumbfounded' upon hearing the news of the alleged kidnapping. 'We only ever hear about kidnappings on the TV,' mayor Andrea Gentili told the Italian press. 'We are a small town and so such an event for us is even more striking. We are very sorry to end up under the spotlight for a story like this.' Channel 5, a TV production company and a firm of bailiffs have agreed to pay 'substantial damages' to a woman who featured in an episode of the show Can't Pay? We'll Take It Away. Neelam Zarghune, who was filmed in 2017, brought legal action against Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited, Brinkworth Films Limited and Direct Collection Bailiffs Limited (DCBL) claiming a 'grave misuse' of her private information. She also sought an injunction preventing further broadcasts of the episode from the programme's fifth series. On Monday, the High Court heard that Ms Zarghune, 24, of Hounslow, west London, was shown 'in a state of distress' in the episode viewed by around 4.5 million people between early 2018 and mid-2019. Prior to the filming, Ms Zarghune's former partner had incurred parking fines using a car for which she was the registered owner. William Bennett QC, for Ms Zarghune, told the court that she accepted she was liable to pay the debt but had forwarded documentation to her ex-partner. Neelam Zarghune, who was filmed in 2017, brought legal action against a TV production company, Channel 5 and a firm of bailiffs claiming a 'grave misuse' of her private information. Pictured: Bailiffs on Channel 5's Can't Pay? We'll Take It Away 'He assured her he would deal with the fines and she believed him,' Mr Bennett said. But Ms Zarghune's former partner did not pay the debt and a court judgement was entered against her over the outstanding fines. An enforcement notice warned that her belongings could be seized if the debt went unpaid by a certain date, but Ms Zarghune, then aged 19, was 'taken by surprise' when two High Court enforcement agents (HCEAs) with a film crew arrived at her home in February 2017 'given what her former partner had told her', Mr Bennett said. He added: 'The claimant made it clear to the film crew in the presence of the HCEAs that she did not want to be filmed. The film crew agreed not to enter the property.' However, the enforcement officers' body cameras and radio microphones recorded footage and audio that was later used in the programme. The episode was initially seen by over 1.4 million people with Ms Zarghune's face shown, and a further 3.1 million people watched a version where her face was blurred and her name removed. Ms Zarghune took legal action against Channel 5, Brinkworth Films and DCBL, and a statement was read to High Court judge Mrs Justice Collins Rice after the parties agreed a settlement. Mr Bennett said: 'The broadcast of the programme has caused the claimant upset and distress. 'The claimant's case is that the programme wrongly revealed matters that were private to her which took place in her home, and that the filming of her within her home and the subsequent publication of the private information obtained in that way to 4.5 million people amounted to a grave misuse of her private information.' He said the companies had served defences denying Ms Zarghune's case, but she had accepted their offer to resolve her claim on terms that involved the payment of 'substantial damages' and her 'reasonable legal costs'. Channel 5 also agreed not to broadcast the programme again and joined Brinkworth Films in apologising to Ms Zarghune. Tim James-Matthews, for the broadcaster and Brinkworth Films, said it was their case that 'they have at all times believed that this programme forms part of a series of real public interest, where each of the stories involves a careful balancing exercise between matters of public interest and the right to respect for privacy.' He added: 'They are prepared to accept, however, that on this occasion, in relation to the claimant, they may well have got that balance wrong and for that reason they are prepared to settle her claim and apologise to her for the distress caused to her by the broadcast of the episode in question.' A Russian state TV channel has launched an extraordinary attack on a female US presenter for allegedly attempting to distract Vladimir Putin by 'positioning herself as a sex object.' CNBC's Hadley Gamble was moderator for a session involving the Russian leader at an energy forum in Moscow. Putin drew criticism for 'sexism' after referring to her in a session about the gas war as 'beautiful' and 'pretty.' But now Vladimir Solovyov, a Putin 'propagandist,' has used his Rossiya 1 news channel show to focus on previously unseen moments in which he claims Gamble attempts to 'distract' the Russian leader. The footage focuses mainly on her legs, with another presenter, Dmitry Kiselyov, claiming she used her 'body language' at 'full steam.' The leg footage was seen by state TV as an unsuccessful bid to throw the 69-year-old strongman off guard. 'Naturally not everything was included in the TV broadcast, so this is what was seen by the audience, and by our crew,' said the report on 57-year-old Solovyov's show which chronicles Putin's week. 'And even more' After viewing the footage, body language expert Judy James pointed out that 'all ancient body language flirt manuals cite the act of pointing your foot in someones direction as signaling attraction.' A Russian state TV channel has launched an extraordinary attack on CNBC presenter Hadley Gamble for allegedly attempting to distract Vladimir Putin by 'positioning herself as a sex object' Russian media has attacked Gamble (left) for allegedly trying to distract Putin with her body Russian TV presenter Dmitry Kiselyov said Gamble 'licked her lips, rolling out her tongue...' during her interview with Putin Hadley Gamble in a photo posted to her Instagram account during a trip to Turkey in July 2020 CNBC's Middle East anchor Hadley Gamble at the new Middle East Headquarters Abu Dhabi Global Market Body language expert Judi James's verdict on Gamble Body language expert Judi James argues that CNBC's Hadley Gamble's body language during the interview with President Vladimir Putin is 'hilarious and pretty blatant'. She says rather than picking one signal to attract attention, Gamble 'seems to be using the whole repertoire, many of them at the same time'. Here, she tells MailOnline a dozen of them: 1) The dipped head and raised eyes. This is both a coy and a bold statement, especially accompanied by the kind of eye-smile she is flashing at Putin. 2) The head tilt and one raised eyebrow. A non-verbal challenge that looks fun and flirty. 3) The eye-brow flash. A quick raise and drop of the eyebrows, which is a gesture that signals appreciation of what you are seeing. 4) The rolling and weaving of the pen. Freud might have an analytical reason for this that is possibly phallic in nature! 5) The hair-preen. Preening can be a form of peacocking to suggest interest in someone. It can also be an excuse to pit-bare to throw out another small power challenge. 6) The finger close to touching the lips. Drawing attention to the mouth in a very unsubtle way. 7) Poking the tongue. This isnt even subtle, the tongue pokes out straight to front to suggest licking the lips in enjoyment. 8) Crossing the legs and raising the top one. Which would clearly seem to show bare thigh. 9) Holding the upper leg out straight towards the other person. This is so unsubtle I havent even seen it in guides to flirtatious body language but it deserves a heading all of its own. 10) The foot point. All ancient body language flirt manuals cite the act of pointing your foot in someones direction as signaling attraction. This point is so high and so emphatic it looks like shes announcing her selection. Her foot even begins to swing at one point. 11) The crossing and re-crossing of the legs. We can see different legs take top position in this video, meaning the leg cross and un-cross has occurred which at the very least is a method of showing off more of those bare legs. 12) The nude shoes with the killer heels will have made her legs look even longer and eye-catching. Advertisement Kiselyov - known as Putin's 'mouthpiece' and 'propagandist-in-chief' - told viewers: 'To summarise, Hadley behaved daringly, openly positioning herself as a sex object, without any fear of being criticised by feminists.' Neither Gamble nor CNBC immediately responded to DailyMail.com's request for comment. Gamble had posted a photo to her Instagram account on Thursday making light of the situation. The picture shows Gamble holding up a Russian newspaper with a front-page article that appears to be about her legs and sex appeal. 'My best angle,' she captioned the photo, including a laughing emoji and #feminism. On Sunday, she shared a picture of a cake featuring a screen-print of Putin's face and text reading: 'Too beautiful!' 'I have the best friends,' Gamble captioned the photo. Meantime, both the Russian news outlet and Putin are facing criticism on social media for their commentary. Daily Beast columnist Julia Davis jumped to Gamble's defense when Kiselyov's accusations made headlines. 'The state medias ridiculous assault on a U.S. journalists appearance was merely a smokescreen for what truly drew the ire of the pro-Kremlin media: it wasnt Hadley Gambles dress or her legs, but her questions,' Davis tweeted. The columnist also alleged that the network's response to Gamble's outfit was hypocritical, citing another recent instance where they slammed American diplomat Victoria Nuland for wearing a pantsuit. 'What's especially comical is that the Russians are criticizing Victoria Nuland for "insulting Russia" by not wearing a skirt or a dress, and Hadley Gamble for wearing one they didn't like,' she wrote. Likewise, David Sheppard, energy editor at the Financial Times, tweeted that Putin telling Gamble she is 'a beautiful woman but that she's not listening to what he says' was 'as grim as it sounds.' He was met with negativity from users who accused Gamble of blatantly ignoring the Russian leader and said: 'In a world short of testosterone and long feminism - political correctness may be in vogue. 'Isn't it disrespectful if you do not listen to your interviewee's detailed response nor acknowledge it - but push thru a pre-thought narrative?' Sheppard slammed the user, saying: 'You think its legitimate to lead off an answer talking about a journalists looks? Its patronising, its sexist and its not on. 'It's a weak man who hides behind testosterone as an excuse for inappropriate behaviour. Would he have said the same to a male journalist? No.' The leg footage was seen by state TV as an unsuccessful bid to throw the 69-year-old Vladimir Putin off guard Gamble posted a photo to her Instagram account on Thursday making light of the situation. She captioned it: 'My best angle' and included a laughing emoji and #feminism. She also posted a photo of the newspaper with a digitally drawn arrow pointing at her legs On Sunday, she shared a picture of a cake featuring a screen-print of Putin's face. Gamble captioned the photo: 'I have the best friends' The news outlet and the Russian president are facing criticism for their commentary Others took a more sarcastic approach when issuing support for Gamble. 'I never thought Id have to say this but The next time you go to Russia @_HadleyGamble, pack the Abaya,' wrote Gulf-based journalist and marketing communications executive Alex Malouf. 'Kremlin press pool journalist is very interested in @_HadleyGambles shoes. One does not simply stretch her heels at Dear Leader,' echoed Kevin Rothrock, managing editor at the Meduza. However, some social media users agreed with the Kremlin-run network. 'Hadley Gamble is one of the finest financial journalists in any media. The fact that she uses sex appeal as part of the armoury does not diminish the fact she can get Putin to answer as openly as he does anywhere,' wrote Andrew Matthews. 'Kisel had been away for a long time, this time he exposed the American journalist Hadley Gamble, who tried to seduce Pynya during an interview,' argued Oleg But. 'Decoding level of Alex Leslie, and maybe even higher.' However, some people took to social media to issue their support for the Kremlin-run network However, both the news outlet and Putin are facing criticism on social media for their commentary on Gamble (pictured) Hadley Gamble was accused by Russian media of using her legs to distract Putin Gamble at the new Middle East Headquarters Abu Dhabi Global Market in 2018 during an interview Meanwhile, body language expert Judi James said Gamble's body language shown in the footage is 'hilarious and pretty blatant.' James told MailOnline: It's not unknown for both male and female interviewers to fake-flirt with their "prey" in a bid to either distract them or to encourage them to be off their guard when they're answering questions. 'Flirting can look both flattering and intimate and suggest an air of collusion, making the interviewee feel they can trust the other person and be more open with them. 'It can also lead to boasting, which is where a lot of politicians in particular tend to get caught out, blurting more than they should do as their ego gets both stroked and stoked.' She added: 'These signals are anything but subtle though. 'This woman appears to have devoured the chapter on flirting from some body language guide to love and sex from the early 1970's. 'Far from picking one signal to attract attention she seems to be using the entire repertoire, many of them at the same time.' Hadley Gamble, CNBC News Anchor and International Correspondent on a horseback in St Petersburg, Russia, during St Petersburg Forum of Economics in June 2021 Meanwhile, body language expert Judi James said Gamble's body language shown in the footage is 'hilarious and pretty blatant.' Pictured: Gamble in a vineyard In the Russian media report, Kiselyov said: 'It feels like Hadley was preparing really hard for the meeting with Putin. 'Like she was getting ready for the catwalk.' He claimed she had 'shed a couple of kilograms' for the energy session and 'squeezed herself into a little black dress,' puffing up her 'loose hair'. A gibe that she had seemed 'chubbier' in earlier Instagram pictures was edited out of a later version of the report. To 'visually elongate her legs she opted for a pair of nude Louboutins with a 12-centimetre-high heel,', said 67-year-old Kiselyov. Designer Christian Louboutin had said such shoes 'must look good on a naked woman... they add this sublime sexuality,' he claimed. The Kremlin-run TV channel claimed that Gamble 'caked her legs in oily shimmer' and looked 'ready for the catwalk' while appearing as a moderator at an energy forum session in Moscow Kiselyov claimed Gamble had 'shed a couple of kilograms' for the energy session and 'squeezed herself into a little black dress', puffing up her 'loose hair' On the Rossiya 1 news channel, presenter Dmitry Kiselyov - known as Putin's 'mouthpiece' and 'propagandist-in-chief' told viewers: 'To summarise, Hadley behaved daringly, openly positioning herself as a sex object, without any fear of being criticised by feminists' The Russian presenter continued: 'Hadley Gamble preferred to show up to the president without stockings, and her arms visibly bare.' This was 'pretty questionable,' he said. 'About the legs they were caked in oily shimmer. Hadley's body language worked at full steam... Whatever was she doing with her legs?' This was not appropriate for work, he suggested. 'Hadley constantly touched her hair - a gesture universally seen as sex appeal (and) made her eyes and licked her lips, rolling out her tongue' The presenter continued: 'Hadley constantly touched her hair - a gesture universally seen as sex appeal (and) made her eyes and licked her lips, rolling out her tongue' Vladimir Solovyov (right), a Putin 'propagandist', has used his Rossiya 1 news channel show to focus on previously unseen moments in which he claims Hadley attempts to 'distract' the Russian leader. Pictured: in 2013 after being awarded by President Putin for 'outstanding journalism' Gamble pictured whilst on holiday in a backless dress In the energy session Putin had claimed the 'beautiful' and 'pretty' American TV interviewer was not listening to him on gas exports to Europe. She immediately claimed she was listening. But Putin said: 'Beautiful woman, pretty, I'm telling her one thing. She instantly tells me the opposite as if she didn't hear what I said. Well, I'll repeat it for you once again' At this point, Gamble interrupted and told the Russian president she had 'heard' him, but claimed the Russians took 'long enough' to address the gas supply issue. He continued: 'Listen, you've just said "You don't supply gas to Europe through pipelines." 'You are being misled. We are increasing supplies to Europe.' The Russian media said Putin had used the reference to her looks to push back against Gamble, but added that calling her 'beautiful' was a 'compliment.' Presenter Dmitry Kiselyov (second from the left) seen between President Putin and editor-in-chief of Russia Today Margarita Simonyan during Vladimir Putin's visit to MIA RIA Novosti in 2016 The Russian president also accused CNBC's journalist Hadley Gamble of acting as if she 'didn't hear' what he said after she questioned his denial that Russia had withheld gas from Europe In the energy session Putin had claimed the 'beautiful' and 'pretty' American TV interviewer was not listening to him on gas exports to Europe The Russian media said Putin had used the reference to her looks to push back against Gamble, but added that calling her 'beautiful' was a 'compliment' Putin also claimed the US and other suppliers to Europe had reduced gas flows. Putin dismissed suggestions he is exploiting the energy crisis to get the Nord Steam 2 pipeline approved as 'politically motivated blather' - though added that opening the pipe will 'significantly decrease' gas prices. One of Russia's main routes for pumping gas into Europe currently runs through Ukraine, which makes about $1 billion per year in fees for maintaining the line. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline would bypass that route by going direct to Germany, depriving Ukraine of the money. The move would also hurt Poland, which sits along another major gas route - a move observers say would punish the two countries for allying closely with Europe. Advertisement World leaders from 120 countries will descend on Glasgow for the COP26 climate change conference in two weeks - but Scotland's second city is blighted by rubbish and fly-tipping as well as some of the UK's highest poverty, drug death and crime rates. Grim photos of Glasgow - once a Labour Party stronghold and now in the grips of Nicola Sturgeon's Left-wing party - show a city in the midst of chaos, with bins overflowing after the SNP-controlled council decided to move once-fortnightly collections back by an extra week. While the Scottish First Minister and the SNP posture on the national stage 'banning' nuclear submarines and trying to introduce a four-day week, the buildings owned by Glasgow's council are decaying, with raw sewage coursing through cellars and rats hospitalising dustmen. To cap it all, Glasgow is currently the eighth-highest Covid hotspot in Europe, has been found to be the deadliest place to work in the UK, and the difference in life expectancy between the richest and poorest in the city has recently been found to have increased by three years. And the situation could soon worsen, with 1,500 refuse workers, school cleaners and cooks who are members of the GMB union set to join bin men and ScotRail staff on strike because of an ongoing pay dispute - with 96.9 per cent of returned ballots backing industrial action. The action is slated for the first two weeks of November, when world leaders including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden will be in town for one of the most consequential climate summits in history. Scenes of waste-strewn streets would be a fresh blow to the summit, which has already been hit by news President Xi Jinping of China may not attend. After a hard-fought recovery from the collapse of industry and huge unemployment of recent decades, it appears Glasgow has been knocked down once again - and the blows raining down on it are being struck by its own elected leaders. Pictures have shown the grim reality of every corner of Scotland's second city being blighted with rubbish, fly-tipping and bins overflowing in recent months (this image shows fly-tipping in Cranhill) Workers remove bath tubs, window frames, mattresses, broken furniture and construction waste dumped underneath the M8 motorway on September 15 Police at the entrance to High Street Station in Glasgow's East End where teenager Justin McLaughlin was found seriously injured on Saturday afternoon Grim photos of Glasgow - once a Labour Party stronghold and now in the grips of Nicola Sturgeon's party - depict a city in chaos, with bins overflowing after the SNP-controlled council decided to move once-fortnightly collections back by an extra week Fly-tipping scandal Glasgow City Council, run by the SNP, rubberstamped plans to make refuse collections happen every three weeks in April and introduced a new 35 charge for 'bulk items', which has prompted a marked increase in fly-tipping. Refuse collectors have warned of an impending health and safety disaster - pointing to the ever-increasing risk of Weil's disease, which can be passed on to humans through rat urine. Ms Sturgeon, 51, and her party have faced criticism from leaders across the political spectrum, including Labour's Keir Starmer who warned Glasgow was 'in a waste crisis' earlier this summer. Thomas Kerr, the Conservative leader on Glasgow's council, added: 'We've become the fly-tipping capital of Britain and host the UK's fourth-highest population of rats. That's the legacy of Glasgow's first Nationalist council.' Eva Murray, a city councillor who has lived in Glasgow all her life, says: 'The other day, I was walking around the city centre, and I noticed that there was a genuine smell. 'There's just no doubt that the city is very dirty. We are in the middle of a waste crisis and it's important that people should know that including all the world leaders and delegates that are coming to COP26.' Pictures show the grim reality of every corner of Scotland's second city being blighted with rubbish, fly-tipping and bins overflowing in recent month Flytipping has skyrocketed in the city since a 35 bulk waste charge was implemented by Glasgow City Council in April. Above: Litter is left in Camlachie area of east Glasgow Chris Mitchell, GMB Scotland Convenor for Glasgow City Council Cleansing, started his working life 30 years ago as a street sweeper. He thundered: 'There's a complete denial by the SNP that the city is in crisis. I've never seen a decline this horrendous. 'Over the past six to seven years, our budget has been obliterated. It's a risk to public health and safety, and in the summer the city stinks. It's actually embarrassing.' Mr Mitchell provides figures that speak for themselves. 'The number of street cleaners has gone from around 800 to 900 down to 213,' he says. 'The number of refuse collectors has gone down from 1,300 to 800. And the council often has to hire agency workers, who have no pensions, or don't even know if they have a job at the end of the week.' To encourage recycling and doubtless to save money the council has reduced bin collection to once every three weeks. In addition, it is charging 35 per item for disposing of bulk items such as pieces of furniture. The result is predictable, with fly-tipping rampant and household waste bins overflowing providing rich pickings for Glasgow's ever-increasing population of rodents. Strike action It comes as 1,500 Glasgow City Council staff in the refuse, cleansing, school janitorial and catering sectors could strike because of an ongoing pay dispute, with 96.9 per cent of returned ballots backing industrial action. GMB members rejected a 850-a-year increase for staff earning up to 25,000 a year from local authority umbrella body Cosla, with the union - along with Unison and Unite - all calling for a 2,000 pay rise. Cosla said negotiations are ongoing. Organiser, Chris Mitchell, said: 'Over the past 18 months throughout this awful pandemic, essential services across Scotland have been held together by an army of low paid workers. We were called key workers, even Covid heroes, but while politicians were happy to applaud us on Thursday nights, they've never put their hands in their pockets to pay us properly. 'The eyes of the world will be on Glasgow during COP26, and our politicians now have a choice - will they fairly reward the frontline workers who got the country through the pandemic, or will they risk embarrassing the city and the country on an international stage? The message that our members have sent with this ballot result is clear. We are taking a stand for what we deserve, and we believe the people will stand with us.' The call for industrial action comes after Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken was criticised for saying the city needs a 'spruce up' before the COP26 conference. The news comes amid sweeping cuts to local authority budgets backed by the First Minister - whose Scottish National Party took charge of Glasgow City Council in 2017. Pictured: Fly-tipping outside flats in Anniesland, Glasgow Old car seats, boxes and household rubbish line the streets of Govanhill in Glasgow, just weeks before the COP26 conference Her comments received a backlash from politicians and members of the public who claimed she was 'out of touch' with the city. A Cosla spokesman said: 'We appreciate everything that Local Government workers have been doing, and continue to do, to support people and communities during the pandemic and as we begin to recover. We continue with ongoing, constructive negotiations.' Rail workers will also go on strike during COP26, the RMT union confirmed on Thursday, over a separate dispute over pay and conditions. ScotRail staff will strike from Monday November 1 until Friday November 12. Staff on the Caledonian Sleeper will hold two 24-hour strikes: one from 11.59am on Sunday October 31 and one on Thursday November 11, also from 11.59am. Poverty rates Figures released last year found that parts of Glasgow's East End are among Scotland's most deprived areas. The latest Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) data shows Carntyne West and Haghill is the second most deprived area in the country, second only to Greenock town centre. North Barlanark and Easterhouse South also joined the top of the list - ranked tenth. Glasgow City Council as a local authority came second overall in terms of having the largest local share of deprived areas on 44 per cent. However this marks the largest fall in areas of deprivation since the SIMD figures were last published in 2016 - when almost half (48 per cent) of the city's data zones were classed as being in the bottom fifth. The SIMD research splits Scotland into almost 7,000 geographic areas, with researchers looking at multiple indicators such as crime, unemployment, pupil attainment rates and how long people have to travel to get to a GP in each of these. In the West End, Partickhill and Hyndland were ranked 6951 out of 6976 zones in Scotland, while Newlands in the South Side was ranked 6819. Carntyne West and Haghill in the East has seen a significant increase in the rankings in recent years. In 2012, it was ranked 273 in Scotland. It rose to 33 in 2016 before second in the most recent figures. Community bins have overflowed, discarded masks and takeaway boxes spill out of gutters and piles of waste have mounted high in the city's centre, providing rich pickings for Glasgow's ever-increasing population of rodents Separate analysis of census data spanning 40 years from 1971 to 2011 found that Glasgow has the ten most deprived places in the UK. The Calton area in the city's east end had three of the most deprived areas, with the North East having three while there were one each in the census wards of Baillieston, Springburn, Govan and Drumchapel/Anniesland. For the 2011 census the most deprived areas in Britain were parts of Glasgow, Birmingham, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and Cleveland, Bradford and Birmingham. Chris Lloyd, Professor of Quantitative Geography at the University of Liverpool which carried out the study, said: 'These findings show just how persistent deprivation is and they also show how concentrations of deprivation in urban areas are actually growing. 'The study shows that the experience of people living in deprived areas can be very different; in some neighbourhoods, high levels of deprivation are all that residents have known while in others a combination of population change within areas and migration into and out of these areas, as well as economic fluctuations, mean that levels of deprivation have increased markedly in recent years.' Drug deaths and crime Scotland also continues to suffer the worst drug death rate in Europe, with figures released in July this year finding that deaths rose to a record 1,339 in 2020 - 21.2 deaths per 1,000 of the population, and the seventh time in a row that the number as risen. The figure for 2020 shows 75 more deaths than the previous year, when 1,264 people lost their lives. Last year's figure is also the highest number of drug-related deaths since records began in 1996, and is more than three-and-a-half times higher than England and Wales. Glasgow was again found to be the worst area for people struggling with addiction, with 291 dying there last year. Greater Glasgow and Clyde had the highest rate of all Scottish health board areas at 30.8 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Ayrshire and Arran and Tayside with rates of 27.2 and 25.7 respectively. Men were almost three times as likely to die of drug misuse than women, the figures also show, and people in the poorest areas were 18 times as likely to die than those in the least-deprived areas. Almost two-thirds of all drug-related deaths were people between ages 35 and 54. The rise in the number of drug-related deaths over the past 25 years has been the steepest since 2013. The SNP had a majority government in Scotland between 2011 and 2016, after which they governed with a minority rule. And like other parts of the UK, Glasgow is victim to a knife crime epidemic. Just this week, a murder investigation has been launched into the death of a 14-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed at High Street station in Glasgow on Saturday afternoon. Police at the entrance to High Street Station in Glasgow's East End where teenager Justin McLaughlin was found seriously injured on Saturday afternoon Emergency services were called to Glasgow's High Street station Justin McLaughlin was found seriously injured following what police have described as a 'shocking act of violence'. He was taken to the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Police described a 14-year-old's death as a 'shocking loss of life'. The station in the city centre remained closed overnight as officers investigated the scene, with trains being diverted. Police Scotland have now confirmed they are treating the death as murder and are appealing for any witnesses who can help with their investigation. Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Brian Geddes, of Police Scotland's major investigation team, said: 'Our thoughts very much remain with Justin's family and friends. 'His family have asked for their privacy to be respected at this very difficult time, and they are being supported by specialist officers. 'Although inquiries are at an early stage, what we do know is that an incident took place at High Street train station and we are sure that there will be people who may have witnessed something in the lead up to this. 'The area would have been busy with members of the public and commuters and we are urging those who have any information, no matter how small, to get in contact with police.' An Arkansas man knifed a woman to death in his home on Sunday, bludgeoned their 15-year-old son to death with a brick then sliced a responding officer's throat before police shot him dead. Police were responding to a call at 2819 Tilles Avenue, Fort Smith when they found 40-year-old Christopher 'Cason' Conner bludgeoning his 15-year-old son with a brick in the middle of the street. Julie Moore, 42, the child's mother, was found dead inside with multiple stab wounds. The relationship between Moore and Conner, and whether or not they lived together in the house, is unclear. A five-year-old was found alive and safe inside the home, and has since been released to other family members. Fort Smith Chief Danny Baker said he '[had] no doubt that our officer's swift actions saved [that] young child's life.' Police were responding to a call at 2819 Tilles Avenue, Fort Smith when they found 40-year-old Christopher 'Cason' Conner (pictured) bludgeoning his 15-year-old son with a brick in the middle of the street Julie Moore, 42 (pictured) was found dead with multiple stab wounds At a Sunday press conference, Baker said that the 911 caller who alerted dispatchers to the 'extremely violent attack' said they 'heard yelling and screaming and came outside to see a white male with no shirt assaulting a person on the ground.' Baker said that the unnamed responding police officer appeared to convince Conner to stop battering his son. When the officer attempted to restrain the man, however, he brandished a knife and 'sliced the officer's throat and neck.' Then, the officer shot at Conner twice, 'killing him and ending the threat.' The officer, who Baker said had been with the department for 16 months, required emergency surgery after the attack for 'severe lacerations' to his face and neck - he is now in stable condition. The 15-year-old was pronounced dead at the hospital - police said he had 'multiple stab wounds' along with blunt force trauma. Both the injured officer and another member of the department who was at the scene have been placed on paid leave while Arkansas State Police conduct an investigation into the officer-involved shooting. After an officer shot Christofer Conner dead, the body of Julie Moore was found inside this home on 2819 Tilles Avenue Conner (pictured far right with Moore) was arrested for domestic battery in the third degree on July 22 this year, according to Sebastian County documents - the Sebastian County Sheriff's Department could not be reached by Dailymail.com at press time Police said that, along with Moore's brutalized body, a five-year-old was found inside the house on 2819 Tilles Avenue - he was released to other family members, and Fort Smith Chief Danny Baker said he '[had] no doubt that our officer's swift actions saved [that] young child's life.' Pictured is the police crime scene outside of the house, where Conner beat his 15-year-old son to death with a brick Police said they were called to a home in Fort Smith to find 40-year-old Christofer 'Cason' Conner (pictured) bludgeoning his 15-year-old son with a brick in the middle of Tilles Avenue On July 20, two days before the arrest, Conner made his Facebook profile photo a screenshot of his phone's screen after a call between him and Moore had been disconnected Conner was arrested for domestic battery in the third degree on July 22 this year, according to Sebastian County documents - the Sebastian County Sheriff's Department could not be reached by Dailymail.com at press time. On July 20, two days before the arrest, Conner made his Facebook profile photo a screenshot of his phone's screen after a call between him and Moore had been disconnected. '[Conner and Moore] had a history together for sure,' Mitchell told Dailymail.com. 'We have more than one [domestic violence] call out there.' The Arkansas State Police Department, who is handling the case now that there is an investigation into the officer's use of deadly force, did not return DailyMail.com's inquiries regarding a potential motive for the slaying. 'When unimaginable tragedies like this happen, were all left scared, angry, frustrated, sometimes hopeless,' Chief Baker said at the press conference. 'It hurts us as much as it does each of you when an outcome like this is unavoidable.' A British soldier died after he was tossed 20ft in the air on the tusks of an elephant which charged at him in African grassland, an inquest heard today. Guardsman Mathew Talbot, 22, was on his first tour with the Coldstream Guards to Malawi in southern Africa when he and colleagues embarked on an anti-poaching patrol. At today's inquest at Oxford Coroner's Court, Lieutenant Sergeant Robert Padgham said the tragedy occurred as a group of five solders were conducting the patrol at Liwonde National Park at around 10am on May 5, 2019. Lt Sgt Padgham told the hearing that Guardsman Talbot was second in line and helping to navigate the team when they found themselves in a patch of long foliage known as elephant grass. He said: 'We were going through a patch of elephant grass when the lead man identified elephants about 30 metres in front. 'We started to back off before another elephant appeared about five metres to our right. 'We started running and I believe Mathew started following me and I ran for about 50 metres to a tree which I started climbing. 'I heard a scream and observed an elephant throwing Mathew about 20ft into the air.' Guardsman Mathew Talbot of the 1st Battalion the Coldstream Guards was fatally injured in the incident in Liwonde National Park in Malawai on May 5, 2019 Mathew Talbot was helping anti-poaching efforts in Malawi when he was attacked and killed by an elephant in tall grass Soldiers from the Coldstream Guards are pictured in Malawi in April The soldier explained that the elephant had attacked Guardsman Talbot while he was in the tree, sweeping its head up for through the branches and flinging him into the air on its tusks. He continued: 'I observed about 20 to 30 elephants and ran straight towards Matthew. He was bleeding heavily and I applied a tourniquet to the area and then I heard the elephants returning.' The coroner heard that Lt Sgt Padgham then managed to drag his seriously injured colleague into some nearby bushes before swiftly climbing a tree to get out of harm's way. The hearing was told that three local rangers, Bright Banda, Kondwani Sibande and Mark Semu, had scattered as they tried to escape from other elephants that were bearing down on them. They quickly returned to the scene and fired warning shots to disperse the beasts and then began to help. Mr Banda told the inquest that when he arrived on the scene: 'Lt Sgt Padgham was giving first aid but he requested a vehicle to evacuate Mathew. We had to meet the vehicle about one kilometre away. 'We put Mathew on a stretcher and carried him.' After rushing him to the vehicle, the four men handed their comrade's care over to medics who had accompanied the vehicle. Despite the best efforts of those on the ground, Guardsman Talbot tragically died more than four hours after the attack, without ever reaching a hospital. Home Office pathologist Dr Russell Delaney told the hearing that he had been left with three different injuries consistent with being gored by the elephant's tusks, including one on his scalp. He also had significant injuries to his chest, including a broken voice box, as well as a broken left arm and right thigh. An African elephant is pictured above in Liwonde National Park. A consultant-led post-mortem examination found the young soldier's death was 'not preventable' given the circumstances When asked whether the Guardsman could have survived the injuries, Dr Delaney said: 'When viewed in absolute isolation, they were survivable but this is dependent on the context they are sustained. There was delay due to the herd of elephants. It would appear that those who were with him took the appropriate action. 'Because of the context in which they were sustained and the difficulties of that scenario, he didn't survive his injuries despite the treatment provided.' Mr Talbot's family also asked the pathologist if the injuries could have been caused in only one attack or two. The doctor explained: 'There are three areas that look like tusk penetrations to me. 'Whether that can be explained by a single incident involving more than one elephant or if there had been more than one encounter, I can't explain that. 'The injury to the chest could be explained by him being thrown and landing very heavily.' The pathologist found that Guardsman Talbot's death was caused by complications from soft tissue injuries. Soldiers are seen carrying the coffin of their colleague Mathew Talbot at the Kamuzu International Airport, in the capital Lilongwe in May last year A report by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) had been critical of the army's care. It found that they took too long to get Guardsman Talbot to hospital and had made errors in their medical timeline. A number of procedural changes were made following the incident. Speaking after the initial hearing Mr Talbot's parents, Steven and Michelle, had said: 'When Matt passed away it was four hours and 17 minutes after the attack and it would have taken at least another three hours to get to the hospital in Blantyre. 'Those that are responsible for putting these risk assessments in place should hang their heads in shame if they think this is adequate for our brave serving soldiers who are prepared to put their lives on the line for Queen and country. 'This is not just about justice for Matt but also the lives of all the other brave soldiers, as we do not want other families to go through this.' Brigadier Ben Cattermole, Commander 11 Brigade, said: 'The welfare of our personnel is of the utmost importance and the MoD has accepted all of the recommendations in this report, including robust training to better assess the risk of animal attack and fully rehearsing medical procedures before operations begin. 'We have already put in place plans to implement these recommendations and changes will be made as soon as possible. 'The MoD will review the coroner's findings when available and address any additional recommendations.' The inquest, which is due to last all week, was adjourned until tomorrow. Cuba Gooding Jr will go on trial in February in his New York City groping case involving three accusers, a judge said Monday, with prosecutors planning to portray the Oscar-winning actor as a serial offender and the defense contending the case is an example of #MeToo run amok. The actor appeared nervous as he sat before the judge, hands clasped together, on Monday as his trial date was set for February 1. The Jerry Maguire star is accused of sexually abusing three different women at three different Manhattan nightclubs in 2018 and 2019. One of the women alleged Gooding pinched her buttocks. Another said he squeezed her breast. Judge Curtis Farber had expressed a desire to start the trial sooner, possibly in December, but Gooding lawyer Peter Toumbekis said hell be tied up with trials in the Bronx then. Gooding had been scheduled to go on trial in April 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic intervened Gooding lawyer Peter Toumbekis (right) told the presiding judge that he cannot start the trial earlier than February 1, 2022, because of a scheduling conflict 'I want to lock this down for trial,' Farber said at a hearing in state court in Manhattan. "This case has been on my calendar for two years, going on three years.' 'If I give you a firm date, I don't want to hear that the case in the Bronx didn't go and the judge adjourned it to February,' the exasperated judge said. 'That's not going to fly with me.' Gooding had been scheduled to go on trial in April 2020, but that was scuttled as coronavirus cases surged in New York and the state shut down most court matters. Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. (R) arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday to set a trial date in his New York City groping case Gooding, 53, waved at people outside the courthouse upon his arrival on Monday The Jerry McGuire star wore aviator shades and a black mask that obscured much of his face Gooding strode into the courthouse with his defense attorney as paparazzi photographed him Gooding was arrested in June 2019 after a 29-year-old woman told police he squeezed her breast without her consent at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square. A few months later, Gooding was charged in two additional incidents as more women came forward to accuse him of abuse. He was accused of pinching a servers buttocks after making a sexually suggestive remark to her at TAO Downtown and forcibly touching a woman inappropriately at the LAVO New York nightclub, both in 2018. Gooding has denied any wrongdoing, and his defense team is contending the case is an example of #MeToo run amok The actor, right, discusses his groping case with his lawyer while waiting to enter the courtroom on Monday In all, Gooding, 53, is charged with six misdemeanor counts that could land him in jail if he is convicted. He has pleaded not guilty and denies all allegations of wrongdoing. His lawyers have argued that overzealous prosecutors, caught up in the fervor of the #MeToo movement, are trying to turn "commonplace gestures" or misunderstandings into crimes. For example, Goodings lawyers say video of the TAO incident shows Gooding tapping the woman on the back with a fingernail and turning around to give her a high-five to say goodbye as he leaves the club around 4.30am. Gooding, picturing listening to his attorney, didn't speak during the hearing The 54-year-old Oscar winner appeared tired and tense during the hearing The presiding judge warned Gooding's lawyer that he will not reschedule the trial again Gooding, pictured speaking to his attorney outside court, has denied any wrongdoing Prosecutors made arrangements for Toumbekis and Gooding to see video of the LAVO New York episode, which the lawyer said he'd been prevented from doing because of COVID-19 restrictions at the Manhattan district attorney's office. Gooding, in a dark suit, tie and face mask, waited on a bench in the courtroom gallery while Farber attended to two other cases before the star's case was called. Gooding didn't speak during the hearing. As he was leaving court, he gave a thumbs up to a man in the hallway who called out his name. Farber previously ruled that prosecutors can call two additional women to testify as what are known as Molineux witnesses about their allegations that Gooding also violated them. Those women, whose claims did not result in criminal charges, were among 19 other accusers whom prosecutors were seeking to call as witnesses, but Judge Farber has said it would be unfair to include witnesses who could not give specific dates, times or locations for the alleged incidents. Molineux Witness number 8 is a woman who says Gooding Jr. grabbed her buttocks and licked her neck at the Chatwal Hotel in New York on November 7, 2013, when she was at a work event. Molineux Witness number 12 says that on August 16, 2018, she met him at the Shore Bar in Santa Monica. He said to her: 'Damn, you're hot!' after being introduced to her through a mutual acquaintance. She tried to speak to him about appearing on her radio show and he asked her if she were married, she claims. When she said she was divorced, she claimed he told her: 'All you divorced women are the same.' In addition to the criminal case, Gooding is accused in a lawsuit of raping a woman in New York City in 2013. After a judge issued a default judgment in July because Gooding hadnt responded to the lawsuit, the actor retained a lawyer who indicated they would fight it. Some Seattle police officers are hanging dont tread on me Gadsden flags from their cruisers to protest a citywide vaccine mandate that takes effect at midnight Monday. Seattles ordinance which aligns with county- and state-wide mandates also taking effect October 18 requires all city employees to show proof of inoculation or risk losing their jobs. As of Monday, just 24 - or two percent - of Seattle Police Department officers had not shown proof of inoculation, a city spokesperson told Dailymail.com. Meanwhile, Seattle police spokesperson Sgt. Randy Huserik said officers who dont turn in their vaccine verification paperwork by midnight October 18 will likely be terminated. By tomorrow, we'll know what our numbers are, and how many officers have opted to forego the vaccine, he told DailyMail.com. The Seattle Police Officers Guild is still in negotiations with the city over accommodations for those opposed to the vaccine. Seattle police officers opposed to a city vaccine mandate that takes effect today hung yellow 'Don't tread on me' Gadsden flags on their police cruisers Some officers are among thousands of Americans opposed to COVID-19 vaccine mandates Some officers used yellow Gadsden flags that depict a snake ready to strike to express their displeasure with the new rules. The Office of Police Accountability is investigating their behavior and determining whether hanging the flag on department vehicles violated policy, an office executive told DailyMail.com. Seattle's defiant officers are not alone, with cops in other major cities such as Chicago also fighting vaccine policies. Similar vaccine-related unrest is happening in Chicago, where officers have been warned that they'll be fired if they don't get the jab, CNN reported. In New York City, Mayor Bill di Blasio said hes looking at all options before deciding whether to mandate jabs for the NYPD, the largest municipal police department in the U.S. The Seattle Police Department is already struggling with staffing after losing officers to the 'defund the police' movement. Department staffing is at lows not seen since the 1980s A Washington state trooper says he's already quit over a similar statewide mandate Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan issued a plea to officers Monday, imploring them to get the jab by the deadline. She also thanked officers who have already received the vaccine. 'Thank you for stepping up yet again to protect your fellow officers and community,' she said in an email obtained by KTTH radio. 'We ask every SDP employee to join so many who have taken this critical step to protect our city.' DON'T TREAD ON ME: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE GADSDEN FLAG American soldier Christopher Gadsden The Gadsden flag was designed by South Carolina soldier Christopher Gadsden in the mid-1770s during the American Revolution. The colonel had seen a yellow banner with a hissing, coiled rattlesnake rising up in the center, and beneath the serpent the words: 'Don't Tread On Me'. Colonel Gadsden made a copy and submitted the design to the Provincial Congress in South Carolina. Commodore Esek Hopkins, commander of the new Continental fleet, carried a similar flag in early 1776 when his ships went to sea for the first time. Source: www.usflag.org Advertisement If some officers do hang up their badges over the mandate, it would be the latest blow to a force already hampered by the defund the police movement. Staffing at the department is already at lows not seen since the 1980s. In July, it was revealed that the department had already lost at least 280 officers since the start of 2020 due to what they called an 'anti-police climate' in the city amid Black Lives Matter protests and calls to defund the police. The Seattle Police Departments 1,125 officers are tasked with protecting more than 724,000 people. Last Friday, the department utilized its stage-3 mobilization plan, which puts all officers on standby to respond to 911 calls. We used a couple of detectives in one of the precincts that were short on their staffing minimums, but otherwise we haven't had any issues, Huserik said. Seattle Police Officers Guild President Mike Solan said the vaccine mandate could exacerbate the understaffing. 'If we lose what appears to be over 300 people because of this mandate, this public safety crisis we're experiencing will look like child's play,' Solan told CBS58. Meantime, some Washington state troopers are calling it quits over the mandate. Last weekend, a veteran Washington State trooper who was forced out of the job by the state's vaccine mandate released a video of his final sign-off and ended it by saying 'Governor Jay Inslee can kiss my a**.' The unidentified trooper told how he had served in the department for more than 22 years in Yakima County. But Saturday night was his last shift, with Inslee's mandate ordering most state employees to be vaccinated coming into force on October 18. A mother has today told a court how she found her 24-day-old daughter not breathing in her Moses basket after her partner had stayed up to do the night time feed over New Year. Alleged triple killer, Jordan Monaghan, 30, is accused of smothering his daughter, Ruby, aged 24 days, on New Year's Day, 2013, eight months before also smothering his son, Logan, aged 21 months. He also denies the murder of his new partner, Evie Adams, 23, six years later in October 2019, by giving her an overdose of tramadol and diazepam. Laura Gray, the mother of Ruby and Logan, told the court she was woken by her then-partner Monaghan who said Ruby was unresponsive just hours after the defendant had fed her for the first time. The 28-year-old rushed downstairs and into the living room to find her baby in her Moses basket. A jury heard that Ruby was rushed to hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Laura Gray (pictured with accused killer Jordan Monaghan in 2013) told a jury her baby Ruby was 'fine' just hours before being found dead after Monaghan had fed her for the first time Ms Gray said hours before Ruby died, she and the defendant had put Logan to bed and watched TV. She told the court her daughter had fed normally and was 'absolutely fine'. After seeing in the new year, she went to bed just after midnight with Ruby sleeping in her Moses basket on the living room floor. For the first time, Monaghan offered to stay up to give Ruby her 2am feed. But she was awoken shortly before 2am by her partner shouting from downstairs. She said: 'I'm not sure of the time but I heard Jordan shouting me from the bottom of the stairs, saying 'Laura, come down. I don't think Ruby is breathing'. 'She looked grey and her lips were blue. She felt clammy. 'I took the blanket off her and opened her babygrow and couldn't see her breathing so I picked her up and told Jordan to ring for an ambulance.' The jury heard how Monaghan performed CPR on the tot until the paramedics arrived. An ambulance was called and rushed the child to hospital accompanied by her mother, but she did not regain consciousness and despite emergency treatment Ruby was pronounced dead at 2.45am. Monaghan denied the murders of his children Ruby and Logan (left) in 2013 and the murder of his new partner Evie Adams (right) in 2019 and the trial continues at Preston Crown Court Ms Gray asked a nurse to call Monaghan, before he arrived at the hospital, but not to tell him their daughter had died. However, when he got there and Ms Gray told him their daughter was dead, he replied, 'I know, I know' saying a nurse had told him on the phone. But the jury heard none of the hospital staff made such a call to tell him. Miss Gray added: 'Jordan just came up to me and said 'I know, I know' and gave me a cuddle. 'I think I said to him that Ruby had passed away and he said 'I know, I know'. 'He said the nurse had rung him to tell him.' A post-mortem examination concluded Ruby had died from acute bronchopneumonia. But Duncan Smith QC, prosecuting, told the jury the pathologist was 'mistaken' and Ruby did not die from natural causes but from her father deliberately obstructing her breathing. Jordan Monaghan, 30, denies three counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of cruelty to a child and is standing trial at Preston Crown Court (pictured) Monaghan, of Blackburn, is also charged with murdering son Logan on August 17, 2013. The court heard Miss Gray found her son dead in his buggy after Monaghan had taken him swimming. Monaghan is alleged to have attempted to kill a third child, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, before murdering his new partner, Evie Adams, 23, in October 2019. The prosecution say the 30-year-old used the prescription drugs Tramadol and Diazepam that he bought on the black market and fed to Miss Adams 'covertly without her agreement or knowledge'. Monaghan denies three counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of cruelty to a child, all between January 1 2013 and October 24 2019. Monaghan, who had gambling problems and debts, had rowed with his partner Miss Gray who had said she was leaving him, the court heard. The defendant had taken out a credit card in Miss Gray's name and had racked up around 2,000 in online gambling debts. The defendant had texted Miss Gray the day before Logan's death saying: 'I love youI don't want to lose you', and the child's death brought them closer together, the jury was told. The trial continues. General Colin Powell had a 13-point rulebook for life. He showed them to me when we spent the day together a few years ago at the National War College in Washington DC, and they made a huge impression - mainly because I agreed with every single one of them. They're worth repeating again in full today as America mourns the loss tragically, from complications due to Covid-19 - of perhaps the greatest president it never had: 1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. 2. Get mad, then get over it. 3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that, when your position falls, your ego goes with it. 4. It can be done! 5. Be careful what you choose, you may get it. 6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. 7. You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours. 8. Check small things. 9. Share credit. 10. Remain calm. Be kind. 11. Have a vision. Be demanding. 12. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers. 13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Powell's rules resonated so strongly with me because they sounded so real. This wasn't the robotic soundbite claptrap of a dreary career politician. This was hard-earned real-world advice from a man who'd fought his way from the bottom to the very top of society, and who'd had to fight for everything that he achieved. General Colin Powell had a 13-point rulebook for life. He showed them to me when we spent the day together a few years ago at the National War College in Washington DC, and they made a huge impression - mainly because I agreed with every single one of them. Pictured: Powell served as secretary of State under President George W. Bush from 2001-2005 Powell started work selling baby furniture while still at school, then embarked on a stunning military and political career that saw him become a Vietnam veteran, a former National Security Adviser to President Reagan, a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents George H. Bush and Bill Clinton, and the first Black US Secretary of State under President George W. Bush. Pictured: A young Powell showed on left and on right the most recent image of Powell on September 11, 2021 coming off the stage at the Kennedy Center after speaking at a 9/11 Commemoration concert featuring the National Symphony Orchestra and the United States Marine Band Colin Powell never wanted to be president, though many - including me think he would have been a brilliant occupant of the White House. 'I never woke up a single morning thinking it was the right thing for me,' he explained. 'I've served my country in other ways.' It was said that one of the reasons he decided against it was opposition to the idea from his devoted wife Alma mother of his three children. Pictured: Powell in Washington DC where he was worked as a White House Fellow in 1972 and 1973 This was the mantra of a man who started work selling baby furniture while still at school, then embarked on a stunning military and political career that saw him become a Vietnam veteran, a former National Security Adviser to President Reagan, a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents George H. Bush and Bill Clinton, and the first Black US Secretary of State under President George W. Bush. Indeed, such was the respect in which he was held by successive presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom TWICE. He deserved it. Powell was the living, breathing embodiment of Rocky Balboa's famous movie speech to his son about life not being about how hard you can hit, but about how many times you can get hit and still keep picking yourself up again and keep moving forward. Sylvester Stallone didn't write that motivational masterpiece with Colin Powell in mind, but nobody better personified the ethos of it better than he did. There have been many fulsome tributes to him since after the news of his death broke, attesting to his integrity, selfless public service, heroism he was wounded in Vietnam - and devotion to his family. But during my time with him, I saw at first hand the other qualities that made Powell a very special person. He was funny and self-deprecating, honest and candid, fiercely intelligent and refreshingly devoid of meaningless political jargon. He was also incredibly likeable and charming, with old school manners and a civility so lacking in modern political discourse. Powell also exuded an inherent strength of character and a fiercely held moral code that ran through him like a rod of reinforced steel. But the most striking thing about him was that he made it out of the toughest meanest streets of New York's Harlem and the south Bronx in the 60s to become one of America's greatest ever public figures, and never wallowed in modern day woke self-pity along the way. Powell WAS the American dream - and he was fiercely proud of that. In his autobiography, he revealed: 'I was born in Harlem to immigrant parents, and my parents always had a job. I don't think either one of them made more than $50 or $60 a week, but we were able to get along on that back then.' The most striking thing about Powell was that he made it out of the toughest meanest streets of New York's Harlem and the south Bronx in the 60s to become one of America's greatest ever public figures, and never wallowed in modern day woke self-pity along the way. Powell WAS the American dream - and he was fiercely proud of that. Pictured: Powell (second right) poses with his wife Alma (right) and three children Linda, Michael and Annemarie at the White House after being appointed as National Security Advisor to Ronald Reagan in 1987 Powell is survived by his wife Alma (pictured) and three children Michael, Linda and Annemarie. They were married for 59 years after meeting on a blind date. Powell recounted that night to me in vivid loving detail: 'A friend of mine insisted I go with him on this blind date. He was interested in this young lady, and the young lady had a roommate, and he asked me to go with him to pick off with the roommate. And the roommate was being told the same thing by her roommate and she didn't like it and didn't think her parents would approve of her dating some infantry lieutenant. But when I walked in, she was very attractive, and she apparently did not reject me outright' When I asked him about that early life, he expanded: 'I was raised in an extended immigrant family, Jamaican with a British background. They were British subjects when they came here (to America). What they cared about was meeting the expectations they had for us to get an education, got out of the house, and get a job. That was it. You could be a doctor, lawyer, or streetcar conductor. I have cousins of mine who are subway conductors in London. And it didn't make any difference what you actually became. It was just important that you became something and that you never embarrassed the family and that you met our expectations. Our expectations are: you will do better than we did, you will get a job, and you will make us proud in your work.' Driven by this ferociously ambitious work ethic, Powell was a man who always put his country first, and certainly over any party allegiances. To him, what mattered most was loyalty to the United States of America, and he had no time for partisan bullsh*t that creates division not unity. Powell was a long-time Republican who then endorsed a Democrat, Barack Obama, to be President. It earned him a lot of praise, and a lot of abuse. But he never regretted doing what he thought was right. 'I always tried to do the best job of analyzing the needs of the country and the candidates that are before us,' he told me, 'and trying to support the candidate who I feel will do the best for the country, whether he or she is a Democrat or Republican.' Powell identified a massive problem that is even more serious today - the woefully intransigent and destructive nature of partisan tribal politics. 'What troubles me the most is that I've never seen such polarization in our political process,' he said. 'I've never seen a situation where you have people on the far left and the far right who focus on their own extreme positions and hold these as theological positions that can't be moved away from and changed, and everybody is measured against these extremes.' The answer, he believed, was to return to compromise, however unpalatable it may seem to those opposing each other. 'Our founding fathers also had strong beliefs and believed in extremes,' he told me. 'And they were able in Philadelphia, in writing our constitution, to make some great compromises. They had to compromise on slavery. I don't like the compromise they made at the time because we kept slavery, but they said we're here to form a nation. We can't solve that right now. It (compromise) is not happening now because it's been made too difficult. The extremes have been able to capture a lot of the politicians who might be more toward the middle by having them sign agreements that I will never raise taxes or other things that pledge themselves to positions that don't lend themselves easily to compromise. And the current media environment is constant, nonstop commentary all day long, all evening long. If you say anything that seems to drift of the orthodoxy of your party's position, you're going to hear about it immediately either on a cable talk show or on the bloggers or on the Internet. And so, the two parties don't have the same opportunity to work quietly with each other.' He was right about all that, though by his own admission he didn't lead a blameless career and his nadir came when he stood up in front of the United Stations Security Council in 2003 to present the 'evidence' to the world that Iraqi despot Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. When the WMD never showed up, Powell was subjected to global criticism and ridicule that tarnished his glittering reputation and caused him huge personal sorrow. But his brutal honesty over the Iraq War catastrophe said so much about the man. Unlike many others who were similarly duped, Powell made no attempt to shirk responsibility for arguing for the war on what turned out to be false evidence. 'It's a blot,' he told ABC News in 2005, 'and will always be part of my record. It's painful.' Such was the respect in which Powell was held by successive presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom TWICE. He deserved it. Powell was the living, breathing embodiment of Rocky Balboa's famous movie speech to his son about life not being about how hard you can hit, but about how many times you can get hit and still keep picking yourself up again and keep moving forward. Pictured: First Lady Barbara Bush fastens the Medal around Powell's neck as then-President George H. W. Bush watches in 1991 Powell was a long-time Republican who then endorsed a Democrat, Barack Obama, to be President. It earned him a lot of praise, and a lot of abuse. But he never regretted doing what he thought was right. 'I always tried to do the best job of analyzing the needs of the country and the candidates that are before us,' he told me, 'and trying to support the candidate who I feel will do the best for the country, whether he or she is a Democrat or Republican.' Pictured: Powell speaks with then-President Barack Obama in the Oval Office on December 1, 2010 When I pressed him on it during our interview, he said: 'Our intelligence had it wrong, and I more than anyone presented that intelligence to the United States people and the American people and to the world. When I realized that a large part of it - not all of it, but a considerable part of it - was wrong and we should have known it was wrong, I felt terrible. I felt disappointed. It was wrong. That is the summation of it. It was wrong.' Yes, it was. Horribly wrong. And the awful repercussions of that terrible blunder are still being felt today. But it's rare to see a public figure so bluntly admit to a mistake of such magnitude and not try to spin their way out of any accountability. Compare and contrast to the likes of Donald Trump who would rather garotte themselves than ever admit to getting anything wrong. Colin Powell never wanted to be president, though many - including me think he would have been a brilliant occupant of the White House. 'I never woke up a single morning thinking it was the right thing for me,' he explained. 'I've served my country in other ways.' It was said that one of the reasons he decided against it was opposition to the idea from his devoted wife Alma mother of his three children. They were married for 59 years after meeting on a blind date. Powell recounted that night to me in vivid loving detail: 'A friend of mine insisted I go with him on this blind date. He was interested in this young lady, and the young lady had a roommate, and he asked me to go with him to pick off with the roommate. And the roommate was being told the same thing by her roommate and she didn't like it and didn't think her parents would approve of her dating some infantry lieutenant. But when I walked in, she was very attractive, and she apparently did not reject me outright.' They were married nine months later, knowing he would soon be off to war in Vietnam. 'I would be gone for a year, and when I came back, I would still be something of a stranger,' he recalled. 'And she took that risk. I never forget the fact that she didn't marry a general. She didn't marry a secretary of state. She married a young first lieutenant. She sacrificed a lot and I owe her a lot.' 'What's the secret of a happy marriage?' I asked him. 'Getting along,' he replied, 'and love.' At the end of the interview, I asked Powell to name the key values he felt we should all prioritise. He thought for a bit, then replied: 'Service to others, service to something greater than yourself, service to country, serving a purpose in life. Why are you here, what are you doing? Secondly, being kind to people. Third, raising a good family.' Ultimately, he always considered himself a military man. 'The Army was my life,' he said. 'I'm often called a statesman and politician. No, I'm a soldier and infantry officer.' But by God, he was so much more than that. I asked Powell to name the key values he felt we should all prioritise. He thought for a bit, then replied: 'Service to others, service to something greater than yourself, service to country, serving a purpose in life. Why are you here, what are you doing? Secondly, being kind to people. Third, raising a good family.' Ultimately, he always considered himself a military man. 'The Army was my life,' he said. 'I'm often called a statesman and politician. No, I'm a soldier and infantry officer.' Pictured: Powell started his military tenure in the Vietnam War. This photo from 1986 shows him and wife Alma during a farewell ceremony in Frankfurt when Powell was a Lieutenant General It's an absolute tragedy that Colin Powell has become the most high-profile American to succumb to Covid-19. That he was fully vaccinated when he contracted the virus but still succumbed to complications from it is especially heart-breaking. But in his 84 years, he achieved more than most to ever walk this planet. Powell told me what he wanted written on his tombstone. 'I don't need much,' he smiled. 'Just put, 'Good guy, he served well, and he raised a good family, and he loved his country.' Could there be any finer epitaph? RIP General Powell - and thank you for your service. Pictured: Powel addresses the United Nations Security Council in 2003 Powell's life story was a wonderful inspiration to all those born without a trace of privilege. 'I have fun telling the students I graduated with a C average,' he chuckled to me, 'and now, I have a Center named after me (The Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadershp) and I'm called a distinguished visiting professor! My professors of 53 years old ago would roll over in their graves if they heard that. The fact is it isn't where you started life that matters, but where you end up and what you did along the way. That's the message I give to all my audiences, especially the young ones: Believe in yourself, believe in this country, and listen to the people that care about you in life, and just keep doing your best and be your own role model.' It's an absolute tragedy that Colin Powell has become the most high-profile American to succumb to Covid-19. That he was fully vaccinated when he contracted the virus but still succumbed to complications from it is especially heart-breaking. But in his 84 years, he achieved more than most to ever walk this planet. Powell told me what he wanted written on his tombstone. 'I don't need much,' he smiled. 'Just put, 'Good guy, he served well, and he raised a good family, and he loved his country.' Could there be any finer epitaph? RIP General Powell - and thank you for your service. Advertisement Britons were today warned the coming months will be 'challenging' as coronavirus cases jumped by more than a fifth in a week and deaths surged by 60 per cent. The Department of Health said there were 49,156 new infections in the past 24 hours, which was up 22.2 per cent on last Monday and the highest figure since mid-July. Today's cases top the 45,140 reported yesterday, which itself was a three-month high. Levels of infection are now almost on par with the worst of the second peak in January. The DOH said there were also 45 more Covid victims registered today in a 60.7 per cent increase compared to last week. Downing Street has insisted it does not have any immediate plans to bring back restrictions despite the rising metrics but admitted it would keep a 'close watch' on the situation. Hospitalisations and deaths remain much lower than previous waves but there are concerns even a small rise could push the NHS to the brink this winter when it tries to juggle high levels of flu and usual seasonal pressures. There are also fears that uptake of Covid booster jabs may be too slow to prevent a hospital surge this winter, with only half of eligible over-80s receiving a third dose since the programme launched a month ago. Professor Andrew Hayward, an epidemiologist and key Government adviser, argued the situation was 'concerning' and there was 'huge potential for the NHS to come under a lot of pressure'. The Prime Minister's official spokesman claimed No10 was not considering rolling back compulsory face masks or introducing vaccine passports as part of the Covid winter 'Plan B' just yet. They added: 'We obviously keep very close watch on the latest statistics. We always knew the coming months would be challenging. What we are seeing is case rates, hospitalisations and deaths still broadly in line with the modelling as set out a few months back now. 'The vaccination programme will continue to be our first line of defence, along with new treatments, testing and public health advice. But we will obviously keep a close watch on cases. 'But it is thanks to our vaccination programme that we are able to substantially break the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths.' The spokesman said the success of the vaccines meant 'we are able to be one of the most open economies in Europe, which is benefiting the public and indeed businesses as well'. Natural immunity IS just as good as being jabbed, official figures show Recovering from Covid offers just as good protection as getting two doses of any vaccine, official figures suggest. An Office for National Statistics' (ONS) report published today found unvaccinated Britons who catch the Delta variant are around 71 per cent less likely to test positive for a second time. It estimated the risk of infection is slashed by approximately 67 per cent in people given two doses of Pfizer or AstraZeneca's jabs. The ONS said there was 'no evidence' vaccines offered more immunity than catching Covid itself, despite a number of other studies showing the opposite. The findings are based on more than 8,000 positive tests across Britain between May and August, when the Delta variant became dominant. Scientists are still trying to untangle exactly how long naturally-acquired and vaccine immunity lasts. Protection from the jabs appears to dip at around five months, which is why Britons over the age of 50 are being offered booster doses this autumn. But the duration of natural immunity remains somewhat of a mystery, made more complicated by the rise of new variants. Advertisement Professor Hayward, a member of SAGE, told BBC Radio 4's World At One today: 'I think it's concerning that we've got very high rates of infection and higher rates of hospitalisation and mortality than many of our European counterparts.' He said waning immunity is 'probably part of' the reason infections are currently high, adding there is 'some evidence' protection against infection is beginning to wear off and 'probably some evidence' protection against severe disease is waning to a lesser extent. Professor Hayward added: 'We shouldn't be complacent because there is still huge potential for the NHS to come under a lot of pressure and for there to be a lot of unnecessary deaths. 'So we need to get the vaccination rates up and we need to be prepared potentially to think about other measures if things do get out of control.' Downing Street said 'different countries are potentially at different stages of their vaccination programmes and have different measures in place so it's difficult to compare and contrast'. The Prime Minister's spokesman added: 'What's important is we strike the right balance between protecting lives and livelihoods.' The UK led the way on vaccinations during the initial rollout which means Britons have been vaccinated longer than Europeans. Studies have shown that protection from the jabs start to noticeably wane after five months, which is why the UK began offering all over-50s a booster jab last month. But experts have warned the uptake of Covid boosters may be too slow to prevent hospitals from becoming overcrowded this winter. One month into the booster programme, only half of eligible over-80s have received a third dose, despite being at heightened risk, NHS figures suggest. Of the 2.2million who had a second jab more than six months ago, fewer than 1.2million have had the booster. There are fears Britain could start to see a rise in hospital admissions, as happened in Israel earlier this year, if boosters aren't distributed more quickly. The number of people aged 65 to 84 admitted to hospital has risen 19 per cent in the past week, with admissions up 8 per cent among people over 85. Yesterday the UK reported a 30 per cent weekly increase of coronavirus cases to 45,140 within 28 days of a positive test - the highest total since July. Mass Covid testing in schools is sparking 'unnecessary chaos' and should be brought to an end, senior doctor says Mass Covid testing in schools is sparking 'unnecessary chaos' and should be brought to an end, a senior doctor has said. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's president, Dr Camilla Kingdon, also warned children should not be left to 'carry the burden' of the pandemic. Schools in England dropped virtually all virus-control measures in July, except twice weekly testing of pupils. Those who get a positive swab must stay home for 10 days. But amid rising infection rates among youngsters, some schools are quietly reintroducing measures including face masks and telling children to stay home if their sibling has the virus. It comes as the NHS plans to unveil walk-in vaccine clinics for school children within weeks in an effort to speed up the jabs rollout. Advertisement Meanwhile, official UK figures suggest that recovering from Covid offers just as good protection as getting two doses of any vaccine. An Office for National Statistics' (ONS) report published today found unvaccinated Britons who catch the Delta variant are around 71 per cent less likely to test positive for a second time. It estimated the risk of infection is slashed by approximately 67 per cent in people given two doses of Pfizer or AstraZeneca's jabs. The ONS said there was 'no evidence' vaccines offered more immunity than catching Covid itself, despite a number of other studies showing the opposite. The findings are based on more than 8,000 positive tests across Britain between May and August, when the Delta variant became dominant. Scientists are still trying to untangle exactly how long naturally-acquired and vaccine immunity lasts. Protection from the jabs appears to dip at around five months, which is why Britons over the age of 50 are being offered booster doses this autumn. But the duration of natural immunity remains somewhat of a mystery, made more complicated by the rise of new variants. The ONS looked at 8,306 positive PCR results between May 17 and August 14. Samples were collected from unvaccinated, fully vaccinated and double-jabbed volunteers, some who had previously had the virus already. Using a statistical analysis, the report found those who were double-jabbed had a reduced the risk of testing positive by between 64 and 70 per cent, giving the headline figure of 67 per cent. In people who were unvaccinated but previously positive, the risk was cut by between 65 per cent to 77 per cent. The overlap in confidence intervals meant that there was no statistical difference between the results. Writing in the report, the ONS said: 'There was no evidence that the reduction in risk of infection from two vaccine doses differed from that of previous natural infection.' A laptop and phone found in the bedroom of a man on trial for terrorism offences had images of sexual activity with mutilated women in a folder named dead girl pics, a court has heard. The devices are said to belong to Sam Imrie, who is on trial at the High Court, in Edinburgh, on suspicion of posting statements on the social media platform Telegram suggesting he was going to carry out an attack on the Fife Islamic Centre in Glenrothes. The images included photos of women who were believed to be dead, with parts of their bodies missing, including their breasts and heads. Some of the photos showed signs of sexual activity with the corpses. The 24-year-old has also been accused of planning to stream live footage of 'an incident', and of taking, or permitting to be taken or made, indecent photographs of children. Sam Imrie, 24, is on trial for planning to carry out an attack on the Fife Islamic Centre in Glenrothes, Scotland Giving evidence today, Robert Steer, 51, a cybercrime leader in digital forensics for the police, told the court the laptop and phone had 78 files showing deceased women that he believed were 'genuine' photos, some of which were taken at a morgue. He said several of the images were 'distinct' showing sexual activity with the corpses. Jurors heard that 67 images of child exploitation were also found on the accuseds phone. Mr Steer said there were 17 photos classed as category A under the UKs child abuse image database (CAID), which involves photos showing penetrative sex or sadist acts with an animal or a child, Mr Steer told the court. There were also eight images under category B and 42 under category C. Category B involves images involving non-penetrative sexual activity with a child, while category C relates to 'other indecent images' that could include children 'sexually posing', Mr Steer said. On the same laptop recovered from Imries bedroom there was a folder called 'Heros', which had sub-folders including one named Anders Breivik and Brenton Tarrant, both convicted of terrorism offences. On Thursday, the High Court in Edinburgh heard a recording of an interview carried out with the accused by police on July 8, 2019. The accused told police he was a 'white nationalist'. Asked what that meant, he replied: 'It means I care about my race.' Imrie denied he thought white people were superior to non-whites, saying he believed the Chinese were superior. He made no response when it was put to him that that view 'flies in the face of white nationalism'. Giving evidence at the High Court in Edinburgh, Robert Steer, 51, a cybercrime leader in digital forensics for the police, said the laptop and phone had 78 files showing deceased women that he believed were 'genuine' photos, some of which were taken at a morgue Jurors previously heard how the accused made a series of derogatory remarks about minority groups on the messaging app Telegram. Imrie blamed his actions on alcohol. When asked about his visit to the Fife Islamic Centre in July 2019, which he had threatened to burn down on the Telegram app, Imrie said: 'It was a joke.' Among other charges, Imrie is accused of being in possession of neo-Nazi, antisemitic and anti-Muslim material, extreme pornography, including indecent images of children, and an image involving a human corpse. He is also charged with driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol in July 2019. He denies all of the nine charges against him, three of which come under the Terrorism Act. The trial, before Lord Mulholland, continues. Peter Fray-Witzer, a student enrolled at Oberlin College in Ohio, wrote an op-ed in a campus newspaper complaining that 'cisgender men' were going to install radiators in his 'safe space' dormitory A student at an $80,000-a-year ultra-liberal Oberlin College in Ohio claimed in an op-ed that he was left angry, scared, and confused because cisgender men installed a radiator in his safe space dormitory. Peter Fray-Witzer, a student enrolled at Oberlin College, posted an article in Friday's edition of The Oberlin Review in which he takes school administrators to task for giving him short notice about the installation. Fray-Witzer writes that he asked a campus official if he could be exempt from having a radiator installed in his room so as to avoid the intrusion. He also complains that he felt mildly violated and a little peeved when the contractors returned to his dorm room the next day to check the insulation. DailyMail.com has sought comment from Oberlin College. According to Fray-Witzer, he and other residents of the on-campus dorm Baldwin Cottage received an email on October 7 notifying them that contractors will be entering rooms the next day to install radiators. 'This will mean that they will be in your room for a period of time to complete the work,' Josh Matos, the area coordinator for Multicultural and Identity-Based Communities, wrote in an email. Fray-Witzer wrote in response: 'I had not been contacted about any sort of radiator installation before this email, so right away the word "update" stood out to me as untrue. 'I grew concerned reading the second line, which informed me that I had less than 24 hours to prepare for the arrival of the installation crew, and I was further perturbed by the ambiguous "for a period of time".' DailyMail.com has reached out to Matos seeking comment. Fray-Witzer adds in his op-ed that he was 'very averse to people entering my personal space.' 'This anxiety was compounded by the fact that the crew would be strangers, and they were more than likely to be cisgender men.' Cisgender is a term used to describe someone whose gender identity is the same as the sex that they were assigned at birth. The word is considered the antonym of transgender - which means a person who identifies as a gender that is opposite of that which they were assigned when born. The dorm where Fray-Witzer lives, Baldwin Cottage, is known as the home of the Women and Trans Collective. Oberlin, the liberal arts college with a student body of 3,000, describes the dorm as 'a close-knit community that provides women and transgendered persons with a safe space for discussion, communal living, and personal development.' Fray-Witzer is a resident of Baldwin Cottage, an on-campus dorm at Oberlin limited to 'anyone who identifies as female or trans, regardless of race, nationality, religion, assigned sex, or sexual orientation According to the school, Baldwin Cottage, which houses 30 students, is open to anyone who identifies as female or trans, regardless of race, nationality, religion, assigned sex, or sexual orientation. The Oxford Dictionary defines a safe space as a 'a place or environment in which a person or category of people can feel confident that they will not be exposed to discrimination, criticism, harassment, or any other emotional or physical harm.' Safe spaces are normally located on college campuses. They have prompted criticism from many who say they are being used to silence on-campus political debate and censor views that are unpopular. Fray-Witzer writes that 'cisgender men are not allowed to live on the second and third floors, and many residents choose not to invite cisgender men to that space.' He added: 'I was angry, scared, and confused. Why didn't the College complete the installation over the summer, when the building was empty? 'Why couldn't they tell us precisely when the workers would be there? 'Why were they only notifying us the day before the installation was due to begin?' Fray-Witzer describes seeing the contractors arrive at the dorm. Before they showed us, he writes, he waited apprehensively. 'The workers began installing in common spaces, and I could see immediately that they were all men,' he writes. Fray-Witzer writes that 'cisgender men are not allowed to live on the second and third floors, and many residents choose not to invite cisgender men to that space' 'It was clear that the College had not made a special request that male workers not be allowed onto the upper floors of Baldwin.' Fray-Witzer continues: Predicting when they would reach my room was pure guesswork. I was trying to anticipate whether I would be in class when they arrived, or if Id have to welcome strangers into my room only to be ejected to allow them space to work. When the contractors arrived, they knocked on the door to Fray-Witzers dorm room. He writes: 'When the insistent knock eventually came, I scrambled to get my mask on and repeatedly shouted, "Coming!" through the door. 'Four or five construction workers stood outside, accompanied by someone who I could only assume by his neat polo and clipboard to be an emissary of the College. 'We stared at each other for a moment before I moved aside to allow the workers to enter. 'The emissary began issuing platitudes that the work wouldn't take long and encouraged me to prop open my door. 'I asked meekly if I could actually not have a radiator installed in my dorm. 'I knew the answer was no before I had even said it, but hey - worth a shot.' Fray-Witzer writes that when he returned from class, Polo Man warned me that they would return later in the week to check the insulation. 'I couldn't help but think that, though there were other dorms affected by the installation, Baldwin Cottage was one of the worst places for it to occur,' Fray-Witzer writes. 'There are myriad reasons to want to be housed in Baldwin Cottage, but many people - myself included - choose to live there for an added degree of privacy and a feeling of safety and protection. 'A significant portion of students choose to live in Baldwin because they are victims of sexual assault or abuse, have suffered past invasions of privacy, or have some other reason to fear cisgender men.' On Twitter, people mocked Fray-Witzers article Fray-Witzer claims that other students shared his concerns about being subject to the whims of the contractors. 'I understand, of course, that installations like this are routine; the College needs to improve its facilities occasionally, and who am I to stand in the way of that?...But why not finish the project during the four months of the summer semester, when the building was unoccupied? Why not alert us earlier to the intrusion?' Fray-Witzer writes. 'They should have taken measures to keep students comfortable and safe - especially those who have elected to live in a specifically designated safe space.' On Twitter, people mocked Fray-Witzers article. 'This guy being "scared, angry, and confused" that he might be forced to interact with another male who is either straight or gay (i.e. not non-binary) is peak Oberlin,' wrote one Twitter user. Journalist Glenn Greenwald tweeted: 'Students at Oberlin, which costs $80,000/year to attend, are angry and scared that the low-paid servants sent to fix their radiators are cis men. 'Perfect illustration of how s***** identity leftism doesn't just ignore class repression but reinforces it: Ponder the rotted roots of an ideology that convinces highly privileged and wealthy students at elite colleges that the guys who come to fix their radiators are their oppressors, and that the ones whose family is paying $80k/year are the oppressed.' Another Twitter user commented: 'Simple solution for the workers: Don't install radiators in the rooms of students who don't want you in their room. It's not your problem.' Another quipped: 'Jeez, such an uncomfortable situation. My thoughts are with those who are traumatized lol.' Wrote another commenter: 'Will they be survivors of some kind after this?' One Twitter user wrote that the writer's op-ed amounted to 'a public admission of a need for therapy.' The trial of Army veteran Dennis Hutchings over a Troubles shooting has been halted after he contracted Covid-19. Mr Hutchings, 80, a former member of the Life Guards regiment, is due to return to court in three weeks over the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham in Co Tyrone in 1974. Mr Cunningham, 27, was shot dead as he ran away from an Army patrol across a field near Benburb. People who knew him said he had the mental age of a child and was known to have a deep fear of soldiers. Mr Hutchings has previously said he does not accept he fired any shots as he pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charge and a count of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. Defence barrister James Lewis QC today informed Belfast Crown that Mr Hutchings had caught Covid-19 as proceedings in the non-jury trial were due to commence on Monday. He told judge Mr Justice O'Hara that the veteran's condition had been confirmed by a PCR test on Saturday. Former British soldier Dennis Hutchings, pictured, has denied the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham in Co Tyrone in 1974. He also denies a charge of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent following the fatal shooting John Pat Cunningham, 27, who had learning difficulties, was shot dead by the British Army in Co Tyrone in 1974. Mr Cunningham ran away from the patrol which opened fire on him 'I regret Mr Hutchings is not well with regard, as one would expect, with his other co-morbidities of renal failure and cardiac malfunction. And we are unable to presently take instructions as he is currently in isolation in his hotel room.' Mr Justice O'Hara adjourned the trial until November 8. Mr Hutchings has previously pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charge and also denies a count of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. The veteran is suffering from kidney disease and the court has been sitting only three days a week to enable him to undergo dialysis treatment between hearings. Adjourning the case, Mr Justice O'Hara, told the court on Monday: 'The optimism from last Monday about finishing the trial this week has faded away. 'We lost a bit of time on Wednesday, then we lost Friday entirely because of Mr Hutchings' cardiac problems. 'Things have obviously deteriorated over the weekend with his positive test for Covid. It is simply not possible to continue the trial in his absence.' The judge added: 'I therefore adjourn the case. It will not be possible to sit again this week. It will not be possible to resume the trial until Monday November 8. 'We will then resume in the hope that we would finish over the next two weeks that follow. I would like to be kept abreast of Mr Hutchings' recovery just to confirm we are on track for the target date of November 8.' The trial has heard that Mr Hutchings does not accept he fired any shots as he denied the charges of attempted murder of Mr Cunningham, who was fatally shot as he ran away from an Army patrol in a field near Benburb in 1974. The court heard that Mr Cunningham had been involved in a similar incident with an Army patrol in the same area a year earlier, when soldiers tried to detain him after finding him hiding in bushes 'acting suspiciously'. The court heard he was released when a passing local doctor intervened and explained Mr Cunningham was his patient and he had learning difficulties and was innocent of any wrongdoing. In relation to the fatal shooting a year later, on June 15, 1974, a defence barrister said Hutchings accepted he was in the field where the incident happened but nothing else. Mr Hutchings waved as he arrived at the Belfast Crown Court on October 4 to attend the trial James Lewis QC also insisted there was no evidence before the court that proved an unnamed soldier referred to in witness statements given by other soldiers following the shooting was the defendant. On the opening day of the trial earlier this month, the prosecution contended the individual referred to as soldier A in the statements was Hutchings. Mr Lewis told judge Mr Justice O'Hara that the defence did not accept the identities of the two soldiers said to have fired five shots at Mr Cunningham - soldiers A and B - had been proved. 'Nothing in the papers before your lordship identifies who soldiers A or B are,' he said. Prosecution barrister Charles McCreanor QC indicated the Crown would seek to introduce evidence at a later stage in the trial that proved the identity of soldier A. The prosecution has said soldier B is deceased. Hutchings, from Cawsand in Cornwall, wearing a jacket with military medals pinned to the left breast, sat in the dock during the second day of the trial and listened to proceedings through a headset. Judge O'Hara later questioned Mr Lewis on the extent of Hutchings's admissions. He referenced a defence statement submitted ahead of the trial which stated that on the issue of whether the defendant fired 'aimed shots' at Mr Cunningham, the defence would argue Hutchings only fired 'warning shots' in order to make him 'comply with a lawful order to halt'. Responding, Mr Lewis explained that would only be the defence position if the prosecution could establish Hutchings had a case to answer. He said it was for the prosecution to prove Hutchings fired any shots. 'The fact he was in the field is not contested, anything more than that is contested,' said the barrister. There was a sharp exchange during this legal discussion, when Justice O'Hara accused Mr Lewis of talking over him, telling the lawyer that was not how he expected proceedings to be conducted in Northern Ireland. Mr Lewis apologised. In the Crown's opening statement, the prosecution said as no bullets had been recovered from the scene it was not possible to prove which soldier fired the fatal shot that hit Mr Cunningham in the back. For that reason, the Crown said, Hutchings was facing a charge of attempted murder. Huma Abedin was 'filled with rage' and 'stunned to the core' when her cheating husband Anthony Weiner confessed to her in 2011 that he accidentally posted a crotch picture in his grey boxers on Twitter, after convincing her for a week that it was 'the work of a hacker.' Abedin, Hillary Clinton's longtime aide, described their terse exchange in her new memoir Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds. Vogue obtained an excerpt of the book and printed it on Monday. She was newly pregnant with their son at the time and was traveling frequently with Clinton, then Secretary of State. Weiner accidentally posted the photograph on his feed instead of sending it as a direct message to a woman he'd been flirting with on Twitter. Huma Abedin and her husband Anthony Weiner in 2013, two years after the crotch picture scandal when he unsuccessfully ran for Mayor This is the photo Weiner accidentally posted on Twitter. He intended to send it to a woman as a private message. The unedited version showed the outline of his penis He first told Abedin that it was 'the work of a hacker,' which she believed, then after a week told her what had really happened. 'Whats wrong? I asked,' she wrote. 'And then, just like that, life as I knew it was officially over. Its true, he said. I sent the picture... 'I was simultaneously filled with rage and stunned to my core. It felt like a bolt of lightning had struck me and run straight through my body,' she wrote. I was simultaneously filled with rage and stunned to my core. It felt like a bolt of lightning had struck me and run straight through my body At the time, Weiner was a Democratic Congressman for New York. He resigned within a few weeks of the scandal, then ran unsuccessfully for New York City mayor twice, in 2005 and 2013. In 2016, DailyMail.com revealed that he had been sending lewd text messages to a 15-year-old girl that included more explicit photographs. He served 18 months in prison before being released from jail in 2019. Abedin announced in 2016 that she planned to separate from him but the pair has yet to finalize their divorce. In her memoir, Abedin told how she'd been traveling with Clinton and was staying at Buckingham Palace in the weeks before the crotch picture scandal erupted. She had just discovered she was pregnant and wrote a letter to Weiner from the room where she was staying at the palace, saying: 'Dear Anthony Is it possible for any two people to be happier or more blessed? Some days, I cannot believe it. 'We must remember to be grateful to God that He has given us so much. I love you. Huma Weiner, May 24, 2011.' The 2011 scandal didn't deter Weiner from later sending more explicit photos. In 2016, DailyMail.com revealed his inappropriate exchanges with a 15-year-old girl When the scandal exploded, Abedin said she was most upset when she learned The New York Times planned to report on her pregnancy. She said she went into Clinton's office and sobbed. 'I wanted to tell you myself, was all I could get out before I burst into tears. 'She walked me over to the window seat, sat with me, rubbing my back, trying to reassure me, telling me over and over again that it was going to be okay. I was crying so loudly that her assistant Claire Coleman closed the door to the outer office... 'After I dont know how long, when I caught my breath, HRC asked, Do you still want to go on this trip? I think its important for me to do my work, I said, blowing my nose. I think it would be good for you to go, too, she said,' Abedin wrote. Abedin stuck by Weiner. The pair is shown last year in New York City. She announced in 2016 that she planned to separate from him, but they have not finalized their divorce Huma is still close with Clinton. They are shown in the Hamptons earlier this year She went on the trip with Clinton and was stunned when she was told by a White House staffer that then-President Barack Obama wanted to talk to her. 'A phone call with the president of the United States to talk about my personal humiliation? It was more than I could bear. Please just tell him I am so sorry for embarrassing the administration.' Abedin wrote. She said she 'didn't recognize' the man who sent the crotch tweet. 'I did not know that Anthony. The Anthony I knew was so many things, but not that.' Once in 'the Emirates,' she went to her hotel room to find her mother and brother waiting. 'Hillary' had arranged for them to be there, she said. 'HRC and Cheryl joined us after a while, and the conversation turned toward the baby, my maternal health, and plans for the future. One where Anthonys place was uncertain,' she wrote. Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds is due out November 2, 2021. A 51-year-old beautician who claimed she was left with a 'gross' permanently runny nose and nasal voice following a nose job has lost a High Court bid for 60,000 compensation. Casey Castello, from Beckenham, Kent, decided to get a nose job in 2014 after being teased about the size and shape of hers which made her insecure. She claimed the surgeon who did the op promised her 'the perfect little nose.' But Miss Castello later sued by claiming she has been left permanently 'bunged up' and her nose 'always running,' resulting in her leaving her job as a receptionist. At the High Court, she blamed top surgeon Dr Stefan Gonschior, accusing him of accidentally damaging the inside of her nose. Beautician Casey Castello, 51, pictured, requested 60,000 in compensation from surgeon Dr Gonschior after she claims he permanently damaged her nose during her closed rhinoplasty procedure But she is to get nothing from her 60,000 request for compensation after judge Mrs Justice Lambert ruled the doctor did nothing wrong. The court heard Miss Castello was planning to get married and wanted to make a 'fresh start' and boost her self-confidence when she went to Dr Gonschior. Giving evidence, she claimed she had told the surgeon she wanted a 'pixie nose' with an upturned tip and that he had promised her just that. But, she went on to regret the 45-minute operation in November 2014 as 'one of the biggest mistakes of my life,' she told the judge. She said: 'I was a bit stuffy as soon as I came out of theatre. 'The breathing I thought would come in time and it hasn't. 'It's stayed the same really, I am still bunged up, it hasn't got any better.' Miss Castello said she has since been left permanently 'bunged up' and unable to breathe through her right nostril, causing a permanent change to her voice. She told the court that the change to her voice had left her feeling 'self-conscious and paranoid.' Miss Costello says she felt stuffy after she left theatre, but her symptoms, being a runny nose, feeling bunged up and a change to her voice, has not changed in the seven years since having her nose job And her sister, Danielle Francis, agreed that she now speaks with a nasal voice and, when out, always now has an 'irritating and rather gross' runny nose. Miss Castello's barrister, Vanessa Cashman, said the problem is caused by a deviation in her septum, a piece of cartilage which runs down the centre of the nose, separating the two airways. She argued that the septum must have been deviated as a result of being accidentally 'manipulated' by the surgeon while he operated upon her. Miss Castello said she had not been warned by the surgeon of the possibility of having breathing difficulties after her nose job. 'He assured me I would have the perfect little nose afterwards and that's why I went ahead with it,' she said. 'He told me I could get severe bruising. He never said I wouldn't be able to breathe. 'If he did, I would never have gone through with it. 'I put my trust in him and just went with it, which was one of the biggest mistakes of my life.' Pictured is Dr Stefan Gonschior, accused of damaging Miss Costello's septum after promising her the 'perfect little nose'. She lost her bid at the High Court after Judge Mrs Justice Lambert ruled in the doctor's favour, noting that she was not convinced he did anything wrong Giving evidence via a video link, Dr Gonschior said there was no way he could have accidentally interfered with her septum during the closed rhinoplasty procedure. He said: 'I can 100 per cent deny it. I did the operation and I know what I'm doing. 'It would have been apparent to me as a surgeon. There's no way I would not have picked that up, no way. 'If it happened, it would be in the notes.' Giving judgment and rejecting Miss Castello's compensation bid, the judge said she was convinced that Dr Gonschior had not damaged the nose in the operation. His operating tool would have to have slipped some distance for it to have caused any damage and he would 'certainly have noticed and done something about it,'. 'I am therefore not persuaded on balance that the claimant's moderate right septal deviation was caused intraoperatively by the defendant,' she ruled. 'I have no doubt that she went into the consultation and the surgery with the hope - perhaps expectation - that she would be given the 'perfect little nose' and that this would, in conjunction with her breast surgery, improve her confidence. 'It must have been disappointing to find, following surgery, that the nose was not perfect in appearance and not as little as you had hoped. 'I find that the deviation existed before surgery but was probably asymptomatic.' The judge said that the deviation in Miss Castello's septum is 'moderate' with airflow within 'normal limits'. She also commented that she could not detect any 'nasal quality' in Miss Castello's voice. President Joe Biden met with progressive Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal at the White House Monday, days after saying his $3.5 trillion build back better plan will shrink, with community college and climate change programs on the ropes. Biden's meeting with the Washington Democrat, who chairs the House Progressive Caucus, comes after he has held repeat meetings with Senate holdouts Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Manchin reportedly weighed in with the White House against the bill's clean energy program, which relies on $150 billion in incentives to try to shift utilities to clean energy sources. Manchin is also demanding a work requirement for the administration's signature child tax cut program, which is expiring, while pushing for a $60,000 family income cap, Axios reported. President Joe Biden met with progressive Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal as the White House seeks to negotiate a solution to the impasse over his stalled Build Back Better initiative White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that Biden would hold further conversations with lawmakers Monday, and he plans to meet separately with groups of progressive and centrist lawmakers. Jayapal on Monday once again tried to put focus on the bill's array of social programs, which include coverage for child care, pre-K, and expanded paid leave. She tweeted Monday: 'Today would be a GREAT day to invest in 12 weeks of paid leave, child care, pre-k, community college, climate action, health care, affordable housing, homecare, and a roadmap to citizenship for immigrants. Lets come together and get this done!' She wrote in another missive: 'Low income voters delivered Democrats the House, the Senate, and the White House because we promised transformational change that would improve their lives. Its time to deliver on that promise by passing the Build Back Better Act.' The meeting comes as Sen. Joe Manchin has signaled opposition to climate programs and wants to dramatically scale back a child tax credit proposal Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) has had multiple White House visits, but the White House has not said what her objections are Biden said on Friday in Connecticut: 'I don't know that I can get it done, but I also had proposed this free community college.' Biden is set to fly to his hometown of Scranton on Wednesday as he seeks to build support for the plan, amid polls show most Americans don't know what's in it amid the focus on haggling over the price tag. 'The president is certainly feeling an urgency to move things forward, to get things done,' said Psaki. After Biden floated to Democrats a total package of around $2 trillion, she urged him to hold firm, telling the Associated Press that number was 'too low,' saying 'I would really like to be closer to three.' Word of Manchin's latest negotiating posture has drawn furious pushback from progressives. After Axios reported on Manchin's position, New York Rep. Mondaire Jones tweeted: 'Manchin insisted on passing the bipartisan infrastructure bill firstto the point of suggesting passing the Build Back Better Act next yearto avoid embarrassing headlines like this. But the American people, and his constituents, deserve to know how terrible his positions are.' Wajahat Ali of the Daily Beast called Manchin's position 'Cruel.' Hate preacher Anjem Choudary has denied 'radicalising' the suspect arrested following the murder of Sir David Amess. Friends of Ali Harbi Ali, 25, who is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP, claimed he was radicalised watching YouTube videos of the extremist. Today, Choudary called their accounts 'spurious, non-verifiable chats' and said it was 'questionable' how he could have radicalised Ali as he was unable to upload videos to YouTube between 2015 and July 2021 after being charged with supporting ISIS. Last night former friends of Ali, a British national of Somali heritage who grew up in a three-bed 1980s terrace house in Croydon with his mother, two sisters and brother, claimed he was radicalised after watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary. Speaking to The Sun, they claimed the videos turned Ali from a 'popular pupil into an extremist'. Anjem Choudary denied 'radicalising' the suspect arrested on suspicion of murdering Conservative MP David Amess Sir David, 69, was not known for taking a hardline pro-Israeli stance, but he had been an honorary secretary of the Conservative Friends of Israel since 1998 and was often described as supportive of Britains Jewish community In response, Choudary said: 'Even before any official statement by the police, they have apparently already decided that he was radicalised by me based on some spurious, non-verifiable chats with old school friends of Ali Harbi Ali years ago and mysterious YouTube clips of me. 'In recent years, I have personally been unable to access the internet or deliver any lectures, let alone produce content on YouTube, from July 2015 when I was charged with supporting ISIS and July 2021 when my internet access and public speaking restrictions were finally lifted after release from prison in October 2018. 'Although I have delivered many talks and lectures over the years, there is currently no significant material to be found anywhere online due to its removal by social media companies at the behest of the UK authorities and others. 'It is therefore questionable as to how Ali Harbi Ali could have been radicalised by YouTube clips of me.' On Sunday, Choudary was condemned for suggesting Sir David may have been killed for being pro-Israel. The extremist said the 69-year-old father of five - who was ambushed at his Friday meeting with the public and stabbed 17 times in a frenzied attack - could also have been killed for being a member of the Tory Party, which has been in power for over a decade, during which time Britain has conducted military operations in Muslim countries. Choudary made the callous comments a day after the MP for Southend West was killed, leaving the nation reeling in shock and grief. Speaking from his council home in Ilford, East London, the 54-year-old said: I am not sure about this particular MPs views. The rumours are that he is pro-Israel, and he is part of the Conservative Party and they have been in power a long time, especially during the campaigns in Muslim countries such as Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan. When asked how Mr Amesss pro-Israel stance would make him a target, Choudary replied: Many people do [believe] that it is a terrorist state, and who would possibly be a friend of Israel after you see the carnage that they carried out against Muslims in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and continue to do with the appropriation of properties? But Choudary, a trained lawyer, was quick to point out that he does not condone the killing of anyone, let alone an MP, in Britain. He said: No one in their right and rational mind would support such a state [Israel]. Obviously that does not give someone justification for someone to kill someone. I believe there is a covenant of security in this country, where the lives and wealth of people with whom we Muslims live are protected in return for our lives and wealth. Sir David, 69, was not known for taking a hardline pro-Israeli stance, but he had been an honorary secretary of the Conservative Friends of Israel since 1998 and was often described as supportive of Britains Jewish community. Imams and Muslim leaders in Southend said he was extremely friendly to them, and once told officials at the towns Southend Mosque he even wanted to hold surgeries in their premises after Covid-19 restrictions eased. Police pictured on Saturday outside Belfairs Methodist Church in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where the Conservative MP was killed Sir David was also friendly towards Arab countries and was chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Qatar, and had recently returned from an official visit to the Gulf country. Professor Anthony Glees, an expert on extremism, said: Not only is it outrageous and repugnant, but the whole motive of the attack is a matter for the police not Mr Choudary. He adds insult to injury by giving this view. Like all brainwashed radicalisers, he will do everything he can to carry on making his poisonous comments. This is an attempt to radicalise others. Choudary, the former leader of the banned Islamist group Al-Muhajiroun, was jailed for five-and-half years in 2016 for inviting support for the Islamic State. He served less than half that term, and was out in 2018. He lived under licence restrictions until July this year. The cleric is now free to preach again, but security sources have said that if he stoked up extremism in this country, he could be put under a form of house arrest known as Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures, and tried again in court on terrorism and hate law charges. Choudary is accused of radicalising dozens of Britains most notorious terrorists, including Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who killed Fusilier Lee Rigby at Woolwich Barracks in 2013. The Biden administration on Monday asked the Supreme Court to block Texas's restrictive law banning most abortions, while the fight over the measure's constitutionality plays out in the courts. The Justice Department asked Justices to lift an order imposed by a conservative federal appeals court that's enabled Texas to continue enforcing the nation's strictest curbs on abortion. The department had announced its intention to do so on Friday. Texas Governor Greg Abbott's office told DailyMail.com that he's not worried about the latest challenge. 'The most precious freedom is life itself. Texas passed a law that ensures that the life of every child with a heartbeat will be spared from the ravages of abortion,' Abbott Press Secretary Renae Eze said. 'Unfortunately, President Biden and his Administration are more interested in changing the national narrative from their disastrous Afghanistan evacuation and reckless open border policies instead of protecting the innocent unborn. 'We are confident that the courts will uphold and protect that right to life.' DOJ officials had asked Texas' 5th Circuit Court of Appeals last week to temporarily block the law while the legal battle continued, but the court refused. Texas Governor Greg Abbott shrugged off the latest legal challenge, telling DailyMail.com that he is 'confident that the courts will uphold and protect that right to life' The Texas law defies the Supreme Court's major decisions on abortion rights 'by banning abortion long before viability - indeed, before many women even realize they are pregnant,' the Justice Department wrote in its plea to the court. 'The question now is whether Texas' nullification of this Court's precedents should be allowed to continue while the courts consider the United States' suit. As the district court recognized, it should not,' the Justice Department wrote. The law has been in effect since September, aside from a district court-ordered pause that lasted just 48 hours, and bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks and before most women know they are pregnant. It allows any private citizen to sue Texas abortion providers who violate the law, as well as anyone who 'aids or abets' a woman getting the procedure - from doctors performing it to Uber drivers transporting women to the clinic. The statute sets minimum damages of $10,000 per banned abortion, to be paid out to the first person to prevail in a suit over the procedure. The administration also raised the prospect that the court could decide to grant full review to the Texas law and rule on its constitutionality this term, even though lower courts have yet to do so. The Supreme Court rarely steps in this early in a lawsuit. Biden officials said the possibility of other states adopting similar measures as well as the Texas law itself are enough to justify the high court stepping in early. In a statement to DailyMail.com, pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List lambasted President Joe Biden's 'extreme agenda.' 'Pro-abortion Democrats led by Joe Biden are losing hearts and minds across America, so they run to the courts to try to impose their extreme agenda of abortion on demand up to birth. Since the Texas Heartbeat Act went into effect, it has saved more than 6,000 babies with beating hearts,' SBA List national spokeswoman Mallory Quigley said. 'The Supreme Court has already rejected one bid to block this life-saving law, and we hope that in the upcoming Dobbs late abortion case it will afford all states the right to protect unborn children and their mothers.' Biden's Justice Department is asking the Supreme Court to step in and block Texas' abortion law while its legal challenge to the measure plays out in court White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at Monday's news briefing that President Joe Biden would protect abortion rights, and that the Justice Department would lead efforts to ensure that women have 'access to fundamental rights that they have to protect their own health.' It's not clear whether the administration will prevail at a Supreme Court with a conservative majority that has been fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump and already has agreed to hear a major challenge to abortion rights in a case from Mississippi. The Trump appointees, joined by two other conservatives, have once before rejected a plea to keep the law on hold, in a separate lawsuit filed by abortion providers. There was no immediate timetable for Supreme Court action on this latest motion. While courts have blocked other state laws effectively banning abortion before a fetus can survive outside the womb, roughly around 24 weeks, the Texas law has so far avoided a similar fate because of its unique structure that leaves enforcement up to private citizens, rather than state officials. Anyone who brings a successful lawsuit against an abortion provider for violating the law is entitled to claim at least $10,000 in damages. In September the Supreme Court declined in a 5-4 decision to intervene in another legal battle over the abortion ban, allowing it to go into effect immediately In the 5-4 vote last month to allow the law to remain in effect, the high court acknowledged in an unsigned order that there were 'serious questions regarding the constitutionality of the Texas law' but also 'complex and novel' procedural questions about whom to sue and whether federal courts had the power to stop the law from being enforced. In a dissenting opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that he would have put the 'unprecedented' law on hold so that court could consider 'whether a state can avoid responsibility for its laws' by handing off enforcement. The court's three liberal justices also dissented. The question now is whether the administration's presence in the new lawsuit will make a difference. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals provided its answer late Thursday, extending its earlier order that allows the law to remain in effect. In a 2-1 vote, the court said it was siding with Texas for the same reasons the Supreme Court and a different 5th Circuit panel cited in the providers' lawsuit - questioning whether anyone could march into federal court to challenge the law. Texas sought help from the appeals court after U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ruled that the Justice Department did have the ability to sue and that he had the authority to stop the law from being enforced, writing that 'women have been unlawfully prevented from exercising control over their lives in ways that are protected by the Constitution.' The judge conceded, however, that 'other courts may find a way to avoid this conclusion.' Advertisement The largest drug bust in Portugal in 15 years today saw Portuguese and Spanish authorities seize 5.2 tonnes of cocaine worth 170million from a sailing yacht on the high seas and arrest three suspects, in a world-record haul. It was found to have a European street value of around 200 million euros (170million) and was nabbed by an international police operation. Police intercepted the 24-metre yacht in the Atlantic Ocean, according to a statement and arrested three crew members- two Spanish nationals and one Peruvian- who will appear before a judge. The drugs bust happened as part of Portugal's Operation 'White Tide' to tackle smuggling at sea. Cocaine was found in 183 cloth sacks, (pictured) destined for the continental European market, inside the sailboat in the Atlantic Ocean, around 550 kilometres from Portugal's coast Today's operation involved police from Portugal, Spain, the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States and the United Kingdom's National Crime Agency Cocaine was found in 183 cloth sacks, destined for the continental European market around 550 kilometres from Portugal's coast. It is suspected that the men are part of a drug ring known for transporting drugs from Latin America to Europe. At a press conference in Almada, Luis Neves, director of Portugal's criminal investigation police, said the haul was a representation of the largest amount of cocaine ever seized from a sailboat globally. At a press conference in Almada, Luis Neves, (pictured) director of Portugal's criminal investigation police, said the haul was a representation of the largest amount of cocaine ever seized from a sailboat globally This map shows the route of the gang, who are suspected to be part of a ring known for smuggling drugs from Latin America to Europe Mr Neves said: 'We are always expecting (more drug trafficking) and this is the message we want to send organisations: we are waiting for you, 'Those who have to fall will fall because this amount of drugs is an immense fortune and a huge blow for criminal groups.' He spoke while the cocaine bales were piled up behind him at a naval base across the River Tagus from Lisbon. Mr Neves (pictured centre) spoke while the cocaine bales were piled up behind him at a naval base across the River Tagus from Lisbon Today's operation involved police from Portugal, Spain, the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States and the United Kingdom's National Crime Agency. Authorities said they would release further details of the operation later today. Antonio Duarte, head of Spain's police narcotics unit, said the men were already on the authorities watch list and an arrest warrant had been issued for one of them. Antonio Duarte,(pictured) head of Spain's police narcotics unit, said the men were already on the authorities watch list and an arrest warrant had been issued for one of them Large quantities of drugs are usually found on cargo ships and bigger motorised vessels. The drug seizure comes as new gangs continue to muscle into drugs markets in Europe, setting up cocaine smuggling networks directly linking producers in Latin America to European consumers, according to the Lisbon-based EU drugs agency, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). A report in 2021 by the agency said cocaine is the second most commonly used illegal drug in Europe. In Belgium, a gang suspected of smuggling 15 tonnes of cocaine into the country were intercepted by prosecutors. A total number of 27 suspects were arrested in police raids around the country and drugs, weapons and luxury items were seized and police arrested another person in Spain. In Antwerp in April, Belgian authorities found another record cocaine haul, with huge stashes stacked up in a pile And on Friday Spanish authorities announced they had swooped on a sailing ship which was carrying 2.5 tonnes of cocaine. They intercepted the ship off Portugal's Azores archipelago, arresting two people on board and three more in the Malaga region of Southern Spain. The new Operation 'White Tide' comes after years of European authorities finding increasingly large hauls of cocaine and looking to crack down. In Hamburg, Germany in 2019, a 4.5 tonne shipment of cocaine was found stashed away- the largest at the time. In Hamburg, Germany in 2019, a 4.5 tonne shipment of cocaine was found stashed away- the country's largest ever at the time The UK has also been cracking down on drug smuggling after the past few years, after increasingly large hauls have been found. And yesterday, it was reported that one such British drug smuggler, Susan Clarke, 72, had died alone in jail of breast cancer. Ms Clarke and her partner Roger were jailed in 2019 for smuggling 1m of cocaine on a cruise ship from the Caribbean to Lisbon. The pair were jailed separately and were sentenced to eight years behind bars for attempting to smuggle their four suitcases of cocaine. They had previously smuggled drugs into the UK on four cruises over four years. His wife Camila Fabri, took part in a rally on Sunday in Caracas, Venezuela, and read a letter that he penned in which he said he will not 'lie to favor the U.S.' The extradition of Saab to the United States forced President Maduro to cancel meetings with opposition leaders in Mexico Saab is expected to return to court on November 1, when he will have the chance to enter a plea before magistrate Judge John OSullivan The 49-year-old Colombian native is facing accusations over laundering money for the Venezuelan regime of President Nicolas Maduro Alex Saab appeared in a Miami court on Monday following his extradition from Cape Verde on Saturday Alex Saab (pictured) is accused by the United States government of laundering money for the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The 49-year-old Colombian businessman's first court hearing took place in a Miami federal court via a Zoom meeting on Monday. A businessman who is accused by the United States government of laundering money for Venezuelan's socialist regime of President Nicolas Maduro appeared for the first time in court Monday, two days after he was extradited from Cape Verde to Miami. Dressed in orange prisoner's garb, Alex Saab shook his legs nervously in front of a camera awaiting his Zoom court hearing as more than 350 journalists, gawking opponents of Maduro and members of Saab's family were in attendance. The 49-year-old Colombian businessman raised his bushy eyebrows but was largely silent as magistrate Judge John OSullivan, through an interpreter, informed him that he was being charged with eight counts of money laundering. Saab's next court appearance has been set for November 1 when he will have the opportunity to enter a plea. Saab's extradition to the U.S. from Cape Verde, where he was arrested 16 months ago, has already ricocheted far and wide. On Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (pictured) came out in full support of Colombian businessman Alex Saab, a Colombian national, who was extradited a day earlier from Cape Verde to Miami. With Saab under custody in the U.S., Maduro fired back suspending high-level talks with the opposition that were set to resume over the weekend in Mexico Alex Saab (top left) was indicted by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on July 25, 2019, for reportedly paying off Venezuelan officials and drawing fake import papers to enrich themselves with more that $350 million from a low-income housing project they obtained from the government of Venezuela in November 2011 Maduro's government suspended negotiations with Venezuela's U.S.-backed opposition after Saab had boarded a Department of Justice aircraft on Saturday. Saab's extradition also saw six American oil executives it accused by the Venezuelan government of corruption headed back to prison. Gustavo Cardenas, Jorge Toledo, Tomeu Vadell, Jose Luis Zambrano, Alirio Jose Zambrano and Jose Angel Pereira - who all worked for Citgo - had been under house arrest in another politically charged case marked by allegations of wrongful detention. The Maduro government has labelled Saab a diplomatic envoy and has spared no effort to free him after he arrested on a U.S. warrant in the African archipelago while making a fuel stop en route to Iran in June 2020. On Monday, it was joined by ally Russia, whose ambassador in Caracas tweeted his 'most energetic and categorical protest against the kidnapping' of Saab. Saab along with Alvaro Pulido, 44, also a Colombian national, was indicted by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on July 25, 2019, for reportedly paying off Venezuelan officials and drawing fake import papers to enrich themselves with more that $350 million from a low-income housing project they obtained from the government of Venezuela in November 2011. Saab and Pulido took the money out of Venezuela through the United States before funneling their illicit proceeds into offshore bank accounts. The eight-count indictment includes one count of conspiring to to launder money and seven counts laundering money. Following the indictment, Saab was was sanctioned by the Trump administration for allegedly utilizing a network of shell companies spanning the globe - Turkey, Hong Kong, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates - to hide windfall profits from overvalued food contracts. But Saab's connections extend much deeper. Camilla Fabri, the wife of Colombian businessman Alex Saab who was been extradited to the United States from Cape Verde on Saturday, reads a letter sent to her by her husband, during a demonstration demanding his release, in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sunday. According to the letter, Saab vowed that he will not 'plan to lie to favor the U.S' Venezuelan activist Jose Colina, speaks with the media in front of the C. Clyde Atkins US Courthouse in Miami where Colombian-Venezuelan businessman Alex Saab made his first appearance Monday, two days after his extradition from Cape Verde Among those the U.S. claims he paid to win government contracts are Maduro's stepsons. Commonly known in Venezuela as 'Los Chamos,' slang for 'the kids,' the three adult children of first lady Cilia Flores from a previous relationship have themselves been under investigation by prosecutors in Miami for several years, two people familiar with the U.S. investigation told The Associated Press. Michael Penfold, a Venezuelan political analyst, said that Saab's extradition is likely to freeze all attempts to bridge deep distrust between the Maduro government and its opponents. The two sides have been meeting since August in a bid to jointly address the country's ongoing humanitarian crisis, which has led more than 5 million people to flee the country in recent years, and pave the way for a democratic opening starting with next month's regional elections. The Biden administration, which has tried to downplay the political impact of Saab's extradition, is key to the success of those talks. After years of cracking down on its opponents, Venezuela's cash-starved government is considering granting more freedoms in exchange for the U.S. reversing crippling sanctions put in place on one of the world's largest oil producers by the Trump administration, which was hellbent on ousting Maduro. 'Saab's extradition restarts the bad blood between Venezuela and the U.S.,' said Penfold, a global fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington. 'We're going back to the old dynamic of mutual recrimination that the negotiations had started to ease, but with the difference that now these indictments are part of that dynamic.' A demonstrator holds a banner that reads 'Freedom for Alex Saab, hero of the homeland, thank you for your fight against the economic bloc' during a rally in support of Colombian national Alex Saab in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sunday People hold signs with the image of businessman Alex Saab, who was been extradited to the U.S., during a demonstration demanding his release, in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sunday Norway, which is sponsoring the fledgling talks, urged restraint after Maduro's government said it would not travel to Mexico City for the next round of talks, which were scheduled to take place this week. 'We will keep working for the parties to, as soon as possible, continue their important effort at the negotiating table for an inclusive political solution for the benefit of the Venezuelan people,' Norway's foreign ministry said in a statement In Caracas' historic Plaza Bolivar, Saab's wife, a former Italian model, led a small rally Sunday of a few dozen government supporters protesting what they see as Saab's 'kidnapping.' 'I don't plan to lie to favor the U.S.,' said a nervous-sounding Camilla Fabri, reading a letter she said was penned by her husband. 'I've not committed any crime, in the U.S. or in any country.' Hours later, Maduro himself entered the fray, saying the U.S. - not his government - delivered a 'mortal blow' to the dialogue effort and next month's gubernatorial elections, which pits a bitterly divided opposition against a slate of pro-Maduro candidates supported by the central government. He also asserted, with no evidence, that interrogators in Cape Verde used electric shocks to torture Saab and extract a false confession that in the end never came. 'They wanted to force him into becoming a monster, a false accuser against Venezuela, against me and against the Bolivarian revolution - something he never allowed,' Maduro said on state TV. The out-of-court maneuvers have been especially troubling to the families of nine Americans jailed in Caracas. Over the weekend, they published an open letter appealing to the White House to remain engaged on Venezuela. 'Mr. President, we are frustrated by the lack of action by your administration,' the families said in the letter, which was written just prior to Saab's extradition. 'The people in charge of protecting and returning wrongfully detained Americans have not even taken the basic first step of directly engaging with the Venezuelans that are holding our loved ones.' Those jailed include six oil executives who had been working for the Houston subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned oil giant PDVSA who were convicted and sentenced last year to long prison sentences for embezzling funds from a never-executed plan to refinance Citgo's bonds. The families of the so-called Citgo 6 and the U.S. government have vehemently rejected the accusations and consider the men wrongfully detained. Within hours of Saab's extradition, security forces returned the oil executives to the infamous Helicoide jail where they've been held on and off since being lured to Caracas in 2017 for a meeting at which they were arrested by masked police who stormed a conference room where they were gathered. Also at the prison is former U.S. Marine Matthew Heath, who is awaiting trial on weapons charges tied to a supposed plan to sabotage refineries, and two former Green Berets that Caracas has tied to a failed cross-border raid from Colombia to overthrow Maduro. Colombian President Ivan Duque on Saturday praised Saab's extradition, calling it a 'triumph in the fight against the drug trafficking, asset laundering and corruption' that he says have blossomed under Maduro's government. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is recognized as the country's acting president by the United States and more than 50 other countries, also welcomed the move. 'We Venezuelans, who have seen justice kidnapped for years, respect and celebrate the system of justice in democratic countries like Cape Verde,' he tweeted. Advertisement The global hypersonic arms race is hotting up worldwide after China tested a top secret weapon that can circle the globe at 21,000mph and descend from space to strike anywhere on Earth in minutes. The missile is designed to travel in low orbit to dodge missile detection and defence systems, allowing China to strike virtually anywhere on the planet with little or no warning. It comes amid warnings from experts that America will lose a new Cold War arms race to China within the next decade unless it takes a tougher stance against Beijing. But China's new weapon is only one of a series of hypersonic weapons being developed by Beijing, Russia and the US . The U.S. and Russia have also spent decades working on their own hypersonic systems and the two countries have conducted tests on the weapons in recent months. However Moscow and Washington have only made public details of their medium range hypersonic weapons that are designed to be launched from ships or planes and do not strike from space. But China's testing of a 21,000mph hypersonic missile, which flew through space before launching an attack on its target, took analysts by surprise and indicated Beijing's missile programme is more advanced than previously thought. These are the details that are known about the hypersonic weapons being developed by the world's superpowers. China's testing of a 25,000mph hypersonic nuclear-capable missile has indicated that Beijing's missile programme is more advanced than previously thought, amid an intensifying race for the next generation of long-rang weapons that are harder to detect and intercept A report from the Financial Times, which cited five unnamed intelligence sources, said the Chinese military launched the Long March rocket in August carrying a 'hypersonic glide vehicle' into low orbit. It circled the globe before descending towards its target, which it missed by about two dozen miles. The system would be able to overcome US anti-ballistic missile defence systems that are based in Alaska and set up to shoot down projectiles coming over the North Pole - the Chinese system would be able to strike the US from the south China launched the dummy weapon into space on board a Long March 2C rocket (pictured) during a test in mid-August which it did not disclose at the time and was only revealed at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose AMERICA The US military has a number of hypersonic weapons programs across the Navy, Army and Air Force but most are still in development phase and highly top secret. However the known programs are all more conventional hypersonic weapons that strike from high altitude, rather than orbital bombardment systems that strike from space which the Chinese were revealed to have developed tis week. The only US hypersonic weapon know to have been successfully tested is the Air Force's GM-183 ARRW which is designed to be launched from a large bomber aircraft. It then accelerates to hypersonic speeds using of up to 15,345mph using a supersonic combustion ramjet to strike targets within 1,000 miles. Donald Trump refered to a 'super duper missile' while in office and this is believed to be the AGM-183 ARRW. The Navy's submarine launched Long Range Hypersonic Weapon is expected to be operational by 2023 and will have a range of 1,725 miles. Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) but kept details such as range, speed and payload secret. The missile uses oxygen in the atmosphere as part of its fuel - marking the first successful test of that class of weapon since 2013. 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. 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. 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. On March 19 last year, the Pentagon flight-tested a hypersonic glide vehicle at its Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii. It deemed the test a success and a major milestone towards the departments goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s. Unlike Russia, the United States says it is not developing hypersonic weapons for use with a nuclear warhead. As a result, a U.S. hypersonic weapon will need to be more accurate, posing additional technical challenges. A U.S. hypersonic missile launches from Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii, on March 19, 2020. The unarmed unarmed prototype flew at morethan five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5 Darpa, the US army's scientific wing, recently announced successful tests of what it called a HAWC missile (Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept) 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. RUSSIA Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The range of Russia's hypersonic missile, the Zircon, is 621 miles with a speed of 9,800mph. But the missile flies below the atmosphere and uses fuel to power itself to hypersonic speeds rather than the Earth's orbit. Earlier this month, Russia announced it has successfully test-fired the Zircon from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The 6,670mph weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea according to the Moscow defence ministry, who claims the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defences. Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine 'The test-firing of the Zircon missile from the nuclear submarine was recognised as successful,' the Moscow defence ministry said in a statement. The Zircon missile is reportedly capable of Mach 9 speeds - nine times the speed of sound at around 6,900 mph Russia said it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov - and a coastal mount, but it had not previously been launched from a submarine. The Zircon has been identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Vladimir Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out coastal American cities in the event of an atomic conflict. He has declared the missile as 'truly unparalleled anywhere in the world', and the Russians have boasted it is 'unstoppable' by Western defences. Putin first announced the development of an array of new hypersonic weapons in 2018, insisting that they would be able to hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield. The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate which carries significant stealth-technology. Russia said earlier this month it had completed flight tests of the new-age missile from a frigate - the Admiral Gorshkov The Zircon is due to go into service next year, and will first be deployed via the Admiral Golovko frigate (pictured) which carries significant stealth-technology A key use of the missile is taking out enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles. But there have been unconfirmed reports its true range is some 1,200 miles. The missile system's design and development have been conducted in deep secrecy, and Putin has warned that foreign spies have tried to steal its secrets. It is one of a number of hypersonic missiles Russia is deploying including the 188-tonne Sarmat - known in the West as Satan-2 - which will be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal, due for tests in the autumn with deployment slated for next year. 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. What is the new 'weapon' that China has tested? Intelligence sources say Beijing has tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic warhead that flew around the planet in low-Earth orbit before coming back down. If confirmed - Beijing denies it, saying it actually tested a civilian spacecraft - then it marks a major jump in the country's nuclear programme, though the technology itself is nothing new. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Soviet Russia had a FOBS system - comprising, at its peak, of 18 R-36O missiles - which were active from 1969 until 1983 when it scuttled the programme in response to changes in America's missile defence systems. China now appears to be pursuing the technology anew, while coupling it with a new 'hypersonic glide vehicle' to carry the warheads. The 'HGV' is thought to make the warhead easier to manouevre while in orbit and increase its accuracy. Despite its 'hypersonic' name, it actually travels much slower than ICMB warheads - some 3,800mph compared to 15,000mph+ for 'traditional' nukes. Russia and the US are both developing HGVs of their own, though neither has put them to use in the same way as Beijing. Moscow has one that can be fitted to its latest Satan 2 ICBM, while the US is working on one that can be launched from a B-52 bomber - though two recent tests of the system have failed. Advertisement CHINA The hypersonic orbital bombardment system that China tested in August reportedly reaches a top speed of 21,000 mph and strikes from space. The core concept of China's 'new' weapon - deliver a warhead into orbit and have it circle the globe before hitting a target - was first developed by the Soviets in the 1960s. Called a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System, or FOBS, it was developed to evade powerful US radar arrays and missile defence systems. Those systems work by detecting launches of ICBMs - very long-range missiles that can be tipped with nukes - and tracking them into space, then firing at the warheads as they come down in the hope of blowing them up before they hit their targets. This is possible because ICBMs and their warheads follow a predictable trajectory that rises high into space - making them relatively easy to spot and allowing defence crews to calculate where they are aimed so they can be shot out of the sky. FOBS aim to negate these defences by firing their warheads along a much-flatter trajectory - assisted by Earth's gravity. This means they pass under the scope of many radar detection arrays and are harder to track. It also makes the warheads much harder to shoot down because their trajectory is harder to calculate. The use of orbit makes a warhead's range potentially unlimited, meaning it can be fired at its target from any direction. This helps to avoid radar systems which generally point at a fixed spot in the sky - in America's case, over the North Pole. Meanwhile, China has also unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. In October, China deployed the DF 17 missile to coastal areas in preparation for a possible invasion of Taiwan. 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. Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere - or about 6,200 km per hour (3,850 mph). This is slower than an intercontinental ballistic missile, but the shape of a hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to manoeuvre toward a target or away from defences. Combining a glide vehicle with a missile that can launch it partially into orbit - a so-called fractional orbital bombardment system (FOBS) - could strip adversaries of reaction time and traditional defences mechanisms. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. China on Monday insisted that the test in August was a routine one for a spacecraft rather than a missile. But Wood said Monday that Russia also had hypersonic technology and while Washington had held back from developing a military capacity in this field, they now had no choice but to respond in kind. 'If you're a country that's the target of that, you're going to want to figure out a way to defend yourself from that,' he said. 'And so we start looking at what other applications and defensive applications, can you bring to hypersonic technology - and so that continues to things to accelerate the arms race.' Wood added: 'Hypersonic technology is something that we have been concerned about, the potential military applications of it and we have held back from pursuing, we had held back from pursing military applications for this technology. 'But we have seen China and Russia pursuing very actively the use, the militarisation of this technology so we are just having to respond in kind...We just don't know how we can defend against that technology, neither does China, neither does Russia.' Wood was referring to the difficulty of missile defence systems to track such high-speed weapons that can manoeuvre and evade shields intended to stop them from entering territory. 'The Russians have a hypersonic glide vehicle called the Avangard, one of their heavy ICBMs (inter-continental ballistic missiles),' Wood said. 'We have known about (that). They have, in essence, it's captured in the New START agreement (on nuclear arms reduction), it's not quite developed yet.' 'But this type of technology is worrisome, because we just haven't had to face it before,' he added. The US was also concerned about China's rapid development of its strategic nuclear force, Wood added. North Korea has fired a newly developed hypersonic missile in recent weeks, calling it a 'strategic weapon' that boosted its defence capabilities, though some South Korean analysts described the test as a failure. Meanwhile, China unveiled a hypersonic medium-range missile, the DF-17, in 2019, which can travel around 2,000 kilometres and can carry nuclear warheads. And Russia recently launched a hypersonic missile, the Zircon, from a submarine, and since late 2019 has had the hypersonic nuclear-capable Avangard missiles in service. The Avangard can travel at up to Mach 27, changing course and altitude. The recent tests are the moves in a dangerous arms race in which smaller Asian nations are striving to develop advanced long-range missiles, alongside major military powers. Hypersonic weapons, and FOBS, could be a concern as they can potentially evade missile shields and early warning systems. Some experts cautioned against hype surrounding missiles such as the one China tested in August. 'China already has around 100 nuclear-armed ICBMs that can strike the U.S.,' said Jeffrey Lewis, a missile specialist at the U.S.-based James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. 'Although the glider is a nice touch... this is an old concept that is newly relevant as a way to defeat missile defences.' China became a nuclear power in 1964 with its first successful test of a bomb, and adopted its 'no-first-use' policy four years later. It states that Beijing will never be the first to use nukes in a conflict, but will use them if struck first. It mirrors a policy that Russia implemented between 1982 and 1993, though abandoned due to fears that the weakened state of its army following the break-up of the Soviet Union could encourage an attack by the US. The US has a policy to never use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against a majority of other nations including all those without nuclear weapons - but has exempted China, Russia and North Korea from the policy. Global nuclear policy is rapidly changing as a number of Cold War-era treaties - notably New START and the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty - expire, with Washington hoping to renegotiate them to include China. Sha Zukang, the country's former ambassador to the UN, said in a speech it is 'only a matter of time' before such a deal is negotiated, but that Beijing should be prepared to take a more-aggressive stance until the trio put pen to paper. China is in the midst of a major upgrade of its nuclear forces, which in recent years has seen it unveil more-advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and hypersonic nuclear missiles that are thought to be un-stoppable by current missile defence systems. Beijing is thought to possess around 320 nuclear warheads that can be fitted to those missiles at present, but is also thought to be in the midst of a major expansion of that arsenal. Professional daredevil Jonathan Goodwin broke multiple bones in both his legs, and suffered cuts and burns on his face when he plummeted 40 feet while performing a risky stunt featuring exploding cars during a rehearsal for America's Got Talent: Extreme. The near-fatal mishap took place in Atlanta last Thursday, but the extent of Goodwin's injuries only emerged on Monday, when TMZ obtained an incident report from the police. According to the document, despite suffering severe injuries in the fall, Goodwin, 41, remained conscious and alert, and responding paramedics noted that he had good vital signs. Goodwin was airlifted to a hospital and underwent surgery. A spokesperson for America's Got Talent: Extreme said in a statement that the injured stuntman is continuing to receive medical care, but he did not comment on his condition as of Monday afternoon. Stuntman Jonathan Goodwin, 41, suffered multiple broken bones in both his legs, cuts and burns all over his face after falling during an America's Got Talent: Extreme rehearsal As part of the stunt, Goodwin was suspended in midair between two hanging cars Goodwin, an escape artist, was supposed to free himself and fall onto an airbag underneath the vehicles before they collided Goodwin miscalculated the timing and ended up being crushed between the cars The crash set off an explosion, and Goodwin fell 40 feet and hit his head An on-scene media call 911 to report that Goodwin landed on the head NBC has temporarily suspended production of the reality TV competition. 'Our thoughts and prayers remain with Jonathan Goodwin and his family as he continues to recover from his accident on Thursday,' the spokesperson stated. 'In order to focus on the wellbeing of our crew, we will be temporarily pausing production on Americas Got Talent: Extreme and will resume the last few days of filming at a later date. Goodwin was airlifted to the hospital and underwent surgery 'The health and safety of our cast and crew continue to be our priority.' Goodwin's botched stunt was caught on video at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Thursday night. The recording begins with the Welsh escape artist suspended in midair as two cars are seen coming together. The stunt was supposed to see Goodwin free himself and fall underneath the vehicles before they collided. But he miscalculated his timing and ended up being crushed between the two hanging cars, which then exploded in a huge fireball. Goodwin fell 40 feet to the ground and hit his head. A recording of a frantic 911 was published by The US Sun on Friday, in which a medic at the scene said: 'We are at the Atlanta Motor Speedway at the America's Got Talent filming location. We had a man suspended from a cable with cars that were supposed to slam into each other, and he didn't drop in time and they slammed into him. 'He's about a 40-year-old white male. He fell about 40 feet. He missed the airbag and landed on his head.' The accident took place just days after Goodwin sparked engagement rumors by adding a ring emoji to his Instagram bio, after being outed on social media as British actress Amanda Abbington's new boyfriend. Goodwin, pictured above performing a stunt with Jello, remains in the hospital Goodwin is a familiar face to fans of America's Got Talent, where he has performed a string of scary stunts Abbington has confirmed her romance to The Daily Mail's Richard Eden, gushing: 'Jonathan sets fire to himself and catches bullets for a living, but is also grown up, sensitive, and considerate. I'm completely besotted.' Abbington, 47, who shares two children with her Sherlock co-star and ex-husband Martin Freeman, has not publicly commented on Goodwin's condition as of Monday. According to her most recent Instagram posts, the loved-up couple spent about a week in Vienna before Abbington returned home to London. Goodwin is a familiar face to fans of America's Got Talent, where he has performed a string of scary stunts over the years. In 2013, he wore a straightjacket and dangled from a blazing rope over the River Thames in London. He was suspended upside down from the London Eye and managed to escape, which was all part of his TV series The Incredible Mr Goodwin. In early October, Goodwin and Sherlock star Amanda Abbington went Instagram official The performer has also successfully completed other risky stunts in the past for the the flagship AGT series and has also been featured on its sister series in the UK, Britain's Got Talent. During his Season 15 performance, Simon Cowell and his fellow judges Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara kept Goodwin in the competition through the semifinals. His most dramatic stunt for AGT involved Godwin covering himself in flammable liquid and shackling himself up while put his head in a box so that he couldn't see. He had to escape from the restraints in less than 20 seconds after he was set on fire. Goodwin successfully completed the stunt, which set several of the judges on edge, despite it being the first time he had ever attempted the death-defying act. In contrast to his fiery stunts, Goodwin went underwater for the BBC special How Not to Become Shark Bait, in which he demonstrated by allowing a Caribbean reef shark to attack him. AGT's Terry Crews also hosts the new Extreme version of the competition series, while Cowell, pro wrestler Nikki Bella and stuntman Travis Pastrana are judges. Contestants on the new series are vying for a $500,000 prize, but NBC has yet to announce a premiere date. California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health is now looking into Goodwin's accident. Prior to the failed stunt, NBC promoted Goodwin's episode by saying it featured 'the most outrageous, unique and jaw-dropping acts of enormous scale and magnitude that simply cannot be confined to a theater stage,' according to People. The mother of a missing New Hampshire five -year-old and her boyfriend were charged with covering up his disappearance. Danielle Denise Dauphinais, 35, and her boyfriend 30-year-old Joseph Stapf, 30, were charged on Sunday with child endangerment and witness tampering over the disappearance of Elijah Lewis, 5, who hasn't been seen by family or friends in six months. Officials say neither Dauphinais nor Stapf reported Elijah as missing. The couple were arrested in the area of Westchester Avenue and Brucker Avenue at approximately 7.13am on Sunday, according to the New York Police Department. The NYPD would not disclose to DailyMail.com how they became aware that the New Hampshire fugitives were in New York City. An arrest warrant was issued after New Hampshire Division of Youth and Families reported the boy missing on Thursday. Five-year-old Elijah Lewis of Merrimack (pictured) was last seen by 'independent individuals' six months ago, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General's office - the New Hampshire Division of Youth and Families reported the boy missing on Thursday In Merrimack on Sunday, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Dive Team took several boats of divers to look for the missing boy in Naticook Lake New Hampshire State Police took several items from 4 Sunset Drive in Merrimack, Elijah Lewis's last known home, which is currently surrounded with yellow police tape. Police could be seen digging in the home's backyard near a shed 'At this point, were hoping its not a recovery mission,' New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati said on Monday Knowing that Child Protective Services was searching for the boy, the couple allegedly instructed others to lie about his whereabouts, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General's office. In their arrest warrant, the office alleges that 'they violated a duty of care, protection or support' for the five-year-old. In Merrimack on Sunday, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Dive Team took several boats of divers to look for the missing boy in Naticook Lake, which is adjacent to the home where the boy lived on 7 Sunset Drive, according to Patch. The day before, the outlet said, a police dog was brought to the lake in an attempt to sniff the boy out. New Hampshire State Police also executed a search warrant at the mother's home. They took several items from the home, which is currently surrounded with yellow police tape, and police could be seen digging in the home's backyard near a shed. 'At this point, were hoping its not a recovery mission,' New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati said on Monday. 'Were hoping somehow that we are going to go under a rock somewhere and find out that someone has taken him in, maybe there is some sort of mistaken identity thats going on out there or hes been misidentified. But right now, we are fearful that may be the direction we are headed.' In Merrimack on Sunday, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Dive Team (pictured) took several boats of divers to look for the missing boy in Naticook Lake to look for the missing 5-year-old Naticook Lake is adjacent to the home where the boy lived on 7 Sunset Drive Authorities said they do not believe this is a situation where the child ran away from home, according to WMUR On Saturday, a police dog was brought to Naticook Lake in an attempt to sniff the missing boy out 'Were hoping somehow that we are going to go under a rock somewhere and find out that someone has taken him in, maybe there is some sort of mistaken identity thats going on out there or hes been misidentified. But right now, we are fearful that may be the direction we are headed,' New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati said on Monday 'Right now, the goal is to find Elijah and ensure hes safe,' Agati told WBZ-TV on Saturday before investigators located Dauphinais and Stapf. 'At this point, we are hoping to find Elijah alive and somewhere.' Authorities said they do not believe this is a situation where the child ran away from home, according to WMUR. 'Our search is physically in that area for evidence of where Elijah is, but also we are searching throughout New England to try and find where he is,' Agati said. DailyMail.com could not reach Agati or the New Hampshire District Attorney's office for comment before press time. Danielle Denise Dauphinais, 35, and her boyfriend Joseph Stapf, 30, were arrested in the area of Westchester Avenue and Brucker Avenue at approximately 7.13 am on Sunday, according to the New York Police Department New Hampshire State Police took several items from the home on 7 Sunset Drive, the last known residence of missing child Elijah Lewis (pictured) which is currently surrounded with yellow police tape, and police could be seen digging in the backyard near a shed Authorities said Danielle Denise Dauphinais (pictured) and Joseph Stapf instructed others to lie about their Elijah Lewis' whereabouts. He was last seen six months ago The NYPD would not disclose to DailyMail.com how they became aware that the New Hampshire fugitives, Danielle Denise Dauphinais and her boyfriend Joseph Stapf (pictured), were in New York City Dauphinais and Stapf (pictured together) were arraigned on Monday afternoon in the Bronx County Criminal Court. They will be extradited to New Hampshire, according to the NYPD An AMBER Alert wasn't issued when the five-year-old was reported missing on Thursday: Agait said 'Amber Alerts need to be utilized in a proper way. This is one where it's much better for us to get the word out, get photographs out and disseminate the information that way' Before they were discovered in New York, authorities in New Hampshire implored the public to help them find the couple and reported that Dauphinais was last seen driving a red 2007 Toyota Tundra with New Hampshire plates JOJOD78. 'At this point, their location is unknown. The one message we have for them if they are out there, please call Merrimack police. Please call New Hampshire State Police,' Agati said on Saturday. 'We need to talk to you about where is Elijah and we need that information as soon as possible.' An AMBER Alert wasn't issued when the five-year-old was reported missing on Thursday: Agait said 'Amber Alerts need to be utilized in a proper way.' 'This is one where it's much better for us to get the word out, get photographs out and disseminate the information that way.' Dauphinais and Stapf were arraigned on Monday afternoon in the Bronx County Criminal Court. They will be extradited to New Hampshire, according to the NYPD. Bild has sacked its editor-in-chief today over an affair with a junior worker after fresh investigations by rival journalists. Julian Reichelt, the editor-in-chief of Bild, Germany's top-selling newspaper, was dismissed by its media company Axel Springer. It follows a report published on Sunday by the New York Times containing more details of an internal probe by Axel Springer into Mr Reichelt's affair with a trainee. Julian Reichelt, (pictured) the editor-in-chief of Bild, Germany's top-selling newspaper, was dismissed by its media company Axel Springer Mr Reichelt was on temporary leave earlier this year due to an investigation into his conduct with female staff. He was later reinstated and cleared of wrongdoing by a compliance investigation which looked into abuse of power after Bild's publishing company said his actions did not warrant dismissal. Mr Reichelt has denied abusing his power and authority, according to Politico. Axel Springer bought Politico in August and said it had 'gained new insights' about Mr Reichelt's behaviour after recent press research. Mathias Dopfner (pictured), is the chairman of media company Axel Springer, who owns Bild and dismissed Mr Reichelt today Mr Reichelt was sacked following a report published on Sunday by the New York Times containing more details of an internal probe by Axel Springer into Mr Reichelt's alleged affair with a trainee In a statement on its website the company said: 'The management board learned that Julian Reichelt had not clearly separated private and professional matters even after the compliance proceedings were concluded in the spring'. The statement also said Mr Reichelt 'had not been forthcoming about the truth.' Journalists at the newspaper group protested their publishers decision to halt an investigation into an alleged abuse of power by Mr Reichelt. Ippen media group, run by publisher Dirk Ippen was accused of 'breach of trust' in a letter circulated on social media late on Sunday after halting a story about Mr Reichelt's alleged conduct which had been months in the making. The letter was dated Friday and the report had been due to be published on Sunday. Their investigation focused on Mr Reichelt's alleged abuses of power. Ippen media group, run by publisher Dirk Ippen (pictured) was accused of 'breach of trust' in a letter circulated on social media late on Sunday Four members of Ippen's investigations team said in the letter that their report would have brought 'new and exclusive' information to light and was thoroughly fact checked and approved by lawyers. 'The fact that you nevertheless decided not to let us publish the story runs counter to all the rules of independent reporting,' the letter said. The media group defended their decision to stop the story being published. In a statement in response to the allegations, Axel Springer said: 'Axel Springer is dedicated to the highest degree of transparency possible and principally does not have a problem with critical debate. 'But such coverage has to reach a limit where it concerns the private and confidential sphere of employees as well as in this particular case witnesses, who were assured of strict anonymity as part of the compliance procedure that was concluded in the spring. 'As far as Axel Springer is aware, there was no attempt to prevent publications linked to the compliance investigation.' Mr Reichelt has denied abusing his authority The company, which owns numerous newspapers in Germany and last year acquired Buzzfeed's German brand, denied that there had been any pressure from Axel Springer executives about the decision. They said communication with its rival publisher on the story had been limited to 'the usual exchange of letters between lawyers on either side that occurs in such cases.' Axel Springer has successfully expanded its business in the United States in recent years. It owns online media company Insider and the business-oriented Morning Brew, and in August it announced a deal to buy the U.S.-based political news company Politico and the tech news site Protocol. Axel Springer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Monday said there was 'hardly a comparison' between President Joe Biden and the Trump administration as she batted down a question about the president's comment that people who defy Jan. 6th committee subpoenas should be prosecuted. Psaki was pressed on Biden's comment Friday evening, when he first said he hopes a select House committee 'goes after them and holds them accountable.' He then got asked if those who defy subpoenas should be prosecuted, and responded: 'I do, yes.' Psaki on Friday night vouched for the 'independent role' of the DOJ which Biden has pledged to uphold. But she was asked about the comments point blank on Monday at the White House. 'The president continues to believe that Jan. 6 was one of the darkest days in our democracy,' Psaki said, focusing on the riot that resulted in the immediate deaths of five people. 'He also continues to believe that the Department of Justice has the purview and the independence to make decisions about prosecutions,' she said. White House press secretary Jen Psaki brought up the threat of mass resignations from the Justice Department in the final days of the Trump administration when asked to explain President Joe Biden's comment that those who defy subpoenas from the Jan. 6th committee should face prosecution Peter Doocy of Fox News pressed her on the comment, who shot back that that 'was not what he said' in reference to Biden's comment about DOJ. 'I just conveyed what his view is and that is also how he has operated, how he has governed and how he will continue to govern,' said Psaki. Doocy brought up Biden's past comment not to follow Trump's lead, prompting her to bring up threats of mass resignations in the final weeks of the Trump presidency amid Trump's election overturn effort. 'Well, since you give me the opportunity, the former president used his office to incite an insurrection, he put political pressure on senior DOJ officials to propagate lies about the election to the point where they threatened to resign en masse. I think there's hardly a comparison there,' she said. Several top House Democrats have said witnesses should face the full extent of the law if they defy congressional subpoenas. But Biden's own statement about what DOJ should do appears to contradict his own vows to stay out of the DOJ's lane. Psaki's came after the Department of Justice asserted its independence from the president in a statement following Biden's comments. 'The Department of Justice will make its own independent decisions in all prosecutions based solely on the facts and the law. Period. Full stop,' DOJ spokesperson Anthony Coley said in a blunt response to Biden's plea. Biden said when he introduced then-Judge Merrick Garland as his nominee to head the DOJ: 'We need to restore the honor, the integrity, the independence of the DOJ of this nation that has been so badly damaged. I want to be clear to those who lead this department who you will serve: You wont work for me. You are not the presidents or the vice presidents lawyer. Your loyalty is not to me. Its to the law, the Constitution, the people of this nation.' President Joe Biden upended days of silence from the White House regarding the Jan. 6 committee by asking the Department of Justice to hold those with subpoena's accountable. The DOJ snapped back by saying it will 'make its own independent decsion' Press Secretary Jan Psaki said the president has been troubled by the riot, which she called one of the 'darkest days in our democracy' Psaki tweeted in defense of Biden and claimed he supported the DOJ's decision Biden's comments upended days of discipline from the White House, which had been distancing itself from the committee's expected criminal contempt referral against former Donald Trump ally Steven Bannon, who is refusing to comply with a subpoena. Psaki attempted to clarify Biden's statement on Twitter, writing that the president supports the independent role of the DOJ. 'As @potus has said many times, January 6th was one of the darkest days in our democracy. He supports the work of the committee and the independent role of the Department of Justice to make any decisions about prosecutions,' Psaki tweeted. Bannon has refused to comply with a Jan. 6 committee subpoena, and a statement by his lawyer pointed to Trump's direction that h will assert executive privilege. The House select committee on Jan. 6th plans to vote on Tuesday on adopting a contempt of Congress report against Steve Bannon, a longtime adviser to former President Donald Trump who has not complied with the committee's subpoena. If the committee approves the contempt case against Bannon, it would go to a full House vote. From there, the Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland would decide whether to pursue prosecution. Steve Bannon, pictured in August, refused to testify before the Jan. 6 select committee Bannon, pictured with Donald Trump, claims he is protected from testifying under the former president's executive privilege, which Trump said he'd use to resist against the committee 'Mr. Bannon has declined to cooperate with the Select Committee and is instead hiding behind the former President's insufficient, blanket, and vague statements regarding privileges he has purported to invoke,' Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who chairs the committee, said in a statement following Bannon's no-show. The subpoena asked Bannon to testify on Thursday about any communications he may have had with the former president in the days around the storming of the Capitol. Justice officials have not yet revealed what they will do with the referral to hold Bannon in criminal contempt, which has not been used to prosecute anyone in decades, CNN reported. The Jan. 6 select committee is investigating the Capitol riot that erupted amid Donald Trump's claims of election fraud during the certification of Joe Biden's victory Rioters clashed with Capitol officers as they broke through barriers to enter the building 'Though the Select Committee welcomes good-faith engagement with witnesses seeking to cooperate with our investigation, we will not allow any witness to defy a lawful subpoena or attempt to run out the clock, and we will swiftly consider advancing a criminal contempt of Congress referral,' the committee said in a statement. Despite Bannon's refusal to testify on Thursday, other Trump aids have appeared to comply with the committee's requests. Former Trump DOJ official Jeffery Clark complied with a subpoena for his testimony and documents earlier this week, and former Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen sat down for an interview with the commission on Wednesday, Fox News reports. San Francisco mayor London Breed has disputed Walgreen's claims it needs to shutter five stores in the city because its soft laws on shoplifting have led to rampant theft, claiming that the big chain was simply trying to slash costs and increase profits - and that retail theft was an easy scapegoat. Mayor London Breed told reporters last week that she thinks 'there are other factors that come into play' and San Francisco District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston tweeted that the pharmacy chain has 'long-planned to close hundreds of locations.' The national chain has closed 17 of its 70 San Francisco locations in the past two years and cited the shelf raiders, who have swiped every kind of product not behind lock and key. But the pharmacy chain insists that San Francisco's rampant crime is to blame, revealing it spends 46 times as much on security at its city stores, which face five times as many shoplifting incidents compared with those elsewhere in the country. San Francisco elected officials, including Mayor London Breed (pictured above), are claiming that Walgreens is using shoplifting as a false narrative to close stores for cost efficiency reasons Walgreens announced Friday that it is closing another five of its stores in San Francisco and cited constant shoplifting as the reason. One of the stores closing, pictured above, was subject of a viral video showing a man filling a garbage bag full of goods as security guards watched and let him go Shoplifting incidents occurred at irregular levels across the five locations that are closing, according to data compiled by the San Francisco Chronicle and obtained from the San Francisco Police Department Walgreens officials have cited 'organized retail crime' - in which the thieves sell the swiped merchandise outside the stores - as a main reason for the most recent closures. Asked to provide the Daily Mail with an explanation for the closings, a Walgreens spokesperson referred back to a statement sent to media outlets Friday, which read, 'Due to ongoing organized retail crime, we have made the difficult decision to close five stores across San Francisco. Each store will transfer prescriptions to a nearby Walgreens location within a mile radius and we expect to place the stores' team members in other nearby locations.' The statement continues, 'Organized retail crime continues to be a challenge facing retailers across San Francisco. Retail theft across our San Francisco stores has continued to increase in the past few months to five times our chain average. During this time to help combat this issue, we increased our investments in security measures in stores across the city to 46 times our chain average in an effort to provide a safe environment.' Shoplifting incidents occurred at irregular levels across the five locations that are closing, according to data compiled by the San Francisco Chronicle and obtained from the San Francisco Police Department. San Francisco District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston tweeted that the pharmacy chain has 'long-planned to close hundreds of locations' One closing store, on Ocean Avenue, only reported seven shoplifting incidents this year and a total of 23 since 2018. Another closing store, on Gough Street, was hit by shoplifters 45 times so far this year alone and 85 times since 2018. The same store went a full year in 2019 without any incidents, the data shows. However, not all shoplifting incidents are reported to police. Walgreens has 53 stores across San Francisco as of now, compared to only 22 CVS stores. Mayor London Breed noted that the chain could be moving to consolidate space, but it using the shoplifting narrative to avoid pushback for closing certain stores that some say are a staple of their community. 'They are saying (shoplifting is) the primary reason, but I also think when a place is not generating revenue, and when they're saturated S.F. has a lot of Walgreens locations all over the city so I do think that there are other factors that come into play,' Mayor London Breed told reporters last week. Walgreens told shareholders four years ago that it planned to close 600 stores nationwide and ended up closing 769, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The Illinois-based company said in a 2019 U.S. Security and Exchange Commission filing that it would shutter 200 stores, or fewer than 3 percent of its 10,000 U.S. locations in a cost-saving measures projected to save $1.5 billion in annual expenses by 2022. Supervisor Dean Preston posted a series of tweets Friday, following national media coverage about the closure of the five San Francisco stores, in which he wrote, 'Walgreens has announced it will be closing its 300 Gough store in my district, citing organized retail theft. This store serves important needs of neighborhood residents. Media reports have accepted without analysis Walgreens' assertion that it's closing due to retail theft.' The surge in shoplifting arose after a local law downgraded the theft of property less than $950 in value from a felony charge to a misdemeanor in 2014, meaning security guards don't risk trying to apprehend perpetrators He referenced the 2019 SEC filing from the company and asked, 'So is Walgreens closing stores because of theft or because of a pre-existing business plan to cut costs and increase profits by consolidating stores and shifting customers to online purchases?' Preston added that his office is 'seeking further clarity on the reasons for the announced closures and whether there is a path to keeping the 300 Gough store open. We thank community members for reaching out and emphasizing their desire for a pharmacy in the neighborhood.' Preston said to the San Francisco Chronicle, 'Two things are true: Walgreens has experienced retail theft, and Walgreens has long planned to close stores. We do not know which factor or factors led to the decision to close 300 Gough and other San Francisco stores.' The Walgreens locations that will be closing include: 2550 Ocean Avenue, on November 8, 4645 Mission Street, on November 11, 745 Clement Street, on November 15, 300 Gough Street on November 15, and 3400 Cesar Chavez Street on November 17. Viral videos taken throughout the summer have shown shoplifters brazenly sauntering out of stores with armfuls of stolen goods as witnesses watch in shock. Shoplifting has been a problem in the Democrat-run state since 2014 - following the passage of Proposition 47, a ballot referendum known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act - that downgraded the theft of property worth less than $950 in value from a felony to a misdemeanor. Cases have jumped during the pandemic as store staff and security guards choose not to pursue the thieves. Larceny and theft remain the most common crimes committed in San Francisco, increasing by about 8 percent from last year. There were 21,842 cases reported through October 10 of this year, compared with 20,254 cases during the same time through 2020. City and Walgreens officials have cited a reason for the closures as a spike in 'organized retail crime,' in which the thieves sell the stolen merchandise on the same streets as the stores from which they pilfered Walgreens has closed 17 San Francisco locations due to shoplifting cases, where theft in the pharmaceutical chain's 53 remaining stores is four times the average for stores elsewhere in the country, according to the San Francisco Chronicle The Walgreens at 3400 Cesar Chavez Street will be closing on November 17 Each of the five stores that are closing will transfer prescription information to another store in close proximity and the chain intends to relocate employees from closing stores to other nearby ones. Ahsha Safai, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, posted a series of tweets following news of the upcoming closures, writing, '@Walgreens will be closing 5 additional stores in San Francisco - including the one located at 4645 Mission St in the Excelsior.' 'I am completely devastated by this news - this Walgreens is less than a mile from seven schools and has been a staple for seniors, families and children for decades. This closure will significantly impact this community.' Safai told the SFGate that the Mission Street store recently added an off-duty police officer as a store security guard, but it was 'too little, too late.' 'This is a sad day for San Francisco,' Safai said. 'We can't continue to let these anchor institutions close that so many people rely on.' Ahsha Safai, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, recently introduced legislation aimed at curbing the shoplifting by allowing deputies to provide security services at retail stores and commercial districts Another closing location at 300 Gough Street was the subject of a viral video in June that showed a thief heaping armfuls of Walgreens products into a trash bag, then riding his bike through the store with the stolen goods while the security guard and bystanders looked on. The suspect, Jean Lugo-Romero, 40, was arrested shortly after and remains in jail. He had previously robbed the same store on May 29, 30, 31 and June 1 in addition to CVS stores throughout the city but the chains declined to prosecute. About two weeks ago, Safai introduced legislation allowing deputies to provide security services at retail stores and commercial districts. They would be off-duty and paid overtime by the retailers or business districts, without support from the city. San Francisco police officers already have the opportunity to earn additional income as private security guards while off duty, under what's called the 10B program in the city's code. Safai's legislation would extend this to include sheriff's deputies, through a 10A administrative amendment to the city's code. Following news of the closures, Safai tweeted, 'This is exactly why we need more presence on our commercial corridors and an expansion of the '10A' program to reduce and deter commercial retail theft.' He added, 'The City needs to act with a sense of urgency to reduce and deter the number of incidents of commercial retail theft. That is exactly what the '10A' legislation aims achieve as we approach the holiday season.' Larceny and theft remain the most common crimes committed in San Francisco by a long shot, increasing by about 8 percent with 21,842 cases reported through October 10 of this year as compared to 20,254 cases in the same duration in 2020 There are already 2,000 police officers eligible to pick up the overtime and another 800 deputies would be added under Safai's legislation. Deputies will be able to leave their posts to apprehend thieves and follow them out of the store. Walgreens closed a location at 790 Van Ness Avenue in October 2020 after losing up to $1,000 in stolen merchandise numerous days in a row, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. That same month, Inside Edition was reporting from the store on the increase in crime when camera crews caught a shoplifter in the act. A man in a balaclava was seen jumping over the seemingly unmanned cash register counter and stealing an inflatable airbed, Inside Edition said. A woman is then seen holding the store door open for the man who makes a leisurely getaway on an electric scooter. Walgreens also spends 46 times more on security guards in the city than elsewhere, Jason Cunningham, regional vice president for pharmacy and retail operations in California and Hawaii, said at a hearing on retail crimes held in May by District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Safai. Many have blamed the surge in crime on progressive criminal reform and what they call Boudin's 'soft-on-crime' approach. In July, Boudin defended the shoplifter from the viral video at the closing Walgreens on Gough Street and told the New Yorker, 'When I watch that video, I think about five questions that people are not asking that I think they should. Is he drug addicted, mentally ill, desperate? Is he part of a major retail fencing operation? What's driving this behavior and is it in any way representative, because it was presented as something symptomatic?' Walgreens closed a location at 790 Van Ness Avenue in October 2020 after losing up to $1,000 in stolen merchandise numerous days in a row, according to the San Francisco Chronicle Boudin was slammed by an Instagram user who posted another viral video of an incident in July when at least ten people stole armfuls of designer goods from luxury department store Neiman Marcus before fleeing without anyone trying to stop them. 'Everyone in the city is tired of this so please sign the recall petition to oust Chesa Boudin now! Crime is legal basically and allowed and tolerated due to policies put in place and supported by all our supervisors and mayor and DA,' Instagram user sfstreets415, whose bio reads, 'Asian photographer and crime reporter,' wrote. The petition was first launched in March to recall Boudin, who has come under fire in recent years, along with the city's leadership, for allegedly not doing enough to combat San Francisco's shoplifting problem. In addition to Safai's legislation, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced last month that the city would be bolstering its organized retail crime unit and making it easier to report shoplifters. She said at a news conference, 'We care about criminal justice reform. We care about second chances. We care about making sure that people are not wrongly accused. But don't take our kindness for weakness, our compassion for weakness.' The San Francisco Police Department's organized retail crime unit will increase from two to six investigators and an ambassador program of retired officers will increase from eight to 25 cops assigned to high-profile commercial areas. The department is also established a position for a dedicated retail theft coordinator to work on making it easier for witnesses to report shoplifting. A video posted to Instagram captures the moment at least 10 people stole loads of designer bags from Neiman Marcus in San Francisco and fled undeterred Witnesses told KTVU that the store was about to close when the suspects came in and smashed display cases before nabbing the goods and leaving 'We're not going to arrest everybody, although we'd like to,' said San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott at the news conference last month. 'But just know that you don't get a free pass when you come to this city and commit those types of crimes.' San Francisco's public defender, Mano Raju, wrote in a statement to the Associated Press that bulking up on 'failed approaches' won't bring about meaningful change. He added, 'It may shift the target, but it will not impact financially motivated crime generally. We need to focus our resources to treat the source of the problem.' Critics also showed skepticism toward Safai's plan to allow police to work as security guards for retailers. John Crew, a retired police practices expert, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the jobs of police officer and sheriff's deputy are not congruent and there are major training differences. 'Deputy sheriffs in this town play an entirely different role than SFPD,' he said. 'It is not an apples-to-apples comparison. Generally speaking, the San Francisco Sheriff's Department has no experience in street-level enforcement.' Lt. Tracy McCray, vice president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, said the union is also opposed to the legislation and told the news outlet, 'Sheriff's deputies are experts at working in a controlled environment. Those stores are not controlled environments. We go through a lot of training that they don't go through and I don't think their standards are as rigorous as they are in our department.' In addition to Breed and Preston's claims, another theory is that the San Francisco population has dwindled following the coronavirus pandemic and the pharmacy may have closed five stores due to a drop in demand. 'Since working from home is here to stay, city center retail is going to see lower demand in the long run,' Stanford University economics Professor Nicholas Bloom told the San Francisco Chronicle, citing a study he published in May that shows 15 percent of residents left the city center during the pandemic and have not returned. He added, 'So this is going to be one of many such store closures. While Walgreens may have publicly blamed this on higher thefts, another factor is there are simply less people in the city center, spending less money.' Former MI6 operative Christopher Steele's wife and business partner pushed him to keep the most salacious details about Donald Trump's time in Moscow out of the memos he was writing for clients. Steele was interviewed by ABC News' George Stephanopoulos for a new special, Out of the Shadows, the Man Behind the Steele Dossier, which came out on Hulu Monday. 'My view has always been we have to stay true to the intelligence. I've seen situations in the past where things have been smoothed off on the edges, where things that might seem a bit outlandish have been left out, so on and so forth, and to me that's wrong,' Steele told Stephanopoulos explaining why he believed it was important for the 'golden showers' allegations to appear in his report. Christopher Steele said in a new documentary that his wife didn't think he should include the infamous 'golden showers' story in his memos to clients as he looked into Russian relations with Donald Trump The Ritz-Carlton in Moscow where the 'golden showers' incident occurred if Steele's dossier is to be believed EXCLUSIVE: Christopher Steele says his business partner and wife implored him not to include the most salacious allegations against Donald Trump in his dossier, but he insists to @GStephanopoulos, We have to stay true to the intelligence. Watch: https://t.co/ouzr8elwwU pic.twitter.com/7fbPl4joXm ABC News (@ABC) October 18, 2021 Steele put into what would eventually be dubbed the 'Steele dossier' claims he heard from sources that said Trump stayed in the same room former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama stayed in at the Ritz-Carlton Moscow and paid prostitutes to urinate on the bed as a way to defile it during a 2013 visit. The Steele dossier said the incident was filmed by Russia's FSB, the successor to the KGB, so it could be used as 'kompromat.' 'We had a debate obviously about the golden showers thing. I said don't put that in, it sort of detracts from the key message here, that the Russians have actually been monitoring and cultivating Trump for years,' Steele's business partner Chris Burrows shared with ABC News. Steele then added, 'It wasn't just Chris, I think my wife also thought it shouldn't be in there.' 'Golden rule for golden showers,' Burrows continued. 'You just don't talk about sex in reports. This is a serious business. We are there to objectively report things. I said "Take out the pee pee tape, please take out the pee pee tape,"' Burrows added. Former President Donald Trump waves as he arrives in Trump Tower in Manhattan on Sunday. Steele's dossier said the 'golden showers' incident happened in 2013 when Trump was visiting Moscow Steele didn't. Steele said when his sources initially told him about the 'golden showers' incident he was 'surprised and shocked.' 'But, having said that, some of the things we were being told were clearly aspects of well-known Russian m.o. - modus operandi,' Steele continued. Stephanopoulos then asked if sex tapes were 'standard operating procedure' as kompromat for the Kremlin. 'Correct,' Steele answered. 'We had no reason to disbelieve it, we had no reason strongly to believe it. We had to then try and evaluate it and invalidate it or whatever,' he said. 'In an instance like that there were a limited range of things you could do, which we did.' He said they checked dates and people's movements and found that Trump was in Moscow at the time. 'It meant that for the first time there was a potentially serious situation of kompromat against a presidential candidate,' Steele added. 'We immediately decided that we had to report it into the FBI.' 'We suddenly found ourselves with a hot potato,' Burrows recounted. Steele told Stephanopoulos that he continues to mostly believe that the 'golden showers' tape exists. 'I think that it probably does, but I wouldn't put 100 per cent certainty on it,' he said. 'So how do you explain if that tape does indeed exist, it hasn't been released?' the ABC reporter pushed. 'Well it hasn't needed to be released?' 'Why not?' 'Because I think the Russians felt they got pretty good value out of Donald Trump when he was president of the U.S.,' he said. Steele also told the broadcaster why he believed he didn't get duped by the Russians. Some had suggested that the 'golden showers' story was pushed as part of Russian disinformation. 'Ultimately any disinformation operation has an objective,' Steele said. 'It would have been disinformation about Hillary Clinton. Why would they run a disinformation campaign that was deragatory about the person they preferred to be elected?' the former Moscow-based spy asked. Trump has continuously denied the events and ironically denied the claim at a Republican donor event just this Thursday. 'I'm not into golden showers,' he said unprompted to the crowd, according to The Washington Post. He also said that his wife and former first lady Melania Trump doesn't even believe it. 'You know the great thing, our great first lady - "That one," she said, "I don't believe that one,"' he said. Steele's original dossier was the subject of multiple investigations Over the course of the special, Steele also said he believed that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. 'I think the evidence suggests that, yes,' Steele said. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report found that there wasn't enough evidence to find that the Trump campaign 'coordinated or conspired with the Russian government in its election-interference activities.' However, Steele argues that Mueller's work reinforces his own. 'Overall, I think it reinforces it. Because there was a whole scale campaign that it was organized by the leadership in Russia that its aim was to get Donald Trump elected and there was a lot of evidence of contacts between the Trump campaign and Russians, which they didn't report in and didn't admit to, in fact lied about,' Steele argued. Steele answered 'yes potentially' when asked if Trump - who's flirting with running for the White House again in 2024 - remained a danger to the United States and the United Kingdom. The biggest regret Steele said he had during the whole affair was talking to Mother Jones about the contents of the dossier, which led to the FBI cutting off ties with him and his name eventually coming out. 'I regret having done so. Ultimately, that led to a whole series of events that bring me to this chair today, George,' the told Stephanopoulos. Once BuzzFeed published the dossier he said he and his wife realized 'we probably would have to go into hiding for a period.' 'It had felt like a ticking time bomb sinece we did the first memo,' Steele said. Stephanopoulos also asked if the former British intelligence official 'accepts' the FBI findings that Cohen did not meet with Kremlin officials in Prague like the Steele Dossier claims. Steele replied: 'No, I don't.' 'Michael Cohen has completely turned on Donald Trump. He's accused him of all kinds of things, he's gone to jail. It defies logic that if he did this he wouldn't say so now?' the ABC reporter questioned. Michael Cohen has turned on Trump and went to prison. He has not, however, changed the story on not meeting with Kremlin officials in Prague Confronting his critics, Christopher Steele defends controversial dossier in first major interview. 'Out of the Shadows: The Man Behind the Steele Dossier premieres tomorrowstreaming only on @hulu. https://t.co/PqXSi19Int pic.twitter.com/inGAVKrFBa This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 17, 2021 'I don't agree with that,' Steele shot back, adding 'it's self incriminating to a very great degree.' 'Since he's gone to prison, since he's turned on President Trump he's told every single story. Why wouldn't he admit to this?' Stepheanpoulos pushed. 'Because I think it's so incriminating and demeaning and the other reason is he might be scared of the consequences,' Steele said. When pressed to answer whether he felt not bowing to that 'hurts your credibility,' Steele defended his dossier. 'I'm prepared to accept that not everything in the dossier is 100 per cent accurate,' he said. I have yet to be convinced that that is one of them.' While testifying before the House Oversight Committee on February 27, 2019, Cohen said: 'I've never been to Prague. I've never been to the Czech Republic.' Later an FBI probe confirmed that claim. 'So you stand by the dossier,' Stephanopoulos probed Steele. 'I stand by the work we did, the sources that we had, and the professionalism in which we applied to it,' he said. The ABC News special, formatted like a documentary, notes that Steele collected information about the salacious golden showers tape from people who merely heard about it or talked about it as a joke. Stephanopoulos noted to Steele of his sources for the dossier: 'One of your main collectors who spoke to the inspector general said that especially the kompromat was 'word of mouth and hearsay,' 'conversations with friends over beers,' 'it was just talk.' Kompromat refers to blackmail material. 'If you have a confidential source and that confidential source is blown or uncovered, that confidential source will often take fright and try to downplay and underestimate what they said or done. And I think that's probably what happened here,' Steele responded. 'He's afraid?' Stephanopoulos asked. 'I think anyone named in this contact, particularly if they're Russian, has every reason to be afraid.' Asked if anything happened to his sources Steele answered, 'yes, but I can't really go there, I'm afraid.' Stephanopoulos then asked if the source was still alive. 'Yes,' Steele answered. Advertisement Strolling down the street, this is Ali Harbi Ali just hours before the killing of Conservative MP Sir David Amess Strolling down the street, this is Ali Harbi Ali just hours before the killing of Conservative MP Sir David Amess. The CCTV footage shows the 25-year-old suspect leaving his home in an affluent area of North London. Clutching a bulky rucksack, he is heading to Gospel Oak station at 8.44am on Friday. Three hours later he would arrive at a constituency surgery in Essex where Sir David was stabbed to death. In the footage, which is understood to form a key part of police inquiries, the suspected killer can be seen holding his rucksack tightly, with his other hand hidden in his pocket. He had made an appointment a week earlier to meet the 69-year-old MP. Ali is wearing a large knee-length parka jacket, black trousers and trainers. From Gospel Oak, Ali is thought to have travelled towards east London on the overground network before changing to a mainline rail service for Leigh-on-Sea. The journey of around 90 minutes means he could have arrived in the area by 10.30am - an hour and a half before Sir David was attacked at his surgery in Leigh's Methodist church. Police obtained the CCTV footage on Saturday from a shop close to the home the suspect is thought to have shared with his aunt and cousins. Ismet Cengiz, 50, the manager of the Costcutter, said he was visited by a detective yesterday. 'She said she was investigating the MP's murder and asked to have a look at the CCTV footage,' he added. 'They wanted to look at the street outside.' Yesterday it emerged that the Southend West MP might have been targeted simply because his constituency surgeries were so well advertised online. Investigators have yet to find any other reason why the father of five was targeted. There is no evidence that Ali - a British Muslim and son of a Somali government adviser - tried to make appointments with any other MPs, sources say. Sir Keir Starmer would have been the suspect's local MP, but due to his position as Labour leader there might have been more security checks. Counter-terrorism police are continuing to quiz Ali, who was arrested at the scene. They have seized other CCTV footage from houses and shops near his home in Kentish Town and from properties along the route to Sir David's surgery at the Belfairs Methodist Church. It comes as Boris Johnson sat shoulder to shoulder with Sir Keir and MPs from all parties at an emotional church service for Sir David this evening, as religious leaders including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, led a service of prayer and remembrance for the Conservative. The congregation - including Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, who wiped his eyes as Home Secretary Priti Patel turned her gaze to the ground a few seats away - knelt while prayers were read by individuals including the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell. In the latest developments: Boris Johnson told the Commons that Southend will be accorded city status in honour of Sir David; Ali was referred to Prevent - but not considered 'extreme enough' to be passed on to MI5; Spies and police scour suspect's family connections to Somalia and Kenya for any clues and whether Sir David's campaigning for Qatar could form part of any motive; But one government insider claimed: 'He was unlucky. He was not targeted because of his political party. David Amess was not specifically targeted'; Westminster politicians are split over whether police should protect them at constituency events or if private security should be deployed instead; MPs this afternoon paid tribute to Sir David Amess as politicians on all sides grieve his death; Dominic Raab said he has had serious threats to his life - and admitted he is open to discussion on MPs wearing stab vests at events Senior Tory Tobias Ellwood has called on constituency meetings being paused . The video appears to show the 25-year-old, who is being held by police on suspicion of the murder of Sir David, walking slowly along the pavement on Friday morning while carrying a backpack and wearing a green parka jacket and spectacles Police are currently investigating Ali's movements in the hours leading up to the attack and are looking into whether he boarded a train at Gospel Oak station to travel to Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where Sir David was holding a routine constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and SNP Wesminster leader Ian Blackford attend a service of remembrance for British MP David Amess The House of Commons pictured today where tributes were made to honor the Conservative lawmaker David Amess Julia Amess, the widow of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, arrives to view flowers and tributes left for her late husband at Belfairs Methodist Church and speaks to the vicar with her daughter Flo behind her Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the 69-year-old Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Reports had initially suggested that Sir David, a devout Roman Catholic and prominent Brexiteer who was MP for Southend West, had been selected because of his political views or religion. Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday. DO YOU KNOW ALI HARBI ALI? Email us: tips@dailymail.com or jack.wright@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement It was revealed today that the father of the terror suspect was given death threats by jihadis and 'despises terrorists' after being intimidated by al-Shabaab extremists in his native Somalia. Harbi Ali Kullane was once a spin doctor for the prime minister of Somalia before fleeing the country for London just before his eldest son Ali was born in Southwark in 1996. He went on to have three more children with his wife. A security source said: 'He was quite involved in countering al-Shabaab's message in his role as comms director, and he received death threats from them for doing so, which is common for anyone involved in a high-profile position in the Government'. But his son was referred to an official deradicalisation course after a teacher spotted his extremist views at least five years ago. The same insider told the Telegraph: 'He (Harbi Ali Kullane) himself despises terrorists, so it would be hard to imagine how his son has become radicalised as a result'. Mr Kullane has reportedly been spoken to by counter-terrorism police from Scotland Yard with specialists working with MI5 and MI6 to analysing his phone to see if it offers any explanation for his son's motive or his movements in the days and hours before the Tory MP was murdered in a Leigh-on-Sea church. Sources close to the investigation believe Ali may have considered killing other MPs, including Labour and Tory politicians, before picking Sir David, according to The Telegraph. One government insider told the paper: 'He was unlucky. He was not targeted because of his political party. David Amess was not specifically targeted.' The revelation raises urgent questions about the mentoring scheme and whether an opportunity was missed to avert the MP's horrific murder. Sir David in happier times with wife and family at daughter Flo's wedding to American Shawn Braddy in 2019. From centre Flo, Sir David, Julia, Katie, Sarah and Alexandra The Rev Clifford Newman of Belfairs Methodist Church, hugs Julia Amess as she arrived. Rev Newman has said that the church where Sir David was killed 'has been defiled' by the murderer Sir David's son in law Shawn (far right), husband to Flo Amess, looks at the messages and flowers at the church in Leigh-on-Sea today Flo Amess leads the family with her husband Shawn (far right) followed by her mother Julia (centre left) and her sister Katie (centre right with blonde hair) along with her husband, the Southend rapper Verses Bang (far left) Flo hugged her mother (centre right) as the read the messages of love for Sir David, the second MP to be murdered in six years Conservative MP for Southend West Sir David Amess, pictured with his wife Julia and his four daughters as he gave away Alexandra Amess in August. Alexandra was not at the church today as the family grieves his loss The seat of Sir David Amess was left empty in a touching tribute to the MP during Monday's House of Commons session Candles left at a vigil for MP Sir David Amess outside parliament in London, Britain, 18 October, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves a memorial service for Sir David Amess at St Margaret's church on October 18 Welcome to the new CITY of Southend: Jellied eels, hen dos and the world's longest pier loved by Jamie Oliver... Queen grants Essex seaside resort gleaming new status in honour of murdered MP David Amess The Queen has granted Southend city status in tribute to Conservative MP Sir David Amess , the veteran politician who led a decades-long campaign for the move for the Essex seaside town until he was allegedly stabbed to death by a suspected terrorist. Boris Johnson announced the move today in the Commons as he led passionate cross-party tributes in the House to one of the 'nicest, kindest and most gentle' of parliamentarians. Southend was one of several towns competing for city status as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June next year, with Sir David having pushed for the recognition for at least two decades. With a population of around 183,000, Southend is a large coastal town and is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend Pier, measuring 1.33 miles. It also has London Southend Airport less than two miles north of the town centre. Cities historically were settlements with cathedrals, which is why small places such as Ely in Cambridgeshire and Salisbury remain cities. But having a cathedral is no longer an official requirement for a city-aspiring town. In recent years, towns have been able to apply to the Government for city status via competitions by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. At the last competition, held to honour the Queen's Diamond Jubilee nine years ago, three towns were granted city status - Perth, Chelmsford and St Asaph. In 2002, Preston became a city, while Brighton and Wolverhampton were granted the upgrade to mark the turn of the millennium. The Prime Minister praised the Southend West MP as a politician who 'simply wanted to serve the people of Essex' as a backbench Conservative. He vowed that the 'contemptible act of violence' that took Sir David's life on Friday at a constituency surgery would not 'detract from his accomplishments as a politician or as a human being'. Advertisement Police are also investigating the alleged close ties between Sir David and Qatar. The Tory MP was chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Gulf state and returned from his latest visit there on Wednesday last week. The man being questioned over the stabbing is the son of a former adviser to the office of the Prime Minister of Somalia. Qatar supports the present Somali President. Security sources told The Times that all avenues were being explored in the case. Last night former friends of Ali, a British national of Somali heritage who grew up in a three-bed 1980s terrace house in Croydon with his mother, two sisters and brother, claimed he was radicalised after watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary. Speaking to The Sun, they claimed the videos turned Ali from a 'popular pupil into an extremist'. Sir David's family said their hearts had been 'shattered' by his 'cruel and violent death' at a constituency surgery in Essex. They said they could not understand why the 'patriot and a man of peace' was targeted by a knifeman he had never met. The 69-year-old father of five was ambushed at his Friday meeting with the public and stabbed 17 times in a frenzied attack. In a heartbreaking statement his family called for people to 'set aside hatred', adding: 'Nobody should die in that way. Nobody. Whatever one's race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand. We are absolutely broken, but we will survive and carry on for the sake of a wonderful and inspiring man.' Sir David's heartbroken wife and children today visited the church where the Tory politician was stabbed to death. His widow Julia Amess wiped away tears as she read messages of love for her late husband outside the Belfairs Methodist Church along with two of their five children this morning - hours before Boris Johnson revealed the Queen has given Sir David's beloved Southend-on-Sea city status in his memory. Mrs Amess, who also worked for her husband as a part-time caseworker for his Southend West constituency, came to mourn her husband hours after the family said that their hearts had been 'shattered' by his 'cruel and violent death' at a constituency surgery in Essex. They said they could not understand why the 'patriot and a man of peace' was targeted by a knifeman he had never met. The Prime Minister led a sombre procession of around 800 politicians as they filed in to a church service to remember their murdered colleague, Sir David. Wearing black suits, dresses, and facemasks, the MPs and peers walked from Parliament to St Margaret's Church in Westminster Abbey, central London. Ministers followed Mr Johnson and took their seats in the pews while organ music filled the church. MPs and peers fell silent as the service to remember Sir David Amess at St Margaret's in Westminster Abbey began. Politicians from all parties, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, Priti Patel and Lisa Nandy sat in the rows behind Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who sat on the front row nearby Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle. The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of Sir David as a 'friend to his constituents' who had a 'robust fairness of spirit and charity of heart' which endeared him to MPs from all parties. Justin Welby said: 'He was of the best, and his name will be remembered with Airey Neave, Robert Bradford, Anthony Berry, Ian Gow and Jo Cox, those MPs murdered since 1945, and others - like Andrew Pennington - who have died in the course of public service. 'Public service in politics is a sacrifice that should be honoured and respected, even when differences of opinion run very deep indeed.' Sir David had walked his daughter Flo down the aisle in 2019 and she was at her mother's side today with her American husband Shawn. Flo's sister Katie, an actress and model, also came to look at the flowers and mourn her father while supported by her husband, the Southend rapper Verses Bang. But Alexandra, who the MP gave away at her wedding in August, daughter Sarah and son David Jr were not at the church today. Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the veteran Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks in the chamber of the House of Commons, Westminster, as MPs gather to pay tribute to Conservative MP Sir David Amess Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel in the chamber of the House of Commons today where tributes were made to honor the Conservative lawmaker David Amess Matt Hancock talks with fellow MPs as thy walk from the Houses of Parliament to attend a service to pay tribute to slain British lawmaker David Amess Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, along with MPs and peers, arrives at The Church of St Margaret, in the grounds of Westminster Abbey, London, to attend a service to honour Sir David Amess Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord McFall of Alcluith speaks during a service to honour Sir David Amess at the Church of St Margaret Julia cried as she viewed the huge number of floral tributes piled outside the church where her husband was stabbed to death. Family members comforted one another, with one placing an arm around her, and they stayed for around 15 minutes. The minister of Belfairs, Rev Clifford Newman, hugged Sir David's widow during the family visit to the church. The six visitors bowed their heads and formed a semi-circle around the churchman as he gave a short private address. Shock: Harbi Ali Kullane, who was a Somali government adviser who reportedly became estranged from his son It came hours before the Queen granted the veteran politician his 20-year wish of Southend becoming a city as the Commons gathered to express its grief at his killing. Mr Johnson told a packed chamber the attack on the Tory veteran had been 'contemptible' and struck at the 'core' of what it means to be an MP as colleagues paid emotional tributes. He insisted that the fundamental functions of democracy would not be damaged by the murder of 'one of the nicest, kindest and most gentle' individuals ever to have sat in the House. Mr Johnson said all MPs mourn with Sir David's family, adding in the Commons: 'Sir David was taken from us in a contemptible act of violence striking at the core of what it is to be a member of this House, and violating both the sanctity of the church in which he was killed and the constituency surgery that is so essential to our representative democracy. 'But we will not allow the manner of Sir David's death in any way to detract from his accomplishments as a politician or as a human being. 'Sir David was a patriot who believed passionately in this country, in its people and in its future. He was also one of the nicest, kindest and most gentle individuals ever to grace these benches.' Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP as he met with his Southend West constituents on Friday afternoon. It is believed the suspected Islamist terrorist may have chosen his victim at random having become obsessed with killing any MP. His friends have claimed he was further radicalised and turned into a lone-wolf killer during lockdown watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary with police and MI5 also looking whether Sir David was chosen due to his support for Qatar, which has been exerting its influence in Somalia, the country of his diplomat father's birth. Ali, the son of a former Somalian diplomat who was born in Britain and raised in Croydon, was referred to the flagship anti-extremism scheme, Prevent, which aims to stop individuals becoming terrorists. But there are major questions after his behaviour was not considered to be extreme enough to alert MI5. These referrals are not currently mandatory. He is alleged to have shown an interest in radical Islam and was referred to Prevent, believed to be when he was in his late teens. He decided to move in with an aunt and her sons in a council house in the upmarket North London enclave of Kentish Town, in a street of 2million three-storey townhouses. Police officers erect a tent outside a house in north London, thought to be in relation to the death of Sir David The huge numbers of flowers and tributes at Belfairs Methodist Church today, where Sir David was murdered on Friday His referral is understood to have coincided with a deterioration in his relationship with his Somali-born parents. Ali's parents split up when he was young and his father returned to Somalia. One neighbour, who has known the family for twenty years, said that Ali spoke of hopes of becoming a doctor with the NHS, saying: 'He told me he'd been doing exams and he seemed westernised.' Police and intelligence officials are said to be mystified about why the 69-year-old Tory politician was singled out for attack by a suspected Islamist extremist. Reports had initially suggested that Sir David, a devout Roman Catholic and prominent Brexiteer who was MP for Southend West, had been selected because of his political views or religion. Investigators now believe that there may have been no specific motive for the targeting of Sir David, and that the 69-year-old was stabbed to death because his alleged killer had plotted to kill any national politician - and had succeeded in booking a face-to-face meeting with him at a church in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday. Sources close to the investigation believe Ali may have considered killing other MPs, including Labour and Tory politicians, before picking Sir David, according to The Telegraph. One government insider told the paper: 'He was unlucky. He was not targeted because of his political party. David Amess was not specifically targeted.' The revelation raises urgent questions about the mentoring scheme and whether an opportunity was missed to avert the MP's horrific murder. Police are also investigating the alleged close ties between Sir David and Qatar. The Tory MP was chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Gulf state and returned from his latest visit there on Wednesday last week. The man being questioned over the stabbing is the son of a former adviser to the office of the Prime Minister of Somalia. Qatar supports the present Somali President. Security sources told The Times that all avenues were being explored in the case. Last night former friends of Ali, a British national of Somali heritage who grew up in a three-bed 1980s terrace house in Croydon with his mother, two sisters and brother, claimed he was radicalised after watching YouTube videos of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary. Speaking to The Sun, they claimed the videos turned Ali from a 'popular pupil into an extremist'. Detectives meanwhile have been interviewing the father of murder suspect Ali at a home in North London. One former friend, Harbi Farah, told The Sun: 'I have known his dad Harbi for more than ten years. He's a good man and this will be very upsetting for him. He's a well-respected member of the Somali community in Britain and also in Somalia.' A grand jury was empaneled in New York on Monday against convicted killer Robert Durst in connection with the 1982 disappearance of his wife, even as the prime suspect remains hospitalized on a ventilator in California after contracting COVID-19. Westchester County prosecutors have begun presenting their case to jurors, including testimony from key witnesses, according to News 12 Westchester's senior reporter Tara Rosenblum, who broke the story. Members of the grand jury will be tasked with deciding whether to bring criminal charges against the ailing 78-year-old real estate heir. Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah earlier this month decided to seek an indictment against Durst in connection with the unsolved disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen McCormack Durst, 29, nearly four decades ago. Scroll down for video A grand jury in New York is hearing a case against convicted killer Robert Durst, 78, pictured looking frail during his sentencing hearing in Los Angeles on October 14 The case in New York revolves around the 1982 disappearance of Durst's first wife, Kathleen McCormack Durst (left), whose body was never found As News 12 reported, friends and relatives of the missing woman were expected to testify before the grand jury. The news comes just three days after he was hospitalized with COVID-19 and placed on a ventilator at LAC+USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. A day earlier, Durst was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his best friend Susan Berman in 2000. A multimillionaire whose grandfather founded one of New York City's premier real estate companies, Durst was long a suspect but never charged in the disappearance of his wife. During his trial in California, prosecutors argued that Durst killed Berman to silence her as she prepared to speak to New York authorities about Kathleen's disappearance. Durst was sentenced to life in prison for the 2000 murder of his friend Susan Berman (left); a day later, he was hospitalized for COVID Kathleen vanished without a trace in New York in 1982, while she and Durst were said to be having martial problems. The wife's body has never been found and no one has ever been charged, although her family have long accused Durst of killing her. Berman is thought to have helped Durst cover his tracks after his wife's disappearance, posing as Kathie to phone her medical school to say she was sick on the morning after she was last seen alive. Durst was convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court last month of first-degree murder for shooting Berman point-blank in the back of the head. Durst was also charged - and acquitted in 2005 - of the 2001 murder of Morris Black (above) who he admitted dismembering Durst was also charged - and acquitted at a 2005 trial - of the 2001 murder of his neighbor Morris Black in Galveston, Texas, despite admitting to chopping his body up into multiple pieces with an ax and a bow saw. Durst had claimed he accidentally shot Black in the head when they were both wrestling over Durst's firearm which Black had gotten hold of. He dismembered his body and dumped it in the sea in plastic bags which were discovered by authorities. The only body part never found was Black's head - making Durst's version of events difficult to disprove. The real estate scion had wound up being neighbors with Black when he was reportedly hiding from New York authorities in the small town in Texas. Prosecutors during his trial for Berman's murder argued Durst murdered Black when he discovered his true identity as the man suspected of killing his wife in New York. Durst, pictured in court in March 2020, is currently said to be on a ventilator DA Rocah reopened the investigation back in May into Kathie's disappearance - a case that has plagued the DA's office for decades. The original investigation was only ever launched as a missing persons case and no search of the Durst's home was carried out. In 2000, then-DA Jeanine Pirro reopened the case into Kathie's disappearance at a time when Berman's death was being investigated in LA and Durst was facing charges over Black's death in Texas. But, once again, no charges were brought. Berman's killing had been a mystery that haunted family and friends for 15 years before Durst was arrested in 2015 following his unwise decision to participate in the documentary The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of Robert Durst, which unearthed new evidence and caught him in a stunning hot mic confession. New York City officials have voted to remove a century-old statue of Thomas Jefferson from City Hall because it was making some staff feel 'uncomfortable'. During a lengthy hearing Monday, the Public Design Commission voted to remove the statue before the end of the year, although could not agree on a new location. The City Councils Black, Latino and Asian caucus has objected to the presidential statue for years because Jefferson was a slave owner. But the request for its removal came from the Commission on Racial Justice and Reconciliation, led by outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio's wife Charlene McCray, after black staff complained about the statue that honors a slave owner. The decision to remove the statue came after a suggestion from De Blasio's wife Chirlane McCray as the former President was revealed to have owned over 600 slaves The statue has resided in City Hall since 1834 and was given as a gift by naval officer Uriah Phillips Levy NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio 'waged war' on the nation's history by deciding to banish the statue of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson from City Hall - where it has presided over events for 187 years - after a request from his wife-led BLM committee. Before the commission made its decision, Democratic mayoral candidate Eric Adams said that he hoped the commission would consider 'uplifting underrepresented faces and communities' by removing the statue, and that he supported its removal. Republican politicians quickly railed against the latest move to rewrite history by booting the statue of the former president who wrote the Declaration of Independence. 'The de Blasio administration will continue the progressive war on history as he, himself, fades away into a portrait on a City Hall wall,' Councilman Joe Borelli told the New York Post. 'I hope he is at least gone a couple hundred years before someone cancels him.' The statue had resided in the City Hall's Council chambers since 1834 after it was gifted by Uriah Phillips Levy, a naval officer and an admirer of Jefferson's. 'The city would still own the plaster model, and the historical society would include it in educational exhibits and provide valuable historical context,' the spokesman said. Councilman I. Daneek Miller, a Democrat, defended exiling the statue and said the loan is 'indefinite.' 'Theres so much about Thomas Jefferson and his own personal writings, memoirs about how he treated his slaves, his family members and things of that nature and how he perceived African Americans and slaves that they lacked intelligence, that they were not to assimilate into society,' Miller told The Post. 'For us to really highlight such an individual is really not who we are as a council.' Miller added that the statue is expected to be removed from City Hall by October 21. In a comment to DailyMail.com, the New York Historical Society said they have not made official arrangements for the statue as of yet. 'We are in ongoing discussions about the statue. While there are no specific plans for display at the moment, New-York Historical might in future years present an exhibition that may include it.' A replica of the statue will continue to be featured in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington DC McCray, the head of the Commission on Racial Justice and Reconciliation, had made the decision to remove the statue following a meeting in June 2020. The RRC was organized to 'promote social learning, collective introspection, and policy action' as well as create a historical record of racial discrimination, with an emphasis on housing, criminal justice, environmental racism and public health' in the wake of protests over George Floyd's death. DailyMail.com reached out to De Blasio's press office for comment. De Blasio had previously written a letter to City Hall following his wife's suggestion. 'The statue of Thomas Jefferson in the City Council Chambers is inappropriate and serves as a constant reminder of the injustices that have plagued communities of color since the inception of our country,' he wrote. 'Jefferson is Americas most noted slave holder... and a scholar who maintained that Blacks were inferior to whites.' The letter dated June 18, 2020 was signed by de Blasio and fellow Council members. Other statues of Jefferson and fellow historical figures who had an alleged racist pasts were publicly seen being vandalized and taken down during the BLM movement. The statue of the Founding Father outside of Jefferson High School in Portland on June 14 2020 after it was removed by protesters A statue of the Founding Father was toppled on June 14, 2020 at Portland High School in Oregon by a group of protesters. Footage of the vandalism revealed protesters tying a rope around the neck of the statue to bring it down as well as using a hammer to loosen the base of the structure. The statue was also covered in graffiti reading 'Black Lives Matter' and 'George Floyd 8:46' in reference to the amount of time former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin had knelt on his neck for. A replica of the statue in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C. will continue to be on display. Jefferson was considered the largest slaveholder during his day with over 600 slaves at this Virginia home. Turkish cybercriminals appeared to hack Donald Trump's website on Monday and published a video of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a quote about Allah on the homepage. Visitors clicking onto the site were greeted with a message from the apparent hacker saying: 'Do not be like those who forgot Allah, so Allah made them forget themselves. They really went astray.' RootAyyildiz has taken credit for hacking donaldjtrump.com and publishing the Islamist message. The page, run by Trump's Save America PAC was back to normal later Monday with a photo of the former president outside the White House and a link to give donations. Turkish cybercriminals appeared to hack Donald Trump's website on Monday and published a photo of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and an excerpt from a speech on the homepage. Visitors clicking onto the site were greeted with a message from the apparent hacker saying: 'Do not be like those who forgot Allah, so Allah made them forget themselves. They really went astray.' While banned on most social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram, Trump has been using his Save America PAC platform to send statements. On Monday he released a response to the lawsuit brought against him by Mexican protesters who claim they were attacked outside Trump Tower during a march in 2015. He wrote: 'The Klu Klux Klan dressed protester case should have never been brought as the plaintiffs have no one to blame but themselves. Rather than protest peacefully, the plaintiffs intentionally sought to rile up a crowd by blocking the entrance to Trump Tower on 5th Avenue, in the middle of the day, wearing Klu Klux Klan robes and hoods. 'When security tried to deescalate the situation, they were unfortunately met with taunts and violence from the plaintiffs themselves. Seeing this for what it is, prior to my deposition today, the Court dismissed almost all of the plaintiffs claimsexcept for a baseless claim for injuries they never suffered, and the temporary loss of a worthless cardboard sign which was soon thereafter returned to them. The page, run by Trump's Save America PAC was back to normal later Monday with a photo of the former president outside the White House and a link to give donations 'After years of litigation, I was pleased to have had the opportunity to tell my side of this ridiculous storyJust one more example of baseless harassment of your favorite President.' RootAyyildiz is also believed to have been behind a hack on Joe Biden's campaign website last November, just after he was declared winner of the 2020 election. A U.S. intelligence report released in March 2021 called it one of the 'handful of unsuccessful hacktivist attempts to influence or interfere in the 2020 US elections. Politicians and public figures are increasingly becoming targets of hacking campaigns. Twitter was hit with a large-scale hack attack in 2020 when accounts belonging to Biden, Barack Obama, Bill Gates and Elon Musk were compromised. In December 2020, Dutch authorities claimed Trump's Twitter account had been hacked by resident Victor Gevers, who guessed his password: MAGA2020! Prosecutors decided against punishing Grieves because he was acting 'ethically' and the White House and Twitter both said there was no evidence of the breach. An elderly doctor allegedly came out of retirement to issue hundreds of fake Covid-19 exemption letters to mandatory workers trying to avoid getting vaccinated. Dr John Evans, 84, allegedly told police he had given 400 exemptions out and had another 300 pending without proper consultation with his patients. The doctor came out of retirement last year and reportedly has a 'religious objection' to vaccinations. The news came to light after locals called 2GB's Ray Hadley claiming teachers at the Kempsey Seventh-day Adventist school on NSW's mid north coast were using the certificates. NSW Police said the matter has been referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. An elderly doctor allegedly came out of retirement to issue hundreds of fake Covid-19 exemption letters to teachers reportedly trying to avoid getting vaccinated (stock image) 'On Friday 15 October 2021, police received reports of a Lake Macquarie doctor issuing exemptions for Covid-19 vaccinations, without proper medical consultation,' a spokesperson said in a statement. 'Detectives from Lake Macquarie Police District conducted inquiries, speaking to an 84-year-old man, and the matter has been referred to the relevant health authorities.' Daily Mail Australia contacted Dr Evans but was met with a voicemail message telling callers his office was no longer issuing exemptions. 'We are no longer taking on any new exemption patients as our books are now full,' a voicemail at Dr Evans' office reads. 'If you have had a consultation or sent an email prior to this date and time your paperwork will still be processed as soon as possible. 'Please don't send us leave us a message as it will not be returned.' Dr Evans allegedly never met his patients but gave them the exemptions over the phone or via email. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has said they fully support vaccinations and will cooperate with any police investigation. A spokesperson for the Kempsey Adventist School told Daily Mail Australia they will be 'fully compliant' with the vaccination mandates for schools in NSW. 'Seventh-day Adventist Schools in NSW had already established a Medical Contraindication Certificate Review Panel prior to the emergence of this particular matter to help ensure compliance,' the spokesperson said. 'Kempsey Adventist School wholeheartedly supports the work of this review panel as a means to ensuring all appropriate steps are being taken in caring for our community.' Former President Donald Trump has sued the House select committee probing the Jan. 6th Capitol riot after it subpoenaed a number of his top former advisors and demanded White House documents from the National Archives. Trump is asking a federal court in Washington, D.C. to enjoin the National Archivist from handing over troves of information about the inner workings of the White House as part of its probe into the Jan. 6th riot. Trump's suit, filed Monday in US District Court, names as defendants both the committee itself and its chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson, as well as archivist David Ferriero. The filing claims the committee 'has decided to harass President Trump and senior members of his administration (among others) by sending an illegal, unfounded, and over-broad records request to the Archivist of the United States.' In slicing language, it blasts the committee's requests as exceedingly broad, and slams President Biden for agreeing to allow internal White House documents to be handed over. 'This self-described sweeping request is almost limitless in scope and effectively seeks every presidential record and communication that could tenuously relate to events that occurred on January 6, 2021,' Trump writes. Former President Donald Trump sued the Archives and the Jan. 6th Committee for a probe he called 'illegal' and 'unfounded' in a filing His suit mirrors his posture during previous congressional probes while he was in office and ordered top officials not to participate. His legal standing now is somewhat different; President Joe Biden and his administration have said they will not assert executive privilege, and in public statements have repeatedly spoken to the importance of the Jan. 6th probe. Last week saw deadlines for former top aides to testify under subpoena. Trump's lawyer had told the officials he intended to assert privilege. Lawmakers are threatening to hold witnesses, including former chief White House strategist Steve Bannon, in criminal contempt if they fail to appear or provide documents. Chair of the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack Bennie Thompson is named in the suit The committee is set to vote Tuesday on whether to hold former chief White House strategist Steven Bannon in criminal contempt after he refused to comply with a subpoena, citing Trump's intention to assert privilege A mob of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump fight with members of law enforcement at a door they broke open as they storm the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021 The filing also attacks President Biden, saying he 'refused' to exert privilege over document requests following the panel's sweeping requests for records related to events at the White House Jan. 6th, as well as in the days leading up to the riot, which took place as Congress met to count the electoral votes that made Biden president. 'The request also seeks records with no reasonable connection to the events of that day. In a political ploy to accommodate his partisan allies, President Biden has refused to assert executive privilege over numerous clearly privileged documents requested by the Committee,' according to the filing. 'The Committees request amounts to nothing less than a vexatious, illegal fishing expedition openly endorsed by Biden and designed to unconstitutionally investigate President Trump and his administration. Our laws do not permit such an impulsive, egregious action against a former President and his close advisors.' Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower in Manhattan on October 17, 2021 in New York City. The suit came on a day Trump was being deposed in connection with another lawsuit The committee is seeking information from the archives on the events of Jan. 6th, and has subpoenaed former top officials including former chief of staff Mark Meadows to appear The filing blasts a request for information on all of Trump's remarks on Jan. 6th amid press reports of internal debates as advisors pleaded with him to tell his supporters to go home after the Capitol was breached. 'Issued public statements are one thing, but the notion that Congress is somehow entitled to ask for and review any and all private conversations, remarks, or drafts of public statements considered by the President of the United States and his close advisors, without limitations on (among other things) subject matter, would destroy the very fabric of our constitutional separation of powers and invade fundamental privileges designed to maintain the autonomy and functioning of the Executive Branch,' according to Trump's suit. The suit seeks to pick apart a series of document requests including one for schedules and whereabouts of top advisors on Jan. 6th. The suit was filed by Alexandria, Virginia lawyer Jesse R. Binnall, whose bio says he is an experienced litigator who in his spare time enjoys shark diving. He previously filed a suit in Nevada asking a judge to overturn the results there and make Trump the winner. 'Donald Trump won ... after you account for the fraud and irregularities that occurred,' he told reporters days after the election. Likewise, the suit blasts committee requests for information that explore a series of personnel move in the last weeks of the Trump administration including the installation of Trump loyalists on an 'acting' basis. According to the letter, 'The Committee also requested information about personnel changes in the Departments of Defense and Justice, the FBI, the CIA, and the Department of Homeland Security, despite the fact that any and all members of these departments and agencies serve at the pleasure of the President, and any personnel changes in these Departments are at the sole discretion of the Executive and his designees.' The brief quotes United States v. Nixon, in a case where President Richard Nixon sought to hold back Watergate tapes, as well as the more recent Trump v. Mazars USA, in a fight over Trump tax returns that went all the way to the Supreme Court. The suit attacks the Biden Administration's waiver of executive privilege as a 'myopic, political maneuver designed to maintain the support of its political rivals and is not based on any discernable legal principle.' The suit asks that the court 'invalidate' the House select committee's request, and issue an injunction prohibiting the National Archivist from turning over records. The suit is filled with attacks on the panel itself that do not accept the legitimacy of its probe. It calls it a 'misguided attempt to intimidate and harass President Trump and his supporters under the guise of investigating the events of January 6, 2021.' Panel member Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California ripped the suit. She called Trump 'someone who likes to sue a lot. Hes engaged in frivolous lawsuits throughout his life,' she told CNN Monday. Advertisement Army veteran Dennis Hutchings, 80, died last night after catching Covid-19 midway through his controversial trial for a fatal Troubles shooting almost 50 years ago A British Army veteran accused of fatally shooting a man in Northern Ireland during the Troubles almost 50 years ago died last night after catching Covid midway through the controversial trial. Dennis Hutchings, 80, was suffering from terminal kidney failure and heart disease when he flew to Belfast this month to face a judge-only trial, but said he was determined to clear his name over the alleged attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham in County Tyrone in 1974. His case was one of two ongoing prosecutions of Northern Ireland veterans who served during the Troubles despite government plans announced in the summer to end all criminal and civil cases relating to deaths during the 30-year conflict. The proposals are yet to be implemented and were met with fierce backlash on both sides of Northern Ireland's political divide. The veteran sat in the dock in Belfast on alternate days so he could receive gruelling kidney dialysis treatment. Over the weekend, he contracted Covid, and the trial had been adjourned for three weeks. However, last night he was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after complaining that he was struggling to breathe. His condition deteriorated and he later died. Philip Barden, Mr Hutchings's solicitor, said the rigour of forcing the army veteran to stand trial had 'killed him', The Telegraph reported. Three days before the trial began he was struggling to breathe but told The Times that he wanted to clear his name. Asked if he was well enough to fly, he said: 'I don't know until I can get on the plane.' The spectacle of a dying veteran sitting in a dock in Belfast wearing his service medals was already hugely embarrassing for Boris Johnson and his government, which had previously vowed to end repeated investigations into those who served in Northern Ireland. However, Mr Hutchings's death sparked a further slew of criticism last night as to why the trial was allowed to take place at all. Paul Young, a former Blues and Royals soldier now working with the Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans group, said: 'This has been an absolute disgrace. This frail, old, sick man hounded to his grave without being able to clear his name. 'He was absolutely determined to be in court. The justice system was insatiable and wanted his scalp but he died a lonely old man on his own in a Covid ward.' Mr Hutchings had been cleared twice over the shooting and was told he would not be prosecuted in the months after Mr Cunningham's death following an initial investigation, and again in 2011 when the case was reviewed. However, it was reopened by the Legacy Investigation Branch of the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 2015 and he was arrested and taken from his home in Cornwall to Northern Ireland for questioning. Prosecutors previously told Belfast Crown Court that they had no direct evidence to prove whether the fatal shot was fired by Mr Hutchings or another soldier. Mr Hutchings, a great grandfather, also denied a count of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. Hutchings greeted by a supporter as he arrives to the Belfast Crown court in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on October 4, 2021 Over the weekend, Mr Hutchings contracted Covid and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance last night after complaining that he was struggling to breathe. Right: Hutchings in dress uniform at Knightsbridge Barracks, 1978 Dennis Hutchings (pictured on the far right in this photo) in Germany, 1960 Dennis Hutchings: Army veteran pursued over historic Northern Ireland allegations... for which there was no proof The veteran (pictured when younger) was facing trial over the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham in 1974 Mr Hutchings was facing trial over the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham. He was shot running from a British Army patrol in Benburb, Co Tyrone, back in June 1974. Mr Hutchings, who required kidney dialysis twice a week and has heart problems, was in the British Army for 26 years. He served five tours of Northern Ireland when the Troubles were at their worst. The former corporal major was cleared twice over the events which took place in the mid-1970s. Despite no fresh evidence, no witnesses and no new forensic leads, the retired soldier was accused again of attempted murder. Advertisement At a hearing in March last year his legal team argued that the trial should be held in England because of concerns for his health and the threat of Covid. Mr Hutchings had appealed to the courts to bring the case forward because he had been warned he could have a heart attack at any moment. He eventually flew to Belfast on October 3 for the trial, supported by former Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer. Mr Mercer, himself a former soldier, urged the Ministry of Defence to fly the 80-year-old back to England so he could be near his family until the trial resumed. He had said the MoD had a duty of care, adding: 'I cannot believe we are putting a dying man through this grotesque process.' Defence barrister James Lewis QC had informed Belfast Crown Court of the development as proceedings in the non-jury trial were due to begin on Monday. He told judge Mr Justice O'Hara that Hutchings' condition had been confirmed by a PCR test on Saturday. 'I regret Mr Hutchings is not well with regard, as one would expect, with his other comorbidities of renal failure and cardiac malfunction. And we are unable to presently take instructions as he is currently in isolation in his hotel room.' Hutchings had been suffering from kidney disease and the court had been sitting only three days a week to enable him to undergo dialysis treatment between hearings. He was charged with the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham in Co Tyrone in 1974. The former member of the Life Guards regiment, from Cawsand in Cornwall, had denied a count of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. Mr Cunningham, 27, was shot dead as he ran away from an Army patrol across a field near Benburb. People who knew him said he had the mental age of a child and was known to have a deep fear of soldiers. Democratic Unionist Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said it was 'desperately sad news'. On Twitter, he said: 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hutchings family. We have said all along that Dennis should never have been brought to trial again, not least because of his health but also a lack of compelling new evidence. 'There are serious questions to answer here.' In a statement, Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister said: 'The needless dragging of an 80-year-old soldier, Dennis Hutchings, through the courts has had a very sad end with the passing of Mr Hutchings this evening. 'The strain on this man was cruel, with him requiring regular dialysis, while being brought to Belfast to face a trial of dubious provenance. 'My thoughts and prayers tonight are with his family and friends who may understandably feel that what he was put through contributed to his decline.' Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie called for a 'full and thorough' review into the decision-making of the Public Prosecution Service. 'I would like to convey my sincere condolences to Mr Hutchings' family and friends,' Mr Beattie said. 'The decision by the Public Prosecution Service to proceed with a trial given his ill-health demands a full and thorough independent review. The questions must be asked, did this trial hasten Mr Hutchings' death and did it meet the evidential and public interest tests?' Danny Kinahan, the Veterans Commissioner for Northern Ireland, said that the news was 'incredibly sad'. On Twitter, he wrote: 'I got to know Dennis over recent years. An elderly man, in poor health, he was determined to clear his name once and for all. Deepest condolences & sympathies to his wife and family at this difficult time.' DUP MP Carla Lockhart also described the news as 'awful'. Sitting in a crown court dock in Belfast this month, service medals pinned to his chest, Mr Hutchings somehow maintained his dignified stoicism John Pat Cunningham, a 27-year-old with learning difficulties, was shot dead during an Army operation near the village of Benburb on June 15, 1974. Mr Hutchings maintained he only fired aimed warning shots into the air She tweeted: 'Such sad news that he never got to live out his last days in peace. Awful. Spent last months of his life being hounded by a political show trial.' Critics of the plans to prosecute Northern Ireland veterans have cited the alleged hounding of soldiers who served in the province, while IRA terrorists were released early from prison or told they would not be prosecuted for Troubles-related offences following the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Great-grandfather Mr Hutchings was supported in court by his partner of 25 years, Kim, last week, and son John, however the pair returned to England when his trial was postponed following his Covid diagnosis. Mr Cunningham, a 27-year-old with learning difficulties, was shot dead during an Army operation near the village of Benburb on June 15, 1974. Mr Hutchings maintained he only fired aimed warning shots into the air. The trial heard that prosecutors were unable to prove whether Mr Hutchings or another soldier, now dead, fired the fatal shots, as no forensic evidence was collected. Mr Hutchings, who was in the Life Guards, had pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder. He also denied a count of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. What is the timeline of the Northern Ireland troubles and peace process? Police officers and firefighters inspecting the damage caused by a bomb explosion in Market Street, Omagh, 1998 August 1969 British Government first send troops into Northern Ireland after three days of rioting in Catholic Londonderry. 30 January 1972 On 'Bloody Sunday' 13 civilians are shot dead by the British Army during a civil rights march in Londonderry. March 1972 The Stormont Government is dissolved and direct rule imposed by London. 1970s The IRA begin its bloody campaign of bombings and assassinations in Britain. April 1981 Bobby Sands, a republicans on hunger strike in the Maze prison, is elected to Parliament. He dies a month later. October 1984 An IRA bomb explodes at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, where Margaret Thatcher is staying during the Tory Party. conference Early 1990s Margaret Thatcher and then Sir John Major set up a secret back channel with the IRA to start peace talks. The communications was so secret most ministers did not know about it. April 1998 Tony Blair helps to broker the Good Friday Agreement, which is hailed as the end of the Troubles. It establishes the Northern Ireland Assembly with David Trimble as its first minister. 2000s With some exceptions the peace process holds and republican and loyalist paramilitaries decommission their weapons. May 2011 The Queen and Prince Philip make a state visit to Ireland, the first since the 1911 tour by George V. In a hugely symbolic moment, the Queen is pictured shaking hands with Martin McGuinness - a former IRA leader. Advertisement RESOLUTE TO THE END, DENNIS HUTCHINGS BATTLED TO CLEAR HIS NAME By GLEN KEOGH for the Daily Mail Dennis Hutchings was a proud man. Proud of his 26 years served with distinction in the Army. Proud of his 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A soldier, then company director, then retired family man. Not bad for a boy who grew up squatting with his family in an abandoned Army barracks in Blyth, Northumberland, before becoming a miner at 15. Sitting in a crown court dock in Belfast this month, service medals pinned to his chest, Mr Hutchings somehow maintained his dignified stoicism even as he listened to prosecutors outline his alleged role in a fatal shooting at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland almost 50 years ago. Prior to his trial, Mr Hutchings' regular consultant at the hospital near his bungalow in Cornwall warned him that travel to the province for his long-awaited hearing was not advised owing to his rapidly deteriorating health. His kidneys which required three rounds of gruelling dialysis each week no longer worked. An emergency appointment just days before his flight found fluid on his lungs. He was given six months to live. He lasted less than one. Mr Hutchings became the reluctant figurehead of the Northern Ireland veterans' movement, representing around 200,000 ex-servicemen campaigning for an end to the prosecutions of those who served during the conflict. To the end, remained resolute over his innocence. He could have taken a medical note from his doctor and had the trial postponed indefinitely. But, six years on from his initial arrest, his arms black and blue from the regular needles required to keep him alive, Mr Hutchings vowed to let a judge sitting without a jury in a procedure previously reserved for terrorists decide his guilt. That this all played out during the Conservative Party conference served only to highlight the Government's failure to keep to its promise of ending repeated investigations into those who served in Northern Ireland. Last night, Paul Young, of the Justice for Northern Ireland veterans group, said Mr Hutchings had been 'hounded to his grave without being able to clear his name'. Many of Mr Hutchings's supporters came out to offer their mental strength during the trial The former staff sergeant in the Life Guards was accused of the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham in a field near the village of Benburb, County Tyrone, on June 15, 1974. Just 36 hours earlier, a patrol led by Mr Hutchings had arrested four IRA suspects in the village but they knew a number had escaped. He was later mentioned in dispatches for his efforts in apprehending the men without bloodshed. On the fateful day in question, Mr Hutchings, then aged 33, was leading an Army patrol of two Land Rovers in the area when they came across 27-year-old Mr Cunningham near some bushes. Mr Cunningham, who was described as 'startled', failed to respond to calls to 'halt' and 'stop' and fled across the field. Mr Hutchings and another member of the patrol, known as Soldier B, gave chase. Five shots were fired in total. Three from Mr Hutchings' weapon and two from the rifle of Soldier B, who has since died. Little did they know, that a year before, Mr Cunningham was apprehended by another patrol when he was found in a similar area 'acting suspiciously'. He was only released when a passing doctor intervened and explained that he was his patient and suffered from learning difficulties which left him terrified of soldiers. It transpired that Mr Cunningham had the mental age of a child. Rather than having any connection to paramilitaries, locals said they were unable to even have coherent conversations with him. He was known to wear bailer twine as a belt or a clothes peg instead of a button. The fatal shot hit Mr Cunningham in the back. Mr Hutchings applied a field dressing to his wound and called for an Army helicopter but he died at the scene. As Mr Hutchings readily acknowledged, John Pat Cunningham should never have died that day. The soldiers were unaware of his difficulties and he became an innocent casualty of what those who fought for the UK state and those who fought for a united Ireland described as a 'war.' The veteran always maintained he fired only aimed warning shots into the air in attempts to get Mr Cunningham to stop running and Soldier B fired the shots which killed him, one striking him in the back. 'The soldier made his decision on what he saw,' Mr Hutchings said. 'It was just one of those things that happens in war.' Of the 3,250 people who lost their lives during the Troubles, only 301 around ten per cent were killed by the British military. Half of these were civilians tragically caught up in crossfire. Paramilitary groups including the Provisional IRA were responsible for the remaining 90 per cent, including 722 soldiers. A total of 1,441 military personnel died as a result of operations in Northern Ireland. That soldiers are still being hauled to court over alleged offences committed during the Troubles while IRA terrorists were effectively given get-out-of-jail cards as a result of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement is a disparity that many veterans cannot comprehend. Advertisement Amanda Clay was at her most vulnerable when she went to the police to report her adoptive father for historic child sexual abuse. Emotionally fragile, she was terrified no one would believe her. But police investigator Alan Butler quickly won her trust. Polite and sympathetic, Amanda felt safe as he listened to her harrowing account of the abuse. When she'd finished, Butler left her in no doubt that he not only believed her, but would do everything in his power to bring her adoptive father to justice. 'I've struggled with trust all my life, but I trusted Alan Butler 100 per cent,' says Amanda, 57, a former banking manager. 'I felt he was my knight in shining armour.' To begin with, Butler seemed to embody the sensitive new face of modern British policing in its handling of such cases. Certainly, Amanda never imagined that Butler a married father with more than 30 years' service with Warwickshire Police would betray her trust in the most appalling manner. But today, Amanda's knight in shining armour who helped to put her adoptive father behind bars is himself in prison. Two weeks ago, Butler, 64, was jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of two charges of misconduct in a public office. Amanda Clay was 'groomed' and 'manipulated' into a sexual relationship in 2015 by police worker Alan Butler who was investigating her case against her adoptive father Alan Butler, left, was jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of two charges of misconduct in a public office. Right: Amanda Clay, pictured at a charity show at the age of 21 Warwick Crown Court heard that Butler 'groomed' Amanda before 'manipulating' her into a sexual relationship in 2015, and in 2017 tried to form a relationship with another victim on whose case he'd worked. The second woman, also the victim of an alleged sex crime, complained to his bosses that Butler had groped her bottom when he visited her home and had 'coerced' her into kissing him. He denied the charges, but, jailing him, Judge Anthony Potter said: 'Your offending has had a profound effect on both women. You cynically made an assessment that if they were to complain, there was every chance their complaints would be disregarded. Not only must police officers be deterred from such conduct, but the public must see that condign [appropriate] punishment will follow for officers who betray the trust placed in them.' Superintendent Daf Goddard, head of the Warwickshire Police Professional Standards Department, said after the conviction: 'Butler abused his privileged position to exploit these vulnerable women and in doing so, abused trust and let down the public he was meant to be serving.' Amanda has now bravely waived her right to anonymity to encourage other victims of rogue officers to report them to protect others from harm, and urges police bosses to do more to restore trust. British forces have been thrown into crisis following the rape and murder of Sarah Everard, 33, by serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, who was last month given a whole-life sentence. 'I've struggled with trust all my life, but I trusted Alan Butler 100 per cent' Amanda Clay Couzens who'd previously been reported for indecently exposing himself to workers at a McDonald's restaurant handcuffed and abducted Sarah as she walked home in South London in March. Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick defended her force praising her officers for their 'highest standards' but in a speech in June, talking more widely about violence against women and girls, admitted: 'On occasion, I have a bad 'un.' But just how rare are those few bad apples? Last week, Channel 4's documentary series Dispatches, Cops On Trial, revealed that almost 2,000 serving officers, special constables and Police Community Support Officers across the nation were accused of some form of sexual misconduct over the past four years. Data returned by 39 police forces, in response to Freedom of Information requests, revealed more than 370 accusations of sexual assault, almost 100 accusations of rape, and 18 accusations of child sex offences. Only 8 per cent of allegations led to a dismissal. Research conducted by Bournemouth University and supported by the National Police Chief's Council relating to 514 proven cases of sexual misconduct across 33 forces over the past five years suggested that, in many instances, some officers were deliberately targeting women known to be vulnerable. Pictured: Amanda Clay at age 14 in 1978 Of those who were victims of police officers, 40 per cent were victims of previous domestic abuse, 20 per cent had mental health issues and 25 per cent had suffered previous sexual assault. just like victim Amanda Clay. Born to a 14-year-old in a mother and baby home, Amanda was adopted at birth by a childless couple who went on to adopt two further children before having a surprise baby of their own. Growing up in Warwickshire, she remembers her adoptive father, business owner Robert Ellis, as a 'controlling bully', who berated her for her poor grasp of mathematics and pushed her to excel at competitive swimming. She can't remember exactly when the sexual abuse started as young as four, she believes but she was 11 when it became a regular occurrence, taking place whenever her mother left the house to go shopping or visit a friend. She tried to tell her mum, she says, but explains: 'Being adopted, I already had a very fragile sense of identity. As much as I felt angry with him, and wanted it to stop, I was too frightened of being put into care. 'So it continued, on and off, until I left home at 19. The only way to cope with it was to completely dissociate from what was happening to me and go into a trance. That became my mode of survival.' Moving to North Yorkshire, she buried the memories and tried to get on with her life. She got married, had five children, but says: 'It was always there in my mind, every single day. I had flashbacks and long periods of anxiety and depression.' By the time she turned to counselling in middle age, Amanda had been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and functional neurological disorder, which triggered physical symptoms similar to multiple sclerosis. Her supervisor on the counselling course she was taking suggested that reporting her adoptive father to police might be a way for Amanda to come to terms with her abuse and enable her to move on. She says it took all her courage to go to Northallerton police station in 2015, where a female officer took her first statement, treating Amanda with kindness and sensitivity. 'I thought, even if it didn't progress, just the process of telling the police would make me feel better,' says Amanda. 'But once I'd made my video-recorded witness statement I thought: 'Yes, I do deserve justice for this ruined life.' Her case was transferred to Warwickshire, where the offences had taken place, and assigned to Alan Butler, who was employed as a staff investigator at Nuneaton CID after his retirement as a police officer with the force. 'The first time Alan called me I found him a little over-familiar, but I thought he was just trying to put me at ease, and he was very supportive,' says Amanda, whose communication with Butler was mostly over the phone to begin with because she lived 167 miles from Warwickshire. 'It was an awful, stressful time,' she recalls. 'My family was struggling with what was happening, my second marriage was breaking down, and there were times I felt Alan was the only person I could turn to. I felt he really cared about me.' Amanda first met Butler in person late in 2015, after her father's arrest, when she went to stay with her younger brother, who lived in Warwickshire. 'Alan's first words when I walked into the police station were: 'Ooh, you look a lot better than on the video interview. Normally, when people have been through what you have, they wear leggings and a big woolly jumper'. 'I was a bit taken aback, but just thought it was his attempt to be light-hearted, to help me relax because I was so anxious.' Butler took down Amanda's statement again in detail. The repeated dredging up of old memories left her so upset that it didn't register when a few inappropriate questions were thrown in such as 'did you like the pain?' During subsequent phone calls and home visits to update her on progress, professional and personal boundaries blurred further. After one of Butler's visits to the house she shared with her second husband, she remembers him asking her to follow him outside alone and remarked: 'I can see that you're not happy with him you deserve better.' I just sat there sobbing as I realised I had no choice but to report him, because I knew the chances of the other victim being believed were very slim Amanda Clay He later started to share details of his own marriage, suggesting he was unhappy, too. 'Once Alan came to see me while I was staying with family in Warwickshire, and after he left, my brother was furious, saying: 'That's not acceptable, totally out of order, I don't like him one bit.' 'I asked 'What do you mean?' and he said: 'Did you not realise he had his hand on your knee?' I hadn't even noticed. People kept warning me that he was interested, but I couldn't see it at all.' It was in 2016, as the legal process dragged on, that the increasingly personal relationship between investigator and witness became physical, in breach of ethics and police conduct rules. 'My marriage had broken up, I was at rock bottom and it felt as though my whole world was caving in,' says Amanda. 'I was under so much stress, I collapsed on the kitchen floor at my brother's house. I was all alone and the only thing I could think to do was reach out to Alan. 'I called him and when he came round, I just talked and talked, getting everything off my chest. 'As he was leaving, he suddenly turned to me and said: 'Oh God, I was just going to kiss you,' and I replied: 'Well, go on then.' I didn't find him physically attractive, but I think I wanted to feel loved.' From that moment, Butler was an increasingly regular visitor to the house, turning up when Amanda's brother was out. At the time, Amanda believed he loved her, but now feels she was exploited by someone she trusted for his own sexual gratification. Friends who could see what was going on, threatened to report him if she wouldn't, but she begged them not to. She thought no one would believe her word over his. Butler had talked about his 'friends in high places' and she couldn't cope with any more trauma in her life. Of those who were victims of police officers, 40 per cent were victims of previous domestic abuse, 20 per cent had mental health issues and 25 per cent had suffered previous sexual assault just like victim Amanda Clay Amanda had also come to rely on his support, without which she wasn't sure if she could face the daunting prospect of giving evidence against her adoptive father. In November 2016, Robert Ellis, then 80 and living in Nottinghamshire, was jailed for nine years after being found guilty of eight counts of indecent assault against Amanda, between 1975 and 1981. He was cleared of three counts of rape and two further charges of indecent assault. The stress of the trial behind her, Amanda, tried to distance herself from Butler. She told him she wanted 'a fresh start' and was planning to move back north. She thought that would be the end of it, but it was only the start of a new ordeal which would lead her back to Warwick Crown Court to give evidence against him. 'Not long after the verdict, Alan came round to the house, barged through the door, and said: ''Have you reported me?'' and then: ''You'd better not have'',' she recalls. 'I told him: ''No, I'd never do that, I've been through enough.'' 'He said: ''Well, someone has,'' and I started to cry as I kept insisting it wasn't me. He then told me it must have been another woman whose case he was investigating. 'I was horrified, but he insisted she was just trying to get back at him because he hadn't been able to get her attacker sent down. 'Then he started begging me to send an email to his bosses, saying how supportive he'd been. My head was whirling I didn't feel at all comfortable with that, but he said: ''Do it now, while I'm here.'' I refused and told him to go.' Butler returned 20 minutes later to apologise and told her he had no one else to turn to. Again, she asked him to leave. 'I just sat there sobbing as I realised I had no choice but to report him, because I knew the chances of the other victim being believed were very slim. 'He'd told me I was the only person he'd had an affair with, but what if there were others?' So, at a time when Amanda had been hoping to move forward, she instead faced more police interviews. Giving evidence in court against Butler, she says, felt even more traumatic than it had against her adoptive father. Butler claimed there'd been no sexual relationship at all, so being cross-examined on the most intimate details of their relationship felt humiliating. To help prevent future abuses of trust, Amanda is now calling for police forces to assign two officers to cases such as hers with one of them being female. 'All I ever wanted was justice for the abuse I'd suffered as a child, to move on and draw a line under it,' says Amanda. 'But this has taken six years out of my life.' 'Sometimes, I wish I'd never gone to the police in the first place because if you can't trust a police officer, then who can you trust?' A Colorado Uber driver was stabbed multiple times early on Monday morning after he told a group of teens they would not all be able to fit into his car. The victim, who has not been named, was called to South Broadway and Evans Avenue in Denver at around 12:15am, according to Fox 31 Denver. The adult driver got into a verbal altercation with the young group after he advised them that he would not be able to fit them all. He was then stabbed by the male teens when their altercation escalated into violence. The driver was stabbed at least twice in the back and stomach, according to the Denver Police Department. He was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive his injuries. An Uber driver was stabbed by a group of five male teens early Monday morning between South Broadway and Evans Avenue in Denver The boys stabbed the driver after they were told they would not be able to fit in the vehicle as per the ride-sharing company Uber's capacity rules The incident remains under investigation and no arrests have been made as of yet. It also remains unclear how the juvenile boys were able to request a ride from the car-sharing service. DailyMail.com has contacted Denver Police for a comment, and to find out whether the payment card used to book the car on the app will now be used to track down the attackers. One of Uber's policies is that those under 18 cannot request or get in one of their vehicles without an adult present. Uber drivers are allowed to dismiss or cancel rides if the requested rider is or looks under the age of 18. Capacity rules for the company's vehicles have also changed due to the effects of the pandemic. The limit of people allowed in one of their cars currently stands at a max of three people for a standard Uber X vehicle. No one is also allowed to sit at the front passenger's seat and masks must also be worn in the vehicle for the duration of the ride. Incidents of violent crimes have risen by 5.9% over the past year in Denver, according to the DPD Police have reported that the early Monday stabbing was one of many violent incidents that have recently occurred. The Denver Police Department also responded to the scene of a shooting almost an hour after the Uber driver was stabbed. They arrived to the 5700 block of N. Ceylon Street at around 1.30am where one adult had to be taken to a local hospital but was found in stable condition. Another shooting was reported at around 4.45 near W. 2nd Avenue and N. Santa Fe Drive where one man was also taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Incidents of violent crime has risen over the past year in the city of Denver by 5.9% with 3917 cases reported so far in 2021 as compared to 3699 in 2020 at this point in time. For decades Phil Collins has been accumulating a huge collection of memorabilia from the legendary siege of the Alamo. Now the 70-year-old Genesis frontman's hoard of weapons, clothing, letters and other artefacts are at the centre of another battle a very modern one about race. Critics argue the collection helps perpetuate a narrative that focuses only on the battle's white leaders and ignores Latinos, Native Americans and black figures. Pictured in San Antonio, Texas, British music legend Phil Collins donates what is considered to be the biggest collection of Alamo artefacts to the people of Texas On the other side are those who want the Alamo museum in Texas to simply remember the core participants of the 1836 battle between Texan rebels and Mexican soldiers. Collins has been obsessed since childhood with the battle and even believes he is a reincarnation of one of the defenders. He says he became fixated on the battle as a child growing up in Hounslow, west London, watching a 1950s Disney TV series about Alamo defender Davy Crockett and the 1960 John Wayne film The Alamo. As he became a multi-millionaire, he began collecting Alamo memorabilia, much of it linked to the leaders of the siege, including Crockett's rifle and Mexican general Santa Anna's sword. In 2014, Collins gave the 430-piece collection worth up to 10million to Texas. His only proviso was that, by 2021, the state create a museum at the Alamo a 300-year-old fortified mission in San Antonio that's now a tourist landmark to display it. The 24,000 sq ft building will cost 15million and is scheduled to open next summer. However, Hispanic-Texan activists say the collection will only reinforce the idea of a heroic struggle between a handful of whites and a Mexican horde. The Battle of Alamo in 1836: Critics have argued Phil Collins donating memorabilia of the event helps to reinforce narrative focusing on the historic battle's white leaders They want it to reflect the contributions to Texan independence of Texans of Mexican descent as well as Native Americans and black slaves. Local politicians say it should remain largely focused on the Alamo's leaders and the men many of whom had come from Britain who fought under them. The arguments have become so heated that armed protesters have turned up at the Alamo. George Cisneros, one of the leaders of the movement to make Alamo commemorations more multi-racial, said he feared the museum would be an 'expensive palace glorifying the Alamo myth'. But Brandon Burkhart, of the This is Freedom Texas Force, a conservative group, said: 'If they want to bring up that it was about slavery, or say the Alamo defenders were racist 'They need to take their rear ends over the state border and get the hell out of Texas.' The Alamo attracts 1.6million visitors a year and thanks to Hollywood has an almost mythical status for many Americans. The battle in 1836 lasted 13 days when fewer than 200 Texan volunteers were eventually overwhelmed by up to 6,000 Mexican troops. Collins, whose poor health means he has to sing from a chair, has not commented on the current row. Last week Genesis had to abandon their reunion tour because of Covid cases in the band. Victoria has recorded 1,749 new locally-acquired Covid cases and 11 deaths from the virus as the end of Melbourne's sixth lockdown nears. The state's health department on Tuesday morning confirmed Victoria now has 22,476 active cases, up by almost 150. There were 68,702 tests processed and 36,751 Covid-19 vaccine doses administered at state-run hubs on Monday. The new deaths take the toll from the state's latest Delta outbreak to 163. Victoria has recorded 1,749 new locally-acquired Covid cases and 11 deaths from the virus as the end of Melbourne's sixth lockdown nears. Pictured is a masked pedestrian at Albert Park Lake on Monday The figures came as Victoria's Covid-19 commander suggested businesses split staff into separate groups to avoid entire workforces being knocked out by the virus as the state reopens. With the state already managing more than 61,000 primary close contacts, Jeroen Weimar said the changes would minimise the impact of reopening on businesses and customers. 'It's not our intention to be in a world where ... every person in a pub is (a close contact) because one positive case has walked in for 15 minutes,' he told reporters on Monday. Mr Weimar said said it was likely there would still be about 22,000 active cases in the state on Thursday when the city's lockdown wraps up. 'There will be exposures in our shops, in our hospo and all of our other settings,' he said. 'It'll be down to how effective those control systems are as to minimise the impacts on other people around them at that time.' The race to get vaccinated has cemented the state's early reopening from 11.59pm on Thursday, which will see the end of lockdown, restrictions on leaving home gone as well as the scrapping of the controversial 9pm curfew. Restrictions on leaving the home in Melbourne will be lifted from 11.59pm on Thursday as part of Victoria's fast-tracked roadmap out of lockdown. Pictured are two people enjoying the sun in St Kilda on Sunday VICTORIA FAST-TRACKS ROADMAP Victoria's lockdown will end at 11.59pm Thursday with a raft of eased restrictions. * Reasons to leave home and curfew no longer in place * 10 people including dependents can visit a home each day * 15 people can gather outdoors * Pubs, clubs and entertainment venues can open to 20 fully vaccinated people indoors and 50 fully vaccinated people outdoors * Funerals and weddings allowed for 20 fully vaccinated indoors and 50 fully vaccinated outdoors * All students to return to school at least part-time * Hairdressing and beauty salons to open for up to five fully vaccinated people at a time. Advertisement 'I can't tell you how proud I am of our state. The resilience, the courage, the compassion and the conviction that Victorians have shown to get this job done is quite amazing,' Mr Andrews told reporters on Sunday. 'Not only am I proud but I am deeply grateful. But there is still a little way to go.' Large-scale construction sites can also increase to 100 per cent capacity but only if all workers are fully vaccinated. Those living in metropolitan Melbourne will still be banned from visiting regional Victoria. Restrictions will ease further when 80 per cent of the eligible population has received both vaccine doses. Pictured are police questioning members of the public during curfew in the Melbourne CBD Phones will be running hot for pubs, hairdressers and restaurants on Monday as fully vaccinated Melburnians race for a taste of freedom (pictured a cafe in Carlton's Lygon Street dining strip) The Victorian government has also confirmed it would add shorter isolation to its list of rule tweaks when the state hits its 70 per cent double-dose vaccination target. From 11.59pm on Thursday, isolation orders for fully vaccinated, non-household primary close contacts such as work colleagues and friends will be slashed from 14 days to seven. Restrictions will ease further when 80 per cent of the eligible population has received both vaccine doses, forecast by some data analysts to be as early as October 31. Meanwhile, more than 40 Victoria Police staff have been stood down and face losing their jobs after refusing to have a COVID-19 vaccine. Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is being held by police on suspicion of murdering the veteran Conservative MP Sir David Amess Anti-extremism schemes were shut down during the pandemic and many have still not restarted face-to-face. Projects including some operated by the Prevent programme were abandoned in the early days of the crisis, it is understood. They later resumed in the form of telephone calls between extremists and their handlers, making it almost impossible for their behaviour to be properly gauged. The projects then adopted online video calls and some face-to-face meetings. But the Daily Mail understands some crucial supervision is still taking place remotely, prompting fears that extremism has been allowed to flourish unchecked. Brendan Cox, the widower of murdered MP Jo Cox, said last night: We cant press the pause button on counter-extremism, especially not when lockdown made online recruitment easier. The Prevent programmes voluntary Channel scheme, which assesses and helps individuals at risk of radicalisation, was one of the key projects to suffer last year. It normally deals with 600 to 700 individuals at any one time, but its activities were carried out by phone for weeks, or even months, before moving to video conferencing. Some face-to-face meetings with individuals assessed to pose a lower threat have yet to resume, it is understood. CCTV of suspected MP killer Ali Harbi Ali, 25, walking from his home in Kentish Town towards Gospel Oak overground, and then believed to have continued his journey to Leigh-on-Sea, Essex Sources said the absence of face-to-face contact made it more difficult for officials, including police officers and psychiatrists, to assess individuals truthfulness and their compliance with the programme. Another scheme, called the Desistance and Disengagement Programme (DDP) which can be compulsory for known terrorists followed a similar pattern of telephone and online contact. A similar scheme in jails, called Healthy Identity Intervention, also came to a halt, it is understood. Hannah Baldock, of the counter-terror think-tank the Henry Jackson Society, said: When this scheme acts as the Governments first line of defence against terrorism, these shortcomings are deeply concerning. The suspect on CCTV on Friday morning, heading towards Essex where murdered MP Amess was to meet with his Southend West constituents The Government must urgently explain what measures are now being taken to mitigate the effects of this arms-length mentoring. Separately, a Home Office-commissioned report that called for an urgent law change making it illegal to glorify terrorism has still not received an official response eight months after it came out. The report published in February by the Commission for Countering Extremism said extremists can currently operate lawfully, freely and with impunity providing they stop short of directly encouraging violence or terrorism. But its findings are still being considered by the Home Office. A further troubling delay, set out in the Mail yesterday, has involved a review of the entire Prevent scheme. The Government promised a review at the beginning of 2019 but it did not begin work until this year and its findings are yet to be published. The Home Office said: During Covid-19, Prevent continued to provide intervention sessions sometimes face-to-face but in some instances via telephone. Now with the end of restrictions, most Prevent providers and Channel panels are able to operate in person. Twelve disability ambassadors have completed a zero-gravity flight 32,000ft above Earth as part of an initiative to advance disability inclusion in space. The crew, who have mobility, vision and hearing disabilities, experienced weightlessness and carried out a series of tests in an effort to better understand how spacesuits and space vessels can be made more accessible. They included scientists, veterans, engineers and artists. Twelve disability ambassadors have completed a zero-gravity flight 32,000ft above Earth as part of an initiative to advance disability inclusion in space. Centra Mazyck, an Army veteran and former Paralympian who is paralysed from the waist down, is pictured floating during a weightless parabola The 12 ambassadors in front of 'G-Force One'. From left to right, back row: Mary Cooper, Cheri Wells-Jensen, Eric Shear, Apurva Varia, Sina Bahram, Zuby Onwuta, Mona Minkara and Viktoria Modesta. Front row: Sawyer Rosenstein, Dana Bolles, Eric Ingram and Centra Mazyck What is AstroAccess? AstroAccess is an initiative dedicated to advancing disability inclusion in space exploration. On Sunday, a group of disabled scientists, veterans, students, athletes, and artists took part in a parabolic flight with the Zero Gravity Corporation (Zero-G). The AstroAccess ambassadors experienced weightlessness and carried out lunar gravity, Martian gravity, and zero gravity observations and experiments investigating how the physical environment aboard space vessels should be modified so that all astronauts, regardless of disability on Earth, can live and work in space. The ambassadors will also use their platform to act as public advocates for global disability access in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Advertisement The mission was led by AstroAccess, an initiative dedicated to advancing disability inclusion in space exploration. It saw the ambassadors, known as the Flight 1 Ambassador Team, take off on Sunday from Long Beach, California, aboard Zero Gravity Corporation's (Zero-G) 'G-Force One' plane. The aircraft flies in a parabolic arc pattern to create short periods of weightlessness in its cabin. Over the course of 15 arcs, the team carried out tasks including assessing the physical environment for accessibility, communicating safety procedures using multi-sensory methods and collecting data from demonstrations and experiments completed while weightless. They experienced lunar gravity, Martian gravity, and zero gravity conditions during the flight. One of the ambassadors, Sina Bahram, said: 'Floating in microgravity was the truest physical manifestation of pure joy and delight that I have ever felt in my life. 'I feel this joy because of the visceral nature of the experience, the progress being made by and for people with disabilities, the more inclusive future we are building, and the recognition that such a future will not exist without us.' As well as providing valuable insights on the future of spacecraft design, AstroAccess is also aiming to advance disability inclusion in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Viktoria Modesta floats upside down in zero gravity. Viktoria is a creative director and bionic pop artist who performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics in London Mona Minkara is pictured enjoying the zero gravity experience. She is an assistant professor of bioengineering at Northeastern University Apurva Varia, a space mission director, conducted demonstrations related to visual communications Anna Voelker, executive director of SciAccess and co-project lead of AstroAccess, said: 'Space removes the barriers between people; now is the time to remove the barriers to space itself. 'AstroAccess is sending a message to people who have historically been excluded from STEM that not only is there room for you in space, there is a need for you.' The mission was backed by a range of disability and space organisations, including DAV (Disabled American Veterans), Gallaudet University, the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Space Frontier Foundation, the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the Whitesides Foundation. Eric Ingram, is captured suspended horizontally in mid-air experiencing zero gravity. Eric is the CEO and Founder of SCOUT Inc. Sawyer Rosenstein is a news producer at WPBF. His demonstrations were based around accessible flight suit modifications for safety and control in microgravity environments In addition to the 12 ambassadors, onboard the flight were members of several American companies flying crewed spaceflight vehicles. George Whitesides, co-project lead of AstroAccess, said: 'Yesterday's successful flight was an important milestone in our mission to open space for all. 'The tasks and demonstrations carried out by our ambassadors will have a profound effect on the space industry at large, inform the design of future space vehicles, and pave the way for future astronauts with disabilities.' Marc Burgess, CEO of DAV, said the research 'will integrate disabled veterans and civilians alike into space and benefit the disabled community and humanity for years to come.' A microscope owned by Charles Darwin that was passed down through his family for almost 200 years is expected to sell for up to 350,000 when it goes up for auction in December. The scientific instrument originally gifted to Charles' son, Leonard was designed by the English microscope maker Charles Gould for the firm Cary in 1825. It is one of six known surviving microscopes associated with the British naturalist, who is best known for his contributions to our understanding of evolution. At the time when the microscope was manufactured, Darwin was studying 'zoophytes' such as corals, sea anemone and sponges from the Firth of Forth. It is likely Darwin used this instrument in these studies, as the only other microscope he is known to have owned at that time would have been ill-suited to the task. The instrument comes in, and is assembled upon, a mahogany box, and was passed from Leonard Darwin to his great-nephew, Edward Leonard Darwin. A microscope (pictured) owned by Charles Darwin that was passed down through his family for almost 200 years is expected to sell at auction for up to 350,000 in December The scientific instrument originally gifted to Charles' son, Leonard (pictured right in April 1916) was designed by the English microscope maker Charles Gould for the firm Cary in 1825. At this time, Darwin (pictured, left, five years later) was studying organisms known as 'zoophytes', which include corals, sea anemone and sponges The instrument comes in, and is assembled upon, a mahogany box (pictured), and was passed from Leonard Darwin to his great-nephew, Edward Leonard Darwin The microscope is one of six associated with the British naturalist that are known to have survived to the present day LEONARD DARWIN Leonard Darwin (18501943) was an English politician and economist, and the fourth son of Charles Darwin. Despite considering himself the 'least intelligent' of his immediate family, he went on several scientific expeditions. He joined the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1871 and the Ministry of War in 1877, before leaving the army in 1890. He served as the MP for Lichfield, Staffordshire, from 189295, and wrote considerably on many of the hot-button economic issues of the day, including bimetallism, Indian currency reform and municipal trade. At age 61, Leonard became strongly interested in the now controversial science of eugenics the notion that the human genome should be 'improved', typically by means of excluding certain groups from the gene pool. Eugenics was founded by Leonard's half-first cousin once removed, Sir Francis Galton, and chaired the British Eugenics Society from 1911 to 1928. Advertisement 'It is just incredibly spine tingling to look through this and see the microscopic world that Darwin would have seen in the 1820s and 30s,' said Christie's head of Scientific Instruments, Globes & Natural History, James Hyslop. 'Later in his life in 1858, there's a wonderful letter that he writes to his eldest son saying young Lenny was dissecting at his microscope and he said "Oh Papa, I should be so glad of this for my whole life". 'It's wonderful to have that family connection of Charles Darwin just before he becomes internationally famous.' The microscope has been valued at around 250,000350,000 ($343,050480,270). 'Charles Darwin is one of the biggest names in the history of science, and collectors for Darwiniana [items relating to Darwin] are truly international in breadth,' Mr Hyslop added. 'An instrument of such great scientific importance is incredibly rare, it is the only Darwin microscope to have ever been offered at auction.' Darwin's study of zoophytes was likely undertaken with the aid of this microscope, and began in 1826 when he was attempting to avoid his medical studies at the University of Edinburgh. Darwin would go on to present this research as his first scientific paper to the university's Plinian Society in 1827. The work contributed to the British zoologist Robert Edmond Grant's radical reinterpretation of the animal kingdom, in which he postulated that apparently simple creatures like the zoophytes were at the beginning of a natural order that led up to us humans. Darwin would later pick up this idea of the 'first' creatures in the crucial period of his scholarship during and in the immediate wake of the the second voyage of the survey ship HMS Beagle, which circumnavigated the globe from 18311836. The naturalist published his groundbreaking work 'On the Origin of Species' in 1859. During his voyage on the HMS Beagle, Darwin is known to have used one of the other microscopes now preserved at his erstwhile residence, Down House in Downe. The other instruments preserved there include a second Cary microscope, and a small botanical microscope. 'It is just incredibly spine tingling to look through this and see the microscopic world that Darwin would have seen in the 1820s and 30s,' Christie's head of Scientific Instruments, Globes & Natural History, James Hyslop, told Reuters 'Later in his life in 1858, there's a wonderful letter that he writes to his eldest son saying young Lenny was dissecting at his microscope and he said "Oh Papa, I should be so glad of this for my whole life",' Mr Hyslop told Reuters Darwin's final two microscopes were a large Smith & Beck compound microscope which is now held in the collections of the Whipple Museum in Cambridge and a prototype modified aquatic microscope developed by Darwin himself. This design was put into wider production by Smith & Beck in the 1840s. The microscope will go under the hammer at Christie's 'Valuable Books & Manuscripts' auction on December 15, 2021. 'It's wonderful to have that family connexion of Charles Darwin just before he becomes internationally famous,' Mr Hyslop (pictured here with the microscope) told Reuters NASA said on Sunday that it is already running into an issue with its nearly $1 billion Lucy spacecraft that will visit the 'fossils' of the solar system, as one of its solar arrays may not be 'fully latched.' The engineers behind the spacecraft, which launched Saturday morning from Florida, will investigate why one of the solar arrays has not locked into place yet. 'In the current spacecraft attitude, Lucy can continue to operate with no threat to its health and safety,' NASA wrote in a post on its website. Scroll down for video NASA said one of the solar arrays on its Lucy spacecraft is not 'fully latched' Despite the hiccup, the spacecraft, which launched on October 16 on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, has deployed both of its solar arrays and they are producing power and the battery is charging. All the other subsystems on the $981 million (715 million) spacecraft are operating 'normal,' NASA added. The mission's engineers will investigate why the arrays has not fully latched yet. Lucy can continue to operate with no threat to its health and safety' Dr Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said he was 'confident' the team behind Lucy would figure out the situation. 'NASAs #LucyMission is safe & stable. The two solar arrays have deployed, but one may not be fully latched,' Zurbuchen tweeted. 'The team is analyzing data to determine next steps. This team has overcome many challenges already and I am confident they will prevail here as well.' Both solar arrays were folded when Lucy was put into the ULA rocket and deployed once the spacecraft was orbiting around Earth. Lucy launched on October 16 on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket (pictured) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station NASA said on Saturday that the solar arrays were deployed 91 minutes after the craft was launched. DailyMail.com has reached out to NASA with a request for comment for this story. The Lucy mission probe is 51.8ft wide and 46ft from top to bottom, and comes equipped with solar panels on each side that help power its instruments. The Lucy spacecraft has solar panels on each side to help power its instruments and is 51.8 feet wide and over 46 feet from tip to tip These instruments include a color visible imager, a thermal emission spectrometer, and a infrared imaging spectrometer. The mission is named for the famous human ancestor, first discovered in 1974 and the hit Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. It will explore seven of the Trojan asteroids, that have been called 'fossils' of the solar system, as well as one asteroid in the main belt. The seven Trojan asteroids are named after characters from Greek mythology: Eurybates, Queta, Polymele, Leucus, Orus, Patroclus and Menoetius. The Trojan asteroids orbit the sun in two massive swaths - the one in front of Jupiter (L4) and one that is behind it, known as L5 There are currently over 4,800 known Trojan asteroids, with 65 percent of them are in the L4 group, while the other 35 percent are in the L5 group The Trojan asteroids orbit the sun in two massive bands: the one in front of Jupiter (L4) and one that is behind it, known as L5. There are currently over 4,800 known Trojan asteroids, according to Swinburne University, with 65 percent of them are in the L4 (in front) group, while the other 35 percent are in the L5 group. The Trojan asteroids are known as the 'fossils' of the early solar system because they are comprised of ancient material that was around when the planets formed. The Lucy mission, which will last for 12 years, was named for the famous human ancestor, first discovered in 1974 and the hit Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. In visiting these ancient celestial objects, the U.S. space agency hopes to understand more about how the planets formed 4.5 billion years ago and why they ended up where they did. During the course of its 12-year long mission, Lucy will travel approximately 4 billion miles. Once it finishes its flyby mission, Lucy will continue orbiting between the two groups of Trojan asteroids, and will be doing so for about a million years. NASA scientists are hopeful that it will remain in good enough condition to provide extra scientific details, beyond mission parameters, in its first extra loop. In July, NASA announced that the Lucy mission would bring inspired words from the likes of Carl Sagan, Albert Einstein, The Beatles, Martin Luther King Jr. and more. NASA's Lucy mission to the Trojan asteroids that orbit Jupiter will bring a plaque that will act as a 'time-capsule,' including quotes from Carl Sagan, Albert Einstein, The Beatles and more Earth's hard outer shell has 'wobbled' over the eons to an extent much greater than previously thought, according to a new report. Researchers led by geologist Joe Kirschvink at the Tokyo Institute of Technology's Earth-Life Science Institute found evidence in Italy that the Earth's crust tilted 12 degrees south about 84 million years ago. That's equivalent to more than than 1,000 miles, enough to push New York City to where Tampa, Florida, is now. 'Imagine looking at Earth from space,' Kirschvink said in a release. 'True polar wander would look like the Earth tipping on its side, and what's actually happening is that the whole rocky shell of the planet the solid mantle and crust is rotating around the liquid outer core.' Kirschvink's team analyzed paleomagnetic data from pink Scaglia Rossa limestone found in Central Italy's Apennine Mountains. The Apennines were created in the Cretaceous period, between 145.5 and 65.5 million years ago, and crosses the boundary of a major geomagnetic reversal, known as the Chron 33R / 33N transition, that occurred about 80 million years ago. Scroll down for video According to 'true polar wander,' because the Earth's exterior mantle surrounds a molten liquid layer and a solid metal core, it tilts independently of the planet's rotational axis. Such a tilt 84 million years ago moved the Earth crust's 12 degrees, or more than 1,000 miles, before 'snapping back' into place The theory of 'true polar wander' suggests that because the Earth's exterior mantle surrounds a molten liquid layer and a solid metal inner core, it can tilt independently of the planet's rotational axis and even move the planet's magnetic poles. True polar wander occurring today can be analyzed precisely with satellites imagery, but pinpointing any drifting from millions of years ago is much harder. Thankfully, shifts in the Earth's magnetic fields leave traces in rock strata that can provide a clearer picture. Microscopic magnetite crystals actually line up like compass needles, and leave a permanent marker in the sediment when the rock solidifies, 'in much the same way that a magnetic tape records your music,' according to the institute. 'These Italian sedimentary rocks turn out to be special and very reliable, co-author Sarah Slotznick, a geobiologist at Dartmouth College, said in the release, 'because the magnetic minerals are actually fossils of bacteria that formed chains of the mineral magnetite.' Pictured: Samplings taken from Italy's Apennine Mountains (right), which crosses the boundary of a major geomagnetic reversal known as the Chron 33R / 33N transition that happened about 80 million years ago Latitude shift recorded in the Scalgia Rossa limestone in the Apennines shows that Italy took a brief excursion towards the Equator between 86 and 80 million years ago, coincident with a rotation observed from magnetic data co Their report suggests the Earth's crust has slowly lurched about three degrees every million years. 'True polar wander, or planetary reorientation, is well documented for other planets and moons and for Earth at present-day with satellites,' the authors wrote 'But testing its prevalence in Earth's past is complicated by simultaneous motions due to plate tectonics.' Samplings taken from northern and central parts of Italy's Apennine Mountains (above) proved the Earth's outer mantle had wobbled 12 degrees between 80 and 86 million years ago From about 86 to 78 million years ago, the crust wandered off about 12 degrees, they say, but 'snapped back' to its original position over a period of about five million years, for a shift of nearly 25 degrees total. Pictured: Scaglia Rossa limestone in Italy's Apennine Mountains. The sedimentary rocks are reliable at gauging Earth's tilt because minerals in them leave microscopic compass points indicating shifts in the Earth's magnetic fields and any 'wobble' the external crust may have experienced 'This observation represents the most recent large-scale true polar wander documented, and challenges the notion that the spin axis has been largely stable over the past 100 million years,' the authors wrote. That tilt may have been caused by a course change in the Pacific Plate, Earth's largest tectonic plate: After long sinking under a plate to the north, The Pacific Plate shifted direction around 84 million years ago and started getting subsumed by another plate to the west. In 2018, geologists reported that, within the last 12 million years, Earth's crust shifted relative to its axis enough to push Greenland far enough toward the North Pole that it launched an ongoing ice age Previously research suggests true polar wander may have sparked Earth's latest Ice Age about 3.2 million years ago. In 2018, geologists at Rice University reported that, within the last 12 million years, Earth's shifting relative to its axis pushed Greenland far enough toward the North Pole that it launched an ice age that is still ongoing. They came to that conclusion examining the position of the mantle that created the Hawaiian Islands, as well as by analyzing the magnetic signature of oceanic crust and fossil signatures from deep within the Pacific. 'The Hawaiian hot spot was fixed, relative to the spin axis, from about 48 million years ago to about 12 million years ago, but it was fixed at a latitude farther north than we find it today,' co-author Daniel Woodworth with Rice's Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, said at the time. That was only about a three-degree shift, said Gordon, 'but it had the effect of taking the mantle under the tropical Pacific and moving it to the south, and at the same time, it was shifting Greenland and parts of Europe and North America to the north.' That may have triggered an Ice Age the Earth is still technically experiencing with the poles covered with ice and thick glacial sheets growing and receding from the region over time. Relatively few planetary bodies are thought to have shifted their axis after forming but in 2016, astrophysicists at Southern Methodist University reported the Moon also 'wobbled' after it was formed. 'Billions of years ago, heating within the Moon's interior caused the face we see to shift upward as the pole physically changed positions,' said planetary scientist Matt Siegler. 'It would be as if Earth's axis relocated from Antarctica to Australia.' The study has been published in the scientific journal Nature Communications. Amazon announced Monday that it plans to add 150,000 seasonal jobs for the upcoming holidays in the U.S., as the e-commerce giant expects a Christmas shopping season characterized by high demand and supply shortages. The announcement represents a 50 percent increase from last year, when Amazon brought on roughly 100,000 seasonal workers. According to its last earnings report, Amazon is the second-largest private employer in the U.S after Walmart, with 950,000 employees nationwide. At the end of 2020, it had 1.3 million full-time, part-time and temporary workers worldwide. The hiring frenzy comes during a major U.S. labor shortage and increased union activity that's led it and other companies to increase wages in time for the crucial end-of-year shopping period. In September, Amazon increased its average starting salary to more than $18 an hour. Seasonal roles will include sign-on bonuses of up to $3,000 and, depending on shifts, an additional $3 per hour salary. Scroll down for video Amazon says its bringing on 150,000 seasonal workers for the holidays. Positions include sign-on bonuses of up to $3,000 and, depending on shifts, an additional $3 per hour Amazon is also proposing free college tuition in some cases to to beef up its numbers, CNBC reported. Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia and Illinois are among the states that will have the highest number of seasonal jobs, said Amazon, which is also investing in building additional warehouses. The online giant has also started recruiting for 20,000 Christmas-season positions in the United Kingdom. Department store chain Macy's also announced plans last month to hire about 76,000 full- and part-time workers during the holiday season. Last month, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy (pictured) said the company was planning to hire 55,000 corporate and technology roles globally almost as many as all of Facebook's work staff. Target said it plans to take on 100,000 seasonal workers, while Walmart indicated it's looking to fill some 150,000 slots 'for the holidays and beyond.' But Amazon has been on a hiring spree since the start of the pandemic, bringing on 500,000 employees in 2020 alone. In September, new CEO Andy Jassy said Amazon is planning to hire 55,000 people for corporate and technology roles globally almost as many as all of Facebook's work staff. Jassy, who replaced Jeff Bezos as Amazon's top executive in July, told Reuters that the online giant needed more firepower to keep up with demand in retail, cloud computing and advertising, among other ventures. He added that Project Kuiper, Amazon's $10 billion plan to boost broadband access with low-orbit satellites, would require a lot of new hires, too. 'There are so many jobs during the pandemic that have been displaced or have been altered, and there are so many people who are thinking about different and new jobs,' Jassy said, citing a PriceWaterhouseCooper survey indicating that 65 percent of workers wanted a new gig. He said that reality made Amazons Career Day on September 15 so timely and so useful,' he said. The new hires would represent a 20 percent increase in Amazon's tech and corporate staff. Amazon also plans to open several 30,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar department stores across the US, selling clothing, household items, electronics and other home goods, The Wall Street Journal reported in August. The company is so eager to staff up across the board its stopped considering pot-smoking a deal-breaker. Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, and Illinois are among the states that will have the highest number of seasonal jobs, said Amazon, which is also investing in building more warehouses Beth Galetti, Senior VP of Human Resources, wrote in a blog post last month that the company has 'reinstated employment eligibility for former employees and applicants who were previously terminated or deferred during random or pre-employment marijuana screenings.' In total, 43 states and the District of Columbia have varying degrees of legalization of cannabis. Galletti said the changes were made for a number of reasons, including that pre-employment marijuana testing 'disproportionately impacts people of color and acts as a barrier to employment. In September, Amazon asked delivery partners not to screen potential drivers for marijuana usage to help overcome labor shortages. Amazon will still screen for weed for those who apply for positions that are regulated by the Department of Transportation, it said. Amazon's headquarters is in Washington State, which was among the first to legalize recreational use of the drug in 2012. The company is also constructing a second headquarters in Virginia, which decriminalized marijuana via state legislature in 2020. Amazon has previously touted an 'office-centric culture,' but later dialed back its vision and offered workers the opportunity to spend just three days a week at its offices in person starting next year. Earlier this year, a failed attempt at unionizing by Amazon workers in Alabama put the company's taxing warehouse work and aggressive anti-union stance on display. Asked how he might change Amazon's demanding workplace culture, Jassy claimed the e-tailer's heavy focus on customers and inventiveness set it up for improvements. 'Everybody at the company has the freedom - and really, the expectation - to critically look at how it can be better and then invent ways to make it better,' he said. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, on the verge of being replaced later this year, is showing no signs of slowing down, taking an incredible image of a galaxy 80 million light-years from Earth which depicts a 'burst of star formation.' The spiral galaxy, known as NGC 4666, is approximately 80 million light-years away and in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4666 is known as a 'starburst galaxy,' due to the fact it rapidly forms stars, according to a statement from NASA. The Hubble Space Telescope snapped a photo of a galaxy showing a 'burst of star formation.' NGC 4666 is approximately 80 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo The agency believes NGC 4666s starburst is 'likely due to gravitational interactions with its unruly neighbors including the nearby galaxy NGC 4668 and a dwarf galaxy, which is a small galaxy made up of a few billion stars. 'NGC 4666s burst of star formation is driving an unusual form of extreme galactic weather known as a superwind a gigantic transfer of gas from the bright central heart of the galaxy out into space,' NASA added. This 'superwind' is the result of a wind caused by the gas of dying stars and energetic supernova explosions. There have been two supernova explosions that occurred in NGC 4666 in the past 10 years, one in 2014 and the other in 2019, NASA notes. The 2019 supernova was '19 times as massive' as the sun, the U.S. space agency added. NASA notes the amount of 'superwind' that is coming from NGC 4666 is 'truly vast in scale' and extends for tens of thousands of light-years, though it is invisible in the image. In 2010, the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile saw a faint galaxy cluster 3 billion light-years away from NGC 4666, thanks to its X-ray capabilities. In 2010, the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile saw a faint galaxy cluster 3 billion light-years away (bottom) from NGC 4666, thanks to its X-ray capabilities It can, however, be seen in X-ray or radio observations, but not with the Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). The Hubble used its WFC3 to snap the photo and it has been responsible for other discoveries in recent memory, such as the discovery of a jet of blue gas that looks like a light-saber. The Milky Way is also considered a spiral galaxy, among the most common types of galaxies. These galaxies have arms that stretch out from the center of them to form pin-wheel like or spiral structures. Most spiral galaxies are comprised of a flat, rotating disk of stars, gas and dust. The group of stars in the center is known as a bulge. The Hubble used its Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) to snap the photo The Hubble, which has operated for over 30 years, is set to be replaced by the $10 billion James Webb Telescope when it launches later this year. It will head into space from French Guiana on December 18, after a series of delays. Since its launch in April 1990, the Hubble has taken more than 1.5 million observations of the universe, and over 18,000 scientific papers have been published based on its data. It orbits Earth at a speed of about 17,000mph (27,300kph) in low Earth orbit at about 340 miles in altitude, slightly higher than the International Space Station. The telescope is named after famed astronomer Edwin Hubble who was born in Missouri in 1889 and discovered that the universe is expanding, as well as the rate at which it is doing so. Individual billionaires like Elon Musk and Oprah Winfrey are admired by the public who only think it's unfair that the super-rich control so much money as a group. This is the finding of a study by researchers from the Ohio State University and Cornell University who conducted a series of surveys around income inequality. This difference in the way billionaires are seen alone vs as a group may affect how much people support wealth taxes on the super-rich to reduce income inequality. Companies with greater degrees of income inequality tend to have higher rates of homicide, more infant mortality, lower well-being and a less rigorous democracy. Income inequality had grown substantially over the past decades and, in particular, during the pandemic. According to Americans for Tax Fairness and the Institute for Policy Studies Program on Inequality, US billionaires saw their wealth rise by 1.8 trillion in this period. Individual billionaires like Elon Musk (pictured) and Oprah Winfrey are admired by the public who only think it's unfair that the super-rich control so much money as a group WORLD'S WEALTHIEST BILLIONAIRES Elon Musk ($219.3 billion) Jeff Bezos ($197.7 billion) Bernard Arnault ($182.1 billion) Bill Gates ($132.6 billion) Larry Ellison ($125.8 billion) Larry Page ($121.3 billion) Mark Zuckerberg ($118.6 billion) Sergey Brin ($116.9 billion) Warren Buffet ($102.7 billion) Mukesh Ambani ($102.5 billion) SOURCE: Forbes's Billionaires List Advertisement 'When theres this group of people at the top, we think thats unfair and wonder how luck or the economic system may have played a role in how they made all the money,' said paper author and marketing expert Jesse Walker of Ohio State. 'But when we look at one person at the top, we tend to think that person is talented and hard-working and theyre more deserving of all the money they made.' In their study, Professor Walker and colleagues conducted eight experiments in which a total of 2,800 people were surveyed about their opinions on the super-rich. In one study, for example, 201 respondents were asked to consider income disparity between 'average' workers and CEOs. One group of these participants were informed that the salaries of the CEOs of America's largest 350 companies had grown on average from 48 times that of the average employee in 1995 to 372 by the present. For the other group, however, this information was framed in the context of one specific company Avnet and its CEO. Both groups, however, were told that experts attributed the growth of the largest 350 companies, or Avnet specifically, to the efforts of their CEOs. The researchers found that those people were asked to consider income disparity in the context of Avnet alone felt that its CEO should have a much larger salary relative to the average employee than did those who thought about all 350 CEOs. 'We appear to be a bit more tolerant of lavish compensation when it is an individual CEO being compensated, rather than CEOs as a group,' Professor Walker said. This difference in the way billionaires are seen alone vs as a group may affect how much people support wealth taxes on the super-rich to reduce income inequality. Pictured: popular billionaire and American TV personality, Oprah Winfrey Professor Walker added that the way that the wealthy are portrayed by society and the media has a significant role in how accepting people are of income inequality. In another experiment, therefore, one set of subjects were shown a modified Forbes magazine cover that highlighted twelve of the world's wealthiest people and provided readers with a brief description of each. The team had edited the cover to remove those more recognisable billionaires like Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates leaving only seven obscure individuals about which participants were unlikely to have particular positive or negative biases. The other set of volunteers, in contrast, were shown a similar cover in which only one of the seven unfamiliar billionaires was represented. Each participant was asked to write a few sentences expressing how they felt about the billionaire or billionaires, how much they felt the person/people deserved their wealth and how they felt these riches were earnt. 'How we express and communicate information about inequality is important. Talking about "the 1 per cent" is going to get a different reaction than personalising it by talking about one person in that exclusive club,' noted Professor Walker. Pictured: Jeff Bezos, who was recently overtaken as the world's wealthiest man by rival Elon Musk According to Professor Walker, the results were 'striking' with those who wrote about an individual billionaire being significantly less angry and more likely to attribute their subject's success to hard work and talent. 'People in our study were clearly more upset by the wealth of the seven individuals pictured on a cover than they were by any one of them pictured alone,' he said. Furthermore, those who saw the seven billionaires together on the cover were found to be more in favour of using an inheritance tax to close the gap between the wealthy and the poor than those who were presented with one billionaire alone. 'How we think of the wealthiest people as a group or as individuals seems to affect even our policy preferences,' he said. 'How we express and communicate information about inequality is important. Talking about "the 1 per cent" is going to get a different reaction than personalising it by talking about one person in that exclusive club,' noted Professor Walker. 'And as consumers, we need to pay attention to how we react to news about the rich and inequality,' he added. 'How that information is presented to us can influence us, even our policy preferences, in ways that we may not always consciously realise.' The full findings of the study were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The rivers and tributaries on Saturn's moon Titan could help NASA's upcoming mission to the celestial satellite learn more about its geology and whether it's capable of supporting life, a new study suggests. Astronomers, led by those at Cornell University, looked at Titan's map of rivers and tributaries and determined that the shapes of the rivers can give additional information on how deep they are or what occurred in the region. They also found that the images they used to study Titan likely underestimated the drainage density, which could show how they operate on the distant moon. The rivers and tributaries on Saturn's moon Titan could be helpful for NASA's upcoming mission to the celestial satellite to learn more about its geology and if it's capable of supporting life Astronomers determined the shapes of the rivers on Titan (pictured) can give information on how deep they are or what occurred in the region 'The channel systems are the heart of Titan's sediment transport pathways,' said study co-author Alex Hayes in a statement. 'They tell you how organic material is routed around Titan's surface, and identifies locations where the material might be concentrated near tectonic or perhaps even cryovolcanic features.' In 2018, scientists found evidence of a 4,000-mile-wide 'ice corridor' on Titan could be evidence of ancient volcanic activity. Given that Titan is the only place in the solar system known to have liquids (aside from Earth) on the surface, understand how the rivers work is important to understand its sediment transport system and the moon's geology. 'Further, those materials either can be sent down into Titan's liquid water interior ocean, or alternatively, mixed with liquid water that gets transported up to the surface,' Hayes added. The researchers studied Titan's rivers by looking at Earth-based radar images of rivers in places like Alaska, Quebec and other parts of the planet and comparing them to radar images that NASA's Cassini spacecraft took of the moon The researchers studied Titan's rivers by looking at Earth-based radar images of rivers in places like Alaska, Quebec and Pilbara, Western Australia The researchers studied Titan's rivers by looking at Earth-based radar images of rivers in places like Alaska, Quebec and Pilbara, Western Australia. They compared them to radar images that NASA's Cassini spacecraft took of the moon, before it intentionally plunged itself into Saturn in September 2017. In doing so, they were able to understand the limits of Cassini's dataset and what will likely need more studying ahead of the Dragonfly expedition. 'Although the quality and quantity of Cassini [Synthetic Aperture Radar] images put significant limits on their utility for investigating river networks,' study lead author Julia Miller said. 'They can still be used to understand Titan's landscape at a fundamental level.' Titan (pictured) is well known to have a Martian-like landscape, as scientists mapped the icy moon in 2019, revealing a landscape full of mountains, lakes, plains, craters, valleys and 'labyrinth terrains' Titan is well known to have a Martian-like landscape, as scientists mapped the icy moon in 2019 (using data from the Cassini spacecraft), revealing a landscape full of mountains, lakes, plains, craters, valleys and 'labyrinth terrains.' Unlike Earth, Titan's liquids are in methane and ethane form and not water. The methane lakes can reach more than 300 feet deep on some parts of Titan, particularly in the northern polar region. However, Titan, the second largest moon in the solar system behind Ganymede, is well-known to have a thick crust made of water ice. Getting a further understanding of Titan's hydrologic system can give astronomers insight into how it differs from Earth's. 'Examining Titan's hydrologic system represents an extreme example comparable to Earth's hydrologic systemand it's the only instance where we can actively see how a planetary landscape evolves in the absence of vegetation,' Hayes added. Dragonfly (pictured) was originally set to launch in 2026, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed back the launch date to 2027 Dragonfly was originally set to launch in 2026, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed back the launch date to 2027. The study was published in the Planetary Science Journal. Last year, researchers discovered that Titan is moving away from the planet at four inchers per year, compared to the 1.5 inches that the moon is moving away from Earth. Kick It Out are planning talks with Newcastle to discourage fans from wearing tea towels on their heads in a misguided celebration of the club's new Saudi owners. Hundreds of supporters donned home-made head-dresses for the Public Investment Fund's first game in charge against Tottenham at St James Park on Sunday, creating a spectacle that dismayed Kick It Out and influential FA figures. Kick It Out spent Monday collating reports of anti-discriminatory behaviour from the weekend's fixtures as they do every Monday, and are waiting to discover if there were any specific complaints of incidents at Newcastle before contacting the club. Kick It Out have planned talks with Newcastle regarding fans wearing tea-towel head-dresses Magpies supporters have been making the gesture to celebrate the new Saudi-led ownership Sportsmail has learned the equality and inclusion group are likely to offer education workshops in Newcastle to fans to explain how wearing tea towels in an attempt to impersonate Arabs could be considered racist, offensive, or culturally insensitive. Senior figures at the FA are also concerned by the situation, and may become involved if it is not dealt with by the club. The sight of many members of the Toon Army wearing tea towels was particularly jarring as it took place at the Premier League's No Room for Racism campaign, which will run over the next fortnight with fans being asked to challenge and report any incidents of discrimination. The equality and inclusion group want the club to educate fans on how it may cause offence The issue of cultural appropriation has become a major talking point in UK sport this season. Premiership rugby club Wasps called for a nationwide ban on the wearing of Native American headdresses by Exeter Chiefs fans earlier this month. Exeter are refusing to drop the Chiefs moniker despite major American franchises undergoing rebrands, including the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians. On the one hand, you couldnt really blame Christopher Columbus for spending almost four years looking out on the sparkling waters of Cadiz Bay before embarking on a voyage to a place his friend Amerigo Vespucci would later lend his name to. But, even allowing for meticulous preparation, four years sounds a little excessive. Then who wouldnt be reluctant to leave the Bay of Cadiz with all that wine, sherry, seafood, dancing and sunshine? At least Columbuss navigator, Juan de la Cosa, used his time wisely. Paving the way for fellow conquistadors, he drew the first global map to include the New World in Cadiz Bay in 1500. Magnificent: Cadiz town hall. Mal discovers 'an irresistible sense of "apartness"' in the old seaport So there was Cadiz, just five centuries ago, the fulcrum of the known world and today you cant even get a direct flight there. Which, with Spanish serendipity, has granted this old seaport a sense of apartness that is utterly irresistible. Winter can be a lean time for festivities in Europe, but I struck lucky in old Cadiz. After a swim in the still-warm waters lapping the charming town beach, La Playa de la Caleta, I strolled back to my hotel via the Avenida Duque de Najera. The big event of the day (actually one of two big events) was just kicking off. An elderly lady had opened her car door into the path of a bus. Somehow the door was now embedded in the bus. Everyone had an opinion the lady, the bus driver, all the passengers, the Guardia Civil officers, the woman who sold wine on the beach, a man on horseback, a family on a Honda 50cc motorbike and me. The other big event of the day was scheduled for that evening. La Patrona de Cadiz Our Lady was on walkabout through the old town. And when I say old Im using that word with some precision parts of the city stretch back 3,000 years. Mounted on a huge wooden platform, the statue of Nuestra Senora del Rosario was being paraded along the cobbled streets. The parade was accompanied by uniformed brass bands, town bands, church bands. Cadiz musicians like to keep their hands in on every available occasion this one, as well as honouring Our Lady, was rehearsing for next Februarys carnival. After a lockdown lay-off, the pre-Lenten carnival is back from February 24 to March 6. Revellers at the citys famous carnival, which are reckoned to be the wildest in Spain, according to Mal Given that weve missed a year, its likely to be even more outrageous than usual. On Shrove Tuesday we in Britain make pancakes. But elsewhere in the world carnival reaches its crescendo. Music, carousing, general licentiousness and extravagant firework displays these sum up many pre-Lenten festivals in southern Europe. I need only say that the Cadiz celebrations are reckoned to be the wildest in Spain. And in a country where there is a noticeable lack of words for calm down, thats a reasonable boast. Just bring your own flame-retardant gear, as one Cadiz friend told me. The carnival lasts two weeks, but as the bands and the choirs, the theatre groups and flamenco dancers are practising every week theres a carnival atmosphere all year round. Meanwhile, back in town the Patrona swayed through the tight alleyways. I watched from an old tapas bar as she made her sedate way back to the massive baroque Cadiz cathedral. Cadiz, pictured above, will host its annual carnival from February 24 until March 6 next year TRAVEL FACTS Hotel Boutique Convento Cadiz (hotelconventocadiz.com) has double rooms from 49. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Jerez, a 30-minute drive from Cadiz, with fares from 59. Advertisement The carnival festivities, just like the Easter fiesta processions and the La Patrona walkabout, follow a road map begun by those indomitable traders, the Phoenicians. Should you wish to worship Mammon after your brush with spirituality, its a short walk to the shopping district round la Plaza San Juan de Dios. From here, stroll up to Plaza Libertad, home of the oldest indoor market in Spain. Life in Cadiz is a communal affair, carried out in the streets, in bars, and in the squares under the lemon trees. In the Plaza de San Antonio, as the sun set over the Atlantic, I drained my glass of cava and watched garrulous Cadiz life taking place around me. Nearby an elderly gentleman was gesticulating wildly into a phone, shouting at 120 words a minute, with occasional gusts maybe up to 160. Probably saying: Madre mia! What do you mean you opened the car door into the path of a bus? Dad's Army actor Frank Williams checks in to our travel Q&A This week Frank Williams, the actor renowned for his role as vicar Timothy Farthing in Dad's Army, checks in to our travel Q&A. He recalls holidaying by the seaside when World War II was declared, his very first jaunt abroad, filming a Guinness advert in Paris, and more... EARLIEST HOLIDAY MEMORY? Going to the seaside up until 1939 when our family holidays came to an abrupt end. Indeed, we were in Brighton when war broke out. FIRST TRIP ABROAD? Going to Switzerland with my mother one summer in the late 1940s. We walked in the mountains, took a cruise on Lake Lucerne and saw the Rhone Glacier. EVER TRAVELLED FOR WORK? I appeared in an episode of the TV drama Maigret in Paris in the early 1960s, and while there went up the Eiffel Tower. I also filmed a Guinness advert in the city; apparently the company had lots of cash in France. DID YOU GET TO HOLLYWOOD? No, but I got to make a film, Oh! Heavenly Dog, in Montreal. The star was a dog and it couldnt film here for quarantine reasons. The highlight was going up Mont Royal. Frank saw the Rhone Glacier, pictured, on a trip to Switzerland with his mother in the late 1940s MOST MEMORABLE TRIP? Joining Derek Nimmo on a Middle and Far Eastern tour of the play Lloyd George Knew My Father. I visited Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore. Derek had friends everywhere so we got invited to lunch often. DREAM DESTINATION? I never got to visit New York and Australia, but I dont think I could face such a long journey now Im 90. Georgia Love made headlines last week after leaked emails showed her chastising her colleagues in the Channel Seven newsroom for their grammar. And while the former Bachelorette, 33, prides herself on being a stickler for accuracy, a closer look at her 'grammar note' tells a rather different story. The Herald Sun published an email sent by Georgia to the Seven News Melbourne team in which she criticised journalists for incorrectly using the word 'surgeries'. Whoops! Seven News reporter Georgia Love, 33, considers herself a stickler for accuracy, but a closer look at last week's controversial 'grammar note' tells a rather different story Georgia said 'the word surgery doesn't need to be pluralised', and that the word 'surgeries' had improperly crept into the English language. However, the word 'surgeries' is regarded as grammatically acceptable when used in certain contexts - such as in reference to various types of specific surgeries. For example, the sentence, 'All leg and arm surgeries were cancelled,' is correct. 'Doesn't need to be pluralised': On Friday, The Herald Sun published this email sent by Georgia to the Seven newsroom, criticising journalists for incorrectly using the word 'surgeries' The word 'surgery', on the other hand, can be used when referring to the general practice of surgery - for example, 'All surgery is cancelled.' Georgia's email also contains several errors - including its reference to 'bug bears' as two separate words. The term 'bugbear', meaning a pet peeve, is actually one word. Word up: The word 'surgeries' is regarded as grammatically acceptable when used in certain contexts - such as in reference to various types of specific surgeries Georgia also used the grammatically questionable word 'snuck' in her memo, writing: 'It's just one of those bug bears [sic] that's incorrect but has snuck into our language.' 'Sneaked' is the past tense of 'sneak', while the irregular verb 'snuck' is considered a colloquialism that has only entered the English language in the past 100 years. Ironically, use of the term 'surgeries' is generally regarded as more grammatically acceptable than 'snuck'. Error: Georgia's email also contains several errors - including its reference to 'bug bears' as two separate words. The term 'bugbear', meaning a pet peeve, is actually one word Georgia made headlines on Friday after being called out for chastising her Seven News colleagues for their grammar. She was shamed by a senior reporter, in leaked emails obtained by The Herald Sun, for correcting the newsroom over the supposedly incorrect use of the word 'surgeries' in an email titled 'grammar note' last week. The reality star began her email: 'Hi friends! Just a note on using the word "surgery" it doesn't need to be pluralised. You have surgery, not "a surgery", so you don't have "surgeries". Ie. "all elective surgery is cancelled." How did that word sneak in? Georgia also used the grammatically questionable word 'snuck' in her memo. 'Sneaked' is the past tense of 'sneak', while the irregular verb 'snuck' is considered a colloquialism that has only entered the English language in the past 100 years 'Alternatively, can use "operations" or "procedures". Eeeeeeeeeeveryone does it, it's just one of those bug bears [sic] that's incorrect but has snuck into our language.' The email was sent by Georgia following a bulletin read by reporter Melina Sarris. In another leaked email, a senior reporter called out Georgia for her 'unreasonable' memo, encouraging the team to 'carry on' with their 'great work'. Leaked email: The email was sent by Georgia following a bulletin read by reporter Melina Sarris The email read: 'Hi friends. Just a note to say this note is not helpful or reasonable. Please carry on your great work and forget about it. You're all doing a great job under difficult circumstances. Keep it going we love you. Xxx.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Seven and Georgia's representatives for comment. Last month, Georgia was pulled from her on-air duties at Seven and relegated to the production desk just days after posting a 'racist' video on Instagram. The journalist had sparked backlash for sharing footage of a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant and writing: 'Shop attendant or lunch?!' Hitting back: In a leaked email also obtained by The Herald Sun, a reporter called out Georgia for her 'unreasonable' memo, encouraging the team to 'carry on' with their 'great work' Ouch: The email read, 'Hi friends. Just a note to say this note is not helpful or reasonable. Please carry on your great work and forget about it. You're all doing a great job under difficult circumstances. Keep it going we love you. Xxx' She deleted the video an hour later and apologised for causing 'offence', but at the time denied the post had any racist 'insinuation'. Georgia had also posted a similar 'joke' about pets and Chinese restaurants in 2013. Following a workplace investigation, Seven alerted staff via email that Georgia had been 'counselled' and reassigned to an off-camera role 'effective immediately'. Change: Last month, Georgia was pulled from her on-air duties at Seven and relegated to the production desk just days after posting a 'racist' video on Instagram Backlash: The journalist had sparked backlash for sharing footage of a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant and writing: 'Shop attendant or lunch?!' A Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'We have addressed this matter internally and disciplinary action has been taken. 'Seven does not condone this inappropriate conduct and all of our staff have the right to work in a safe, nurturing workplace free from prejudice.' Georgia was understood to be 'devastated' and 'deeply sorry for her actions', and personally apologised to her colleagues. 'I want to apologise for an inappropriate post on my personal social media account this week and for an old post which has resurfaced,' she said in a staff email at the time. Addressing the post: 'I meant absolutely no insinuation about the type of animal nor the type of restaurant, but I see that my post did not come across like that and was offensive,' she wrote online 'I'm deeply sorry for the hurt that I've caused and, in particular, for offence to the Asian community. It certainly wasn't my intention. 'My posts were inappropriate and offensive. There is no excuse for perpetuating racist stereotypes in any forum. 'I am committed to moving forward, learning and growing in my new role and I hope that in time I can earn your trust back.' Khloe Kardashian reflected on all the ways that Good American has helped 'push the boundaries' and 'revolutionize' the fashion industry on its 5-year anniversary. The 37-year-old reality star spoke about what her size-inclusive line has done for both her and women around the world, in a video posted to Instagram on Sunday. Founded by she and Emma Grede in 2016, Khloe had previously confessed in a recent Health Magazine spread that the brand stemmed from her feeling 'excluded my whole life' when it came to clothes, based on her size. Half a decade: The 37-year-old Good American founder spoke about her inclusive line 'revolutionizing the industry' and pushing boundaries as she celebrated the company's five-year anniversary Changing lives: Khloe Kardashian reflected on all the ways that Good American has helped 'push the boundaries' and 'revolutionize' the fashion industry on its 5-year anniversary Khloe talked directly to the camera wearing a white long sleeve top that showed off a bit of cleavage. Her blonde hair was down and she sported hefty eye makeup and a pair of silver earrings. 'Good American it's your birthday! I cannot believe you are five years old! You are my baby, I love you, I'm so proud of all that we have done as a brand together inclusivity, everything, I'm so proud of you and I can't wait to see where you are in five years,' she said. And in the caption she continued to gush of the brand (which began exclusively as denim): '5 years of revolutionizing the industry and pushing the boundaries of inclusivity, body representation, and female empowerment.' Personal project: The reality star had previously confessed 'We started having a conversation about clothes and how I felt excluded my whole life,' which she said was the beginning of the company Greetings: She talked directly to the camera wearing a white long sleeve top that showed off a bit of cleavage Kisses: Khloe signed off by blowing a few kisses at her followers flashing long acrylic nails and a handful of gold rings Kardashian had talked about the brand's origin, her longtime body issues and feeling left out of the fashion industry due to her large size. 'We started having a conversation about clothes and how I felt excluded my whole life. I've fluctuated. At my largest, I was a 14 or 16which, by the way, is totally standard in the U.S. 'I always felt excluded from my own familynot by them. On shopping trips, I couldn't shop where they shopped. I'd be indirectly told by brands that their clothes weren't for me because they didn't produce a dress in my size,' she said. Growing up: 'On shopping trips, I couldn't shop where they shopped,' she said of her sisters Kim and Kourtney, adding 'I'd be indirectly told by brands that their clothes weren't for me because they didn't produce a dress in my size'; pictured 2007 For everyone: 'We built Good American always keeping representation and inclusivity at its core,' she told Health of their mantra; pictured 2019 'We built Good American always keeping representation and inclusivity at its core. It wasn't a fad that we were trying to follow,' she continued to say also revealing that the company had walked away from many 'lucrative deals because they weren't willing to carry the full size range.' 'We didn't need another denim brand in the world. We needed inclusivity. We needed people to feel represented,' Khloe maintained. Her partner Emma Grede who was the first Black female guest shark on Shark Tank this season spoke to the brand's success on the show, after it did $1 million in sales on the day it launched. The brand is now estimated to be worth more than $12.25 million. Additionally Grede is also the co-founder of Kim Kardashian's SKIMS as she continues to work with famous family on making clothing for women with curves like that of their own. More than denim: 'We didn't need another denim brand in the world. We needed inclusivity. We needed people to feel represented,' Khloe maintained of the brand Children's cartoon series Bluey is one of Australia's most successful TV exports, with viewers in more than 60 countries around the world. But Aussie fans are up in arms over calls to 'Americanise' the show for international audiences by including themed episodes about Thanksgiving and Halloween. 'They don't need to meet an American dog. They dont need Thanksgiving introduced,' one frustrated parent wrote in a Bluey online community. Hands off! Aussie fans are up in arms over calls to 'Americanise' children's cartoon series Bluey for international audiences by including themed episodes about Thanksgiving and Halloween However, they conceded that 'a Halloween episode would be cute and relevant because Halloween is becoming a thing in Australia, especially for kids.' Another viewer pushed back against any American influence over the ABC show. 'I hope they keep this show as Australian as possible simply because that's why we all like it. Because its not like the other shows. And if they change it to fit other places then it wont be an Australian show anymore and itll lose its magic,' they wrote. Debate: 'They don't need to meet an American dog. They dont need Thanksgiving introduced,' one parent wrote in a Bluey online community. However, they conceded that 'a Halloween episode would be cute and relevant because Halloween is becoming a thing in Australia' One American fan weighed in, saying the show should remain completely Australian. 'I don't want it to be Americanized either. Its great the way it is. I'd love to see more of [Australia's] holidays and tradition,' they said. Another U.S. parent wrote: 'I really love that the show is based on their Australian culture because Ive learned so much from them. 'I think Ive learned just as many new words as my kids have.' Local: One American fan weighed in, saying the show should remain completely Australian It comes after reports that Bluey, which is known for its distinctive Australian accents and turns of phrase, is changing the way American schoolchildren speak. Kids in the United States are beginning to speak with an unmistakable Australian twang after tuning in to Bluey, a series that follows a lovable family of blue heelers. The cartoon has become wildly popular in the U.S. after premiering on the Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney+ in September 2019. Influence: It comes after reports that Bluey, which is known for its distinctive Australian accents and turns of phrase, is changing the way American schoolchildren speak Last year The New York Times described the show as 'the biggest Australian export since The Wiggles' - the country's most famous children's band. The cartoon stays true to its true-blue roots and is packed with 'g'day' greetings and unmistakably Aussie phrases like 'show us your thongs, muffin!' Jason Manganella, a Massachusetts-based real estate agent and father, said his young daughter had started to incorporate Australian words into her vocabulary after becoming huge fans of Bluey. Mr Manganella said even his four-year-old daughter quickly understood the cartoon's unique Aussie phrases, and had started calling breakfast 'brekky'. 'A few terms that would be Australian slang have been picked up by my daughter,' he told ABC Breakfast. 'She also tells me every once in a while that she needs to go to the dunny.' Phenomenon: The cartoon has enjoyed exponential success across America after it premiered on the Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney+ in September 2019 The internet has exposed American kids to new voices and accents, meaning the broad vowels and absence of a strong 'r' pronunciation of the distinctive Aussie twang is now easier for them to follow. Jane Gould, Disney's senior vice president of content strategy and insights, said the internet continued to play a large role in helping kids understand their world. 'Our kids live in a much more global community than the adults do,' Ms Gould told The New York Times. Peppa Pig, a cartoon that follows the adventures of Peppa and her little brother George, has enjoyed similar success in the United States. Children soon started mimicking the characters' prim English accents, swapping 'mommy' for 'mummy' and pronouncing foods like their British peers. Julianne Hough is opening up about the controversy she was involved in regarding The Activist, the scuttled reality show CBS had planned until a backlash led network officials to repackage it as a documentary. 'I think the greatest thing that I learned is to listen to what's happening, to gather information and to really try to learn,' the 33-year-old celeb told People Saturday while appearing at the EMA Awards Gala in Van Nuys, California. The Dancing with the Stars personality said that she now has 'more of a fire to focus on the things that need attention' in the wake of the pushback over the show, which she had been set to be a judge on. The latest: Julianne Hough, 33, is opening up about the controversy she was involved in regarding The Activist, the scuttled reality show CBS had planned until a backlash led network officials to repackage it as a documentary. She was snapped at an event in LA on Saturday Hough said that 'the greatest thing you can do is to just learn and to grow and to be open to different perspectives.' Hough told the publication that she spoke with multiple activists about the situation, and that many showed 'their deepest kindness by sharing and opening up' amid the time. 'I reached out to so many people who offered their knowledge and their perspective in a way that was inviting and welcoming versus being judgmental,' she said. She said the response she received 'was kindness at its finest and it really showed that humans really do want to unify and help each other and that touched my heart.' Rounded: Hough told the publication she spoke with multiple activists about the situation, and that many showed 'their deepest kindness by sharing and opening up' amid the time Stylish: The Dancing with the Stars alum donned an orange beaded ensemble from AlietteNY The premise of the proposed CBS series - in conjunction with Global Citizen and Live Nation - was toward bringing 'meaningful change to one of three urgent universal causes: health, education and the environment' via the efforts of six activists, the network said. In addition to Hough, Usher and Priyanka Chopra were slated to serve as judges on the series, which would have used social media engagement as a measuring device for participants. One of the critics included police-reform activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham, who explained their disdain for the show in an MSNBC appearance. 'Besides the fact that there will be millions of dollars spent on hair, makeup, travel, celebrity hosts and judges, production, distribution that could have gone to the activists and organizations that will be featured, this is deeply dangerous,' Cunningham said. 'This extends a societal belief about what a good activist looks like: someone who is ready for prime time, someone who fits a particular archetype and is great on social media and is perfectly marketable.' Plans: In addition to Hough, Usher and Priyanka Chopra were slated to serve as judges on the series Hough described the feedback she received from activists as 'kindness at its finest' Last month, Hough took to Instagram to comment about the controversy, which she called 'a powerful demonstration of real-time activism CBS last month revealed that it was converting the format of the show amid the pushback over the nature of the series, with critics saying it was tone-deaf to cast celebs as judges. 'It has become apparent the format of the show as announced distracts from the vital work these incredible activists do in their communities every day,' the network said in a statement with its collaborators. Last month, Hough took to Instagram to comment about the controversy, which she called 'a powerful demonstration of real-time activism. 'Thank you for using your voices, calling me in, your accountability, and your candor,' she said. 'I am deeply listening with an open heart and mind.' He's wrapping up a months-long tour with his brothers. But on Sunday Kevin Jonas was all about his wife and kids as they enjoyed a day under the Florida sun riding jet skis. The 33-year-old father-of-two took to the beach in Miami with his wife of almost twelve years, Danielle Jonas, 35, and their daughters Alena Jonas, seven, and Valentina Jonas, four. Day of fun: On Sunday Kevin Jonas was all about his wife and kids as they enjoyed a day under the Florida sun riding jet skis The family-of-four loaded onto jet skis, two-apiece, ahead of The Jonas Brothers show in West Palm Beach on Sunday night. Kevin wore dark, round sunglasses and a pair of salmon-colored swim trunks with a printed pattern by Mavrans. He steered a yellow jet-propelled vehicle with his older daughter sitting in front of him as his wife controlled a blue one with their younger tot. Danielle's thick brunette hair was pulled into a messy bun, keeping it out of her face as she enjoyed the water. Family time: The 33-year-old father-of-two took to the beach with his wife of twelve years, Danielle Jonas, 35, and their daughters Valentina Jonas and Alena Jonas On the water: The family-of-four loaded onto jet skis, two-apiece, ahead of The Jonas Brothers show in West Palm Beach on Sunday night Nautical style: Kevin wore dark, round sunglasses and a pair of salmon-colored swim trunks with a printed pattern by Mavrans The little girls wore goggles over their eyes and their mom donned a pair of shades. The family looked like they were enjoying themselves as they sped around the ocean during their yacht day. The clan is traveling for the final month of the Remember This Tour, which kicked off in August. Also on Sunday, the eldest of the Jonas Brothers took to Instagram to interact with his nearly 5 million followers. 'Hey you. Yeah, you! Coming to the show tonight in West Palm Beach??' he asked fans underneath a photo of him on stage holding a guitar and pointing to a camera. Aquatic team: He steered a yellow jet-propelled vehicle with his older daughter sitting in front of him as his wife controlled a blue one with their younger tot Social media appearance: Also on Sunday, the eldest of the Jonas Brothers took to Instagram to interact with his nearly 5 million followers Relationship timeline: Kevin and Danielle met while each vacationing with their families in the Bahamas back in May 2007 Kevin and Danielle met while each vacationing with their respective families in the Bahamas back in May 2007. The two tied the knot in 2009, and starred in an E! reality show called Married to Jonas that lasted two seasons in 2012 and 2013. In an interview with People magazine, the pop star gave his wife all the credit for raising their 'responsible' daughters. When daughter Alena chose to go to school instead of skipping to see her father perform he told the publication, 'It all goes back to her mother and the way she was raised. I did some things, but it's all Danielle.' America's Got Talent judge Sofia Vergara reunited with her second husband Joe Manganiello in Ireland for romantic sightseeing adventures. The Colombian 49-year-old arrived in the capital Dublin last Tuesday while her 44-year-old Italian stallion has been in the republic since early September. On Saturday, Joe gave Sofia a tour of the 814-year-old Dunlough Castle located on Cork's Mizen Peninsula. 'Family time in Ireland!' America's Got Talent judge Sofia Vergara reunited with her second husband Joe Manganiello in Ireland for romantic sightseeing adventures (pictured Saturday) Vergara - who boasts 47.1M social media followers - captioned her tourist slideshow: 'Turistiando.' Joining the Modern Family alum and Manganiello was their beloved chihuahua Bubbles, whom they adopted from the LA shelter Dogs Without Borders around November 2019. The Mid-Atlantic Emmy winner was already familiar with the castle as well as the Cliffs Of Moher thanks to National Tour Guide Of Ireland staffer Fergus. On Sunday, Sofia shared her 'Peaky Blinders look of the day' while standing amongst castle ruins and green grass. Visiting her man: The Colombian 49-year-old arrived in the capital Dublin last Tuesday (pictured) while her 44-year-old Italian stallion has been in the republic since early September Three Castle Head: On Saturday, Joe gave Sofia a tour of the 814-year-old Dunlough Castle located on Cork's Mizen Peninsula Vergara - who boasts 47.1M social media followers - captioned her tourist slideshow: 'Turistiando' Tiny! Joining the Modern Family alum and Manganiello was their beloved chihuahua Bubbles, whom they adopted from the LA shelter Dogs Without Borders around November 2019 Not his first time: The Mid-Atlantic Emmy winner was already familiar with the castle as well as the Cliffs Of Moher thanks to National Tour Guide Of Ireland staffer Fergus (L, pictured September 25) Vergara - who runs a Walmart clothing line - wore a grey tweed coat and matching flat cap with a white top, yellow bag, ripped blue skinny jeans, and white sneakers. The four-time SAG Award winner Instastoried a cute video of little Bubbles performing an 'Irish jig' on a stone while clad in a silver puffer coat. Sofia also had a close encounter with a nearby herd of sheep at the seaside spot. The Koati actors - who began dating in 2014 - will celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary on November 22. Fan of the BBC One series: On Sunday, Sofia shared her 'Peaky Blinders look of the day' while standing amongst castle ruins and green grass Fashion: Vergara - who runs a Walmart clothing line - wore a grey tweed coat and matching flat cap with a white top, yellow bag, ripped blue skinny jeans, and white sneakers Gif: The four-time SAG Award winner Instastoried a cute video of little Bubbles performing an 'Irish jig' on a stone while clad in a silver puffer coat Meeting the locals: Sofia also had a close encounter with a nearby herd of sheep at the seaside spot Still going strong! The Koati actors - who began dating in 2014 - will celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary on November 22 While visiting Fitzgerald's Park in Cork, Joe enjoyed a pond-side lunch from Jackie Lennox's Chipper. 'Getting my pre-dinner on in the land of my ancestors,' Manganiello wrote on Friday. In Dublin last Wednesday, the Zack Snyder's Justice League action star and Vergara dined on savory steak at Shanahan's on the Green. 'Getting my pre-dinner on in the land of my ancestors': While visiting Fitzgerald's Park in Cork, Joe enjoyed a pond-side lunch from Jackie Lennox's Chipper 'Chihuahua-sized filet': In Dublin last Wednesday, the Zack Snyder's Justice League action star and Vergara dined on savory steak at Shanahan's on the Green Cozy: On Saturday, the brunette bombshell Instastoried a video of her fireside Irish breakfast prepared at their Cork hotel 'Fun times': Sofia seemed to especially enjoy the decadent offerings of the dessert cart from a masked and bow-tied staffer On Saturday, the brunette bombshell Instastoried a video of her fireside Irish breakfast prepared at their Cork hotel. Sofia seemed to especially enjoy the decadent offerings of the dessert cart from a masked and bow-tied staffer. Joe is in Ireland filming his role as Earth diplomat right-hand man Tomm Schultz in AMC's upcoming utopian drama series, Moonhaven. On-set snap: Joe is in Ireland filming his role as Earth diplomat right-hand man Tomm Schultz in AMC's upcoming utopian drama series, Moonhaven (pictured September 12) Streams October 29 on Shudder! But first, audiences can catch Manganiello voicing Mongrel in Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King's animated film The Spine of Night '#sofiaactive': Meanwhile, Vergara launches her sporty new Walmart collection in stores and online this Wednesday Peter Ocko's suspense thriller also stars The Lord of the Rings alum Dominic Monaghan as local detective Paul Serno - according to Deadline. But first, audiences can catch Manganiello voicing Mongrel in Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King's animated film The Spine of Night, which streams October 29 on Shudder. Meanwhile, Vergara launches her sporty new Walmart collection in stores and online this Wednesday. The Block's Luke and Josh Packham have reportedly 'given up' on completing renovations on their home after a series of setbacks. According to a report by Woman's Day magazine on Monday, the 27-year-old twins may not finish their property after struggling with the show's challenges. A source told the publication that after being plagued by 'money, will and patience issues', they've been left defeated. Tools down: The Block's Luke and Josh Packham have reportedly 'given up' on completing renovations on their home after a series of setbacks 'They've just given up,' said the insider. 'The whole house is a shambles, an utter mess. They don't care anymore. One morning they just slept in while everyone else was up and working.' The show's judges - Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Neale Whitaker - are apparently 'really angry' by their resignation. Packham it in: According to a report by Woman's Day magazine on Monday, the 27-year-old twins may not finish their home after struggling with the show's challenges 'They believe they've disrespected The Block and all that it stands for,' added the source. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Nine for comment. It comes after the twins revealed how they cope with public scrutiny, including backlash from viewers on social media. 'The whole house is a shambles, an utter mess. They don't care anymore. One morning they just slept in while everyone else was up and working,' said a source In an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, Luke said he goes by the mantra of not worrying 'what others think of you', while Josh revealed how he only uses social media 'minimally'. 'Don't worry about what others think of you. It's something very simple and it couldn't be more relevant in the world we live in today,' Luke told the publication. 'People are so afraid to speak their beliefs or try something new out of fear they might be shut down. I've come to realise that as soon as you release yourself from what others think you will lead a more authentic and fulfilling life.' He's the renowned fashion designer who has enjoyed regular cameo roles on The Real Housewives of Melbourne since its inception seven years ago. And ahead of his return to the franchise this year, Melbourne couturier Alin Le' Kal has revealed just why the 2021 season will stand out from the rest. Alin, who will make several appearances this season, exclusively told Daily Mail Australia this week that the show's storyline will be much 'lighter' this year, primarily as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Real Housewives of Melbourne star and fashion designer Alin Le' Kal (pictured) has reveals why this year's season will be completely different to others 'I found that filming with them this time was a lot more fun, and more light. It wasn't as heavy as last time,' he explained. 'With the way the world's going, with the pandemic and all of that, and because it's been a while since they've filmed, they kind of wanted it to be lighter,' he said, adding: 'The cast have a lot more fun this season, it's not so aggressive.' Alin, who counts original cast-members Gamble Breaux and Janet Roach as close friends, also noted that the social dynamic has shifted this season thanks to the arrival of four new housewives. In good company: Alin, who will make several appearances this season, exclusively told Daily Mail Australia this week that the show's storyline will be much 'lighter' this year, mainly as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Pictured: RHOM stars Janet Roach (left) and Gamble Breaux (right) Breath of fresh air: 'With the way the world's going, with the pandemic and all of that, and because it's been a while since they've filmed, they kind of wanted it to be lighter,' he said, adding: 'The cast have a lot more fun this season, it's not so aggressive' This season introduced yoga teacher Cherry Dipietrantonio, 'Champagne Dame' Kyla Kirkpatrick, TV journalist Anjali Rao and business manager Simone Elliott. Fan-favourites Gamble, Janet and Jackie Gillies have meanwhile returned to the beloved franchise. The latest season was also filmed in Melbourne during lockdown - a situation that presented difficulties for production staff. Safety first! Describing his experience on-set during lockdown, Alin said: 'Everyone had to wear masks, and we had to just be careful.' Pictured: Gamble Breaux New crew: Alin also noted that the social dynamic has shifted this season thanks to the arrival of four new housewives. Pictured L-R: Kyla Kirkpatrick, Anjali Rao, Janet Roach, Jackie Gillies, Gamble Breaux, Simone Elliott, Cherry Dipietrantonio Stunning work: Alin's (right) work caught critics' attention in 2016 when Real Housewife of Melbourne star Gamble stepped out in an intricately beaded frock made from 120,000 glass pearls Describing his experience on-set during lockdown, Alin said: 'Everyone had to wear masks, and we had to just be careful.' 'It was a closed set so there wasn't anyone coming in or out. It was just cast and production,' he added. Alin's work caught critics' attention in 2016 when Real Housewife of Melbourne star Gamble stepped out in an intricately beaded frock made from 120,000 glass pearls. Designer to the stars: He has amassed an international celebrity following, dressing the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland (pictured wearing an Alin Le' Kal gown), Paris Hilton, Julia Morris and Sophie Monk A-list: Alin is pictured with his client, Lindsay Lohan Australian celebrity fanbase: Comedian Julia Morris recently wore this dramatic gown by Alin Le' Kal While Alin is basked in Victoria, his designs can be found in exclusive boutiques across the globe, including in Paris. He also recently opened his newest store in Melbourne's very own South Yarra. He has since amassed an international celebrity following, dressing the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, Paris Hilton, Julia Morris and Sophie Monk. The Real Housewives of Melbourne airs Sundays at 8.30pm on Foxtel's Arena. Succession Rating: Welcome back to the Logan Roy Show. The vicious, bullying, billionaire mogul, that monstrous thug controlling a global media empire, has completed a hostile takeover of his own TV serial. Despite a Senate probe into his odious business practices and two attempts by his son to oust him, as well as a near-fatal stroke, Logan remains the towering force at the centre of Succession (Sky Atlantic). His four children and the other characters wives and ex-wives, rivals, henchmen circle him like anxious jackals and vultures gathering to fight for scraps around a lion gorging on its prey. This was not how Succession was meant to pan out. As actor Brian Cox revealed in the Daily Mail on Saturday, when he signed up he expected that his character would be written out after the first year. Despite a Senate probe into his odious business practices and two attempts by his son to oust him, as well as a near-fatal stroke, Logan remains the towering force at the centre of Succession (Sky Atlantic), writes Christopher Stevens The clue is in the title. All the emphasis was originally meant to be on the internecine warfare of the siblings emotionally-damaged Kendall (Jeremy Strong), conflicted Shiv (Sarah Snook), feral Roman (Kieran Culkin) and fruit loop Connor (Alan Ruck). But the spectacle of Logan's volcanic anger is too mesmeric for his creators to allow him to fade. Every time we think he has burned out, the red-hot lava erupts again. At one point as the third series begins in an episode aired here at 2am this morning, simultaneously with the US screening, and repeated in the UK tonight the ageing boss appears befuddled. He's mislaid his phone. He is quiet, distant, almost vacant. Shiv and Roman watch him from across the room, out of the corner of their eyes, whispering: 'He's toast. Is he toast?' At one point as the third series begins in an episode aired here at 2am this morning, simultaneously with the US screening, and repeated in the UK tonight the ageing boss appears befuddled And then, with a snarl, he's awake and in control, and those rebellious children are scrambling to serve him like waiters bringing room service to a tyrannical guest. In a show renowned for its lacerating and occasionally shocking dialogue, where the cast are encouraged to shoot half a dozen versions of scenes with different sweary put-downs, Logan has all the most quotable lines. Phoning Kendall, who has just appeared before the world's cameras to denounce his father for covering up rape and murder, the old man finds himself talking to a secretary. She asks if she can take a message. 'Tell him,' Logan growls, 'I'm going to grind his f*****g bones to make my bread.' He's a fairytale ogre and he's relishing every filthy mouthful. Cox has a simple technique to heighten the drama. Like a child twiddling the volume control, he surges from a whisper to a bellow and back again, almost as often as he draws breath. When a desperate executive asks if they can stop moving long enough to eat, Logan asks quietly: 'Food?' And then he roars: 'Swallow! We're on saliva and adrenaline here.' In a show renowned for its lacerating and occasionally shocking dialogue, where the cast are encouraged to shoot half a dozen versions of scenes with different sweary put-downs, Logan has all the most quotable lines Even the US President isn't safe from this fury. After the leader of the Western World side-steps a phone call, Logan refuses to talk to anyone else at the White House: 'I don't speak to the babysitter!' Small wonder his children are nervous wrecks. The new series opens with Kendall in a New York bathroom, shaking with fear at his own audacity in betraying his father. To calm himself, he curls up in the bathtub in a foetal ball. Jeremy Strong's portrayal of mental disintegration is the most disturbing element in the show. Logan is half-way around the world, flying over the Balkans with a pair of helicopters that swoop and cross each other's paths in an aerial ballet. When they land, his senior executives stagger out on to the tarmac, both air sick and shellshocked by their boss's seismic mood swings. The most devious of them, Frank the lawyer (Peter Friedman), sums up the flight: 'I got fired, he got fired, she got promoted, I got rehired, she got demoted.' That's the whole story. No one ever wins or loses for long because Logan is playing them all against each other, spinning them like plates. You could skip half a dozen episodes and pick up the story almost where you left it except that you'd miss so many subtle shifts of allegiance. One character stands slightly outside the frenzy. Dimwit nephew Greg (Nicholas Braun) is happy just to get through the day without being savaged, though he has no clue how to achieve this. You could skip half a dozen episodes and pick up the story almost where you left it except that you'd miss so many subtle shifts of allegiance. One character stands slightly outside the frenzy There's a hilarious scene on a New York street with Kendall surrounded by baying TV reporters, and Greg struggling behind him. He's clearly been told to say nothing to the Press because he's yelling: 'No comment! No comment!' like he's trying to hail a taxi in an alien language. Ever since we first met Greg, bumbling around one of his family's theme parks in a cartoon costume, he has been a lamb among the wolves, protected by his own innocence but for how long? Perhaps his destiny echoes that of the helpless young Bran Stark in Game Of Thrones ... to be ignored by the warring factions, until finally he is crowned king. The other characters are too busy fighting each other to see him. They're so intent on their enemies they don't dare allow their concentration to slip for a moment. They all know Logan will never relinquish power as long as he has a pulse, but they're addicted to the drama of it just as we are. The Madame Blanc Mysteries Rating: The Larkins Rating: Murder on the Antiques Roadshow it's such an obvious idea. There's all those priceless heirlooms in a country house setting and a cast of eccentric experts for the suspects. Former Coronation Street star Sally Lindsay has seized that as the concept for her new series, The Madame Blanc Mysteries (C5), and cast herself as the sleuth. In a perfect world it would be called Miss Fiona Bruce Investigates, but you can't have everything. Anyway, the Roadshow hostess already has her own detective adventures, with Fake Or Fortune?. Sally, who created and co-writes Madame Blanc, says she got the inspiration after meeting an antiques dealer named Jan, one of the buyers on Dickinson's Real Deal, while holidaying in Majorca. Sally Lindsay has cast herself as the sleuth in new series, The Madame Blanc Mysteries When C5 announced the series, it was billed as 'gritty'. Any grit has been sieved out, because this mild and milky crime story could easily be an afternoon offering, with the central character renamed Madame Blancmange. That's fine. We don't watch antiques programmes for their noir nastiness, especially when they're filmed in the sunny South of France. Sally plays Jean White, whose husband Rory is bumped off during one of his regular buying trips to the French flea markets. She discovers he has left her bankrupt and when she flies to France to learn more, realises he was leading a double life, with another woman. We know it's murder, because someone put cyanide gas in Rory's cheroot lighter. There's little subtlety about the acting or the dialogue. Each scene progresses slowly and stolidly, like an overweight gendarme on the beat, and the clues land with a thud. I'm quite certain I've spotted the murderer, though I won't spoil it by airing my suspicions but one character stood out like a light bulb on a Louis XIV candelabra. Eliminations of the weekend: What with heart problems, dodgy backs and cases of Covid, the stars in Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1) have been dropping at an alarming rate. There might be no need for the judges this year, the winner will be the last one standing. Advertisement The sheer fun of the escapade more than makes up for that. Sally's co-writer, Sue Vincent, plays a jolly mechanic, and Steve Edge is the lugubrious taxi driver who listens dubiously to every murder theory while ferrying Madame B around. When his motor is in the garage, the duo pedal a tandem. It's that sort of show. Extra comedy is supplied by Sue Holderness, as a ghastly snob up at the big chateau. Robin Askwith plays her husband, though you won't recognise him if you remember him from the Confessions films in the 1970s. He's beautifully preserved, with flicked blond hair, but he keeps his trousers on here . . . and his bottom was always the famous feature on those cinema posters. Robin and Sue could just as well have been the toffs up at Bluff Court in The Larkins (ITV). Pop Larkin (Bradley Walsh) was trying to persuade Lady Rose and Sir George (Georgie Glen and Nicholas Le Prevost) to sell them their stately pile for a song, so he could pull it down. Meanwhile, Pop's children were plotting to win the village pram race, part of the fete festivities that seem to be staged every weekend in this bucolic corner of 1950s Kent. I want to love The Larkins, not least because of the splendid cast. Joanna Scanlan is warm and loudly affectionate as Ma, and Peter Davison is enjoying every minute as the beer-sodden, chain-smoking vicar with a rude word for everyone. The trouble is, though it rattles along at pace, it keeps veering off the path, like a wonky pram. Some of the dialogue is especially suspect. 'Nice bod,' declared 30-year-old teenager Mariette (Sabrina Bartlett), as tax inspector Charley (Tok Stephen) stripped off in the woods. Bradley threw in a 'perfick' but none of it feels quite real not nostalgia, just pastiche. Phoebe Burgess has been flooded with messages of support after her explosive tell-all interview with The Weekend Australian on Saturday. In a series of posts on Instagram Stories on Sunday, the 32-year-old former rugby league WAG shared some of the heartfelt messages she'd received from fans. The mother of two had made a series of bombshell admissions about her tumultuous marriage to retired Rabbitohs star Sam Burgess, and her experience clearly resonated with other women. Resonating: Phoebe Burgess has been flooded with messages of support after her explosive tell-all interview with The Weekend Australian on Saturday 'I want to challenge some very powerful people to look at their own behaviour, to look at the way they handled the situation, the role they played in all of this,' she told the newspaper. She added that 'silence' only enables cover-ups and bad behaviour. Phoebe and Sam, 32, married in 2015, before splitting in October 2019 amid reports of infidelity and allegations of his wild partying. Tell-all: The mother of two had made a series of bombshell admissions about her tumultuous marriage to Sam Burgess (left), and her experience clearly resonated with other women Support: In a series of posts on Instagram Stories on Sunday, the 32-year-old former rugby league WAG shared some of the heartfelt messages she'd received from fans The former magazine journalist blamed the NRL's culture for some of the problems in her marriage, and revealed her interview had resonated with many other women. 'I have a lot of respect for her coming out with her story,' wrote one supporter, praising Phoebe's commitment to 'trying to help change a culture'. Another called her story 'uncomfortable but extremely important', while a third fan said it was 'bone chilling' but 'not surprising'. Moving on: Phoebe and Sam married in 2015, before splitting in October 2019 amid reports of infidelity and allegations of wild partying. Pictured: Phoebe with the couple's two children, daughter Poppy, four, and son Billy, two Speaking out: The former magazine journalist blamed the NRL's culture for some of the problems in her marriage, and revealed her interview had resonated with many other women 'This woman has so much courage and strength to speak up and share her story,' commented another, while one fan praised her 'grace, dignity, bravery and humility'. Added another: 'This resonates so deeply... Thank you for being so courageous for so many women, and for those of us who have been threatened or discarded by high profile humans and their webs of enablers that fiercely protect them in order for the "show to go on".' In a separate post on Instagram on Sunday, Phoebe said she'd spent 'all night reading thousands of your messages in my inbox' after the article came out. Inundated: In a separate post on Instagram on Sunday, Phoebe said she'd spent 'all night reading thousands of your messages in my inbox' after the article came out 'Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all the brave souls who I can feel are in this with me,' she wrote. 'I can now guarantee you that my story is not isolated. It's not even that rare. It is common. Common in the NRL, common in Australian sport, common in households and more often than not, there has been some attempt to cover it up. 'I understand the blinding fear that comes with: sharing, telling, speaking, standing up... I believe these issues are everywhere. Let's start the change. #TimeForChange'. Vaccinated travellers who test negative for Covid-19 before flying into New South Wales will be spared 14 days in hotel quarantine from next month. And it comes as welcome news to Paul Hogan, who is ready to board 'a plane home at any moment' from Los Angeles to Sydney, reports New Idea. 'He's itching for a big return,' a source said of the Crocodile Dundee star. Homecoming: Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan, 81, is ready to board 'a plane home at any moment' from LA to Sydney, reports New Idea. Pictured on January 25, 2020, in Beverly Hills The actor, 81, has previously expressed a strong desire to return to his homeland. Hogan moved to the United States permanently in 2005, after growing up in Granville in Sydney's western suburbs. He wants to return to Australia to escape Los Angeles, but has said he couldn't possibly survive two weeks of hotel quarantine. 'I can't wait for this stupid disease to go away so I can get out,' Hogan revealed on the News Corp podcast Evenin' Viewers last October. 'I'm like a kangaroo in a Russian zoo - I don't belong here.' Hoges' homecoming: 'He's itching for a big return,' a source told the magazine Crisis: Hogan lives in the once-elite beachside suburb of Venice, where a sudden increase in homelessness has resulted in a terrifying crime wave NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced last Friday he was making it easier for Australians abroad to return home. Sydney's is the first Australian international airport to reopen because NSW has the highest vaccination rate of any state. During an interview with Sunrise earlier this year, a glum-looking Hogan spoke about his miserable life in crime-ravaged LA during the coronavirus pandemic. He revealed he was 'desperate' to return to Australia and leave his life in America behind. 'I am desperately homesick,' he said during a video chat from his home in LA's Venice Beach neighbourhood. Escape plan: NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (pictured) announced last Friday he was making it easier for Australians abroad to return home 'Desperate': During an interview with Sunrise earlier this year, a glum-looking Hogan spoke about his miserable life in crime-ravaged LA during the coronavirus pandemic According to figures from the Los Angeles Police Department provided to the Venice Neighbourhood Council, the violent robberies in the neighbourhood are up 177 per cent from last year. The same period has also seen a 162 per cent increase in cases of assault with a deadly weapon involving a homeless person. When asked how he was coping with Los Angeles' recent crime wave, Hogan simply said he 'doesn't go anywhere'. Concerns: Residents around the famed Venice boardwalk are demanding action from the authorities saying it has been turned into a large, 'dangerous' homeless encampment and has been hit by a spate of violent incidents Staying put: When asked how he was coping with Los Angeles' recent crime wave, Hogan simply said he 'doesn't go anywhere' '[I'm] bored in lockdown, and the minute I can get on the plane without being locked in a hotel for two weeks, I'm back,' he said. He joked with Sunrise hosts David Koch and Natalie Barr that he 'wouldn't survive' hotel quarantine. 'My son [Chance, 22] would have to be with me... we'd strangle each other,' he said. NSW was finally released from its gruelling Covid lockdown last Monday. And on Friday, Richard Wilkins and his girlfriend Nicola Dale reunited with Sylvia Jeffreys and her husband Peter Stefanovic for lunch. The couples dined at China Doll on Woolloomooloo Wharf, just days after lockdown was lifted. Reunion: Richard Wilkins and his girlfriend Nicola Dale (pictured) reunited with Today Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys and her husband Peter Stefanovic for an expensive lunch at China Doll in Woolloomooloo after Sydney's lockdown was lifted on Friday Out and about: The couples were spotted enjoying lunch in Sydney's Woolloomooloo, just days after lockdown was lifted Sylvia looked stylish in black pants and a matching coloured jacket as she arrived to the restaurant with her husband Peter. She tied her short blonde locks back and wore sunglasses as she embraced Richard before sitting down. Meanwhile, Nicola dressed to impress in a mini floral dress and black fur vest to the reunion lunch. Chic: Sylvia looked stylish in black pants and a matching coloured jacket as she arrived to the restaurant with her husband Peter Nice to see you again! She tied her short blonde locks and wore sunglasses as she embraced Richard before sitting down Stylish: Meanwhile, Nicola dressed to impress in a mini floral dress and black fur vest to the reunion lunch She completed her ensemble with statement earrings and held a black bag. Richard also looked stylish in black jeans and a coat as he walked alongside his new girlfriend. Richard and flight attendant Nicola went Instagram official back in July, when the TV star shared a cosy photo of the pair to Instagram. Accessories: She completed her ensemble with statement earrings and held a black bag Stylish: Richard also looked stylish in black jeans and a coat as he walked alongside his new girlfriend Catching up: The pair chatted to Sylvia and Peter as they enjoyed a meal They were also caught kissing by the paparazzi in June last year. They were introduced by mutual friend Ben Fordham at a party earlier that year. The couple currently live together in Sydney with Nicola's daughter Gabriella and Richard's actor son Christian. Official: Richard and flight attendant Nicola went Instagram official back in July, when the TV star shared a cosy photo of the pair to Instagram America's Got Talent: Extreme has paused production indefinitely following a terrifying on set accident. Stuntman Jonathan Goodwin was feared to have been killed when the stunt rehearsal went horribly wrong last Thursday night. On Sunday, a spokesperson for AGT: Extreme said production on the show would be 'temporarily' halted, according to Deadline.com. A frantic 911 call has revealed that a daredevil stuntman on a new 'extreme' version of Simon Cowell 's America's Got Talent had landed on his head and cars slammed into him which left him close to death (Jonathan Goodwin pictured in 2016) In a statement, the spokesperson said: 'Our thoughts and prayers remain with Jonathan Goodwin and his family as he continues to recover from his accident on Thursday. 'In order to focus on the wellbeing of our crew, we will be temporarily pausing production on America's Got Talent: Extreme and will resume the last few days of filming at a later date.' The spokesperson added: 'The health and safety of our cast and crew continue to be our priority.' Shocking footage showed the moment Goodwin was seriously injured after being slammed in between two exploding cars having misjudged his midair jump. Jonathan Goodwin was performing a stunt on America's Got Talent: Extreme Goodwin was being suspended between two elevated cars between which he was supposed to fall when they crashed together with him caught in the middle Goodwin misjudged the jump and set himself up for a direct hit from both cars The video clip, shot at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, begins with the professional stuntman hanging in midair as two cars are seen coming together. The stunt was supposed to see the 41-year-old Welsh escapologist free himself and fall underneath the vehicles before they collided. In a split second clip, Goodwin can be seen moments before the cars slammed into him Crew members on set reportedly thought Goodwin had been killed as a result of the fiery mishap, though he was responsive when rushed to the hospital Incredibly Goodwin survived the accident but is now in hospital having had surgery A recording of a frantic 911 was published by The US Sun on Friday in which a woman said: 'We are at the Atlanta Motor Speedway at the America's Got Talent filming location. We had a man suspended from a cable with cars that were supposed to slam into each other, and he didn't drop in time and they slammed into him. 'He's about a 40-year-old white male. He fell about 40 feet. He missed the airbag and landed on his head.' The show put out a statement: 'During a rehearsal last evening for America's Got Talent: Extreme, an accident occurred in which escape artist Jonathan Goodwin was injured while performing his act. He was responsive and was immediately taken to the hospital where he is continuing to receive medical care. Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family as we await further updates on his condition.' Extreme edition: Daredevil stuntman Goodwin was filming a new 'extreme' version of the Simon Cowell talent show Friend of the show: Jonathan Goodwin previously appeared on Britain's Got Talent Goodwin has performed other similarly death-defying stunts on the show before. In 2013, he wore a straightjacket and dangled from a blazing rope over the River Thames in London. He was suspended upside down from the London Eye and managed to escape, which was all part of his TV series The Incredible Mr Goodwin. The performer has also successfully completed other risky stunts in the past for the the flagship AGT series and has also been featured on its sister series in the UK, Britain's Got Talent. After he was smashed in the middle of the fiery explosion, Goodwin fell to the ground and reportedly hit his head during the impact, leading some crew to assume he was dead, Here he is picture from The Illusionists in 2016 During his season 15 performance, Cowell and his fellow judges Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara kept Goodwin in the competition through the semifinals. His most dramatic stunt for AGT involved Godwin covering himself in flammable liquid and shackling himself up while put his head in a box so that he couldn't see. He had to escape from the restraints in less than 20 seconds after he was set on fire. Goodwin successful completed the stunt, which set several of the judges on edge, despite it being the first time he had ever attempted the death-defying act. In contrast to his fiery stunts, Goodwin went underwater for the BBC special How Not to Become Shark Bait, in which he demonstrated by allowing a Caribbean reef shark to attack him. During his season 15 performance, Cowell and his fellow judges Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara kept Goodwin in the competition through the semifinals In AGT season 15, Goodwin shackled himself and stuck his head in a box while he was engulfed in flames, yet he miraculously escaped despite having never practiced the stunt before AGT's Terry Crews also hosts the new Extreme version of the competition series, while Simon Cowell, pro wrestler Nikki Bella and stuntman Travis Pastrana are judges. Contestants on the new series are vying for a $500,000 prize, but taping is now paused, Deadline reports. California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is now looking into the accident, according to the publication. Prior to Goodwin's failed stunt, NBC promoted his episode by saying it featured 'the most outrageous, unique and jaw-dropping acts of enormous scale and magnitude that simply cannot be confined to a theater stage,' according to People. California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is now looking into the accident and taping for the series has been paused The accident augurs an unfortunate start to AGT: Extreme, which was just announced at the start of October. So far, NBC hasn't announced a premiere date for the competition series, but Goodwin's injury may push back any intended premiere date. Earlier this week, Goodwin sparked engagement rumors after he and his girlfriend, Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, went Instagram official after nine months of dating. 'That was possibly the longest game of hide and seek ever. #FoundYa ,' he sweetly captioned a photo of the two cuddling up. The daredevil added a diamond ring emoji in his Instagram bio, leading fans to suspect he had popped the question to the 47-year-old actress, who was previously married to Black Panther's Martin Freeman. Earlier in the week, Goodwin sparked engagement rumors after he and his girlfriend, Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, went Instagram official Chrishell Stause may be one of the stars of the Netflix reality show Selling Sunset, but with that comes the hard work it takes, as a realtor, to show and sell a home. And that even means working weekends, as was the case when the Kentucky-born beauty arrived at a property she selling in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday. Dressed to impress, the reality star flashed an electric smile decked out in a black skirt, which came down to her mid-thigh, and a light pink blazer from Marissa Webb over a plunging black top that gave a hint of her cleavage. Open house: Chrishell Stause, 40, dressed to impress in a black skirt, a pink blazer from Marissa Webb, and strappy heels during an open house showing in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday Stause, 40, made her grand arrival holding a couple of signs in one hand and a couple of water bottles in another. In keeping with her stylish business theme in the fashion department, the reality star wore a pair of strappy black heels, and wore her lightened blonde tresses long and flowing with a part on the slight right. The former soap opera actress made sure to bring some face masks along, due to the still lingering dangers of COVID-19. Of course, as part of her selling point and charm, she also brought her upbeat and infectious personality and big glowing smile. Working it: The realtor had her hands full when she arrived for the open house Double fisted: The Selling Sunset star was carrying a couple of signs and water bottles Safety first: The former soap opera actress also made sure to brining some face masks along, due to the still lingering dangers of COVID-19 Once inside the home, Stause snapped an array of videos and photos and posted them on her Instagram page. She panned the property from inside the house to give a taste of what it looks like in one clip. There's another video of showing how the back wall opens up to the backyard and pool. Being that she's a recognizable reality star, some people have taken to her social media platforms to ask her about the traffic flow at her open houses. 'Yes sometimes people show up just to say hi,' she confirmed in one post written over of photo of herself in her black and pink ensemble. She added, 'I loved meeting everyone today! And safety is always taken into account. I never sit open houses alone.' Glowing: Stause was all smiles when she headed out after the open house ended Home bound: The reality star put in some hours at the open house and then it was off to the office to catch up on paper work Plug: The Selling Sunset stat gave a plug to designer Marissa Webb for the pink blazer The self-professed fan of the HBO comedy-drama series series, Succession, also shared a clip of herself opening up a gift package that part of the show's promotional push. She opened up the stylish box to reveal the various items that included a hat and a jacket, among other goodies. Earlier on Sunday, before heading out to the open house, Stause slipped into promo mode for both the property and Succession: 'Me headed to my open house knowing I am getting multiple offers and #succession is on tonight!! #itsavibe,' she wrote in the caption of a photo of herself all glammed up. But she then clarified by adding, 'also not really me if you are actually stopping by today. I will be in regular clothes & having brushed my own hair. Ha! But this is what I imagine me being a Roy looks like. Throwback to an outtake of a photoshoot with @alexevansphotography #TB' Promo mode: Stause revealed her love of the HBO comedy-drama series Succession and a gift package she received that part of the show's promotion Promo gift: As part of the promotion of the show, the reality star received a gift package full of items that included a jacket and a hat Several of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's friends reacted with joy to the news that they had become engaged on Sunday. The pals of the couple, including the 42-year-old's sister Kim, Addison Rae and the 45-year-old drummer's daughter Alabama, sent their well wishes to the happy pair in the comments section of a post that was shared to the former's Instagram account. The proposal took place on a beach in Montecito, California, where the musician had a large floral arrangement placed out for his now-fiancee, to whom he posed as the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. Showing their support: Several of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's friends reacted with joy to the news that they had become engaged on Sunday Kim notably left two separate comments with one featuring three wedding ring emojis and her other including several hearts. Rae appeared to have been blindsided by the surprise engagement and wrote 'IM SCREAMING' in the section. Alabama also expressed her support for the couple and simply left 'Love u guys' in the comments section. Winnie Harlow appeared to be happy about the engagement, as she wrote 'Ahhhhh congratulations.' Grand gesture: The musician notably had a large floral arrangement set up before he escorted his now-fiancee to the beach Prime location: The drummer popped the big question at a beach in the vacation destination of Montecito, California Simon Huck shared three crying emojis and left a comment that read 'Love you guys!' Shanina Shaik wrote 'Omg yesssss' and left several heart emojis in the section. Khadijah Haqq simply shared a heart emoji to show her support for the happy couple. The Real Housewives of New Jersey's Melissa Gorga expressed her anticipation for the pair's upcoming wedding and wrote 'Ahhh! kourt will walk down the aisle.' Being direct: Kourtney's sister Kim shared several heart emojis to show her support for the couple; she is pictured in 2019 Committed: Travis simply commented 'FOREVER' and left an infinity symbol next to his comment, and his daughter Alabama wrote 'Love u guys' Surprised: Addison Rae expressed her surprise about the engagement and wrote 'IM SCREAMING' in the comments section Supportive: Simon Huck left three crying face emojis and left a short message that read 'Love you guys!' Momentous occasion: Numerous fans of the celebrity couple took to the comments section of the post to express their happiness for the now-engaged pair Selling Sunset's Christine Quinn appeared to be overwhelmed by emotion by the announcement and wrote 'Omgggg I'm going to cry I'm so happyyyy.' The engagement marks the first time that Kourtney has ever been engaged. She was previously in a long-term on-again-off-again relationship with Scott Disick, with whom she shares three children named Mason, Penelope and Reign, aged 11, 9 and 6, respectively. Following her split from the reality television personality, the entrepreneur went on to date Younes Bendjima, although they eventually broke up. Feeling good: This marks the first time that Kardashian, who was previously in an on-again-off-again relationship with Scott Disick, has ever been engaged; she is seen with Addison Rae in October of last year Travis was previously married to Melissa Kennedy, although their marriage only lasted for a year and ended in 2002. He then went on to begin a relationship with Shanna Moakler, and the two tied the knot in 2004. The former couple welcomed Alabama, 15 and a son named Landon, aged 17, over the course of their marriage, and the musician served as a stepfather to her older daughter, Atiana. The two eventually separated, and they went on to formally dissolve their union in 2008. Former flame: Barker was previously married to Shanna Moakler, with whom he shares Alabama and a son named Landon; Alabama is seen at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards Kourtney and Travis had been friends for an extended period of time prior to the beginning of their relationship, and People confirmed that they were dating in January. The two remained silent about their connection until they went Instagram official just after this past Valentine's Day. In April, the Blink-182 band member shocked many when he had his now-fiancee's name tattooed on his chest. Solid foundation: Kourtney and Travis had been friends for an extended period of time prior to the beginning of their relationship; they are seen at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards The couple was spotted together in public over the course of the year, and they notably accompanied each other on a romantic trip to Utah in May. Several of Kourtney's family members and friends have expressed their approval of the drummer in various interviews, and Disick previously remarked that he wished that his former partner would find someone special. No news about a potential wedding date for the happy couple has been made known to the public as of yet. His latest film Extraction 2 is just weeks away from shooting. And Chris Hemsworth is putting in the last-minute physical work to get into peak shape for his latest action film. The 38-year-old posted a workout picture to Instagram on Monday showing him working out on a cable machine while displaying numerous popping veins. Action man: Chris Hemsworth is putting in the last-minute physical work to get into shape for his latest action film 'Six weeks out from shooting on Extraction 2 feelin good and ready,' the father-of-three captioned the post. It comes after Chris hit the weights for a different reason last Sunday, with the Thor star admitting he needed a lift after 'a few too many celebratory drinks over the weekend.' 'Woke up this morning, motivation levels at an all-time-low. A bit flat, a little dusty,' he told his Instagram followers. New role: 'Six weeks out from shooting on Extraction 2 feelin good and ready,' the father-of-three captioned the post. Pictured here in Extraction Dusting off the weights: Chris Hemsworth, 38, (pictured) performed a brutal workout on Sunday after admitting he needed a lift after 'a few too many celebratory drinks over the weekend' However the actor said he was determined to 'sweat out the demons' and so put his body through a gruelling workout. He then outlined his routine, which included lunges, ball slams, push ups and chin ups. 'And now I feel a hundred percent,' the actor revealed, before showing video of the high intensity routine. Sweat it out! 'Woke up this morning, motivation levels at an all-time-low. A bit flat, a little dusty,' the beefy Hollywood star told his Instagram followers Exercise or exorcism? The actor said he was determined to 'sweat out the demons' and so put his body through a gruelling workout One of Chris' many upcoming film roles is in the latest instalment of George Miller's iconic Mad Max series. Mad Max will be making a return to its roots after it was announced that filming for the latest instalment, Furiosa, would take place in Broken Hill, NSW, next April. Peter Price, who is the owner of the nearby Silverton hotel, revealed his excitement about the high-octane series coming back to the outback region in an interview with Weekend Today hosts Richard Wilkins and Rebecca Maddern on Saturday. Thrilled: Shooting for the newest Mad Max film, Furiosa, will take place in Broken Hill next April as Silverton hotel owner Peter Price (right) revealed his excitement for the upcoming production on Weekend Today Wilkins firstly asked Price about how the local residents of Silverton and Broken Hill have reacted to the news. 'I'm sure they're going to be as excited as they were forty years ago,' Price responded, referring to the production of Mad Max 2, aka The Road Warrior, which took place in the same area four decades earlier. 'As much as we've always enjoyed Mad Max 2, with the museum here and all that sort of stuff, we are really looking forward to this new film that's going to be done out this way,' he said. Driving back to its roots: The hotel owner told Weekend Today hosts Richard Wilkins and Rebecca Maddern about the reaction from the local residents in Broken Hill and Silverton after it was announced that Mad Max would return to the region The Silverton Hotel owner stated that the production will hopefully bring much-needed tourism dollars to the region, which has suffered due to the Covid pandemic. 'We're looking forward to a big influx of tourists coming this way,' Price continued. 'Some of this stuff that's going to happen next year is going to certainly bring that, I'm sure.' 'I'm sure they're going to be as excited as they were forty years ago': Price reflected on the filming of Mad Max 2, aka The Road Warrior, which took place in the same area four decades ago. Pictured: Australian actor Vernon Wells as Wez in Mad Max 2 'Being an Australian movie that was done 40-odd years ago, and it still generates so much interest. We're getting people everyday coming this way to have a look at the museum.' Price concluded that the new film would only 'add to all that'. Mad Max Furiosa is set to begin production in Broken Hill next April and is scheduled for release in 2024. 'We're looking forward to a big influx of tourists coming this way': The Silverton Hotel owner stated that the production will hopefully bring much-needed tourism dollars to the region, which has suffered due to the Covid pandemic It tells the origin story of a young Imperator Furiosa, who will be played by Anya Taylor-Joy. The movie will also star Chris Hemsworth and have George Miller back in the director's chair. Furiosa was originally portrayed by Charlize Theron in the 2015 blockbuster, Mad Max: Fury Road. As soon as Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker announced their engagement Sunday, KUWTK fans went wild on Twitter pondering how her babydaddy Scott Disick would react. The 42-year-old Poosh founder and the 45-year-old Grammy nominee - who were friends andneighbors for years - got engaged on the beach at Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Montecito after 10 months of dating. The memes illustrating Scott's feelings poured in featuring Big Bird, Raven-Symone, Tiffany 'New York' Pollard, Ross Geller, Squid Game's Oh Il-nam, and Leonardo DiCaprio. 'What a bad day to be Scott Disick': As soon as Kourtney Kardashian (L) and Travis Barker (M) announced their engagement Sunday, KUWTK fans went wild on Twitter pondering how her babydaddy Scott Disick (R) would react 'Forever': The 42-year-old Poosh founder and the 45-year-old Grammy nominee got engaged on the beach at Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Montecito after 10 months of dating Many fans demanded a Disick 'wellness check' while YouTuber Tana Mongeau tweeted: 'I just know Scott Disick [is] punching the air.' 'Scott Disick on his way to date another teenager after finding out Kourtney's engaged,' one wrote. Another fan took it a step further: 'Scott Disick looking for a 19-y-o to take to Kourtney and Travis' wedding.' Some memes showed people raging and destroying rooms while other were wistfully sad and listening to Adele. 'Speak now or forever hold your peace': The memes illustrating Scott's feels poured in featuring Big Bird (pictured), Raven-Symone, Tiffany 'New York' Pollard, Ross Geller, Squid Game's Oh Il-nam, and Leonardo DiCaprio Many fans demanded a Disick 'wellness check' while YouTuber Tana Mongeau tweeted: 'I just know Scott Disick [is] punching the air' One wrote: 'Scott Disick on his way to date another teenager after finding out Kourtney's engaged' Another fan took it a step further: 'Scott Disick looking for a 19-y-o to take to Kourtney and Travis' wedding' 'LMAO!' Some memes showed people raging and destroying rooms (pictured) while other were wistfully sad and listening to Adele 'Scott Disick cheated on Kourtney and embarrassed her in front of the world for YEARS,' a Twitter user noted. 'Stop bringing up his feelings and saying they are "goals." Kourtney has finally found someone who loves her unconditionally and treats her like a queen. Let Kourtney and Travis have their moment.' It's hard to believe it's been a decade since the 38-year-old reality star bought a yellow Pave diamond engagement ring for Kourtney, but he decided not to propose after she acted aloof. Kardashian ended their on/off nine-year romance in 2015 after Scott canoodled with stylist Chloe Bartoli in Monte Carlo, but the deal-breaker was actually his 'substance abuse.' A Twitter user noted: 'Scott Disick cheated on Kourtney and embarrassed her in front of the world for YEARS. Stop bringing up his feelings and saying they are "goals." Kourtney has finally found someone who loves her unconditionally and treats her like a queen. Let Kourtney and Travis have their moment' Disick - whose parents passed away in 2013-2014 - has gone to rehab five times, and he was once hospitalized for alcohol poisoning while they were dating. Kourtney and Scott- who met at Joe Francis' Cabo home in 2005 - amicably co-parent their daughter Penelope, 9; son Reign, 6; and son Mason, 11. Scott publicly said Kourtney and Travis had his 'blessing' but secretly slammed their PDA-filled union to her ex-boyfriend Younes Bendjima on August 30. A week later, Disick and Lisa Rinna's 20-year-old daughter Amelia Gray Hamlin ended their May-December, 11-month romance. Denied: It's hard to believe it's been a decade since the 38-year-old reality star bought a yellow Pave diamond engagement ring for Kourtney, but he decided not to propose after she acted aloof 'Why mess it up?' Kardashian ended their on/off nine-year romance in 2015 after Scott canoodled with stylist Chloe Bartoli (not pictured) in Monte Carlo, but the deal-breaker was actually his 'substance abuse' Final couple picture in 2015: Disick - whose parents passed away in 2013-2014 - has gone to rehab five times, and he was once hospitalized for alcohol poisoning while they were dating 2020 family portrait: The Talentless CEO and the half-Armenian beauty - who met at Joe Francis' Cabo home in 2005 - amicably co-parent their daughter Penelope, 9; son Reign, 6; and son Mason, 11 People reported that the In Common partner has 'slowly been dating but is not serious with anyone' since the split. Scott has taken comfort in his luxury car collection as well as bonding with his children and 'Muscletone Pocket' Pit Bull puppy. Fans can expect all the drama to unfold between the preppy 'Lord' Disick and the bride-to-be in the new Hulu/Star reality spin-off, which premieres in late 2021. 'Yo is this chick ok!?' Scott publicly said Kourtney and Travis had his 'blessing' but secretly slammed their PDA-filled union to her ex-boyfriend Younes Bendjima on August 30 Single: A week later, Disick and Lisa Rinna's 20-year-old daughter Amelia Gray Hamlin (L, pictured May 26) ended their May-December, 11-month romanc The 45-year-old Blink 182 drummer popped the question to his now-fiancee, 42, on Sunday at the Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Montecito, California. Kourtney shared images of the lavish proposal on Instagram with the caption 'forever,' as they embraced amid a sea of red roses. The marriage will mark Kourtney's first and Travis' third. 'He's slowly been dating': The In Common partner has taken comfort in his luxury car collection (pictured October 1) as well as bonding with his children and 'Muscletone Pocket' Pit Bull puppy 'He will be back!' Fans can expect all the drama to unfold between Scott and the bride-to-be in the new Hulu/Star reality spin-off, which premieres in late 2021 Kourtney posted two images to Instagram that showed the extravagant beach proposal where she donned a black dress, and an additional Instagram post from a witness (a realtor by the name of Blake Kirsch) showed more moments. She said 'yes' amid a sea of red roses in the shape of a heart surrounded by white candles as the sun was setting, at which point he slipped an engagement ring onto her finger. Barker's daughter Alabama shared a first look at the massive sparkler which was oval shaped and appeared to be at least 10 carats as they enjoyed an intimate engagement dinner with family and friends after the proposal, with additional footage shared throughout the evening. Wow! Kourtney's ring looked to be at least 10 carats and was an oval shaped stone set on a simple diamond band Over the top: After Kourtney said yes she was seen wrapping her arms around the drummer as they shared an intimate moment on Sunday night Re-post: Travis had re-posted his fiancee's Instagram images re-iterating 'Forever' per her caption The proposal took place at 6:30 PM family members from both sides were in attendance to usher in the happy couple. TMZ was the first to report the news and an E! News source shared details of the momentous day, adding that Kourtney was 'surprised.' 'Kourtney looked very surprised to see Khloe and Tristan there,' the E! source said. 'Travis escorted Kourtney down to the beach, where he had red and white florals set up in the shape of a heart. It looked very romantic. I could see Kourtney smiling from ear to ear and put her hand over her mouth looking surprised. The family cheered for them and went back into the hotel.' Congratulations! Barker's son Landon also posted images of the pair Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Corey Gamble, Kris Jenner, and Tristan Thompson were there for the proposal and engagement party as well as Barker's kids: Landon, 18, Alabama, 15, and step-daughter Atiana De La Hoya. Barker's son Landon and daughter Alabama both gushed over their new stepmom-to-be as they shared moments from the intimate dinner celebration afterwards, which featured a tablescape filled with red roses to match the romantic proposal and a curated menu. As if there was any doubt about their very steamy love life, Barker had also posted a photo of a bed with a heart of red roses after the dinner. 'Kravis Forever': Kim Kardashian also shared footage from the evening additionally tweeting a video with the caption 'KRAVIS FOREVER' Olivia Newton-John is set to make a special cameo appearance on Dancing with the Stars Monday for the ABC show's Grease-themed episode. A show rep told E! News that the veteran entertainer, 73, 'will be making a surprise guest appearance on Monday's show, in support of the competing couples who will dance to the music from her iconic film role.' The actress, who played Sandy Olsson in the 1978 musical opposite John Travolta, has made occasional appearances on TV in the four years since she was diagnosed with cancer for a third time. The latest: Olivia Newton-John, 73, is set to make a special cameo appearance on Dancing with the Stars Monday for the ABC show's Grease-themed episode The Grammy-award winner has kept fans in the loop about her health, as she told The Morning Show on Australia's Channel 7 in February that she's 'very, very happy' and focused on her charitable foundation, the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund. The Hopelessly Devoted To You songstress past made an appearance on the ABC ballroom competition during its 21st season in 2015, when she served as a guest judge. She appeared alongside the show's Julianne Hough, who played the role of Sandy in 2016's Grease: Live. The famed entertainer in 2018 appeared at a Beverly Hills, California screening of the film to mark its 40th anniversary at an event also attended by Travolta, Barry Pearl and the movie's director Randal Kleiser. Details: A show rep told E! News that the veteran entertainer, 73, 'will be making a surprise guest appearance on Monday's show, in support of the competing couples who will dance to the music from her iconic film role' The famed entertainer in 2018 appeared at a Beverly Hills, California screening of the film to mark its 40th anniversary at an event also attended by co-star John Travolta The star also reunited with Travolta at a December 2019 Grease event in Florida. Also set to appear on the Dancing with the Stars Grease show will be Frankie Avalon, 81, who will sing the film's Beauty School Dropout; and Didi Conn, 70, who portrayed the role of Frenchie in the movie. Dancing with the Stars can be seen Monday on ABC at 8/7c. Former Bachelorette Angie Kent mingled with her reality star pals Liam Cooper and Samuel Levi at Sydney's Opera Bar on Sunday amid the city's eased restrictions. Angie, who rose to fame on Gogglebox Australia, looked chic in a flirty red top and blue Daisy Dukes as she sipped on a beverage with the Married At First Sight lovers. Last week, Angie expressed her 'deep regrets' after being arrested and charged with drink driving in early October, having consumed two drinks on an empty stomach. Out and about: The Bachelorette's Angie Kent (pictured), 31, enjoyed a drink at Sydney's Opera Bar on Sunday amid the city's eased restrictions Angie was primped to perfection for her lunch outing on Sunday, styling her blonde locks into a chignon at the nape of the neck, with several tendrils framing her face. The 31-year-old wore elegant makeup, showing off a radiant and glowing visage. Angie appeared in great spirits as she mingled with MAFS Australia star Liam and his beau Samuel, who appeared on the New Zealand version of the dating show. Effortlessly chic: Angie looked effortlessly chic in a flirty red top and Daisy Dukes as she sipped on a cool beverage at the harbourside bar Social: The reality star sipped on a cool beverage as she mingled with her pals Beauty: Angie, who rose to fame on Gogglebox Australia, styled her blonde locks into a chignon at the nape of the neck. She opted for elegant makeup, accentuating her glowing skin Liam went Instagram Official with Samuel in July, after Daily Mail Australia reported that the pair were 'inseparable' after spending quality time together in Brisbane. The reality star lovebirds cut casual figures on the bar outing, opting for crisp dress shirt and skinny jean ensembles. It emerged last week that Angie was pulled over for a random breath test while driving to a picnic in Sydney earlier this month. Headlines: It emerged last week that Angie was pulled over for a random breath test while driving to a picnic in Sydney earlier this month Reality star lovebirds: While on Sunday's outing, Angie mingled with Married At First Sight Australia's Liam Cooper (left) and his boyfriend Samuel Levi (right), who starred on the New Zealand version of the dating show Making it official: Liam went Instagram Official with Samuel in July, after Daily Mail Australia reported that the pair were 'inseparable' after spending quality time together in Brisbane Angie said she consumed two drinks on an empty stomach while getting ready for the outing and is 'deeply regretful' over her actions. 'I was pulled over on my way to a picnic in early October,' she told The Daily Telegraph last week. 'I had two drinks on an empty stomach while getting ready. I was shocked but totally in the wrong and I take full responsibility. I am deeply regretful and sorry.' Regretful: Of the drink driving charge, Angie said she consumed two drinks on an empty stomach while getting ready for a picnic and is 'deeply regretful' over her actions Comments: 'I was pulled over on my way to a picnic in early October,' she told The Daily Telegraph last week Apologetic: 'I had two drinks on an empty stomach while getting ready. I was shocked but totally in the wrong and I take full responsibility. I am deeply regretful and sorry,' Angie said Daily Mail Australia reached out to Angie's representative for comment at the time. The Queensland-based star was pulled over on Sunday afternoon, October 3 in Pyrmont, after temporarily relocating to Sydney to film Channel Seven's Dancing With The Stars. She was driving a Kia Cerato at the time of her arrest, and was taken to a nearby police station where she returned a breath test reading of 0.081. Relocated: The Queensland-based star was pulled over on Sunday afternoon, October 3 in Pyrmont, after temporarily relocating to Sydney to film Channel Seven's Dancing With The Stars Arrest: She was driving a Kia Cerato at the time of her arrest, and was taken to a nearby police station where she returned a breath test reading of 0.081 Police report: 'The driver of the Kia - a 31-year-old woman with a QLD driver's licence - was breath tested at the scene and provided a positive reading,' her police report states 'The driver of the Kia - a 31-year-old woman with a QLD driver's licence - was breath tested at the scene and provided a positive reading,' her police report states. Angie was charged with mid-range drink driving and 'her driving privileges in NSW were suspended'. She is set to appear at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on October 27. Angie first found fame on Gogglebox Australia in 2015, before going on to appear on several other reality shows, including I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Dancing With The Stars and The Bachelorette in 2019. Charged: Angie was charged with mid-range drink driving and 'her driving privileges in NSW were suspended' Court appearance: She is set to appear at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on October 27 Rege-Jean Page matched with his girlfriend Emily Brown in black velvet ensembles as they attended the screening of Macbeth at the London Film Festival on Sunday evening. The 31-year-old former Bridgerton star opted for a double breasted Giorgio Armani velvet blazer with matching trousers while his copywriter girlfriend, 30, looked stunning in a long sleeved gown. The stunner held a green velvet clutch bag in her hand along with her phone and numerous other items. Cute! Rege-Jean Page, 31, matched with his girlfriend Emily Brown, 30, in black velvet outfits as they attended the screening of Macbeth at the London Film Festival on Sunday evening Rege-Jean looked smitten with his partner as he affectionately put his hand on her back. Emily swept her bright blonde tresses into an elegant low ponytail and wore a subtle layer of make up across her visage. Later, Rege-Jean could be seen speaking on the telephone before they headed into the venue. The pair were first seen together in public back in February 2021 outside the London home they share together. Gorgeous: The former Bridgerton star opted for a double breasted Giorgio Armani velvet blazer with trousers while his copywriter girlfriend looked stunning in a long sleeved gown It has been reported that the pair bought the home back in February 2020. Although they have been seen on numerous red carpet events since they were first romantically linked, including the GQ awards, the pair keep their relationship under wraps for the most part. The outing comes after Rege-Jean is now a hot favourite to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond after Daniel's 15-year run as 007 ended with the release of No Time to Die. Beauty: The stunner held a green velvet clutch bag in her hand along with her phone and numerous other items Sweet: Rege-Jean looked smitten with his partner as he affectionately put his hand on her back The actor is now just 4/5 in the betting stakes, as bookmakers tip Page to play the suave character next. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: 'It's looking increasingly likely Bond chiefs have made their minds up in the hunt for Daniel Craig's replacement, with Rege-Jean Page now clear favourite in the betting.' Elsewhere, Tom Hardy, at 4/1, is now the only other name priced shorter than 5/1 to land the role, having previously been a long-time favourite. Amazing: Emily swept her bright blonde tresses into an elegant low ponytail and wore a subtle layer of make up across her visage Busy: Later, Rege could be seen speaking on the telephone before they headed into the venue Other names suggested by the bookmaker include James Norton who comes in at 5/1, Luke Evans at 6/1, Henry Cavill at 8/1 and Idris Elba at 10/1. Rege-Jean previously admitted that he's 'flattered' to be included among a host of British stars tipped for the iconic role. He told The Mirror: 'Ah, the B word. I think that if you are British and you do anything of note, that other people take notice of, then people will start talking about that.' Rege-Jean added: 'I think that's fairly normal and I'm flattered to be in the category of Brits that people have noticed. Nothing more or less than that.' However despite being the bookies favourite, Rege-Jean said he was bemused by the idea of making any plans at 'this moment in history' and has 'given up' doing so. The star also admitted that he can be a bit of a 'racehorse', often signing onto a project and focusing completely on it with the 'blinders on'. Private: The pair were first seen together in public back in February 2021 outside the London home they share together Giovanni Pernice has revealed he is learning sign language in order to communicate more effectively with his Strictly Come Dancing partner Rose Ayling-Ellis, the show's first deaf contestant. The dancing professional, 31, delighted fans as he made the announcement during Sunday's episode of the BBC One favourite. After being sent through to next week's installment, presenter Claudia Winkleman commented, 'Giovanni you have been learning so much signing. Kind: Giovanni Pernice has revealed he is learning sign language in order to communicate more effectively with his Strictly Come Dancing partner Rose Ayling-Ellis, the show's first deaf contestant 'Can you give us a taste please?' she teased. The EastEnders star, 26, leaped at the opportunity as she began quizzing the choreographer on words, 'commitment, focus, quick, slow, improvement, and shockingly horrible.' Showing her hilarious sense of humour, she added 'And very rarely, "Well done,"' before the trio burst into laughter. Talented: Rose and Giovanni were the first couple to dance on the night and performed the Cha Cha Cha to Raspberry Beret by Prince Team: The EastEnders star, 26, began quizzing the choreographer on words, 'commitment, focus, quick, slow, improvement, and shockingly horrible' Adorable: Claudia (left) concluded, 'You're both fantastic, well done!' before the pair hurried off to celebrate their victory Claudia concluded, 'You're both fantastic, well done!' before the pair hurried off to celebrate their victory. Viewers couldn't contain their delight by the news, rushing to Twitter to share their elation regarding Giovanni's latest venture. 'Giovanni learning sigh language & deaf awareness for rose is the cutest thing ever i'm so glad they're paired together. I love the connection between Rose and Giovanni,' one wrote. 'Love these two, their dancing & amazing chemistry! Plus, the bond that Giovanni has made with Rose to learn sign language is so inspiring. Determined: The dancing professional, 31, delighted fans as he made the announcement during Sunday's episode of the BBC One favourite (pictured in 2019) Celebrating! The pair have been sent through to next week's installment (pictured in 2021) 'Also can we just appreciate their outfits this week #BBCStrictly #favecouple #raspberryberetRoseWoman,' another commented. 'Giovanni is making such an effort with Rose. God bless them,' a third penned. 'I think Giovanni Pernice is the perfect partner for Rose. He's just lovely and so patient and understanding of any difficulties Rose has with hearing. 'Rose and Giovanni must work extremely hard to perfect the stunning dances they perform each week. I love them #Strictly,' another concluded. Sweet: Viewers couldn't contain their delight by the news, rushing to Twitter to share their elation regarding Giovanni's latest venture Rose and Giovanni were the first couple to dance on the night and performed the Cha Cha Cha to Raspberry Beret by Prince. Rose looked dazzling in a colourful top, fringed trousers and a raspberry beret in a nod to the song. Following the dance, Motsi remarked that she felt Rose's nerves but believed she was gaining confidence and 'getting stronger and stronger', adding: 'just keep going!' Craig said she needed to work on her hip action, but added that she was 'getting there', while Shirley commended Giovanni's leadership. Sensational: Rose looked dazzling in a colourful top, fringed trousers and a raspberry beret in a nod to the song Kanye West opted for a bizarre method of sightseeing in Italy on Sunday as he headed out sporting a spooky mask. The rapper, 44, was attempting to head out unrecognised, but instead drew further attention to himself with his creepy attire. Despite Halloween still being a week away, the father-of-four looked like an extra in a horror film as he paired his mask with an all black Balenciaga outfit. All Of The Frights: Kanye West was in the Halloween spirit a week early as he donned a spooky mask while heading out in Venice, Italy on Sunday Kanye - who is the midst of divorcing his wife of six years, Kim Kardashian - was in Venice for the wedding of DEstree founder Geraldine Guiotte and Tiffany & Co. EVP Alexander Arnault in Venice. Following the ceremony, the Grammy-winner treated guests to an intimate concert - his first in over a year and a half - belting out his hits Flashing Lights, Runaway and Believe What I Say. Kanye's trip to Italy comes after his estranged wife Kim shelled out $20 million in cash to buy the rapper out of their palatial marital home. Bound 2 turn heads: The rapper, 44, was attempting to head out unrecognised (pictured right in 2019) but instead drew further attention to himself with his creepy attire Oh give it a West! Despite Halloween still being a week away, the father-of-four looked like an extra in a horror film as he paired his mask with an all black Balenciaga outfit Kanye officially 'signed over his rights to the property' two weeks ago, according to TMZ, making his ex, 40, the sole owner of the property they purchased together seven years ago. She has been living in their Hidden Hills abode with their four children North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and two-yea-old Psalm since filing for divorce in February. The insider went on to tell the outlet that the negotiations between the two were 'extremely cordial' and she paid the Flashing Lights hitmaker in cash to smooth over the process. Halloween is next week! Kanye - who is the midst of divorcing his wife of six years, Kim Kardashian - was in Venice for a wedding, and headed out to see the sights Alien, but make it fashion: While he sported a spooky mask, he made the most of the look by pairing it with a Balenciaga ensemble The couple bought the mansion in 2014 for $20 million and Kanye led a complete redesign of home with the assistance of famed Belgian interior decorator Axel Vervoort. Kim filed for divorce from the rapper in February, and despite recent reports that they were planning on rekindling their romance, a source later shot down the claims. An insider told People: 'They have come a long way since Kim filed for divorce. It's taken them months to get to this point. Kim is happy that they get along and that things are amicable.' Cash money: Kim recently agreed to pay estranged husband Kanye West $20 million for their sprawling Hidden Hills home amid their ongoing divorce They added: 'The kids will always be her number one priority. She wants to have a friendly relationship with Kanye, because it benefits the kids.' Whilst there's no chance of Kim and Kanye are still great friends. 'Kim and Kanye have a friendly relationship. It's always been important to Kim to have a good relationship with Kanye.' Former Bachelor star Abbie Chatfield took a trip down memory lane on Monday. Taking to Instagram, the 26-year-old shared an adorable newspaper clipping of her winning a Disney competition at age six, alongside her editorial in The Sunday Telegraph's Stellar magazine over the weekend. Abbie, who is now a host on Love Island Australia's Afterparty show, revealed in the post's caption how her mother would 'no doubt' have saved both articles. Destined for fame! Reality star Abbie Chatfield (pictured), 26, shared a sweet newspaper article to Instagram on Monday of her winning a nationwide Disney competition at age six The newspaper clipping from 2002 saw a young Abbie holding a Winnie-the-Pooh toy as she was announced as one of six winners from a nationwide competition. Abbie placed in the top six of Disney's Princess for a Day competition, where she got to attend a masquerade ball and was escorted in a horse-drawn carriage. She accompanied the clipping with a screenshot of Sunday's Stellar magazine, where she posed in a lime green blazer dress and a chic black two-piece ensemble. Disney princess: The newspaper clipping from 2002 (pictured) saw a young Abbie announced as one of six winners from a nationwide competition. Abbie, who went on to star in 2019's The Bachelor, attended a masquerade ball and was escorted in a horse-drawn carriage Current-day: The host of Love Island Australia's Afterparty show accompanied the clipping with a screenshot of Sunday's Stellar magazine (pictured), where she posed in a lime green blazer dress and a chic black two-piece ensemble 'In the paper age 6 v in the paper age 26. Mum's saved both no doubt. Exactly 19 years apart. Cute,' Abbie captioned the post. In her interview with Stellar Magazine, Abbie revealed that she's matured when it comes to her dress sense. She explained how she once dressed a certain way to attract romantic interest, but not any more. Changing style: In her interview with Stellar Magazine, Abbie revealed that she's matured when it comes to her dress sense Dressing for herself: Abbie explained how she once dressed a certain way to attract romantic interest, but not any more. 'I've become a bit more, maybe, mature. I've understood what makes me look and feel the best,' she said Honest: The podcast host continued: 'Doing photo shoots, you see yourself from a third-party perspective. I now dress more for myself rather than for the people I'm trying to sleep with!' 'I've become a bit more, maybe, mature. I've understood what makes me look and feel the best,' Abbie said. 'Doing photo shoots, you see yourself from a third-party perspective. I now dress more for myself rather than for the people I'm trying to sleep with!' However the podcaster added that she isn't currently looking for love as the process is a bit tiring. 'I've done Tinder video calls, but I think it's hard to form a connection when you can't actually meet someone [face-to-face],' she added. 'The emotional exhaustion of getting to know someone isn't really wanted now.' She is set to welcome her second baby with her on/off boyfriend Travis Scott. And proving pregnancy suits her, Kylie Jenner, 24, looked incredible as she showed off her growing baby bump while hanging out with sister Kendall, 25, at a Starbucks drive-thru on Sunday. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was seen stumbling over her words in a video she shared to Instagram of the pair - joking she 'couldn't keep it together' as she was suffering from 'pregnancy brain'. Baby on board: Kylie Jenner, 24, cut a glamorous figure while showing off her baby bump as she hit a Starbucks drive-thru with sister Kendall on Sunday Sat inside her custom-made Rolls-Royce SUV, that comes with an eye-catching all pink interior, Kylie was trying to tell fans what she and Kendall were up to - only she appeared to forget what they were doing. 'My sister came to get me... umm... to come with me to get Starbucks,' Kylie stuttered. A dressed down Kendall, who was seen kicking back in the passenger seat in a white T-shirt and jeans while laughing at her sister, quizzed: 'Are you OK?' Blaming her struggle on classic baby brain, Kylie joked: 'No! I have pregnancy brain. I can't get it together.' Sister sister: A dressed down Kendall, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, was seen kicking back in the passenger seat of Kylie's custom Rolls-Royce SUV Baby number two: Kylie, who is expecting her second child with Travis Scott, looked incredible as she flaunted her bump in a fitted all-black outfit In a second attempt she told fans: 'But she came with me to get Starbucks In and Out,' while showing off her pink-coloured iced drink. While waiting for her order, Kylie cutely showed off her baby bump as she sat behind the wheel. She looked nothing short of glamorous in an all-black outfit that paired together leggings and a fitted tapered top that skimmed over her baby bump. Emphasising her bump, Kylie was seen gently rubbing her stomach with her ring-adorned hand. Funny: Kendall was seen laughing at her famous sibling as Kylie appeared to forget where they were and stumbled over her words in a video she shared to Instagram Wearing her usual full face of make-up, the soon-to-be mum-of-two wore her long dark locks down in a tousled style. Kylie is already mum to three-year-old daughter Stormi, who she shares with Travis. Her Starbucks run with Kendall came just hours before the siblings were seen celebrating news their older sister Kourtney Kardashian is now engaged. Kourtney's boyfriend and former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker popped the question with a huge diamond over a rose-filled proposal on the beach, before hosting a lavish dinner. Kylie re-shared Kourtney's Instagram post that captured the romantic moment along with the caption: 'Forever.' Baby brain: Kylie joked she 'couldn't get it together' as she was suffering from pregnancy brain Sweet: Kylie treated fans to a look at her growing baby bump while she waited for her order Quenching her thirst: She was seen sipping on a pink coloured iced drink Congrats: Kylie and Kendall's Starbucks run came hours before they were seen celebrating news their sister Kourtney Kardashian had got engaged to boyfriend Travis Barker Kourtney and Travis first went public with their relationship earlier this year on Valentine's Day and since then have had fans hooked with their social media PDAs. Travis has been close with the Kardashian family for years, living nearby in Calabasas, and him and Kourtney were good friends before they started dating. The rock star was previously married twice before and shares two kids, daughter Alabama and son Landon with ex-wife Shanna Moakler. Kourtney, meanwhile, has three children with her ex Scott Disick, who she dated on and off for nine years. They are parents to sons Mason, 11, and Reign, six, and daughter Penelope, nine. Travis has previously said wife-to-be Kourtney makes him feel 'invincible'. Sparkler: Kourtney gave fans a first look at her huge engagement ring as she celebrated In an interview with Nylon magazine, Travis recalled getting on a flight with Kourtney for the first time since he was left critically injured from a plane crash in 2008. 'I made a deal with her that she had just said to me, "I would love to do so much travelling with you. I want to go to Italy with you. I want to go to Cabo with you. I want to go to Paris with you. I want to go to Bora Bora with you." And I said, "Well, when the day comes you want to fly, I'm telling you I'll do it with you. I would do anything with you. And just give me 24 hours notice." And that's what she did,' he revealed. 'It's still something very new to me, but having something that gives me the strength and hope to be able to overcome things that were so traumatic in my life, it just says a ton. 'She's definitely that for me. I'm invincible when I'm with her.' Lisa Wilkinson has insisted that she's not out 'to attack' former Today co-host Karl Stefanovic after she made bombshell claims about her 2017 departure from Nine. The Sunday Project host claimed Stefanovic gave her the cold shoulder for a week before she left the breakfast program in damning extracts from her autobiography, It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This, published in News Corp papers over the weekend. Speaking to The Herald Sun on Monday, Wilkinson, 61, said she decided to share her story four years later as she's simply just 'not keeping men's secrets anymore'. Stance: Lisa Wilkinson (pictured), 61, insisted to The Herald Sun on Monday that she's not trying 'to attack' former Today co-host Karl Stefanovic in her explosive memoir, as she's simply just 'not keeping men's secrets anymore' The former magazine editor told the publication that she's been 'overwhelmed' by messages and calls from friends and other female TV journalists who have experienced similar mistreatment from men in media or the 'boys' club'. 'What's out there at the moment looks like I am trying to attack Karl, but as you know in the book, that's not what Im doing. I'm just not keeping men's secrets anymore,' Wilkinson told The Herald Sun. 'I think, as women, when we do that all we do is strengthen the boys' club and we do women a disservice.' Claims: The Sunday Project host claimed Stefanovic (pictured), 47, gave her the cold shoulder for a week before she left the breakfast program in damning extracts from her autobiography, It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This, published in News Corp papers over the weekend Wilkinson went on to say that women can be 'empowered' by sharing their stories. 'Because to make somebody feel diminished, you isolate them and you make them think that what they are experiencing is only there's and there's alone, and that they can't share that with anyone and be empowered by anyone else's experiences.' An excerpt from Wilkinson's tell-all book was published in The Sunday Telegraph. Empowering other women: Wilkinson, who is 'overwhelmed' by messages of support from other women working in media, told The Herald Sun that she decided to share her story four years later as she's simply just 'not keeping men's secrets anymore' Wilkinson addressed her awkward final encounter with Stefanovic, 47, claiming he'd given her the cold shoulder in the weeks before she was sacked by Nine. She explained that she and her husband, Peter FitzSimons, had invited Stefanovic and his partner, Jasmine Yarbrough, to attend their 25th anniversary vow renewal ceremony in October 2017. Two days before the event, however, Stefanovic and Yarbrough contacted FitzSimons to say they wouldn't be attending the celebrations because they'd extended their overseas holiday. Candid: It comes after an excerpt from Wilkinson's tell-all book was published in The Sunday Telegraph. Wilkinson addressed her awkward final encounter with Stefanovic, claiming he'd given her the cold shoulder in the weeks before she was sacked by Nine 'In the ten days since [the ceremony] Karl hadn't contacted me, his co-host of almost eleven years, at all. No phone message, no text, no apology, not even a simple congrats. Just complete silence,' Wilkinson alleged. After returning to work, Wilkinson claimed Stefanovic did not ask her about her holidays, nor did he apologise for being a 'no-show at the wedding'. 'For the next two hours, I exchanged not a single word with Karl outside of what was scripted because for the first time, I just didn't trust myself to "play nice",' she said. Wilkinson went on to say she was also 'quietly fuming' because 'nearly every interview that day was being done by Karl alone'. Last days: Wilkinson said she was 'quietly fuming' during her last days at Nine after Stefanovic failed to show up to her vow renewal ceremony with husband Peter FitzSimons 'For two hours, I sat there feeling completely useless. The Today show was now The Karl Show. What was the point of me even being there?' she added. Channel Nine declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. In another extract published in The Herald Sun on Monday, Wilkinson addressed the gender pay gap between the two breakfast TV hosts. She alleged Stefanovic had proposed in August 2015 they join forces to renegotiate their Nine contracts - not unlike how the cast of American sitcom Friends famously worked together to broker better deals with NBC. But she claims he ended up ditching this idea and instead played rival networks Nine and Seven off against each other in order to secure a better deal for himself. Snub: Two days before the event, Stefanovic contacted FitzSimons (left) to say he wouldn't be attending the celebrations because he'd extended his overseas holiday 'Weeks later... the media became awash with stories that Stefanovic was restless at Today and looking for greener pastures and more civilised working hours at Channel Seven,' she wrote. Stefanovic was soon at the centre of a bidding war between Nine and Seven that resulted in him re-signing a multimillion-dollar five-year deal with Nine. Wilkinson's deal was worth significantly less, and was only for two years. Claims: In another extract published in the Herald Sun on Monday, Wilkinson addressed the gender pay gap between the two breakfast TV hosts, saying it was 'so off the charts that no-one would have believed it' 'There was no doubt about it: Karl certainly knew the art of the deal,' she wrote, adding that the resulting pay disparity between them 'was so off the charts that no-one would have believed it'. Wilkinson also described the moment she was told she'd never return to the helm at Today, following after her first day back on-air after the holidays. She said she was shopping at her local Woolworths when she received a phone call from her manager Nick Fordham, who had just finished a meeting with Nine's CEO Hugh Marks. Fordham told her she was 'permanently off' the Today show, and would never return. Exit: Wilkinson left the Today show in October 2017 after a reported gender pay gap dispute. Nine was 'unable to meet her expectations' after she demanded equal pay with Stefanovic Wilkinson left the Today show in October 2017 after a reported gender pay gap dispute. Nine was 'unable to meet her expectations' after she demanded equal pay with Stefanovic, according to reports at the time. In January 2018, Wilkinson joined Channel 10 in a rumoured multimillion-dollar deal to host The Sunday Project. Rival network: Since joining The Sunday Project in 2018, Wilkinson has landed sit-down interviews with A-list stars. Pictured with co-hosts Tommy Little (left) and Waleed Aly (right) Since joining The Sunday Project, Wilkinson has landed sit-down interviews with the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kylie Minogue and Bradley Cooper. In an interview with The Herald Sun in December 2018, she applauded the 'integrity' and high 'calibre' of her colleagues at Channel 10, including Carrie Bickmore, Fifi Box, Amanda Keller, Julia Morris and Gorgi Coghlan. 'One of the absolute bonuses that I really hadn't anticipated in moving to Ten, is the calibre of my colleagues,' she said. It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This will be published by Harper Collins on October 27, and is available for pre-order at Big W and Booktopia for $27 Demi Rose sent pulses racing as she took to Instagram on Sunday to treat her fans with a tantalising string of snaps during her sun-soaked LA getaway. The influencer, 26, certainly turned up the heat as she flashed her very ample assets in a plunging yellow crop top, exposing her slinky red lace bra. The zipped-down number had been combined with a pair of light jeans, which showcased her peachy bottom. Out of this world: Demi Rose sent pulses racing as she took to Instagram on Sunday to treat her fans with a tantalising string of snaps during her sun-soaked LA getaway To accessorise her look, she slung a brown Dior handbag over her shoulder and wore her luscious walnut locks in gorgeous curls. 'Laguna you were fun,' she wrote in her caption, while tagging her location as the iconic Laguna Beach on the California coast. The PrettyLittleThing ambassador is currently in the City of Angels preparing for a new campaign for the brand, and has been sure to keep her fans up to date with her every move. Ethereal: The influencer, 26, certainly turned up the heat as she flashed her very ample assets in a plunging yellow crop top, exposing her slinky red lace bra Livin' it up: 'Laguna you were fun,' she wrote in her caption, while tagging her location as the iconic Laguna Beach on the California coast Currently living it up at the swanky Beverly Hills Hotel, she took style notes from Marilyn Monroe in a recent latest slew of Instagram snaps. Taking to the social media site on Friday, the buxom model slipped into a high-waisted white bikini as she soaked up the sun on the rooftop of the LA hotspot. Demi put on a very busty display in the plunging halterneck top while posing up a storm on a sun lounger. Jaw-dropping: Demi Rose flashed her underboob in a racy black crop top in a Sunday Instagram post during her sun-soaked Beverly Hills work trip for PrettyLittleThing The influencer donned a pair of white sandals with neon yellow straps and looked to be doing a spot of reading as she posed next to a stack of books. Demi sported a bronzed glow after her recent holiday in Ibiza and wore her brunette hair in soft waves. She captioned the shot: 'What would Marilyn do?' Turning up the heat: Demi took style notes from Marilyn Monroe in a recent slew of Instagram snaps from her stay in Beverly Hills Sizzling: Taking to the social media site on Friday, the buxom model slipped into a high-waisted white bikini as she soaked up the sun on the rooftop of the LA hotspot All eyes on her: Demi put on a very busty display in the plunging halterneck top while posing up a storm on a sun lounger Strike a pose: The influencer donned a pair of white sandals with neon yellow straps and looked to be doing a spot of reading as she posed next to a stack of books It comes after Demi marked her arrival in the LA on Thursday as she took to Instagram in a VERY plunging palm-tree printed green dress. The thigh-split number, which showcased her bronzed legs, had been layered beneath a coordinating lime blazer as the star framed her face with a pair of white shades. Marking her arrival in town, Demi wrote in her caption, 'Stateside,' followed by a palm tree emoji. Fashion icon: Demi was inspired by Hollywood star Marilyn (pictured in 1953) for her latest outfit Hot stuff: It comes after Demi marked her arrival in the LA on Thursday as she took to Instagram in a VERY plunging palm-tree printed green dress The brunette bombshell has been modelling for eight years and credits her career for being a 'blessing' after being subjected to bullying when she was younger. Speaking to Radio 1 Newsbeat, Demi previously revealed: 'I always wanted to get into modelling and when I eventually got there I classed it as a blessing because I grew up being bullied and didn't have many friends at all.' In 2019, both of Demi's parents died, just seven months apart and the star said going into lockdown straight after their deaths was 'a time of reflection. 'Having to deal with my parents' house and selling their stuff - it was a really sad place for me. 'I wanted to go and travel but I had three months in London, which was a lot of facing what I had been through and was a time of reflection.' The first trailer for Irvine Welsh's TV series Crime has been released, with Dougray Scott transforming into the character of DI Ray Lennox for the gritty drama. The six-part BritBox series follows Detective Inspector Lennox as he investigates the disappearance of a 13-year-old schoolgirl. Crime is the first TV series penned by Irvine - who famously wrote the 1993 novel Trainspotting. Getting emotional: Dougray Scott has laid his feelings bare in the first look trailer for Irvine Welsh's Crime - the first TV series for the Trainspotting author In a first look trailer for the show, Scottish actor Dougray, 55, screamed and cried, getting emotional as he revealed: 'Every day is literally a matter of life or death... It tears my soul apart'. The anxiety-inducing montage begins with the cryptic voiceover: 'They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions... Not in my mind.' Before long, viewers are brought to the edge of their seat as they are introduced to an eerie flash of detectives, suspects, and the missing child's tearful mother as the electronic music builds to a climax. Crime also stars Joanna Vanderham (DCs Legends of Tomorrow), Angela Griffin (White Lines), Ken Stott (The Dig) and Jamie Sives (Guilt), and was adapted by Irvine and Dean Cavanagh (Creation Stories). Let it all out: The Scottish actor screamed and cried in the one-minute teaser, getting emotional as he revealed: 'Every day is literally a matter of life or death... It tears my soul apart' The series has been billed as 'the story of Ray Lennox in a city on the edge of the abyss. 'Lennox is a man whose clear sight is not always a blessing. 'A girl goes missing. A town is in fear. A police department fights with itself. A hero is lost; tortured by his own demons and all the while, watching, waiting, a brutal killer is poised to strike.' Getting into character: The actor launched head-on for his role of Detective Inspector Ray Lennox Crime is Irvine's first show for TV, and is adapted from his own 2008 novel of the same name. The Scottish novelist, 63, is famed for writing Trainspotting, which was made into the cult 1996 movie starring Ewan McGregor, Ewan Bremner and Robert Carlyle. The film was followed-up by the 2017 sequel T2: Trainspotting, with Robert recently confirming that a TV series adaptation of the follow-up novel The Blade Artist is underway. Terrifying: Home-viewers are brought to the edge of their seat as they are introduced to an eerie flash of detectives, suspects, and the missing child's tearful mother (pictured) Stellar lineup: The BritBox show also stars Joanna Vanderham , Angela Griffin (pictured), Ken Stott and Jamie Sives,and was adapted by Irvine Welsh and Dean Cavanagh The actor told NME: 'Irvine and myself have been chatting quite a lot recently with a couple of excellent producers in London about [continuing the story]. 'As you know there was another book called The Blade Artist which is just entirely about Begbie and his mad story. Its still in its early moments but its looking pretty good that this will happen eventually.' Crime is available to stream on BritBox from Thursday November 18. Alison Hammond recalled the heartbreaking moment she desperately tried and failed to rescue victims of a fatal car accident, admitting the moment changed her outlook on life forever. The presenter, 46, appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday to discuss her autobiography You've Got To Laugh, when she recalled the heartbreaking incident that occurred when she was in her 20s. The mother-of-one revealed she is still haunted by the incident, in which she tried to help two young boys caught up in car wreckage before learning the following day that they had died. Sad: Alison Hammond, 46, appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday to discuss her autobiography where she recalled a moment in her 20s where she witnessed a car accident Alison recalled: 'I went to a wedding and on the way home - I dont drink, Ill have a cocktail once in a while - but I hadnt been drinking at this and it was in the middle of the night. There was a car upside down and the car had just crashed and I was the first on the scene. 'There was a guy on the side of the road crying and then I went to the car and there was a guy I couldnt get to and there was petrol everywhere. There was no mobile phones back then. I tried to get him out of the seat but the other guy was like "leave him, you could paralyse him." 'Next day, I read in the newspaper that those two young guys had died. They were only 18. One of them had stolen their dads car and they just died like that. In life, youve just got to grab it.' Intense: The presenter was on the way home in the middle of the night when she tried to help two young boys in the incident before she later read in the newspaper that they had died Earlier in the show, Alison also detailed how she had never wanted to get into showbusiness, but her mother kickstarted her TV career when she got her into a film. The Big Brother contestant revealed that her mum landed both Alison and her brother role as extras in a movie where she and her brother had to play dead. She said: 'I never really wanted to get into showbiz but my mum was obsessed with it. She got us into a film, me and my brother, we were in a film where we had to play dead in Artemis 81 alongside Sting. I was six years old.' Having a life-is-too-short mentality even at that young age, she said: 'You have these opportunities come along and youve just got to grab it with both hands. Lets just go for it and then think about it after.' Alison's appearance on Good Morning Britain came ahead of hosting an episode of This Morning. During her time on the show, Alison had a conversation with a man who is addicted to tan and has admitted he wants to look black. She asked him in her signature outgoing way: 'Do you wanna look black like me babes?' to which he responded: 'Yeah I do babes.' He went on: 'Some people wont leave the house without makeup, I wont leave the house without a tan.' Shocking: Later, while presenting This Morning, Alison had a conversation with a man who is addicted to tan who admitted to wanting to look black Tan lover Jimmy uses extra dark fake tan, and also uses injections to make himself darker. He buys the jabs online, which sparked concern from Alison and Doctor Sara who said: 'These injections are illegal in the UK. We dont know what the potential side effects could be to your body. Because they are unregulated, we dont know what else is in them besides whats advertised.' He spends 1000 a month on becoming bronzed and has been doing it since he was 15-years-old. Jordan Tilli is the first contestant to be dumped from Love Island Australia. The Melbourne business development manager, 28, was sent packing on Monday night's episode after Lexy Thornberry chose to pursue a relationship with carpenter Ryan Reid over him. Lexy said she was drawn to Ryan, 25, because they formed a connection over the past few days. Bye bye! Jordan Tilli, 28, has become the first contestant to be DUMPED from Love Island Australia after he was sent home during Monday night's episode 'He's really hilarious, a gentleman and very down to Earth,' Lexy told host Sophie Monk before announcing her decision. 'I really want to keep exploring things with him [and] see how it goes.' After being booted from the villa, Jordan said that his experience on the show wasn't what he was expected, but he had a great time. 'It wasn't what I was expected going in and how it's ended now, but I had a good time,' he said. Options: The Melbourne business development manager (left) was sent packing after Lexy Thornberry chose to pursue a relationship with carpenter Ryan Reid (right) over him Making her choice: Lexy said that she decided to choose Ryan, 25, because she felt they had formed a connection over the past few days Jordan was initially partnered up with Jess Velkovski, but he ultimately failed to find a love connection with her after he kissed hot geek Rachael Evren. Following his elimination, Jordan said he felt like his decision to dump Jess had backfired - and it was ultimately the cause of his eviction. When asked if he had anything to say to the girls before leaving, Jordan shocked his housemates by apologising for his behaviour. Is it too late to say sorry? When asked if he had anything to say to the girls before leaving, Jordan shocked his housemates by apologising for his behaviour 'I just want to apologise for how I was the whole time,' he began. 'I know it was hard to firstly forgive and then to obviously for Rachael [Evren] trust me, so yeah, I just want to apologise for how I acted while I was here.' Love Island Australia airs Monday to Thursday on Channel 9 Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are set to wed, with the Blink-182 drummer popping the question to his girlfriend in a rose-filled beach proposal. Marking the incredibly romantic moment, the couple were seen sharing snaps of the incredibly romantic moment to Instagram on Sunday, with Kourtney giving fans a first look at her huge engagement ring. And it seems Travis spared no expense on the sparkler, with an expert valuing Kourtney's new rock and estimating it's worth a cool $1million (750,000). Splashing the cash: Travis Barker reportedly splurged a cool $1million (750,000) on wife-to-be Kourtney Kardashian's engagement ring, says expert The ring itself is a large oval-shaped diamond that sits on a thin silver band. It's believed the diamond is an impressive eight carats, with engagement ring specialist Max Stone from Steven Stone insisting it's of the 'highest quality'. Commenting on the simple yet classic design, Stone explained: 'In true Kardashian style, Kourtneys ring is a real showstopper. The huge oval diamond is a VS2 grade, which is of the highest quality. 'From looking at the photographs posted on Instagram it looks to be around eight carats. The huge stone is set on a thin pave band for extra sparkle.' Set to wed: The Blink-182 drummer popped the question to girlfriend Kourtney over a beach proposal in Montecito, before hosting a lavish dinner for their family and friends Stunning: Kourtney's 'showstopper' of a ring is a huge oval-shaped diamond, believed to be eight carats, that sits on a thin silver band Happy ever after: Kourtney posted pictures of Travis' incredibly romantic proposal that saw him create a heart on the beach using red roses and candles The ring specialist added: 'The simplicity of the setting extenuates the size of the stone, making it look even larger. With this in mind, it is most likely worth around it $1 million (750,000). 'This is definitely one of this year's most incredible celebrity engagement rings.' Kourtney confirmed her engagement to Travis on social media, as she shared a series of photos from the moment he got down on one knee with fans, along with the caption: 'Forever.' In the pictures, she can be seen stood with Travis on the beach inside a heart outlined with hundreds of roses and candles. Going all out: The couple were then joined by their family and friends, including Kourtney's famous sisters and Travis' kids, as they hosted an engagement dinner Beautiful: The table was covered in roses to match the moment Travis got down on one knee Congrats: The couple were inundated with messages from fans and celebrities a like, with Travis' son Landon among those wishing the happy couple congratulations The proposal took place on the private beach of the Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Montecito, California, with the newly-engaged pair later hosting a lavish dinner for their family and friends. Those in attendance included Kris Jenner and Kourtney's sisters Kim, Khloe, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, as well as Travis' daughter Alabama, 15, who shared the first glimpse of Kourtney's engagement ring on her Instagram story. Alabama, whose mum is Shanna Moakler - Travis' ex-wife, gushed: 'So happy for you guys. I love u both (sic).' A source told E! News: 'Travis escorted Kourtney down to the beach, where he had red and white florals set up in the shape of a heart. It looked very romantic. 'I could see Kourtney smiling from ear to ear and put her hand over her mouth looking surprised. The family cheered for them and went back into the hotel.' 'Forever': A source revealed that Kourtney was left 'looking surprised' on the beach, as Travis escorted her down to his romantic setup before popping the question Other guests joining the celebrations included Kris' boyfriend Corey Gamble, Khloe's on/off partner Tristan Thompson and Travis' other children; son Landon, 18, and step-daughter Atiana De La Hoya. Travis has previously been married twice before. He wed first wife Melissa Kennedy in 2001, before tying the knot to second wife Shanna in 2004. His divorce from Shanna was finalised four years later in 2008. Kourtney, meanwhile, shares three children with her long-term ex Scott Disick, who she dated on and off for nine years, before they split for good in 2015. The former couple are parents to sons Mason, 11, and Reign, six, and daughter Penelope, nine. Prior to dating Travis, Kourtney was in a relationship with model ex Younes Bendjima. Smitten: Kourtney and Travis were good friends before they started dated and confirmed their relationship on Valentine's Day earlier this year Following news of her engagement, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was inundated with congratulatory messages from fans and celebrities a like, including Addison Rae, Winnie Harlow and Selling Sunset's Christine Quinn. The loved up duo were longtime friends for a decade, before they began dating in the latter part of 2020, and went Instagram official just after Valentine's Day. There had been numerous reports that the pair had talked about marriage and both had made it clear that they were in it for the long haul with social media posts, and he even got her name tattooed on his chest. 'They are head over heels and never experienced love like this,' an insider told E!. 'Kourtney is the happiest. Travis adores her and treats her so well. It's very different than her other relationships and all positive.' Another added: 'It was an instant connection and bond ever since they became romantically involved. They are in it for the long haul. Everyone in the family adores Travis and their families mesh seamlessly.' Kourtney had also given Travis the strength to fly again for the first time in nearly 13 years following a plane crash that killed four and left him with burns on 65% of his body. In love: Sources have said of their romance, 'Kourtney is the happiest. Travis adores her and treats her so well. It's very different than her other relationships and all positive' With his girlfriend in tow, Travis took his first flight to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in August and later revealed in an interview that Kourtney had made him feel 'invincible'. 'I made a deal with her that she had just said to me, "I would love to do so much travelling with you. I want to go to Italy with you. I want to go to Cabo with you. I want to go to Paris with you. I want to go to Bora Bora with you." And I said, "Well, when the day comes you want to fly, I'm telling you I'll do it with you. I would do anything with you. And just give me 24 hours notice." And that's what she did,' he revealed in an interview with Nylon magazine. 'It's still something very new to me, but having something that gives me the strength and hope to be able to overcome things that were so traumatic in my life, it just says a ton. 'She's definitely that for me. I'm invincible when I'm with her.' He is one of Britain's leading film directors. And Sam Mendes took a break from his busy schedule as he enjoyed a trip to the beach in Saint Peter, Barbados on Sunday. The filmmaker, 56, appeared in good spirits as he went for a swim where he was joined by a female pal. Holiday: Sam Mendes took a break from his busy schedule as he enjoyed a trip to the beach in Saint Peter, Barbados on Sunday The Spectre director sported a pair of black tracksuit bottoms as he soaked up the sun on the Caribbean island. Sam has been married to trumpet soloist and producer Alison Balsom since 2017 while he married to actress Kate Winslet from 2003 to 2011. Sam's most recent film was the war drama 1917 which received ten nominated at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020. Olivia Colman is set to star in Empire of Light, Sam's new original film which he has penned without a co-writer for the first time. Trip: The Spectre director sported a pair of black tracksuit bottoms as he soaked up the sun on the Caribbean island Abroad: The filmmaker appeared in good spirits as he went for a swim where he was joined by a female pal The actress, 47, has entered into discussions for a starring role in the upcoming romance movie, which the director, 55, is filming for Searchlight Pictures, it was revealed on Tuesday. Sam also wrote the film and this marks the first time he's penned a screenplay without a co-writer his Oscar-nominated film 1917 was written alongside Krysty Wilson-Cairns. While plot details remains tightly under wraps, it is known the production is a love story 'set around a beautiful old cinema on the South Coast of England in the 1980s', and it is unclear which character Colman is going to be playing. Sam is producing Empire of Light alongside Pippa Harris through his Neal Street Productions, and he will also reunite with his longtime cinematographer Roger Deakins on the production. History: Sam married to actress Kate Winslet from 2003 to 2011 (pictured together in 2002) Relationship: Sam has been married to trumpet soloist and producer Alison Balsom since 2017 (pictured together in 2020) Exciting: Olivia Colman is set to star in Sam's new original film Empire Of Light which he has penned without a co-writer for the FIRST time Aiming to release the film in late 2022, Sam said in a statement: 'I have long been an admirer of Searchlight and the dynamic way they have produced and released some of my favourite theatrical releases of recent years. 'This project is very close to my heart, and I couldn't be more delighted that it has found its ideal home.' The project will be overseen at Searchlight by presidents of production, film and television, Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum, as well as head of development and production at Searchlight Pictures UK, Katie Goodson-Thomas. Ant Middleton has settled into life in Australia and is enjoying the success of his show, SAS Australia. On Sunday, the British adventurer, 41, enjoyed a cruise with friends aboard a yacht on Sydney Harbour, sharing images to Instagram. In his caption, Ant thanked Channel 7 - and the Australian people - for welcoming him. Fun: Ant Middleton (left) has settled into life in Australia and is enjoying the success of his show, SAS Australia. On Sunday, the British adventurer, 41, enjoyed a cruise with friends aboard a yacht on Sydney Harbour, sharing images to Instagram 'Huge congrats to all @channel7 for your #1 success and many thanks towards your commitment to myself and @sasaustralia,' he wrote, referencing the recent ratings success of the program. He added: 'Proud to be part of the C7 family and also for the Australian public for embracing me as one of their own! I've only just begun!' Ant had lots of support from celebrities, including Shane Warne who commented, 'Congrats mate' while Erin Holland added, 'the best'. Close: In his caption, Ant thanked Channel 7 - and the Australian people - for welcoming him. 'Huge congrats to all @channel7 for your #1 success and many thanks towards your commitment to myself and @sasaustralia,' he wrote He added: 'Proud to be part of the C7 family and also for the Australian public for embracing me as one of their own! I've only just begun!' Even Piers Morgan got involved, adding clapping emojis, as did former contestants Schapelle Corby. It comes after Ant had some harsh words for the UK version of SAS, called SAS: Who Dares Wins. The former soldier says he only accepted the role on the local sister show because it was less produced. Pleased: It comes after Ant had some harsh words for the UK version of SAS, called SAS: Who Dares Wins. The former soldier says he only accepted the role on the local sister show because it was less produced 'The UK version fell out of my grasp and was taken out of my grip, so I was worried about this version being the same,' he told The Daily Telegraph. 'It wasn't until I sat down with the heads of Channel 7 and they said, "we want you to run it and do what you do best", I knew it would be different.' Ant added that he is more than happy to cut ties with the UK version of the show. Oh dear: Ant added that he is more than happy to cut ties with the UK version of the show 'The last UK episode finishes on Sunday and then I am going to wipe my hands of them and move forward. Hopefully they leave me alone. 'There's a lot of witch hunting going on, there's no doubt about that,' he said. Ant was dropped by Channel 4 due to his 'personal conduct', with the station claiming they will not work with him again. 'The last UK episode finishes on Sunday and then I am going to wipe my hands of them and move forward. Hopefully they leave me alone. There's a lot of witch hunting going on, there's no doubt about that,' he said His departure came months after Ant sparked controversy by referring to Black Lives Matter protesters as 'absolute scum', and urging people to 'carry on as normal' and not change their habits amid the global Covid pandemic. A spokesperson for Channel 4 told MailOnline: 'Ant Middleton will not be taking part in future series of SAS: Who Dares Wins. 'Following a number of discussions Channel 4 and Minnow Films have had with him in relation to his personal conduct it has become clear that our views and values are not aligned and we will not be working with him again.' Bindi Irwin is enjoying every moment of motherhood. On Monday, the 23-year-old shared a series of photos of her six-month-old daughter, Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, to Instagram. In the images, the sweet tot stuck out her tongue and struck a cheeky pose as she held a stuffed bunny toy. Love: Bindi Irwin is enjoying every moment of motherhood. Pictured with daughter Grace Grace also held a dummy in her hand, and had on a sweet white onesie with lace trim around the neckline. Bindi wrote in her caption: 'Our angel and sunshine every day. Always poking her tongue out when I get the camera to take her photo. 'Grace Warrior, I love you beyond description,' she added. Aww! On Monday, the 23-year-old shared a series of photos of her six-month-old daughter, Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, to Instagram Baby love: In the images, the sweet tot stuck out her tongue and struck a cheeky pose as she held a stuffed bunny toy Bindi wrote in her caption: 'Our angel and sunshine every day. Always poking her tongue out when I get the camera to take her photo. Grace Warrior, I love you beyond description' The conservationist welcomed her first child with her husband Chandler Powell in March. Last week, she shared an adorable photo to Instagram of her little girl 'talking' to the family dog Piggy. Bindi captioned the image of Grace, six months, smiling at Piggy: 'Having a chat.' Aww! Last week, she shared an adorable photo of her little girl 'talking' to the family dog Piggy. Bindi captioned the image of Grace, six months, smiling at Piggy: 'Having a chat. Family: The conservationist welcomed her first child with her husband Chandler Powell in March The photo, which was taken on the grounds of Australia Zoo, shows Grace lying on the grass next to Piggy, who is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Last month, Bindi and her husband Chandler, 24, celebrated their daughter turning six months old, sharing a gallery of photos to Instagram of Grace sitting in a field while holding a wooden panel with 'six months' engraved on it. Bindi and Chandler, a former professional wakeboarder, welcomed their daughter on March 25, which coincidentally was their one-year wedding anniversary. Candice Swanepoel looked to be in top shape as she modeled the new 'rosewater' colored bikini from her Tropic Of C line this weekend. The 32-year-old model from South Africa looked sensational in the string two piece as she sat on a rocky white sand beach alone with her hair down, adding a print bucket hat. Also on Monday the star announced on Instagram her collaboration with Celebrity Canadian designer, Nicole Benisti. She is the new face of the designer's new Fall/Winter campaign. Beach day: Candice Swanepoel looked to be in top shape as she modeled the new 'rosewater' colored bikini from her Tropic Of C line this weekend The blonde bombshell has been modeling her own swimsuit designs for Tropic Of C since 2018 when she launched the sustainable company. 'Taking the road less traveled,' she said in one of her captions for her new bikini photos. 'Thats amore. Tap the pic to shop our new rosewater set,' it said in another caption. In the new images, the siren was holding her head back as she made the focus her toned tummy and sculpted arms. In another shot she smiled for the camera as she shifted her body a bit for a different look. Shine on: The 32-year-old model from South Africa looked sensational in the string two piece as she sat on a rocky white sand beach alone with her hair down, adding a print bucket hat Last week the beauty looked slender and toned in a skimpy bikini that consisted of a triangle top and string briefs with ties around her waist. 'Walk the walk in this sustainable digital printed eco-set in upcycled nylon. tap the pic to shop our new onda print,' it said in the caption while adding a hashtag for Candice's company Tropic Of C. For her second photo she was sitting in the sand with her face toward the camera. 'For the babes that call the beach home, our sustainability efforts put the earth first by using upcycled materials and digital printers to save water,' she said. Good work: The blonde bombshell has been modeling her own swimsuit designs for Tropic Of C since 2018 when she launched the sustainable company The company has been doing well since it launched three years ago: 'Tropic Of C is influenced by nature. inspired by the female form, an eco lifestyle brand crafted with love and respect for mother nature.' The siren has said her suits are 'earthly delights.' 'Eco essentials are back in stock in an earthy hue. tap the pic to shop our new driftwood color trend in the equator top, luna bottom and praia bottom,' the catwalk princess said in her caption. She also remarked that she was 'inspired by nature.' Nature first: The company has been doing well since it launched three years ago: 'Tropic Of C is influenced by nature. inspired by the female form, an eco lifestyle brand crafted with love and respect for mother nature' Her creations: The siren has said her suits are 'earthly delights.' 'Eco essentials are back in stock in an earthy hue. tap the pic to shop our new driftwood color trend in the equator top, luna bottom and praia bottom,' the catwalk princess said in her caption Candice said they are careful with their materials. 'Our garments are designed to last and manufactured with integrity. 'We source the highest quality fabrics to ensure our swimsuits are ultra-durable and maintain their shape. focusing on timelessness not trends, our pieces have staying power. as a direct-to-consumer brand, we cut out the middleman so we can offer fair pricing for incredible quality. This comes after the beauty gushed about her love for her homeland, South Africa. 'Africa. A distant and intimidating land to many, untouchable in its vastness, wild to its core, where weakness flounders and strength essential for survival,' said the mother of two. Her little ones: The import has two children, Ariel and Anaca, with her former partner Hermann Nicoli whom she was with from 2005 until 2018 Swanepoel first launched the swimwear line in 2018 after appearing in campaigns for many other brands including Tom Ford, Givenchy, and Ralph Lauren, among others. After walking for the brand for three years, the supermodel was named a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2010 and was featured on the cover of the lingerie line's swim catalog in 2013. She has also walked the runway for various fashion houses including Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana, and Versace. The import has two children, Ariel and Anaca, with her former partner Hermann Nicoli whom she was with from 2005 until 2018. Erika Jayne has claimed that Tom Girardi's firm managed her money while they were married despite being accused of receiving $20million amid his massive embezzlement scandal. Sources close to the 50-year-old Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star told TMZ on Monday that she insists she had 'zero clue' what the 82-year-old Girardi was doing with his or her money and that all money she had earned went straight to him or his law firm, Girardi & Keese. The insider added that Erika had faith that her now estranged husband would manage the assets appropriately while making sure all financial dealings were handled properly and that she actually never monitored the situation. Tough times: Erika Jayne has claimed that Tom Girardi's firm managed her money while they were married despite being accused of receiving $20million amid his massive embezzlement scandal according to TMZ Monday, as they are pictured on Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills TMZ's source went on to claim that all of her independent income including Housewives salary, paid appearances, sponsorship deals, etc. had went to her company EJ Global but Erika alleges that Tom had managed all money. There has been a lot of speculation surrounding how much the reality star actually knew as Erika's company was previously accused of receiving a $20million transfer from Girardi's law firm. Girardi is facing claims of embezzling millions of funds that were meant for the families of plane crash victims, while Jayne has been embroiled in the suit after it was revealed she allegedly pocketed $25million in expenses from her senior husband. Interesting: Sources close to the 50-year-old reality star (seen in October 2020) told TMZ on Monday she insists she had 'zero clue' what the 82-year-old Girardi was doing with his or her money and that all money she had earned went straight to him or his law firm, Girardi & Keese In his hands: Sources close to the 50-year-old reality star told TMZ on Monday that she insists she had 'zero clue' what the 82-year-old Girardi was doing with his or her money and that all money she had earned went straight to him or his law firm, Girardi & Keese The news comes days after Jayne faced tough jabs on the first episode of the RHOBH reunion, as well as calls for her to be fired over her estranged husband Girardi's embezzlement scandal. However, last night Jayne appeared defiant on the reunion show as she clapped back at calls for her to be axed from the show as a result. 'Why should I be fired?,' Jayne snapped. 'Why are you presuming that I've done something? Why aren't we letting the legal process play out?' She added: 'You've heard one side... and a lot of bulls*** on that side. Give me a chance to defend myself. Watch me. I'm ready for the challenge. Watch me do it.' TMZ's source went on to claim that all of her independent income including Housewives salary, paid appearances, sponsorship deals, etc. had went to her company EJ Global but Erika alleges that Tom had managed all money, they are seen in West Hollywood back in January 2017 Both Jayne and Girardi were named as defendants in a federal lawsuit filed in December alleging they stole funds meant for the families, including widows and orphans, of the victims of the 2018 Lion Air plane crash. Tom had his California license to practice law revoked in March 2021 after the Los Angeles Times reported that he had been sued more than 100 times. He also had been the subject of numerous bar complaints alleging financial malfeasance involving millions of dollars owed to clients, including female cancer victims and a burn victim. He said she said: There has been a lot of speculation surrounding how much the reality star actually knew as Erika's company was previously accused of receiving a $20million transfer from Girardi's law firm Andy asked Erika if her lawyers ever advised her to quit the show and she said they did. 'And then I said, ''No, because I have nothing to hide.'' And they said, ''Well, you know that this s*** can get flipped around on you.'' Everything can be parsed, twisted, turned and yes, possibly turned against you. Whether it is true or not, it almost doesn't even matter at this point,' Erika said. Andy asked Erika if she ever thought about quitting the show and she admitted that she considered it. Scandal: Erika has been embroiled in an embezzlement scandal involving her 82-year-old estranged husband Tom Girardi (pictured on the show) and disgraced lawyer Tom 'But I'm not a quitter and I wanted to honor my commitment. I wasn't going to run away from what's coming at me,' Erika said. Andy pointed out that without her estranged husband's income the show was now her main job and asked her how much that factored into her decision. She said that didn't factor into her decision then but that it was more a consideration now. The one-hour episode was the first of four reunion shows for a turbulent season 11 that was dominated by Erika's divorce and subsequent legal troubles. Andy at the start of the reunion asked Erika if she was ready to finally address her situation and Erika said she was happy to share what she could. The news comes days after Jayne faced tough jabs on the first episode of the RHOBH reunion, as well as calls for her to be fired over her estranged husband Girardi's embezzlement scandal Legal process: 'Why should I be fired?,' Erika sharply said. 'Why are you presuming that I've done something? Why aren't we letting the legal process play out?' No quitting: Andy asked Erika if she ever thought about quitting the show and she admitted that she considered it Together again: The one-hour episode was the first of four reunion shows for a turbulent season 11 that was dominated by Erika's divorce and subsequent legal troubles 'This is the toughest part of my life,' Erika said. 'I could imagine,' Andy replied. Two weeks before the reunion, Lisa Rinna, 57, visited Erika at her house and asked her if she was going to show up at the reunion. She told her people had said that she wasn't. Tough time: 'This is the toughest part of my life,' Erika said So true: 'There are going to be some winners and some losers,' said Erika 'I'm going,' Erika told her. 'I'm not a f***ing quitter.' Erika told her that she had a dream that they were at the reunion and that there were going to be some shots fired and shots taken. 'There are going to be some winners and some losers,' said Erika. 'Well, that's life baby,' Lisa responded. On the day of the reunion, the housewives arrived and went to their respective trailers to get ready. When Kyle Richards, 52, was in hair and make up, Andy stopped by and said that in 11 years of doing these shows that this one felt as if the stakes were higher. Megan Fox stepped out wearing her finest blues on Sunday. The 35-year-old movie star wowed in a miniskirt, crop top and winter coat as she left a fashion shoot in Los Angeles. Megan was said to be leaving a shoot that she did with her new campaign for Boohoo. Sensational: Megan Fox shows off her taut tummy and fit form in blue miniskirt as she leaves a photoshoot in LA The star has been back in the spotlight more so than ever recently - thanks to her PDAs with boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly. The results of her recently photoshoot have already been seen on the fashion company's website. In one picture, Megan's piercing blue eyes caught the camera as she showed off just a few pieces of the new collection with the popular brand. Wow: The 35-year-old movie star wowed in a miniskirt, crop top and winter coat as she left a fashion shoot in Los Angeles '7 days until my collection with Boohoo drops...including this universally relatable letterman jacket,' she captioned a recent post, sharing the snap. 'Because theres tons of other reasons to love Ohio even if your boyfriend is not the Peoples Mayor of Cleveland.' Megan and MGK's whirlwind relationship began last year while filming Randall Emmett's crime thriller, Midnight In The Switchgrass, with Bruce Willis, Emile Hirsch and Lukas Haas in Puerto Rico. Bold and beautiful: Megan Fox took the plunge wearing a sexy cut-out mini dress as she posed up a storm for her latest Boohoo campaign Supportive girlfriend: Megan proved to keep MGK close to her heart as she rocked an Ohio letterman's jacket as part of her new campaign with the fashion brand Boohoo Sneak peek: Megan's piercing blue eyes caught the camera as she showed off just a few pieces of the new collection with the popular brand During an interview on Lala Kent's podcast, Megan said she 'knew right away that he was what I call a twin flame.' She added: 'Instead of a soul mate, a twin flame is actually where a soul has ascended into a high enough level that it can be split into two different bodies at the same time. So we're actually two halves of the same soul, I think.' Megan would have been with her ex Brian Austin Green at the time of this first meeting, with whom she shares sons Noah, nine, Body, seven, and Journey, five, with. Back in black: Her flawless figure was on display in a revealing minidress 'This weird thing happened,' Megan told British GQ Style. 'We didn't see each other. I don't remember [his] face. I just remember this tall, blond, ghostly creature and I looked up and I was like, "You smell like weed." He looked down at me and he was like, "I am weed." Then, I swear to God, he disappeared like a ninja in a smoke bomb.' She added: 'Our souls chose this to absolutely have to face our shadow selves; to face things about ourselves we didnt want to have to know, that we tried to push away.' MGK added, 'It should be light, but also we go to hell with each other. Its ecstasy and agony for sure... I dont want people to think anythings perfect with us.' 'I didnt say it was the darkest fairy tale for no reason. God help you if you wouldve met us last Saturday,' he said, as Fox laughed. They made their red carpet debut at the American Music Awards where she revealed a new tattoo likely dedicated to her musician beau with the Spanish words 'el pistolero' scrawled across her collarbone, which roughly translates to 'the gunman.' Kelly who's real name is Colson Baker revealed that he wears a vial of her blood on a necklace so that he wouldn't miss her when she went out of the country for a film role. She seemed to be one of the few not too pleased with the news that Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian are engaged. And Shanna Moakler took to Instagram on Sunday night hours after the engagement with a dramatic reaction as she admitted to being 'temporarily closed for spiritual maintenance.' The 46-year-old former pageant queen has had a contentious time with Kravis, and even at one time admitted that their romance was 'putting a wedge' between her relationship with her kids. Living in the past: Shanna Moakler and Travis Barker were married for two years before splitting in 2006 Talk about it: Shanna Barker took to Instagram on Sunday night hours after the engagement with a dramatic reaction as she admitted to being 'temporarily closed for spiritual maintenance' The Blink 182 drummer dropped down to one knee and proposed to Kourtney on the beach overlooking the sunset in Montecito on Sunday night with her famous family looking on from the Miramar hotel. And while the happy couple were certainly in celebration mode, her ex, Scott Disick, became a trending topic after fans were curious about his reaction following his disastrous leaked direct message to her ex Younes Bendjima where he criticized Kourtney for too much PDA with Travis on their trip to Italy. Travis famously filed for divorce from Shanna in 2006 after just two years of marriage following claims that she had been unfaithful. Earlier this year, Shanna decried her exes very public new romance and told Us Weekly that it's negatively affecting the bond she has with her two kids. Kravis forever! The Blink 182 drummer dropped down to one knee and proposed to Kourtney on the beach overlooking the sunset in Montecito on Sunday night with her famous family looking on from the Miramar hotel In the past: Travis famously filed for divorce from Shanna in 2006 after just two years of marriage following claims she had been unfaithful; seen in 2005 'The Kardashians are buying my kids Prada every other day,' the former Miss USA told the publication. 'They're going on lavish trips. They're doing all these things, which is fine. I think it's nice that they're being kind to my kids. I want that for my children.' She noted that there's 'severe distancing' between her and Alabama, 15, and Landon, 18, and noted: 'I don't think it's great when they put a wedge in between their biological mother.' Kourtney went public with her new romance at the beginning of the year, and has Reign, six, Penelope, eight, and Mason, 11, from her previous relationship to Scott Disick 'The Kardashians are buying my kids Prada every other day,' the former Miss USA told the publication. Travis and Shanna share Landon, 18, and Alabama, 15, in addition to her daughter, Atiana, from her previous relationship with Oscar de la Hoya 'I divorced my ex because, I saw them I caught them having an affair,' she said (seen in 2009) Shanna also recently told US Weekly that his infidelity with Kim Kardashian was the catalyst to finally end their relationship. 'I divorced my ex because, I saw them I caught them having an affair,' she said. Shanna added that she 'saw text messages' between the pair and alleged the 'affair' took place before Keeping Up With The Kardashians premiered in 2007. She claimed mutual friends of the trio told her of the alleged affair, stating 'they sent me all their [text] conversations and I'm also close friends with people who were there, while things were happening.' According to Shanna's timeline, Kim was still working alongside Paris Hilton as her 'closet organizer' when she first came in contact with Travis. So happy together: Kourtney and Travis celebrated their engagement with their families while cameras were rolling for their new Hulu show 'Congratulations @kourtneykardash and @travisbarker I'm so happy for you guys love you guys so much,' Landon wrote on Instagram She said: '[Travis] had already had an affair with Paris Hilton. And at the time Kim was Paris' closet organizer, they were best friends. And he started using [Kim] as a model for [his clothing company], Famous Stars and Straps.' She added that she had asked her former husband to 'not to use' Kim as a model due to her direct ties to Paris, and that she and Travis had been 'working on our marriage and trying to heal through that affair', that but he continued to work with Kim despite her wishes. Shanna continued: 'Then I received all the text messages and the other third parties kind of let me know. It's something I was well aware of.' Sarah Jessica Parker looked comfortable as she arrived on the set of Sex and the City revival series And Just Like That.... The 56-year-old actress was spotted wearing baggy sweatpants and a long-sleeved cotton shirt on location for the show in downtown Manhattan - which made it clear she was not in character. While the casual outfit may have made Carrie Bradshaw grimace, SJP looked comfortable and happy as she flashed a sunny smile while strolling down the sidewalk on Monday. Dressed down: Sarah Jessica Parker looked comfortable as she arrived on the set of Sex and the City revival series And Just Like That.... The Ohio native's gray sweatpants sat low on her hips and were cuffed at the ankles. Her V-neck charcoal gray shirt fell slightly off her shoulder, exposing a lacy white bra strap. Parker carried a light gray sweatshirt hoodie along with a pair of black sunglasses and sported chunky black high-heeled sandals. Casual: The 56-year-old actress was spotted wearing baggy sweatpants and a long-sleeved cotton shirt on location for the show in downtown Manhattan Sarah's silver-streaked blonde hair was parted down the middle and pulled back into a twisted bun at the back of her head. The Failure to Launch actress toted a large bright blue backpack along with a black leather satchel that was strapped across her chest. Parker went makeup-free as she walked to her trailer surrounded by members of the film's crew. Natural beauty: Parker went makeup-free as she walked to her trailer surrounded by members of the film's crew Over the weekend, Sarah wowed in a glamorous one-shoulder Norma Kamali bodycon dress befitting of her fashionista SATC character Carrie Bradshaw. Parker donned a long cream-colored blazer over her dress and finished off her stylish ensemble with sparkly heels and a snakeskin clutch. She spotted alongside co-star Jon Tenney as the two filmed scenes for the highly anticipated follow-up. Stylish: Over the weekend, Sarah wowed in a glamorous one-shoulder Norma Kamali bodycon dress befitting of her fashionista SATC character Carrie Bradshaw Last week, Parker was seen shooting scenes in Paris with Chris Noth's Mr. Big. The on-screen couple were spotted shooting on the Passerelle des Arts, the picturesque footbridge that crosses the Seine river. This wasn't the first time that Parker's Carrie Bradshaw and Noth's Mr. Big were in Paris, with a famous scene from the original series taking place in the City of Lights, where Mr. Big rescues Carrie from Russian artist Aleksandr Petrovsky. On-screen couple: Sarah was recently spotted filming scenes with Chris Noth's Mr. Big And Just Like That... represents a new chapter of Sex and the City, following Carrie (Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as they continue their friendship from their 30s to, 'the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s.' The cast also includes John Corbett as Aidan Shaw, Mario Cantone as Anthony Marentino and the late Willie Garson as Stanford Blatch. The series will debut on the HBO Max streaming service sometime this winter, though no release date has been given. TV favourite Lorraine Kelly was joined by daughter Rose as she spoke to the Loose Women Ladies on Monday afternoon. Lorraine,61, spoke candidly about her menopause journey and how the condition affected both of them. Speaking to the panel she said 'I was joyless. When i went back home i went to the fountain of all knowledge, Dr Hilary he said, It's the menopause.' Menopause: Lorraine spoke candidly about her menopause journey on Monday's edition of Loose Women Speaking via video link she said the 'It just sneaks up on you, We went on a lovely weekend to Spain and my husband looked at me and said you are not yourself.' 'Even i didn't really know so it just goes to show you that there is an awful lot of work to be done. Rosie, 26, added 'you were just very down and quiet. It was gradual. Growing up you were always on TV so i never knew any different.' Lorraine turned to Rosie and said, 'You said you didn't know much about it.' Affects all: Lorraine revealed that the family was affected by her changes when she went through the menopause Rosie replied, 'Nothing, I knew absolutely nothing. It was never spoken about in school, I don't talk about it to my friends.' Lorraine then revealed Rosie has said it should be taught in school. She explained, 'The way they get taught about things like relationships, you should be able to get that [education on the menopause] at school too.' 'The statistics are horrendous 2,000 women are underprepared. It sneaks up on you and it certainly did for me.' Rosie turned to her mum and said, 'You were just very down and quiet. It was very gradual.' Lorraine then moved the topic on to her being an over protective mum. Advising Rosie that the UK isn't as Safe as Singapore. Lorraine went on to compare the two countries advising Rosie on the do's and don'ts when out socialising in the UK. Silence: Rosie revealed the menopause was never spoken about and thinks it's something that should be taught about in schools Lorraine added [in the UK], 'You can't leave your drink on the bar. You can't leave your pals and walk home alone.' Rosie also spoke about her experience living in Singapore and agreed that she felt safer living there than in the UK. Saying, 'It's a completely different culture there, 'Obviously I used to walk home after going out, people would leave their bags at the bar to go dancing.' Lorraine added 'You were so safe and that stopped me from being the paranoid mother and so worried.' Overprotective mum: Lorraine says she worry's for her daughter more in the UK than when she lived in Singapore Rosie replied 'You are embarrassing but not an embarrassing mum. you have a lovely job and are respectful and lovely.' Lorraine replied ' You don't talk to me about everything do you? I'm not your pal in that sense.' Lorraine, who has a podcast called What If with Rosie said, 'I wasn't the usual.' Podcast: The pair host a podcast called What if Turning to Rosie, she said, 'When you were in Singapore, we were doing Zooms and I would always try to be up and not worry you.' On having a famous mum, Rosie said, 'I don't know any different. Growing up, you were always on the TV'. 'I never knew any different. People I went to school with were lovely.' Lala Kent of Vanderpump Rules fame is reportedly a single woman. PageSix shared on Monday that the blonde beauty has broken off her engagement of three years with Hollywood movie producer Randall Emmett. The site added that Emmett had cheated on the reality TV star when he was working on Nashville, Tennessee recently. She is now staying with her child at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the site claimed. Done? Lala Kent of Vanderpump Rules fame is reportedly a single woman. PageSix shared on Monday that the blonde beauty has broken off her engagement of three years with Hollywood movie producer Randall Emmett; they are pictured in July 'Randall always lives a double life,' a source told the site. 'He lives the life of a husband or boyfriend, and then he lives the life of a serial partier and then goes on a bender.' Over the weekend she cleaned her social media pages of her husband to be. And she liked a post that accused him of cheating on her following video posted to social media of him partying in Nashville. She even took to Instagram to share a video of herself moving into the BHH while Beyonces Sorry played. This split comes seven months after they welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Ocean. Kent and Emmett initially met in 2015, and they began a relationship not long after they made each other's acquaintance. Bye! Over the weekend she cleaned her social media pages of her husband to be; she is seen in 2019 in Hollywood The wedding that won't happen: Last week she also showed photos of the wedding dress she was supposed to wear for her 2020 wedding to Randall if the ceremony had not been delayed by the pandemic Prior to becoming involved with the social media personality, the producer was married to his first wife, Ambyr Childers, with whom he shared two children. The two initially separated in 2015, and although they reconciled, they went on to formally dissolve their union in 2017. Emmett and Kent went public with their relationship in 2018, and the Midnight in the Switchgrass director popped the question that same year. The pair initially planned to have their wedding ceremony in April of 2020, although they postponed their plans in response to the ongoing state of the global pandemic. Moving quickly: Earlier this month the star expressed that she would begin trying for another baby the 'second' her daughter Ocean turned one The two later rescheduled their nuptials and went on to announced that they were expecting to bring a child into their lives last September. Kent eventually shared a picture of Ocean to her Instagram account for the first time not long after she gave birth in March. All seemed fine between the power couple a week ago. She said she was 'ready to go' with regard to having a second baby with Randall. The 31-year-old reality television personality spoke to People during Travel & Give's fourth annual fundraiser in West Hollywood and told the media outlet about her desire to expand her family. Two of a kind: Kent and Emmett initially met in 2015 and began a relationship not long after they met During the event, Kent noted that the 'second' her daughter turned one, she and Emmett, 50, would be 'back at it with the calendar that shows ovulation.' The reality television personality also told the media outlet that 'I'm oversharing with you but that's how it goes.' And last week she also showed photos of the wedding dress she was supposed to wear for her 2020 wedding to Randall if the ceremony had not been delayed by the pandemic. Milestones: The pair went public with their relationship in 2018, and the producer popped the big question that same year Lala said she was inspired to post some photos of the gown after a 'beautiful conversation' with her stylist. 'I wanted to share my wedding dress that I was going to wear on April 18th 2020,' the star captioned her slideshow. 'This dress was custom designed by [Alexandra Renee Scott].' When asked if she would be wearing it on her special day, which will take place next year by a fan in her comment section, Kent replied she and her designer are 'going to start from scratch.' He's having a difficult time moving on. And Scott Disick, 38, is reportedly 'going crazy' after Travis Barker proposed to the mother of his children, Kourtney Kardashian, at sunset on Sunday night in Montecito. Insiders told Page Six that Disick, who recently broke up with ex-girlfriend Amelia Hamlin, 20, is not in a good place after hearing the news of the engagement despite having split from the eldest Kardashian daughter more than five years ago. Trouble in paradise: Scott Disick is reportedly 'going crazy' after Travis Barker proposed to the mother of his children, Kourtney Kardashian, at sunset on Sunday night in Montecito 'Scott is going crazy,' an insider told the publication. 'He's going to go off the deep end. It's really bad. It's about to get dark.' The Blink 182 drummer dropped down to one knee and proposed to Kourtney on the beach overlooking the sunset in Montecito on Sunday night with her famous family looking on from the Miramar hotel. Disick then became a trending topic after fans were curious about his reaction following his disastrous leaked direct message to her ex, Younes Bendjima, where he criticized Kourtney for too much PDA with Travis on their trip to Italy. 'Yo is this chick ok!??? Broo like what is this. In the middle of Italy,' Scott wrote as he sent a photo of Kourtney kissing and straddling the Blink-182 drummer on an inflatable boat. Bendjima, 28, responded back: 'Doesn't matter to me as long as shes happy. PS: i aint your bro.' All the small things: The Blink 182 drummer dropped down to one knee and proposed to Kourtney on the beach overlooking the sunset in Montecito on Sunday night with her famous family looking on from the Miramar hotel The way they were: Amelia reportedly 'ended things' with Scott in September after nearly one year together Yikes: Things were certainly tense leading up to the split, when just last week, the Talentless designer sent Kourtney's ex Younes Bendjima a direct message about her PDA-packed behavior with boyfriend Travis Barker Kourtney and Scott dated on and off for nearly a decade and had three children together Reign, six, Penelope, eight, and Mason, 11 before officially ending things romantically in 2015. He's remained an active co-parent and friend of the family appearing on Keeping Up with the Kardashians and at every major familial event through the years despite his relationship status. Travis' ex-wife, Shanna Moakler was certainly in her feels as well when she took to Instagram on Sunday night hours after the engagement with a dramatic reaction as she admitted to being 'temporarily closed for spiritual maintenance.' The 46-year-old former pageant queen has had a contentious time with Kravis, and even at one time admitted that their romance was 'putting a wedge' between her relationship with her kids. In the past: Kourtney and Scott dated on and off for nearly a decade and had three children together Reign, six, Penelope, eight, and Mason, 11 before officially ending things romantically in 2015; seen in 2015 Travis famously filed for divorce from Shanna in 2006 after just two years of marriage following claims that she had been unfaithful. Earlier this year, Shanna decried her exes very public new romance and told Us Weekly that it's negatively affecting the bond she has with her two kids. 'The Kardashians are buying my kids Prada every other day,' the former Miss USA told the publication. 'They're going on lavish trips. They're doing all these things, which is fine. I think it's nice that they're being kind to my kids. I want that for my children.' Love lost: Travis famously filed for divorce from Shanna in 2006 after just two years of marriage following claims she had been unfaithful; seen in 2005 She noted that there's 'severe distancing' between her and Alabama, 15, and Landon, 18, and noted: 'I don't think it's great when they put a wedge in between their biological mother.' Kourtney went public with her new romance at the beginning of the year, and has Reign, six, Penelope, eight, and Mason, 11, with Scott. Shanna also recently told US Weekly that his infidelity with Kim Kardashian was the catalyst to finally end their relationship. 'I divorced my ex because, I saw them I caught them having an affair,' she said. Shanna added that she 'saw text messages' between the pair and alleged the 'affair' took place before Keeping Up With The Kardashians premiered in 2007. Sarah Levy - who is best known for her role as friendly waitress Twyla Sands on Schitt's Creek - has married Graham Outerbridge. The 35-year-old Canadian actress tied the knot with the-39-year-old actor and producer in Los Angeles on Saturday. The happy couple were joined by friends and family - including Sarah's famous brother and father Dan and Eugene Levy, who also starred on the Pop TV sitcom - as they celebrated at the famous Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood. Sweet: Sarah Levy - who is best known for her role as friendly waitress Twyla Sands on Schitt's Creek - has married Graham Outerbridge Loved up: The 35-year-old Canadian actress tied the knot with the-39-year-old actor and producer in Los Angeles on Saturday Sarah announced the news to her fans by sharing an adorable image of a strip of black and white photobooth snaps. She captioned it: 'Bells are ringing [two sparkle emojis] 10.16.2021' Outerbridge also reposted a video of their first dance on his Instagram Story on Sunday. Party time: The happy couple were joined by friends and family - including Sarah's famous brother and father Dan and Eugene Levy, who also starred on the Pop TV sitcom - as they celebrated at the famous Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood Bond: Outerbridge also reposted a video of their first dance on his Instagram Story on Sunday 'This is absolutely not a photo of us screaming the lyrics to S Club Party on the dance floor': Sarah's older brother Dan shared an adorable black and white snap of them on the dancefloor together Sarah's older brother Dan shared an adorable black and white snap of them on the dancefloor together. The 38-year-old Emmy winner captioned the image: 'My sister got married this weekend. 'This is absolutely not a photo of us screaming the lyrics to S Club Party on the dance floor. Love you, @sarahplevy' Family first: Sarah seen with her brother Dan (center) and father Eugene as they all starred in Schitt's Creek together at the SAG Awards in April Cute: Sarah and Graham have been dating since at least 2018 Sarah and Graham have been dating since at least 2018. When Schitt's Creek came to an end last year, Outerbridge shared a sweet tribute to his ladylove as he wrote: 'Words can't describe how proud I am of this wonderful woman. 'She's the most talented and graceful person I've met, and I'm luckier than I could ever imagine! I love you @sarahplevy! Twyla was such a gift!' When Schitt's Creek came to an end last year, Outerbridge shared a sweet tribute to his ladylove as he wrote: 'Words can't describe how proud I am of this wonderful woman' Iconic: Sarah starred as Twyla Sands throughout all six seasons of Schitt's Creek as she even earned the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series alongside the rest of the cast in 2020 Sarah starred as Twyla Sands throughout all six seasons of Schitt's Creek as she even earned the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series alongside the rest of the cast in 2020. The happy couple can also be seen sharing the screen as they are set to star in film Distancing Socially together as Outerbridge served as one of the producers. The project is composed of a series of short vignettes that share a telecommunications application as a common thread as it focuses on loosely connected human interactions taking place virtually across a world in lock down. Melissa Joan Hart is the first million dollar winner in Celebrity Wheel of Fortune history. The 45-year-old Sabrina the Teenage Witch actress took home a massive cash prize - $1,039,800 total - during Sunday night's episode which will all be donated to charity. Hart played against Mean Girls actress Lacey Chabert and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star Titus Burgess in the Hollywood iteration of the beloved gameshow. Incredible! Melissa Joan Hart is the first million dollar winner in Celebrity Wheel of Fortune history, taking home $1,039,800 for charity during Sunday night's episode 'What a fun way to win an incredible amount of money for charity! Congrats @youthvillages! And thanks @celebritywheeloffortune!! PS I just love the reactions in the second photo of @thereallacey and @instatituss,' Melissa wrote on social media. Adding: 'But I'll never forget the look on @officialvannawhite face when I won. What a thrill!' The former child star played for a charity that she holds near and dear to her heart and frequently works with, Youth Villages. Youth Villages is a non-profit that offers 'help for children and young people across the United States who face a wide range of emotional, mental and behavioral problems. We work to find solutions using proven treatment models that strengthen the child's family and support systems and dramatically improve their long-term success.' Tough competition: Hart played against Mean Girls actress Lacey Chabert and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star Titus Burgess in the Hollywood iteration of the beloved gameshow Melissa, who filmed the episode some time ago, managed to keep her historic win a total secret from everyone, including Youth Villages. ''I didn't leak it. I was like, 'Guys, you'll have to watch me on 'Wheel of Fortune.' It's going to be epic,' she told USA Today. The charitable organization reacted to the big win on social media writing that they were 'on cloud 9 right now.' Melissa revealed to the outlet that after Lacey Chabert dominated in earlier rounds, she didn't think she was going to take home the win. 'What a fun way to win an incredible amount of money for charity! Congrats @youthvillages! And thanks @celebritywheeloffortune!! PS I just love the reactions in the second photo of @thereallacey and @instatituss,' Melissa wrote on social media. 'I would like to say witchcraft was involved,' Hart joked in reference to her most famous television character. 'But to be honest, I prayed a lot more than any kind of sorcery. I literally prayed every round, especially that winning round. I'd close my eyes and say, "God, give me focus and calm and let me just read these letters."' Melissa's reaction when she won was priceless but longtime hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White seemed just as shocked. 'Vanna White's face turned white,' Hart said. 'Vanna looked at me and was like, 'You got it! You got it!' I hit the roof. She hit the roof.' To win the historic million dollar prize, Melissa correctly guessed the answer to the final puzzle which was 'bran muffins.' Jane Fonda attended a press conference where she called for an end to offshore drilling on Monday. The actress, 83, was accompanied by several California state lawmakers including State Senators Dave Min (D) and Henry Stern (D). Organizers put together the press conference after a recent oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach in California. Fighting the good fight: Jane Fonda attended a press conference and called for an end to offshore drilling Trying to make their message clear: Organizers put together the press conference after a recent oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach in California Nearly 25,000 gallons of oil spilled in to the Pacific Ocean, the equivalent of 588 barrels according to US Coast Guard spokesperson Amy Stork. The Grace and Frankie actress' crusade against offshore drilling is just the latest in a long line of the activist's causes. Fonda recently called on restaurants to stop serving octopus to their customers. Working with politicians: The actress, 83, was accompanied by a few California state lawmakers including State Senators Dave Min (D) and Henry Stern (D) Catastrophe: A recent oil spill of 25,000 gallons off the coast of Huntington Beach brought the lawmakers to Southern California Just her most recent fight: Fonda recently called for a boycott of restaurants that serve octopus because they are 'sentient creatures and they are tremendously intelligent' She said the animals were, 'sentient creatures and they are tremendously intelligent.' The 9 to 5 actress was also seen attending the LA Dance Project's Annual Gala last week. The LA Dance Project is a non-profit that aims to inspire and educate individuals through dance. Organizers raised more than $800,000 for their non-profit at this year's event. The contributions to the organization will make up half of its operating budget for the upcoming year. Ready for a ball: Fonda attended the annual gala for the LA Dance Project, an organization that seeks to inspire and educate people through dance The star spent much of 2019 asking for climate changes. She was arrested five times that year alone. Fonda still has a number of upcoming projects on the way. Fonda will appear in Luck, an animated film that centers around secret good and bad luck organizations which have been warring for centuries. The two-time Academy Award winner will also continue her work with her Grace And Frankie co-star Lily Tomlin in the film Moving On. Kanye West is now legally 'Ye' after a judge approved his name change request on Monday. The 44-year-old, who filed a petition last month to officially go by his famous nickname, had his request approved by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michelle Williams Court, according to Deadline. Ye, who has no middle or last name, cited personal reasons behind his decision to change his name in his petition. Introducing Ye! Kanye West is now legally Ye after a judge approved his name change request on Monday (pictured 2019) The rapper, who has used the moniker as a nickname for years, named his eighth studio album Ye and even goes by the abbreviated title on Twitter. As news broke of the name change, Ye posted a photo of his new haircut onto Instagram. The photo was captioned with the Yen symbol, however it is unclear if was in any way referencing his new name. In the photo, Kanye faced with his back towards the camera while brandishing a silver chain necklace bearing the name of his son Saint. 'I am YE': The name change may not come as a surprise to die hard Kanye fans, who will probably remember the rapper wanting to be referred to as Ye back in 2018 New you, new do: As news broke of the name change, Ye posted a photo of his new haircut onto Instagram The name change may not come as a surprise to die hard Kanye fans, who will probably remember the rapper wanting to be referred to as Ye back in 2018. In a tweet, the rapper declared at the time: 'The being formally known as Kanye West. I am YE.' Kanye also revealed that same year he was inspired by the Bible when naming his eighth studio album Ye. 'In the Bible it means "you"': Kanye also revealed he was inspired by the Bible when naming his eighth studio album Ye Nickname: Not only has Kanye been using the moniker as a nickname, he also goes by the title on Twitter 'I believe "ye" is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible it means "you,"' he told radio host Big Boy. 'So I'm you, I'm us, it's us. It went from Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye - just being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confused, everything. The album is more of a reflection of who we are.' Kanye's new name comes after his estranged wife Kim Kardashian shelled out $20 million in cash to buy the rapper out of their palatial marital home. Spooky: West attracted plenty of attention when he wore this mask in Venice, Italy on Sunday Kanye officially 'signed over his rights to the property' two weeks ago, according to TMZ, making his ex, 40, the sole owner of the property they purchased together seven years ago. She has been living in their Hidden Hills abode with their four children North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and two-yea-old Psalm since filing for divorce in February. The insider went on to tell the outlet that the negotiations between the two were 'extremely cordial' and she paid the Flashing Lights hitmaker in cash to smooth over the process. The couple bought the mansion in 2014 for $20 million and Kanye led a complete redesign of home with the assistance of famed Belgian interior decorator Axel Vervoort. No matter where they are, they seem to always be packing on the PDA. And Ant Anstead could not resist smooching his girlfriend Renee Zellweger, 52, during a romantic trip to New Orleans, Louisiana. The 42-year-old posted a photo of themselves locking lips onto Instagram on Monday, along with a caption gushing about the 'magical company' joining him in the Big Easy. 'All made better by magical company to share it with': Ant Anstead could not resist smooching his girlfriend Renee Zellweger, 52, during their romantic trip to New Orleans, Louisiana in a photo posted Monday to his Instagram The photo captured the lovebirds sharing a smooch, and though their lips were pressed upon one another, there was no hiding their smiles. Ant raved about his trip to the historic city in a caption listing all the hot spot had to offer. 'WOW there is something very special about New Orleans! The late night wandering, the architecture, the blend of culture, the food, the people, the smells and noises! 'All made made (sic) better by magical company to share it with... (heart emoji).' Just the two of us: The couple seemingly enjoy packing on the PDA wherever they go Ant and Renee met while filming her episode of his new series Celebrity IOU Joyride back in June, and have been head-over-heels with one another ever since. The couple have been frequently spotted packing on the PDA, and last month Renee even attended a birthday party for Ant's son Hudson. Though they obviously have a strong connection, Ant recently revealed they were actually taking things slow when it came to their relationship. 'We're taking things nice and slow': Ant told Extra it was still 'too early' for him to begin moving in with Renee Love is in the air! The couple have been going strong ever since first meeting on Celebrity IOU Joyride in the beginning of the summer Asked about moving in with Renee at the premiere of Introducing Selma Blair, he told Extra: 'I would say it would be too early for that... We're taking things nice and slow, and we're really happy.' The whirlwind romance came less than a year after Ant split from ex-wife Christina Anstead. The HGTV star announced their split in September 2020, and filed for divorce from him two months later. Their separation was finalized in June 2021. Ant and his ex-wife Christina share legal and physical custody of their two-year-old son Hudson London, their only child together. Ant is also father to two children - son Archie and daughter Amelie - from his 12-year marriage to Louise Anstead, 41, which ended in 2017. Christina and her ex-husband Tarek El Moussa share 11-year-old daughter Taylor and six-year-old son Braydon together. They married in 2009 and finalized their divorce in 2018. His best known role saw him switching faces with John Travolta's character in 1997 action classic Face/Off. And Nicolas Cage has made quite the transformation in his latest role. The 57-year-old actor looked every bit the rugged action man as she showed off a new look including freshly shaven head in a first look photo from upcoming film Butcher's Crossing which was first published by Deadline. Scroll down for video Tough guy: Nicolas Cage looked every bit the rugged action man as she showed off a new look including freshly shaven head in a first look photo from upcoming film Butcher's Crossing which was first published by Deadline As the talented star is filming in Montana, he bundled up in a large brown animal fur coat as his new look included a goatee. Under his fuzzy outerwear Nicolas sported another jacket over a denim shirt. In the film, Nicolas portrayed a buffalo hunter named Miller. Transformation: As the talented star is filming in Montana, the 57-year-old actor bundled up in a large brown animal fur coat as his new look included a goatee Interesting: According to the synopsis from IMDB the film is a frontier epic - which takes place in the 1870s - is about an Ivy League drop-out as he travels to the Colorado wilderness, where he joins a team of buffalo hunters on a journey that puts his life and sanity at risk, Cage is seen in Santa Monica back in February 2020 According to the synopsis from IMDB the film is a frontier epic - which takes place in the 1870s - is about an Ivy League drop-out as he travels to the Colorado wilderness, where he joins a team of buffalo hunters on a journey that puts his life and sanity at risk. The group go on to embark on a harrowing journey as they risk both life and sanity. The project is based on the highly-acclaimed novel written by John Williams which was originally released in 1960. Back in the day: This is not Cage's first time in the western genre as her starred in neo-noir thriller Red Rock West which was released in 1994 The film was written and is being directed by Gabe Polsky who was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2011 for his work as producer on His Way in the Outstanding Nonfiction Special category. This is not Cage's first time in the western genre as her starred in neo-noir thriller Red Rock West which was released in 1994. That film was centered around a drifter whom was mistaken for a hitman as complications ensue when the actual hitman arrives. The death of Tiger King personality Erik Cowie, who rose to fame as a zookeeper on the hit Netflix series, has been determined to be a result of excessive alcohol use. Officials with the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner told TMZ Monday that the reality star, who was found dead last month in a friend's Brooklyn apartment, died as the result of acute and chronic alcohol use, in a natural manner. Cowie had been found face down by authorities, TMZ reported, and a vodka bottle was found nearby. The latest: The death of Tiger King personality Erik Cowie at 52 has been determined to be a result of excessive alcohol use NYPD told Dailymail.com last month that 'police responded to a 911 call of a unconscious male inside 21 East 55th Street' near Remsen Avenue in East Flatbush at 5.30 p.m. on September 3. EMS pronounced Cowie dead at the scene. A law enforcement source told TMZ Cowie was in town visiting a friend at her apartment, where she found him dead. The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park announced the news in a Facebook post: 'It comes with great sadness to say that a dear friend and hard working employee has passed away.' 'He absolutely loved all the animals and would show up early to check on each and everyone. He had his Demons but the animals helped bring joy and happiness in his life,' the post read. The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park announced the news in a Facebook post It's unclear why the 52-year-old TV veteran was in the Big Apple as he usually resides in Oklahoma. TMZ added that there was 'nothing suspicious about the death'. No foul play was suspected and 'no drugs were found on the scene'. Joe Exotic suspected Cowie succumbed to drugs and alcohol after he admitted to having an ongoing drinking problem, according to an Instagram post by the incarcerated ex-zoo owner. In May 2021, Cowie was arrested for a DUI in Oklahoma after being involved in a car accident. Cat person: Cowie became famous for starring with Joe Exotic on the Netflix show from 2020 He pleaded guilty and was set to be sentenced sometime after but failed to show up for his hearing. But when Tiger King fans suspected his jagged teeth were due to meth use he denied the rumor and said his poor choppers were just from old age. He was gifted dental implants in July of last year from fellow Tiger King star Jeff Lowe - the man who took the zoo over from Joe and became one of the the now-incarcerated zookeeper's enemies. A Reddit thread showed fans' concerns over Cowie's addiction problems, citing 'heavily slurred words,' an alleged lack of coordination and 'handles of vodka in the back of each (interview) shot' as means for concern. Many users predicted Cowie used alcohol to cope with the drama that often ensued at the zoo. Cowie previously said: 'I'm kind of embarrassed to say it but when I got here I was on kind of the end of my ropes (with alcoholism). 'I found this place on Craigslist and I was like, "Man, I've never done this s*** before! What the f***? Let's go"' he said of finding Joe. 'And now look at me, I'm doing tiger shows,' he added. Shortly after Cowie shot to stardom as one of the main animal caretakers at the zoo. Before his sudden demise Cowie was often cited as head guardian of the big cats. The tigers under Cowies watch included Delilah, Samson, Trinity and Cuddles. Past problems: In the past Cowie had admitted to having a drinking problem, saying that he was 'at the end of [his] rope' with alcoholism before meeting Joe Animal instincts: Erik worked as an animal caretaker who looked after several big cats. He had been at the zoo for many years and even stayed on after Joe was incarcerated In a Tiger King reunion special that debuted on Netflix last year Cowie told comedian and host Joel McHale that his old boss should never be released from prison He worked at the zoo for more than five years and even stayed after Joe was incarcerated despite his rocky relationship with his boss. Cowie testified against Joe for abusing and killing some of his zoo animals. In 2019, when five tigers were reported dead, he told local reporters he 'knew cats were getting shot'. 'I knew what was going on. I'm not stupid,' he added. 'Cage space. We needed three cages. He wiped out five cats. He came up [with] a 4-10 in his hand and I knew he just shot Cuddles. I heard it.' In an Instagram tribute Joe claimed he 'did everything I could to help him and save him from himself and he turned on me for fame'. 'RIP Erik. I will be making a donation in his name to a drug and alcohol treatment center,' Joe wrote before characteristically blaming his nemeses Agent Bryant and Carole Baskin for 'setting all this up to start with'. With the help of Cowie's testimony, Joe Exotic - whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage - is serving a 22-year prison sentence in Fort Worth, Texas, for attempting to hire hitmen to kill his business rival Carole Baskin. Since his arrest, the 58-year-old said that he has not received any treatment for his prostate cancer in months and revealed the cancer may have spread to his pelvis and stomach. The former zoo owner said he prefers to die if it is stage three or four as he criticized the US criminal justice system over lack of medical treatment for prisoners. The Netflix star has been denied release from prison on many occasions. Most recently in September 2020, he wrote former President Trump a letter pleading for an early release from prison while his representatives spent around $10,000 at Trump's Washington, DC, hotel in a bid to help his cause. Earlier in the year Trump said he would consider issuing a pardon for Maldonado-Passage, after his son Donald Trump Jr brought the case to him. 'I'll take a look,' he told reporters in April. In an Instagram post Joe Exotic, 58, claimed drugs and alcohol led to the zookeeper's death Behind bars: Exotic - real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage - is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence for attempting to hire someone to kill rival Carole Baskin Since his arrest the 58-year-old said that he has not received any treatment for his prostate cancer in months and revealed the cancer may have spread to his pelvis and stomach An impatient Joe even reached out to reality TV star Kim Kardashian in November begging for her to call the president. 'I am writing you this letter not as Joe Exotic but as the person Joseph Maldonado-Passage, asking you to please help me by just taking 10 minutes out of your life and placing a call to President Trump to look at my 257 page pardon,' he wrote in the letter. 'I know you have never met me and may never want to however I do believe that you hold the values of our justice system dear to your heart,' Joe added. In a Tiger King reunion special that debuted on Netflix last year, Cowie told comedian and host Joel McHale that his old boss should never be released from prison. 'He's going to die in there. So good riddance,' he said. Meanwhile, in June of last year Baskin's Big Cat Rescue was awarded control over Joe's zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, as part of the $1 million settlement in her long-standing trademark lawsuit against Joe. The lawsuit was filed in 2011 - nine years before Tiger King became the No. 1 show on Netflix and catapulted Exotic and Baskin to a unique kind of stardom. Baskin, the animal activist and Dancing with the Stars alum, then sold the Oklahoma property where Joe's Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park once stood for a mere $140,000. Once the zoo was sold Cowie reportedly went on to work full-time as a cook at a local restaurant. According to his LinkedIn account he was a chef at Michael's Grill in Oklahoma City. The sale also came with one huge stipulation: The new owners are prohibited from using the property 'to house exotic animals of any kind - or as a zoo, wildlife park or menagerie' for the next 100 years, according to TMZ. Katya Jones' close friends have urged her 'not to let herself down' following her and Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty's steamy Tango, according to reports. Following her and Adam's dance on Saturday, friends of 32-year-old Katya spoke to the Russian dancer backstage, advising her: 'Don't let yourself down by getting too close to a partner again.' Strictly viewers were convinced the pair 'nearly kissed' at the end of their racy dance. Katya has been embroiled in drama in the past and caused controversy in 2018 when she and Seann Walsh were photographed kissing. Friendly warning: Katya Jones' close friends have urged her 'not to let herself down' following her and Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty's steamy Tango, according to reports (pictured in 2019) Steamy: Following her and Adam's dance, friends of 32-year-old Katya spoke to the Russian dancer backstage, advising her: 'Don't let yourself down by getting too close to a partner again The Sun reports that Katya's friends 'begged her not to do it again'. The paper adds that other Strictly dancers were present at the time. Friends are said to have pulled Katya aside straight after her and Adam's performance. MailOnline has reached out to Katya's representatives for comment. Convinced: Strictly viewers were convinced the pair 'nearly kissed' at the end of their racy dance On Saturday, Adam, 26, gave a strong message to those speculating about his 'near kiss' with Katya. The swimmer wrote on Twitter: 'My favourite dance so far. Thank you to everyone who has sent supporting messages! I loved it. 'To everyone who wants to see what they want, your comments have real life consequences. I will not be overcome or lowered by your gossip. Protect your energy.' As their dance came to an end on Saturday, Adam dipped Katya back and leaned in with his lips close to hers, but the sportsman appeared to lean in closer once again as they stood up before pulling away, leaving viewers believing he initially intended to kiss his partner. Speaking out: Adam gave a strong message to those speculating about his 'near kiss' with Katya 'Protect your energy': The Olympic swimmer, 26, took to Twitter to issue words of warning to those 'gossiping' Katya has been embroiled in Strictly curse drama in the past as the then-married dancer caused controversy in 2018 when she and dance partner Seann Walsh were photographed kissing. After images and video of the kiss were released, an onlooker who witnessed Seann and Katya's kiss told The Sun they were 'snogging like a pair of teenagers' and 'didn't seem to care who might see them'. The pair were at the Duke Of York pub in Marylebone in Central London in October 2018. Their close relationship was noted by members of the crew but the kiss still came as a shock to everyone. Scandal: Katya has been embroiled in drama in the past as the then-married dancer caused controversy in 2018 when she and dance partner Seann Walsh were photographed kissing Following the incident, Seann's actress girlfriend Rebecca Humphries released an impassioned statement in which she revealed he called her 'psycho' and 'nuts' for questioning his friendship with Katya, who he kissed on Rebecca's birthday. While Katya was supported by her husband Neil Jones after the 'drunken mistake', their marriage did not last as they announced their split in August 2019. The dancers confirmed they were splitting in joint Instagram statements, but despite writing they had mutual 'respect' and 'love', a source claimed Katya's infidelity was something her husband couldn't get over. The pair have remained friends since the split and continue to be professional dancers together on Strictly. Close: Their close relationship was noted by members of the crew but the kiss still came as a shock to everyone He became a dad for the first time earlier this year. And Macaulay Culkin relished in his fatherly role while stopping by the grocery store with his newborn son and longtime girlfriend, Brenda Song, on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles. The 41-year-old actor pushed little Dakota in a convenient Doona car seat/stroller combo through the parking lot before loading up on groceries at Whole Foods. Dad duty: Macaulay Culkin relished in his fatherly role while stopping by the grocery store with his newborn son and longtime girlfriend, Brenda Song, on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles Macaulay rocked an eclectic blue button-down shirt covered in a green pickle print as he wheeled the stroller to the store. He sported a pair of black low-top Converse trainers with white soles to match his son's tiny shoes. The Home Alone child actor slicked back his dark blonde hair and wore a pair of classic black RayBan sunglasses. Family forever: The 41-year-old actor pushed little Dakota in a convenient Doona car seat/stroller combo through the parking lot before loading up on groceries He's a cool dad: Macaulay rocked an eclectic blue button-down shirt covered in a green pickle print as he wheeled the stroller to the store Brenda looked equally relaxed in a cozy leopard print bomber jacket and leggings as she walked alongside her family. She tied back her dark brown hair into a top bun and wore a black face mask to match his amid the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. Macaulay and Brenda revealed they welcomed little Dakota into the world on April 5 after keeping her pregnancy a secret. They named their first child after his late sister who died in 2008 after stepping in front of a moving vehicle outside of a bar in Los Angeles. Tribute: The name is a touching tribute to Culkin's late sister, who passed away after injuries sustained from stepping in front of a moving vehicle outside a west LA bar in 2008. The family is seen in 1990 at the premiere of Home Alone above The Richie Rich actor revealed that he and Song were trying to start a family at the start of last year, joking to Esquire: 'We practice a lot.' 'We're figuring it out, making the timing work. Because nothing turns you on more than when your lady comes into the room and says, "Honey, Im ovulating." The couple have an overwhelming love for one another, with Song telling the men's magazine: 'You cant be around him and not be happy.' 'People dont realize how incredibly kind and loyal and sweet and smart he is.' The Sebi had shortened the settlement cycle from T+3 rolling settlement to T+2 from April 1, 2003. (Photo: PTI/File) Mumbai: The BSE is moving towards optional T+1 (day) trade settlement in the equity cash segment, according to a communication issued by the exchange to its members. The bourse is expected to offer the facility from January 3, 2022. T+1 settlement will be a major advantage for retail individual investors, who will get money after selling shares one day earlier than they now get in T+2 settlement. Some brokerages like ICICI Securities have started offering same day payment for trades bellow Rs 1 lakh for select securities. Few countries have T+1 settlement. Most developed markets like Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and South Korea offer T+2 settlement. Taiwan, which had switched to T+1 settlement, has moved back to T+2 cycle. Though this shorter settlement cycle is proving to be a challenge for foreign portfolio investors, who have to also deal with the currency movement in the same time period. Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India, through its circular on September 7, allowed exchanges to introduce T+1 rolling settlement on an optional basis from January 1, 2022. The Sebi had shortened the settlement cycle from T+3 rolling settlement to T+2 from April 1, 2003. "Sebi has been receiving request from various stakeholders to further shorten the settlement cycle. Based on discussions with market infrastructure institutions (stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories), it has been to provide flexibility to stock exchanges to offer either T+1 or T+2 settlement cycle" the regulator said in the circular allowing T+1 settlement. Stock exchange may choose to offer T+1 settlement cycle on any of the scrips, after giving an advance notice of at least one month, regarding change in the settlement cycle, to all stakeholders, including the public at large, the Sebi said. Since then the BSE has been sharing details on rolling out T+1 settlement from January 3, 2022. The exchanges have the flexibility to offer either T+1 or T+2 settlement cycle on any securities. "The effect of corporate actions in the settlement process pertaining to a scrip traded in T+1 settlement or T+2 settlement will be based on ex-entitlement date of the scrip decided by the respective exchanges," the BSE said in a communication issued on October 14. "Separate obligation, margin files, etc. will be provided to members for T+1 settlement. Details pertaining to settlement timings, auction session timings etc. will be informed to the members through a separate circular," it said. "Settlement cycle shall be indicated (in the scrip master file) against each security having value as 1 for securities with settlement cycle as T+1 or 2 for securities with settlement cycle as T+2," the BSE said in an earlier communication on September 24. Trading members and vendors have been asked to make necessary changes to their trading application. Testing of the scrips file to be included in T+1 settlement shall be made available from 1st November 2021 in a simulation environment, the BSE said. HYDERABAD: Home-schooled 16-year-old Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Kompella has cracked the Joint Entrance Examination 2020-21 (Advanced) by securing all-India rank of 1690. Growing within an atmosphere of learning, free thinking, availability of books and computers, apart from a knowledge-sharing sibling, Ramakrishna could not fit into the classroom system. An avid reader of space science and astrology, he enjoyed solving maths problems from the tender age of five years. Though his parents wanted to admit him to a formal school, he could not fit in a particular classroom. Thus, he had home tutors, who taught him different subjects starting from 10 in morning to 3 in afternoon. However, to become eligible for writing entrance exams, he joined class 7 of a formal school at the age of 13 years. Says Ramakrishna, "I went to school but felt very sleepy in class, as I had already learnt subjects being taught. My teacher caught me taking a nap and sent me to class 9 to carry out a task, which I completed successfully. I was then called to staff room and a student from class 10 posed a few questions from his grade. I answered these without hesitation." The incident became a talk of the school. His peers looked up to him as he knew more than the teachers. Within a week, the school told his parents they could not teach him as he had already learnt the subjects being taught. Ramakrishna says, "This was the first time that schools did not want me. All this while, I did not want to go to school, as I found learning easy at home." Despite this experience at school, Ramakrishna is clear that learning is a never-ending journey. There is never a full-stop to knowledge. His interest in science made him learn life, natural, social, psychological and political sciences. With him clearing JEE, he realises he has to get into college. He is confident he will be able to learn much more than what the syllabus has on offer. Ramakrishna says, "I want to be a bio-engineer and bridge the gap between doctors and engineers. I am keen to learn immunotherapy, as it is required for cure of various diseases. The current research is presently focused on treating cancers." He believes that research on immunotherapy will revolutionise medicine. His 19-year-old sister Lopa Mudra is also homeschooled. She is in her fourth year of BTech at IIT Madras. With a sister as role model and parents Vish and Madhavilatha to mentor his life outside home, Ramakrishna is looking forward to his college journey. Madhavilatha said, "Adjusting children at their tender age in schools was a challenge. That's why we did homeschooling. My daughter Lopa has adjusted well. She is looked up to by her peers on positively tackling challenges. With Ramakrishna too, we look forward for the same." VIJAYAWADA: The Union ministry of power will extend support to Andhra Pradesh government in implementing the ministrys Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) by way of Eco-Niwas Samhita in Tirupati city. In this connection, a seminar is being organised in Tirupati on October 22 in collaboration with AP State Energy Conservation Mission (APSECM) and energy and housing departments of the state to create awareness about energy-efficient, thermally comfortable building designs. In a communication to special chief secretary (Housing) Ajay Jain and energy secretary, Srikant Nagulapalli, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) Director General Abhay Bhakre said the bureau is highly impressed with consistent efforts of AP government in implementing programmes including Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC). As a result, the bureau has sanctioned to AP an Indo-Swiss Bureau of Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP) for implementing Eco-Niwas Samhita (ECBC code for residential buildings). Abhay Bhakre said as part of it, the seminar in Tirupati will discuss challenges and ways forward in implementing the Eco-Niwas Samhita in Tirupati. Various stakeholders in building industry, including developers, architects, green building consultants, building-related government departments, urban development departments and officials of municipal corporations, will participate in the seminar. The BEE DG pointed out that building sector in India consumes over 30 percent of total electricity consumed in the country, of which 75 per cent is by residential buildings. Energy consumption by residential buildings has more than tripled since the year 2000 and is expected to rise rapidly in future. Thus, energy-efficient and climate-responsive designs for new housing projects are essential. Abhay Bhakre said 500 village secretariat and ward secretariat engineers and other employees will also be trained in energy efficiency technology. It said the factory would commence crushing of sugarcane from the next season. (PTI Photo) Bengaluru: Karnataka government on Monday decided to withhold its decision to lease the Mandya-based The Mysore Sugars Company Ltd (MySugar) temporarily, and would constitute an expert committee to recommend to it about the company's future. Also, it said the factory would commence crushing of sugarcane from the next season. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai today chaired a nearly three-hour-long high-level meeting with senior Ministers, public representatives and farmers' representatives from Mandya district here to discuss about MySugar following opposition against leasing it. "An expert committee will be set up to study the condition of the machinery and other technical aspects, finances needed to restart the factory and the working capital needed to make payment to farmers for sugarcane in consultation with bankers," he said. Speaking to reporters here after the meeting, he said the committee would also study the aspects of value addition of converting molasses and also whether the molasses would be used in distillery or for ethanol with an aim to make the factory financially viable. To supervise the factory, an efficient officer would be appointed as the managing director with industrial expertise, and an accountant recommended by the Auditor General would be appointed, Bommai said. "The report submitted by the expert committee will be placed before the Cabinet to take a final decision," he said Pointing out that an earlier Cabinet had decided to hand over the factory on lease, he further said, "If it has to be changed, it has to be decided by the Cabinet itself, we will take a decision based on the committee report...till then it has been decided to withhold the earlier decision to privatise (to lease) for now." The move to lease the State-owned sugar factory, which was established in 1934, has come under opposition from various sections, including farmers, who are staging protests in Mandya. Opposition parties JD(S) and Congress have also opposed the move. Recently, the Chief Minister met the farmers and assured them of an amicable solution. Stating that the government is firm in its decision to restart crushing of cane from the next season, Bommai today said he would immediately release funds required for updating or overhauling the machinery required for the purpose. People owning open plots across the state will have to cough up vacant land tax (VLT) soon. (DC file photo) HYDERABAD: People owning open plots across the state will have to cough up vacant land tax (VLT) soon. Official sources said the departments of municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) and panchayat raj and rural development (PR&RD) have drafted proposals to extend VLT to all municipalities and gram panchayats. The proposals were submitted to the state government for approval. At present, the VLT is enforced under GHMC limits. The move is aimed to create additional financial resources for urban and rural local bodies which are facing a fund crunch for taking up various development activities. The urban and rural local bodies are heavily dependent on state government for funds and the government too is not in a position to fulfil all financial needs of local bodies. Barring property tax, there is no other major revenue contributor to local bodies and the VLT is expected to fill the coffers of cash-starved local bodies to some extent. Official sources said plot owners would have to pay up VLT every year amounting to 0.5 per cent of the plot value existing at the time of registration. In September 2020, the state government launched LRS (layout regularisation scheme) across the state. It received over 25 lakh applications for LRS. Although the LRS could not be done even after a year due to a pending case in the Supreme Court against the scheme, the initiative helped the government gather data of open plots and owners which will be now utilised to impose vacant land tax. Vijayabaskar's residence was earlier searched by the Income Tax department in May 2017. (Photo: ANI) Chennai: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) Wing in Tamil Nadu on Monday conducted raids at locations of former state health minister C Vijayabaskar in connection with disproportionate assets case. The search operation began early in the morning. Further details are awaited. Vijayabaskar's residence was earlier searched by the Income Tax department in May 2017. Several income tax officials raided Vijayabaskar's Greenways Road residence and other locations in Pudukkottai and Trichy. The officials also raided several premises belonging to the minister and his relatives in Chennai and other districts owing to allegations of involvement in cash distribution to voters in RK Nagar constituency where a by-election was held on April 12, 2017. Vijayabaskar is the fourth former AIADMK minister to be searched by DVAC. Earlier this year, it conducted searches at more than 20 places in connection with the corruption cases belonging to AIADMK leader and former Commercial Taxes Minister KC Veeramani. The two Telugu-speaking states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have more elderly people, who are aged 60 years and above, compared with their national population. (PTI file photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: The two Telugu-speaking states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have more elderly people, who are aged 60 years and above, compared with their national population. This has been revealed by the data shared by the ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSP). As per the MoSP data, Andhra Pradesh has 12.4 per cent of elderly people in the total population as per the 2021 census, while Telangana state has 11 per cent whereas the total percentage in India is 10.1. Even in the future, the two states will maintain the same tempo, according to the 2031 projected population. AP will have 16.4 per cent elderly people, Telangana state will have 14.5 per cent while 13.1 per cent of India's population will be elderly. However, Kerala will have the highest percentage (20.9 per cent) of the elderly population among other states in the country, while Bihar will be the lowest (9.5 per cent) in 2031. Neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Odisha will have 18.2 per cent, 15 per cent, and 15.8 per cent elderly population respectively by the next decade, according to MoSP data. In 1951, there were only 5.5 per cent of the elderly people in the country. Their number started increasing from 2001 with that year registering 7.4 per cent. The country's elderly population would be around 193.8 million in 2031 against the present 137.9 million in the country. The female elderly population will be outnumbered that of male in the country in 2031. Their population was below men in 2001 and 2011, says the data. Speaking to this newspaper, Andhra Medical College (AMC) principal Dr. P. V. Sudhakar said the life span of an Indian was 47 years in 1947 against the present 68 years. It is all due to the change of lifestyle, advanced medical care, change of food habits, quality of life at the office, home and outside like parks and hotels among other amusement areas. This apart, the Covid-19 has also brought a drastic change in the lifestyle of people across the world and medical services. I suggest the authorities concerned and the people focus on the geriatric as a specialisation in the medical world. It is purely meant for senior citizens. We do not have much focus, but the western countries have it. The government should introduce geriatric in medical education and offer better services to senior citizens who suffer from joint pains, cancer, blood pressure among other health issues at their ripened age, Dr Sudhakar said. Increase in the elderly population showed that the people in the state were healthy after the retirement of their services, he added. Some of the major problems of the aged people, as found in various studies, include economic, physiological, housing and crime against the aged. Declining fertility and increasing longevity lead to rising numbers of older persons, the MoSP report said. Punjab (12.6 per cent) is similar to Andhra Pradesh while West Bengal (11.3 per cent), Odisha (11.8 per cent), Maharashtra (11.7 per cent) are similar to Telangana state in 2021. Apart from the lifespan, the size of the family also plays a key role. People in the South prefer one or two babies compared to a much larger family in the north. Also, several young people from the south migrated to other countries. Referring to those factors, during his padayatra in West Godavari in 2015, the then chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu once urged married people to have more than one child. Naidu said AP would become another Japan where aged people are more than youngsters. "Youngsters who marry early do not like having children at the right age. This is not correct, Naidu added. HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will visit Yadadri temple on Tuesday and inspect the progress of ongoing renovation works at the temple complex, which are nearing completion. He will announce the date of inauguration of the renovated Yadadri temple on the occasion. Rao will also announce the details and dates of Maha Sudarshana Yagam to be performed on the occasion of the reopening of renovated Yadadri temple for devotees. The Chief Minister visited the ashram of Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy on the city outskirts last week and requested him to fix 'muhurat' for the inauguration of the Yadadri temple. The seer has fixed the dates for temple inauguration and for performing Maha Sudarshana Yagam which will be announced by the last week on Tuesday. The Chief Minister recently announced in the Legislative Assembly that the Yadadri temple would be inaugurated either in the last week of November or the first week of December. He already invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest during his visit to Delhi in September. The Chief Minister wants to invite President Ramnath Kovind, Governors and Chief Ministers of various States, union ministers, heads of various political parties and several other dignitaries. While the works pertaining to the construction of the bus stand, widening and laying of works in the temple town are incomplete, the works of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy main temple complex located on the hillock have been completed. Yadadri temple has been a dream project for Rao ever since he assumed office as the first Chief Minister of the newly-formed Telangana state in June 2014. He has visited the temple 16 times in the last seven years. He wants to give the 1,000-year-old temple a complete makeover on the lines of Tirumala. The Chief Minister renamed the Yadagirigutta temple as Yadadri in March 2015 and launched renovation works at a cost of Rs 1,800 crore, which was later revised to Rs 1,200 crore, to develop the temple as a major pilgrim and tourist centre on the 14.5 acres of land on the hillock. As per the original plan, the renovated temple should have been opened to pilgrims in February 2020. However, this got delayed due to works being disrupted on account of the Coronavirus pandemic. The employees planned the strike from October 20-22 in support of which all bank employees in the State, too, propose to go on a one-day protest on October 22. (PTI Photo) Thiruvananthapuram: Ahead of a three-day strike from October 20 by employees of the Catholic Syrian Bank (CSB) seeking wage revision and scrapping of the alleged anti-labour policy, Kerala government on Monday held discussions with the bank's managing director C V Rajendran. The employees planned the strike from October 20-22 in support of which all bank employees in the State, too, propose to go on a one-day protest on October 22. State Finance Minister K N Balagopal and Finance Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh held a discussion with Rajendran. Rajendran has agreed to hold talks with the united forum of CSB unions today itself, the Minister's office said in a press release. Reddy that Rao has been relentlessly campaigning in the Huzurabad constituency for the last one month setting aside all his work. (Photo: AP/File) Hyderabad: All India Kisan Congress vice-chairman M Kodandaram Reddy has written to the Election Commission of India to take action on Telangana Cabinet Minister Tanner Harish Rao alleging that he has been relentlessly campaigning in the Huzurabad constituency for the last one month setting aside all his work. In a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Shashank Goel on Sunday, Reddy said Harish Rao is a cabinet minister for finance who has been relentlessly campaigning in the Huzurabad constituency for over a month. "His influence as a senior member in the Telangana cabinet is widely known. His continuous presence and intensive campaign in Huzurabad is inappropriate. Propriety demands that he should resign from the cabinet to undertake an election campaign. In the past, there have been instances where Ministers have stepped down to campaign in elections, thus, establishing a healthy trend and norms. This model behaviour has been upheld by TN Seshan as Chief Election Commissioner of India," Kodanda Reddy said in his letter. He said the presence of Harish Rao, as a Cabinet Minister, in the Huzurabad constituency election will definitely influence the election process. His presence as minister will vitiate a fair election atmosphere. The protocol for the Minister and his very presence can have a negative influence on election administration and voters, Kodanda Reddy said. Keeping this in view, the Congress leader requested the election authorities to issue relevant directions which can lead either to the withdrawal of Harish Rao from campaigning in the Huzurabad constituency or his resignation from the cabinet and continue the campaign as an ex-minister. Chennai: A case was filed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption wing on Monday against C Vijayabaskar, who was the Health Minister in the previous AIADMK regime, for possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 27.22 crore. The AIADMK condemned the action, saying it was yet another instance of DMK regime's political vendetta. Vijayabaskar is the fourth former AIADMK Minister to face a case of disproportionate assets. Filing an FIR against him and his spouse as well, the anti-graft sleuths held searches in 48 locations spread across seven districts of Tamil Nadu. The locations include Vijayabaskar's residence here and premises linked to his relatives and associates. According to the FIR, a verification process revealed that Vijayabaskar accumulated maximum assets, 'intentionally enriched himself' during the check period from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2021. Vijayabaskar's wife Ramya, by holding properties like an apartment, by making investments in partnership firms, banks, insurance policies, 'intentionally abetted' her husband, it said. The former Minister, during the check period, possessed pecuniary resources and properties in his name and in the name of his dependent wife to the tune of Rs 27.22 crore, which is disproportionate income, it said. Listing 13 educational institutions in Pudukottai district, established by a trust formed by Vijayabaskar's family members, the FIR said a 'reasonable suspicion' arose that these institutions were established by Vijayabaskar under the guise of this trust using the 'ill-gotten money.' A prima facie case is made out and sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC is invoked, the FIR said. The searches were held in Chennai, Chengelpet, Kanchipuram, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai and Pudukottai districts. "Each team in every location comprises at least six personnel in addition to policemen deployed for security purposes," a vigilance official told PTI. Totally, over 250 personnel are involved in search operations. Asked if any documents or materials have been seized during searches, the official said "the process of consolidation is on in 48 locations." After the DMK captured power in May 2021, similar case of disproportionate assets have already been filed against K C Veeramani, S P Velumani and M R Vijayabaskar, all former Ministers during the previous AIADMK regime. Searches had been carried out by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption personnel in premises related to them. AIADMK top leaders O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami condemned the raids and case, saying it showed political vendetta, an effort to get 'temporary happiness'. The DMK government could not tolerate the state-wide celebrations of the AIADMK's golden jubilee celebrations and jubilation among cadres. "The AIADMK is a great organisation, similar to a fathomless ocean," they said in a statement, adding the party would not be cowed down by the DMK regime's raids. Though the DMK may spread slander and "whatever may be the cases against as many party office-bearers, we would like to convey that no one will be able to stop the huge victories of the AIADMK in future." The AIADMK's legal wing joint secretary R M Babu Murugavel said the case against Vijayabaskar is yet another instance of DMK government's political vendetta. "The FIR against Vijayabaskar is nothing but mere accusations. We will fight the case legally and win," he told PTI. Murugavel, a former MLA and party's legal advisory committee member, said the DMK government could not tolerate the enthusiasm of his party, which is celebrating the golden jubilee of its founding. Objecting searches at Vijayabaskar's residence, where the former Minister's wife and elder daughter were being treated for COVID-19, the advocate said it was a gross violation of human rights. Vijayabaskar, who is also the AIADMK's organisational secretary and Pudukottai north district secretary, was elected from Viralimalai Assembly constituency in the Cauvery delta district for a third time in a row in the Assembly election held in April this year. HYDERABAD: In a setback to the infrastructure sector in Andhra Pradesh, the state government recently diverted Rs 1,000 crore meant for development of ports and airports to meet welfare sops. The amount included about Rs 650 crore paid by Adani group for the 10 per cent equity the government divested in favour of the corporate giant in Gangavaram deep water port. Official sources told this newspaper that the fund came in handy for the government to implement the second phase of one of its poll promises of YSR Aasara. Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy released Rs 6,470 crore towards waiver of loans availed by women belonging to self-help groups on October 7. The government, while defending the divestment in Gangavaram port, maintained that the amount raised through the sale of equity would be utilised for developing infrastructure in the form of building new ports and airports besides upgrading the existing ones. The infrastructure wing also accrued about Rs 300 crore through its annual share in the revenue of existing ports of Kakinada, Krishnapatnam and Gangavaram. The officials were said to have proposed to make the best use of the fund to meet its equity requirement in the proposed Ramayapatnam and Machilipatnam ports. Following the decision of the Chief Minister that the government should build ports and privatise the operations, we need huge amounts for the two ports, sources said adding that the lenders were shown the Rs 1,000 crore fund as the financial strength of the government agencies to meet the equity requirements in the project financing. The government called for tenders for Ramayapatnam port long ago and awarded the project to the joint venture of Aurobindo Realty and Navayuga group. The government has been extending the last date for Machilipatnam port works while another port in Bhavanapadu is yet to be tendered. The Chief Minister himself referred to achieve rapid development using the long coastline in the state. When contacted, Karikal Valaven, special chief secretary, I&I, said the transfer of the amount was a routine temporary adjustment. We get back the amount whenever we require for the projects, he added. The diplomatic jostling has increased between India and China after the in-person Quad summit hosted by President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington in September. The gradual tightening of the Chinese tourniquet in South Asia all around India is an old factor. A series of events demonstrate this phenomenon. First is the situation in Afghanistan after the US military withdrawal and the swift capture of Kabul by the Taliban, with the support of Pakistan. India finds itself progressively pushed into the role of a bystander, largely dependent on multilateral pressure to handle the new Taliban regime. China, on the other hand, is dealing directly with the new power wielders in Kabul. The G-20 special meeting of leaders on Afghanistan on October 1, hosted by Italy, saw both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin giving it a miss. Instead, they had sent lower-level participants. While the G-20 agreed that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan needed addressing, there was no agreement yet on whether or when to recognise the Taliban regime. China also finds itself in a fix in dealing with the Taliban as its precondition that the Uyghur militants of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) be handed over is proving problematic. The suicide bombing at a mosque in Kunduz, which killed 50 people, was done by an Uyghur. The Islamic State (Khorasan), or ISIS-K, in a statement, claimed responsibility for the bombing, which it claimed was because the Taliban was wrongly negotiating about the fate of Uyghurs with China. Separately, President Putin claimed ETIM has deployed 2,000 fighters in east Afghanistan. There are reports that 30 ETIM fighters had escaped from Afghan jails during the transition of power. The Indian governments concern is that the escalating terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir are flowing from an emboldened Pakistan in the aftermath of the Talibans victory and a more destabilised western neighbourhood. But the BJPs electoral needs, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, and national security concerns are rubbing against each other. The sudden and unilateral decision to increase the operational control of Border Security Force (BSF) in Punjab from 15 km on the India-Pakistan border to 50 km is one such example. The reason given is the need to control drug smuggling and weapons. It can be argued that when tonnes of heroin are coming undetected via the Adani ports, why would smugglers need to send smaller quantities by drones. Also, such blatant seizure of power from the local police is a serious dilution of the federalism principle. Turning to Sino-Indian relations, it has been clear for some time, and especially since the last round of the corps commander-level talks, that China was resisting accepting the status quo ante on incursions across the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. The 13th round of talks was held on October 10. The stalemate became obvious when neither side attempted to hide their disappointment. Global Times, the English propaganda tool of the Chinese Communist Party, went a provocative step further arguing that Indias demands were unrealistic and not in line with the real situation or its strength. It even alleged India was being opportunistic. The implication was that India was exploiting the China factor to draw closer to the United States. The talks had been preceded by an intrusion on August 30 in the middle sector at Barahoti by 100 PLA soldiers on horseback who proceeded to destroy some Indian installations. Then, on September 30, Indian soldiers confronted the intruding PLA soldiers near Yangtze and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. The visit by Indias vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu to Arunachal Pradesh a day before the corps commanders talks was perhaps done recognising that China was anyway hell-bent on adopting a recalcitrant stand on the border issue. The outcome was thus more confirmation of what India expected, rather than any surprise. Against this background, the October 14 agreement between Bhutan and China on a three-step approach to solve their border issue came as an unpleasant surprise. The external affairs ministry of course maintained public indifference by simply noting it, while adding that it was part of a process ongoing since 1984. But internally there would be concern that any exchange of territory between Bhutan and China, as proposed in the past by China, may lead to greater Chinese entrenchment in the Chumbi Valley. Four years ago, in mid-2017, there was the India-Bhutan-China standoff in the Doklam plateau, which is located dangerously close to the Siliguri Corridor. In case of any Chinese military action in the eastern sector in Arunachal Pradesh, the corridor has to remain open to enable an appropriate Indian military response. China, contrariwise, would like to get close enough to be able to threaten the choke point. These series of episodes across the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control indicate that China is determined to tie India down on the South Asian subcontinent by applying pressure across the unsettled border as well as by weaning away the last reliable buffer, Bhutan. Nepals reliability in this regard is already suspect. This seems intended to distract India from its Quad commitments across the maritime domain in the Indo-Pacific region. Simultaneously, President Xi has mellowed his rhetoric as seen during his address at the 110th-anniversary commemoration of the XinHai revolution. Also, there appears to be an attempt underway to engage the United States before the planned Xi-Biden summit before the yearend. On October 6, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Zurich, and the Chinese foreign ministry dubbed the meeting as constructive and conducive to enhancing mutual understanding. It seems that China has realised that its across the board obduracy has created greater convergence between most of the states in its neighbourhood, which the US has been able to exploit. Is it then adopting a differentiated approach, which involves its engagement of the United States and a stiffening of its stand vis a vis select neighbours such as India? That would be a reversion to the historical Chinese strategy of playing one barbarian against another. India has to thus remain vigilant when playing the new game of balancing between the old hegemon US and the rising power China. Alongside, the BJP has to stop playing its communally divisive electoral games at home. Indias external environment is now too destabilised by the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and an increase in Chinas power grab to allow for such reckless electoral politics at home. This would be the first update to the standard AirPods since the second-generation AirPods were released in March 2019. (Photo: AFP/File) Washington: Apple is hosting a virtual event on Monday at 10 am Pacific Time, with rumours widely suggesting the event will be focused on redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with a faster version of the M1 chip, brighter mini-LED displays, and more. As per reports by MacRumors, third-generation AirPods will likely be announced at the event as well. The new AirPods are rumoured to feature a similar design as the AirPods Pro, but without Active Noise Cancellation, and they could have improved sound quality and some other new features. Reports suggest the third-generation AirPods have already been manufactured and are ready to launch, which increases the likelihood that they will be announced during the Apple Event next week. Earlier this week, an account on a Chinese social media platform also claimed that third-generation AirPods will be announced at the Apple Event next week. Last month, the same account accurately revealed that Apple would announce the ninth-generation iPad at its September event. This would be the first update to the standard AirPods since the second-generation AirPods were released in March 2019. The second-generation AirPods are priced at USD 159 with a wired charging case and at USD 199 with a wireless charging case. An update to the AirPods Pro is not expected until next year. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. By Nicholas Larkin, Europes deepening energy crisis is sending severe -- and some surprising -- ripples across everything from transporting goods by train to glasshouses growing vegetables. Headlines have focused on governments trying to tackle soaring gas and power prices rocking energy retailers and crucial carbon-dioxide supplies. But theres a growing list of other far-reaching impacts, such as threats to the paper that news is printed on, production cuts for metals and rising building costs. Also Read | Coal crisis: India left with few options to avoid power crunch The energy squeeze is hitting China and India too, causing blackouts and prompting moves to secure extra coal to get households through winter. And industries and governments are resorting to more polluting means to keep economies running. Heres how surging energy costs are hitting industries: Ditching Electric Trains With an electric fleet becoming too expensive, UK freight operator Freightliner is turning back to diesel-operated trains to transport vital goods. Its among the latest examples of how industries are switching fuels to keep costs down. Less Paper Britains top maker of newsprint, Palm Paper Ltd., is considering cutting output this winter after it didnt adequately hedge its purchases of gas, which make up a large chunk of its costs. Swedish paper mill Klippans Bruk AB is also feeling the pinch, reducing operations and cutting almost a third of its workers. Food Worries Warnings are mounting about longer-term fertilizer-plant shutdowns because of costly gas, adding to future grain-supply worries. Thats as high heating costs force greenhouses in the Netherlands, a food-export giant, to go dark, threatening to cut tomato, cucumber and flower supplies. Its a similar story in the UK The Rust-Proofing Metal The metals world is getting desperate. Zinc giants Nyrstar and Glencore Plc last week said theyre cutting production at European smelters -- in some places by up to 50 per cent -- because of rising costs. Thats tightening supply of the metal used for rust-proofing, and pushing an index of metals prices to a record high. In steel, top European producer ArcelorMittal is among those halting operations. While the supply impact isnt yet severe, the most-affected products will be those used in construction and which are typically made in greener electric-arc furnaces, rather than coal-fired ones. DIY Misery Home improvement may get more expensive. French construction materials maker Saint-Gobain warned itll offset record energy costs by charging more for products like plaster, roofing and insulation materials. The head of British Glass said a quarter of the 6,000 jobs in his industry are under threat. Silicon Squeeze High energy costs have led China to cut output of silicon, one of the most abundant elements. Thats seen prices spike and manufacturers including Norways Elkem ASA suspend sales of silicone-based products, a headache for sectors using the material in everything from car parts to computer chips. Chemicals Dilemma Chemical companies including BASF SE, Europes biggest, have reduced ammonia production. As well as being a foundation of nitrogen fertilizers, ammonia is relied on in industries such as automotives, textiles, healthcare and cosmetics. Consultant CRU last month said about half of the continents ammonia capacity is at risk of shuttering or curtailing output, or already closed. Check out DH's latest videos: GPT Healthcare, which runs the chain of ILS Hospitals, has filed preliminary papers with capital markets regulator Sebi to raise funds through an initial share-sale. The initial public offering (IPO) comprises fresh issuance of equity shares worth Rs 17.5 crore and an offer of sale (OFS) of up to 2.98 crore equity shares by a promoter entity and an investor, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP). The OFS consists of up to 38.05 lakh equity shares by GPT Sons and up to 2.61 crore equity shares by BanyanTree Growth Capital II LLC. Proceeds from the fresh issuance of shares will be used to purchase medical equipment and general corporate purposes. GPT Healthcare operates a chain of mid-sized hospitals in eastern India under the "ILS Hospitals brand and provide integrated healthcare services, with a focus on secondary and tertiary care. As of September 30, 2021, it operates four multi-specialty hospitals, with a total capacity of 556 beds. GPT Healthcare's multispeciality hospitals are specialized in advanced surgical procedures, gynaecology and maternity services, paediatrics, orthopaedics, neuro and cardiac dciences, psychiatry and others. DAM Capital and SBI Capital Markets are the lead managers to the issue. Check out latest DH videos here AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) is proposing to pay just 0.5 per cent of debt owed to each of its creditors and to terminate all existing contracts so that it can restructure 33.65 billion ringgit ($8.1 billion) of liabilities, a document seen by Reuters shows. The Malaysian low-cost long-haul airline, a sister carrier to AirAsia Group Bhd, on Monday told the stock exchange it had set a date of Nov. 12 for creditor meetings to vote on the restructuring proposal. "To avoid a liquidation and to allow the airline to fly again, the only option is for AAX to undertake the proposed debt restructuring," the airline said in a 127-page explanatory statement for the meeting seen by Reuters that is being sent to creditors. Half of the total liability is the cost of terminating airplane orders from its largest creditor Airbus SE for 78 A330neo widebodies and 30 A321neo narrowbodies, the document said. AAX also proposed that if it were to garner more than 300 million ringgit ($72 million) in annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, lease rentals and restructuring costs during its 2023-2026 financial years, all creditors except Airbus would be entitled to 20 per cent of those earnings. It is one of many carriers in the Asia-Pacific region to have entered a court-overseen debt restructuring process to survive the pandemic. Others include Malaysia Airlines, Virgin Australia, Thai Airways and Philippine Airlines. The 0.5 per cent of debt owed to each creditor will be paid from operating cash flow one year after the debt restructuring goes into effect, the airline said in the document. AAX also said it is in negotiations with lessors of 29 planes and certain other creditors on commercial terms for continued or future business relationships. It is giving lessors the option of continuing to lease planes to AAX on new terms or to accept the termination of the lease and have the relevant planes returned. Two lessors have already indicated they want to terminate the leases, AAX said in the document. The airline added its scheme aims to arrive at a business and debt structure which is sustainable and to strengthen the group's financial position. To gain approval for its proposal, AAX needs agreement from creditors holding at least 75 per cent of the total debt value in each class of creditors. The airline plans to raise 500 million ringgit after its debt restructuring through a rights issue and share subscription Check out latest DH videos here Residents of the Kamalanagar building that tilted on October 12 and was subsequently demolished now find their lives in tatters. It was 10o clock on that rainy night when tremors shook the three-storey building in northern Bengaluru. Their first concern was to save their lives. So they ran out, never to return. Municipal authorities determined that the building was too dangerous for human habituation, barred everyone from going inside and cordoned off the area. The building was pulled down the next afternoon. Also Read | Bengaluru building collapse: Build, but safety first When the building shook, we had no idea that the very foundation of our lives will be crumbling. A lifetimes savings have been reduced to dust, the residents chorused. Where the building once stood now lie rubble, slush and tattered possessions that were very dear to their owners. Residents have been desperately scouring the rubble to salvage whatever belongings they could come across. Anguish, desperation and helplessness are writs large on their faces. Also read: Did you know? There are 404 weak buildings in Bengaluru Dhanalakshmi is happy to have saved her children but shes also pained to see the damaged television, washing machine and refrigerator, things her family had bought after saving up for years. A BBMP excavator is helping the residents retrieve the valuables while police are guarding the place so that miscreants dont take advantage of the situation. The affected families are staying with relatives although the government has provided their temporary shelter at a school. Minister and local MLA, K Gopalaiah, said that using his own money, he had paid Rs 1 lakh to the affected families and Rs 15,000 to owners of four surrounding houses that suffered damage. The government is also evaluating how much it could pay, he added. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Actor-host Pooja Bedi, a vocal anti-vaxxer, has tested positive for Covid-19 and says she will allow her own immunity, alternative healing and wellness practices to accelerate her healing. In an Instagram video on Sunday evening, the 51-year-old actor said her fiance Maneck Contractor and their house help have also contracted the virus. "I have finally been diagnosed as COVID positive. I chose/choose to stay unvaccinated as it's my personal decision to allow my own natural immunity and alternative healing and wellness practices to accelerate my healing. You do what's right for you. Each to their own. Caution. Not panic," Pooja Bedi, daughter of veteran film actor Kabir Bedi and the late Indian classical dancer Protima, wrote. The actor, best known for the 1992 hit film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, reality shows Bigg Boss and Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi, and celebrity talk show Just Pooja, said she is optimistic that she will recover soon. "We are now focusing on getting better, stronger. Hopefully we will be over this in a couple of days. It's a great way for me to relax, take it easy. I was working on long, hard schedules for months and maybe this is God's way of telling me to slow down and take it easy," she wrote. In August, Pooja Bedi had slammed the vaccination drive for all, including people with no comorbidities, calling it "illogical and sinister". "If 99 percent survive COVID with or without the vaccine the government needs to focus on isolating, vaccinating and masking those who have com comorbidities and are in the risk bracket. Not vaccinate the whole world and certainly not discriminate against the unvaccinated! It's illogical and sinister!" she had tweeted. The actor also faced backlash on social media when she posted a video enjoying a speedboat ride in Goa in April amid the deadly second wave of the pandemic in the country. "Joys of living in healthy, happy #goa. Free your mind #NoFear. Life is meant to be lived... not spent caged and masked for a year/ years in fear of a virus that's clearly not going away! If you died tomorrow after year of masking/lockdown.. what would ur greatest regret be? (sic)" she had written in the caption. According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday, India added 13,596 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 3,40,81,315, while the active cases declined to 1,89,694, the lowest in 221 days. Check out latest DH videos here Colin Powell, the son of Jamaican immigrants who became a US war hero and the first Black secretary of state but saw his legacy tarnished when he made the case for war in Iraq in 2003, died on Monday of Covid-19 complications. He was 84. The retired four-star general and former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who served four presidents made his reputation as a man of honour distant from the political fray -- an asset in the corridors of power. "General Powell is an American hero, an American example, and a great American story," George W. Bush said as he announced Powell's nomination as secretary of state in 2000. "In directness of speech, his towering integrity, his deep respect for our democracy, and his soldier's sense of duty and honour, Colin Powell demonstrates ... qualities that will make him a great representative of all the people of this country." But he found it hard to live down his infamous February 2003 speech to the United Nations Security Council about the alleged existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq -- the evidence he presented was later proven to be false. Also read: Ex-US secretary of state Colin Powell dies of Covid complications "It's a blot... and will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now," Powell said in a 2005 interview with ABC News. Born April 5, 1937, in Harlem, Powell's "American Journey" -- the title of his autobiography -- started in New York, where he grew up and earned a degree in geology. He also participated in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) in college, and upon his graduation in June 1958, he received a commission as a second lieutenant in the US Army, and was posted in what was then West Germany. Powell completed two tours of duty in Vietnam -- in 1962-63 as one of John F Kennedy's thousands of military advisors, and again in 1968-69 to investigate the My Lai massacre. He earned a Purple Heart, but also faced questions about the tone of his report into the hundreds of deaths at My Lai, which to some seemed to dismiss any claims of wrongdoing. "I was in a unit that was responsible for My Lai. I got there after My Lai happened," he told interviewer Larry King in 2004. "So, in war, these sorts of horrible things happen every now and again, but they are still to be deplored." Back in Washington, he quickly rose through the ranks to the pinnacle of the national security establishment, serving Ronald Reagan as national security advisor, and both George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton as chairman of the Joint Chiefs from 1989-93. Powell's experiences in Vietnam as a young soldier led him to develop the so-called "Powell Doctrine," which said that if the United States must intervene in a foreign conflict, it should deploy overwhelming force based on clear political objectives. For many Americans, he was the public face of the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq. Powell was initially lukewarm about going into the country, but his reputation soared in the aftermath of the blitzkrieg that ejected Saddam Hussein's forces from Kuwait. For a while, he even considered a run for the presidency. But after retiring from the army in 1993, Powell devoted himself to working on behalf of disadvantaged young people as chairman of America's Promise, a youth advocacy group. For a while, he fended off new questions on his desire for public office, until George W. Bush came calling for the popular military man to lead the State Department as the 65th secretary of state. "I hope it will give inspiration to young African Americans," Powell said in his nomination acceptance speech in 2000, telling them: "There are no limitations upon you." His four years at Foggy Bottom (2001-04) were forever marked by the decision to invade Iraq in 2003. Beforehand, Powell sought a more prudent policy, struggling for traction against hawks in the Bush cabinet while trying to sway allies for their support -- all to no avail. He defended his support for the invasion until the very end of his tenure, and has endured the criticism ever since. "I knew I didn't have any choice," Powell told The New York Times in July 2020. "What choice did I have? He's the president." Powell freely admitted his liberal social views made him a strange bedfellow for many Republicans, though the party was often happy to hold him up as an example of its inclusivity. "I'm still a Republican. And I think the Republican Party needs me more than the Democratic Party needs me," he told MSNBC in 2014. "You can be a Republican and still feel strongly about issues such as immigration and improving our education system and doing something about some of the social problems that exist in our society and our country." But since 2008, he has endorsed Democrats for the presidency, twice backing Barack Obama, and then Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Powell earned a number of civilian honours, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- twice from Bush Senior and Clinton. He married his wife Alma in 1962. They had three children: Michael, Linda and Annemarie. Colin Powell, a US war hero and the first Black secretary of state who saw his legacy tarnished when he made the case for war in Iraq in 2003, has died from complications from Covid-19. He was 84. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," the family said in a statement posted to social media on Monday. The retired four-star general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who served four presidents made his reputation as a man of honor distant from the political fray -- an asset in the corridors of power. After the 1991 Gulf War he was so widely respected that he was even touted as a future president of the United States, but ultimately he never ran for the White House. "General Powell is an American hero, an American example, and a great American story," George W. Bush said as he announced the nomination of Powell, the son of Jamaican immigrants who became the Republican president's secretary of state in 2000. Also read: Colin Powell: War hero, history-maker haunted by Iraq "In directness of speech, his towering integrity, his deep respect for our democracy, and his soldier's sense of duty and honor, Colin Powell demonstrates... qualities that will make him a great representative of all the people of this country." But he found it hard to live down his infamous February 2003 speech to the United Nations Security Council about the alleged existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq -- evidence which was later proven to be false. "It's a blot... and will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now," Powell said in a 2005 interview with ABC News. Tributes nevertheless poured in from Congress, where Democratic Senator Mark Warner praised Powell as "a patriot and a public servant," while House Republican Peter Meijer described him as a rarity in the modern age: "a true soldier statesman." The family statement said Powell had been fully vaccinated. Born April 5, 1937 in Harlem, Powell's "American Journey" -- the title of his autobiography -- started in New York, where he grew up and earned a degree in geology. He also participated in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) in college, and upon his graduation in June 1958, he received a commission as a second lieutenant in the US Army, and was posted in what was then West Germany. Powell completed two tours of duty in Vietnam -- in 1962-63 as one of John F Kennedy's thousands of military advisors, and again in 1968-69 to investigate the My Lai massacre. He earned a Purple Heart, but also faced questions about the tone of his report into the hundreds of deaths at My Lai, which to some seemed to dismiss any claims of wrongdoing. Back in Washington, he quickly rose through the ranks to the pinnacle of the national security establishment, serving Ronald Reagan as national security advisor, and both George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton as chairman of the Joint Chiefs from 1989 to 1993. Powell freely admitted his liberal social views made him a strange bedfellow for many Republicans, though the party was often happy to hold him up as an example of its inclusivity. But since 2008, he has endorsed Democrats for the presidency, twice backing Barack Obama, and then Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Powell earned a number of civilian honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- twice from Bush Senior and Clinton. He married his wife Alma in 1962. They had three children: Michael, Linda and Annemarie. Check out DH's latest videos: Israel does not want war with Lebanon's Hezbollah but is prepared to face about 2,000 rockets a day from the armed group if conflict breaks out, a senior Israeli military official told AFP. In May this year, the Israeli army fought an 11-day war against Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip, who fired around 4,400 projectiles towards the Jewish state. Israel says its Iron Dome defence system, which has been in use for around a decade, intercepted around 90 per cent of the rockets headed for populated areas, while just under 300 hit inhabited districts. The rate of fire surpassed that seen in Israel's 2006 war against Hezbollah when a similar number of rockets were launched from Lebanon -- but over the course of around a month -- the Israeli army said. Also Read | Last Jew of Kabul making his way to Israel, say rescuers In May, cities like Tel Aviv and Ashdod experienced the "highest number of fire towards them in the history of Israel", said Uri Gordin, chief of the army's Home Front Command. "We saw a pace of more than 400 rockets fired towards Israel on a daily basis." He said that in the case of "conflict or a war with Hezbollah, we expect more than five times the number of rockets fired every day from Lebanon to Israel". "Basically we are looking between 1,500 and 2,500 rockets fired daily towards Israel," he told AFP. Set up in 1992 after the first Gulf War, Gordin's Home Front Command is in charge of civil defence, meaning it is responsible for readying the country in case of threat, conflict or disaster. Also Read | Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian in West Bank: Army The unit was criticised for its response to the 2006 war with Hezbollah, which killed more than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, the majority of them soldiers. That war was a "wake-up call" for the Home Front Command, Gordin said, adding that it had since beefed up its liaison units, which are now active across 250 Israeli municipalities to provide assistance in case of an attack. The Home Front Command uses computer projections to predict a rocket's trajectory after it has been launched, and advises the public, within a specific range, to head to bomb shelters. During the Gaza conflict in May, this allowed emergency services to "go to every incident within less than five minutes", Gordin said from the control room of the unit's headquarters in Ramla, near Tel Aviv. He said preparations had been made for any incidents on the border with Lebanon. An Israeli security source said the Israel army hoped for "stability" in its northern neighbour, which is mired in a crippling economic crisis and on Thursday saw deadly sectarian clashes in the capital Beirut that left seven dead, including Hezbollah members. Iran-backed Hezbollah was "the source of instability in Lebanon", the security source said, adding that the group "exploits the state's resources for Iranian interests". Iran is "closer to creating fissile material for nuclear weapons than they ever were in the past" but would still need two years to obtain a bomb, the source said, echoing a timeframe cited by other Israeli officials. Tehran insists its nuclear program is for civilian purposes. "We are preparing for all options and scenarios, including military capabilities," the security source said. Israel has been staunchly opposed to the revival of a nuclear deal agreed between Tehran and world powers in 2015. The agreement has been on life support since then-president Donald Trump withdrew from the US in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions. But Israel could accommodate a new deal if it ensured Tehran would never obtain a nuclear bomb, some Israeli officials have suggested recently, as top Israeli ally the US seeks to push Iran back to the negotiating table after months of suspended talks. However, US President Joe Biden's administration also hinted on Wednesday that it could resort to force if diplomacy fails, rallying more closely than ever behind Israel warnings on the possibility of military action. The Singapore government on Monday announced crowd control measures at Little India, a popular precinct here, in the lead-up to Diwali to prevent overcrowding amid rising cases of Covid-19. "This will ensure that crowds are spread across the precinct and prevent choke points during peak periods," the Straits Times, quoting the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said on managing the flow of human traffic in Little India. Little India is replete with shops and eateries offering an array of Indian-origin products where the festive mood has been set with decorative street lighting. Diwali, the festival of light, which celebrates the triumph of good over evil, falls on November 4 this year. Also Read | Singapore to expand no-quarantine scheme for vaccinated travellers Some businesses will also extend their operating hours to allow shoppers to spread out their visits during the Diwali week, the report said. This is the second year that the major Hindu festival is being celebrated in the midst of the pandemic. While the night bazaar remains suspended this year, visitors can enjoy food trails, heritage tours, cooking demonstrations, treasure hunts and competitions such as a TikTok dance challenge being organised within the precincts, which also has a mixed dwelling of residences, apartments and hotels, the report said. Last year, bazaars or festival villages were not allowed, though some stalls were permitted to extend their footprint out to the streets in order to accommodate crowds. The STB had also deployed a posse of enforcement officers and safe distancing ambassadors during peak periods leading up to Diwali to help with crowd management. Eight people were each issued composition fines of SGD300 in late October and early November last year for failing to comply with safe management measures while in Little India, the report said. The Ministry of Health has reported 3,058 new Covid-19 cases and nine deaths linked to the virus on Sunday, taking the death toll to 233 since last year. Check out latest DH videos here The Bangalore School of Music (BSM), RT Nagar, is observing the first-ever 'World Guitar Day' with a concert, on October 18, 5 to 5.30 pm. The concert, 'Un Regalo - A Gift to the 'Guitar, by the students and faculty of the classical guitar department of BSM, can be viewed on their YouTube Channel. Nandhini Sudhir, head of classical guitar department, says, "This concert is our token of love for the guitar and we feel honoured to participate on an online platform. Recorded performances by 10 students and faculty members have been brought together for it." Participants will receive a certificate from the international organising committee of World Guitar Day, she adds. Expressing excitement on BSM joining the festivities, Jagadeesh MR, director of operations and founder of band 'MoonArra', says, "The guitar is one of the most iconic and visually appealing musical instruments throughout the world, which is also why it's so popular." Started this year World Guitar Day was established in 2021, as an initiative by Greek classical guitarist, composer and professor Yorgos Foudoulis, with the help and support of several international organisations of high prestige and great scope. The day has been announced in the UN member states and will be celebrated across the globe every year on October 18. For more details, go to: worldguitarday.org Taking a flu shot is the need of the hour as it reduces ones chances of getting sick from flu, the serious complications caused due to it, reduces chances of Covid-19, hospitalisation, and mortality rates. Anyone above six months can get a flu shot every year as recommended by the expert and should not stop from getting the flu shots due to side effects like fever, body pain, or swelling at the injection site as they go away within a day or two. Dr Mukesh Budhawani, General Physician, Apollo Clinic, Pune Said, "Flu is dangerous to you and your familys health as high-risk individuals like infants, pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and those with chronic conditions, such as asthma, can become seriously ill. Getting the flu vaccine will reduce the seriousness and length of illness and even risk for a flu-related hospitalization and death. The flu shot can protect you and your loved ones against serious complications. It can impact a healthy individuals health leading to pneumonia. In case you already have the flu then it takes a toll on your immune system and makes you prone to Covid infection. Also read: Covid and flu: How big could the dual threat be this winter? Taking a flu shot can minimise the risk for a co-infection because it is possible to catch both the flu and Covid-19 simultaneously. Though they are both contagious respiratory illnesses, different viruses cause them, and no matter how healthy you are. "Both the flu and Covid-19, which share similar symptoms like pain and swelling at the injection site, body pain, fever, and chills. Dont avoid getting a shot owing to the fear of side effects. There are more flu cases this year compared to last year. More than 5,000 flu patients have been seen this year. People of all ages, from young children to the elderly are at a higher risk, he added. Dr Keerti Kotla, Apollo Diagnostic Pune said, "The flu vaccine has been linked to lower rates of cardiac events in those with heart problems. It also reduces the risk of worsening ones lung disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Thus, anyone six months and older can get a flu shot. "Discuss in length with your doctor about your medical history and then take the vaccine." Check out latest videos from DH: The West Bengal government has alerted its district administrations, particularly those bordering Bangladesh, against the misuse of social media and circulation of fake news related to the recent spate of attacks during Durga puja in the neighbouring country, and urged them to take measures to maintain law and order, a top official said on Monday. All state agencies have been asked to be on toes to combat any attempt to create disturbances anywhere in Bengal amid the ongoing idol immersion ceremonies and observance of Fateha-Dwaz-Daham, he said. "The government has asked district administrations, especially those bordering Bangladesh, to exercise caution against fake news circulation on the violence and vandalism in the neighbouring country. All agencies have been told to keep vigil and thwart attempts to create tension," the official added. A similar word of caution was also issued to senior police officers by Additional Director General (Intelligence Branch). "Since 13.10.21, social media platforms have been flooded with posts of vandalism of Durga Puja pandals in Bangladesh. Also read: Bangladesh PM Hasina's assurance to Hindus has lessons for India's leaders Centering these issues, districts along Indo-Bangla border have become hyper sensitive and the leaders of different Hindu fundamentalist organisations of India pro-active. "...you are requested to sensitise you officers and men under your control and keep sharp vigil to avoid any untoward incident," the message by the ADGP said. On Sunday, the West Bengal Police had retweeted posts by the Asansol-Durgapur police and Purba Medinipur SP, warning people with the intention of spreading misinformation of severe consequences as brawls were reported over multiple issues in the two areas. "Some people are spreading wrong information that bombs were hurled at Puja pandals and damage was done, giving (the incidents) communal colour and trying to disturb peace in the area. Strong legal action will be taken for spreading such wrong and misleading information," the tweet by the Asansol-Durgapur police said. Check out latest DH videos here People for Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA) India has selected Meghalaya forest and environment minister James Sangma for its Progressive Business Concept Award for his initiative to encourage farmers to go for leather production from pineapples. The move would lessen leather production from animals, protect animals and the environment, according to PETA. Sangma, the brother of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and son of former Lok Sabha Speaker, P A Sangma recently asked farmers to go for pineapple leather, a fairly new product that some fashion design companies are adopting to lessen animal suffering. Pineapple leather is considered as sturdy and durable as leather produced from animal skins. Meghalaya produces about 8 per cent of the pineapples grown in the country. "Minister Sangma has rightly identified the climate crisis as a defining challenge of our times, and he is already taking steps to address one of the biggest culprits: animal agriculture, said PETA India's senior campaigns coordinator, Radhika Suryavanshi. PETA India looks forward to seeing Meghalaya create new opportunities for farmers while helping to save the planet and animals lives through a thriving pineapple-leather industry. Citing a report of the United Nations, a statement issued by PETA India said on Monday, "Animal agriculture which includes animals killed for clothing is responsible for nearly a fifth of human-induced greenhouse-gas emissions. To keep the skins of cows, buffaloes, and other animals used for leather from rotting, tanneries use a variety of caustic, toxic chemicals, which pollute waterways. One of the most widely used chemicals in the tanning process is chromium, which can cause cancer in workers exposed to it." PETA said the leather industry also causes animal suffering on a massive scale. "Cattle used for leather in India are often crammed into vehicles in such large numbers that their bones break. Those who survive the gruelling journey to the slaughterhouse endure agonising deaths: their throats are cut in full view of other animals, and many are dismembered while theyre still conscious." Meghalaya government is also planning to open a climate change museum and introduce climate change into the school curriculum. Check out DH's latest videos A state government hoarding written in Assamese has been found smeared with black ink in the Bengali-majority Barak valley area of Assam triggering criticism from some parties. The incident, which took place at Silchar in Cachar district on Sunday, was allegedly carried out by members of two organisations demanding the use of Bengali in place of Assamese in the Barak valley region. Visuals showed the alleged activists climbing a ladder and defacing the hoarding in front of Silchar Railway station. They also wrote Bangla Likhun (write in Bengali) and the names of the two organisations below it. An official in Silchar said no complaint has been registered with the police regarding the incident, though the law enforcers are looking into the matter. The Assam Official Language Act, 1960, adopted Assamese as the official language of the state, though it included provisions for use of Bengali for all administrative and official purposes in the Bengali-majority Barak Valley of the state, comprising Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi districts. The use of the Bengali language for official purposes was authorised following a mass movement by the Bengali-speaking population, especially in Barak valley, which had also led to the death of 11 protestors at Silchar Railway Station on May 16, 1961. The smearing of the government hoarding has led to condemnation from regional organisations of the state, with the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) criticising the move to denounce the official language of the state. Barak Democratic Yuba Front (BDYF) and All Bengali Students Youth Organisation (ABSYO) had allegedly carried out the protest programme near the hoarding. Kalparnob Gupta, the convener of BDYF, maintained that the advertisement was against the government notification that allowed the use of Bengali as the official language in Barak Valley. Some circles with vested interests are trying to impose Assamese here. The chief minister was celebrating Durga Puja in Barak Valley and at the same time, his government is indulging in such acts, he said. ABSYO Cachar district president Raju Deb said the government should refrain from indulging in any activity that could disrupt harmony, and concentrate on developmental projects. Reacting to the incident, AASU general secretary Sankar Jyoti Boruah on Monday said it is unfortunate that the Assamese language has been insulted in Assam itself. If the Assamese language is disrespected in Assam itself on the pretext of the Language Act, what will be the future of our language? he questioned, in a written statement, shared through his social media account. Even after such incidents, the government wants to settle the Hindu Bangladeshis (Bengali speakers) through the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in our state. When that happens, will our language be safe anymore? Boruah asked. He also demanded strict action against the organisations that had indulged in the act of defacing the hoarding at Silchar. Palash Changmai, general secretary of AJYCP, alleged that a section of Bengali-speaking people was framing a design to make Bengali at par with the Assamese language in Assam. Assamese speakers are confined to Assam and if the language is not protected here, our language will be in danger, he said. Changmai also criticised the political leadership for failing to take any action against those who had smeared the hoarding with black ink. Check out latest videos from DH: Indian Americans from South Florida along with their Jewish friends on Sunday held a demonstration against the growing Islamist terrorism in Kashmir. Organised by the Kashmir Hindu Foundation, the protesters raised slogans like stop Islamist jihad against minorities in Kashmir" and fight back Islamist terrorism. Deepak Ganju, the founding member of the KHF, urged the global community to wake up and understand that what is happening in Kashmir is the worst violation of human rights anywhere in the world. Also Read | Killings in Kashmir: Political outreach, a must Many protesters said that their families were forced to flee in 1990 and they do not feel safe in returning to their homes, a media release said. The protesters called upon the Government of India to take strong measures to safeguard remaining minority members in the Valley and ensure that no more targeted killings take place. Former US Congressman Joe Kaufman spoke on the relevance of exposing the "terrorist sympathising organisations" like the Islamic Society of North America and ICNA. Also Read | Now, minorities targeted in Kashmir ICNA is the American arm of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), South Asias largest Islamist group. ICNA has spent 30-plus years harbouring Ashrafuz Zaman Khan, a former death squad leader allegedly responsible for the murder of 18 individuals. In July 2014, ICNA co-sponsored a pro-Hamas rally in downtown Miami, the press release said. Watch the latest DH Videos here: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his delegation were in for a surprise on Monday when they were treated to hit popular Bollywood numbers at Centre for Persons with Disabilities here in Israel. A blind Indian Jewish girl from the Bnei Menashe community, Dina Samte, who is a part of the Shalva band, welcomed Jaishankar and sang hits from Bollywood movies 'Kal ho na ho' and 'Kuchh kuchh hota hai', in a moving moment that left the minister and his delegation emotional. Israel's Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid hosted lunch for Jaishankar at the Shalva Centre, which extends care for individuals with disabilities providing them with tools for social inclusion. Samte, who immigrated to Israel from Manipur in 2007 has the unprecedented honour to have been chosen to light a torch at Israel's Independence Day official state ceremony a few years back. Shalva provides an all-encompassing range of services for thousands of people with disabilities from infancy to adulthood and their families. Its comprehensive life-cycle programming provides leading-edge therapies, inclusive educational frameworks, social and recreational activities, employment training, and independent living, as well as respite and family support. The Shalva National Centers advanced programs and facilities create new frontiers in disability rehabilitation, research, and inclusion; defining new standards in the field and impacting the world beyond those in Shalvas direct care. The organisation is known for providing equal access and opportunity to all participants regardless of religion, ethnic background, or financial capability. EAM is to visit the Israel museum where he would be seeing the replica of Kudavumbagam Cochini synagogue, the section on Indian art section and also the Dead Sea scrolls. He will also be interacting with some young members of the Cochini Jewish community. Jaishankar will also unveil a plaque at the Indian hospice in old Jerusalem and interact with think tanks later during the day. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday unveiled the Bhoodan Grove plaque at the Jerusalem Forest, bringing out lesser-known aspects of Indo-Israel relations before the establishment of full-fledged diplomatic ties between the two countries. With an objective of keeping Mahatma Gandhis concept of the village as the basic unit of development, Indian leaders who were exploring ways to implement the socialist ideals of the Sarvodaya movement namely, Bhoodan and Gramdan, made several visits to Israel to study the social structure of different forms of Israels communal and cooperative institutions -- Kibbutzim and Moshavim. Jayaprakash Narayan, the leader of the Sarvodaya movement, visited Israel in September 1958 on a nine-day visit as the guest of Histadrut, the Israel Federation of Labour. His visit received wide attention in the Israeli media, which warmly welcomed him and carried long biographical articles. He met then Israeli prime minister David Ben Gurion and visited Kfar Saba in central Israel, and Kibbutz Afikim near the Sea of Galilee of northern Israel during his stay. Also read: India, Israel share similar challenges from radicalism, terrorism: Jaishankar Narayans visit was followed by that of a 27-member Sarvodaya team, which during its six-month study tour in Israel from February-August 1960 spent time in Tel Aviv and Kfar Giladi in northern Israel. On their way back to India, they planted the Bhoodan Grove in Jerusalem Forest on May 22, 1960. Jaishankar described the visit by Narayan and Bhoodan workers as an aspect of our shared history which hasnt received the attention it deserved. He also called the unveiling of the plaque very timely as last year was the 125th birth anniversary of Acharya Vinoba Bhave. But there is also a larger message in what we are doing today. It is partly a message that our relationship is very human-centric... that of the importance of going green and most of all I think it is a reminder to all of us that between India and Israel we need to keep finding new ways, better ways, more deeper societal connect and that is at the heart of the progress of our ties, the minister said. Jaishankar was given a certificate by the Jewish National Fund after unveiling the plaque at Bhoodan Grove. In his address on Sunday evening, he also shared information about this shared historical connection with the Indian Jewish community. In modern post-Independence times, there are also the relatively less known aspects of how major socialist political leaders and streams in India felt a kinship with the kibbutz movement in Israel. And, in a quest to build on the Gandhian concept of ashram or village as a self-sustaining unit of development. Jayaprakash Narayan, one of our most prominent political leaders and theorists associated with our Independence struggle, visited Israel in 1958, and many followers of Vinoba Bhave, another towering leader of our independence movement, visited Israel in 1960 to understand the kibbutz movement here, Jaishankar added. The details of the intense cooperation between Sarva Seva Sangh, the group charged with carrying on Gandhis constructive programme of social uplift, and Israeli Moshavim and Kibbutzim was last year also published in an article, The Kibbutz and the Ashram: Sarvodaya Agriculture, Israeli Aid, and the Global Imaginaries of Indian Development, by Benjamin Siegel in the American Historical review. Very pleased to meet the Indian Jewish community in Israel. Valued their manifold contribution to India-Israel ties. Confident that they will bring us even closer together in the coming years. pic.twitter.com/au0gFEGjsT Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 17, 2021 The Sarva Seva Sangh hosted Benjamin Halevy, a Ukraine-born agriculturalist recruited from the Kfar Yehoshua Moshav (or cooperative agricultural settlement) in Israels Jezreel Valley, for two years after reports emerged of the prodigious yields that Halevy was coaxing from basalt soil. The kibbutz at Gandhis ashram would not be merely an Israeli model adapted to Indian contexts. For members of the Sarvodaya movement, Indias hugely popular program dedicated to Gandhian practice after his death, the settlement would serve as a living rebuke to votaries of coercive socialist agriculture and modernization theory alike, the author writes in the article. An Israeli-designed collective agricultural settlement in the spiritual home of the late Mahatma would show that a popular programme of cooperative uplift was not unsuited to the economic and social realities of post-colonial India, proof that Gandhian economics was on a par with the ages most daring political experiments, he adds. The External Affairs Minister also laid a wreath at Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem to pay respects to six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. This memorial is both a testimony to the evil that man is capable of as also the resilience and fortitude of the human spirit. For those who came after it will remain an inspiration of courage and righteousness, Jaishankar wrote in the visitors' book at the Holocaust Museum after laying a wreath. Later in the day, Jaishankar will be meeting his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid during the day besides visiting the Indian hospice in Jerusalems old city. Check out latest videos from DH: Amid rumours of him forming a new political outfit, former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh will likely meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Monday. Reports suggest that the Captain will not only discuss the farmers' protest but may also forge a seat sharing or alliance formula with the BJP leader. This will be Amarinder Singhs third visit to Delhi after resigning as Chief Minister. BJP is keen to work with the Captain, but a resolution needs to be reached over the farmers protests, people in the know of the matter told CNN-News18. The former Chief Minister now reportedly has all his options open. Also read: BJP to keep its option open about any tie up with Amarinder Singh Singh had met Amit Shah after quitting the Congress and accusing it of 'humiliation' sparking speculations. Charanjit Channi became the chief minister after the unceremonious exit of the Congress veteran, who had been at loggerheads with Sidhu. Also read: 'Proximity' with Amit Shah puts question mark on Amarinder Singh's secular credentials: Harish Rawat BJP national general secretary and Punjab in-charge, Dushyant Gautam told IANS that the BJP has its plan and strategy for Punjab assembly polls and is working accordingly with the developing situation. "No doubt, Singh is a big name and has had an impact on state politics but first of all the former chief minister must clarify his position about the next political move. We have our plans and the BJP is moving ahead with it. We cannot say about Singh's plan and currently we can't say what will happen in future," Gautam said. After quitting the Congress, Amarinder had called Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra inexperienced. He had also threatened to pit a strong candidate against state party chief and his arch nemesis Navjot Singh Sidhu in the coming assembly polls. Also Read | O, Captain! My Captain! Captain also took a dig at Navjot Singh Sidhu and called him a drama master. According to analysts, Singh's tie-up with the BJP likely depends on whether the Centre makes a climbdown on the contentious farm laws. If the Modi government works to resolve the farmers' issue, then it will smoothen Singh's path to either join the ... Check out latest DH videos here: Amid fear in the wake of continuous attacks, thousands of migrant workers in Kashmir are in a dilemma as they are unsure what to do next. While some of them have decided to leave Kashmir immediately, many others want to finish their pending work and settle the accounts before they leave. Since the beginning of October five non-local workers, four of them non-Muslims and one Muslim, have been killed by militants in separate attacks in Srinagar and south Kashmir. Besides, three members of the minority community, including a renowned Kashmiri Pandit businessman, were also been shot dead by militants this month. The spate of killings have not only sent shockwaves among members of minority communities in Kashmir, but non-local workers, majority of whom are Muslims, are also worried about their safety and security. Also Read | Two migrant labourers shot dead in Kashmir We are in utter shock as we had never imagined that such a tragedy would befall us, a group of migrant workers told DH, near Hawal, a four-way road stretch which is also called Bihari Chowk in old city Srinagar. Huddled together in groups, these workers were discussing the situation in Kashmir in the aftermath of civilian killings. We are in a dilemma whether to leave the Valley immediately or stay back. There is no communication from the government as well. If we go back, we will have to face losses, if we stay back, there is every possibility we may be the next targets, they rued. Rajesh Kumar, from Bihar, who sells gol-gappas here for the past 15 years said that he had never seen such fear among migrant workers. Even during the unrest of 2008, 2010, 2016 and post abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, I continued to stay in Kashmir without any fear or problems. But since the last 10 days, every moment, it seems death is chasing me, Kumar said amid palpable fear. Also Read | 'No jobs in state': Tejashwi hits out at Nitish over J&K killings The worried families of these migrant workers have been constantly calling them and urging them to return. We travel hundreds of miles and come here to earn our livelihood so that we can feed our families and educate our children. But this cannot be at the cost of our lives, Jameel, a mason from Uttar Pradesh, said. A taxi stand office bearer in Srinagar said that a large number of non-local workers were boarding cabs in recent days to Jammu. At the beginning of the month, 10-12 cabs were leaving for Jammu from Srinagar, but today all the cabs in our stand are plying and still there is more demand, he said. Check out DH's latest videos: In a major boost to infrastructure development, the Jammu and Kashmir government has entered into an agreement with the government of Dubai for real estate development in the Union Territory (UT). Government of Dubai and the Government of Jammu Kashmir have entered into an agreement, which will help the Union Territory to scale new heights in Industrialisation sustainable growth. Today is an important day for the developmental journey of the UT of Jammu Kashmir, the Office of Lieutenant Governor of J&K tweeted. Another tweet said, We are committed to develop a new industrial culture in Jammu Kashmir. This MoU is about Jammu Kashmir's prospects and I am confident it will set the pace in the business sector of the future that are key to the prosperity of the people. Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal, who is in the valley as part of the Centres outreach programme, said that investors from Dubai will throng to Jammu and Kashmir after the agreement. During my recent visit to Dubai, the King expressed his interest to visit India, especially Jammu and Kashmir, to invest in the real estate business. I invited him and now the results are clear, he told reporters at Raj Bhawan. According to the agreement, investors can invest in building industrial parks, IT towers, medical colleges, super speciality hospitals and other sectors in the UT. Check out DH's latest videos Farmers in Punjab squatted on rail tracks on Monday morning as part of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's six-hour 'rail roko' protest demanding the dismissal and arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri. A railway official said four sections of the Ferozepur division were blocked by the protesters. The Ferozepur-Fazilka section in Ferozepur city and the Ferozepur-Ludhiana section at Ajitwal in Moga were affected, the official said. Demanding the arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher on Monday demanded said the KMSC will hold protests at 20 places in 11 districts of the state. In a statement, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions spearheading the agitation against the Centre's three agri laws, had said "protests will be intensified until justice is secured" in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. During the 'rail roko' protest, all train traffic will be stopped from 10 am till 4 pm on Monday, the SKM had said. Also read: BJP national office-bearers to meet on Monday, may discuss polls, farmers' protest "To press for its demand for MoS Home Ajay Mishra's dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be secured in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre, Samyukt Kisan Morcha has announced a nation-wide Rail Roko programme. "SKM put out a call to its constituents to stop rail traffic for six hours on October 18 between 10 am and 4 pm. The SKM asks for this action to be taken up peacefully, without any destruction and damage of any kind to any railway property," it had said. Four of the eight people who died in the violence on October 3 were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers. Angry farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles. The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver. Farmers have claimed that Ashish Mishra was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and Ajay Mishra who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time. Ashish Mishra was arrested in the case on October 9. Check out latest DH videos here Less than an hour after media picked up an emergency advisory on Sunday seeking non-locals be taken to the nearest security forces camps in the Kashmir Valley, in wake of killing of two more labourers from Bihar, authorities said they did not issue any such advisory. Although there were reports of non-locals being asked to come to the police stations, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said: "No such order has been issued, it is fake." There have been series of civilian killings, especially of those from outside the state, across the Valley since October 6. So far, nine civilians have been killed during the last 11 days. Also Read | Migrant labourers in Jammu and Kashmir to be moved to security camps Terrorists killed reputed pharmacy owner, M.L. Bindroo, a non-local street vendor, and a taxi driver on October 6. Two days after this, terrorists shot dead school principal, Supinder Kour and teacher, Deepak Sharma in Eidgah area of Srinagar city. Also Read | Two non-local workers shot dead by militants in Srinagar Check out DH's latest videos: On Saturday, another non-local street vendor was shot dead in Srinagar and a non-local carpenter were killed by the terrorists in Pulwama. On Sunday, terrorists killed two non-local labourers and critically injured a third in Kulgam district. All three hail from Bihar. A student and a teacher were reportedly beaten up following a dispute over chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai at a school in Madhya Pradesh's Agar Malwa district, police said on Wednesday. After the incident, which took place on Tuesday in Barod town, located about 175 km from the state capital Bhopal, a case was registered against around 20 people, they said. Students from various communities, including Hindus and Muslims, study in the private school, Agar Malwa's Superintendent of Police Rakesh Sagar told PTI over phone on Wednesday. There was some dispute among students over raising the slogan (Bharat Mata Ki Jai) in the school, but the matter subsided. Later, some students allegedly beat up boys of the other community outside the school, he said. According to another police official, after the prayer at the school, students sing the national anthem and chant "Bharat Mata Ki Jai". Some Muslim children were reportedly not chanting "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", and Class 12 student Bharat Singh Rajput (19) objected to it, resulting in a dispute, he said. Rajput later complained to police that while returning home after school on Tuesday, he and a teacher were intercepted and allegedly beaten up, the official said. According to the FIR, Rajput claimed that some Muslim boys and their friends intercepted him, other boys and a school teacher, belonging to the Scheduled Caste, in Barod's Kasai Mohalla area. The complainant stated that the accused abused him and others, saying who were they to make them raise the slogan and beaten them up with sticks. When the teacher started shooting a video of the incident on his mobile phone, the accused hit him with sticks and broke his phone, the complainant alleged. However, SP Rakesh Sagar said, It is more an issue of proper counselling and guidance than a legal offence as all those involved are students. The school teachers and principal should impart moral lessons to students." A case under Indian Penal Code sections for assault and rioting, and provisions of the SC-ST Act has been registered following a complaint over the dispute," the SP said. Following Rajput's complaint, the case was registered against nine named people and 8-10 other unidentified persons, another official said. Some people were detained for questioning and further legal steps will be taken following an investigation into the case, he said. Check out latest DH videos here: Former Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijayabaskar on Monday came under the Directorate of Vigilance and anti-Corruption (DVAC) net with sleuths from the agency swooping down on 43 premises across the state in connection with a disproportionate assets (DA) case filed against him and his wife. Vijayabaskar is the fourth minister in the erstwhile Edappadi K Palaniswami cabinet to be raided by the DVAC after the DMK government stormed to power in May this year. M R Vijayabhaskar, S P Velumani, and K C Veeramani were earlier raided by the DVAC. In the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the DVAC in Pudukkottai district on October 17, Vijayabaskar has been added as accused no. 1 (A1) and his wife Ramya (A2). Vijayabaskar was one of the most controversial ministers in the previous AIADMK government as he was raided by the CBI in connection with the multi-crore gutka scam in 2018. He also came under the Income Tax (I-T) radar in 2017 days before bye-elections were to be held in R K Nagar constituency in Chennai the elections were rescinded due to rampant use of money to buy votes. In the FIR, the DVAC said Vijayabaskar has accumulated maximum assets by intentionally enriched himself during the period of his office from 01.04.2016 to 31.03.2021 and hence, the same was taken as check period. The FIR said Vijayabaskar had in 2016 declared that his assets were worth Rs 6,41,91,310 but his assets grew to Rs 57,77,11,404 as on 31.03.2021, at the end of the said check period. The accused A-1 C Vijayabaskar and A-2 Ramya had received lawful sources of income as revealed in his income tax returns and election affidavits to the tune of Rs.58,64,25,887 during the said check period. They incurred expenses to the tune of Rs.34,51,62,529 during the said check period, the FIR said. It added that Vijayabaskar and his wife Ramya have assets worth Rs 27.22 crore which is disproportionate to the known sources of their income. The DVAC also said the family members of Vijayabaskar created a trust in the name of Mother Terasa Educational and Charitable Trust and established several institutes where the ill-gotten money could have been invested. The DMK, while in opposition, had submitted a huge list of corruption charges against half a dozen ministers. The party also promised to constitute a special court to try all such cases. Check out DH's latest videos: As the death toll in Kerala floods and heavy rainfall reached 35, the Congress-led opposition on Monday accused the Pinarayi Vijayan government of not acting on time. However, the government quickly denied the charges. Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who on Sunday visited the worst-affected areas in Idukki and Kottayam districts, raised questions as to why, despite the IMD warning, the state government failed to act. "Wish to know why and what happened and it has now proved that the State government failed to act on warnings. We are told it took several hours for the team of government officials to reach certain spots with men and material to do the rescue act. Something has gone wrong and we want answers," said Satheesan. State Revenue Minister K. Rajan, however, said there has been no wrong on the part of the State government. Also Read | Kerala rains: House swept away by overflowing river in Kottayam's Mundakayam "We rely on the reports and act on the basis of the Centre and we have done just that. Strict action will be taken against those who misuse social media when the state is passing through tough times," said Rajan. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is chairing a meeting to discuss the floods and the strategy to be adopted to open dams in the state which are full. The one decision that was taken is that dam shutters will only be opened during the daytime. On Wednesday, when the Assembly session resumes, the opposition is going to raise the issue in the House. Meanwhile, around 4,000 people are now lodged at various camps that have been opened in Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts of the state. Also Read | Interaction of two low-pressure weather systems, not cloudburst, led to heavy rains in Kerala: IMD The latest weather forecast, which has now come out predicts heavy rains to lash the state starting Wednesday. It all started with the century's biggest floods in 2018 and since then every year, Kerala has seen heavy rains and flash floods. This time the worst-affected have been the Kottayam and Idukki districts and though the rains have slowed down since Saturday evening and on Monday morning, authorities have issued an alert in eight of the 14 districts of the state. However, on Monday in Pathanamthitta district in Central Kerala, things appear not very encouraging. Meanwhile, social media has also termed the recurring natural disasters as nothing but man-made and numerous trolls have highlighted the statement of noted environmentalist Madhav Gadgil, who headed the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel and in 2013 warned that if Kerala does not stop tampering with the Western Ghats, a huge disaster would be round the corner. Check out latest DH videos here The opposition in Goa staged a walkout demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, after a government-appointed committee blamed the state's top government medical facility for mismanagement of oxygen during the second wave of the pandemic in which nearly 88 persons are reported to have died of oxygen shortage. The three-member committee, headed by the Director of the Indian Institute of Technology, Goa Dr BK Mishra, has also blamed the hospital administration for facilitating a private company to monopolise oxygen supply in the coastal state. "In June 2018, the decision of the public health department to extend the scope of work awarded to M/s Scoop to all across the state of Goa resulted in the creation of a single supplier for all the public health infrastructure. After this extension, health institutions had no alternative source of oxygen, in case of emergency," the government committee report said. Also read: With TMC's entry, 'Durga' becomes political metaphor in poll-bound Goa "GMC did not timely raise any issue of lack of oxygen or sought augmentation of the oxygen, except putting their demand in affidavit before the High Court... GMC did not take much action on the letter written by the Goa Association of Resident Doctors dated May 1, 2021. A prompt action on this letter would have enabled better management of the situation," the report further said. In May this year, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had initially sought a High Court probe into the series of deaths at the Goa Medical College reiterating that the fatalities among Covid patients were caused due to oxygen shortage. "I request the High Court to check if there is mismanagement or shortage and bring out a white paper using experts... High Court should take over Covid management of GMC," Rane had said. But months later, the Goa government in a written submission to the High Court said that deaths at the hospital were not caused due to oxygen shortage. Earlier today, the Opposition quoting the contents of the committee report, demanded Chief Minister Sawant and Rane's resignation, while also staging a walkout during the first day of the two-day session of the state assembly which convened on Monday. All India Congress Committee senior observer for the Goa polls and former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram also slammed the Goa government for the fatal oxygen shortage. "Why does the Goa government have a Department of Health and a Minister of Health, if they are not responsible? After the report, the CM and the Minister of Health should resign," Chidambaram tweeted. "The so-called expert committee report on Oxygen-shortage and related deaths in Goa is a desperate attempt to give a clean chit to the BJP government in Goa. The Hospital is blamed but the government is not to be blamed! Strange logic in respect of a government-OWNED hospital!" he added. The so-called expert committee report on Oxygen-shortage and related deaths in Goa is a desperate attempt to give a clean chit to the BJP government in Goa The Hospital is blamed but the government is not to be blamed! Strange logic in respect of a government-OWNED hospital! P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) October 18, 2021 Check out latest coronavirus-related videos from DH: The violence against Hindus in Bangladesh shows no signs of abating, but Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, seems to have her heart in the right place. With reports of Hindu temples and Durga Puja pandals being vandalised, people being killed and injured, she deployed paramilitary forces in 22 districts to contain the spread of violence. She sent out a clear message that the religious freedom of Hindus would be protected in Bangladesh under her leadership. Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country. The violence began in response to the circulation of doctored images on social media showing the Holy Quran at the feet of Hanuman at a Durga Puja pandal. Anyone who has been to a Durga Puja knows that Hanuman is not worshipped there. Only Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh, Kartikeya and Shiva are present at the pandal. Hasina went on record to say that the people who incited violence against Hindus would be hunted down and given appropriate punishments to prevent any recurrence of such incidents. Instead of plunging into a state of denial about what was happening in her country, she chose to address the problem and speak of justice. Leaders of other South Asian countries need to learn from this. While exchanging greetings with the Hindu community in Bangladesh, she said, "This land belongs to you; you have your rights. Don't consider yourselves as minorities; you should have this confidence." Though Hasina's statement might be seen as an empty gesture without any real-world implications for the ones being persecuted, this acknowledgement of minorities as equal citizens is significant. Also read: Two Hindu men killed in fresh Bangladesh religious unrest It is worth remembering that unlike Pakistan, created along religious lines, Bangladesh was created along linguistic lines. A Bengali linguistic and cultural identity is what binds the citizens of Bangladesh to each other. Islamist extremists in Bangladesh have been trying hard to undermine this, and Hasina's government has not had the easiest time dealing with their attempts to provoke violence. Dousing the fire that is burning now is crucial, but a long-term strategy is also needed, and Hasina is doing the groundwork. At a media briefing, her junior information minister Murad Hassan announced that the Bangladesh government has decided to revert to its 1972 secular constitution. When this development comes into effect, Islam will cease to be the official state religion of Bangladesh. Hasina is a leader whose father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh, was assassinated, and she has also survived several assassination attempts. She knows what it means to live with fear. Yet, she is standing up to the Islamist extremists in her country, conveying to the citizens of Bangladesh that they cannot afford to cower in terror and let themselves be divided along religious lines. Hasina announced, "People of all religions shall live together in Bangladesh." As India is putting pressure on Bangladesh to address violence against Hindus, it is also time for our leaders to take a cue from Hasina and publicly address the harm that communalism and sectarianism are causing in India. Violence against Muslims in India has triggered violence against Hindus in Bangladesh and Pakistan. We already have a secular constitution in India. But appreciation for that is diminishing, especially as the word "secular" itself has been politicised and associated with narratives of minority appeasement rather than seeing it as a recipe for how to coexist with differences. The South Asian brand of secularism does not expect individuals to give up their faith, and it requires us to respect the faiths of others. Even as we hope for Hasina to back her words with swift action, we must remember that Bangladesh has not had the most glowing human rights record recently, thanks to enforced disappearances and attacks on press freedom. Hasina's characterisation of Rohingya refugees as a security threat to Bangladesh has also been heavily criticised as an attempt to escape responsibility. That said, her decision to revert to a secular constitution is indeed a courageous one. She may already be anticipating a backlash from the Islamist extremists in her country, but that has not kept her from doing what needs to be done. Giving up the official state religion in favour of secularism is a highly unusual step for South Asia, where religious extremism is on the rise everywhere, be it in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka or the Maldives. (Chintan Girish Modi is a Mumbai-based writer) Chandrabati was the first woman poet in Bangla who lived in the 16th century in the Mymensingh district of present-day Bangladesh. She is credited with retelling Ramkatha from Sitas point of view. The village women of modern-day Bangladesh still sing parts of Ramayan of Chandrabati for its lyrical quality and emotional effectiveness. Sita has returned from Lanka after the war. Ram is the king of Ayodhya now and she is the queen. Sita is sitting in the palace and is requested by her girlfriends of the royal household to narrate her story. She thinks that she has been unlucky since birth and has always been a sufferer in spite of having Ram as her husband and a brother like Lakshman. She reminisces, "About my luck, what shall I say, God created me a sufferer since my birth." She bares her heart before the women audience. It is narrated in Baromasi style a month-wise depiction of the incidents in her life during the last year of exile. Ram, Lakshman and Sita reach the Panchavati forest on the banks of the river Godavari and decide to make their cottage there. She is abducted by Ravana and taken to Lanka to be kept in the Ashok Kanan. Then she narrates the coming of Hanuman. She is consoled by Hanuman, who shows her the ring of Ram. She is convinced that her whereabouts are known to Raghavendra and she will be saved. She comes to know through the demonesses guarding her that Meghnad, Kumbhakarna and other warriors have been killed. Lanka is devastated, and Ravan and his clan have been destroyed by Ram's arrows. Sita has regained her Raghumani. The voice of Sita should be heard. The deletion of the book Chandrabatis Ramayana, translated from Bengali by Nabaneeta Dev Sen, from the syllabus of BA (Hons) English of the Delhi University shows the questionable attitude towards women. Ravana was the embodiment of physical, financial and military power. Indra, the king of Devas, was a prisoner of war, living in a stable in Lanka and cutting grass for the horses. Yama protected Lankapuri as its chief guard. Vishwakarma was the chief architect of golden Lanka. The Ashok Kanan was better than the Nandan Kanan of heavens. Ravana declared that Sita if she pleases, would be his queen consort in place of Mandodari. But Sita rejected Ravanas advances. She abandoned food, ornaments and lived as an ascetic. She wanted to die but lived because she wished to be back with Ram again. It was the strong will and character of Sita that defeated Ravana. The destruction of golden Lanka results from an insult to the feminine power symbolised by Sita. It gives a message that great civilisations suffer irreparably if women are insulted. And what do we see now? There has been a flurry of messages on WhatsApp in recent times, where Sita is not to be seen along with Ram. What is the rationale behind the deletion of Sita from the heart of Hanuman? Hanumans heart only has the idol of Ram as per some WhatsApp messages. This is unacceptable. There cant be Ram without Sita. Ram orders the exile of a pregnant Sita because her character is doubted by some nasty men of Ayodhya. Sita accepts her fate. She never blames Ram for her distress and her exile in the forest. She has nowhere cursed any male or female for her problems. Of course, she fears the curses of the desolate women of Lanka whose sons and husbands were killed during the war. While in exile, she gives birth to twin sons and waits for the call from Ram. She is invited to be a part of Yajna but here again, she is asked to show her chastity in front of all by a fire ordeal. She is deeply hurt by and makes it clear that she will not return. She enters the burning flames never to come back. Sita is the hero of Chandrabatis Ramayana and rightly so. Her ability to endure suffering and pain gives the persona of Sita, as a hero in literature. The bards have sung the valour shown in the Ram-Ravana war, whereas the sorrows suffered by Sita are not mentioned appropriately. Why is there a hesitation to give women their due? What about gender equality? The much-avowed concept of Ram Rajya struggles in the face of Sitas tribulations and there are uncomfortable questions about the treatment meted out to her. Perhaps, there is a chance that people may like Bali Rajya where there was ecstasy for all the people in his kingdom. There were no troubles and exploitation. Bali ensured the equality and dignity of women and men of all castes. King Mahabali (known also as Maveli) is still remembered every year during the Onam festival as an ideal king, who could banish troubles and sorrows. The story of Sita by Chandrabati should be studied by all for its beauty of verses and the human effect that is not overshadowed by emotions. Sita is the soul of India and her name and glory will last forever. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Karnataka on Monday permitted swimming pools to reopen at 50 per cent capacity in each batch for only asymptomatic people. Swimming pools have been closed for everyone except for athletes to train. In an order issued by Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar, the government stated that swimming pools can open at 50 per cent capacity of each batch with a display of the number allowable at entrance. Only fully vaccinated persons will be allowed. All persons should be screened for fever and respiratory symptoms and only asymptomatics shall be allowed, the order states. After every batch, the restrooms, walkways and other common areas used by the swimmers shall be disinfected using 1 per cent sodium hypochlorite solution, the government said. Ease at airports The state government has also decided to ease some Covid-19 requirements at airports. It has been decided to discontinue SPO2 routine checks (except in cases of fever, cough, cold, difficulty in breathing and so on). The government has also decided to discontinue RT-PCR test report checking on arrival, except for those from selected countries notified by the Government of India, to be conducted at the airport. Instead, there will be mandatory uploading of the RT-PCR report in the Air Suvidha portal by the passenger and checking of the same by the concerned airlines before the boarding of the passenger, the order states, adding that automated thermal cameras should be used to reorganise the monitoring of passengers. The relaxations have been ordered based on recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) after considering consistent decline in the number of daily Covid-19 cases, test positivity rate and overall decline in active cases, the order states. Check out DH's latest videos Karnataka government on Monday decided to withhold its decision to lease the Mandya-based The Mysore Sugars Company Ltd (MySugar) temporarily, and would constitute an expert committee to recommend to it about the company's future. Also, it said the factory would commence crushing of sugarcane from the next season. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai today chaired a nearly three-hour-long high-level meeting with senior Ministers, public representatives and farmers representatives from Mandya district here to discuss about MySugar following opposition against leasing it. "An expert committee will be set up to study the condition of the machinery and other technical aspects, finances needed to restart the factory and the working capital needed to make payment to farmers for sugarcane in consultation with bankers," he said. Speaking to reporters here after the meeting, he said the committee would also study the aspects of value addition of converting molasses and also whether the molasses would be used in distillery or for ethanol with an aim to make the factory financially viable. To supervise the factory, an efficient officer would be appointed as the managing director with industrial expertise, and an accountant recommended by the Auditor General would be appointed, Bommai said. "The report submitted by the expert committee will be placed before the Cabinet to take a final decision," he said Pointing out that an earlier Cabinet had decided to hand over the factory on lease, he further said, "If it has to be changed, it has to be decided by the Cabinet itself, we will take a decision based on the committee report...till then it has been decided to withhold the earlier decision to privatise (to lease) for now." The move to lease the State-owned sugar factory, which was established in 1934, has come under opposition from various sections, including farmers, who are staging protests in Mandya. Opposition parties JD(S) and Congress have also opposed the move. Recently, the Chief Minister met the farmers and assured them of an amicable solution. Stating that the government is firm in its decision to restart crushing of cane from the next season, Bommai today said he would immediately release funds required for updating or overhauling the machinery required for the purpose. Check out DH's latest videos The Karnataka state government has allowed primary school children from grade 1 to 5 to return to schools from October 25 after a gap of nearly 20 months. However, children will be given the choice of attending the classes online. Following the permission from the Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, the Department of Primary and Secondary Education has decided to reopen physical classes for grades 1 to 5. For the first one week, the classes will be conducted for half a day and full-fledged classes will begin from November 1. For these students, midday meal will be served from November 1, and for students of grade 6 and above, midday meal will be served from October 21. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Monday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh said, "We will follow all the terms and conditions given by the Technical Advisory Committee and a detailed SoP will be issued to schools soon." However, attending offline class is not mandatory. Both online and offline options will be available, the minister added. Check out latest coronavirus-related videos from DH: The All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ) has issued notice to Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai over his statements on 'moral policing' and threatened to take him to court if he fails to make a public apology. AILAJ, a group comprising lawyers, legal professionals and law students across India, cited a newspaper report where the chief minister was quoted as describing incidents of 'moral policing' as "natural" reactions to hurt sentiments and that "people have to behave appropriately to avoid incidents". The notice said the statements were shocking at a time when communal violence has gone up in Karnataka. It cited the murder of a Muslim man over inter-faith relationship in Belagavi and the killing of a man in Koppal over an inter-caste relationship. It also noted the assault on a Hindu man dropping off a Muslim woman on his bike and the abuse of a woman in Dakshina Kannada for travelling in a Muslim man's car. Also Read | Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai under fire for remarks on moral policing Reminding Bommai of his oath while being sworn in as CM to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution, the notice signed by AILAJ co-convener Maitreyi Krishnan said he has acted in "complete violation of Article 188" of the Constitution. "You have used the power of your office to condemn the victims of religious hatred and violence for having provoked the violence against them, thereby not only denying them legal recourse and protection but also, in effect, abandoning them entirely to illegal and extra-legal forces," it said. The notice invoked Supreme Court judgment holding the right to marry a person of one's choice as integral to Article 21 as well as the verdict in Shakti Vahini Vs Union of India where comprehensive directions were issued to prevent and combat honour killings. The court had described hate crimes as a "product of intolerance and ideological dominance", the notice said. "Moral policing" incidents were essentially violent crimes and atrocities committed in the name of religion and caste. Quoting another judgment by the apex court, it said the authorities with the responsibility to maintain law and order have the "principal obligation to see that vigilantism does not take place". The notice said that the chief minister has failed to comply with the judgments of the court and demanded that he immediately withdraw statements and issue a public apology, action to prevent crimes in the name of religion and caste and protect inter-caste and inter-faith marriages. Check out DH's latest videos The senior police officer leading the investigation into the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry over two years ago has spoken of his 'huge frustration' at the lack of eye-witnesses who have come forward. Despite this, the family of the 29-year-old journalist, who was shot dead by a New IRA gunman on April 18, 2019 while watching a riot on Fanad Drive in Creggan, have said they 'will not rest' until her killer is brought to justice. Police believe up to 150 people were in the vicinity when Ms McKee was killed. However, in an interview with yesterdays Sunday Independent, PSNI Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said the number of those people who have contacted his investigating team was probably in the single figures. Despite this ongoing wall of silence, DS Murphy praised the community support they have received during their investigation. To date, three men have been charged with Ms McKees murder and one man has been charged with possessing the gun used in the attack. A further five men have been charged in connection with events on the night she was killed. Cases against another nine people have been sent to the Public Prosecution Service in relation to the death of the young Belfast writer, who had moved to Derry a short time before her death to live with her partner. Her death led an international wave of revulsion and her funeral was attended by political leaders from Ireland and Britain. The New IRA admitted one of its members was responsible for killing Ms McKee. The gun used to kill her has been recovered during the police investigation. However, DS Murphy insisted his team had unfinished business. I know who the gunman is. I know who everybody is and the roles that they all played. What I need is the evidence to convict all those individuals, he said. DS Murphy is convinced there is evidence still to be found which could unlock aspects of the investigation. I have always had a massive recognition and a huge frustration that 150 people watched Lyra McKee being shot that night. However, through their own personal fears, reservations or whatever personal reasons they have, very few of them have been able to come forward to talk to me about what they saw, what they heard and more importantly who was involved. Thats why we have had to put two-and-half-years of work into piecing together the jigsaws. DS Murphy said he understood some peoples reluctance to come forward but said his team had dealt with a huge amount of evidence without anyone being compromised. He said while many people in Creggan would not have confidence in the police, his team had been working hard to address those concerns. PSNI Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy making his first appeal for information about the murder of Lyra McKee from Strand Road Police Station in April 2019. He renewed an appeal for those who were in the area on the night Ms McKee was killed to come forward. Of the 150 people who watched what took place that night, 20 statements from those individuals in total would have been enough to have charged all the individuals in relation to Lyras murder because I am absolutely convinced that large swathes of that crowd knew a significant number of those people who were involved that night. These werent people who were parachuted in from somewhere else. These were people were local to Derry, many of whom were local to Creggan. So my frustration was always there with a potential 150 witnesses. I should have 150 witness statements. So far, I have significantly less than 150, probably in the single figures. On the night that Ms McKee was killed, a TV documentary team, led by presenter Reggie Yates, was filming in Creggan. DS Murphy said the footage, which police secured following a legal application, had proven crucial to the investigation. However, he said more video footage was needed. I know that a significant number of those who watched the rioting recorded footage on their mobile phones. I have repeatedly appealed for that material because one piece of footage could be absolutely critical to unlocking the evidence around a whole series of suspects. I do believe that that video material must exist. I just dont know where. We have done an awful lot of searches to recover mobile phones and footage but if I could ask for one thing it would be for more video footage because that has been central to the charges we have been able to bring so far. DS Murphy added: I have got unfinished business and I will continue to be relentless until I satisfy that unfinished business and part of that is the gunman. That is part of my unfinished business, it is Lyras familys unfinished business and, therefore, it must be my priority. Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Ms McKees sister, Nicola Corner, said while she had been comforted by the police progress, her family had been 'forced to relive the tragedy all over again.' She said every arrest had left her family.on the edge of our seats with our hearts in our mouths, unable to breathe, awaiting the outcome of the policing and judicial processes.' Every time a paper publishes a story about Lyra or her murder case, every time the TV news airs a story, every time that Twitter is updated, we are all thrown into a heightened state of awareness, we lose our ability to breathe automatically, we are forced to relive our personal trauma and we just don't know how to deal with it, she added. She said she would 'not rest' until the gunman responsible for killing her sister was brought to justice. Despite direct appeals to the gunman that I have made myself personally, he continues to hide behind his mask and he continues to stand in the shadows as his so-called 'friends' are being pursued for their roles in Lyra's murder and the events leading up to this horrific act. Ms Corner described the man responsible for the murder as a 'sad, pathetic coward.' She added: He has so many reasons to feel ashamed of himself and I hope he feels every ounce of that shame every time Lyra's name is mentioned anywhere. It could never match the pain that he caused, the pain that we have felt every single day since. I hope that God grants me enough time on this planet to see it with my own eyes; to see justice for Lyra, to see justice for my mummy. Until I draw my last breath, I will continue to pursue him; I will continue to pursue justice for my family. Mrs Corner paid tribute to PSNI officers working on the case, praising DS Murphy who, she said, had 'been relentless in pursuing justice for our Lyra.' She added: He is a man of his word. Despite delays imposed by the pandemic, we remain confident that justice will prevail. "Everyone who has responsibility either collectively or personally for forcibly stealing the life of our beautiful, innocent sister from us will have to face the consequences of their actions in a court of law. We are confident of this, she said. 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. Foyle MLA, Sinead McLaughlin, has launched a blistering broadside at the Executive accusing them of neglect of the worst kind towards Derry. McLaughlin of the SDLP delivered a speech at the Assembly in Stormont listing a catalogue of failures inflicted upon the city by the Executive. She cited a lack of jobs, low pay and unfulfilled University education promises to Derry and question why investment favours Belfast but not the city on the Foyle river. Ms McLaughlin told the Assembly: My role here is to represent the people of Derry. And I have to tell the Assembly, people in Derry are angry. They are angry because the city has the highest unemployment in the North of Ireland. And that has been the case for year after year. They are angry because poverty in my council area is the highest in the North, and has been for year after year. They are angry because people living in Derry and Strabane have the lowest pay of any council area in the North. They are angry because Derry has very high levels of poverty-related illnesses. These statistics show Stormont is not delivering for Derry. Stormont has delivered over 1,600 jobs for Belfast this year, through Invest NI. Yet not a single job for Derry has been announced through Invest NI support. This is neglect of the worst kind. I say neglect because I dont want to say discrimination, which my city suffered in the past. I hope those days are behind us. But if they are, why do we still suffer the neglect? And what is the difference between discrimination and neglect? The difference is that one is deliberate and the other is because decision-makers dont care. John Hume campaigned for a University for Derry. He did that over 50 years ago. Yet we still have only a quarter of a university. Less than 4,000 full time students many of whom are on near permanent placement elsewhere. Yes, we have a Medical School. And yes we have the promise of more students. But when the life and health sciences students were announced for Magee the DUPs former economy minister expressed concern they werent going to Coleraine. Yes, New Decade New Approach promises 10,000 students at Magee. But we need delivery, not just a commitment. I know some in Belfast talk about the Derry whinge. But this is actually the Derry solution. We dont want pity we want jobs, we want prosperity, we want skills. We keep telling others how to achieve this how to increase the tax revenues our government needs. The answer is more university places, and more vocational places at the North West Regional College. It is about boosting the skills that create jobs and prosperity. That is what has happened in Belfast and good for it. But if that is right for Belfast, why is not also right for Derry? It is a poverty of low incomes, but it is not a poverty of spirit, or a poverty of ideas. We know what needs to be done. We just need the two parties leading the government Sinn Fein and the DUP to deliver what is needed. I am here demanding Justice for Derry. Also read: Internet Freedoms Continue to Decline Amid Tech Crackdown Telegram is a popular app which provides users with Video calling, Voice calling, File sharing, chats and several other services. It was founded by entrepreneur Pavel Durov.The servers of Facebook have recently caused a lot of problems and stress to its family of apps which has affected its number of active users and due to this reason, many active Facebook users have taken a turn from Facebook and shifted to Telegram. Facebook servers were really challenging for its users and at some point they went to down, at some point back to high, and again at some point really very low, the disturbance in Facebook servers have not just affected Facebook but along with Facebook they have also affected Instagram and WhatsApp, obviously these apps are of major use in daily life and any problem in them literally affects most of the population out there this became one of the most major reason for people shifting towards Telegram as that was the only sufficient option left.This reason is valid but yet users loyalty shouldve come first, however, we still cant ignore the fact that when something becomes slows or problematic, we immediately want a backup for that, this is the summary of whole situation which happened with Facebook.But all this was really good for the app Telegram as in just a small time period it was able to achieve a solid number of active users. Not just this but the app managed to cross 1 billion installs in Google play store.Telegram was able to attain a large number of new install and 70 million new users due the recent out break of Facebook. And, just this week the app reached a new milestone on Google Play Store i.e. a lofty 1,000,000,000 plus downloads on Android devices.This shift towards Telegram was really unexpected as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are very high scale social media apps with the greatest number of users and a large number of daily usage, however, it was not impossible. May it be publicity, usage, activeness, popularity, everything depends upon the users, users control the success and down fall of each and every app. A little disturbance in any platform is directly proportional to loss of users and to avoid such situations Facebook is now taking measures and preparing to provide users with a smooth going app without any difficulty.Read next: YouTubes Misinformation Crackdown Has Benefited Twitter and Facebook Subscriber content preview SPOKANE (AP) Two credit unions, one based in Washington state and one in Alaska, said Thursday they are seeking regulatory approval of their intent to merge. The credit unions said in a news release that the merger would combine Anchorage-based USA Federal Credit Union's 700,000 members with Global Credit Union's 45,000 members. . . . The HSE is asking parents of all children aged two to 17 years to get the free nasal spray flu vaccine. The organisation says that the nasal spray flu vaccine is a safe, effective and pain free way to help protect children against flu this winter. The flu vaccine will also help protect others, like siblings, parents, grandparents and those vulnerable. Dr Aparna Keegan, Specialist in Public Health Medicine and Flu Lead with the HSE National Immunisation Office said: Flu is a serious illness that can be dangerous in children too. The nasal spray flu vaccine is a very safe and effective vaccine and helps your childs immune system produce antibodies that fight infection. It cannot give your child the flu. If your child has had the flu vaccine and they come into contact with flu virus, these antibodies will help them fight the flu and reduce the risk of getting sick or needing to go to hospital. Participating GP practices and pharmacies give the nasal vaccine by spraying it once into each of the childs nostrils. The flu vaccine and administration is free for everyone aged two to 17 years through the HSE vaccination programme. According to the HSE, children are twice as likely as adults to get the flu. While most children who get the flu will have mild symptoms, some can get complications such as pneumonia or bronchitis and may need to go to hospital. Children, especially younger children, are also more likely than adults to get severe complications of flu. In Ireland between 2009 and 2019, the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) reported: -4,750 children needed hospital treatment because of complications of flu -183 of these were admitted to intensive care -41 children died. Flu can cause serious illness in children, and children with chronic health conditions are most at risk of severe complications of flu. Symptoms of flu in children include: -High temperature -Muscle pains -Headache -Extreme tiredness (fatigue). Children also carry the flu virus in their system longer than adults do. It can spread easily to other children, like those in day-care centres and schools, and to older and vulnerable people around them. Dr Keegan said: Getting your child vaccinated is the best way to protect them against flu this winter, and help reduce the spread of flu to others too. Other countries, including the UK, have been offering flu vaccine to children for many years and its great that the vaccine is now available for free here in Ireland for the second season. The nasal flu vaccine is also the recommended vaccine for children who may have chronic health conditions. We recommend speaking to a trusted health professional about the flu vaccine recommended for your child. If its not possible for them to get the nasal flu vaccine, they can get the flu injection instead. Children who are sick with flu can sometimes miss weeks in creche, childcare and school. If a child becomes sick with flu, they will also miss out on their usual activities like hobbies and sports. The HSE says that if enough children are vaccinated, fewer children and adults will need to see their doctor or need treatment in hospital because of flu. Getting the nasal flu vaccine and other vaccines Both flu and Covid-19 can cause serious illness. Flu and Covid-19 are caused by different viruses and the flu vaccine does not protect against Covid-19. If a child has had the Covid-19 vaccine, they should still get the flu vaccine. For children aged 12 to 17 years, they can get the flu vaccine at the same time as the Covid-19 vaccine if they have not yet received it. It is also safe for children to get the nasal flu vaccine at the same time as any of the vaccines that may be offered to them through the HSEs schools immunisation programme. The 4-in-1 and MMR vaccines are offered in junior infants and the HPV, Tdap and MenACWY vaccine are offered to First Years. Stephen Donnelly TD, Minister for Health is encouraging parents to avail of the free flu vaccine for children. He said: As children are more likely to contract the flu and become seriously ill from it, it is important to protect them and those around us by ensuring they receive their free vaccine as soon as possible. The nasal flu vaccine will help protect your child, your friends, your family and your colleagues, keeping us safer and healthier throughout the winter months. Flu and other respiratory illnesses have a significant impact on our health system, as well as the general health and wellbeing of the population each winter. The best way we can all work together to protect ourselves, our loved ones, our frontline healthcare workers and our health system as we continue to manage the Covid-19 pandemic is to get vaccinated. The HSE also recommends the flu vaccine for people in any one of these groups: -Aged 65 and over -A health care worker -At any stage of pregnancy -People with certain medical conditions which put them at increased risk from the complications of flu. A full list of recommended groups and more information on the flu vaccine can be found at hse.ie/flu A new 65-house development was opened in Dundalk last week on the Ramparts, with houses in the area set to cost an average of 240,000. Minister for Housing, Darragh OBrien officially launched the new housing estate on Friday, October 15th alongside Tuath Housing, who are set to run the estate. Speaking during the launch of the 65 new turnkey homes, Minister OBrien said that it was a great pleasure to officially open Cathedral View in Dundalk. This is a really special day, with 65 homes here for real families, said Minister OBrien. This is a really special collaboration between the Department of Housing, Louth County Council and Tuath as well. The quality of them is exceptional. This is one of the best parts of the job, to actually see a family moving into a new home, and 64 more families will be moving into new permanent homes here, and its great for this part of Dundalk too. Minister OBrien said that 2022 would be a significant year for building new social homes across the country and in Louth, with 9,000 new social homes set to be built across the country. According to the Minister, Louth County Council has been set a target of 660 new social houses to be built by the local authority by the end of 2022. He added that while solving the housing crisis will be difficult, it was eminently doable. Chief Executive of LCC, Joan Martin said that it was a great day for Dundalk to see people moving into their new homes. Ms Martin also said that the council would do their best to try and deliver the 660 new social homes in 2022. The Minister said that the target for next year was 9000 nationally, I dont know how we managed to get over 600 of it. In the smallest county in Ireland, said Ms Martin. Minister OBrien said that the council would be well able to do it and that was why their target is so high. Leas Cathaoirleach of Dundalk Municipal District Cllr Kevin Meenan, Chairman of Tuath Housing Daragh O Sullivan and Minister for Housing Daragh O'Brien presenting the Estata Family with the key to their new house in Cathedral View Alongside his visit to Dundalk, Minister OBrien visited the site of the Narrow Water Bridge alongside Senator Erin McGreehan and Minister for Infrastructure, Nichola Mallon MLA. Senator McGreehan said that the project was huge for north Louth, and after years of false starts she is optimistic that the project will be delivered. If this was in any other part of the country there would have been a bridge long ago, it is only because it's on the border that it has been forgotten. It feels like we are finally beginning to move on and people are believing in this region, said Senator McGreehan. The Prize rewards best works of literary fiction from across EBRDs regions translated into English The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the EBRD, today announces the launch of the EBRD Literature Prize 2022, in cooperation with the British Council. The Prize celebrates the rich cultural diversity of the regions where the Bank works, regions that stretch from central Europe to central Asia, as well as from the Western Balkans to the southern and eastern Mediterranean and northern Africa. The EBRD Literature Prize 2022 will be awarded to both writer and translator for the best work of literary fiction (including collections of short stories by a single author) translated into English, written originally in any language of the EBRDs countries of operations and published for the first time by a European (including UK) publisher in the period covered by the Prize. Now in its fifth year, the EBRD Literature Prize has gained increasing visibility and recognition in the media, the publishing industry and amongst the reading public. The Prize not only rewards the writer who brings stories from these diverse countries to life, but just as importantly it acknowledges the key role that the translator plays in making these stories accessible to English-speaking audiences. The first prize, worth 20,000, will be equally divided between the winning author and translator. The two runner-up books will receive a prize of 4,000 each, again equally split between author and translator. The EBRD Literature Prize is chaired for the second year running by Toby Lichtig, Fiction and Politics Editor of the Times Literary Supplement (TLS), as well as a former Chair of Judges of the 2018 JQ-Wingate Prize, and a jury member of the 2019 EU Prize for Literature. Toby is joined on the independent panel of judges for the EBRD Literature Prize 2022, by (in alphabetical order): Alex Clark, critic, journalist and broadcaster. A co-host of Graham Nortons Book Club, she is also a regular on Radio 4, and writes for publications such as the Guardian, Observer, Irish Times and TLS. Alex is a patron of the Cambridge Literary Festival, and has judged many literary awards, including the Booker Prize. Boris Dralyuk, literary translator, poet, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Los Angeles Review of Books. His work has appeared in publications such as the TLS, the New York Review of Books and the New Yorker. He is the translator of several volumes from Russian, including the work of Isaac Babel, Andrey Kurkov, Maxim Osipov, and Mikhail Zoshchenko. Dr Kathryn Murphy is a literary critic and scholar who reviews Czech literature for the TLS, and is a regular contributor, both as a reviewer and essayist, to Apollo: The International Art Magazine. She is a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oriel College, and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of English, University of Oxford. Since its inauguration in 2017, the EBRD Literature Prize has introduced English-language readers to a wide range of literature from countries as diverse as Albania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Lativia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Russia, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Past winners of the EBRD Literature Prize include: In 2018, Istanbul, Istanbul (Telegram Books), by the Turkish author Burhan Sonmez and translator Umit Hussein. In 2019, The Devils Dance (Tilted Axis Press), by the Uzbek writer Hamid Ismailov and translator Donald Rayfield (with John Farndon). It was the first novel to be translated from Uzbek into English. In 2020, Devilspel (Noir Press), by the Lithuanian author Grigory Kanovich and translator Yisrael Elliot Cohen. In 2021, The King of Warsaw (Amazon Crossing), by the Polish writer Szczepan Twardoch and his translator Sean Gasper Bye. Chair of the Judging Panel, Toby Lichtig, said: It is a great honour to be chairing this excellent award for a second time. The EBRD Literature Prize draws together voices from a vast and diverse range of backgrounds and terrains, celebrating human difference and reminding us what it is that brings us together: our capacity for creativity, imagination, empathy and storytelling. I, and my fellow judges, look forward to plunging into worlds that challenge, subvert, disarm and delight. ELIGIBILITY Submissions for the EBRD Literature Prize 2022 may only be made for books translated into English for the first time in the period between 15 November 2020-14 November 2021, by European (including UK) publishers with a valid ISBN and the price printed in the currency of a European country. The submitted works must consist of books of translated literary fiction (including collections of short stories by a single author), translated into English and written originally in any language -- whether official or minority -- of an EBRD country of operations by an author who is (or has been) a citizen of an EBRD country of operations. See the list of EBRD countries of operations eligible for participation in the EBRD Literature Prize. The submission deadline for publishers is 3 December 2021. The shortlist will be announced in March 2022, followed by the announcement of the three finalists in May 2022. All three sets of finalists -- the writers and translators -- will be invited to participate in an awards ceremony (either virtually or at EBRD Headquarters in London), as well as related events in the UK, after that date. The EBRDs Vice President of Banking, Alain Pilloux, is visiting Egypt from 17 to 20 October for high-level meetings with government officials to discuss the upcoming country strategy, meet the business community and sign projects. During his visit, Mr Pilloux will meet Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of International Cooperation and EBRD Governor, Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Transport, Kamel El Wazir, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Hala Elsaid and Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad. Vice President Pilloux will also meet Mohamed Farid, Chairman of the Egyptian Stock Exchange, representatives of the business community, and EBRD clients. The EBRD delegation includes Heike Harmgart, EBRD Managing Director for the southern and eastern Mediterranean region, Francis Malige, Managing Director for Financial Institutions, and Khalid Hamza, Deputy Head for Egypt. Ahead of the visit, Mr Pilloux said: This visit demonstrates our continued support for the Egyptian economy and our commitment to the development of the private sector. I look forward to the discussions on our new country strategy that is under preparation and on how we can work together even more closely and effectively to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Egypt is a founding member of the EBRD. Since the start of its operations there in 2012, the Bank has invested more than 8 billion in 136 projects in the country. THE funeral mass has taken place of a popular West Cork priest who earlier this year went viral online after he posted an emotional farewell video message to his parishioners following his terminal cancer diagnosis. Fr Ger Galvin, who served the Sheep's Head peninsula in West Cork, passed away last Wednesday at Cork University Hospital surrounded by his family. The priest, who was in his 60s, had developed incurable cancer in his bones and lungs. He posted a poignant farewell on the Muintir Bhaire Community Council Facebook page in August in which which he thanked parishioners for their support. At his funeral mass at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in his native Timoleague, Church of Ireland Reverend Anne Skuse, thanked the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Cork and Ross Dr Fintan Gavin for giving her the opportunity to speak about Fr Galvin from the altar. Reverend Skuse said she was a close friend of the late priest. "The very fact that I am standing here today at Ger's request perhaps tells you far more about the person he was then it does about me and I could stop there. But I am grateful to him for his love and his trust. As I said I feel truly honoured. "Ger gave the best of himself to those he loved and who loved him. Ger was at his very core a man of generous hospitality, a man who had a big heart which he shared with so many people in so many different ways. "'To thine own self be his true' was his motto and he tried in all aspects of his life to live by it. Ger had a deep faith in the Lord which never failed him even in the roughest of days. "Ger Galvin was ordained to the priesthood 42 years ago. He often spoke of how it was the people who made him the priest that he was. "Ger by his own admission was always interested in promoting unity between Christians and will be remembered fondly by the Church of Ireland community for the many ecumenical opportunities that were shared. "He was open minded, funny and honest. Great company with so much to say for himself. He had a sharp intellect and was well read. He had a deep appreciation for the Arts. He had a natural gift for making the gospel easy and accessible to all and he preached with honesty and integrity." Meanwhile, Fr Joe Coughlan, a retired priest of the Catholic Diocese of Cork and Ross, who celebrated the mass, said that Fr Galvin appreciated all the great kindness that was shown to him in the community before his death. He said that Fr Galvin was a "fun loving gregarious larger than life" man. He spoke of being conscious of the large numbers of people who were watching the livestream including fellow priests Fr Galvin met whilst studying in Spain. Following the mass Fr Galvin was laid to rest in a family grave at the adjoining cemetery to Timoleague Church. Fr Galvin's online video message where he said goodbye to his parishioners received a huge reaction online last August. In his message he said it was a recording which he had no choice but to do as he was unable to say goodbye in person. "This is a very difficult time in my life, my shoulder is very sore, my lungs are very sore, sleeping is very difficult I wish it wasnt like this I wish I could shake your hands and say goodbye but I cant. I dont have the energy anymore, he said in the online message. Fr Galvin, who had served as parish priest in the area for over twelve years, struggled to hold back tears as he paid tribute to locals who had touched his life. In his work he served the three main centres of population in Durrus, Ahakista and Kilcrohane. In his message his said that he had been supported in ways he would never forget. "Your prayers have given me the gift of healing and have helped me. Cancer is not my life. Cancer will not be my life. "The life I have been given is the life I have been given by the Lord. Fear, anger, resentment, self pity and much more are gone. They are replaced with hope and love." Fr Galvin was an advocate of victims of clerical sex abuse. In 2005 he declined to read out a letter at Mass from the then Bishop of Cork and Ross, Dr John Buckley in the wake of the Ferns Report into Clerical Sex Abuse in the Catholic Church. He felt the letter was incomplete and didn't go far enough. In 2017, during a sermon at the Sacred Heart in Durrus he also castigated the church for its failure to safeguard the innocent, following the Tuam babies revelations. Fr Galvin was ordained at the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady in Timoleague in June of 1979. He had attended St Patrick's College in Maynooth and the Seminario de San Jeronimo, Burgos in Spain. He also served in other Cork parishes such as Skibbereen, Passage West, Monkstown and Clonakilty. THE Government is to consider the continuation of vaccine passes, mask-wearing and an increase in antigen testing ahead of a decision to lift restrictions this week. Taoiseach Micheal Martin is meeting Government leaders today to assess advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet). The Government will announce on Tuesday whether restrictions will remain in place after Friday. Mr Martin also said he is a strong believer in antigen tests. The continuation of the Covid certs is certainly an item on the agenda, as is mask-wearing and so on, Mr Martin said in Cork. I dont want to go into specific details about the specific aspects of reopening and so on, because thats the Governments consideration. Im not going to pre-empt that at this stage. But suffice to say that there is a lot of concern in terms of the increase in the number of cases, which is also translating into an increase in the number of hospitalisations and ICU as we witnessed today. That obviously is a matter of concern. That said we are in a much different space and situation to this time last year because of vaccination. Vaccinations have really transformed the situation in terms of our capacity to deal with and cope with Covid-19. So we would encourage people out there who still havent been vaccinated to get vaccinated, and particularly those who have the first dose but not their second dose. Asked whether wider use of antigen testing will be considered, to help reopen the rest of the economy, Mr Martin said: Im a strong believer in antigen testing. The public health officials have a more moderate perspective on the value of antigen testing, but some sectors have rolled out antigen testing and thats something that the Government will be considering as well over the next 24 hours. The Fianna Fail leader said further clarity will be give on Tuesday about plans to lift all remaining restrictions on Friday. It comes as people were urged to hit the reset button as the number in hospital with Covid-19 surges. The head of the Health Service Executive (HSE), Paul Reid, said there are now 482 people in hospital with coronavirus, a rise of 76 since Saturday. Seventy-four Covid patients are in intensive care. There are some 280 ICU beds in Ireland, meaning a quarter are now occupied by patients with Covid. Mr Reid tweeted: Time for us all to hit the reset button. 1. If unvaccinated, youre at higher risk, resulting in a disproportionate impact. Do the right thing. 2. For the rest of us, time to do the basics well again. Both of the above work. Nphet met on Monday to discuss their advice on current Covid data. The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) also met to produce its advice on the booster programme. While some 92% of adults are fully vaccinated, Government ministers have been concerned about those who are not vaccinated and the effect it has on reopening. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said there has been a substantial increase in the number of walk-ins at vaccination centres in recent days. Really great to hear of a substantial increase at walk-in vaccine centres at the weekend, while 3,000+ registered for the first time last week, he said. Booster vaccines for aged 65+ in LTRC (long-term residential care) and 80+ in community continue this week. College pop-ups continue also. Infectious disease specialist Dr Sam McConkey said the number of people in hospital with the disease is very shocking and disappointing. He said the rising number of Covid cases in hospital disrupts the regular care given to other patients. Thats obstructive and problematic for the health service to have that sort of numbers, he told RTEs Today With Claire Byrne show. I think its actually the sick people and the people who are very sick and unfortunately some people are dying, and thats really the issue. Thats not something thats really a good way to go into wintertime with flu coming. If we opened things more that could potentially get worse. So I think its really important that we get out of our minds all the kind of Boris Johnson Freedom Day, ideas that we had in England back in June. I hope that we can continue to do sensible things, like ventilation, masks, a lot of the things we have been doing. B2B Lead Generation Service Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more. Imagine reading a headline in tomorrow's news stating that your neighbor's identity was stolen and their life savings cleaned out by criminals who entered through their 'smart' washing machine. Ridiculous, you say? Well, have you checked your own home Wi-Fi network lately? You might have several connected household gadgets and other internet of things (IoT) devices tethered wirelessly through a misconfigured router with no firewall settings. Is the firmware current? Are security patches up to date? Still not convinced this is a serious problem? Then consider this glaring example of how dangerous an outdated device can be. In June, Western Digital My Book NAS owners worldwide found out that their devices were mysteriously factory reset and all their files were deleted. My Book Live and My Book Live Duo are personal cloud storage devices. When the WD product users attempted to log in via the web dashboard, the devices responded that they had an "invalid password." WD My Book owners could no longer log into the device via a browser or an app. My Book Live and My Book Live Duo products experienced data loss due to a security incident, according to the Western Digital website. WD informed customers that the company would cover the costs of eligible users with qualifying products to recover their data using the data recovery services (DRS) provided by a Western Digital-selected vendor. The company promised to cover the costs of shipment of the qualifying product to the DRS vendor and for the data recovery service. Any recovered data would be sent to the customer on a My Passport drive. Western Digital confirmed that "some My Book Live devices are being compromised by malicious software." The company also confirmed reports this has led to a factory reset that erased all data on some customer devices. The My Book Live device received its final firmware update in 2015. The June 2021 statement from Western Digital suggested users disconnect their My Book Live devices from the internet to protect the data on their device. The My Book Live vulnerability shows there is still a long way to go in IoT security. Much attention has been paid that such devices are not hardened or built according to best practices, according to John Bambenek, threat intelligence advisor at Netenrich. "In this case, we see that devices are being built that are meant to outlast their vendor's support commitments; so not only are they vulnerable, but consumers cannot protect themselves either. Whether it is data loss, ransomware, or DDoS, these issues will keep recurring until vendors commit to protecting their customers," he told TechNewsWorld. Flawed Business Model Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) take no responsibility for this fiasco, as their aging connected devices are no longer for sale. However, most customers are not aware that these devices actually have an expiry date, and consumers are not alerted to the dangers of continuing to use unpatched firmware, with countless outdated connected devices waiting to be infiltrated by opportunistic attackers, suggested Asaf Ashkenazi, COO at connected devices security firm Verimatrix. "OEMs should either transform their business model to sustain a long-lasting software update service or install more sophisticated tech that would make hacking these devices much more difficult," he told TechNewsWorld. Ashkenazi is not outright blaming problems like the Western Digital fiasco on the OEM industry. The problem is with the business model. No standards exist to regulate how IoT devices should be maintained and secured. "Unfortunately, I do not see anything that is addressing the standardizing of security on these IoT devices. Maybe the government or consumer protection, or some companies will decide to build a consortium that will say who is responsible," he said. A need definitely exists for more transparency in terms of the level of support for the software on these devices. Nothing can be done to deal with the problem until the industry decides to pick up that challenge, he added. Education and Consumer Pressure It will take an educational awareness effort to make consumers mindful of the dangers inherent in buying insecure IoT devices. That can then translate into enabling consumers to consider device security as part of their buying decision, suggested Ashkenazi. Most consumers are now clueless that devices endemic to their household can be connected to the internet through their wireless routers. If they have a device that connects to the network, they need to make sure that the device's software is updated, he added. "When the software is no longer updated, the device can be dangerous to use.," he warned. The goal, as Ashkenazi sees it, is to first protect consumers. Then he hopes that consumers will put enough pressure on manufacturers that companies will start to say how long they are going to support the software. Apple, Google, and some other big companies are saying that for certain devices. But for a lot of the other devices, the companies after six months or so stop supporting them. Consumers continue using these abandoned devices because they otherwise appear to be working fine, he said. Fuzzy Responsibility Consumers must be just as meticulous as enterprise businesses when it comes to cybersecurity. Enterprise security teams understand that vulnerabilities come in all shapes and sizes, observed Yaniv Bar-Dayan, CEO and co-founder at Vulcan Cyber, a SaaS provider of enterprise cyber-risk remediation. "In the case of the Western Digital My Book Live devices, threat actors took advantage of a daisy-chained set of circumstances to wipe the data from exposed hard drives. Consumers should have known to keep the drive firmware patched, and to only connect the drives to the internet when needed. However, where does the responsibility fall? On the consumer or on Western Digital? There is not a clear-cut answer," he told TechNewsWorld. One of the main problems with IoT security at the present is that the rush to market often deprioritizes security measures that need to be built into our devices. This issue has made many IoT devices low-hanging fruits for criminals interested in stealing sensitive data and accessing exposed networks, noted Stefano De Blasi, threat researcher at Digital Shadows. "Additionally, criminals can exploit vulnerable products by leveraging their computing power and orchestrate massive IoT botnet campaigns to disrupt traffic on targeted services and to spread malware," he told TechNewsWorld. Cybersecurity Blind Spots IoT security, or the lack of it, suffers from industry shortcomings. The primary issue is that traditional vulnerability management tools do not scan past the operating system. Thus, they do not detect any security issues or vulnerabilities in the firmware layer, according to Baksheesh Singh Ghuman, global senior director of product marketing and strategy at connected devices security firm Finite State. "The secondary issue involves device manufacturers, who are often in charge of performing device security despite commonly lacking the appropriate security controls to scan for firmware layer vulnerabilities," he told TechNewsWorld. It's important for manufacturers to conduct a thorough analysis for vulnerabilities of any kind, and if they discover any, inform potential users about available firmware upgrades and patches, he recommended. "It is a very reactionary process, unlike the automated proactive process found in enterprise vulnerability management practices. As a result of these factors, firmware vulnerabilities are often ignored and become cybersecurity blind spots which draw the attention of threat actors," said Ghuman. IoT Security Complicated Depending on the industry and application, providing a patch is not always available. In the case of consumers, patching is a twofold process, according to Ghuman. First, the device manufacturer needs a standard upgrade process in place to push upgrades/patches to their devices. The second step requires the spread of consumer awareness about the need to upgrade and patch vulnerabilities. "This is quite challenging because it requires constant reminders and education regarding cybersecurity hygiene," said Ghuman. Device manufacturers can take a few steps to prevent more episodes like the Western Digital dilemma, he suggested. Those include: Making sure there is a product security group present within their organization; Incorporating firmware layer vulnerability management as part of their overall product development and product security programs, so that they can detect firmware layer vulnerabilities before they are distributed; Proactively scan for exploitable vulnerabilities in their firmware and, if discovered, quickly develop patches; and Having a standard and secure firmware upgrade process in place which pushes patches as they become available. Inevitable Targeting The consumer move to a preference for digital-first interactions will grow the potential threat landscape that can be targeted by attackers, observed Tyler Shields, CMO at JupiterOne. More apps, more data in the cloud, more digital experiences, mean more targets of both opportunity and chance. "There will be a continued increase in data compromise as we move more and more of our daily life into the cloud. We have really only just begun to see the expansion of digital experiences and the attacks that will grow alongside them," he told TechNewsWorld. Security has always been offset by ease-of-use. The cybersecurity vendor community must drive toward creating easy-to-use cybersecurity experiences that deliver an acceptable level of security to the technologies that the consumers demand, according to Shields. A good example of this is the move to single sign-on and password-less authentication. Users have failed to maintain proper passwords for decades, and that situation will never change. Therefore, innovation must build an easy-to-use alternative that provides appropriate security with a much better user experience. "Enterprises have to find the right balance of technology innovation alongside security for traditional models," he said. Jack M. Germain has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His main areas of focus are enterprise IT, Linux and open-source technologies. He is an esteemed reviewer of Linux distros and other open-source software. In addition, Jack extensively covers business technology and privacy issues, as well as developments in e-commerce and consumer electronics. Email Jack. B2B Lead Generation Service Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more. An international study of cyberattacks has discovered discrepancies based on race and gender. The research by Malwarebytes, Digitunity and the Cybercrime Support Network based on a survey of 5,000 people in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany found that Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color (BIPOC) are more likely to have their identities stolen than White people, 21 percent compared to 15 percent. Those minorities are also less likely to avoid the financial impact of a cyberattack, with 47 percent able to skirt the financial consequences of an attack, compared to 59 percent of all respondents participating in the research. Women, too, suffered, in some ways, more than men from cyberattacks. For example, women whose social media accounts get hacked are more likely than men to have the attack result in someone sending suspicious messages to friends and family, 48 percent compared to 43 percent. In addition, nearly half the women in the survey (46 percent) noted their social media accounts had been hacked, compared to 37 percent for men. Not a single person in the survey was able to avoid suspicious online activity, no matter their gender, race, age, income, or education level, the report revealed. "Though not enough people, overall, believe that the internet is either a safe or private place to spend their time, women, BIPOC, and younger generations showed even lower rates of feeling safe or private online," the report observed. Women also feel less secure online, the researchers found. While nearly half the men in the survey (49 percent) felt "somewhat" or "very" safe online, only 37 percent of women felt that way. "The reasons for this could be many," the researchers wrote, "but when looking strictly at the data, more women suffered from some types of suspicious online activity than men." Money, Access Problems Money and access to secure services are prime factors contributing to higher rates of identity theft among Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color, maintained Paul Bischoff, the privacy advocate at Comparitech, a reviews, advice and information website for consumer security products. "BIPOC tend to make less money and have lower credit scores, so it's not because they're more lucrative targets," he told TechNewsWorld. "Making less money means you might not be able to take advantage of antivirus, a VPN, credit monitoring, or identity theft protection," he explained. "But it's not just about what protections you can afford. It's also about the security of services you use," he noted. "If the school you attend, place you work, or hospital you visit is strapped for cash, cybersecurity is probably not their top priority," Bischoff observed. "It's also important to note that most identity theft is carried out by people whom the victim knows personally, such as a child, sibling, or caretaker," he added. Ron Bradley, vice president of Shared Assessments, of Santa Fe, N.M., a consortium of corporations, IT service providers and assessment firms, agreed that access is an issue in BIPOC communities. "I believe this comes down to a matter of access to resources and education," he told TechNewsWorld. "In general, BIPOC users of technology have less access to quality technical resources," he said. "Often times they may have no other option than to use shared or sub-standard computing devices," he continued. "This, by its very nature, leads to a higher risk of compromise." "On the education point, the challenges are similar," he added. "BIPOC people are not as likely to receive the same type or level of cybersecurity awareness training as others due to the types of jobs they perform and income levels." Ignorance of Security Tools Researchers acknowledged in the report that they were shocked more than two out of five of the survey takers (21 percent) were neither "familiar" or "very familiar" with antivirus tools, including VPNs and password managers. "Not being familiar with antivirus is a little surprising," Bischoff said. "I'm not surprised more people haven't heard of VPNs or password managers, as those are newer technologies." "This is not at all surprising," Bradley declared. "By nature," he said, "humans are complacent when it comes to technology." "It's just like driving a car over the speed limit," he continued. "Computer users want to get to wherever they're going, as fast as they possibly can, without regard to the checks and balances which keep them safe on the internet highway." Archie Agarwal, founder and CEO of ThreatModeler, an automated threat modeling provider in Jersey City, N.J. suggested there may be a connection between lack of knowledge about security tools and fear of the internet. "Fear often comes from misunderstanding and feeling ill-prepared," he explained. "Women and BIPOC respondents feel less safe online and who can blame them?" he asked. "They're not only more likely to be on the receiving end of online malicious activity, but the financial implications and overall stress is far higher for them." "On top of that they are less familiar with cybersecurity tools and less likely to use them," he said. "This is a total failure of communication on the part of the cyber security industry." "The industry can learn a lot from this survey," added Heather Paunet, senior vice president at Untangle, of San Jose, Calif., a provider of comprehensive network security for SMBs. She explained that many security solutions seem targeted to large businesses, or IT professionals, and out of reach for the average user. "The survey emphasizes that cybersecurity tools need to be consumer friendly, and usable for even beginner users," she noted. "While the industry assumes that everyone uses technology daily and is familiar with it," she continued, "the pandemic pointed out that there still is a large digital divide, and many people are adopting technology for the first time." Paunet added that the industry also needs to provide education on cyber threats and solutions, and it needs to target groups with specific messaging to their concerns and use, as well as offer solutions and support. "Just as using seat belts has become commonplace, cybersecurity tools should be readily available and easy to implement for everyone," she said. Feeling uneasy about online privacy and safety may not be a bad thing, added Bradley. "There are very few online users that haven't had their information compromised in one form or another," he said, "so paranoia is a good thing, and everyone should be taking a dose of it with their morning coffee before they touch that screen or keyboard." John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John. Theme: These Transfer Shoes: Step Into My Journey Please join us at noon each day for a 45 minute presentation on various resources we offer on campus and get answers to your frequently asked questions. Time: Oct 18-22, 2021 12:00PM - 6:00PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Daily: https://ecsu.zoom.us/meeting/tJwrc-2vqTwrGNFNFVyjAvFLSfhzsEGRqyop/ics?icsToken=98tyKuCgqD8uHdOSsRuCRow-BI-gLO3wtmZcjY17sjnTGipydCXaBeRKKKFaN-rB Join Zoom Meeting https://ecsu.zoom.us/j/98644777125?pwd=amtLRDkrMVU3R28yK2Y1OVZ2aldlUT09 Meeting ID: 986 4477 7125 Passcode: 378488 One tap mobile +13017158592,,98644777125# US (Washington DC) +13126266799,,98644777125# US (Chicago) Dial by your location +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 986 4477 7125 Find your local number: https://ecsu.zoom.us/u/a1lwQd37D The goal of the Transfer Advising office is to insure transfer students are supported through transitional services such as of academic advising, seminars, information exchange, and academic engagement opportunities. Who is my advisor? Upon entering the University, you will be advised by a department advisor. Before being contacted by an advisor, the student will be contacted by the Transfer Advising Office to discuss degree plans and go over their General Education requirements. You may also contact the chair of your department for advising questions/concerns; however, by the fourth week of classes, you will be able to see who your advisor is in Banner. Directions on how to find out who your advisor is in Banner. Log on to Self Service Banner Select "Student and Financial Aid" Select "View Student Information" Select the term Click "Submit" View "Primary Advisor" name What courses transferred to ECSU: Select Banner from the ECSU webpage Select Self Service Banner (SSB) Login Select Enter Secure Area Enter your VikingOne credentials Select Student Select Student Records Select Academic Transcript Select Submit View your transfer credits Where can I find my plan of study? This information can be found on the ECSU Academic Affairs website. Select Academics Select Departments Select the link to your major within this site you will find your curriculum details. Will a particular course substitute for another? The Admissions Office will articulate all courses acceptable for general education credit. All upper-level transfer courses will be sent to the major department for evaluation as to what, if any, comparable course the course can be substituted for. Before any course substitutions take place, course descriptions are reviewed from the previous institution and compared to ECSUs offering. After which, a decision will be made by the Department Chairperson of the course in which is being reviewedand/or Academic Affairs. How many credits do I need to graduate? All majors require 120 defined credits to graduate from ECSU. A plan of study will be completed with your advisor to determine the remaining credits needed to graduate and when you can graduate, provided that the courses are offered during the semester anticipated. Can I take all my courses online? If your program of study is an online program then, yes. If the major is not then most of your courses will be face-to-face. I work, do you have evening courses? Some programs offer evening courses. You will need to speak to an advisor regarding this. What majors offer courses online? Interdisciplinary Studies and Homeland Security Will courses taken 10 years ago be accepted? According to policy, the University will only accept courses taken within six years before transferring into the University. Do I have to submit all previous transcripts even if the courses are irrelevant to the degree I am seeking? All transcripts are required to be submitted to the Admissions Office before acceptance. How many courses can be accepted from my previous school(s)? Students can transfer up to 65 credits from a two-year institution and up to 90 credits from a four-year institution. A minimum of 30 upper-level semester hours in your major must be earned through regular enrollment at ECSU I have an associate degree can I immediately take courses in my major? Your transfer credits will be evaluated by your major department and the department will make a decision as to what pre-requisite courses may be needed before enrolling in major courses. Will all my courses transfer? No. If the course(s) are not necessary for the degree than they will not transfer in. Transfer GE Equivalencies Do I have to attend orientation? All students should participate in orientation except for students who plan to enroll in an online degree program, teacher licensure only program, certificate programs, or students transferring from a 2+2 Community College Completion Degree program. Chief Minister pays tribute to murdered MP Politicians will share their memories of Sir David Amess in the House of Commons today. There'll also be prayers and a minute's silence. The British MP was killed while meeting constituents in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on Friday. Chief Minister Howard Quayle expressed his condolences: "We are all shocked and deeply saddened by Sir Davids death following an attack at his constituency surgery." "He was a friend of the Island through his involvement with the Isle of Man All Party Parliamentary Group in Westminster and had previously visited the Island. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time." UK National Cyber Security Centre to attend CyberIsle 2021 A team from the UKs national cyber security agency will be taking part in CyberIsle 2021 in Douglas this week. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) offers practical guidance and support to industry, business, public sector organisations and the general public across the UK, acting to improve online safety for all and to reduce the harm caused by cyber security incidents. The NCSCs presence at CyberIsle 2021 is a major boost for the Manx event, where a wealth of expertise and advice will be on offer to help local firms, institutions and the community better understand how to protect their business, assets and reputation from online threats. Organisers are preparing to welcome delegates, speakers, exhibitors and sponsors to the Villa Marina tomorrow for a day of networking, talks and demonstrations which will see current best practice in cyber defence and awareness explained and shared. Members of Congress have accused Amazon executives of misleading or lying to an antitrust committee about its business practices, following recent reports that the company uses third-party seller data to copy products and promotes those versions in search results. The representatives, all members of the House Judiciary Committees antitrust subcommittee, are considering whether to ask the Department of Justice to undertake a criminal investigation. In the letter to chief executive Andy Jassy, Reps. David Cicilline, Ken Buck, Pramila Jayapal, Jerrold Nadler and Matt Gaetz asked Amazon to provide "exculpatory evidence to back up testimony from executives )(including former CEO Jeff Bezos) to the subcommittee in 2019 and 2020, according to The Wall Street Journal. Bezos told the committee last year that the company doesn't allow employees to use data from individual sellers to bolster its own product lines, though "couldn't guarantee" that the company hasn't misused such data. The company's associate general counsel, Nate Sutton, said in a 2019 testimony that Amazon doesn't use individual seller data directly to compete with third-party sellers. An investigation published by Reuters last week suggested Amazon India "ran a systematic campaign" of copying other companies' products and manipulating search results to promote them. The Markup also reported that Amazon places its own products above competitors' goods in search results, including ones with higher customer ratings. The representatives said the reporting directly contradicts sworn testimony from Bezos, from whom Jassy took over in July, and other executives. We strongly encourage you to make use of this opportunity to correct the record and provide the Committee with sworn, truthful, and accurate responses to this request as we consider whether a referral of this matter to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation is appropriate, the lawmakers wrote in the letter. "At best, this reporting confirms that Amazon's representatives misled the Committee. At worst, it demonstrates that they may have lied to Congress in possible violation of federal criminal law." The House Judiciary Committee has been looking into this issue since 2019 as part of a broader investigation of competition in digital markets. The representatives gave Jassy until November 1st to respond to the letter. "Were giving Amazon one last chance to come clean about how they abuse other sellers data and unfairly advantage their own products," subcommittee chair Cicilline wrote on Twitter. "We cannot continue to allow Big Tech to destroy small businesses." "Like other retailers, we look at sales and store data to provide our customers with the best possible experience," Amazon told The Wall Street Journal. "However, we strictly prohibit our employees from using non-public, seller-specific data to determine which private label products to launch. While we dont believe these claims are accurate, we take these allegations very seriously and have launched an internal investigation." An Amazon spokesperson provided the following statement to Engadget: Under Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the Federal Communications Commission is seeking to create new rules targeting spam text messages. Like another recent proposed rulemaking from the agency, the policy would push wireless carriers and telephone companies to block the spam before it ever gets to your phone. Weve seen a rise in scammers trying to take advantage of our trust of text messages by sending bogus robotexts that try to trick consumers to share sensitive information or click on malicious links, Rosenworcel said. Its time we take steps to confront this latest wave of fraud and identify how mobile carriers can block these automated messages before they have the opportunity to cause any harm. At its HHTD21 event, Foxconn unveiled three electric vehicle prototypes including two sedans and an electric bus, according to a Nikkei report and YouTube video. The company said it is "no longer the new kid in town" when it comes to EVs, and aims to develop a business worth up to $NT 1 trillion, or around $36 billion per year. Foxconn developed the EV prototypes under the Foxtron brand in collaboration with Taiwan's Yulon Motor. The latter has its own brand (Luxgen) and manufactures Nissan and Mitsubishi vehicles for the local market. The prototypes include a luxury sedan, SUV and transit bus, labeled the Model E, Model C and Model T, respectively. The vehicles are based on Foxconn's open software and hardware platform, MIH Consortium. They're essentially designed as kits, serving as reference designs that EV brands can mass produce to their own specifications. The Model T bus could hit roads as early as next year (hopefully under a different name), with a projected range of 400 km and top speed of 120 km/h (75 MPH). It also includes technology like pedestrian warnings, advanced temperature management and high crashworthiness, according to Taiwan News. Foxtron's Model C is an electric SUV that will be available in Taiwan by 2023 with high efficiency and zippy 3.8 second 0-to-62 MPH speeds. It's expected to cost below $NT 1 million ($35,700), said Foxconn chairperson Young Liu. The Model E, a luxury performance sedan designed in partnership with Pininfarina, will enter the market at a later, unspecified date. It will offer 750 horsepower and deliver a 0-62 MPH time of 2.8 seconds, along with a 750 km range. Yulon will be among the first EV makers to use the designs, said chairperson Lilian Chen. Foxtron said it aims to capitalize on a trend of producing EVs close to the markets where they're sold in order to keep costs down. The company plans to build EV factories in the US, and recently announced that it would acquire troubled Lordstown's Ohio manufacturing plant. It aims to manufacture Lordstown's Endurance pickup truck at the plant, and build Fisker EVs in the complex by late 2023. Foxconn said it would announce details of its EV production plans for Europe soon. Apples second fall product event kicks off later today at 1 PM ET. Weve laid out what to expect, but its not the only big tech event week. Spare a thought for some of our staff, who will go straight from Apple reportage into Google. Yep, Tuesday October 19th is Googles Pixel 6 event. While we know what the phone will look like and some of its specifications expect to see some software surprises. Weve pulled together everything we know into an event preview story right here. The biggest question remains: How much will the new Pixel 6 cost? Will it be a humbly priced (and specced) device, like the Pixel 5, or something to challenge iPhones and Galaxy devices? Mat Smith You'll have to wait a while for the movie. Shooting for the first feature-length movie in space has wrapped. Russian actress Yulia Pereslid, producer Klim Shipenko and cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy have returned to Earth after the first two spent 12 days filming their movie The Challenge aboard the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and Russian cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov were originally slated to return aboard the Soyuz capsule, but theyve both had their stays extended by six months to accommodate the film producers. Vande Hei will set a record for the longest spaceflight by a US astronaut as a result, spending exactly one year in orbit. Continue reading. It's a small test run for the McPlant. McDonald's You may soon be able to try McDonald's plant-based burgers. The fast-food chain will offer the McPlant at eight restaurants across the US, starting on November 3rd. It's a limited-time trial run for the burger, and it's supposed to help the company figure out how offering the item will impact kitchen operations. Its worth noting that because its cooked on the same grill as meat and egg products, it's not classified as vegan. McDonald's didn't mention the exact store locations of the stores trialing the McPlant, but it said theyre in Irving and Carrollton, Texas; Cedar Falls, Iowa; Jennings and Lake Charles, Louisiana and El Segundo and Manhattan Beach, California. Continue reading. The company is sharing details about its OS. Analogue's Pocket handheld won't arrive until late this year, but the company has detailed AnalogueOS, the platform both Pocket and future Analogue devices will run on, pitching as the "definitive" OS for retro games. Rather than simply play cartridge games, the Pocket and future hardware will tap a library of all the useful data surrounding a game, ranging from box art and publisher data to guides. Continue reading. Trading privacy for faster lunch service? The Financial Times reports nine schools in the UK will start taking payments for school lunches by scanning students' faces. The technology should help minimize touch during the pandemic but is mainly meant to speed up transaction times. CRB Cunningham, the company behind the tech, as well as the schools, argue the systems would address privacy and security concerns. The company said its hardware wasn't using live facial recognition (actively scanning crowds) and was checking against encrypted faceprint templates though Im not sure that addresses the concerns. The schools were already using fingerprint readers, too, so this was more of a shift in biometric technology than a brand new layer of security. Continue reading. Not long until we find out. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes the chips for the widely expected 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models have surfaced in developer app logs under the names "M1 Pro" and "M1 Max." It's not certain Apple will use these names for its high-end silicon, but they suggest Apple won't go with M1X. Earlier rumors hinted at two processors destined for the new MacBook Pros. For everything were expecting from Apples big event, check out our preview story. Continue reading. The $100 appliance will ship in December. Microsoft Microsoft will start shipping its Xbox Series X Mini Fridge in time for the holidays. The company said the fridge costs $100 and pre-orders start on October 19th. It will ship in December. The mini-fridge has its roots in an image Xbox tweeted to show the scale of the Xbox Series X versus a full-sized fridge. Microsoft actually made a six-foot fridge last year to promote the launch of the console, but this ones a little more manageable. Continue reading. The biggest news stories you might have missed There's now an official 'Minecraft' gaming chair ICYMI: The Apple Watch Series 7 makes the most of its bigger screen Engadget Deals: Jabra's wireless earbuds are up to 40 percent off at Amazon for today only Dbrand stops selling PS5 faceplates after Sony issues legal threats FIFA isn't thrilled with EA's dominance of soccer games Toyota plans to spend approximately $3.4 billion to scale its battery production capabilities in the US, the automaker announced on Monday. As part of the investment, Toyota says it will establish a new company that will, with help from its Toyota Tsusho subsidiary, build a battery manufacturing plant somewhere in the US. The company expects to invest $1.29 billion into the facility by the end of 2031. Toyota said it would share details on the project, including where it plans to build the plant, in the future. However, the facility will initially focus on making batteries for hybrid electric vehicles, with production expected to start sometime in 2025. Toyota expects to create about 1,750 jobs through the project. If nothing else, the investment is an acknowledgment by Toyota that it needs to diversify its electrification strategy. More so than almost any other automaker, it has invested significantly into fuel cell technology, with not a lot to show for its efforts, at least not in the US. Outside of California, you cant buy its Mirai fuel-cell sedan. But as part of its Beyond Zero push, Toyota hopes to change that, with it currently planning to offer 70 different electric models, including 15 battery electric vehicles, by 2025. Prior to the 2020 US Presidential Election, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry produced a video in which the couple essentially backed Joe Biden. A dig at Donald Trump was heard in the video when Prince Harry stated it was "time to not only reflect but act." Years of occassional collaborations also allowed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to built up a close friendship with First Lady Jill Biden. Sources close to the royal couple told NBC royal journalist Neil Sean that the royal couple had hoped to build a deeper connection with the Bidens once they took up residence in the White House. This seems to be a wrong decision, implies the royal correspondent. "They put their eggs in one basket to try and make sure that President Biden won his Presidency." Mr. Sean observed of the two ex-royals. "You would have thought that would have meant a trip to the White House, which, according to a source is what the Sussex's had hoped. " The British monarchy's appeal looks to be considerably greater than expected, which is unfortunate for them. ALSO READ: Prince Charles, Prince William So Much Closer with Prince Harry Out of the Picture? "We can look forward to President Biden coming to the United Kingdom not just to meet Her Majesty the Queen, but HRH Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge," the expert says. A reliable source in California told him that this had not gone down well with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. "We all know Ms Markle is very keen to get her designer heels down at that famous desk at the White House, the expert says. if this does not happen now, Markle is likely to make sure it will in the very near future. The Duchess of Sussex has been tipped to run for public office after she and Prince Harry left the Royal Family in 2020. Back in 2002, Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of Sussex urged American voters in the US election to "resist hate speech, disinformation, and online negativity" in a video that provoked allegations of breaching UK etiquette requiring political impartiality from royal members. They were criticized heavily for it. The pair urged Americans to exercise their right to vote in a Time 100 video statement in which Meghan dubbed the campaign for president the "most important election of our generation. The pair didn't give their support to any one contender but some have taken their words to mean they support Joe Biden over Donald Trump. More so because Markle was known to dislike or disapprove of the ex-President. ALSO READ: Gabby Petito Autopsy Reveals How She Was Strangulated, Throttled; Horrifying Details Spark Internet Outrage Federal agents on the Appalachian Trail in western North Carolina arrested "Brian Laundrie." Could this be the end of the manhunt? Turns out, no, it's not yet the end. When the authorities learned that a man who looked suspiciously like the sought 23-year-old was staying at the Lodge at Fontana Village Resort, they acted quickly. Instead of Brian Laundrie, they ended up with a man named Severin Beckwith. Since the end of September, Beckwith and his hiking companion, Anna Brettmann - a young couple from Ithaca, New York, - have been trekking the famed Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Virginia. They had arrived at Fontana Dam and were contemplating whether or not to break their journey there. After all, the days previous had been filled with heavy rain and little sleep. The couple called a shuttle to the resort using the phone of a Fontana Village Resort & Marina staffer. They arrived, settled down for lunch, and then went to bed early to rest up for the next day. ALSO READ: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Snubbed? Couple's Hope To Get to the White House Dashed Knocking on their chamber door that escalated into hammering shortly interrupted their slumber. The door slammed open before they had a chance to respond. "Next thing I see is a bunch of guys with riot shields with 'U.S. Marshals' written on them," Beckwith told The New Yorker. "Handguns pointed at my face." He asserted that he and Brettmann were both indecently attired. Beckwith was brought to the hallway in his underpants as a marshal helped him get out of bed and dress. He told the outlet he had a feeling he had been mistaken for Brian Laundrie, and he "really hoped [he] was right." Not only have there been multiple claims of Brian sightings on the path, but a hiker said he was "99.99 percent positive" he saw and spoke to the "wigged-out" fugitive. Marshals stroked Beckwith's head, and he noticed "a notch in the upper portion of [his] inner ear much like [Laundrie]," which he later confirmed. Beckwith and Brettmann paid for their hotel stay with a credit card associated with a New York state identification card. While Petito was from Brooklyn, FBI agents are also looking for Laundrie because she is suspected of using a Capital One debit card belonging to an unidentified individual to charge $1000 in the period from August 31 to September 1, which coincidentally fell during the time period in which the coroner who conducted Petito's autopsy believes she was killed by manual strangulation. As Beckwith sees it, the apparent connection "was good enough motive [for authorities] to come in." But certainly, not good enough. WIth a botched arrest attempt, the police is now once more in the lookout. According to a close acquaintance, Brian Laundrie has the means to leave the country lawfully. Gabby Petito's on-the-run fiance had intentions to live outside the US since high school, according to Laundrie's longtime friend, who spoke exclusively to The Sun. ALSO READ: Gabby Petito Autopsy Reveals How She Was Strangulated, Throttled; Horrifying Details Spark Internet Outrage Protect Papua New Guinea's Rainforest: COP26 REDD+ Carbon Credits Auction Channels: Asia Pacific The Coalition for Rainforest Nations and EY are proud to launch the first REDD+ rainforest carbon credit auction in compliance with the Paris Agreement to be held at the Glasgow Climate Summit (COP26) from November 1st -November 3rd, 2021. The auction celebrates the issuance of the first Paris Agreement-verified REDD+ rainforest carbon credits for commercial buyers. Partnered content The climate emergency is here! And it is happening more quickly than most scientists anticipated a few years ago. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) the United Nations (UN) body for assessing the science related to climate change recommends that the world attempt to limit global warming to 1.5C compared with pre-industrial levels. Achieving a 1.5 degrees pathway would mean dramatically slowing global deforestation. The Paris Agreement shapes the global governmental efforts to combat climate change. It is an international climate treaty that defines how international law addresses the climate emergency. The agreement includes a dedicated article on the contribution of forests to mitigating climate change, and it recognizes Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+; an implementation mechanism that aims to help "slow, halt, and reverse forest cover and carbon loss." The REDD+ mechanism is the only carbon emissions standard that can claim full compliance with the Paris Agreement. It was based on the principle of providing financial value for the carbon absorbed and stored in tropical rainforests offering incentives for all rainforest countries to halt deforestation, increase their carbon stock and to lead on tackling the climate emergency. National forest preservation efforts are measured and reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which then verifies and publishes the emissions reductions on UNFCCC REDD+ hub. For COP26, we are offering carbon reductions from accomplished national efforts in Papua New Guinea's (PNG) rainforests. Since the Paris Agreement, PNG has been delivering on its promise to the international community to slow, halt, and reverse deforestation. It has enjoyed a year-on-year downward trend on deforestation and emissions through today. Recently, the government stepped up efforts to preserve its natural rainforests by outlawing new logging concessions (2021) and introduced a ban on round log exports, starting in 2024. The auction aims to reward PNG for its success in bending the curve, but, more importantly, to provide finance for future conservation efforts. Without finance, bold government action to save its rainforests just isn't economically feasible in PNG and many other rainforest nations. It also offers your company the opportunity to purchase a piece of this incredible conservation success story in the form of Paris Agreement-verified emissions Papua New Guinea successfully turned the corner of deforestation in 2014-15. As a result, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) verified 9 million metric tonnes of carbon reductions. To achieve these results, the country successfully complied with UNFCCC's REDD+ requirements. It's REDD+ results were reported in a technical annex on REDD+ results to the biennial update reports and underwent a technical analysis by UNFCCC. The auction event will be co-chaired by the Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea and Carmine Di Sibio, Global Chairman and CEO, EY and will be attended by numerous heads of state and government. We invite you to register on the REDD.plus without delay for this limited supply of Paris Agreement-verified carbon credits. 100% of the proceeds will go back to the country and to the communities that generate them. For more information, please refer to the Paris Agreement Verified REDD+ Rainforest Carbon Credits: A Buyer's Guide. The trends in the utilisation of plan funds by the local self-government institutions in Kerala from 201213 to 202021 are analysed. Changes in the participatory planning methodology in 2016 have resulted in better utilisation of the funds after 201718. Kerala will celebrate 25 years of decentralised planning in 2022. It launched the Peoples Plan in 1997 by introducing a new approach for decentralised planning with the active participation of the people, especially the women and marginalised population, in developing programmes (Issac et al 1997; Mohanakumar 2002). The plan model was a unique one; it involved peoples participation in all aspects, starting from identifying the development issues to implementing and monitoring of the projects. The Kerala State Planning Board had allocated 35% to 40% of the states plan funds to the local self-government institutions (LSGIs) for the implementation of projects. This campaign also aimed at representing all the muffled voices of the numerically larger sections of the people (Bandyopadhyay 1997; Mohanakumar 2002). However, the participatory plan was not devoid of criticisms. Das (2000) and Kannan (2000) pointed out some issues in the Kerala plan model as it was initiated without any proper transfer of powers and adequate description of the rules of authorityboth administrative and operational. Despite this, all the exercises to prepare the plans were transferred to the hands of people who had no experience in the planning process. Though 35% to 40% of funds were allocated to the LSGIs, they could not spend the allocated amounts in the initial years (1997 to 2000). But this did not prevent the state government from increasing the allocation of funds in the following years. Moreover, the government never took any substantial steps to assess how well the money was spent by the local bodies. Scientists led by the University of Padova have found a new candidate treatment against tetanus neurotoxins with advantages over the one currently used. The cryo-electron microscope of the ESRF has assisted them to elucidate its mechanism. The results have been published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation this week. Tetanus bacteria are commonly found in soil and the manure of animals such as horses and cows. If the bacteria enter the body through a wound, they can quickly multiply and release a potent toxin that affects the nerves, causing symptoms such as muscle stiffness and spastic paralysis. About 10% of cases prove to be fatal. A vast proportion of the population is vaccinated against the tetanus neurotoxin produced by this bacterium, but when someone turns up in a hospital with a potentially infected wound, doctors immediately apply anti-tetanus immunoglobulin. This cure contains antibodies, made from either human or horse blood plasma, to prevent the tetanus neurotoxin from working. First authors Marco Pirazzini from University of Padova explained the limitations of the current treatment: It is made up of a mix of antibodies, and only a minor fraction of them can neutralize the toxin. Moreover, it is contained in a serum, which entails the same risks as a blood transfusion. Now a team of scientists of the University of Padova (Italy), Universita della Svizzera Italiana (Switzerland), Humabs BioMed SA (Switzerland), University College London (UK), Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare (Italy) and the ESRF has found an alternative to the current prophylaxis for tetanus infection. It consists of two monoclonal antibodies that block the toxin from entering in the cell. We screened lots of antibodies, discarded the worst while choosing the two best neutralizing ones, which were produced recombinantly. So we need less quantity of antibodies and the targeted treatment is equally effective but without the risks associated with the serum, Pirazzini said. Alessandro Grinzato using the Cryo-electron microscope at the ESRF. Credits: C. Argoud. Pirazzini and colleagues had to go a long way before reaching these conclusions. First, they tried to crystallize the antibody protein interacting with the toxin, but it did not work. So then, they decided to move to cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) at the ESRF to try to find some answers, as it doesnt require crystals, but it wasnt easy. The structures were constantly moving, as they are very flexible, which made for an extremely challenging experiment. But we persevered and ended up solving the structure and describing the flexibility of the different domains, explained first author Alessandro Grinzato, previously at the University of Padova and now a post-doctoral researcher at the ESRF. The constant movement allowed the scientists to identify which parts of the toxin are bound by the two antibodies. They found that one antibody binds the domain used by the toxin to get anchored to the neuron surface, sticking exactly in between two parts used by the toxin to interact with its two receptors. This antibody prevents the toxin binding to neurons. The second antibody interferes with a subsequent step of the process of toxin entry inside neurons as it then freezes the structural change necessary to deliver the catalytic domain, i.e. the part of the toxin responsible for the neuroparalytic activity, into the neuron cytoplasm. The next step for the team is to start clinical trials: We are very optimistic about this medicine and hope that it can receive approval for use in the coming years as safe therapeutics for the prophylaxis and therapy of tetanus, concluded Grinzato. Reference: Pirazzini, M. et al, J Clin Invest. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI151676. Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny. San Antonio Police Department Newly released video footage shows a clearer picture of a man police want to find in connection with the death a former San Antonio News 4 employee. In the two black and white videos, the man can be seen leaving the home of 40-year-old Christopher Olivarez around his time of death. Police did not say when the video was captured. The Alamos official website lists John, a slave, as among the 189 known defenders who died in the 1836 battle at the fort. The Texas State Historical Associations Handbook of Texas Online says John belonged to Francis L. Desauque and was a clerk in Desauques Matagorda County store near the coast. Both were at the Alamo before Desauque was sent out for supplies right before the start of a 13-day siege. John is said to have died at the Alamo on March 6, 1836. Desauque was killed in the executions at Goliad three weeks later. But a historical researcher who has meticulously tried to name everyone inside the walls of the Alamo that year believes John is the product of an 1836 printing error and peoples imaginations. I dont think the guy really existed, said unofficial Alamo historian Bill Groneman, a retired New York City arson investigator who lives in Kerrville. He said the Alamo website and online handbook should remove any references to John. On ExpressNews.com: Alamos ties to slavery stir debate But Carey Latimore, a Trinity University history professor specializing in African American studies, said the entries on John should be rewritten, not removed. He believes John could have been Anglo or an enslaved Black person, but he almost certainly was not a freed Black and was not necessarily at the Alamo when the battle occurred. There are certain desires to make him Black, to make him a defender of the Alamo, to make him a free negro, which would mean hes perhaps choosing to be there. We have to let the evidence drive us, not our own desires, said Latimore, who serves as a history adviser on the Alamo Citizens Advisory Committee. Most people familiar with the Alamo have heard of Joe, William Barret Travis enslaved servant who survived the battle, gave eyewitness accounts and escaped bondage a year later. Joe said other Black individuals were present during the 13-day siege and battle, which concluded with the death of up to 257 soldiers and volunteers in the fort. About 20 women, children and slaves survived, although one enslaved Black woman is said to have been killed in the crossfire. Alamo devotees who have heard of John have long thought he also was among the dead. But Groneman has publicly questioned that narrative for nearly a decade. In a 2012 article in The Alamo Journal, a publication of The Alamo Society, an international group of aficionados of the siege and battle, he wrote that collectively we have built an actual person out of nothing. Groneman believes a partial, hastily compiled list of 114 Alamo defenders, printed with an article 18 days after the battle in the Telegraph and Texas Register, has long fooled writers and historians. The list, based on recollections of two surviving Alamo couriers about who was in the fort, included a man named John with no last name and a misspelled parenthetical note that he was a clk in Desanques store. On ExpressNews.com: Renowned sculptor recalls lunch counter desegregation at Alamo site The next line, indented, listed Thurstor. Groneman believes the typesetter intended to identify Alamo defender John Thurston, whose name sometimes has been spelled as Thruston. It was just a mistake, the way the names were listed, Groneman said. But the list became a primary source document. William Fairfax Gray, a lawyer and author in Texas, listed John in his 1837 diary. Other writers gave him the rank of private. He was identified for the first time as a Black servant of Desauque in a 1907 novel, Margaret Ballentine or The Fall of the Alamo, by Frank Templeton, and called a slave by historian Amelia Williams in a 1930s article in Southwestern Historical Quarterly, according to Groneman. In their 1985 book, Roll Call at the Alamo, Groneman and co-author Phil Rosenthal also identified John as Desauques slave. Then, in a 1990 book, Alamo Defenders A Genealogy: The People And Their Words, Groneman gave Johns residence as probably Matagorda, Texas, and his occupation as store clerk, possibly a slave. He allowed that John may have been a freedman working for Desauque, a slave owned by another Alamo defender or a defender who was listed solely by his first name on a list with plenty of mistakes. Groneman said many Alamo followers like to believe that a freed Black died for freedom at the Alamo. But theres just no evidence of it. In his 2012 article, Groneman retracted almost everything hed written about John in 1990 and everything I either wrote, or went along with being written, in 1985. On ExpressNews.com: Trinity professor sees third way to talk about slavery at Alamo In explaining his theory about the list, Groneman said Thurston came to Texas from Kentucky and was not a clerk in Desauques store. But Groneman said someone might have thought Thurston, who delivered rifle powder to San Antonio, worked for Desauque. He concluded in the article that John is solely a creation of our collective imaginations. Groneman believes there likely were others of African descent among the defenders, including Carlos Espalier, a 17-year-old adopted protege of Bowie who was of mixed race and described in historical texts as mulatto. Alamo historians believe up to 70 Alamo combatants have never been identified by name. Some of those unaccounted-for names, they might have been slaves of Alamo defenders who died there they went into the body count without any identification, Groneman said. Latimore commended Groneman for attempting to set the record straight, noting that as historians, we make mistakes. But he said he has doubts that the listing of John referred to Thurston, and he questions whether Desauque would have left the Alamo alone without his clerk. I think John is a person. We need to revise what we say about John, Latimore said. I wouldnt remove it. It is an interesting piece of the story. shuddleston@express-news.net Ten years ago, an early morning phone call awakened Hector Valadez. It was his brother Eric: A fire had broken out at their restaurant, Poblanos on Main. He arrived 10 minutes later at East Commerce and North Main to see smoke billowing from a window of the historic Wolfson Building. Firefighters rushed from the burning structure, and, soon after, one of the exterior walls collapsed. As the responders wielded fire hoses and sprayed streams of water at the flames rising from gray, hazy smoke, Valadez knew their dream lay buried in the smoldering rubble. Once that happened, I started to panic, said Valadez, 40. I thought we dont have a business anymore. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio veteran has better days with help from K9s For Warriors service dog The four-alarm fire, the largest downtown blaze in recent history, destroyed the three-story building that historians considered an architectural gem. Still, the brothers were relieved that no one was in the inferno that consumed not only their lifes work but their start in the restaurant industry. Recovery started with their landlord Paul Carter, who showed them places to consider renting. But it was a fateful meeting with Tony Cantu, owner of Audrys City Center Cafe, on the property of San Fernando Cathedral, that gave them hope. Valadez wondered why their competitor, who vied for the same customers at Main Plaza, stopped at their makeshift office. The longtime restaurateur wanted to talk about the brothers taking over his spot. Cantu had been thinking of retirement and offered to speak to the Archdiocese of San Antonio about the brothers leasing his space. Jerry Lara /Staff photographer He knew about the brothers history of good food, service and social networking. Though a competitor, he wanted the budding restaurant owners to have a long career, as he did. This was a great opportunity to help them continue with their dream, said Cantu, 75. The church embraced the idea. Cantu initiated talks with church officials, who set the same hours and days of operation as before. Three months later, the Valadez brothers were up and running again across from the ruins they could see every day. The transaction led to a lasting friendship between the brothers and Cantu and a deeper connection with the Catholic Church. Were grateful we were able to bounce back from something so horrific, said Eric Valadez, 43. It was divine intervention. It brought me closer to God. Though we are a tenant, we feel more like a family. City and county workers, tourists, jurors and downtown dwellers have made Poblanos a thriving mainstay, popular for its Tex-Mex breakfast, lunch and deliveries to downtown offices. About the author A 22-year veteran of the Air Force, Vincent T. Davis embarked on a second career as a journalist and found his calling. Observing and listening across San Antonio, he finds intriguing tales to tell about everyday people. He shares his stories with Express-News subscribers every Monday morning. See More Collapse The brothers inspiration for starting their restaurant began while working in their familys South Side restaurant, Las Cazuelas, owned by their grandfather Ramiro Valadez. Many of the familys recipes are on the Poblanos menu. On ExpressNews.com: Finding size-18 shoes for a really tall 12-year-old in San Antonio, the kindness of strangers made it possible Recently, Cantu stopped by the restaurant, and Eric Valadez embraced the retired restaurateur who often visits when he volunteers with the Main Plaza Conservancy. For years, Cantu owned Audrys Mexican Restaurant at 601 Camden St. It began with his parents in 1949. Before closing 60 years later, it was a favorite of everyday people and local media professionals. Among its admirers was the late San Antonio Express-News sportswriter and columnist Dan Cook and his fictitious chum, Benjamin P. Broadhind. Cantu recalled that Cook always ordered the No. 11, or Dan Cook Favorite, which consisted of an enchilada plate with a half-order of bean nachos. In 2010, a year after it closed, Audrys was razed to make way for a medical building. Cantu relocated to the cathedral property with memories of the green, two-story house that became a San Antonio dining hub named after his mother, Audrey Perez Cantu. While Cantu and Valadez were catching up, their conversation turned to the tragic day of the fire. The brothers were at their old location for 22 months before the blaze destroyed the limestone brick and heavy timber building and damaged a nearby high-rise. The building, designed by noted architect Alfred Giles and built in 1880, was also home to the Main Street Ballroom and headquarters of Mamas Cafe. It wasnt the first fire at the lot. In 1904, a fire damaged the building, which was rebuilt later. Arson investigators said the 2011 fire started on the first floor, in the kitchen of the Meat Market Barbecue Restaurant. Some items survived the blaze. Uncovered from the charred debris was a plaque commemorating the site as the camp of Gen. Santa Anna after the Battle of the Alamo and a 30-foot mural titled Spring Scene of Texas Hill Country by artist Porfirio Salinas. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios own Ted Lasso: Lifelong optimist believes human kindness can win the day After reopening in their new space, the brothers received a surprising image among well-wishes and cards from customers. An anonymous man brought a manila envelope to a Poblanos worker with a photograph inside. The man asked the employee to have the brothers study the entire photo very carefully. Eric Valadez opened the envelope and took out the photo. He scoured the image of smoking rubble piled more than 10 feet high. Then the employee pointed to the top right corner, where white tendrils of smoke formed what resembled a figure with outstretched arms. Oh God, Eric Valadez said at first glance of the cloudy mass. It was an apparition of Jesus hovering overhead. If this isnt a sign of where we need to be, I dont know what is. Cantu agreed. The image reminded him of unexplained moments he felt working near the cathedral. It was very stunning, Cantu said of seeing the photo for the first time. Theres something spiritual, bigger than us that guides us, and obviously, that happened with the picture. There are mystical things that say, Keep going. Youre on the right road. vtdavis@express-news.net Men and women who give back to the West Side recently visited the Bexar Archives building for an unexpected recognition and morning of discovery. They were members of the Ghost Town Survivors and the San Antonio Barrio Girls that help families and seniors across their old 78207 neighborhood. Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark greeted the group as they walked up the stairs at 126 E. Nueva St. to the Bexar County Spanish Archives. Linda Cortinas, 71, who is legally blind, walked arm-in-arm with Yolanda Alderete, 74, as Adame-Clark led them past framed portraits of four alcaldes (mayors) in a glass case outside of the first-floor office. She escorted the group through a swinging-half door into the repository. They peered over old parchments and hand-written manuscripts that office staff members only handled with white, cotton gloves. They examined aged ledgers on display near the volumes of thick, heavy tomes. The archives impressed Mary Loredo, 71. But she was more impressed that someone from their old West Side neighborhood was in charge of the historical documents. Adame-Clark is a daughter of migrant workers who raised her in the Cassiano Homes, once home to some members. In the Bexar County Clerks eyes, the group represented the adults who made life better for her and her generation. Im here because of you, Adame-Clark said. I thank you for doing everything you did and paving that road for us. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio residents seek roots at Spanish Archives, glimpse of early Hispanic history The groups visit was hosted by Los Alcaldes de Bexar, a nonprofit that promotes the education of San Antonios alcaldes (mayors) from 1731 to 1836. Retired businessmen, Vietnam veterans and former West Side gang members make up the Ghost Town Survivors. They are also husbands and old classmates of the Barrio Girls, who have worked together since 2013. The women have known each other since the early 1960s, there for each others quinceneras, weddings, childbirths, divorces and triumphs. Members of the group grew up in the 1960s in the barrio called El Ghost Town, where gang violence was prevalent. They joined the military, fought in Southeast Asia, protested for equal rights and later returned to invest in their old neighborhood as the Ghost Town Survivors. Several presenters guided the group of 10 women and four men through the offices as they offered details of the expansive collection. The Spanish Archives is where our future is going to go, said Norma Arciniega Langwell, founder of Los Alcaldes de Bexar. Thats why its important to learn about who we are so we can share it with future generations so they can pick up where our ancestors left off. The group learned about the alcalde project from Erika Haskins. Haskins is a scholar of the nonprofit founded in 2017 to promote education about San Antonios alcaldes. Historian, author and professor Andres Tijerina told the group they were fortunate to have the archives preserve their heritage. He said the work preserves the history of Texas that began long before the battle of the Alamo. Theyre preserving not only the alcaldes, the mayors, but the people, Tijerina said. Love it, respect it and preserve it. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio archivist helps residents discover community, family history Adame-Clark stood in front of three glass-exhibit cases that bore a sign with the words, Bexar County Clerks Office working to Preserve Our History. She encouraged the group to unlock their histories and research where their families came from. Jerry Lara /Staff photographer Im here because you opened those doors of opportunities along with my parents, Adame-Clark said. Thank you for the lucha (fight) that you fought for us. Im very proud to stand in front of you and tell you we are preserving our beautiful history. Spanish Archivist David Carlson said he was restoring a new collection from the descendants of Manuel Yturri y Castillo, an alcalde who had a magnificent house,downtown across from where the Bill Miller Barbecue building now sits, near Main Plaza. The country has been built by people of Hispanic descent from the get go, Carlson said. You are all here to attest to that. He thanked the group for their participation and directed them to a glass-topped case that contained the papers of the new collection. Each guest left with a Bexar County Clerks coin embossed with the five states of Texas. On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County Spanish Archives still split in half after 118 years As they left the building, the Alderetes, Cortinas and Mary Loredo, 71, agreed the tour was an eye-opening experience. That was amazing what we saw, Cortinas said. It was very enjoyable. Salvador Alderete, 75, said he had worked in and around the area in the 1980s, but was unaware of the archives existence. I never knew they had this, he said. Im a history buff and I never knew (about) this. As the group waited to cross Nueva Street, Yolanda Alderete said the exhibit inspired her to delve into her past. We want to learn more about our barrio, she said, and our ancestry. vtdavis@express-news.net Long after the newspaper headlines faded and the television reports were forgotten, Kim Smith, Joe Graham and Hilda Guardiola still grieved for children they lost in Iraq. Theyre often alone with their thoughts in a world thats moved on. On Sunday afternoon, however, their isolation eased a bit. They welcomed a concrete step to remember troops from the region who died during Americas wars and to honor their loved ones. The occasion: a groundbreaking for the San Antonio Gold Star Monument. It will be at Veterans Memorial Plaza, across from the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Antonio. Wish For Our Heroes, a national nonprofit that provides resources to active-duty military and their families, has partnered on the project with the city and a foundation created by and named for Hershel Woody Williams, one of two living Medal of Honor recipients from World War II. The black granite memorial, which will stand 7 feet tall and 15 feet long, will be dedicated to South and Central Texas Gold Star families. It will be privately funded. Jeff Wells, president and founder of Wish For Our Heroes, told the crowd Sunday that $100,000 had been raised but that a little bit more money was still needed for site work. He encouraged people to make donations at www.wishforourheroes.org/donate/donate-to-gold-star-monument-fund. Robin Jerstad, San Antonio Express-News The monument really belongs to them and the legacy of their loved ones, so there are no names on the monument itself and deliberately so, said Chad Graham, president and CEO of the Woody Williams Foundation. That way, it hopefully will embrace all those families that experienced that loss. Smith, Guardiola and Joe Graham were among about 100 spectators, including Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient Patrick Brady. He was there to support Williams, a friend of 50 years, and Robert W. Pratt, a 99-year-old World War II Navy veteran from San Antonio. I think its wonderful. Theyre the heroes, Pratt said of Gold Star families. Brady, 85, of New Braunfels, said: When Woody does things like this, we support him because hes an incredible human being. Hes 98 years old, and hes been doing like 200 events a year, and my God, when I heard he was in town, I was delighted. Williams did not attend Sundays event. Wells said Williams was recovering from a recent health scare. For the Gold Star parents, the significance of a monument in San Antonio is profound. They can never forget the sacrifice their children made, and they want others to remember, too. Smiths son, Army Pvt. Robert L. Frantz, 19, was killed in a grenade blast while he was on guard duty in Baghdad on June 17, 2003. Robin Jerstad, San Antonio Express-News I think from the time Rob was killed we didnt want to forget him, of course, but more so because this was a war and our country was fighting this war and our son became part of that, Smith said. So it was bigger than being in San Antonio and getting shot or killed in a car wreck. Its bigger than us, the whole war thing, and so we figured that we would go because it means something, she said of Sundays ceremony. It means that other people are remembering the Gold Star families, because once upon a time people didnt even know what they were. The crowd gathered in Veterans Memorial Plaza, where two existing monuments pay tribute to fallen American service members. One depicts two Korean War soldiers on watch in a frozen foxhole. The other, Hill 880 South, honors troops who served in Vietnam. It shows a medic staring into the sky while tending a wounded GI. Joe Graham, a retired San Antonio police officer, lost his son, Marine Reserve Lance Cpl. Lance T. Graham, 26, to a suicide bombing in Iraqs Anbar province May 7, 2005. The people who actually go to war dont go for the political views. They go for the brother, the person thats behind them, the band of brothers, Graham said. You go to help each other and bring each other back. Another Marine reservist, Sgt. Arron Cepeda Sr., 22, of San Antonio, died in the same suicide attack that killed Grahams son. Guardiola, 62, of Somerset, said of the Gold Star monument: What an honor. I have come across a couple of persons that have asked me, What is a Gold Star mother? she said. So Im hoping that once the memorial is up and its explained that they will see and know what we Gold Star mothers are and remember our heroes. Guardiolas son, Army Sgt. Michael Paul Barrera, 26, of Von Ormy, was killed Oct. 28, 2003, when his tank was hit by a roadside bomb in Baqubah. He was promoted posthumously to staff sergeant. Barrera graduated from Somerset High School in 1995. He figured the Army would be a springboard to college, but he fell in love with tanks. Somerset Veterans Elementary School was renamed Barrera Veterans Elementary in his honor in 2004. A few months after Barreras burial, Smith established the USO Gold Star Families group in San Antonio. She became a familiar sight at military funerals at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. She would stand apart from the crowd during services and approach grieving relatives afterward. Shed tell them Gold Star Families was there to help. Smith is no longer part of the group, but she occasionally chats on Facebook with other Gold Star families and with one of the casualty assistance officers who was assigned to her after her sons death. Smith, 56, a special education instructional assistant at Clarence Galm Elementary in Northside Independent School District, has made friends in the years since her sons death. But nothing has been easy for Gold Star families, she said. There has never been a cathartic moment when the grief finally subsided. Its more a continuum of sadness, broken by good days and bad ones. I dealt with everything very gracefully, but I think I was numb for a long time. I grieved but I really dont think I grieved to the depth of things, because for some reason, Ive always had a habit of putting things away because Im too busy caring for other people, Smith said. Im not the only person who was like that, she added. Guardiola said shell hear a song that reminds her of her son or stumble over an old photo, and the memories will come rushing back. Every time I think about my son or talk about him, I cry still, she said. It could be anything. Thats pretty much any day around here. Graham said the years that have passed havent put much distance between the day he learned of his sons death and the sorrow he feels now. Little things sting even things that once were a cause for joy. Marking his sons birthday recently, Grahams experienced a strange sort of time compression as if 16 years hadnt passed since his death. Its only like it happened 15 seconds ago, said Graham, who served 10 years in the Army and Army Reserve. After leaving the reserve, Graham was a police officer in St. Anne, Ill., a village 60 miles south of Chicago. He joined the San Antonio Police Department in 1984. In St. Anne, where Lance Graham went to kindergarten, the community put up a monument after he was killed in Iraq. Motorcyclists pass by to pay their respects. Graham hears stories about it from the local police chief, who with his wife once babysat Lance Graham. Graham thinks war monuments can help bring closure, even if they also revive painful memories. The people who actually have heart and care and patriotism and know what freedoms all about, it means a lot to them, Graham said. It means a lot to me. It shows that the county still cares, and theyre not forgotten. sigc@express-news.net The TikTok video shows three men, presumably undocumented immigrants, lying side by side in what appears to be the backseat of a vehicle. Donde estan los choferes ke se la rifan? the ad says in Spanish and slang: Where are the drivers willing to take risks? It promises instant payment for the job as it flashes dollar signs. Another video ad shows hands spreading out a stack of cash and images of immigrants getting into a pickup truck under a bed cover and into a cars trunk. Drivers needed!!! DM to make some rocks!!! the post says. Both have several replies from TikTok users seeking more information, and they are told to send direct messages, or to go to other social media or communication applications, like Snapchat or WhatsApp, for details. Increasingly, smugglers are turning to social media to recruit drivers because of its immense reach, and their pitches have been drawing people from the interior of Texas even from out of state to the southern border. TikTok / TikTok And that has law enforcement officials concerned. It used to be you meet somebody at a bar, Craig Larrabee said. Hes deputy special agent in charge of ICEs Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio, which is responsible for 500 miles of Texas border from Del Rio to Brownsville. You dont have to do that anymore, Larrabee said. On social media, they can reach out to different communities and reach out to all walks of life. In the spotlight Larrabee and other law officers say smugglers play up the rewards like the promise of easy money. But they downplay the risks like that human smuggling is a federal crime that can land you in prison, or worse. Theyre ignoring the fact that theres a potential for accidents, and people die, Larrabee said. He noted many youths are unfamiliar with the terrain of the border region, and when they are loaded down with more bodies than their vehicles can handle, and then run from law enforcement, its a recipe for disaster. Gabriel Salazar, a 19-year-old from San Antonio with a large following on TikTok and Instagram, died in a fiery car crash Sept. 26. The wreck also killed his three passengers, undocumented immigrants from the Mexican state of Zacatecas. Driving a white Chevrolet Camaro hed bought just days before, Salazar fled first from Crystal City police who tried to pull him over, and then from Zavala County sheriffs deputies. He led a chase that at times exceeded 100 miles per hour before the car lost control, hit trees, rolled and burst into flames on Highway 57 near La Pryor. On ExpressNews.com: Chase that killed TikTok star probed as human smuggling Homeland Security Investigations is investigating it as a suspected human smuggling incident. But Larrabee, to not compromise his agents investigation, would not discuss the case or whether it has any connection to social media. Salazars case drew plenty of attention from television and other news outlets, but drivers run from police nearly every week, and it often goes unreported. Many of those drivers get the illicit gigs after responding to ads that pop into their social media feeds. Smugglers are using many of the traditional social media apps, even Telegram, which draws a more conservative audience. TikTok / TikTok The ads seek drivers all along the U.S.-Mexico border, and some explicitly say how much a person will get per immigrant from $500 to $4,000, or more. Some specifically seek drivers from McAllen or Brownsville to drive through Border Patrol checkpoints. Others seek drivers only from checkpoints to a major city, such as from Crystal City to San Antonio. Some even say that their smuggling group is not those who rob or harm people. Young recruits The drivers recruited on social media have included young people, no older than 30, Zavala County Sheriff Eusevio Salinas said. They say they were offered easy money. Weve had minors people under 17, with no drivers licenses, from as far away as Houston or Dallas down here, Salinas said. Thats (300), 400 miles away and they come down and load up. Nonprofit watchdog Campaign for Accountability reported earlier this year that it found dozens of groups, some with tens of thousands of members, on Facebook in which human smugglers promoted their services. Some posted prices, phone numbers to call, and video of previous successful crossings. We prohibit content that offers or assists with human smuggling and remove it from our platform whenever we find it, a Facebook spokesperson said via email. Tik Tok did not respond to messages seeking comment. On TikTok, the Express-News found more than a dozen videos seeking drivers for smuggling. Some have been marked with the words: The action in this video could result in serious injury. But it appears to be stamped in ads where smugglers recorded video while driving. Many smuggling ventures are controlled by cartels or loosely affiliated groups. On ExpressNews.com: Human trafficking charges for man after chase Some of these organizations tie into a lot of different things like drugs and dangerous crime, Larrabee said, and when someone gets asked to drive, you are all of a sudden a part of that conspiracy. On March 15, Sebastian Tovar, 24, of Austin was down by the border, near Del Rio. He allegedly drove a maroon Dodge pickup that led a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper on a chase for approximately 50 miles, reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour, according to court records. Authorities said Tovar crashed head-on into another truck on Highway 277, killing his human cargo, eight undocumented immigrants. Tovar was driving in tandem with another truck that had a dozen more undocumented immigrants. The vehicle tried to leave as it waited in traffic when Tovar crashed, but the Border Patrol saw it and chased its occupants when they fled on foot. Until mid-September, no one but Tovar had been charged. But Sept. 15, three others were indicted with him, including the alleged driver of the second vehicle, Nicolas Mondragon-Gonzalez, of Austin. Attorney Kevin Boyd said he has six cases where the defendants, all under age 25, were recruited via Facebook to drive immigrant loads. Among them is Mondragon-Gonzalez. Boyd feels the matter hasnt gotten enough attention by law enforcement or the media to dissuade youths from illegally becoming human smugglers. Its a huge, huge problem, said Boyd, who is based in Austin. Some are under a lot of pressure by cartels not to talk. On the case Tovars lawyer, Raymond Meza Jr., declined to say whether his client was recruited on social media, but he said that the death penalty is off the table. The Justice Department decided it would not seek the most severe penalty available for Tovars alleged crimes of transporting undocumented immigrants resulting in death, and conspiracy. The most Tovar can face is life in prison. Meza declined further comment. A review of more than 20 cases by the Express-News found that many drivers often use their smartphones to stay in communication with the chain of smugglers, even to find remote locations to pick up human loads. Some toss the phones or destroy them before they are caught. When the phones are recovered, agents can build better cases, records show. I would say its a very high percentage of people using social media as a tool to communicate, federal agent Larrabee said. You can send a pin drop on a location, where you dont need to figure out what the address is anymore. On ExpressNews.com: Large-scale smuggling attempts increasing In May, Alvaro Vazquez-Ruiz was caught at the Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias with two undocumented immigrants, court records show. One of them was hidden inside a fake fuel tank in the Ford F350 truck Vazquez-Ruiz was driving. He told agents that he used Telegram to communicate with a smuggler, who offered him $1,500 per person he was able to smuggle through checkpoints between McAllen and Houston. Attorney Boyd said the smugglers appear to be using Telegram because they believe it is less scrutinized by the government. In Zavala County, Sheriff Salinas said the going rate has been $3,000 a person. Social media is a good and bad thing, Salinas said. It can be used in a lot of different ways. Larrabee asked anyone with information about smuggling to call Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-347-2423. All calls are kept confidential. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twiter: @gmaninfedland KIN MAN HUI/San Antonio Express-News file photo San Antonio police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man on the East Side as an argument turned deadly. Shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday morning, officers responded to reports of gunshots and a man lying on the ground in the 2600 block of Tillie, according to preliminary information released by police. The victim was pronounced dead by emergency responders. The San Antonio-New Braunfels area had more than 100 days of elevated air pollution in 2020, according to a report by the research and policy center Environment America. Among highly populated areas in the United States, San Antonio is among 10 that had the highest pollution levels, and it was the fourth-most polluted area in Texas behind El Paso, Austin and Brownsville. The report was based on the Environmental Protection Agencys Air Quality Index, known as AQI. Anything between 51 and 100 is considered moderate air quality, while anything over 101 is unhealthy. In 2020, San Antonio had 47 days with elevated ozone pollution levels and 57 days with high levels of particulate matter, and on three days, both conditions existed. In all, the area saw 101 days with an AQI over 51. Ozone is caused by nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds produced from vehicles, construction and some industries, as well as sunlight and heat. The tiniest form of particulate matter, known as PM 2.5, is caused by fossil fuel combustion and can come from various sources, such as natural gas-fueled power plants, factories and vehicle engines. Consistently high levels of pollution like this can cause adverse health effects for people with respiratory issues, and they can increase the chances of people being diagnosed with long-term health conditions, such as asthma or other lung diseases. The higher and higher the air pollution goes, the greater and greater the risk is, and the more people will have these effects, said Elizabeth Matsui, a professor of population health and pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin. In Bexar County, rates of hospitalization due to asthma are consistently higher than in Texas overall, according to a 2018-19 report by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. While the development of asthma is multifaceted, environmental factors can play a large part, such as local pollution levels. There is no question that air pollution is contributing to asthma rates in San Antonio, Matsui said. If youre growing up in an area and living in an area that youre chronically exposed to higher levels, youre going to have an increased likelihood of developing asthma, she said. And then once you develop asthma, youre going to have an increased risk of exacerbations and hospitalizations. During days with high levels of ozone and particulate matter, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality advises people with respiratory issues, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, to avoid outside activity or take caution. But even days with moderate pollution can be harmful, since the effects of long periods of unhealthy air exposure can accumulate over time. In late September, San Antonio had several consecutive days of high ozone pollution. Wendell Hardin, the citys ozone attainment program manager, said part of that is due to a cold front that was over the area during that time. There werent a lot of clouds during that cold front, so the sun was really strong, and that provides a catalyst for ozone pollution, Hardin said The same can be said about 2020. The city was hit by several ozone action days one after another around the same time, with a cold front coming in the beginning of October. In 2020, San Antonio had 70 days in which ozone concentration exceeded 50 parts per billion of air and eight with over 70 ppb, which is the EPAs limit. This year, the city has had 57 days over 50 ppb and 11 over 70 ppb, but Hardin is hoping the frequency of such days will decline at the end of October, when ozone pollution tends to be less severe. Driving and idling are also big contributors to pollution in San Antonio. Hardin said the city has been urging people to idle less, but during COVID-19, drive-thrus have gotten more popular. Many restaurants opt for drive-thru pickup and even delivery as a safety precaution, increasing the amount of idling. San Antonio is a transport hub too, Hardin said. We have traffic coming from the north, west, east. Everything passes through our highway system here, so a lot of the car emissions come from that. There can be a disconnect at times in peoples understanding of the links between pollution and health, Matsui said. For example, she said, it can be hard for people to understand that a bus idling outside a school and a child having an asthma attack on the playground arent always immediately correlated. Matsui said its important to note that it's not just individual behavior that makes a difference. Major components of air pollution include transportation as a whole and industry burning fossil fuels. How air pollution is managed from a broader policy perspective can drive it either direction, she said. For now, from a public health perspective, keeping an eye on the TCEQs air quality tracker can help people know which days could be more harmful than others and when people with respiratory issues should be cautious. San Antonians can also sign up for alerts. Its really important to get that information out, Hardin said. So people can be aware. Elena Bruess writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. elena.bruess@express-news.net Seeking to raise awareness about Texass medical marijuana program, one dispensary is taking its show on the road and bringing it to San Antonio. San Marcos-based medical marijuana company Goodblend Texas launched the Cannabus a 36-foot bus that has been retrofitted as a mobile dispensary and physicians office so that potential customers can speak with medical professionals about whether they are eligible for the states medical marijuana program. We are doing everything we can to get the word out that the program is available to the people who need it, said Marcus Ruark, the company's president. A lot of people dont know there is a legal way to medical access, and we thought something like this would catch peoples attention. The Cannabus will be in San Antonio on Nov. 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Blue House at 1002 N. Flores St. People interested can sign up for consultations at bit.ly/3ARk1hx. On ExpressNews.com: How to navigate Texas' medical marijuana laws Medical marijuana is legal in Texas, but its very restricted. To get medical marijuana, patients must be accepted into the Texas Compassionate Use Program with a doctors prescription to help with medical conditions such as epilepsy, seizures, terminal cancer, multiple sclerosis, incurable neurological disorders, autism and ALS. This year, Texas lawmakers passed and the governor signed House Bill 1535, which added post-traumatic stress disorder and cancer to the list of eligible conditions included in the Texas Compassionate Use Program. The bill took effect on Sept. 1. Since the program was updated, the Texas Department of Public Safety, which oversees it, reported a 30 percent increase in participants, Ruark said, adding that millions of Texans could be eligible for the program but that fewer than 10,000 patients are registered in the state. While it's great news that more Texans with specific conditions may be eligible to benefit from the Texas Compassionate Use Program, the challenge is that most Texans simply do not know that medical cannabis exists as a treatment option, Ruark said. On ExpressNews.com: Texas company launches state's first cannabis-infused gummies for medical marijuana users The Cannabus kicked off in Austin last week and will tour in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio through November. Appointments with a state-registered, board-certified physician to obtain a marijuana prescription will be $150 for a 20-minute consultation. If an individual is eligible, they will be given a prescription they can use immediately at the onboard dispensary. People who dont wish to obtain a prescription can also visit the Cannabus for free to get a personalized Q&A with a dispensary guide and learn more about the educational components behind medical marijuana, Ruark said. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net Towns and cities along the U.S.-Mexico border are celebrating news that after 19 long months, points of entry closed to non-essential travel will reopen next month. Places like Laredo and Brownsville will begin to rebuild longstanding patterns of travel for people who never saw it as non-essential. Theyll need to show proof of vaccination along with their visas. That major announcement last week might have overshadowed a new border initiative that holds the promise of boosting economic recovery, too. It will get more Mexican nationals in the U.S. vaccinated against the coronavirus. The project is part of the Mexican governments ongoing Ventanillas de Salud program. Its conducted by Mexican consulates in the U.S. in partnership with local nonprofit agencies that provide direct health and wellness services. The new initiative hopes to reach 3 million Mexican nationals, including undocumented migrants, with a goal of delivering at least 1 million vaccinations. The target audience for first or second vaccines and/or booster shots are essential workers 18 to 65 whove been hesitant to get vaccinated. The projects timeline: 12 months. A $2.5 million grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation will be regranted by the nonprofit U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership, or BPP, into $31,000 increments. The BPP will use the remainder, about $1 million, to do a national outreach campaign targeting the same populations that the local Ventanilla agencies will serve. The media and public relations campaign will promote COVID-19 vaccines and testing, aiming to eliminate hesitancy among Mexican nationals. Ventanilla de Salud, Spanish for windows of health, has served 14 million Mexican nationals, more than 3 million in 2020, according to Mexican officials. It was established in 2003. Fifty Mexican consulates are expected to tap local nonprofit agencies to apply. They will be agencies known and trusted in the Latino community, officials said. In San Antonio, the YWCA San Antonio operates Ventanilla projects for the Mexican consulate here, employing promotoras, or community health workers at the grass-roots level, to provide direct health education and services. Its the sole Ventanilla de Salud agency in San Antonio, said YWCA CEO Francesca Rattray, and has provided such services for the consulate since 2010. In 2019, that work led to a partnership with the National Institutes for Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the All of Us program, a longitudinal study of the health of Latinos, she said. In 2020, YWCA expanded its partnership with NIH to include the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and its Vacunas Para Todos program, Spanish for vaccines for all. In August, YWCA San Antonio also received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to train promotoras to assist in COVID-19 vaccination. Mexican Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma Barragan, the highest-ranking Mexican diplomat in the United States, was in Phoenix last week for the announcement of the new initiative. It coincided with the U.S.-Mexico Binational Health Leadership Summit and meetings of the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission. The BPP has overseen $7 million in charitable giving on both sides of the border, said executive director Andy Carey. BPP also has provided training to 16,000 U.S. and Mexican leaders on resource development, governance, volunteer mobilization, social media, nonprofit basics and legal and fiscal issues, he said. Its about to launch a new service to its members: a global online directory of foundations that do charitable giving. Carey said the most challenging part of the new initiative is convincing Mexican nationals, the undocumented among them, that the vaccine is safe and vital for them and their families. These folks are hard to reach and work a lot. They dont take time off, and they fear the vaccine may impact their ability to work, even if only for a day or two. At the same time, data from the CDC shows Latinos have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, Carey said, and more likely to be exposed at work. They cant work from home. The BPP cited CDC data showing Latinos are getting vaccinated at lower rates than other groups; are more likely to contract COVID-19 than non-Latino whites; and are more likely to be hospitalized and die from COVID-19. On top of that, Latinos face discrimination and bias, lack of health insurance (and) limited English language proficiency, the BPP said. Carey said the grants will allow a more equitable roll-out of vaccines. Ventanilla has delivered 100,000 shots already, but greater numbers must be reached. We have 35 million Mexican nationals in the United States, and 5.5 million of them are undocumented, Carey said. Some may oppose vaccinating immigrants in the country illegally, but Carey calls it humanitarian work. Its a way to protect everybody, he said. Like other testing and vaccine projects, people wont be asked about their immigration status. Local agencies can use the money as they see fit and have 12 months to get it done. eayala@express-news.net For the last few weeks, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has been the focus of numerous stories in the national media. Why? First, Abbott enacted several controversial polices in response to COVID-19 and attempts by local officials to circumvent his executive orders. Second, Abbott has become a symbol of how the Republican Party has been hijacked by former President Donald Trump. Here are 10 things we have learned about Abbott all of which should be of concern to Republicans in and out of Texas including those who have acquiesced and failed to condemn the former president. Abbott is not a conservative; his actions on COVID show he has abandoned the conservative principle that the local level, not the government, should make decisions about how to respond to problems like COVID. He doesnt care about the health of people; his responses both to the pandemic and the states power grid crisis last winter literally killed people. Abbott is not pro-business; to the contrary, his recent executive order forbidding businesses from imposing mandatory requirements to protect their workers proves this point. He is a political opportunist, caring primarily, perhaps exclusively, about his own political fortunes. He places politics above all else. Abbott is a hypocrite, making statements and implementing policies that contradict what he previously said and did. He is the archetype of what is wrong with politics at large in the U.S. Abbott is far from a shining example of what we desire of University of Texas at Austin alumni; to paraphrase UTs mantra, what starts with Abbott changes the world but in a negative way. Abbott disregards the truth, erroneously blaming President Joe Biden for the border crisis when the current border policy was implemented by Trump. He is guided by fear rather than courage and conviction, behaving in ways designed not to alienate Trump and Trumps base. As a result, one might correctly infer that Abbott is unethical, lacking sufficient integrity and a moral compass. As we approach 2022 and 2024, voters should pay attention to Abbotts rhetoric and decisions. Richard Cherwitz is the Ernest A. Sharpe Centennial professor emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin. Even before Trish DeBerry launched her campaign for Precinct 3 county commissioner, we had concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Her then-PR firm, the DeBerry Group, had numerous public contracts that would create at least the appearance of a conflict for someone serving in public office. DeBerry easily won her seat and has been a force on Bexar County Commissioners Court. She also restructured and re-branded her PR firm, now called talkStrategy, to address concerns about potential conflicts. But 10 months into DeBerrys term, our concerns endure. Case in point, talkStrategy is a finalist to renew a public relations and marketing contract with the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, which is set to meet Wednesday. Technically, the Alamo RMA is an independent entity from the county. Functionally, though, it is an extension of the county. County commissioners appoint its board members. County Manager David L. Smith is the RMAs executive director. Renee D. Green, the countys director of public works, is the RMAs chief engineer. And so on. We spoke with DeBerry, county officials and talkStrategy about the ethics of the RMA potentially selecting a PR firm that was founded by a sitting county commissioner. They all said there is no conflict. This may be legally and technically true, but we think it reflects a very narrow reading of the situation that treads on the public trust and screams for ethics reform. DeBerry told us she understood our concerns, but she had taken steps to address them. She is now a limited partner in talkStrategy, working only with private sector clients. She had divested her equity in the firm, she said, and is not involved in day-to-day operations. I have gone above and beyond to try to distance myself and create a firewall that is beyond reproach, she said. Anamaria Suescun-Fast, talkStrategys CEO and managing partner, oversees day-to-day operations, and said Trish doesnt even have an office here. She, too, reiterated that DeBerry is a limited partner but would not provide details about structure or compensation. She said the decision to pursue a renewal of the RMA contract the DeBerry Group landed it before the pandemic was hers alone. I know in my heart of hearts that it is not a conflict of interest, she said. And Larry Roberson, who oversees the civil division in the Bexar County District Attorneys Office, told us there is no legal conflict for three reasons. First, the RMA is, technically, a separate entity from the county. Second, DeBerry is not serving on the RMAs board, so she has no direct oversight. Third, even if she did serve on the RMAs board, all she would have to do is disclose her stake in talkStrategy and recuse herself from any vote. Or as Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said: No financial interest in whatever that entity is (talkStrategy) and that she is not making any money off of that. So, thats the case for talkStrategy. But we see a much more complicated landscape that should make everyone uncomfortable. For starters, county commissioners appoint the RMAs board, and Smith, the RMAs executive director, reports to county commissioners. Its disappointing, and telling, that RMA Board Chairman Michael J. Lynd, Jr. and Board Member Bobby Perez did not respond to our requests for comment. DeBerry is also featured prominently on talkStrategys website, so while she is a limited partner, she is highly visible. Beyond this, it runs counter to what DeBerry told us as a candidate. When questions arose about the DeBerry Group renewing a contract with the San Antonio Water System, DeBerry said, if there is even a perceived conflict of interest regarding a public sector contract, I will resign that contract, and I have also said we wont pursue public work. We specifically asked her about the RMA contract, and she said she would let it go, if elected. For her own sake, DeBerry should leave her firm, and the RMA needs to hit the reset button. The other finalist, KGB Texas, has a conflict, as RMA Board Member Walter Serna has had to recuse himself. Its way past time for the county and the RMA to pursue ethics reform. The death of Colin Powell brought together Democrats and Republicans on Monday morning, as Texas leaders from both parties expressed regret and respect and shared reminiscences of him. Powell was the first Black secretary of state in American history, serving in the administration of President George W. Bush, after having served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Bushs father, George H.W. Bush. Although fully vaccinated, Powell died of complications from COVID-19, as he suffered from a type of blood cancer that weakened his immune system. He was 84. George W. Bush posted a statement commemorating the retired four-star general on his website: Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of Colin Powell. He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam ... Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man." U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat, in an emailed statement, called Powell a personal friend of hers Secretary Powell was more than an astute general and outstanding civic leader who served our nations presidents, he was a kind-hearted and genuine American hero. He was a man of conscience and integrity who bravely stood against divisiveness and lived his life bringing people together, Jackson Lee wrote, saying he will remain a beloved individual among all political parties. He will remain a hero to all of us in name, spirit, sacrifices and in deeds. The nation has lost a great leader but more importantly the nation has lost a symbol of what is best and great about America, Jackson Lee wrote. Now Playing: Secretary of State Antony Blinken paid tribute to his predecessor, Colin Powell, the nation's first Black secretary of state, who died from COVID-19 complications. Blinken honored Powell as "an extraordinary leader and great man." (Oct. 18) Video: Associated Press Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expressed condolences on behalf of himself and his wife, adding that Powell served our country with dignity. Colin Powell was a trailblazing public servant and soldier-statesman, San Antonio Democrat Rep. Joaquin Castro wrote on Twitter. Powell reflected our nations highest values and inspired millions of people around the world. A heavy loss for all Americans may his memory be a blessing. Both of Texas U.S. senators weighed in. Today our nation lost an exemplary leader and steadfast advocate in Colin Powell, Sen. John Cornyn said. He helped guide our country through many difficult times, & his contributions revolutionized our national defense strategy. Today we should all remember a man who embodied the best of what it means to be an American, & who dedicated his life to defending our most basic values. And Sen. Ted Cruz wrote in an emailed statement: As our nations first African American Secretary of State, Powells life was as historic as it was extraordinary. In his tenure as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and throughout his remarkable career, General Powell dedicated his life to the defense and security of our nation. We will always remember the life and contributions of such a distinguished public servant and a proud American soldier. James A. Baker III, the Houstonian who served as secretary of state during the first Bush Administration while Powell was Joint Chiefs chairman, wrote: Colin Powell was a great and inspirational American patriot who will forever remind us that no challenge is insurmountable if you trust the values that made our nation a great one. General Powell was much more than a brilliant strategist. He was a beautiful human being and a trusted adviser to President Ronald Reagan and both presidents Bush. Republican U.S. Reps. Roger Williams of Parker County, John Carter of Round Rock and Dan Crenshaw of Houston all offered condolences to the Powell family and spoke of his legacy. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd of San Antonio, a Republican who did not run for reelection last year, wrote: Colin Powell was a trailblazing Black man who loved his family, heritage, and country. He stood up for what he believed in and acknowledged when he was wrong. We will always need leaders with skin that thick and values that honest. Colin Powell was a soldier, General, National Security Advisor, Secretary of State. He was respected by people on both sides of the aisle, young and old. His life of service made us better and he was admired by so many. I am one, wrote Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. The former Secretary was a trailblazer who earned widespread support from people on all sides of the political spectrum at home and abroad, said U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat. As the first Black Secretary of State, he was an inspiration to me and so many others. My prayers are with his family and loved ones, said Democratic U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, from Fort Worth. Colin Powell served our nation with grace and dignity, first as a soldier and then a chief diplomat. He brought to these roles a strategic mind, a level of professionalism, and a sense of compassion. My thoughts are with his family as they mourn his loss, said U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, of Dallas. edward.mckinley@chron.com Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is being spared in a new revised version of a congressional redistricting plan that had previously threatened to force thousands of mostly Black Houston residents to change who represents them in Washington. Texas House Democrats battled over the weekend to force House Republicans to accept a compromise proposal that keeps downtown Houston, Third Ward and Texas Southern University all within the 18th Congressional District. The Texas Senate had passed a redistricting plan last week that would have removed all of that from Jackson Lees district and put her personal residence in the 9th Congressional District, forcing a potential primary between Jackson Lee and U.S. Rep. Al Green, the only Black members of Congress from Houston. Senate Bill 6, as it passed out of the Senate, unnecessarily paired two of the congressional districts currently held by the longest-serving African Americans in Congress, state Rep. Senfronia Thompson said of the maps. Im grateful to my colleagues in the Texas House for understanding the pleas of our communities and for those who voted in favor of our amendment, 118-19. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox While the Democrats couldnt fix other problems in the redistricting plan, Thompson said the unpairing of Congresswoman Jackson Lee and Congressman Green is a huge victory for the voters of Harris County. A spokeswoman for Jackson Lee said the Congresswoman was grateful on behalf of her constituents for the revisions that protected her district. Incumbents bolstered Because the Texas House and Texas Senate passed different versions of a redistricting plan, a committee of House and Senate members negotiated a compromise version of the maps. Late Monday, the Texas House and Senate formally adopted the compromise plan. It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott for his final approval in order to become law. The Texas Legislature is in the final days of a special session aimed at redrawing all of the states congressional districts to account for population changes identified in the 2020 census. The proposed map creates new congressional districts in 2022 for Houston and Austin Texas is gaining two members of Congress because of its explosive growth since 2010 while increasing the number of Texas Republicans likely to go to Congress. And it improves the re-election chances of virtually every Republican in the states delegation, as well as those of many Democrats. THE IMPACT: What Texas congressional redistricting means for Houston voters Republicans hold majorities in the Texas House and Senate, giving them vastly more power to shape the redistricting maps that will be in effect for the next 10 years. Democrats have continually criticized the Republican map drawers for not creating more districts to reflect the states growing diversity over the last decade. According to the census, Texans of color accounted for 95 percent of the states population growth. Its shameful, State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, said moments before Monday nights vote. You know thats wrong. Members of Congress have also expressed frustration at how Republicans have done the redistricting plan. Republican politicians in the Texas Legislature are picking their voters instead of allowing Texans to chose their representatives through fair maps, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said last week. The proposed maps are designed to discriminate, particularly against Latinos, who are the driving force behind the states population growth. COLUMN: Republicans' redistricting plans give short shrift to Latino, Black and Asian voters in Texas When the Texas Senate passed its first plan that splintered the 18th Congressional District, it provoked Jackson Lee and Green to personally make appearances in the House and Senate to ask for lawmakers to restore their districts. During a hearing on Friday, dozens of people from the 18th Congressional District testified against the redrawing plan. House Republicans initially refused to change the maps despite the pressure, but late Saturday night they accepted Thompsons amendment to restore much of Jackson Lees district to its current makeup. While much of her district has been restored, residents around Sunnyside and South Park are still being shifted into Greens 9th Congressional District. Also, as part of the compromise, Jackson Lees district will lose neighborhoods around Greens Landing and around the Houston National Cemetery. Those areas will now be in the 29th Congressional District. jeremy.wallace@chron.com twitter.com/jeremyswallace NEW HAVEN A partnership between the state, its community college system and a subsidiary of e-commerce giant Amazon will establish non-credit certificate program classes offering training in a variety of computer and information technology skills, Gov. Ned Lamont said Monday. Amazon Web Services, which provides on-demand cloud computing platforms to individuals, companies and governments, will provide the curriculum for the courses, which will be offered through Connecticuts community college system. The courses will cost $795 and will be taken over a five- to seven-week period, according to state Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe. We will help with the cost of the course for people who it is an issue for, Geballe said. The partnership does not involve any money changing hands between the state and AWS, he said; the money a student pays for the course goes to the community college the individual attends. Lamont announced the partnership during a press conference at Gateway Community College. We have tens of thousands of these jobs that are being advertised every year and now we want to match the training with the need, he said. The initial goal of the program is to train more than 2,000 Connecticut residents by 2024, said Terrence Cheng, president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, which oversees the states 12 community colleges. Cheng said 20 faculty members across the community college system are being trained to teach the classes. The first classes for what will be known as AWS Academy will be offered at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport Nov. 2. The classes then will be rolled out at Manchester and Three Rivers community colleges Nov. 29 and at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield in early December. The rest of Connecticuts community colleges will offer AWS Academy beginning in the spring 2022 semester, according to state officials. Geballe said more than 40,000 jobs were advertised last year alone that sought individuals with skills relate to cloud computing and information technology. The median salary for cloud computing jobs is $180,00, he said. These are great jobs, Geballle said. An inability to fill those positions can slow down a technology companys productivity or force Connecticut-based companies to look to hire out-of-state residents with the necessary skills, he said. We want to keep those jobs here, Geballle said. Amazon is a leader in cloud computing. Here in Connecticut, we can choose to be stuck in the past or we can modernize the way the state operates. The CSCU has created a dedicated web page for interested students to get more information and sign up for the training. For more information, visit www.ct.edu/aws. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com GREENWICH Fall is cold and flu season, and the Greenwich Department of Health is holding vaccine clinics for residents to get flu and pneumonia shots. Registered nurse Lori Liss administered vaccines at the clinic at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center in Old Greenwich on Wednesday. The vaccines were available to anyone age 9 and up at the clinic. A new briefing has been sent to parliamentarians on the potential health risks associated with pesticides, as well as their regulation post-Brexit. Nicole Kennard, a University of Sheffield PhD researcher, acquired evidence from over 50 experts in the field, including Public Health England, Defra, and devolved governments to co-author a brief for MPs on the potential health impacts of pesticide use. The result is an impartial summary on the potential impacts and health risks associated with pesticide use, as well as the possible issues that may arise with their regulation following Brexit. The briefing notes that over 70 percent of the total land area in the UK is agricultural, and three quarters of this is estimated to be at risk of some form of pesticide pollution. This is a timely POSTbrief as the UKs regulatory bodies begin to review new pesticide applications post Brexit, and how these processes will work now that UK regulators are conducting reviews and public consultations on their own, outside of the EU structure. Additionally, as the UK begins negotiating new trade deals, there is speculation about whether or not it may change its regulatory approaches from the current EU framework to more streamlined approaches that closely resemble other countries in the world, such as the US and Australia. Whether UK pesticide regulations will change and how remains to be seen, as the government has committed to not compromise on food safety standards in trade deals. The brief also looks at EU pesticide regulations, which are some of the strictest in the world. In its Farm to Fork Strategy, the European Commission has proposed to cut pesticide use by 50 percent by 2030. The UK plans to set pesticide risk reduction targets in 2022, but what these will be is still unknown. There is ongoing debate among stakeholders about whether the UK should continue to conform to the same levels of regulation as the UK previously did as a member state. The UK still currently follows these regulatory levels as retained EU law, but this may change in the years to come, the briefing notes. The rigorous assessment process that pesticides must go through to be approved both locally and internationally is also discussed. According to the report, it costs companies almost US$300 million and usually takes over a decade to develop a pesticide product and bring it to market. Companies must prove no harmful effects on human health and no unacceptable effects on the environment for substances to be approved. The assessments for new pesticides and pesticide renewals specifically consider the risks to more susceptible groups such as children, those working with pesticides, and people who live or walk near pesticide-treated areas. Once they are approved, legal limits are set for the maximum amount of pesticide residue allowed in foods. Levels of residues in food are constantly monitored in the UK, and the brief says exceedances in foods are very rare and rarely result in any likely health concerns for consumers. Although pesticides have not been established as a direct cause of any health problems, the report shows that growing research suggests that they appear to have been associated with a 50% increase in parkinsons disease for workers and farmers who are exposed to pesticides far more often than the general public. There have also been associations between maternal exposure to pesticides during pregnancy and rises in childhood cancer, it explains. However, as people are subjected to so many different pesticides and chemicals every day, the report says it is difficult for research to link pesticides to specific health issues at this time. Moreover, some of the studies analysed in systematic reviews also include pesticides now prohibited in the UK and Europe that are still used in other parts of the world. Nicole Kennard, author of the POSTbrief said: We don't know exactly how being exposed to low doses of pesticides, through the environment, water and food impacts our long-term health, or how these pesticides interact with each other and other chemicals - something often termed as the cocktail effect. It is a very difficult area to study because we are all exposed to such a wide range of chemicals every day. So far, it has not been proven that pesticides are a direct cause of any specific health impact, but this does not mean that they couldnt be. "There are associations between pesticide exposure and increased health risks for certain pesticides. Research is still growing in this area. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category In partnership with Cainiao, AliExpress will now offer X-day delivery guarantee for selected international orders supported by a newly streamlined network HANGZHOU, China, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AliExpress, part of Alibaba Group and one of the world's largest online retail marketplaces, has introduced innovative logistics solutions in partnership with Cainiao, Alibaba's logistics arm. Ahead of the world renowned 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, this enables the Company to offer X-day delivery guarantee and an enhanced service to millions of customers. The upgrades, consisting of China domestic selection warehouses, automated sorting centers, overseas warehouses, increased weekly chartered flights, as well as last mile self-pickup network, help create one of the world's most robust cross-border e-commerce ecosystems. These new additions significantly speed up the dispatch time needed for shipments from China to overseas customers. Riding on this momentum and the triple digit growth in AliExpress's key markets, Brazil, Spain and France in 2020, the Company plans to further increase its investment in innovative technology to support its global and local logistics. "Shoppers worldwide have come to expect efficient delivery," said Wang Mingqiang, general manager of AliExpress. "Through our ongoing innovations and strategic partnership with Cainiao, we have enhanced our cross-border e-commerce ecosystem. We can now help our sellers deliver popular products within an incredibly efficient delivery time to Europe and Latin America. As we implement this enhanced supply chain network ahead of the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, we are thrilled to be delivering goods faster and more reliably with no additional cost for our valued customers." In the past year, the number of packages received and delivered by AliExpress' ecosystem logistics partners has increased by 100 percent. In response to the rising needs through partnership with Cainiao, five selection warehouses and nine automated sorting centers have been established in China for sellers to pre-stock their AliExpress products, thus significantly reducing the dispatch time, along with 80 chartered flights in average every week, AliExpress now offers 10 working days delivery for selected cross border orders made in Spain and France, 12 working days for Brazil and five working days for South Korea. There are plans to roll out the initiatives in more European markets. In the past year, the number of packages received and delivered by AliExpress' ecosystem logistics partners has increased by 100 percent. In response to the rising needs through partnership with Cainiao, five selection warehouses have been established in China for sellers to pre-stock their AliExpress products, thus significantly reducing the dispatch time, along with nine domestic automated sorting centers and 80 chartered flights in average every week, AliExpress now offers 10 working days delivery for selected cross border orders made in Spain and France, 12 working days for Brazil and five working days for South Korea. There are plans to roll out the initiatives in more European markets. Between November 11 through 30, AliExpress will have more than 300 chartered flights in total to ensure customers receive their package on time. Since 2020, AliExpress and Cainiao have also actively developed overseas warehouses to enhance the capacity and efficiency of cross-border logistics networks. By utilizing these warehouses, local delivery in Spain and France can be achieved in three days and seven days for the rest of Europe. Over the next year overseas warehouses will largely be upgraded with a strong emphasis on local logistics. On the last mile delivery, a network of over 20,000 self-pickup service points has been launched in Spain, France, Poland and Russia, combining AliExpress-branded lockers powered and operated by Cainiao, as well as collection points powered by local partners. These lockers offer a fluid shopping experience for consumers, who can freely and quickly pick up their AliExpress orders in automatic lockers. This is a practical solution that offers greater flexibility and security. Additionally, AliExpress will introduce "On-time Guarantee" in Spain and France ahead of the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival. This service will be applicable for any orders shipping from China domestic selection warehouses, as well as Cainiao overseas warehouses, and AliExpress will automatically reimburse $1 USD coupon per order in case of late arrival of the packages. AliExpress has continued to improve its delivery service with a logistics strategy that grows stronger every year. The latest upgrades came just in time for the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival to bring customers around the world a delivery guarantee with a much shorter timeline. AliExpress will be allocating more resources to support its business roadmap, a key element of the roadmap is recruiting more local merchants onto the platform. Enhancing the network of overseas warehouses and self-pickup lockers for a better customer experience are one of the key business objectives for AliExpress in the coming years. About AliExpress Launched in 2010, AliExpress (www.aliexpress.com) is a global retail marketplace that enables consumers from around the world to buy directly from manufacturers and distributors primarily in China and is dedicated to becoming a platform for worldwide merchants to sell locally and globally. AliExpress operates in multiple languages including English, Russian, Spanish, French, Polish, Korean and Italian. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1660452/AliExpress_Unveils_Innovative_Logistics_Solutions.jpg HANOVER (dpa-AFX) - E+S Ruckversicherung AG, the Hannover Re subsidiary responsible for the Group's German business, said it expects rising reinsurance prices after catastrophic weather events in the Germany. The disastrous flooding caused by the low-pressure system 'Bernd' led to insured market losses in Germany alone well in excess of 8 billion euros. 'After the terrible severe weather events of June and July, 2021 will go down as one of the costliest years ever for the German market,' said Dr. Michael Pickel, Chief Executive Officer of E+S Ruck. E+S said it expects higher prices and improved conditions in property and casualty reinsurance on the German market following the devastating flood damage in the summer. E+S Ruck anticipates appreciable adjustments to prices and conditions in the property line in Germany, especially for catastrophe covers. Moreover, demand for high-quality reinsurance protection continues to grow. According to the company, claims frequencies in motor insurance will come close to reaching the pre-pandemic level again in 2022. At the same time, the sharp rise in the cost of spare parts and repairs has continued and even accelerated in recent months. E+S Ruck considers higher prices in the reinsurance market for commercial and industrial risks to be necessary, especially under loss-impacted programmes. On the conditions side, too, adjustments are needed for pandemic-related and cyber risks if they have not already been implemented. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX HANNOVER RUECK-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 18, 2021 / Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQX:PMMCF) is pleased to provide an update regarding its 4,200-hectare Block 4 Project in northern Chile, where the Company has completed detailed surface geological reconnaissance together with a ground magnetic geophysical survey of the project area. Pampa Metals' Block 4 project is located along the Cordillera de Domeyko Porphyry Copper Belt in northern Chile, which is host to some of the world's largest copper deposits and mines. The property is located along a highly prolific segment of this Andean mineral belt, centred along trend some 110 km south of the giant La Escondida - Zaldivar copper mining district and 115 km north-northeast of the El Salvador copper mine. Pampa Metals has a unique property portfolio of eight (8) projects covering a series of greenfield copper and gold targets along the highly productive, world-class mineral belts of northern Chile. The company has a highly qualified board and management, with lengthy experience with major and junior companies, participation in significant discoveries, and multiple decades of experience in South America. Current technical activities include: Ongoing geophysical, geochemical, and geological surveys have identified high-quality drill targets on 4 wholly owned projects; Recent drilling at 2 of these projects has given clear vectors towards what are interpreted to be mineralised porphyry centers; Value-add via third party expenditures with an Option & JV Agreement at 2 additional projects. Block 4: Summary & Highlights Intense quartz-veinlet stockwork in dacitic porphyry intrusion discovered in limited outcrops in center of Block 4 property boundary. Characteristic of porphyry gold systems elsewhere. Limited outcrops allow for limited rock-chip sampling - results pending. Clear, discrete, magnetic high associated with area of quartz-veinlet stockworking. No historic drilling associated with this discovered zone of interest. Other magnetic features of potential interest occur within the property boundary, including an area with sporadic copper oxides at surface that has been subject to historic (old) RC drilling (results unknown to the Company). Magnetic features of interest under cover to the east and north of the principal zone of interest are associated with lineaments that possibly reflect the extensions of mapped north-south faults. Further work programs being planned. Block 4: Technical Details The Pampa Metals technical team in Chile completed a 1:5000 geological mapping survey of the Company's 4,200 Ha Block 4 project in early October 2021. This work followed on from the recent completion of a ground-based magnetic survey (see news release dated August 3, 2021), which identified several magnetic anomalies of potential interest. Field mapping has delineated lithological units, structures, hydrothermal alteration, and mineralisation within the Block 4 property, where outcropping. Block 4 is located along the Cordillera de Domeyko Porphyry Belt - the world's most prolific copper producing belt - about 110 km south of the La Escondida - Zaldivar copper mining cluster (Figure 1). Significant portions of the Block 4 project area are characterised by post-mineral Miocene to Recent alluvial and volcanic cover, particularly to the north and east within the property boundary, where the underlying geology is obscured. Elevated sierras around the western and southern margins of the property expose basement rocks that include Palaeozoic felsic volcanics and intrusions, and Mid- to Late- Triassic andesites, sediments and andesite-dacite porphyries. The basement rocks are limited to the east by a series of north-south to north-northeast faults, which to the north have continuity with the Escondida Fault that cuts the La Escondida - Zaldivar mining district. Old reports and regional data indicate that Jurassic sediments are intruded by Lower Tertiary dioritic rocks under the gravels to the east of the north-south fault system. Palaeozoic felsic volcanic rocks in the central-northeastern part of the property display copper-oxide mineralization at surface associated with hydrothermal alteration with quartz veins and veinlets, the relationship of which to porphyry systems has been tested in the past by eleven, old, third-party RC drill holes identified on this portion of the property, the results of which are unknown to Pampa Metals. Felsic basement rocks in the central part of the project area are cut by a possibly Lower- to Mid- Tertiary porphyry of fine, dacitic composition that is poorly exposed over an approximate area of 600m x 300m. This shows strong evidence of porphyry-type development with phyllic alteration and narrow and thick veinlets of "A" type quartz veinlets together with sinuous, banded grey quartz veinlets (see photograph below). This veinlet style is typical of some gold-rich porphyry systems in northern Chile. Limited samples (due to the lack of outcrop) have been submitted for chemical analysis, with results pending. Quartz-Veinlet Stockwork in Center of Block 4 Project Area "A"-Type and Banded Grey Quartz Veinlets Various processed product maps from a ground magnetic geophysical survey recently completed at Block 4 consistently reveal a clear, isolated magnetic high in the central part of the property, which is coincident with the zone of quartz-veinlet stockworks. The magnetic anomaly is about 800m x 800m in surface plan view, and depth slices of the data suggest a subvertical, conical body at least 750m in vertical extent, possibly connected to a larger intrusion to the northeast and southeast (Figure 2). The magnetic data indicate additional anomalies that may be associated with magmatic centres and/or porphyry-related hydrothermal alteration zones, with minor copper oxides occurring in the exposed zones, while others under cover are associated with north-south faults or magnetic lineaments. One of these has 4 historic RC drill holes on its margins, with unknown results. Pampa Metals continues with the processing and interpretation of its field geological and geophysical data, including pending chemical analyses from limited sampling, to decide the next steps for the project, which may include one or more of further geological work, limited trenching, additional geophysical surveys, and reconnaissance drilling. Qualified Person Technical information in this news release has been approved by Mario Orrego G, Geologist and a Registered Member of the Chilean Mining Commission and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Orrego is a consultant to the Company. Note: The reader is cautioned that the Block 4 Project is an early-stage exploration property and reference to existing mines and deposits, or mineralization hosted on adjacent and nearby properties, is not necessarily indicative of any mineralization hosted on the Block 4 Project. COVID-19 The global outbreak of COVID-19 has led governments worldwide to enact emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus. Such measures may result in a period of business disruption including reduced operations, which could have a material adverse impact on the Company's results of operations, financial condition and the market and trading price of the Company's securities. As of the date of this news release, the duration and immediate and eventual impact of the COVID-19 pandemic remain unknown. It is not possible to reliably estimate the length and severity of these developments and the impact on the financial results and condition of the Company. The outbreak of COVID-19 has not caused significant disruptions to the Company's business to date, with field activities being conducted by Chile-based specialists and consultants, although international travel to Chile for management has not been possible to date. Important business communication is largely reliant on digital media. Notwithstanding progress to date, the COVID-19 outbreak may yet cause disruptions to the Company's business and operational plans. ABOUT PAMPA METALS Pampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE:PM) as well as the Frankfurt (FSE:FIRA) and OTC (OTCQB:PMMCF) exchanges. Pampa Metals owns a highly prospective 59,000-hectare portfolio of eight projects for copper and gold located along proven mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. The Company has a vision to create value for shareholders and all other stakeholders by making a major copper discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile, using the best geological and technological methods. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website www.pampametals.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Julian Bavin | Chief Executive Officer www.pampametals.com INVESTOR CONTACT Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos | Director investors@pampametals.com Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements." All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Figure 1: Location of Block 4 on Regional Map Together with Other Pampa Metals' Properties Along Domeyko Copper Belt (Blue Polygons) Figure 2: Block 4 - Ground Magnetics - MVI @ 100m Depth Central Magnetic Feature Coincides with Outcropping Quartz-Veinlet Stockwork Zone Isolated Anomalies in Central Western Portion of Project Area are of Potential Interest "Rubble" Anomalies to North & East Reflect Ignimbrite in Post-Mineral Cover SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/668435/Pampa-Metals-Identifies-Intense-Porphyry-Related-Quartz-Vein-Stockwork-at-Surface-at-Its-Block-4-Project-After-Completing-Geological-and-Geophysical-Reconnaissance Freedom Finance Europe attended the sixteenth annual European Leveraged Finance Conference held by the Association of European Financial Markets (AFME) on 29 September 2021 in London. Our company was the lead partner of the event. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005358/en/ Freedom Finance Europe attended the sixteenth annual European Leveraged Finance Conference held by the Association of European Financial Markets (AFME) on 29 September 2021 in London (Photo: Business Wire) Following the conference, a delegation led by Executive Director, Evgeniy Tyapkin, held talks with Gary Simmons, Managing Director of AFME's High Yield Securities Division and Elena Travallini, AFME Membership Director. The parties outlined plans for increased co-operation next year, increased the number of AFME working groups with the representatives of Freedom Finance Europe and discussed preparations for joint events. As a reminder, Freedom Finance Europe has been an active member since May 2020. Our professionals provide expertise in working groups to develop legislative initiatives in order to regulate the European capital markets and Liudmila Kiriaku, Director of Regulatory Affairs, is a member of the AFME Compliance Committee. Along with Freedom Finance Europe, AFME members include pan-European and global banks, brokers, law firms and other significant financial market participants. These include JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Bloomberg L.P, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Standard Poor's and others. Freedom Finance Europe Ltd. Website About Freedom Finance Europe Ltd. Freedom Finance Europe Ltd. is a modern, dynamic and reliable broker with professional customer support, with an experienced team with knowledge and expertise in the European and US stock markets. The company offers ongoing support, providing robust trading platforms and technologies for high-performance work on the market. Via its traders or by using the Freedom24 mobile trading platform investors can obtain direct access to the American and European stock markets and the opportunity to participate in IPO. Freedom Finance Europe Ltd. is registered in Cyprus on 05.08.2013 under registration number HE324220 and is regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) under licence number CIF 275/15, granted on 20.05.2015. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005358/en/ Contacts: Dina Akhmetova Tel: +31 (0) 20 754 64 64 dina.akhmetova@cognitomedia.nl MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / October 18, 2021 / Quebec Precious Metals Corporation ("QPM" or the "Company") (TSX.V:QPM)(OTCQB:CJCFF)(FSE:YXEP) is pleased to report it has received a $ 2,000,000 payment in connection with the sale of a 2% Net Smelter Return royalty on all payable metals from the mining rights of the Tansim lithium project (the "Project") to Lithium Royalty Corporation ("LRC"). The sale is part of a transaction between Sayona Mining Limited and Sayona Quebec Inc. (collectively, "Sayona Qc") and LRC announced on September 30, 2021. On January 13, 2021, QPM had announced the receipt of a payment of $250,000 in reference to the exercise of the second option by Sayona Qc to acquire an additional undivided 50% interest in the Project's mining rights forming part of the Project. Sayona Qc owns 100% interest in the Project. Normand Champigny, CEO of QPM, stated: "This payment is another step in the completion of the monetization process of our non-core assets. This allows us to better fund our gold exploration programs in the James Bay region without the need for equity financing." About Quebec Precious Metals Corporation QPM is a gold explorer with a large land position in the highly prospective Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory, Quebec, near Newmont Corporation's Eleonore gold mine. QPM's flagship project is the Sakami project with significant grades and well-defined drill-ready targets. QPM's goal is to rapidly explore the Project and to advance to the mineral resource estimate stage. For more information please contact: Jean-Francois Meilleur President Tel.: 514 951-2730 jfmeilleur@qpmcorp.ca Normand Champigny Chief Executive Officer Tel.: 514 979-4746 nchampigny@qpmcorp.ca Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Quebec Precious Metals Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/668477/Quebec-Precious-Metals-Receives-2000000-Payment-From-Sale-of-Royalty-on-Tansim-Lithium-Project TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / October 18, 2021 / Talisker Resources Ltd. (" Talisker " or the " Company ") (TSX:TSK)(OTCQX:TSKFF) is pleased to announce high grade results from drill hole SB-2021-054 at its 100% owned flagship Bralorne Gold Project. Five diamond drill rigs are currently drilling at Bralorne. A total of 65,789 metres consisting of 118 holes of a planned and fully funded 100,000 metre drill program has been drilled at the Bralorne Gold Project this year with a total of 87,960m (154 holes) since Talisker initiated drilling in February 2020. There are currently 24 holes consisting of 8,594 samples at the assay laboratory that the Company expects to be received shortly. Talisker is concurrently drilling a high-grade narrow vein resource within 700m from surface at Bralorne and a close to surface (<350m) bulk tonnage resource at Pioneer. Key Points: Intersected a new vein highlighted by 148.5 g/t Au over 0.5m within 49.6 g/t Au over 1.5m. Successful intercept targeting of the 101 Vein, 55 Vein and 55FW Vein returning 37.9 g/t Au over 0.5m within 6.73 g/t over 3.0m (101 Vein), 9.8 g/t Au over 0.5m (55 Vein) and 12.05 g/t Au over 0.5m (55FW Vein). SB-2021-054 intersected near surface low-grade bulk-mineralization within the northwest extension of the Pioneer granite grading 0.93 g/t Au over 27m from 16 to 43 metres and 0.8 g/t Au over 11m from 83 to 94m. Previous intercepts in the 101 Vein include 7.79 g/t Au over 2.15m (SB-2020-024) and 6.76 g/t Au over 2.0m (SB-2020-028). This hole increases the number of intercepts for the 101 Vein to 14. Previous intercepts on the 55 Vein include 43.64 g/t Au over 1.20m (SB-2020-015), 9.54 g/t Au over 1.90m (SB-2021-017) and 12.75 g/t Au over 0.5m (SB0-2021-058). This hole increases the number of intercepts for the 55 Vein to 31. The 55FW Vein is currently being modelled and is highlighted by 8.53 g/t Au over 1.0m (SB-2021-058). Terry Harbort, President and CEO stated, "The high-grade results highlighted by a more than five ounces per tonne intercept on the 227 vein, a vein not historically mined, shows the immediate upside potential at Bralorne being unlocked by our current drill program. We expect to receive more similar results as congestion eases at the laboratory." SB-2021-058 Hole Description: Complete results have been received for this hole. Located in the Bralorne West block on the northwest margin of the granitic intrusive. Intersected multiple plugs of granitic intrusive hosted within diorite to 368.5m followed by diorite to completion at 707.2m. 227 Vein intersected from 272.35 to 723.85 m with visible gold. 101 Vein intersected from 523.3 to 523.8m with visible gold. 55 Vein intersected from 615.5 to 616.5m with visible gold. 55FW Vein intersected 628.3 to 628.8m with visible gold. Veins considered classic Bralorne crack-seal quartz-carbonate veins with densely banded sulphide septae hosting fine-grained arsenopyrite and pyrite mineralization with strong silica-sericite alteration halos. Table 1: Bralorne Gold Project - Drill Hole SB-2021-054 Diamond Drill Hole Name From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Zone Method Reported SB-2021-054 16 16.5 0.5 0.90 Near Surface Bulk Zone Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 16.5 17.5 1 0.13 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 17.5 19 1.5 0.05 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 19 19.5 0.5 0.35 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 19.5 20 0.5 0.59 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 20 20.5 0.5 1.21 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 20.5 21 0.5 0.87 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 21 21.5 0.5 0.40 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 21.5 22 0.5 2.03 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 22 22.5 0.5 1.04 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 22.5 23 0.5 0.89 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 23 23.5 0.5 1.51 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 23.5 24 0.5 1.32 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 24 24.5 0.5 2.01 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 24.5 25 0.5 3.51 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 25 25.5 0.5 6.13 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 25.5 26 0.5 6.52 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 26 26.5 0.5 3.66 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 26.5 27 0.5 1.18 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 27 27.85 0.85 0.87 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 27.85 28.35 0.5 0.05 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 28.35 28.85 0.5 0.05 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 28.85 29.5 0.65 0.33 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 29.5 30 0.5 0.48 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 30 30.5 0.5 1.10 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 30.5 31 0.5 0.83 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 31 31.5 0.5 0.65 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 31.5 32 0.5 0.59 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 32 32.5 0.5 0.83 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 32.5 33 0.5 0.41 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 33 33.5 0.5 0.65 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 33.5 34 0.5 0.96 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 34 34.5 0.5 0.52 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 34.5 35 0.5 0.39 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 35 35.5 0.5 0.64 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 35.5 36.5 1 0.44 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 36.5 37 0.5 0.14 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 37 37.6 0.6 VOID Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 37.6 38.2 0.6 1.40 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 38.2 39 0.8 0.41 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 39 40 1 0.28 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 40 41 1 0.42 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 41 42 1 0.22 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 42 43 1 0.11 Near Surface Bulk Zone Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 83 84.5 1.5 0.56 Near Surface Bulk Zone Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 84.5 86 1.5 0.92 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 86 87.5 1.5 2.66 Au-SCR24 SB-2021-054 87.5 89 1.5 0.61 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 89 89.5 0.5 0.74 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 89.5 90 0.5 0.12 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 90 91 1 0.51 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 91 92.5 1.5 0.38 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 92.5 94 1.5 0.12 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 272.35 272.85 0.5 0.23 227 Vein Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 272.85 273.35 0.5 0.07 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 273.35 273.85 0.5 148.50 Au-GRA22 SB-2021-054 522.5 523.3 0.8 0.33 101 Vein Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 523.3 523.8 0.5 37.90 Au-SCR24 SB-2021-054 523.8 524.3 0.5 0.04 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 524.3 525.5 1.2 0.80 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 615 615.5 0.5 0.13 55 Vein Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 615.5 616 0.5 0.35 Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 616 616.5 0.5 9.80 Au-SCR24 SB-2021-054 627.75 628.3 0.55 0.57 55FW Vein Au-AA26 SB-2021-054 628.3 628.8 0.5 12.05 Au-SCR24 Notes: Diamond drill hole SB-2021-054 has collar orientation of Azimuth 180; Dip -55. True widths are estimated at 40 - 90% of intercept lengths and are based on oriented core measurements where available. Method Reported includes the most up to date information as of the date of this press release. Qualified Person The technical information contained in this news release relating to the drill results at the Bralorne Gold Project has been approved by Leonardo de Souza (BSc, AusIMM (CP) Membership 224827), Talisker's Vice President, Exploration and Resource Development, who is a "qualified person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Talisker Resources Ltd. Talisker (taliskerresources.com ) is a junior resource company involved in the exploration of gold projects in British Columbia, Canada. Talisker's projects include two advanced stage projects, the Bralorne Gold Complex and the Ladner Gold Project, both advanced stage projects with significant exploration potential from historical high-grade producing gold mines, as well as its Spences Bridge Project where the Company holds ~85% of the emerging Spences Bridge Gold Belt and several other early-stage Greenfields projects. With its properties comprising 296,983 hectares over 346 claims, three leases and 198 crown grant claims, Talisker is a dominant exploration player in the south-central British Columbia. The Company is well funded to advance its aggressive systematic exploration program at its projects. For further information, please contact: Terry Harbort President & CEO Terry.harbort@talliskerresources.com +1 416 361 2808 Related Links: https://taliskerresources.com/ Sample Preparation and QAQC Drill core at the Bralorne project is drilled in HQ to NQ size ranges (63.5mm and 47.6mm respectively). Drill core samples are minimum 50 cm and maximum 160 cm long along the core axis. Samples are focused on an interval of interest such as a vein or zone of mineralization. Shoulder samples bracket the interval of interest such that a total sampled core length of not less than 3m both above and below the interval of interest must be assigned. Sample QAQC measures of unmarked certified reference materials (CRMs), blanks, and duplicates are inserted into the sample sequence and make up 9% of the samples submitted to the lab for holes reported in this release. Sample preparation and analyses is carried out by ALS Global in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and SGS Canada in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Drill core sample preparation includes drying in an oven at a maximum temperature of 60C, fine crushing of the sample to at least 70% passing less than 2 mm, sample splitting using a riffle splitter, and pulverizing a 250 g split to at least 85% passing 75 microns (ALS code PREP-31 / SGS code PRP89). Gold in diamond drill core is analysed by fire assay and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) of a 50g sample (ALS code Au-AA26 / SGS code GO_FAA50V10), while multi-element chemistry is analysed by 4- Acid digestion of a 0.25 g sample split with detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for 48 elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ge, Hf, In, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Re, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Ta, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Y, Zn, Zr). Gold assay technique (ALS code Au-AA26 / SGS code FAA50V10) has an upper detection limit of 100 ppm. Any sample that produces an over-limit gold value via the gold assay technique is sent for gravimetric finish (ALS method Au-GRA22 / SGS method GO_FAG50V) which has an upper detection limit of 1,000 ppm Au. Samples where visible gold was observed are sent directly to screen metallics analysis and all samples that fire assay above 1 ppm Au are re-analysed with method (ALS code Au-SCR24 / SGS code - 6 - GO_FAS50M) which employs a 1kg pulp screened to 100 microns with assay of the entire oversize fraction and duplicate 50g assays on the undersize fraction. Where possible all samples initially sent to screen metallics processing will also be re-run through the fire assay with gravimetric finish provided there is enough material left for further processing. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Talisker's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, effective time of the rights provided to New Gold under the Investor Rights Agreement, the completion of New Gold's strategic investment; the completion of the Offering, the use of proceeds, the operations of the Company and the timing which could be affected by the current global COVID-19 pandemic. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to Talisker. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of Talisker's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate. While Talisker considers these statements to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information involves 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 forward-looking information. Such factors include market risks and the demand for securities of the Company, risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, and regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date hereof, and Talisker is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Figure 1: SB-2021-054 hole location within the Bralorne West Block. Figure 2: SB-2021-054 cross section intersecting the 227 vein, 101 vein, the 55 vein and the 55FW vein hosted within Diorite. SOURCE: Talisker Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/668471/Talisker-Intersects-High-Grade-Gold-on-Newly-Defined-227-Vein-at-Bralorne-West Silver Lake, a global leader in technology investing, and Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE), a leading global provider of data, technology, and market infrastructure, today announced an agreement in which Silver Lake will make a long-term strategic investment in Euroclear Holding SA/NV by acquiring ICE's 9.85% stake in the company's share capital for EUR709 million. Euroclear is a leading Brussels, Belgium-based provider of post-trade security settlement, custody, collateral management, fund management and data services with 35.2 trillion of assets under custody and 284 million netted transactions settled in the 12 months ended June 2021. Euroclear is a vital European and global financial market infrastructure company, connecting more than 2,000 financial institutions in 50 different markets and settling transactions in 50 currencies. Silver Lake's acquisition of ICE's stake in Euroclear is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval. Following Silver Lake's investment, Silver Lake will request that a representative of Silver Lake join the Board of Euroclear Holding SA/NV. Christian Lucas, Co-Head of Silver Lake EMEA, said: "We are thrilled to become a shareholder of Euroclear. We have been highly impressed by the company's achievements over the years, continuously strengthening Euroclear's positioning as a global leader in vital post-trade, collateral management, fund management and data services as well as the company's crucial importance overall to the efficient functioning of financial markets in Europe and around the world. As a leading technology investor, we look forward to contributing to Euroclear's future growth, which is more than ever driven by innovation." "We have great respect for Euroclear and its leadership team, have seen the critical services and sustainable infrastructure it provides to our industry, and it has been a successful investment for ICE," said Jeffrey C. Sprecher, ICE Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Going forward, Euroclear will have an outstanding long-term partner and shareholder in Silver Lake with its deep knowledge and experience in financial and technology investments." The transaction could close as soon as the first half of 2022. Moelis Company served as ICE's financial advisor on this transaction and Stibbe served as legal advisor. Lazard served as Silver Lake's financial advisor and Simpson Thacher Bartlett and Loyens Loeff served as legal advisors. About Silver Lake Silver Lake is a leading global technology investment firm, with more than $88 billion in combined assets under management and committed capital and a team of professionals based in North America, Europe, and Asia. Silver Lake's portfolio companies collectively generate more than $221 billion of revenue annually and employ more than 526,000 people globally. For more information about Silver Lake and its portfolio, please visit Silver Lake's website at silverlake.com. About Intercontinental Exchange Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds and operates digital networks to connect people to opportunity. We provide financial technology and data services across major asset classes that offer our customers access to mission-critical workflow tools that increase transparency and operational efficiencies. We operate exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, and clearing houses that help people invest, raise capital and manage risk across multiple asset classes. Our comprehensive fixed income data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics and platforms that help our customers capitalize on opportunities and operate more efficiently. At ICE Mortgage Technology, we are transforming and digitizing the U.S. residential mortgage process, from consumer engagement through loan registration. Together, we transform, streamline and automate industries to connect our customers to opportunity. Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located here. Key Information Documents for certain products covered by the EU Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products Regulation can be accessed on the relevant exchange website under the heading "Key Information Documents (KIDS)." Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- Statements in this press release regarding ICE's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the SEC on February 4, 2021. ICE- CORP Source: Intercontinental Exchange View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005486/en/ Contacts: For Silver Lake: Matt Benson, matthew.benson@silverlake.com, +1 (917) 328-3471 Jess Gill, Edelman Smithfield, silverlakemedia@edelman.com, +44 (0)7980 684 247 For ICE: Media: Josh King, josh.king@ice.com, +1 (212) 656-2490 Investors: Mary Caroline O'Neal, marycaroline.oneal@ice.com, +1 (770) 738-2151 DLT Resolution's Union Strategies continues to attract locals and members nationwide LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / October 18, 2021 / DLT Resolution Inc. (OTC PINK:DLTI) is pleased to announce its, Union Strategies division has secured Canada's Skills trade council. Union Strategies Inc. has been in talks with a local Skilled Trades Council which has decided to stop using their existing platforms, and switch over to YOUnified. The driving force was to achieve better communications with their members, from being able to send out important documents within minutes, to setting up last minute ratification votes. YOUnified will become their one stop shop to running the business of the council. YOUnified will benefit this particular client as they can push to notify members properly as important updates come in. Everything will be hosted on the YOUnified platform! What is YOUnified? YOUnified combines the many required services to run the business of a union into one unified platform. YOUnified's goal is to assist in increasing member engagement, decrease the local's expenses, and save everyone time. With this app, Unions will have everything they require to connect with their members, as well as maintain the local's needs. Union Strategies made every effort to make this app as adaptable and simple as possible for every age demographic. Members will be blown away on how easy and effective this platform will be for them. YOUnified allows the union to push notify members of any, and every, important update with just a simple click of a button. You can notify members of an important meeting, election, or reminders of significant dates. In short, this app is truly made for everyone - from the Executive to the members. Some of the basic features include the following: Call Drops Email Blast Text Blasts Mailing Labels Voting Conference Center Accounting Virtual Meetings Cloud Networking Push notifications IT Support Social media Graphics YOUnified holds different features for different viewers. An example being, an Executive member will have access to perform call drops, text blasts, email blasts, and everything in between, whereas a member will be able to receive these important updates, connect with their Executive Board, purchase "swag" and much more! Vote YourChoice - Secure Online and Remote Voting Vote YourChoice fulfils the need for an ever-growing demand of online and remote voting requirements for all types of public and private elections. This requirement is now, more than ever, a fundamental change in the way people are able to cast their ballot and maintain physical distancing requirements. This remote ability is also estimated to increase voter participation by 18% to 35%. Vote YourChoice software includes union elections and voting, condominium corporation voting, publicly traded company voting, municipal and provincial elections to name but a few applications globally. 100% Integrity Secure, cost-effective and integrated with all Organizations requirements. Organizations' stakeholders are assured that their votes are processed by a neutral third party and in a transparent manner due in part to our unique voter-verified audit trail. Organizations can also count on our support team as a virtual part of its elections staff. Learn more about Vote your Choice About Union Strategies USI has been providing a suite of products and services to Unions for over 10 years. The company designs, builds, and executes programs resulting in greater success for unions. Programs are designed to engage the membership, decrease expenses, and save time for a more productive business. The Company's suite includes secure electronic voting, Telecommunications, Event Management, Professional Writing, Social Media Management, Web Design, Graphic Services, and Promotional Offerings. The company is a one-stop-shop for all things union. The company has more than 130 clients that are considered "mid-market" in terms of overall size of the particular local with more than 450,000 members. USI operates nationally in Canada and looks to expand into the USA in 2021. Learn more at: UnionStrategiesinc.com About DLT Resolution Inc. DLT Resolution Inc. currently operates in three high-tech industry segments: Blockchain Applications & Cyber Security; Telecommunications; and Data Services which includes Image Capture, Data Collection, Data Phone Center Services, and Payment Processing. Its clients represent some of the top businesses from a variety of sectors. DLT Resolution helps organizations that have invoices, ledgers, statements, applications, surveys, employee and customer rewards programs and a wide range of other non-core functions benefit from data management. DLT Resolution also operates a Health Information Exchange providing the ability to request and retrieve medical information & records while meeting all of today's Security & Compliance demands for HIPAA, PIPEDA and PHIPA. Through RecordsBank, the Company offers an easy-to-use online gateway to its centralized system for patients, lawyers and insurers to retrieve and access medical records. Learn more at: DLTResolution.com Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements The use of the word "company" or "Company" refers to DLT Resolution Incorporated and its wholly owned subsidiaries. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In accordance with the safe harbor provisions of this Act, statements contained herein that look forward in time that include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's actual results. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. DLT Resolution may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, in its annual report to stockholders, in press releases and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the company, including, but not limited to, plans and objectives of management for future operations or products, the market acceptance or future success of our products, and our future financial performance. The company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors including, but not limited to, those set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (available at http://www.sec.gov). DLT Resolution undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Nothing within this communication is meant to be a solicitation to buy or sell our securities. Investing in over the counter (OTC) securities often carries a high degree of risk. Please contact your financial advisor before investing in our securities. CONTACT: 1 800-463-5465 Website: www.dltresolution.com SOURCE: DLT Resolution Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/668468/Skills-Trade-Council-to-Utilize-Union-Strategies-YOUnified-Platform-to-Replace-Their-Current-Application Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN) (OTCQX: IVPAF) will report its Q3 2021 financial results before market open on Monday, November 15, 2021. Management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the results at 10:30AM Eastern Time the same day. Conference call and webcast details Link to join the live audio webcast: http://services.choruscall.ca/links/ivanhoemines20211115.html. Phone numbers to join the live conference call: Canada/USA toll-free dial-in number: 1-800-319-4610 International dial-in number: +1-604-638-5340 Participants should dial in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and ask to join the Ivanhoe Mines conference call. Investors and analysts are encouraged to submit questions via email to info@ivanhoemines.com prior to the start of the call. During the question-and-answer period, management will respond to questions submitted as time allows. The webcast will be available for replay until December 15, 2021 at http://services.choruscall.ca/links/ivanhoemines20211115.html. The conference call will be available for replay until November 31, 2021. Toll-free replay number: 1-800-319-6413 International replay number: +1-604-638-9010 Replay access code: 7973 After issuance, the Q3 2021 Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis will be available at www.ivanhoemines.com and at www.sedar.com . About Ivanhoe Mines Ivanhoe Mines is a Canadian mining company focused on advancing its three principal projects in Southern Africa: the development of major new, mechanized, underground mines at the Kamoa-Kakula copper joint-venture in the Democratic Republic of Congo and at the Platreef palladium-rhodium-platinum-nickel-copper-gold discovery in South Africa; and the extensive redevelopment and upgrading of the historic Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine, also in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ivanhoe also is exploring for new copper discoveries on its Western Foreland exploration licences in the Democratic Republic of Congo, near the Kamoa-Kakula Project. Kamoa-Kakula began producing copper concentrates in May 2021 and, through phased expansions, is positioned to become one of the world's largest copper producers. Kamoa-Kakula is being powered by clean, renewable hydro-generated electricity and is projected to be among the world's lowest greenhouse gas emitters per unit of metal produced. Ivanhoe Mines has pledged to achieve net-zero operational greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1 and 2) at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Mine. Information contacts Investors: Bill Trenaman +1.604.331.9834 / Media: Matthew Keevil +1.604.558.1034 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/99972 Unique 100% Two-year A-level Scholarships, Offering a Gateway to the World's Best Universities Imagine a once in a lifetime opportunity. A prestigious British education, by teachers who have nurtured graduates admitted to Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League universities. To enjoy world-class educational resources and lifelong friendships. All of this is now possible and available with school and boarding fees fully funded. Apply for an AISL Harrow 2022/24 Scholarships to make your dream a reality. HONG KONG, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia International School Limited (AISL), with over 25 years of educational excellence in Asia, announced the official launch of its AISL Harrow Scholarships Programme Y2022/24, marking the second year of the most prestigious - and most generous - scholarship award available across the AISL Harrow family. Moving into the second year, the AISL Harrow Scholarships provide exceptionally gifted students who are not currently enrolled in an AISL Harrow School, no matter where in the world they currently live, the opportunity to study at one of the AISL Harrow Schools in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, or Bangkok. Each school provides two scholarships: ten in total across the AISL Harrow family. Selected students are given full access to a Harrow A-Level education. A GATEWAY TO THE WORLD'S BEST UNIVERSITIES With the same high standards as that of Harrow School in the UK, AISL Harrow Schools ensure students excel academically and personally through a highly qualified teaching team, a broad selection of co-curricular activities and an extensive academic enrichment super curriculum programme. In 2021, 77% of AISL Harrow graduates achieved A*-A at A-Level, graduating to some of the world's best universities. All AISL Harrow Schools offer a dedicated University Admissions Centre with specialist tutors to support each student's application process. REGISTER NOW For more details and to register interest, applicants can visit: https://www.harrowschools.com/aisl-harrow-scholarships/. Applications opens now till 4:00pm on 10 December, 2021 (GMT+8). About Asia International School Limited (AISL) GROUP Asia International School Limited ("AISL") is a leading provider of world-class K-12 education in Asia. Through our wholly owned subsidiary Harrow International Management Services Limited and affiliates, AISL sub-licenses the Harrow brand and provides professional educational services to our Harrow branded schools, including AISL Harrow International Schools, AISL Harrow Innovation Leadership Academies and AISL Harrow Little Lions Early Years Centres. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662398/image_5013850_13672772.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662399/image_5013850_13672866.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662400/image_5013850_13672803.jpg In parallel, X8 AG will apply to obtain a FinTech licence BOSINGEN, Switzerland, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- X8 AG ("X8 or the Company") announces that the Company will commence with the issuance of the X8 Global Stablecoin under the Swiss Sandbox regime and it is expected to be available Q1 2022. Further, the Company has added key expertise to pursue a FinTech licence and provide leadership for organic corporate development. The purpose and use of the X8 Stablecoin have been designed and developed from the ground up to be fully compliant with the regulatory environment in Switzerland. X8 will be fully backed by 8 currencies (USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, and NZD). The stability of X8 is managed by its proprietary algorithmic risk management process which is designed to monitor currency fluctuations and adjust the weighting of the currency portfolio backing the X8 Stablecoin. This way, X8 remains relevant and adjusted to the ever-changing competitive landscape between the 8 currencies resulting in what the Company believes to be optimal stability with minimal liquidity risk. This is a world's first feature for any Stablecoin. X8 should have an innate capacity to be bought and sold against any or all of the 8 fiat currencies. To assist with the introduction and issuance of the X8 Stablecoin, the Company has engaged METI Advisory AGas Lead Advisor and a big four Swiss legal practice to pursue the FinTech licence. METI Advisory AG' Managing Partner Dr. Mattia Rattaggi with 25-year experience in the financial industry, is considered an expert in digital finance and regulation. He has advised and carried out several fintech and crypto projects and is a regularly invited keynote speaker at global conferences. He will feature at the upcoming RedeyeFintech Day Conference on October 20, 2021. Issuance of the X8 Stablecoin into the Swiss sandbox is a milestone for the X8 AG. The importance of the Swiss sandbox, is that it provides for an innovation space for fintech applications and their business models to be tested. It allows for a company, without the prior approval or review by the regulator (i.e. no licence requirement), to accept deposits from the public in an amount of up to CHF 1 million, regardless of the number of depositors. The deposits are not supervised by the regulator and they are not covered by the depositor protection regime. X8 AG will operate under the Swiss sandbox in compliance with AMLA and KYC provisions and affiliation to a self-regulatory organization. During Swiss sandbox, X8 deposits amounts shall not exceed the CHF 1 million limit. It is intended that during sandbox, all other benchmarks will be accomplished and exceeded, including capital reserves, user protection, compliance, and anti-money laundering requirements. This means that X8 is currently not subject to FINMA supervision and that the funds are not protected by the Swiss depositor protection system, until X8 has obtained the FinTech license. The goal of X8 is to ultimately obtain a FinTech licence. Under a FinTech license, X8 would be authorized to accept deposits from the public up to a maximum threshold of CHF 100 million. These deposits are not invested and no interest is paid on them. X8 AG founder and CEO Gregor Kozelj, who is also an invited speaker at the upcoming Redeye Fintech Day Conference, commented: "X8 AG is excited to announce the Swiss sandbox launch of the X8 Stablecoin during such an epochal period of digital money. We are conscious that the Stablecoin market is growing at a fast pace and with a recent valuation near $130B is correctly drawing attention from global regulators. Resultantly, with the addition of these key resources announced here, we are working toward having the X8 Stablecoin emerge from Switzerland in a regulatory compliant way. Socioeconomics at large awaits an effective Stablecoin that provides efficient payments in a fully compliant environment and for the holders, a way to keep liquidity in a multi-currency value preserving coin. The scaling of X8 will require significant effort and resources, we are confident that our plans will attract and reward our stakeholders". About X8 AG X8 AG is a Swiss-based Fintech company owned by X8 Group Inc. Building on the successful ICO of the X8X utility token in 2018, the Company progressed with the development of the World's first Stablecoin backed by 8 currencies. Through its regulatory compliant structure, X8's goal is to become the Global Stablecoin most fit for international exchange by both institutional and retail users. Based on its development of proprietary tools and platforms using global tech megatrends such as AI and Blockchain to create stability in value for financial market players, X8 focuses on three main areas which are; Professional portfolio risk management platforms, Stablecoins, and Algorithmic investment models used in asset management. X8 AG is driven by the founder's focus to bring compatibility between the traditional and the new decentralized financial landscape. The foundation of the Company is to operate in a regulatory compliant way. Contacts: Investor information contact: Bashar Alsaneh, Listing Partners SL support@listingpartners.lu +46 728 3842 50 Media Relations: Triona Mc Hale, Partner, Ignite Communications triona@ignitecomms.com +353 87 2651473 X8 AG, Gregor Kozelj, CEO ceo@x8ag.io +41 79 199 84 51 DisclaimerThe information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, 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, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. X8 Ag and X8 Group Inc. is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The information contained herein is not for release, publication, or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in countries or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. No Regulatory body has reviewed or approved this release. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - Mark Jarvis, CEO of Giga Metals Corp. (OTCQX: HNCKF) (TSXV: GIGA) (FSE: BRR2) announced today that Giga Metals was a contributor to the latest report from The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars entitled, The Mosaic Approach: a Multidimensional Strategy for Strengthening America's Critical Minerals Supply Chain. This report, released in partnership with The Supply Chain Initiative, looks at ways to address the troubling scenario surrounding the US supply chain for critical minerals. "We are very pleased to have contributed our expertise to this important report," said Giga CEO, Mark Jarvis. "The Wilson Center is a leading think tank in the United States and we applaud their effort to harness the power of a variety of stakeholders to discuss these important supply chain issues. Giga's Manager of Development Lyle Trytten participated in the working group this past summer and was among stakeholders who articulated the importance of North American supply chains for critical minerals in global decarbonisation and EV manufacturing." Download the Report The report recognizes that there is no silver bullet to respond to these challenges, but rather the need for a "Mosaic Approach" involving action by both the private sector and the government at the national and international levels. "This paper reflects the dialogue sustained by a high-level group of stakeholders in the summer of 2021 and argues that the United States must take a number of key steps to make the critical minerals supply chain more resilient," says Duncan Wood, Vice President of Strategy and New Initiatives at The Wilson Center and one of the report's co-authors. "These minerals are vital for the energy transition and for the United States' geopolitical ambitions." One of the key takeaways is that the U.S. government must work with the private sector and allies to develop a global regime for ESG issues, transparency and disclosure. This would have a profound impact on the playing field for extractive industries and bring significant environmental and social benefits. This report draws on the major insights and recommendations of the impressive knowledge and experience of a working group which convened this past summer and offers an alternative channel that feeds into the stakeholder engagement process called for in President Biden's review of America's supply chains. About Giga Metals Giga Metals Corporation is focused on metals critical to modern batteries, especially those used in Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage. The Company's core asset is the Turnagain Project, located in northern British Columbia, one of the significant undeveloped sulphide nickel and cobalt resources in the world. Giga is also exploring for sediment hosted copper deposits in Brazil. About the Wilson Center The Wilson Center provides a strictly nonpartisan space for the worlds of policymaking and scholarship to interact. By conducting relevant and timely research and promoting dialogue from all perspectives, it works to address the critical current and emerging challenges confronting the United States and the world. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Mark Jarvis" MARK JARVIS, CEO Tel: 604 681 2300 GIGA METALS CORPORATION Forward-looking Statements Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management, which may or may not come to pass. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Suite 203 - 700 West Pender St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 1G8 T: 604-681-2300 E: info@gigametals.com W: www.gigametals.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100029 EQS Group-News: HBM Healthcare Investments AG / Key word(s): Monthly Figures Key Figures 15.10.2021 18.10.2021 / 17:46 in CHF Performance in % 15.10.2021 MTD FYTD CYTD NAV 325.56 -3.0 9.3 15.3 Share Price 344.00 1.2 7.2 16.9 Total Net Assets (in million) 2'265.00 HBM Healthcare Investments AG Bundesplatz 1 CH-6300 Zug - Switzerland Tel. +41 41 710 75 77 Fax +41 41 710 75 78 E-Mail: hbm@hbmhealthcare.com Web: www.hbmhealthcare.com Wenn Sie keine Mitteilungen von HBM Healthcare Investments mehr wunschen, konnen Sie diese hier abbestellen. Should you wish to unsubscribe from all HBM Healthcare Investments news, please unsubscribe here. 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HBM cannot guarantee the adequacy, accuracy, timeliness or completeness of or be held responsible or liable for errors of fact regarding such data and information obtained from third parties, and this data may change with market conditions. If the email looks unformatted, please use this alternative link. End of Media Release Initiative introduces a new way for website owners to instantly drive higher quality search engine results, and helps improve efficiency of the web Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, announced it will work with Microsoft, Yandex, and other leading search engines to help businesses get the most timely and relevant search results to their customers. By participating in the IndexNow.org initiative, Cloudflare will allow websites to automatically notify search engines whenever content is created, updated, or deleted so they can be more efficiently crawled. Now, all Cloudflare customers can ensure users see the most up-to-date version of their content, all with a single click. Search engines use a complex network of bots to crawl the ever-changing content on the Internet so people can find relevant, timely content. Today, approximately 45% of Internet traffic comes from web crawlers and bots. To help improve the efficiency of crawlers on the web, Cloudflare launched Crawler Hints-an easy way to signal to bot developers when content has been changed or added to a site, so they can make more efficient choices about what to crawl. What's more, website owners will be able to improve site performance by reducing unnecessary bot traffic and to provide timely content, which ultimately helps improve search rankings. Now, Cloudflare is using the IndexNow standard to bring Crawler Hints to major search engines. "A fast, reliable website and timely search results are at the heart of any growing business, whether it's a startup or Fortune 500 company. Since the beginning, we've worked to help our customers to give them the speed, reliability, and security they need to do business," said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. "Today, we're taking that one step further by working with Microsoft and other major search engines to help any website owner reduce inefficiencies while also delivering their users reliable, relevant and timely online experiences." Cloudflare's global network spans more than 250 cities in over 100 countries and powers millions of Internet properties. Now any Cloudflare customer can opt into Crawler Hints-for free-with a single click in their dashboard to automatically begin sending hints to search engines when content has been changed on their site. "The cache data from CDNs is a really valuable signal for content freshness. Cloudflare, as one of the top CDNs, is key in the adoption of IndexNow to become an industry-wide standard with a large portion of the internet actually using it," said Fabrice Canel, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft Bing. "Cloudflare has built a really easy 1-click button for their users to start using it right away. Cloudflare's mission of helping build a better internet resonates well with why we started IndexNow, that being to build a more efficient and effective search." "Yandex is excited to join IndexNow as part of our long-term focus on sustainability," said Maxim Zagrebin, Head of Yandex Search. "We have been working with the Cloudflare team in early testing to incorporate their caching signals in our crawling mechanism via the IndexNow API. The results are great so far." To learn more about Cloudflare Crawler Hints and the Microsoft Bing IndexNow program, check out these resources: Cloudflare Blog: Cloudflare Crawler Hints Update About IndexNow Microsoft Bing Blog About Cloudflare Cloudflare, Inc. (www.cloudflare.com @cloudflare) is on a mission to help build a better Internet. Cloudflare's suite of products protect and accelerate any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare have all web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was named to Entrepreneur Magazine's Top Company Cultures 2018 list and ranked among the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2019. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Cloudflare has offices in Austin, TX, Champaign, IL, New York, NY, San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Lisbon, London, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo. 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, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "explore," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," or "continue," or the negative of these words, or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans, or intentions. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements expressed or implied in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the benefits to our customers from using Cloudflare Crawler Hints, our other products and technology and the IndexNow standard, the expected functionality and performance of Cloudflare Crawler Hints and our other products and technology, our technological development, future operations, growth, initiatives, or strategies, and comments made by our CEO and others. Actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our Annual Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 7, 2021, as well as other filings that we may make from time to time with the SEC. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. 2021 Cloudflare, Inc. All rights reserved. Cloudflare, the Cloudflare logo, and Cloudflare Logs are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Cloudflare, Inc. in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005679/en/ Contacts: Daniella Vallurupalli press@cloudflare.com SUNRISE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / October 18, 2021 / U.S. Stem Cell, Inc. (OTC PINK:USRM), a leader in the development of proprietary, physician-based stem cell therapies and novel regenerative medicine solutions will take steps to relaunch its veterinary division to tackle animal health innovation. U.S. Stem Cell's longstanding animal division, Vetbiologics, has for years provided the Veterinary field with comprehensive regenerative medicine solutions - from training to products and services. Vetbiologics now aims to expand further by stepping directly into the consumer driven pet-care industry. U.S. pet market sales revenue has increased every year in the last decade, growing from $50.96 billion in 2011 to an estimated $99.1 billion last year. The pet industry experienced extraordinary growth during the COVID-19 pandemic; an impressive 12% of adults with children adopted pets because of and during the pandemic, effectively leaving animal shelters empty for the first time in US history. These middle-aged pets are now growing older, many with specialized needs - matched with wealthier pet-parents with significantly greater budgets to care of their aging pets. Of these pet owners, 21% spent more time and money on their pets during the pandemic and the trends are growing upwards. The animal health division will focus on these new aging pet requirements, with a specialized focus on pet care, pain, wellness and geriatric care. "The Company's expansion and growth will directly target consumers as they adjust to pet ownership during and post-pandemic" states Mike Tomas, President & CEO. Adding "from caring for their newly adopted middle-aged or elderly animals to prioritizing their pets' wellness, we will provide solutions to pet parents." Given the expected market growth and trending movements of the pet industry, through the Vetbiologics division, the Company aims to strategically partner and develop top-tier products and services in line with the projected successes in the field. These offerings will be in addition to Vetbiologics' existing menu of science-based regenerative treatments and veterinarian-specific options. U.S. Stem Cell, Inc. is an emerging leader in the regenerative medicine / cellular therapy industry specializing in physician training and certification and stem cell products in both human and veterinary stem cell processes. To management's knowledge, USRM has completed more clinical treatments than any other stem cell company in the world in the past 20 years, and has certified more than 700 physicians and veterinarians in autologous stem cell therapy worldwide. The company will refocus on its animal health division while it evaluates its future opportunities for its human division and subsidiary. Forward-Looking Statements: Except for historical matters contained herein, statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may", "will", "to", "plan", "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "intend", "could", "would", "estimate", or "continue", or the negative other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. The Company's business and the risks and uncertainties of the business are described in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission which can be found at sec.gov. CONTACT: U.S. Stem Cell, Inc. 1560 Sawgrass Corporate Parkway, 4th FL Sunrise, Fl 33323 Phone: 954.835.1500 Email: usstemcell@us-stemcell.com SOURCE: U.S. Stem Cell, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/668572/USRM-to-Focus-on-Animal-Health-and-Lead-Pet-Care-Innovation United BioPharma, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre and NCKU to explore the effectiveness of UB-621 to clinical isolates in mainland China and Taiwan TAIPEI, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- United BioPharma announced today that Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre and Cheng Kung University's Department of Microbiology and Immunology have joined United BioPharma's fight against the global herpes endemic. Together with United BioPharma, the two institutions will test the effectiveness of UB-621, a best-in-class long-acting treatment for genital herpes caused by simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV 1 and HSV2) in preparation for phase II trials in the United States and China. The latest additions to the partnership will work with existing partners to test the neutralizing activity of UB-621 to the HSV clinical isolates in mainland China and Taiwan. "Data from our initial trials suggest that UB-621 is not only a best-in-class treatment but a potential game-changer for billions of patients suffering from herpes worldwide Testing on clinical isolates will help confirm whether UB-621 can work well against herpes strains, especially those that have already shown to be resistant to currently marketed drugs", said Dr. Shugene, Lin, President of United BioPharma. "We know UB-621 can neutralize over 40 HSV isolates from Asia, the United States and Germany. With Cheng Kung University and the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre's support, we hope to demonstrate further the capability of UB-621 as we move to phase two trials," added Dr. Shugene, Lin, President of United BioPharma. UB-621 is a first-in-class anti-gD mAb (UB-621) with demonstrated strong viral suppression of transmission and recurrence of HSV1 and HSV2, developed over ten years of research collaboration between the University of Washington, the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Duisburg Essen, Germany, and Dartmouth College. Herpes: the silent pandemic affecting 90% of the global population Over half a billion of the global population lives with a genital herpes infection (caused by HSV2), while several billion lives with an oral herpes infection (caused by HSV1). Herpes is a lifelong infection that often goes undetected. Although antiviral medications are available in the market to suppress the virus, there is no cure. Furthermore, research shows a majority of individuals develop a resistance to treatment. The recurrent nature of genital herpes can lead to stigma and psychological distress, impacting the quality of life and sexual relationships. There is also a strong link between HSV2 and HIV, where people infected with HSV2 are three times more likely to contract HIV. Additionally, women are biologically more susceptible to HSV2 and HIV coinfection. Current treatments for herpes target viral DNA polymerase and typically have half-lives ranging from two to four hours and are taken orally twice or thrice a day, with some even requiring intravenous administration. In contrast, United BioPharma's UB-621 - with a half-life of 23-28 days - is administered via subcutaneous injection and targets surface glycoprotein gD found to inhibit viral entry into cells. For more information, please visit http://www.unitedbiopharma.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662808/DSC03829.jpg Istanbul, Turkey--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - NetCoinCapital (NCC) is now officially listed on the popular crypto wallet, Trust Wallet. The NCC token has been trading at an all-time high over the past week and people are showing interest in it. With a community of 10k+ on their Telegram and 15K+ on Twitter and Instagram, the token seems to be a good investment for people with its growing popularity. NetcoinCapital was previously listed on the famous XT exchange and Coinsbit exchange. The company announced these listings in their previous press releases, which you can read on Yahoo Finance. NetcoinCapital Announces They Will Make Their Token Tradable on Coinsbit Exchange NetcoinCapital Token to be listed on XT Exchange The company has also announced that it intends to introduce a new programming language for this processor, and has referred to it as a computer colloquial language, and has placed it in a new category of a computer language called the future language. Several projects are running in parallel, including the construction of a dedicated wallet, a dedicated exchange office, and the construction of an environmentally friendly blockchain with the local coin. NetcoinCapital is moving towards its goals and gaining more support from people due to the authenticity and innovation of the project. The Company's Co-Founder and CTO Abbas Talebi clarified in a statement that NCC's main focus is to bring innovation and change people's lives with Blockchain and AI technology: "The mission is to create a system that can provide innovativeness and efficiency using blockchain, AI technology, or any combination thereof. The hope with your help will be achieved sooner by supporting us in this goal!" About NetcoinCapital: NetcoinCapital is a blockchain-based startup. A decentralized global operating system with infinite processing power, NetcoinCapital is trying to take a step in designing and building a new generation of processors. The processors that the company is studying, will turn each of the home devices into a supercomputer. Media Contact: Company: Netcoincapital Email: netcoincapital.company@gmail.com Website: https://www.netcoincapital.com/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100034 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - SkyChain Technologies Inc. ("SkyChain" or the "Company") (TSXV: SCT) (OTCQB: SKTCF) announces the appointment of Anastasiia Zherbakhanova to the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") effective immediately. The Company will seek for financial and legal guidance from Ms. Zherbakhanova. Ms. Zherbakhanova is an accomplished legal professional in the fields of energy, public infrastructure and blockchain technology. She has solid understanding of energy sector worldwide. She led development of large-scale renewable energy projects both in the frontier and developed countries. Ms. Zherbakhanova has extensive experience in fund raising. She has structured and closed multiple private and public financing rounds for energy and crypto mining projects. These include institutional banks' project financing, public follow-on securities offerings in the USA and private placements. Ms. Zherbakhanova is quintessence of diversity. She is a native Asian-Russian with strong command of English, German and Chinese languages and cross-cultural business acumen. Ms. Zherbakhanova joined Global Executive MBA program at the China Europe International Business School, #2 worldwide and the highest ranked stand-alone program in Asia in 2020 in the Financial Times. About SkyChain Technologies SkyChain Technologies is a Vancouver based company providing Blockchain Infrastructure services and power solutions. To learn more, visit www.skychaintechnologiesinc.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bill Zhang President and CEO _____________________________________________________________________ bill@skychaintechnologiesinc.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. Statements in this news release may be viewed as forward-looking statements. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. There are no assurances the company can fulfill such forward-looking statements and the company undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Such forward-looking statements are only predictions; actual events or results may differ materially as a result of risks facing the company, some of which are beyond the company's control. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100041 MUNICH, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nagarro, a global leader in digital engineering, has reached an agreement with the shareholders of the US-headquartered Advanced Technology Consulting Service (ATCS), to bring the companies together to better address key markets and verticals. ATCS, an established international firm, has experienced rapid growth owing to its strategic focus on niche areas, including digital, data, and analytics. The Inc. 5000 has placed ATCS among the "Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the US" for the past two years. The company has a well-established and robust client base across multiple industries, especially Automotive and Life Sciences, with clients in the US, Canada, Germany, India, China, and Australia. For Nagarro, the transaction primarily deepens access to the important US and German markets, aligns sweetly in terms of vertical and horizontal capabilities, and also adds new heft across the Asia-Pacific. For ATCS, the Nagarro affiliation represents a significant opportunity to further build on a stellar record of deep client impact by gaining access to a large digital engineering talent pool. Clients can expect an even more enhanced level of ATCS services with a continued focus on speed, flexibility, and value generation. ATCS has been tailoring its service offerings around the rapidly evolving digital landscape with the objective of supporting clients in their journey towards a data- and technology-driven business ecosystem. Nagarro will strengthen these offerings through greater access to talent, investments, and solution innovations. This agreement is the result of a thoughtful and careful evaluation of culture and spirit. Nagarro is well known for successfully building flat, non-hierarchical global teams and caring culture. ATCS, a recipient of the Gallup Great Workplace award, maintains a close-knit culture built on trust, collaboration, and entrepreneurial spirit. Working together, a positive aggregation of these two cultures will make this affiliation one of the best places to work and build a career. Manas Fuloria, co-founder of Nagarro, states: "On behalf of all Nagarrians, I would like to congratulate our new colleagues from ATCS for building a fantastic company over two decades. Our discussions and diligence has established that the ATCS team has great entrepreneurial energy, agility and solid values. We welcome them into the global Nagarro family." Manish Krishnan, founder, and CEO of ATCS, states: "The decision to join Nagarro came naturally to us primarily due to our similar culture and values. This affiliation will not only allow us to scale up more effectively and provide greater value to our clients but will also create new and bigger opportunities for our workforce. I am really excited and looking forward to doing great things together in the coming years." About Nagarro: Nagarro, a global digital engineering leader, helps clients become innovative, digital-first companies and thus, win in their markets. The company is distinguished by its entrepreneurial, agile, and global character, its CARING mindset, and its approach of thinking breakthroughs. Nagarro employs over 10,000 people in 26 countries. For more information, visit www.nagarro.com. FRA: NA9 (SDAX, ISIN DE000A3H2200, WKN A3H220) About ATCS: A global, innovative technology solutions company, ATCS was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, USA. ATCS specializes in Enterprise IT, Data & Analytics, Marketing Tech & Insights, and Digital Transformation with its highly skilled and engaged employees spread across 10 global offices in North America, Germany, China, and India. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/844192/Nagarro_Logo.jpg TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Keystone Heart Ltd., a Venus Medtech Company, today celebrated an important achievement of treating 100 patients with the TriGUARD 3 Cerebral Embolic Protection (CEP) Device at UMC Utrecht in the Netherlands. The device is designed to minimize the risk of cerebral damage by deflecting embolic debris away from cerebral circulation during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) and other transcatheter heart procedures. The TriGUARD 3 CEP device is the only CE Marked product designed to cover and protect all three major cerebral aortic arch vessels. The state-of-the-art Nitinol frame and dome-shaped mesh deflector are delivered transfemorally and designed to "self-position" in the aortic arch. This design allows the TriGUARD 3 CEP device to conform to a variety of patient anatomies. UMC Utrecht Heart Team members, including Professor Pieter Stella, Dr. Adriaan Kraaijeveld, and Dr. Michiel Voskuil, began using the device in July 2020 as the first commercial users globally and since then, performed 100 procedures with the TriGUARD 3 CEP device. "The primary endpoint of our case series was the absence of neurological symptoms based on assessments prior to discharge, including Stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), within 72 hours after TAVI", stated Pieter Stella, Associate Professor, UMC Utrecht. "During the series, only one patient had a TIA with no new lesions identified by MRI. My colleagues and I determined a vasospasm most likely caused this event." "We also assessed the TriGUARD 3 device positioning and device-related safety outcomes, including bleeding, dissection, and other vascular complications," noted Professor Stella. "Among the 100 patients treated, successful deployment and positioning were achieved in 100% of all cases. Complete 3-vessel coverage throughout the whole procedure was achieved in 95% of cases with partial coverage reported in 5% due to procedural related issues which required access of contralateral artery by tools other than the TriGUARD 3 sheath." All performance data collected was based on physician reports of angiographic imaging assessments at critical time points. "One patient experienced a minor vascular complication caused by a local hematoma, and two patients had femoral dissections, both of which resolved without sequelae," acknowledged Professor Stella. "Based on the positive outcomes from these initial cases, our center now uses the TriGUARD 3 device as routine standard of care for all patients undergoing intracardiac procedures," Professor Stella emphasized. "The totality of evidence from my real-world experience supports that the TriGUARD 3 CEP device provides an easy and safe treatment option for patients undergoing a TAVI procedure." "We are encouraged to see the favorable real-world outcomes observed by Professor Stella and the UMC Utrecht Team," said Steve Sandweg, Keystone Heart General Manager. "These site reported data provide compelling evidence for EU physicians when using the TriGUARD 3 CEP device in TAVI. Since its inception, Professor Stella has been a passionate advocate of cerebral embolic protection. We look forward to working together in the future to study and quantify the clinical benefits of using the TriGUARD 3 device in other transcatheter heart procedures." The TriGUARD 3 Cerebral Embolic Protection device is CE Marked. Currently, the TriGUARD 3 Cerebral Embolic Protection device is not commercially available in the US. About Keystone Heart Ltd. Keystone Heart Ltd., a Venus MedTech Company, is a medical device company developing and manufacturing devices for the structural heart space. Headquartered in Israel, with US operations in Tampa, FL, Keystone Heart is dedicated to advancing patient care through innovative technology and clinical research. For additional information on Keystone Heart, visit www.keystoneheart.com Media contact: Jennifer Anderson Phone: 720-471-4625 Jennifer.Anderson@Keystoneheart.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil futures settled higher on Monday, extending recent gains amid expectations global energy demand will continue to rise following several countries easing travel restrictions. Oil prices rose sharply last week after Saudi Arabia dismissed calls for additional OPEC+ supply and the International Energy Agency said surging natural gas prices could boost demand for oil among power generators. Energy crisis in China and several parts of Europe sent coal prices soaring to record levels, pressuring power-generation companies and manufacturers to switch to using oil as the world economy reopens. Traders also weighed the energy crunch in China, which is hurting factory output and also leading to power cuts in some areas. China's power woes are likely to intensify due to rising coal prices. Cold temperatures in the northern hemisphere are also expected to worsen an oil supply deficit. Oil prices came off early highs after a report from the Federal Reserve showed an unexpected steep drop in industrial production in the month of September. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for November ended up by $0.16 or about 0.2% at $82.44 a barrel, after climbing to $83.87 a barrel, the highest level since October 2018. Brent crude futures, which climbed to $86.03 a barrel, were down $0.69 or 0.8% at $84.17 a barrel a little while ago. The Fed said industrial production tumbled by 1.3% in September following a revised 0.1% dip in August. The sharp decline surprised economists, who had expected industrial production to edge up by 0.2% compared to the 0.4% increase originally reported for the previous month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Nagarro today signed agreements with the shareholders of Advanced Technology Consulting Service, Inc. (ATCS), based in New Jersey, USA, and its international subsidiaries, to acquire the ATCS group. The ATCS group's revenues in 2020 were approximately $30 million. The total purchase price agreed is a medium two-digit million U.S. dollar amount due in 2021 as well as a smaller performance-based earn-out that can stretch through 2024. Nagarro will finance the acquisition with cash available within the group. The closing of the transaction is expected in the coming weeks. Nagarro expects that the acquisition of the ATCS group has no meaningful impact on the revised guidance for 2021 that Nagarro announced on September 20, 2021. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - Cascada Silver Corp. (CSE: CSS) ("Cascada") announces that it has granted 2,225,000 stock options with 1,400,000 options granted to directors and officers of Cascada and 825,000 options granted to Cascada consultants. Each option entitles the holder to acquire one Cascada common share at an exercise price of $0.05 until October 15, 2024. About Cascada Silver Corp. Cascada is a mineral exploration company focused on mineral exploration in Latin America. Cascada's team of successful exploration professionals are dedicated to the discovery of mineral deposits that can be progressed into economically viable development projects creating value for all stakeholders. On behalf of Cascada Silver Corp., Carl Hansen, CEO For additional information, please contact us at info@cascadasilver.com. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100050 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - Relay Medical Corp. (CSE: RELA) (OTCQB: RYMDF) (FSE: EIY2) ("Relay" or the "Company") is pleased to host the third episode about the "State of Cybersecurity Industry: SBOMS Impact on Producers and Consumers"1 featuring key panelists Cassie Crossley, Shuli Goodman, Philip Tonkin and moderated by Chris Blask. Relay's Cybeats will host the panel which will feature many industry leaders including Cassie Crossley, Product and Systems Security Director at Schneider Electric. Shuli Goodman, the Founder and Executive Director of LF Energy and Philip Tonkin Global Head of Cyber Operational Technology at National Grid.The panel will be moderated by Chris Blask, Vice President Strategy at Cybeats. The need for SBOMs has become more apparent in the cybersecurity industry. In order to better understand what components are in your software, SBOMs are needed for both producers and consumers. Transparency is necessary for both roles to understand the vulnerabilities in their software in order to prevent cyber attacks and software malfunctions. Tune into Episode Three of the 'State of the Cybersecurity Industry' panel, on October 19th, to understand what an optimal SBOM will look like in your role as a producer, and how you can better use SBOMs as a consumer. As leaders in SBOMs, these panelists will discuss how producers and consumers can better create and utilize SBOMs. The event will be hosted live on the Cybeats YouTube2 channel on October 19th at 1pm EDT. As the open source world continues to grow, panelists will discuss the increasing demand for SBOMs and the greater importance of the longevity and credibility of software ultimately showcasing how it offers a vital solution. "The recent report of cybersecurity vulnerabilities in millions of surveillance and security cameras is a prime example of why both consumers and device manufacturers must embrace the SBoM," said Chris Blask, Vice President Strategy, Relay Medical. "With the explosive growth of the internet of things including connected devices, the origin of software systems becomes critically important for cybersecurity. I look forward to a lively discussion with Cassie, Shuli, and Philip, three respected leaders in the cyber securities industry." Register for the 'SBOMs Impact on Producers and Consumers' Free Webinar using the link below: https://stateofcybersecurityindustrywe.splashthat.com Webinar Invitation Details To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/952/100066_10e508ec34e40b89_001full.jpg SUBSCRIBE: For more information on Relay or to subscribe to the Company's mailing list visit: https://www.relaymedical.com/news About Cybeats Cybeats is an integrated security platform designed to secure and protect high-valued connected devices. Cybeats' unique approach eliminates device downtime due to cyber-attacks and allows device manufacturers to develop and maintain secure and protected devices in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Cybeats' SBOM Studio product allows for the monitoring and analysis of cybersecurity on all components during the design and manufacturing stage, ensuring connected devices have been developed with secure software components. Cybeats' capabilities span across detecting and mitigating attacks on devices while they are operational, enabling device makers to identify and fix security flaws during the product's design phase and empowering end users with fleet management tools such as secure firmware updates. Website: www.cybeats.com About Relay Medical Corp. Relay Medical is a technology innovator headquartered in Toronto, Canada focused on the development of novel solutions in the diagnostics, AI data science and IoT security sectors. Relay recently acquired Cybeats Technologies, a platform which offers a holistic approach to cybersecurity and addresses the $73 billion IoT security market through their Software Bill of Materials and microagent solution. Cybeats provides real-time cybersecurity for connected devices, critical infrastructure, automotive, medical and IoT (Internet of Things) sectors. The Company held a Special Meeting to approve a Name Change on September 20, 2021 as the Company's core competencies and product offerings have organically grown beyond the medical device industry, and this expansion into new industries and businesses will be reflected in the Name Change. The Company's new name will more aptly and effectively communicate the business and its commercial verticals. Website: www.relaymedical.com Contact: Destine Lee Media & Communications Relay Medical Corp. Office. 647-872-9982 TF. 1-844-247-6633 Media Inquiries: media@relaymedical.com Investor Relations: investor.relations@relaymedical.com Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for the technology described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com 1 https://www.linkedin.com/events/6834623376489779200/ 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlWPPNuCZTQ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100066 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 18, 2021) - I-Minerals Inc. (TSXV: IMA) (OTC Pink: IMAHF) announces that the repayment date for loans from a company controlled by its Chairman Allen Ball amounting to $34,150,175 together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, has been extended until November 15, 2021. Interest payable is at the rate 0f 0.13% per annum. About I-Minerals Inc. I-Minerals is an exploration and development company that is advancing the Bovill kaolin-halloysite property in north central Idaho. A March 2020 Prefeasibility Study on the Bovill Property envisaging annual production of 20,000 tons of kaolin and 10,000 tons of halloysite estimated initial CAPEX at US$48 million with a 20% pre-tax, 18% after tax IRR and a US$ 48 million pre-tax, US$34 million after tax NPV10%. I-Minerals Inc. per: "John Theobald" John Theobald, President & CEO Contact: I-Minerals Inc. Barry Girling 877-303-6573 or 604-303-6573 Email: info@imineralsinc.com Or visit our website at www.imineralsinc.com Paul J. Searle, Investor Relations 877-303-6573 or 604-303-6573 Email: PSearle@imineralsinc.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks. Actual results could differ materially from those projected as a result of the following factors, among others: changes in the world wide price of mineral market conditions, risks inherent in mineral exploration, risk associated with development, construction and mining operations, the uncertainty of future profitability and uncertainty of access to additional capital. . To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/100059 Guests can now pop the question and toast to their "yes!" at the top of the World's Most Romantic Building NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Empire State Building (ESB) launched 'Happily Ever Empire' - an unforgettable proposal package that provides couples with VIP access to the Observatory Experience. Ticket holders are invited to pop the question at a prime, dedicated corner of the building's iconic, open-air 86th Floor Observatory and pop a bottle of Champagne to celebrate the memorable moment. The exclusive package - priced at $1,000 per couple - includes a private guided tour through the Empire State Building's immersive exhibits, which feature the building's history and the classic love stories that have taken place within. After couples have celebrated their engagement on the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, they're invited to head up to the 102nd Floor Observatory, with its floor-to-ceiling windows for breathtaking photos with stunning 360-degree views. "There is no better place to celebrate love than the World's Most Romantic Building," said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory. "The Empire State Building has played host to so many love stories in its history, and we are delighted to now offer an exclusive, romantic, and customizable proposal experience for couples from around the world." The Empire State Building's Observatory Experience recently underwent a top-to-bottom overhaul that includes a dedicated guest entrance, a 10 thousand square foot digital and tactile museum that celebrates the icon from the moment it was conceived to its current place in pop-culture, and the completely re-imagined 102nd Floor Observatory. The renovations also include industry-leading indoor environmental quality (IEQ) improvements such as active bi-polar ionization, MERV 13 filters, and increased ventilation which led to the building's achievement as the first in the Americas to receive the WELL Health-Safety Rating. Tickets are available at https://www.esbnyc.com/buy-tickets/happily-ever-empire Must be 21 years old to purchase. The 'Happily Ever Empire' package must be booked at least 24 hours in advance, with limited reservations available each day. Photographers, family, and friends must purchase Express tickets separately to take part in the celebration here. More information about the Empire State Building and its Observatory Experience can be found at www.esbnyc.com. ### About the Empire State Building?? The Empire State Building , "The World's Most Famous Building" owned by? Empire State Realty Trust , Inc. (ESRT: NYSE),?soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd?Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th?Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop-culture. 2021 is the 90th anniversary year of the Building which officially opened on May 1, 1931. Declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, as well as the world's most popular travel destination by Uber and the #1 New York City attraction by Lonely Planet, it welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors from around the world.? Empire State Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors primarily house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn, Shutterstock, and Global Brands Group, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar,?Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit? esbnyc.com ?or follow the building's? Facebook ,? Twitter ,? Instagram ,? Weibo ,? YouTube , or? TikTok .? About Empire State Realty Trust? Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) owns, manages, operates,?acquires?and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the "World's Most Famous Building." The company's office and retail portfolio?covers?10.1 million rentable square feet, as of June 30, 2021, which consists of 9.4 million rentable square feet across 14 office properties, including nine in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and two in Westchester County, New York; as well as approximately 700,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio. Empire State Realty Trust is a leader in energy efficiency in the built environment and sustainability space, with 76 percent of the eligible portfolio? ENERGY STAR ?certified and 100 percent fully powered by renewable wind electricity. As the first commercial real estate portfolio in the Americas to achieve the evidence-based, third-party verified? WELL Health-Safety Rating ?for health and safety, ESRT additionally earned the highest possible? GRESB ?5 Star Rating and Green Star recognition for sustainability performance in real estate and was named a? Fitwel ?Champion for healthy, high-performance buildings. To learn more about Empire State Realty Trust, visit esrtreit.com and follow ESRT on? Facebook ,? Instagram ,? Twitter ?and? LinkedIn .? Category: Observatory Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1663338/Happily_Ever_Empire_Engagement_Package.jpg SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - Global e-retail giant Amazon Inc. (AMZN), saw their antitrust law worries compound on Monday after senate lawmakers blamed the company executive of lying in the Federal Trade Commission hearing. In the light of the event, the House Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee is planning to ask the Department of Justice to lodge a criminal investigation against the company. Last week, Reuters said that it has access to thousands of documents including emails, strategy papers, and business plans, that show that the online retail giants are taking deceitful measures to promote in-house merchandise at the expense of other sellers. The documents stand testaments to how the company systematically used the search results to boost the sales of its products which are just cheap knockoffs of the original products in the sub-continent. A letter signed by names like Jerrold Nadler, David N. Cicilline, Ken Buck, Pramila Jayapal, Matt Gaetz, the committee members told Amazon, 'In light of the serious nature of this matter, we are providing you with a final opportunity to provide exculpatory evidence to corroborate the prior testimony and statements on behalf of Amazon to the Committee. We strongly encourage you to make use of this opportunity to correct the record and provide the Committee with sworn, truthful, and accurate responses to this request as we consider whether a referral of this matter to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation is appropriate.' Even founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos is being brought in the mud as he had previously said in a hearing that the company doesn't use seller data for its personal gains. Nate Sutton, the general counsel to the company, had said in 2019 that Amazon doesn't use seller data to compete with its rivals. The statement added, 'We investigate any allegations that this policy may have been violated and take appropriate action. In addition, we design our search experience to feature the items customers will want to purchase, regardless of whether they are offered by Amazon or one of our selling partners.' The report that blew it all up last week claims that the employees inflated the sales of the knockoffs to make sure that the search engine can be rigged to make sure that the Amazon products come on top of the list. In a 2016 strategy, the company also wanted the in-house products to be in the first 2/3 options on the list. The report also showed how Amazon copied the measurements of shirts made by the brand John Miller to a tee and produced their knockoffs to win over the buyers. The documents also said that Amazon studied underlying information of each brand to find out the selling points or USPs of each performing brand so that they can knock it off. These products were called reference or 'benchmarks'. Speaking about the report, the lawmakers said, 'At best, this reporting confirms that Amazon's representatives misled the Committee. At worst, it demonstrates that they may have lied to Congress in possible violation of federal criminal law.' The chairperson of the subcommittee, David N. Cicilline wrote on Twitter, 'We're giving Amazon one last chance to come clean about how they abuse other seller's data and unfairly advantage their own products.' Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has been given a deadline till November 1 to come clean. Amazon declined any of the claims and told The Journal, 'Like other retailers, we look at sales and store data to provide our customers with the best possible experience. However, we strictly prohibit our employees from using non-public, seller-specific data to determine which private label products to launch. While we don't believe these claims are accurate, we take these allegations very seriously and have launched an internal investigation.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX AMAZON-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de C3, a Miami FL-based food-tech platform, raised $10M in funding. The round was led by Lurra Capital AG. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth and expand operations, and infrastructure within its digital restaurant brands, ghost kitchens, and bricks-and-mortar culinary centres. Led by Founder and CEO, Sam Nazarian, C3 (Creating Culinary Communities) provides food service industry players with simultaneously, systematically and broadly bringing together technology, underutilized retail, hotel and kitchen spaces. C3s array of culinary brands coexist for the food & beverage industry by capitalizing on rapidly evolving customer preferences through C3 established shared kitchens. C3 operates more than 250 digital kitchens and has developed 40 restaurant brands, each generating an estimated additional $1 million per outlet. These include Umami Burger, Sams Crispy Chicken, Kumi, Krispy Rice inspired by chef Katsuya Uechi, Cicci di Carne by globally renowned butcher Dario Cecchini, El Pollo Verde by chef Dani Garcia, SaMoto with chef Masaharu Morimoto, In a Bun, Plant Nation and more. Lurra Capital Founder and CEO Tyron Birkmeir, and deal partner Giovanni Agostinelli, joined the C3 Advisory Board, alongside existing members Ron Burkle, Egon Durban and Greg Mondre of Silverlake Capital, Ari Ojalvo of REEF Technology, David Simon of Simon Property Group, JJ Dudum of Discovery Land Company, and Sofia Vergara amongst others. FinSMEs 18/10/2021 Clarifai, a NYC-based AI platform for unstructured image, video, text, and audio data, raised $60M in Series C funding. The round, which brings the companys total funding to $100m, was led by led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA), with participation from existing investors Menlo Ventures, Union Square Ventures, Lux Capital, LDV Capital, Corazon Capital, NYU Innovation Venture Fund, and new investors CPP Investments, NextEquity Partners, SineWave Ventures and Trousdale Capital. In conjunction with the funding, Andrew Schoen, Partner at NEA, will join Clarifais board. The company intends yo use them funds to expand its sales, marketing, and engineering teams. Led by Dr. Matthew Zeiler, founder and CEO, Clarifai provides an AI lifecycle platform for modeling unstructured image, video, text, and audio data. It helps both public sector and enterprise customers solve complex use cases through object classification, detection, tracking, geolocation, visual search, and natural language processing. Clarifai offers on-premise, cloud, bare-metal and classified deployments. Clarifai has expanded beyond Computer Vision and launched essential new capabilities for Natural Language Processing, Audio Recognition, and multiple new products, including Spacetime Search, Scribe Automated Data Labeling, and Flare Edge AI. Clarifai is headquartered in New York City with more than 100 employees and offices in New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Tallinn, Estonia. FinSMEs 18/10/2021 the team of Metrolink Metrolink.ai, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based data-management platform, completed a $22m seed funding round. The round was led by Grove Ventures, with participation from Eclipse Ventures. The company plans to use the funds to expand its R&D, marketing, and sales efforts and lay the groundwork for a U.S. expansion. Led by Co-CEOs Ronen Korman and Asaf Cohen (Pizzer), Metrolink.ai has also unveiled its core product, a DataOps platform designed to help enterprises and small businesses quickly build and deploy complex dataflow infrastructures, reducing the time needed to start generating actionable business insights from weeks to hours. Its dataflow management solution enables users to design their data pipelines through a user-friendly interface. The platform supports a wide variety of automated, advanced data transformations that can be performed without writing a single line of code. It is easy to integrate with any existing business processes and databases, and can be deployed either on-premises or in the cloud. The solution is built with maximum data privacy in mind. Metrolink.ai simplifies and automates data collection and processing to let analysts focus on value as opposed to wrangling with data. FinSMEs 18/10/2021 Shop Latinx, a Los Angeles CA-based marketplace for Latinx brands and consumers, raised $1M in Pre-Seed funding. Backers included Precursor Ventures, Backstage Capital, Debut Capital, 2PM, Humble Ventures, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Silicon Hills Capital, Techstars, among several other consumer angel investors. The company intends to use the funds to define its virtual shopping experience and to expand through both online and offline experiential commerce and events tapping into music, fashion and culture. Led by Brittany Chavez, Shop Latinx is a lively community of creators and entrepreneurs who offers a curated selection of pieces and products that celebrate the Latinx culture. Shop Latinx has experienced growth since its founding in 2016, from a fan favorite Instagram account championing Latinx brands, designers and their stories to a full e-commerce marketplace boasting a community with over 100,000 fans. The platform now features over 600 curated products from over 30 brands such as Nopalera (the emerging Mexican-owned botanicals for bath & body), Shocks of Love, (a fragrance house at the intersection of wellness, art, & beauty), MCLC, (footwear that empowers the sole), Novel Swim, (a bathing suit line for women who want to have fun in and out of the water), among others.. The company partners with iconic companies such as Warner, Nike, and Footlocker. FinSMEs 18/10/2021 HMD Global today launched the XR20, the companys latest rugged smartphone, in India after teasing it last week. It is a waterproof phone (IP68) with a sleek casing that is made to the MIL-STD-810H military standard, has 1.5m drop protection, can be submerged to depths of 1.5m for 30 minutes, and the company says that it is built for conditions far harsher than the rough and tumble of everyday life. It has the same 6.67-inch FHD+ punch-hole display as the X20, but this has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection for a better durability. Theres a programmable top button, so you can make your most frequent task more accessible. Theres also an accessory loop lets for attaching a lanyard. The phone is powered by Snapdragon 480 5G SoC and run Android 11 with three years of software upgrades and four years of security updates, has 48MP main camera with ZEISS Optics, and a 13MP ultra-wide camera, and an 8MP front camera. It has stereo speakers, OZO spatial audio and all-new SpeedWarp mode with super-stabilization lets you fast-forward to the key moments. It packs a 4630mAh battery with 18W wired and 15W wireless charging. Nokia XR20 specifications 6.67-inch (24001080 pixels) FHD+ 20:9 aspect ratio display, up to 550 nits brightness, Wet hands and gloves compatibility, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection Octa Core Snapdragon 480 8nm Mobile Platform (2GHz x 2+1.8GHz x 6 Kryo 540 CPUs) with Adreno 619 GPU 6GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB (UFS 2.1) storage, expandable memory up to 512GB with microSD Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) Android 11 48MP rear camera with /1.79 aperture, LED flash, ZEISS Optics, 13MP 123 ultra-wide camera with f/2.4 aperture, OZO Audio 8MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Google Assistant button, Top-mounted customizable button 3.5mm audio jack, Extra loud Stereo speakers (96dB), OZO Playback Water resistant (IP68), MIL-STD 810H certified Dimensions: 171.64 x 81.5 x 9.1mm; Weight: 10.64g 5G SA/NSA (n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n28, n41, n66, n77/n78 international bands), Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ax (2.4GHz + 5GHz) 22 MiMo, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/ GLONASS/ Beidou/ QZSS/NavIC, USB Type-C 4630mAh (typical) battery with 18W wired charging, 15W Qi wireless charging The Nokia XR20 comes in Granite and Ultra Blue colours, is priced at Rs. 46,999 and will be available across leading offline retail stores, e-commerce platforms and Nokia.com. Pre-booking period is 20th to 29th October, 2021 and the phone will go on sale from 30th October, 2021. Customers who pre-book the smartphone can avail free gifts such as a Nokia Power Earbuds Lite worth Rs. 3,599, and One year of screen protection plan. Sanmeet Singh Kochhar, Vice President, HMD Global, said: Indian consumers, are adventurous and outgoing and require high quality, reliable and robust smartphones that can support their fast-paced life and become an extension of their lifestyle. On an average, people damage their smartphone within just 10 weeks of purchasing it. So, they have to invest in protective cases, repairs and warranties that can increase the maintenance cost, leading to early device replacement. Chinese Portrait of Perfumer Philippine Courtier Interviews This year Symrise was presented at BeautyWorld Middle East 2021 in a very unusual way. Instead of a big stand at the exhibition, the company rented private luxury showrooms in the neighboring hotel, with personal invitations. There were several reasons for this, the main being Covid-19 restrictions, but as a result they managed to get rid of the constant exhibition noise and music, and one could speak without straining ones voice; there were no strangers, and casual visitors and the intimate atmosphere made it possible to enjoy all the perfumes of Symrise's exclusive projects. There were a LOT of them. There was a stand of Symrise perfume bases, which is the legacy of the famous de Laire company (no new bases were revealed this year); there was a stand of new captives, natural and synthetic (Diviniris and Ceylanil amongst them); and the great exclusive collection of perfumes, named Guilty Pleasure, devoted to Coffee, Chocolate and Tobacco fifteen perfumes created for the exhibition, to indulge in sweet, guilty pleasures. But first, I was introduced to the new Symrise senior perfumer, Philippine Courtiere, who moved to Symrise from Firmenich in September 2021, where she studied at the perfumer's school and made her career for 12 years. Such transitions between perfume companies do not happen often, but they do happen from time to time. To change a company in which you know all the processes and interactions, all colleagues and all raw perfumery materials is a big challenge. But the challenge could be also a new wind in the sails! Philippine Courtiere has created a mini-collection of fragrances as her introduction to the clients of the region. PHILIPPINE COURTIERE: I created this collection specifically to illustrate myself and my profile as a perfumer through fragrances. We decided to make some sort of Chinese portrait, when you portrait yourself through some objects that represent you. I picked a few items and a few topics that define a bit who I am. So after smelling this collection youd find a little bit more about me and who I am as a perfumer, as a woman, as a creator. We thought it would be a nice way to introduce Symrise's new creator. SERGEY BORISOV: Thats even more important if you know that some perfumers from Symrise in Dubai are in Brazil now. OK, we have five fragrances here, so lets start from the first and maybe the lightest. PHILIPPINE: OK, the lightest fragrance in the collection is My Addiction. Its a creation around my addiction to fashion and handbags, so I picked my favorite handbag, the powdery rose-colored Lady Dior bag. I chose the Dior bag, as my grandfather was one of the founders of Christian Dior, so the leather pays tribute to the legacy of my family. I wanted to turn the bag into perfume: orris, leather, rose, fruity cherry powderiness. Orris is part of the most leathery accords, but usually its more hidden, if being compared to this creation. SERGEY: Yes, it's very powdery and a noble sort of leather. Its very nice Dior could be proud of this perfume! (The news about Francis Kurkdjian appeared the following week after this interview.) I could imagine it in their Exclusive collection! PHILIPPINE: The second one, Oud Bloom, is a little bit more linked to the Gulf region, because its my own interpretation of oud wood. I wanted to go away from the very animalic, woody oud and create a very blooming, citrusy oud fragrance. So heres a citrus bouquet with a green dry lime-lemongrass that helps to build freshness from the top to the drydown, and in the base we have oud combined with Vietnam Boya of a new quality, which we just introduced to our palette. So its a new oud fragrance, kind of citrus wrapped in leather. SERGEY: I would say its a European kind of oud, French or German, as people in those countries have a great Eau de Cologne tradition. Therere some old tradition countries where people like lavender, bergamot, etc., and therere some countries where people are looking for all the new trends and ingredients only, thinking lavender and citrus colognes are very boring and so "last century." I really like this one! Its a really fresh and transparent cologne! It spans from Europe to UAE, from citrus to smoky oud, and covers both ends of the spectrum in a perfect manner. PHILIPPINE: Now the third one, named Paris I Love You, which I created to illustrate the fact that Im from Paris. I have to choose something very Parisian, and for me, Paris is a chocolate croissant, or pain au chocolat. So I created the smell of a chocolate croissant a very figurative, very direct fragrance, very gourmand and comfortable. Its very easy to grab, but Id say its not a complete fragrance; its more of an accord that I could use in my perfumes, in some complex compositions when I need a gourmand touch. SERGEY (laughing with pleasure, smelling the blotter): But its as good as it is, such straightforward gourmand perfumes are very good for kids, as they don't expect any complexity from their perfumes PHILIPPINE: Or it could be used in a body mist fragrance, for example. PHILIPPINE: Then the fourth fragrance I made to illustrate Dubai. I wanted to develop a perfume that would represent Burj Khalifa, the biggest skyscraper in the world since 2009, and one of the Dubai symbols. The perfume is named Spider Lily, because it was the flower of the regional desert that inspired architect Adrian Smiths vision. If you look at Burj Khalifa from the top you can see the spider lily; it looks like an orchid, but its from the Lily family. So I created a white flower fragrance of lily and jasmine with special metallic and cold mirror-like top notes that represent the tower. SERGEY: Its a very unusual smell for Dubai; its beautifully fresh and very unexpected PHILIPPINE: And the fifth fragrance, Oh Ma Lavande, is the creation around one of my favorite ingredients, which is lavender. The note isnt very popular by itself in general, so I wanted to create a very feminine, petaly, soft and fruity lavender, not a typical aromatic one. Through this collection I really had freedom to express myself and my creativity. I picked what I want to create and how: leather, oud, lavender or chocolate. It was a great time of creation! SERGEY: Thank you, Philippine. Your Chinese portrait was a great journey through the world as well! ******** After this wonderful journey through the creative world of Symrise perfumer Philippine Courtiere, I was introduced to Victoria Legros, Fine Fragrances marketing manager of the Symrise office in Dubai. She came up with the idea of an exclusive fragrance collection dedicated to coffee, chocolate and tobacco, and then, with the help of the Symrise perfumers team, brought the Guilty Pleasure collection to life to be presented at BWME 2021. A separate review of the exclusive collection of 15 fragrances will follow soon, and I will only say now that it could easily become the starting point for several niche brands. And it's a pity that it will never be marketed as a separate collection, as its a perfect example of free creative work. Photos: (C) Sergey Borisov; Neptuul, Luc Viatour - CC BY-SS 4.0 Be the ultimate NERF legend in this fast-paced FPS featuring an exciting story campaign and online multiplayer for up to eight players! Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Fat Freddy's Drop have just announced May 2022 for their re-scheduled WAIRUNGA album release tour. The band has secured the same venues in Wellington, Nelson, Dunedin, Christchurch, Hamilton and Auckland! Special guests Deva Mahal, Harper Finn and Rubi Du are all back on board for selected shows. Dallas, Oct. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beverly Hills, CA GMB SEO Expert Qamar Zaman and Top Podcast Expert Adam Torres Take a Deep Dive, Teach Small businesses how to rank on Google My Business. Today businesses like plumbing, lawyers, electricians, roofers and many service based business owners have to navigate the endless facets of search engine results pages (SERPs). One of the most crucial is local ranking, which can make the difference between a thriving and a failing business. In the latest episode of the Mission Matters Marketing Masterclass series with Adam Torres and Qamar Zaman, Mr. Zaman shares the ins and outs of how you can get your business to rank on local search results AKA GMB organically and ethically. Episode 8 of Mission Matters Marketing Master Class Series with Qamar Zaman and Adam Torres Explains How to Make Your Business Rank Locally A lot of people think that Google is only one dimensional, but its actually multi dimensional. When you dont do the right things for all the dimensions, thats when you get what I call brand fracture, says Mr. Zaman, who recently published a book on Google Maps ranking in SEO. In the 8th episode of the Marketing Masterclass series, Mr. Zaman explains: Why ranking locally in SEO helps your business Common SEO local ranking mistakes N.A.P. (Name, Address, Phone Number) Brand fracture Google My Business (GMB) Categorizing your business The importance of reviews Getting listed in citation directories Google Trust Value Why backlinking is crucial Listen to the full episode here. About KISS PR KISS PR is a cutting edge digital growth company that was founded in 2003 by Qamar Zaman in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, and is considered a leader in the industry. Zaman spent several years building relationships with top influencers in the legal, business, health sciences and technology fields, and continues to assist elite law firms and businesses in reaching new heights. KISS PR enables businesses to grow their online presence and save time and money while growing their businesses. Brands around the world have benefited from this unique storytelling model. Over 31,000 stories have been told by KissPR, and we continue to help small businesses achieve their dreams. https://kisspr.com/. About Qamar Zaman Rated by the peers: Markitors in the Best Dallas SEO Companies, Experts, Consultants Markitors Best Dallas SEO Companies Qamar specializes in marketing and SEO for professional businesses including eCommerce companies, banks, and most notably- law firms. In addition to SEO service, he provides market research, content marketing, brand marketing, lead generation, and SEM services. Why are they one of the best SEO experts for small businesses in Dallas? Qamar brings with him two decades of experience in SEO for lawyers. He has written a book on Local SEO and comes highly recommended by his satisfied clients. Source: Markitors Best Dallas SEO Companies In addition to his membership to the Forbes Agency Council, which is an invitation-only community of leaders from the PR, marketing, creative, and ad industry, Qamar has written for publications such as Huffington Post and Forbes. Qamars digital growth agency, KISS PR, helps an international client base, in niches ranging from air filtration to family law to commercial real estate, build an online presence that actually converts to clients. About Mission Matters Podcast Mission Matters Business Podcast with Adam Torres. Interviews are released daily featuring leaders in a 10-15 minute format. Our podcast is designed for busy people on the move. No fluff. Mission Matters Business with Adam Torres on Apple Podcasts Find the podcast on your preferred listening platform: Youtube: https://youtu.be/SvPEi6eA8Rs Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/713046553505060090 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/p/CQwHO5ggQJR/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/status/1410277973241040902 Facebook: https://fb.watch/6smnvSokxl/ Media Contact Tara@kisspr.com London, United Kingdom, Oct. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Created to provide a safe place for new emerging companies, KCC Launchpad running on the Kucoin Community Chain (KCC) gained mass approval and phenomenal 28x growth funded through the KCL Token after its recent launch only weeks ago. A new concept that is certified to be safe and rug proof by auditors. KCC Launchpad is creating blockchain solutions for the hardest to reach areas and most underfunded parts of the world with the new decentralized crowdfunding platform KCL Wealth, the KCL Airdrop DApp Service and the new KCL NFT Marketplace. Visit the KCL Wealth website See the KCL NFT Marketplace Kucoin Community Chain Launchpad is the next generation to emerge, countering Binance Smart Chain (BSC) to provide a safer place for companies to appear on the market on the KCC Mainnet with the KCL token by which the Launchpad runs. At the root of the KCC Launchpad, the advanced code incorporates fairness and utility into the community-driven ecosystem created for new project IDOs emerging in the fast-growing space. KCL Wealth Decentralized Crowdfunding Platform Features KCL Wealth is a decentralized crowdfunding platform executed by eNebula Solutions audited smart contracts making it impossible to be scammed. Designed to help the KCC Launchpad community enjoy passive returns over a long period, joining KCL Wealth connects investors with a worldwide audience while protecting the identity of those investors. The code controls the execution, and transactions are trackable and irreversible. Smart contracts permit trusted transactions and agreements to be carried out among divergent, anonymous parties without needing a central authority, legal system, or external enforcement mechanism. Tokens are paid to reward or referral balance from the purchases of other users as a share in the pool. Another novel and unique feature about the KCL WEALTH Platform is the novel fact Investors can terminate and withdraw their investments at any time and immediately send the funds to investor wallets. The KCL CEO explaining some attributes of the new KCL Wealth crowdfunding platform and Airdrop DApp, stated, KCL Wealth is a decentralized crowdfunding platform on Kucoin Community Chain that will provide daily passive earnings for investors in return for supporting company endeavors. We are not limited to a launchpad project but also have a growing ecosystem to enable us to increase the utility of the ecosystem. We also have our swap- KCL Swap, where users can exchange or list coins for other stable coins, make passive income streams through Yield Farming, Staking, Lottery, playing of games for cryptocurrency & the KCL Airdrop DApp Service, which is the only such service on the KCC chain. The KCL Airdrop DApp will be the ultimate go-to place for projects and developers on the Kucoin Community Chain & other Chains willing to send out airdrops en masse, be it during IDOs or as occasions may demand. The airdrop service is among many other use cases the team has developed & still developing behind the scenes to ensure that the price of $KCL is not limited to Launchpad, Swap, etc. To use the KCL AIRDROP DApp, projects and individuals will be required to pay for the service with $KCL. This will increase the $KCL buy pressure and use case. Funding provided through the KCL Wealth crowdfunding platform will also help the KCC launchpad to grow and thrive. Being concerned about the perceived safety we assure for new projects on KCC Launchpad, we hired the auditing firm eNebula Solutions to verify the code of the $KCL Token Smart Contract. By these increasing utilities powered by the KCL token, we envision an ecosystem that will not be affected by bulls and bear markets, the tweet of an influencer, nor news of a crypto crackdown from any nation. KCL Wealth has just been listed and ranked as #3 on the Kucoin Chain Discovery website Discover.kcc.io. The Kucoin BlockChain owns the Kucoin Chain Discovery website. The website monitors the best DApps/Projects impacting the Kucoin Chain and grades them for their legitimacy, performance, current engagements, and, more importantly, future possibilities. A testament to the KCC Launchpad teams silent behind-the-scenes work yielding results and recognition within the Kucoin Chain. The newest announcement to come from the company as an addition to the KCC Launchpad and just launched at the time of this writing is the KCL NFT Minting & Marketplace exclusively For KCL Wealth Users KCL token holders for minting and marketing their NFTs Join the Telegram Community Chatroom to ask questions about KCL Wealth, the KCL Airdrop DApp, the KCL NFT Marketplace and the KCC Launchpad run by the KCL Token The Mission of KCC Launchpad KCC Launchpad was created to address the disadvantages of high fees and congestion associated with the Ether Chain. Hence, the introduction of many launchpads on the BSC (Binance Smart Chain) network. Due to the many demands/terms set by these established Launchpads on the BSC, many small but promising projects have been unable to launch on these launchpads in recent years, giving rise to many scam launchpads. The Kucoin Community Chain Launchpad (KCC Launch) on the Kucoin Community Chain was born from the desire to correct these anomalies. KCC is designed to streamline the project selection process and provide exclusive and secure opportunities for projects to impact the Defi scene. KCC provides investors and prelaunch projects with a single, safe destination. Through the Kucoin Community Chain, investors gain exclusive access to innovative, secure, and rewarding projects. With exclusive partnerships with leading blockchain companies, influencers, and better liquidity, projects benefit from increased exposure, complimentary audits, and a supportive community. Follow the Kucoin Community Launchpad @kcclaunchpad on Twitter Visit the KCC Launchpad website at >> www.kcclaunch.net Find the Telegram Community here >> @kcclaunchpadd Disclaimer: The information on this page does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, trading advice, or any other sort of advice and should not be considered as such. Authored by: Robert Stone @Shake_the_Web on Twitter Website: https://thecryptomarketingcompany.com/ Finnish Swedish English According to Aktias Chief Economist Lasse Corin, Finland's economy will grow by 3.3% this year, but the growth will slow down to 2.3% in 2022. The dismantling of the pent-up demand for consumption and the rapid recovery of the labour market are not enough to save the growth. In a report published today by Aktia, Chief Economist Lasse Corin states that positive labour market developments have restored consumer confidence to pre-pandemic levels. However, the dismantling of coronavirus restrictions is not expected to significantly increase household consumption. "Household savings have increased strongly during the pandemic, allowing room for growth in consumption. The restrictions made it impossible to buy many services. On the other hand, households have had the opportunity to dismantle the pent-up demand for goods, which means that the dismantling of coronavirus restrictions does not bring significant positive support to the demand for goods, says Lasse Corin. Although demand for services is expected to pick up, services lost during the pandemic will not be fully replaced by increased consumption for example, lost restaurant dinners and trips abroad are not fully replaced by new ones and thus a large part of them is lost demand. On the other hand, the sales of household appliances, furniture and various renovation equipment, for example, have been strong even during the pandemic. In these categories, demand will decrease as dismantling restrictions and returning to normal decrease the need for home renewals and improvements. The rapid recovery of the labour market exceeded Aktia's forecasts The recovery of Finland's employment situation has been a positive surprise. Compared to Aktia's previous forecast, unemployment figures will improve to 7.6% this year and to 7.2% in 2022. The decrease in unemployment has been widespread, but the uncertainties caused by the coronavirus delta variant and the delay in opening up the economies have put a strain particularly on the employment of the service and tourism sectors. "The rapid recovery of the labour market has been conducive in supporting economic growth. The combined salary of all employees has already exceeded the pre-pandemic level at a monthly level," says Lasse Corin. In addition to the development of the labour market, Finland's economic growth is boosted especially by the positive sentiment in exports the industrial order book in particular has increased to such an extent that it has not been perceived this strong since the period preceding the financial crisis in 2008. More than half of Finland's exports are directed to the European Union, while 15% are directed to the United States and 15% to Asia. The positive economic outlook for these regions benefits Finnish export companies. Exports are expected to clearly grow increasingly towards the end of 2021 and the volume of exports throughout the year are expected to increase by 3.9% compared to one year ago. Exports of services will pick up more quickly than exports of goods, thus returning to the trend before corona. The slowdown in the economic growth in the main export countries of Finland will inevitably also be reflected here in Finland. As economic uncertainty increases, the risks of growth in consumption are also elevated. Further information Lasse Corin, Chief Economist, tel. +358 40 8080 635, lasse.corin@aktia.fi Katja Korsinkin, Communications Manager, tel. +358 50 411 3036, katja.korsinkin@aktia.fi Aktia is a Finnish asset manager, bank and life insurer that has been creating wealth and wellbeing from one generation to the next for 200 years. We serve our customers in digital channels everywhere and face-to-face in our offices in the Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Vaasa and Oulu regions. Our award-winning asset management business sells investment funds internationally. We employ approximately 900 people around Finland. Aktia's assets under management (AuM) on 30 June 2021 amounted to EUR 15.6 billion, and the balance sheet total was EUR 11.2 billion. Aktia's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (AKTIA). aktia.com. Attachment Hexagon Purus joins the work package Zero Emission Compressed Hydrogen (ZECH) which is part of the ZeroCoaster project study coordinated by Vard, a major global ship design and shipbuilding company. This study aims to research, evaluate and present zero emission ship design solutions using alternative fuel systems. The ZeroCoaster represents coastal bulk cargo operations in Norway. Systems and component solutions revealed in the project are applicable for scaling and reconfiguring for other maritime applications. The project study is funded by The Research Council of Norway. One of the main objectives is to evaluate and challenge bunkering technologies and logistics operations, with a focus on safety, cost, and capacity. Hexagon Purus will contribute with its knowledge and expertise in storage and distribution of compressed hydrogen gas using Type 4 composite cylinder technology. Sharing knowledge to accelerate zero emission maritime solutions Norway has set a target to reduce emissions with 50 % by 2030, and there is a growing national demand for zero emission vessels along the Norwegian coast. If Norway's target for cutting emissions by 2030 is to be implemented, 700 low-emission and approximately 400 zero-emission ships will be required, of these; 450 bulk and cargo ships. This project aims to research and propose a cost competitive hydrogen value chain that can support and accelerate the transition to zero emission shipping solutions. We see wide benefits of working with Vard and the project partners. We have the technology needed to store and distribute compressed hydrogen in a large scale and look forward to sharing our expertise, says Havard Stave, Technical Sales Manager Maritime, Hexagon Purus. It is an excellent opportunity for us to learn from each other, while driving the transition to zero emission maritime applications. The project will be conducted using an already developed concept design platform of the ZeroCoaster cargo ship prepared by Vard. By using simulation-driven-ship-design, the project will develop economic and technical key performance indicators for the use of alternative fuels on ships. The project is scheduled for completion by end of 2021. For more information, please contact: Havard Stave, Technical Sales Manager Maritime, Hexagon Purus Telephone: +47 906 15 698 | havard.stave@hexagonpurus.com Karen Romer, SVP Communications, Hexagon Composites Telephone: +47 950 74 950 | karen.romer@hexagongroup.com Facts about ZeroCoaster: Through the pilot project within Green Shipping Program, a concept design has already been developed, with focus on flexibility and modularity. This is achieved with a scalable hull and modular power generation. This concept design will now be added to a production-ready design, with the necessary drawings and specifications, and will cover ship sizes of 2000 to 8000 deadweight tonnage. It is precisely within these segments that the need for fleet renewal is greatest. Type: General Cargo ship Load capacity : 4,000 5,500 dwt Load: Most bulk and volume loads, incl. IMO 5.1 &4.2 Length and Width: L 99m, B 15m Speed: 8-12 knots Area of operation: The Nordic region and Europe Range: 600 2000 nm Propulsion system: fully electric Energy system: Modularized and ready for battery, hydrogen, ammonia, methanol & LNG Overall list of project participants: Vard DNV Trosvik Maritime SINTEF Ocean ABB HK Shipping Flowchange Statkraft Hexagon Purus About Hexagon Purus Hexagon Purus, a Hexagon Composites company, is a world leading provider of hydrogen type 4 high-pressure cylinders, battery packs and vehicle systems integration for fuel cell electric and battery electric vehicles. Hexagon Purus enables zero emission solutions for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles, buses, ground storage, distribution, maritime, rail and aerospace. Learn more at www.hexagonpurus.com. Attachment Webtel.mobi the Global Telephony Company that developed the worlds first fully-operational global digital currency and global CBDC-equivalent describes why Multinational Telecommunications Companies have Strategic Advantages in this arena NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, a great deal of activity has been taking place in the Digital Currency and proposed CBDC space, with multiple entities worldwide discussing possible ways to create a functioning Global Digital Currency and a Retail CBDC. The array of entities trying to work out how to move ahead in this arena include cryptocurrency companies, social media companies, payments companies, consulting companies, commercial banks, and central banks some of them working together in groups and alliances. To date, they have not been able to create a prototype of an instrument to fulfill either the role of a Global Digital Currency or a retail CBDC whereas Webtel.mobi (WM) has created, tested, had due diligenced and has implemented a fully operational Global Digital Currency and Global Wholesale and Retail CBDC-equivalent. One of the reasons for this is that none of the entities in these other disparate sectors has the specific type of Multinational infrastructure or experience required to even holistically review and then plan the required infrastructure, components and systems. Moreover, the regulatory hurdles faced by entities in these sectors, to achieve their objectives, are almost insurmountable. However, there is one sector and one group of companies in one sector that not only have the in-depth experience, infrastructure, and capacities to achieve these objectives; they already have approximately 50% of the operational infrastructure, processes, and systems in place to do so. This sector is the Multinational Telecommunications Sector, and the companies with the capacity to succeed in respect of Global Digital Currency and CBDC-equivalent creation are the large Multinational Telephony Companies such as AT&T, Verizon Communications, China Mobile, China Telecom, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile US, Telefonica, Orange, Comcast, America Movil and the Vodafone Group. They do not currently have the Global coverage of WM, or WMs other capacities that enable the provision of functioning, practical and operational Global Digital Currencies and CBDC-equivalents. However, they have the experience, infrastructure, and capacity to achieve this in the future far more rapidly than companies or entities in any other sector. Some of the reasons for the Multinational Telecommunications Companies having a strategic advantage over all other companies and entities in other sectors are as follow: With their decades of experience in roaming agreements and Multinational operations Multinational Telecommunications Companies already have the required experience and expertise in Multinational operations and markets - as functioning businesses able to implement Multinational business models competently and professionally. Multinational Telecommunications Companies already have in-depth experience of anti-fraud, anti-money laundering and other hard business requirements that function according to the classic requirements of traditional and mature businesses. Multinational Telecommunications companies have, in-house, all required communications capacities. This means all the relevant system processes including all required text message sending for multiple Multi-Factor Authentication and other requirements and verifications can be done in-house with no external dependencies. The regulations applicable to the Telecommunications Sector enable Multinational Telecommunications Companies to achieve the required objectives without having to step outside their sector. In fact, they are the only ones that can do this on a global scale. Some of the facilitating factors are as follow: Multinational Telecommunications Companies already have the functioning operational facilities for the receipt, and loading into client accounts of, Stored Credit / Stored Value from prepaid telephony clients and in various currencies. This is one of the critical components and it already exists within their systems. All that needs to be done is for a subsidiary to be created that is Members-Only, so the operations of that subsidiary become Closed-Loop Members-Only and not public. This enables the limits of amounts of Stored Credit / Stored Value deposited to be set by the Company based on its own internal risk-management assessments (combined with documentary requirements for Stored Credit / Stored Value, anti-money laundering provisions and other similar provisions already operational in their systems) Multinational Telecommunications Companies already have the functioning operational facilities for the transfer and receipt of Stored Credit / Stored Value from one client to another including from different countries. This is another critical component that already exists in their systems. Again, all that needs to be done is for a Members Only subsidiary to be established to create a Closed-Loop Members-Only system, which again sees the limits of amounts of Stored Credit / Stored Value transferred and received able to be set by the Company based on its own internal risk-management assessments (combined with documentary requirements for Stored Credit / Stored Value transferring, anti-money laundering provisions and other similar provisions already operational in their systems) Multinational Telecommunications Companies already carry out internal FX Conversions due to their multinational operations. This can also be provided to Members for use in a Closed-Loop Members-Only subsidiary. This is another already-existing core component. All major Multinational Telecommunications Companies are already hybrid combinations of telecommunications and technology and are busy with implementation of Artificial Intelligence components to their systems. Therefore, they have the capacity to develop the required Complex Adaptive Systems that will enable the already-existing core components within their Telephony and Telephony-Support systems to become dual-use facilities, and function in Global Digital Currency / CBDC-equivalent roles. There are, naturally, many more technological, corporate structuring, legal, regulatory, jurisdictional, security and other requirements that need to be attended to prior to any Multinational Telecommunications Company being able to transition from Multinational to Global regarding service access and delivery, and to achieve the situation of providing globally operational Digital Currency and CBDC-equivalents (or alternatives). To successfully achieve this will take them several years. However, although there is still a relatively long lead time for them to achieve this, they just with their existing infrastructure are so far ahead of other sectors it will take them half the time or less to achieve these objectives than it will any other entities in any other sectors. Moreover, the commercial benefits in achieving these objectives are well worth the effort given the volumes and values of the markets that then become accessible. Webtel.mobi has already achieved these objectives - and the fact it has is proof of the advantages Telecommunications Companies hold in this arena. Webtel.mobi will remain without any other entity as a competitor in this arena for the foreseeable future, but when other entities do achieve these objectives, it is very likely the first ones to do so will also be companies from within the Multinational Telecommunications sector. As was written in the Valuation Document in the March/April 2021 Valuation of Webtel.mobi by the Global Consultancy Frost & Sullivan: Since the earliest days of the internet age, when the possibility of borderless Global business operations became a possibility, Telephony and eCommerce companies have been in a race to try to attain full convergence of their services. Full Convergence in this sense refers to the situation where a company in one of these sectors reaches a point where their services are able to cross over into the other sector in a wide-ranging manner to produce a company with services that cover the full spectrum of Global Communications and Global eCommerce on one platform. While there have been advances towards this aim in both the Telephony and eCommerce sectors, these have to date primarily succeeded in service expansion within their respective sectors, but without achieving crossover. It is with this aim in mind that Webtel.mobi has been focussing its activities since its inception, and its Platform 2 product has now achieved the crossover between Telephony and eCommerce on a Global basis. Consequently, it can be said that it was the Telephony sector that won this race, with Webtel.mobi being the first Telephony company to fully cross over into a fully integrated Global Telephony and eCommerce Platform, which is also convergence of The Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence. Resources: Media Contact: Nick Lambert: wm@thoburns.com Convergence of Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things: https://www.clustre.net/convergence-artificial-intelligence-and-the-internet-of-things Technological Convergence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_convergence WMs attainment of Convergence (Page 14): https://webtel.mobi/media/info/webtelmobi-holdings-limited-valuation-april-15-2021-final.pdf Frost & Sullivan: https://www.frost.com Video on the Capacities of the WM System: https://youtu.be/XYBrCikUhn8 Research Reports on the Capacities of the WM System: https://tinyurl.com/TUVresearch Characteristics of WMs TUV Digital Currency: https://webtel.mobi/info/tuv-characteristics WMs Secured TUV Digital Currency: https://webtel.mobi/info/my-secured-tuvs WMs Smart TUV Digital Currency: https://webtel.mobi/info/my-smart-tuvs WMs urls: https://webtel.mobi/pc (Tablets / Laptops / Desktops) https://webtel.mobi (Smart Phones) https://webtel.mobi/wap (Pre-Smart Mobile Phones) A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e894d6ae-0775-4e18-a03e-1148691a4e56 The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress. Dublin, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Thermoformed Plastics Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The market for Thermoformed Plastics is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period. Major factors driving the market studied are increasing demand from food packaging industry and rising demand from healthcare industry. On the flipside, stringent rules and regulations imposed on the usage of plastic products and unfavourable conditions arising due to COVID-19 outbreak are the major restraints, which are expected to hinder the growth of market. Growing demand for bio-based products in various end-user industries is expected to offer various lucrative opportunities for the growth of market. By application, packaging segment is expected to dominate the market owing to the growing trend of packaged and processed food. North America region dominated the thermoformed plastics market across the globe with the largest consumption from countries such as United States and Canada. Key Market Trends Increasing Demand from Packaging Industry Thermoformed plastics are manufactured by a process known as thermoforming, in which sheet of plastic material is heated to get it in a bendable form, then molding and trimming it into the desired shape and finally cooling it to get a finished usable product. The growing usage of thermoformed plastics in various food packaging products such as cups, trays, sandwich packs, disposable glass & plates, and microwave containers is stimulating the demand the thermoformed plastics and thus, propelling its market. Thermoformed plastics provide superior properties such as protection against moisture, odor, and bacteria. They help in increasing the shelf-life of packaged products and are also cost effective. Owing to these factors, the demand of thermoformed plastic materials is likely to increase during the forecast period. The global food packaging market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period and is projected to reach the market value of USD 450 billion by 2027. This would increase the demand of thermoformed plastics and thus, propel its market during the forecast period, Owing to all the above-mentioned factors for thermoformed plastics, its market is expected to grow rapidly over the forecast period. North America Region to Dominate the Market North America region is expected to dominate the market for thermoformed plastics during the forecast period. Owing to increase in the demand from various end-user industries such as packaging, healthcare, construction, automotive, and electrical & electronics, the demand for thermoformed plastics has been increasing in countries like United States and Canada. The growing usage of thermoformed plastics in food industry for the packaging of fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, confectionary products, and prepared meals is stimulating the demand of thermoformed plastics in the region. Thermoformed plastics are used in healthcare sector for the packaging of products including medical trays, medical devices, syringes, pharmaceutical packaging, and protective packaging. Also, the North America medical devices packaging market is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period. Owing to these factors, the demand for thermoformed plastics is likely to increase in medical & healthcare sector. Additionally, the demand for polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is expected to increase as it provides properties such as light transmission, high resistance to weathering and UV light, high surface hardness, and extended service life. Also, it is recyclable and environment-friendly. This will further aid the thermoformed plastics market growth during the forecast period. Furthermore, thermoformed plastics are used in electric vehicles for manufacturing panels, liners, bumpers, and other vehicle parts as they are lightweight and durable. The electric vehicles market in North America is projected to register a CAGR of over 20% during the forecast period. This would increase the demand for thermoformed plastics and thus, propel its market during the forecast period. Some of the major companies operating in North America region are - Pactiv LLC, Sonoco Products Company and D&W Fine Pack. The aforementioned factors, coupled with government support, are contributing to the increasing demand for thermoformed plastics during the forecast period. Competitive Landscape The thermoformed plastics market is fragmented with top players accounting for a marginal share of the market. Major companies in the market include Pactiv LLC, D&W Fine Pack., Genpak, LLC, Sonoco Products Company, and Amcor plc. Reasons to Purchase this report: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Key Topics Covered: 1 INTRODUCTION 2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 MARKET DYNAMICS 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Increasing Demand from Food Packaging Industry 4.1.2 Rising Demand from Healthcare Industry 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Stringent Rules and Regulations Imposed on the Usage of Plastic Products 4.2.2 Unfavourable Conditions Arising Due to COVID-19 Outbreak 4.3 Industry Value Chain Analysis 4.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis 5 MARKET SEGMENTATION 5.1 Product Type 5.1.1 Polyethylene (PE) 5.1.2 Polypropylene (PP) 5.1.3 Polystyrene (PS) 5.1.4 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) 5.1.5 Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) 5.1.6 Bio-degradable Polymers 5.1.7 Others 5.2 Process 5.2.1 Vacuum Snapback 5.2.2 Plug Assist Forming 5.2.3 Thin Gauge Thermoforming 5.2.4 Thick Gauge Thermoforming 5.3 End-user Industry 5.3.1 Packaging 5.3.2 Heathcare 5.3.3 Automotive 5.3.4 Electricals & Electronics 5.3.5 Construction 5.3.6 Consumer Goods & Appliances 5.3.7 Others 5.4 Geography 5.4.1 Asia-Pacific 5.4.1.1 China 5.4.1.2 India 5.4.1.3 Japan 5.4.1.4 South Korea 5.4.1.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific 5.4.2 North America 5.4.2.1 United States 5.4.2.2 Canada 5.4.2.3 Mexico 5.4.3 Europe 5.4.3.1 Germany 5.4.3.2 United Kingdom 5.4.3.3 Italy 5.4.3.4 France 5.4.3.5 Rest of Europe 5.4.4 South America 5.4.4.1 Brazil 5.4.4.2 Argentina 5.4.4.3 Rest of South America 5.4.5 Middle-East and Africa 5.4.5.1 Saudi Arabia 5.4.5.2 South Africa 5.4.5.3 Rest of Middle-East and Africa 6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE 6.1 Mergers & Acquisitions, Joint Ventures, Collaborations, and Agreements 6.2 Market Share (%)/Ranking Analysis 6.3 Strategies Adopted by Leading Players 6.4 Company Profiles 6.4.1 Amcor plc 6.4.2 Anchor Packaging Inc. 6.4.3 Berry Global Inc. 6.4.4 Brentwood Industries, Inc. 6.4.5 D&W Fine Pack. 6.4.6 Dart Container Corporation 6.4.7 DISPLAY PACK. 6.4.8 Fabri-Kal 6.4.9 Genpak, LLC 6.4.10 Greiner Packaging 6.4.11 Huhtamaki Global 6.4.12 Pactiv LLC 6.4.13 Penda 6.4.14 Placon. 6.4.15 Sabert Corporation 6.4.16 SILGAN HOLDINGS INC. 6.4.17 Silgan Plastics. 6.4.18 Sonoco Products Company 6.4.19 Spencer Industries Inc. 6.4.20 WINPAK LTD. 7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS 7.1 Growing Demand for Bio-based Products in Various End-user Industries 7.2 Other Opportunities For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ewmx4p Basis Technologies is a Leading Comprehensive, Automated, and Intelligent SaaS Platform for Marketers; Improves the Lives of Marketers and Increases Business Outcomes by Addressing Advertising Complexity CHICAGO, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centro, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based workflow automation and business intelligence software for marketing and advertising, today announced it has changed its corporate name to Basis Global Technologies, Inc. (Basis Technologies or the Company). Celebrating its 20th corporate anniversary, the Company is rebranding to position its core technology as a focal point of its automation and intelligence vision for enterprises. The Companys vision is to develop the marketing industrys most comprehensive, automated, and intelligent SaaS platform. Its Basis platform is composed of integrated applications that automate manual operations, standardize business processes, and improve marketing and advertising performance. It provides a comprehensive selection of buying methods across all channels and devices for all major creative types and formats. For more information visit: https://basis.net. Marketing operations have become too complex for media professionals and marketing team leaders because of new channels, ad formats, reporting metrics, and more. This expansion is straining marketers, leading to higher labor costs, deteriorating unit economics, decreasing customer service quality, lower efficacy of paid ads, and declining profitability. The marketing industry continues to utilize disparate, legacy point solutions that are disconnected from the core elements of media workflow. Basis Technologies mission since the beginning of the Companys incorporation in October 2001 is to improve the lives of marketers and increase business outcomes through automation. Basis Technologies is powering the future of work for the global media industry. Our integrated automation, intelligence and collaboration software is essential for improved performance, increased productivity, faster collaboration, streamlined processes, and better intelligence across all professionals, said Shawn Riegsecker, CEO, Basis Technologies. The velocity of industry change is accelerating, leaving a wake of complexity, disorganization, and disconnection of people, processes, and platforms. These problems have led to increasing levels of employee fatigue, exhaustion, frustration, and burnout, and it has become enormously challenging to overcome them with antiquated tools. Our industry requires modern technology solutions built for where the business ecosystem is going, and Basis Technologies is in prime position to lead this era of automation. Automation with Basis Basis unifies and automates all major aspects of digital media operations. It is a single system of record across marketing and advertising functions with comprehensive and connected tools that alleviate the reliance on separate point solutions. Core elements and solutions weaved together in Basis include: Workflow automation Communication, messaging, and collaboration Vendor directory Ad buying via programmatic, vendor-direct, search and social Artificial Intelligence (AI) optimization Universal performance reporting Contract and orders management Contract and billing reconciliation Business Intelligence (BI) system Creative asset management Benefits for media teams and leaders includes: Streamlined operations Automation and reduction of manual steps Consolidation of tools and systems Enhanced workforce productivity Optimized digital media investments A top-rated demand-side platform (DSP) Reporting, media performance, and workload metrics in one view Corporate Values and Quality While operating as Centro, Basis Technologies was building a nationally recognized workplace focused on employee happiness and development. The Company is continuing to drive its core values and culture, and will further add to its team across various skillsets and regions. The Company has numerous open positions in software engineering, product, services, sales, marketing, operations and more. Learn more at: https://basis.net/company/careers. About Basis Technologies Basis Technologies (https://basis.net), formerly operating as Centro, is a leading provider of cloud-based workflow automation and business intelligence software for marketing and advertising functions within enterprises. Its SaaS platform is composed of a suite of integrated applications that automate manual operations, standardize business processes, and improve marketing and advertising performance. The technology provides a comprehensive selection of buying methods across all channels and devices, utilizing all major creative types and formats. Basis platform creates a single system of record, seamless team collaboration, and actionable data-driven insights yielding material gains in productivity and increased profitability for users. Headquartered in Chicago with offices covering North America, South America and Europe, Basis Technologies has received numerous accolades for its commitment to employees and workplace culture. Contact: Anthony Loredo 917-573-4157 anthony.loredo@basis.net Two photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/08261691-c9b8-4a2d-bb1c-19907efc5792 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/caf03b7d-bdef-478b-9df0-527641a466be A video accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2edf771b-ba05-46d8-bf66-670c97ced00d NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greystone, a leading national commercial real estate finance company, has provided debt financing for the acquisition of four senior housing properties in California. The Greystone Senior Housing Capital Markets team worked on behalf of Harrison Street to identify a capital solution for the portfolio acquisition, estimated by SeniorCare Investor to be valued at $546,700 per unit. The latest collection of properties are located in Torrance, Sacramento, and Novato, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Operated by Oakmont Management Group, the senior housing communities were acquired from Gallaher Companies with life company financing. The four properties in this second tranche comprise 465 units and represent a portion of a portfolio of 24 total senior housing communities acquired by Harrison Street in California and Nevada for approximately $1.2 billion. Greystone closed financing for 16 of the properties earlier in 2021. Its been gratifying working alongside Harrison Street on this pivotal acquisition for their strategic growth in the senior housing space, said Mr. Cary Tremper, head of Greystones Senior Housing Capital Markets team. There are copious funding options available today, and we are honored to have worked with the team once again to match them with the solutions that fit best for this large-scale acquisition. About Greystone Greystone is a private national commercial real estate finance company with an established reputation as a leader in multifamily and healthcare finance, having ranked as a top FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac lender in these sectors. Loans are offered through Greystone Servicing Company LLC, Greystone Funding Company LLC and/or other Greystone affiliates. For more information, visit www.greystone.com. PRESS CONTACT: Karen Marotta Greystone 212-896-9149 Karen.Marotta@greyco.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Last Thursday, acclaimed Beverly Hills facial plastic surgeon Dr. Ben Talei co-hosted an hour-long beauty segment with Dr. Andrew Ordon on the Emmy Award-winning daytime talk show, The Doctors. During the show, they discussed the myriad trends taking social media by storm among them, DIY thread lifts, lip lifts, Ultherapy, Buccal fat removal, and botched face lifts. "During medical school, my favorite show to watch was The Doctors. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would one day be on the show, let alone co-hosting beside the talented Dr. Andrew Ordon," said Dr. Ben Talei. Dr. Talei's expertise in facial rejuvenation has captured the attention of Hollywood's elite and diplomats from around the world. Best known for his modern and advanced techniques in deep plane face, neck, and lip lifts, he has been invited to speak at national and international conventions, frequently hosting visiting surgeons to teach them his techniques. His contributions to medical literature have included having his research and writing published in medical journals and textbooks, with his publications on advanced face and neck lifting techniques and revision rhinoplasty being used to teach doctors worldwide. "It was a pleasure having Dr. Talei as our special show guest for The Doctors beauty-themed show. Dr. Talei's expansive knowledge of facial plastic surgery, coupled with his quirkiness and honesty, made him a great fit for this episode. Our show, hosted by board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Drew Ordon, together with Dr. Talei, delivered pertinent information to viewers in an entertaining way that is not to be missed," said Leslie Marcus, Supervising Investigative Producer for The Doctors. Over the years, Dr. Talei has been interviewed by numerous media outlets as an expert medical consultant. Below is the link to the show in its entirety: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8trepmhas3yjyg4/The%20Doctors%20Show%20-%20The%20Beauty%20Episode%20FULL%202021-10-15%2010-12-44-1.mp4?dl=0 About Dr. Ben Talei: Dr. Ben Talei is the Founder and Executive Director for the Beverly Hills Center. He is dual board-certified in facial plastic surgery, as well as head and neck surgery. During his fellowship training, he specialized in facial plastics and reconstructive surgery as well as pediatric plastic surgery and vascular birthmarks. He is a respected author, speaker, and humanitarian. To learn more about Dr. Ben Talei, his humanitarian work, and his professional services, please visit www.beverlyhillscenter.com. Media Contact: Natalia Y. Grazziani, Publicist natalia@grazzianicommunications.com (323) 646-1581 Related Images Image 1: Ben Talei, MD, FACS This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Waukesha, WI (53187) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 38F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. Low around 30F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. On Saturday, in the morning, at Brookfield State School, Brookfield, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC CVO attended the Brookfield State School 150th Anniversary, and addressed guests, unveiled a plaque, and planted a tree. In the afternoon, at Emmanuel College Church, St Lucia, His Excellency attended the Queensland University Regiment Consecration and Presentation of Colours, and addressed guests and presented the Colours. In the evening, at the Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane, His Excellency and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation annual Christmas celebration and viewed the Exhibition European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and His Excellency addressed guests. Honda last week held a virtual press conference on its electrification strategy in China. During the conference, the company announced its new environmental and safety initiatives and also held the world premiere of two planned production models and three concept models of Honda-brand electric vehicles. All new models Honda will introduce in China after 2030 will be electrifiedhybrids (HEVs) and EVs. Honda will introduce the first 10 Honda-brand EV models in Chinathe e:N Seriesin the next five years. Honda envisions exporting these models from China. The first set of e:N Series modelse:NS1and e:NP1will go on sale in spring 2022 from Dongfeng Honda and GAC Honda, respectively. Three concept modelse:N COUPE Concept, e:N SUV Concept and e:N GT Conceptare under development with the goal to start sales within 5 years. Honda will begin enhancing its sales network in China preparing for the start of full-fledged EV business. This includes creating an e:N Series area within existing dealership locations and, further ahead, launching dedicated e:N dealership locations in major cities. New dedicated EV production plants will be constructed at both GAC Honda and Dongfeng Honda, with the aim of starting production in 2024. As for batteries, which will be key to the speedy implementation of electrification initiatives, Honda will accelerate collaboration with its strategic alliance partner, CATL, and further strengthen its battery supply system. Application of Honda SENSING 360, an omnidirectional advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) (earlier post), will begin in China in 2022. Honda will continue expanding the application globally, and strive to apply it to all automobile models that will go on sale in all of the worlds major markets including China by 2030. In April, Honda announced an electrification target of increasing the ratio of EVs and FCVs (fuel cell vehicles) within overall unit sales to 40% by 2030, to 80% by 2035, and then to 100% by 2040. To achieve these targets speedily and steadily, in China, after 2030, Honda will no longer introduce any new gasoline-powered models and will electrify all new models coming to market, such as HEVs and EVs. e:N series. The name e:N represents Hondas desire to energize people who are trying to do things based on their own initiative in this era of electrification. The e: is from e:Technology, the collective brand name for Hondas electrification technologies with which Honda strives for carbon neutrality. The letter N stands for New/Next, representing new value creation for the next-generation of mobility. The e:N Series lineup symbolizes a start of full-fledged electrified automobile business Honda will begin in China. This past summer in preparing to move the family business to Danbury, Tim Holland unearthed a steno notepad from 1984 in which his father Bill had jotted down the business plan for Parker Medical, which sells systems for imaging machines that detect breast cancer. The business will be started with the introduction of a dedicated mammo tube followed by x-ray high voltage cables, Bill Holland Sr. had scrawled. Other novel x-ray component products will be introduced in the future after the mammo tube and cables are established. Holding the steno pad Friday at Parker Medicals new Danbury headquarters, Tim Holland drew a laugh from some of the 75-plus employees he leads as president and chief operating officer of the company. Im not sure what happened to the mammo tube, Holland said. But the sentence that strikes me here other novel component products will be introduced in the future after the tubing thats exactly what he did. Parker Medical makes high-voltage cable assemblies inside breast-cancer imaging machines sold by General Electric, Hologic and Philips, as well as thousands of other components for computed tomography (CT) machines and others. Some of the companys most complex products can take days to put together by multiple people, including testing and inspection. Tim Holland said that the need for extra space drove the decision to move from Bridgewater where Parker Medical had long had facilities. At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company secured extra flex space in Brookfield as well to create a duplicate assembly line, allowing for better spacing between employees and a continuity of production should either facility be hit with a viral outbreak. For its new headquarters, Parker Medical considered locations in Brookfield and Westchester County, N.Y., but Holland said the Danbury building fit its needs best. Keeping manufacturing in Connecticut was dear to my dad, dear to me, Holland said. It was a matter of availability and opportunity. Himself a former x-ray engineer with GE, Bill Holland started Parker Medical in 1984. He died April 24, 2020, at age 91 of complications from a fall. While he was at GE, he developed one of the first x-ray tubes for mammography, said Christine Holland, one of the seven sibling co-owners of Parker Medical who leads business development. The companys new home was used previously by Belimo which makes valves, actuators and sensors for heating and air conditioning systems. Belimo moved in 2015 to a nearby building that is more than twice the size of its former facility. Parker Medical is located a short distance from a Hologic facility that makes some of the most advanced 3D mammography scanning machines available today. State Rep. Ken Gucker, D-138th, recalls touring the Parker Medical building while in grade school to see the operations of Metallic Arts, a one-time maker of commemorative medallions for presidential inaugurations, military awards and others. You got to push this little button and it would stamp this memorial for the day, Gucker said Friday. It brings me back to why it is so important we have buildings not staying vacant, but actually having people working in them, Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman GREENWICH Greenwich Avenue will be the location for a new Halloween event in town that will offer safe trick-or-treating along with a series of spooky activities for kids. The Greenwich Greet & Treat, a Halloween-centric community event, will take from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 31. Greenwich Moms has partnered with Greenwich Magazine to bring the Avenue to life in a different way this Halloween with a series of unique activities to complement the safe trick-or-treating opportunity. The event was announced by The Local Moms Network, the parent company of Greenwich Moms, and is designed to bring families together for festive fun while fostering connections for the community. Were excited ... to bring everyone together for some safe Halloween fun in one of Greenwichs most iconic locations all while celebrating families and what makes our town special, said Layla Lisiewski, the Local Moms Network CEO and Greenwich Moms founder. Businesses along Greenwich Avenue will participate in Greenwich Greet & Treat with special in-store promotions and goodies for all. A number of food trucks will be on site, including Dough Girls, Neils on Wheels and more. Greenwich Hospital is the presenting sponsor for the event. Houlihan Lawrence is a Trick or Treat Balloon & Bag Sponsor, serving as the events exclusive real estate partner. Bright Horizons is also a Trick or Treat Balloon & Bag Sponsor. The staff at Greenwich Magazine is thrilled to partner with the Greenwich Moms on such a fantastic event that focuses on family, small businesses and community. The past year and a half has been a long road, so seeing the Avenue filled with little trick-or-treaters having fun will do us all good, said Cristin Marandino, editor of Greenwich Magazine. Greenwich Hospital President Diane Kelly said they were delighted to support Greenwich Moms as they celebrate children in a safe, fun way. It has been very disappointing to all of us at Greenwich Hospital that we have had to cancel our time honored tradition of the Teddy Bear Clinic for the past two years because of COVID. It is important for us to be able to support efforts that bring our community together, especially with children at the heart of the event, Kelly said. The Local Moms Network delivers hyper-local resources and community connections to moms in suburbs across the country, helping them to navigate the many choices that come along with parenthood. For more information on the event, visit greenwichmoms.com. Haiti - Mexico : Soon opening of a Haitian consulate in Tapachula The Embassy of Haiti in Mexico salutes the Haitian community and informs them that the Haitian Government has decided to open at the beginning of November 2021 a consulate in Tapachula, State of Chiapas, to serve the important community Haitian present in this area. Recall that several assessment and humanitarian assistance missions to Haitian migrants, conducted under the supervision of the Ambassador of Haiti Hugues Momplaisir Fequiere took place in southern Mexico, more frequently in the state of Chiapas. The Embassy specifies "The opening of a consulate in Tapachula, Chiapas, the main gateway for our compatriots to Mexico, responds, among other things, to the need to provide them with a local service, to provide them with Consular assistance required and to strengthen the information, orientation and awareness-raising approach already initiated. The Mission is also studying possibilities of setting up other consular posts in the north of the country, notably in Tijuana, a State of Baja California where there is a large community of compatriots. From time to time, mobile consulates will also be put into operation to serve Haitian communities established in other parts of Mexican territory." The Embassy recalls that since the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Claude Joseph, a permanent dialogue table between the diplomatic mission and the various Mexican bodies concerned with migration was set up on September 21 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34780-haiti-mexico-establishment-of-a-permanent-dialogue-table-on-haitian-migration.html in order to seek together a solution to the various problems generated by the current migratory situation. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34958-haiti-politic-the-migration-of-haitians-on-the-agenda-of-mexico-and-the-usa.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33581-haiti-mexico-in-tijuana-haitian-refugees-live-in-an-overcrowded-and-unworthy-camps.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30180-haiti-mexic-omore-than-4-300-haitians-in-baja-california-deprived-of-access-to-medical-care.html HL/ HaitiLibre Korean Movie | 2014 Mystery Thriller Directed by Yoon Yeo-chang () Written by Jeong Tae-seong () 91min | Release date in South Korea: 2014/09/25 Formerly known as "Cutie" (, i-bbeun-i) Synopsis "Someone's always watching me but people don't believe me when I say there's someone there" Psychiatrist Joon-sang is a well-known doctor. He is level-headed with his patients, but he's got a painful past. He'd witnessed his wife kill herself because she was raped. He'd suffered insomnia along with guilt and sadness until a beautiful girl Ji-soo comes along. She tells him every man who's loved her died and that someone was watching her. She seduces Joon-sang. A detective suspects Ji-soo to be involved with a recent murder case and asks Joon-sang for her medical records... Falling in love with something dangerous and the end of which is unknown! Source 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 Turkey's Erdogan threatened again on October 11 to occupy areas of north and east Syria. His Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu repeated the same threats two days after Erdogan's comments. These statements, which came on the second anniversary of the occupation of Serekaniye and Gire Spi, drew attention to NES. The AKP-MHP government which did not achieve their aspirations internally or externally, aim to postpone the elections by escalating the war. We spoke with the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) parliamentarian in Srnak, Hasan Ozgunc, about the threats of the Turkish state and how the Kurdish people can protect Rojava from possible attacks. Ozgunes said that the AKP-MHP government are trying to establish themselves on two goals: "The Turkish state, by reviving the Ottoman dream, wants to increase its influence on the countries of the Middle East and Europe. The second goal is to eliminate the achievements of the Kurdish people, which it perceives as an obstacle." Erdogan wanted during the years 2013 and 2014, during his meetings with Mr. Ocalan, to harness the north and east of Syria to serve it, and wanted it to struggle against Assad. After that, it supported mercenaries like ISIS.Of course, these demands of the Turkish state were not met. That is why it has launched attacks on Rojava and Bakur Kurdistan for 6 years to break the will of the Kurdish people and eliminate Rojava, like the Sri Lankan model. There is no doubt that the Turkish state does not want Rojava to receive political recognition, and it has clearly voiced this." They want to carry out ISIS task, this time themselves. He explained that the Justice and Development Party government continues the role of ISIS mercenaries, and said: "The Turkish state rushed to the aid of ISIS mercenaries, and launched attacks aimed at revenge for the mercenaries and eliminating the achievements of the Kurdish people. In these attacks, mercenaries of Al-Nusra and the Free Army were used. These mercenaries who occupied Afrin are used in Gire Spi and Serekaniye by the Turkish state in order to launch a new attack. The fascist government is targeting the Rojava revolution again. But the occupation policy of the Turkish state is failing, and the opposition parties in Turkey are standing strong in the face of the AKP." He explained that the Turkish state is in a difficult situation and it is looking for a way out for its occupation attacks. He pointed out that the Turkish state cannot attack without taking into account regional balances. He continued, "Iran, Russia, the United States of America and the Arab countries will show their position against the approach of the Turkish state, which is deepening the crisis. The American president said last time that the Turkish state is authoritarian and dictatorial. This is not something easy to say. The Turkish state wants to manage the people through repression and a policy of the arrest and the continuation of its occupation. Through the dirty war, the AKP government wants to overcome this stage, which threatens that it will lose in the elections. Erdogan is expanding the war to Rojava, but he will not achieve what he aspires to this time." "The Turkish state threatens Rojava at every opportunity" He pointed out that the Turkish state is trying to use war as a bargaining tool, and said: "Erdogan is trying to convince the Turkish peoples of war, by showing Rojava as a threat to them. The Turkish state wants to deepen the war further, and rebuild its presence in the Middle East again. The drums of war are beating once again, in order for it and its mercenaries to bargain with America and Russia." He also indicated that the Kurdish people will not give Erdogan a chance, and that he will resist against all the occupiers. He continued, "The Kurds have taken great serious steps for their presence in the Middle East and the world. Through wars and attacks, the Turkish state is trying to suppress the initiative and achievements of the Kurds. There is no anti-Kurdish state on the historical stage today. Even if the Turkish state attacks the Kurds' achievements, it will It is defeated everywhere, and any possible war will open the way for Turkey to be exposed to what happened in Iraq and Syria." "The Turkish state wants to benefit from the conflicts" He said that the Turkish state is taking advantage of the US-Russian conflict to continue its occupation attacks. He continued, "With his last statement, Erdogan has started a new stage of blackmail against the United States of America and Russia to revitalize its bargaining through blackmail. The Turkish state is convinced that by violating all agreements, the United States and Russia will turn a blind eye to their attacks. But there are the Iranians. And the Arabs in the region will not remain silent about these attacks. He referred to US President Biden's statements, as the US State Department said: "The United States of America has made it clear that it will support the Syrian Democratic Forces in the struggle against ISIS in Rojava. This shows that the Turkish state has not achieved what it aspires to from the United States of America. The Kurdish people believe with his own strength first, he will fight back against it all." "They want to postpone the elections" Ozgunes said, The AKP and the MHP are resorting to war policies to cover up their defeat. Despite their apparent loss of power in the upcoming elections, they want to postpone it through various moves. The AKP and MHPs biggest fear is that It is accounted for after the loss." Parliamentarian Hasan Ozgunc also stated that the Turkish state's occupation attacks on Rojava would constitute a major blow to domestic and foreign policy. He continued: "The Turkish state, which has been fighting the Kurdish people in Bakur Kurdistan for 40 years, says it is spending more than $500 billion on it. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed and about 4,000 villages were evacuated. Millions of people were also displaced to Europe and major cities (capitals). The Turkish state has remained desperate today everywhere. The biggest reason for this is that the Kurdish issue has not yet been resolved. It is in a clear state of Saddam. They have launched the biggest attack on the Kurds. The situation of Syria shows once again that the Turkish state will face a great danger as long as the Kurdish issue is not resolved. And if the Turkish state continues its hostility to the Kurds with the same Ottoman mentality, it will be destroyed. And if the state attacks Rojava, it will lose, because it does not have enough power for war, and it does not have that will either. A ANHA A WATCH manufacturer in Henley has been honoured for supporting members of the armed forces. Bremont received the Armed Forces Covenant Silver Award in recognition of its efforts to give fair treatment to service personnel and their families. Catherine Villeneuve, the companys head of military and special projects, said: Bremont has been creating bespoke special military timepieces for nearly a decade now and supported numerous military regiments, squadrons and communities along the way. An even stronger tie was forged when we were selected by the Ministry of Defence as their preferred luxury watch partner, leading to the launch of our armed forces collection. Bremont has also helped to raise funds for military charities and employed former military personnel. Ms Villeneuve said: Through all of these actions, Bremont proudly received the bronze covenant four years ago and the next focus was working towards achieving silver. We are truly excited and proud to become the only watch company to have achieved this milestone. Appointment 18 October 2021 Leib, who will be based in Amsterdam, brings considerable specialist experience and connections to the firm's EMEA Hospitality team. He was previously Acquisitions Director for Amsterdam-based Sircle Collection (owner of the Sir, Max Brown and Park Centraal brands), for whom he secured deals for new hotels domestically within The Netherlands and in markets as diverse as Barcelona, Vienna, Lisbon, Milan and Ibiza. Prior to that, Leib spent eight years in Savills' Netherlands capital markets team giving him a strong knowledge of the local brokerage, real estate and hotelier community. He holds an MBA in International Hospitality Management. Cushman & Wakefield provides a full suite of services to investors, developers and operators of hotels, hostels and extended stay accommodation. This includes capital markets, valuation, buy-side advice, debt, strategic advisory as well as development and operator selection. Appointment 18 October 2021 Laurence Barreau has carried out most of her activity within large French hotel groups, for luxury and premium brand portfolios. From 2009 to 2014, she was Sofitel Europe Sales Director, then joined the Global Sales team as Business Development Director for Sofitel, MGallery and Pullman, where she implements the strategic commercial decisions and actions of luxury and high-end brands. range all over the world. Following the integration of Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel, she was appointed Sales Director for the luxury brands of the Accor group and is actively involved in the new organization of luxury sales in global sales. In 2018, Laurence became VP Sales & Marketing Accor Luxury & Upscale Brands, notably for Turkey and Russia. Then took the position of VP Sales & Marketing for Accor Luxury Brands hotels in Europe. His strong experience in Operations, Sales, Marketing and his extensive knowledge of luxury sales networks give him a deep understanding of current issues and future prospects. As part of her new missions, Laurence Barreau will notably aim to mentor and supervise the sales team, and thus participate in the marketing of the new outlets of the Barriere group. Industry Update Appointment 18 October 2021 Brendalee Vialpando Appointed Executive Chef At Timber Cove Resort in Jenner - CA, USA Brendalee Vialpando also joins Timber Cove from the Woodside Hotel Group where she most recently served as executive chef at Bodega Bay Lodge. Her experience also includes roles as sous chef at TORC in Napa and chef de partie at Julian Serrano Restaurant and L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, both in Las Vegas. As executive chef she will lead the Coast Kitchen team in expanding the restaurant's menu offerings with a greater focus on seafood and vegetable-forward dishes and collaborating with local fisherman, farmers and ranchers. In-room dining and banquets will also be elevated under Vialpando's direction. Recent Appointments at Timber Cove Resort Jason Reiplinger - Managing Director 19 October 2021 With close to 20 years of hospitality experience, Reiplinger is a proven leader who brings strong business acumen and a sense of community to Timber Cove. As the newly appointed managing director, Reiplinger will oversee all aspects of the property, providing leadership and strategic direction for the resort, food and beverage, guest services, operations and asset management. read more David Ahern - General Manager 11 January 2019 Timber Cove Resort, located just off California's Highway 1, welcomes David Ahern as general manager. The Sonoma Coast boutique resort was most recently recognized among the top 10 resorts in Northern California by Conde Nast Traveler's 2018 Readers' Choice Awards. read more Appointment 18 October 2021 Shutters on the Beach is pleased to announce the appointment of Sean Michael Runyon as Executive Chef of 1 Pico, its premiere oceanfront restaurant and al fresco courtyard. With over a decade of culinary expertise from Michelin- starred restaurants and Forbes Five-Star Hotels, Runyon will bring seasonally inspired and innovative dishes that celebrate California's farmers, ranchers and fishermen. A SoCal native, Chef Runyon holds a degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and honed his skills at top restaurants such as 4 Corners, Farmer Brown and Chambers Eat & Drink. In Los Angeles, he served as Chef de Tournant for Nobu Malibu and Nikita Malibu, and as Sous Chef for The Peninsula Beverly Hills. Sean's most recent position was Chef de Cuisine for the ultra-luxe Discovery Land private clubs in the Bahamas. When he is not in the kitchen, Runyon loves spending time in nature and hits the slopes in Mammoth and Lake Tahoe, California when the snow falls. Author Pedro Colaco is the CEO and President of GuestCentric Systems, which he Co-Founded in October 2006. He boasts a proven track record of driving successful product development, marketing, sales and channel management efforts in the global market. Prior to his current role, he was Vice President of Product Management and Marketing at Corvil, a software start-up funded by Apax Partners and Cisco Systems. During his tenure at Corvil he built a global Product Management and Marketing organization to support a sales team of over 60 professionals focused on the financial industry in New York City and London. Pedro is a multi-lingual advisor and thought leader across the international travel tech landscape, speaking five languages and having lived in four countries throughout his career. More about Pedro Colaco Supplier News 15 October 2021 DALLAS, TX - UniFocus, the leading provider of Workforce Management Systems, today announced the features in its latest release for the platform. The 10.4 release continues the enhancement efforts offered by the version 10 platform, which are focused on giving businesses the tools needed to meet the demands of todays labor market and make managers lives easier. Release highlights include: ShiftGenius, an innovative shift filling and flexible scheduling tool Enhanced attendance points and events, for progressive discipline Custom notifications, for customized insights and action Survey platform updates, enhanced survey solutions to validate your efforts As the gig economy continues to grow, ShiftGenius is the first step to helping employees balance their work and personal lives by selecting shifts to work, said Mark Heymann, CEO of UniFocus. Our continued focus on making operators lives easier drives our innovation and this release exemplifies that direction, with ShiftGenius, attendance points and events, and more. The more time managers can spend focused on guests and employees, the better. ShiftGenius builds on existing functionality to provide UniFocus partners a tool to offer increased flexibility in scheduling while ensuring confidence that the needs of the business are being met. Only UniFocus can provide an advanced feature like ShiftGenius, because of the underlying system on which it is built that automatically generates optimized schedules with hours allocated in shifts. Find coverage quicker by filling shifts across your entire labor pool. And meet the needs of the current labor market calling for more flexible schedules. All in one tool that's genius! Attendance points and events is an evolution of an existing progressive discipline feature set, revamped for easier management and visibility. Not only are they easier to see and review with cards, tiles, and navigation panes, but managers can now create customized documentation to be attached to any of the events. In the continued effort to equip managers with real-time insights that help them make better informed decisions, faster, the latest UniFocus release adds enhanced notification options. Custom notifications are designed to supercharge the insights that managers are already receiving daily via their daily digest from Odin - a personalized digital assistant. Operators can set labor variance notification thresholds and customize the delivery method via email, push, and/or SMS, to the users preference. New enhancements to the UniFocus survey solutions platform also include the survey campaign manager, survey response system, and survey dashboard. The survey campaign manager is a templated, easy-to-use tool to help operators launch employee engagement pulse surveys in a snap. In a tough labor market, employee retention is just as important as attraction. The survey response system manages guest survey responses, customized and organized in batches. The new survey dashboard brings survey data together in a visual and easily actionable format. Press Release 18 October 2021 Indonesias Artotel Group has completed an undisclosed Series B round of financing, led by Indies Capital Partners with participation from Benson Capital. Advertisements Artotel will utilize the proceeds of this financing to drive expansion through an aggressive merger and acquisition strategy in Indonesias hospitality sector and invest in strengthening the groups core business infrastructure and digitizing operations. Artotel is currently in the process of rolling out 29 new properties in its pipeline across Indonesia, which will bring the total number of properties to over 50 by 2023. In tandem with the investment, Artotel has acquired the Indonesia franchise of Kyriad, a hospitality brand created by France-based Louvre Hotels Group. The deal includes 11 managed properties throughout the archipelago, adding an additional 1,300 rooms to Artotels hospitality portfolio and increasing the total room count to around 3,000. Artotel will continue to manage the properties under the established Kyriad brand and develop new Kyriad-branded two and three-star hotels in second-tier cities throughout Indonesia. With Indonesias hospitality sector at a critical juncture, Artotel Group is investing heavily into future growth with a focus on quality guest experience and an enhanced geographic footprint. By doubling down on business diversification, operational digitization, employee training, and property expansion, Artotel is poised to become Indonesias leading diversified hospitality group, said Erastus Radjimin, Founder and CEO, Artotel Group. With the support of our investors, Artotel Group will be able to gain significant momentum, tapping into their expertise in business expansion, digital upgrading, and commitment to sustainability. Prior to this round of financing, Artotel Group raised a Series A investment from Intudo Ventures. Press Release 18 October 2021 Ascott Partners with Sun Group to Manage Vietnams Most Extensive Service Residence Integrated Development Advertisements Singapore-based CapitaLand Investments owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has partnered with Vietnam-based real estate developer, Sun Group, to manage serviced residences within Tay Ho View Complex in Hanoi, Vietnam. The development is located in one of Hanois most exclusive districts, next to the famous West Lake. In addition to the serviced residences managed by Ascott, the development will also offer commercial and retail elements. Ascott intends to debut two new brands to the complex; luxury serviced residences known as The Crest Collection (28 units), and Ascott The Residence (1,167 units) and Citadines Aparthotel (710 units). The serviced residences are expected to open in phases from Q1 2023. To date, Ascott has achieved a record of over 2,800 new units in Vietnam by adding 1,905 lodging units across three serviced residences, exceeding the companys full-year signings in the country over previous years. The partnership brings Ascott's portfolio in Vietnam to approximately 9,200 lodging units in more than 30 properties across twelve cities. New APAC Hospitality-focus Private Equity Real Estate Firm Established A new private equity real estate firm, Hospitality Private Equity Partners (H-PEP), with a focus on hotel acquisition opportunities in the Asia Pacific, has been established by leading hotel industry investment executives Phil Kasselis, Luke Sullivan and Ed Faraguna. Based in Singapore, H-PEP will focus on upscale, upper-upscale and luxury hotels in Asias gateway cities and resort locations, targeting investment opportunities with the potential to add value to the assets through re-branding, refurbishments, and revitalisation to optimise performance. Presently, the firm is in discussions with its investors to raise USD500 million for hospitality opportunities through a fund structure, separately managed accounts or direct investments. H-PEP is confident that the current market cycle has provided countless opportunities to invest in underperforming hospitality assets, enhance the assets and implement new values, and benefit from the post-covid travel recovery in the dynamic region. Kampot International Tourism Port to Complete by End 2021 Slated to complete by the end of 2021, Kampot International Tourism Port will become an international maritime gateway, a vital component in the national transportation system, and an important magnet for national and international tourists to Cambodia. Located in Teuk Chhou district about 6 kilometres west of Kampot town, the project is financed by an USD8 million loan from the Asian Development Bank as part of the Tourism Growth Infrastructure Development Project for the Greater Mekong Subregion. Spanning four hectares with a water depth of 4.5 metres, the port is built to international standards and is expected to handle approximately one million passengers annually. The seaport is 300 metres long and capable of accommodating vessels carrying 300 to 400 passengers. The project is expected to improve accessibility for travellers from neighbouring countries to Kampot provinces wide-ranging selection of natural attractions and tourist destinations. Press Release 18 October 2021 The research is welcome news for the travel industry, with 50% of travelers expecting to take a flight for business later this year The global study of nine markets provides insight on traveler attitudes and sentiment around restrictions, digital health data and sustainable travel The survey of 9,074 consumers across France, Germany, India, Spain, Russia, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and the US shows the appetite to travel is high. At the same time, it reveals that greater clarity on restrictions and guidelines will be key to unlocking increased traveler confidence. Over a third (35%) of travelers said the current international guidelines around where and how to travel are confusing, making them less likely to book business and/or leisure travel. At the same time, travelers are exhibiting increased openness to embrace technology and a willingness to share health data so they can start traveling again. When asked about the receptiveness to share personal health data, the survey results show: 93% of travelers would be willing to provide personal data for the effective use of digital health passports or certificates, a slight increase from 91% in February 2021 Almost half (48%) of business travelers would be willing to provide their health data to visit a conference or event, while 36% of leisure travelers would be willing to for an excursion or activity at destination. When asked which technology would increase confidence to travel in the next 12 months, mobile solutions continue to be the most popular, with the top technologies including: Mobile applications that provide on-trip notifications and alerts (44%) Self-service check-in (41%) Contactless mobile payments (e.g., Apple or Google Pay, Paypal, Venmo) (41%) Automated and flexible cancellation policies (40%) Mobile applications and contactless technology have remained top technologies across all three studies, with the addition of automated and flexible cancellation policies in this final instalment. The research is the third in a series of traveler sentiment surveys, where Amadeus takes a regular checkpoint on traveler sentiment and concerns to help the industry rebuild travel in the most effective way. Both the 2020 Rethink Travel survey (Sept 2020) and Rebuild Travel Digital Health (Feb 2021) survey revealed how technology can help to increase traveler confidence and Amadeus revisited this question to see how traveler confidence has changed since September 2020. 97% of travelers now say that technology will increase their confidence to travel, up from 91% in February 2021 and 84% in September 2020, showing a growing sense of traveler confidence in technology. When considering the future of travel and sustainability, the survey highlighted what solutions travelers believe might help the industry to become more sustainable long-term. The results showed: Nearly half (46%) of travelers said greater availability of green modes of transport, e.g., electric planes or trains A similar percentage (44%) believe making sustainable travel more cost effective would be beneficial 41% say transparency around travel companies sustainability policies would help. Although receptiveness to travel in the next year is high, the travel industry needs to consider how to respond to changing traveler concerns as the travel environment continues to adapt. The three main concerns travelers have, are: Fears of catching COVID-19 while traveling (41%) Self-isolation or quarantine before and after travel (41%) Changing restrictions resulting in last minute cancellations (37%) In comparison to the previous studies, fears of catching the virus maintain a top concern for travelers, alongside self-isolation, or quarantine. Decius Valmorbida, President, Travel, Amadeus, says, The travel industry still faces many challenges in light of COVID-19, but we are seeing positive steps taken as restrictions lift and developments in digital health certificates continue around the world. This research demonstrates the appetite to travel continues to grow, and that travelers are looking forward to advancements in areas such as touchless technology, digital health and sustainable travel. Now is the time to listen even more closely to travelers needs so we can rebuild our industry in a way that is more traveler focused, resilient and sustainable. Francisco Perez-Lozao Ruter, President, Hospitality, Amadeus, comments, This three-part series of research has highlighted the essential role that both technology and data have to play in the recovery of our industry and increasing traveler confidence. In hospitality specifically we are seeing how our hotel customers are implementing solutions that complement and streamline experiences without losing the human touch while using data to better prepare for guest demands. At Amadeus we are committed to rebuilding a better industry and working closely with our customers to provide the tools to achieve this. To learn more about the results of the survey, read our global report here. External Article 18 October 2021 With Reuters reporting a 700 per cent increase in searches for flights to America on BAs website after the US announced its easing of travel restrictions from next month, it seems travel, and even long-haul, is firmly back on the agenda. As long as were alive, there will be travel, says Ian Schrager, legendary hotelier and Studio 54 co-founder. No question about it. I cant tell you when it will get back to where it was, but its not going to be very long. How we travel, however, will most certainly be slower and longer, London travel PR expert Julia Perowne, counters. This summer might have been about fly and flop destinations closer to home, but next year, she knows families are already plotting big bucket-list adventures to do together, possibly with three, even four, generations in tow. Africa, South America, Belize and Costa Rica are all on the agenda. Travel will be about getting to a place and really enjoying it staying for seven or eight nights, and in the case of a destination like Matetsi, near Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, it will be about going on safari but also spending the day in the spa, another day luxuriating with a long lunch and good wines overlooking the Zambesi, listening to the hippos growl in the distance, she enthuses. For other travellers, conscious of their carbon footprint but still lusting after adventurous luxury, new resorts such as the Nina Flohrs Kisawa Sanctuary might appeal. Set on 300 hectares of forest, beach and sand dunes on Benguerra Island, off Mozambique, the recently-opened hotel has been built in tandem with its own marine research facility and the hotels tourism directly contributes to funding research into understanding and protecting the local marine ecology. Press Release 18 October 2021 HSMAI convened commercial executives from 11 brands, 20 management companies, and 10 ownership groups to discuss evolving trends in revenue generation, commercial strategy, and consumer behavior as well as the opportunities to envision a different future to optimize profitability at an executive roundtable in Dallas on Sept. 30 as part of HSMAIs Commercial Strategy Week. Advertisements Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics, gave an opening presentation on the economic outlook for hospitality and travel, expanding on his keynote presentation at HSMAIs ROC Americas event on Sept. 29. In a follow-up discussion focused on hospitality lessons learned from the pandemic and prospects for recovery, roundtable attendees offered insights that Sacks grouped into three major takeaways: We benefited from better technology and the fact that fewer people were employed who could potentially override revenue management systems. We had the confidence to hold rates because everyone understood the significant and real increased costs of operations. When cash flow is challenged, everyone focuses on profit metrics and not just revenue-centric metrics. For years, the industry has blamed the fragmentation of our structure of brands, management companies, and ownership groups as the reason for many challenges, said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO of HSMAI. By bringing these groups together, HSMAI has provided a forum for discussion between commercial leaders of the three company types that can bridge better understanding and alignment. In concurrent breakout sessions for brand revenue executives, hotel management company revenue executives, and ownership group commercial executives, attendees discussed recovery strategies and talent solutions unique to each company type. Companies represented included: Aimbridge Hospitality, Apple REIT, Ashford Hospitality Trust, Best Western Hotels and Resorts, BRE Hotels and Resorts, Chesapeake Hospitality, Concord Hospitality Enterprises, Crescent Hotels & Resorts, G6 Hospitality, Highgate Hotels, Host Hotels and Resorts, Hotel Investment Services, HRI Lodging LLC, HVS Asset Management, IHG, Kessler Collection, Las Vegas Sands Corp. (Venetian/Palazzo), Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Margaritaville, McNeill Hotels, NCG Hotels, Noble Investment Group, Ohana Real Estate Group, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Outrigger Hotel Group, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, Playa Hotels and Resorts, Preferred Hotel Group/PHG Consulting, Prism Hotels & Resorts, Red Roof Inn, Regency Hotel Management, Roch Capital, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, SBE Lifestyle Hospitality, Shaner Hotel Corporation, Sonesta+RLHC, Stonebridge Companies, Summit Hotel Properties, Vail Resorts, VRI Americas, and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. The group will convene again at HSMAIs Commercial Strategy Week in Orlando in June of 2022. For media inquiries and additional questions, contact Kaitlin Dunn, [email protected]. For partnership inquiries for future roundtables, contact Elise Rheinhart, [email protected]. Opinion Article 18 October 2021 Over the last few decades in travel technology, Client-Server architecture has been the IT standard across the world. Even though this method served the industrys basic needs for many years, it has also been responsible for inefficient, hard-to-scale systems that lack the agility required in todays fast-paced travel environment. While the rest of tech, both consumer and enterprise-level, is transforming and evolving, infrastructure technology is stuck a decade in the past, making it difficult for entrepreneurs to make the correct business decision. This traditional form of architecture is known as monolithic architecture. Thankfully, there is a way forward: microservice hotel PMS architecture. It offers scalability, sustainability, and security and is poised to be the future of travel tech infrastructure. In this article, well take a deep dive into microservice hotel PMS architecture and why it is the future of travel tech architecture. But to understand microservices lets understand, what it is not: Client-Server architecture. What is Client-Server Architecture? It is estimated that over 90% of hotels currently have legacy application infrastructures. This means that 9 out of 10 properties are currently using systems that were built and conceived in the 80s and 90s and based on the standard at the time: Client-Server architecture. Hotels continue to use Client-Server architecture because it still works in its originally intended capacity. Additionally, moving to new technology can be daunting, and for the longest time there werent many alternatives. In fact, this is not only a hospitality problem. When looking at the technology stack used in the last four decades by virtually any company, it is common to bump into the same architecture: A server: A complex, expensive physical device storing a database (i.e. Oracle, Microsoft, site-based, file-shared, etc.) Multiple clients: User PCs (usually running on Windows or, before that, DOS and terminal based inputs like GDS) Applications: Software physically installed on clients, communicating with the servers database. In Client-Server architecture, you have, on one side, data storage on a central database (usually a relational one such as SQL) stored on a physical server and, on the other side, multiple UI, Windows/DOS-based applications communicating to the server. The main problem with this architecture is that the business logic is spread over both places. On the database, for example, it is common to find not only data storage, but even some coding. Up until the late 90s, servers were responsible for both database storage and for executing some business logic as well. This may sound like a trivial, semantic issue, but it has numerous negative implications. For example, if a particular business process ran faster on the database than on the client, developers would place some of the business logic directly in the database or in the UI layer, instead of following the conventional procedure of going back and forth between the client and the database, creating a buggy mix and match prone to errors. New Platforms, Old Architecture Software has been written and developed for years based on Client-Server infrastructure, but, by the early 00s, thanks to the advent of the internet and increased customer and company expectations, pressure began building to find a better solution. Yet even when HTML front-end web applications started to become more commonplace, some developers kept building software via the same obsolete processes, merely changing the way applications were displayed while keeping the very same Client-Server architecture intact behind the scenes. Only by the late 00s, with both internet connectivity and its number of users on the rise, did the development world realize that applications were becoming so big (in terms of amount of data) that the Client-Server architecture could no longer handle them. Moreover, the proliferation of new and different browsers and devices, all with distinct specifications, made developers realize they had to deal with not one, but with a multitude of interfaces. Industry leaders like Google, Amazon and Netflix quickly understood the shift and, in order to maintain stability and scalability, started dissecting the whole process of how data was processed, used and managed, assuring that their presentation layers and business logics were clearly separated from each other one of many prescient moves that positioned these businesses for success. Three-Tier vs Client-Server Architecture Google and other industry leaders solution was simple yet brilliant. It consisted of first, diminishing the responsibility of the servers to focus purely on data storage, next, increasing servers data-process capacity (to collect and analyze, virtually in real-time, terabytes of data), and finally, reducing servers business logic responsibilities. This new concept marked the birth of what we now know as three-tier architecture, made of three independent parts: a full follow-end data storage/retrieval system (transparent, fast, and stable), a business logic (exposing its functionalities through specified APIs) and a presentation tier (the front-end user interface). Building and maintaining software as independent modules on separate platforms was a revolutionary, yet necessary concept, lightyears away from the standard architecture of the 80s-90s. Splitting all functionalities of a system into multiple packages with compound functionality makes software development scalable and maintainable, versus having everything developed in one big, chunky platform. This new way of doing things is known as microservice architecture while the old way is known as monolithic architecture. Monolithic applications can be successful, but increasingly people are feeling frustrations with them. The main problem with the monolithic architecture is that it is virtually impossible to scale, both for technology providers and end-users. Adding a new, simple, feature to an existing application could, in the worst scenario, make the whole system crash or, in the best one, take a lot of time in development, resulting in higher costs for all parts involved. From Monolithic to Microservice Architecture Hotel guests have certain expectations. They might want to be able to check in from their phones or order dinner via an app. And hotels would love to offer these services, as customer satisfaction is fundamental to hospitality. Yet, more often than not, hotels are unable to properly serve their guests solely because their outdated systems do not have the capability to integrate new features as each extra layer of customization would need to be hard-coded in the database or in the client application. Most hotel software is made of a big, messy chunk of code, where each line is so interdependent upon the other that it becomes nearly impossible to innovate without breaking the whole system down, hence the industrys inability to adapt to the new market needs. With the microservices approach, by contrast, you have multiple small programs that are completely independent from each other yet linked together by rules written in the APIs. Therefore, as long as the APIs rules are followed, a microservice-based system could be maintainable and improvable indefinitely without the risk of annihilating the whole system at each update. Operationally speaking, the risk of a bugs domino effect is contained by the microservice architectures own decentralization if one application gets an update or goes down, it does not affect the whole structure. The whole ecosystem becomes resilient, and it is much easier to isolate errors and recover from system failures. Photo: Shiji The Role of APIs The increased adoption rate of APIs in the hotel industry has played a crucial role in the shift from monolithic to microservice hotel PMS architecture. APIs are central to this more flexible, decentralized approach as they simplify the act of programming and increase the possibility of interconnectivity. This independence grants developers the freedom to code without the need to fully comprehend the programming language used for the core system. Programmers working on integrating a singular feature from a third-party application, for example, do not have to understand the whole file system, programming structure, and language, and they can simply focus on getting specific information to solve a specific problem. Microservices compartmentalize functionalities while monolithic centralize them. In other words, microservices compartmentalize potential problems while monolithics centralize them. Microservice Hotel PMS Architecture and Data Protection Hardly a single day goes by without some news about data breaches. The travel industry has always been vulnerable to data violations, mainly because (unlike most industries) in order to properly function, it needs to collect an enormous amount of customer information and the value of that data is correlated to the hotels ability to serve them. On the black market, personally identifiable information is sold at around $1 each, but, according to CashShield CEO Justin Lie, their value multiplies 5x with each added associated information. Add a mobile number, a personal email address and birth date to the original stolen data and its value skyrockets to $125. Its not difficult to understand that hotel databases are literally goldmines for hackers as they store a fuller, more accurate individual profile than, for example, a web blog or a gaming app. Hotels collect extremely valuable data, such as phone numbers, credit card details, and, most importantly, passports. In the United States, a stolen passport gives the possibility to virtually anyone to ask for a social security number online and, consequently, apply for credit cards or loans. The main difficulty is that, because the core structure of most hotel software has been coded decades before the rise of the web, they are simply not ready to defend themselves from online cyber-attacks. French philosopher Paul Virilio once said, When you invent the ship, you also invent the shipwreck. Back in the 80s and for a good part of the 90s, with virtually no internet connection, the concept of web hacking was simply not considered, which is why so many hotel software systems are so defenseless when it comes to data leakage. Today, thanks to microservice hotel PMS architecture, developers can separate personal from non-personal data, and choose to design around one or the other datasets based on what specific task should be executed. This flexibility to build whenever possible only around non-personal data gives an invaluable advantage to microservices software, especially when it comes to data storage restrictions of specific countries who ask that their citizens information is stored locally. In monolithic architectures, data is often spread all around, meaning that the personal data of Russian customers should be legally stored in their country. In order to do business with Russia, the whole system should be moved, and data can be accessed only by caching, creating a challenging (and expensive) circle of complexity. Cloud-Based Systems: Flexibility at a Bargain Often misunderstood (or knowingly twisted by tech companies), the primary benefit of the cloud has less to do with being able to run an application from a browser and more with the cost savings, or total cost of ownership (TCO). The direct and indirect costs of deploying a system to the cloud are simply way lower than keeping it on a legacy platform. First, hotels do not have to acquire any expensive hardware (direct costs). Moreover, by outsourcing, hotels can benefit from the expertise and resources of the provider if and when something goes wrong, rather than having to rely only on in-house experts for support and maintenance (indirect costs). Cloud service providers often even guarantee higher uptimes than self-managed legacy systems, dramatically decreasing the risk of potential revenue loss. Merging different technologies, moreover, becomes exponentially easier with microservices architectures. In a nutshell, cloud solutions (hotel PMS and POS solutions) make scalability, growth, and sustainability possible for businesses of any size by minimizing the need for prohibitive upfront investments (hardware, data center setup, installation costs, etc.) and extending applications life cycle. The Growth of Microservice Hotel PMS Architecture It comes as no surprise that, over the last number of years, successful companies such as Netflix, Google, and Amazon have all moved away from monolithic architecture in favor of microservices. Today, with new privacy laws, varied requirements, faster technology, disruptive payments systems, and ever-broadening distribution systems, it is evident that the monolithic approach will not be able to keep up. On top of that, by using a plug-and-play approach, developers dont have to waste time solving problems that have already been solved by someone else. The numerous implications of the adoption of microservice hotel pms and other IT architecture may sound overwhelming for some, but eventually, every company, no matter the size, should be able to choose any tool available in the market and frictionlessly connect it to other tools just like they install applications on their personal smartphone. For hotels, this could mean something as simple as changing an internal process of the room cleaning sequence or maintenance. Technology should make it easier to manage a business and serve customers or guests. And, when it comes to hotels, strategies should never be determined by the limitations of their underlying IT infrastructure, but enhanced by its flexibility. It is time for the hospitality industry to embrace innovation, sustainability, and scalability. It is time for the hospitality industry to embrace microservice Opinion Article 18 October 2021 Securing a strong presence in key markets is a priority in any modern hotel marketing strategy. Depending on the experiences and preferences of the hotel management team, the approach to grow brand awareness and sales differ for each hotel or resort. Advertisements Hoteliers often ask me why is brand awareness important, if a hotel can engage local travel agents and sales representatives to generate sales? The answer is simple. Having a sought-after brand enables hotels to break out from the price-location competition, the property will enjoy increased demand, and business will flow mostly organically. Three different experts share their opinion and experiences For this article, I reached out to three international experts in my network. Jim Sullivan, Managing Director of Balcony Media. Balcony Media is a leading PR company for luxury hotels and travel businesses. They publish articles in the most sought-after media outlets, such as Forbes. Taeho Noh, CEO of Neo Marketing Plus in South Korea, representative of Vietnam's Danang Tourism, and a number of luxury resorts in South East Asia. Beth Searls, Principal of Canfield Lane Hospitality (US) will share innovative ways to generate direct business in the United States. Managing Director of Balcony Media, Jim Sullivan shares Balconys approach delivering compelling stories in top media for their hotel clients At Balcony, we understand that when it comes to attracting media attention its more important to be sensitive to what the media wants than to deliver what the client wants to say. Press releases that look like marketing pieces are bound to fail. If you only want to give the media what you want to say, the more appropriate venue for that communication is in an advertisement. PR is trying to do something else. Were trying to give the media facts and access and, to the extent possible, an honest appreciation of the spirit of a place. Ideally, a PR agent is an honest broker of information about a property. We approach clients the way we did when we were travel writers. When we do an initial visit, were looking for several different angles of approach on a property angles that are sharp and will penetrate an editors indifference. We dont say a place is beautiful. We try to communicate what it is about the place the design, the heritage, the differences that would lead someone to decide for themselves that a place is beautiful. Our due diligence on the property is the due diligence of a reporter. What kind of wood has framed the lobby? Where is that stone from? Whats the name of those islands off-shore? In the same way that storytellers are more effective when they are giving you something to see, and not telling you how to feel, a PR agent is most effective when he or she is giving an editor something to see. We dont say a hotel is spectacular. We try to give you enough to see so that you might make that realization all on your own. Its our job to gather all of this information, in as compelling a way as possible and begin sharing as much with the media. Taeho Noh from Neo Marketing Plus shares how to build sales and brand awareness in South Korea Like other Asian markets, the Korean tourism market does not use English as a basic language, so it is not easy for independent overseas hotels to enter Korea and build brand awareness and sales. First of all, I will explain the establishment and sales of brand awareness online and offline. Building and selling brand awareness online is basically a way to enter through global OTA. Of course, it is difficult to say that entering the Korean tourism market through the accommodation reservation online system has entered the Korean tourism market. The reason is that it is almost impossible for Korean tourists to directly select a hotel, collect detailed information, and make reservations. In addition, online hotel marketing companies for specific purposes are currently emerging a lot in the Korean market and are an opportunity to intensively raise sales and brand awareness, but they have the disadvantage of continuous lack of events and difficulty expecting cooperation with local travel agencies in Korea. The way to do offline is for hotel employees to come directly to Korea and engage in marketing and sales activities. It is a traditional method, but it is still the most used method in many independent hotels. We cannot help but be skeptical about whether we can overcome time and financial constraints and increase brand awareness and sales through meetings and events offline. However, offline is also the most direct way to bring about the effect. First of all, it is to connect new channels that can build and manage sales networks in Korea. Through the channel, new information, events, and products are supplied in the direction desired by Korean tourists, and the method is modified through the results. At the same time, continuous promotion through travel magazines or travel newspapers published in Korea and communication with customers through online accounts will be the most effective way to revisit in the future as well as brand awareness. Beth Searls from ITM, Principal of Canfield Lane Hospitality (US) will share innovative ways to generate direct business in the United States Independent hotels and resorts, as with the rest of the industry, are intent on growing international/US travel business and securing the right customers that will pay optimum rates. However, unaffiliated properties bear more pressure to generate awareness, especially with leaner budgets and heightened cash-flow sensitivity than their chain-affiliated counterparts. The answer is not how to prudently spend a limited marketing budget; instead, the brilliant solution is to implement revenue-generating programs and campaigns for just a fraction of the cost. Consider how you can empower and expand your funds. Unless you are selling out on a nightly basis, you have empty rooms of perishable value waiting to be monetized. Seize the opportunity to leverage your unsold room inventory as marketing currency, by trading it for targeted and very desirable media outlets/channels that may be unrealistic to secure within your current budget. Bartering your unsold rooms translates to buying power to bolster brand exposure, advertising, promotions, and PR. This astute strategy is a fiscally responsible marketing and financial tool. Innovative Travel Marketing has been helping hotels stretch their marketing dollars to deliver targeted advertising and promotions for over 25 years. It has been the secret sauce for savvy luxury and lifestyle hoteliers to help gain more affluent, direct business that stays longer at higher rates. Few would argue that prudently, well-placed advertising programs raise brand awareness, drive website traffic, and generate leads. When you subsidize these marketing opportunities with trade, you elevate them to their greatest potential and truly maximize your return on investment. This is an optimal time to barter your unsold rooms, especially as ownership asks hotels to increase topline revenues, while at the same time continue to reduce expenses, save cash and minimize profit loss. How to measure brand awareness in foreign markets? Why is it important? A growing number of smart independent hoteliers sign up for continuous brand analysis tools. It makes perfect sense, as they are interested in how their marketing and brand-building efforts are contributing to their brand awareness and popularity in key markets. Don't deceive yourself with pseudo-solutions During the 2010s, businesses started to make use of data recorded from various online activities and events. Today, a whole range of web and social-media-based insights are trying to solve the age-old question of measuring brand awareness. The problem is these insights are mostly useless. These statistics were made to measure actions and interactions done within a social network, or on a website - and not to make guesses about brand awareness or brand perceptions. The industry-standard way to measure brand awareness The only accurate way to measure brand awareness in any segment is to take a sufficient sample from the target customers and see what percent of them are familiar with the brand. The problem with brand measurement is that traditional solutions are not affordable for independent hotels and resorts. Brand Auditor offers a perfect solution for this, with a streamlined market research solution where clients are in full control of their market research. The continuous brand audit feature enables users to manage campaigns from just $10 daily. Londons The Sun tabloid needed to sell more copies in 1970, so editors started publishing large photos of topless women inside the cover. Conservatives decried softcore pornography appearing in a newspaper, even if it was a tabloid. Feminists called the images of young, buxom women misogynistic. But as the publisher anticipated, sales jumped dramatically. Soon competing tabloids were also running photos of so-called Page 3 Girls. The Sunday Sport weekly still runs topless women on page three, but no daily has run them since 2019. Tabloids still run glamor shots of young women, but they are all clothed these days. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Facebook, Twitter and social media need a new rule book The tabloids profiteering from the objectification of women came to mind when I read about Facebooks publishing conundrum. According to a whistleblower and the thousands of documents she leaked to The Wall Street Journal, executives know they damage society, but they are addicted to the profits. The most disturbing collection of internal Facebook documents reveal that executives know the image-driven subsidiary Instagram is incredibly toxic to teen girls, a vulnerable population prone to developing lifelong eating disorders and self-esteem issues. We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls, an internal Instagram report from 2019 said, according to The Wall Street Journal. Another study a year later reached the same conclusion. Thirty-two percent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse, researchers hired by Facebook reported to top executives in a March 2020 slide presentation. Comparisons on Instagram can change how young women view and describe themselves. Among teens who reported suicidal thoughts, 13 percent of British users and 6 percent of American users traced them to Instagram, another internal presentation viewed by the Journal showed. Instagram is not a glossy magazine for adult women, like Vogue. It is an online publication leveraged by advertisers to influence young people, especially teen girls. Facebook has an equally destructive influence on middle-aged people. Whether it is sowing distrust in our democracy, spreading lies about COVID or creating communities for bigots, Facebooks laissez-faire attitude about disinformation and hate is demonstrably promoting alienation. France Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, leaked the documents that prove Facebook knows how its products are misused and has methods for stopping it, but has chosen to allow the behaviors to continue for profits sake. Facebook has realized that if they change the algorithm to be safer, people will spend less time on the site, theyll click on less ads, theyll make less money, Haugen told CBSs Sixty Minutes. News outlets have known for centuries how that inflammatory material attracts customers. William Randolph Hearst, the founder of the company that owns this newspaper, practiced yellow journalism that sensationalized crime, scandals and corruption, and even helped instigate the Spanish-American War. Cable news networks have adopted distinct points of view and generate aggrievement and outrage to appeal to specific audience segments. Anger, hate, envy and schadenfreude keep consumers coming back. The vital difference between Facebook and other media outlets is that traditional media are responsible for what they put into the world. Facebook has a federal law protecting it from legal liability called Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Often called the 26 words that made the modern Internet, the law says that no one can hold a social media company responsible for how customers use the platform. But that could soon change. Sex traffickers use Facebook every day to enslave women worldwide, the companys research shows, and the company says it doesnt have to do anything about it under Section 230. The Texas Supreme Court, though, disagreed. Federal law does not create a lawless no-mans-land on the internet, the court said, adding that three trafficking victims can sue Facebook under a law that lawsuits against those who intentionally or knowingly benefit from participation in a sex-trafficking venture. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Facebook could learn better manners from newspapers Members of Congress from both parties are also talking about changing Section 230 to make social media companies more like publishers and broadcasters in terms of responsibility for content. After all, site editors are removing content every day for million different reasons. They are no longer neutral platforms. Social media executives, needless to say, object. The power of profit to overcome conscience reminds me of research from my book Tomlinson Hill. I found letters proving that my ancestors who enslaved African Americans knew what they were doing was wrong and immoral. But they argued it was a necessary evil to make money. Standing up for what is right and defending others is easy when it costs you nothing. Taking a blow for justice is the definition of courage. Chris Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics. twitter.com/cltomlinson chris.tomlinson@chron.com Expect some sharp swings in prices this week in oil market as traders try to gauge the impact on soaring natural gas demand and prices on crude supplies and the return of inflation on the broader economy. The spillover from the looming natural gas shortages continues to create support for alternative fuels such as petroleum and coal. The European economy is trying to cope with a pike in natural gas prices just as the U.S. market is starting to feel its own energy squeeze, according to the the Energy Information Administration The EIA expects spending on propane to increase by 54 percent, heating by 43 percent, natural gas by 30 percent and electricity by 6 percent, compared to last year. The International Energy Agency, which advises industrial nations on energy supplies, said the surge in natural gas prices is encouraging a switch to coal and crude oil. That, in turn, is adding to the supply pressures in the crude oil market, driving prices higher. On HoustonChronicle.com: As energy prices climate, Bidens climate plans become tougher sell West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark for the price of oil, jumped 3.7 percent last week to settle Friday at $82.28 per barrel, the highest level since late October 2014. The question whether rising costs, particularly in in energy, will curb demand. So far, the answer appears to be no. Gasoline demand remains above pre-pandemic levels, according to the EIA, and consumer spending is health, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Al Salazar, the managing director at Enverus, an energy analyst, said the question remains whether supplies will catch up to demand. U.S. crude inventories have risen for three consecutive weeks, although markets have shrugged it off. In the coming week, Ill be focused yet again on the weekly U.S. inventory report, he added. Despite oil prices shrugging off the string of inventory builds, it remains highly relevant and timely. Despite the increases in crude stockpiles, supplies remain tight. But petroleum inventories remain well below average for this time of year. The EIA, however, does expect the market to cool off. The EIA says its likely future prices will retreat below $80 a barrel before the month ends. . A note from Giovanni Staunovo at the Swiss financial services company UBS forecast oil at around $77 per barrel on average for the next year or so. Geoffrey S. Lakings, the chief strategist at IIR Energy, said questions about how soaring natural gas prices will spill into other commodities and whether higher prices will undermine demand could drive price swings in crude markets this week. These are interesting times with much volatility and uncertainty ahead, he said. There could also be a geopolitical risk factor at play early this week. U.S. authorities extradited Alex Saab, a financial fixer for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, during the weekend. Maduros government in turn cut off talks with opposition figures and arrested a handful of Americans tied to Venezuelan-controlled Citgo. That could start a tit-for-tat that would undermine the chance of more Venezuelan oil on the market, though the resumption of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the European Union later this week could raise the prospect of more Iranian oil. Elsewhere, industrial, manufacturing and home mortgage data out this week could provide a clue about the health of the economy and influence the price of oil. Gloria Terry, CEO of the Texas Council on Family Violence, remembers the first few months of Texas stay-at-home order as being quiet. Eerily quiet. And it didnt last. TCFV reports how many men and women are killed by intimate partners each year. In 2020, the nonprofit agency documented an alarming trend: 228 men and women died as a result of domestic violence a 23-percent increase from 2019, and the highest number of intimate partner homicides in the past decade. Maisha Colter, Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse CEO, says there was an uptick in phone calls requesting support services after the stay-at-home order subsided. Why did victims wait so long to ask for help? Many people thought we werent available, she sighs. The world was shut down, so Houstonians assumed AVDA was closed, too. A big part of our referral process is law enforcement and schools, Child Protective Services and counselors. All of that went away. In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, AVDA is collaborating with fellow Houston-based organizations and agencies on four community-based events two major fundraisers and two interfaith events to ensure area Texans know that services are available to them 365 days a year. Money raised helps provide free counseling and legal representation for domestic abuse survivors in Austin, Grimes, Harris, Fort Bend, Waller and Washington counties. AVDAs Battering and Intervention Program aims to prevent abuse by educating at-risk Greater Houston residents on healthy relationship best practices. AVDA previously hosted an annual Home Safe Home Gala to benefit its operating budget; this year, the organization opted to slightly shift the events focus. When AVDA reached out to us and asked if it was possible to name the event after our report it was an immediate yes, Terry recalls. Earlier this month, co-chairs Katherine and Dr. Brian Parsley and Stephanie von Stein Schusterman and Dr. Mark Schusterman set a goal to raise $185,000 in tribute to the 185 Texans who were killed by domestic partners in 2019. The couples four-course Honoring Texas Victims: Advocating to End Domestic Abuse dinner at Potente far surpassed the initial figure with a grand total of $325,000. During the program, organizers streamed a poignant video of Brenda (last name withheld amid ongoing litigation) whose daughter was killed in a domestic dispute last year. Unfortunately, Brendas story, however tragic, is not unique. Terry anticipated that the volume of 2020 fatalities would be higher than normal because of the anecdotal information TCFV received throughout the pandemic. When we think about factors, two things influenced this increase: the impact of COVID-19 and a higher presence of fire arms, Terry says. We equate COVID to our analysis with Hurricane Harvey, so we know that disasters, whether theyre natural disasters or pandemics, are stressors. Many people were afraid for their economic stability, and those stressors by themselves do not cause domestic violence, but in unhealthy relationships they accelerate it, she continues. COVID isolated people, so victims have to choose between staying home and enduring abuse or going out to a communal situation. Interactions with church members, family, friends and teachers, who might otherwise function as an ally or intervene, all but disappeared with social distancing. The violence they experienced was much more substantial than what we normally see, Colter says. Something has actually changed, we have the issue of firearms and access to those. That was a big factor in the increase ready access. In 2019, AVDA helped issue a total of five lifetime protective orders, the highest level available. In order to obtain one, victims must establish a record of aggravated assault and weapons being used in addition to threats of bodily harm and violence, Colter explains. Between March and July 2020, five AVDA clients were granted lifetime protective orders. Terry bolsters Colters hypothesis. Data from TCFVs most recent report suggests the combination of unhealthy relationships and presence of firearms during the pandemics stay-at-home mandates contributed to the uptick in domestic deaths statewide. Our report did not focus on increased firearms purchased, but every piece of evidence we found supports that, she says. TCFVs 2020 report also shows that while intimate partner violence doesnt discriminate based on age the youngest victim was age 14, the oldest was 90 communities of color were at the center of its findings. Theres a bright line between the pandemic safety, and cultural and racial justice, Terry explains. To reach prospective clients in all corners of the city, AVDAs remainng Domestic Violence Awareness Month programming included Party in the Park on Saturday at Evelyns Park in Bellaire; a free, virtual seminar Faith & Family Violence: Recognizing and Addressing Abuse on Tuesday in partnership with Daya, Harris Country Domestic Violence Coordinating Council and Interfaith Advisory Council; and a virtual vigil An Evening of Remembrance, Caring and Hope on Oct. 26 to honor domestic violence victims, survivors and their families. For more information, visit avda-tx.org. amber.elliott@chron.com The days of Houston playing second fiddle to more famous and legacy Central Texas barbecue joints are over. Houston, with its wealth of new craft-barbecue practitioners and pitmasters armed with daring and know-how, is now recognized as a legitimate, enviable Texas smoked-meats destination in its own right. TOP SPOTS: Texas Monthly unveils list of state's 50 best BBQ joints Feges BBQ (pictured above) The husband-and-wife team of pitmaster Patrick Feges and chef Erin Smith still have their original Greenway barbecue shop. But their new full-service restaurant in Spring Branch has more seating and a patio on which to enjoy exemplary smoked meats (including pulled pork and boudin); nachos with smoked queso; brisket and pimento grilled cheese; fried chicken with gochujang barbecue sauce and Alabama white sauce; porcini-crusted hanger steak; and a show-stopping double cheeseburger. 8217 Long Point, 346-319-5339; fegesbbq.com J.R. Cohen / Contributor Roegels Barbecue Co. Owners Russell and Misty Roegels pour their heart into this restaurant that excels at both traditional Central Texas-style barbecue (brisket, pork ribs, turkey and sausage) and creative special sandwiches such as pastrami Reuben, Cuban stuffed with smoked meats and smoked turkey katsu. Do not miss the Texas caviar, dill potato salad or wonderful house-made pickled vegetables. 2223 S. Voss, 713-977-8725; roegelsbarbecue.com J.C. Reid / CMG Burns Original BBQ Today, Burns has a new branch within Krogers Summerwood supermarket, but its Acres Homes neighborhood joint is the perfect place to enjoy East Texas-style barbecue and uncompromising links, particularly the spicy Creole sausages made by the Frenchys family. Meat trays, sandwiches, potatoes and traditional sides are so good the late Anthony Bourdain famously took notice. 8307 De Priest, 281-999-5559; burnsoriginalbbq.com J.C. Reid / Contributor The Pit Room This small Montrose joint offers big barbecue flavors including exemplary brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, pulled pork and house-made sausages paired with superlative mustard potato salad, charro beans and macaroni and cheese. Also on offer: a la carte tacos (brisket, pulled pork, chicken), breakfast tacos in the morning, chips and queso, chicharrones with hot sauce and chili that can be loaded into a Frito pie. The restaurants adjacent bar, the Patio, is a perfect place to spread out and enjoy the best the Pit Room has to offer. 1201 Richmond, 281-888-1929; thepitroom.com J.C. Reid / Contributor Blood Bros. BBQ Traditional barbecue, yes, but this innovative team (brothers Robin and Terry Wong and pitmaster Quy Hoang) made its name with Asian-inspired offerings so good that Blood Bros. now has an outpost in Las Vegas new Resorts World casino. Those specialty menu items can include brisket burnt-end steamed buns, gochujang-glazed pork ribs, smoked char siu pork banh mi, pork belly vermicelli bowl, smoked chcken karaage, Thai chili peanut butter sticky ribs, and togarashi and shishito sausage. Its that kind of thrilling stuff that has made this Bellaire joint a hit. 5425 Bellaire, 713-664-7776; bloodbrosbbq.com J.C. Reid / Contributor Pizzitolas Bar-B-Cue A new chef at the pits, Eudel Hernandez, and new menu items that have invigorated the lineup of smoked-meat classics at one of the citys oldest (and old-school) barbecue joints. Check out the pit-smoked brisket burger; barbecue fajitas; chips and queso with chopped brisket, sausage or pulled pork; and specials such as Fridays smoked brisket enchiladas and Saturdays pulled pork apple fritter sandwich. 1703 Shepherd, 713-227-2283; pizzitolasbbq.com Mike Sutter / Staff Pinkertons Barbecue This winning merger of old-school traditions coupled with new-school trends (theres a full cocktail bar) offers solid Central Texas-style barbecue. Outstanding brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, turkey, smoked sausage and boudin make nice with great sides, including jalapeno cheese rice and smoked duck and sausage jambalaya. 1504 Airline, 713-802-2000; pinkertonsbarbecue.com J.C. Reid / Contributor Gatlins BBQ This family-run operation grew from a tiny mom-and-pop cottage in Shady Acres to a sophisticated restaurant in Oak Forest. But it has lost none of its made with love charm. Step up to the counter and contemplate the menu of meats by the pound (brisket, sausage, pulled pork, chicken, ribs), barbecue sandwiches and baked potatoes, wings glossed with a variety of lip-pleasing sauces and specialty sandwiches including pastrami, pastrami turkey and smoked bologna. Save room for collard greens, smoked corn, candied yam, baked beans and what may be the citys best dirty rice. 3510 Ella, 713-869-4227; gatlinsbbq.com Fainmous BBQ / Fainmous BBQ Fainmous BBQ Tennessee-style barbecue is what makes Fainmous a standout, specifically the pulled pork with spicy, vinegar-tomato barbecue sauce. Theres much to like at this Sawyer Yards restaurant next to Urban South Brewery: ribs, brisket, whole and pulled chicken; pig burger and rib-tip specialty sandwiches, traditional sandwiches piled high with brisket, pulled pork and sausage; and side dishes of green beans, spinach casserole, macaroni and cheese, corn salad and chickpea salad. 1201 Oliver, 713-728-9663; fainmousbbq.com J.C. Reid / Contributor Rays BBQ Shack A Third Ward barbecue staple, this family-owned joint is among the few that continues to offer Southeast Texas-style smoked meats as well as smoked boudin (spicy or mild) and fried shrimp and catfish dinners. In addition to brisket, sausage and pork ribs, the meat plates include Chicago-style rib tips and smoked oxtails (Thursdays only). Poboys, burgers and loaded baked potatoes, too. Dont pass up the fried corn on the cob or smoked macaroni and cheese. 3929 Old Spanish Trail, 713-748-4227; raysbbqshack.com Nick de la Torre / For the Chronicle Killens Barbecue Chef Ronnie Killen helped put Houston on the barbecue map when he opened his first restaurant in 2013 in Pearland. Today, theres a second barbecue restaurant in The Woodlands, and Killens signature smoked meats are on the Texas and Southern-comfort-foods menu at his Killens restaurant in the Heights. Any way you slice it, Killens remains the gold standard. 3613 E. Broadway, Pearland, 281-458-2272; killensbarbecue.com and 101 Heights, 713-637-4664; killens.com greg.morago@chron.com At least seven people were killed and more than a dozen wounded in the Houston area over the weekend, as local authorities continue to see an uptick in violent crime. The spate of deadly shootings continued into Monday afternoon, with Houston police reporting two more deaths in separate incidents, both tied to domestic violence. There were also violent deaths in Galveston and Montgomery counties Monday. Most of the weekend killings happened in Houston, where police investigated the deaths of five people during a scattering of shootings and stabbings Friday night through Monday morning that also wounded about a dozen. Deputy Kareem Atkins of the Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office was among the victims, shot and killed while working an off-duty security job Saturday morning at 45 Norte Sports Bar. On HoustonChronicle.com: Man threatening to blow up Minute Maid Park arrested after 2-hour chase A gunman opened fire on Atkins and two other off-duty deputies around 2:15 a.m. during an arrest, killing him and wounding the other two. A suspect in the shooting had not been identified or captured as of Monday evening. More shootings happened Sunday, with an off-duty officer hearing a gunshot around 12:40 a.m., authorities said. He found Mary Jane Gonzales, 49, fatally shot outside a bank in the 2900 block of Woodridge Drive, in the Gulfgate area. He tried chasing down the suspect to no avail. Police also found a man shot to death at around 2:30 p.m. Sunday in a car in the 9900 block of Bessemer Street, in the Edgebrook area, according to officials. Meanwhile, charges against two people were pending the decision of a Harris County grand jury in two separate fatal incidents. A woman told police she accidentally stabbed another around 2 a.m. Sunday in the 7400 block of Calhoun Road in the Brookhaven area. Around 1 p.m., a man shot someone during a fight in the 6400 block of Bankside Drive in southwest Houston. The death of Atkins and others has brought Houston closer to exceeding last years pace of homicides. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner over the weekend called the slaying of Atkins and the wounding of two other constable deputies by a man armed with an AR-15 heartbreaking and disappointing. There are way too many guns that are in the possession of the wrong people who are using them for the wrong reasons, Turner tweeted. Houston police spokesman John Cannon said investigators were aware as of Monday of at least 388 homicides a 29 percent increase from this time last year. Last year ended with 404 homicides or a homicide rate of 17.5 people per 100,000 in the city. Records show 2020 ranked as the eighth-deadliest year in three decades. In order to outdo the worst of those years 1990 the number of homicides would have to double before Dec. 31. Homicides have been increasing nationwide during the pandemic. Houston police Executive Chief Matt Slinkard reiterated last week that violent crime as a whole is generally on the rise in the city and elsewhere. Playing a role in the severity of criminal cases may be an alarming number of stolen firearms, he said during a recent news conference on federal arrests. Approximately 3800 firearms that are reaching the street, and often turning into crime guns, are being stolen from vehicles, Slinkard said. The death count in Houston continued around 1 p.m. Monday with HPD officers rushing to the 6200 block of Conley Street where a man had shot and killed a relative, officials said. About an hour later, a woman fatally shot another family member in an unrelated incident in the 12900 block of Sarahs Lane, according to police. On HoustonChronicle.com: 7 injured in northwest Houston shootings police are calling 'problematic' In Harris County, sheriffs office investigators were dispatched to a fatal shooting around 7:30 a.m. Sunday in the 12500 block of Deergrove Street in East Aldine. Authorities found a 31-year-old man, Fredy Aguilera, shot to death in front of a neighbor's home. The shooter is believed to be the ex-boyfriend of the man's girlfriend. The killed fled in a vehicle and remains on the lam, authorities said. The weekend of deadly violence in Galveston County began and ended with two shootings that will also be referred to a grand jury. A man shot and killed another around 10:30 p.m. Friday in the 2600 block of Via Montesano in League City. Authorities believe Timothy Combs, 32, went to a home there to fight the resident, police said in a news release. When he arrived, the resident was armed with a tactical rifle. Combs went to his car for a gun and the resident opened fire, killing him. Police found a gun inside Combs' vehicle, officials said. In Galveston, three people were shot one fatally during an argument around 1:30 a.m. Monday in the 2800 block of 61st Street. Officers pulled over a vehicle fleeing the scene and found two people with gunshot wounds. Both are expected to survive. Before the weekend began, a 19-year-old driver from Houston, Ramon Vasquez, fatally shot another motorist in Fort Bend County Friday afternoon during a road rage clash, authorities said. Humphrey Magwira, 20, was killed less than a mile from his home following a minor car crash. In Conroe, police were investigating the death of a woman who was struck in a parking lot by a vehicle that left the scene around 8:30 a.m. Monday. She died of injuries at a local hospital. Police determined that she had been intentionally struck and have issued a murder warrant for her ex-boyfriend, 48-year-old Anthony Dwane Moore of Houston. Of the injuries in the Houston area seven people were hurt during a shooting Sunday at an Acres Homes park. Police were dispatched to Winzer Park around 6 p.m. after a report of a shooting. Gunfire was heard again an hour later about a mile away in the 1900 block of Dolly Wright. Police were investigating whether the shootings were related. Also, a shooter opened fire and shot two teens around 2:30 a.m. Monday following a car meetup in the 1700 block of Aldine Mail Route Road in Harris County. Both are expected to survive. nicole.hensley@chron.com A man was shot and killed Monday afternoon in south Houston, according to a tweet sent out by the Houston Police Department. The shooting happened shortly after 1 p.m. at the 6200 block of Conley Street where police said that man shot and killed an adult family member and fled the scene. A man who hacked another to death with a machete in 2018 accepted a plea deal ahead of trial, part of a case that led to charges against several other MS-13 gang members. Francisco Flores-Salazar, 21, was sentenced to 45 years in prison in exchange for the plea Friday, as a jury was slated to be picked. The trial was scheduled to begin Monday. Authorities said the El Salvador national and at least one other wielded the bladed weapon, while another gang member shot the 24-year-old victim, Jose Villanueva. VIOLENT WEEKEND: 5 killed, more than a dozen wounded in Houston-area shootings over weekend The killing took weeks to plan, authorities said. Gang members with the transnational group tasked a teen girl, Karla Morales, with luring Villanueva to an empty field near Lewis Elementary School in Spring with the promise of belated-birthday weed, according to authorities. Flores-Salazar, whose nickname is Psycho, hacked Villanueva at least twice. Michael Johnson/Associated Press When it came time, this guy delivered the first blow. He started everything, said Jason Sanchez, prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Another man then gunned him down as he tried running away. His last words were aimed at the assailants, asking why. One teen, Henry Saravia-Lovo, told authorities that he was ordered to kill Villanueva for disparaging MS-13 gang members during a rap battle, according to court documents. He packed a gun but it jammed as Villanueva tried fleeing. Another accused accomplice opened fire on him instead, fatally striking him. Villanuevas body was found about 500 feet from the elementary school, in the days before students were scheduled to return from summer break. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas bikers say cops have unfairly labeled them as gang members Of the other defendants, Mario Guevara pleaded guilty in September to 40 years in prison. Henry Saravia-Lovo and Francisco Ancheta-Aquino each pleaded guilty to 45 years. This was a premeditated and cold-blooded murder, not some crime of passion, and the killers deserve to spend decades in prison, District Attorney Kim Ogg said. Trials for Oscar Arman Lozano Aparicio and Morales are pending. nicole.hensley@chron.com 2 1 of 2 Houston Police Department Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Houston Police Department Show More Show Less Houston police are asking for the public's help in locating a woman who has been missing for more than a week. Olga Hernandez was last seen around 8 p.m. Oct. 7 leaving her apartment in the 9700 block of Gessner Road. It is unknown where she was traveling, or what she was wearing. A family member reported her missing the next day on Oct. 8, a spokesperson with HPD said. When Ruth Steinfeld was a child, she and her family were forced from their German home and imprisoned at an internment camp in the south of France. Her parents died at Auschwitz, but Steinfeld and her sister survived the Holocaust with the protection of French humanitarians. The Houston resident was awarded the Legion of Honor, Frances highest prize, in a ceremony Sunday at Houstons Holocaust Museum. French Consul General Valerie Baraban, who pinned the enameled medal on Steinfelds lapel, praised the 88-year old great-grandmother as an invaluable witness to the horrors of genocide. Steinfeld has spent decades educating others about the experiences of European Jews during World War II, Baraban said, and committed to speaking for the 1.5 million children who never had a chance to survive. The prize, created by Napoleon in 1802, honors acts of service to the French state. Previous American recipients include Julia Child, Steven Spielberg and Liza Minnelli. I couldnt believe it, Steinfeld said of the moment a French diplomat telephoned earlier this month to tell her she had been selected for the award. I was shaking. Born the year Adolf Hitler rose to power, Steinfeld was 7 when her family was arrested and transported 800 miles from their home to an internment camp in southwest France. She and her older sister starved on meager rations with their mother, Anna Krell, in the womens barracks. She never saw her father again. Steinfeld and her sister Lea would not have survived without the help of a French humanitarian organization that rescued hundreds of Jewish children from extermination. Anna released her daughters to the care of the humanitarian rescuers, who had gained entry to the camp by posing as members of the Red Cross. The girls lived in an orphanage at first, but were later forced into hiding in a private home once the Nazi secret police learned of their whereabouts. Their hosts, the Chapot family, took them in at great personal risk. Lea and I survived because of the goodness in people, in spite of the inhumanities, Steinfeld said during her remarks. At the end of the war, Steinfeld and her sister were brought to the U.S., settling in Houston with the help of a Jewish relief organization. They wouldnt learn their parents fate until nearly four decades later. On a trip to Israel in 1982, Steinfeld finally discovered the date her parents had perished in Auschwitz. Steinfeld was instrumental in the creation of the Holocaust Museum in 1996. She devoted many hours to educating young people about the plight of Jewish families like hers. Last year, she self-published a book documenting her years in hiding, Forgive But Never Forget. The title, she said, comes from her unbelievable experience of forgiving her tormentors. On Sunday, as four generations of her family filled four rows of the museums auditorium, Steinfeld once more told the story of her parents and the French people who saved her. Then she touched the green and white pin on her lapel in a gesture of gratitude. I will cherish this forever, the 88-year old said, though I dont know how long forever will be. The first professional film crew to visit the International Space Station is back on Earth. Russian actress Yulia Peresild and film producer/director Klim Shipenko landed in Kazakhstan on Saturday at 11:35 p.m. CDT (it was 10:35 a.m. Sunday in Kazakhstan). MORE ON THEIR MISSION: Russian actress, director beat Tom Cruise to space in first-of-its-kind movie filming They had been in space filming segments of a new movie titled Challenge, in which a surgeon played by Peresild rushes to the space station to save a crew member who suffers a heart condition. Their mission was organized by the Russian space agency Roscosmos. They arrived at the station Oct. 5 inside a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. To accommodate their visit, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and Russian cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov have extended their stay on the International Space Station. Instead of returning home this fall in a Soyuz capsule, they will fly home in a Soyuz in March 2022. Typically, cosmonauts and astronauts fly to the space station for six-month missions. When a new crew arrives, those whove been in microgravity for six months fly home. Peresild and Shipenko didn't intend to stay for six months, so they needed Vande Heis and Dubrovs seats on the Soyuz spacecraft to get home more quickly. Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov flew with Peresild and Shipenko to the space station, and cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy returned home with them. Novitskiy had been in space for 191 days. When Vande Hei returns to Earth, he will hold the record for the longest single spaceflight by an American. Retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly currently holds that record at 340 days. The TikTok video shows three men, presumably undocumented immigrants, lying side by side in what appears to be the backseat of a vehicle. Donde estan los choferes ke se la rifan? the ad says in Spanish and slang, seeking drivers willing to take risks. It promises instant payment for the job as it flashes dollar signs. Another video ad shows hands spreading out a stack of cash and images of immigrants getting into a pickup truck under the bed cover and into a cars trunk. Drivers needed!!! DM to make some rocks!!! the post says. Both have several replies from TikTok users seeking more information, and they are told to send direct messages, or to go to other social media or communication applications, like Snapchat or WhatsApp, for details. Increasingly, smugglers are turning to social media to recruit drivers because of its immense reach, and their pitches have been drawing people from the interior of Texas even from out of state to the southern border. And that has law enforcement officials concerned. It used to be you meet somebody at a bar, Craig Larabee said. Hes deputy special agent in charge of ICEs Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio, which is responsible for 500 miles of Texas border from Del Rio to Brownsville. You dont have to do that anymore, Larabee said. On social media, they can reach out to different communities and reach out to all walks of life. In the spotlight Larabee and other law officers say smugglers play up the rewards like the promise of easy money. But they downplay the risks like that human smuggling is a federal crime that can land you in prison, or worse. Theyre ignoring the fact that theres a potential for accidents, and people die, Larabee said. He noted many youths are unfamiliar with the terrain of the border region, and when they are loaded down with more bodies than their vehicles can handle, and then run from law enforcement, its a recipe for disaster. Gabriel Salazar, a 19-year-old from San Antonio with a large following on TikTok and Instagram, died in a fiery car crash Sept. 26. The wreck also killed his three passengers, undocumented immigrants from the Mexican state of Zacatecas. Driving a white Chevrolet Camaro hed bought just days before, Salazar fled first from Crystal City police who tried to pull him over, and then from Zavala County sheriffs deputies. He led a chase that at times exceeded 100 miles per hour before the car lost control, hit trees, rolled and burst into flames on Highway 57 near La Pryor. On ExpressNews.com: Chase that killed TikTok star probed as human smuggling Homeland Security Investigations is investigating it as a suspected human smuggling incident. But Larabee, to not compromise his agents investigation, would not discuss the case or whether it has any connection to social media. Salazars case drew plenty of attention from television and other news outlets, but drivers run from police nearly every week, and it often goes unreported. Many of those drivers get the illicit gigs after responding to ads that pop into their social media feeds. Smugglers are using many of the traditional social media apps, even Telegram, which draws a more conservative audience. The ads seek drivers all along the U.S.-Mexico border, and some explicitly say how much a person will get per immigrant from $500 to $4,000, or more. Some specifically seek drivers from McAllen or Brownsville to drive through Border Patrol checkpoints. Others seek drivers only from checkpoints to a major city, such as from Crystal City to San Antonio. Some even say that their smuggling group is not those who rob or harm people. Young recruits The drivers recruited on social media have included young people, no older than 30, Zavala County Sheriff Eusevio Salinas said. They say they were offered easy money. Weve had minors people under 17, with no drivers licenses, from as far away as Houston or Dallas down here, Salinas said. Thats (300), 400 miles away and they come down and load up. Nonprofit watchdog Campaign for Accountability reported earlier this year that it found dozens of groups, some with tens of thousands of members, on Facebook in which human smugglers promoted their services. Some posted prices, phone numbers to call, and video of previous successful crossings. We prohibit content that offers or assists with human smuggling and remove it from our platform whenever we find it, a Facebook spokesperson said via email. Tik Tok did not respond to messages seeking comment. On TikTok, the Express-News found more than a dozen videos seeking drivers for smuggling. Some have been marked with the words: The action in this video could result in serious injury. But it appears to be stamped in ads where smugglers recorded video while driving. Many smuggling ventures are controlled by cartels or loosely affiliated groups. On ExpressNews.com: Human trafficking charges for man after chase Some of these organizations tie into a lot of different things like drugs and dangerous crime, Larabee said, and when someone gets asked to drive, you are all of a sudden a part of that conspiracy. On March 15, Sebastian Tovar, 24, of Austin was down by the border, near Del Rio. He allegedly drove a maroon Dodge pickup that led a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper on a chase for approximately 50 miles, reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour, according to court records. Authorities said Tovar crashed head-on into another truck on Highway 277, killing his human cargo, eight undocumented immigrants. Tovar was driving in tandem with another truck that had a dozen more undocumented immigrants. The vehicle tried to leave as it waited in traffic when Tovar crashed, but the Border Patrol saw it and chased its occupants when they fled on foot. Until mid-September, no one but Tovar had been charged. But Sept. 15, three others were indicted with him, including the alleged driver of the second vehicle, Nicolas Mondragon-Gonzalez, of Austin. Attorney Kevin Boyd said he has six cases where the defendants, all under age 25, were recruited via Facebook to drive immigrant loads. Among them is Mondragon-Gonzalez. Boyd feels the matter hasnt gotten enough attention by law enforcement or the media to dissuade youths from illegally becoming human smugglers. Its a huge, huge problem, said Boyd, who is based in Austin. Some are under a lot of pressure by cartels not to talk. On the case Tovars lawyer, Raymond Meza Jr., declined to say whether his client was recruited on social media, but he said that the death penalty is off the table. The Justice Department decided it would not seek the most severe penalty available for Tovars alleged crimes of transporting undocumented immigrants resulting in death, and conspiracy. The most Tovar can face is life in prison. Meza declined further comment. A review of more than 20 cases by the Express-News found that many drivers often use their smartphones to stay in communication with the chain of smugglers, even to find remote locations to pick up human loads. Some toss the phones or destroy them before they are caught. When the phones are recovered, agents can build better cases, records show. I would say its a very high percentage of people using social media as a tool to communicate, federal agent Larabee said. You can send a pin drop on a location, where you dont need to figure out what the address is anymore. On ExpressNews.com: Large-scale smuggling attempts increasing In May, Alvaro Vazquez-Ruiz was caught at the Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias with two undocumented immigrants, court records show. One of them was hidden inside a fake fuel tank in the Ford F350 truck Vazquez-Ruiz was driving. He told agents that he used Telegram to communicate with a smuggler, who offered him $1,500 per person he was able to smuggle through checkpoints between McAllen and Houston. Attorney Boyd said the smugglers appear to be using Telegram because they believe it is less scrutinized by the government. In Zavala County, Sheriff Salinas said the going rate has been $3,000 a person. Social media is a good and bad thing, Salinas said. It can be used in a lot of different ways. Larabee asked anyone with information about smuggling to call Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-347-2423. All calls are kept confidential. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland It's time to make your voice heard again. Early voting in Texas for the Nov. 2 election begins Monday, Oct. 18 and runs through through Friday, Oct. 29. A sample ballot showing all of this year's contests in Harris County can be found here. Voters also can access their individualized sample ballots on the county elections website. Early voting began Monday for a handful of area school board and municipal races, state constitutional amendments and hundreds of millions of dollars in school district and municipal utility bonds. Mail-in voting skyrocketed in Haris County with elections officials tallying 29,005 ballots on Monday compared to 5,335 on the first day of the 2017 electionthe last comparable election. Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria said countys mailing of ballot applications to eligible voters over 65 contributed to the increase, a 444 percent jump compared to 2017 the last comparable election. According to elections officials, 2,643 ballots were cast Monday in early in-person voting. By comparison, Mondays total is three percent lower than the total first day of in-person voting in 2017. Longoria said the decrease can be attributed to the items Houston had to vote on in that election which pulled more voters to the polls. From my perspective, basically, the same number of voters without the pull of city of Houston is a pretty good start, Longoria said. The early balloting for the Nov 2 general election continues through Oct. 29. Starting at 7 a.m., voters can cast ballots at 90 locations throughout Harris County or via mail ballot. A list of voting locations and times can be found at harrisvotes.com. Polls close at 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The 90 locations are more than the average, which Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria said is meant to match access for registered voters around the county. Previously, the average was about 60 (locations), Longoria said. My office looked around the state and country and the average ratio is about 30,000 registered voters per location so we are sitting at about 27,000 registered voters per location. This election is the debut of new paper ballot machines that the county bought , Longoria added. The machines are running well, she said. What we are hearing is voters appreciate being able to see the result of how they voted and then to turn that vote into the ballot box. A sample ballot showing all of the contests in Harris County can be found here. Voters also can access their individualized sample ballots on the county elections website. On HoustonChronicle.com: Trump-era rancor spills into Texas school board politics Voters in Bellaire will choose new council members, Missouri City residents will consider one city council race and $85 million in general obligation bonds, while Baytown will choose its mayor and take up a handful of charter amendments, including term limits and the reauthorization of a quarter-cent sales tax to maintain and fund street improvements. Alief ISD voters will consider more than $540 million in bonds, while Tomball ISD residents will decide whether to issue more than $565 million in debt. Voters in Aldine, Alief, Cypress-Fairbanks, Houston, New Caney and Klein ISDs will choose school board candidates. Houston Community College System voters will decide three trustee races. Longoria said that the school board elections have driven voters to the polls with one of the highly trafficked areas of first-day voting in Cypress. Interestingly our highest voting location of the day is Juergens Hall out in the Cypress, she said. Not too surprising because you have Cypress ISD has a pretty competitive school board election which we are seeing as a big driver. Statewide, voters are being asked to weigh in on eight amendments to the Texas Constitution. Among them are a prohibition on any state or local governments ability to limit or bar religious services, a byproduct of the shutdown orders put in place by local authorities during the early part of the coronavirus pandemic. Other propositions include property tax relief for surviving spouses of members of the military killed in action, and a change in eligibility requirements to be a district judge, state appeals court or Supreme Court justice in Texas. Voters also will decide whether to allow their local municipal utility districts to issue hundreds of millions of dollars in bonds to finance roads, water and sewer systems and drainage. joel.umanzor@chron.com WASHINGTON A top Australian official called out U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Twitter over the weekend after the Texas Republican accused the country of COVID tyranny as it imposes new vaccine requirements. I love the Aussies. Their history of rugged independence is legendary; Ive always said Australia is the Texas of the Pacific, Cruz tweeted. The COVID tyranny of their current government is disgraceful & sad. Australias Northern Territory rolled out new vaccine mandates last week, which require workers who interact with the public to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 24 or face a $5,000 fine. RELATED: Ted Cruz pitches Rockets job to Kyrie Irving over vaccines Michael Gunner, the chief minister for the region, responded to Cruz in a statement posted last Sunday, saying the Texas Republican knows nothing about us. Nearly 70,000 Texans have tragically died from COVID. There have been zero deaths in the territory, Gunners statement said. We dont need your lectures, thanks mate. Fewer than 1,500 Australians have died from COVID since the pandemic began, none of them in the Northern Territory, a more remote portion of the nation home to Outback deserts. Weve done whatever it takes to protect the Territory. Thats kept us safe AND free, Gunner said. We have been in lockdown for just eight days in 18 months. Our businesses and schools are all open. Did you know that? TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox The exchange comes as Texas has moved to ban vaccine mandates, with Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this month issuing an order prohibiting even private businesses from requiring employees or customers to be vaccinated. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, has issued requirements that federal contractors and businesses with 100 or more employees require vaccines, a move Cruz has blasted as illegal. ben.wermund@chron.com The claim: Joe Bidens attorney general wants the FBI to go after parents for speaking out at school board meetings to protect kids from radical curriculum like critical race theory. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. The discussion of race in schools has drawn charges of indoctrination, often under the umbrella term of critical race theory, a school of thought that focuses on systemic, rather than overt, discrimination. PolitiFact rating: False. In his memo to the FBI, Attorney General Merrick Garland specifically said that spirited debate is protected. His memo targeted threats that go beyond passionate speech, and said nothing about critical race theory. The line between sincere debate and words that intimidate isnt always clear, and there is a concern that officials might apply an overly broad interpretation. In the past, courts have ruled against that sort of loose approach to defining what constitutes a threat. Nothing in Garlands memo says that is part of the plan. Discussion 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 Mainly due to mask mandates, once sleepy school board discussions of budgets and facility management have become noisy events that draw hundreds of angry parents. From Washington state to Georgia, strong feelings about COVID-19 policies have driven most of the debate, but in some places, disagreements over schools policies on race, history and equality have been just as vehement. In one instance, demonstrators surrounded a school board members car, preventing him from driving away. After one Illinois school board meeting, police arrested an Illinois man for disorderly conduct and aggravated battery. The National School Boards Association asked the Biden administration for help with threats, and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland fired off a Justice Department memo to focus on the issue. THE CENTER OF THE CULTURE WARS: Trump-era rancor spills into Texas school board politics On Oct. 4, Garland sent a memo to the FBI, every U.S. attorney and the Justice Departments Criminal Division. In recent months, there has been a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff who participate in the vital work of running our nations public schools, Garland wrote Oct. 4. While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views. Garland told the FBI to hold meetings across the country and bring together leaders at all levels of government to discuss strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff, and (to) open dedicated lines of communication for threat reporting, assessment, and response. The focus, Garland said, is on criminal conduct. Justice Department spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle said nothing in Garlands memo amounted to an effort to silence those with particular views about COVID-related policies, school curricula, or other topics of public discussion. The departments efforts are about rooting out criminal threats of violence, not about any particular ideology, Hornbuckle said. PolitiFact heard from four law professors who specialize in the First Amendment and freedom of speech. Of the four, Eugene Volokh at the University of California Los Angeles voiced the most concern with Garlands orders. Volokh cited cases where charges have been made, and thrown out, against people for harassment. In one 2020 case, the federal government charged a Mississippi man, Christopher Cook, with internet harassment (technically, cyberstalking) after he used his Facebook account to accuse state agents, judges and others of framing him for drug charges. The U.S. District Court ruled against the government, saying nothing reached the level of a true threat. The man never directly contacted anyone, nor did he explicitly state he intended physical harm. To Volokh, this shows the legal risk a parent might face if they sound off against school board members. Or nearly as bad, in Volokhs view, a parent might fear they face that risk, and so, not speak out. Gregory Magarian, professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, said Scotts tweet doesnt track with Garlands instructions. The attorney generals statement specifically acknowledges that the First Amendment protects political debate, or what Sen. Scott refers to as speaking out, Magarian said. Nothing in the attorney generals statement suggests any affirmative reason to worry about overly broad enforcement. If federal or state law enforcement does engage in overly broad speech restriction, the First Amendment overbreadth doctrine provides the remedy. In jurisprudence, true threat has a specific meaning. Vociferous dissenting speech at a school board meeting is protected, said law professor Douglas Laycock at the University of Virginia School of Law, who voiced no opinion on Garlands memo itself. Disrupting the meeting and making it impossible to continue probably is not. Threatening the school board with physical violence definitely is not. About 45 years ago, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit came up with a fairly specific test of what constitutes a true threat. Its a threat that on its face and in the circumstances in which it is made is so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate, and specific as to the person threatened, as to convey a gravity of purpose and imminent prospect of execution. Magarian noted that Garlands memo does not promise much specific action. It only mandates the discussion of strategies for addressing threats and opening dedicated lines of communication for threat reporting, assessment, and response, Magarian said. Whether or how any government will go after anyone remains entirely conjectural. In the cases Volokh shared, the courts slapped down overzealous government prosecutors. To Volokh, that shows that the government can go too far. To others, the results show the limits the government faces. If the Justice Department tried to stretch intimidation to cover any hostile speech, they should lose, and almost certainly would lose, Laycock said. How I promoted a digital-only covers album [Brian Hazard] Brian Hazard of the project Color Theory walks us through his strategy for promoting a recent digital-only album of 80s covers with Matt Mancid. Guest post by Brian Hazard of Passive Promotion Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Matt Mancid and I just released an album of 80s covers that weve worked on since 2013. As much as we wouldve loved pressing CDs or even vinyl, paying the rights for 1000 CDs doubles the cost. We wouldve absolutely, positively lost money. So we released it digitally in two flavors: a 12-track standard edition and a 36-track deluxe edition. The latter is a Bandcamp exclusive. In retrospect, digital-only was the way to go. The deluxe edition is outselling the standard by an 8 to 1 ratio, and the only physical format it would fit on is a USB key. My previous USB key release was a nightmare, with drives spontaneously corrupting after a year. We couldve just promoted the release to our existing fanbases, pocketed $600 each, and moved on. Instead, we focused on getting the album heard by as many people as possible. Every Bandcamp sale was an opportunity to reach more listeners. Im going to break down the campaign from start to finish. This post-game analysis is extremely helpful, and I probably wouldnt bother if you werent around to read it, so thank you! The Pre-Release Campaign The vast majority of sales occurred before release day as Bandcamp pre-orders. As a bonus, I included the eight demos I provided to Matt. The plan was to remove those demos on release day, but then I realized that buyers wouldnt be able to stream them from the Bandcamp app. For better or worse, those demos are now a permanent part of the deluxe edition. I announced the album to my email list and on socials with a (true) story: Peripheral album announcement I thought my presale ad was pretty clever. It was a carousel of album art featuring the tracks we covered, asking what they all have in common (answer: we covered songs from all of them). carousel ad directing to Bandcamp I ran the ad in a traffic campaign with the following targeting: I also ran ads on my announcement post but pulled the plug at $6 per landing page view! Facebook ad campaign results Peripheral Cold is the carousel ad, and Peripheral GLW is the announcement post. The GLW stands for Green Light Warmth, hitting audiences who previously engaged with me from the same countries as the cold traffic campaign. In total, $140 of ad spend produced 1608 clicks to Bandcamp and a solid number of comments and likes. I dont know how many sales those clicks generated, since Bandcamp doesnt support Facebooks pixel. In fact, between Bandcamps lack of pixel support and their 15% fee, I almost ended up taking pre-orders on my own site. In the end, I decided that fans comfort, trust, and familiarity with Bandcamp, plus the added discoverability, outweighed the negatives. In the three weeks before release day, I followed up with four additional emails: Explaining why the release was digital-only Pointing out how the color scheme of the singles matched the cover art of the original songs Announcing that the focus track was live on YouTube as a sneak peek Letting subscribers know it was their last chance to pre-order To be clear, it wasnt all Peripheral, all the time. I sent out a couple unrelated emails as well. The Focus Track Campaign We had already released six of the dozen tracks as singles over the past eight years, so those werent candidates for Spotify editorial pitching. We opted to make our Depeche Mode cover the focus track, which is pretty much the center of the bullseye in 80s synthpop circles. Granted, the song (The Sun and The Rainfall) is pretty obscure, as are most of our other selections. I treated the focus track promotion as I would any single release, starting with hiring Walker Dunn to create a Spotify canvas based on Depeche Modes album art, which he repurposed as a YouTube visualizer. Running down my entire single release checklist is beyond the scope of this article, but could be a great subject for a future one! What do you think? As previously mentioned, I released the focus track on YouTube and SoundCloud a couple of days early to help build momentum going into release day. The Post-Release Campaign When the big day came, I released the pre-order on Bandcamp (this is not a drill), leaned back, and let out a long sigh to commemorate eight years of disciplined work finally coming to fruition. Then I put on my big boy pants and got to work! There were email and social media announcements to make, Spotify playlists and bio to update, outlets to pitch, and most importantly, ads to turn on. If ToneDen is to be believed, 99% of my Smart Link visits came from Facebook: Before I break down the ad campaign, lets run through the remainder of my noteworthy efforts, and a promising idea that never played out. About that, I made an offer to a major outlet in the genre that shall go unnamed. If they would send out an email to their subscribers to announce our release, I would provide a unique discount code and kick them back a couple of bucks per sale. Its a win/win, right? Unfortunately, I never heard back. Maybe next time. I sent out two additional emails over the following week: Explaining why we covered Fury in the Slaughterhouse, a band I had never heard of (theyre big in Germany, Matts home country) Asking fans to check out a Spotify playlist consisting of our covers back-to-back with the originals. I sent the same message out as an update to my 5K Bandcamp followers a few days later. 3. Announcing that Id uploaded what appeared to be the fan favorite track on YouTube Again, there were a couple of unrelated emails thrown in the mix (an AMV of my song Juggernaut and a new episode of Synthwave Top 10). Finally, nearly a month after release, I tweeted out download codes for the standard edition: https://twitter.com/colortheory/status/1428883668215341057 While I hate to devalue our work, the engagement (98 link clicks) was worth it. Alright, about that ad campaign. I created six videos featuring the original album art from the songs we covered plus an overlay from the Motionleap app on my iPhone, just to add some movement. For example: Heres another one, and another. I figured Id catch potential fans eyes with familiar album art, theyd click to listen, and that would seal the deal. While that was true to a minor degree, I also included a page post that ended up consuming most of the budget: You can see that it got a healthy amount of engagement, including 2.4K likes. I use a Chrome extension called Invite post likers for Facebook to invite everyone who liked the post to like my page, resulting in hundreds of new page followers. Here are the full stats on that post: The six video ads and page post were part of a conversions campaign directing to a ToneDen smart link, with a click to Spotify qualifying as a conversion. Total spend was $948. I split the countries up into different tiers to make sure I wasnt just promoting to India. You can see that the cost per 1000 impressions is highest for Tier A (USA, UK, Sweden, etc) and decreases all the way to Tier F, which is literally just India. Im still in the process of perfecting my tier split, and plan to write a dedicated post about it soon! I turned off the ad campaign a month and four days after release, when my new single came out. Total clicks to Spotify = 5K. Results and Conclusions Bandcamp sales total $1560 to date. After Bandcamps 15%, thats $1325. I paid mechanical royalties for 100 units via Easy Song Licensing (tell them I sent you!) for $300, leaving us $1025 net. Facebook ads amounted to $1080, so we more or less broke even, which was the plan. Eventually those fractions of pennies from Spotify will put us back in the black. Spotify for Artists reports 58K streams since 2015, but thats deceptive because it includes the streams from tracks that were previously released as singles. Spotify for Artists Im seeing 14K streams in the past 28 days, at 42 days post-release. So maybe 20K streams since release? I shouldve kept track. You may have spotted the insane number of saves on some of the tracks, particularly my new single which as more than twice as many saves than streams! Thats thanks to a service called Rise that Ive been planning to write about for quite awhile now. Ive been paying $225 a month since May and have accrued 3.6K new Spotify followers through them, all of whom automatically presave each new release. I still have unanswered questions about the services inner workings, but for now I feel confident recommending them for a Spotify conversions campaign not an exposure campaign. If you try them out, please comment here with your results! Release Radar is sharing most of the tracks, including a few that were previously released as singles. We havent done anything special to promote Time to Wonder but it appears to be taking off on its own. While the ad campaign is over, Ive still got some loose ends to tie up with the promotion. Im slowly releasing the tracks on YouTube and SoundCloud to keep the momentum going. Speaking of which, the days of uploading a cover on YouTube and seeing it go viral are over. I find it much easier to promote originals! Did I miss anything? Let me know what I could do better in the comments! Brian Hazard is a recording artist with over twenty years of experience promoting his eleven Color Theory albums, and head mastering engineer and owner of Resonance Mastering in Huntington Beach, California. His Passive Promotion blog emphasizes set it and forget it methods of music promotion. Catch more of his promotional escapades in his How Im Promoting My Music This Month email newsletter. Share on: Clark Art: Living With Les Lalanne WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. On Saturday, Oct. 23, in conjunction with the special exhibition "Claude & Francois-Xavier Lalanne: Nature Transformed," the Clark Art Institute welcomes Edith Dicconson, Senior Director at Kasmin Gallery and designer Brian McCarthy, to share their personal experiences of their work with the artistic duo and of their long relationship with artist Claude Lalanne. Through private recollections, the two will explore the many ways in which collectors across the globe live with coveted works by Les Lalanne and will offer a glimpse into the world created by the pair in their home and studio in Ury, France. Kathleen Morris, the Clarks Marx Director of Collections and Exhibitions and the curator of the exhibition will moderate the discussion. This event will be presented live in the Clark's auditorium and broadcast simultaneously on Zoom and Facebook Live at 2 pm. A former partner of the design firm Parish-Hadley, award-winning designer Brian McCarthy founded his eponymous firm Brian J. McCarthy Inc. in 1992. Since then, he has worked on projects and residences around the globe. A graduate of New York City's Pratt Institute, McCarthy is a member of Architectural Digest's AD100 and Elle Decor's A-List and his work has been featured in many publications, including "Architectural Digest," on the cover of "Galerie magazine," "Elle Decor," "House Beautiful," "New York magazine" (100 Best), "The New York Times," and "Veranda," as well as in several books. He is also the author of "Luminous Interiors" and "Parish Hadley Tree of Life," which he co-authored with designer Bunny Williams. McCarthy was awarded The Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award from The New York School of Interior Design in 2020. Edith Dicconson is a Senior Director at New Yorks Kasmin gallery, where she works closely with artists and estates including Les Lalanne, Walton Ford, Elliott Puckette, Robert Polidori, and Mattia Bonetti. Dicconson has overseen several major exhibitions of work by Les Lalanne in her tenure at Kasmin, including a 2019 survey spanning 50 years of work and a focused retrospective in 2020, collaborating with Brian J McCarthy. She came to Kasmin in 2013 after seven years as the Director of The Chinese Porcelain Company. Lawrence Hall on Main Street, the current home of the Williams College Museum of Art. At right, Louise Bourgeois' 'Eyes,' a granite, bronze and electric light sculpture commissioned for the museum's 75th anniversary and installed in 2001 according to a marker on the museum grounds. Williams College Museum of Art to Begin Design Phase for New Building The site of the old Williams Inn will be WCMA's new location. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Williams College Museum of Art has been in the queue for a new building for years as the college has dramatically revamped its campus over the past two decades. Now the nearly 100-year-old museum is finally getting its turn at a new facility. The Board of Trustees vote at its last meeting to enter the design phase marks a significant step forward in relocating the museum from the 1846 Lawrence Hall. The trustees two years ago voted to site any new building at the now vacant lot where the old Williams Inn once stood. "We have been doing really extensive building programming study and work for the last 22 months, since January of 2020, to come up with the space needs for the museum and the art at the college," said Pamela Franks on Friday, the Class of 1956 director of the museum. "And now, with the completion of this programming exercise, the decision is to go forward to design." The museum has been housed in Lawrence Hall since its founding in the 1920s. The octagon hall on the south side of Main Street was the college's original library and has been expanded numerous times over the past 180 years, the last in 1986. The deficiencies in the museum's infrastructure have been cataloged for some time there are problems with climate control across the five different buildings that now make up the museum; a lack of classroom, office and studio space; difficulty in accessing the building for pedestrians and motorists; no space for further expansion; and little room for an art collection and faculty that has grown exponentially, particularly over the last two decades. The collection has meanwhile grown to more than 15,000 items, including more than 1,000 from philanthropist Peter Norton and 340 objects of African art from Drs. Carolyn and Eli Newberger just in this century. The bulk of the collection is stored offsite. Franks, who came to WCMA from Yale University Art Gallery in 2018, said the pandemic lengthened the amount of time that was spent on developing the programming study that will inform the design. The original 10-month study turned into 22 after the novel coronavirus pandemic struck in March 2020. The work was done in consultation with architecture firm Deborah Berke Partners of New York City. "We ended up being able to delve even more deeply and it was a really rich and productive discussion of a very consultative project," she said. "It's a project with lots of conversations with students, faculty, community members and alumni, and, of course, museum staff." The museum also did some outreach with other regional museums, especially with the nearby Clark Art Institute and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. The project will really benefit from having that additional time, Franks said. "And it's very abstract because it's not about how the museum will look or what the spaces will look like, but it's about functions and simply space needs," she said. "You're looking at classrooms, you're looking at gallery spaces, you're talking about back of house preparation spaces ... every kind of function you can imagine." Space needs are a priority, and not just for classrooms and offices. There's specialized furniture for exhibiting art and where does that furniture live when it's not being used, and where is the art going to be exhibited. And for instance, the single Rose Object Classroom can be used for displaying pieces of the collection for seminar studies. "That is extremely popular classroom and it is used really pretty continuously," she said. "As a college museum, the academic connections are really deep with the Art Department, and then really wide across every department on campus." The collection cuts a broad swat across history and culture, with links to every discipline on campus, Franks continued, "so being able to access the collection for teaching is a huge part of what we do ... "Every year there's math classes, biology classes, chemistry classes, but also for the art classes, art history classes and literature classes ... We have this kind of signature course every other year that is both an art course and an economics course, on acquiring art for the museum collection. Our program is very much tied to the educational mission of Williams College." The museum is also, of course, open to the public and Franks sees its global and historical range as very complementary to the Clark 's largely European focus and Mass MoCA's contemporary works. "Gallery space is essential to show the collection" to serve both an academic and public audience, Franks said. "But we also want the museum to be extremely accessible and welcoming for all." College President Maud Mandel, in a statement Monday, said the new museum will grow out of the college's commitment to the arts that has defined it for more than a century. "Each year, faculty, students, and museum staff incorporate our collections into dozens of courses, ranging from art history to anthropology, biology, environmental studies, and mathematics, while our curators mount exhibitions that engage campus and diverse public audiences," she said. "The new museum's educational and exhibition spaces will open up new possibilities for our work with campus and community. In the process, they'll also create further opportunities for collaboration with the thriving arts community of the northern Berkshires. This is far more than a building. It's the next step in Williams' commitment to the vibrancy, relevance, and educational importance of the arts." Museum construction is still some ways off. The museum staff knows what it needs to function and now it will be up to finding a designer who can bring that vision to life. The cost is also unknown at this point, but the college spent more than $80 million on the new Sawyer Library seven years ago. Franks anticipates more campus and town discussion as the plans for the building began to take shape. The building project will proceed on a timeline aligning with WCMA's centennial year of 2026-27. The old Williams Inn location had been considered one of two potential spots for a new museum. The other, at the intersection of Main and Southworth streets, was abandoned after pushback for residents in that neighborhood. The inn was purchased by the college in 2014 and demolished last year after the opening of a new inn at the bottom of Spring Street. Franks said she was excited to be part of this next stage for WCMA. "I think we have a real an incredible opportunity to have a building that really works beautifully with not only the campus and the town but with also with the landscape," she said. Mark Banfield meets me for coffee in a bar in Richmond, southwest London, just a few miles where he was brought up in Teddington. Born in once gutsy, working-class Shepherds Bush, his family were said to have moved to the country, he says, after leaving for the leafier part of town when Banfield was just two years old. His parents saw education and labour as their way to a better future and his father, who had been a bus conductor, would rise before dawn to take his son to indulge his passion for swimming before spending the rest of the day at a City desk from 7.30am then travelling home, eating supper, going to bed and starting the whole daily cycle again. A bright kid, Banfield didnt feel like he fitted in at the prestigious Kings College London and quit for a local alternative in Kingston. But that turned out to be a positive change as he became one of a small intake studying geographical information systems (GIS) in the mid-1990s. From there he arrived at digital mapping pioneer MapInfo, kickstarting his career in the IT sector. Banfields upbringing helped make him what former colleagues say he is: a genial, hard-working, self-deprecating London boy who is now CEO at 1E, a company that is trying to be leader of the pack in the crowded experience management field. Are you experienced? Experience management is changing so fast that it doesnt even have a clear TLA: you might have seen it referred to as DXM, UXM, DEM or some other acronym or abbreviation. That frenetic sort of marketing activity and attempts at pinning a name on a discipline is the sign of an area that is hot and there is a mad rush to be associated with delivering compelling experiences to customers and employers. London, England-headquartered 1E prefers DEM (for Digital Experience Management) or DEX (for Digital Employee Experience) and has pivoted from its background in green IT and software configuration management in pursuit of the opportunity. As the pandemic continues to drag on, there is a move underway by some parties in Washington to put the Small Business Administration (SBA) into the direct lending business. This initiative, in my opinion, is a terrible idea. The SBA is a government organization, not a bank or lender. "The SBA was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns" and that is what it should continue to do today. Forget about parties or politics, this is about doing the right thing for small business owners across the nation. Traditionally, the only time that the SBA lends money directly is when there is a disaster. This is when the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is utilized. This program is designed to work in small, targeted areas. For example, when a tornado or hurricane hits an area and the businesses there need funds to rebuild. When the SBA lends in this capacity, it works relatively well. However, the program has itself been nothing short of a disaster when large-scale disasters have happened, such as Covid-19, because that is not what the program was intended to be used for. The SBA works best when it serves as a guarantee program, helping small business secure loans to grow and expand their business. These loans can be used for working capital, to refinance debt, acquire a business, buy out a partner, purchase equipment or finance owner-occupied real estate. Banks and some non-bank authorized lenders leverage the program in order to make loans to businesses that would have otherwise been considered too risky. A 75% SBA guarantee means that if the borrower were to default, the bank would receive that 75% from the SBA. Therefore, the banks only take on 25% of the risk, not the full 100%. In addition to the guarantee programs, the SBA provides free counseling and low-cost training for entrepreneurs, makes sure that at least 23% of government contract dollars go to small businesses and advocates on behalf of all small business owners in new legislation. Plus, there are even more benefits available to veterans, women and other socially disadvantaged individuals who own their own businesses. Sadly, many entrepreneurs are still unaware of everything the SBA has to offer them. In fact, while small business owners undoubtedly know more about the SBA now than they did before the pandemic, it's because of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which is no longer available. We need to continue to spread awareness and education about everything else the SBA can do aid business owners. If our goal is to expand SBA lending and availability, particularly to underserved businesses that need smaller loan amounts, I suggest the following. We can start to accomplish this by simplifying the requirements on smaller loans. These changes would not only make it easier for small business owners, it would also allow for banks to make these loans a lot faster. As an incentive, the SBA has already reduced fees on the guaranteed portion of their loans until September of 2022. If you served in the U.S. military during the 1990s and early 2000s, I'll bet that at some point, somebody introduced you to General Colin Powell's 13 rules of effective leadership. Powell, who died Monday at age 84, had a compelling and complicated legacy: first Black officer to be a four-star general commanding troops, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and eventually Secretary of State during President George W. Bush's first term. For many, of course, his biggest legacy was the way he pushed inaccurate intelligence in support of the invasion of Iraq. For others, however, he's likely to be remembered as much for his oft-repeated 13 rules as for his accomplishments and controversies. As I read through them upon learning of his death, I came to the realization that each rule succeeds because each is about separating actions from emotions, a key aspect of emotional intelligence. Here are the 13 rules, which Powell first compiled for a magazine profile in 1989, and later revisited in print many times. If you find this compelling, I hope you'll also download my free e-book on the subject: Improving Emotional Intelligence 2021. Rule No. 1: It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. A wonderful rule to start with, since it encourages you to strip anxiety and fear from your decision-making. Even if a situation you have to deal with really does turn out to be bad, it's best not to let fear of the facts lead to inaction before you even get started. As Powell wrote in his 2012 book, It Worked for Me: "This rule reflects an attitude and not a prediction." Rule No. 2: Get mad, and then get over it. Anger is part of the normal range of human emotions. Better to feel it, acknowledge it, and let it go before it negatively affects your decision-making. Rule No. 3: Don't become so attached to an argument that if it fails, your ego goes with it. This rule is important to keep in mind for yourself, but it's also important to remember that it works (or doesn't work) for others, too. In short, emotionally intelligent people will work to find ways for other people to save face during disputes, because that can make it a lot easier for them to agree with you when appropriate. Rule No. 4: It can be done. There's a trap people fall into: Allowing negative emotions to lead them to a negative conclusion, and then crafting arguments to back up that conclusion. Instead, reverse those forces. As Powell wrote: "Always start out believing you can get it done until facts and analysis pile up against it. Have a positive and enthusiastic approach." Rule No. 5: Be careful what you choose. You may get it. Here's another military saying you probably heard if you served during the past 30 years: "Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast." In short, if you take the time to think things through methodically, you make fewer mistakes in the long run, and wind up closer to your ultimate goals. "Nothing original in this one," Powell later wrote. "Don't rush into things." Rule No. 6: Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. This rule is about realizing that almost all important decisions have to be made without complete information; if you wait until there is complete information, you'll likely wait until it's too late to decide. Recognizing your humanity, and that you will make some mistakes, paradoxically can make this uncertainty more tolerable, and allow you to trust your informed instincts. Rule No. 7: You can't make someone else's decisions. (And don't let others make yours.) I think it's fairly easy to imagine this rule coming into play during negative circumstances, as when you're being pressured to do something you don't think is right. The harder test -- and the time to remember this -- is when arguably positive things are being dangled in front of you, but they don't align with your goals and values. Powell talks about how after he'd served as secretary of state, he was inundated with lucrative offers to serve on corporate boards and in finance, but ultimately turned them down: "They were trying hard to make a choice for me, but I held out for my own choice." Rule No. 8: Check small things. Emotionally intelligent people adopt this practice for a very simple reason: To avoid letting their optimism, excitement, or sheer busyness lead them to assume things are working out. Rule No. 9: Share credit. There are two reasons to follow this rule: First, to manage your ego. And second, to keep yourself attuned to the fact that people are emotional beings, and it's natural -- if sometimes counterproductive -- for them, like you, to be motivated by emotional needs as much as any other category of need. As Powell wrote: "People need recognition and a sense of worth as much as they need food and water." Rule No. 10: Remain calm and be kind. Anxiety breeds anxiety; calm begets calm. This is also a good time to point out one of the key insights into emotional intelligence. It's that while treating people well, developing empathy, and being kind to others are wonderful byproducts of emotional intelligence, the overall utility is more goal-oriented: to be aware of and leverage emotions so as to accomplish what needs to be done. Rule No. 11: Have a vision. Why is this so important? For your own sanity and effectiveness, of course, but also because people have a deeply felt emotional need for purpose. If you're a leader, part of your job is to articulate a vision that is worthy of their efforts. Rule No. 12: Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers. Fear is natural and sometimes useful, but the point here is to acknowledge the fear and then try to remove the emotion from decision-making. Same thing with the people who say you can't accomplish what you want to accomplish: If they have valid points, consider them, but don't let their volume unduly influence you. Rule No. 13: Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Finally, this is the rule that I think gets repeated most often in military circles. It's also the most mythical in terms of emotional intelligence. In short, this isn't just about believing that things can be done; it's also about proclaiming that optimism to the people you lead, in both your words and your actions. Your optimism can become contagious, thus leading others to believe that things can be done, or the problem isn't surmountable, or that fears need not be counseled. Bonus Rule: The rules conflict. That's a good thing. Powell's legacy was legitimate, but it was complicated by his 2003 presentation to the United Nations in support of the invasion of Iraq. In fact, as I read over this list, I think it seems that he followed Rule 13 about perpetual optimism at that time, to the detriment of Rules 5, 7, and 8, about being methodical, not allowing yourself to be pressured into decisions, and checking small things. Still, sometimes the most useful rules are the ones that conflict and force you to make difficult decisions. All the more reason to work to improve your emotional intelligence, and to think about the legacy you'll leave. For hundreds of thousands of soldiers and sailors, to say nothing of millions of others who read and hear these rules, this simple list will be a big part of Powell's. If you weren't paying attention this Hispanic Heritage Month, it's time for a heads up. The latest research from the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative shows that Hispanic owners are the "fastest growing segment of the small business ecosystem." What are we all doing to ensure these owners' continued success? As a Latina-owned company, under the leadership of my co-founder, Carolyn Rodz, Hello Alice decided to once again dig into the data and do a temperature check on the Hispanic business community. By comparing thousands of responses from Hispanic owners against results from the overall population, this report helps us understand the unique triumphs and challenges facing this group at the heart of our economy. Here are four takeaways. Hispanic small businesses are growing First, the good news: Hispanic businesses are growing! According to our data, 61% of Hispanic-owned businesses are in the scale stage in 2021, up by 17% compared to last year. Hiring has followed apace with 89% of Hispanic businesses planning to add employees this year, which is almost double the figure we measured in 2020. Entrepreneurs like Sandra Diaz illustrate this upward trajectory. After a pandemic layoff, she uprooted her life from Miami to Baltimore and started Fearless Yaya, an Etsy shop where she sells art, stationery, greeting cards, and other gift items that reflect and empower people of color. It turns out she tapped into a sorely neglected market segment, becoming an Etsy Star Seller and so far racking up more than 600 sales. Our partners at BGE recently recognized her growth with a $20,000 BGE Energizing Small Business Grant, which Diaz plans to spend on hiring a web designer and scaling her operations. It's a similar story for Alejandro Lopez over at Toma, a company selling a bottled cocktail base that reportedly makes "the greatest Bloody Mary ever" (I hereby volunteer for any and all market research to verify that claim). Currently a one-man show, Lopez has immediate plans to scale his e-commerce presence and hire additional help. "My dream is to build a team and a working environment that fosters creativity and innovation, diversity of thinking, and career opportunities for young professionals in my community," Lopez said. Cheers to that! Marketing and brand awareness are big focuses A key part of our survey process is understanding the emerging challenges faced by small business owners. Among Hispanic entrepreneurs, 12% said their biggest challenge in Q3 2021 is marketing --an 80% quarter-over-quarter increase that stands apart from other demographics. You can see this focus among brands like the Chicago-based NuMercies. Founded by former model Ashley Gonzalez, the all-natural vegan skincare company is aggressively ramping up its marketing efforts for the holiday season. "I definitely want to do a commercial before Black Friday," she said, adding that she'll probably reach customers through digital advertising tools from Hulu and Google this season. Still, Hispanic owners are less optimistic than their peers The growth we measured hasn't always translated into optimism. In fact, 22% of Hispanic owners told us they predicted business in 2021 would be the same or worse as 2020. That's compared to 17% of owners from other demographics. In many ways, we can interpret this as a continued fallout of the pandemic. According to the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, 86% of Hispanic businesses report a "large negative impact" due to the pandemic. That impact varies by industry, too, as issues like supply chain woes continue to wreak havoc on many sectors. Hello Alice measured the lowest business optimism in industries such as construction and transportation logistics -; two areas that happen to have a higher-than-average concentration of Hispanic-owned businesses. In response, I echo the leaders at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in their call for Congress to pass the still-pending infrastructure bill. This type of policy will help jumpstart key industries, including construction, and boost the overall outlook for Hispanic-owned businesses. Capital access should remain our number one priority No matter how you slice the data, small business owners of every demographic tell us that access to capital is their number one challenge. Hispanic owners, like all New Majority entrepreneurs, have a harder time accessing bank loans, business credit, and venture capital compared to their white counterparts. I'm continually amazed at what Hispanic entrepreneurs can accomplish despite this adversity. There's Deb Rock, who overcame bottle shortages, wildfires, and droughts to put out this year's vintage of Sonoma Hot Sauce. And there are folks like Celeste Ponce of Ponce Architecture, an award-winning firm that explicitly prioritizes people over profits by focusing on underserved communities throughout Houston. Four Indian Americans have received the National Institute of Health Directors New Innovator awards, a program created in 2007 to accelerate the pace of biomedical, behavioral and social science discoveries. Clockwise from top left: Swetha Murthy, of the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health and Science University; Nikhil Sharma, of Columbia University; Vijay Ramani of the University of California, San Francisco; and Chethan Pandarinath of Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. (photos courtesy of the NIH) Just 10 years ago, most application development testing strategies focused on unit testing for validating business logic, manual test cases to certify user experiences, and separate load testing scripts to confirm performance and scalability. The development and release of features were relatively slow compared to todays development capabilities built on cloud infrastructure, microservice architectures, continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) automations, and continuous testing capabilities. Furthermore, many applications are developed today by configuring software as a service (SaaS) or building low-code and no-code applications that also require testing the underlying business flows and processes. Agile development teams in devops organizations aim to reduce feature cycle time, increase delivery frequencies, and ensure high-quality user experiences. The question is, how can they reduce risks and shift-left testing without creating new testing complexities, deployment bottlenecks, security gaps, or significant cost increases? Esko Hannula, product line manager at Copado, spoke to me about the recent acquisition of Qentinel and the testing challenges facing devops organizations. He believes machine learning is key to handling increasing test volumes. The quality of digital business is the quality of the code and testing that runs it. The more code there is to test, the more important it gets to marry machine learning with test automation. QA people and machine intelligence can support each other in making wise decisions based on data rather than a mere gut feeling. I recently wrote about using service virtualization to develop more robust web service tests when building microservices or interfacing with many third-party APIs. I then looked a step further and researched testing capabilities based on data, analytics, and machine learning that development teams and QA test automation engineers can leverage to develop and support more robust testing. These capabilities are emerging, with some testing platforms offering robust functionality today while others are in early adopter phases. Development teams should research and plan for these testing functions as they will all become mainstream capabilities. Generating tests using natural language processing Test quality has improved significantly during the last decade as QA platforms analyze a webpages document object model (DOM), leverage computer vision to detect user interface changes, and utilize optical character recognition to extract text elements. But developing tests often requires test engineers to click through user interfaces manually, input data in forms, and navigate workflows while QA platforms record the test case. An emerging approach is to use natural language processing (NLP) to document test cases. Sauce Labs recently acquired AutonomIQ, a tool that enables users to describe the testing steps in natural language and then their software automatically creates the test cases. John Kelly, CTO of Sauce Labs, describes why this capability is important as more organizations develop customer relationship management customization, business process management workflows, and low-code applications. He describes the experience from a business perspective: I have internal business processes that subject matter experts can describe in natural language, which NLP machine learning can then convert to test cases that can run as often as desired. I can then demonstrate to outside auditors that controls are followed properly. So, a codeless approach to creating test cases is an emerging way to document and validate business processes. Expanding tests with synthetic test data generation Once QA engineers capture test cases, the next task is to generate sufficient test data to validate the underlying business rules and boundary conditions. Test data generation can be particularly challenging for open-ended experiences like search engines, complicated multifield forms, document uploads, and testing with personally identifiable information or other sensitive data. Tools from Curiosity Software, Datprof, Delphix, GenRocket, Torana (iCEDQ), K2View, and others provide test data automation capabilities for different applications and data flows, including functional testing, API testing, dataops, data lakes, and business intelligence. Optimizing continuous testing practices Several platforms are looking to help agile development teams and QA automation engineers optimize their testing practices. Failure analysis helps development teams research the root causes when tests fail. Kelly describes the challenge: You have a thousand selenium tests, run them all, and get 300 failures. The team doesnt know if its a broken API or something else and whether the problem will happen in production, knowing the test environment doesnt fully reflect it. Theyre interested in the root causes of test failures. Our models cohort the failed tests and report which tests are related to the same problem. Another challenge is optimizing the test suite and determining which tests to run based on a releases code changes. Testing teams can heuristically design a smoke test, a regression test around the essential app functionalities and flows. But for devops teams implementing continuous testing, theres an opportunity to connect the data between tests, code changes, and production systems and apply machine learning to choose which tests to run. Optimizing the tests in a build is a much-needed capability for dev teams that release code frequently on mission-critical applications. One solution targeting this challenge is YourBase which creates a dependency graph that maps test cases with their code paths. When developers change the code, the tool uses the dependency graph to optimize which test cases need to run. Yves Junqueira, CEO of YourBase, told me, We see companies that have tens or even hundreds of thousands of tests. They want to improve their lead time to get code to production and improve developer productivity. These teams must make smart decisions about which tests are really necessary for their changes and want a better understanding of test failures. A third approach operates outside the testing environment and helps device engineers and software developers trace production errors, exceptions, and critical events. Backtrace provides this capability. Development teams use its aggregate error reporting and deduplication analytics to quickly find and resolve issues in gaming, mobile, or other embedded applications. The key for devops organizations is recognizing that driving frequent releases on more mission-critical applications requires a parallel effort to increase the automation, robustness, and intelligence in testing. AIops platforms help IT service management teams support microservices and complex application dependencies by centralizing operational data and enabling machine learning capabilities. In a similar manner, QA platforms aim to provide agile development teams with automation, analytics, NLP, and machine learning capabilities to improve testing. Amazon.com Inc. has been accused of violating Colorado state law by failing to pay warehouse workers for time spent undergoing COVID-19 screenings before clocking in at work. Jennifer Vincenzetti, who worked at two Amazon warehouses in Colorado Springs, filed a proposed class action in Colorado federal court claiming the company made workers wait in long lines to answer questions and have their temperatures checked. Seattle-based Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The proposed class includes more than 10,000 people at five Colorado warehouses. Amazon appears fine making efforts to keep its workers safe, so long as the workers are the ones footing the bill, David Seligman of nonprofit Towards Justice, which brought the suit, said in a statement. The complaint says that beginning in March 2020 Amazon required employees at Colorado warehouses to arrive early, wait in lines outside the facilities, and then answer questions and check their temperature once they were inside. The process generally took 20 to 60 minutes, according to the suit. That time is compensable under Colorado law, which says workers must be paid when required to be on their employers premises or on duty, according to the suit. Amazon argued in a similar suit in California federal court that because the screenings primarily benefit workers, they dont amount to compensable time under federal wage law. Walmart raised the same defense in a proposed class action in Arizona federal court claiming the retailers failure to pay employees for time spent in COVID screenings violated state law. (Editing by Noeleen Walder) Topics Lawsuits COVID-19 Colorado Amazon For New York City-based Foa & Son International Insurance Brokers, the companys roots and history play an important role in its approach to customer service. Our agency writes business in every state in the U.S., as well as writing outside the country, one employee said of the agency in an anonymous Insurance Journal survey. We have people that speak multiple languages and legal counsel as well, as this is important to our clients. We are all about customer service. Foa & Son employees filled out the survey as part of Insurance Journals Best Agency to Work For rankings, in which agencies are nominated by their employees and winners are selected based on survey responses. Foa & Son won the Best Agency to Work For silver award this year in the East region. The company has a long history of serving customers and living up to the international element in its name. The fifth-generation family owned agency dates back to 1861 when Fortunato Foa first opened his insurance company in Genoa, Italy. Fifth generation family and current CEO Justin Foa assumed leadership of the agency, now headquartered in the U.S., in 2006. I was kind of born into it, he said. I majored in insurance at university and worked for several large global insurance brokers before joining the family business. So I had a trial run outside the family business and got to see the great career opportunities insurance had to offer. While helping clients is important to the agency, its generosity also extends to its employees, according to survey responses. Foa & Son is a wonderful company to work for because they make me feel that I belong to a great and big family, one employee wrote. Every summer, employees said the company gathers for an annual outing which can be anything from group picnics to white water rafting trips. It also gives employees the flexibility to work remotely when needed. I have been with this Foa & Son for most of my life, one employee said. As I have gone through changes, Foa & Son has been extremely accommodating to my needs the best place to work at, even with our ever-changing world. Indeed, employees cited the agencys pandemic response as one reason they believe its the best place to work. One specific event that comes to mind is that Foa & Son took the time and made the effort to ensure that we were safe both physically and emotionally [during the pandemic], an employee wrote. They shared exercises to combat depression during the pandemic as well as making counselors available for us to talk to if needed. Additionally, all departments began meeting regularly via Zoom a practice that continues today and has enabled the agency to grow as it meets with clients virtually, another employee said. I am so proud of our people in the face of such adversity, Foa said. In some ways, it has been the hardest year in our history, with employees, clients and loved ones being challenged physically, mentally and emotionally from the pandemic. After 18 months of heartbreak, childcare challenges, Zoom fatigue and a hard market, the fact that all our employees continue to function at a high level leaves me in awe of their mental toughness. Many employees attributed their mental strength to the way the agencys leadership invested in them during the pandemic. The support we received during this pandemic is what stands out most, one employee said. They instituted a Zoom town meeting every week where we were kept up with everything going on with the company, and we had an opportunity to see each other and not feel so isolated. We even had casual fun days with snacks sent to our homes so we could still feel part of the Foa family. Foa said he believes the agencys passion for examining new ways to understand risk and structure insurance sets it apart. He says its aim is to constantly be evolving, negotiating new products, implementing new systems and learning from its peers and clients. As for his advice to other agencies seeking to become a best agency to work for, he stresses the importance of investing in people first. Just put your people first, he said. if you are constantly focusing on what resources your employees need to effectively do their jobs, you cannot go wrong. Foa & Son employees said the longevity of its workforce speaks volumes to how effective this approach can be. As a more than 30-year veteran, its amazing how many long tenure staff are part of the Foa & Son team, which obviously translates to very minimal year to year turnover, one employee said. In response to the survey question, Why do you believe your agency is the best place to work? another employee posed a simple question in return. Doesnt the fact that I have been here since 2006 explain it all? It may be a small agency within the spectrum of the independent insurance agency universe, but theres nothing diminished about Lansing, Michigan-based The Rathbun Agency in the minds of its employees. Thats apparent from Rathbun employees overwhelmingly positive responses to Insurance Journals 2021 Best Agencies to Work For survey, which earned The Rathbun Agency the designation of IJs Silver Best Agency to Work For in the Midwest. The Agency is small but has a BIG heart for all their employees along with the community. They share pretty much everything that is going on with the agency including the financials every quarter and the direction they want to see the agency go, one survey respondent commented. The Rathbun Agency has 15 team members and annual revenues of around $2.5 million, said agency president, Ben Rathbun, who is carrying on the family tradition as a third-generation principle at the firm, which was founded in 1953. With the unexpected passing of his father, Paul Rathbun, earlier this year, Ben said he was thrust into the agency president position. Ranking as a Best Agency finalist is very exciting after everything crazy that is going on at the agency right now, he added. The agencys excellence begins with the leadership and example shown by our owners, one employee wrote. The dedication, organization and perseverance to be a successful business is something our leaders display gracefully. The best way to deliver the best customer service is to decide to do it. And like first mentioned, that comes from the top. Ownership also recognizes in order to get the best from their employees, they too, need that same care and attention. In addition, the respondent added: We have tremendous benefits, extras throughout the year through gas cards, clothing allowance, bonuses and others. That type of reward for employees brings out the best in motivation and the desire to do better and more. It is a great, successful cycle. Another employee wrote: With the recent passing of our president, we have come closer than ever. The way we have all come together in this sad time really shows that we work really well as a team. We have people stepping up and taking charge, and the agents have a plan in place for every unexpected event. Ben Rathbun expressed appreciation for the agencys team, saying they are what makes this family agency tick. He added that the agency has long believed in the importance of taking care of its employees like they are our own family. And that in turn would allow them to provide exceptional service to our insureds. Employees also praised the agencys dedication to the local community. Wrote one: I am proud to work here because of all the community things this agency is a part of. They do all they can to help make this community the best it can! Rathbun said employees are empowered to engage in the local community, and they respond. Community is at the heart of everything we do, he said, adding: All of our agents serve extensively on nonprofit boards throughout Lansing and are heavily invested in community projects. Our employees have a sense of pride in where they work, as they see the pivotal role we play in the lives of so many families. As it did with most other businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic presented a new set of challenges for the agency. However, Rathbun said: We pivoted. The pandemic gave us a unique opportunity to accelerate many long-term projects out of necessity. We updated our management system and utilized work-from-home capabilities. We navigated creating more efficient processes to service our insureds. Our leadership team led through the pandemic staying grounded in empathy. The pandemic created unique challenges that forced us to adapt and lead as we went. But having a solid, educated and customer-oriented team allowed us to thoughtfully execute our mission of being the solution to our communities risk management needs. Many startups in the insurance world have long promised to transform every aspect of the industry they touch. Speaking recently before an audience of insurtech entrepreneurs, Chubb CEO Evan Greenberg was having none of that. Its just hype, Greenberg said during an InsureTech Connect conference session in Las Vegas on Oct. 6. Greenbergs remarks, during an on-stage conversation with Munich Re board member Lisa Pollina, were the first he has given at an ITC conference. He stood out for more than just his words. While many entrepreneurs in the audience and at the conference wore jeans and sneakers, sport coats or T-shirts, Greenberg walked on stage looking like an old-school executive, wearing a long-sleeved, starched white dress shirt, navy blue suit pants and black dress shoes. (Many traditional insurance industry folks also attended ITC.) His comments about insurance technology were in reference to related remarks he made in a Chubb letter to shareholders published in 2020, arguing, in part, that insurtechs claims of transformation pale in comparison with actions already taken by Chubb. At the ITC event, Greenberg elaborated on his perspective about insurtech hype versus the value of insurance technology itself, and where it fits in the world of insurance carriers. (Hint: carriers rank much higher.) Greenberg acknowledged, of course, that technology is making a substantial mark in the insurance industry and that this trend is important. At the same time, he made equally clear that he sees carriers as being much higher in the industry ecosystem than the startups that have emerged. Technology is changing the insurance industry in a serious way, because it is providing tools and capabilities to improve all functions and activities, from the initial notion of connection, to customer experience, to the process of underwriting and risk taking, to the rest that occurs in a value chain all the way to clients, Greenberg said. But insurance is the art and science of taking risk. Fundamentally thats the business. Everything else is for the pleasure of, and to support that. With that in mind, Greenberg said, the hype factor among startups must be placed into context. Insurtechs may be using technology and improving [parts of the industry] just as traditional insurers are i.e. customer experience, improving what we do withdata and analytics to be more insightful about taking risks. But changing the fundamental nature of risk taking? Nah, not at all, Greenberg observed. From Push to Shove Greenberg, addressing how he encouraged Chubbs employees to move toward digital technology, said the process is a deliberate one. I move from push to shove the more confident I feel or the more resistance I encounter, Greenberg explained. Within Chubb, and where we are first with so many technologies, its the notion [at first] of beginning to experiment, and once we experiment, it is to move to use cases. And as the use cases proved themselves, and [Chubb goes] from there, its then to scale in a significant way so it casts a shadow within the organization. Greenberg said he sees his role in adapting new technologies as to understand where the opportunities are, what Chubb can absorb at one time, and whether technology is at a place where it is proven and scalable. Going digital, however, is not just about the technology, Greenberg said, adding that Chubb has both the tech and cultural attributes to accomplish this. (Recent Chubb advances in this area include Chubbs new digital platform Blink.) Part of it is about the culture. Its about the skillsets. Its about the organizational structure, Greenberg said. Chubb is an underwriting company, Greenberg added. Chubb in the future is an underwriting and engineering company. It sounds simple. It means a lot more. Topics InsurTech Tech Chubb Chinas top banking and insurance regulator said it would encourage insurers to accelerate the development of commercial pension products and accident insurance for gig-economy workers such as couriers and takeout deliverymen. China has in recent years experienced a delivery boom powered by millions of couriers who work for companies such as Meituan Dianping and Alibabas Ele.me to deliver packages and meal orders around the country. While many customers laud such services for their speed and convenience, there has been a growing debate about the treatment of these deliverymen, who work under tight time pressures. Many are not directly employed by the companies they act for, and it is difficult for them to get legal protection if traffic accidents occur. China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission said in the guideline issued on Friday that it would also encourage insurance companies to provide more insurance to elders aged 70 and above. The regulator also called for more efforts on launching medical insurance to cover childrens congenital heart disease and rare diseases. (Reporting by Zhang Yan and Ryan Woo; editing by Jan Harvey) Topics China The era of breakneck growth for electric scooter firms is giving way to more selective expansion focused on profits as they face tougher regulations, more demanding customers and wary insurers. Hurt badly by global coronavirus lockdowns last year, companies offering by-the-minute rental of e-scooters say ridership is soaring to pre-COVID 19 levels among urban consumers eager to avoid public transport or taxis. But that doesnt mean the app-based industry is returning to the free-wheeling, pre-pandemic world where micromobility firms were loosely regulated and raked in money from investors. Scooter firms now face cities that are using licensing to limit the number of operators, consumers demanding better software and vehicles, and insurers leery of safety risks. This is forcing up costs and will push the low-margin industry towards further consolidation. Some smaller providers have already been snapped up, including Boston-based Zagster, bought by transport technology company Superpedestrian in 2020, and San Franciso-based Scoot, taken over by Bird Rides in 2019. It really takes scale to get the economics to work, says Travis VanderZanden, CEO of Santa Monica-based Bird, which is due to go public via a merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Switchback II Corp. So I think were going to see some of the smaller players fall by the wayside. Bird is a global player that expects revenue to double in 2021 from a pandemic-hit 2020, and then double again to $400 million in 2022. That is still small compared to a car-based ride hailing company such as Uber, which had gross revenues of $4.1 billion in 2019. Birds planned merger which will go to a Switchback II shareholder vote on Nov. 2 values the company at $2.3 billion, about 20% below its January 2020 price tag, according to startup data platform PitchBook. Lime, also a global player, saw its valuation fall nearly 80% during a June 2020 funding round from one less than a year earlier. While the pandemic battered valuations at the top, an analysis by Reuters found it also cut off funding for many smaller e-scooter providers. There are a lot of companies that cant invest in hardware, cant invest in safety features and cant invest in training, says Wayne Ting, CEO of Lime, whose investors include Uber. Lime acquired Ubers micromobility unit Jump. The current environment is a far cry from 2017 when electric scooters accessed through smartphone apps first appeared in large numbers. A flood of new providers created Wild West competitions as predominantly European cities hosted unlimited numbers of vendors, said Candice Xie, CEO of Chicago-based Veo, which operates in more than 40 U.S. cities. A lot of companies raced to the bottom in order to get market share, she said. Vehicles were dumped on streets from Detroit to Paris, and the term scooter blight was born. Early rental scooters were consumer grade and not built for a high level of utilization, said Voi Scooters CEO Fredrik Hjelm. Stockholm-based Voi operates nearly 100,000 scooters across western Europe. New Sheriff in Town Now, cities and countries have tightened regulations, creating tough bidding processes for licenses aimed at limiting the number of scooter providers. Copenhagen temporarily ejected all scooter providers earlier this year while it rewrites its regulations. Some U.S. cities, including Columbia, Missouri, and Winston-Salem in North Carolina, have allowed e-scooter providers to return with more oversight after expelling them. Large scooter providers say awarding licenses to a few major players with track records guarantees better service and allows them to operate larger fleets profitably. This has become a game of slim margins and scaling up, said Vois Hjelm. And its far better to have fewer operators with greater density. Britain has launched trial projects for e-scooter providers in certain cities but with speed restrictions, and users must have a drivers license. Were determined to make sure safety is at the core of our trial and that it works for everyone, said Helen Sharp, head of Transport for Londons e-scooter trial for three operators: Lime, Tier and Dott. To meet London requirements, Berlin-based Tier has developed software to stop its scooters accessing certain busy roads. You might just be able to push it, but it wouldnt be easy, said Tiers UK and Ireland head of cities, Georgia Yexley. But better scooters and software drive up costs. Fred Jones, Tiers regional general manager for northern Europe, said the companys scooters can now last five years and have 83 replaceable components to extend their lifespan. That costs a lot, not just the scooter, but the parts and skilled labor to service them, Jones said. If you dont get that right, the economics wont work. Ensuring they do is key for funding. Silicon Valley venture capital firm Autotech Ventures avoided micromobility firms until this year when it bought into Chicagos Veo and another unidentified firm. Veo has taken a disciplined approach to growth, achieving impressive unit economics and much higher profitability than virtually all of its peers, said AutoTech Ventures managing director Dan Hoffer. According to PitchBook, in the first half of 2021 venture capital deal activity in the micromobility sector fell to $1.4 billion from $4.6 billion in the same period in 2020. Wary Insurers Another problem for would-be e-scooter providers is insurers see e-scooters as inherently more dangerous than bikes or cars. Riders are particularly vulnerable, more so than cyclists, said Martin Smith, technical claims manager for motor at Aviva , a large UK insurer that does not cover e-scooters. Regular motor insurers such as AXA UK, Admiral and Unipolsai also avoid e-scooter providers, leaving them to specialist players, such as Zego. Bird CEO VanderZanden said, to get lower insurance rates, it uses data from the 300 cities it operates in globally, highlighting the benefits of scale. It has also added physical safety features like a double brake and developed software to boot irresponsible riders off its service all running on its own operating system. Having amazing vehicles is one thing, VanderZanden said. But you need data to show insurance companies to make this work. (Additional reporting by Paul Leinert in Detroit, Andrea Mandala in Milan and Muvija M. in Bengaluru; editing by Joe White and Mark Potter) For three centuries, a handful of insurers have dominated the market from the City of London. The upstart intent on challenging them rents two floors just outside the district in an area known as Silicon Roundabout, where its employees work while lounging on cushioned windowsills. Marshmallow, a car insurance app which recently became the UKs second black-founded firm to reach a billion-dollar valuation, wont be working from its current Old Street digs for much longer. Its moving to a nearby office with triple the space after headcount grew more than threefold during the pandemic and as it plows ahead with expansion plans into Europe. Marshmallow, Black-Founded Insurtech, Is Now a Unicorn Founded by identical twins Oliver and Alexander Kent-Braham, the startup is the latest insurtech firm targeting a sector ripe for disruption. Investors have taken notice in the wake of Investec Plcs early backing after Oliver met the banks co-founder Bernard Kantor during an internship there. Since launching four years ago, Marshmallows valuation has leaped to $1.25 billion. It was really clear again and again that insurers play this hugely pivotal role in society, yet they probably werent digitizing fast enough, Oliver Kent-Braham said in an interview. We found that we were able to use data that other insurers arent using. Watching the ascent of app-based financial services like Monzo Bank, the 29-year-old brothers wondered if the insurance sectors comparatively archaic underwriting methods was an opportunity waiting to happen. When a South African told them of the eye-watering amount he was forced to pay for motor insurance in the UK, they asked around and found that was a common complaint from recently arrived foreign residents regardless of their driving ability. Initially working from the lounge of a Virgin Active gymnasium for nine months, the twins devised an algorithm aimed at lowering premiums for immigrants and expats. The startup attracted backers such as Investec and tech investor Passion Capital and has since sold more than 100,000 policies. Those figures are of course nothing like the millions of drivers served by established rivals such as Admiral Group and Direct Line Group, but its early days. Indeed, much of Marshmallows recent growth was achieved amid the pandemics reduced traffic levels, and the end of UK lockdowns potentially poses another challenge for the firm. Insurers are spending big on tech so this wont be the death of insurance, said Bloomberg Intelligence insurance analyst Kevin Ryan. The advantage insurtechs have is a lack of baggage they dont have legacy systems to digitize and they can be quick and agile. Marshmallow achieved its so-called unicorn status last month following a fresh round of fund-raising. The second of just two black-owned firms out of 48 UK startups that have become unicorns, it narrowly missed out on being the first when Zepz, a money transfer service that also targets immigrants, surpassed that valuation just weeks earlier. Those mark important milestones for what has been an under-represented group of companies. Startups with black founders received just 0.24% of all venture capital invested in the UK in the past decade despite black people making up 3.5% of the population, according to an Extend Ventures report. While Kent-Braham didnt recall any major hurdles in Marshmallows fund raising, he said that connections via the university you attend can make all the difference when seeking investor attention. In the U.S., a dozen universities produce 42% of all venture capitalists with Harvard and Stanford topping the list, according to a report by Crunchbase. You go to one of these universities, and your network is automatically connected to them, said Kent-Braham, who went to Bristol Business School in the UK. One of Marshmallows backers is London-based Impact X Capital, which seeks to invest in under represented firms. Chief Executive Officer Eric Collins has been vocal about the entrenched bias faced by start ups led by minorities. Networks are very school oriented, regionally oriented, some here in the UK would say class oriented, Collins said in an interview. While Marshmallow currently covers a small portion of the market, there is a lot of growth that can actually be done here. Investments in insurtech have more than tripled in the past six years, totaling $48 billion so far this year, according to insurance collaboration platform Snr. The data also shows that merger and acquisition activity is booming, with the firm predicting that 2021 volumes will be more than double last years. But Kent-Braham says Marshmallow has no interest in being swallowed up by one of the Citys behemoths, and is instead focused on continuing to chip away share from established competitors. Some insurers arent great run companies, some are better run, but I think that the industry could play its role a bit better in terms of trying to prevent people going through bad scenarios, he said. Photograph: Marshmallow founders Alexander Kent-Braham, left, and Oliver Kent-Braham, right, in London, Sept. 13. Photo credit: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Auto InsurTech Startups Hub International Ltd., the Chicago-based global insurance brokerage and financial services firm, announced it has acquired the assets of Rogersworks Inc. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Rogersworks is an independent benefits brokerage firm specializing in employee group benefits and association group benefits. John Ash, benefits consultant and partner at Rogersworks, will join Hub Coastal. About Hub International Hub International Ltd. is a full-service global insurance broker and financial services firm that provides risk management, insurance, employee benefits, retirement and wealth management products and services. Hub employs more than 13,000 employees in offices located throughout North America. Source: Hub International Topics Mergers Agencies Canada Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., the Rolling Meadow, Ill.-based broker, announced it has completed its acquisition of Mumbai, India-based Edelweiss Gallagher Insurance Brokers Ltd. Financial details of the transaction, which was first announced in July, will not be disclosed. Gallagher previously held 30% in the business and is now acquiring all the remaining shares. Headquartered in Mumbai, with branches in Dehli, Kolkata and Bangalore, EGIBL offers general insurance solutions to clients across India. The business operates across four areas: corporate, affinity & association, reinsurance & global, and digital solutions. Gallagher and Edelweiss entered into a partnership in May 2019, with Gallagher acquiring a minority shareholding in its insurance broking business to give it wider access to international markets and global expertise. This partnership marked Gallaghers maiden presence in India and gave the company a footprint in the growing Indian insurance market. Gallagher said acquisition of the remaining shares of EGIBL will help enable a deeper integration with Gallaghers global operations, helping scale up the business significantly. It will also give clients access to a larger suite of insurance products and services. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., the Rolling Meadows, Ill.-based insurance broker, has operations in 57 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. Source: Arthur J. Gallagher Topics Mergers Agencies A.J. Gallagher India Republican Gov. Mike Parson condemned one of Missouris largest newspapers for exposing a flaw in a state database that allowed public access to thousands of teachers Social Security numbers, even though the paper held off from reporting about the flaw until after the state could fix it. Parson told reporters outside his Capitol office that the Missouri State Highway Patrols digital forensic unit will be conducting an investigation of all of those involved and that his administration had spoken to the prosecutor in Cole County, which includes the state capital, Jefferson City. He didnt elaborate as to what he meant by involved or whether investigators would be looking into whether the St. Louis Post-Dispatch broke the law during the course of its reporting on the data vulnerability. The Post-Dispatch broke the news about the security flaw on Oct. 13. The newspaper said it discovered the vulnerability in a web application that allowed the public to search teacher certifications and credentials. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education removed the pages from its website on Oct. 12 after being told about the issue by the Post-Dispatch, which said it gave the state time to fix the problem before it published its story. The Post-Dispatch estimated that more than 100,000 Social Security numbers were vulnerable, based on pay records and other data. It found that the school workers Social Security numbers were in the HTML source code of the pages involved. The state is unaware of any misuse of individual information or even whether information was accessed inappropriately outside of this isolated incident, the DESE said in a news release. Though the Post-Dispatch alerted the agency to the problem and held off on the story, the agencys news release called the person who discovered the vulnerability a hacker an apparent reference to the reporter who took the records of at least three educators. The agency didnt elaborate as to what it meant by took the records and it declined to discuss the issue further than what it said in its news release when reached by The Associated Press. Source codes are accessible by right-clicking on public webpages. The newspapers president and publisher, Ian Caso, said in a statement that the Post-Dispatch stands by the story and the reporter, who he said did everything right. Its regrettable the governor has chosen to deflect blame onto the journalists who uncovered the websites problem and brought it to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Educations attention, Caso said. Parson also suggested that the reporter somehow broke the law. This individual is not a victim, Parson told reporters. They were acting against a state agency to compromise teachers personal information in an attempt to embarrass the state and sell headlines for their news outlet. We will not let this crime against Missouri teachers go unpunished. Peter Swire, a cyber law expert and professor at the Georgia Institute of Technologys School of Cybersecurity and Privacy, said flagging security vulnerabilities on publicly accessible websites is a public service and is clearly not criminal under federal law. Right clicking does not count as criminal hacking, Swire said. Joseph Martineau, an attorney for the Post-Dispatch, said in a statement that the reporter did the responsible thing by reporting his findings to DESE so that the state could act to prevent disclosure and misuse. A hacker is someone who subverts computer security with malicious or criminal intent. Here, there was no breach of any firewall or security and certainly no malicious intent. For DESE to deflect its failures by referring to this as hacking is unfounded, Martineau said. Jean Maneke, an attorney for the Missouri Press Association, said she doubted any judge would allow this to proceed very far. Clearly the Post-Dispatch warned the state of this issue, Maneke said. Theres no evidence of any criminal or malicious intent in the act. Theres no attempt to steal information. Theres no basis for him (Parson) to say theres any kind of illegal act from the Post-Dispatch. Byron Clemens, a spokesman for AFT St. Louis, Local 420, said the teachers union isnt aware of any educators information being misused. But we are concerned over the attempt to deflect responsibility and politicize what is very obviously a security breach by the state, Clemens said in a statement. Meanwhile, Parson said the state will address security issues raised by the newspapers reporting. We are working to strengthen our security to prevent this incident from happening again, Parson said. The state is owning its part, and we are addressing areas in which we need to do better than we have done before. Salter reported from OFallon, Missouri. Topics Missouri Vaccinations have served to significantly reduce the spread of COVID-19 in populations with high take-up rates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). In the past months, many businesses and public entities have begun to require their employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19. President Biden also recently announced a new plan requiring all federal workers and contractors, along with all employers with 100 or more employees, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. President Bidens plan is estimated to affect roughly 100 million Americans. This is an abridged version of an article that actuarial and consulting firm Milliman published on Sept. 16, 2021. The complete article, detailing the methodology and results at different assumptions, can be found on the Milliman website. The article is based on research compiled by the authors. COVID-19 mandates serve to increase vaccination rates and, as a direct result, reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent serious illness. They also reduce lost work time and medical treatment costs for employees who might otherwise file workers compensation claims. However, these mandates and increased vaccination rates also come with a cost the rare occurrence of vaccine injuries due to adverse reaction. The assumption is that if an employee has an adverse reaction to employer mandated vaccines, then the employee would be entitled to receive workers compensation benefits. Our research considered the following sources of information: estimated doses to be administered based on the U.S. workforce and COVID-19 vaccination rates, estimated compensability rates, state vaccine mandate legislation, and claim severities based on state average weekly wages and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The vast majority of claims are expected to be moderate in severity and would not require medical treatment. As mentioned above, President Biden announced an employer-mandated COVID-19 vaccination plan that would affect approximately 100 million U.S. employees, representing approximately 66% of the U.S. work force. With 66% percent of employees affected and a 50% compensability rate, we estimated COVID-19 vaccine injury losses to be $726 million. These losses would represent 3.1% of the NCCIs Accident Year 2020 losses. We also estimated costs at different severities and compensability rates, which are displayed in the table below. While these costs could be significant to the industry, it is safe to assume the savings from the reduction in COVID-19 claims, due to the effect of vaccination mandates on reduced virus transmission rates and reduced hospitalization rates, will far outweigh the vaccine injury costs. This estimate of savings is very complex, given the myriad of variables to consider, such as transmission rates, compensability rates, COVID-19 presumption laws, percentage of employees working from home, and the impact of new virus strains. However, we provided a simplified example for California to demonstrate that huge savings that can be achieved by vaccinations. We estimated monthly workers compensation savings on COVID-19 losses in California of approximately $63 million, which in less than a year would exceed the total estimated COVID-19 vaccine injury losses of $726 million for the entire United States. The estimate of $63 million is based on comparing COVID-19 claim counts pre-vaccine vs. post-vaccine, and applying an average WC COVID-19 claim severity of $6,000 as per figures from the National Council on Compensation Insurance. With more employers beginning to require vaccinations for their employees following the implementation of President Bidens plan, and if the CDC, as expected, recommends COVID-19 vaccine boosters eight months after the second dose, the frequency of vaccine injury claims would increase proportionally and raise costs. However, these costs would be more than offset by the savings in treatment and lost work time costs and lives saved due to vaccines administered. Since a lot is still unknown about COVID-19, its vaccines, and what percentage of employers will mandate the booster shots, carriers and self-insured corporations should be on the lookout for these trends. Topics Workers' Compensation Several influential industry groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce met White House officials on Friday and raised concerns about labor shortages and coronavirus testing requirements as the administration races to implement a plan to require private-sector workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Office of Management & Budget (OMB) conducted the meetings virtually, with some scheduled for Monday, among which will be the Retail Industry Leaders Association, the Business Roundtable and the National Association of Manufacturers, according to public filings. The industry groups requested the meetings, which are part of the rulemaking process. Other powerful groups and companies such as the HR Policy Association, a forum for the largest U.S. employers, and automaker Chrysler parent Stellantis discussed the mandate with OMB officials on Thursday. The HR Policy Association emphasized that businesses want to be a partner to boost vaccination rates, according to Roger King, the groups senior labor and employment counsel. The group did express concerns that employers need clear rules on a variety of issues, including COVID-19 testing alternatives to vaccination and confidentiality. It appears to be moving forward with warp speed, King said. Marc Freedman, vice president of workplace policy for the U.S Chamber, said the group raised concerns about labor shortages and how regulation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration could intensify existing supply chain problems facing U.S. companies ahead of the holidays. Other topics such as testing requirements and who will bear the cost were also raised, he said. Freedman said the Chamber hopes the Biden administration will offer a grace period to employers so they can come into compliance with the new regulation. President Joe Bidens plan has drawn mixed reactions from companies and industry trade groups. Several big employers such as Procter & Gamble and 3M , along with airlines such as American and JetBlue, have imposed mandates since Bidens announcement. Others such as IBM have said they will require all U.S. employees to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8, regardless how often they come into the office. Some other large U.S. employers such as Walmart, have yet to issue broad requirements. The retail industry, which supports over 50 million U.S. jobs, wants the administration to address questions regarding vaccination verification processes and what actions can be taken when employees refuse vaccinations and testing, according to a letter sent by RILA to the U.S. Labor Department. Biden on Thursday said the mandate ruling can be expected soon. The Labor Department on Tuesday submitted https://reut.rs/3FSOqzN to the White House the initial text of the ruling. The mandate will apply to businesses with 100 or more employees and be implemented under a federal rule-making mechanism known as an emergency temporary standard. It would affect roughly 80 million workers nationwide. Along with Bidens order last month that requires all federal workers and contractors to be vaccinated, the orders cover 100 million people, or about two-thirds of the U.S. workforce. Bidens mandate announcement in September came as the country was facing a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths driven by the fast-spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus as a large swath of Americans refused vaccinations. The coronavirus has killed more than 700,000 Americans. The vaccine order has already spurred pushback from many Republican governors, including Greg Abbott of Texas, who issued an executive order banning businesses in his state from requiring vaccinations for employees. (Reporting by Nandita Bose and Tom Hals; Additional reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Bill Berkrot, David Gregorio and Leslie Adler) The former youth protection director for the Boy Scouts of America said Tuesday the organization is not doing enough to protect children from sexual abuse and is still trying to maintain a veil of secrecy over decades of past abuse. In a speech at the National Press Club, Michael Johnson urged Congress to investigate the BSAs efforts to cover-up decades of past abuse, as well as the dangers he said the organization still poses to children. The Boy Scouts of America is not safe for kids. It is safer, but it is not safe for kids, he said. We failed you. I failed you, a tearful Johnson added in remarks aimed at abuse survivors. Johnson was terminated in December in what the Boy Scouts described as a financial restructuring. He refused to sign non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements in exchange for a severance payment. Im fed up with people telling me in that organization what to say, how to say it, and what to believe, said Johnson, who was hired in 2010 as the BSAs first youth protection director. A spokesperson for the Boy Scouts said there was no attempt to buy Johnsons silence and the terms in the severance package were the same as those for other eligible employees who were terminated. Asked why he decided to step forward now, Johnson said he began to sense in recent years that the Boy Scouts were becoming less receptive to needed reforms. All of the sudden, I wasnt able to make the changes that were needed, and there were excuses and omissions. I felt, naively, that I could make change within the organization, and there were some successes, but it wasnt nearly enough, he said. Johnsons decision to speak out comes amid a key point in the Boy Scouts of American bankruptcy case, as ballots are being distributed to tens of thousands of men who say they were molested as children by scoutmasters and others to vote on whether to approve the BSAs reorganization plan. The Boy Scouts, based in Irving, Texas, sought bankruptcy protection in Delaware in February 2020, seeking to halt hundreds of individual lawsuits and create a fund for men who say they were sexually abused as children. Although the organization was facing 275 lawsuits at the time, its facing more than 82,000 sexual abuse claims in the bankruptcy case. In an article published in August 2019, just six months before the bankruptcy filing, Johnson defended efforts by the Boy Scouts to protect children from sexual abuse. Contrary to many inaccurate reports, our youth protection policies are in line with _ and sometimes even ahead of _ societys knowledge of abuse and best practices for preventing abuse, he wrote. We actively share and continually improve these policies through our mandatory youth protection training, our ongoing collaborations with groups such as the Centers for Disease Control and youth-serving organizations, and continuous engagement with survivors of abuse and top experts in this area. The child safety policies and procedures we utilize are among the most advanced and comprehensive of any youth-serving organization today, he added. The Boy Scouts issued a statement Tuesday expressing appreciation for Johnsons dedication to youth safety and for the effect he had on the organization. We are disappointed to hear Mr. Johnsons characterization of the program he spearheaded and the concerns he raised, especially given his past public support for the robust measures the BSA instituted at his recommendation, the statement read. Today, Scouting is safer than ever before, the statement adds, citing many policies that have been implemented in recent years. While any instance of abuse is one too many, its important to know that the vast majority of claims in the BSAs Chapter 11 case predate our modern youth protection policies. Specifically, 85% or more of the claims allege a first instance of abuse prior to 1990, and 50% or more of the claims allege a first instance of abuse prior to 1974. In an Oct. 6 letter to Congress, Johnson urged lawmakers to begin investigations and hearings into the high risk of child sexual abuse that exists within Scouts BSA. Scouts BSA is the traditional Scouting experience for children in fifth grade through high school, according to the BSAs website. In the letter, Johnson touted several improvements in youth protection policies during his tenure but nevertheless described them as drop in the bucket better suited for low-risk organizations, not high-risk organizations such as the Boy Scouts. Throughout my time at Scouts BSA, I witnessed decisions being made that showed the top priority of the organization was not the safety of children, but the preservation of the reputation and brand of the institution and its top sponsoring organizations, Johnson wrote. By way of example, Johnson said more than half of reported sexual abuse incidents in the Boy Scouts were perpetrated by other youth, which he blamed on lack of adult supervision and the large age range at many events. He also said BSA lacked proper screening procedures and reference checks for adult volunteers and leaders, and that known offenders are still volunteering and still have access to children because of a lack of accountability by troop sponsoring organizations such as churches and civic groups. Johnson proposed a dozen action steps in his letter to Congress, including a review of the BSAs federal charter and an independent task force to study youth-on-youth sexual abuse. He also called for the public release of information regarding decades-old ineligible volunteer files or perversion files, listing Scout leaders and volunteers suspected or convicted of abusing children. Photo by James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The biggest U.S. tech companies would face new constraints under two bills announced Thursday after a month of revelations from a Facebook Inc. whistle-blower sparked fresh calls to rein in an industry that has largely escaped regulation so far. A measure from Energy and Commerce Chair Frank Pallone and other leading House Democrats would revoke legal liability protections for platforms that use algorithms to spread harmful information, arguing that companies should be held responsible for how their technology disseminates content. Social media platforms like Facebook continue to actively amplify content that endangers our families, promotes conspiracy theories, and incites extremism to generate more clicks and ad dollars, Pallone of New Jersey said in a statement. Designing personalized algorithms that promote extremism, disinformation and harmful content is a conscious choice, and platforms should have to answer for it. Read More: Whistle-Blowers Guide to Fixing Facebook Centers on Algorithms The other bill is an antitrust measure from a bipartisan group of senators that would prevent the biggest U.S. technology giants like Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc. from giving an advantage to their own products over those of competitors. That proposal, cosponsored by Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, would prohibit the companies from using data to hurt competition, stacking search results in their favor or restricting the way other services use their platforms. The bill matches a House proposal that tech groups have warned would risk user security and make it harder to use services that consumers enjoy. America has a monopoly problem, and we have these dominant tech companies that for too long have said trust us,' Klobuchar, who leads the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday. There has been a major assault on competition, and our country is built on open markets and fair competition. A strong roster of cosponsors, including the chair and top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would first consider the legislation, increases its chances of eventually getting a vote on the Senate floor. The proposal roughly mirrors a bill by Representative David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat, that was advanced by the House Judiciary Committee in June but hasnt yet received a vote in the full House. Read More: Tech Giants Face Demands to Downsize in New Antitrust Bills The Senate bill reflects months of negotiations between Klobuchar, Grassley and their staffs to assuage concerns and build broader support in both parties. While the measure was in the works long before the whistle-blower allegations against Facebook, Klobuchar said the past months revelations have served as a catalyst for action in Congress. There have been several proposed avenues to regulate the tech industry, and lawmakers of both parties are vowing to use this momentum to act on them. Some of the bills focus on strengthening privacy rules or updating protections for children online. Others, like Pallones new House bill, would chip away at the Section 230 legal shield provided by a 1996 law. Tech companies have been lobbying against this, and thats why I was so pleased that my colleagues stood up to it, Klobuchar said of her antitrust bill, adding that the companies lobbyists have a take no prisoners approach to opposing legislation they disagree with. Within hours of the Senate bills announcement, tech groups renewed warnings that such antitrust measures would destroy popular services like Google Maps and Amazon Basics. Adam Kovacevich, head of left-leaning tech group Chamber of Progress, said the bill takes a hammer to tech products that consumers love. Pro-competition groups, on the other hand, cheered the proposal. Sarah Miller, head of the American Economic Liberties Project, highlighted a bipartisan willingness in Congress to turn the page on a failed era of antitrust enforcement. The Senate must continue to reassert its power over the handful of men whose corporations undermine economic dynamism, eviscerate the free press, and threaten our democracy, Miller said. The Senate must embrace breaking up Big Tech to re-introduce the discipline of market-based competition to complement regulatory efforts. The Senate bill, like the House version of the antitrust measure, would apply to Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Alphabet Inc.s Google. The Senate proposal has the same criteria for a platforms monthly users but a slightly lower threshold for market capitalization $550 billion instead of the $600 billion in the House bill and small changes to the definition of a critical trading partner. Klobuchar said her bill also eliminates a provision from the House version that would have allowed conduct that increases consumer welfare, because the senators believed that to be too big of a loophole for companies. The Senate version also streamlines some of the penalties and tweaks some language to ensure that platforms can improve their products without fear of violating the law, Klobuchar said. Read More: Tech Giants Get New Chance to Weigh In on House Antitrust Bills The bill from Cicilline, who leads the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, and Representative Lance Gooden, a Texas Republican, was part of a package of six bipartisan bills put forth by the House Judiciary Committee. Two of those bills already have Senate companions, and Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, is working on another proposal similar to the House bill to limit mergers and acquisitions by covered platforms. Photo: Amy Klobuchar Photographer: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Bloomberg Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Legislation Kemper Insurance has proposed to settle a class action stemming from two data breaches in a deal valued at about $17.6 million. The dual breaches could have compromised the personal information of an estimated 6.1 million customers and employees. The breach incidents occurred on December 14, 2020 and March 25, 2021 and were announced by the insurer in March and May 25, 2021. The class action and settlement also involve Infinity Insurance Co., a subsidiary that sells nonstandard auto policies and was acquired by Kemper in 2018. Kemper offers home, life, auto, business, property and umbrella insurance. The settlement has been accepted by the plaintiffs but must still be approved by Judge Martha M. Pacold of the federal court for the Northern District of Illinois. Under the terms of the negotiated settlement, all affected customers will be provided automatic access to 18 months of credit monitoring and financial account protection without the need to file a claim. Additionally, every class member has the opportunity to make a claim for up to $10,000 in reimbursement for out-of-pocket losses, including for up to six hours in lost time. Additional benefits in the amount of up to $50 are available for California members of the class settlement who alleged violations of Californias Consumer Privacy Act. Those eligible for the settlements include all citizens who were sent letters by the insurers notifying them that their personal data was compromised. The personal information at risk included names, addresses, Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers, medical leave information, and workers compensation claim information. Topics Cyber Claims Louisiana has established a voluntary mediation program for the purpose of resolving property/casualty insurance claim disputes related to damage caused by Hurricane Ida, which struck Southeast Louisiana as a category 4 hurricane in late August. Bulletin 2021-08 states its purpose is to establish a voluntary mediation program for all authorized property and casualty insurers and surplus lines insurers (hereinafter insurers) and their policyholders. The program is intended for mediation of residential property insurance claims disputes of up to $50,000. It begins Oct. 18, 2021, and expires June 30, 2022, unless terminated at an earlier date by the insurance commissioner. The Louisiana Department of Insurance noted that the success of a similar, mandatory, program established following the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Hurricane Rita prompted the creation of the voluntary mediation program for Hurricane Ida. There were approximately 12,000 mediations conducted under Emergency Rule 22 in the aftermath of Katrina and Rita and the success rate was very high, the department said. The LDI said given the success rate of the Katrina/Rita program, it is optimistic that a similar mediation program, to be known as the Hurricane Ida Mediation Program (the Program), could yield similar success. The bulletin states that either the insurer or the policyholder may make a written offer to the other party to engage in voluntary mediation under the Program. The other party may accept or reject the offer of mediation. It requires that all parties that agree to mediation must negotiate in good faith. If mediation is agreed upon, insurers may choose between two firms that have been selected to conduct the mediations: Mediation & Arbitration Professional Systems [https://map-adr.com (504)831-2141] or Perry Dampf Dispute Solutions [https://www.perrydampf.com/ (225)389-9899]. Under other provisions of the program: Insurers must disburse the specific dollar amount agreed to by both parties to the policyholder within ten (10) business days of the conclusion of the mediation. The cost of the mediation is $600.00 to be paid by the insurance company. The actual mediation session can last up to 90 minutes. That time does not include telephone calls, document review, research, or any other administrative tasks. If only a partial agreement as a result of the voluntary mediation program, the parties may continue the mediation but will be responsible for any additional mediation expenses at the mediators standard rate. Hurricane Ida is the costliest natural disaster in 2021 in the U.S. so far with costs exceeding $60 billion and will be ranked among the top five most costly hurricanes on record (since 1980) for the country. Idas total cost will likely increase further, according to a report from the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. I urge and request that all insurers and policyholders utilize this voluntary mediation program to resolve their dispute on personal lines residential property insurance claims associated with damage caused by Hurricane Ida, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon stated in the bulletin. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Claims Louisiana Hurricane Fourteen alleged insurance fraudsters are awaiting court action after they were arrested last week in southwest Florida. In Manatee County, south of Tampa, 13 men were caught in a sting operation and charged with contracting without a license and failing to have workers compensation insurance on their workers, the Manatee County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. The sheriffs office did not say how the sting went down. But in similar operations in recent years, authorities advertised for bids on a local residential construction project. When the contractors arrived to look at the property, authorities checked state databases and found the men to be operating outside state law and regulations. The operation was conducted in conjunction with investigators from the Florida Department of Financial Services, the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The purpose of the operation was to address unlicensed contractors who are working without the required contractor license and engaging in construction-class work without the required workers compensation insurance exemptions, the sheriffs office said. Those arrested were: Jake Gratkowski, Oved Otachy, Robert Pinas, Carlos Pena, Harold Leventry, Loren Leonard, Robert Edwards, John Small, Jonathan Pipes, Andrei Razmeritsa, Earl Brown, David Lamothe and Junio Goncalves-Fonseca. In Naples, Florida, a former insurance agent, jailed a decade ago for pocketing premiums, was arrested last week on charges of leaving the scene of an accident. Kenneth Elliott won local fame in 2011, when he was convicted of defrauding at least 20 policyholders. He was sent to prison and ordered to pay more than $68,800 in restitution, including $742 to his own mother, according to a report in the Naples Daily News. Elliott was released from prison in 2018. In March of this year, he was charged with leaving the scene of an automobile accident, but he failed to appear in court and remained at large until last week. The man has been ordered held without bond. He has applied for indigent status, claiming to have no income or assets. Court records show he has paid only about $11,000 of the restitution he was ordered to pay in 2011. Topics Florida Workers' Compensation Fraud Talent Three years after first responders in Florida won a hard-fought victory to make mental stress a compensable condition, officers now hope lawmakers can tweak the law to correct some problems. The Florida Police Chiefs Association leaders and law officers from around the state spoke at a legislative hearing last week. They pointed out that the 2018 law gives first responders just a year after a specific incident to file a workers compensation claim for post-traumatic stress disorder. Its an arbitrary time limit that just doesnt make any sense, Clearwater Police Chief Daniel Slaughter told a TV news station. The officers, they may start showing symptoms later on in their career or there may be an accumulative effect of multiple events and right now the current legislation doesnt do that. Officers heralded the passage of the 2018 law, which was championed by state fire marshal and Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis. It made PTSD a compensable condition for the first time. Some 36 states have now made the mental condition an injury that is eligible for compensation for most first responders. Critics have said that Floridas law, like those in many states, requires officers to link the stress to a specific trauma or incident that they witnessed. They then have 52 weeks to file a claim. Some states allow cumulative trauma to trigger a comp claim. The nature of PTSD, the science shows that you dont know when those symptoms are going to manifest themselves, Slaughter said. Some 11 Florida law officers died by suicide in 2020, according to bluehelp.org, which offers assistance to police officers. Advocates hope a change in the law will help provide first responders with needed treatment and paid time off. Slaughter said at the Florida House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Subcommittee that the association also hopes to amend the law to allow psychologists, not just psychiatrists, to diagnose PTSD in officers. Topics Florida Workers' Compensation Florida insurance companies and their lawyers must disclose their financial arrangements with expert witnesses when asked to do so in litigation, the state Supreme Court has decided. In two decisions last week, the high court appeared to underscore previous court decisions that require insurers and defense law firms, when asked during the discovery process in lawsuits, to show their payments to physician witnesses. Insurance defense attorneys, though, said the court sidestepped long-simmering questions about disparity between what information plaintiffs and defense teams can request in discovery, and said the courts action could potentially embolden plaintiffs lawyers to demand more financial information from insurers. Its kind of a game changer. Plaintiffs get some types of discovery that the defense does not, said Miami attorney Elaine Walter, a member of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association. In Brent Dodgen vs. Kaitlyn Grijalva, an automobile accident negligence case, the court found that an insurers payments to an expert witness, unlike a plaintiffs attorneys relationship with a treating physician, is discoverable under Florida law and case law. The court acknowledged but declined to rule on concerns raised by the states 4th District Court of Appeal about the uneven playing field skewed in favor of plaintiffs when it comes to the discovery of financial-bias relationships between the parties medical experts and nonparty representatives. One of the plaintiffs attorney in the case said the concerns are overblown: The high court was simply following its own precedent in allowing discovery of insurers payments. The court is just continuing on the same path its been on for 20 years, said Grijalvas attorney, Brett Rosen, of Miami. The case stems from a 2015 accident in Southwest Ranches, Florida, not far from Fort Lauderdale. Grijalva was seriously injured and sued Dodgen for recklessly driving his pickup truck and causing the collision. After the defense hired three physicians as expert witnesses, Grijalvas attorney moved to discover the financial relationship between the doctors and Dodgens insurer, Allstate Fire and Casualty. Dodgens attorney, Marc Shechter, argued at the trial court that such information would have a prejudicial impact on the jury, would improperly imply the litigious nature of the defendant and would impermissibly implicate insurance. He contended that case law, established in a 2017 court ruling, overruled a 1999 decision and barred the disclosure of the insurer-expert relationship. The Broward County Circuit Court held in favor of Grijalva and ordered the information to be divulged. Dodgens attorney then asked the appellate court for that part of Florida, the 4th District Court of Appeal, to block the trial courts order. The 4th DCA ruled against Dodgen, but also asked the state Supreme Court to weigh in on the discovery question. The Supreme Courts per curiam opinion examined more than two decades of court rulings. In the 1999 decision known as Allstate vs. Boecher, the high court established that the relationship between a party to a lawsuit and that partys expert witness was discoverable. A number of appeal courts have since held that the Boecher ruling also applied to law firms agreements with plaintiffs treating physicians. In 2017, in Worley vs. Central Florida YMCA, the state Supreme Court moved to clarify that, and emphasized that a plaintiffs lawyers financial arrangement with treating physicians could never be divulged in the discovery process, thanks in part to the doctrine of attorney-client privilege. Lawyers are not parties to a lawsuit and treating physicians are different from expert witnesses, the Worley decision found. The 4th DCA noted that Worley did not apply in the Dodgen case, but the court also said it has resulted in the disparate treatment of plaintiffs and defendants. The Florida Supreme Court gave a nod to that concern but said that this was not the place to rehash the Worley decision. The justices said that another court ruling, known as Springer, penned in 2000, backs up the notion that an insurers relationship with expert witnesses can be disclosed. The circuit court here did not depart from the essential requirements of law in permitting discovery related to the financial relationship between Dodgens insurer and defense experts, the court wrote. Justice Ricky Polston dissented, saying that he would recede from the Worley decision and require disclosures equally from plaintiffs and defendants. Walter, who is chair of the appellate practice group at the Miami-based Boyd Richards Parker & Colonelli firm, said it is startling that the court did not review the discovery-disparity question. Despite that, there is a bright spot, she said. Some Florida courts have begun to scrutinize discovery requests more carefully in recent cases. She hopes that the Supreme Court will now address the disparity issue by amending the rules of civil procedure. In another decision posted the same day, Steven Younkin vs. Nathan Blackwelder, the Supreme Court held that the Worley precedent does not extend to defense lawyers. The appeal from the 5th DCA had raised concerns that that the law in this area is not being applied in an even-handed manner to all litigants. The president of the Florida Justice Reform Institute, which filed an amicus brief in both cases on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said that the Worley decision had created an untenable situation in which lower courts are treating plaintiffs and defendants differently when it comes to who may engage in financial bias discovery, undermining the fundamental fairness of the civil justice system. Unfortunately, Institute President William Large wrote in a summary of the cases, the state Supreme Court declined to rectify the disparity. Doug Eaton, of Miami, who represented Grijalva in the appeal, said the concerns that plaintiffs lawyers may now be emboldened to use the disparity to their advantage or to pursue more discovery are unfounded. All these two cases did was to re-affirm the status quo, Eaton said. All Dodgen did was re-affirm the law that has been in place since Boecher was issued in 1999. It does not expand the plaintiffs ability to obtain discovery in any way. Also, defendants are able to obtain the same discovery of plaintiffs attorneys relationships with expert witnesses that they frequently hire. On the original question of how much an insurance carrier pays its expert doctors, Walter agreed that such information may not be so eye-opening or beneficial to a plaintiff. Most expert witnesses, for plaintiffs and defense, charge hefty fees when asked to write a report or testify. No, theres no reason to think that insurance companies pay any more to their experts than any other party does, Walter said. Topics Carriers Florida Christopher Michalke, of Seattle, Wash., was charged in King County Superior Court with one felony count of filing a false insurance claim for a $14,753 Rolex watch after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidlers criminal investigations unit. Michalke is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 25 for a hearing. According to the investigation, Michalke bought a valuable personal property insurance rider from USAA in August 2019 to cover his Rolex Submariner watch that he bought in 2018 for $14,753. On Aug. 7, 2020, Michalke reportedly filed a claim with USAA stating that he lost the watch while he was wakeboarding on Lake Washington three days prior. USAAs investigator found evidence that Michalke sold his watch to Bellevue Rare Coins for $8,750 on Aug. 28, 2020 21 days after he filed the claim. USAA denied the claim and referred the case to Kreidlers CIU, as required by state law. Kreidlers CIU investigates insurance fraud and works with the Washington State Patrol and state and local prosecutors on criminal cases. Insurance fraud costs the average family $400 to $700 per year in increased premiums. Insurance companies are required by law to report fraud to the commissioner. Topics Trends Fraud Abuse Molestation Washington An Irish-owned international consulting and technology business has announced 40 new high-levels jobs at the opening of their new headquarters in Cork. Aspira, based in the new Penrose Dock development in the city, is offering 40 new roles over the next 18 months, with positions including opportunities for project managers, business analysts and technology professionals, with a number of the roles being reserved for new graduates. Aspira was established in 2007 and currently employs 160 people. This latest announcement comes following the companys 2020 expansion, which saw the opening of its Asia-Pacific regional headquarters in Malaysia and the expansion of its mainland European operations with the opening of its second office in The Netherlands. The company also announced its plan to open an office in Portugal in November in response to an increased demand for technology expertise in both private and public sectors. Speaking at the Aspira head office, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the creation of 40 new jobs at their new head offices in Cork is "testament to the ambition and vision of the company". An Irish-owned business, Aspira has enjoyed sustained growth both at home and internationally," he said. "I look forward to their continued successes. Aspira CEO, Pat Lucey said it is an "incredibly exciting time for the company". "Many organisations are now reigniting and accelerating the deployment of major technology projects that may have been delayed due to the pandemic," he said. "The creation of these new roles will further strengthen our capabilities to deliver these large-scale innovative projects." Mr Lucey said that the move to Aspira's new head office on Penrose dock shows the company's commitment to "the new way of working." He added: "We have set up our new headquarters to meet the needs of the hybrid model with shared spaces to facilitate collaboration and conversation. Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy said it is "exciting to see this highly innovative company go from strength to strength with the opening of its new state of the art office headquarters and the announcement of the creation of new jobs here in Cork." Another 8,600 beef farmers are on course to join the 3,600 who will have to hand back payments from the Beef Emergency Aid Measure (BEAM) scheme. The 77m payment scheme required participating farmers to reduce by 5% their bovine organic nitrogen produced on the farm, over two years. To help beef farmers get through the difficulties of 2019, the BEAM scheme was secured by the government, with 50m of the 77m funding coming from the EU. Participating farmers were paid up-front in 2019, but the European Commission insisted they had to reduce their stocking rate, expressed as bovine organic nitrogen, as one of the scheme's terms and conditions. Almost 19,000 farmers have met the original scheme requirements successfully, by reducing production of bovine livestock manure nitrogen on their holdings by 5% in the year to June 30, 2021, compared with the year to June 30, 2019. But 3,600 failed to meet the nitrogen obligations they signed up to under the scheme. They included 2,396 who increased their nitrogen (stocking rate) during the reduction period. The 3,600 will have some or all of the BEAM money they received in 2019 recouped. Their total liability is 5.2m. Among the 3,600, almost 10% of cases involve less than 200 being clawed back, and almost a quarter involve less than 400. Flexibility was secured in January, 2021, from the European Commission, allowing participants opt for a six months delayed nitrogen reduction period (the 2021 calendar year), and 16,000 farmers availed of that flexibility. Of the 16,000, almost 5,300 participants successfully exited the scheme by meeting the scheme conditions in the original reduction period which ended on June 30, 2021. This left approximately 10,700 BEAM participants using the later reduction period. These participants continue to receive a monthly letter from the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (as all participants did since February, 2021) outlining the amount of nitrates they have already accumulated, the amount of nitrates they have left to ensure they meet the 5% reduction, and a projection based on the livestock numbers on their holdings of their final nitrates position at the end of the reduction period. Last week, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said in the Dail the most recent analysis by the Department suggested only about 1,700 of the remaining 10,700 BEAM participants are on track to meet the 5% nitrates reduction requirement. A further 300 were on course for a nitrates reduction of between 4% and 5%, in which event part of their payment will be recouped. But about 8,600 were predicted to miss the minimum 4% reduction, and therefore face full recoupment of their BEAM payment. Within the 8,600, in about 7,400 of the herds, bovine nitrates have increased over the reduction period compared to the reference period. Minister McConalogue encouraged all participants to take timely action to meet the commitments they signed up to, before the extended finish date of December 31. Responding in the Dail to Cavan-Monaghan Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy, he said farmers could have met the 5% nitrates reduction requirement through a variety of means, including selling cattle, selling cattle earlier than they might typically do, buying in cattle later, and/or buying in younger cattle than they might normally do. Parents are being urged to sign their children up for the free nasal spray flu vaccine this year - but how likely are children to get the flu and experience severe complications, where can you get the vaccine and should your child get it? What is the flu? Influenza (flu) is caused by the flu virus. It spreads easily and infects both children and adults. How likely are children to get the flu? Children are twice as likely to get the flu than adults and they are also more likely than adults to get severe complications. Children also carry the flu virus in their system longer than adults do. What are the symptoms of the flu in children? Symptoms of flu in children include high temperature (38C or higher), muscle pains, headache and extreme tiredness. Pictured at the launch of the HSE's free nasal flu vaccine is Zoe Lonergan, 10, from Firhouse, Dublin What complications of flu can children get? Most children who get the flu have mild symptoms. But every winter some children can get severe complications of flu including pneumonia, bronchitis and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) which can end in hospitalisation with some requiring intensive care. Children with chronic health conditions are more at risk of developing serious complications from flu. How likely are children to get complications of flu? Between 2009 and 2019, almost 5,000 children were admitted to hospital with complications of flu. Close to 200 children had to have treatment in intensive care and 41 children died. What is the nasal spray vaccine? The nasal spray flu vaccine is given as a single spray in each nostril of your child's nose. It is not painful and is absorbed quickly. It will work even if your child has a runny nose, sneezes or blows their nose after the vaccination. Its flu season and children aged 2 to 17 can get their flu vaccine for free. Its given as a nasal spray, and its safe and effective. Find more information on the childrens flu vaccine at https://t.co/2Bflfuf2Vd #YourBestShot pic.twitter.com/fszY2OqHZr HSE Ireland (@HSELive) October 18, 2021 Most children only need one dose of the vaccine each year. Some children aged 2 - 8 years with chronic health conditions like chronic heart or lung conditions may need 2 doses, given four weeks apart, if they have never had a flu vaccine before. Who can get it? The nasal spray flu vaccine is available to children aged 2 to 17. How much does it cost? It is available free of charge. Where and when can I get it? Your child can get the vaccine at your GP or pharmacy from October until the middle of February 2022. Are there side effects of the nasal flu vaccine? There are some mild side effects associated with the nasal flu vaccine. These include a runny or blocked nose, headache, loss of appetite and muscle aches. Some children get a temperature after the vaccine but it is usually mild and goes away on its own. Should my child get the flu vaccine? Dr Aparna Keegan, Specialist in Public Health Medicine and Flu Lead at the HSEs National Immunisation Office, said getting your child vaccinated against the flu is the best way to protect them from the flu and the potential complications. The nasal spray flu vaccine is a very safe and effective vaccine and helps your childs immune system produce antibodies that fight infection. If your child has had the flu vaccine and they come into contact with flu virus, these antibodies will help them fight the flu and reduce the risk of getting sick or needing to go to hospital. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is encouraging all parents to avail of the free flu vaccine. Children are more likely to contract the flu and become seriously ill from it. The nasal flu vaccine will help protect your child, your friends, your family and your colleagues, keeping us safer and healthier throughout the winter months. Flu and other respiratory illnesses have a significant impact on our health system, as well as the general health and wellbeing of the population each winter. The best way we can all work together to protect ourselves, our loved ones, our frontline healthcare workers and our health system as we continue to manage the COVID-19 pandemic is to get vaccinated. Your child should not get the vaccine if they: have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the flu vaccine or any of its ingredients have severe asthma or if they have been wheezy or needed their inhaler more than usual in the 3 days before the vaccination are taking medicines called salicylates, which include aspirin have taken influenza antiviral medication within the previous 48 hours have a severely weakened immune system because of certain medical conditions or treatments are living with someone who has a severely weakened immune system - for example, a person who has to live in insolation in the months following a bone marrow transplant have a condition which means they have a leak of the CSF (the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord) have severe neutropoenia (low levels of a type of white blood cell) are on combination checkpoint inhibitors (e.g. ipilumumab plus nivolumab) which are used to treat cancer are pregnant If your child has had a cochlear implant - the advice of the specialist looking after your child will be needed to see if your child can have the nasal flu vaccine. You should delay your child's vaccination if they are not well and have a high temperature. For more information on the free nasal spray flu vaccine go to hse.ie The Polish Ambassador to Ireland has denied that the state is preparing to leave the EU. Speaking exclusively to the Irish Examiner Anna Sochanska, says any mention of 'Polexit' is misinformed, but defended the government's decision to challenge the supremacy of EU legislation. Earlier this month, Polands constitutional tribunal ruled that some EU laws are in conflict with the countrys constitution. The ruling, which was sparked by a request by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, said some provisions of EU treaties and EU court rulings and EU institutions act beyond the scope of their competences. The ruling has sent shockwaves through Brussels, where tensions with Poland have been high for a number of years amid ongoing disagreement over the state's near total ban on abortion and other issues. "The government is not planning, for sure, to leave the European Union," Ms Sochanska said. "There is no intention whatsoever for Poland to leave the European Union. Unfortunately, there is a political game going on in Poland. Some people, they use this expression 'Polexit', but it's not the case, it's a myth. "Look at the Polish society and they have over 80% of people who support Polish membership of the European Union, so any government which decides to leave the European Union would be a government which is suicidal." The ambassador added that the Tribunal found that European Union is based on the principle of conferral, with some competencies left as responsibilities of the national state. "The tribunal set that primacy of the Polish law in the Polish Constitution." Read More Poles rally to defend EU membership Ms Sochanska noted that candidates for the French presidential election, such as Michel Barnier, have also questioned the primacy of EU law. "People would like to see Poland as a sovereign country, of course, with some competences that were transferred on the EU level, like trade etc. "Now, if the European Tribunal now says that Polish Constitution is not important, and that the judgement of the Constitutional Tribunal is more important than the Polish Constitution, it means that we are losing our sovereignty." The ambassador added that the Polish Prime Minister, "didn't have a choice" in asking the court to rule on the Polish Constitution. "It's this narrative that Poland wants to leave the EU. Poland doesn't want to leave the EU, people see how much they benefit out of the EU membership," she said. LGBTQI+ issues The ambassador also defended Poland's recent near-total ban on abortion and disputed the existence of LGBTQI+ zones in some Polish towns. "We have a provision in the Constitution that marriage is a union of a man and a woman," she added. "People say we discriminate against gay people, you cannot say so because the Polish Constitution is the highest possible document in Poland and is the will of the people. "If one day, Polish people decide that they want to have one-sex marriages, they will elect people such politicians who will start the debate on the change of the Constitution. "Then, one day we might have another provision in our constitution. For the time being, it is the will of the nation of the majority of the nation." In Poland, around 100 towns and regions have passed resolutions declaring themselves free of "LGBT ideology" to much international criticism. These resolutions which are mostly symbolic and unenforceable, have been condemned by human rights organisations. "There are no LGBT-free zones in Poland," Ms Sochanska said, adding that the administrations in these regions are "the lowest level" of government and "are very independent". "It's in accordance with the Polish Constitution, and with the traditional model of Polish family." Read More Protests break out in Poland after courts abortion ruling The ambassador said she "absolutely rejects" that Poland is becoming less progressive under the (PiS) and that media coverage of Poland has been one sided. "The law on abortion is very rigid," she said. "In Poland, the life starts when it's conceived. Then the media creates the picture of Poland, that I don't know, honestly sometimes. "If I only read the Irish press or news from RTE, I would be afraid to go back to Poland. "Whenever I read about Poland, I read about authoritarian state nationalistic government, but those people they were elected by ordinary citizens and they didn't form the government because they are authoritarians, they were elected by millions of voters. So this is their legitimate right to be conservative." Abortion without Borders, an initiative which supports women in crisis pregnancies in Poland and abroad, says it helped 17,000 people access abortion in the first six months after the Polish constitutional court ruling. A man arrested after a number of reported robberies from taxi drivers in Cork City has been charged. Gardai said that a man in his 30s was arrested in the city on Saturday. IN the confines of many mothers homes and minds the thinking is: There is something wrong with me. Their perceived failings vary from day to day but they are common across the board. My house is a mess. Why cant I keep on top of things? Why cant I find the time or energy to exercise? Im failing at work or Ive let my career go or Im not bringing enough money into this home. Ive nothing to show for my day. All these, while constantly querying as to whether they are being a good enough mother and analysing the quality of the care they are giving to their children. But the thinking is wrong. Instead of believing there is something wrong with me, the thinking should be there is something wrong with the system. That Covid-19 and its resultant restrictions exposed the beyond fragile fault lines of childcare in Ireland is undeniable. One anecdotal tale tells the story of a busy dad and frontline worker. So difficult was homeschooling, that, on his day off from work as a hospital consultant, he chose to go into work to administer vaccines to colleagues, for free, rather than administer the modh coinniollach to his children. Parenting is hard and the pandemic really exposed that fact publicly. We talked about the difficulties of being both childminder, parent, cook, teacher, and worker. Parenting is hard and the pandemic really exposed that fact publicly. In a 2015 German study, parents said they found the first two years of parenting more stressful than unemployment or the loss of a partner. And how researchers arrived at that finding was not by asking parents straight out, but by asking them to rate their happiness over a two-year period and against other life events. The point being, how hard they found parenting had to be elicited out of them as they didnt feel it was socially acceptable to state it outright. But the issue is not with parenting, it is with the lack of public and State support when it comes to parenting. Last January, the citizens assembly voted, by a majority of 96%, that Ireland should move to a publicly funded model of childcare, meaning that care in the early years and extra care needed around the school-going years would be funded by the State. Like in Sweden, parents would pay towards the childcare based on their means the highest fee paid per month for a child in a Swedish creche is 130. And the State would subsidise the rest. Any profit would return to the State to go into the tax pile or go back into the care system. Staff would be properly remunerated. There would be one standard of care for all children, so the most disadvantaged didnt lose out and parents wouldnt be forced to choose between care or their career. So when the Government announced Budget 2022, after 20 months of a big public conversation around care, what was there in terms of a new model of childcare? Nothing. Absolutely and utterly nothing. With approximately 300,000 children aged up to four in Ireland, and around two-thirds receiving some form of childcare service, its not that there isnt a question to be answered here. Thats a lot of people and one presumes those figures will stay steady for decades and decades to come. The Government had been lobbied for a publicly-funded model of childcare. They have received the recommendations from the citizens assembly, and they are surely aware of where we stand globally when it comes to supporting childcare. Comparatively speaking, Ireland invests relatively little in childcare, with just 0.37% of our GDP going towards it annually and thats just for children aged three to five. The EU average spend is 0.63% of GDP annually and in Nordic countries thats 1.01%. Unicef wants us to get to that 1% too. So Im assuming when the calculators were out on the Cabinet table in recent weeks, all of these figures were to hand, as was the figure of 1,000 the average fee to send one child to creche every month. Countries such as Colombia, Chile, Latvia, Costa Rica, Estonia, Poland, Mexico, and Turkey spend more of their GDP on early childhood education and care every year than we do. So when you worry that your house is a mess or that you could never run 5km, or that youre not bringing enough cash into your home, it is in this context the context that women, mothers predominantly, are plugging the chasm in childcare where the State will not. The citizens assembly heard this year that 98% of full-time carers in Ireland are women. In creches, 98% of childcare staff are female and the hourly wage of childcare sector staff is 43.5% below the average national wage. Their conditions get worse: Almost 80% of childcare workers do not have sick pay, 90% do not have a private pension, and 65% of childcare workers do not have paid maternity leave. So this isnt an individual problem to be sucked up in the confines of your own home, this is a public crisis that little is being done to address. And with so much focus on the early years, so from three to five years of age, what about before that? When a woman gives birth to a baby, she will receive 245 a week from the State for 26 weeks about six months. But those free 15 hours a week of Early Childhood Care and Education do not kick in until a child is at least aged three. So from six months postpartum to when their child is three, what does a parent do for childcare? You pay on average 1,000 to a creche every month if you have just one child, and if its Tusla-registered, youll get 50c an hour towards that. But its quite the long stretch from six months to three years, and 50c an hour, or 20 a week doesnt make a huge dent in that bill. So whats a mother to do minister? Only have one child? Leave work because the cost of childcare cancels out her salary or demand that the Government listen to carers and parents and taxpayers and voters and provide a publicly-funded model of childcare? And if anyone says where will the money come from or who will pay for it, maybe worry about the amount of workers opting out of the workforce, and therefore no longer paying taxes, because they couldnt afford to be parents and employees too. Jane Torres has a heart for rescuing girls from Afghanistan. The trauma these girls have experienced -- being threatened with death, or forced marriage to a Taliban fighter, coupled with the heartbreak of leaving family members to travel through territories with different languages and cultures is something she feels others can empathize with. Torres, who has lived in Key Biscayne for 40 years, said providing updates on efforts to rescue the girls are critical since the situation changes daily, if not hourly. One minute we think the girls can fly out of Afghanistan, and the next minute they have to travel overland to reach the border, she said. Our huge success to date has been rescuing a group of 250 girls and their families by taking them overland to Pakistan, where they are ready to fly to Canada. The Canadian government has offered to provide resettlement services for one year to this group, she added, so we know they will be safe and well taken care of. Torres became involved with the effort to help Afghan girls after being contacted by the Tufts University Institute for Global Leadership to help an Afghan family of a Tufts graduate. Torres is also a Tufts alumnus. She joined a group of volunteers who have come together to save as many Afghan schoolgirls as possible. Torres background is in human relations, cross cultural communication and marriage and family therapy. The team of volunteers she belongs to is spread out across the US and Puerto Rico, with support from caring people around the world. Our challenge now is to bring another group of about 220 girls and families out of Pakistan and onward to their destination in a third country, she said. Ecuador has very graciously agreed to accept them, so we -- Warrior Angels Rescue -- must arrange for their resettlement needs. Warrior Angels Rescue coordinates directly with international embassies and state departments, commercial and charter airlines, and ground operations to get people quickly and safely to their new homes. In the past, the nonprofit was able to evacuate nearly 500 people fromPuerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, distributed over 80,000 pounds of emergency supplies to the island, and transported 30 medical personnel to assist with relief efforts. The nonprofit has also assisted in the Montecito, Calif., mudslides relief efforts, and has also helped those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Its current efforts, according to the groups website. are with the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan -- specifically, bringing vulnerable girls and women to safe harbor countries. When the Taliban assumed power in August, girls and women across Afghanistan realized their world would never be the same, according to the Warrior Angels Rescue site. The group is working to evacuate a group of 270 school girls and their families who, unless they escape, face a violent, bleak future. The team has secured safe harbor for them in Canada and Ecuador. We are trying to make these adjustments as easy as possible by working with organizations like CARE in the destination country, Torres said. One huge obstacle, though, and one which we must overcome, will be to provide funding for their housing, food, clothing, medical care, schooling, and support services once they reach Ecuador and can get on their feet. Sometimes I worry that we won't have the funds to take care of these girls, but the alternative is to leave them in Afghanistan to suffer at the hands of the Taliban and lose all possibilities of schooling and careers. So, of course, we keep working and hoping for the generosity of our neighbors to help raise these funds. Visit www.warriorangelsrescue.org for information on the organizations mission or to contribute. GUEST OPINION by Mark Lukie, APAC Sales Engineer Manager, Barracuda: While activity within Australias energy companies is slowly starting to return normal following protracted lockdowns caused by COVID-19, its clear that things have changed. Ongoing uncertainties and new clusters of infections mean operations could be disrupted again at any time. Its likely a mix of on-site and remote working will be the norm for some time to come. As a result, Australian energy companies have become heavily reliant on collaboration tools to keep operations humming. Usage of platforms such as Microsoft Office 365 and Teams has exploded as staff look for ways to interact and share materials with their colleagues regardless of their physical location. The impact on data One of the side effects of this rapid increase in usage of such collaboration tools is a dramatic increase in the volume of data being stored in the cloud. Where once business data would have been accessed from an on-premise server, its highly likely that it is now sitting on a platform such as Azure or AWS. This change shifts the goalposts for IT security teams tasked with protecting this data. Instead of relying on firewalls and other protective measures, they must look at other ways of keeping this vital data protected. Its important to realise that it is not sufficient to reply on the platform providers themselves to ensure effective data security. Indeed, Microsoft itself recommends to users of Azure that they look to third-party security vendors to deliver required protection. Cloud-to-cloud backup One approach that is gaining increasing attention is the idea of protecting cloud-based data stores by undertaking regular cloud-to-cloud backups. In this way, vital data is available on multiple platforms, thus protecting a business should one cloud suffer an outage or some sort of loss. Modern cloud-to-cloud backup services can be configured without the need for any additional hardware or software within the business itself. All traffic and backup schedules are handled automatically in the background, with no impact on the users themselves. Such backups can be managed in a number of different ways. One is to backup to the same cloud provider but to resources that are running in a different geographic location. For example, an Australian-based business may have data running on Azure in Australia but also be backing up to the Azure cloud in the United States. However, according to The State of Office 365 Backup research commissioned by Barracuda, 67 per cent of Australian organisations are concerned about data being backed up outside their geography while 69 per cent are concerned about compliance with data privacy requirements. Another option would be to back up to a different cloud provider altogether. Data being stored on Azure in Australia could be backed up to the AWS cloud or another preferred provider. As well as offering enhanced protection, having such backups in place means that data can be quickly restored should a loss be experienced. This means that business activity can continue with little or no disruption occurring to operations. Cloud-to-cloud backups also give businesses alternatives if they fall victim to a ransomware attack. Indeed, according to The State of Office 365 Backup research, 68 per cent of Australian respondents are concerned that their Office 365 data could be the target of ransomware while 46 per cent of Australian respondents say their organisation has already experienced a ransomware attack. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting data backups as part of their attack to cause maximum disruption. However, if data is backed up to multiple locations this means a company can restore systems and avoid having to pay the ransom demands. Remote working and collaboration is likely to be a part of daily life for a long time to come. As a result, reliance on cloud-based collaboration and communications platform will continue to increase. By taking the time to review how data is being stored and protected, and investigating the potential of strategies such as cloud-to-cloud backup, Australian energy companies can make best use of these tools while at the same time ensuring effective data security is maintained at all times. The new flagship smartphone produced by Honor Device , formerly the budget unit of Chinese telecommunications equipment vendor Huawei Technologies, will use Google's proprietary apps for its international models. A report in the South China Morning Post said this would be the first time that Honor would include these apps since Huawei sold it to a consortium of 30 dealers and agents, operating under the name Shenzhen Zhixin New Information Technology, for an unspecified sum in November last year. The US has targeted Huawei with sanctions for nearly three years now, and among the prohibitions has been the ban on using American products unless the company producing them had permission from the US Department of Commerce. When the US placed Huawei on what it calls its Entity List in May 2019, the Chinese firm was unable to obtain Google's proprietary version of Android. The American search giant applied for an exemption to sell the operating system to Huawei but never got it. Other companies like Microsoftfrom the US administration and thus Huawei has been able to continue using Microsoft's Windows operating system on its line of laptops. Honor's latest flagship is the Honor 50 which was opened for pre-orders in China in June. It is expected to be made available in European markets this month. HONOR has succeeded in confirming cooperation with a number of supplier partners in the early stage. #HONOR50 series will be equipped with Google Mobile Services, which will provide a more comprehensive application environment and extraordinary mobile experience to our customers. pic.twitter.com/rAhByQVAlx HONOR (@Honorglobal) October 11, 2021 The Honor 50 Pro and the Honor 50 are powered by Qualcomm chips while the cheaper Honor 50 SE is built atop a MediaTek SoC. In a tweet Honor said on 12 October: "Honor has succeeded in confirming co-operation with a number of supplier partners in the early stage. "#HONOR50 series will be equipped with Google Mobile Services, which will provide a more comprehensive application environment and extraordinary mobile experience to our customers, In the absence of the proprietary version of Android, Huawei has been using an operating system known as HarmonyOS which is a port of the open-source version of Android. The Google proprietary apps Gmail, YouTube, Drive and the Google Play Store among others are essential for people who use smartphones in the west. They are not needed in China, a country in which Google ceased doing business in 2010. Three Republican senators, meanwhile, are pushing for Honor to also be banned as Huawei was. As iTWire reported last Friday, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott (both from Florida) and John Cormyn (Texas) said in a letter to US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo that by not adding Honor to the Entity List, "the Biden Administration is allowing a commercial arm of the Chinese Communist Party to evade American export controls and exploit our technological sector". There have been reports earlier this year that the Pentagon and Energy Department wanted to blacklist Honor, while the Commerce Department and the State Department were opposed. Information security expert Kevin Beaumont has continued highlighting the way in which Microsoft hosts ransomware on its own properties, pointing out that there are multiple threat actors using OneDrive in campaigns, with direct links to the platform. With a touch of sarcasm, Beaumont added: "Was just talking to @ffforward, [another security professional] they made the point that Microsoft took legal action against Trickbot C2s as they said ISPs were too slow at dealing with abuse complaints... "Maybe we can start a GoFundMe for Microsoft to take legal action against itself?" In fairness to Microsoft theyre taken 3 Bazarloader sites offline (out of hundreds reported) after 5 days and a very public Twitter thread. Trillions of signals, 8000 security staff and $10bn a year in security revenue, leads to hosting ransomware ops - might need some work. https://t.co/WbvOEVzQzy Kevin Beaumont (@GossiTheDog) October 17, 2021 As iTWire reported on Sunday, Beaumont raised the issue of Microsoft hosting malware on its own servers for years in a Twitter thread, saying: "Microsoft cannot advertise themselves as the security leader with 8000 security employees and trillions of signals if they cannot prevent their own Office365 platform being directly used to launch Conti ransomware. OneDrive abuse has been going on for years. Fix it." Microsoft OneDrive is a file-hosting service and synchronisation service operated by the company as part of its Web version of Office, according to Wikipedia. Beaumont was employed by Microsoft as a security threat analyst until he quit a few months back. He is well-known in the security community for his educated, incisive and informative comments about security incidents on Twitter and also his keen sense of humour. Theres multiple threat actors using OneDrive in campaigns, straight up just linking OneDrive. IOC https://t.co/z1x9kM2qdQ pic.twitter.com/COw87PzjHI Kevin Beaumont (@GossiTheDog) October 18, 2021 In 2019, he christened a Microsoft vulnerability that was susceptible to a worm attack as Bluekeep, and the name has stuck. Beaumont did not hold back as he continued to prosecute his case on Twitter. In response to a tweet from a Swiss researcher, who posts under the handle @abuse.ch, he said: "In fairness to Microsoft theyre taken 3 Bazarloader sites offline (out of hundreds reported) after 5 days and a very public Twitter thread. "Trillions of signals, 8000 security staff and $10bn a year in security revenue, leads to hosting ransomware ops - might need some work." iTWire has contacted Microsoft for comment. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Statistician Howard Wainer and psychologist Michael Friendly are numbers magicians they make the invisible visible. Two of the world's leading figures in the field of data visualization, they are co-authors of a new book, A History of Data Visualization & Graphic Communication. Wainer, now retired, was principal research scientist at Educational Testing Service, distinguished research scientist at the National Board of Medical Examiners, and professor of statistics at the University of Pennsylvania. Friendly is a professor of psychology at York University in Toronto and a leading scholar of the history of data visualization. In the following Q&A, they explain how CPAs can best use visual depictions of numbers and how history's "heroes of visual thinking" transformed numbers into images that carry ideas and meaning. They responded to the questions jointly via email. What questions should CPAs ask themselves when creating visual information such as charts and graphs for clients? Ask yourself three questions. First, what claims will my clients want to make? Second, what evidence do I have to support those claims? Third, who is the audience? What kinds of data displays do they understand? You write that good graphical displays of data, like good writing, express ideas with clarity, precision, and efficiency. What rules of visual "grammar" should CPAs follow? They should think clearly, think precisely, and depict the resulting ideas minimally and avoid irrelevancies. Develop a display that shows only what is needed and nothing more. Moreover, it is essential you think of a data display as a means of communication to human eyes and human minds. Any display is more easily understood if it has a meaningful title that answers this question for the viewer: "Why do I need to understand this?" And make sure all labels are legible. How have computers made data visualization better and worse? On the plus side, computers have made a huge range of potentially helpful graphical depictions available to nearly anyone. On the negative side, computers have made a huge range of potentially meaningless or misleading graphical depictions available to nearly anyone. What are some of the most common ways charts "lie"? Are there rules of thumb to prevent this? The short answer is, tell the visual truth as artfully as you can, and then show it to trusted parties and ask them, "What are the messages that the data carry?" If they fail to grasp your intended message, you have failed. For more details on this in an easy-to-understand form, interested readers are immodestly referred to the first chapter in Wainer's book Visual Revelations, titled "How to Display Data Badly." How are scatterplots better than bar charts and pie graphs? How can CPAs use them? Scatterplots gracefully show the relation between two variables such as income earned vs. taxes paid. The other two formats can't do that. Scatterplots also make it possible to show trends, uncertainty, and unusual observations that would go undetected in numerical summaries. Are there software programs for data visualizations you recommend? There are dozens. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. High-level languages like R and Python are the most flexible but require the most knowledge to use fully. Low-level packages are easy but restrictive. Tableau software is a popular intermediate option. It combines flexible graphics with an easy-to-use interface. The most flexible and powerful graphical tool may be the most old-fashioned a hand-drawn picture or a picture drawn freehand with a stylus on a tablet. If you go that route, hire both a gifted designer and good artist the former to decide what to draw, the latter to execute it. In your book, you say the late 1800s became a "Golden Age" for advances in data depiction while the early 1900s were a "Dark Age." You suggest some dark corners may be lurking in our current age. Why? From the 1860s to 1890s, statisticians and governments eagerly adopted graphical representations. Then the costs associated with government-sponsored statistical albums outweighed the enthusiasm of those who paid the bills, and experts reverted to relying on numbers and tables. Today we may be becoming slaves of our tools. Those who want to display data rely too heavily on what's easiest and can become prisoners of their software's default options. It's easy to plot data points on custom charts with high-level software. But good taste in drawing graphs has lagged the ability to make them. We need fewer cookbooks on how to draw graphs and more guides to gastronomy telling us what graphs we should draw. The good news is that there are now excellent sources of good taste for graphic design and communication that can serve as inspiration and guidance. I recommend the books The Functional Art: An Introduction to Information Graphics and Visualization and The Truthful Art: Data, Charts, and Maps for Communication by Alberto Cairo and Fundamentals of Data Visualization: A Primer on Making Informative and Compelling Figures by Claus Wilke. As graduate students, you both studied under a statistics professor at Princeton named John Tukey. You say he revolutionized data visualization. How so? He believed the goal of data analysis is insight, not numbers. As a result, he changed modern science. He drilled into us his fundamental belief that "the greatest value of a graph is when it forces us to notice what we never expected to see." For example, Tukey taught us all that subtracting the standard statistical summary (e.g., a fitted line) from the data left the opportunity to discover something new. Our history of data visualization highlights scientific discoveries that would not have occurred without a graph. In the 1780s, one man William Playfair invented bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts, as well as framing, titles, labeling of axes, time-period indicators, and other standard embellishments. Who was this visual genius? Playfair was a Scot trained as a practical engineer by giants of the Industrial Revolution like steam engine innovator James Watt. Playfair was, by turns, an engineer, draftsman, economist, statistician, and silversmith. He was crafty and sometimes unscrupulous, but a genius in advancing the idea that economic trends could be seen in charts. His advances in data visualization were so astounding that when French King Louis XVI first saw his visual inventions, he said, "They clearly spoke all languages." In 1786, he produced the first skyrocketing national debt chart. It brilliantly integrated historical collateral information. For example, it showed that in 1775, when what he called the "American War" began, England's debt was 135 million, but at the war's end in 1784 it had nearly doubled to 250 million. More important, he introduced the idea of visual reasoning and thinking about economic data to an audience that was more accustomed to looking at numbers in tables. Playfair said, "[To give insight to statistical information] it occurred to me that making an appeal to the eye when proportion and magnitude are concerned is the best and readiest method of conveying a distinct idea." How did scientific and social problems drive innovations in the presentation of visual information? Problems like widespread epidemics of smallpox, cholera, and other diseases have existed for as long as humans lived together in large towns and cities. Each age had its own tools for dealing with such problems, but they had to coincide with the prevailing epistemological view of the time. The profound growth of empiricism in the 18th century led to gathering data that reflected the public's health. It was only natural that once experts had data in hand, they would seek methods to understand them. As Tukey observed, graphs emerged as the best way to find the unexpected and hence point to potential solutions. Does the relation between war and data collection parallel that of disease and data collection? Yes. In war, lives and treasure are lost at breakneck pace, and it was only natural that war-related data would be gathered and analyzed using the same methods that had proved so successful fighting disease. The British nurse Florence Nightingale had a flair for mathematics. Some called her the "passionate statistician." Her meticulous records of the causes of death in British field hospitals during the Crimean War quickly revealed that poor sanitation and disease, most notably cholera, killed far more British soldiers than the enemy's guns. Small wedges in the chart (usually called a "Nightingale Rose" after its designer) that are closest to the vertex show combat deaths. They are consistently dwarfed by larger blue wedges, which are deaths from disease. Her skillful visual depiction of data led to massive changes in battlefield hygiene. She changed medical practices in war and peace forever. George Spencer is a freelance writer based in North Carolina. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Chris Baysden, a JofA associate director, at Chris.Baysden@aicpa-cima.com. My clients were abducted, mistreated, ignored, removed from the world. They are living proof of an unconfessed state crime, and soon there will be no one left to testify, pleaded lawyer Michele Hirsch on October 14 in one of the plain rooms of the Brussels civil court, which contrasts with the magnificence of the assizes court where trials linked to crimes against humanity are generally held. This is a civil action only. Lea, Monique, Noelle, Simone and Marie-Jose are sitting there, in the front row, facing the judge, in an almost full courtroom. If they are fighting for this crime to be recognized, it is for their children, their grandchildren, because the trauma is transmitted from generation to generation, explains Hirsch. We ask you to name the crime and to condemn the Belgian State. After having buried for years their childhood suffering, these five women decided, at 70 years old, to denounce the injustices inflicted on them and to claim compensation. A white man could not marry a black woman They were all born in the Congo between 1946 and 1950 of a union between a Belgian man and a Congolese woman. They were taken away from their mother, declared of unknown father, then placed in a religious institution like many other mixed-race children. Their number is estimated at 15,000. We were called children of sin. A white man could not marry a black woman. The child born of this union was considered a child of prostitution, Lea told the press. Deprived of their identity, the five girls were sent to the religious mission of Katende, in the Kasai province, hundreds of kilometres from their villages. They lived there for several years in miserable conditions, barely clothed, in insalubrious premises, suffering mistreatment and deprivation of food. In 1960, the Congos independence was about to be proclaimed. Faced with unrest in the Kasai province, the sisters of the Katende mission travelled to Lusambo with the young mixed-race children. They abandoned them to try to get on a plane to Belgium, but were unable to do so. They abandoned them a second time when UN trucks arrived at the mission of Katende and took only the clergy. The five girls, who remained at the mission with about 50 other children, were then sexually abused and raped by militiamen posted there to guard them on the orders of the new Congolese administrator. Later, upon learning of these abuses, the administrator decided to send the girls to Congolese families, but they were never accepted because considered white. An apology but no compensation On March 29, 2018, the Belgian parliament passed a resolution that recognized the targeted segregation of mixed-race children and the policy of forced abductions. As a result, it asked the federal government to examine how, by moral and administrative means, it can repair, on the one hand, the past injustices done to the African mothers from whom their children were abducted and, on the other hand, the harm caused to the mixed-race children resulting from the Belgian colonization. The following year, the Prime Minister Charles Michel at the time apologized to the mixed-race children of the Congo on behalf of the Belgian state. But in 2020, seeing that no action had been taken to compensate the victims, the plaintiffs went to court. The Belgian state, according to their lawyer, must agree to repair its crime. An apology for history, yes, but no reparations to the victims. The Belgian state did not have the courage to go all the way, to name the crime, because it was liable for damages, Hirsch told the Brussels court. A crime of the State and the Church The abductions of mixed-race children were organized by the Belgian state and carried out with the help of the Church, said the lawyer. Officials of the colonizing state were told to organize the abduction of children from mixed marriages and to place them in Catholic missions. From an early age, mixed-race children were taken from their mothers, even though they were not abandoned or neglected, neither orphans nor foundlings. The lawyer bases her request for recognition of a crime against humanity on two decrees which, according to her, establish a state policy. In 1911, Belgium applied to the Congo these two texts, which legalized the transport and confinement of mixed race children to philanthropic institutions or orphanages. These texts were the decree of July 12, 1890, which delegated to the State the protection of abandoned, orphaned, neglected or foundling children; and the decree of March 4, 1892, which authorized philanthropic and religious associations to take indigenous children placed under State guardianship into agricultural and professional colonies that they ran. The lawyer for the Belgian state, Clementine Caillet, contested during the Brussels civil court hearing the qualification of crime against humanity, which is not time-barred. She argued that a supposed fault of the State in this case the forced removal of children from their families must be taken up within a period of five years, and the current action therefore falls on the wrong side of a Statute of Limitations. Colonial archives still opaque The request of the five women goes further. They have asked the court to order the Belgian state to produce the archives concerning them. This request, addressed to the Foreign Affairs services concerned, remained unanswered until recently, and the requested documents have still not been made accessible. Another lawyer for the plaintiffs, Sophie Colmant, described an administrative imbroglio tending towards bad faith. The lawyer strongly criticized the new inventory of colonial archives inaugurated at the end of September, saying there was a poor GPS of the 20 kilometres of documents kept in Belgium. Designed, among other things, to allow mixed race children wanting to reconstitute their family history to access the archives concerning them, the tool is ineffective, says Colmant. Our clients are asking for full compensation for the harm done but also for the production of archives concerning them. These are administrative documents, exchanges of letters and telegrams within the institutions, civil status registers, etc. The Belgian state has not produced anything, not a single page, exclaimed the lawyer. Our clients need to take back their lives, their history, to pass it on. They are in search of their identity, their origins. The victims have asked for a provisional sum of 50,000 euros each in compensation and the appointment of an expert to evaluate precisely their moral damage, as well as the production of the said archives. In the meantime, they and their lawyers say they are closely following the Special Commission on the Belgian Colonial Past, which is supposed to shed light on Belgiums shameful practices of in the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. But this commission has still not started work. The court is deliberating and will render its decision in the coming weeks. As Ethiopian warplanes reportedly hit the Tigrayan capital with the first air strikes on the city since the early stages of the 11-month-old conflict, here is a timeline of the fighting in the restive northern region. Troops enter Tigray Military action begins on November 4, 2020 when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed orders a response to what he calls a traitorous attack on federal army camps in Tigray. He blames it on the regions ruling Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), which dominated Ethiopian politics for nearly three decades before Abiy took office in 2018. The TPLF denies responsibility and says the reported attack is a pretext for an invasion of Tigray. Tens of thousands flee to neighbouring Sudan. War crimes After 10 days of fighting, the United Nations warns of possible war crimes in Tigray. Neighbouring Eritrea with which Abiy signed a peace deal in 2018 that helped him win the Nobel Peace Prize is reported to have sent troops into Tigray to help Abiy. Capital falls Two weeks later, having rejected peace talks, Abiy launches an offensive on Tigrays capital Mekele. On November 28 he announces military operations are completed, but fighting continues, hindering aid supplies. Ethnic cleansing In February 2021 Amnesty International says Eritrean soldiers killed hundreds of civilians in November in the holy city of Axum. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urges Eritrea to withdraw and describes violence in western Tigray as ethnic cleansing. For months Ethiopia and Eritrea deny the involvement of Eritrean forces in the conflict. But on March 23 Abiy admits Eritrean troops were there and the next day the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission says they massacred more than 100 civilians in Axum. Withdrawal? In early April, Ethiopia says Eritrean troops have started to evacuate Tigray, but on April 15 the UN says there is no evidence of them pulling out. Famine As international outrage mounts, AFP obtains government documents showing Eritrean troops are looting and blocking food aid. In late May, US President Joe Biden calls for a ceasefire and says rights abuses must end. In June the World Food Programme warns of a risk of famine in Tigray. Elections are held across much of Ethiopia, but not in Tigray. Deadly market air strike At least 64 people are killed and 180 injured in an Ethiopian air strike on a market in Togoga on June 22. The attack was aimed at rebel fighters, Ethiopias military insists. Rebel advance Tigrays interim government flees on June 28 in the face of a rebel advance on Mekele. The federal government announces a unilateral ceasefire but the rebels who continue to push south vow to fight on if their demands are not met. On July 14, four days after Abiys party wins national elections, he vows to repel the rebels. The next day three Ethiopian regions deploy forces to back military operations in Tigray. Conflict spreads The conflict spreads to two neighbouring regions, Afar and Amhara, with Tigray rebels seizing Lalibela and its sunken rock-hewn churches, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in Amhara on August 5. Population called up The next day the rebels rebuff US calls to withdraw and Ethiopia warns it could deploy its entire defensive capability. On August 10 Abiy calls for civilians to join the armed forces. Mekele air strikes Abiy is sworn in for a new five-year term in office on October 4. Two weeks later, in a new phase in the conflict, Ethiopian aircraft carry out two air raids on Mekele, according to humanitarian, diplomatic and rebel sources. bur-ang-eab-fg/txw/ach Former President Bill Clinton has been released from a California hospital after being treated for an infection that spread to his bloodstream. Clinton walked out arm-in-arm with his wife and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before greeting hospital staff and giving a thumbs-up when asked how he was feeling. University of California Irvine Health Department of Medicine Executive Director Dr. Alpesh N. Amin, who had been overseeing Clinton's medical team, released a statement following Clinton's release. "President Clinton was discharged from UC Irvine Medical Center today. His fever and white blood cell count are normalized, and he will return home to New York to finish his course of antibiotics," Amin wrote. "On behalf of everyone at UC Irvine Medical Center, we were honored to have treated him and will continue to monitor his progress." Clinton had been admitted last week to the UC Irvine Medical Center's intensive care unit for a urinary tract infection that spread to his bloodstream. The former President, who was in good spirits throughout his treatment, had been treated in the ICU for privacy and safety, not because he needed intensive care, according to his doctors. Clinton, 75, had felt fatigued on Tuesday and was admitted to the hospital after testing, according to his office. The former President was in California for a private event for his foundation, and Hillary Clinton went to the event on Thursday evening to "represent both of them" and then went to the hospital to be with him, a Clinton spokesman told CNN. As of Saturday, Clinton "continued to make excellent progress," according to his spokesperson Angel Urena, and remained in the hospital overnight to receive further IV antibiotics. According to a source familiar with the situation, the kind of antibiotic needed to treat Clinton's type of infection had to be administered via IV and not orally, which is why he remained in the hospital. The former President's doctors said urologic infections are very common in older people, and that they are easily treated, although they can quickly spread to the bloodstream. The 42nd President has faced other health challenges in the past. He underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery in 2004 and had two stents inserted to open one artery in 2010. This story has been updated with a statement from the UC Irvine Medical Center. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Frustrated with persistently low prices, ranchers and others in the beef industry are moving to reverse a long trend of consolidation and planning to open new slaughterhouses. The new plants typically cost more than $300 million, but they still will be much smaller than those owned by the four meat company giants that slaughter over 80% of the nation's cattle. That has led to some skepticism about whether the new independent plants can succeed. David Briggs is the CEO of a proposed plant in western Iowa. He says acknowledges the tough odds but says cattle people are risk takers. EUGENE, Ore. -- An alleged burglar was shot and killed after entering a south Eugene apartment early Monday morning, Eugene police said. The Eugene Police Department responded to reports of a burglary in progress around 3:40 a.m. at South Crest Apartments on Donald Street. According to officials, neighbors called 911 to report gunfire before patrol officers were able to arrive on scene. When police arrived, they found the suspect inside the apartment and tried to perform CPR, but he was already dead. A man and a woman live in the apartment. Officials said it was the man who pulled the trigger on the suspect. Both of the residents of the apartment were cooperating with police. Violent crimes detectives have been notified and are investigating the incident. There is no ongoing threat to the public. This is a developing news story. EUGENE, Ore.The deadline for the vaccination mandate is Monday, and hundreds across the state may lose their job if they do not show proof of vaccination or get an approved exemption. RELATED: AS OREGON VACCINE MANDATE DEADLINE LOOM, CORRECTIONS WORKERS ARE NEARLY 80% VACCINATED Governor Kate Brown first announced the mandate for state workers on August 10. She later expanded it to include health care workers and educators on August 19. State employee "John" works at the Department of Human Services. "They would wish for me to disclose my medical information, which I feel is a slippery slope down a bad path," John said. John doesn't support the vaccine mandate and is in limbo right now as he waits to see if his religious exemption will be approved on Monday. "My abilities to do my job have not changed one iota, but you are going to fire me on something I can't read a five-year report on," John said. As of last month, more than 2,000 Oregon state workers filed an exemption. Of those, 90% were religious requests. John said he never imagined he might be out of a job because of a medical choice. "Our government should always be the 'you are free to do what you wish, but we would like for you to do this,'" John said. Employers can ask additional questions to determine the sincerity of someone's religious exemption claim. But lawyers said suggesting a claim is unreasonable becomes more complicated. MORE: SCHOOL DISTRICTS PREPARING FOR STAFF VACCINATION DEADLINE For John, he's just hoping he can keep his job during this difficult time. He said if his exemption is denied, the DHS will give him another six weeks to get fully vaccinated. Some people told KEZI 9 News the mandate is a good thing, saying everyone should get the shot to keep them and those around them safe. "It doesn't make sense to not mandate it; we kind of have to," said health care student Lizzie Wilson. Wilson said she believes the mandate is necessary. But others said these mandates are taking away their freedom. "I don't feel like anyone should have to be forced to do anything, especially here in America -- we are free, and we should have the ability to choose what we want to do," said Eugene resident Jeremy Crowder. Despite the mandate deadline approaching, Lane County said they have not seen an uptick these past few weeks in first or second doses. They said people getting their shots were primarily for Pfizer booster doses. President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to two of the most significant figures within Irish literature, Maire Mhac an tSaoi and Brendan Kennelly, who both died over the weekend. Irish language poet Maire Mhac an tSaoi died at home on Saturday night at the age of 99. Considered one of the most important Irish language poets of her time, she was also the first woman to be called to the bar in Ireland, and the first woman to make it into the department of external affairs through public competition. Poet and author Brendan Kennelly died on Sunday at Aras Mhuire Community nursing home in Listowel where he had resided for the last two years. He was 85. He published over 30 books of poetry as well as works of prose and received numerous awards including the Irish PEN Award for Contribution to Irish Literature in 2010. He was also a popular broadcaster making frequent appearances on radio and television. "Going around the country he created huge audiences in extraordinary places for poetry," the President said of Mr. Kennelly, "He had crafted an extraordinary place in the affections of the Irish people." President Michael D Higgins speaks to RTE's Morning Ireland after the deaths of poets Brendan Kennelly and Maire Mhac an tSaoi | https://t.co/q3v5lTZbPP https://t.co/goWb98ZVXz RTE News (@rtenews) October 18, 2021 Speaking of Maire Mhac an tSaoi President Higgins said he had the privilege of meeting her, and she had a high standard and formalism in her commitment to the use of the Irish language. "Her fearless, powerful and intriguing personality led her to defy established convention and expectations in a unique way. A prolific writer she had a lifelong, and contagious, passion for the Irish language, and for the people of the Gaeltacht". He said that in her poetry Ms. Mhac an tSaoi explained that the proximity that Irish sounds and language had to nature and that "every sound has a reason for it" in Irish, which brought an authenticity to her work. Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland, he said that writing in Irish allowed her poetry to move above the self-censorship and formal censorship that happened in the English language at the time. MASON CITY, Iowa - The Iowa State Patrol said a man's life was saved by wearing a seatbelt following a crash Monday morning just east of Mason City. A crash closed a portion of Highway 122 at Thrush Ave. at the same location where serious accidents have happened in recent months. The state patrol said Michael Fox, 44, of Kensett, was injured in the crash when his vehicle collided with a Freightliner driven by Joel Crum, 41, of Nora Springs. Authorities said Fox's vehicle failed to yield at the stop sign and the vehicles crashed at the intersection. Fox was taken to MercyOne North Iowa for his injuries. WINNESHIEK COUNTY, Iowa - A wanted man who was on the run for more than a month is now in custody. The Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office said Jon Moreland, 41, was arrested in Clayton County on Thursday. Upon his release, he will be transported to Winneshiek County on outstanding warrants. He was also wanted out of Wisconsin for warrants. In September, authorities began searching for him after a suspicious person/situation. "As deputies approached the suspicious individual, he fled from deputies in a vehicle at a high rate of speed, and later abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into a remote area of Glenwood Township," authorities said. KANSAS CITY, Missouri Rochesters Ear of Corn water tower has been named the Peoples Choice for 2021. Tnemec, a coating and lining company in Kansas City, conducts an annual contest for the top water tank/tower of the year. After getting more than 5,000 votes in the last two weeks of the contest, the Ear of Corn water tower by Graham Park has been given the Peoples Choice award and will be considered with 11 other finalists in the Tank of the Year award. Tnemec says nearly 300 water tanks around the U.S. and Canada were nominated and the Tank of the Year will be announced Friday. Barricades are set up in front of Tongil Bridge in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, in this Sept. 24 photo. Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo A series of moves regarding North Korea are raising speculation that talks for a declaration to officially end the Korean War are gaining momentum. According to sources, Park Jie-won, head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), sat down for talks in Seoul, Monday, with Avril Haines, the U.S. director of national intelligence. Although details of their discussion were not made public, they were said to have talked about President Moon Jae-in's proposal for a declaration to formally end the war, and a subsequent push by Seoul and Washington to bring Pyongyang back to denuclearization talks. The two Koreas are still technically at war, as the 1950-53 conflict ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, and Moon suggested once again in his United Nations speech in September that the two Koreas and the United States, probably joined by China, declare a formal end to the war. In addition, the chief nuclear negotiators of the three countries are set to hold a trilateral meeting in Washington, D.C., Tuesday (local time), further fueling conjecture that an "end-of-war" declaration may be high on the agenda. "I expect more in-depth discussions on various issues at the working level, including the end-of-war declaration," Noh Kyu-duk, Seoul's top nuclear envoy, told reporters at Dulles International Airport, Saturday. A poster for "My Name" / Courtesy of Netflix By Lee Gyu-lee Netflix's new series "My Name" has ranked fourth on a global streaming chart, following Netflix sensation "Squid Game," the U.S. series "YOU," and "Maid," according to the streaming analytics platform FlixPatrol, Sunday. The action crime series, which premiered on the platform Friday, topped the daily streaming chart in Korea on the day of release and ranked second in five other countries Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. The series has ranked among the top 10 on charts of daily streaming rankings in various countries, including fifth in Mexico and New Zealand, and sixth in the U.S. and Turkey. Directed by Kim Jin-min, who led Netflix's hit crime series "Extracurricular," the female-centric series revolves around a revenge-driven woman named Ji-woo (Han So-hee). Colin Powell, the first Black US secretary of state whose leadership in several Republican administrations helped shape American foreign policy in the last years of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st, has died from complications from Covid-19, his family said on Facebook. He was 84. "General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19," the Powell family wrote on Facebook. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," they said, noting he was fully vaccinated. Powell was a distinguished and trailblazing professional soldier whose career took him from combat duty in Vietnam to becoming the first Black national security adviser during the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency and the youngest and first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush. His national popularity soared in the aftermath of the US-led coalition victory during the Gulf War, and for a time in the mid-90s, he was considered a leading contender to become the first Black President of the United States. But his reputation would be forever stained when, as George W. Bush's first secretary of state, he pushed faulty intelligence before the United Nations to advocate for the Iraq War, which he would later call a "blot" on his record. Though he never mounted a White House bid, when Powell was sworn in as Bush's secretary of state in 2001, he became the highest-ranking Black public official to date in the country, standing fourth in the presidential line of succession. "I think it shows to the world what is possible in this country," Powell said of his history-making nomination during his Senate confirmation hearing. "It shows to the world that: Follow our model, and over a period of time from our beginning, if you believe in the values that espouse, you can see things as miraculous as me sitting before you to receive your approval." Later in his public life, he would grow disillusioned with the Republican Party's rightward lurch and would use his political capital to help elect Democrats to the White House, most notably Barack Obama, the first Black president whom Powell endorsed in the final weeks of the 2008 campaign. The announcement was seen as a significant boost for Obama's candidacy due to Powell's widespread popular appeal and stature as one of the most prominent and successful Black Americans in public life. Powell is survived by his wife, Alma Vivian (Johnson) Powell, whom he married in 1962, as well as three children. Guwahati, October 18: The Assam Police have sounded an alert over possible terror strikes by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and terror outfit al-Qaeda over alleged persecution of Muslims in the state. A circular issued by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) on Saturday said the alert has been issued following reports received from the Special Branch of the state police. The circular said the ISI is planning to target individuals including Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) cadres and army areas in Assam and other places in India'. There is also a threat from global terror outfits to indulge in spectacular action by restoring to explosion of bombs/ IEDs in places of mass gathering/ mass transport/ religious places, etc''. Another input quoted in the circular said the al-Qaeda has called for jihad in Assam and Kashmir. The circular further said the general secretariat of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has released a statement regarding the Dhalpur eviction drive in Assam's Darrang district, which had claimed the lives of two persons. Over 20 people were injured, including policemen, in the anti-encroachment drive against illegal settlers at Dhalpur in September. Mobile Internet Services Suspended in Parts of Kashmir Valley as Precautionary Measure. In the statement released through Twitter, the OIC has condemned the systematic persecution and violence ramped up against the Muslim community in Assam'. Given the inputs, the state's entire police machinery has been asked to take preventive and precautionary measures to thwart any evil design by global terror outfits and fundamental/ radical elements'. All ground sources and intelligence gathering machinery have been asked to be geared up in the districts. (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 [India] October 18 (ANI): Shortly after the BJP alleged that Congress leader Tariq Hameed Karra had claimed that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel colluded with Muhammad Ali Jinnah to keep Kashmir out of India, Karra on Saturday termed the remarks 'serious' and blamed a section of the media for misrepresenting facts. "I don't know what quarters want to misrepresent it. I read in a leading newspaper today where they had misrepresented facts. It has to be seen who said these things outside, it's serious," Karra told ANI while reacting to reports of his alleged remarks at CWC targeting Sardar Patel. Also Read | What Justin Fontenelle Says It Takes To Grow a Business. Earlier today, addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra questioned whether Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had objected to Karra's remarks during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Saturday. "Today it has been published in the newspapers that in the CWC meeting held two days ago, some questions were raised regarding Kashmir. At the meeting, senior Congress leader and CWC member Tariq Hameed Karra created an atmosphere of confusion regarding Kashmir. He also said Jawaharlal Nehru ji had integrated Jammu and Kashmir into India and Sardar Patel tried to keep Kashmir out of India," Patra said. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccination: First Children-Friendly Vaccination Centre Comes Up in Delhi. "Karra had said that Sardar Patel colluded with Jinnah and was trying to keep Kashmir separate from India. When Sardar Patel was being vilified in the CWC meeting, did Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi object to it?" he asked. Patra said that the BJP wanted to know if Karra will be removed from the Congress Working Committee (CWC). "Karra, who hails from Kashmir had only one aim at the CWC meeting that was to make Rahul Gandhi AICC president again. We all know that Congress is a party of only one family. The sole goal of Congress is how it can carry forward the legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi family and maintain the culmination of sycophancy. BJP wants to know if Karra has been reprimanded and if he will be removed from the CWC," the BJP leader said. (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, October 18: Northern Railway on Monday morning informed that 30 locations have been affected and eight trains have been regulated following the rail roko protests. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers' unions, said it will hold a peaceful nationwide rail roko protest from 10 am to 4 pm demanding justice for Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Man Booked For Sending Ex-Girlfriends Obscene Photos to Her Fiance. Chief Public Relation Officer of the Northern Railways in an official communique, said, "As of now, 30 locations are affected and 8 trains regulated in Northern Railway Zone." A statement issued by the umbrella body of farmers' unions on Sunday read, "To press for its demand for Ajay Mishra's dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be secured in Lakhimpur Kheri violence, SKM has announced a nation-wide rail roko program on October 18." Also Read | Delhi Shocker: Tea-Seller Shot at By Group of Boys in Inebriated State Following Argument. "SKM put out a call to its constituents to stop rail traffic for six hours on October 18, between 10 am and 4 pm. SKM asked for this action to be taken up peacefully, without any destruction and damage of any kind to any railway property," it said further. A total of eight people including four farmers died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that took place on October 3. However, Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni had refuted the allegations saying that his son was not present at the site of the incident. Ashish reiterated the same and refuted SKM's allegations. Later, several people, including Ashish Mishra, were arrested in the case. (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, Oct 18 (PTI) Enterprise communication services firm Route Mobile on Monday posted around 28 per cent increase in its consolidated net profit to Rs 42 crore in the second quarter ended on September 30, 2021. Also Read | What Justin Fontenelle Says It Takes To Grow a Business. The company had registered a profit of Rs 32.72 crore in the same quarter a year ago. Also Read | Technology, in Particular Semiconductors. The consolidated revenue from operations of Route Mobile increased by around 25 per cent to Rs 438.11 crore during the reported quarter from Rs 354.5 crore in the corresponding quarter of 2020-21. The UK was the top contributor in the company's overall revenue followed by India, Dubai, Nigeria and others. The company's segment revenue from the UK stood at Rs 291.85 crore, India contributed Rs 105.9 crore, Dubai Rs 63.76 crore, Nigeria 29.33 crore and others Rs 10.55 crore. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London, Oct 18 (AP) Celebrities joined Prince William in London on Sunday for the inaugural awards ceremony of his Earthshot Prize, an ambitious environmental program aimed at finding new ideas and technologies around the world to tackle climate change and Earth's most pressing challenges. Actors Emma Thompson, Emma Watson and David Oyelowo were joining Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, in handing out the awards at Alexandra Palace in north London. Also Read | Macabre, Popular Game in China, Sparks Concerns From Chinese Government Officials About Its 'Gory Content'. Guests were asked to consider the environment when choosing their outfit," so Watson arrived wearing a gown made of 10 dresses from the charity Oxfam. Kate wore an Alexander McQueen dress made for her in 2011, while her husband wore a dark green velvet blazer and a polo neck. William and his charity, The Royal Foundation, launched the Earthshot Prize last year, inspired by President John F. Kennedy's 1962 Moonshot speech that challenged and inspired Americans to go to the moon. Also Read | Pakistan: 7 Members of Family Killed in House Fire in Muzaffargarh. The prize, to be awarded to five winners every year until 2030, is billed as the most prestigious of its kind. Each winner will receive a grant worth 1 million pounds ($1.4 million) to develop and scale up their ideas. There's been lots of amazing ideas over the past decades but it's the implementation that really counts, so that's what this is all about. So it's really a reason to be cheerful, Thompson said. In a pre-recorded short video, William said: We are alive in the most consequential time in human history. The actions we choose or choose not to take in the next 10 years will determine the fate of the planet for the next 1,000," he said. Many of the answers are already out there," he added. But we need everyone, from all parts of society. to raise their ambition and unite in repairing our planet. The finalists include a 14-year-old student who proposes using solar energy to replace charcoal to power millions of roadside ironing carts in India; a land-based coral farm in the Bahamas to restore dying coral reefs; a community project in Congo devoted to protecting gorillas; and a Kenyan enterprise that turns organic waste into fertilizer and insect protein for farmers. The ceremony comes days ahead of the COP26 U.N. climate change summit in Glasgow, which begins on Oct. 31. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London, Oct 18 (AP) Ford Motor Co. plans to spend up to 230 million pounds ($315 million) to turn a transmission factory in northwest England into a plant that will make electric power units for cars and trucks sold throughout Europe. The carmaker said Monday that the Halewood plant would begin producing the power units, which replace the engine and transmission used in internal combustion engines, by mid-2024. Also Read | Afghanistan Crisis: Afghans Struggling To Cope With Winter Season Amid Price Hike. Capacity is planned to be around 250,000 units a year. Ford said the investment includes support from the British government, though it did not specify the amount. Also Read | Bangladesh Communal Violence: ISKCON Calls Upon Sheikh Hasina Govt To Ensure Minorities' Safety. Ford is one of the U.K.'s largest exporters, shipping engines and transmissions from its plants to more than 15 countries on six continents. This is an important step, marking Ford's first in-house investment in all-electric vehicle component manufacturing in Europe,'' said Stuart Rowley, president of Ford of Europe. Ford plans to sell nothing but all-electric passenger vehicles in Europe by 2030, with two-thirds of commercial vehicle sales expected to be all-electric or plug-in hybrid by that date. (AP) VM (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 [India], October 18 (ANI): India and UK held their inaugural maritime dialogue and discussed cooperation in the maritime domain, Indo-Pacific, regional and multilateral cooperation. An MEA release stated that the consultations, which were led by the two Foreign Ministries, involved exchanges on cooperation in the maritime domain, Indo-Pacific and regional/ multilateral cooperation. Also Read | UK to Impose Visa Penalties to Speed Up Deportations of Illegal Migrants. The maritime dialogue was held in a virtual format as agreed in the India-UK Roadmap 2030 for future relations adopted at the virtual summit between the two Prime Ministers in May 2021, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. Back in May, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed on a common vision of a new and transformational Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK, underpinned by their shared commitment to democracy, fundamental freedoms, multilateralism and a rule-based international order. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccine Update: China's Inhalable Ad5-nCoV Vaccine May Boost Antibodies Upto 300-Fold, Claims Report. They had adopted an ambitious India-UK Roadmap to 2030 to steer cooperation for the next ten years. Earlier this month, the two Prime Ministers had a phone conversation and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, and Roadmap 2030. A Downing Street spokesperson had said, "The leaders also talked about the current situation in Afghanistan. They agreed on the need for a coordinated international approach to engagement with the Taliban, emphasising the importance of upholding human rights in the country. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Oct 18 (PTI) Indian Americans from South Florida along with their Jewish friends on Sunday held a demonstration against the growing Islamist terrorism in Kashmir. Organised by the Kashmir Hindu Foundation, the protesters raised slogans like stop Islamist jihad against minorities in Kashmir" and fight back Islamist terrorism. Also Read | Macabre, Popular Game in China, Sparks Concerns From Chinese Government Officials About Its 'Gory Content'. Deepak Ganju, the founding member of the KHF, urged the global community to wake up and understand that what is happening in Kashmir is the worst violation of human rights anywhere in the world. Many protesters said their families were forced to flee in 1990 and they do not feel safe in returning to their homes, a media release said. Also Read | Pakistan: 7 Members of Family Killed in House Fire in Muzaffargarh. The protesters called upon the Government of India to take strong measures to safeguard remaining minority members in the Valley and ensure that no more targeted killings take place. Former US Congressman Joe Kaufman spoke on the relevance of exposing the "terrorist sympathising organisations" like the Islamic Society of North America and ICNA. ICNA is the American arm of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), South Asia's largest Islamist group. ICNA has spent 30-plus years harbouring Ashrafuz Zaman Khan, a former death squad leader allegedly responsible for the murder of 18 individuals. In July 2014, ICNA co-sponsored a pro-Hamas rally in downtown Miami, the press release said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Seoul [South Korea], October 18 (ANI/Sputnik): South Korea has decided to increase its target reduction level of greenhouse gas emissions to 40% by the end of the decade, President Moon Jae-in said on Monday. "We have significantly raised the main bar from 26.3% to 40% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. This is an ambitious goal to reduce [greenhouse gases], and the maximum that we can do in our conditions," Moon said at a carbon neutrality committee meeting in Seoul. Also Read | Afghanistan Crisis: Afghans Struggling To Cope With Winter Season Amid Price Hike. He reasserted South Korea's determination to reach net zero emissions by 2050, as stipulated in the national economic strategy developed in December 2020. Under the Green New Deal, the government has earmarked $6.7 billion for the investment in green recovery and renewable energy sources. Last year, greenhouse gas emissions in South Korea amounted to 648.6 million tonnes, a 7.3% decrease compared to 2019. (ANI/Sputnik) Also Read | Bangladesh Communal Violence: ISKCON Calls Upon Sheikh Hasina Govt To Ensure Minorities' Safety. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kabul [Afghanistan], October 18 (ANI): The ninth evacuation flight from Kabul carrying 353 evacuees departed for Qatar on Sunday marking one of the largest evacuation flights from Afghanistan since the Taliban's hostile takeover. The flight from Afghanistan is carrying 353 evacuees, including faculty, staff, and students from the American University of Afghanistan, as well as citizens of Afghanistan, the US, the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia, CNN reported citing the official reports. Also Read | Macabre, Popular Game in China, Sparks Concerns From Chinese Government Officials About Its 'Gory Content'. Upon arrival in Doha, the passengers will be transported to a facility currently hosting evacuees, where they will be tested for Covid-19. They will remain in Doha until departing for their ultimate destination, CNN reported. "Qatar will continue to work with international partners on efforts that ensure freedom of movement in Afghanistan, including through serving as an active mediator between various parties. We remain focused on providing humanitarian aid to the country and are dedicated to promoting a stable and peaceful Afghanistan moving forward," a Qatari official said in a statement. Also Read | Pakistan: 7 Members of Family Killed in House Fire in Muzaffargarh. Meanwhile, the US media had also informed that Washington intends to resume evacuation flights from Afghanistan by the end of this year. After the Taliban's hostile takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, hundreds of people rushed to the airport, which resulted in several days of chaos. As foreigners and Afghans who helped foreign forces were striving to leave, the airport was shaken by terrorist attacks organized by a local affiliate of the Islamic State terrorist group, Sputnik reported. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kushinagar International Airport on 20thOctober 2021 in the presence of Smt. Anandiben Patel, Governor, Uttar Pradesh; Shri Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister, UP; and Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister for Civil Aviation among others. The International Airport will get operational this week to ease cumbersome travel of earlier times and facilitate the air travel requirements of International Buddhist pilgrims in India.The inaugural flight will land at the airport from Colombo, Sri Lanka carrying 125 dignitaries & Buddhist Monks, highlighting the convenience to Buddhists across the world to visit the Mahaparinirvana Sthal of Lord Buddha. Key Highlights: Prime Minister to also address at a programme at the Budhist site of Mahaparinirvana Stupa and Temple after the inauguration of the Airport in which Sri Lankan Buddhist Monks and Ministers of Government of Sri Lanka will take part. Tourism is also organising a tourism promotional event at Kushinagr in which key tour operators handling Buddhist Circuit will participate. The presence of airport is expected to increase tourist inflow by 20%(as per UP government estimates). . It will also lead to creation of more employment opportunities for the locals. Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh Given Approval by Union Cabinet. The Airports Authority of India, in its continuous endeavour to upgrade airport infrastructure in the country, has developed the Kushinagar Airport with new terminal building spread across 3600sqm,at an estimated cost of Rs 260crore in association with Govt. of Uttar Pradesh considering the demand of the domestic & international visitors and pilgrimage. The new terminal is equipped to handle 300 passengers during peak hours. Kushinagar is an International Buddhist Pilgrimage Centre, where LordGautam Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana.It is also the centre point of the Buddhist circuit, which consists of pilgrimage sites at Lumbini, Sarnath and Gaya. The airport will help in attracting more followers of Buddhism from home and abroad to Kushinagar and will enhance the development of Buddhist theme based circuit. Journey of Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Rajgir, Sankisa and Vaishali of Buddhist circuit will be covered in lesser time. Inauguration of the Kushinagar Airport will facilitate the pilgrims from across different parts of the world by providing seamless connectivity to various Buddhist sites in the region. Direct aviation connectivity with South Asian countries will make it easier for tourists arriving from Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singaporeetc to reach Kushinagar and experience the rich heritage of the region. Tourism inflow is expected to rise by upto 20% with inauguration of the flight. The Kushinagar International Airport will not only put the pilgrimage site on International Aviation Map but also give boost to economic development of the region. It will have a multiplier effect on the hospitality industry by promoting hotel business, tourism agencies, restaurants etc. It will create employment for local people by opening the immense amount of opportunities in feeder transport services, local guide jobs etc. Local industry and products will get global recognition.It will promote cultural awareness and willalsohelp to preserve local culture and traditions. The development of the airport at Kushinagar will help in developing Kushinagar as one of the four principal places of Buddhist Pilgrimage. It will help to impart Kushinagar the pre-eminence it deserves as part of Buddhist Circuit. Further, it will lead to development of India as the original Buddhist center and spread of principles of Buddhism across the world. The airport will serve a population of more than twocrore, since the airport has a hinterland of around10-15 Districts and will be a great support for large migrant population of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Western / Northern Part of Bihar. This will also boost the opportunities for export of horticultural products like Banana, Strawberries and Mushroom. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2021 05:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). There Mark Zuckerberg goes again, showing off his Chinese-speaking skills. The Facebook CEO whose product is still blocked by Chinese censors has been studying the language for about five years now, perhaps in the hope of boosting his companys business prospects on the mainland. This past weekend, he gave a 22-minute speech at Tsinghua University in Beijing entirely in Mandarin Chinese. Non-Chinese-speakers were given simultaneous translation headsets to understand. This outing comes after Zuckerberg tried out his Mandarin on Chinese President Xi Jinping recently, and delivered some other remarks in Mandarin at Tsinghua last year. Zuckerbergs relentless China charm offensive has also included hosting Chinas Internet czar at Facebooks Silicon Valley headquarters last year, and leaving a copy of Xis collected writings in prominent view. A state-run news outlet in China later reported that Zuckerberg told the official, Lu Wei, about the book: I want my colleagues to understand socialism with Chinese characteristics. (Thats Communist party-speak for Chinas blend of capitalism and authoritarianism.) Advertisement Zuckerberg joined the board of Tsinghua Universitys School of Economics and Management a year ago and was participating in a student dialogue with board members. His remarks dealt with the subjects of mission, caring and thinking ahead. This was also my first real speech in any language sharing how I started thinking about Facebooks mission, what has kept me going through challenging times and what our mission means now looking ahead for our community of 1.5 billion people, Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page. The Chinese market could easily be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Facebook. SIGN UP for the free California Inc. business newsletter >> Many native-English speakers appear impressed with Zuckerbergs pursuit of Chinese, though native-Mandarin speakers say he still has a ways to go, particularly on pronunciation. This is great. When you use another language to reach a new audience, it helps ideas to transcend cultural boundaries in a way that a translation tends not to do, wrote one Facebook user, Christa J. Laser. Very admirable! Said another, Justin Codero: Mark Zuckerberg speaks Mandarin Chinese as a second language better than some Americans speak their native English. But one commenter on Sina Weibo, a popular Chinese social-media platform, said: Thank God Im bilingual, so when I failed to understand his Chinese I could read the English subtitles! Another wrote: It took me a while to understand his ren (Chinese for people) and shi ming (Chinese for mission). His Chinese sounds like a foreign language! While a number of high-profile Chinese CEOs such as Alibabas Jack Ma and Sohus Charles Zhang speak fluent English, Zuckerbergs pursuit of Chinese highlights the dearth of Mandarin-speaking U.S. business titans. The language is considered difficult because it has so many written characters, and because it relies in part on rising and falling tones that can change the meaning of words. Facebook is blocked in China along with Twitter, Google and scores of other foreign websites Chinese authorities object to, though many people use VPN software to get around the blockages. Still, it wasnt clear how many people in Zuckerbergs audience were Facebook users. Although Zuckerberg still gets tones incorrect and pauses in awkward places, his speaking ability has improved significantly compared with his Q&A session at the same university almost a year ago. His vocabulary and grammar have advanced, along with his ability to add idioms that generated several rounds of applause. He employed popular Chinese proverbs such as, If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle, which means that if you work hard enough, you can make the impossible possible. That could be Zuckerbergs attitude toward cracking the Chinese market. Zuckerberg met Xi, the Chinese president, in Seattle this past September at a confab with U.S. tech executives. He spoke to Xi for about a minute. On a personal note, this was the first time Ive ever spoken with a world leader entirely in a foreign language. I consider that a meaningful personal milestone, he said in a message on Facebook. Zuckerbergs wife, Priscilla Chan, is of Chinese descent; Zuckerberg has said that part of his motivation for studying Mandarin is also to communicate with her elder family members. The couple is expecting a baby shortly, and Zuckerberg was said to have asked Xi at the White House to suggest a name for his child (a request the Chinese president reportedly refused). Some Chinese netizens suggested learning a second language might be a smart soft approach for business leaders. Zuckerberg might have set a new model for CEOs of other companies that cannot operate in China, wrote one Weibo user. What are you waiting for, the CEO of Google? ALSO Families are choosing this L.A. school over privates and charters 63 years overdue: Alabama man returns library book checked out in 1952 Helicopter crash that killed 2 Marines caused by improper maintenance, inquiry shows Gabby Petito's parents on Sunday said that Brian Laundrie's "quiet and polite" appearance had deceived them. In an interview with the Australian television newsmagazine show "60 Minutes," Petito's mom, Nichole Schmidt, said Laundrie "seemed like a nice guy," and thought he would take care of her daughter. "He's [Laundrie] very polite and quiet," Nichole Schmidt noted, adding that Laundrie would even read books to "her little one at night." Petito's stepfather, Jim Schmidt, said every time Laundrie would come over, he was polite and talked to their other children, who also liked him. When Petito embarked on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie and blogged about the trek on social media, Petito's mom said she reminded her daughter to be careful, be aware of her surroundings, and told her not to trust anybody. Although she was worried, Nichole Schmidt admitted that she still felt safe because Petito was with Laundrie. "I felt like she [Gabby Petito] would be OK... I thought he [Brian Laundrie] would take care of her," she noted. Petito's father, Joe Petito, said her daughter did look happy but noted that "as we look more and more into this, it might not have been as great as people online perceived." Petito's parents said they wanted to see Brian Laundrie behind bars and spend the rest of his life in prison. Jim Schmidt said they wanted "vengeance and justice" and for Petito's fiance "to pay for his crimes." "I just want to get him in a cell for the rest of his life," Nichole Schmidt added. READ NEXT: Dog the Bounty Hunter Tells Brian Laundrie 'Let Me Have You' as He Furiously Calls for Gabby Petito's Fiance to End the Chase Gabby Petito Foundation Starts First Fundraiser in New York Fox News reported that the first fundraiser event for the Gabby Petito Foundation kicked off on Sunday. According to staff members and volunteers, around 200 people dropped by at the planned six-hour event at 89 North in Patchogue, New York. To enter the event, attendees should give a $20 donation fee. Aside from the music, raffles, food, and donations, a metal bracelet engraved with "Justice for Gabby" was also being sold at the event for $20. The said foundation founded by Petito's parents aims to help the families of other missing persons. Firefighters from Blue Point Fire Department, where Petito's stepfather is currently the active ex-chief, were among those who arrived to help in the event. "We're volunteering to help out a good cause," Blue Point Fire Department Assistant Chief Sean Meehan said, adding that Petito "is one of their family members," and they would help in any way they could. The family's attorney said the fundraiser raised around $13,700 for the Gabby Petito foundation. Florida Cops Warn Protesters to Stop Harassing Brian Laundrie's Parents Meanwhile, officers from the North Port Police Department on Sunday warned the protesters at Brian Laundrie's home not to harass the parents of the Florida fugitive, The Daily Mail reported. Police arrived at the scene to caution YouTuber Marissa Zdazinsky, who approached the Laundrie family's home twice and left pictures of Petito on the doorstep, and other protesters to keep their distance. Police also asked them to stop using bullhorns to annoy the elder Laundries. The warning from the officers came after Laundrie's father, Christopher Laundrie, was seen over the weekend clearing out parts of a tribute to Petito erected on the family's lawn. Laundrie's parents are under pressure to help police find their son, who remains on the loose. The elder Laundries said they last saw their son on September 13, leaving home to go to the Carlton Reserve area for a hike. They announced that he was missing on September 17. Petito disappeared during the cross-country road trip with Laundrie. The couple was traveling to Oregon when the YouTuber stopped communicating with her family in Wyoming in late August. Brian Laundrie was named a person of interest by North Port police after returning home on September 1 or 10 days before Gabby Petito was reported missing by her family. Petito's body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19. Last week, Wyoming coroner Brent Blue announced that Gabby Petito was strangled to death by "human force," and the manner of death was homicide. The FBI has already issued a federal arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie but over debit card fraud. READ MORE: Dog the Bounty Hunter Shows up at Brian Laundrie Sister's Home as Search Continues for Gabby Petito's Fiance This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Gabby Petito's Heartbroken Family Make Desperate Plea in Search for Justice - From 60 Minutes Australia After a news report revealed that vulnerable California kids removed from their families lived in deplorable conditions inside a county care office building, a central county executive has pledged he would find a better place for them. According to ABC News, Fresno County Administrative Officer Jean Rousseau on Thursday apologized to the California kids, who were forced to stay at the office building in inexcusable condition until social workers could find homes for them. The said building also served as the central hub for Fresno County's Child Protective Services. California Kids Sleep on Tables, Urinate on Water Bottles Based on the report of The Fresno Bee, the California kids housed in the office building were sleeping on conference tables, eating fast food, and urinating in water bottles in the building. Aside from the kids suffering while staying at the office building, Rousseau also apologized to the workers who oversaw them. Rousseau expressed his frustration and told The Bee that he was not informed regarding the situation sooner. "This is unacceptable. I should have known earlier, and we're going to rectify it immediately," Rousseau noted. Rousseau said that starting this weekend, the California kids would be housed at a different office building on a former medical center campus until they could be housed in a new location that should be finished after a month of construction. READ NEXT: Leader of California's Largest Union Alma Hernandez Arrested on Charges of Tax Fraud, Embezzlement Charges The Situation at California County Care According to The Fresno Bee report, social workers working in the county's child welfare system revealed that the place was understaffed and overwhelmed about the number of kids they would take care of. The social workers also said that there's a lack of housing for children who have been removed from their homes for their own safety. It resulted in some children staying at the offices of Child Protective Services until foster homes could be found for them. The report noted that the California kids were sleeping on conference tables or yoga mats on the floor in rooms with lights that do not turn off inside the building. The Bee added that the kids were sharing a single bathroom and could not use the shower. The report also revealed that the kids used water bottles to relieve themselves. A veteran social worker with Fresno County Department of Social Services' child welfare agency, Lorraine Ramirez, told The Bee that the California kids were staying in the building for a few hours to several weeks. Ramirez said there were no children in the building on some days, and on other days, there could be a dozen. The veteran social worker noted that the kids varied in terms of age and their medical needs. Ramirez added that the conditions were not tolerable and inhumane. READ MORE: California Becomes First State to Require Gender-Neutral Toy Aisles at Huge Department Stores; Mandate Covers Toys to Childcare Items This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Jess Smith WATCH: San Diego Child Care Providers Seeking Help From California - From ABC10 News Duane Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, doused the rumors that he has pitched a show about the search for Brian Laundrie to the A&E network. Dog the Bounty Hunter told The Sun that the rumors about him pitching a show to A&E were a "lie," adding that the search for the Florida fugitive will not give him a show. "Anything about us ever going to A&E, that is a lie. Will this search cause us to get a show? I doubt it," Chapman noted. While he dismissed claims that he's pitching a new show, the 68-year-old reality star admitted that it would be "absolutely" be easy for them to put up a show since they "got good ratings everywhere." He also admitted that the video he's recording during his search for Laundrie might be used in a show at some point but said he's currently not producing a show. "No, we're not putting this together for a show. Now would we use some of it? Absolutely. This is good stuff," Chapman noted. READ NEXT: Dog the Bounty Hunter Tells Brian Laundrie 'Let Me Have You' as He Furiously Calls for Gabby Petito's Fiance to End the Chase Dog The Bounty Hunter Says He Knows What To Tell the Parents of Gabby Petito's Fiance Dog the Bounty Hunter has been searching for Brian Laundrie since late last month. Last week, he said he would no longer go to Colorado to meet his doctor after injuring his ankle while searching for Laundrie in Florida's Fort De Soto Park. Chapman noted that he has decided to remain in Florida to continue his search for Petito's fiance. Dog The Bounty Hunter also previously told The Sun what he planned to tell the Laundrie family when he first knocked on their door. "I know a lot of things that over the 40 years of experience I have catching criminals, I know what to tell a parent," Chapman said. Duane Chapman noted that 50 to 70 percent of parents do not tell him where their kids were despite their knowledge of their whereabouts. "They will sit right there and lie to me like crazy. After I capture their son or daughter, then they say, 'Dog, we knew.' And I say, 'I know.' Then they say, 'What do you expect? It's my child'," Chapman said. Dog the Bounty Hunter then added that if Brian Laundrie is communicating with his parents through their lawyer, then the client's right privileges went "a little bit too far." "I really don't think the lawyer is that stupid," he noted. Ex-FBI Officer Says Dog The Bounty Hunter Should Back Off on Brian Laundrie's Search A former cop and an FBI officer were against Dog the Bounty Hunter's independent search for Brian Laundrie. Kevin Harrington, the COO of MG Security Services and a former NYPD detective chief, told The New York Post that no one in "real law enforcement respects people in fake law enforcement." Ex-FBI special agent Matthew Young also told The Post that the Chapman's trying to dig around for information "could, at times, sabotage" law enforcement operations. "Often, it's not helpful to law enforcement techniques and operations," Young said. Duane Chapman became famous for capturing Max Factor cosmetics heir Andrew Luster in Mexico. Luster was wanted for raping a series of women. Chapman then landed a reality show on A&E titled "Dog the Bounty Hunter," which featured him and his late wife Beth hunting down fugitives in Hawaii. The show became a hit for nine seasons before being canceled. Dog the Bounty Hunter has been searching for Gabby Petito's fiance since late last month. Authorities are still trying to locate Brian Laundrie after he was reported missing on September 17. Laundrie's parents said they last saw him on September 13, leaving home to go to the Carlton Reserve area for a hike. Brian Laundrie was named a person of interest by North Port police after returning home on September 1 or 10 days before Gabby Petito was reported missing by her family. Petito disappeared on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie. The couple was traveling to Oregon when the YouTuber stopped communicating with her family in Wyoming in late August. Petito's body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19. Last week, Teton County, Wyoming coroner Brent Blue said Petito was strangled to death by "human force," and the manner of death was homicide. READ MORE: Dog the Bounty Hunter Says Brian Laundrie's Parents Likely 'Abetted a Murderer' as 'Strangulation Is Not an Accident' This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Dog The Bounty Hunter's Fresh Leads In The Hunt For Brian Laundrie - From DoctorOz Officials blamed a Haitian gang for the kidnapping of 17 missionaries from the United States and Canada, some of them children, at a Haiti airport on Saturday. In a statement released on Sunday, the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries said the group of 16 U.S. citizens and one Canadian citizen includes five men, seven women, and five children. ABC News reported that a gang abducted the group at a checkpoint in Haiti during an airport run. A source at the Haitian presidential office told ABC News that the kidnapping occurred at the intersection of Carrefour Boen and La Tremblay 17. The Haitian government suspects the gang known as "400 Mawozo" of being responsible for the group's abduction. READ NEXT: Gunmen Stormed a Hotel in Mexico and Kidnapped 38 Guests, Including 22 Foreigners Kidnapping of 17 Missionaries in Haiti The Christian Aid Ministries said the missionaries were on their way home from an orphanage they were building. The Ohio-based organization urged people to pray that the Haitian gang members would "come to repentance," CBS News reported. The organization added that the mission's field director is working with the U.S. Embassy, and the field director's family stayed at the ministry's base while everyone visited the orphanage site. A spokesperson from the U.S. government said they were aware of the reports on the kidnapping in Haiti. The spokesperson added that State Department prioritizes the safety and welfare of U.S. citizens abroad. Authorities noted that Haitian gangs had demanded ransoms, with the amount being from a hundred dollars to more than a million. In the first eight months of 2021, at least 328 kidnapping victims were reported to Haiti's National Police. In 2020, a total of 234 were reported. A busload of passengers, schoolchildren, doctors, and police officers were among those that were kidnapped. In April, one gang kidnapped five priests and two nuns. Haitian Gang The Haitian gang, 400 Mawozo, reportedly controls the area where the missionaries were abducted in the suburbs of the country's capital, Port-au-Prince. 400 Mawozo were also blamed for the kidnapping of five priests and two nuns in April and the killing of Anderson Belony, a famous sculptor. Newer gangs such as 400 Mawozo are reportedly raping women and recruiting children. They also allegedly forced the young ones in their neighborhood to beat up those abducted. Churches have become a frequent target, with priests being kidnapped even mid-sermon, The New York Times reported. Some recently started a petition to condemn the region's rising gang violence, blaming the 400 Mawozo gangs and calling on the police to take action. Haitian police inspector Frantz Champagne said the recent kidnapping conducted by the gang was done while they were in Ganthier. For years, Americans weren't a target of kidnapping in Haiti, as gangs feared that there would be retaliation from the U.S. government. However, this marks a new brazen move for the 400 Mawozo. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti said in its report that police turmoil, good insecurity, malnutrition, and the rise in gang violence all contribute to the exacerbating humanitarian situation. On Friday, U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to expand the political mission in the poverty-stricken country. READ MORE: Immigrant Children at Border Have High Chance of Staying in the U.S. This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: 17 Missionaries Kidnapped by Gang in Haiti - From CBS News Kourtney Kardashian hinted wanting to spend the rest of her life with Travis Barker after she got engaged with the drummer on Sunday. Kourtney took to Instagram to express her excitement as she stepped up her relationship with her drummer boyfriend, making him her fiance. "Forever," the eldest Kardashian said in the caption of her IG post, paired with a photo of her and Barker together in the middle of red roses by the ocean. Several personalities commented on her post. Model Winnie Harlow expressed their thoughts about Kourtney's engagement. "Ahhh congratulations," Harlow said in her comment. READ NEXT: Kourtney Kardashian Posts Another Sweet Moment With Travis Barker as Her Hairdresser Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker Got Engaged Barker proposed at a beachside hotel in Montecito, California, TMZ reported. Barker made the atmosphere extra romantic, as he placed a floral arrangement on the sand before getting down on one knee popping the question that will both change their life. Meanwhile, an eyewitness told E! News that Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson were present in the venue when Barker proposed to Kourtney at around 6:30 p.m. "Kourtney looked very surprised to see Khloe and Tristan here [at the venue]," the source said, adding that the drummer escorted Kourtney to the beach where he arranged the flowers in a shape of a heart. The insider also noted that Kourtney was smiling from ear to ear as she placed her hand in her mouth looking surprised. Kim Kardashian West, Kourtney's sister, took to Twitter to cheer the couple calling them "Kravis." "KRAVIS FOREVER," Kim said in her tweet, with a video of Kourtney and Travis kissing each other. Kim also zoomed her camera on the diamond ring the drummer gave the "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star. "They are head over heels and never experienced love like this," said a source, adding that Kourtney is the happiest. "Travis adores her [Kourtney] and treats her so well. It's very different than her other relationships and all positive," the insider added. Another source claimed that Kourtney and Travis continue to blend their families together, pointing out that everybody in the reality star's side adores the drummer "and their families mesh seamlessly." It can be recalled that Kourtney shares three children with her ex, Scott Disick, while Travis Barker also shares three children with her ex-wife Shanna Moakler. Kourtney Kardashian Supports Travis Barker on SNL Kourtney Kardashian's engagement came a day after she went to the set of Saturday Night Live with her then-boyfriend, Travis Barker on Saturday where he performed on the show as the drummer for Young Thug's musical set. The reality star took to Instagram to post a slideshow of snaps featuring the two of them on the dressing room of SNL, having fun with each other's company. Kourtney appeared on the set of SNL after her sister Kim poked fun at her older sister, during a sketch entitled "The People's Kourt" where West played as a television judge version of her older sister. READ NEXT: Brian Austin Green Says He's 'Lucky' With Sharna Burgess, Following Divorce Settlement With Ex Megan Fox This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Kourtney & Travis Get Naughty Backstage at "SNL" - From E! News Major policing and army building projects in Portlaoise which will involve a multi-million euro investment will goahead according to Laois Offaly TD Sean Fleming. The Minister of State at the Department of Finance has said that the project for the new Garda Siochana Divisional Headquarters and Army building in Portlaoise is to proceed. He told the Expresss that the was satisfied the the projects would go ahead after having a face to face meeting with a senior official in the Office of Public works. The projects are listed in the new national development but were also listed in the plan which expires this year. However, the Fianna Fail TD said the new Laois, Offaly, Kildare Divisional Headquarters and Army building are expected to go to tender in quarter one 2022. He said the project involves restoration of the existing building plus a major extension. Minister Fleming said the new station will be 4,000 Sq. metres. He added that it is hoped the contractor can be appointed in the summer and works to commence in the second half of the year and is expected to be a two year contract. The Fianna Fail deputy said the HQ would be on the site of the current Garda Station and the adjoining Department of Defence property. He added that the building will be suitable for an increased number of Gardai and will include a six cell unit, facilities for the Traffic Corp. The Emergency Response Unit an evidence collection store will also be facilitated. Minister Fleming said the Army agreed earlier this year to relocate the facility for the soldiers from their existing location to an Irish Prison Service site beside the training centre, adjacent to the Midlands Prison. He said a planning application for this new facility was lodged earlier this year and is expected to be approved in the coming weeks. Minister Fleming added that the planning application was submitted under Part 9 of the 1993 Legislation which allows the Office of Public Works to apply for and grant permission in very limited exceptional circumstance in relation to the security of the State in situations like this. He said this new facility will be of a similar scale to the current facility and it will have the normal disability access and be designed as a near zero carbon building. Minister Fleming concluded that construction work on both projects will proceed simultaneously. It is not clear if final funding has been approved. Praise has been heaped on the volunteers and council workers who have helped the Laois town win the title of the cleanest town in Ireland. The CEO of Laois County Council has praised Portlaoise Tidy Town volunteers, his staff and local students for helping the town to win the IBAL title announced Monday, October 18. John Mulholland spoke at Monday's council meeting. This is a pivotal point for the development of Portlaoise. It is the quality mark for town management to achieve this standard. It shows that the more effort you put in, the more rewards can be reaped. I acknowledge the work of our town manager Simon Walton and area engineer Wesley Wilkinson, our own workers and Portlaoise Tidy Towns who have displayed a magnificent willingness to take on any task. It shows also the value of the student employment scheme during summer. Many come in every summer and they work early in the morning and throughout the day. That adds significantly to the overall appearance. This award is won by everyone in Laois as most visit Portlaoise at some time. I hope we can take other towns up to this standard we aspire to, he said. Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald praised Tidy Towns volunteers and the council for working in partnership. "It is fantastic news that Portlaoise is the tidiest town in Ireland. Well done to all the Tidy Towns volunteers and Laois County Council working in partnership. It is a huge improvement, not so long ago we were down the IBAL list. Fitzmaurice Place was picked out in particular. Over the last week I don't know how many people said to me the town is looking well. Massive congratulations," she said. Cllr Willie Aird compared the flower bedecked town to the tourist centre of Killarney in Kerry. "You couldn't but notice all the flowers. We are used to seeing it passing through Killarney and we have it here now. It's a great committee here in Portlaoise. The late Cllr Jerry Lodge and Cllr Kathleen O'Brien were huge soldiers in this area, we see the benefits now. "It is an absolutely huge achievement. For years we were so embarrassed with the points but the council gave huge commitment. Schoolchildren too play a huge role, you see them out with their parents at weekends, huge numbers of volunteers out filling bags," he said. There are now 482 Covid-19 patients in hospital, an increase of 76 since Saturday. Health Service Executive (HSE) CEO Paul Reid has said the number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 has risen by 44% over the last two weeks. It compares to 400 people on this day last week and 333 patients on this day two weeks ago. The number of patients with Covid-19 in ICU stands at 74. According to an update from the HSE last night, there were 11 adult public ICU beds left available in the system along with one paediatric ICU bed. Mr. Reid said: "Time for us all to hit the reset button. 1. If unvaccinated, you're at higher risk, resulting in a disproportionate impact. Do the right thing. 2. For the rest of us, time to do the basics well again. Both of the above work." A specialist in infectious diseases Professor Sam McConkey has said that the 'shocking and disappointing' rise in hospitalisations and ICU admissions as a result of Covid-19 is disrupting regular hospital services. Prof McConkey told RTE's Today with Claire Byrne that a quarter of the country's ICU beds are now being used to treat people with Covid-19 which he says "really disrupts the regular care" that can be provided to those who are very ill in Ireland. He said that the situation is "not a good way to go into winter with flu coming". Prof McConkey said that we should not see 22 October as "a freedom day" and that ventilation, mask wearing and physical distancing needs to continue in society. He said that with case numbers as high as they are now, he favoured allowing employees to continue to work from home where possible. He said that NIAC's position on the provision of booster vaccines is eagerly awaited and that ideally a booster should be provided for everybody but that 'the when and which one is a difficult question'. His comments come before a meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) later today ahead of the scheduled lifting of restrictions this Friday. Government is expected to receive NPHET advice before making an announcement later in the week. Waiting lists for children to see a hospital consultant have grown to 100,000 with many facing a wait of up to 14 years, according to the Irish Hospital Consultants Association. The association says Ireland is 'an outlier' in Europe in terms of healthcare, with almost 1 million people in the country now on a waiting list to see a hospital consultant for diagnosis, treatment and care. "That's one fifth of the entire population," the IHCA said this week. "The number of patients on a hospital waiting list is growing to unacceptable levels," they state. "Without action it could take as long as 14 years to reduce current waiting lists to a manageable level," the IHCA said. They said 208 people have been added to hospital waiting lists every day, over the past year. That's almost 9 people added per hour, 24 hours a day, the IHCA said. "A root cause of this problem is that Irish hospitals simply do not have the medical staff or beds required, to treat these patients in a timely manner. "Ireland has the lowest number of hospital consultants per 100,000 people in the EU," the IHCA said. Hospital waiting lists are at unmanageable levels. Last year almost 9 people were added every hour, 24 hours a day, to a waiting list.@DonnellyStephen@MichealMartinTD @LeoVaradkar @paulreiddublin how many more patients will be added before there is firm action? #CareCantWait pic.twitter.com/cjW2b61PiR IHCA (@IHCA_IE) October 8, 2021 The association said while the Irish public health service produces some of the most highly trained medical specialists, "poor working conditions and continued pay discrimination are forcing many doctors to emigrate and practise abroad". They say this means that as many as one in five hospital consultant positions in Ireland are vacant. Professor of Immunovirology at University College Cork, Liam Fanning, has called for antigen tests to be delivered weekly to households in Ireland in a bid to lower cases of Covid-19 this winter. The expert has said Ireland is an outlier when it comes to antigen testing and has called on the Government to supply anitgen tests to families in Ireland. Speaking to Newstalk radio he said: Theres a paralysis going on there, I dont understand it. Nobody can understand it. Here weve spent 40-odd billion plus as a result of this Covid pandemic. A few tens of millions on providing free antigen tests in every house in this country ship 10 of them to every family every week for the rest of the winter. It will prevent onward transmission of this infection. "I do not understand it." For rapid antigen testing, the tester will use a swab to take a sample from a person's nose. The result of an antigen test is generally available in less than an hour, and it can be as quick as 15 minutes. However, NPHET has yet to give antigen testing its full backing, with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan saying previously that antigen testing is "just not as good as PCR" testing. "Its not a skepticism of antigen testing, its the absence of evidence to show that they work well enough to recommend their use," Dr. Holohan said. A decision on further easing of restrictions is expected to be made on Tuesday, but speaking on Sunday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the Government is "not contemplating going backwards" on Covid-19 restrictions. Martin said that reintroducing restrictions was not on the table, however, a decision on the further easing of restrictions won't be made until next week. "We do not want to go back, and we are not contemplating going backwards," he said. "The only issue facing us now is going forward and that is a decision we will make on the advice we receive from NPHET (National Public Health Emergency Team)." Portlaoise Tidy Towns is delighted with the news that the town is top of Ireland's clean town league. Gerry Browne, chairman of the local committee, welcomed the finding that that Laois County Town is top of the Irish Business Against Litter League (IBAL) latest report. "What a great positive news story this morning, Portlaoise Tidy Towns are delighted to be named the cleanest town in Ireland in the latest IBAL report. "Congratulations to all our brilliant volunteers who give their time selflessly to keep Portlaoise pristine in winter and summer. We are very proud of our town and we have noticed many visitors remarking how beautiful and clean it is," he said. Mr Browne paid tribute to Laois County Council in particular the chief executive who has been a driving force in the Town Team. "This is as a result of collaboration between Tidy Towns and Laois County Council led by CEO John Mullholland, who continue to fully support our efforts," he said. Mr Brown thanked to Wes Wilkinson, Roy Glynn, Maeve Flynn and everyone in the Portlaoise Municipal District for all their help. "This result just doesnt happen of its own accord, it has taken many years of dedicated and tireless work by our brilliant volunteers and county council workers. Our town has never looked as well, with planting and many biodiversity projects being completed throughout the year," he said. The Tidy Towns chairman urged more people to get involved in looking after the town. "We would welcome with open arms more volunteers for areas of Portlaoise, a little done by a lot of people will make a huge difference," said Mr Browne who concluded with the Portlaoise Tidy Town's motto: Love where you Live. Portlaoise's acheivement in being rated as the cleaniest town in Ireland in the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) league has been hailed as 'momentous' by Laois Offaly TD Charlie Flangan. The Fine Gael representative congratulated everbody who has help the Laois county town make the top of the chart. I offer sincere congratulations to all of those involved in the good news that Portlaoise is a litter free town. Volunteers in Portlaoise Tidy Towns have worked tirelessly over the past number of years to improve the status of Portlaoise in various surveys and league tables. "Todays announcement is of momentous proportions particularly as results for the town over the years were not always favourable," he said. He praised Portlaoise Tidy Towns. "The work that the tidy town volunteers have done, particularly over Covid-19, is great credit to all involved and as the old saying goes the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Well done to all," he said. Dep Flanagan also gave his backing to the work done by traders. "Congratulations is also due to the many small business owners around the town centre and their staff for helping in this endeavour," he said. He reserved his final words for the local authority for putting its weight behind efforts. "I must also acknowledge the contribution of Laois County Council under the various public schemes that have made this result a really special occasion," he said. A Minister of Kildare was among those present at the launch of Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2021. Minister of State, Deputy Martin Heydon TD with responsibility for Research and Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development, Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine, joined Minister of State, Ossian Smyth TD with responsibility for Communications and Circular Economy, Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in launching Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2021. According to Deputy Heydon's Dept, the bioeconomy refers to the part of the economy which preserves nature and uses renewable biological resources from agriculture, forestry, marine and the organic waste system to produce food, feed, biobased materials, chemicals and energy; all while reducing waste, in support of achieving a sustainable, circular and climate neutral society. It is understood that over 30 events have been scheduled for the event. Commenting on the event, Deputy Heydon said: "Our world is seeking to develop sustainable systems for food, energy and production and consumption that provide a fair and prosperous future for all." "In response, part of the Irish Governments vision for Climate Action is to grow Irelands ambition to be a global leader for the Bioeconomy." Deputy Heydon explained that this will be achieved through a co-ordinated approach which will harness Irelands natural resources and competitive advantage: "Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2021 is a pivotal activity to raise awareness particularly for primary producers about the bioeconomy." "It is also offering a chance to build networks for future collaborations to meet economic, environmental, and societal needs in ways that are natural, circular, and sustainable." The weeklong series of events is coordinated by the Irish Bioeconomy Network. This network includes: Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, the Dept of Environment, Climate Change and Communications, BiOrbic SFI Bioeconomy Research Centre, Irish Bioeconomy Foundation, Teagasc, Bord Bia, Marine Institute, Udaras na Gaeltachta, IrBEA, Circular Bioeconomy Cluster South-West, ShannonABC, Irish Rural Link, CircBio Research Group, Circular Bioeconomy Cluster South West and The Green Institute. Event topics range will include: Education, Training and Skills in the Bioeconomy, Building A New Biobased Value Chain - Lab to Market, Food Waste: A Circular & Sustainable Food Systems in Ireland and also a Masterclass in Innovation with Mark Pollock. Further information at the event can be found at www.irishbioeconomy.ie, as well as the National Bioeconomy Summit website www.bioeconomy.ie. Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2021 will taking place between October 18 to October 22. Two Ministers with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will be attending a Kildare Farmers mart that will take place tomorrow. Ministers of State Deputy Martin Heydon, who is also a Fine Gael TD for Kildare South, will be joined by Fianna Fail's Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue to meet with local farmers. They will hear farmers views on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and take their questions. It is understood that they will also visit a local farm in the area. The announcement follows after the pair last week publicly advised businesses and farmers in Kildare to consider a 330 million Brexit loan scheme. Speaking before the meeting, Deputy Heydon said: "We need to ensure the new CAP works for farm families and their incomes." "These new schemes and supports will be our commitment to supporting them out to 2027 so it is important that CAP is farmer friendly and delivers for our rural communities." He added that he is "proud" of the work that Kildare farmers do in producing world-class food, as well as protecting the local environment. "As Minister for new market development, Ive seen first-hand the demand for Irish produce in international markets. "We must ensure that farmers continue to be supported in this important work." I have been working hard to ensure all money under the new CAP is accessible to farmers and that the negative impacts of some policies are minimised," he added. The visit to Kilcullen mart is part of a wider tour by Minister McConalogue to hear farmers views on the next CAP. "I would urge all Kildare farmers and those from surrounding counties to make their views known." "This is their CAP: it is their livelihoods, and it is vital that it is designed with farm families at its core," Minister Heydon concluded. Last month, both Deputy Heydon and Minister McConalogue faced controversy after they welcomed the announcement of a live exports deal involving pigs and sheep with China. Among their critics was Green Party Dail Deputy and Senator Dan Boyle. The visit to Kilcullen Mart will take place at 7:30pm on Tuesday October 19. Today (Monday, 18th October), the HSE is asking parents of all children aged 2 to 17 years to get the free nasal spray flu vaccine. The nasal spray flu vaccine is a safe, effective and pain free way to help protect children against flu this winter. The flu vaccine will also help protect others, like siblings, parents, grandparents and those vulnerable. Participating GP practices and pharmacies give the nasal vaccine by spraying it once into each of the childs nostrils. The flu vaccine and administration is free for everyone aged 2 to 17 years through the HSE vaccination programme. Children are twice as likely as adults to get the flu1. While most children who get the flu will have mild symptoms, some can get complications such as pneumonia or bronchitis and may need to go to hospital. Children, especially younger children, are also more likely than adults to get severe complications of flu2. In Ireland, between 2009 and 2019, the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) reported: 4,750 children needed hospital treatment because of complications of flu 183 of these were admitted to intensive care 41 children died. Flu can cause serious illness in children, and children with chronic health conditions are most at risk of severe complications of flu. Symptoms of flu in children include: High temperature Muscle pains Headache Extreme tiredness (fatigue). Children also carry the flu virus in their system longer than adults do. It can spread easily to other children, like those in day-care centres and schools, and to older and vulnerable people around them. The flu vaccine gives children the best protection against flu. Flu and Covid-19 Flu and COVID-19 are caused by different viruses and the flu vaccine does not protect against COVID-19. If a child has had the COVID-19 vaccine, they should still get the flu vaccine. For children aged 12 to 17 years, they can get the flu vaccine at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine if they have not yet received it. It is also safe for children to get the nasal flu vaccine at the same time as any of the vaccines that may be offered to them through the HSEs schools immunisation programme. The 4 in 1 and MMR vaccine are offered in junior infants and the HPV, Tdap and MenACWY vaccine are offered to first years. Dr Aparna Keegan, Specialist in Public Health Medicine and Flu Lead, HSE National Immunisation Office, said: Flu is a serious illness that can be dangerous in children too. The nasal spray flu vaccine is a very safe and effective vaccine and helps your childs immune system produce antibodies that fight infection. It cannot give your child the flu. If your child has had the flu vaccine and they come into contact with flu virus, these antibodies will help them fight the flu and reduce the risk of getting sick or needing to go to hospital. Getting your child vaccinated is the best way to protect them against flu this winter, and help reduce the spread of flu to others too. Other countries, including the UK, have been offering flu vaccine to children for many years and its great that the vaccine is now available for free here in Ireland for the second season.6 The nasal flu vaccine is also the recommended vaccine for children who may have chronic health conditions. We recommend speaking to a trusted health professional about the flu vaccine recommended for your child. If its not possible for them to get the nasal flu vaccine, they can get the flu injection instead. Roscommon rock and roll band, The Flies, have just released a new EP, Back in the Garage on all streaming platforms, along with a music video for the track Ignorance is Bliss. "We've been playing together for four years. We started off playing shows in local secondary schools and at small festivals and played headline shows in Sligo and Carrick-on-Shannon in the period before the Covid-19 pandemic. After our first EP release we also played lots of shows including one in Dublin supporting the inimitable Jinx Lennon. Our final gig before the lockdown hit was a support slot with The Stunning. We are dying for things to open up again fully so we can get back to doing what we have come to love so much - playing live (and having lives more generally)," said the band. "Our new EP is our third to date and is titled Back in the Garage. It is available on all digital platforms. We recorded the basic tracks at The Blue Room Studio in Sligo and completed the overdubs and vocals at home in late summer, in a similar manner to how we recorded our last EP - Looser. We tried new things during the writing of this EP - we will consciously avoid the word experiment - but there are slower, more intimate moments on the record which we dont think were there in previous releases." The band say that their latest EP is influenced by Queens of the Stone Age, Teenage Fanclub, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, Sparklehorse and Sonic Youth amongst others. "It is our first release of material that was written while enduring lockdowns - that very much felt permanent - over the last year. There is definitely a hopefulness to the record, but also a cynicism, particularly on the heaviest track Lazy (An Excuse to Bleed) - which very much captures how we, along with many others, have felt during the course of this pandemic." The tracklist is as follows: 1. All About 2. Ignorance is Bliss 3. Lazy (An Excuse to Bleed) 4. Make No Mistake PUPILS attending Scoil Iosagain CBS Primary School in Limerick city are set to benefit from the donation of a suite of laptops for educational use. The laptops were part of a surplus supply of equipment at Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP), originally supporting a pilot course on Environmental Studies during the pandemic, which encouraged adults from the Southside of Limerick to re-enter the workforce. It has been recognised the digital divide experienced by students in need has been exacerbated by the pandemic and risks of learning regression among students from low progression areas remains a serious concern. With limited funding and resources, many DEIS schools across Limerick rely on donations and external financial aid to meet the technology needs of students. To assist in meeting those needs within the local community, LEDP has worked collaboratively with Scoil Iosagain CBS Primary School to close the gap with those students who have learning difficulties. "This donation from LEDP is timely as we get back to class-based teaching and aim to ensure no one student has a barrier to learning and growing in our school," said Denis Barry, principal of Scoil Iosagain. "The laptops will allow us to provide high quality teaching and reach out to disadvantaged pupils who are in our care. It will allow them to participate and feel part of the school community, and we are grateful to LEDP for facilitating our work, he added. The laptop donation marks another effort from LEDP to connect people to opportunities through education and have a meaningful impact in the community - a key strategic objective of the partnership. "We recognised an opportunity to provide our community with the tools and equipment to close the digital divide and enhance technology access in Scoil Iosagain. We are part of an overall ecosystem, and we want to maintain a healthy one through these education supporting initiatives. This is our community and when we have opportunities to provide support in any capacity, we will do so," said Niall OCallaghan, CEO of LEDP. CIGARETTE butts have been identified as a significant problem at several locations, in the first post-lockdown survey by Irish Business Against Litter. According to the report, the litter status of a number of areas was downgraded by inspectors because of the presence of cigarette butts. One example cited in the report is Bishops Quay which was otherwise described as excellent in terms of presentation. However, it was not awarded the top litter grade due to the significant accumulation of cigarette butts at the base of seating areas. This wasnt the only location in the city which was downgraded due to the presence of cigarette butts. Others included Mount Kenneth Place, the car parking area at Radio House / adjacent apartments on Dock Road and Henry Street, states the report. In overall terms, Limerick City Centre has been categorised as littered and is ranked 30th of the 40 towns and cities which were surveyed. While Galway City Centre and Waterford City Centre are both described as clean to European norms Dublin City Centre and Cork City Centre are both ranked lower than Limerick. In common with other city centres, Limerick has deteriorated over the past year, with five very heavily littered sites. The riverside environments within the city deserve a special mention, they are almost all top ranking. Clancy Strand, Georges Quay and Honans Quay were exceptionally well presented and maintained environments, states the report which has been prepared by An Taisce. The inspectors have highlighted a number of areas where illegal dumping was observed. Some basements along Mallow Street and Cecil Street werent just casually littered but subject to abuse and dumping. Wasteground on (the) laneway opposite Osmington Terrace has suffered long-term abuse and neglect, they state suggesting there is uncertainty as to who has responsibility for these areas. Limerick City South Galvone, which was also inspected as part of the IBAL survey has been ranked 39th overall. This area has again slipped after some improvement last year, with just one top-ranking site, at Roxboro Shopping Centre. The worst sites have been heavily littered for a number of years the bring centre at the same shopping centre and the area at the end of Galvone Industrial Estate, states the report. The 2019 letter from a Microsoft Corp. engineer reporting an affair with Bill Gates that preceded his exit from the board wasnt the first time some Microsoft directors encountered the billionaires inappropriate behavior with female employees. More than a decade earlier, Microsoft executives discovered emails between Mr. Gates and a midlevel female employee at the company while Mr. Gates was still an employee at Microsoft and chairman of the board, according to people familiar with the matter. In the messages, the then-married Mr. Gates was flirtatious and propositioned the female employee, the people said. Two top Microsoft executives, then-General Counsel Brad Smith and then-Chief People Officer Lisa Brummel, met with Mr. Gates and told him the behavior was inappropriate and needed to stop, the people said. Mr. Gates didnt deny the exchanges, told the executives in hindsight it wasnt a good idea and said that he would stop, the people said. The executives briefed some members of Microsofts board, the people said, and a board committee discussed the matter. The board concluded no further action was warranted because there wasnt physical interaction, the people said. Microsoft spokesman Frank Shaw said that in 2008, shortly before Mr. Gates retired as a full-time employee, the company became aware of the emails sent in 2007. In the emails, Mr. Gates proposed meeting the female employee outside of work and off campus, Mr. Shaw said. While flirtatious, they were not overtly sexual, but were deemed to be inappropriate," he said. Mr. Shaw said the employee never made a complaint about the incident, which hasnt been previously reported. A spokeswoman for Mr. Gates, Bridgitt Arnold, said in a written statement: These claims are false, recycled rumors from sources who have no direct knowledge, and in some cases have significant conflicts of interest." Mr. Gates, one of the worlds richest people, was Microsofts chief executive until 2000, a full-time employee until 2008 and chairman until 2014. He served on the Microsoft board for more than four decades until he resigned his seat in March 2020. The following year, Mr. Gates and his wife, Melinda French Gates, filed to end their marriage of 27 years. The divorce was finalized in August. The two continue to jointly lead the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the worlds largest philanthropies. At the time Mr. Gates resigned from the Microsoft board, a board committee had hired a law firm to investigate a female engineers 2019 letter alleging a prior sexual relationship with Mr. Gates, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. This wasnt the same woman that Mr. Gates earlier had been warned not to pursue, some of the people familiar with the matter said. Mr. Shaw said that the relationship occurred around 2002 but Microsoft didnt become aware of it until 2019. The Journal has since learned more details about how Microsofts board managed the 2019 investigation. Mr. Smith, who is now Microsofts president and vice chair, and CEO Satya Nadella were among the executives who reviewed the 2019 letter, according to people familiar with the matter. Microsofts board chair at the time, John W. Thompson, asked other members of the committee reviewing the letter not to share the existence of the investigation with the full Microsoft board citing concerns about the sensitive nature of the matter, the people said. Board members who read the letter had to return their copy to Microsofts general counsel, the people said. Several lawyers who advise boards said that typically, when a board decides whether to conduct an investigation, the full board makes a decision to move forward for approval and the full board is aware of a continuing investigation. If youre going to conduct an investigation that needs independent advisers, you need board approval," said David Berger, a partner who specializes in corporate governance at law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati, who also advises boards. Microsofts Mr. Shaw said under the boards governance guidelines, it delegated the nominating and governance committee authority to hire outside lawyers. While governance best practices are always evolving, the Board Chair and the Committee, with advice from outside legal counsel, decided to use the responsibility given to it and move forward with the initial stages of the review, recognizing that the matter could then move to the full Board in its later stages," he said in a written statement. Mr. Gates relinquished his board seat after some directors decided he should step down but before the investigation was completed, the Journal previously reported. Mr. Gatess spokeswoman has said he had an affair almost 20 years ago, it ended amicably and the boards review played no role in his departure. Microsoft said the board committee conducted a thorough review and provided support to the employee who made the complaint. Several current and former Microsoft board members and executives said they believed the concerns about Mr. Gatess behavior with female employees were properly handled. They said attitudes and protocols have changed in recent years with the #MeToo movement. Maria Klawe, a Microsoft director from 2009 to 2015 who said she wasnt aware of any concerns about Mr. Gates and female employees, said more broadly she felt he behaved at times as though rules didnt apply to him. He certainly gave the impression that he felt that he had a standing that gave him a particular, a set of rights, that other people wouldnt have," said Ms. Klawe, president of math and science-focused Harvey Mudd College. Mr. Shaw and Ms. Arnold, the spokeswoman for Mr. Gates, declined to comment on Ms. Klawes remarks. Much earlier than the 2019 letter and the 2007 emails, at least one Microsoft board member was notified by a top executive about a romantic relationship that Mr. Gates, then the CEO, was having with a female Microsoft executive in 1992, according to a person familiar with the matter. The full board wasnt informed of the matter, the person said. The woman wasnt Ms. French Gates, this person said. Ms. French Gates was a Microsoft employee when she first met Mr. Gates in 1987. They married in 1994 and Ms. French Gates stopped working at Microsoft in 1996, the same year the couple had the first of their three children. Mr. Shaw said Microsoft isnt aware of any report of a concern raised about a romantic relationship between Mr. Gates and a female employee in that time frame. Ms. Arnold declined to comment. Mr. Gates remains a technical adviser to Mr. Nadella, who took over as Microsofts board chair in June for Mr. Thompson, who is now lead independent director. A Microsoft spokesman said at the time the chairman change was unrelated to Mr. Gatess exit from the board. Hes very engaged on things that he cares about," Mr. Nadella said when asked about Mr. Gates during a recent conference. Mr. Nadella said that the company had changed from when Mr. Gates was its leader and that he and his team were responsible for shaping its current workplace culture. Were not perfect by any stretch," Mr. Nadella said, but we care deeply about all topics of our culture and were working it every day." Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. At least 25 people have lost their lives in Keralas floods that took on alarming proportions over the weekend. Triggered by heavy rains in the south-west tip of the Indian peninsula, the inundation has revived memories of a deluge in 2018 that claimed more than 400 lives and laid much property to waste. This time, too, people and homes have been swept away, vehicles as large as buses submerged and livelihoods taken apart by unruly waters, even as landslides wreaked havoc. Like last time, the most severely affected are those of limited means. Current evidence of the immediate cause points to a cloudburst, a concentrated downpour with enough force to loosen hillside earth and send chunks tumbling. Given the coastal states terrain, with the windward slopes of its Western Ghats forcing monsoon clouds upwards to squeeze out rainwater, intense precipitation is not unusual in Kerala. Yet, frequent extremes of it should refocus attention on the man-made aspects of such weather eventsand hasten remedial action. Globally, climate change is the prime suspect in almost all such occurrences. For one, the correlation of floods with rising temperatures now looks frighteningly clear. For another, scientific findings and theory have combined to indicate some causation. In general, extra warmth directly affects relative air-pressure and interferes with air-circulation patterns. A warmer atmosphere also holds more water, which in turn results in heavier rainfall. Experts have long warned of a tipping point after which rain cycles that have prevailed for millennia suddenly go haywire. Indeed, this is a red-alert crisis that lends urgency to the worldwide reduction of carbon emissions. Yet, the impact of greenhouse gases on the planet is only part of Keralas story. While air pollution must have played a role in what weve seen unfold over the past few days, we must not let the attribution of floods to a global phenomenon serve as a pretext to overlook local causes. In Keralas case, as in several Indian states, other forms of environmental degradation cannot escape blame. Of the 44 rivers that drain Kerala of excess water, many end up in spate every monsoon season. While a loss of forest cover down the decades turned hillsides unstable, the use of concrete for construction has disrupted the states natural rainwater absorption and drainage system. Quarrying, mining and other such activities compounded the menace. Many check dams got silted up, leaving their reservoirs unable to restrain downhill gushes of water. These risks were flagged about a decade ago by a centrally-appointed panel on the ecological fragility of our Western Ghats. Headed by ecologist Madhav Gadgil, the committee had recommended measures to halt and reverse the damage, but they were implemented inadequately. Today, as Kerala struggles to cope with floodwaters, we must press ahead with relief provisions. Beyond that, we should reach for region-specific solutions that involve actions within the ambit of local administrative control. The challenge of flood mitigation is daunting, especially because we have a complex interplay of factors to deal with. Not only is it difficult to compartmentalize causes, we might be past a point of no-return on some of these. Still, it is incumbent upon us to accelerate our response to domestic dangers on the ground even as international talks on carbon-neutrality get set to suffuse the air at Glasgow. Keralas recurrent floods need a comprehensive plan of their own. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. India has slid down the Global Hunger Index (GHI) this year, falling behind its South Asian neighbours to rank 101 out of 116 countries. The government has dismissed the reports unscientific methodology. Mint explains the numbers: Whats the controversy surrounding GHI? The hunger index ranks countries on four indicators: the share of undernourished population, stunting and wasting among children, and child mortality. Indias overall score has improved since 2012, the last year the data is comparable with, but its rank has dropped. Indias rank dropped due to poorer scores on under-5 wasting (from 15.1% in 2012 to 17.3% now) and undernourished Indians (from 15% to 15.3%). The government says the undernourishment score is based on a four-question" telephonic opinion poll conducted by Gallup, and does not reflect the ground reality. But the reports publishers deny this. Is undernourishment score based on a poll? That particular number in the GHI is based on a 2021 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report. Indeed, some FAO data relies on Gallup polls, but undernourishment isnt one of them. This data is based on several indicators, one being the FAOs food balance sheets" that estimate the share of population with inadequate access to calories. The government is peeved that the scores do not reflect the welfare work done during the pandemic. But the GHI undernourishment figure reflects the yearly average for 2018-20, and stunting and wasting figures are for 2016-20. View Full Image Report card Are there any limitations with the index? Yes. First, FAOs undernourishment data uses a uniform calorie benchmark, which experts say has its own problems. Second, the scores are not comparable across years, so theres no way of knowing whether India did better or worse in 2021. Third, it will be years before we know Indias true score for 2021 to compare with other countries. How should one interpret the GHI? The GHI, like any other index, has its flaws. But it is a peer-reviewed report and has undergone methodological improvements over the years. It is internationally recognized and can be used for a broader understanding of a countrys performance on hunger. The findings are based on data reported by the countries and multilateral organizations. The Centre may dislike the report, but its own family health survey of 2019-20 doesnt paint a rosy picture. The GHI can help identify problems that may need policy intervention. What has been the Centres reaction? The government tends to question international reports that show slippage on socio-economic-political metrics but celebrates the ones that show an improvement. It promoted the now-discredited World Banks Ease of Doing Business index when it was doing well. But the World Press Freedom Index and the Democracy Index, which showed India sliding, came under close scrutiny. It has also been dismissive of unfavourable media reports, such as The Economists claim that Indias official covid toll was a gross undercount. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Click here to read the full article. Billy Porter offered a sharp of critique Harry Styles 2020 Vogue cover the pop star became the magazines first male cover star and appeared in a dress noting in an interview with The Sunday Times that queer people in fashion have not been given similar opportunities. In the interview, Porters criticism was couched in his broader frustrations with the fashion world. He noted his own history of sporting androgynous looks on red carpets, proclaiming, I changed the whole game And that is not ego, that is just fact. I was the first one doing it and now everybody is doing it. Despite the acclaim hes garnered for his style, Porter said, I feel like the fashion industry has accepted me because they have to. Im not necessarily convinced and here is why. I created the conversation [about non-binary fashion] and yet Vogue still put Harry Styles, a straight white man, in a dress on their cover for the first time. Porter continued: Im not dragging Harry Styles, but he is the one youre going to try and use to represent this new conversation? He doesnt care, hes just doing it because its the thing to do. This is politics for me. This is my life. I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars and not be gunned down. All he has to do is be white and straight. Reps for Styles and Vogue did not immediately return Rolling Stones request for comment. Although Porters critiques of the fashion world and who it chooses to highlight are valid, it should be noted that Styles was making androgynous and non-binary fashion choices well before last years Vogue cover (which primarily drew criticism from conservatives concerned about threats to masculinity). For instance, he donned a full ballerina tutu for a Saturday Night Live photoshoot in 2019, while that same year he appeared in several dresses for a Guardian profile. As for his sexuality, Styles has dated women during his time as a public figure but has not identified himself specifically as straight. In The Guardian, he said, Am I sprinkling in nuggets of sexual ambiguity to try and be more interesting? No. [I]n terms of how I wanna dress, and what the album sleeves gonna be, I tend to make decisions in terms of collaborators I want to work with. I want things to look a certain way. Not because it makes me look gay, or it makes me look straight, or it makes me look bisexual, but because I think it looks cool. And more than that, I dunno, I just think sexualitys something thats fun. Honestly? I cant say Ive given it any more thought than that. Click here to read the full article. Cinema Guild has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Payal Kapadias A Night of Knowing Nothing, which won the Golden Eye award for best documentary at Cannes. Kapadias debut film, A Night of Knowing Nothing world premiered at Cannes Directors Fortnight. It also won the Amplify Voices Award at Toronto, as well as the Emerging Cinematic Vision Award at Camden fest; and also played at the New York Film Festival. The documentary is set in contemporary India, at the local film and television institute, where a student writes love letters to her estranged lover. The doc also delivers a snapshot of the drastic changes taking place within the school and across the country as young people take the streets to protest against discrimination. Represented in international markets by Square Eyes, A Night of Knowing Nothing mixes reality with fiction and includes archival footage of student protests to draw a parallel between the personal and the political. A Night of Knowing Nothing is a rare film of quiet power and heralds the arrival of a fresh voice on the world cinema stage, said Cinema Guild president Peter Kelly, who negotiated the deal with Wouter Jansen of Square Eyes. We cant wait to share Payal Kapadias sensitive and incendiary work with audiences across the U.S. Jansen said the company has always admired the bold cinematic works in the catalogue of Cinema Guild, so we are very proud to now be part of it with A Night of Knowing Nothing. Cinema Guilds slate of upcoming releases includes Hong Sangsoos Introduction and In Front of Your Face, Joshua Bonnettas The Two Sights and Ramon and Silvan Zurchers The Girl and the Spider. Recent releases include Rodrigo Reyes 499, Matias Pineiros Isabella and Kazik Radwanskis Anne at 13,000 ft. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Jodie Comer was immediately intrigued by The Last Duel when she was asked to meet with director Ridley Scott about starring in the period film. In the drama, based on true events and adapted from Eric Jagers 2004 book The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France, Comer stars as Marguerite de Carrouges, a French noblewoman in the late 1300s who is raped by her husband Jean de Carrouges friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver). When Jacques denies the crime, Jean (Matt Damon) challenges him to a trial by a duel to the death to determine whether or not he is guilty. If Jean is killed in the duel, Marguerite would also be burned alive for making the accusation. It really struck me how there was this huge historical event and the men were kind of glorified and there was so much written about them and this woman at the heart of it, who was the one who went through this ordeal, there was just so little. She just wasnt present, Comer told Variety while promoting the film ahead of its release this past weekend. The film is divided into three chapters, each presenting the individual perspectives of Jean, Jacques and Marguerite. The idea of playing around with perspective, I thought was kind of dangerous and really interesting, Comer said. I thought if its executed in the right way, it will be really, really powerful. While Damon and Affleck teamed up to write the chapters about the men, writer Nicole Holofcener was brought in for Marguerites perspective. I think she brought such a nuance to the script. Theres a lot that can go unsaid between women and theres a lot a lot that can be said, Comer said of Holofcener. I was able to be really open and vulnerable. We were able to do that with each other and speak openly. Damon acknowledged that he and Affleck had an abundance of historical documents to draw from. Holofcener not so much. I was a little insecure writing about the Middle Ages in the language and making up a life for Marguerite that was not contemporary, Holofcener said. I did a lot of research. I had a lot of help researching. It was pretty general and I tried to be specific with Marguerite. It was challenging and fun. I got to make things up. Considering how unheard of it was for a woman to not only allege she was raped but to insist her assailant be brought to justice, finding out what drove Marguerite was nearly impossible. I think she just couldnt take it anymore, Holofcener offers as an explanation. She was mad as hell and she just couldnt take it anymoreShe was violated. She was angry and she honored herself and honored her experience. In those days it was very dangerous and very unique. Comer said, They rightly so wanted to make her the hero. They wanted to give her the space and the opportunity to speak her truth. She continued, She wanted to fight for justiceIt was who she was, which is remarkable when you think her life was at stake but I think its what she believed in and fought for, which is so empowering. Affleck said they consulted with the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, organizations that provided helpful feedback throughout so we were mindful and sensitive of what this experience of this movie would be like for people who had experienced similar events in their own lives. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. One Nuevo Laredoan is representing her city at a national level as she won a major beauty competition to represent Mexico at an international event scheduled for late November. Natalia Duran won the prestigious distinction of Miss Earth Mexico. She was one of 15 women who competed for the national crown and ultimately overcame all of them. The coronation was held in Veracruz, Puerto de Veracruz, Mexico. Miss Earth is an annual international environmental-themed beauty pageant competition promoting environmental awareness, conservation and social responsibility. The contest is the third-largest beauty pageant in the world in terms of the number of national-level competitions to participate in internationally. Miss Earth is a title of feminine beauty, Duran said. This is also known as the contest that confers it and that is held annually, where the integral beauty, intelligence, security, elegance and bearing that the candidates for the title possess are qualified. The participants and winners give meaning and importance to this beauty competition by promoting relevant environmental causes and actively getting involved in the concern for the protection of the environment. According to Duran, the competition was strong but she said her hard work and determination helped her achieve her goals. She says all of the other women worked hard and had great projects and ideas to showcase. My preparation was very arduous and extensive for this contest, Duran said. I firmly believe that to be successful in life you need determination, discipline and perseverance. In this process, my family and friends have been a key piece to achieving my goals. The beauty queen says she was also able to win the contest because she remained focused on her goal and worked hard to make her dream come true. She never gave up and had faith that she could achieve it. One goal was to make an environmental project of hers stands out. The project focused on protecting natural resources and locations, which is something she will work on in projects throughout the country during her tenure as the new Miss Earth Mexico. During her reign, she will represent Mexico internationally on Nov. 21 in Miss Earth 2021 edition, which will be held virtually. She will help implement her ecological project KUXTAL MX ORG nationwide, use her voice to give a message of conscience and love for mother earth, represent Mexico in different events regarding climate change and similar activities, and carry out ecological activities supporting taking care of the environment. Duran must do all this as she prepares for the national competition, slated to be one of the toughest to date. She intends to present more of her project and illustrate her beauty on the international stage. For Duran, the aim is to not just showcase who she is and her love for the environment but also showcase all Mexico has to offer. (I will) prepare for the international level and leave the name of Mexico very high and represent with great pride and love the culture, gastronomy, history, landscapes and art of our beautiful Mexico, Duran said. And above all, use this national title to raise awareness in the people of how important it is to take action and take care of our planet earth. Although Duran is content with being coronated Miss Earth Mexico, she says she is hoping to keep things going and win the international crown as well, which is something she will work hard to accomplish next month. She hopes to bring back a crown that Mexico has never won, in comparison to Mexicos great victories in the Miss Universe pageant. She also hopes to win and showcase her environmental project by taking it worldwide. I would like to win the international crown to implement my ecological project worldwide and that more and more people join this cause, Duran said. Also so that today's youth push to fulfill their dreams and realize that the effort and perseverance pay very fairly. Duran believes every little young girl wanting to try out to be in a beauty pageant should do so because they are more than just physical beauty but also about intelligence and applying life skills and lessons. Although Duran is still facing one more competition and she has already won nationally, she does say she has learned a lot along the way. Especially, when it comes to recognizing the beauty of women, which she says comes more from the heart and mind rather than just her looks. During this journey by way of trial and error, I have realized that when beauty shines from within, there is no way to deny it. The true beauty of a woman is in her humility, in her charisma, in her simplicity, in her security and in her being helpful, Duran said. In order to be beautiful on the outside, we have to work from the inside and prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually, enjoy every part of our life and accept and love ourselves as we are, because each one of us is unique and unmatched, and that is where the true beauty lies. The current titleholder of the Miss Earth competition internationally is Lindsey Coffey, who was crowned last November in a virtual ceremony as well that is being held in such fashion considering the continuing pandemic. Duran will still have to travel to the Philippines, which has been the host country of the competition since it began in the early 2000s. There she will find out what her fate is in the contest that can only be watched virtually by her family, friends and the people of the two Laredos online. jorge.vela@lmtonline.com On Monday, October 11 we were all saddened when the news became known that Jimmy Walker of Tully, Coolarty had passed to his eternal reward following a short illness and peacefully in the loving care of the staff of St James's Hospital, Dublin. Beloved husband of Mary, Jimmy was in his 90th year and he was the last surviving member of a family of seven children of Patrick and Agnes Walker of Coolarty. Jimmy was also predeceased by his nephews Denis Gettings and Pat Walker, niece Agnes Quinn and Mary's niece, Marie Hourican. Jimmy was a kind, decent, quiet spoken gentleman who loved to reminisce about olden times and he was blessed with a great memory. Up until recently Jimmy could recall his childhood days and tell of his working days on the Tully Estate and how he was treated kindly by Major Bond. Jimmy and Mary were a lovely couple who really enjoyed their over sixty years of marriage and more recently when Mary's health failed Jimmy's day started with Mass in either Granard or Edgeworthstown and then he made the journey to Longford to spend the day with his beloved wife. Unfortunately for Jimmy, the Covid-19 restrictions prevented him from doing this but he called Mary every day and he always spoke very highly of the care she was receiving in St Joseph's. Jimmy will be sadly missed by Mary, his nieces and nephews and their families and also by Hugh Hourican and family Ciara, Shona, Aaron and Ryan and we extend sincere sympathy to all at this sad time. Jimmy was laid to rest in Aughafin cemetery following Mass in St Mary's Church, Edgeworthstown on Thursday last. October 14. May he rest in peace. The first post-lockdown survey by Irish Business Against Litter shows Longford reclaiming its clean status and a top ten spot in the ranking of 40 areas nationwide. Last January, having failed to attain clean status, there was disappointment for Longford town as it slipped to the 25th in the IBAL litter league rankings. The An Taisce report for Longford town, a previous winner of the cleanest town accolade, stated: "A welcome bounce back for Longford after a period in the doldrums. Over half of the sites surveyed received the top litter grade and there were no seriously littered sites. All approach roads were top-ranking, as was New Street and the Bring Facility by Peplo / Dealz." Portlaoise emerged as the cleanest town in this latest survey. The study found no fall-off in PPE litter across the country. The number of areas deemed clean by An Taisce, who carry out the survey on behalf of IBAL, rose from 17 to 23. In all, 68% of towns showed an improvement on last year. IBALs Conor Horgan commented: With local authority cleaning schedules normalising again and volunteer groups re-engaged in clean-ups across the country, our towns are almost as clean as 2 years ago. This is still some way short of where they were in 2014, however. By contrast, the majority of urban areas fared worse than in 2020, among them Dublin, Cork and Limerick City Centres, which were all deemed littered. A bleak picture for cities All but one of the bottom 10 places in the rankings were occupied by urban areas. For cities, this survey paints a bleak picture, comments Conor Horgan. Litter levels have worsened to a level we have not seen in the past ten years. Now that we have emerged from lockdown, we cannot use it as an excuse for high levels of litter. As we invest in promotional drives and build city hotels in anticipation of more visitors, we need to be mindful of the littered environment we are presenting to them. For the first time since 2014, Dublins North Inner City was deemed a litter blackspot. Of the 25 sites in the area surveyed, only 2 were found to be clean, and 17 were heavily littered or worse. Continued Rise in Covid-related litter The study showed a near-30% increase in the prevalence of PPE masks on our streets and an increase in alcohol-related litter such as cans and bottles. The need for PPE has not abated unfortunately were still using disposable masks, were still dropping them at an alarming rate and they are still not being picked up, says Conor Horgan. We are consuming more outdoors and this is translating into more food- and drink-related litter. Despite this, the survey showed a 20% drop in coffee cup litter. There was also a steep fall-off in cigarette butts. IBAL was once again critical of the failure of local authorities to address sites which they have previously highlighted as heavily littered, especially in urban areas. Of the 103 such sites exposed last year, fewer than half have been cleaned up in 2021. 2021 is the 19th year of the IBAL Anti-Litter League. The need for agriculture to reduce its emissions by 21 to 30 percent by 2030 lacks climate justice, according to Macra na Feirme. "Climate justice is about the fair treatment of all people and the freedom from discrimination in the creation of policies. The blanket reductions disproportionately affect young farmers by limiting their ability to enter the sector and creating instability for those who have recently heavily invested in their businesses," said Macra na Feirme National President John Keane. "Where is the climate justice? When 100 global companies are responsible for 71 percent of global emissions and not a word on their part in reducing climate change," said Macra na Feirme National President John Keane. Macra says any solution to an environmental problem needs to take into consideration the unjust and unequal situation. "Placing a cap on the agriculture sector in Ireland will exclude young people from entering the sector. We are already facing a crisis in Ireland with regard to the age breakdown of farmers, placing further restrictions on the sector and limiting young new entrants will only further deepen the crisis," Mr Keane said. Young new entrants into the sector are more educated than previous generations and understand that climate change is the defining issue of our generation. It is this group of farmers who are going to make the changes needed to reduce carbon emissions but their ability to enter the sector is limited added Mr Keane. "Irish agriculture which is renowned for quality and traceability across the world needs the government to stand by it not to stand on it. "Irish farming is among the most sustainable across the world. With the population estimated to grow by 25 percent over the next 30 years more food is going to be required to feed the world not less. Moving food production from Ireland to other countries in the world where production is less efficient will exacerbate climate change, the exact opposite of what is desired," Mr Keane said. "We dont get to be complacent; we are young and knowledgeable and acknowledge change needs to happen; but, we need to be given a chance to enter the sector in order to change it and the current targets threaten to exclude young farmers from entering the sector, concluded Keane. Food, Wine, & Dining By Ls Cohen Published: October 18 2021 Fourth location on Long Island will be a stripped down version for quick service but with the same menu. A decade ago the first DJs Clam Shack opened its doors on Duval Street in Key West. Sensing a sensation in the making, the owners brought their restaurant north to Long Island and have locations in Wantagh, Northport, and Huntington. Now, according to a story on GreaterLongIsland.com, DJs Clam Shack is getting ready to open a new location in Stony Brook at the old D.P. Dough site. The menu at most of their stores is baked with all your favorites plus a few surprises. They offer a slate of items including homemade New England Clam Chowder ($7), Maine Lobster roll with coleslaw ($18), Kung Pow Calamari ($12), and Garlic Steamed Little Neck Clams with jalapenos ($14.50). Fried favorites include Clam Strips ($11) and Conch Fritters ($11). They also offer tacos with shrimp ($13), Mahi Mahi ($13), chicken ($12) or roast pork ($11). According to the GreaterLongIsland.com story, the new Stony Brook location will be slightly different than the rest. Its gonna be quick service and same exact menu as the other DJs on Long Island, he told the news outlet. Its gonna be a little more takeout. Location: 1007 NY-25A, Stony Brook. Local News, Business & Finance, Health & Wellness By Chris Boyle Published: October 18 2021 Tony Calvacca, Seniors Health Plan Advisors Owner and Operator, boasts over 20 years in the medical insurance field. Navigating the complex landscape of the Medicare healthcare system can be a difficult and confusing experience unless you have the right person guiding you through the entire process step by step. And Seniors Health Plan Advisors of Hauppauge, NY is just the company to lend a helping hand to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries are indeed enrolling in the appropriate Medicare health insurance plan for their own personal needs. Tony Calvacca, Seniors Health Plan Advisors Owner and Operator, boasts over 20 years in the medical insurance field, having worked for Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield and Bank of America as an employee benefits consultant, before striking out on his own. This vast array of experience illustrates that he has the know-how and wherewithal to find his clients the Medicare health plans that best suit their individual circumstances. This really just speaks to my deep knowledge of this business, he said. Often people who are new to the business only have basic training under their belt, and they really don't have the kind of long-term experience in the industry that I have. I've literally helped thousands of people in New York with their Medicare insurance plans over the years. Tony doesn't sell people insurance; instead, he offers people options and educates them regarding the different avenues of healthcare they can pursue; as a result, his clients are so well informed that they are very comfortable with the decisions that they make about their coverage. I felt that the insurance industry is the industry to be in, and the Medicare side of the business seemed attractive because it can have a significant and direct impact upon the well-being of a person's life, he said. You're going to have a major impact upon how they get their health care, and what it's going to cost for them to get it. And those two things are intertwined, because if people are improperly insured on Medicare, it's going to have big effect on the healthcare providers and services they have access to, and what kind of lifestyle they will have as a result of the financial costs of their healthcare. An important thing to bear in mind is that Tony does not charge his clients for his services; and when it comes to the number of plan choices available to his clients, he notes that he represents virtually all of the insurance companies available on the marketplace, meaning that there are a wide variety of plans for him to help his clients consider. People never pay me any money at all, because I get compensated through insurance companies, not the client, he said. And I'm an independent advisor, and I have access to every plan in the marketplace. That frees me up to offer them any plan available, so I don't have any bias. My interest is the client's interest, so my sole focus is to find them the Medicare Insurance plan that aligns best with their health needs and their budget. When it comes to selecting the health care plan that's right for you, there are numerous factors to consider, and Tony has a distinct and detailed process that gets to the bottom of what his clients needs are, and in turn allows him to suggest the plans that should address those needs most effectively. The first step is an initial phone interview in order to get what I call the 'fact pattern. What the story is with this individual, because there are many, many different scenarios for people, he said. Next, I send them an email with a document that they need to fill out which provides me with all of the information I'm going to need. And this is vitally important, because an individual person's use of providers, medical services and drugs is going to drive a big part of the decision about which healthcare plan option works for them. Once Tony receives that information, he develops a spreadsheet containing all the various different options in the market, including Medicare supplemental plans, Medicare drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans. Once the spreadsheet has been put together, he schedules a 1-hour consultation with his client where they can do an online review of the plans. I take them step-by-step through government Medicare, what it covers, what it doesn't cover, and what it costs, Tony said. From there, we look at all of the Medicare insurance options, side-by-side, in terms of cost and benefits to figure out exactly what's going to fit that person. After a selection has been made, Tony enrolls the client in the plan of their choosing; afterwards, he follows-up to make sure that they have received their insurance cards. And finally, an additional meeting takes place so that the client is crystal clear on how their plan works, what they pay, what the plan covers, and any other factors regarding the plan that they need to know about. Ultimately, Tony says it's not about simply selecting the best plan out there, but instead helping a client to select the best plan for them. In addition, during the plan selection process, Tony also educates his clients on federal and state programs that can offer additional reductions other types of financial assistance with their medical expenditures. There are federal and state programs available that can assist people with lowering the cost of their drugs and reduce the cost of their Medicare Part B premium that they pay to the government, he said. So, we do an analysis to find out if they qualify for any of these programs that can reduce their drug costs and their premium costs. This is very important, because sometimes those programs can have a dramatic, positive effect on what they pay. Many of Tonys new clients are younger than 65 and are looking to do research into the right health plans for them to choose once they become old enough to be eligible for Medicare. According to Tony, I get called often by people who are about to turn 65, and who have decided to continue to work for a few years more and they want me to do a comparison of the plan they get from their employers versus the coverage they could have under Medicare. Comparing employer coverage to Medicare coverage is really important because doing this comparison will determine which option provides the richest benefits at the lowest cost, Tony added. Tony offers extended hours of availability during the week 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday which are often a boon to those who are still in the workforce and have limited ability to call him during the day. My being available on weeknights tends to be very helpful for a lot of people, because that's usually the time when they have the ability to reach out and make a phone call, he said. And then we can start the conversation. Tony said that working in this field helping people with the vitally important decision of what Medicare plan to go with to ensure their financial and physical well-being has resulted in a rewarding career. This is a great business if you want to help people, because you get an immediate positive response from clients that they recognize and appreciate that you're doing a lot to meets their needs, he said. It's a good feeling knowing that you're helping people every single day, both medically and financially. Augean PLC - Walton, England-based hazardous waste treatment and disposal company - Company's GBP390 million takeover by consortium of London-based Ancala Partners LLP and Toronto-headquartered Fiera Infrastructure Inc gains court sanction from High Court of Justice in England & Wales. Ancala and Fiera's vehicle Eleia bid 372 pence per Augean share, topping the 361p offered by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure's bid vehicle Antwerp Management. Both offers were all in cash. Prior to the auction, MSIP had offer the highest, at 340p, versus 325p from Eleia. As a result, Augean is scheduled to cancel trading on 0700 BST on Thursday. Current stock price: 372.00 pence Year-to-date change: up 75% By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Kefi Gold & Copper PLC - gold explorer in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia - Notes Ethiopian newspaper reporting on Saturday last week that the Ministry of Mines had rejected any claim that security was affecting the scheduled launch of the Tulu Kapi gold project for October 31. Kefi confirmed a security incident occurring in the West Wolega zone, and the Ministry writing to the operators questioning whether security would be an issue that would affect the project. The company claims that the media report failed to more than Tulu Kapi had responded to the Ministry, updating it on the security situation and that it is continuing to comply with its obligations. "The company wholeheartedly agrees with the Ministry of Mines' determination to start the project as soon as physically possible. Based on our enquiries, we believe that not all facts were understood within the Ministry at the time of the media interview and we are confident of fair and reasonable decision-making when all facts are compiled and reported with due process. In summary, we remain confident of TKGM's licence tenure in light of any licencee's obligation to deal with any security situation in accordance with the mining licence requirements and normal industry practice," says Executive Chair Harry Anagnostaras-Adams. Current stock price: 1.03 pence Year-to-date change: down 46% By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - AstraZeneca PLC on Monday advised investors to reject a "mini-tender" offer by TRC Capital Investment. The FTSE 100-constituent said that Toronto-based investor TRC has made an "unsolicited" offer for 2.0 million of Astra's American Depositary Shares. This represents a "mini" stake of around 0.1% in the pharmaceutical firm. TRC is offering USD57.88 per American Depositary Share, or 4.5% below the American Depositary Share price on October 8, the day prior to the offer. "AstraZeneca does not in any way recommend or endorse the TRC Capital offer and recommends that shareholders reject the offer because the offer price is below the market price for [American Depositary Shares] immediately prior to this announcement," the pharmaceutical company said. The company added that, under the terms of its tender offer, TRC retained the right to delay payment for the American Depositary Shares, withdraw its offer or amend it in any respect. AstraZeneca also noted that TRC could decline to purchase tendered shares if any one of numerous conditions is not satisfied. Shareholders who have already tendered their American Depositary Shares can withdraw their shares before midday on November 9, the company counselled. Shares in AstraZeneca were trading down 0.6% at 8,742.00 pence each in London on Monday morning. By Scarlett Butler; scarlettbutler@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - The UK government on Monday has ordered a probe into Meggitt PLC's GBP6.3 billion takeover offer by Parker-Hannifin Corp, on the grounds of national security concerns. The UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng has issued a Public Interest Intervention notice to intervene in the proposed transaction. As a result, the UK Competition & Markets Authority is required to investigate the proposed transaction and make a report by March 18, 2022. "The Secretary of State believes that it is or may be the case that the national security public interest consideration specified in section 58(1) and (2) of the Act is relevant to a consideration of the relevant merger situation," the notice stated. In early August, Coventry, England-based aerospace components maker had accepted an 800 pence per share or GBP6.3 billion takeover offer from Parker-Hannifin Corp. Although there was a rival bid from Cleveland, Ohio-headquartered aerospace manufacturer TransDigm Group Inc worth 900p per share, or GBP7.03 billion, Meggitt's board continued to recommend shareholders to accept the Parker-Hannifin deal, until TransDigm dropped the bid in September. In late September, Meggitt shareholders had almost unanimously backed the deal. In mid-August, Kwarteng had ordered a similar probe into the takeover of Ultra Electronic Holdings PLC by former London listing Cobham Group Holdings Ltd, giving the CMA until January 18, 2022 to investigate the proposed deal. Shares in Meggitt closed 0.4% lower at 749.00p on Monday in London. By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - US car maker Ford Motor Co is to invest GBP230 million in one of its UK factories to make electric vehicle components, giving a huge boost to the motor industry. The company said the plant at Halewood on Merseyside will be "transformed" to build electric power units for future Ford all-electric passenger and commercial vehicles in Europe. Halewood will be Ford's first electric vehicle component in-house assembly site in Europe, with production beginning in 2024 a and the move safeguards hundreds of jobs. Ford has committed to having all its passenger vehicles as all-electric and two-thirds of its commercial vehicle sales all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030. Power unit production in Halewood is expected to begin in mid-2024, with capacity planned to be around 250,000 units a year. Ford said the investment is subject to, and includes, UK government support through its Automotive Transformation Fund. Stuart Rowley, president of Ford of Europe, said: "This is an important step, marking Ford's first in-house investment in all-electric vehicle component manufacturing in Europe. "It strengthens further our ability to deliver 100% of Ford passenger vehicles in Europe being all-electric and two-thirds of our commercial vehicle sales being all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030. "We also want to thank the UK government for its support for this important investment at Halewood which reconfirms Ford's continuing commitment to the UK and our position as a leading investor in this country's auto industry and technological base." Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "This investment is excellent news for the highly skilled workforce at Halewood as it secures the future of the plant. "It is absolutely imperative that the government does not see this investment as a one-off but supports similar schemes to ensure the entire UK automotive industry experiences a smooth transition in the move to build electric vehicles." Unite national officer Des Quinn added: "Unite is absolutely dedicated to protect the jobs, pay and conditions of all our members and is working to ensure that similar projects are adopted throughout the UK's world class automotive sector." Ford said Halewood was chosen to supply the power units, which replace the engine and transmission in a conventional petrol or diesel engine vehicle, given its excellent record on quality, competitiveness and the strong skills base and commitment of the employees. Halewood currently builds transmissions for a number of Ford passenger and commercial vehicles and exports all of its production. Ford is one of the UK's largest exporters, exporting engines and transmissions from its facilities to more than 15 countries on six continents a with overseas sales generating around GBP2.5 billion annually. By Alan Jones, PA Industrial Correspondent source: PA Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. EDITORS NOTE: In October of 1871, fires spread throughout various cities in the Midwest destroying large portions of those cities which including Chicago, Peshtigo, Urbana, Port Huron, Holland, Manistee and others. The following article is Part 4 in a five-part series commemorating the 150th anniversary of Manistees Great Fire. When looking at the reason, or reasons, how the Great Fires of 1871 took place in and around the Midwest during October of that year, different theories exist as to the causes of the conflagrations. Was it a meteor? Mrs. OLearys cow? A spaceship? Or perhaps something a little more realistic? As most of these towns, including Manistee, were in the midst of: 1. A heavy drought, one has to keep in mind that; 2. The temperatures were extremely warm that summer and into the fall; 3. The majority of these towns were constructed with wood not just wood buildings but also wooden sidewalks, bridges, etc.; 4. Sawdust was littered everywhere; and 5. There were gale force winds reported in the various locales in which the fires took place. So while the exact cause remains somewhat of a mystery, one has to take into account the various factors that, coupled together with a slight spark, would result in tragic circumstances. This very fact can be found in various writings about the fire. For example, as mentioned in a previous installment of this series of articles about Manistees Great Fire, Gen. Byron Cutcheon, while seeking relief funds for Manistee in Grand Rapids after the fire, gave an interview to the Grand Rapids Eagle newspaper. During that interview he is quoted as saying: Within the city limits was a tract of about twenty acres of dead hemlock forest; the trees partly standing and partly lying on the ground, but the whole as dry as tinder and as combustible as gunpowder. RELATED: What was the aftermath of the Great Fire in Manistee? As the weeks post-Great Fire in Manistee progressed, residents continued to receive aid, in the form of food, clothing, supplies, etc., from cities around Michigan as well as several from out of state. With aid being given to the destitute, others began the process of rebuilding the city, a task which would continue for the next several years. The first house that was built in Manistee after the Great Fire of 1871 was that of William Nungessor who hastily began to construct his new home on First Street a mere 24 hours after the fire. An article published in the Manistee Times on June 26, 1873 makes a brief mention of Nungessors new house: The fire occurred on Sunday night. By Monday evening he had the lumber for a new dwelling on the ground. In thirteen days he had the building completed, lathed, plastered and ready to move into. Nungessor continued to reside at his house at 413 First St. until he passed away. It is believed that a portion of the original 1871 structure is still a part of the house. While other buildings did not go up quite as fast as Nungessors it was reported roughly eight weeks after the fire that more and more residential and commercial buildings, as well as several sawmills, were in various stages of being constructed within the city. The little insurance money received from the fire coupled with donated supplies and various investments, provided for the construction of these new buildings. The Dec.2, 1871 issue of the Manistee Times describes the slight progression of rebuilding Manistee: Since the fire our city has been active in the preparation of houses and places of business for the winter. Last Saturday Charles Secor, Esq., counted 148 buildings that have been erected since the fire, some of them are completed, and some of them are just commenced. Among the number is seven or eight large stores, six mills and a good number of very good and substantial dwellings. Preparations are going on for building extensively next summer. Several brick buildings will be built. All the mill except Tyson & Robinsons little mill will be rebuilt, and the prospect now is that more business places will be in operation next summer than if the city had not been burned. RELATED: 'Like a sheet of fire': A firsthand account of Manistee's Great Fire In addition to informing the public of the slow and steady advancement in reconstruction, the Times, which had continued to provide updates on relief aid since the fire, made it known the following week that more aid was still needed. As such, the Dec. 9, 1871 issue of the newspaper also makes mention of various peoples who were taking it easy, so to speak, and collecting as much relief needed for them to get by. Their description and commentary about the scene follows: The Relief Committee are distributing goods to the sufferers every day. Though large quantities have been received, it rapidly disappears. Lumber, money, nails, etc., have been furnished for the poor who were burned out to build, and goods and provisions have been furnished and many of that class who were not backward in making their wants known are better off today than before the fire, while other who had credit, and were too proud spirited to ask relief, though they were really deserving will be the real sufferers. Mechanics, tradesmen and professional men who were burned out will suffer more than many of the poorer class. Some of this late class without any compunction of conscience have kept the path well beaten from their shanties to the relief headquarters, and complaints have been made that many of this class would not work while they could get relief, and yet their families could not be allowed to suffer, and supplies have been dealt out to them. Looking through the newspapers following the fire, it is interesting to note the impression that it left as the city continued to rebuild itself as one can find various brief references to the fire like the subsequent article published in the July 10, 1873 issue of the Manistee Times: There are 31 new dwellings and additions in the immediate vicinity of Gifford and Ruddocks mill and 18 in the settlement of Maxwell Town. On First Street from Canfields store through to the little lake, we counted 23 new buildings in all the stages of completion, and they were nearly all dwellings. This shows that Manistee is not depopulated since the disaster of the fire, as many seem to think, but on the contrary is growing with renewed vigor and energy. Perhaps the main reason why the fire was still topical is because as residences and commercial structures were being constructed anew, the idea of building with brick was a topic that was being discussed by the city leaders. On June 12, 1873, S.W. Fowler, publisher of one of the then two newspapers called the Manistee Times, in his case it was referred to as Fowlers Manistee Times, published a plea for the city leaders to consider fire limits in the city: What we must have (are) fireproof blocks, brick buildings to act as fire breaks to prevent the spread of the flames in the incipient stages of a conflagration. RELATED: Great Fire of 1871 destroyed Manistee 150 years ago: 'The sight was fearfully grand' It certainly is for the real interest of each business man to build brick, and the safety and welfare of the city requires that they should do it. Shall we have more fuel added to this tinderbox or will our city fathers protect the city in the establishment of fire limits? According to the Manistee County Historical Museum's former director Steve Harold, the city later adopted a brick law that would ensure commercial buildings be constructed in brick. People were quite concerned about the future of the city after the fire and a brick law was adopted, which ensured that the city would not go up in flames as it did in 1871, said Harold. This is why we have such a unique Main Street made up of brick buildings today. Next week will conclude the series of articles on the Great Fire. 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. Formula 1 is currently heading to the United States for the next grand prix in the 2021 calendar, yet controversy has been sparked by the release of Saudi Arabian clothing rules for the visit of the sport in December. In what was a new race for the 2021 season, Formula 1 was due to head to Jeddah in what would have been the first ever F1 event held in Saudi Arabia. Scheduled to take place on December 5, the race is now shrouded in controversy with sport's governing body having been issued with a list of what is acceptable attire and what isn't. There is, unsurprisingly, particular focus on the clothing acceptable for women to wear, with it deemed that they aren't allowed to wear whatever they feel comfortable in, but rather what conforms to the guidelines set by the Saudi government. This includes: no excessive makeup, no transparent clothing, no clothing which rests above the knee, no miniskirts, no backless dresses, nothing which shows straps, no tight clothing and no bikinis. Men, on the other hand, have a far less restrictive list, although one which is still likely to be seen as problematic by F1 personnel. Bermuda shorts, shorts, tank tops and tight pants are all prohibited for males, even though temperatures in Jeddah in December are usually above 30 degrees, not taking into account the fact that the pit crews and engineers will be working in even hotter conditions in the garages. Cinnamon , one of the oldest spices, was the first commodity to be traded and was considered as precious as gold. The ancient Egyptians imported cinnamon from China and used it as a medicine, food enhancer and as an embalming agent. The spice is aromatic and is stripped from the bark of the cinnamomum verum tree. It is dried in the sun and is rolled up as cinnamon sticks. When the quills are ground, it is available as powdered cinnamon. Cinnamon has a characteristic odor and a pungent taste, which is released by cinnamaldehyde aging in the presence of oxygen. The chemical components within cinnamon include eugenol, ethyl cinnamate, methyl chavicol, linalool, cinnamaldehyde and beta-caryophyllene. The two popular varieties of cinnamon are: True cinnamon (Cinnamonum verum) a native of Sri Lanka and is of better quality. Cassia (Cinnamonum cassia) is commercially cultivated in south Asian countries like China, Indonesia and Vietnam. It is the aromatic bark of the Chinese cinnamon tree that is more pungent than the true cinnamon. Cinnamon is associated with a number of health benefits. Most of the benefits of cinnamon on health are derived from the essential oils present in the bark of the tree. Cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate and cinnamyl alcohol in cinnamon have antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Along with its inherent properties that help fight inflammation, the flavor appeals to all age groups. Reduces Bad Cholesterol Various studies show that a pinch of cinnamon powder twice a day reduces triglyceride and bad (LDL) cholesterol by 30%; and increases HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood. High levels of LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol are major risk factors for heart disease . Regulates Blood Sugar Levels Cinnamon is proved to be beneficial for diabetics as it lowers high blood glucose levels by the activity of a special compound. Cinnamtannin B1, the tannin isolated from true cinnamon slows down the activity of enzymes, which metabolizes glucose, stimulates glucose absorption by the cells and increases insulin release. Eases Menstrual Pain Cinnamon helps to maintain a balance in hormones. Cinnamaldehyde, a natural compound in cinnamon increases the hormone progesterone and decreases testosterone production in women. Rejuvenates Skin The anti-aging properties of cinnamon protect the skin from free radical damage and keep the skin young and healthy. Cinnamon has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which help in keeping the skin free from infections. Add cinnamon to your morning tea for fresh and soft skin. Kills Colon Cancer Cells Cinnamon contains cinnamic aldehyde, which activates a protein that controls the expression of antioxidants. These anti-oxidants protect the colon cells against cell damage and prevent colon cancer. Melanoma is the tumor of melanin-forming cells mostly associated with skin cancer. Cinnamaldehyde exhibits anti-melanoma activity in mice injected with human skin cancer forming cells. Prevents Neurodegenerative Diseases Aggregation of a protein in the brain called tau, is the main feature of Alzheimers disease. Cinnamon contains two compounds, cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin that have an inhibitory effect on tau proteins. These compounds have shown to prevent the clumping of tau proteins, preventing Alzheimers disease. Cinnamon Apple Cake Ingredients: 1 cups sugar cup cream cheese 1/2 cup butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs 1 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder tsp Salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 3 cups chopped peeled apple Method: Preheat oven to 350F. Beat 1 cups sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add beaten eggs. Sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, and beat till it all the ingredients blend well. Combine cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine the sugar and cinnamon mixture with apple in a bowl; stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into an 8-inch pan coated with butter. Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife. Nutrition Facts for Cinnamon The nutritional values of "Cinnamon" per 100 grams are: Governor Whitmer on Death of Former Congressman Dan Benishek Governor Whitmer on Death of Former Congressman Dan Benishek FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 16, 2021 Contact: press@michigan.gov Governor Whitmer on Death of Former Congressman Dan Benishek LANSING, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer today issued the following statement on the death of former Congressman Dan Benishek, who passed away at 69 years old. "Today, Yoopers and Michiganders lost a fighter. Congressman Benishek represented the spirit of 'Sisu' during his time in office. In Congress, he championed our men and women in uniform, advocated fiercely for veterans, and worked to protect Sleeping Bear Dunes. As a physician and an elected official, Dan put people first. My thoughts are with his wife, children, and grandchildren." After funeral arrangements are announced, a release will be issued to lower the United States and State of Michigan flags in his honor. ### PHOTOS: Governor Whitmer Joins American Battery Solutions at New Lake Orion Battery Manufacturing Facility PHOTOS: Governor Whitmer Joins American Battery Solutions at New Lake Orion Battery Manufacturing Facility FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 18, 2021 Contact: Press@Michigan.gov PHOTOS: Governor Whitmer Joins American Battery Solutions at New Lake Orion Battery Manufacturing Facility New facility will manufacture lithium-ion batteries for clients on cutting edge of mobility and electrification, creating over 100 good-paying jobs and doubling company's workforce in MI by 2023 LANSING, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined Michigan manufacturer American Battery Solutions Inc. (ABS) for the ribbon cutting ceremony of their new lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Lake Orion. ABS will create more than 100 good-paying jobs and build on Michigan's leadership in the mobility and electrification space with the new facility. The investment complements the governor's MI New Economy plan to grow the middle class, support small businesses, and invest in communities and builds on statewide efforts to grow electric vehicle manufacturing and infrastructure in Michigan. "I'm proud that American Battery Solutions is growing in Michigan, and I am laser-focused on collaborating with them and so many other innovators to continue creating thousands of good-paying jobs and building up industries of the future," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "We've already made several announcements and investments in the mobility and EV space to complement the work underway in the private sector at the state-level, and I look forward to many more. Together, we can write the next era of Michigan's story-from being the place that put the world on wheels, the arsenal of democracy, the state that built the middle class, the leader in mobility and electrification, to whatever may come next-I am grateful to have partners like ABS as we work together to shape tomorrow. "We are delighted to be in Michigan and expanding our operations in the state and see Lake Orion as an ideal location for new capacity to attract the talent we need," said Chairman and CEO Subhash Dhar. "We are most attracted to Michigan's open business climate, its education system, a long heritage of innovation and excellence, as well as its deep pool of talent and resources in power/battery engineering and complementary disciplines. We see ourselves in strategic partnership with government and business leaders looking to grow and strengthen Michigan's economic base." ABS will invest more than $7 million in their Lake Orion facility in the coming years, creating more than 100 good-paying engineering, manufacturing, and administrative jobs. The company currently has 115 employees in Michigan, and this facility will double their statewide workforce by 2023. ABS will build lithium-ion battery packs in Lake Orion, delivering solutions for their global customers on the cutting edge of mobility and electrification. Their innovative technology will support a range of cutting edge clients and products. ABS has experienced exponential growth, going from $270,000 in revenue in 2019 to a projected $45 million next year and over $600 million projected by 2026. Mobility and Electrification Leadership REV Midwest: Last month , Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined her colleagues in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to collaborate on electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the Midwest region, signing the Regional Electric Vehicle for the Midwest Memorandum of Understanding, or REV Midwest, to collaboratively accelerate electrification. Lake Michigan Electric Vehicle Circuit: Announced at the Mackinac Policy Conference in September, the Lake Michigan E lectric V ehicle Circuit delivers on Governor Whitmer's vision for an electric vehicle route with reliable charging options along Lake Michigan and key tourism clusters. The circuit will be the best clean-energy road trip in American, tying together key coastal and rural communities, state and national parks, and tourism attractions along the Lake Michigan shoreline into a wider electric vehicle infrastructure network. The project will install chargers where needed to meet the demands of high summer utilization and challenging winter weather battery performance constraints. Michigan Electric Vehicle Jobs Academy: The governor announced the Michigan Electric Vehicle Jobs Academy at the Mackinac Policy Conference to continue advancing Michigan's electric vehicle and mobility leadership by ensuring the strong pipeline of talent needed for automotive mobility and electrification career pathways. The administration has remained laser-focused on making sure Michigan workers can access the training and education they need to stay competitive in this new economy. The new academy will position Michigan at the center of that growth by proactively preparing the talent needed for automotive mobility and electrification current, emerging, future jobs and career pathways. Wireless Charging Road: Governor Whitmer announced a new initiative to develop the nation's first wireless charging infrastructure on a public road in Michigan. The development of a wireless dynamic charging roadway in Michigan is a step forward in addressing range anxiety and will accelerate the transition to all-electric transit fleets in Michigan, and beyond. Smart Parking Lab: The governor also announced the Detroit Smart Parking Lab , a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort between Ford, Bosch, Bedrock, and the State of Michigan to find innovative solutions to parking challenges and build better parking structures as we transition to clean energy vehicles. Auto Industry Leadership Michigan is the place that put the world on wheels. Governor Whitmer has built on that rich automotive legacy by creating over 15,000 auto jobs since taking office, including the first new auto plant in Detroit in 30 years. Michigan has attracted more than $9 billion in EV-related investment in less than two years: Ford announced a new $250 million investment and 450 direct jobs across three Southeast Michigan facilities to support F-150 Lightning production capacity increase. They are also opening a new global battery center of excellence (Ford Ion Park) in Michigan to accelerate research and development of battery and battery cell technology GM announced the Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center to speed up battery production and lower costs. They also located their first fully dedicated electric vehicle assembly plant (GM Factory Zero) in Hamtramck, with a commitment of 2,200 jobs. Stellantis is building JEEP plug-in hybrid models at the first new assembly plant in Detroit in three decades as part of investment that brought 6,433 jobs in Michigan, including for more than 4,100 Detroiters. Semiconductor wafer manufacturer SK Siltron is establishing new facility in Monitor Township to support electric vehicle growth, creating up to 150 jobs, investing $302 million Manufacturers, suppliers, and R&D facilities are also choosing Michigan with XL Fleet opening its new Fleet Electrification Technology Center in Wixom and Magna International building a state-of-the-art facility in St. Clair to support GM's new GMC Hummer EV. ### The states cases against Justen Watkins and Alfred Gorman were delayed again in Washtenaw County Oct. 18. The delays were at the request of the attorneys and prosecution on both cases, because all parties believe agreements will soon be made to resolve the charges. Before Washtenaw County Circuit Court Judge Patrick J. Conlin, Jr. would consider adjourning the cases, he expressed concerns over public safety. I have some concerns from a public safety standpoint, Conlin said. I am not really making any comment on the politics of it, but I am concerned about the allegations that essentially two armed individuals went on a porch, and it was the wrong persons porch. Conlin said his feelings have him considering revoking Gormans bond. Conlin mistakenly said that bond was set on Watkins case, but he hadnt yet posted bond. However, State Assistant Attorney General Sunita Doddamani clarified that Watkins indeed had bond set and later posted bond before it was revoked because he violated bond conditions. The co-defendant Mr. Watkins is a different concern, and he is in custody, Doddamani said. He violated bond conditions and that is why he is still in custody. The judge set a deadline Nov. 1 for Gormans attorney to submit a Cobbs memorandum. A Cobbs agreement allows a judge to make an agreement concerning sentencing if a defendant pleads guilty or no contest in a case. Before Watkins case was heard, his attorney Olga Yermalenka asked to approach the bench. After meeting with prosecution and Watkins attorney, Conlin stated Watkins pretrial would be adjourned until Nov. 29. However, unlike the Gorman case, the judge did not put a deadline on the Cobbs agreement. We had a conference about some other matters that Mr. Watkins is facing and how that may impact this case, Conlin said. Unlike the Mr. Gormans case, I am not going to put a deadline on the Cobbs agreement. I am going to request the attorneys continue to communicate as these other cases progress and if there is a request for a Cobbs agreement, it can be brought at the 11/29 hearing. Conlin said he wasnt going to hold one case up because of the other, effectively ending the tie-bar status the cases have had. The cases against Gorman and Watkins have been connected since their arrests in October 2020, when the Michigan State Police and FBI executed separate arrest warrants for Gorman and Watkins. Gorman and Watkins of Bad Axe are facing charges of gang membership, unlawful posting of a message and using computers to commit a crime, each felony charges. The charges stem from an incident that reportedly occurred in Dexter in December 2019, when a family was allegedly terrorized in their home when the men used "intimidation tactics" on the premises and posted messages to other members of a white supremacist group known as The Base, targeting the home, according to a press release from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Watkins was allegedly the self-proclaimed leader of the group, and Gorman is an alleged associate of Watkins and The Base. He is alleged to have assisted Watkins in the crimes. As a result, both cases had been linked together. The alleged actions of Watkins and Gorman were reportedly intended to threaten and intimidate Daniel Harper, of the Antifa podcast I dont speak German. However, he did not reside at the house where the actions supposedly took place. Watkins was residing in Bad Axe at a home he was reportedly using as a recruitment center for The Base when he was arrested. Both men are scheduled to appear again before Judge Conlin Nov. 29, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. A new phase of statewide public hearings will begin this week for Michigan residents to comment on Michigans new draft of legislative maps. The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is working to expand access to Michiganders who are interested in helping the commission shape both federal and state political boundaries for the next 10 years. The commission will vote on proposed maps on Nov. 5. Ahead of the vote, the commission has made additional measures in an effort to access Michigan residents. One effort is a new tool that will be available for the first time during the second round of public hearings. The commission will launch a portal station to help provide assistance at the public hearing events. The group will staff the stations with volunteers to assist people with questions, drawing maps or other inquiries. The portals will be open from noon to 8 p.m. (with a one-hour recess) at each physical location of the public hearings. Additional efforts for the second round of hearings include an increased number of monitors for viewing of the maps and other necessary items at the public hearing meetings, in addition to more time allowed per individual for public comments. During the first round of public hearings in the spring, Michigan residents providing public comments had two minutes to submit verbal comments at the hearings. The commission also noted that at one point, the public only had a minute to provide comments. Now, the commission has expanded the public comment time to three minutes per person. Midland County becomes a statewide topic of conversation To launch its second phase of public hearings, the commission held a press conference Monday afternoon for news media representatives to ask questions. At the press conference, Commissioner Doug Clark used Midland as an example of an area where the commission draws multiple maps when different constituents have different opinions about what constitutes a community of interest. He said Midland community members are divided over the Congressional districts. Theres a big push from the people in Midland and Midland Township to stay together. But theres also another faction of Midland that believes they should be a part of the industrial complex in Bay City, (Saginaw) and Flint," Clark said. So, weve got a map that integrates the city of Midland, not the township, with Bay City and we got another one that incorporates (the city of) Midland with the county, he continued. And were going to get public feedback on that again in the second round of hearings. We definitely want to hear more input and more comments relative to that sort of thing. In terms of compactness, Clark said its not mathematically possible to keep all of the counties whole. By following the Voting Rights Act and the number of people who were required to have in each district, were going to have certain counties that are going to be split and other counties that will not, Clark said. Well have to make that determination at some point and come to a decision mainly based on public comment. The Daily News previously reported on Oct. 13 that Cathy Leikhim, chairperson of the Midland County Republican Party, is concerned about the city of Midland being separated from the rest of Midland County, saying that Michigans redistricting commission has put partisan fairness over community interests. On the other hand, Jennifer Austin, chairperson of the Midland County Democratic Party, is overall satisfied with the current draft of maps, citing that having the Tri-Cities grouped together is a good thing. Clark, of Rochester Hills, is affiliated as a Republican on the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. Michigans independent commission is made up of residents statewide. The commission has four Republicans including Clark, four Democrats, four Independents, and one non-affiliated member. Public hearings The commission will hold its second phase of public hearings beginning this Wednesday. To view draft proposed maps, click here. Communications and Outreach Director Edward Woods III said Michigan residents can submit comments and feedback to the commission at any scheduled public hearing. For example, Midland County residents can attend a meeting in Grand Rapids to submit public comments regarding Midland County. All public hearings are available online via Zoom during the in-person events. The next in-person hearing is from 1-3:30 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday at the TCF Center, which is located at 1 Washington Blvd. in Detroit. Each event will open its doors at noon and lasts from 1-3:30 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. The new portal stations at each event close from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. for a one-hour recess. The following is the rest of the commissions schedule into next week: Thursday, Oct. 21 at the Lansing Center, 333 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing Friday, Oct. 22 at the DeVos Place in the Steelcase Ballroom, 303 Monroe Ave. (NW) in Grand Rapids. Monday, Oct. 25 at the Treetops Resort, 3962 Wilkinson Road in Gaylord Tuesday, Oct. 26 at the Dort Center, 3501 Lapeer Road in Flint Remote comments are accepted until 3 p.m. at each session. Individuals can call 833-YOU-DRAW (or 833-968-3729) for more information. Michigan residents can also dial 2-1-1, a service for individuals without internet access which has more than 200 languages for translation services. After this phase of public hearings, the commission will vote on Nov. 5. However, the maps will not be final until after the next public hearing process. Following the Nov. 5 vote, there will be a 45-day public comment period both in-person and online. Members of the public can attend the events beginning Nov. 18 and in the portal. The in-person meeting dates following Nov. 18 are Dec. 2, Dec. 16 and Dec. 30. For more information, visit michigan.gov/micrc. Related content: Midland political leaders divided by redistricting lines Students and staff are safe following a bomb threat at Mount Pleasant High School Monday afternoon. The threat was found written on a bathroom wall. It was reported to school administration just before 1 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 18, according to a press release on the incident. The school followed established protocol and immediately went into a lockdown with students remaining in classrooms while law enforcement swept the entire building and perimeter with bomb-detecting police dogs. Authorities determined the threat wasn't credible, and parents were alerted of the situation. Students were released from school at their normal time today, according to the press release. Wed like to thank our dedicated local police along with our well-trained team at Mt. Pleasant High School for acting quickly to keep everyone safe, Mount Pleasant Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Verleger said in a statement. We take these threats very seriously, and both the school and law enforcement will conduct investigations into who wrote the threat. We have zero tolerance for this type of behavior at Mt. Pleasant schools. NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. A man wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a cab driver in New Rochelle, N.Y., and for an alleged attempted murder in Connecticut was taken into custody after a shootout with authorities over the weekend, police said. Police in New Rochelle said the cab driver was killed around 3 a.m. on Oct. 14. Andres Valenzuela, 62, of New Rochelle, N.Y., was finishing up his shift as a taxi driver when police say he was shot. Valenzuela was found with two gunshot wounds outside Julianos Caterers parking lot at 700 Main St. Valenzuela was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. On Sunday, after an exhaustive and extensive investigation, police worked with FBI to conduct surveillance at an apartment complex in Brooklyn where investigators believed the suspect of the fatal cab driver shooting was staying, according to New Rochelle Police Capt. J. Collins Coyne, commander of the Criminal Investigations Division. At about 10:30 a.m., detectives spotted the individual later identified as Percell Lamont Ross, of Covington, Va. in the complexs courtyard and tried to take him into custody, Coyne said. When police identified themselves and ordered Ross to stop, Ross started to shoot at the officers and tried to flee on foot, according to Coyne. The suspect continued to shoot at police in various directions as they converged on him. Several officers returned fire, Coyne said. The suspect ultimately surrendered when he ran out of ammunition. Neither the suspect or the police were hit with gunfire. Ross was taken into custody by the FBI and is facing federal charges in addition to a murder charge for the killing of Valenzuela, Coyne said. The gun Ross used to shoot at police identified as a .22-caliber revolver is believed to be the same gun used in Valenzuelas death, Coyne said. Investigators expect to do a ballistics check on the weapon to confirm. Coyne said Ross is expected to face additional offenses in connection with Sundays shootout with police. He said Ross is also a wanted fugitive from justice in Connecticut on an attempted murder charge. Coyne said Ross is also wanted on sex trafficking offenses in Virginia. It was not immediately clear what police department in Connecticut has an arrest warrant for Ross. PORTLAND Connecticut public schools are responsible for identifying children who are eligible to receive special education services. As such, Valley View School in Portland will be conducting a preschool screening on Friday for children ages 3 to 4. The screening is designed to answer any questions or concerns about a childs development as well as identifying children who may be eligible for the preschool selection process, according to a press release. During the screening, your child will meet with members from the preschool team and participate in a variety of activities. These activities assess different developmental areas, including cognition, communication, fine and gross motor skills and social interaction, the news release said. During this time, the parent/caregiver will meet with another member of the team to discuss their childs adaptive and personal social skills. Following the screening, parents will receive a letter stating their childs results. In order for a child to attend Valley Views preschool program, they must participate in the screening process. Peer role models are determined on a year-to-year basis. To schedule an appointment, call 860-342-3131. Retired Army Gen. Colin Powell, the first Black man to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later secretary of state, died Monday from complications of COVID-19. He was 84. Powell, a monumental figure in American foreign policy for nearly 40 years, had been treated for the disease at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and was fully vaccinated, his family said in a statement. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," they wrote. Powells longtime assistant Peggy Cifrino told the New York Times that Powell suffered from multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that required treatment that depresses the immune system and that made him vulnerable to infections and illness. The son of Jamaican immigrants, Powell rose to the highest ranks of the U.S. Army and the federal government, and was considered in the late 1990s to be a contender to serve as the first Black U.S. president. Related Video: I lost a tremendous personal friend and mentor figure. Hed been my mentor and friend for a number of years who always made time for me, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Monday in a brief statement to reporters. I feel as if I have a hole in my heart. Read Next: US Says it Will Pay the Family of the 10 Afghans Killed in a Failed Drone Strike and Help Them Relocate to US Powells transformation from soldier to statesman began during his tenure in the administration of Ronald Reagan and as a leading member of the defense transition team to the Carter administration. He was later appointed in 1987 as national security advisor. Two years later, Powell was appointed the 12th chairman of the Joint Chiefs by President George H. W. Bush and served in the position under President Bill Clinton. At 52, he was the youngest man ever to be named to the post as well as the first commissioned through ROTC. In the position, he oversaw the invasion of Panama in 1989 and the ouster of its leader, Manuel Noriega, as well as the 1991 Persian Gulf War, although he advocated largely for finding diplomatic solutions prior to combat operations -- a balanced approach demonstrating his interest in foreign policy that made him a likely candidate for a Cabinet position in any future presidential administrations. After winning the 2000 presidential election, George W. Bush chose Powell as his first Cabinet nominee, naming him secretary of state -- a post for which he received unanimous confirmation. In a statement Monday, Bush called Powell a "great man" and said he and former first lady Laura Bush were deeply saddened by his death. "Many presidents relied on Gen. Powell's counsel and experience ... He was such a favorite of presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- twice," Bush said. "He was highly respected at home and abroad." As Secretary of State, Powell oversaw the diplomatic effort to organize an international response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S., with the Global War on Terror and the invasion of Afghanistan. In February 2003, he announced at the United Nations that the U.S. intelligence community believed that Iraq had violated international agreements and was building weapons of mass destruction, including biological weapons. The speech was the height of a campaign to convince countries to participate in the U.S. invasion of Iraq and ouster of Saddam Hussein, which became a war that spanned eight years and killed more than 4,400 American service members. No large stockpiles of weapons were ever found in Iraq. Powell left public office in 2005, joining a venture capital firm as an adviser and penning a best-selling autobiography, My American Journey. He also became more vocal in criticizing the Republican Party and in 2008, endorsed President Barack Obama. He was born April 5, 1937, to Maud Arial and Luther Powell. He attended Morris High School and later earned a bachelor's degree from City College of New York, where he served as cadet colonel of the Army ROTC unit and was named a distinguished military graduate, according to his official Army biography. He was commissioned in 1958 and after attending Infantry Officer Basic, Ranger and Airborne schools, was assigned to Germany and later Fort Devens, Massachusetts, to serve as a company commander. While serving in Vietnam in 1963, he was wounded by a punji stick booby trap, according to the Academy of Achievement, and also earned the Bronze Star. He returned to Vietnam in 1968 as a major, serving as a battalion executive officer and later, deputy G-3 with the 23rd Infantry Division. In addition to posts in Washington, D.C., Powell served in South Korea guarding the Demilitarized Zone, and commanded 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell Kentucky. He was assistant division commander for operations of the 4th Infantry Division, Mechanized, Fort Carson, Colorado; deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Combat Development Activity, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and commanding general of V Corps in Europe. Among his many awards, Powell earned the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit. He also holds the distinction for receiving the Soldier's Medal for saving the life of a Medal of Honor recipient. At the site of a helicopter crash in Vietnam, then-Capt. Powell pulled troops from the burning aircraft, including Jack Treadwell, an Army colonel who earned the highest military combat honors for single-handedly capturing six German bunkers during World War II. Powell is survived by his wife, Alma Johnson Powell, chairwoman of America's Promise, a coalition to improve the lives of American youth; a son, Michael Powell; and daughters Linda Powell and Annemarie Powell. More than 724,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, according to Johns Hopkins University. Unvaccinated Americans are 17 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated, but breakthrough cases do occur. Research published in late August found that older adults and those with at least three underlying medical conditions are at risk for more severe cases of COVID-19 even if they have received their immunizations. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Marine One Transports President Trump to Walter Reed Hours After COVID-19 Diagnosis STUTTGART, Germany A U.S. military family in Bavaria is being targeted by German tax investigators, possibly signaling an expansion of a controversial tax collection operation to a state where tens of thousands of Americans are based. Earlier this month, Sandra Johnson, a German with a U.S. green card, opened her mail to find a letter from the Ansbach finance office demanding information about her husband, a Defense Department civilian. The questionnaire, which resembled those that have been sent to active-duty military and other DOD personnel based some 160 miles away near Ramstein Air Base, was the first known to have been issued to a military family in Bavaria. Tax officials wanted to know how long the Johnsons had been in Germany, and they sought proof that the family intended to leave in the future. The tax office also told Johnson she needed to hand over her husbands U.S. tax records for inspection. She said the stress is unbelievable. And you are basically left to deal with it by yourself, she added. Such questionnaires have been used to collect information and eventually open formal tax cases against American military members. The stakes for families locked in such disputes have been high: threats of imprisonment and property confiscation, yearslong court fights and six-figure tax bills. The U.S. government says the situation amounts to a violation of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which is designed to put military income off limits to local tax collectors. But so far, the U.S. government has been powerless to stop it even though the matter has gotten the attention of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. While we do not comment on diplomatic exchanges, the embassy and the military commands continue to work closely in concert to address what we believe is a misinterpretation of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, the U.S Embassy in Berlin said Thursday in a statement. The Department of Defense and Department of State remain engaged and are trying to reach a resolution of this long-standing issue. German tax offices have argued that language in the SOFA treaty justifies their actions. If military members arent in Germany solely for their jobs, they could be subjected to German tax for the same income on which theyre already paying U.S. taxes, German authorities say. German tax collectors have built cases against Americans based on circumstances such as marriage to a German, tour extension, property purchases or enrollment of a child in a German school. To avoid German income tax, Americans with a SOFA visa must prove they plan to leave the country. Yet tax offices have continued to pursue military personnel even after they have left Germany. The Ansbach finance office declined to answer when asked how many tax cases are pending against U.S. military members. The tax office does not keep separate records of U.S. soldiers or members of the U.S. military who are stationed in the area under the NATO Forces Statute, the Ansbach office said in a statement Friday. They added that the taxation of U.S. soldiers and members of the U.S. military has always been in compliance with the regulations of the NATO troop statute. While U.S. forces are based all over the world, Germany is the only foreign country in which U.S. forces are at risk of having their military paycheck taxed. German tax offices also have factored in housing allowances and on-base benefits like discounted gasoline, commissary shopping privileges and access to base gyms. In the area around Ramstein Air Base, where most cases against Americans have centered so far, tax offices have imposed an annual flat penalty in the range of $15,000 to $20,000 based on benefits alone before looking at pay and housing allowance, according to private tax consultants, attorneys and affected military personnel. Ive read about other people who have been in this situation, and I looked at it as weird and frightening, Johnson said. I wonder how many more people its going to be. These are families lives that are being messed with. Johnson said the Army legal office on post in Ansbach told her there was nothing it could do to help. The U.S. military in Europe also has said it cant get involved in individual tax cases, and Army legal officials have advised people to hire private attorneys. U.S. European Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa, which oversees SOFA matters in Germany, have been unable to provide any protection for personnel. Thus far, the guidance by the Armys legal office has been that military members should do their best to stay off the radar of tax authorities by not registering with a local town hall and not filing jointly if a German spouse needs to pay taxes. Johnson, a German citizen who works as a contractor on base, said she caught the Ansbach tax offices attention because she was required to file local taxes. Even though she filed singly rather than jointly, as allowed by German law, she was met with the demand to hand over her husbands U.S. tax records. Johnson said shes been forced to retain a lawyer to try to keep the German version of the IRS at bay. While the couple has been in Germany since 2018, they were in the U.S. for 10 years prior to their arrival, she said. And Johnson said they plan to return there in two years. I dont take anything from the Germans, she said. I want nothing from them. Stars and Stripes reporter Marcus Kloeckner contributed to this report. TBILISI, Georgia U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has signed an agreement to continue American support for Georgias military for six years. The current agreement for such support is to expire at the end of the year, but Austin and Georgian Defense Minister Junasher Burchuladze signed the replacement agreement Monday during Austins visit to the country. Austin said the U.S. support will help the former Soviet republic on the Black Sea build effective deterrence and defense. U.S. support has included participating in military exercises with Georgian forces. Georgia and Russia fought a short war in 2008 that ended with Russia gaining control of two separatist republics that account for about 20% of Georgias territory. In a meeting with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Austin said the United States condemns Russias ongoing occupation of Georgia and its attempts to expand influence into the Black Sea region through military coercion and malign activities. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. 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Summary of all keyboard shortcuts The Padres announced that they have hired former Astros national crosschecker David Post as a special assistant to GM A.J. Preller and the scouting department. Post will assist Preller in all aspects of amateur, professional and international scouting. In addition to his experience with the Astros, Post has served as a regional scout for the Marlins as well. The 41-year-old also had a 12-year playing career as a minor leaguer with the Dodgers, Expos, Indians, Pirates, Yankees and Rockies, tallying a combined .272/.367/.383 batting line. Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets that the hiring seems to cast doubt over previous speculation that Kevin Towers would join the Padres front office in an advisory capacity were he dismissed as GM of the division-rival DBacks, which he ultimately was. Towers has been offered a scouting role within the Diamondbacks organization. The Cubs have designated catchers Erick Castillo and Tyler Payne for assignment, as relayed by Jordan Bastian of MLB.com (Twitter link). Additionally, Johneshwy Fargas, Tyler Ladendorf and Joe Biagini each of whom were selected to the majors as COVID-19 replacements have been removed from the 40-man roster and returned to Triple-A Iowa. Castillo and Payne are both longtime organizational veterans who got late-season cameos with Willson Contreras dealing with a hip issue. Both 28-year-olds got their first big league calls in the last week of the regular season, with Castillo picking up a couple of hits. Neither player was regarded as a high-level prospect and neither has a strong offensive track record in the minors. Its not surprising they were removed from the roster rather quickly, then, although both did at least get into an MLB game. Both Castillo and Payne will go on waivers in the coming days. Should they pass through unclaimed, theyd each have the right to elect minor league free agency as players with seven-plus seasons of minor league experience. It wouldnt be a surprise to see either player re-sign with the Cubs on a minors pact for 2022, as theyve each only played in the Chicago organization throughout their pro careers. Fargas, Ladendorf and Biagini are all soon to become minor league free agents themselves. That trio was brought up at the end of the year while the Cubs dealt with coronavirus spread in the clubhouse. Players selected as COVID replacements neednt be passed through waivers to be removed from the 40-man, although theyll all have the requisite minor league service time to test the open market this winter anyhow. Just a couple of months after announcing plans for Phase II of its Dos Picos system with construction of a natural gas processing facility in Midland County, Pinnacle Midstream II is awarding contracts for the project. Houston-based Pinnacle has selected Saulsbury of Odessa the EPC Engineering, Procurement and Construction contract to design and install the new facility, which will have a capacity of 200 million cubic feet per day. We could see a line of sight to put in a 200 million cubic feet per day facility, J. Greg Sargent, Pinnacles founder and chief executive officer, told the Reporter-Telegram in a telephone interview. He said Saulsbury was chosen in part because the company helped with the planning of the initial phase. Saulsburys location in Odessa, Midlands western neighbor, was also a determining factor, he said. Sean Trotter, vice president, EPC-Engineering and Major Projects with Saulsbury, told the Reporter-Telegram by telephone that this is the companys 60th cryogenic processing facility since 2006 and represents over 10.4 billion cubic feet per day of processing capacity. It is the companys 22nd facility installed in West Texas. The environment has been difficult for the industry over the last 18 months, Trotter said. Were pleased to secure a project of this size coming out of the downturn. He said Saulsbury was pleased to work with Pinnacle and pleased to work on a project in its own backyard. And even though there are signs the industry is coming out of the downturn, he said Saulsbury is not resting on its laurels. Its a competitive environment, its a competitive atmosphere. There are a number of good contractors seeking the same contracts. The Dos Picos system was announced in December 2019 with a commitment from DoublePoint Energy, now part of Pioneer Natural Resources to serve Midland, Martin and Glasscock counties. Sargent said the company ultimately aggregated enough gas commitments to proceed with Phase II. There are several good midstream companies, he acknowledged, but Dos Picos is designed for pad projects of 16 to 25 wells. A lot of midstream assets are not designed to turn on 25 wells at one time, he pointed out. As winter approaches and with it fears of another storm like Winter Storm Uri, Sargent said Dos Picos is built with weatherization in mind. Like other midstream companies, he said the facility will have heat tracing and insulation. Pinnacle also hydrates the gas to not allow freezing and insulates the instrument lines so instruments dont freeze. One of the causes of the blackouts during Winter Storm Uri was the loss of electricity to gas processing plants, leaving them unable to process gas and move it through pipelines to power generating stations. Dos Picos, Sargent said, will have standby generators and, possibly solar panels in the future, to ensure the processing plant remains operational. Growth has been faster than expected, said Drew Ward, partner and chief commercial officer, as rising demand and constrained supplies send commodity prices higher. Ward cited concerns about a shortage of natural gas in storage for the coming winter along with rising demand for liquefied natural gas for driving crude to $80 a barrel and natural gas to $5-6 per Mcf. Theres been a lack of investment and production coming online in the last two months, Ward said. Weve been baking our case for the last 12 months and now were eating it. Though current price levels are in part the result of underinvestment in the industry, he doesnt see natural gas prices sustained at current levels long-term. Well see volatility, he predicted. I think an $80 crude floor is strong; I dont see it collapsing further. If we can get through this winter without a super cold snap, well see natural gas prices come off a little. If anyone had told operators six months ago that prices would be at current levels, he said, they would have said you were crazy. As it prepares its 60th cryogenic processing facility, Trotter said Saulsbury always looks for its next projects. Likewise, Sargent said that as Pinnacle grows, Well do blocking and tackling, give good service to our customers and service new customers. The Permian Basin is one of the fastest-growing, economically invigorated regions of the country full of industry, culture and wide-open spaces. At the academic heart of this revitalized area sits the University of Texas Permian Basin which, every year, delivers smart, savvy leaders into the communities of the Basin and across the U.S. As an institution, we remain committed to filling workforce gaps and innovating for the future. The oil and gas industry relies on a variety of skills and expertise, most notably engineers. UT Permian Basin offers bachelors degrees in chemical, electrical, mechanical and petroleum engineering. Additionally, the university offers a master's program in mechanical engineering. UT Permian Basin ranks No. 1 for Best Value Engineering Schools in Texas (2021). In 2019, US News and World Report ranked UTPB No. 1 for highest paid petroleum engineers. The university is home to a brand new 105,000-square-foot engineering building with state-of-the-art labs, lecture halls and advanced technology. Students thrive with a 14-to-1 faculty-to-student ratio, opportunities for paid internships with industry leaders and robust recruitment from the worlds top producing firms. I feel really confident coming out of UTPB as an engineer, said recent UTPB College of Engineering graduate Nolan Hines. I think every one of my professors knows me by my first name. I can have conversations with any of them whether its about school or not. Many engineers find the opportunity to expand their skill set with a graduate certificate in Engineering Project Management. The credential is designed for those who have completed a bachelors degree in engineering, computer science or business. It is structured to develop advanced skills for managing and leading engineering projects from initiation to completion. Classes include Essentials of Engineering Project Management, Advanced Engineering Economics and Quality and Risk Management. UT Permian Basin is committed to serving the region, and that means developing programs that are relevant to industry needs. When leaders expressed concern about a shortage of landmen in the area, the College of Business responded with a uniquely developed Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A) in Energy Land Management. The goal is simple: prepare graduates to work in energy business and the landman profession. The faculty along with business leaders who advise the college, believe an understanding of business management, the energy industry, and law related to the energy industry are essential for professionals in the industry. The B.B.A. in Energy Land Management is perfect for students interested in careers managing property, mineral and water rights in the petroleum, solar or wind energy industries or in real estate. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) programs produce leaders in all industry sectors. UTPBs MBA has tracks in accounting, finance, and marketing, plus a Graduate Certificate in Energy Business is popular with managers in the Permian. This 12-hour program can be taken as a stand-alone graduate certificate (most anyone holding an undergraduate degree can pursue), or as part of the MBA or MPA curriculum. The faculty in the College of Business at UTPB are there to help you grow as a student and as a professional. They provide you with all the necessary tools to succeed. The professors are extremely knowledgeable and have real-life experience in the topics that they teach as well as extensive research in their fields of study, said UT Permian Basin MBA graduate, Oscar Gonzalez Foreseck. A critical need for energy exploration includes geological expertise. UT Permian Basin offers both bachelors in geology and chemistry and masters in geology with a graduate certificate available in geospatial/GIS. These programs prepare students for careers in petroleum, mining, water resources, environmental management, environmental geology, governmental agencies, engineering geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and natural resources. UTPB students are well trained in the UTPB Natural Resource Center that collaborates with industry on real world geologic and chemical solutions. Many graduates of UT Permian Basins geology and chemistry programs go on to work in the energy industry. They often take jobs in exploration, laboratory, well site operations and field services. Other highly sought-after educational paths include chemistry, cyber security, and computer science. With bachelors and masters degree opportunities, interested students can choose a track in environmental chemistry, environmental geology, data science, and software development all critical components to modern oil and gas exploration. UT Permian Basin offers opportunities specifically for students who are already actively working in the oil and gas industry. The Industrial Technology programs include a certificate in Petroleum Technology with courses on drilling technology, and wireline, mud logging and core analysis. Students use their associates or bachelors degrees to get the training and credentials they need to move up in their companies. The university also offers a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Science (BAAS) for students who come in with an AAS degree. Many UTPB business students add an Energy Business Certificate, preparing them to contribute to firms throughout the Permian Basin. Research initiatives at the University of Texas Permian Basin are focused on solving real world problems in the energy industry. The Texas Water and Energy Institute (TWEI) provides a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional approach to complex issues dealing with produced water, wastewater, and drinking water. Research ranges from water quality, water-energy interdependencies, water security, water infrastructure protection and related policy issues. The TWEI in conjunction with Chevron also hosts a lecture series to create a learning environment where industry, academia, and government agencies can network and discuss state-of-the-art treatment technologies with current produced-water management strategies. The series is also an opportunity for professional development. UT Permian Basin will soon be home to the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC). The broader impacts of the center include: advancing discovery and understanding of new technologies; increasing access to manufacturing techniques; improving a sustainable framework for the regions economic diversification through manufacturing; and increasing university-industry partnerships and student engagements. The university will also offer an Advanced Manufacturing Certificate. This program serves as a bridge between the traditional academic curriculum and industrial applications. As a credit-granting certification program, students may transfer credits toward their masters degree. This is an excellent opportunity for people who wish to get back into an academic setting. It also provides a competitive advantage in the local industry and bolsters workforce development. The Permian Basin is blessed with valuable natural resources and an entrepreneurial drive that inspires people who are willing to take a chance and do something big. UTPB embraces that wildcatters spirit and this year they are launching multiple projects to support innovation and workforce development. With help from the Midland Development Corp. and the Odessa Development Corp., the university is launching programs to nurture ideas that grow the economy in a stable, sustainable way. At the Center for Energy and Economic Diversification the focus will be managerial training, shared office spaces, and support for startup businesses. This will also be home to an incubator which makes technological, scientific, and management expertise available through UTPB faculty and services. A MakerSpace provides opportunities for people with good ideas to mingle and access tools that help them produce prototypes. The end result will be a place to bring innovative concepts to market to begin the commercialization process. On UTPB the Odessa campus, an Innovation Center stocked with 3-D printers, Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools, and much more will support the development of product prototypes. The Blackstone Launchpad by Techstars will support budding entrepreneurs and next-generation leaders within the Universitys student body. The space will also be complete with a MakerSpace. As the oil and gas industry continues to recover the demand for a highly skilled workforce becomes more important. With three strong academic institutions, each dedicated to providing quality training and preparation, the future is bright in the epicenter of the oil and gas industry. -- Tatum Hubbard is the chief of staff and executive director of Communications and Marketing at the University of Texas Permian Basin Officials with the Permian Basin International Oil Show planned to honor longtime director TL Woody Gregory who served as president in 1986 as honoree of the 2020 show. But the COVID-19 pandemic prompted organizers to cancel the show. Still, they honored Gregory in October 2020, when the show would have been held. And though Gregory passed away last November, he will still be honored when the show opens its doors Oct. 19. The past presidents always meet and discuss an honoree, his son, Don Gregory, told the Reporter-Telegram in a telephone interview. Everyone wanted Woody, so (past president) Bro Hill and I told him. His voice breaking, Gregory recalled his fathers reaction: He was frail at the time, but he looked at us and said, That cant be right. He was super honored to be chosen. We had a luncheon for him just before he passed. Father and son worked together on the Oil Show He worked me like a dog, Don quipped and the son was asked to join the board of directors in 1988. Quite an honor, he said. The oilpatch was a tradition for the Gregory family, which was based in Wichita Falls. My grandfather went to work for the Wilson Group because he could repair tractors, recounted Don, of the leading manufacturer of oilfield equipment. In the 1930s they still used mules to pull rods. John Wilson used tractors with a winch to pull rods. The Ford tractors he used were finicky and my grandfather knew how to repair them. Dons father, born Truman Laro in 1933 and nicknamed Woody, joined what had become Wilson Manufacturing in 1957 after four years in the Air Force, where he stationed in Wichita Falls and in Japan. After the service, he joined Wilson in Houston as a field service representative. That job took him all over South Texas, Mexico and South America, said Don. Finally, in 1960 the Gregory family settled in Odessa in 1960 when Woody joined his brother, Don to found Gregory Rig Service. They put their toolboxes in their cars and traveled to the sites, said Don, who also worked for the company. They kept going until they were able to buy property and build shops. They ended up building a 60,000-square-foot shop by the time they were done and had locations in Oklahoma City and another in Victoria. At one point we had well over 100 employees in Odessa. The Gregorys sold the company in 1998 to a company they had worked with as a distributor. Woody stayed on awhile before eventually deciding to retire. Then he started building airplanes, said Don. He bought a kit and worked at it like it was his job. He was meticulous about things like that. Oil Show organizers recognized Woody not only for his contributions to the Oil Show and the industry but for his community service. Among the boards he served on were the Petroleum Museum, Bank of the West, Ector County Utility District and Odessa Country Cub. He was also a member of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee. The industry has been challenged in recent years, said Don, and there remain boom and bust cycles and addressing concerns about the environment and caring for the physical and mental health of oilfield workers. But the industry is resilient, he said. It can be rewarding; it has been for our family, he said. Its anything but business as usual in the antiques world. There is absolutely no ordinary day. I would love for there to be, but no, said Nick Little, owner and operator of Market House Antiques in downtown Jacksonville. But sometimes its kind of fun waking up and not knowing how the day is going to go. Little, 31, is always on the lookout for unique or desirable items, and that usually means he has to be ready whenever opportunity presents itself. My schedule is absolutely flexible and I have to keep it that way, Little said. Sometimes Im ending up in St. Louis or finding something in Springfield on short notice. You just never know. More Information If you have a suggestion about someone who should be profiled, send their name and any contact information available to communitynews@myjournalcourier.com. See More Collapse Market House Antiques 7,000-square-foot historic storefront on East State Street is closed for now for a major renovation project, but Little is keeping business going until a planned late fall reopening by searching far and wide for rare, interesting or just plain beautiful items his clients may want. I know that certain people are looking for particular things, and good condition is usually needed at the high end of the scale, Little said. Then there are some people who dont care what condition it is, they just need that particular item. I have a client who loves anything Pyrex or 1950s-type kitchen wares, so I am always on the lookout for stuff like that, Little said. I have a guy who loves stuff made in occupied Japan, little figurines, hes always collecting those. Some things are easier to find and some things are trickier, so when they come up I grab them if I can. Antique furniture pieces, dressers of different sizes, tables and lighting are always in demand, and mid-20th century items are making a big comeback in the antiques world, he said. I love mid-century (design) so I try to get as many pieces as I can, things with hairpin legs, atomic patterns, space-age designs and blonde wood, Little said. Rotary phones, cameras, there are a wide range of things that are popular now. And those are things I love myself, so when I have to go hunt those down its much more fun. Deciding whether an item is a valuable antique or simply old often boils down to a gut feeling, and Little carefully considers each pieces condition, graphics, color and size when making that determination, he said. Items sometimes need minor repairs or tweaking, and he occasionally performs light restoration work on a piece. Once in a while that gut feeling tells him to act. If its something Ive never seen before, I grab it, Little said. If its a great price and I know that I can make a little bit on it, then I grab that, too. Little is used to the unpredictable nature of his business. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and moved often with his family to several Eastern seaboard states as they followed his fathers U.S. Navy career. Littles family wound up in Illinois, where Nick finished middle school and high school. He lived several places in Illinois as an adult and found his way to Jacksonville in 2017 to help care for his ailing grandfather. Nick, father Toby and stepmother Joyce bought two side-by-side, 1885-vintage downtown Jacksonville buildings in 2017 and, in 2018, opened the Firewater Bar inside. Some 18 months later, the trio closed the bar and opened Market House Antiques in the same space in fall 2018. Nick, his father and grandfather shared a passion for antiques. Littles grandparents had an antique business and would sell items at mall booths and at South Jacksonville Antique Mall. My dad was surrounded by that and, because I was part of the family, I grew up liking the old stuff, too, Little said. I enjoy seeing how mechanically cool things are and how things progressed to the way they are now. Market House Antiques is in two adjacent, connected buildings that served at one time as a meat market and grocery store. Multiple owners through the years added their own touches, and Little is in the process of getting down to the original, historic fabric of the buildings. A lot of the journey right now is just peeling back the old, unnecessary layers that were added over each other, Little said. Its a process of trying to bring the building back to its former glory and then tweaking it to the modern era with newer technology and lighting. When we bought the property we knew that it needed updates, and when COVID first hit that was the initial push, Little said. We were shut down, so what else is there to do except start a project? Little expects to be open again by late October or early November. He appreciates the support he has received from his fellow downtown merchants and his loyal customers. Little has returned the favor by serving on the Jacksonville Area Museum board and was instrumental in getting the institution, which is just a half-block from his store, open to the public last month. Meanwhile, Little always has his eyes open for the Holy Grail, that one-of-a-kind antique in immaculate condition that few people have ever encountered. Little will know it when he sees it, he said. Until then, hes on a quest for an item of his own. There is a type of camera that Im looking for, a giant, old-fashioned, 1920s model with the giant flash, Little said. But my mind is so wide open theres no telling what else I may find. Alarmed and at the same time energized by a Texas law that bans most abortions, abortion-rights advocates in the General Assembly are targeting what people on both sides of the contentious issue consider the last restriction on access to abortion in Illinois. Democrats in the House and Senate are pushing to repeal a law requiring that a parent or guardian be notified at least 48 hours in advance when a minor 17 or younger seeks an abortion. Consent is not required as it is in nearly half the states. To parental-notice supporters, its a commonsense approach to ensuring that families are involved in a minors health care and even identify children in abusive situations who need additional help. Opponents say it serves no purpose but to delay a minors constitutional right to choose their health care, a disruption that could have adverse effects. Repeal has a sudden sense of urgency among proponents. The Texas law prohibits most abortions after a cardiac activity is detected at about six weeks. And the U.S. Supreme Court will hear in December a challenge to a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks. There is another dimension to this now said Rep. Anna Moeller, an Elgin Democrat and the repeals House sponsor. I expect Texas-style laws will be coming to states near us. Were already surrounded by states that have very strict abortion-access laws. It will be this race to the bottom: Who can be the toughest on abortion until the Supreme Court weighs in? Moeller said shes talking to colleagues, counting votes and trying to persuade moderate Democrats. Democratic Sen. Elgie Sims of Chicago has similar legislation in the Senate, but he did not respond to a message seeking comment. If they can collect the votes, theyve got an ally ready to sign the law. Im in favor of repealing PNA, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker said last week. I dont know whether the Legislature will bring this up over the two weeks of veto session, but I have stood in favor of it since I was elected. The 1995 law, adopted during the only legislative session in the past half-century that Republicans controlled both the House and Senate and the governors office, did not take effect until 2013, after years of judicial challenges by the American Civil Liberties Union. Since then, the number of abortions among minors has dropped 38%, to 1,092 in 2018, while abortions overall among Illinois residents remained steady, according to Illinois Department of Public Health statistics. The numbers in both categories have plummeted since the mid-90s; overall, sinking 25% from a high of 49,131 in 1996 while abortions among minors hit a high of 4,853 in 1995 and a low of 1,003 in 2017, a drop of 79%. Its a very commonsense law that actually transcends the abortion issue, said Amy Gehrke, executive director of Illinois Right to Life. This has to do with the basic right of parents to be involved in their childrens health care decisions. Here in Illinois minor girls cant get their ears pierced, they cant get a tattoo, they cant go to a tanning bed, they cant go on a school field trip, they cant even get an aspirin from the school nurse without their parents explicit consent. Gehrke stresses many misinterpret the Illinois law as requiring consent. Its simply notification to a parent, grandparent, or guardian. And its the facility conducting the procedure, not the minor, who must provide the notice. Of 38 states requiring parental involvement in a minors abortion decision, 21 require parental consent in three of those, both parents must consent, according to the Guttmacher Institute. If a girl is in a family situation where notifying parents or other relatives would result in her harm, she may go to a judge who then decides whether she is mature and emotionally sound enough to decide for herself. That has happened 550 times since 2013, with a judge denying abortion access once, according to Brigid Leahy, senior director of public policy for Planned Parenthood of Illinois. Gehrke and other pro-notice activists maintain that the judicial bypass allows a judge to identify minors who are abused or even victims of sex trafficking and get them the social services they need to extricate themselves. Their opponents contend judges are only there to decide the abortion question and have no involvement in saving minors from treachery. Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the ACLU, whose Judicial Bypass Coordination Project assists girls seeking court intervention, said project lawyers have never experienced an instance where a child needed that kind of rescue, but that judges absolutely would intervene if needed. Thats reason enough to maintain the law, said Bob Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, which has been lobbying lawmakers to block repeal since the spring legislative session ended. If you limit this law, then what whats out there? Gilligan asked. Nothing. Is that good public policy? JERSEYVILLE The supply chain challenges that will likely impact this years holiday shopping season didnt affect the shoppers at the weekend Jerseyville Craft Fair, where locally made items offered choices aplenty for virtually anyone on shoppers lists. The craft fair filled Jerseyvilles Susnig Center with creative and colorful, one-of-a-kind items that were a far cry from the computer games, electronics and battery-operated toys that will likely be in short supply this season. We came out to see what we could find for Christmas, because here there is nothing stuck on ships in the middle of the ocean, said shopper Felicia Entrikin of Dow, who had her eye on a reversible basket that had a scarecrow on one side and a snowman on the other. Thats been the hardest part so far, we are trying to find Christmas gifts and nothing is wanting to ship right now, Entrikin said. So you can go local and find your stuff here, made by local crafters. Jerseyville shopper Emily Clay, while looking over some fall decorations, agreed that its nice to support your local businesses, she said. There are some nice crafts here. Betty Gill of Brighton offered crocheted towels, baby burpers, dish cloths, microwave bowl covers, pot holders and potato bags, and was working on several during the craft fair. People are really shopping, you can tell they didnt have craft fairs last year due to COVID, Gill said. Weve had some really good shows this year. You wouldnt think that supply chain issues would affect someone like Gill, but she said its become difficult to get the raw materials for the items to which she adds her crocheted flair. We have noticed our Halloween towels that we normally buy now for next year, we are not finding a lot of them, so we are seeing the supply not be there, Gill said. We have enough inventory so we wont be heavily impacted, but it will make a difference. Kim Kuebrich of Jerseyville had a lot of customers on Saturday for her jewelry, porch boards, signs and Christmas decorations. Its been pretty busy, its a good turnout, Kuebrich said. Weve had a lot of Christmas customers, and fall and Halloween too. According to Forbes.com, holiday shopping this year faces supply chain bottlenecks and disruptions that U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg suggests could last for years. The worldwide shipping delays and other issues are causing shortages that will last from Halloween to Christmas and beyond, Forbes said. Retail giants including Amazon, Target and Walmart are encouraging Christmas shopping because of these issues. Forbes also reported that fewer Black Friday discounts and less variety for childrens toys and other goods may result from the supply chain issues. The clock is ticking on one of the Biden administrations major priorities closing the digital divide and advancing equity for our students by nominating a strong, proven leader as chair of the Federal Communications Commission. That is why the National Education Association on behalf of its 3 million members and the 50 million students it serves is urging President Joe Biden to nominate acting Chair Jessica Rosenworcel to lead the FCC. The digital divide was with us before the COVID-19 crisis, but the pandemic has exposed the huge gap between our nations internet haves and have nots. Last year, NEA released Digital Equity for Students and Educators, a report exploring the digital divide, revealing that one-quarter of school-aged children (ages 5 to 17) dont have what they need for online learning during the pandemic. That study additionally showed this is a problem that disproportionately impacts students of color particularly Black, Latinx and Native students as well students from rural communities. Even as students return to physical classrooms this school year, internet access remains essential for learning. It is critical for conducting research, doing homework, and, when school buildings are closed, attending class. Jessica Rosenworcel has been sounding the alarm on the digital homework gap for years. She has worked tirelessly to shine a spotlight on this problem, which forces students to do their schoolwork outside fast-food restaurants or linger in community centers until late at night to get the broadband access they need to succeed in school, apply to college, and pursue internships and enrichment opportunities. The Biden administrations Build Back Better agenda promises a historic investment in broadband access, including nearly $100 billion in the infrastructure legislation working its way through Congress now. This new infusion of funding would build on the down payment in the American Rescue Plan that Biden signed into law in March. Already, Rosenworcel is leading the Biden administrations efforts to address this problem, delivering an initial $1.2 billion in emergency connectivity funds to schools and libraries around the country. Her foresight on this issue and her successful ability to lead a divided FCC toward bipartisan progress make her the right candidate to oversee the deployment of these vital broadband funds. This nomination is urgent as we approach the final legislative push of 2021. Indeed, failure to nominate and confirm a permanent chair before Rosenworcels current term expires at the end of the year would hamstring the FCC and undermine efforts to help Americas students. Thats why 25 Democratic senators have written the administration urging the quick nomination of Rosenworcel, pointing out she has already been vetted and confirmed more than once by the U.S. Senate. This followed an earlier call by 33 House Democratic women urging her nomination as the first woman to be confirmed by the Senate as FCC chair. With years of service as an FCC commissioner and after now serving as acting chair since the beginning of the Biden administration, Jessica Rosenworcel would continue leading on administration priorities on Day One. She has broad support. including progressive groups who celebrated her elevation to acting chair and major civil rights groups who urged the president to nominate her as permanent chair this August. Seventeen education associations representing educators, principals, school administrators and librarians made the case for Rosenworcel. Time is too short for any further delay on this vital matter. Biden has a historic opportunity to close the digital divide, strengthen opportunities for our students, and address the homework gap. Becky Pringle is a middle school science teacher and president of the National Education Association. She wrote this for InsideSources.com. Democrats have a problem. They want Republican fingerprints on their big-government socialist reconciliation bill. But first, they need to raise the debt ceiling to clear the way for trillions in new spending. Republicans are united in opposition to the reconciliation bill. And they have made clear since the beginning that Democrats with full control of the government will have to raise the debt ceiling on their own. There has been no confusion on this point. All it would take for Democrats to raise the debt ceiling is a one-sentence bill. They could have gotten it done months ago. They could start the process today. But theyve refused. In 2006, then-Sen. Joe Biden and all Democrats voted against the debt ceiling increase when Republicans controlled the House, Senate and White House. Republicans raised the debt ceiling on their own. Biden said at the time, Because this massive accumulation of debt was predicted, because it was foreseeable, because it was unnecessary, because it was the result of willful and reckless disregard for the warnings that were given and for the fundamentals of economic management, I am voting against the debt limit increase. Joining Biden in the no vote: senators Barack Obama and Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Democrats know the reconciliation bill is unpopular which is why they pretend it costs nothing. They do not want the media and voters to talk about the contents of the bill: The biggest tax hike since 1968. Higher business taxes than China and Europe. Small business tax hikes. Capital gains and dividend tax hikes. Special tax cuts for media allies and people purchasing e-bikes costing up to $8,000. Democrats hope voters wont know who to blame if and when the bill is enacted. Democrats fear a mid-term election wipe out. Just like 1993-94 under Clinton and 2009-2010 under Obama, they overreached with tax increases and overspending. Many incumbent senators are vulnerable. For example, Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan is trying to keep a low profile by staying out of the national media spotlight. But Democrat leadership claim they already own her vote. So she will have to explain to her constituents why she just imposed on her state a higher federal-state corporate income tax than China and Europe. Shell have to explain why utility bills will go up. Democrats must also face the fact that corporate income tax rate increases are borne by workers in the form of lower wages. Even progressive economists acknowledge this. And recently the Joint Committee on Taxation testified that the corporate tax was shouldered by labor, laborers. Biden and the Democrats plan to increase the size and power of the IRS. They want $80 billion in new funding over the next decade in order to hire 87,000 new IRS agents and auditors. Thats enough people to fill the Roman Colosseum nearly twice. Biden claims the agency will target people like Scrooge McDuck and Rich Uncle Pennybags. But the IRS itself has already announced a goal of a 50% increase in small business audits. After getting battered by the pandemic and forced closures, the last thing small businesses need right now is an audit, which can easily take two or three years. It gets worse. Democrats want to snoop on your bank account and your PayPal, Venmo, and CashApp accounts. They want to give the IRS automatic access to the inflows and outflows from these accounts. The agency would acquire and store this information, likely forever. The Democrats dont seem to understand why anyone would have a problem with this. The long-term goal for progressives is real-time IRS access to all of your financial transactions. No financial privacy. Theyll dismiss any concerns by saying: What have you got to hide? Democrats also want to impose price controls on American pharmaceutical manufacturers. The importance of medical innovation is clearer now more than ever, yet this proposal would threaten the development of hundreds of new cures in the future. It would also threaten jobs across the country. Its no wonder the Democrats dont want people to notice what is in their bill, and why they want GOP fingerprints on a debt ceiling increase. Grover Norquist is president of Americans for Tax Reform. He wrote this for InsideSourcers.com. President Biden spoke at the 40th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service, which was held at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. Biden was Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. My name is Joe Biden. I am Jill Bidens husband. (Laughter.) Thats how Im better known. Thank you for this invitation to be with you today. Most importantly, to the families here today, this is all about you about you. You know, Ive been coming to this memorial for 40 years. I missed a couple, but and Ive spoken at many too many police memorials all around the country. And it always amazes me how the public doesnt fully understand what we expect of our law enforcement officers. We expect you to be people ready to stand in the way and take a bullet for us. We expect you to be able to track down the bad guys. We expect you to be the psychologist who talks the couple that are having a violent confrontation together to step back. We expect you to be everything. We expect everything of you. And its beyond the capacity of anyone to meet the total expectations. Being a cop today is one hell of a lot harder than its ever been. And to the families of the fallen: Youve suffered an enormous loss. But understand, your loss is also Americas loss. Americas loss. And your pain is Americas pain. Were waking up to the notion that unless we change the environment in which the job can be done, were going to have trouble having enough women and men come forward to want to do that job. I hope all the families sons, daughters, husbands, wives, moms, dads I hope youre able to take a measure of comfort and strength from the extended family you have here and all around you. In remembrance and respect of this memorial and this day, I ordered our flags to be flown at half-staff. Weve met here, in front of this United States Capitol, many times before to memorialize our fallen heroes. And its particularly appropriate today, because here, nine months ago, your brothers and sisters thwarted an unconstitutional and fundamentally un-American attack on our nations values and our votes. But because of you, democracy survived but only because of the women and men of the U.S. Capitol Police force, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies who once again, literally, put their bodies on the line to protect our democracy. Thats why I have no hesitation had none at all in signing the law awarding the Congressional Gold Medal of Congress the highest expression of nations appreciation to the U.S. Capitol Police and Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police and other responding law enforcement agencies. (Applause.) Because of these men and women, we averted a catastrophe. But their heroism came at a cost to you and your families: 150 officers injured; 5 lost in the attacks aftermath. The toll on this profession these past years has been heavy. Too heavy. 2020 was the deadliest year for law enforcement on record. And today, were here to remember nearly 500 of your brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, sons and daughters. 2019 and 2020 we lost so much. Ive attended this memorial many times, as I said, to pay my respects. Sometimes Ive been the speaker; other times Ive sat on this stage and just thought about all of you sitting on the lawn. Although this year, I dont know any personally who have fallen any of the individuals. Ive gone through all the names. I feel I know that with- them without having ever met them. You see, I grew up in a neighborhood a neighborhood in Scranton, Pennsylvania; and Claymont, Delaware; and Bellefonte, where I grew up with the guys and women that were honoring today. One of my best friends in grade school, Eddie Hill (ph), became a superintendent of the Delaware State Police a great friend and competitor in the other major high school. We played ball against one another. Charlie Doughert- Dougherty (ph) became the head of the chief of the Wilmington Police force. And so many more. So although I didnt know them personally, I know you. I know you. I always joke that I grew up in places where you either became a cop, a firefighter, or a priest. I wasnt qualified for them, so I had to settle for this. (Laughter.) But all kidding aside, over the years, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Ive gotten to know you. Even as kids, we could see, in the women and men around us, who are the ones who had the heart. Theyre the ones who ran in to help you when everyone else was running away. They ran toward cries for help, even when they were in grade school, knowing that theyd be able to help a little bit, even if they were outnumbered. And Im not making this up. Think about it. Think about your son, your daughter, your husband, your wife who they were and what was inside them. It was about service, to protect, defend. This isnt just what law enforcement does. Its who you are. Its what makes you who you are. And when you put on that shield in the morning and walk out the door each day, every family member dreads the possibility of receiving that phone call. I was talking to Steny about this. Just as our son, Beau, was in Kosovo for about six months and in Iraq for a year, he was the chief law enforcement officer for the state of Delaware the attorney general. And Id watch every morning because she left for school before I got on the train Jill standing there mouthing a prayer while she drank a cup of coffee over the sink, praying praying for Beau. Wed do it every day. We did it every day. You know, theres a line from an English poet, John Milton. He said, They also serve who only stand and wait. How long have you had to stand and wait and wonder when you heard something on the news or saw it television? Thousands and thousands of American families stand and wait so their husbands, their wives, their fathers, their mothers, sons and daughters, can serve the rest of us. We not only owe them, we owe you. And its not hyperbole. I mean this from the bottom of my heart: We owe you, willing to support to them. And too many of you sitting out there have received that terrible call that your loved one wont be coming home at the end of his or her shift. To the mothers and fathers here today: My heart aches for you. Believe it or not, Jill and I understand. We got one of those calls in a different circumstance. No parent should have to bury a child. I lost a baby daughter in an accident. I lost a brave son to cancer after coming home from a year in Iraq. But you know what? What youve gone through is hard. The fact that he was a chief law enforcement officer of Delaware, he wasnt out there literally, hed go on patrols, but he wasnt out there walking up those stairs to make that arrest or try to stop that fight. He was al- it was always about family. Its like losing a piece of your soul. Some of you still have that feeling like youve been sucked into a black hole in your chest, wondering, My God, will it ever change? Sergeant McClain from Detroit decorated for exemplary service during his 16-year career. He turned down promotions so he could continue to work as a mentor to other officers in his district. Every two weeks, hed send his wife flowers at work, like clockwork, to brighten her day and her office. He was killed responding to a domestic violence call. Officer Tiffany-Victoria Enriquez from Honolulu. She was one of two officers killed while responding to a call and was the first female officer to die in the line of duty in the Honolulu Police Department. Her boyfriend, also an officer, called her, quote, the most hardworking, amazing, fiercest officer I have ever known. My heart is shattered, and she was my love, my rock, my strength. So many. Officer Charles Bra Braz excuse me, Brazydlo excuse me, Barzyldo passed away in 2016, but he was recognized in his line of duty this year. He was part of an elite unit of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey a unit trained to perform technical rescue operations. After the terrorist attacks on September 11th, he was assigned to search and recover recovery efforts at the World Trade tower. He, like so many others, contracted cancer. He died of cancer following that assignment. He made friends wherever he went. He loved the outdoors. He was his neighborhood go-to guy, organizing almost anything, including hunting expeditions. As you call the roll today, were acutely aware that behind each name are families. As I said, we know from personal experience that every time theres a ceremony or memorial honoring your lost husband or wife, son or daughter, it can summon that pride but also that terrible feeling, as if youre just hearing the news for the first time. So, I want you to know: I know although you looked forward to honoring your family member, its hard. Its hard. I mean this sincerely: Jill and I admire your courage for just being here. And we hope you take some comfort in the knowledge that the men and women here assembled today, theyll always be with you. Not a joke. Theyll always be with you, wherever you are and even if you dont know them in a city, a town, a place youve never been before. And as much as we hope not, there are going to be more names added to this roll call of bravery and sorrow. There already have been. As I was preparing these remarks, earlier this morning in Houston, the deputy killed one deputy killed and two wounded. Chief Finner from Houston is here today. I dont know where the Chief is, but hes here today, Im told. Known them seven Houston Police officers in his department were killed in the line of duty since 2019. Chief, Im here for you, pal, and so is everybody else. We mourn the fallen. We pray for the recovery of the wounded. As Ive said, Ive spoken many too many times, too many funerals for police officers; too many funerals for brave servants who kept us safe. So, under the mournful sound of the bagpipes, we must also hear something else: a call to do better, to do more, to keep you safe, to keep our communities safer; for us to step up; to build trust and respect, and heal the breach we now see in so many communities; to recognize that the promise of equal and impartial justice remains a promise but not always a reality for you or others, particularly in low-income communities, too many communities Black and brown. Too many families are grieving unnecessary losses of their sons, their daughters, their fathers, their brothers. I want to acknowledge the FOP, as was mentioned earlier, for sincerely trying to reach an agreement on meaningful reforms, congressional reform, in the negotiations over the George Floyd [Justice] in Policing Act. But heres the part: A lot of the help has to come to police departments. They need help to do better. I want thank you for being the constructive player in this process. We havent gotten there yet, but we must get there. Look, theres too much pain. Theres too much loss. Theres too much at stake for the safety and for the safety of those you serve. Its a hard time to be a police officer in America. So I want to make sure you have the tools to be the partners and the protectors your communities need. That when you look at what your communities need and what youre being asked to do, there isnt going to be there are going to be more resources, not fewer resources helping you do your job. Thats why I proposed we invest in we invest again in community policing we know works. Wanting to protect cops is another cop. In the training you and the community have requested. The community-based programs and interventions that can stop violence before it starts. Provide specific guidance explaining that communities can and should use funds from the American Rescue Plan $350 billion in aid to cities, states, counties, Tribes, to hire and retain officers. Many cities, from Albuquerque to St. Paul, are doing just that. And I proposed an additional $300 million in my budget to support community policing across the country. Its hard when you dont know the community. And the most important way to get to know them it has more police. Were also investing in community violence intervention programs, which are proven have a proven track record of reducing violence by up to 60 percent in cities across our nation. At the same time, we have to stop asking law enforcement officers to do every single job under the sun. Im committed to investing in mental health services and mental health professionals who can respond to a mental health crisis alongside you. You shouldnt be the one having to talk someone off the edge of the roof. You should have professional help with you. To support our law enforcement officers it requires that we invest in the systems that provide adequate healthcare, counseling, drug treatment and prevention, housing, education, and other social services in the community so there is not a discord. We need to work together to confront the ecidemic [sic] the epidemic of gun violence. Your brothers and sisters have told me, over the years, sometimes you feel like youre outgunned. Right now, the Justice Department, under the leadership of Attorney General Garland, is working with state and local law enforcement across the country to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. They now have zero tolerance for gun dealers who willfully violate the law, putting firearms into the hands of people who are a danger to the community and you. I also want to make it easier for states to adopt red-flag laws laws that allow family members or law enforcement to petition a court order to temporarily remove firearms from people who are in crisis, representing a danger to themselves and to others. By the way, more people die of gunshot wounds in America as a consequence of suicide than any other reason. Ive called on Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and to close the domestic violence loophole to keep guns out of the hands of abusers. Forty percent of all calls that result in an officers death were domestic violence related. Forty percent. These steps will protect you, protect the people you serve. And finally, and tragically, in the past two years, COVID-19 has caused more deaths in the line of duty than all the other causes combined. Many of those lost their lives keeping our society safe, serving on the frontlines in those dark, early days of the pandemic. But now, let us prevent the preventable tragedies. The last time I stood here was to take the Oath of Office as your President. I said that day we have much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, much to gain. It remains true. I believe with all my heart theres nothing youre unable to do if we equip you; that we can unite this nation to fight our common foes: anger, resentment, hatred, extremism, racism, lawlessness, violence, disease, joblessness, hopelessness. We have never, ever failed in America when weve acted together. So lets act together to support you in the service of the nation we love. In closing, let me say that I know there are no words, no memorials that can fill that void, that black hole in your chest so many of you feel. But I promise you, the day will come when the memory of your loved one will bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. Thats when you know youre going to make it. Thats when you know. That will happen. But my prayer for you is that that day will come sooner than later. There is a headstone in a cemetery in Ireland that reads: Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory that no one can steal. Theyre with you. Theyre in your heart. Theyre a part of you. May the souls of those you love and those with whom you served rest in peace and rise in glory. In the meantime, youre in our prayers. May God bless you, and may God protect all those who serve us in uniform. Thank you. 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. Empty School Desk View Photo Sonora, CA There may be fewer students in the classroom today. A statewide protest is planned by many who oppose things like vaccine mandates for students, and increased testing for staff and students. The idea has been circulating on social media, statewide. It is calling for students to stay home for one day. California initially put in place vaccine directives for employees of schools and later there are plans for vaccine mandates for students once they receive full federal approval. Click here to view an earlier story. Many schools have put out letters to parents ahead of the potential protest. For example, Summerville High School Superintendent Michael Merrill put out a statement reading, We understand that families and students may have strong emotions and questions about COVID-19 safety measures, including vaccine and testing requirements. However, keeping children home from school to protest a COVID-19 vaccine requirement announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom, as posts on some social media outlets are suggesting, would only result in lost learning time for our students. It goes on to state, Summerville Union High School District has no control over the proposed mandate, which would treat the COVID-19 vaccine similarly to the 10 vaccines on the list already required by California law for students attending K-12 schools. The Mariposa County School Superintendent, Jeff Aranguena, has also put out a letter noting that there are strong emotions about COVID safety measures, but he argues that attending school has a major positive impact on student success, and encourages everyone to attend classes today. Many other schools are putting out similar letters to parents. Walgreens issued a statement saying vaccine mix-ups are rare after an Indiana family said their two young children got two full adult doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine instead of influenza shots. Speaking to 14News, Alexandra and Joshua Price said a Walgreens in Evansville, Indiana, administered the COVID-19 vaccines to their two young children, aged 4 and 5, on Oct. 5. The Pfizer vaccine isnt approved by the Food and Drug Administration for children under the age of 12. Walgreens called me to say there was a mix-up, we did not receive the flu shot, Alexandra Price told the local news outlet. And Im like well what did we get? And he was like we got the COVID-19 shot And instantly I was like, Well what does this mean for my kids?' A lawyer for the family, Daniel Tuley, told the outlet that both children were taken to a pediatric cardiologist. The family was told that both kids were showing signs of heart trouble. The children have experienced a number of adverse effects since receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Fever, body aches, cough, headaches, and nausea are among the symptoms the children are experiencing, Tuley said in a statement to news outlets. The 4- and 5-year-old are also under treatment of a pediatric cardiologist for tachycardia and elevated blood pressure, respectively. The family said the younger child became sick with a fever and a cough and the older child developed a fever. Lukas started feeling sick before we even got home from Walgreens, Price said, referring to her son, CNN reported. On Tuesday after a follow-up appointment, Alexandra said her sons condition had improved but her daughters condition is worsening. Her blood pressure is in the 98th percentile and she continues to have no energy, Price said, referring to her daughter Sophia. Walgreens issued statements to several news outlets about the incident, describing such mix-ups as uncommon. Generally speaking, such instances are rare, and Walgreens takes these matters very seriously, Walgreens said in a statement. In the event of any error, our first concern is always our patients well-being. The pharmacy chain also said, Our multi-step vaccination procedure includes several safety checks to minimize the chance of human error and we have reviewed this process with our pharmacy staff in order to prevent such occurrences. Walgreens did not elaborate on how the mix-up could have occurred. The Epoch Times has contacted both Walgreens and Pfizer for comment. In September, a Wallgreens in Fresno, California, also mistakenly injected a COVID-19 vaccine instead of a flu shot. By Jack Phillips Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter at The Epoch Times based in New York. Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Talk of the need for coronavirus booster shots has prompted many Americans to seek antibody tests. In most cases, however, getting an antibody test to determine immunity is a fool's errand, infectious-disease doctors agree. The tests for antibodies, also known as serology tests, do not provide the answers that most people are seeking. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration advise against using antibody tests to determine one's level of immunity against covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. So does the Infectious Disease Society of America, which represents infectious-disease specialists. While some states, including Maryland and South Carolina, are conducting targeted antibody testing for specific purposes, no state is promoting the tests' use for residents to determine whether they have sufficient immunity or need a booster shot. The tests might indicate the presence or even the level of coronavirus-fighting antibodies in the bloodstream, but scientists don't yet know what number of antibodies provide protection from covid-19. Antibodies are protein molecules the immune system produces to neutralize viruses or bacteria that have entered the body. Antibody levels do help health-care providers establish whether a patient has immunity against other, more familiar infectious diseases, such as measles and hepatitis A and B. But doctors say our relatively short experience with covid-19 hasn't yet provided the same information. "Because our journey is so young, we don't yet know what value means immunity," said Mary Hopkins, associate program director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship Program at Tufts Medical Center. Testing for coronavirus antibodies has some benefits - especially for determining whether someone with covid-like symptoms had an earlier, undetected covid-19 infection - but not for the reasons many are seeking the tests. "Doctors are ordering antibody tests for people who are worried about waning immunity, but I see that as problematic," said Alan Wells, medical director of clinical labs at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "For a normal person, knowing your level eight months later (after their initial vaccine dosages) is of relatively little value." In general, the more antibodies, the better, Wells said. But even with a low level of antibodies months after exposure or receiving a vaccine, the body can mount a stout defense against the virus by generating new antibodies in response to a fresh infection. "There is more to your immune response than antibody levels," Wells said. Wells said his hospital, like others, has had a big increase in requests for antibody tests in recent weeks, although he recommends to his colleagues that they use them judiciously. Another problem with coronavirus antibody tests, doctors say, is that they are not standardized, so values associated with antibody tests in one version might not be the same as another. Some states perform antibody testing on a targeted basis. In South Carolina, the Department of Health and Environmental Control conducts sample antibody testing for vaccinated people to correlate antibody levels with episodes of reinfections or breakthrough cases, said Derrek Asberry, a spokesperson for the department. Maryland has done antibody testing on more than 500 nursing home residents and determined that 50% of them showed declining antibodies over time. On the basis of those tests, Gov. Larry Hogan ordered boosters for all older Marylanders living in congregate housing. Hopkins said large-scale antibody testing eventually should help to determine what antibody levels would provide coronavirus immunity. "It would be wonderful and important if you could test every month 5,000 patients 60 years and older and find out who gets reinfections or infections for the first time and see if there is a correlation," she said. "If you found infections and could say those people had antibodies below 200, that would be helpful." Some antibody tests are able to assign a numerical value to an individual's antibody levels, although the numbers are not uniform from one manufacturer's test to another. The level above which a person can be considered to have sufficient immunity is unknown. In Kentucky, the state Senate passed a resolution in September that would have enabled residents to substitute an antibody test for proof of vaccination. The resolution proposed that an individual with antibodies at a level above the 20th percentile of the immunized population should be recognized as having protection equal to that of a fully immunized individual. The measure died when the state House didn't take it up before the special session ended in September. Doctors interviewed for this story said that without knowing what level of antibodies provides immunity or the parameters - especially the timing - of testing vaccinated people, such a measure may not provide the assurance its sponsors suggested. But Wells added that the idea is not without merit, because higher levels of antibodies do correlate with fewer hospitalizations and deaths. Thomas Denny, chief operating officer at Duke University School of Medicine's Human Vaccine Institute, however, said the resolution's demise was probably a positive development. "Given how few labs can do this test and the issues of test validation, it's good that this bill died," he wrote in an email. "Also, I would need to go review data in the literature but not sure their stated criteria makes sense." Antibody testing can determine whether someone has been exposed to coronavirus or has received any of the vaccines used against the virus. Some tests detect antibodies created in either case. Others only detect antibodies that are generated by exposure. Those tests are different from the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests most often used to determine whether someone has the virus. A PCR test detects genetic material present in the coronavirus. From early in the pandemic, public health agencies and other medical organizations used PCR tests or antigen tests, which detect certain proteins in the virus and are cheaper and faster though less reliable than PCR tests, as the main tool for diagnosing people with the virus. Health-care workers didn't generally use antibody tests because, as Elitza Theel, an expert in serologic testing at the Mayo Clinic, an academic research center, said, "It takes a good one or two weeks after infection to get a detectable level of antibodies. "You don't want to rely on an antibody test because you will miss people who are acutely affected." Hopkins said that antibody tests are useful for patients suspected of having long covid-19, the lingering severe symptoms that affect some people months after their first exposure to the virus. PCR tests only detect the virus in its initial phase, in the first two weeks or so. If someone with covid-19 doesn't get a PCR test in that time, the best way to determine exposure later is with an antibody test, even months after contact with the virus, Hopkins said. "When I see a patient in my clinic who's short of breath or has mysterious aches, I give them an antibody test to see if it's long covid." Doctors say antibody testing also can be useful in determining whether individuals, especially nursing home residents, developed antibodies after they were vaccinated. If not, they could be considered good candidates for infusion with monoclonal antibodies to mimic antibodies produced by the immune system. Antibody testing also benefits immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing cancer treatment, Denny said. "We can test those individuals and show their levels are much lower than the general population and give them a boost and test them again and see if their numbers go up," he said. Still, doctors say, healthy people should be reassured that the human immune system remembers what to do in the face of a new risk. Even as the initial antibodies decline after a coronavirus infection or vaccine, the memory cells store information about the original attack, react to a renewed threat and begin to stimulate the body to resume its defense, including by generating a whole new army of antibodies. People "shouldn't freak out" if they learn their coronavirus antibodies have declined over time, Theel said. "Memory immunity remains strong. That's what we need to underscore to the public." River Walk barge operators are quick to tell tourists that San Antonio served as the backdrop for movies like Miss Congeniality and Selena, but more than 40 years ago, Hollywood was in town for another film. Rolling Thunder, a revenge thriller starring William Devane, Linda Haynes, and Tommy Lee Jones, was released August 12, 1977. The production took place in the Alamo City for about a month the previous year. While the reviews weren't great, director Quentin Tarantino is said to be a huge fan. He apparently liked it so much that he named his distribution company after it. Though short-lived (the company launched in 1995), Rolling Thunder Pictures released several cult favorites before folding in 1999. If you're a Tarantino fan, the Rolling Thunder might be right up your alley as well. The movie, written by by Paul Schrader and Heywood Gould, begins in 1973 as Major Charles Rane, played by Devane, and three fellow soldiers return home to San Antonio after being held captive for seven years in Hanoi as POWs. After the grandeur of his homecoming is wrapped up, Rane is confronted with the harsh reality that life moved on while he was away. As he attempts to get reacquainted with his wife and a son who hardly remembers him, four men break into his home. The attackers mangle Rane's arm in a garbage disposal before shooting the family. His wife and son are killed, but Rane survives and embarks on a violent vendetta against the murderers. LMPC/LMPC via Getty Images The San Antonio Express-News followed the production throughout the summer of 1976, when crews were in town. Archives show the Bexar County Courthouse made a prominent appearance. Members of Classic San Antonio: 1950-1999, a popular Facebook group dedicated to Alamo City history and pop culture, pointed out the climax of the movie, which was purported to be set in a Juarez brothel, was actually filmed at the Heimann Building in Cattleman Square. On its August 12, 1977, release date, a San Antonio Express-News review said the city "had no reason to rejoice that Rolling Thunder rolled out of San Antonio." The local journalist said there's no such thing as a "totally bad" movie, considering the filming provided Hollywood opportunities for the city, but if there were, it would be Rolling Thunder. News research Misty Harris contributed to this report. Every four years, Texas Monthly releases a comprehensive review of the Texas Barbecue scene. This year's list of the Top 50 Best BBQ Joints includes two different San Antonio establishments. While there's a lot of good barbecue in Bexar County, only the two beloved locations made the cut. Since the publication's last list was released in 2017, the experts claim that the winds of change are brewing in the pits, with innovative new pitmasters cooking up names for themselves in the scene while building upon the rich culinary tradition. Pinkerton's Barbecue, a satellite of Grant Pinkerton's Houston-based flagship, opened officially in 2021. The experts praise the joints duck-and-sausage jambalaya and Louisiana-style boudin, glazed candy paint pork ribs, jalapeno-cheese sausage, and, of course, the brisket. Courtesy of Grant Pinkerton They also tip their hats to the ambiance. "The hunting lodgelike dining room, replete with a full bar, and the festive outdoor eating area made the whole experience feel like a party you dont want to end," writes the publication. 2M Smokehouse, led by pitmaster Esaul Ramos, officially opened its doors in San Antonio in 2016 and was also featured on the publications 2017 list. They note how packed the place is on a typical day, with a hungry crowd spanning people of all walks of life. "These pilgrims have come from all over for brisket with a spicy bark and a fine balance of smoky and beefy flavor thats so tender it accordions open when you lift a slice." Billy Calzada /Staff photographer Mike Sutter /Staff For those who have not yet sampled Ramos' creations, Texas Monthly recommends the smoked beef cheek barbacoa (available on special the first Sunday of every month) along with serrano and Oaxaca cheese stuffed sausages, pickled nopales, and mac and cheese with chicharrones. Courtesy of Grant Pinkerton You can find 2M Smokehouse at 2731 S WW White Road or dial at 210-885-9352. Their hours run Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or sell out. Pinkerton's San Antonio location at 107 W Houston Street or call at 210-983-0088. Doors are open Sunday and Wednesday 11 a.m to 9 p.m. to 9 and Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Texas has its fair share of glorified horror stories. From the Texas Chainsaw massacre to The Donkey Lady to La Llorona, there are not many urban legends that Texans havent heard. But perhaps the real terror lies within the hundreds of small towns that are scattered throughout the Lone Star State. RELATED: 12 eerie Texas ghost towns to visit this summer Social website OnlyInYourState.com listed 12 scary houses in Texas that could be haunted earlier this month, and we decided to build on that by introducing other nightmare-inducing abandoned homes across the state. While it is unknown if evil spirits actually haunt these houses, the abandonments are located on or near some pretty creepy properties. For example, Ranger, a small town in North Texas which has numerous abandoned homes that are photographed by Flickr users was once seen as a hub for members of the Ku Klux Klan. RELATED: Drone footage shows the creepiness of an abandoned West Texas water park On the other hand, a school in Indian Gap that has been abandoned for over 50 years stands near a historic cemetery. No matter the case, these fear-provoking homes are as eerie as they come and the perfect gateway to the upcoming Halloween season. Click through the slideshow to view photos of abandoned homes across Texas. rsalinas@mysa.com Twitter: @RebeccaLSalinas A drive from one end of the San Antonio area to the other would take travelers clear across several cities, states and countries. A Google Map search showed the distance from Boerne to Floresville is about a 56-mile drive. READ ALSO: These are the top 10 suburbs to raise a family in the San Antonio area, according to Niche With that distance, you can travel across the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait from Djibouti to Yemen or drive from New York City deep into Long Island. San Antonio's distance also compared to the most populated city in North America - Mexico City. Below are states, cities and countries that are similar in distance to San Antonio. Yves here. While Rosser is correct to depict Biden foreign policy as an ongoing train wreck (Rahm to Japan? Hard to imagine anyone temperamentally less well suited to dealing with that culture), he oddly neglected to highlight the latest splat: AUKUS. This deal was not just a diss of India but also a threat. Indian diplomats have said not in diplospeak but plain noun-verb sentences that this move made clear the US wasnt much of a friend and maybe getting cozier with China would be a smart move. And thats before Biden eating a ton of crow for blindsiding France. The White House call report shows Biden initiated the conversation with Macron, offered to meet in Europe in October (double pronto given how crowded presidential calendars are) and effectively endorsed a pet Macron initiative, an EU army. Oh, and unlike the other Biden mistakes, AUKUS isnt a continuation of Trump policies. By Barkley Rosser, Professor of Economics at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Originally published at EconoSpeak I have posted on this previously, but not for awhile. The main meme is that for reasons I mostly do not get, Biden has been carrying over a lot of bad Trump foreign policies. Some of them I understand for political reasons, even when they damage the US and world economies. But others seem to be just plain stupid. I am not sure who in his admin are behind these failrures: SecState Blinken? NSA Sullivan? Of course in the end this stuff comes down to Biden himself, someone with much greater foreign policy experience than those two or anybody else in the admin. So failures really come down to him. The worst, although it gets little news attention, is Iran. Biden ran on getting back into the Obama-negotiated nuclear JCPOA deal. He should have done so quickly. Yes, there were timing details to negotiate, but apparently those were negotiated. Somehow somebody decided that they should push for crap that Trump wanted but which was dumped when the deal was originally negotiated with great effort, stuff like missile restrictions and Iran support for groups abroad. Anybody who knew anything about this, like me, knew that this stuff was still non-negotiable. So why on earth Blinken et al insisted on Iran caving on any of this was utterly insane and stupid. They could have gotten this deal early, and it would not have triggered anywhere near the negative response the pullout from Afghanistan got (which I supported, but there was no way that was going to happen without a lot of bad publicity and damage in the polls, which has happened). He could have done this cleanly early with minimal fuss. But, no, and now it looks not to be done anywhere in the foreseeable future, and Iran has now accumulated nearly enough U fuel to make a bomb. And I read the admin is now looking to Israel for advice on this? This is a serious and massive failure on Bidens part. I do not agree with Hannity that he is outright senile, but this border line there, really seriously awful and stupid. Another is the trade issue. Yeah, this is complicated, and I get that Biden is being domestically political. So Obama and Biden negotiated the anti-China TTP, but Trump pulled out, and Hillary would have also, under domestic pressure. Now China is asking to join this actually existing trade group, with the US unbelievably stupidly out. So indeed many in the Dem Party are protectionist, especially those associated with AFL-CIO. And Biden is very close to this faction. But steel tariffs hurt autoworkers in Ohio, with the shutdown at Lordstown partly due to Trumps steel tariffs. But the idiot workers there still supported Trump for standing up for them or whatever. So in OH it is steel producing Youngstown and Cleveland versus auto producing Lordstown, Akron, and Toledo, but no way any of them will not support protectionism and Trump. So why does Biden support this idiocy? I think in the end it is Pennsylvania, his home state, which is the ultimate steel producing state, with no autos. So, in political terms understandable given what a key state his original home is. There is much more unfortunately. Jerri-Lynn here. During the pandemic, Ive done some telemedicine sessions, but only with doctors Ive seen in person before. So I dont know exactly how I view this trend, especially as so many medical innovations are more focused on making profits, at the expense of patient care. So what may seem to be a good thing in theory, on reflection turns out to be just another vehicle for profit extraction. Because thats what our neo-liberal health care system is designed to do. Readers? Whats your experience with telemedicine? What do you think? By Julie Appleby, Senior Correspondent, reports on the health laws implementation, health care treatments and costs, trends in health insurance, and policy affecting hospitals and other medical providers. Her stories have appeared in USA TODAY, The Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, MSNBC and other media. Originally published at Kaiser Health News. At the height of the covid-19 pandemic, people often relied on telemedicine for doctor visits. Now, insurers are betting that some patients liked it enough to embrace new types of health coverage that encourages video visits or outright insists on them. Priority Health in Michigan, for example, offers coverage requiring online visits first for nonemergency primary care. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, selling to employers in Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire, has a similar plan. I would describe them as virtual first, a true telehealth primary care physician replacement product, said Carrie Kincaid, vice president of individual markets at Priority Health, which launched its plans in January as an addition to more traditional Affordable Care Act offerings. The often lower-premium offerings capitalize on the new familiarity and convenience of online routine care. But skeptics see a downside: the risk of overlooking something important. Theres a gestalt of seeing a patient and knowing something is not right, such as maybe picking up early on that they have Parkinsons, or listening to their heart and discovering a murmur, said Dr. David Anderson, a cardiologist affiliated with Stanford Health Care in Oakland, California. He said online medicine is a great tool for follow-up visits with established patients but is not optimal for an initial exam. When enrolling in one of the new plans, patients are encouraged to select an online doctor, who then serves as the patients first point of contact for most primary care services and can make referrals for in-person care with an in-network physician, if needed. Its possible patients never meet their online doctor in person. Many insurers offering virtual-first plans hire outside firms to provide medical staff. The physicians may hold licenses in several states and not be located nearby. Insurers say participating online doctors can access patients medical information and test results through the insurers electronic medical records system or those of the third-party online staffing firm. What might prove tricky, experts warn, is transferring information from physicians, clinics or hospitals outside of an insurers network. Sharing patient information via EMRs is challenging even for doctors operating under traditional insurance plans with in-person visits especially moving data between different health systems or specialty practices. The virtual-first concept was so new that Priority Health called those enrolling this year to ensure they understood how it worked. If people were more comfortable with brick-and-mortar, they should choose other options, Kincaid said, adding that the plans have drawn 5,000 enrollees since January, a number she hopes will double next year. Many insurers offering virtual-first plans hire outside firms to provide medical staff. The physicians may hold licenses in several states and not be located nearby. Insurers say participating online doctors can access patients medical information and test results through the insurers electronic medical records system or those of the third-party online staffing firm. What might prove tricky, experts warn, is transferring information from physicians, clinics or hospitals outside of an insurers network. Sharing patient information via EMRs is challenging even for doctors operating under traditional insurance plans with in-person visits especially moving data between different health systems or specialty practices. The virtual-first concept was so new that Priority Health called those enrolling this year to ensure they understood how it worked. If people were more comfortable with brick-and-mortar, they should choose other options, Kincaid said, adding that the plans have drawn 5,000 enrollees since January, a number she hopes will double next year. Doctor on Demand launched in 2013, aimed at individual consumers. Starting with a Humana contract in 2019, it has since expanded to offer staffing for several other insurers. The company, which has its own electronic medical records system, hires a range of primary care, mental health and other medical providers. Physicians must be board-certified. Pay is partly based on how many patients they see, and there is no upper limit. Some want to work part time, for example, and many work from home. In general, virtual-first health plans may carry lower premiums or provide such financial incentives as no copays for online visits. All boast that members can get appointments quickly, sometimes within minutes. Patients with serious problems are assisted in arranging emergency help. If online physicians determine patients need a blood test, immunization or a visit with a specialist, they refer them to a local practice, clinic or specialist within the insurers network. As a strategy to contain costs, think HMO 2.0. Theres more control over the patient interaction and where they get referred, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor and co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. Still, patients should be aware that some of these plans may allow a brick-and-mortar visit only if their virtual doctor, who may have never examined them in person, deems it necessary. Skeptics note that many circumstances demand in-person care. One recent study estimated about 66% of primary care visits required it. For example, its impossible to check reflexes and difficult to examine tonsils for infection virtually. Patients in some programs, including Harvard Pilgrims, are sent kits that can include devices like blood pressure cuffs and thermometers though at-home medical measuring devices are often not as accurate as those used in offices. Online physicians may also ask a patient to feel for swollen lymph nodes, shine a light into their throat while on camera or take other actions to help the physician diagnose a problem. Kincaid, at Priority Health, noted that Doctor on Demand also sets protocols on childrens wellness visits, which it says must be done in person. Its important for childrens wellness visits to get accurate height and weight measures and immunizations, Kincaid said. When considering virtual-first plans, advocates say, patients should look closely not just at premiums but also at deductibles and copayments, which may be set at levels that discourage in-person care. Rules are varied and dizzying. The VirtualBronze plan offered through the federal ACA marketplace in parts of Texas by Community Choice Health, for example, requires hefty patient contributions for many types of in-person visits. Patients incur no copay for using online Doctor on Demand physicians for primary care visits or for accessing in-person preventive services as defined by the ACA, such as immunizations or cancer screenings. But for other in-person services, Community Choices virtual plan will cost patients out-of-pocket because they pay the cost of the care until they meet an annual $8,530 deductible. Kaiser Permanentes Virtual Complete plan offered to large employers carries no copay for online care. Patients can opt to see an in-person doctor three times a year for primary care if theyre willing to pay a copay. After those three visits, any additional in-person visits are subject to a deductible. Plans sold through federal or state marketplaces and those offered by employers must meet the ACAs requirements. That includes a range of services, from doctor visits to hospital care. Corlette, at Georgetown, said consumers should be wary of plans that are not ACA-compliant. She fears the advent of plans that give patients access to online providers, but nothing else. And that, she said, would not be considered major medical insurance. Theres a lot of excitement, at least among those of the pro-worker persuasion, about employees rejecting poorly paid jobs and oppressive bosses via not taking up open positions or demanding change via strikes. A partial list: Volvo. Kelloggs. Frito-Lay. Nabisco. Alabama coal miners. Health care staffers in New York and Massachusetts, along with bus drivers and telecom workers. Even though they are highly visible signs that the serfs are rebelling, these labor actions are still a strong of one offs, By contrast, the pending strike at John Deere has the potential to be a turning point, a seminal event on the order of Reagan breaking the air traffic controllers union. The reason the John Deere strike could be a turning point, as well explain further, is that the workers there hold an exceptionally strong set of cards, the most important being a hefty strike fund and many if not most workers also having ample savings. By contrast, Deere is plenty vulnerable. But first well take a mini detour to explain how rule by extractive MBAs has so hollowed out companies that the combination of Covid-induced supply chain stresses and uppity workers is more than their fragile operations can readily tolerate. The press, reflecting the attitude of managers and businesses owners that there were no limits as to howm uch they could squeeze workers, has been agog with spectacle of supposedly all-powerful employers no longer holding the whip hand. This is a system that requires most people to sell their labor as a condition of survival. How could employers not have the upper hand? Powerful unions are as antique as lava lamps, and about as common. Of course, it was their own arrogance and short-sightedness that set the groundworks for this reversal. Just-in-time operations management, using technology to micro-manage and push employees to unrealistic timetables, reducing staffing and demanding workers take up the slack for no more pay, all were key elements in over-optimizing large swathes of commercial activity and making them vulnerable to shock. We included it in Links yesterday, but this tweetstorm describes how the problem businesses face may not even be solvable by higher pay, that theyve created a system that was already pushing lower-level employees too hard and Covid has increased the demands. The employer winds up with worker churn, forcing lots of overtime on new hires as soon as they are trained, and many quit. Do read the entire tweetstorm if you havent already So. Labor shortage discourse time! I work for a food manufacturing company (specifically bottling/canning various beverages) We are desperately under staffed. The wages are competitive, but they can't keep anyone on after they hire them. Why? Because since we're short The Violet Wanderers (Spooky Ghost edition) (@VioletWanderers) October 14, 2021 In this case, the company cant readily reconfigure the business (like creating bigger inventories) so as to create more slack for workers. It isnt simply that the perceived profit requirements argue against it. It would require multiple coordinated operational changes. Its unlikely that current management could execute them successfully even if they bought into their necessity. And screwing up on an exercise like that could be a death sentence for the operation. Better to keep trying to bail out a leaky boat and hope that the Covid storm will abate soon enough to stop water from sloshing in over the transom too. On the other end of the spectrum are overbearing managers who even if they arent in Covid-pummeled operations, are learning that they can no longer mistreat underlings. This exchange posted on Reddit (hat tip drumlin woodchuckles) is priceless. Now to Deere. Deere is oddly acting as if it needs to win some sort of popularity contest, when what matters is getting on a better footing with plant workers. A Deere PR salvo succeeded in getting the Washington Post to act as its mouthpiece in misrepresenting worker earnings at $60,000. They are actually typically $40,000. The biggest lie Deere told in coming up with this figure is acting as if its factory hands work 2200 hours a year. They never do due to regular and long shutdowns. Jalopnik described how Deere plays games with mainly unattainable incentives, much like the driver who hangs a carrot in front of his horse, just out of reach: Deere did hedge that the wage figures it released were based on CIPP 120 percent. CIPP stands for Continuous Improvement Pay Plan, which is a team-based incentive pay program that only sees workers gaining wages based on an entire departments productivity when compared to quotas set by the company. The quota is upped every six months, Furman reports, whether or not those quotas have been met. And even if you do get close by hitting 115 percent of your CIPP quota your money doesnt go to you. It goes into a reserve fund. If your department doesnt hit quota six months from now, Deere can take money out of that reserve fund. And if youre a low-level employee, youre not getting CIPP money at all. (And yes, when pandemic-related supply chain issues slowed down production causing many to miss CIPP targets, Deere didnt budge, and workers lost pay.) Lambert set forth managements weaknesses in 10,000 John Deere Workers Reject Contract, Strike 14 Plants. I suggest you read/reread the full post. One important bit of backstory is that Deere has a two-tier pension, with employees who joined after 1997 accruing benefits at 1/3 of the former rate; those who joined after November 1 this year were to get no pension at all. Many of the workers are children of current or recent employees and resent being shafted as Deere profits hit new highs. And of course the CEO makes ginormous pay as the workers are treated shabbily on a day to day basis, including not having taking Covid risk recognized, let alone rewarded. Key points of leverage, from Lambert (#1 was not specific to Deere): 2) Harvesting timing. From Bloomberg: The timing of the strike is also significant. Its coming in the middle of the North American harvest. While that is a period of weaker production for Deere, it could disrupt the harvest if farmers experience equipment breakdowns and Deere is unable to respond speedily. A work stoppage beyond a few days may make it tougher to get hold of replacement parts if equipment breaks during the harvest, according to Brian Strasser, a manager at Sinclair Tractor in Kalona, Iowa. (Note that John Deere viciously engineers its machines so that owners have no right to repair, so the farmer cant repair the tractor themselves. Only Deere can.) 3) Manufacturing timing. "and managers who have never held a wrench in their lives will be trying to weld assemblies. I'll be trying to find out which serial number ranges are built in that time, so I can tell farmers I know which machines to avoid." Jonah Furman (@JonahFurman) October 14, 2021 Of course, Deere can always try to hire scabs, but it sounds, again, like Boeing is far ahead of Deere in deskilling its workforce.) 4) Supply chain timing. From AP: [Iowa State University economist Dave Swenson] said the impact of the strike could spread further if companies that supply Deere factories have to begin laying off workers. So Deere will face pressure from suppliers and from customers who need parts for their Deere equipment to settle the strike quickly. And Swenson said Deere will be worried about losing market share if farmers decide to buy from other companies this fall. There is going to be a lot of pressure on Deere to move closer to the unions demands, Swenson said. Deere white collar workers will attempt to run the plants. Will anyone have to use a forklift? Mind you, this sort of thing happens so often that YouTube has a big collection of forklift accident videos, including compilations. The one above isnt the best, just one of the shortest, to demonstrate the point. As some Twitterati pointed out, no one with an operating brain cell will want to buy a Deere product made while the regular workers are striking. So even if Deere can keep its factories kinda-sorta operating, they could see a hit to orders until buyers are sure the strike-period product has been exhausted. The other big advantage the union has is ample resources. From TroyIA in comments: Its like everything John Deere has done to increase its stock price is now a liability. Squeezing its workers by cutting their wages and benefits so the company is no longer competitive in the labor market causing a labor shortage. (And no those poor salary workers wont be building machines because who will do their job while they are doing the wage workers job.) Outsourcing any job they could so now they are at the mercy of their suppliers and the accompanying supply chain disaster leading to delays and incomplete machines. Lean manufacturing that only served to eliminate any hope of adapting to changing circumstances. Because extra space and extra time is considered waste the factories are set up to produce a certain number of machines per day. From the tweet above the start date is November 15th because any later than that and orders will have to be canceled. For example even working 24 hours a day the factory can only produce 50 machines per day so they cant restart in January and build 65 machines a day to catch up. Add in the highly cyclical nature of the ag industry which is in an up cycle so John Deere needs to sell as much machinery right now all of which has led to the workers having leverage during contract negotiations for the first time in a generation. We all collectively realize that if we are ever going to fight to improve the conditions for ourselves and future workers its now or never. And it was pretty clearly communicated to UAW International we are willing to strike and sacrifice to get what we deserve and if they are unable to be as committed as we are then they could go back to Detroit and well negotiate ourselves. Anyway Ive got picket duty next week.since we havent striked in 35 years our strike fund is well funded. Also due to supply chain issues, labor shortages from an inability to hire enough workers and COVID-19 rules we have been working 50-60 hours per week since this spring. It was well understood on the shop floor that everyone should be stocking away their extra overtime earnings in their own individual strike funds. In the worst case scenario we can also find employment because everyone is hiring oftentimes at the same pay level as Deere. Hell I can even stock the beer cooler the local gas station for $15 an hour if needed. If anyone is wanting to help the cause just voice your support for us by commenting on articles and sharing your opinions on social media. The unions ability to hang tough is an overwhelming advantage. As Lamberts earlier report showed, more than a few days of work stoppage will hurt spare parts supplies, inconveniencing and angering customers. The longer a strike goes, the more it will damage suppliers. And Deere will be desperate to get a new deal in place before November 15. Even though the rank and file are at risk of leadership being too craven, theres an unusual amount of solidarity among Deere workers. The leadership has to recognize they are at risk of having a deal voted down. Deere is already reverberating through the union worldand speaking of a tentative deal being nixed by the membership, that may be the result for the tentative movie worker agreement, widely depicted by the press as settled. From Mike Elk: Yesterday the leadership of IATSE announced that they had reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) that will avert a potential strike set to begin at midnight tonight. However, it is unclear if the membership will vote to reject the deal and strike anyhow. Earlier this month, over 10,000 John Deere workers, members of the UAW, had already decided to strike against the advice of the UAWs leadership and reject a proposed tentative agreement, inspiring many IATSE members to contemplate a similar course of action. The tentative agreement announced late Sunday night contains many improvements over current measures. However, it is still controversial due to provisions that will still require workers to work 14-16 hours shifts in the film and television industry. In addition, the tentative agreement contains no concessions on health care nor retirement, while IATSE says the deal provides a significant wage increase for some of its lowest-paid members. Even though labor and unions have the wind at their backs, unions have been under attack for so long, with only lip service from the Democratic party, that they have a very long road back to anything resembling their former clout. However, the Black Plague fundamentally restructured relationships between working men, particularly craftsmen, and landowners. While Covid is nowehre near as deadly, as we pointed out above, too-clever executives have created fragile and tightly coupled systems which make them extremely vulnerable to labor demands when other inputs are stressed. A Wall Street Journal story on labors newfound assertiveness has a whistling in the dark sound to it even as it acknowledges that unions are seeing a big upsurge in popularity: Union members made up 10.8% of the U.S. workforce last year, a higher proportion than in 2019, but down from a peak of 20.1% in 1983, the earliest year for which the Labor Department has comparable data. Labor leaders said now is a time to build their ranks due to worker shortages, the pandemic struggles and because a pro-labor president is in the White House. Rob Hill, vice president and organizing director of the Service Employees International Union 32BJ, which represents janitors and airport workers, said he expects the roughly 175,000-member union this year to sign up double the number of new members than it did in 2020, which was around 4,000. Concerns over compensation, healthcare coverage and paid time off are drawing more workers interest in the union, he said. The Teamsters union said it is fielding an unprecedented volume of requests to form unions at workplaces around the country Jonas Loeb, communications director for the 150,000-member International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, said that union is actively recruiting live-events workers across the country Unions have argued that their membership ranks would be boosted if current labor laws were revised to more severely punish employers who unlawfully thwart organizing efforts Some union officials and labor researchers said there is an emotional component wrapped up in current union actions. Frustration remains among some workers over being required to work long hours through the pandemic, they said, and a sense of injustice as some companies reap big profits from a rebounding economy. Needless to say, even though these fights are important due to their number and their departure from decades of decline, they may still not achieve lasting change. Struggles to advance the rights of workers have required sustained effort in order to achieve lasting gains. So strikes like the ones at Deere are at best skirmishes at the start of a long campaign. (Natural News) China now accounts for more than double the United States pollution emissions, but theres no mention of that information on mass media when theyre pushing global warming and higher taxes across the board for Americans to save the planet. Meanwhile, thousands of Covid-infected illegal immigrants are crossing into America every day, without being tested or vaccinated, while Resident Biden and the CCP/CDC vaccine complex demand every American get the deadly spike protein jabs. Even though the Covid vaccines have already scientifically been proven to be a complete failure at stopping contraction and transmission of Covid-19, the CDC wants to force-vaccinate every American (to death), or make them face starvation in the name of herd safety for the rest, yet, somehow, infected illegal immigrants dont factor into that equation. Why not? Resident Biden says global warming is our worst enemy, but Chinas pollution emissions more than twice as bad as USA In America, the fake President is on the record saying that global warming is our nations greatest threat, yet China goes on polluting the world 2.5 times faster than the USA, and theres no talk of limiting their production (although its caving in on itself thanks to the plandemic). Still, Americans must come together as one and fight this pollution and the Fauci virus by giving up 70 percent of our income so we can help the government wreck our entire economy by ending all fuel-based industries and injecting two-thirds of the populace with billions of blood-clotting prions (but dont worry about the millions of Covid-infected illegal immigrants on their way here now or already roaming America). Biden Administration responsible for 2 million or more illegal immigrants crossing into USA in 2021, and 1 in every 5 are infected with Covid-19 Get ready for a scary statistic that Resident Biden does not want you thinking about when he talks about Americans running out to get jabbed with deadly spike proteins. Approximately 20 percent of all illegal immigrants coming into the United States HAVE COVID-19, according to an official report that DHS prepared for our fake president. Take 20 percent of 2 million, and thats 400,000 COVID-INFECTED illegal immigrants literally being trucked and flown to metropolitan cities across the US by the Biden Regime, while he preaches to us about saving the nation from Covid via citizens getting injected with clot shots every 6 months. These infected illegal immigrants from the sample were tested while waiting to board buses supplied by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Texas in June. To make matters worse, they were tested, tested positive, and then STILL some of them were released into our country. So the logic is that we Americans fight Covid with all the resources we have while mixing in infected immigrants that absolutely decimate all of our efforts daily. And the logic is, that we Americans give every dollar we can spare to end fossil fuel production and use, while in China they do three times the damage with no efforts to cut back or regulate their pollution whatsoever. Wheres the logic? Thats like policing American children swimming in one end of a pool to make sure theyre not peeing or pooping in the water while immigrant kids at the other end of the pool urinate and defecate all day. Yes, America, were all in for clean water for the children! (What happened to were all in this together?) Tune your truth news dial to Pandemic.news to stay informed of the engineered pitfalls of the Covid scamdemic. It doesnt take a scientist or doctor to see that Covid vaccines, Remdesivir and ventilators are compounding the problems of the pandemic, creating a pandemic of their own. Sources for this article include: Pandemic.news TruthWiki.org NaturalNews.com AmericanMilitaryNews.com (Natural News) A former Boeing executive has been indicted by a federal grand jury for fraud on the grounds that he deceived the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) when it was originally certifying the 737 Max jet. The plane would later be involved in two deadly crashes stemming from design flaws. The charges were brought against Mark Forkner, who served as Boeings chief technical pilot throughout the jets certification process. The 49-year-old is accused of deceiving the FAA in 2016 and 2017 with the aim of saving the plane maker tens of millions of dollars. These are just the first criminal charges to be filed against an individual in the investigation into what caused the pair of accidents that killed 346 people and caused Boeings best-selling plane to be grounded for 20 months. The fiasco cost the company more than $20 billion. In a statement, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham said: In an attempt to save Boeing money, Forkner allegedly withheld critical information from regulators. His callous choice to mislead the FAA hampered the agencys ability to protect the flying public and left pilots in the lurch, lacking information about certain 737 MAX flight controls. The Department of Justice will not tolerate fraud especially in industries where the stakes are so high. Forkners attorney believes that Boeing has made his client the scapegoat for the tragedy and said that if the government takes the case to trial, they will discover that he is not to blame. According to the indictment, Forkners deceit is largely related to the operating parameters of a safety feature on the planes known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. This feature is designed to stop planes from climbing too quickly and stalling. When a steep climb is detected, MCAS forces the nose of the jet downward. However, in the two fatal crashes, it was found to have forced the nose of the plane downward while the plane was not climbing. The indictment alleges that Forkner deceived the FAA with information about the system that was incomplete, inaccurate and false. The idea was allegedly to convince the FAA that pilots who had already been trained on earlier versions of the 737 would be able to pilot the Max without undergoing additional training, which was one of Boeings big selling points when it sold the plane to airlines. They allege that Forkner discovered information about a crucial change to MCAS in 2016 but did not pass the information along to the FAA. This means that Boeings airline customers in the U.S. were not given vital information when buying the planes. Hundreds of lives lost The FAA started investigating the MCAS system following a Lion Air crash in which all 189 people on board a Boeing 737 Max were killed 13 minutes after the planes departure in 2018. The agency learned that the MCAS had been operating on the flight at the time the crash occurred and that important information about the system had been withheld. A year later, 157 people perished when an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crashed right after takeoff. Again, the MCAS had been operating in the moments leading up to the crash. Following this incident, all of the Boeing 737 Max planes in the U.S. were grounded. Earlier this year, Boeing agreed to pay the Department of Justice $2.5 billion and admitted that their employees had misled regulators about the aircrafts safety. The settlement included money to be paid to the families of crash victims and airline customers as well as a fine. Sadly, this is just one of many examples of corporations putting profits over peoples lives. These tragic crashes could well have been prevented if everyone at Boeing had been more forthcoming about the planes features. It seems unlikely that Forkner was acting alone in this deceit, and its tragic that so many people had to pay for this greed with their lives. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com Edition.CNN.com (Natural News) Americas third-largest city, which is already violent enough and home to some of the highest murder rates in the country, is about to get a whole lot more dangerous if police officers follow through on a demand from the head of their union. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is among the many left-wing lunatic Democrats shunning the science who has ordered all of the city employees to get the COVID-19 mandate or else they will lose their jobs. And while most employees tend to be vital to the function of large cities, there are few that are more vital than emergency workers like police officers, whose presence literally keeps the fabric of society from unraveling completely. In a video posted late last week, Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara is directly challenging Lightfoots order, imploring officers to ignore her mandate and let the chips fall where they may. Do not fill out the portal information, he said. Ive made my status very clear as far as the vaccine, but I do not believe the city has the authority to mandate that to anybodylet alone that information about your medical history. The union boss said that the organization is preparing to file a lawsuit against the city and Lightfoots mandate, which requires city workers to report their vaccine status by Friday or be placed on a no-pay status, The Epoch Times reported. Its safe to say that the city of Chicago will have a police force at 50 percent or less for this weekend coming up, Catanzara said. I can guarantee you that no-pay status will not last more than 30 days, Catanzara said on Tuesday. Theres no way theyre going to be able to sustain a police department workforce at 50 percent capacity or less for more than seven days without something budging. This is very clearly not a job action, he noted, not a call for a strike. The outlet reported further: The police union head in his video instructs members to file for exemptions to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine but to not enter that information into the citys vaccine portal. Responding to Cantanzaras video during a press briefing on Wednesday, Lightfoot accused him of spreading false information, dismissing most of his statements as untrue or patently false. What were focused on is making sure that we maximize the opportunity to create a very safe workplace, Lightfoot told the media. The data is very clear. It is unfortunate that the FOP leadership has chosen to put out a counter narrative. But the fact of the matter is, if you are not vaccinated, you are playing with your life, the life of your family, the life of your colleagues, and members of the public. After Lightfoot issued the vaccine mandate in August, Catanzara said the requirement is similar to how Nazis told their victims that gas chambers they were herded into were really just showers. This aint Nazi [expletive] Germany Step into the [expletive] showers, the pills wont hurt you, he told the Chicago Sun-Times, though he later apologized for his choice of words. According to the Chicago Tribune, Lightfoots administration is also suing to be able to enforce her mandate. As Chicagos Mayor, I cannot and will not stand idly by while the rhetoric of conspiracy theorists threatens the health and safety of Chicagos residents and first responders, Lightfoot said in a statement Friday morning. She then said that Catanzara has time and again deliberately misled our police officers by lying about the requirements of the policy and falsely claiming that there will be no repercussions if officers are insubordinate and refuse to follow a City and Department directive or order. If she wins and the cops bail, Chicago wont be fit for normal human existence. Sources include: DailyWire.com Chicago.SunTimes.com TheEpochTimes.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Following the death of George Floyd, many liberal cities gave into short-sighted calls to defund the police and theyre quickly regretting that decision. In fact, many of the cities that were so eager to cut police department funding in the height of the anti-police activism that took over the nation in 2020 are now quietly restoring funds as crime rises, and some have even been paying bonuses to keep police officers on their payroll. According to the New York Times, cities across American that saw their funding targeted last year are now seeing local leaders increase police spending as crime rises. They report that an additional $200 million has been allocated to the New York Police Department and a 3 percent boost given to the Los Angeles force. In Dallas, where homicides have risen 25 percent in the last year to reach a two-decade high in line with police defunding there, funding cuts have now been reversed and the city is shifting its focus to the citys crime hotspots. Dallas mayor Eric Johnson has stated his desire to restore police funding and bring more officers into the department. According to the Times, no one protested Johnsons proposal to increase funding, and few objected to their hiring of 250 officers. Austin cut police spending last year by $150 million but has since restored the budget and raised it to new heights. Meanwhile, in Burlington, Vermont, police budget cuts and a 30 percent reduction in the cap on its number of officers have backfired. The city is now offering $10,000 bonuses just to keep their officers from walking away from the job. Residents have said the defunding of the police department has made them feel less safe downtown. Maryland governor announces $150 million re-fund the police initiative In Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan just announced that the state will invest a further $150 million in law enforcement as part of a re-fund the police initiative there. He has said that law enforcement agencies in the state are now struggling to recruit and retain qualified police officers thanks to defunding, criticism of the police and insufficient resources. He believes that more funding should be directed to law enforcement in order to maintain public safety. He stated: Thinking that you can improve law enforcement by defunding the police is like saying that you want to improve education by defunding the schools. Its absurd and ridiculous. He added that now is really the worst time to cut funding as the violent crime seen in major cities around the country is pushing officers to quit or retire early while driving away recruits. To reverse the tide of rising crime, we need to stop demonizing and sabotaging the dedicated men and women who risk their lives every single day to keep the rest of us safe. Enough is enough, he said. He announced that $50 million of the funds would go toward police pay raises and bonuses, along with $45 million to help with recruitment and $24 million for body cameras and de-escalation training. Some Democrats distancing themselves from defund the police movement Interestingly, some democrats are going out of their way to distance themselves from the defund the police movement. Politico reports that a Democratic candidate for county sheriff in suburban Philadelphia, Mark Lomax, said in a TV ad: In Bucks County, we need to keep our families safe. It starts with funding the police. In another ad, Democratic district attorney candidate Antonetta Stancu says: We know that to fight crime, we must fund the police. The news outlet reports that numerous Democrats have said the movement hurt their electoral prospects. It may also be a reaction to polling, which shows that just 18 percent of Americans now support the notion of defunding the police. Sources for this article include: Breitbart.com NYTimes.com TheDailyBeast.com Politico.com Baltimore.CBSLocal.com (Natural News) Bill Gates resigned as director of Microsoft Corporation while an investigation was ongoing about his prior romantic relationship with a female employee, which was deemed inappropriate by many of the companys board members. The company hired a law firm to conduct an investigation in late 2019 after a Microsoft engineer alleged in a letter that she had a sexual relationship with Gates. Microsoft received a concern in the latter half of 2019 that Bill Gates sought to initiate an intimate relationship with a company employee in the year 2000, said Microsoft spokesman Frank Shaw. A committee of the board reviewed the concern, aided by an outside law firm to conduct a thorough investigation. Throughout the investigation, Microsoft provided extensive support to the employee who raised the concern. People familiar with the matter claimed that the majority of the companys board members decided it was no longer suitable for Gates to sit as a director at the software company he started and led for decades. But Gates resigned before the boards investigation was completed and before the full board could make a formal decision on the matter. Spokeswoman says Gatess resignation not related to probe Bridgitt Arnold, a spokeswoman for Gates, disputed the claim. There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably, Arnold said. Bills decision to transition off the board was in no way related to this matter. In fact, he had expressed an interest in spending more time on his philanthropy starting several years earlier. Gates resigned from the Microsoft board on March 13, 2020, three months after he had been re-elected to his seat. In a press release at the time, the billionaire said he wanted to focus on his philanthropy and would continue to serve as a technical adviser to Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella. That same day, Gates also vacated his board seat at Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the conglomerate run by his friend Warren Buffett. A Harvard University dropout, Gates started Microsoft in 1975 with childhood friend Paul Allen and built it into one of the worlds biggest companies, making the pair two of the worlds richest people. Gates married Melinda French, then a Microsoft employee, in January 1994. Gates was Microsofts chief executive until 2000, chief software architect until 2006 and chairman until 2014. In recent years, Gates continued to serve on the board and as a technical adviser to Nadella even as he shifted his focus to philanthropy. Microsoft will always be an important part of my lifes work and I will continue to be engaged with Satya and the technical leadership to help shape the vision and achieve the companys ambitious goals, Gates wrote in a March 2020 LinkedIn post announcing his departure from the board. Bill and Melinda Gates end marriage Gates, 65, and his wife Melinda French Gates, 56, announced earlier this month that they were ending their marriage after 27 years. It is not clear what role the investigation or the affair played in their decision to split up. In a joint statement posted on Twitter, the couple said: We no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives. In a divorce petition, French Gates said their marriage was irretrievably broken. According to reports, French Gates had been working with lawyers at several firms since at least 2019 to unwind the marriage. The May 3 divorce filing states that the couple had agreed to a separation contract to divide their assets a fortune estimated at $130 billion by Forbes. They plan to remain co-chairs at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and jointly lead it after their divorce. The couple hasnt said what prompted the split, although several reports claimed that French Gates had raised concerns over her husbands dealings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Gates had reportedly met with Epstein several times, and once stayed late at his New York townhouse. Arnold said Gatess relationship with Epstein was solely related to work. It is extremely disappointing that there have been so many untruths published about the cause, the circumstances and the timeline of Bills divorce, Arnold said. Epstein, who had been charged with sexually abusing dozens of young girls in the early 2000s, died by suicide while in custody in 2019. (Related: Furious Melinda Gates warned Bill over Jeffrey Epstein escapades: Report.) Women at Microsoft share sexual harassment and discrimination experience In April 2019, Microsoft said it would change its process for handling employee complaints of harassment and discrimination. The company also said at the time it would add additional training and boost the number of human resources staff members who address complaints, among other changes. Nadella announced the changes after women at Microsoft shared stories of sexual harassment and discrimination in an email chain within the company. According to reports, Microsoft investigated a number of sexual harassment claims internally after multiple women shared their stories on a 90-page email chain. Some of the stories shared in the email chain are quite disturbing. One female Microsoft employee claimed that an employee of a partner company threatened to kill her if she did not perform implied sexual acts. I raised immediate attention to HR and management. My male manager told me that it sounded like he was just flirting and I should get over it,' the employee wrote. On another occasion, a Microsoft partner was asked to sit on someones lap twice in the same meeting in front of HR and other executives of the company. No action was taken. In December 2019, Gates was re-elected to Microsofts board at the annual shareholder meeting. As more became aware of Gatess relationship with a Microsoft employee, most of the board members deemed it inappropriate. They also didnt want a director associated with that situation in the wake of the #MeToo movement. (Related: Such a hypocrite! California state lawmaker held up as #MeToo womens champ ACCUSED of serial sexual harassment.) Follow Evil.news to know more about Bill Gatess true nature. Sources include: WSJ.com Aljazeera.com Thurrott.com (Natural News) The first federal state in Germany has announced that it sees nothing wrong with the idea of supermarkets barring the unvaccinated from shopping there. Hessen (also called Hesse), which is home to Frankfurt, says that all retailers, including supermarkets, can now decide for themselves if they want to implement the 3G rule, which requires that all patrons be vaccinated unless they test negative or are already recovered from the Chinese Virus, or a much more severe 2G rule that requires vaccination no matter what. As part of its Covid Healthpass Entry Rule, the Central State of Hessen is making it as difficult as possible for unvaccinated people to continue living, based on the new rules. In essence, any retailer is now free to discriminate without consequence, and is actually encouraged to do so. According to reports, the government of Hessen actually issued a ban on unvaccinated stores at the request of the sector, whatever that is supposed to mean. We expect this option to be used only on some days, and companies that meet everyday needs will not use it, stated Volker Boffier, one of Hesses leaders. The decision was made after a court in Frankfurt ruled in favor of a barbecue store that issued a legal challenge stating that 2G rules cannot be implemented on the premises. In its ruling the court said that there was a considerable legal reservation for the exclusion of dealers and similar facilities from the so-called 2G rules. Covid crimes against humanity continue As you might expect, the imposition of 2G rules in Hessen remains extremely controversial. Many rightfully argue that it discriminates against the non-jabbed, which in turn is increasing social division and creating more mayhem and chaos. There comes a point when the cure is far worse than the disease and we are well past that point. The entire world is crumbling by design, due to all of this and all for an alleged virus that would not even be noticeable if it were not being plastered all over the media every waking moment of every single day. Up until this point, there have not been any places in the world that have attempted to limit access by the unvaccinated to grocery stores. They have tried theaters and sporting events, which are commodities, but not yet the necessities. This latest move by Hessen marks the first known instance of Chinese Virus fascism that aims to starve out those who refuse to get injected by depriving them of food. Government officials in Hessen appear to have picked this precise moment to make this announcement as the cold winter months will soon arrive in Germany. Fearful of starving, some unvaccinated might end up complying out of coercion while others stand their ground in defense of their God-given right to eat without being vaccinated. Eight federal states allow businesses and event organizers to adopt the so-called 2G option, one report explains about the situation in Germany. This means that only those who have recovered from vaccinated [sic] (geimpft) and Covid-19 (genesen) can enter, and those who have not been vaccinated cannot. Negatively tested (getestet) Covid. Recently, the entire nation of Germany made it so that unvaccinated at-the-door testing is no longer free, meaning the government is no longer paying for it with German tax dollars. Now, the unvaccinated will have to basically pay a new unvaccinated tax just to buy groceries. I dont know how much longer the people can hold back from violent retribution against their local businesses and politicians, wrote one Natural News commenter in response to a report about how France is trying to impose similar covid vaccine fascism. To keep up with the latest news about Fauci Flu injection tyranny, visit Fascism.news. Sources for this article include: CitizenFreePress.com WorldAkkam.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Crematoriums in India became overwhelmed with the bodies of those who died of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) as a second wave of infections battered the country. This has resulted in an increase in the price of wood being used as fuel for cremation. Thus, an Indian startup has promoted the use of logs made of cow dung allowing poor citizens to cremate their relatives who died of the disease. Social initiative Project Arth made up of Indian Institute of Technology Delhi students is the group responsible for the endeavor. According to the group, India performs 8.2 million cremations using wood every year with 16.4 million trees being cut for fuel. It aims to reduce deforestation through the use of sustainably produced cow dung logs. Project Arth team leader Ayush Sultania told The Epoch Times that each cremation requires 660 to 880 pounds of wood depending on the corpses weight. This is equivalent to two to three trees being cut down. However, successive cremations and tree cutting being performed amid the second COVID-19 wave caused more deforestation and air pollution. The group first used its cow dung logs to cremate unclaimed corpses of COVID-19 victims. Sultania remarked that a dignified cremation is considered extremely important in India, which inspired his group to give unidentified COVID-19 victims a good cremation. He said: We collaborated with someone whos getting the unclaimed bodies from the police, and we [cremated] those [using cow dung logs.] Project Arth launched its free cremation campaign in April in the Indian capital of Delhi, Rajkot city in Gujarat state and Gwalior city in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Since then, it has cremated more than 200 bodies of COVID-19 victims who were unclaimed or belonged to poor families. In the coming days, we will be doing more [cremations] in Noida and Meerut, Sultania continued. Both cities are located in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. According to the Project Arth team leader, cow dung sees wide acceptance in Indian culture. He commented that the funeral pyre in traditional Indian cremations is built over dirt coated with a thin layer of cow dung. Furthermore, Sultania cited a practice in some Indian villages wherein people attending a funeral bring two plates or cakes made from cow dung. These cakes typically used as biofuel are made from cow dung dried in the sun. This practice purportedly inspired him and his team to use cow dung shaped into logs for cremation. (Related: Coronavirus cremations in India suggest death count possibly 10 times higher.) Using cow dung logs also helps the environment According to Project Arth, 520 million kilograms of cow dung are wasted every day. Sixty-five percent of that amount is dumped into heaps to decompose producing greenhouse gases in turn. The remaining 35 percent is disposed of in water bodies polluting groundwater sources and clogging drains. Sultania remarked that methane gas anaerobically produced by decomposing cow dung has an impact on human bodies and can cause regular headaches. He continued that methane may [also] reduce the oxygen levels in the environment. The Project Arth team lead said he and his team wanted to solve the problem of cow dung disposal while generating profit out of waste and innovating technologically. Thus, the group created a machine to create logs out of cow dung and has continued research on how to make new products and generate wealth from them. Based on the teams research, the cow dung logs contained a higher amount of heat energy compared to the conventional wood logs. They also produced lower levels of greenhouse gases and particulate matter when burned, compared to traditional wood fuel. Sultania compared the cow dung logs to similar products made from elephant dung. These products prevalent in Sri Lanka and Thailand have both cultural acceptability and commercial value. He nevertheless expressed hope that Indian society will exhibit greater acceptance of products made from cow dung. The projects espousal of cow dung logs for cremations came at a time when various Indian cities are facing a shortage of wood. Many crematoriums in various parts of the country have reported an acute shortage of wood to use for fuel due to the surge in fatalities. Speaking to The National, East Delhi Mayor Nirmal Jain said: The situation is so dire that [number of] cremations that would take place in a week are occurring on a single day now. Because of the wood shortage, authorities in the Indian capital have looked to alternative fuels such as cow dung logs to use in cremations. Two civic bodies in the city said on May 4 that they were installing machines at government-run cowsheds. These machines will produce biomass cakes from cow dung and agricultural waste to be used as fuel. To not put pressure on wood, we have suggested the use of cow dung cakes. [Some] crematoriums are using cow dung cakes for the funerals, Jain remarked. Visit Pandemic.news to read more articles about the effects of the second wave of COVID-19 in India. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com TheNationalNews.com (Natural News) The Irish enclave of Waterford, where 99.7 percent of all adults are now fully vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), is seeing a huge outbreak of the disease. According to reports, this latest surge in new cases of the Fauci Flu is igniting fears that Ireland might be on the verge of going through a fifth wave of the disease even though people are obeying the governments demand that they get jabbed. In the last seven days, Waterford has seen 408 new cases of the Chinese Flu. This translates to an incidence rate of 351.2 infections per 100,000 people. Over the past two weeks, Waterford has seen 719 new cases, or 618.9 cases per 100,000 people. County Waterford has the highest adult vaccination rates in Ireland at 99%+, tweeted someone familiar with the new data. Followed by County Carlow in second place at 98%+. County Waterford also has the highest Covid incidence rates in Ireland, followed by County Carlow in second place, this same person added. What is going on? This sounds a whole lot like the current situation in Vermont. Despite nearly 90 percent of the state now being fully vaccinated, Chinese Virus hospitalizations are soaring. It seems like wherever the most people are getting jabbed for the Wuhan Flu, there you will find the most cases of illness and death. And wherever people are just saying no, there you will find the healthiest people who have long since moved on with their lives. Covid is a mental illness Hilariously, Waterford was actually considered to be the crown jewel of Irelands mass vaccination program. Prior to this outbreak, government officials were bragging about how compliant the county is, and how this would put an end to the plandemic. What ended up happening instead is that the region ignited a fresh round of illnesses as fully vaccinated residents flood their local emergency rooms in desperate need of care. For the first time since March, the number of patients in hospital with Covid in Ireland is over 400, reported Citizen Free Press. This in a country where 92% of adults have been vaccinated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Virus. Its worse for County Waterford where almost every single person over the age of 18 has been double jabbed and yet case numbers are surging with more than 700 new cases documented in the last 2 weeks. The irony of all this can hardly be overlooked. For more than a year, the world was told that getting jabbed for Chinese Germs would put an end to the plandemic, and now it appears that the only reason there is even still a plandemic at all is because of the so-called vaccines. The number of vaccinated patients in ICU now is almost as high as the entire number of Covid patients in ICU a year ago. HSE chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry admitted the figures were higher than we would like but added they would be even higher but for the impact of vaccination, Citizen Free Press further reported. So, where do we go from here? Not very far, sadly, because the governments of the world seem hellbent on pushing these jabs until every last soul on the planet has been marked with a death shot. What is it going to take for people to open their eyes? asked one commenter. The vaccines dont work, wrote another. This story shows the outcomes of the vaccines. Some critical thinking here by ordinary people would help a lot! Booster, boosters, get your free boosters right here! joked yet another. The latest news about how Chinese Virus shots are making people sick can be found at ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: CitizenFreePress.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) An autonomous taxi operated by Waymo got stranded at an intersection in Chandler, Arizona while carrying a passenger. A tech support team arrived to free it but the car suddenly drove away and pulled over again, blocking a three-lane road. Joel Johnson captured the whole incident on video while sitting in the autonomous taxis back seat. In the footage, which he posted online on May 13, the car paused at a stop sign instead of turning to a street lined with orange traffic cones. I dont think its going to take this turn, Johnson said in the video. We might be stuck. Johnson then called a Waymo remote operator for help. While waiting for roadside assistance to arrive, the car started and turned to the street, only to grind to a halt again after encountering the orange cones. I dont think it was supposed to do that, Johnson said. Oh no. Now its blocking the entire road. A Waymo team arrived after a couple of minutes, but the car sprang into motion once more and drove down the road before stopping, blocking three lanes of traffic. It then drove away one last time and pulled over to the side of the road. Roadside assistance was able to catch up, and an employee took over the wheel. (Related: TESLA TERMINATOR: Tesla car autopilot veers off highway, crashes into road signs as driver locked out of all controls.) Waymo, the self-driving technology development firm owned by Googles parent company, Alphabet Inc., issued a statement explaining that the autonomous car received incorrect guidance from the remote operator after halting for the first time. The guidance made it challenging for the [car] to resume its intended route and required Waymos roadside assistance team to complete the trip, the statement read. Noah Goodall, a University of Virginia researcher who studies vehicle communication and automation, said that the taxis first pause was understandable. But the second was strange. The third one was jaw-dropping and the fourth one I threw up my hands, Goodall said. Reports indicated that the cars confusion stemmed from the traffic cones on the street. Construction sites are challenging for fully autonomous vehicles because they depend on detailed maps of their environment to navigate safely. Self-driving cars could struggle to operate at their best when their environment abruptly changes, such as traffic cones and lane closures. Waymo launched a limited public ride-hailing service called Waymo One in 2018. Its customers were people vetted through the firms early rider program, according to The Verge. The company currently operates around 600 autonomous vehicles, with more than 300 operating in a 100-square mile service area in Arizona. A team of remote operators watch real-time feeds from each vehicles eight cameras and provide assistance if the artificial intelligence runs into a problem. But the company claims that the remote assistance team could not joystick the vehicles, meaning they could not take over the cars and operate them remotely. The operators could only offer suggestions to aid in extracting the cars from tough situations. The recent incident could cast more doubt on the efficacy and safety of autonomous vehicles, as Futurism noted. In 2018, a self-driving car owned by Uber Technologies Inc. killed a woman in Tempe, Arizona. The car carried an emergency human operator but was on autonomous mode at the time of the fatal crash. Uber, a ride-hailing and delivery company, was previously embroiled in traffic controversies involving its driverless cars. In 2016, its vehicles were caught running red lights in California, leading to a high-profile dispute between state regulators and the company. A year later, Uber suspended operations in Arizona after one of its self-driving cars crashed and tipped over on its side. RoboCars.news has more on road accidents involving autonomous vehicles. Sources include: Futurism.com Edition.CNN.com TheVerge.com TheGuardian.com People living in a black-dominated city in Michigan with high levels of lead in their drinking water are asking for a more aggressive response from the state. It has been three years now since lead was detected in the city's water supply. Lead Contamination in Benton Water Supply While state officials reveal they are making effort to correct the problem caused by old-fashioned, corroded service lines, people living in Benton Harbor say since 2018 they have been they've been speaking up over the contamination and the delayed response did not just increase the frustration but has also brought more harm. The city which is home to 10,000 is more than 84 percent Black with almost 50% of residents living in poverty, a characteristic almost the same as Flint, which dealt with its own water emergency beginning in 2014. Leader of the Benton Harbor Community Water Council which is a local environmental justice group that started taking action for the restoration of clean water, Edward Pinkney said, "How do you justify three years of documented contamination and do nothing? We appreciate the bottles of water, but the bottles of water are just a Band-Aid on a bullet wound." Also Read: Over 50 Flamingos Dead, Poisoned by Illegal Lead Pellets in Greek Lagoon Action Level The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services paid out thousands of bottled water cases to Benton Harbor, positioned 80 miles south of Grand Rapids, after issuing an advisory the previous week encouraging residents to avoid using water from the tap for "cooking, drinking, brushing teeth, and mixing powdered infant formula" out of many other cautions because of significantly increased levels of lead. The water from the city that was tested showed contamination of 22 parts per billion in the year 2018. And since it has always had increased lead levels. Testing revealed 24 ppb between January and June 2021. The action level - a measure of corrosion control effectiveness - which the Environmental Protection Agency set, is 15 ppb. But the agency reveals there is no less harmful level of lead. Organizations Filed Petition For Emergency Action After pleading for help and nothing was done, Pinkney and his group along with 19 other environmental justice organizations and also many who worked on the Flint crisis took action by filing a petition for emergency action the previous month asking the EPA for federal intervention. The agency said they will intervene, finally prompting the state action, he said. Legal action against the city and state is still to come, he said. He added: "It's unfortunate that you look at life so cheap in a community that's overwhelmingly African American." 52-year-old Bobbie Clay, a lifelong resident of Benton Harbor whose children and young grandchildren are in the city, said what she's worried about is the long-term health consequences, particularly among young people. She said: "The water is affecting our children. There is a noticeable change between how my kids were versus my grandkids. The young ones are extremely hyperactive and large numbers of parents have been going to doctors to figure out what's going on." Related Article: ALERT: Nearly 3,000 Communities in America Have Worse Lead Poisoning Rates than Flint For more news, updates about lead contamination and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! Tropical Rainstorm Pamela prompted flash flooding which caused the death of two people in Texas hill country. Rescuers saved a lot of children hanging on trees to escape from the flood. Pamela Brings Flash Floods Tuesday night into Wednesday, a portion of Texas was greatly affected by the latest in a long line of tropical systems, as torrential rain triggered flash flooding, leading to one high-water rescue at minimum in San Antonio. But the storm that happened recently is different from any other that has affected the Gulf Coast states as yet this 2021. On Thursday, Pamela became deadly after a girl, 5, and a woman were stuck in two different cars and carried away in floodwaters in Bexar County, Texas. First responders spent their entire day making effort to rescue both, but on Thursday officials confirmed that none survived. As of Thursday evening, the woman and girl were the first death confirmed from Pamela. On Wednesday night, multiple water rescues needed to be carried out as roads were turned into rivers, and Bill Wadell from AccuWeather reported that some children were hanging on trees in Bexar County, Texas, waiting to be rescued. Also Read: Developing Storm in Atlantic Coast Can Bring Strong Winds and Flooding in US Coasts Pamela's Impact Jon Porter, AccuWeather Senior Vice President said: It is "pretty unusual for Pacific tropical systems to drive moisture into Texas and beyond." Over the past 75 years, similar events have taken place only a few times and are usually associated with severe flash flooding, he added. Initially, Pamela was shaped as a tropical depression on the 10th of Oct. being on Sunday, before slowly gaining strength into a hurricane causing landfall close to Estacion Dimas, Mexico on Wednesday morning. Notable flooding was reported in regions near the landfall location, including in El Rosario, Mexico. In this region, hundreds of homes were flooded with water, Uno TV reported. In the city of Mazatlan, Mexico, which is very populated, civil defense officials reveal there were some damage, power outages, rough surf, and flooding from Pamela, The Associated Press said. But this event was not as bad as regions to the south nearer to where landfall took place. Torrential Rainfall As Pamela travel through Mexico, tropical moisture moved powerfully across Texas late Wednesday through Thursday and flooding downpours were sent across highly populated regions of the Lone Star State. The most intense rain concentrated around San Antonio and Austin, but areas farther north into Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas were soaked by downpours. Around 3.5 inches of Pamela rain, which is just about 0.25 of an inch shy of the average rainfall which the city receives for all of October. Over times two of that was received a few miles east in Gonzales, Texas, where upwards of 7 inches of rain took place in the same period. Southwest of Gonzales, radar calculations revealed a pocket of 8-10 inches of rain. Related Article: NHC Raises Flash Flood Alerts in Texas as Potentially Deadly Hurricane Pamela Draws Closer For more news, updates about flash floods and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! A new study about poisonous components identified as PFAS are found in over 42,000 locales across the United States. Analysts from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an anti-pollution advocacy institution, combed through public information in the EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History repository for possible origins of PFAS or polyfluoroalkyl substances residues in different towns' water resources. Forever Chemicals Toxicity from PFAS appears to impact everyone, from wealthy to those living near commercial buildings. Further study is desperately required to determine places wherein water contamination poses a larger risk to human health to inhabitants. Utilizing government information from the Environmental Protection Agency's Enforcement and Compliance History Online database, EWG scientists examined into probable origins of PFAS pollution in potable water infrastructure across the country. Waste disposal dumps, sewage purification plants, electroplaters and metal processors, and oil refineries were most frequently mentioned as potential contributors. The findings were authored in a specialized edition of the American Water Works Association's Water Science journal, which focused on the most recent PFAS findings. While compounds accumulate in the bodies but never break down in the environment, PFAS are known as "forever chemicals." "PFAS pollution is capable of harming every neighborhood in the United States, but those residing close or downstream from industries are more at jeopardy," said David Andrews, Ph.D., the report's principal investigator and a chief researcher at EWG. "Our study uncovered a wide range of possible pollution sources. It also gives us a basis for designing where and what to examine so that we can stop releasing things into the wild" Andrews added. EWG-commissioned testing of groundwater specimens around Northern Virginia in March found PFAS chemical content that were substantially worse than earlier disclosed for other sections of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region. Also read: More Than 100 Countries Sign Kunming Declaration Pledge to Protect Biodiversity Polluted Water Supply PFAS pollution is frequent at several various kind of areas, according to research papers based on information from California and Michigan, and extensive monitoring for PFAS in wastewater is critical. In one of his interviews Andrews stated, "The findings from places like Michigan demonstrate that there are many numerous angles of PFAS in groundwater." Several formerly undiscovered PFAS were discovered in waters stream from production plants and from PFAS consumers all across United States, confirming the necessity for comprehensive examination of commercial sites across the full family of PFAS chemicals. PFAS are the most pervasive hazardous chemicals on the planet, having been found everywhere from drinking water to foods, packaged food, and hygiene products. They can be detected in the blood of anyone on the planet, even young newborns. PFAS compounds in water supply were related to immune response inhibition, as well as an increased cancer risk, higher cholesterol, or reproduction and cognitive damage, along with other severe health issues. Controlling PFAS contamination in groundwater and potable water is still a major problem across the country. However, it is one that may be satisfied via extensive testing of ground and water supplies, as well as effluent from suspected PFAS origins. The Biden administration should also make advantage of the EPA's authorities to control as many commercial PFAS emissions as feasible. Also read: Colorado Bull Elk Finally Free from Tire Stuck Around its Neck for Two Years Following several aftershocks and outbursts from the volcano on La Palma Island this week, a "tsunami" of rapidly volcanic magma moved towards the Atlantic Coast. The lava pouring from a conduit as it poured down the Cumbre Vieja ridge was recorded in breathtaking imagery. On Friday, the Spanish island of La Palma was jolted by the second 4.5 massive earthquake in 48 hours, authorities said, as experts characterized a pouring stream of igneous magma from a bursting volcanic eruption as "a real lava tsunami." According to Spain's National Geographical Institute, the two aftershocks were the most powerful to strike La Palma, a Canary Island off the coast of Africa, since the explosion occurred on 19th of September. As per the La Palma administration, magma flowing toward Atlantic Coast prompted the relocation of over 300 residents Tuesday Afternoon, increasing the total population of individuals driven from their residences as of Tuesday to 1,200. According to the authorities, some 7,000 residents have been forced to leave ever since explosion. On the territory of 85,000 islanders, law enforcement agencies have recorded zero injuries as a result of the earthquake. As of now, the majority of the island's GDP, which is built primarily on agriculture and hospitality, has remained untouched. Drone Footage of La Palma Eruption Drone film depicts the volcano eruption becoming more intense. Aerial shots of the Cumbre Vieja explosion taken at night reveals the mountain's majesty as well as its destructive force. Upon the structural meltdown of the Cumbre Vieja volcano's peak on Saturday, a fresh torrent of lava has started flowing towards the coast, destroying banana and avocado fields as well as the majority of the village of Todoque's surviving dwellings. The Canary Islands Volcanic Institute reported that in the 3 weeks that followed by eruption, rivers of basaltic material had wrecked 1,186 structures. On La Palma, which has an estimated population of 83,000 individuals, around 6,000 citizens have been forcibly displaced. Also read: Canary Islands Experiences Strongest Earthquake Since Volcanic Eruption in La Palma La Palma Volcanic Eruption On Friday, two significant molten torrents were streaming from Cumbre Vieja peak. The first has decelerated to a halt, while the other is releasing a significant volume of igneous magma, forcing officials to remain on heightened guard for more rescue operations. As the hot magma rushed along a slope, the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute compared one of its surges to a lava tsunami. According to Vicente Soler of Spain's Higher Center for Scientific Research, the mount Vesuvius has vomited up sea material that precedes the island's creation 2 million years ago. The EU aerial surveillance organization stated in one of their press conference that, "the eruption has destructed or later damaged around 1,500 structures, the majority of which are houses, and has spanned approximately 680 hectares (1,680 acres)" "With over 300 individuals relocated on October 14, Thursday afternoon, increasing the cumulative figure of individuals displaced to about 7,000 ever since inaugural outburst on September 19," officials expounded. There have been no recorded fatalities, but over 1,500 residences and structures have been damaged in previous days. Also read: Devastating Fire Leaves 14 People Dead and 51 Injured in Taiwan High Building According to Nikkei, Japan would assist Southeast Asian countries in tracking greenhouse gas emissions by establishing a measuring and monitoring framework for the industry. The initiative's details will be finalized this month and unveiled during the COP 26 climate meeting, which begins on October 31 in the United Kingdom. ASEAN Making a Move It's been difficult to gauge emissions at individual firms since many from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations members lacks a tracking system. It is becoming increasingly vital to be able to track decarbonization activities across the supply chain. Companies that emit at least 3,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year in Japan must disclose their emissions by location. Similar regulations exist in Europe and the United States. The Japanese model will serve as a blueprint for ASEAN countries, including the calculating techniques employed by businesses. Japan intends to help and participate in cooperative initiatives. For example, in the Philippines, a field experiment for estimating emissions by industry will begin next summer. With the help of the Environment Ministry and the Chamber of Commerce, the selection process has started, with the cement and waste management industries among the contenders. In the Philippines, emissions estimations will most likely be based on statistics such as energy and fossil-fuel use and manufacturing volume. In addition, the amount of methane produced by waste will be calculated. In Vietnam and Thailand, the process of identifying potential industries is also underway. As the problem of climate change becomes more apparent, consumers and investors are increasingly considering decarbonization when making decisions. For example, Apple has set a target of becoming carbon-neutral throughout its entire supply chain by 2030. Companies that are unable to measure emissions and make progress toward reductions risk losing their status as suppliers. Related Article: "Focus on Environment Instead"- Prince William Calls Out Billionaires Competing on Space Tourism Race A Crucial Issue Climate change susceptibility and effect are vital issues for ASEAN. Warming of the climate system is clear from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and increasing global average sea level, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report, issued in late 2007. IPCC Report Since the IPCC's first assessment report in 1990, projected worldwide average, temperature rises have been between 0.15 and 0.3 degrees Celsius per decade from 1990 to 200513. Without a further effort to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, the IPCC predicts that the global average temperature would rise by 1.8 to 4.0 degrees Celsius this century, with a worst-case scenario of 6.4 degrees Celsius. Global warming is expected to have significant implications for humans and other living forms, including a rise in sea levels of 18 to 59 centimeters, putting coastal regions and small islands at risk, and an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Climate Vulnerability Southeast Asia is particularly vulnerable to climate change because a large proportion of the population and economic activity is concentrated along coastlines; the region's livelihoods are heavily reliant on agriculture; the region is heavily dependent upon natural resources and forestry, and extreme poverty persists. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) research, the region's average temperature climbed by 0.1 to 0.3 degrees Celsius each decade between 1951 and 2000, rainfall decreased from 1960 to 2000, and sea levels rose by 1 to 3 millimeters per year. In addition, heat waves, droughts, floods, and tropical cyclones have all intensified and grown more common. Also Read: WHO Report Shows that 7 Million Premature Deaths Occur Every Year Due to Air Pollution For more environmental news updates, don't forget to follow Nature World News! MHA Cromwell House in Norwich has career opportunities for a Care Assistant and Senior Care Assistant. MHA Cromwell House in Norwich has career opportunities for a Care Assistant and Senior Care Assistant. Norwich synagogue giving away free clothes this Sunday The Adat Yeshua Messianic Jewish congregation in Norwich are giving away clothes for free this Sunday, November 21, as part of the national Jewish Mitzva Day. Read more TimeNorfolk seeks volunteer practitioners TimeNorfolk are running a training course in 2022 for people interested in volunteering as a practitioner supporting the charity's clients. Read more Advent Angels set to land in Norfolk churches Churches in the Aylsham area will be visited by Advent Angels during December, created by churches and schools in the district. Read more Norwich Community Gospel Choir brings comfort and joy The Norwich Community Gospel Choir is fully up and running again, and welcoming new singers. Read more Crowdfunding appeal to fix Wiveton Church St Mary's, Wiveton has launched a CrowdFunding appeal for urgent roof repairs following storm damage two years ago, and Emma Bridgewater is supporting the campaign. Read more Help us to stage the Norwich Passion Play Would you like to be part of a professional Passion Play being staged on the streets of Norwich city centre next Easter and see the Gospel story performed in public? Read more Chance to meet new YMCA Norfolk CEO New YMCA Norfolk CEO, John Lee, will be the speaker at the next Transforming Norwich lunch to which local Christian leaders are invited to share lunch and to encourage and pray for one another. Read more Worshipping God in a draughty church Robert Ashton is concerned about the environmental impact of trying to heat the large number of historic, but often draughty, churches in Britain. Read more Finance and Administration Assistant needed The Catholic Diocese of East Anglia is looking to appoint a part-time Finance and Administration Assistant, based at Poringland near Norwich, to support the Diocesan Accountant in accounting for the finances of the Diocese. Read more Norwich Christian writer publishes poetry on dogs Gail Halley has captured her admiration of God in a poetry book about dogs. She explains what motivated her to do it. Read more Norwich Mothers' Union needs part-time Administrator Mothers Union Norwich Diocese requires a Part-time Administrator required to provide secretarial and administrative support for the activities of the charity, based at Diocesan House, near Norwich. Read more Christmas rhymes for Norfolk writer Matthew Pickhaver, who lives in North Norfolk, has just published two books of poetic plays on the theme of Christmas, and they are now available to buy. Read more Diocese of Norwich grows chaplaincy team for older people The Diocese of Norwich has appointed four Anna Chaplains to provide pastoral support to older people in Norfolk. Read more Mulbarton mum offers a guided approach to Advent Sarah Miller, a vicars wife from Mulbarton in south Norfolk, will be hosting a gentle evening to help you settle into Advent. Read more Church and Tenant Empowerment Worker Hope Into Action are looking for someone to join the Norwich team for 18 hours a week as an Empowerment Worker. The primary work location is Great Yarmouth but you will also need to work in Norwich. Read more Discover the benefits of giving Andrew Frere Smith describes how a generous spirit can benefit the giver as well as those who receive the gifts. Read more YMCA Norfolk celebrates double awards success Two teams from YMCA Norfolk were presented with national awards at the annual Youth Matters Awards in London on Friday evening, held at the Grand Sheraton Hotel hosted by YMCA England and Wales. Read more The Dean of Norwich announces her retirement The Dean of Norwich has announced that she is to retire from her role at the helm of Norwich Cathedral in May next year. The Very Revd Jane Hedges, who in 2014 became the first female Dean of Norwich in the Cathedrals 900-year history, announced the news of her retirement to the Cathedrals congregation on Sunday. There will be a special farewell service for the Dean on Sunday 1 May 2022 and following this the Dean will be moving to Northumberland with her husband Chris at the end of that month. At Sundays Sung Eucharist, the Dean told the Cathedral congregation: I have decided that the time has come for me to retire, not just yet, but in May next year. That will be just after my 67th birthday and coming up to having served 42 years in ministry and just short of eight years here. For Chris and me our years in Norwich and especially here as part of the Cathedral community have been incredibly happy ones. We love Norfolk and the people and it will be a huge wrench for us to leave. Its important though that you and our diocese and wider community have a Dean with lots of energy and I know that my energy levels are not quite what they were! Having said that, please be assured that during the next six months I am absolutely committed to fulfilling my role as Dean and together with Chapter colleagues will do everything we can to make sure that a new Dean moves into a thriving community. The Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich, said: As Dean Jane Hedges announces her retirement date being next May, I know that I join a great many people across the Diocese of Norwich, as well as the Cathedral community, in being immensely grateful for all that Dean Jane has brought to the life of Norwich Cathedral and her many wider networks. There will be many opportunities to thank her, as well as her husband Chris, and I know that Dean Jane will continue to lead the life of the Cathedral with her usual creativity and care over the coming months. I will shortly be working with the Archbishop of Canterbury and The Crown in discerning who God is calling to be the next Dean of Norwich. The Very Revd Jane Hedges was ordained Deaconess in 1980, Deacon in 1987 and Priest in 1994. She was the first woman to be appointed a Residentiary Canon in the Church of England, serving as Canon Pastor at Portsmouth Cathedral. In 2006 she became the first female Canon at Westminster Abbey, moving from there in 2014 to become the 39th Dean of Norwich. Under the Deans tenure, Norwich Cathedral has, among many other things, seen the completion of the Cathedrals sustainable lighting project From Darkness To Light, raised more than 2.5m for the They Shall Laugh and Sing Music Appeal to fund a major restoration of the Cathedrals organ and support the Cathedrals choral music, and hosted the major touring Natural History Museum exhibition Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure. The Revd Dr Peter Doll, Norwich Cathedrals Canon Librarian and Vice Dean, will be the Cathedrals acting Dean from May next year until the new Dean of Norwich is appointed. Photo by Bill Smith Helen Baldry, 18/10/2021 Laser-powered 5G base stations could become an operational reality in a few years using technology from Seattle-based PowerLight Technologies. In trials, PowerLights system transmitted hundreds of watts over hundreds of meters through the air to power up a 5G cellular base station, according to Ericsson, which ran the demo in cooperation with PowerLight using an Ericsson Streetmacro 6701 base station. (It consumes a maximum of 300W.) PowerLight COO Bob Zak said he expects the systems to be commercially available within 24 to 36 months. Weve tested it out to a kilometerbut the goal is multiple kilowatts over multiple kilometers, according to the company's president and CEO Richard Gustafson. Ericsson says the system could make for faster rollouts of base stations by making it unnecessary to provide wired power. It could also help to rapidly establish wireless coverage in emergencies or to support temporary uses such as festivals and sporting events, according to an article by Ericsson. The system consists of a laser transmitter that generates an infrared beam to a receiver that captures it with a photovoltaic cell that in turn converts the light to electricity that can be used immediately or stored. It uses beam shaping to optimize the laser energy, minimize loss as its transmitted, and maximize output at the other end, according to the company website. A safety system shuts down the laser within milliseconds if an object nears the path of the beam, then restores the beam when the object moves away. In in the demonstration, a battery backup kept the base station powered up when the beam shut down temporarily after a pole was moved through its path. The US military has been interested in the system at least since 2019 when PowerLight demonstrated it at the US Naval Warfare Center in Maryland. During that demo, the laser beamed 400W across 325 meters, according to a US Naval Research Laboratory article. If the technology advances enough, potential uses include recharging electric drones while they are in flight and providing power to military outposts from solar arrays orbiting Earth, according to the article. During the demonstration in Maryland, the electricity generated by the photovoltaic cells was converted into DC power then AC power by an inverter. PowerLight is also working on an outgrowth of the technology that uses fiber-optic cable as a medium over which to transmit laser power. The company said this would have advantages over delivering power via copper wiring because fiber doesn't give off an electrical signature and is lighter than copper, and. The company, founded in 2007 as LaserMotive, said it is testing the system with multiple other partners. Rebecca Payne's father said he and his wife feel "some measure of relief" now that police have charged two men in connection with the murder of their daughter in her Boston apartment nearly four years ago. A grand jury has indicted convicted crack cocaine dealer Cornell Smith, 30, with the May 20, 2008, murder of the 22-year-old New Milford woman, a New Milford High School graduate and then student at Northeastern University. A second man, Michael Balba of Billerica, Mass., whom police believe was one of Mr. Smith's customers, was indicted for lying to the grand jury. Meanwhile, Mr. Payne and his wife, Virginia, are making plans for "Becca's March for Peace," which will be held May 20 in Boston, the fourth anniversary of the murder. A bus will be available for area residents who want to go to Boston to participate. For information, call the Paynes at 860-350-6625. "We'll be marching from her apartment to downtown," Mr. Payne said. The Paynes were in a Suffolk County, Mass., courtroom in Boston April 30 when Mr. Balba, a 55-year-old long-haul trucker and admitted drug user, was arraigned on four counts of perjury. His bond was set at $100,000 cash, and he is due back in court June 6. Even though investigators said Mr. Balba was an unwitting accomplice to the crime, Mr. Payne said he feels no sympathy for the man whom a prosecutor said delayed a resolution to the case with his lies. More Information "Becca's March for Peace and Justice," a march in memory of Rebecca Payne of New Milford ,will be held May 20 in Boston. A bus will depart from New Milford High School on Route 7 South at 9 a.m. and return by 8 p.m. Miss Payne, a member of the New Milford High School, Class of 2004, was murdered in Boston in 2008. The march will raise awareness of Miss Payne's case and all violence. For more information or to reserve a space on the bus, call 860-350-6625. See More Collapse "Had this defendant not lied during that investigation, Becca's parents might not have had to wait four years to find some measure of accountability in their daughter's death," said District Attorney Daniel Conley. "We know he was the driver, but we have no sympathy for him,"Mr. Payne said. "The penalty for perjury in a murder case can be very severe." The district attorney said Rebecca Payne was "truly an innocent victim" and had no connection to Mr. Smith or Mr. Balba. Authorities said Mr. Balba, the married father of two adult children, drove Mr. Smith and another, as yet unnamed man to Miss Payne's apartment building and waited across the street while Mr. Smith went inside and killed her. Mr. Balba initially told police he made regular trips to Boston to purchase crack from Mr. Smith, who he knew as "Jeff." But when he was questioned during the grand jury hearings about events on the night Miss Payne was killed, Mr. Balba testified "Jeff" never asked him to give anyone else a ride, that he didn't hear any gunshots, and that nothing unusual ever happened on his crack-buying trips, according to Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Ira Polumbaum. "If he has no memory, then he has no memory," defense attorney James Dangora Jr. told Boston.com. "He did testify and he cooperated to his fullest ability." Mr. Payne said the prosecutor called last week to advise him and his wife that a break in the case was near. "We always had hope that they would eventually solve it, and we feel that at least now there is a timetable by which justice will be done," he said. Mr. Payne also said a third person being involved in the case came as news to him. "It was as great a mystery to us as it was to you," he said. Mr. Conley told Boston TV station WHDH more information about the mystery man would be released when Mr. Smith, who is serving a 12-year federal prison sentence in California, is returned to Boston to face the murder charge. Mr. Smith is also accused of armed assault in a dwelling and unlawful possession of a firearm. "There is another individual who was present at the crime scene," Mr. Conley said. "We're not going to identify him today. We'll speak more clearly about him when Cornell Smith is arraigned." But a spokesman for Mr. Conley's office said it could be weeks, or even months, before that occurs. jpirro@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342 Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). Hundreds of connections between different human diseases have been uncovered through their shared origin in our genome by an international research team led by scientists from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, challenging the categorization of diseases by organ, symptoms, or clinical specialty. A new study published in Science today generated data on thousands of proteins circulating in our blood and combined this with genetic data to produce a map showing how genetic differences that affect these proteins link together seemingly diverse as well as related diseases. Proteins are essential functional units of the human body that are composed of amino acids and coded for by our genes. Malfunctions of proteins cause diseases across most medical specialties and organ systems, and proteins are also the most common target of drugs that exist today. The findings published today help explain why seemingly unrelated symptoms can occur at the same time in patients and suggest that we should reconsider how diverse diseases can be caused by the same underlying protein or mechanism. Where a protein is a drug target, this information can point to new strategies for treating a variety of conditions, as well as minimizing adverse effects. In the study using blood samples from over 10,000 participants from the Fenland study, the team led by senior author Dr Claudia Langenberg at the MRC Epidemiology Unit and Berlin Institute of Health at Charite Universitatsmedizin, Germany, demonstrated that natural variation in 2,500 regions of the human genome is very robustly associated with differences in abundance or function of 5,000 proteins circulating in the blood. This approach addresses an important bottleneck in the translation of basic science to clinically actionable insights. While large scale studies of the human genome have identified many thousands of variants in our DNA sequence that are associated with disease, underlying mechanisms remain often poorly understood due to uncertainties in mapping those variants to genes. By linking such disease-related DNA variations to the abundance or function of an encoded protein, the team produced strong evidence for which genes are involved, and identified novel mechanisms by which proteins mediate genetic risk into disease onset. For example, multiple genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have linked a region of the human genome known as KAT8 with Alzheimer's disease but failed to identify which gene in this region was involved. By combining data on both proteins and genes the team was able to identify a gene in the KAT8 region named PRSS8, which codes for the protein prostasin, as a novel candidate gene in Alzheimer's disease. Similarly, they identified a novel risk gene for endometrial cancer (RSPO3). The authors used these new insights to systematically test which of these protein-encoding genes affected a large range of diseases. They discovered more than 1,800 examples in which more than one disease was driven by variations in an individual gene and its protein products. What emerged was a network-like structure of human diseases, because many of the genes connected a range of seemingly diverse as well as related conditions in different tissues. This provides strong evidence that the respective protein is the origin, and points to new potential strategies for treatment. Dr Langenberg explained: An extreme example we discovered of how one protein can be connected to several diseases is the protein Fibulin-3, which we connected to 37 conditions, including hypermobility, hernias, varicose veins, and a lower risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. A likely explanation is atypical formation of elastic fibers covering our organs and joints, leading to differences in elasticity of soft and connective tissues. This is also in line with features that others have observed in mice where this gene was deleted." Dr Maik Pietzner, a researcher at the MRC Epidemiology Unit and co-lead author of the study, added: Using our genome as the basis was key to the success of this study. Because we know that most of the proteins detected in blood have their origin in cells from other tissues, we integrated different biological layers, like gene expression, to enable us to trace proteins back to disease-relevant tissues. For example, we found that higher activity of the enzyme bile salt sulfotransferase was associated with an increased risk of gall stones through a liver specific mechanism. We linked around 900 proteins to their tissue of origin in this way." In collaboration with colleagues at the Helmholtz Centre in Munich, Germany, the authors have developed a bespoke web application (www.omicscience.org) to enable immediate dissemination of the results, and allow researchers worldwide to dive deeply into information on genes, proteins and diseases they are most interested in. Dr Eleanor Wheeler, also at the MRC Epidemiology Unit and co-lead author of the study, concluded: For most genomic regions associated with disease risk, the underlying causal gene and mechanism are not known. Our work demonstrates the distinctive value of proteins to zoom in on the causal gene for a disease and helps us to understand the mechanism through which genetic variation can cause disease. We envisage that the large amount of information we are sharing with the scientific community will help ongoing and emerging efforts to connect genes to diseases more directly via the encoded protein, thus facilitating accelerated identification of drug targets." Malaria infection and deaths could be avoided by more than half a million young children thanks to an accelerated regime of preventative drugs being rolled in four African countries, says global health agency Unitaid. The intervention, known as the Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in infants-plus (IPTi+), builds upon a World Health Organization (WHO) recommended strategy that uses the antimalarial sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine to prevent malaria in children under one year old. In its current regimen of IPTi, the protection offered to infants only goes up to one year, but with the IPTi+ there is an increase in dosage and [this] expands the eligible age bracket up to two years which we hope will achieve a bigger impact." Alexandra Cameron, Senior Technical Manager for Malaria, Unitaid IPTi is safe and could cut malaria in children under one year of age by 30 per cent but has been underused in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the health agency. It comes as the WHO last week endorsed the use of the RTS,S vaccine among children in Sub-Saharan Africa and other regions with moderate to high malaria transmission. However, health experts maintain that other interventions are necessary since the vaccine is only 30 per cent effective in reducing severe cases of malaria. The WHO's latest World Malaria Report showed that in 2019 most malaria cases and deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa, which accounted for 94 per cent of the 229 million malaria cases reported globally. Almost 70 per cent of the 409,000 malaria deaths worldwide occurred in children under five years, making children the most vulnerable group. With a $35 million investment from Unitaid, the IPTI+ program led by Population Services International (PSI) aims to develop scalable models in Benin, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire and Mozambique by administering an estimated 2.5 million doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine to protect over half a million children under two years of age from malaria, the Unitaid statement adds. IPTi+ is a cost-effective measure, with the delivery process providing equitable access through mass campaigns and community outreach, according to Unitaid. The intervention is tied to the immunization schedules of infants to ensure a wider reach, Cameron tells SciDev.Net. "This has been a country-driven project. And [in] the first nine months of the four-year project, PSI will co-create with the national malaria control programs in the target countries on how the project will be implemented to allow local needs and contextual constraints to be collated and addressed," Cameron explains. Widespread adoption of IPTi has previously faced challenges including misperceptions about the effectiveness of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and a lack of enabling policies, according to Unitaid. Bedilu Alamirie, an assistant professor of statistics at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, says partnerships need to be strengthened with the relevant ministries, research institutions and other key players who can provide further guidance on implementing the project. Bedilu, who is an expert in mapping malaria risk in children in Mozambique, tells SciDev.Net: "This intervention is good, and I would emphasize that it should be highly data-driven to accurately ensure effectiveness." A study published today by an interdisciplinary collaboration, directed by Denis Engemann from Inria, demonstrates that machine learning from large population cohorts can yield "proxy measures" for brain-related health issues without the need for a specialist's assessment. The researchers took advantage of the UK Biobank, one of the world's largest and most comprehensive biomedical databases, that contains detailed and secure health-related data on the UK population. This work is published in the open-access journal GigaScience. Mental health issues have been increasing worldwide, with the WHO determining that there has been a 13% increase in mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders between 2007 and 2017. The burden these diseases place on society is extensive, negatively impacting nearly every area of life: school, work, family, friends, and community engagement. Among the many issues impeding the ability of society to address these disorders is that diagnoses of such health issues require specialists; the availability of which ranges drastically across the globe. The development of machine learning methodology for the purposes of facilitating mental-health assessments could provide a much needed additional means to help detect, prevent and treat such health issues. To develop AI models sensitive to mental health, the researchers at Inria (Saclay Ile-de-France) and their colleagues turned to the UK Biobank for the data needed. The UK Biobank stores, not just biological and medical data, but also questionnaire data about personal circumstances and habits, such as age, education, tobacco and alcohol use, sleep duration and physical exercise. Specific for this study, these questionnaires also include sociodemographic and behavioural data, such as moods and sentiments of the individuals, and biological data includes Magnetic Resonance (MR) images of 10,000 participants' brain scans. The Inria scientists combined these two data sources to build models that approximate measures for brain age, and scientifically defined intelligence and neuroticism traits. These serve as "proxy measures," which are indirect measurements that strongly correlate with specific diseases or outcomes that cannot be measured directly. Developing approximations in this way has been successfully employed in the past for predicting "brain age" from MR images. This previous body of neuro-clinical work served as a starting point for Denis Engemann and his team. In this work, we generalized this methodology in two ways. First, we demonstrated that, beyond biological aging, the same proxy-measure framework is applicable to constructs more directly related to mental health. Second, we showed that useful proxy measures can be derived from other inputs than brain images, such as sociodemographic and behavioral data." Denis Engemann, National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology The researchers validated their proxy measures by demonstrating the same results in a separate subset of UK Biobank data. The results of the work here provide a glimpse into a future where psychologists and machine learning models could work hand-in-hand to produce increasingly fine-grained and personalized mental assessments. For example, in the future clients or patients may grant a machine learning model secured access to their social media accounts or their mobile phone data, to then return proxy measures that are useful to both the client and the mental health or education expert. However, while AI can provide much-needed assessment tools, human interaction will still be essential, as Engemann points out: "What is not going to change is that mental health practitioners will need to carefully interpret and contextualize test results on a case-by-case basis and through social interaction, whether they are obtained using machine learning or classical testing." People with obesity were overrepresented among adults in Sweden receiving intensive care for COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. Just over 39 percent had obesity, compared with some 16 percent in the population. The risks of prolonged hospitalization and death in intensive care units (ICUs) was also higher for patients with obesity, as a study from the University of Gothenburg shows. The aim of the study, published in the journal PLOS One, was to assess whether a high body mass index (BMI) affects the risk of death or prolonged length of hospital stay in patients with COVID-19 during intensive care in Sweden. Using the Swedish Intensive Care Registry (SIR), the researchers identified all patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to ICUs in Sweden during the initial wave of the pandemic, in spring and summer 2020. However, their height and weight were not always reported in SIR. For individuals whose height and weight particulars were missing from SIR, the information available was supplemented, first, directly from the ICUs and, second, through the Nationwide Passport Register. The latter, of course, contains height particulars. Current BMI was thus verified all the subjects included in the study. Accordingly, the study is based on data that have not previously been available. Although people with obesity were identified early on as a risk group that was affected especially severely by COVID-19, a new, more detailed picture is now emerging. Greater vulnerability with obesity A total of 1,649 individuals with COVID-19 from intensive care units (ICUs) at university, county, and local hospitals around Sweden were included. All the participants were aged 18 and over; three-quarters were men; and pregnant women were excluded. The results show that patients with obesity, i.e., a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more, were overrepresented among those with COVID-19 receiving intensive care in Sweden. The proportion in the study was 39.4 percent, while the corresponding figure for the population is approximately 16 percent. A high BMI raised the risks both of serious illness with long stays in intensive care and of death. A link was found between BMI over 30 and a 50 percent increase in mortality risk, compared with the normal-weight group. Among those who survived, a BMI over 35 proved to be linked with a risk of intensive care for over 14 days that was twice as high as the risk for patients of normal weight. These analyses have been adjusted for age, gender, comorbidity, and how poorly the patient's state of health was on arrival at the ICU. Vigilant monitoring vital Lovisa Sjogren, researcher at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and pediatrician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Halland Hospital Halmstad, is the study's first author. "For individuals with COVID-19 who are in intensive care, obesity means an increased risk of death, and among those who survive, obesity boosts the risk of intensive care lasting more than 14 days. Based on our results, obesity should be included as an important risk factor in COVID-19. Patients with obesity who suffer from COVID-19 should be monitored closely," she states. The study is based on the Swedish Intensive Care Register, and Sjogren points out that high-quality registers are a basic precondition for studies of this type to be feasible. Jenny M Kindblom, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and Chief Physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, is the study's senior author. "Some international studies have shown a connection between high BMI and the risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19. We can now show this in a Swedish context, and with the advantage of having a fully up-to-date BMI value for every patient," she says. At an early stage during the pandemic, the researchers who conducted the study were in touch with HOBS, a Swedish patient organization for people living with overweight and obesity. Many members were concerned that a high BMI would elevate the risk of serious illness resulting from infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. At the time, there were no publications in the field, and the study was initiated to be enable us to answer patients' questions. We now hope as many people as possible will take the opportunity to get vaccinated, and that health services include BMI as a risk factor -; and perhaps choose to exercise special vigilance in monitoring patients with obesity who are suffering from COVID-19." Jenny M Kindblom, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emerged in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly across the globe. With a high transmission rate, few treatments, and high mortality rates in at-risk groups, countries faced with high death rates and overwhelmed health services enacted social distancing measures, lockdowns, and other restrictions designed to prevent the spread of the disease. Finally, as mass vaccination programs begin to take hold, these restrictions are beginning to be lifted. Study: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and COVID-19 mortality in Stockholm, Sweden: A registry-based cohort study. Image Credit: Vitalii Vodolazskyi/ Shutterstock However, there are still relatively few treatments. Monoclonal antibodies have been shown to have limited effect, and many highly touted repurposed drugs that have gained media attention show little to no effect. Recently, claims have begun to arise about statin treatment and COVID-19 mortality rates. In a study published in the journal PLOS Medicine, a group of researchers has been investigating the relationship between the drug and survival rates. The study Lipid-lowering HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are normally used to try and reduce cholesterol levels and treat cardiovascular diseases. These drugs inhibit HMG-CoA reductase to prevent cholesterol synthesis. They are also used to modulate the immune system, improve endothelial function, reduce the risk of thromboses, reduce blood vessel inflammation and increase fibrinolysis. Most current studies investigating the effect statins show on COVID-19 survival are of necessity small - they only include hospitalized populations, and most are from early pandemic cases. The researchers gathered data from almost 1 million residents of Stockholm between March and November 2020, and examined their prescriptions, healthcare data, and matched them to the Swedish Cause of Death Registry. The researchers included all individuals 45 or older. This was in an attempt to reduce the number of pregnant women who would not be taking statins, and young people, who would be less likely to die from COVID-19 whether taking statins or not. Those with liver disease were also disqualified, as they could not take statins. The scientists used cause-specific Cox regression to analyze the relationship between statin treatment and COVID-19 death rates. This is an extension of the Cox proportional hazards model, which is the natural choice for modeling the effects of covariates on the hazard rates when there are no competing events. Still, the cause-specific Cox regression allows this model to be set to each hazard. The cause-specific hazard is the instantaneous rate of failure due to one of the causes. The researchers adjusted their hazard ratios and confidence intervals for sex, age, country of birth, education, disposable income, residential area, housing crowding, nursing home, exposure to ACE inhibitors and other drugs, and a broad range of diseases. Subgroup analyses were also performed for some of these factors, and sensitivity analyses were performed to scrutinize the results. In total, 169,642 individuals had collected at least one statin prescription out of a total of 963,876. Statin users had a median age of 71 years, were more likely to be male, have comorbidities such as heart disease, heart failure, and hypertension, and were significantly more likely to be taking other medicines. They had a lower likelihood of attending university than non-statin users and less disposable income. Out of the 963,876 individuals, 2545 died from COVID-19, including 765 statin users. When adjusted for confounders, statin treatment showed a significant, if modest, lowered risk of mortality from COVID-19. These results are supported by several other studies showing similar findings. Conclusion The authors highlight the importance of their study in clarifying and expanding the current understanding of the relationship between COVID-19 and statins. While other studies had begun to explore the potential of statin activity in protecting against the disease, the author's research shows that the relationship remains significant when examined across a much larger population. This information could be valuable in furthering the understanding of COVID-19 and could lead to a target for drug development. The authors point out several limitations in their study. In any study of this type, residual confounding factors cannot be ruled out - data was not gathered on body mass index or smoking, both of which are significantly linked to statin use and can affect COVID-19 mortality. There is even some small evidence that heavy smoking may protect against infection with COVID-19. The researchers recommend continued prescription of statin treatment for heart disease and awaiting the results of clinical trials for further examination. (Newser) Update: Kanye West is officially no longer Kanye West. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michelle Williams Court has approved the rapper's petition to have his name changed from Kanye Omari West to "Ye," with no middle name or last name, Deadline reports. In an August filing, Ye said he wanted to change his legal name to his longstanding nickname for "personal reasons." His wife Kim Kardashian West, who filed for divorce in February, is still using the West name for now. Our original story from Aug. 24 follows: story continues below Kanye just wants to be Ye. Kanye West filed court documents Tuesday to legally change his name, the AP reports. The Los Angeles Superior Court filing says the 44-year-old wants to get rid of his full nameKanye Omari Westin favor of just his longtime two-letter nickname, Ye, with no middle name or last name. The documents, dated Aug. 11 but not sent into the court system until Tuesday, cite personal reasons for the change. An email seeking comment from the attorney who filed the documents was not immediately returned. A judge must approve of the change before it becomes official. West, who has called himself Ye on his social media for years, tweeted that he wanted the change in 2018, saying, being formally known as Kanye West. I am YE. The moniker was also the title of his 2018 album. He has said in interviews that, along with being a shortening of his first name, he likes that it's a word used throughout the Bible. West is in the middle of a divorce with Kim Kardashian West, who did not ask that her last name be changed back to just Kardashian when she filed to split from him in February. The couple's four children also have his last name. More of the latest Ye news: New album: He has been holding a series of stadium listening parties for his forthcoming 10th studio album Donda, which is scheduled to be released before the end of August. Kardashian West has been in attendance to show her support, ET reports. He has been holding a series of stadium listening parties for his forthcoming 10th studio album Donda, which is scheduled to be released before the end of August. Kardashian West has been in attendance to show her support, ET reports. New house, sorta: For an upcoming listening party, the artist unofficially known as Ye has been reconstructing his childhood home with mother Donda West in Chicago's Soldier Field, where the event will be held, Yahoo News reports. He purchased the actual Chicago home in 2019 and has been renovating it. For an upcoming listening party, the artist unofficially known as Ye has been reconstructing his childhood home with mother Donda West in Chicago's Soldier Field, where the event will be held, Yahoo News reports. He purchased the actual Chicago home in 2019 and has been renovating it. New romance ends: Ye had been dating Irina Shayk, but sources tell E! the relationship was over almost as soon as it began. "He got very busy with work, and they were in different places. It kind of fizzled out from there. They are still friendly and there's a lot of mutual respect," one says. The same apparently can be said for Ye and Kardashian West, who are said to be on good terms and co-parenting their four kids well. Ye had been dating Irina Shayk, but sources tell E! the relationship was over almost as soon as it began. "He got very busy with work, and they were in different places. It kind of fizzled out from there. They are still friendly and there's a lot of mutual respect," one says. The same apparently can be said for Ye and Kardashian West, who are said to be on good terms and co-parenting their four kids well. Not-new feud: Ye and fellow rapper Drake have been feuding for a dozen years now, and the fight is back in the headlines after Ye appeared to post, then delete, Drake's address on Instagram. BuzzFeed explains more here. (Read more Kanye West stories.) (Newser) Tony Bennett has set a Guinness World Record, his fifth. The 95-year-old is now officially the oldest person to release an album of new material, the recordkeeping organization has confirmed. Love for Sale, Bennett's collaboration with Lady Gaga, was released October 1, CNN reports. Bennett, who has Alzheimer's disease and is now retired from live shows but had just recently performed with Gaga, also collaborated with her on 2014's Cheek to Cheek. "I see a young boy every time I sing with him, and it just makes the experience of singing so freeing," Gaga said in a video celebrating the record, per Fox News. story continues below "To have it be about two souls singing together and then at the same time, I also take in all his wisdom. The wisdom of all his years," she continues. Bennett's four previous Guinness World Records include one for their previous album: oldest person to reach No. 1 on the US album chart with a newly recorded album. He also holds the records for longest time between UK top 20 albums (39 years), oldest person to enter the UK top 20 album chart (for Duets: An American Classic at age 80), and longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist (nearly 69 years, "Fascinating Rhythm"). (Newser) Update: After attracting plenty of press over its announcement that students would need to stay home from school for 30 days after each COVID-vaccine dose they receive, Miami's Centner Academy has changed course. CNN reports the school did away with the requirement after the Florida Department of Education let it know on Thursday that it would be investigating the plan. The following day, the school's COO said that its announcement failed to mention that the school planned to pair the requirement with a remote learning option, but that regardless, "we will not pursue any such measures" regarding a post-vaccination quarantine. Our story from Oct. 17 follows: story continues below The Florida private school that's been making headlines for months regarding its anti-vaccination stance is making headlines yet again. The latest from Miami's Centner Academy: Students who get vaccinated against COVID-19 must stay home from school for 30 days after each dose, WSVN reports. After that time, they can return to class provided they are "healthy and symptom-free," reads a letter recently sent to parents from the school's Chief Operating Officer. It suggests that parents hold off on vaccinating their kids until summer, "when there will be time for the potential transmission or shedding onto others to decrease." The preschool-8th grade establishment, which can cost more than $30,000 per year in tuition and fees, first made waves when it warned its teachers not to get vaccinated because, the school falsely claimed, vaccinated people "transmit" something from their bodies that causes "adverse reproductive issues" in others they are near. (That claim, as well as any claims of "transmission or shedding," are not based in fact.) The school later found itself in the news again after a teacher warned students not to hug their vaccinated parents for more than five seconds because it was dangerous. The school's vaccine policy, posted on its website, implies that mandatory vaccinations could be behind increased rates of attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, asthma, diabetes, and autism in children. (Read more Florida stories.) (Newser) The Beast, a gruesome historical thriller about a serial killer in the 1830s, has won one of Spain's top literary prizes, and its author, Carmen Molaa popular writer known for the "strong female protagonists" in her crime novels, per the Washington Postwas supposed to show up Friday night to pick up her $1.2 million award. But no woman arrived in Barcelona to accept the Planeta prize: Instead, three middle-aged scriptwriters who've worked together on various TV series came up to the stage, and came clean, announcing they were actually the famed writer, whose previous trilogy has been translated into 11 languages and is set to head to the TV screen. story continues below "Carmen Mola is not, like all the lies we've been telling, a university professor," Jorge Diaz, after winning the prize with Agustin Martinez and Antonio Mercero, told the Financial Times, via the Post. "We are three friends who one day four years ago decided to combine our talent to tell a story." The authors say they chose the name Carmen Mola at random and that it wasn't necessarily meant to be a female one. The Guardian notes the name translates to "Carmen's cool." "We didn't hide behind a woman, we hid behind a name," Mercero told Spain's El Pais paper. But others are pushing back on that claim, saying the entire effort was an intentional ruse meant to make people think Mola was a woman. "These guys have been answering interviews for years," tweeted Beatriz Gimeno, who used to lead Spain's Women's Institute. "It's not only the name, it's the false profile" they set up. "Scammers," she added. Backing up Gimeno's assertion: The agent representing "Mola" has a supposed photo of the author on its site, a black-and-white shot that appears to show a woman from behind. In a 2018 interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC, Mola, described as being in her 40s with a husband and three kids, noted, "I hope no one finds out who I am," telling the somewhat wary writer of the article that they assumed a pseudonym due to "having a life already formed that has nothing to do with literature." Last year, a Women's Institute branch lauded one of Mola's books as one that should be read "to help us understand the reality and the experiences of women." Still, it appears the prize, awarded to an unpublished manuscript, will stand, and it will be published by the Planeta Group next month, under Mola's name. (Read more literary award stories.) (Newser) A man who was shot in the arm by Kyle Rittenhouse during a protest last year against police brutality in Wisconsin has filed a federal lawsuit alleging police enabled the violence by allowing an armed militia to have free run of the streets during the demonstration, the AP reports. Rittenhouse shot Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber, and Gaige Grosskreutz with an AR-style semiautomatic rifle during the protest in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020, after an officer shot Jacob Blake two days earlier. Rosenbaum and Huber died. Grosskreutz was wounded in the arm but survived. Prosecutors have charged Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, with multiple counts, including homicide. He has argued he fired in self-defense after Rosenbaum and Huber attacked him and Grosskreutz ran up to him armed with a handgun. Rittenhouse's trial is slated to begin next month. story continues below Grosskreutz's lawsuit filed Thursday alleges that Rittenhouse, who lives in Antioch, Ill., had joined white supremacist militia members who had answered a call on social media to travel to Kenosha and protect businesses during the protest. Rittenhouse and Grosskreutz are white; so were Rosenbaum and Huber. The filing maintains police knew the militia was there to hurt people, pointing to social media responses such as Counter protest? Nah. I fully plan to kill looters and rioters tonight" and Armed and ready. Shoot to kill tonight. Regardless, police welcomed them, allowing them to patrol the streets with their guns after curfew. One officer told the militia we appreciate you guys, according to the lawsuit. Police later funneled protestors toward the militia, telling members they could take care of them, the lawsuit alleges. Numerous officers saw Rittenhouse before and after the shootings but never asked him for identification, detained him, or disarmed him, and let him walk past them even though people were yelling that he had shot people and he still had his rifle slung over his chest, according to the lawsuit, which alleges Rittenhouse would have been treated differently had he been Black. The lawsuit alleges Kenosha police, the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department, and the city committed multiple constitutional violations, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, equal protection and free speech violations, and failure to intervene. The filing seeks unspecified damages. Attorney Sam Hall, who represents Kenosha County and Sheriff David Beth, said Friday the allegations are false. Huber's family filed a similar federal lawsuit in August alleging police facilitated the shootings. That case is pending. Meanwhile Blake, who was left paralyzed, has sued the officer who shot him, NPR reports. The officer was not criminally charged. (Read more Kyle Rittenhouse stories.) (Newser) Kourtney Kardashian is getting married. Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, who's been in a relationship with the reality star since last year, proposed at sunset Sunday on a California beach, sources tell E!. Kardashian later posted a photo of the moment to Instagram, captioned simply, "forever." TMZ has its own pictures of Kardashian saying yes, and the gossip site notes the couple was close friends for years before getting together. Barker's children from his previous marriage, 15-year-old daughter Alabama and 18-year-old son Landon, both congratulated the couple on Instagram, USA Today reports. story continues below Sister Kim, who was reportedly present for the big question, later tweeted a photo of Kourtney's massive engagement ring. Kourtney's mom Kris Jenner and her boyfriend Corey Gamble, along with Tristan Thompson (on-again off-again partner of sister Khloe Kardashian and father of her daughter True), were also reportedly present, and the family had a celebratory dinner together afterward, sources say. Kourtney Kardashian has never been married, but was with fellow Keeping Up With the Kardashians star Scott Disick for nearly a decade, and has three children with him who range in age from 6 to 11. (Barker recently flew for the first time since his horrific airplane crash, thanks to Kardashian.) (Newser) Last week, 50 women settled a lawsuit over allegations that they were duped into making pornographic videos through fraud and coercion. The matter is not over, however. The FBI is offering a reward of $50,000 for information leading to the whereabouts of the owner of the website GirlsDoPorn, reports CNN. Michael James Pratt is a native of New Zealand, though his website had been based in San Diego, per NBC News. The women alleged that they answered ads for modeling jobs, only to learn that the work was actually for explicit videos, according to an FBI release. Authorities say many of the women went through with the videos, in exchange for up to $5,000, after being assured the videos would not be posted online. story continues below However, the videos surfaced not only at Pratt's website but at sites including Pornhub, according to the FBI. The 50 "Jane Does" in the lawsuit received an unspecified settlement from Pornhub parent company MindGeek. They say they were tricked into signing releases with legalese. "Pratt allegedly paid other young women working for him to act as references to assure these victims that their videos would not be posted online," says Special Agent William McNamara of the FBI's San Diego office. "Some of the women were not permitted to leave the location until the videos were made, and some were forced to perform certain sex acts that they didn't want to." (Read more pornography stories.) (Newser) Joe Manchin has gotten plenty of attention for his status as a Democratic holdout on President Biden's spending plans. As the wrangling continues, a flurry of new stories is focusing in particular on the West Virginia senator's opposition to the signature element of Biden's climate agenda. Details: The program: Manchin opposes the $150 billion Clean Electricity Performance Program, which would reward utilities that shift to clean energy and penalize companies that don't, reports the Washington Post. Without the CEPP, Biden will have a tougher time meeting his goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, per E&E News. Manchin opposes the $150 billion Clean Electricity Performance Program, which would reward utilities that shift to clean energy and penalize companies that don't, reports the Washington Post. Without the CEPP, Biden will have a tougher time meeting his goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, per E&E News. What Manchin says: The CEPP is a waste of money, maintains Manchin, whose state is a major producer of US coal. "They're wanting to pay companies to do what they're already doing," he says, per NPR. "Makes no sense to me at all for us to take billions of dollars and pay utilities for what they're going to do as the market transitions." Fellow Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota says Manchin is "just not right," adding, "In fact, what we're doing is we're providing utilities with support, so that they can rapidly add clean power without raising utility rates." story continues below His ties: The New York Times has a lengthy story about all this, pointing out that Manchin has personal financial ties to the coal industry, as well as political ones. The story also finds that West Virginia already is being affected by climate change in the form of unusually "frequent and intense" rain. "New data shows that Mr. Manchin's constituents stand to suffer disproportionately as climate change intensifies," per the story. "Unlike those in other flood-exposed states, most residents in mountainous West Virginia have little room to relocate from the waterways that increasingly threaten their safety." The New York Times has a lengthy story about all this, pointing out that Manchin has personal financial ties to the coal industry, as well as political ones. The story also finds that West Virginia already is being affected by climate change in the form of unusually "frequent and intense" rain. "New data shows that Mr. Manchin's constituents stand to suffer disproportionately as climate change intensifies," per the story. "Unlike those in other flood-exposed states, most residents in mountainous West Virginia have little room to relocate from the waterways that increasingly threaten their safety." Buttigieg: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sounded a similar theme on CNN Sunday, warning that holdouts such as Manchin are missing the bigger picture on climate change. "The longer you take to do something about it, the more it's going to cost in livelihoods as well as lives," he said, per the Guardian. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sounded a similar theme on CNN Sunday, warning that holdouts such as Manchin are missing the bigger picture on climate change. "The longer you take to do something about it, the more it's going to cost in livelihoods as well as lives," he said, per the Guardian. Sanders vs. Manchin: In an op-ed in West Virginia's Charleston Gazette-Mail, Bernie Sanders went after Manchin for his opposition to Biden's plans. The piece mostly focused on social programs, but the Vermont senator also accused Manchin of blocking progress on the "existential threat of climate change." In response, Manchin tweeted that "I will not vote for a reckless expansion of government programs." In an op-ed in West Virginia's Charleston Gazette-Mail, Bernie Sanders went after Manchin for his opposition to Biden's plans. The piece mostly focused on social programs, but the Vermont senator also accused Manchin of blocking progress on the "existential threat of climate change." In response, Manchin tweeted that "I will not vote for a reckless expansion of government programs." Deadline: Biden will be in Scotland in about two weeks for a global forum on climate change, and climate envoy John Kerry warns that US credibility is on the line because of the inability to pass the legislation. He tells the AP that losing the CEPP "would be like President Trump pulling out of the Paris Agreement, again." (Read more Joe Manchin stories.) (Newser) US officials are working with Haitian authorities to secure the release of 12 adults and five children with a US-based missionary group who were abducted over the weekend by a gang notorious for killings, kidnappings, and extortion. The group was snatched by the 400 Mawozo gang, which controls the Croix-des-Bouquets area east of the capital of Port-au-Prince, police inspector Frantz Champagne told the AP on Sunday. The abduction happened Saturday in the community of Ganthier, which lies in the gang's area. It was blamed for the kidnapping of five priests and two nuns earlier this year. story continues below The Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries said the kidnapped group included seven women, five men, and five children, including a 2-year-old. They were 16 Americans and one Canadian. The organization said they were taken while on a trip to visit an orphanage. A person familiar with the case tells the Washington Post that one of the missionaries sent a plea for help in a WhatsApp group as the kidnapping occurred. Please pray for us!! We are being held hostage, they kidnapped our driver," the message read. "Pray pray pray. We dont know where they are taking us." An annual report issued last year by the group said its American staffers had returned to their base in Haiti after a nine-month absence "due to political unrest." Nearly a year ago, Haitian police issued a wanted poster for the alleged leader of the 400 Mawozo gang, Wilson Joseph, on charges including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and auto theft. The Western Hemisphere's poorest nation is again struggling with a spike in gang-related kidnappings. The US State Department said Sunday that it was in regular contact with senior Haitian authorities and would continue to work with them and interagency partners. (Read more Haiti stories.) (Newser) It's not uncommon to see people in their swim trunks along the shores of the Dead Sea. What is uncommon is hundreds of naked people in white body paint congregating there, but the hordes that gathered over the weekend weren't there to take a dip in the famous salty water. The Guardian reports the surreal sight Sunday in Arad, in southeastern Israel, was part of American photographer Spencer Tunick's latest photo shoot to showcase the plight of the dwindling body of water. story continues below The Dead Sea has been receding a little more than 3 feet per year, with its waters being used by Israel and Jordan for drinking water and agriculture; mineral extraction and evaporation sped up by global warming have exacerbated things. Tunick, who also shot at the Dead Sea site in 2011 and 2016, says his photographic subjects were painted in all white as a reference to the biblical character of Lot's wife, who's turned into a pillar of salt. CNN notes that Tunick is known for his massive nude photo shoots, with past ones taking place at a glacier in Switzerland and at the Sydney Opera House. Tunick praised his subjects for this project, who "came and risked everything, their bodies, their reputations," per the Times of Israel. "They're true art warriors and adventurers." Arad's mayor, Nisan Ben Hamo, appreciates Tunick's efforts. "If [the Dead Sea] disappears, if we won't engage now with a plan, how to save this pearl, we will have a problem," he said. "The fact that Spencer is here ... is a gift." Not everyone is a fan of Tunick's endeavor, with one conservative Israeli lawmaker calling the shoot an "event of mass abomination." But the Israeli tourism agency paid for Tunick's airfare and ground expenses, the city of Arad ponied up workers and cash, and the 200 or so participants, who ranged from age 19 to 70, were all in. "It feels really natural, once you take your clothes off," a 26-year-old PhD student tells the Guardian. "You kind of don't want to put them back on." Her one challenge: "I think we just struggled with the rocks a little bit." (Read more Spencer Tunick stories.) (Newser) Hundreds of people were ordered to report for jury duty Monday in Georgia for what could be a long, laborious effort to find jurors to hear the trial of three white men charged with fatally shooting Ahmaud Arbery as he was running in their neighborhood, per the AP. The slaying of the 25-year-old Black man sparked a national outcry fueled by graphic video of the shooting. Father and son Greg and Travis McMichael and their neighbor William Roddie Bryan are charged with murder and other crimes in Arbery's death on Feb. 23, 2020, just outside the port city of Brunswick. story continues below Court officials in Glynn County mailed jury-duty notices to 1,000 people, expecting a potentially slow process to find jurors in a community where the slaying dominated news coverage and swamped social media feeds. That means about one in every 85 people in Glynn County received a jury notice, notes the Washington Post. An attorney for one of the defendants says he won't be surprised if a jury cannot be formed and the case must be moved to elsewhere in the state. At a minimum, jury selection is expected to last two weeks. Prosecutors say Arbery was merely jogging when the McMichaels armed themselves with guns and chased him in a pickup truck. Bryan joined the pursuit in his own truck and took the now-infamous cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery three times at close range with a shotgun. Defense attorneys insist the three men committed no crimes. Greg McMichael told police they pursued Arbery suspecting he was a burglar after security cameras previously filmed him entering a nearby home under construction. He said Travis McMichael fired his gun in self-defense after Arbery attacked him, punching and trying to grab the weapon. (Newser) China is calling a report that it made a potentially large leap in the global arms race inaccurate. Over the weekend, the Financial Times reported that Beijing tested a rocket with a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile. The "test showed that China had made astounding progress on hypersonic weapons and was far more advanced than US officials" realized, the article asserted. As their name suggests, such weapons would be much more difficult for defense systems to intercept. However, a rep for the Chinese government on Monday described the test as routine stuff unrelated to its military. story continues below "This was not a missile, this was a spacecraft," said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, per the BBC. "This is of great significance for reducing the cost of spacecraft use." Specifically, he said the July test was part of research on reusable spacecraft. However, the FT story, quoting five unnamed sources, says it was indeed a missile, one that flew through low-space orbit before missing its target by a relatively scant 25 miles or so, per Axios. "This test should serve as a call to action," said a statement from GOP Rep. Mike Gallagher in the wake of the initial report. "If we stick to our current complacent courseor place our hopes in bankrupt buzzwords like 'integrated deterrence'we will lose the New Cold War with Communist China within the decade." (Read more China stories.) (Newser) In two rulings Monday, the Supreme Court endorsed protections from lawsuits for police officers. Lower courts had allowed the excessive force suits to proceed, the Hill reports, one in Oklahoma and one in California. The justices overturned those decisions in summary rulings, without mention of any dissents. "All but the plainly incompetent or those who knowingly violate the law" are protected by qualified immunity, the court wrote in an unsigned opinion. Officers are safe from suits unless they can be shown to have violated "clearly established" rights that a reasonable person would be aware of, per CNBC. story continues below In the California case, police were called to a home where a man with a chainsaw was threatening his girlfriend and her two children, who were barricaded in a room. Police said they spotted a knife in his pocket. One officer placed his knee on the man's neck for eight seconds during his arrest. An appeals court reinstated the suit, saying the officer should have known that precedent makes clear his actions amounted to excessive force. In the Oklahoma case, a woman reported that her ex-husband was intoxicated and wouldn't leave her garage. When he picked up a hammer as if to throw it at the officers, then refused to put it down, they shot and killed him. Qualified immunity is a contentious issue in the debate over police legislation. Police say officers are entitled to it because they have to make quick decisions to defend themselves. Others say it allows officers to avoid accountability, per USA Today. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would limit qualified immunity, was approved by the Democratic-controlled House but not the Senate. Republicans introduced their own police bill, which made no mention of qualified immunity. Negotiations have halted, per the Insider. (Read more US Supreme Court stories.) TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Bahrain Cabinet has reviewed the effectiveness of government programmes aimed at achieving fiscal balance and self-sufficiency as the first step towards the development and sustainability of national wealth and resources. This was part of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifas address at the opening of the National Assembly fifth legislative terms fourth session The weekly Cabinet meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, yesterday at Gudaibiya Palace. It commended HM Kings address and highlighted the national message it carried particularly in defining the future priorities and foundations for national action. The Cabinet highlighted His Majestys praise for the continuous development of the governments performance and its adoption of the latest administrative and technical practices, in particular the improved oversight of the quality of services provided to citizens and residents as well as raising the efficiency and fairness of the distribution of government support. It also includes the governments interest in improving the skillset of the national workforce, taking care of youth issues, and supporting the further empowerment of Bahraini women. The Cabinet noted HM Kings address on the success of the Alternative Sanctions Programme in achieving its objectives. It emphasised prioritising His Majestys directives to start implementing the executive mechanisms and the necessary infrastructure for reform centres and open prisons. The Cabinet also stressed the importance of further strengthening cooperation with the legislative authority in reviewing priority legislation to contribute to securing an environment that supports development and achieves the citizens aspirations. The Cabinet congratulated HM the King, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and the citizens of Bahrain and the Arab and Islamic Ummahs on the anniversary of Prophet Mohammeds birthday. The Cabinet also discussed and approved several memorandums. The Cabinet during its weekly meeting yesterday discussed and approved several memorandums. It approved following memorandums: 1. A memorandum by the Minister of Cabinet Affairs regarding Bahrains Intended Nationally Determined Contribution report, which refers to plans and projects for addressing climate change, including renewable energy projects, water management and afforestation, and their incorporation into the government plan. 2. A memorandum by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism regarding a draft decision on issuing the executive regulations of the GCC unified law (System) to combat commercial fraud. 3.A memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding the governments responses to two proposals submitted by the Council of Representatives and a proposal for a law submitted by the Shura Council. The Cabinet reviewed the following topics: 1. A memorandum by the Minister of Finance and National Economy regarding the preliminary performance indicators of the Future Generation Reserve Fund for the six months ending 30 June 2021. The indicators reflect the efficiency and effectiveness of the Future Generations Reserves investment policy and its continued success despite the repercussions presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. A memorandum by the Minister of Health regarding the Ministrys health and climate change pledges in line with the Kingdom of Bahrains international commitments and its active role in climate action and the development of the national health system. The Cabinet took note of the ministerial reports, including the outcomes of the visit to Kazakhstan; 21st virtual ministerial meeting of the OPEC + group; the visit to the Middle East Rail 2021 exhibition and conference in the UAE; and participation in the World Health Organisations 68th session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean. NEW MILFORD New Milford has a dam problem. The 17-foot dam has been around since 1900, when Town Farm Brook was stopped to create a recreational area. That year, the first car appeared in town, and New Milford had only 4,804 residents. One hundred and twenty one years later, New Milford is facing one of two choices with the structure: demolition or extensive repairs. Reservoir No. 4 Dam has a valve dating back to around 1918 that wont shut, disjointed overflow pipes, spots in the wall where water seeps through, mortar issues on the spillway, and sloughing off the back of the dam. The weeping is not good, its showing that water is coming through the dam itself, Jack Healy, director of the Public Works Department, told the Town Council. And problems with the old valve mean the town cant control the dams water level. The significant amounts of rain dumped on the region this year have not helped things, either. Bass said due to climate change, the town has noticed more significant storms to the point where the dam has become a little more stressed. The concerns were big enough that the Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency, which provides the towns municipal risk financing, to initially balked at the prospect of insuring the dam. It was that bad, New Milford Mayor Pete Bass told the council. Chuck Lee, assistant director of water planning and management for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, reported that a few smaller dams have failed this year after heavy rainfall but no larger dams. According to DEEP, the dam is marked as a significant hazard, which is the second highest hazard classification. As such, the owner in this case, the town is required to file an emergency plan that mitigates property and life loss if the dam fails or operates incorrectly. A significant hazard classification means that a malfunctioning dam is expected to result in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environment damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns, the US National Dams website explains. If the dam breaks, Healy said there could be a significant amount of water coming down and going from us, going into Bridgewater. Healy said he doesnt believe the dam will catastrophically fail any time soon, but said the issue needs attention. Weighing the costs Both options repairs and demolition are costly. At a recent meeting, the New Milford Town Council debated using American Rescue Plan funds to deal with the problem. Repairs are estimated to cost around $1.2 million. Demolition would run in the same price range. While Bass is in favor of repairing the dam to preserve the recreational area, other council members want to better understand all options before making a decision and spending a chunk of federal funds on the project. Bass wants to use the federal relief funds to deal with the dam. We can do this all in one shot, it would have this dam up to date for the next 50 to 100 years, and it fits within the American Rescue fund guidelines, Bass said. But council member Mary Jane Lundgren, a Democrat, said she was opposed using the relief funds for this project. She said the funds should be used to help residents affected by COVID-19. The issue has cropped up in two recent council meetings on Sept. 27 and Oct. 12. Lundgren hasnt yet made up her mind about whether shes in favor of repairing or removing the dam. I think we need a lot more information, she said. I want to see what all the sides look like. David Lawson, another Democrat, also wanted more information before voting to allocate funds for repairs. I would like to explore our options a little bit more, said Lawson during the Oct. 12 meeting. Thats a pretty big, hefty price tag. Dam owners decide Several other Connecticut towns are deciding whether to tear their dams down. Our dams are getting older and our storms are getting bigger, said Tom Morgart, state conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. We saw this year how much rainfall Connecticut got, and those large rain events are what cause dams to fail. Just last month, the Dana Dam in Wilton came down, allowing the Norwalk River to flow freely after roughly 80 years. Local environmental experts said the dam was filled with contaminated sediment that could cause the dam to overflow, and that it was also disrupting the movement of fish upstream from the Long Island Sound. The removal of a dam can help the landscape resettle into its natural state and bring environmental benefits. In 2019, The Nature Conservancy decided to remove its first dam in Litchfield County, the Old Papermill Pond Dam, to restore the ecosystem and natural habitat. Its really the dam owners decision, but we do point out that for connectivity of that aquatic resource and to relieve them of the responsibility of maintaining that dam, they may consider removing that dam, said Lee. In Ridgefield, another potential dam decommissioning on the Norwalk River caused backlash from residents. The dam was initially constructed in the 1970s as a flood-control measure. However, in 2004, the dam moved from a significant hazard classification to high hazard, the most dangerous hazard classification. If the dam were to fail, a hydrologic study estimate suggested that up to 24 people could be killed downstream. This marked the first time in Connecticut that the state Natural Resources Conservation Service has recommended that a dam be decommissioned, according to Morgart. Asset vs. cost At an upcoming meeting, the Town Council will hear the benefits and drawbacks of both decisions before choosing one. The council will also have a public hearing to give residents a chance to voice their opinion. Im very much in favor of keeping the dam, said Bass, who pointed out the dams wonderful recreational use. I think its a beautiful asset the town has had for decades. But repairs also come with added maintenance costs down the road and would take about six months to complete. Either way, the town is going to have to deal with their dam before it becomes unstable. Its time to spend the money, Healy told the council. BROOKFIELD High School Principal Marc Balanda is taking a temporary leave of absence as of Monday, Oct. 18. Balanda sent an email to Brookfield High School parents Monday morning announcing the decision. Effective immediately, for personal reasons, I will be taking a short-term leave from Brookfield High School, the email read. Jules Scheithe, the high schools assistant principal, will serve as acting principal during Balandas time off, according to the email. She has previous experience as an acting Principal and will work closely with Mrs. Griffin to maintain continuity, Balanda wrote. Superintendent John Barile did not divulge any further details to Hearst Connecticut, except to confirm that Balanda is on leave and that Scheithe would be serving as interim principal. He clarified that Balandas leave of absence was not disciplinary in nature. In his email, Balanda said that he would not be regularly checking his school email, but to reach out to the main office or building administration in his absence. Neither Balanda nor Scheithe could be reached for comment Monday afternoon. Balanda has served as principal since 2015, when he moved over to Brookfield High School from his previous position as assistant principal at New Milford High School. BROOKFIELD The Brookfield Youth Commission will be hosting a Meet the Candidates forum for municipal election candidates Tuesday night. The event will take place at 7 p.m. in the Brookfield High School auditorium, and is set to feature candidates for first selectman, selectman, Board of Finance, and Board of Education. Brookfields youth will ask the candidates questions they have crafted. Last week, the candidates for first selectman participated in a debate at Town Hall. The commission held a similar event in 2019, which included candidates for the Boards of Finance, Zoning, and Assessments, the Planning Commission, and several others. All attendees are required to wear a face mask and audience members will sit in alternative rows to practice social distancing. There has been a notable spate in the killings of non-Kashmiris by Pak-sponsored terrorists. The attack brings the number of casualties of non-locals to 6 in the recent attacks on civilians in J&K. Two non-locals were killed and one injured after terrorists fired upon them in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. The Jammu and Kashmir police and other security forces cordoned off the area. #Terrorists fired indiscriminately upon #NonLocal labourers at Wanpoh area of #Kulgam. In this #terror incident, 02 non-locals were killed and 01 injured. Police & SFs cordoned off the area. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice, Kashmir Zone Police tweeted. The attack brings the number of casualties of non-locals to 6 in the recent attacks on civilians in J&K. Over the past few days, several civilians have been killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, sparking fear in the Valley. There has also been a notable spate in the killings of non-Kashmiris by Pak-sponsored terrorists. On October 16, a golgappa seller, Arvind Kumar Shah, from Bihar, and a labourer, Sagir Ahmad, from UP were killed by terrorists in Srinagar & Pulwama. Earlier this month, a street hawker from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar. The incident took place near Madina Chowk, Lalbazar in Srinagar where terrorists fired upon the victim Virender Paswan. Paswan was a resident of Bihars Bhagalpur district and worked as a street vendor. He was residing at Alamgari Bazar, Zadibal. At least 13 terrorists have been killed in as many as nine encounters between security forces and the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir after civilian killings, Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vijay Kumar said on Saturday. A statement issued by the umbrella body of farmers' unions on Sunday read, "To press for its demand for Ajay Mishra's dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be secured in Lakhimpur Kheri violence, SKM has announced a nation-wide rail roko program on October 18." The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called for a six-hour-long nationwide Rail roko agitation on Monday demanding the removal of Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni from the Union Cabinet over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which his son Ashish Mishra Teni is an accused. A statement issued by the umbrella body of farmers unions on Sunday read, To press for its demand for Ajay Mishras dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be secured in Lakhimpur Kheri violence, SKM has announced a nation-wide rail roko program on October 18. SKM put out a call to its constituents to stop rail traffic for six hours on October 18, between 10 am and 4 pm. SKM asked for this action to be taken up peacefully, without any destruction and damage of any kind to any railway property, it further read. The statement said, SKM has been demanding the dismissal of Ajay Mishra Teni from the council of Ministers. It is very apparent that with Ajay Mishra being the MoS for Home Affairs in the Union Government, justice cannot be secured in this matter. It added, He promoted hatred, enmity and communal disharmony between Hindus and Sikhs in his speeches. It is his vehicles that were used to mow down peaceful protestors. He harboured his son and accomplices even as the police was issuing summons to Ashish Mishra. A total of eight people including four farmers died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. SKM had alleged Ashish Mishra shot a farmer while the others were run over by the vehicles of his convey. However, MoS Teni had refuted the allegations saying that his son was not present at the site of the incident. Ashish reiterated the same and refuted SKMs allegations. Later, three people, including Ashish Mishra, were arrested in the case. Accused Ashish Mishra has been sent to jail by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) after being produced before the Crime Branch on October 14. The Home Minister's remarks came after Wednesday's communal violence that broke out in several places in Bangladesh after news broke on social media about the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja venue on the bank of Nanuar Dighi. Minister of Home Affairs of Bangladesh Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday termed the attacks on Durga Puja pavilions as pre-planned and said these attacks were aimed at destroying the communal harmony in Bangladesh. This came after multiple cases have been filed against hundreds of named and unnamed people for the attacks in Comilla on Wednesday, Dhaka Tribune reported. The alleged defamation of the Holy Quran and subsequent attacks on the Hindus in Comilla were premeditated and aimed at destroying the communal harmony in Bangladesh, the Home Minister said. It appears to us that it was a motivated act instigated by a vested group, he added. When he was asked about the reason behind the Comilla incident, the minister said, Well make it public once we get all the evidence and those who were involved in it will be given exemplary punishment. Not only in Comilla, but attempts were also made to destabilize the country previously through communal violence in Ramu and Nasirnagar, Khan was quoted as saying by Dhaka Tribune. No incident has been reported since Saturday night. Our security forces are working patiently based on intelligence information. Those who are trying to destroy communal peace will not succeed, Khan added. The Home Ministers remarks came after Wednesdays communal violence that broke out in several places in Bangladesh after news broke on social media about the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran at a Durga Puja venue on the bank of Nanuar Dighi. Several puja venues were vandalized in the area of Chandpur, Chittagong, Gazipur, Bandarban, Chapainawabganj, and Moulvibazar. The clashes resulted in several casualties, reported Dhaka Tribune. On Friday, one man named Jatan Kumar Saha was also killed and 17 others were injured in an attack in Begumganj Upazila of the countrys Noakhali district during Durga puja celebrations on Vijaya Dashami, Dhaka Tribune reported. During his three-day visit, Jaishankar will hold a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Israel Yair Lapid and will also call on Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived here on Sunday on a three-day visit during which he will hold talks with Israels top leadership. This is Jaishankars first visit to the country as the External Affairs Minister. After reaching Israel, the minister wrote on Twitter: Shalom Israel! Arrived on my first visit as External Affairs Minister. Looking forward to a great visit. During his three-day visit, Jaishankar will hold a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Israel Yair Lapid and will also call on Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. India and Israel elevated bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership during the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in July Earlier on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that Jaishankar will interact with the Indian-origin Jewish community in Israel, Indologists, Indian students who are currently pursuing their education in Israeli universities, and business people, including from the hi-tech industries. The visit will also be an occasion to pay tribute to the valiant Indian soldiers who laid their lives in the region, especially during the First World War. 2017. HADDAM State police have arrested a 27-year-old Haddam man in connection with the alleged hit-and-run death of a 14-year-old Haddam-Killingworth High School student in late July. Loved ones described Gianna Vincelett, who was killed while riding her bicycle on the evening of July 29, as a beautiful person who touched the hearts of many. The teen was hit by a motorist who allegedly fled on Route 81 / Killingworth Road, police said. Thomas A. Cretella, 27, of the Higganum section of town was arrested Monday and is charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, evading responsibility, resulting in death, and improper passing, according to police. According to court documents, police said a witness told them the motorist allegedly never stopped and drove northbound on Route 81. Gianna was taken to Connecticut Childrens in Hartford for treatment, and was pronounced dead just before 9 p.m. July 30, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. A witness said they and Gianna were riding bikes at 10:30 p.m. when the witness felt a strong gust of wind blow from behind ... that caused the witness to be blown off her bike, and realize it was a motor vehicle, according to the warrant affidavit. The witness described the car as a dark-colored sedan, the warrant affidavit says. The victim said Giannas bike was in pieces, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. A collision analysis and reconstruction squad determined that the cars right front end collided with the rear tire of the bike, and they later found a black fragment of automotive debris that had Hyundai badging as well as other Hyundai markings, the warrant affidavit says. Later it was determined to be a front bumper cover, according to the warrant affidavit. A relative of Cretellas called police July 30 about 7:30 p.m. to say his vehicle matched the cars description released to the public, and had fresh damage to it, according to the warrant affidavit. The warrant says that Cretella did not remember anything from the night and was unable to recall where he was and who he was with. On July 30, officers went to Cretellas home and obtained his consent to search his car, which had damage, the warrant affidavit says. He allegedly said he did not remember much of the drive home and did not remember if he was involved in a motor vehicle accident, the warrant affidavit says. . But Cretella also allegedly told police he was really concerned he may have hit the young girl on his way home and inquired several times about her medical status, the warrant affidavit says. Cretella told officers that when he arrived home he turned on his video game system, plugging in his laptop and taking a shower. The next thing he remembered was being revived by EMS crew members who came to his house, the warrant affidavit says. He also allegedly said no one drove his car but himself, the warrant affidavit says. A speed analysis determined Cretellas car was driving between approximately 35 and 43 mph in a 45 mph zone, the warrant affidavit says. Cretella turned himself Monday at the Westbrook barracks, and was arraigned in Superior Court at Middletown and is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail. His case was continued to Dec. 22. 3 1 of 3 John Carlson / Contributed photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 NEW HAVEN Mayoral candidates Justin Elicker and John Carlson will meet in their first debate at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School. The debate, sponsored by The Democracy Fund, the New Haven Independent and La Voz Hispana, will be open to the first 90 members of the public who show up. It is open only to candidates who have qualified for public funding through The Democracy Fund. New London-Waterford Speedbowl / Contributed WATERFORD Everyone involved in a crash against the catch-fence at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl on Sunday during a race is expected to recover from their injuries, officials said. The race on Sunday, according to the Speedbowl, involved 28 SK Modifieds. The Speedbowl said the cars were expected to do 100 laps around the track. Raymond Dokpesi, the founder of DAAR Communications, has disclosed how the agitation for Biafra by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous P... Raymond Dokpesi, the founder of DAAR Communications, has disclosed how the agitation for Biafra by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has affected the chances of the southeast producing a Nigerian president. Dokpesi disclosed that some Nigerians believe that Kanu would force a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction to declare Biafra. He said the IPOB leader may use militant tactics to blackmail and force an Igbo President to declare South East independence. He stressed that Kanu and IPOB have complicated the agitation of the Southeast to produce a Nigerian president. Dokpesi, in a statement he issued on Monday, stressed his belief in a united and indivisible Nigeria. The statement reads partly: The emergence of IPOB and its influence across the South East has complicated and undermined the agitation for patriotic Nigerians of Igbo extraction to lead this nation as far as the 2023 election is concerned. If nobody has told Ohaneze Ndigbo before, the concern today from some other regions is that if Nnamdi Kanu plays the role of Aguiyi Ironsi in leading a militant revolt against constitutional government in the southeast under Igbo presidency, the president will be pressured by his base to facilitate the UN processes for the South East to call for independence from Nigeria. Thus an Igbo President may be compromised in protecting the political and geographic boundaries of Nigeria whilst Nigeria remains under the threat of IPOBs secessionist activities. Prior to his rearrest, Kanu had led the agitation for the actualization of Biafra. While in the United Kingdom, UK, Kanu was pushing for the actualization of Biafra by engaging those he could across the world. He used Twitter and Radio Biafra more in spreading his Biafra messages across Nigeria and the world. Big Brother Africa runner-up, Tayo Faniran, has alleged that he was threatened by the show organisers after the shows finale seven years ... Big Brother Africa runner-up, Tayo Faniran, has alleged that he was threatened by the show organisers after the shows finale seven years ago when he wanted to speak up about his concerns. He stated this on Monday, as he gave details of his ordeal after the show ended. In a lengthy rant on Instagram, which began on Sunday, the actor had demanded explanations from the organisers, concerning the outcome of the results. Big Brother Africa season 9 which aired in 2014, was the last season of the show, in which Tanzanian actor, Idris Sultan, emerged as the winner, with Faniran as the runner-up. Seven years after, Faniran claimed that he heard he was robbed of winning the prize, as he asked the organisers for explanations and proof. He wrote, To all those enemies of mine, the fake friends, the ones that came to my life to take from me even when I put them on and turned to spite me and ruin my name,(build alliances against me) you all can have a party tonight coz I failed (all thanks to humans) but Im owning it. Its left for God to not fail now. When I wake up, @mnettv @africamagic and @multichoice_group need to tell me what really happened to me on the finale /stage of BBA. I dont want my career in the industry threatened, I just want proof and explanation because for the past 7 years, all I hear everyday was that I got robbed. My pain or loss tonight didnt start today, but they are mentioned because since Ive been shut up to fight back then. (sic) In the recent Instagram post, he said, I was threatened to shut up, I have names and events, they bought the media to hide my real cry at my homecoming press conference and projected nonsense. The next morning on NTA, I started praising the same people that shot me in the foot because I was told thats the only way for them not to make me forgotten. (sic) See screenshot of posts below: Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu has officially handed over the position of Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, to Dr. Ifedayo Adeti... Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu has officially handed over the position of Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, to Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa. This was announced by the Agency in a post on social media showing a photo of the handing over ceremony. As we undergo this transition in leadership, we reflect on our collective efforts in building an effective institution and strengthening capacity for national and global health security, the NCDC captioned the photo. This is as Ihekweazu prepares to mount the position of Assistant Director General of Health Emergency Intelligence at the World Health Organisation on November 1, 2021. WHO Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus had announced the appointment in a statement sighted by our correspondent which was addressed to all members of the health organisation. It partly read, I am pleased to welcome Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu as an Assistant Director-General for Health Emergency Intelligence from November 1, 2021. He will lead the work on strengthening pandemic and epidemic intelligence globally, including heading the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin. Dr Ihekweazu is currently the Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. He was trained as an infectious disease epidemiologist, has over 20 years of experience working in senior public health and leadership positions in several National Public Health Institutes, including the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the United Kingdoms Health Protection Agency, and Germanys Robert Koch Institute. He has led several short-term engagements for WHO, mainly in response to major infectious disease outbreaks around the world. Dr Ihekweazu, a Nigerian national, who was born in Germany, is a graduate of the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria and has a Masters in Public Health from the Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany. In 2003, he was awarded a Fellowship for the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training and subsequently completed his Public Health specialization in the United Kingdom. He is widely published in medical peer-reviewed journals. Ihekweazu will be remembered for the role he played in Nigerias fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 30 persons have been reportedly killed, following an attack by gunmen on Goronyo market in Goronyo LGA of Sokoto state. Th... At least 30 persons have been reportedly killed, following an attack by gunmen on Goronyo market in Goronyo LGA of Sokoto state. The gunmen were said to have attacked the market between Sunday evening and Monday morning. Sanusi Abubakar, Sokoto police spokesman, confirmed the incident to TheCable, adding that more details would be provided soon. Yes, the incident occurred. The details will be communicated to you soon, he said. Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, also confirmed the incident during a meeting with Faruk Yahaya, chief of army staff. According to a statement by Muhammad Bello, spokesman to the governor, Tambuwal spoke on the development during a courtesy visit by the army chief to the government house in Sokoto. Between last night, yesterday evening till this morning, we were greeted with a very dastardly attack in Goronyo local government, particularly Goronyo township, where scores and tens have lost their lives and still counting, he said. Were not sure of the figure. But it is 30 something. Speaking further during the visit by the army chief, Tambuwal said Yahaya visited the state at a very trying moment for the army and the Nigerian nation. Were faced and bedevilled by many security challenges in our own area here, particularly banditry, kidnapping and other associated crimes, the governor added. He called for synergy among the various security agencies as part of efforts to ensure safety of residents in the state. The governor also requested for more security personnel to be deployed to Sokoto, adding that his administration remains committed to supporting the army and other agencies to improve security in the state. The development comes days after the Sokoto government directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to shut down telecommunication services in parts of the state to enable security agencies to deal with the increasing rate of insecurity. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Considerable clouds this morning. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High around 40F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 26F. Winds light and variable. People expect certain things when they visit New Orleans that they dont expect from many other places. They want great dining experiences. They want atmosphere. After a few syrupy, neon-colored beverages, they want to witness a little adult spectacle. And, especially this time of year, they want a ghost story which is why so many local hotels go so far as to list on their websites the specters allegedly residing in their establishments. The Bourbon Orleans, in fact, boasts of having several, including a mysterious figure that, it's said, has a habit of hiding behind the curtains of its Orleans Ballroom. To hear some tell the tale, it can only be the ghost of someone connected to the mythologized quadroon balls of old that are said to have taken place in the ballroom long before it was incorporated into the hotel. But, even if you believe in ghosts, theres a problem with that story, as recent scholarship suggests such balls are probably merely the stuff of legend. So, in the spirit of Halloween, one must ask: Why else might the Bourbon Orleans be haunted? A better explanation or at least a more easily verified back story can be found in a largely overlooked disaster that occurred Feb. 26, 1854, in the old Orleans Theatre, which, with the adjoining Orleans Ballroom, was the center of Creole social life in the city from about 1806 until just before the Civil War. On that fateful 1854 evening, just two days before Mardi Gras, the citys French-speaking populace flocked to the Orleans Theatre for a pair of vaudeville performances, La Petite Fille de la Grande Armee and Un Service a Blanchard. The proceedings were just hitting their stride, when a loud report described as similar to a musket shot rang out. Many thought it was some incident of the play itself, read The Daily Picayune. But, in another moment, a universal cry of alarm a general rising a rush the cracking and crashing of timber the screams of women and shouts of men told too plainly another tale. +2 Houmas House, a Hollywood-filming favorite, once was an epicenter of Louisianas sugar trade Last week in this space, we explored the story behind the 6,000-square-foot home on St. Charles Avenue built in 1941 as a near-exact replica o That musket shot, it turns out, was the sound of the failure of an iron support attaching the third and topmost gallery to the rafters on the Royal Street side of the building. Once the support broke, the gallery dropped slowly at first, and then, as other supports failed, in a sudden crash onto the gallery beneath it and, in turn, onto the gallery beneath that one. Within five minutes afterward the whole of that side of the theatre was a perfect wreck and ruin, some six or seven individuals were killed o(u)tright and probably thirty-five or forty others more or less severely injured, The New Orleans Daily Crescent wrote. We shall not undertake to describe the confusion that ensued, the Crescent continued, before undertaking to do just that: some struggling amid the ruins others dying: some hastening for friends known to be there, and others hastening to break the sad news. It is only marvellous that any escaped where escape seemed to be almost impossible and death almost certain. By the time the dust had cleared the next day, the body count had been reduced to just two: Florian Malus, a 27-year-old notary who lived on Royal Street; and Fergus Toledano, a 14-year-old from the west bank. +3 This New Orleans building, on Gravier Street, that gave the world writer O. Henry If the writer O. Henry is known for one thing, its for the masterfully constructed twist endings he conjured for his iconic short stories. The number of those injured, however, remained at a dozen or more. Some were hurt badly enough that the paper reported they were not expected to survive. So what was the cause? The original theater building had been damaged by fire around 1816 but was rebuilt along with the Orleans Ballroom shortly thereafter. The new, $180,000, 1,300-seat theater was completed in 1817, but by early 1854, in an effort to make the auditorium feel airier, iron columns supporting the second gallery from below were removed, although smaller columns connecting it to the third gallery remained in place. That meant the iron supports connecting the third gallery to the rafters bore part of the weight for both upper galleries. A post-collapse inspection by a group of architects that included James Gallier Jr. and William Freret concluded the design wasnt to blame. The iron rods connecting the upper gallery to the rafters were. Specifically, they pointed to what was described as low-quality iron that was further damaged during a shoddy installation in which workers bent the rods to make them fit, cracking them in the process. Downed by Ida, the Karnofsky building on S. Rampart Street held a spot in New Orleans jazz history Even before Hurricane Ida turned much of south Louisiana into something resembling a set for The Walking Dead, the stretch of South Rampart In a remarkable display of industry, Gallier and fellow architect John Turpin redesigned and repaired the theater in just a matter of days. The new, improved theater reopened March 10, just two weeks after the catastrophe. The adjoining ballroom still exists, having been incorporated into the Bourbon Orleans in 1964, although by then, following a fire in 1866, any trace of the theater was long gone except for perhaps that which can be found rustling the ballrooms curtains. Know of a New Orleans building worth profiling in this column, or just curious about one? Contact Mike Scott at moviegoermike@gmail.com. Suburban New Jersey looks both idyllic and terrifying in The Retaliators. As the holidays approach, Pastor Bishop goes Christmas tree shopping with his teenaged daughters and tries to come up with inspiring words for a service. Meanwhile, gangs with many members played by hard rock musicians, including all of Five Finger Death Punch get into a war over a drug deal gone bad. Tommy Lee plays a DJ in a strip club, spinning Motley Crues Girls, Girls, Girls in case anyone doesnt recognize him. And there may be zombies running loose in the woods, hunting women whose van breaks down. The horror-thriller is drenched in blood and vengeance, and its the closing night film for this years edition of the Screamfest Horror Film Festival, which runs at Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge Oct. 22-24. The festival includes a feature film each night, plus blocks of short films in the afternoon on Saturday. The festival opens at 9:30 p.m. Friday with Demigod, directed by and starring local filmmaker and Loyola University professor Miles Doleac. As an actor, he appeared in Treme and American Horror Story. His most recent directing work includes the comedy horror film The Dinner Party and Hallowed Ground. In Demigod, the death of her grandfather forces a woman and her husband to travel to Germanys Black Forest to discover what he has left her. Digging into their strange family history brings them face-to-face with witches and a mysterious horned figure. Screening with Demigod, is the short horror film Koreatown Ghost Story, staring Margaret Cho as a menacing acupuncturist. German director Andreas Reschs Marlene is a psychological horror film about a woman who moves to Berlin to try to start her life anew and meets a friendly new neighbor. It screens at 6 p.m. Saturday with the short film Lips & Tips. Sundays lineup revolves around links between horror and hard rock. In the documentary The History of Metal and Horror, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, Anthraxs Scott Ian, Metallicas Kirk Hammett and many others talk about movies from Dawn of the Dead to the Hellraiser series, and some film directors talk about their favorite music. The film also examines how hysteria from social conservatives sealed the bond between the two niches. It screens at 3 p.m. and is followed at 5 p.m. by The Silver Stream, starring Ice Nine Kills Spencer Charnas as a member of a band being stalked by a psychopath. The Retaliators follows a simple and perverse question. What would it take for the most pious or law-biding of citizens to abandon their principles and seek their own forms of vengeance? Its almost comical how squeaky clean Pastor Bishop is, and almost absurd that hes managed to steer clear of the malevolence and social dysfunction that fills his picturesque hometown. A hard-nosed detective intervenes, but the situation spins out of control. The action is fast, and looming violence maintains the tension. But the film also seems to have a sense of humor, evoking various horror genres and cliches. In the opening scene, two women lost on a country road puzzle whether they should take a path that doesnt appear on their GPS navigation. When they turn onto it, they drive past a sign warning of a slaughterhouse on the premises. The film is bound to satisfy horror fans who enjoy some cut corners in special effects, sadistic villains and one-liners delivered over the vanquished. Visit Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge's website or the festival website for a full schedule and tickets. 'Titane' is a Palm d'Or-winning gritty biological horror film French director Julia Ducournau takes you on a wild and terrifying ride of biological horror. Hey Blake, Im a fan of the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint. I read an interview with Danny Barker recently that mentioned he was curator of a jazz museum on Dumaine Street. What can you tell me about it? Dear reader, The first New Orleans Jazz Museum opened in the French Quarter at 1017 Dumaine Street in 1961. It was created by the New Orleans Jazz Club, which was founded in 1948 and worked for much of the next decade to raise funds to build the museum. This will be the first jazz museum established in New Orleans and it represents the fulfillment of a dream the Jazz Club has had for many years, Harry Souchon, the clubs vice president, said in a November 1959 Times-Picayune article. Opening ceremonies on Nov. 12, 1961, included live performances in Armstrong Park (then called Beauregard Square), followed by a second line to the museum led by the Eureka Brass Band. According to newspaper accounts, the museum opened with 2,000 items in its collection, including photographs, recordings, Pete Fountains first clarinet, a bowler hat belonging to trumpeter Sharkey Bonano and a bass drum of bandleader Papa Jack Laines. Legendary jazzman Danny Barker became assistant curator of the museum in 1965. The highlight of that year was the visit of Louis Armstrong to a museum fundraiser, his first public appearance in his hometown in more than a decade. In 1969, the museum relocated to a bigger space in the Royal Sonesta Hotel. In 1979, the museums collection (which had grown to more than 15,000 items, including Armstrongs first cornet) was donated to the Louisiana State Museum. Catalogued by then-curator Don Marquis, the collection went on display in a section of the Old U.S. Mint on Esplanade Avenue in 1983. In 2016, the museum expanded to fill most of the building, with a performance space and enhanced programming. More information is available at nolajazzmuseum.org. Blakeview: Happy 60th Birthday to Wynton Marsalis Wynton Marsalis received his first trumpet at the age of 6 as a gift from the legendary Al Hirt. Someone dared to show up wearing a Bills jersey Just the word "pandemic" Drunk cousin Lisa nodding off into the mashed potatoes ... again The Jeff Landry sign in your uncle's yard Vote View Results The Times-Picayune and The Advocate received a significant national honor Monday when the news industrys leading trade publication named publisher Judi Terzotis as its publisher of the year for 2021. The magazine, Editor and Publisher, cited Terzotis' work leading the media company through Hurricane Ida and her success in producing a virtual, online Mardi Gras celebration when the COVID-19 pandemic canceled Louisianas signature event in February. It also praised her commitment to growing news coverage and expanding advertising options at a time when many media organizations are shrinking and pulling back. The selection of Terzotis marks the third consecutive year the award has gone to the leader of a locally-owned media company. The 2020 winner was Frank Blethen of the Seattle Times and the 2019 winner was P.J. Browning of The Post and Courier of Charleston, S.C. The Advocate has always been locally owned and The Times-Picayune came under local ownership in 2019 when it was purchased by Dathel and John Georges. This recognition belongs to so many people besides me, Terzotis said. First and foremost, it belongs to our owners John and Dathel Georges. Thanks to their extraordinary support of our organization, community journalism is thriving in Louisiana. We have assembled the most talented staff in the business. They inspire me each and every day. On behalf of our entire team, we want to thank Editor & Publisher for this prestigious award. John Georges praised the work of Terzotis and her predecessor, Dan Shea. 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 After Dan Shea as publisher put together a team that could win a Pulitzer Prize and Polk Award, we turned to Judi to broaden the leadership team and make us into a modern media outlet that would grow our audience by producing news in print and online, as our readers wish to get it in the future, he said. Terzotis joined The Advocate in 2018 and was named publisher in 2019. She came to the company from Gannett, the nations largest newspaper publisher, where she was president of the Gulf Region, overseeing eight markets in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. She was recognized by Gannett as a finalist for the 2012 Manager of the Year award. Terzotis is an army brat who attended 11 different schools growing up. She's a graduate of The University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a degree in communications. Her grandfather was the longtime editor of The Dominion News in Morgantown, West Virginia. Her husband Bob is executive vice president of Mather Economics based in Atlanta. Her children include Trey McMinn, wife Kate and grandchild Wade Henry, Sara and John Terzotis. She is chair of the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Louisiana and a member of the board of the Public Affairs Research Council and Americas Newspapers, an industry trade group, and One Acadiana. The state trial of former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain is scheduled to begin Oct. 25 at 22nd Judicial District Court in Covington. Strain, who served five terms as sheriff, faces charges that he sexually abused underage boys, beginning in his adolescence and continuing into the time he was sheriff. Judge A. Bruce Simpson was appointed to hear the case after each of the judges in the 22nd Judicial District recused themselves. The trial is expected to last until Nov. 5. Strain was indicted in 2019 on four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated incest and one count each of indecent behavior with a juvenile and sexual battery. He pleaded not guilty. The trial has been delayed twice, in spring 2020 because of COVID-19 emergency orders and again this September following Hurricane Ida. Strain also faces trial in federal court on 16 corruption charges related to an alleged kickback scheme at a Slidell area work-release program that he privatized while he was sheriff. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges, and that trial is set for Dec. 6. Early voting dates Early voting for the Nov. 13 primary election will be held Oct. 30 through Nov. 6, except for Oct. 31, which is a Sunday. Persons wanting to cast an early ballot can do so at Registrar of Voters offices located at 601 N. Jefferson Ave. in Covington; at 520 Old Spanish Trail in Slidell; or at 21490 Koop Dr., Building A, near Mandeville. Hours are from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Identification is required. For more information, call (985) 809-5500, (985) 646-4125 or go online to www.stprov.org. Parish voters will decide on nine proposals on Nov. 13, including four amendments to the state Constitution and four property tax renewals that provide a collective 42.72 mills to operate local public schools. Also on the Nov. 13 ballot will be parish government's fourth attempt at passing a parishwide tax to fund operations at both the St. Tammany Parish Courthouse and the Parish Jail. Voters previously rejected three other funding proposals, but this one is pared back a .4-cent, seven-year sales tax expected to raise an estimated $22.24 million annually to operate those buildings. The proposal to place a casino south of Slidell won't be on the ballot until Dec. 11. 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 Earlier this month, 22nd Judicial District Judge John Keller ruled the casino vote should go on as scheduled, striking down a lawsuit contending that the ballot item violated the Louisiana Constitution. The parish's Democrat and Republican executive committees recently joined a growing list of elected officials who have come out against the casino proposal. Mandeville COVID testing site closes as infections decline St. Tammany Health System closed its COVID-19 test collection site on La. 22 in Mandeville effective Oct. 18 as the number of infections continues to decline locally. Patients suffering COVID-19 symptoms still can be tested at the health systems Cordes Outpatient Pavilion, 16300 La. 1085 near Covington; and its Mandeville Diagnostic Center, 201 St. Ann Drive. Results are typically returned within 24 hours. Huge jobs fair set for Oct. 20 More than 150 employers with 4,000 openings in an array of industries will be on hand Oct. 20 at a jobs fair being held at the Castine Center at Pelican Park near Mandeville. The fair will be held from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Positions to be filled range from managers to welders, administrative personnel to registered nurses, sales staffers to law enforcement, customer service employees to engineers and everything in between, according to officials with Tri-Parish Works, which is hosting the jobs fair. Employers are coming not only from the north shore, but from across the region, and they have both full-time and part-time positions to fill. Interview rooms will be set up on site at the Castine Center, and some job offers will be made on the spot, Tri-Parish said. Walk-ups are allowed, but those attending should be prepared to interview, bring copies of their resume and dress for success. New Orleans City Councilmember Jared Brossett was arrested again for drunk driving after police found him asleep in his car at a gas station on Elysian Fields Avenue, marking the third time that the candidate for an at-large council seat has been booked for allegedly driving while intoxicated. Update: Jared Brossett arrested after police found him asleep at the wheel Brossett, 39, was booked into the Orleans Parish Justice Center at 5:14 a.m. Monday, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office. Brossett represents District D on the City Council. He is term-limited out of running again for the district seat, and is running for the at-large position against Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer and former state Sen. JP Morrell. The election is set for Nov. 13. A fourth candidate, Xavier University administrator Bart Everson, is also in the race. Last week, Brossett and Palmer endorsed one another. Palmer did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Other major supporters include the Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO, which issued a dual endorsement of Brossett and Morrell. AFL-CIO President Tiger Hammond said the endorsement will stand at least until the board meets on Oct. 27, assuming Brossett stays in the race. "I think Jared Brossett has got to decide what he's going to do first before anybody else who may have endorsed him decides what they are going to do," Hammond said. Brossett also claimed support from the Community Organization of Urban Politics, or COUP, which is a political organization based in the 7th Ward. COUP's members include former Mayor Sidney Barthelemy, as well as City Constable Lambert Boissiere, Jr. and his son, Public Service Commissioner Lambert Boissiere III. Barthelemy, Boissiere Jr. and Boissiere III did not immediately respond to messages. Brossett's 3rd DWI arrest Monday's arrest marks Brossett's second DWI arrest in a little more than a year, and his third overall. He was booked with DWI in June 2020 after crashing his city-owned SUV into another vehicle on Elysian Fields Avenue. He was also booked with DWI in Florida in 2006. He eventually pleaded no contest to a charge of reckless driving in that case. +4 Two New Orleans council members seeking at-large seat endorse each other, slam JP Morrell New Orleans City Council members Jared Brossett and Kristin Gisleson Palmer, opponents in the race for an at-large council seat, have a new pi A lawyer who represented Brossett in the 2020 case, Brian Capitelli, did immediately respond to messages Monday. Brossett's 2020 crash led the City Council to establish new rules for the use of take-home cars, which, among other things, banned drunk driving. 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 The circumstances of his latest arrest were not immediately available, including if he was in a personal vehicle. Brossett is set to appear for an initial hearing later Monday. Crashed a city-owned vehicle in 2020 Brossett was arrested in June 2020 on DWI charges after police say he crashed a city-owned Chevrolet Tahoe on Elysian Fields Avenue. He barreled over the neutral ground, swerved and hit an oncoming Nissan Rogue. When New Orleans police arrived at the scene, Brossett appeared confused, had alcohol on his breath and was slurring his words, according to the police report and a widely circulated video a bystander took of the aftermath. He was taken to the hospital to be evaluated, where he refused breath, urine and blood sample tests. In a statement released the next day, Brossett apologized to his family and the citizens of New Orleans and said he was entering a treatment program. A year after scandal, Jared Brossett's entry into at-large City Council race reshuffles field Almost exactly a year after driving a city-owned SUV across the Elysian Fields Avenue neutral ground and into another vehicle while allegedly Officers later booked him with driving while intoxicated, reckless operation and leaving a roadway lane for traffic. He pleaded not guilty to those charges Aug. 10. The city attorney's office in December referred the case to then-District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro to prosecute in Municipal and Traffic Court, citing Brossett's status as a member of the council. Cannizzaro instead chose to enroll Brossett in a diversion program, documents show. That program required Brossett to avoid alcohol or drugs and regularly update his diversion counselor on his progress. He has also entered into a payment plan to reimburse the city for the cost of the SUV. He was also to attend a victim impact panel through Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and pay a participation fee of $200. The 2020 wreck left the driver of the Rogue with nagging injuries, according to a friend. -Staff writers Jeff Adelson, Ben Myers, Gordon Russell and Jessica Williams contributed to this story. Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article misstated Bart Everson's occupation. He is a Xavier University administrator. District D Councilmember Jared Brossett was booked early Monday morning on suspicion of DWI for the third time after New Orleans Police found him asleep behind the wheel of a vehicle on Elysian Fields Avenue. Update: Jared Brossett arrested again for DWI, putting political future in doubt A bystander at the Brother's Express Food Mart in the 3100 block of Elysian Fields told police that a man was passed out in the driver's seat of a white 2021 Lexus with the engine running, according to a sworn statement from officers. The officers said they went over to the Lexus, woke up the driver and realized it was Brossett, whose Gentilly Terrace home is a little more than a mile away. Brossett allegedly had the strong odor of alcohol on his breath as he spoke. The officers arrested him and brought him to the New Orleans Police Departments DWI testing unit on Tchoupitoulas Street. At the testing unit, Brossett said he wanted to speak to a lawyer but would undergo a field sobriety test, officers wrote in their affidavit. Brossett failed the test, police said. Brossetts arrest Monday was just a few blocks from the spot where he was booked in June 2020 after he swerved into oncoming traffic on Elysian Fields and wrecked a city-owned SUV into another car. Brossett is currently running for an at-large city council seat, and has received several endorsements, including from fellow candidate Kristin Gisleson Palmer. The two councilmembers cross-endorsed each other in an effort to combat the campaign of former state Sen. JP Morrell. Palmer said in a text message she was preparing to release a statement. Reached Monday, Brossetts campaign spokesperson, Greg Buisson, said he was determining the status of Brossetts candidacy. Brossett chairs the council's budget committee, which was scheduled to meet Tuesday morning. Departmental hearings for the 2022 budgeting process are scheduled to begin Nov. 1. Late Monday, Gambit reported that Brossett was expected to step down as chairperson of the council's budget committee and would be replaced as chair by Moreno. Silas Lee, a veteran political consultant and Xavier University professor who said he taught Brossett as an undergrad, said Brossett needs to assess his physical, mental and emotional capacity to serve out his term while also campaigning in a high-profile race. The demands of voters are not going to go away, no matter what," Lee said. "No one is going to be upset with him if he decides he wants to move on to something else. He has to take care of Jared. The voters are not going to take care of Jared." A joint statement from the two current councilmembers at large, Helena Moreno and Donna Glapion, did not take a position on what Brossett should do next. They said Brossett's arrest would not disrupt the council's work, including the upcoming budget hearings. "This is overall a very sad situation. We hope that our friend and colleague takes the necessary steps to make himself well. Alcoholism is a disease and should be treated as such," the statement said. Other major Brossett supporters include the Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO, which issued a dual endorsement of Brossett and Morrell. AFL-CIO President Tiger Hammond said the endorsement will stand at least until the board meets on Oct. 27, assuming Brossett stays in the race. "I think Jared Brossett has got to decide what he's going to do first before anybody else who may have endorsed him decides what they are going to do," Hammond said. Brossett has also claimed support from the Community Organization of Urban Politics, or COUP, which is a political organization based in the 7th Ward. COUP's members include former Mayor Sidney Barthelemy, as well as City Constable Lambert Boissiere, Jr. and his son, Public Service Commissioner Lambert Boissiere III. Barthelemy, Boissiere Jr. and Boissiere III did not immediately respond to messages. 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 This is Brossett's third arrest for drunk driving. Brossett was also booked with DWI in Florida in 2006. He eventually pleaded no contest to a charge of reckless driving in that case. Brian Capitelli, a lawyer who represented Brossett following the 2020 Elysian Fields crash, did not immediately respond to messages Monday. That crash led the City Council to establish new rules for the use of take-home cars, which, among other things, banned drunk driving. Crashed a city-owned vehicle in 2020 Brossetts DWI arrest in 2020 came after police said he crashed a city-owned Chevrolet Tahoe near the Lowes department store on Elysian Fields. He barreled over the neutral ground, swerved and hit an oncoming Nissan Rogue. When New Orleans police arrived at the scene, Brossett appeared confused, had alcohol on his breath and was slurring his words, according to the police report and a widely circulated video a bystander took of the aftermath. He was taken to the hospital to be evaluated, where he refused breath, urine and blood sample tests. In a statement released the next day, Brossett apologized to his family and the citizens of New Orleans and said he was entering a treatment program. Officers later booked him with driving while intoxicated, reckless operation and leaving a roadway lane for traffic. He pleaded not guilty to those charges Aug. 10. The city attorney's office in December referred the case to then-District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro to prosecute in Municipal and Traffic Court. Cannizzaro allowed Brossett to enroll in a diversion program, documents show. That program required Brossett to avoid alcohol or drugs and regularly update his diversion counselor on his progress. He has also entered into a payment plan to reimburse the city for the cost of the SUV. He was also to attend a victim impact panel through Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and pay a participation fee of $200. The 2020 wreck left the driver of the Rogue with nagging injuries, according to a friend. Asked about the 2020 during an Oct. 11 appearance on Louisiana Considered, a public radio show, Brossett said he had completed a six-week addiction treatment program and group therapy sessions over the last year. Brossett addressed the 2020 case on Oct. 11, when speaking on Louisiana Considered, a public radio show. Brossett said he is "a better man today, and stronger than ever before." You never know what anybody is going through in life. Nobody has to go through it alone, because I didnt, Brossett said. More to come on this developing story. Staff writers Carlie Wells, Ramon Antonio Vargas, Gordon Russell, Jessica Williams and Jeff Adelson contributed to this report The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office has identified the man fatally shot in Algiers on Oct. 13 as Tejuan Williams, 36. The shooting was reported at 4:17 p.m. Oct. 13 in the 2200 block of Cobblestone Lane. Shot multiple times, Williams was taken to a hospital by EMS, New Orleans police said. He died a short time later. Tipsters may call homicide detective Christian Recile at (504) 658-5300 or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans Inc. at (504) 822-1111 or (877) 903-7807. Staff writer Liam Pierce contributed to this report. Gwenesta Fenroy, a seventh grade teacher at East St. John Preparatory Academy in LaPlace, wrote an assignment on the whiteboard to greet students when they return to school on Monday: Write down three things that affected you during Hurricane Ida, crumple up the piece of paper and lob it at the front of the room. Fenroy said she plans to participate, too. On her list will be losing photographs of her late daughter. Im trying to let them know I have feelings and I was affected by the storm just like you were, she said. Everybody loses and everybody lost, some more than others, but a loss is a loss. Im going through it just like youre going through it. Were going to get through it together. While many families in St. John the Baptist Parish remain displaced after Ida, there are some encouraging signs of recovery weeks after the storm struck on Aug. 29. Houses are gutted and roofs are being tarped, trailers are starting to be delivered, and starting Monday, classrooms will be bustling again. All schools will reopen, but most won't return to their home campuses because of damage. Students will rotate in platoons on five campuses: Fifth Ward Elementary, Lake Pontchartrain Elementary, West St. John High, East St. John Preparatory Academy and Leon Godchaux. Several more campuses are expected to open in November, but a few have such extensive damage they are closed indefinitely, said schools Superintendent Lynett Hookfin. About 4,200 of the 5,500 students who responded to a recent survey indicated they would return to in-person learning this week, Hookfin said. Another 1,000 will resume class virtually, she said. To make up the days missed so far this school year, professional development days have been switched to instructional days, and students will be required to do self-paced learning for two or three days during breaks. We have to press the gas on giving more than a typical school year, Hookfin said, acknowledging that learning loss from the pandemic has been compounded by the storm. 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 As East St. John teachers entered their classrooms Friday to prepare to reopen, Diashiki Brown raised her arms and squealed with excitement when she found her fifth grade classroom unscathed, a bucket of ungraded vocabulary tests still untouched from August. A few classrooms over, Melesha Cotton, an English teacher at East St. John, and Heather Noah, a math teacher at John L. Ory Magnet, swapped stories about storm damage and comforted each other as they rearranged the desks in the room. Until this week, Noah who has been sleeping on an air mattress in her partially finished home was commuting from Gonzalez, Texas. Cotton is still commuting from Slidell. Tearing up, Cotton recounted seeing her 4-year-old sons room after her home filled with 4 feet of water and losing precious keepsakes from her late father. "Being back in school is going to bring about structure and normalcy and help us get back not to what it was before but moving forward," Cotton said. She plans to help her students, some of whom lost their homes, process their emotions through the books they read as a class. "We're going to be therapy for each other through instruction," she said. "We'll be able to heal together and learn and grow as well." Official statistics on coronavirus cases in Africa give the impression that the continent has avoided the worst of the pandemic. But in a continent where most deaths are not formally registered and many countries are struggling to vaccinate their people, the great majority of coronavirus cases an estimated six out of seven are going undetected, according to Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the Africa director at the World Health Organization. Speaking at a news briefing on Thursday, Dr. Moeti said the W.H.O. estimated that about 59 million people in Africa had been infected with the coronavirus from the beginning of the pandemic through Oct. 10. Only somewhat more than 8 million cases have been officially recorded. Now is the time to go on the offensive against Covid-19, and work with local communities to break transmission chains and stop wider outbreaks from happening, Dr. Moeti said. The W.H.O.s analysis was derived from a coronavirus calculator developed by Resolve to Save Lives, a global public health organization that focuses on cardiovascular disease and on preventing epidemics. The calculator estimates infections based on the number of reported cases and deaths and an infection fatality rate grounded in population-based studies, according to a statement by the W.H.O. Asma told her family she wanted to be a doctor. They asked her what kind. A childrens doctor? Not just any doctor, Asma told them, pointing an index finger in the air, as she often did to make a point. I want to be the head doctor. The death of Asmas father meant that the bureaucratic hurdles for the family to come to the United States were infinitely higher, since there was no primary applicant. But as long as American troops remained in the country, there seemed to be no huge impetus to leave. A few relatives, including Yousuf, Asmas uncle whom, like others in the family, The Times is identifying by one name for safety reasons made it to the United States. But Asmas family remained in Afghanistan. Then Kabul fell to the Taliban, and suddenly what was once an aspiration for a better life became a matter of life and death. Nabila fled with her children to her sisters house in Kabul, and then, on Thursday, Aug. 19, at 6:30 a.m., the family got into a taxi and went to the airport. Each child had a backpack with one change of clothes. Nabila had her husbands work documents and a handful of family photos, including one of her engagement. That was it. No clear plastic bag of travel-size liquids. No favorite book. No suitcases. Image Asma was burned by a tear-gas canister thrown by American forces while she and her family waited to get inside the Kabul airport. The taxi let the family off near the Abbey Gate, where thousands of people had massed. Nabila knew that perhaps this was not the best day to be fasting, as she would most likely be outside for hours, if not longer. But then again, this was perhaps the perfect day to be fasting. I wanted requital from God, she recalled. About 12 hours later, with the sun gone from the sky and the stars becoming clear, the crowd at the gate surged, pushing the family closer to the concertina wire. Troops threw out tear-gas canisters, and Asma was hit in the face. The hem of Nabilas dress caught fire briefly as they both went down. Asmas brother Israr rushed to his mother and sister and poured water on Asmas face. He struggled to breathe amid the smoke. His sisters mask was stuck to her face in a ghastly melding of burned material and skin. Who will get access to Mercks new antiviral pill? Molnupiravir, an antiviral medication made by Merck, could herald a not-too-distant future when a simple pill could keep people infected with the coronavirus from dying or falling severely ill. The drug is easy to distribute and can be taken at home. Trial results showed it halved the risk of hospitalization and death among high-risk people early in their infections. Unlike the manufacturers of some Covid vaccines, Merck will allow generic manufacturers in India to sell the pills at a far lower price in more than 100 poorer countries. Most nations in sub-Saharan Africa, where vaccination rates are as low as 3 percent, are covered by the deal. The company has also applied for emergency-use authorization from the F.D.A. Drug-access advocates say the Merck licensing deal is an encouraging start but only a small step toward equity. It is unclear how much of the generic product will be available next year, and the agreements leave out many undervaccinated nations, such as Ukraine, that have been hit hard by Covid. Competitors: Several other drug makers, including Pfizer, are expected to announce efficacy data from trials of their own Covid medications; the companies said it was too soon to comment on whether they would enter into similar access agreements. Between network, cable and streaming, the modern television landscape is a vast one. Here are some of the shows, specials and movies coming to TV this week, Oct. 18-24. Details and times are subject to change. Monday POV: LA CASA DE MAMA ICHA 10 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). Decades after emigrating to the United States, a 93-year-old woman returns to Colombia in this new documentary. Its a bittersweet journey chronicled with intimacy by the Colombian filmmaker Oscar Molina, in his feature debut. Tuesday AMERICAN MASTERS: BECOMING HELEN KELLER 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). This new documentary, which revisits Kellers life and legacy, has a secret weapon in the actress Cherry Jones, who reads written work by Helen Keller. Joness readings are paired with archival film and photographs, plus contemporary interviews with historians, scholars and disability rights advocates. He moves from The Birth of a Nation to tell the story of Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951), the former Pullman porter, plains farmer and novelist who almost single-handedly created Black filmmaking. Micheauxs movies played in Black-owned theaters and werent reviewed by white publications. Explore the New York Times Book Review Want to keep up with the latest and greatest in books? This is a good place to start. Learn what you should be reading this fall: Our collection of reviews on books coming out this season includes biographies, novels, memoirs and more. See whats new in October: Among this months new titles are novels by Jonathan Franzen, a history of Black cinema and a biography by Katie Couric. Nominate a book: The New York Times Book Review has just turned 125. That got us wondering: What is the best book that was published during that time? Listen to our podcast: Featuring conversations with leading figures in the literary world, from Colson Whitehead to Leila Slimani, the Book Review Podcast helps you delve deeper into your favorite books. Haygood considers Gone With the Wind and the stereotype of the Black maid; the making of Douglas Sirks last Hollywood film, the daringly interracial Imitation of Life (1959); and the obstacle-filled careers of performers like Paul Robeson, Dorothy Dandridge, James Edwards and Lena Horne. Theres a chapter about Otto Premingers Porgy and Bess, which was dated when it appeared in 1959, nearly 25 years after the premiere of George Gershwins opera. The young playwright Lorraine Hansberry said about it: We object to roles which consistently depict our women as wicked and our men as weak. We do not want to see six-foot Sidney Poitier on his knees crying for a slit-skirted wench. Haygood writes about Poitier, who seemed to step out of a dream many Americans were planning to have, and Harry Belafonte; the arrival of Melvin Van Peebles, Pam Grier and the so-called blaxploitation genre; the talents, largely wasted by Hollywood, of actors such as Billy Dee Williams; and the disaster that was The Wiz (1978). Later chapters hail the careers of directorial stars such as Spike Lee, John Singleton, Ava DuVernay, Steve McQueen and Jordan Peele, and trace a body of linked influences. This film history plays out against the backdrop of American history, from the Scottsboro Boys and the Tuskegee Airmen through Rodney King, Clarence Thomas, Barack Obama and Black Lives Matter. Image Wil Haygood, whose new book is Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World. Credit... Jeff Sabo It plays out, too, against the ways the Academy Awards ignored Black performances. Federico Fellini, at the 1993 Oscars, unwittingly underlined why this mattered when he remarked, The movies and America are almost the same thing. 10. And finally, how a nuclear bomb could save the Earth. An atomic blast is not the preferred solution for planetary defense, but 3-D models are helping scientists prepare should a stray asteroid come calling. Using high-fidelity simulations, scientists reported in a recent study that an asteroid as long as 330 feet could be annihilated by a one-megaton nuclear device if the asteroid is attacked at least two months before impact. Though the orbits of almost every asteroid two-thirds of a mile across or larger have been precisely mapped out, NASA estimates there are 17,000 near-Earth asteroids 460 feet or larger that have yet to be found. Have a rocking evening. Angela Jimenez 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. Microsoft executives warned Bill Gates in 2008 about inappropriate emails he had sent to a female employee, a Microsoft spokesman said on Monday. The warning involved messages in which Mr. Gates, who at the time was a full-time employee and the companys chairman, asked an employee out on a date. Senior Microsoft executives learned of the emails in 2008, according to Frank Shaw, a Microsoft spokesman. These emails proposed meeting outside of work and off campus, Mr. Shaw said. While flirtatious, they were not overtly sexual, but were deemed to be inappropriate. After they discovered the messages, executives warned Mr. Gates that his behavior was inappropriate and notified a small group of board members about the incident, Mr. Shaw said. Mr. Gates told the board members that he agreed that what he had done was inappropriate, and the board took no further action. ABINGDON, England Harnessing fusion energy into something commercially viable and maybe, ultimately, a clean source of power that replaces fossil fuels for centuries to come has long been considered by some as the ultimate moonshot. But investor interest in fusion energy continues to slowly rise, and the number of start-ups in the field is multiplying, with an estimated 1,100 people in several countries making their living at these firms. An industry is taking shape, with a growing network of companies that supply highly specialized equipment, like the components of the powerful magnets that fusion devices require. The British government even recently saw the need to issue regulations for fusion energy a kind of milestone for a burgeoning industry. No one knows when fusion energy will become commercially viable, but driving the private investments is a rising alarm about global warming. Germanys most powerful newspaper removed its top editor Monday after months of defending his sexual relationships with women in the workplace as the scandal began to envelop the papers globally ambitious parent company, Axel Springer. Bild, a center-right tabloid that has fed popular anger at Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Covid-19 restrictions, dismissed the editor in chief, Julian Reichelt, after The New York Times reported on details of Mr. Reichelts relationship with a trainee, who testified during an independent legal investigation that in 2018 he had summoned her to a hotel near the office for sex and asked her to keep a payment secret. Hours after Mr. Reichelt was ousted, the newsmagazine Der Spiegel published allegations that Mr. Reichelt had abused his position to pursue relationships with several women on his staff. The dismissal marked the belated arrival of the global #MeToo movement at Axel Springer and it came as the German company is making significant investments in the American market, including its acquisition this summer of Politico for $1 billion. Axel Springer faced pressure in the United States and Germany to explain two recent revelations: What the investigation into Mr. Reichelts conduct found, and how the chief executive, Mathias Dopfner, responded to the investigation. In a text message to a friend obtained by The Times, Mr. Dopfner seemed to link the scrutiny of Mr. Reichelts behavior to the editors divisive politics, casting him as a bulwark against a return of Communist-style oppression in the guise of Covid rules. The company said in a statement that Mr. Reichelt had not clearly separated private and professional matters, and had misled the board. Mr. Dopfner, in a statement, also praised Mr. Reichelt for his journalistic leadership and for launching Bild-Tv, a new television station in the combative style of American cable news. He said Mr. Reichelts replacement, Johannes Boie, would combine journalistic excellence with modern leadership. Mr. Reichelt has denied abusing his authority, and didnt respond to an email seeking comment. The list, which the E.P.A. described as a road map includes setting legal limits for safe levels of PFAS in drinking water, which the chemical industry tentatively supports; designating it as a hazardous substance under the laws that govern toxic Superfund sites, which industry opposes; and increasing monitoring and research. Meanwhile the Department of Defense, is expected to review how to clean PFAS contamination at nearly 700 military installations and National Guard locations by the end of 2023. The chemicals are in a foam used at military installations and by civilian firefighters to extinguish fires. Since 2016, the E.P.A. has recommended that PFAS levels in drinking water not exceed 70 parts per trillion. But without regulations, the agency has not been able to mandate that level. Whats more, independent scientists and some state regulatory agencies say 70 parts per trillion is too high and the limit should be much lower. The American Chemistry Council, a trade organization, noted that about 600 chemicals in the PFAS category are used to manufacture products like solar panels and cellphones, and said alternative materials might not be available to replace them. The American Chemistry Council supports the strong, science-based regulation of chemicals, including PFAS substances. But all PFAS are not the same, and they should not all be regulated the same way, Erich Shea, a spokesman for the organization, said in a statement. Environmentalists said they dont believe there is a safe level of PFAS in drinking water. Kemp Burdette, 47, works for Cape Fear River Watch in Wilmington, N.C., where he used to encourage people to drink tap water to avoid using disposable plastic bottles. Then he discovered that PFAS levels in the local tap water had reached as high as 6,000 parts per trillion, the result of years of contaminated wastewater discharged into the Cape Fear River by a Dupont plant, later owned by The Chemours Company. All of a sudden youre like, Whats in the water? What is this stuff? How long have we been drinking it? Mr. Burdette said. My kids were drinking that water all their lives. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, then under the leadership Mr. Regan, ultimately reached an agreement requiring Chemours to pay a $13 million fine. A spokesman for Chemours referred questions to the American Chemistry Council. President Biden has called for about $10 billion in funding to address PFAS contamination through a bipartisan infrastructure package and a separate budget bill that Congress has been struggling to approve. A molcajete-size portion of aguachile with a stack of tostadas is most efficiently tackled by two or more people. A solo diner at El Submarino would probably do better getting the smaller helping of aguachile that is mounded over a tostada and placed on a tray, so the sauce has room to spread out. The ceviches are also available in tostada form. The most impressive tostada, though, is a towering construction of shrimp ceviche, fish ceviche and aguachile mixto under a thatch of shredded cabbage dressed with chipotle adobo. It is called La Sicaria: the assassin. Mariscos El Submarino is owned by Amy Hernandez, who takes orders at the counter, and her husband, Alonso Guzman, who makes all the food. She is a Queens native whose family comes from the state of Guerrero; he grew up in Michoacan, but his parents are Sinaloan and fed him the aguachiles and other dishes that are the backbone of his menu. If it is not too busy, Ms. Hernandez may have time to make a mangonada, piling mango pieces over ice and lime juice into a cup rimmed with chamoy and Tajin. A straw, in a thick coat of tamarind paste, goes in last, although there is barely enough liquid in the cup to fill a bottle cap. A less labor-intensive and more thirst-quenching option is the rusa, a kind of virgin michelada made with Squirt soda. The seafood cocktails could also serve as a beverage. They come in big plastic drink cups, and while the shrimp (or shrimp and octopus, in the campechano cocktail) is the ostensible center of attention, the point of the dish is the red juice that tastes of more things than you can easily name. Tomatoes, of course, and lime juice, cucumbers and onions. Beyond that: orange soda, surely. A bottle of Maggi sauce seems to play a part. Many remember the former secretary of state for staying true to his beliefs and admitting his mistakes. Mr. Powell was vaccinated but had battled cancer, which compromised his immune system and made him vulnerable to Covid. President Biden says Colin Powell embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 0:46 - 0:00 transcript Biden Remembers Colin Powell as a Dear Friend and a Patriot President Biden honored Mr. Powell, the nations first Black national security adviser, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state, calling him a great military leader and a man of overwhelming decency. Well, I became friends with Colin Powell, who we just lost. Think of what Colin Powell is not only a dear friend and a patriot, one of our great military leaders and a man of overwhelming decency. But this is a guy born a son of immigrants in New York City, raised in Harlem, in the South Bronx, graduated from City College of New York, and he rose to the highest ranks, not only in the military, but also in areas of foreign policy and statecraft. This is a guy, and we talk about it, who had teachers who looked at this African American kid and said, You can do anything. So all I want to say to you really is dont underestimate dont underestimate what you do. President Biden honored Mr. Powell, the nations first Black national security adviser, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state, calling him a great military leader and a man of overwhelming decency. Credit Credit... Paul Hosefros/The New York Times President Biden called Colin L. Powell a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity and ordered government flags to fly at half-staff through Friday. Mr. Powell was the nations first Black national security adviser, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state. During his time in public service, he worked closely with Mr. Biden, who was then a senator. Over our many years working together even in disagreement Colin was always someone who gave you his best and treated you with respect, Mr. Biden said. Colin embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat. Vice President Kamala Harris praised Mr. Powell as an independent thinker and a barrier breaker who inspired leaders in our military and throughout our nation. Mr. Biden did not mention Mr. Powells role in selling the Iraq War to the American public based on faulty intelligence, which led to one of Mr. Powells biggest regrets. The president highlighted Mr. Powells record as a war veteran and how it informed his approach to politics and diplomacy. Mr. Biden added that Mr. Powells front-seat view of history, from advising presidents and shaping the countrys policies, was underpinned by his personal commitment to democratic values. Time and again, he put country before self, before party, before all else in uniform and out and it earned him the universal respect of the American people, Mr. Biden said. He said Mr. Powell, a son of Jamaican immigrants who was born in Harlem and raised in the South Bronx, believed in the promise of America because he lived it. He devoted much of his life to making that promise a reality for so many others, Mr. Biden said, pointing to how he broke racial barriers within the federal government. Above all, Colin was my friend. Easy to share a laugh with. A trusted confidant in good and hard times, Mr. Biden said. In 2020, Mr. Powell, a longtime Republican who rejected the party under Donald J. Trump, said he would vote for Mr. Biden. I am forever grateful for his support of my candidacy for president and for our shared battle for the soul of the nation, Mr. Biden said. He and the first lady, Jill Biden, shared their condolences with the Powell family, saying, Our nation mourns with you. Here is what scientists know about the risk of breakthrough Covid deaths. Image Vaccines are critical in reducing severe disease and death from the coronavirus. Still, such outcomes are not unexpected, health experts say. Credit... Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse Getty Images The death of former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell on Monday from complications of Covid-19 has provided fuel for vaccine skeptics and opponents, who immediately seized on the news that Mr. Powell had been vaccinated to stoke doubts about the effectiveness of the vaccines. But Mr. Powells immune system had most likely been weakened by multiple myeloma, a cancer of white blood cells. Both the disease and the treatment can make people more susceptible to infections. His age, 84, may also have increased his risk, scientists said. Mr. Powell received his second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in February, said Peggy Cifrino, his longtime aide. He had been scheduled for a booster last week but fell ill before he received it, she said. Although Mr. Powells death is a high-profile tragedy, scientists stressed that it should not undermine confidence in the Covid-19 vaccines, which drastically reduce the odds of severe disease and death. Nothing is 100 percent effective, said Dr. Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. The point of getting a vaccine is that you want to know that the benefits clearly and definitively outweigh the risks. And we know that for this vaccine. The vaccines are highly effective, even against the more contagious Delta variant, which is now responsible for nearly all infections in the United States. People who are fully vaccinated are roughly 10 times less likely to be hospitalized and 11 times less likely to die from Covid-19, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A New York Times analysis of data from 40 states found that fully vaccinated people have accounted for 0.2 to 6 percent of Covid-19 deaths. Among the more than 187 million Americans who have been fully vaccinated, there have been 7,178 deaths, according to the C.D.C. Eighty-five percent of those deaths have been in people 65 or older. Breakthrough deaths with vaccinated individuals do occur, said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. But there are certain groups that are at greater risk. Since the beginning of the pandemic, it has been clear that older adults are the most likely to develop severe Covid-19. They also have less robust immune systems in general and mount a weaker immune response to the vaccines. In one recent study, which has not yet been reviewed by experts, researchers found that residents of Canadian long-term care homes, who had a median age of 88, produced levels of neutralizing antibodies roughly five- to sixfold lower after vaccination than did staff members, who had a median age of 47. This puts them at risk for not only getting infected by Covid but also having severe consequences, said Anne-Claude Gingras, a senior investigator at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and the lead author of the study. Mr. Powell had also undergone treatment for multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cell. Plasma cells make antibodies and thus play a critical role in the immune system. Both the disease and the treatment which may include chemotherapy, immunotherapy and steroids can leave patients more vulnerable to infections. Colin was undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma but seemed to be responding well, Kathy Giusti, who founded the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and met Mr. Powell when he spoke at a foundation event, said in a statement. Immunosuppression is a well-known side effect of cancer treatment and a reminder that as patients, we are at high risk, especially if also over 65 years of age. Vaccines are also likely to be less effective in people with multiple myeloma. Unfortunately, the cancer itself suppresses the normal immune system, said Dr. James Berenson, the medical and scientific director of the Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research in West Hollywood, Calif. In a study published in July, Dr. Berenson and his colleagues found that just 45 percent of those with active multiple myeloma developed an adequate response after receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. People who received the Pfizer vaccine had lower antibody levels than Moderna recipients, on average, the researchers found. Older patients and those who were not yet in complete remission also had lower antibody levels. It is unclear what kind of treatment Mr. Powell received for his multiple myeloma or whether he was in full remission. But even patients who are in remission may have compromised immune systems, Dr. Berenson said. They usually not in all cases, but usually maintain an immune-suppressed state even if theyve had a good response to their treatment, Dr. Berenson said. Eric Schmitt and Christine Hauser contributed reporting. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Colin Powell, whose immune system was weakened, died of Covid-19 after fighting cancer. Image Former Secretary of State Colin Powell died on Monday at age 84. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times Colin L. Powell, whose immune system was weakened by treatment for multiple myeloma, died of complications of Covid-19 despite being vaccinated, his family said in a statement. Peggy Cifrino, Mr. Powells longtime aide, said that he had been successfully treated for multiple myeloma, a cancer of white blood cells in the bone marrow. People with multiple myeloma have compromised immune systems and are thus at greater risk of developing severe Covid-19. Vaccines are also likely to be less effective in these patients. The familys statement did not provide further details about the complications or underlying health conditions Mr. Powell had. It said he was treated at Walter Reed National Medical Center. Ms. Cifrino said Mr. Powell, 84, had gotten his second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in February and had been scheduled to get a third shot last week when he got sick, so he wasnt able to get that. He had also been treated for early stages of Parkinsons disease, she said. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated, Ms. Cifrino said. In a study published in July, researchers found that just 45 percent of those with active multiple myeloma developed an adequate response after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. Although the shots are critical in reducing severe disease and death from the coronavirus, such outcomes are not unexpected. No vaccine is 100 percent effective, experts say. Severe Covid is rare in people who have been fully vaccinated. In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it had received reports of 10,262 breakthrough infections by April 30 a tiny fraction of the 101 million Americans who had been vaccinated by that date. (The agency noted that the number most likely represented a substantial undercount of breakthrough infections.) Of those breakthrough cases, 2 percent died and in some of those cases, patients were hospitalized or died from something unrelated to Covid-19. The median age of those who died was 82. Multiple myeloma wasnt Mr. Powells first battle with cancer. In 2003, when he was secretary of state, he underwent surgery for prostate cancer. In one of his last interviews, with Bob Woodward of The Washington Post, he responded vehemently when Mr. Woodward expressed sympathy over his illnesses. Dont feel sorry for me, for Gods sakes, Mr. Powell said, noting his age. I havent lost a day of life fighting these two diseases. Im in good shape. Eric Schmitt and Emily Anthes contributed reporting. Conservative media seizes on Colin Powells death to question Covid vaccinations. Image Some conservatives used Mr. Powells death from complications of Covid-19 as an opportunity to promote vaccine hesitancy. Credit... Michael A. McCoy for The New York Times It didnt take long after the death of Colin L. Powell for the conservative media to set off a debate over vaccinations, mandates and disinformation. Some conservatives, seizing on the fact that Mr. Powells family said he was vaccinated, claimed that his death from complications of Covid-19 illustrated why vaccine hesitancy remained pervasive overlooking the fact that Mr. Powell, who was 84, had serious underlying medical conditions that made him more vulnerable to the disease. Bernard Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner, said in an interview with Newsmax that he had received multiple messages on social media from people who cited Mr. Powells death as an example of why they remained skeptical about getting the shot. Theyre forcing me to take a vaccination that doesnt really stop Covid, Mr. Kerik said, describing the messages he had received. A Fox News anchor posted and then quickly deleted a comment on Twitter that Mr. Powells death raises new concerns about the long-term efficacy of Covid vaccines, drawing criticism from those who pointed out that Mr. Powells immune system had been weakened by multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer that also makes vaccines less effective. He had to postpone getting a booster shot last week because he got sick, a spokeswoman said. Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican and an ally of former President Donald J. Trump who has opposed vaccine mandates and mocked people for taking precautions like wearing masks, responded sarcastically to the death of Mr. Powell, a former secretary of state and a four-star general. Post-vaccine breakthrough infection kills more people than Iraqs WMDs ever did, Mr. Gaetz said in a tweet, making a crude reference to the role Mr. Powell played in selling the invasion of Iraq by citing faulty evidence that the country possessed weapons of mass destruction. Other conservatives criticized news coverage that focused on the fact that Mr. Powell had been vaccinated, arguing that framing his death that way was stoking anxiety that could lead more people to fear resuming their pre-pandemic lives. Rich Galen, a veteran Republican consultant, urged people to consider Mr. Powells death in context. As to the passing of GEN Colin Powell of COVID complications despite having been vaccinated: It is important to remember that perfection is a religious, not a scientific (nor a political) concept, Mr. Galen wrote on Twitter. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The many schools named for Colin Powell pay tribute to him. Image More than a dozen schools around the country have been named after Mr. Powell, including the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership in New York. Credit... Shannon Stapleton/Reuters As students arrived at Colin Powell Elementary School in Union City, N.J., on Monday morning, Principal Teresita Diaz knew the day would be unlike any other. The flag was lowered to half-staff and the school held a moment of silence in honor of Mr. Powell. As a school, immediately, we needed to make sure he was recognized, Ms. Diaz said, adding that the school was blessed to be named after Mr. Powell, particularly given his story of being born to immigrant parents that resonated with the areas predominantly Hispanic community. Ms. Diaz and other staff set up a tribute to Mr. Powell in the lobby, where a mural depicting a timeline of his life has hung on the wall since the school opened in 2013. They decorated the space with flowers, which were provided by the mayor and the board of education, and a collage of newspaper clippings and photos from when Mr. Powell visited the school on June 5, 2013. Another tribute was set up at the lobbys fireplace, Ms. Diaz said. pic.twitter.com/zfcvjuP3Pg Union City Schools (@schools_uc) October 18, 2021 The memorials will stay in place for 10 days, Ms. Diaz said, and the school plans to spend time each day talking about Mr. Powell, his legacy and why the school is named after him. More than a dozen schools around the country have been named for Mr. Powell, and many paused on Monday to remember a man who, beyond his military and political credentials, was a passionate advocate for education and the role that teachers play in shaping the countrys future. Colin L. Powell Elementary in The Woodlands, Texas, which serves kindergarten through fourth grade, was the first to be named. The school is inviting students and staff to wear red, white and blue on Tuesday, said Sarah Blakelock, a spokeswoman for the Conroe Independent School District, which includes most of The Woodlands. Ms. Blakelock said that just before the start of the school year, the district had asked Mr. Powell to send words of support to teachers as they navigated the challenges of the pandemic. The video he made was warm and inspirational, she said. At Colin Powell Elementary in Centreville, Va., second-grade students wrote letters to Mr. Powells family. Another Colin Powell Elementary, serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Grand Prairie, Texas, shared an image on Facebook of Mr. Powells visit to the school in 1997, when it opened. The flag was lowered to half-staff at Colin L. Powell Academy for Success in Long Beach, Calif., and Principal Ty Smith made an announcement reflecting on Mr. Powells contributions to the community and the country. The school is also creating lesson plans on Mr. Powells life that will be taught next week, Ms. Smith said. Im an African-American woman, so being a principal in a school named for him is a special honor for me, not only for what he contributed to our country but also to the African-American community, she said. Higher education schools were also named after him, including the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at the City College of New York, Mr. Powells alma mater and the institution that laid the foundation for his military career. General Powell never missed a Colin Powell School graduation, and he took the time to shake the hand of every student earning a degree, Andrew Rich, the dean of the school, said in a statement. Its hard to imagine graduation without him. Multiple myeloma is a rare cancer that seems to strike at random. Image Being a Black man over age 45, Mr. Powell was at greater risk for multiple myeloma. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times Colin L. Powell, the first Black secretary of state, had multiple myeloma: a form of blood cancer that hobbles the immune system and makes vaccines, including those for Covid-19, less effective. The cancer attacks plasma cells, which build the antibodies essential to the bodys immune defenses. It also lives in the bone marrow, crowding out the spongy material in the middle of bones and preventing healthy plasma cells from being made. In addition to weakening the immune system, it can also lead to kidney damage. Multiple myeloma seems to be random bad luck for those who develop the disease, and scientists cannot yet predict it based on genetic or environmental factors. But there are risk factors, and Mr. Powell had them. Being Black doubles the risk, as does being male. Nearly all multiple myeloma patients are over age 45. Mr. Powell was 84. But it is rare, accounting for just 1.8 percent of cancers in the United States with 34,920 new cases a year, according to the National Cancer Institute, a rate that has remained stable for the past decade. The cancers five-year survival rate is 55.6 percent, which has barely changed over the past decade despite the introduction of more sophisticated drugs. About 12,410 deaths per year, or 2 percent of national cancer deaths, are a result of multiple myeloma. There is no known way to prevent the disease. Patients in the early stages of multiple myeloma may not notice any symptoms; their disease might be detected in a routine blood or urine test. Later, when the disease is more advanced, patients may experience bone pain, fevers or frequent infections, exhaustion, trouble breathing and weakness in their arms or legs. Their skin might easily bruise, and their bones might easily break. Treatments include chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplants, in which the cells in a persons bone marrow are deliberately destroyed and new cells are infused to repopulate the marrow. Those replacement cells could be the patients own blood-forming marrow cells, removed and stored before the marrow is destroyed, or they could be cells from a closely related donor. Stem cell transplants with the patients own cells can put the disease into remission, but it eventually returns. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a treatment designed to directly attack the cancer by harnessing the T cells of the patients own immune system, or by using drugs designed to block particular molecules on the surface of cancer cells. Advertisement Continue reading the main story In photos: Colin Powell through the years. 1987 Getty Images 1989 Bettmann/CORBIS, via Getty Images 1991 Associated Press 1992 Renaud Giroux/Agence France-Presse Getty Images 2001 Doug Mills/Associated Press 2002 Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press 2003 Timothy A. Clary/Agence France-Presse Getty Images 2010 Drew Angerer/The New York Times From serving as President Ronald Reagans national security adviser in 1987 to speaking with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office about efforts to reduce the high school dropout rate in 2010, heres a look at Colin L. Powells military and political career in Washington. Remembering Colin Powell, a general who stayed true to his roots. Image On a trip to Saudi Arabia in 1990, General Powell, left, walked from foxhole to foxhole and talked to soldiers about the mission. Credit... Bob Daugherty/Associated Press For hundreds of troops in desert-camouflage fatigues who gathered at a sprawling air base in Saudi Arabia to greet the visiting brass from Washington, Defense Secretary Dick Cheney was the boss. But Gen. Colin L. Powell, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the star. It was late December 1990, and as a New York Times Pentagon correspondent, I had flown with Mr. Cheney and General Powell to the kingdom to inspect the huge American troop buildup in response to Iraqs invasion of Kuwait four months earlier. Nerves were jittery. Just before we arrived, the troops had pulled on gas masks and rubber gloves and scrambled into sandbag bunkers as sirens wailed, fearing a poison-gas attack from Baghdad. False alarm. The alert had been called when Israel test-launched a missile into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. For General Powell, a Vietnam War veteran and onetime brigade commander in the Armys storied 101st Airborne Division, it was a chance to do what he liked best: mingle with soldiers. After speaking to the assembled troops, General Powell drove to an artillery unit set up way out in the desert. He walked from foxhole to foxhole, talking to soldiers about the mission, about the weather, about camels (remember, it was Saudi Arabia). He approached one young soldier in a foxhole filling sandbags. The soldier, without looking up, sensed somebody was standing near him and threw the sandbag, yelling, Here, take it! General Powell caught the sandbag with a surprised look on his face. As the soldier turned around and looked up at the sudden commotion, he gasped, Oh, my God! General Powell just laughed. Years later, when I reminded him of our visit in a 2007 interview, General Powell, the Harlem-born son of Jamaican immigrants, said it was easy to exude authority while also putting others at ease. It was just going back to where I came from, to my roots. I always felt that there wasnt a day when I couldnt go down and be a second lieutenant all over again, he said. Because I still knew what second lieutenants do. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Jamaica mourns the loss of Colin Powell. Image Colin Powell, left, received an honorary degree in 1994 from the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. Credit... John McConnico/Associated Press Born in the United States to Jamaican parents, Colin L. Powell was known to honor his heritage and acknowledge the contributions that West Indian immigrants made to America. In the wake of his death, Jamaican leaders are mourning his loss. I loved my upbringing, Mr. Powell said in a 2012 interview with C-SPAN. All of us who are immigrants or not immigrants have a special feeling for the family we are a part of and the place that we came from or they came from. Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica shared his sympathies in a statement on Twitter. On behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica, I extend heartfelt condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, as well as the people of the United States, he wrote. He shared a photo of their meeting in 2018, saying, We have had many good conversations and very interesting discussions about Jamaica. Portia Simpson-Miller, who was Jamaicas prime minister from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2016, wrote on Twitter: I am saddened to learn of the passing former Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and son of Jamaica, Colin Powell. He was an outstanding Soldier and Diplomat. In 2005, a bill introduced by Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana and then-Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware was passed to change the name of the Crowne Plaza, which hosted the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, to the Colin L. Powell Residential Plaza. Mr. Powell made notable visits to his parents native country. In 2012, he led a presidential delegation to Jamaica to attend a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the countrys independence. On a trip to Jamaica in 1997, Mr. Powell served as an international monitor observing the countrys parliamentary election. Im especially pleased to be home again, he said. Its the place of my legacy, the home of my parents, and the source of the value system that fuels me today. Secretary of State Blinken praises Colin Powell as an extraordinary leader. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 2:14 - 0:00 transcript Blinken Remembers Colin Powell as Beloved by State Department Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken praised Colin Powell as an extraordinary leader and exceptional diplomat. A former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, secretary of state and national security adviser, Mr. Powell died of Covid-19 after battling cancer. Secretary Powell was beloved here at the State Department, at C Street, and at our embassies and consulates around the world. He came to the State Department after a long and extraordinary career in the U.S. armed forces. He was General Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs when he walked into the Oval Office to be sworn in as our nations top diplomat. After that, he was Mr. Secretary. He gave the State Department the very best of his leadership, his experience, his patriotism. He gave us his decency and the State Department loved him for it. I believe Secretary Powells years as a soldier are what made him such an exceptional diplomat. He knew that war and military action should always be a last resort. And to make that so, we need our diplomacy to be as robust and well-resourced as possible. He called for increased funding for State, which, then as now, was just a fraction of the Pentagons budget. He modernized the State Department, putting a computer on every desk. And he believed deeply that America was an exceptional nation, that we could and should lead with confidence and humility, and that the world was safer when the United States was engaged and its allies and partners were united. He was a man of ideas, but he wasnt ideological. He was constantly listening, learning, adapting. He could admit mistakes. It was just another example of his integrity. As is probably evident by now, I was a huge admirer of Secretary Powells. I always will be, and he was very generous with me. This past Fourth of July, we spent a few precious hours together talking about the State Department, discussing all the challenges were confronting around the world. Two things were clear: Secretary Powells depth of knowledge about world events was unmatched, and he loved the State Department and wanted it to thrive. So today is a sad day for us here at State, especially for all those who worked for and with Secretary Powell, and well never forget the experience. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken praised Colin Powell as an extraordinary leader and exceptional diplomat. A former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, secretary of state and national security adviser, Mr. Powell died of Covid-19 after battling cancer. Credit Credit... Pool photo by Mandel Ngan Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken paid tribute on Monday to Colin L. Powell, calling him an extraordinary leader and a great man who was beloved at the State Department. In remarks at the State Department, Mr. Blinken called Mr. Powell a model leader for Americas diplomatic corps who had trusted and relied on the expertise of career officials. He also praised Mr. Powells worldview, saying he had believed that war and military action should be a last resort and that the world was safer when the U.S. was engaged and its allies and partners were united. Both phrases closely echoed language Mr. Blinken and President Biden have used to describe their administrations approach to the world. Mr. Blinken did not speak about Mr. Powells role as secretary of state in claiming incorrectly that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, the basis for President George W. Bushs costly invasion of the country. But he did say that Mr. Powell could admit mistakes, as he did over Iraq, calling it a mark of his integrity. Saying he was a huge admirer of Mr. Powell, Mr. Blinken recalled that he had spent a few precious hours with him on July 4 of this year, discussing world events. He said that Mr. Powell had an unparalleled grasp of world events. Colin Powell dedicated his extraordinary life to public service because he never stopped believing in America, Mr. Blinken said. And we believe in America in no small part because it helped produce someone like Colin Powell. Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised Mr. Powells profound 35 years of service in the military, in which he rose to the highest levels to become a Joint Chiefs chairman. He inspired others throughout his life as an example to all of us in uniform one of the greatest leaders who has ever worn the cloth of our nation, Mr. Milley said in a statement. Mr. Blinken said Mr. Powell was arguably the most respected and celebrated American in uniform who went on to become a great diplomat and leader. I believe that Secretary Powells years as a soldier are what made him such an exceptional diplomat, Mr. Blinken said, adding that Mr. Powell understood that a modernized and well-funded State Department could help to avert military conflict. He noted that Mr. Powell had insisted upon a computer on every desk at a time when the technology was not ubiquitous. He was a man of ideas, but he wasnt ideological, Mr. Blinken said. He was constantly listening, learning, adapting. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Powells party allegiance shifted over the years. Image Mr. Powell spoke in Philadelphia at the Republican National Convention in 2000. Credit... Ruth Fremson/The New York Times When Colin L. Powell, then the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired from the military in 1993, he was among the most popular public figures in America and a coveted potential candidate for president who was eyed by strategists of both parties. Mr. Powell ultimately registered as a Republican and spoke at the 1996 Republican National Convention, though he hardly adhered to G.O.P. orthodoxies. He spoke about how Republicans must be the party of inclusion, his own belief in a womans right to choose and his support of affirmative action. Mr. Powell never ran for president, but he served in the next Republican administration, as secretary of state and national security adviser to President George W. Bush. And though Mr. Powell was long identified as a Republican and a conservative, the last Republican presidential candidate he backed was the one he worked for: Mr. Bush in 2004. He endorsed Barack Obama in 2008, stunning party leaders when he said the election of Mr. Obama as the countrys first Black president would electrify the world. Then he endorsed him again in 2012. And in 2016, he endorsed Hillary Clinton over Donald J. Trump; hacked emails showed him writing, Trump is nuts. In 2020, he endorsed Joseph R. Biden Jr. This January, four days after the riot at the United States Capitol led by supporters of Mr. Trump seeking to stop the certification of the 2020 election, Mr. Powell said he was officially leaving the party. I can no longer call myself a fellow Republican, he said in an interview on CNN. Im not a fellow of anything right now. Im just a citizen who has voted Republican, voted Democrat throughout my entire career. The death of former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday from complications of Covid-19 has provided fuel for vaccine skeptics and opponents, who immediately seized on the news that Mr. Powell had been vaccinated to stoke doubts about the effectiveness of the vaccines. But Mr. Powells immune system had quite likely been weakened by multiple myeloma, a cancer of white blood cells. Both the disease and the treatment can make people more susceptible to infections. His age, 84, may also have increased his risk, scientists said. Mr. Powell received his second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in February, said Peggy Cifrino, his longtime aide. He was scheduled for a booster last week but fell ill before he received it, she said. Mr. Powell had also undergone treatment for early stage Parkinsons disease, she said. Although Mr. Powells death is a high-profile tragedy, scientists emphasized that it should not undermine confidence in the Covid-19 vaccines, which drastically reduce the odds of severe disease and death. By law, redistricting occurs in Texas once every 10 years. Is this year more significant than usual? CORASANITI Whats critical this year is that some of the guardrails when it comes to redistricting have been eroded in the federal court. The Supreme Court in 2019 said federal courts arent the place to challenge partisan gerrymandering. And in 2013 there was a big landmark case that hollowed out one of the core provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965: Preclearance. States with a history of discrimination there were nine states, Texas was one of them used to have to get any changes to voting laws or maps cleared by the Department of Justice, and they didnt have to do that this year. And its also coming on the heels of a pretty protracted attack on access to voting, which makes it all the more important that we keep a very close eye on whats going on. From a graphics standpoint, what are you looking for? ELLA KOEZE Sources in Texas who are familiar with the political geography of the state and where different populations live tell us which areas to look at. For instance, theres a new district in Houston, so we wanted to zoom in on that. From there, were trying to make the map as clear as we can and include only the things that will illustrate that point, labeling only what we need to label. We want the graphics to make it easy for readers to see the exact mechanism at work thats driving this huge process thats so fundamental to our democracy. What were you hoping to show with this article? DENISE LU We wanted to visually show readers how certain districts in Texas are going to be very different from how they are now, and how a lot of these new districts would change in partisan lean. Redistricting is inherently such a map-based concept, so it was obvious we would be utilizing maps in how we show these changes, but we really wanted to emphasize just how the new districts would be parceled along partisan lines. How long do legislators spend parsing how to draw these maps for maximum advantage? CORASANITI It seems like, when you look at the calendar, they called a special session and did this in just a few days, right? But that couldnt be further from the truth. The legislature and state parties look at every election over the entire decade, examining every change and swing, and seeing where populations are moving and voters are relocating, to be ready when redistricting arrives. Is there any legal recourse for the opposing party? CORASANITI The only real recourse and this is going to be the second wave of redistricting reporting is lawsuits. They were pretty common in the last cycle. Some were very successful, like in North Carolina, which was forced to redraw its maps twice between 2011 and 2020 after they were found to be discriminatory. There are very, very difficult questions that need to be raised around the disconnect between our stated American ideals and the way in which they were not respected when it came to certain people, she said. I think those are topics that should not be shied away from. The society already had an exhibition about monuments on its calendar for early next year. Assuming the design commission gives the loan a green light today, Mirrer said, the Jefferson statue would be installed not as a part of the exhibition but as a coordinated element later on. She envisions a display covering the relationship between the founding ideals of freedom and equality set down by Jefferson and their lived experience, which included supporting slavery and owning enslaved people. The statue was commissioned by someone who did not own slaves, she said Commodore Uriah Phillips Levy, the Navys first Jewish flag officer. Levy admired Jefferson for his views on religious freedom. The book Saving Monticello suggests that Levy more than admired one of Jeffersons granddaughters: he at least flirted with the idea of marrying her in 1835, the author, Marc Leepson, wrote. That was a year after Levy bought Monticello, Jeffersons home in Charlottesville, Va., for $2,700. Levy proudly gave the statue to the city. The city gave him an award that came not with a medal but a gold snuff box, according to Leepson. The statue was a plaster model of the one in the United States Capitol and was bronzed, so the two look more or less the same. Both were the work of Pierre-Jean David dAngers, whom Victor Hugo called the Michelangelo of Paris. The historical society, which has Levys sword in its collection and has featured him in past exhibitions, heard from officials from the City Council several months ago who asked if it would be interested in the statue. My instant reaction was yes, Mirrer said. She said as a museum with a large number of visitors, most of them school children, the historical society can display an object like the Jefferson statue to provoke people into thinking more deeply about the American past than they do in a somewhat rarefied context like the City Council chambers in City Hall. What other parts of the city shaped you? In middle school, I was a graffiti artist, so I always explored the city in the weird hours between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. It takes you through the city in a different way; you are going through tunnels and train tracks and all these abandoned and forgotten parts of the city. I learned to see the city as an organism how it moves and connects together and thats pretty incredible. I also started realizing how the city can be perceived differently at different times. When you are traversing the world at night and the next day you are part of civilized life going to school, you see all the different worlds in the same space. You stayed in the city during the pandemic. Why? I was working on Air. We built this prototype for it in Times Square, and I would bring my friends who were suffering there privately, and they would listen to the music and take in the lights, and they could just be there with their thoughts. I found that it gave them this hopeful, positive feeling, and that inspired me that everyone could feel that way, even on a cursory visit. The possibility of what Air could do for the city was what kept me going. But even if I didnt have a project I would have stayed because the city is my source of inspiration. In good times and in bad times I am always connected to it. This is an issue that is not going to be simple to explicate, excavate or decide, said Commissioner Merryl H. Tisch, who suggested shelving the motion for further research. She later floated the idea of displaying the statue at the New York Public Library, next to a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Some public speakers argued that the statue should remain in the Council chambers, suggesting that its placement there could facilitate the debate over his legacy. Assemblyman Charles Barron, the former councilman who tried to get the statue removed in 2001, vehemently disagreed. I dont think it should go anywhere. I dont think it should exist, Mr. Barron said at the hearing. I think it should be put in storage or destroyed or whatever. The imposing statue, which sits on an almost 5-foot-tall pedestal, is a plaster model of the bronze statue of Jefferson that is on display in the United States Capitol Rotunda in Washington. It was commissioned in 1833 by Uriah P. Levy, the first Jewish commodore in the United States Navy, to commemorate Jeffersons advocacy of religious freedom in the armed forces. The Jefferson statue in Washington, by the celebrated French artist Pierre-Jean David dAngers, was dedicated to the American people. The painted plaster version was later donated to New Yorkers and arrived at City Hall around 1834. When it first arrived in New York, Levy charged to view it and used the proceeds to feed the poor. It was installed in the City Council Chamber in the 1910s. Annette Gordon-Reed, a Harvard Law School professor and a Jefferson expert, objected to the idea of taking down the Jefferson statue, but said that if it were to move to the New-York Historical Society, where she serves as a trustee, it would be a best-case scenario. To the Editor: Re Crucial Element of Climate Plan Likely to Be Cut (front page, Oct. 16): History will not be kind to Senator Joe Manchin, who has arrogated to himself the right to deep-six the clean electricity program in President Bidens budget bill. Apparently Mr. Manchin and all 50 Senate Republicans need to see the nation and their own constituents engulfed in even more drought, wildfires, hurricanes and floods before they wake up to the devastation occurring all around them from the burning of fossil fuels. Mr. Manchin, of course, represents West Virginia, where coal is king. So he has chosen to trade any hope of a stable future environment for mankind in return for a few more years of coal jobs and cushy surroundings in the Senate. His is the face of utter folly. Benjamin Clay Jones Kalamazoo, Mich. To the Editor: I lived in West Virginia from 1971 to 1996. Few politicians in West Virginia history have held as much power for as many years as Joe Manchin. He failed to modernize and diversify West Virginias economy during his years as governor. And now as senator here he is, propping up a dying industry that has laid waste to the state he claims to love so much and holding the rest of us hostage to the greed of the constituency he really serves. Joe doesnt worry about climate change. He can afford to live anywhere he wants. And the floods that annually ravage his beloved West Virginia, well, Joe has a yacht to keep him high and dry no matter how miserable life may be for the citizens he serves. Hundreds of poachers are arrested each year for killing elephants, rhinos, pangolins and other animals in Africa. Yet the problem persists, because there is always a ready supply of desperate men to take the place of those put behind bars. Higher-level criminals, on the other hand those who really drive the international illegal wildlife trade almost always evade justice. Malawi, the southern African nation bounded by Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia, once fell prey to this lax law enforcement and became one of the biggest wildlife trafficking hubs in Southern Africa, said Dudu Douglas-Hamilton, head of counter wildlife trafficking at the Elephant Crisis Fund, a nonprofit group that supports conservation projects across Africa. But significant efforts on the ground to combat the countrys difficulties with poaching and trafficking have started to pay off, and the example Malawi is now setting may show other African nations how they can do the same. On Sept. 28, a judge in Lilongwe, the countrys capital, sentenced Yunhua Lin to as much as 14 years in prison for a variety of charges he was previously found guilty of: rhino horn possession and dealing, and money laundering. Investigators say Mr. Lin, a 48-year-old Chinese citizen, played a central role in turning Malawi into a wildlife crime hot spot. After he serves his concurrent sentences, he will be deported to China. BRUNSWICK, Ga. A complicated jury selection process kicked off Monday in the trial of the three white men accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man they had chased through a coastal Georgia neighborhood, with lawyers sparring over what kinds of questions the hundreds of potential jurors could be subjected to, including questions about their views on race and the Confederate battle flag. The slaying of Mr. Arbery, which was filmed by one of the men and viewed worldwide, sparked outrage and protest. In and around Brunswick, a city of about 15,000 people, it led to a resurgence of civil rights organizing and political activism. On Monday, there was a palpable sense of tension as journalists, TV trucks and activists gathered outside of the Glynn County Courthouse amid moss-draped trees and a gentle breeze off the nearby East River. A few dozen protesters, some of whom had come from out of town, carried signs declaring Justice for Ahmaud. It may be difficult to find local residents who have not closely followed the most explosive murder case in South Georgia in decades, but the court system is making an extraordinary effort to seat a local jury. As many as 1,000 people could eventually be called for service in Glynn County, which has a population of about 84,500. She was desperate to hold on to this apartment, which she said was among the cheapest she could find that felt safe and comfortable enough to share with four of her children. The school that two of her children attend is nearby; her youngest sons day care is across the street. The church close by has provided the family with assistance since Ms. Reynoldss mother, who was a member, died in 2018. Her daughters baby, who died after being born prematurely, is buried in a cemetery up the road. With the rent taken care of, she looked forward to buying a car; she had lost the lease on one after she stopped driving for Lyft early in the pandemic. With limited public transportation to her suburban neighborhood, she pays about $200 a week to get her family around. But then, in August, her property manager put her on a month-to-month lease and added a $75 fee to the $1,185-a-month rent. When Ms. Reynolds asked to renew the yearly lease instead, the manager refused, citing her delayed rent payments. It just devastated me, Ms. Reynolds said. I fought so hard to keep this place. Her salary is not two or three times the rent as required by most nearby apartments. She found two apartments that she can afford nearby but is waiting until her next paycheck to cover the $250 application fee for each. Last night, I just had to pray really, really hard, because it gets to me, she said. I want my kids to have a home. This is our home its not the best place in world, but its our home. And I wanted to maintain that. Sean Keenan contributed reporting. As secretary of state, Colin L. Powell was a reluctant warrior in President George W. Bushs push to invade Iraq after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He warned the president that the invasion could destabilize the Middle East, upset oil markets and divert political will and resources from the unfinished fight against Al Qaeda. In a two-hour meeting with Mr. Bush on Aug. 5, 2002, Mr. Powell laid down what became known as the Pottery Barn rules: You break it, youre going to own it. Mr. Powell did not recommend whether the country should go to war or not that, he believed, was the presidents prerogative but he outlined options. After a failed diplomatic effort to avert a conflict, Mr. Bush turned to Mr. Powell to bolster the administrations case for use of force if the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, did not comply with international demands. In a 76-minute speech at the United Nations on Feb. 5, 2003, Mr. Powell pressed the American case for a possible war to disarm Iraq, presenting photographs, electronic intercepts of conversations between Iraqi military officers and information from defectors aimed at proving that Saddam Hussein posed an imminent danger to the world. WASHINGTON In two unsigned decisions without noted dissents, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled in favor of police officers accused of using excessive force. The rulings were a signal that the court continues to support the doctrine of qualified immunity, which can shield police misconduct from lawsuits seeking damages. The doctrine has been the subject of criticism across the ideological spectrum, and it became a flash point in the nationwide protests last year over police brutality, with activists and lawmakers calling for its reconsideration. The doctrine requires plaintiffs to overcome a daunting hurdle. They must not only show that the official accused of misconduct violated a constitutional right, but also that the right had been clearly established in a previous ruling. The Supreme Court has generally required a tight factual fit between an earlier ruling and challenged conduct. Critics of the doctrine were heartened by two rulings this year that called on appeals courts to reconsider rulings in favor of corrections officers accused of mistreating prisoners. One prisoner was held in what the court called shockingly unsanitary cells, and the other was sprayed in the face with a chemical for no reason at all. It is a real word, Professor Wolf said in an interview. It makes sense in context. And it changes the meaning. He said it was impossible to know whether the incorrect statement affected the outcome in the cases in which judges considered or cited it. Well never know the answer to that, he said, though if we have judges who favor the private property owner at the expense of the government, I think it could be more than just icing on the cake. In all, though, Professor Wolf said, the oft-cited mistake served to amplify one view of property rights. It gave an additional argument to the private property rights movement, he said. And they have been very successful almost every time in pushing new theories. And this is a big one, because it supports the almost commonly held notion that you have a right to do on your property what is reasonable. Thats not the way it works, he said. The way it works is that the government has the right to place reasonable restrictions on your use of property. I know its subtle, but thats a big difference. The 1928 typo, Professor Wolf wrote, has spawned a legacy of misrepresentations and given rise to a reign of error. In an Oct. 18 resignation letter to Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, in which he said he would step down on Tuesday, Mr. Khalilzad said that he was asked to join the Trump administration after the decision had been made to substantially reduce or end the military and economic burden of the Afghan engagement on the U.S. and to free those resources for vital priorities, including domestic needs and the challenge of dealing with issues related to China. Mr. Khalilzad, who long supported the vision of a more modernized, pluralistic and democratic Afghanistan, lamented in his letter that the political arrangement between the Afghan government and the Taliban did not go forward as envisaged. The reasons for this are too complex and I will share my thoughts in the coming days and weeks, after leaving government service, he wrote. As the Taliban stormed through the country in August, capturing city after city, Mr. Khalilzad continued to negotiate with its leaders, urging them to negotiate a peaceful political transition and political power-sharing agreement with the Afghan government. He was unable to do so before President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Aug. 15, saying he feared for his life. After the Taliban captured Kabul, Mr. Khalilzad helped facilitate safe passage for American civilians and at-risk Afghans. In all, 120,000 people were evacuated from the country. A naturalized American citizen, Mr. Khalilzad had a lifelong personal investment in the country he first left for the United States as a high school exchange student. He served as envoy for Afghanistan during the Bush administration and then U.S. ambassador, and even once considered seeking the Afghan presidency. The video is short but harrowing. The camera lens quickly zooms past a car and focuses on the scene behind it: A sheriffs deputy in Louisiana, who towers over a small Black woman, is slamming her onto the ground. The woman is lying on her back, and the deputy is hunched over her. He is clenching her left wrist with one hand, and her left forearm with another, and hoisting her body off the ground. He throws her back onto the ground. Down. Up. Down. Up. Someone record that, a woman off camera can be heard saying. It appears the deputy is holding her by her hair now. He kneels down, possibly on top of her, and the video cuts out. BOGOTA, Colombia The calls are often urgent and pleading. Ive hit my wife. Ive lost my temper. Im jealous and dont know what to do. Callers are young and old, wealthy and poor. But they all have one thing in common: Theyre men. The new hotline they are calling is aimed at fighting violence against women. But instead of focusing on women, it puts men at the center of the conversation, in an effort to teach them to understand their emotions and control their actions. The shift is simple, but profound. The idea of the Calm Line, as it is called, is not just to prevent violence, but to address what many experts say is one of its root causes: machismo, the often ingrained belief that men must be dominant. By pushing men to focus on how that often unexamined attitude is hurting their lives and the lives of those around them, the program seeks to inspire a profound cultural change, said Nicolas Montero, who leads Bogotas culture office, which introduced the Calm Line in early September, after a pilot that began last year. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti The American government has a team on the ground in Haiti working with the American Embassy and the local authorities to recover a group of kidnapped missionaries and their children, White House and law-enforcement officials said Monday. The president has been briefed and is receiving regular updates on what the State Department and the F.B.I. are doing to bring these individuals home safely, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said at a news briefing. We can confirm their engagement, and the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince is coordinating with local authorities and providing assistance to the families to resolve the situation. The brazen attack, in which a Haitian gang captured 16 Americans and one Canadian working with the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, is the most recent example of the lack of security in Haiti, where many feel violence and crime have spiraled out of control. On Monday, some Haitians took to the streets to demand that it be stopped. Small, peaceful protests erupted across the country, with groups in at least eight towns and cities demanding a government response. Some burned tires and blocked roads with barricades. Many stores in the capital, Port-au-Prince, were closed, including gas stations, part of a general strike aimed at forcing the government crack down on the increasingly powerful gangs. Myanmars ruling junta announced on Monday that it would free more than 5,600 anti-regime protesters this week in its first significant release of political prisoners since seizing power in a Feb. 1 coup. The junta said it was granting the prisoners amnesty to mark the Lighting Festival, a three-day holiday that begins on Tuesday. But it gave no indication of whether top officials of the ousted civilian government, including its leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, would be among those released. Most of the protesters were arrested during a brutal crackdown this year as millions of people took to the streets and staged a national strike. Soldiers and the police killed more than 1,170 protesters often by shooting them in the head and have detained more than 7,300 others, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group. In recent months, the military has successfully suppressed street protests, but it faces frequent guerrilla attacks in cities. It is also clashing with newly formed rebel units in outlying areas, including Chin State, where witnesses say the military is building up forces. No industry is safe from the realities of layoffs. Not even wizarding. After more than two decades as the official wizard of Christchurch, Ian Brackenbury Channell, 88, saw his $10,000 annual contract go poof last week, according to Stuff, a news site in New Zealand. No longer will the city payroll support acts of wizardry and other wizard-like services, as his contract had demanded since 1998. No longer will taxpayers pay for his rain dances, philosophizing and perhaps more tangibly his magnetism to tourists. They are a bunch of bureaucrats who have no imagination, Mr. Channell, known most commonly as the Wizard, said of the Christchurch City Council, according to Stuff. Some fair questions might follow: What does an official wizard do? What are wizard-like services? How does one become a paid wizard? Colin L. Powell, who in four decades of public life served as the nations top soldier, diplomat and national security adviser, and whose speech at the United Nations in 2003 helped pave the way for the United States to go to war in Iraq, died on Monday. He was 84. He died of complications of Covid-19, his family said in a statement. He had been fully vaccinated and was treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., where he died, his family said. Mr. Powell had undergone treatment for multiple myeloma, which compromised his immune system, a spokeswoman said. Mr. Powell was a path breaker serving as the countrys first African American national security adviser, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state. Born in Harlem of Jamaican parents, Mr. Powell grew up in the South Bronx and graduated from City College of New York, joining the Army through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. From a young second lieutenant commissioned in the dawn of a newly desegregated Army, Mr. Powell served two decorated combat tours in Vietnam. He was later national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan at the end of the Cold War, helping to negotiate arms treaties and an era of cooperation with the Soviet president, Mikhail S. Gorbachev. LONDON Politicians from across the political divide on Monday united in tribute to David Amess, the British lawmaker killed in an assault last week that has heightened concerns about security arrangements for members of Parliament. The police have declared the attack a terrorist incident and have until Friday to charge the man being held for the assault on Mr. Amess. Three houses in and around London have been searched by antiterror detectives but no clear motive has yet been disclosed for the assault. The authorities have not named the suspect, but British press reports identified him as Ali Harbi Ali, 25, a British national of Somali heritage and son of Harbi Ali Kullane, an adviser to a former prime minister of Somalia who currently resides in London. Addressing Parliament on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told lawmakers that Mr. Amess was taken from us in a contemptible act of violence, striking at the core of what it is to be a member of this House. He said Parliament had lost a patriot who believed passionately in this country, in its people, in its future, and one of its nicest, kindest, and most gentle individuals. HODMEZOVASARHELY, Hungary A devout Catholic, he abhors abortion as murder and once voted for Viktor Orban, Hungarys pugnacious populist leader, impressed by his promises to root out corruption and end the disarray left by years of leftist rule. On Sunday, however, Peter Marki-Zay, the mayor of this town in Hungarys conservative rural heartland, became the most potent threat yet to the decade-long stranglehold on the country by Mr. Orban and his combative brand of far-right nationalism. Mr. Marki-Zay, 49, victorious in a primary election that brought together six previously squabbling opposition parties, is now the standard-bearer for a rickety political alliance that will challenge and, according to opinion polls, perhaps defeat Mr. Orban and his political machine, Fidesz, in legislative elections next year. Previous challengers hoping to unseat Mr. Orban, who has been prime minister since 2010, mostly channeled the frustrations and anger of a liberal elite in Budapest. This time, the mayor is fighting Fidesz on its own terms and home turf small towns and villages where many voters, Mr. Marki-Zay included, once found comfort in Mr. Orbans conservative message but grew disenchanted with what they see as his corruption, hypocrisy and authoritarian tendencies. OSLO The attacker who went on a rampage in a town in Norway killed his five victims using a sharp object, not a bow and arrow as had been widely reported, the Norwegian police announced on Monday. Espen Andersen Brathen, who confessed to the crime, did shoot arrows at people from a hunting bow during part of his attack last Wednesday in the town of Kongsberg, which also wounded at least three people. At some point in the rampage, the police said at a news conference Monday, he discarded the bow. The fatal blows are now said to have been delivered by a stabbing weapon or weapons, which the police did not identify. Four women and one man were killed in the attack about 50 miles southwest of Oslo. But it was the rarity of the other weapon used in the attack that caught the worlds attention, and if the hunting bow did not cause any deaths, it was responsible for at least one injury, that of an off-duty police officer who was struck by an arrow. MOSCOW After Sofia Kravetskaya got vaccinated with Russias Sputnik V vaccine last December, she became a pariah on the Moscow playground where she takes her young daughter. When I mentioned I volunteered in the trials and I got my first shot, people started running away from me, she said. They believed that if you were vaccinated, the virus is inside you and youre contagious. For Ms. Kravetskaya, 36, the reaction reflected the prevalent mistrust in the Russian authorities that has metastasized since the pandemic began last year. That skepticism, pollsters and sociologists say, is the main reason only one third of the countrys population is fully vaccinated, despite the availability of free inoculations. The reluctance to get vaccinated is producing an alarming surge, experts say. On Saturday, Russia exceeded 1,000 deaths in a 24-hour period for the first time since the pandemic began. (Britain, with a little less than half the population, had 57 deaths in a recent 24-hour period.) On Monday, Russia broke another record with more than 34,000 new infections registered in the previous 24 hours. LONDON When President Biden met Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the White House last month, one of Mr. Bidens advisers passed him a note reminding him to raise the issue of trade tensions over Northern Ireland. Weve already talked about that, the president said, according to people in the room, referring to a one-on-one session he had held with Mr. Johnson before the group meeting. It is not clear what Mr. Biden told his British guest, but the presidents interest in Northern Ireland has not diminished since then. In recent days, unprompted, Mr. Biden asked his staff for an update on the negotiations between Britain and the European Union over trade arrangements in Northern Ireland. He urged them to relay a message to the Johnson government that it should not do anything that would jeopardize the peace accord in the North, according to officials familiar with the discussions. Mr. Bidens deep political and familial ties to Ireland set him apart from his predecessor, Donald J. Trump, who was an avid supporter of Brexit and encouraged Mr. Johnsons tangles with Brussels. It also makes the United States an important offstage player in the latest chapter of the long-running Brexit saga. A bank manager in the U.A.E. was conned into authorizing a $35 million transfer after receiving vocal confirmation from the account holder. Only that wasnt who the manager thought they were Early last year, the manager of an undisclosed bank in the United Arab Emirates received a call from a longtime client the director of a company with whom he had spoken before. The man was excited that his company was about to make an important acquisition, so he needed the bank to authorize a transfer of $35 million as soon as possible. The client added that a lawyer named Martin Zelner had been contracted to handle the acquisition, and the manager could see emails from the lawyer in his inbox. He had spoken to the client before, he recognized his voice, and everything he said checked out. So he proceeded to make the most expensive mistake of his career Photo: B_A/Pixabay The bank manager authorized the bank transfers, confident that everything was legitimate, but in reality, he had just fallen victim to an elaborate, high-tech swindle. The person he had talked to on the phone had used AI-powered deepvoice technology to clone the bank clients voice and make it impossible for anyone to tell it apart from the original. The mega-heist was revealed in court documents in which the U.A.E. was seeking American investigators help in tracking down part of the $35 million ($400,000) that apparently went into U.S.-based accounts held by Centennial Bank. Not much info has been revealed in this case, apart from the fact that U.A.E. authorities believe that the elaborate scheme involved at least 17 people and that the money was sent to accounts all over the world, to make it difficult to track down and recover. Neither the Dubai Public Prosecution Office nor the American lawyer mentioned by the fraudsters, Martin Zelner, had responded to Forbes request for comment, at the time of this writing. Its only the second known case of a bank heist involving deepvoice technology, with the first occurring in 2019, but cybercrime experts warn that this is only the beginning. Both deepfake video and deepvoice technologies have evolved at an astonishing pace, and criminals are bound to take advantage of them. Manipulating audio, which is easier to orchestrate than making deep fake videos, is only going to increase in volume and without the education and awareness of this new type of attack vector, along with better authentication methods, more businesses are likely to fall victim to very convincing conversations, cybersecurity expert Jake Moore said. We are currently on the cusp of malicious actors shifting expertise and resources into using the latest technology to manipulate people who are innocently unaware of the realms of deep fake technology and even their existence. The thought of a sample of your voice, be it from a YouTube or Facebook video, or from a simple phone call, being used to clone your voice for malicious purposes is sort of terrifying Tsovkra-1, a small village in the mountains of Russias Dagestan autonomous republic, is famous for being the only place in the world where the entire able-bodied population knows how to walk a tightrope. No one knows exactly how the tightrope-walking tradition of Tsovkra-1 (named 1 because of another Tsvokra village nearby) began, but one thing is for sure for the last 100 years, every able-bodied man, woman, and child in the village has learned the walk a tightrope, and many have gone on to become circus performers. Although Tsovkra-1s population has dropped from around 3,000 in the 1980s to under 400 today, all those who remain are trained in the art of tightrope walking. Photo: Sean Benesh/Unsplash Legend has it that the men of Tsovkra-1 learned the precarious art of tightrope walking as a way to reach their lovers faster. Tired of trekking for days to court women in villages on nearby mountains, looked for shortcuts and walking tightrope proved ideal. However, few actually believe this romantic theory. Some locals think it was just an efficient way of crossing rivers and chasms when bridges broke down, and others claim that it was an easy way to make money in a land where agriculture simply isnt possible. There is no land for cultivation here, no grain, no bread, so in order to feed their families, men here started rope-walking, local man Nukh Isayev told Diagonal View. They performed in Russia, in Central Asia, and there was a group from here that performed for the glory of the whole Soviet Union. Tsovkra-1s tightrope-walking tradition stretches back further than anyone can remember, but by the 19th century, the remote Dagestani was already famous for it. Rope-walking schools Tsovkra-1 trained young children to become circus performers and they went on to entertain masses throughout the vast Russian empire and win prizes in international competitions. Unfortunately, the glory days of tightrope walking are long gone, and that has impacted Tsovkra-1 immensly. There is no future in pursuing a tightrope-walking career, so most youths just get regular jobs in larger Russian towns and cities, with only some practicing their villages tradition as a hobby. That said, everyone in Tsovkra-1 is said to still be able to walk a tightrope. Not everyone can do tricks on the rope, and some of the older people dont do it anymore because its too hard for them. But every single able-bodied person here can walk the tightrope, Ramazan Gadzhiyev, a teacher at the Tsovkra-1 rope-walking school, told The Independent. Unfortunately, with little to no funding for Tsovkra-1s rope-walking school and the mass exodus of its youths, the villages unique tradition is about to become a memory UN Women, which fights to end discrimination and empower females, seeks a firm to run PR for its liaison office for the Gulf Cooperation Council, located in the United Arab Emirates. THE Bank of Ireland in Clara closed its doors for the final time last Friday October 8. Fianna Fail Councillor Frank Moran described it as, "yet another blow to the town of Clara and in particular the people of Clara and surrounding areas who have made that bank what is was for decades". He continued, "for Bank Of Ireland to leave the town without a 24hr bank machine is a kick in the face from the bank, however local shops have a facility to withdraw cash from their stores and the local Credit Union have recently launched a Debit Card whereby you can now open a current account with them and arrange all facilities provided by the bank within the Credit Union and the local Post Office have also taken on some of the facilities the bank provided. In relation to the actual Bank of Ireland building Cllr Moran stated, I have spoken on this issue previously and the possibility of providing working hubs within the building post its closure and I think that would be a great advantage to have in the town whereby people or businesses could avail of a hot desk/hub to work from that is one possibility and Offaly County Council could secure funding under the Town & Village Renewal Scheme for its purchase, however once negotiations start and hopefully progress will be forthcoming any potential use for the building will result in a public consultation process where the community can have their say. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of the BOI over the years for their excellent assistance shown to one and all and wish them every success in their future endeavours," concluded Cllr Moran. Bernie Henry of the Clara Heritage group wrote: ''It is is sad to see the closure of the Bank of Ireland at Church Street Clara. An institution that has served Clara for many years, it will be missed by the people of Church Street and of Clara. While the Credit Union and the Post Office will help to fill the gap in services to the town, the closure of any business is a great loss to Clara. Hopefully the new owner of the property will respect the heritage value of the property and will bring new life to Church Street. The Clara Heritage Society would like to thank all those who worked at the Bank for many generations for their contribution to the town and wish the current staff best wishes in their new locations, where ever that might be.'' A six month suspended sentence was imposed on an Offaly man for drink driving at a recent sitting of Tullamore District Court. On May 16, 2021, at Corkery Lane. Edendery, Kestutis Paniotinas (29) 18, St Patricks Avenue Rhode, Offaly, drove a vehicle while drunk, A urine sample gave a reading of 273 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine. Mr Paniotinas also drove the vehicle at a speed which was dangerous to the public. He had also driven while disqualified. The defendant had previous convictions for no insurance and had been disqualified from driving for four years in 2019. He was also disqualified in 2017 for having no insurance. He had no previous convictions for drunk driving. Barrister Suzanne Dooner said Mr Paniotinas is a native of Lithuania and has been living in Ireland for the past 12 years.He is a mechanic by trade. Judge Catherine Staines said it was a serious matter to drive while disqualified. In addition to the suspended sentence she disqualified Mr Paniotinas for four years. She imposed a three year disqualification for drunk driving. She struck out the charge of dangerous driving. One Offaly school has unveiled clever environmental sensors to monitor things like temperature and CO2 emissions as part of a new green project. Further to the launch of the e-denderry IoT - Internet of Things | LoRaWAN Connectivity | Smart Town Technology project earlier this year, e-denderry has announced another step forward with St. Marys Secondary School in the town. This comes through the deployment of environmental sensors in the three types of buildings on the school grounds for pupils access to temperature, humidity, air pressure and CO2 readings of the locations and use of the data for school work in relevant subjects and classroom-based assessments. Overseeing the installation of these last, Friday, October 15 as part of An Taisce Green Schools Climate Action Week (11-17th October), Sharon Ryan Vice Principal of the school reflects on the approach taken by Anne Marie Nestor, the Science teacher who made initial contact before the summer with Offaly Co Co and Cellnex as to how the school might contribute to and benefit from working with the e-denderry project. Ms Ryan said: "This is a very interesting opportunity for us to move into further aspects of environment awareness within our buildings and to see how the metrics from around the different locations in the school can help us become aware of energy management opportunities that might ensue. As a well-established Green School, its always great to see what new ways of understanding our environment can help in school management systems and to get that information utilized by our school population. Paul Delaney, Sales Director with Cellnex Ireland outlines the benefits to all parties in the project - were pleased to commence work with St. Marys and colleagues there. Its important to us that the educational aspects of what we are doing in the wider e-denderry project are considered useful activities for school science and other subjects; and from an information sharing and learning perspective as to how the Internet of Things and LoRaWAN can raise awareness of environmental conditions, indoor and outdoor as regards energy awareness and support to the climate change agenda. Welcoming the new aspect of the e-denderry project with thanks to Cellnex, Catriona Hilliard Broadband/Digital Officer, Offaly County Council says this demonstrates further collaboration of the e-denderry project for community benefit; with the smart sensors from Safecility, the LoRaWAN network and the Cellnex Smartbrain. Its a great chance for pupils to access smart information to support their learning and development and for the school to become part of smart activity in the town, as part of Digital Offaly work and our STEM support activities." Daniel ODonnell will be the headline act at a special tribute concert being organised to celebrate the memories of the three McGinley children - Conor, Darragh and Carla. The three children were killed by their mother, Deirdre Morley, who earlier this year, was found not guilty of their murder by reason of insanity. Their father, Andrew McGinley is from Donegal Town, and now lives in Dublin. He revealed how Daniel agreed to perform at the concert without hesitation. The special gig will take place at Newcastle Community Centre in Co. Dublin on June 2 next year. Im absolutely delighted, Mr McGinley told the Irish Independent. You couldnt get a bigger star in the whole of Ireland and Im really thrilled Daniel has agreed to perform. You will be able to buy raffle tickets through the website, AsDarraghdid.ie and we will be drawing out 30 winners on December 15, which is Carlas birthday. Each winner will be getting four tickets to the concert. As part of the prize, the 30 lucky winners who are drawn will also get overnight accommodation and a meal prepared by Michelin-starred chef Derry Clarke. Tickets are available on the website www.asdarraghdid.ie priced at 10 each with five for 45 and ten tickets on sale for 85. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us both how far we can go together and how deep we can sink alone, according to UN Human Rights High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, speaking during her opening statement to the 2021 Social Forum. This years Social Forum focused on the pandemic and its human rights consequences. Bringing together some 40 speakers from 30 countries across different regions, it highlighted how longstanding social and economic inequalities within and between countries have only deepened over the last 18 months. The panellists common messages were clear: a global problem requires a global solution. A range of issues were addressed: among others, the pandemics impact on vulnerable and marginalised groups; education, climate change, and the lack of access of the worlds poor to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. COVID-19 healthcare: Unless everyone is safe, no one is safe Unequal access to COVID-19 vaccines continues to widen the gap between rich and poor, outlined Bachelet, putting millions of lives in danger. More than 80% of doses administered around the world have gone to high and upper-middle income countries, even though they account for less than half of the worlds population. For Abdul-Karim Hashim Mostafa, Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Social Forum, ensuring access to COVID-19 vaccines is not only the right thing to do, it is in the interest of us all. Unless everyone is safe, no one is safe, said Mostafa. A well-coordinated global approach to the development and distribution of vaccines based on solidarity of all nations and people is the most effective, sustainable, and moral response to the crisis. On the issue of vaccine nationalism by rich countries, Obiora Chinedu Okafor, the UN Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity, called for these countries to recommit to COVAX, the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility. While commending many countries for contributing large amounts of money and vaccines to COVAX, they undermine its effectiveness when they simultaneously engage in vaccine hoarding. Jomo Kwame Sundaram,Senior Adviser at the Khazanah Research Institute in Malaysia, added that the divide between the global North and South is worsening, urging countries to adopt a whole of society approach to recover from the pandemic and achieve sustainable development. Vaccine policies: a fine balance between individual freedom and collective rights COVID-19 has had an impact on civil rights the world over, said panelists. One contentious issue in many countries remains the use of so-called vaccine policies or regulations put in place to ensure certain members of the population are vaccinated, for example restaurant staff or workers in aged care. Health passports for the general population, which indicate vaccination and / or COVID-19 status, are also commonplace. For Kasari Govender, Human Rights Commissioner of British Columbia in Canada, it is important to find the balance between respect for individual freedoms and the need to promote the rights of the collective. Govender raised the multiple appeals against such policies, with people citing the right to bodily autonomy. Yet, what is missing from their argument, she said, is that making our communities safer through vaccines and related policies is the primary way to protect the bodily autonomy of those at most risk. Upholding individual rights while acting collectively to protect one another has been a challenge throughout the pandemic, Govender said. We must maintain a careful balance between the rights of people who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine due to disability or other protected ground of discrimination, and individual and collective rights to health and safety. COVID-19, climate change, and the importance of youth participation Panellists at the Forum pointed out that the pandemic has exacerbated the already devastating effects of the climate crisis, and a more collective response is required. Keynote speaker Nafesha Richardson, climate activist and founder of Spark SVG, called on governments to integrate youth in a more meaningful way in their COVID-19 recovery approaches, and in their policies to take action on the climate crisis. I urge governments and other institutions to make permanent legal provisions for dynamic youth inclusion, said Richardson. Richardson highlighted the need not only for youth inclusion, but for capacity building to improve youth engagement as well as an increase in funding for their activities. It is youth that will have to answer to the next generation, and you must take this opportunity to not repeat the errors of the past, she said. COVID-19 and discrimination Racial and ethnic discrimination has escalated amidst the pandemic leaving marginalised groups even more vulnerable. Racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, classism and extreme social insecurity are also negatively affecting peoples mental health, because of the structural and systemic oppression that they continue to live under every day, said Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right to health. Dominique Day, Chairperson of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent said that the pandemic has laid bare racial disparities and discrimination, exacerbating inequality in access to healthcare and treatment. This leads to higher rates of mortality and morbidity for people of African descent. Ms Day called on governments to take concrete action and toprioritise human rights, equality and racial equity, even amidst crisis. COVID-19 and international debt: reform needed and prevention key The debt crisis faced by some low and middle-income countries due to the impacts of the pandemic also requires an international and coordinated response, according to some of the panellists. Attiya Waris, UN Independent Expert on Foreign Debt, said that a reform of the international debt architecture is essential. For this reform, the debt architecture should have the capacity to respond to debt crises in an effective and timely manner, and it should most importantly serve to prevent future crises, she said. Upholding human rights should be an ultimate drive for the reform. Recovering better: a matter of conviction and collective action Solidarity and international cooperation are essential as we recover from the effects of the pandemic, according to the panellists. Working together for global solutions to global challenges across the diversity of the worlds cultures and civilizations, we keep hope alive, said Mostafa. For Bachelet, recovering better from the pandemic is a matter of conviction and collective action. It is our duty to present and future generations, she said. Only human rights will bring effective responses, backed by strong and inclusive multilateral action, international cooperation and global coordination. ENDS 18 October 2021 Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia: The Miami, Florida-based Starwood Capital Group has raised $10 billion for its latest real estate fund, bringing the U.S. private investment firm's total assets under management to over $95 billion. The fundraise for Starwood Distressed Opportunity Fund XII exceeded the $7.6 billion it had raised for a similar fund in 2018, the company said. The Miami Beach, Fla.-based firm said SOF XII will invest in distressed real estates such as hotels, office buildings, and residential housing. It can be invested in the U.S. and Europe, according to Barry Sternlicht, Starwood's chairman and chief executive. Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital said: "SOF XII is off to an excellent start and we are confident it will continue our tradition of finding valuable investments with over 35% of the fund deployed in closed and approved transactions." Michael Lefton, Managing Director and Global Head of Capital Raising and Investor Relations at Starwood Capital said: "We are privileged to work with a diverse and sophisticated investor base, including pensions, sovereign wealth funds, foundations, endowments, wealth managers, family offices, and high net worth investors from more than 30 countries." Starwood Capital affiliates have already closed or committed to 25 transactions in SOF XII, requiring over $3.5 billion of equity. These investments are in Australia, England, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the United States....................... To view our full article Click here Tashkent International Arbitration Centre (TIAC) at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and TIAC45 launch the TIAC Roster of Tribunal Secretaries As part of the inaugural Uzbek Arbitration Week, on 10 September 2021, TIAC and TIAC45 held a hybrid seminar to discuss the role of Tribunal Secretaries, the keynote address was delivered by Prof. Pierre Tercier. The seminar concluded with the launch of the Roster of Tribunal Secretaries. Houston, TX: Fast-growing jeweler Daniel & Co intends to bring more sparkle into the lives of Houston customers following the opening of their new Bellaire Boulevard store. The opening will serve as the company's flagship store, offering some of the largest selections of fine custom-made jewelry, high-quality diamonds, colored gemstones. They also feature brands from the world's most esteemed watchmakers, such as Rolex and Hublot, Cartier, Audemars Piguet and Patek MANISTEEA Manistee Area Tea Party meeting will be held at the banquet room at the Bungalow Inn, on U.S. 31, this coming Thursday. Manistee 19th Circuit Court Judge David A. Thompson will speak at the meeting. The topic of the meeting will be laws that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed in 2019. The laws are a package of 18 bills known as "Raise the Age" legislation. The bills were passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bills raised the age of who would be considered an adult under the criminal justice system from 17 to 18. The bills went into effect on Oct. 1 of this year. Sunday, Oct. 10 11:23 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Lee Township residence to locate a male that was involved in an assault in the city of Midland. The male was not at the residence. 10:46 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Jasper Township residence regarding a domestic assault. A 41-year-old male assaulted his 23-year-old daughter during an argument. The male was subsequently arrested for domestic assault. The male was lodged at the Midland County Jail. This report will be sent to the Midland County Prosecutor's Office. 10:25 p.m. Deputies responded to an Ingersoll Township roadway for a report of two people in clown suits parked on the side of the roadway. The caller reported they appeared to be out of gasoline. The deputy checked the area and nothing suspicious or spooky was located. 9:32 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Homer Township residence to assist a 34-year-old Homer Township male. While speaking to the deputy, the male said he was suicidal and wanted treatment. The male was transported to the MidMichigan Medical Center. 8:30 p.m. Deputies responded to a verbal argument between a 32-year-old Warren Township man and a 62-year-old South Carolina man. No assault occurred and parties were separated for the evening. No crime was committed. 5:59 p.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Bay City Road. 5:00 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to the area of eastbound US 10 near Hope Road overpass about a traffic hazard. Upon arriving in the area, the deputies observed a metal bed frame on the left side of the roadway, and they picked up the hazard. 4:52 p.m. A deputy responded to the hospital reference a one-year-old Lee Township child having their hand bit by a dog while at a relatives residence in Lee Township. An isolation notice was issued to the dog owner, a 73-year-old Lee Township man. 4:28 p.m. Deputy dispatched to a Midland Township location reference a small sink hole. The incident was reported to the Road Commission who arrived on scene and barricaded the area off until it could be fixed. 3:27 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Mount Haley Township residence reference a 14-year-old girl calling her mother about an unknown male at the door knocking. It was later discovered it was the girls younger brother who had somehow become locked outside. A deputy contacted the girl who advised she was all set. 2:06 p.m. Officers responded to a driver operating with a suspended license in the area of Airport and Perrine roads. 12:23 p.m. A 33-year-old male reported the larceny of $1,166 in property from a Warren Township residence. 12:16 p.m. Deputies contacted a Jerome Township mother who reported her 10-year-old son receiving unwanted communication from an adult male. The adult male accidentally contacted the 10-year-old juvenile but maintained a conversation. The mother advised the adult male to stop contacting her son and there has been no additional contact since. The mother of the 10-year-old requested deputies document and report the incident. 10:43 a.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of Jefferson Avenue and Hayley Street. 4:30 a.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Hope township residence for a report of a domestic dispute between a 38-year-old Hope Township male and a 39-year-old Hope Township female. Both parties were separated, and a report was completed and sent to the prosecutor's office for review. 2:07 a.m. Officers responded to a driver operating while intoxicated in the area of Waldo Avenue and Ridgecrest Drive. 1:25 a.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Mills Township roadway reference a traffic crash. The vehicle was not damaged. 1:08 a.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Warren Township residence for a welfare check called in by a third party. The caller advised an assault possibly occurred between a 15-year-old Warren township male and his 44-year-old Warren Township father. Deputies contacted both subjects and confirmed there was no assault. 12:33 a.m. Officers responded to a single-vehicle accident in the area of Rockwell Drive and Bay City Road. On Oct. 2, Independent Community Living held its ninth annual picnic which included a fall party with a chili lunch, pumpkin decorating, crafts and laughs. Kathy Stewart was named employee of the year. Stewart has been part of the ICL team for four years. In the last year, she has shown positivity in everything she does. A 77-year-old Midland County resident was recently defrauded out of $47,000. The Midland County Sheriffs office is conducting an investigation into this case, which was reported Sept. 30. This case is one of many fraud cases that plague the county. The resident lives in Larkin Township, but the person responsible for the fraud most likely lives in Florida, said Sheriff Myron Greene. While he does not know how the person found out about the 77-year-old, he said people could use the internet to potentially find relatives of elderly people and pose as the relatives to get money. In this case, the fraudster posed as someone the victim knew, claiming they were in a car crash and needed money for an attorney. The 77-year-old sent money to multiple Florida addresses three different times and was defrauded out of $34,000 in cash and $13,000 in gift card money. However, the crash claim was not true and the person she sent the money to was a stranger. Typically, fraudsters tend to have people send money to addresses they are not associated with, get the tracking number, and wait near the address for the money to be delivered, Greene said. Fraud cases are not uncommon to Midland County, happening far too often, Greene said. However, he said cases with such a high amount of cash stolen are not encountered often by the Sheriffs Office. Not all hope is lost, though, for the 77-year-old. While it was too late to intercept the money in the mail, Greene said the Sheriffs Office can contact the local law enforcement in the area of the deliveries and set up a reverse scenario to catch the fraudster. For instance, the Sheriff's Office could have the victim say they will ship the fraudster more money, send an envelope, and have law enforcement in Florida wait to see if someone picks it up. Greene said with this amount of money stolen, it would be worthwhile to extradite the fraudster to Midland County if they are caught. However, this is a possibility only because the 77-year-old sent cash through the mail. If she had sent only gift cards, something fraudsters often ask for, Greene said there is not much the Sheriffs Office can do since these cards cannot be tracked. As to how people can avoid these scams, Greene said to watch out for people using emotional or pressuring tactics to send money. Asking to send gift cards or money through the mail is another red flag. If a relative or friend calls over the phone asking for money, hang up and call them at the number you have for them to see whether it was actually them asking for money, he said. Greene is also working on educating county residents by going to events aimed at seniors and educating them on internet safety and dangers of scams. Unfortunately, we cannot reach everybody, Greene said. A lot of seniors do not have access to the internet, so they do not know about these scams. They are not very internet-savvy, so they fall victim to scams. As COVID-19 positivity rates slowly climb upward, Midland County healthcare professionals are reviewing vaccine and hospitalization numbers. Testing, vaccination figures slow The MI Safe Start Map reported that Midland Countys rolling seven-day positivity rate was 15% as of Oct. 14. Dr. Cathy Bodnar, medical director for the Midland County Department of Public Health, said the positivity rate is based on the results of local COVID tests in Midland County. She went on to explain that ideally she would like the health department to conduct 300 tests a day for COVID across the county. During the pandemic, the department has conducted around 200 tests per day, but that number has recently decreased even more. According to Dr. Bodnar, about 66% of Midland County residents ages 16 and older have received one or more doses of the COVID vaccine and about 62% are fully vaccinated. Id like to be at 80%, said Dr. Bodnar. Thats my Christmas wish. The booster shot is available to those who have received the Pfizer vaccine and who meet one of the following conditions: are age 65 and older, have a high risk of severe COVID-19, or are at increased risk of exposure due to their work setting. Dr. Bodnar said that a recent clinic distributed 48 booster doses. The health department continues to recommend that residents, no matter their vaccination status, wear masks in indoor public places and outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained while the county has high or substantial community transmission. All of Michigan has a high transmission level, with more than 10 cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitals battle high volumes, are prepared for surges A couple weeks ago, Dr. Lydia Watson, senior vice president and chief medical officer of MidMichigan Health, saw a dip in the health systems positivity rate and hoped numbers would begin to taper off. However, upon closer inspection of COVID numbers throughout the system, the staff has analyzed that with the presence of the Delta variant, it takes more time for cases to plateau. The rolling positivity rate for MidMichigan Health for the last few weeks has been between 10% and 14.5%. Dr. Watson said their goal is to be under 5%. According to Dr. Watson, there are currently 107 COVID patients across the MidMichigan Health system as of Monday, 10 of whom are in intensive care units. The Midland hospital has 44 COVID patients. The overall average age of COVID patients tends to be younger, while COVID patients in ICU are in their 60s or early 70s. Over 70% of COVID patients being admitted into the healthcare system are unvaccinated. I recommend vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate, Dr. Watson said. Were not over this surge yet. The largest concern for hospitals is staff shortages, which are created when employees are COVID-positive and must take time off. In response, management monitors the daily needs and patient census at hospitals and adjusts workflow accordingly. One bright spot is that MidMichigan Health has a plan in place for COVID surges. Hospitals continue to provide for the needs of both COVID and non-COVID patients to the best of their abilities. During the pandemic, weve learned how to take care of both COVID and non-COVID patients at the same time, Dr. Watson said. Midland County had 96 new COVID-19 cases reported from Oct. 16-18. COVID-19 numbers reported from Oct. 16-18 Midland County: 96 cases were added; pandemic total is 9,152 cases, 820 probable cases, 120 deaths and five probable deaths. Bay County: 142 cases and one death were added; pandemic total stands at 13,349 cases, 1,002 probable cases, 365 deaths and 15 probable deaths. Gladwin County: 39 cases and one death were added; pandemic total stands at 2,631 cases, 528 probable cases, 65 deaths and four probable deaths. Isabella County: 89 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 7,303 cases, 1,342 probable cases, 105 deaths and six probable deaths. Saginaw County: 162 cases and one death were added; pandemic total stands at 24,598 cases, 1,892 probable cases, 638 deaths and 21 probable deaths. The state added 8,496 cases and 46 deaths between Saturday and Monday. Overall, Michigan is at 1,090,021 cases and 21,609 deaths. Recovered According to the Midland County Health Department website, which was updated Oct. 11, 8,402 Midland County individuals have recovered from COVID. The state reported that as of Oct. 15, a total of 962,955 persons have recovered. Testing Midland Countys seven-day rolling positivity rate on Oct. 14 was listed at 15%, and Gladwin County's was listed at 17%. Our 12-county region was listed at 19% and Michigan was at 11%. MidMichigan Health statistics As of Oct. 14, MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland was listed as having an 92% bed occupancy, with 45 COVID patients and eight in the ICU. MidMichigan Medical Center in Gladwin was listed as having a 56% bed occupancy, with five 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, Midland Public Schools reported 150 staff/students were in close contact to an individual who was confirmed COVID-19 positive, and 49 staff/students currently tested positive for the virus. Schools with one or more staff/students confirmed positive for COVID-19 as of Thursday include Dow High (5), Midland High (3), Jefferson Middle (2), Northeast Middle (10), Adams Elementary (2), Central Park Elementary (3), Chestnut Hill Elementary (2), Plymouth Elementary (4), Siebert Elementary (6) and Woodcrest Elementary (6). Bullock Creek School District reported on Monday that one staff member and 13 students are current positive cases. There are also 33 students (but no staff members) currently in quarantine. Schools with one or more confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Monday include Bullock Creek Elementary (1), Floyd Elementary (1), Pine River Elementary (3), Bullock Creek Middle School (2) and Bullock Creek High School (6). Midland County vaccinations The Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard lists Midland's completed vaccine rate is 66.7%. 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. Larry Butcher, of Midland, is originally from Byron, about 20 miles southwest of Flint. When he was 16 years old, he started painting signs to save money for college. He went on to attend Central Michigan University. Between his sophomore and junior years at Central, he started working for Ray Cline Advertising in Mount Pleasant. He painted signs there as well. Butcher graduated from Central with a bachelor of science in 1967 and a master of arts in 1970, with both degrees in art education. In 1965, he began to show his art. That year, he won second prize in painting at the Circle Gallery in Mount Pleasant. He also won a prize in the Mid-Michigan Show displayed at the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library. In 1966, Butcher won first prize as well as a purchase prize from the Flint Institute of Art for one of his welded metal sculptures. The piece was purchased by the director of the institute, Dr. Stuart Hodge, and remains in the permanent collection. While he loved working with welded metal and scrap metal to make sculptures, it was difficult to rent a studio that would let him use an acetylene torch, so he switched to painting and drawing. Drawing was my first love, Butcher said. In the fall of 1969, he began creating shaped canvases. Of the first five he made, he showed three at the Flint Institute of Art in 1970; all three earned a first prize. He submitted some of these pieces along with his application to attend Cranbrook Academy of Art. After graduating from CMU with his M.A., he attended Cranbrook for one year. During that time, he studied painting and drawing with a minor in sculpture. Butcher met Russell Thayer in the fall of 1970. Thayer was interim director of the Saginaw Art Museum as well as a part-time art instructor at Delta College. Butcher helped to connect Thayer with George Ortman, head of the painting department at Cranbrook. That resulted in Thayer putting on a show of paintings by Cranbrook artists at the Saginaw Art Museum in 1971. It was at that show that Butcher met Charles Breed, head of the art department at Delta at the time. Breed offered Butcher a teaching job, but Butcher declined. I had plans to go to Spain, he explained. But after his first year at Cranbrook, Butcher ran out of money and was living in his van, so he called Breed back. Breed told him he could be considered, but this time along with 40 other candidates. Butcher felt fortunate that he did end up getting the job. A lot of people were not getting jobs at the time, especially in their disciplines, he said. Thayer had one more offer for him. He let me live in his studio until I got my first paycheck from Delta, he said. Then I rented a place on Sanford Lake, where I almost froze to death. Thayers studio was located at 219 Main St. in Midland, above what was then McCandless News Agency. The current location of the Midland Daily News, Butcher noted. In 1982, he showed his work for a 25-year artists retrospective at the Midland Center for the Arts. My work was in all three galleries, 52 pieces in all, he said. It included welded sculpture, paintings, pop art and shaped canvases. In 1990, Butcher participated in a performance piece with Linda Z. Smith, then a dance teacher at the Midland Community Center and later a co-founder of Creative 360 in Midland. The performance was a prelude to a regional art show at the Midland Center for the Arts. It was titled "Echoes in the Mindfields" and Butcher said it included slides projected on a screen of 25 years of my art. Each dance segment was performed to those images. The performance earned additional reviews. We were recognized as Performance of the Year by Janet Martineau in the Saginaw News, he said. We caught lightning in a bottle. In 1993, "Echoes in the Mindfields II The Dreamers" was also performed at MCFTA. Smith coordinated the event. This was a show on its own: a two-hour performance with 62 new pieces I had created since 1990, he said. Butcher taught painting and drawing for 39 years as a professor of art at Delta College. Additionally, he served as the division chair of humanities at Delta from 1999-2005. He did not teach during that time, but went back to the classroom for five more years before he retired. That was some of my best teaching, during those five years, he said. He retired from Delta in 2010. Larry Butcher is married to Shanna Butcher. He has one stepson, Ean Mersmann, of Midland, and one son, Ian Streadwick, of Traverse City. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin. Monday, Oct. 11: 11:02 p.m. A 30-year-old Edenville Township male reported that he caught his neighbor trespassing on his property by driving an ATV around a gate. The deputy spoke with the 28-year-old male neighbor and issued him a trespass warning. The neighbor agreed to stay off the property. 9:23 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Homer Township residence regarding an argument between a 25-year-old male and his 23-year-old girlfriend. The argument was verbal only and no assault occurred. Both parties agreed to separate for the night to deescalate the situation. 9:06 p.m. Deputies assisted Child Protective Services while they conducted a meeting at a Jasper Township home. 8:46 p.m. Officers responded to a case of domestic violence on Wildes Street. 8:03 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Warren Township location regarding a road rage incident involving a maroon pickup truck. The area was checked, but the truck was not located. The 27-year-old male complainant did not want a formal report and just wanted the area to be checked. 8:36 a.m. A deputy responded to a Hope Township residence regarding a delayed single-vehicle accident that occurred on a Hope Township roadway. The at-fault driver was issued a citation. 5:43 a.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Jerome Township residence regarding a suicidal 39-year-old female. The female was found to not be suicidal and was just upset that she had to go to court the next day. The female was left with her family and they were advised to call if they needed any help. 4:19 p.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of South Saginaw Road and East Patrick Road. 2:32 p.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of Eastman Avenue and West Wackerly Street. 1:43 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Porter Township residence for a possible case of domestic violence. Upon arriving and speaking with the involved parties, a 37-year-old female and a 57-year-old male, there was found to be no relationship and neither party wanted to pursue charges. The male left and was taken to his residence. 10:26 a.m. Officers responded to a vehicle accident in the area of East Gordonville Road and South Schreiber Road. 8:50 a.m. Officers responded to an injury crash in the area of Isabella Street and Currie Parkway. 7:45 a.m. A deputy stopped a vehicle for speeding on Meridian Road near Brooks Road. The driver, a 23-year-old Williamsburg man, was cited for having no insurance and an improper plate. A report is also being sent to the Midland County Prosecutors Office about the violations. 2:12 a.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Midland Township neighborhood regarding a person walking in the complainant's yard. The deputy checked the area and did not locate anything suspicious. 1:00 a.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Homer Township roadway regarding a report of a person walking in the road and causing a traffic hazard. The deputy observed a person who matched the description given, but he was not walking in the road. 1:00 a.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Homer Township residence regarding a 46-year-old male assaulting his 48-year-old live-in girlfriend. A report was forwarded to the Midland County Prosecutors Office. 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. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Some 100 illegal migrants of different African nationalities who were on board two boats heading for the European coast have been rescued by Libyan coastguards Photo: (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Facebook has conducted intensive studies with a team of researchers to intentionally create products that will attract preteen users, specifically between 11 to 12 years old, to use the platform. Leaked documents showed that the company's research team saw a "low global teen penetration" on the platform. As they didn't want to lose this audience to other popular teen platforms like TikTok or Snapchat, Facebook created products to ensure that the kids would sign up and use their system. Facebook's team allegedly started brainstorming on how to get the children onto the platform in 2019. Their target demographic was kids who had their own smartphones for the very first time. So, the company released Facebook Messenger Kids "to leverage playdates" with their contacts. Read Also: Woman Exposes on Tiktok Parents Using Facebook to Return or Re-Home Their Adopted Children Three Years to Hook Preteens According to The Wall Street Journal, the Facebook team was given three years to develop more "child-appropriate" products for the preteen demographic. The strategy specifically circumvented federal laws that barred kids younger than 13 years old from accessing social media platforms generally for adult use. However, Facebook Messenger Kids failed to get off the ground and did not generate the numbers they were hoping for. The researchers learned that interest in the child-friendly app couldn't peak past 10-year-old kids. The revelation comes after a previously leaked document also showed that Facebook was aware its other platform, Instagram, had a significant impact on the mental health of teenagers. Outside of Facebook, other studies on social media users have found evidence that social media use impacts the self-image of its young users, leading to body dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, and even thoughts of suicide. Following the leaked documents' release, Facebook said that it will halt its plans to develop a kids' version of Instagram, especially after lawmakers and parents expressed their concerns about these reports. The company also released a rebuttal on The Wall Street Journal report, stating that the expose was "an attempt to recycle previous reporting." The social media giant, however, acknowledged that how they worded plans for Messenger Kids in an "insensitive way" didn't demonstrate their intended approach for the app, which was supposed to help "understand how families and kids" improve their social media experience. 'Don't Trust Facebook' Meanwhile, former Facebook employee Frances Haugen, who leaked the documents, told lawmakers that they should not trust Facebook. Haugen, who left in April 2021 and started talking to the media in May, said that the company's leaders know the best ways to make the app safer for children but won't do the changes in favor of profits. Haugen worked for two years as project manager for the Civic Integrity department, which focuses on election misinformation on the platform. Andy Stone, the company spokesperson, said that Haugen is not an expert on the products that she had leaked and testified about in front of government officials, as her work didn't give her direct knowledge to the child safety projects. Facebook boss, Mark Zuckerberg, is yet to testify in the Senate after Haugen's leaks. Related Article: Facebook Knows Instagram Brings Negative Mental Health Impact to Teen Girls, Leaked Research Reveals The countrys most anticipated and biggest economic conference, the Ghana Economic Forum (GEF), has started at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra. This years edition focuses on the youth and will be held under the theme Strengthening Home-grown Policies to Underpin the National Digitisation drive and Shared Financial Prosperity. The three-day event is chaired by the Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Dr. K.K. Sarpong, and will assemble experts from various sectors of the economy to discuss and proffer different solutions for economic development. The speakers and panels will include the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison; Commissioner of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Mr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Ansah; Former Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper; CEO of the Ghana Gas Company, Dr. Ben Asante; CEO of Dalex Finance Mr. Kenneth Thompson; and Madam Nathalie Akon Gabala, Regional Director West, Central and Northern Africa-Mastercard Foundation The rest includes economist and lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Godfred Bokpin; Deputy Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange, Ms. Abena Amoah; President of Virtuous Pot, Gloria Obuobisah; Managing Director of Absa Bank Ghana, Ms. Abena Osei-Poku; and Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Julian Opuni, among many others. As part of this years event, Day-1 will look at the impact of governments economic recovery policies and digitalisation of the Ghanaian economy; while Day 2 will focus on youth employment with Day 3 discussing issues in the energy sector. The forum will explore strategic and home-grown policies which have the propensity to stimulate economic growth. Focus on Day-2 The theme for Day-2 of this years GEF will be Driving job creation through entrepreneurship, technology and innovation. The panels and speakers will discuss contemporary approaches to financing start-ups in Ghanas economy. The first panel will include the Managing Director of UMB Ghana, Nana Dwemoh Benneh; Managing Director of MEST Africa, Ashwin Ravichandran; Ag. Director Financial Support Service Directorate-Ghana Enterprises Agency, Mr. Eric Anthony Affram; Country Director, Invest in Africa, Ms. Carol Annang; Chief Executive of Darfin Finance, Mr. Frank Kwachie; and CEOMBIC Group, Dr. Jerry Monfant. The second panel will be made up of the ECOWAS Youth Ambassador and CEO of Reset Global, Kwame A.A. Opoku; CEO-Soronko Solutions, Regina Honu; Ghana Country Lead for Innovations-Mastercard Foundation, Chirag Shamdasani; Director-Vodafone Business, Tawa Bolarin; Programme Manager-MEST Express, Felix Darko; and Economist, Ebenezer Amankwah-Minkah. The second panel will discuss the topic Entrepreneurship, Technology and Innovation: Catalysts for job creation and youth empowerment. The final panel for the day will shift attention to the agricultural sector and discuss the topic Agri-business as a key to bridging the unemployment gap: Opportunities, challenges and incentives for the youth. This panel will have the CEO of Sesi Technologies, Isaac Sesi; CEO of the Agric Business Chamber, Anthony Morrison; CEO-Eden Tree, Ms. Catherine Krobo Edusei; an International Trade Law Expert, Maame Awinador-Kanyirige; and Director of Kosmos Innovation Centre, Benjamin Gyan-Kesse. Focus on Day-3 The final day of the GEF will be dedicated to the crucial energy sector under the theme Africa Energy Sector; ensuring medium- to long-term sustainability of the West Africa sub-region. The first panel of the day will include Mami Dufie Ofori from the Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission; CEO of the Volta River Authority, Ing. Emmanuel Antwi -Darkwa; Acting CEO-GRIDCO, Ing. Mark Baah; Energy Expert, Kwame Jantuah; and Economist, Mr. Kwame Pianim. The second panel discussion will be held under the theme The role of alternative energy in ensuring medium- to long-term sustainability of the Power Sector. This will assemble experts such as Dr. Isaac Newton Acquah, who is a former IAEA-UN Nuclear Safeguard Specialist; Dr. Bridget Menyeh; Thierry Adonis, who is the Managing Director-PEG Africa; and Mr. Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo from the Bui Power Authority. The final panel will focus on the Petroleum Sector and have Dr. Ben K.D. Asante, CEO-Ghana Gas Company; Kwaku Agyemang Duah, CEO-Association of Oil Marketing Companies; Greg Germani, MD-WAPCO; Kwame Osei Prempeh; and Tony Paul from Trinidad & Tobago. All set for the first Youth Economic Forum The maiden edition of the Youth Economic Forum, will be held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra on 19th October. The hybrid event will feature top notch panelists, made up of young Ghanaian innovators and entrepreneurs alongside decision makers, discussing pertinent issues on the economy, employment and entrepreneurship. The Forum was developed to enable young Ghanaians to connect and contribute to national policy dialogues, and to showcase the innovativeness and entrepreneurial agency of young Ghanaian women and men. The Youth Economic Forum is an initiative of the Mastercard Foundation and the Business Financial Times and will be held on the second day of the Ghana Economic Forum under the theme Driving job creation through entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation. Discussions will focus on agribusiness as a key enabler to creating work opportunities for young people, new and contemporary approaches to financing start-ups and entrepreneurship, technology and innovation as catalyst for job creation. The Forum will be streamed live on the Business and Financial Times Facebook page (Facebook.com/BFTGhana), and virtual participation is open to all young people. Source: B&FT 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 Micro-investing platform, Trove, has announced plans to make its investment platforms available to Africans across the continent. The plan to expand to more African markets rides on the back of the mammoth adoption the fintech startup has recorded in its launch market, Nigeria. Oluwatomi Solanke, CEO & Founder of Trove Global, said, Our organizations goal remains to further this mission in different consumer markets across Africa. We are optimistic the solution will be well received. From Anambra to Accra, Kampala to Kisumu, we remain committed to spreading financial wellness to all of Africa. Curious? Secure Your Spot Right Now. Click Here to get started! https://launch.trovefinance.com/ghana As the pioneer Stock investment platform in Nigeria, Trove was created with a mission of providing new and better ways for African investors to earn higher returns and build a global investment culture. To achieve its goal of providing a world-class digital investing service, Trove Global is fully licensed to offer investment advisory services, allowing the company to layer investment advice as a key part of its service offering. Austin Akagu, CCO at Trove, stated one of the first questions most people ask when they begin investing is, where do I begin? To help answer this critical question, we have built an amazing suite of digital investing products, including direct investment (Stocks/ETFs) recommendations, that will shorten the investment journey for both our new and experienced investors. We have done the heavy lifting. Its time for you to sit back and invest with ease! Austin said. The pioneering startup stayed true to its promise to democratize investing for Africa in many ways. Trove provides more than 10,000 financial assets spread across stocks, bonds and Exchange-traded Funds (ETFs) for users to invest. The company has solved the problem of restricted market access for Africans that wish to diversify their portfolio more extensively than any current market player. Africans can easily assemble a competitive portfolio with the tap of a few buttons at price points that align with global standards, compared to the status quo of hiring a dedicated fund manager. Furthermore, Trove has broken the barrier of high entry cost(s) that has locked most Africans out from participating in the global markets. With as little as $10, Trove offers most Africans an opportunity to own global stocks seamlessly. Trove has softened the barrier of the high cost of entry that has locked most Africans out from participating in the global markets. With as little as $5, Trove offers most Africans an opportunity to own global stocks seamlessly. The goal remains to further this mission in different consumer markets across Africa. We are optimistic the solution will be well received. 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 Former president John Dramanihas re-stated his opposition to the Agyapa deal. The deal, he says, will be bad for the youth because it will invariably mean mortgaging the future of the youth. According to the former president, the Agyapa deal is inconsiderate because it is a plan to mortgage the future of the country and Ghanas youth to fund Akufo-Addos present-day desires. Explaining the rationale behind the Agyapa deal in an interview on Cape 93.3FM, Mr. Mahama said, they are mortgaging Ghana for everything. They have sold everything for loans. Now they dont have anything to sell anymore. It is our gold that is left, that is the Agyapa they want to do. Because they see that theyve sold the utensils, theyve sold the chairs in the hall, the bed in the bedroom has been sold, now they are looking for the next item to sell. They have settled on the windows to sell. That is our gold, which they want to sell this time. They want to use that to go and collect over one billion dollars, he lamented. He said government has always received a 10% stake as gold royalties, which royalty the Akufo-Addo government is intent on mortgaging for loans to spend today. He fingered Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, accusing him of being a happy participant because his company always gets a percentage from the loans raised. The 2020 National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate said the government has benefited the most from Ghanas resources and accrued the most revenue, but this has not reflected in the development of the country, and on the living standards of the people. He observed that President Akufo-Addo, through his cousin the Finance Minister, has mortgaged the Energy Sector Levy and the GETFund for many years, which he says imposes the burden of payment on the youth who would be paying the debts for many more years to come. Even though the ESLA bond we brought was supposed to be for five (5) years, today the last ESLA bond they did they have extended it to between 20 30 years. It means you and I; our children and our grandchildren will continue paying the loan until beyond 2030. GETFund has been mortgaged for the next 15 years. This means all contributions we pay for GetFUND will only go toward paying loan and not for anything else, he disclosed. Our children will pay and pay and pay but wont be able to finish paying. Our grandchildren will take over from them and continue paying the debts he added. Mr. Mahama, therefore, warned that If we dont halt this trend government appears set on, it will get to a point where we can no longer pay our debts. Source: Starrfmonline 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 funeral ceremony for National Democratic Congress, NDC, stalwart; Ama Benyiwa-Doe has been slated for December 18, 2021. The family of the one-time lawmaker and Central Regional Minister announced the dates during the one-week celebration of the late NDC stalwart, held on Saturday, October 16. People from all walks of life visited the Accra residence of the woman affectionately referred to as "Ama Chavez, to partake in the observance. She died on September 19, 2021 at Tema after a protracted illness. The party's Vice-presidential candidate in the 2020 polls, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, were among some top politicians in attendance. Head of the family, George Blankson told journalists at the event that Benyiwa Doe will be interred at Gomoa Abura in the Central Region. The funeral has been scheduled for the 18th of December 2021 and the venue will be Gomoa Abura, he said. She could look at you in the face and tell you the truth, whether it is bitter or sweet. We have lost someone who is open and straightforward and still keeps you close to her as a mother. That is one part that we are going to miss, he said in tribute to the former NDC National Council of Elders member. Profile of the late Ama Benyiwa Doe Ama Benyiwa Doe was an astute politician and former Central Regional Minister under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a social justice advocate. She was born in 1950 and christened Comfort Saah. She was also a native of Gomoa West in the Central Region of Ghana. Education Ama Benyiwa Doe first attended the L. A. Middle School where she obtained her General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level Certificate. She then proceeded to the Accra Workers College where she obtained her GCE Advance Level certificate before later advancing to M.I Kaliun School where she obtained her Diploma degree. Career in Politics Her political journey began when she first contested as the Member of Parliament for Gomoa West Constituency in the 1992 general elections on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress. She subsequently won the election and served as a Member of Parliament for the Gomoa West Constituency in the Central Region. Ama Beyniwa Doe contested again and won on the ticket of the NDC during the 1996 elections against Joyce Aidoo of the New Patriotic Party. Ama Benyiwa Doe polled 17,504 votes out of the 33,955 valid votes cast representing 35.60% against Joyce Aidoo who polled 10,866 votes. In the 2000 general elections, she also won with 12,995 votes out of the 28,089 valid votes cast representing 46.30% against Benjamin Kojo Acquah, another NPP member who polled 11,248 votes. Four years later after serving as a Member of Parliament from 1992 until 2004, Ama Benyiwa Doe tasted defeat by the New Patriotic Partys Joe Kingsley Hackman. Hackman emerged as the victor with a total vote cast of 23,663 representing 63.20% of the total valid votes as against Ama Benyiwa Doe whose total votes cast was 12,165 representing 32.50% for the Gomoa West Constituency. The outspoken Ghanaian politician continued to work for the NDC as the National Womens Organizer until she became the Central Regional Minister in 2009 to 2014 after she was nominated by the late president John Evans Atta Mills. She also served as a former member of the Council of State for a period. Although she strongly shared her opinions on key issues concerning the country, Ama Benyiwa Doe went into hibernation following the demise of the late president John Evans Atta Mills. She was reported to have passed away on Sunday September 19, 2021, at Tema according to sources within the NDC. Ama Benyiwa Doe was largely known for being an outspoken woman and a social justice advocate. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed condolences to the family of the former Member of Parliament of Navrongo Central, Joseph Kofi Adda, who passed away last Thursday after a short illness. Mr Adda, 65, also served as Minister of Aviation in President Akufo-Addos first term and as Minister of Energy in the administration of former President J.A Kufuor President Akufo-Addo, in a post on social media, said the news of the demise of Mr Adda came as a shock to him and described the former lawmaker as a diligent and forthright man and would forever be missed. I extend my deepest condolences to his wife and family for their loss, and pray for Gods strength for them in these difficult times. Kofi Adda will be missed, and will be remembered for his diligence and forthrightness. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen, President Akufo-Addo said. Mr Adda, a financial economist and management consultant, first became the MP for the Navrongo Central in a 2003 by-election following the passing of the incumbent, John Setuni Achuliwor. He retained his seat in the parliamentary election of 2004 and 2008 retained his seat when the NPP lost the 2008. In 2012, Mr Adda lost the seat to the NDCs Mark Woyongo. Source: The Ghanaian Times 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 News Editor of Kasapa FM and Agoo TV, subsidiaries of media conglomerate EiB Network, Akwasi Nsiah has called on the Ministry of Education (MoE) and various stakeholders of the educational sector to as a matter of urgency, pay close attention to foreign schools operating in the country. According to him, there are several foreign private school owners whose countries have legalized LGBTQI+, hence may influence them into inculcating the practice in their curriculum. Some Americans have established private schools here in Ghana yet they have legalized same-sex marriage. Some Germans also have private schools here, yet they also support LGBTQI+. The same as France, they have also established private schools in the country. Speaking on Ghana Kasa morning show on Kasapa FM, he said undoubtedly, some of these foreign established private schools do not go by Ghanas educational curriculum. Hes therefore appealing to the Ghana Education Service (GES), to monitor closely especially foreign schools whose countries have legalized the practice of LGBTQI+ as it may be a bigger threat to its students. The United States embassy in Accra, Ghana hoisted a pride flag to show solidarity and support for LGBTQI+ community in Ghana who came under various attacks a few months ago. Meanwhile, an anti-LGBTQ+ Bill is currently before parliament for approval or disapproval. Source: kasapafmonline.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 Lawmakers and human rights defenders have condemned ministers for backing what they have called draconian laws that seek to curtail freedoms and take away the discretion of judicial officers to grant or deny bail. Those against the Executive decision to tinker with bail for capital offenders have warned that when the dust finally settles, the architects of the draconian laws will be caught by the same laws but it will be too late to make amends. On Friday, Cabinet endorsed criminal justice reforms, among them amendments to the 1995 Constitution and the Police Act, to deny suspects on capital offences bail or police bond. Cabinet sources singled out suspects on murder, rape, robbery and treason charges, among others, as the main target for the proposed reforms. The Cabinet meeting was chaired by President Museveni, and ministers one by one were given the opportunity to give their views. This was after the President asked Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, alias KK, to guide Cabinet on how to proceed on the proposed constitutional amendments. According to sources, Mr Kiryowa presented a brief on the proposed amendment to Article 23(6) (b) of the Constitution to provide that any person accused of committing an offence triable by both the High Court and subordinate courts, shall not be granted bail until after 180 days or trial commencement, or when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) discontinues proceedings, whichever is earlier. The Attorney General also proposed that Article 23(4) (b) and Section 25 of the Police Act be amended by Parliament, both of which require a suspect to be released on police bond if not charged in court within 48 hours, to qualify the period as forty-eight business hours. On September 25, the President sent out a tweet in which he criticised bail for suspected killers as provocation and promised to summon the ruling party MPs to discuss the matter and if necessary, call for a referendum. For somebody to kill a person and you give them bail is a provocation. It is abominable. I would like us to cure this ideological disagreement. This bail, what is the hurry? Who are you trying to please? Mr Museveni wondered. Some judicial officers & the police are doing things which have no connection with reality. Bail for criminals is a right? How about the rights of victims? People are being killed but you are defending criminals- suspects of criminal offences? he added. The NRM caucus was called on September 28 and MPs who sat at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala, told the President that they understood that he likely meant well with his revived proposal, but the right of a suspect to apply for bail, pending prosecution, is a matter already settled in law. They also demanded more time to consult their constituents and meet again. While the President had hinted at a referendum, Cabinet didnt endorse this decision. They agreed that the President summons the NRM caucus again to harness consensus. The NRM- leaning independents will also attend the meeting. After the caucus meeting, a draft Bill containing the proposed constitutional amendments will be sent to Parliament for the first reading. Mr Eron Kizza, a human rights lawyer, told Sunday Monitor that as for scrapping bail, personal liberty is inherent, its God-given and no man-made laws can deal away with it. The amendment will be severely resisted. The architects of these draconian laws will soon be caught up by the same laws but it will be too late. The main objective is to curtail the Opposition politicians using the same laws which are unfortunate, he said. What Opposition Leaders say Wilfred Niwagaba, Shadow Attorney General Good enough our history is rich with examples of laws made with a political lens targeting regime critics and at the end of the day the same draconian laws affecting the movers first. I pray that whoever supports the law whose effect is a presumption of guilt as opposed to the presumption of innocence becomes the first victim sooner rather than later. Mathias Mpuuga, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Mr Museveni and his cowardly Cabinet are free to dream power until eternity. Thats part of what nations harvest when you allow a cabal to seize the national conscience. The right to bail is not a contest between NRM and Opposition, but between social conscience and political self-righteousness. Erias Lukwago, Kampala Lord Mayor That will amount to a travesty of the spirit and letter of the ideals enshrined in the international protocols to which Uganda is a signatory like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and political rights. It will also be tantamount to an overthrow of the constitutional foundation of our criminal justice system; one presumed innocent until proven guilty. I invite all MPs and right-thinking Ugandans to roundly reject this nefarious amendment. Muwada Nkunyingi, NUP lawyer It is bad news for our criminal system if the State wants to erase the presumption of innocence on which bail is rooted. In essence, Ugandans will be treated as criminals before even conviction. The 1995 Constitution is in tandem with common law and provides for a presumption of innocence for any accused person. Legislating against bail will open up a pandora box of politicized criminal prosecution and patronized sanctioning of charges with intent to keep opponents in jail. This is bad news for our constitutional order and sad development. Source: monitor.co.ug 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 Head pastor at the Believers House of Worship International, Rev. Abraham Lamptey has accused American media giant, Cable News Network (CNN), of leading an agenda to impede the passing of an anti-LGBTQ+ bill at the expense of reporting on developmental projects. With Ghanas Parliament set to debate the now controversial bill, Rev. Lamptey believes CNN is bent on leading a campaign in favour of giving rights to homosexuals in Ghana. According to him, CNN are more focused on imposing a messy mission into our peaceful culture although the African continent begs for more development instead. Rev. Abraham Lamptey in a recent video available to GhanaWeb, described Kenyan-born CNN reporter Larry Madowo, as a disgrace to Africa. He said, You dont talk about roads that are not being constructed youre talking about LGBTQ+. Do we need it, will it put food on our table? The guy, Larry, you are a disgrace to Africa. It was like they have written the questions for him to ask, you didnt research before coming to ask your questions. And by the way, CNN, we have places to be developed maybe you havent noticed. Come and work there and let the world know what we need not men sleeping with men, he added. That may be your mission but dont bring your messy mission into our peaceful culture, Rev. Abraham Lamptey added. The preacher man also hailed the efforts of MP, Sam Nartey George for distinguishing himself and addressing the issues concerning the bill. I want to salute Sam George, he is a lion, and you dont have to wear a clerical color to have a human conscience. We salute you and continue to pray for you, the preacher man noted. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A visually impaired woman identified as Mrs. Eseme James, a native of Nnung Oku Ibiet village in Oruk Anam Local government area of Akwa Ibom state in Nigeria has been arrested over a human skull reportedly found in her house. The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Odiko MacDon told newsmen that Mrs. James was arrested on October 12, 2021, at about 6:45 pm by their partners in the Nigerian Army under the operation Ex Still Water, and handed over to the police for discreet investigation and prosecution. MacDon who spoke weekend the suspect was paraded alongside other 136 criminal suspects arrested in the third quarter of 2021, at the Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, added that the blind woman is suspected to be involved in some ritual activities. He said the woman told the police that her deceased husband was a native doctor and her son took over the trade, stressing, The worry of the police is what she is doing with a fresh human skull. It means murder has been committed somewhere recently But while fielding questions from newsmen, the blind woman denied having knowledge about the said human skull allegedly found at her residence, saying that her daughter told her that the said human skull was exumed by the police at the boundary of a disputed piece of land near her house. I dont know anything about this human skull, when they came to the house I asked this girl what was going on since I cannot see, and she told me that police exhumed human skull from the boundary of a disputed land. They (police) gave me the skull to bring to the police station. That is why Im here. When they came to the house, I was the only person they saw and they said: take lets go. My husband was a native doctor, but I have never seen him do anything with human parts. I dont know who buried that skull there. The land has been in dispute even before he died. She narrated in the native language. Speaking further, the PPRO disclosed that the Operatives of the Anti-Child theft within the third quarter arrested a total of seven alleged child abductors including a syndicate comprising two males and two females who had allegedly concluded plans to sell a six month old baby Goodness Effiong Okon at the rate of Four Hundred Thousand Naira(N400,000). He stated, Based on a tip-off, the Operatives of anti child theft ambushed and arrested four robbery/child stealing syndicate namely, Emmanuel Sunday Effiong M, Ibanga Sunday Effiong M, Editi Ibanga Effiong f and Idorenyin Etim Orok f of Ikot Okubo, Ibesikpo Asutan and rescued a six months old baby. Investigation revealed that the syndicate used motor bike on 8/10/2021 at about 9:00pm, masked their faces and invaded the house of Mr/Mrs Effiong Okon Udo of Ikot Okubo Ibesikpo Asutan LGA on gunpoint, beat the couple inflicted them with various degrees of injuries and abducted their six (6) months old baby girl by name, Goodness Effiong Okon. Both Ibanga Sunday and Emmanuel Effiong Sunday are ex-convicts for robbery/Cultism. As at the time of the rescue, arrangement had been concluded to sell the child for four hundred thousand naira(N400, 000.00). Also on 13/10/2021 following a distress call, operatives of the Anti-Child theft arrested Margaret Friday Akpan (40) of Ekpene Ukim Uruan, went to the house of the mothers victim, Mrs. Blessing Jackson Ekwere, pretending to be sick and thereafter sent the said Blessing Jackson Ekwere to buy drugs for her. The suspect ran away with her one month, three weeks old boy by name Daniel Jackson Ekwere before the mother, Blessing Ekwere returned from where she went to buy the drugs for her. Let me on behalf of the tireless Commissioner of Police, CP Andrew Amiengheme, the gallant officers and men of the command thank the government and good people of Akwa Ibom state for all the support and sister agencies for the synergy. As a command, we will not rest on our oars but will continue to deploy available resources effectively while collaborating with critical stakeholders to ensure that we reduce crimes to the barest minimum in all parts of the state including our waterways Narrating her experience, Mrs. Blessing Jackson Ekwere, mother of Daniel Ekwere told newsmen that when she called the suspect Margaret Akpan on phone asking the whereabouts of her baby, She denied seeing the baby boy. When I called her she denied carrying the baby and said she had to rush to the hospital that the pain was becoming unbearable. I quickly called my husband who informed the police. She packaged the baby in a Ghana must go bag and took to her daughters house in Ekpene Ukim, where she was nearly mobbed before the police arrived and arrested her, Ekwere stressed Source: vanguardngr.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 Zimbabwe will not allow unvaccinated government employees to access their offices following the lapse of the compulsory COVID-19 vaccination deadline on Friday, a circular showed. President Emmerson Mnangagwas administration is trying to encourage more people to get vaccinated to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. The southern African country was among the first on the continent to vaccinate against Covid-19, but only less than 2.5 million people out of its population of 15 million people have been fully vaccinated. Authorities say they want to vaccinate at least 60 percent of the population by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity. On September 14, civil servants were given a month to comply with a directive to get vaccinated. In a circular dated October 14, Health and Child Care permanent secretary Jasper Chimedza said those barred from work will not get paid. Please note that members who fail to produce the vaccination certificates shall not be allowed to report for duty in an endeavour to implement (the) governments thrust of minimising the spread and effect of the novel Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Chimedza said. Those who will not attend to their daily duties due to non-compliance shall be deemed to be absent from work and consequential action will be taken. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the countrys main labour body, last month took the government to court challenging the compulsory vaccination drive. ZCTU says the directive infringes on workers rights and must be scrapped. The case is yet to be heard after the High Court dismissed an application by the labour body for it to be handled on an urgent basis. Some private businesses have followed the governments lead by barring unvaccinated employees from reporting for duty. Zimbabwes vaccination rates have dropped significantly after infections decreased. As of October 14, the country had recorded 132,251 Covid-19 cases and 4,655 deaths. Source: theeastafrican.co.ke 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 Private Legal Practitioner Lawyer Gary Nimako Marfo has blamed former President John Mahama for deliberately trying to twist the results of the 2020 general elections. According to him, he is systematically doing that to cover up his abysmal performance in the elections and again give false hope to his followers. Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' program, he wondered why former president John Mahama even now has the courage to speak when he could not provide any tangible evidence in court to defend his rigging claims. "John Mahama claimed to have won the 2020 presidential elections but when he went to court he changed his claim to nobody won the elections and even with that he could not even prove his case. "We all know that the 2020 elections was free and fair and the hard-working President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won convincingly," he said. He noted that former president Mahama will continue to live in wonderland and keep deceiving his supporters that he won the 2020 presidential elections when he has nothing to show for it. "And for me, that is a mark of a desperate leader," he added. Watch Video Below John Dramani Mahama, the former President of Ghana, has refuted claims by Jean Mensa, the EC Chairperson, that the just-ended election 2020 was credible.Addressing the Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Nteboah Prah, as part of his Thank You tour of the Western Region, the former President noted that, the EC Chairperson should have mounted the witness box during the election petition to prove that the elections were credible.Mahama indicated that the EC Chairpersons inability to mount the witness box shows that the election was not credible as she contended.The manner in which the Supreme Court dismissed our election petition was not fair. An election petition case has been heard in this country before. When Nana Akufo-Addo sent his 2012 election petition case to court, it was accepted. Afari Gyan responded to his questions, but when it got to our turnwe were not allowed to ask our questions. In 2012, Asiedu Nketiah was asked to testify. In 2020, he was called again to testify. In 2012, Afari Gyan was asked to mount the witness box.But in 2020, when Jean Mensa was asked to mount the witness box, she refused. I heard her saying the other time that the 2020 election is the best election Ghana has ever had. If she is convinced that it is the best election Ghana has ever had, she should have mounted the witness box, he said.John Mahama was accompanied on his Thank You tour of the Western Region by Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, his running mate for the 2020 polls, and the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and other key officers of the NDC. Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected] 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 Private Legal Practitioner and Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, has accused the Electoral Commissioner, Jean Mensa of trivialising events that marred the 2020 General Elections. Describing her post-election conduct as shameful, the legal practitioner claimed it is an open secret that Madam Jean Mensa set in motion a platform to rig the 2020 election for President Akufo-Addo, as the pink sheets used for the last election were without any column for the number of persons verified at the polling centres. Jean Mensa set the platform to rig the election for Mr Akufo-Addo and she knows it...the pink sheets that Jean Mensa used for the last election, if you pick the pink sheet, you will not see any column for the number of persons verified during the election, he asserted. Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe further alleged that the EC head and her cohorts, changed the original pink sheet sample in CI 127 sent to Parliament for approval when she realised that maintaining the original sample will not help rigging plans to succeed. ...she provided a sample of how the pink sheet should look like and later she realised that if the sample is maintained in the final printout, the plan to rig the election will not happen and so at the last minute, she changed the pink sheet. She simply said that we should get a stamp and write on it the number of persons verified. It was a complete afterthought, he noted. Anybody that partook in the election will confirm it. It was deliberately done for ballot stuffing. We have seen the trick of Jean Mensa and it won't happen again; they should try it again, he warned. He intimated that the lawyers of Jean Mensa knew that if they allowed her into the witness box, her credibility and the legitimacy of Mr Akufo-Addo would have been shredded without repairs, hence, their decision to keep her out of the witness box. He however revealed that the NDC as a party has decided to let go of some of the issues but stressed that they will ensure that they are not shortchanged in future elections again. We give glory to God for what has happened. All we can say is that it won't happen again and she knows that we know, he declared. Watch Video Below Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] 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 Minority caucus in Parliament has stated that they are resolutely opposed to the introduction, formalisation and legalisation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex (LGBTQQI+) practices and rights in Ghana. Addressing a press conference in Accra on Friday (October 15, 2021), the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu said, as representatives of the Ghanaian people, Members of Parliament have an obligation to protect the moral fibre of the Ghanaian society and promote the cohesion, unity and preserve Ghanas time-tested cultural practices and beliefs which have kept us together as one country. He said members of the Minority caucus will insist on a clause by clause voting when Parliament resumes sitting and the bill comes up for consideration. He said members and many Ghanaians have expressed a united avowed stance to oppose the practice in whatever shape, form or character. The caucus ,therefore, supports the Promotion of Proper Human Sexuality and Ghanaian Family Value Bill, 2021, otherwise called the anti-LGBTQQI+ Bill, he said. Mr Iddrisu was reacting to public debate on the "anti-LGBTQQI+" Bill currently in Parliament. 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 A law against political vigilantism played a major part in ensuring the 2020 General Elections was the most peaceful polls ever in Ghana. This is the view advanced by the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, at a press conference held on Friday, October 15, 2021, to address a range of pressing national issues. The NPP through its national spokesperson, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, said it was thanks to the Vigilantism and Related Offences Law of 2019 that the election largely run smoothly before and during the process. Asamoa chided former President John Dramani Mahama, who in recent pronouncements has intimated that the 2020 polls were poorly conducted. Asamoa told the press that Mahama's posture doesn't edify sacrifices of voters slamming him further for reminding families of the pain of deaths recorded in the post-vote collation process. "President Akufo-Addo is on record as saying not a drop of Ghanaian blood is worth exchanging for electoral victory and the steps he took against vigilantism ensured the most peaceful voting process ever in the 2020 elections. "We didn't hear anything about vigilante groups, the BBC described the election as boring as the Electoral Commissioner has said. "True leadership would not focus on the unfortunate and painful situation for political gain to the detriment of national peace of mind," Asamoa stressed. About vigilante bill The Vigilantism and related offences law bans acts of vigilantism in Ghana, disbands vigilante groups, including political party vigilante groups and land guards. It was birthed in the aftermath of chaotic by-elections in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency in the Greater Accra Region in early January 2019. A presidential commission of inquiry led by former CHRAJ boss Emile Short conducted public and in-camera hearings into the incident and made a raft of recommendations in their final report, which report the government has been accused of refusing to implement. According to President Akufo-Addo who accented to the law in September 2019, a person who directly or indirectly instigates or solicits the activity of a vigilante, facilitates or encourages vigilantism, or conceals a vigilante to avoid lawful arrest, commits an offence, and is liable, on conviction, to a term of imprisonment of not less than ten (10) years and not more than fifteen (15) years. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Felix Ofosu Kwakye, a former deputy Minister of Information under the John Dramani Mahama administration has responded to suggestions by Lord Oblitey Commey, the Director of Operations at the Presidency, that the New Patriotic Party will not be exiting power anytime soon. In a social media post, Ofosu Kwakye labeled as funny, the statement by Commey, questioning his line of action should the NPP lose the 2024 elections. Lord Commey is quite funny. He actually believes that when Ghanaians vote them out in 2024 and the results indicate same, he or anyone else within the NPP can hold on to power? Why, he wasnt in Ghana in 2008? What a stale joke! Commenting on the same issue, the National Communication Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi called for change in tactics within the NDC. Describing the NPP as power-drunk, Sammy Gyamfi said that the party should head into the 2024 elections with a new posture. Its about time we in the NDC did an honest self-introspection and soul searching. We cannot capture power from these power-drunk NPP despots with our current posture. There has to be a drastic change in our mindset, posture and actions relative to how we relate with the NPP on all fronts. It cannot be business as usual." Addressing delegates at the annual conference of the Greater Accra Regional chapter of the NPP, Commey said that the NPP must adopt every measure possible to retain power. He charged members of the party to commit themselves to the cause of the party and ensure that victory is chalked in the 2024 elections and beyond. Isaiah chapter 60 verse 22 says: And when the time is due, I the Lord said I will make it happen so I appreciate your love, I thank you for the clarion call but for now, it has to be shelved for a while. Mr. Chairman, I dont care who becomes the National Chairman of this party and I dont really care who becomes the flagbearer for 2024. When JH Mensah, may his soul rest in peace, started screaming in conference we won power, we won power, we won power, have you forgotten? It was a serious matter. It tells you that what you call power, if God grants it to you and you dont hold it well, what it will do to you? I dont care who becomes National Chairman and who becomes flagbearer, what I care is that the NPP continues to rule in this country, power, power, power. It is no joke ooo, he stressed to a cheering crowd. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President John Dramani Mahama, says even though the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was not happy with the conduct of the 2020 elections, it still maintained a level head because the peace of the country is paramount. He emphasised that Ghana had gone through successful elections but election-2020 was the worst the Country had ever conducted since 1992. Former President Mahama made the observation when he paid a courtesy call on the Omanhene of Oguaa, Osabarima Kwesi Atta, at the Emintsimadze Palace, during his visit to the Central Region as part of his nationwide thank you tour. Former President Mahama thanked the Traditional and Religious Leaders for their contribution to peace in the country, adding that their continued counselling during the 2020 elections yielded positive results in maintaining peace. He said it was his prayer that Ghana would continue to remain peaceful. On the economy, the Former President blamed the current economic challenges and unemployment situation facing the country on bad economic policies embarked upon by the government, including the collapse of indigenous banks in the country. The mismanagement of the economy by the ruling government has resulted in hardships, the NDC is only Ghanas hope to change and manage the countrys resources to improve the standard of living of the people, he said. He said prudent economic measures should be able to make the environment friendly for the people to go about their businesses without discrimination based on political affiliation. He stressed that in NDCs 2020 manifesto, there is a big push for an infrastructural development agenda, where $10 million dollars was projected to be used to construct roads, hospitals, and schools. Mr. Mahama, said there is also a well-crafted plan to create one million job opportunities for young Ghanaians and also solve the countrys Galamsey menace which has caused extensive destruction to the vegetation cover and water bodies. Mr. Mahama pointed out that the decision by the government to abandon all projects his administration initiated, is seriously hampering the progress of the country. Given the mandate, the next NDC government would use the first two years in office to complete all abandoned projects before new ones are started, he stressed. Former President Mahama said the NDC would continue its advocacy on electoral reforms to ensure the countrys electoral processes are improved to deliver fair, peaceful, and transparent elections. Osabarima Kwesi Atta on his part commended Former President Mahama for maintaining statesmanship after the December 2020 elections, adding that his peaceful nature contributed to the peace the country is enjoying. He thanked the former President for his contribution to peace in Ghana and indicated the Councils willingness to work with political parties that demonstrated the fear of God and love for humanity. The Former President was accompanied by his running mate in the 2020 elections, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, the National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and some MPs from the region. Source: gbcghanaonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A decision by the New Patriotic Party, NPP, to boycott the first Parliamentary elections under the Fourth Republican constitution was a mistake. This admission is coming almost three decades after the incident which took place in 1992 when Ghana was transiting from military rule to multi-party democracy. According to Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, a leading member of the party who later served as a Member of Parliament and Foreign Affairs Minister, the decision at the time was a majority position of the party. He said Rawlings' decision to have the presidential and parliamentary vote a week apart afforded the party the opportunity to assess their chances for the legislative vote. Rawlings made life very difficult for us. He decided that we should do the presidential and the parliamentary elections one week apart. There was intimidation and we believed sincerely that he did not win. "So we came back to our headquarters at Asylum Down after the Presidential election, after we have been cheated. There, some groups thought that we should boycott the election because we knew we had been cheated. So we gave our support and vote for other candidates, he narrated. At the time, the new Parliament had 200 seats spread across the country but a faction allied to the NPP's leader at the time, Albert Adu Boahen, prevailed in asking that the vote be boycotted. Among ourselves, we were divided. The Adu-Boahen group said we should boycott the election. Some also thought we should go in for the parliamentary election because we had the support, and we knew we could win. "But at the end of the day, the majority decided that we should boycott the parliamentary election and do analysis. It showed that the verdict of the people was stolen by Rawlings and his team. So they went to Parliament and there was no opposition. After the vote, the National Democratic Congress, NDC, led by junta leader turned democrat, late Jerry John Rawlings won 189 seats in Parliament. The remaining seats were shared among the National Convention Party (8 seats), the EGLE party with a seat and two independent candidates. Hackman justifies why the NPP wrote a book 'The Stolen Verdict' after the vote and insists that were the process open, free and fair, the NPP would have won. Now, I am even more convinced that it [the 1992 election] was stolen. There are no two ways about it. That is why we wrote about the Stolen Verdict. "But what I think was a mistake was the fact that we should have competed in the parliamentary election. Quite obviously, we knew that if people voted, we wouldve won. We would have gotten a decent number, he insisted. Hackman spoke on the Footprints show on Accra-based Citi TV. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President John Dramani Mahama has admonished the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to allow all interested persons in the presidential slot for 2024, to contest without any hindrance. Addressing party stakeholders as part of his Thank you tour in the Western Region on Thursday, October 14, 2021, he said the NDC must work hard to win the polls. He said the NDC is a democratic party and persons interested in becoming presidential candidate must not be hindered. From next year, we (NDC) will begin our branch, constituency, regional and national elections. From there we will do our flagbearership elections. The NDC is a democratic party so all those who show interest and qualify to contest must be allowed to do so. We must all support whoever emerges victorious into the 2024 elections, and I am certain that God will give us victory, he said. Source: Rainbowradioonline Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has welcomed the current debate surrounding the promotion of proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values bill, 2021. According to the party, the debate was gradually settling into contributions about values. From extremist language against proponents and opponents, many are now moving away from simplistic attacks to arguing their view of what Ghanaian values are and the determination of what constitutes human rights within that value system, the Director of Communications of the NPP, Mr Yaw Buaben Asamoa, said at a news conference in Accra Friday. Lessons He said what had been learnt so far was that democratic practice was at its best when there was open and free expression of views, irrespective of the accompanying heat. Having weathered initial hostility as to their position, calmer water is enabling them diversify their options, including possible resort to the Supreme Court, he stated. Mr Asamoa said the second lesson learnt so far was that everyone must take responsibility and stand up for their views and value propositions, whether such views were popular or not. The broad diversity of input from all facets of Ghanaian society, including but not limited to religious groups, traditional leaderships, academia, the legal fraternity, frontline politicians, media practitioners, home makers, artisans and ordinary people facilitated by the media, shows a Ghanaian political public rapidly maturing into the ethos of participation. Perhaps the biggest winner so far is tolerance and an innate determination to stay the course, beyond and above the usual dramatic polarisation of issues into NPP or NDC, he said. 2020 elections That lesson, he said, was reinforced by the history of the 2020 election. Mr Asamoa said it was a heroic story of many firsts and records made, as narrated by the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Jean Mensa, to ECOWAS delegations assembled in Winneba. According to him, the major challenge that could have derailed the eighth election in a row under the 1992 Constitution was the preceding year of near violent disputation whether or not an entirely new register was required for a credible and, therefore, acceptable election. The global coronavirus pandemic complicated matters as international procurement sources shut down and the naysayers raised legitimate health concerns. Yet the EC remained firm in resolve and went ahead to deliver, perhaps, the best organised and most peaceful electoral process ever, saving money and reducing voter turnaround time significantly by over half, he stated. Values Mr Asamoa said what President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo represented was true leadership with pragmatic decisiveness projecting prevailing circumstances to achieve the most usefulness for the largest possible number of people. In the Ghanaian context, a strong focus on education, infrastructure and business can better channel national energy into expansionary employment, incomes, social progress and positive peer impact. NPP is the party of choice for such investments. Working with the NPP, we can create a buoyant and prosperous economy: and a proud, disciplined and industrious people at peace with themselves and their neighbours, he said. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana has occupied the second position as the most nominated African country with 20 nominations at the 8th edition of the African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA 2021), slated for November 14, 2021. African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) is the sole award ceremony in the diaspora that caters to all musical genres including but not limited to Afrobeats, Assiko, Bongo, Decale, Funana, Genge, Highlife, Kwaito, Lingala, and Soukous. AFRIMMA is committed to writing the African music story on the world map, and the mission is crossing boundaries with music in aligning with the dream started by African Muzik Magazine. The Ghanaian music industry which has been under intensive criticism recently, has received massive appraisals from fans in Ghana and the diaspora following the release of the nominations as some acts including the likes of Yaw Tog and Black Sherif have received nominations for this years New Comer category. Rap king Sarkodie and Mzvee grabbed two nominations as Best Male, Rap West Africa, and Best Female West African, and Overall Best Music Video category respectively. KiDi and Adina were nominated for the Best Male/ Female West Africa category. Headie One as Crossing Boundaries with Music, Joe Mettle and Diana Hamilton as Best Gospel Act, Stonebwoy as Best Live Act, Eno as Best Female Rapper, and David Duncan as Best Video Director category. UK-based Ghanaian DJ, DJ Kesse, grabbed the Best DJ Africa nomination, Richie Mensah as Best Producer, Incredible Zigi as Best African Dancer of the Year, Dark Suburb as Best Artist Duo in African Rock, and Serwaa Amihere as African Personality of the Year category. This years AFRIMMA is set to be another historic edition as African stars host their countrys flags in different categories of nominations. Ghanaians are encouraged to log onto www.afrimma.com to vote for their favourite nominees. 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 Podcasts have become a beloved pastime for many people around the globe, and data shows that Ghana is joining the trend. Since launching in the West African nation, Spotify, the worlds most popular audio streaming subscription service, has noticed a keen interest in podcasts among Ghanaians. So what exactly are Ghanaians streaming in terms of podcasts? Spotify is excited to reveal the top podcasts in Ghana over the last 90 days. At number 1 is Sincerely Accra -- a firm favourite among podcast listeners in the country. Interestingly, the rest of the top 10 podcasts are a curious mix of religious and relationship-focused podcasts: Joseph Nti, co-creator of Sincerely Accra, the number one podcast in Ghana, says they are focused on putting out episodes that their amazing community supports: Kwame and I found out in April that we were the top show on Spotify, and having our hard work be validated felt pretty amazing -- especially with our pretty intense production schedule with an episode out every two weeks, says Nti. The Michelle Obama Podcast and the Joe Rogan Experience also made the list, which are both highly popular shows streamed worldwide. Similarly, TED Talks Daily is a well-loved podcast that many people around the world tune into every day. The rest of the top 25 podcasts range from paranormal shows to motivational shows, like: Supernatural with Ashley Flowers Motivational Speeches 7 Good Minutes Daily Self-Improvement Podcast About Spotify Spotify transformed music listening forever when it launched in 2008. Discover, manage and share over 70 million tracks, including more than 2.9 million podcast titles, for free, or upgrade to Spotify Premium to access exclusive features for music including improved sound quality and an on-demand, offline, and ad-free listening experience. Today, Spotify is the worlds most popular audio streaming subscription service with 365m users, including 165m subscribers, across 178 markets. Facebook: @SpotifyAfrica | Twitter: @spotify | Instagram: @spotifyafrica | #SpotifyAfrica Download the Spotify app via the Android or iOS app store or by heading to www.spotify.com - to embed Spotify into a website - right click on any playlist, go to 'share' and copy embed code. 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 comic actor and producer, Benson Nana Yaw Oduro Boateng, popularly called Funny Face has shared his harrowing experience with depression. In an up-close and personal conversation with blogger, Nkonkonsa.com, Funny Face conceded that at some point in his life, he contemplated suicide because of the things he has been through from his arrest and detention at the Police station, his failed marriage, his sour experience with Vanessa, his baby mama. According to him, he went unconscious for a while and nearly did not survive had it not been for the saving Grace of God and he said his children are his motivation to be alive. He described depression as an evil force that renders you useless as you start to think you are a failure in life and nobody wants to associate with you. Funny Face who was admitted at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital for almost a month for treatment following his mental instability which was a grave worry for Ghanaians a few months ago told NKONKONSA.com a sign of depression is when you are very troubled in your head and you want to voice out and share your worries but nobody is giving you a listening ear or audience and that the only to come out of depression is facing your fears. Watch the full interview below: Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/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 Penticton IGA provided the backdrop for this scene from Drinkwater, starring Eric McCormack (left) and Daniel Doheny. The movie, shot entirely in Penticton, just picked up an award from the Calgary International Film Festival. Support local journalism We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story. Michael Coard, Esq. can be followed on Twitter, Instagram, and his YouTube channel as well as at AvengingTheAncestors.com. His Radio Courtroom show can be heard on WURD 96.1 FM or 900 AM. And his TV Courtroom show can be seen on PhillyCAM/Verizon Fios/Comcast. The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Philadelphia Tribune. Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune. You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.10 per week for 10 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month. Local residents can celebrate Aiken County's 150th anniversary by participating in the History Hop tour in Aiken this Saturday. A History Hop tour to explore historic sites throughout the downtown area will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, in Aiken. Two of the City of Aikens vehicles will shuttle guests between five museums, and guests can hop off and on to visit the sites for free. There will be tour guides aboard the shuttles to give tidbits of history between the stops. The route for the shuttles will be: Aiken County Historical Museum; Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum; Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum; Center for African American History, Art and Culture; and Savannah River Site Museum. Residents can park at any of these five museums to hop on the trolley and start their adventure. Masks are strongly encouraged while riding in the trolleys. The History Hop tour is free and open to the public. For more information, visit aikencounty150.org or call 803-642-2015. For those who are making their Christmas shopping lists, the Aiken Chamber of Commerce is starting a new promotion to encourage residents to shop local. Dubbed "Buy Aiken," the chamber is giving away $5,000 to shoppers this holiday season. Starting Nov. 1 and running through Dec. 13, every time a resident purchases $25 in goods and services at a participating business, they'll receive a red ticket and be entered to win the weekly cash prize drawings, along with three grand prize giveaways of $1,000. The more a resident buys, the greater the opportunity to win. The weekly drawings will include cash prizes in the amount of $100, $200, $300, $400 and $500. The list of participating businesses is on the chamber's website, aikenchamber.net, and is still being updated. As of Friday, there were 28 businesses listed, which include restaurants, bars, clothing stores and car dealerships. "The campaign is designed to encourage folks to shop locally with Aiken Chamber members," David Jameson, president and CEO of the chamber, said in an email announcement. "It will educate people throughout our region on the great retail, dining, goods, and services we have to offer." Weekly drawings will be live-streamed on the chamber's Facebook page every Monday, and the grand-prize drawing will be live streamed on Monday, Dec. 13 at 6:22pm. 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. First lady Jill Biden speaks during a visit to Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa on Sept. 15. On Sunday, she returned to the South Carolina Baptist church where she says she began to repair her relationship with God following her son's death from brain cancer six years ago. She quietly flew to West Columbia to speak at the 50th anniversary celebration for Pastor Charles B. Jackson Sr. of Brookland Baptist Church but ended up giving one of the most extended explanations of how her faith wavered and how she found her way back to God. File/Charlie Neibergall/AP A record year while in the midst of a pandemic and its resulting supply chain crunch has led to significant bonuses and salary increases for executives at the State Ports Authority. The SPA's board of directors approved the payouts on Oct. 18, citing record cash flow of $114 million and an all-time-high of 2.55 million 20-foot cargo containers moving through the Port of Charleston's terminals during the fiscal year that ended June 30. Those two metrics determine the annual bonus pool and both exceeded the previous year's total by a wide margin. The result is a $3 million bonus pool to be split among the SPA's roughly 850 employees and $849,904 divided among the maritime agency's seven top management officials. The payouts will take place in November. Jim Newsome, the SPA's president and CEO, will take home a $336,875 bonus and will get a salary bump to $585,000 annually. That is a 7 percent increase from his previous pay of $550,000. Barbara Melvin, the maritime agency's chief operating officer, will get a $145,530 bonus and her salary will increase to $400,000 a year a 17.6 percent boost from last year. "Those salaries are competitive with both Savannah and Norfolk," said Dave Posek, the SPA board member who heads the human relations committee. The salaries are complicated somewhat by Newsome's announcement that he will retire June 30 and hand the top job over to Melvin. The board approved a $500,000 salary for Melvin once she begins her new duties on July 1. Newsome will become an executive adviser to the SPA for a year after his retirement, with a salary of $500,000. The bonus and salary boosts for the SPA's other executives include: Paul McClintock, senior vice president for export projects $88,812 bonus; $290,000 salary. Phil Padgett, senior vice president and chief financial officer $79,625 bonus; $285,000 salary. Jordi Yarborough, senior vice president of external affairs $64,312 bonus; $210,00 salary. Micah Mallace, senior vice president of marketing and sales $73,500 bonus; $270,000 salary. Beverly Cowart, senior vice president of human resources $61,250 bonus; $210,000 salary. The SPA's board approved a budget in the midst of the pandemic that froze salaries and did not include a bonus plan. But as the year progressed and cargo levels continued to rise, it revised the budget to add a bonus plan and to let the agency hire 150 workers to move containers. "We didn't hire during the pandemic, and we were really behind the eight ball," Newsome said during his annual State of the Port speech on Oct. 18. "Our employees let us know about it they were significantly overworked." Newsome said that when the pandemic started, he figured the port would lose about 15 percent of its normal cargo volumes. It finished the fiscal year with a nearly 10 percent increase. 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. NORTH CHARLESTON Charleston-based Hudson Automotive Group is expanding its footprint in the state's third-largest city. The car dealer recently paid $3.5 million for the 31,167-square-foot building at 2150 Morris Baker Blvd. that once housed electronics and appliance store HHGregg, according to the commercial real estate firm NAI Charleston. The retailer shuttered all of its stores in 2017 after filing for bankruptcy. The nearly 2.5-acre site is a block or two south of Hudson Nissan's dealership at 7331 Rivers Ave. Hudson Automotive owner David Hudson said the building will be used to recondition and maintain pre-owned vehicles, but it will not be a sales site. Sign up for our real estate newsletter! Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday. Email Sign Up! NAI Charleston pointed to the booming pre-owned car market as the reason Hudson expanded into the former retail space. "Older cars are seeing more circulation, hence Hudson Nissan's need for supplementary square footage," the real estate firm said in a statement. Representatives of commercial real estate firm CBRE represented the seller, VEREIT Inc. Business travel has not fully returned to Charleston International, and South Carolina's chief tourism official is not optimistic of a full recovery in the foreseeable future for the corporate-flying sector. "I'm not sure business travel will ever come back to previous levels," said Duane Parrish, director of the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. He pointed out not many people had ever heard of Zoom 18 months ago, and companies have learned they can handle matters virtually to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as save money. Charleston airport CEO Elliott Summey takes a different view. He believes business travel will come back, but it will take time to recover. "As someone who used to travel for business, there is still nothing better than a face-to-face meeting," Summey said. "It's hard to build a relationship over Zoom." He pointed out large corporations may be using virtual meetings as a cost-cutting measure, but entrepreneurs are likely going to continue traveling. "It's the personal relationship that makes you stand out if you are trying to buy or sell a product to make a deal," Summey said. On a positive note, Parrish noted Charleston is primarily a tourist market and said the decision by some carriers to reassign aircraft to travel destinations from business-centric cities could drive more leisure business to the region. The introduction of new routes by some airlines also will help the Lowcountry, he said. For instance, Upstart Breeze Airways added several destinations from Charleston during the summer. This year, the airport saw more than 2.9 million air travelers coming and going through Sept. 30. That's up 104 percent over the same period last year, but it's off 19 percent from 2019. In total, the airport saw about 683,000 fewer passengers from January through September than it did in the year immediately preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the falloff can be attributed to airline travel not returning to pre-virus levels until July. The first six months of 2021 compared to the first half of 2019 show a decrease of about 730,000 passengers. Last month, Charleston's airport saw close to 387,000 ticketholders coming and going. That's 34,000 more than September 2019, when Hurricane Dorian skirted the coast and skewed the numbers lower. If the airport averages 400,000 passengers during the last three months of the year, which is about 5 percent less than in 2019 for the year's last quarter, the final tally could be about 4.1 million. That's about 700,000 less than the record-setting year in 2019. "I think we will hit our marks," Summey said. "The bookings look strong for the next three months according to the airlines. The weather is good, and people are moving around more." Its been 19 long months since the 15th annual Charleston Wine + Food Festival concluded a mere week before the country went into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, organizers have canceled the 2021 festival, moved its culinary village to North Charleston and spelled out their efforts to build a more inclusive festival. The 2022 schedule is out, and over the next five months organizers will get to work on executing their vision for five days that are unlike previous runs of the event, set to take place March 2-6. How we got here In July 2020, Charleston Wine + Food promised to focus on diversifying its board and staff, paying closer attention to the event venues it chooses and facilitating the participation of a wider group of food-and-beverage experts, organizers said at the time. This year, Charleston Wine + Foods eight-person staff came up with 110 events in eight categories after consulting with focus groups, the board of directors and some chef participants, according to organizers. When ticket sales go live Oct. 21, interested parties will find an array of signature events, dinners, lunches, excursions, classes and beverage workshops throughout the tri-county. A whos who of well-known chefs are scheduled to participate, including Mike Lata, James London, Carrie Morey, Shuai Wang, BJ Dennis, Jill Mathias and TV personality Maneet Chauhan. At a Glance: Charleston Wine + Food Festival March 2-6, 2022 110 total events 72 events in downtown Charleston 38 remaining events spread out between North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island, West Ashley, James Island, Johns Island, Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island, Folly Beach and Dewees Island 21 signature dinners 6 excursions 3 bar takeovers In recent years, the festival has been criticized for not giving chefs the supplies necessary to run a successful dinner, classroom or booth in the culinary village. Chefs were not consulted on how best to run events built around the chefs themselves, critics said. For the first time, all visiting chefs will receive hotel accommodations and a travel stipend up to $500. All participating chefs will be supplied with all of the necessary food products and equipment, also a Charleston Wine + Food first. In the past, these line items had only been supplied to some chefs. In terms of programming, the staff took a step back this year to serve as the facilitator of participants ideas, according to Charleston Wine + Food Executive Director Gillian Zettler. The way that the programming came together was 100 percent different than in years past, she said. Incoming festival chef Digby Stridiron, born in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, said hes had more creative control over his event this year than in 2018 and in 2020. Located at Pelican Watch Pavilion on Folly Beach, Stridirons Punch Paradise will celebrate Charlestons ties to the Caribbean. They actually reached out to me prior, and we had a conversation about what I would be interested in doing, what I would like to see, Stridiron said. I think Charleston should celebrate the Caribbean because its such a beautiful tie-in. Multiple chefs told The Post and Courier that they had either just been invited or not received details about their event as of Oct. 15. When it comes to its staff and board, some work has been done since Charleston Wine + Food board member Steve Palmer in 2020 said the proof is in the pudding when it comes to the makeup. The festival is in the midst of a hiring season that was pushed back due to the pandemic, Zettler said, so there have been little to no changes to its all White staff. It has made changes to the board of directors. The now-17-person board has six new members: Carrie Morey, Tommy Preston Jr., Jason G. Brown, Tim Davis, Rashaunda Grant and Kevin Mitchell. As an executive director, Ive never felt more supported than I do right now, Zettler said. Change in the air? New to 2022s festival are its bar takeovers, which come with three drinks and appetizers for $45, and two free events: The Pavilion at Culinary Village featuring area food trucks and family-friendly movie nights that will be held in Hampton Park. A heightened pool of chef-curated experiential dinners aimed at educating attendees are on the schedule, too. Mitchell, who joined the festivals board in August, will lead one of these dinners, called The Roots of Rice, focusing on the far-reaching influence of rice and how it can bridge the gap between cultures. Mitchell said initial planning meetings with talent manager Jenna Kepley and Jacques Larson, the festivals chef chair, involved coming up with events that were more inclusive and further highlight women, African Americans and Native Americans. When they started discussing his work as one of South Carolinas chef ambassadors, plans for a multi-chef meal focused on rice came to the forefront. (Jenna) sent me a few suggestions of other chefs that could be involved, I chimed in with a few of my own and here we are, Mitchell said. This event has been driven by our conversations. Perhaps the biggest change ahead of the March start date is the location of the culinary village, which moves off the peninsula for the first time in the festivals history. Riverfront Park in North Charleston will host the village March 4-6. Three neighborhoods will each showcase its own set of drinks and dishes. Zettler believes the massive area being dedicated to the culinary village will allow guests, who must provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test, to feel safe during the signature three-day event. COVID is absolutely something that came into play, she said. Being a part of the culinary village was important to Stridiron, who leads the kitchen at Winston-Salem, N.C., restaurant Sir Winston. He said he was good with the move but really loved the old set up. Cele and Lynn Seldon, authors of 100 Things to Do in Charleston Before You Die, estimate that theyve attended 60 food festivals, including all 15 years of Charleston Wine + Food. The Seldons, who have enjoyed previous festivals, said the all-inclusive feel of it being centered around the heart of downtown Charleston was something they always looked forward to on their drive in from Beaufort, where they live. They do believe the move will help Charleston Wine + Food expand its footprint. Despite the decision to vacate Marion Square, downtown Charleston will still act as the festivals hub, Zettler said, with 72 of the 110 events taking place on the peninsula. Its hard to argue with the beauty of Riverfront Park, so were really excited to make that shift, but there are going to be a ton of signature events on the peninsula, Zettler said. Charleston Wine + Food Festival tickets will go on sale Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. Tickets range in price from $45-$275. Like in 2020, locals can purchase single-day tickets to the culinary village for $95, $40 cheaper than the out-of-town rate. COLUMBIA A national bus driver shortage made even more acute by the pandemic has several Columbia-area school districts crafting incentive plans to replenish their ranks. Right now its a winner-take-all. Weve got to do what weve got to do to make things happen, Richland One commissioner Cheryl Harris said Oct. 12 just ahead of voting for a series of perks officials hope will fill more than 50 empty spots. The board-approved plan includes: signing bonuses of between $1,500 and $3,000 based on experience and licensing; performance inducements for safe driving and perfect attendance; and a longevity retention payment $500 and $2,000 a year. Of the 220 driver positions, 57 are currently vacant. Thats compared to 35 openings in 2018, Richland One officials said. The starting salary for drivers with no experience is just above $16 an hour. Angela Crosland, a district spokeswoman, said the shortfall has led to some logistical issues. We have experienced some late buses on the north end of the district which has the most open routes, she said. Our staff of professional drivers have gone above and beyond, with almost half of them driving an extra route. The 22,000-student district is hosting a day of bus driver interviews from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 22 at the Heyward Career and Technology Center at 3560 Lynhaven Drive. Pre-registration is required by Oct. 20 through Richland Ones website. Districts across South Carolina are confronting the problem in different ways, with many having their existing drivers pulling double and even triple routes. That's left leaders in Aiken and Greenville counties asking parents to transport children to and from school when possible. The only way to address the driver shortage, barring getting additional drivers, is to double routes, Superintendent Burke Royster said at an Aug. 24 board meeting. "Overtime helps with the bus situation, but it doesnt get them home any earlier. The driver crunch is part of a national decline that was happening even before the pandemic, industry leaders say. An Aug. 31 survey by the National Association for Pupil Transportation found 91 percent of its 1,500 respondents said routes have been altered to middle and elementary schools, while 83 percent have adjusted their high school runs. In neighboring Richland School District Two, a nearly identical incentive package was put in place last month, and 40 applicants responded. Officials have a target goal of 148 drivers to cover for any absences but currently has 130. Although the problem isnt as bad in Lexington One, district leaders have taken steps to plug what holes they do have. Over the summer, district leaders approved a 5 percent driver pay bump along with a $1-per-hour increase, district spokeswoman Kathryn McPhail said. And Lexington-Richland Five, which covers schools in the towns of Chapin and Irmo, is nearly at full capacity of its 106 drivers, 92 percent of seats are filled. GREENVILLE The first major private development to spawn from Unity Park appears to be on a smooth track ahead of a public hearing this week. The Delano high-rise an eight-story, mixed-use development at the doorstep of the $61 million park west of downtown received high praise from the city's Design Review Board, where few projects emerge unchanged. This will set a nice precedent," board member John Edwards said during an Oct. 13 review of the project. I think its not what everybody would have anticipated there, but in a lot of ways its a better answer. The review was advisory as the developer, Florida-based MHK Architecture and Planning, sought feedback on the design before the project heads before the city's Planning Commission on Oct. 21. The Delano would include 70 apartments, 3,200-square-feet of retail space and a rooftop restaurant atop an eight-story building on one acre of land next to the building that houses Swamp Rabbit Crossfit and Southernside Brewing Co. The land is owned in partnership between businessman Krish Patel, who is a new member of the city's Board of Zoning Appeals, and U.S. Rep. William Timmons, who has characterized his role as a passive investor. The parcel was part of a land swap between the city and the owners last year and is a key part of a high-profile, 10-acre swath of mostly city-owned property along Mayberry Street the city is carefully considering how to develop. Were almost front of the block here before the park comes to fruition, and were very excited about that being the anchor of the park with this development, MHK president Matthew Kragh said. The building is representative of the stark contrast between the flood of money for upscale development pouring in today and the history of economic tribulation and racial segregation that has affected the Southernside community for a more than a century. The 60-acre expanse of low-lying property that will become Unity Park when it opens in the coming spring was long the city's dumping ground and, until a few years ago, the city's sprawling public works campus. The park has brought a promise of new prosperity but along with it fears that the historically predominantly Black community who toughed it out for decades will be priced out of the neighborhood. The Delano will designate 14 of the 70 apartments as affordable housing. The project will stand out in the area where the next-closest sign of new development is The Commons, a redeveloped row of once-abandoned warehouses that is now a retail and dining destination along the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Board chairwoman Carmella Cioffi said her only concern was the building's height relative to the low-lying area. I will say, its really tall on the edge of a park area," Cioffi told the developer. "Itll be interesting to see how this area develops further. Im a little concerned about the height, but I understand what youre trying to do and I think youve done it very well. The building is unlike other projects the board has reviewed in the downtown area, board member Danielle Fontaine said. "It's a distinctive building," she said. "It looks very different from anything we have in Greenville, and I welcome the distinction." NORTH CHARLESTON Joan Vandawaker has to pass armed guards and show a military ID to get to church on Sunday mornings. She could attend any number of houses of worship in the Charleston area, but going to the chapel at Joint Base Charleston is special for her. She likes to sit in the same row each week with her father, 80-year-old retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Albert Hoyte. As a retired Air Force officer herself, it's a way to bond with her father each Sunday. I grew up going to this chapel; I began my faith journey at Joint Base Charleston, Vandawaker said. "There are wonderful churches in the Charleston area but theres something incredibly unique about attending a service where people understand military culture. An average of 50 people make up the Sunday congregation at the Protestant worship service. But attendees like Vandawaker and Hoyt are worried their weekly trip to the base may come to an end. Lt. Col. Joel Kornegay, the senior chaplain at Joint Base Charleston, has told the congregants the number of military retirees attending has dwindled significantly over the years and there are too few active-duty airmen in attendance each week. "We have seen roughly a 30 percent drop in attendance in our Sunday morning Protestant worship service," Kornegay said in a statement. Kornegay has told longtime churchgoers that participation needs to rise to warrant keeping the service time on the schedule. Some of those who have spent their lives in the church are upset at the prospect of losing it. "We were in an uproar, we were appalled," Hoyte said. If one active-duty Airman attends the service, that should be enough to keep it open. The pandemic decline What's happening at the base chapel isn't a new problem in the military or a sudden, unforeseen issue facing churches across the nation. Data shows that younger generations are not as engaged with religion in general, while older congregants are slowly passing away with fewer new members to fill their spots in pews. Membership in most all houses of worship overwhelmingly declined last year, dropping below 50 percent for the first time in 80 years, according to a recent poll from Gallup. By the numbers, in 2020, 47 percent of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque, down from 50 percent in 2018 and 70 percent in 1999. Last year saw the sharpest decline due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic putting a pause on in-person church services. Joint Base Charleston's chapel likewise was hit hard by the virus. Before the pandemic, we had about 120 attendees, Hoyte said. After they reopened the service last year, membership dwindled to around 40. The base began livestreaming the Sunday services to be cautious amid the pandemic. The stream also fueled the decline of in-person attendance. Attending chapel on a military base is unique. The services are only open to active-duty service members and military retirees with proper ID. They often bring their wives and families, and raise their children in the church. A majority of the Charleston AFB congregants have been attending services at the chapel since the mid-1970s, after they first were assigned to Charleston. That includes service members like 87-years old David Ferguson. The 30-year military retiree was married to his second wife, Linda, at the chapel. The two have worked there cooking and preparing meals for potluck dinners, breakfasts and church picnics. Sign up for our SC Military Digest newsletter Get exclusive military reporting, updates from Palmetto State bases, headlines from around the globe and more delivered to your inbox each Tuesday. Email Sign up! The loss of the Sunday service would mean losing a cornerstone of their social life. "I've been in the service since I was 19 years old," David Ferguson said. "I don't know anywhere else to go if it were to close. I'd be a stranger if I went somewhere else. It wouldn't be the same." Attracting young churchgoers Church attendance across the nation has been on a steady decline for several reasons, but the impact can be especially felt in military site worship houses where the young and single make up the great bulk of new enlistees. Its always been a problem with young people attending church, when they join the service they lose that obligation to go with families and they have their freedom to go or not, Hoyt said. Kornegay, the base senior chaplain, has told congregants that his chaplains are stretched thin and are mainly focused on one-on-one spiritual guidance for each unit on base. Additionally, chaplains have overwhelmingly been focused on suicide prevention in the military amid an alarming number of deaths among the ranks in 2020. The suicide rate for active-duty troops rose to 28.7 per 100,000 last year, up from 26.3 the previous year, according to the latest Defense Department report. Notably, a 2020 Gallup poll showed that mental health ratings across the nation sank to a new low amid the pandemic, but pointed out that "frequent church attendees show the least change in their mental health ratings." The numbers come amid a chaplain shortage in the military, especially among Catholic priests. The Catholic church often has to provide incentives for priests to join the military, such as paying for half their religious education. At Joint Base Charleston, the priest on base is a contracted government employee. While the protestant service at the chapel faces the threat of being cut, the Catholic Mass is safe at the moment. Vandawaker said that keeping the hourlong protestant Sunday service would not be an unusual burden on the chaplains and pointed out that the protestant service could be "another important resource" for airmen who are struggling. Air Force policy 52-101 states that Mass times and religious services are provided "in response to the validated religious needs of assigned Airmen and their authorized dependents with consideration of staff capabilities and available resources." The Sunday morning churchgoers are trying to recruit more active-duty families to come to the chapel on base. Ideally, they'd like to see new congregants make up around 40 percent of their congregation before the end of the year. Congregants like Linda Ferguson are staying hopeful that attendance "will bounce back." So far they've increased the number of active-duty families on Sunday from two to six. A group of churchgoers plans to speak with Col. Marc Greene, the commander of Joint Base Charleston, next week about their concerns and their progress in recruiting new attendees. We feel comfortable and feel at home at that church, Hoyte said. We're a big family. MYRTLE BEACH U.S. Rep. Tom Rice outraised his GOP opponents for South Carolina's 7th Congressional District over the last three months despite the Myrtle Beach Republican's controversial vote to impeach former President Donald Trump earlier this year. Rice, who is seeking his sixth term, has raised more than $1.1 million since the beginning of his campaign cycle with little more than $400,000 of that being raised in the third quarter that ended Sept. 30, according to federal election filings. Rice has more than $1.8 million cash on hand. "I am overwhelmed by my support ... I am very humbled, I love doing this job and I pray every day for God to put me where he needs me," Rice said about the money his campaign has raised since July. Graham Allen, a political newcomer and conservative media personality, outraised Rice in the second quarter but came in second this time around with only raised $237,000 since July. Allen, who lives in Anderson but said he plans to move to Myrtle Beach, has raised more than $640,000 and has $303,541 cash on hand. The race's newest candidate, S.C. House Rep. Russell Fry, raised $222,086 in his first three months, and has not spent much of his money yet with $220,946 in the bank. Fry, a Horry County attorney, announced his campaign in late July, is becoming what many in the state and party believed to be Rice's most formidable opponent yet after four terms in the Statehouse. Horry County School Board chairman Ken Richardson raised $43,000 this quarter, adding to a total of more than $123,000 raised since the beginning of the cycle. Richardson has $116,415 cash on hand. Former Myrtle Beach mayor Mark McBride raised the least out of the candidate pool this quarter with $15,000 and has $2,300 cash on hand. He has raised $18,500 in total congressional campaign contributions. Rice was once considered a consistent supporter of Trump and conservative policies, but his joining with nine other GOP House members to vote to impeach the president after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot felt like betrayal to many Republicans in District 7 and South Carolina. The impeachment vote attracted several challengers trying unseat Rice, an unusual move against an incumbent. South Carolinas 7th Congressional District covers much of the Pee Dee including Chesterfield, Dillon, Georgetown, Horry, Marlboro, Darlington and Marion counties, as well as parts of Florence County. 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. Were sure a lot of parents even parents who take COVID-19 seriously were thrilled by DHECs decision last week to loosen South Carolina's school quarantine rules. We hope their excitement is justified and that this will turn out to be a good decision that keeps more kids in the classroom without significantly increasing the number of students who get sick with COVID. But we all need to recognize that the change doesnt come without risk. We all need to understand that the quarantine rule change can and should be reversed if school infection rates start climbing again. And our schools need to take actions that are well within their grasp to reduce the possibility of a reversal. One of the most important lessons we learned in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic was that remote education simply isnt an acceptable substitute for in-person classes. Even when students have homes with reliable internet access and parents who can help, most students dont learn as well on Zoom as they do in a brick-and-mortar classroom. And even those students who learn just fine this way miss out on the social and emotional aspects of interacting with their peers, which are at least as important. Two-week quarantines certainly dont hurt children as much as being forced to learn from home for months at a time, but the proliferation of quarantines this year has been worrisome. So when DHEC got enough data to feel confident that infection rates inside schools were falling, and that only around 4% of quarantined students were testing positive less than half the general population Director Dr. Edward Simmer, state Epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell and Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHECs director of public health, looked for ways they could safely reduce the number of kids in quarantine. What they came up with departs from the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the rules the state had been using for most of this school year. Under the old rules, students who were within 3 feet of an infected student for 15 minutes or longer over the course of a day had to quarantine for up to 14 days unless both students were wearing a mask. Under the new rules, students who were wearing a mask wont have to quarantine unless they develop symptoms, even if the infected student was unmasked. Dr. Traxler tells us the combination of that low infection rate and studies showing that masks provide some protection to the wearers (not as much as to those around the wearers, but some) convinced the three doctors it was worth relaxing the rules both to keep more kids in the classroom and to encourage more students to wear masks. As we have warned folks all along, were going to follow the science, and were going to adapt, whether thats to make it more strict like we did a couple of weeks into the school year or to make it more flexible, she said. We will change it back if we start seeing more cases popping up among those kids who otherwise would have quarantined. But the three of us felt that it was an exceedingly low risk. Its important to note that school quarantine policies really weren't an issue last year, even in Charleston County and other school districts that offered in-person classes all year. Although the delta variant appears to infect children more easily than the original virus, thats not the big reason for the change. The big reason is that last year, students and teachers were required to wear masks in all the schools. (The problem last year was those districts that refused to bring students back into the classroom until ordered by the Legislature.) The main reason so many kids are being booted back to remote learning for sometimes revolving two-week periods and the reason some entire schools and even districts have had to go remote for limited periods is that so many kids are not wearing masks. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, that points to what school districts need to do to ensure that DHEC doesnt go back to requiring all students who were exposed to an infected student to quarantine, even if they were wearing a mask: Require everyone to wear masks. We understand districts initial reluctance to impose mask mandates this year: The Legislature passed a law in May that was designed to prevent those requirements. But the S.C. Supreme Court made it clear in an August ruling that districts are free to enact and enforce mask mandates using local funds, federal funds and even state funds allocated in previous budget years. And last month, U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis issued a restraining order and injunction that barred the enforcement of the state anti-mask law. That means the only thing stopping school districts from requiring students and teachers to wear masks is the school boards. Regrettably, three weeks later, Charleston County, two of Richland County's districts and a handful of smaller districts remain the outliers with mask requirements. Its past time for the other districts to join them, so we can make even more progress toward the goal of DHEC and all of us: to keep more kids in the classroom, and safe from infection. Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Lots of sunshine. High around 60F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear skies. Low 38F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. I will vote for keeping most of them in elected office I will vote to replace most of them I will vote to replace some of them I will vote for just a few, if any I will not vote Vote View Results Trent Colbert has self-identified as the Native American/Federalist Society student member who stood up to the harassment of the powers-that-be at Yale Law School (see Aaron Terrs FIRE story linked below). The Free Beacons Aaron Sibarium broke the story with Colberts audio clips documenting his close encounters of the diverse kind in A Yale Law Student Sent a Lighthearted Email Inviting Classmates to His Trap House. The School Is Now Calling Him To Account. Subhead: In leaked audio, administration officials allege his membership in the conservative Federalist Society is triggering and oppressive. Colberts audio clips take us inside the asylum of elite higher education. I noted the Free Beacon story and posted Colberts audio clips in Getting minds right at Yale. Aaron Terr followed up on the Free Beacon coverage in the (excellent) FIRE story How Yale Law School pressured a law student to apologize for a Constitution Day trap house invitation. David Lat has posted the transcript of an interview with Colbert and an anonymous friend of his here at Lats Substack site. Colbert also appeared on Michael Smerconishs CNN show. Smerconish covered the story and briefly interviewed Colbert in a good eight-minute segment that is posted here. Yale Law School authorities threatened Colbert and pressured him to send out a self-abasing written apology that it drafted for him. When Colbert declined, they sent out a statement to the YLS community themselves condemning the offending party invitation (We condemn this in the strongest possible terms). In his interview with Smerconsih, Colbert observes that the administrators sent out this statement while they were on the phone with him misrepresenting what it said. Once exposed in the Free Beacon story, the authorities issued a statement that is so disingenuous as to warrant professional discipline if made by a lawyer as a statement of fact to a court: Yale University and Yale Law School have strong free speech protections, and no student is investigated or sanctioned for protected speech. When the Law School receives complaints about offensive communications, the Dean of Students routinely tries to help students talk to one another and resolve their disagreements within the community. At no time was any disciplinary investigation launched or disciplinary action taken in this matter. The statement further denied that it reports such incidents to bar authorities (the threat made to Colbert): While any person may report concerns about a lawyers character and fitness to the bar, the law school has a longstanding policy of reporting only formal disciplinary action to the Bar Association. Yales statement may not be the most disgusting element of this disgusting episode, but it too is disgusting. Speaking of apologies, I am warming to the notion that Yale owes one to Colbert. The YLS authorities who haled Colbert before their Star Chamber Dean Ellen Cosgrove and Diversity czar Yaseen Eldik should be compelled to apologize to Colbert in a message to be distributed to the YLS community. In the same fake spirit of generosity they displayed to Colbert, I offer to help them draft the message. However, the apology must demonstrate their awareness of the multifarious wrongdoing they committed. This is what they might call a teachable moment. I asked second-year Yale Law School student Trent Colbert for copies of the documents that are quoted in the stories on his get your mind right experience with the school authorities. Trent kindly provided screenshots of the documents. I have typed them out below: Unsent apology drafted for Trent by YLS Director of Student Affairs for DEI Yaseen Eldik sent to Trent by Eldik on September 16 at 3:31 p.m. Dear BLSA leaders, I write to sincerely apologize to you for any harm, trauma, or upset my email caused. I had a conversation with Yaseen and Dean Cosgrove earlier and they helped to educate me on why my email was racially insensitive and classist. I had no idea that I was writing an email that was perpetuating harmful stereotypes or could even be interpreted as anti-Black. I dont want to cause any additional stress by writing this email, but I do want you to know that I am here if you would like to speak with me. I know I must learn more and grow. And I will actively educate myself so I could do better. Statement emailed by YLS Dean Ellen Cosgrove to all second-year students on September 16 at 8:13 p.m. Dear 2Ls, We understand that an invitation was recently circulated containing pejorative and racist language. We condemn this in the strongest possible terms. As the Law Schoos Discrimination and Harassment Coordinators, we are working on addressing this. If anyone has concerns they [sic] would like to discuss further, please reach out to us. Ellen Cosgrove (she, they) Associate Dean Yaseen Eldik (he, they) Director of Student Affairs for DEI Statement by YLS Dean Heather Gerken this morning (conforming to the low standards of accuracy and credibility demonstrated by YLS in this matter this fish is rotting from the head). Message sent by my Dartmouth classmate Owen Hughes to Dean Gerken this morning, complete with Power Line link: I am YLS 77. I have watched with increasing disquiet and embarrassment over the years as the virus of identity politics and intersectional victimhood has ravaged the school; but this is a whole new level of oppressive stupidity. Congratulations. https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/10/getting-minds-right-at-yale-contd.php I may have to call on Owen to help me in the drafting of the apology Yale owes to Trent Colbert. Dan Balz, the Washington Posts senior writer about politics, looks at the results of a recent Gallup poll on trust of government. Based on these results, he suggests that the publics souring on government bodes ill for Joe Bidens agenda. Thats a fair conclusion. Gallup conducts an annual survey of attitudes about government. Last year, as the pandemic raged, 54 percent of Americans said the government should do more to solve Americas problems. This year, with the government having tried to do plenty and the pandemic persisting, 53 percent told Gallup that the government is trying to do too many things that are better left to businesses and individuals. Balz calls this a reversion to the norm. The only other time the poll showed the public wanting a more active government was in 2001, after 9/11. However, Balz also notes that the publics faith in the governments ability to handle both domestic issues (39 percent) and international problems (also 39 percent) is anemic compared to the average response in the past two decades. In the latest survey, the views of Republicans and Democrats havent changed all that much. But independents have done an about-face. A year ago, 56 percent of them wanted more government action. That number is now down to 38 percent, with 57 percent saying government is trying to do too much. I find the new numbers particularly interesting given claims by some Democrats that Congress needs to enact massive spending packages lest the electorate be turned off by the failure of Democrats to deliver. The Gallup poll suggests that the only thing worse, electorally, than failing to deliver vast of amounts of new government activism and spending would be to deliver them. Thats why the more honest Democrat case for the spending/activism packages is that this is likely the last chance the Dems will have in many years to enact them. The latest poll results may be, to some extent, a reversion to the norm, as Balz says. But I still believe the Democrats are victims of their own BS. They made it sound like the pandemic and its scope were due to inaction by Donald Trump a lie. Biden made it sound like electing him, so he could unleash the federal government, would put an end to the high death toll associated with the Wuhan coronavirus. Now that Bidens presidency hasnt produced this result, and now that were experiencing all sorts of new problems, its natural to conclude that government isnt the answer to our problems. A bit more modesty about what government can and cannot do might have produced less disillusionment. But who makes modest claims in politics these days? Ill conclude with my favorite passage from Balzs piece: Trust in the government to handle international problems is at an all-time low, at 39 percent. As a cautionary note, this survey was done shortly after the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, which could have negatively affected the findings. For sure. And once Joe Biden cleans things up in Afghanistan, disarms the Iranian regime, and brings China to its knees, those powerful, haunting images from the Afghan debacle will recede and Americas faith in the governments ability to handle international problems will be restored. Were covered the disgrace that is Oberlin College repeatedly (here, here, here, and here, for starters), but theres a fresh embarrassment to pass along. From the Oberlin Review student paperone of those you have to read it, not to believe it stories: Male Workers Allowed Into Baldwin, Unsettling Residents Peter Fray-Witzer On Oct. 7, residents of Baldwin Cottage received an email from Josh Matos, the area coordinator for Multicultural and Identity-Based Communities. I am reaching out to you to give you an update on the radiator project, Matos wrote. Starting tomorrow (Friday, 10/8) the contractors will be entering rooms between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to install the radiators. This will mean that they will be in your room for a period of time to complete the work. I had not been contacted about any sort of radiator installation before this email, so right away the word update stood out to me as untrue. I grew concerned reading the second line, which informed me that I had less than 24 hours to prepare for the arrival of the installation crew, and I was further perturbed by the ambiguous for a period of time. In general, I am very averse to people entering my personal space. This anxiety was compounded by the fact that the crew would be strangers, and they were more than likely to be cisgender men. Baldwin Cottage is the home of the Women and Trans Collective. The College website describes the dorm as a close-knit community that provides women and transgendered persons with a safe space for discussion, communal living, and personal development. Cisgender men are not allowed to live on the second and third floors, and many residents choose not to invite cisgender men to that space. . . I was angry, scared, and confused. Why didnt the College complete the installation over the summer, when the building was empty? Why couldnt they tell us precisely when the workers would be there? Why were they only notifying us the day before the installation was due to begin? . . . The next day, I waited apprehensively. The workers began installing in common spaces, and I could see immediately that they were all men. It was clear that the College had not made a special request that male workers not be allowed onto the upper floors of Baldwin. Predicting when they would reach my room was pure guesswork. I was trying to anticipate whether I would be in class when they arrived, or if Id have to welcome strangers into my room only to be ejected to allow them space to work. . . Why didnt the College make a schedule detailing when the workers would be likely to arrive at each dorm and in each room? They should have taken measures to keep students comfortable and safe especially those who have elected to live in a specifically designated safe space. In the lead story in its local news section, the Washington Post reported last week that the Justice for J6 rally in D.C. cost government agencies that assisted Capitol Police at least $790,000. The Post seems bothered by this expenditure. So I infer from the fact that the paper rarely reports on the price tag of marches and protests by leftists or, for that matter, their rioting. Whatever one thinks of the events of January 6, the protest on behalf of the defendants who stormed the Capitol was well within the rights of the protesters. Supporting folks charged with crimes is a time-honored form of American protest, especially when the alleged crimes are committed in a political context. And, of course, these rallies are protected by the First Amendment. In this case, moreover, its not the protesters fault that government agencies spent so much in connection with the protest rally. The event was sparsely attended and did not require the expenditure of nearly $1 million. According to the Post, fewer than 500 people attended, a goodly share of whom were (in the Posts words) journalists and bystanders. Yet, the D.C. police mobilized its entire force of more than 3,500 members to work on both the day before and the day of the rally. The excessive amount of money was spent because the government believed its own BS. It chose to believe that this event might be a repeat of January 6 another insurrection. There was no sound basis for this belief, which was widely ridiculed by sensible conservatives. Rather, the belief was founded in some combination of paranoia and the desire to advance the view that insurrectionists are a genuine threat in America. To be fair, the Justice for J6 rally isnt the first time D.C. authorities spent way too much money policing a right-wing rally. According to the Post, a Unite the Right rally in 2018 cost the city an estimated $2.6 million. Fewer than 40 people attended that one. Its good to see the city moving towards more cost-effective policing of political rallies. Gary Burge discussed the OT prophecies that were leading up to the birth of Christ and the expectancy that a Messiah was coming. Steve Carter, editor for Preaching Today, and Gary Burge, New Testament scholar, help us understand the feeling of prophetic expectancy for a Messiah. The Jews understood that even during Roman occupation and oppresion there was this expecation that God would step in and resuce them. The best way to illustrate this expecation is from their history with Moses and Egypt, and why Moses is then seen as the template figure for the Messiah. Gary also gives us some of the central OT prophecies to use in our Christmas sermons. As well as an interesting take on the role suffering and oppression plays in the expecation for a Messiah. Then stay tuned to the second half of the video where three pastorsAlison Gerber, Lee Eclov, and Joel Thomasdiscuss how to apply Garys revelations to our Christmas sermons. Other Videos in this Series The Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN) has commenced the trial of three pharmacists based on charges of various professional misconducts. A disciplinary committee of PCN arraigned the accused persons at the councils headquarters in Abuja on Monday. The accused persons identified as Success Onaji, Chigozie Sunday, and Chinedum Okwum are representatives of drug manufacturing companies in the country. The trio allegedly failed to remit large amounts of money realised from drugs released to them for sale, amongst other offences. Speaking on the development, the chairman of the governing council of PCN, Ahmed Mora, said the offences will be met with corrective measures like delisting from the council for some time. Unprofessional activities Mr Mora said pharmacists engaging in unwholesome activities will be made to face the law. Pharmacists that have fallen short of the code of ethics and the profession are arraigned before the investigative panel to answer questions emanating from petitions from their employers or other parties that are supposed to enjoy their services as pharmacists, he said. He said pharmaceutical products have bearings between life and death which must be considered at all times. He urged pharmacists to be professional in their dealings. As practitioners, we have to ensure competencies, expertise and proficiency of the profession at all levels. Disciplinary tribunal The governing council of PCN also inaugurated the disciplinary tribunal to ensure discipline and adherence to ethics of the profession. Mr Mora said the inauguration was necessary to caution pharmacists who have deviated from the code of conduct and ethics of the profession. He said the post-inaugural meeting of the governing council, held on 9 June, 2020, approved the constitution of the membership of the disciplinary committee. Today we inaugurated the disciplinary council which was reconstituted last year, unfortunately, we could not sit as a tribunal because we can only sit after the investigative panel has done its work and refer cases to the disciplinary tribunal. For five years until last year, there was no council in place so the disciplinary tribunal of the council was not sitting, and so there are cases that had to be started afresh by the investigative panel who sat at least twice between last year and early this year, he said. The disciplinary tribunal is a standing committee of the PCN as mentioned in the Decree 91 of 1992. Naira gained further against the U.S dollar at the official market on Monday, stretching the currencys appreciation momentum to two business days on a stretch after it staged an all-time record low in the market segment last week. Data from FMDQ securities exchange window where forex is officially traded showed the domestic unit exchanged hands with the hard currency at N414.73 per $1 on Monday, which implies a N0.34 or 0.10 per cent increase from the N415.07 rate it exchanged on Friday last week. The spot market forex turnover decreased by 54.41 per cent with $172.00 million recorded on Monday as against the $377.28 million posted at the close of business in the previous session on Friday last week . Naira touched an intraday high of N405.00 and a low of N425.00 before closing at N414.73 to a dollar on Monday. At the black market in Abuja, dealers exchanged the currency at the rate of N568.00 and sold at N574.00 to a dollar on Monday. READ ALSO: While at Uyo, dealers said they exchanged the currency at N 565.00, and sold within the range of N567 to 568.00 to a dollar on Monday, the same rate it traded in the previous session on Friday last week. Due to the holiday tomorrow, we are afraid to buy many dollars today because we dont know what the outcome will be on Wednesday, a dealer who does not want his name mentioned told PREMIUM TIMES via telephone. It was another bloodbath in Sokoto State Sunday evening as bandits reportedly gunned down at least 30 people and maimed many others during an attack on a weekly market in Goronyo local government area of the state. Residents told PREMIUM TIMES that the bandits circled the market and started shooting sporadically as they pressed in on people attending the popular market in Goronyo, headquarters of the LGA. This happened barely 12 days after bandits had killed dozens of people in a similar attack on Unguwar Lalle market in Sabon Birni local government area of the state. Goronyo, Isa, Sabon Birni and Raba are local government areas in Sokoto State in the frontline of banditry. To stem the tide of attacks, the state government cut off mobile telecommunications networks and banned the sale of animals in markets in the areas. Goronyo attack A human rights activist in the state, Basharu Guyawa, said the bandits raided the market with a force of about 200 men. What we learnt is that over 150 to 200 of them (bandits) on motorcycles rode through the Gundumi forest to Goronyo town. They went straight into the market and started shooting sporadically. They were not selective in their shooting; they obviously came to kill, Mr Guyawa, the Coordinator of Rundunar Adalci, said. But Mr Guyawa said nobody could ascertain the number of those killed in attack that locals said lasted for several hours. The attack was horrendous, Mr Guyawa said, in Hausa. Bashir Adamu, a retired civil servant from Sabon Birni, said Sunday was a black day for the people of the area. It was a black Sunday for us. Over 30 people were killed while more than 20 were seriously wounded, he said. The police spokeperson in the state, Sanusi Abubakar, did not respond to calls and SMS sent to him on the attack. Attacks by bandits have increased in Sokoto in recent weeks since the military launched an operation to flush out the terrorists from their forest hideouts in Zamfara State. PREMIUM TIMES, on Sunday, reported how notorious banditry kingpins have been relocating their operational bases to forests in Sokoto State. The opposition candidate and former Cape Verdean Prime Minister, Jose Neves, has won Sundays presidential election, according to provisional results published Monday. Seven candidates were vying to replace Jorge Fonseca, who had reached the end of his two-term limit in the Atlantic archipelago nation. Mr Neves, 61, a member of the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) and head of government from 2001 to 2016, won 51.7 per cent of the vote, an absolute majority needed to be elected, the official results shows. Election officials said Mr Neves won 99.4 per cent of polling stations putting him well ahead of Carlos Veiga, of the Movement for Democracy (MpD). Mr Veiga, 71, another former prime minister from 1991 to 2000, obtained 42.6 per cent of the vote, according to the results. Five other candidates all won less than 2 per cent each. The elected president, Mr Neves, will inherit responsibility for stabilising the Island nations tourism-driven economy after the COVID-19 pandemic drove it deep into recession. Cape Verde continues to battle an economic recession after output shrank by 14.8 per cent in 2020, partly due to the countrys dependence on tourism, which accounts for 25 per cent of the economy. Mr Neves said he wants to be a president who unites, protects and cares. I must say that it is a great responsibility to preside over the Cape Verdean nation in these difficult times, and I receive this victory with the great humility that has always characterised me, he told supporters after his victory. The transfer of power will be the fourth between the MpD and PAICV since independence from Portugal in 1975, consolidating Cape Verdes status as one of Africas most stable democracies. Nigerias President, Muhammadu Buhari, has reacted to the latest killings by bandits in the North-west of the country by threatening the bandits with ultimate destruction. Mr Buharis reaction came a day after armed bandits attacked a market in Goronyo, Sokoto State, killing at least 30 people. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the bandits, numbering about 200, raided the Sunday market and killed over 30 people. The attack is the latest by bandits in Sokoto, one of the states most affected by banditry in North-west Nigeria. Thousands of people have been killed or kidnapped in the attacks this year in states like Sokoto, Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina. The attacks have continued despite the previous statements by Mr Buhari as well as massive deployment of troops to the affected areas. The days of the bandits are indeed numbered because the military capabilities of our forces are being boosted by the acquisition and deployment of advanced equipment, Mr Buhari said in a Monday statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu. Read Mr Shehus full statement below. GORONYO ATTACK: PRESIDENT BUHARI SENDS TOUGH MESSAGE TO BANDITS, SAYS THEY SHOULD BE READY FOR CRUSHING DEFEAT President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a tough warning to bandits, saying that the clock of your ultimate destruction is ticking as you will no longer have a place to hide. Reacting to the killing of over 30 people in Goronyo in Sokoto State on Sunday by bandits, President Buhari said that the days of the bandits are indeed numbered because the military capabilities of our forces are being boosted by the acquisition and deployment of advanced equipment. According to the President, the bandits are living in the fools paradise of invincibility, but reality will soon dawn on them harder than ever before. President Buhari added that the bandits are currently under desperate pressures because of the intense and sustained air and ground operations against them in their hideouts by our security forces. The cowardly attacks on innocent people by the bandits show a rearguard action of criminals under pressure. But they will have no place to hide and our gallant security forces will not relent in the current offensive to defeat these callous enemies of humanity, the President emphasized. He appealed to all Nigerians not to despair because this administration is determined more than ever before to protect Nigerians from murderous criminal gangs that have no respect for the sanctity human of life. The President extended his sympathy to the families of the victims of the Goronyo attack and called on the people to continue to be patient as the military strategises on how to deliver the crushing blow to these bandits. Garba Shehu Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) Robert Azibaola, a cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday advocated lifting of the ban on local gin popularly known as Kaikai. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the production and consumption of the locally distilled drink also known in local parlance as Ogogoro was banned in June 2015 by Bayelsa government following death of 20 people in Ondo state after consuming the drink. NAN reports that other states in the Niger Delta region subsequently outlawed the production and consumption of the local drink, however, the consumption has remained canelstine due to clampdown by security agencies. Mr Azibaola, who made the advocacy while speaking with reporters in Yenagoa, noted that it was regrettable that Kaikai still remained outlawed in the statute books of states in the federation. He said it was a ploy by the colonial masters to preserve their distilleries in Europe and brand gins produced by artisanal distilleries as Illicit and wondered why the discriminatory tag was yet to be jettisoned. According to him, alcoholic brands brewed abroad are not different from the locally brewed ones, adding that that the belief that locally made drinks were inferior was wrong and without scientific basis. He lamented that the erroneous belief had hindered the growth of local drinks industry which would have helped to reduce the level of poverty as the local drink could become an export commodity to earn foriegn currency. Today l have the privilege to prick your conscience on some basic things, basic things like, Kaikai, as l speak to you Kaikai is illegal in the books of state governments, such that it is labeled illicit drink Kaikai distillation is a basic occupation of our people. How for Gods sake that Kaikai is labelled as illicit drink for over 60 years since after Independence is what baffles people like me, he said He noted with dismay that people whose livelihood depended on the local gin were being arrested, while those who deal in alcoholic gins brewed abroad are treated as doing normal business. He called on politicians especially the lawmakers of the state assemblies to expunge the obnoxious laws from the statue books, According to him, if properly harnessed, the locally brewed drink factories can turn things around for the economy of the states. Those foreign drinks are local drinks of people elsewhere, just like our own Kaikai is brewed here, the only thing is that we have failed to identify the potential of our own and act accordingly. Mr Azibaola, a lawyer and rights activist, argued that basic science clearly showed that alcohol is alcohol and produced through same basic process of distillation wondering why the craze for foreign alcohol to the detriment of the local ones in the country. People spend up to N60,000 per bottle for this foreign gins and do not do same for the local alcohol , there is no difference between the two, they are all mixture of water and alcohol. He also explained that the potential of the rain forest had not been tapped to create wealth, adding that the vast rain forest were just lying fallow without deliberate efforts by governments and the people to take advantage of the abundant forest resources. He his interaction with the media had no political undertone as he was not nursing any political ambition to vie for an elective office. Mr Azibaola said that he and his staff came to Bayelsa to explore the forests for two weeks, and expressed satisfaction that the expedition was successful. Premium Times in 2019 reported how the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court discharged and acquitted Mr Azibaola, of $40 million laundering charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Delivering judgement, the judge, Nnamdi Dimgba, held that no credible evidence was adduced to establish the offence of money laundering against Mr Azibaola. (NAN) The International Panel of Jurists has announced a date to oversee an international tribunal on human rights abuses against black, brown and indigenous people in the United State of America. A newly constituted panel of jurists from the fields of law and human rights has been assembled for this purpose, the non-governmental body said. The panel is composed of nine members and will reconvene from 22-25 October 2021 in New York City and virtually, a statement by the Special Advisor to the Panel of Jurists, Matt Meyer, said. These jurists will preside over two days of testimonies from impacted victims, expert witnesses, and attorneys with firsthand knowledge of specific incidents raised in the charges/indictment, Mr Meyer said. The tribunal will be evaluating charges of human and civil rights violations on the basis of five areas: police killings of black, brown, and indigenous people; hyper/mass incarcerations of black, brown, and indigenous people; political incarceration of civil rights/national liberation era revolutionaries and revolutionaries and activists, as well as present-day activists. Other areas are environmental racism and its impact on black, brown, and indigenous people; and public health racism and its traumatic impacts. As experts in the inter-related fields of institutional and structural racism, minorities rights, indigenous treaties and international law, Mr Meyer said, the panel of jurists asserts itself as an independent body that will convene to hear testimony based on a broad indictment served to the accused U.S. federal and state parties. The International Tribunal itself derives from an historic legacy and trajectory, initiated by a US-based coalition, In the Spirit of Mandela. Created in 2018, the coalition recognizes and affirms the rich history of diverse activists including Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela, Graca Machel Mandela, Ella Baker, Dennis Banks, Cesar Chavez, Fannie Lou Hamer, Fred Korematsu, Lolita Lebron, Rosa Parks, Ingrid Washinawatok, and many more in the resistance traditions of Black, Brown and Indigenous Peoples. Though fully independent and separate from the In the Spirit of Mandela coalition, the Panel of Jurists recognizes the important experiences which have shaped the petitioners charges against US government agencies, part of the statement read. It added that the tribunal will be held at UN headquarters and the Church Center for the UN, but hearings and community testimony will also take place at the site of Malcolm Xs assassination, the now-refurbished and Columbia University-affiliated Malcolm and Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center in Harlem. The panel of jurists are majority women and global south rooted, from India, Eritrea, Haiti, France, Puerto Rico, the USA and elsewhere. They include a South African former Member of Parliament; a Board Member of the distinguished Nobel Peace Laureate organisation with an unprecedented dozen Nobel Peace officer awardees and Puerto Rican legal scholar who serves as an expert for the UN Committee on Decolonization. Others are UN representative of the oldest inter-faith pacifist organisation in the world, an internationally accredited expert on genocide; the director of the only peoples-centred U.S. human rights network with ECOSOC status and consistent UN advocacy. The youngest elected Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and leader of UNITY/the United National Indian Tribal Youth is part of the group. Likewise, the former Chair of the United Nations Working Group on People of African Descent and a judge of the Permanent Peoples Tribunal. The Panel of Jurists will announce its verdict following deliberations and discussions, planned for delivery at the United Nations on Monday, October 25. Facebook has announced plans to employ 10,000 people in the European Union over the next five years. It said the move will enable the company to build a metaverse, a virtual reality version of the Internet that the company sees as the future, where people can use different devices to move and communicate in a virtual environment. The company announced on Monday that the investment is a vote of confidence in the strength of the European tech industry and the potential of European tech talent. Europe is hugely important to Facebook, it said. The tech giant says it will make interacting online much closer to the experience of interacting in person. The metaverse has the potential to help unlock access to new creative, social and economic opportunities. And Europeans will be shaping it right from the start, the tech giant said. The company had in July said it was creating a product team to work on the metaverse which would be part of Facebook Reality Labs, its augmented reality and virtual reality group. In September, the tech giant committed $50 million towards building the metaverse, with companies like Roblox Corp and Fortnite maker Epic Games having an early stake in it. The announcement comes as the social media giant tries to deal with a damaging scandal, after a whistleblower revealed that the company knew its other platform product, Instagram, was negatively affecting young peoples mental health, yet was taking no action to check the abuse. Critics view the metaverse announcement by Facebook as an attempt to divert attention from the scandal. A non-governmental organisation seeking to enhance philanthropic impacts by filling data and capacity gaps in Africa- EPIC-Africa, has cautioned against poor management of wastes generated through the management of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. The group said researches have shown that mismanaged COVID-19 wastes could heighten the infection burden. It, therefore, called on the government and relevant agencies concerned with waste management to engage experts in managing COVID-19 wastes. The organisations chief executive officer and public health physician, Ifeanyi Nsofor, disclosed this in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, saying poor management of the wastes could lead to resurgence of infections. He said: People could get infected if they are exposed to waste from COVID-19 patients, adding that if the different sources of waste are not properly managed or disposed of, the risk of contracting COVID-19 could become quite high. Aside from contracting COVID-19, people could fall sick and ultimately some may die from it, he added. It would be recalled that in April 2020, shortly after the burial of the former chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, one of the persons who laid his corpse was captured in a video that went viral as he discarded indiscriminately the protective garment he used. The viral video caused an uproar among Nigerians at the time, as many insisted that the individual must be identified and be quarantined. The FCT authorities did exactly that at the time, and pledged to put appropriate measures in place to ensure proper disposal of such wastes. Meanwhile, research conducted on similar issues in Bangladesh showed that proper disposal of these wastes is essential for the control of the reemergence of viral infection, and environmental protection. In Nigeria, waste management remains a major concern despite attempts by successive governments and private organisations. This is evident as heaps and stacks of dirt are seen littering different sites indiscriminately. Way forward To address this issue, EpiAFRIC in collaboration with Nigeria Health Watch, REBOOT and with support from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently organised a hackathon with the theme; Hack for COVID-19 Waste. The competition brought together different teams to innovate solutions on how to manage wastes generated from the pandemic management across the country. According to Mr Nsofor, the hackathon is to build an ecosystem which provides solutions to various issues in the society and also connect teams to mentors and partners. The crisis prevention and recovery advisor for UNDP, Williams Tsuma, said waste management is a huge development issue globally. Waste management not just for COVID-19 but broadly is a critical socio-economic issue. It has implications for the well-being of citizens and secondly, it is an environmental issue with implications on our health, he said. By addressing COVID-19 waste, we are literally addressing four to five development issues at the same time, he added. The event also featured a panel discussion where discussants appraised solutions for waste management, even as panelist suggested need for behavioural change; partnerships and collaboration; accountability systems towards ensuring that policies and regulations are implemented. They also recommended the need to incentivise waste management to encourage citizens to clean up themselves. Present at the event was the head of clinical services department at the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Christopher Edeh, who represented the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora. He applauded the initiative and encouraged citizens to grow a passion for their country and become agents of change. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin), Sulyman Abdulkareem, says 180 graduating students of the university have bagged First Class honours in various disciplines. Mr Abdulkareem made the disclosure while speaking with journalists at the beginning of the 36th Convocation Ceremonies of the institution on Monday in Ilorin. He stated that 2,836 bagged Second Class Upper Division, while about 4,879 had Second Class Lower Division. According to him, 1,110 had Third Class and 14 made a Pass category, while 140 graduands made Bachelor of Medicine (MB) and Bachelor of Science (BS). We have 46 graduands in Nursing, five graduands with Distinction and 16 with Pass in the Optometry, among others, he said. The vice-chancellor said 10,922 students would be convoking from the university, out of which 9,338 are first degree/diploma graduands while the remaining 1,584 would be graduating with higher degrees/postgraduate diplomas. He said further that in the 2019/2020 academic session, 2,766 students from affiliated institutions completed their programmes and would be awarded diploma and postgraduate diplomas. Besides, the vice-chancellor said Unilorin is the only institution in Nigeria that did not cancel out a session of academics, despite the lockdown occasioned by COVID-19. He added that the university was attaining academic excellence as it won the 2019/2020 JAMBs pioneer awards for the Most Subscribed University with a cash prize of N75 million. According to him, the university altogether received N150 million during the 2019/2020 academic session from JAMB. Similarly, the National Universities Commission (NUC) 2020 ranking, placed University of Ilorin as the second best in Nigeria after University of Lagos, he said. Mr Abdulkareem assured members of staff that the management would continue to train and retrain workers, while consolidating the culture of mentorship, through which the lecturers could be adequately inspired and appropriately guided. (NAN) Some residents of Zone 6 Police Signpost, Lugbe, in the FCT, have cried out against the electricity blackout which has been lingering in the last four months, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. An organised peaceful protest and complaints made by the residents to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) have yielded no positive results. The situation became more unbearable as several other zones within the same community have stable power supply while they remained in darkness. A barber, Dauda Abdul, told NAN that his salon was his major source of income but the blackout has now forced him out of business. I use a borrowed generator but the prices of my services have to remain the same because it is not easy to increase prices and maintain my customers, so we have to bear it but this condition has affected me badly. Electricity bill is better compared to constant fuel consumption because in a day l spend over 1,000 naira on fuel and the amount we charge customers cannot foot the fuel bill unless when l have a lot of customers which is not always. I can tell you, like many others here, we have been weighed down, crippled and without any hope until when the power people decide to look our way, he lamented. Many other residents made a similar complaint, saying they are now more exposed to insecurity because of darkness. However, the General Manager, Corporate Communication of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Oyebode Fadipe, said the problem was caused by the failure of the main transformer of the area. The transformer along with other required units are yet to be replaced, but all these are being looked into and as soon as all the materials are gathered, light will be restored to the area. He assured the affected community that AEDC is aware of their problem, saying even though it may look like nothing is being done, the community members should be assured that AEDC is attempting to resolve the issue. (NAN) Fifty teachers from the Lagos State Education District One have completed a five-day STEM training workshop tagged Global Air Drone Challenge for Teachers. The teacher capacity building workshop led by instructors from U.S.-headquartered Global Air Drone Academy was sponsored by the U.S. Consulate General in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Education. Throughout the five-day training, the teachers drawn from public schools in underserved communities of Agege, Alimosho and Ifako-Ijaiye were introduced to basics of building and flying drones, computer coding, solar panel assembly, as well as various aspects of implementing an integrated approach to teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in the classroom. Speaking at the grand finale of the workshop held at the Government Senior College Agege, U.S. Consulate Public Affairs Officer Stephen Ibelli explained that the workshop was aimed at offering innovative tools for teachers from public high schools to teach STEM subjects and better prepare Nigerian youth for 21st-century challenges. Mr Ibelli underscored the importance of STEM education to Nigerias future prosperity and economic competitiveness. According to him, developing tech skills can place students on a track to future careers in computer science, robotics and artificial intelligence, preparing them to solve real-life problems with more creativity, critical thinking and effectiveness. The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is committed to supporting initiatives that promotes STEM education in Nigeria. Technological knowledge is an essential element of the 21st-century economy, and it starts in the classroom. This teacher training workshop will boost teacher confidence and capabilities in the areas of STEM teaching and learning, Mr Ibelli noted. One of the teachers who participated in the workshop, Morayo Oyin-Adejobi, described her experience as impactful. Ms Oyin-Adejobi noted that she has been inspired on how best to encourage students interest and participation in STEM-related activities in the classroom. Through this workshop, I have learned the various applications of drones in everyday life. I am taking everything I have learned to my students and to encourage them to pursue careers in the STEM fields, she added. Following the completion of the training, the U.S. Consulate provided all 50 teachers with a Drone in a Box to take back to their schools and classrooms. This is expected to provide the teachers and their students with an opportunity to put their newly acquired skills to use. The Global Air Drone Challenge for Teachers is one of the U.S. Missions many initiatives that expand people-to-people ties and educational linkages between the United States and Nigeria, engage underserved communities, and strengthen human capital for inclusive Nigerian economic growth and human development. The future of work has evolved from generation to generation, including the transition from the pre-covid era with 40-hour weeks, daily commutes, and physical presence to remote working and/or a hybrid of the two. The Covid-19 disrupted the workplace globally and locally in Nigeria. According to the World Economic Outlook (WEO), Nigerias GDP hit an all-time low with a decline of -6 per cent. The unemployment rate in 2020 was at 27 per cent (Nigerian Bureau of Statistics). That had a ripple effect on several industries, which led to 20 per cent of Nigerian workers losing their jobs and others being furloughed. (NBS) These changes forced the world to adapt to a new way of working, with some offices becoming obsolete except for essential services to protect human lives. The Covid-19 pandemic did not just take us out of the collaborative workplace; it also strongly reinforced the need to protect the environment. Many organisations have had to adopt a new strategy to ensure business continuity with an acceleration of recent trends like digitisation and e-commerce to meet the ever-changing needs of customers and employees. The world has been overwhelmed with various perspectives, statistics, and thought leadership from leading firms on the debate of the future of work. Social media also plays a role in comic relief. It showcases various memes and TicTok videos of behind-the-scene realities. Also, virtual meetings of people caught in half suits and half pyjamas to people who mistakenly leave their videos and found themselves disengaged have now become a thing. The debate of the future of work has taken many dimensions some including: Automation, AI, Big data A shift in labour demand Mental health Skilled vs. non-skilled Culture centralized or decentralized Work from home vs. Play at work Workplace designs and usefulness Remote work vs. Communal work: employer vs. employee value proposition on remote work, productivity vs. non-productivity, work-life balance in 9-5 vs. 24/7 remote work, cameras on vs. cameras off. As businesses begin to adapt and ensure a sustainable strategy, the critical imperative remains which culture leads to better productivity and ultimately organisation profitability as we consider the benefits to both employer and employee. In July 2021, pcl. conducted a study to understand how Nigerian organisations adapted their strategy to align with the disruption from the global pandemic and the future of work. The study was carried out among a sample size of over 200 business executives in the Nigerian business environment. About 98 per cent of these business leaders identified a robust strategic plan as a critical success factor to stay ahead of unexpected changes and ensure business success. Nigerian executives considered culture as one of the top factors to consider in their business strategy, moving from a 17 per cent focus pre-covid to a 44 per cent focus in some cases to align with the future of work. As a result, culture has become a key factor as organisations align their organisational strategy to the future of work. pcl. would be exploring the future of work and its many faces at the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce Webinar. The virtual event will be held from 10 a.m. 12 p.m. on Thursday, October 28, 2021. The webinar will feature seasoned speakers and panellists from different industries who will be sharing valuable insights on the future of work. Speaking at the event are: Remi Dada CEO, Spacefinish Tosin Okojie Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis, Andela Babajide Duroshola General Manager, M-KOPA Omorinsola Sofola Partner, Strategy & Operations Transformation, pcl. Joshua Ademuwagun Head of Advisory, People Transformation pcl. Join the conversation with leading executives as we explore and share practical experiences and solutions that best fit your organisation. Save your spot here The problem of drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria is on its way to being under control, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, has said. Mr Marwa told the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York that with the support from the Federal Government, foreign partners and stakeholders, Nigeria would win the war against drug abuse and trafficking. He described the problem of drug in Nigeria as a ravaging epidemic saying it is for this reason that we remained up standing to do our best with what we have and with the support we have been receiving from the Federal Government. We plan to go to local governments for sensitisation; we are constrained at this moment with the size of our workforce but with the approval of the President, we have recruited more personnel, he said. We have recruited more personnel to increase our size to enable us go into the local governments so that each local government will eventually have its own special command. We also have special command at the sea ports, international airports and we are in the process of setting up engagement in the railway stations. I should add that we are collaborating with road transport workers because of this issue of drivers who use drugs to give them capacity, in their thinking, to stay alert to drive for longer hours. We believe that with the support we are getting from the Presidency, the matter of drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria is on its way to being under control. Mr Marwa said the UN Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) had been supporting Nigeria in its fight against drug abuse, especially in training of its staff and providing information materials. He said the federal government had produced the improved fourth edition of the National Drug Control Master Plan 2021-2025 with the technical support from the UNODC and EU funding. This document comprehensively addresses four thematic Pillars of Supply Reduction, Demand Reduction, Access to controlled Medicines for Medical purposes, and Coordination and Governance. Speaking on if cannabis could be cultivated for commercial purpose to boost the economy of the country, the NDLEA boss said the agency is against the legalisation of cannabis, noting that we dont want to encourage it. Mr Marwa warned that it would be difficult to control the use of cannabis in the country, citing the example of Tramadol, which is a medication under prescription, provided it is 100mg and below but has been abused. We (Nigeria) have not been able control it (Tramadol) because they are still bringing it in excess of 100gm and all forms; we are trying to control it and now, you want to add another thing. We dont have the mechanics to control it (cannabis); it is very dangerous for us to step in there (legalise cannabis). We should be trying to find ways to reduce it. The argument has been if it is for commercial purpose. We have to find out if it is human lives we are interested in or money. If we do such, we will end up spending the money realised to build rehabilitation centres for these people (users). It is a worthless effort; that is the view of NDLEA at this moment. In addition, Mr Marwa said the practice globally was not to criminalise the use of drugs, but in Nigeria it is an offence and NDLEA Act has the penalties for it. The NDLEA chief said in more specific terms that the penalties were different for those who use and traffickers, adding, heavy penalties are for the traffickers. I must say that the use of drugs is an illness, especially when it gets to addiction. They (addicts) cant help themselves, they need to be helped. The efforts will not be towards criminalising or penalising them but to help them to be treated, so we encourage those under drugs to seek treatment. Twenty per cent of the drug users in Nigeria have drug use disorder. They need help and we encourage that, he said. (NAN) The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the chaos and violence that trailed the congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in some state is a reflection of the troubled state of the country the latter governs. In an outcome similar to its Wards and Local Government Areas congresses held in July and September respectively, the ruling party yet recorded parallel congresses in some of its stronghold states in the country on Saturday, thereby further casting a doubt on its portrayed unity. At least 10 of the states witnessed either violence or renewed rivalry among party leaders and followers while consensus candidates emerged from many more. Osun, Ogun, Kwara, and Niger topped the list of states that recorded parallel congresses over the weekend. The discord among loyalists of the incumbent Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola and the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, degenerated into violence when sponsored thugs clashed with the former during the event. At least two persons were reportedly injured at the parallel congress held in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, by the followers of the minister. A similar fiasco played out in Ogun and Kwara states where loyalists of the incumbent governors of the two states, Dapo Abiodun and Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq renewed their feud with supporters of Ibikunle Amosun, a former governor of the state, and the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed respectively. In Niger State, there was a contest for dominance between members loyal to the state governor, Abubakar Bello and some members who felt cheated by the states congress committee as two separate sets of executives emerged from the parallel exercise. Parallel congresses were also reportedly held in Kano, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Imo states. The congresses were postponed in Oyo in alleged compliance with a directive from the APC National Secretariat in Abuja to clear outstanding issues while the process was postponed in Bauchi and Taraba States for fear of insecurity and threat of violence respectively. With the adoption of consensus candidates, Lagos, Katsina, Nasarawa, Gombe, Cross River, Borno, Rivers, Ekiti and Yobe states were among the states that enjoyed a considerably peaceful atmosphere during the exercise. APC unsuitable for Nigerias unity PDP Seizing the moment, the opposition PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Sunday, described the ruling APC congresses as a harvest of confusion and a proof that the party lacks the leadership qualities to lead the nation right. It is indeed despicable that a party that has the incumbent president of the country could not successfully conduct state congress, as their leaders were seen behaving recklessly and investing heavily in violence; a development that speaks volumes on why our nation has been under the heavy yoke of violence, division, bloodletting and acts of terrorism under the APC watch. ALSO READ: APC factions hold parallel congresses in Kwara The outcome of APC congresses in many of the states has shown that it is a party that lacks leadership direction and internal cohesion; a party of unruly people, who are averse to peace, which explains why our country is reeling in crisis under the APC. The APC cannot guarantee or give unity, tranquillity and progress to our nation. Instead, it has continued to worsen the tension in the country. It has continued to show itself as a party that is troubled from within and only waiting to implode at any time, Mr Ologbodiyan said. However, while the APC state congresses have been arguably defined by its pocket of discords among its members and leaders, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that similar chaos played out in PDP congresses in Oyo, Kebbi and Ebonyi States on Saturday. Two sets of parallel state executives were reported to have emerged in Oyo and Kebbi States while crisis marred the exercise in Ebonyi State. Against this reality, the main opposition party has accused the ruling APC of injecting crises into its congresses to ensure its recorded a similar outcome. Parallel congresses are futile activities APC As it rejected the division that trailed both its Wards and LGA congresses earlier, the APC has also disregarded the divisive outcome of its just concluded state congresses. The ruling partys interim National Secretary, John Akpanudoedehe, on Sunday evening, said the party will consider the parallel exercise in the affected states as irrelevant and uphold the congresses conducted by the appointed committee. Despite the clash of interests and violence recorded in some of its members states, Mr Akpanudoedehe described the exercise as generally successful but promised adequate and lawful measures against members working against the partys interest. The purported parallel Congresses are futile activities and very strange to the party, our Constitution and the guidelines for the conduct of the State and other Congresses. Only exercises conducted by duly inaugurated State Congress Committees are recognised by the Party. The APC leadership will not hesitate to take adequate and lawful measures against any person or interest sabotaging the collective Partys interest and efforts to achieve peace and unity in our great party. Where contestations exist, adequate conflict resolution measures have been put in place to address them. The party has Appeal committees for every Congress, he said. Nigerias leading investigative news platform, PREMIUM TIMES, has expressed profound gratitude to the countrys citizens as well as the global community for their support after the fire incident at its headquarters in Abuja. A section of the newspapers headquarters in Abuja was razed by fire on Friday, destroying properties and documents. The fire started from the office of the Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, shortly after he left for Jumat prayers before the spraying of soot to other parts of the offices which attracted the attention of editors in the next office. Although the fire was doused by the combined efforts of staff and Abuja fire service, it had destroyed office computers, printers, furniture, documents as well as the personal belongings of Mr Mojeed. In his reaction to the unfortunate incident, the publisher of PREMIUM TIMES, Dapo Olorunyomi, expressed gratitude to the friends of the newspaper across the world for their kind words and support. This is to express gratitude to all our friends who have called and offered their kind support after yesterdays fire that completely destroyed the Abuja offices of our editor in chief. Thankfully no one was hurt but new security protocols are being implemented. We cannot take your empathy and solidarity for granted. Thanks abundantly, Mr Olorunyomi said. Mr Mojeed, in a separate statement, appreciated the acts of love pouring in from the newspapers friends, partners and allies across the world. He reiterated its commitments to holding powers and institutions accountable for their actions and inactions for the best of the country and its citizens. We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from friends, partners and allies from around the world. We are further energised to continue to hold powers and institutions accountable while enhancing our peoples right to know. We are grateful for the love shown to us. We will continue to do our best for our audience, country and humanity in spite of the odds we face every day, he said. PREMIUM TIMES is among the 150 news organisations around the world participating in the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)-led Pandora Papers project, exposing the shady dealings of top government officials across the world. So far, the newspaper has published at least 10 investigative stories in the last two weeks, exposing financial inconsistencies of current and past elected officers, heads of agencies, business moguls in Nigeria. Coltan is one of the worlds most vital minerals, and 60 per cent of reserves globally are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congos (DRC) Kivu province. In 2019, 40 per cent of the global coltan supply was produced in the DRC. The mineral is used in cell phones, laptops and other devices because of its particular ability to store and release electrical energy. As 5G technology grows, the demand for Congolese coltan will increase. But that is not good news for everyone in the DRC. Much of the countrys coltan is extracted using the labour of over 40,000 child and teenage miners. Coming from remote villages and towns in Kivu, they either drop out of school or have never had the opportunity to attend. The informality of the extractive sector provides attractive job opportunities for vulnerable children, who serve as a pool of cheap labour. Children work as washers and diggers in dangerous conditions. They also engage in petty smuggling, selling coltan for a pittance in towns along the borders with Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda. Doing adults work in a hazardous environment, many child miners face harassment, abuse and ill health. Occupational hazards include daily exposure to radon, a radioactive substance associated with coltan, which has been linked to lung cancer. Faustin Kantanga, a civil society leader in Bukavu, told the ENACT organised crime project that coltan mines were rife with prostitution, sexually transmitted diseases and rape, and that child miners were exposed to these risks. Those travelling long distances to smuggle coltan are also vulnerable to child traffickers and recruitment by armed groups. The quantity of coltan mined using child labour remains uncertified and untraceable. The illicitly extracted mineral is traded in the underground economy and funnelled into the global supply chain through smuggling, counterfeiting and collusion. The DRC government has taken several steps to curtail the use of child labour in coltan mines. Laws have been passed, and the country has signed some of the certification standards in the extractive sector. The DRCs mining code was reformed in 2017 to penalise the use of child labour or the sale of ore mined by children. In line with national legislation and supply chain standards, traceability and certification schemes have also been adopted. The Certification, Expertise and Evaluation Centre (CEEC) of precious and semi-precious mineral substances, established by the Congolese Ministry of Mines, is in charge of tracing and certifying coltan. The body is mandated to collaborate with international regulatory agencies, from mining sites to commodity markets in Asia, Europe and North America. Notable international certification protocols signed by the DRC include the Regional Certification Mechanism of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, and the Dodd-Frank Act. The country is also a signatory to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Due Diligence Guidance for the responsible processing of minerals from areas in conflict, and the Conflict Minerals Regulation. However, all these commitments have not prevented children from being exploited in the DRCs coltan mines. Mineral certification schemes are not properly implemented, nor is the law regarding child labour and associated hazardous working conditions. While the frameworks are complementary, their feasibility in the eastern DRC is questionable. Administrative capacity to ensure compliance is lacking and funding and staffing for the provincial departments tasked with monitoring child labour on mining sites are insufficient. Miners and extractive companies also circumvent the mineral certification protocols. Fieldwork by ENACT in the DRC revealed that the infrequent inspections were sabotaged by informants and even government officials whose warnings about upcoming site visits allowed miners to hide child labourers. In sum, illicit coltan mining and trading in the DRC is enabled by the weak implementation of certification schemes, ongoing attempts to bypass regulations, and inadequate law enforcement. This casts doubt on the usefulness of all the certification schemes signed up to by the country. A different approach is needed. The Congolese government should constitute and fund an independent task force with a mandate to prosecute private and corporate businesses culpable of recruiting child miners. The enrolment of vulnerable children in school should be incentivised through ring-fenced funding and awareness campaigns to limit their recruitment into mining work. Given the problem of child labour in coltan mines, the approach to mineral certification needs a fresh look. International pressure groups can advocate for the various certification schemes to be harmonised so that they can be uniformly applied in the eastern DRCs mineral-rich regions. Development partners should help train and equip civil society observatory groups at the local level to monitor and submit regular incident reports covering child labour in coltan mines. Such shadow reports would assist in validating or invalidating the certification audits carried out by state officials. Oluwole Ojewale, ENACT Regional Organised Crime Observatory Coordinator Central Africa, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Dakar The ENACT project is funded by the European Union (EU). The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of the author and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the EU. (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish). The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Benue chapters of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have tasked Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba and other security agencies to apply all measures to locate a missing member. Tordue Salem, a reporter who covers the House of Representatives for the Vanguard newspaper, was seen in Garki district of the FCT on October 13 before his alleged disappearance. The FCT branch of the body on Sunday said that Mr Salems sudden disappearance is an extension of the deteriorating state of insecurity in the nations capital and again questions the efficiency of the countrys security operatives. It urged all security agents to live up to their expectations by solving the reporters mysterious disappearance in due time. For all of us journalists in Abuja, we have been on edge these past few days over the mysterious disappearance of our colleague and friend, Mr. Tordue Salem. It is worrying that an adult will simply vanish into thin air without a trace. This is unacceptable and we urge the police and DSS to rise up to the occasion and provide answers to this troubling situation, the statement signed by the Abuja NUJ Chairman, Emmanuel Ogbeche and Secretary, Ochiaka Ugwu, read. The Conference of Benue Journalists (CBJ), in a follow-up statement issued on Monday, said journalists, like every other citizen, need the assurance of protection of security operatives to help in the discharge of their role in a democratic dispensation as we have in Nigeria. The CBJ President, Anule Emmanuel, noted that like every other citizen, journalists in Abuja and indeed the country at large require full protection as they go about their lawful duties of informing members of the public without fear of molestation, intimidation, and harassment. He urged fellow journalists and family members of Mr Salem to be prayerful, and remain calm while the search effort is on to establish his whereabouts. The phone number of the FCT Police PRO, Josephine Adeh, was busy when calls were made to her on Monday morning, and questions sent to her in respect to the unfortunate development were not responded to as of the time of filing this report. At least 10 armed bandits were on Monday killed by security forces in some flash points in Kaduna State, the state government has said. The security forces encountered the heavily armed bandits in Kwanan Bataru, on the outskirts of Fatika in Giwa local government area of the state and engaged them in a fire fight The states commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. Mr Aruwan said the security agents also rescued a hostage identified as Abubakar Usman during the operation. In the course of the gun duel, 10 of the bandits were eliminated while several others escaped with gun shot injuries, he said. Mr Aruwan said the rescued hostage, Mr Usman, had been kidnapped in a neighboring state and was being held by bandits in the area. He said he was being debriefed after his rescue. The bandits who managed to escape left behind several motorcycles, one revolver, mobile phones, torchlights and some charms. One of the sheds used by the bandits to hold hostages was burnt, the statement said Mr Aruwan said Governor Nasir El-Rufai commended the security forces for taking out the notorious bandits, adding that the governor wishes the troops and personnel more success in the ongoing operations across the state. Furthermore, the government is appealing to residents of Fatika general area to report to security agencies anyone found seeking medical attention for questionable injuries on these numbers: 09034000060 and 08170189999. All information received will be treated with the utmost confidentiality, the government official said. Photo attached, the rescued hostage and the scene of the operation. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday re-arraigned two British nationals over their alleged involvement in the controversial Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) gas processing contract. The contract led to the $9.6bn arbitral awards to P&ID Limited by a United Kingdom commercial court. James Nolan and Adam Quinn were arraigned alongside ICIL Limited before a judge, D.U. Okorowo, of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Mr Nolan pleaded not guilty to the 32 counts including money laundering and tax evasion. Mr Quinn, who was said to be at large, was re-arraigned in absentia, with not guilty plea recorded for him and the judge. Similarly, a not guilty plea was recorded for the company. According to a statement by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, both Messrs Nolan and Quinn are directors of Goidel Resources Limited, a Designated Non-Financial Institution (DNFI) and ICIL Limited. The defendants last year were first arraigned before a Federal High Court judge, Okon Abang, who has now been transferred out of the Abuja division. The case was subsequently re-assigned to the new judge before whom the defendants were arraigned on Monday. Similarly, the commission had also arraigned a P&ID Commercial Director, Mohammed Kuchazi, alongside his company, Kore Holdings Limited, before Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the eight counts which the defendants allegedly committed in 2014. Court hearing Mr Nolan pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to him in court on Monday. Mr Quinn, who is said to be at large, was not available to take his plea. Prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, requested that his plea be recorded as not guilty which the judge granted. Mr Iheanacho then asked the court for a trial date. But the defence counsel, Micheal Ajara, applied to the court for the defendant to continue enjoying the bail granted to him by Okon Abang, which the prosecuting counsel did not oppose. The judge, Mr Okorowo, thereafter adjourned the matter till December 13 for commencement of trial. P&IDs case with Nigeria P&ID had secured a $9.6 billion award against Nigeria following the non-execution of a 20-year gas and supply processing agreement (GSPA) it had with the federal government. Under the terms of the agreement, P&ID was to build and operate an Accelerated Gas Development project to be located at Adiabo in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State. The firm sued Nigeria before a U.K court that authorised the P&ID, and secured a ruling in its favour over the failed gas contract. Last September, Ross Cranston of the UK Business & Property Courts (commercial court) granted Nigerias application for a stay of execution of the award of $8.9 billion (about N3.2 trillion) in favour of P&ID. The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 20 to deliver judgement in a suit challenging the emergence of Andy Uba as governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the forthcoming November 6 poll in Anambra State. Mr Uba emerged as the APCs candidate at a primary election held on June 26, 2021. George Moghalu, an aspirant in the APC primary election, is challenging the process and the outcome of the primary election. The judge, Inyang Ekwo, fixed December 20 for judgement after listening to final submissions from lawyers to parties on Monday. The plaintiffs lawyer, Chris Uches appealed for a judgement date before the November 6 election. Non-committal, Mr Ekwo said lawyers would be notified if the judgement is ready before December 20. Plaintiffs suit The plaintiffs lawyer, Mr Uche, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court that his clients grouse was that the so-called primary election, which produced Mr Uba as APCs candidate for the Anambra governorship poll, breached the Electoral Act and the APC guidelines for the conduct of the exercise. In his arguments, Mr Uche referenced a report by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which allegedly declaring that the primary election did not take place up till 5.30 p.m. when its officials left the primary election venue. This report, according to the plaintiffs lawyer, corroborates his clients claim that the APC did not hold a valid primary in Anambra State. He urged the court to grant his clients prayers, including nullifying the primary election and ordering a fresh one or making any order the court considered to be necessary. Ubas defence Mr Ubas defence team led by another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mahmud Magaji, argued that the plaintiff failed to establish that a valid primary was not held. Mr Magaji contended that the plaintiff lacked the right to institute the suit to challenge a primary he did not participate in. He urged the court to decline jurisdiction and dismiss the suit. Similarly, the APC, through its lawyer, Vincent Otaokpokpo, urged the court to dismiss the case or convert suit to one that would require parties to lead oral evidence by calling witnesses. Background In the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/648/2021, Mr Moghalu contended that the APC did not comply with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 and the APCs regulations and guidelines in the conduct of its governorship primary in Anambra State. Mr Moghalu urged the court to determine whether a political party that fails to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act (2010) the partys constitution and its guideline, can validly field a candidate for the election. READ ALSO: He prayed the court to declare that, by virtue of the APCs alleged non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 and the partys regulations and guidelines in the conduct of its primary in Anambra State, Uba is not a candidate at the said 6th November 2021 gubernatorial election or at any subsequent postponement. The plaintiff equally asked the court to declare that the APC was bound to comply with all the relevant legal provisions in the conduct of its primary election after having demanded and received N22.5million from him and other 13 aspirants. He also asked court to, among others, declare that having allegedly failed to comply with the relevant applicable laws, the APC had no candidate for the forthcoming governorship election. He therefore urged the court to order the party to refund the N22.5million he paid for the expression of interest and nomination forms. Furthermore, he asked the court to grant a perpetual injunction to restrain Mr Uba from parading himself as the candidate of the APC in the forthcoming election. An order of mandatory injunction compelling INEC to delist the APC and Uba from the list of political parties and candidates for the election, Mr Moghalu added. Zanzibar had been most delighting to me. My presentation earned me two huge rewards having been rated as top paper. First was a book gift. The second was the full sponsorship to attend the 2017 edition of the conference of Global Network of Internet Scholars, GIGANET, which would precede the same years edition of the Internet Governance Forum, IGF, slated for Guadalajara in Mexico. Zanzibar suddenly bounced to the headlines again with Abdulrazaq Gurnahs 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature. So soon, I would say, after Tanazanias first female president, also from Zanzibar, emerged. Twin mega star is the label I should probably hang on Zanzibar. Like Nigerias Abeokuta perhaps which produced President Obasanjo and Nobel Laureate Soyinka, Zanzibar is the birthplace of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu and now the indomitable Abdurazaq Gurnah, the new Nobel Laureate in Literature, the second Black African to win it, after our own WS, Wole Soyinka. Until President Samia Suluhu happened following the tragic death of the frugal President Magufuli, not many people outside Tanzania probably bothered to know so much about Zanzibar. But now global searchlights are beaming relentlessly in the direction of the otherwise innocuous island. Yes, innocuous but seemingly contented and deservingly so. Zanzibar had earned its reputation as a famous toast of tourists for quite a while. Immediately, some female check-in operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport spotted Zanzibar on my ticket attached to my passport as I endured the airport protocols, the comments were the same. Oga, na only you com dey go Zanzibar? Fine man, make I follow you enjoy for Azanzibar nah Not catching the humour early enough, a fellow passenger volunteered some profile of Zanzibar and concluded: Youd love the place. Na everytime Oyinbo people dey go there go do vacation My first and only trip to Zanzibar till date was in 2016 at the instance of Research ICT Africa, an organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa. The trip derived from my successful bid for a place on the all- expenses-paid Communication Policy Research South, CPRsouth, Conference as a communication scholar with flair for digital communications development. It was organised in conjunction with the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, COSTECH. I had looked forward to the journey to Tanzania, the country to which Zanzibar belongs, with so much excitement. This was especially with the possibility of getting to re-unite with a great pan-africanist and former legal adviser to Mwalimu Nyerere, Prof Paschal Mihyo. I had met Prof Mihyo in 2003 at the Institute of Social Studies, ISS, The Hague in Netherlands, where, as a NUFFIC Fellowship awardee, I studied Globalisation and Development. Prof Mihyo was then based at the ISS and was the number one host to most Africans who had cause to do anything at ISS. A highly cerebral and mobile scholar, he had left the ISS and moved on to run the secretariat of the Association of African Universities, AAU, before retiring to his home country of Tanzania when I had cause to visit. But Mihyo was based in Dar-es-Salaam while my destination was Zanzibar. Like most fellow conferees, I arrived Zanzibar late in the evening, too fagged out to savour the environmental beauty of the journey from the airport to Z Ocean Hotel, venue of the conference. We arrived at the hotel but not with the usual encumbrances of formalities that terrorism has since inflicted on humanity especially in the hotel vicinity. In spite of the rampaging Al-Shabab in the neighbouring country of Kenya, security at this hotel was minimal and polite. I had a restful night. The morning after: Spectacles on parade on the seamless beach side were assorted. But even the room details are unusual, pretty modest but functional and tastefully so, relative to the unique African context. How? The rooms are very modest enclosures without the bogus usuals of the typical westernized hotels that must have lights on all day to be duly habitable The beds were literally enveloped up in roomy, snow-white, mosquito nets that confer on you the confidence of inviolable shield against any flying insect at all, especially mosquitoes, the dreadful malaria dispensers. Z Ocean is a modest hotel with the tallest structure being only one-storey and it is an addendum. This modesty not withstanding, it reckons properly with diversity across culinary and other facets you may imagine, including religion. It has a mosque. The diversity tolerance, it is important to note is probably reflective of the larger society. In Zanzibar, every childs education counts such that Islamic education has been mainstreamed to give muslim children full sense of citizenship. A lofty manifestation of this today is that the weekly khutbah or sermon in major mosques are rendered in Arabic without translation since everyone speaks Arabic courtesy of Islamic education already mainstreamed. Z Ocean Hotels construction design is such that a number of rooms are made to oversee the beach. As you step out therefore, if it coincides with the sunrise period, the usual time for conferees to hurry to business sessions venue, you encounter the sun and sea spectacle that readily reminds one of the ubiquitous Acapulco Sun and Sea shirts of the 1980s. The kitchen at Z Ocean Hotel was as Afro-centric as continental with varieties of rice to veggies favourites of combinations of luxuriant edible leaves spiced with invitingly red pastes. And then the kasala tea! Its indigenous but theres hardly anyone that can resist it irrespective of your nationality or culinary sophistication. Without any additive as sweetener, kasala tea is simply complete even with its look hardly different from what you earn from the mixture of bournvita and milk. It became the favourite of almost all CPRsouth attendees during our short stay. I felt for my country. Here is Z Ocean serving kasala tea with pride. How many of our hotels in Nigeria serve cocoa, our pride of years peaking with Cocoa House at Ibadan? I have been ceaseless in my request for cocoa beverage from hotel restaurant staff. From Lagos to Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Port Harcourt, often you get the options of either coffee or tea. Kasala plunged me into deeper thought when I remembered that the previous year, Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles, USA, generously served cocoa powder, so well mixed like Nigerias Checkers Custard, so that you dont have to add anything again to enrich its taste. With the cocoa beverage, Marriott made me fall in love with Carlifornia where I was the only African attendee of the Online News Association, ONA, conference of 2015. ONA availed me with the uncommon opportunity of interfacing with the biggest media players on the internet ranging from Google to Facebook and the likes. Zanzibar had been most delighting to me. My presentation earned me two huge rewards having been rated as top paper. First was a book gift. The second was the full sponsorship to attend the 2017 edition of the conference of Global Network of Internet Scholars, GIGANET, which would precede the same years edition of the Internet Governance Forum, IGF, slated for Guadalajara in Mexico. Back to Zanzibar Airport the day I was leaving, so much to learn again. The hood does not make a monk my late school principal, of blessed memory, at Ede Muslim Grammar School, Mr Olatunji would always caution. The Zanzibar airport has been one of the most modest Ive ever passed through. Perhaps at par with the one in the neighbouring Niger but clearly far more modest than the one in Bourkina Faso. You then begin to wonder why Governor Aregbesola of Osun State would not learn from Tanzanias example but would rather want to repeatedly sell Cuba to folks even if only verbally not with deeds. It remains most tragic that he sank so much money into the Ido-Osun airport (MKO Abiola means success to me at all times) without any good story till he vacated office. Zanzibar airport offered us free internet access but the giant of Africa till date has not contemplated this in spite of the loud name change of the most concerned ministry headed by the controversial professor. As if to remind everyone that we were all in transit anyway, flights arrived and left as scheduled no matter how many passengers. Yours sincerely did the 20-minute flight to Dar-es-Salaam in what was like a chartered flight because the chopper that took me left with only one other passenger apart from me. Fun all the way with the pilot. Tunde Akanni is Acting Head of Journalism Department of LASU where he also doubles as the pioneer Director of the Digital Media Research Centre, DMRC. Pandora papers have shown that we cannot keep all the information to ourselves. Information is now in the open market depending on who seriously demands it and for what. It is established that the disruptive power of the new media will raise the bar on the accountability of citizens and leaders, for the ultimate benefit of society. Exposing secrets in the public interest is gradually gaining public acceptance and appreciation. It is also a testament to how technology has further reduced the world to a global village. The men and women who do such expose are whistle blowers , information insurgents and, in a more civil language investigative journalists. The more celebrated outlet is Wikileaks, but specific individuals have gained international public notoriety for exposing secret information globally. They include Mr Assange, Edward Snowden, and Chelsea Manning. Recently a series of exposures were made by a new entrant in the whistle-blowers or information insurgents space, Pandora papers, on prominent people globally, including Nigerians. The Pandora papers portray the complicated and intricate international entanglements of Power, offshore businesses, and the morality of secrets. This activity is a collaboration of over 360 media houses worldwide to unearth some of the private transactions and assets concealed offshore in tax havens in faraway Islands and some developed countries around the world. The pandora papers project aims to unite media organisations and investigative journalists to expose the role of offshore business nests in concealing the identity of businesses and their real owners. Thats a legitimate role of journalism. PREMIUM TIMES, a Nigerian media house, was involved. Over 330 politicians, high-level public officials, and high-net-worth individuals are affected by this exposure in more than 90 countries and territories. Included are ambassadors, mayors, generals, political advisers, and Central bank Governors. This incident has led to a Babel of voices, for and against, on the implication of the exposures. Although many foreign leaders were among those implicated in this Pandora papers scandal , I am focussing on Nigerians and Nigeria the complexities, complications, and implications of exposing these secrets. Media reports indicate that the Pandora papers implicated more than 10 Nigerian political, religious, and business leaders. They include a former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; a senator and former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah; Mohammed Bello-Koko, the acting Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority; presiding Bishop of Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo; Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, and his Kebbi State counterpart, Atiku Bagudu. I must point out that they have all denied any wrongdoing and have put out several defences of their actions in the public domain. In a TV interview, Peter Obi, a stalwart of PDP, declared his innocence on all counts of secretly having offshore investments and not declaring all the assets belonging to him and his immediate family members before taking the office of Anambra State Governor. Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, on his part, says that he opened the offshore accounts and companies before he took public office as the Executive Director and later Acting Managing Director in Nigerian Ports Authority. Mr Koko further claimed that his company took out loans to fund most of the assets at the investment time. He committed no infraction of the law, according to him. However, there is public demand to investigate individuals involved to ascertain the actual position of things and, if found guilty of any infractions against the law, must be prosecuted and punished no matter their political status. The suggested violations to be checked include the sources of the funds for the businesses and assets to ascertain whether they are legitimate and legal and not proceeds of crime and corruption. And the second aspect for politically exposed people is determining whether they declared such assets and funds in the Assets declaration forms for public officeholders. Pandora papers, like earlier whistleblowing events, has brought several issues to the fore. The first is that there are no secrets in the world. It is only a matter of time and whether someone is interested in unearthing the mystery. Human imperfection often leads to the reality that what is considered confidential data may end up in the hands of disgruntled staff or information insurgents who, even at the risk of their lives, do everything possible to release the information to a global audience with a huge appetite to consume the secrets of the rich and powerful in the society. Pandora papers have shown that business secrecy is now old school, everything is open, and the world calls for more transparency. Even corporate and government malfeasance will be exposed someday, no matter how long it takes. The second issue is that it is not only individuals who want to clad things in secrecy and use all means within their disposal to protect their privacy. But even governments are also liable for keeping secrets that may be working against the same people who elected them to serve. And this does not relate to financial transactions only. It does this sometimes in collaboration with financial establishments that are complicit in most of the sleaze cases. The government may also be compromised if the individuals or public officers involved are prominent government members or are known to be allies; government tends to minimise the seriousness of such revelations and often does nothing about it. We should never forget that most exposures of these secrets have political, moral, legal, and economic dimensions that will interest us. The third issue is that it shows the importance of investigative journalism. Journalists and the media owe society the duty and responsibility of doing thorough investigative journalism and exposing any information in the public interest if necessary. By doing this, mainly when they abide by the ethics, rules, and legal provisions covering their investigation and reporting, they help uncover hidden information and hold influential individuals and corporate organisations accountable to the people. On the other hand, businesses have a right to find a hiding place for themselves in the international system. The challenge is to strike a balance between the professional responsibility of journalism and the corporate obligation of companies. Companies are not guilty of any crime in this process. Similarly, owners of companies listed in offshore havens are not guilty of any crime by being so associated. It is the business of applicable local laws to determine the criminality of relevant business owners. The Pandora paper brouhaha is on the need to strike the necessary balance. More critical than uncovering hidden truths is framing the information to contextualise its issues in the public interest. Specialised and interpretative reporting stresses the importance of sticking to facts rather than sensationalism and deference to subjective opinion. In cases like the pandora papers, facts are sacrosanct. Some of the facts, in this case, are underpinned by a theoretical framework that underscores the limitations of secrecy and protection of privacy in an increasingly interconnected and interwoven world with significant advances in information and communication technology. Therefore, when offshore transactions made under cover of protective privacy or secret information leaks, as is the case with pandora papers, it makes sense to establish immutable facts: a revelation that somebody or an organisation or government used an offshore company to invest is not a crime what constitutes a crime is when a public officer has used offshore vehicle to invest money gotten illegally or above what the law of the country permits; using offshore companies to conceal identity is not a crime in itself the problem is if public officers own and operate such companies to launder fund; using an offshore company to buy properties abroad or make investment becomes a crime when the funds can be traced to the state or is a proceed of corruption. Finally, the Pandora paper scandal has moral, ethical, legal,and political ramifications that the media and Nigerian government must fully explore to establish lessons from any intended and unintended consequences. An act may not be unlawful but has moral implications that will be of interest to society. The legality of an action at every point in time is a function of individual countries law and its law enforcement agents. There are several implications to Nigeria that the Pandora papers expose reveals. The speed by which some media and citizens attacked and negatively interpreted information from the pandora paper indicates a deep distrust of public officials in Nigeria. This mistrust is such that they treat with seriousness any information on financial matters emanating from leaked documents like pandora papers, thereby adjudging the people mentioned, guilty of a crime. The court of public opinion vilifies and convicts such persons even when they may have committed no crime. However, the responsibility of determining whether a crime has been committed or not rests with national governments as their respective laws apply . We, therefore, implore the police and anti-crime agencies to treat the Pandora papers for what it is only a source of additional information that cannot replace the work of proper investigation by those with primary responsibility to curb crime. It may be a starting point of the inquiry against any crime or corruption inherent in these private transactions. Pandora papers undoubtedly would help raise the bar on the fight against corruption, especially if it uncovered that the public officials or individuals invested funds that are proceeds of crime or corruption. If the proper investigation and prosecution happen and guilty people receive due punishment and their profits from crime and corruption repatriated to Nigeria for public use, it may serve as a deterrent for future would-be criminals. Even if nobody is found culpable of crime, there is greater awareness among political and business leaders that they are under constant scrutiny. That some politicians have investments in secret companies, and assets in real estate and cash in secret accounts do not mean they have committed a crime unless proven guilty by a competent court. Some Nigerian politicians were successful entrepreneurs even before they joined politics and may have acquired lots of assets and therefore must not be executed because of these revelations unless they did not correctly disclose this before taking an oath of office. Pandora papers only mentioned about ten Nigerian political and business leaders, representing less than 0.001 per cent of politically exposed persons and elite in the document. In conclusion, I cannot overemphasise enough the importance and power of investigative journalism. The journalist must continue to hold individuals, corporate organisations, and institutions accountable by doing his job well. Public officials in Nigeria should also learn the importance of information insurgency in helping to expose and correct societys ills. The important questions to reflect on are: can the pandora papers incident happen in Nigeria? If hitherto government or secret corporate papers are leaked, will it see the light of day? Do we have the calibre of investigative journalists and independent media that will do justice to such revelations? As we strengthen our media institutions and the quality of journalism practised in Nigeria, we should do well as people to avoid trial by the media and be mindful of damaging reputations of law-abiding citizens who happened to be rich and can afford to invest outside Nigeria. Pandora papers have shown that we cannot keep all the information to ourselves. Information is now in the open market depending on who seriously demands it and for what. It is established that the disruptive power of the new media will raise the bar on the accountability of citizens and leaders, for the ultimate benefit of society. Dakuku Peterside is a policy and leadership expert. Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has condemned the attack on Goronyo weekly market in which over 30 people were killed by bandits on Sunday. PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how the bandits, numbering about 200, raided the market and killed over 30 people. Sokoto, like Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina and Niger, recently took security measures to contain the activities of bandits. The measures include shutdown of mobile telecommunications networks, ban on sale of domestic animals and restriction on sale of fuel. But these have so far proved ineffective in reining in the terrorists. Mr Tambuwal spoke on the tragedy on Monday while hosting the Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya, on a courtesy call. Condemning the heinous attack, Mr Tambuwal called on the army chief to send more reinforcement to the state and the north-west in general. He said only a reinforcement can curtail the incessant bandits attacks. Responding, Mr Yahaya said the Nigerian Army would continue to work towards ending insurgency and other criminal activities in the country. The Army Chief was also at the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto. A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Monday, ordered the Ogun State Assembly and the Nigeria Police to appear before it, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The court wants the assembly to show cause why it should not grant reliefs sought by a former Managing Director of the Ogun Property Investment Corporation (OPIC), Babajide Odusola, against them. The respondents in the suit are the clerk of the Ogun State House of Assembly, inspector-general of police, assistant inspector-general of police, Zone II, and the commissioner of police in Ogun. The judge, Peter Lifu, gave the order for parties to appear and show cause, following an exparte application filed by Mr Odusola seeking enforcement of his fundamental rights against the respondents. The applicant is seeking an order to restrain the respondents from taking any action in relation to a report by Ogun Assembly, through invitation or arrest, pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion. When the case was called on Monday, Messrs Adetunji Adedoyin-Adeniyi and Oluwatosin Adesioye announced appearances for the applicant. Mr Adedoyin-Adeniyi informed the court of the exparte application. Mr Lifu, consequently, adjourned the case until November 1 for parties to appear before the court and show why the reliefs sought by the applicant should not be granted. The respondents herein are hereby given seven days from today to appear and show cause why the prayers of the applicant should not be granted, he held. The court also ordered the respondents to respond to the applicants motion within seven days from Monday. In an affidavit in support of his application, the applicant averred that sometime in October 2020, he received a letter from the Ogun Assembly, requesting him to appear at the sitting of its Public Account and Anti-Corruption Committee (PAAC). He said the sitting was purportedly to clarify some alleged irregularities in the activities of OPIC, adding that prior to this letter, he had never received any complaints or charges against him as OPIC managing director. According to the applicant, he honoured the invitation by PAAC, but was surprised when he was confronted with allegations of misappropriation OPIC funds, which he had not been previously informed about or queried for. READ ALSO: Former OPIC boss challenges Ogun Assembly to prove corruption allegations The applicant stated that shortly after his visit to the committee, both the social and traditional media were agog with news of his investigation for alleged fraudulent activities during his tenure as OPIC managing director. He said that media trial without conclusion of investigation or admitting evidence against him was an infringement on his personal liberty. He, therefore, sought an interim order directing parties to maintain status quo in respect of the decision of Ogun Assembly, pending the determination of the originating motion. He also asked for an order to restrain the respondents from taking further steps in relation to the subject matter pending the determination of the suit. (NAN) With "Strengthen Solidarity and Cooperation for Building a Community of Security and Development" as its theme, the forum was co-hosted by the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Committee of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the People's Government of Gansu Province. The Forum included four sub-forums covering topics including "China-Central Asia cooperation on China's BDS" and "green development." A themed exhibition on China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) was also held during the event. Representatives from China and Central Asian countries including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as international organizations, attended the forum online and in person. Secretary-General of the SCO Vladimir Norov said that the China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum is an authoritative platform for extensive exchanges between China and Central Asian countries. It helps strengthen political interaction, deepen the relationship between all parties in ensuring regional security, responding to current challenges and threats. It also further promotes a mutually beneficial cooperation, especially with regards to economy and trade. "Under these conditions, cooperation in the health sector remains a priority. We propose to put environmental protection at the top of the agenda. We have actively participated in the development of the global agenda for sustainable development until 2030, and intend to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060," said Alikhan Smailov, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. Tajikistan's ambassador to China Saidzoda Zohir pointed out that despite the various challenges of the new era, China's economy continues to grow, and this will have a positive impact on the joint construction of a healthy, green and digital Silk Road. The volume of Chinese investment and bilateral trade with Central Asian countries has been growing steadily for two decades in a row. The volume of accumulated direct Chinese investments in five countries of the region amounted to about $15 billion in 2020. "A new stage in the advancement of the Belt and Road may be the alignment "point" of China's development programs with the national strategies of the Central Asian countries," Saidzoda Zohir added. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662491/image_1.jpg SOURCE Global Times Online "A historic day for St Kitts and Nevis as we sign [a] reciprocal visa waiver agreement with HE Riad Maliki Foreign Minister [of] the State of Palestine allowing visa-free travel between our two peoples. St Kitts and Nevis continues to expand its diplomatic footprint globally," wrote Minister Brantley on Instagram . Visa-free waivers allow restriction-free travel to citizens of the nations that sign the agreement. This means that an entry visa is not needed for nationals of either country before entering the country the deal is signed. This privilege also extends to individuals who have received citizenship through economic means, like St Kitts and Nevis' Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. Since 1984, the Programme has invited foreign nationals worldwide to become St Kitts and Nevis citizens after passing due diligence checks and investing in the country's economy. The State of Palestine, the newest addition to St Kitts and Nevis' growing list of visa-free travel offerings, allows its citizens to enter close to 35 destinations. However, with millions of Palestinians living aboard due to political instability, many face difficulty travelling internationally or even back to their homeland. Through this "historic" agreement, Palestinian diaspora and entrepreneurs who chose to partake in St Kitts and Nevis' CBI Programme can generally travel visa-free not only to Palestine but to nearly 160 countries and territories, including central education and business hubs. St Kitts and Nevis' CBI Programme is one of the most popular options for second citizenship in the Middle East due to its expansive allowance of dependants which promotes family reunification. It also holds reputation as the "Platinum Standard" programme in the investment immigration realm. Successful applicants of St Kitts and Nevis' CBI Programme usually gain the opportunity to grow their commercial network and secure their future, knowing that their new citizenship can enable a legacy by being passed down to generations. Investors can now take advantage of a limited-time offer extended to December 31st 2021. Under the offer, families of up to four can obtain citizenship by contributing US$150,000 to the Programme's Sustainable Growth Fund instead of the US$195,000 contribution that previously applied to a typical family of four. pr@csglobalpartners.com, www.csglobalpartners.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1661904/Dominica_Palestine.jpg SOURCE CS Global Partners In the keynote speech, Charles Yang, SVP of Huawei and President of Global Marketing Sales and Services at Huawei Digital Power , said: "Carbon neutrality has become a global consensus and mission. To achieve that goal, power production needs to be low carbonized, and power consumption needs to be electrified. Huawei has deeply integrated digital and power electronics technologies to create all-scenario low-carbon energy solutions, covering the whole energy flow from green power generation to efficient power consumption." With an increasing number of countries joining the path towards carbon neutrality, the world is brimming with opportunities for investment into renewable energy and green infrastructure. At the summit, industry leaders and government officials from PV, Data Center and Site Power sectors - including Sen. Rocio Adriana Abreu Artinano, President of the Energy Commission, Senate of the Republic of Mexico, Sanjay Kumar Sainani, Global SVP & CTO from Huawei Digital Power, Mohammad Saeed Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Data Hub Integrated Solutions LLC (MORO), Hariram Subramanian, CTO of Huawei FusionSolar, Manish Singhal, Head of Solar PV, ACWA Power, Michel FRAISSE, Vice President & CTO, Huawei Digital Power Europe, Jasem Al Marzooqi, Head of Data Centers & Telecom Facilities, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, du, Prof Rabih Bashroush, Global Head, IT Infrastructure Advisory, Uptime Institute, and many more - have shared technologies, insights and policies to meet the future opportunities in renewable energy and green ICT infrastructure. Specifically, experts from data center energy including Simon McCormickCTO of Echelon, Seppo Ihalainen, CEO & Co-founder, Ficolo, Prof Rabih Bashroush, Global Head, IT Infrastructure Advisory, Uptime Institute and Jim Campbell, BEng (Hons) Building Services, MIET, ATD, Regional Director RED Middle East have joined the panel discussion moderated by Sanjay Kumar Sainani. To lead the green energy transition, Amit Beriya, Director of Energy Storage & Hydrogen (BD Technical Services), ACWA Power, George Pechlivanoglou, CTO of Eunice, Ana Lia Rojas, President of EnerConnex Chile & President of the Chile Council for Women Leaders in Energy and Environment, CWEEL and Edson Uamusse, Strategic Planning Director & Chairman's Advisor, Energy Fund of Mozambique have shared their insights from the energy industry moderated by Hariram Subramanian. Partnership for a Greener and Bright Future Huawei Digital Power adheres to the strategy of open hardware, open-source software, and layered collaboration with industry players for a greener, brighter future. As a key part of the summit, Huawei signed memorandums of understanding with Grupo IMELSA and HYBRICO Energy for strategic collaboration on clean energy and green infrastructure development. Huawei also signs a key contract with SEPCOIII for The Red Sea Project with 400 MW PV plus 1300 MWh battery energy storage solution (BESS), which is currently the world's largest energy storage project. What sets Huawei Digital Power apart from peers is its unique philosophy of "Use Bits to Manage Watts". Specifically, Mr. Yang noted how the company will use digital technologies to manage power electronics and equipment, providing simplified, green, smart, and secure solutions for clean power generation, green ICT infrastructure, transportation electrification, and integrated smart energy. Call for Carbon Neutrality Initiative Carbon neutrality has become a global consensus and mission. At the summit, Huawei Digital Power called for global action to pursue low-carbon and sustainable development, which requires continuous innovations, the adoption of green practices, and banding together to build an open and win-win ecosystem. Liu Fangjiang, President of SEPCOIII International, Eaman Al Roudhan, CEO of Zain Kuwait, Sen. Rocio Adriana Abreu Artinano, President of the Energy Commission, Senate of the Republic of Mexico, Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Board Member, Executive, Managing Director at du, and Simon McCormick, CTO of Echelon, have all backed the Huawei initiative during the summit. They were joined by Mr. Yang. Through open collaboration and co-innovation, Huawei Digital Power and its global partners now share a commitment to fight global warming and contribute towards carbon neutrality worldwide. Light up of Burj Khalifa to Inspire and Initiate Change As the exciting ending of the Global Digital Power Summit 2021, Huawei Digital Power lit up Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building and an iconic landmark in Dubai, to inspire international communities to accelerate the green transition and build a low-carbon and smart society together. About Huawei Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We have more than 197,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world. Our vision and mission is to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. To this end, we will drive ubiquitous connectivity and promote equal access to networks; bring cloud and artificial intelligence to all four corners of the earth to provide superior computing power where you need it, when you need it; build digital platforms to help all industries and organizations become more agile, efficient, and dynamic; redefine user experience with AI, making it more personalized for people in all aspects of their life, whether they're at home, in the office, or on the go. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on: http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei http://www.twitter.com/Huawei http://www.facebook.com/Huawei http://www.youtube.com/Huawei Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662589/Huawei_Digital_Power_lights_up_Dubai.mp4 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662588/press_release1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662585/press_release2.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662586/press_release3.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662587/press_release_4.jpg SOURCE Huawei Digital Power SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global automotive exhaust systems market size is expected to reach USD 68.45 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028. Stringent government regulations associated with vehicle emissions coupled with the increasing penetration of after-treatment devices are anticipated to drive the demand for automotive exhaust systems. Moreover, the increasing sales of passenger cars and commercial vehicles along with the growing demand for lightweight emission systems are expected to create significant opportunities for players operating across the value chain of the market. Key Insights & Findings: In terms of component, the muffler segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR of over7% from 2021 to 2028 owing to the increasing demand for dual-exhaust muffler systems in mid-sized and luxury vehicles In terms of fuel type, the gasoline segment emerged as the largest segment in 2020 and is anticipated to retain its dominance over the forecast period In terms of vehicle type, the commercial vehicles segment is projected to expand at the highest CAGR of around 7.5% over the forecast period due to increasing demand for commercial vehicles across the transportation and logistics sectors Asia Pacific emerged as the largest regional market for automotive exhaust systems in 2020 and is anticipated to retain its dominance over the forecast period Read 90 page market research report, "Automotive Exhaust Systems Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component, By Fuel Type (Gasoline, Diesel), By Vehicle Type (Passenger Car, Commercial Vehicles), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research Automotive OEMs are working on several aspects, such as new and lightweight materials, drivetrain (engine/transmission) efficiency, and aerodynamic design, to reduce the vehicular weight. Conventional exhaust systems and their components are manufactured using materials such as stainless steel, cast iron, and mild steel/carbon steel. However, several automotive OEMs, exhaust system manufacturers, and other companies are working to provide lightweight products made from composite metals with high-temperature resistance. For instance, Tenneco Inc. offers lightweight compact systems and lightweight after-treatment and dosing systems to improve the fuel economy and thermal management of the exhaust system and overall vehicle. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic hampered the overall business scenario in 2020, and the economy is expected to continue experiencing its aftermath over the next few years. Supply chains were disrupted and production was suspended temporarily at several production facilities because of the lockdowns and restrictions imposed in various parts of the world. Subsequently, shipments got delayed and production volumes plummeted, thereby affecting the overall automotive production. As a result of the pandemic, several companies and exhaust system manufacturers confronted a year-on-year decline in unit volumes and revenues. For instance, Eberspacher, a prominent market player in the exhaust system market, witnessed a decline in the Exhaust Technology business segment revenue. The company's exhaust technology sales decreased by 0.4% year-over-year to USD 6,033.1 million in 2020 compared to USD 6,099.46 million in 2019. In 2020, Asia Pacific captured around 60% of the automotive exhaust systems demand and is estimated to register a CAGR of around 7.0% over the forecast period. This share is attributed to the increasing production and sales of passenger cars and commercial vehicles in emerging economies such as India and China. China has been the largest automotive manufacturer in the world since 2008. The country's automotive production annual volumes are greater than the volumes of the European Union (EU). India is the fifth-largest automotive manufacturing country in the world. The Indian market is estimated to expand at the highest CAGR over the forecast period as the Indian government is taking several initiatives to develop the automotive sector in the country. The Automotive Mission Plan 2016-2026 is a joint initiative by the Indian Automotive Manufacturers and the government to plan a roadmap for developing the automotive sector in the country. Grand View Research has segmented the global automotive exhaust systems market based on component, fuel type, vehicle type, and region: Automotive Exhaust Systems Component Outlook (Value, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Exhaust Manifold Muffler Catalytic Converter Oxygen Sensor Exhaust Pipes Automotive Exhaust Systems Fuel Type Outlook (Value, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Gasoline Diesel Automotive Exhaust Systems Vehicle Type Outlook (Value, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Passenger Car Commercial Vehicles Automotive Exhaust Systems Regional Outlook (Value, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany Rest of Europe Asia Pacific Greater China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa (MEA) List of Key Players in the Automotive Exhaust Systems Market BENTELER International Bosal Continental AG Eberspacher Faurecia FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. Friedrich Boysen Sejong Industrial Co., Ltd. Tenneco Inc. Yutaka Giken Company Limited Check out more studies related to automotive exhaust systems, conducted by Grand View Research: Cold-end Exhaust System Aftermarket The cold-end exhaust system aftermarket size was valued at USD 4.03 billion in 2015 and is presumed to gain traction over the forecast period. The cold-end exhaust system aftermarket is majorly driven by stringent government regulations and emission norms. The cold-end exhaust system aftermarket size was valued at in 2015 and is presumed to gain traction over the forecast period. The cold-end exhaust system aftermarket is majorly driven by stringent government regulations and emission norms. Automotive Catalytic Converter Market The global automotive catalytic converter market size was valued at USD 111.00 billion in 2014. Technological advancements and increasing automobile production across emerging economies such as China and India are expected to drive the industry growth over the forecast period. Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global Automotive & Transportation 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. We are proud to present Infusent to address the fast-paced developing needs of the infused markets. Baker Perkins' entrepreneurial approach and reputation for providing excellent innovative products and services is anchored in the DNA of the Infusent brand of products and underpins our commitment to support our customers on their growth journey. We are already recognizing opportunities for all involved. Dan Smith, President Infusent Infusent provides full-service partnerships for large and small businesses alike, drawing back on its strong heritage and process knowledge to make customer visions a reality in a rapidly expanding market. Within its Innovation Centers, Infusent experts work with customers through the entire process from initial recipe testing to designing and engineering tailored solutions. Makers can trust reliable, hygienic equipment to create infused edible products safely and deliciously and help their companies grow. As one of our most valued customers commented: At our scale, there isn't a better option on the market than the Infusent ServoForm Mini. Stephen Markle, VP Production, Planet 13 Safety and hygienic performance across equipment and production processes are key in producing infused edibles at a larger scale. Infusent translates these challenges into customized solutions to meet individual customer demand. Renowned solutions such as the ServoForm Mini and ServoForm depositing systems are game changers for makers across North America. Their flexibility, efficient production and hygienic design set new industry standards while reduced energy consumption and easy transport reduce the ecological footprint and increase mobility across facilities. Infusent aims to serve as a blueprint for the future of infused edibles manufacturing across the United States. We are excited to offer Infusent as a trusted resource to the infused manufacturing sectors something that Baker Perkins has been carefully crafting for some time. It is gratifying to provide world-class solutions and support for these talented businesses and entrepreneurs who offer safe, high-quality health & wellness products to benefit everyone. Tony Gonzalez, Market Development Director Infusent Learn more about Infusent's expertise at www.infusent.com About Infusent is a food equipment manufacturer specializing in creating exceptional products, innovations, solutions, and scalable equipment to support the infused edibles industry. Infusent is powered by Baker Perkins, bringing 120+ years of engineering expertise, bespoke ingenuity, and customer care backed by lifetime support. Makers can trust reliable, hygienic equipment to create infused edible confections safely and deliciously and help their companies grow. Infusent Infusing Innovations. www.infusent.com Follow: IG: @infusent.usa LI: linkedin.com/company/infusent Baker Perkins is a successful UK-based global supplier of food processing equipment and aftermarket services for the bakery, confectionery, food extrusion as well as other extrusion markets, breakfast cereal, pet food and biscuit, cookie, and cracker end-markets. Headquartered in Peterborough, United Kingdom, and with facilities in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, Baker Perkins serves a diverse and growing mix of customers across the food industry globally. https://www.bakerperkins.com Follow: IG: @bakerperkins LI: linkedin.com/company/baker-perkins/ Meet Team Infusent at MJ Biz Con, Las Vegas, Nevada Expo: October 19-22, 2021 Booth #C6611 Media Contact: Tony Gonzalez, Market Development Director [email protected] (616) 785-7537 SOURCE Infusent Related Links http://www.infusent.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bigo Live , a global leader in live streaming, today announced it's made a $10,000 donation to Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC). LBBC is a national nonprofit that provides people with trusted information and a community of support by offering on-demand emotional, practical, and evidence-based content that is meaningful to those newly diagnosed, in treatment, post-treatment, and living with metastatic disease. Along with the donation, Bigo Live is also hosting an educational and inspiring live panel, on October 18 from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Pacific, consisting of participants from Living Beyond Breast Cancer's leadership volunteer community along with creators from the live streaming platform who are currently undergoing treatment, are survivors, or have been affected by breast cancer in their lives. "Partnering with Living Beyond Breast Cancer to raise awareness and support the millions impacted by this disease is a crucial pillar of Bigo Live's beliefs," said Lynette Yang, General Manager of Bigo Live America, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil. "Living Beyond Breast Cancer stood out to us as a partner due to their commitment to addressing racial disparities and ensuring people from all walks of life get the care they need. By offering a safe space for those who wish to share their stories and connect with others who have been through similar experiences, we are expecting an exceptionally impactful panel to honor an important month." In years past, the week of October 18 was a dedicated Breast Cancer Awareness week on Bigo Live, with the app's popular gifting feature, which allows users to show support for broadcasters during their streams, displaying as a pink ribbon. The app also displayed a banner throughout the week encouraging users to visit Living Beyond Breast Cancer for more information on the disease and resources for those diagnosed. This year will commence with the LBBC live panel that will feature eight community guests taking place in a six-person rotating room, with four panelists jumping in/out of each room at the half hour mark. The week will conclude with a full day of breast cancer awareness programming on Friday, October 23 through the app's Live House, which is its most popular stream. "Living Beyond Breast Cancer is committed to creating a culture of acceptancewhere sharing the diversity of the lived experience of breast cancer fosters self-advocacy and hope," states Jean Sachs, CEO of Living Beyond Breast Cancer. "Through the programs, services, and support we provide, and with the partnership with Bigo Live, we live our vision of a world where no one impacted by breast cancer feels uninformed or alone." From sharing how a self-exam helped them catch their cancer early and encouraging others to conduct regular exams of their own, to giving tips for regaining a sense of normalcy while undergoing treatment, Bigo Live's breast cancer awareness live panel is expected to bring many people together to share personal and meaningful stories. For more information on Bigo Live please visit www.bigo.tv . Download Bigo Live on the App Store or Google Play . For more information on Living Beyond Breast Cancer please visit www.lbbc.org . About Bigo Live Bigo Live is one of the world's fastest-growing live streaming social communities where users broadcast in real-time to share life moments, showcase their talents, and interact with people from around the world. Bigo Live has around 400 million users in over 150 countries and is currently the market leader in the live streaming industry. Launched in March 2016, Bigo Live is owned by Bigo Technology, which is based in Singapore. About Living Beyond Breast Cancer Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) is a national nonprofit organization that provides all people affected by breast cancer with a trusted source of information and community of support. Through a national medical advisory board of leading oncologists and health care providers, LBBC delivers evidence-based information both in person and online to more than 600,000 women and men each year. For more information visit LBBC.org or call (855) 807-6386. SOURCE Bigo Live WAUWATOSA, Wis., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bryant & Stratton College (B&SC) in Wauwatosa announced today that its Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) associate degree program will be restructured to align with the College's unique Blended Learning format, which combines online learning and face-to-face instruction. Very few colleges in the U.S. currently offering this format for OTA students, which allows them to complete the entirety of their lectures and 25% of lab work online, with remaining lab hours to be completed with just one weekend per month on-site at the Wauwatosa campus. Through the program, students will be able to earn their degrees and begin their healthcare careers in as little as 20 months. Offering greater flexibility than the standard healthcare degree program, the College believes that the new degree path will make it easier for those interested in the OTA field to pursue higher education without compromising or sacrificing any current work or personal obligations. "At Bryant & Stratton College, our priority is to create programs where earning a degree is an achievable dream for students of all backgrounds including those juggling responsibilities like work, school, and home lives," said Dr. Amanda Maas, B&SC OTA Program Director. "By shifting our OTA program offering to our signature Blended Learning format, we hope to provide greater access to those with healthcare career aspirations to accomplish their goals during a time when medical workers are so critically needed." Students will have access to all lecture-based courses 24 hours a day with no set class times, just due dates for completed work. To complete the 45 hours of course lab work, nine of the required hours will be conducted online, in a synchronous manner, while students will need to come to campus just one weekend per month to complete their remaining lab work in the College's state-of-the-art facilities. This structure ensures that students can complete their degree in a way that best fits their lifestyles and allows them to work throughout their degree program. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, OTAs are one of the fastest-growing occupations in the country, projected to grow by 36% by 2030. An ideal field of work for those passionate about patient rehabilitation, OTAs work with occupational therapists to deliver focused therapy to children and adults in need to develop vital skills so that patients can live life to the fullest. The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Students interested in pursuing the new degree track can learn more at the B&SC OTA Degree Page. The College also offers OTA degree programs at their Greece & Syracuse, N.Y. and Solon, O.H. campuses. ABOUT BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE Founded in 1854, Bryant & Stratton College has built its reputation and success on a commitment to excellence and high standards. We're proud to be accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (267) 284-5000. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Bryant & Stratton College has campus locations in New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as an Online Education division, and a Continuing Education department. For over 165 years, Bryant & Stratton College has offered students access to career-relevant education leading to bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and professional certificates in the fields of healthcare, business, criminal justice, design, financial services, hospitality, human resources, paralegal studies and information technology. In addition to access to education, Bryant & Stratton College offers students access to tools to help ensure their greatest chance at success through their Career LifePrep program. Bryant & Stratton works with students to best map individual career paths - teaching the soft skills employers value most, helping establish valuable professional connections and internships and offering career services support even after graduation. Bryant & Stratton College is committed to helping students succeed in their education and beyond. Media Contact: Lindsay Curre [email protected] 585-402-1916 SOURCE Bryant & Stratton College Related Links https://www.bryantstratton.edu/locations/wisconsin/wauwatosa RYE BROOK, N.Y., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), the global leader in the fight against blood cancer, and Burlington Stores, the national retailer delivering amazing deals to customers every time they shop, are teaming up for the 20th consecutive year to raise critical funds for lifesaving research and treatments for children with blood cancer. In honor of this milestone, Burlington has made a commitment to raise funds with the help of their customers in support of the LLS Children's Initiative, dedicated to supporting children and their families impacted by the disease. Funds raised in Burlington store locations nationwide will support the research pillar of the LLS Children's Initiative, enabling the organization to add more pediatric research grants to break down the barriers that stand in the way of pediatric cancer care innovation, as well as further the mission of LLS. Starting today through November 29th, Burlington is encouraging customers to donate at checkout in their more than 790 stores nationwide in support of the LLS Children's Initiative research pillar. A donation made at checkout can provide support towards cutting-edge blood cancer research and help improve the lives of children like five-year-old Leo. Leo was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in June 2019. The treatment protocol for his type of leukemia is a three-and-a-half-year process that includes several phases of chemotherapy. Today, Leo is in remission but still receives chemo through his port and must take oral chemotherapy pills at home. The side effects of his treatment include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fatigue but one thing that never changes is his bright smile and bravery. Because of their treatment, approximately 80 percent of childhood cancer survivors develop chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and cognitive impairments. Over the past 40 years, only five percent of oncology drugs have been approved for first use in children. The LLS Children's Initiative is dedicated to revolutionizing the standard of care for children with cancer, providing them with safer, more effective treatments that rely less on chemotherapies that harm healthy cells in the body. Through research, patient education and support, as well as policy and advocacy, LLS is striving to usher in a new era of pediatric cancer treatment and care. "As one of our top national corporate retail partners, Burlington has championed our cause for two decades, helping us to invest more than $1.3 billion in cutting-edge blood cancer research," said Louis J. DeGennaro, PhD, President and CEO, LLS. "While we celebrate this momentous anniversary, we do so with our sights set on the future, knowing that breakthrough research is essential to pave the way to discoveries and better outcomes. Thanks to Burlington and their customers, dollars raised in stores this fall will support this key pillar of the LLS Children's Initiative and our critical work." "We couldn't be more thrilled to celebrate 20 tremendous years of partnership and continued commitment to support LLS's mission and the LLS Children's Initiative," said Michael O'Sullivan, CEO, Burlington Stores. "Burlington remains dedicated to improving the lives of children and their families through this essential and lifesaving research, in the ultimate pursuit of a world without blood cancer." To learn more, visit LLS.org and Burlington.com. ABOUT BURLINGTON STORES, INC. Burlington Stores, Inc., headquartered in New Jersey, is a nationally recognized off-price retailer with Fiscal 2020 net sales of $5.8 billion. The Company is a Fortune 500 company and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "BURL." The Company operated 792 stores as of the end of the second quarter of Fiscal 2021, in 45 states and Puerto Rico, principally under the name Burlington Stores. The Company's stores offer an extensive selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise at up to 60% off other retailers' prices, including women's ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats. For more information about the Company, visit www.burlington.com. ABOUT THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the global leader in the fight against blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has regions throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. For additional information visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The LLS Children's Initiative: Cures and Care for Children with Cancer The LLS Children's Initiative is a $160 million multi-year effort to take on children's cancer through every facet of LLS's mission: research, patient education and support and policy and advocacy. The LLS Children's Initiative includes: more pediatric research grants, a global precision medicine clinical trial, expanded free education and support services for children and families and driving policies and laws that break down barriers to care. To learn more, visit www.lls.org/childrens-initiative. Media Contacts: Kristin Hoose The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 914-821-8973 [email protected] Kaitlyn Adams Tierney 215-790-4388 [email protected] SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Related Links http://www.LLS.org SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Celigo , the leading Integration Platform-as-a-Service ( iPaaS ) provider for the mid-market, has announced availability of the first and only business process automation products that can integrate multiple cloud-based applications to a central hub application. Using the hub as a central source or destination, teams can use drop-down menus and out-of-the-box workflows to quickly automate an entire business process by integrating all of the required applications into a single, cohesive flow. The new Celigo products apply best practices using embedded business logic to eliminate manual processes, ensure data integrity across the organization, and enable end-to-end process automation without the need for scarce, expensive technical resources. "Before using the Celigo platform, we were spending hours and hours on manual processes and suffering from disconnected data and workflows," said Jeremy Vandenberg, IT information analyst at MOTIS Brands. "Now we can complete an entire automation in a fraction of the time and have a more holistic view of the entire process, enabling us to make more informed business decisions." "Celigo has reimagined the value of an iPaaS by delivering more business impact while reducing the need for engineering resources," said Jan Arendtsz, founder and CEO of Celigo. "By moving beyond simple point-to-point integrations and offering a truly connected end-to-end workflow that is anchored in one hub application, we are enabling our customers to achieve operational excellence and breakaway growth through optimal business process automation." Immediately available globally are three Business Process Automation products: Data Warehouse Business Process Automation: Celigo automates the extraction of source data from an unlimited number of business applications and then automatically loads it into a data warehouse such as Snowflake, BigQuery or Amazon Redshift. Benefits include: Rapid time-to-value by using pre-built data warehouse integrations with out-of-the-box configurations for popular cloud-based applications by using pre-built data warehouse integrations with out-of-the-box configurations for popular cloud-based applications Reduced time-to-insights by allowing business analysts to quickly move data from source systems into the data warehouse without the need for a data engineer by allowing business analysts to quickly move data from source systems into the data warehouse without the need for a data engineer Extended use cases, such as Reverse ETL, to move data from the data warehouse back into destination applications by using flexible integration customizations and extensions Payout-to-Reconciliation Business Process Automation: Celigo automates the reconciliation of payment transactions processed through a payment gateway, such as PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Pay or Braintree, with order data contained in an ERP system. Benefits include: Controlled cost savings by transitioning to management by exception instead of reconciling every transaction by transitioning to management by exception instead of reconciling every transaction Heightened dispute awareness by instantly identifying discrepancies and unsettled amounts by instantly identifying discrepancies and unsettled amounts Accelerated month-end close by eliminating error-prone and time-consuming manual reconciliation Employee Onboarding & Offboarding Business Process Automation: Celigo automates onboarding and offboarding logistics by connecting human resources information systems such as ADP, SAP SuccessFactors, and BambooHR to other applications for activities such as payroll and provisioning. Benefits include: Secure onboarding and offboarding process through automation of employee provisioning that replaces risky manual processes with customizable flows through automation of employee provisioning that replaces risky manual processes with customizable flows Superior new hire experiences by allowing Human Resources to own, maintain and customize integrations and workflows by allowing Human Resources to own, maintain and customize integrations and workflows Flexibility to meet unique business requirements through customizable integrations using hundreds of connectors To learn more about how Celigo can optimize your company's end-to-end business process automation, join the virtual launch events daily November 9-11, 2021 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. About Celigo Celigo is the leading Integration Platform-as-a-Service ( iPaaS ) provider for the mid-market. Named a G2 Best Software for 2021, Celigo enables breakaway growth, controlled cost management, and superior customer experiences by ensuring that every process -- at any level of the organization -- can be automated in the most optimal way. For more information, visit www.celigo.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. For more information, press only: BLASTmedia for Celigo 317.806.1900 [email protected] SOURCE Celigo, Inc. PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Distributed Energy Generation Market by Technology (micro-turbines, combustion turbines, micro-hydropower, reciprocating engines, fuel cells, wind turbines, solar PV), and End-use Industry (Residential, Commercial, and Industrial): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030". According to the report, the global distributed energy generation industry generated $246.4 billion in 2020, and is anticipated to generate $919.6 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 14.2% from 2021 to 2030. Prime determinants of growth Increase in government policies & greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets and rise in R&D initiatives for the development of new technologies drive the growth of the global distributed energy generation market. Furthermore, the need for a clean source of energy along with the low cost of products present new opportunities in the coming years. Download Sample PDF (284 Pages PDF with Insights): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/14153 Covid-19 scenario The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic led to shutdown of several industries across the globe, which in turn, caused disruptions in raw material procurement and price volatility. Demand for the product was also hindered as there was no development due to the lockdown. This factor hampered the growth of the industry, especially in the initial phase. Nevertheless, the global situation is getting ameliorated at a slow & steady pace, and the market is expected to revive soon. The fuel cells segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period Based on technology, the fuel cells segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for more than one-third of the global distributed energy generation market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is due to high incorporation in the various manufacturing industries. However, the solar PV segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 18.1% from 2021 to 2030, owing to demand for uninterrupted and sustainable electricity source. Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Distributed Energy Generation Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/14153?reqfor=covid The commercial segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period Based on end use industry, the commercial segment accounted for the largest share in 2020, contributing to one-third of the global distributed energy generation market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. Moreover, this segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 15.7% from 2021 to 2030, as the demand for low cost sustainable energy is expected to grow considerably in the coming years. Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe and North America, to maintain its dominance by 2030 Based on region, Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe and North America, held the highest market share in terms of revenue 2020, accounting for more than one-third of the global distributed energy generation market. Moreover, this region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 15.5% during the forecast period, owing to the growing industrialization in China, India, and other Asia-Pacific countries. Interested in Procure Data? Visit Here: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/distributed-energy-generation-market/purchase-options Leading Market Players:- Siemens General Electric Mitsubishi Schneider Caterpillar Power Plants Doosan Fuel Cell America Vestas Wind Systems A/S Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG Toyota Turbine and Systems Inc. Capstone Turbine Corporation 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: Wind Turbine Market is projected to reach $134,600 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2017 to 2023. Solar PV module market is projected to reach $260.2 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2021 to 2030. Floating wind turbine market is projected to reach $30.6 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 32.5% from 2020 to 2027. Solar energy market was valued at $52.5 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $223.3 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 20.5% from 2019 to 2026. Steam turbine market is projected to reach $30.2 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 2.8% from 2020 to 2027. Hydraulic turbines Market is projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2020 to 2027. Wind Energy Market is projected to reach $127.2 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 9.3% from 2020 to 2027. Fuel cell market is expected to reach $8,643 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 17.36% from 2016 to 2022. Pre-Book Now with 10% Discount: Renewable Energy Certificates Market- Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2028 Wind Turbine Shaft Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027 Turbines Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Onshore Wind Turbine Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Small Hydropower Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Hydroelectricity Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Stationary Fuel Cell Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2020-2027 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 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow us on: LinkedIn Twitter SOURCE Allied Market Research CHICAGO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hunt Club , a tech-enabled talent and recruitment company placing leadership roles across the fastest growing companies in the tech sector, raises a $10M Series A from Teamworthy Ventures to further the development of their Talent Expert Network, candidate referral technology, and their growing high-performance recruiting team. Hunt Club is on a mission to disrupt recruiting - an industry that has not changed since the launch of LinkedIn. Hunt Club specializes in placing leadership roles (Director and above) in sales, marketing, product, finance, customer success, human resources/people, operations, and other roles for fast-growing businesses in half the time it takes the competition. The company operates with a trusted network approach, focusing on identifying quality candidates through warm referrals served by the Hunt Club tech-enabled recruiting team. Talent Expert Network Hunt Club understands that the best candidates don't invest their scarce time and talent in a new job based on an impersonal algorithm. The best candidates are passive candidates and only consider a new job opportunity based on trusted referrals and recommendations, so CEO Nick Cromydas set out to create the most premium community of business leaders made up of entrepreneurs, executives, innovators, investors, and team leaders. In a few short years, Hunt Club's Talent Expert Network has grown to over 12,000 experts, connecting 6 Million quality candidates through people and technology. With Hunt Club, a search for talent is focused on quality - not quantity. Godard Abel, CEO of Chicago unicorn G2.com and Hunt Club customer agreed, "Hunt Club helped G2 hire over 50 key roles across our executive, product, marketing, and sales teams. These hires have turned out to be some of our top performers. We landed better talent faster because Hunt Club's network-based process is so advanced. They helped us land multiple key diverse leaders that our network, board, and leadership team lacked exposure to. Hunt Club has not only helped G2 but also has a leading 4.8 star review score from their trusted customers on our platform." Oak Street Health, which IPOed in 2020, has also had success with Hunt Club's model. "Last year Hunt Club helped us scale across our VP layer and added exceptional talent across technology, data science, customer service, sales, and other departments. Their talent network and technology has routinely outperformed other talent models, " shared Geoff Price, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Oak Street Health. Technology + How It Works When a search is kicked off at Hunt Club, their technology begins mapping their Talent Expert Network looking for relevant candidates based on criteria that predict job compatibility matching. When candidates are identified, the technology pings individual experts in the club's network for a warm introduction to the candidate. When a candidate is hired via a referral through the system, the expert is rewarded with a monetary referral bonus. Hunt Club has taken internal referral bonuses and flipped them into an external referral network that incentivizes and rewards connections. Imagine 100 top CMOs helping you find your next VP of Marketing. That's Hunt Club. Stephen Schmalhofer, Partner at Teamworthy Ventures and new Hunt Club Board Member said, "After experiencing firsthand the power of Hunt Club's multi-sided talent network to help our portfolio companies, our team saw that Hunt Club was developing a category-defining recruiting platform that is built to solve the urgent problem of finding the right talent and providing a great experience for candidates, employers, and recruiting teams. We've been impressed by their remarkable progress, scaling revenue, growing headcount from approximately 20 to 120 in a short period, and bringing on several talented new business and product leaders to serve the market demand." This round of funding complements the company's Seed Round of $4.5M with key investors such as Brian Spaly (Chairman of Tecovas, founder of Bonobos and Trunk Club), Woodie Levin (CEO and founder of Extend), FJ Labs, Starting Line Ventures, Network Ventures and more. Hunt Club works with high-growth start-ups, unicorns, and companies looking to build the best teams including gopuff, Typeform, G2, Nerdy, Dollar Shave Club, Terminus, and Oak Street Health. People + Tech = Full Customer Solution While many technology companies have tried to take the recruiter out of the process, Hunt Club has taken a different approach, building a team of high-performance recruiters who provide white-glove service to customers. Powered by Hunt Club's proprietary Talent Expert Network and candidate mapping/referral technology, Hunt Club recruiters have an unfair advantage - often closing searches for customers in half the time it takes the competition. By reducing the candidate volume (the majority of Hunt Club jobs are not posted on external job boards) and focusing on high-quality referrals and trusted network recruiting, Hunt Club sources the most relevant candidates with the highest propensity for cultural and skill fit. "We believe that the best recruiters in the world have incredibly valuable networks that they cultivate and curate. With our network mapping and referral technology, we can turn any one of our 100+ talent team members into the most connected recruiter," shared CEO & Co-Founder Nick Cromydas. "Rather than trying to disintermediate the recruiter, we invest in our product and engineering team so we can quickly build the best technology and tools to give our recruiters an unfair sourcing advantage. This is still a people-powered business today, and when you're competing with other companies to hire a candidate who has 4 offers, the right digital candidate experience and human touch both matter". Today's War for Talent is Heating Up The pandemic has created turmoil in the workplace, instigating "The Great Resignation" with close to 55% of Americans currently looking for new jobs. Complicating the hiring market even further, 2021 has marked a record-setting year in venture capital funding, with more VC dollars invested in the first quarters of 2021 than ever before. The influx of cash has created competition for talent at historic proportions with startups and larger companies alike undergoing digital transformation and fighting to secure the same top talent. The hiring environment is equally unconventional. According to Hunt Club's data, over 85% of their customers have lifted the requirement for a candidate to relocate to the company's headquarters. Similarly, the average candidate now is negotiating their initial offer more than 28% due to market factors, up from 9% in 2019. The traditional tool kits, technology, and reliance on local recruiters with dense local networks won't win in tomorrow's war for talent as companies are facing increasing pressure to compete financially and expand their talent pool nationally. Companies are also striving to build diverse teams. With Hunt Club's platform, their recruiting team has access to top diverse business leaders across every function, industry, and seniority level, unlocking warm referrals to hard-to-reach candidates across the country and around the world. "Our network-based approach helps our clients connect with diverse and difficult to reach talent, giving them an entirely new talent pool to access. This includes candidates in geographic areas previously untouched by their in-house recruiting team, diverse candidates with no affiliation to the customer, and relationships of trust that would otherwise go overlooked," said Cromydas. What's Next With a growing database of 6 Million quality candidates, referred from their network of over 12,000 subject matter experts, the funding will enable further development of their machine learning technology that automates much of the recruiting process, will further facilitate Hunt Club's impressive growth of its Talent Expert Network, expand the company's talent team, leadership, and help expand the company's headcount to over 150+ by end of the year, with plans to scale to 300 by 2022. "Companies face unprecedented headwinds with the competition for talent getting tougher every day. You used to only compete with companies in your backyard for talent. Now the whole world can hire anyone, anywhere. At Hunt Club we are taking on this goliath problem, bringing technology innovation to a market in need of disruption. We empower our team with an unparalleled hiring network and technology automation so they can work faster, smarter, and beat the competition by securing the best talent for a role," said Nick Cromydas, CEO and Co-Founder of Hunt Club. "At the end of the day, we believe the one thing that will always turn a passive candidate into an active one, is a trusted introduction. By 2024, our goal is to have the entire management workforce available via a trusted introduction. Our technology powers that at scale, and when you're an LA-based company trying to hire the best marketing leader anywhere, you need trust to bridge the relationship gap. Hunt Club powers trust." About Hunt Club Hunt Club is a tech-enabled talent and recruitment company placing leadership roles across the fastest-growing companies in the tech sector. Since our founding in 2014, Hunt Club has developed the largest talent network of business experts who make trusted introductions to top candidates for our client's most important positions. By leveraging the power of relationships and technology, our high-performance talent recruiters can make the right connections and fill roles significantly faster. We're rethinking every part of the search process to deliver the most efficient and effective hiring experience for employers and candidates. About Teamworthy Ventures Teamworthy Ventures is a venture investment firm focused on partnering with outstanding entrepreneurial teams to build companies of enduring purpose, integrity, and value. Teamworthy invests in outstanding teams at the seed, early, and growth stages. Select Teamworthy portfolio companies include Toast, G2, Capsule, SeatGeek, Ibotta, Slice, Weave, Teamworks, OpenGov, and more. Teamworthy Ventures was co-founded by partners Thomas D. Lehrman, Evan Kaye, and Stephen Schmalhofer. Media Contact: Amanda Price Hunt Club VP of Marketing [email protected] 310.903.1631 SOURCE Hunt Club Related Links https://www.huntclub.com LONDON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huobi Global today announced the launch of its ad posting function on the Huobi app. Advertisers can now create peer-to-peer (P2P) advertisements directly on the app at any time with zero fees. The new function is part of Huobi P2P, which provides a fast and secure platform to exchange fiat to crypto and vice versa. The release of the ad posting function comes as Huobi Global continues to expand its services to meet the needs of its global community. Huobi P2P advertisers can post ads that reach an international audience, with the service supportings 97 different payment methods, including 31 forms of fiat currency, such as the Nigerian Naira (NGN), Euro (EUR), and US Dollar (USD). Huobi P2P also supports a range of tokens, including BTC, USDT, ETH, EOS, XRP, LTC, HT, and HUSD. In August 2021, the platform announced 26 new accepted payment methods, including Google Pay, Apple Pay, and GoPay. These channels will support transactions using fiat currencies such as the Vietnam Dong (VND) and Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). To ensure that both users and advertisers can obtain assistance whenever they need it, Huobi P2P offers 24/7 customer support in English, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Malay, and Ukrainian. Unlike other ad platforms, Huobi P2P does not charge transaction fees for either advertisers or users. "As we continue to expand Huobi Global's services globally, it's important that we release features that benefit our growing community of users and advertisers, regardless of their location," said Du Jun, Co-Founder of Huobi Group. "The launch of the ad posting feature on the Huobi app will also improve the liquidity of the P2P market, which will provide more options for digital asset buyers and sellers to choose from." To ensure the safety of users' digital assets, Huobi P2P maintains a risk control system, which consists of a series of strategies to identify and intercept potential risks, such as: Offering currencies and payment methods that meet local regulatory requirements. Identifying and intercepting potential romance scams. 24/7 real-time order monitoring for fraud preventions. Automatic and manual advanced verification processes for users and advertisers. Trade protection program to prevent most types of suspicious activity, including scams. "Additionally, we included another layer of protection by requiring advertisers to lock their security deposits should they wish to become a verified advertiser. Users generally prefer to trade with verified advertisers for P2P transactions as it give them a sense of security" added Du Jun. Huobi Global is looking for local P2P advertisers to provide liquidity, especially for the Nigerian, Indian, and Russian markets. Advertisers can profit by offering fiat currency for crypto trades or acquire other exclusive benefits. To become a liquidity provider, users can complete this form. To help new advertisers create and post ads on the Huobi P2P platform, Huobi Global offers several detailed written tutorials and videos. Please refer to the tutorial for detailed instruction: Text &Video Tutorial: How to Create a P2P Advertisement on Huobi App?-Huobi Global-Official Huobi Website For detail instruction, please refer to the tutorial. About Huobi Group As a world-leading company in the blockchain industry, Huobi Group was founded in 2013 with a mission to make breakthroughs in core blockchain technology and the integration of blockchain technology to other industries. Huobi Group has expanded into public blockchains, digital assets trading, wallets, mining pools, proprietary investments, incubation, digital asset research, and more. Huobi Group has established a global digital economy industry ecosystem by investing in over 60 upstream and downstream companies in the blockchain industry and has created holistic global digital economy ecology. For more information, please visit https://blog.hbg.com/. SOURCE Huobi CLEARWATER, Fla., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- (ISC) the world's largest nonprofit association of certified cybersecurity professionals today announced plans to pilot a new entry-level cybersecurity certification exam as part of its portfolio of industry qualifications. Commencing with a Job Task Analysis (JTA) survey that helps to map the domains that will be covered by the exam, the entry-level certification will provide new entrants to the field, as well as career changers, with clear and attainable professional development and career pathways from day one. The new qualification will support cybersecurity career ambitions and help shape a long-term professional development framework that leads individuals to experience-driven certifications as they progress in the workforce. As a foundational certification, it will play a role in helping employers, educators and governments close the cybersecurity workforce shortage by narrowing the gap between entering the workforce and being able to verify and advance skills through independent and globally recognized industry qualifications. Additionally, the new entry-level qualification will provide more clarity for candidates who aspire to obtain the CISSP credential. "(ISC)2 certifications today deliver immense benefits for the experienced practitioners that earn them and the organizations they work for. We are now leveraging that collective experience to enable even more people to enter one of the world's most in-demand and understaffed career fields," said Dr. Casey Marks, chief qualifications officer, (ISC)2. "This approach underlines our commitment to making cybersecurity a more accessible, inclusive and diverse profession. This certification will give employers the confidence that newer entrants into the sector have a solid grasp of the right technical, ethical and operational practices on which to build and learn." Call for Cybersecurity Professionals' Participation The pilot program for the new qualification will follow the conclusion of the JTA survey of cybersecurity practitioners, which is open through October 20, 2021. (ISC)2 is requesting that all cybersecurity professionals whether they have earned an (ISC)2 certification or not participate in the survey to help validate the knowledge, skills and abilities on which the exam will be based. The findings from this survey will inform the creation of an outline for the (ISC) entry level certification examination, to help validate the necessary fundamental skills and abilities cybersecurity practitioners deem necessary for those at the earlier stages of their cybersecurity career journey. There is a clear need and demand for a recognized and valued cybersecurity certification that is attainable for newcomers and recognizes the growing trend of people entering the workforce without substantial prior IT experience. The recent (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Career Pursuers Study revealed that half of newer cybersecurity professionals (those with less than three years of experience) did not come from an IT background. With this qualification, (ISC)2 will focus on verifying core knowledge and capabilities. It will enable practitioners to demonstrate to employers their familiarity with foundational cybersecurity concepts and essential best practices, setting them on a pathway to more strategic, experience-driven roles and certifications over time. The timeline for the development of the new certification will be forthcoming. For more information on the pilot program or to provide input into the development process, please visit: https://www.isc2.org/New-Cert About (ISC) (ISC) is an international nonprofit membership association focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. Best known for the acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification, (ISC) offers a portfolio of credentials that are part of a holistic, pragmatic approach to security. Our membership, more than 160,000 strong, is made up of certified cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals who are making a difference and helping to advance the industry. Our vision is supported by our commitment to educate and reach the general public through our charitable foundation The Center for Cyber Safety and Education. For more information on (ISC), visit www.isc2.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn. 2021 (ISC) Inc., (ISC), CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CAP, CSSLP, HCISPP, CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CISSP-ISSMP and CBK are registered marks of (ISC), Inc. Media Contact: Brian Alberti Corporate PR Manager (ISC) [email protected] 617-510-1540 SOURCE (ISC)2 Related Links http://www.isc2.org Piloting the 2022 Outlander were Selena "Mason" Converse, a retired U.S. Air Force emergency medical services technician, and Erin Mason, a retired U.S. Navy aviation structural mechanic. In addition to being combat veterans, Mason and Erin are sisters-in-law, wives, mothers and entrepreneurs. Working alongside them was third teammate Sammy Mason's two-and-a-half-year-old, all-black German Shepherd a PTSD-trained service dog, who became the first canine to ever compete in the Rebelle. See Team Record the Journey, from Sammy's perspective, here. Team 207 is a three-year partnership between MMNA and RTJ, a nonprofit dedicated to helping service members successfully transition to civilian life. Described by past RTJ teams as a "mini-deployment," embarking on the Rebelle for Mason and Erin meant returning to desert settings similar to those that defined their military service and facing challenging and even traumatic memories from their time in uniform. Luckily, they're not afraid of a challenge. "The Rebelle is a navigational rally a test of skill, not speed but for us, it was a test of so much more," said Team 207 Driver Converse. "On the first day, my mind and body reacted to walking into the basecamp tent as if I was walking back into a military hospital tent in Afghanistan. I was immediately hit with a flashback, massive anxiety and a wave of powerful emotions. I thought I was going to have to quit almost before we got started, but with Sammy on duty by my side, Erin's hard work and constant support, not to mention the amazing community of our fellow Rebelles, what was traumatic and triggering also became therapeutic. It was a struggle, filled with sandstorms with 60-mph winds and a ton of tears, but we made it through and are stronger for it. "We are so thankful for this platform to educate people about PTSD and how crucial service dogs and other support can be for coping and recovery. We're honored to represent Record the Journey and the important work they do for military veterans, and none of this would have been possible without Mitsubishi Motors providing a brand new, comfortable, capable and rock-solid Outlander to power us through this experience." The lightly modified 2022 Outlander that carried Team 207 across the finish line wore a special livery, paying tribute to the brand's history-making Dakar Rally win twenty years ago, when Jutta Kleinschmidt drove a Mitsubishi Pajero to victory, becoming the only woman ever to win the world-famous Dakar Rally. And Kleinschmidt's win isn't the only anniversary Mitsubishi is celebrating this year. In December, the company will celebrate 40 years of doing business in the U.S. "Before the 2021 Rebelle Rally even started, the crew of Team 207 were already winners," said Mark Chaffin, Mitsubishi Motors Chief Operating Officer. "Mitsubishi Motors' participation in the event is first and foremost about our partnership with Record the Journey and supporting those who honorably served in the U.S. military. In addition, this year, we are raising awareness of PTSD and the potentially life-saving work of trained service dogs. We were all proud to see Mason, Erin and Sammy cross the finish line in their 2022 Outlander." Alongside Mitsubishi Motors, Ally Financial, Inc., BFGoodrich Tires, Nextbase Dash Cams and Vision Wheel partnered with Team RTJ this year, and Skout's Honor Pet Supply Co. provided special support to Sammy. To learn more about the team, and the personal and emotional challenges they confronted and overcame on the Rebelle, click here. For more information on the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander, the best-equipped, most-connected vehicle Mitsubishi has ever sold in the U.S., visit https://www.mitsubishicars.com/outlander/2022. About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. Through a network of approximately 330 dealer partners across the United States, Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for the sales, marketing and customer service of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles in the U.S. MMNA was the top-ranked Japanese brand in the J.D. Power 2021 Initial Quality study, ranking third overall and tied with Lexus. In its Environmental Targets 2030, MMNA's parent company Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has set a goal of a 40 percent reduction in the CO2 emissions of its new cars by 2030 through leveraging EVs with PHEVs as the centerpiece to help create a sustainable society. With headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee, and corporate operations in California, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas, Florida and Virginia, MMNA directly and indirectly employs more than 8,000 people across the United States. For more information on Mitsubishi vehicles, please contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at 615-257-2698 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com. Contacts Jeremy Barnes Senior Director, Communications and Events [email protected] Mobile: 714-296-1402 Lauren Ryan Manager, Communications and Events [email protected] Mobile: 404-862-8286 SOURCE Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. Related Links www.mitsubishicars.com MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Half employees around the world united to support their communities in a seven-week volunteering and fundraising event titled Robert Half Cares. Employees contributed 5,500 volunteer hours and raised more than $535,000 to benefit nonprofit organizations and causes they care about. Highlights from the event include: Robert Half employees from across the globe came together for the Round the World Challenge to fundraise for Make-A-Wish International. More than 2,400 employees participated in numerous events, raising $170,000 to help fulfill the wishes of children with critical illnesses. to help fulfill the wishes of children with critical illnesses. Robert Half's annual Suit Drive, where employees volunteered more than 1,000 hours and raised $76,000 for Dress for Success and similar organizations. for Dress for Success and similar organizations. Fundraising activities planned by Robert Half's Employee Network Groups supporting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, resulting in $10,000 raised and nearly 700 hours volunteered by more than 150 participants. raised and nearly 700 hours volunteered by more than 150 participants. Employees volunteered and raised funds in service of Robert Half nonprofit partners, including Enactus, Junior Achievement, American Red Cross and Boys & Girls Clubs of America as well as hundreds of other charities. Watch the video highlighting our efforts. "We are in the business of helping people and are committed to supporting organizations that improve the quality of life for the communities in which we live and work," said Lynne Smith, senior vice president of global human resources at Robert Half. "While our teams are actively involved in philanthropic efforts year-round, I'm proud of the impact they've made during our Robert Half Cares event." About Robert Half Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm that connects opportunities at great companies with highly skilled job seekers. Robert Half offers contract, temporary and permanent placement solutions and is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm. Visit roberthalf.com, and download our award-winning mobile app. SOURCE Robert Half Related Links http://www.roberthalf.com HOUSTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Madan Luthra, a veteran Sewa International volunteer from Houston has been honored with the 2021 "Volunteer of the Year Award" by the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, for his commendable service to the community. Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Honorary Chair of the 2021 Governor's Volunteer Awards, announced the 38th annual Governor's Volunteer Awards on Tuesday, October 12. The press release from the Governor's Office said that recipients of the awards would be honored at an online ceremony. Pic: Sewa International volunteer Dr. Madan G. Luthra honored with the 2021 Volunteer of the Year award by the Governor of Texas Pic: Sewa International volunteer Dr. Madan G. Luthra during rebuilding work at Rosharon after the Hurricane Harvey devastated the village. Kavita Tewary, Executive Director, Sewa International Houston, Dr. Sree Sreenath, Sewa's former president and another Sewa volunteer are also seen (from right to left). "These awards honor the exemplary service of individuals and organizations that have made a significant and measurable contribution to Texas Communities through service and volunteering in the past year. The awardees were selected for engaging in volunteer service that addresses a critical need and makes a positive impact on the community," the First Lady noted. These awards are administered by the One Star Foundation. As COVID-19 began to impact the Houston community, Madan Luthra, a retired scientist, volunteered more than 30 hours a week through Sewa International's Family Services program. He answered calls on Sewa's helpline, reached out to assist families receive groceries and medicine, dealt with the difficult task of funeral arrangements, and helped in local food and COVID-19 vaccination drives. When COVID-19 cases began to take a major toll, Dr. Luthra worked with other volunteers to create a website, sewacovidplasma.org, to connect plasma donors with COVID-19 patients undergoing convalescent plasma therapy. Hindus of Greater Houston conferred the 2020 "Akhil Chopra Unsung Heroes Award" on him. The Houston Chronicle newspaper featured him in its "Heroes of the Front Line" series. Dr. Luthra retired in 2017 from a long and successful career in biomedical research. He lives in Houston with his wife Rajyalakshmi, who is also a biomedical researcher. Dr. Luthra was born in Jodhpur, Multan, now in Pakistan, in August 1947. His parents fled to India with their five children to avoid persecution after India's partition. He studied biochemistry at Punjab University and earned his PhD from the University of Leeds in England. In 1972 he joined the University of Arizona Medical Center as an assistant professor and moved to Houston in 1980 and joined the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine. Three great Sikh principles as taught by saint Guru Nanak Dev -- conscientious karma, prayer to the Almighty, and sharing his resources with others -- are principles that guide him. His mantra for life is an ideal from the Hindu scriptures, "Sarve Bavantu Sukinah," which means that let all be happy! Congratulating Dr. Luthra, Sewa International's President, Arun Kankani, said "Dr. Madan Luthra is an inspiration and a guiding force to all of us at Sewa. He is a family elder to all Sewa volunteers and his dedication, agility, and selfless service truly reflect Sewa's mission and vision." About Sewa International Sewa International (www.sewausa.org) is a 501 (c)(3) Hindu faith-based charitable nonprofit that works in the areas of disaster recovery, education, and development. Sewa has 43 Chapters across the USA and serves regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin. CONTACT: Vidyasagar Tontalapur 1 - 720-526-9939 Viswanath Koppaka 1- 404-304-0563 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.sewausa.org SOURCE Sewa International Related Links https://sewausa.org/ JINAN, China, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shandong University hosted the World University Presidents' Forum on Oct 14, gathering together global university leaders to conduct academic exchanges and further higher education in the post-epidemic era. The university is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. The theme of the forum was "Higher Education for a Shared Future: Addressing Global Challenges". A total of 17 presidents from well-known global universities such as Yale University, Australian National University, and the University of Sheffield attended the World University Presidents' Forum via online and offline channels, discussing the challenges and development trend of global higher education. Fan Liming, President of Shandong University, put forward that international cooperation is an important way for universities to cultivate talents, promote scientific research and innovation, as well as promote mutual learning and cultural exchanges. She also said that the university is willing to work together with global universities to promote international cooperation in higher education and make contributions to the development of human civilization. Pericles Lewis, Vice President for Global Strategy and Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives of Yale University, shared his opinion on university's responsibility in cultural exchanges and the common development of mankind. Professor Rocky S Tuan, President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong expressed his opinion on international cooperation in the post-epidemic era. Lee Kuan-young, Executive Vice-president of Korea University, put forward his perspective on innovation and development through effective internationalization. Other University Presidents from People' Friendship University of Russia, University of Melbourne, University of Rochester, Sungkyunkwan University, Kyushu University, University of Macau, Soochow University, Jilin University, Lanzhou University, Sichuan University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Dalian University of Technology also gave keynote speeches on topics focusing on "the Role of the University in Cultural Exchange and Shared Development of Humanity" "the University as a Driver of Regional Innovation and Development" and "International Collaboration in the Post -Pandemic Era". The participants reached a common agreement that openness and cooperation are the keys to addressing global challenges. The round-table discussion session was chaired by Professor Wu Changqi, Dean of the Shandong University School of Management. It focused on topics covering international cooperation of high-level universities and ways to construct "double first-class" universities. A series of international academic forums focusing on liberal arts, sciences, medicine and engineering were also held during the 120th anniversary of Shandong University. A total of more than 50 world university presidents participated in the forums via both online and offline channels, discussing the future of higher learning. The Shandong University Global Partners' Week was held simultaneously. Representatives from more than 40 overseas universities participated in online and offline activities to conduct academic exchanges. SOURCE Shandong University Increased scrutiny of the upstream carbon intensity associated with the production of fossil fuels has prompted investors, consumers, and producers to seek new ways to reduce their carbon footprint, resulting in growing demand for "low-carbon" fuels. The production and transportation of natural gas, often touted as an alternative to coal or oil, can emit large volumes of methane a substantially more potent greenhouse gas (GHG) than carbon dioxide. Methane intensity is the measure of methane emissions as a percentage of natural gas produced. MPCs provide a tradeable instrument for achieving a lower intensity, unlocking the market value of reducing the impact of gas production. Each MPC represents 1 MMBtu of gas produced with zero methane emissions. Xpansiv applies third-party standards, protocols, and certifications to continuously metered data to create Digital Natural Gas (DNG) units, which are digital representations of the complete physical and energy profile of natural gas, providing a provenance chain back to a specific source. MPCs are, in turn, recorded on Xpansiv's digital registry based on the methane-emissions intensity of the produced gas, providing the marketplace with a fungible Methane Performance Certificate product that establishes an incentive and clear price signal for lower carbon-intensive natural gas production. On October 4, S&P Global Platts launched a daily price benchmark of Methane Performance Certificates in dollars per MPC ($/MPC) and dollars per metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent ($/mtCO2e) in order to bring transparency to this new market. The new MPC assessment reflects bids, offers, and transactions in the open market, including data from exchanges, as well as information heard in the over-the-counter market. On October 15, Platts assessed MPCs at 3.9cents/MPC or $6.29/mtCO2e. Mark Callahan, Editorial Director, Americas Generating Fuels and Power Pricing, S&P Global Platts, said: "The launch of daily price assessments for MPCs follows extensive consultation with natural gas market participants. We welcome the opportunity to bring improved pricing transparency to this emerging market. Platts recognizes the role that MPCs can play in enabling producers and commercial, industrial, and utility consumers to differentiate and value cleanly-produced, responsibly-sourced natural gas in the pathway to net-zero emissions goals." Andrew Pisano, Head of XRegistries, Xpansiv, said: "Grounded in real-time, metered production data and available ambient monitoring, the MPC becomes part of an immutable and auditable data set for natural gas production. It allows the market to reward producers with low methane leakage by creating a clear market price related to methane release. We are pleased to support natural gas market participants on their path to reach their ESG targets and climate commitments." As part of the inaugural launch, the first MPC will be transferred between Pacific Canbriam Energy and industrial gas customer Skeena Bioenergy Ltd, a manufacturer of wood pellets exported to the UK, EU, and Japan, displacing coal in electricity generation. "Skeena Bioenergy has decided to make commodity procurement decisions based on higher standards for fugitive emissions, so reducing the lifecycle impact of its wood pellets," said Skeena President Roger Keery. "This process provides incentives to producers to meet higher standards, employ best practices, and improve transparency. It's an important step forward to lower our GHG footprint." MPCs can be registered, issued, transacted, and retired in accordance with Xpansiv's Digital Fuels Program to eliminate double counting. Xpansiv's DF Registry maintains a complete record of the MPC and its associated environmental claims, ensuring data quality and enhanced data management. For additional details of the Platts MPC price assessment methodology, see this subscriber note. For additional details of the Xpansiv MPC methodology, visit the Digital Fuels Program Governance Framework. S&P Global Platts' parent, S&P Global, has an equity investment in Xpansiv through its S&P Global Ventures arm. About S&P Global Platts At S&P Global Platts, we provide the insights; you make better informed trading and business decisions with confidence. We're the leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets. Customers in over 150 countries look to our expertise in news, pricing, and analytics to deliver greater transparency and efficiency to markets. S&P Global Platts coverage includes oil, gas, LNG, power, petrochemicals, metals, agriculture, and shipping. S&P Global Platts is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit www.platts.com. About Xpansiv Xpansiv is the global marketplace for ESG-inclusive commodities. These Intelligent Commodities bring transparency and liquidity to markets, empowering participants to value energy, carbon, and water to meet the challenges of an information-rich, resource-constrained world. The company's main business units include CBL, the largest spot exchange for ESG commodities, including carbon, renewable energy certificates, and Digital Natural Gas; H2OX, the leading spot exchange for water in Australia; XSignals, which provides end-of-day and historical market data; and EMA, the leading multi-registry portfolio management system for all ESG-inclusive commodities. Xpansiv is the digital nexus where ESG and price signals merge. Xpansiv.com Media Contact S&P Global Platts Americas: Kathleen Tanzy , + 1 917-331-4607, [email protected] SOURCE S&P Global Platts Related Links http://www.platts.com BEIJING, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Sunlands Technology Group (NYSE: STG) ("Sunlands" or the "Company"), a leader in China's online post-secondary and professional education, today announced it has decided to change the date of the annual general meeting of shareholders (the "AGM") previously scheduled on December 10, 2021 to December 2, 2021 due to administrative reasons. The AGM will be held at 7th Floor Building 6, Chaolai Science Park, No. 36 Chuangyuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, the People's Republic of China on December 2, 2021 at 3:00 pm (Beijing time). No proposal will be submitted to shareholders for approval and no resolutions will be considered, voted upon, passed or adopted at the AGM. Instead, the AGM will serve as an open forum for shareholders and holders of the Company's American depositary shares ("ADSs") to discuss Company affairs with management. The Board of Directors of the Company has fixed the close of business on November 2, 2021 (Eastern Standard Time) as the record date (the "Record Date") for determining the shareholders entitled to receive notice of, and to attend, the AGM or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Holders of record of the Company's Class A, Class B or Class C ordinary shares, par value US$0.000625 per share, at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to attend the AGM and any adjournment or postponement thereof in person. Holders of the Company's ADSs are welcome to attend the AGM in person. Shareholders and ADS holders may obtain a copy of the Company's 2020 annual report on Form 20-F, free of charge, from our website at http://www.sunlands.com/investorroom or by sending an email to [email protected]. About Sunlands Sunlands Technology Group (NYSE: STG) ("Sunlands" or the "Company"), formerly known as Sunlands Online Education Group, is the leader in China's online post-secondary and professional education. With a one to many, live streaming platform, Sunlands offers various degree and diploma-oriented post-secondary courses as well as online professional courses and educational content, to help students prepare for professional certification exams and attain professional skills. Students can access its services either through PC or mobile applications. The Company's online platform cultivates a personalized, interactive learning environment by featuring a virtual learning community and a vast library of educational content offerings that adapt to the learning habits of its students. Sunlands offers a unique approach to education research and development that organizes subject content into Learning Outcome Trees, the Company's proprietary knowledge management system. Sunlands has a deep understanding of the educational needs of its prospective students and offers solutions that help them achieve their goals. For more information, please visit http://www.sunlands.com/investorroom. For investor and media enquiries, please contact: Sunlands Technology Group Investor Relations Email: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 Email: [email protected] Ross Warner Tel: +86-10-6508-0677 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Sunlands Technology Group Related Links www.sunlands.com CHERRY HILL, N.J. and NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, TD Bank announced it has launched the Bank's first robo-advisor, TD Automated Investing, and hybrid advisor, TD Automated Investing Plus, helping TD to further meet the growing demands for individualized financial advice and investment solutions across all client segments. Both offerings provide clients access to TD Strategic Portfolios seven globally diversified portfolios of exchange traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds designed by TD Wealth's investment professionals to help meet differing risk profiles and financial goals - as well as automated monitoring and rebalancing. "With the introduction of TD Automated Investing and TD Automated Investing Plus, TD will now be able to engage earlier in the Customer's wealth journey on their terms, combining the best of digital with an unexpectedly human approach," says Peter Mottek, EVP, Head of U.S. Wealth. "The foundation of all of our Wealth offerings at TD goes beyond a transparent and thorough conversation. It begins by understanding what matters most to every customer, today and in the future." TD Automated Investing and TD Automated Investing Plus TD Automated Investing is an affordable digital advisory offering that aligns the client's risk profiles with one of U.S. Wealth's professionally managed portfolios leveraging an end-to-end digital account opening process. Clients also get peace of mind, through automated monitoring and rebalancing, that their portfolio is always aligned to their risk profile. A customer can open an account with as little as $5,000 with an annual advisory fee of 0.30% with a $75 minimum. TD Automated Investing Plus offers the same features as TD Automated Investing, with additional access to a centralized advisory team to assist with building a personalized financial plan and ongoing advice. It requires a minimum of $25,000 with an annual advisory fee of 0.60% with a $250 minimum. Expanding Financial Advisor Presence from Maine to Florida In addition to its new automated investment portfolio offerings, TD now has more than 100 licensed and trained financial advisors (FAs) in Stores across the footprint, with plans to add 350 additional advisors in the coming years. TD is steadfast in its commitment to providing financial advice, goals-based planning, and customized solutions to its customers, regardless of asset size or where they are in their financial journey. With the continued expansion of in-house FAs, a growing number of relationship managers (RMs) serving the high-net worth client segment, and the introduction of automated, managed solutions (TD Automated Investing and TD Automated Investing Plus), TD Bank and TD Wealth are better positioned to provide Customers across the footprint the customized financial solutions they need to help meet their goals through various life stages. "We are unequivocally committed to elevating financial and investment advice across the entire Bank," says Ernie Diaz, Head of U.S. Consumer Distribution, Wealth and TD Auto Finance for TD Bank. "These new products and offerings, grounded in upfront planning, prioritization and uniformity, will help TD meet the needs of our clients and colleagues." To learn more about TD Wealth and its offerings at http://www.tdbank.com/investments. About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9.6 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US and www.twitter.com/TDNews_US. TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com/us. About TD Wealth Through TD Bank N.A.,TD Wealth's Private Client Group and its affiliates work with mass affluent and high net worth individuals and institutions to help build, preserve and transition wealth. TD Wealth is committed to helping personal investors, institutional and non-profit organizations gather and potentially grow their assets by building long-lasting relationships, and is affiliated with one of the 10 largest financial institutions in the U.S., TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank. From private banking, securities, investment advisory services, private trust, and estate planning, to institutional trust, including retirement planning, captive insurance and trustee services, TD Wealth creates and delivers customized and integrated wealth management solutions. Banking, investment and trust services are available through TD Bank. Securities and investment advisory products are available through TD Private Client Wealth LLC, member FINRA/SIPC (TDPCW).TD Wealth is a service mark of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. For more information, visit http://www.tdbank.com/investments. TD Wealth is not a tax or legal advisor. You must consult with your own tax and legal advisors for specific advice pertaining to your estate planning needs. SOURCE TD Bank Related Links http://www.TDBank.com Imagine a once in a lifetime opportunity. A prestigious British education, by teachers who have nurtured graduates admitted to Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League universities. To enjoy world-class educational resources and lifelong friendships. All of this is now possible and available with school and boarding fees fully funded. Apply for an AISL Harrow 2022/24 Scholarships to make your dream a reality. HONG KONG, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia International School Limited (AISL), with over 25 years of educational excellence in Asia, announced the official launch of its AISL Harrow Scholarships Programme Y2022/24, marking the second year of the most prestigious and most generous scholarship award available across the AISL Harrow family. First launched in early 2021, the Scholarships received an overwhelming global response, with hundreds of exceptionally talented students from over 40 countries applying. Five successful candidates were selected, joining AISL Harrow Beijing, AISL Harrow Shanghai, and AISL Harrow Hong Kong in September 2021. Moving into the second year, the Scholarships provide exceptionally gifted students who are not currently enrolled in an AISL Harrow School, no matter where in the world they currently live, the opportunity to study at AISL Harrow Beijing, AISL Harrow Shanghai, AISL Harrow Shenzhen, AISL Harrow Hong Kong, or AISL Harrow Bangkok. Each school provides two scholarships: ten in total across the AISL Harrow family. Selected students are given full access to a Harrow (pre-university) A-Level education, and to the values-based 'educational excellence for life and leadership' which AISL Harrow Schools provide. A GATEWAY TO THE WORLD'S BEST UNIVERSITIES Recipients of an AISL Harrow Scholarship enjoy world-class educational resources and access to a global alumni network. With the same high standards as that of Harrow School in the UK, AISL Harrow Schools ensure students excel academically and personally through a highly qualified teaching team, a broad selection of co-curricular activities, an extensive academic enrichment super curriculum programme, and through enhanced pastoral care and close personal tutoring. In 2021, 77% of AISL Harrow International graduates achieved A*-A at A-Level, graduating to some of the world's best universities. While many schools adopt a 'one size fits all' approach to university guidance, all AISL Harrow Schools offer a dedicated University Admissions and Careers Guidance Centre. Specialist tutors support each student's application process, giving individualised assistance and expert counsel. SELECTION AND ELIGIBILITY The second annual AISL Harrow Scholarships Programme will open for applications on 15 October, 2021. For more details and to register interest, applicants can visit: https://www.harrowschools.com/aisl-harrow-scholarships/. Applications will close at 4:00pm on 10 December, 2021 (GMT+8). Applicants will be required to take A-Level assessment tests between 8 January and 27 January 2022 and will be interviewed online between 29 January and 24 February 2022. The final application results will be officially announced on 29 March 2022. To be eligible for an AISL Harrow Scholarship, an applicant must: Have completed GCSE/IGCSE study (or equivalent) before 1 August 2022 and must be predicted outstanding grades. Born between 1 September, 2005 and 31 August, 2006 . Be applying for Year 12 study commencing August 2022 , with graduation from the school in June 2024 . Enrol as a full boarding student for the two-year duration of the scholarships period. Where boarding is not available, alternative arrangements can be discussed with the participating AISL Harrow School. Be academically outstanding, supported by appropriate English language ability. Eligible to receive a study visa in the country of the participating AISL Harrow School. Not currently be enrolled in a AISL Harrow International school. SELECTION CRITERIA Academic performance at the top of the upper quartile of the Participating AISL Harrow School applied to, measured by: entrance tests, subject specific tests, prior academic records, references, and interviews with senior staff. Sufficient English language ability to fully access the course content of their chosen A-Level subjects on the first day at the Participating AISL Harrow School. Evident ability in, and a strong commitment to, sport, creative and performing arts, service, or other areas of co-curricular school life. Evidence of examples of previous leadership roles, positions of responsibility or commitment to service activities. AISL sincerely invites students who wish to apply to visit https://www.harrowschools.com/aisl-harrow-scholarships/ and to register their interest. In the meantime, please subscribe to Harrow's Official WeChat Account (WeChat ID: HarrowInternational) to learn more about the AISL Harrow Scholarships Programme and to discover the opportunities a Harrow-branded education provides. About Asia International School Limited (AISL) GROUP Asia International School Limited ("AISL") is a leading provider of world-class K-12 education in Asia. Through our wholly owned subsidiary Harrow International Management Services Limited and affiliates, AISL sub-licenses the Harrow brand and provides professional educational services to our Harrow branded schools, including AISL Harrow International Schools, AISL Harrow Innovation Leadership Academies and AISL Harrow Little Lions Early Years Centres. SOURCE AISL Harrow Schools DUBLIN, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Electric Aircraft Market by Platform (Regional Transport Aircraft, Business Jets, Light & Ultralight Aircraft), Type, System (Batteries, Electric Motors, Aerostructures, Avionics, Software), Technology, Application, and Region - Forecast to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global market for electric aircraft is estimated to be valued at USD 7.9 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach USD 27.7 billion by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 14.8% during the forecast period. The growth of this market is mainly driven by the deployment of urban air mobility aircraft and the increasing use of electric aircraft for cargo applications and different aerial mission-specific activities. Impact of COVID-19 The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 has taken a toll on various industrial sectors, with aviation being one of the worst affected. However, the electric aircraft market did not seem to have been impacted by the pandemic as much as the aviation industry as a whole. Electric UAVs were widely used by militaries for a variety of missions like border security, while governments and law enforcement agencies used them on an experimental basis. Civil & commercial applications of electric aircraft include transportation of medical supplies by companies like Zipline and mostly for aerial photography. Retail and other logistics companies are increasingly looking towards the usage of electric UAVs to distribute essential items due to intermittent lockdowns and the imposition of social distancing protocols worldwide. In the US, companies like Amazon and USP have already scaled up their usage of electric drones for their deliveries. Electric drones are also witnessing an increased application in Africa, as they are being used as the art of EMS services to supply medicines and amenities as well as transport organs and blood across cities. These factors have helped the electric aircraft market to sustain the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy aircraft for cargo applications and different aerial mission-specific activities. The Light & Ultralight Aircraft segment is expected to grow the largest, based on platform of electric aircraft Various technological advancements and aircraft modernization programs are expected to boost the market for electric aircraft. Low noise electric UAVs are increasingly adopted in civil and military applications. An increase in corporate activities and the need for aircraft with low carbon footprints are to drive demand for electric aircraft. The Hybrid Wing segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period Based on type, the rotary wing segment is projected to be the highest CAGR rate for the electric aircraft market during the forecast period. The evolution in the missions' complexity of both military aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the increase in civilian air traffic, with limited runways, will lead to increasing adoption of these wing type. The Battery segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period Based on the system, the battery segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR rate for the electric aircraft market during the forecast period. Batteries are the most common onboard energy storage components of electric aircraft due to their relatively high storage capacity. Modern batteries are mostly rechargeable and are lithium-based. Advancements in battery power density would be the driving factor for this segment. The VTOL segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period Based on the technology, the VTOL segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR rate for the aircraft landing gear market during the forecast period. Large deployment in civil applications, including air taxi and ems services, will drive this segment. Most of the civil eVTOL aircraft are designed for urban air mobility, air taxis, medical assistance, and personnel passenger transportation. The Civil segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period Based on application, the Civil segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR rate for the aircraft landing gear market during the forecast period. As urban planners, public transit agencies, and walking and biking advocates work to steer cities away from a future congested with cars and as others discuss ethics, realities, and regulations of autonomous vehicles, increasing developments in urban mobility applications will drive this segment. The North American market is projected to contribute the largest share from 2021 to 2026 Electric Aircraft market in North America is projected to hold the highest market share during the forecast period. North America accounted for the largest share of 34.3% of the electric aircraft market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.1% during the forecast period. The US has the largest UAV fleet used in military and civil applications. Early adoption of electric aircraft for urban air mobility is also being witnessed in the US. These factors are expected to drive the market in North America. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Growth Opportunities in the Electric Aircraft Market 4.2 Electric Aircraft Market, by Platform 4.3 Electric Aircraft Market, by Technology 4.4 Electric Aircraft Market, by Country 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Growing Need for Cleaner and Quieter Aircraft 5.2.1.2 Advances in Batteries, Electric Motors, and Power Electronics 5.2.1.3 Rise in Demand for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 Increased Aircraft Weight due to Heavy Batteries 5.2.2.2 High Voltage and Thermal Issues 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Emergence of Advanced Air Mobility 5.2.3.2 Use of All-Electric Aircraft for Logistics 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Development of Batteries Having Higher Energy Densities 5.2.4.2 Battery Recharging Infrastructure at Airports 5.2.4.3 Designing All-Electric Manned Aircraft 5.2.4.4 Ensuring Airworthiness of Electric Aircraft 5.3 Range and Scenarios 5.4 COVID-19 Impact Analysis 5.5 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.6 Value Chain Analysis 5.7 Market Ecosystem Map 5.7.1 Prominent Companies 5.7.2 Private and Small Enterprises 5.7.3 End-users 5.8 Trends and Disruptions Impacting Customer's Business 5.9 Trade Data Analysis 5.10 Technology Analysis 5.10.1 Lithium-Sulfur Batteries 5.10.2 Hydrogen Fuel Cells 5.11 Tariff and Regulatory Landscape 5.11.1 The European Aviation Safety Agency Framework for VTOL Aircraft 5.11.2 Federal Aviation Administration Rules for Unmanned Aircraft System 5.11.3 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Guidelines for Electric Motors in Aircraft 5.12 Average Selling Price 5.13 Volume Data 6 Industry Trends 6.1 Introduction 6.1.1 Urban Air Mobility 6.1.2 Energy Harvesting 6.1.3 High Power Batteries and Motors 6.2 Case Study Analysis 6.2.1 Joby Aerospace Completes All-Electric Flight with Electric Vertical Take-Off Air Taxi 6.2.2 Eviation Offers Alice, a 9-Passenger Electric Propeller-Powered Airplane 6.2.3 Extra Aircraft's Extra 330LE Electric Plane Powered by Siemens Electric Drive System 6.2.4 Rolls Royce's First All Electric Aircraft Completes Maiden Flight 6.3 Innovation & Patent Analysis 6.4 Impact of Megatrend 7 Electric Aircraft Market, by Platform 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Regional Transport Aircraft 7.2.1 The Increasing Need for Cost-Effective Short-Haul Airliners is Expected to Fuel the Growth of this Segment 7.3 Business Jets 7.3.1 Increased Corporate Activities and the Need for Aircraft with Low Carbon Footprints Globally to Drive the Demand for These Jets 7.4 Light &Ultralight Aircraft 7.4.1 General Aircraft 7.4.1.1 Developments in the Electric Propulsion of General Aircraft are Expected to Drive this Segment 7.4.2 Trainer Aircraft 7.4.2.1 Short Takeoff and Landing Capability is Driving the Trainer Aircraft Segment 7.4.3 UAVs 7.4.3.1 Low Noise Footprint of Electric UAVs Fuel Their Adoption in Civil and Military Applications 7.4.4 Advanced Air Mobility 7.4.4.1 Electrical EVTOLs are Used Majorly in AAM Applications 8 Electric Aircraft Market, by Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Fixed Wing 8.2.1 Fixed Wing Electric Aircraft are Witnessing Adoption for Commercial Passenger Transportation 8.3 Rotary Wing 8.3.1 Rotary Wing Electric Aircraft are Adopted for Urban Air Mobility 8.4 Hybrid Wing 8.4.1 Mission Complexity and Congested Air Traffic are Fueling the Growth of Hybrid Wing Aircraft 9 Electric Aircraft Market, by System 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Batteries 9.2.1 Advancements in Battery Power Density Would be the Driving Factor for this Segment 9.3 Electric Motors 9.3.1 Electric Motors Provide Better Power to Weight Ratio of Aircraft 9.4 Aerostructures 9.4.1 Advanced Aerostructures Help Enhance Aircraft Performance, Conserve Energy, and Lower Costs 9.5 Avionics 9.5.1 Urban Air Mobility Aircraft Encouraging Advancements in Avionics Systems 9.6 Software 9.6.1 Advanced Software Systems are Required to Run Complicated Systems of Urban Air Mobility Aircraft 9.7 Others 10 Electric Aircraft Market, by Technology 10.1 Introduction 10.2 CTOL 10.2.1 Increasing Developments in Business Jet and Regional Transport Aircraft Will Drive this Segment 10.3 STOL 10.3.1 Increasing Developments in Hybrid Wing Aircraft is Expected to Fuel the Growth of the STOL Segment 10.4 VTOL 10.4.1 Large Deployment of VTOL Aircraft for Air Taxi and EMS Services Will Drive this Segment 11 Electric Aircraft Market, by Application 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Civil 11.2.1 Increasing Developments in Urban Mobility Applications Will Drive this Segment 11.3 Military 11.3.1 The Need for Low Noise ISR Missions Will Boost the Military Segment 12 Regional Analysis 13 Competitive Landscape 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Market Share Analysis, 2020 13.3 Revenue Analysis of Top 5 Market Players 13.4 Company Evaluation Quadrant 13.4.1 Star 13.4.2 Emerging Leader 13.4.3 Pervasive 13.4.4 Participant 13.5 Startups/SME Evaluation Quadrant 13.5.1 Progressive Companies 13.5.2 Responsive Companies 13.5.3 Dynamic Companies 13.5.4 Starting Blocks 13.6 Competitive Scenario 13.6.1 Deals 13.6.2 Product Launches 13.6.3 Others 14 Company Profiles 14.1 Key Players 14.1.1 Airbus SE 14.1.2 Elbit Systems Ltd. 14.1.3 Aerovironment, Inc. 14.1.4 ECA Group 14.1.5 Ehang Holdings Ltd. 14.1.6 Israel Aerospace Industries 14.1.7 Embraer SA 14.1.8 Pipistrel 14.1.9 Eviation Aircraft 14.1.10 Lilium GmbH 14.1.11 Joby Aviation, Inc. 14.1.12 Archer Aviation Inc. 14.1.13 Volocopter GmbH 14.1.14 SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd. 14.1.15 Yuneec International 14.1.16 Aurora Flight Sciences 14.1.17 Vertical Aerospace Group Ltd. 14.1.18 Heart Aerospace 14.2 Other Players 14.2.1 Wright Electric, Inc. 14.2.2 Bye Aerospace 14.2.3 Beta Technologies 14.2.4 Delorean Aerospace 14.2.5 Electric Aircraft Corporation 14.2.6 Extra Aircraft 14.2.7 Wisk Aero LLC 15 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lr000q 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 DENVER, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Accruit, a leading national qualified intermediary and technology-backed managed service and SaaS provider of 1031 like-kind exchanges, today announced the addition of attorney Matthew Douglas. Douglas comes to Accruit with an impressive background in real estate law and legal education. "We're incredibly fortunate Matt is joining us as we continue to grow our business, expand our offerings, and maintain our reputation as leading experts in the 1031 exchange industry," said Brent Abrahm, President & CEO of Accruit. Douglas will be based in Accruit's Chicago offices and working alongside Managing Director Martin Edwards, who has long been recognized as a leader in the industry. "With Matt joining Marty in Chicago, we're excited to elevate our offerings even further in the Midwest region," Abrahm said. A graduate of Florida State University and the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, Douglas started his legal career ten years ago trying misdemeanor and felony cases in Chicago. After moving into commercial law and discovering a passion for real estate, he started and grew a high-volume residential and commercial real estate practice, successfully closing hundreds of transactions from the pre-pandemic era through the market boom that followed. Douglas also has experience teaching college-level legal courses to undergraduates, and is excited to leverage his substantive legal expertise, emphasis on client service, and knack for business development into his new role with Accruit. "I'm thrilled to bring a decade of legal experience to the 1031 industry and having handled numerous like-kind exchanges in private practice I understand how heavily the various stakeholders in a real estate deal rely on the expertise of intermediaries like Accruit," said Douglas. "The technical advice and direction Accruit provides to clients and their fiduciaries is invaluable in this field, and there's no better application for my professional skillset than to join Accruit's tradition of elite-level client service." Douglas will focus on growing Accruit's Chicago-area practice alongside Martin Edwards and join Accruit's slate of subject matter experts advising internal and external clients on exchanges. His leadership and expertise is critical as Accruit enters its third decade of innovating and leading in the 1031 exchange industry. Accruit helps thousands of businesses and individuals defer taxes on investment property, nationwide using our patented, cloud-based technology enabling law firms, individual investors, title companies, and banks to have complete transparency into exchange transactions anytime, via any device. Learn more at https://www.accruit.com SOURCE Accruit, LLC Related Links https://www.accruit.com CORONA, Calif., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Container Technologies, Inc (Ticker: ACTX), unveiled a new line of premium quality packaging, called "Store 'n Seal Bags." These bags are ideal for vegetables, lettuce, leafy greens, and even cannabis. They utilize commercial grade plastic and are odor-proof, leak-proof, and water-tight. Store 'n Seal Bags feature thick 5ml plastic with a resealable zipper across the top. Each bag will hold up to 2 lbs of product. ACTX is offering two varieties of the bags: A silver bag with a see-through window; and a black-out bag. The new product fits perfectly in the company's portfolio of products for the food and agriculture industries. ACTX now provides a single-point solution for grocers, growers, restaurants, and retailers, by offering a wide range of products and services, including packaging, lighting, controlled-environment cultivation systems, nutrients, branding and customization services, and distribution networks to get the product into stores. The company's 3-part mission is to revolutionize the agriculture industry by enabling the growing of clean, healthy produce and crops where it is needed most; eliminating lengthy, unreliable and environmentally damaging supply chains; and reducing food contamination caused by runoffs or chemicals. The company is an exclusive distributor of GrowPods - transportable, scalable micro-farms that can eliminate the need for pesticides, herbicides, pathogens and harmful chemicals so that farmers can grow ultra-pure, contaminant-free cash crops, and robust "Super Foods." ACTX is on a rapid growth trajectory and recently announced its year-over-year revenues, which showed an increase of 209% increase over the prior period. Douglas Heldoorn, CEO of Advanced Container Technologies, will be at the MJBizConference in Las Vegas, October 20-22, and will be taking meetings with customers, prospects, and vendors. If you would like to schedule a meeting, contact the company through its website. For information, contact: Advanced Container Technologies (951) 381-2555 www.advancedcontainertechnologies.com. Forward-Looking Statements This release includes predictions or information considered "forward-looking" within securities laws. These statements represent Company's current judgments but are subject to uncertainties that could cause results to differ. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on these statements, which reflect management's opinions only as of the date of this release. The Company is not obligated to revise any statements in light of new information or events. SOURCE Advanced Container Technologies, Inc. VIENNA, Va., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpha Omega Integration a leading provider of information technology solutions to the US Government, today announced that it is expanding its leadership team with the addition of a seasoned Chief Administrative Officer. Jocelyn Hsu joins the team with over 25 years of government contracting experience, most recently serving as the CAO of Paradyme Management. "As Alpha Omega continues to see unprecedented growth, Jocelyn brings exactly the right mix of operational expertise and back-office management we need," said Gautam Ijoor, Alpha Omega Integration's President & CEO. "Our company is investing in the leadership, technical skills, and knowledge of our employees to help our long term success. Jocelyn's diverse background in multiple areas of corporate operations will not only help build our internal infrastructure to meet the next phase of our growth but ensure we maintain the operational excellence to exceed our customers' expectations." Jocelyn's expertise includes program and operations management, strategic planning, enterprise risk management, mergers and acquisitions, quality management, IT project management, human resources, financial management, and training development and delivery. Prior to her role at Paradyme Management Jocelyn held key leadership roles at both SRA International and NCI Information Systems. Outside of her government contracting career, she was a co-founder and past chairman of the board of Real Food for Kids, an organization bringing healthy choices and nutrition education to children. Alpha Omega Integration is an 8(a) SB created in 2014 that provides high quality, collaborative IT and business consulting services, with the expertise and capabilities to serve customers in the commercial and public sectors. At Alpha Omega, we are committed to quality and continuous process improvement, demonstrated by our CMMI Level 5 Certification in both Service and Development using the new V2 Model, as well as ISO/IEC registration for 20000-1:2018, 27001:2013, and 9001:2015. Our clients include Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, HUD, HHS, DoD, USDA, NASA, Department of Commerce to include NOAA and Census Bureau, and the Small Business Administration. Alpha Omega is a mission-focused, client-centric, results-driven organization. For more information, visit www.alphaomegaintegration.com SOURCE Alpha Omega Integration Related Links http://www.alphaomegaintegration.com/ JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AngloGold Ashanti Holdings plc (the "Offeror"), a company incorporated under the laws of the Isle of Man, announces today an offer to purchase any and all of its outstanding U.S.$750,000,000 5.125% notes due 2022 (the "Securities"), issued by the Offeror and guaranteed by AngloGold Ashanti Limited ("AGA"), a company incorporated under the laws of the Republic of South Africa, for cash (the "Offer"). The terms and conditions of the Offer are described in an offer to purchase dated October 18, 2021 (the "Offer to Purchase"). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this announcement have the same meaning as assigned to them in the Offer to Purchase. Holders are advised to read carefully the Offer to Purchase for full details of, and information on the procedures for participating in, the Offer. The following table sets forth certain information relating to pricing for the Offer. Title of Security ISIN / CUSIP Principal Amount Outstanding Maturity Date U.S. Treasury Reference Security Fixed Spread* (basis points) Bloomberg Reference Page Amount subject to the Offer 5.125% notes due 2022 US03512TAC53 / 03512TAC5 U.S.$750,000,000 August 1, 2022 0.125% due July 31, 2022 50 FIT T/0-1 Any and all *The Fixed Spread is equivalent to the spread in the "Optional Redemption" provision under the Securities. Purpose of the Offer The Offeror is making the Offer to refinance a portion of its existing debt. The Offer, together with the proposed offering of a new series of debt securities, is intended to extend the Offeror's debt maturity profile. Securities purchased in the Offer are expected to be retired and canceled. If the Financing Condition (as defined below) is satisfied, the Offeror intends to redeem any remaining outstanding Securities, which have not been validly tendered and accepted for payment in the Offer (the "Post-Closing Redemption"), pursuant to the make-whole redemption feature of the Securities and otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof. The Offeror notes that the spread used to calculate the make-whole redemption price would be the same as the Fixed Spread pursuant to the Offer. However, the Offeror is not obligated to do so and may decide not to redeem any Securities or redeem a lower principal amount of Securities. This announcement is not a notice of redemption for the Securities. The Offer The Offeror will pay a Purchase Price per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Securities validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Deadline (including those validly tendered in accordance with the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures) calculated as described in the Offer to Purchase in a manner intended to result in a yield to the maturity date as of the Settlement Date equal to the sum of: the yield to maturity on the Reference Treasury Security based on the bid-side price of the Reference Treasury Security as reported on the Bloomberg Reference Page specified above as measured at the Price Determination Time; and the Fixed Spread. In addition to the payment of the Purchase Price, each Holder whose Securities are validly tendered and delivered (and not validly withdrawn) (including those validly tendered in accordance with the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures) and accepted for purchase will also be paid Accrued Interest equal to interest accrued and unpaid on the Securities from (and including) the immediately preceding interest payment date for the Securities to (but excluding) the Settlement Date. Accrued Interest will cease to accrue on the Settlement Date, and (in the case of Securities for which the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures are used) no additional accrued interest will be paid in respect of the period from the Settlement Date to the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date. The Purchase Price and the Accrued Interest for the Securities validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) in the Offer will be paid on the Settlement Date or the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date, as applicable (subject to the right of the Offeror to extend the Expiration Deadline and delay the acceptance of Tender Instructions as set out in the Offer to Purchase). If a Holder tenders less than the full amount of its holding of Securities, Tender Instructions must be submitted in respect of a principal amount of Securities of no less than the Minimum Denomination and, unless otherwise specified in the Offer to Purchase, may be submitted in respect of integral multiples of U.S.$1,000 above such Minimum Denomination. The "Minimum Denomination" is U.S.$1,000. The Offer is not conditioned on any minimum amount of Securities being tendered. The Offeror's obligation to accept and pay for Securities in the Offer is, however, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the General Conditions and the condition that the Offeror shall have completed prior to the Expiration Deadline an offering of debt securities in an aggregate principal amount of at least U.S.$750,000,000 (the "Financing Condition"), contained in the Offer to Purchase. Subject to applicable securities laws and the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, the Offeror reserves the right, with respect to the Offer made by it, (i) to waive or modify in whole or in part any and all conditions to the Offer, (ii) to extend the Withdrawal Deadline and/or the Expiration Deadline, (iii) to modify or terminate the Offer or (iv) to otherwise amend the Offer in any respect. Announcements in connection with the Offer will be made by issuing a press release to a widely disseminated news or wire service. Copies of all announcements, notices and press releases will be available from the Information & Tender Agent. All documentation relating to the Offer, together with any updates, will also be available on the Offer Website www.dfking.com/anglogold operated by the Information & Tender Agent for the purpose of the Offer. A tender of Securities for purchase pursuant to the Offer should be made by the submission of a valid Tender Instruction. If any Holder wishes to tender its Securities but such Holder cannot comply with the procedures for the submission of a valid Tender Instruction prior to the Expiration Deadline, such Holder may tender its Securities according to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures, as set out in the Offer to Purchase. INDICATIVE TIMETABLE The following table sets out the expected dates and times of the key events relating to the Offer. This is an indicative timetable and is subject to change. Date and Time Action October 18, 2021 Commencement of the Offer Offer to Purchase available from the Information & Tender Agent and on the Offer Website. Offer announced through a press release to a recognized financial news service in the manner described under "Terms and Conditions of the OfferAnnouncements" in the Offer to Purchase. October 22, 2021, 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) Price Determination Time The Dealer Managers will calculate the Purchase Price in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase. October 22, 2021, Promptly after the Price Determination Time Announcement of Purchase Price The Offeror will announce the Purchase Price by publication through a recognized financial news service in the manner described under "Terms and Conditions of the OfferAnnouncements" in the Offer to Purchase. October 22, 2021, 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) Expiration Deadline The last time and date for Holders to submit Tender Instructions (or, where applicable, Notices of Guaranteed Delivery) in order to be able to participate in the Offer and to be eligible to receive the Purchase Price and Accrued Interest on the Settlement Date or the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date, as applicable. October 22, 2021, 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) Withdrawal Deadline Deadline for Holders to properly withdraw tenders of their Securities (or, where applicable, Notices of Guaranteed Delivery). If a tender of Securities (or, where applicable, a Notice of Guaranteed Delivery) is properly withdrawn, the Holder will not receive any consideration on the Settlement Date or the Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date, as applicable (unless that Holder validly re-tenders such Securities at or prior to the Expiration Deadline and the Securities are accepted by the Offeror). October 25, 2021 Announcement of Results of the Offer The Offeror expects to announce the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer (assuming that Securities tendered in accordance with the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures are validly delivered by the Guaranteed Delivery Deadline). Expected to be October 25, 2021 Settlement Date Settlement Date for Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase by the Offeror, other than in the case of Securities validly tendered pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures. Payment of the Purchase Price and any Accrued Interest in respect of any such Securities. October 26, 2021, 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) Guaranteed Delivery Deadline The last time and date for Holders to validly deliver Securities in respect of which a Notice of Guaranteed Delivery was delivered at or prior to the Expiration Deadline. Expected to be October 27, 2021 Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date for Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase by the Offeror pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures. Payment of the Purchase Price and any Accrued Interest in respect of any such Securities. The above dates and times are subject, where applicable, to the right of the Offeror to extend, re-open, amend, and/or terminate the Offer, subject to applicable securities laws and the terms set within the Offer to Purchase. Holders of Securities are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold Securities when such intermediary would require to receive instructions to participate in, or withdraw their instruction to participate in, the Offer before the deadlines specified above. Holders of Securities are advised to read carefully the Offer to Purchase for full details of and information on the procedures for participating in the Offer. FURTHER INFORMATION Holders of Securities may access the Offer to Purchase and the form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery at www.dfking.com/anglogold. Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers: Barclays Bank PLC 5 The North Colonnade Canary Wharf London E14 4BB United Kingdom Attention: Liability Management Group Telephone: +44 (0) 20 3134 8515 Email: [email protected] BNP Paribas 16 boulevard des Italiens 75009 Paris France Attention: Liability Management Telephone: +33 1 55 77 78 94 Email: [email protected] J.P. Morgan Securities plc 25 Bank Street Canary Wharf London E14 5JP United Kingdom Attention: Liability Management Telephone: +44 207 595 8222 Email: [email protected] Merrill Lynch International 2 King Edward Street London EC1A 1HQ United Kingdom Attention: Liability Management Group Telephone (London): +44 207 996 5420 Telephone (U.S. Toll Free): +1 888 292 0070 Telephone (U.S.): +1 980 387 3907 Email: [email protected] Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the tender of Securities including requests for a copy of the Offer to Purchase may be directed to: INFORMATION & TENDER AGENT D.F. King E-mail: [email protected] Offer Website: www.dfking.com/anglogold In New York: In London: 48 Wall Street New York, NY 10005 United States Banks and Brokers, Call Collect: +1 (212) 269-5550 All Others, Call Toll-Free: +1 (877) 783-5524 65 Gresham Street London EC2V 7NQ United Kingdom Tel: +44 20 7920 9700 NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER Subject to applicable law, the Offeror or any of its affiliates may, at any time and from time to time, acquire Securities, other than pursuant to the Offer, through open market or privately negotiated transactions, through tender offers, exchange offers, redemptions (including the Post-Closing Redemption) or otherwise, or the Offeror may redeem Securities pursuant to their terms to the extent that such Securities then permit redemption. Any future purchases of Securities may be on the same terms or on terms that are more or less favorable to Holders of Securities than the terms of the Offer, and could be for cash or other consideration. This announcement 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 is in any doubt as to the action it should take or is unsure of the impact of the Offer, it is recommended to seek its own financial and legal advice, including as to any tax consequences, from its stockbroker, bank manager, attorney, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Securities 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 tender Securities in the Offer (or to validly withdraw any such tender). None of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers, the Information & Tender 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 Securities should participate in the Offer. Cautionary Statement Certain statements contained in this document, other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, those concerning the economic outlook for the gold mining industry, expectations regarding gold prices, production, total cash costs, all-in sustaining costs, all-in costs, cost savings and other operating results, return on equity, productivity improvements, growth prospects and outlook of AGA's operations, individually or in the aggregate, including the achievement of project milestones, commencement and completion of commercial operations of certain of AGA's exploration and production projects and the completion of acquisitions, dispositions or joint venture transactions, AGA's liquidity and capital resources and capital expenditures and the outcome and consequence of any potential or pending litigation or regulatory proceedings or environmental health and safety issues, are forward-looking statements regarding AGA's operations, economic performance and financial condition. These forward-looking statements or forecasts involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause AGA's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. Although AGA believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and forecasts are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Accordingly, results could differ materially from those set out in the forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, changes in economic, social and political and market conditions, the success of business and operating initiatives, changes in the regulatory environment and other government actions, including environmental approvals, fluctuations in gold prices and exchange rates, the outcome of pending or future litigation proceedings, any supply chain disruptions, any public health crises, pandemics or epidemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic), and other business and operational risks and other factors, including mining accidents. For a discussion of such risk factors, refer to AGA's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020, which has been filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), as well as the preliminary prospectus supplement dated October 18, 2021, which has also been filed with the SEC. These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause AGA's actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could also have material adverse effects on future results. Consequently, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. AGA undertakes no obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by applicable law. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to AGA or any person acting on its behalf are qualified by the cautionary statements herein. OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS This announcement and the Offer to Purchase do not constitute an offer or an invitation to participate in the Offer in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to or from whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or invitation or for there to be such participation under applicable laws. The distribution of this announcement and the Offer to Purchase in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this announcement or the Offer to Purchase comes are required by the Offeror, the Dealer Managers and the Information & Tender Agent to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions. United Kingdom The Offer to Purchase is only addressed to Holders where they would (if they were clients of the Offeror) be per se professional clients or per se eligible counterparties of the Offeror within the meaning of the rules of the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"). Neither the Offer to Purchase nor any other related documents or materials are addressed to or directed at any persons who would be retail clients within the meaning of the FCA rules and any such persons should not act or rely on them. Recipients of the Offer to Purchase and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer should note that the Offeror is acting on its own account in relation to the Offer and will not be responsible to any other person for providing the protections which would be afforded to clients of the Offeror or for providing advice in relation to the Offer. This announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer are not being made and such documents have not been approved by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being made to persons outside the United Kingdom and to those persons in the United Kingdom falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined by Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 ("Financial Promotion Order")) or persons who are within Article 43 of the Financial Promotion Order or any other persons to whom they may otherwise lawfully be communicated under the Financial Promotion Order and should not be relied on or acted on in the United Kingdom by any other persons. EEA In the EEA, this announcement and the Offer will not, directly or indirectly, be made to, or for the account of, any person other than to qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. Neither this announcement nor the Offer to Purchase, nor any other documentation or material relating to the Offer, has been or will be submitted to a competent authority in the EEA for approval. Therefore, neither the Offer to Purchase nor any other documentation or material relating to the Offer qualifies as an approved prospectus as meant in Article 6 of the Prospectus Regulation. Accordingly, in the EEA, the Offer may not be made by way of an "offer of securities to the public" within the meaning of Article 2(d) of the Prospectus Regulation and the Offer may not be promoted and is not being made to, any person in the EEA (with the exception of "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article 2(e) in conjunction with Article 1(4)(a) of the Prospectus Regulation). This announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any other documentation or materials relating to the Offer (including memoranda, information circulars, brochures or similar documents) have not been forwarded or made available to, and are not being forwarded or made available to, directly or indirectly, any such person. With regard to the EEA, this announcement and the Offer to Purchase have been transmitted only for personal use by the aforementioned qualified investors and only for the purpose of the Offer. Accordingly, the information contained in this announcement and the Offer to Purchase may not be used for any other purpose or be transmitted to any other person in the EEA. Belgium None of this announcement, the Offer to Purchase or any other documents or materials relating to the Offer have been submitted to or will be submitted for approval or recognition to the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (Autoriteit voor financiele diensten en markten / Autorite des services marches financiers) and, accordingly, the Offer may not be made in Belgium by way of a public offering, as defined in Articles 3 and 6 of the Belgian Law of April 1, 2007 on public takeover bids as amended or replaced from time to time. Accordingly, the Offer may not be advertised and the Offer will not be extended, and none of this announcement, the Offer to Purchase or any other documents or materials relating to the Offer (including any memorandum, information circular, brochure or any similar documents) has been or shall be distributed or made available, directly or indirectly, to any person in Belgium other than "qualified investors" in the sense of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation, acting on their own account. This announcement and/or the Offer to Purchase have been issued only for the personal use of the above qualified investors and exclusively for the purpose of the Offer. Accordingly, the information contained in this announcement and/or Offer to Purchase may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to any other person in Belgium. France This announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any other documents or offering materials relating to the Offer may not be distributed in the Republic of France except to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies) as defined in Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. The Offer to Purchase has not been and will not be submitted for clearance to the Autorite des marches financiers. Italy None of the Offer, this announcement, the Offer to Purchase or any other documents or materials relating to the Offer has been or will be submitted to the clearance procedure of the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa ("CONSOB"), pursuant to Italian laws and regulations. The Offer is being carried out in Italy as an exempted offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of February 24, 1998, as amended (the "Financial Services Act") and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of May 14, 1999, as amended (the "Issuers' Regulation"). The Offer is also being carried out in compliance with article 35-bis, paragraph 7 of the Issuers' Regulation. Holders or beneficial owners of the Securities that are located in Italy can tender Securities through authorized persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of February 15, 2018, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority. South Africa The communication of this announcement by the Offeror and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer should not be construed as constituting any form of investment advice or recommendation, guidance or proposal of a financial nature under the South African Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 37 of 2002 (as amended or re-enacted). The Offer is not being made to and does not constitute an "offer to the public" (as such term is defined in the South African Companies Act, 71 of 2008 (the "SA Companies Act") and the Offer to Purchase is not, nor is it intended to constitute, a "registered prospectus" (as such term is defined in the SA Companies Act) prepared and registered under the SA Companies Act. General This announcement is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to buy, a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell any securities. The Tender Offer is being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and only in such jurisdictions as is permitted under applicable law. Please see the Offer to Purchase for certain important information on offer restrictions applicable to the Tender Offer. SOURCE AngloGold Ashanti Holdings plc Related Links http://www.dfking.com/anglogold BOSTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Antarctica Advisors LLC, the leading Seafood Industry-focused M&A advisory firm, acted as the exclusive investment banking advisor to Northern Wind Inc. ("Northern Wind"), one of the leading scallop processors in the US, in its sale to ACON Investments LLC ("ACON"), a Washington, DC private equity fund with global presence and over $6.0 billion in raised capital. The acquisition of Northern Wind is an integral part of ACON's strategy to build a newly minted North American sustainable seafood processor and distributor, Atlantic Sustainable Catch ("ASC"). Northern Wind is a leading producer of scallops and other premium seafood, serving some of North America's largest retailers. Ken Melanson and Mike Fernandes founded the company in 1987 and continue to oversee the business's operations today. Northern Wind has 150 employees across three locations in New Bedford, Massachusetts. As part of the transaction, existing owners and the management team will continue to provide leadership at ASC and will be meaningful shareholders and partners alongside ACON. Ken Melanson, President and Co-Founder of Norther Wind, commented: "The combination of Northern Wind with ACON's newly-acquired seafood assets will enhance our company's market position and access to resources for the benefit of all of our stakeholders. Antarctica Advisors played a key role in helping us navigate this complex sale process, identifying the right financial partner, dispensing senior level M&A advise, and negotiating the best possible deal for our shareholders, management team and employees." Ignacio Kleiman, Managing Partner of Antarctica Advisors, commented: "The acquisition of Northern Wind by ACON, as part of a successful three-company merger to create a new leading US-Canadian player, is a game-changer in the North American Seafood Industry. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to be able to apply our Seafood Sector knowledge and transactional expertise to help open a new chapter for one of the Industry's crown jewels." Antarctica Advisors is the leading US-based, independent investment banking firm providing corporate clients in the global Seafood Industry with specialized M&A advisory as well as equity and debt capital raising services. The firm's highly specialized Seafood Team is comprised of experienced professionals with significant knowledge across the Seafood Industry, as well as a proven track record of successful transaction execution. Antarctica Advisors LLC is a licensed broker-dealer, member of FINRA and SIPC. SOURCE Antarctica Advisors PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Anupriya Grover-Wenk, DO is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Trusted Family Medicine Specialist, and in recognition of her work at Appledore Family Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine. Board-certified in Family Medicine by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians (AOBFP), Dr. Grover-Wenk has been providing quality family medicine care for patients in the greater Portsmouth, NH area since 2013. She sees patients of all ages at Appledore Family Medicine, located at 7-C Mill Rd Plaza in Durham, NH. Alongside her current role, she sees patients at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, York Hospital, and Exeter Hospital. As a Family Medicine Physician, she is often one of the first doctors her patients will see. She can diagnose illnesses and injuries, and can refer the patient to another doctor or provide in-office care. Dr. Grover-Wenk received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Professional Writing from Carnegie Mellon University. She then attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated with a Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Pre-Medical Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2013, Dr. Grover-Wenk then attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she graduated with her DO degree. Later, she completed a Family Practice residency in Philadelphia, PA, at Abington Jefferson University System from 2013-2016. Dr. Grover-Wenk then completed a Master Teacher Fellowship in Faculty and Curriculum Development at Cambridge Health Alliance. She is currently earning her MS degree in Medical Education at Tufts University, and is set to graduate in spring 2022. She is also attending the University of Dundee in Scotland, where she is working on her dissertation to receive her Master of Medical Education degree. She is also on the Clinical Associate Faculty at Tufts University School of Medicine, located in Boston, MA. Dr. Grover-Wenk has been a critical member and co-Founder of the Women in Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program at Tufts University, where she guides new doctors through their residency programs. She also teaches the On Doctoring course, which prepares first and second year Medical students for the responsibilities of a clinical rotation. This program gives students the preparation they need to provide patient care during the last two years of their medical school training. Before her current roles as a physician and teacher, she spearheaded research on the influence of female mentors on the professional and personal development of medical students. In order to stay aware of new developments in the field, Dr. Grover-Wenk is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice, the Society of Teachers in Family Medicine and the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Grover-Wenk is a Mentor for the American Women Medical Association Mentorship Program. Dr. Grover-Wenk has been awarded for her work with the Abington Jefferson Women's Boards Frobese Award for Exceptional Service, and the Tufts School of Medicine Family Medicine Clerkship Educator of the Year Award. She would like to dedicate this honorable recognition to her family; her husband of one year, Mr. Nathan Wenk; and to her mentors, John Russell, MD, and Alan Shaughnessy, PharmD. For more information, visit https://appledoremedicalgroup.com/. Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. today announced the acquisition of Taupo, New Zealand-based Matt Jensen Insurance Brokers Limited. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 2005, Matt Jensen Insurance Brokers provides a comprehensive range of Fire & General and Life & Health insurance solutions to clients across the central North Island, with a focus on the forestry and transportation industries, and local small and medium-sized businesses. Matt Jensen and his team will continue to operate from their current location under the direction of Carl O'Shea, CEO of Crombie Lockwood (NZ) Ltd., Gallagher's New Zealand brokerage operations. "Matt Jensen Insurance Brokers is a well-run, growing business with an excellent client-service culture that will expand our brokerage capabilities in New Zealand's central North Island," said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO. "I am delighted to welcome Matt and his associates to our growing, global company." Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The company has operations in 57 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. Investors: Ray Iardella Media: Linda J. Collins VP - Investor Relations VP- Corporate Communications 630-285-3661/ [email protected] 630-285-4009/ [email protected] SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Related Links http://www.ajg.com ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Mumbai, India-based Edelweiss Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The company has operations in 57 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. Investors: Ray Iardella Media: Linda J. Collins VP Investor Relations VP Corporate Communications 630-285-3661/ [email protected] 630-285-4009/ [email protected] SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Related Links http://www.ajg.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspen Dental Management, Inc. (ADMI), a national network of more than 900 dental practices, and SprintRay Inc., an industry leader in digital dentistry and dental 3D printing solutions, today announced a multi-year strategic partnership that will equip every Aspen Dental practice with SprintRay's state-of-the-art 3D printing technology. SprintRay's innovative 3D printing technology will be added to Aspen Dental facilities across 45 states. "Innovation in dentistry is about leveraging technology, new biocompatible materials and big data to enhance the speed of high-quality treatment," said SprintRay CEO and Co-Founder Amir Mansouri. "By equipping every Aspen Dental practice with SprintRay's industry-leading, frictionless 3D printing workflow, more patients will have access to transformative, high-quality dental care, delivered arm's length from the patient and chairside in each Aspen dental practice." "As part of Aspen Dental's ongoing effort to integrate technological innovations into our care delivery process, we are excited to partner with SprintRay to embed their end-to-end 3D printing ecosystem in every Aspen Dental practice nationwide," said Aspen Dental Management, Inc. Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Arwinder Judge. The companies share a mutual commitment to equipping dentists with leading-edge technologies that support the delivery of high-quality dental care for more patients. Last Friday, SprintRay announced its multi-year partnership with eight-time Olympic Gold Medalist Usain Bolt, who will represent SprintRay as its Global Brand Ambassador. In addition, SprintRay Foundation, in association with Bolt Foundation, will launch Bolt Labs Powered by SprintRay an initiative with a mission to make world-class digital dental care accessible and affordable to patients across the world, starting with Jamaica. About Aspen Dental Management, Inc. (ADMI) Aspen Dental Management, Inc. (ADMI) is one of the largest and most trusted retail healthcare business support organizations in the U.S., supporting 15,000 healthcare professionals and team members at more than 1,000 health and wellness offices across 46 states in three distinct categories: dental care, urgent care, and medical aesthetics. Supporting independent dental practices and clinicians, the team is united by a single purpose: to prove that healthcare can be better and smarter for everyone. ADMI provides a comprehensive suite of centralized business support services that power the impact of four consumer-facing businesses: Aspen Dental, ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, WellNow Urgent Care and Chapter Aesthetic Studio. Each brand has access to a deep community of experts, tools and resources to grow their practices, and an unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality consumer healthcare experiences at scale. About SprintRay SprintRay is a dental technology company that builds end-to-end 3D printing ecosystems for dental professionals. SprintRay designs and manufactures user-friendly and cutting-edge manufacturing solutions including dental 3D printers, 3D printing software, curing technology, washing systems, and innovative materials. Dental care providers can deliver best-in-class care by leveraging SprintRay's highly-specialized, affordable technologies. For more information, visit www.sprintray.com. MEDIA CONTACTS: Aspen Dental: Steve Nolan, [email protected] SprintRay: Edelman for SprintRay, [email protected] SOURCE Aspen Dental Management, Inc. MUNICH, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nagarro, a global leader in digital engineering, has reached an agreement with the shareholders of the US-headquartered Advanced Technology Consulting Service (ATCS), to bring the companies together to better address key markets and verticals. ATCS, an established international firm, has experienced rapid growth owing to its strategic focus on niche areas, including digital, data, and analytics. The Inc. 5000 has placed ATCS among the "Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the US" for the past two years. The company has a well-established and robust client base across multiple industries, especially Automotive and Life Sciences, with clients in the US, Canada, Germany, India, China, and Australia. For Nagarro, the transaction primarily deepens access to the important US and German markets, aligns sweetly in terms of vertical and horizontal capabilities, and also adds new heft across the Asia-Pacific. For ATCS, the Nagarro affiliation represents a significant opportunity to further build on a stellar record of deep client impact by gaining access to a large digital engineering talent pool. Clients can expect an even more enhanced level of ATCS services with a continued focus on speed, flexibility, and value generation. ATCS has been tailoring its service offerings around the rapidly evolving digital landscape with the objective of supporting clients in their journey towards a data- and technology-driven business ecosystem. Nagarro will strengthen these offerings through greater access to talent, investments, and solution innovations. This agreement is the result of a thoughtful and careful evaluation of culture and spirit. Nagarro is well known for successfully building flat, non-hierarchical global teams and caring culture. ATCS, a recipient of the Gallup Great Workplace award, maintains a close-knit culture built on trust, collaboration, and entrepreneurial spirit. Working together, a positive aggregation of these two cultures will make this affiliation one of the best places to work and build a career. Manas Fuloria, co-founder of Nagarro, states: "On behalf of all Nagarrians, I would like to congratulate our new colleagues from ATCS for building a fantastic company over two decades. Our discussions and diligence has established that the ATCS team has great entrepreneurial energy, agility and solid values. We welcome them into the global Nagarro family." Manish Krishnan, founder, and CEO of ATCS, states: "The decision to join Nagarro came naturally to us primarily due to our similar culture and values. This affiliation will not only allow us to scale up more effectively and provide greater value to our clients but will also create new and bigger opportunities for our workforce. I am really excited and looking forward to doing great things together in the coming years." About Nagarro: Nagarro, a global digital engineering leader, helps clients become innovative, digital-first companies and thus, win in their markets. The company is distinguished by its entrepreneurial, agile, and global character, its CARING mindset, and its approach of thinking breakthroughs. Nagarro employs over 10,000 people in 26 countries. For more information, visit www.nagarro.com. FRA: NA9 (SDAX, ISIN DE000A3H2200, WKN A3H220) About ATCS: A global, innovative technology solutions company, ATCS was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, USA. ATCS specializes in Enterprise IT, Data & Analytics, Marketing Tech & Insights, and Digital Transformation with its highly skilled and engaged employees spread across 10 global offices in North America, Germany, China, and India. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/844192/Nagarro_Logo.jpg SOURCE Nagarro AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Austin Dermatology & Vein is proud to announce their new name Farady Dermatology Associates and welcomes Dr. Jonathan Bielfield as a board-certified Dermatologist. Dr. Bielfield will treat patients at Farady Dermatology Associates (1500 W. 34th Street, Austin, TX) for general and cosmetic dermatology. "We are very excited to welcome Dr. Jonathan Bielfield to the practice," said Dr. Amy Ross, CEO of Dermatology Medical Partners. "He provides a great blend of medical and cosmetic dermatology clinical education and knowledge with a strong passion for providing individualized care." Dr. Jonathan Bielfield is a board-certified dermatologist who has specialized interests in surgical and cosmetic dermatology. He completed his dermatology residency through Rocky Vista University/Colorado Dermatology Institute in Colorado Springs, CO. He had extensive training at the University of Colorado during his residency. He was a practicing orthopedic surgeon prior to switching to dermatology in 2014. Dr. Bielfield's approach in treatment is empathetic and sees himself as an educator and a guide who empowers each patient to become active in their own care. He strives to develop trusting and long-lasting relationships with each patient. Farady Dermatology Associates (Formerly Austin Dermatology & Vein) is a Dermatology practice providing comprehensive medical and cosmetic dermatology services. Farady Dermatology Associates accepts all major insurances including (but not limited to) Medicare, United Healthcare, Aetna, BCBS, Tricare, Cigna, Oscare, Wellcare, Humana. Farady Dermatology Associates offers patients high quality patient care, personalized to serve each patient's needs. Skin checks are important especially for patients with a personal or family history of skin issues. For more information on the practice or to schedule a skin check, visit www.austindermvein.com or call 512-485-7700. Farady Dermatology Associates located at 1500 W. 34th Street, Austin, TX 78703. SOURCE Farady Dermatology Associates Related Links http://www.austindermvein.com LONDON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bechtel has entered into its first exporter agreement with U.K. Export Finance to secure a 430 million guaranteed loan for the construction of a 5G-ready motorway in Serbia. The UKEF-supported Buyer Credit Facility will help Bechtel in its joint venture with ENKA to create value worth 150 million to the U.K. economy, driving investment into local communities and supporting jobs. This is also the first export credit deal to be concluded by UKEF for Serbia's Ministry of Finance. The Morava Corridor (Infrastructure Corridor E-761) will be the second major transport artery in Serbia, connecting communities and businesses from Pojate in the east to Preljina in the west, and linking the country's North-South motorway between the country's borders with Hungary and North Macedonia. The announcement was made during this week's U.K. Government's Global Investment Summit, hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London. "This welcome support from UK Export Finance will allow Bechtel, together with our partner ENKA, to deliver this transformational infrastructure project using goods and services exported from the U.K.," said Brendan Bechtel, Bechtel Chairman and CEO. "At a time of post-COVID-19 recovery, this investment in the supply chain will benefit both the U.K. and Serbian economies, and will also enable Bechtel to continue to grow our partnerships in both countries." "This partnership between Bechtel and UKEF will boost UK exports, drive investment, support jobs and bolster local economies, helping us build back better from the pandemic," said Anne-Marie Trevelyan, U.K. International Trade Secretary. "This week's Global Investment Summit is attracting the world's top investors to the U.K., showing why the U.K. is the best destination for foreign investment. There is no better time to invest in the U.K." Bechtel Enterprises, the project development and financing arm of Bechtel, supported the Republic of Serbia throughout the financing process together with JP Morgan Chase Bank as mandated lead arranger of the facility. Global law firm Ashurst advised JP Morgan and U.K. Export Finance on the financing. "This transaction is exemplary of the creative outcomes that can be achieved for our customers when export credit agencies, development finance institutions, international banks, and the supply chain work together," said Keith Hennessey, President, Bechtel Enterprises. "We are proud to partner with the Government of Serbia and UKEF in this transformational project and we look forward to bringing energy and creativity to deliver this world-class motorway in this strategically important part of Europe. We thank the Government of Serbia for their active engagement throughout the financing process." A major flood defense system is included in the motorway design to protect surrounding areas from flooding, erosion, and subsequent water pollution. This is the first flood mitigation system of this scale to be built alongside a motorway in the Balkans, reflecting the Serbian government's commitment to strengthening the national infrastructure's resilience against extreme weather conditions. About Bechtel Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers' objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world's infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place. Bechtel serves the Energy; Infrastructure; Nuclear, Security & Environmental; and Mining & Metals markets. Our services span from initial planning and investment, through start-up and operations. www.bechtel.com Media contact: Aileen Easton C : +44 (0) 7769 242448 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Bechtel Related Links http://www.bechtel.com NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Berlin recently launched "Berlin Quantum Alliance" (BQA) to strengthen the research and development of quantum technologies in Germany's capital. The initiative pools the expertise of universities and research institutes and develops cooperations with Berlin's business community. Its goal is to sustainably expand existing expertise in quantum technology with the help of state funding in the amount of 25 million euros. Michael Muller, Berlin's Governing Mayor and Senator for Science and Research highlighted its importance commenting, "Berlin is now a leading research metropolis and the right place for key technologies. With our excellent universities, research institutes and innovative companies, we have the best prerequisites for Berlin to develop into a true hotspot for quantum technologies. To this end, we have consistently invested in our city's innovation potential in recent years and are continuing to expand this support. Because every euro invested in science and research is good for all of Berlin and the best insurance for the future of our city." BQA is based on a concept developed by researchers from prestigious institutions like the Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, Technical University of Berlin, Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications (HHI). The Berlin-Brandenburg region has a strong expertise in photonics, a key technology for quantum technology (QT) applications and in the fields of quantum communication and sensor technology. Ramona Pop, Senator for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises also commented, "Like no other city, Berlin relies on future technology. By bundling the competencies of quantum technology in the Berlin Quantum Alliance, we are strengthening our science and business location. The development of quantum technologies is a constantly advancing field of research worldwide. It is therefore important for Berlin to play a part in this megatrend and create the foundation for new, future-proof jobs." Experts expect the quantum computing market is projected to reach $64.98 billion by 2030 from just $507.1 million in 2019. Big tech companies have been investing heavily in this space, e.g., Microsoft, Google and Amazon (BI 2021). The Berlin Business Office, USA is ready to help companies from the U.S. that are interested in this initiative and want to channel their ideas, needs and expertise into Berlin`s Quantum Alliance. Contact: Kristina Garcia, [email protected] SOURCE Berlin Business Office Related Links https://www.berlin.de/ BOSTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BIOMODEX, the leader in biorealistic haptic simulators for physician training and rehearsals, has announced the launch of Thrombotech, a new hydrogel-based synthetic clot product that can be used for neurovascular training using EVIAS Plus - Biomodex's innovative training solution for the treatment of ischemic stroke. Thrombotech is designed to mimic the density and texture of an actual human blood clot. It can be inserted into a Biomodex 3D printed blood vessel cartridge that plugs into the EVIAS Plus station. Physicians can then practice retrieving the clot using aspiration and mechanical thrombectomy techniques. A Distal Clot Filter allows physicians to see if they effectively retrieved the clot. This technology stands to benefit medical device companies that are developing new devices for thrombectomies and for fellows who are training for these complex emergency procedures. "Medtech companies and physicians are excited by Thrombotech because of its realistic nature," said Ziad Rouag, President and CEO of Biomodex. "Clients using our biorealistc haptic simulators were telling stories about buying children's slime or using chicken livers to simulate clots, none of which were realistic for training and rehearsals. So we set out to develop our own solution." Thrombotech is available in three textures: Soft, Medium, and Hard. Soft mimics Red Blood Cell (RBC) rich clots, Medium mimics an RBC/Fibrin clot, and Hard mimics a Fibrin-rich clot. "We believe the realism of Thrombotech is unmatched by anything on the market today, and that having a clot solution that is designed to represent the density and texture of a human clot will better serve those training for thrombectomy procedures. This has the potiential to help speed the development of new medical devices and training on those devices, and may help bring cutting edge treatments to patients faster," said Keith Lauver, Chief Marketing Officer of Biomodex. Biomodex is debuting Thrombotech at the 2021 Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Annual Meeting in Austin, TX, booth 1048, October 18-20. For more information on Thrombotech click here or to learn about EVIAS Plus click here. You can also visit our website or email [email protected]. About Biomodex BIOMODEX is a Boston and Paris-based medical technology company whose mission is to transform the way physicians train and rehearse procedures. The company 3D prints anatomical models using advanced materials that provide biorealistic haptic feedback. The next-generation biorealistic haptic simulators are fully customizable and integrate with a patented blood flow system and intraprocedural imaging tools such as TEE and ICE, enabling clinicians to gain life-like experience to advance skill sets and promote the adoption of new medical devices or techniques in their pursuit of improving patient outcomes. For more information on Biomodex's biorealistic haptic simulators visit www.biomodex.com. Media Contact: Lauren Bieke [email protected] 508-329-0440 SOURCE BIOMODEX Related Links http://www.biomodex.com "The goal is to simplify the billing and payment process for providers so they can spend more of their time on patient care" Tweet this This collaboration will transform the member experience by providing instant information on out-of-pocket costs. The initiative will also allow providers to understand the payments they can expect from Blue Shield and eliminate burdensome administrative processes. "The goal is to simplify the billing and payment process for providers so they can spend more of their time on patient care," said Lisa Davis, senior vice president and chief information officer at Blue Shield of California. "We are reimagining health care by providing instant billing information that is digital, personalized, transparent, and easy to understand." Blue Shield plans to scale the initiative over time to all providers, plan types, and categories of claims processed, as well as to health information exchanges. A 2019 study on the U.S. health care system identified that of the $3.6 trillion spent on health care annually, $265.6 billion is wasted due to administrative complexity. A large portion is related to health claims payment, which can take days or longer. As a result, members are often left wondering what they will ultimately pay for medical care and providers are uncertain about when they will be paid for services. Integrating technologies provided by Google Cloud and Blue Shield's other health care technology partners, Blue Shield will standardize its datasets and help scale its ongoing efforts to transform and automate billing and claim payment systems, so members and providers know exactly what to expect when care is delivered. "Our collaboration leverages the best of both companies Blue Shield of California's deep health care experience and commitment to improving the health of its communities and Google Cloud's ability to develop and automate scalable technology," said Aashima Gupta, director of Global Healthcare Solutions at Google Cloud. "This plan to provide clear, concise and correct medical billing information will lead to the creation of a national model to make all healthcare billing instantaneous and understandable, removing friction points for consumers and providers." This collaboration is the latest example of Blue Shield's Health Reimagined strategy, the nonprofit health plan's ambitious effort to transform health care for individuals, families, providers, and California communities. About Blue Shield of California Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of its family and friends that is sustainably affordable. Blue Shield of California is a tax paying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Shield Association with over 4.6 million members, over 7,500 employees and more than $21 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid, and Medicare healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $150 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation in the last four years to have an impact on California communities. For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit news.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. CONTACT: Joann Wardrip Blue Shield of California 415-867-6018 [email protected] SOURCE Blue Shield of California SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Builder.io, a no-code solution to power commerce experiences, announced $14M in new funding from Greylock , with participation from Imaginary Ventures and several angel investors, including Michael Preysman, CEO and Founder of Everlane, Adam Blitzer, COO of Datadog and formerly the EVP & GM of Salesforce's B2C businesses, and Anthony Kennada, CTO of Hopin, via Camelback Venture Partners. The company is also announcing dozens of new integrations through its new Universal Connector capability, which enables customers to seamlessly leverage data and content from leading commerce platforms and headless solution providers on the Builder platform. The digital storefront is the lifeblood of any commerce business, often requiring dozens of updates weekly to provide tailored shopping experiences for customers and ultimately drive sales. Yet every time a commerce business wants to simply launch a new product or test new homepage placements, they need to tap developers for support, slowing down storefront updates and ultimately hindering growth. "When my co-founder and I ran product and engineering at ShopStyle, the constant backlog of requests to create new landing pages, collection galleries, and more, was frustrating. Developers felt overwhelmed by the requests and unrealistic expectations, and business teams couldn't move fast enough," said Steve Sewell, CEO and Co-Founder of Builder. "We started Builder to empower anyone within a company to build and optimize digital experiences without developer dependency." Builder helps businesses create commerce experiences without constantly relying on developers. Its powerful drag-and-drop visual editor and headless CMS infrastructure integrates with any tech stack or platform, allowing customers to bring in their own tools and solutions, and to extend the platform to meet their needs. Marketers, product managers, and designers can use existing components, or create their own, to build out content, customize the design, target content at different audiences, run A/B tests, and measure conversions. "Builder has been a game changer for our digital product and site merchandising teams. Not only are we launching new , on-brand experiences faster, but the speed in which we're building and learning is enabling us to tackle more audacious projects than ever before," said Michael Preysman, CEO and Founder of Everlane. "I quickly became a big fan of Builder and was thrilled to have the chance to participate in their latest funding round." In 2020, Builder launched a native integration with Shopify, which 50% of its customers use today. Building on that success and its vision to limit developer dependency to drive growth, Builder has developed a Universal Connector capability making it possible for commerce companies to integrate with any headless commerce platform or API without code changes. Today, the company is announcing dozens of universal connectors for popular commerce platforms like Salesforce Commerce Cloud and commercetools, headless CMS like Contentful and Contentstack, and solutions like Cloudinary and Algolia. The universal connectors leverage Builder's open-source plugin system so that developers can also build their own connectors to any data source to create dynamic content experiences. Builder has seen strong traction since launching its no-code platform in 2019. The company has over 400 customers, including well-known brands like Everlane, Alo Yoga, Afterpay, and Vistaprint, and has seen 6X customer growth so far in 2021. "Builder uniquely addresses two major pain points for ecommerce merchants today -- conversion and engineering constraints. Given skyrocketing acquisition costs, this pain has never been felt more deeply," said Mike Duboe , Partner at Greylock and Board member at Builder. "Steve and Brent are exceptional technologists who have deep empathy for this problem, having worked on headless commerce solutions since 2014. Until now, 'no-code' and 'enterprise grade' were at odds -- this is no longer the case. We are excited to double down on our partnership with the Builder team." About Builder Builder's no-code solution powers commerce experiences. Used by over 400 businesses, its powerful drag-and-drop page builder and headless CMS infrastructure integrates with any tech stack or platform, allowing customers to bring in their own tools and solutions, and to extend the platform to meet their needs. The company is backed by Greylock. For more information on Builder, please visit: https://www.builder.io/ SOURCE Builder.io Related Links https://www.builder.io/ WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Institute of Building Sciences has secured 20 signatures from leaders committed to supporting greater diversity in the built environment. The primary goals that CEOs agreed to include: Building diverse staff and volunteer leadership teams Sharing best practices Promoting this work with association membership Lakisha A. Woods, CAE, President and CEO of NIBS, said this commitment ensures real and equitable change will take place for employees and employers throughout the building industry. "The built environment workforce is facing shortages and improving DEI is the best solution," said Woods. "These specific actions will help develop a diverse leadership pipeline." The organizations that have committed to join NIBS in the goals outlined above include the American Institute of Architects, American Society of Civil Engineers; American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers; Arc Skoru Inc.; ASTM International; BOMA International; ConnexFM; Construction Specifications Institute; Design-Build Institute of America; Energy & Environmental Building Alliance; Green Building Initiative; Green Business Certification Inc.; Institute of Real Estate Management; Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety; International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants; Modular Building Institute; NAREIM; New Buildings Institute; RICS; and U.S. Green Building Council. As part of this commitment, NIBS also signed the PwC CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, joining 2,000 CEOs who have signed the pledge. The pledge aims to cultivate trusting workplaces that can have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations; implement and/or expand unconscious bias education; and share best and unsuccessful practices. Background In July, NIBS convened an Executive Social Equity Roundtable, meeting with key industry leaders as a follow up to a winter executive roundtable entitled "Improving the Workforce of the Built Environment Through Social Equity." The goal of these meetings was to discuss workforce, industry sustainability, review data and best practices, and partnerships. This past spring, NIBS partnered with independent market research and consulting firm Avenue M Group to study the current demographics and culture of the building industry. Among the findings: Sixty-five percent of respondents indicated it is important or extremely important to increase the diversity of the built environment. Other highlights: 59% of respondents have worked in the built environment for more than 20 years; 74% of survey respondents identify as White; 28% of respondents indicated they have experienced discrimination or prejudice based on age; 72% of Black or African-American respondents indicated they have experienced discrimination or prejudice based on race and/or ethnicity, and 66% of respondents indicated they have experienced discrimination or prejudice based on gender (women). Learn more about NIBS' commitment toward cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness. About NIBS National Institute of Building Sciences brings together labor and consumer interests, government representatives, regulatory agencies, and members of the building industry to identify and resolve problems and potential issues around the construction of housing and commercial buildings. NIBS is a non-profit, non-governmental organization. For more information, visit nibs.org or follow @bldgsciences on Twitter and Facebook. SOURCE National Institute of Building Sciences Related Links https://www.nibs.org TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Canntab Therapeutics Limited (CSE: PILL.CN) (OTCQB: CTABF) (FRA: TBF1.F) (the "Company" or "Canntab"), the leading innovator in cannabinoid and terpene blends in hard pill form for therapeutic applications, is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement (the "Agreement") with 36Eight Technologies Inc. ("36Eight"), a growing bioinformatics pharmacological healthcare data and technology company, which has developed a proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithm which augments the underlying clinical data/knowledge to efficiently understand a patient's unique medical needs. 36Eight's first-of-its-kind clinical intelligence software assists physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in screening for drug-cannabis interactions, and to optimize health outcomes via cannabis product dose combination, titration, and ongoing clinical assessment. 36Eight will list, market and support all of Canntab's market-exclusive and patent-protected solid and exact dose products, which can be time released, extended released and ODT (oral dissolvable) in a variety of strengths and combinations, on its platform. "This is an exciting opportunity for Canntab, as we believe 36Eight's unique and valuable complementary platform will support our ability to provide effective solutions for patients while reinforcing the confidence of patients in their relationship with their clinical pharmacist," said Larry Latowsky, CEO of Canntab. "When I was CEO of Katz Group Rexall, I had the pleasure of working on many initiatives with John Tse, 36Eight's founder and CEO, when he was London Drugs' Vice President overseeing their pharmacy division. As a licensed pharmacist himself, Mr. Tse fully comprehends the importance that optimizing outcomes with medical cannabis products requires careful care management, which is exemplified by 36Eight's intelligent dosage platform." "Canntab's product offerings are unlike any other product we support, as they are unique in that they provide exact dosage in a solid format, one that pharmacists and patients are comfortable with as a traditional delivery system," said John Tse, 36Eight's Founder and CEO. "We expect that with our software to support optimum care, our pharmacy partners will welcome and embrace Canntab's products." Latowsky added, "This partnership is the first of many affiliate programs with health and wellness practitioners including pharmacists, doctors, chiropractors, naturopaths and sleep and pain clinics," added Mr. Latowsky. "Our business model includes programs to reach millions of patients across Canada who will benefit from medical cannabis which will be accessible from our website, with the proper approval and direction from healthcare professionals. The number of Canadian Community Pharmacies alone is over 11,000. Programs like 36Eight and employing 36Eight's platform in conjunction with our own educational platforms will support and optimize the effective prescription dosage of medical cannabis products." About Canntab Therapeutics Canntab Therapeutics is a Canadian biopharmaceutical company focused on the manufacturing and distribution of a suite of hard pill cannabinoid formulations in multiple doses and timed-release combinations. Long referred to as Cannabis 3.0 by the Company, Canntab's proprietary hard pill cannabinoid formulations provide doctors, patients and consumers with medical grade solutions which incorporate all the features one would expect from any prescription or over the counter medication sold in pharmacies around the world. These will include the following formulations: once a day and extended release, both providing an accurate dose and improved shelf stability. Canntab holds a Cannabis Standard Processing & Sales for Medical Purposes License, a Cannabis Research License, and an Industrial Hemp License from Health Canada. Canntab trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol PILL, on the OTCQB under the symbol CTABF, and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol TBF1. About 36Eight Technologies Inc. 36Eight is a clinical intelligence technology company focused on supporting clinicians to execute individualized medicine. Their bioinformatics platform is based on underlying clinical data/knowledge and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning that determine optimization patterns from patient feedback and outcomes. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information and forward- looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the ability of the Company to effectively integrate 36Eight's technology with its products; the ability of 36Eight to list, market and support all of Canntab's product offerings; and the ability of the Agreement to optimize the effective prescription dosage of medical cannabis products. Forward-looking information in this news release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the continued commercial viability and growth in popularity of 36Eight's and the Company's product offerings; the continued approval of the Company's activities by the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities; the continued development of the Company's cannabis therapeutics; and the continued growth of the Company. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the potential inability of the Company to continue as a going concern; the risks associated with the cannabis industry in general; increased competition in the cannabis therapeutics market; the potential future unviability of the Company's products offerings; incorrect assessment of the value and potential benefits of the Agreement; risks associated with potential governmental and/or regulatory action with respect to cannabis products; risks associated with a potential collapse in the value of cannabis products; risks associated with the Company's potential inability to attain board, shareholder and/or regulatory approval of the Agreement; risks associated with the Company's ability to continue generating a profit; the inability of the Company to effectively integrate 36Eight's technology with it product offering; the inability of 36Eight to list, market and support all of Canntab's product offerings; and the inability of the Agreement to result in the optimization of effective prescription dosage of medical cannabis products. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law. SOURCE Canntab Therapeutics Limited Related Links https://canntab.ca/ LONDON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Dynamics, an independent global private asset management firm, today announced its Clean Energy Infrastructure ("CEI") business has received the highest ranking from GRESB, the leading ESG benchmark for real estate and infrastructure investments across the world, in multiple categories. Capital Dynamics Clean Energy and Infrastructure III LP ("CEI III"), invested in renewable energy projects across Europe, was awarded a 5 Star GRESB Rating and was recognized as "Sector Leader" for the Renewable Power sector. In addition, the Fund was ranked first in the categories for Renewable Power, Renewable Power Europe and Renewable Power Private Equity. Capital Dynamics Clean Energy and Infrastructure V JV LLC ("CEI V"), invested in solar projects in North America, was awarded a 5 Star GRESB Rating and was recognized as "Sector Leader" for the Americas sector. Martin Hahn, Chief Executive Officer of Capital Dynamics, said, "We are delighted to be recognized for our deep commitment to responsible investment principles. Capital Dynamics has been a longstanding proponent of good ESG practices, and we are proud to lead the private asset industry with our renewable energy investment strategy." Dario Bertagna, Barney Coles and Simon Eaves, Co-Heads of Clean Energy Infrastructure at Capital Dynamics, said, "As supporters of the UN's sustainable development goals, our mission at Capital Dynamics is to go above and beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We take great care to ensure our solar and wind power generating investments are benefiting the local communities in the best ways possible. Our investment team remains focused on developing critical sources of clean, low-cost energy in Europe and North America to help work towards a greener and more sustainable future for all." Each year, GRESB assesses and benchmarks the ESG performance of assets worldwide, providing clarity and insights to financial markets on complex sustainability topics. The GRESB Sector Leader Awards recognizes real estate and infrastructure companies, funds and assets that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in sustainability each year. Sebastien Roussotte, CEO of GRESB, said, "Across the globe, organizations are demonstrating a deep commitment to ESG integration while making important strides towards a more sustainable future for us all. Sector Leaders are the organizations setting the pace and driving progress toward a net zero future. We are proud to recognize your determination, achievement, and leadership in creating a more sustainable world." The GRESB Assessments are guided by what investors and the industry consider to be material issues in the sustainability performance of asset investments and are aligned with international reporting frameworks, goals and emerging regulations. The GRESB ESG Benchmark grew this year to cover more than $6.4 trillion of assets under management, up from $5.3 trillion the year before. GRESB data is used by hundreds of capital providers and thousands of asset managers to benchmark investments across portfolios and to better understand the opportunities, risks and choices that need to be made as the industry transitions to a more sustainable future. About Capital Dynamics Capital Dynamics is an independent global asset management firm focusing on private assets, including private equity (primaries, secondaries co-investments), private credit, and clean energy infrastructure. Created in 1988, the Firm has extensive knowledge and experience developing solutions tailored to meet the exacting needs of a diverse and global client base of institutional and private wealth investors. As of Q2 2021, Capital Dynamics oversees more than USD 15 billion in assets under management and advisement[1], and employs approximately 160 professionals globally across 13 offices in Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia. With over three decades of experience, Capital Dynamics has developed long-term relationships with over 350 private equity fund managers globally, enabling powerful and propriety deal flow across primaries, secondaries, co-investments, and private credit opportunities. The Firm's clean energy infrastructure platform makes direct equity investments in carbon-reducing renewable energy power generation from late-stage development to commercial operations. Capital Dynamics is a recognized industry leader in responsible investing, receiving the highest marks from the UNPRI for its Strategy & Corporate Governance, and investment strategies. The Firm combines robust returns with market-leading ESG practices, including designing, implementing and trademarking the Capital Dynamics R-Eye Rating System a unique, best-in-class approach to diligence and rating of each investment based on UNPRI principles and UN Sustainable Development Goals. For more information, please visit: www.capdyn.com About GRESB GRESB is a mission-driven and industry-led organization providing standardized and validated Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data to financial markets. Established in 2009, GRESB has become the leading ESG benchmark for real estate and infrastructure investments across the world, used by 140 institutional and financial investors to inform decision-making. For more information, visit GRESB.com Contact For Capital Dynamics: Sofie Brewis Prosek Partners [email protected] T: +44 75900 66 810 1 As of June 30, 2021. Assets Under Management are calculated based on the total commitments as of the final closing date for all funds currently managed by Capital Dynamics, including amounts that have been distributed. Assets Under Advisement includes assets for which Capital Dynamics provides services such as reporting, monitoring and risk management. SOURCE Capital Dynamics Related Links http://www.capdyn.com DUBAI, U.A.E, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As per a recently published report by FMI, the global caps and closures market is estimated to total US$ 79.1 Bn in 2021. Thanks to the increasing demand from personal and home care, pharmaceutical, and food & beverage industries, the market is poised to reach US$ 141 Bn by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period from 2021 to 2031. Caps and closures application is rising in the food & beverage industry. They are used for packaging bottles, jars, containers, and packaging items. Rise in consumption of ready-to-eat food and drinks will therefore create opportunities for sales. Also, increasing demand for small and convenient packaging solutions for personal care and beverages owing to the "on-the-go" trend is expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for the market. Request a report sample to gain comprehensive insights at https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-13955 Growing concerns regarding kids' safety and regulations mandating child-resistant packaging have compelled leading manufacturers to focus on producing child-resistant (CR) caps and closures. For example, Berry Global, Inc. a packaging giant announced introducing new PalmSoft child-resistant closure in 2019, with innovative features such as easy to open and close. Driven by such developments, the sales of caps and closures are expected to reach 2,799 billion units, growing at a year-on-year (YoY) growth of 3.1% in 2021. On the basis of product type, screw closures are estimated to hold a lion's share in the market, accounting for around than 51% of total sales. Attributes such as easy closing and opening mechanism, and reasonable cost of manufacturing and selling are facilitating the growth of the segment. "Increasing number of research and development (R&D) activities to develop sustainable packaging solutions and adoption of strategies such as product customization as per end-use requirements will bode well for the market in the forthcoming years," says the FMI analyst. Key Takeaways from Caps and Closures Market Study The U.S. market is expected to account for nearly 75% of the sales in North America , growing at a CAGR of 3.5% over the assessment period. , growing at a CAGR of 3.5% over the assessment period. Germany is estimated to emerge as a highly remunerative market in Europe , contributing around 16% of the sales in the region by 2021. is estimated to emerge as a highly remunerative market in , contributing around 16% of the sales in the region by 2021. Favored by the increasing demand for dairy and milk products in India , the country is projected to account for over 23% of the revenue share in the Asia Pacific market by 2031. , the country is projected to account for over 23% of the revenue share in the market by 2031. Demand for screw closures is forecast to surge at 3.4%, totaling sales of nearly 1,580 billion units during the forecast period 2021-2031. Based on material, plastic is anticipated to remain the dominant segment, expanding at a CAGR of 5.7% by the end of the next ten years. Key Drivers Rapidly expanding food & beverage industry and increasing demand for ready-to-eat food products and drink across the U.S., the U.K., Germany , China , and India among others are spurring the sales of caps and closures. , , and among others are spurring the sales of caps and closures. Increasing application of screw closures across various industries due to their exceptional sealing attributes and popularity among manufacturers is propelling the demand for screw closures. Visit for Report Preview with [email protected] https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/caps-and-closures-market Key Restraints Implementation of regulations banning the use of plastics across the world is hampering the growth of the plastics caps and closures segment. High cost of metal and aluminum caps and closures compared to other substitutes such as bioplastics and polypropylenes is hindering the sales across metal and aluminum segments. Competitive Landscape As per FMI, top seven player operating in the global market are Crown Holdings Inc, BERICAP Holding GmbH, Guala Closures S.p.A, Closure Systems International, Inc., Berry Plastics Group, Inc, Amcor Plc, and Silgan Plastic Closure Solutions. These players are expected to account for nearly 05% to 10% revenue share in the market. Leading players are focusing on capacity expansion and acquisition of local and regional players, to increase the production capacity, minimize operational costs, and expand regional footprint. For instance, In June 2021 , BERICAP Holding GmbH, a leading closures manufacturer based in Germany , announced acquiring a metal processing company in Schweina, Germany , Mala Verschluss-Systeme GmbH. This acquisition will assist the company to expand its product portfolio by including aluminum closures. , BERICAP Holding GmbH, a leading closures manufacturer based in , announced acquiring a metal processing company in Schweina, , Mala Verschluss-Systeme GmbH. This acquisition will assist the company to expand its product portfolio by including aluminum closures. In March 2020 , Berry Global, Inc., a U.S.-based marketer of plastic packaging products, announced investing around US$ 30 million to expand the production capacity for ultra-high performance sport caps and closures in its North American location Some of the key players operating in the market profiled by FMI are: Crown Holdings Inc BERICAP Holding GmbH Guala Closures S.p.A Closure Systems International, Inc Amcor Plc Silgan Plastic Closure Solutions Aptar Group UNITED CAPS Nippon Closures Co., Ltd. Mold-Rite Plastics, LLC O.Berk Company, LLC Pelliconi & C. Spa. Weener Plastik GmbH Blackhawk Molding Co. Inc Talk to Market Research Expert - https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-13955 More Valuable Insights on Caps and Closures Market FMI, in its new report, offers an unbiased analysis of the global caps and closures market, analyzing forecast statistics through 2021 and beyond. The survey reveals growth projections on in caps and closures market with detailed segmentation: By Product: Screw Closures Snap Closures Push-Pull Closures Tethered Caps Others By Production Process: Injection Molding Compression Molding Others (Blow Molding, and more) By Material: Plastic Polyethylene HDPE LDPE Polypropylene Homopolymer Copolymer Random PCR Bioplastics Others (PET, PA, and more) Metal Aluminium Others By End Use: Food & Beverage Consumer Goods Personal and Homecare Pharmaceuticals Others By Region: North America Latin America Europe APAC MEA Key Questions Covered in the Report The report offers insight into caps and closures market demand outlook for the forecast period 2021-2031 The market study also highlights projected sales growth for caps and closures market between 2021 and 2031 Caps and closures market survey identifies key growth drivers, restraints, and other forces impacting prevailing trends and evaluation of current market size and forecast and technological advancements within the industry Caps and closures market share analysis, covering key companies within the industry and coverage of strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations or partnerships, and others [Talkshow] The rise of modest packaging to an intelligent eco-friendly solution driving consumer experience has been stupendous! Join our talk show 'The Rise of Intelligent Packaging' to uncover new paths for innovation in packaging! Register now! Nov 18, 11 AM Pacific Time https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/event/the-rise-of-intelligent-packaging Explore FMI's Extensive Trending Coverage on Packaging Domain GHS Labels Market: GHS Label Demand Poised to Surge with Manufacturing Sector Accounting for Over Half of Sales Packer Bottle Market: Future Market Insights (FMI), packer bottles market is expected to surpass US$ 5.31 Bn by 2031. Garbage Bags Market: Recovery will be slow and steady as garbage bags market expected to register 0.1% Y-o-Y growth in 2021 About Future Market Insights (FMI) Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in Dubai, and has delivery centers in the UK, U.S. and India. FMI's latest market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. A team of expert-led analysts at FMI continuously tracks emerging trends and events in a broad range of industries to ensure that our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers. Contact: Future Market Insights, 1602-6 Jumeirah Bay X2 Tower, Plot No: JLT-PH2-X2A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates For Sales Enquiries: [email protected] For Media Enquiries: [email protected] Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/caps-and-closures-market Press Release Source: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/press-release/caps-and-closures-market SOURCE Future Market Insights One of Mexico's fastest growing medical diagnostic services groups to use proceeds to fund organic growth opportunities and strategic acquisitions, and continue to invest in its operations and digitalization to create long term value MONTREAL and MEXICO CITY, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ), a global investment group, today announced that it will acquire a significant minority stake in Grupo Diagnostico Aries (the "Company"), one of the fastest growing medical diagnostic services groups in Mexico. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Mexico City, Grupo Diagnostico Aries is a consortium of nine brands with 249 locations across nine states, including three blood banks and sixteen mobile units. Additionally, the Company operates three in-house laboratories in private hospitals, and serves more than 150 clinics and public hospitals. After several strategic acquisitions and sustained organic growth, the Company has become one of Mexico's most extensive networks of testing laboratories in the medical diagnostic services sector. "We are very proud that a company with the record and prestige of CDPQ, with over 50 years of experience investing in a variety of industries globally, has shown interest in our company, our market and our country. We will continue to work at the level of excellence that has always characterized us. And now together with CDPQ, we will continue to grow and consolidate Grupo Diagnostico Aries as a world-class company," said Ernesto Lopez Clariond, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Empresas Aries. "We are pleased to be investing in Grupo Diagnostico Aries, who are committed to helping millions of people living in Mexico prevent, detect, and treat their health conditions," said Martin Laguerre, Executive Vice-President and Head of Private Equity and Capital Solutions at CDPQ. "The management team have demonstrated sound strategic thinking and strong operating capabilities to drive the Company's success to date. We look forward to working with them to capitalize on growth and digitalization opportunities to create value and consolidate the Company's position in the medical diagnostic service industry in Mexico". Grupo Diagnostico Aries offers a comprehensive range of services in laboratory testing in the disciplines of toxicology, molecular biology with a COVID-19 focus, cytology and pathology, immunology, urinalysis, specialized tests, and other tests. The Company also performs a wide range of clinical laboratory procedures in medical imaging, radiology, audiology, endoscopy, cardiology/echocardiology and densitometry. ABOUT GRUPO DIAGNOSTICO ARIES Grupo Diagnostico Aries (GDA) is part of the large family of Empresas Aries, a 100% Mexican business group, firmly committed to the development and social welfare of Mexicans, through its health, housing, education and property management divisions. GDA's mission is to provide excellent medical diagnostic services. Our responsibility extends beyond providing service or earning a profit as we consider it a privilege that our patients entrust us with their health. For this reason, our ambition is to continue serving our customers with the quality and warmth that characterize us. For more information, visit grupodiagnosticoaries.com ABOUT CDPQ At Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ), we invest constructively to generate sustainable returns over the long term. As a global investment group managing funds for public retirement and insurance plans, we work alongside our partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. We are active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at June 30, 2021 CDPQ's net assets total CAD 390 billion. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages. SOURCE Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec Related Links https://www.cdpq.com/ https://grupodiagnosticoaries.com/ "Over the past 27 years, CEIBS has adhered to a spirit of 'Conscientiousness, Innovation and Excellence' to emerge as a leading business school in Asia and the world. This latest ranking cements the school's place in the top tier of global management education and will serve as an important milestone in our development over the next five years," CEIBS President Wang Hong says. "Despite the global pandemic, China's economy has continued to grow, demonstrating its unique resilience and potential. In step with the country's development, CEIBS will continue to be a bridge connecting China with Europe and the world, and a platform for training top international business leaders." The FT's ranking is widely considered to be the most comprehensive and influential of its kind in the world, and is based on surveys of schools and their alumni looking at factors such as career progress, faculty and diversity, research and corporate social responsibility (CSR). "Today's announcement is testament not only to the strength of our faculty and the Global EMBA programme, but also the on-going support we have received from our students and alumni community. Our achievements as a business school are something that we can all share and celebrate," CEIBS President (European) Dipak Jain says. "The success and generosity of our students and alumni continue to be a point of pride for the school. As we look ahead to the future, we will do everything to fully empower our alumni and work together to take CEIBS to even greater heights." The Global EMBA's strengths are reflected in many of the ranking's individual metrics. In terms of average salary today, the programme again ranked second worldwide, demonstrating the return-on-investment CEIBS graduates enjoy. The programme's work experience rank jumped four places, reflecting the depth of industry experience and senior management acumen Global EMBA students bring to the classroom. Meanwhile, our world-class faculty helped CEIBS climb eight spots up the FT research rank, a sign of their growing influence. "As the world increasingly looks to the Chinese market for fresh innovations and business practices, CEIBS faculty are playing a leading role in cutting-edge knowledge creation and dissemination by way of signature research areas, and over 100 China-focused business cases published each year," CEIBS Vice President and Dean Ding Yuan says. "We also offer our students the opportunity to understand China's evolving place in global business on a deeper level, directly informed by what is going on here and now. As China continues to shape international business trends, our role will further grow in importance." The Global EMBA programme boasts a highly international student body, as well as a 40% female ratio (the highest amongst all FT top 30-ranked programmes). It also brings together executives from a broad range of functions, industries and organisations to create an environment suited to those looking to expand their horizons. With a strong focus on developing leadership skills, the programme challenges participants with a range of immersive, experiential exercises, to enable personal and professional transformation. "The uncertainty and volatility of the global economy today requires executives in every industry to be adaptable and open-minded. At the same time, the world needs empathetic, responsible business leaders who have a desire to create a lasting positive impact, not only on their own organisations, but also on broader society," CEIBS Associate Dean and Global EMBA Director Bala Ramasamy says. "The Global EMBA programme develops global leaders who consistently think beyond the short-term needs of their organisations and instinctively reach for viable, sustainable long-term solutions and strategies." The Global EMBA programme achieved an overall satisfaction rating of 9.3 (out of 10) in this year's FT ranking, a firm indication of CEIBS' commitment to delivering the most engaging, relevant, valuable and enjoyable experience possible to every student. The school will welcome a new Global EMBA cohort on November 6, 2021. With nearly 100 participants enrolled, it will be one of the most diverse, academically proficient and professionally experienced groups in the programme's history. About CEIBS China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) was co-founded by the Chinese government and European Union (EU) in 1994, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the EFMD serving as its executive partners. It has campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Accra in Ghana, and Zurich in Switzerland. As China's only business school to originate from government-level collaboration, CEIBS is committed to educating responsible leaders versed in 'China Depth, Global Breadth' in line with its motto of 'Conscientiousness, Innovation and Excellence.' It offers MBA, Finance MBA, EMBA, Global EMBA, Hospitality EMBA, DBA (Switzerland) and Executive Education programmes. More than 80 full-time faculty members from nearly a dozen countries and regions worldwide bring a wealth of experience from teaching, research and business practice. To date, CEIBS has more than 26,000 alumni from over 90 countries around the world, and has provided a broad range of management programmes for more than 200,000 executives. Learn more here. SOURCE China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) Related Links www.ceibs.edu In his latest work , Change the Story, Save the World , USA Today and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, Moritz Davidesko, presents a compelling analysis of human storytelling and explores how that behavior has informed our present understanding of the world. In chronicling our species' collective powers of narration, Davidesko ushers us from the distant past, to the present state of global affairs the story of our world as we know it. Touching on the most pressing issues of our time, including climate change, poverty and social and economic injustice, Davidesko challenges readers to imagine an alternative future of human history. "It is because I believe in the power of stories to change the world, because I believe in the potential of the human race. In a way, you could say that this is my message in a bottle. This is my S.O.S.." Moritz Davidesko was born in Romania and immigrated to Israel at the age of four. Overcoming severe dyslexia, Moritz went on to found his own telecommunications company and became a USA Today best-selling author Change the Story, Save the World claimed the number one spot on the Wall Street Journal Best-Sellers list in September 2021. After immigrating to New Jersey, he sold his company and is now the proprietor of three restaurants. He spends his free time deliberating on how to make the planet a better place for all people, while enjoying the company of his wife, children, and grandchildren. Leaders Press was founded in 2017 to meet the publishing needs of business leaders and entrepreneurs by providing premium book-writing and publication services. A USA Today and Wall Street Journal best-selling press, Leaders Press is also an official Forbes Business Council member. Our mission is to help 10,000 entrepreneurs share their wisdom with the world by 2030, because when you're searching for a way to greatly increase your authority and visibility on the market, nothing is as effective as a book - especially a bestseller. Have questions? Schedule a call with one of our publishing experts today ! Contact: Alinka Rutkowska, 866.686.4923 SOURCE Leaders Press CORALVILLE, Iowa, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CIVCO Radiotherapy, the leading global provider of high quality, innovative, patient-centric radiotherapy solutions, will return to in-person exhibition, October 24 -27 in Chicago at the 2021 ASTRO Annual meeting, booth 944. "We are ready to be back live at ASTRO to have face to face conversations with our providers and to continue demonstrating solutions for improving patient care and outcomes," said Nat Geissel, President of CIVCO Radiotherapy. "The pandemic has deeply impacted the world and we are anxious to personally thank those that continued to focus on the mission-critical treatment of cancer patients during these difficult times." CIVCO RT's current innovations and solutions focusing on improving patient comfort, wellness, and outcomes, before, during and after treatment will be available for demonstration. Solstice SRS Immobilization System: Offers unique corrective pitch capability and positioning flexibility. It features customizable components that create a comfortable head and neck immobilization system to improve patient setup during hypofractionation treatment. Innovations in MR compatibility and thermoplastic for shoulder immobilization and reproducibility will be displayed. Body Pro-Lok ONE SBRT Immobilization System: Features the only bridge on the market that allows variable height adjustment, and lateral and tilting offset, enabling the bridge and respiratory plate to adapt to the patient's natural posture and body type. A respiratory belt is available to provide pneumatic compression and immobilization to the abdominal region. Comfort Marker 2.0 Patient Marking System: Brings a new level of comfort to the patient's radiotherapy treatment by applying reference points in a shallow manner to the upper dermis layer of skin, resulting in less pain to the patient. The reference point(s) may fade over time or can be removed easily with a laser treatment. Comfort Marker is CE Marked and currently not available in the U.S. Universal Couchtop ProForm Head & Neck Immobilization for Proton Therapy: Features geometry that allows for direct access to effectively treat CNS patients. A homogeneous treatment area and soft gradient edges reduce beam degradation. The extension is quick and easy to attach and retains all the important benefits that the Universal Couchtop offers, including a rails-free treatment area. Many thermoplastic options will be displayed. Adaptiiv Medical Technologies Inc .: Adaptiiv's FDA 510(k) cleared software integrates directly with your clinically-commissioned TPS to efficiently and accurately design patient-specific radiotherapy accessories that can be 3D printed on demand. To see the software and 3D printing in action, you can pre-book a meeting at ASTRO with an Adaptiiv technical expert here: Pre-book your meeting . About CIVCO Radiotherapy CIVCO Radiotherapy has over 35 years' experience developing, manufacturing and providing high-quality, innovative, patient-centric solutions in radiotherapy. These solutions include advanced patient immobilization and positioning hardware and consumables, fiducial markers, couchtops and overlays, software, patient care products and advanced 6DOF robotic patient positioning. Corporate information is available at www.CivcoRT.com. For further information, please contact: Shelli Locklear, Sr. Marketing Manager, at +1 319.248.6619 or [email protected] COPYRIGHT 2021. CIVCO IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF CIVCO MEDICAL SOLUTIONS. BODY PRO-LOK ONE, PROFORM, SOLSTICE, AND UNIVERSAL COUCHTOP ARE TRADEMARKS OF CIVCO RADIOTHERAPY. ALL OTHER TRADEMARKS ARE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. ALL PRODUCTS MAY NOT BE LICENSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CANADIAN LAW. SOURCE CIVCO Radiotherapy Related Links http://www.CivcoRT.com LONDON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarivate Plc (NYSE: CLVT; CLVT PRA), a global leader in providing trusted information and insights to accelerate the pace of innovation, today announced the appointment of Tiffani Shaw as Chief of Staff reporting to Jerre Stead, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Clarivate. In this newly created role, Shaw will plan and direct administrative activities for the office of the CEO and be a member of the Executive Leadership Team. She will join Clarivate on November 1. Shaw joins Clarivate from The University of Iowa Center for Advancement (UICA) where she was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer overseeing all organization operations and leading the strategic vision to advance the University of Iowa through engagement and philanthropy. She provided oversight of UICA's $2 billion in total assets, investments exceeding $1.3 billion and a $35 million annual operating budget. She also managed the University of Iowa Facilities Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary established to acquire and lease real estate and issue bonds for capital projects. Shaw partnered with the UICA board of directors to ensure strong governance and effective relationships with campus leaders to leverage UICA and university resources for overall mission success. Previously, she was the organization's Chief Financial Officer for 10 years and Controller for two years. She also served as a Certified Public Accountant for McGladrey. "Tiffani is an innovative and accomplished executive and strategic consultant who has proven abilities in driving growth, financial performance and maximizing efficiency while staying true to values," Stead said. "These business skills and personal attributes will translate well as she steps into her leadership role with Clarivate." Shaw is a graduate of the University of Iowa Tippie School of Business with a degree in accounting and attended the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management Executive Education Program. She is a Regional Advisory Board member for US Bank, board member of the Oaknoll Retirement Community and a National Senior Consultant for the Association of Governing Boards. She is a frequent conference speaker and author on topics including data analytics, open records, endowment management and leadership. About Clarivate Clarivate is a global leader in providing solutions to accelerate the lifecycle of innovation. Our bold mission is to help customers solve some of the world's most complex problems by providing actionable information and insights that reduce the time from new ideas to life-changing inventions in the areas of science and intellectual property. We help customers discover, protect and commercialize their inventions using our trusted subscription and technology-based solutions coupled with deep domain expertise. For more information, please visit clarivate.com. SOURCE Clarivate Plc Related Links https://clarivate.com MIDDLETOWN, Md., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Heritage Financial, Inc. ("the Company") (OTC Pink: CMHF), the parent company for Middletown Valley Bank ("MVB" or the "Bank") and Millennium Financial Group, Inc. ("Mlend"), announced today that for the period ending September 30, 2021 the Company earned year to date net income of $4.758 million or $2.11 per share, the highest for the time period in the history of the Company, with an increase of $2.2 million or 86% compared to September 30, 2020 at $2.560 million or $1.14 per share. Net income for the third quarter was $2.257 million or $1.00 per share, an increase of 153% or $1.4 million compared to second quarter net income of $892 thousand or $0.40 per share. Year over year third quarter net income increased $1.1 million or 88% compared to the third quarter of 2020. Earnings continued to be bolstered by strong residential mortgage loan activity along with enhanced fee income from PPP loan forgiveness. Earnings were positively impacted during the third quarter by a loan charge-off recovery totaling $540 thousand related to the prior quarter isolated loan charge-off due to a COVID-19 business failure. The Bank entered into a forbearance agreement with the principal of the aforementioned credit charge-off to receive monthly restitution towards the recovery of the charge-off. The recovery also positively impacted the provision expense for the third quarter, resulting in a loan loss provision expense release of $246 thousand. As of September 30, 2021 the Company's credit quality continued to be strong with non-performing assets to total assets at 0.31%, a decrease of 5 basis points from the prior quarter. The Company remains deeply committed to the communities we serve. We continue to expand our newly formed footprint in the Franklin County, PA market and continuing to grow in the Maryland market while providing our customers with "Absolutely Exceptional Experiences". Quarterly Highlights 3Q21 vs 2Q21 Net book value and tangible book value per share increased by $0.59 and $0.60 , or 2.4% and 2.5%, respectively, per share to $24.82 and $24.09 per share, respectively, in the third quarter, from $24.23 and $23.49 , respectively, in the second quarter. and , or 2.4% and 2.5%, respectively, per share to and per share, respectively, in the third quarter, from and , respectively, in the second quarter. Cash balances increased on a linked quarter basis by 10.3% or $5.7 million . Deposit growth in the third quarter totaled $47.6 million . The bank utilized the new deposit funds to purchase $47.2 million in security investments during the third quarter. The bank also continued to strengthen off-balance sheet contingency funding sources (FHLB and FRB discount window borrowing capacity), keeping the overall contingency funding position strong at approximately 58.2% of total funding at the bank level as of September 30, 2021 . . Deposit growth in the third quarter totaled . The bank utilized the new deposit funds to purchase in security investments during the third quarter. The bank also continued to strengthen off-balance sheet contingency funding sources (FHLB and FRB discount window borrowing capacity), keeping the overall contingency funding position strong at approximately 58.2% of total funding at the bank level as of . Gross loans increased on a linked quarter basis by $850 thousand or 0.1% as of September 30, 2021 . A net decrease in PPP loans of $13.8 million for the quarter was offset by core loan growth of $14.7 million , contributing to the overall quarterly loan growth when compared to June 30, 2021 . or 0.1% as of . A net decrease in PPP loans of for the quarter was offset by core loan growth of , contributing to the overall quarterly loan growth when compared to . Overall deposits grew $47.6 million , or 6.8% in the third quarter of 2021 compared to the second quarter of 2021. Non-interest-bearing deposit grew $20.3 million and interest-bearing deposits grew $27.3 million . The interest-bearing deposits growth was mainly in low cost money market deposits totaling $14 million and interest-bearing transaction demand deposits totaling $13 million . The Bank's cost of interest-bearing deposits for the second quarter decreased 4 bps to 0.41%. , or 6.8% in the third quarter of 2021 compared to the second quarter of 2021. Non-interest-bearing deposit grew and interest-bearing deposits grew . The interest-bearing deposits growth was mainly in low cost money market deposits totaling and interest-bearing transaction demand deposits totaling . The Bank's cost of interest-bearing deposits for the second quarter decreased 4 bps to 0.41%. The Banks normalized margin (excludes impact of PPP loans and fees, FRB Cash and Brokered deposits) decreased 6 basis points to 3.40% in the third quarter of 2021 from 3.46% in the second quarter of 2021. The loan loss reserve to total loans ratio (excluding PPP loans) increased to 1.10% at September 30, 2021 , from 1.08% as of June 30, 2021 . Most of the increase was related to core loan growth totaling $14 million , and the addition of a specific reserve for $47 thousand related to one loan relationship. Quarterly Highlights 3Q21 vs 3Q20 Net book value per share of $24.82 represents a $1.91 , or 7.7% increase over September 30, 2020 book value of $22.91 per share. Tangible book value per share of $24.09 at September 30, 2021 increased by $1.92 or 8% from $22.17 at September 30, 2020 . represents a , or 7.7% increase over book value of per share. Tangible book value per share of at increased by or 8% from at . Year-over-year net loan growth was $15.8 million or 2.9%, which includes a decrease of $46.2 million in PPP loans. Excluding the PPP loans, gross core loan growth was $60.3 million or 10.9% year-over-year. or 2.9%, which includes a decrease of in PPP loans. Excluding the PPP loans, gross core loan growth was or 10.9% year-over-year. Deposits grew $110.6 million or 18.8% on a year-over-year basis compared to September 30, 2020 . Excluding brokered deposits of $20.2 million as of September 30, 2020 , core deposits increased $130.6 million or 18.7% year-over-year. The majority of the core growth was in demand deposits $65.8 million and low interest cost money market $45.9 million and savings deposits $13.4 million . As of September 30, 2021 the Bank had decreased the higher cost brokered deposits balances to only $244 thousand . or 18.8% on a year-over-year basis compared to . Excluding brokered deposits of as of , core deposits increased or 18.7% year-over-year. The majority of the core growth was in demand deposits and low interest cost money market and savings deposits . As of the Bank had decreased the higher cost brokered deposits balances to only . As of September 30, 2021 , the Bank had reduced overall cost of funds to 0.25%, down from 0.48% at September 30, 2020 . This decreased results from the further rate reductions on numerous deposit account types due to historically low Fed rates. , the Bank had reduced overall cost of funds to 0.25%, down from 0.48% at . This decreased results from the further rate reductions on numerous deposit account types due to historically low Fed rates. Year-to-date loan loss provision expense through September 30, 2021 totaled $2.65 million (excludes $45 thousand for off-balance sheet and check card loss provision), an increase of $857 thousand compared to $1.80 million through September 30, 2020 . Loan growth and the isolated charge-off combined with economic metrics due to the pandemic (unemployment, GDP and COVID factor) account for the increased provision expense. Loan recoveries through September 30, 2021 of $540 thousand positively impacted the loan loss provision expense. totaled (excludes for off-balance sheet and check card loss provision), an increase of compared to through . Loan growth and the isolated charge-off combined with economic metrics due to the pandemic (unemployment, GDP and COVID factor) account for the increased provision expense. Loan recoveries through of positively impacted the loan loss provision expense. Non-interest income year-to-date as of September 30, 2021 grew by $450 thousand or 8.9% compared to September 30, 2020 . The mortgage activity and secondary sales income increase of $269 thousand along with the security sale gains increases of $196 thousand account for the majority of the increase year-over-year. grew by or 8.9% compared to . The mortgage activity and secondary sales income increase of along with the security sale gains increases of account for the majority of the increase year-over-year. Non-interest expense as of September 30, 2021 increased by $648 thousand compared to September 30, 2020 . The increase is directly related to the growth of the balance sheet (15.7% year-over-year) as staffing has increased to support the growth, and increased FDIC insurance premiums as deposits increased (18.8% year-over-year). Dividend A dividend of $0.04 per share was declared by the Board of Directors on October 18, 2021 for shareholders of record as of October 29, 2021 and payable on November 5, 2021. Community Heritage Financial, Inc. Robert E. (BJ) Goetz, Jr. President & Chief Executive Officer 301-371-305 Community Heritage Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheets (dollars in thousands) September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30, 2021 2021 2021 2020 2020 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Audited) (Unaudited) Assets Cash and due from banks $ 55,559 $ 49,830 $ 43,425 $ 28,785 $ 15,044 Total cash and cash equivalents 55,559 49,830 43,425 28,785 15,044 Securities available-for-sale, at fair value 130,431 86,343 61,086 72,439 67,441 Equity securities, at cost 338 338 462 462 462 Loans 570,727 569,877 585,811 558,967 554,851 Less allowance for loan loss 6,071 5,812 8,948 7,480 6,024 Loans, net 564,655 564,065 576,864 551,486 548,828 Loans held for sale 7,963 8,008 10,717 12,626 21,670 Premises and equipment, net 6,858 7,025 6,529 6,400 6,459 Right-of-use assets 2,417 2,533 2,557 2,667 2,785 Accrued interest receivable 1,738 1,746 2,035 2,199 2,192 Deferred tax assets 2,007 1,873 3,025 2,081 1,796 Bank-owned life insurance 6,443 6,393 6,340 5,280 5,214 Goodwill 1,657 1,657 1,657 1,657 1,657 Intangible assets 3 5 7 9 11 Other Assets 1,715 1,590 1,750 2,090 1,960 Total Assets $ 781,783 $ 731,404 $ 716,452 $ 688,181 $ 675,519 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Liabilties Deposits: Non-interest-bearing demand $ 254,058 $ 233,757 $ 228,946 $ 197,297 $ 187,972 Interest-bearing 444,488 417,157 405,499 402,262 399,955 Total Deposits 698,546 650,914 634,445 599,560 587,927 Subordinated debt, net 14,731 14,708 14,686 14,664 14,641 Other borrowings 2,629 4,015 3,719 8,558 10,577 Lease liabilities 2,480 2,591 2,610 2,715 2,823 Accrued interest payable 409 206 426 215 445 Other liabilities 7,099 4,416 7,349 9,509 7,532 Total Liabilities 725,895 676,850 663,236 635,221 623,946 Stockholders' Equity Common stock 23 23 23 23 23 Surplus 28,523 28,523 28,523 28,523 28,523 Retained earnings 28,121 25,954 25,152 23,633 22,156 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (779) 54 (482) 782 870 Total Stockholders' Equity 55,888 54,554 53,216 52,960 51,572 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 781,783 $ 731,404 $ 716,452 $ 688,181 $ 675,519 Community Heritage Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, June 30, September 30, September 30, September 30, 2021 2021 2020 2021 2020 Interest Income Loans, including fees $ 6,407,015 $ 6,328,253 $ 5,811,942 $ 19,241,739 $ 16,623,282 Securities 436,526 347,943 304,912 1,088,144 766,457 Fed funds sold and other 26,859 5,115 29,246 40,685 139,341 Total interest income 6,870,400 6,681,311 6,146,099 20,370,568 17,529,080 Interest Expense Deposits 427,313 442,650 728,081 1,370,982 2,733,798 Borrowed funds - - - 947 48,869 Subordinated debt 238,049 238,049 238,049 714,148 709,356 Other Interest Expense 45,323 51,071 66,878 167,822 106,766 Total interest expense 710,686 731,770 1,033,009 2,253,900 3,598,789 Net interest income 6,159,714 5,949,541 5,113,091 18,116,668 13,930,292 Provision for loan losses (245,988) 1,432,697 844,521 2,652,690 1,796,018 Net interest income after provision for loan losses 6,405,702 4,516,844 4,268,570 15,463,978 12,134,274 Non-interest income Service charges on deposits 180,225 181,006 164,660 555,060 448,491 Earnings bank owned life insurance 40,956 45,307 46,771 137,952 90,314 Gain sale of fixed assets - - - 1,500 - Gain sale of securities - - 164,464 196,091 173,721 Mortage loan income activity 1,252,561 1,313,885 1,973,960 4,026,646 3,929,716 Other non-interest income 211,864 200,732 155,515 585,771 411,106 Total non-interest income 1,685,606 1,740,930 2,505,370 5,503,020 5,053,348 Non-interest expense Salaries and employee benefits 2,967,511 2,880,755 3,133,762 8,430,445 8,219,404 Occupancy and equipment 708,358 706,167 694,331 2,091,761 2,057,023 Legal and professional fees 155,208 169,242 200,451 474,478 529,262 Advertising 130,244 131,225 96,098 417,594 318,435 Data processing 544,371 625,055 504,575 1,637,675 1,414,085 FDIC premiums 93,840 108,963 106,675 317,599 159,155 Loss sale of securities - - - 17,826 - Other intangible amortization 2,083 2,083 2,083 6,250 6,250 Other 412,142 377,273 413,694 1,008,063 1,050,041 Total non-interest expense 5,013,757 5,000,763 5,151,169 14,401,691 13,753,155 Income before taxes 3,077,551 1,257,011 1,622,771 6,565,308 3,434,467 Income tax expense 820,160 365,343 421,791 1,807,083 874,233 Net Income $ $2,257,391 $ $891,668 $ $1,200,980 $ $4,758,225 $ $2,560,234 Basic earnings per share $ 1.00 $ 0.40 $ 0.53 $ 2.11 $ 1.14 Community Heritage Financial, Inc. and Subsidiaries Selected Financial Data Income Statement Review For the Three Months Ended For theNine Months Ended September 30, June 30, September 30, September 30, September 30, 2021 2021 2020 2021 2020 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Interest Income $ 6,870,400 $ 6,681,311 $ 6,146,099 $ 20,370,568 $ 17,529,080 Interest Expense 710,686 731,770 1,033,009 2,253,900 3,598,789 Net interest income 6,159,714 5,949,541 5,113,091 18,116,668 13,930,292 Provsion expense (245,988) 1,432,697 844,521 2,652,690 1,796,018 Net interest income after provision $ 6,405,702 $ 4,516,844 $ 4,268,570 $ 15,463,978 $ 12,134,274 Non-interest income $ 1,685,606 $ 1,740,930 $ 2,505,370 $ 5,503,020 $ 5,053,348 Non-interest expense 5,013,757 5,000,763 5,151,169 14,401,691 13,753,156 Merger expenses - - - - - Yield on interest-earning assets 3.71% 3.85% 3.85% 3.88% 3.94% Cost of interest-bearing liabilities 0.63% 0.69% 0.97% 0.70% 1.20% Efficiency ratio 63.91% 65.03% 67.61% 60.97% 72.41% Balance Sheet Review September 30, June 30, September 30, 2021 2021 2020 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (dollars in thousands) Total assets $ 781,783 $ 731,404 $ 675,519 Loans, net of reserve 564,655 564,065 548,828 Goodwill & intangibles 1,660 1,661 1,668 Deposits 698,546 650,914 587,927 Shareholder's equity 55,888 54,554 51,572 Asset Quality Review Non-accrual loans $ 1,471 $ 1,656 $ 1,246 Trouble debt restructured loans still accruing 963 969 681 Loans 90 days past due still accruing - - 294 Foreclosured properties - - - Total non-performing assets $ 2,434 $ 2,625 $ 2,221 Non-performing assets to total assets 0.31% 0.36% 0.33% Non-performing assets to total loans 0.42% 0.46% 0.40% Summary of Operating Results For theThree Months Ended For the Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, September 30, September 30, 2021 2020 2021 2020 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Pre-allowance for Loan Loss provision, pre-tax net income $ 2,831,563 $ 2,467,292 $ 9,217,998 $ 5,230,485 Alllowance for loan loss provision, pre-tax (245,988) 844,521 2,652,690 1,796,018 Tax expense 820,160 421,791 1,807,083 874,233 Net Income $ 2,257,391 $ 1,200,980 $ 4,758,225 $ 2,560,234 (dollars in thousands) Charge-offs $ 54 $ 12 $ 4,655 $ 49 (Recoveries) (550) (9) (578) (29) Net charge-offs $ (496) $ 3 $ 4,077 $ 20 Per Common Share Data Common shares outstanding 2,251,320 2,251,320 2,251,320 2,251,320 Weighted average shares outstanding 2,251,320 2,251,320 2,251,320 2,251,320 Basic Earnings per share $ 1.00 $ 0.53 $ 2.11 $ 1.14 Dividend declared $ 0.04 $ 0.04 $ 0.12 $ 0.12 Book value per share $ 24.82 $ 22.91 $ 24.82 $ 22.91 Tangible book value per share $ 24.09 $ 11.17 $ 24.09 $ 22.17 Selected Financial Ratios (unaudited) Return on average assets 1.18% 0.72% 0.87% 0.55% Return on average equity 15.79% 9.26% 11.38% 6.79% Allowance for loan losses to total loans 1.06% 1.09% 1.06% 1.09% Allowance for loan loss to total loans (excluding PPP loans) 1.10% 1.23% 1.10% 1.23% Non-performing assets to total loans 0.42% 0.40% 0.42% 0.40% Non-performing assets to total loans (excluding PPP) 0.44% 0.45% 0.44% 0.45% Net Charge-offs to total loans -0.09% 0.00% 0.71% 0.00% Common equity tier 1 (CET1) capital 10.74% N/A 10.74% N/A Tier1 capital 10.74% N/A 10.74% N/A Total risk based capital 11.88% N/A 11.77% N/A Tier-1 leverage ratio 8.86% N/A 8.86% N/A Community bank leverage ratio (bank only)** N/A 9.24% N/A 9.24% Average equity to average assets 7.49% 7.73% 7.65% 8.05% Tangible Common Equity/Tangible Common Assets 6.95% 7.25% 6.95% 7.25% Net interest margin (bank only, normalized)* 3.40% 3.52% 3.47% 3.53% Loans to deposits - (EOP) 81.70% 94.37% 81.70% 94.37% *Normalized margin excludes impact of PPP loans and related on balance sheet liquidity through Brokered deposits and FHLB Borrowing **As of September 30, 2021 the bank reverted back to the BASEL III regulatory framework for capital reporting and discontinued the CBLR calculation. SOURCE Community Heritage Financial, Inc. NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BBH founder and ad industry legend Sir John Hegarty will headline the next Barn Burner panel discussion hosted by BBH USA, sharing insights from his five-decade-long career on how to constantly reinvent and innovate to build enduring success. The one-hour discussion and Q&A, "Secrets of a 50-Year Career in Creativity: Lessons on Constant Reinvention with Sir John Hegarty," will be held on Oct. 21 at 12noon/EST, 5:00pm/BST. The need to stay relevant is more important than ever in the fast-changing market place across all industries, particularly those focused on creativity, demanding a constant flow of fresh ideas that can deliver business impact and value in people's lives. Hegarty and BBH strategist Helene Dick, a colleague nearly 50 years his junior, will discuss topics ranging from achieving long-term relevance, coming up with fresh and interesting new concepts, to seeking financial security throughout one's career. "You need to have a new idea every day, and it can't be the same as yesterday's idea," said Hegarty. "The consumer choice marketplace has changed dramatically over the years, perhaps never more so than in the last decade. But the core idea of reinventing your approach to stay relevant has always been the key to success." "It's a privilege to sit down with Sir John Hegarty," said Dick. "His wisdom has fueled BBH's creative engine for nearly 40 years, and will no doubt continue to inspire for the next 40. Marketing is a constant battle for relevancehow do we wake up each day and find the next insight, idea or inspiration? There is no one better to speak on the subject than Sir John." The unique inter-generational conversation will also reflect on how work has changed over the years, what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and how to keep a career strong through reinvention. The BBH USA Barn Burner series features virtual and in-person gatherings, panels and discussions with cultural disruptors, thought leaders and other creatives to engage in thought-provoking discussions that lend insight into the state of the industry. Past Barn Burner events have featured music industry legends Kevin Liles and Wyclef Jean; futurist, organizer and storyteller Janaya Khan; and a panel discussion of BBH's Glass Breaker installation honoring Vice President Kamala Harris, which was moderated by BBH USA President Amani Duncan. Registration for the event is available now through October 21st via this link: https://publicisgroupe.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C-3QNFW_QVmKmE7_0bJ9nQ About BBH USA Helmed by the trio of President Amani Duncan, Chief Creative Officer Rafael Rizuto and Chief Strategy Officer Tom Callard, BBH USA "zags" where other agencies "zig," making ambitious ideas for ambitious clients. Leveraging the power of creativity for outsized impact on culture and business growth, BBH USA works with some of the most innovative marketers in the world, including Google, Netflix, Linkedin, Barbie, Hulu, Samsung, Martell US, and Brighthouse Financial. For more information, visit bbh-usa.com . PR Contact: Dana Mirman [email protected] M: (917) 583-0777 SOURCE BBH USA The transaction for which Dalfen won the award was for the East Dallas Logistics Center in Mesquite, Texas a suburb east of downtown Dallas. Dalfen developed this 545,597 square foot project after acquiring ~45 acres of land in February 2019. The larger building is 407,195 square feet, and the smaller building is 138,402 square feet. The location of this industrial park is a perfect example of the Dalfen strategy. Not only is the Mesquite/East Dallas submarket an ideal distribution node for DFW with a large labor pool, but the property is also an exceptional last mile location. It has direct access to I-635, the loop around Dallas, as well as I-30 and I-80. In addition to location, this property is newly constructed with Class A specifications in every respect. These features are ideal to satisfy the needs of modern e-commerce users, which are the most sought-after tenants in the current capital markets. This was evidenced by the enormous number of RFPs submitted to lease the building before it even hit the market. Ultimately, the Steve Silver Company leased out the 407,195 square foot building with HNRY Logistics leasing out the 138,402 square foot building. "The high demand and resulting long-term leases that took place at East Dallas Logistics Center are a testament to its prime last mile location and the fact that we constructed the properties with all of the characteristics desired by modern e-commerce tenants," said Sean Dalfen, President and Chief Investment Officer at Dalfen Industrial. "This development is a perfect example of how Dalfen Industrial fulfills our strategy of providing high-quality, last mile industrial properties in key locations throughout the nation," Dalfen has another 2.3M square foot development in the works near Mesquite Airport with an additional 18.5 square feet in the development pipeline across the United States. About Dalfen Industrial Dalfen Industrial is one of the nation's largest buyers of industrial real estate and is a leader in the last-mile property sector. Their investment focus is on strategically located urban infill warehouses and distribution buildings. Dalfen currently owns and operates millions of square feet of premier industrial properties throughout the United States. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Dalfen Industrial Related Links www.dalfen.com PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dell Technologies Capital (DTC), the global venture capital investment arm of Dell Technologies, today welcomed Radhika Malik as a principal investor; Dan Fitzpatrick as principal, business development and executive programs; and Ronda Scott as head of marketing and communications, as the newest members of the firm. For nearly a decade, Dell Technologies Capital has helped some of the world's brightest founders build disruptive enterprise technology companies. Since its inception in 2012, the DTC team has invested in more than 130 pioneering companies. Many of those companies, including JFrog and Xometry which both IPOed earlier this year, have gone to celebrate exceptional exits, generating more than $160B in market value in the process. "We are excited to welcome the newest additions to the Dell Technologies Capital team in support of our commitment to the firm's portfolio companies," said Scott Darling, President of Dell Technologies Capital. "We are confident that the latest round of exceptional hires will serve a strategic role in helping these disruptive startups continue on their path towards success." Malik joins DTC from Samsung Catalyst Fund, Samsung's deep technology venture fund devoted to AI/ML, semiconductors, cloud, data and 5G. Prior to that, Malik held software engineering and product management roles at early-stage startups as well as at Microsoft and Amazon. Malik holds a B.S. and M.Eng. from MIT and received her MBA from Harvard Business School. At DTC she will focus on investments in enterprise and cloud infrastructure, AI/ML, data and deep technology. Fitzpatrick brings to DTC deep experience building executive communities, creating peer advisory programs, and leading teams within industry analyst firms and enterprise software companies. Prior to DTC, Dan worked at Gartner Research Board and at Forrester Research within their Leadership Board practice. A graduate of Gettysburg College with a passion for bringing technology leaders together to solve business problems, Fitzpatrick supports the DTC team's business development, network and community-related activities. Scott joins DTC with 20 years of experience in leading marketing and communications efforts for both emerging and established technologies. Most recently she led marketing for venture firm General Catalyst and prior to that, led content and communications for the productivity platform Evernote. She has also held communications roles for companies in streaming media technologies and services, video gaming, social media, and consumer electronics. At DTC, she will focus on marketing and communications for both the investment practice and its portfolio companies. For additional information on Dell Technologies Capital and its portfolio companies, please visit: https://www.delltechnologiescapital.com/. About Dell Technologies Capital Dell Technologies Capital (DTC) is the global venture capital investment arm of Dell Technologies. The investment team backs passionate early-stage founders who push the envelope on technology innovation for enterprises. As a part of the DTC portfolio, companies gain unique access to the go-to-market capabilities of Dell Technologies (Dell, Dell EMC, VMware, Pivotal, Secureworks). Notable investments include Arista Networks, Cylance, Docusign, Graphcore, JFrog, MongoDB, Netskope, Nutanix, Nuvia, RedisLabs, Xometry and Zscaler. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Dell Technologies Capital also has offices in Boston, and Israel. For more information visit www.delltechcapital.com. SOURCE Dell Technologies Capital ATLANTA, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Depth Public Relations , Inc. (DepthPR), a leading provider of consultative marketing, public relations and reputation management services for mortgage fintech innovators, the residential finance industry and technology for emerging regulated markets (regtech) is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its launch during the Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention & Expo 2021 in San Diego. DepthPR's business model was conceived to fill a knowledge and service gap for growth-focused technology innovators driving the modernization and digitization of housing finance. Combining unrivaled strategic insights and top-shelf content development with native digital marketing acumen, DepthPR has a track record for fueling adoption of its clients' solutions and services from customer relationship management (CRM), appraisal and loan origination through mortgage servicing, quality control (QC) and capital markets. DepthPR founder Kerri S. Milam launched the firm in 2006 for the simple reason that she knew she could "build a better mousetrap" based upon her breadth of experience encompassing global PR agencies, public policy, B2B technology innovation, state and local government, financial journalism, cause-related marketing and B2B consulting. "We ventured out on our own and hitched our wagon to residential finance innovation out of a passion for housing as a key economic driver and an affinity for the tech innovators and visionaries driving its modernization," said Milam. "Building a business is a worthwhile challenge, and even more so if you build it where your heart and intelligence can work in concert. That is what we created, and also the kind of client we serve most effectively." During the last decade and a half DepthPR has maintained its commitment to avoid working with its clients' direct competitors and to facilitate strategic cross-pollination across clientele an added value that continues to set the agency apart. Further, the firm emphasizes integrated marketing planning and a project management approach to maximize sustained momentum, support strategic pivots, and ensure 360-degree accountability. "It says a lot that DepthPR has been the IDS agency of record since 2009 ," said IDS CEO Mark Mackey. "During that 12-year relationship we have come to rely on their services and to value the way they collaborate with our internal marketing team to ensure we spotlight the reputation we've built with mortgage lenders, closing agents and our partners over more than 30 years." Despite the pandemic, DepthPR grew its client roster by 17% in the past year, increased employee headcount by 30% and promoted two staff members. As DepthPR reflects on its successful 15 years and its cultivation of mortgage, housing, and financial technology expertise, it looks to broaden its client base among emerging regtech markets. About DepthPR: Depth Public Relations (DepthPR) is a leading provider of consultative marketing, public relations and reputation management services for the mortgage lending and residential finance industries. Since 2006, the firm has represented a clientele of established and emerging brands serving mortgage lenders, real estate professionals and appraisers. DepthPR is committed to serving the cause of digital innovation and to practicing the pay-it-forward principle alongside The Golden Rule. DepthPR is a member and supporter of the Mortgage Bankers Association, Housing Finance Strategies and The Mortgage Collaborative. For more information, visit https://www.depthpr.com/ . For media queries, contact DepthPR at: https://www.depthpr.com/contact-us/ This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com SOURCE Depth Public Relations, LLC Related Links https://www.depthpr.com PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DevRev, a category-defining software company focused on connecting developers with their customers, today shared that the company will be announcing itself as Customer Zero and unveil the first look into its platform at its first-ever live event on October 20, 2021. In addition, today DevRev also introduced several resources aimed at developers, including a Hackathon with prize money worth $30,000 and an exclusive private community called DevRev Circle for developer entrepreneurs. DevRev Day and Product Preview On October 20th, DevRev Day henceforth, the company is seeding an environment to connect with its newfound community -- to learn from and with them. During the event, attendees will hear from co-founders, Dheeraj Pandey and Manoj Agarwal, and have access to sessions with Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures, and Abhay Parasnis, Adobe CTO. Additionally, DevRev will tell its own story of evolution on why the company has become its own Customer Zero during this extremely critical discovery phase of product-market fit, and how DevRev will: Use their platform to build software, making remote engineering delightful and social Gather real-time feedback and stay close to early adopters Migrate off legacy databases and workflows to manage features, issues, and tickets. DevRev will also reveal why this decade will all be about in-app experiences. "During these formative days, we want to take a moment to acknowledge how far we've come, and celebrate DevRev Day with our community of friends and well-wishers," said Dheeraj Pandey, CEO and co-founder, DevRev. "We are aspiring to change how digital businesses are built and operated. That will require an immense learning mindset with the community." Pandey will share an exclusive, first-time-preview of what DevRev's platform will look like, and share with audiences more about the vision for DevCRM, the dev-centric approach to building customer-conscious products and services. Given its Product-Led Growth (PLG) roots, the company expects to interact frequently with its community of alpha and beta users in the coming months, as it unveils a next-generation CRM suite of services to power PLG focused organizations. Circle Membership Program DevRev's Circle Program is one of DevRev's largest investments to date, and provides members access to: A private community of developer entrepreneurs, including industry experts from VC firms and former enterprise tech employees DevRev's Discord server, hosting monthly insider sessions with startup founders and tech leaders -- such as Vinod Khosla , Navin Chaddha , and other notable developer entrepreneurs -- discussing how to build, support, and grow software businesses in today's product-led era , , and other notable developer entrepreneurs -- discussing how to build, support, and grow software businesses in today's product-led era Training and educational content related to ML/AI, design and data engineering Scholarships for Udacity courses A chance to influence DevRev's company roadmap, early access to the product prior to general availability, and the ability to enter into the Hackathon. Hackathon Developer entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to enter into a Hackathon, kicking off November 1st, where they will build out a prototype and present to potential investors. The winner's prototype will be included as an application of DevRev's open source ecosystem and will receive $30,000 as prize money, sponsored by Mayfield Fund. This is a testament to DevRev's commitment to creating a product that caters to developers needs through sourcing what is most important to them and creating an open dialogue between DevRev and its customers. "As we start to bring our .ai vision to life, we want machines to take the mundane chores off the developer's plate," said Manoj Agarwal, co-founder and President, DevRev. "Like Netflix a decade ago, this hackathon is about co-creating AI value with external developers, many of whom will not be our employees, but will be valuable teachers to learn from nonetheless." Barely a year since inception, DevRev is approaching 100 employees and continues to grow, as it invests in its product and builds its PLG muscle around growth and support engineering. For more information about these programs visit devrev.ai ; for additional details on DevRev Day or to view the conference, see here . About DevRev DevRev is a business software company that brings developers and customers together in the era of product-led growth. The company is building an API-first dev-centric CRM that leverages data, design, and machine intelligence to empower developers to build, support, and grow their business. In times of anemic NPS and high customer churn, DevRev strives to create the world's most customer-centric companies led by happy developers. Grok and grep more on DevRev via the web , Twitter and LinkedIn . Media Contact Mission North for DevRev Sydney Perkins [email protected] SOURCE DevRev Related Links http://www.devrev.ai NOVI, Mich., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DexKo Global Inc., the global leader in highly engineered trailer running gear, chassis assemblies, and related components, announces today that its wholly-owned subsidiary Dexter Axle Company ("Dexter") has acquired National Trailer Parts Warehouse, Ltd. ("National Trailer Parts") located in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada. National Trailer Parts supports manufacturers, dealers, and service centers in Western Canada offering the top brand trailer components in the industry. Employing over 20 people, National Trailer Parts services customers directly from their warehouse in Swift Current with their own fleet of trucks focusing on offering a wide selection of top brand trailer components with a knowledgeable, professional staff. Dexter, headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana, employs over 3,800 people in the U.S. and Canada and operates 17 manufacturing facilities and 32 distribution locations. Founded in 1960, Dexter has earned a reputation as a trusted brand serving the utility trailer, recreational vehicle, marine, heavy duty, agricultural, and specialty equipment manufacturers and distribution partners. "We see great value in adding National Trailer Parts to the Dexter business, extending our quality products and exceptional customer service in western Canada, furthering our customer relationships," said Fred Bentley, CEO of DexKo Global. Adam Dexter, President and CEO of Dexter added: "The valued employees and loyal customers will fit nicely within Dexter's distribution group and we look forward to joining our two companies together. National Trailer Parts fills a void in our coverage of Western Canada and will allow us to more effectively service that customer base." Keith Brown, managing partner of National Trailer Parts Warehouse, says: "Since 1992, we have been distributing trailer parts and components to our customers in Western Canada. Through that long period of time, we have enjoyed loyal support from our customers, extraordinary effort from our employees and reliable, timely supplies from our vendors. These three factors, in combination, are the success ingredients that define what we do and who we are." "My shareholder partner, Ernie Giddens, and I are happy that Dexter is the buyer of our Company," continues Brown. "We are confident that Dexter will continue with the service based, timely and comprehensive delivery traditions long established by National Trailer Parts." Please send inquiries to: 2900 Industrial Parkway East Stacey K. Miller, Director of Marketing Elkhart, Indiana 46515 [email protected] Phone: 574.295.7888 Phone: 574.296.7228 Fax: 574.296.7368 DexKo Global Inc. is the world's leading supplier of advanced chassis technology, chassis assemblies and related components with more than 130 years of experience in trailer and caravan components. DexKo Global was founded at the end of 2015 through the combination of Dexter and AL-KO Vehicle Technology. With its headquarters in Novi, Michigan, the company employs more than 7,000 associates with 52 production facilities and 49 distribution centers. DexKo Global Inc. has a turnover of more than US$ 2.2 billion. For more information, please go to www.dexko.com. SOURCE DexKo Global Inc. Related Links http://www.dexko.com RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy Virginia, the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) Staff, the Office of the Attorney General, and other parties today filed a comprehensive settlement agreement in the Company's pending triennial base rate case. If approved by the SCC, the agreement would resolve the ongoing review of the company's performance over the past four years as well as provide significant additional customer benefits. The settlement agreement provides a balanced, reasonable and cost-effective approach that supports continued capital investments in Virginia in order to meet the Commonwealth's public policy priorities and the needs of our customers. Those investments include the development of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project -- the largest on this side of the Atlantic as well as growing one of the leading state-regulated utility solar portfolios in the country. These, along with other investments including nuclear relicensing, energy storage and grid modernization, put the Company well on its way to reaching 100% clean energy by 2045 in Virginia and net zero emissions by 2050 across Dominion Energy's nationwide footprint. The settlement agreement aligns with the customer-focused, state regulated utility framework in Virginia. That framework has resulted in nationally leading decarbonization goals, customer rates lower than national and regional averages and high levels of reliability for customers, made possible by a state regulatory model that embraces long-term planning and resiliency safeguards. "I appreciate the thoughtful effort of all parties in reaching an agreement that puts our customers' interests first," said Ed Baine, president of Dominion Energy Virginia. "We have a lot of work ahead as we continue to build a clean energy future in Virginia. This settlement enables us to continue to keep rates affordable while creating new jobs through the development of offshore wind, solar and energy storage expansion, transformation of the grid and energy-efficiency enhancements." In addition to the SCC Staff and Office of the Attorney General, the agreement is joined by Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington, Costco, Direct Energy, Kroger and Harris Teeter, Virginia Committee for Fair Utility Rates and Walmart. None of the remaining nine parties to the proceeding are opposed to the agreement. Key components of the settlement, which requires approval from the SCC, would provide significant customer benefits, including the following: A total of $330 million in one-time refunds on customer bills made up of $255 million over a 6-month period and $75 million over three years, resulting in a total proposed refund of approximately $67 for a typical residential customer. in one-time refunds on customer bills made up of over a 6-month period and over three years, resulting in a total proposed refund of approximately for a typical residential customer. Use of $309 million in revenue to offset costs of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project, deployment of smart meters and a Customer Information Platform, as part of the Customer Credit Reinvestment Offset (CCRO) mechanism defined by Virginia law. in revenue to offset costs of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project, deployment of smart meters and a Customer Information Platform, as part of the Customer Credit Reinvestment Offset (CCRO) mechanism defined by law. A $50 million going-forward rate reduction, resulting in a proposed monthly bill reduction of approximately 90 cents for a typical residential customer. The proposed settlement also supports: An authorized return on common equity of 9.35%. A capital structure with an equity ratio of 51.917%. Amortization through 2023 of the early retirement charges for fossil-generation units recorded in 2019 and 2020. Total rates for Dominion Energy Virginia's typical residential customer are currently more than 15 percent below the national average, almost 30 percent lower than the mid-Atlantic average and 35 percent lower than the average of states that, like Virginia, have joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. About Dominion Energy More than 7 million customers in 16 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more. SOURCE Dominion Energy Virginia The exclusive package priced at $1,000 per couple includes a private guided tour through the Empire State Building's immersive exhibits, which feature the building's history and the classic love stories that have taken place within. After couples have celebrated their engagement on the world-famous 86 th Floor Observatory, they're invited to head up to the 102 nd Floor Observatory, with its floor-to-ceiling windows for breathtaking photos with stunning 360-degree views. "There is no better place to celebrate love than the World's Most Romantic Building," said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory. "The Empire State Building has played host to so many love stories in its history, and we are delighted to now offer an exclusive, romantic, and customizable proposal experience for couples from around the world." The Empire State Building's Observatory Experience recently underwent a top-to-bottom overhaul that includes a dedicated guest entrance, a 10 thousand square foot digital and tactile museum that celebrates the icon from the moment it was conceived to its current place in pop-culture, and the completely re-imagined 102nd Floor Observatory. The renovations also include industry-leading indoor environmental quality (IEQ) improvements such as active bi-polar ionization, MERV 13 filters, and increased ventilation which led to the building's achievement as the first in the Americas to receive the WELL Health-Safety Rating. Tickets are available at https://www.esbnyc.com/buy-tickets/happily-ever-empire Must be 21 years old to purchase. The 'Happily Ever Empire' package must be booked at least 24 hours in advance, with limited reservations available each day. Photographers, family, and friends must purchase Express tickets separately to take part in the celebration here. More information about the Empire State Building and its Observatory Experience can be found at www.esbnyc.com. ### About the Empire State Building The Empire State Building , "The World's Most Famous Building" owned by Empire State Realty Trust , Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop-culture. 2021 is the 90th anniversary year of the Building which officially opened on May 1, 1931. Declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, as well as the world's most popular travel destination by Uber and the #1 New York City attraction by Lonely Planet, it welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors from around the world. Empire State Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors primarily house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn, Shutterstock, and Global Brands Group, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , Weibo , YouTube , or TikTok . About Empire State Realty Trust Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the "World's Most Famous Building." The company's office and retail portfolio covers 10.1 million rentable square feet, as of June 30, 2021, which consists of 9.4 million rentable square feet across 14 office properties, including nine in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and two in Westchester County, New York; as well as approximately 700,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio. Empire State Realty Trust is a leader in energy efficiency in the built environment and sustainability space, with 76 percent of the eligible portfolio ENERGY STAR certified and 100 percent fully powered by renewable wind electricity. As the first commercial real estate portfolio in the Americas to achieve the evidence-based, third-party verified WELL Health-Safety Rating for health and safety, ESRT additionally earned the highest possible GRESB 5 Star Rating and Green Star recognition for sustainability performance in real estate and was named a Fitwel Champion for healthy, high-performance buildings. To learn more about Empire State Realty Trust, visit esrtreit.com and follow ESRT on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and LinkedIn . Category: Observatory SOURCE Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. Related Links http://www.esbnyc.com ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Menopause Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of four prominent experts in the fields of business and communications to its Board of Directors. "Each of our new Board members brings decades of experience and unique talents to our organization and strengthens our capacity to grow the National Menopause Foundation into the most trusted resource for women journeying to and through menopause," said Mary-Frances Wain, Board President. Heidi Brown is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief at Brilliance by Brown, Inc., a media company for skin health. Prior to founding Brilliance by Brown, Ms. Brown was a seasoned C-Suite marketing executive, strategist, and communications editor in the technology sectorspecifically, data storage, networking, and enterprise software solutions. Her list of accomplishments includes the release of three enterprise software products for the financial services and business services sectors, and she helped successfully position a B2B media technology company for an acquisition sale in 2017. The launch of Brilliance by Brown in late 2019 was a response to the lack of skin wellness insights and minimal marketing of skin care products to women over the age of forty. Maria Antonieta Collins Flores is a Mexican journalist, television host and best-selling author. She is the winner of six Emmy Awards as well as the Peabody and Edward Murrow Award during her 43-year career as a journalist, of which more than 30 has been with Univision. As Univision News Principal Correspondent Ms. Collins has covered major world events, from the armed conflict in Central America, to the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York on September 11, 2001. She writes two weekly newspaper columns in the U.S. and Mexico and also hosts a national weekend syndicated radio show through FDP Radio and over seventy affiliated stations. As an author, her hallmark is her very real and transparent discussions about difficult topics, including her own personal struggles. Danielle Ezell is a partner at female-owned consulting company, Mettise, in Oklahoma City, OK. Ms. Ezell has owned several businesses, served on the executive team of a multi-national corporation and headed a non-profit. She spent the early part of her career focused on business-to-business marketing and public relations. After working for several companies, she founded an award-winning strategic communications consulting firm. In 2008 she agreed to lead the technology marketing team for Teleflora, a former consulting client. She was promoted at the online flower retailer and in 2011 was named Vice President of Administration. As a member of the executive team, she led the company's human resources functions, technology marketing and key enterprise-wide operations projects. Ms. Ezell is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources and has her Accreditation in Public Relations. Rochelle Weitzner is founder and CEO of Pause Well-Aging, a barrier-busting skincare brand that has provided effective solutions for women experiencing pain points associated with Menopause. In addition to changing the beauty language from "anti-aging" to Pause's trademarked "Well-Aging", women are now more comfortable sharing their menopause stories and breaking the overall taboo surrounding this life stage. Ms. Weitzner is a seasoned C-suite executive and beauty industry veteran. Prior to launching Pause, Rochelle was Chief Executive Officer of Erno Laszlo, directing a major reboot of the 90-year old luxury skincare brand by modernizing its product range and expanding its market. While heavily involved in all new product development, she successfully positioned the company for private equity sale in August 2016. Before joining the beauty industry, Ms. Weitzner led financial strategy for several $1+ billion subsidiaries of The International Paper Company. "We are delighted to welcome these incredible women to our Board of Directors," said Claire Gill, founder of the National Menopause Foundation. "We are dedicated to helping women navigate midlife and beyond armed with facts and supported by their peers. I believe we are starting to see some positive changes. New books, television series and movies are talking about and featuring women over 40 and many are mentioning menopause. But we need this moment to develop into a movement that brings about a positive change in how people perceive, understand and experience menopause." The National Menopause Foundation website www.nationalmenopausefoundation.org features information to educate, inspire and empower women as they approach and experience menopause. Its electronic newsletter, The Hot Flash, is shared quarterly and its podcast, "The Positive Pause," features interviews with a variety of experts and influencers sharing insights to help bring about positive changes in women's lives. About the National Menopause Foundation The National Menopause Foundation (NMF) was founded in 2019 by women and for women to bring about a positive change in how people perceive, understand and experience menopause. For more information, visit www.nationalmenopausefoundation.org. Contact: Claire Gill 917-327-7916 [email protected] SOURCE National Menopause Foundation AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Honorary Chair of the 2021 Governor's Volunteer Awards, announced recipients of the 38th annual Governor's Volunteer Awards. These awards presented with OneStar Foundation honor the exemplary service of individuals/organizations that have made a significant and measurable contribution through service and volunteering in the past year. Awardees were selected for engaging in volunteer service that effectively addresses a critical need, makes a sustained positive impact, and inspires others to get involved. Hannah Guan of San Antonio is recipient of the First Lady's Rising Star Volunteer Award, according to Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Honorary Chair of the 2021 Governor's Volunteer Awards. At age 11, Hannah founded San Antonio Math Include to offer greater access to STEM education. In four years, she has grown SaMi into an international network connecting more than 36,000 students to tutors, principals, counselors, teachers, and after-school programs in hundreds of schools across the world. Chuck and Gena Norris are recipients of the Governor's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award, according to Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Honorary Chair of the 2021 Governor's Volunteer Awards. Ten other Texans are also named as part of the 38th annual Governor's Volunteer Awards, presented with OneStar Foundation and honor the exemplary service of individuals/organizations that have made a significant and measurable contribution through service and volunteering in the past year. This year, the Governor's Volunteer Awards introduced three new categories to address the ever-evolving volunteer landscape: Innovation in Volunteerism, Excellence in Disaster Volunteering, and Volunteer Family of the Year. These award categories highlight resilience and adaptability needed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. "Texans truly are generous by nature," said Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott. "I am so inspired by the generosity and selfless dedication demonstrated by volunteers across this great state over this past year. Now more than ever, we need to embrace our communities. I am thrilled to recognize this year's 11 outstanding awardees for leading the way." "All of this year's awardees have exhibited an enduring commitment to service in even the most extraordinary circumstances," said Chris Bugbee, OneStar President and CEO. "They have persevered in spite of the pandemic and have risen to the challenge of meeting this year's exceptional community needs. We are grateful to these incredible awardees for making a difference in the lives of so many Texans." Awardees will be honored at an online awards ceremony hosted by Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott. Recipients are: Chuck & Gena Norris ( Navasota ): Governor's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award: Known as an actor and martial arts legend, Chuck Norris , alongside his wife Gena, has channeled his skills and celebrity into helping youth develop the mental and physical strength to deal with life's challenges. Cindy Brinker Simmons ( Dallas/Fort Worth ): Governor's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award: Simmons has devoted her life to uplifting pediatric cancer patients throughout Texas and supporting those battling illness, hopelessness, or isolation. Betty Ann Taylor ( Houston ): Governor's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award: For 24 years, Taylor has run the Year-Round Manna Ministry, a program of Chapelwood United Methodist Church that builds a bridge of hope for families in crisis in Houston . Hannah Guan ( San Antonio ): First Lady's Rising Star Volunteer Award: At age 11, Hannah Guan founded San Antonio Math Include to offer greater access to STEM education, serving more than 36,000 students around the world. Madan G. Luthra ( Houston ): Volunteer of the Year Award: Since COVID-19, Madan G. Luthra has volunteered more than 30 hours a week to support families in distress through Sewa International's Family Services program. Richard & Linda Zoll ( Houston ): Volunteer Family of the Year: The Zolls have served with SEARCH Homeless Services for over 20 years, from preparing and serving meals to essentially adopting one of the sites at which SEARCH's clients reside. Diamondback Energy, Inc. (Midland/Permian Basin): Corporate Volunteering Champion Award: Diamondback Energy, Inc. has channeled their support for local public schools, contributing about 430 hours of service and over $5.2 million dollars to the Permian Basin community since 2020. The Edinburg High School Chapter of the National Honor Society ( Edinburg ): Service-Learning Champion Award: EHS's National Honor Society was instrumental in setting up and preparing for drive-by distributions and handed out more than 10,000 free books to students whose families are financially challenged. Hookset Brothers Combat Recovery 501c3 ( Bullard ): Innovation in Volunteerism Award: Hookset Brothers Combat Recovery provides free hunting and fishing trips to aid veterans recovering from combat-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Somebody Cares America ( Houston ): Excellence in Disaster Volunteerism Award: During times of disaster, Somebody Cares America (SCA) mobilizes local churches and partner organizations to serve communities by providing financial and material resources along with training, manpower, leadership, and expertise. Nuria A. Diallo Padro ( San Antonio ): National Service "Make a Difference" Award: As an AmeriCorps member with Communities In Schools of San Antonio , Diallo Padro raised emergency funds to deliver grocery gift cards and partnered with the San Antonio Food Bank and the local school district to host a Mobile Food Pantry, providing food support to 450 families. Click here for information about the winners and the contributions they have made. About OneStar OneStar strengthens Texas communities by creating pathways for individuals and organizations to engage, connect and accelerate their impact. We advance service and volunteering as effective solutions to our state's toughest social challenges. We are recognized as a statewide voice for the Texas nonprofit sector and a respected partner to foundations, state agencies and the business community. Born from state government in 1974, we carry out our mission with direction and guidance from the Office of the Texas Governor. Learn more at onestarfoundation.org. For more information, call Joelle Polisky, 615-516-0358. SOURCE OneStar Foundation Related Links http://onestarfoundation.org "As the longest serving member in the history of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Kristine brings to Southern Company a wealth of experience advising energy policy at the federal and state levels," said Southern Company chairman, president and CEO Thomas A. Fanning. "Kristine's knowledge of and expertise in nuclear technologies will be invaluable as we pursue the full range of energy resources. Moreover, Kristine's insight into the energy challenges of tomorrow places Southern Company in a prime position to serve customers, communities, employees and stockholders well into the future. This addition to our board is another example of the prominence Southern Company places on corporate governance, risk oversight, board refreshment, transparency and diversity within our strategic goals." The Honorable Kristine Svinicki was appointed a member of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by three U.S. presidents, becoming that organization's longest-serving member. She was designated chairman of the NRC on January 23, 2017 and stepped down as chairman earlier this year after more than 30 years of public service. Before joining the NRC, Svinicki spent over a decade as a staff member in the U.S. Senate working on issues related to national security; science and technology; and energy and the environment. She also served as a professional staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee where she was responsible for the committee's portfolio of defense science and technology programs and policies, and for the atomic energy defense activities of the U.S. Department of Energy, including nuclear weapons, nuclear security and environmental programs. Previously, Svinicki worked as a nuclear engineer in the U.S. Department of Energy's Washington, D.C. Offices of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology, and of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, as well as its Idaho Operations Office, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Before that, she was an energy engineer with the State of Wisconsin at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission in Madison, Wisconsin. Born and raised in Michigan, Svinicki holds a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Michigan, where she currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences in the College of Engineering. She also sits on the board of TerraPower. She is a longstanding member of the American Nuclear Society and the Society has twice honored her with its Presidential Citation in recognition of her contributions to the nuclear energy policies of the United States. About Southern Company Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy company serving 9 million customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America, a leading distributed energy infrastructure company, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices below the national average. For more than a century, we have been building the future of energy and developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, advanced carbon capture technologies, natural gas, renewables, energy efficiency and storage technology. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation and a low-carbon future, Southern Company and its subsidiaries develop the customized energy solutions our customers and communities require to drive growth and prosperity. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and govern our business to the benefit of our world. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have been recognized nationally by the U.S. Department of Defense, G.I. Jobs magazine, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, Fortune's "World's Most Admired Companies" list, Forbes and the Women's Choice Award. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com. SOURCE Southern Company TEMPE, Ariz., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PROTEOR USA today announced the Freedom ShockWave, a new PDAC Verified vertical shock carbon fiber prosthetic foot with axial rotation. The Freedom ShockWave utilizes the industry-leading Freedom foot design with its propriety EnduraCore hybrid composite technology providing ideal durability, flexibility, and strength for high energy return, more natural motion, and less fatigue. The unique Spherical Shock Unit (SSU) provides vertical shock relief, axial rotation, and works in harmony with the existing Freedom Foot design providing K3/K4 patients with a shockingly smooth experience during every day and highly active routines for a more natural gait, increased energy return, reduced pain, and less fatigue. Introducing Freedom ShockWave Vertical Shock Foot Freedom ShockWave Vertical Shock Foot "Freedom ShockWave is improving clinical outcomes by allowing patients to live their lives to the fullest again. The vertical shock absorption reduces pain and fatigue so patients can wear their prosthesis longer each day. The axial torsion allows seamless rotation improving comfort, stability, and confidence," says Matt Swiggum, President and CEO at PROTEOR USA. "We are excited to offer patients another superior solution to help improve their lives. #HumanFirst." Key features and benefits of the Freedom ShockWave include: Ultimate shock absorption at heel strike reduces stress on the residual limb for a more natural gait. Axial rotation of +/- 15 reduces socket pressure and allows for quick pivoting in a seamless motion for ultimate stability and comfort on varied terrains. Full-length heel and keel initiates plantar flexion at heel strike for better ground compliance and maximized energy return. Split keel and heel delivers added motion improving stability, comfort, and confidence on various terrains. Bolt-less design eliminates dead spots and weak structural areas resulting in a lighter and more reliable foot. Freedom ShockWave received PDAC Verification for L5987 and L5984 CMS billing codes complementing PROTEOR USA's vertical shock portfolio offering. In addition to the Freedom ShockWave, the newly released fiberglass RUSH ROGUE 2 from PROTEOR USA also received PDAC Verification for the traditional foot module (L5987 + L5984), RUSH ROGUE 2 H2O water solution (L5987 + L5984), and RUSH ROGUE 2 EVAQ8 elevated vacuum system (L5987 + L5984 + L5781) offering a compendium of vertical shock solutions for K3/K4 patients. October 18, 2021, Freedom ShockWave will be available world-wide. About PROTEOR USA PROTEOR USA, a subsidiary of PROTEOR France, is comprised of three trusted brands that include PROTEOR France, RUSH Foot (previously Ability Dynamics), and Freedom Innovations who are in constant pursuit of innovation with the best possible outcomes in mind. Committed to developing the most comprehensive product portfolio in the Orthotic & Prosthetic industry by putting the #HumanFirst and delivering extensive and progressive product lines to include everything today's prosthetic wearer needs to LIVE THE LIFE THEY LOVE. Contact: Shannon Dwyer PROTEOR USA 949.383.9233 [email protected] SOURCE PROTEOR USA Related Links https://www.proteorusa.com/ NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Genpact (NYSE: G), a global professional services firm focused on delivering digital transformation, received an Honorable Mention at the PRWeek Purpose Awards, which recognized initiatives and innovations that use creative ideas to further positive causes and to acknowledge the organizations and individuals behind them. Genpact was recognized in the Best B2B category for its role in creating the US Rapid Action Consortium. Founded on the belief that the private sector must be a powerful force in fighting the pandemic, the Consortium has been focused on helping to accelerate the reopening of the US economy since its inception, helping businesses and organizations adopt cost-effective rapid COVID-19 testing practices to better enable employees to return to the workplace safely through proven testing frameworks. The US Rapid Action Consortium is offering learnings and approaches free of charge as a public good to organizations. PRWeek Purpose Awards celebrate agencies, brands, public-sector organizations, non-profits, and NGOs at a time when consumers and employees are insisting that the brands with which they engage, and the organizations for which they work, communicate what they believe in and stand up publicly for those values. Staying true to its purpose, "the relentless pursuit of a world that works better for people," Genpact is using its digital and process expertise in solving complex business challenges for global organizations to help US companies safely return their employees to on-site work environments. "As whatever is the new normal starts to emerge after 18 months of pandemic-induced lockdown, the focus on purposeful business assumes greater importance than at any time since we launched these awards in 2019," said Steve Barrett, vice president, editorial director of PRWeek US. "The winners of PRWeek's third annual Purpose Awards are blazing a trail for others to follow and seek to emulate." "As the world manages through the ongoing impact of COVID-19, the ability for businesses to act quickly and decisively on employee wellness and workplace safety has never been more critical," said Stacy Simpson, chief marketing officer and global leader of corporate responsibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion, Genpact, and founder and co-chair, U.S. Rapid Action Consortium. "The Consortium was born out of a need for the private sector to come together to collectively learn, innovate, and iterate to create proven testing frameworks and access to critical resources that allow all employers to play a role in enabling wellness across their workforces and communities." Genpact, in partnership with the Creative Destruction Lab Rapid Screening Consortium (CDL RSC), and COVID Collaborative, formed the Consortium to create a COVID-19 rapid action testing system that better enables US businesses to create safer workplaces. The US Rapid Action Consortium is an expansion of the successful CDL RSC work done in Canada, of which Genpact is a founding member. Since their inception, the US Rapid Action Consortium and CDL RSC have administered more than 630,000 tests across more than 900 locations. Across locations, the rapid testing program has detected over 500 asymptomatic individuals, preventing more than 22,000 secondary infections from occurring. Companies interested in learning more about getting involved with the US Rapid Action Consortium may visit its website here. PRWeek is a leading publication for the public relations and communications industry. It has been published in the United States since 1998. For more information about the 2021 PRWeek Purpose Awards, visit their website here. About Genpact Genpact (NYSE: G) is a global professional services firm that makes business transformation real. Led by our purpose the relentless pursuit of a world that works better for people we drive digital-led innovation and digitally enabled intelligent operations for our clients. Guided by our experience reinventing and running thousands of processes for hundreds of clients, many of them Global Fortune 500 companies, we drive real-world transformation at scale. We think with design, dream in digital, and solve problems with data and analytics. Combining our expertise in end-to-end operations and our AI-based platform, Genpact Cora, we focus on the details all 90,000+ of us. From New York to New Delhi, and more than 30 countries in between, we connect every dot, reimagine every process, and reinvent the ways companies work. We know that reimagining each step from start to finish creates better business outcomes. Whatever it is, we'll be there with you accelerating digital transformation to create bold, lasting results because transformation happens here. Get to know us at Genpact.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. About the COVID Collaborative COVID Collaborative, a project of UNITE, is a national assembly of experts, leaders and institutions in health, education and the economy and associations representing the diversity of the country to turn the tide on the pandemic by supporting federal, state and local COVID-19 response efforts. The COVID Collaborative is co-chaired by former Governor and U.S. Senator Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID) and former Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA) and led by CEO John Bridgeland. COVID Collaborative includes expertise from across Republican and Democratic administrations at the federal, state and local levels, including former FDA commissioners, CDC directors, and U.S. surgeon generals; former U.S. secretaries of Education, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services; leading public health experts and institutions that span the country; the Business Roundtable, National Association of Manufacturers and U.S. Chamber of Commerce; the NAACP, UnidosUS and the National Congress of American Indians; the Skoll Foundation, The Allstate Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation; and associations representing those on the front lines, from the American Public Health Association and Association of State and Territorial Health Officials to the Council of Chief State School Officers and the Council of the Great City Schools. Tim Shriver is Chairman of UNITE. To learn more, visit www.CovidCollaborative.us, and follow the COVID Collaborative on Twitter and LinkedIn. About the CDL Rapid Screening Consortium The CDL Rapid Screening Consortium (CDL RSC) is a private-led, not-for-profit initiative formed in August 2020 with the goal of establishing a robust rapid screening system and operational implementation strategy to be delivered as a public good to Canada and then the world. The Consortium is led by Creative Destruction Lab. This is an unprecedented collaboration among businesses, researchers, and government working together on a singular public-interest objective. Learn more about CDL RSC at https://www.cdlrapidscreeningconsortium.com MEDIA CONTACTS: Michael Schneider Genpact Media Relations Global +1 (217) 260-5041 [email protected] Danielle D'Angelo Genpact Media Relations Americas +1 914-336-7951 [email protected] Siya Belliappa Genpact Media Relations India +91 9823133365 [email protected] Anthony Mcdade Genpact Media Relations Australia +61 412 091 010 [email protected] Judith Schunke Genpact Media Relations Europe +447887661155 [email protected] Satoko Hashiba Genpact Media Relations Japan +81 80 4944 3907 [email protected] SOURCE Genpact Related Links http://www.genpact.com DUBLIN, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Baby Safety Gate and Bedrail Market Outlook" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The market is expected to touch a value of USD 1088.61 Million by 2026 Baby gates are installed in the house to block the doorways, stair tops, and outdoor space. This can be generally customized depending upon the baby's age and the location of installation. The growing demand for a secure and safer home environment has increased the demand for baby gates. On the other hand, the bed rails are the product used to safeguard the baby from falling off the bed. The rising concerns and the awareness about child safety products are driving the market. The leading manufacturers are now offering a wide range of baby safety owing to the increase in the demand for the personalized product. The increased penetration of such safety equipment in nurseries and daycare centers has also influenced the parents' mindset to a great extent. Globally, the market is led by North America which in 2020 held a share of 30%. The rising disposable income in the growing middle-class population especially in the developing economies is also a major factor amplifying the adoption of these baby safety products, thereby expected to supplement the market growth in the next five years. The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow with an anticipated CAGR of 6.79%, considerably the highest in the market. The growing childbirth rate, rising awareness, and the increased spending towards child safety necessities have boosted the market in the region. The rapid urbanization of developing economies like China, India, Brazil, Mexico, etc is also a key factor for the market growth in the coming period. The market is dominated by the specialty store segment, which in 2015 held more than 50% of the market share. The companies have understood the incline of parents towards the online sales channel and thus have started focusing on their appealing online presence. Companies have started offering highly customized solutions to meet the demand from varied customers. Through the forecasted period, the market is expected to have an online sales channel to be the fastest-growing sales segment, which is to register a CAGR of 7.63%. Also, the increasing number of fatal injuries among babies and toddlers due to falling from stairs or beds is tempting the parents to adopt baby safety devices. Various governments have stated various regulations in regards to the installation of the safety gates. ASPECTS COVERED IN THE REPORT Market Size by Value for the period (2015-2026F) Market Share by Sales Channel (Specialty Stores, Super/Hyper Market, & Online) Market Share by Region Market Share by Country Market Share by Company Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Report Methodology 3. Market Structure 3.1. Market Considered 3.2. Market Definitions 4. Global Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market Outlook 4.1. Market Size by Value 4.2. Market Share 4.2.1. By Sales Channel 4.2.2. By Region 4.2.3. By Country 4.2.4. By Company 5. North America Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market Outlook 5.1. Market Size by Value 5.2. Market Share 5.2.1. By Sales Channel 5.2.2. By Country 5.3. US Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market 5.4. Canada Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market 5.5. Mexico Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market 6. Europe Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market Outlook 7. Asia Pacific Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market Outlook 8. Latin America Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market Outlook 8.1. Market Size by Value 8.2. Market Share 8.2.1. By Sales Channel 8.2.2. By Country 8.3. Brazil Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market Market 8.4. Argentina Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market 8.5. Columbia Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market 9. Middle East & Africa Baby Safety Gate & Bed Rail Market Outlook 10. Market Dynamics 10.1. Key Drivers 10.2. Key Challenges 11. Market Trends and Developments 12. Company Profiles 12.1. Artsana Group 12.2. Goodbaby International Holdings Ltd. 12.3. Cardinal Gates, Inc. 12.4. Dorel Industries 12.5. Summer Infant (USA), Inc. 12.6. Evenflo 12.7. Regalo Baby 12.8. Munchkin, Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/allard 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, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Defense Training & Simulation Market Growth Opportunities to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The base year for this report is 2020, and the forecast period is from 2021 to 2029 The report explores the changing trends in the defense training and simulation market as affected by the changing geopolitical landscape, economic turbulence, and developments in military doctrine. The report covers these changes at a macro global level. Specific regional and country changes are not reflected. A key component of the report is the investigation of technological developments (like cross reality, haptic feedback, and commercial game engine technologies) that will have an impact on the training and simulation market and affect future capabilities. The training and simulation market will continue to grow and evolve as governments move away from a reliance on live training towards greater adoption of virtual and constructive systems. The training and simulation market has been resilient in the face of the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the need for social distancing led to a decline in the demand for live training sessions, it also led to an increase in the adoption of virtual solutions. The training and simulation market continues to be an enthusiastic adopter of commercial off-the-shelf technologies as the commercial industry has developed technologies faster and at more affordable costs than the defense industry. This has led to the entry of several non-traditional companies into this market. Microsoft, for instance, is providing Hololens, a virtual reality headset system, for the United States Army's training needs. There is also a greater adoption of commercial gaming technologies in military training sessions. Future expectations covered in the report include the prioritization of rapid prototyping and development cycles with upgrades through software packages to reduce the overhead costs of upgrading physical training systems. Another trend observed is the gradual adoption of live, virtual, and constructive (LVC) blended architectures and strategies, with a strong focus on the upgrade and integration of legacy training systems. The United States will continue to be the main innovator in the adoption and direction of new training doctrines, with other NATO countries and allies following suit. With global tensions on high and the nature of warfare shifting towards a hybrid model, training and simulation requirements are also shifting, with a reprioritization of capability development. This can lead to a greater focus on cyber and electromagnetic activities (CEMA) as Western countries fall behind the capabilities of Russia and China that are both very active in the CEMA domain. This will require training and simulation systems to include these capabilities in order to keep pace with developments within military organizations. Key Topics Covered: 1. Strategic Imperatives Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow? The Strategic Imperative The Impact of the Top Three Strategic Imperatives on the Training and Simulation Market Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine 2. Growth Dynamics Market Overview Trends Impacting Demand Restraints Impacting Demand 3. Research Scope and Methodology Research Scope Segmentation Research Objectives and Questions 4. General Market Trends Geopolitical Analysis Global Conflict Threat Map - Overview Global Conflict Threat Analysis General Trends in the Training & Simulation Market COVID-19 Impact on Defense COVID-19 Impact on Defense Spending Current and Future Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Defense Training Post-COVID-19 Simulation in Defense Training Opportunities 5. Growth Opportunities Analysis Growth Drivers for Training & Simulation Market Growth Driver Analysis for Training & Simulation Market Growth Restraints for Training & Simulation Market Growth Restraint Analysis for Training & Simulation Market 6. Training & Simulation Concept Evolution Evolving Training & Simulation Concepts Current Training & Simulation Concepts Future Concepts of Training & Simulation Training & Simulation Concepts Summary 7. Technology Technology Analysis State of Digitalization - Objectives Strategic Conclusions - Global 8. Growth Opportunities Growth Opportunity 1: Early Involvement in LVC Strategies Growth Opportunity 2: The Use of Non-traditional COTS Growth Opportunity 3: Adaption of Commercial Game Engines Growth Opportunity 4: Virtual and Augmented Reality Applications Strategic Imperatives for Success and Growth 9. The Last Word 3 Big Predictions Companies Mentioned Microsoft For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1owanw 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 The Singapore Energy Summit will focus on pertinent themes from across the energy sector on: advancing the energy transition, decarbonisation through green growth, energy innovation and regional interconnectivity. New for SIEW 2021 is the inaugural Singapore-International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) High-Level Forum which will profile over 25 energy ministers and leaders on "Investing in an Inclusive and Just Energy Transition". The Energy Market Authority will also host the Asia Pacific Energy Regulatory Forum, a biennial platform where energy regulators from 13 Asia Pacific countries will discuss key regulatory issues and share knowledge and best practices. Other major events at SIEW include the Singapore-International Energy Agency (IEA) Forum that will showcase the Southeast Asia launch of the IEA World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2021, providing a comprehensive view of how the global energy system could develop in the coming decade. SIEW Energy Insights will highlight industry perspectives from A*STAR, Singapore Battery Consortium, Senoko, SP Group and energy start-ups from the Shell StartUp Engine. The energy ministers, policy makers and experts speaking at SIEW 2021 include: Government: Gan Kim Yong , Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore , Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr Tan See Leng , Minister for Manpower & Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore , Minister for Manpower & Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Low Yen Ling , Minister of State, Ministry for Trade and Industry & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Singapore , Minister of State, Ministry for Trade and Industry & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi , Secretary-General of ASEAN , Secretary-General of ASEAN The Hon. Angus Taylor MP, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Australia The Hon. Lily D' Ambrosio MP, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes, Victoria Australia The Hon. Bill Johnston MLA, Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Energy; Corrective Services, Western Australia YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein, Minister of Energy, Brunei Darussalam H.E. Dr Ith Praing , Secretary of State, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Kingdom of Cambodia , Secretary of State, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Kingdom of H.E. Arifin Tasrif, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Republic of Indonesia H.E. Dr Sinava Souphanouvong, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines, Lao People's Democratic Republic H.E. Takiyuddin bin Hassan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Malaysia The Hon. Dr Megan Woods , Minister of Energy and Resources, New Zealand , Minister of Energy and Resources, H.E. Alfonso G. Cusi , Secretary of the Department of Energy, Republic of the Philippines , Secretary of the Department of Energy, Republic of H.E. Micha Kurtyka, Minister of Climate and Environment, Republic of Poland H.E. Dr Joao Galamba de Azevedo Galamba , Deputy Minister and Secretary of State for Energy, Portuguese Republic , Deputy Minister and Secretary of State for Energy, Portuguese Republic The Rt. Hon. Kwasi Kwarteng , Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy, United Kingdom , Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy, H.E. Rocio Nahle Garcia , Secretary of Energy, United Mexican States , Secretary of Energy, United Mexican States H.E. Nguyen Hong Dien , Minister of Industry and Trade, Socialist Republic of Vietnam , Minister of Industry and Trade, Socialist Republic of Dr Shamma Al Malek , Strategic Affairs Executive Director, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy , Strategic Affairs Executive Director, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy Eric Pang , Director, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China , Director, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Thorsten Herdan , Director-General, Energy, Federal Republic of Germany , Director-General, Energy, Federal Republic of Rida Mulyana , Director-General for Electricity, Republic of Indonesia , Director-General for Electricity, Republic of Dadan Kusdiana, Director-General for New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, Republic of Indonesia Pradeep Pujari , Chairperson, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, India , Chairperson, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, Prof Kang Seung-Jin , Chairman, Electricity Regulatory Commission, Republic of Korea , Chairman, Electricity Regulatory Commission, Republic of Korea Richard Steffens , Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia , International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce International Organisations: Prof Tatsuya Terazawa , Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) , Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Institute of Energy Economics, (IEEJ) Mary Burce Warlick , Deputy Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA) , Deputy Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA) Joseph McMonigle , Secretary General, International Energy Forum (IEF) , Secretary General, International Energy Forum (IEF) Francesco La Camera , Director General, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) , Director General, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) H.E. Damilola Ogunbiyi , Chief Executive Officer, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Co-Chair of UN Energy, Sustainable Energy for All (SEForALL) , Chief Executive Officer, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Co-Chair of UN Energy, Sustainable Energy for All (SEForALL) H.E. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Pacific (UNESCAP) H.E. Patricia Espinosa , Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) , Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Manuela Ferro , Vice President for East Asia and Pacific, World Bank Group Industry: Audra Low , Chief Executive Officer, Clifford Capital , Chief Executive Officer, Esther An , Chief Sustainability Officer, City Developments Limited (CDL) , Chief Sustainability Officer, City Developments Limited (CDL) Tan Su Shan , Managing Director, Group Head of Institutional Banking, DBS Bank , Managing Director, Group Head of Institutional Banking, DBS Bank Thomas Baudlot, CEO Energy Solutions APAC and Country Head South East Asia, ENGIE South East Asia Lei Zhang, Chief Executive Officer, Envision Group Joe Blommaert , President, Low Carbon Solutions, ExxonMobil , President, Low Carbon Solutions, ExxonMobil Seth Tan , Executive Director, Infrastructure Asia , Executive Director, Infrastructure Asia Cindy Lim , Chief Executive Officer, Keppel Infrastructure , Chief Executive Officer, Chris Ong , Chief Executive Officer, Keppel Offshore & Marine , Chief Executive Officer, & Marine Yoshiyuki Hanasawa, Executive Vice President, Chief Regional Officer for Asia Pacific and India at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific and at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific Kazuhisa Yano , Executive Chairman, Chief Asia Representative, Osaka Gas Singapore , Executive Chairman, Chief Asia Representative, Osaka Gas Singapore Alan Heng , Interim Group Chief Executive Officer, Pavilion Energy , Interim Group Chief Executive Officer, Pavilion Energy Sumant Sinha , Chairman and Managing Director, Renew Power , Chairman and Managing Director, Renew Power Datu Haji Sharbini Suhaili, Group CEO, Sarawak Energy Philippe Delorme , Executive Vice President, Energy Management, Schneider Electric , Executive Vice President, Energy Management, Schneider Electric Wong Kim Yin , Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Sembcorp Industries , Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Sembcorp Industries Akihiro Fukuda , Chairman, Senoko Energy , Chairman, Senoko Energy Aw Kah Peng , Chairman, Shell Companies in Singapore , Chairman, Shell Companies in Luca Tonello , Managing Director, Structured Finance Department, Asia Pacific , Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) , Managing Director, Structured Finance Department, , Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) Jimmy Khoo , Chief Executive Officer, SP PowerGrid Limited , Chief Executive Officer, SP PowerGrid Limited Zhang Zhigang , President, Member of the Board, State Grid Corporation of China , President, Member of the Board, State Grid Corporation of Martin Houston , Vice Chairman, Tellurian , Vice Chairman, Tellurian Frank Phuan, CEO and Executive Director, Sunseap Group Eric Lim , Chief Sustainability Officer, United Overseas Bank (UOB) SIEW 2021 will be held from 25 29 October and will run in a hybrid format at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, with both onsite and online elements. Register to attend the 14th SIEW at www.siew.gov.sg. About SIEW The Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) is an annual platform for energy professionals, policymakers and commentators to discuss and share best practices and solutions within the global energy space. SIEW 2021 will be held from the 25-29 October at Marina Bay Sands. About the Energy Market Authority The Energy Market Authority (EMA) is a statutory board under the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry. Through its work, EMA seeks to forge a progressive energy landscape for sustained growth. It aims to ensure a reliable and secure energy supply, promote effective competition in the energy market and develop a dynamic energy sector in Singapore. Visit www.ema.gov.sg for more information. SOURCE Energy Market Authority Related Links www.ema.gov.sg DUBLIN, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "World's 4 Leading Light Fighter Jet Aircraft Programs - 2021-2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global defense spending reached the $1.98 trillion level for 2020 growing by over 2.6% year on year for 2020 & 3% for 2019 echoing the Cold war-era trend The report categorizes the aircraft programs into Light jets based on their Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of less than 15,000 kg. and compares them accordingly. This is the one of the rare reports providing a comprehensive, Comparative SWOT analysis on World's leading Light Fighter Jet Aircrafts among each other at the program level backed by deep domain competence & acumen Global Defense Spending has been on a major upswing led by the resurgence of great power competition among leading geopolitical powers and spearheaded by R&D-led technological evolution. The transition of traditional world order towards multi-polarity, marked by the resurgence of great power competition and escalating geopolitical tensions, has effectively heralded a renaissance for the Global Aerospace & Defense industry over the recent years with defense spending clearly on the surge & upswing. The rapid build-up of military capabilities by China and resurgence of Russia on the world horizon have effectively spiraled up defense spending across most regions & parts of the world. Fighter jets have remained a traditional & core pivot of the fighting capabilities of Air Forces globally with their significant role & capabilities for conducting aerial combat, interdiction, penetration of enemy air defenses, ground attack and air dominance/superiority missions & roles. The surge in global defense spending over the recent years has driven a rapid recapitalization of legacy fighter jet aircraft programs as a key priority with the initiation of a bevy of next generation aircraft programs across most parts of the globe for build-up of capacity & military capabilities. The replacement of global in-service fleet of legacy F-18 Hornet program is being pursued actively across parts of Europe and North America along with upgrade & modernization of the sizeable, older F-16 fleet & variants globally. Around 250+ in-service Tornado combat jets are also due for replacement with decisions likely over near term. Other parts of the world, too, are accelerating & scrambling for the retirement & replacement of their Cold-war era, Soviet-origin legacy fighter jet aircraft programs with latest & next generation capabilities through fast tracked procurement of in-production aircrafts supplemented by scratch-up, domestic aircraft development programs. India, for instance, operates a fleet of 100+ MiG-21s while seeking replacements for them & other aircrafts under its MMRCA 2.0 program and supplementing the deficit with the procurement of the home grown Tejas Light Combat Aircraft program In term of capabilities, 5th generation aircraft programs are already proving to be favorites to replace the 4/4.5 generation aircrafts with the Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet program spearheading the charge & the generational shift. The 6th generation aircraft programs are also on the anvil geared towards the future with their potential EIS slated for late 2030s. Continental Europe is committing itself to the development of two such programs, namely, the Franco-German-Spanish consortium led FCAS program and the Tempest program being spearheaded by the triad of Great Britain-Italy-Sweden. In the U.S., the NGAD program collectively represents the efforts being made towards the development of 6th generation combat aircraft to be powered by the upcoming Adaptive Cycle Engine (ACE) program Against this backdrop, the report provides a detailed, comprehensive analysis on the World's 4 Leading Light Fighter Jet Aircraft Programs, including Detailed Program Factsheets, including, Technical Specifications, Production Numbers, Variants & Key Global Operators Overarching Strategy Focus across OEMs for the Programs Comprehensive Comparative SWOT Analysis with Direct, Competing Aircraft Programs of Commensurate Size & Class Latest Contract Awards, Upcoming Aircraft Competitions & Developments for the Programs Upgrade Horizon, Projected Developments & Outlook for the Programs Key Topics Covered: Section - 1 World's 4 Leading Light Fighter Jet Aircraft Programs - Program Origins, Profile, Snapshot & Fact Files 1. Saab JAS 39 E/F Gripen 2. Chengdu's J-10 3. CAC/PAC JF-17 4. HAL Tejas Mk I/II Coverage Program Origins Primary Role Technical Specifications Variants Developed Program Timelines Units Produced Current Program Status, Upgrade Horizon, Projected Developments & Outlook for the Programs Key Operators, Program Partners & Export Customers Section - 2 World's 4 Leading Light Fighter Jet Aircraft Programs - Specifications, Armaments, Performance & Comparative Overview 1. Saab JAS 39 E/F Gripen 2. Chengdu's J-10 3. CAC/PAC JF-17 4. HAL Tejas Mk I/II Section - 3 SWOT Analysis - For the World's 4 Leading Light Combat Aircraft Programs 1. Saab JAS 39 E/F Gripen 2. Chengdu's J-10 3. CAC/PAC JF-17 4. HAL Tejas Mk I/II Section - 4 Programs Evolution, Progression & Current Strategy Focus across respective OEMs 1. Saab JAS 39 E/F Gripen 2. Chengdu's J-10 3. CAC/PAC JF-17 4. HAL Tejas Mk I/II Section - 5 Comparative Analysis of Strengths 1. Saab JAS 39 E/F Gripen 2. Chengdu's J-10 3. CAC/PAC JF-17 4. HAL Tejas Mk I/II Section - 6 Comparative Analysis of Weaknesses 1. Saab JAS 39 E/F Gripen 2. Chengdu's J-10 3. CAC/PAC JF-17 4. HAL Tejas Mk I/II Section - 7 Key Strategic Initiatives, Upgrades Horizon, Projected Developments & Outlook for the Programs - Key Contract Awards, Competitions and Technological Upgrade Plans Section - 8 Global Fighter Jet Aircraft Market - Force Field Analysis - Analysis of Driving & Restraining Forces and their Overall Dynamics Driving Forces Restraining Forces Section - 9 Key Trends, Issues & Challenges and Growth Opportunities Section - 10 Market Outlook & Scenario for Fighter Jet Aircraft Programs over Medium Term Analysis of Emerging Market Scenario for Fighter Jet Aircrafts Global Demand Outlook for Fighter Jet Aircrafts - Projections Global Defense Budgetary Trend Defense Spending Levels across Key Markets - Top 5 Nations Key Upcoming Fighter Jet Aircraft Programs & Competitions Emerging & Game changing Technologies and Sixth Generation Aircraft Programs - Round Up Market Outlook For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xazzu 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 - Global coalition of more than 90 wind energy companies and associations releases COP26 Manifesto calling on governments to take eight concrete steps to get to net zero. - Annual wind installations need to scale up by four times current levels to reach net zero by 2050; current projections will provide less than half what is needed. - Signatories include largest companies in the sector including Vestas, Siemens-Gamesa, Goldwind, Mingyang, Nordex-Acciona, Iberdrola, ENEL, SSE, Orsted, EDP Renovables, Equinor, Mainstream Renewable Power, Green Investment Group and DNV, as well as industry associations from Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America and Africa, including China, USA, India and the UK. - The world needs decisive action to combat the climate emergency. The wind industry has the tools available to achieve ambitious targets like a fourfold increase in the amount of wind energy deployed globally - this manifesto asks governments to help the wind industry get there. LONDON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The wind energy sector has released a manifesto at the BNEF London summit calling on governments to "get serious" about the energy transition and work with the private sector to rapidly scale up wind and renewable energy installations. Wind energy is one of the fastest growing energy sources in the world, with a record 93GW of installations in 2020. However, current growth rates are falling behind a net zero trajectory and will only put us on-track for 43% of the wind capacity required by 2050, according to leading international energy institutions IRENA and the IEA. To get on-track, annual wind energy installations worldwide must quadruple within the next decade. More than 90 of the world's leading wind energy companies, led by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), including manufacturers, supply chain actors, investors and industry bodies from around the world have united to support this Manifesto. The eight actions being called for include: Increase wind power ambition and reflect this in updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), comprehensive national climate strategies and long-term energy plans. Commit to rapid phase out of coal-based generation now. Design and implement energy markets for the future. Implement streamlined and sensible permitting schemes for renewable energy projects to accelerate deployment and minimise project attrition. Initiate plans to rapidly build out clean energy grids and charging stations for electric vehicles. Develop cohesive and inclusive policies which dedicate public resource to the people-centred shift to a net zero economy. Align national and regional finance flows with benchmarks for a net zero, 1.5C-compliant pathway. Advance voluntary cooperation on carbon pricing under articles 6.2 and 6.4 of the Paris agreement. The renewables industry is already delivering decarbonisation of the global power sector. Wind power helps the world avoid 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions annually and already provides more than 1.2 millions jobs around the world, while transforming economies and communities for good. But the industry requires supportive policy frameworks to grow more rapidly. The Manifesto urges governments to work with industry to enact a shift in energy and economic policymaking to a "climate emergency" approach. Ben Backwell, GWEC CEO, commented: "Governments must respond decisively to the current climate emergency to ensure a viable future for current and future generations. Achieving a rapid transition from fossil fuels is a key part of the solution. "This Manifesto sets out the meaningful actions that governments need to carry out to realise the energy transition. Governments need to aim higher and deeper updating their NDCs to drive real change, cutting red tape and streamline permitting proceedures, and supporting vital investments in infrastructure. The recent volatility in global energy markets shows the importance of moving decisively to phase out of coal and other fossil fuel based generation and create energy markets which are fit for purpose for a clean and sustainable future." Rebecca Williams, Director of COP26 at GWEC, commented: "We already have the tools and the technology we need to tackle climate change. What we don't have yet is the unprecedented political will we need to make this happen. "Our Manifesto sets out eight clear actions policymakers and governments must take to seize the vast economic, environmental and social opportunities that wind energy provides, helping meet NDCs and achieve sustainable growth. World leaders gathering in Glasgow next month have a chance to get serious about driving the new era of renewable energy, not stifling it." About GWEC GWEC is a member-based organization that represents the entire wind energy sector. The members of GWEC represent over 1,500 companies, organizations and institutions in more than 80 countries, including manufacturers, developers, component suppliers, research institutes, national wind and renewables associations, electricity providers, finance and insurance companies. More: https://gwec.net/ . GWEC has established the Global Wind Energy Coalition for COP26. It is a multi-stakeholder group of leading wind power company and associations from across the globe committed to ramping up wind power capacity to limit the dangerous impacts of climate change. More: https://windareyouin.com/ Download the COP26 Manifesto in full here: http://gwec.net/cop26-manifesto/ Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1661794/GWEC_Logo.jpg SOURCE Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) Going to college is a rite of passage for most young adults. It marks a time of transition into adulthood, gaining independence, developing friendships and learning important life skills. However, the opportunity to experience college can be non-existent for many, especially for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) and other learning challenges. "GCU is the right fit for the L.O.P.E.S. Academy. Our daughter Emma, who has special needs, has the same aspirations as any other young adult and wants to feel part of a college community," said Don Cardon of Cardon Development Group, who along with his wife Kim are providing the financial support necessary for the creation of the program. "We have great admiration for President Mueller, Mr. Colangelo and the University, as they share a mutual passion for faith-based innovation and are creating a safe learning environment where Emma's talents won't be limited." Each course in the L.O.P.E.S. Academy program is seven weeks, with participants taking two courses per 15-week semester (fall and spring). Each class meets twice a week for one hour. Specifically designed by GCU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences, classes will include guest speakers and workshops that focus on finding personal purpose through academic, social and job skills development for successful, independent living. Participants will also gain the GCU college experience outside the classroom by diving deeper into social activities based on their individual interests and skills, including Chapel events, clubs, sporting events or just grabbing lunch with friends. "Grand Canyon University is committed to making educational opportunities accessible to everyone," said GCU President Brian Mueller. "The L.O.P.E.S. Academy will be successful because of our community culture on campus that embraces all students. It's filled with Christ's presence where students organically accept and support one another. They're going to bring an element of solutions to the program as it grows in a society that often puts limits on students with IDDs." Each L.O.P.E.S. Academy participant will be teamed up with a L.O.P.E.S. Buddy a GCU student mentor who will share in the participant's university experience through lunch on campus, club meetings, sporting events, Chapel, CityServe volunteer opportunities, university events and other social activities. L.O.P.E.S. Buddies will commit to the L.O.P.E.S. Academy participant for the two-year program. "This investment reflects our gratitude in God's kindness to our family, as well as our specific desire to support and lift up Emma's personal visions for her life, as well as many others into the future. To us, this is an investment into the gospel, as the University assists both the young and old how to integrate God's calling into your life in practical ways," said Don Cardon. About Grand Canyon University: Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers 270 academic programs, emphases and certificates for both traditional undergraduate students and working professionals. The University's curriculum emphasizes interaction with classmates, both in-person and online, and individual attention from instructors while fusing academic rigor with Christian values to help students find their purpose and become skilled, caring professionals. For more information, visit gcu.edu. About Cardon Development Group: Cardon Development Group specializes in imaginative partnerships that enable local enrichment through transformative, highly energized real estate developments. Founded in 2002, the firm deploys an innovative approach to forging public-private partnerships, uniting the creativity of the private sector with the resources of public enterprise to bring seemingly impossible projects to life. For more information, visit cardondevelopment.com SOURCE Grand Canyon University Related Links http://gcu.edu GREENVILLE, S.C., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GrandSouth Bancorporation (GRRB:OTCQX) (the "Company" or "GrandSouth"), the holding company for GrandSouth Bank announced today that net income for the third quarter of 2021 was $3.8 million. The Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.10 per common share ($0.105 per Series A preferred share) payable on November 19, 2021 to shareholders of record on November 5, 2021. Third Quarter 2021 Highlights For and during the quarter ended September 30, 2021: Net Income was $3.8 million , an increase of $1.9 million , or 103.07%, from the same quarter in 2020. , an increase of , or 103.07%, from the same quarter in 2020. Basic and diluted earnings per share were $0.71 and $0.68 , respectively. and , respectively. The annualized returns on average assets and average equity were 1.29% and 16.52%, respectively. Total assets increased $39.2 million , or 3.37%, to $1.2 billion . , or 3.37%, to . Gross loans increased $28.1 million , or an annualized rate of 12.25%, to $937.1 million . , or an annualized rate of 12.25%, to . Total deposits increased $35.4 million , or an annualized rate of 13.80%, to $1.1 billion . , or an annualized rate of 13.80%, to . Cost of funds decreased by 33 basis points, or 42.31%, from the same quarter in 2020. Of gross loans excluding specialty floor plan and purchased student loans ("Core Bank loans"), 0.03% were 30 days past due as of September 30 , 2021. The annualized net charge off ratio for the quarter was 0.04%. , 2021. The annualized net charge off ratio for the quarter was 0.04%. The efficiency ratio was 58.81%, increasing slightly from 57.44% in the prior quarter and improving from 68.29 % in the same quarter in 2020. To view the full report, visit https://www.otcmarkets.com/otcapi/company/financial-report/306996/content About GrandSouth Bancorporation GrandSouth Bancorporation is a bank holding company with assets of $1.2 billion at September 30, 2021. GrandSouth Bank provides a range of financial services to individuals and small and medium sized businesses. GrandSouth Bank has eight branches in South Carolina, located in Greenville, Fountain Inn, Anderson, Greer, Columbia, Orangeburg and Charleston. www.grandsouth.com SOURCE GrandSouth Bancorporation CHICAGO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Greystar, a global leader in the investment, development, and management of high-quality rental housing properties, today announced that it is breaking ground on its first high-rise development project in downtown Chicago at 166 N. Aberdeen St. The new building will include 223 apartments in studio, convertible, 1BR, 2BR and 3BR floorplans. "We're excited to break ground on Greystar's first development in Chicago," Yale Dieckmann, Managing Director of Development, said. "Fulton Market is the most dynamic neighborhood in the city, and we look forward to complementing the area's substantial office development with high-quality housing. The location is ideal for people who want a walkable neighborhood with access to the best live/work/play amenities in the city." "What's good about this development is that it's good for the city. In addition to investment in Fulton Market, we're going to get affordable housing in West Garfield Park," Alderman Walter Burnett said. "It's a win for the west side and a win for the city." "This neighborhood represents the future of Chicago," Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar said. "To have Greystar, the largest apartment developer in the nation, building their first development in downtown Chicago shows that Greystar is long on the city's future and long on urban development." Greystar is working with architect, planning and design firm SCB to bring to life a building that includes a nod to the past while also looking to the future with a metal articulated tower about the historic warehouse-like masonry base. Greystar and SCB are utilizing sustainable techniques and plan on seeking Green Globe Certification. The high-rise will also feature a third-floor amenity level with a 5,650 SF outdoor deck that includes a pool, lawn and lounge areas that have direct access to the co-working and fitness areas. A signature outdoor lounge on the 14th floor faces downtown Chicago and delivers spectacular views of the famous Chicago skyline. The building will feature ground-floor retail adjacent to the tower entry. Delivery of first units is planned for January 2023 with construction completion in March 2023. About Greystar Greystar is a leading, fully integrated real estate company offering expertise in investment management, development, and management of rental housing properties globally. Headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, Greystar manages and operates over an estimated $220 billion of real estate in more than 200 markets globally including offices throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, South America, and the Asia-Pacific region. Greystar is the largest operator of apartments in the United States, managing more than 748,000 units/beds, and has a robust institutional investment management platform with approximately $45.1 billion of assets under management, including over $21.3 billion of assets under development. Greystar was founded by Bob Faith in 1993 with the intent to become a provider of world-class service in the rental residential real estate business. To learn more, visit www.greystar.com. Media Contact: Todd Usher Public Relations Manager [email protected] SOURCE Greystar Related Links http://www.greystar.com In June 2021, Huawei and Informa Tech jointly proposed the Network Carbon Intensity (NCI) initiative, in which carbon emissions per bit of data is defined as a new metric for green networks. Huawei emphasized that people's pursuit of better lives must be balanced with the need for lower carbon emissions, so the company proposed this initiative to better manage and measure carbon reduction roadmaps. During this summit, Huawei stressed the need to establish a platform for industry collaboration on green development and said that BWS is a good example. This platform will regularly bring together industry partners and operators to share innovative technologies and latest practices in how to cut carbon emissions and contribute to a greener ICT industry. According to Cai, at MWC Barcelona 2022, Huawei will continue to hold a green development forum with its partners to share industry practices and latest solutions, and all industry partners and operators are welcome to attend the forum. "We believe the BWS in Dubai is a good beginning. Looking ahead, we will continue to work with our industry partners and operators to empower green development of all industries using our innovative technologies," said Cai at the end of his speech. "As we envision in the theme of our flagship exhibition hall in Dubai, 'Lighting up the Future', we believe that together, we will light up a greener future." Other attendees who spoke at the event included Richard Mahony, Vice President of Service Provider Markets of Informa Tech; Dr. Dena Assaf, UN Resident Coordinator of the United Arab Emirates; Tommy Stadlen, Co-Founder of Giant Ventures; Dr. Ahmed Bin Ali, Corporate Communications SVP of Etisalat; Herve Suquet, Group Energy SVP of Orange; Dirk Karl, Chief Procurement Officer of MTN; Tanveer Mohammad, SVP of Global Operation of Telenor; and Aaron Jiang, Vice President of Huawei Wireless Product Line. About Huawei Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We have more than 197,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world. Our vision and mission is to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. To this end, we will drive ubiquitous connectivity and promote equal access to networks; bring cloud and artificial intelligence to all four corners of the earth to provide superior computing power where you need it, when you need it; build digital platforms to help all industries and organizations become more agile, efficient, and dynamic; redefine user experience with AI, making it more personalized for people in all aspects of their life, whether they're at home, in the office, or on the go. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on: http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei http://www.twitter.com/Huawei http://www.facebook.com/Huawei http://www.youtube.com/Huawei SOURCE Huawei BANGALORE, India, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Industrial Packaging Market is Segmented by Type (Crates/Totes, Sacks, IBCs, Other), Application (Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Construction, Food and Beverages, Other). The report covers global opportunity analysis and industry forecasts from 2021 to 2026. It is published in Valuates Reports under Packaging Category. The global Industrial Packaging market size is projected to reach USD 66090 Million by 2026, from USD 49000 Million in 2019, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.3% during the forecast period 2021-2026. Major Factors Driving The Growth Of The Industrial Packaging Market Due to rising demand in end-use sectors such as food & beverage and pharmaceutical, it is expected to drive the Industrial Packaging Market growth. Because people are unable to leave their homes owing to lockdown limitations, they must rely on online platforms to purchase daily essentials, resulting in a surge in demand for bulk industrial packaging solutions and services. During the projected period, a rise in modern retailing, high consumer income, and acceleration in industrial activity, particularly in emerging nations, are expected to boost the expansion of the industrial packaging market. Get your sample today: https://reports.valuates.com/reports/QYRE-Othe-0Q458/industrial-packaging Trends Influencing The Growth Of Industrial Packaging Market: The industrial packaging market is expected to develop due to the rising demand for industrial packaging from emerging economies. Because of rising population and currency rates, the industrial packaging market in emerging nations is predicted to increase at a rapid pace throughout the forecast period. The market's expansion has been fueled by robust production and consumption of bulk packaging products in economies like China and India, which have seen sustained demand from key consuming countries. The government and packaging groups have begun to address the environmental consequences of industrial packaging use. International packaging requirements vary and are based on a variety of rules. Currently, the majority of the criteria that are mandated are voluntary. However, there is a persistent drive for tougher packaging material and recyclability. During the forecast period, this is expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for the industrial packaging market players. Browse the Table of Contents and List of figures at: https://reports.valuates.com/reports/QYRE-Othe-0Q458/industrial-packaging Industrial Packaging Market Share Analysis During the projected period, the food and beverage category is expected to be the most lucrative. Because most food and beverage products have a short shelf life, the packaging is critical. The food and beverage market is being driven by improving supply chain operations and increased demand for vital products. Based on region, Europe is expected to be the most lucrative during the forecast period due to high demand from the food and beverages and pharmaceuticals industries for industrial packaging. Leading Players in the Industrial Packaging Market Amcor Grief International Paper Nefab Schutz Sonoco Chem-Tainer Industries CorrPak Bulk Packaging Systems East India Drums & Barrels Manufacturing Hoover Container Solutions Intertape Polymer Group Jumbo Bag LC Packaging Remcon Plastics RDA Bulk Packaging Snyder Industries Taihua Group Ven Pack Buy Now for Single User + Covid-19 Impact : https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Othe-0Q458&lic=single-user Buy Now for Enterprise License + Covid-19 Impact : https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Othe-0Q458&lic=enterprise-license SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. SIMILAR REPORTS - The global Containerboard market size is projected to reach USD 198430 Million by 2027, from USD 155920 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 4.1% during 2021-2027. - The global Edible Packaging market size is projected to reach USD 581.8 Million by 2027, from USD 473.3 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 3.5% during 2021-2027. - The global Retail Ready Packaging market size is projected to reach USD 68410 Million by 2027, from USD 56090 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 2.4% during 2021-2027. - The global Medical Packaging market size is projected to reach USD 45230 Million by 2027, from USD 34050 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 3.7% during 2021-2027. - The global Foodservice Packaging market size is projected to reach USD 152150 Million by 2027, from USD 113310 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 4.3% during 2021-2027. - In 2020, the global Multiwall Paper Bags market size was USD 4054.5 Million and it is expected to reach USD 4786.7 Million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 2.4% during 2021-2027. - The global Paper and Paperboard Packaging market size is projected to reach USD 224740 Million by 2027, from USD 189320 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 2.9% during 2021-2027. - In 2020, the global Flexible Plastic Packaging market size was USD 87390 Million and it is expected to reach USD 110420 Million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 3.2% during 2021-2027. - In 2020, the global Molded Fiber Packaging market size was USD 4587 Million and it is expected to reach USD 6393.1 Million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 4.9% during 2021-2027. - The global liquid packaging market size was valued at USD 331.8 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach USD 463.2 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 4.5% from 2020 to 2027. - The global Packaging Foams market size is projected to reach USD 15970 Million by 2027, from USD 11980 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 4.9% during 2021-2027 - Global Smart Packaging Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021-2027 - Active, Smart And Intelligent Packaging Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021-2027 - Global Inflatable Bag Packaging Market Report 2021 - Global Sanitizer Packaging Market Report 2021 - Global Plastic Packaging Bags Market Research Report 2021 - Industrial Services Market Research Report 2027 To see the full list of related reports on the Industrial Packaging ABOUT US: Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs. Our team of market analysts can help you select the best report covering your industry. We understand your niche region-specific requirements and that's why we offer customization of reports. With our customization in place, you can request for any particular information from a report that meets your market analysis needs. To achieve a consistent view of the market, data is gathered from various primary and secondary sources, at each step, data triangulation methodologies are applied to reduce deviance and find a consistent view of the market. Each sample we share contains detail research methodology employed to generate the report, Please also reach to our sales team to get the complete list of our data sources CONTACT US: Valuates Reports [email protected] For U.S. Toll-Free Call +1-(315)-215-3225 For IST Call +91-8040957137 WhatsApp : +91 9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Follow on Twitter - https://twitter.com/valuatesreports Follow on Linkedin - https://in.linkedin.com/company/valuatesreports Follow on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/valuatesreports SOURCE Valuates Reports CHICAGO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Infertility Treatment Market by Product (Equipment, Media, Accessories), Procedure (ART (IVF,ICSI, Surrogate), Insemination, Laparoscopy, Hysteroscopy, Patient Type (Female, Male), End User (Fertility Clinics, Hospitals, Research) - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Infertility Treatment Market size is projected to reach USD 2.2 billion by 2026 from USD 1.5 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period. Browse in-depth TOC on "Infertility Treatment Market" 215 Tables 40 Figures 255 Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=43497112 The decline in the fertility rate, increase awareness about the availability of infertility treatment procedures, rising number of fertility clinics, increasing public & private investments and growing technological advancements are expected to drive market growth in the coming years The infertility treatment market include major Tier I and II suppliers of infertility treatment equipment, media & consumables are The Cooper Companies Inc. (US), Cook Group (US), Vitrolife (Sweden), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (US), Esco Micro Pte. Ltd. (Singapore), Genea Biomedx (Australia), IVFtech ApS (Denmark), FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific (US), The Baker Company, Inc. (US), Kitazato Corporation (Japan), Rocket Medical plc (UK), IHMedical A/S (Denmark), Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (US), ZEISS Group (Germany), MedGyn Products, Inc. (US), DxNow, Inc. (US), Nidacon International AB (Sweden), Gynotec B.V. (Netherlands), SAR Healthline Pvt. Ltd. (India), and InVitroCare Inc. (US). These suppliers have their manufacturing facilities spread across regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=43497112 COVID-19 has impacted their businesses as well. Logistical issues, managing patients with the disease, prioritizing patients with comorbidities and pre-existing conditions, and protecting public & hospital frontline workers from exposure to the COVID-19 infection are the major challenges faced by healthcare systems across the globe. One in six reproductive-aged couples experiences infertility, and many turn to treatments such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF), which require in-person appointments to complete. In India, 30 lakh people seek infertility treatment every year, but only 5 lakh people undergo IVF/intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a 90% drop was observed in the number of people undergoing IVF cycles. The spread of COVID-19 has not only impacted fertility clinics owing to the cancellation of IVF treatments but has also impacted fertility decisions among couples who were opting for IVF treatment before the pandemic. The rise in number of fertility clinics to support the market growth during the forecast period. Significant rise in number of fertility clinics, coupled with the decline in the fertility rate across the globe. Along with this growing focus of players and government towards the launching and acquiring new fertility centers across the globe is likely to contribute towards the growth of the segment. The expansion of fertility clinics equipped with advanced technology is anticipated to increase the accessibility of infertility treatment devices among infertile couples. Speak to Analyst: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=43497112 Asia Pacific likely to emerge as the fastest-growing infertility treatment market, globally Geographically, the emerging Asian countries, such as China, India, Japan and Singapore, are offering high-growth opportunities for market players. The Asia Pacific point of care market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 9.1% from 2021 to 2026. Expansion of healthcare infrastructure and increase in disposable personal income, rising medical tourism in Asian countries, increasing healthcare expenditure, and growing awareness among people about infertility are supporting the growth of the infertility treatment market in the region. Prominent players in this market are The Cooper Companies Inc. (US), Cook Group (US), Vitrolife (Sweden), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (US), FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific (US), Kitazato Corporation (Japan), and Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (US), among others Browse Adjacent Markets: Medical Devices Market Research Reports & Consulting Browse Related Reports: Fertility Test Market by Product (Ovulation Predictor Kits, Fertility Monitors (Urine, Saliva, Blood)), Mode of Purchase (OTC, Prescription, Online), Application (Female, Male), End User (Home care, Fertility clinics, hospitals) - Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/fertility-testing-devices-market-139945432.html In Vitro Fertilization Market by Product (Imaging System, Incubator, Cabinets, Sperm Separation System, Cryopreservation media, Embryo Culture media), Type of Cycles & End Users (Fertility Clinics and Surgical Centres, Cryobanks) - Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/in-vitro-fertilization-market-89198891.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/infertility-treatment-devices-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/infertility-treatment-devices.asp SOURCE MarketsandMarkets CHICAGO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- INFICON, a leading provider of automotive leak-detection systems, will have a major presence at this month's Assembly Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in suburban Chicago. The company will provide attendees with information on the latest trends in leak detection at its exhibit (Booth #1114) and during two Assembly Show presentations: Battery Leak Testing, Tuesday, Oct. 26 (10:00 10:30 a.m. ) (10:00 ) Robotic Leak Testing, Wednesday, Oct. 27 ( 3:15 - 3:45 p.m. ) "The Assembly Show is one of the year's premier events for manufacturers of all kinds," says Thomas Parker, INFICON's North American automotive sales manager. "We're thrilled to be part of such an extraordinary show and are looking forward to meeting with key customers, suppliers and other industry leaders." Parker will share his insights on leak testing electric vehicle batteries as part of a Tuesday workshop, "Electric Vehicle Assembly: Challenges and Opportunities." "Leak tests have long been one of the most critical quality-control checks performed by automakers and their suppliers," Parker explains. "Next-generation cars and trucks will require even more precise testing." He notes that reliable leak testing of electric vehicle battery cells is crucial because the highly flammable electrolytes they contain can spark fires. Even tiny amounts of humidity in a battery module can cause the system to short circuit, reduce service life and affect performance, including a vehicle's driving range. There also are special leak-testing considerations for EV cooling systems and high-voltage components such as motors, controllers and sensors. Fuel-cell-powered vehicles need to have leak-tight fuel-cell stacks, bipolar plates and hydrogen tanks. Parker points out that modern tracer-gas test methods, which can detect leaks that are 1,000 times smaller than current air tests, are the most suitable for testing alternative drive components. Dan Hoffman, INFICON's national sales and service manager for leak testing, will discuss the latest applications in robotic leak testing on Oct. 27. Hoffman notes that robotic leak detection systems can help manufacturers reduce costs, improve quality and increase assembly-line speeds. INFICON expects to see a significant increase in robotic leak-testing in the auto industry over the next five years, according to Hoffman. Robotic systems are becoming even more important with the growing transition to electric, hybrid-electric and autonomous vehicles. "Automated systems are the first step in eliminating costly human errors that often occur when tests are conducted manually," Hoffman says. "Robotic leak testing also ensures that safety critical components such as traction batteries, fuel-cell membrane electrode assemblies, and advanced sensors and processors perform flawlessly for the life of a vehicle." Sponsored by Assembly magazine, The Assembly Show takes place Oct. 26-28 in Rosemont, Illinois, and hosts hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the latest assembly equipment and technology, as well as dozens of webinars, workshops, presentations, guided tours and networking events. Now in its 9th year (last year's show was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions), the annual event draws top executives and industry leaders from a cross section of manufacturing sectors, including the automotive, consumer-product and computer industries. For more information, visit www.theassemblyshow.com. ABOUT INFICON INFICON is one of the world's leading developers, producers and suppliers of instruments and devices for leak detection in air conditioning, refrigeration and automotive manufacturing. The company has manufacturing facilities in Europe, China and the United States, as well as sales and service offices throughout the world. More information about INFICON automotive technology is available online at www.inficonautomotive.com. SOURCE INFICON Related Links www.inficonautomotive.com Seibersdorf Labor, a GMP Contract manufacturing of radiopharmaceuticals, a global leader in the development, production and commercialization of radiopharmaceuticals, will produce 177 Lu n.c.a in collaboration with Isotopia Molecular Imaging for distribution in Europe. Isotopia has selected Seibersdorf, located in Austria, following a year-long evaluation process that included the review several proposals from sites across Europe. It was selected due to the high level of expertise on site, the GMP infrastructure and the team's enthusiasm to manufacture lifesaving radiopharmaceuticals. In addition, the location provides easy and safe land transportation access to the European market. The production facility is expected to be ready by Q4 2022. 177Lu n.c.a is used in Targeted Radionuclide Therapy in the field of Precision Oncology. By binding n.c.a. Lu-177 isotopes to tumor-specific targeting molecules, the resulting radiopharmaceutical targets the tumor and delivers precise cell-killing radiation that spares normal healthy tissue. Isotopia has developed a reliable and unique GMP method to produce a highly pure form of Lu-177. 177Lu n.c.a contains no Mercury (Hg) and no metastable Lu-177m, therefore there is no need for cost intensive clinical waste management. Isotopia's CEO & Co-Founder Dr. Eli Shalom stated: This step supports Isotopia's global strategy to simplify and shorten the supply route to our customers. We are working intensively to complete our plan to establish a production site in each continent. This, to provide a total solution to pharma companies and hospitals together with labeling services. The production and labeling facility in Seibersdorf Laboratories will be the best solution for Europe, enabling Isotopia to deliver a reliable, flexible, and most important, secure land supply of a broad range of critical medical isotopes to European customers, starting with Lu177 n.c.a. We have found in Seibersdorf the best partner sharing the same vision to save lives". Seibersdorf's CEO, Martina Schwaiger stated: "The new production agreement is an exciting opportunity for our organization and we are pleased to be working with Isotopia Molecular Imaging on this important sector of medical care." Isotopia and Seibersdorf intend to expand their partnership to include commercial-scale production of 177Lu n.c.a and labeling services to meet future commercial market demand. In addition, both companies have also committed to collaborate on the development of GMP manufacturing processes for other emerging medical isotopes. About Seibersdorf Labor GmbH Seibersdorf Labor GmbH is an Austrian company specialized in high quality laboratory and analysis work, application-oriented research and development as well as consulting and training. The teams of Seibersdorf Laboratories are service, know-how and technology provider and cover a broad area of scientific expertise: development, production and quality control of radiopharmaceuticals, anti-doping and forensic analysis, radiation protection, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, radio frequency engineering and electromagnetic compatibility. The experts of Seibersdorf Laboratories represent Austria on various international committees. For more information visit: www.seibersdorf-laboratories.at Contact: Roland Muller, Head Pharmaceuticals, +43 50 550 3470, [email protected] About Isotopia Isotopia Molecular Imaging Ltd. is a collaboration between The Metrontario Group and Israel's leading scientists in the field of radiopharmaceuticals. The experienced Isotopia team, together with its nuclear pharmacy, cyclotron facility, Lu-177 production site, and sterile manufacturing plant, are a well-established platform for development. By creating collaborations between the scientific and medical community, Isotopia further develops and experiment with new markers for imaging applications and molecular therapy. For more information about Isotopia, please visit: www.isotopia.co.il Contact: Isotopia Molecular Imaging Ltd. Business Development Keren Moshkoviz Tel: (972)-3-9130314 [email protected] SOURCE Seibersdorf Labor GmbH; Isotopia Molecular Imaging NEW YORK and HONG KONG, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jensen Partners, a women-owned executive search and corporate advisory firm for the alternative investment management industry, today announced the appointment of Sophie Norris as Managing Director, Head of Asia. Norris will bolster Jensen Partners' capabilities and global footprint to meet the growing demand for alternatives talent in Asia. "Sophie brings the experience and specialized knowledge needed to buildout teams and platforms across alternative asset strategies," said Sasha Jensen, founder and CEO of Jensen Partners. "Her role will support the firm's global client base with regional insights and candidate access in the rapidly growing Asian market." Norris' appointment signifies Jensen Partners' commitment to servicing clients on the ground in Asia and positions the firm as a truly global human capital advisor with offices in North America, Europe and Asia. As demand for alternatives talent in Asia continues to increase, Jensen Partners is uniquely positioned to solve human capital needs at a global scale. Norris has more than 25 years of experience in the alternative asset and financial services industry in the Asia Pacific region. She joins Jensen from a leading trade finance platform based in Hong Kong. Prior to that, Norris worked at executive search firms such as Wellesleys, Eban and The Consulting Group, specializing in the origination and placement of buy side and sell side derivatives professionals. Over the course of her career, she has also led business development mandates for UK financial services companies establishing an initial presence in Asia. "Jensen's data-driven approach and deep industry connections put them ahead of the competition. Sasha Jensen has been a true innovator in recruiting and I am excited to leverage my skills alongside her and the Jensen Partners team," said Norris. "As demand for alternatives talent in Asia continues to increase, Jensen Partner's institutional knowledge and industry relationships will be a valuable resource for asset managers seeking to build teams and retain talent." Norris' institutional knowledge will be leveraged to enhance Jensen Partner's proprietary competitor intelligence market mapping across distribution and investment platforms. Jensen Partners uses organagram mapping to track each individual -- from analyst to CEO -- on every major platform globally. This detailed tracking enables Jensen Partners to identify key human capital trends and build candidate pipelines across North America, Europe and Asia, as well as benchmark firms against their peers in terms of retention, diversity and attrition. The launch of an on-the-ground presence in Asian will significantly enhance Jensen Partners' candidate referencing capabilities and expand the knowledge base of candidates across the region. In addition to building robust, global candidate pipelines, these rich human capital insights power DiversityMetrics, Jensen Partners' high-tech, high-touch enterprise software platform that combines customizable data visualization tools with verified demographic data on more than 25,000 investment and distribution professionals, including 8,000 who identify as having a diverse background. The DiversityMetrics platform allows alternative asset managers to quantify and qualify the intersectionality of race, class and gender across their workforce, and make data-driven decisions about diversity, equity and inclusion best practices. Jensen Partners' data investigation team routinely communicates with professionals at over 700 asset management firms, which allows Jensen Partners to continuously measure promotion rates of underrepresented groups, calculate representation at each level of seniority, and identify hiring trends related to candidate gender and ethnicity. About Jensen Partners Jensen Partners is a global advisory, corporate development and executive search firm that leverages its extensive relationships in the investor and alternative asset management community to source and recruit leading capital-raising and investment candidates. The firm takes a data-driven approach, combining quantitative and qualitative insights to source and place the ideal human capital. In addition to executive search, Jensen Partners offers LP/GP referencing, proprietary 360 Investor Referencing methodology, DiversityMetrics and compensation benchmarking and analysis. To learn more, please visit www.jensen-partners.com. To sign up for Jensen Partners' newsletter, please visit: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/tbmquk0. Media Contact: Alex Nye (814) 671-7497 [email protected] SOURCE Jensen Partners TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945 BOSTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Retirement, a company of Manulife Investment Management, today celebrates the expertise and partnership of third-party administrators (TPAs) who help to make retirement plans work. Every year since 2014, John Hancock has designated the first business day after the October 15 Form 5500 filing deadline as a time to recognize the contributions of TPAs to the retirement plan business and the financial future of retirement participants. This year, John Hancock Retirement is once again highlighting the partnership that is intrinsic to the role of TPAs and the potential benefit that utilizing a TPA can have, such as improved plan design for participants and seamlessly managing the day-to-day operations of employer plans. National TPA Day shows appreciation for the role TPAs play in the retirement marketplace and to recognize the role they've played in the success of John Hancock's retirement plan business. As of June 30, 2021, 98% of retirement plans recordkept by John Hancock were serviced in partnership with a TPA firm.* "TPAs play a critical role in making our retirement plans work," said Sue Reibel, CEO, John Hancock Retirement. "Our industry truly shines at the intersection of tools and technology and human support. We applaud our partners who provide guidance and information, and work closely with retirement plan providers, to design plan solutions that encourage higher contribution and satisfaction rates for workplace plans." "We value TPAs and their contribution to our business model," added Scott Francolini, head of strategic relationship management and consulting, John Hancock Retirement. "We take the insight and observations from our conversations with TPAs to evolve our practices and offerings. As independent consultants for their clients, we know we can depend on their knowledge and input to help make us better." View the Celebrating TPAs landing page for more on John Hancock's commitment to its TPA partners. * John Hancock internal data, as of 6/30/21. About John Hancock Retirement John Hancock Retirement is the U.S. retirement business of Manulife Investment Management. For nearly 50 years, we've helped people plan and invest for retirement; today, we're one of the largest full-service providers in the United States.1 We take a hands-on consultative approach based on the idea that no two plans - and no two plan participants - are exactly alike. We partner with plan sponsors, financial professionals, and third-party administrators to ensure that every plan is personal to the participant and delivers results. As of June 30, 2021, John Hancock serviced over 52,000 retirement plans with over 3.1 million participants* and over $218 billion in AUMA.2 *Participant Counts reflect all active participants with a balance. 1. "2020 Defined Contribution Recordkeeper Survey," PLANSPONSOR, 2020. 2. As of June 30, 2021, John Hancock Life Insurance Company (USA) supported 47,995 plans, 1,606,720 participants, and $ 108,283,261,827.19 in AUMA. John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York supported 2,549 plans, 80,027 participants, and $ 6,434,822,673.87 in AUMA. John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, LLC supported 2,207 plans, 1,428,948 participants, and $103,680,838,816.18 in AUMA. Participant Counts reflect all active participants with a balance. Approximate unaudited figures for John Hancock, provided on a U.S. statutory basis. About Manulife Investment Management Manulife Investment Management is the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 18 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. As of June 30, 2021, Manulife Investment Management had CAD $1.0 trillion (US $834 billion) in assets under management and administration. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com. John Hancock Retirement Plan Services LLC provides administrative and/or recordkeeping services to sponsors or administrators of retirement plans through an open-architecture platform. John Hancock Trust Company LLC provides trust and custodial services to such plans. Group annuity contracts and recordkeeping agreements are issued by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), Boston, MA (not licensed in New York), and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York, Valhalla, New York. Product features and availability may differ by state. All entities do business under certain instances using the John Hancock brand name. Each entity makes available a platform of investment alternatives to sponsors or administrators of retirement plans without regard to the individualized needs of any plan. Unless otherwise specifically stated in writing, each such company does not, and is not undertaking to, provide impartial investment advice or give advice in a fiduciary capacity. Securities are offered through John Hancock Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC. NOT FDIC INSURED. MAY LOSE VALUE. NOT BANK GUARANTEED. 2021 John Hancock. All rights reserved. SOURCE John Hancock Retirement LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 1,500 pharmacists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists from California to Hawaiirepresented by UNAC/UHCP in negotiations for their first union contracts with Kaiser Permanentewill cast strike authorization votes October 24-28. The results will be announced on October 29. On October 11, in ongoing negotiations for an existing national contract, more than 20,000 UNAC/UHCP members in southern California Kaiser Permanente locations headed toward a strike against the health care giant in an overwhelming authorization vote. UNAC/UHCP members across Kaiser Permanente are standing up against draconian proposals that depress wages for current workers. KP negotiators also seek to slash the wages of new workerswho are desperately needed as staffing shortages threaten patient care for the long term. This latest strike vote would affect Kaiser hospitals and medical centers from Fresno to Sacramento in California and on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the big island in Hawaii. In northern California, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists face workload demands that leave patientstrying to recover from long COVID and other conditionswaiting too long for rehabilitative care. "Management hasn't been open to discussions on how to improve staffing and provide the rehabilitative care that Kaiser Permanente patients deserve," said Roland Lucas, a physical therapist at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, CA. Roland helped organize the northern California therapists' and is a member of the team negotiating the first contract. "We needed to demonstrate that we aren't willing to give up on our patients and our professions." Hawaii pharmacists and therapists have been in protracted talks, working against employer proposals seemingly designed to thwart the newly organized units. New units are also worried about the employer's resistance to solving long-term issues of staffing and quality. "We care about Kaiser Permanente being able to have the proper number of experienced pharmacists in place to do our work safely and accurately," said Jake Elsbernd, a pharmacist who worked on Oahu. "I would want there to be a quality pharmacist taking care of medications for me and my family." "We had one set of rules before organizing, now management is trying to make changes that negatively impact us," said Matthew Piskura, a home health physical therapist on Oahu and a bargaining team member. "The timing draws into question retaliation for organizing. Striking is never our first option but is the result of management's refusal to work in partnership." A strike would not immediately occur when the voting concludes on October 28. The strike authorization gives the bargaining teams the option of calling a strike when they choose, and for a duration to be determined. Labor laws require unions in the health care industry to submit a 10-day notice to the employer before going out on strike. In recent years, working in partnership with front-line unions, Kaiser Permanente has set standards nationally for health care quality and for wages and benefits in the industry. Kaiser Permanente's health care system, which boasts 12 million health plan members, has turned a $2.7 billion profit during the pandemic, maintained a $44.5 billion reserve, and continued to gain subscribers. Yet, top Kaiser Permanente executives claim to be under threat from pop-up clinics and start-up apps. Background links: Information on KP's finances: https://www.investinpatientcare.com/kpfinances United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) represents more than 32,000 registered nurses and other health care professionals in California and Hawaii, including optometrists; pharmacists; physical, occupational and speech therapists; case managers; nurse midwives; social workers; clinical lab scientists; physician assistants and nurse practitioners. UNAC/UHCP is affiliated with the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO. CONTACTS: Anjetta Thackeray, UNAC/UHCP Communications | [email protected] | (909) 455-5146 Jeff Rogers, UNAC/UHCP Communications | [email protected] | (909) 263-7230 SOURCE United Nurses Associations of California / Union of Health Care Professionals Related Links www.unacuhcp.org The initial drill program was completed after geological mapping, rock and soil sampling (>2,000 samples) and the completion of an airborne VTEM and magnetic survey. Holes TARQ1D to TARQ3D from the FY2021 campaign were drilled to test a porphyry copper target on the property. The drill program targeted a copper-molybdenum soil and rock chip anomaly and attendant resistivity and magnetic anomalies at depth. Intercepts from holes TARQ1D to TARQ3D are summarized below in Table 1. Table 1: Drill hole results. Hole Azimuth / Dip (degrees) / Depth (m) From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Copper (%) Molybdenum (ppm) TARQ1D 0 / 90 / 685 0 685 TD 685 0.19 17.6 Including 0 186 186 0.29 10.5 TARQ2D 0 / 65 / 691 56 238 182 0.15 18.9 And 250 691 TD 441 0.16 81.8 TARQ3D 90 / 55 / 704 36 416 380 0.15 19.8 And 430 704 TD 274 0.15 20.0 Note: Intervals calculated using a lower limit of 0.1% copper with a maximum inclusion of 5 samples (10 metres) below cut-off grade. Figure 1: Drill hole locations and soil geochemistry TARQ1D intercepted from surface a potassic-altered granodiorite stock intruded by minor porphyry dikes with lesser propylitic alteration and patchy clay. Copper oxides dominate shallow levels transitioning to chalcopyrite and molybdenite in quartz veining. TARQ2D intercepted overburden to 56m and below that a clay-altered granodiorite stock cut by porphyry dikes, with potassic alteration that increases with depth. Copper oxide transitions to chalcopyrite and molybdenite within quartz veining below 56m. TARQ3D intercepted clay-altered granodiorite with minor porphyry dikes, transitioning to potassic alteration at depth with chalcopyrite and molybdenite mineralization. The style of alteration, mineralization, and veining with long intercepts of copper mineralization confirm the discovery of a previously unrecognized porphyry copper deposit in the Jurassic copper-gold porphyry belt of Ecuador. Quality Assurance All sample assay results include the insertion of blind standards, blanks and duplicate samples. Logging and sampling are completed at BHP's core handling facility. Drill core is diamond sawn on site and half drill-core samples are securely transported to ALS Laboratories ("ALS") sample preparation facility in Quito Ecuador with pulp samples sent to ALS laboratory in Lima Peru for analysis. All samples are analysed for Au-AA24 fire assay, ME-MS81 REE and trace elements using lithium metaborate fusion followed by ICP-MS and ME-MS61 multi elements using 4-acid followed by ICP-MS. Qualified Persons Leo Hathaway, P. Geo, Senior Vice President Exploration of Luminex and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed, verified and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release and has verified the data underlying that scientific and technical information. 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 regarding future drilling and work programs during BHP's FY2022. 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. AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Epiphany Dermatology, a leading dermatology company committed to improving access to exceptional dermatologic care, announced today it has expanded its presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas market through its partnership with Mid-Cities Dermatology. Originally founded in 1977, Mid-Cities Dermatology has a long-established reputation of providing high-quality dermatology services to patients in the greater DFW metroplex. Led by J. David Miller, MD, the Mid-Cities Dermatology team is dedicated to personalized and professional skin care at its Bedford, TX location. Dr. Miller is a board-certified dermatologist who earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and completed his dermatology residency at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center. Dr. Miller commented, "My staff and I are excited to join Epiphany. Epiphany has been committed to the Dallas-Fort Worth market for several years with a high level of patient satisfaction. Epiphany's mission and values dovetail with what we believe in providing excellent medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatologic care for our patients. I look forward to continuing to help Epiphany maintain its high standards of care." Gheorghe Pusta, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Epiphany said, "We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Miller and his capable team. Through our interactions with Dr. Miller and their entire team, we have been impressed by their long-standing commitment to patients in the communities they serve. We are pleased to find a strong cultural alignment and determination to make exceptional patient care accessible. This is an exciting opportunity to expand our provider network and improve access to great dermatologic care in the DFW market." Through this partnership, Mid-Cities Dermatology's providers and staff gain additional resources to help with operations, managed care, marketing, compliance, human resources, recruiting, IT, and many other support services. Epiphany also benefits from the clinical expertise of Mid-Cities Dermatology's team, as best practices are collaboratively shared across the Epiphany network. About Epiphany Dermatology Epiphany Dermatology is a rapidly expanding dermatology company, driven by a passion to improve access to high quality dermatologic care in a values-based manner. Through its partnership with leading dermatologists across 68 locations in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming, Epiphany provides general dermatology, skin cancer care, Mohs surgery, cosmetic services, and additional dermatologic services. Epiphany raises the standard of dermatologic care by making clinical excellence accessible to all patients, promptly and in a warm and inviting environment. Epiphany Dermatology is headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more details, please visit www.epiphanydermatology.com or call (512) 628-0465. Ted Emmert Chief Development Officer Epiphany Dermatology (512) 628-0465 [email protected] Gheorghe Pusta Chief Executive Officer Epiphany Dermatology (512) 628-0465 [email protected] SOURCE Epiphany Dermatology Related Links http://www.epiphanydermatology.com "We're thrilled to honor the Genesis GV70 with our SUV of the Year award," said MotorTrend Group Head of Editorial, Ed Loh. "The GV70 astounds in the way it achieves all-around excellence thanks to its fresh design, ample power, comfortable ride quality, and impressive feature set; MotorTrend's 2022 SUV of the Year hits all the right notes, and does it all at an unbelievable price." The Genesis GV70 was judged the winner from a field of 35 total all-new or significantly redesigned SUVs by excelling against the MotorTrend of the Year award's six key criteria: safety, efficiency, value, advancement in design, engineering excellence, and performance of intended function. "We are humbled that customers and industry experts have recognized GV70's distinct character and our commitment to excellence," said Claudia Marquez, Chief Operating Officer of Genesis Motor America. "With its bold design and suite of technology and safety features, GV70 delivers unrivaled comfort without sacrificing a dynamic driving experience." The GV70 nails it in terms of design with a look that is unconventional and fresh, and an exterior style that manages to deliver a distinctive and rich impression. "The design brings its own kind of luxury to the equation," MotorTrend Mexico editor Miguel Cortina said. "Genesis isn't trying to copy Europe or America or Japanthe GV70 does its own thing." The story is the same in the cabin, which could only have been crafted by a luxury brand thinking beyond the norm. Its enormous 14.5-inch touchscreen is standard on every GV70, and it has more rear-seat space than a number of competitors thanks to front seat backs that have been carved out to accommodate more knee room. In the cargo area you find 28.9 cubic feet of usable space behind the rear seats, more than almost every vehicle in the segment. Genesis has also been making a name for itself by offering an extensive amount of standard features for its vehicles at a competitive price point, and the GV70 is no different. It comes impressively well equipped with AWD, adaptive cruise control, lane centering, blind-spot monitoring, and that 14.5-inch screen. But beyond all of its copious equipment, what really drives the GV70's value proposition home is how considered and compelling the package feels as a whole. In a segment stuffed with intriguing options, the Genesis GV70, which melds scintillating dynamics with huge value and a level of practicality that's rare among luxury vehicles, is nothing short of a revelationand as a result it is the only choice for the 2022 MotorTrend SUV of the Year honor. MOTORTREND MOTORTREND, a media brand of MotorTrend Group, was founded in 1949 and is internationally recognized as one of the leading brands in the automotive category. The MOTORTREND brand is composed of Discovery's MotorTrend TV, formerly Velocity; MotorTrend magazine; the award-winning website MotorTrend.com; MotorTrend App subscription video on-demand service; MotorTrend Auto Shows; MotorTrend Audio; MotorTrend en Espanol; MotorTrend India; and the renowned MotorTrend Car of the Year, SUV of the Year, Truck of the Year, Person of the Year, and Best Driver's Car awards programs. MotorTrend Group MotorTrend Group is the largest automotive media company in the world, bringing together Discovery's MotorTrend TV and a vast automotive digital, direct-to-consumer, social, and live event portfolio, including MOTORTREND, HOT ROD, ROADKILL, AUTOMOBILE, and more than 20 other industry-leading brands. With a monthly audience of 26 million across web, TV, and print, and 110 million social followers, culminating in 1.3 billion monthly impressions across all platforms, the company encompasses television's #1 network for automotive superfans, a leading automotive YouTube Channel, and the MotorTrend App, the only auto-dedicated subscription video-on-demand service. MotorTrend serves to embrace, entertain, and empower the motoring world. Genesis Motor North America At Genesis, we put the customer at the core of everything we do. Genesis is a global automotive brand that delivers the highest standards of performance, design, and innovation. Genesis offers a range of models including the dynamic GV70 sport utility vehicle, GV80 sport utility vehicle, G70 sport sedan, G80 executive sedan, and the flagship G90 sedan. Genesis Motor North America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and serves as the regional headquarters of Genesis in the United States and Canada. Please visit our media site for the latest news at www.genesisnewsusa.com (United States) and www.genesisnews.ca (Canada). SOURCE Genesis Motor America Related Links genesis.com NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- N26 GmbH ("N26") today announced its record-breaking $900+ million Series E funding round. The recent funding increases the company's valuation to more than $9 billion, making the Berlin-based pioneer the highest valued fintech in Germany, and ranks it amongst the top 20 fintechs in the world. The round was led by renowned New York-based tech investors Third Point Ventures and Coatue Management, and joined by Dragoneer Investment Group as well as N26's existing investors. N26 was also supported by Goldman Sachs Bank Europe who acted as a placement agent for the round. Valentin Stalf, CEO and co-Founder of N26: "This recent financing round solidifies the fact that retail banking as we know it has changed. With our fresh capital, we are in prime position to become one of the biggest retail banks in Europe, all without a single branch." Heath Terry, Partner at Third Point Ventures: "N26 has established itself as a leading tech-forward global fintech organization. We are excited to provide capital and strategic support to accelerate N26's work to deliver their world-class mobile banking experience to millions." N26 will use its fresh funding to significantly expand its mobile banking experience. N26 will also scale its global team further, and aims to bring on board 1,000 new team members in the coming years, with a particular focus on the areas of product, technology and cybersecurity. In addition, N26 will significantly expand its employee equity pool, while broadening Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) participation to 100% of employees as part of one of the largest ESOP programs in Europe. Maximilian Tayenthal, Co-CEO and co-founder of N26: "It is hugely important to us that we can share the success of N26 with our employees. Without them, we would not be the company we are today." N26 Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of N26 GmbH, is a fintech company, not a bank. Banking services in the U.S. are provided by Axos Bank; Member FDIC (Certificate 35546). | Read more About N26 N26 GmbH ("N26") is building the first mobile banking platform the world loves to use. Valentin Stalf and Maximilian Tayenthal founded N26 in 2013 and launched the initial product in early 2015. Today N26 has more than 7 million customers in 25 markets. The company employs more than 1,500 employees across 10 office locations: Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, Belgrade, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Vienna, New York and Sao Paulo. With a full European banking license, state-of-the-art technology and no branch network, N26 has redesigned banking for the 21st century and is available on Android, iOS and desktop. N26 has raised close to $1.8 billion from the world's most established investors, including Third Point Ventures,Coatue Management LLC, Dragoneer Investment Group, Insight Venture Partners, GIC, Tencent, Allianz X, Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures, Li Ka-Shing's Horizons Ventures, Earlybird Venture Capital, Greyhound Capital, Battery Ventures, in addition to members of the Zalando management board, and Redalpine Ventures. N26 currently operates in: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.S., where it operates via its wholly-owned subsidiary, N26 Inc., based in New York. Banking services in the U.S. are offered by N26 Inc. in partnership with Axos Bank, Member FDIC (Certificate 35546). For more information about N26, please visit n26.com. SOURCE N26 Related Links https://n26.com WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will provide coverage as an uncrewed Russian cargo spacecraft arrives to a new port at the International Space Station this week, and as another Russian freighter launches and docks to the orbiting outpost next week. The Progress 78 spacecraft will undock from the station at 7:42 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Oct. 20. While there will be no live coverage of the undocking, NASA TV, the agency's website, and the NASA app will offer live coverage of the rendezvous and redocking beginning at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21. After undocking from the station's Poisk module, Progress 78 will back out to a distance of 120 miles from the space station for a period of just over 24 hours to allow for station keeping. The spacecraft will then make an automated docking at 12:23 a.m. Friday, Oct. 22, to the Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module. The maneuver will position Progress 78 to conduct leak checks of the Nauka module's propellant lines before they are used with the new module's thrusters for orientation control of the station. Progress 78 arrived at the station in July and will depart in late November. The new Progress 79 cargo craft will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27 (5 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, Baikonur time). Progress 79 launch overage on NASA TV, the agency's website, and the NASA app will begin at 7:45 p.m. Loaded with almost three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the station crew, the resupply ship will dock to the aft port of the Zvezda service module at 9:34 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29. Live coverage of docking will begin at 8:45 p.m. For more than 20 years, humans have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. As a global endeavor, 246 people from 19 countries have visited the unique microgravity laboratory that has hosted more than 3,000 research and educational investigations from researchers in 108 countries and areas. Get breaking news, images, and features from the space station by following @space_station and @ISS_Research on Twitter as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts. For more information about the International Space Station, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/station SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov Nearly Half of American Workers Purchased at Least One New Health Benefit in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Tweet this "Last year's Aflac WorkForces Report showed that the pandemic was a wake-up call for workers to consider spending more time and effort in researching health care benefits during the open enrollment period. Now, we are seeing that wake-up call turned into action," said Matthew Owenby, chief human resources officer at Aflac. "This year's survey demonstrates the heavy impact COVID-19 has had on American consumers' opinions and actions regarding their health insurance and financial security, which was even stronger for those who actually had a positive COVID-19 diagnosis." Positive COVID-19 test strongly influenced benefit decisions The survey found that those respondents who had tested positive for COVID-19 were more likely than other respondents to purchase at least one new health benefit. Specifically: 38% purchased life insurance vs. 16% without a COVID-19 diagnosis. 29% purchased hospital vs. 9% without a COVID-19 diagnosis. 26% purchased critical illness vs. 12% without a COVID-19 diagnosis. 24% purchased mental health services vs. 10% without a COVID-19 diagnosis. "COVID-19 is still very top of mind for employees, and they are seeking ways to help offset the financial burdens they have either experienced or have feared over the past 17 months," added Owenby. "Financial vulnerability will continue to be a concern during this year's open enrollment season as rising health care expenses continue to affect Americans during these uncertain times." Although the pandemic presented many challenges for Americans, it also magnified the fact that illnesses can strike at any moment and affordable health care is a necessity. Nearly one-third of respondents (29%) indicated the pandemic made them more aware of the costs associated with health care leading them to change when deciding on health care benefits. Recognizing this need, more than half (51%) of all American workers view supplemental benefits such as critical illness insurance, which provides additional coverage to help close the gap on specified health challenges that health insurance may not cover, as a core component of a comprehensive benefits program, and an overwhelming majority (90%) believe the need for supplemental benefits is increasing. Are employers missing the mark? How benefits weigh on job satisfaction Offering robust benefits while staying within budget continues to be benefits decision-makers' most significant challenge. More than half (60%) of employers indicated they observed an increase in benefits costs over the past year, which caused an adverse negative impact to their operating plans, including improving the quality of their benefits programs, awarding bonuses and offering raises. However, despite these rising costs, most employers plan to maintain their existing health insurance coverage. This strategy might not bode well for employers. When it comes to satisfaction with existing benefits packages, the survey found a glaring disconnect, as employers have an inflated sense of employee satisfaction when it comes to the benefits they offer. More than three-quarters (76%) of employers believe their employees are satisfied with their benefits package, when in reality, only 61% of employees reported satisfaction. An overwhelming majority of employers (81%) believe their workforce is able to financially meet their health care obligations, yet almost half (46%) of employees report that they could not pay more than $1,000 for out-of-pocket medical expenses, and a similar proportion (52%) could not go for more than one month without a paycheck. Anxiety is a COVID-19 fact of life According to the survey, half of all American workers reported having high anxiety about health care costs beyond what their insurance covers, with 1 in 3 American workers stating that their personal mental health has negatively impacted their job performance over the last year. Essential workers are 1.75 times more likely than nonessential workers to say their mental health negatively affected their job performance over the last year (42% vs. 24%). Unsurprisingly, anxiety is highest among the younger generations, who have higher levels of financial fragility. In addition, about half of all American workers are currently experiencing varying levels of burnout based on key demographic characteristics. Specifically, younger workers (Gen Z, 64%, and millennials, 60%), essential workers (58%) and those who have been personally affected by a COVID-19 diagnosis (59%) are currently more likely experiencing burnout. Women (67%) are also more likely than men (56%) to have ever experienced burnout. "The Aflac WorkForces Report makes it clear that maintaining the status quo with employee benefit packages may not serve employers well," said Owenby. "Paying close attention to the wellness and mental health of employees and offering them the benefits they need are as important as ever to help employees feel protected and valued, which in turn helps improve productivity, enhance engagement and reduce stress." To learn more about the 2021 Aflac WorkForces Report, visit AflacWorkForcesReport.com. About the 2021 Aflac WorkForces Report The 2021 Aflac WorkForces Report, conducted by Kantar on behalf of Aflac, is the 11th annual study examining benefits trends and attitudes across the United States in various industries and business sizes. The employer survey took place online between June 28 and July 14, 2021, and captured responses from 1,200 employers. The employee survey captured responses from 2,000 employees between June 28 and July 16, 2021. For complete survey methodology, please contact Darcy Brito at [email protected]. ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) is a Fortune 500 company helping provide protection to more than 50 million people through its subsidiaries in Japan and the U.S., where it is a leading supplemental insurer, by paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or injured. For more than six decades, insurance policies of Aflac Incorporated's subsidiaries have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance in Japan, where it insures 1 in 4 households. For 15 consecutive years, Aflac Incorporated has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2021, Fortune included Aflac Incorporated on its list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 20th time, and Bloomberg added Aflac Incorporated to its Gender-Equality Index, which tracks the financial performance of public companies committed to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation and transparency, for the second consecutive year. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at Aflac.com or Aflac.com/Espanol. Media contact Jon A. Sullivan, 706-763-4813 or [email protected] Analyst and investor contact David A. Young, 706.596.3264, 800.235.2667 or [email protected] SOURCE Aflac Related Links http://www.aflac.com STATE COLLEGE, Penn., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NeuExcell Therapeutics Inc. (www.neuexcell.com) today announced the appointment of Lori Gavrin, Ph.D. to the new position of Chief Business and Strategy Officer, effective immediately. Dr. Gavrin will report directly to Dr. Ronald HW Lorijn, Chief Executive Officer, and will lead and manage the strategic business development efforts focused on the Company's innovative neuroregenerative gene therapy technology. Dr. Gavrin joins NeuExcell with over 20 years of industry experience, holding a variety of leadership roles at several major pharma and biotech companies, including Wyeth, Pfizer, and GSK. Most recently, Lori served as VP of Corporate Development at Tmunity Therapeutics where she helped develop and execute the business development strategy, successfully managed complex strategic partnerships, and became an integral part of the Philadelphia cell and gene therapy community. Dr. Gavrin did her undergraduate studies at Colgate University and obtained her PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her business development acumen, Lori is a recognized leader in the medicinal chemistry community, chairing international conferences, serving on boards, and having 18 patents to her name. "We are very excited to have Lori joining our team," said Dr. Lorijn. "This addition reflects NeuExcell's increasing focus on taking advantage of strategic opportunities to further strengthen the long-term growth for the company." "I am thrilled to join the NeuExcell team," said Dr. Gavrin. "It is an incredible opportunity to help the Company advance through the next stage of growth with the ultimate goal of delivering transformational neuroregenerative medicines to patients and address this huge area of unmet medical need." About NeuExcell Therapeutics NeuExcell is a privately held early-stage gene technology company headquartered in Pennsylvania, USA. Its mission is to improve the lives of patients suffering from neuro-degenerative diseases and CNS injuries. Based upon the scientific work of Prof. Gong Chen, the Company has developed a potentially disruptive neural repair technology through astrocyte-to-neuron conversion in-vivo by introducing neural transcription factors through adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy. NeuExcell's pipeline covers major neurodegenerative diseases as Stroke, Huntington's, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injuries, and Cancer. SOURCE NeuExcell Therapeutics Related Links www.neuexcell.com "The campaign celebrates the spirit and diversity of Oregon's people and shares the magical feeling of being in Oregon through the wonder and beauty of our state," said Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. "The impact of COVID-19 on Oregon's tourism economy was dramatic and immediate as travel halted and stay-home orders were put in place to protect public health. We are pleased to be in a position 18 months later to reintroduce Oregon to travelers and remind them of the experiences our state has to offer, as part of a larger strategic effort to support economic recovery in our communities that rely on tourism-related spending." Continuing the visual narrative of the agency's most successful campaign to-date the original film received more than 38 million views -- the new 1:45 minute ad sweeps viewers through the state's natural wonders and thrilling adventures, introducing a cast of real Oregonians representing the heart and soul of the state. From CJ McCollum and Bill Walton toasting at a scenic Willamette Valley winery, to George Fletcher in the saddle at the Pendleton Round-Up, the people and places of Oregon are artfully brought to life. The campaign launches today in Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Eugene, Bend, Medford, Tri-Cities, Sacramento, and Boise, and includes an integrated mix of broadcast television, digital, social and out-of-home advertising. As the fall and winter seasons approach, communities are dependent on visitor spending more than ever. Travel Oregon's campaign welcomes everyone to dream ahead and plan memorable Oregon experiences that help support businesses across the state, all while reinforcing messages of safety and kindness to hospitality staff through stories on traveloregon.com and social media channels. "We are thrilled to work with long-time client, Travel Oregon, to dive back into the 'Only Slightly Exaggerated' world. The third installment of the campaign presented an exciting opportunity to focus on Oregon's culture and humanity and the magic that comes with them," said Nick Stokes, Creative Director at Wieden+Kennedy. Creative was brought to life in collaboration with long-time advertising partner Wieden+Kennedy with animation by Psyop and Sun Creature Studio and the musical score composed by Jim Dooley. In addition, numerous local agencies including Sparkloft Media, Maxwell, ThinkShout and Logical Position, helped elevate the campaign through a variety of strategies and platforms. About Travel Oregon The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, works to enhance visitors' experiences by providing information, resources and trip planning tools that inspire travel and consistently convey the exceptional quality of Oregon. The commission aims to improve Oregonians' quality of life by strengthening the state's tourism economy that employs thousands of Oregonians statewide. Visit traveloregon.com to learn more. SOURCE Travel Oregon Related Links http://www.traveloregon.com The winning editorial feature was the NewBeauty Summer 2020 Issue's "The Next Chapter for Aesthetics." Tweet this "NewBeauty's mission is to help readers make confident beauty choices, and that mission has always been strongly rooted in safety," says Steffanie Attenberg, Chief Brand Officer, NewBeauty. "COVID-19 magnified the importance of patient education, and NewBeauty is uniquely positioned as the definitive source when it comes to providing patients with the information needed to help make educated decisions with positive outcomes." "There are several industry leaders who put tremendous time, effort and resources toward supporting doctors and patients during the pandemic," says Mike Glaicar, Chief Revenue Officer, NewBeauty. "We identified the organizations that we felt were creating the most impact, and we are very proud to have Allergan Aesthetics, Mentor, SkinCeuticals, and The Aesthetics Society help to support the initiative." The FOLIO: Eddie & Ozzie Award Winners were announced October 14, 2021 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York. NewBeauty's Fall 2021 Issue with cover star Beth Behrs is currently on newsstands nationwide. For up-to-date information and the latest beauty and aesthetic industry developments visit newbeauty.com. ABOUT NEWBEAUTY: NewBeauty is the authority on beauty and the trusted resource for the most affluent and influential beauty consumer. The only magazine dedicated 100% to beauty with more than 5x the beauty edit of any other magazine, NewBeauty dives deep to provide valuable information, founded in research and vetted by experts, empowering women to make better beauty decisions. NewBeauty is published by SANDOW, a leader in innovation and design that delivers powerful products and services to a highly selective audience. Contact: Elizabeth Ritter, Executive Editor [email protected] SOURCE NewBeauty Related Links https://www.newbeauty.com/ EMERYVILLE, Calif., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Newfi, a technology driven multi-channel mortgage lender, today announced the execution of a definitive agreement to sell a majority shareholder interest to Athene (NYSE: ATH) from Warburg Pincus, a leading global growth investor. The investment in Newfi will be managed by Apollo (NYSE: APO). The transaction marks the next chapter in Newfi's evolution, allowing the Company to expand its footprint and compound its expertise in the non-agency mortgage space. This transaction comes at a time of significant momentum for Newfi, which continues to experience record earnings growth and volume in 2021. Based in Emeryville, CA, Newfi is reshaping the borrowing experience for homeowners through a combination of proprietary technology and product innovation. The Company has a national presence with a strong focus on non-agency lending and a growing consumer direct outlet. With this transaction, the Company will continue to invest in its infrastructure and look to capitalize on the significant growth opportunity. Founder and CEO Steve Abreu will continue to lead Newfi and will retain his equity position. Co-founder Michelle Constantine will also remain as the Company's Chief Risk Officer. Together they have taken the Company from a small operation to a multifaceted lender with over $6 billion in originations and a strong trajectory for growth. "This move allows Newfi to combine its capital market expertise with Athene's balance sheet and deep knowledge in the mortgage space, accelerating Newfi's presence in single family lending," said Steve Abreu, Founder and CEO of Newfi. "We are proud to have partnered with Newfi over the past five years and have seen the company experience substantial growth over this time. We wish Steve and his team continued success," said Eric Friedman, Managing Director at Warburg Pincus. Nancy De Liban, Apollo Senior Partner and Head of Consumer and Residential Credit, added, "We are excited to bring Athene and Apollo's significant experience in mortgage lending to our partnership with Newfi." Neil Mehta, Apollo Partner and Head of Strategy, added, "We look forward to working with Steve and the Newfi team to support the platform's exciting growth trajectory." The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022 subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions including state mortgage and other regulatory approvals. Houlihan Lokey served as exclusive financial advisor to Newfi and Kirkland & Ellis LLP in conjunction with Weintraub Tobin served as legal advisor to Newfi. Zuckerman Gore Brandeis & Crossman served as employment counsel for Steve Abreu and Michelle Constantine. Sidley Austin LLP served as legal advisor to Athene and Apollo. About Warburg Pincus Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global growth investor. The firm has more than $67 billion in private equity assets under management. The firm's active portfolio of more than 215 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector, and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 20 private equity funds, which have invested more than $97 billion in over 960 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information please visit www.warburgpincus.com. About Apollo Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. The firm seeks to provide its clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade to private equity with a focus on three business strategies: yield, hybrid and opportunistic. Through its investment activity across its fully integrated platform, Apollo serves the retirement income and financial return needs of its clients, and offers innovative capital solutions to businesses. Apollo's patient, creative, knowledgeable approach to investing aligns its clients, businesses it invests in, its employees and the communities it impacts, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of June 30, 2021, Apollo had approximately $472 billion assets under management. To learn more, visit www.apollo.com. Contact for Warburg Pincus Sarah Bloom [email protected] Contact for Apollo For Investors: Noah Gunn Global Head of Investor Relations Apollo Global Management, Inc. (212) 822-0540 [email protected] For Media: Joanna Rose Global Head of Corporate Communications Apollo Global Management, Inc. (212) 822-0491 [email protected] SOURCE Newfi NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) unveiled a new brand campaign, including a new identity, reflecting the company's transformation of its culture and a redefined strategy focused solely on the global future of media. Nielsen's new look and feel represents a commitment to innovation and the company's role and purpose of powering a better media future for all people. Following the sale of its Global Connect business in March 2021, Nielsen is now focused on delivering digital-first and global-first media solutions in three areas - measurement, audience outcomes and content services. Nielsen is combining and enhancing its industry-leading measurement solutions into a single cross-media measurement solution, Nielsen One. With an unmatched foundation of cross platform measurement, Nielsen offers a full suite of planning and outcomes solutions for marketers and agencies to enhance their return on investments. Nielsen also continues to enhance its Gracenote content services business, delivering leading metadata and analytics for On Demand content globally. "While our business has transformed dramatically over the past few years, it became clear that perceptions of the company have not evolved at the same pace," said Jamie Moldafsky, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. "The rebranding marks a new Nielsen both inside the company and out, with a strategy hyper-focused on the global audience and the changing media environment. Nielsen's core values of inclusion, courage and growth, along with its clear strategy, will power the company's transformation as we partner with the industry and our clients to help them better understand how evolving audiences consume media and find content." The new brand identity will be unveiled at Advertising Week New York, which will be held October 18 - 21. Signage showcasing the elements of the rebranding will be prominently displayed on the fifth and sixth floors of Hudson Yards. Nielsen will also host a daily breakfast at its lounge, which will feature the new logo, images and colors, in line with the company's new brand identity. Initial elements of Nielsen's brand evolution include: New Logo: As a prominent representation of the company, people and brand, the new logo is playful, optimistic and smart. Inspired by the universal play button as well as ratings, the forms come together subtly to create an 'N' letterform in the negative space, signifying insights revealed by Nielsen's data and the constant momentum in media. New Brand Colors: The multitude of fresh colors speaks to the diversity and richness in media representing or containing a piece of data, a piece of music, a show, a content creator, or a member of the audience, all working together to move media forward. The green and orange triangles represent movement upwards and downwards, an expression of ratings and the popularity of content across all platforms. The red triangle nods towards the content not seen or heard. Data and insights are just as much about what people don't choose to consume, as what they do consume. New Brand Purpose Statement: Powering a Better Media Future for All People. ABOUT NIELSEN Nielsen shapes the world's media and content as a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their audiencesnow and into the future. An S&P 500 company, Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) operates around the world in more than 55 countries. Learn more at www.nielsen.com or www.nielsen.com/investors and connect with us on social media. SOURCE Nielsen Related Links http://www.nielsen.com SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nightfall, a cloud-native data protection platform, today announced that it has successfully achieved Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type 2 compliance. Nightfall is the first cloud-native data loss prevention vendor to complete this comprehensive certification and meet the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) criteria for managing customer data. Nightfall is an enterprise-grade data protection platform that integrates directly with cloud applications including Slack, Google, GitHub, and Atlassian. Nightfall's developer-centric detection engine leverages machine learning to help organizations protect sensitive data, including unstructured data like images in cloud environments. Proper handling of sensitive data, including personally identifiable information (PII), payment card information (PCI), and credentials are critical assets and require secure management. By becoming SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, Nightfall emphasizes its commitment to securing its customer's data and strong security practices. SOC 2 Type 2 consists of a thorough audit regarding the effectiveness of an organization's internal controls and policies set by the AICPA and demonstrates completion that a company's information security measures meet today's cloud requirements. "Keeping our customer's information safe is our top priority at Nightfall and achieving the SOC 2 Type 2 certification reiterates our commitment to protecting sensitive data," said Isaac Madan, chief executive officer of Nightfall. To learn more about Nightfall's security, please visit nightfall.ai or email [email protected]. About Nightfall Nightfall's mission is to bring efficiency and efficacy to data protection. Organizations depend on Nightfall to discover, classify, and protect sensitive data across cloud services via machine learning & natural language processing (NLP). As the industry's first cloud-native data loss prevention & data classification platform, Nightfall has scaled rapidly to a broad set of customers across the globe, ranging from hyper-growth tech startups to Fortune 100 enterprises. Nightfall's SOC 2 Type 2 compliant platform has been deployed across consumer-facing & highly regulated industries like healthcare, insurance, and education to address data leakage and compliance risks around HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA, and more. Nightfall is backed by Bain Capital Ventures, Venrock, Webb Investment Network, and a cadre of high-profile operators, including CEO/executives at Okta, Splunk, FireEye and Salesforce. SOURCE Nightfall SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Registered nurses at Mercy Medical Center, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, will join elected officials and community supporters for two informational pickets on October 20 to bring attention to hospital owner Trinity Health's failure to properly support and value nurses during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Informational Picket Details When: Wednesday, October 20 from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Where: On the sidewalk outside Mercy on Carew Street in Springfield. How: Nurses, healthcare workers and community supporters will follow relevant public health guidelines. Mercy nurses have made progress in contract negotiations with Trinity over the last several months fending off takeaway proposals by management and reaching important staffing and other improvements by joining together with each other and the community, holding informational pickets and delivering a petition with more than 800 signatures to the hospital trustee chair. Yet Trinity continues to seek a punitive cancellation policy that will undermine efforts to improve staffing levels and refuses to offer a contract with competitive compensation that will help the hospital recruit and retain the nurses Mercy needs to provide safe, high-quality care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. "A complete lack of support by management for nurses after working through the danger and uncertainty of the pandemic is driving nurses to burnout and suffer moral injury," said Alex Wright, RN, and Co-Chair of the MNA Bargaining Committee at Mercy Medical Center. "Trinity Health must change its profit-driven approach and focus on what is best for its nurses and patients." "We are calling on Trinity Health to ensure the nurses and all hospital staff at Mercy have appropriate support so we can safely and sustainably provide our patients with the incredible care they deserve," said Jaime Dorunda, RN, and Co-Chair of the MNA Bargaining Committee at Mercy Medical Center. "We are proud to stand with our community to advocate for changes that will positively benefit everyone connected to Mercy Medical Center." The approximately 400 MNA nurses of Mercy Medical Center are negotiating a contract to succeed their contract that expired on December 31, 2020. Trinity Health took over Mercy Medical Center in 2013 when it acquired Sisters of Providence through a merger with Catholic Health East. Based in Michigan, Trinity owns 92 hospitals nationwide and has nearly $20 billion in annual revenue. In the second half of 2020 its net income reached $2.7 billion, up from $805 million during the same period the year before. MassNurses.org Facebook.com/MassNurses Twitter.com/MassNurses Instagram.com/MassNurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association Related Links http://www.massnurses.org NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Paul Slavin, CEO of Open Road Integrated Media (OR/M), announced a number of new hires and promotions for the company across marketing including Business Development and Publishing, Digital Marketing, Content/Owned Media, and Newsletters/Audience Development as well as Production. "These employee changes demonstrate our ongoing commitment to building discovery for the 37,000+ titles we are currently managing for our publishing partners, authors and agents," said Mary McAveney, CRO/CMO, "The importance of the content we manage and our direct audience relationships, which are key to that discovery engine, and are reflected in how we build our teams." "The entire company is oriented around developing marketing technology and data solutions that allow us to scale our efforts in a way no other publishing services provider can match," Slavin said. "In October, we have over 40,000 titles in promotions. In an industry that generates nearly two million new products a year, scalability is essential." From Business Development and Publishing Relations: Mara Anastas joins Open Road Integrated Media in the newly created role of VP Business Development and Publishing Relations reporting to CRO, Mary McAveney. Mara has held executive roles in sales and publishing at Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, and Scholastic. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in publishing, contract negotiation, licensing, and brand development with a focus on driving revenue and profit. She will be working with authors, estates, and publishers to continue to drive their revenues and profits through Ignition as well as ORIM's publishing models. Lisa Echenthal has joined in the newly created position of Business Development Manager, reporting to VP Business Development Heidi Sachner. Lisa is responsible for preparing business reviews and other sales analysis for all current or prospective Ignition publishers and managing the onboarding and internal set-up of new Ignition publishers and titles. Lisa brings terrific marketplace experience to Ignition and Open Road. She was previously a buyer at Barnes & Noble for many years with responsibility for non-fiction categories ranging from true crime and narrative nonfiction to lifestyle, spirituality, and sports. She has partnered with publishers across the industry to grow their sales and is very skilled in trend analysis and identifying opportunities. From Digital Marketing at Bloodhound Books: Hannah Deuce joined Bloodhound from one of the UK's largest publishers, Hachette UK, where she built her experience in Digital Marketing and Publicity, working across multiple genres and varied titles. With a Masters degree in Publishing and professional background in Marketing and PR in the publishing sphere and beyond, she combines analytical methodologies with creative thinking to promote exciting new books. From Production: Laura Voorhees, Executive Director of Production, started as an intern in the fall of 2014, and in over seven years with Open Road in production she has worked on the titles published by ORIM as well as acting as production lead for Open Road Distribution, Worth Books, and Ignition. The last two years she has managed our amazing production team and will report to Slavin. From Content/Owned Media: Lisa Quigley, Senior Editor, The Lineup and Murder & Mayhem joined Open Road in October, coming from Stevens Institute in New Jersey, where she was a communications coordinator. A horror fiend, Lisa also hosts the podcast Ladies of the Fright and writes novels in her spare time. Lisa will report to Director of Content Strategy, Catherine Phelan. Also reporting to Phelan, Kaytie Norman has been promoted from Editor, Early Bird Books to Senior Editor, Early Bird Books. In addition to assisting the content team with overall content guidance, she will be working more closely with the tech and product teams to improve our user experience. Reporting to Norman, MacKenzie Stuart has been promoted from Associate Editor to Editor, The Archive. Joining our team as an intern three years ago, MacKenzie has since ably stepped into managing The Archive and assisting content creation and ideation for The Lineup, Murder & Mayhem, and additional sites. Reporting to Quigley, Kelsey McConnell has been promoted from Editorial Assistant to Assistant Editor. After a successful internship with ORIM, Kelsey joined the team full-time in November 2020, and has been helping The Lineup, A Love So True, and Murder & Mayhem grow ever since. She will be focusing on trending stories and social media. From Newsletters/Audience Development: Nicole Matura has joined the Early Bird Books team as our Marketing Operations Coordinator. Nicole graduated from the University of Vermont in May 2021 and has experience marketing retail and social brands through email, social media platforms, and PR. Nicole will analyze data from Early Bird Book's newsletter and acquisition campaigns, provide the team with actionable insights, generate ideas to further engage our subscribers, and add efficiency to our audience acquisition marketing. Ed Bambara comes to Open Road Media from Canon USA. As Consumer Insight Manager at Canon, Ed analyzed the performance and effectiveness of marketing campaigns across multiple product lines. Ed brings his data analytics and consumer marketing background to the Early Bird Books team to uncover trends in subscriber engagement and acquisition, formulate and implement new email marketing strategies and enhance Early Bird Books subscriber experience. Matura and Bambara report to Executive Director of Audience Insights, Mason Kostinsky. About Open Road Integrated Media Open Road Integrated Media is a Marketing-as-a-Service company that has built a tech-enabled, data-focused platform that provides content discovery and delivers digital experiences that entertain and inform its readers. The Open Road brands include Early Bird Books, a daily eBook deals newsletter and website; The Lineup, for fans of true crime, horror, the mysterious, and the paranormal; The Portalist, for fans of science fiction, fantasy; Murder & Mayhem, for fans of mystery and thriller; The Archive, for fans of history and non-fiction; and A Love So True, for fans of romance; and Open Road Media, a global eBook publisher whose catalog includes legendary authors such as Joan Didion, Graham Greene, William Styron, Alice Walker, Pat Conroy, Gloria Steinem, Octavia Butler, John Jakes, Pearl S. Buck, Walker Percy, and Ruth Rendell. Media Contact: Mary McAveney Open Road Integrated Media [email protected] Phone: 212.462.7878 SOURCE Open Road Integrated Media Related Links http://openroadintegratedmedia.com/ LAKEWOOD, Colo., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning, one of the nation's greenest and fastest-growing carpet cleaning franchises, has been rapidly expanding over the past few months and plans to continue its expansion through the end of the year and into 2022. Since the beginning of June, Oxi Fresh has awarded 30 new franchise locations throughout Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Texas, California, Washington, Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Georgia, Florida, New York, Nevada, and British Columbia. This recent expansion puts the company at nearly 500 locations across the United States and Canada. Oxi Fresh has no plans to slow down growth any time soon; there are currently over 300 locations available in the United States and Canada. Target areas for new locations include Oregon, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Alabama, and the cities of Los Angeles and Tampa. A major reason for this growth is Oxi Fresh's advanced support system, centralized Scheduling Center, and innovative marketing programs. These tools provide Oxi Fresh's carpet cleaning franchisees the opportunity to focus on business development rather than mere daily tasks. "The past six months have been very exciting for Oxi Fresh," said Jonathan Barnett, founder and CEO of Oxi Fresh. "It's amazing to see the company bring green carpet cleaning to so many new communities. With the demand for carpet cleaning services on the rise, we are ready to bring Oxi Fresh to every corner of the United States and Canada." The carpet cleaning franchise company has, since first opening in 2006, stood out in its industry. This is thanks to many things, including their eco-friendly, fast-drying cleaning system. This remarkable method and the brand's commitment to customer satisfaction earned them hundreds of thousands of positive reviews. Recently, the company was also ranked as a Top Part-Time Franchise and Top Franchises for Less than $50,000 by Entrepreneur magazine, identifying it a potentially valuable franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs looking for a flexible and powerful opportunity. The company was also named a Top Franchise for Veterans and one of the Fastest Growing Franchises available today. About Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning offers green carpet cleanings and exceptional results through innovative products and modern technology. The company's powerful combination of knowledgeable people, innovative technology, and robust processes has landed the brand in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500, ranked in Inc. magazine's Inc. 500|5000, and saw them named as one of "America's Best Franchises to Buy," by Forbes magazine. Oxi Fresh has hundreds of locations throughout the United States and Canada, with more locations currently in development. For more information, visit oxifresh.com. ### SOURCE Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Related Links https://www.oxifresh.com/ CHICAGO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Parus Holdings, Inc. , a pioneer in voice-enabled technologies, announced today that it has filed a second patent infringement lawsuit in the U.S. Federal District Court for the Western District of Texas against Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. The lawsuit alleges that Samsung infringes on Parus' patents for voice-browsing and device control technology. The lawsuit is based on U.S. Patent No. 6,721,705, U.S. Patent No. 8,185,402, and U.S Patent No. 7,386,455. Parus is seeking all available remedies, including damages against Samsung for all of its infringing sales. The lawsuit asserts that the infringement has been "willful," and requests that the defendant be ordered to pay treble damages and Parus' attorneys' fees, and be permanently enjoined from infringing the Parus Patents. This is the second lawsuit Parus has filed against Samsung relating to its use of Parus' voice-user interface technologies for retrieving information. The '431 and '084 Patents are asserted in the district court cases against Apple, Google, and Samsung (6-19-cv-00432, 6-19-vc-00433, 6-19-vc-00438) in the Western District of Texas and the case against LG (3-20-cv-05896) in the Northern District of California, all initially filed in 2019. These district court cases have been stayed pending the results of various IPRs. Parus also has asserted different patents in other district court cases currently pending in the Western District of Texas against Microsoft, Apple and Google. "Parus has a responsibility to its customers and shareholders to protect the investments Parus has made in its innovative technologies. Parus intends to vigorously defend its valuable patent portfolio and other intellectual property," said Taj Reneau, Chairman and CEO. "We look forward to presenting our case in court and prevailing in this matter." About Parus Holdings, Inc. Parus Holdings, Inc. is a pioneer of voice-enabled unified communications and voice assistant solutions, including messaging, voice search, collaboration, video and real-time communications for mobile communities and over 50,000 business customers. Our patented solutions, our deep understanding of the needs and challenges of the customers we serve, and our passion for outstanding customer service have kept Parus at the forefront of the voice communications industry for more than twenty years. Parus brands include Webley, WebleyMD, ScreenSight, Parus Interactive, and Obai. Parus Holdings, Inc., founded in 1997, is a venture-backed, privately held company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. SOURCE Parus Holdings Inc. Related Links parus.ai NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Patricof Co (P/Co), a highly specialized private investment platform designed to meet the unique business needs and opportunities of professional athletes, announced today that it co-invested in the consortium led by L Catterton who owns a controlling interest in Truck Hero, the leading provider of functional aftermarket accessories for pickup trucks and Jeep vehicles. Over thirty athletes participated in the deal including Aaron Rodgers, Dak Prescott, George Kittle, Blake Griffin, Kemba Walker, CC Sabathia, Joe Burrow and Ryan Tannehill. P/Co was founded in late 2018 with the goal of creating a highly differentiated and proprietary investment strategy, which leverages the privileged access to private deals afforded to professional athletes of a certain stature. This is the 14th investment by P/Co. Previous investments include Cholula Hot Sauce, Bombas, SpaceX, Orgain, Sweetwater and Goldin Auctions. George Kittle, tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, said, "As a truck enthusiast my entire life, I jumped at the investment opportunity not only is the entire Truck Hero team world-class, but the Company creates over 4,000 jobs throughout the U.S.. I'm proud to be a part of it and excited to get involved." Mark Patricof, P/Co's Founder & CEO, said, "We are thrilled to partner with Truck Hero and L Catterton and look forward to working together to further the Company's legacy of consistent growth, best-in-class customer service and forward-thinking product innovation." Headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI. with factories, distribution centers, and offices across North America, Truck Hero is the omni-channel leader in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and selling truck and off-road accessories. The company is recognized as a trusted partner to the dealer community for which it provides innovative products and service, and it has established a leading online presence selling directly to consumers through RealTruck.com. Powered by 26 industry defining brands, Truck Hero products outfit millions of vehicles for rugged adventures, weekend excursions, outdoor recreation, and everything in between. Bill Reminder, Truck Hero's President and CEO, said, "We couldn't be happier to welcome this caliber of professional athletes into the Truck Hero family and look forward to tapping into their unique perspective, reach, and passion for the truck and Jeep lifestyle as we continue to build a world-class consumer brand." About Patricof Co Patricof Co (P/Co) is a highly specialized private investment platform designed to meet the unique business needs and opportunities of professional athletes. P/CO optimizes athletes' direct private investment strategy through a combination of personalized services and a proprietary co-investment process. Their client service practice creates a deal sourcing advantage, allowing P/CO to secure allocations in highly competitive, blue-chip growth and private equity and real estate investment opportunities. P/CO is strategically backed by JP Morgan's Private Equity Group ("PEG"), one of the longest-standing and most successful private equity firms in the industry, and are based in New York City. About Truck Hero, Inc. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Truck Hero provides consumers a full range of branded automotive accessories for trucks, Jeep brand vehicles and cars, with market leading functionality, engineering, quality, and design. The breadth of Truck Hero's product offering is vast, including hard and soft truck bed covers, truck caps, bed liners, floor liners, fender flares, steps, suspension kits, Ventvisors, Jeep parts and off-road accessories. Truck Hero's industry leading family of brands includes Advantage Truck Accessories, Alloy USA, AMP Research, A.R.E., Auto Ventshade, BAK Industries, BACKRACK, BedRug, Belmor, Bushwacker, Extang, Husky Liners, LUND, N-FAB, OMIX, Rampage Products, Retrax, RoadWorks, Roll-N-Lock, Rugged Liner, Rugged Ridge, Stampede, Superlift, Tonno Pro, TruXedo, UnderCover and an online retailer, RealTruck. All the companies in the Truck Hero family are recognized as premier brands and are leaders in innovation. For more information, please visit our website at truck-hero.com . SOURCE Patricof Co Related Links https://www.pco.com/ MCKEESPORT, Pa., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- An affiliate of Phoenix Investors ("Phoenix") announced the acquisition of 200 28th St, McKeesport, PA. This acquisition marks the second acquisition for Phoenix Investors in the Pittsburgh industrial market. Located in a suburban industrial zone, the warehouse located on 36 acres, boasts 55 dock doors, a fenced lot, 24-hour security, and convenient proximity to bus lines. The property, built in 1963, was renovated in 2005 and most recently in 2018; it is located approximately 35 miles southeast of Pittsburgh International Airport with easy access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) and I-70. Phoenix expects to immediately commence upgrades to the facility to accommodate new tenant occupancy and market the available space for lease. "We welcome this investment in the City of McKeesport. I am looking forward to working together with Phoenix in the future," said A.J. Tedesco, Director of Community Development, City of McKeesport. "We are excited to have a continued interest and opportunity for investment along McKeesport's Walnut Street corridor," Mayor Michael Cherepko said. "In becoming a part of our business community, Phoenix Investors is helping Magic Creations continue its operation while making room for new business opportunities on the property." "The subject property is a great compliment to our project in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania," said Frank Crivello, Phoenix Investors' Founder & Chairman. "The property's location in a thriving industrial market makes this acquisition especially valuable." The transaction was brokered by Ned Shekels, Senior Vice President, Pennsylvania Commercial Real Estate, Inc. About Phoenix Investors Phoenix Investors is a national commercial real estate firm based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Phoenix's affiliate companies hold interests in industrial, retail, office, and single tenant net-leased properties in approximately 46 million square feet, spanning 28 states. Its core business is the revitalization of former manufacturing facilities throughout the United States. This strategy leads to positively transforming communities and restarting the economic engine in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit https://phoenixinvestors.com. SOURCE Phoenix Investors Related Links http://www.phoenixinvestors.com DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As per a recent market analysis by Future Market Insights (FMI), demand for phytochemicals is anticipated to grow at a healthy 7% CAGR, surpassing a valuation of US$ 12.9 Bn by 2031. Increasing applications of phytochemicals across various end-use sectors such as nutraceuticals, food and beverages, and pharmaceuticals are anticipated to continue pushing sales of phytochemicals in the forthcoming years. Request a report sample with 250 pages to gain comprehensive insights at https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-14021 Shifting consumer preference towards natural ingredients and clean labels in food products is spurring the demand for phytochemicals in the food and beverage industry. Phytochemicals, unlike vitamins and minerals, are not considered nutrients. They are used just for their color and flavor. As demand for natural flavoring and coloring agents continues to rise, sales of phytochemicals are projected to rise in tandem. Besides this, phytochemicals are being incorporated in functional foods for having anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and antioxidant effects on human health. In response to this, manufacturers are focusing on collaborations with research institutes to launch new and innovative phytochemical products to diversify their applications in various end-use sectors. As per FMI's regional analysis, the U.S. is anticipated to witness high demand for phytochemicals in the forthcoming years. Growth can be attributed to the presence of well-established food & beverage and healthcare sectors, along with growing preference for non-GMO food products in the country. "Rising application of phytochemicals in animal feed, coupled with increasing demand for nutraceuticals due to rising health-consciousness among individuals are projected to provide impetus to the global phytochemicals market growth in the forthcoming years," says an FMI analyst. Key Takeaways: Based on molecule type, the flavonoids segments are projected to account for over 35% of the total phytochemicals market share in 2021. Powder phytochemicals are anticipated to dominate the product category, holding 82% of the total market share in 2021. Applications of phytochemicals in the food and beverage industry are anticipated to spur the sales, contributing nearly 34.4% of the total market share. The U.S. is projected to dominate North America phytochemicals market with sales growing at 4.7% CAGR over the forecast period. phytochemicals market with sales growing at 4.7% CAGR over the forecast period. Sales of phytochemicals in China are projected to reach US$ 870.9 Mn in 2021. are projected to reach in 2021. The phytochemicals market in Germany is anticipated to reach a valuation of US$ 363.7 Mn in 2021. is anticipated to reach a valuation of in 2021. Demand for phytochemicals in the U.K. is expected to grow at a 3.8% CAGR owing to rising trend of veganism and vegetarianism in the country. India will emerge as a lucrative market with sales growing at 6.4% CAGR over the forecast period. will emerge as a lucrative market with sales growing at 6.4% CAGR over the forecast period. Sales of phytochemicals in Japan and South Korea are projected to rise at 12.3% and 15.7% CAGR, respectively. Prominent Drivers: Expansion of the vegan and vegetarian population is resulting in high demand for organic ingredients in food and supplements. This is expected to push sales of phytochemicals. Manufacturers are adopting online retail channels to cater growing demand for phytochemicals. Easy availability of products through eCommerce will continue propelling sales through 2031. Read Full Report with TOC at: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/phytochemical-market Key Restraints: Stringent regulations imposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) and other organizations owing to the risk of cancer and tumor promoters associated with consumption of phytochemicals will restraint growth in the market Competitive Landscape Leading players operating in the global phytochemicals market are focusing on strategic collaborations, mergers, and acquisitions to expand their distribution networks and to gain a competitive edge in the market. Apart from this, players are investing in research and development to launch new and innovative products in the market. For instance: In April 2021 , Tokiwa phytochemicals announced the publication of a joint research project in collaboration with the University of Tokyo on a proprietary extract of "Kaempferia parviflora", commonly known as black turmeric. , Tokiwa phytochemicals announced the publication of a joint research project in collaboration with the on a proprietary extract of "Kaempferia parviflora", commonly known as black turmeric. In August 2021 , ingredients supplier Gencor announced positive results for its Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract, ActiveAmp, in a body composition study involving overweight male and female participants. Leading players operating in phytochemicals market profiled by FMI include: Dohler GmbH Naturex SA Kemin Industries Inc Linnea SA Sabinsa Corporation Kothari Phytochemicals & Industries Ltd Indena SpA Alkaloids Corporation Arboris LLC Allied Biotech Corp. Organic Herb Inc. (OHI) LIPO Foods Nektium FYTEXIA Chr. Hansen Holding A/S BASF SE Purchase The Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/14021 More Insights on FMI's Phytochemical Market The latest market study on the phytochemicals market by Future Market Insights gives a detailed segmentation for the forecast period of 2021-2031. In order to gain a better perspective of the global phytochemicals market potential, its growth, trends, and opportunities, the market is segmented on the basis of: By Molecule Type: Alkaloids Anthocyanins Carotenoids Coumestans Flavon-3-ols Flavonoids Hydroxycinnamic Acids Isoflavones Lignans By Form: Powder Liquid By Application: Food and Beverages Nutraceutical Pharmaceutical Personal Care and Cosmetics Animal Nutrition Region: North America Latin America Europe East Asia South Asia Oceania Middle East and Africa (MEA) Key Questions Covered in Phytochemicals Market Report The report offers detailed insights into phytochemicals market demand outlook for 2021-2031. The market study also highlights projected sales growth for phytochemicals market between 2021 and 2031. Phytochemicals market survey identifies key growth drivers, restraints, and other forces impacting prevailing trends and evaluation of current market size and forecast and technological advancements within the industry. Phytochemicals market share analysis of the key companies within the industry and coverage of strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations or partnerships, and others. FMI is hosting a talk show in collaboration with SPRING to uncover the paths of latest innovations in packaging. Join our Talk show "The Rise of Intelligent Packaging' by registering here: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/event/the-rise-of-intelligent-packaging Top Reports Related To Automotive Market Cocoa Liquor Market : The cocoa liquor market value is expected to total US$ 6,317.37 Mn in 2021, according to Future Market Insights (FMI). The overall market value is expected to reach US$ 8,656.3 Mn by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 3.2% for 2021-31. Matcha Market : In a recent study, ESOMAR-certified consulting firm Future Market Insights (FMI) projects a favorable demand outlook for the global matcha market during the forecast period 2021 to 2031. The global matcha sales are poised to total US$ 2.28 Bn in 2021, exhibiting a stellar 10.2% CAGR. About Future Market Insights (FMI) Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in Dubai, and has delivery centers in the UK, U.S. and India. FMI's latest market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. A team of expert-led analysts at FMI continuously tracks emerging trends and events in a broad range of industries to ensure that our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers. Contact: Future Market Insights, 1602-6 Jumeirah Bay X2 Tower, Plot No: JLT-PH2-X2A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates For Sales Enquiries: [email protected] For Media Enquiries: [email protected] Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/phytochemical-market Press Release Source: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/press-release/phytochemical-market SOURCE Future Market Insights PHOENIX, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new non-profit organization has recently been formed to provide a free legal service for those who have been arrested, charged, or convicted of minor criminal cannabis offense in the State of Arizona with a household income less than 4X the Federal Poverty Rate and who has been living at an address in one of the following zip codes at least three of the past five years: 85006 85350 86031 86538 85007 85357 86033 86540 85008 85364 86034 86544 85009 85530 86035 86545 85015 85539 86036 86547 85017 85542 86039 86556 85019 85550 86042 85021 85551 86043 85031 85607 86044 85033 85620 86045 85034 85621 86047 85035 85626 86053 85040 85634 86054 85041 85640 86434 85051 85648 86502 85121 85705 86503 85128 85706 86504 85135 85713 86505 85141 85714 86506 85147 85746 86507 85256 85757 86508 85301 85911 86510 85321 85930 86511 85323 85941 86512 85337 86016 86514 85344 86020 86520 85349 86030 86535 Arizona Proposition 207, passed last fall, allows for the expungement of prior petty marijuana convictions from Arizona criminal records. This new law, recently effective, has already erased thousands of minor cannabis arrests, charges, and convictions from criminal records, as if they never existed. Many Arizonans, especially those who could not afford expensive attorneys, are still carrying around criminal records from a minor felony or misdemeanor arrest in Arizona stemming from a small amount of marijuana found in their possession many years ago. These criminal records can pop up in background checks, prohibiting thousands of Arizonians from benefiting from a better paying job, getting a home loan, or even leasing an apartment. You may have a past arrest record regardless of whether or not you were charged and/or convicted. An arrest record may remain on one's record for many years, and this arrest record can be expunged as well. The same may be true for one who has been arrested and charged, but never actually convicted of a crime. Marijuana is now legal in most states, including Arizona, and Proposition 207's new expungement law enables those living in Arizona with an Arizona criminal record from a small marijuana possession arrest to wipe their slate clean. Unfortunately, most adults suffering with past low level marijuana arrest records have no idea of this wonderful fresh-start opportunity. This may be your golden opportunity to clear your name and pursue a better life. If you have ever been arrested, charged, or convicted of a low-level marijuana possession felony or misdemeanor, please go to www.AZExpungement.org and fill out our brief on-line form to learn if you qualify for this free legal service. This free legal service will expire one month from today, November 12th, 2021. AZExpungement.org will provide a member of our pro bono legal team for interview opportunities, or to discuss the expungement process further. SOURCE AzExpungement.org Related Links Www.AZExpungement.org Moran's flew in the foremost expert the field to conduct an extensive authentication, restoration, inspection, and generate a full condition report for The Chaffey College Apple-1 so that buyers can bid with confidence on November 9, 2021, during the Post-war & Contemporary Art + Design Sale. Join us one week before the sale during preview or contact us directly for a private viewing. Bidding is now available online via Moran's new mobile app, Moran Mobile, available on both iOS and Android operating systems. Live bidding on a desktop is available through our website; bidding is also supported by telephone or absentee. The first version of the company's personal computer built by Steve Wozniak was essentially a motherboard and a manual with instructions on which components needed to be purchased in order to assemble and use the machine. Wozniak contemplated making instructions available on how to build the computer he designed from start to finish for free to anyone who had the patience to create one on their own. Steve Jobs convinced him to instead combine the motherboard and its connections into a magazine box and sell them as a kit. 200 Apple-1 computers were hand-built by Wozniak, Jobs, and a skeleton crew in the garage that belonged to Jobs' parents. 175 of them were sold for $666.66, a figure that catered to Wozniak's love of repeating numbers. 50 of the 175 computers were sold to Paul Terrell, owner of Byte Shop in Mountain View, California. When Jobs delivered the 50 Magazine boxes each containing an Apple-1 kit, Paul Terrell was not happy. He anticipated 50 all-in-one units that could simply be plugged in by the consumer, an unheard-of concept at the time. Jobs defended his delivery by pointing out that each box included all necessary elements to compose the machine and further convinced Terrell that Byte Shop could make a profit by selling keyboards, monitors, and power supplies within their store as an opportunity to upsell the product. The wooden case that houses this computer is made from Koa wood and is in very good condition. In the 1970s Koa wood (native to Hawaii) was abundant on the west coast, but due to cattle grazing and extensive logging, the Koa tree is rare and more expensive. There are only six known examples of the Koa wooden case in existence, and this unit is one of them. The Chaffey College Apple-1 on offer has only had two owners. It was originally purchased by an electronics professor who then sold it to his student: "I purchased this used from the original owner in 1977. He was a teacher at Chaffey College, and I was taking his programming course. He was excited to buy the Apple-II and sold me this for about $650. Of course, nobody knew it would become a collector's item..." - Angela Bryant John Moran Auctioneers Questions and Comments: 626.628.9341 Angela Bryant and Nathan Martinez [email protected] and [email protected] SOURCE John Moran Auctioneers Related Links www.johnmoran.com GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This Veterans Day, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews gives thanks to our courageous military men and women honoring them in the best way Red Robin knows how with a free delicious burger and bottomless fries to top it all off. Red Robin Royalty members who have a military designation will receive a FREE Red's Tavern Double burger - available for dine-in or to-go, starting November 1. The free offer is redeemable for two weeks where Military Royalty members who are eligible can claim the free one-time only offer any day of their choice from November 1 through November 14. In order to take advantage of the offer, active or former military and veterans must register for Red Robin's Royalty Program with military designation by Monday, November 1 at https://www.redrobin.com/royalty. Once registered, active or former military and veterans can redeem the FREE Red's Tavern Double a house favorite burger with two classic patties topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and Red's Secret Tavern Sauce proudly served with a side of bottomless fries for endless refills. "At Red Robin, we are so thankful for our brave veterans who serve our country, and we are proud to extend this offer as a sign of our endless gratitude," said Paul J.B. Murphy III, president and chief executive officer at Red Robin. "We encourage all military members, past and present, to sign up for our Royalty program to take advantage of the offer and enjoy a free burger on us as our way to say thank you for their relentless dedication to serving our nation." Red Robin supports its military guests all year round, offering exclusive perks and benefits for guests to gather around the table and enjoy delicious meals with family and friends all through Red Robin's Royalty Program. To learn more about Red Robin's Veterans Day offer, visit Redrobin.com/pages/veterans-day/. About Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. (www.redrobin.com), is a casual dining restaurant chain founded in 1969 that operates through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Red Robin International, Inc., and under the trade name, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews. We believe nothing brings people together like burgers and fun around our table, and no one makes moments of connection over craveable food more memorable than Red Robin. We serve a variety of burgers and mainstream favorites to Guests of all ages in a casual, playful atmosphere. In addition to our many burger offerings, Red Robin serves a wide array of salads, appetizers, entrees, desserts, signature beverages and Donatos pizza at select locations. It's now easy to enjoy Red Robin anywhere with online ordering available for to-go, delivery and catering. There are more than 525 Red Robin restaurants across the United States and Canada, including those operating under franchise agreements. Red Robin YUMMM! SOURCE Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. Related Links https://www.redrobin.com JERSEY CITY, N.J., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Verified Market Research recently published a report, "Regenerative Medicine Market" By Therapy (Tissue Engineering, Immunotherapy, Gene Therapy), By Product (Cell-Based Products and Acellular Products), By Application (Central Nervous System Diseases, Oncology, Diabetes), and By Geography. According to Verified Market Research, the Global Regenerative Medicine Market size was valued at USD 27.7 Billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 149.80 Billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 23.54% from 2021 to 2028. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/download-sample/?rid=7157 Browse in-depth TOC on "Regenerative Medicine Market" 202 - Pages 126 Tables 37 Figures Global Regenerative Medicine Market Overview Over the last decade, stem cell biology has experienced a breakthrough in scientific and technological developments that will together have a foremost and continuing influence on regenerative medicine. These entail capability to produce pluripotent stem cells from adult body cells and to cultivate mini-organs from these or from adult stem cells in well-defined culture conditions. Both methodologies offer ways to develop functional cells of human tissue that could be used for transplantation and tissue repair. Government policies favouring regenerative medicine is one of the major reasons which has been driving the market growth. The European Union (EU) and the Dutch government have prioritized regenerative medicine as an area of key strategic relevance. Apart from this, the rapid increase in the aged population has also boomed the market in the North American region. The North Carolina Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society is an organization in the U.S. working to improve and advance basic research, commercial development, and education in the field of regenerative medicine. In the U.S., two major government agencies NIH and CIRM gather funds for academic translational stem cell research and regenerative medicine development. Increasing global healthcare expenditure is also expected to fuel the market. Key Developments in Regenerative Medicine Market In February 2020 , Stryker Corporation (US) acquired Wright Medical (US) to strengthen its product portfolio. , Stryker Corporation (US) acquired Wright Medical (US) to strengthen its product portfolio. In August 2018 , Avista Healthcare Public Acquisition Corp. and Organogenesis Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement, under which Organogenesis will become a wholly owned subsidiary of AHPAC. Affiliates of Avista Capital Partners ("Avista"), a leading private equity firm, have agreed to invest $92 million in the combined company in conjunction with the transaction. , Avista Healthcare Public Acquisition Corp. and Organogenesis Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement, under which Organogenesis will become a wholly owned subsidiary of AHPAC. Affiliates of Avista Capital Partners ("Avista"), a leading private equity firm, have agreed to invest in the combined company in conjunction with the transaction. In September 2018 , NuVasive, Inc. announced the U.S. commercial launch of three new biologics offerings to include traditional bone allograft, amniotic membrane DS and additional form factors to the current PropelTM DBM product line The major players in the market are ACELITY L.P. INC. (KCI LICENSING), JAPAN TISSUE ENGINEERING CO., LTD. (SUBSIDIARY OF FUJIFILM HOLDINGS CORPORATION, ORGANOGENESIS INC., NUVASIVE, INC., VERICEL CORPORATION, OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS, INC., LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION, STRYKER CORPORATION, and MEDTRONIC PLC. Verified Market Research has segmented the Global Regenerative Medicine Market On the basis of Product, Therapy, Application, and Geography. Regenerative Medicine Market, By Product Cell-Based Products Allogeneic Products Autologous Products Acellular Products Regenerative Medicine Market, By Therapy Tissue Engineering Immunotherapy Gene Therapy Cell Therapy Others Regenerative Medicine Market, By Application Central Nervous System Diseases Oncology Diabetes Orthopedic & Musculoskeletal Disorders Dermatology Cardiology Others Regenerative Medicine Market by Geography North America U.S Canada Mexico Europe Germany France U.K Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific ROW Middle East & Africa & Latin America Browse Related Reports: Nuclear Medicine/Radiopharmaceuticals Market By Application (Diagnostic Applications), By Procedural Volume (Diagnostic Procedures, Therapeutic Procedures), By Type (Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine, PET Radiopharmaceuticals), By Geography, Forecast, 2021-2028 Molecular Cytogenetics Market By Product (Kits And Reagents, Instruments, Consumables), By Technique (Comparative Genomic Hybridization, Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization), By Application (Genetic Disorders, Cancer, Personalized Medicine), By End-User (Clinical And Research Laboratories, Academic Research Institutes), By Geography, Forecast, 2021-2028 Electroceuticals/Bioelectric Medicine Market Size By Type(Implantable Electroceutical Devices and Noninvasive Electroceutical Devices), By Product(Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators, Cardiac Pacemaker, Cochlear Implants), By Application(Arrhythmia, Pain management, Parkinson's Disease), By Geography, Forecast, 2021-2028 Pediatric Medical Devices Market By Product (Cardiology Devices, In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) Devices, Diagnostic Imaging Devices, Telemedicine, Anesthesia And Respiratory Care Devices), By End-User (Hospitals, Pediatric Clinics, Ambulatory Surgery Centers), By Geography, Forecast, 2021-2028 Leading precision medicine software companies detecting the cancer's cure globally Visualize Regenerative Medicine Market using Verified Market Intelligence:-: Verified Market Intelligence is our BI Enabled Platform for narrative storytelling of this market. VMI offers in-depth forecasted trends and accurate Insights on over 20,000+ emerging & niche markets, helping you make critical revenue impacting decisions for a brilliant future. VMI provides a holistic overview and global competitive landscape with respect to Region, Country, and Segment, and Key players of your market. Present your Market Report & findings with an inbuilt presentation feature saving over 70% of your time and resources for Investor, Sales & Marketing, R&D, and Product Development pitches. VMI enables data delivery In Excel and Interactive PDF formats with over 15+ Key Market Indicators for your market. About Us Verified Market Research is a leading Global Research and Consulting firm servicing over 5000+ customers. Verified Market Research provides advanced analytical research solutions while offering information enriched research studies. We offer insight into strategic and growth analyses, Data necessary to achieve corporate goals and critical revenue decisions. Our 250 Analysts and SME's offer a high level of expertise in data collection and governance use industrial techniques to collect and analyze data on more than 15,000 high impact and niche markets. Our analysts are trained to combine modern data collection techniques, superior research methodology, expertise and years of collective experience to produce informative and accurate research. We study 14+ categories from Semiconductor & Electronics, Chemicals, Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Energy & Power, Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Automotive & Transportation, Information & Communication Technology, Software & Services, Information Security, Mining, Minerals & Metals, Building & construction, Agriculture industry and Medical Devices from over 100 countries. Contact Us Mr. Edwyne Fernandes Verified Market Research US: +1 (650)-781-4080 UK: +44 (753)-715-0008 APAC: +61 (488)-85-9400 US Toll Free: +1 (800)-782-1768 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/ Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Verified Market Research AUSTIN, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Remine, a full MLS solution that reimagines the digital real estate journey, was acquired today by MLS Technology Holdings, LLC, an MLS-driven collaborative dedicated to powering the next generation of technology for MLSs. MLS Technology Holdings, LLC is comprised of four of the most progressive MLSs in diverse areas across the country, including ACTRIS MLS in Austin, First Multiple Listing Service in Atlanta, Heartland MLS in Kansas City, and MIAMI REALTORS. The collaboration was born out of a shared desire to shape the future of the real estate industry through direct investment in the leading MLS technology company of tomorrow. "MLSs have taken a backseat to advancing technology that serves our subscribers and consumers for far too long," said Emily Chenevert, Chair for MLS Technology Holdings, LLC and CEO of the Austin Board of REALTORS and ACTRIS MLS. "At a time when consolidation is occurring across the industry, this investment ensures Remine remains with a team that's dedicated to keeping brokers and agents empowered in the real estate transaction, for the benefit of the consumers they serve." Since its inception in 2015, Remine has consistently reimagined the digital real estate journey by connecting consumers, agents, and lenders in one solution. Its powerful, intuitive suite of products which include the Docs+ transaction management platform, Remine Pro, Remine Mobile, Add/Edit for single point of entry, Remine's SSO dashboard, and MLS 2.0 are defined by choice, clarity, and speed. Remine's services cover much of the U.S. real estate market, including nearly 60 MLS markets representing more than 1.2 million real estate professionals across the country. Remine will remain an independent and thriving company under the strategic guidance of new ownership by MLS Technology Holdings, LLC. Mark Schacknies has resigned from his role as Chief Executive Officer of Remine and Liz Sturrock has been named Interim CEO while a national search for a permanent CEO is underway. As Chief of MLS and Innovation at MIAMI REALTORS, Sturrock is a proven leader with over 20 years of experience in both the real estate and IT industries. "Remine customers are in great hands with Remine's strong and capable staff who have paved the way to their success thus far. We're building upon that success by bringing a peer's perspective to the table," said Sturrock. "This move opens the door for MLSs to have a direct voice in determining how best to serve agents, brokers, and consumers." Co-founders Jonathan Spinetto and Leo Pareja have assumed the roles of Chief of Staff Operations and Chief of Strategy, respectively. Along with other key management team members, Spinetto and Pareja will help ensure a smooth transition and uninterrupted service for Remine customers. The MLS Technology Holdings, LLC Board of Directors is comprised of seasoned executives with over 165 years of combined outside investor expertise and industry knowledge. In addition to Chenevert's role as chair, directors include Vice Chair Teresa King Kinney, MIAMI REALTORS CEO; Secretary Jeremy Crawford, First Multiple Listing Service President & CEO; Treasurer Daniel Forsman, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | Georgia Properties President and CEO; Kipp Cooper, CEO for the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS and Heartland MLS; and Phil Swift, Ayrshire Group Executive Chairman. "Remine was created by top-producing agents who were frustrated by a lack of intelligent technology solutions in the marketplace," said Pareja, who applauded the collaboration. "This new chapter for Remine is a return to our roots and a unique opportunity to build upon a core technology that will pave the way for MLSs of the future." MLS Technology Holdings, LLC plans to launch an MLS Advisory Group to provide direct input on the future of the MLS and how Remine's MLS 2.0 can continue to anticipate and alleviate pain points in the homebuying, selling, and renting process. To learn more about the advisory group, email [email protected]. Truist Securities served as exclusive financial advisor to MLS Technology Holdings, LLC, and Alston & Bird LLP served as its legal counsel. GCA Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor to Remine, and Cooley LLP served as its legal counsel. About MLS Technology Holdings, LLC MLS Technology Holdings, LLC is an MLS-driven collaborative dedicated to powering the next generation of technology for MLSs by MLSs through strategic acquisitions and investments. MLS Technology Holdings, LLC is the owner of Remine, a full MLS solution that reimagines the digital real estate journey. Remine currently serves nearly 60 MLS markets representing over 1.2 million real estate professionals across the country. This collaborative allows MLSs to ensure Remine stays at the forefront of emerging MLS technology and in the hands of a team that's dedicated to keeping brokers and agents empowered in the real estate transaction, for the benefit of the consumers they serve. For more information, visit ABetterMLS.com. Media Contact: Elizabeth Christian Public Relations Walt Zaykowski 202.503.5108 SOURCE MLS Technology Holdings, LLC Related Links http://ABetterMLS.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Resecurity, Inc., a Los Angeles-based cybersecurity company, today announced they will showcase their Dark Web Monitoring and Threat Intelligence solutions at Gitex 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Center, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 17-21, 2021. Gitex 2021 is one of the largest technology events in the Middle East, covering 5G, AI, fintech, blockchain, healthcare and cybersecurity with an expected 4,500 exhibitors and 100,000 visitors from 140 countries. Aligning to the Resecurity's "one company, one mission" philosophy, Ayman Alshobaki, business development manager, MENA at Resecurity, will lead the mission of the Los Angeles-based company to provide innovative cyber threat intelligence and data-driven cybersecurity solutions to local UAE businesses, telecoms, MSSPs, system integrators and government agencies. By participating in Gitex 2021, Resecurity aims to make its products and services portfolio available to the cybersecurity and business community of the UAE. In support of this expansion, Resecurity has recently transferred a team of cybersecurity experts, data scientists and threat intelligence analysts to share expertise with Emirati industry leaders and to increase market presence in the Gulf region. The AI-powered cybersecurity solutions developed by Resecurity are used to protect the remote workforce, e-government, smart cities and cloud and enterprise ecosystem. "Resecurity's mission is to protect enterprises of any size, market vertical and in any geography. The UAE's geopolitical position and importance to the world economy in the energy, oil and gas and aviation industry make the UAE a target for cyberattacks, triggering rapid growth in the cybersecurity market. As a result, we have seen a huge demand for our solutions from major UAE businesses as well as other countries in the Gulf region," said Ayman Alshobaki, business development manager, MENA at Resecurity. "Resecurity is excited to tap into the fantastic networking and innovative atmosphere at Gitex 2021, allowing us to build new business alliances and accelerate market presence and channel sales." Big Data collected by Resecurity enables unparalleled visibility into the actual global threat landscape and successfully empowers Security Operating Center (SOC) and Cyber Fusion Center with actionable threat intelligence information to mitigate possible risks originating from the Dark Web, cyber espionage activity and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). Fortune 500 companies and enterprises globally, including but not limited to the financial sector, e-commerce, energy, oil and gas and insurance, are successfully using Resecurity and their capabilities to prevent data breaches and data leaks. Resecurity's solutions also help enterprises protect their brand, critical business assets, employees and executives from cybersecurity risks. To book a meeting with Resecurity representatives, contact Ayman Alshobaki via email at [email protected] or the Gitex Plus mobile app ( https://gitexplus.com ). About Resecurity Resecurity is a cybersecurity company that delivers a unified platform for endpoint protection, risk management, and cyber threat intelligence. Known for providing best-of-breed data-driven intelligence solutions, Resecurity's services and platforms focus on early-warning identification of data breaches and comprehensive protection against cybersecurity risks. Founded in 2016, it has been globally recognized as one of the world's most innovative cybersecurity companies with the sole mission of enabling organizations to combat cyber threats regardless of how sophisticated they are. Most recently, Resecurity was named as one of the Top 10 fastest-growing private cybersecurity companies in Los Angeles, California by Inc. Magazine. To learn more about Resecurity, visit https://resecurity.com/ . SOURCE Resecurity Related Links https://resecurity.com LONDON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The international network service provider RETN enhances its presence and network in the Nordic & Baltic region. The RETN Group already has strategically placed offices in Latvia, Estonia and Sweden. Now RETN has opened a new office in Finland, which outlines the company's long-term network presence in the country and commitment to the region. The RETN backbone network in Finland already aggregates six international DWDM routes and acts as a network transport hub, interconnecting Baltic and Nordic regions with Russia and Asia. In conjunction with opening new offices in the region, RETN is strategically developing its network presence by opening the new DWDM route Rezekne Daugavpils Vilnius, one of the shortest existing routes to connect Vilnius and Moscow and the round-trip time of just 10,71 ms. It also improves network redundancy for the capital of Lithuania by adding a third diverse route coming to Vilnius. On a larger scale this route supplements the TRANSKZ project, connecting Europe and Asia as a redundant yet latency-equal circuit between Moscow and Warsaw. Daugavpils Vilnius part became RETN's second cross-border route between Latvia and Lithuania, and it supports further IT and communications integration between EU countries. RETN's other recent investment in Nordic and Baltic region includes hires in sales, engineering and R&D in Sweden, Finland, and Latvia, aiming to strengthen the existing teams and provide both local and global expertise. RETN continues its expansion to guarantee the best customer service and highest SLA for fast, secure and reliable connectivity in Europe and Asia. About RETN RETN is one of the fastest growing independent Eurasian providers of IP transit and enterprise communications services, with unique resources to connect Europe and Asia. Distinctive features of RETN network are its own international fiber network - circa 800 points of presence and a network length of 120 447 km, running on recognised equipment vendors such as Infinera, Juniper and Ciena. RETN's unique solution to connect Europe and Asia is built on its own homogenous DWDM platform and widely branched land routes, passing through Western Europe and through Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan to the border with China and further onwards into South East Asia. RETN provides telecommunication services throughout its Eurasian network with short lead times, industry leading uptimes, and multiple layers of redundancy for its 1500 customers. www.retn.net Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1659539/RETN_Logo.jpg SOURCE RETN Capital Ltd. Related Links http://www.retn.net/ NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- REZI , the first "iRenter" PropTech company that is transforming the way that landlords and tenants complete apartment rental transactions, is continuing its rapid 2021 growth by launching its platform in Los Angeles, CA. Simultaneous with this expansion, REZI has signed its first deal with a new partner, Bond Companies, to lease vacancies at their Inspire Colton property in Los Angeles. Situated at 1363 Colton St, Inspire Colton is a new luxury community centrally located between downtown Los Angeles and Silver Lake offering contemporary living & designer finishes to the thriving surrounding City West neighborhood. "REZI, while a new player in the LA market, quickly understood the quality of Inspire Colton and its highly sought-after location in Echo Park. REZI came to us with a compelling offer to remove the normal time delays to secure quality residents," said Larry Bond, Co-Founder and Chairman of Bond Companies. "We are delighted to partner with REZI and their innovative platform and look forward to additional opportunities together in the year ahead." Tenants and property owners won't be the only ones to benefit from REZI's expansion plans though. Last month, the firm launched their own REZI Referral Program , where referral partners with connections in local real estate communities can refer owners, and their vacancies, online to REZI's innovative platform. To date, REZI has already received over 1400 units submitted through this referral program in Los Angeles alone totaling more than $14,000 in submission bonuses paid out to respective referral partners. "We're excited to expand into the Los Angeles market and have experienced early success with our referral program," said Chris Kim, Head of Acquisitions at REZI. "Growing our local partnerships is vital to continuing our rapid growth. We are committed to investing resources that will develop and maintain our referral relationships for the long term." About REZI Launched in 2018, REZI's is a real estate technology company whose proprietary AI technology drives better leasing outcomes for both tenants and rental property owners. Media Contact: Loren Pomerantz [email protected] 917-902-0219 SOURCE REZI Related Links https://www.rentrezi.com/ Expands into Saskatchewan Continuing Strong Growth Across Canada ST. CATHARINES, ON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Right Time Group of Companies ("Right Time" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the acquisition of furnaceguys Home Heating & Cooling. Founded in 2008, furnaceguys provides residential heating, cooling, air quality, and hot water services to homeowners in the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and surrounding areas. Management and employees of furnaceguys will join the Right Time team and will benefit from Right Time's management and training capabilities. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Right Time is majority-owned by Gryphon Investors, a leading middle-market private equity firm. furnaceguys is the tenth acquisition completed by Right Time and Gryphon Investors, and the first Saskatchewan-based acquisition. The Company's CEO, Craig Goettler, said, "Right Time is impressed with the business that owners Dennis McKee and his wife Kathleen Brannen have built. We look forward to continuing to deliver the high level of customer service that the furnaceguys brand is known for. furnaceguys will continue to remain a local company, committed to the community and people of Saskatoon." "For more than ten years, furnaceguys has built a strong business centered around great customer service," said Mr. McKee. "As we thought about the next stage of the business, Right Time was a natural partner given their exceptional experience and track record of integrating strong local companies into their national brand. We know furnaceguys will continue to maintain their brand promise of best-in-class customer service committed to serving the people of Saskatoon with Right Time." Right Time is continuously looking to add new residential HVAC and home services locations to its existing network in Canada. Interested owners are asked to contact Curtis Budgell at the coordinates below for more information. About Right Time Right Time is the leading Canadian independent heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning ("HVAC") contractor focused on the residential market. Right Time now operates out of 16 locations in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia with over 700 employees, and provides preventative maintenance programs, repairs, and replacements of household HVAC units. For more information, please visit www.right-time.ca. About Gryphon Investors Gryphon Investors (www.gryphoninvestors.com) is a leading private equity firm focused on profitably growing and competitively enhancing middle-market companies in partnership with experienced management. The firm has managed over $5.0 billion of equity investments and capital since 1997. Gryphon targets making equity investments of $50 million to $300 million in portfolio companies with enterprise values ranging from approximately $100 million to $600 million. Gryphon prioritizes investment opportunities where it can form strong partnerships with owners and executives to build leading companies, utilizing Gryphon's capital, specialized professional resources, and operational expertise. Contact: Curtis Budgell, Vice President, Corporate Development Right Time Group of Companies [email protected] 204-296-8420 SOURCE Right Time Group of Companies Related Links http://www.right-time.ca http://www.gryphoninvestors.com PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Shape Memory Alloys Market by Type (Nickel Titanium Alloys, Copper-Based Alloys, and Others) and End-Use Industry (Biomedical, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030". As per the report, the global shape memory alloys industry was pegged at $9.2 billion in 2020, and is expected to reach $19.5 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2021 to 2030. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities Rise in demand from biomedical sector and surge in demand from the automotive industry have boosted the growth of the global shape memory alloys market. However, fluctuation in raw material cost hinders the market growth. On the contrary, rise in demand from the electronics industry is expected to create lucrative opportunities for the market players in the future. Request PDF Brochure: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/8062 Covid-19 scenario: The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in disruption in supply chain, gap in supply and demand, and price volatility. Owing to scarcity of resources and challenges in procurement of raw materials hampered the manufacturing of shape memory alloys. Rise in production volume and attempts to develop innovative solutions at an affordable price would open new opportunities post-pandemic. The nitinol segment held the lion's share By type, the nitinol segment held the largest share in 2020, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the global shape memory alloys market, as it is biocompatible metal with qualities that make it appropriate for use in orthopedic implants. However, the copper-based segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 8.3% during the forecast period, owing to its ability to return to pre-deformed shape after heating above the transformation temperature. Get Detailed COVID-19 Impact Analysis on the Shape Memory Alloys Market @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/8062?reqfor=covid The aerospace & defense segment to manifest the highest CAGR through 2030 By end-use industry, the aerospace & defense segment would showcase the highest CAGR of 9.1% from 2021 to 2030, due to use of shape memory alloys in various exterior components to improve efficiency of aircraft. However, the biomedical segment held the largest share in 2020, contributing to around one-third of the global shape memory alloys market, owing to the exceptional biocompatibility and computer tomography compatibility of the shape memory alloys for use in medical devices. Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe and North America, held the largest share By region, the global shape memory alloys market across Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe and North America held the largest share in 2020, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the market. Moreover, the region is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 8.3% during the forecast period, owing to rise in demand for advanced medical devices for low-cost diagnostic treatment. Major Market Players Furukawa. Johnson Matthey G. Rau GmbH & Co. KG Metalwerks Inc. Xi'an Saite Metal Material Fort Wayne Metals Dynalloyinc Seabird Metal Saes Gaetters Ati Specialty Alloys & Components. Interested in Procuring This Report? Visit Here: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/shape-memory-alloy-market/purchase-options Avenue Basic Plan | Library Access | 1 Year Subscription | Sign up for Avenue subscription to access more than 12,000+ company profiles and 2,000+ niche industry market research reports at $699 per month, per seat. For a year, the client needs to purchase minimum 2 seat plan. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter Get more information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access Similar Reports: Nanoparticle Titanium Dioxide Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030 Smart Polymers Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027 Aluminum Alloys Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Aluminum Extrusion Products Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2028 Nickel Base Alloy Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2028 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. Pawan Kumar, the CEO of Allied Market Research, is leading the organization toward providing high-quality data and insights. 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. 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: 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 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on: LinkedIn Twitter SOURCE Allied Market Research Sheikh Abdullah during the visit met with US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, the meeting resulted in the announcement of two trilateral working groups; the first on religious coexistence and the other on water and energy issues. Commenting on the visit, Sheikh Abdullah said the UAE-US relations have been steadily and significantly growing over the past period and culminated in a privileged and fruitful partnership, noting that the UAE values tolerance and peaceful coexistence. For his part, the US top diplomat commended the strategic relations between the two nations and their importance in underpinning peaceful coexistence in the region. He pointed out that the normalization of ties between Arab nations and Israel will contribute to achieving stability in the region. "We are working together for delivering a bright future for the peoples of the region," he said. Sheikh Abdullah also met with the members of the American-Jewish Committee and discussed the strategic relations between the two nations and their role in underpinning the pillars of peace and stability in the region. The meeting covered the Abraham Accords Peace Agreement and its key role in forging sustainable solutions conducive to strengthening peace and stability in the region. Sheikh Abdullah also met with the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and discussed with him the efforts made by the two nations to help establish peace and stability in the region. He also met with the Foreign Minister of Greece Nikos Dendias and discussed a number of issues of interest, including the situation in the eastern Mediterranean and commended the growth of the UAE- Greece strategic relations. Lamiyae Jbari [email protected] 202 243 2464 SOURCE Embassy of the United Arab Emirates Related Links http://www.uae-embassy.org NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK), a leading global creative platform offering full-service production solutions, high-quality content, and applications for brands, businesses and media companies, today announced an exclusive photography partnership with Advertising Week New York, the world's largest annual gathering of marketing, media and technology leaders. This flagship event will take place from October 18 to October 21, 2021 at Hudson Yards in New York City, and will feature thought leadership from leading industry professionals across advertising, marketing and creative industries, networking opportunities and A-list music and comedy performances. As the exclusive house photographer, Shutterstock will capture over 200 hybrid events across six stages, including the Opening Gala, the Wrap Party, talking panels and musical acts. "Advertising Week 2021 provides advertisers and marketers with an incredible opportunity to celebrate brand excellence, discover the trends from industry professionals across marketing, advertising and media, as well as share learnings and best practices with partners and customers," said Candice Murray, VP of Editorial at Shutterstock. "Advertising Week New York is a dynamic, industry-leading event, and we are delighted to be the exclusive house photographer this year, documenting both live and virtual sessions that bring together brilliant minds from brands, agencies, media, and technology." "After a shift to virtual-only in 2020 and most of '21, we are thrilled to partner with Shutterstock to document our live return at Hudson Yards and what is shaping up to be our most ambitious Advertising Week yet," said Matt Scheckner, Global Chief Executive Officer at Advertising Week. "We constantly strive to celebrate innovation within our programming and speakers, and we are excited to have our partners at Shutterstock capturing these important conversations." Advertising Week New York 2021 will take place at Hudson Yards beginning Monday, October 18 through Thursday, October 21, and tickets are available for purchase at advertisingweek.com. ABOUT SHUTTERSTOCK Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK ), is a leading global creative platform offering full-service production solutions, high-quality content, and applications for brands, businesses and media companies. Directly and through its group subsidiaries, Shutterstock's comprehensive collection includes high-quality licensed photographs , vectors , illustrations , videos , 3D models and music . Working with its growing community of over 1.8 million contributors, Shutterstock adds hundreds of thousands of images each week, and currently has more than 380 million images and more than 22 million video clips available. Headquartered in New York City, Shutterstock has offices around the world and customers in more than 150 countries. The Company also owns PicMonkey, a leading online graphic design and image editing platform ; Offset, a high-end image collection ; Shutterstock Studios, an end-to-end custom creative shop ; PremiumBeat, a curated royalty-free music library; Shutterstock Editorial, a premier source of editorial images and videos for the world's media; TurboSquid, a leading 3D content marketplace ; Amper Music, an AI-driven music platform ; and Bigstock , a value-oriented stock media offering. For more information, please visit www.shutterstock.com and follow Shutterstock on Twitter and on Facebook . ABOUT ADVERTISING WEEK Advertising Week is a global business intelligence platform serving marketing, media, brand, advertising and technology professionals. Founded in 2004 in New York, Advertising Week's global footprint has expanded to five additional worldwide live events: AWEUROPE (London); AWASIA (Tokyo); AWAPAC (Sydney); AWAfrica (Johannesburg); and AWLATAM (Mexico City). In addition to live events, the global thought leadership platform also contains online education (AWLearn) and year-round original content (AW360). For more information, visit advertisingweek.com. SOURCE Shutterstock, Inc. Related Links www.shutterstock.com QINGDAO, China, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SOS Limited (NYSE: SOS) (the "Company" or "SOS") announced the lease of its North American headquarters at 866 2nd Ave, New York. SOS Information Technology New York Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SOS Ltd., has leased a full floor of office space at 866 2nd Ave, New York, NY. SOS has been actively expanding its global footprint during the past year or so. Leasing of the Manhattan space signifies a new chapter of SOS' growth. The facility is expected to accommodate SOS's business development, management, blockchain R&D activities in North America. Mr. Yandai Wang, CEO of SOS, commented, "We are committed to further expand our blockchain technology business in countries outside of mainland China. As we move forward into our next stage of growth, this office in Manhattan will serve as headquarters for our North America Operations for our blockchain R&D business. About SOS Limited SOS is an emerging blockchain-based and big data-driven marketing solution provider, with a nationwide membership base of approximately 20 million in China. SOS is also engaged in blockchain and supercomputing operations, and may expand into.cryptocurrency security and insurance in the future Since April 2021, we launched commodity trading via our subsidiary SOS International Trading Co. Ltd, The core infrastructure of SOS' marketing data, technology and solutions to insurance and emergency rescue services is built on big data, blockchain-based technology, cloud computing, AI, satellite, and 5G network, etc. SOS has created a cloud "software as a service (SaaS)" platform for emergency rescue services, with three major product categories: basic cloud, cooperative cloud, and information cloud. This system provides innovative marketing solutions to clients such as insurance companies, financial institutions, medical institutions, healthcare providers, auto manufacturers, security providers, senior living assistance providers, and other service providers in the emergency rescue services industry. For more information, please visit: http://www.sosyun.com/ Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, our expectations for future financial performance, business strategies or expectations for our business. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. SOS cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Words such as "may," "can," "should," "will," "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target," "look" or similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Specifically, forward-looking statements may include statements relating to the Company's: ability to execute its business plan; changes in the market for SOS' products and services; and expansion plans and opportunities. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release and our management's current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but not are limited to, the risk factors described by SOS in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These risk factors and those identified elsewhere in this press release, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from historical performance and include, but are not limited to: Local government's policies and regulatory oversight of crypto currency mining operation and our other operations; SOS's blockchian and supercomputing, commodity trading and marketing solutions businesses are still under development, with many uncertainties in the future direction and integration of these various business segments; Failure to manage the newly launched commodities trading business effectively; Loss of key customers in the commodity trading business; failure to access a large quantity of power at reasonable costs could significantly increase SOS operating expenses and adversely affect our demand for SOS's mining activities; any significant or prolonged failure in the data warehouse facilities and data mining facilities that SOS operates or services it provides, including events beyond its control, would lead to significant costs and disruptions and would reduce the attractiveness of its facilities, harm its business reputation and have a material adverse effect on its results of operation; security breaches or alleged security breaches of our data warehouses could disrupt SOS operations and have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operation; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in SOS's SEC reports or documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by SOS. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements in deciding whether to invest in our securities. We do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. SOURCE SOS Limited "Every aspect of our system has been severely tested, with concierge medicine's values resonating as never before." Tweet this He explains: "Physicians have long recognized the challenges of providing highest quality, individualized care in traditional fee-for-service practices, and the past year has made it an impossibility. Likewise, patients, who no longer take good health or an available, attentive physician for granted, are seeking the type of care feasible only in concierge, or membership medicine. We've seen these powerful dual forces reflected in significant growth for Specialdocs' concierge practice model heralding increased demand in 2022 and beyond." Bauer will lead a number of key workshops and sessions at the conference exploring topics ranging from the new rules of patient engagement to practice acquisition and succession trends. He'll be joined by several 'Special Docs,' part of the company's national network of outstanding concierge medicine physicians, as they discuss: Women in Concierge Medicine - Denise Armellini, MD, a concierge endocrinologist in northern Virginia, and Dr. Erika Krauss, a concierge internist at a group practice in Connecticut, join a panel of leading women who share how changing from a traditional to personalized medicine model has dramatically changed their work-life balance, approach to patient care, and practice sustainability. Drs. Armellini and Krauss will also participate in the inaugural meeting of Specialdocs Women Physicians Council, a group dedicated to building a supportive, collaborative community for female concierge doctors, being held onsite prior to CMF. Restoring the Balance: Physician's Guide to the New World Ahead of Us - Uday Jani, MD, a Delaware-based concierge internal and integrative medicine physician, provides an inspirational perspective on how doctors and their patients can move forward from the pandemic. "We're thrilled to welcome groups like Specialdocs, innovators who share our passion for the rising impact of concierge medicine," says Michael Tetreault, CMF organizer and editor of Concierge Medicine Today,"continuing to change the healthcare environment one doctor, one patient at a time." A concierge medicine pioneer, since 2002 Specialdocs has transformed physicians' professional lives, empowering them to deliver personalized patient care. Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Specialdocs Consultants Related Links specialdocs.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today all of us at the Annenberg Foundation mourn the passing of former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Mr. Powell was a longtime, close Annenberg friend and partner, working together to support national initiatives and projects that focused on the wellbeing of children and youth, education, and veterans. These included America's Promise, the national initiative for youth created by the 1997 President's Summit for America's future, and chaired by Mr. Powell; the Buffalo Soldier Monument, which recognized and was dedicated to the Black cavalry soldiers who helped settle the West and bravely fought in four wars, including World War II; and the City College 21st Century Foundation, dedicated to supporting the education of students of the City University of New York. Mr. Powell lived an extraordinary life of service and we will be forever grateful for his partnership and friendship with the Annenberg Foundation. SOURCE The Annenberg Foundation Related Links http://www.annenbergfoundation.org BRUSSELS, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Euroclear Holding SA/NV notes today's announcement that Intercontinental Exchange, a Euroclear shareholder since 2017, has entered into an agreement to sell its 9.85% stake to Silver Lake. In light of this announcement, Euroclear must now follow the regulatory requirements necessary for such a transaction. About Euroclear Euroclear group is the financial industry's trusted provider of post trade services. Euroclear provides settlement and custody of domestic and cross-border securities for bonds, equities and derivatives to investment funds. Euroclear is a proven, resilient capital market infrastructure committed to delivering risk-mitigation, automation and efficiency at scale for its global client franchise. The Euroclear group comprises Euroclear Bank, the International CSD, as well as Euroclear Belgium, Euroclear Finland, Euroclear France, Euroclear Nederland, Euroclear Sweden and Euroclear UK & International. The Euroclear group settled the equivalent of EUR 897 trillion in securities transactions in 2020, representing 276 million domestic and cross-border transactions, and held EUR 35.2 trillion in assets for clients by end June 2021. For more information about Euroclear, please visit www.euroclear.com SOURCE Euroclear SOUTHFIELD, Mich.and RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SyBridge Technologies ("SyBridge), a global industrial technology company, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Pyramid Mold and Tool ("Pyramid"). This transaction further expands SyBridge's customer base and footprint in the life sciences end-markets. New York based private equity firm Crestview Partners established SyBridge Technologies in 2019 and committed $200 million of equity to create a market leading value-added manufacturing solutions provider spanning across end-markets, geographies, and advanced technological capabilities. Pyramid is SyBridge's fifth acquisition in the last ten months. Located in Rancho Cucamonga, California, Pyramid is a leading manufacturer of precision multi-cavity plastic injection molding tools focusing on the life sciences industry while also serving personal care and select industrial markets. The company was founded in 1995 and has excelled in utilizing state-of-the-art engineering and manufacturing capabilities to provide precise and effective customer solutions. The acquisition of Pyramid expands SyBridge's capabilities to offer highly complex precision tooling solutions for the life sciences and other target industries. As a part of a larger organization, Pyramid will leverage SyBridge's design, engineering, supply chain, and production capabilities to better serve and grow with its customers. "Pyramid is a terrific company and represents a significant step in SyBridge's journey to build a leading franchise in life sciences manufacturing solutions," said Tony Nardone, CEO of SyBridge. "With this acquisition, SyBridge's Life Sciences Business Unit now has a strong presence on both the eastern and western parts of North America to better serve our customers. Going forward, our strategy will be to continue to grow our life sciences customer base through organic growth and selective acquisitions to expand SyBridge's capabilities and geographies." "Pyramid's superior capabilities in high precision tooling are an ideal fit with our platform and will allow us to better support our customers," said Bill McDonough, President of SyBridge's Life Sciences Business Unit. "We are excited to welcome our new employees and work together to continue to provide the quality and innovation essential to our customers' success." About SyBridge Technologies SyBridge Technologies was established in 2019 by Crestview Partners to create a global technology leader that provides value-added design and production solutions across multiple industries. SyBridge is based in Southfield, Michigan. For more information, please visit www.sybridgetech.com. About Pyramid Mold and Tool Founded in 1995, Pyramid Mold & Tool is a recognized leader in designing and manufacturing world-class precision injection molding tools specializing in tight-tolerance high cavitation molds and complex Multi-Shot, Stack, Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR), and proof of concept prototype tools. Pyramid is located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Please visit us at www.pyramidmold.com and www.sybridgetech.com. About Crestview Partners Founded in 2004, Crestview is a value-oriented private equity firm focused on the middle market. The firm is based in New York and manages funds with approximately $10 billion of aggregate capital commitments. The firm is led by a group of partners who have complementary experience and distinguished backgrounds in private equity, finance, operations and management. Crestview has senior investment professionals focused on sourcing and managing investments in each of the specialty areas of the firm: industrials, media, and financial services. For more information, please visit www.crestview.com. For more information, please contact: Jeffrey Taufield or Daniel Yunger Kekst CNC (212) 521-4800 [email protected] / [email protected] SOURCE SyBridge Technologies; Crestview Partners Related Links http://www.sybridgetech.com CALGARY, AB, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Sylogist Ltd. (TSX: SYZ) ("Sylogist" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the acquisition of The Pavlik Group Inc. and affiliated entities ("Pavliks"), a provider of proprietary SaaS applications and professional services primarily to public sector organizations and member associations. Pursuant to the transaction, which closed on October 18th, 2021, Sylogist acquired all the shares of Pavliks for $11.5 million (CAD), subject to working capital adjustments. With historical growth averaging 20% per year, Pavliks is tracking toward current year revenue of $9.4 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $1.6 million, materially expanding Sylogist's scale and growth profile. The Portal Connector ("TPC") business unit offers a fast growing, modern, low/no code, acclaimed solution enabling clients to build and integrate customer-facing web applications with Microsoft Dynamics. This innovative TPC solution has grown in excess of 40% annually in recent years to now generate approximately one third of Pavliks' total revenue from a global clientele, including marquee customers such as the Australian federal government. Sylogist plans to fast-track TPC's out-of-the-box integration beyond Microsoft databases and invest in its direct and channel sales capacity to enhance its already impressive growth. In addition, TPC presents material cross-sell and add-on platform enhancement opportunities across the entire Sylogist customer base. Pavliks' other business units include expert Microsoft Dynamics development and implementation services focused mainly on public sector entities and member associations, and managed services, including coveted cybersecurity and cloud productivity. All Pavliks' activities are highly strategic and synergistic with Sylogist's platform offerings and growth strategy. Bill Wood, Sylogist's President and CEO, stated: "We are delighted to welcome Pavliks customers and team members to our growing Sylogist family. This acquisition is immediately accretive, and brings to Sylogist near-term enhanced scale, organic growth, cash flows, and exciting strategic IP and value creation upside as our businesses are immediately stronger together. In the last 7 months, Sylogist has acquired 3 highly strategic and growing businesses, driving 50% run-rate revenue gains relative to FY2020. The acquisition of Pavliks is another example of our ability to source and close attractive deals, execute our M&A growth strategy, and is indicative of increasing momentum across the business. I am pleased with the organic and inorganic value creation traction we're seeing and the exciting growth path we are on," concluded Mr. Wood. Ian Pavlik, President of Pavliks, stated: "My family knew that we could only sell our company to someone who would prioritize its customers, invest in its people, and bring the expertise and resources necessary to take it to the next level. Having now discussed and worked extensively with Bill and the Sylogist management team, I have complete confidence that they are the right partner to achieve these objectives and take it to new heights." The current Pavliks' management team will continue to lead its daily operations, reporting into the Sylogist executive team; with Ian Pavlik serving as General Manager, reporting directly to Sylogist CEO, Bill Wood. About Sylogist Sylogist is a public sector SaaS company that provides comprehensive ERP, CRM, fundraising, education administration, and payments solutions that allow its customers to carry out their missions. It serves over 1,700 customers globally, including all levels of government, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, and public compliance-driven and funded companies. The Company has industry-leading profitability, an exceptionally strong balance sheet, a track record of successful acquisitions, and a portfolio of mission-critical SaaS solutions. Full financial statements together with Management's Discussion and Analysis are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company's stock is traded on the TSX Exchange under the symbol SYZ. Information about Sylogist can be found at www.sylogist.com. About Pavliks.com Pavliks is a technology company, with over 50 employees and 230 customers, that provides robust web portal solutions, Microsoft Dynamics implementation and customization, and managed IT services to public and private sector organizations globally. Its proprietary IP, Dynamics expertise, and deep community roots allow it to serve its customers, both directly and through a network of resellers. The company has a talented team, robust technology, and strong growth prospects. Pavliks is a division of Sylogist. Information about the company can be found at www.pavliks.com Forward-looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws and regulations. These statements typically use words such as expect, believe, estimate, project, anticipate, plan, may, should, could and would, or the negative of these terms, variations thereof or similar terminology. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements with respect to Pavliks.com's revenue and EBITDA in the current fiscal year, TPC's growth rate, Sylogist's plans to fast-track TPC's out-of-the-box integration and invest in its sales capacity, TPC's cross-sell and platform enhancement opportunities, the strategic and synergistic nature of Pavliks' business units, the accretive nature of this acquisition and its organic growth and value creation upside, and Sylogist's future value creation, and organic and inorganic growth. By their very nature, forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific in nature. It is therefore possible that the beliefs and plans and other forward-looking expectations expressed herein will not be achieved or will prove inaccurate. Although Sylogist believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it provides no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including headwinds from COVID-19 and economic turmoil, competitive threats to innovation or Sylogist's inability to invest and add expertise, and market uptake of Sylogist products. Additional information regarding some of these risks, uncertainties and other factors may be found in the Company's Annual Information Form for the fiscal period ended September 30, 2020, and in the management's discussion and analysis for the three months ended June 30, 2021, and other documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Material assumptions and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include Sylogist's ability to attract and retain customers and to realize on its investments. Although Sylogist believes that the material assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur. Sylogist disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Certain information set out herein may be considered as "financial outlook" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The purpose of this financial outlook is to provide readers with disclosure regarding Sylogist's reasonable expectations as to the anticipated results of its proposed business activities for the periods indicated. Readers are cautioned that the financial outlook may not be appropriate for other purposes. Non-GAAP Financial Measures Adjusted EBITDA, is a non-GAAP financial measures. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as: profit for the period before stock-based compensation, share-based payments, foreign exchange gains or losses, interest expense, bargain purchase price on acquisition, income taxes, acquisition-related costs, depreciation and amortization. This news release makes reference to certain non-GAAP measures. These measures are not recognized measures under Canadian GAAP, do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by Canadian GAAP and are therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. These measures are provided as additional information to complement measures under GAAP by providing further understanding of the Company's expected results of operations from management's perspective. Accordingly, such measures should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of the Company's financial information reported under Canadian GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA is provided to investors as an alternative method for assessing the Company's operating results in a manner that is focused on the Company's ongoing operations and to provide a more consistent basis for comparison between periods. This measure should not be construed as an alternative to net profit (loss) or cash flow from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP as an indicator of the Company's performance. For further information regarding non-GAAP measures used by the Company, please refer to the management's discussion and analysis of the Company, copies of which are available on Sylogist's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. SOURCE Sylogist Ltd. Related Links http://www.sylogist.com/ SAN DIEGO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Synergy One Lending, Inc., based in San Diego, CA, announced it has completed a $50 million corporate note financing with a consortium of institutional investors. The company intends to accelerate its investment in the growth of its distributed retail and consumer direct channels, technology and partnership development, as well as its servicing portfolio. "Our ability to access the capital markets in this favorable environment provides tremendous lift as Synergy continues to evolve and thrive," said Steve Majerus, CEO. "This bolsters our balance sheet at very attractive terms while allowing us to refine and improve our platform at a quicker pace," Majerus said. Synergy One Lending has grown over 500% in the past 4 years and the company executed a management buyout led by its current leadership team in April of 2020. Synergy President, Aaron Nemec added, "We are humbled, grateful and excited that our recipe of empowerment, cutting edge technology and a fully transparent culture has differentiated us in the industry. Nemec then added "We have been fortunate to attract some of the industry's top talent and we believe we can accelerate that growth with this capital raise. We will continue to provide our team and our clients with the right technology at the right time to create a lending process that is consistent and memorable for all the right reasons." In addition to expanding its home mortgage presence, the company has a particular focus on leveraging consumer permissioned data in presenting clients with solutions across multiple loan products. Brean Capital, LLC served as the Company's Exclusive Financial Advisor and Placement Agent in connection with the transaction. Synergy One Lending is based in San Diego, CA, is currently licensed in 43 states and has Operational HUBS in Boise, ID, Denver, CO and Dallas, TX. To learn more about Synergy One Lending, reach out to Steve Majerus. Contact: Steve Majerus, [email protected] SOURCE Synergy One Lending Related Links http://www.s1l.com/ AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Public Employees Association (TPEA), the largest nonpartisan association for active and retired Texas state employees, recently honored state Representative Claudia Ordaz-Perez with an award for her dedication to restoring the Employees Retirement System (ERS) pension fund. "Representative Ordaz-Perez was vital in tackling the pension fund debt," said Executive Director Ann Bishop. "We are happy to recognize Rep. Ordaz-Perez for her dedication to protecting quality benefits for hundreds of thousands of essential Texas employees and retirees." "I am thrilled to accept this award from our valuable state employees," said Ordaz Perez. "They work incredibly hard to serve the people of Texas and oftentimes do not receive the support they deserve. The family leave pool is a concept that has been seen in the private and public sector and our state employees should receive the same benefit, particularly since it comes at no cost to the state. Working parents and families are the backbone of Texas's workforce and state agencies' policies must reflect that." TPEA was instrumental in the creation of the ERS pension fund and health insurance for state employees and retirees. Most recently, the association lobbied for the additional monies necessary to both address an almost $15B debt and move the ERS pension fund toward actuarial soundness. About The Texas Public Employees Association: Founded in 1946, the Texas Public Employees Association (TPEA) is the largest association for active and retired state employees, and is focused on promoting and preserving the salaries and quality benefits enjoyed by hardworking state employees who are essential to the health and functionality of our state. For more information, visit https://www.tpea.org/. SOURCE Texas Public Employees Association Related Links tpea.org PIDU, China and CHENGDU, China and SICHUAN, China, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 18, 2021, the 4th World Sichuan Cuisine Conference, co-hosted by Chengdu Pidu District People's Government and World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry, themed "Fall in Love with Sichuan Cuisine, A Culinary Adventure in Pidu", was launched in Pidu District, Chengdu, China. The 2021 International Food Festival of Chengdu and the 9th Pixian Douban Expo were also held at the same time. With five major sections of "Sichuan Cuisine Development Forum", "Sichuan Cuisine Industry Expo", "Sichuan Cuisine Cooking Contest", "Sichuan Cuisine Experience" and "Industry Investigation and Promotion", the Conference comprised over 20 Sichuan cuisine cultural activities, including the 2021 Global Sichuan Cuisine Development Forum and List of Urban Opportunities Release. The Conference attracted much attention from the global catering business. Overseas Chinese organizations in 22 countries and regions like France sent letters of congratulations; the World Chilli Alliance (WCA), envoys from foreign missions of Australia and other countries to Chengdu, leaderships of international sister cities, and domestic and overseas experts and scholars on Sichuan cuisine gathered in Chengdu to deeply explore profound Sichuan cuisine culture represented by Pixian Douban and jointly build the Sichuan cuisine ecosystem. At the Conference, Pidu District released this year's first List of Urban Opportunities, covering 87 items like Pidu Intelligent Cloud City and New Display Innovative and Intelligent Manufacturing Base in six sectors such as intelligent production, intelligent life, intelligent governance, green environment, intelligent city, and cultural tourism, with the investment of RMB 142 billion. A number of key projects have been contracted, including the strategic cooperation between China Sichuan Cuisine Industrial City and Zhaimen Society. Major outcomes like the Process Specifications for Internationally Classical Sichuan Cuisine (2021-1) were launched during the expo. Pixian Douban is praised as the "soul of Sichuan cuisine". In recent years, through the "Pixian Douban" brand, Pidu District has built China Sichuan Cuisine Industrial City the first industrial city named after a regional cuisine and with Pixian Douban as the core, established an industrial system featuring compound seasonings and leisure food. Pidu District will continue to create a high-quality international business environment, with consistent tractions provided by projects, to improve city function, enhance service precision, elevate industry development potential and accelerate the building of "the National Highland of Sichuan Cuisine and the World's Sichuan Cuisine Culture Center". SOURCE The 4th World Sichuan Cuisine Conference Organizing Committee ZHENJIANG, China, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 16, 5th International Low Carbon (Zhenjiang) Conference and 2021 Carbon Peak and Neutrality Jinshan Summit, with the theme of "Green and Low Carbon Development: Industry, Energy, Technology" was held in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, according to the organization committee of International Low Carbon Conference. Carbon peak and Neutrality is a profound economic and social change. The Chinese government announced in September 2020: strive to achieve carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. In the Chinese government's "Dual Carbon" practice, Zhenjiang has always assumed the role of a pioneer. Ma Minglong, Secretary of Zhenjiang Municipal Committee of the CPC said, "In the past nine years of the low-carbon pilot, we have spared no effort to spread low-carbon concepts, showcase low-carbon technologies, promote low-carbon cooperation, and use the 'Zhenjiang Practice' of green and low-carbon development, enriching the "China Plan" for climate and environmental governance. As of 2021, the city's energy consumption per unit of GDP has dropped by 37.7%, and its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP has dropped by 46.3%." In the past nine years, Zhenjiang has promoted economic transformation and industrial development through the exploration and practice of low-carbon construction and green development. Since Zhenjiang vigorously carried out chemical remediation in 2013, its chemical industry has dropped by more than 80% and gradually moved towards green high-end; various local laws and regulations such as the "Regulations on the Protection of the Yangtze River Coastline Resources in Zhenjiang " have been formulated; State Grid accelerates the construction of Zhenjiang's new power system by creating clean and interconnected smart grid and clean consumption model; many well-known domestic financial institutions have made suggestions for Zhenjiang green economy development. The green power of transformation and innovation of "Low-Carbon Zhenjiang" make Zhenjiang burst into high-quality development vitality. At the meeting, Chu Yonghong, Vice Governor of Jiangsu Province introduced, "The 14th Five-Year Plan is a critical period for carbon peak. Zhenjiang must effectively play its pioneer role in the carbon battle." Aiming at the goal, Zhenjiang will develop the "Nine Ones" construction from four aspects: low-carbon carrier construction, technology research, market operation, and capacity improvement, to implement the "Zhenjiang Answers" of carbon peak and neutrality. SOURCE The Organization Committee of International Low Carbon Conference INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Legion National Commander Paul E. Dillard expressed condolences today concerning the passing of former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Powell was recognized by The American Legion in 1993, with the organization's highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal. As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Powell addressed delegates at the 72nd National Convention of The American Legion in 1990. "While our values have nurtured us, our power has protected us," Powell told The American Legion. "Purpose and power, it's an unbeatable combination, one that fascism could not destroy, one that communism could not defeat, one that has always been ready to meet aggression." Dillard added today that Powell's leadership will be missed. "Colin Powell was not only a general, but a statesman and leader in every sense. He was a groundbreaker in so many ways," Dillard said. "Not only was he the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but he was also America's National Security Advisor as the Cold War ended. He served with distinction in Republican and Democratic administrations. We extend our condolences to his family and many friends. America is better because of his service." About The American Legion The American Legion , the nation's largest veterans organization, is dedicated to the motto of "Veterans Strengthening America." Chartered by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is committed to mentoring youth and sponsoring wholesome community programs, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security and continued devotion to servicemembers and veterans. Nearly 2 million members in more than 12,600 posts across the nation and regions overseas serve their communities with a devotion to mutual helpfulness. Contact: John Raughter, Media Relations [email protected] or 317-630-1350 SOURCE The American Legion Related Links http://www.legion.org NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice ("Coalition") announced today that it has successfully negotiated a commitment from the Boy Scouts of America to appoint a Boy Scouts sexual abuse survivor to its National Executive Board as part of the Bankruptcy Reorganization Plan. "This measure is a critical step toward justice for survivors around the country," said Coalition Co-Founder Ken Rothweiler of Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck, P.C. "It was of utmost importance to the Coalition that we secure accountability beyond monetary compensation. Having a survivor in the room when decisions are made means that their voices will be heard well beyond this bankruptcy." "We heard repeatedly from the thousands of survivors we represent that it's not just about the money, it's about accountability and making sure this never happens again," said Coalition Co-Founder Anne Andrews of Andrews & Thornton. "The only way to do that is to make the Board less opaque, more transparent, and further accountable to the 83,000-person survivor community once this bankruptcy concludes." "This action to add a survivor to the very top level of its decision-making is going to reverberate far beyond the Boy Scouts," said Adam Slater of Slater Slater Schulman LLP. "It should serve as a clarion call to other institutions facing historical abuse claims, from USA Gymnastics to universities to the Catholic Church." Additionally, the Coalition announced the launch of its new website, scoutingabusesurvivors.com , to share critical information and updates to the survivor community as they vote from now until December 14, 2021 to approve the Reorganization Plan, which includes the largest sexual abuse settlement fund in history $1.887 billion and growing. "When I have the option, I will vote yes, in favor of resolution, certainly to gain an element of closure, but more so because I see a clear future for the BSA, in which it comes back better and safer than before, to benefit young people across the country and through the years," said an Eagle Scout from Texas. "There are many survivors whose abuse took place decades earlier than mine, or in a state that doesn't have strong laws to protect survivors. That is why I am voting yes because I fundamentally believe that every survivor deserves to see some measure of justice in their lifetime, and that the BSA needs to be held accountable if this is ever to stop. It's time for the healing to begin," said a former Boy Scout from California. The Coalition's Plan is expected to increase to include settlements with additional chartered and sponsoring organizations, insurers, and other third parties, further increasing the size of this historic, multibillion-dollar fund. It is broadly supported and will result in meaningful distributions to survivors following confirmation, without lengthy, expensive, and harmful litigation of individual abuse claims. It also includes non-monetary victories implementing safe scouting protocols toward ongoing justice. Virtual Information Meetings for Survivors The Coalition will be hosting regular virtual meetings to keep the survivor community apprised of updates ahead of the December 14, 2021 deadline to vote for the Plan. The next virtual meeting will be held Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at 8:00 PM ET. For information on the benefits of The Plan, instructions on how to vote, or access to the next virtual meeting, visit scoutingabusesurvivors.com . About The Coalition The Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice includes approximately 18,000 abuse survivors, represented by law firms who collectively represent more than 63,000 childhood sexual abuse survivors. The Coalition was formed with two common goals: ensuring fair and equitable treatment for abuse survivors; and establishing the largest possible compensation fund for survivors, to be distributed as expeditiously as possible. Through the efforts of the Coalition over the past year, commitments to the survivors' compensation trust through the Boy Scouts of America's Bankruptcy Reorganization Plan have grown to $1.887 billion, including an $850 million settlement with Boy Scouts of America and local councils, settlements with Hartford Financial Services Group for $787 million and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for $250 million. More settlements are expected. Media Contact Andrew Merrill / Brian Schaffer / Joan Vollero [email protected] SOURCE The Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice Related Links https://scoutingabusesurvivors.com/ NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Streambank is soliciting offers for the retail store banners, private label brands and associated domain names, utilized by Gordmans, Peebles, Goody's, and Palais Royal department stores. The brands were acquired over a 90-year period and owned by Stage Stores until 2020, at which point Stage Stores sold them to Bealls Inc. as part of a bankruptcy sale. Gordmans was an off-price retailer, offering a varied assortment of top trends, brand-name apparel, and stylish home decor at value prices, creating a treasure-hunt environment for thrift-seeking customers. Peebles, Goody's, and Palais Royal were well-known for offering customers trend-right, moderately priced, name-brand and private label apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear, and home goods for the entire family. "These brands have a high level of customer awareness, with a 90-year history serving customers in the Central and Eastern United States," commented Hilco Streambank Senior Vice President Richelle Kalnit. "The stores were beloved members of their communities, with Gordmans having more than 285 stores in mid-sized Midwest markets, and Peebles and Goody's approaching 200 retail stores in small towns and rural markets. This is an opportunity to reconnect with customers seeking familiar brands that cater to them." Interested parties should CLICK HERE or contact Hilco Streambank directly using the contact information provided below. About Hilco Streambank: Hilco Streambank is a market leading advisory firm specializing in intellectual property disposition and valuation. Having completed numerous transactions including sales in publicly reported transactions, private transactions, and online sales through IPv4.Global, Hilco Streambank has established itself as the premier intermediary in the consumer brand, internet and telecom communities. Hilco Streambank is part of Northbrook, Illinois based Hilco Global, the world's leading authority on maximizing the value of business assets by delivering valuation, monetization and advisory solutions to an international marketplace. Hilco Global operates more than twenty specialized business units offering services that include asset valuation and appraisal, retail and industrial inventory acquisition and disposition, real estate and strategic capital equity investments. SOURCE Hilco Streambank HOUSTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Howard Hughes Corporation (NYSE: HHC) announced today the $250 million financing for 1201 Lake Robbins, an approximately 806,000-square-foot Class AAA office tower in The Woodlands, Texas that is fully leased to Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) through the end of 2032. The non-recourse 10-year financing bears interest at a rate of 3.827% and is interest-only for the full loan term. The financing provides moderate leverage to 1201 Lake Robbins while further bolstering the company's robust liquidity position by approximately $248 million, net of transaction costs. "We are very pleased to execute such an attractive long-term and low-cost financing that represents a substantial return of our equity investment in 1201 Lake Robbins," said David R. O'Reilly, Chief Executive Officer of The Howard Hughes Corporation. "This transaction further increases our already robust liquidity position and aligns with our commitment to focus our resources on the accelerated growth of our core MPC assetsyielding proceeds which we believe can be redeployed at significantly higher returns across the many expected opportunities in our pipeline." 1201 Lake Robbins, together with 9950 Woodloch Forest Tower, make up The Woodlands Towers at the Waterwaythe tallest towers in The Woodlands. The buildings are prominently located at the entrance of the Waterway Square District at The Woodlands, a pro-business, pro-growth environment which offers 35 million square feet of office, retail, hospitality, research, institutional and industrial space in one of the most desirable office markets in the Greater Houston area. About The Howard Hughes Corporation The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Its award-winning assets include the country's preeminent portfolio of master planned communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: the Seaport in New York City; Downtown Columbia, Maryland; The Woodlands, The Woodlands Hills, and Bridgeland in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin, Las Vegas; and Ward Village in Honolulu. The Howard Hughes Corporation's portfolio is strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on market demand, resulting in one of the strongest real estate platforms in the country. Dedicated to innovative placemaking, the company is recognized for its ongoing commitment to design excellence and to the cultural life of its communities. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC. For additional information visit www.howardhughes.com. Safe Harbor Statement Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements accompanied by words such as "will," "believe," "expect," "enables," "realize," "plan," "intend," "assume," "transform" and other words of similar expression, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, assumptions, and projections as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are set forth as risk factors in The Howard Hughes Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly and Annual Reports. The Howard Hughes Corporation cautions you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. The Howard Hughes Corporation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release. The Howard Hughes Corporation Cristina Carlson, 646-822-6910 Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Communications [email protected] For HHC Investor Relations John Saxon, 281-929-7808 Investor Relations Associate [email protected] Correne S. Loeffler, 281-929-7787 Chief Financial Officer [email protected] SOURCE The Howard Hughes Corporation Related Links http://www.howardhughes.com The Humane Society of the United States sues world's largest pork producer for misleading consumers Tweet this "Smithfield Foods misleads the public about how it treats its pigs," said Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. "Smithfield Foods widely celebrates that it has eliminated gestation crates and transitioned all of its mother pigs on company-owned farms to group housinga move it said was motivated by consumer demands. But in reality, the company's 'group housing' keeps pigs locked in gestation crates for a significant part of their lives. These contraptions remain standard at Smithfield Foods despite its claims to the contrary, while the intelligent animals inside them cannot even turn around and gnaw on the bars of their crates until their mouths bleed. The public deserves to know the whole truth about the treatment of animals at Smithfield Foods, and our lawsuit intends to hold the company accountable." In 2007, Smithfield Foods promised to phase out gestation crates on all company-owned farms within a decade, replacing the individual cages with a system where mother pigs are housed in groups. Repeatedly the company has claimed to be eliminating its use of these cages: Smithfield Food's 2007 press release specified that after its customers "made their views known on the issue" it would be "phasing out" gestation crates and "replacing" them with group housing. specified that after its customers "made their views known on the issue" it would be "phasing out" gestation crates and "replacing" them with group housing. Its 2007/2008 Corporate Social Responsibility report explicitly claimed the company was converting to gestation "stall-free" production. Its 2012 Integrated Report asserted that it was "eliminating" the use of gestation crates. asserted that it was "eliminating" the use of gestation crates. Other Smithfield Foods messaging such as in social media posts also touts the company's work "eliminating" gestation crates. also touts the company's work "eliminating" gestation crates. A 2018 Smithfield Foods press release claimed: "Smithfield Foods delivers on decade-old promise to eliminate pregnant sow stalls in US." In Smithfield Foods' latest Sustainability Report , the company claims to "[m]aintain group housing for all pregnant sows on company-owned farms globally." , the company claims to "[m]aintain group housing for all pregnant sows on company-owned farms globally." In its recent social media posts, Smithfield Foods boasts to keep animals "comfortable" and to "ensure the welfare of our animals" including by having "group housing on all of our company-owned farms." As the lawsuit filed today by the Humane Society of the United States makes clear, Smithfield Foods' so-called "group housing" system is actually just a cycle of crate confinement: it immobilizes pigs for up to six weeks at a time in gestation crates, only then moves them into group pens for as little as nine weeks, then moves them into farrowing crates for four weeks, and back into gestation crates. This cycle repeats for their whole livesamounting to a small reduction but not elimination of gestation crate confinement as Smithfield Foods claims. Photos/video of the HSUS undercover investigations at a Smithfield Foods' subsidiary in 2010 and photos of pig housing systems. Founded in 1954, the Humane Society of the United States fights the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, we take on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries. With our affiliates, we rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals every year through our animal rescue team's work and other hands-on animal care services. We fight all forms of animal cruelty to achieve the vision behind our name: A humane society. Learn more about our work at humanesociety.org . Subscribe to Kitty Block's blog, A Humane World . Follow the HSUS Media Relations department on Twitter . Read the award-winning All Animals magazine. Listen to the Humane Voices Podcast . SOURCE Humane Society of the United States Related Links http://humanesociety.org HOUSTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, October 27, the Ion District and MPact Strategic Consulting will host an Industry Day featuring subcontracting opportunities with Gilbane Building Company to connect Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) to project opportunities in the Ion District. MWBE firms are invited to learn about the 20+ project and construction opportunities, which combine to make up $15 million of potential contracting work. Taking place at The Ion , Houston's collaborative innovation hub, the Ion District and Gilbane will welcome MWBE firms to secure bidding opportunities which will be part of the effort to grow the District into a fully realized community in the coming years. "Industry Days are a great tool to build awareness about subcontracting opportunities that are available to MWBEs, as well as engage businesses in a way that leads to the development of meaningful working relationships," said Henry Castro, Senior Project Engineer at Gilbane. Robin Owens, Project Manager, MPact Strategic Consulting said a key commitment of the Ion District is to extend opportunities for MWBE firms to take part in building and maintaining all parts of the District. She added that Industry Day is, "laying the foundation to engage MWBE firms and ultimately strengthen their economic resiliency and competitiveness through contracting opportunities." How To Get Involved: Industry Day will be held on October 27 from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. CT, and registration for the event can be found here . Participation is limited to two representatives per firm and registration closes on October 20. Participating firms will receive information about upcoming bid opportunities for The Ion Garage in mid-November. A brief agenda followed by a sampling of bid opportunities can be found below (a full list of bid opportunities is available at: https://www.houinnovate.com/opportunities/ ). Industry Day Agenda: Discussion of The District Garage Construction Vendor Opportunities Q&A Session A Tour of the Ion District Opportunities: Pavers; Landscaping Planter; Masonry; Stone; Structural Steel; Trellis Panels; Fiberglass Panels; Rough Carpentry; Wood Ceilings; Waterproofing & Roofing Metal Panels; Doors & Glazing; Overhead Doors; Glass Handrails; Drywall; Insulation; Painting; Lobby Floors; Signage; Specialties; Parking Guidance System; and Parking Equipment. About The Ion District The Ion District is an intentionally accessible, walkable and integrated urban community. It spans 12 city blocks in Houston's Midtown, where people, ideas, and businesses thrive. Initiated by Rice University, the Ion District energizes a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future. At actively programmed events and spontaneous everyday moments, the Ion District invites residents, start-ups, corporate, academic, and civic leaders to unite, explore, and create opportunity together. About Gilbane Building Company Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build, and facility management services for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide. For more information, visit www.gilbaneco.com. About MPACT Strategic Consulting MPACT Strategic Consulting serves as the diversity and inclusion consultants for Rice Management Company. MPACT works collaboratively with clients to plan, design and implement programs and strategies that lead to better outcomes. Our team of professionals provides relevant experience and expertise to assist clients to implement solutions that are sustainable, based on best practices, and employ rigorous strategic analysis and innovation. Our team provides national capacity and capabilities that have led us to be trusted advisors that excel at planning, program management and deep technical assistance. SOURCE Ion District Strategically located on Thanisandra Road, just at a 30-minute drive from the International Airport, the hotel also provides easy access to the MG Road and Outer Ring Road connecting the IT corridors of Bengaluru and some of the city's most iconic locations. A part of the immaculately designed Bhartiya City, a next gen tech park, home to leading global technology clients, theatre, entertainment, Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru, Nikoo Homes as well as The Leela luxury private residences are only steps away from the hotel. With sprawling open spaces surrounding a Central Park, landscaped gardens, promenades and cycling paths, the city is a perfect getaway to live, work, play and dream, away from the hustle and bustle of a burgeoning city. Speaking on the occasion, Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Operating Officer, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts said, "We are pleased to open doors to yet another splendid Leela property in the vibrant and welcoming city of Bengaluru. The Leela Bhartiya City Bengaluru seamlessly blends contemporary chic with the timeless Leela aesthetic to create one of the most gracefully designed properties in the city. We are delighted to partner with Bhartiya on this visionary project and create a unique experience for the modern traveller in North Bengaluru." "Bhartiya City is a unique place that celebrates local history and environment and has become a landmark in Bengaluru today. We are pleased to welcome The Leela to Bhartiya City to join us in our vision of providing space and legendary luxury to our customers. We hope that this launch will be a step in redefining the future of hospitality," added Snehdeep Aggarwal, Founder-Chairman, Bhartiya. 281 lavishly appointed guestrooms and suites offer breath-taking views of the verdant Bhartiya City, luxuriant comfort, and intuitive amenities. Four Food and Beverage venues cater to different moods, occasions, and tastebuds. Falak, the authentic Indian dining restaurant and lounge offers an open-air quaint ambience with a gorgeous view of the city lights. The Lotus Oriental located next to the pool brings home flavours from across Asia with the quiet calmness of the orient. The all-day dining restaurant Quattro is an ideal choice to satiate your cravings for casual dining at any time of the day with an alfresco area to experience the beautiful Bengaluru weather. Last but not the least, is the signature, The Library Bar known for some of the most premium beverages along with the coveted labels of Whiskey. Leisure facilities including a pool, a spa and a state-of-the-art fitness centre. With one of the largest convention centres in Bengaluru, sprawling over 60,000 square feet, including a Grand Ballroom, a Royal Ballroom, The Terrace, The Board Room, and other meeting rooms, the hotel offers extensive choice and flexibility for bespoke events as well as iconic celebrations. From intimate gatherings to extravagant galas to business meetings of any scale and size, to elaborate weddings, personalized services and state-of-the-art technology offer both comfort and convenience. The Leela Private Residences overlooking lush green Central Park are magnificently attached to the hotel. Defined by a sophisticated sense of style and luxurious finishes, these residences are serviced by the legendary Leela hospitality. The residents will have access to all hotel facilities and services. For more information, please visit www.theleela.com and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts: Headquartered in Mumbai, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates eleven award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Gurugram, East Delhi, Goa, Mumbai and Gandhinagar. The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals, and immersive experiences. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was voted the World's Best Hotel Brand two years in a row by Travel + Leisure, USA, World's Best Awards Survey, 2020 and 2021. The brand is well poised to embrace the next phase in its growth trajectory with upcoming projects which includes a business hotel in Hyderabad. An epitome of true Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela is committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance. For more information, please visit our website www.theleela.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Contact Us: Anjali Mehra +918800466085 [email protected] Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662527/TheLeelaBCLB.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1441809/The_Leela_Logo.jpg SOURCE The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts HUNT VALLEY, Md., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As caring for aging parents can be challenging for many families, The Option Group , a leader in the care management space, recently released two new resource guides to help adult children deal with the personal complexities of caring for senior loved ones. These free to download guides are titled How Do Siblings Avoid Conflict? A Guide to Caring for Your Aging Parents and Addressing Sensitive Issues: A Helpful Guide to Talking with Your Aging Parents . The first guide addresses common sibling challenges that emerge and offers some helpful strategies to achieve superior outcomes for aging loved ones. In the second guide, The Option Group focuses on common issues that emerge with aging parents and provides helpful guidance on how to frame these sensitive issues in a respectful way that will create the best outcomes for aging loved ones and greater peace of mind for everyone involved in their care. Meet Ellen Platt, MEd, CRC, CCM - President & Certified Aging Life Care Manager at The Option Group. In this video she shares her journey toward founding the company and explains the services it provides to family members seeking help for their loved ones in need of care management services. The Option Group has two new free resource guides to help family members navigate the complex role of caregiver. Schedule a free 30 minute consultation with one of our care managers. "Planning and managing the care of aging loved ones can be difficult for a lot of families. On top of handling medical treatment and finances, caring for aging parents can also cause a lot of emotional tension and stress among both the parents and the children or family members dealing with their care," said Ellen S. Platt, MEd, CRC, CCM, President & Certified Aging Life Care Manager at The Option Group. "With these two new resource guides, our goal is to help ease the pressure of care by providing families with the vital information and step-by-step guidance they need during this time." The Option Group serves as a reliable and trusted guide for family caregivers, who are often the default caretakers for their aging parents, and helps families understand and respond to the eight different categories of care: crisis intervention, healthcare navigation, community & facility placement, healthcare budgeting, family education, resource coordination, patient advocacy, and legal resources. Unlike other companies that offer clients information and choices to navigate on their own, The Option Group provides clarity around its service options, making decisions clearer and easier for clients. As a result, clients receive better care, be it health, legal, financial, advocacy, or education. The Option Group's brand promise includes the following: Access to a broad and deep range of options that have either already been professionally evaluated or that the company will do so on its client's behalf, saving them time, money, frustration, and enhancing their quality of life. The Option Group team also includes many aging life care managers who are certified by the Aging Life Care Association. Additionally, The Option Group holds strategic and trusted relationships with family advisors, including estate attorneys, financial advisors, doctors, and more, allowing the company to provide additional benefits to families in need of care. This holistic view with The Option Group as the facilitator bringing advisors together results in families having a consolidated and consistent central point of communication for their loved ones care. Advisors also benefit from this approach as they can trust The Option Group to take good care of their clients. The Option Group celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and has been consistently growing its team through acquisition and organic growth. Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, The Option Group has expanded its care manager team and reach into Pennsylvania and Delaware just this year alone. About The Option Group Founded in 2010, The Option Group's compassionate team of experienced Certified Life Care Managers serves families, their loved ones, medical professionals, and professional family advisors in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The firm understands the challenges of caring for an individual who needs assistance due to aging, dementia, disability, or serious illness. Its skilled providers possess over 100 years of combined experience navigating the healthcare maze and accessing hundreds of quality resources. The Option Group helps families spend quality time with their loved ones, providing clear choices that lead to better care. For more information, visit TheOptionGroup.net , or call 866-227-3798 (866-CARES98). Media Contact Dina Wasmer [email protected] (410) 366-9479 SOURCE The Option Group First launched in early 2021, the Scholarships received an overwhelming global response, with hundreds of exceptionally talented students from over 40 countries applying. Five successful candidates were selected, joining AISL Harrow Beijing, AISL Harrow Shanghai, and AISL Harrow Hong Kong in September 2021. Moving into the second year, the Scholarships provide exceptionally gifted students who are not currently enrolled in an AISL Harrow School, no matter where in the world they currently live, the opportunity to study at AISL Harrow Beijing, AISL Harrow Shanghai, AISL Harrow Shenzhen, AISL Harrow Hong Kong, or AISL Harrow Bangkok. Each school provides two scholarships: ten in total across the AISL Harrow family. Selected students are given full access to a Harrow (pre-university) A-Level education, and to the values-based 'educational excellence for life and leadership' which AISL Harrow Schools provide. A GATEWAY TO THE WORLD'S BEST UNIVERSITIES Recipients of an AISL Harrow Scholarship enjoy world-class educational resources and access to a global alumni network. With the same high standards as that of Harrow School in the UK, AISL Harrow Schools ensure students excel academically and personally through a highly qualified teaching team, a broad selection of co-curricular activities, an extensive academic enrichment super curriculum programme, and through enhanced pastoral care and close personal tutoring. In 2021, 77% of AISL Harrow International graduates achieved A*-A at A-Level, graduating to some of the world's best universities. While many schools adopt a 'one size fits all' approach to university guidance, all AISL Harrow Schools offer a dedicated University Admissions and Careers Guidance Centre. Specialist tutors support each student's application process, giving individualised assistance and expert counsel. SELECTION AND ELIGIBILITY The second annual AISL Harrow Scholarships Programme will open for applications on 15 October, 2021. For more details and to register interest, applicants can visit: https://www.harrowschools.com/aisl-harrow-scholarships/. Applications will close at 4:00pm on 10 December, 2021 (GMT+8). Applicants will be required to take A-Level assessment tests between 8 January and 27 January 2022 and will be interviewed online between 29 January and 24 February 2022. The final application results will be officially announced on 29 March 2022. To be eligible for an AISL Harrow Scholarship, an applicant must: Have completed GCSE/IGCSE study (or equivalent) before 1 August 2022 and must be predicted outstanding grades. Born between 1 September, 2005 and 31 August, 2006 . Be applying for Year 12 study commencing August 2022 , with graduation from the school in June 2024 . Enrol as a full boarding student for the two-year duration of the scholarships period. Where boarding is not available, alternative arrangements can be discussed with the participating AISL Harrow School. Be academically outstanding, supported by appropriate English language ability. Eligible to receive a study visa in the country of the participating AISL Harrow School. Not currently be enrolled in a AISL Harrow International school. SELECTION CRITERIA Academic performance at the top of the upper quartile of the Participating AISL Harrow School applied to, measured by: entrance tests, subject specific tests, prior academic records, references, and interviews with senior staff. Sufficient English language ability to fully access the course content of their chosen A-Level subjects on the first day at the Participating AISL Harrow School. Evident ability in, and a strong commitment to, sport, creative and performing arts, service, or other areas of co-curricular school life. Evidence of examples of previous leadership roles, positions of responsibility or commitment to service activities. AISL sincerely invites students who wish to apply to visit https://www.harrowschools.com/aisl-harrow-scholarships/ and to register their interest. In the meantime, please subscribe to Harrow's Official WeChat Account (WeChat ID: HarrowInternational) to learn more about the AISL Harrow Scholarships Programme and to discover the opportunities a Harrow-branded education provides. About Asia International School Limited (AISL) GROUP Asia International School Limited ("AISL") is a leading provider of world-class K-12 education in Asia. Through our wholly owned subsidiary Harrow International Management Services Limited and affiliates, AISL sub-licenses the Harrow brand and provides professional educational services to our Harrow branded schools, including AISL Harrow International Schools, AISL Harrow Innovation Leadership Academies and AISL Harrow Little Lions Early Years Centres. SOURCE AISL Harrow Schools WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Shareholder Commons announced an agreement with Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. ("Broadridge" or "the Company") in which Broadridge will provide greater transparency regarding its role in the shareholder communications and proxy voting process, information security practices, vote count accuracy, and regulatory compliance. The Shareholder Commons and Broadridge also agreed about the importance of two initiatives related to climate change, which Broadridge committed to explore. Broadridge will seek to provide additional information regarding the most recent regular independent reviews of its proxy processes performed by a leading audit firm. Broadridge has agreed to expand its existing practice of publishing its proxy service performance reports by also publishing summary information regarding the regular independent performance reports it customarily commissions. Broadridge has long engaged the services of an independent public accounting firm to prepare performance reports on the Company's delivery of various aspects of its proxy services, such as proxy voting and information security, and the Company will provide the most recent reports to the proponent and publish summarized information from these reports. Additionally, and consistent with its already existing commitments regarding reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Broadridge has agreed on the importance of exploring science-based targets for carbon reduction and membership in an industry alliance dedicated to global achievement of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Between 2013 and 2019, Broadridge reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 24% and has a target to further reduce its emissions by 15% by 2025. In connection with this process, Broadridge is reviewing the objectives and required commitments for longer-term carbon reduction and initiatives and will provide an update on this process. Mr. McRitchie, a long-time Broadridge shareholder, had worked with The Shareholder Commons to submit a shareholder proposal asking the Company to convert to a public benefit corporation (a "PBC"), and to adopt a specific public benefit of contributing to accurate, timely, cost-effective, and transparent proxy voting for diversified investors. Broadridge asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") to allow it to exclude the proposal from its proxy statement. The SEC declined to exclude the proposal, stating that "the Company's corporate structure is not a matter relating to the conduct of its ordinary business operations, but rather, an important issue that is appropriate for stockholders to address at a meeting." Mr. McRitchie has now withdrawn the proposal in recognition of Broadridge's agreement discussed above. Each of these measures will address systemic matters that are of concern to many shareholdersan accurate proxy voting system, and the threat to the earth's environment posed by climate change. "We are pleased this process has established that shareholders have a right to vote on proposals to convert companies to PBCs, including proposals that request a specific public benefit," said Frederick Alexander, CEO of The Shareholder Commons. "We are equally excited to see Broadridge recognize the needs of its diversified shareholders by seriously addressing its carbon footprint and increasing the transparency around its role in the proxy process, which is critical to the corporate governance systems that protect those shareholders." "Broadridge appreciates the opportunity to engage with all of our shareholders and listen to their concerns and ideas about how to make Broadridge a stronger company," said Edings Thibault, Head of Investor Relations, Broadridge. "I am a long-time investor in Broadridge, but I also have diversified holdings. More importantly, we all live on the same planet and depend on the same global economy. I'm thrilled to see Broadridge recognizes that its practices affect its shareholders in many ways, and not just through financial return," said Mr. McRitchie. The Shareholder Commons supports proponents in influencing corporate behavior that threatens social and environmental systems that underpin the global economy. On September 14, 2021, The Shareholder Commons initiated an investor campaign to convert media corporations to PBCs with a specific purpose of providing accurate information. The first step in the campaign is asking shareholders to vote FOR on a shareholder proposal that will be presented at the Fox Corporation (FOX) annual shareholders meeting on November 10, 2021. The campaign is described here: https://theshareholdercommons.com/media-markets-and-systemic-risk/. About the Shareholder Commons The Shareholder Commons is a non-profit organization that seeks to shift the paradigm of investor thinking away from a narrow and harmful focus on individual company value toward a systems-first approach to investing that better serves beneficiaries. Learn more at https://theshareholdercommons.com/. Media Contact: Sophie Faris, Chief Operating Officer [email protected] +1.302.485.0497 SOURCE The Shareholder Commons Related Links https://theshareholdercommons.com/ WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), General Motors and MathWorks today announced the launch of the EcoCAR EV Challenge, the latest DOE-sponsored Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition (AVTC) series. The program, which will kick-off in fall of 2022, is now accepting applications from universities with ABET-accredited engineering programs. EcoCAR is a premier collegiate automotive competition aimed at developing a highly skilled clean mobility workforce that reflects the diversity of our nation, by providing hands-on experience designing and building next generation mobility solutions to meet the decarbonization needs of the automotive industry. "The EcoCAR EV Challenge provides the ultimate training ground for future engineers and business leaders to work on some of the toughest technical challenges facing the automotive industry," said Kristen Wahl, director of the AVTC program at Argonne National Laboratory. She added, "Students not only gain an unparalleled experiential learning experience, but also highly coveted jobs with top employers. EcoCAR also enables multidisciplinary collaboration across a university and serves as a catalyst for automotive-related curriculum and R&D." Up to 14 North American teams will be selected to participate, with four years to design and engineer a next generation battery electric vehicle that utilizes automation and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity to implement energy efficient and customer-appealing features. The competition will also challenge teams to apply innovative solutions to address equity and electrification challenges in the future of mobility and implement advanced powertrain, charging, and thermal systems to use grid electricity intelligently. Teams will follow a real-world vehicle development process to meet rigorous technical milestones throughout the program and will compete head-to-head with other teams in annual competition finals, with the series culminating in the summer of 2026. "EcoCAR provides the resources to transform a university's engineering school to be on the cutting edge of engineering education", said Wahl. "The challenges EcoCAR students will face and learn to overcome will ultimately contribute to their future as leaders in the automotive industry." For more background about the EcoCAR EV Challenge, please visit ecocarEVchallenge.org. About EcoCAR EV Challenge: EcoCAR EV Challenge is a premier collegiate automotive engineering competition that will challenge up to 14 North American universities to engineer a next-generation battery electric vehicle with connected and automated features to meet energy efficiency targets and customer needs for a personal consumer market application. The four-year program will reflect industry-best practices with expanded focus on model-based design, vehicle connectivity, and automated controls development. EcoCAR will include a major focus on equity in mobility and DE&I in STEM to help foster clean energy mobility solutions and opportunities for all. Managed by Argonne National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy and co-headline sponsored by General Motors and MathWorks, this government and industry partnership will build the clean energy workforce of the future by enabling the next generation of engineers and business leaders to help solve our nation's toughest mobility challenges. Contact: Kimberly DeClark, EcoCAR, (202) 441-0096 SOURCE EcoCAR EV Challenge TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TOQi Technologies Ltd. ( mytoqi.com ), creators of elegantly designed cannabis technology products, today announced that its award-winning TOQi 510 Wireless Vaporizer is now available in more than 150 retail locations across Canada. Building off its homegrown success, TOQi is expanding internationally, beginning with the United Kingdom and the United States, to bring its products to retail outlets worldwide. During MJBizCon October 19-22, 2021, TOQi (booth #C2261) will showcase their total 510 system to U.S. distributors. TOQi 510 total system TOQi 510 Wireless Vaporizer In the U.S. market, the TOQi 510 Wireless Vaporizer and 510 Dab Cartridge, which provides easy dabbing-on-the-go, have become must-have items as dabbing cannabis has become ubiquitous. California will be the first state to feature TOQi products in retail outlets. In addition to the U.S., TOQi is partnering with The House of Green, through their brand Bailiwick Botanicals, for U.K. distribution. "Since launching TOQi, our goal has always been to provide the best vaping experience possible to the entire world. Cannabis users in the U.S. and the U.K. are discerning and sophisticated and we are excited to exceed their expectations and partner with top-tier retail outlets in both regions," said Drew Henson, CEO and Founder, TOQi. "We are grateful to our Canadian retail partners, distributors and customers for helping us achieve success in our home base and look forward to showing the world what a focused Canadian startup can do." TOQi recently hired two senior regional sales managers to handle the increased volume across Canada. Kevin Snell and Rebecca Bennett have a combined four decades of experience working for global brands in alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and skincare. As Canada celebrates three years of legalization of recreational marijuana, TOQi's products can be found across Canada at retail locations such as Tokyo Smoke. Retailers can contact TOQi directly at [email protected] , or work with TOQi's preferred national distributor in Canada, Humble and Fume. "We love having TOQi products in store. Not only does it offer customers a better, more affordable way to enjoy their 510 cartridges, it's elevated our concentrate sales with the wax cartridge capability," said Ciara Barbosa, Store Manager, Tokyo Smoke Waterloo Commons. At MJBizCon, TOQi will showcase its new white TOQi 510 Wireless Vaporizer and 510 Dab Cartridge, alongside the black versions. Recently named Best Vape Technology by Budtender's Choice Award, TOQi launched the cannabis industry's first wireless charging 510 thread vaporizer battery in early 2020. The black and white TOQi 510 devices comes with a class-leading 400mAh battery, charging 85% in only 20 minutes, and is equipped with Qi charging technology, enabling it to charge wirelessly on TOQi's Wireless Charging Pad or other Qi-equipped products such as Samsung Galaxy Note10 or Google Pixel 5. The fast charging vape includes a built-in USB-C port, precision CNC for accurate airflow, smart power system ensuring no power drop off during pulls, a smooth, stone-like finish design and curated temperatures. About TOQi Technologies LTD Founded by award-winning designers, TOQi creates premium industry leading cannabis consumption technology from their headquarters in Toronto, Ontario. Inspired by the intersection of design and culture, TOQi believes that attention to detail and user experience are of the utmost importance. For more information, visit mytoqi.com. TOQi does not produce, manufacture or distribute cannabis. Not for sale to minors. SOURCE TOQi Technologies LTD Florida's capital city is where Trulieve opened its first retail location and will be home to its 100th dispensary in the state TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF) ("Trulieve" or "the Company"), the largest multi-state operator (MSO) in the United States, today announced the opening of its 100th dispensary in the state of Florida. The location is in Tallahassee, Florida, where Trulieve opened its first store, and was formerly branded as Harvest House of Cannabis. Trulieve will host a ribbon cutting and begin serving patients at this location at 8:30 am on Tuesday, October 19 and will celebrate the milestone at all locations statewide. Trulieve invites the Tallahassee community to join the celebration of its 100th Florida dispensary opening with all-day deals, music, free swag, and brand partner giveaways. All registered patients from those new to Trulieve to the dedicated Truliever community will receive 25% off total purchase as well as a free edible product with orders over $100 at the new Tallahassee dispensary on opening day. ANNOUNCING: Trulieve Tallahassee Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening WHERE: 1800 W Tennessee Street, Suite 1, Tallahassee, Florida 32304 WHEN: Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at 8:30 am The celebration will continue statewide at the Company's additional 99 dispensaries, including another location in Tallahassee, the first ever medical marijuana treatment center (MMTC) in Florida. Each location across the state reflects Trulieve's commitment to expanding and ensuring direct, reliable access to medical cannabis for Florida's growing patient base. "Tallahassee is where we opened our first dispensary and where we're proud to open our 100th in Florida," said Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve. "Trulieve was the first licensee in the state of Florida approved to cultivate medical marijuana, first in the state approved to dispense, and first to open a dispensary, right here in Tallahassee. As the site of many important firsts and milestones for our company, Tallahassee has always been and will continue to be central to the Trulieve success story." In 2015, Trulieve was among the first five Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) in Florida to receive a license to cultivate, was the first with approval to begin growing cannabis plants, approval to go into production, and approval to sell medical marijuana products in Florida. The Company followed with a long line of firsts, almost all of which took place at the Company's flagship store in Tallahassee: the first sale of medical cannabis in the state, first home delivery, first sale of edibles, first sale of smokable cannabis, first to market with concentrates produced via hydrocarbon extraction, and now the first MMTC in Florida to reach 100 locations. "This is a day of celebration, not only for Trulieve, but for our communities and patients across Florida," said Rivers. "From day one, we've been driven by the opportunity to create positive economic impact, support local philanthropic organizations, and improve the everyday lives of our patients, employees and communities. Tallahassee, Gadsden County, and the surrounding communities have been instrumental to Trulieve's story, and we're excited to continue honoring those relationships and growing with the community." On October 7, 2021, Trulieve was recognized by the United Way of the Big Bend, receiving its annual Business Partner of the Year award. "The United Way of the Big Bend is honored to give Trulieve our annual award for Neighboring County Business Partner of the Year," said United Way of the Big Bend Board Chairman Dr. Jim Murdaugh. "This award is presented to one of our business partners who has gone above and beyond in their philanthropy to support the Mission, Vision and Goals of our United Way. As the largest private employer in Gadsden County, Trulieve impacts the neighbors we serve and provides economic opportunity and growth." In stores and online, patients will find Florida's largest selection of THC and CBD products in a variety of delivery methods, including edibles, smokable flower, concentrates, tinctures, topical creams, vaporizers, and more. Trulieve also offers statewide home delivery, convenient online ordering and in-store pickup. For more information, please visit Trulieve.com. About Trulieve Trulieve is an industry-leading, vertically-integrated cannabis company and multi-state operator in the U.S. operating in 11 states, with leading market positions in Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Trulieve is poised for accelerated growth and expansion, building scale in retail and distribution in new and existing markets through its hub strategy. By providing innovative, high-quality products across its brand portfolio, Trulieve delivers optimal customer experiences and increases access to cannabis, helping patients and customers to live without limits. Trulieve is listed on the CSE under the symbol TRUL and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol TCNNF. To learn more about Trulieve, visit Trulieve.com. SOURCE Trulieve Cannabis Corp. Related Links https://www.trulieve.com/ ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) announces today the entry into a definitive agreement for the sale of its House of Fuller beauty business in Mexico. This transaction is in line with the Company's turnaround plan strategy of divesting non-core assets. Terms of the transaction, including the anticipated closing date, have not been disclosed. The sale of the House of Fuller beauty business follows the Company's sale of its Avroy Shlain beauty business in South Africa during the first quarter of 2021. "We are pleased to have reached agreement to sell our Fuller beauty business in Mexico," said Miguel Fernandez, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tupperware Brands. "This sale represents further progress toward our stated goal of divesting non-core assets, and enables the Company to focus its resources on growing our core Tupperware brands. We will continue to execute on our turnaround plan in order to restore this iconic brand to sustained growth and deliver increased value to all stakeholders." About Tupperware Brands Corporation Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) is a leading global consumer products company that designs innovative, functional and environmentally responsible products that people love and trust. Founded in 1946, Tupperware's signature container created the modern food storage category that revolutionized the way the world stores, serves and prepares food. Today, this iconic brand has more than 8,500 functional design and utility patents for solution-oriented kitchen and home products. With a purpose to nurture a better future, Tupperware products are an alternative to single-use items. The Company distributes its products into nearly 70 countries primarily through independent representatives around the world. For more information, visit Tupperwarebrands.com or follow Tupperware on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and Twitter . SOURCE Tupperware Brands Corporation Related Links http://www.tupperwarebrands.com The 3-year initiative is designed as a pilot program that can be expanded to all 19 Springpoint affordable housing communities in New Jersey and potentially serve as a model for other affordable housing providers. The program is being managed by Springpoint, utilizing their whole-person wellness program known as LivWell. The Springpoint affordable housing division provides safe, comfortable rental apartments to over 2,000 vulnerable adults in New Jersey, ages 62 and older, who have limited financial means. In 2020, Parker and Springpoint joined forces to conduct a survey of these community residents to determine the potential need for services and technology to better their quality of life. The survey results indicated that residents were lacking access to programming related to their physical and mental well-being. The findings also revealed that over 40 percent of residents lacked sufficient access to the internet, an essential tool for older adults to stay connected and engaged. In all, the survey identified a strong need for engaging social based programs to help combat isolation and depression, particularly among the 80 to 89 year old age group. To address this need, Parker and Springpoint agreed to establish and co-fund the Affordable Housing Wellness Initiative to bring LivWell health and wellness programming to residents in the following affordable housing communities: The Gables at West Windsor, Wheaton Pointe at East Windsor, Watchung Terrace at Middlesex, and Hidden Brook at Franklin. "We are happy to partner with a quality organization like Springpoint to provide innovative programming that will enable these residents to live their best lives as they age," says Roberto Muniz, President and CEO of Parker Health Group. "It demonstrates what organizations like ours can do when we work together to provide services that we could not do on our own. We hope this program will serve as a model and an inspiration for other organizations to provide supportive programs to vulnerable elders." LivWell is a life enrichment program that is operating successfully in 8 Springpoint Life Plan Communities. The award-winning program is based on a whole-person wellness model that strives to integrate and balance all dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, vocational, environmental, and spiritual. LivWell uses individual health and well-being assessments, goal setting, and outcome tracking to help community members make the choices that keep them healthy, engaged, and living their best life. "The philosophy of the LivWell program is to provide an opportunity to engage in experiences which support a high quality of life, personal choice, lifelong development, and an optimal sense of well-being," says Anthony A. Argondizza, President and CEO of Springpoint. "Together with Parker, we have the unique opportunity in a community setting to not only serve many individuals at once but to also have them support each other. Through the Affordable Housing Wellness Initiative, the staff and residents of these communities will work together with the ultimate goals of high quality of life and well-being as the cornerstones of their culture of wellness." Key components of the Affordable Housing Wellness Initiative include evidence-based fall prevention programs, fitness and balance classes, wellness check-ins, health education, nutrition programs, Total Brain Health classes, and stress reduction programs. The Wellness Initiative encompasses a significant investment in technology, including implementation of a digital communication platform and purchase of mobile tablets that can be used by the resident on a loaner basis. This enhanced technology will allow residents to access content and services online despite transportation and mobility challenges. Parker and Springpoint will gauge success of the program through resident surveys, program attendance, and resident feedback. This data will serve as a guide for the purposeful design of services and experiences as the program evolves. About Parker Health Group Parker Health Group, Inc. is a not-for-profit, New Jersey-based aging services organization with over 100 years' experience that is committed to empowering older Americans. We are a diverse community of over 1,000 dedicated and passionate employees, caregivers, volunteers, thought leaders, researchers, educators, and partners. Our award-winning standards and approaches have made us a pioneer of inclusive aging services and long-term care residences, and a national thought leader on the conversation around aging in America. Founded in 1907 by Henrietta Parker, Parker has been challenging, changing, and expanding the idea of what it means to grow older in America and how all of us can make aging part of life. For more information, visit parkerlife.org. About Springpoint Founded in 1916, Springpoint is a nationally recognized senior living provider serving the Mid-Atlantic region. It consists of Springpoint Senior Living and its 8 full-service Life Plan Communities and 19 affordable housing communities. It also includes Springpoint at Home, providing home care and care management services, and Springpoint Choice, a membership-based Continuing Care at Home program and the Springpoint Foundation, which encourages charitable giving to support programs that make a meaningful difference in the lives of seniors. Learn more about Springpoint at springpointsl.org. Press Contact: Mary Kelly, Communications Specialist, Springpoint, email: [email protected] Phone: 732-430-3704. Lee Dorry, Communications Manager, Parker Health Group, email: [email protected] Phone: 732-565-2425 SOURCE Parker Health Group Related Links http://parkerlife.org. DURANGO, Colo., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A contemporary U-Haul retail and self-storage facility is coming to Durango thanks to a 5-acre land acquisition south of Wilson Gulch Drive and north of the Highway 160 exit ramp. U-Haul Moving & Storage of Durango, scheduled for completion by 2023, will include a three-story building encompassing more than 80,000 square feet. The facility will house more than 500 indoor, ADA-accessible self-storage units with climate-control options and high-tech security features at affordable price points. U-Haul acquired the property on Oct. 1. "Durango hasn't had a U-Haul-owned and -operated self-storage facility," said Dave Hellmers, U-Haul Company of Southern Colorado president. "Our customers have been driving across the state line into New Mexico to gain access to U-Haul storage. Developing this land will translate to greater convenience for Durango residents, and enable us to meet growing demand." U-Haul Moving & Storage of Durango will offer an expansive retail showroom, truck and trailer sharing, boxes and moving supplies, towing equipment and professional hitch installation, propane, U-Box portable storage containers and more. While the store is under construction, nearby U-Haul neighborhood dealers are available to serve customers. Reserve equipment at uhaul.com or contact Reservations at 1-800-GO-UHAUL. Hellmers plans to hire at least 10 Team Members to staff the Durango store. U-Haul will look to hire locally to support job growth within the community. U-Haul, honored as a "Best for Vets 2020" leading veteran-friendly employer by The Military Times, actively recruits veterans and gives them preference in the hiring process. Find U-Haul careers at uhauljobs.com. "Durango is one of the most beautiful cities in America, and U-Haul is excited to invest in its future," Hellmers added. "We're working with city officials and our neighbors to improve access to residential mobility and self-storage. This facility will benefit everyone for many years." As an essential service provider, U-Haul continues to serve communities during the COVID-19 recovery while offering contactless business programs and enhanced cleaning protocols, including added steps for sanitizing equipment between customer transactions. U-Haul products are used daily by First Responders; delivery companies bringing needed supplies to people's homes; small businesses trying to remain afloat; college students; and many other dependent groups, in addition to the do-it-yourself household mover. About U-HAUL Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 176,000 trucks, 126,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 825,000 rentable storage units and 71.6 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America. Contact: Andrea Batchelor Jeff Lockridge E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 602-263-6981 Website: uhaul.com SOURCE U-Haul Related Links www.uhaul.com ATLANTA, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UC Asset LP (OTCQX: UCASU) announces it will hold annual shareholder meeting on November 18, 2021, at 9:00 am eastern time. Due to COVID pandemic, this annual meeting will be held virtually as a Zoom meeting. Among other topics, UC Asset's management will submit its 2021 dividend plan for shareholders to review and comment. Any persons who hold UC Asset' shares by the end of the last trading day of the year of 2021 will be eligible to receive dividends, if any. "Our most recent quarterly report 10-Q showed a 20% organic growth of net equity over a 12 month period," says Greg Bankston, managing general partner of UC Asset. "If that trend may continue, we will have over $1 million of undistributed profit. It will be to the best interest of our company to distribute a reasonable amount of investment gain as dividend. We plan to distribute a minimum of $0.10 per share." However, Bankston adds that such dividend plan will be subject to the final results of audited financial reports and other possible changes of business situations. And holders of preferred shares are entitled to receive preferred dividends before common shareholders. Further, the bylaw of UC Asset gives management arbitrary power to withhold dividend distribution if the management believes it will be better to use those funds for further investments. "Our goal is to build a long term investment firm similar to Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway that investors will realize their return from appreciation of market value of our shares, without receiving any cash dividends," explains Bankston. "But before the trading volume of our share can support such a scheme, we will continue to distribute cash dividend when we believe it is to the best interest of our company." UC Asset management will also discuss its business strategy on its annual meeting. In late September, UC Asset announced that it would expand its investment in cannabis properties, as part of its effort to build 'the most innovative portfolio in real estate'. According to the company's announcement, the 'most innovative portfolio in real estate' would consist of three major parts, which are cannabis properties, Airbnb-based SHOC properties and historic landmarks. More details about these investment strategies are expected to be disclosed on the annual meeting. Record date of this year's annual meeting is set as September 30, 2021. Any persons who held shares on and by the end of the record date will be eligible to attend the annual shareholder meeting. The company will send out both electronic and paper invitations to eligible shareholders, except for objecting beneficial owners, in the coming weeks. About UC Asset LP UC Asset LP is a limited partnership formed for the purpose of investing in real estate with innovative strategies, concentrating in metropolitan areas of Atlanta, GA. For more information about UC Asset, please visit: www.ucasset.com Disclaimer: This News Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any these statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any those forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this news release. None of such forward-looking statements should be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the objectives and plans set forth in this News Release will be achieved or be executed. For More Information Contact: Christal Jordan Executive Director UC Asset LP [email protected] 678-499-0297 SOURCE UC Asset LP The movement of people and goods is the underlying fabric of society. Transportation and logistics represent 10 % of global GDP , which is approximately $10T annually. With transportation responsible for 29% of global CO2 emissions , emerging technologies are creating opportunities for fundamental reinvention of mobility solutions that are cleaner, faster, safer and lower cost. Examples include package delivery drones, electric vertical aircraft for urban air mobility, software for precise positioning, hydrogen powered airliners, sustainable aviation fuel, ultra low cost LIDAR sensors, micro-mobility scooters and e-bikes, advanced manufacturing techniques, electricity grid enhancement for recharging, and more. Building a Virtuous Ecosystem Focused on Mobility's Future UP.Partners has assembled a world class consortium of leaders in aerospace, automotive, maritime, hardware, software, telecom, finance and media to harness the movement of electrons, atoms and capital to help humanity go UP. Investors include Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK); ARK Invest Founder and CEO Cathie Wood, Woven Capital, the investment arm of the Woven Planet Group, a Toyota Motor Corporation subsidiary; privately-held industrial company Standard Industries; global real estate developer Hillwood, a Perot Company; leading ship management company OSM Maritime, and more. "Our investment in UP.Partners demonstrates Alaska Air Group's continued commitment to supporting a cleaner and more accessible world of transport," says Alaska Air Group CEO Ben Minicuccui. "The UP.Partners team, portfolio and ecosystem of corporate partners and investors is truly world class, and we are proud to partner with UP.Partners on this journey of supporting early stage technology companies that are transforming the moving world." "Transforming mobility through technology is central to the mission of Woven Planet, and UP.Partners' investment strategy is in complete lockstep," said Betty Bryant, Principal, Woven Capital. "Woven Capital is excited to team up with UP.Partners as they encourage entrepreneurs who are focused on wide-ranging solutions that allow people, goods and information to move more seamlessly, cost-effectively, and sustainably than ever before, benefiting humanity and the health of the planet for all." The Davos of Mobility A critical element of the UP.Partners strategy is the annual UP.Summit which brings together entrepreneurs, executives, and investors with the common goal of improving mobility. The UP.Summit is hosted in alternating years in Bentonville, Arkansas and Dallas, Texas, co-hosted by Steuart and Tom Walton, and Ross Perot Jr, respectively. From the time of its inception in 2017, the UP.Summit has grown into the most important annual gathering for mobility's boldest innovators, investors and corporations. The impact of the UP.Summit has been significant, resulting in direct investments exceeding $450M into companies that have participated to date. Chairman of the Perot Group, Ross Perot Jr. said, "UP.Partners has created the Davos of mobility with the UP.Summit, bringing the best ideas and minds together to help humanity go UP. We are proud to partner in moving this revolution in transportation forward." UP.Partners has already made 10 investments in companies including leading flight autonomy company Skydio, manufacturing quality assurance leader UnitX, and electric vertical aircraft developer Beta Technologies to name a few. Kyle Clark, CEO of Beta Technologies, which recently closed a $400M investment round led by Amazon Climate Pledge Fund and Fidelity said, "UP.Partners uniquely understands the potential and scale of new air mobility and brings visionaries together to realize that potential unmatched by other venture investors - the industry is fortunate to have this team leading the way." Managing Partners Putting Booster Rockets on a Mission to Help More Founders Go UP UP.Partners was co-founded by serial aviation and technology entrepreneurs Ben Marcus and Cyrus Sigari. Marcus and Sigari co-founded jetAVIVA in 2006, which today is the leading seller of business aircraft worldwide, and AirMap in 2014, which is the leading digital, automated air traffic management platform for drones and flying cars. Joining Marcus and Sigari as co-managing partner and chairman of the firm is four time Forbes Midas List investor, Adam Grosser. Prior to joining UP.Partners, Grosser has enjoyed a diverse career as an engineer, successful founder, and long-time investor. Most recently, he led Silver Lake Kraftwerk, the Impact Strategy of Silver Lake Partners for a decade. He has invested in numerous top performing climate-focused companies including Tesla, Solar City, EnerNoc, Control4 and Silver Spring Networks. Ally Warson, formerly of ACME Capital, also joins the UP team as Principal. UP.Partners' Venture Partner ecosystem includes the co-creator of Google Earth Brian McClendon, former CEO of Activision Eric Hirshberg, co-founder & CEO of startup air carrier Aero Uma Subramanian, and more. About UP.Partners Transportation is the underlying fabric of society. UP.Partners invests in the pioneering entrepreneurs who are creating the key enabling technologies that help move people and goods cleaner, faster, safer, and more efficiently in a multi-dimensional world. UP.Partners with some of the world's most innovative investors and companies including Alaska Airlines, ARK Invest, and Woven Capital, the investment arm of Toyota subsidiary Woven Planet Group. UP.Summit convenes the mobility community's brightest minds each year to help humanity go UP. Together, the UP community is transforming the moving world. For more information, visit UP.Partners or follow on Twitter @UpPartnersVC or LinkedIn . SOURCE UP Partners Management Company, LLC Related Links https://up.partners CALGARY, AB, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Vermilion Energy Inc. ("Vermilion", "We", "Our", "Us" or the "Company") (TSX: VET) (NYSE: VET) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. James J. Kleckner Jr. to our Board of Directors. Mr. Kleckner has more than 35 years of experience in various executive and senior leadership roles. He was most recently Chief Executive Officer of Jagged Peak Energy with a focus on production and development in the Permian Basin, achieving production of approximately 50,000 boe/d prior to it being acquired by Parsley Energy. Prior to that, Mr. Kleckner held a number of executive positions with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, including Executive Vice President, International Operations and Vice President, Operations. From 1999 through 2006, he was Vice President, US Onshore & International Operations with Kerr McGee Corporation. He has extensive operational and technical experience in US onshore resource plays and international oil and gas operations. During his career, he held leadership roles responsible for a full range of exploration, development, production and operational priorities, including mergers and acquisitions, health safety and environment, community and government relations and enterprise risk management. Mr. Kleckner currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Great Western Petroleum, a private company. Previously, he served as a member of the Board of Directors of Jagged Peak Energy and Parsley Energy Inc. Mr. Kleckner also served as a Board member of two private companies: Delonex Energy Limited and Hawkwood Energy LLC. He has served on the Industry and Advisory Board of the School of Energy Research at the University of Wyoming, the Petroleum Engineering Advisory Board at the Colorado School of Mines, the Executive Board for the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, and the Executive Board for the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States. Mr. Kleckner holds a B.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. We are excited to welcome Mr. Kleckner to our Board of Directors, and look forward to the contributions his diverse skills, perspectives and expertise will make to Vermilion's ongoing success.. About Vermilion Vermilion is an international energy producer that seeks to create value through the acquisition, exploration, development and optimization of producing assets in North America, Europe and Australia. Our business model emphasizes free cash flow generation and returning capital to investors when economically warranted, augmented by value-adding acquisitions. Vermilion's operations are focused on the exploitation of light oil and liquids-rich natural gas conventional resource plays in North America and the exploration and development of conventional natural gas and oil opportunities in Europe and Australia. Vermilion's priorities are health and safety, the environment, and profitability, in that order. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of the public and those who work with us, and the protection of our natural surroundings. In addition, Vermilion emphasizes strategic community investment in each of our operating areas. We have been recognized as a strong performer amongst Canadian publicly listed companies in governance practices, a Climate Leadership level (A-) performer by the CDP, and a Best Workplace in the Great Place to Work Institute's annual rankings in Canada and Germany. Employees and directors hold approximately 5% of our outstanding shares and are committed to delivering long-term value for all stakeholders. Vermilion trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol VET. SOURCE Vermilion Energy Inc. Related Links http://www.vermilionenergy.com TUSCALOOSA, Ala. and MONTREAL, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - The Westervelt Company and Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ), a global investment group, today announced the acquisition of more than 76,000 acres (307 km2) of high-quality pine timberland and the creation of a new strategic partnership that will focus on sustainable timberland management. The newly acquired property had been owned and managed for nearly a century by Superior Pine Products, a family-owned company headquartered in Georgia. "This was a rare opportunity to purchase a special timberland asset in southeast Georgia. The land matches Westervelt's strategic growth and diversification objectives, and its age class distribution balances growth and sustainability goals," said Westervelt President and CEO Brian Luoma. "This transaction illustrates what our Sustainable Land Management initiative is all about: investing in land with partners who truly share our values and culture of investing constructively. That's why we are delighted to join forces with Westervelt, a family-owned business focused on environmental stewardship and innovation, for this first investment in the United States as part of this partnership. Working forests are unique assets and we believe they will become of increasing importance in the fight against climate change and the transition to a greener economy," said Emmanuel Jaclot, Executive Vice-President and Head of Infrastructure at CDPQ. "This is more than a land deal for us. Superior Pine shares Westervelt's commitments to sustainability, responsible land management and stewardship. This land will be managed into the future in a manner that honors the Superior legacy. CDPQ shares the same organizational values and is respected for their impactful and innovative investment approach that is aligned with our long-term sustainable land management objectives," said Cade Warner, Chief Sustainability Officer at Westervelt. "As we move forward with our strategic plan to geographically diversify our timberland holdings, this transaction will enable our Company to grow in other market areas while retaining ownership in our core area of operations. Westervelt and CDPQ align with our Company values and commitment to sustainability, so we are excited about this opportunity for all entities and look forward to future possibilities for growth," said Scott Griffin, President and CEO at Superior Pine Products Company. The Westervelt Company, headquartered in Tuscaloosa, Ala., was founded in 1884 by Herbert Westervelt, and is still family-owned and managed. Westervelt has a long history of land stewardship, sustainability, environmental excellence and quality. The company's legacy of innovation was a key driver in their interest in partnering with CDPQ. About The Westervelt Company The Westervelt Company, a privately held company headquartered in Tuscaloosa, Ala., was founded in 1884 and is currently under the fourth generation of family leadership. Westervelt is an industry leader in land management, wood products manufacturing and environmental mitigation. The company is recognized for excellence in sustainable forest management, responsibly sourced forest products and services, natural resource stewardship and ecosystem conservation. With more than half a million acres of land under Westervelt management, Westervelt's diverse businesses all work together to ensure the sustainable stewardship of natural resources today, tomorrow and for many generations to come. About CDPQ At Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ), we invest constructively to generate sustainable returns over the long term. As a global investment group managing funds for public retirement and insurance plans, we work alongside our partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. We are active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at June 30, 2021 CDPQ's net assets total CAD 390 billion. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages. About Superior Pine Products Company Superior Pine Products Company is a multi-generational, family-owned business that owns and operates timberland in Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina. With nearly 100 years of experience in forest innovation, Superior Pine remains dedicated to sustainably managing the land and forest to achieve value for all of its stakeholders, as well as the surrounding communities. Superior Pine is excited about utilizing this transaction to expand into other markets beyond its core holdings. SOURCE Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec Related Links https://www.westervelt.com/ https://www.cdpq.com/ BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the board of directors of Whirlpool Corporation declared a quarterly dividend of $1.40 per share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable on December 15, 2021, to stockholders of record at the close of business on November 19, 2021. About Whirlpool Corporation Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is committed to being the best global kitchen and laundry company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. In an increasingly digital world, the company is driving purposeful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and Yummly. In 2020, the company reported approximately $19 billion in annual sales, 78,000 employees and 57 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp. Website Disclosure We routinely post important information for investors on our website, whirlpoolcorp.com, in the "Investors" section. We also intend to update the Hot Topics Q&A portion of this webpage as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor the Investors section of our website, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, presentations and webcasts. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our webpage is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this document. SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation Related Links http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Two attorneys, Patrick Mincey of North Carolina and Phil Brewster of Illinois, were recently discussed and quoted in the Miami Herald for their representation of a North Carolina whistleblower who exposed an alleged international conspiracy to launder more than $100 million through major U.S. securities firms, including Morgan Stanley and Interactive Brokers. The Miami Herald detailed the alleged conspiracy involving a network of international actors and firms collaborating to steal $2 billion from PDVSA, the state-owned oil company of Venezuela. As part of the investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal agencies are trying to determine why U.S. firms managed more than $100 million in securities for a suspicious Venezuelan businessman when the accounts displayed what authorities have listed as red flags for potential money-laundering activities. U.S. authorities launched the investigation after attorneys Mincey and Brewster filed their client's whistleblower complaint with the SEC in 2019. "Our client, Mark Coffey, has made heroic sacrifices to bring public attention to a systemic crisis within the American securities industry. We are honored to represent Mark as he reveals this significant threat to U.S. national security and the integrity of the American financial system," Mincey and Brewster said in a joint statement. Attorney Patrick M. Mincey is Chair of the White Collar, Government Investigations & Special Matters Group at Cranfill Sumner LLP in North Carolina. Attorney Phil Brewster is the founding partner of Brewster Law Firm LLC in Winnetka, Illinois, a firm dedicated to whistleblower matters and government investigations. ABOUT CRANFILL SUMNER LLP Cranfill Sumner LLP serves clients in 28 practice areas. For more information, visit www.cshlaw.com. ABOUT BREWSTER LAW FIRM LLC Brewster Law Firm LLC is dedicated to whistleblower matters and government investigations. For more information, visit www.brewsteradvisory.com. SOURCE Cranfill Sumner LLP Related Links https://www.cshlaw.com/ WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Women's Liberation Front (WoLF), the nation's largest radical feminist non-profit, is excited to announce Dr. Mahri Irvine as the organization's new executive director. Dr. Irvine is a life-long feminist and a proven leader who brings a focus on non-profit development and grant management. Dr. Irvine holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from American University, with academic expertise in male violence against women and girls in the United States. Previously, she managed sexual violence prevention services and funds for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and served as the Director of Campus Initiatives for the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault. "Mahri is a bold and inspirational feminist who is ready to lead our fight," said WoLF Board Chair and founder Lierre Keith. "Her clear compassion for women and girls shines through every aspect of her work. The board is excited to work with Mahri to leverage our growing community of volunteers, members, and donors to grow and sustain WoLF's urgent charitable work like never before." "I am honored to be entrusted with the opportunity to lead WoLF at this pivotal moment," Dr. Irvine said. "We are facing an unprecedented attack on the rights of women and girls in this country. From the staggering growth of the sexual exploitation industry to the rise of regressive gender roles branded as empowering, women in this country are tired of the options they've been sold. WoLF is in the unique position to offer solutions for the most pressing issues in feminism today without compromising on the safety, dignity, and freedom of women and girls. This message resonates with women from all walks of life." As executive director, Dr. Irvine will work with WoLF staff, board, and volunteers to address the ongoing threats to women's rights and dignity. One of her first objectives will be to meet with WoLF's long-standing cross-partisan coalition partners to identify opportunities for collaboration in our key issue areas, including the defense of women as a legal class, their civil right to freedom of speech, and sex-segregated spaces for women and girls. Candice Jackson, former Deputy General Counsel and Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the US Department of Education, now in private legal practice in California, also expressed support for Dr. Irvine in her new role. "I'm excited to work with Mahri on our shared goals to protect women's rights through the legal defense of single-sex spaces and services," Jackson said. "WoLF is leading the way on this issue, and I'm confident that Mahri's vision, experience, and commitment to building coalitions around these crucial issues place the organization in good hands. There has never been a more urgent need for the principled yet pragmatic strategic thinking that she brings to this fight." Women's Liberation Front (WoLF) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting, restoring, and advancing the rights of women and girls. For media inquiries please contact: [email protected] SOURCE Women's Liberation Front Related Links https://www.womensliberationfront.org WUXI, China, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- "Discover China Wuxi for wider dream!" From October 18 to 20, the 2021 Taihu Talent Summit will be held in Wuxi. More than a hundred global talents including Zhang Wenhong, Liu Xuezhi, Hu Run, etc., gathered in Wuxi. More than 6,000 talent projects and more than 900 "Hardcore Technology" achievements are exhibited here, according to Wuxi Municipal People's Government. Wuxi once again sends the strong voice of the age for talents. Bai Changling, Director of the Wuxi Municipal Organization Department, said that the Taihu Talent Summit has been held for four consecutive years. As an important window for Wuxi, it is also a service platform that promotes international talents to join hands with Wuxi, serve high-level talents in employment and entrepreneurship, and negotiate the implementation of the results of industry-university-research cooperation. Wuxi, located in the center of the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Metropolitan area, is the birthplace of Chinese Wu Culture, modern national industry and commerce, and modern township enterprises. It is also known as "Pearl of Taihu Lake". In 2020, the total economic volume of Wuxi has reached 1.237 billion yuan. With 0.05% of the country's land and 0.47% of the population, it created 1.2% of China's GDP. In recent years, Wuxi has always placed talent-led development in an important strategic position, vigorously implemented the "Taihu Talent Plan", and made every effort to build a first-class domestic and internationally competitive talent development highland, through policy introduction, career gathering, service retention, etc. A series of hardcore actions have made every effort to create the "most beautiful talent habitat" from near and far. This year Wuxi has introduced 77,000 outstanding university graduates and has a total of more than 1.91 million talents. Among them, there are 148,000 high-level talents and 17,100 overseas talents. Wuxi has been awarded as "China's Best City for Introducing Talents" for two consecutive years. SOURCE Wuxi Municipal People's Government FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- YATCO, the Official MLS and Ultimate SaaS Platform of Yachting, is proud to announce the company has reached a high level of growth for the third quarter of 2021. The company has experienced a 23% rise in website traffic with new visitors, a 68% growth in website engagement, an impressive 91% increase in lead generation, and an astounding 139% growth in social media engagement and traffic to the website compared to Q2 2021. YATCO.com has also seen a 16% increase in organic search traffic, as well as an 11% rise in page views. Founder and CEO of YATCO Steven Myers says, "Our growth rate is highly indicative of our exceedingly competent and talented team's efforts. We are proud to be growing at such an exponential rate, and we can see that it has trickled down to our clients' results." Hot on the heels of the Monaco Yacht Show, where YATCO was an active participant, the company has recently acquired BoatDeck and YachtandBoat, the largest providers of marine websites and lead generation technology in the Asia Pacific region. BoatDeck was founded in 2010 in response to demand from the industry for a robust CRM inventory management and website generation platform. The company was the first to provide multi-list software to the Australian and New Zealand markets and, in the past ten years, has built over 500 websites. YachtAndBoat.com is one of Australia's largest and most well-established boat sales websites, with over 7,000 new and used boats for sale. Launched in July of this year, YATCO released a new regional list with over $100 million worth of yachts listed for sale in Canada. The digital book featured vessels listed for sale with a total price in USD of $134,876,423. The yachts ranged in length from 23.5ft to 235.23ft and ranged in price from $7,948 $98,871,095 USD. Including over $30 billion in yachts for sale, YATCO supports thousands of yachting professionals worldwide and facilitates over $5 billion a year in sold vessel transactions through YATCO BOSS while serving the yachting community with accuracy, reliability, and state-of-the-art technology. About YATCO YATCO, The Official MLS and Ultimate SaaS platform of Yachting, is the sole online service dedicated exclusively to central listings by qualified professionals only with over 20 years in the yachts for sale marketplace. With over $30 billion in yachts for sale, the company supports more than 2,000 professional yacht brokers and facilitates over $5 billion a year in sold vessel transactions through its proprietary BOSS (Back Office Software Solution). Committed to 100% pure data, YATCO serves the professional yachting community with accuracy, integrity, and cutting-edge technology. Media Contact Lisbet Castillo | [email protected] | +1(786) 316-5698 SOURCE YATCO Geneva, Oct 18 : The latest round of Syrian constitutional talks, participated by members of the Syrian Constitutional Committee's Small Body, will kick off in Geneva on Monday, a United Nations envoy has said. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen told a press conference here Sunday that the parties have agreed to prepare and start drafting for constitutional reform, and "the new thing this week is that we will actually be starting a drafting process for constitutional reform in Syria." The UN envoy said that on Sunday morning, he had met with the Co-Chair nominated by the Syrian government and the Co-Chair nominated by the opposition, Xinhua news agency reported. "For the first time, the two Co-Chairs, the one nominated by the government and the other nominated by the opposition, were sitting down together with me for a substantial and frank discussion on how we are to proceed with the constitutional reform and indeed in detail how we are planning for the week ahead of us," Pedersen said. The UN envoy told reporters that the humanitarian and economic situation in Syria is extremely difficult, noting there are more than 13 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. The Syrian Constitutional Committee -- which comprises representatives of the Syrian government, the opposition, and civil society -- was officially launched in Geneva on October 30, 2019 to draft a new constitution for the war-torn country. The Committee's Small Body, including 45 delegates and 15 each from the three groups, has met in Geneva for five times, without making any major progress. Jerusalem, Oct 18 : Air forces of eight countries began the international "Blue Flag" air combat exercise in Israel, the Israeli military has said. The annual exercise is taking place at the Ovda Air Force Base in southern Israel, with the participation of air forces from the United States, Germany, Italy, Britain, France, India and Greece, Xinhua news agency quoted an Israeli military spokesperson as saying. The exercise kicked started on Sunday with an honorary flyover, led by the Commander of the Israeli Air Force Amikam Norkin in an F-15, alongside an Israeli "Adir", the Israeli version of F-35 stealth jet. The Chief of the German Air Force Ingo Gerhartz flew with them in an "Eagle Star" Eurofighter, which has been specially painted with Israeli and German flags. The 12-days drill will simulate air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, advanced surface-to-air missiles threats, and various operational scenarios in enemy territory, the Israeli military said. The goal is "to strengthen strategic international cooperation through shared learning about the integration of fourth and fifth-generation aircraft in complex operational scenarios, with a focus on broadening and enhancing the operational capabilities," the spokesperson said in a statement. The exercise provides an opportunity to carry out "joint tactical flights against a variety of threats using advanced technology," the statement added. Los Angeles, Oct 18 : Former US President Bill Clinton was released from a Southern California hospital on Sunday, where he had been treated multiple days for a non-coronavirus-related infection. "President Clinton was discharged from UC Irvine Medical Center today. His fever and white blood cell count are normalized, and he will return home to New York to finish his course of antibiotics," said Dr. Alpesh N. Amin, chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, who had been overseeing the team of doctors treating Clinton, in a statement shared by the former president's spokesperson Angel Urena on Twitter. "On behalf of everyone at UC Irvine Medical Center, we were honored to have treated him and will continue to monitor his progress," Amin was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. Clinton, 75, was admitted on Tuesday evening to the University of California Irvine Medical Center in Orange County for a urological infection that spread to his bloodstream, according to his aide. The former US president was in Southern California for a private reception and dinner for the nonprofit Clinton Foundation. After meeting with friends in Orange County on Tuesday, he reported feeling fatigued, an aide to the former US president was quoted as saying by a leading daily. Clinton is flying to New York with his wife, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and his daughter, Chelsea, reported the newspaper. Clinton, a member of the Democratic Party, served as the 42nd US president from 1993 to 2001. Tripoli, Oct 18 : The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said that it has provided food assistance for thousands of refugees in Libya's capital Tripoli. "In Libya, UNHCR joined forces with WFP (World Food Programme) to provide emergency food aid for thousands of vulnerable food-insecure refugees and asylum-seekers who have been impacted by conflict as well as the socio-economic impacts of the coronavirus lockdown," Xinhua news agency quoted the Agency as saying in a tweet. "These food boxes have been a vital lifeline for some of the most food-insecure refugees and asylum-seekers, including those released from detention," it added. So far this year, the UNHCR has distributed more than 60,000 food parcels for vulnerable people in Libya. The Libyan authorities recently carried out raids and arrests against illegal migrants in different parts of the capital city. Around 751 women and 255 children were among the thousands of migrants and asylum seekers caught up in recent mass arrests, according to the Unicef. Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores. London, Oct 18 : In the run-up to the UN climate change summit named COP26, five Christians dressed as penitents whilst a member of the clergy poured fake oil over them outside the Lambeth Palace in protest at the Church of England's continued investments in fossil fuel industries. Three of the 'penitents' then glued themselves to the pavement. Eight people on Sunday staged a 'die-in' outside the Palace, which involved some of them lying on the ground in protest while others held banners protesting the Church's engagement with the fossil fuel industry. Ahead of the COP26 in Glasgow, that the UK is hosting, the activists are demanding that the church immediately announces its intention to divest from fossil fuel companies and that they complete divestment by December 31, 2021. They are also asking the church to urgently speak out for immediate action to prevent irreversible climate impacts and ensure a liveable planet for all of god's creation. It is estimated that the Church of England dioceses, Church Commissioners and Pensions Board currently hold investments worth 70 million in fossil fuel companies. To date, just four out of 42 dioceses have announced divestment. Through a statement read out during the action, those present said: "It is our firm conviction that large fossil fuel corporations are incapable of making 'meaningful sacrifices', and it is they and political parties across the globe who are heavily influenced, often funded by them, who hold the future of our planet in the balance. "We therefore urge the Archbishop to use his influence to announce the immediate divestment from fossil fuels. We also call upon him to urge world leaders meeting at COP26 in two weeks' time to take bold, unpopular decisions and actions to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement." In a letter handed to Justin Welby as part of the action, Val King wrote: "Urgent and radical action is required --we cannot afford to leave the future of god's creation to market forces and to rely on fossil fuel companies to provide the solution to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. "The recent IPCC report makes the case for immediate action crystal clear, as is the warning from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres: 'There is no time for delay and no room for excuses. This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet. If we combine forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe." The protest follows an action at St Paul's Cathedral in August which led to 13 arrests. Immediately after Communion at a Eucharist service protestors processed to the altar and faced the congregation holding banners with the words: 'No Faith in Fossil Fuels' and 'Churches Divest Now'. Since 2013, most major Christian denominations have made a commitment to divest from fossil fuels. The Church of England, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Catholic Church are the only major denominations still investing in fossil fuels. Worldwide, more than 400 religious organisations have made divestment commitments in recent years. In just a few weeks' time, world leaders will meet in Glasgow at the COP26 conference to discuss the climate crisis. Seoul, Oct 18 : North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has publicly mentioned the US more often recently, drawing attention to Pyongyang's next move amid a prolonged deadlock in their nuclear talks, South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Monday. The Ministry made the assessment in a report to lawmakers for an annual parliamentary audit, calling for an "active response" to resume dialogue in the face of growing volatility in the region, reports Yonhap News Agency. North Korea conducted four new missile tests in September alone, including what it called a "hypersonic" missile and a long-range cruise missile. "North Korea's following moves on the US require attention as leader Kim Jong-un's messages on the US have recently increased as well as become more detailed," the Ministry said in the report. The assessment came a week after Kim said there are no grounds to believe why Washington is not hostile toward Pyongyang, though adding that neither South Korea nor the US is its "arch-enemy." The Ministry report also came amid a series of diplomatic activities surrounding the Korean Peninsula with top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the US and Japan set to meet in Washington this week. In Seoul, the intelligence chiefs of the three countries were to gather for closed-door talks during which they are expected to discuss North Korea, among other issues. Referring to the restoration of the inter-Korean liaison and military hotlines earlier this month, the Ministry said the North appears to be seeking ways to resume external activities. The denuclearization negotiations between the US and North Korea have stalled since the collapse of the Hanoi summit between Kim and then American President Donald Trump in February 2019. Regarding North Korea's long-enforced tight border controls due to the pandemic, the Ministry said the North is preparing to reopen its train routes with China. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that it has begun the shipment of Covid-19 medical supplies to North Korea through the Chinese port of Dalian. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Oct 18 : A fire broke out in the seminar room of the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital in the national capital on Monday, a fire department official said. The official informed that they received a call about the fire incident at 12.20 a.m. at the emergency ward of the LNJP hospital located just 4 km from Central Delhi, after which as many as six fire tenders were immediately pressed into service. "The firemen doused the flames in 20 minutes at 12.40 a.m. and even the cooling process has now been completed," the official added. The official said the fire was broke out in the charging equipment, batteries and mattress in a seminar room on the ground floor of the hospital. The official confirmed that there have been no casualties or injuries in the incident, however, there was loss of property. "All patients are safe," he said. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. The furniture in the seminar room along with beds and walls were burnt by the fire. The incident comes on the same day when a cloth godown was engulfed in the Gandhi Nagar area of the national Capital. No injuries were reported in this incident as well. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Lucknow, Oct 18 : A Bangladesh criminal, carrying a cash reward of Rs 50,000, was killed in an encounter with the police in Lucknow on Monday. Nilabja Choudhary, Lucknow joint commissioner of police, crime, said: "Hamza was the mastermind of three dacoities which took place in Lucknow and Varanasi in a span of last two years. Hamza also had a record of committing robberies in four states including Delhi." Choudhary further said that Hamza hailed from Khulna district of Bangladesh and entered India by paying bribe of Rs 10,000 along with his gang members. Hamza's name surfaced during questioning of three members of the same gang who were arrested last week. The police official said that around 2.45 a.m, a police patrol spotted some men wielding guns near Lohia park in Gomti Nagar and asked them to stop. They began running following which police personnel chased them, but the assailants also opened fire at the police team while trying to flee. The police also opened fire and one miscreant suffered injuries and fell on the ground while others escaped. Later, the injured person was rushed to nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead. He was identified as Hamza. Three cops were also injured in the exchange of fire. Chennai, Oct 18 : PMK founder leader S. Ramadoss has said that buying power at a rate of Rs 20 per unit would destroy the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (TANGEDCO). In a statement on Sunday, the PMK leader said that TANGEDCO is already reeling under a severe financial crisis and that the huge amount being spent for buying power would break the backbone of the power generation and distribution company of the state. The PMK leader said that buying a unit of power at five times its price would crush the organisation and added that with the gap between demand and supply of power increasing by the day, measures have to be taken to control purchasing electricity at this much higher rate. Ramadoss said that TANGEDCO has a debt of Rs 1.59 lakh crore and that the organisation is not taking measures to reduce its debt burden. On Tamil Nadu Power Minister V. Senthil Balaji's statement that to overcome a deficit of 2500 MW of power, the state was planning to buy at a rate of Rs 2.61 per unit, Ramadoss said the possibilities of such a purchase are highly doubtful. He said that TANGEDCO had bought power at a minimum price of Rs 17.77 per unit on October 14 and at a maximum price of Rs 20 per unit. He said that the TANGEDCO officials had miserably failed in predicting the demand for power in the state. The senior leader said that in the past few days, 2,850 MW of electricity was bought from outside. Ramadoss said that electricity generation from wind has reduced from 7 crore units in December 2020 to 2.3 crore units in 2021 and added that Solar power generation has also reduced from 2 crore units in 2020 to 1.2 crore units in 2021. Tel Aviv, Oct 18 : Israel has started enforcing its 'Green Pass' restrictions, limiting entry to various public venues only to people who have received a third Covid-19 booster shot. The enforcement of the Green Pass, part of the Israeli government's plan to fight the coronavirus, started on Sunday after more than two weeks of delay, reports Xinhua news agency. Under the new guidelines, a person will have to receive a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine in order to be considered fully vaccinated and be eligible to receive the Green Pass. People who have recently recuperated are also eligible. The Green Pass is a barcode valid for six months that enables entry to various venues, including restaurants, cafes, bars, cultural and sporting events, cinemas, weddings, gyms, conferences and hotels. In order to comply with the new rules, these venues are now obliged to scan QR codes before allowing entry. The enforcement of the Green Pass was supposed to begin on October 3 but was postponed over "technical difficulties", according to the Health Ministry. The move comes amid a sharp drop in new infections and severe illness in Israel, with a decrease of about 80 per cent in the number of daily cases since early September. After a peak of 766 severe cases in late August, the number dropped to 388 on Sunday. "It is possible to say with caution that we are defeating the fourth wave," Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. However, he warned that the current outbreak, driven by the quick spread of the Delta variant, is not over yet. "We are not taking the foot off the gas and are not taking off the masks... We are continuing to see to full stocks of vaccines and tests," Bennett said. He also noted that the Israeli government is preparing for a possible another coronavirus wave. "We are preparing the infrastructure for the Omega scenario, the code name for a new variant, and of course, we are preparing for the winter, for a combination of flu and the coronavirus," he said. The Green Pass is widely seen in Israel as a tool to encourage people to receive the third dose of the coronavirus vaccine. The government has based its strategy to tackle the current fourth wave on large-scale vaccination rollout. So far, some 41 per cent of the country's 9.3 million people have received the third dose, according to official figures. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Ever since Communist China came into existence in 1949, its belligerence over South China Sea - SCS, has been increasing and some recent events have increased its hostility in the regional sea and towards its neighbour Taiwan. China claims almost all of the SCS covering roughly 3.5 million square kilometres, and its estimated 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 11 billion barrels of oil, in addition to maritime resources such as fish, as part of Chinese territory. Though the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague had firmly rejected China's sovereignty claim in 2016 but even five years after that ruling, China continues to reject the court's authority. China's covert activities in the SCS In the International Law Studies journal of 2021, Vol. 97, Captain Raul Pedrozo, Professor of International Law at the US Naval War College says the term 'sea areas under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China' is not defined in the law and is purposely vague. Recently China revised its Maritime Traffic Safety Law (MTSL), effective September 1, which requires certain foreign vessels sailing into Chinese "territorial waters" to notify Beijing in advance. Foreign vessels such as foreign submarines, nuclear-powered ships, ships carrying radioactive, toxic or hazardous materials and any other vessels that "may endanger the maritime traffic safety" of China are required to provide information including their ships' names and numbers, recent locations, satellite telephone numbers and dangerous goods. "Article 2 of the MTSL expands application of the law from 'coastal waters' to 'sea areas under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China", which means the SCS. In September 2021, the PLA air force conducted troop transports with a number of large Y-20 transport aircraft to three airstrips in the Spratly archipelago, where China has built and militarised artificial islands on top of the reefs in the SCS, according to Chinese state media Global Times. China's claim to sovereignty over the South China Sea and its willingness and ability to pursue it has long been creating friction with countries in the area, which stake their own claims to parts of the sea, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. China also regularly deploys its large civilian fishing fleet to further its goals in the SCS. In March 2021, a huge Chinese fishing fleet descended on Whitsun Reef, which lies within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. Almost seven months later more than 150 Chinese vessels reportedly remain in Philippine waters. Tensions continue to rise in the SCS, as China, ramps up its military activities in the region. Within only the first four days of October, China conducted a record-breaking 150 incursions into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) -- after China's People Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) had already, in September, set another monthly record with 117 incursions, some with nuclear-capable bombers, fighter jets and reconnaissance planes. Also in August and September, China conducted assault drills near Taiwan with war ships, early-warning aircraft, anti-submarine aircraft and bombers. China's Sea BRI In addition to this, the Chinese government has embarked on the Sea version of its Belt & Road Initiative (BRI). Under this programme Chinese companies, COSCO Shipping Ports and China Merchants Port, two state-owned enterprises which account for the operations of 81 per cent of those ports, have acquired 95 ports globally out of which 22 are in Europe, 20 in the Middle East and North Africa, 18 in the Americas, 18 in South and Southeast Asia, and nine in sub-Saharan Africa. If we analyse these acquisitions by China, which on the face of it looks commercial, most of these investments comes at a very high cost with very low RoI, but in reality these investments are driven by China's geopolitical ambitions, thus the RoI does not matter to the Chinese state. The paper "Weaponising the Belt and Road Initiative," written by Daniel R. Russell and Blake H. Berger and published by Asia Society Policy Institute in September 2020, underlines this fact stating that, "a deliberate military and strategic functionality seems clearly entrenched in the initiative.... There is abundant evidence it is developing a network of strategic strongpoints that can significantly raise the costs of any US military intervention and lower the willingness of BRI host governments to offer access or assistance to the US". In addition the paper notes that the US naval vessels might not be able to call regularly at ports under Chinese management because of the risk that commercial port information-technology systems could be used to monitor or interfere with military systems and jeopardise US information and cyber security. For this very reason, the US warned Israel that China's management of the new Haifa port terminal could potentially damage US-Israeli security cooperation, as it might lead to US Navy ships refraining from docking at Haifa. Further this investment in and ownership of ports worldwide creates economic and political leverage for the Chinese government, as it could affect local policy and decision-making. For example after Chinese acquisition of the port of Piraeus, Greece blocked an EU statement criticising China's human rights record and also prevented a unified EU statement against China's behaviour in the SCS besides opposing tougher screenings of Chinese investments in Europe. The USN Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead said in 2019 that China's port acquisitions and operations pose certain risks for US Navy vessels that call at ports under Chinese management. If we put two and two together then the maritime strategy of China in the SCS and rest of the world becomes quite clear. While on the one hand by show of strength it is trying to dominate Taiwan and other smaller countries in the region. Secondly, by buying and managing ports worldwide it has charted a route which ensures availability of gas and natural gas to the Chinese factories and if required the Chinese military vessels could be deployed there quite quickly, and the nation in which that port exists might not be able to even utter a whisper as it is already under the economic burden of Chinese loans and aid programme. Overall, the Chinese aggression in the SCS and its port-buying programme are in fact a direct challenge to the US in the global waters and China has been able to achieve this at a very little cost. (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) Washington, Oct 18 : One person was killed and seven others were injured in a shooting at the Grambling State University in the US state of Louisiana, local authorities said. Among the injured, one is in critical condition, Louisiana State Police Master Trooper Michael Reichardt said at a news conference. The shooting took place at around 1 a.m. on Sunday on the campus quad, Xinhua news agency reported citing social media posts from the university as saying. The person who died wasn't enrolled at the school, and only one of the injured was a student, who was treated for non fatal injuries, said an ABC News report. In the wake of the shooting, the university set a curfew from 9.30 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice, said the report, adding that homecoming events on Sunday as well as classes on Monday and Tuesday have been cancelled. It's the second deadly shooting on campus in only four days after one person was killed and three others wounded in a separate shooting on October 13. Police do not believe the incidents are connected at this time. Louisiana State Police said in a statement on Sunday evening that investigations into the two shootings are underway. Grambling State University, which opened in 1901 as the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School, is a historically Black university located in northeast Louisiana. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Oct 18 : Smartphone brand OPPO India on Monday launched a new programme to empower entrepreneurs and mentor startups who have the potential to bring the next big technological change in the industry. As part of this programme, OPPO India will work with institutes, incubators, entrepreneurs and industry experts to promote the exchange and integration of innovative technology research and development by providing a platform for start-ups to skill-up and grow. This platform will also give an opportunity to more entrepreneurs to work with OPPO in the future on new concepts and technologies, the company said in a statement. "OPPO Elevate will empower young innovators with solutions to make people life better every day," said Tasleem Arif, Vice President, India R&D Head, OPPO India. The programme will help innovators in areas specific to camera and image processing, battery, networks (5G), system performance, payments, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and gaming. The brand has also collaborated with the Kerala and Telangana governments to boost the startup ecosystem in both states. OPPO recently forged a year-long partnership with the UNDP (United Nations' Development Programme) to engage young social entrepreneurs to join efforts to address social sustainability issues through innovation. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Seoul, Oct 18 : The intelligence chiefs of South Korea, the US and Japan will meet in Seoul on Monday behind closed doors for talks on North Korea and other pending issues, according to a source. Park Jie-won, the head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), will meet Avril Haines, the US director of national intelligence, and Hiroaki Takizawa, Japan's Cabinet intelligence director, Yonhap News Agency quoted the source as saying. The three will meet for the first time since May in Tokyo and are expected to share the assessments of the security situations on the Korean Peninsula, following Pyongyang's recent series of missile launches. Pyongyang has remained unresponsive to Washington's overtures for dialogue, with denuclearization talks having stalled since the no-deal summit between then US President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong-un in 2019. The top spy agency officials may also touch on South Korean President Moon Jae-in's recent proposal to declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War as Seoul ramps up diplomacy to revitalize its drive for lasting peace on the peninsula. The chief nuclear envoys of the three regional powers are scheduled to meet in Washington on Tuesday. Takizawa's visit to Seoul is his first since Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took office earlier this month, and the discussions could possibly signal Tokyo's new policy direction on North Korea. The talks could also consider ways to strengthen trilateral intelligence sharing, as the leaders of the two East Asian countries attempt to patch up rocky relations over historic disputes stemming from Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910-45. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text October 18 : Priyanka Chopra is in Spain for her work, but the actress is having a good time with her family in between her shoot schedules. The White Tiger actress has been shooting for her spy series Citadel in Spain and got an opportunity to enjoy her Sunday underwater. The actor went scuba diving and found it a way to silence the stress. Taking to her Instagram profile, Priyanka shared a bunch of pictures of herself scuba diving. She penned a long message with the picture post, where she said that she had found ways to silence her stress. Priyanka wrote, There are days when the stress just needs to be silenced! What better way to do that than to explore the glorious underwater creations of God. I was very honoured that the camera crew from Citadel let me crash their party! Big shoutout to the @alisubbuceo team. Penelope, Victor, Alejandro and everyone else, thank you for such a magical experience. I really needed it!! Thank you @tsigel for taking us out! So fun hanging with Sam, Paul, Josh ,Tobias, Andy, Christina and Victor. Sunday well done! PS: @franklinjonas so happy youre here! Image Source: Instagram/priyankachopra Priyanka Chopra goes scuba diving in Spain Among several fans commenting on the post, actor and Priyankas cousin Parineeti Chopra also commented on the post, and wrote, Yayy. So happy youre joining the wild side! Priyanka also shared videos on her Instagram stories, showing glimpses of her Flamenco nights, as well as her prepping to go scuba diving. Priyanka had checked in Spain earlier this month with her mom Madhu Chopra and her pet pooch Diana. Since she has arrived in Spain, The Sky is Pink actress has actively been sharing pictures from what she has described as her workcation. Earlier, Priyanka shared a picture on her Instagram stories, wherein the actress can be seen site seeing with her mom and pet pooch. They also did a food tour in Spain. Priyanka has been working of Citadel for quite some time now. A multi-series with productions from India, Italy and Mexico, the show also stars Richard Madden and is directed by the Russo Brothers. Citadel will be Priyankas second project with Amazon Prime Videothe first one, the Sangeet Project, a sangeet-themed dance reality show, was announced earlier. Priyanka will host Sangeet Project with husband Nick Jonas. The actress will also be seen in Matrix 4. Recently, Farhan Akhtar has signed her along with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif for his forthcoming film, Jee Le Zaraa. Panaji, Oct 18 : A committee appointed by the state government to probe oxygen-related deaths at Goa government's apex health facility, the Goa Medical College (GMC), has slammed the hospital authorities for lackadaisical attitude and not doing enough to augment oxygen supply during the second wave of the pandemic during which nearly 80 persons died within a few days due to lack of oxygen. The opposition and Congress senior overseer in-charge of 2022 assembly polls and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has demanded the resignation of Health Minister Viswhajit Rane and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant over the damning findings of the report. Opposition legislators also staged a walkout on the inaugural day of the two-day assembly session on Monday over the oxygen related deaths and the inability of Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to respond to queries asked by the Opposition, due to health grounds. "GMC did not timely raise any issue of lack of oxygen or sought augmentation of the oxygen, except putting their demand in affidavit before the High Court... GMC did not take much action on the letter written by the Goa Association of Resident Doctors dated May 1, 2021. A prompt action on this letter would have enabled better management of the situation," the report said. The committee which compiled the report was headed by Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Goa Dr B.K. Mishra, former dean of GMC Dr V.N. Jindal and Secretary Revenue Sanjay Kumar. The report also slammed the hospital administration for allowing monopolisation of oxygen supply at the apex hospital and other sub centres, while also adding that the health facility did not undertake any assessment of rational use of oxygen during the crisis. "In June 2018, the decision of the public health department to extend the scope of work awarded to M/s Scoop to all across the state of Goa, resulted in creation of a single supplier for all the public health infrastructure. After this extension, health institutions had no alternative source of oxygen, in case of emergency," the report said. "As GMC's oxygen demand rose, M/s Scoop stopped supplying oxygen to the other public hospitals, except GMC, without any warning, letter or message," it also said. The Congress has now demanded the resignation of Sawant and Rane. "Why does the Goa government have a Department of Health and a Minister of Health, if they are not responsible? After the report, the CM and the Minister of Health should resign," Chidambaram tweeted. "The so-called expert committee report on Oxygen-shortage and related deaths in Goa is a desperate attempt to give a clean chit to the BJP government in Goa. The Hospital is blamed but the government is not to be blamed! Strange logic in respect of a government-OWNED hospital!" he also said. Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat also tweeted saying the government had no guts to respond to his assembly question on oxygen-related deaths. "The most insensitive, irresponsible @BJP4Goa Government responsible for Deaths of Innocent #Covid Patients due to Oxygen Shortage & Mismanagement had no guts to reply to my Starred LAQ 3A on Covid Deaths. #TruthAlwaysPrevails #GoaAssembly #HouseAdjourned," Kamat tweeted. The opposition also staged a walkout during Question Hour, after Speaker Rajesh Patnekar said that the Health Minister had sought postponement of assembly questions due to ill-health. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Lucknow, Oct 18 : The Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Monday paid glowing tributes to former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who had passed away on August 21 after a prolonged illness. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath moved the condolence resolution in the state assembly. The Chief Minister said that Singh's contribution to politics was unmatched. "He was an astute leader, a great orator and played a key role in the Ayodhya movement," Adityanath said. The Chief Minister chronicled the late leader's political journey and said that his demise has left a vacuum that would be hard to fill. Leaders of all parties also paid tributes to the late leader and the House observed a two-minute silence in his memory. New Delhi, Oct 18 : Agitating farmers on Monday stopped the railway traffic at the Modinagar Railway station in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district. Hundreds of farmers sat on the tracks to stop the passenger and freight train movement as part of the 'rail roko' protest call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha. The security forces of four police stations of Ghaziabad district have been deployed along with a company of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) at the Modinagar railway station. The agitating farmers began to gather after 11 a.m. Earlier in the morning, two passenger trains passed smoothly. Railway officials said that around 8 to 10 trains have to pass this railway station till 4 p.m. The administration has appealed to the farmers not to trouble the passengers during their agitation. Aditya Prajapati, SDM, Modi Nagar, said, "We have made proper arrangements of security forces to avoid any unfortunate incidents. "We are talking to the farmers' representatives to not obstruct the railway traffic." A six-hour-long rail roko agitation has been called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM). The morcha is demanding the removal of Union Minister of state (MoS) for Home Affairs Ajay Misra Teni from the cabinet over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. A statement issued by the SKM said, "To press for its demand for Ajay Misra's dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be secured in Lakhimpur Kheri violence, SKM has announced a nation-wide rail roko programme on October 18." New Delhi, Oct 18 : A man was stabbed to death by another person in Delhi's Sangam Vihar, an official said on Monday. According to the official, the incident occurred at around 7.30 p.m. on Sunday when the 18-year-old victim, identified as Imran, a resident of Sangam Vihar, received a call from the accused. The accused who was reportedly Imran's friend, asked him to come out on the street. They then had an altercation, after which he stabbed him. Soon after the incident, all senior police officials of the area including Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (South District), Benita Mary Jaiker, went to the spot to assess the situation. The victim was immediately rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre where he succumbed to his injuries. The police officials said that an investigation has been initiated. "There is a possibility that more people were also involved in the incident," a police official said. A crime team of police also reached the spot to collect all the evidences. According to family sources, the whole incident which was captured on a CCTV camera, has come as a shock for all the residents of the area. London, Oct 18 : People who had received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine and received an mRNA shot for their second dose had a lower risk of infection compared to people who had received both doses of only the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, according to a study. The study, published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, points out the high effectiveness of mix-and-match Covid-19 vaccines. Ateam from Umea University, Sweden conducted a study of about 700,000 individuals, and showed a 67 per cent lower risk of infection for people who received the combination of Oxford-AstraZeneca plus Pfizer-BioNTech, and a 79 per cent lower risk for Oxford/AstraZeneca and Moderna, both compared to unvaccinated individuals. For people having received two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the risk reduction was 50 per cent. These risk estimates were observed after accounting for differences regarding date of vaccination, age of the participants, socioeconomic status, and other risk factors for Covid-19. "Having received any of the approved vaccines is better compared to no vaccine, and two doses are better than one," said Peter Nordstrom, Professor of geriatric medicine at Umea University. "However, our study shows a greater risk reduction for people who received an mRNA vaccine after having received a first dose of a vector-based vaccine, as compared to people having received the vector-based vaccine for both doses," he added. Importantly, the estimates of effectiveness apply to infection with the Delta variant, which was dominating the confirmed cases during the follow-up period. There was a very low incidence of adverse thromboembolic events for all vaccine schedules. Previous research has demonstrated that mix-and-match vaccine schedules generate a robust immune response. However, it has been unclear to which extent these schedules may reduce the risk of clinical infection. "The findings of this study suggest that the use of heterologous Oxford-AstraZeneca and mRNA prime-boost vaccination is an effective alternative to increase population immunity against Covid-19, including against the Delta variant which dominated the confirmed cases during the study period," the researchers said. "These findings could have important implications for vaccination strategies and logistics, and consequently in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic," they added. October 18 : Vicky Kaushal, who is basking in the glory of the appreciations he and his recent film Sardar Udham is getting from all quarters, continue to fuel speculations about his relationship with Katrina Kaif. A recent video featuring the two actors, that went viral on social media, added more fuel to the fire. Recently, at the screening of Sardar Udham, paparazzi captured Vicky and Katrina hugging each other. The video surfaced on social media and went viral in no time. Fans commented on the video, saying that they wished that the actors confirm their relationship soon. Rumours are also doing the rounds that a roka ceremony will happen soon. During an interview with ET Times, Vicky was asked about his roka with Katrina. Putting all speculations to an end, Vicky Kaushal said jokingly, The news was circulated by your friends. Ill get engaged soon enough, when the time is right. Uska bhi time aayega (the time will come). Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif have been rumoured to be dating each other for quite some time now, and have been often papped visiting each other. After watching Sardar Udham, Katrina heaped praises on Vicky. Sharing a picture from the film, Katrina wrote, @shoojitsircar what a vision, such a gripping beautiful film, pure, unadalerated story telling. @vickykaushal09 is just pure talent, raw, honest, heartbreaking." Meanwhile, on the work front, Vicky Kaushal will be seen in Meghna Gulzar's upcoming biopic on Sam Manekshaw titled Sam Bahadur. The actor will also be seen in the comedy drama Mr Lele. Katrina, on the other hand, is currently busy promoting her upcoming film Sooryavanshi. She has recently returned back to Mumbai after filming her upcoming spy thriller Tiger 3 in Europe. Seoul, Oct 18 : Police in South Korea apprehended a man on Monday for making a false threat to blow up the National Assembly. The man, whose identity was withheld, allegedly called a lawmaker's office earlier in the day to claim he planted an explosive at the assembly complex, reports Yonhap News Agency. He also said he was giving the tip-off only to the office. Police traced the caller and arrested him on Ganghwa Island off the west coast about an hour later. After the call, police, rescue workers and a bomb squad searched the complex, but no explosive was found. The man was quoted by police as saying he made the call "out of sudden anger". He was also found to have no record of entering the complex in the past two weeks, officials said. Police said they will book him for an investigation. New Delhi, Oct 18 : Delhi Police has deployed its personnel at strategic points at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station in the national capital in view of the Rail Roko (Stop Trains) agitation call given by farmer organisations. "This is just a preventive action to deploy police personnel," Deputy Commissioner of Police Esha Pandey told IANS. The senior police official said they just wanted to avoid any mishappening keeping in view the farmers' agitation call. The police can be seen deployed in heavy numbers inside and outside the premises of the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station that is located in the southeast part of Delhi. The farmers' umbrella body -- Samyukt Kisan Morcha -- has given a call for six-hour-long Rail Roko agitation from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., demanding the ouster of Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Ajay Misra Teni over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence which claimed lives of nine people including four farmers. "We wanted to put pressure on the Modi Government to take action against Ajay Misra Teni, instead of defending him and his son," a farmer leader had told IANS earlier. In a bid to counter any untoward incident, the cops were seen patrolling on the platforms of the railway station. "It is peaceful here and so far no incident has been reported," a police official at the spot said. The agitation began at 10 a.m. and so far 30 locations in the different parts of Punjab and Haryana have been affected. Reports coming from other railway stations in Delhi were similar. Delhi Cantonment railway station also witnessed a heavy presence of police personnel. "We have deployed an adequate number of police personnel and the situation is normal," a police official said. Bhopal, Oct 18 : Bhopal Police on Monday arrested an accused for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl. The matter came to light after a police complaint was registered. The accused has been arrested under sections 376 and 501 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). According to the police, the accused is known to the victim. He runs a grocery store where the victim used to visit to purchase goods. According to the victim's complaint lodged at Bhopal's Sukhi Sevaniya police station, the accused invited the victim to his home on Saturday and allegedly raped her. He also threatened her of serious consequences if she told anyone about the incident. However, after another person who knew the victim, came to know about the incident, she narrated the entire story to her parents. Subsequently, they lodged a police compliant on Monday, a senior police official, Vijay Bahadur Singh, from Sukhi Sevaniya police station, told IANS. "Further, investigation in the matter is underway," he said. Wellington, Oct 18 : New Zealand reported 60 new Covid-19 cases of the Delta variant in the community on Monday, which increased the country's overall infection tally to 5,055. Fifty-seven of the new cases were recorded in the largest city Auckland and three were in nearby Waikato, according to the Ministry of Health. Thirty community cases are being treated in hospitals, including five in intensive care units (ICUs) or high dependency units (HDUs), Xinhua news agency quoted a Ministry statement as saying. There are 1,841 cases that have been clearly epidemiologically linked to another case or a sub-cluster, and a further 140 cases for which links are yet to be fully established, it said. New Zealand also reported five new cases identified at the border in recent returnees. The cases have remained in quarantine in Auckland. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will announce later on Monday the Covid-19 alert level change for some regions of the North Island. The country's overall death toll stands at 28. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Mysuru, Oct 18 : The Karnataka Police have registered an FIR against eight persons, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector in connection with the alleged suicide of a college student in Channapattana village in Mysuru district, police sources said on Monday. The victim had in her suicide note sought the death penalty for her lover for allegedly cheating her. According to police, the FIR had been filed against Assistant Sub-Inspector Shivaraj with the Hullahalli police station for dereliction of duty and turning a blind eye to the plight of the young woman even after she lodged a complaint with the police seeking action against the accused persons. The Nanjangud Circle Inspector who investigated the case has submitted the report in this regard. A case has also been filed against the other seven accused persons -- Suresh, Gurumallu, Lokesh, Jademallaiah, Mallikarjunaiah, Gowramma and Rajamma. Shobha, a graduate from Hullahalli was in love with Lokesh, who resided in the same village. Lokesh had promised her of marriage and developed physical intimacy. Meanwhile, Lokesh distanced himself from her alleging that she spoke to another youth Suresh from the same village. Following this, Lokesh had shifted to Bengaluru and severed ties with her. Shobha had lodged a complaint against Lokesh for cheating on her with the Hullahalli police station. Enraged by this, Lokesh and his family members had visited Shobha's residence and quarrelled with her parents. They allegedly abused the victim and her parents. Unable to bear the humiliation, Shobha allegedly committed suicide on October 5. Eleven days after her death, Shobha's family members recovered a suicide note written by her while cleaning the house. The victim had sought death penalty for her lover Lokesh for allegedly cheating on her. She also wrote about Suresh, who is one of the accused persons, threatening her in the suicide note. The Police conducted an inquiry in the incident and filed an FIR against eight persons, including a police official. Further investigations are underway. Canberra, Oct 18 : Thousands of children returned to schools in Sydney and more restrictions were eased for fully vaccinated adults on Monday, as Australia's most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) surpassed its Covid-19 inoculation target. The state entered the second stage easing of restrictions with more than 80 per cent of its residents aged 16 and over have been double-dose vaccinated, reports Xinhua news agency. Kindergarten, year 1 and year 12 students are back in the classroom full-time after nearly four months of home learning. The remaining year groups will follow from next week. Masks will be optional in offices, while up to 20 people can visit a home and up to 50 people can gather outdoors. Retail stores, pubs and gyms can allow more vaccinated patrons. Weddings, funerals, and hairdressers can have unlimited guests. The easing of restrictions also came amid an encouraging sign of relief for the local transmission of coronavirus, as the state logged 265 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Monday, the lowest daily figure in more than two months. Besides, five deaths were also reported. However, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet warned the state should be braced for cases to rise in the next couple of weeks as the modelling was predicting a case surge while restrictions ease and mobility increases. He said there will be "teething issues" with the return to school "but those challenges do not outweigh the importance of getting kids back in the classroom". Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, Oct 18 : After targeted killings in Kashmir, the Congress on Monday held meeting to discuss the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting held at Rahul Gandhi's residence was attended by State In-charge Rajni Patil, State President Ghulam Ahmad Mir and CWC member Tariq Hameed Karra. After the meeting Mir said, "all the issues including the current situation was discussed during the meeting." The Congress in a statement said, "Modi government's incompetence and misgovernance has turned J&K into a hotbed of terrorism. The rising violence against civilians is a result of PM Modi and HM Amit Shah's weakness." Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "It's a matter of grave concern and the government should tell what's is their stand as they had assured that after the abrogation of Article 370, terrorism will end." Terrorists killed another non-local street vendor in Srinagar on Sunday. They shot dead a non-local carpenter in Pulwama district. Earlier on Saturday evening, Terrorists shot dead a non-local street vendor, Arvind Kumar Sah from Bihar near the Eidgah park in Srinagar. Terrorists had shot and killed a school principal and a teacher inside a government higher secondary school in the same area on October 7. Two days before that incident, a famous pharmacy owner, M.L. Bindroo, a Bihari street vendor and a taxi driver were killed by terrorists in a series of attacks on civilians. The Congress has slammed the government on the targeted killings and Sonia Gandhi during the CWC meet said, "In recent days, there has been a sudden spurt in killings in Jammu and Kashmir. Minorities clearly have been targeted. This must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We have done so and I do so again this morning. J&K has been a Union Territory for two years. The entire responsibility for bringing the perpetrators of these barbaric crimes to justice is of the Union Government. Restoring social peace and harmony and confidence amongst the people in J&K rests with the Modi government too." New Delhi, Oct 18 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday presided over the National Security Strategy Conference (NSSC) through video conferencing to discuss the prevailing security situation in the country. Top police sources said all the Director Generals of Police of states, Inspector Generals, selected field officers of the rank of Superintendents of Police and Inspector Generals, heads of Central Police Forces, intelligence agencies and police organisations are participating in this closed-door conference. Apart from these police officials, the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Chief Arvind Kumar and other officials of the IB, the DGPs of border guarding forces BSF, ITBP, and the SSB are also present at the NSSC along with the DG of CRPF, sources said. According to the officials in the security agencies, during the meeting the prevailing security situation in the country is being discussed and strategy will be chalked out in view of the emerging new challenges threatening the national security. They also said that the Kashmir situation will be discussed threadbare in the wake of recent individual killings of non-Kashmiris in the Valley and to discuss possible counter measures to effectively prevent these attacks. The Maoist insurgency in the country will also be part of the discussion, sources added. The crucial strategic conference gains significance amid several internal security challenges and it is expected that some new guidelines will be formulated to deal with these new challenges, including cross border crimes, drugs and issues threatening the national security at large. Apart from the J&K issue, presentations prepared by the states on the emerging security challenges in their respective areas will also be discussed in details, a source in the security set up said, adding that many southern states like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu have received terror inputs by the central agencies, especially after the Taliban take over of Afghanistan in August this year. The meeting started at 3 p.m. and is likely to continue till late evening, sources said. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Oct 18 : Accusing the BJP of disrespecting slum dwellers, Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi on Monday termed their 'Jhuggi Samman Yatra' a "farce". Addressing a press conference, Atishi said: "People of JJ Colony in Buddh Vihar had to cross G Block of Naraina Vihar, and real estate developers wanted to block this path as they thought it would reduce the rate of the land. BJP-ruled MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) should have sided with people of JJ Colony as they have been living there for over 50 years." "This path was used by people to reach schools and hospitals. If the BJP was not apathetic to the needs of the slum dwellers, it would have stood for the people of JJ Colony," she added. 'Jhuggi Samman Yatra' was flagged three days ago by BJP's national Vice President Baijyant Jay Panda from Kirti Nagar industrial area. On the Delhi BJP distributing a modified version of the 'Snake and Ladder' board game with snakes replaced by the faces of AAP leaders among the slum children of Kusumpur Pahadi, Jai Hind camp and JJ Bandhu camp, Atishi said: "This proves that the BJP has been idling. They could have cleaned Delhi so that they did not have to resort to such means while asking for votes ahead of MCD polls." With Delhi reporting its first dengue related death in this season, she said: "The BJP ruled MCD has an entire department of malaria inspectors. Although the Delhi government does not have any equipment, it has been running an awareness campaign - '10 hafte, 10 baje, 10 minutes' to spread awareness among people." Chennai, Oct 18 : Transparency is certainly at a premium in cash-rich Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) that had earned over about Rs 268 crore during FY20, mostly from policyholders and has fixed deposits of over Rs 1,450 crore, a senior official said. While prescribing the detailed public disclosure norms for insurers, the IRDAI does not disclose its full accounts in its annual reports, an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told IANS. The IRDAI's annual report for 2019-20 does not contain its full accounts: Receipts and Payments Account, Income and Expenditure Account, and the Balance Sheet. An official told IANS that for fiscal 2019-20, the IRDAI had earned a total income of about Rs 268 crore and the excess of income over expenditure was a whopping Rs 102.44 crore. The IRDAI's asset side of the balance sheet for FY20 is about Rs 1,805 crore of which Rs 1,644.59 crore consists of investments/fixed deposits, current assets (cash and bank balances, loans and advances, and others), the official added. The Central government has been asking the IRDAI to transfer its funds to the Public Account of India and withdraw a specified amount at the beginning of the fiscal. However, the IRDAI has refused to do that. Twenty years ago, when the IRDAI was set up, its revenue sources were structured in such a way so that it is financially independent of the Central government. Major source of the IRDAI's revenue is from the annual licence renewal fee paid by insurers. The insurers pay 1/20th of one per cent of the gross direct premium underwritten in India subject to a minimum of Rs 500,000 and a maximum of Rs 10 crore. Industry officials told IANS that IRDAI should utilise its whopping accumulated funds for the benefit of the industry like studying the catastrophic loss regions and the measures to be taken to avoid/minimise the loss of life and property. Similarly, studies could also be done on automobile design or road building technology so that they are safe which in turn would minimise accidents and loss of life and limb, experts added. Be that as it may, senior officials told IANS that the IRDAI does not follow the Central government's instructions on suo moto disclosures. According to an official, the IRDAI is not sharing information about the domestic and foreign tours of its officials and others. When information is sought by a citizen paying requisite fee under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the IRDAI, in its reply, provides a weblink thereby making the former spend more money in getting the information. "Many times, the web link will not work," an IRDAI official said. The IRDAI also avoids many RTI questions saying they are in the nature of a "query" or the information sought is exempted under the RTI Act, the official added. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Chandigarh, Oct 18 : Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi on Monday said his government will not accept the Centre's decision to expand the BSF's jurisdiction from existing 15 km from the border to 50 km, as this is "against the spirit of federalism". Briefing the media here after the Cabinet meeting, he said that since law and order is a state subject, the Centre cannot impose its decision on Punjab without taking them into confidence. The state police force is fully competent to handle the law and order situation, he said, citing how it contained the decade-long militancy in the state, restoring the long-lasting peace, harmony and brotherhood. Slamming SAD President Sukhbir Badal for playing with the religious sentiments of people on the "sensitive issue" of the BSF's wider deployment, Channi urged him to desist from making "provocative statements" referring to the entry of Central forces to Harmandir Sahib and other religious places. He also asked the SAD President not to "push Punjab back to the days of militancy by hurting religious sentiments of the people in the guise of the BSF issue, as Akali Dal was solely responsible for having misled the state's youth to take up the path of militancy". In a veiled reference to Sukhbir Badal for his "offensive narrative" on this count, Channi said that "anyone who rakes up such sensitive issues merely for pursuing his vested interests is not only the biggest enemy of Punjab but of the country as well". He said the situation now demands that apprehensions in the minds of public on this issue are dispelled, and for this, a special meeting of state Cabinet would be convened soon and if need be, the issue would be thoroughly discussed in an all-party meeting. In case, the issue is not resolved, a special session of the Assembly would be summoned, Channi added. The Chief Minister said that the requisite land for the much needed Patti-Makhu rail link would be soon provided to the Centre after acquiring it from the farmers by suitably compensating them. On the issue of state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu's letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi about action on 13-point agenda, Channi said that the state government is already working to fulfil the promises made to the people and assured that every single commitment would be fulfilled in letter and spirit. It is the duty of the state party President to keep the party high command apprised about the matters concerning the state but this does not reflect any palpable differences between the party and the government, he added. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, Oct 18 : Tamil Nadu's anti-corruption bureau and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) officials carried out search operations at former Health Minister Dr C. Vijayabaskar's residence and other places on Monday. According to officials, searches are being conducted across 43 places belonging to Vijayabaskar and his relatives in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Coimbatore, Trichy, and Pudukottai. This came a day after the DVAC registered an FIR against Vijayabaskar and his wife Ramya for amassing wealth to the tune of Rs 27.22 crore in his name and in the names of his dependents and business firms between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2021. As per the FIR, Vijayabaskar had declared a total asset of about Rs 6.41 crore to the Election Commission (EC) in his name and in the name of his wife Ramya on April 1, 2016. As on March 31 this year, his total assets were to the tune of about Rs 57.77 crore. Vijayabaskar and Ramya had a lawful source of income to the tune of about Rs 58.64 crore as seen from the income tax returns and the affidavit filed with the EC. The former health minister and his wife had incurred living expenses, repayment of bank loans, life insurance premium and other expenses of Rs 34.51 crore, during the check-in period. Thus, the two accused had acquired pecuniary resources for about Rs 51.35 crore (Rs 57.77 crore minus Rs 6.41 crore). After factoring their savings of Rs 24.12 crore, disproportionate wealth amassed amounts to about Rs 27.22 crore, the FIR said. Vijayabaskar's family members had also established a trust called Mother Teresa Educational and Charitable Trust and established various educational institutions. However, former chief ministers, AIADMK Coordinator and Joint Coordinator, O. Panneerselvam and K. Palaniswami, in a joint statement condemned the raids. They said the raids are being conducted at a time when the party is celebrating its Golden Jubliee across the state in a grand manner. According to the two AIADMK leaders, the party is like a bottomless ocean and it will not be crippled by the ruling DMK. The other former ministers of AIADMK government against whom corruption cases have been registered are S.P. Velumani, M.R. Vijayabhaskar and K.C. Veeramani. Kochi, Oct 18 : P. Rajeev, State Minister for Law, Industry, and Coir on Monday said the Kerala government is working on the idea of starting an online platform to deliver products manufactured by Kudumbashree and other Micro, small, and medium production units, for which the work has already started. He said this at the state level inauguration of distributing seed capital financial assistance scheme given to Self Help Groups (SHGs) as part of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) project. He pointed out that they are working on various ideas like, 'One district one product' scheme, devised to identify one product from each district and to promote its sale. "This scheme will include procuring raw materials using common facilities for production and helping to widen the market for the product. The food processing ministry also helps entrepreneurs in building logistical support and developing the brand building for the product," said Rajeev. Kudumbashree Mission is the Kerala government's instrument for poverty eradication under the Local Self-Government Department which has a network of 4,511,834 women members spread over 287,723 neighbourhood groups, producing various products. The biggest stumbling block of many Kudumbashree units in the state is while their products which include various food items, note books, umbrellas, textile, have quality they are unable to break into the open market in a big way due to constraints in marketing and it's here where the proposed online platform is expected to bring a boost to many units. Incidentally, the central government started the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises scheme in association with the state governments to give incentives to food processing industries. This scheme is intended to give financial, technical, and business assistance to small food processing enterprises. The food processing ministry through Atma nirbhar Abhiyan project will be giving Rs 4,30,51,096 as seed capital fund to 1,440 Kudumbashree units in Kerala. According to the scheme, members of the self-help group will get initial capital up to Rs 40,000, to purchase machines from the PMFME scheme. Members of the self-help groups involved in the food processing industry are entitled to get 35 per cent of the credit linked capital subsidy subject to a maximum of Rs 10 lakh. London, Oct 18 : Facial recognition technology have been rolled out by a group of nine schools in the UK to verify children's payments for school meals, acording to media reports. Instead of conventional payment methods like cards or fingerprint scanners, the technology is faster and more hygienic than claimed the schools in North Ayrshire in Scotland, the Verge reported. However, privacy advocates warned that the move is normalising biometric surveillance. "With Facial Recognition, pupils simply select their meal, look at the camera and go, making for a faster lunch service whilst removing any contact at the point of sale," read a flyer distributed to parents by the schools. As per an FAQ sheet by the schools children's biometric data is stored in an encrypted form and deleted when a child leaves the school. Parents have to opt-in for children to use the technology, and can alternatively use PIN to verify payments, the report said. Facial recognition cut payment time per pupil to five seconds on average, David Swanston, managing director of CRB Cunninghams, was quoted as saying to The Financial Times. Swanston's firm was responsible for installing the technology He noted that the system underwent a pilot run in 2020, and that 65 more schools were signed up to introduce the technology. According to the North Ayrshire council, 97 per cent of children or parents consented to be enrolled, the FT report said. But some parents said they were not sure if children fully understood what they were signing up for, and were influenced by peer pressure. Facial recognition systems of various types are becoming more common throughout the world. Schools in the US have been installing such systems for years, though usually as a security measure. However, it is banned in various states and cities, arguing that the technology is frequently biased across racial or gender lines. Last week, Russia introduced facial recognition payments in its metro system, with activists warning that the technology could be used to track and identify protestors. In the European Union, politicians and advocacy groups are calling for a ban on the technology, arguing that the downsides of its introduction outweigh potential benefits. The Ayrshire school scheme was unnecessary, Silkie Carlo of the UK campaign group Big Brother Watch was quoted as saying to the FT. "It's normalising biometric identity checks for something that is mundane. You don't need to resort to airport style [technology] for children getting their lunch," Carlo said. Agartala, Oct 18 : The Tripura government will include some articles from the book written by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb about the last princely ruler Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur in the school curriculum, officials said on Monday. "The department has decided to add some of the pieces from the Chief Minister's book on the erstwhile ruler Bir Bikram, one of the architects of modern Tripura, in the school curriculum," an Education Department official, who did not want to be identified, told IANS. He said that the decision, to add articles from Deb's book, released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019, was taken following the request of NGO Vivekananda Vichar Manch. However, the final decision would be made after Deb himself approves the proposal. On the decision, historian and writer Pannalal Roy told IANS: "At the end of the 1,355-year-rule by 184 rulers, on October 15, 1949, the erstwhile princely state of Tripura came under the control of the Indian government after a merger agreement was signed between Regent Maharani Kanchan Prabha Devi and the Indian Governor General. Rabindranath Tagore had visited and stayed in Agartala more than seven times between 1899 and 1927 and the Nobel laureate was supported by the Tripura's rulers in numerous ways." Roy, who wrote his first book on Maharaja Bir Bikram in 2005, said that the young generation of Tripura and most people in India are not aware of "the contributions and performance of the former Tripura royal dynasty". New Delhi, Oct 18 : External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid on Monday agreed on the mutual recognition of the Covid-19 vaccination certificates. Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to the West Asian country has been holding meetings with government officials, business leaders, and the Indian Jewish community there. After the talks with Israeli Foreign Minister, Jaishankar said, he had a 'very productive' discussion on a wide range of regional and global issues. "Very productive talks today with APM and FM @YairLapid. Discussed a wide range of regional and global issues. Agreed to resume FTA negotiations next month. Agreed in principle on mutual recognition of Covid vaccination certification," Jaishankar tweeted. "Last year, India and Israel have dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have helped one another amidst this crisis. This is how friends and partners behave", Lapid said. He also thanked Jaishankar for his visit to Israel, saying a visit preceding events that will take place next year will mark 30 years of bilateral relations between the two countries. After the meeting, Minister of Energy Karine Elharrar signed the agreement on the accession of Israel to the International Solar Alliance, a global initiative of India. Earlier in the day, Jaishankar unveiled a plaque commemorating the Bhoodan Grove planted by Sarvodaya workers in 1960. India and Israel elevated bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership level during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July 2017. Since then, the relationship between the two countries has focused on expanding knowledge-based partnership, which includes collaboration in innovation and research, including boosting the 'Make in India' initiative. New Delhi, Oct 18 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is the best performing Chief Minister in the country, facing the least anger of the electorate, as per the IANS-CVoter Governance Index. Only 6 per cent of the respondents are angry with Baghel and want a change. Conversely, Baghel enjoys highest popularity ratings among all Chief Ministers, as per the tracker. In case of Chhattisgarh, anger is directed against the Central government and even state MLAs, but there is hardly any anger towards Baghel. As many as 44.7 per cent respondents in Chhattisgarh are angry with the Central government, while 36.6 per cent are angry with the state government. Baghel has introduced a slew of welfare schemes in Chhattisgarh, including providing free education to children studying in private schools, who have lost parents/guardians to Covid-19. Under the Mahtari Dular Yojana, the Chhattisgarh government would bear the expenses of education of such children. Chhattisgarh was the top-performing state in India on the gender equality parameter of the Sustainable Development Goals, according to the NITI Aayog's SDG India Index report 2020-21. The index tracks the progress of all states and Union Territories on 115 indicators. Last year, Chhattisgarh scored 43 points on the gender quality parameter and was ranked seventh in India. This year, it scored 61 and topped the chart. Yashwant Deshmukh, Founder, CVoter, said, "The CEO working style of CMs is popular. People are liking CMs with centralised decision making." "These are leaders who are not afraid of taking the blame. It is risky when things go wrong as in the case of former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. But there is a better rating for the CEO style. We are living in a Parliamentary democracy, but a Presidential system is becoming popular with the public," Deshmukh said. The CVoter Tracker is India's only daily opinion tracking exercise mapping more than a hundred thousand randomly selected respondents in a calendar year. The tracker run in 11 Indian languages has interviewed more than a million respondents in person and CATI over the last 10 years. The quarterly report cards on CMs cover more than 30,000 across all the 543 Lok Sabha seats and has margin of error of +/-3 per cent at the national level and +/-5 per cent at the state level. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ranks second in minimum anger of the electorate with 10.1 per cent, but since he is a new CM, he is getting the benefit of doubt even as a massive 61 per cent are angry with the state government. The earlier Chief Minister was drawing negative ratings, but now that has diffused though the anger against the state government remains high. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik ranks third with 10.4 per cent anger against him, and 37.6 per cent against the state government. Also, the changing of CMs in some states has worked. With Punjab and Karnataka getting new CMs, the states have moved to respectable positions as they were languishing near the bottom earlier. The maximum anger has been garnered by Telangana CM Chandrashekar Rao or KCR. As many as 30.3 per cent respondents are angry with him and want a change. With a high degree of anger against the incumbent and the Central government having good ratings in the state, the BJP is set to make inroads there, said Deshmukh. He added that it is high time KCR's son, K.T. Rama Rao, replaces him or else things could go out of hand. Also in the bottom are the northeastern states collectively with an anger quotent of 29.2 per cent. There is 28.1 per cent anger against UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but that is accounted for by the fact that Uttar Pradesh is a polarised state. "Yogi being a polarising figure, the number is not surprising," said Deshmukh. He added that the arithmetic of 40 per cent support base ensures that BJP is in a strong position in Uttar Pradesh. New Delhi, Oct 18 : The least anger among the states is in Assam, Puducherry and Madhya Pradesh, as per the IANS-CVoter Governance Index. The CVoter Tracker is India's only daily opinion tracking exercise mapping more than a hundred thousand randomly selected respondents in a calendar year. The tracker run in 11 Indian languages has interviewed more than a million respondents in person and CATI over the last 10 years. The quarterly report cards on CMs cover more than 30,000 across all the 543 Lok Sabha seats and has margin of error of +/-3 per cent at the national level and +/-5 per cent at the state level. Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Goa are also among states where anger against the state government is better than the all-India average. Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab and West Bengal also have scores above this average, while Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Northeastern states and Haryana score better than the national average. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is the best performing Chief Minister, facing the least anger of the electorate, as per the Governance index. Only 6 per cent of the respondents are angry with Baghel and want a change. Conversely, Baghel enjoys highest popularity ratings among all Chief Ministers, as per the tracker. In case of Chhattisgarh, anger is directed against the Central government and even state MLAs, but there is hardly any anger towards Baghel. As many as 44.7 per cent respondents in Chhattisgarh are angry with the Central government, while 36.6 per cent are angry with the state government. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ranks second in minimum anger of the electorate with 10.1 per cent, but since he is a new CM, he is getting the benefit of doubt even as a massive 61 per cent are angry with the state government. The earlier Chief Minister was drawing negative ratings, but now that has diffused though the anger against the state government remains high. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik ranks third with 10.4 per cent anger against him, and 37.6 per cent against the state government. The maximum anger has been garnered by Telangana CM Chandrashekar Rao or KCR. As many as 30.3 per cent respondents are angry with him and want a change. With a high degree of anger against the incumbent and the Central government having good ratings in the state, the BJP is set to make inroads there, said CVoter Founder Yashwant Deshmukh. Also in the bottom are the northeastern states collectively with an anger quotent of 29.2 per cent. There is 28.1 per cent anger against UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but that is accounted for by the fact that Uttar Pradesh is a polarised state. "Yogi being a polarising figure the number is not surprising," said Deshmukh. He added that the arithmetic of 40 per cent support base ensures that BJP is in a strong position in UP. New Delhi, Oct 18 : The anger of electorate on governance issues is being channelised against the Centre and the states while the local governance factor has dissipated in the Covid era, according to the IANS-CVoter Governance Index. CVoter founder Yashwant Deshmukh said that the focus is on the work of the Centre and states and local governance is not really counting as far as anger is concerned in the last one and half years of Covid pandemic. The CVoter Tracker is India's only daily Opinion Tracking exercise mapping more than a 100,000 randomly selected respondents in a calendar year. The tracker is run in 11 Indian languages has interviewed more than a million respondents in person and CATI over the last ten years. The quarterly report cards on CMs cover more than 30,000 respondents across all 543 Lok Sabha seats and has MoE of +/-3 per cent at national level and +/-5 per cent at state levels. The anger against the Centre and states is perceptibly higher than at the local level. As per the tracker, the least amount of anger against the Central government is in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The highest amount of anger against the Centre is in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, and the states of Kerala and Punjab. The least anger against the state government is seen in the states of Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. All had recently elected new governments. The highest level of anger against the state government is in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana. At an all India level, the anger against local governance is only 14.3 per cent while the anger against the states is 44.3 per cent and against the Centre at 41.3 per cent. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is the best performing Chief Minister and facing the least anger of the electorate, as per the IANS-CVoter Governance Index. Baghel has only 6 per cent respondents angry with him who want a change. Conversely, he enjoys highest popularity ratings among all Chief Ministers as per the tracker. In the case of Chhattisgarh, anger is directed against the Central government and even state MLAs but there is hardly anger against Baghel. As many as 44.7 per cent respondents in Chhattisgarh are angry with the Central government while 36.6 per cent are angry with the state government. New Delhi, Oct 18 : Rajasthan MPs are facing the least amount of anger from the electorate followed by Andhra Pradesh and Bihar representatives, as per IANS-CVoter Governance Index. Jharkhand, Assam and Himachal Pradesh MPs are garnering the maximum amount of anger. On the MLAs, those in Kerala, Gujarat and Maharashtra are facing least anger while Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Telangana are facing the maximum anger. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is the best performing Chief Minister and facing the least anger of the electorate, as per the IANS C Voter State Governance Index. Baghel has only 6 per cent respondents angry with him who want a change. Conversely, Baghel enjoys highest popularity ratings among all Chief Ministers as per the tracker. In the case of Chhattisgarh, anger is directed against the central government and even state MLAs but there is hardly any anger against CM Baghel. As many as 44.7 per cent respondents in Chhattisgarh are angry with the central government while 36.6 per cent are angry with the state government. Chhatisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel has introduced a slew of welfare schemes. Children studying in private schools, who have lost parents/guardians to COVID-19, would be provided free education by the government. Under Mahtari Dular Yojana, the Chhattisgarh government would bear the expenses of education of such children. Chhattisgarh was the top-performing state in India on the gender equality parameter of the Sustainable Development Goals, according to the NITI Aayog's SDG India Index report 2020-21. The index tracks the progress of all states and union territories on 115 indicators. Last year, Chhattisgarh scored 43 points on the gender quality parameter and was ranked seventh in India. This year, it scored 61 and topped the chart. Yashwant Deshmukh, Founder, C Voter said, "The CEO working style of CMs is popular. People are liking CMs with centralised decision making". "These are leaders who are not afraid of taking the blame. It is risky when things go wrong as in the case of Punjab CM Amarinder Singh. But there is a better rating for the CEO style. We are living in a Parliamentary democracy but a Presidential system is becoming popular with the public", Deshmukh said. The CVoter Tracker is India's only daily Opinion Tracking exercise mapping more than a hundred thousand randomly selected respondents in a calendar year. The tracker is run in 11 Indian languages and has interviewed more than a million respondents in person and CAT I over the last ten years. The quarterly report cards on CMs cover more than thirty thousand respondents across all 543 Lok Sabha seats and has MoE of +/-3% at National level and +/-5% at State Levels. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ranks second in minimum anger of the electorate with 10.1 per cent but since he is a new CM he is getting the benefit of doubt even as a massive 61 per cent are angry with the state government. The earlier CM was drawing negative ratings but now that has diffused but the anger against the state government remains high. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik ranks third with 10.4 per cent anger against him and 37.6 per cent against the state government. The CM change in some states has worked. With Punjab and Karnataka getting new CMs, the states have moved to respectable positions as they were languishing near the bottom earlier. The maximum anger has been garnered by Telangana CM Chandrashekar Rao or KCR. As many as 30.3 per cent respondents are angry with him and want a change. With a high degree of anger against the incumbent and the central government having good ratings in the state, the BJP is set to make inroads, said C Voter Founder Yashwant Deshmukh. He added that it is high time KCR's son, K.T. Rama Rao replaced him otherwise things could go out of hand. Also in the bottom are the North East states collectively with an anger of 29.2 per cent. There is anger of 28.1 per cent against UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath but that is accounted for by the fact that UP is a polarised state. "Yogi being a polarising figure the number is not surprising", said Deshmukh. He added that the arithmetic of 40 per cent support base ensures that BJP is in a strong position in UP. Beijing, Oct 18 : An inhalable Covid-19 vaccine developed by China's CanSino Biologics has shown an increase of 250- to 300-fold in neutralising antibody levels as a booster shot, the media reported. According to latest lab studies by the Chinese drug maker, the aerosolised inhaled adenovirus Type-5 vector-based Covid-19 vaccine (Ad5-nCoV), taken after completing two doses of inactivated vaccine shots for half a year, is proven to be safe and significantly more immunogenic than taking an inactivated vaccine as a booster, the Global Times reported. In contrast, taking an inactivated vaccine as a booster after two inactivated vaccine shots, increases the neutralising antibodies by only 30 times, it added. The study suggests a heterologous (mix-match vaccine regimen) prime-boost regimen to increase the breadth, intensity and duration of the immune response, more than a homogeneous (same vaccine regimen) booster shot, the report said. CanSinoBIO co-founder and chief scientific officer Zhu Tao cited a previous study conducted in Turkey whose data showed a booster dose of the mRNA vaccine widely used in Western countries for people administered along with two inactivated doses can increase the neutralising antibodies by about 25 times as compared with a booster dose of the inactivated vaccine again. Similar clinical trial was conducted by US researchers on a heterologous booster shot regimen with three approved vaccines -- one adenovirus-based vaccine by Johnson & Johnson and two mRNA vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer. The results showed that heterologous regimen enhances immunity. Homologous boosters increased neutralising antibody titers 4.2- to 20-fold whereas heterologous boosters increased titers 6.2- to 76-fold, said the research report published recently on pre-print server medRvix, meaning it is not yet peer-reviewed. So far, at least 13 provinces and regions in China, such as East China's Anhui and Fujian provinces, and Central China's Hubei Province, have initiated programmes to enhance residents' immunity against Covid-19, the report said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chennai, Oct 18 : The Tamil Nadu environment department has issued orders to all district administration officers to enforce strict measures over the use of polythene covers after reports that recycled plastics are being used at several places. The environment department has directed the district administrations to conduct surprise checks into shops and establishments to ascertain the volume of polythene covers being sold in the state. It may be noted that a total of 14 plastic items including one-time use of plastic bags and polythene covers were banned in the state of Tamil Nadu in 2019. Sajitha Kannan, an environmental activist based in Madurai told IANS, "There is a ban on the use of polythene covers and one-time use of plastic bags in the state. However, we can find the usage of these covers rampant, and vendors are buying these covers from outside the state and using them to distribute materials to customers free of cost. The damage such covers are doing to the environment is insurmountable and we have filed a complaint to the state pollution control board as well as the state environmental department on the same." The crackdown of polythene covers has started in Salem district, the district administration has carried out searches in several shops and establishments. Sources in the district told IANS that seizures have been made from shops and from small vendors who are using polythene bags in large numbers. Environmental activist and a member of Salem People's movement, Mohanakumaran told IANS, "The unabated use of these plastic covers choke the drainage system and creates water clogging and we urge the government to impose heavy fine on those who indulge in such things". The sanitary department in the state has also geared up to prevent the use of polythene covers as well as teacups coated with plastic, straws made of plastic, flags of plastic, earbuds, and such items that are in daily use in the system. The state environment department has also directed the district administrations to conduct searches with the support of the district health department officials and the police in local areas to prevent the use of polythene and plastic covers. New Delhi, Oct 18 : Katrina Kaif has been keeping busy with the promotions of her Diwali extravaganza 'Sooryavanshi'. Amidst her busy schedule, the actress took to Instagram to share her pictures and reels on Instagram. In two separate posts, the actress can be seen basking in the warm sun wearing a white gown with a thigh-high slit and open tresses. While she captioned the pictures, "??day ?? #sooryavanshi" she also shared an Insta reel with the caption, "A day at the beach ?? #sooryavanshi". As expected, the Gram erupted with her fans being overjoyed after finding her back in the spotlight as they showered praises on her. One fan commented, "You look like an angel in white ????????" It's not just the fans, the actress even left her industry friends stunned with the gorgeous pictures. While her 'Zero' co-star Anushka Sharma commented, "Beauty", Ranveer Singh who has a cameo appearance in 'Sooryavanshi', commented, "Servinnnn" on her photos. Fans have been eagerly waiting to see Katrina back in action and the Rohit Shetty directorial seems to be a perfect treat for the audience on Diwali. She will be seen reuniting with Akshay Kumar onscreen after a long time. 'Sooryavanshi'5 is Rohit Shetty's ambitious project that brings alive his cop universe. The film has been running in troubled waters as its release has been postponed multiple times because of the pandemic as it led to the shutdown of theatres across the country. However, things look bright for the film as it's set to hit the screens on November 5 and satiate the audience's taste buds for a proper commercial potboiler, this Diwali. Following the Maharashtra government's lifting of civil restrictions and allowing the opening of theatres, the makers of the film made an announcement about its theatrical release through a special video. The video which has been shot inside a cinema hall features Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh together. The three actors reminisced how the cinema halls have been witness to countless emotions and how nobody knew that like our films, we too will have an interval in our lives. They go onto say that the dreary days are behind us as we look upto a new dawn and hope that this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic. The three actors urged the audience to come and watch the film in theatres and help the film industry to return to its glory. Bengaluru, Oct 18 : In a big push to attract investments and boost trade, the Government of Karnataka has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Gulf Islamic Investment group (GII). The Group held deliberations with Large and Medium Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani and IT&BT Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan on Monday at the Karnataka pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 event. The GII will open its office in Bengaluru to further strengthen Indo-UAE investment ties. Gulf Islamic Investment (GII) is a leading UAE-based Sharia-compliant financial services firm with over $2 billion of assets under management. Minister Nirani expressed happiness over the pact. "GII's decision to foray into Karnataka and open its office in Bengaluru will further strengthen investment ties between India and UAE. Our state is an ideal place to make investments as we ensure ease of doing business and investor-friendly atmosphere. I'm sure that GII's presence in Bengaluru will pave way for more investments, trade and creation of jobs," Nirani said. GII plans to invest $500 mn (Rs 3,500 crore) in India in the next 3 years. The company is also planning collaborations with Indian startups to boost its Middle East expansion plans. Expressing his happiness, Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India, Dubai, termed Karnataka as startup capital of Asia and added that Bengaluru is home to 40 per cent of India's unicorns. He said UAE is a big partner in India's quest to become a $5 trillion economy. In a joint statement, Mohammed Alhassan and Pankaj Gupta, Founding Partners and Co-CEOs of Gulf Islamic Investments, said, "We are delighted to officially announce our plans to establish a GII office in India's technology capital of Bengaluru. India represents a prime investment destination for GII and this expansion demonstrates our commitment to future investments in the country's burgeoning start-up and high-growth enterprise space." "Given the success of our preliminary investment rounds through the India Growth Portfolio series, valued at over Rs 1,000 crore, we look forward to expanding our footprint in India and strategically contributing towards enhancing the India-UAE investment corridor," the joint statement read. Mumbai, Oct 18 : Hrithik Roshan is one of the most charismatic actors of the Hindi film industry. It's not just his acting chops but also his impeccable dancing skills that leave the audience dazed and amazed. Add to that, his drop dead good looks and you have the world sitting up and taking notice of every small thing that he does on social media. So, when he took to Instagram to share a few videos of him from his time off during a workout session, it was pretty much expected that they would shatter the internet completely. And, that's exactly what transpired. In a series of short videos, Hrithik can be seen goofing around in his gym as he casually dances to the popular tracks from the 80s. He captioned the video series, "When bollywood hero suddenly hears 80's music in gym. #braindead #totalloss." Moments after he uploaded the video series, there was an avalanche of excited fans swarming up the comment section with many of them being absolutely bowled over by the Greek God of Bollywood. Bollywood too was spellbound by his antics as many stars lined up in the comment section one after the other to drop heart and laugh emojis. Deepika Padukone, who will be soon seen working with him in 'Fighter', commented, "clown" in jest. Other stars like Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Ranveer Singh, Preity Zinta and Varun Dhawan too commented on his post. The videos of Hrithik dancing around went viral in no time as they spread to the farthest corners of the internet as the post clocked overwhelming impressions. On the work front, after a two years of pandemic-induced hiatus, Hrithik is working on the Hindi remake of Tamil runaway success 'Vikram Vedha' for which he made an announcement on his Instagram, a few days back. The film is being helmed by the director duo Pushkar-Gayathri who also directed the Tamil blockbuster. Hrithik will be seen locking horns with Saif Ali Khan in the film. Apart from this, the actor will also be seen opposite Deepika Padukone in their maiden outing 'Fighter'. Touted to be India's first aerial action drama, the film will be shot across the globe and will offer a tribute to the sacrifice and grit of our country's armed forces and the servicemen. The film is being helmed by Hrithik's 'War' director Sidharth Anand who also makes his debut as a producer with the film. New Delhi, Oct 18 : The Union Health Ministry's initiative eSanjeevani on Monday clocked 1.4 crore consultations. Operating in two variants - eSanjeevani AB-HWC (Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centre) and eSanjeevani OPD, this initiative of ministry has earned immense popularity in delivering healthcare services through digital platforms, the health ministry said in a statement. Andhra Pradesh tops among the states using eSanjeevni for healthcare services. Top ten states in terms of adoption of eSanjeevani are Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. eSanjeevani as a whole is addressing the shortage of doctors and specialists at the ground levels, while also reducing the burden on secondary and tertiary level hospitals. In line with the newly launched Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission, this digital initiative aims to constantly improve the digital health infrastructure of the country. The eSanjeevani AB-HWC is a Doctor-to-Doctor teleconsultation system that aims to alleviate the Urban-Rural divide in terms of health services, works on Hub-and-Spoke Model. eSanjeevani AB-HWC has accounted for 85,02,926 consultations. Along with 1,55,000 Health and Wellness Centres will be onboarded as spokes by December 2022. The Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres set up at State Level act as spokes in eSanjeevni which enables a patient residing in rural areas to avail quality health services. The eSanjeevani OPD aims to provide safe Doctor-to-Patient consultations. The eSanjeevani OPD platform has effected 55,62,897 consultations. eSanjeevani OPD is available as mobile app for both iOS and android smartphones. New York, Oct 18 : Five members of a US congressional committee have alluded that Amazon Inc led them on the wrong road during a probe on business practices and may have economised on the truth under oath. In their letter sent to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Sunday, the members asked Amazon to provide "exculpatory evidence" to corroborate the sworn testimony that several leaders, including then CEO, Jeff Bezos, provided to the antitrust subcommittee in 2019 and 2020. Signatories included Representatives David Cicilline (Democrat, Rhode Island), Ken Buck (Republic, Colorado), Pramila Jayapal (D, Washinton), Jerrold Nadler (D, New York.) and Matt Gaetz (R, Florida). The subcommittee investigated Amazon's use of data from third-party sellers even as it developed private-label products. "We strongly encourage you to make use of this opportunity to correct the record and provide the Committee with sworn, truthful, and accurate responses to this request as we consider whether a referral of this matter to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation is appropriate," the members wrote in the letter, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and Reuters. An Amazon spokesman countered that its executives didn't mislead and said Amazon has an internal policy on use of individual seller data to develop Amazon products. The company said it investigates allegations that the policy may have been violated and designs the search function on its site to feature products that customers want. At issue is how Amazon responded to accusations that it uses the data of third-party sellers on its site when creating private-label products. Amazon executives are on record telling members of the subcommittee in testimony and in written responses that the company doesn't use the data of individual third-party sellers to inform its own brands. The letter names Bezos, Nate Sutton, Amazon's associate general counsel, who testified in July of 2019, and David Zapolsky, the company's general counsel, and Brian Huseman, Vice President for Public Policy. The letter states that the committee is considering "whether a referral of this matter to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation is appropriate". Reuters said the committee gave Jassy until November 1 to provide a sworn response to clarify "how Amazon uses non-public individual seller data to develop and market its own line of products", and how Amazon's search rankings favour those products. Last week, a group of lawmakers, comprising both sides of the US political aisle, led by Senators Amy Klobuchar, Democrat, and Chuck Grassley, Republican, announced plans to float legislation to bar Big Tech platforms like Amazon and Alphabet's Google from favouring their own stuff. The Klobuchar-Grassley measure aims at reining in tech firms, including industry leaders Facebook and Apple. Past attempts on these lines have failed although one, a broader measure to increase resources for antitrust enforcers, has passed the Senate. Amazon, as per a Reuters investigation this week, is accused of using data from third-party sellers to determine products it would create. Reuters said it reviewed "thousands of internal Amazon documents, that the US company's India operations ran a systematic campaign of creating knockoffs and manipulating search results to boost its own private brands in the country, one of the company's largest growth markets". (Nikhila Natarajan tweets @byniknat) Seoul, Oct 18 : South Korean Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said on Monday the country plans to closely cooperate with local chipmakers to respond to the US' latest request for them to share information on their supply chains. The U.S. Department of Commerce has recently asked global chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics, to share information on inventories, demand and other details by November 8 to "help improve trust and transparency within the supply chain." The request spawned concerns about the leak of chipmakers' major trade secrets. Hong said at a ministerial meeting on the economy and security that the government will strengthen its cooperation with local chipmakers to tackle the matter. "There is a need to deal with the issue by taking into account companies' sensitive information and the government's support measures to ease corporate burdens," Hong said, adding that South Korea will continue to consult with the U.S. over the matter. The minister relayed South Korean chipmakers' concerns about Washington's request during his meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in Washington, D.C. last week. It remains unclear how Yellen responded to the chipmakers' concerns. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix Inc. have said they have nothing to say about the U.S.' request, adding that they need to review the issue. Hong said the government will keep communicating with chipmakers beyond the November 8 deadline to map out measures to ease their financial burdens, according to the finance ministry. Mumbai, Oct 18 : Financial services firm Edelweiss Group On Monday announced the divestment of its majority stake in Edelweiss Gallagher Insurance Brokers Ltd (EGIBL), post approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). The business will transition to the Gallagher brand in the coming months. Edelweiss Group will focus on growing its life and non-life insurance businesses, which have been among the fastest growing in the industry. Gallagher and Edelweiss had announced the transaction in July 2021, cementing a partnership that was forged between the two in May 2019, giving clients access to a larger suite of insurance products and services and scaling up the business significantly. On the development, Edelweiss Group Chairman Rashesh Shah said: "At Edelweiss, we have always been driven by long-term value creation, seeding, nurturing businesses, forging partnerships at the opportune time to build scale. We have enjoyed an excellent relationship with the Gallagher team and we believe that they will add lot more value to the business and give it a global edge." "This move also brings to us the flexibility to reallocate capital, which post this transaction and the strategic partnership in our wealth business, is ample. We now have adequate capital and a stronger balance sheet and look forward to scaling up our fast-growing life and non-life insurance businesses, as India turns a corner post the pandemic," he added. Hyderabad, Oct 18 : T-Hub, India's largest technology incubator, on Monday announced its growth plans under its new Chief Executive Officer, Mahankali Srinivas Rao. T-Hub's new campus coming up at Raidurgam in the information technology cluster of HITEC City, is spread over 5,82,689 square feet. The second phase, which is nearing completion, is likely to be inaugurated this year. It was scheduled to be operational last year but the work was delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic. According to earlier reports, the campus is coming up at a cost of Rs 276 crore and this is expected to make T-Hub the largest incubation centre in the world. With more than 1,800 domestic and international start-ups that received support to scale, various corporate partnerships and international organisational tie-ups, T-Hub will work towards a stronger growth trajectory, the technology incubator said on Monday. T-Hub, the start-up catalyst established in November 2015, is a public private partnership between the Telangana government and three premier academic institutes - the International Institute of Information Technology-Hyderabad (IIIT-H), the Indian School of Business (ISB), and the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law. Housed in a 70,000 square feet space within IIIT-H campus, it transformed as the largest and the best technology incubator in the country over the last six years. New CEO Mahankali Srinivas Rao said their focus will be to build on current strengths and continually improve, further elevating T-Hub's capability as an innovation ecosystem enabler. "We have some interesting projects, partnerships and programme launches in the pipeline in coming months and the aim is to hit on ground with it as planned," he said. Rao will focus on fund-raising initiatives, higher valuations, robust employment generation, and building scale through active community engagement. He wants to raise the bar on innovation to ensure T-Hub transforms Telangana into a leader in innovation across India and globally. In the last six years, T-Hub has evolved from being a start-up incubator to an innovation hub. It has helped to contribute immensely to the Indian innovation ecosystem by institutionalising innovation programmes for start-ups, corporations and more, and building a global innovation hub. "Due to this robust innovation ecosystem that T-Hub has built, we have seen a rise in the number of start-ups from 400 then to about 2,000 now, and phase 2 will further boost this growth," it said. T-Hub has touched more than 1,800 start-ups through various programmes and initiatives. It has enabled start-ups to raise significant funding during these challenging times. Start-ups from various programmes have gor more than Rs 2,269 crore funding to date like Zenoti, MyGate, WhistleDrive, Outplay, DrinkPrime and AdOnMo. It has evolved from prototyping programmes to crafting institutionalised programmes to support the innovation journey of more than 600 corporates like Facebook, Uber, HCL, Boeing, Microsoft and Qualcomm with more than 26 corporate innovation programmes. It has received over 4,100 applications from the start-ups for these programmes. T-Hub has partnered with 75 service providers like Paytm, RBL Bank, Amazon Web Services, DigitalOcean and Google Cloud, enabling start-ups to advance their daily operational tasks. It has achieved notable success in introducing an innovation ecosystem in the academic field through its initiative, T-Tribe. The initiative has connected with more than 24 colleges, 800+ students and incubated over 10 idea-stage start-ups. It has helped over 300 Indian start-ups and more than 200 international start-ups scale globally through various 10+ market access programs and 18+ international interventions in partnership with global ecosystem players across over 42 countries. T-Hub has partnered with international ecosystem enablers and governments like Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME), FalconX, the Australian Consulate, the Japan Investment and Cooperation Agency (JICA), La Trobe University and others to help the foreign start-ups to scale up in the Indian market and Indian start-ups to explore international markets. Meanwhile, Telangana Industries and Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao welcomed Rao as the new CEO of T-Hub. "It is a homecoming for MSR, and we welcome and congratulate him on his new journey with the Telangana innovation ecosystem. Given MSR's rich experience in this industry, we believe he is best placed to lead T-Hub and its operations," he said. Telangana's Principal Secretary, Industries & IT, Jayesh Ranjan said: "Visionary leadership comes naturally to MSR, and it only gets better with his deep understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem nuances. The Board is happy to have him on board and we wish him to achieve amazing milestones at T-Hub." Noida, Oct 18 : With vegetable prices soaring in the National Capital Region, the prices at Mother Dairy's Safal outlets brought some respite for onion buyers in Noida, unlike in the national capital. The vegetable prices, especially that of onion and tomato, have been soaring in the national capital for multiple reasons, including delayed withdrawal of monsoon, flood situation in various parts of the country, rising fuel prices and festive season demands. A visit to the Safal outlet in Noida Sector 15 showed that onion was priced at Rs 38 per kg, while potato was being sold for Rs 23.90 per kg. However, tomato was selling for as high as Rs 70 per kg at the Safal outlet. In Delhi, onion sold for as high as Rs 80 per kg. Among other vegetables, green capsicum topped the chart at Rs 119 per kg, followed by cauliflower at Rs 89 per kg, and tinda, tori, carrot and beans at Rs 59 per kg each. Eggplant, bottle goard, arbi and cucumber were being sold for Rs 39 per kg each, while bitter gourd was being sold for Rs 29 per kg. Another essential in most Indian kitchens, garlic, was selling for Rs 180 per kg, the Safal rate card showed. Stating that the prices have been on the rise since the past one week, Safal outlet owner Pradeep Kumar said, "The main reason for the increase in vegetable prices can be the farmers' protest on the Singhu border, which has impacted the cultivation of vegetables. The increase in demand and lesser production have resulted in higher prices of many of the vegetables." Kumar also said that another reason can be increased consumption of vegetables and fruits post-Covid, as people are now prefering to have healthy food. "Vegetables form a good source of vitamins to increase energy and keep a person fit," he said. Sant Gupta, a vendor at the weekly market in Noida Sector 16, said, "There has been massive rainfall in some parts of India, which has played a major role in the rise in vegetables prices." Commenting on the increase in input costs for the farmers, Gupta said, "Sometimes, the farmers even find it difficult to continue cultivation because the investment in seeds, fertilisers and other things, such as labour and machine costs, has increased manifold. This could have majorly led to increased prices." The customers are not much happy with the price rise, and blamed the Centre for the same. "I would point the finger at the Central government because it is not agreeing with the agitating farmers' demands. If the government agrees to them, it will help the people," said one consumer. New Delhi, Oct 18 : India's quest for building its energy security may see it continue to pursue investment opportunity in Farzad-B gas field in Iran even though ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) has not got the right to develop the block that it discovered over a decade ago. Highly-placed sources in the Oil Ministry said that the Indian consortium, including Indian Oil, Oil India and OVL, which bagged the exploration contract for Farzad-B in 2002, may remain invested in the upstream project as equity partners with other local and international entities even without operatorship rights. The consortium could get 30 per cent stake in the project, which will also allow it to get their share of gas to India at applicable rates decided by Iran. IANS has reported in July last year, that Indian companies would participate in Farzad B project as equity partners even after their claim for developing the field was not accepted by Iranian authorities that decided to give it to a local company last year. In May this year, Iran awarded a $ 1.78 billion contract to give rights of the field to Petropars group. Though the exploration contract signed by the Indian consortium expired in 2009, official sources said that a deal could be negotiated so that India has a presence in the field as equity investors. Farzad-B, which was discovered by OVL in the Farsi block about 10 years ago, had in-place gas reserve of 21.7 trillion cubic feet, of which 12.5 tcf is believed to be recoverable. If India gets a share of this gas, it could reduce its dependence on expensive LNG. Iran has been dilly-dallying over grant of development right of Farzad B for few years now. Things came to a standstill since US sanctions on Iran in 2018 with India also moving slowly on the matter. "There are two issues to Farzad-B project. Iran may have not given development rights to OVL but an Indian consortium continues to have part ownership of the block and would get its share of profit whosoever develops the project," the source quoted earlier said. OVL-led consortium have invested close to $100 million in the project. India and Iran were initially targeting concluding a deal on Farzad-B field development by November 2016 but later mutually agreed to push the timeline to February 2017. The deadline to wrap up negotiations was later targeted for September 2017. But, the deal got stuck over pricing of gas. Sanctions delayed the process thereafter and despite visits of ministers from both sides, no agreement could be reached. OVL pushed for the deal with a sweetened offer that included investment of close to $11 billion. But that also did not break the ice and the project remained in limbo till February 2020 when Iran made its intent clear of awarding then gas field to a local company. It did so in May when the projects was awarded to Petropars. (Subhash Narayan can be contacted at subhash.n@ians.in) Mumbai, Oct 18 : Firing yet another salvo, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) minister Nawab Malik on Monday demanded the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to prove the claims made by some unnamed officials that Aryan Khan had expressed 'remorse' at his behaviour while in the Arthur Road Central Jail. As per some unconfirmed reports in some sections of media , Aryan Khan reportedly underwent a 'counselling session' in the jail with the NCB teams recently. The unverifiable reports, attributed to unidentified NCB sources, claimed that Aryan Khan was purportedly 'full of guilt and remorse' over his recent actions leading to his arrest and custody since the past 17 days. Aryan Khan, the son of megastar Shah Rukh Khan, has also allegedly promised to NCB sleuths that he would 'behave' in the future, take to some good public activities and turn over a new leaf which would make even the NCB 'proud of him'. Trashing these reports outright, NCP national spokesperson Malik said the central narcotics agency, which relies on 'electronic evidence', should make public the video in which Aryan Khan has allegedly made such statements to the NCB. "When did he say this? Did the NCB team go to the Arthur Road jail? They must produce the video evidence of this," Malik dared the NCB. He said the NCB is now under fire from all over, including the top legal experts in the country, who have said that it is indulging in such fraudulent cases to get cheap publicity. "Its high time the NCB stops planting such fake stories. Let the truth emerge and it will wash away all the lies being bundled around till now," Malik said. The minister further asserted that it is "now confirmed that Aryan Khan" will get bail on October 20 and the NCB is trying to "plant some positive news" in its favour, but the real truth will come out soon. Aryan Khan, along with seven others, were detained after the NCB raided an alleged rave party aboard a luxury cruise ship on October 2. He was arrested on October 3 and has been in NCB and judicial custody since then. The agency has arrested a dozen other persons in connection with the case. New Delhi, Oct 18: Extenal Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar has invited Israeli companies to invest in India, taking advantage of the expected post-Covid boom in the economy, which is already showing poitive signs of revival. "Many post-Covid priorities including digital, health, agriculture and green growth are natural areas for our collaboration," said the minister after having elaborate discussions with the Israeli chambers of commerce and the innovation ecosystem. Jaishankar lauded the "visible enthusiasm" for doing business with India, which he said had already unveiled a slew of new business-friendly measures. Ambassador Yael Ravia-Zadok, the head of the Economic Diplomacy Division of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nailed innovation, water, health, energy among several other sectors as areas of collaboration. Jaishankar's visit takes forward the joint efforts made by New Delhi and Jerusalem since 2017 to engage the talent pool of the two countries in pursuit of path-breaking technological solutions that can be commercially exploited. India has size and scale, Israel the sharpness and edge It was during the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017 that India and Israel had elevated the bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership. Since then, the relationship between the two countries has focused on expanding knowledge-based partnership, which includes collaboration in innovation and research, including boosting the 'Make in India' initiative. The 'India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)' Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) envisages promotion of bilateral industrial R&D and innovation cooperation in the fields of science and technology by extending support to joint projects for innovative or technology-driven new or improved products, services or processes. In January 2018, while addressing the India-Israel Business Summit during Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that both countries stand on the cusp of a bright new chapter as there is new energy and purpose that has invigorated the bilateral ties. "India has size and scale, Israel has sharpness and edge. Given the scale of the Indian economy and the relevance of cutting-edge Israeli technologies for us, even sky is not the limit for what we may achieve together," PM Modi had commented then. Sharing cutting-edge technology in agriculture and defence Recognising the centrality of agriculture and water sectors in the bilateral relationship, India and Israel had signed a three-year work programme agreement for development in agriculture cooperation, in May, earlier this year. The Ministry of Agriculture and MASHAV - Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation - are leading Israel's largest government-to-government cooperation, with 29 operational Centres of Excellence (COEs) across India in 12 states, implementing advanced-intensive agriculture farms with Israeli agro-technology tailored to local conditions. "The three-year work program (2021-2023) reflects the strength of our growing partnership and will benefit local farmers both through the Centers of Excellence and the Villages of Excellence," said Ron Malka, the Director General of Israel's Ministry of Economy and Industry. Meanwhile, giving a significant boost to India's defence capabilities, the first deliverable Firing Unit (FU) of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) System was included in the Indian Air Force (IAF), last month. The MRSAM is an advanced network centric combat Air Defence System developed jointly by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in collaboration with the Indian industry comprising private and public sectors including MSMEs. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had described the system as a shining example of the close partnership between India and Israel, saying that handing over of the system to IAF has taken this decades-old friendship to greater heights. The Long Range Surface to Air Missiles (LRSAM) system has also been developed by DRDO and IAI Israel to equip the latest ships of the Indian Navy. Jaishankar to rope in more hi-tech industries EAM Jaishankar's meetings with the business community working on the Israel-India route are expected to significantly increase cooperation between the two countries. With bilateral meetings with the Israeli Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett,the Knesset Speaker and several other political and business leaders scheduled during the four-day trip, the special relationship between India and Israel is expected to witness a high level of cooperation in economic activity, trade and commerce. "With Diwali just around the corner, the visit of MEA Dr S Jaishankar is an opportunity to highlight the elements of India-Israel growing partnership that bring light and hope of prosperity to both people and their respected regions: water, agriculture, healthtech and education," tweeted Froim Ditza, the Head of Policy Planning at the Israeli MFA, after Jaishankar's interaction with the business community in Jerusalem Sunday evening. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative New Delhi, Oct 18: Senior Taliban leader and Deputy Minister of Foreign Minister Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanikzai has fled Kabul to join his family in Dubai. Multiple sources confirmed that the once high flying Stanikzai, who could have been the foreign minister, is afraid that he could be assassinated by the Pakistani spy agency Inter State Intelligence (ISI), if he returned According to the sources, Stanikzai is accused of having "close" ties with Russia and links with India, by the radical, pro-Pakistan, Haqqani group members in the Taliban government. Stanikzai was educated at the Indian Military Academy. India's first formal contact in August with the Taliban was with Stanikzai, who was then the head of the Taliban's political office in Doha. Later after Afghanistan was captured, Stanikzai, who was expected to be the new foreign minister of the Taliban regime, had said that the group wanted to continue Afghanistan's political, economic and cultural ties with India. Taliban leadership of Haqqani faction and the Pakistani ISI are concerned about Stanikzai's "suspicious" relations with India. Now, like his fellow and the deputy prime minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Stanikzai also stands isolated inside the Taliban. "These two guys, Abbas Stanikzai and Mullah Barader who had told the world for over two years, that we are 'the changed Taliban', one has been exiled like ex-president Ghani in UAE and the other has been isolated in Kabul," says Iranian journalist Tajuden Soroush in his post on Twitter. But unlike Stanikzai, Mullah Baradar, who escaped to Kandahar to save his life after he was injured in a fight with Haqqani faction in Kabul last month, is "forced" to live in Afghanistan as his family is in Quetta in Pakistan under the ISI's protection. Now Baradar is back in Kabul but refused the security provided by the Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani despite the latter insisting that it was their job to provide personal security to the deputy PM. Divisions and mistrusts among the Taliban leadership are now in open, raising questions about the unity within the group, which took over Afghanistan last month. Baradar and Stanikzai have both disappeared from the scene. Afghanistan's defence minister Mullah Yaqoob, son of founder of the Taliban Mullah Omar, is still in Kandahar and out of public view. The same is the case of the Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who stays in the shadows and remains off and on in Kabul with his relatives, Anas and Khalil Haqqani. The factional fighting is evident between the Taliban's Kandahari section headed by Mullah Yaqoob and the Kabul faction headed by Sirajuddin Haqqani. The Kandahari faction wants no interference from Pakistani ISI. However, the ISI is orchestrating power play in Kabul through Haqqanis. Afghan experts say the Taliban government has failed to provide even minimum governance and security to the Afghans. Despite three major attacks by ISIS-K, the "clueless" interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who has the responsibility for internal security of the country, is conspicuous by his absence. "Where is the Taliban supremo Hibutallah Akhunzada and the Prime Minister Hasan Akhund?" wonders an Afghan journalist who wished to remain anonymous due to security reasons. Both are "inaccessible". According to the journalist, the Taliban supporters have rejected the rumours about the death of their Amir al-Mu'minin Hibutallah Akhunzada and said that he was in Kandahar. As for the Prime Minister Hasan Khund, like all his top ministers Mullah Yaqoob and Sirajuddin Haqqani, he too remains in the shadows for security reasons. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Dhaka/New Delhi, Oct 18 : Bangladesh has traditionally had a highly sensitive politico-religious fabric, where any developments within the country or in the Islamic world has had implications on the politics and religious contours of the Bangladeshi society. The balance between those influenced by radical Islamic ideology and those from liberal democratic background in Bangladesh is a very fine line, which often gets blurred at a mere flash of an incident hinging on religious differences. The latest incident of attacks by radical Muslim groups on various Durga puja sites in Bangladesh, starting from Comilla on October 13 and thereafter spreading to other areas, was a clear indication of rejuvenated radical sentiments taking over the conservative sections of the society. One witnessed such strong radical Islamic sentiments in Bangladesh soon after the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. The fact that a picture showing a copy of the Quran placed with the idols at one of the Durga Puja sites in Comilla could lead radical elements go on a rampage across the country portends serious dangers for the Bangladeshi society. Significantly, even though the attacks appeared an abrupt reaction to the developments, the manner in which they were carried out indicated a well-planned strategy by the perpetrators, who were mostly students and teachers of madrasas from across the country. The 'criminals' coordinated their activities at different locations, including Chandpur, Feni, Noakhali, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Sylhet. In the eastern districts of Bangladesh, which happen to be the stronghold of Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI), concentrated attacks were witnessed in an organised manner, thereby indicative of a role by the HeI. The HeI has been under pressure from the government due to detention of several of its leaders and has been waiting on the sidelines looking for an opportunity to undertake such an action. The group could have thus exploited the latest opportunity to convey a message to the larger conservative Muslim population and also to the government. A number of Islamist organisations like the Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat-e-Majlish, and Ahl-e-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat also condemned the apparent desecration of the Quran. The Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) referred to the incident as a severe blow to the sentiments of the Muslims. The possibility of militant outfits such as the Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) and the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) also exploiting the situation to become more active will remain a major concern for the Bangladesh government. In this backdrop, political parties such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Isalmi would certainly exploit the narrative to build on their prospects and political agenda. A combined onslaught by the entire range of radical Islamic entities and opposition parties against the government will certainly pose a major challenge to the Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The activities of these entities are thus more aimed at discrediting the Bangladesh government and the Awami League and building a narrative portraying the government as either incapable of or not prepared to defend the rights of the Muslims. The government has thus adopted a cautious stance, balancing the action in a manner that it does not get branded negatively. In the past, one has seen the ISI coordinating with Bangladesh-based militant organisations through training, funding and providing weapons. The HuJI for instance had targeted Sheikh Hasina in the past, besides pro-liberation politicians, and can do so by building on the anti-government narrative being created now. The combine of radical Islamist organisations along with the BNP/JeI and certain external forces would want to see a change in the present government and return to a more conservative political set-up that would cater enough space for the radicals in terms of governance. Defending the nation against such aggressive radical trends would be a major challenge for the Bangladeshi security forces. They would be required to remain more agile and alert than in the normal course. If this adverse trend continues, entities such as the Ansar al-Islam (AaI), the Bangladesh chapter of Al Qaeda in the Indian sub-continent, are also likely to get active with the possible support of elements operating out of Afghanistan who are looking for newer bases in the region. The HeI considers Taliban as its ideological friend and the Al Qaeda and ISIS have traditionally expressed their keenness to participate in armed battle in the Arakan state of Myanmar. In this scenario, experts in the security domain monitoring the developments in Bangladesh advice that there is need for Bangladesh to closely monitor the activities of HeI and its links with the Taliban and Al Qaeda, besides monitoring the activities of Bangladeshi nationals associated with the ISI. The social media and electronic communication systems, which often play a catalyst to such negative developments, will also require close monitoring. Besides, militants, who have been released on bail as well as those having links from the past with Afghanistan-based groups/individuals, will also need to be monitored closely. A worst case scenario that one could envisage would involve a coordinated and proactive action by these groups leading to a collapse of the security fabric. Such a situation could be marked by physical attacks on Hindus, Western and Indian entities and also on political leaders from the ruling party. This would undoubtedly put Bangladesh in dire crisis and wash away the tremendous successes it has achieved under the present government in every field. Hyderabad, Oct 18 : Three months after leaving the BJP, former minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh Mothkupalli Narasimhulu on Monday joined the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). TRS President and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao welcomed him into the party at programme held at party headquarters Telangana Bhavan. Narasimhulu, a Dalit leader, is likely to be appointed as chairman of Dalit Bandhu Corporation to oversee implementation of the scheme. It was in 2019 that he had joined BJP after being expelled from Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for making allegations against the party leadership. He, however, quit BJP in July this year, alleging that the saffron party did not give him due recognition. Narasimhulu, who was with the TDP since its inception in March 1982, has served as a minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh. Welcoming him into TRS, Chandrasekhar Rao recalled that they worked together for many years. He claimed that his friendship with the former minister is beyond politics. KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, pointed out Narasimhulu is known as a leader who serves as the weaker sections of the society. As a minister for energy, Narasimhulu has seen the power problems then faced by Telangana, he said, adding that he launched a movement for statehood to Telangana to solve the problems faced by the region. He pointed out that those opposing statehood to Telangana tried to create fear among people that in a separate Telangana, Maoists will roam around with AK-47 rifles and the state will not receive investments. He claimed that when he launched Telangana movement some people threatened to kill him but he was not afraid. KCR said he convinced national parties to support statehood to Telangana and finally achieved the goal. He said he met BSP leader Mayawati alone 19 times to seek her support. Stating that there is a vast difference between Telangana of that time and today, he claimed that people living in urban areas were looking towards villages for migration as the rural areas have transformed under the self-rule. KCR said schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Beema revived the agriculture. He reiterated that the government will definitely launch Dalit Bandhu like schemes for all castes, especially economically weaker sections, asking why rulers in the past never thought of launching a scheme like Dalit Bandhu. He said BJP MLAs in Karnataka are demanding that schemes being implemented in Telangana should be launched in their state else Raichur district be merged with Telangana. The TRS chief said there was no doubt that TRS will win another term in power. He said Rs 23 lakh crore will be spent in Telangana in next seven years. On Dalit Bandhu alone, Rs.1.70 lakh crore will be spent. Colin Powell met with Atal Behari Vajpayee during a visit to India in 2004 when he was the United States Secretary of State and Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. (File Photo: PIB/IANS) Image Source: IANS News New York, Oct 18 : Colin Powell, who blasted through racial barriers to become the US' first African American Secretary of State, National Security Adviser, and the top military officer and was a one-time favourite for President, died at the age of 84 on Monday from COVID-19-related complications despite being vaccinated, according to his family. The son of Jamaican immigrants, he showcased America's opportunities for immigrant families. Growing up in the impoverished Harlem section of New York City, he attended a local college where he excelled in the Reserve Officers Training Corps -- the equivalent of the NCC -- leading to a distinguished army career that led him to the military's highest position of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He served two tours of duty as a young military officer in Vietnam winning several military honours. Powell made several visits to India as the National Security Adviser, when he conferred with his then-counterpart Brajesh Mishra, and as Secretary of State when he met then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee many times. In a trip in 2003 to both India and Pakistan, he sought to keep the situation in the subcontinent spinning out of control after a massive suicide attack in Srinagar by the Islamabad-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad. George W Bush, who appointed his Secretary of State, said in his tribute: "Many Presidents relied on General Powell's counsel and experience." The African American leader's career reached its heights during the terms of Presidents belonging to the Republican Party. He did a stint as a White House Fellow when Richard Nixon was President. Ronald Reagan appointed him National Security Adviser in 1987 as the Cold War was winding down and had him help negotiate the transition as the Soviet Union disintegrated. George H.W. Bush appointed him to the top Pentagon position. As the Joint Chiefs Chairman, he developed what came to be known as the "Powell Doctrine" learning from the US debacle in Vietnam, the makings of which he had witnessed first hand. Its three elements were that military force should be used only when diplomacy and politics had failed, the force should be the maximum in order to quickly defeat the enemy with minimal US casualties, and the action should have wide public support. The doctrine was effective as he led the 1989 invasion of Panama to overthrow President Manuel Noriega -- a small operation -- and in repelling the 1990 Kuwait invasion by Iraq under Saddam Hussain with an overwhelming deployment of force against Baghdad's forces. "First we're going to cut it off. Then we're going to kill it," he said of his strategy against the Iraqi military. But he also knew the limitations of military power, advising Bush against pushing onward to Baghdad as many had wanted. That lesson was lost on Bush's son who mired the US in an unwinnable war by invading Iraq in 2003. He left the military in 1993 amid differences with the administration of Democratic President Bill Clinton, including over the US military role in the Balkans. As the acknowledged hero of the Kuwait war where he led the US to a swift decisive victory, there was a clamour for him to run for President as the Republican candidate in 1996 against Clinton, but he declined saying that he had no passion for politics and did not hear a "calling" to seek the office. He spoke at the 2000 Republican National Convention endorsing George W. Bush for President. After his election, the younger Bush appointed Powell as the Secretary of State. Although Powell had made his mark leading the US and allies vanquishing Iraq in 1990, that country also marked his lowest point, as he himself has acknowledged. As Secretary of State, he made a persuasive case at the United Nations in 2003 for invading Iraq based on intelligence that proved to be false and in his autobiography he called that "one of my most momentous failures" and predicted that it "will earn a prominent paragraph in my obituary". The Iraq invasion under the younger Bush was in fact a negation of the Powell Doctrine and the US paid a colossal price for it. It cost the US and world a huge human toll that could total in over a hundred thousand people dead in Iraq and from its reverberations in the region, and a loss of possibly more than a trillion dollars. Powell broke with the Republican Party when Donald Trump became its candidate for President in 2016. He called Trump a "national disgrace" and backed Hillary Clinton. Powell endorsed President Joe Biden last year saying that he "will be a President we will all be proud to salute". Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the first African American to hold the post, called Powell "one of the greatest leaders that we have ever witnessed". (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis) Mumbai, Oct 18 : After the overwhelming response to recent back-to-back hits "Puaada" and "Qismat 2", another Punjabi film, "Fuffad Ji" is all set to premiere on November 11. Starring Binnu Dhillon and Gurnam Bhullar, "Fuffad Ji", a comedy of errors, is a Zee Studios-K. Kumar Studios co-production directed by Pankaj Batra. Taking to social media, Bhullar shared his excitement tweeting: "Team #Fuffadji is ready to entertain your family, we'll be waiting at your nearby theatres." Jasmin Bajwa plays the female lead and model Sidhika Sharma will make her debut in it. Commenting on the impending release, Batra said: "I feel fortunate to be able to release our film which we started making even amidst the pandemic. I hope people shower it with love." Shooting for the film had started in June. Srinagar, Oct 18 : Mobile Internet services were suspended in parts of the Kashmir Valley as a precautionary measure on Monday. In Srinagar district, the areas where the service was suspended include Anchar, Eidgah, Qamarwari, Soura, Maharajgunj, Nowhatta, Safa Kadal and Bagyass. In Kulgam district, it was suspended in Wanpoh, Qaimoh and in Pulwama, the service was snapped in Litter area. The mobile Internet suspension has come in the aftermath of recent civilian killings. Nine civilians have been murdered by militants in Kashmir over the last 15 days triggering fear, anger and panic in the Valley. On October 12, a street vendor from Bihar, Virender Paswan was killed by militants in Srinagar's Eidgah area. The same day, owner of a reputed pharmacy, M.L.Bindroo and a taxi driver were killed. On October 14, a school principal and a teacher were killed in Eidgah area of Srinagar by militants. On Saturday, a street vendor from Bihar and a carpenter from Uttar Pradesh were killed in two attacks by militants. On Sunday, two labourers from Bihar were killed and another critically injured in Kulgam district. Tenga : , Oct 18 (IANS) Amid border tensions with China on the Line of Actual Control, young and mid-level Indian Army officers deployed in Arunachal Pradesh are undergoing a short orientation course on Tibetan culture, language and topography, and will subsequently "assist in military operation capability". "They are undergoing Tibetology Orientation Cadre course at the Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies, at Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh," said a senior Indian Army officer. The aim of the orientation course, the officer said, is enhance awareness among the young and mid-level officers about Tibet, its demographic, its culture, its people, and its history. "Once they undergo this course, they will be fully aware about the whom they would be dealing with on the other side of the Line of Actual Control," said a senior officer at 5 Mountain Division. During the course, the officers are also taken to nearby monasteries where they interact with monks to understand Buddhist philosophy. "The basic Bodhi language are also being taught during the orientation course," said the officer, adding that it is a 42 day rigorous programme. The first batch of 15 officers were trained in 2020. The second batch of 25 officers started this year. About the course's benefits, the officer said that it helps in analysing information, and collating that information to help the force understand what they are dealing with in a particular situation. He also said that the officers who have undergone this course "assist the force in military operation capability". The course is voluntary for these officers but importantly it will be endorsed in their career report for sure. Major Pritam, who took this course, said that he was completely unaware about Tibet and the people when he came to Arunachal Pradesh. "After doing the course, I know what was missing. I was missing the essence," he said. The force's first target is to get around 200 officers trained in Tibetology. Offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in Buddhist and Himalayan studies, the centre was established under the aegis of the Buddhist Culture Preservation Society, Bomdila in 2003. In 2010, it became an autonomous body under the Union Culture Ministry. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) Hyderabad, Oct 18 : The Telangana government on Monday announced that it will formulate a strategy to deal sternly with the drug menace in the state. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will hold a meeting with the top officials of Police and Excise Departments on October 20 to evolve the strategy. During the recently Assembly session, the Chief Minister had given an assurance that the government will deal stringently with the drug peddling. He gave the assurance when Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi drew his attention to the growing problem of drugs in Hyderabad. According to the Chief Minister's Office, after formation of Telangana, the state government had taken several measures to strengthen the Police Department, which included its modernisation, for maintaining better law and order situation in the state. The state government had strictly enforced the ban on illicit liquor, and playing cards clubs. Against the backdrop of increase in the drug abuse cases in the country as well as the illegal drug mafia, the CM will be holding a high level meeting with the police and excise officials in the state to take measures to eradicate and arrest the problem, the CMO said. Home Minister Mehmood Ali, Excise Minister T. Srinivas Goud, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Home and Excise Departments' chief secretaries, DGP Mahender Reddy, police commissioners, and other top officials will attend the meeting. The CM has instructed the district excise officials to come out with reports on the existing situation and measures so far taken. The meeting will also discuss the matter pertaining to incidence of illicit liquor sale and functioning of playing card clubs at some places in the state and the measures to be taken to curb them immediately. By and large, the illicit liquor trade and functioning of the playing cards clubs were successfully controlled in the state barring a few incidents. The proposed meeting will draw an action plan to prevent youth from getting into the trap of drug abuse and also rehabilitate those who became victims. Kolkata, Oct 18 : A day after the state intelligence department issued an alert following the communal unrest in Bangladesh, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Monday instructed the administration and the police to stay alert and not allow the spread of any kind of communal instigation in the state. The state government has sent written instructions to all the Police Commissionerates, Additional CPs, SPs, DIGs and IGPs, IG (IB) of North Bengal, Regional IGs, ADGs, and DGP of Railways, urging them to be vigilant and take immediate action in case of any untoward incident. "There is Fateha-Dawaz-Daham on Tuesday and the district administrations have been asked to keep a strict watch on the sensitive areas. All the bordering districts have been put on high alert. The District Magistrates and SPs have been asked to instruct all the police stations to stay alert. Any kind of spread of provocative or communal messages will be strictly dealt with," a senior official of the state Home Department said. The state government's instructions came after an alert was issued by the state intelligence department on Sunday. In the wake of the incidents of vandalism and arson on Hindu temples and Durga Puja pandals in Noakhali and Chittagong districts in Bangladesh, and considering the immersion of Durga idols followed by Fateha-Dawaz-Daham in West Bengal, the state intelligence department had issued an alert to all the districts, particularly the bordering ones, asking them to sensitise the officers to avoid any kind of untoward incident. "Since October 13, social media platforms have been flooded with posts of vandalism of Durga Puja pandals in Bangladesh. Centering these issues, the bordering districts have become hyper sensitive and the leaders of different Hindu fundamentalist organisations have become pro-active and are delivering press statements and urging the Prime Minister to take necessary steps for the immediate relief of the Sanatani people of Bangladesh," the alert had said. It added, "It is pertinent to mention here that immersion of Durga idols in West Bengal has already begun and will continue till October 18, while the Muslim festival of Fateha-Dawaz-Daham is scheduled to be held on October 18 and 19. "We will not tolerate any kind of communal unrest in the state and all the district administrations and the police have been asked to handle any kind of communal situation strictly," the official added. New Delhi, Oct 18 : Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh, said on Monday that blue economy is a vast socio-economic opportunity for coastal nations such as India to utilise ocean resources for societal benefit responsibly. "India's blue economy is understood as a subset of the national economy comprising an entire ocean resources system and human-made economic infrastructure in marine, maritime and onshore coastal zones within the country's legal jurisdiction. It aids the production of goods and services that have clear linkages with economic growth, environmental sustainability and national security," Singh said. "India's oceans are our treasures and therefore the 'Deep Ocean Mission' initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi heralds yet another horizon to harness various resources to enrich the blue economy," Singh said while addressing an interactive session on 'Role of Research Technology and Startups in Blue Economy' at the inaugural session of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' week organised by the Ministry of Earth Sciences here. Emphasising the need to reach out to the stakeholders across sections, Singh reminded that connecting the industry is one of the themes of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'. It is, therefore, important to ensure that the indigenous startups or the Swadeshi startups actively participate in the programme, he added. With its vast scientific acumen and natural resources, Singh said, the Ministry of Earth Sciences has been catering to various needs of common people, ranging from agro-meteorological services to conversion of salt water into sweet water through indigenous technology. "In the times to come, marine pollution is going to pose a formidable challenge and denudation of the coast will add to the erosion of the coastal land. The Ministry of Earth Sciences has developed an innovative technology from the coast of Puducherry and it can be strengthened in other areas as well," he said. New Delhi, Oct 18 : The Delhi Police said on Monday that the farmers' 'Rail Roko' agitation did not create any law and order situation in the railway stations of the national capital. "The protest did not cause any disturbance or law and order situation," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways), Harendra Kumar Singh, told IANS. However, he said that some trains got delayed due to the agitation as they had to be stopped for a while before entering the railway stations in the city. "We worked in close coordination with the Government Railway Police (GRP) of the neighbouring states," the DCP noted. Throughout the day, there was heavy police presence in and outside several railway stations in order to avoid any untoward incident. Delhi Police had deployed its personnel at the strategic points of the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station. "It was a preventive action," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Esha Pandey, told IANS. The farmers' umbrella body -- Samyukt Kisan Morcha -- had given a call for six-hour Rail Roko from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday demanding the ouster of Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Ajay Misra Teni over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence which claimed the lives of nine people, including four farmers, on October 3. The minister's son, Ashish Misra, is a prime accused in the case. "We wanted to put pressure on the Modi government to take action against Ajay Misra, instead of defending him and his son," a farmer leader had told IANS earlier. In a bid to counter any untoward incident, the cops were seen patrolling on the platforms of the railway stations. "the situation was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported," a police officer deployed at the Nizamuddin railway station said. Reports coming from other railway stations in Delhi were similar. The Delhi Cantonment railway station also witnessed heavy presence of cops. "We deployed sufficient number of police personnel and the situation remained normal during the day," a police officer said. The farmers' body on its part claimed that over 290 trains were affected by the agitation with over 40 trains getting cancelled. However, there was no official confirmation on that. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Hyderabad, Oct 18 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said that the government will procure paddy from farmers during the ongoing monsoon season as was done last year. He directed the Civil Supplies Department officials to procure paddy through 6,545 purchase centres formed last year. At a review meeting on the issue, he said farmers should not feel worried or anxious about the paddy procurement in the state. He suggested to farmers to clean their paddy, ensure that it had no moisture, and bring dry paddy to the procurement centres. He said the government was taking all measures to procure the paddy as per the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Meanwhile, the Chief Minister decided hold an extended meeting with the district Collectors and senior officials of the Forest Department on October 23 on the Podu lands issue and Haritha Haaram programme. According to Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the day-long meeting would discuss the problems faced by the tribals, Adivasis who are doing the shifting cultivation (Podu). It will discuss measures to solve the problems sympathetically and also measures to be taken to protect and preserve the forests. The meeting would formulate a comprehensive action plan on these issues. While assessing the results so far obtained by the Haritha Haaram programme, the meeting would also discuss the future action plan. Before the meeting, a team of three top officials will study and examine the Podu lands issue at the field level in the forest areas. The official team will visit the forest by a helicopter from October 20 to 22. The team will comprise Special Chief Secretary Shanti Kumar, Tribal Welfare Secretary Christina Z. Chongtu and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Shobha. The proposed meeting on Podu land issue will be attended by Forest Minister A. Indrakaran Reddy, Tribal Welfare Minister Satyavathi Rathod, Panchayat Raj Minister E. Dayakar Rao, Secretaries of the departments concerned, heads of the departments, all district Collectors, district Conservators of Forest, Divisional Forest Officers, ITDA Project Officers and others. New Delhi, Oct 18 : A policeman was killed while 17 persons were injured in a blast near the Balochistan University on Quetta's Sariab Road in Pakistan on Monday, the Dawn reported. Law enforcement agencies and rescue officials began arriving on the scene shortly after the incident was reported. The area has been cordoned off by the security officials. Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said that a police truck deputed outside the varsity gate was targeted with an explosive device planted in a motorcycle. Initially, Shahwani had said that one police officer was killed and eleven persons, including seven cops and four passersby, were injured. In a later update, he said that 17 people had been injured in the incident, the report said. Civil Hospital spokesperson Wasim Baig added that the injured included 13 police officers and four passersby. Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove said that the police had been providing security to protesting students outside the varsity when the blast occured. "The attackers wanted to target the students, but the police officers were targeted due to tight security arrangements that were in place," the minister said. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed condemned the incident and said that he has sought a report from the Balochistan IGP. On September 25, four security personnel were killed and two others were injured in a bomb attack on a vehicle of the Frontier Corps (FC) in the Khosat area of Balochistan's Harnai district. The banned Baloch Liberation Army had claimed responsibility for the attack. The FC soldiers were on patrolling duty. When their vehicle reached the Safar Bash area, the improvised explosive device went off, resulting in the martyrdom of four soldiers and injuries to two officers. Chandigarh, Oct 18 : The Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), Vijay Sampla, on Monday asked the acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh, to ensure that the last rites of Lakhbir Singh, who was lynched on the Singhu border, are performed as per Sikh 'rehat maryada' (tradition). In a letter to the Jathedar, Sampla said, "You must be aware of the brutal murder of Lakhbir Singh, a Scheduled Caste Sikh from Punjab, at the farmers' protest site at Singhu near the Delhi-Haryana border. "You must have also got the information that some people, especially the members of the Satkar committee, objected to the victim's cremation as per Sikh rituals, citing sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. "In the viral videos, the culprits and other people can be heard saying that Lakhbir Singh had disrespected the Sikh holy book. But in reality, no video has surfaced on social media or news organisations which can prove that Lakhbir Singh committed sacrilege." The NCSC chief said that as per the statements given by the farmers' organisations during press conferences, the victim was found with the Sarbloh Granth, and not the Guru Granth Sahib. "In one of the viral videos, Lakhbir Singh was seen lying on the ground with his amputated hand, whereas in another video, he was seen hung upside down near the main stage of the protesting farmers' organisation, Samyukt Kisan Morcha. "A third viral video shows that he was tied to a road barricade, probably after his death," Sampla said, adding, "We firmly believe that Lakhbir Singh should not be termed as guilty until the police investigation proves the same." Sampla also mentioned that in Punjab, especially in the border districts, a large number of SC Sikhs have been targeted and converted by missionaries and institutions, and the process is still on. Incidents like the murder of Lakhbir Singh and objection during his cremation will further speed up the conversion drive, he said. While requesting the Jathedar, Sampla further said that Lakhbir Singh's 'bhog' rituals should be performed as per Sikh tradition as this will increase the respect for Sikhism in the SC society. New Delhi, Oct 18 : All three unions of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences held a hour-long protest against the hospital administration on Monday, and have threatened to go on strike if their pending demands are not considered by the administration. The AIIMS unions, comprising about 15,000 of the AIIMS Employees Union, the AIIMS Nurses Union and the Officers Association of AIIMS, said that it was a symbolic protest but they will go on strike from October 25 if their demands -- assured after the 2020 strike -- are not fulfilled. This is likely to cause problems to thousands of patients undergoing treatment at the AIIMS. "To show our strength to the AIIMS administration, hundreds of employees of the three union held a symbolic protest today and raised slogans against the AIIMS administration," AIIMS Nurses Union President Harish Kajla said. He said that the nursing officers and nurses were assured by the government after the strike in December last year that all demands would be discussed and problems would be resolved but nothing has happened yet. Apart from separate issues of the three unions, there are also some common issues they are demanding redress from the administration, he added. Officers Union President Ajit Kumar said that AIIMS administration has not fulfilled any of their demands so far. He said that despite being a central employee, only 10 per cent employers' contribution is being given to the nurses in the NPS scheme, while the Central government gives 14 per cent contribution to its employees. He said that they have been demanding a cadre review since long. Ajit Kumar also said that the AIIMS administration will be responsible for any loss and damage caused by the unions' strike. New Delhi, Oct 18 : Reminding the rich countries to loosen their purse strings for climate mitigation in developing nations, the 'Like Minded Developing Countries' (LMDC) on Monday also warned them against coercive unilateral measures in the name of climate change response. Participating virtually in the LMDC Ministerial meeting titled 'Preparations for COP 26 on Climate Change - Expectations and Challenges' on Monday, India's Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister, Bhupender Yadav called for rapid reduction of emissions by developed countries in this decade. Demanding the developed countries to present, at COP26, a clear roadmap with a significant public funded component on their continued existing obligations to mobilise at least $100 billion per year from 2021 to 2025, the LMDCs also exhorted the rich countries that they "must increase the ambition of this collective goal and urgently initiate the process within the UNFCCC on setting the new collective quantified goal on finance support to be provided by developed countries to developing countries as soon as possible, including a detailed roadmap outlining milestones for setting a goal prior to 2025". LMDC comprises around 25 developing countries from Asia and other regions. UNFCCC is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that hosts the annual climate change summit. The climate change conference (COP26) this year will be held at the UK's Glasgow from October 31 to November 12 with an ambitious target of negotiating emission cuts in a manner to restrict the global temperature rise. "For developing countries to enhance their ambition, developed countries must provide enhanced support," said a statement endorsed by the LMDC Ministers at a ministerial level LMDCs meeting hosted by Bolivia with less than two weeks to go for the crucial COP26. Expressing their full support to COP26 Presidency and willingness to work closely and constructively with all other parties and stakeholders towards a successful COP26 through "multilateral process that is conducted in an open and transparent, inclusive, party-driven and consensus-based manner", the LMDCs warned that "unilateral coercive measures against developing countries and proposals by developed countries to introduce unilateral carbon border adjustment measures in the name of climate change responses" are discriminatory towards developing countries and violate international trade rules, as well as the principles of equity and the UNFCCC provisions. Such measures must be strongly opposed, as they are detrimental to multilateral cooperation, the statement added. The LMDCs also reiterated how their successes thus far have only been possible with a strong team of negotiators and said: "We must continue to provide strong support to our negotiating team." Yadav, in his address, noted that the commitments of carbon neutrality and to raise ambitions in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to be in line with climate justice and principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC). He highlighted the ambitious climate actions taken up by India in areas of renewable energy, energy access, and efficiency, sustainable transport including e-mobility, sustainable agriculture, enhancing green cover, etc. He noted that India has achieved a reduction of 24 per cent in emission intensity of its GDP between 2005 and 2016, thereby achieving its pre-2020 voluntary target. The Minister highlighted the importance of global partnerships and cooperation and requested the LMDC countries to join the initiatives of the International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure launched by India. New Delhi, Oct 18 : The silence that prevailed in the Valley after the first round of five civilian killings last week was shattered on the weekend, as Kashmir witnessed cold-blooded murders of four more unarmed non-locals within a span of 24 hours. On Saturday evening, the ultras first killed a non-local 'golgappa' seller, Arbind Kumar Sah from Bihar, at Hawal in Srinagar's old city. Within an hour, another non-local carpenter, Sagheer Ahmed from Uttar Pradesh, was shot dead in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. On Sunday evening, militants once again appeared at Wanpoh in south Kashmir's Kulgam district and shot at three non-local labourers. Two of them, Raja Reshi Dev and Jogindar Reshi Dev, died on the spot, while the other one, Chun Chun Reshi Das, sustained injuries. The victims, all small-time labourers, were residents of Bihar. Of the 11 civilians killed in the recent attacks, five were from other states. Among the victims were Makhan Lal Bindroo, a prominent member of the Kashmiri Pandit community and owner of a pharmacy in Srinagar, Mohammad Shafi Lone, a taxi driver, teachers Deepak Chand and Supinder Kaur and street vendor Virender Paswan. During the past one week, security forces have intensified counter-insurgency operations. According to the police, 13 militants have been killed in nine encounters after the civilian killings. The Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, has stated that three out of the five militants involved in the civilian killings in Srinagar have been eliminated. Many people are of the opinion that attacks on non-local laborers and members of minority communities are an attempt to push them out of Kashmir. Ultras are choosing soft targets as they are aware of the fact that they won't face any resistance from the unarmed victims whom they are out to kill. The militants are aware that mounting an attack on security forces means getting killed. They are killing civilians to remain in the news and to ensure that fear of gun returns to the Valley. The cold-blooded murders of innocent civilians have sent shock waves across Kashmir. Besides non-locals, natives are also living under constant fear and threat. The guns that are targeting non-locals and members of the minority communities today can turn towards the majority community tomorrow. Natives can be labelled as 'mukhbirs' (informers) and then killed. It won't be an exaggeration to mention that after August 5, 2019, when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K's special status and divided it into two Union Territories, more than 90 per cent people in Jammu and Kashmir welcomed the complete merger of the erstwhile princely state into the Union of India completely. J&K didn't react to the abrogation of the special status. There were no street protests or stone-pelting incidents and transition of the erstwhile state into a Union Territory turned out to be a smooth affair. The people of Kashmir endorsing the agenda of peace, development and prosperity has not gone down well with the militant bosses sitting across the Line of Control (LoC). They seem unhappy with the Kashmiris. By getting non-locals killed by sponsored ultras, militant handlers are projecting Kashmiris as terrorists, who won't be welcomed in any part of India if the violence against the non-locals continues. They are trying to kill two birds with one arrow, by forcing an exodus of non-locals from Kashmir they want to keep the threat perception alive, and secondly, they are trying to project Kashmiris as hate mongers and killers. The killings have left Kashmiri leaders speechless, they seem worried and are condemning these acts of senseless violence vociferously. National Conference President and former J&K Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, while reacting to these murders said that Kashmiris were not involved in these acts. "These attacks are being carried out under a conspiracy to defame Kashmiris. These incidents are an attempt to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in J&K," he said. It's not only Farooq Abdullah who has realised that a conspiracy has been hatched to label every Kashmiri as a terrorist, but many other people have also realised it. They are aware of the fact that Pakistan is out to punish them for dumping the agenda of separatists and endorsing the idea of inclusive India. They are aware that the guns can turn towards the natives, who are not interested in violence and want to live a peaceful life. The situation in Kashmir has turned volatile and the sense of insecurity has crept into every section of the society. The police and the security forces are trying their best to keep the militants at bay, but the "lone wolf attacks" and ultras gunning down unarmed people have emerged as major challenges. IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar has made it explicitly clear that providing security to all soft targets is not possible. "Time and again I am saying that there is no lapse on the security front. Soft targets were attacked who were not provided security by us. It is not possible to provide security to every soft target. We have identified the militants behind the civilian killings," he told reporters after two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, Umar Khanday and Muhammad Sultan, were killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Pampore area on Saturday afternoon. After the Pampore encounter, ultras have killed four non-locals in three attacks, one in Srinagar city and three others in south Kashmir's Pulwama and Kulgam districts. A report carried out by a news channel on Sunday morning, a day after the killing of non-local vendor Arbind Kumar Sah in Srinagar's old city, revealed that fear has gripped the non-locals as they didn't set up their carts in the Hawal area where Sah was killed. A few non-local vendors who spoke to the reporter told him that they want to go back home as soon as possible. "Life is more important than income," they said. The ultras to an extent have succeeded in creating fear among the outsiders as many of them are mulling to leave the Valley. It appears that the damage has been done. The militants are once again out to destroy Kashmir and push it back into oblivion so that people remain deprived of peace, prosperity and development. The militants are out to punish Kashmiris collectively for not supporting them and their ideology. The Valley is once again witnessing dangerous times. New Delhi, Oct 18 : Gujarat has had a long history of riots since the 19th century, but the 2002 riots were the last such upheaval in the state, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi said on Monday. "Gujarat used to have frequent riots since 1800s. However, 2002 Gujarat riots were the last one to have erupted in the state, but nobody would tell you that," the BJP leader said during a Q&A session at the '20 Years of Modification: Glimpses of Accomplishments from Gujarat to New India'. The 2002 riots are remembered as the most notorious riots in the 21st century India. According of official records, over 1,000 people lost their lives, 223 went missing, and 2,500 sustained injuries. Lekhi hailed the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to empower every section of the society, including women, and economically and socially weaker community. "The institutions and offices have always been there, it is the leadership that makes the difference. I have seen Mr Modi's work as both CM and PM. He works tirelessly for his country," she added. The Bharatiya Janta Party leader also urged the masses to contribute to the nation building by doing their bit. "Even something as little as keeping ones' streets and roads neat and clean counts as a contribution. We should try not burden our system and people just because we think it is not our job," she added. The programme was held under the aegis of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' to commemorate 75th anniversary of Indian Independence. New Delhi, Oct 18 : For last more than one year-and-a-half, China has banned Indians travelling back to China. As a result, many students, businesspersons and family members are stranded in India. The Indian Ambassador has opened dialogue with China on this issue, as this is purely a humanitarian matter, nothing as complex as a bilateral diplomatic issue. Though it has its differences with China, India has strived to keep the commercial and trade relationships going, for example, issuing visas to Chinese businessmen to visit India. This approach by China is not correct. Around 23,000 Indian students were studying medicine in Chinese universities, who are now helpless and unable to return to their course in China. The online programmes organised by Chinese universities will not be sufficient to lay the foundation for the subjects, especially the hands-on clinics. Also, the students have been forced to download apps that are banned in India. India has banned around 250 Chinese apps over the insulate border stand-off. To continue with their courses, the students are alleging that they are being pressurised to download banned Chinese apps like WeChat, Ding Talk, Superstar and a video chat app. For the time being, the students, who are members of the Indian Students in China (ISC), have been asked to ingress the Chinese app through VPN to manage their class. The students pleading have gone unheard by the Chinese authority. Under the banner of ISC, around 3,000 students sent a letter via email to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, further pleading that they will follow all the required protocols like quarantine period, getting vaccinated and testing etc. It's not only Indians who are barred from travelling to China. Even Chinese nationals are being denied visas on grounds of not meeting the health code required for boarding flights to China. The ban is also imposed on the family members who are staying as split families for the last one-and-a-half years. Some couldn't visit their ailing relatives, while some families are travelling to third countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka and the UAE to meet each other. India has started issuing visas to Chinese nationals to visit their family members in India, but it is of no use for them as China is not allowing them entry by denying visas to return back to the country. Things were unlikely to move forward till the celebrations of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) completing 100 years were completed. But they are over now and yet China is not issuing visas. On the other hand, India has started issuance of visas to Chinese businessmen in order to permit their travel to India. China with its complacent behaviour of not allowing the issuance of visas to Indians is in a way barring them to enter the country. This approach of not issuing visas should be taken on humanitarian ground, but China seems to be blindfolded, without recognising the sufferings of the students and the professionals who are stuck in India from November last year. A more stabilised and diplomatic approach will benefit both the countries and will further ease the tension. Travellers are willing to go for tests, vaccination, and 21-day quarantine for a positive response from China for allowing them to travel. New Delhi, Oct 18 : China has reiterated its plans to integrate Taiwan with the mainland country, which is complemented by military threats and frequent violation of Taiwanese air space. But Taipei has declared its intention to counter Chinese aggression in the wake of growing international support for the island country, which Beijing calls an integral part of mainland China. Chinese President Xi Jinping has asserted that Taiwan must be annexed with the mainland, which Taiwanese leadership has opposed fiercely. With the people of Taiwan completely against the annexation, China has the only option of a military takeover. And Beijing has minced no word while expressing its intentions. Military threats to Taiwan have seen a sharp increase recently, which involved incursion into the Taiwanese airspace. Any military action by Beijing is bound to bring the US and its allies into the Taiwan Strait crisis. So the Taiwan Strait is set to witness serious tension and even armed conflict in case China tries to take control of Taiwan. Jinping has asked for "peaceful reunification" of Taiwan even as he refused to rule out the possibility of a military takeover. Warning the Taiwanese people that their future is in their hands, Xi said that Chinese people had a "glorious tradition" of opposing separatism. His message was clear that Taiwan cannot be allowed to be an independent nation at any cost. "The historical task of the complete reunification of the motherland must be fulfilled, and will definitely be fulfilled," Xi said. The comments of Xi's, however, were not welcomed in Taiwan despite the fact that a section of Taiwanese people may have no problem in reunification to avoid bloodshed. "China is presently rather authoritarian. Especially under Xi Jinping, it's gotten worse. Reunification is not appropriate now," said a Taiwanese national. It will not be easy for China to get Taiwan integrated with the mainland. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has declared that the Taiwanese would not bow to pressure from Beijing and instead built strong military capabilities to fight off Chinese forces. "We will continue to bolster our national defence and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us," said she in response to Xi's comments. Tsai also stressed the international support in favour of Taiwan in case of China sends its troops to occupy the island country. "In Washington, Tokyo, Canberra and Brussels, Taiwan is no longer on the margins," she said. There was a confident tone of a very experienced and skilled politician in Tsai, who had one of the most difficult leadership positions in the world, said Mark Harrison, a senior lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Tasmania. "It also shows the expanding strategic horizons of Taipei, with the Tsai government looking Abeyond Washington in its strategic and security policies," Harrison said. The US has vehemently opposed China's intention to forcefully occupy Taiwan. The Biden administration is helping Taiwan to improve its defence capabilities and international standing to ensure Taipei is strong enough to fend off Chinese threats. Also, the US has concentrated its focus on Taiwan after its exit from Afghanistan. So it will not let Beijing swallow up Taiwan. Moreover, western countries like France and the UK have sent their warships and submarines in the South China Sea and the East China Sea seeking freedom of navigation especially in the crucial Straits of Taiwan. Japan and Australia too are pertinacious in this respect. Besides the US, Taiwan has got a new friend, who holds influence in Indo- Pacific region. It is Australia. A few years ago, Australia had nothing to do with Taiwan and its problem. However, the recent incidences of hostilities with China and fear of the South China Sea being dominated by Beijing havebrought Australia closer to Taiwan. Tony Abbott, former Australian prime minister, said, "I will be encouraging us to deepen our engagement with Taiwan in ways that are consistent with Australian government policy." Taiwan too has urged Australia to increase intelligence sharing and security cooperation in the wake of escalating military threats from Beijing. On October 1, as many as 38 Chinese warplanes entered Taiwan's airspace, which was the highest in one day so far. Moreover, China had deployed over 150 fighter jets across the Taiwan Strait when Xi Jinping spoke about reunification. The Taiwanese leadership, however, have expressed their determination to stave off Chinese aggression. "I'm sure that if China is going to launch an attack against Taiwan, I think they are going to suffer tremendously as well," said Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. "We would like to engage in security or intelligence exchanges with other like-minded partners, Australia included, so Taiwan is better prepared to deal with the war situation," Wu added. Intelligence cooperation from Australia automatically facilitates assistance to Taiwan from the Five Eye -- the strong intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the US, and the UK. New Delhi, Oct 18 : External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid on Monday decided to renew negotiations on a free trade area agreement between the two countries in November, with the aspiration that the agreement will be ready for signature by the middle of 2022. Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to Israel, met Lapid and the two also agreed on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates as well as to expand cooperation in the areas of water and agriculture, which in recent years have become a central anchor of bilateral relations. "I thank my friend, Dr. Jaishankar, for his visit to Israel, a visit which is a precursor of events which will take place next year to mark thirty years of bilateral relations between India and Israel," Lapid said after the meeting. "We are continuing with our policy of connections, and we have seen in India a very important ally for many years. India also brings with her new opportunities for cooperation. "In the last year, we have dealt, India and Israel, with the Covid-19 pandemic, and we have helped one another during this crisis. This is how friends and partners behave," he added. Following the meeting, a signing ceremony was held marking Israel's accession to the the International Solar Alliance, founded in 2015 on the initiative of India and France, which will allow Israel to contribute its knowledge and experience to the organisation. Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar participated in the meeting and signed the agreement on behalf of her country. "Membership in the ISA, alongside more than 80 countries blessed with sun and promoting solar energy, will enable the State of Israel to contribute to the global struggle against climate change and to advance together solutions for a greener future," she said. Thanking India for the support, Elharrar said that she is hopeful that membership in this organisation which has engraved on its flag investment in research and development in the field of solar energy will encourage Israeli entrepreneurs to bring forth developments in the field and to bring her country to the global forefront in this field as well. Lapid and Jaishankar, accompanied by their spouses, later visited the Shalva Centre, which cares for children with disabilities and provided support to their families. Hyderabad, Oct 18 : The Telangana government on Monday released Rs 250 crore for the implementation of the Dalit Bandhu scheme in four mandals on a pilot basis. The finance department released the money to the Commissioner of Scheduled Castes Development Department. A government order was issued towards this effect. While Rs 100 crore has been released for Chintakani mandal in Madhira Assembly constituency in Khammam district, Rs 50 crore each are meant for Tirmalgiri mandal in Tungaturthy Assembly constituency in Suryapet district, Charakonda mandal in Achampet and Kaluwakurty constituencies in Nagarkurnool district, and Nizamsagar mandal of Jukkal constituency in Kamareddy district. The four mandals in east, west, north and south of the state were selected for implementation of the Dalit Bandhu scheme on a pilot basis, in addition to the Huzurabad Assembly constituency, where the scheme was launched on pilot basis on August 16. Under the scheme, every beneficiary Dalit family will get Rs 10 lakh as grant and they will be free to chose their profession -- self-employment or businesses -- for utilising the funds. The government has already released Rs 2,000 crore for Huzurabad, where the scheme will be implemented in saturation mode. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had recently announced in the Assembly that all Dalit families in the state will be covered under the Dalit Bandhu scheme in a phased manner. He said the state has nearly 18 lakh Dalit families and it requires Rs 1.80 lakh crore to implement the scheme for all the Dalit families. He said the government is now spending Rs 3,000 crore on the scheme. Before March next year, 100 Dalit families in every Assembly constituency will be covered by the scheme. He also announced that Rs 20,000 crore will be allocated in next year's budget for the scheme. With this money, 2,000 Dalit families will be covered in each Assembly constituency. Guwahati, Oct 18 : The CPI-M, which did not field any candidate for the October 30 by-elections to five Assembly seats in Assam, will support the Congress candidates in four seats and the CPI nominee in Thowra Assembly constituency. Sources in the CPI-M said on Monday that the Left party would support the Congress nominees in Mariani, Bhabanipur, Tamulpur and Gossaiagon seats. Stating that the BJP governments both at the state and the Centre have betrayed the people, the CPI-M said that both the governments have failed to help the common people with constant price rise and growing unemployment. The CPI-M, which had contested the March-April Assembly elections as a partner of the Congress-led 10-party 'Mahajot' (grand alliance), has also urged the people not to vote for BJP candidates or its allies, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL). The BJP has fielded Phanidhar Talukdar in Bhabanipur, Rupjyoti Kurmi in Mariani and Sushanta Borgohain in Thowra, while its ally UPPL has fielded Jiron Basumatary and Jolen Daimary in Gossaigaon and Tamulpur, respectively. The by-elections were necessitated due to the Covid-related deaths of two sitting MLAs, while two Congress (Kurmi and Borgohain) and one AIUDF legislator (Talukdar) joined the BJP after quitting their Assembly membership. The counting of votes will take place on November 2. The Election Commission has banned the conduct of any exit poll between 6 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. on October 30, the day of the by-elections. Bengaluru, Oct 18 : Karnataka government has decided to permit Classes 1 to 5 to reopen from October 25, with strictly adherence to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and standard operating procedures, state Primary and secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh announced on Monday. He said that the decision has been taken as per the recommendation of the expert commitee on Covid-19 and as per the wishes of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. "Another decision will be taken on November 1, to review the situation and to allow full functioning of classes," he added. The children will be trained for a week to create awareness on Covid appropriate behaviour by teachers. Parental consent letter for physical classes is mandatory. There shall be screening for Covid-19 symptoms on entry. Fifty per cent of the capacity in a classroom is allowed. Provision for hand sanitisers should be made and physical distancing of 1 metre minimum as practically feasible should be maintained in class rooms. School managements should ensure no crowding, particularly at school entry and exit, Nagesh said. The classrooms and rest rooms should be disinfected daily, and only teachers and staff who have been vaccinated with two doses of Covid-19 vaccination will be allowed. Teachers who are over 50 years of age will use a face shield too, he added. Nagesh said that there was lot of pressure from parents of primary school children for reopening of schools. He also said that there is no plan to cut down on the syllabus. "The teachers themselves are not in favor of reducing the syllabus and they are ready to take classes to cover portions on Sundays also," he said. The Karnataka government has also further eased restrictions on swimming pools and at the airports for international arrivals. It has as been decided to discontinue SPO2 routine check except in cases of fever, cough, cold, and difficulty in breathing. It was also decided to discontinue RT-PCR test report checking for arrival except for those from selected countries notified by the Centre. The swimming pools in the state are allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity by ensuring Covid guidelines. Only persons who have taken two doses of Covid vaccine will be allowed. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, Oct 19 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Vice President Baijayant 'Jay' Panda has said that the party is 'fully' prepared for the upcoming assembly elections and it will emerge 'victorious' in all the five poll-bound states. Panda made the remark while talking to the media after a meeting of BJP's national office bearers at the party headquaters on Monday. In the meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was thanked for the vaccination campaign and various other schemes for the welfare of the poor. While talking to reporters after the meeting, Panda said that the BJP does not wait for elections. It keeps connecting with the public through different campaigns every week, every month. He asserted that India is going to achieve the target of 100 crores vaccinations. "The IMF has also praised the work of the Government of India on Corona. India's exports are growing rapidly, it is a symbol of development and today the world is praising the pace of development of the Indian economy," Panda said. The meeting, chaired by party President J.P. Nadda, was called in view of the assembly polls in five states. National office bearers, during the meeting, discussed the party's preparations, its achievements and the functioning of the organisation. The strategy to highlight the achievements of the government was also drawn during the meeting. Nadda, on the occasion, thanked the Prime Minister for the various schemes being run for the welfare of the poor and also raised questions about the attitude of the opposition parties. After the meeting, Nadda also held a separate meeting with the general secretaries of the party. Tbilisi, Oct 19 : The US and Georgia signed a memorandum of understanding on enhancing Georgia's defence and containment capabilities during US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin's visit here on Monday. "The US values Georgia as a strategic partner, and our support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering," said Austin at a joint press conference with Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze after their meeting in Tbilisi. Austin highlighted the significance of the memorandum of understanding on the Georgia Defence and Deterrence Enhancement (GDDE) Initiative, which was signed by the two ministers after the meeting, saying it underscored US enduring policy of helping Georgia to defend itself, to deter aggression and further its Euro-Atlantic integration, Xinhua news agency reported. "This marks a new phase of our bilateral security cooperation, and it demonstrates the U.S. commitment to supporting Georgia," said the US defence secretary. For his part, Burchuladze said that Austin's first official visit to Georgia reaffirms a strong strategic partnership between the US and Georgia, and serves the goal of further strengthening bilateral cooperation. "The GDDE is a critically important agreement, further upgrading the US-Georgia defence cooperation," Burchuladze said. During his visit, Austin will also meet with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and attend U.S.-Georgia joint military exercises. After his Georgia trip, Austin is set to visit Romania and Ukraine before taking part in the NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in Brussels. Abu Dhabi International Airport, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates [ AUH / OMAA ] If you are planning to travel to Abu Dhabi or any other city in United Arab Emirates, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Abu Dhabi International Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Abu Dhabi International Airport Map showing the location of this airport in United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided. Abu Dhabi Airport Info: Abu Dhabi Airport IATA Code: AUH Abu Dhabi Airport ICAO Code: OMAA Latitude : 24.4338 Longitude : 54.6481 City : Abu Dhabi Country : United Arab Emirates World Area Code : 678 Airport Type : Large Abu Dhabi Airport Address / Contact Details : Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) - Sheik Maktoum Bin Rashid Rd - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates, Phone: +971 (0)2 505 5555 Abu Dhabi Website : http://www.abudhabiairport.ae/ Airport Type : Public Operator : Abu Dhabi Airports Company Hub for : Etihad Airways, Rotana Jet No. Of Terminals : 3 Timezone : Asia/Dubai Abu Dhabi International Airport Timezone : GMT +04:00 hours Current time and date at Abu Dhabi International Airport is 19:05:57 PM (+04) on Friday, Nov 19, 2021 Looking for information on Abu Dhabi International Airport, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates? Know about Abu Dhabi International Airport in detail. 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Abu Dhabi International Airport Map - Location of Abu Dhabi International Airport Load Map United Arab Emirates - General Information Country Formal Name United Arab Emirates Country Code AE Capital Abu Dhabi Currency Dirham (AED) 1 AED = 0.272 USD 1 USD = 3.673 AED 1 AED = 0.241 EUR 1 EUR = 4.146 AED More AED convertion rates Tel Code +971 Top Level Domain .ae Major airlines flying to Abu Dhabi International Airport, Abu Dhabi This page provides all the information you need to know about Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting United Arab Emirates or traveling to Abu Dhabi Airport. 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AUH - Abu Dhabi International Airport IATA Code and OMAA - Abu Dhabi International Airport ICAO code The new 2022 model year Hyundai Venue is now in stock at Cocoa Hyundai, Florida. Cocoa Hyundai is committed to providing Florida drivers with the most popular Hyundai vehicles. The dealership has already received a substantial number of these new 2022 model-year Hyundai vehicles. The 2022 Hyundai Venue is one of these cars. This compact SUVs brand-new, updated 2022 model year vehicle is now available at Cocoa Hyundai. This compact SUV comes in three trim levels: SE, SEL, and Denim and the EPA estimated fuel efficiency of all 2022 Hyundai Venue models at 30/33/31 mpg for city, highway and combined, respectively. It achieves these impressive statistics owing to a 1.6L four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The engine has an impressive power output of 121 horsepower and a torque rating of 113 pound-feet. Regardless of trim level, all Hyundai Venue vehicles come with FWD. At the time of writing, the dealership reported having the SEL trim of the 2022 Hyundai Venue in stock. As a result, potential buyers in the Space Coast area are encouraged to check the dealerships online inventory as soon as possible and take this subcompact SUV home. To learn more about this vehicle or any other queries, the Space Coast area residents can contact the dealerships sales team at 321-631-2444 or visit their website. Cocoa Hyundai is located at 1825 West King Street in Cocoa, FL. The dealership is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Saturday it is open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. echo3D, a cloud platform that is revolutionizing the way 3D, AR and VR content is stored and streamed, has secured an investment of $4 million led by Konvoy Ventures, with participation from Space Capital LP, Remagine Ventures, and angel investors Datadog, GitHub, and Facebook. The announcement comes on the heels of echo3Ds latest milestone of registering 11,000 users worldwide since 2020. Founded in March 2018, echo3D, formerly known as echoAR, focuses on building tools and infrastructure to help developers create lighter and faster 3D games and apps. The cross-platform cloud solution stores, manages, and streams 3D content to mobile devices, browsers and smart camera devices anywhere, while connecting all of them and extracting analytics. The companys technology also converts, compresses, and optimizes 3D models, animations, and interactive content, and streams this to any smartphone, headset, or browser. Developers using echo3D have built cloud-connected games, AR advertisement campaigns, NFT marketplaces, and more. At a time when advancements in 3D have helped AR, VR and gaming to become billion dollar industries, and concepts like the Metaverse to become a reality, we are among the first to provide the backend infrastructure needed to bring these things to fruition, said Alon Grinshpoon, Co-Founder of echo3D. This is a pivotal time for the augmented and virtual reality ecosystem, and we are excited to have the support of Konvoy Ventures as we continue to grow our platform and service the tech community. We will use the funds raised to bolster our product offering, expand developer relations efforts, and grow our team of developers and marketers. Thanks to a pipeline of better, more user-friendly devices, the growth in AR and VR devices is expected to accelerate from 7.06 million units in 2020 to 76.71 million units in 2024. The gaming industry has already benefited from these advancements, seeing accelerated growth in 2021 with earnings of $335.5B. These hardware improvements highlight the tremendous challenge the industry still faces: providing backend infrastructure to support the 3D, AR and VR applications running on these devices, to reduce file sizes and development times, and improve usability for developers and users alike. echo3D, which was recently named a Verified Solutions Partner of Unity, the worlds leading game engine, has created a 3D-first content management system (CMS) and delivery network (CDN) that allow developers to build their app backend in minutes, and allow their clients to easily publish content to the 3D games and apps without involving development teams. We invested in echo3D because theyre building the infrastructure that will support the next generation of content, said Taylor Hurst, Principal at Konvoy Ventures. The future of the internet and the content we engage with will be interactive and immersive; current infrastructure is not built to support that future at scale. Since meeting Alon, and partners Koren Grinshpoon and Ben Pedazur, weve been impressed with how they view the evolution of content and their ability to build for that future. For more information on the echo3D and its latest funding round, please visit echo3D.co, or follow us on Twitter at @_echo3D_, and on Facebook at @echo3DInc. About echo3D echo3D is a cloud platform for 3D/AR/VR that provides tools and network infrastructure to help developers and companies quickly build and deploy 3D apps, games, and content. The company is backed by Konvoy Ventures, Space Capital, Remagine Ventures and Techstars, and angels from Datadog, GitHub, and Facebook, and has received grants from Y Combinator, Verizon, and NYC Media Lab. Headquartered in New York City, echo3D was named AR/VR finalists for SXSW 2020, won the 2019 DevProject Award, was recognized as among the Most Fundable Companies in 2019, and named one of the Top 25 finalists in Sir Richard Branson's Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) in 2019. Learn more about the company at echo3D.co. Boo at the Zoo Flyer We are thrilled to invite the Reston community back to our annual Boo at the Zoo. This is always such a fun event for visitors, and we cant wait to see everyone dressed up to celebrate. After cancelling last years event due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Roers Zoofari is welcoming the Reston community back to its annual Boo at the Zoo outdoor event on Saturday, October 23rd. The fun-filled Halloween event promises carnival games, animal appearances, and plenty of candy for the whole family. Starting at 10 am, visitors are encouraged to come in costume to enjoy glitter temporary tattoos and face painting, a moon bounce, and camel rides. Visitors will also get to explore a pumpkin patch, participate in a scavenger hunt to win prizes, and enjoy other special Halloween activities. When visitors arrive to trick-or-treat at the zoo, they will receive candy at the entrance and exit of the Self-Drive Safari experience. As guests make their way along the zoos walking tour, local vendors will be passing out candy to families showing off their Halloween costumes. We are thrilled to invite the Reston community back to our annual Boo at the Zoo, said Roers Zoofari CEO Vanessa Roer. This is always such a fun event for visitors, and we cant wait to see everyone dressed up to celebrate. We are so thankful for our local vendors who helped make this years Boo at the Zoo possible. Boo at the Zoo runs from 10 am to 4 pm on October 23rd. As a precautionary measure to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, tickets will be sold by time-entry so visitors will have more space to social distance during the event. For more information on the event and to purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.roerszoofari.com/events/boo-at-the-zoo/. Local vendors interested in sponsoring a treat table at the event are encouraged to contact sandra@roerszoofari.com. About Roers Zoofari Roers Zoofari is a Zoological Association of America accredited petting zoo and safari experience located in Reston, Virginia that provides opportunities for visitors to discover and connect with animals through education and hands-on interactions. Roers Zoofari is home to around 500 animals across 73 species of mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, arachnid, and butterfly. For more information about how to visit the zoo, visit http://www.roerszoofari.com. The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) is pleased to announce award-winning television producer and TV host, 15-year cervical cancer survivor, and internationally recognized advocate for cervical cancer awareness Tamika Felder as the keynote speaker for the 12th Annual Navigation & Survivorship Conference. Felder will deliver the keynote address on Friday, November 19, 2021, via the AONN+ Annual Conference virtual platform. After a diagnosis of advanced cervical cancer in 2001 at the age of 25, Felder decided to use her experience and her voice to help educate other women about ways to prevent cervical cancer. She founded Tamika & Friends, Inc., a national nonprofit organization dedicated to cervical cancer awareness through a network of survivors and their friends. Felders inspiring story has been featured in numerous media outlets around the globe. She has served as a survivor spokesperson for the Livestrong Foundation and as a community representative for the Presidents Cancer Panel in 2003. She is a former board member of the Ulman Cancer Foundation for Young Adults. She served as a patient advocate member of the Gynecological Oncology Group and the National Cancer Institutes Gynecologic Cancers Steering Committee/Cervical Task Force. She is also a former member of the District of Columbia Cancer Plans Gynecological Cancer Committee and the Maryland Cancer Plans Cervical Cancer Committee. Tamika currently serves on the board of the Global Coalition Against Cervical Cancer. The 2021 AONN+ annual conference will take place virtually on November 17-21. More information about conference registration and agenda are available on the AONN+ conference webpage. About the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc: The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc (AONN+), is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators. The organization, which has more than 8900 members, was founded in 2009 to provide a network for all professionals involved and interested in patient navigation and survivorship care services in order to better manage the complexities of the cancer treatment process. About the Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship: The Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship (http://www.jons-online.com) is the official publication of AONN+. JONS seeks to strengthen the role of nurse and patient navigators in cancer care by serving as a platform for these professionals to disseminate original research findings, exchange best practices, and find support for their growing community. About CONQUER: the patient voice magazine: CONQUER: the patient voice magazine (http://www.conquer-magazine.com) is the AONN+ premier forum for patients with cancer. CONQUER magazine features articles written by and for patients with cancer, survivors, nurse navigators, and other oncology team members. This magazine addresses the issues that patients, their family members, and caregivers face every day in an easy-to-read format. Issues include interviews with patients with cancer, information on access to care, and articles on lifestyle topics such as nutrition, stress management, personal finance, and legal and employer issues. About The Lynx Group: The Lynx Group (TLG) is a premier medical communications and education company acutely focused on oncology and rare disease states. TLG specializes in market access to and with advanced practice providers, patients, and their caregivers. With more than 100 years of combined senior leadership experience, TLG continually creates award winning medical education and cultivates strong relationships within proprietary brands serving patients and their caregivers, physicians, payers, nurses, pharmacists, navigators, and practice managers. TLG has broad and deep experience in crafting custom, award winning solutions for life science and biotech companies. Currently, TLG partners with more than 50 of the top pharma and biotech companies globally. TLG proudly serves as co-founder and association management company of the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) and the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care (AVBCC). StaffNow We are thrilled to be recognized as one of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies Inc. magazine today revealed that StaffNow is No. 475 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. We are thrilled to be recognized by Inc. Magazines Annual List of Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies, Greg Johnson, StaffNow CEO said. Last year presented new challenges for everyone and we are grateful for the dedication, sacrifice and commitment of our internal team and essential workforce. 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. 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 StaffNow StaffNow is a full-service agency created to unite talented people with excellent workplaces. StaffNow is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). The agency utilizes innovation and technology to help clients successfully recruit the skilled talent needed at the right time. With over 30 years of leadership experience, StaffNow services clients all over the country from its headquarters in Avondale, AZ; branch offices in Tempe, AZ and Davenport, IA; and satellite locations in California, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. 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, contact Stacey Johnson at staceyj@staffnowjobs.com Author Elizabeth Abbott Green has published Seeds of Destruction, a captivating memoir that chronicles her experiences living and rearing three children both at home and abroad during her husbands decades-long career as a foreign area officer and international engineer. Through her book, Green offers profound insight into the highs and lows of military life and demonstrates the role that faith played in carrying them through. During their time overseas, Green and her husband lived in several countries, including Morocco, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. While each new place offered unique opportunities for travel, exploration and friendship, moving around was not without its challenges, and Green candidly shares the difficulties of maintaining normalcy, adjusting to different cultures and spending long periods of time separated from her husband. Additionally, she touches on the difficulty of returning home to the United States after years away and being met with a radically shifting culture. Seeds of Destruction is also a powerful testimony to how God protects and cares for His children. As readers will learn through the book, Greens faith was instrumental in keeping her family safe, providing hope and guidance and connecting them with other Christians throughout the world. Through Seeds of Destruction, Green imparts a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices made by military personnel and their families and offers readers with a different perspective on American history and foreign relations. She also uses her book as a vehicle for her ministry, encouraging readers to strengthen their own relationships with God during these turbulent times. The book should be interesting to many audiences: young military families trying to cope with the almost constant overseas demands placed on them in todays military; people of all ages who love travel and are willing and able to accept the challenge; and Christians everywhere who are interested in Bible prophecy, states the books foreword. Seeds of Destruction By Elizabeth Abbott Green ISBN: 9781973601487 (softcover); 9781973601494 (hardcover); 9781973601470 (electronic) Available from Amazon, Christianbook.com and WestBow Press About the author Elizabeth Abbott Green is a former legal secretary for a large firm in Washington, D.C., and a former secretary and computer programmer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. She raised three children through the turbulence of the 1960s and 1970s and the upheaval of 20 years of military life. She has moved over 40 times, including family moves to residences in 11 states and Morocco, and has lived in four foreign countries. She has also been a devoted student of the Bible for over 30 years. To learn more about Green, connect with her on Facebook and Twitter. Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix 480-998-2600 x 586 lstandridge(at)lavidge(dot)com Helen P. Batson, a native Chicagoan, dedicated volunteer, mother, and grandmother who worked for the Chicago school system as a teacher, counselor, and administrator, retired as principal of a large Pre-K through grade 8 school in the Englewood neighborhood, and now resides in her hometown with her youngest daughter, has completed her new book I Cant Use Money, Baby!: an insightful journal charting the life of a busy and loving family. Helen Batson married a wonderful man, Barry Batson. Before they married, her husband asked her if she could move into his familys building on the West Side of Chicago because his mother was wheelchair bound, and his father needed help with her until he retired. Helen had always lived on the South Side, but she happily agreed, and they spent the first five-plus years of the marriage living on West Adams Street in Chicago. After Barrys father retired, they moved into a home on the South Side where she still resides, and they had four children. Helens mother was her primary babysitter, and when Helen would receive her little teaching check, in the early sixties, she always shared it with her mother. One day, her mother turned to her and gave her the money back and said, I cant use money, baby. Helen was so busy then that she didnt think about it at the time, but many years later, she did, and it became the subject of her first published book. Helen hopes that the children of aging parents will benefit from reading this book. Published by Page Publishing, Helen P. Batsons engrossing book is a warmhearted autobiography sharing some of the small moments that enrich the human experience. Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase I Cant Use Money, Baby! 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. Reds Helmey, a former Green Beret, Korean War veteran, and Georgia native, has completed his new book El Rojo: The Lemon Dance: a compelling true story that keeps the pages turning until the thought-provoking conclusion. Savannah is known for its Victorian-style homes, lovely squares, society balls, and colorful people. One such notable Savannahian is Robert Reds Helmey. On Super Bowl Sunday in 1969, the day Joe Namath was picking apart the Baltimore Colts seemingly invincible secondary defense, Reds Helmey was hijacking a United Airlines flight to Havana. Acting as a lone ranger, this former Green Beret was bent on a mission to single-handedly pick through a myriad of personal security defenses to get Fidel Castro. On January 11, Reds boarded a commercial 727 from Miami and forced its pilot to fly to Cuba. As the jet approached Havana, he had the pilot send a transmission to flight control. The actual radio transmission to air traffic control at Havanas Jose Marti Airport was, Tell Fidel El Rojo is coming. Published by Page Publishing, Reds Helmeys engrossing book is an excellent choice for avid readers of American and military history. I remember those uncertain days and nights in solitary confinement. The cell was the size of a small bathroom. It was a black hole that reminded me of a tomb. The lights and water were controlled by the whim of the Cuban soldiers. Walls were covered in blood, smells were nauseating, putrid. Shots rang out in the night. The sounds of human cries came to haunt me. The very beliefs that had shaped my world were shaken to the core, and I was left doubting all my previous values. -Reds Helmey Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase El Rojo: The Lemon Dance 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. We believe the best returns will come from the most diverse portfolio Cascade Seed Fund today announced it completed an $8 million first close of Cascade Seed Fund II targeted at $10 million in total size to invest in technology and consumer products companies in the Pacific Northwest. Cascade Seed Fund plays an important role in the regional ecosystem for pre-seed and seed stage companies by initially investing up to $250,000, reserving capital for future financing rounds, and bringing an institutional investor perspective to the earliest financing stages of a startup. While many venture funds continue to get larger and larger making it harder to invest smaller amounts at earlier stages, we are staying focused on being rightsized for our region both in terms of fund size and initial investment amounts, said Robert Pease, Managing Director, Cascade Seed Fund. Weve seen our investment amount, process, and approach truly accelerate companies at the early stage. Building upon a legacy dating to 2013 as an angel fund and a track record of success with notable recent exits including Topbox acquired by Khoros, Hubb acquired by Intrado, Cairn acquired by Outside, and Stabilitas acquired by OnSolve, Cascade Seed Fund focuses on building a diverse regional portfolio of early-stage companies with each fund. The prior fund includes 30% female founders and 30% founders who are persons of color in technology and consumer products companies across Oregon, Washington, and California. Notable prior investments include A Kids Company About, Rock Paper Coin, ZipCan, Solace, and GoalFive. We believe the best returns will come from the most diverse portfolio, said Julie Harrelson, Managing Director, Cascade Seed Fund. Overlooked entrepreneurs are all around us and we strive to meet them by doing hundreds of calls per year, having an open and transparent application process, and doing our best to demystify fundraising. Cascade Seed Fund has a unique operating model that utilizes an Investment Committee to provide input on investment decisions while offering better connections between entrepreneurs and investors who can leverage their networks and expertise to help. Investors in the new fund include individual and returning institutional investors Oregon Community Foundation and the State of Oregon via the Oregon Growth Account. About Cascade Seed Fund Founded in 2013 and investing as Cascade Angels Fund across five funds, we became Cascade Seed Fund in 2019 building on more than six years of early stage investing experience. Today we continue to seek out opportunities to work with amazing entrepreneurs in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest with over $20 million in assets under management invested in over 60 early stage companies. For more information, visit http://www.CascadeSeedFund.com Participation in the Cascade Seed Fund is by referral and invitation only. Angel and venture investments involve a high degree of risk. Participation is limited to "accredited investors," as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Daniel M. Kotin has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers Chicago, Illinois, Daniel M. Kotin has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. The induction ceremony at which Dan became a Fellow took place recently before an audience of approximately 687 (including both in-person and virtual attendees) during the recent Annual Meeting of the College in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds, who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are currently approximately 5,800 members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction) and Honorary Fellows. The College maintains and seeks to improve the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice through education and public statements on independence of the judiciary, trial by jury, respect for the rule of law, access to justice, and fair and just representation of all parties to legal proceedings. The College is thus able to speak with a balanced voice on important issues affecting the legal profession and the administration of justice. Dan is a partner in the firm of Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, LLC and has been practicing in this city for 30 years. The newly inducted Fellow is an alumnus of Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. Dennis Ness, a resident of York County and a proud grandpa, has completed his new book The Militia of the County York: an informative tale of the establishment of militia in York County. Ness writes of the difficulty in militia establishment, York County was no different. The largest population were Germans, who opposed to bearing arms against anyone, who joined with the Quaker leadership, who supported their religious beliefs. Several other ethnic groups were willing to bear arms to defend their homeland against foreign intervention. That combination of differences started the discord that was an issue for the years leading up to the revolution and continued through to the end of the war. Published by Page Publishing, Dennis Ness compelling tale begins with an incident in Delaware that began the movement to secure military organizations that would defend Philadelphia. To establish a militia in a state dominated by Quakers was a difficult, but this tale explains how it was done. Readers who wish to experience this intriguing work can purchase The Militia of the County York at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Thomas C. Tucker, Ph.D., has spent the last five years as an on-call hospital chaplain, beginning in the emergency department and quickly expanding into the neonatal intensive care unit and, most recently, the COVID-19 intensive care unit. In his new memoir, A Conduit: Diary of an Emergency Department Chaplain, he offers a window into his experiences working alongside medical care teams to meet the spiritual and comfort needs of thousands of patients and their families. Tucker draws from the ministry of Jesus Christ to identify three qualities essential of anyone in a position to serve others: compassion, action and faith. Blessed with the opportunity to be a conduit of these Christ-like traits, Tucker takes readers through his landmark cases as well as stories of end-of-life and ecumenical care that illuminate the transformative power of prayer and personal connection. A Conduit also focuses on the importance of teamwork and collaboration with hospital staff. Tucker recounts stories of moving equipment, giving directions to critical and trauma care locations and delivering pillows, blankets and refreshments, all of which take the stress off busy nurses and doctors and ensure patients and families receive the best possible care. Through his book, Tucker imbues a deeper appreciation for hospital chaplains as members of the medical team and inspires those with an interest in chaplaincy to pursue the role. For others, he encourages them to tap into their own spiritual gifts and discover how they can be used in service to others. Ultimately, A Conduit is a moving collection of stories about compassion, action and faith in practice. A Conduit: Diary of an Emergency Department Chaplain By Thomas C. Tucker, Ph.D. ISBN: 9781664226661 (softcover); 9781664226678 (hardcover); 9781664226654 (electronic) Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and WestBow Press About the author Thomas C. Tucker, Ph.D. serves as a volunteer chaplain in a large regional hospital, providing both spiritual and comfort care to patients and their families as well as support and assistance to the medical team. He has distributed over a gross of NIV large print Bibles to patients and offered prayer and comfort to over 10,500 patients. To learn more about Tucker, please visit thomasctucker.com. Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix Leslie Standridge 480-998-2600 x 586 lstandridge@lavidge.com HealthyChildren.org, the official American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) website for parents, celebrates Halloween with their annual Spooktacular Sweepstakes event. Ten lucky participants will win $200! Registered users of HealthyChildren.org may enter once each day during the event which runs October 22 through October 31, 2021. Winners will be announced in November 2021. About HealthyChildren.org The only parenting website backed by 67,000 AAP member pediatricians, HealthyChildren.org offers trustworthy, up-to-the-minute health advice and guidance for parents and caregivers, along with interactive tools and personalized content. Registered users enjoy a customized home page as well as a free monthly e-newsletter. A new Ages & Stages program offers parents of young children (as well as those who are expecting a new baby) weekly texts and/or monthly emails based on the age(s) of their child(ren). The site also offers a Find a Pediatrician service, an Ask the Pediatrician tool, a KidsDoc Symptom Checker, and more than 5,000 articles in English and Spanish. The goal of our summer internship program is to provide the students with mentorship and guidance as well as meaningful work experience that provides a glimpse into the everyday operations of a financial services firm, said Rob Carpenter, President, & CEO of Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors welcomed 9 summer interns who worked on a variety of different projects supporting the financial planning, investment management, and tax teams. The goal of our summer internship program is to provide the students with mentorship and guidance as well as meaningful work experience that provides a glimpse into the everyday operations of a financial services firm, said Rob Carpenter, President, and CEO of Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors. We work diligently to provide the best services to our clients, and the students have helped achieve this goal. The interns were involved in several projects over the summer, such as content development and website design of BWFAs latest service, financial planning for executives, market research, and the creation of white papers on the topics of real estate investment, cryptocurrency regulations, and social security. One particular white paper, Social Security 2.0: The Great Compromise, was written by the BWFA intern team as a culminating summer research project. The first premise of this assignment was for the students to truly understand the problem and solve it to improve the lives of every American. Second, make the solution non-partisan and non-political. Utilizing the interns hard work and research, our team discussed this concept and the groups conclusion during a firm podcast. The solution presented by the group of interns outlines a novel approach that can help every American take part in the American dream. https://www.bwfa.com/podcast/ep11-social-security-2-0-the-great-compromise-10-13-21/ Throughout their internship, students also had the opportunity to participate in client meetings and greet clients for in-office gatherings to gain real-life experience in the industry. BWFA is hosting a Virtual Internship Open House on November 19, 2021, from 11:45 am - 1:00 pm. Those students interested in exploring an internship with BWFA, please sign up here: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eii9h8jn11a5053b&oseq=&c=&ch= About Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors, Inc. was founded in 1986. It is among the largest and oldest independent, Fee-Only investment planning firms and financial advisories in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, serving Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, and regions nationwide. BWFA has been recognized as a top firm in the industry, with honors and appearances in Worth, Forbes, and Fortune magazines. BWFA experts have been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, and Investment News. We have also been honored to receive several awards, including Howard Magazines Best of Howard County and a Forbes Leading Financial Advisor. To learn more about BWFA, visit: https://www.bwfa.com/ 2021 Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry With the Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry, IUPAC provides a fresh look at technologies that are already creating new opportunities and opening new avenues for research and industry. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has released the results of the search for the 2021 Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry. The goal of this project is to showcase the transformative value of Chemistry and to inform the general public on the potential of the chemical sciences to foster the well-being of Society and the sustainability of our planet. The Jury, a selection of international experts, identified different emerging technologies, scientific advances in between a discovery and a fully-commercialized idea, with outstanding potential to open new opportunities in chemistry, sustainability, and beyond. Note that this years Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Benjamin List and David MacMillan for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis - one of the Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry selected in 2019. Freely available in the IUPAC journal Pure and Applied Chemistry is a special topic paper by Benjamin List entitled Organocatalysis Emerging as a Technology, see: https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2021-0501 The 2021 finalists are (in alphabetical order): Artificial humic matter from biomass Blockchain technology Chemiluminescence for biological use Chemical synthesis of RNA and DNA Semi-synthetic life Single cell metabolomics Sonochemical coatings Superwettability Sustainable production of ammonia Targeted protein degradation IUPAC Vice President, Professor Javier Garcia Martinez, said that In the last months, we have witnessed how vital chemistry is in facing and overcoming our most pressing challenges. Moving forward, these threats will only be more complex and unpredictable. In this regard, the recent IPCC report alerts us to the risk posed by climate change for our survival. We hope this year's edition arouses the same interest and attention as previous IUPAC Top Ten selections. The 2021 Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry are further detailed in an open-access feature article published in the October issue of Chemistry International. Fernando Gomollon-Bel, the author, remarks: While highlighting breakthroughs for a circular, climate-neutral future, the selected IUPAC Top Ten technologies will change our world for the better, making a more thoughtful use of our resources, favoring more efficient transformations, and providing more sustainable solutions in applications. The article is freely-available at the following link: https:// http://www.bit.ly/IUPACTop2021 Double Barrel Ranch: 1628 SW Mandiba Dr. Lake City, FL 32024 Life at Double Barrel Ranch allows you to enjoy the pleasures of the Midwest, without leaving the beauty of Florida. Engel & Volkers Florida today announced the listing of Double Barrel Ranch located at 1628 SW Mandiba Dr, in Lake City, Florida. Carrie Cason, License Partner of Engel & Gainesville is representing the listing. The 120 acre property and 13,000 square foot home are offered at $4,995,000. Life at Double Barrel Ranch allows you to enjoy the pleasures of the Midwest, without leaving the beauty of Florida, said Cason. Lake City is a gateway to neighboring metro areas, so its ideal for someone who wants to quickly and frequently escape their city life at a ranch. Im leveraging all of Engel & Volkers tools to maximize exposure of this prestigious property such as EDGE syndication, print advertising, public relations, digital marketing, and more. Double Barrel Ranch was dubbed as such due to its double-sided layout. Inspired by the styles of Big Sky Country, this spectacular six bedroom, six bathroom estate boasts stone accents imported from Montana and reclaimed wood decor. Modern touches include industry-leading appliances throughout the home. The property also contains two barns for livestock and farm equipment. In a brief period of time, Carrie and her team of advisors have executed a strategy of utilizing Engel & Volkers tools to secure and sell the most prestigious properties in their area, said Peter Giese, Chief Growth Officer at Engel & Volkers Florida. We are thrilled to support their continued exponential growth. Double Barrel Ranch is one of the largest properties in North Florida, making its $4.995 listing price quite the bargain. The typical value of homes in Lake City is $183,138, where prices have risen nearly 21 percent over the past year. Located between Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Gainesville near the intersection of I-10 and I-75, Lake City has long been known as the gateway to Florida. Double Barrel Ranch is located within The Oaks of Lake City, a master planned equestrian and lifestyle community located in North Florida. This unique region boasts a temperate climate, noticeable change of seasons and rolling hills. Complete with a community barn and miles of trails, this facility offers a wide variety of equestrian activities. The main barn is also available for large events such as weddings, receptions and more. ### Press contact: Linzee Werkmeister, Junior Vice President, Marketing & Franchise Support Email: Linzee.Werkmeister(at)evrealestate.com Tel: (239) 348-9000 About Engel & Volkers: Engel & Volkers is a global luxury real estate brand. Founded in Hamburg, Germany in 1977, Engel & Volkers draws on its rich European history to deliver a fresh approach to luxury real estate in the Americas with a focus on creating a personalized client experience at every stage of the home buying or selling process for todays savvy homeowner. Engel & Volkers currently operates approximately 240 shop locations with 5,000 real estate advisors in the Americas, contributing to the brands global network of over 14,000 real estate professionals in more than 30 countries, offering both private and institutional clients a professionally tailored range of luxury services, including real estate and yachting. Committed to exceptional service, Engel & Volkers supports its advisors with an array of premium quality business services; marketing programs and platforms; as well as access to its global network of real estate professionals, property listings and market data. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated. For more information, visit http://www.evrealestate.com. About Engel & Volkers Florida: Engel & Volkers Florida is the Master License Partner of the global luxury real estate brand Engel & Volkers in the state of Florida. Recognized for uniquely recruiting, training and equipping some of the top professionals in the real estate industry, Engel & Volkers Floridas exclusive franchise model positions its license partners at the top of the premium market to gain market share and support their bottom line. The company represents franchise locations in: 30A Beaches, Amelia Island, Belleair, Boca Raton, Bonita Springs-Estero, Cape Coral, Clermont, Delray Beach, Destin, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers Downtown, Gainesville, Hollywood Beach, Islamorada, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Jupiter, Madeira Beach, Marco Island, Melbourne Beachside, Melbourne Central, Melbourne Downtown, Miami Coconut Grove, Neptune Beach, Olde Naples, Orlando, Orlando Downtown, Orlando-Winter Park, Palm Beach, Palm Coast, Ponte Vedra Beach, Sarasota, South Tampa, St. Augustine, St. Pete, St. Pete Beach, Stuart, Tampa Water Street, Venice Downtown, Wellington, and Windermere. Engel & Volkers Florida is continuing to strategically strengthen and expand its presence in premium real estate markets across the state of Florida. If you would like to know more about the Engel & Volkers brand or how to join its global networkwhich is known for demonstrating competence, exclusivity and passion, feel free to call our corporate office, located at 633 Tamiami Trl N, Suite 201, Naples, FL 34102 USA. Tel: +1 239-348-9000. For more information about Engel & Volkers Florida, please visit http://www.florida.evrealestate.com I am thrilled to be a member of this talented team and well-respected firm, says Torrey Taylor. Ligori & Ligori Attorneys at Law is an established personal injury law firm based in Tampa. They are pleased to announce that Torrey Taylor will now be working for the firm. Offering service in several practice areas, Ligori & Ligori Attorneys at Law represents those injured in auto accidents, by defective products or due to another's negligence. They provide personalized service and a commitment to seeking the highest amount of compensation for a clients injury or loss. Mr. Taylors legal knowledge and experience will be a great addition to the firm. Torrey Taylor was born and raised in the Tampa Bay area and has been an active member of the local community. Mr. Taylor attended Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, where he graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2012. During his time at Stetson, Torrey Taylor volunteered many hours with the Community Law Program, a non-profit corporation founded in 1989 by members of the St. Petersburg Bar Association to provide free civil legal services to low-income individuals in Pinellas County. This dedication helped him earn the William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award for performing outstanding pro bono service beyond that required for graduation. Admitted to the Florida Bar in 2012, Torrey began his legal career litigating for some of the largest corporations in the world to protect their financial assets. He has gained the respect of many attorneys and judges throughout the state for his professionalism and advocacy. Mr. Taylor has experience practicing in various areas of law, including representing homeowners in foreclosure, real estate litigation and landlord/tenant disputes. Currently, he lends his skill as an integral member of the firms Auto Glass Litigation Department. I am thrilled to be a member of this talented team and well-respected firm, says Torrey Taylor. More About Ligori & Ligori Attorneys at Law: Ligori & Ligori Attorneys at Law has offices in Tampa, Lakeland and Ocala, Florida, serving clients needing legal help in acquiring compensation for their injuries. They handle a wide variety of personal injury and insurance claims, including those involving auto accidents, truck accidents, property damage, storm damage, wrongful death, negligence and more. The practice was established with a mission to provide personalized attention for your personal injury while leveraging resources and experience to help clients obtain fair loss compensation. For more information about or the legal services offered at Ligori & Ligori Attorneys at Law, please visit http://www.callmeonmycell.com, or call the Tampa office directly at (813) 254-7119. Most people with spinal stenosis can be effectively treated with conservative measures and gain relief without needing surgery. Just be aware of your symptoms and communicate openly with your doctor. The signs can start gradually and worsen over time, including pain or cramping in your legs, numbness or weakness in your hands or feet, and problems with balance. What might be causing such perplexing symptoms? Spinal stenosis, a common condition in older adults, according to Praveen Kadimcherla, MD, an orthopedic spine surgeon at Atlantic Spine Center. Defined as a narrowing of the open spaces within your spine, spinal stenosis happens more often in adults 50 and up, placing pressure on both the spinal cord itself and nerves that travel through the spine to the arms and legs, Dr. Kadimcherla says. Seeing a spine specialist is the wisest move to get a precise diagnosis, but fortunately, many possible treatments can offer relief. Symptoms of spinal stenosis can vary in both severity and location, explains Dr. Kadimcherla, who is fellowship-trained in orthopedic and spine neurosurgery. If the stenosis is in the neck, or cervical spine, tingling in the hand is the most common sign. If the stenosis is in the lower back, you may feel pain or cramping in your legs when standing for long periods or walking, but this typically eases when you sit down or bend forward, he adds. More alarmingly, however, spinal stenosis can trigger problems with bladder or bowel function a true emergency. Causes and risk factors Its not usually possible to prevent spinal stenosis, but certain risk factors can cause the condition or make it more likely. According to Dr. Kadimcherla, these include: Aging: The passage of time can thicken and harden bands of tissue that support the spine, causing bones and joints to enlarge, he says. When bone surfaces bulge out known as bone spurs spinal stenosis symptoms can result. Heredity: If your parent, sibling or other close relative has had spinal stenosis, youre more likely to as well. Arthritis: Since this condition wears away cartilage cushioning joints, arthritis can lead to spinal stenosis by reducing space between spinal joints where nerves travel through, he explains. Injuries: Spinal vertebrae can be fractured or dislocated by trauma such as car accidents, damaging the spinal canal and leading to stenosis. Herniated discs: Nerve roots can be painfully pinched by the protruding spinal discs that characterize disc herniation. Ligament thickening: When the tough cords holding bones in the spine together stiffen or thicken, they can push into the spinal canal and press on nerves, Dr. Kadimcherla says. With so many potential causes which include less-common ones such as spine tumors or calcium deposits proper diagnosis of spinal stenosis is imperative, he advises. Diagnosis and treatment options How is a diagnosis of spinal stenosis confirmed? It starts with a thorough physical exam and reporting of all symptoms, including their severity and duration, Dr. Kadimcherla says. Next, imaging tests will likely be ordered such as X-rays and MRI or CT scans, which can offer a look inside the body to reveal hard and soft tissues and the forces surrounding them. Sometimes doctors also use a myelogram, injecting liquid dye into the spinal column, or a bone scan showing where bone may be forming or decaying, he adds. Once your doctor knows spinal stenosis is the culprit, so-called conservative measures will first be proposed to offer relief. These non-surgical tactics may include: Prescription and over-the-counter pain relievers, which may also reduce inflammation Temporary activity limits Epidural cortisone injections, which are done at a doctors office Physical therapy and/or prescribed exercises Surgery is sometimes needed for spinal stenosis, especially if symptoms get in the way of walking or have otherwise become disabling. But this isnt the usual result, Dr. Kadimcherla says, and even if its needed, surgery can often be done using minimally invasive techniques that boast a quicker recovery. One of the most serious potential problems caused by spinal stenosis is called cauda equina syndrome, which can lead to loss of bowel or bladder control and paralysis in the legs, he says. This condition requires immediate surgery to ensure those symptoms arent permanent. Most people with spinal stenosis can be effectively treated with conservative measures and gain relief without needing surgery, he adds. Just be aware of your symptoms and communicate openly with your doctor. Atlantic Spine Center is a nationally recognized leader for endoscopic spine surgery with several locations in NJ and NYC. http://www.atlanticspinecenter.com, http://www.atlanticspinecenter.nyc Praveen Kadimcherla, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon at Atlantic Spine Center. We are thrilled to be recognized as the eighteenth fastest-growing company not just in our market, but the entire state of South Carolina. Proof of their organization's success and resilience through challenging times, PrideStaff, a national, franchised organization, is pleased to announce that their Greenville office was ranked number 18 on the 2021 SC 25 Fastest Growing Companies list. SC 25 Fastest Growing Companies was founded as a way to honor the states most dynamic businesses and their contributions to their states economic vitality. Now in its 20th year, this prestigious and increasingly competitive program recognizes the achievements of top-performing private and publicly owned companies that have contributed to South Carolina's economy through exceptional increases in revenues and employment. 2021 rankings were based on the three most recently completed fiscal years (2018, 2019 and 2020), and nominees were judged on their financial and employee growth over that three-year period. This year, CEOs and owners of the top 25 companies were honored at an awards luncheon at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on October 12. "We are thrilled to be recognized as the eighteenth fastest-growing company not just in our market, but the entire state of South Carolina," said Gary Brons, Owner/Strategic-Partner of PrideStaff Greenville. "This growth is a testament to the partnerships we have built with every client and associate we have the privilege of serving. "We wouldn't be where we are today without the PrideStaff team members who have worked tirelessly to deliver great results especially over the past two years," continued Brons. "When COVID created turmoil in our economy, employers and job seekers trusted our staff to help them through it. Now that the recovery is well underway, those trusting relationships will continue fueling growth and success for PrideStaff Greenville, as well as the South Carolina businesses and residents we serve." "Congratulations to Gary and the entire Greenville team on this richly deserved recognition," said PrideStaff Co-CEO, Tammi Heaton. "Through volatile conditions and extremely challenging times, they have adapted their services, lived our shared mission to 'Consistently provide client experiences focused on what they value most,' and become an essential business and career partner in their market." "Making this list proves how essential staffing agencies are to our economy, as well as how well PrideStaff's business model works," continued Heaton. "By consistently delivering exceptional experiences, and focusing on what clients and candidates value most, the Greenville office has grown dramatically. We're thrilled to see their hard work rewarded, and we look forward to witnessing the amazing things they will accomplish in the year ahead." About PrideStaff PrideStaff operates over 80 offices in North America to serve over 5,000 clients. With over 40 years in the staffing business and headquartered in Fresno, CA, PrideStaff offers the resources and expertise of a national firm with the spirit, dedication and personal service of smaller, entrepreneurial firms. PrideStaff is the only nationwide, commercial staffing firm in the U.S. and Canada with over $100 million in annual revenue to earn ClearlyRateds prestigious Best of Staffing Diamond Award eight years in a row highlighting exceptional client and talent service quality. For more information on our services or for staffing franchise information, click here. According to recent estimates, as many as 30 million Americans will use remote patient monitoring (RPM) tools by 2024. The goal is to monitor people during everyday activities, because doctors want to see if its those that cause cardiac issues. But many people live with the misconception that they need to reduce their normal, everyday activities because theyre wearing a monitor. According to recent estimates, as many as 30 million Americans will use remote patient monitoring (RPM) tools by 2024.(1) The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of remote monitoring and diagnostic devices, especially among cardiology practices. But many healthcare consumers still dont trust these technologies. According to some studies, as many as 30% of elderly patients dont want to share their private patient data with others in person or use RPMs.(2) This can prevent their effective use. These devices are seen as stop-gaps for when traditional, in-person appointments simply arent possible. However, communication between the provider and patient is key for overcoming misconceptions, says Stuart Long, CEO of InfoBionic. For example, a cardiologist can dispel the myth that patients cant exercise while wearing an RPM. Its important that the patient continue on about their regular activitiescardiologists need this to happen in order to capture data about cardiac events during normal life. To help ensure this happens, and to collect the most accurate data possible, cardiologists need to watch out for any concerns people may have and address them immediately. Remote patient monitoring and diagnostic devices are used for intermittent or continuous monitoring of patients with heart problems. They range from smartwatches to Holter monitors to Event monitors to near-real time remote diagnostic devices. In cardiology, remote patient monitors provide cardiac telemetry information including onset, offset, and other supplementary data used in diagnosis and management of cardiovascular conditions.(3) When used correctly, these technologies allow for ongoing monitoring at home and can help prevent hospitalization and readmission to the hospital. However, patients commonly express concern about wearing or using their device during showering, exercising, or other activities. As a result, many mistakenly assume they need to be inactive for the technology to work correctly. The goal is to monitor people during everyday activities, because doctors want to see if its those that cause cardiac issues. But many people live with the misconception that they need to reduce their normal, everyday activities because theyre wearing a monitor, Long says, In terms of functionality, remote cardiac telemetry devices dont transmit information to doctors immediately. Only more advanced technologies provide information in near-real time. For many devices, lag prevents data from reaching providers and can impact a doctors ability to provide accurate and reliable results, sometimes for weeks to months. This lag also plays into patient mistrust of these devices. Immediate access to data collected from the patient can help cardiologists assuage patient fears that such technology cant provide real-time benefits. Only remote monitoring and diagnostic devices, such as InfoBionics platform, generate automated reports that can be accessed anytime, 24/7 through a secure HIPAA-compliant portal. The device can be used as a Holter, Event, and MCT depending on the patients needs and the suspected diagnosis. It is the only device of its kind to provide such a high level of functionality while also providing data to providers so they can make decisions about patient care sooner. But patients cant always immediately begin utilizing RPM technologies. Instead, most insurance companies require patients to try alternatives first. For example, a patient may be required to wear a two-day Holter monitor before another device will be considered for coverage. Even so, its likely the patient would have to use another monitor for a minimum of 30 days. Only after exhausting most or all other options would a patient be approved for a mobile cardiac telemetry (MCT) device. Its very reassuring for patients to know that, if theyre wearing a monitor, it will continuously record data and immediately transmit it to a doctor. Then, the doctor can review that information to arrive at a diagnostic conclusion. More information captured on a timelier basis is key for helping patients live healthier, says Long. About InfoBionic: InfoBionic is a digital health company transforming the efficiency and economics of ambulatory remote patient monitoring processes by optimizing clinical and real-world utility for the users that need it most physicians and their patients. The Massachusetts-based team of seasoned entrepreneurs have had successful careers in healthcare, IT, medical devices and mobile technology, and bring specific expertise in remote monitoring and cardiology. They have seen first-hand the complexities of traditional cardiac arrhythmia detection and monitoring processes and designed the transformative MoMe Kardia platform to remove the roadblocks hindering faster, more effective diagnosis and decision-making. Frost & Sullivan bestowed the 2019 North American Remote Cardiac Monitoring Technology Leadership Award upon InfoBionic. 1. Dolan, Shelagh. The Technology, Devices, and Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring in the Healthcare Industry. Insider Intelligence, insiderintelligence.com/insights/remote-patient-monitoring-industry-explained/. 2. Getting Seniors to Accept Remote Patient Monitoring. RemetricHealth, 31 Aug. 2021, remetrichealth.com/getting-seniors-to-accept-remote-patient-monitoring/. 3. Remote Patient Monitoring Represents Paradigm Shift after COVID-19. DAIC, 1 Oct. 2021, dicardiology.com/content/remote-patient-monitoring-represents-paradigm-shift-after-covid-19. 4. Continuous Cardiac Monitoring Solution: Cardiac Monitor for Full Disclosure MCT. InfoBionic's MoMe Kardia System: Transforming the Efficiency of Arrhythmia Detection and Monitoring Management, 23 July 2021, infobionic.com/cardiac-monitoring-solution-how-it-works/. Responsible Flushing Alliance provides tips for #FlushSmart habits. We are delighted to join the Responsible Flushing Alliance, an organization that aligns with the values of our company in ensuring that only those products that are truly biodegradable and flushable are discarded through our water infrastructure, says Senen Amunarriz, managing director of Aralar. Today, the Responsible Flushing Alliance welcomed its newest association member, Papel Aralar S.A. The global paper company brings its proven commitment to environmental preservation and social responsibility to the Responsible Flushing Alliance as the organization accelerates its consumer education campaign. Papel Aralar is a fourth-generation family business that has been at the technological forefront of paper manufacturing since 1936. Headquartered in Spain, Aralar has a strong international presence with consolidation in over 30 countries, making it a leader among European companies. The company has a combined capacity of 45,000 tons of base sheet for the production of flushable, biodegradable wipes that are completely plastic-free. Its latest state-of-the-art production line started operations in December 2020. This was in tandem with the opening of its new logistics center, a central piece of which is a fully robotic warehouse that has revolutionized Aralar's customer service position. We are delighted to become a member of the Responsible Flushing Alliance, an organization that perfectly aligns with the values of our company in ensuring that only those products that are truly biodegradable and flushable are discarded through our water infrastructure, says Senen Amunarriz, managing director of Aralar. Responsible Flushing Alliance President Lara Wyss says the addition of Papel Aralar to the organization demonstrates that when it comes to paper products, the desire for sustainability is global and growing. Whether in the United States or abroad, consumers are making sustainability a priority in every facet of life. And for an industry that produces products all of us use every day, sustainability is a necessity, Wyss said. We are excited to welcome Papel Aralar, whose forward-looking approach to environmental preservation and their commitment to innovation align closely with the Responsible Flushing Alliances own values. With its #FlushSmart consumer education campaign, the Responsible Flushing Alliance is dedicated to keeping homes and communities healthy through proper flushing practices. This includes supporting clear and prominent labeling of all items that should not be flushed, including promotion of the Do Not Flush symbol on non-flushable wipes. For more information, go to http://www.flushsmart.org or @flushsmart on Twitter or Facebook. About Responsible Flushing Alliance The Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization dedicated to consumer education focused on what should and should not be flushed. RFAs goal is to change consumer behavior to help reduce damage to our nations sewage systems caused by objects and materials not designed to be flushed. Responsible Flushing Alliance Coalition Members Albaad, ANDRITZ, DUDE Products, Essity, First Quality, Johnson & Johnson, Jacob Holm, Kelheim Fibres, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Nehemiah Manufacturing, Nice-Pak, Papel Aralar S.A., Procter & Gamble, Rockline Industries, Sellars Nonwovens, and Suominen Corp. About Papel Aralar S.A. Based in Spain, Aralar is a global paper manufacturer with a reputation for innovation and consistent product development. The paper we produce is found in five continents as part of items and brands of world renown. Our whole business model is built around sustainability. We have never added a plastic, binder or chemical to the formulation of our wipes substrate. We exclusively use cellulose in the paper we make, all of which is forestry certified. The paper industry, in which Aralar is a long-established global player, is at the forefront in the use of sustainable and renewable energy sources. In our case, this includes the production of electricity through our own 18-hectares dam with 2 waterfalls and 3 hydroelectric turbines. # # # Lynn de Seve is an inspiration to many in the security industry and a role model for small business owners. SIA is thrilled to recognize Lynn with the 2021 Lippert Award for her outstanding leadership and service to SIA and the industry. SIA CEO Don Erickson The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Lynn de Seve founder and president of GSA Schedules, Inc. as the 2021 recipient of the George R. Lippert Memorial Award, an honor presented annually to a distinguished individual for long-term, selfless service to the security industry and to SIA. de Seve will receive the award on Wednesday, Nov. 17, during the 2021 SIA Honors cocktail reception. It is such an honor to be selected as the recipient of the George R Lippert Memorial Award. I was frankly speechless when I received the news, as I had no idea I had been nominated. To be considered and then to be among the group of prior awardees is quite humbling, said de Seve. I wish to thank the Security Industry Association for always being supportive of this woman in security. Joining SIA has directly contributed to the success of my company, has been a great benefit to my clients and has been one of my most important resources in my career. The advocacy for our industry in government affairs, standards, education, inclusiveness and so much more based on the efforts of the membership and SIA staff is something for which I am very proud. Thank you, SIA, for your contributions and for this amazing award. In addition to her SIA membership, de Seve is a member of the National Contract Management Association and ASIS International. As a member of SIA, she served on SIAs Board of Directors for four years and on the SIA Executive Committee for two years as secretary. de Seve chairs the SIA Procurement Policy Working Group, serves on the steering committee for the SIA Women in Security Forum and is a past member of SIAs Member Engagement and Experience Committee. In 2006, she received the SIA Industry Advocate Award for her leadership related to public policy challenges impacting the electronic physical security industry, and she was presented with the SIA Chairs Award in 2016 for her efforts in procurement policy and support for the industry and again in 2019 alongside the rest of the SIA Women in Security Forum steering committee. de Seve has presented at many industry events, training seminars and SIA GovSummit conferences and is a frequent contributing writer for security industry publications. Lynn de Seve is an inspiration to many in the security industry and a role model for small business owners who may not see the ROI in association involvement. There is an ever-growing community of individuals in the federal contracting space who have been helped by Lynn either directly or indirectly and who left any interaction with her feeling that any contacting challenge could be overcome after hearing her optimistic words of encouragement. SIA is thrilled to recognize Lynn with the 2021 Lippert Award for her outstanding leadership and service to SIA and the industry, said SIA CEO Don Erickson. Lynns dedicated volunteer efforts on SIAs Board of Directors, working groups and committees have had an extraordinary impact, and her expertise and key contributions on procurement policy over the past 15 years have helped SIA to better advocate for and serve our members. We thank Lynn for her invaluable efforts and look forward to presenting her with this special recognition at SIA Honors Night . de Seves company, GSA Schedules, Inc., provides expertise and support services for General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule Contract submissions, GSA contract maintenance and management with a primary focus on the security industry. de Seve and her company have over 35 years of experience in the submission, negotiation, implementation, marketing, contract administration and management of GSA Multiple Award Schedule contracts and state contracts. Over her many years of working in the government marketplace, de Seve has established strong alliances with manufacturers, system integrators, manufacturers representatives and industry organizations, and of equal importance are the partnering relationships she has established while working with GSA and federal government agencies on behalf of her clients. She served for over 10 years as the industry chairperson for the executive council of the GSA Alliance for Quality Business Solutions at the GSA Southwest Acquisition Center (Region 7) in Fort Worth, Texas; in this capacity, she served as a participant, organizer and presenter in GSA Industry Day training events for GSA contractors. The Lippert Award is named in honor of George R. Lippert, who dedicated more than 20 years of his life to SIA and the security industry. When evaluating candidates for this award, SIAs committee considers nominees long-term service to SIA and the security industry, the impact of their efforts on behalf of SIA and the industry and the integrity, leadership and diplomacy displayed in their industry dealings. Each year, SIA Honors held concurrently with ISC East, the Northeasts largest security trade show hosted in collaboration with premier sponsor SIA features a gala cocktail reception and an award ceremony recognizing industry leaders. At SIA Honors 2021, in addition to presenting the Lippert Award, SIA will also honor industry leaders with the SIA Insightful Practitioner Award and the SIA Progress Award. SIA Honors 2021 will be held Nov. 17 at Glasshouse Chelsea in New York City; learn more and register to attend here. About SIA SIA is the leading trade association for global security solution providers, with nearly 1,200 innovative member companies representing thousands of security leaders and experts who shape the future of the security industry. SIA protects and advances its members interests by advocating pro-industry policies and legislation at the federal and state levels, creating open industry standards that enable integration, advancing industry professionalism through learning and development, opening global market opportunities and collaborating with other like-minded organizations. As the premier sponsor of ISC Events expos and conferences, SIA ensures its members have access to top-level buyers and influencers, as well as unparalleled learning and network opportunities. SIA also enhances the position of its members in the security marketplace through SIA GovSummit, which brings together private industry with government decision makers, and Securing New Ground, the security industrys top executive conference for peer-to-peer networking. Candy Pop made with SOUR PATCH KIDS SOUR PATCH KIDS, the #1 Sour Confection Brand, has never before debuted in an official savory pairing a match destined to blow fans away combining a favorite SOUR THEN SWEET treat with popcorn, the movie snacking staple. Now introducing, Candy Pop made with SOUR PATCH KIDS popcorn. SNAX-Sational Brands premiere popcorn brand, inclusive of Cookie Pop and Candy Pop, debuts its next Candy Pop creation, Candy Pop Popcorn made with SOUR PATCH KIDS, which first previewed to much buzz at the SWEETS & SNACKS EXPO in June of this year. Candy Pop made with SOUR PATCH KIDS popcorn will hit shelves officially mid October 2021, with a first introduction at Walmart stores nationwide. Just in time for Halloween, the SOUR THEN SWEET flavor profile will be available to consumers nationwide, first in Walmart, then online, with other retailers such as the Hy-Vee supermarket chain to follow. SOUR PATCH KIDS, the #1 Sour Confection Brand, has never before debuted in an official savory pairing a match destined to blow fans away combining a favorite SOUR THEN SWEET treat with popcorn, the movie snacking staple. SOUR PATCH KIDS, owned by Mondelez International, is a soft and chewy candy with a coating of sour sugar creating a unique SOUR THEN SWEET experience. Americans will be able to enjoy this new innovation already packaged for them and flavored to perfection. This new Candy Pop combination is going to really 'wow' consumers. We are so excited to roll out Candy Pop SOUR PATCH KIDS to Walmart stores in time for Halloween. We have worked so hard to perfect this new popcorn variety which features a REDBERRY flavored coating on our signature popcorn topped with authentic SOUR PATCH KIDS Bitz and finished with a sour sugar sprinkle. The taste is absolutely delicious, exploding with sour, sweet, and savory flavors. It is truly an exciting moment for our brand and the entire team at SNAX-Sational, and we are grateful to Mondelez International for trusting us with this creation! - Frank Florio, Creator, Cookie Pop and Candy Pop SOUR PATCH KIDS is thrilled to work with Candy Pop. We know people love to add candy to their popcorn and our fans are going to be excited to try this delicious SOUR THEN SWEET combination. SNAX-Sational Brands premiere power duo Cookie Pop and Candy Pop, continues to be the innovative popcorn snacking leader combining everyones favorite things - ready-to-eat popcorn featuring Americas cookie and candy favorites, yielding the perfect, must-have snack creation. The better-for-you-snack is made 100% in the U.S. with non-GMO corn, is low in sodium and only 150 calories per serving. The popular, low-calorie, cookie or candy-coated line was named a Top 20 Snack of 2020 by Buzzfeed and continues to garner attention amongst consumers, media and celebrities, from Cardi B. to Lance Bass to Robert De Niro to Joey King to Mario Lopez to Ryan Seacrest. Additionally, as part of the brands ongoing Snackgiving initiative, a portion of proceeds from all sales of SNAX-Sational Brands varieties, inclusive of all Candy Pop bag sales, benefit The Ryan Seacrest Foundation and their efforts, most notably, their partnership with Childrens Hospitals nationwide, inclusive of the all new Seacrest Studios at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. The new Seacrest Studio makes it possible for children and teens to get behind the camera and mic to develop, star and interact in original TV and radio programming during their hospital stays. Patients also have the ability to call down to the studio via their hospital room phone to engage in events they are watching on their screen, in which their signature daily show Pop Talk gave a sneak peek of the new SOUR PATCH KIDS flavor earlier this month. ABOUT COOKIE POP AND CANDY POP SNAX-Sational Brands Group premiere popcorn brands, Cookie Pop and Candy Pop, are composed of the popular Cookie Pop and Candy Pop varieties. Since its debut, it has become Americas #1 popcorn brand, featuring flavors such as Cookie Pop with OREO, Cookie Pop made with CHIPS AHOY!, Candy Pop made with TWIX, Candy Pop made with SNICKERS, Candy Pop made with M&Ms Minis, Candy Pop made with Peanut M&Ms, and their latest flavors, Cookie Pop made with NUTTER BUTTER and introducing Candy Pop made with SOUR PATCH KIDS. They are the leader in the industry as a sweet & savory pioneer, combining delicious signature candy flavors and cookie coatings with low-sodium, non-GMO corn, at only 150 calories per serving. The combination has become the go-to snacking item at both Hollywood premieres and at-home movie watching. With retail partners such as Walmart, Hy-Vee, Sams Club, Costco, Kroger, Food4Less, Five Below, and Stater Bros., the brand continues to debut their latest licensed varieties. Follow @CookiePop_CandyPop #CookiePop #CandyPop on social media for news and updates, and visit the brands all new website inclusive of their e-commerce shop online at http://www.cookiepopcandypop.com Sales Inquiries: Chris Orland - chris@snaxsationalbrands.com http://www.snaxsationalbrands.com | http://www.cookiepopcandypop.com SOUR PATCH KIDS is a trademark of Mondelez International group, used under license. Our team believes in giving back to the community in any way we can, and we whole-heartedly support Lawrence Halls vision of hope, healing and resiliency for children. Stratosphere Networks sponsored Lawrence Halls 9th Annual Fall Fete, which took place on October 14. The social services organization held the event virtually and encouraged supporters to host watch parties. Comedian Brett Walkow hosted the fundraiser, and the evening included a raffle. All proceeds from the online celebration will benefit Lawrence Hall, a Chicago-based organization that has delivered high-quality therapeutic care and helped abused and neglected youth and their families for more than 150 years. Stratosphere Networks has a long-standing relationship with Lawrence Hall and has sponsored the Fall Fete every year since 2017. Additionally, the managed service provider has assisted with the organizations back-to-school supply drives and supported other annual events such as the Lucky Charm Party. Stratosphere Networks CEO Steve Melchiorre also serves on the Lawrence Hall Board of Trustees. Were very pleased to sponsor Lawrence Halls Fall Fete again this year, Melchiorre said. Our team believes in giving back to the community in any way we can, and we whole-heartedly support Lawrence Halls vision of hope, healing and resiliency for children. For more information about Lawrence Hall and the work the organization does for the Chicago community, please visit http://www.lawrencehall.org. About Stratosphere Networks Stratosphere Networks provides comprehensive managed services including managed cybersecurity, managed IT, co-managed IT, and co-managed cybersecurity services as well as trusted advisor services to businesses across all industries. Our team of IT experts strives to empower clients with exceptional service from our state-of-the-art Network Operations Center and Security Operations Center. The company has earned recognition as a leader in the realm of IT managed services, receiving accolades such as the Channel Partners 360 Business Value award, the MSPmentor 501, Crain's Best Places to Work in Chicago and more. Visit http://www.stratospherenetworks.com for more information. For more information contact: Lori Leonardo 847-440-8608 LoriL@stratospherenetworks.com Danielle Cohen Owner and Operator of Johnstown Colorado's THE DRIPBaR THE DRIPBaR is excited to announce the grand opening of THE DRIPBaR Johnstown, located just east of Loveland, CO on October 26th, 2021. Owned and operated by a Northern Colorado local Danielle Cohen, THE DRIPBaR Johnstown is the ninth location for the DRIPBaR franchise. THE DRIPBaR Johnstown will offer both walk-ins and scheduled appointments, and clients will have 18 different IV lifestyle or health-support drips to choose from including the popular Power Pack, Shield, and All-Star therapies, which are designed to boost vitamins and antioxidants and neutralize free radicals. For those who don't have time for a full vitamin infusion but want the benefit, clients can choose one of seven "Quick Shots" that give the body a fast added boost. Designed to offer quick doses of powerful and optimally-balanced nutrients and formulas, THE DRIPBaRs infusions are popular for boosting energy, detoxing from chemicals and toxins, improving overall health and vitality, and addressing more specific wellness needs. All of the IV infusions at the DRIPBaR Johnstown are administered by highly trained medical professionals and Registered Nurses in a safe, comfortable, and welcoming day spa environment. Customers will be able to choose from one-time services and a variety of different Membership options. To celebrate their arrival, THE DRIPBaR Johnstown is offering 50% off any drip service plus a FREE B12 quickshot when an appointment is booked before opening day (October 26th)! Appointments can be booked here! About THE DRIPBaR Founded in 2016 and franchised since late 2019, THE DRIPBaR is a Rhode Island-based franchise focused on helping people obtain their best physical and mental health using intravenous therapies. Through advances in cellular and biological science, THE DRIPBaR helps clients fight the consequences of chronic illness, address the effects of aging, and achieve a balanced wellness. With a focus on ever-evolving treatments and medical advancements, the franchise hopes to shorten the gap between concierge and treatment-based medicine. With seven locations currently open and operating, THE DRIPBaR already has nearly 200 additional locations in various stages of development across eight states. For more information, visit http://www.thedripbar.com. The DRIPBaR Johnstown 4834 Larimer Parkway Johnstown, Colorado 80534 Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones Its remarkable that Michael Friedman documented this important flash point in music history and captured its energy and personality, said President and CEO of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Greg Harris. The Mens Arts Council of the Phoenix Art Museum presents The Lost Negatives of Rock & Roll Legends, a curated exhibition of rare photos of iconic artists from the 1960s, including Janis Joplin, Rolling Stones, The Band, Kris Kristofferson, James Cotton, Butterfield Blues Band, Todd Rundgren and more. During the 1960s and 70s, business manager and music producer Michael Friedman formed close personal relationships while working and traveling with the artists. Living in New York and Woodstock, he was also an avid photographer and his favorite subjects were his artist friends and their performances. Friedman shot more than 2,000 photographs before misplacing the negatives nearly 50 years ago. Considered lost and nearly forgotten, his wife Donna Vita discovered them in a box of old music business papers in their attic. Together theyve restored the negatives. In addition to the upcoming fundraiser, the two are collaborating on a soon-to-be-published book. Its remarkable that Michael Friedman documented this important flash point in music history and captured its energy and personality, said President and CEO of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Greg Harris. Following a successful year-long exhibit at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a newly curated and expanded collection of 80 restored images, many new and never seen before, will be on display, free to the public and available for purchase to benefit the Phoenix Art Museum. Im really excited about this exhibit and the opportunity to share the photos and the stories behind them in Phoenix, said Friedman. My music business journey actually began in Arizona, so its a bit like coming home. Plus, Im thrilled to be able to make a contribution that will benefit the Phoenix Art Museum. The photos have been described as a 1960s Rock and Roll time capsule. Friedmans photos offer a fresh new look, on stage and behind the scenes, of some of the most important artists of the time. Seeing these blasts from the past, in person, is truly jaw-dropping, extremely rare, and very special, said Mens Arts Council Event Chairman Steven Stralser. Were so grateful to Mr. Friedman for collaborating with us to share these one-of-a-kind images with the Phoenix community. The Exhibition and Sale will take place at the FOUND:RE Hotel located 1100 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004, starting Friday, November 19 at 6:00 p.m. with a preview ticketed reception ($125 per person), artists gallery talk and conversation; thereafter it will be free and open to the public on Saturday, November 20 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, November 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Follow Lost Negatives of Rock & Roll on Facebook and Instagram. For more information about the event, visit mensartscouncil.com/lost-negatives-of-rock-roll/. About Mens Art Council: The Men's Arts Council (MAC) of Phoenix Art Museum was founded in January of 1967 to support the programs and activities of the Phoenix Art Museum. MAC has over 200 members whose talents, energy and dedication organize and present fundraising events to support the Museum and to contribute to its operating budget, to financially sponsor exhibitions, and to fund two separate endowments: the Western American Art Endowment Fund and the Mens Arts Council Sculpture Endowment Fund. Todd Basile, an Intellectual Property (IP) & Technology Practice shareholder in the Dallas office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, will speak during a fireside chat at the Energy Drone + Robotics Summit Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m. CDT. During the session, Basile will speak alongside ARIX Technologies to discuss the revolutionary impact of autonomous robots on energy infrastructure maintenance with lower costs, enhanced data, and improved safety. ARIX Technologies develops innovative pipeline crawling robots for oil & gas pipeline inspection. The Energy Drone & Robotics Summit is the largest global summit of the Energy Drone & Robotics Coalition, who host the only event series exclusively focused on the business and technology of unmanned systems, automation and data/artificial intelligence (AI) in energy operations, according to the event website. Over three days, the summit connects hundreds of worldwide energy & industrial unmanned systems leaders at a time of rapid growth for the sector. Basile is a technology attorney with more than 15 years of combined experience in the tech and legal industries. He helps technology companies protect and commercialize their innovations across a wide range of industries, including autonomous vehicles, robotics, software, and medtech. He also represents technology investors in M&A deals, negotiates IP licenses and technology development agreements, and assists clients in navigating intellectual property disputes. Basile also hosts Two Minute Tech Law Tips, a vlog dedicated to sharing digestible tech law insights with CEOs, CTOs, and in-house counsel alike. About Greenberg Traurigs Intellectual Property & Technology Practice: With more than 200 intellectual property attorneys and patent agents in the United States, Asia, and Europe, Greenberg Traurig provides a broad range of patent, trademark and copyright protection and strategic counseling. Greenberg Traurig was named Law Firm of the Year for Trademark Law and a National Tier 1 Law Firm for IP Litigation, Patent Law and Litigation, Copyright Law, and Technology Law by U.S. News and Best Lawyers, 2020 Best Law Firms." About Greenberg Traurig, LLP Texas: Texas is important to Greenberg Traurig, LLP and part of its history. With approximately 130 Texas lawyers in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Greenberg Traurig has deep roots in the Texas business, legal, and governmental communities. Greenberg Traurig Texas works with clients to address their interdisciplinary legal needs across the state utilizing the firms global platform. The Texas attorneys are experienced in industries key to the states future, including: aviation, chemicals, construction, education, energy and natural resources, financial institutions, health care, hedge funds, hospitality, infrastructure, insurance, media, medical devices, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, real estate, retail, sports, technology and software, telecommunications, transportation, and video games and esports. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2,300 attorneys in 40 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 25 on the Am Law Global 200. The firm is net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage and Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Cosmetics giant Mary Kay Inc. has filed a lawsuit in the Dallas division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, hitting the author of a new book on the company with a host of allegations and demanding that the book no longer be sold. The author, Jennifer Bickel Cook, was the long-time personal administrative assistant to founder Mary Kay Ash. Pass It On: What I Learned from Mary Kay Ash, was published on October 5 by Brown Books Publishing Group, which is located across the street from Mary Kays headquarters in Dallas, Tex. The complaint alleges that, in the book, Cook used materials from works copyrighted by Mary Kay Inc. in the book without permission, thereby misappropriating Mary Kay intellectual property; falsely implied that the company and its founder endorsed the book; violated Cook's non-disclosure agreement with Mary Kay, thereby misappropriating proprietary information from the company; and interfered with members of the company's sales force to have them sell the book. (Mary Kay's products are sold by thousands of people in a sales force comprised of independent representatives.) "As a result" of these alleged actions, the complaint states, "consumers are likely to be confused and wrongly believe that the book is sponsored, endorsed, approved by, affiliated, connected, or otherwise associated with Mary Kay." In addition to asking the court to prevent Cook from advertising or selling Pass it On in any way, the company is seeking to have Cook remove any reference to any of Mary Kay's products or IP; ask search engines such as Google to remove any Mary Kay IP which associates the company with Cook; and prevent Cook from asking Mary Kay sales force members from selling the book. Tom Reale, president and COO of Brown Books, said Pass It On, is basically a love letter to the company and its founder by someone who was not only the personal assistant to Mary Kay Ash for 25 years but also the retired director of the Mary Kay Museum and the Mary Kay Foundation. Cook is donating profits from the book to charity, including the Mary Kay Foundation. In response to the suit, Reale and company founder Milli Brown said that: At our recommendation, Jennifer secured the services of a top U.S. literary attorney to carefully vet the manuscript during the books development. This is the first time in our companys 28-year history that one of our authors first amendment rights have been directly challenged. Reale added that the publisher is prepared to support its author in continuing to publish the book. He argued that, if Mary Kay is successful in stopping publication, no employee, ever, would be able to speak about a company they work for, or have ever worked for, without fear of legal reprisal. This includes speech that is supportive of the company as well as speech that is critical, of which there is none in this case. Considering the impact on whistleblowers alone would be staggering. Corporations would become fiefdoms whose employees would be handed a lifetime gag order against discussing the corporation. The publicity for Pass It On has resulted in Brown running through its modest first printing just weeks after its publication. A second printing of 10,000 copies is expected to be shipped this week, and Reale said that Brown may go back for a third printing. Editors note: This letters are in response to Purdue President Mitch Daniels most recent op-ed defending "climate contrarian" Steve Koonin, If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Submit The proposal from the Student Affairs Committee suggests four changes that could be made in response to the recent sexual assaults on campus. American former Secretary of State Colin Powell attended the conference held at the Conrad Hotel on December 20, 2009 in Istanbul, Turkey. Jack Whitehall's mother buys him baby clothes for Christmas. The 'Jungle Cruise' actor - who has been dating Roxy Horner for two years - admitted his mum Hilary Gish has been piling on the pressure for him to start a family, thanks to the "passive-aggressive" gifts she likes to buy for him which offer hints as to what she wants him to do with his life. Writing in his new book 'How To Survive Family Holidays', Jack admitted: The only presents I get from my mother now are passive-aggressive ones: Deodorant, a net to catch my beard trimmings in, a babygrow. Mummy, I dont have a child. Dont remind me. I dont know how she thinks the reproductive urge works, like Ill think, Oh, I seem to have acquired a lot of baby clothes. Maybe I should get a baby to go with them. "Instead of a babygrow, shed be better off gifting me a broody woman with low standards. The 33-year-old comic previously revealed he moved in with Roxy after just two weeks of dating. He explained: "Weirdly that was quite nice because we spent a lot of time together and it accelerates the relationship in a way. Then when lockdown ended, theres a lot of things we realised. Wed never gone out to see a film together. "Wed never been to a restaurant in England because we met in Australia." And Roxy recently admitted they are working hard on their romance, with the model even missing London Fashion Week events recently so she could be with her boyfriend when he returned home from filming in the United States. Explaining how she missed one of the biggest event in the fashion world, she said: "It was a bit difficult. I got FOMO [Fear Of Missing Out]. Jack had just got back from working away, so we needed some quality time, but I cant believe we missed the whole of fashion week." Roxy was unable to travel with Jack because of Covid regulations but the comedian and actor is grateful that Roxy took time away from the fashion event of the year to be with him. Jack added: "I cant imagine what it must have been like for her. The closest thing for me would be missing Edinburgh Festival, which isnt as glamorous, but it would be very difficult to miss." Despite running a campaign on a return to normal, Joe Biden presides over an administration pushing a radical equity agenda that uses the federal government and federal funding to right perceived wrongs. The administration had intended to distribute COVID relief on the basis of race before courts put a stop to it. And now it is preparing to get involved in local public school discipline, aiming to impose policies that address racial disparities. During the Obama years, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Education confronted school districts around the country with civil rights complaints. The investigations centered on disparate impact as regards school discipline that is, any racially unrepresentative outcome would be considered evidence of racism. Districts were strong-armed into making deals with the federal government, and new policies were adopted to suspend fewer students. At least 400 school districts serving more than 10 million students were subjected to such agreements. In Milwaukee, a four-year investigation resulted in one of these arrangements in 2018. A new analysis from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty finds that Milwaukee Public Schools saw suspension rates plummet, for all students, after 2018. But that decline also corresponded with deeply troubling trends: surveys of students by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee showed that, as suspension rates for African-American students went down, student reports of feeling less safe went up. And with the black school-age population heavily concentrated in certain MPS schools, it is black students who are reporting that they dont feel safe. This represents critical evidence that federal interventions in school discipline are having unintended consequences. Districts can suspend fewer students to comply with the federal governments demands, but their students and teachers report feeling unsafe. This reality is consistent with a Fordham Institute poll from 2019, where nearly 85% of teachers stated that suspensions can be a useful tool for students with discipline problems. Numerous reports suggested that violence against teachers was being tolerated, with the offending student returning to the classroom unpunished. Student safety can also have important implications for learning. When students dont feel safe in school, retaining information takes a backseat. In light of the persistent racial achievement gap in the United States, lax school-discipline policies work against the goal of helping minority students. The Trump administration rolled back many of these Obama-era policies starting in 2018. But the Biden administration appears ready to reimplement them and may even go further. President Biden nominated Catherine Lhamon to head the OCR, the same position she held in the Obama administration, where she spearheaded the initiative to insert the federal government into school discipline policy. Lhamon has telegraphed her intentions for her second tenure in the position, saying, Im deeply worried about the kinds of discrimination that may be allowed to proliferate if theres not an effective and meaningful civil rights backstop. In June, the Department of Education requested public comment on how to best support and build schools capacity to promote positive, inclusive, safe, and supportive school climates in a nondiscriminatory manner. This seemingly innocuous request may signal that the administration is ready to ramp up its actions against schools showing disparities in suspension rates by race. School discipline and school safety hang in a delicate balance. In Milwaukee, the evidence shows that the imposition of top-down policies to meet racial quotas is endangering students and teachers. Before the Biden administration repeats the playbook from the Obama era on school discipline, it ought to take note of the unintended consequences. If it doesnt, maybe Congress will. Inside the 2021 College Free Speech Rankings At first glance, Pennsylvania doesnt stand out in the second annual College Free Speech Rankings, the results of a survey of more than 37,000 students in 159 colleges. You wont find any of the states colleges listed near the top of the rankings, alongside Claremont McKenna College, nor at the bottom, next to the two-time national worst DePauw University. But on one particularly important metricstudents level of comfort in expressing themselvesPennsylvanias schools stand out, and in a way that reveals a disturbing trend in Americas smaller university campuses. By this measure, Haverford College, Bucknell University, and the University of Pennsylvania rank among the 10 campuses with the most reticent student populations nationally. Carnegie Mellon University isnt far behind, ranking 18th on the list. More encouragingly, Temple University ranks among the top three in the nation when it comes to students comfort expressing themselves, and Penn State University came in at a respectable 18th place. The University of Pittsburgh, however, earned a mediocre ranking of 86. These results coincide with a larger finding from the surveysconducted by RealClearEducation, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, and the research firm College Pulsethat colleges with large student bodies tend to foster more tolerable speech environments than their comparatively smaller, often private, peers. The question is: Why? The administration is not the biggest hurdle to free speech, the students are, said a Penn student who requested anonymity. Ive seen the far-left emboldened, and they believe that their tactics of suppressing discourse work. They get loud, get angry, stand there, and scream until their demands are met. Indeed, even compared to a decade before, college administrations no longer play the dominant role as the censor on large and small campuses. As former free speech attorney David French recently explained, Two decades of relentless litigation and activism have turned the tide . . . Only a quarter of universities now possess clearly unconstitutional speech codes, and theyre largely unenforced. But no such activism in support of free speech has been aimed at the current generation of students, and the result is clear: an astounding 66% of student respondents nationally support shouting down speakers who dont share their views an increase of 4% from last year. And nearly one in four an increase of 5% from 2020 said that they supported using violence to stop certain speech. As the survey noted, this increasing population of students prone to intolerance are better equipped to coalesce around a dominant viewpoint and identify those who disagree within small student bodies. Consequently, theyre now quashing dissent on campuses like Pennsylvanias private colleges. Stories of students organizing to isolate, intimidate, and cancel speakers and professors are told with frightening frequency. The Penn student explained how radical left groups on campus organize to cancel speaking events. In 2019, for example, they canceled a speech by Thomas Homan, the former director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They blocked entranceways and egresses, causing a fire code violation. When Penns College Republicans hosted Homan again in January 2020, the event organizers had to be tactical by creating ways to get in and out of the building in coordination with public security, while foot[ing] the bill for police overtime required, the student said. Dawn Toguchi, executive director of the Open Discourse Coalition at Bucknell University, similarly told of a student-led attempt to ostracize those who invited conservative author Heather Mac Donald to speak on campus. One student used a megaphone to read the names of the faculty members who sponsored the event. Toguchi says that administrations must do more to combat student-led hostility to free speech. They must take a strong leadership position to encourage discourse and debate, and respect for a true diversity of viewpoints, she said. Without such leadership, its clear that this generation of students will continue to scream until their demands are met on campus and move on from there to do the same in conference rooms, communities, and government. I am a people person, and always enjoy meeting new people, especially if we share the same passions. Sometimes fortuitous circumstances bring people with similar interests together, as what happened to me the other day. GEORGE MAHER reached out to me after reading a recent article of mine: What Causes Societies to Rise and Fall. George holds a PhD in the economy of the Roman Empire from Kings College London and a bunch of other fancy degrees. While I was writing the article, I thought to myself, I sure would like to know more about the Roman monetary and fiscal system. Then George called me, and lo and behold he had written a book,PUGNARE, on the exact subject I was anxious to read! I bought the book immediately. My old Latin teacher gave all students a Roman last name that best fit their personality. Unfortunately, and perhaps not surprising, I did not get a noble moniker like Marcus Aurelius or Cincinnatus. My assigned name was Robbie Nero. I was in the 6th grade, the year that Tyler Walker and I were smoking cigarettes in my familys barn, and well, it, uh, mysteriously burned down. Having exhibited an enthusiasm for pyromania, as well as torturing my Sunday School teacher, I couldnt really complain about my new Roman name. Had I paid more attention to my Latin studies, I would be able to review ancient Roman commercial paper and legal documents recording the extensive and elaborate nature of Roman trade and commerce. Thankfully, my fiddling away of my youth by neglecting my assignments and burning down buildings has not prevented me from learning about the Roman economic system thanks to Georges book. Human nature never changes. Weve all heard the many aphorisms about history repeating itself and learning the lessons of the past. We humans are wired a particular way and that will never change. This history rule applies equally to economics, also rooted in predictable human behavior. There is an extensive historical record of humans interacting with one another to better their lives through trade and commerce, and the monetary systems necessary to allow these activities to prosper. One element of human nature is rulers trying to game the system to achieve their personal political needs. When those who run the state interfere by devaluating fiat money, all hell breaks loose. Since my excessive spending almost bankrupted the Roman state, and people are still mad at me for impaling their ancestors on stakes and lighting them on fire, I likely dont have the street cred to tell the rest of the story. However, George does and below he gives us his insight into these matters. George Maher: Thank you Rob. Lessons about the perils of monetary policy, devaluation, and a lack of investor confidence can come from peculiar places. Ancient Rome is one. Roman work in the field of financial innovation was nothing short of ground-breaking. They established the worlds first fiat currency, initially as a way of organising the pay of soldiers, before it spread and became common across the empire. Such was the stability of the currency, it can safely be said that no currency until the British Pound in the 18th Century was as well-organised. One could say that the Romans were 1700 years ahead of their time. The Roman currency prided itself on its price stability. You could travel from Britannia in the far north-west to Judaea in the east and back to Africa Proconsularis in the south, and the prices of goods and the value of your coins would be the same. With the exception of some seasonal commodities such as grains, long-term prices were stable. After the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus (193 to 211AD), this price stability had been severely damaged, some feel irreparably so. Severus doubled Roman soldiers wages both to buy the loyalty of existing soldiers and as an incentive to join the army, which needed bolstering for defensive operations in the east of the empire. In a singular move, this spending increase doubled the overall cost of the army. Lacking the silver and gold metal needed to manufacture the required coinage after centuries of extensive mining, the Roman mints began debasing the currency by introducing small deposits of base metal to each coin, gradually reducing the actual silver and gold content of the currency. The fixed exchange rate, set by government decree, between the gold (Aureus), silver (Denarius), and copper or brass coins (Sestertius and Dupondius) that underpinned the trading economy and that relied on trust and faith in the currency was lost. After a sustained period of debasement that continued throughout the third century AD, the Romans eventually abandoned their currency and took to bartering for their goods. Throughout the empire trade collapsed and political chaos ensued. It gradually began to break up, with the city of Rome itself eventually being sacked by barbarians in 410AD. As Rome demonstrated, the key danger in monetary policy is when state action results in investors losing faith in money and its perceived value. If someone is worried that the $1,000 they have stashed away in an account for a rainy day will not be worth as much as in three months, they will go out and spend that money. Increased spending will drive prices up further making existing savings worth less. Just as in the Weimar Republic or Venezuela today - despite the latters efforts to improve the situation by introducing official cryptocurrencies - money will become worthless. That is the situation we must avoid. Confidence in our currency is crucial - and whatever destroys that will destroy much of what we have. By Steven Rogers, 10/18/2021 ADVERTISEMENT : Before the 90 Days viewers will be introduced to seven new couples that are going the distance for love when Season 5 premieres on TLC in December.Like : Before the 90 Days' prior seasons, the fifth season will follow Americans who began online romantic relationships with foreign partners as they travel overseas hoping to get engaged to someone they have never met in person and then begin the K-1 Visa immigration process.Along the way, they'll encounter challenges that include large age gaps, language barriers, cultural issues, and questionable pasts.: Before the 90 Days' fifth-season cast includes Usman "SojaBoy" Umar , a 32-year-old from Sokoto, Nigeria who appeared on Season 4 with Lisa Hamme and will now return for Season 5 with his new American girlfriend, Kim, a 50-year-old from San Diego, CA.: Before the 90 Days' six additional new couples are Caleb, a 28-year-old from Chandler, AZ, and Alina, a 27-year-old from Saint Petersburg, Russia; Gino, a 51-year-old from Canton, MI, and Jasmine, a 34-year-old from Panama City, Panama; Memphis, a 34-year-old from Muskegon, MI, and Hamza, a 28-year-old from Kairouan, Tunisia; Mike, a 34-year-old from Thiells, NY, and Ximena, a 24-year-old from Pereira, Colombia; Ella, a 29-year-old from Idaho Falls, ID, and Johnny, a 34-year-old from Jinan, China; and Ben, a 52-year-old from Fraser, MI, and Mahogany, a 24-year-old from San Bartolo, Peru.But exactly who are these new : Before the 90 Days couples? What are their backgrounds, and how did they meet in the first place?Click thelink below to view photos and descriptions of the new : Before the 90 Days couples and learn more about them! BEGIN GALLERY >> Steven Rogers is a senior entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and been covering the reality TV genre for two decades. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 10/18/2021 ADVERTISEMENT JENNY AND SUMIT ADVERTISEMENT ELLIE AND VICTOR ADVERTISEMENT ARIELA AND BINIYAM ADVERTISEMENT KENNY AND ARMANDO ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT STEVEN AND ALINA ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT COREY AND EVELIN ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. : The Other Way featured Evelin Villegas asking Corey Rathgeber to sign divorce papers, Kenny Niedermeier and Armando Rubio discussing adoption or having a baby, Alina questioning her future with Steven, Jenny Slatten agreeing to have Sumit Singh's parents move in with them, and Ellie and Victor getting frustrated with each other during Sunday night's Season 3 episode on TLC.: The Other Way follows American citizens moving to foreign countries for the sake of love and their future spouses, and they must marry within 90 days in order to stay.The third-season of : The Other Way stars Victor, a 28-year-old from Providencia, Colombia, and Ellie, a 45-year-old from Seattle, WA; Biniyam Shibre, a 31-year-old from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Ariela Weinberg, a 29-year-old from Princeton, NJ; and Corey, a 34-year-old from Mill A., WA, and Evelin, a 28-year-old from Engabao, Ecuador.The series also stars Jenny, a 63-year-old from Palm Springs, CA, and Sumit, a 33-year-old from New Delhi, India; Steven, a 25-year-old from Salt Lake City, UT, and Alina, a 20-year-old from Russia; and Armando, a 32-year-old from Mexico, and Kenny, a 58-year-old from St. Petersburg, FL.Below is what was shown on the eighth episode of : The Other Way's third season.Jenny was shown meeting with her best -- and only -- female friend in India, Deepali, after learning Sumit's parents wanted to move in with her and live in their place, which Jenny thought was essentially absurd.Jenny wished Sumit's parents would just listen and understand her perspective and why she and Sumit loved each other, but Deepali said her parents would have reacted in the same way to such a relationship with a large age gap between the partners.Deepali explained to Jenny how people have joined families in Indian culture and her own mother-in-law stayed with her for four to six months until she could "settle the house," but Jenny pointed out how she's an American and doesn't need a woman telling her what to do or how to run her own house.Jenny wondered if Sumit's mother Sahna truly wanted to help her become a traditional Indian wife or if she was hoping to run her out of India and away from her son."I've seen the hurt and anger in her face, so it's hard to believe her. For all I know, she's thinking, '[Jenny] won't be able to handle it and she'll run back to America and I'll break them up... I won and I have my son back now,'" Jenny explained.Deepali advised Jenny to be positive and optimistic about the situation and give the living arrangement a chance. Jenny entertained a "trial" with Sahna in the hope they could possibly improve their relationship.But Jenny said if Sahna came to her house and just bothered her after a few days, the arrangement would end and there would be "no moving in."Jenny and Sumit therefore welcomed Sumit's parents for a few days and set up the guest room for them as a result. Jenny figured Sumit's parents were expecting her to fail, but Sumit asked his love to keep an open mind.Sumit was even prepared to let his parents sleep in their bed so they'd be comfortable, but Jenny wasn't onboard with that. She also didn't appreciate Sumit's parents continuing to hide her relationship with Sumit from society.Jenny said she was living her best life in India, but Sumit apparently wanted to make some changes, such as waking up at 5AM or 6AM when Jenny preferred to sleep in every day. Sumit admitted that he missed his parents although he also enjoyed their freedom.Sumit wanted to get back to normal life in India, such as going to work and being more active. He desired a partner who would take care of him once he returned home from his job.On her way to the house, Sahna said she was interested to see Jenny and Sumit's living conditions and how Jenny fed her son and took care of responsibilities. Sahna's willingness to move in was a sign she and her husband were beginning to respect and support Sumit's relationship, despite Jenny's skepticism of the new family dynamic.Jenny planned to try her best, but she told Sumit that he couldn't expect her to be perfect. Sumit just asked Jenny to remain calm and happy, even during more challenging times.Jenny welcomed Sumit's parents into her home with open arms and said it was a happy moment for her.Sahna immediately noticed water rings on the coffee table and asked for a tour of the house, which was very cluttered and messy. Sumit's parents said Jenny needed to clean the kitchen and put away the dishes differently.Sahna quickly started making demands and cleaning, and Jenny seemed to get overwhelmed and pissed very quickly.Sumit liked watching his wife clean the house, and Sahna said it was going to be Jenny's daily job to keep up the household and maintain a clean space.Jenny figured Sahna was just looking for reasons to say she's not good enough for Sumit, and Jenny feared this was going to ruin her relationship. She wanted Sumit's parents to leave.Ellie and Victor had been staying in a hotel, which was super expensive and apparently taking a toll on the couple. Ellie wanted to cook and save some money, so they decided to rent an apartment together in San Andreas.Victor wished he and Ellie could move into their home in Providencia, but it was too early after the hurricane and the pair still needed to rebuild their house so they would have a place to stay upon moving back.Victor predicted he and Ellie would spend a month or two in the apartment, and Ellie said living with Victor under these circumstances was a bit strange.While unpacking their clothes, Ellie brought up Victor's affair and the fact he had cheated on her during quarantine."You actually moved in with this person. You guys were talking about having kids," Ellie revealed. "At least that's what she said.""That's crazy," Victor replied, adding, "I didn't even mean most of the things that we were talking about."Victor admitted he had "f-cked up" and hurt Ellie's feelings but the romance with this woman was not serious.The woman told Ellie that Victor had asked her to buy him a motorcycle, which he denied, and she accused him of lying to her since he had in the past.Ellie was upset Victor never came clean about the affair and she had to find out from the woman, who had messaged her.Victor insisted he was not using Ellie for money or clothes. Ellie believed Victor but had little insecurities creeping up in the back of her mind since she had helped her man out financially before.Ellie said Victor had broken her heart and being cheated on "totally sucked." She said it would take a while to fully recover from the incident but she wanted to work on things with him.Victor apologized again and said he would rebuild their trust, and Ellie hoped to put Victor's mistake in the past so it wouldn't be hanging over their heads.Ellie and Victor later purchased tools so they could reconstruct their house in Providencia. Ellie felt a lot of pressure financially and never expected to have to pay for so much, such as a $148 drill.Ellie didn't think Victor understood the value of a dollar and how she's not rich just because she's from the United States. Victor, for instance, didn't seem pleased with an inexpensive drill he'd have to charge every hour or so.Victor found the shopping experience frustrating, but Ellie also didn't seem happy. Ellie said she was trying to budget and make smart choices about money and she wished Victor would be more appreciative about her spending on him.Ellie ended up paying $230 at the hardware store for supplies.Ariela was heading back to the United States after spending more than a year in Ethiopia, and Ariela's parents were so excited to see their daughter and grandbaby. It had been seven months since Ariela's mother Janice last saw Ariela and little Avi.Avi was eight months old at the time, and his grandparents were thrilled to be reunited with him at the airport.Ariela planned to get Avi the surgery and then hang out with her extended family and friends. Ariela, however, wished Biniyam could have joined her for the trip, especially since being in a long-distance relationship had hurt them in the past."I'm worried that with Avi and I so far away, this could cause a whole different set of problems for us," Ariela noted.Later on, Ariela's brothers met Avi for the first time, and Janice wished Ariela and Avi would move back to the United States. Ariela, however, promised Biniyam she would return to Ethiopia and she liked her life with her husband there.Ariela's family asked Ariela to consider school systems and how Avi would have the best opportunities in America. But Ariela said moving to the U.S. wasn't even an option because the Embassy was closed due to COVID-19 and Biniyam couldn't obtain a K-1 visa.Biniyam also didn't like the idea of leaving Ethiopia in general."Coming back here feels like visiting," Ariela said, before one relative asked Ariela to "wake up" because Avi needs to grow up healthy and with good education.Ariela didn't think Biniyam would be open to making the same sacrifices she had made for him, although she found the idea of a life in the U.S. with her husband intriguing.Kenny and Armando's wedding was in two months, and Armando said it was fun to put all the details in place for their ceremony and reception.Armando opened up to Kenny and said he felt "an emptiness" inside him, like "something [was] missing," and so he had been thinking about pursuing an adoption. He and Kenny had been talking about that on and off, although Kenny was a bit hesitant about the idea due to his age.Armando said he's always wanted more kids and envisioned the idea of raising a baby, instead of an older child, which appeared to make Kenny nervous and reluctant."I can see it, but I also know we need to be logical about it... We need to talk on it," Kenny told his fiance.Armando suggested they could maybe make a baby through in vitro so the baby would have Kenny's blood (given Armando's daughter Hannah has his blood), and Kenny took a big deep breath. Armando knew convincing Kenny of this was going to be a tall order.Kenny said he liked the idea of adopting an older kid so they could help a child in need, and at age 58 -- even though Armando was 32 -- he thought it would make more sense for them.Kenny told Armando their age gap never entered his mind but thinking about raising a baby was "a hit in the face." Kenny said he never wanted to leave Armando alone to raise a child without him.Kenny got a little emotional, but Armando insisted Kenny's age didn't matter and it's a journey he'd love to do together. Kenny wanted to make Armando's dreams come true, but he also wanted Armando to really think things through.Kenny said they'd take the process step by step but he was willing to do some research and visit open-minded adoption agencies about same-sex couples.Armando apparently had a good conversation with a private agency, an orphanage, that houses children who are HIV-positive. Kenny said he lost 80 percent of the people he knew to HIV in the 1980s, and so visiting this agency truly warmed his heart and he said he wanted to help.A representative at the orphanage told the couple the adoption must go through the government and she had only heard of one lesbian couple adopting a baby in Mexico City. However, she said people were becoming more accepting of same-sex couples adopting.The woman revealed adopting a child was actually a four-year process for one woman and the timeline varies case by case. Armando therefore questioned if this would be the best way forward for them.Armando and Kenny were then introduced to some of the children and the men brought them new toys. Kenny said the moment was amazing and the thought of adopting a child with something that had been a death sentence 30 years ago would be incredible, just to show them love, tenderness and support.Kenny wondered if medicine would be readily available for a child with HIV in Mexico and how this child would affect Hannah and Armando's family considering there's still a stigma surrounding the virus.Kenny and Armando discussed adoption or having a baby via surrogacy later on, and Armando expressed how it would be such a struggle to have his family embrace and support him adopting a child with HIV.Armando had already gone through years of battling to have his family accept him for being gay, but Kenny wanted to do what's best for them and not make a decision based on the opinions of others."I would rather help a kid than make a kid," Kenny confessed to Armando.Kenny didn't totally reject the idea of having a baby, especially given adoption would probably take a lot longer, but he asked Armando to just focus on the wedding for now since that was stressful enough in itself.Steven and Alina brought Alina's mother out to lunch at a beautiful restaurant. Alina was happy to have her mother around, but she was still upset over the fact Steven had lied about being a virgin, not to mention he had sex with multiple women.Steven looked forward to Alina being baptized in his Mormon faith and suggested Alina's mother could maybe join his religion one day as well, but Alina's mom -- who was already disciplined in Orthodox beliefs -- noted how that's a huge decision to make.Alina's mother wouldn't make any promises, but she said she would at least think about it.Steven was apparently worried about their different religions having a negative impact on his relationship with Alina down the road, pointing out how Alina's mother would be their child's grandmother and have influence over the baby's life and how he or she is raised.Alina appeared frustrated that Steven was trying to convert her mother, and she said it was "not appropriate," especially because they had been fighting."I don't like that Steven is pushing that on my mother," Alina shared in a confessional.Alina then announced how Steven had broken the commandment of chastity because she believed he was being very hypocritical.Alina thought it was ridiculous Steven was asking her mother to follow church rules "that he couldn't even follow."Alina's mom pointed out how Steven had been born into a Mormon family and therefore didn't really have a choice in what to believe in, and she was concerned about Alina having to follow all the rules of his faith."So it looks like you can live without coffee but you can't live without sex," Alina's mom told Steven."Yes, interesting question," Alina responded.Steven wished and Alina could have spoken about this in private first, but he explained how he had been tested and given he's had sex before, he knew how much he was sacrificing for his religion. Alina then asked Steven to stop making excuses.Steven said being abstinent was very difficult because he found sex enjoyable and so it was like eating only vegetables after eating a candy bar for him."I hate hypocrites. I think it's one of the worst qualities in a person," Alina said."He broke this order after we met with someone who wasn't me. At that time, I already thought I was important to him. I read the Book of Mormon and prayed every day."Alina told Steven that she still loved him and nothing had changed for her, although she had been initially thinking Steven was going to be her Prince Charming and fairy tale.Alina said she had never expected things to unfold this way and she and Steven were definitely far from getting married.Steven asked Alina to give him time to apologize and prove himself to be the husband she deserves.Alina asked her mother if she believed Steven, and she replied, "I don't."Steven worried all of his promises wouldn't be enough for Alina, who wondered if Steven would really change for her. Alina's mom told her flat out to break up with Steven.Alina wasn't sure if Steven could really change and become the person she wanted to be with, but she felt pretty certain that he loved her.Alina's mother didn't like what she saw and hoped Alina would just move home to Russia with her. Alina had to make that decision for herself, but her mother clearly didn't want to see her marry Steven and stay in Turkey.Evelin wanted Corey to leave their home, but Corey planned to continue fighting for their relationship -- until she completely forced him out. Corey was apparently staying in the guest room, and he wrote Evelin a letter promising not to make any more mistakes.Evelin wasn't sure how to process Corey's mistake when he was always around her. She apparently wanted him gone.Evelin said Corey's love notes and letters weren't going to help the situation and she wanted him to respect her decision to be apart."I also need to know, are you going to sign the divorce papers?" Evelin asked."I'm not going to sign the divorce papers, not yet," Corey replied."Then I am going to start the legal process against you, Corey," Evelin said.Corey begged for another chance, saying he didn't want to give up on her or what they had. Evelin said she didn't want a nasty divorce but she'd be willing to get the landlord and police involved if necessary.Corey said he was going to stay until he could change his mind, and Evelin joked about how Corey could be a couple with Raul as a result.Corey told the cameras Evelin had never been this devoted to them separating before and the situation was "really scary" for him. However, Corey said if Evelin served him with divorce papers, he'd "rip them up in her face."Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! Coldplay and K-pop group BTS have released a new version of their song "My Universe." ADVERTISEMENT The British rock band and the South Korean boy band released "My Universe (Suga's Remix)" on Monday. "My Universe (Suga's Remix)" is a remix by BTS member Suga. The remix came about after a conversation between Coldplay and BTS over lunch in New York, according to a press release. "I'm thrilled to be able to work together with Coldplay, who I've admired since I was a kid, and honored to be a part of this remix," Suga said. The "My Universe (Suga's Remix)" lyric video takes viewers on a journey through a technicolor galaxy. Coldplay and BTS released the original version of "My Universe" in September. The song appears on Coldplay's ninth studio album, Music of the Spheres, released Friday. Music of the Spheres also features the song "Let Somebody Go" with Selena Gomez. Coldplay will promote the new album with a world tour that launches March 18, 2022, in San Jose, Costa Rica. Despite their small numbers and the challenges they face, Native American students at UGA are banding together to examine the troubled past of the university and look toward a future that is hopefully more accepting of Indigenous people. Emelynn Arroyave seems to never sleep between her work with the Hispanic Student Association, the Undocumented Student Alliance and more but she's definitely making a difference on campus and beyond. News about the death of former Republican Secretary of State Colin Powell loomed over a gathering of Democrats in Greenville on Monday, especi 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students from Windham Elementary School get a surprise visit from the plow truck they named as part of the Vermont Agency of Transportation's Name a Plow program on Wednesday, 11/17/21. Beckley, WV (25801) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 38F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 27F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Veteran actor-author Anupam Kher, who is in Nepal these days for the shooting for his next film Uunchai, took to Instagram and shared a glimpse of his first look. The Sooraj Barjatya directorial will feature Anupam Kher sharing screen space with Boman Irani and Parineeti Chopra. Ever since the legendary actor has landed in Nepal, he has been treating fans with amazing picturesque landscapes and amazing weather. Recently, he shared his quirky look from the film where he can be seen looking jubilant in the picture. The film is currently under production at Mount Everest in Nepal. In the monochrome picture, the actor can be seen donning big frame spectacles, and a wig as he clicks a selfie in the backdrop of Mount Everest. While captioning the post, he wrote, The sun will drive away from my clouds!! :) #Uunchai[sic]. Helmed by Sooraj Barjatya, the upcoming film is touted as one based on friendship. For the unversed, Anupam has worked with Sooraj in several iconic films such as Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, Vivah, and Ek Vivaah... Aisa Bhi, among others. Anupam Kher gives a sneak peek of his character from his next film Uunchai Apart from Anupam, the film will reportedly also feature Parineeti Chopra, Boman Irani, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Neena Gupta, Sarika, and Danny Denzongpa in key roles. As per media reports, the movie will star legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan in the lead, marking the first-time collaboration with Sooraj Barjatya. Earlier, the actor had even visited the famous Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu while praying for the films cast and his family. While offering the glimpse, he wrote, Pashupatinath temple. Prayed at the ancient temple of #Pashupatinath Ji in #Kathmandu, Nepal on behalf of everybody. Prayed for good health and peace. This Lord Shiva temple was built in the 5th century!! Millions of devotees from all over the world come to pray here! Felt blessed. Jai Bholenath! #Shiva[sic]." In the video, he also spoke about how he had "prayed for everybody and for everybody's peace, good health and prosperity". He also revealed how good he felt to have visited these holy Hindu places and pay his respects to the divine. (Image: PTI) Celebrated actor Priyanka Chopra is currently in full work mode in Spain. While shooting for her upcoming show Citadel, the actor is making sure to bring the best out of her day-offs. Apart from her site-seeing spree, Priyanka is also experiencing different water sports. She was previously seen acing her jet ski skills. The actor also went to experience the ocean life by going underwater. Priyanka Chopra recently took to her Instagram handle to share several glimpses from her scuba diving session. The Quantico star was joined by her brother-in-law Franklin Jonas. In the photos, Priyanka was seen having fun under the sea in her scuba diver costume. One of the videos also had Priyanka Chopra having fun with a huge school of fish. In the caption, the Sky Is Pink star wrote, "There are days when the stress just needs to be silenced! What better way to do that than to explore the glorious underwater creations of God. I was very honoured that the camera crew from Citadel let me crash their party! (sic)" Giving a shoutout to her hosts, she wrote, "Big shoutout to the @alisubbuceo team. Penelope, Victor, Alejandro and everyone else, thank you for such a magical experience. I really needed it!! Thank you @tsigel for taking us out! So fun hanging with Sam, Paul, Josh, Tobias, Andy, Christina and Victor. Sunday well done! (sic)" At last, Priyanka mentioned how she was glad to have Franklin Jonas join her. Parineeti Chopra was thrilled to see her elder sister enjoying the sea. Reacting to the post, she wrote, "Yayyy. So happy youre joining the wild side." Priyanka Chopra's yacht getaway in Spain Earlier this month, Priyanka Chopra had a fun day with her mother on a yacht. The actor shared photos from her getaway via Instagram. In one of the photos, the actor looked stunning in a yellow monokini. She also donned a red coloured bikini while going for a swim in the ocean. She flaunted her jet ski skills in her Instagram stories. Priyanka Chopra will soon star in the spy thriller show Citadel along with Game of Thrones fame Richard Madden. The actor also has Text For You in her pipeline. Priyanka's upcoming movies also include the Bollywood film, Jee Le Zara. (Image: @priyankachopra/Instagram) A leading private facility in Delhi on Monday said that seven cases of Covid vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) have been reported via "gold standard tests" at the facility, and one of the patients died due to complications. Thrombocytopenia refers to fall in platelets count, and Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot in a blood vessel. Doctors at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) claimed that the "first case" of VITT in India was recorded in June this year when a young patient's serum sample was sent to the facility from Army Hospital (Resesrch & Referral) at Delhi Cantonment, and confirmed with the "gold standard test". Unfortunately, due to "late referral", the person could not survive, the SGRH said. Rare cases of blood clot and low platelets after receipt of adenovirus vector COVID-19 vaccines have been reported and are referred to as VITT or thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), the hospital authorities said. Such cases have been reported since early 2021 from Denmark, the UK, Germany and Canada and, on August 11, the UN had issued guidelines for diagnosis and management of TTS, they said. The "first case" of vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) was diagnosed and confirmed in June 2021 by SGRH's department of hematology, under Dr Jyoti Kotwal, which got published in the Indian Journal of Hematology and Blood Transfusion on September 29, the statement said. She said, in VITT essentially the "platelets start clotting first", and if detected early, can be checked with timely medical intervention before it progresses further and leads to blood clotting. Also, in these seven cases, all patients had taken doses of Covieshield (an adenovirus vector vaccine), Kotwal said. "Since the Index case of June 2021, we have received and diagnosed six more samples of VITT. Interestingly, five samples came from Kerala hospitals, and one from a neighbouring private hospital of Delhi," according to Kotwal, chairperson, department of hematology, SGRH. These samples "came by courier" to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and due to timely diagnosis and advise for therapy, the lives of all other six patients of VITT could be saved, the statement said. These six patients were then given guidance for treatment, with doctors from hospitals in Kerala and Delhi talking to doctors at SGRH over phone and other means, she said. The "gold standard" confirmatory test for VITT is the presence of heparin-dependent platelet aggregation (meaning activation) of normal platelets by patient's serum in the presence of low dose of heparin, the SGRH said. The samples of serum of suspected VITT cases are being received through courier and prompt diagnosis is made within 48 hours of receiving samples, it said. "The diagnosis is suspected if symptoms occur between day 3-30 days of vaccination and there is thrombocytopenia. Further, if D-Dimer level is raised and PF heparin antibody (HPF4 IgG) is present, one can make a presumptive diagnosis," the statement said. The incidence of VITT reported from world is 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 127,000 vaccine doses, the SGRH said. The hematology department at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is the "only centre in India" doing the gold standard platelet aggregation test in the country, the hospital authorities claimed. Awareness of the symptoms, diagnostic and confirmatory tests and the treatment of VITT is the need of the hour. Germany, the UK and Canada have issued diagnostic and treatment guidelines, the statement said. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Sunday, met with members of the Indian Jewish community in Israel and hailed their contribution in bolstering ties between the two nations. Likening the community to an umbilical cord that binds Israel and India together, he expressed confidence that Indian Jews will further bring us even closer together in the coming years. Jaishankar also cherished the communitys unique amalgamation of Israeli and Indian traditions like the removal of shoes before entering a religious place and the celebration of some festivals. Very pleased to meet the Indian Jewish community in Israel. Valued their manifold contribution to India-Israel ties. Confident that they will bring us even closer together in the coming years. pic.twitter.com/au0gFEGjsT Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 17, 2021 "You also adopted that very Indian tradition of removing shoes before entering the synagogue. You still remember our way of life, our languages, and our festivals. I am told about the Maiboli journal in Marathi. And I recently saw pictures of many of you celebrating Onam with a 'saadya' meal, not to forget the flower rangoli. You celebrate both Holi and Purim, and both Diwali and Hanukkah", Jaishankar was quoted as saying by PTI. "It is, therefore, not at all surprising that so many of you say (that) Israel is my fatherland and India my motherland, he further emphasised. Pleased to receive a copy of the book-Bombay Mumbai: City Heritage Walks by Dr. Shaul Sapir. pic.twitter.com/dQkCSxhN8y Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 17, 2021 EAM Jaishankars remarks came as he landed in Israel as a part of his maiden visit to the Jewish state after taking office. In a press release later, the External Affairs Ministry informed that Jaishankar's visit was scheduled between October 17 and 21 at the invitation of Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Israel Yair Lapid. During his visit, Jaishakar will hold discussions with Lapid, President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennet and the Knesset Speaker. India-Israel ties India officially recognised Israel in September 1950 and since then both countries share close ties. The bond was bolstered further in 1992 after the two countries opened embassies in each other's territories. At present both India and Israel cooperate in the fields of agriculture, trade, defence, S&T, culture and education inter alia. Earlier this year, New Delhi expressed strong support for the zionists as they battled Hamas insurgents in the Gaza Strip. (With inputs from PTI, Image: @DrSJaishankar/Twitter) Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the National Security Strategies Conference with police chiefs of all states and union territories at the Intelligence Bureau Headquarters on Monday. The meeting was prominently focused on internal security challenges faced by individual states and ways to tackle them firmly. The meeting was attended by DGPs (Director General of Police) of all the states and Union Territories, along with senior officials of the Intelligence Bureau, who gave a detailed presentation to the Home Minister. The Director Generals of central paramilitary forces, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and senior officials of the Home Ministry were also present in this meeting. Amid the tension and recent transgression attempts by China, the Indian Army has intensified its surveillance and combat exercise along the Eastern borders. Republic brings you a special report from the Eastern theatre comprising of the North-Eastern states and West Bengal. The Indian Army has accelerated its air defence operations including the surveillance sorties and combat drills manifold. Republic witnessed the operations of the new aviation brigade from Missamari, Assam. This year in March, the Indian Army's new aviation brigade was raised comprising three units -- Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruva, Weapon System integrated Rudra, Cheetah and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Heron Mk1 UAVs that are widely deployed in the region along the LAC. We started our journey to Tawang, Bumla and other forward locations along the LAC from one of the most strategic Garrisons of the Indian Army at Missamari, Assam. Missamari is one of the oldest stations that witnessed world war II, the 1971 war, Indo China war and the recent India China dispute. The Army Aviation Brigade at Missamari is the main stage for the provisioning of logistics, surveillance and combat preparedness for the Army deployments in the 4 Corps, which is part of Eastern Command. The indigenously developed ALH Dhruva has a major role to play. It is one of the best helicopters in the world that provides mobility in the dense forest areas and rugged terrain of the sector. The advanced version of Dhruva that is weaponised is called Weapon System Integrated, this aircraft has been given the name Rudra as it provides lethal power to the Aviation wing of the Army. Rudra has been integrated with rocket pods and anti-tank guided missiles on both sides. The surveillance in the Eastern sector along the LAC is also done by the Heron Mk 1 UAVs acquired in 2006 from Israel. These Unmanned Aerial Vehicles fly at a height of 30000 ft with a range of 250 km to picture the area along the borders with China. Talking to media persons, the Corps of Army Aviation's Lt Col Amit Dadhwal shared the details about the Army aviation's refined operations. Lt Col Dadhwal said that the Corps of Army Aviation evolved from simple-fixed wing aircraft with basic avionics to state-of-the-art equipment that we have in the rotary platforms today in the form of Cheetah, Advanced Light Helicopters, ALH-Weaponised System Integrated and Light Combat Helicopters. Lt Col Dadhwal further said, "These Rotary Wing platforms provide us a plethora of capabilities so that we can achieve success in all kinds of operations." In the eastern sector right from Sikkim to Arunachal Pradesh, India shares a total of 1,346 km-long the Line of Actual Control with China. The attack helicopters are engaged in aggressive combat drills along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh. The integrated exercises of all major assets of the Aviation Corps in Eastern Command show the might and preparedness of the Indian Army. Besides being combat-ready, the ALH has also saved over fifty lives in various evacuation operations in the last few months. As the dialogue between India and China in the thirteenth round did not bring any breakthrough, the tension between India and China continues for the last 18 months, the Indian Army is prepared for any challenge from the adversary. The infrastructure in the region including roads, airstrips and bridges is being aggressively enhanced by the Army for a better reach and combat capability. Recently, Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane and Indian Air Force Chief ACM VR Chaudhari had expressed concerns over the presence of Chinese troops and fighter jets along the LAC in the Ladakh region. However, they had also maintained that the Indian forces are ready to handle any misadventure. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh & 4 Others Get Life Imprisonment In 2002 Manager's Death Case Rape-convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others have been awarded life imprisonment sentence by a Special CBI court on Monday, following their October 8 conviction in the 2002 Dera Sirsa Manager's murder case. In the Ranjit Singh murder case, the Special CBI court in Panchkula awarded life imprisonment to all the accused, including Dera Sacha Sauda's Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who was in 2017 convicted for rape and then jailed, and four others. A fine of Rs 31 Lakhs has been levied on Ram Rahim and Rs 50,000 on the remaining accused. Read Full Story Here WHO's Technical Group To Meet On Oct 26 To Consider Emergency Use Listing Of Covaxin The World Health Organisation's technical advisory group will meet on October 26 to consider the Emergency Use Listing (EUL) of Covaxin, a vaccine developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech protecting against COVID-19, the global health agency's chief scientist said on Sunday. Read Full Story Here J&K Killings: Nitish Kumar Opines 'migrants Deliberately Targeted'; Confident Of Action Addressing a press briefing on Monday, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar condemned the targeted killings in J&K in which a number of people hailing from his state were killed. He revealed that he had spoken to J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and expressed concern over the terror attacks aimed at migrants. Maintaining that every citizen is free to migrate anywhere in India, he called upon the local authorities to take requisite steps such as ensuring adequate security for migrant workers. Read Full Story Here BJP Condemns Pakistan-backed Terrorism In J&K, Decries Farooq's 'talk To Pak' Suggestion Condemning Pakistan-backed terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, J&K Legislator and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devender Rana said that people of the valley will not accept it. Further speaking on the targeted civilian killing, the BJP leader said that the 'non-local' Kashmiris belong to this country and everyone has to stand up in their support. The J&K leader also reacted to National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah's suggestion of holding talks with Pakistan and asserted, 'talks and terror don't go hand in hand'. Read Full Story Here Three Dead As Incessant Rains Lash Uttarakhand; Chardham Yatra Halted Temporarily Three labourers from Nepal died and two were injured with incessant rains lashing Uttarakhand for the second consecutive day on Monday as the authorities advised Chardham pilgrims not to proceed to the Himalayan temples till the weather improves. The labourers were staying in a tent at Samkhal near Lansdowne in Pauri district when rubble flowing down from a field above due to the rains buried them alive, District Magistrate Vijay Kumar Jogdande said. Read Full Story Here Kerala Floods: VP Naidu Expresses Grief Over Loss Of Lives; Assures Centre's Assistance Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu expressed his condolences for the deaths caused by floods in Kerala on Monday, saying that the state and central governments are doing all possible to provide relief and assistance to the affected people. VP Naidu wrote on Twitter, "Deeply distressed by the loss of lives due to floods in Kerala. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families & prayers for the safety of those affected by floods.I am sure, the State & Central governments are doing their best to provide relief & succour to the affected people." Read Full Story Here Terror Outfit ISKP Warns Of More Attacks In Kashmir Amid Targeted Civilian Killings Amid a slew of civilian killings by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, a warning has been issued by the terror outfit - Islamic State - Khorasan Province (ISKP) - that more such attacks could be witnessed in the Valley. Republic Media Network on Monday accessed a magazine by terror outfit ISKP, which claimed that killings of innocent minorities could continue in Jammu and Kashmir, despite anti-terror operations being launched by the security forces. Read Full Story Here 'Congress Leaders Requested Rahul Gandhi To Become Party President': Mallikarjun Kharge After a much anticipated Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting that took place on Saturday, uncertainty still looms over a full-time Congress president. However, Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has bagged support from many leaders in the grand old party. Revealing details of the CWC meeting, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge said informed that all people agreed and requested Gandhi to immediately become president of the Congress party. Read Full Story Here French COVID Vaccine Candidate Valneva Reports Better Efficacy Than AstraZeneca A month after the United Kingdom terminated the contract with French Biotech company Valneva, the COVID-19 vaccine candidate has reported positive Phase 3 trials with more efficacy and fewer side effects. On Monday, VLA2001 successfully met both co-primary endpoints with superior neutralising antibody titer level compared to a dose of AstraZeneca, Valneva said in a statement. Trial chief and Professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, Adam Finn noted the Phase 3 trials as "both impressive and extremely encouraging." Read Full Story Here China Denies Testing Nuclear-capable Missile, Claims It Tested 'hypersonic Vehicle' After reports surfaced that China had recently tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, Beijing clarified saying it had tested a hypersonic vehicle, not a nuclear-capable missile, reported news agency PTI. On Sunday, October 17, a report by The Financial Times stated that China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August that circled the globe before rushing towards its target, exhibiting an advanced space capacity that took US intelligence off guard. The Chinese military launched a rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle that went through low-orbit space before drifting down towards its target, reported the British daily citing five people familiar with the test. Read Full Story Here Image: Republicworld Bangladeshi gangster Hamza was killed in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh police in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar area on Sunday night. This is said to be a big win for UP police as the now slain gangster had a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head. The police have also recovered two guns, a pistol, and ammunition from Hamza. According to the on-ground reports picked up by Republic Media Network, three police officials also received injuries. The deceased succumbed to the injuries while he was under treatment. The gangster was responsible for crimes such as theft and dacoity. Reportedly, Hamza was the mastermind of three dacoities in Lucknow and Varanasi in a span of the last two years. Hamza also had a record of committing robberies in four states, including Delhi. Earlier this year, at least 15 neo-Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operatives had allegedly entered West Bengal from the neighbouring country, and ten of them allegedly moved to various parts of India including Jammu and Kashmir, an officer of Kolkata Police's Special Task Force (STF) had informed. The remaining five had allegedly stayed back in West Bengal, and three of them, who are Bangladeshi nationals, were arrested from south Kolkata's Haridevpur area, as per the police officials. In March 2021, three Bangladeshi men were arrested for committing crimes in Delhi-NCR. The gang was reportedly given logistics support by one of their accomplices lodged in Tihar Jail. With the arrest of the trio, at least 18 criminal cases, including dacoity, robbery, theft and arms act, have been solved. The three accused were identified as Mohammad Khairul (46), Mohammad Sadiq Sheikh (29) and Montu alias Mulla (30). Delhi Police has been apprehending Bangladeshi criminals committing crimes in India and flying back to their nation. Image: Republic World Amid the spate of targeted killings by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress party on Monday questioned the Centre over its rationale for abrogating Article 370. Speaking to the media, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill blamed the increase in terror attacks on the failure of the BJP government. Mocking the saffron party for its commitment to resettle Kashmiri Pandits in J&K, he claimed that policies such as demonetisation and the abrogation of Article 370 had resulted in them fleeing the Kashmir Valley. Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill remarked, "The sudden spurt in terrorist attacks should be a wake-up call for the BJP government. The failure of the BJP administration is the biggest attack on national security. Second, the Union Home Minister should answer whether the rise in terrorism is the result of demonetisation and Article 370 abrogation. BJP had shown dreams that they will settle people in the Valley. Today, the people who were settled in the Valley are running away. BJP's policies such as demonetisation and Article 370 abrogation are policies to make people run away." Sudden spike in terror attacks in J&K should not be brushed under carpet with usual broom of jingoism by BJP Govt- Attack on non-locals,fleeing of Kashmiri Pandits/Sikh families from valley,freezing of democratic election process r not signs of Vikas as promised by Jumla Sarkar! Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) October 18, 2021 Weighing on the violence in J&K, Congress MP Manish Tewari said, "It's been two months since the Taliban captured Afghanistan. Kabul fell on 15th August 2021. Ever since then, every radical and extremist outfit not only in South Asia but across the larger Middle Eastern region has been emboldened by this takeover. The blowback that we are seeing in Jammu and Kashmir should have been anticipated and expected after the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan. And therefore, under those circumstances, it is essential for the government to go back to the drawing board. Because there is a pattern of what is happening across South Asia." "The pattern is the targeted killings of people who are not of Jammu and Kashmir domicile in Jammu and Kashmir, the persecution of Kashmiri Pandits and what remains of them, the attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh and of course, the heavy infiltration as evidenced by the fact that there is an encounter which has continued for over 9 days in J&K in the Poonch region. So, these are not stray strands in the wind. This needs to be seen holistically. Therefore, under those circumstances, the government of India would be well advised if they do prepare a very very serious national security strategy," the former Union Minister added. Spate of killings rock J&K Targeted killings have rocked J&K in the last few weeks after terrorists killed Makhan Lal Bindroo who owned a popular pharmacy in Srinagar's Iqbal Park, on October 5. On the same day, Virender Paswan, a street food vendor hailing from Bhagalpur in Bihar and Mohammad Shafi, a taxi driver were also shot dead by terrorists. This was followed by another gruesome incident on October 7 when Supinder Kaur, the principal of the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Srinagar and teacher Deepak Chand were gunned down. On October 16, street vendor Arbind Kumar Sah and carpenter Sagir Ahmad fell prey to separate attacks by terrorists. Meanwhile, terrorists barged into a house at rented accommodation of migrant workers at Laran Gangipora Wanpoh in Kulgam a day later, opened fire indiscriminately and killed migrant workers Raja Rishidev and Yogendra Rishidev. Overall, 11 civilians have been killed in terrorist attacks in J&K since the beginning of October. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Kushinagar international airport in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday to facilitate air travel requirements of Buddhist pilgrims in India, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Monday. "The inaugural flight will land at the Kushinagar airport from Colombo, Sri Lanka carrying 125 dignitaries and Buddhist monks," the ministry's statement noted. Kushinagar is an international Buddhist pilgrimage centre where Lord Gautam Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana. After the airport's inauguration, the prime minister will also address a programme on Wednesday at the Buddhist site of Mahaparinirvana stupa and temple in which Sri Lankan Buddhist monks and ministers of the Sri Lankan government will take part, the ministry mentioned. Kushinagar is the centre point of the Buddhist circuit, which consists of pilgrimage sites at Lumbini, Sarnath and Gaya. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will also be present at the airport's inauguration along with the prime minister, the ministry said. The Kushinagar airport's new terminal building, which is spread across 3,600 square meter, was built at a cost of Rs 260 crore by the Centre-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) in association with the Uttar Pradesh government, it mentioned. The terminal building at this airport is capable of handling 300 passengers during the peak hours, it noted. Direct aviation connectivity with South Asian countries will make it easier for tourists arriving from Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore to reach Kushinagar and experience the rich heritage of the region, it said. Tourism inflow is expected to rise by 20 per cent with inauguration of the airport, it mentioned. Journey of Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Rajgir, Sankisa and Vaishali of Buddhist circuit will be covered in lesser time after this airport's inauguration, it said. Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23 last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May 2020 and under bilateral "air bubble" arrangements with approximately 28 countries since July 2020. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari met the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh on Monday in Kolkata. The delegation led by Suvendu Adhikari held this meeting in the backdrop of mob attacks at the ISKCON temple in Noakhali, Bangladesh on October 16, which resulted in the death of a devotee. A delegation led by Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Legislative Assembly, met the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Kolkata over the incident where an ISKCON temple in Noakhali, Bangladesh was vandalised & a devotee killed by a mob on Oct 16th. pic.twitter.com/heL5S6Vi9m ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2021 Local BJP leaders & workers staged a demonstration at Shyambazar in Kolkata today over the horrifying incident. Reports have also claimed that the protesters at Shyambazar 5 Point Crossing were later detained by Police. Suvendu Adhikari meets Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner A delegation led by Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, met the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Kolkata. In a tweet, Suvendu claimed that the delegation had expressed their concern over the atrocities that were being faced by the Bengali Sanatani Hindus. Later he interacted with the media about the meet and asserted commitment to fight for the rights & security of the Hindus ISKCON temple vandalism during Dussehra Just days after temples and idols were vandalised during Durga puja celebrations in Bangladesh, another similar attack took place on the day of Dussehra when devotees at the ISKCON temple in the Noakhali area were violently attacked by a mob. During the attack, many devotees suffered injuries and the temple property was damaged. Sharing pictures of the vandalised temple, ISKCON authorities said there was significant property damage and that the condition of a devotee, who was allegedly attacked with a dagger, remained critical. ISKCON temple & devotees were violently attacked today by a mob in Noakhali, Bangladesh. Temple suffered significant damage & the condition of a devotee remains critical. We call on the Govt of Bangladesh to ensure the safety of all Hindus & bring the perpetrators to justice. pic.twitter.com/ZpHtB48lZi ISKCON (@iskcon) October 15, 2021 ISKCON temple authorities claimed that the sculpture of its founder A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was also burnt down by the goons. The temple authority had since appealed to the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of all Hindus and bring the perpetrators to justice. Vice President and spokesperson of ISKCON Kolkata, Radharamn Das, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on the matter immediately. Posting a tweet with the hashtag 'Save Bangladeshi Hindus', Das stated that widespread violence has been unleashed against Hindus in the neighbouring country. Image Credits - ANI Jammu, Oct 17 (PTI) After ending his long association with the National Conference (NC), the new entrant in the BJP, Devender Singh Rana, on Sunday said he will continue to respect former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah with whom he had worked for over two decades. He termed the civilian killings in Kashmir a conspiracy hatched by Pakistan to harm communal harmony and said that India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, will defeat the nefarious designs of the neighboring country. "I have worked with (NC president) Farooq Abdullah and (vice president) Omar Abdullah for the past nearly 23 years. I have respect for both of them and it will continue," Rana told reporters at the BJP headquarters where he was accorded a warm welcome after joining the party in Delhi on Monday. He was responding to a question about Omar Abdullah's recent statement that Rana's departure from the NC was more of a personal loss to him, rather than the party, as he had invested a lot in him. Rana, the younger brother of Union minister Jitendra Singh, had taken over the post of provincial president of the NC in 2011 after relinquishing his office as political advisor to the then chief minister Omar Abdullah. He, along with senior party colleague and former minister S S Slathia, joined the BJP in Delhi on Monday. "Politics brought me at a stage where I had to change the direction and way," he said. In reply to a question about the recent targeted killings in the valley, the BJP leader said these are part of Pakistan's conspiracy aimed at harming the communal harmony and brotherhood in Jammu and Kashmir. "Terrorism has no place in civil society... Under the leadership of Modi and Shah, a befitting response will be given (to Pakistan). The people of Jammu and Kashmir will also stand united to defeat the designs of Pakistan and the forces who want to harm our brotherhood," he said. The BJP leader said Jammu and Kashmir is an example of brotherhood and "we will join hands to uphold it and defeat the inimical elements who are out to harm it. They will get the answer and will be finished here". Asked about his reaction to the ongoing operation in the forest areas of Poonch and Rajouri which left nine Army personnel dead in two separate encounters with terrorists over the past week, he said nobody has the right to speak on the security operations. "Our Army and other forces are strong enough to give a befitting response to their adversaries. I am fully confident that our Army, which is known for its professionalism around the globe, will achieve all the success as it cannot be defeated by anyone," he said. PTI TAS AAR (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The latest research which is conducted throughout Sweden revealed that people who got the first dosage of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine accompanied by an mRNA vaccine injection had a possibility of a reduced infection risk than those who obtained both COVID vaccines of the AstraZeneca preventive. When the usage of AstraZeneca's vector-based COVID vaccine for persons under the age of 65 was discontinued because of safety issues, all Swedish individuals who had previously got their initial dose of this vaccination were advised to have an mRNA vaccine as a second dose. Citing Peter Nordstrom, the professor of Sweden's Umea University, PTI reported, Having received any of the approved vaccines is better compared to no vaccine, and two doses are better than one. However, our study shows a greater risk reduction for people who received an mRNA vaccine after having received a first dose of a vector-based, as compared to people having received the vector-based vaccine for both doses. The finding of the study was released in the Lancet Regional Health of Europe journal on Monday, October 17. The research was focused on countrywide registry data from the Swedish Public Health Agency, the National Board of Health and Welfare, and Statistics Sweden. Findings of the research on Mix-and-match COVID vaccines Approximately 700,000 people participated in the primary analysis. Within the time period of 2.5-month average follow-up after the second dosage, the Lancet study found that the combination of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccination injections resulted in a 67% reduced chance of infection. Further, in comparison to unvaccinated people, people vaccinated with AstraZeneca and Moderna COVID vaccines had a 79% reduced chance of illness, according to the study. The risk decrease was 50% less for those who took two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, branded in India as Covishield. After taking into various considerations such as vaccination dates, participant ages, socio-economic level, and other COVID-19 risk variables, these risk estimations were discovered. According to the researchers, the study's efficacy was estimated during the time when the Delta variant was dominating the nation which many cases confirmed. Marcel Ballin, a Ph.D. student at Umea University and co-author of the study stated that the research's findings might have consequences for vaccination methods in different nations. He went on to say that although there are encouraging results from earlier researches on an immune reaction from mix-and-match vaccination, yet, the World Health Organization has indicated that larger studies are needed to examine their efficacy and safety against clinical results. Here we now have one such study," he added. Further, the researchers claimed that all vaccination regimens had a very low rate of unfavourable thromboembolic events or the development of blood clots in blood vessels. Even though Mix-and-match vaccination regimens have been shown in the past to produce a strong immunological response. However, the researchers noted that it was still unknown to what degree these regimens may lower the risk of clinical infection and that this study intended to fill that information gap. Image: AP More than 2.1 million people in Kenya are facing starvation following two years of poor rainfall, the COVID-19 pandemic and an outbreak of desert locusts, according to the latest report by the country's National Drought Management Authority (NDMA). Access to food and water is an urgent concern for both humans and livestock amid the progressive impact of climate change. Many open water sources including rivers, water pans, and dams have dried up across pastoral and agricultural livelihood zones, and other open water sources are at 20 to 40% of capacity. Eunice Aroo and her five year-old daughter have had to travel five kilometres (3.1 miles) to Kapua village centre in Turkana County to receive food donations from the Red Cross. The central square is full of famished villagers eying a single truck loaded with multiple plastic cans of cooking oil, maize flour and other assorted cooking items. For her family of five, the rations can be eked out for six days. She will attempt to supplement them with wild fruits from the forest. Unpredictable weather patterns have made it difficult for humanitarian aid organizations to help. They say that nowadays it's raining when it's not supposed to and dry when not expected, meaning they no longer know when to distribute seeds, pasture and food. "It's extremely hot, it's extremely dry, there is no water, there is no food, there is no pasture for their animals, so this makes it difficult for them as a community," says Annette Msabeni, Deputy Secretary General, Red Cross Kenya. Msabeni fears that relief food distribution is a short term measure and more needs to be done to build resilience in the wake of climate change. According to Professor Shem Wandiga of the Climate Change Institute of Kenya, developing countries are suffering from the actions of developed countries. "95% of the greenhouse gases have been contributed by the developed countries, and now China, India and Brazil are coming in. Okay? Now these contributions have the impact of giving us drought and the reality of drought is there," says Wandiga. He says that, to survive, people will have to change the crops they grow and plant seeds that have been "modified by the agriculturalists to fit the present condition due to climate change". The NDMA report said with the coming October-December rainy season forecast to be below normal, the situation was only going to get worse. By the end of 2021 up to 2.4 million people could be affected, it reported. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) After reports surfaced that China had recently tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, Beijing clarified saying it had tested a hypersonic vehicle, not a nuclear-capable missile, reported news agency PTI. On Sunday, October 17, a report by The Financial Times stated that China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August that circled the globe before rushing towards its target, exhibiting an advanced space capacity that took US intelligence off guard. The Chinese military launched a rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle that went through low-orbit space before drifting down towards its target, reported the British daily citing five people familiar with the test. Among the five persons, three said that missile had missed its target by nearly two dozen miles, whereas, two others stated Beijing had made "astonishing progress" on hypersonic weaponry, reported The Financial Times. Reacting to the report, Zhao Lijian, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, stated that a test of a hypersonic vehicle was conducted not of a missile. "As far as we can tell, this is merely a standard space vehicle test to ensure that the vehicle's technology is being used repeatedly. This is critical in terms of lowering costs and providing a reasonable and low-cost return route for humanity's peaceful usage of space," he was quoted as saying by the PTI. US expresses concerns over growing Chinese 'military capabilities' It should be mentioned here that the US is yet to make any statement regarding the report, but they have expressed concern about China. John Kirby, Press Secretary for the United States Department of Defence, said that they have often voiced their concern about the "military capabilities" China has been pursuing. He further went on to say that these capabilities will exacerbate tensions in the "region and beyond," as reported by The Financial Times. Meanwhile, the US and Canada had sailed two warships across the Taiwan Strait amid growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific area. On Sunday, October 17, the Chinese military strongly criticised the move calling it a "colluded" attempt to "provoke and create problems," according to ANI. However, the US described the action as part of a "free and open Indo-Pacific" as well as displaying solidarity with friends. (With inputs from agencies) Image: AP Amid escalating tensions over the Indo-Pacific region, the US and Canada had sailed two warships through Taiwan Strait, a move that has angered China. On Sunday, the Chinese military vehemently condemned the action dubbing it as a "colluded" act to "provoke and stir trouble," ANI reported. Meanwhile, the US called the action a part of demonstrating solidarity with the allies besides a "free and open Indo-Pacific." "(US destroyer) USS Dewey and (Canadian frigate) HMCS Winnipeg's transit through Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific," the US Army said in a statement. The US claims followed China's self-proclaimed calls of sovereignty over Taiwan. Over time, Beijing has kept a close watch on the island country labelling it to be a part of the fight against "threats and provocations." The US slams China's "destabilizing" behaviour across Taiwan Meanwhile, Beijing has sent a record number of planes into the Taiwan Air Defense territory, including nuclear-capable H-6 bomber, which was intercepted in close proximity to the self-ruled nation on October 3 while Beijing marked its National Day, Kyodo News reported citing Defence Ministry. As per reports, Taipei Defence Military deployed combat aircraft to warn the Chinese warplanes and activates missile systems to monitor them. Claiming to be one of the biggest intended infringements by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters on Saturday that China has been "bellicose" and "damaging regional peace engaging in many bullying acts," Al Jazeera had reported. On Sunday, Taiwan intercepted two Chinese J-16 fighters and an anti-submarine aircraft once again into its airspace. Tensions between the US and China escalate amid the latter's differences with Taiwan Tensions between China and Taiwan have gained momentum since October 1 after the former flew over 100 fighter jets into Taiwan's Air Defence zone. On the other hand, US-China relations have also remained rigid due to Beijing's aggressive claims of sovereignty along the South China Sea. Also, the Taiwan-China relations have remained strained due to the dependence of the former on the US for military support. Meanwhile, self-ruled Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly expressed willingness to remain independent against the Chinese goal of "reunification." With inputs from ANI Image: AP (representative) Prostitution has a long history in Europe. It was back in 1942 that the Swiss government announced the act to be completely legal and protected by the constitution. Other countries including Germany and Greece-soon followed suit. The Netherlands, a popular sex tourism destination today- decriminalized prostitution in 2000. Image: AP According to a recent estimate, there are about 12 lakh prostitutes working across the 27 European Union nation-states. Germany alone accounts for 10 lakh sex workers, reveals a Business Insider report. With Pascha- the largest brothel across the continent- prostitution in Germany is roughly a business worth more than US$ 16 billion. Meanwhile, in Spain, brothels are given a more euphoric name- clubs de alternate (alternate clubs). According to The Gaurdian, the act is so ubiquitous in the popular tourist destination, that the Spanish administration, in 2014, tried to calculate its contribution to the GDP. However, as Pedro Sanchezs Socialist party gained power, it vowed to abolish the act in a move that critics say is an attempt to woo female voters, BBC reported. Image: AP Sweden has a more interesting take-while it is illegal to buy sex or operate a brothel in the country, it is completely legal to use one's own body for such services. The Netherlands, meanwhile, has elaborate Red Light districts that attract millions of visitors every year. A report by Amsterdam.org asserts that in the Dutch capital, where sex trade is legal as well as regulated- witnesses over 200,000 annual visitors to its red-light districts. De Wallen, is the largest and most famous red-light district in the city and a famous destination for international sex tourism. Similar to other businesses, prostitution also fluctuates with the economy. In Greece, for instance, the financial state has been so bad that it has pushed more women into the sex trade, with Athens seeing a seven per cent increase in sex workers since 2012, even though the price of sex has plunged considerably, reported Business Insider. A more permissible attitude As compared to the rest of the world, Europe has a more permissible attitude towards prostitution. In countries including Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Greece, Turkey, Hungary, and Latvia, the multi-million business is not only legal but also regulated with brothels paying taxes and following certain laws. In other nations, like Spain and France, the business is legal yet unregulated by the administration. While the COVID pandemic and related restrictions pushed many small-scale brothels and independent sex workers on the brink of choosing an alternate means of livelihood, things are returning to normal as more domestic and international tourists flock in. Main Image: AP European Union foreign ministers are considering ways to stop illegal flow of migrants into the 27-nation bloc from neighbouring Belarus, including stopping companies from leasing jets to Belarusian airline, Belavia. Several EU leaders have accused the government of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of facilitating migration into the EU in retaliation for EU sanctions. Thousands of migrants have been lured to Belarus on tourist visas and encouraged to cross into Poland, Lithuania and to a lesser extent Latvia, all three EU nations that border Belarus. The migrant influx began a year ago after the EU slapped sanctions on Lukashenko's government over the August 2020 presidential election, which the West views as rigged, and the Belarus security crackdown on the opposition and peaceful protesters that followed. "It's a completely unacceptable situation that Belarus are deliberately bringing migrants from other parts of the world and then putting them in a very vulnerable situation in an effort to try to raise political pressure with the EU," said Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney upon arrival at Monday's meeting. Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis asked for sanctions on Lukashenko for exploiting vulnerable people and against Belavia. He also urged the bloc to send a clear message to companies carrying to Belarus people with the intention to migrate that they are under the EU's radar. Coveney, whose country is a hub for aircraft leasing, said he is open to a new round of sanctions targeting individuals in Belarus. Coveney however insisted that ending existing leasing contracts could be difficult from a legal standpoint. "We are, of course, open to talk about how the commission and how the EU can increase pressure here," Coveney said. "What I'm saying is that where there are existing contracts, we're not sure how that can be unwound legally. But, what certainly we're saying is that there should be no future contracts or additional aircraft leasing to Belarus." German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Lukashenko is nothing more than the head of a state smuggling company," adding that ministers will need to make clear to airlines that such a practice is not tolerated. Edgar Rinkevics, the Latvian foreign minister, suggested that Belavia should be sanctioned so that it doesnt receive any technical support. That there are not any connecting flights, anything. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The people of Dingle gathered to remember Fungie the Dolphin on Sunday, 17 October, a year after it was reported missing. The bottlenose dolphin named Fungie had been living in Dingle, in southwest County Kerry, Ireland since 1983, reported CNN. However, after 37 years, in 2020, Fungie was nowhere found in the water. Now, as a year passes by since Fungie was last spotted, Jimmy Flannery, who has been operating a company Dingle Dolphin Tours for more than thirty years arranged for a memorial to celebrate the dolphin. As per the CNN report, Fungie was known by all the local fisherman's boats and would also accompany sea swimmers when they trained. The people of Dingle would love seeing Fungie and tourists from across the world were attracted to the dolphin, reported CNN. In order to catch a glimpse of Fungie, people from around the world visited this remote part of Ireland. Jimmy Flannery, who has been operating a company Dingle Dolphin Tours hosted a memorial to celebrate the dolphin Fungie. Dingle town bids farewell to Fungie For remembrance, free boat tours were carried out throughout the day from the Dolphin Statue. He and other local boat operators offered free boat trips to the entrance of the Dingle harbour on Sunday. "A blessing for the loss of all our loved ones and our coastal communities," Flannery informed on Facebook. As Flannery's boat left the Dingle harbour, he mentioned that Fungie was with them. A local priest and a Church of Ireland minister boarded one of the vessels and offered prayers at the sea. Jimmy Flannery mentioned that due to the COVID-19 curbs, the tour operations were stopped. He mentioned that Fungie missed human interactions and by mid-October 2020, the Dolphin had vanished, reported CNN. Furthermore, Flannery revealed that it was the first time that the dolphin disappeared for more than a few hours. He added that a dozen of boats launched a search operation for Fungie and even rescue divers joined in, however, they were unable to spot Fungie. As per the CNN report, a Dingle resident and a founder of the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium stated that Fungie might have died due to the age factor as Fungie was a teenager when he came to Dingle and the life expectancy of male bottlenose dolphins is up to 40 years. Image: Facebook/JimmyFlannery Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, on Sunday, pledged to outlaw prostitution- an act that one in every three Spanish men admitted to paying for. Addressing his supporters at the end of his Socialist Partys Congress, Sanchez vowed to abolish prostitution reckoning that the practice enslaves women. Notably, a ban on the sex trade was a promise that Sanchezs Socialist Party had added to his election manifesto back in 2019. But, no concrete legislation has been passed as of now. Speaking in the coastal city of Valencia, Sanchez highlighted policies and measures taken under his administration that have helped Spain advance including those regarding domestic violence and minimum wages. On Sunday, he vowed to take it a step ahead and abolish the sex trade. And out of this congress emerges a commitment I will implement. We will advance by abolishing prostitution, which enslaves women, he told the gathering, as reported by SCMP. Like many other European countries, prostitution is decriminalized in Spain. However, pimping or mediation between the client and the sex worker is punishable. In 2009, a survey conducted by Spains Social Investigations Centre (CIS) revealed that one in every three men in the country had paid for sex at least once. In 2014, the countrys statistics agency even tried to calculate the contribution of prostitution and related acts to the countrys economy. Prostitution in Europe As compared to the rest of the world, Europe has a more permissible attitude towards prostitution. In countries including Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Greece, Turkey, Hungary, and Latvia, the multi-million business is not only legal but also regulated with brothels paying taxes and following certain laws. In other nations, like Spain and France, the business is legal yet unregulated by the administration. While the COVID pandemic and related restrictions pushed many small-scale brothels and independent sex workers on the brink of choosing an alternate means of livelihood, things are returning to normal as more domestic and international tourists flock in. Image: AP The literary world in Spain has been thrown into disarray after a prestigious book prize was presented to Carmen Mola, a well-known female thriller author who turned out to be a pen name for three men. On Friday, October 15, at the Planeta awards, television scriptwriters Agustin Martnez, Jorge Diaz, and Antonio Mercero startled attendees, including Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia, by taking to the stage to accept the prize money and disclosed the famed crime author did not exist, reported CNN. The writer, who has been compared to Italy's renowned novelist Elena Ferrante, is characterised as a "Madrid-born author" writing under a pseudonym in order to remain anonymous on Mola's agent website. Mola's website description also includes a sequence of images of an unnamed woman gazing away from the camera. In previous interviews with Spanish media, Martnez, Diaz, and Mercero had described Mola as a female university professor who lived in Madrid with her husband and children. Mola's novels mainly revolve around the character of detective Elena Blanco, whom publisher Penguin Random House describes as a "peculiar and lonely woman" who enjoys "grappa, karaoke, collectors' cars, and sex in SUVs," reported the outlet. The book that received the Planeta prize, however, did not contain a narrative about Blanco. It's called The Beast, a historical thriller set during a cholera outbreak in 1834 that follows a serial killer who is pursued by a journalist, a police officer, and a young woman. Mas alla de la utilizacion de un pseudonimo femenino es que estos tipos llevan anos contestando entrevistas. No es solo el nombre es el perfil falso con el que ha tomado a lectorxs y periodistas. Timadores. Beatriz Gimeno (@BeatrizGimeno1) October 16, 2021 The revelation stunned many literary figures The Mola novels are recognised for being gory and explicit, and the contrast between Mola's alleged life as a married university professor and the violent nature of the books has been used as a marketing strategy in the past. It should be mentioned here that the real identification of the three writers stunned many fellow literary figures and it did not go well with many. Beatriz Gimeno, a writer and feminist who used to be the director of the Women's Institute, a significant national equality organisation in Spain, slammed Martinez, Daiz, and Mercero. "Beyond the use of a female pseudonym, these guys have spent years doing interviews. It is not only the name, it is but also the fake persona they created to entice readers and journalists. Scammers," read the English translation of her tweet in Spanish. Image: Unsplash/Representative A group of assailants has set on fire at least 29 homes of Hindus in Bangladesh over an alleged blasphemous social media post amidst protests by the minority community against temple vandalism incidents during the Durga Puja celebrations last week, media reports said on Monday. The arson attack happened late on Sunday on a village in Rangpur district's Pirgonj upazila, about 255 kms from here, the bdnews24.com reported. The police rushed to a fishermen neighbourhood as tension mounted over a rumor that a young Hindu man of the village had dishonoured religion' in a Facebook post, the report quoted district's superintendent of police Mohammad Qamruzzaman as saying. As the police stood guard around the man's home, the attackers set fire to other homes nearby, the report said. The Fire Service Control Room said that their report from the scene indicates that 29 residential houses, two kitchens, two barns and 20 haystacks belonging to 15 different owners were torched in Pirgonj's Majhipara, it said, adding that an unruly crowd' has been identified as the cause of fire. The fire service received a report of the fire at 8:45 PM and finally put it out by 4:10 AM, the report said. There were no immediate reports of casualties. A flight carrying 353 people set out from Kabul on Sunday, October 17, marking the ninth evacuation flight from Kabul to Qatar. This is also one of the largest evacuation flights from Afghanistan since the Taliban's hostile takeover. According to CNN, who cited official reports, the aircraft from Afghanistan carried 353 evacuees, including employees and students from the American University of Afghanistan, as well as citizens of Afghanistan, the United States, the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia. The passengers are taken to a facility that is currently housing evacuees in Doha, where they will be tested for COVID-19. According to CNN, they will remain in Doha until they fly for their final destination. In a statement, an official from Qatar said that Qatar will continue to cooperate with international partners to protect Afghans' freedom of movement, particularly by acting as an active mediator between diverse parties. According to the official, they are committed to promoting a stable and peaceful Afghanistan in the future, and they will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the country. Washington to resume evacuation flights from Afghanistan by the end of the year Meanwhile, according to US media reports, Washington plans to resume evacuation flights from Afghanistan by the end of the year. Hundreds of people raced to the airport when the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15, causing pandemonium for many days. The airport was jolted by terrorist strikes conducted by a local affiliate of the Islamic State terrorist group as foreigners and Afghans who assisted foreign forces attempted to escape. Qatar has been supporting the evacuation of civilians from Kabul to Doha since mid-August. The majority of the refugees are en route to Qatar, where they will be temporarily housed before boarding aircraft to their final destinations. Secretary Blinken complimented Qatar for its solid engagement On Sunday local time, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Qatari colleague Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani discussed the situation in Afghanistan. According to the US State Department, Secretary Blinken complimented Qatar for its solid engagement on regional security problems as well as support in safely transporting US nationals and Afghans. According to Qatar's foreign minister, the only way forward is to offer the current Taliban administration "greater participation, cooperation and help," but, Afghanistan should transition to an inclusive government through an internal process in which Afghans decide their future. With Inputs from ANI Image: AP Iran on Monday said that talks with world powers on resuming stalled nuclear negotiations would continue "in the coming days" in Brussels. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said last week's talks between top European Union foreign policy official Enrique Mora and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri had been constructive and that they would continue. Iran wants the lifting of "all sanctions" and "guarantees...that nobody in Washington can ever again play with the world and ridicule it," said Khatibzadeh, in a reference to the US pulling out of the now-tattered 2015 nuclear accord. Khatibzadeh added that Iran has set no preconditons for the US to rejoin the talks. U.S. and Israel said last week they are exploring a "Plan B" for dealing with Iran if it does not return in good faith to negotiations to salvage the languishing landmark 2015 agreement. After negotiations between Tehran and world powers on reviving the nuclear deal stalled earlier this year, Iran breached limits set by the accord. It has been enriching small amounts of uranium to its closest-ever levels to weapons-grade purity as its stockpile continues to grow. Khatibzadeh also said during Monday's news briefing that Tehran will host a conference on October 27 on Afghanistan's political future and the forming of a new government. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) On Monday, a massive fire broke out at a large oil refinery in Kuwait, according to the state-owned oil business company. Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) stated that the fire at the major Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery, which is located along Kuwait's Persian Gulf coastline north of its border with Saudi Arabia, had no impact on the electrical supply or oil exports. The corporation also said that some oil contractors recieved burns and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Some people who got injured in the incident were given first aid on the spot, while others were taken to Al-Adan hospital. According to Arab News, their condition is stable now. The refinery's fire department is currently dealing with the disaster. The refinery was designed to process 25,000 barrels of oil per day to supply Kuwait's domestic market, mostly with gasoline and diesel and it was recently expanded to minimise emissions and increase capacity to 346,000 barrels per day. Firefighters are battling a blaze in the refinery's sulfur-removal treatment unit. Residents in Kuwait's seaside Fahaheel region reported hearing a loud explosion and shared video of thick, black smoke over the highway, on social media. Koweit.. Incendie a la raffinerie de Mina Al-Ahmadi...... Un incendie c'est declenche dans l'unite de desulfuration du petrole de la raffinerie de Mina Al-Ahmadi. Les autorites confirment qu'il n'y a eu aucun blesse. pic.twitter.com/svWnPlSLpv syriuse71 (@Annassiri2) October 18, 2021 Minor injuries and cases of asphyxia as a result of inhaling gases KNPC announced in a tweet that firefighting teams in the refinery were dealing with the fire. Some workers suffered a number of minor injuries and there are reported cases of asphyxia as a result of inhaling gases, according to KNPC. ARDS . . | KNPC (@KNPCofficial) October 18, 2021 KNPC stated that ARD Unit No. 42 and all lines leading to it have been isolated. It further said that the refinery and export activities were unaffected by the fire. Kuwait has the sixth-largest known oil reserves in the world. Other catastrophes in Kuwait in the recent years An explosion triggered by a gas leak rocked the Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery in June 2000, causing the refinery to shut down the output. At least four individuals were killed and 49 were injured in the disaster. A similar catastrophe occurred after eight years in 2008, which was immediately brought under control. (Inputs from AP News) IMAGE: Twitter/@MiddleEastN Amid continuous deadly attacks on minorities and incidents of communal violence erupting in various parts of Bangladesh, its home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, claimed that the violence is aimed at fomenting trouble in the country ahead of the 2023 general elections. Assuring that communal harmony will be protected in Bangladesh at any cost, Khan Kamal said an investigation is underway to nab the culprits involved in "inciting violence" in his country. The minister did not rule out "the involvement on the BNP-Jamaat elements" behind the attacks. "We have taken stern actions to tackle the situation. An investigation is underway; none of the culprits would be spared. I want to assure you that the communal harmony of our country will be protected at any cost. Both the minority and majority communities are citizens of this country and would be protected," he said. Bangladesh is likely to hold elections at the end of 2023. "These incidents are aimed at tarnishing the image of our nation and creating tension with an eye on the general election. But we won't allow these forces to succeed," Khan Kamal added. Violence had erupted in several pockets of Bangladesh over an alleged blasphemy incident during Durga Puja celebrations in Cumilla, following which paramilitary forces were deployed in many affected areas. Sporadic clashes, however, broke out between the police and the bigots began to vandalize Hindu temples and Durga puja venues. At least five persons were killed, and scores of others were injured in the clashes. Khan Kamal noted that four rioters have also been shot dead by the police. "No peace-loving and pious Hindu or Muslim would ever indulge in violence. We are not ruling out the involvement of BNP-Jamaat or any third forces. They could be behind those attacks to halt the progress of our country. This could also be aimed at disturbing peace before the next elections," he maintained. No need to be concerned about minorities: Bangladesh tells India Allaying Indias concerns over the protection of minorities in Bangladesh, Khan Kamal said his government is tackling the situation effectively and progress in the investigation is expected soon. "We think there is no need to be concerned about the minorities here as we are tackling the situation effectively and doing everything possible to protect them. Such attacks on minorities are taking place in other countries too," he underlined. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had last week said that action will be taken again those trying to "disturb communal harmony". She also said that the perpetrators will be hunted down and punished. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has noted that the government in the neighbouring country has reacted promptly to ensure that the situation was under control and said that the Indian mission is in close contact with the Bangladeshi authorities over the matter. (With inputs from agency) Image: PTI/Twitter Jose Maria Neves was announced as the new president of Cape Verde in the early hours of Monday, after the first round of elections. The former Prime Minister of the Atlantic archipelago, Neves, said he plans to unite all parties in the country and stressed the civic participation of the electorate. In his victory speech, Neves said he will be "a president that will unite, protect and care for" all Cape Verdeans. On the streets of Praia, dozens celebrated his win with chants and dancing. According to initial results, Neves was elected with 51.5% of the votes. He will be the fifth president of Cape Verde since its independence from Portugal in 1975. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) South Korea's Foreign Ministry has raised concerns over Japan's scheduled dumping of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean to cool the reactor at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant. The official was quoted by the Yonhap news agency as stating that they have expressed significant worries and resistance to its plan, which could impact the health of many people and security as well as the maritime environment. The official said that Japan decided to discharge the radioactive water into the sea without contacting its neighbours. Russia, China and South Korea are concerned that dumping a million tonnes of radioactive water may harm the environment, according to Sputnik. During a visit to the power plant on Sunday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the sight of all the cisterns carrying cleaned wastewater convinced him that its release could no longer be postponed. Levels stockpile at Fukushima facility makes it complex issue Earlier this year, Japan announced that the wastewater would be released in stages beginning in 2023, as per the reports of Sputnik. Nuclear power stations frequently dump decontaminated effluent, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, the levels stockpiled at the Fukushima facility make it a unique and complex issue. Recently, the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands introduced a joint resolution condemning Japan's proposal to dump treated nuclear waste from the Fukushima nuclear power facility into the Pacific Ocean. The joint resolution, introduced by Representative Sheila Babauta, rejects any other government's actions in the Pacific relating to nuclear testing, storage and waste disposal and reaffirms everyone's fundamental right to a safe and healthy living environment, according to RNZ. Japan planned to dump a million tonnes of radioactive water in April The Pacific Ocean is a resource and home for many people in the Commonwealth, Oceania and East Asia, who rely on it for food, economic sustenance, transportation and a variety of other things that are readily threatened by human activities like pollution and nuclear exercises. In April, Japan revealed plans to dump over a million tonnes of cleaned but still radioactive effluent from the Fukushima nuclear facility, which was wrecked in the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, into the Pacific over the next two years. Japan also considered dumping 10,000 drums of nuclear waste in the Pacific in 1979. (Image: AP) Non-recognition of Talibans interim government in Afghanistan by the international community is benefitting the Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), Afghanistans acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told Anadolu Agency on Sunday, October 17. The latter referred to the explosion at the Shia mosque in Afghanistans southern city of Kandahar that killed more than 46 to support his remark. The ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack on the Bibi Fatima mosque - the largest in the country for Shia worshippers. Muttaqi said that the recognition of the Taliban regime by the Western nations would not only enable the recovery of Afghanistans economy but will also be a deterrent to the ISIS-K in the region. Taliban, although, in a separate conflicting statement had earlier rejected the claims that there was a heavy presence of the ISIS-K, an affiliate of the terror group Islamic State (IS) in northern Afghanistan. In response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's remark that ISIS-K had hijacked the territories in Afghanistan, Taliban officials at the Cultural Commission of the Talibans Ministry of Information and Culture said at a virtual summit that Russia's claims were false. Concerns expressed in this regard are, to some extent, baseless. Daesh has no support from the people in any part of Afghanistan, the Talibans Ministry of Information and Culture said in a statement, local news outlet TOLO reported. International community 'reluctant' to hand formal recognition to Taliban government The international community has widely expressed reluctance in recognising the Taliban government. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki earlier last month had said that the US is not rushing to formally hand recognition to the newly announced government formed by the Taliban. Speaking at a White House press briefing, Psaki said that the decision to recognize the Taliban government will be based on the actions of the groups. Her comments came directly after the insurgent group announced that the new Afghan cabinet will be headed by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund and appointed Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar as the deputy. Meanwhile, Afghanistan's envoy to the United Nations also expressed concerns about the new government, saying that the Taliban-led cabinet is anything but inclusive, stressing that the group failed to include any women or minority leader in the administration despite a public vow to do so. Similarly, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said at a conference that international recognition of the Taliban was not currently under consideration. His comments came after the Taliban nominated a UN envoy to represent Afghanistan. Turkey similarly clearly announced that while it will assist the Taliban in overcoming the humanitarian crisis, it will not formally recognize Taliban rule in a conflict-ridden nation. Another in the series of denial of the Taliban government is the Foreign Ministry of Denmark, which last month, made clear that the country would not officially recognize the newly claimed Taliban government in Afghanistan. Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod asserted that the countrys leaders are concerned about sustaining the efforts made in Afghanistan over the last two decades, but will not recognize any Taliban government. With this announcement, Denmark joins a long list of countries that passed on recognizing the Taliban regime, which is set to be announced anytime soon. Amid rising conflict between the United States and Turkey, the latter has announced to purchase Russia's Su-35 and Su-57 fighters 'if the United States freezes the sale of F-16 fighter jets', news agency Sputnik reported on Monday. According to the news agency, Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries, chief Ismail Demir, during an interview with Kanal 7 broadcaster, said that the country would always maintain an option and would probably use it if the US government freezes the sale of F-16 fighter jets. Further, the minister said that the country would go beyond its limit if there would be any threat related to security. Turkey to purchase Russia's Su-35 and Su-57 if US freezes F-16 sales "If the process [F-16 purchase and upgrade] does not bring results, then Turkey will not be left without alternatives. If necessary, the topic of Su-35 and Su-57 can be opened at any time," Sputnik quoted the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries chief as saying during a conversation with Kanal 7 broadcaster. "Our industry will do everything to ensure our security, and if something extra is needed, then we can always find a way out," added Demir. The statement from the Defence Industries chief came a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the United States had invited Ankara to buy F-16 fighter jets as a return for its investment in the F-35 programme, reported Sputnik. It is worth mentioning that the conflict between the US and Turkey lead to the removal of Ankara from the defence project. The conflict between the two countries was further bolstered after the Turkish government decided to purchase Russian-made S-400 air defence systems. Soon after the Turkish government announced the procurement of fighter jets from Russia, Washington cancelled the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey. The United States alleged that Ankara would leak military secrets to Russia. Greece, US expand defence pact in face of Turkey tensions Recently, the United States and Greece signed a deal expanding their defence cooperation agreement to grant US forces broader use of Greek bases, as that nation deals with tensions between it and neighbouring Turkey. "This is not an agreementagainst anybody else," Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said in an interview with The Associated Press after the signing ceremony, although he noted the new agreement put a US military presence just miles (kilometres) from Turkey. "Its an agreement between Greece and the United States of America, and the purpose of the agreement is the stability and prosperity of both our countries," said Dendias. (With inputs from AP) (Image: AP) At least three Venezuelans and two Colombians were killed in the municipality of Betania, Colombia, on Sunday, news agency Xinhua reported citing local authorities. According to the reports, the incident happened in the municipality of Betania, Antioquia department, in northwestern Colombia. Meanwhile, Antioquia Governor Anibal Gaviria took to Twitter and assured investigation of the attack. "In the last hours, multiple homicides were registered in #Betania that left at least 5 people dead (3 Venezuelans and 2 Colombians). We advance the Extraordinary Security Council chaired by the Secretary of Security of Antioquia, Jorge I. Castano," Antioquia Governor said on Twitter. Have a look at the tweets of Antioquia Governor here: En las ultimas horas se registro un homicidio multiple en #Betania que dejo por lo menos 5 personas fallecidas (3 venezolanos y 2 colombianos). Adelantamos Consejo Extraordinario de Seguridad presidido por el Secretario de Seguridad de Antioquia, Jorge I. Castano. REPUDIO TOTAL. pic.twitter.com/6SiBLbjK9R Anibal Gaviria Correa (@anibalgaviria) October 17, 2021 "With local authorities, security and justice agencies, as well as high-ranking Army and Police commanders, we also agreed to redouble investigations, operations, and surveillance to achieve a safer Southwest. UNITED for Life. WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET THE VIOLENT WIN," added Antioquia Governor. Citing official reports, Xinhua said that the killing happened on a coffee farm, where two well-armed men arrived and opened fire. "The army and local authorities are working on identifying the perpetrators," Xinhua quoted the head of the Antioquia Police, Colonel Daniel Mazo Cardona, as saying. Con autoridades locales, organismos de seguridad y justicia, ademas de altos mandos del Ejercito y la Policia, tambien acordamos redoblar investigaciones, operativos y vigilancia para lograr un Suroeste mas seguro. UNIDOS por la Vida. NO VAMOS A DEJAR QUE GANEN LOS VIOLENTOS. pic.twitter.com/Jr0sh3f5jR Anibal Gaviria Correa (@anibalgaviria) October 17, 2021 Homicide rate in Colombia has been stable since 2014: Reports In 2020, the UN Human Rights Office in Colombia registered 66 massacres via 18 departments of the country, where 255 people were killed. The authority has also received information on the killing of 120 human rights defenders. According to data from the Institute for Development and Peace Studies, there have been at least 76 cases of homicides registered in Colombia this year. As per the data of Statista, in 2019, there were approximately 24 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in the country. The rate was 25.4 a year earlier. The homicide rate in Colombia has been stable since 2014, with the numbers varying between 24 and 26.1 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. Meanwhile, in Venezuela, there were nearly 46 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in the country, down from a homicide rate of 60.3 years earlier. Since 2017, when the homicide rate was at a peak, Venezuela has seen a decrease in the same in the following years. Image: Twitter/@anibalgaviria/ Pixabay In a televised cabinet meeting, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro reacted Sunday to the extradition of businessman and close government ally Alex Saab to the United States. Colombian businessman Saab is accused of acting as a money launderer for Maduro's regime and prosecutors believe he could be the most significant witness ever about corruption in Venezuela. Maduro's government suspended negotiations with its opposition members in Mexico yesterday in protest after Saab was put on a plane bound for the United States from Cape Verde. It follows a 16-month struggle to prevent the extradition by Maduro and his allies, including Russia, who consider him a Venezuelan diplomat. Saab is expected to have his first court hearing on Monday in Miami, according to U.S. Justice Department spokeswoman Nicole Navas Oxman, who expressed gratitude and admiration to the Cape Verdean government for its professionalism and "perseverance in this complex case." Saab, 49, was arrested in the African archipelago 16 months ago when he made a stopover on his way to Iran for what the government of Nicolas Maduro later described as a diplomatic humanitarian mission that gives him immunity. Saab quickly became a banner of revolutionary struggle under which the Venezuelan government asserted after his arrest that the low-profile businessman had earlier been designated as a representative of the African Union credentials whose authenticity and relevance have been questioned by U.S. prosecutors. IMAGE: AP (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The Venezuelan opposition urged on Sunday the government of Nicolas Maduro to return to the dialogue table to resume the negotiations that were suspended the day before after the pro-government delegates announced that they would not travel to Mexico in protest against the extradition to the United States of businessman Alex Saab, who was one of their representatives. The talks, which are being held under Norwegian facilitation, were left up in the air on Saturday after the Maduro government delegation announced that it would not travel to Mexico City for the fourth session of the process to be held between October 17 and 20. So far it is not clear whether the pro-government team will return to the table to continue with the deliberations that began in early September. From a hotel in the Mexican capital, the head of the opposition delegation, Gerardo Blyde, urged the government to return to the negotiations and told the press that "these delays do not help." "No person is more important than all the Venezuelan people," said Blyde when reading a communique of the so-called "Unitary Platform of Venezuela" in clear allusion to the decision taken by the pro-government delegation not to travel to Mexico in protest for the extradition that took place on Saturday to the United States of Saab who had been detained since June 2020 in Cape Verde. "The deep humanitarian crisis affecting our people, the millions of Venezuelans who have had to emigrate to seek a future that the country does not offer them, as well as the lack of democratic institutions attached to the Constitution, cannot wait," the letter adds. Saab, 49, was transferred on Saturday from Cape Verde to the United States where he will be prosecuted in a Florida Federal Court for money laundering. The Colombian-born businessman, whom Maduro's government identifies as its diplomatic representative, was arrested in June 2020 in Cape Verde when he made a stop on his way to Iran to fulfill a humanitarian mission that gave him immunity, according to Venezuelan authorities. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The government of Venezuela will seek help from the "international human rights organisation in New York" to fight for indicted businessman and close ally Alex Saab, President Nicholas Maduro said during a speech on Sunday. Saab, who is considered to be a close mate of Maduro was extradited to the United States to face money laundering charges. Calling it a "kidnap," President Maduro called out the US Department of Justice for committing "grave crimes" by violating international rights, Sputnik reported. "In the United States, in New York, in the human rights organisations, we are moving at all levels...the right for the truth, for innocence and the freedom of Alex Saab, continues," President Maduro was heard saying during a televised broadcast, as per Sputnik. Saab's extradition announcement on Saturday came after a rigorous 16-months legal battle between the US and Maduro backed by his allies, including Russia, Al Arabiya reported. Meanwhile, Maduro has stalled Mexico-hosted talks with the Opposition, in which Saab was a vital part. President Maduro stalls negotiation talks with opposition over Saab's extradition As a retaliatory measure, the Venezuelan head of the delegation participating in the roundtable dialogue over political and economic instability in the country, Jorge Rodriguez announced on Saturday that the team will not travel to Mexico City for the upcoming round of negotiations, the Associated Press reported. Additionally, six American oil executives held on house arrest were also moved to jail by security forces in Venezuela. According to AP, the subsequent events have led to a rift between Washington and Caracas after a considerable period of diplomacy since Biden took office. Alex Saab to make first appearance in court on Monday For the unknown, the Columbian businessman Alex Saab was arrested in Cape Verde in West Africa in June 2020 when his Iran-bound plane stopped for refuelling. He was detained in Cape Verde until September the Constitutional Court of Cape Verde rejected tr defendant's appeal, thus, resulting in US-led extradition. As told to Sputnik by US Department of Justice spokesperson Nicole Navas Oxman, Saab will be presented before a state court in Florida on Monday. Saab has been arrested on charges of running a network that exploited food aid to Venezuela, pushing the country into further acute hunger crises under President Nicolas Maduro's regime. He was aided by business partner Alvaro Pulido. As per Al Arabiya, both the men are said to have laundered around $350 million out of Venezuela to covert accounts in the US and other banks. Image: AP Volunteers donated locks of their in Caracas on Saturday as part of a drive to support women battling breast cancer in Venezuela. The SenoSalud NGO makes wigs for women suffering from hair loss as they go through chemotherapy. Some of the wigs are free while others are sold at a low cost. According to studies carried out by SenoSalud together with other NGOs, 15 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in Venezuela every day. Dr. Ludmila Calvo, the head of SenoSalud, said mortality rates from the disease were rising because hospitals did not have enough resources to make quick diagnoses. The hair donation event at a mall in Caracas was part of this year's campaign during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Radio broadcaster David Colmenarez was among those who had his hair cut. "I said, 'I'm going to do it from now on to help people' because if there are people who have that beautiful connotation with my hair, why not let a person who doesn't have it, either due to circumstances, cancer, alopecia, some kind of different disease, to have it," he said. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) In major medical developments, health officials in New York have engaged in studying a cluster of Legionella bacteria after at least 10 cases of Legionnaires' disease reported from Long Island and Nassau County. According to News12, the source of the disease that fatally affected one has not been identified yet, however, New York is experiencing a spike in cases statewide. However, the Nassau County Department of Health assured that the bacteria do not spread from person to person. At least 10 people were said to be hospitalised within a one-mile radius of Wantagh Avenue and Old Jerusalem road, in Long Island, News12 reported. Most of the infected were between the age of 35 to 96. On Saturday, one among the infected succumbed to the disease. Meanwhile, health officials have begun working on contact tracing besides swab sampling to identify more cases of Legionnaires' Disease, CBS reported. What is Legionnaires' Disease? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Legionnaires' disease is a severe type of lung inflammation (pneumonia) caused by Legionella bacteria. It is usually caused by inhaling the bacteria from water or soil. People with a weaker immune system, especially those who smoke, older adults are particularly susceptible to the disease, Mayo Clinic says. The ingestion of the bacteria causes Pontiac fever, a milder illness, resembling the flu. Symptoms of the disease are usually a headache, muscle ache, Fever (104 or higher). If untreated promptly, on the second or third day the patient can develop symptoms like cough with mucus and blood, shortness of breath, chest pain, gastrointestinal problems- nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and finally mental changes. One must immediately see a doctor to avoid critical outcomes. How is it caused and how does the infection spreads? The legionella bacterium pneumophilla usually survives in the outdoor water, soil and sometimes in air conditioners. It simply thrives in them, the Mayo Clinic says. Additionally, it is possible to get Legionnaires' from home plumbing, most outbreaks have occurred due to complex water systems helping the bacteria grow easily. As per Mayo Clinic, a person can be infected from inhaling microscopic water droplets containing the bacteria. Generally, outbreaks have been sourced to hot tubs, whirlpools, conditioning systems, swimming pools, birthing pools, drinking water heaters, etc. However, it is to remember that the bacteria is treatable with correct medical diagnosis as soon as possible. Image: AP The world is watching, and they want to know how the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will deal with the crisis; whether Evergrande is going to be China's Lehmann Brothers, and how much of a knock-on effect will it have on the investment environment. The crisis has generated some unprecedented public comments from central banks. U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Oct. 6, after investigators contacted Wall Street firms to ask about their exposure, that the Evergrande crisis appears to be confined to China. But he added: "You would worry it would affect global financial conditions through global confidence channels and that kind of thing," Powell said. His comments came after Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda sought to allay those fears, saying the crisis still appeared confined to a single company. But he said the BOJ would "keep an eye" on developments. International central banks rarely mention corporate defaults by name unless there are known systemic financial risks, so despite the reassuring tone, the fact that they have commented at all suggests a wider problem than of a simple real estate company listed in Hong Kong. International financial media are also publishing regular articles linking Evergrande's fate to global calculations of risk. Some clues are right there in the numbers; Evergrandes total liabilities currently stand at 1.9 trillion yuan, which is equivalent to nearly 90 percent of Hong Kongs GDP and about two percent of Chinas total economic output. The Economist has described Evergrande as the most indebted company in the world. Security personnel form a human chain as they guard outside the Evergrande's headquarters, where people gathered to demand repayment of loans and financial products, in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Sept. 13, 2021. Credit: Reuters 'Insolvent by definition' China Evergrandes debt crisis has sparked panic-selling on stock markets in Hong Kong and mainland China, with a domino effect on global financial markets.The world is watching, and they want to know how the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will deal with the crisis; whether Evergrande is going to be China's Lehmann Brothers, and how much of a knock-on effect will it have on the investment environment.The crisis has generated some unprecedented public comments from central banks.U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Oct. 6, after investigators contacted Wall Street firms to ask about their exposure, that the Evergrande crisis appears to be confined to China.But he added: "You would worry it would affect global financial conditions through global confidence channels and that kind of thing," Powell said.His comments came after Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda sought to allay those fears, saying the crisis still appeared confined to a single company. But he said the BOJ would "keep an eye" on developments.International central banks rarely mention corporate defaults by name unless there are known systemic financial risks, so despite the reassuring tone, the fact that they have commented at all suggests a wider problem than of a simple real estate company listed in Hong Kong.International financial media are also publishing regular articles linking Evergrande's fate to global calculations of risk.Some clues are right there in the numbers; Evergrandes total liabilities currently stand at 1.9 trillion yuan, which is equivalent to nearly 90 percent of Hong Kongs GDP and about two percent of Chinas total economic output.The Economist has described Evergrande as the most indebted company in the world. , the central government tightened debt ratio requirements for property developers to stamp out speculation, and required them to finance projects with bank loans rather than from up-front payments from buyers. Accordingly, they required the total debt ratio to come in at less than 70 percent, the net debt ratio to be less than 2:1 and the short-term cash debt ratio to be less than 1. Evergrande exceeded all three restrictions, making it insolvent by definition. It is common knowledge that Evergrande chairman Xu Jiayin's favored business model is to sell properties at a discount, and in large volumes. Right now, Evergrande has 1,300 projects in 280 Chinese cities involving 1.4 million families. The company has warned in a recent performance report that possible loan defaults will cause delays in payments to suppliers and contractors, which will result in the suspension of some related projects. The impact won't just be felt by builders, suppliers, bondholders, financing banks, but by more than a million ordinary households, a factor that could lead to social unrest. Protesters have already been gathering outside the offices of Chinese property giant Evergrande in recent weeks to demand their money back, as the company struggles to repay debts of more than U.S.$300 billion amid a liquidity crisis. A woman cries as she and other people gather at the Evergrande headquarters in Shenzhen, southeastern China, as the Chinese property giant said it is facing "unprecedented difficulties," Sept. 16, 2021. Credit: AFP 'Common prosperity' In, the central government tightened debt ratio requirements for property developers to stamp out speculation, and required them to finance projects with bank loans rather than from up-front payments from buyers.Accordingly, they required the total debt ratio to come in at less than 70 percent, the net debt ratio to be less than 2:1 and the short-term cash debt ratio to be less than 1.Evergrande exceeded all three restrictions, making it insolvent by definition.It is common knowledge that Evergrande chairman Xu Jiayin's favored business model is to sell properties at a discount, and in large volumes.Right now, Evergrande has 1,300 projects in 280 Chinese cities involving 1.4 million families.The company has warned in a recent performance report that possible loan defaults will cause delays in payments to suppliers and contractors, which will result in the suspension of some related projects.The impact won't just be felt by builders, suppliers, bondholders, financing banks, but by more than a million ordinary households, a factor that could lead to social unrest.Protesters have already been gathering outside the offices of Chinese property giant Evergrande in recent weeks to demand their money back, as the company struggles to repay debts of more than U.S.$300 billion amid a liquidity crisis. Then there is the wider issue of property market regulation under CCP general secretary Xi Jinping's "common prosperity" policy, which is reshaping the entire Chinese economy, from real estate to the gig economy, online services and gaming, and education. As an economic model, it is expected to be all-pervasive. The investment bank UBS has estimated that if there is a collapse in Chinese real estate prices, nearly 1.86 trillion yuan in pre-sale contracts could be at risk. The ratings agency Standard & Poor's has already forecast a slowdown in real estate sales under the impact of the Evergrande crisis. What worries analysts in particular is the potential collapse of the entire real estate industry. If Evergrande sells its assets at a low price, it may destroy the overall property market. A downturn in the real estate market, alongside the debt exposure of real estate companies, could dramatically affect buyer confidence. If Evergrande goes bankrupt, there will be an inevitable domino effect, leading to the failure of one highly leveraged real estate company after another, paralyzing an industry that accounts for one fourth of China's economic output. A number of local governments in China have already issued restriction orders aimed at preventing property prices from falling too fast, suggesting that the process is already spiraling out of control. There is also a growing fear that the Evergrande debacle could affect Chinese financial institutions, which might make it too big to fail. Evergrande Real Estate, a subsidiary of Evergrande, has already had 132 million yuan in deposits at the Yixing branch of the China Guangfa Bank frozen by the Wuxi Intermediate People's Court. Bank concerns The incident has fueled concerns over the risks the Evergrande crisis poses to China's banking system, particularly a number of small and medium-sized banks with high exposure to real estate developers, including Ping An and Minsheng, for whom loans to property developers account for 10 percent of the loans on their books, far higher than the industry average of about six percent. According to Evergrandes letter to the government at the end of last year, its creditors include around 128 banks and 121 non-bank institutions. The People's Bank of China has sought to reassure people that the Evergrande crisis doesn't pose a systemic risk to the banking system. But bank loans are only one of Evergrandes financing channels. There are also concerns about the company's use of shadow finance. Evergrande Financial Services was set up in 2015 to sell wealth management products. It was also one of the most popular players in the peer-to-peer (P2P) banking industry at that time. By 2019, Evergrande Financial Services had been renamed Evergrande Fortune. According to Evergrande's Sept. 8, 2021 announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, these two subsidiaries had failed to perform their guarantee obligations for the issuance of wealth management products to third parties on schedule, to the tune of around 934 million yuan. But Evergrande Fortune executive director Du Liang has also said it would be impossible for Evergrande to come up with the 40 billion yuan needed to redeem wealth management products all at once, suggesting that the 934 million yuan figure is just the tip of the iceberg. According to Evergrande's annual report, 45 percent of interest payments and debt repayments it made last year were to trusts and shadow banks, far more than the 25 percent made in respect of bank loans. 'Invisible mountain of debt' It's likely that this invisible mountain of debt is what the central government is really worried about. It's true that, while Evergrande has debts of 1.97 trillion yuan, it also holds total assets of 2.3 trillion yuan, including liquid cash and land reserves worth around 456.8 billion yuan. So the key to whether it avoids bankruptcy lies with whether it will default on its bonds and bank loans; and on what proportion of its total interest-bearing liabilities. Once a company lacks short-term liquidity, no amount of assets will help. Reuters has suggested that there are only three options for Evergrande: an embarrassing collapse with far-reaching impact; an orderly wind-down or a bailout of China's biggest property developer by the government. The People's Bank of China and the Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission hauled in Evergrand executives for rare meetings in mid-August, demanding that they make every effort to maintain operational and financial market stability. There have been rumors that an Evergrande creditor committee has been set up in Guangdong, in a bid to deal with Evergrande's debt problems in a market-oriented manner, while maintaining the operational stability of its construction projects. The company has managed to reduce its interest-bearing liabilities by 144.7 billion yuan in the first half of 2021 by selling off assets worth more than 41 billion yuan, and bringing its net debt-to-asset ratio below 100 percent. But the company's recent defaults on bond payments mean that it is very far from being out of the woods. The company last month missed coupon payments on two dollar bond tranches and faces three more early next week totalling nearly U.S.$150 million. A series of controlled demolitions may prevent a domino effect in which Evergrande takes down the whole Chinese economy. But the biggest difference between this so-called "orderly bankruptcy" rescue operation and the Western-style, market-oriented handling of defaults is that Chinese enterprises must act in accordance with Chinese national interests first and foremost. The so-called market-oriented treatment emphasized by the CCP is actually only a redistribution of benefits. According to Bloomberg, while investors in Evergrande stocks and bonds will eventually receive only a small amount of their principal, Evergrandes core business will be protected, along with the country's property market, which accounts for 28 percent of Chinas GDP. A property market collapse coupled with a soaring unemployment rate and economic slowdown would be a perfect storm that could upend social stability. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie A Taiwan-owned bookstore in Hong Kong said it has no more in-store copies a historical book arguing that the eight-nation invasion of China at the turn of the 20th century was justified, amid reports in media backed by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that it had removed the book from its shelves. "The Eight-Nation Alliance Was a Just Cause," penned by Canada-based author Liu Qikun and published in democratic Taiwan, was reportedly "removed" by Eslite bookstores in Hong Kong, the CCP-backed Global Times newspaper reported. The pro-CCP South China Morning Post cited an Eslite employee as saying the book was sold out, but may not be fully restocked due to "the current situation." The book "glamorizes the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance," the Global Times reported, and was unavailable in Hong Kong branches of Eslite on , although copies were still listed on the chain's website, according to The Standard newspaper. The controversy comes amid a citywide crackdown on dissent that has seen dozens of former opposition politicians and high-profile journalists detained under a draconian national security law imposed on Hong Kong by the CCP from , 2020. Pro-Beijing lawmaker Elizabeth Quat told journalists she had received hundreds of complaints that the book was on sale in Hong Kong, and that publications that "villify and distort" the CCP's version of history wouldn't be tolerated. Chao Cheng-min, who heads the China Times publishing house that published the book, said there was a reason that the book was published in Taiwan in the first place. "Taiwan has freedom of the press and of publication," Chao told RFA. "We have always respected different views among our writers, and believe that readers can make up their own minds." "But we also respect the different laws and customs in our different regional markets." Hong Kong seen as a warning Author Liu Qikun was designated an "ultra-rightist" during the political purges of the 1950s under late supreme leader Mao Zedong, and later fled to Hong Kong. He emigrated to Canada in 1988 and has written in favor of constitutional democracy in China since retiring from a career in software development. The disappearance of the books from Hong Kong bookstores came after warnings from high-profile commentators regarding the CCP's global ambitions in recent days. U.S.-based historian Miles Yu said that what is happening in Hong Kong should be a warning to the rest of the world. "It's not just a tragedy for the people of Hong Kong, but the for the whole world ... and shows that the CCP isn't a credible regime," Yu told a Christian foundation event on Hong Kong, at which he shared a platform with former Trump administration secretary of state Mike Pompeo. "I think Pompeo had the right attitude towards China, which should be to distrust and verify," Yu said, citing China's abandonment of the promises made in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, a U.N.-registered bilateral treaty governing the handover of the city from the U.K. to China in 1997. "Hong Kong is major example of that," he said, warning that the CCP will be seeking political domination of its neighbors in Taiwan and southeast Asia next. Pompeo told the California-based Hong Kong Freedom Beacon Inc. foundation on Oct. 17 that "appeasement was not going to work" in the face of the CCP-backed crackdown in Hong Kong, a conclusion that led the U.S. to pass a raft of legislation and executive measures from , removing the city's special trading status and imposing requirements for political reviews and sanctions on officials responsible for the national security crackdown. "It appears now destined to be just another communist city ... when the CCP knocked down and smashed Hong Kong's freedoms, it also shattered any illusions anyone might have about the regime's trustworthiness," he said. "But the world is still watching," he said, to enthusiastic applause. Wider Chinse goals Veteran journalist Ching Cheong said Pompeo had reversed the mistakes made by previous U.S. administrations in their dealings with China over many years. "Just look at how many promises the CCP has failed to keep, or broken, since the regime came to power in 1949," Ching said. "I think there are eight or 10 major instances of this." Joanna Chiu, a journalist and author who has reported on Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement for many years, recently told the Tom Lantos Congressional hearing on Hong Kong that the city's seven million people may never hold a large protest again. "My research examines how Beijings bid for control over Hong Kong is part of a wider picture," Chiu told the Oct. 14 hearing. "The same set of party and state agencies, such as the United Front Work Department and Ministry of State Security, responsible for putting pressure on civil society groups and political entities in Hong Kong, has a similar mission all around the world," she warned. The national security law criminalizes speech and actions deemed to amount to secession, subversion, terrorism, or collusion with foreign powers, and enabled the setting up of a national security office under the direct control of Beijing to oversee the implementation of the law, as well as a Hong Kong headquarters for China's feared state security police, to handle "special cases" deemed important by Beijing. It also bans speech or actions anywhere in the world deemed to incite hatred or dissatisfaction with the CCP or the Hong Kong government. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Burmese junta-appointed Foreign Ministry says it is extremely disappointed with decision and alleges it was taken without consensus. Myanmar coup leader and commander-in-chief of the Burmese armed forces Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attends a conference on International Security in Moscow, June 23, 2021. ASEAN will invite a non-political representative from Myanmar to its summit this month, the blocs chair said on Saturday, confirming that the Burmese military coup leader will be shut out of the high-level meeting. In response, Myanmar's junta issued a statement Saturday alleging the decision was taken without all members' agreement the Association of Southeast Asian Nations decides on issues and actions based on consensus. BenarNews had reported that ASEAN foreign ministers agreed at an emergency meet Friday to bar Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing from the summit, because he had reneged on implementing steps to restore peace and democracy. [S]ome ASEAN member states recommended that ASEAN give space to Myanmar to restore its internal affairs and return to normalcy in accordance with the will of the people of Myanmar, ASEAN chair Bruneis statement said, referring to the period before the Feb. 1 military coup. ASEANs member states considered the question of Myanmars representation at the Oct. 26-28 leaders summit, Brunei said. Some members had received the Myanmar civilian shadow governments request to attend, it added. Following extensive discussions, there was no consensus reached for a political representative from Myanmar, the ASEAN chairs statement said. Therefore, in view of the competing claims to attend the [summit] the meeting accepted the decision to invite a non-political representative from Myanmar. Myanmar was represented at Fridays ministerial meeting by the junta-appointed Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin, who voiced the militarys reservations on the bloc disinviting Min Aung Hlaing, the statement said. The Burmese junta-appointed Foreign Ministry declared its disapproval in stronger language. Myanmar is extremely disappointed and strongly objected [to] the outcomes of the emergency foreign ministers meeting as the discussions and decision on Myanmars representation issue was done without consensus and was against the objectives of ASEAN, the ASEAN charter and its principles, it said in a statement on Saturday. It also claimed the decision to keep Min Aung Hlaing out of the summit would greatly affect the unity and centrality of ASEAN. And it said it reminded ASEAN members that discussions on who would represent Myanmar were not necessary as there is no provision in [the] ASEAN Charter on such matters. The military-appointed foreign minister also said ASEANs special envoy to Myanmar should avoid engagement with parties currently undergoing legal proceedings and groups the junta has declared illegal. The election-winning National League for Democracys now-jailed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the civilian shadow National Unity Government (NUG), among others, were the entities to be avoided, the junta emissary said, according to Bruneis statement. Erywan Yusof, ASEANs special envoy to Myanmar, canceled his trip to the country this week after being refused meetings with all parties concerned. Min Aung Hlaing had agreed to these meetings and four other steps called the five-point consensus at an ASEAN meeting in April that was called to discuss the post-coup situation in Myanmar. The coups mastermind has since tested other ASEAN members patience, with security forces continuing to kill anti-coup activists with impunity, in contravention of the consensus. During the more than eight months since the coup, Burmese security forces have killed close to 1,180 people, mostly anti-coup protesters. Breakthrough for ASEAN Stern action against Min Aung Hlaing was needed, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Saturday. This was a difficult but necessary decision to uphold ASEANs credibility, the minister said on Twitter, about what some said was the blocs growing irrelevance. I urge the Myanmar military authorities to swiftly and fully implement the five-point consensus. The decision to bar the junta leader was a real breakthrough for ASEAN, said Southeast Asia analyst Aaron Connelly, referring to the groups legendary delays and dithering on important decisions. It restores credibility to ASEAN diplomacy, and deprives the [junta] of an opportunity to portray itself as a legitimate government portrayals which it had been using to discourage further resistance inside Myanmar, Connelly, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said on Twitter. Still, questions remain about who exactly can be considered a non-political representative from Myanmar. Some people on social media feared the Burmese military would not allow a genuine non-political person to attend the ASEAN summit. The junta may also send a stealth military representative, other observers worried. Evan Laksmana, a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapores Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, said that technical-level talks as opposed to high-level meetings can be held with a non-political representative. But who can be deemed as non-political but equal to ASEAN leaders? he asked on Twitter on Saturday. Can the summit be called an ASEAN summit if one member is not politically represented? Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. Russia is entering a period of instability as the Kremlin moves toward 2024 with deep uncertainty about whether Vladimir Putin plans to stay on as president now that he has that option, Fiona Hill, a former senior Russia adviser to the White House, has told RFE/RL. In an interview, Hill also drew a parallel between Putin and former President Donald Trump, in whose administration she served for 2 1/2 years, arguing that the U.S. political system would be strained to the breaking point if Trump were to return to the presidency in 2024. "Unfortunately, I see a lot of parallels now [with] what happened in Russia in the 1990s" and the United States today, Hill said in a Zoom interview conducted on October 15 from her home in suburban Washington, D.C. A native of the United Kingdom who later became a U.S. citizen, Hill, who has described herself as "a nonpartisan foreign-policy expert," is a scholar and historian who has written several books on Russia, including a 2013 biography of Putin that she co-authored. Her newly released book, There Is Nothing For You Here, explores her home country, her adopted one, and Russia -- and the similarities they share due in part to the collapse of each country's industrial base. The result, she argues, has paved the way for populist leaders like Putin, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Trump. A fluent Russian speaker, Hill served on the National Intelligence Council during the second term of President George W. Bush. To the surprise of some colleagues, she agreed to serve as the top Russia adviser in the White House National Security Council under Trump. As adviser, Hill was front and center as the administration tried to craft a coherent approach to Russia, an effort that was often vexed by Trump's open admiration for Putin. During a July 2018 news conference in Helsinki, where Hill was part of the U.S. delegation, Trump deflected a reporter's question about whether he accepted U.S. intelligence agencies' findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 election that Trump won, and responded with a meandering answer that endorsed Putin's denial of the findings. "I contemplated throwing a fit or faking a seizure and hurling myself backward into the row of journalists behind me," Hill writes in the book. "But it would only have added to the humiliating spectacle. "The questions got right to the heart of his insecurities," she writes, adding that if Trump had agreed that Russia had interfered in 2016 to his benefit, he might as well have said, "'I am illegitimate.'" For Putin and his advisers, the furor that resulted undermined any nascent efforts toward new bilateral agreements, for example, on arms control, she says. "On his way out the door from the conference, [Putin] told his press secretary, within earshot of our interpreter, that the press conference was 'bullshit,'" Hill writes. It was not until late 2019, however, that Hill became a household name in the United States, when she testified in Trump's first impeachment trial in Congress. The trial was prompted by the July 2019 phone call Trump had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in which Trump appeared to condition military aid to Ukraine on Zelenskiy's government pursuing criminal investigations of Joe Biden and his son Hunter. She left the Trump administration just days before the phone call between Trump and Zelenskiy. Trump was ultimately impeached by the Democratic-led House of Representatives, then acquitted by the Republican-led Senate. "I have no regrets about doing it," Hill said of serving in the Trump White House. "Because I went in there to try to deal with all the things we've just been talking about. Because I saw 2016 for what it was -- which was...kind of this attempt to upend our domestic politics. And to really sow chaos. "It opened my eyes to the problems in the United States itself," she told RFE/RL. Earlier this month, just before the book's formal release, Trump issued a statement that ripped into Hill, calling her a "Deep State stiff with a nice accent" and asserting that she was "terrible at her job." Putin The Destabilizer? In the interview, Hill said Russia's 2014 seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula was a watershed moment in Putin's evolution as Russia's leader that "vaulted him into this kind of quasi-autocratic position." "The Russian state is there, alive and kicking, and, you know, carrying out its functions, but he stands above everything right now," she said. "I'm a little surprised he has gotten to this point, because it's a way that really destabilizes Russia, or has the potential to destabilize Russia -- to do the opposite of what he's trying to achieve. "I think he's put Russia in a rather dangerous, unpredictable position by accruing so much power," she told RFE/RL. Last year, the Kremlin engineered constitutional changes that pave the way for Putin to stay in office beyond 2024, potentially remaining in power until 2036. He has not said whether he will, however, and has tried to tamp down discussion by saying that talk about succession is "destabilizing." "I don't necessarily think that he's going to stay in power till 2036," Hill said. "He has to keep us guessing then, because you can't be a lame duck. So he has to make sure that this doesn't leak out. So my best guess is there's a plan behind the scenes, but they're having difficulty effecting it and implementing it." That said, she points to the example of Aleksei Navalny, the anti-corruption crusader and opposition activist who nearly died in August 2020 after a poisoning he blames on Putin and Russian intelligence. After recuperating, Navalny returned to Russia, where he was jailed on what he and his supporters said was a politically motivated charge. "The reason that Navalny is in jail, and the reason that they tried to kill him, is because they want him out of the picture in 2024, because he's real competition," she said. 'Monkey On Your Back' The use of poisons today by Russian intelligence, Hill said, is a legacy of Soviet-era espionage, assassination, and sabotage tactics, a system that Putin, a longtime Soviet KGB officer, was trained in. Hill also pointed to the phenomenon known as the "Havana syndrome" -- a series of unexplained and debilitating ailments that have affected about 200 U.S. diplomats, intelligence officers, military officers, and other government personnel. "It's all the things that we haven't called them out on that we know we should be worrying about," she said. "We have the Havana syndrome that people are greatly concerned about right now and doing investigations. And again, [the Russians] look like the likely culprit because of all the knowledge of the development of similar weapons in the past." The tensions between Washington and Moscow -- which Russia's foreign minister in April described as worse than during the Cold War -- come amid substantial interest, inside and outside the U.S. government, in moving away from a Cold War-style standoff. China should be the priority concern, many U.S. experts say -- a view that President Joe Biden's administration has embraced. "One senior official described to me years and years ago that Russia was kind of like the monkey that you were trying to get off your back. It was kind of a weird image," Hill said. "But it...filled in how a lot of people were thinking: 'Why we are we still in this confrontation? Didn't the Cold War end?' "Russia has become for many Americans a thing of the past. There's just not a lot of popular appeal to be having a confrontation with Russia, either," she said. Time Of Troubles Her tenure in the White House, Hill said, gave her insights into what she said were parallels between the United States today and Russia in the early 1990s, when President Boris Yeltsin clashed with parliament, resulting in the shelling and storming of the parliament building in October 1993. "The United States is going through a similar 'Time of Troubles'" to the turbulence that Russia experienced in the 1990s, she said, adding that some Russians compare Trump to Yeltsin. "But Yeltsin had more discipline," she said. "He wasn't trying to, all the time, pervert democracy -- because he could have availed himself of more of the powers of the constitution that he gave himself after that terrible episode of shelling the White House, and he didn't. "But Putin came along and did and just gave even more powers to the executive, to the president. So, you know, unfortunately, I see a lot of parallels now [with] what happened in Russia in the 1990s," she said. "This is actually a big difference with Putin," she said. Trump "doesn't want to govern through the state. He wants to dismantle the state." Other parallels, she argues, include both leaders embracing not only "elements of personal power," but also the power of public performance. "Putin is a showman. He's a performance artist.... And Trump does the same thing," she said. "He's always performing, performing for a crowd, performing for his base and turning politics into a political performance." In the wake of the takeover of Crimea, Putin's popularity soared among Russians, many of whom saw it as a historical wrong corrected. Some influential advisers talked about "Novorossia" -- a historic concept dating back to imperial Russia, when Moscow controlled parts of Ukraine. "You see the similarities. [Trump] plays to nostalgia. He says he's going to make America great again, and Putin is saying the same thing; he's out there annexing territory," she said. Trump is "doing a lot of things...that would be very reminiscent of some of the things that Putin has been doing. "But the big difference is Trump's at war with the state. Putin is not at war with the state. But both of them are creating kinds of plebiscitary democracy; it's all about them," she said. Hill doesn't spare the U.S. Democratic Party from criticism. In the interview, she drew a parallel to the years after the Soviet collapse in Russia, when Yabloko and other liberal political parties were fractured and squabbling, constantly at odds. Among the U.S. Democrats, "there's no concept of party cohesion and coherence," she contended. "They've all got different issues that are fighting over different sides and factions within the party. And that's what we saw in Russia, too, right? The opposition to Yeltsin, the liberal parties...were always fighting among each other.... That's again why it's like 1990s Russia. "There's a lot of uncertainty. I think, you know, in the case of both the United States and in Russia, things can turn in different directions," Hill said. "I'm worried about the direction that the United States is taking. But I think there's plenty of opportunity to take it off in another path. And I think the same in Russia." TBILISI -- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has signed a preliminary agreement to continue U.S. backing for Georgia's military as he kicked off a three-country visit to the Black Sea region to show support for allies and partner states in the face of Russia's "destabilizing actions." The current support agreement, known as the Georgia Defense Readiness Program (GDRP), started in May 2018 and is to expire at the end of the year, but Austin and Georgian Defense Minister Junasher Burchuladze signed the replacement agreement on October 18 during Austin's visit to the country. During a ceremony in Tbilisi, Austin and Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze signed the document, which the Pentagon chief said, "marks a new phase of our bilateral security cooperation" and "demonstrates the U.S. commitment to supporting Georgia." The new agreement, the Georgia Defense and Deterrence Enhancement Initiative (GDDEI) "will be a multiyear investment" in U.S. Department of Defense "security cooperation" with the Georgian Defense Ministry, a Pentagon statement said. Russia and Georgia fought a brief war in 2008 and Russian troops have remained in Georgia's South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions. Moscow opposes any effort to increase Georgia's status within NATO. In a meeting with Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili, Austin said, "the United States condemns Russia's ongoing occupation of Georgia and its attempts to expand influence into the Black Sea region through military coercion and malign activities." Some 20,000 Georgian soldiers served as part of a U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan from 2004-21, with the Caucasus state reporting 32 deaths among its troops. "Secretary Austin expressed gratitude for Georgias outsized contributions to the U.S. and NATO efforts to bring security and stability to Afghanistan," the statement said. Austin will also travel to Ukraine and Romania before heading to the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels on October 21-22. Ahead of Austin's tour, the Pentagon said in a statement that the United States "steadfastly supports its European Allies and partners in the face of Russias destabilizing actions in the critical Black Sea region," and the defense secretary "looks forward to meeting with his counterparts and other senior officials to reinforce the United States' commitment to a safe, stable, and prosperous Europe." The visit to Tbilisi has been widely anticipated by Georgia's leadership, which has long sought to become a full member of NATO -- a move that Moscow fiercely opposes. Georgia is currently a partner state of the Western alliance. In July, joint military exercises involving about 4,000 troops from 15 allied and partner countries, including the United States, took place in Georgia. The multinational Agile Spirit exercises were led jointly by the Georgian Defense Forces and the U.S. Army Europe and Africa. U.S. officials have in the past spoken positively about Georgia's potential for NATO membership. With reporting by AP and AFP Azerbaijan's deputy foreign minister has accused Armenia of "ethnic cleansing" and of continuing to lay land mines on its territory even after a cease-fire ended a six-week war in the disputed region late last year, as a second case related to the conflict opened on October 18 at the United Nations' top court in The Hague. Armenia denied the accusations. On October 14, the court held hearings into a complaint brought by Armenia against Azerbaijan, also related to last year's war that left more than 6,600 people dead and ended with Azerbaijan regaining control of large swaths of territory. The "campaign of ethnic cleansing and incitement to violence against Azerbaijanis, is ongoing," Elnur Mammadov told the International Court of Justice on October 18. Mammadov added that the alleged campaign of placing land mines "is quite simply a continuation of Armenia's decades-long ethnic-cleansing operation and an attempt to keep these territories cleansed of Azerbaijanis." Armenia's representative, Yeghishe Kirakosian, dismissed the Azerbaijani claims as "manufactured and defensive moves." He said that Azerbaijan itself planted hundreds of thousands of land mines in the conflict area in the early 1990s. Kirakosian called Azerbaijan's case "an exercise in false equivalencies. A tactic engineered to create a fog of information, one designed to give the impression that Azerbaijan is the true victim." Armenia has already handed over two minefield maps and "we stand ready to provide any more maps in our possession," Kirakosian told the court. Mammadov said that mines laid by Armenian forces during and since the war had killed or injured at least 106 Azerbaijanis, including 65 civilians, since the conflict was ended by a Russian-brokered peace deal. "There is no valid military or other reason for Armenia to continue to target and terrorize Azerbaijanis in this manner, he told the court. Kirakosian called the claim that Armenian forces continue to lay land mines baseless and told judges that "in the context of resolving all outstanding humanitarian issues, we stand ready to provide any more maps in our possession." During last week's hearing, Armenia accused Azerbaijan of serious human rights violations while Azerbaijan rejected Armenia's "inaccurate picture" and defended its actions in Nagorno-Karabakh. Both countries' cases alleging breaches of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination will likely take years to reach their conclusion at the ICJ. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as being part of Azerbaijan, but the entire territory and seven surrounding districts were controlled by ethnic Armenian forces from the end of a separatist war in 1994 until last year's war. The two sides have skirmished regularly over the years. Internationally mediated negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE involving the so-called Minsk Group, co-chaired by Russia, the United States, and France, have been unable to produce a lasting settlement of the conflict. In September 2020, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive that resulted in Baku regaining control of the seven surrounding districts, and a significant chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh itself. The conflict ended when Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian signed the cease-fire agreement that granted Azerbaijan control over parts of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as adjacent territories occupied by Armenians. Armenia says more than 3,700 Armenians and Nagorno-Karabakh residents died in the war. Azerbaijan said it lost 2,900 people. With reporting by AP and Reuters UFA, Russia -- Some personal belongings of a missing opposition activist in Bashkortostan have been found in a forest near the Russian republic's capital, Ufa. Colleagues of Ilham Yanberdin, who has been missing for one week, told RFE/RL that the activist's belongings, namely his coat, jacket, and sweater, as well as his mobile phone, were found by people searching for the noted activist in a forest in Ufa's Inors district on October 17. The clothes were folded and found along with the phone in a plastic bag in a clearing in the forest, they said. Yanberdin's wife Rasima told RFE/RL that the activist has been missing since October 11, when he was expected to attend a protest against the city administration's plans to remove a monument to Bashkir national hero Salavat Yulayev in Ufa for "repairs." He failed to show up at the event, while calls to his phone since that day went unanswered. Rasima also said that she filed an official report on her missing husband with police on October 15. According to her, the personal belongings found in the forest have been turned over to police. Yanberdin, 41, has been known for his opposition activism for years. He has been fined several times, sentenced to community work, and handed several multiday jail terms for taking part in unsanctioned rallies in recent years. On October 15, while he was missing, a court in Ufa ordered Yanberdin and two other opposition activists to pay hefty fines to compensate police for working during a weekend in January, when the activists organized unsanctioned rallies to support jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny. Belarus has kicked out French Ambassador to Belarus Nicolas de Lacoste amid poor relations with the European Union over strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka's brutal rule. The ambassador -- who took up his post just last year -- departed on October 17 at Belarus's request, the French Embassy in Minsk confirmed to RFE/RL. De Lacoste had avoided contact with Lukashenka after the authoritarian leader cracked down on peaceful protesters following the August 2020 presidential election. Belarusian police have jailed thousands of citizens over the past 14 months and tortured hundreds for their opposition to Lukashenkas rule, sparking tough sanctions by the European Union. The ambassadors farewell address to the Belarus people will be posted tomorrow, the French Embassy said. Hundreds of people demonstrated in the large Polish cities of Warsaw and Krakow to call for better treatment of refugees, many of whom are using the Belarus route to enter the European Union from the Middle East and elsewhere. The rallies on October 17 came amid moves by the Polish government to introduce tough measures to stem the flow of illegal migrants into the Central European nation. In the capital, Warsaw, demonstrators chanted "stop torture at the border" as they gathered in front of the Sejm, the lower house of parliament. Rally participants called for an end to deportations and accused the government of using the so-called pushback method along Poland's border with Belarus. The government is finding itself in a tough bind as it looks to stem the flow of migrants into the country and the EU while also answering to rights activists expressing concerns about the treatment of refugees. Warsaw has declared a state of emergency at the border with Belarus and is erecting a permanent border fence because of the latest crisis seen there. EU and national officials have accused Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka of orchestrating the "weaponization" of migrants in response to Brussels' sanctions on Minsk over a brutal crackdown on dissent since a 2020 presidential election that is widely considered to have been rigged. German authorities have complained of a flood of illegal migrants via the "Belarus route," estimating that the flow of migrants arriving via Poland and Belarus has spiked with more than 4,300 illegal entrants to the country since August. They said most of the undocumented migrants arriving via the "Belarus route" are from Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. Polish soldiers have continued work on a 2.5-meter barbed-wire border fence that Warsaw wants to permanently fortify the frontier with Belarus. Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski said the country needs a "solid, high barrier equipped with a surveillance system and motion detectors." A government plan for the construction that avoids use of the term "wall" in favor of the terms "barrier" and "barricade" is currently headed to the Polish parliament for approval. The Polish parliament last week also amended a law to allow commanders of local border guard units to expel people who enter the country illegally. The United Nations refugee organization (UNHCR) said the measure undermined people's fundamental right to asylum and contradicted the UN Refugee Convention. With reporting dpa and AP The European Union has said no talks are scheduled to take place with Iran in Brussels on October 21 on resuming negotiations over the 2015 nuclear deal, contradicting a declaration made by Iran's Foreign Ministry. "There will not be a meeting Thursday," Nabila Massrali, a spokeswoman for EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell, told AFP on October 18. "At this stage we cannot confirm if or when a meeting will take place," she said. The announcement came after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters on October 18 that Iran's lead nuclear negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri, would go to Brussels on October 21 for talks with representatives from Britain, China, France, Russia, and Germany on reviving the faltering 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. Earlier on October 18, Borrell voiced hope that the bloc's diplomats will meet their Iranian counterparts in the coming days but stopped short of announcing a precise date. "You never know, I am more optimistic today than yesterday," Borrell said on October 18. "No confirmation yet, but things are getting better and I hope we will have preparatory meetings in Brussels in the days to come," Borrell told journalists as he arrived for an EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg. The 2015 agreement that offered Tehran the lifting of some international sanctions in exchange for a ramping down of its nuclear enrichment program was left in tatters after then-President Donald Trump withdrew the United States unilaterally from the pact in 2018 and started reimposing crippling sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran has progressively rolled back its own commitments to the deal. Indirect negotiations on both sides returning to compliance with the deal, via intermediaries from other parties to the accord (Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia), were launched in Vienna six month ago, but the talks were suspended following the June election of hard-line Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Last week, EU envoy Enrique Mora met with Bagheri in Tehran to press for a firm date for resuming talks. After the talks, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said the sides had "agreed to continue dialogue on questions of mutual interest in the coming days in Brussels." U.S. President Joe Biden, who took office in January, has signaled a willingness to return to the nuclear deal, which was designed to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb. Tehran insists its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only. Iranian officials have repeatedly said they were ready to resume talks "soon," but no date has yet been announced. During his visit to Washington last week, Borrell agreed with the U.S. administration to continue to work to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Irans nuclear program and to uphold the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture, as well as the need to return to the Vienna talks soon, the EU top diplomat said in a blog post. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and RFE/RL's Radio Farda Prosecutors in Bosnia-Herzegovina have launched an investigation of Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik for "undermining the constitutional order" after he announced that the Republika Srpska leadership will soon take measures aimed at withdrawing from key institutions of the Bosnian state. Dodik said on October 8 that the ethnic Serbian entity will pull out of the Western Balkan state's joint military, top judiciary body, and tax administration. He said several expert groups had been working on drafting the entity's new constitution and laws on defense, judiciary, and finances. Sasa Sarajlic, a prosecutor in the Bosnian Prosecutor's Office, who supported the formation of the case against Dodik, told RFE/RL that Dodik could face up to five years in prison if convicted. "This is a criminal offense under the Criminal Code of Bosnia, which states that whoever tries to change the constitutional order of Bosnia-Herzegovina or overthrow its highest institutions by using physical force or threatening to use physical force, shall be punished by imprisonment for at least five years," Sarajlic said on October 18. Bosnia as a state consists of two entities formed after the 1992-95 war -- the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with mostly Muslims and Croats and the Republika Srpska with mostly Bosnian Serbs. Bosnia is still governed under the 1995 Dayton peace agreements that helped end ethnic violence following the breakup of Yugoslavia, including a high representative's post with the power to impose decisions or dismiss officials. Bosnia's tripartite presidency has three members -- representing Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats, and Bosnian Muslims -- and is the commander of the country's armed forces. Dodik, the Serbian member, has repeatedly called for the secession of Bosnian Serb lands from the rest of Bosnia, which he labeled an "experiment by the international community" and an "impossible, imposed country." "We are openly working on the project of an independent Republika Srpska within the Dayton agreement," Dodik said on October 12. However, he has occasionally backed off calls for secession. A year ago, he said Bosnian Serbs were ready to preserve the integrity of Bosnia as a state, but only if they got "more autonomy." In July, Bosnian Serb political representatives announced a boycott of all major institutions in Bosnia over a decision by the outgoing UN high representative for Bosnia to ban genocide denial related to the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in which some 8,000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered by Bosnian Serb forces. Earlier this month, several thousand people demonstrated in Republika Srpska against government corruption and curbs on media freedom. Led by opposition parties, protesters on October 2 accused Dodik's ruling party of criminal behavior, cronyism, and corruption. They also demanded the dismissal of the health minister and hospital managers in the entity over alleged corruption in the procurement of supplies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, including oxygen used for ventilators. Dodik was placed under sanctions by the United States in 2016 for actively obstructing efforts to implement the Dayton accords. With reporting by Reuters The European Union's foreign ministers have expressed support for new measures to halt the flow of illegal migrants that the bloc accuses Belarus of sending in retaliation for sanctions against authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his regime over its crackdown on the opposition. As the ministers gathered for a meeting in Brussels on October 18, several called for fresh sanctions against Minsk, as well as measures targeting Belarus's state airline, Belavia, as migrants from the Middle East and Africa continue to pour over the border on the EU's eastern flank. "We are no longer willing to watch companies such as airlines earning money by bringing refugees," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters, adding that Lukashenka had become "the boss of a state-organized, human-smuggling ring." "We need sanctions to underline that we cannot tolerate this any longer," he said. Brussels has imposed sanctions on Minsk over Lukashenka's brutal crackdown on dissent following last year's presidential election that is widely considered to have been rigged in his favor. European lawmakers say that in retaliation for those sanctions, Lukashenka is facilitating the flow of migrants by helping them arrive in Belarus, where they are then funneled to the border and forced to cross into the EU. Thousands of illegal migrants have crossed over the border from Belarus -- mainly into neighboring Lithuania and Poland -- prompting Warsaw to declare a state of emergency amid calls for the construction of a permanent border fence. German authorities have complained of a flood of illegal migrants via the "Belarus route," estimating that the flow of migrants arriving via Poland and Belarus has spiked, with more than 4,300 illegal entrants to the country since August. They said most of the undocumented migrants arriving via the "Belarus route" were from Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the bloc's Baltic members, are pressing for moves against Belavia, such as halting the leasing of planes to the airline. "The European Union did take some steps that proved to be quite useful: stopping the flights from Iraq, and stopping the flights from Jordan and Lebanon. But there are a number new flights that are being opened up to fly to Minsk," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said. "Even though the situation seems under control, the flows are actually not diminishing," he added. EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell appeared to agree with the statements of many of the ministers arriving, saying that "more measures are needed, certainly, but let us see what the member states decide." With reporting by Reuters, AP and AFP Russian President Vladimir Putin has created a system in which "he is the only person who matters," according to Fiona Hill. The senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, who served as the top Russia adviser in the National Security Council until July 2019 and authored a book on Putin, spoke with RFE/RL's Mike Eckel in an interview on October 15. Hill says that the concentration of power in one man and the lack of a clear successor destabilizes Russia. TBILISI -- Dozens of European lawmakers and other current and former politicians -- including former presidents of Latvia and Ukraine -- have called for the release of jailed Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, whose detention earlier this month deepened a protracted political crisis in the South Caucasus country. "Saakashvili's imprisonment should be suspended until he faces trial, in fair judicial proceedings" in order to "ensure the recovery of Georgias democracy from the current political crisis," according to a joint open letter dated October 18 and addressed to the presidents of the European Council, European Commission, and European Parliament. Citing "no public trust in the justice system in Georgia," the letter calls for an end to "the era of politically motivated justice" in the country. The signatories include Latvia's former president, Valdis Zatlers, and Viktor Yushchenko, ex-president of Ukraine, as well as almost 70 current and former politicians, including two dozen members of the 705-strong European Parliament -- most of them members of the EU assembly's European Conservatives and Reformists Group. The joint call comes on the 18th day of a hunger strike that Saakashvili declared following his arrest on October 1, which occurred hours after he announced he had returned to Georgia following an eight-year absence and triggered a protest by thousands of his supporters in Tbilisi last week. The 53-year-old Saakashvili was convicted in absentia in 2018 and had lived in Ukraine in recent years. Last month, he announced plans to fly home for the October 2 nationwide local elections despite facing prison, claiming he wanted to help "save the country" amid political turmoil triggered last year after opposition parties said elections won by the ruling Georgian Dream were rigged. In this month's vote, Georgia's main opposition force -- the United National Movement (ENM) that Saakashvili founded -- was out-polled decisively by Georgian Dream. However, runoffs are scheduled for October 30 in Tbilisi and other key cities. Saakashvili says he will continue his hunger strike until runoff elections are held, while his doctor calls for a medical commission to urgently evaluate his deteriorating health. In their letter, the European politicians said the charges against Saakashvili "were known to be part of an established pattern of political persecution" that has targeted "dozens of former officials tried and convicted by their successors." They said the arrest of the former president "serves only to deepen the political crisis" that Georgia is facing following "years of extreme polarization that have resulted from attempts to control the free press; to intimidate and surveil journalists, opposition politicians, activists, and even foreign diplomats; and to limit the space and resources for political opposition to the government." Georgia's president from 2004 to 2013, Saakashvili was sentenced in 2018 to a total of nine years in prison in absentia after being convicted of abuse of power in two separate cases. The ex-president has rejected all charges as politically motivated. A six-party opposition coalition has chosen a provincial mayor with no party affiliation to take on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the 2022 parliamentary elections, final results of a primary vote show. Peter Marki-Zay, the 49-year-old conservative mayor of Hodmezovasarhely, received 56.7 percent of the vote to beat social democrat Klara Dobrev with 43.3 percent, the primary election commission reported early on October 18. The primary was organized by a six-party opposition alliance formed last year in an effort to put forth a single candidate that could defeat Orban. Five candidates took part in the first round of the primary last month. "Today we also changed the opposition," said Marki-Zay. "The way out is neither right nor left, only up," he said and added that he agreed with Dobrev, who said the cohesion of the opposition could not be destroyed. Dobrev, in congratulating Marki-Zay, vowed to do everything she could to support him in the upcoming parliamentary election campaign. The commission said 662,016 people cast ballots in the vote, a number considered high for a primary election. Marki-Zay made it into the second-round ballot after Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony -- who took second in the first round of voting -- withdrew from the race. During the campaign, Marki-Zay, a practicing Catholic and father of seven, argued that only he can appeal to both leftist voters and conservatives tired of Orban's often divisive policies. Orban has served as prime minister since 2010. An economist and engineer who lived in the United States and Canada for five years, Marki-Zay grabbed national attention in 2018 when he won the race to become the mayor of Hodmezovasarhely. Located almost 200 kilometers southeast of the capital Budapest, Hodmezovasarhely has a population of about 40,000. Until he surprisingly won that mayoral vote, the southern city was considered a stronghold of Orban's party, Fidesz. Many critics, including from fellow EU members, accuse Orban of dismantling democracy in Hungary as well as allowing corruption to become pervasive and of disregarding the rule of law. Still, the primary winner faces a tough fight against the autocratic Orban. But analysts said Marki-Zay could appeal to many religious and conservative voters while also presenting a viable candidate to more-liberal, urban Hungarians. With reporting by AP, afp, and dpa PRISTINA -- Preliminary results in Kosovo's municipal elections indicate that 17 municipalities have picked winners in mayoral races while 21 others will head into a second round of voting, including the closely watched battle in the capital, Pristina. Prime Minister Albin Kurti's Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) did not win any municipalities outright in the first round but will compete in 12 races in the second round, including in Pristina, according to preliminary results. In the 2017 local elections, LVV won the capital. Analysts say initial results are seen as a disappointment to Kurti and his party. Kurti, however, said on October 18 that he was satisfied with the results. "We are pleased with what we have achieved because even at the national level, LVV became the first and largest political party in the local polls, too," Kurti said at a press conference in Pristina. He added that his party had never been "stronger," as he stressed that LVV was now the first political party at the central and local level. Kurti's party scored a resounding victory in early parliamentary elections in February, winning more than 50 percent of the vote on promises to battle endemic corruption and take a tougher stance on peace talks with Serbia. Kurti added that in the runoff the party will aim to win all the contested municipalities and he expressed his belief that LVV candidate Arben Vitia, a former health minister, will win the mayoral election in Pristina. Vitia, who got more than 42 percent in the first round, will face off against the candidate of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Perparim Rama, who garnered just over 29 percent of the vote. The Serbian List, which is close to the Serbian leadership in Belgrade, won nine out of 10 Serb-majority mayoral races in the northern part of the country, while the Democratic Party of Kosovo won four races, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo two, and the Democratic League of Kosovo two. Voting in the country appeared to go peacefully. Police reported arresting seven people for possible voting violations. More than 42 percent of eligible voters -- or some 770,000 individuals -- had cast ballots on October 17, the Central Election Commission reported after the polls closed at 7 p.m. Serb-majority municipalities had the highest turnout. Despite its very good showing in the general polls in February, Kurti's LVV faced a tougher challenge in municipal elections, where local personalities are often more influential than national parties. Voters cast ballots for 38 mayors and more than 1,000 local officials representing municipalities in Kosovo. A total of 166 candidates ran for mayors, and 5,198 candidates ran for the 1,002 seats in the municipal assemblies. Municipal elections in big cities were dominated by such issues as investments in infrastructure and healthcare, access to clear water, beautification -- including the creation of green spaces -- and addressing sewage problems. The municipal elections came amid efforts to vaccinate the population against the coronavirus and after a series of incidents in Serb-dominated regions of northern Kosovo that has captivated the country's attention. Polling stations operated with strict anti-COVID rules in place, including mandatory face masks and social distancing. Some 3,400 police officers were deployed to maintain law and order. The elections took place after a spike in COVID-19 infections in recent weeks that prompted the Public Health Institute to recommend a postponement of the vote. President Vjosa Osmani said earlier this week that the elections will go ahead as planned after the leaders of Kosovos political parties failed to agree on a new date. "Despite the recommendation, the prevailing opinion was that the election process should not be postponed," Osmani said. "I respect the right of the parties." The elections were carried out amid rising tension in the country's northern regions that border Serbia. Earlier this month, ethnic Serb villagers in northern Kosovo blocked roads and clashed with police after the authorities conducted sweeps aimed at cracking down on cross-border smuggling. The October 13 violence injured at least 20 people, including police officers, and renewed fears of wider violence and tension between Kosovo and Serbia. It also prompted a new warning from the European Union. Serbia and Kosovo fought a war in 1998-99 that ended when NATO bombed Serbian forces. Kosovo declared its independence from Belgrade in 2008, resulting in some ethnic Serbs villages becoming part of the new nation. Serbia has refused to recognize its former province as a sovereign state. Kurti, who won office pledging a tougher stance on peace talks with Belgrade, promised officials would continue cracking down on the smuggling of goods -- such as beverages, food, and cigarettes -- from Serbia into Kosovo. With reporting by AP Human Rights Watch (HRW) is urging Kyrgyz authorities to investigate the disappearance of the founder of an education network in the Central Asian country amid concern that he may be forcibly deported to Turkey, where he could be at risk of mistreatment or torture and would face arbitrary detention and an unfair trial. Orhan Inandy, a dual Turkish-Kyrgyz citizen identified as Inan in his Turkish documents, is likely to be persecuted for his alleged ties to the movement connected with U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, the New York-based human rights group said in statement on June 9. Over the past five years, Turkey has requested that Kyrgyzstan shut down the activities of Inandys Sapat Educational Institutions, a network of schools and an international university in Kyrgyzstan, saying that it is linked to Gulen. Ankara blames the cleric for a failed coup in 2016, which he denies. The Kyrgyz government has a responsibility to investigate his disappearance, determine where he is being held, and ensure his safety and that he is not unlawfully removed to Turkey, said Syinat Sultanalieva, Central Asia researcher at HRW. Inandy, the 53-year-old founder and chairman of the board of Sapat, has lived in Kyrgyzstan since 1995. He was granted Kyrgyz citizenship in 2012. Inandy went missing late in the night on May 31. His car was found in downtown Bishkek early the next day with the doors wide open and valuable items still inside seemingly untouched, suggesting this was not a case of robbery. His wife, Reyhan Inandy, said last week she had evidence that he was being held in the Turkish Embassy in Bishkek, a claim denied by the diplomatic mission. Daily protests demanding an effective investigation into Inandys disappearance have taken place in the Kyrgyz capital, with many of the demonstrators saying they believed the missing educator was abducted by Turkish secret services. Once in Turkey, Inandy would face arbitrary detention and an unfair trial on terrorism charges, as well as possible ill-treatment and torture, according to HRW. The watchdog insisted that allowing Inandys rendition to Turkey would violate Kyrgyzstans obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture, which prohibits extraditing or returning anyone to a place where they risk being tortured. Over the past five years, scores of men accused by the Turkish authorities of having links with the Gulen movement have been arbitrarily detained in countries around the world and forcibly returned to Turkey, HRW says. There they are incarcerated on bogus terrorism charges in violation of due process rights and protections. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has instructed the State Committee on National Security and the Interior Ministry to intensify the searches to find Inandy, and the Bishkek police created a special investigative group to locate him. Reyhan Inandy said in a June 6 statement that an undisclosed source told her that her husband was being held against his will at the Turkish Embassy and tortured to renounce his Kyrgyz citizenship, which she said would simplify his forcible transfer to Turkey. Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Aibek Artykbaev has said that ministry officials held a meeting with the Turkish ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, who rejected the statement by Orhan Inandy's wife as not true. SKOPJE -- North Macedonia's nationalist opposition Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) has won mayoral races in 22 municipalities in the first round of the local elections, according to preliminary results announced by the State Election Commission. The ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev won nine mayoral races and its coalition partner, the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), won three in the first round of North Macedonia's local elections held on October 17, the commission said. BDI is the largest ethnic Albanian party in the country and the country's third-largest political party. A runoff scheduled for October 31 will decide the main battle for the post of mayor of the capital, Skopje, between SDSM candidates Petre Silegov and independent candidate Danela Arsovska, supported by the VMRO-DPMNE. The country's third-largest city, Tetovo, will see a competition between the candidates of two ethnic Albanian parties -- Teuta Arifi of BDI and Bilal Kasami of BESA. Both DUI and BESA are part of Zaev's SDSM-led government coalition. The overall results, if confirmed, would represent a drop in support for the SDSM, which held 57 mayoral posts following the 2017 local elections. VMRO-DPMNE held only five mayorships heading into this vote. The commission announced that turnout in the local elections was 49 percent. Posts in 90 municipalities, including the 10 that make up the capital Skopje, were up for grabs in the election. Altogether, more than 11,000 candidates ran for local offices. They include about 300 mayoral candidates as well as 546 lists of candidates for municipal councils. The four parties that form Zaev's governing coalition endorse liberal-democratic principles as well as integration into the European Union and NATO. Those parties all ran candidates separately. Together, the four coalition parties controlled 70 municipal mayors' offices going into the October 17 vote. The vote on October 17 also marked the introduction of a new system and terminals that used fingerprints to identify voters. Some voters and officials struggled with the new technology, causing delays and pushing authorities to keep polls open a half-hour longer than planned. NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia -- A court in Russia has declared a notorious anti-feminist, anti-LGBT, racist group known as Male State an extremist organization. The Nizhny Novgorod regional court in the Volga Federal District on October 18 banned the online-group's activities in Russia. The Interior Ministry's antiterrorist center described the group at the hearing as an organization that promotes ideas of "radical patriarchate with a goal to change the country's constitutional structure." The group was created online by Vladislav Pozdnyakov in 2016 and its members were openly racist and misogynist, advocating extreme right-wing views, and even calling for morality police. Members celebrated Adolf Hitler's birthday and railed against Russian women they felt were destroying the Russian nation through immoral behavior such as homosexuality or consorting with foreigners. Pozdnyakov called the community's ideology "national-patriarchy." In many cases, the group's members threatened to attack feminist and gay activists and organized online bullying of many activists. In July 2020, the social media site VK blocked the Male State community, which at the time had about 170,000 members, for calls for violence. Pozdnyakov's TikTok account was blocked in April 2020. The community, however, continues to exist in various closed forums and Telegram channels. Two months ago, Pozdnyakov's group made headlines after its members organized high-profile online bullying and DOS-attacks against two restaurants in Russia - Yobidoyobi and Tanuki, for using people of African descent in their commercials. In July, the group threatened to "kill" the children of journalist Anna Mongait after she interviewed a same-sex couple for her TV program. In 2018, Pozdnyakov was convicted of inciting hatred toward women and handed a two-year suspended prison term. He then left Russia. His current location is unknown. With reporting by Mediazona A court in Russia will hold a hearing next month into an appeal by Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who is serving a lengthy prison term in Russia on espionage charges he calls trumped up, over his possible transfer home. Whelan's lawyer, Olga Karlova, said on October 18 that an appeals court in the city of Nizhny Novgorod will hold the hearing on November 8. The appeal is over the refusal by the Supreme Court of Russia's Republic of Mordovia to hear his request to be transferred to the United States to serve out the rest of his sentence. According to Karlova, Whelan's defense team views the decision by Mordovia's Supreme Court as a move to "evade the implementation of justice," which in turn leads to "an expanded and excessive violation of the rights of my client, who has already been deprived of justice." Last month, Mordovias Supreme Court sent Whelan's request back to the Justice Ministry "to obtain necessary information in accordance with clauses of an international agreement of the Russian Federation, as well as for preliminary coordination [of the issue] with a competent organ of the United States." The defense team initially asked the Moscow City Court to consider Whelan's request to be handed over to the United States to finish serving his sentence there. But the court refused to consider the matter over jurisdictional issues and forwarded it to Mordovia, where Whelan is currently incarcerated. Mordovia, a region located about 350 kilometers east of Moscow, is historically known as the location of Russia's toughest prisons, including Soviet-era labor camps for political prisoners. Whelan was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 on espionage charges and sentenced to 16 years in prison in May 2020 following a trial that was condemned by the United States as a "mockery of justice." A holder of U.S., Canadian, British, and Irish passports, Whelan has rejected the espionage charges and has accused his prison guards of mistreatment. The United States has also criticized Russian authorities for their "shameful treatment" of Whelan. Whelan was head of global security at a U.S. auto-parts supplier when he was arrested. He and his relatives insist he visited Russia to attend a wedding. He is one of several Americans to face trial in Russia in recent years on charges that their families, supporters, and in some cases the U.S. government, have said are trumped up. Another former U.S. Marine, Trevor Reed, is serving a nine-year prison term in Mordovia as well. He was sentenced in July 2020 on charges of assaulting two Russian police officers. The U.S. government and Reed deny the allegations and questioned the fairness of his judicial proceedings. Reports have surfaced several times of a possible swap involving Whelan, Reed, and two Russians -- arms dealer Viktor Bout and drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko -- who are serving lengthy sentences in U.S. prisons. With reporting by TASS and Interfax DUSHANBE -- The lengthy prison sentence of jailed Tajik lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov has been shortened as part of a recent mass amnesty adopted to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Tajikistan's independence. Yorov's sister, Khosiat Yorova, told RFE/RL on October 18 that her brother's prison term was shortened by four years, meaning he has 11 1/2 years left to serve. It is the second time Yorov's prison term has been shortened. Yorov was initially sentenced to 23 years in prison in October 2016 on charges of issuing public calls for the overthrow of the government and inciting social unrest. That was later extended by five years after a court in Dushanbe found him guilty of contempt of court and insulting a government official. In 2019, the 28-year prison term was shortened by 6 1/2 years under a mass amnesty announced by the government to mark the 25th anniversary of the Central Asian state's constitution. Yorov has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that his trial was politically motivated because he defended members and leaders of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, an opposition group that was banned in 2015 as a terrorist organization. Western governments and human rights organizations have urged the Tajik government to release Yorov, who in March 2020 received the Prague-based People in Need NGO's Homo Homini Award, an annual prize bestowed upon people and groups in recognition of their contribution to "the defense of human rights, democracy, and the nonviolent resolution of political conflicts." A year before that, Yorov was awarded the Faiziniso Vohidova Human Rights Prize by the Association of Central Asian Migrants in Europe. Yorov was also short-listed for the 2019 Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says a group of its monitors overseeing a fragile cease-fire in eastern Ukraine have been barred from leaving their base by Kremlin-backed separatists who are seeking the release of an officer held by Ukrainian government forces. The pan-European security body deployed its Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) in 2014 to report on the security situation in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions and facilitate dialogue in a conflict between Ukrainian government forces and the separatists that has claimed more than 13,200 lives. Sporadic fighting is continuing despite a new cease-fire deal, which came into force in July 2020. The OSCE SMM said in a statement late on October 17 that the vehicle gates of its patrol base in the separatist-controlled town of Horlivka in the Donetsk region had been locked with a chain and padlock. The owner of the hotel where a so-called Forward Patrol Base is located informed SMM staff that they will be "prevented from leaving the premises," citing "orders from the 'mayor' of Horlivka," according to the statement. Then, at 5 p.m. local time, two men told the SMM staff that they would not be allowed to leave the hotel premises until the captured officer was freed. The separatists could not immediately be reached for comment. They claim the officer, named Andrei Kosyak, was captured by the Ukrainian military near the front line last week while he was helping to oversee the cease-fire. But Ukraine's Defense Ministry describes Kosyak as being part of a group of Russian servicemen who have carried out an undercover reconnaissance mission. The SMM called for the removal of any obstacles to the freedom of movement of its observers. The conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted after Moscows seizure of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula -- a move condemned by the international community. With reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service Krasnoyarsk hosted an international ecological summit, "Siberian Perspectives," which was held in this city on October 1-2, 2021. Its participants discussed the role of large industrial businesses in biodiversity conservation. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the Africa Bureau at Rough&Polished made a presentation at the event comparing the positive and negative experiences of mining companies in crisis situations and their actions to protect the environment and promote biodiversity. CATOCA Poorly managed mining operations can pollute the environment and damage the biodiversity that underpins economies, provides food, fuel, building materials, and freshwater - The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). We saw this when researchers at Kinshasa University were quoted in the media as saying last August that satellite imagery and interviews revealed that a reservoir used to store mining pollutants allegedly breached mid-July in a diamond-mining area stretching from Lunda Sul to Lunda Norte provinces in Angola. As a result, two tributaries of the Congo River, the Tshikapa and Kasai rivers, turned red, killing fish and hippopotamuses as well as causing diarrhea amongst communities along their banks. Congo's environment minister Eve Bazaiba later alleged that the pollution of the rivers had been caused by a toxic substance spill at an industrial diamond mine in Angola owned by Catoca, which produces 75% of Angolas diamonds. A few weeks later, the DRC government said 12 people had died as a result of the pollution, while 4,400 were left sick. Bazaiba then said the DRC will seek reparations in line with the polluter pays principle. However, Catoca recently denied leaking heavy metals from its mine into the Tshikapa River and adjacent areas. It said that it will carry out an investigative expedition along the Tshikapa River to the border with the DRC and that the results of this expedition aim to refute the accusations made by the Democratic Republic of Congo. Catoca said it did not dump toxic products into the Tshikapa River and adjacent areas, since the company does not use chemical products in its production process. "We refute all accusations, however within the framework of our social responsibility and due to the strong commitment, we have to the preservation of the environment, we decided to create a multidisciplinary team, which includes representatives from ministries, universities, provincial directorates, NGOs, and independent laboratories, which is carrying out this expedition and very soon we will make a public presentation of its results. Nornikel The Catoca debacle reminds the people of the leakage of diesel from a cracked tank at Nornickel's power plant last year. While Catoca is entitled to its opinion, it refuted allegations of polluting the DRC rivers before it obtained the results of its investigations. Such a move puts the diamond company in a difficult position given that their accusers are armed with satellite images that clearly show the source of the pollution. Nornickel handled the leakage of the diesel differently. The other experts were closely watching what Nornikel had been doing after the leakage. They saw that Nornikel admitted the problem, neutralised, compensated, fixed the problem, and started implementing some development programmes. The Russian nickel and palladium mining and smelting company made positive changes in policy and approaches to interaction with the indigenous minorities of Taimyr after the diesel spill. It developed its new Integrated Environmental Strategy that was approved by the companys board of directors last June. The strategy defines six key areas in environmental protection and sets the targets the company expects to achieve by 2030. These are climate change, air, water resources, tailings and waste management, land rehabilitation, and ensuring biodiversity. Nornickel has operations near Taimyr, a region with more than 10,000 people of the indigenous minorities of the North. It signed a five-year agreement on the implementation of its comprehensive plan to assist the development of the indigenous minorities of the North for a total amount of 2 billion roubles. These include traditional activities, protecting the original human environment, as well as funding for housing, health care, infrastructure, tourist social, and cultural projects. There is also another good example to mention from the mining industry. Diamond Route This project, which was launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, is a collection of biodiversity conservation sites and nature reserves, owned and managed by De Beers Group and Debswana that span 200,000 hectares across southern Africa. It initially comprised of conservation properties from De Beers Group and E Oppenheimer and Son. It now covers a range of De Beers Group properties within South Africa and Botswana. The Diamond Route comprises eight sites covering around 200,000 hectares and stretches from the Succulent Karoo of Namaqualand on South Africas west coast to the Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve on the countrys northern border, right up to the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans in Botswana with the Orapa Game Park. De Beers and National Geographic also launched end of August this year the Okavango Eternal, a strategic partnership to help protect Africas endangered species, ensure water and food security for more than one million people, and develop livelihood opportunities for 10,000 people. The diamond group said the five-year commitment is focused on working hand-in-hand with communities throughout Okavango to deliver shared ecological solutions that lead to collective economic opportunity. The Okavango Basin, spanning southern Angola, eastern Namibia, and northern Botswana, is the main source of water for the Okavango Delta. The National Geographic Explorer said the Okavango River Basin is under threat and their partnership with De Beers will help protect this natural wonder. The Okavango Delta is one of Africas most important ecosystems, unrivaled in its biodiversity, and home to the worlds largest remaining elephant population as well as lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, and hundreds of species of birds. The Okavango Deltas health is dependent on its source lakes and rivers, which carry water that originates as rain in Angolas highlands. Salem - Joanne E. (Roulier) Bomarsi, 81, of Salem, passed away Tuesday morning, November 16, 2021 in Peabody. Born in Salem, MA, Joanne was the daughter of the late Lionel E. and Alice (Frasier) Roulier. A graduate of the former St. Chretienne Academy in Salem, Joanne worked for many years a Plus, how sipping a Bali Hai mai tai can help clean up the coast the best brands as well as the things you need to look out for while making a choice. How San Diegos Top Health Systems Help Mothers and Babies Through Complicated Pregnancies A closer look at the special perinatology programs at Scripps and Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns MCASD Opens Their Exhibit on Chicana Artist Yolanda Lopez Lopez's first solo exhibit will open to the public on October 16 For decades, California fourth-graders marked a familiar ritual, collecting Popsicle sticks, cardboard and craft store items to build scale models of the states historic missions. In San Diego County, home of two of the historic missions, Mission San Diego de Alcala, the first of the 21 California missions, and Old Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, the largest one, the project has been a rite of passage for many students and their sometimes frazzled parents. That tradition apparently is coming to an end. The new state framework for history and social studies curriculum declared the practice not only outdated, but inappropriate. Building missions from sugar cubes or Popsicle sticks does not help students understand the period and is offensive to many, the framework, adopted by the California Department of Education, explained. Missions were sites of conflict, conquest, and forced labor. Advertisement Instead, the framework urges, students should focus on daily life in the mission system, exploring the roles and interactions of different groups, from local Native Americans to Spanish explorers. What the framework calls for is that the students understand the impact the missions had on Native Americans, Spanish explorers, rancheros living in California, and the environment, said Juliana Liebke, history social science curriculum specialist for the San Diego Unified School District. So building a mission does not help students to understand any of that. Liebke and other local school officials said they havent had time to fully analyze the recommended changes, but said that steering away from model building is a move in the right direction. It became more about the artistic component, which is very important, but it became less about the phenomena of the missions and these groups living together, and creating what would become California, said Sharmila Kraft, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for Vista Unified School District. The creators of the state framework have harsher words for the project, which they say idealizes a troubled era of California history. I hate Mission Projects, Nancy McTygue, executive director of the California History-Social Science Project and one of the lead writers of the new project, wrote five years ago in a 2012 edition of the projects quarterly publication, The Source. This activity is just wrong on so many levels its offensive to the Native peoples whose lives were largely shattered by the mission system, its a waste of time and money, it doesnt build reading or writing skills, and it doesnt teach anything of substance about our past. The state directive to drop the project codifies changes that McTygue has long advocated. Thoughtful teachers abandoned this practice years ago, but Im still amazed when I hear it got assigned yet again, she wrote in the 2012 article. Mission models have been a mainstay of California elementary education for decades, becoming a source of both nostalgia and vexation to parents. Many of the parents who helped their own kids through the project remember building missions themselves in fourth grade, by gluing Popsicle sticks or stacking sugar cubes The projects involve elaborate engineering, as well as 11th-hour efforts to create the structures, and an increasingly diverse array of materials. Companies including Michaels craft stores and others offer kits for the models, and some students have recently constructed them from Lego blocks, or built digital versions on the popular video game Minecraft. Some local parents said they resented the assignment, which involved more work for the parents than kids. Others remembered it fondly, applauding the opportunity for hands-on creativity. I think any kind of a project helps a child to remember what they looked up, Oceanside resident Jan Lopez wrote in an e-mail. Our society is too involved in screens and not making things. Lon Safko, president of Paper Models Inc. in Lake Elsinore, said his company grew out of the desperation of panicked parents. Many contacted him at wits end, proclaiming, Oh my God, theyre going to fail fourth grade if we dont get some macaroni and toilet paper tubes together to build a mission, Safko said. Although the company has sold thousands of mission models over the years, that diminished as schools gradually forbade the use of kits, and he takes the elimination of the project in stride. The biggest thing Im interested in is making sure the kids get a good, balanced education, Safko said.Im all for that. Balance is the key, said John Putman, a history professor at San Diego State University, who studies California and the West. I agree with the decision to get rid of the models, he said. First of all, they romanticize the period by putting all this emphasis on the building. I think whats often lost is the larger significance of the Mission Era and the Mission Period. Second thing it does is encourages too much attention on the Mission Era, compared to the rest of California history. Putman said the states fascination with missions blossomed in the early 20th Century, and represented a kind of monument envy that Californians held toward the historic fixtures of the East Coast. Studying the periods socioeconomic complexities would serve students better than the models, he said. But he cautioned against oversimplifying the subject in the opposite direction, by equating it with slavery. Some American Indians have likened the mission projects to projects that require students to recreate plantations in the American South or concentration camps in Germany, Tuyen Tran, assistant director of the California History Social Science Project, wrote in a May 23 blog post. That appraisal also risks misrepresentation of the mission period, Putman warned. Its too easy of a comparison, and its dangerous in a lot of ways, he said. Its sometimes oranges and apples when we make these comparisons. There are a lot of dynamics involved, and thats how we should be presenting it to the children. In Oceanside, the Old Mission San Luis Rey Historic Foundation has long held a contest, inviting local students to write essays about the Mission Period, or build models of the building. The contest included a day-long festival, with an awards ceremony, Native American storytellers and tours of the mission. Theyre reconsidering the tradition, in light of the state framework changes, said board member Mary Gleisberg. Were rethinking now if were going to continue with the mission model building contest, which the kids and parents have really enjoyed, she said. deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan A free digital mapping tool could help fishermen zero in on swordfish, while steering clear of endangered leatherback turtles and other protected animals. EcoCast, designed by researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and San Diego State University, generates daily maps that plot the best areas to catch swordfish without snaring unwanted species. Its part of a suite of technical advances that seek to harness big data in support of fisheries, and could bolster Californias dwindling swordfish sector, which is now based mostly out of San Diego. EcoCast has really developed because we saw a problem of a fishery targeting a highly migratory species, swordfish, and yet avoiding a species that travels almost as much, which is sea turtles, said Elliott Hazen, a marine ecologist with NOAA Fisheries and co-developer of the program. We wanted to see if we could give fisherman access to species they want, while avoiding the animals they need to remain sustainable. Advertisement Users can visit the EcoCast website and see color-coded maps that show the best and worst places to fish for swordfish without the risk of bycatch. Since the maps refresh daily, the tool could offer a more flexible way of managing fisheries amid shifting ocean conditions than seasonal fishing closures do, Hazen said. If the swordfish program is successful, scientists envision using the tool for tuna and other migratory fish. I like to describe EcoCast as a climate-ready tool, because it is adjusting to climate variability automatically, he said. A dynamic model such as EcoCast does a much better job adjusting for seasonal conditions than any static closure would. The daily maps are the user interface for complex models that predict the position of swordfish, as well as the locations of leatherbacks, sea lions and blue sharks. To develop them, researchers pulled figures on swordfish and blue sharks collected by observers on fishing boats, as well as monitoring data on the movement and location of tagged leatherbacks, sea lions and blue sharks. They also collected satellite data on ocean conditions, including sea surface temperatures, chlorophyll, sea surface height, and the position of marine fronts and eddies. With a $900,000 grant from NASA and about $300,000 in other funds, researchers built models that match marine conditions to the animals locations, map where each species is likely to be, and compare where their locations overlap or diverge. This is one of the first attempts to build a multi-species model; how do you look at a suite of five species at the same time? Hazen said. Computing power was critical to allow us to build these more complex models. The challenge of disentangling swordfish from bycatch or accidental catch of other species, has nearly wiped out the swordfish fishery on the West Coast. Swordfish are currently caught mainly with drift-gillnets vast sheets of netting that float below the surface, capturing swordfish and other commercial species, but also entrapping other species they hope to avoid. Those include critically endangered leatherback turtles; sea lions, which are safeguarded by the Marine Mammal Protection Act; and and blue sharks, which pose a nuisance to fishermen and can damage their nets. Leatherbacks are globe-traveling leviathans that can weigh up to a ton. Born in the nesting beaches of Indonesia, the animals cross the Pacific in the California Current, where they were often snared in gillnets in the past. To prevent that, federal regulators close a large swath of the Pacific from Central California to Oregon for three months a year That precaution has substantially reduced accidental catch of turtles and other protected species. Proposed regulations could also mandate the use of specialized rigs called deep set buoy gear, which could further reduce bycatch. But the closures, gear requirements and other regulations enacted to protect the leatherback have made it hard for boats to turn a profit. The swordfish fleet, with about 200 vessels off the West Coast in the 1980s and 1990s, has dwindled to just 10 to 15 boats. Most are based in San Diego and operate in the Southern California Bight, the only part of the coast not restricted by the closures, Hazen said. Gary Burke, a gillnet fisherman who collaborated with researchers on EcoCast, said fishermen have their own interest in avoiding bycatch. Theyve improved fishing techniques during the 46 years that he has been fishing, but welcome tools to salvage what remains of their fishery. As you know, weve been under the gun, and scrutinized for the bycatch weve got, said Gary Burke, a gillnet fisherman who collaborated with researchers on EcoCast. Weve improved a hell of a lot but were always looking for new methods. As fishermen, bycatch doesnt help us, and destroys a lot of your gear. Were always looking for anything new that can help us. Researchers are hopeful that sophisticated computing tools can fine-tune fishing industries and management. Elsewhere, for instance, theyre developing video fish monitoring systems that use artificial intelligence technology borrowed from the military to automatically count and identify species through a system theyve nicknamed fishal recognition, said Steve Murawski, a fisheries biologist and marine ecologist with the University of South Florida. Americans currently import about 90 percent of the fish we eat, according to NOAA, so scientists believe that deploying technology to manage our wild stocks can enhance local fisheries such as the West Coast swordfish industry and others. In addition to supporting a particular fishery, this is providing a working model, saying we can do it better, said Rebecca Lewison, a biology professor at San Diego State University and co-developer of EcoCast. We can manage fish smarter. We can manage our ocean smarter if we use the data that we have, because were getting reams of it from our satellites. We can manage our oceans in a dynamic way, rather than a static way. deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan 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. When you think of the cost of living in California, you likely think of hefty property taxes and expensive properties. While California offers beautiful scenery, pleasant temperatures, and a diverse population, owning a home is out of reach for many thanks to the high cost of real estate. If you have flexibility, a good choice may be to discover which county has the lowest property tax in California and move there. What Is the Effective Property Tax Rate? While the cost of living in the Golden State can be high, surprisingly, Californias effective property tax rate at only .74 percent is below the national average. New Jersey has the highest effective property tax rate at a whopping 2.13 percent. Illinois follows closely behind at 1.97 percent. The national average is 1.1 percent of the homes value. Even though California has a low effective property tax rate, because property is so expensive overall, homeowners pay thousands, or tens of thousands, of dollars in property tax every year. When you compare the amount of property taxes homeowners in California pay compared to their income, you can see that the property tax burden is a heavy one for many homeowners. Where Is the Lowest Property Tax in California? The county with the lowest property tax in California is Modoc County. Situated in the Northeast corner of California, near the Nevada and Oregon state lines, this county has less than 10,000 residents and is the third-least populated county in California. The main reason this county has the lowest property taxes is that homes are extremely affordable. The median home price in Modoc County is $142,500 (Best Places). Compare this to the median home price in the entire state of California, which is a whopping $818,260 (NY Times). Because housing prices are so much lower in Modoc County, the overall amount paid in property taxes is also lower. For What Is Modoc County Known? If moving to Modoc County for the lowest property tax in California intrigues you, you should be a person who enjoys small-town living. Modoc County is known as the place where the west still lives (UpStateCA). The county has ranches and farms as well as a fair amount of federal land. Therefore, the federal government is one of the largest employers in the area. Other residents have settled here from various parts of California and telecommute. In contrast to much of the rest of California, Modoc County is a conservative area that votes overwhelmingly Republican. In 2013, Modoc County voted to secede from the state of California (UPI). Final Thoughts If youre looking for the lowest property tax in California, look no further than Modoc County. In this small county, housing prices are cheap, which makes Californias .74 percent property tax rate more affordable than in most other areas of the state. If youre conservative and like small-town life, Modoc County may be the perfect location for you. Check out Credit Karma to know more about your credit score. Read More These Are the Best Side Hustles in California What You Should Know about the Best Paying Jobs in California Did You Know This Is the Lowest Property Tax in California? If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started. Check out these helpful tools to help you save more. For investing advice, visit The Motley Fool. Broken Heart Syndrome, also known as Takotsubo, is an elusive heart condition that remains a mystery to science. It happens when a person experiences sudden, heart attack-like symptoms but is caused by something different. Unlike a regular heart attack caused by a blocked artery, imaging on patients suffering from broken heart syndrome showed swollen left ventricles. A recent study, titled "Sex and AgeBased Temporal Trends in Takotsubo Syndrome Incidence in the United States," published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, suggests that the syndrome is on the rise among middle-aged and older women. Researchers also examined the trends of Takotsubo and found that it has steadily been rising even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Broken Heart Syndrome Linked to Age and Sex According to Jerusalem Post, broken heart syndrome was first described in Japan after the Takotsubo pot used to hold octopuses that look like a swollen heart. Researchers examined the trends of this heart disease and found a surprising link between the phenomenon to age and sex. The number of cases increases every year, but women aged 50-75 are the more common diagnoses. In regular heart attacks, men are more susceptible than women, and their risk usually comes with age. The study reveals that 88% of cases of Takotsubo are women. In particular, there is an increase of 128 cases per million every year among middle-aged women, 96 cases per million among older women, and 15 cases per million among younger women. Takotsubo cases in men also increased but far less substantially. Moreover, the research suggests that their condition has become more common and rising steadily even before the COVID-19 pandemic. NBC News reported that the number of cases increased during the pandemic because of the challenges and stressors it caused for everyone, especially among women. Researchers noted that one of the possible reasons for the overall ruse in cases is because broken heart syndrome has become better known these days and the fact that imaging methods to identify have become more sophisticated, advanced, and accessible. ALSO READ: More Cases of 'Broken Heart Syndrome' Recorded During Coronavirus Pandemic What Causes Broken Heart Syndrome? Science Daily reported that the rare condition shows how the brain and nervous system respond to different stressors. Senior study author Dr. Susan Cheng said there is likely a tipping point just beyond midlife where the excess response to stressors can adversely affect the heart. They have observed that women in this situation are affected and increases the risk for developing Takotsubo. The team is investigating the long-term implications and molecular markers of the risk of developing heart disease and the factors that might contribute to the rising cases. The Smidt Heart Institute developed a new diagnostic tool and advanced specialized care for women to identify female-pattern heart disease and conditions. The study helps in clarifying that women of a specific age range are at higher risk for stress-induced heart disease, and the risk further increases as they age due to changes in susceptibility, environment, or both. RELATED ARTICLE: Is Broken Heart Syndrome Real? Here's How Stress Could Break Your Heart Check out more news and information on Heart Health in Science Times. Tall evergreen trees, Puget Sound views, clean air: Seattle is a great place to connect with the outdoors. But is it the best place in the country to do so? SmartAsset, a financial advising company, recently conducted a study to find the places in the U.S. that are best for outdoor enthusiasts to live and work. Using the 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report conducted by the Outdoor Foundation, SmartAsset found that 7.1 million more people spent time outdoors during pandemic lockdowns in 2020 than they did in 2019. SmartAsset also found that more than 50% of Americans participated in outdoor recreation, such as biking or hiking, in 2020. To conduct its research, SmartAsset compared 95 U.S. cities across a series of metrics including five-year changes in median household incomes, July 2021 unemployment rates, down payment-to-income ratios, the number of commuters who walk or bike to work, the amount of nature parks and campgrounds per 100,000 residents, and air pollution as well as a city's parkland ratio, state outdoor recreation economy, and state and national park coverage. Using these data points, SmartAsset was able to determine the top 10 U.S. cities for outdoor enthusiasts to live and work, with Seattle taking the sixth spot on the list. Among other key findings, SmartAsset found in the top 10 cities, commuters are almost three times more likely to walk or bike to work than those in the bottom 10 cities. Seattle reported the third-highest amount of people (14.4%) who walk and bike to work in the study. And SmartAsset found the top-ranked cities have two times more nature parks and campgrounds than all cities study-wide. So what other U.S. cities made the top 10 list? Keep reading to find out. John Quinn / EyeEm/Getty Images/EyeEm 10. Virginia Beach, VA Virginia Beach offers plenty of water access being at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, allowing for ample opportunity to participate in water sports. The city tied with Minneapolis for the eighth-lowest unemployment rate in July 2021 (3.7%) and had the 9th-cleanest air in the study. Claire Gentile/Getty Images 9. Minneapolis, MN Minneapolis boasts over 7,000 acres of parkland and water access. The city's July 2021 unemployment was 3.7% which tied with Virginia Beach for the eighth-lowest overall. Minneapolis also has a surprisingly high percentage of commuters who walk or bike to work (11.6%), which was the seventh-highest rate for this metric across the study. Darwin Fan/Getty Images 8. Boise, ID Boise had the third-lowest unemployment rate in this study at 2.8%. Like Minneapolis, Boise has a high rate of workers who report walking or biking to work. The air quality is also superb having the fourth-best average daily particulate matter. Blue Poppy/Getty Images 7. Anchorage, AK Anchorage ranks first in both percentages of parkland (84.17%) and number of nature parks and campgrounds per 100,000 residents. The state of Alaska is covered in state and national parks about 9% of Alaskas land in total, the second-highest in this study. Joseph Iapaolo / EyeEm/Getty Images/EyeEm 6. Seattle, WA Seattle reported the third-highest amount of people who walk and bike to work in the study at 14.4%. Seattle also had the 23rd-best ranked air quality across this years study, with an average particulate matter of 7.7. Between 2014 and 2019, the median household income in Seattle increased 44.40%, the sixth-largest jump across this five-year period in the study. Gina Pricope/Getty Images 5. Orlando, FL Orlando boasts the second-best air quality of the cities in this study, with an average daily particulate matter of 5.2. Like other Florida cities, Orlando benefits greatly from Floridas strong outdoor economy. And like Seattle, Orlando also saw a strong household median income increase from 2014 to 2019 a reported 43.18% rise. Steve Proehl/Getty Images 4. San Francisco, CA San Francisco is home to the second-highest rate of commuters who walk or bike to work (16.7%), the 10th-highest amount of parkland (20.5%), and the third-largest median income increase at 45.6% between 2014 and 2016. Jordan Siemens/Getty Images 3. Portland, OR Portland is home to Forest Park one of the countrys largest urban forests which contributes to the citys high parkland percentage of 18%. Multnomah County has a high number of campgrounds and nature parks per 100,000 residents (2.63) and reports about 11.5% of its workers walk or bike to work. filo/Getty Images 2. Madison, WI Unemployment in Madison in July 2021 was the fourth-lowest of the cities in this study, at just 3.1%. Dane County is home to the eighth-highest amount of campgrounds and nature parks per 100,000 residents (1.46) and the fourth-highest amount of residents who walk or bike to work (14%). John Coletti/Getty Images 1. St. Petersburg, FL St. Petersburg is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. It ranks 13th-best in air quality and 14th-best for its relatively high percentage of parkland (17.64%). The city also has the 18th lowest unemployment rate, which was 4.4% in July 2021. The state of Floridas outdoor recreation economy ranked second nationally. This article is being shared by a partner in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org. Keene, NH (03431) Today Mostly cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 43F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 24F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Thank you for reading! You have reached your 30-day limit of free access to SentinelSource.com, The Keene Sentinels website. If you would like to read two more articles for free at this time, please register for an account by clicking the sign up button below. We hope you find The Sentinels coverage of the Monadnock Region valuable. We rely on our subscribers to bring you strong local journalism and hope you will consider supporting our work by taking advantage of this special subscription offer here. The latest crisis in Afghanistan has already displaced nearly 550,000 people from their homes since the beginning of 2021, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Many of those fleeing will find shelter in neighboring countries, but others will likely resettle farther away, including in the U.S. California and specifically, the Bay Area is home to some of the largest Afghan communities in the U.S. More than 66,000 people of Afghan ancestry live in the state, according to 2019 data from the U.S. census. It has both the largest overall population of those reporting Afghan ancestry, and the second highest share of people identifying as Afghan at about 266 per 100,000 people (Virginia has the highest share). The city of Fremont, where a portion of its Centerville district has been unofficially renamed Little Kabul, is among the largest hubs for Afghan Americans. The growth of the diaspora in California is the result of several different waves of conflict-driven migration, including the wave caused by the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, said Farhad Yousafzai, who runs the community group Afghans Living in San Francisco Bay Area. Word traveled to people fleeing that there were established communities in that region. Thats where people wanted to go nearby to their own people, he said. Humanitarian agencies are expecting an influx of refugees and migrants from Afghanistan into the U.S. as evacuations continue. The Biden administration reportedly asked to prepare to resettle as many as 50,000 people ahead of an Aug. 31 deadline. Though exactly how many people will go where is still being assessed, recent trends show that California is a top destination for people coming from Afghanistan. Out of all U.S. states, California had the highest number of refugees from Afghanistan arrive between October 2020 and July 2021, which is the latest data available from the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. As legal residents, refugees may reside in any place in the U.S. that they choose. But refugees, whose statuses are determined by the United Nations, are just a small portion of the people who are evacuating Afghanistan and coming to the U.S. Many more people have come, and continue to come, through a process called the Special Immigrant Visa, or SIV, which gives Afghans who worked for the U.S. government a pathway to migration to the U.S. The U.S. Congress has authorized 8,000 additional visas to this program in light of the current crisis in Afghanistan. Yousafzai of the Bay Area Afghans community group came to the U.S. in 2014 through the SIV program. The former purchasing manager for the U.S. military arrived first in Oakland a place he said he decided on based on word-of-mouth recommendations. When I got the visa, I searched and asked people where I should go, he said. They pointed him to the Bay Area. Fremont has long been known as the flagship Afghan community of the U.S. Its the base for many agencies that help refugees and recent migrants from Afghanistan, like the Afghan Coalition, adjust and connect with other people from their culture, Yousafzai said. But Afghan communities in other parts of the Bay Area and the U.S., including in Sacramento where he now lives, have also been expanding in size and influence in recent years, he said. Thousands of Afghans are now engaged with each other, he said. We are very much involved and integrated in the culture [more] than ever before, he added. 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. These growing communities of people from Afghan ancestry in the Bay Area are working collectively and separately to aid those who are fleeing violence, and preparing for when they arrive in the region. Some of those efforts include initiatives led by government agencies, such as the Fremont Family Resources Center, a nonprofit support agency run by the city of Fremont. The Center recently set out to raise $100,000 to aid Afghans relocating to the Bay Area including for housing expenses, said Geneva Bosques, the citys director of communications and legislative affairs. That goal, as of Thursday afternoon, was close to being met. At the end of the day, were pushing politics aside and really focusing on the people. If people are coming to our community, were going to be welcoming. Fremont is a compassionate community, she said. There are still many unknowns about how many people will go where, and if people will choose to come to Fremont or another nearby city instead, she said. The money raised is intended to be flexible, so that it can be used to help people settle in the greater Bay Area. The people in the Bay Area have responded to the call for help, Bosques said. Many of them have a deep connection to Afghanistan; donations have often included personal messages and memories. Its heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. That really continues to put the dire situation in front of us and helps motivate us to keep moving forward to do whatever we can to support this humanitarian effort at the local level, Bosques said. Yoohyun Jung is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: yoohyun.jung@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @yoohyun_jung On their third attempt to leave Afghanistan and return to their home in Milpitas, just days after the Taliban seized power, the Sultani family found themselves submerged inside a huge crowd surging toward the Kabul airport gates. The only safe place for the children, aged 3 and 7, was on the shoulders of a cousin and uncle, their tiny fingers gripping their relatives heads. Suddenly, though, the childrens father lost sight of his 7-year-old daughter. There were lots of people and they were trying to push everybody and my daughter fell on the ground from my cousins shoulder, said the man, whom The Chronicle is identifying only by his last name to protect family members still in Afghanistan. My wife was crying. I was crying. It was very tough. For an hour, Sultani and his wife pressed through the heaving masses until they found their child, safe with a cousin. By this point, the U.S. military was no longer allowing anyone to enter the airport. The family returned to the home of Sultanis parents feeling defeated. It was Aug. 19, just 12 days before the U.S. would completely withdraw from its 20-year campaign in Afghanistan. News of Taliban reprisals in the provinces were coming in. The Sultani family was running out of time. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Sultani had worked as a human resources administrator for the U.S. government. When his life was threatened by the Taliban in 2014, he obtained a Special Immigrant Visa, available to Afghans who had worked with the U.S., and was able to take his family to safety. Sultani, his wife and daughter arrived in California in 2017; his youngest child was born soon thereafter. The family had returned to Kabul this summer to visit family when the Taliban seized power and their desperate attempts to return home began. That very night, the family decided to try to depart again. As they approached the airport gates, passports at the ready, Sultanis father was beaten, he believes by Taliban soldiers. But they made it past the airport gates, thanks in no small part to a direct line Sultani managed to get to Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, whose office was working around the clock to help families leave the country. As members of Congress were working overtime to help with evacuations, a friend of Sultanis got in touch with one of Khannas colleagues from Pennsylvania, who passed the case along. While thousands attempted to flee Afghanistan last week, the Sultanis harrowing journey offers a glimpse not only of the chaos on the ground, but also of how important connecting with officials in the U.S. was in finally getting his family onto a flight out. In a speech Tuesday, one week after the Sultanis finally arrived at San Francisco International Airport, President Biden called the U.S.-led evacuation effort an extraordinary success, citing the 120,000 people who were airlifted out over 17 days. He also said those who remained had chosen to stay. As Sultani watched the president speak on the large television in his Milpitas living room, finally home after a grueling five-day journey, he scoffed, muted the TV and looked out the window. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Khanna said in an interview that the State Department worked in concert with every member of Congress during the 17-day evacuation period, and that the agency official assigned to work with him would respond within the hour whenever Khannas office contacted them about a constituents case. Khanna said this was essential during the repeated attempts it took for Sultani to get his family into the airport. I was on the phone with (Sultanis friend) personally, (hearing) about how they were getting beaten getting to the airport, Khanna said. But as responsive as Khanna felt the State Department was, he is now concerned about the estimated 200 to 300 Americans and thousands of U.S.-affiliated Afghans left behind. His office alone believes it knows of nine citizens and one green card holder still stranded. Are we going to tell families you need to get to the Pakistan border? Are we going to tell them, here is a place you can go? Khanna wondered. What we need is specifics, and who the contacts are. The scramble over the past two weeks to get people out of Afghanistan has also required the involvement of the Afghan community worldwide, said Mejgan Massoumi, historian of modern Afghanistan and a fellow at Stanford University. She has been part of that effort. Massoumi has cousins and colleagues who are desperate to leave the country because they fear for their lives. But they are not American citizens, and likely wouldnt qualify for special visas because they didnt work directly with the U.S. For the past two weeks, Ive been sleepless, helping members of my own family and friends figure out a way out of Afghanistan, she said. Weve been engaged in this evacuation process and weve sort of assumed the role of a learn-as-you-go immigration lawyer for our loved ones back home. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle The need for many people to get out is real, she said. Family members inside of Afghanistan are telling us they either had verbal or written threats from the Taliban, Massoumi said. Some are taking photos of degrees from the American University of Afghanistan or other documentation that shows connections to the United States, then destroying it. Theyre burning these documents because theyre scared that if the Taliban show up at their home ... they will be persecuted on the spot, Massoumi said. Like many in the Bay Areas Afghan diaspora, watching the current situation brings back difficult memories for Massoumi, who fled Afghanistan in 1980. This is a moment of trauma for me, she said. Im seeing the same thing, the plight of the refugee thats what my family went through, (but) we left by camels and via coyotes people who smuggle migrants before we got asylum. 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. That trauma is widespread, said Holly Taines White, communications director at Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay. Her organization has been resettling Afghans since 2008. A lot of them have been living under this intense level of fear and trauma for years, as theyve been wading through the bureaucracy of applying for their visas, she said. In August, the organization resettled 69 Afghans, and it has accepted 60 more who are currently at the Fort Lee military base in Virginia. Some have a family member or friend they can stay with when they arrive in California, but many need everything, from a furnished apartment to help enrolling kids in school. The East Bay agency is placing most families in the Concord area because of the significant Afghan population already residing there. We really try to find them housing near community so they arent isolated, Taines White said. The Sultani family had a home to return to, and Sultani has part-time work. But as they settle back into the Bay Area, Sultani longs for a good job, for an employer who would make use of the six languages he speaks. He is currently a legal permanent resident, and in a few years will be eligible to apply for citizenship. As soon as I get my citizenship, I will apply for the police department, he said. In the meantime, he dreams of working as a journalist, hosting a multilingual radio show that would connect families like his here in the Bay Area with interviews, music and news from Afghanistan. Inshallah, Su ltani said. If Allah wills it. Deepa Fernandes and Tal Kopan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: deepa.fernandes@sfchronicle.com, tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @deepafern, @TalKopan The red-tailed hawk circled slowly overhead as a group of about a dozen high school students studied the raptor, ignoring their phones and the majestic view of the bay as they huddled on a cliff at the Marin Headlands. That bird was an egg four months ago, explained Allen Fish, an expert in raptors with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy who was leading a bird-watching expedition on a recent afternoon. For the students from Independence High School, an alternative public school, this classroom 900 feet above sea level was something akin to heaven after 18 months in distance-learning isolation. The teens tried to get a closer look with binoculars as Fish explained why Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands was a raptor bottleneck each fall as the birds of prey navigated the thermals and tailwinds to cross the water to San Francisco and then head farther south on their annual migration. There was a Coopers hawk and then a sharp-shinned hawk, each appearing to contemplate their trajectory or considering a mouse meal on the ground. The experiential classroom isnt the norm at many big public high schools, but at Independence High, Principal Anastasia Klafter tossed out some of the education playbook after the pandemic, realizing she could reimagine learning and help students readjust to school after social distancing for so long. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The San Francisco high school is fairly unique, offering its 220 students a flexible program, where they attend school, meeting with teachers once or twice a day, but largely working independently at the Inner Sunset neighborhood school or at home. Its not a continuation school, but rather an alternative option for a range of students. Some are competitive athletes, dancers or actors, while others just like the unstructured schedule and still others have special needs, including anxiety or other mental health issues, which require something other than what theyd find in a crowded urban school. Beyond Independence High, the pandemic has presented an opportunity, many educators and academics say, one that allows teachers and administrators to rethink teaching and learning, using technology, classroom space and time in and outside of school to do things differently. Klafter decided that every Wednesday would be passion project day, when students would choose a course created by a teacher, based on something that instructor loves to do. Some students are making soap, with a good dose of chemistry tossed in. Others are weaving textiles, which combines art and math. Klafter decided to offer bird-watching, which shed discovered during lockdown. Literally, looking out my window, I saw birds Id never seen before, she said. She looked them up online to identify them and realized there were bird hot spots all over San Francisco and the Bay Area. She was hooked. She wondered if students would feel the same way. They do. Im into nature, said RiKeyah George, 17. I love watching birds in flight. The senior at Independence High signed up for bird-watching in the fall, but has long noticed the birds in her Hunters Point neighborhood on the southeast side of the city, including the snowy egrets and brown pelicans, as well as the countless screechy seagulls. RiKeyah likes looking at them rather than naming them, but she does take a certain pride in being able to say, Oh, thats a red-tail hawk. But really, its more just looking at them, she said. I feel like Im always in the clouds. Klafter said, COVID gave us the permission to throw out structures that werent working and re-imagine space and time to better support students. The passion project program aligns with the schools focus on making sure every student has an adult at the school who knows and supports them. 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. Most Wednesdays, the principal takes a group of students to find birds, in the Presidio, Golden Gate Park or farther afield, including Milpitas a week ago, where the teens got to release birds that had just been banded for identification purposes. Ariana Niu, also a senior, was familiar with the blue jays and crows that populated her Sunset neighborhood, but shes started to see others, in the trees, in the sky. The raptors really interest the 17-year-old. Ive always wanted to be an owl, she added, noting what she loves most about birds is their ability to travel. Theyre like a private jet. Back on Hawk Hill, Fish paused to watch the students, their necks craned, their eyes scanning the sky as they asked him to identify each one. Amid identifying the birds, he explained the physics of updrafts and thermals and why the raptors dont want to expend energy flapping their wings to migrate thousands of miles. The average red-tailed hawk born in the Presidio has a 60% chance of dying in their first year, he told the students, adding migration is a physiological imperative and theyre smart enough to know to catch a tailwind. He smiled. Raptors are a gateway drug into bird-watching, Fish said, explaining his 40-year obsession with birds of prey. And bird-watching is a gateway drug into giving a damn about the environment. As the fog started to roll in, obscuring the Golden Gate Bridge and the city skyline, the students were still looking for birds. Not one pulled out a phone. The field trip hadnt felt like school, they said, despite the biology, physics, geography and environmental science embedded in the outing. Its been fun, said Mia Heather, a senior. I feel like I have a lot more cool opportunities that other schools dont have. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker An Alameda County man cannot sue a policeman who knelt on his back while he lay on the ground awaiting arrest after reportedly threatening his girlfriend and her daughter, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday in a case involving the hotly disputed qualified immunity doctrine for law enforcement officers. The high court reversed a lower-court ruling that would have allowed Ramon Cortesluna to seek damages from the Union City officer. Justices relied on a rule the Supreme Court established in 1982 that protects police from liability even if they violated an individuals rights unless those rights were clearly established and would have been known to any reasonable officer. To show a violation of clearly established law, Cortesluna must identify a case that put (Officer Daniel) Rivas-Villegas on notice that his specific conduct was unlawful, the court said in an unsigned, unanimous decision. Because the only case Corteslunas attorneys and the lower court cited was factually different, the justices said, Rivas-Villegas is entitled to qualified immunity because he did not violate clearly established law. Citing the same doctrine, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled in 2019 that Fresno police could not be sued for allegedly stealing $226,000 they had seized with a search warrant, because no previous cases had declared such conduct illegal. Advocates of greater police accountability have called on Congress to repeal qualified immunity. The House of Representatives passed repeal measures last year and this year, but both died in the Senate. Unless Congress acts, police officers and other public officials will continue to evade responsibility for violating peoples constitutional rights, Jay Schweikart of the libertarian Cato Institute said Monday. He was responding to both the Cortesluna case and another unanimous Supreme Court decision dismissing a suit by the family of an Oklahoma man, Dominic Rollice. Rollice was shot and killed while holding a hammer over his head after officers confronted him in a garage. In the Union City case, a 12-year-old girl called police one night in November 2016 and said she, her 15-year-old sister and their mother were barricaded in their room because Cortesluna, her mothers boyfriend, had a chain saw and was going to attack them. Five officers arrived and knocked on the door. They said Cortesluna came out, holding a metal object in his hands, but dropped it when ordered to do so. Seeing a knife in his pocket, police ordered him to get down and raise his hands, and when he instead lowered his head and kept his hands at his sides, an officer shot him twice with pellets. As he was falling, Rivas-Villegas pushed him to the ground with his foot, then knelt on his back for about eight seconds before handcuffing him and pulling him up by the handcuffs. Cortesluna later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge. A Ninth Circuit panel ruled in October 2020 that Rivas-Villegas could be sued for excessive force, noting that Cortesluna was lying prone, visibly injured, and was not resisting when the officer knelt on him. The panel said a 2000 Ninth Circuit ruling in a Riverside County case would have put the officer on notice that his conduct was illegal. But the high court said Monday the Riverside case was different: The man in that case was unarmed when an officer knelt on him, causing visible injuries, and police had been responding to a complaint about noises. Cortesluna, by contrast, had a knife in his pocket, the justices said, and the complaint had indicated a threat of domestic violence. 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. That distinction was disputed by Corteslunas attorney, Robert Howie, who said his client had already been shot twice with pellets, was not reaching for the knife and was completely passive when Rivas-Villegas knelt on him. Qualified immunity removes incentives for police and government agencies to learn and follow the law, Howie said, and a solution is needed. There was no immediate response from Union City or its lawyers. The case is Rivas-Villegas vs. Cortesluna, 20-1539. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko Four months after San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin announced he was entering alcohol treatment and apologized for his tenor amid complaints about his behavior, he told The Chronicle he has stayed sober, saying he has entered a new chapter. Many who work with him at City Hall and in the community said theyve seen an improvement in Peskins demeanor. Mayor London Breed, who has been particularly critical of how some supervisors treat city staff members, declined to discuss Peskin specifically and said she will speak out if she has more concerns. Peskin said in an interview that he regularly attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and therapy both firsts for him. He said the pandemic exacerbated everything for everybody, including myself and he sought help after interventions of friends and colleagues. Its been a whole new chapter in my life at the age of 57, Peskin said. I have really appreciated the outpouring of support from friends and colleagues and even many people that I dont know. Its been a humbling and gratifying and life-changing experience. Ive literally had people come up to me on the streets and asked me to take them to AA meetings, he added. If Im helping other people, thats icing on the cake. Colleagues, friends, political rivals and community members who spoke with The Chronicle almost all said theyve noticed a positive change, described the City Hall power broker as happier, healthier and calmer. They didnt have reason to doubt his sobriety, saying he regularly tells them how many days hes been sober. Peskins announcement and apology in early June followed Chronicle inquiries into complaints about his alleged intoxication and bullying in public meetings. Some city leaders said Peskins behavior was not isolated and reflected a cruel City Hall culture. Tension among board members and city staffers culminated in Breed and board President Shamann Walton publicly accusing one another and their respective staffs of bullying. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle In the wake of Peskins announcement, some supervisors questioned whether the boards code of conduct, which states that no supervisor should act in a way that is unworthy or unbecoming and gives the board president power to remove a member from a meeting for disorderly, contemptuous or insolent behavior, should be clearer. Those supervisors said issues have improved without any changes, but pledged to use the code if need be. Peskin said he is trying to set a different tone in his work while still getting the job done. The fact that Im in recovery doesnt mean that Ive hung up my gloves, but Im punching differently, he said. Im still as adamant and passionate about the issues I care about, just expressing them in a more appropriate way. Breed, who said in June the code has sadly not worked so far, said in a statement Friday that she would speak out again if she heard from staff that they felt bullied and mistreated. Ive had productive conversations with the President of the Board about the conduct of some of his colleagues and Ive had frank conversations with those colleagues directly to make it clear where I draw the line, but ultimately these are independently elected officials and it is their responsibility as leaders to conduct themselves in a professional manner, she said. Were not going to agree with each other on everything, but we should always strive to treat each other with respect. Walton said the board follows the code and we treat everyone with respect. At the end of the day, were doing great as a board and we are working to solve the problems of the city, particularly during the pandemic, and Supervisor Peskin is a great asset to the Board of Supervisors, Walton said. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle 2020 If Peskin was drinking on the job, he could face repercussions either under city employee policy or California government code, which says that being intoxicated while performing official duties is a misdemeanor. No complaints have been filed or investigations started, according to police and human resources. Supervisors said theyve observed improvements. Hillary Ronen, who said she called Peskin about his alcohol use a day before his announcement, said her colleague took the situation seriously and got the help that he needed to really change his behavior at work. I feel like he has been at his best in the board meetings ever since, she said. Im really happy and proud of him. Ronen told The Chronicle in June she would look at changing the code of conduct, but last week said she felt, after reviewing it with Walton and the Board Clerk Angela Calvillo, it was sufficient as long as people chose to enforce it. The accountability that has taken place has worked, she said. Supervisor Myrna Melgar said that since Peskins announcement, the tenor of public meetings has changed and problematic behavior has mostly stopped, with no public humiliations of people based on personal stuff. Melgar said she might like to see the code strengthened to keep supervisors from verbally abusing staff members. 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. Supervisor Connie Chan said her colleagues need to be able to question city staff, especially during the citywide corruption investigation. We are elected to ask questions, Chan said. People dont want to be held accountable for their actions. ... They want to be able to avoid answering questions and attack people personally. Department heads who alleged harsh treatment in June either declined to comment or werent available to speak last week about Peskins recent behavior. Supervisor Gordon Mar said the best way to address problematic behavior is through direct communication and really holding each other accountable, though he said that didnt happen in Peskins case and other situations. He said he intends to be more assertive and communicative if these situations arise in the future. In his own district, Peskin is a polarizing figure. Hes adored by many supporters who spoke up to support him during the board meeting after his announcement, but he has also attracted opposition. Danny Sauter, who challenged Peskin in his re-election last year, said everyone is wishing him the best but also realizing that there has to be a lot of accountability given well over a decade of recorded incidents of actions that are inappropriate and have hurt people. The Chronicle reported on accusations dating back to 2007 of Peskin drinking on the job and treating staff poorly. That included an expletive-laced diatribe in 2018 at firefighters while he appeared to be intoxicated, for which he later apologized. Meanwhile, friends and acquaintances said he was the same wonderful person as always. I love the man, said Randy DeMartini, executive director of the Salesian Boys and Girls Club, whos known Peskin for three decades and been his close friend for a dozen. Im really proud of him for what he has done, going in and treating his disease. ... I just hope he can stay controlled and will not fall into bad habits. Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench From the bench of Afghanistans trial court at the Bagram Air Base in Kabul, the judge presided over hundreds of terrorism and national security cases. In 2019, she gave the death sentence to the architect of a car bombing that killed 90 people and injured hundreds more two years earlier. The judges husband, a federal prosecutor, built cases against gang rapists who ambushed women and girls traveling between provinces, as well as those who participated in the mob lynching of a woman who scolded a vendor for encouraging women to spend their money on amulets. Since August, when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, the judge and the prosecutor have been in hiding while some of the people they put away walk free, including the car bomber. Colleagues have been hunted down and killed. The couple fear they could be next. There is no doubt that convicted criminals have been released and not only are they in pursuit of me but also my colleagues so they can get their vengeance in the most harsh and merciless way, the judge told The Chronicle in emails translated from Farsi by attorney Layli Shirani of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. (The Chronicle is identifying the couple only by their professions because of the threats to their safety, in keeping with The Chronicles policy on anonymous sources.) With U.S. evacuation airlifts now almost nonexistent, the process to escape Afghanistan is beset by on-the-ground risks and bureaucratic hurdles. Despite President Bidens promise to help everyone who wants to leave, the reality is that many are stuck. The judges uncle in Elk Grove (Sacramento County) is among thousands of Afghan Americans trying to help his relatives flee their home country, but colliding with a complicated and expensive immigration process. Because neither the judge nor the prosecutor worked directly for the U.S. government, and because they didnt make it onto one of the evacuation planes in the weeks after Kabul fell, their options are limited and their window is closing. Like so many, their hope of survival is pinned entirely on one relative, in far-off California, finding them a way out. For those left behind The judges uncle fears the worst every time his phone pings. Anytime we get a phone call from Kabul, we start like heartbeat palpitations (because) maybe they tell us something (bad) happened, said the uncle, Sayed, whose last name The Chronicle is withholding due to the risks to his relatives back home. Back in Afghanistan, Sayed worked as a translator and physician for U.S. forces. He was recognized by his supervisor for risking his life on multiple occasions, including one in which he treated injured U.S. Army soldiers while under enemy fire. In 2015, he and his family immigrated to California under whats called a Special Immigrant Visa, or SIV, which is open to Afghans who were employed by the U.S. or an ally in support of the U.S. mission and who face threats as a result of that employment. Congress created the special visa in 2009, and this year added 8,000 more slots to the program, bringing the cap on total SIVs to 34,500, not including family members. But the quantity of special visas and the speed with which theyre dispensed have not met the need in the hasty evacuations from Afghanistan. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently estimated that about 20,000 people are waiting in the applicant pipeline. Meanwhile, Sayeds niece and her husband dont qualify for SIVs since they didnt work for the U.S. government they served in the fragile democracy its 20-year campaign propped up. Sayed said he spent weeks asking lawyers, churches and even a local tax office for help in finding a legal way out for his relatives. He finally came to the Council on American-Islamic Relations office in Sacramento, where Shirani agreed to help. The civil rights attorney has had to school herself on immigration law to assist the many similar requests CAIR has received. She said applications are getting rejected because of small details, like signatures or photos not being acceptable. People have been filing and filing and filing and I dont think any have been approved, Shirani said. Home to many Afghan nationals, the Sacramento area has experienced the faraway crisis in real time since the U.S. withdrawal, with small nonprofits often feeling the brunt. On Sept. 25, NorCal Resist, an immigrant rights organization in Sacramento, offered pro bono help in completing 30 applications to temporarily bring family members from Afghanistan to the U.S. On the day of the informational session, 1,000 people came, said Kallen Dunlap, a volunteer who was working the door. I had to tell them we could not get to them (but) each family wants to tell you their situation, Dunlap said. They were really upset. Other desperate families have sought help directly from members of Congress. As of Oct. 8, Fremont Democratic Rep. Ro Khannas office was working with 13 U.S. citizens and five green card holders who staff believe are still in Afghanistan. The office of Democratic California Sen. Dianne Feinstein said its still working to evacuate roughly 250 Americans, green card holders and their families. San Mateo Democratic Rep. Jackie Speiers office worked to do the same for over 100 more late last month; most of those were successful. For Afghans unable to get Congress attention or who dont already have visas, the only real option is to apply for humanitarian parole, which offers successful applicants two years in the United States, time in which to complete another application to adjust visa status. But submitting an application is costly and difficult, with no guarantee of success, Shirani noted in a follow-up email. People in the U.S., worried sick about their relatives, filling out forms for humanitarian parole and scraping their bank accounts in the distant hope that somehow something good will result, Shirani wrote. Meanwhile their family members in Afghanistan are pinning their hopes on our byzantine system, even as we are learning that thus far nobody has been found worthy of admission on a humanitarian basis. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 14,000 humanitarian parole applications have been filed on behalf of Afghan nationals outside the U.S. just since September. A spokesperson did not say if any had been granted. But the number represents a massive escalation in applications sought, and all tied to the crisis in Afghanistan. The U.S. government typically receives between 1,500 and 2,000 humanitarian parole applications a year, the spokesperson said. Over the past five years, the approval rate has ranged between 33% and 40%, the spokespersons numbers showed. An expensive gamble Despite the odds, Sayed is pressing forward with an expensive gamble that may be his relatives best hope. At $575 per application, he needs to come up with $2,875 for the judge, prosecutor, their two young children and the prosecutors mother. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, has led a group of senators in asking the Department of Homeland Security to waive such fees for those fleeing Afghanistan, but has yet to get a substantive response. So while Sayed attempts to raise and borrow the money, his relatives spend their days moving from one hiding spot to another. Thus far, finding milk for the children without getting caught has been the most pressing daily need, the judge relayed through Shirani. Even if the family manages to get approved for entry into the U.S., it still has to find a way out of Afghanistan and to a U.S. consulate abroad, yet another seemingly impossible task, Shirani said. This situation adds new depth to the definition of bureaucratic violence, to imagine my clients in hiding with their toddler and infant, hunted, moving from house to house, with all their hopes pinned on a stack of forms, only to learn that thus far none of these applications have been approved, she wrote in her email. Thousands of miles from his relatives, Sayed takes things one hour, one WhatsApp message, at a time. Like many of his compatriots, the former internal medicine specialist had to start from scratch when he and his family came to this country. He eventually made his way back into the medical profession as an assistant at a health clinic. Because he isnt supposed to use his phone at work, Sayed, 43, said hes had to explain the dire situation back home to his boss. To get something, we have to lose something, he said. His niece suspects she will never again don a robe to administer justice, that her husband is unlikely to stand in a courtroom to prosecute a national security case. But right now, there is also no guarantee they will make it out of Afghanistan. Deepa Fernandes and Tal Kopan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: deepa.fernandes@sfchronicle.com, tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @deepafern, @talkopan SACRAMENTO Sapeidah Saeedis earliest memory is of losing her twin sister, Ghazal. It happened as kindergarten let out and the girls were separated in the rush for the bus. Sapeidah began to panic. Then, as quickly as the fright began, it was over. The sisters found each other in the crowd. Ghazal was not lost. Sapeidah wasnt alone. They paid the fare and rode the lumbering bus home. Home was in the city of Herat in Afghanistan. And somewhere beyond their knowing, a tragedy 6,500 miles away began shaping their lives years before their birth. For the Saeedi family, the events and aftershocks of Sept. 11, 2001, would drive them from one homeland in search of another. That journey brought them to California, where they try to imagine what the future holds for them and the place they left. Here, youre not home, but youre home, Sapeidah tried to explain. Youre in the middle of something. U.S. and Afghanistan, youre in the middle. You dont know which way to go. Along with their younger sister, Haniyah, Sapeidah and Ghazal, who were born in 2005 and are now 15, belong to the post-9/11 generation an age group that numbers approximately 73 million people in the United States alone. Too young to have experienced the events of a day 20 years ago, they must, nevertheless, find their way in its shadow. Like most of their peers, the Saeedi sisters didnt grow up learning about 9/11 or even of the U.S. invasion of their country. At their private school in Herat, their history classes were concerned with the old, not the contemporary. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle The history we learned about was pointless, Sapeidah said flatly. Its from years ago. ... So you wouldnt know what was actually happening in the country at the moment. You had to listen to the news. But nobody liked the news, so nobody knew what was going on. History as an abstraction isnt a new concept. The idea of 9/11 receding into history is. A recent Pew Research Center analysis determined that the events of 9/11 cling powerfully to the minds of Americans old enough to remember where they were when two hijacked planes hurtled into the World Trade Center buildings, but otherwise noted that an ever-growing number of Americans have no personal memory of that day, either because they were too young or not yet born. While the sisters formal education about 9/11 wouldnt occur until they reached the U.S., some American students say the subject isnt always taught in a nuanced way. Gabrielle Listana, 13, an eighth-grader at Presidio Knolls Middle School in San Francisco, remembers first learning about 9/11 in third grade, when the teacher played a video for the class that didnt show the actual attacks but left an impression nonetheless. It was like, Oh, this could happen to me, Gabrielle said. It was just something in the back of my brain. ... Third-graders obviously have other things to think about. Elaheh Khazi, 15, a junior at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, also first encountered 9/11 in the third grade, where the focus was on the first responders who rushed into poisonous smoke clouds and falling rubble to rescue the wounded and recover the dead. In elementary school, we always honored the firefighters, Elaheh recalled. But as she grew older, Elaheh says 9/11 still only registered as an occasional classroom lesson about heroes and villains. Meanwhile, the treatment her older sister received for wearing a hijab and the news her father consumed on various cable news channels complicated the narrative. Honestly, sometimes it was a little hurtful because how they portrayed the terrorists like Muslims, said Elaheh, who has extended family in Afghanistan. I knew that wasnt right. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle The younger generation certainly isnt untouched by their parents trauma, noted Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Brennan Center for Justices Liberty & National Security Program and an authority on government secrecy and surveillance, especially when it comes to the bargains struck in the grip of fear. Americas two-decade campaign in Afghanistan, the nations longest, means there are now adults who have no idea what its like to not be at war, Goitein said, while the expansion of domestic spying operations and the creation of an immigration police force means there are communities that have endured 20 years of official state suspicion. There was this sense that we were willing to give up whatever we needed to give up for some added security and we werent particularly interested in asking questions, said Goitein, a former Department of Justice civil attorney who was taking a deposition in Indiana on the day of the attacks. We said, Keep us safe, but we didnt ask ... about the techniques being used or for proof that those techniques were keeping us safer. Two decades later, Americas ledger includes two quagmire wars that cost thousands of lives, trillions of dollars and untold opportunity costs, while a new generation came of age in a country at war with terror and its own ideals. A fathers secret plan For the Saeedi sisters, the concept of their country at war felt vague and faraway. They didnt fully realize how the approaching trouble consumed their parents. Even before 9/11, their father said he tried to immigrate to Turkey to escape Taliban rule. But after the U.S. invasion unseated the fundamentalist government in October 2001, Abdul Rahim Saeedi stayed to help build what came next. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle He began working for the U.S. Agency for International Development, a federal foreign aid group, as a strategy planning adviser within his citys local government. He was helping shift local government departments to new computer and software systems, but the rumors proliferated nonetheless: Abdul worked with the Americans. Abdul forsook his Muslim faith. Abdul was rich. Abdul began worrying about kidnappings and ransom demands. He changed his routes to work and texted his wife each afternoon to make sure their daughters arrived home. It was dangerous for me, for my family, he said. I was worried about my daughters. In 2014, he quietly applied for a Special Immigrant Visa with the hope of moving his family to America. The sisters didnt learn their intended destination until almost two years later, when they flew to Kabul for an interview at the U.S. Embassy. On the day were supposed to have the interview, he said were actually going to (the) USA, not Turkey, Ghazal said. The sisters felt ambivalent about leaving. Sapeidah and Ghazal had started sixth grade and were more rooted in their hometown. Plus, they didnt want to leave their grandfather and aunt, who lived on the second floor of their two-story home. The younger Haniya thought of it as a vacation. She didnt understand why her big sisters were crying. It took me a while to realize I wouldnt be able to go back, Haniya, now 13, recalled. But they couldnt deny their curiosity. They knew nothing of America except for the glimpses they caught on television from the movies their father watched. Theyd seen Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, and wondered where such fantastical images originated. Provided by Sapeidah Saeedi Everyone talks about outside of Afghanistan and how its magical, Ghazal said. I remember always picturing what it was like. It took another six months to find out. American dream, deferred Turlock was not the Magic Kingdom. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle The Saeedi family arrived in the Central Valley farming community in October 2016. It was just weeks before Donald Trump was elected president on an anti-immigration platform that translated into several attempts to ban Muslims from entering the country and a 60% drop in refugee admissions, according to an analysis of State Department data. But the turbulent political moment was not front of mind for the Saeedis. The $900 they received in monthly rental assistance didnt stretch far enough for the family of five. Abdul said he felt like he was on his own to figure out how to obtain a drivers license and find a job. A case worker referred him to the local Walmart and suggested he also try getting hired on as a farm laborer, while a job training program put on by a refugee aid organization proved too rudimentary for his needs. Believe me, they taught us, This is dollar, this is quarter, this is penny, Abdul groused. Back home, Abdul was a well-paid government employee and his wife, Lailama, taught Dari Persian literature in elementary and high schools. Here, they were barely clinging to the bottom rung. Amid their parents economic struggles, the Saeedi girls navigated their own adjustments. Bused 40 minutes to a school outside of town, the twins were put in different classrooms for the first time in their lives, so we wouldnt depend on each other, Sapeidah said. It was just hard. You have no one to talk to or anything. In late 2017, the Saeedis traded the rural farmland of Stanislaus County for a tree- and car-lined neighborhood in suburban Sacramento, which they still call home. The area has a large Afghan community, as Sacramento has been one of the top destinations for refugees in recent years. The sisters welcomed the move but still missed home. This past June, the Saeedis returned to Afghanistan. The journey was long and made longer by pandemic restrictions, canceled flights and lengthy layovers. After two days of travel, the girls touched down in Herat, unable to restrain their tears. Theyd been away almost five years, an eternity in adolescence. They stayed in their childhood home. The first floor was barren. The city bustled with more people who had moved in from the countryside. Roving produce stands and corner bakeries drew crowds. Cars slogged around four-way roundabouts. Sapeidah counted one traffic light. The three weeks passed like a dream. It felt unreal, Haniya said. On July 28, the sisters were back in their adopted country. On Aug. 12, the same day they started their junior year, the Taliban took over Herat. The girls aunt lost her job because women cant go to work anymore, Sapeidah said. It was just a month, and the whole country turned upside down. Well probably never go back anytime soon, Ghazal mused, even if the Taliban get out. The sisters havent quite figured out how to frame the detours their lives took because of events that preceded them. The roads not traveled havent fully revealed themselves. So they concentrate on the present. Haniya just started high school, while her sisters have entered their hectic junior year. There are International Baccalaureate exams to cram for, community service requirements to meet, cross-country practices to squeeze in, learners permits to get, friends to see in person. And a year of remote learning left everyone feeling behind. It was a horrible year, Sapeidah admitted. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle While that was a common refrain for most students, some say their privilege their ability to attend good schools, their parents relative economic stability, their Americanness freed them to get socially engaged. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle In San Francisco, Gabrielle is juggling her last year of middle school with her second year on the citys Youth Commission, which she saw as an avenue to achieve some of the things she and her peers marched for during last summers Black Lives Matter protests. In Fremont, Elaheh is balancing junior year with her duties as the new co-president of the Bay Area Student Activists. In a roundabout way, she thinks she may have been drawn to grassroots organizing because of 9/11. I think it might have influenced me in a way to become an activist, to speak up for people who are oppressed, Elaheh said. Farther out, college looms like a vague certainty. The Saeedi sisters parents want them to pursue careers in the medical field. Ghazal wants to find a campus outside of Sacramento, to see a little more of California. Sapeidah sees herself returning to their home country at some point after graduation. Her heart is there, she says. Haniya isnt quite so sure. Then Ghazal refocuses everyone on the immediate task. Honestly, she said, everyone is just trying to survive high school. Raheem Hosseini is a San Francisco Chronicle editor. Email: raheem.hosseini@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @raheemfh Bay Area food obsessives are known to wait in long lines, but perhaps no more so than for Hawaiian food. When Diamond Head General Store opened in San Bruno earlier this year, the market-restaurant sold out in hours and had to shut down for a day to recoup. Lines form around the block whenever Always Aloha Shave Ice Co. pops up in the East Bay. Unco Franks, a relatively new Hawaiian pop-up, sold out within an hour at its first Bay Area event. Their followers include both Hawaiian transplants craving a taste of home and people who have fallen for Hawaiian food culture, a delicious mashup of multiple culinary influences. A long history of colonialism and immigration means Japanese, Filipino, Chinese and Portuguese ingredients and dishes have informed much of what is now thought of as Hawaiian food. Four pop-ups that opened or became more regular in the last year are bringing their own spins to the Bay Areas growing Hawaiian food scene. Some are run by fine dining chefs including two Mister Jius alumni making sandwiches adorned with furikake chicken skin, and an Oahu native slinging breakfast musubi at an Excelsior coffee shop. Meanwhile, in Oakland, three high school friends are selling homemade Hawaiian butter mochi on Instagram. Read on for more details on each pop-up. Mahalo SF Elena Kadvany/The Chronicle Shellie Kitchen had the genius idea to slide a super crispy hash brown inside a musubi, the classic Hawaiian seaweed-wrapped rice snack, with Spam, egg and XO sauce aioli. Its like a comforting diner breakfast in a single bite: salty meat, crispy potatoes, a runny egg and fluffy rice. Its not the classic musubi she grew up eating on her native Oahu, but thats the point. Kitchen, a longtime Bay Area chef, started selling musubi, breakfast burritos with slow-cooked kalua pork and her spins on Hawaiian classics out of Excelsior Coffee in San Francisco in September. The breakfast musubi is a staple on her ever-changing menu; customers get upset, she said, when its not available. Soy-glazed Spam also goes inside a savory Pop-Tart with soft scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese and furikake. Hawaiian ingredients show up in unexpected applications, too, like her riff on toast: an ethereally airy puff pastry slathered in a haupia (Hawaiian coconut pudding) and black sesame curd. Recently she served a croque monsieur with caramelized pineapple on homemade bread. Kitchen previously ran Brass Knuckle, a heavy metal-inspired food truck, and cooked in upscale San Francisco restaurants. She operates Mahalo SF on the side of her full-time office manager job. Its just her in the kitchen, so be patient when waiting for your order, which she limits to three dishes. Mahalo SF pops up at Excelsior Coffee on Saturdays and Sundays. You can also find Kitchens sweet and savory puff tarts at Hey Neighbor Cafe in Portola. Mahalo SF at Excelsior Coffee, 4495 Mission St., San Francisco. instagram.com/mahalosf 2x4 bBox Provided by 2x4 bBox 2x4 bBox is an ode to the food that co-owner Sean Walsh misses most from his native Hawaii, overlaid with California sensibilities and techniques he and co-owner Kelly Teramoto absorbed while working at Mister Jius in San Francisco. This might look like a spicy salad of thin Japanese somen noodles or a vegetarian take on katsu curry, a breaded tofu sandwich dipped in a Japanese curry sauce served on the side. They recreate Walshs childhood favorites from scratch, like filet of fish and chicken teriyaki sandwiches. Teramoto, a pastry chef whose resume includes the acclaimed Mister Jius, Mourad and Maison Nico, bakes the milk bread sandwich buns. Shes also responsible for the pop-ups rotating desserts, from lilikoi (Hawaiian passion fruit) cheesecake to chocolate chip cookies topped with arare, soy sauce-flavored Japanese rice crackers, instead of salt. Walsh and Teramoto met working at Alan Wongs in Honolulu years ago, then in the Bay Area they were both on the opening team at Mister Jius. Walsh, who was born and raised on Oahu, recently left Mister Jius to focus on 2x4 bBox full time. Hes hoping to find a semipermanent or permanent place to serve their food. 2x4 bBox is popping up tonight, Monday, Oct. 18, at Hayes Valley wine bar Fig & Thistle (429 Gough St., San Francisco) from 5:30 p.m. until sold out. Check Instagram for updates on future pop-ups. 2x4 bBox. Multiple locations. instagram.com/2x4_bbox Unco Franks Provided by Frank Hua Frank Hua spent years on the line at San Francisco fine dining restaurants like Gary Danko and the now-closed, Michelin-starred Ame. He later moved to front-of-house positions, but promised himself if he ever went back to cooking, I would cook for myself. Hes now doing that with Unco Franks, which pops up at Inner Richmond wine bar High Treason. There, customers can order his smoked kalua pork sliders on squishy Kings Hawaiian rolls and mochiko chicken, breaded in glutinous rice flour for extra crunch, alongside glasses of natural wine and local beer. Huas food is inspired less by the likes of Gary Danko and more by the humble mom-and-pop restaurants he frequented while living on Oahu. His standout fried rice has the depth of flavor of a long-simmering broth, thanks to Portuguese sausage and a ginger-scallion sauce he learned from a Honolulu chef. He plans to soon add a classic plate lunch, a relative rarity in the Bay Area. Look for future specials like a curry loco moco with Japanese curry instead of the typical gravy. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Hua started Unco Franks in Los Angeles during the pandemic, but he has grown a loyal following since moving back to the Bay Area. His food is available for dine-in, takeout or delivery from High Treason every day except Tuesday. Hua hopes to eventually open a Hawaiian restaurant. Unco Franks at High Treason, 443 Clement St., San Francisco. 4-9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. instagram.com/uncofranks Big Boi Mochi Provided by Big Boi Mochi Hawaiian butter mochi was a standing requirement at Tina Lees family get-togethers in Oakland. Her family is Chinese but adopted the Hawaiian dessert as their own tradition. Her aunt learned the basic Hawaiian recipe, passed it on to her mother, who taught Lee how to make it in high school. The lore of the Lee family butter mochi spread to her friends, who constantly pestered her for slices of the chewy, indulgent treat. So Lee and two high school friends, Irene Pan and Xinyue Wang, started selling butter mochi this spring on Instagram. Though the core ingredients are the same as youd find in Hawaii, the trio has put their own stamp on it with some flavors that reflect their Asian American identity, like black sesame, pandan and cookies and cream. The black sesame butter mochi is inspired by tang yuan, sesame-filled glutenous rice balls they eat for Lunar New Year, while a cookies and cream flavor is studded with pieces of Oreos. For the Chinese Mid-Autumn festival, they came up with a salted egg yolk mochi. (And, of course, they have a pumpkin spice version for the fall.) Were the mochi, and the mochi is us, Lee said. Lee makes all the mochi at home in Oakland, while Pan is in charge of social media and Wang oversees orders. They sell the butter mochi every two weeks using a Google form posted to Instagram; the next batch will be available Oct. 30. They offer delivery for a fee in the East Bay and San Francisco. Customers can also pick up orders at boba shop Sweetheart Cafe & Tea in Oaklands Chinatown, which Pans parents own. Big Boi Mochi, Oakland. instagram.com/bigboimochi Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany A colorful disco party of a restaurant known as Daytrip is officially opening in Oaklands Temescal neighborhood this Thursday. Owners Finn Stern and Stella Dennig hope the new restaurant, at 4316 Telegraph Ave., will feel like a rambunctious dinner get-together fueled by wine and fermentation-driven small plates. The space boasts a 1970s vibe, with splashes of yellow, green and pink, the colors most associated with that era. With an eye toward sustainability, the menu is heavy on vegetables and includes vegan options. When there are meats, theyll come from sources known to support regenerative ranches like Oaklands Cream Co. All the while, Stern employs an arsenal of spices in the food made from his own fermentation experiments, lacto-fermenting chiles and other ingredients and then dehydrating them into powders. Courtesy Jeremy Chiu/Daytrip To run the beverage side, they brought on Jenny Eagleton, previously a sommelier at popular Oakland natural wine bar the Punchdown. A meal could start with a sourdough foccacia ($8) Stern has been perfecting for three years. The high-hydration dough undergoes a 30-hour cold fermentation, yielding a moist, bubbly bread with a chewy texture, according to Dennig. Itll come with freshly pressed olive oil known as olio nuovo, mixed with house-made fruit vinegar. We think its a really good opening conversation about fermention, Stern said, describing the complex, beautiful flavor. Courtesy Jeremy Chiu/Daytrip The chef is excited to debut a house-made soppressata Toscana ($16), a fully cooked Tuscan head cheese that the couple fell in love with when they learned to butcher in Italy. Stern infuses it with lacto-fermented Early Girl tomato powder and chiles, along with preserved lime, and serves it with a pistachio-pear butter and crackers. While tomatoes are still in season, the restaurant will offer a cold invisible tomato gazpacho ($14) that looks crystal clear from clarifying the tomatoes. Its bright and fresh, Stern said, with sweetness from chanterais melons and heat from a tomato-and-pickled chile jam at the bottom. Expect to always find some fresh pasta, such as a spicy scallop spaghetti ($28) given a hit of umami from Shared Cultures miso, plus preserved lemon and pops of kelp. Agnolotti ($24) might come stuffed with quince paste and lots of herbs like rosemary and sage. Courtesy Jeremy Chiu/Daytrip While Eagleton brings an expertise in natural wine, she said shes more focused on community-oriented winemaking, working with winemakers who share their skills, hold onto native traditions or carve out space for diverse identities in the industry. Shes also erecting a wall of beverages beyond wine, with the hope of encouraging diners to broaden their horizons by choosing sake, cider, amaro or something non-alcoholic. (There will also be beer, of course.) Courtesy Jeremy Chiu/Daytrip Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. In the sake realm, Eagleton said shes excited about breweries with women at the helm and longstanding traditions that result in multiple generations of brewers in the same family. One of the first sakes Daytrip will pour is an unusual organic red rice sake from Mukai Brewery that has a beautiful, savory, yeasty, berry, slight soy sauce thing going on thats rich and food friendly, she said. If we can build rapport with our customers to talk about really unique stuff, maybe we can take them deeper down the rabbit hole, she said. Dennig originally planned on offering pastries, such as dulce de leche croissants, on the weekends. But not wanting to stretch the team too far right away, she said shes hoping to start morning service in a couple of months. Daytrip. Opening Oct. 21. 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Sunday, 4 to 10 p.m. Friday to Saturday. 4316 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. www.instagram.com/this.is.daytrip Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker Some wine insiders consider the Halcon Vineyard in Mendocino County to be the finest Syrah vineyard in California. Now, two wine-industry superstars have purchased the 162-acre property and plan to create a new brand from it. The new owners are winemaker Pax Mahle, the well-known owner of Pax Wines, and serial entrepreneur Baron Ziegler, who owns Healdsburgs Marine Layer Wines and the importer Valkyrie Selections among other businesses. They will retain the original name, Halcon hawk in Spanish for both the vineyard and the label they plan to create. The idea is to make the Pierre Gonon of Northern California, said Ziegler. Gonon is a wine producer in Frances northern Rhone Valley with a fervent, cultlike following for its Syrahs. One epic wine. Boom. All Syrah. Mahle has developed a reputation as one of the most skilled Syrah makers in the state under his Pax Wines label. He has never owned a vineyard before, instead buying fruit from other growers. But this is not Mahles first time working with these raw materials: He has purchased grapes from Halcon several times over the years, initially in 2014 when he was making wine for the Wilde Farm brand. He and Ziegler have a 50-50 partnership in the new venture. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Former owners Paul and Jackie Gordon, who bought the property in 2003 and planted it in 2005, said they had been looking for a buyer for a year or so. Were from the U.K., with aging parents, said Paul Gordon. We just want to go back and be close. Its a retirement. The Halcon Vineyard is very much a wine insiders secret. Now that it has two high-profile owners, it is certain to become less of a secret; Mahles following for his Syrahs and Zieglers business acumen may help grow the vineyards renown with a wider audience. Longtime fans of the Halcon wines should find some reassurance in the fact that its new stewards appear interested in maintaining the same style of Syrah that it was known for under the Gordons ownership, which Mahle describes as savory, mineral and muscular. Esther Mobley / The Chronicle Halcon is located in an area that many laypeople have likely never heard of: the Yorkville Highlands AVA, a sparsely developed stretch of southern Mendocino County between Healdsburg and Boonville. Buying 162 acres of open land there was high risk, high reward, Gordon said, since it wouldnt carry the cachet of a vineyard in Napa, Sonoma or even the nearby Anderson Valley. The purchase was also a risky proposition because of its physical extremity. Gordon had bought land at 2,500 feet elevation very high for a California vineyard with rolling, uneven slopes, fast, whipping winds and cool temperatures. The site even got snow in some years. The soils are made of chunky blueschist, a tough rock thats difficult to work. Yields are scant. But as aficionados of Syrah know well, this red grape thrives in exactly such extreme conditions. Altitude, slopes, wind and cold can make farming difficult but often result in wines that emphasize the varietys deeply savory attributes. The schist soils, a rarity in this part of the world, add a pronounced mineral quality to the wines. Halcon Syrahs often show umami-rich flavors like olive, pungent black pepper and bacon. Winemaker Wells Guthrie, then the owner of Copain Wines, helped the Gordons figure out how to plant the site. The Gordons made their own wine from the vineyard under the Halcon Vineyards label and also sold fruit to a roster of reputable winemakers, including Guthrie and Scott Schultz (Jolie-Laide). Going forward, however, Mahle and Ziegler will stop selling fruit to other wineries, keeping all of the grapes for themselves. In addition to Syrah, the vineyard also has small amounts of other Rhone varieties planted, like Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache and Mourvedre; the vintners arent yet sure what theyll do with those, though Ziegler said they may release a limited-production white blend. The transition has already gotten under way. Mahle harvested all of the Halcon fruit from this years harvest, fermenting the Syrah in concrete tanks in his winery. Those Syrahs are now in barrel, slated for release in early 2023. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2019 Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Anyone who wants to get their hands on some of the final Halcon wines from Gordons tenure will need to act fast. He still has some wines in stock from the 2019 vintage, which are available to members of his mailing list. Although he made some wine in 2020, hes not sure he will sell it, since it may have been impacted by wildfire smoke. This year, he didnt vinify any of the vineyards fruit. The Gordons, who always retained jobs in the Silicon Valley tech world while running their vineyard, believe that the vines are just now hitting their real stride, 16 years after they first planted them. It is hard to leave it at this point, because in the last two vintages you can see that the vines are really getting established, Gordon said. The wines improved as the vines got into young adulthood. But, Gordon said, he was confident he was leaving the vineyard in very capable hands. And hes proud of what he accomplished in the Yorkville Highlands. In an unknown appellation, to have found a place so well-suited to Syrah, he said, Im very proud of taking that risk. Esther Mobley is The Chronicles senior wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @esther_mobley A limited loosening of COVID-19 mask rules is now in effect in San Francisco and Marin County, with further changes expected across the Bay Area down the line. Meanwhile, heres the latest on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots after an advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week expanded its guidance beyond certain groups of Pfizer recipients. Resources on COVID-19 and Californias reopening: For detailed maps and new city-by-city Bay Area data, check The Chronicles Coronavirus Tracker. To get regular updates on our coverage, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter. Latest updates: Mix and match vaccine-booster combos reported to be coming: The Food and Drug Administration is planning to allow Americans to get a different COVID-19 vaccine as a booster than the brand of shot they initially received, the New York Times is reporting, citing people familiar with FDAs planning. The government would not recommend one shot over another, and vaccine providers could use their discretion to offer a different brand, a flexibility state health officials have been requesting, the Times said. Researchers on Friday presented a federally funded mix and match study to an FDA advisory committee, showing recipients of Johnson & Johnsons single-dose shot who received a Moderna booster saw their antibody levels rise 76-fold in 15 days, compared with only a fourfold increase after an extra dose of Johnson & Johnson. The FDA is expected to authorize boosters of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines by Wednesday evening; it could allow the mix-and-match approach by then. The FDA already authorized Pfizer booster shots. Marin County anti-vax contingent much smaller these days: Even before the COVID-19 vaccination mandates made their debut as a way to check the runaway global pandemic, Marin County saw a big drop in the anti-vaccination sentiment that once pervaded, county Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis said Monday. The Marin County contingent in the state anti-vaccination events is much smaller than it used to be, he told The Chronicle. Rates for school-required vaccines jumped from 78% of students to 95% between 2014 and 2019, he said, so wed really outgrown the reputation as being a vaccine hesitant community even before COVID. We still have pockets of very vocal vaccine refusers, but the numbers speak for themselves. With over 95% of eligible residents being vaccinated with at least one dose for COVID 19, its clear the community culture has shifted. Sharks player suspended over fake vaccine card: The NHL has suspended San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane for 21 games for submitting a fake COVID-19 vaccination card. The league on Monday announced the suspension without pay and said Kane will not be eligible to play until Nov. 30 at New Jersey. Kane will forfeit about $1.68 million of his $7 million salary for this season with the money going to the Players Emergency Assistance Fund. In a statement, Kane apologized to the team and fans for violating the NHL COVID protocols. He added, I made a mistake, one I sincerely regret and take responsibility for. During my suspension, I will continue to participate in counseling to help me make better decisions in the future. Bay Area sits back as vaccination-mandate opponents rally: As demonstrators in Sacramento protested on Monday against COVID-19 vaccine mandates for schoolkids, the oft politically active Bay Area appeared to be sitting this one out.The event included mostly families from districts outside the Bay Area, where there hasnt been a big outcry against the vaccine mandates. Local school districts said they had not noted any protest-related absences. A few Bay Area districts have already mandated that kids get vaccinated. Read the full story here. Protesters against vaccine mandate for kids throng Sacramento: More than a thousand people crowded the front steps of the California Capitol on Monday to protest Gov. Gavin Newsoms decision to require all school children to get the coronavirus vaccine. Newsoms mandate, announced earlier this month, made California the first state in the country to say it will require the shots for schoolchildren once full federal approval is in place. Many parents at the rally in Sacramento had pulled their children out of school to attend the rally. Parents carried signs that read, My children wont be a science experiment to make you feel safe, and My body, my choice. Powell was planning to get booster shot: Former Secretary of State Colin Powell had planned to get a COVID-19 booster shot last week when he became ill, and then died before he could, according to news accounts. People like Powell, with weakened immune systems because of illnesses like cancer or cancer treatments dont always get the same level of protection from vaccinations as healthier people. Several studies have found as few as 45% of people with multiple myeloma may develop protective levels of coronavirus-fighting antibodies after getting the vaccine. Age also is a risk for COVID-19, especially months after someone is first vaccinated. Powell was 84 when he died. Fauci urges cops to get their shots: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top White House medical advisor and the nations top infectious disease expert, is urging police officers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. As law enforcement personnel across the country resist getting shots, Fauci told Fox News Sunday that the resistance doesnt make any sense. Law enforcement officers are considered to be at higher risk because they are exposed to more people in the line of duty. Im not comfortable with telling people what they should do under normal circumstances, but we are not in normal circumstances right now, Fauci said. More police officers die of COVID than they do any other causes of death. Public health agencies in crisis mode across U.S.: Local public health across the country is less equipped to deal with another pandemic than it was at the start of 2020, the New York Times concluded after a nationwide survey of public health departments and interviews with more than 140 local health officials, public health experts and lawmakers, and a review of laws and documents. Already underfunded, public health departments have been further undermined with a staggering exodus of personnel, many exhausted and demoralized, in part because of abuse and threats as public support for their work has waned. Among 300 public health agencies that responded, about 130 said they did not have enough people to do contact tracing, one of the most important tools for limiting the spread of a virus. The Times identified more than 500 top health officials who left their jobs in the past 19 months. State legislators have approved more than 100 new laws with hundreds more under consideration that limit state and local health powers. Vaccine lotteries made zero difference in uptake: The large vaccine lotteries rolled out by several states over the summer to boost vaccine uptake made zero difference in vaccination rates compared to states that had no such incentives, according to a study published Friday in JAMA Health Forum. University of Colorado Denver researchers compared the numbers from 19 states that offered cash lotteries tied to COVID-19 shots to states that did not offer those incentives, between April 28 and July 1. They found no correlation between the drawings and a rise in people getting shots. 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. Stanford restricting post-Thanksgiving campus activities: Stanford University announced it will restrict campus activities after Thanksgiving break for unvaccinated students and all students returning from international travel. A message to students from the dean of students and health services director stated: Restricted activity means you cannot attend in-person class. There will be no special arrangements in place to accommodate students who cannot attend class because of Thanksgiving travel. For this reason, we discourage international travel during the Thanksgiving Break so that you can continue your studies in week 10. The updated policy is tied to the fact that many of the positive cases we are seeing among students are travel-related and tied to unmasked social gatherings during travel, the notice said. Anti-vax parents group plans school walkout in California: An anti-vaccination organization called Our Children, Our Choice! was planning a protest at the California State Capitol on Monday over Gov. Gavin Newsoms requirement that students receive their shots against COVID-19 once approved by the FDA. The group, based in Florida, is urging its followers to pull their children out of school and join the protest in Sacramento. About 1,200 people on Facebook have indicated that they will attend the event. Powell was treated for multiple myeloma: Colin Powell, the former secretary of state who died of COVID-19 complications, had a weakened immune system due to treatment for multiple myeloma, a cancer of white blood cells in the bone marrow, news accounts said. Powells family said he was fully vaccinated. But people with multiple myeloma have compromised immune systems and are thus at greater risk of developing severe COVID-19. Vaccines are also likely to be less effective in these patients, research has shown. Get vaccinated, and you could win a full scholarship to S.F. State: Alongside the free race car rides, surfing lessons and round-trip tropical vacations offered around the country as incentives for getting a COVID-19 vaccination, San Francisco State University is dangling four years of free tuition for 10 prospective students ages 12 to 17. The hitch is that only San Franciscans, including those who are undocumented, can qualify to enter the high-stakes drawing. Read the full story here. Colin Powell dies from COVID complications: Former secretary of state Colin Powell died of complications from COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated, his family said. Powell served multiple U.S. presidents in various, high-ranking capacities and played a pivotal role in making the case for the invasion of Iraq based on faulty claims. He was 84 years old. J&J vaccine should have been two shots all along, Fauci says: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease doctor, says the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recommended by a Food and Drug Administration panel for a booster shot last week should have been a two-shot regimen from the start. Speaking Sunday on ABCs This Week, Fauci said people who got the J&J shot should have no worries about its efficacy now that boosters have been recommended for all recipients 18 and older. I think that they should feel good about it because what the advisers to the FDA felt is that given the data that they saw, very likely this should have been a two-dose vaccine to begin with, he said. With vaccine mandates looming, companies fear worker shortages: The coming federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate could result in a wave of firings of employees who are reluctant to get the life-saving shots. That has many companies nervous that those jobs will be difficult to fill in a labor market where willing hands are increasingly hard to come by. Close to three quarters of respondents to a survey by labor law firm Fisher Phillips LLP this month who havent implemented a mandate of their own said fears of worker shortages were behind that decision. Read the full story. S.F.s outlier COVID expert takes harm reduction to heart: UCSFs Monica Gandhi would be a moderate voice on COVID-19 in any other city. But the public health expert is an outlier in San Franciscos otherwise conservative pandemic approach. Gandhi says everything about how she approaches medicine comes back to her practice as an HIV/AIDS doctor and the holistic, harm-reduction approach developed during that epidemic. Read the full story. Alongside the free race car rides, surfing lessons and round-trip tropical vacations offered around the country as incentives for getting a COVID-19 vaccination, San Francisco State University dangles this tempting carrot for city residents: four years of free tuition for 10 prospective students ages 12 to 17. Thats worth nearly $30,000 at current prices, or $7,444 a year, for students who would otherwise pay out of pocket. Applicants who qualify for federal Pell Grants and state Cal Grants will also go for free and wont have to pay the difference if they win. Winners whose tuition and fees are fully covered by grants will get an additional $2,000 a year. The hitch is that only San Franciscans, including those who are undocumented, can qualify to enter the high-stakes drawing. Although nearly all of the citys 12- to 17-year-olds more than 90% are already vaccinated, they wont be left out. Teens, including 18-year-olds who were 17 when they got their first shot, can enter the sweepstakes on six dates at certain vaccination sites the city is operating in schools and community centers. Each site will accept entries on only one day each, between Oct. 25 and Nov. 13, and at specific times. San Francisco State University employees will verify eligibility, which excludes those who work for the university, their families and people previously enrolled in any college. San Francisco State President Lynn Mahoney, who thought up the contest, said it was as much about encouraging kids to enroll as it was about protecting public health. First and foremost, young San Franciscans should be thinking about college, said Mahoney. I thought, wouldnt it be great if we could incentivize college-going? Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle 2019 The lottery a cooperation among the university, the San Francisco Unified School District and the city health department may be the only such reward program in the country aimed specifically at the youngest people currently eligible for the vaccine. Mayor London Breed called the scholarships an incredible reward for city teens who are ending this pandemic by getting the COVID-19 vaccination. 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. We encourage all eligible SFUSD students to get vaccinated, said schools chief Vincent Matthews, a San Francisco State alum, adding that it would be nice if his students also picked up skills for college along the way. Winners will be randomly chosen from all eligible entries, with one or two winners from each vaccination site. The lucky 10 will be notified privately before a public announcement the week of Nov. 22. Additional details are available at together.sfsu.edu/vaccinescholarship. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov Colin L. Powell, who in four decades of public life served as the nations top soldier, diplomat and national security adviser, and whose speech at the United Nations in 2003 helped pave the way for the United States to go to war in Iraq, died on Monday. He was 84. He died of complications of COVID-19, his family said in a statement, adding that he had been vaccinated and was treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he died. Powell had undergone treatment for multiple myeloma, which compromised his immune system, a spokeswoman said. Powell was a pathbreaker serving as the countrys first Black national security adviser, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state. Beginning with his 35 years in the Army, Powell was emblematic of the ability of minorities to use the military as a ladder of opportunity. His was a classic American success story. Born in Harlem of Jamaican parents, Powell grew up in the South Bronx and graduated from City College of New York, joining the Army through ROTC. Starting as a young second lieutenant commissioned in the dawn of a newly desegregated Army, Powell served two decorated combat tours in Vietnam. He later was national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan at the end of the Cold War, helping negotiate arms treaties and an era of cooperation with the Soviet president, Mikhail Gorbachev. As chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he was the architect of the invasion of Panama in 1989 and of the Persian Gulf War in 1991, which ousted Saddam Hussein from Kuwait but left him in power in Iraq. Along with then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, Powell reshaped the U.S. Cold War military that stood ready at the Iron Curtain for half a century. In doing so, he stamped the Powell Doctrine on military operations identify clear political objectives, gain public support and use decisive and overwhelming force to defeat enemy forces. When briefing reporters at the Pentagon at the beginning of the Gulf War, Powell succinctly summed up the militarys approach: Our strategy in going after this army is very simple, he said. First, were going to cut it off, and then were going to kill it. It was a concept that seemed less well-suited to the messy conflicts in the Balkans that came later in the 1990s and in combating terrorism in a world transformed after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. By the time he retired from the military in 1993, Powell was the most popular public figure in America because of his straightforwardness, his leadership qualities and his ability to speak in blunt tones that Americans appreciated. In an interview with The New York Times in 2007, he analyzed himself: Powell is a problem-solver. He was taught as a soldier to solve problems. So he has views, but hes not an ideologue. He has passion but hes not a fanatic. Hes first and foremost a problem-solver. Once retired, Powell, a lifelong independent while in uniform, was courted as a presidential contender by Republicans and Democrats, and became Americas most political general since Dwight D. Eisenhower. He wrote a bestselling memoir, My American Journey, and flirted with a run for the presidency before deciding in 1995 that campaigning for office wasnt for him. He returned to public service in 2001 as secretary of state to President George W. Bush, whose father Powell had served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs a decade earlier. In taking the job, Powell followed the footsteps of one of his heroes, Gen. George Marshall, who served as secretary of state to Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman. But in the Bush administration, Powell was the odd man out, fighting internally with Cheney, then vice president, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for the ear of Bush and for foreign policy dominance. He left at the end of Bushs first term under the cloud of the ever-worsening war in Iraq begun after Sept. 11, and growing questions about whether he could have and should have done more to object to it. Those questions swirled in part around his U.N. speech, which was based on false intelligence, and which became the source of lifelong regret. He kept a low profile for the next few years, but with just over two weeks left in the 2008 presidential campaign, Powell, a declared Republican, gave a forceful endorsement to Sen. Barack Obama, calling him a transformational figure. Powells backing was criticized by conservative Republicans. But it eased the doubts among some independents, moderates and even some moderates in his own party, and largely neutralized concerns about Obamas lack of experience to be commander in chief. When it came time to elect Obamas successor, Powell continued his support of Democrats, saying he would vote for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. Before the election, he expressed disgust for Trump in a batch of leaked emails that a Powell spokesperson confirmed as authentic. Trump is a national disgrace and an international pariah, Powell wrote in one email. Trumps attacks on the issue of Obamas birth also troubled him, the emails made clear. Yup, the whole birther movement was racist, he said. Powell, in the next election, backed Joe Biden, delivering a message of support for him at the 2020 Democratic national convention. A Son of Immigrants Colin Luther Powell was born on April 5, 1937, and reared in the ethnically mixed Hunts Point section of the South Bronx. His parents, Luther Powell, a shipping-room foreman in Manhattans garment district, and Maud Ariel McKoy, a seamstress, were immigrants from Jamaica. The young Powell graduated from Morris High School in the Bronx. By his own account, he was a mediocre student, carrying a C average at City College of New York, as a geology major. An early turning point came when he enrolled in the colleges Reserve Officer Training Corps program, drawn by the camaraderie, discipline and well defined goals. Powell joined the Pershing Rifles, a drill team started by Gen. John J. Pershing, a top American commander in World War I. Even after becoming a general, Powell kept on his desk a pen set he had won for a drill-team competition decades earlier. During a summer ROTC training tour in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1957, he received his first taste of racism when he was forced to use segregated washrooms at gas stations in the South on the drive home to New York. After graduating from City College in June 1958, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army, the start of a 35-year military career. He again experienced the still-segregated South during basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, before shipping out to Europe to become a platoon leader in West Germany in the Cold War. While in the service, Powell met Alma Vivian Johnson on a blind date, and they married in August 1962. In addition to his wife, his survivors include two daughters, Linda Powell and Annmarie Lyons; a son, Michael, who served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission; and four grandchildren. Powell arrived in Saigon on Christmas Day 1962 for a one-year tour as adviser to a 400-man South Vietnamese army battalion in the jungle. He completed the tour a true believer in the U.S. effort, he later said, though the first inklings of skepticism toward the war were showing through. He arrived for his second tour in Vietnam in July 1968, serving as executive officer of an infantry battalion, then a division operations officer. He averted a brush with death when his helicopter crashed four months later. He dragged his commander, Maj. Gen. Charles M. Gettys, out of the wreck, suffering a broken ankle. Powell rose quickly through the ranks including battalion command in Korea in 1973 and brigade command in the elite 101st Airborne Division in 1976. He was tapped as a water walker by his peers, a term of reverence military men reserve for the most talented officers. In 1979, Powell, then 42, was promoted to one-star general, the youngest general officer in the Army at the time. After serving as Defense Secretary Casper Weinbergers senior military assistant, Powell, in the spring of 1986, went off to command V Corps, skipping division command altogether in leading 75,000 soldiers in West Germany during the Cold War. Just five months later Reagan summoned him back to Washington to be national security adviser, a post in which he played a pivotal role in helping to usher in a new era of cooperation with Gorbachev. Powell left the White House in 1989 to return to lead the Armys Forces Command, and in doing so became only the fourth Black four-star general in Army history. He saw himself as a model not only for Black soldiers but also for prejudiced whites, to challenge their bigotry. As a senior Army commander, he met the secretary of defense, Dick Cheney, with whom he had worked when Cheney was the House minority leader and Powell was national security adviser. In his autobiography, Powell called Cheney incisive, smart, no small talk, never showing any more surface than necessary a description that would come back to haunt Powell more than a decade later. In October 1989, Powell succeeded Adm. William J. Crowe as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, leapfrogging over 14 more senior four-star officers. He was the first chairman to fully exercise power under the recently approved Goldwater-Nichols legislation, which made the chairman the principal military adviser to the president and secretary of defense. Along with Cheney, Powell presided over an active-duty military that had been cut in size by one-quarter since its Cold War peak. The Powell Doctrine The promise of peace after the Cold War was stopped short when Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait in August 1990. Powell urged caution and advocated imposing sanctions on Saddam Husseins regime rather than using military might. After President George H.W. Bush ordered the attack to drive Iraqi forces from Kuwait, Powell oversaw the militarys buildup of more than 500,000 troops in the Saudi desert. The Powell doctrine was born out of the U.S. militarys longstanding frustrations in the war, in which the United States gradually escalated the use of force and declared periodic pauses in its bombing campaign. If U.S. force is to be used, proponents of the doctrine said, it should be overpowering and decisive. The purest examples of the Powell doctrine were the 1991 war with Iraq and the 1989 invasion of Panama, when the U.S. military stormed the country in a several-day blitz and captured its leader, Manuel Noriega. Powells relationship with Cheney was professional but distant. He and I had never, in nearly four years, spent a single purely social hour together, Powell wrote. (Years later, that prickly relationship resurfaced when Powell and Cheney clashed in the White House of President George W. Bush. After Cheney, in a 2011 memoir, wrote that Powell had felt more comfortable expressing his views about Iraq to the public than to Bush, Powell criticized him for taking cheap shots.) Under the newly elected President Bill Clinton, Powell and other members of the Joint Chiefs confronted him over his promise to allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the armed forces, a tense debate that led to the dont ask, dont tell compromise policy that lasted until 2011. Powell resisted using force against Bosnian Serbs in 1993. And he supported leaving a weakened Saddam Hussein in place as a bulwark against Iran and Syria. If Hussein was overthrown, Powell worried someone worse would take his place. In his final days as chairman in 1993, 18 U.S. troops were killed pursuing a warlord in Mogadishu, Somalia. In what became known as Blackhawk Down, a Senate Armed Services Committee inquiry blamed Powell and Les Aspin, the defense secretary at the time, for leaving Army Rangers without sufficient protection. After retiring in October 1993, Powell reportedly received a $6 million advance to write his memoirs. My American Journey was released in September 1995, and was an immediate bestseller. He was Americas most political general since Eisenhower, although some commentators said he was more politic than political. As he flirted for a run for the presidency, huge crowds turned out for his booking signings in 1995. Powell agonized over the decision. He drafted two speeches in October 1995, one announcing he would run for the White House, with plans to deliver it at City College, and then later saying no. Finally, on Nov. 8, 1995, resisting an enormous popular drumbeat for his candidacy, Powell said he did not have the drive and desire necessary to run for the nations highest office. But he announced he would register as a Republican (after previously registering independent), and he spoke at the 1996 and 2000 Republican national conventions. Instead of focusing on national security or military affairs, however, he spoke on broader domestic policy issues, including the rights of minorities and childrens welfare. Powell had learned at the feet of political masters Cap Weinberger and Frank Carlucci when Powell was a White House Fellow in 1972-73. (Powell was military assistant to Carlucci when Carlucci was the Pentagons second-ranking official; he served in the same position when Weinberger was defense secretary.) Anybody who becomes a senior officer had better have some political instincts or youre going to get ground up, Powell said in an interview with The New York Times in August 2007. We are a political nation. It is not a dirty word. 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. Secretary of State He returned to government in December 2000, when he was the first person appointed to the Cabinet of President-elect George W. Bush, whose father he had served a decade earlier. His new assignment as secretary of state started with high hopes and soaring rhetoric from his new boss. General Powell is an American hero, an American example and a great American story, Bush said in announcing his choice on Dec. 16, 2000. Its a great day when a son of the South Bronx succeeds to the office first held by Thomas Jefferson. Powell reinvigorated a demoralized department. A computer buff, he brought 21st-century technology to the department and its far-flung embassies overseas. He ordered high-speed internet into overseas posts and expanded training for senior Foreign Service officers and political appointees assigned abroad. Clearly, Powell had a taste of the diplomatic world when he was national security adviser and chairman of the Joint Chiefs. After he retired from the military, Clinton dispatched him, Sen. Sam Nunn and former President Jimmy Carter in September 1994 to stave off a potentially bloody invasion of Haiti. The trio reached a last-minute agreement with the ruling military junta, allowing a peaceful landing of U.S. forces. Clinton had sounded out Powell for the secretary of state job in his administration, but Powell declined. But when George W. Bush asked him to take the post nearly a decade later, Powell jumped at the opportunity. He had known Bush, whom he had called Sonny, when his father was president. But he had only passing acquaintance with Bush before the 2000 campaign. Indeed, many political advisers in the Bush campaign were initially wary of the appointment because Powell had initially indicated that he might support the candidacy of his old friend, Sen. John McCain, in 2000. Powell took the job at Foggy Bottom without having extensive conversations with Bush about his views and what the president expected. In the first few months of the new administration, he was forced to reverse his publicly stated goal of engaging with North Koreas hermetic regime and adopt the White Houses more confrontational approach to preventing the North from developing nuclear weapons. He clashed with Cheney and some of the more conservative members of Bushs foreign policy team, and was slow to discern his isolation from the rest of the national security team. The years at State were quite difficult, said William H. Taft IV, a longtime friend who served as the State Departments legal adviser during Bushs first term. There were with people who had different world views. The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, put the country on a war footing and galvanized Bushs war council. But eight months after the Taliban regime in Afghanistan had fallen, the United States was secretly planning another war: to oust Saddam Hussein from Iraq once and for all. Powell was a reluctant warrior in this impending fight, warning Bush that invading Iraq could destabilize the Middle East, upset oil markets and divert political will and resources from the unfinished fight against al-Qaida. In a two-hour meeting with Bush on Aug. 5, 2002, Powell laid down what became known as the Pottery Barn rules: You break it, youre going to own it. As he did in the Persian Gulf War, Powell did not recommend whether the country should go to war or not that he believed was the presidents prerogative alone but he outlined options. After a failed diplomatic effort to avert a conflict, Bush turned to Powell to bolster the administrations case for use of force if Saddam Hussein did not comply with international demands. A Painful Speech at the U.N. In a 76-minute speech at the United Nations on Feb. 5, 2003, Powell pressed the U.S. case for a possible war to disarm Iraq, presenting photographs, electronic intercepts of conversations between Iraqi military officers and information from defectors aimed at proving that Saddam Hussein posed an imminent danger to the world. In the Bush administrations most explicit effort to connect the activities between Iraq and al-Qaida, Powell suggested that Iraqs lethal weapons could be given at any time to terrorists who could use them against the United States or Europe. He provided new details about Iraqs effort to develop mobile laboratories to make germ weapons. He asserted that Iraq had sought to hide missiles in its western desert. Significantly, he cited intelligence reports that Saddam Hussein had authorized his military to use poison gas if the United States invaded. Before the speech, Powell had spent several days at the CIA grilling analysts on the intelligence, paring back many of the claims in an early White House draft of the speech that he felt were unsupported. Now he felt confident, he told aides before the address in New York. Leaving Saddam Hussein in possession of weapons of mass destruction for a few more months or years is not an option, not in a post-September 11th world, Powell declared. The speech failed to persuade many skeptics in the international community, but Powells personal appeal swung many Americans to support the war, however reluctantly. After U.S. troops invaded in March 2003, however, it became clear that there were no weapons of mass destruction. The intelligence had been wrong. Two years later, Powell told Barbara Walters of ABC News that his speech to the United Nations had been painful for him personally and would forever be a blot on his record. Im the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world, Powell said, acknowledging that his presentation will always be a part of my record. He left office in January 2004, returning to life as a private citizen. In 1997, he had founded Americas Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping at-risk children. He later served as the chairman of the board of visitors of the School for Civic and Global Leadership, named for him at the City University of New York. He kept a relatively low profile, surfacing from time to time, notably in the 2008 presidential election and his endorsement of Obama. (He had voted for John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Carter, all Democrats, before switching to Reagan in 1980.) Over the next eight years, he served as an informal adviser to the president, periodically meeting privately with Obama at the White House. Years later, the sting of the United Nations speech still pained him. Yet he sought to move on. Let others judge me, Powell said in the 2007 interview. All I want to do is judge myself as a successful soldier who served his best. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Black maternal mortality rates are a national embarrassment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that Black mothers are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy related cause than white mothers. Earlier this year, the American Medical Association described a culture of disrespect that marks Black mothers experiences with conventional medicine. In response to this data, a host of technological innovations designed to support Black birthers have been proposed. But the most promising innovation is decidedly low-tech: birth doulas trained, nonclinical, professionals who support and advocate on behalf of birthing people before, during and after childbirth. Studies have long shown that doulas improve birthing outcomes. Policymakers looking to improve Black maternal mortality rates are finally taking notice. In California, the Momnibus Act, recently signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, includes doula services as a covered benefit under the states Medicaid program. In the Bay Area, the San Francisco Department of Public Health developed a doula initiative designed to support Black birthing people. Five Bay Area counties launched #DeliverBirthJustice, a campaign to eliminate disparities related to infant deaths. Doulas work has become particularly visible because of the convergence of two events: the COVID pandemic and the increased attention to maternal health in a Black Lives Matter era. The pandemic has brought forth a new reluctance by mothers to deliver in hospitals and skyrocketing demand for midwives and for home births. At the same time, there are intensified reports of Black mothers seeking nonhospital perinatal care because of fears of medical racism and obstetric violence. As one Chicago-based Black doula told me, for Black women, a hospital is often a place to die. Doulas offer a voice to birthers who often out of sheer exhaustion, or a perceived need to defer to medical authority, have their wishes overshadowed or wholly ignored. The recognition of birth doulas as a or perhaps the solution to the racial disparities in maternal health has generated support from policymakers across the country. At least five states in addition to California have ensured that Medicaid covers doulas visits. Cities like Baltimore have launched doula recruitment efforts and initiatives like University of North Carolinas pilot doula training program aspire to attract and train Black doulas. A proposed federal version of the Momnibus Act calls for a growth in the perinatal workforce, including doulas, as part of its multipronged effort to close disparities in maternal health outcomes. But these efforts open up important questions about doulas work. Doulas are typically hired and compensated by their clients. Their allegiances have thus been abundantly clear: They enter the delivery room as client advocates. Their work is often marked by friction with conventional medicine, especially as doulas envision their labor as ensuring that their patients come out of the hospital alive, and that birthers are treated with care and respect for bodily integrity. But what happens when it is the state who employs, trains and funds doulas? When states facilitate doulas compensation, who is a doulas client? And what will happen to doulas important critiques of conventional medicine when they are perinatal workers recruited through state or federal legislation rather than workers hired and paid exclusively by patients? Doulas need recognition, fair compensation and training commensurate with the gravity of their work. But they also need to maintain their profound critique of conventional medicine, their recognition of how the hospital can feel like a carceral space for birthing Black mothers. While their income might come from they state, they must be allowed to maintain their intimate and singular connection with their clients. Jennifer C. Nash is the Jean Fox OBarr professor of gender, sexuality and feminist studies at Duke University. She is the author of Birthing Black Mothers. California is entering the home stretch for drawing new maps for congressional and legislative seats based on 2020 Census data. The redistricting will shape partisan control as well as determine the power of minority voters, and the power lies in the hands of a 14-member nonpartisan commission. On this episode of the Fifth & Mission podcast, Washington correspondent Tal Kopan joins host Cecilia Lei to talk about the key dynamics at play as the deadline nears. Photo above: Rep. Ro Khanna, whose Fremont district could become the first in the contiguous U.S. to have a majority of its voters be of Asian American and Pacific Islander descent, walks with Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor at an event in Santa Clara in August. WASHINGTON California is about to set its political boundaries in stone for the next decade, a process that will shape partisan control, determine the power of minority voters and ultimately cost the state a congressional seat. The redistricting process has entered crunch time, as the first drafts of maps are due Nov. 15 and the final version before the end of the year. And while the drawing commission is being careful to not tip its hand on its plans, some key dynamics have emerged as it holds public meetings. The 14-member Citizens Redistricting Commission is made up of five Democrats, five Republicans and four independents. It is tasked with drawing boundaries for congressional, state Senate, Assembly and state Board of Equalization districts. Overall districts must have roughly equal population; must give minorities equal opportunities to elect chosen candidates; must be contiguous, respect the boundaries of local communities and not be abnormally shaped; and should not favor or harm incumbents or political parties. Here are the four dynamics were watching: A groundbreaking majority-AAPI district in the Bay Area? Commissioners have been keenly interested in Asian American and Pacific Islander populations in the Bay Area, and are considering whether to create districts in which the AAPI community constitutes a majority of eligible voters. The Fremont district currently represented by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna is one target. It could become the first in the contiguous U.S. to have a majority of its voters be of AAPI descent, a significant milestone. There are also options for majority-AAPI districts at the Assembly level in San Francisco and in the South Bay. Under the Voting Rights Act, the commission has an obligation to draw maps that ensure minority communities are able to elect candidates of their choice. Sometimes that requires a majority of voters; however, sometimes it does not. We are for sure looking at that area for VRA considerations and trying to figure out what are our obligations, said Sara Sadhwani, an expert in Asian American and Latino voting at Pomona College and chair of the Citizens Redistricting Commission. Weve heard that (desire) loud and clear and would like to see whats possible. Khannas district is already majority-AAPI in terms of total population, and almost at 50% of eligible voters. Julia Marks is a program manager on voting rights at the nonpartisan group Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus. Marks said her organization will be submitting suggested maps that do not cross the 50% threshold for Khannas district. Numerous constituent meetings reflected that voters appreciated the significance of such a district, but not at the expense of keeping neighborhoods and communities intact. Her group did, however, identify Assembly District 19 in San Francisco and District 25 in the South Bay as prospective majority-AAPI districts, after a district in Los Angeles became the first following last decades census. While the AAPI community is not a monolith, it has been a particularly difficult few years for people of Asian descent amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a surge of anti-Asian American violence across the Bay Area. At the same time, the population has been growing in California, especially in the Bay Area. The AAPI population grew in every Bay Area county, but the jump was the biggest in Santa Clara County, which went from 31.7% in 2010 to 38.9% in the 2020 census. The Asian American population grew 6.2 percentage points in Alameda County and 5.3 percentage points in San Mateo County. There is something thats valuable to people about the idea of crossing that threshold and being able to say, Oh, we are the majority of this district. It carries a symbolic weight, Marks said. Even having the commission paying attention to (Asian American voters) ... that conversation and piece is really important and were excited that its happening. Who loses in musical chairs? Because the states population did not grow as fast as the rest of the country, California will lose one of its 53 congressional seats next year. The expectation is that the lost seat will ultimately be felt in and around Los Angeles County, where population growth was the slowest. I dont think any of us on the commission think about it as taking a seat from any one area, Sadhwani said. Theres no magic eraser were going to use to wipe one district off the map. One major complicating factor is the commissions attention to the Voting Rights Act. Los Angeles is one of the most diverse areas in the country, and many congressional districts there already protect the vote of minority groups, which have only grown since the last redistricting process. You dont see a lot of places around the United States that look like L.A. County, so ensuring those communities can elect candidates of their choice ... certainly is a knot that needs to be untied, Sadhwani said. The reality is there are certain seats that have to continue to exist. Paul Mitchell, a Sacramento data consultant whose companies provide demographic analysis and redistricting expertise around the country, said he expects the commission will draw districts with minority populations first leaving even fewer options for where a seat might get absorbed or redesigned, likely on the periphery of Los Angeles County. Its kind of like when youre doing a puzzle in the back of the New York Times and where you start actually matters, Mitchell said. If you start by drawing the Voting Rights Act districts, then youre pushing those harder decisions about where youre joining communities that havent traditionally been joined or where you collapse the districts, then youre pushing those decisions outward. Marks pushed back on the notion that certain seats will be saved. Even in districts where people are like, This district has all our core communities of interest and we really like it, those districts are also going to need to change because of the population changes. So no ones district will look the same as it does now. Partisans trying to game the system? Californias independent redistricting commission is designed to be nonpartisan, unlike in many states where partisan state legislatures control the process. But that doesnt mean its completely devoid of politics. A series of requests that San Joaquin County become its own congressional district, as opposed to being divided across two as it is now, has raised eyebrows. Such a drawing could upend two districts currently held by Democrats: the Stockton district of Rep. Jerry McNerney and the Stanislaus County district of Rep. Josh Harder, including likely making the political makeup of Harders swing seat more Republican. The commission has received numerous letters from self-identified citizens of the county and various groups complaining that the East Bay exerts outsize influence in their districts and suggesting that the Central Valley county should be self-governed. But some critics of the proposal believe the references to influence from the East Bay are veiled complaints about more liberal voters. One of the groups advocating for the change is the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, which submitted a proposal based on input from citizens. The chair of the board, Republican Supervisor Tom Patti, has formed an exploratory committee for a congressional bid and appeared to inadvertently confirm his plans to run in a recent tweet from his official government account. That tweet, ostensibly for World Teachers Day, was decorated with a Tom Patti for Congress 2022 logo in the corner. Patti told The Chronicle he nevertheless hasnt made a decision yet on running and has excused himself from all public engagement on the topic to make certain that there is no conflict or appearance of conflict of interest. Similar efforts in Southern California have caught onlookers attention. CalMatters reported on several calls from self-identified concerned citizens who had undisclosed political affiliations. Later that day, the commission met and discussed its plan for dealing with coordinated or seemingly covert testimony. Weve all said everyone gets a voice, so Id rather they be overt versus covert, but either way, they do get a voice, Commissioner Patricia Sinay said. Sadhwani told The Chronicle the commission will keep our eyes wide open regarding motivations of testimony, but still listen to all feedback. Mitchell said he finds such hacky attempts to influence redistricting amusing. Its as if theyre trying to sneak into the concert over the fence, but at the front, you get in for free. He added such attempts could backfire if the commission discounts testimony it concludes is purely partisan. Little overall change in partisan split Even with the possible politically motivated feedback, redistricting is unlikely to drastically affect the partisan split in the state. Democrats in the state Senate and Assembly are poised to keep their supermajorities. In Congress, California has a handful of swing seats, but Democrats still are the overwhelming share of the delegation. Darry Sragow, an attorney and publisher of the California Target Book, said its hard to conceive of a map that changes the partisan makeup of the Legislature in any meaningful way because Democrats have a roughly 2-1 statewide voter registration advantage. Thats not because of some scheme that the Democrats are going to try to execute, he said of redistricting. Its just because of the sheer numbers its very data driven. Political observers expect few major changes to Senate district boundaries that could put incumbents at risk, though the chamber will still see significant turnover because more than a third of senators will be termed out by 2024. But redistricting could have more significant impact on Assembly district boundaries, as the commission attempts to adjust for population changes in the Los Angeles area and draw more minority-majority districts, including the two possible majority-AAPI districts in the Bay Area. Bill Wong, political director for the Assembly Democrats, said while he cannot guarantee the party will hold every one of its 60 seats, Democrats have little to worry about. No matter how you cut the map, youre still going to come out OK, he said. I think its to our advantage to let the redistricting commission do its work. Wong said hes heard rumblings about covert efforts to influence the process in San Joaquin County and has advised Democratic legislators to avoid similar overtures. That stuff just never goes well, he said. Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent, and Dustin Gardiner is a Chronicle staff writer. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com, dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan, @dustingardiner UPDATE: The man who died at Sunday's Phish concert has been identified, while the Chase Center has assured fans the arena is safe. Go here for developing coverage. One man died and two people were injured at a Phish concert Sunday at Chase Center, officials with the venue confirmed. Just before 9 p.m. Sunday, San Francisco police officers found an adult male who was suffering from injuries caused by a possible fall, a spokesperson for the department confirmed. Though medics arrived, the man died from his injuries. No foul play was suspected. Later that evening, at 9:45 p.m., officers were alerted to another incident and found an adult male suffering from injuries caused by a fall. The man was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He fell on another man, who was injured and also transported to the hospital, the department said. Though more details around how or why the injuries occurred were not immediately available, multiple accounts of concertgoers posted to social media pages suggested the individuals fell from a part of the arenas upper levels. Golden State Warriors and Chase Center spokesperson Kimberly Veale said the San Francisco Medical Examiners Office confirmed the death. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the guests loved ones, Veale wrote in a statement. We are working with the local authorities to determine exactly what happened. Juliet Biton, who came from Petaluma to attend Sundays concert, said she started to see some commotion as the jam band played Destiny Unbound more than a dozen people had their phone flashlights on and were moving frantically around the section. Within two minutes, she said, Chase Center personnel had cleared out the section where one person had fallen and placed a black tarp over the seats. Medics also began lifesaving measures, she said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. I began feeling overwhelmed and left my section to gain access to Chase Centers sensory room, Biton said, referring to a room available for Chase guests seeking a quiet area. As I was walking around the concourse I saw several people seemingly inconsolable, walking out of the venue. In a post on Twitter, Bobby Moen wrote that he was in one of the top rows behind one of the men who fell, and saw the second person fall shortly after in another section of the arena. We are shaken up, heading home early, Moen tweeted. As of Monday afternoon, the band had not made any official statements on its social media pages. Sundays concert was the ensembles second night at Chase Center. Annie Vainshtein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annievain Ezra Shaw / Getty Images A man reportedly fell to his death and two others were reportedly injured during a Phish concert at San Francisco's Chase Center Sunday. San Francisco police spokesman Robert Rueca told KQED that they were alerted about the fall at around 8:55 p.m. Sunday during Phish's second performance in San Francisco this week. Medics, he said, "immediately provided medical treatment" but the man was declared dead shortly after. PETER PARKS | Getty Images Convenience store company 7-Eleven breached customer privacy by gathering facial imagery data without consent, according to an Australian privacy commission, which began looking into the matter in July of 2020. The Information Commissioners Office said in a release that the data was collected illegally from June 2020 to August 2021 using camera-enabled tablets in 700 stores. The stores were located across Victoria, New South Wales, ACT, Queensland and Western Australia. Images were captured when customers completed voluntary surveys about their in-store experience, according to the report. After a year filled with controversy, in-fighting and external political pressure, three commissioners with the San Francisco Board of Education are officially up for recall and the election's date was announced Monday. The San Francisco Department of Elections said the special election to decide the fate of board president Gabriela Lopez, vice president Faauuga Moliga and former vice president Alison Collins will be held Feb. 15, 2022, in a notice confirming that the recall was certified. The deadline to file a recall was in September and required organizers to obtain more than 51,000 valid signatures. The group that spearheaded the recall campaign said they received between 77,000 and 81,300 for each school board member. (The group, named Recall the SF School Board, received funding from venture capitalists Arthur Rock and David Sacks.) The school board has been beleaguered with scandal over the past year, including controversial tweets that led to Collins being ousted from her position as vice president (and an accompanying lawsuit that was later dismissed), a process to rename 44 schools that was highly scrutinized and later reversed, a change in admissions at the elite Lowell High and tension over schools reopening. If the recall is successful, Mayor London Breed will appoint their replacements. The United Educators of San Francisco, the union representing San Francisco teachers, decried the recall, noting that an election is already scheduled for November 2022 and that a separate election would be costly, to the tune of nearly $8 million. "The recall will waste precious resources when decision-makers need to be laser-focused on meeting the needs of our students," said UESF president Cassondra Curiel in a statement Monday. "A successful recall ultimately results in mayoral control of the board of education, making it harder for families and the educators they entrust their children with every day to advocate for resources." Hawaii looms large in the imagination of the U.S. mainland as a tourist paradise: beautiful beaches and volcanoes, delicious food, and the spirit of aloha, a spirit of welcoming. But aloha is a complicated concept, and for some, the tourist industry sells the idea of Hawaii as uncomplicated and without any problems. Hawaiis natural beauty conceals some ugly realities. The islands economy is dominated by tourism and the military there are 143 bases or facilities and 41,000 active-duty personnel. The military controls 21% of the island of Oahu, and there are 115 different sites on the islands identified as having been poisoned by decades of ordnance testing and military activity. Meanwhile, Indigenous Hawaiians suffer disproportionately from homelessness and poverty. DeTours, an educational group run by Kyle Kajihiro and Terry Kekoolani, tries to pull back the blinders people have on when they visit Hawaii. Its sort of an anti-tourist experience, Kajihiro explained, laughing. DeTours highlights the ways that Hawaii is dominated by the military and the tourist industry by taking visitors to parts of Oahu where they can be exposed to a different part of Hawaiis history. Typical trips last around half a day and include visits to sites like Pearl Harbor, areas that are being reclaimed environmentally and parts of Honolulu tourists are unlikely to visit. DeTours grew out of work Kajihiro and others did with the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker activist group that works on a wide variety of peace and justice issues. The group had worked on anti-militarism campaigns since the 1970s, both to highlight the loss of land from Indigenous Hawaiians and to protest the connections between Hawaii and U.S. military power as it was used in Vietnam. Kahoolawe Island, a sacred place for Hawaiians, was used by the military solely to test explosives: One such test in 1965 involved detonating 500 tons of TNT at a time to replicate the effect of small nuclear blasts. These kinds of tests led to the occupation of the island by Hawaiians beginning in 1976; by 1993, the military ceded the island back to the state. To promote understanding and learning, the American Friends Service Committee frequently organizes trips for people to visit and learn about other countries. But in Hawaii, Kajihiro and others noticed that they often had very progressive friends who, when visiting Hawaii, nevertheless treated the islands like a playground. It was always striking that when people would think about Hawaii, their critical thinking would sort of turn off, Kajihiro reflected. Sean Marrs/Special to SFGATE For Kajihiro, the tourism industry has sold this idea of Hawaii as a multicultural paradise without any problems, and that idea made no sense to him. Part of the interaction between tourism and militarism is that one masked the violence of the other, and the other provided the force which maintains this unjust presence. Kaijihiro and Kekoolani wanted to break people out of this habit. At first, they worked mostly by word-of-mouth. We kept getting asked to do it, Kajihiro explains. We never advertise, its not something we actually set up but it just became a thing. Many of their clients are students, with many groups coming from the University of Hawaii, but they get visitors coming from the mainland too. The tours that Kajihiro and others lead are meant to shed light on the history of the Hawaiian islands that are covered up by militarism and U.S. imperialism. Few people know what Puuloa refers to, but theyre much more likely to know it by another name: Pearl Harbor. For Indigenous Hawaiians, the harbor was a vital source of food, as its structure made it ideal for aquaculture. That is lost today, and Puuloa and what it represented was destroyed when it was transformed into a military base. Its now a Superfund site. A typical tour starts at Iolani Palace, which was the royal residence for the Hawaiian monarchy until the coup ended native Hawaiian rule in 1893. Visitors then head to Camp H.M. Smith, headquarters of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, a drive through the Pearl Harbor base, a stop at the Pearl Harbor memorial, and a stop at the Hanakehau Learning Farm. Hanakehau is one of the many entities and organizations that exist to try and reclaim Hawaiian land. Drives through Honolulu also visit places like the Kalihi neighborhood that are working-class and immigrant neighborhoods dealing with their own issues, such as racism and discrimination. Sean Marrs/Special to SFGATE We use that drive to acclimate people to some of the contradictions ... these are not places where tour buses would go, Kajihiro explained. For Kajihiro, the goal behind DeTours is to raise awareness of these issues, but more importantly, to get them to imagine what Hawaii might look like without militarism. Lunch at Hanakehau becomes a discussion about alternative paths for the islands, and how visitors can play a part in that. We want folks to see Hawaii as a place where they have relationships and responsibilities, with many discussions centering around the idea of kuleana, a Hawaiian word loosely translating to responsibility in English. For visitors, this means educating others when they go back home and challenging the U.S. governments policies. Kajihiro also explained that he sees the groups mission as reflecting their own kuleana. The militarys role in Hawaii isnt solely to serve as a base of operations, but as a place to project power all across the globe. During the 1960s, military activities in Hawaii could be felt in Vietnam; today, they are felt in Afghanistan. The wars that emanate from Hawaii, that are commanded from here, the techniques and technologies that are tested and perfected here, how is that harming folks in other parts of the world? Thats an aspect of the responsibility that we bear. When asked about what COVID-19 has done to the island economy, Kajihiros take was twofold. On the one hand, the COVID pandemic has deeply harmed the Hawaiian economy. We have one of the highest unemployment rates because weve been addicted to the tourism economy. However, from Kajihiros perspective, its forced us to reckon with the environmental and social costs of tourism as a mainstay of the economy. Whats the point of having all of this if its making life harder and more expensive? One more positive aspect: Kajihiro has also seen more community solidarity through food drives or organizing to connect farmers with consumers. DeTours and other groups like it are a vision for a different kind of tourism. For most people and most tourist-centered organizations, you go somewhere for a little while and then you leave. What Kajihiro and Kekoolani want people to do is take some part of that with them and to use travel to sharpen their own sense of responsibility toward the rest of the world. Zeb Larson is a writer, historian and software developer. Find more of his work at zeblarson.com. Colin L. Powell, who in four decades of public life served as the nations top soldier, diplomat and national security adviser, and whose speech at the United Nations in 2003 helped pave the way for the United States to go to war in Iraq, died on Monday. He was 84. He died of complications of COVID-19, his family said in a statement, adding that he had been vaccinated and was treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he died. Powell had undergone treatment for multiple myeloma, which compromised his immune system, a spokeswoman said. Powell was a pathbreaker serving as the countrys first Black national security adviser, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state. Beginning with his 35 years in the Army, Powell was emblematic of the ability of minorities to use the military as a ladder of opportunity. His was a classic American success story. Born in Harlem of Jamaican parents, Powell grew up in the South Bronx and graduated from City College of New York, joining the Army through ROTC. Starting as a young second lieutenant commissioned in the dawn of a newly desegregated Army, Powell served two decorated combat tours in Vietnam. He later was national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan at the end of the Cold War, helping negotiate arms treaties and an era of cooperation with the Soviet president, Mikhail Gorbachev. As chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he was the architect of the invasion of Panama in 1989 and of the Persian Gulf War in 1991, which ousted Saddam Hussein from Kuwait but left him in power in Iraq. Along with then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, Powell reshaped the U.S. Cold War military that stood ready at the Iron Curtain for half a century. In doing so, he stamped the Powell Doctrine on military operations identify clear political objectives, gain public support and use decisive and overwhelming force to defeat enemy forces. When briefing reporters at the Pentagon at the beginning of the Gulf War, Powell succinctly summed up the militarys approach: Our strategy in going after this army is very simple, he said. First, were going to cut it off, and then were going to kill it. It was a concept that seemed less well-suited to the messy conflicts in the Balkans that came later in the 1990s and in combating terrorism in a world transformed after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. By the time he retired from the military in 1993, Powell was the most popular public figure in America because of his straightforwardness, his leadership qualities and his ability to speak in blunt tones that Americans appreciated. In an interview with The New York Times in 2007, he analyzed himself: Powell is a problem-solver. He was taught as a soldier to solve problems. So he has views, but hes not an ideologue. He has passion but hes not a fanatic. Hes first and foremost a problem-solver. Once retired, Powell, a lifelong independent while in uniform, was courted as a presidential contender by Republicans and Democrats, and became Americas most political general since Dwight D. Eisenhower. He wrote a bestselling memoir, My American Journey, and flirted with a run for the presidency before deciding in 1995 that campaigning for office wasnt for him. He returned to public service in 2001 as secretary of state to President George W. Bush, whose father Powell had served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs a decade earlier. In taking the job, Powell followed the footsteps of one of his heroes, Gen. George Marshall, who served as secretary of state to Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman. But in the Bush administration, Powell was the odd man out, fighting internally with Cheney, then vice president, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for the ear of Bush and for foreign policy dominance. He left at the end of Bushs first term under the cloud of the ever-worsening war in Iraq begun after Sept. 11, and growing questions about whether he could have and should have done more to object to it. Those questions swirled in part around his U.N. speech, which was based on false intelligence, and which became the source of lifelong regret. He kept a low profile for the next few years, but with just over two weeks left in the 2008 presidential campaign, Powell, a declared Republican, gave a forceful endorsement to Sen. Barack Obama, calling him a transformational figure. Powells backing was criticized by conservative Republicans. But it eased the doubts among some independents, moderates and even some moderates in his own party, and largely neutralized concerns about Obamas lack of experience to be commander in chief. When it came time to elect Obamas successor, Powell continued his support of Democrats, saying he would vote for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. Before the election, he expressed disgust for Trump in a batch of leaked emails that a Powell spokesperson confirmed as authentic. Trump is a national disgrace and an international pariah, Powell wrote in one email. Trumps attacks on the issue of Obamas birth also troubled him, the emails made clear. Yup, the whole birther movement was racist, he said. Powell, in the next election, backed Joe Biden, delivering a message of support for him at the 2020 Democratic national convention. A Son of Immigrants Colin Luther Powell was born on April 5, 1937, and reared in the ethnically mixed Hunts Point section of the South Bronx. His parents, Luther Powell, a shipping-room foreman in Manhattans garment district, and Maud Ariel McKoy, a seamstress, were immigrants from Jamaica. The young Powell graduated from Morris High School in the Bronx. By his own account, he was a mediocre student, carrying a C average at City College of New York, as a geology major. An early turning point came when he enrolled in the colleges Reserve Officer Training Corps program, drawn by the camaraderie, discipline and well defined goals. Powell joined the Pershing Rifles, a drill team started by Gen. John J. Pershing, a top American commander in World War I. Even after becoming a general, Powell kept on his desk a pen set he had won for a drill-team competition decades earlier. During a summer ROTC training tour in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1957, he received his first taste of racism when he was forced to use segregated washrooms at gas stations in the South on the drive home to New York. After graduating from City College in June 1958, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army, the start of a 35-year military career. He again experienced the still-segregated South during basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, before shipping out to Europe to become a platoon leader in West Germany in the Cold War. While in the service, Powell met Alma Vivian Johnson on a blind date, and they married in August 1962. In addition to his wife, his survivors include two daughters, Linda Powell and Annmarie Lyons; a son, Michael, who served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission; and four grandchildren. Powell arrived in Saigon on Christmas Day 1962 for a one-year tour as adviser to a 400-man South Vietnamese army battalion in the jungle. He completed the tour a true believer in the U.S. effort, he later said, though the first inklings of skepticism toward the war were showing through. He arrived for his second tour in Vietnam in July 1968, serving as executive officer of an infantry battalion, then a division operations officer. He averted a brush with death when his helicopter crashed four months later. He dragged his commander, Maj. Gen. Charles M. Gettys, out of the wreck, suffering a broken ankle. Powell rose quickly through the ranks including battalion command in Korea in 1973 and brigade command in the elite 101st Airborne Division in 1976. He was tapped as a water walker by his peers, a term of reverence military men reserve for the most talented officers. In 1979, Powell, then 42, was promoted to one-star general, the youngest general officer in the Army at the time. After serving as Defense Secretary Casper Weinbergers senior military assistant, Powell, in the spring of 1986, went off to command V Corps, skipping division command altogether in leading 75,000 soldiers in West Germany during the Cold War. Just five months later Reagan summoned him back to Washington to be national security adviser, a post in which he played a pivotal role in helping to usher in a new era of cooperation with Gorbachev. Powell left the White House in 1989 to return to lead the Armys Forces Command, and in doing so became only the fourth Black four-star general in Army history. He saw himself as a model not only for Black soldiers but also for prejudiced whites, to challenge their bigotry. As a senior Army commander, he met the secretary of defense, Dick Cheney, with whom he had worked when Cheney was the House minority leader and Powell was national security adviser. In his autobiography, Powell called Cheney incisive, smart, no small talk, never showing any more surface than necessary a description that would come back to haunt Powell more than a decade later. In October 1989, Powell succeeded Adm. William J. Crowe as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, leapfrogging over 14 more senior four-star officers. He was the first chairman to fully exercise power under the recently approved Goldwater-Nichols legislation, which made the chairman the principal military adviser to the president and secretary of defense. Along with Cheney, Powell presided over an active-duty military that had been cut in size by one-quarter since its Cold War peak. The Powell Doctrine The promise of peace after the Cold War was stopped short when Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait in August 1990. Powell urged caution and advocated imposing sanctions on Saddam Husseins regime rather than using military might. After President George H.W. Bush ordered the attack to drive Iraqi forces from Kuwait, Powell oversaw the militarys buildup of more than 500,000 troops in the Saudi desert. The Powell doctrine was born out of the U.S. militarys longstanding frustrations in the war, in which the United States gradually escalated the use of force and declared periodic pauses in its bombing campaign. If U.S. force is to be used, proponents of the doctrine said, it should be overpowering and decisive. The purest examples of the Powell doctrine were the 1991 war with Iraq and the 1989 invasion of Panama, when the U.S. military stormed the country in a several-day blitz and captured its leader, Manuel Noriega. Powells relationship with Cheney was professional but distant. He and I had never, in nearly four years, spent a single purely social hour together, Powell wrote. (Years later, that prickly relationship resurfaced when Powell and Cheney clashed in the White House of President George W. Bush. After Cheney, in a 2011 memoir, wrote that Powell had felt more comfortable expressing his views about Iraq to the public than to Bush, Powell criticized him for taking cheap shots.) Under the newly elected President Bill Clinton, Powell and other members of the Joint Chiefs confronted him over his promise to allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the armed forces, a tense debate that led to the dont ask, dont tell compromise policy that lasted until 2011. Powell resisted using force against Bosnian Serbs in 1993. And he supported leaving a weakened Saddam Hussein in place as a bulwark against Iran and Syria. If Hussein was overthrown, Powell worried someone worse would take his place. In his final days as chairman in 1993, 18 U.S. troops were killed pursuing a warlord in Mogadishu, Somalia. In what became known as Blackhawk Down, a Senate Armed Services Committee inquiry blamed Powell and Les Aspin, the defense secretary at the time, for leaving Army Rangers without sufficient protection. After retiring in October 1993, Powell reportedly received a $6 million advance to write his memoirs. My American Journey was released in September 1995, and was an immediate bestseller. He was Americas most political general since Eisenhower, although some commentators said he was more politic than political. As he flirted for a run for the presidency, huge crowds turned out for his booking signings in 1995. Powell agonized over the decision. He drafted two speeches in October 1995, one announcing he would run for the White House, with plans to deliver it at City College, and then later saying no. Finally, on Nov. 8, 1995, resisting an enormous popular drumbeat for his candidacy, Powell said he did not have the drive and desire necessary to run for the nations highest office. But he announced he would register as a Republican (after previously registering independent), and he spoke at the 1996 and 2000 Republican national conventions. Instead of focusing on national security or military affairs, however, he spoke on broader domestic policy issues, including the rights of minorities and childrens welfare. Powell had learned at the feet of political masters Cap Weinberger and Frank Carlucci when Powell was a White House Fellow in 1972-73. (Powell was military assistant to Carlucci when Carlucci was the Pentagons second-ranking official; he served in the same position when Weinberger was defense secretary.) Anybody who becomes a senior officer had better have some political instincts or youre going to get ground up, Powell said in an interview with The New York Times in August 2007. We are a political nation. It is not a dirty word. Secretary of State He returned to government in December 2000, when he was the first person appointed to the Cabinet of President-elect George W. Bush, whose father he had served a decade earlier. His new assignment as secretary of state started with high hopes and soaring rhetoric from his new boss. General Powell is an American hero, an American example and a great American story, Bush said in announcing his choice on Dec. 16, 2000. Its a great day when a son of the South Bronx succeeds to the office first held by Thomas Jefferson. Powell reinvigorated a demoralized department. A computer buff, he brought 21st-century technology to the department and its far-flung embassies overseas. He ordered high-speed internet into overseas posts and expanded training for senior Foreign Service officers and political appointees assigned abroad. Clearly, Powell had a taste of the diplomatic world when he was national security adviser and chairman of the Joint Chiefs. After he retired from the military, Clinton dispatched him, Sen. Sam Nunn and former President Jimmy Carter in September 1994 to stave off a potentially bloody invasion of Haiti. The trio reached a last-minute agreement with the ruling military junta, allowing a peaceful landing of U.S. forces. Clinton had sounded out Powell for the secretary of state job in his administration, but Powell declined. But when George W. Bush asked him to take the post nearly a decade later, Powell jumped at the opportunity. He had known Bush, whom he had called Sonny, when his father was president. But he had only passing acquaintance with Bush before the 2000 campaign. Indeed, many political advisers in the Bush campaign were initially wary of the appointment because Powell had initially indicated that he might support the candidacy of his old friend, Sen. John McCain, in 2000. Powell took the job at Foggy Bottom without having extensive conversations with Bush about his views and what the president expected. In the first few months of the new administration, he was forced to reverse his publicly stated goal of engaging with North Koreas hermetic regime and adopt the White Houses more confrontational approach to preventing the North from developing nuclear weapons. He clashed with Cheney and some of the more conservative members of Bushs foreign policy team, and was slow to discern his isolation from the rest of the national security team. The years at State were quite difficult, said William H. Taft IV, a longtime friend who served as the State Departments legal adviser during Bushs first term. There were with people who had different world views. The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, put the country on a war footing and galvanized Bushs war council. But eight months after the Taliban regime in Afghanistan had fallen, the United States was secretly planning another war: to oust Saddam Hussein from Iraq once and for all. Powell was a reluctant warrior in this impending fight, warning Bush that invading Iraq could destabilize the Middle East, upset oil markets and divert political will and resources from the unfinished fight against al-Qaida. In a two-hour meeting with Bush on Aug. 5, 2002, Powell laid down what became known as the Pottery Barn rules: You break it, youre going to own it. As he did in the Persian Gulf War, Powell did not recommend whether the country should go to war or not that he believed was the presidents prerogative alone but he outlined options. After a failed diplomatic effort to avert a conflict, Bush turned to Powell to bolster the administrations case for use of force if Saddam Hussein did not comply with international demands. A Painful Speech at the U.N. In a 76-minute speech at the United Nations on Feb. 5, 2003, Powell pressed the U.S. case for a possible war to disarm Iraq, presenting photographs, electronic intercepts of conversations between Iraqi military officers and information from defectors aimed at proving that Saddam Hussein posed an imminent danger to the world. In the Bush administrations most explicit effort to connect the activities between Iraq and al-Qaida, Powell suggested that Iraqs lethal weapons could be given at any time to terrorists who could use them against the United States or Europe. He provided new details about Iraqs effort to develop mobile laboratories to make germ weapons. He asserted that Iraq had sought to hide missiles in its western desert. Significantly, he cited intelligence reports that Saddam Hussein had authorized his military to use poison gas if the United States invaded. Before the speech, Powell had spent several days at the CIA grilling analysts on the intelligence, paring back many of the claims in an early White House draft of the speech that he felt were unsupported. Now he felt confident, he told aides before the address in New York. Leaving Saddam Hussein in possession of weapons of mass destruction for a few more months or years is not an option, not in a post-September 11th world, Powell declared. The speech failed to persuade many skeptics in the international community, but Powells personal appeal swung many Americans to support the war, however reluctantly. After U.S. troops invaded in March 2003, however, it became clear that there were no weapons of mass destruction. The intelligence had been wrong. Two years later, Powell told Barbara Walters of ABC News that his speech to the United Nations had been painful for him personally and would forever be a blot on his record. Im the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world, Powell said, acknowledging that his presentation will always be a part of my record. He left office in January 2004, returning to life as a private citizen. In 1997, he had founded Americas Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping at-risk children. He later served as the chairman of the board of visitors of the School for Civic and Global Leadership, named for him at the City University of New York. He kept a relatively low profile, surfacing from time to time, notably in the 2008 presidential election and his endorsement of Obama. (He had voted for John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Carter, all Democrats, before switching to Reagan in 1980.) Over the next eight years, he served as an informal adviser to the president, periodically meeting privately with Obama at the White House. Years later, the sting of the United Nations speech still pained him. Yet he sought to move on. Let others judge me, Powell said in the 2007 interview. All I want to do is judge myself as a successful soldier who served his best. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. In April, a Miami private school made national headlines for barring teachers who got a coronavirus vaccine from interacting with students. Last week, the school made another startling declaration, but this time to the parents: If you vaccinate your child, they'll have to stay home for 30 days after each shot. The email from Centner Academy leadership, first reported by WSVN, repeated misleading and false claims that vaccinated people could pass on so-called harmful effects of the shot and have a "potential impact" on unvaccinated students and staff. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has debunked claims that the coronavirus vaccine can "shed or release any of their components" through the air or skin contact. The coronavirus vaccines do not contain a live virus, so their components can't be transmitted to others. David Centner, one of the school's co-founders, repeated the debunked claims in a statement to The Washington Post, saying the policy is a "precautionary measure" based on "numerous anecdotal cases that have been in circulation." "The school is not opining as to whether unexplained phenomena have a basis in fact, however we prefer to err on the side of caution when making decisions that impact the health of the school community," Centner said. Despite the Food and Drug Administration's evidence that the coronavirus vaccines are safe and highly effective, vaccine misinformation online has been a top hurdle for the White House and public health experts when persuading people to get the shots. Almost 219 million Americans have received at least one vaccine dose, which is about 66 percent of the eligible population, according to The Post's vaccination tracker. In July, President Joe Biden excoriated social media companies, accusing them of "killing people" by failing to regulate misinformation about the vaccines on their platforms. In August, Facebook released data that showed the most popular piece of content from January through March was a link to an article that cast doubt on the vaccine. Last Wednesday, attorneys generals from 14 states sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, inquiring if the company provided special treatment to those disseminating vaccine falsehoods on the platform. Unfounded claims about masks and vaccines have trickled down to schools, where students under 12 years old remain at a higher risk of contracting the virus since they are ineligible for the vaccines. Tensions between parents and school districts have also grown violent at times. In August, a parent at an Austin school ripped a mask off a teacher's face. A week later, police said the father of a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., high-schooler assaulted another student after she confronted him about trying to bring his daughter onto campus without a mask. He was arrested and charged with child abuse without great bodily harm. Centner Academy is in Miami's ritzy Design District, and tuition ranges from about $15,000 to nearly $30,000 per year. The school has become a haven for anti-vaccine parents because it does not require any immunizations for enrollment, citing a parent's "freedom of choice" and falsely claiming there are "unknown risks associated with vaccinations" that could harm children. A similar sentiment was shared in an email to parents last week regarding the coronavirus vaccine. School leadership referred to the shots as "experimental," WSVN reported, and encouraged parents considering getting their child vaccinated to wait several more months until the school year ends. "We ask that you hold off until the summer when there will be time for the potential transmission or shedding onto others to decrease," Centner Academy leaders wrote. The school has a history of spreading inaccurate information about the vaccine and penalizing those who choose to get the shots. In April, Centner Academy employees were told they had to notify Leila and David Centner, the married co-founders of the school, if they received a vaccine. Vaccinated school employees were told they would not be allowed any contact with students "until more information is known" about the vaccines. School leaders also told those wanting the vaccine to wait until the summer to get the shots. About a week later, a math and science teacher told students they should not hug their vaccinated parents for more than five seconds, the New York Times reported, referencing the same falsehoods the school communicated in its email about vaccine components "shedding" onto others. Some parents threatened to pull their children out of the school over the comments. Leila Centner has also spread anti-vaccine information during a meeting with parents and staff and in a WhatsApp group with community members, according to the Times. In late January, Leila and David Centner invited outspoken anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to speak at the school. The co-founders also discouraged teachers from wearing masks, the Times reported. When state health department officials visited for routine dining inspections, teachers were allegedly told in a WhatsApp group to put on masks. The school also allegedly provided parents with mask exemption forms for their children. In his statement to The Post, David Centner said the school's policies are made as a "prudent precautionary measure." "Our top priorities have always been our students' well-being and their sense of safety within our educational environment," he said. Realtor.com; Getty Images; HGTV House Party is the official Realtor.com podcast about the overlapping worlds of home and pop culture, hosted by Rachel Stults and Jillian Pretzel. Click the player above to hear our take on this weeks hot topics. It's October, so of course all things Halloween are taking overand HGTV is no exception. The network recently debuted a new show called "House Haunters"yes, you read that righthaunters, not hunters. Residents in the Mason County area are invited to join in reading and discussing The Women of the Copper Country, Mary Doria Russells riveting account of 25-year-old Annie Clements as she stood up for the miners and their families during the 1913 copper strikes. The book is Michigan Humanities choice for the 2021-22 Great Michigan Read and Mason County District Library is partnering with Michigan Humanities to distribute free books as well as supporting educational materials in Mason County. The Great Michigan Read aims to connect Michigan residents by deepening readers understanding of our state, our society, and our humanity. A statewide panel of teachers, librarians, community leaders and book lovers selects the Great Michigan Read every two years. The 2019-20 book was What the Eyes Dont See, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attishas account of her discovery that Flints children were being poisoned by lead leaching into the citys drinking water. The 2017-18 book was X: A Novel, a fictionalized account of the early life and Michigan roots of civil rights leader Malcolm X. Shelly Hendrick Kasprzycki, Michigan Humanities president and CEO, says she hopes Michigan citizens statewide can read, discuss and learn from Annies inspiring example as Americas Joan of Arc during an engaging Great Michigan Read program that addresses labor history, womens history and a critical period in Michigan history when jobs dependent on the states ample natural resources copper, iron, lumber were switching to new jobs on production lines at Henry Fords auto factories. Widely praised for meticulous research, fine prose and the compelling narrative drive of her stories, Russell is the award-winning author of seven bestselling novels, including the science-fiction classics The Sparrow and Children of God; the World War II thriller, A Thread of Grace; and a political romance set in 1921 Cairo called Dreamers of the Day. With her novels Doc and Epitaph, Russell has redefined two towering figures of the American West: Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. She holds a Ph.D. in biological anthropology from the University of Michigan and taught anatomy at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry. She lives in Cleveland. Im so honored Michigan Humanities chose The Women of the Copper Country for the 2021-22 Great Michigan Read, said Russell, who spent time in Michigans Keweenaw Peninsula walking through the streets of Calumet, touring the mines and visiting local museums as she prepared to write her fictionalized account of the real-life Big Annie. The copper strike itself has been studied and written about by historians and legal experts, but those accounts are not meant to engage the readers emotions. That was my job to combine imagination and empathy with research, she said. Here was a 25-year-old woman who is central to a strike against the most powerful company in the most dangerous industry of her time. A child of despised immigrants. A housewife with a simple education in a time when women couldnt vote and werent supposed to take part in public life. Somehow, she mobilized 10,000 miners and kept everyone going, day after day, month after month. So my task was to tell readers: What makes a woman like Annie Clements? Mason County District Library has free reader and teacher guides, bookmarks and other supplemental materials. Russell will participate in an authors tour through fall 2022; currently, sessions are virtual. More information on how to get a free copy of The Women of the Copper Country and participate in Great Michigan Read programming is available at Mason County District Library and on its website at www.masoncounty.lib.mi.us. Convenient home delivery Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! Get the Ludington Daily News delivered straight to your door and receive unlimited access to our website and e-Edition when you purchase a Print + Digital Subscription. Page Content In January 2022, foreign nationals crossing over land into the United States from Canada and Mexico for work or business will be required to be fully vaccinated. The new rules from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will amend land-travel restrictions first imposed by the Trump administration in March 2020. Land-border crossings into the U.S. for work and business have generally been considered essential and allowed to proceed regardless of individuals' vaccination status, but that will change beginning early next year. Foreign nationals traveling to the United States for work and business, including those traveling on H, L and B visas, will be required to be vaccinated and must be ready to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination to enter the United States. "The essential travel restrictions applied only to land and sea borders," said Sheila Minihane, an immigration attorney in the Raleigh, N.C., office of Jackson Lewis. "Foreign nationals have been able to fly into the United States from Canada or Mexico if they met the COVID-19 testing requirements. In November, however, new COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements will be in place for all air travel." The Biden administration announced plans last month to rescind the COVID-19 travel bans imposed in 2020 and replace them with vaccination and testing requirements to enter the U.S. on November 8. All non-U.S. air travelers will need to show proof of vaccination before boarding a flight and will also need to complete pre-departure testing within three days prior to their departure to the U.S. By contrast, foreign visitors crossing a land border should be ready to show proof of vaccination but will not need to show COVID-19 test results. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that extending the deadline for required vaccination for business travelers and workers to sometime in early January 2022 will "provide ample time for essential travelers such as truckers, students, and healthcare workers to get vaccinated." It is still not known exactly when in January the new U.S. rules will take effect, Minihane said. She added that the U.S. is late to opening the northern and southern borders. The DHS announcement comes more than two months after Canada reopened its borders to vaccinated Americans, while Mexico never closed its northern border during the pandemic. Featured Resource Center COVID-19 Vaccination Resources Confusion, Frustration at the Border Andrew Wilson, a partner at Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman and co-leader of the firm's Immigration Practice in Buffalo, N.Y., said there has been confusionespecially for much of 2020as to who could enter the U.S. and what activities qualified as essential. In addition, the ability to fly over the border without restriction caused many to question the effectiveness of the policy. "Here at the border between Buffalo and Fort Erie, people have taken helicopter shuttles to fly into the U.S. to avoid the land-border travel ban," Wilson said. "People always ask how that makes sense. Why can someone fly into the U.S. but not drive across the border?" He added that the opening of the land border with Canada and Mexico will not have a huge impact on cross-border business travel or for employers managing talent across the border because "you could always fly into the U.S. from Canada or Mexico, and those with approved U.S. work status could always enter by land." On the other hand, foreign nationals who need to apply for E-1 or E-2 status to work in the U.S. are still being delayed by potentially six to 12 months because of visa scheduling delays at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto. "The border may be open, but that does not help if you need to first obtain an E visa for your proposed activities in the U.S.," Wilson said. In addition, he noted, even though Canadians have a high vaccination rate, "for those who are not vaccinated, a job that requires them to travel or work in the U.S. will be a problem." The biggest impact will be felt in the northern and southern border communities, experts agreed. "The land-border openings will positively affect local economies close to the border, as they rely on visitors from Canada and Mexico for their businesses," Wilson said. "Perhaps the biggest impact may be more psychological, in that Canadian and Mexican businesses will now recognize the U.S. as officially reopened for business once again." Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, huge consignments of fresh green vegetables were flown from Purvanchal to the Gulf countries, for the second time in less than two years, benefitting farmers substantially in terms of income. Lucknow: The Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh is emerging as the export hub for vegetables. According to a state government spokesperson, an Air India Express' aircraft carrying two metric tonnes of vegetables from Prayagraj, Bhadohi and Varanasi took off from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport to reach Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Regional in-charge of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), C.B. Singh, said: "The vegetables being exported include okra, sweet gourd, pointed gourd, ivy gourd and elephant foot yam (jimikand). "Last year, three metric tonnes of langda mangoes were flown to London from Varanasi in April and over one metric tonnes in June. We also exported nearly three metric tonnes of green chili to Dubai in May and black salt rice to the UK, Qatar and the UAE." Furthermore, exporters also purchased 80 metric tonnes of black salt rice from farmers of Chandauli district, popularly known as the 'rice bowl' of Uttar Pradesh, with the help of APEDA in June 2020. Around Rs 68 lakhs raised from the export of the rice was directly transferred to the bank accounts of 152 farmers. Besides, 532 metric tonnes of regional rice, including 12 metric tonnes of the famous black salt rice of Chandauli was exported to Qatar in December 2020. Oman's Global Logistics Group also visited Varanasi in order to boost exports. Farmers are now exporting food items directly without the involvement of middlemen which is bringing them more financial benefits while ensuring transparency in the system. They are exporting their farm produce through the Farmer Producer Organization (FPO). The FPO also facilitates training of the farmers and ensures availability of good seeds and fertilisers to them. In times of calamity and natural disasters, they also are provided with adequate compensation. To increase the income of farmers significantly, export licences are being given to more and more FPOs since July 2020. Sify.com Movies Reviews Bollywood Sardar Udham Sardar Udham review: Vicky Kaushal shines in this astutely recreated period saga Director Shoojit Sircar manages to arouse patriotism in each viewer Source: SIFY By: IANS Critic's Rating: 4/5 Monday 18 October 2021 Movie Title Sardar Udham review: Vicky Kaushal shines in this astutely recreated period saga Director Shoojit Sircar Star Cast Vicky Kaushal, Shaun Scott, Stephen Hogan, Banita Sandhu, Kristy Averton, Amol Parashar The Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919 may be an incident etched in the memories of all Indians owing to its mention in our history textbooks, but not many know about the valour and sacrifice of Sardar Udham Singh, an ordinary lad from holy city, who witnessed this tragedy up close and personal. He was haunted by the memories of that traumatic day for 21 years before he took revenge by assassinating Michael O'Dwyer, the then Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, upon whose orders General Dyer opened fire. How Udham Singh joins Bhagat Singh's Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) and moves to London and there, with the help of others who are a part of the revolutionary movement, including a British woman, Eileen Palmer, eventually manages to shoot O'Dwyer and his trial thereafter, form the crux of this film. The tale is straightforward, albeit narrated at a languid pace, but the plot, narrated in a non-linear manner, goes back and forth in time to establish the rationale behind Udham's resolve and provide a glimpse of his early life and his journey as a revolutionary. The film belongs to Vicky Kaushal, who essays the title role with subtlety and an underlying ferocity, all at once. He is a man with a single-minded mission and never loses focus. Each year of the wait to achieve his goal is a struggle and he portrays that with brutal honesty -- whether it is seeking refuge under various aliases or doing odd jobs to buy time or hone his skills. His body language, broken English, unbridled confidence and fearlessness, all exude the aura of a revolutionary and freedom fighter. The screenplay by Shubhendu Bhattacharya is taut and well-researched, throwing light on several historical facts unknown to many. The period is recreated with honesty and one is transported there. The dialogues are crisp, yet hard-hitting, particularly O'Dwyer's scathing speech at Caxton Hall before he is shot, reiterating that "It is the right and the duty of the British to rule India". One can feel Udham Singh's anger upon hearing these words, further strengthening his resolve. The cinematography by Avik Mukhopadhyay is atmospheric and enriches the scenes with unparalleled brilliance. His lens brings alive each frame with candour and the story with it. Particularly noteworthy is the heart-wrenching Jallianwala Bagh massacre scene where the pain and pathos of those injured and dying are palpable. The end of the film, maybe known to us and predictable, but the surge of patriotism and the awe-inspiring feeling for Udham Singh is something Shoojit Sircar manages to arouse in each viewer. The dauntless unremorseful Udham Singh, with Bhagat Singh's photograph in his clenched fist as he lies motionless, becomes an everlasting memory. Overall, with a runtime of 162 minutes, there are moments when you feel the viewing is a bit tedious. 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! The campsite, which has been scoured by homicide and forensic detectives, is surrounded by sandy dunes, rocky terrain and low-lying shrubs, and a series of beach shacks mostly owned by Carnarvon families. The tent the family used has been taken away from Point Quobba, an area between several shacks now cordoned off by police tape, but other pieces of camping equipment remain. SES volunteers look for Cleo Smith in the sparse scrubland near Quobba Blowholes campsite, north of Carnarvon. Credit:Peter de Kruijff Brown snakes and scorpions are also common in the area, creating a hazard not just for the young girl potentially lost in the scrub, but also the army of people looking for her. Exposure to the elements is becoming a greater risk the longer the search continues and Inspector Munday said every hour that went by for a four-year-old with limited water supply, little shelter, and warm conditions was very concerning. A cold front is expected to come in on Tuesday and Inspector Munday said rain was predicted. Weve currently got some people looking at that and how that is going to affect our operations, he said. Cleo is such a beautiful, beautiful little girl, shes quite shy and reserved, but bubbly and happy, its just devastating to think of Jessica Babun Clearly it may affect ground operations, and clearly it may affect the air operations. Police were so overwhelmed by the response from locals, including station workers, Rio Tinto employees from nearby salt flats and helicopter pilots, that they had to turn people away. The core search zone is a five-kilometre radius from the campsite. On Monday, the sea element of the search was called off, with crews instead focusing efforts on the land. Army resources have also arrived to help. Loading State Emergency Service volunteers from around WA continue to walk the hills neighbouring the camp while other locals on quad bikes have ridden both sides of the 50 kilometres of the access road connecting the blowholes to the highway. Coral Coast Helicopter Services has been helping with the search and Kristine Adcock, who comes from the local tourist and mustering flight service, said the community-based business had to get involved. The family reached out to us early on Saturday, and we were more than happy to help, more than happy to get our chopper out there and our pilots and our crew, she said. It just sort of comes second nature going out there and helping, its just what you do I suppose, we all band together being a small community, its just nice to be able to help. Pilot Nicholas Patterson said the landscape they were searching was dry with lots of shrubs. Its pretty sandy ... theres also big sheer cliffs out there, big caves up and down the coast up there as well so the choppers been flying in there and pretty well looking in those caves. Carnarvon local Jessica Babun said Ms Smith was from a large, well-known family in the community, and the entire town was on edge. Cleo is such a beautiful, beautiful little girl, shes quite shy and reserved, but bubbly and happy, its just devastating to think of, she said. Ms Smiths partner Jake Gliddon is also from a local Carnarvon family. Mid West Gascoyne Assistant District Officer Inspector Jon Munday. Credit:Peter de Kruijff Posters of the young girl have been put up around the town and along the highway, with photos of her in the pink, blue, and yellow set of butterfly pyjamas she was wearing when she was last seen. The search for Cleo has been scaled up to a national level, with police officers across WA and interstate asked to keep an eye out for the little girl, her sleeping bag, or any suspicious activity. Inspector Munday said every police station in WA was aware of the situation and information had come in from as far as the eastern states as part of the investigation. Truck drivers and travellers who went through the area at the weekend are being asked to provide dashcam footage, and police are scouring CCTV footage from Minilya Roadhouse, 170 kilometres north. The roadhouse estimates about 600 vehicles pass through the highway each day. Inspector Munday appealed for anyone who has stayed in the area, or seen anything unusual in recent days to come forward. If anybodys got any information about where Cleo may be, whether it may be that theyve seen something they think is suspicious, please contact us it might be the information that we need, he said. Meanwhile, Carnarvon locals have begun lighting candles and leaving them alight overnight in their front windows in a symbolic gesture to help Cleo to find her way home. Within minutes we counted only 120 people in the water. The rest had already gone. One by one over the next 15 hours 76 more people slipped away quietly, too exhausted to speak, from the huddles of men, women and children clinging desperately to pieces of wreckage in the rough sea. By the time another larger Indonesian fishing boat by chance found them shortly after dawn last Saturday, 52 hours after they had left an Indonesian port near Jakarta, there were only 44 survivors, most of them men. Sadiq Raza, 25, from Iraq, was lucky he and his family were in one of the first buses, organised by the people smugglers, that pulled up at a wharf early last Thursday as the boat was preparing to leave. The first 60 people aboard were able to grab lifejackets. There was none for the rest of the passengers, who had paid up to $US4,000 each for the trip, even though the boat started leaking minutes after leaving port. When the boat went down about 4pm on Friday, Raza clung to his two-year-old daughter, Kauthar Sadiq, who was crying and calling out for her mother, who is believed to have drowned almost immediately. Throughout the long night, trying to keep his head about the huge waves, Raza kept the babys legs wrapped around his neck. Often he thought she had died. But each time he shook her she woke. Its a miracle I managed to keep her alive, he said, nursing Sadiq on his lap yesterday. Almjib, whose father is living in Melbourne after making a similar dangerous boat trip two years ago, said that throughout the night, people in the water tried to help each other. He held grimly on to his 16-year-old cousin Dunia, who, like everybody else, was praying most of time and asking: Wheres my mother? Wheres my mother? But about 3am we got separated and she slipped away, he said. Almjib said at one point he and 24 other people found themselves clinging to the same 2.5-metre piece of wood. I saw a body with a lifejacket so I swam over and pulled it off, he said. Then I managed to find my mother and give it to her. She survived. Zainab, a 12-year-old Iraqi girl who lost her father, mother, two brothers and two sisters her entire immediate family sat dazed among the survivors as she told how a 15-year-old Iraqi boy named Esam, whom she had never met before, held her throughout the night. He kept saying, dont let go. Dont let go, she said. Esam lost his 19-year-old brother. His father Kisam and mother Rejabab, who survived, yesterday adopted Zainab into their family. I will not give up even though I have lost a son, Kisam said. What can I do? I have no money and no home. I know it is very dangerous but I will get some money and go on another boat with my family unless the United Nations helps us. Najah Dayer, a 26-year-old Iraqi mother, wept as she told how her two-year-old son Karar went blue after swallowing sea water polluted with petrol and oil from the sunken boat. I held him up. But then I looked. He was dead, she said. When I came to Indonesia I thought the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees would help my family, she said. But they have done nothing. I dont have any family, money or clothes. I dont know what to do. Almjib told how the trip was doomed from almost the time it left Indonesia but that most of the asylum seekers refused to turn back. Only 30 minutes out to sea, he said, the boat started taking water. Only one of two pumps was working. Almjib said the boat kept taking more and more water. The captain ordered everybody to throw their luggage overboard, which they did. Then about 9.30 on Friday morning they came across a fishing boat. The captain admitted the asylum seekers boat was overloaded. Twenty-one people boarded the fishing boat and were taken to a nearby Indonesian island. As the bad weather turned into a storm that lashed the boat, the captain continued to steer the asylum seekers in the direction of Christmas Island. But Almjib said the boat started to take more and more water. Then the second pump broke down and everybody started baling water with whatever they could find. I was very worried, Almjib said. I went to the captain and told him he must turn back, that it was too dangerous. I told him he would kill more than 400 people. But Almjib said many of the other asylum seekers became angry with him and called him a coward. Some went to the captain and said, if you continue we will pay you more money, Almjib said. They collected $US5,000 and gave it him. The captain said, The boat is safe. We are going on. Many of the survivors said that despite the tragedy they intended to pay smugglers to get on another boat as soon as possible. But yesterday, at the Bogor hotel where they were taken by the International Organisation for Migration, they could only sit in shock, staring at nothing. Many have open wounds that are already starting to fester. Some wailed uncontrollably. More have been living in Indonesia for several years and have unsuccessfully tried to reach Australia on other boats. Almost all of those who boarded the boat were Iraqis who had been living for several years in Iran. But there were also Iranians, Afghans, Pakistanis and a small group of Algerians. More than 30 of those on board are believed to have already been assessed by the UNHCR to be genuine refugees with a well-founded fear of persecution if they were to return to their own country. One of the survivors, a man of about 30 believed to be from Iraq, showed a card proving he had been assessed by the UNHCR to be a genuine refugee. Look, many of us have been waiting in Indonesia for years to be resettled in a third country, said the man, who asked not to be named. We have no option but to try to make these dangerous voyages. Loading Another of the survivors, Jalah Shohani, 35, from Iraq, wept as he appealed for help. A director of Seven West Media deployed a Walkley-award winning journalist to look into war crime allegations against the companys employee, former special forces soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, in a secret report later dubbed the McWilliam project. Lawyers for Mr Roberts-Smith in his defamation case against The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, now say journalist Ross Coultharts report for Seven commercial director Bruce McWilliam and chairman Kerry Stokes should not be released to the newspapers, arguing it is protected by legal professional privilege, which keeps communication between lawyers and clients confidential. Then governor-general Quentin Bryce, awards the VC for Australia to Ben Roberts-Smith at Campbell Barracks, Perth, in 2011. Credit:ADF The inner workings of how Seven responded to the allegations against Mr Roberts-Smith, who held a senior executive position at the company, is part of the broader defamation case in which Mr Roberts-Smith is suing the Nine-owned publications over a series of stories that allege he committed murders while on deployment to Afghanistan. Mr Roberts-Smith, who has stepped aside from his position as general-manager at Seven in Queensland while he fights the case, denies all wrongdoing. The Age and Herald are relying on a defence of truth. Operations including plastic surgery and joint replacements are likely to restart in NSW from next week, after the closure of vaccination clinics and COVID-19 wards free hundreds of private hospital staff to return to regular duties. Health Minister Brad Hazzard said discussions were under way to resume all categories of elective surgery from next week, as the number of COVID-19 hospitalisations continued to decline. Health Minister Brad Hazzard says currently restricted elective surgery will likely resume next week. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer There is likely to be a big increase from October 25, he said. Before we make formal announcements we are still working through things with our 15 local health districts, but as Health Minister I am extremely keen to get back to a more normalised approach to elective surgery. Growing up amid the bustle of Chinatown, second-generation restaurant owner Alan Chu laments what he believes amounts to neglect of one of Sydneys best-known areas. Its a historical site, but it doesnt feel like its got that treatment. It just feels really neglected, the owner of Mother Chus Taiwanese restaurant said. There is always talk, but there is not enough done about it. Mother Chus owner Alan Chu peers through the window from his restaurants kitchen in Chinatown. Credit:Kate Geraghty When a China travel ban was imposed in February last year to stop the spread of COVID-19, Chinatown and other once-thriving Asian food districts in Sydney were turned into ghost towns, devastating businesses. More than 20 months later, Chinatowns Dixon Street mall was quiet at lunchtime on Friday, despite the easing of COVID-19 restrictions earlier in the week. Queensland will be reopen to all other Australia states by Christmas, as health authorities urge all Queenslanders to get vaccinated before then. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced November 19 as the date given for Queensland to hit 70 per cent of its population fully vaccinated at which point travel would be allowed again from hotspots, notably Victoria and NSW, with some conditions. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces the state will reopen before Christmas, urging Queenslanders to get vaccinated before then. Credit:Matt Dennien December 17 has been locked in as the expected date for 80 per cent of people double-dosed, which would see a further easing of restrictions. Ms Palaszczuk said the time had come for a more definite roadmap for the states reopening, after weeks of calls for her to give people certainty. Parked cars take up more than one-fifth of Melbournes shopping strips, and planners from RMIT and Monash University say the land should be permanently handed to the citys pedestrians and on-street diners. A working paper on streetscapes and road users which found cars took up more than their fair share of space comes as local governments prepare to support dining parklets on top of parking spaces once outdoor trading resumes this month as part of the COVID-19 recovery. Researcher Chris De Gruyter says on-street parking should be converted where suitable. Credit:Paul Jeffers The Victorian government on Monday announced a $54.5 million Outdoor Economy Package to help support businesses and councils provide the infrastructure and support for outdoor trading. It includes a $40 million COVIDSafe Outdoor Activation Fund to help councils transform more outdoor areas and $14.5m of grants worth $2000 each for businesses, community organisations, not-for-profits and trader associations who spend at least that much supporting outdoor entertainment. Tens of thousands of Melbourne prep students returned to school on Monday morning after a 74-day absence, in a staged return to face-to-face learning that has been fast-tracked to account for Victorias rapidly growing vaccination rate. Brunswick prep students Eleni (left) and Zara embrace as they return to school on Monday morning after 74 days of remote learning. Credit:Eddie Jim Schools were also given new directions on how to manage confirmed COVID-19 cases in their communities, with double vaccinated close contacts no longer forced to isolate for 14 days. Instead, secondary students who are primary close contacts and who have had two jabs will be free to return to classes after a day six test. Primary school students and unvaccinated students must isolate for 14 days, the Department of Education and Training told schools on Monday. The public hearings are part of an inquiry called Operation Watts into allegations of corrupt conduct involving Victorian public officers, including members of parliament. Todays hearings have concluded and will be livestreamed again tomorrow from 10.30am. Its being run jointly by the Victorian Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and the Victorian Ombudsman and its remit includes allegations of branch stacking in the Victorian Labor Party, as first revealed in an investigation by The Age and 60 Minutes last year. Branch stacking is an organised method of accumulating internal power in a party by recruiting, and usually paying the fees for, new members. But its much more pointed than just that. The real question is whether public officers, including Victorian members of parliament, are engaging in corrupt conduct by directing ministerial or electorate office staff to perform partypolitical work when they should instead be doing ministerial or electorate work. It will also look at whether public money given by the Victorian government as grants to community associations, has been redirected and misused to fund partypolitical activities, or for any other improper purposes. It will ask if ministers or others involved in granting the funds have dishonestly performed their functions or knowingly or recklessly breached public trust. The inquiry will look into whether any public officer, their families or their associates, received a personal benefit from these things, and looks at what systems and controls are in place to monitor these money flows. The hearing is expected to go for at least four weeks. Its overseen by IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich, QC, and run by counsel assisting Chris Carr, SC. The easing of Melbournes lockdown, ahead of schedule, announced by the Premier on the weekend, was accompanied by an audible sigh of relief from most. But from health workers there was a sigh of resignation because they expect to have to deal with a surge in the number of people going to hospital when there is the equivalent of one of Melbournes major hospitals full of people with COVID-19 already and the number of people dying with COVID. Victorian Premier Dan Andrews announcing the end of lockdown. Credit:Penny Stephens Melburnians are rightly proud of their stamina in enduring yet another lengthy lockdown, necessary to reduce demand on the health system caused by the spread of the Delta variant from NSW back in early August. It has been hard, and the partial return of Melbournes cafe and pub culture is welcomed by business and consumers alike. So, too, we welcome the increased number of people we can have at home, not to mention the opportunity to have our first proper haircut in months. However, remember you cannot travel between Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Central Coast and Shellharbour and the rest of NSW until November 1 when the metro/country divide comes down. You are still not welcome in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory or the ACT if your trip is deemed non-essential. I am in metro Sydney. What are my options? You can go to either Melbourne or regional Victoria from Wednesday if youre fully vaccinated, and theres no need to quarantine, isolate or get tested for COVID-19 when you get there. Victorian authorities announced on Tuesday it would scrap all NSW red zones from 11.59pm, with Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Shellharbour and Wollongong downgraded to orange zones, and all other regional areas in NSW downgraded to green zones. They announced that while people coming from the NSW orange zones would have to isolate until they received a negative COVID-19 test result once they arrived in Victoria if they were not fully vaccinated, those who were fully vaccinated would not have to get tested or isolate. This means after 11.59pm on October 19, if you have had two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and you have been in the Sydney area (which will become an orange zone), you can enter Victoria on an orange zone permit without any quarantine or testing requirements, Victorias Chief Health Officer said. People who are not fully vaccinated entering on an orange zone permit must isolate on arrival, get tested within 72 hours, and stay isolated until they receive a negative result. You could go to Canberra if youre prepared to undergo 14 days quarantine when you get there. From November 1, youll be free to get out to the rest of your state if youre fully vaccinated. But the borders of Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory remain closed to you. I live in regional NSW. Where can I go? You are still shut out of metro Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Central Coast and Shellharbour, but you will be allowed back in from November 1 if youre double-vaxxed. You can travel from orange zones of regional NSW to Victoria, if youre fully vaxxed with no isolation or quarantine requirements. But if you are in a regional or rural area that has been designated a red zone by Victorian authorities, you must isolate for 72 hours on arrival and get tested. A trip to Canberra will entail a 14-day period of quarantine, and you are still not allowed to travel to Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. Where can I travel to from Canberra? You can go into either regional NSW or Sydney but not between the two with no bureaucracy, and you can take a trip to either Melbourne or regional Victoria again, youll have to choose which one if you are fully vaccinated. But you remain shut out of Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. The electric car revolution has swept through Norway, transforming the countrys car market. Only 10 years ago, diesel cars accounted for 75 per cent of new sales in Norway. Today they make up just 2.3 per cent. In Australia, less than 1 per cent of cars sold in 2020 were electric. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Liberal colleagues he will forge ahead with a cut to carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 in a crucial call on climate policy that cannot be blocked by a small group of opponents in the Nationals party room. Mr Morrison said the climate target would be decided by federal cabinet without legislation in Parliament, making it clear rebel MPs will not stop the government from making the target a binding pledge at the upcoming United Nations climate summit in Glasgow. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government would push on with a net zero by 2050 target, despite protestations from some Nationals MPs. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce warned of a ripple effect through the Coalition if he and his party were forced to submit to net zero, but others in his party room said the target was likely to gain majority support after days of wrangling. The Nationals are demanding more spending on regional Australia, a long-term plan for jobs and a willingness to explore nuclear energy amid talk of a climate policy package costing billions of dollars. Good afternoon and thank you for reading our live coverage of the second day of the ICACs ten-day hearing into allegations relating to former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and former NSW MP Daryl Maguire. Ms Berejiklian and Mr Maguire were in a secret relationship between about 2015 and at least 2018, the ICAC heard last year. Contact between the pair did not cease until September last year. Gladys Berejiklian and Daryl Maguire were in a relationship between 2015 and 2018. Credit:Steven Siewert, James Brickwood The corruption watchdog is now examining two state government grants or promises totalling millions of dollars that were made to two organisations in Mr Maguires electorate between 2016 and 2018 while Ms Berejiklian was treasurer and later premier. As we have noted throughout the blog, Ms Berejiklian has denied any wrongdoing. She has yet to give evidence at the inquiry, which is ongoing and has not made any findings to date. Here is a recap of the evidence heard at the ICAC today: Former NSW Office of Sport executive director Paul Doorn agreed it would have been a red flag if he had known that former NSW Liberal MP Daryl Maguire was in a relationship with then-NSW treasurer Gladys Berejiklian when he was pushing in 2016 for a multimillion-dollar grant for an organisation in his electorate of Wagga Wagga. Mr Doorn told the ICAC that the Office of Sport, a state government agency, didnt think the proposal to upgrade facilities at the Australian Clay Target Association in Wagga Wagga stacked up on its merits and the office had given it a low priority. The corruption watchdog heard Mr Maguire had written to two successive Sport Ministers, in 2012 and 2016, seeking funding for the proposal. In late 2016, the then NSW Sport Minister, Stuart Ayres, asked the Office of Sport to prepare an urgent submission for government funding for the Australian Clay Target Association to be submitted to the governments expenditure review committee (ERC). The office had one day to prepare the submission. Mr Ayres, who is not accused of wrongdoing, is now Trade and Industry Minister and is expected to give evidence at the ICAC later this week. Paul Doorn departs the ICAC after giving evidence today. He is not accused of wrongdoing. Credit:Janie Barrett The ICAC has heard that Ms Berejiklian as NSW treasurer approved the final version of the funding submission, which was considered by the ERC on December 14, 2016. The ERC subsequently approved a conditional grant to the association of $5.5 million. Counsel assisting the ICAC, Scott Robertson, tendered some documents today relating to witnesses who are not expected to give evidence during the public hearings over the next eight days. This included an email on December 6, 2016, from a Yogi Savania in NSW Treasury to Josh Milner, also in Treasury, that said, in part: FYI Josh. Could you try and get her hands on this from OOS [Office of Sport]. I spoke to Zach re this. The treasurer [Berejiklian] has requested this be brought forward and has indicated an inclination to support the proposal. Mr Robertson said the email related to the proposed grant for the Australian Clay Target Association. Ms Berejiklian has yet to give evidence about whether the email accurately reflected her views at the time. Mike Baird is not accused of wrongdoing. He will give evidence at the ICAC on Wednesday. Credit:Christopher Pearce A former strategy adviser in the NSW government, Zach Bentley, said in a private hearing at the ICAC this year that he believed Nigel Blunden, who was former Premier Mike Bairds chief of strategy, queried why we were giving funding to a clay target association in ... a relatively safe seat. Mr Baird was premier at the time of the grant in 2016. Mr Bentley, who is not accused of any wrongdoing and is not expected to be called to give evidence during the public hearing, gave the evidence on April 29 this year and the transcript of his private hearing was uploaded to the corruption watchdogs website this afternoon after the hearing adjourned. Mr Bentley also told the ICAC that Daryl [Maguire] would be quite, at times, abrupt and call you to, you know, to the effect of Mate, Stuarts office is holding up whatever particular proposal. Get the effing thing sorted. You know, I really need this for my electorate. Both Mr Baird and Mr Blunden are expected to give evidence at the ICAC tomorrow. Neither is accused of wrongdoing. This is Michaela Whitbourn signing off on the blog for today. Ill be back with you from 10am tomorrow. The litigation funding gift to Christian Porter, prompting his resignation as a federal minister, raised concerns about the perception of influence-buying, transparency of political payments and levels of public standards. Similar concerns apply to our political donations and election funding model in NSW and across Australia. It is in need of fundamental reform that might generate greater public confidence and trust in our political system. An effective democracy requires public faith in government decision-making, free from undue influence. Understandably, people expect politicians to act honestly and in the best interests of their constituents, not themselves or their mates. However, when politicians accept donations they risk being influenced by donor wishes, or at least the perception of enhanced access and influence. When politicians accept donations they risk being influenced by donor wishes or at least the perception of it. Credit:James Davies Even in NSW, where we already have the strictest donations regime in Australia, ICAC hearings and media reports have highlighted donation controversies occurring across the political spectrum. The revised model should include an opt-out provision, whereby candidates, parties or sitting politicians can choose not to receive donations. Where opting out occurs, increased public funding should be made available. Under such an arrangement, candidates and political parties would continue to be entitled to a base level of public funding, calculated by reference to the number of first preference votes attracted. However, an additional tier of public funding for election costs would also be available to those who opted not to accept any political donations. West Australian gas giant Woodside is considering building a solar thermal demonstration plant in California with US tech firm Heliogen. Woodside on Monday announced it had approved Heliogen to start buying equipment for a five-megawatt commercial-scale plant to be built in California, with a final commitment to construction expected in 2022. Solar thermal technology can offer 24-hour power, unlike solar photovoltaic panels. Heliogens technology uses computer-controlled mirrors to concentrate sunlight at the top of a solar tower to generate heat that can be used to manufacture products, such as cement or steel, or to generate power. Woodside chief executive Meg ONeill said teaming up with Heliogen would help Woodside meet customer requirements for low-cost, lower-carbon energy. Its hard to see into the Chinese Communist Partys politics. That doesnt mean it doesnt have any. Only that theyre well concealed. But every now and then, the careful stage management slips and the red curtain twitches aside unexpectedly. Weve been treated to a few revealing moments in the past few weeks. President Xi Jinping projects an air of serene imperial command. He has the most comprehensive grip on power of any Chinese president since Mao, many sinologists tell us, as he prepares to enter a third five-year term. A level of paranoia may lie beneath the air of serene imperial command the Chinese President projects. Credit:AP But it seems that not all of the courtiers are as submissive as they appear to be, and Xi not quite as calm. Or, as the Lowy Institutes Richard McGregor puts it: We have election season; China has selection season, and we are moving into that now. Xi has a ton of enemies to handle. He cant just coast into a third term on the basis of his personality cult. Foreign media sometimes describe him as president for life. But while he removed the two-term limit on the presidency, he still needs party approval to win a third term when the Party Congress meets next October. The work of one woman was, it turned out, the equivalent of the labours of three men. That was at least the case for Spains top writer of crime thrillers, a professor and mother who wrote under the pseudonym Carmen Mola, supposedly to maintain her anonymity. The image presented by the authors on the Carmen Mola website. But on Friday night, at a ceremony to award the 1 million ($1,560,000) Planeta literary prize to Mola for her historical thriller The Beast, three men ascended the podium and claimed the award instead. Molas gripping, often-gory novels starring strong female protagonists have been likened to the work of Elena Ferrante, a pseudonym for a widely popular Italian writer. Moscow: Russia is shuttering its permanent mission to NATO and suspending the alliances liaison office in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday, further fraying the relationship between the organisation and the Kremlin. Moscows move comes less than two weeks after NATO expelled eight members of the Russian delegation, accusing them of working as undercover spies. NATOs early October move also cut the maximum size of the Russian delegation in half. A general view of the round table of National Security Advisors at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Credit:AP A NATO statement at the time said the alliance had strengthened our deterrence and defence in response to Russias aggressive actions, but added that it remains open for a meaningful dialogue. Official talks between NATO and Moscow had already been limited in recent years. Communication will be further reduced now with Russia pulling out all of its diplomats from NATOs headquarters and revoking the accreditations for NATOs delegation in Moscow. Loading The data for [Russia] is absolutely unreliable, said Alexei Kouprianov, an independent analyst and biologist who last year organised a community of experts on social media, Watching COVID. He was fired from the St Petersburg campus of the Higher School of Economics in September 2020. As Putins government tightens political control in the country, the handling of the pandemic has largely been left to the regions. The pandemic has exposed fragilities in a system in which regional officials conceal problems for fear of losing their posts and critics even analytical experts are sidelined. A demonstrator holds a poster reading No political repressions during an anti-vaccination protest in the centre of in Moscow in July. Credit:AP Before the pandemic, life expectancy in Russia was 73 years, whereas it was 84 in countries including Australia, Italy and Spain, and its spending on health care was 5.6 per cent of GDP compared with 16.8 per cent in the United States and more than 10 per cent in Japan and much of Europe, according the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Russian authorities say their handling of the pandemic has been better than the performance of many Western countries. But with 43 million Russians fully vaccinated by October 14, according to the Health Ministry, about 30 per cent of the 144.4 million population, Russias vaccination rate is one of the worlds lowest, according to data from the Britain-based Global Change Data Lab. Russias rate compares with 56 per cent in the United States, 65 per cent in Britain and 72 per cent in Canada. Recently, official Russian rhetoric has shifted. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on October 11 that mortality rates were high because of the unacceptably low level of vaccination, adding that all conditions have been provided to citizens to save their lives by getting inoculated. Since Russian parliamentary elections last month, officials and state media have amplified warnings about the dangers of the coronavirus. The daily coronavirus death toll hit a record 1002 on Saturday, and the country surpassed 33,000 daily infection cases, according to state-approved figures. A similar number of deaths 997 were recorded on Sunday. Actually, excess mortality now is more than 2000 people each day on average, claimed the demographer Raksha, who was fired by the official statistical agency Rosstat last year for exposing alleged undercounting of daily deaths by the reporting agency Rospotrebnadzor. Hospitals are overloaded, said Andrei Konoval, the head of the independent Union of Medical Workers. Ambulance drivers were ordered to work 24-hours shifts in Yekaterinburg, the independent Znak media reported. Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko on Thursday called on retired doctors to return to work. A woman touches the sculpture Sad Angel, a memorial for St Petersburgs medical workers who died from coronavirus during their work. Credit:AP Loading Denis Protsenko, a pro-Kremlin chief of one of Moscows main COVID-19 hospitals, sounded the alarm on Friday, calling the situation close to critical. Guys, the coronavirus is not a joke or a fiction. It is surprising that in the second year of the pandemic, people still need to be convinced of this, he said, calling on medical colleagues to start talking in a frank and unadorned way to our compatriots. Raksha said he thinks that inaccurate statistics sent a message to Russians that the pandemic had been beaten and therefore left space for COVID conspiracy disinformation and anti-vaccination propaganda to flood Russian social media. In Russia, the COVID dissidents won, he said. Kouprianov said COVID-19 dissidents targeting the Watching COVID social media page often cited official statistics to argue that nothing special is happening. Raksha says he never uses Russias official daily statistics on infections and deaths, and I dont recommend anyone to do it. In Russia, a regional official typically just draws a line by hand to flatten the curve, he said. They are just making up numbers, literally. One of his prized possessions is a Soviet statistical yearbook from 1987, one of only 100 copies from the period in 1974 to 1988 when demographic statistics were kept secret. He sees a parallel now: The few Russians who follow the social media pages of reliable independent analysts can find a more accurate picture. Another independent data expert, Alexander Dragan, monitors regional coronavirus surges by tracking searches on Yandex, Russias search engine, and on Google. The correlation with excess mortality has been striking, he said. Loading Tatiana Mikhailova an economist and expert in data analysis, formerly of the prestigious Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, discovered a pattern in many Russian regions reporting on daily cases. Instead of the familiar pandemic curve, the overall case numbers swung wildly in regional reports. Numbers for the main city in a region went up one day and the rest of the regions numbers went down as if the city and the wider region were taking turns in experiencing surges. I discovered this strange pattern in many regions that basically told me that the official statistics are lying, she said. They just underreport the cases that they have so as not to show the growth of cases. After she published her graphs, the academy blocked her from giving interviews, and she resigned rather than be silenced. If you are working on issues that are critical for society, you have to speak to the press because you have to make your results known to the public, Mikhailova said. I think its your duty as a scientist. Loading Doctors are afraid to speak out about the crisis, said Semyon Galperin, the head of the Doctors Defence League, an independent association. He said the crisis was sharpened by Russian health system reforms under which more than half the nations hospitals and clinics shut down between 2000 and 2015 and thousands of medical workers left the profession. The result of these reforms is a broken system, he said. Unreliable information about the pandemic and vaccines made it worse, he added. We dont know what is going on. Nobody can say what the exact situation is, he said. Nobody trusts anyone anymore. Aid workers in the earthquake and tsunami ravaged Solomon Islands on Thursday said relief efforts were chaotic and warned of growing health risks for thousands left homeless in squalid camps. The United Nations put the death toll from Monday's magnitude 8.0 quake and tsunami at 34. Solomons officials have previously said 28 deaths were confirmed, but more were expected. Authorities have estimated the number of homeless at around 5,600. There has been no official tally of the missing. "We are under-resourced, we need bigger vehicles," said disaster official Jonathan Taisia at the main Red Cross centre in hard-hit Gizo town, as a chartered helicopter landed with the latest load of tarps and food. But much of the aid coming into Gizo wasn't being distributed beyond depots because of vehicle shortages, and a lack of workers to load trucks or clear debris that has severed road links to outlying villages, he said. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Saturday, October 17, 2021, around 05:00 pm, Central Dispatch received several calls concerning a male who had allegedly drowned in a swimming pool on Sugar Hill road. Several police patrols and paramedics were directed to the scene. At the location, it emerged that several persons had already pulled the victim out of the pool and were administering first aid. Shortly after the paramedics appeared on the scene and continued giving the victim Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but could not revive the victim. It was later determined that the victim had died supposedly of drowning He was later brought over to the funeral home. Respecting the victims privacy and the family, no further information is provided concerning the identification of the deceased. The Sint Maarten Police Force is expressing its sympathy to the family of the deceased. KPSM Press Release. PHILIPSBURG:--- In recognition of Rotarys Basic Education and Literacy Month, observed in September, the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset honored 5 after-school educators who exemplify the Rotary ideal of Service Above Self. The respective management teams of the after-school programs were tasked with selecting one teacher, who would be the recipient of a fruit basket, lunch, health and pedicure vouchers, a bottle of wine, and a certificate of appreciation from the club. The club has been highlighting teachers with surprise appearances for the past 3 years. The members of Rotary Sunset, accompanied by local entertainer, Ricky Da Phox performed surprise appearances at the various establishments chanting personalized melodies to the selected teachers, as the children in their care cheered them on. The five after-school educators honored for their decades of service, selfless dedication, and advocating the importance of basic education, literacy, and care were: Tr. Rachel Macnack of Creative Learning After-school Program Tr. Heather Williams better known as Tr. Abby of Young Achievers Early Stimulation, Preschool and After-school Program Tr. Getsy Adriana Moreno better known as Tr. Pamela of No Kidding with Our Kids Foundation After-school Program Tr. Nicole Bertie better known as Tanty Nicole of Les Choupinets Tr. Esther Louis-Jean of 721 Kids Foundation After-school Program "Too often such teachers go unnoticed and we as a club wanted to award those who have made an enormous impact in the lives of their students through innovative teaching, advocates on the importance of basic education and literacy, assist colleagues in executing their respective roles and are community service minded," Service Projects Chair Jaida Nisbett stated. The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset would like to thank the various management teams for their selection of educators. The club would also like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Edible Gifts N Things for the lovely fruit baskets. A special appreciation is extended to Tee Zan, Mr. Fries & Tingz SXM, Pineapple Pete, Envious Nails by Angela, Angelic Touch Day Spa and Carita Day Spa St. Maarten for sponsoring pedicure, health and lunch gift vouchers to all recipients and Timeless Spirits for their kind sponsorship of bottled wine. The club would also like to thank Ricky Da Phox for being present at every presentation and serenading to all recipients with their very own personalized song. A heartfelt thanks is extended to all educators for their continued hard work, years of service to our students and being the backbone of our educational system. The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset meets every second and fourth Monday of the month at Carl N Sons Unique Inn and Conference Facilities in Colebay at 7:30pm. Due to Covid19, the club currently meets via Zoom. The club can be contacted via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via the official Facebook page at facebook.com/rotarysxmsunset. PHILIPSBURG:--- Rather than complaining, it is wiser to research what options there are for continuing your education. This is applicable especially to graduates from Sundial school, Milton Peters College VSBO, and the St. Maarten Academy PSVE. Consequently, the Student Support Services Division (SSSD) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport will be hosting a workshop entitled My PBL, PKL and TKL Education and Beyond on Tuesday, October 18, 2021, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM to highlight the abovementioned. According to SSSD officials, the graduates from these vocational schools have the possibility of continuing their education in St. Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, the Netherlands, United States, or Canada, but they have to be aware of what their options are and what it takes to be successful. The SSSD officials added that many students in Voorbereidend Secundair Beroepsonderwijs (VSBO) or Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education (PSVE) PBL, PKL, and TKL often need clarity about their options after graduating. VSBO is offered at the Milton Peters College (PBL, PKL and TKL streams) and at the Sundial School (PBL and PKL streams). PSVE is offered at the St. Maarten Academy PSVE (PBL and PKL streams). For many students or graduates of the VSBO/ PSVE secondary school systems on the island, the question of What is next? after their education, often poses a challenge. During this workshop, students will realize that there are many studies or educational opportunities for them and they have to be determined, focused, and have the aptitude to successfully complete the requirements at the next level, the SSSD officials said. The workshop is open to students in the last two years of the PBL, PKL, and TKL sections and recent graduates. Parents are also encouraged to attend this workshop to get an understanding of what the options are for their children who are being educated in these systems. There are ways and means for these graduates to continue their studies if they wish, but all these different opportunities have specific requirements and the graduates should be aware of these requirements. Attendants of this workshop will also be explained some of the technicalities associated with moving from vocational to academic education as well as moving off-island to study. The path from one educational system to another may not be straight, but possible, and it is up to the student to take advantage and apply themselves accordingly, the SSSD officials noted. The My PBL, PKL, and TKL Education and Beyond workshop will highlight both opportunities to study in English as well as in Dutch. Students are encouraged to register in advance for the workshop so an invitation can be emailed to them. Students can also click Join on the link on the Student Support Services Facebook page. If parents or students have any questions on these workshops, they can contact the Student Support Services Division at telephone 543-1235 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information. The Student Support Services Division (SSSD) provides services to students referred by the schools such as psychological services, counseling services, social work services, educational diagnostic services, speech-language pathology services. SSSD also provides general services such as career services for students, parent sessions, and crisis response. Robert Syphax, passed away Thursday, November 18, 2021 in Somerset, Kentucky. Arrangements are pending and will be announced later by Pulaski Funeral Home. Pulaski Funeral Home is Honored to assist the family with arrangements. For more information, contact Claire LaCanne, your local Ag Extension Educator for Rice and Steele Counties. You can reach Claire at 507-330-0447 or lacanne@umn.edu. October's full moon, known as the Hunter's Moon, will occur at 10:57 a.m. EDT (1457 GMT) on Oct. 20, according to NASA. For New York City observers, the moon will set that morning at 7:01 a.m. and rise that evening at 6:25 p.m. local time. The moon sets the morning of Oct. 21 at 8:03 a.m. Another phenomenon that will accompany the full moon is the Orionid meteor shower, one of the most anticipated annual displays of "shooting stars" although this year the bright moonlight will outshine all but the brightest meteors. Related: Orionid meteor shower 2021: When, where & how to see it The Orionids are named after the constellation in which they appear to originate: Orion, the hunter. Orion is a winter constellation and one of the most distinctive with its three-star belt and collection of bright stars. The Orionids generally produce about 20 meteors per hour, and it is active from the last days of September all the way to the first week of November, though activity varies a bit from year to year. Orionid meteors are known for being fast and leaving persistent trails of ionized gas as they hurtle through Earth's atmosphere. The meteors will appear to come from the northeastern side of Orion, which gets high enough to see in mid-northern latitudes by about 10:30 p.m. local time. At that point the moon will still be high in the sky from New York city it will be about 40 degrees above the east-southeast horizon. Meteors are tiny particles of rock and ice that are as small as sand grains. Most meteor showers originate with comets; as comets swing around the sun they leave trails of dust and ice in their wake, and when the Earth passes near the comet's orbit, some of those particles hit the atmosphere and burn up, creating meteor showers. The Orionids originate with Halley's comet, which becomes visible to the naked eye every 76 years it is due back in 2062. The annual Orionids meteor shower is produced when the Earth crosses through a cloud of small particles dropped by repeated passages of Comet Halley in its orbit. The shower runs from Sept. 23 to Nov. 27 and will peak between midnight and dawn on Thursday, Oct. 21. (Image credit: Starry Night) When it becomes officially full the moon will be in the constellation Cetus, the whale, but by 10 p.m. local time on the night of Oct. 20 it will have moved into the constellation Pisces, the fishes. The moon will reach a maximal altitude of about 54 degrees at 12:27 a.m. (Oct. 21) in New York City. Moving farther south, the moon's altitude will increase, and the timing of moonrise and moonset will change. An observer in Miami, for example, will see the just-past-full moon rise at 7:05 p.m. local time on Oct. 20 and reach a maximum altitude of about 75 degrees at 1:34 a.m. on Oct. 21, according to Time and Date. In Quito, Ecuador, the moon rises at 6:17 p.m. local time and reaches an altitude of 79 degrees at 12:27 a.m. on Oct. 21. If you want to see the full moon close to the zenith, you have to go to Panama City, Panama at 12:33 a.m. local time on Oct. 21 the moon will be at an altitude of 88.4 degrees. Farther south, the moon starts to drop in altitude again, but this time it is towards the northern rather than southern horizon. In Melbourne, Australia, the full moon will occur at 1:56 a.m. local time on Oct. 21. When the moon reaches its highest point in the sky at 1:07 a.m. it will be about 44 degrees high similar to the view from New York City, though it will be in the opposite direction. From the Southern Hemisphere the moon also appears to change position against the background stars slightly, because the moon is close enough to Earth that separating two observers by a distance approximating Earth's diameter say the distance between New York and Melbourne will cause a visible shift. Instead of Cetus, the moon will appear to be in the constellation Aquarius, the water bearer when it is full. The change in is less than a degree, but that's just enough to put the moon over the "border" between constellations. Visible planets On Oct. 20, the sun will rise in New York City at 7:12 a.m. local time. Mercury rises about an hour and a half before that, at 5:46 a.m local time, according to the skywatching site Heavens Above. By about 6:30 a.m. the planet will be just visible in the predawn sky, about 8 degrees above the east-southeast horizon. The sky will be getting light; Mercury will be hard to see. Closer to the equator the situation is a little better; while the sun rises early in Bogota, Colombia, (5:41 a.m. on Oct. 20) Mercury rises at 4:40 a.m. local time and is still only about 8 degrees above the horizon at 5:10 a.m. local time. That said, as one moves south the path the sun takes across the sky makes a steeper angle with the horizon; this makes tropical sunrises and sunsets quick, and the sky is a bit darker in the hour before sunrise than in more northern (or southern) climes. On Monday, Oct. 25, the planet Mercury will reach a maximum angle of 18 degrees from the sun, and peak visibility for the current morning apparition. Look for the innermost planet shining brightly, very low in the east-southeastern sky between about 6:15 and 7 a.m. in your local time zone. In a telescope (inset) Mercury will exhibit a 57%-illuminated, waxing gibbous phase. Mercury's position above the nearly upright morning ecliptic (green line) will make this an excellent apparition for Northern Hemisphere observers, but a poor one for those located near the equator, and farther south. (Image credit: Starry Night) Venus will still be an "evening star" in the constellation Scorpius, the scorpion, setting at 8:09 p.m. local time in New York on Oct. 20, according to Heavens Above. Sunset is at 6:07 p.m., and at that point Venus is still about 15 degrees high in the southwest. Venus is bright enough that it is one of the first night-sky objects, besides the moon, to become visible as the sky darkens; by about 7 p.m. it is still high enough about 7 degrees to be easily seen. Southern Hemisphere locales will have a much better view. In Melbourne, for example, Venus doesn't set until about 11:39 p.m. local time. Sunset is at 7:42 p.m., and the planet should become visible by about 8:15 p.m. when it is still some 38 degrees above the western horizon. Mars will be too close to the sun to be visible; it rises at 6:54 in New York on Oct. 20, just 18 minutes ahead of sunrise. The planet will become more prominent in the coming months, as it moves higher in the predawn sky. Jupiter and Saturn will both be in the constellation Capricornus, the sea goat, and both planets will be about 30 degrees high in the south an hour after sunset in New York City. Saturn will be to Jupiter's right. The full moon will make the stars of Capricornus harder to spot, but the contrast with the two planets will be that much greater they will be the only "stars" in the region visible from many urban areas. Both planets set after midnight; Saturn first at 12:23 a.m. local time on Oct. 21, Jupiter follows at 1:41 a.m. local time in New York City. Stars and constellations From mid-northern latitudes, looking directly up from the two giant planets, observers will see the stars Altair, Vega and Deneb to the left. These three stars form the Summer Triangle. By 11:30 p.m. local time in mid-northern latitudes the "base" of the triangle, consisting of Altair and Vega, appears almost parallel with the western horizon. Turning left from the Triangle will lead observers to the south, where the "wet region" of the sky, which is full of water-themed stellar groupings, will be front and center. Cetus and Pisces will be near their high points, and just to the west of Cetus is Aquarius. Since the moon will be full, all of these will be harder to make out as the moon is so bright it tends to wash out fainter stars. If you have a clear southern horizon by around midnight you can see the bright star Fomalhaut due south, below and to the left (east) of Jupiter. Fomalhaut is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Piscis Austrinus, and a relatively close neighbor to the sun, only about 25 light-years away. Moving up (northward) from Cetus one can see the Great Square of Pegasus, which connects to the constellation Andromeda, which is not only the home of the eponymous galaxy (visible as a smudge of light, though the full moon makes it harder to spot) but also the woman who was saved by Perseus from Cetus the leviathan, and taken away on a flying horse for which Pegasus is named. The Andromeda Galaxy is easily visible on moonless nights, but with a full moon it is more difficult; it sometimes helps to look away from the moon for a few minutes. The bright winter constellations become prominent in late October, with Orion and Taurus, the bull above the horizon in the east by midnight along with Gemini, the twins and Auriga, the charioteer; the four form a group of relatively bright stars that can be easily found by looking to Orion's belt. How the "Hunter's Moon" got its name The full moon of October, sometimes referred to as the Hunter's Moon, rises over the small Portuguese village of Montes Altos in this photo by Jose Zarcos Palma. He captured this photo from a hilltop in the nearby town of Moreanes on Oct. 24, 2018. (Image credit: Courtesy of Jose Zarcos Palma) While the October full moon is often called the Hunter's Moon, traditional names for the full moon reflect local environment and history; according to the Ontario Native Literacy Coalition, the Ojibwe people called the tenth full moon the "Falling Leaves Moon" or Biinaakwe Giizis. This full moon can also fall in September, lunations are 28.5 days long; the number of lunations in a given 10-month period can vary. The Cree people called it "Pimahamowipisim " (Migrating Moon) as that is when many animals in their traditional territory in Canada move as they anticipate winter. In China, the full moon falls on the 15th day of the ninth month in the year of the Ox, which means it is Juyue, or Chrysanthemum month. Muslims celebrate Muhammed's birthday during the days just before and after the full moon of the third month in the Islamic calendar. The date varies by country, as they have differing traditions (and much as Orthodox Christians and Catholics celebrate Christmas on differing days, Shia and Sunni Muslims use different dates to commemorate the Prophet's birth). In Bangladesh, India and Indonesia the date will fall on Oct. 20, the same date as the full moon. Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates celebrate it a day later, while Iran's public holiday is the 24th. Other Muslim-majority nations use Oct. 18 and Oct. 19. You can follow Space.com on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Release Date Changed to 11th November 2022 Release Date Announnced BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER releasing on July 8, 2022. pic.twitter.com/G9DiQ1KfUF DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 3, 2021 10th January 2021 - Feige Confirms T'Challa Will Not Be Recast Source: Deadline Were not going to have a CG Chadwick and were not recasting TChalla. Ryan Coogler is working very hard right now on the script with all the respect and love and genius that he has, which gives us great solace, so it was always about furthering the mythology and the inspiration of Wakanda. Theres also the task of honoring and respecting the ongoing learnings and teachings from Chad as well. 24th August 2019 - Release Date Revealed Just announced at #D23Expo, Ryan Coogler returns to direct Marvel Studios BLACK PANTHER 2, in theaters May 6, 2022. pic.twitter.com/9zfcFzOi6z Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 24, 2019 11th October 2018 - Ryan Coogler to Write & Direct Sequel STAMFORD The winner of the Nov. 2 mayoral election will become the head of a city that has grown into Connecticuts second-largest over the past decade. In separate interviews with Hearst Connecticut Media, Democratic state Rep. Caroline Simmons and unaffiliated candidate Bobby Valentine spoke about how they would approach development, housing and property taxes as mayor of the fastest-growing city in the state. Simmons said housing affordability is the top issue she hears about when she speaks with residents. I think were facing an affordability crisis right now whether youre a recent graduate who wants to live here and cant afford the rent on your first apartment, whether youre a working family struggling to afford a down payment on your first home or your mortgage payments, or youre a senior citizen looking to retire on a fixed income and ... your property taxes keep rising, she said. Even the below-market-rate units in the city are still so expensive, Simmons said. Valentine has also argued that the units arent truly affordable. Simmons said an increase in government subsidies would help, as would an increase in supply. A report published by the nonprofit Regional Plan Association earlier this year found that Stamford has 4,885 less affordable-to-renter units than it needs for people living between zero and 30 percent of the area median income. She also said city government should be better connecting residents to programs that are out there and fighting for more programs to help individuals that want to transition to homeownership, including down payment assistance programs. In addition, Simmons said Stamford could explore more creative housing models that incorporate, for instance, affordable housing and day care into one property. Such a building opened on Franklin Street two years ago. Both Simmons and Valentine said they are concerned about those who work in Stamford from teachers to restaurant staff to health care professionals being able to afford to live in the city. Lets face it we need more housing for people who work here, Valentine said. We need more ownership for people who want to live here. We have done a great job of providing space for people who can afford a couple thousand dollars a month and want to live in something from 800 to 1,200 square feet. But theres a lot more need than that. Valentine has said that his mayoral administration would provide incentives to developers to build more properties that can be owned, such as condominiums, and that are affordable for people with various income levels. >> Mold plagues Stamfords schools. How would mayoral hopefuls Simmons and Valentine tackle it? Of course, with ownership comes property tax bills. The candidates have indicated they would take similar steps to try to rein in property tax increases. Both have suggested that the city use zero-based budgeting instead of using the prior years budget as a baseline and that every municipal department be reviewed to find any inefficiencies. They also agree that a scheduled revaluation of Stamfords residential and commercial properties should be postponed, as Mayor David Martin has requested. State law mandates that municipalities complete a property revaluation every five years. But Martin has said he is concerned that an increase in home prices amid the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to a hefty tax hike for residential property owners in 2023. For seniors, specifically, Simmons said the city could consider expanding its existing tax relief program for the population or even freezing their tax increases. In terms of development overall, Simmons said more can be done to ensure that residents are a part of the process. I think a lot of communities and people feel that theyre not a part of the conversation or that their concerns arent addressed when it comes to growth and development, she said. So I want to make sure that were lifting up community voices. Last week, Valentine took to social media to outline his zoning priorities, saying he believes Stamford should opt out of a recently enacted state laws requirement that cities and towns allow so-called accessory dwelling units to be approved without a special permit or public hearing required. Simmons, who voted in favor of the legislation, noted that municipalities have until 2023 to opt out. Doing so would require a two-thirds vote by the Zoning Board and the Board of Representatives. I look forward to hearing community input on this and working with our boards on the process, she said. The Stamford mayoral election is Nov. 2. This story is part of a series delving into the biggest issues in Stamford with the two mayoral candidates: Caroline Simmons, a Democrat, and Bobby Valentine, who is running unaffiliated. Includes prior reporting by staff writer Veronica Del Valle. brianna.gurciullo@hearstmediact.com This might be the best case of bedhead youve ever seen. Chardonnay has fur going in every direction, but he pulls it off in the cutest way possible. This one-year-old Guinea pig has been friendly with his new human pals since arriving at the Connecticut Humane Society and is a good eater. He was even polite for a quick bath and nail trim, and during his veterinary exam. Chardonnay should have a large penned-in area in his new home so that he has plenty of room for hidey houses and toys, and for running around and exploring. Visit CThumane.org/adopt to learn more. An online application can be found in each pets profile. Plus, this month, you can make a difference for CHS pets like Chardonnay just by posting pictures of your pet on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. For every picture you post with #SNElovespets in the caption, Subaru of New England will donate $5 to CHS pets all of October. Maine State Police / Contributed FRYEBURG, MAINE A Waterbury man was fatally stabbed at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds in Maine last week by another Connecticut man, according to authorities, who say the two men knew each other. Just after 1 a.m. on Oct. 13, deputies with the Oxford Sheriffs Department responded to a 911 call about a man who was stabbed and was unresponsive at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds at 1181 Main St. in Fryeburg, Maine. STAMFORD The suspect charged in a 2012 Norwalk homicide will remain behind bars as he awaits trial after a judge denied a motion to cut his $1 million bond by more than half on Monday. This is the type of bond that is in the reasonable range for homicides, and I dont see a compelling circumstance to revisit it, Judge John Blawie told 26-year-old Hakeem Atkinson of Bridgeport in a hearing in Stamford Superior Court. Atkinson has been imprisoned for over four years since his arrest in the 2012 slaying of Joseph Jabs Bateman, 20, in Norwalk. According to his arrest affidavit, Atkinson was 16 years old when Bateman, 20, was shot to death in what police described at the time as ongoing violence among rival street gangs. Attorney John Gulash argued on Monday that Atkinson had no reason to flee if released on a reduced bond. He said his client never attempted to run from Connecticut in the past despite knowing for two years before his arrest on a murder charge that police were actively investigating him. Norwalk was more of a mindset that it wasnt a question of if he was going to be charged but a question of when they had their investigation completed. This was over an extended period of time and, again, what bodes well is he remained in the area and continued working, Gulash said. Gulash asked that Atkinsons bond be reduced to $400,000, an amount Atkinsons family intended to post by using his mothers life savings and her home as collateral. He argued that his client would also accept additional conditions of supervised probation and house arrest, if released on a lower bond. Assistant States Attorney Daniel Cummings, however, said Atkinson posed too serious a threat to public safety to be released on a reduced bond. For one, Cummings argued Atkinson had a history of violating probation in the past. Cummings also cited an incident in 2017 when Atkinsons cousin, Shawn Hunter, beat and attempted to intimidate a key witness in the murder case. Hunter later pleaded guilty to the offense. Given the significant exposure he faces, the violent nature of the crime and the threat to the public and the witnesses, a million-dollar bond is appropriate and the state would ask the court to leave it as set, Cummings said. Atkinsons case is pending on the Stamford Superior Courts trial list, which has been backed up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Batemans homicide can be traced to the August 2010 murder of Amos A.J. Brown, who was killed near the corner of Lexington Avenue and Olean Street in Norwalk in a drive-by shooting. Witnesses said Bateman was with Brown at the time of the shooting and returned fire at the passing vehicle, which contained a driver and two passengers. Brown was killed in what his family described as a calculated ambush, part of a series of violent incidents that started with the 2008 homicide of Tykwan Hunt, who was fatally stabbed after a fight at a house party. In May 2009, Brown was acquitted of killing Hunt. STAMFORD A 51-year-old city man who police say was behind seven commercial burglaries in just over a month was arrested Sunday. Capt. Richard Conklin said Fabio Martinez-Rodriguez, 51, of Stamford, was arrested by police around 3:30 a.m. following a reported break-in at a variety store in downtown Stamford. Police responded to a break-in at Parkview Variety, 233 Main St., at 3:15 a.m. The suspect, who was caught on camera, smashed the front door of the store and made off $237, Conklin said. Using surveillance footage from the store, police released a description of the suspect to all patrol officers and, within minutes, officers found a man fitting that description, later identified as Martinez-Rodriguez, walking down Atlantic Street. Conklin said Martinez-Rodriguez had cuts on his hand from the smashed window at the store, as well as $237 in his pockets. Martinez-Rodriguez was treated for the cuts to his hands and then arrested, according to Conklin. While in custody, Martinez-Rodriguez confessed to six other commercial burglaries, all of which involved smashing windows at local convenience stores and making off with money left in the register, over the past month, Conklin said. According to Conklin, Martinez-Rodriguez confessed to burglarizing businesses at 162 Grove St. on Sept. 11, 820 East Main St. on Sept. 24, 777 Atlantic St. on Sept. 24, 320 Elm St. on Oct. 5, 27 Bedford St. on Oct. 9 and 199 Main St. on Oct. 10. Martinez-Rodriguez was charged with third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny and criminal mischief in connection to Sundays break-in. Conklin said police are in the process of drafting arrest warrants tied to the previous six burglaries. Martinez-Rodriguez is being held on $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 1. Milton, PA (17847) Today Flurries or snow showers possible early. A mix of clouds and sun. High around 45F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low 24F. Winds light and variable. Terry Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi. JEFFERSON - Ruth Irene Gran, 90, passed peacefully on Monday, November 15, 2021, at the Jefferson Healthcare Center. Ruth was born in Saybrook Township on February 26, 1931, the daughter of James and Cora (Chapin) Woodworth. She worked many years for True Temper and was a longtime member of The most newly confirmed cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 from the last reporting were registered in Bucharest - 2,546 and the counties of Constanta - 678, Timis - 569, Brasov - 537, Galati - 521, Arges - 401, the Strategic Communication Group informed on Monday. The counties with the fewest new cases of COVID-19 were Covasna - 38, Vrancea - 40, Maramures - 44, Salaj - 60, Satu Mare - 69, Harghita - 77, Caras-Severin - 81. The capital has an incidence of 16.42 cases per thousand inhabitants, Agerpres informs. The county of Ilfov has the biggest case incidence of infection, cumulated at 14 days, with 17.03 cases per thousand inhabitants. High incidence is also recorded in the counties of Timis - 10.44 and Prahova - 9.18. All counties are in the red scenario (over three cases per thousand inhabitants) The Social Democratic Party (PSD) chair, Marcel Ciolacu, states that Dacian Ciolos' "ambition" to propose a "draft Government with zero chances of passing Parliament" means "a week lost." "A week lost = 2,000 dead: that's what Ciolos' ambition to propose a draft Government with zero chances of passing Parliament! When you speak of responsibility, but propose for [Ioana] Mihaila for Healthcare out of all people, the one who admitted her major failure in preparing hospitals for wave four of the pandemic, this is cynical to no end. When hundreds of Romanians die daily, and you hang on to senseless political negotiations, that shows a terrible lack of empathy towards the drama of thousands of families. When mathematics show you that your sketch of a Cabinet will garner the most votes against in the history of the Parliament, to insist like a lunatic to prolong the political crisis in full healthcare disaster means, ultimately, lack of responsibility. Political alliances are done and undone, the economy can be fixed, but the lives lost nobody will be able to turn back," wrote Ciolacu, on Monday, on Facebook. The Prime Minsister-designate Dacian Ciolos is expected to submit, on Monday, at the Parliament, the governing programme and the list of ministers, agerpres reports. The National Committee for Emergency Situations (CNSU) approved, on Monday, by a decision, the offer of international medical assistance through which the Republic of Moldova provides a medical team to support hospital units in Romania to treat COVID-19 patients. The Republic of Moldova will provide doctors, nurses and SMURD crews. According to the CNSU decision no. 89/2021, the medical crews and equipment, as well as the establishment of the locations where the Moldovan doctors and nurses will carry out their activity in Romania will be done by Order of the coordinator of this action - the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, Agerpres informs. By the same decision, the Ministry of Health, the Romanian College of Physicians and the Order of General Nurses, Midwives and Medical Assistants of Romania are entitled to issue urgently the necessary documents for the medical crews from the Republic of Moldova to work temporarily in Romania. Romania is in a region that represents "a centre of gravity" when it comes to the recent strategic decisions and actions, the interim Minister of Defence, Nicolae Ciuca, said on Monday, at the launch of the Romanian Security Barometer, the October 2021 edition, conducted by the Institute of Political Sciences and International Relations "Ion I.C. Bratianu." "We are in a region that, in my view, is like a centre of gravity when it comes to strategic decisions and actions of late and it has the potential to remain so in the future. For this reason, our efforts in everything we have done and are doing are, on the one hand, to succeed in drawing the attention of all important actors, starting with the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union, and also of the important players we have strategic partnerships with, in order for them to understand that we do everything we do not only for what the national responsibility part means, but we do it for everything that means strengthening security in the Black Sea region, so that it does not continue to remain a soft belly in the field of security," Ciuca said. The head of the Institute of Political Science and International Relations "Ion I.C. Bratianu," Dan Dungaciu, spoke about the international context in which the sociological research was carried out, Agerpres informs. "The fatal question: "Who do you love more, mother or father?," meaning the European Union or America, may not be avoidable in the near future. That is why we did ask about these things to see what Romanians think about this dilemma," said Dungaciu. He added that the National Recovery and Resilience Plans will be the "governing projects" of many states. "Everything we see around us unspoken is a federalization or an approach to federalization of the European Union, and the main tool created for this are the famous PNRRs, which must be read from this point of view as well. Think that they will be the governing projects of many states. (...) What is happening now in Poland and Hungary, in the dispute between Brussels and the two states must be read through this grid. (...) It is a very clear message that Brussels sends: "We pay the money, we want to order the music as well, keeping the proportions, of course," the ISPRI director explained. According to him, in Romania there was "a deep, unique strategic consistency, perhaps, in the south-eastern European space," but in the next elections there could be politicians "who would bring this dilemma onto the table and turn it into a a political vector." "Such a thing has never happened in Romania, (...) sociologically speaking, but it could happen," added Dan Dungaciu. *** The ISPRI research was conducted between October 1 and 10, on a sample of 1,002 people, which is representative for Romania's population, with an error margin of plus/minus 3.1pct, at a confidence level of 95pct. According to the study, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the gap between institutions that typically enjoy high public trust. The European Union and NATO continue to enjoy much confidence, and the biggest threats to the EU are the economic crisis, the pandemic, misunderstandings between some member states and migration from outside the EU, the study said. The research also shows that Romanians are not necessarily against the COVID vaccination, but rather hesitant about the serum used. Director Corneliu Porumboiu and film producer Ada Solomon have been indicted by the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) prosecutors for committing tax evasion, establishing an organized criminal group and money laundering, judicial sources told AGERPRES on Monday. According to the quoted sources, the deeds are older, from the period 2013 - 2015, and are related to financing obtained by several film companies, including Castel Film, from the National Center of Cinematography. Corneliu Porumboiu and Ada Solomon are suspects, Agerpres informs. Other film directors and producers are also involved in the case. The vast majority of EUs trafficking victims (74%) come from Romania. The Council of Europes Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) issued on Monday EU Anti-Trafficking Day a statement asking member states to counter technology-assisted human trafficking. The main purpose of human trafficking is sexual exploitation, while a quarter of the victims are underage. Only 0.2-0.4% of them manage to escape. At the root of the phenomenon lie lack of public information, disordered families and the ideologically-induced belief in a false separation between the sexual exploitation industry (video chat, pornographic productions, brothels) and human trafficking, informeaza Basilica.ro. How does the Romanian Patriarchate address the phenomenon Father Ciprian Ionita, Counselor at the Social-Philanthropic Department of the Patriarchal Administration, participated on Monday in an online debate initiated by Oana-Silvia Toiu, Member of Parliament and Chairwoman of the Chamber of Deputies Labour and Social Protection Commission. Among the participants were Florica Chereches, President of the National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of the Child and Adoption (ANDPDCA), Maximilian Nicolae, director of the National Agency against Trafficking in Persons (ANITP), Horia Tomescu, Deputy Mayor of Bucharest, Andrew Noble, the British Ambassador to Romania, representatives of the of civil society and of the National Department for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). The participants discussed initiatives and reforms to decrease human trafficking in Romania. 1. Public information campaigns Last year, the Romanian Patriarchate signed a partnership with the Domestic Affairs Ministrys Romanian Agency Against Human Trafficking (ANITP) and with Bucharest City Council, in order to develop common preventive actions regarding human trafficking. Public information campaigns are prepared within this partnership. 2. Information materials for parishes Another national action of the Romanian Patriarchate is the creation of information materials addressed to parishes. They are made in partnership with the organization International Justice Mission. We have almost completed the concept for the information materials, declared Father Ciprian Ionita. After we finish it, we forward them for approval to superior decision factors of the Church and then send them to all the parishes in the country. People need to understand how victims are approached and to be able to see the signs before somebody in their circle of friends becomes a victim, added the cleric. What can we do personally or as a civil society? Be informed and talk about this phenomenon. Share related information on social media. Discuss with the teenagers and carefully monitor what happens to them. They need to understand that the preferred recruiting method of the traffickers is the Loverboy method: an older boy comes from outside the circle of friends, chooses an emotionally vulnerable girl and makes her fall in love with him; then, pretending he wants to travel with her, he sells her or forces her through violence or blackmail to prostitute herself. Change your attitude on intimate relationships and educate children to save their virginity until marriage. Understand that all women who sell their bodies are victims and prostitution cannot be treated as any other profession. This approach proved successful in the Nordic Countries, where solicitation of sexual services has been criminalized. Train certain professional categories to identify victims of human trafficking: public transport workers, border patrol workers, police workers, doctors and p The EU Member States agreed on Friday, October 15, at the first meeting of the Digital Europe Program Committee, the work program for the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) for the next 3 years, the Authority for the Digitization of Romania (ADR) announced on Monday. At national level, following the evaluation carried out in 2020, 12 digital innovation centers from the 8 regions of the country were selected to participate in the European competition to become members of the EDIH network. The first call is scheduled for November 2021, and if the applications meet the technical conditions, the financing contracts will be signed during 2022. "The adoption of the work program is an essential step towards achieving the objectives included in the Digital Europe Program, setting a timetable of activities and the necessary budget. The European Commission will provide 321.2 million euros for the establishment of a European network of digital innovation centers, which to support the public sector and the private sector in the process of transition to a digitalized economy at the highest level. More than 14 million euros will go to centers in Romania, given the major impact that digital innovation centers will have in accelerating the digital transition "It is important for the European network to be set up quickly so that digital innovation centers can start operating and provide useful services for companies and public institutions," said Octavian Oprea, president of ADR, Agerpres informs. The financial support offered through the Digital Europe Program for the digital innovation centers in Romania reaches a total of 14.5 million euros for the first 3 years. This funding can be supplemented by the Intelligent Growth, Digitization and Financial Instruments Operational Program 2021 - 2027, which will be approved by the European Commission in the next period. In addition, the European Commission has allocated 4 million euros for the creation of the Digital Transformation Accelerator, a structure that will support digital innovation centers by creating a space for training, collaboration and connecting relevant initiatives. The interim Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, on Monday announced that he will inform the heads of European diplomacies, who are meeting in Luxembourg, about the natural gas crisis in the Republic of Moldova, and he will ask them to help Chisinau with this situation. "I will inform my colleagues about the crisis in the Republic of Moldova related to the supply of natural gas. This is a critical moment for the government in Chisinau. And this happens because of the sudden moves made by Russia in what concerns the supply and costs of natural gas. So I will ask my colleagues and the European institutions to help solving this crisis, which will allow the government in Chisinau to continue the ambitious reform process they committed to carry out on July 11 elections," said Aurescu, ahead of the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. According to him, the meeting agenda also includes a proposal supported by Romania to include in the future Eastern Partnership package an increased coordination in what concerns the security dimension, Agerpres informs. "Five out of six countries of the Eastern Partnership are facing frozen conflicts on their territory and Romania suggested to include these conflicts on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council," explained the Minister. He underscored that it is "very important" that efforts be made for an "increased" financial and technical assistance for the structural reforms under the Eastern Partnership. Romania's President Klaus Iohannis attended a videoconference meeting on Monday with European Council President Charles Michel, his Lithuanian counterpart and the prime ministers of Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia in preparation of the European Council meeting scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Brussels. The main items on the agenda of the European Council meeting are European coordination amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the EU's digital agenda, rising energy prices, migration, European trade policy and the EU's external relations. According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, during the videoconference Iohannis highlighted the crisis in Romania in terms of the 14-day cumulative COVID-19 case reporting rate showing that a low mass vaccination rate contributed significantly to the situation, Agerpres informs. He mentioned Romania having activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism and thanked the member states that have already offered support to Romania. "The prime minister of Poland and the prime minister of Slovenia conveyed their countries' readiness to help Romania, and, in his turn, the president of the European Council undertook to facilitate European-level support for Romania," the Presidential Administration said. Regarding the energy situation, Iohannis underscored that a surge in energy prices is a major concern for Romania, given its impact on citizens, businesses and, in particular, on vulnerable consumers. The chief of state underlined the need to quickly identify efficient short-term solutions because the current energy crisis will have serious effects in all EU countries, with profound social and economic impact, both on household consumers, people and economies in general, affecting the competitiveness of industries. "The President of Romania drew attention to the need for a medium and long-term approach targeting the structural problems of the energy sector, and also those of the common market in the field of energy. President Klaus Iohannis thus underscored the need for a convergent approach at European level designed for common, integrated solutions to coordinate national responses, and called for immediate action to protect vulnerable consumers," said the Presidential Administration. Iohannis also underscored the importance of diversifying energy supply sources and reducing dependence on third-party suppliers outside the European Union, as well as ensuring security of energy supply. He insisted that European energy security is closely linked to the use of a balanced mix of technologies and energy sources, such as natural gas and nuclear energy, both directions that should guide European taxonomy policies. The President requested the European Commission to include nuclear energy and natural gas in the complementary Delegated Act in the taxonomy legislative package, to be unveiled as soon as possible, according to the Presidential Administration. In the run-up to the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels this December, Iohannis emphasised the need for the European Union to support by concrete measures the three partner countries that want to strengthen relations with the EU. Amidst the ongoing energy crisis, he requested support for Moldova's natural gas and electricity supply Romania's COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV) announces that the country is set to give a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines to two million more of its nationals by the end of 2021 and bring the mass immunisation rate to 70% in Q1 2022. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe and WHO Romania, together with senior officials of the Ministry of Health, the National Centre for Communicable Disease Surveillance and Control and CNCAV, discussed on Monday in a virtual meeting the reasons for the current COVID-19 vaccination trends. According to a press statement released by CNCAV, the Romanian side informed the WHO specialists about a surge in severe COVID-19 cases and deaths following infection, with CNCAV saying that 92% of deaths were recorded in unvaccinated persons. Most of them had other diseases, but COVID-19 related deaths were also reported in young people, children and the active population, Agerpres informs. "There are large differences in vaccine coverage from one county to another, with the northeastern and southern counties having a lower vaccination coverage. Coverage by age groups shows vaccination coverage of approximately 50% of people aged 50 to 69 years, but only about 20% of people over 80. There is also a gender gap, as women are significantly less vaccinated than men, with a difference of almost 20% in people aged over 60. Romania's goal is to vaccinate two million more people against COVID-19 (first dose) by the end of this year (45% of the population) and 70% of the population before the first quarter of 2022." According to CNCAV, vaccination in the overall population in Romania is low and stagnant, ranking below average regional vaccination. Also, mass immunisation is below expectations for vulnerable, priority groups, meaning people over 80 years of age. "The WHO modelling shows that if the vaccination rate of the last six weeks and the vaccination strategies in force are maintained, in about seven months Romania will reach a vaccination coverage of 40% for the total population and in approximately 31 months a vaccination coverage of 70%. WHO has noticed a steady increase in vaccination over the past three weeks, but especially of people under the age of 50. It is important for Romania to focus on providing life-saving vaccines to those most at risk for death and serious forms of the disease, such as the elderly, people with chronic diseases and other categories at risk (pregnant people, staff working in key areas)," reads the CNCAV statement. The turnover of market services rendered mainly to enterprises in Romania over January - August 2021 was 17.3 percent up in unadjusted terms compared to the same period of 2020, as a result of growth in computing and IT services (+24.5 pct), the production of cinema, video and television programs; program broadcasting and transmission (+23.4 pct), transport services (+20.0 pct), other services provided mainly to enterprises (+15.4 pct), communications (+6.5 pct), shows data released on Monday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS), agerpres reports. In the reporting period, the turnover of market services rendered mainly to enterprises was 16.7 percent up YoY expressed as series adjusted for working days and seasonality. In August 2021, the turnover of market services provided mainly to enterprises, unadjusted, increased by 23.7 percent overall in nominal terms from the year-ago period due to higher turnovers in transport services (+35 pct); computing and IT services (+30.7 pct); other services provided mainly to enterprises (+17 pct); communications services (+7.7 pct); the production of cinema, video and television programs; broadcasting and transmission of programs (+4 pct).Adjusted for working days and seasonality, August 2021 turnover was up by 24 percent YoY.Compared to July 2021, the turnover of market services provided mainly to enterprises, unadjusted, in August 2021 increased overall by 0.7 percent on growth in communication activities (+2.2 pct), computing and IT services (+1.3 pct); transport services (+1.2 pct), other services provided mainly to enterprises (+0.3 pct). Conversely, the turnover in the production of cinema, video and television programs; broadcasting and transmission of programs dropped 13 percent.Expressed as workday and seasonality adjusted series, the turnover of market services provided mainly to enterprises was up 4.1 percent overall in nominal terms over July 2021. The Political Committee of the Save Romania Union (USR) has validated, on Sunday evening, the list of ministers proposed by the Prime Minister-designate, Dacian Ciolos, and the governing programme to be presented in Parliament, Ionut Mosteanu, the party's spokesperson, announced on Sunday on Facebook, agerpres reports. "This period, with a social and health crisis, which is overlapped by the political crisis, has not existed in Romania in the past 30 years. With each hospital that burns, each death that could have been prevented if the old politicians had been concerned with investments in the healthcare system, we feel more acutely the failure of the old political class. I invite all MPs to walk down the street, talk to Romanians, ask them what their opinion is about the current situation of Romania. I tell them: the vast majority of Romanians are disappointed, tired of fighting for normality, worried for tomorrow, revolted by the deplorable status of the entire state - from the state of hospitals to every institution that places them at endless queues. We ended up here because the old parties failed. Now, at the last moment, on Wednesday, they have the chance to show responsibility. Romania cannot remain captive to a political crisis, in contempt of the real needs of Romanians," wrote Mosteanu. The list of ministers and the governing programme will be submitted on Monday, at the Parliament.The USR chair, Dacian Ciolos, was designated Prime Minister candidate, last Monday, by President Klaus Iohannis.According to article 103 of the Romanian Constitution, the Prime Minister candidate must request, within 10 days of his designation, the vote of confidence of Parliament over the government programme and the entire list of ministers.The Government programme and list will be debated by the Joint Chambers of Parliament. Parliament grants confidence to the Government by majority vote. Theres always room for another Picasso or two. Adding to almost a century of Pulitzer gifts to the St. Louis Art Museum, Emily Rauh Pulitzer has promised 22 more artworks for its collection. The museum announced the multimillion-dollar gift Monday, calling the works masterpieces that are like a primer of art history in the 20th century. Its really an extraordinary time to be part of this great institution, said Min Jung Kim, who started as museum director less than two months ago. We are so pleased with this gift, she said. Neither Kim nor Pulitzer would estimate the monetary worth of the pieces, but just a few of the most valuable might have brought some $200 million at auction. Included are two pieces by Pablo Picasso; works by another famous Spaniard, Joan Miro; a self-portrait by American Andy Warhol; and one of his iconic Marilyn Monroe prints. Overall, 17 American and European artists are represented, including Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi, whose Mademoiselle Pogany III from 1933 will be the museums first acquisition of his work. The pieces are highly important additions and among the most significant gifts in its 142-year history, the museum said in a press release Monday. Pulitzer hopes St. Louisans find them meaningful, as enriching in their lives as they have been in mine, she said in an interview. Some of the artworks were initially purchased by her husband, Joseph Pulitzer Jr., who died in 1993; others were acquired by her or by the couple together. Emily Pulitzer alone chose the pieces she wanted to offer: I get the blame, and I get the credit. She has been involved with the museum since 1964, when she came to St. Louis as the institutions curator (then called the City Art Museum). I know the collection, she said. No one in the local art community would disagree. The Pulitzer family, which made its fortune in publishing and formerly owned the Post-Dispatch, previously had donated 144 artworks, plus millions of dollars, to the museum. But she would not hint at the value of the 22 pending pieces. Recent auctions show that in May, a 1932 Picasso painting (of the same woman in Pulitzers gift Woman in a Red Hat) sold at Sothebys for $103.4 million (Femme assise pres dune fenetre [Marie-Therese]). A 1932 bronze sculpture by Brancusi sold at Christies in 2018 for more than $71 million (La jeune fille sophistiquee). And a self-portrait by Andy Warhol from 1986 sold in 2010 for $32 million. Welcome gift Pulitzer said an artworks value is based on a willing seller and a willing buyer, and we have neither here. Her gift is legally binding, but the date or dates of transfer to the museum are unknown. The museum said in its news release that the works will be transferred to the museum at or before Mrs. Pulitzers death, as she chooses. Pulitzer is 88 and active; before the pandemic, she went to her office in the Pulitzer Arts Foundation almost every day. She said that after vaccines and a booster, shes started returning to work. Some artworks may go to the museum before her death. Pulitzer gave few details but said its possible there will be some works on loan fairly soon. She did call the timing of the announcement a welcome gift for Min Jung Kim as the museums new director. I think shes going to be a fabulous director. Already is. Pulitzer looks forward to ongoing collaboration between the St. Louis Art Museum and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, and terms of the gift specify such cooperation will continue in perpetuity. Since she founded her own museum, which opened on Washington Boulevard in 2001, the Forest Park institution has lent 84 works to 15 of the foundations exhibitions, and the institutions have collaborated on things like educational programs. Pulitzer says its not a one-way relationship the foundation, which holds temporary exhibitions, has done research on the art museums holdings. Plus, the Pulitzer family often lent it pieces, anonymously, for exhibition. The terms of the new gift make it clear that Pulitzer wants to ensure such collaboration with the foundation continues after her death. And with four art museums in St. Louis now led by women, including the Pulitzers executive director Cara Starke, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis Lisa Melandri, and Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museums Sabine Eckmann, Pulitzer says she has high hopes for even more innovative collaboration among them. Decades of collecting In 1957, Emily Rauh, who was raised in Cincinnati, was appointed to the staff of the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, where she became assistant curator of drawings and assistant to the director. She received a masters degree in art history from Harvard, which was also Joseph Pulitzers alma mater. Both have supported its collection through the decades. As a college student, Joseph Pulitzer Jr. (grandson of the famed Joseph Pulitzer) famously started acquiring artwork, including a painting by Amedeo Modigliani that he hung in his dorm room in 1936. His $2,400 purchase three years later of a Henri Matisse painting, which Nazis sold as degenerate artwork, now hangs in St. Louis. Bathers With a Turtle is among 76 works Joseph and his first wife, Louise Pulitzer, gave to the museum from 1947 to 1967. A story of his passion for art recalls fierce determination to buy a certain Picasso. He told friends that hed called home to St. Louis saying, Raise the money. Sell anything but the newspaper. In 1967, he made his first six-figure purchase, paying $315,500 for that Picasso, Portrait of Wilhelm Uhde, Marjorie B. Cohn writes in Classic Modern: The Art Worlds of Joseph Pulitzer Jr. Rauh met Joseph Pulitzer at Harvard, and she later socialized with him and Louise Pulitzer, housesitting on occasion for the couple, after she moved to St. Louis. Louise Pulitzer died in 1968, and Rauh and Joseph Pulitzer wed five years later. Emily Pulitzer said that after they married, the couple decided on art purchases together. We had really quite similar tastes, she said. We didnt buy anything unless we both loved it. Although, she admits, sometimes he loved it more. She said her husband took a while to accept some pop art, but notes he bought contemporary art of four different generations. Most people cant make that move. As culture changes and ideas change, its hard for people to keep up. And Im speaking now as a curator and not as a wife. One of the most recent pieces included in the gift is Rachel Harrisons Sculpture With Raincoat from 2012, a work she bought. (As advertised, the piece includes outerwear.) Pulitzer wanted to donate not only pieces such as the stellar Brancusi, which adds a classic to the museum, but also contemporary works such as Harrisons and something by an admired living artist, Gedi Sibony. In 2008, she made headlines giving the Harvard museum 31 works plus $45 million; rumors swirled that a gift to St. Louis was in the works. Pulitzer confirmed that this gift essentially is it. The Harvard gift came three years after Pulitzer Inc., which published 14 daily newspapers at the time, was sold to Lee Enterprises for about $1.4 billion. Emily Pulitzer reportedly received about $400 million. In late 2011, Lee Enterprises filed for bankruptcy. The next year, Cohn, author of the art biography of Joseph Pulitzer, said in an interview: Somehow his art investment which he never thought of as an investment turned out to be better than his newspaper investment. Emily Pulitzer said she cant say what the exact size of the current Pulitzer art collection is: Ive never made a count. Will she be making more gifts? Maybe. In a statement, director Kim said a former Fogg director, Seymour Slive, told her the way to build a great public museum collection was to acquire great private collections. Kim said: Emily Pulitzer is the living embodiment of that observation. Works of art promised to St. Louis Art Museum Emily Rauh Pulitzer has agreed to donate these works to the St. Louis Art Museum upon her death or before. 1. Emile-Antoine Bourdelle, Mask of Beethoven, c. 1905. Bronze with brown patina, partially gilded, hollow mask form (sand cast); 16 9/16 x 11 x 6 inches 2. Constantin Brancusi, Mademoiselle Pogany III, 1933. Polished bronze, limestone, and wood; Bronze: 17 x 7 x 9 inches; Limestone base: 9 x 9 x 9 inches; Wooden pedestal: 37 x 15 x 15 inches 3. Georges Braque, The Mantelpiece, 1921-1922. Oil with sand on canvas; 51 x 29 inches 4. Alberto Giacometti, Portrait of Isabel, 1937. Bronze; 11 x 8 x 9 inches 5. Philip Guston, Dark Room, 1978. Oil on canvas. 68 x 80 inches 6. Rachel Harrison, Sculpture with Raincoat, 2012. Wood, Styrofoam, cement, acrylic, hanger, The Economist, and Gherardini rain coat; 68 x 27 x 20 inches 7. Rachel Harrison, Photograph, 2020. Pigmented inkjet print; 12 x 16 inches 8. Gary Hill, Liminal Objects #8, 1998. Single channel video installation (table, chairs, curtain); 45 x 16 x 16 inches 9. Ellsworth Kelly, Untitled, 1988. Oil on canvas; 110 x 110 inches 10. Ellsworth Kelly, Briar, 1960. Graphite on paper; 28 x 22 inches 11. Joan Miro, Painting, 1953. Oil on canvas; 96 x 67 inches 12. Joan Miro, 48, 1927. Oil and aqueous medium on gluesized canvas; 57 x 45 inches 13. Pablo Picasso, Woman in a Red Hat, 1934. Oil on canvas; 57 5/8 x 44 inches 14. Pablo Picasso, Head of a Woman, 1962. Linocut in colors; 25 x 21 inches 15. Henry Peach Robinson, Portal of a Church. Photograph 16. Medardo Rosso, The Golden Age, 1886. Pigmented wax over plaster; 14 x 18 x 6 inches 17. Georges Rouault, Three Clowns, 1917. Oil on paper laid down on canvas; 41 x 29 inches 18. Richard Serra, Model for Twain,, 1982. Corten steel; 5 x 59 x 64 inches 19. Gedi Sibony, The Other Great Abundance, 2014. Aluminum semi-trailer; 96 75 inches 20. Richard Tuttle, New Mexico, New York #2, 1998. Acrylic on fir plywood; Irregular: 19 x 24 inches 21. Andy Warhol, Self Portrait, 1967. Synthetic polymer paint silkscreened, brushed and stenciled on canvas; 72 x 72 inches 22. Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe, 1967. Screen print; 35 x 35 inches Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Taking a cue from Tesla Others say Humm deserves some credit for his decision to go meatless. "The problem is [Humm's] going plant-based creates a narrative of novelty and freshness and vision on his part when there have already been chefs going in this direction who haven't gotten this attention," Alicia Kennedy, a writer who has written extensively about vegan and vegetarian food, told CNN. Still, Humm's move has significance because of his place in the industry similar to how a top luxury fashion designer refusing to use leather or fur still has meaning even now, Kennedy said. "If Daniel Humm making this choice has influence on chefs who look up to him ... then it is serving a really good purpose," Kennedy said. If it trickles down even further, to neighborhood suburban spots, that's even better, she said. As for Humm, he said he felt EMP could do with food what Tesla accomplished with cars. ST. LOUIS A man was charged with premeditated murder Saturday in the death of someone who was out on bail in a 2016 homicide in Old North St. Louis. Stephen Conrad Taylor, 31, was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death Oct. 1 of Da'twon Thompson, 24, at Bristol Place Townhomes near Kisling Lane. Taylor, of the 2800 block of Sheridan Road in St. Louis, admitted to the shooting during a recorded interrogation, St. Louis Detective Steven Strohmeyer Sr. wrote in charging documents filed Saturday. Police had told the Post-Dispatch after the Oct. 1 shooting that Thompson was killed inside one of the homes after an argument with the shooter. Police said then they had a person of interest in the killing. Multiple witnesses at the scene told police that they knew the man who had shot Thompson, Strohmeyer wrote. Taylor was also charged with second-degree robbery and a misdemeanor count of stealing. ST. LOUIS Authorities last week confirmed that three employees of a Chesterfield-based geographical mapping company died in a plane crash in rural Wisconsin. The three men were employees of Surdex Corp. and were flying in the company's twin-engine plane when it crashed about 9 a.m. Sept. 28 in a marsh near Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Last week the Oneida County Medical Examiners Office identified the victims as Joseph Johnson, 28, of Jacksonville, Florida, along with Mike Dickens, 28, and Dominik Faciano, 23, both of St. Louis County. An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway by the National Transportation Safety Board. Surdex Corp., which uses airplanes to get detailed aerial photographs and mapping images, released a statement Oct. 4 in response to the deaths. The company plane "encountered an irrecoverable emergency," according to the statement from Surdex President Ronald Hoffman. "As we return to full flight operations, we will continue our work with heavy hearts but no less dedication to safety and service for the industries that rely upon us," the statement reads. All three men killed were hired at Surdex within the last year. JEFFERSON CITY Missouri Gov. Mike Parson made the decision to cut pandemic unemployment benefits in May after having conversations with aides and business owners across the state. But records show Parson received little in the way of written briefings and hard data from labor experts in his own administration in the run-up to the controversial decision. In response to a Post-Dispatch Sunshine Law request, the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said there were no related records compiled by the agency and forwarded to the governors office in the month preceding the decision. I have not located any documents that I consider to be briefings, data or information regarding the potential effects of ending federal pandemic unemployment aid, said Bart Matanic, assistant general counsel for the department, in an email Monday. Matanic said there were some legal analyses related to the newspapers questions, but those are closed under the states Sunshine Law. Rather than review reports, Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones said the governor instead talked to people about the issue. This is not about punishment, he said. This is about creating the safest possible environment for nearly 20,000 students and almost 5,000 teachers and staff. We need families to know when their children and loved ones are here, we are keeping them safe. The release notes the district already faces staffing challenges, and that schools are making plans to cover any potential shortfalls caused by loss of staff. It says the district is also boosting pay and training for substitutes. St. Louis County In St. Louis County, about three-fourths of full-time St. Louis County employees have complied with a new mandate requiring COVID-19 vaccination or regular testing, records showed Friday. The numbers do not include the St. Louis County Police Department, which said it had yet to collect data on a recent rule that is being challenged in court by one officer. Doug Moore, spokesman for County Executive Sam Page, said at least 2,054 of the countys other 2,778 full-time employees, or 74%, were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Wednesday, the latest date the countys vaccination numbers were available since an employee mandate went into effect Oct. 1. A study based on 2015 data by the Center for Automotive Research found when direct employees are combined with jobs at company suppliers, as well as spinoff jobs, Toyota is estimated to support 10,000 jobs in Missouri. Missouri also is home to a General Motors truck plant in Wentzville, a Ford truck factory in Claycomo, near Kansas City, and numerous suppliers. Toyotas new battery plant eventually will employ 1,750 people and start making batteries in 2025, gradually expanding through 2031. Toyota will form a new company to run its new U.S. battery plant with Toyota Tsusho, a subsidiary that now makes an array of parts for the automaker. The company also will help Toyota expand its U.S. supply chain, as well as increase its knowledge of lithium-ion auto batteries, Toyota said Monday. Todays commitment to electrification is about achieving long-term sustainability for the environment, American jobs and consumers, Ted Ogawa, Toyotas North American CEO, said in a statement. Toyota plans to sell 2 million zero emission hydrogen and battery electric vehicles worldwide per year by 2030. In the U.S., Toyota plans to sell 1.5 million to 1.8 million vehicles by 2030 in the U.S. that are at least partially electrified. Over the past month, Bob Clark, the executive chairman of Clayco, one of the largest construction companies in the United States, has been everywhere trying to sell his idea to raze Americas Center and build anew rather than expand the existing downtown convention venue. A Sept. 3 St. Louis Post-Dispatch headline, 11th hour pitch shakes St. Louis convention center expansion plans, pooh-poohed Clarks idea as a Johnny-come-lately attempt to throw a wrench in the works. But thats not exactly true. In an interview Clark did with John Hancock and Mike Kelly on KMOX, the developer/contractor/entrepreneur said he has been pushing his idea behind the scenes for several years to government, civic and business leaders on both sides of the river. He said there is widespread support for the plan, yet the city, county and the St. Louis Regional Convention and Visitors Commission have marched steadily forward with their $200 million expansion plan. Clark has gone public now in hopes of bringing public opinion to bear on the decision-making process. That doesnt appear to be going well. The above-referenced Post-Dispatch article drew 70 online comments, almost all of them negative. Much as Colin Powell deserves a tribute as Americas first Black secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he was under-recognized as a bridge-builder and champion of political moderation. Powell, who died Monday, was a Republican who dared to challenge his own partys orthodoxy and tried to avert its drift toward right-wing extremism. The fact that he was later joined in his call for moderation by one of the architects of that rightward lurch former Vice President Dick Cheney attests to Powells judgment and thoughtful foresight. Cheney was adamant about launching the 2003 Iraq war and was willing to engage in the worst forms of political subterfuge to get his way. He enlisted Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in a campaign to deceive Americans and the world into believing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. 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 late 2021 Pakistan and Iraq announced the sale of twelve Pakistani JF-17 fighters to Iraq for about $53 million each. These will be the first JF17s exported with Chinese engines. This means Russia no longer has a veto over who China or Pakistan can export the JF17 to. China is involved in this because since the 1990s China designed and built the JF17 as something of an F-16 clone but the Chinese air force was not impressed and refused to buy it. Pakistan was interested in taking over the JF-17 project. The deal was that initial production would gradually be in China but assembly would be gradually be transferred to Pakistan and Pakistan could supply some components and buy many others from other suppliers. Pakistan offered the JF17s at a big discount if Iraq would offer a dozen of its grounded F-16IQs as a trade-in. That offer never got very far because such a deal needs U.S. approval and the Americans are no longer supplying any military support to Pakistan. This sale to Iraq is more a diplomatic than a military decision. Iraq already has F-16s but government corruption has left most of these aircraft grounded. In 2006 Iraq insisted on obtaining F-16s and paid about $112 million each for 36 F-16C Block 52 models they began receiving in 2015. Aircraft were ready for delivery in 2014 but then ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) happened because the Iraqi military was unable to stop this much smaller force of fanatics. This was typical because Iraq has long been the most corrupt nation in the Middle East and now most of the foreign aircraft maintainers are being withdrawn because of Iranian attacks on Balad, the Air Force Base where the F-16IQs are stationed. It was becoming too risky for the foreign maintenance contractors who are now being withdrawn. The contractors were willing to remain in Iraq if the remaining F-16IQs were transferred to an airbase in the Kurdish controlled north. That was unacceptable to the Iraq government. Currently only 21 of the 34 remaining F-16IQs are flyable because the corruption diverted money for needed spare parts and essentials like jet fuel for pilot training flights. Part of the appeal for the JF17 is that Pakistani maintainers keep Pakistani F-16s operational, as well as the similar JF17 and can hire Chinese contractors as well. Pakistan can work out something to keep the Iraqi JF17s operational and get paid for their efforts. That wont completely solve the Iraqi corruption problems when it comes to the air force budget and the cash that is supposed to be spent on F-16IQ maintenance but rarely is. This was a similar problem with the older Russian jets the Iraqi air force long used. Since 2015 Pakistan has been using its JF17s to carry out airstrikes against the TTP (Pakistani Taliban) in the northwest tribal territories. Pakistan has long used its F-16s for this but the Americans have ceased supporting these F-16s because of continued Pakistani support for Islamic terrorists and the Afghan drug cartels. During early 2019 the first JF17 Block 1 aircraft completed a periodic overhaul in China. Pakistan had hoped to do these overhauls in Pakistan but Pakistani maintainers are still in China learning how to handle this sort of thing, which is more complicated that regular maintenance. Pakistanis have been less successful in learning how to manufacture many of the JF17 components but, because of years of maintaining the similar American F-16, Pakistan has expanded its ability to maintain and overhaul these modern jet fighters. The first fifty JF17s were Block 1 models that were built in China starting in 2006 and most of the first ones were assembled there until 2013, while the transfer of assembly capability to Pakistan was carried out. The Block 1 entered service in 2007 but it was a year before the first squadron (12 aircraft) could enter service. China could have built and put into service fifty JF17s in less than a year but it took longer because the goal was to train Pakistani personnel to do the assembly of Chinese made components in Pakistan. A parallel effort transferred tech and expertise to Pakistani firms so they could manufacture more and more of the airframe, which is mostly metal, as well as wiring and electric motors. The Block 1s were, by Chinese standards, simple aircraft and cost about $15 million to build. Fifty Block 2 aircraft, with inflight refueling, improved electronics and digital data link, began production in 2013 and twelve more were ordered and completed by 2017. The Block 2s cost about $25 million each. Block 3 has an improved, Chinese-designed engine and much improved flight performance. Block 3 was supposed to begin production in 2016 but that has been delayed until 2019 because of problems with the engine. The Chinese designed engine was late in entering service because China is still developing its ability to build locally designed high-performance military jet engines. The fifty Block 3s are a major upgrade with AESA radar and a passive (does not broadcast signals) IRST (infrared search and track) system that detects aircraft via the heat they emit. There will be a new glass cockpit with more effective flight controls, including a helmet mounted sight, and a two-seater option. The Block 3s cost about $35 million each to build. These are the ones Iraq is buying for $53 million each. In May 2017 the JF-17B, a two-seat version made its first flight. The B version is built to be either an advanced trainer, or when equipped with a few million dollars worth of additional sensors and upgraded fire control electronics, the B model becomes an advanced fighter-bomber. The B version is an option with the Block 3, which will have sufficiently improved electronics to operate as an advanced fighter-bomber like the F-15E or similar aircraft built by Russia and China. The Block 3 and B versions make the JF17 a better export aircraft and that is keeping Chinese sales teams busy discussing purchases by several interested nations like Algeria, Azerbaijan, Argentina, Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Uruguay. China is offering all three block versions because some potential buyers just want a cheap jet fighter. It is generally understood that China can not sell its other advanced aircraft because they are illegal copies of Russian designed aircraft China bought and improved and claimed they were Chinese designs. Russia was angry about that and there apparently an understanding that Russia will not press the matter for Chinese copies used only by China. Meanwhile China is trying to develop and produce their own designs but none of those efforts have been successful enough to compete in the export market, or acceptable to the Chinese military. When the first JF-17 fighter arrived in Pakistan by 2007, it marked the completion of over twenty years of development for what was first called the Super 7 fighter. It became JF-17 after some further development by China in cooperation with Pakistan. Initially Pakistan only wanted to buy 150 of them. All this came about because Pakistan could not get modern fighters from anyone else, and turned to China. At the time, China had nothing comparable to the early model F-16s Pakistan already had. As of early 2019, Pakistan owns at least a hundred JF17s. These are Block 1 and 2 plus some pre-production Block 3 aircraft. Because of ongoing overhauls of Block 1 aircraft Pakistan had about fifteen percent of Pakistani JF17s are unavailable available for service. As of 2021 Pakistan had 138 JF17s with fifty more on order. The two export customers have received ten so far; seven (out of nine) to Burma and three to Nigeria, which may buy more. Pakistan now handles all JF17 overhauls and major repairs for itself and export customers. Currently Chinese made components (the engine, electronics and nearly half the airframe components) are shipped to Pakistan where Pakistanis assemble them in a Pakistani owned and operated plant. The goal was always to shift production to Pakistan but that has not been achieved yet and probably never will be. Thats because the engine, either a Russian RD-93 license-built in China or a Chinese developed WS13 engine, is something Pakistan has no plans for trying to build, or even assemble, locally. Same situation with most of the electronics. Nevertheless, the final assembly has been established in Pakistan and that is sufficient for Pakistan to claim the aircraft is built in Pakistan. The WS13 engine was finally approved for use in the JF17 in 2020 after several JF17s were equipped with them and completed flight tests. Some of the JF-17s are still assembled in China, where it is often referred to as the FC-1, because China is still trying to export it as an inexpensive alternative to American and Russian fighters. So far, there have been few takers. Myanmar (Burma) bought 16 and has received six so far. Nigeria also bought three in 2016 with possible sales of twenty or more. These two export sales were more diplomacy than just selling jet fighters. The Chinese Air Force has not shown any interest in obtaining the aircraft for its own use. Officially, the Chinese Air Force is still evaluating the JF-17/FC-1, but unofficially, Chinese air force commanders consider the JF-17 inferior to other fighters they are building. The Chinese developer and manufacturer consider the JF17 a financial success but mainly as an export item and mainly to Pakistan, which may ultimately buy more than 300. That plus export sales add up to a significant amount of business. The low-end JF-17 is little more than a day time interceptor. The most capable F-16 model in service is the F-16I, used exclusively by Israel. It's basically a modified version of the F-16C/D Block 50/52 optimized to deliver smart bombs anywhere, at any time, in any weather and despite dense air defenses. The F-16I costs about $70 million each. The Block 3 will come close to the F-16I capabilities and the JF-17B Block 3 will cost less than half what the F-16I does while having some of the capabilities. What China is really touting here is the availability of a jet fighter that is cheap and performs somewhat like an F-16. For many countries, this is an attractive option. The only problem is that there are hundreds of second-hand (and very well maintained) F-16s on the market, selling for less than the bare-bones JF-17. The JF-17 design is partly based on a canceled Russian project, the MiG-33. Originally, Pakistan wanted Western electronics in the JF-17, but because of the risk of Chinese technology theft, and pressure from the United States, who did not want China to steal more Western aviation electronics, the JF-17 uses Chinese and Pakistani electronics. The 13-ton JF-17 can carry 3.6 tons of weapons and uses radar guided and heat seeking missiles. It has a max speed of nearly 2,000 kilometers an hour, an operating range of 1,300 kilometers and a max altitude of nearly 18,000 meters (55,000 feet). China says it does not want to use the JF-17 itself because its own J-10 (another local design) and J-11 (a license-built Russian Su-27) are adequate for their needs. The J-10, like the JF-17, did not work out as well as was hoped, but that's another matter. Meanwhile, Pakistan has several squadrons in service and more being formed. The JF-17, along with the American F-16s Pakistan has long used, were both used against Islamic terrorists in the tribal territories where both aircraft performed well using guided and unguided bombs. LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / October 18, 2021 / Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals has signed a lease with The Janus Property Company ("Janus") for a new custom-designed and built laboratory in the Mink Building, located in the Manhattanville Factory District of New York, adjacent to Columbia University and City College. The Company's new 10,000 rentable square feet lab will include two clean rooms purpose-built by Janus, allowing it to pursue commercialisation of its major cell therapy product candidates by manufacturing cells in-house, starting with its HEMO-CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. The Mink Building, located on West 126th Street at Amsterdam Avenue, has been completely re-built by Janus while preserving and enhancing the building's singular industrial charms. The building features expansive ceiling heights and flexible, technology-enabled office and lab settings. Dr Vladislav Sandler, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals, commented: "I am very excited to be on the West Side of Manhattan in the historic Manhattanville Factory District. Having toured every life sciences option in the New York City area, the choice for our lab's continued growth was clear. With several current and future vivarium options, the opportunity to collaborate with nearby Columbia University and City College, the convenient location for our staff, and Janus's commitment to the life sciences industry and our company, the Mink Building represents an unmatched combination of advantages. We will be growing our staff and operations significantly over the next three years, and this lab and building provide us everything we need. Janus also provides us with the critical flexibility we need for our future, by allowing us to grow out of this lab and into its numerous other properties in the District without penalty." Enquiries: Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plc https://hemogenyx.com Dr Vladislav Sandler, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder headquarters@hemogenyx.com Peter Redmond, Director peter.redmond@hemogenyx.com SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP Tel: +44 (0)20 3470 0470 Matthew Johnson, Vadim Alexandre, Adam Cowl Peterhouse Capital Limited Tel: +44 (0)20 7469 0930 Lucy Williams, Duncan Vasey, Charles Goodfellow About Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plc Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals is a publicly traded company (LSE: HEMO) headquartered in London, with its US operating subsidiaries, Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals LLC and Immugenyx LLC, located in New York City at its state-of-the-art research facility. The Company is a pre-clinical stage biopharmaceutical group developing new medicines and treatments to treat blood and autoimmune disease and to bring the curative power of bone marrow transplantation to a greater number of patients suffering from otherwise incurable life-threatening diseases. Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals is developing several distinct and complementary product candidates, as well as platform technologies that it uses as engines for novel product development. For more than 50 years, bone marrow transplantation has been used to save the lives of patients suffering from blood diseases. The risks of toxicity and death that are associated with bone marrow transplantation, however, have meant that the procedure is restricted to use only as a last resort. The Company's technology has the potential to enable many more patients suffering from devastating blood diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, as well as severe autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, aplastic anemia and systemic lupus erythematosus (Lupus), to benefit from bone marrow transplantation. About The Janus Property Company The Janus Property Company is a developer, long-term owner and manager of commercial, mixed-use and residential properties in New York City, with a current primary focus on the creative development of the Manhattanville Factory District in West Harlem. Since 1989, Janus has consistently undertaken important and complex civic projects, creating enduring value for its tenants, partners, lenders and the greater New York City community. It specializes in understanding the numerous issues involved in developing and managing real property in New York. This has resulted in an impressive array of successful projects ranging from the extensive rehabilitation and new construction of market rate and affordable rental and condominium housing to mixed-use projects, small and large-scale life science properties and master-planned neighborhood development. Janus is headquartered in the Manhattanville Factory District. www.JanusProperty.com www.TheFactoryDistrict.com www.MaltHouseNYC.com www.TaysteeBldg.com This information is provided by Reach, the non-regulatory press release distribution service of RNS, part of the London Stock Exchange. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. SOURCE: Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals PLC View source version on accesswire.com: Buy Photo A local woman on a bicycle was arrested after allegedly trespassing on Camp Foster, Okinawa, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes) CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa An Okinawa woman faces up to a year in prison or fines after she allegedly hopped a fence over the weekend and was caught riding a bicycle around the Marine Corps base Camp Foster. Toshiko Taira, 49, of Uruma city, was arrested at approximately 3 a.m. Saturday following a short search, a spokesman from Okinawa Police Station told Stars and Stripes by phone on Monday. Taira, who is unemployed, had no valid reason for being on the base in Ginowan, according to police. "She hasnt told us why she entered," the spokesman said. A medical condition may have contributed to her actions, as she has trouble focusing her attention and her speech is slightly "off," the spokesman said. "I don't think she had some ideology behind her act," he said. Some government officials in Japan customarily speak to the media on the condition of anonymity. A spokesman from Marine Corps Installations Pacific did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment Monday. Police allege Taira scaled a fence near the base's Gate 4 at approximately 12:20 a.m. Military police called local authorities 10 minutes later reporting a "strange woman riding a bicycle" on the base. It is unclear at this time who owns the bicycle Taira was spotted riding, the police spokesman said. A conviction for trespassing on a U.S. military installation in Japan under Japanese law carries up to a year in prison or less than an $18 fine. The guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey sails in the Pacific Ocean, June 22, 2021. (Olympia McCoy/U.S. Navy) Chinas military has complained about the latest transit of the Taiwan Strait by foreign warships, this time involving U.S. and Canadian vessels. The guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey and the frigate HMCS Winnipeg sailed through the contested waterway last week, Cmdr. Hayley Sims, a spokeswoman for the U.S. 7th Fleet at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, said by phone Monday. The transits happened Thursday and Friday, she said in a follow up email. "Dewey's and Winnipeg's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific, she said in the email. Cooperation like this represents the centerpiece of our approach to a secure and prosperous region." China sent naval and air forces to track and monitor the two warships in the whole course, Senior Col. Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command, was quoted as saying Sunday by the official China Military website. The US and Canada made provocations with odious nature and stirred up troubles in cahoots, which seriously jeopardized the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, according to Shis statement. "Taiwan is a part of China. Troops of the [Peoples Liberation Army] Eastern Theater Command are staying on high alert at all times, and ready to resolutely counter all threats and provocations. China recently conducted beach-storming drills that appeared to simulate an invasion of Taiwan, which China regards as a rebellious province. In a separate demonstration, nearly 150 Chinese warplanes flew into Taiwans air defense identification zone over a four-day period beginning Oct. 1. Last weeks strait transit was the 10th by a U.S. warship this year. The guided-missile destroyer USS Barry, homeported at Yokosuka, sailed through the waterway on Sept. 17. Chinese officials also complained after the HMS Richmond, part of the Royal Navy carrier strike group lead by the HMS Queen Elizabeth, steamed through the contentious, 110-mile-wide waterway on Sept. 27. Lt. Ridge Hannemann Alkonis, 33, is a weapons officer aboard the destroyer USS Benfold at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. (U.S. Navy) NUMAZU, Japan A U.S. naval officer charged in a car crash that killed two pedestrians broke down in tears as a Japanese judge found him guilty of negligent driving on Monday. Lt. Ridge Hanneman Alkonis, 33, was sentenced to three years in Japanese prison during a hearing at Shizuoka District Court in Numazu, a punishment just short of the 4-year-sentence requested by prosecutors. Alkonis defense attorneys, on the other hand, had asked for a suspended sentence, effectively a term of probation. Alkonis was charged with negligent driving causing death and injury after his car crashed into pedestrians and parked vehicles at a soba restaurant parking lot in Fujinomiya on May 29. The city is in Shizuoka prefecture, about two hours from Yokosuka Naval Base, where hes stationed as a weapons officer aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold. The incident resulted in the death that day of a woman, 85, and her son-in-law, 54, who died in a hospital on June 11. A second woman, 53, the daughter and wife of the victims, suffered bruises to her knees and elbows. Prior to the sentencing, Alkonis in court thanked the victims family for agreeing to an unspecified monetary settlement in a separate civil case against him and then apologized for his actions. I am so sorry for all the pain and suffering I caused because of this accident, he said. Alkonis testified on Aug. 24 that he lost consciousness while driving due to a case of acute mountain sickness, a common set of symptoms that occur with a trip to high altitude. The day of the accident, Alkonis, his wife and their three children had taken a trip to Mount Fuji. However, the court ultimately rejected Alkonis defense, according to Shizuoka District Judge Kumiko Maesawa. She pointed to Alkonis own testimony from the first hearing, in which he said he had felt fine when he left Mount Fuji. That statement is inconsistent with altitude sickness, Maesawa said, the symptoms of which typically improve as a person descends to lower altitude. It is unlikely that the defendant suffered serious altitude sickness at the time, she said. Even if Alkonis had suffered altitude sickness, the judge said, its unlikely he would have suddenly fallen asleep or become unable to drive. Alkonis and his wife, Brittany Alkonis, immediately began to cry when Maesawa announced the three-year sentence. In finding Alkonis guilty, Maesawa said she also considered inconsistent statements he made between the time of the incident and the trial, and Alkonis failure of a very basic and important duty to stop driving once he felt drowsy. Im so sorry, Im so sorry, Alkonis repeated as the sentencing ended. Alkonis and his defense have 14 days to appeal his conviction to a three-judge panel at the Tokyo High Court. Civilian Defense Department employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine at Osan Air Base, South Korea, March 12, 2021. (Noah Sudolcan/U.S. Air Force) CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea All Korean civilians employed by the U.S. military in South Korea are required to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Nov. 22, according to a U.S. Forces Korea memo obtained by Stars and Stripes. The Oct. 13 memo, signed by foreign labor program director Lebanon Spann, cites President Joe Bidens executive order last month requiring all U.S. federal employees to be vaccinated to ensure the health and safety of the federal workforce and members of the public with whom they interact." The health and safety of the federal workforce, and the health and safety of members of the public with whom they interact, are foundational to the efficiency of the civil service, Bidens executive order said, adding that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that the best way to do so is to be vaccinated. Korean employees are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second shot of a two-dose regimen, or two weeks after receiving a one-dose vaccine, according to the memo. It says employees should be prepared to have proof of their vaccination status before Nov. 8. The memo said information will be forthcoming for those with medical or religious exemptions. A USFKs spokesman, Army Col. Lee Peters, told Stars and Stripes in an emailed statement Monday the vaccines are proven to be highly effective, and that the protection of the USFK community remains our #1 priority. "We follow all U.S. government and Department of Defense directives regarding COVID-19 mandatory vaccines for our service members, [Defense Department] civilians and contractors, including our Korean National workforce," Peters wrote. Roughly 12,500 South Koreans are employed by the U.S. military, according to the Korean Employees Union. The employees, who work in a wide range of fields on U.S. military bases, had been offered a free vaccine by the Defense Department on a priority basis. Over 85% of USFK personnel have been vaccinated as of Oct. 15, according to the commands latest update on coronavirus infections on Friday, which added that less than 1% of its active-duty force was confirmed positive with COVID-19. Nearly 65% of South Koreans have been fully vaccinated and 78% received their first dose of a vaccine, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said in an update last week. The country reported 1,050 new coronavirus cases Monday, down from an all-time high of 3,273 cases last month. The Nov. 22 deadline in the memo is the same date for all U.S. federal employees to be vaccinated. Over 322,400 Defense Department civilians are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus while another 47,200 received a first dose, according to a public update last week from the department. Those reported figures are still less than half of the departments civilian workforce and pose a challenge in the Pentagons push amid the looming deadline. Our civilian workers here, they take their jobs very seriously, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters during a briefing Tuesday. They take their obligations to their families and to their co-workers very seriously, and I think we have every expectation that they, too, will continue to seek and pursue getting vaccinated. Buy Photo (John Pilger/Stars and Stripes) Hammelburg, Germany, March 1972: Two soldiers pass a weapon between floors of a building in the village of Bonnland, a German army training center about 25 miles from Wuerzburg. U.S. and British troops based in Berlin were using the area to gain experience in the event war broke out in the divided city, a concept that seems increasingly strange now in the years after German reunification but was a strong possibility throughout the Cold War. There are 10 U.S. Army posts named after men who were Confederate generals during the Civil War. Top row, from left: Braxton Bragg, George Edward Pickett, Henry Benning, A.P. Hill and Leonidas Polk. Bottom row, from left: John Brown Gordon, John Bell Hood, Robert E. Lee, Edmund Rucker and Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. (U.S. Army) How did the United States come to have nearly a dozen military installations named not after its heroes but after its enemies men who led a war against the country and killed tens of thousands of people in defense of the indefensible institution of slavery? The last I checked, the Confederate army lost the Civil War. So isnt it kind of off-message, to say the least, to name military posts after the rebel officers who fought for the losing side? Yet thats exactly what the United States did. Thats why today we have Fort Bragg in North Carolina, named after Braxton Bragg, an irascible Confederate general. Theres also Fort Hood in Texas, named after Gen. John Bell Hood. And Fort Polk in Louisiana, named for Gen. Leonidas Polk. Also Forts Beauregard, Benning, Lee, Pickett, Rucker, A.P. Hill and Gordon, dotted across the American South. Plenty of people have rightly demanded that those names be removed and last year, Congress voted to do so. When President Donald Trump vetoed the legislation (of course he did!), his veto was overridden. A congressionally appointed commission is now overseeing the renaming process and must report back by October 2022. But what has long mystified me is how those bases got named in the first place. Remember, this wasnt Mississippi or Alabama honoring Confederate officers this was the United States of America. It won the war and then honored the losers. Does any other country do that? In Paris, Metro stops are named for French generals and French military victories, not Russian or British ones. Yet the U.S. apparently had no problem glorifying the leaders of a violent white supremacist insurrection. Of course, this was a war between the states, and one key goal when it ended was to reunite the country. If we were going to welcome Southerners back into the fold, we couldnt very well view them all as traitors and enemies in perpetuity. But we were under no obligation to glorify their vanquished cause or memorialize their leaders. Besides, the military installations didnt get named in the immediate aftermath of the war as an act of spontaneous reconciliation. They were named many years later. So how did it happen? It seems that many of the posts were established around the time of World War I about 50 years after Robert E. Lees surrender at Appomattox. The country needed camps to house and train troops. Southern towns feverishly lobbied for them and for the economic benefits they would bring. The military officials in charge of naming the posts, including Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Kuhn, set only the vaguest of rules: The names should honor officers who had a connection to the region and who were not unpopular in the area, and they should be short, to save clerical labor. Beyond that, the Army seemed not to have cared much. In some cases, officials actively sought to name camps after Confederate commanders if Southern divisions were to be housed there. At that time, nostalgia for the Lost Cause glories of the antebellum South was at its height. Statues and memorials to Confederate leaders were being erected. The film Birth of a Nation, a virulently racist glorification of Ku Klux Klan vigilantes, was released in 1915. William Sturkey, a history professor at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, says the military left much of the decision-making to the local and, of course, entirely white authorities. In an effort to build local goodwill, it allowed base names to be selected by small-town government officials, businesspeople and, in some cases, by the local chambers of commerce. Fort Benning in Georgia, for instance, was named after Confederate Gen. Henry L. Benning because the U.S. secretary of war accepted the recommendation of the local chapters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Rotary Club. Two decades later, as the U.S. entered World War II, it again needed bases; thats when Forts Hood, Pickett and Polk were created. According to Nina Silber, history professor at Boston University, the Roosevelt administration named them after Confederate officers to court Southern votes and secure the support of Southern Democrats for the war. (FDR once called Robert E. Lee one of our greatest American Christians and one of our greatest American gentlemen.) Frankly, its shameful. To the extent the military sympathized with or celebrated the Confederacy, it helped encourage the white nationalism were running up against today, Sturkey said. In 2015, Brig. Gen. Malcolm B. Frost tried to obscure the obvious by saying that the installations had been named for individuals, not causes or ideologies. Furthermore, he said, The naming occurred in the spirit of reconciliation, not division. But reconciliation can only go so far; otherwise, why did we fight the war in the first place? And individuals are difficult to separate from their ideologies. That Robert E. Lee was a great Christian gentleman is all well and good, but when you name an army installation after him, youre celebrating him as a military man, which is to say, as a traitorous general who fought for slavery, Americas single greatest moral failure. The U.S. position, then as now, should be unambiguous: We reject it, and we will not honor those who led the fight to keep it alive. As it turns out, several of the Confederate officers in question were not highly respected military leaders. Bragg, Polk and Hood, for example, were widely deemed failures both during and after the war, says Gary W. Gallagher, a professor emeritus of history at the University of Virginia. Did someone in Washington have a sense of humor? If so, its not very funny in retrospect. Lets get those names changed. Nicholas Goldberg is an associate editor and op-ed columnist for the Los Angeles Times. In this photo from July 20, 2021, designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry attends a ceremony in honor of late Haitian President Jovenel Moise at the National Pantheon Museum in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (Valerie Baeriswyl, AFP via Getty Images/TNS) MIAMI (Tribune News Service) The abduction of 16 American missionaries and one Canadian in Haiti by a notorious armed gang known for extorting businesses and ransoming kidnapped victims catapulted the Caribbean nations insecurity crisis into the global spotlight Sunday as FBI agents arrived in Port-au-Prince to help with negotiations to liberate the hostages. FBI agents arrived on an aircraft chartered by the U.S. government hours after reports confirmed that 17 Christian missionaries including five children had been taken hostage Saturday in the area of La Tremblay in Ganthier, just east of the capital. A State Department official, confirming the kidnappings, said the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State. We have been in regular contact with senior Haitian authorities and will continue to work with them and interagency partners, the official added. The brazen kidnappings pose a challenge not only for Haitis weak interim government that took control of the country after the shocking July assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, but also for the Biden administration. The administration has been increasingly under pressure to help Haiti address its dire security challenges after the U.S. supported the departure of the United Nations peacekeeping mission from the country after 13 years. The kidnappings happened just days after U.S. officials, including the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya, visited Haiti to evaluate the countrys security challenges and a day after the U.N. Security Council unanimously extended the mandate of its political office in Port-au-Prince by nine months. That decision came as U.N. diplomats, in a separate meeting, heard from Haitians and others about the countrys deteriorating political landscape, kidnappings for ransom and other gang crimes. When the Security Council took the decision of reducing the U.N. presence in that country, primarily due to financial considerations, the Dominican Republic expressed its strong concern of an early departure and its probable negative consequences, Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez told members of the U.N. Security Council Friday during the informal hearing. Today unfortunately, we are witnessing the dramatic consequences of this hasty decision. The gang believed to be behind the kidnapping is known as 400 Mawozo, which operates in the area of Croix-des-Bouquets along the route to the border Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic. It has gradually graduated from the stealing of cows to cars, to now kidnappings and extorting of businesses in the area. It was behind the April abduction of several Roman Catholic clergy, and since has developed a reputation for attacking vehicles and kidnapping people from cars and buses, then ransoming them as a group rather than individually to avoid scrutiny. The gang is led by a Wilson Joseph who goes by the nickname Lanmo Sanjou, which means death doesnt know which day its coming. Another one of its leaders is Joly Yonyon Germine, who is currently jailed but considered influential even from behind bars. This is the type of kidnapping that 400 Mawozo do; we call it a collective kidnapping where they kidnap any entire bus or car, said Gedeon Jean, who runs the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights in Port-au-Prince, which monitors kidnapping in the country. Jean said the gang is responsible for about 80% of the kidnappings taking place in Haiti. In rare instances are people released because of the police. In the majority of cases, they are held for days, sometimes even weeks and only released after a ransom has been paid. In some instances, females have been raped and victims have even been killed, while others tortured in captivity with burns. Members of the kidnapped group are part of Christian Aid Ministries. The charity said in a statement Sunday that it was requesting urgent prayers. The charity confirmed Saturdays abduction happened while the missionaries were on a trip to visit an orphanage. We are seeking Gods direction for a resolution, and authorities are seeking ways to help, the statement said. The group of 17 includes five men, seven women and five children, the charity said, Join us in praying for those who are being held hostage, the kidnappers, and the families, friends, and churches of those affected. Pray for those who are seeking Gods direction and making decisions regarding this matter, the statement said. A source who knows many of the victims said they are part of the Mennonite community and live in Haiti. While U.S. officials, including the FBI, had been alerted early about the kidnapping, Haiti National Police spokeswoman Marie-Michelle Verrier told the Miami Herald they they still had not confirmed the abductions. We have no information and no one has filed a report, she said. The kidnapping of the missionaries is the latest in a wave of abductions and insecurity in Haiti, which is facing a myriad of challenges. There is no president or parliament, warring political and civil society factions, a dismal economy, a migration crisis and a worsening humanitarian situation after a deadly August 14 earthquake struck its southern peninsula and left over 2,200 dead. On Sunday, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, commemorating the 215th anniversary of the death of founding father Jean-Jacques Dessalines, was prevented from laying the traditional wreath at Pont Rouge, just north of the capital, where Dessalines was assassinated. Local media reported that heavily armed gang members blocked Henry from laying the wreath and his delegation was forced to leave under a chorus of automatic gunfire. Henry made no mention of the incident on his Twitter feed when he noted that he had deposited an arrangement in memory of the emperor at the altar where his remains lie. The altar is at the national pantheon museum, known as the MUPANAH, across from the presidential palace. Observers have noted that the only way to tackle Haitis rampant insecurity is with the help of external forces, something the Dominican Republic asked for during its presidents recent address to the United Nations General Assembly. However, Haitians have been divided about the return of U.N. peacekeeping troops or even the presence of the U.S. military in the country while acknowledging that their beleaguered, demoralized, underpaid and corrupt police force is no match for the countrys well-armed gangs. Though Haitis interim leadership that took control after the death of Moise had requested that the Biden administration send U.S. troops, the White House did not support the idea. Earlier this month, Helen La Lime, the special representative for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Haiti, told the Security Council that the reestablishment of security, especially in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, must be prioritized by Haitian authorities. The control that gangs exercise around strategic entry and exit points of the capital has had a detrimental impact on Haitis economy and the movement of people and goods, she said. Kidnappings in Haiti have increased 300% between July and September, when at least 221 abductions were recorded, according to the crime observation unit of the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights in Port-au-Prince. The rise has coincided with the deepening political turmoil after the presidents murder and rampant insecurity in Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs have extended their control over large swaths of the capital. In recent weeks, people have been abducted while attending church and others from the hillside of Petionville, a tony suburb of the capital. While locals remain the bulk of those who have kidnapped, more than 40 foreigners from three countries France, Canada and the United States have fallen victim so far this year, according to information compiled by the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights. The gangs today have saturated Port-au-Prince and they are kidnapping people everywhere, said Jean, adding that its difficult to put a number to the kidnappings in Haiti. Since June, an increase in violence by warring gangs has caused the displacement of at least 19,000 people from Cite-Soleil, Croix-des-Bouquets, Delmas and Martissant, where gangs have also attacked a police station, destroying it with a bulldozer. Crossing Martissant has increasingly become more difficult, with gang members blocking the road with a 40-foot container and attacking passing vehicles in order to abduct passengers and hold them for ransom. As a result of the latest kidnapping wave, the president of the National Association of Owners and Drivers of Haiti, Mehu Changeux, announced a nationwide strike Monday on behalf of the public transport unions. He has since received support from other sectors who also plan to close their businesses in protest. 400 Mawozo is kidnapping people every which way; in the Central Plateau, the North, its the same thing. We are asking all 10 [regional] departments to bring everything in the country to a standstill so that the leaders will take their responsibility, Changeux said. Whats happening here concerns the whole society. McClatchy Washington Bureau correspondent Michael Wilner contributed to this report. 2021 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Japanese court sentenced a U.S. civilian employee at a Marine Corps base on Okinawa to four years in prison with labor, Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, for attempted rape and theft. (Pexels) NAHA, Okinawa A U.S. civilian employee at a Marine Corps base on Okinawa was sentenced to four years in prison with labor by a Japanese court Monday for attempted rape and unrelated theft convictions. Rushane Joel McKoy, 25, of Chatan Town, an employee at an Army and Air Force Exchange Service store at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, pleaded guilty to both charges in Naha District Court on Oct. 6. Prosecutors charged McKoy with trying to force a local woman into sex acts in April. The theft charge stems from an incident in August 2020, when he was accused of taking a shoulder bag containing 7,000 yen in cash, or about $62. McKoys wife took the stand Oct. 6 and said he needs mental health counseling. The three judges hearing the case were unmoved. The manner of the crime is malicious, head Judge Koji Oohashi said during sentencing Monday morning. The defendants attitude clearly shows a disregard for the victims dignity. McKoys remorse appeared superficial, Oohashi said: It is hard to say that he faced his actions in a sincere manner. Defendants in Japanese courts generally receive less than five years in prison with hard labor for an attempted rape conviction, a spokesman from Japans Ministry of Justice told Stars and Stripes previously. McKoy also faced up to 10 years or about $4,500 in fines for the theft. He has 14 days to appeal his sentence, Oohashi said. McKoy was led into court Monday morning, wearing a cloth mask, white T-shirt, light gray sweatpants and black sandals, his hands shackled in front of him. He looked at the visitors gallery nervously at times. He has been jailed since July 15. Oohashi wasted little time in rendering a verdict during McKoy's sentencing hearing, which only lasted 20 minutes. He condemned McKoys decision to commit a crime while already under investigation for another crime and for the malicious targeting of a woman walking alone at night. Even considering his wife promised to watch and supervise him, there is no room for suspending the execution of the sentence, Oohashi said. Oohashi repeatedly asked McKoy if he understood what had transpired during the hearing, but McKoy stood still and ignored the judge. He was eventually led out by guards to begin his sentence. According to prosecutors, McKoy grabbed a women in her 30s from behind in a parking lot in an undisclosed location just before 6 a.m. April 17. He fondled the womans breasts, pushed her to the ground, exposed himself and attempted but failed to sodomize her orally. The attack ended when the woman screamed, according to police. McKoy ran to his car and drove away, prosecutors said, and the woman called police. McKoy was first placed on house arrest July 2 while under investigation for the theft charge. He was taken into custody July 15 for allegedly pushing a police officer during a search of his home. Authorities released him July 30 but immediately rearrested him on the attempted rape charge. An AAFES spokesman in an email Monday declined to comment on McKoys employment status, citing service policy. AAFES has and will continue to cooperate with the local law enforcement authorities regarding this case, wrote Army Staff Sgt. Mark Kauffman. Beds for coronavirus patients are seen at a hospital in Shizuoka City, Japan. (Japan News-Yomiuri) Over 34,000 people in Japan could require hospitalization in a "sixth" wave of novel coronavirus infections, according to estimates made by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry based on the virus countermeasures presented by the government on Friday. The ministry estimates that accommodating these patients will require about 42,000 hospital beds 5,000 more beds than were secured during the fifth wave of infections this summer in Tokyo and 16 other prefectures. In light of this shortage, the ministry has asked each prefectural government to reassess within this month the number of hospital beds they have for covid-19 patients and to set aside more beds as necessary. To support the prefectures, the ministry will also for the first time request that the National Hospital Organization (140 hospitals) and the Japan Community Health Care Organization (57 hospitals) secure enough hospital beds under the National Hospital Organization Law and other laws. As the fifth wave of infections surged over the summer, some communities were unable to secure enough beds in time, forcing many patients in need of hospitalization to recuperate at home. To avoid such a situation and prepare for the next wave, the government has concluded that a capacity to accept admitted patients "1.2 times greater than during the fifth wave" will be needed. The fifth wave peaked with 28,446 covid-19 patients either hospitalized or awaiting hospitalization. As such, the ministry projects that hospitals will need to be able to treat up to 34,135 admitted patients during a sixth wave. But hospitals will require slightly more beds than the actual number of patients, in order to smoothly accommodate their intake. In a scenario with 80% occupancy rates, the ministry projects that 42,669 beds should be secured nationwide for the sixth wave. When compared with the fifth wave's peak on Sept. 15, this means a combined total of 4,996 more beds will need to be secured in 17 prefectures, including Tokyo and Osaka. But some hospitals have said it would be difficult for them to secure more beds in line with the ministry's request. The charters governing the National Hospital Organization and the Japan Community Health Care Organization allow the health minister to request the organizations to carry out tasks deemed necessary in the event of a serious public health crisis. The ministry plans to ask the organizations to see to it that more beds are secured for COVID-19 patients at their affiliated hospitals. Adm. Charles Richard, head of U.S. Strategic Command, said that Chinas advances allow them to execute any possible nuclear employment strategy, in an interview with Stars and Stripes during a visit to Stuttgart, Germany on Oct. 18, 2021. (U.S. Strategic Command) STUTTGART, Germany Chinas nuclear capability is advancing at a breathtaking pace, U.S. Strategic Commands top officer said Monday following a report that Beijing tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile that orbited the Earth before closing on its target. It almost seems like we cant go through a month without some new revelation coming about China, said Adm. Charles Richard, who heads the U.S. nuclear weapons mission. I am not surprised at reports like this. I wont be surprised when another report comes next month. Richard is in Europe this week for talks with U.S. Africa Commands Gen. Stephen Townsend and U.S. European Commands Gen. Tod Wolters, who also serves as NATOs supreme allied commander. His visit comes amid a report showcasing the kind of military advances that Richard refers to as Chinas strategic breakout, which, when combined with Russias nuclear capabilities, has the U.S. in uncharted waters. Never before has the U.S. had to simultaneously deter two potential adversaries with such capable nuclear arsenals, Richard said in an interview with Stars and Stripes. On Saturday, Financial Times reported that China recently carried out a hypersonic missile test that U.S. intelligence officials said took them by surprise. The report, citing five unidentified U.S. government sources, said the Chinese launched a rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle that flew through low orbit. Although the weapon missed its target by about 25 miles, the test revealed Beijings dramatic progress in hypersonic weaponry. Richard declined to confirm the details in the Financial Times report. But the breathtaking expansion of strategic and nuclear capabilities means that China can now execute any possible nuclear employment strategy, he said. During the Cold War, China had a nuclear posture of minimum deterrence, which allowed the U.S. to focus almost exclusively on the nuclear threat posed by the Soviet Union. But Chinas economic rise has given the country the capabilities to meet its global ambitions. Some of Chinas conventional capabilities have been on display in recent weeks, including in the periphery of Taiwan, where Chinese fighter planes have ramped up incursion flights into Taiwanese air defense zones. Such moves have heightened concerns about a possible conflict there. In my mind, (the Chinese) are building a military that is capable of coercion, which requires us to have a strategy to be able to stand up to that coercion or defend the Indo-Pacific and the broader world order that the U.S. and our allies value, Richard said. Russia presents problems as well, he said. Like China, the Kremlin has made advances in hypersonic weaponry. But in Europe, security analysts have also worried about the potential role for low-yield nuclear weapons, which could be deployed by Moscow in the event of conflict with the West. The idea of escalate to deescalate, which entails a small nuclear strike by Russia on a non-nuclear NATO member in an attempt to get allies to back down or risk wider nuclear war, must be taken seriously, Richard said. Its their doctrine, Richard said. Russia is very clear in terms of what their policies are. I take it at face value that is a vexing deterrent challenge. Against this backdrop, the United States is undertaking its own nuclear assessment. President Joe Biden launched a posture review due early next year that will lay out priorities for modernizing the U.S. nuclear arsenal. The strategy outlined by the Defense Department also will examine how the U.S. can reduce the role of nuclear weapons in its national security strategy while maintaining its strategic deterrent. Richard said he is confident the review will be clear-eyed about the threats. But he also said he gets apprehensive when he hears arguments in think tank circles against upgrading the nuclear arsenal based on an assertion that mutual assured destruction makes the prospect of such conflict a virtual impossibility. Russia and China are developing capabilities, Richard said. And you have to ask yourself why are they doing that if they are equally dismissive of their utility. Afghan evacuees board a flight for the United States from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Oct. 15, 2021. Thousands have moved on to the U.S. in a little over a week. The last outbound flight was delayed after eight evacuees tested positive for coronavirus during screening. (Trevor Rhynes/U.S. Air Force) KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany Several dozen Afghans who were supposed to be bound for the United States are still in Germany after eight of them tested positive for COVID-19, military officials said Monday. Ramstein Air Base officials had expected to see the last evacuees off this weekend, the base said Friday. As of Monday, about 160 evacuees remain and 66 people are being held in isolation. That number consists of the evacuees who initially tested positive on Thursday and 58 of their relatives, officials said. The Afghans are at the U.S. Armys Rhine Ordnance Barracks, where theyre expected to remain until being cleared for travel. They will likely depart before the end of the month, said Lt. Col. Will Powell, a spokesman for the 86th Airlift Wing. Those already cleared for travel will continue to trickle out this week, officials said. The positive tests came during mandatory pre-departure screening, Ramstein Air Base officials said. Airmen move benches and tables while dismantling temporary living facilities for Afghan evacuees at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Oct. 14, 2021. Equipment used to house and care for evacuees for nearly two months is being removed as the operation to support tens of thousands who fled Afghanistan winds down. As of Monday, less than 200 evacuees remained at U.S. bases in and near Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Thomas Karol/U.S. Air Force) Coronavirus screening is mandatory for evacuees 2 and older before their departure. Evacuees initially receive a rapid antigen coronavirus test. Anyone who tests positive is given a PCR test to confirm the results, Powell said. The eight people who tested positive last week either had received the vaccine or did not meet the age requirement to receive it, Powell said. In late September, all evacuees 18 and older were offered the one-dose Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, but it wasnt mandatory. A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel last week recommended a booster shot after two months for Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients to enhance its effectiveness. Ramstein has seen off thousands of evacuees since Oct. 9 after outbound flights to the U.S. resumed. Temporary housing facilities on the flight line for evacuees are being dismantled. Onward travel had been put on hold for more than three weeks after measles cases were confirmed among evacuees. More than 8,800 evacuees stuck at Ramstein and ROB received shots for measles, mumps and rubella during the pause. Since Aug. 20, more than 35,000 Afghan evacuees have processed through Ramstein on their way to the U.S. or other locations. Army leaders attend a Germany Unity Day ceremony in 2020 near a portion of the Berlin Wall displayed in Ansbach. German tax authorities are now scrutinizing the U.S. military income of a family in Ansbach, which may indicate that a tax collection operation that the U.S. says misinterprets the NATO Status of Forces Agreement is spreading to Bavaria. (U.S. Army) STUTTGART, Germany A U.S. military family in Bavaria is being targeted by German tax investigators, possibly signaling an expansion of a controversial tax collection operation to a state where tens of thousands of Americans are based. Earlier this month, Sandra Johnson, a German with a U.S. green card, opened her mail to find a letter from the Ansbach finance office demanding information about her husband, a Defense Department civilian. The questionnaire, which resembled those that have been sent to active-duty military and other DOD personnel based some 160 miles away near Ramstein Air Base, was the first known to have been issued to a military family in Bavaria. Tax officials wanted to know how long the Johnsons had been in Germany, and they sought proof that the family intended to leave in the future. The tax office also told Johnson she needed to hand over her husbands U.S. tax records for inspection. She said the stress is unbelievable. And you are basically left to deal with it by yourself, she added. Such questionnaires have been used to collect information and eventually open formal tax cases against American military members. The stakes for families locked in such disputes have been high: threats of imprisonment and property confiscation, yearslong court fights and six-figure tax bills. The U.S. government says the situation amounts to a violation of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which is designed to put military income off limits to local tax collectors. But so far, the U.S. government has been powerless to stop it even though the matter has gotten the attention of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. While we do not comment on diplomatic exchanges, the embassy and the military commands continue to work closely in concert to address what we believe is a misinterpretation of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, the U.S Embassy in Berlin said Thursday in a statement. The Department of Defense and Department of State remain engaged and are trying to reach a resolution of this long-standing issue. German tax offices have argued that language in the SOFA treaty justifies their actions. If military members arent in Germany solely for their jobs, they could be subjected to German tax for the same income on which theyre already paying U.S. taxes, German authorities say. German tax collectors have built cases against Americans based on circumstances such as marriage to a German, tour extension, property purchases or enrollment of a child in a German school. To avoid German income tax, Americans with a SOFA visa must prove they plan to leave the country. Yet tax offices have continued to pursue military personnel even after they have left Germany. The Ansbach finance office declined to answer when asked how many tax cases are pending against U.S. military members. The tax office does not keep separate records of U.S. soldiers or members of the U.S. military who are stationed in the area under the NATO Forces Statute, the Ansbach office said in a statement Friday. They added that the taxation of U.S. soldiers and members of the U.S. military has always been in compliance with the regulations of the NATO troop statute. While U.S. forces are based all over the world, Germany is the only foreign country in which U.S. forces are at risk of having their military paycheck taxed. German tax offices also have factored in housing allowances and on-base benefits like discounted gasoline, commissary shopping privileges and access to base gyms. In the area around Ramstein Air Base, where most cases against Americans have centered so far, tax offices have imposed an annual flat penalty in the range of $15,000 to $20,000 based on benefits alone before looking at pay and housing allowance, according to private tax consultants, attorneys and affected military personnel. Ive read about other people who have been in this situation, and I looked at it as weird and frightening, Johnson said. I wonder how many more people its going to be. These are families lives that are being messed with. Johnson said the Army legal office on post in Ansbach told her there was nothing it could do to help. The U.S. military in Europe also has said it cant get involved in individual tax cases, and Army legal officials have advised people to hire private attorneys. U.S. European Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa, which oversees SOFA matters in Germany, have been unable to provide any protection for personnel. Thus far, the guidance by the Armys legal office has been that military members should do their best to stay off the radar of tax authorities by not registering with a local town hall and not filing jointly if a German spouse needs to pay taxes. Johnson, a German citizen who works as a contractor on base, said she caught the Ansbach tax offices attention because she was required to file local taxes. Even though she filed singly rather than jointly, as allowed by German law, she was met with the demand to hand over her husbands U.S. tax records. Johnson said shes been forced to retain a lawyer to try to keep the German version of the IRS at bay. While the couple has been in Germany since 2018, they were in the U.S. for 10 years prior to their arrival, she said. And Johnson said they plan to return there in two years. I dont take anything from the Germans, she said. I want nothing from them. Stars and Stripes reporter Marcus Kloeckner contributed to this report. MOSCOW Russia is shuttering its permanent mission to NATO and suspending the alliances liaison office in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday, further fraying the relationship between the organization and the Kremlin. Moscows move comes less than two weeks after NATO expelled eight members of the Russian delegation, accusing them of working as undercover spies. NATOs early October move also cut the maximum size of the Russian delegation in half. A NATO statement at the time said the alliance had strengthened our deterrence and defense in response to Russias aggressive actions, but added that it remains open for a meaningful dialogue. Official talks between NATO and Moscow had already been limited in recent years. Communication will be further reduced now with Russia pulling out all of its diplomats from NATOs headquarters and revoking the accreditations for NATOs delegation in Moscow. If NATO has any urgent affairs, they might address our ambassador to Belgium on those matters, Lavrov said Monday. The Russian Foreign Ministry said NATO can designate an ambassador from one of its member countries to maintain contacts with Russian officials on behalf of the alliance. NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said Moscow had not yet sent official word about its actions, contradicting Lavrov, who said the alliance has already been notified. We have taken note of Minister Lavrovs comments to the media, however we have not received any official communication on the issues he raised, she said in a statement. NATO gave the Russian diplomats an end-of-October deadline to leave Brussels, where the alliance is headquartered. This week, NATO is hosting a previously scheduled high-level meeting of its members defense ministers, where tensions with Russia will likely headline discussions. Relations between the military bloc and Moscow have grown progressively worse since Russias annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014. Moscow has regularly accused NATO of deploying troops and weapons close to its border. Tensions spiked this spring, when Russia increased its military presence along the Ukrainian border; the Kremlin said the buildup was for planned exercises. Russias delegation to NATO and NATOs military liaison office in Russia were both set up in 1998 to facilitate information-sharing between Brussels and Moscow. Formal cooperation was suspended in 2014, following Russias invasion of Crimea. NATO previously reduced the maximum size of the Russian delegation from 30 to 20 diplomats in 2018, after double-agent Sergei Skripal was poisoned in Britain in what Western intelligence agencies say was an assassination attempt by Russian agents. Thebault reported from Brussels. Col. Joshua Chamberlain won the Medal of Honor for his heroics during the Civil War and was elected governor of Maine four times. His home state boasts two statues in his likeness while Chamberlains old house is a beloved museum. (U.S. Army) PORTLAND, Maine (Tribune News Service) Its a true story, told so many times it feels like sacred Maine mythology. A mild-mannered Maine college professor leads a band of citizen soldiers in a desperate bayonet charge down a far-off rocky slope in July 1863. They sweep the enemy aside, save the day and help win the battle, thus preserving the Union. In countless history books, novels, movies, plays, songs and television documentaries Col. Joshua Chamberlain and his 20th Maine Regiment are lauded as the heroes of Little Round Top and saviors at the Civil War battle of Gettysburg. Chamberlain later won the Medal of Honor for his heroics and was elected governor of Maine four times. His home state boasts two statues in his likeness while Chamberlains old house is a beloved museum. Theres also a village, beer and bridge named in his honor. But there is no American military installation bearing Chamberlains name and some Mainers want to change that. Last week, the executive director of the Pejepscot History Center, which runs the Chamberlain House Museum in Brunswick, asked her docent staff for suggestions in renaming an American military base in Chamberlains honor. With a federal group taking suggestions, it was a timely ask with a purpose I can certainly attest to why Chamberlain should get the honor, wrote Larissa Picard, but I would love to hear your recommendation for why a particular base should get the Chamberlain name. Several Chamberlain House guides spoke up with suggestions. Picard asked them to also submit their ideas to the official federal base Naming Commission set up last year in a national rethink of Confederate statues and iconography following a summer of racial justice protests. The commission was created as part of the United States National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The act requires the Secretary of Defense to remove all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America from all assets of the Department of Defense. President Donald Trump originally vetoed the act but his action was later overridden by Congress. The commission is taking base naming suggestions until the end of November and has three years to get its renaming work done. My vote is to change Fort Gordon to Fort Chamberlain, wrote long-time docent Dean Clegg, who once raised thousands of dollars to get a historic marker put up in Virginia on the spot where Chamberlain was wounded. Fort Gordon, in Georgia, is named for Confederate Maj. Gen. John Gordon. Its the current home of the Army Signal Corps and Cyber Command. Clegg thinks the name change would be appropriate, in part, because Chamberlain received Gordons surrender at the wars end. Its really that scene at Appomattox which Chamberlain later wrote about very romantically, Clegg said. Over 30 years after the fact, Chamberlain told of seeing Gordon, mounted on horseback, leading his troops in a dreary column as they came to lay down their arms. In a show of class still remembered over a century later, Chamberlain ordered his own troops to salute. Gordon, seeing the honor, sat straight up, returning the gesture. On our part not a sound of trumpet more, nor roll of drum; not a cheer, nor word nor whisper of vain-glorying, nor motion of man standing again at the order, Chamberlain wrote, but an awed stillness rather, and breath-holding, as if it were the passing of the dead. Clegg also pointed out that Gordon was a slaveholder, was probably the leader of Georgias Ku Klux Klan and a vocal racist all things Chamberlain was not. Another Chamberlain House docent, Peter Tenney, suggested Fort Pickett in Virginia be changed to Fort Chamberlain. Fort Pickett is a Virginia Army National Guard installation and home of the Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center. Its named for Confederate Maj. Gen. George Pickett who led a futile and disastrous charge across an open field at Gettysburg. Aside from the treason of the Confederacy which he served, Picketts Charge at Gettysburg was a failure the obverse of Col. Joshua L. Chamberlains notable victory leading the 20th Maine regiment over the 15th Alabama on Little Round Top the prior day, Tenney, a retired history teacher, wrote. Tenney also pointed out Chamberlains long record of public service after the war. He survived another 50 years as a noted servant of his state and community, a citizen soldier to the end of his life, he wrote. Picard said she was happy with the responses coming in from her email inquiry but the Pejepscot History Center isnt advocating for any specific fort, just yet. But wed love to see Chamberlains name on a federal military base, of course, she said. (c)2021 the Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine) Visit the Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine) at www.bangordailynews.com WASHINGTON U.S. politicians from both parties on Monday remembered Colin L. Powell as a highly respected public servant, trusted adviser to presidents and statesman upon learning that the former secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had died of complications from COVID-19. Many Presidents relied on General Powells counsel and experience, former president George W. Bush said in a statement. He was such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Powell served as secretary of state under Bush a tenure that was marred by a 2003 appearance before the United Nations in which Powell cited faulty information in seeking to make the case for U.S. war against Iraq. That episode was largely set aside Monday, however, as tributes poured in for a man whose career in public service began when he was a soldier in Vietnam. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War era long before heading to Capitol Hill, praised Powells military leadership. Simply stated, Colin Powell was a great general, a distinguished combat soldier, an outstanding statesman, and an inspirational leader whose transcendent presence served as a beacon and a rock to present and future generations, he tweeted. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., celebrated Powells journey as a testament to the American Dream. It is hard to imagine a more quintessentially American story: A son of Jamaican immigrants who learned Yiddish from his boyhood neighbors in the Bronx becomes a four-star general in the United States Army and serves four presidential administrations, including as National Security Advisor, the youngest-ever Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the first Black Secretary of State, he said in a statement. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., said Powell was resolute and honorable throughout his life and career, and America is fortunate to have benefitted from his leadership. In a tweet, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, remembered Powell as a man of undaunted courage and a champion of character. A statesmen & trailblazer, devoted to America and the cause of liberty, Colin Powells legacy of service & honor will long inspire, Romney said. Secretary of State Colin Powell is shown seated at right on April 16, 2004, in the Oval Office of the White House as British Prime Minister Tony Blair, from left, and President George W. Bush joke with photographers. National security adviser Condoleezza Rice is seated at Powell's right. (Dennis Brack/Bloomberg) Powell was the first African American to serve as secretary of state and as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was urged at several points to run for president but never mounted a bid. America needs more leaders like him at this moment, people willing to put nation over party and to call us together, Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Del., said in a statement. Colin was truly a class act, who loved our nation deeply and who worked diligently in service to our country in key diplomatic, national security and public service roles over several decades. His loss will be felt by all who served with and learned from him. Former vice president Richard B. Cheney also pointed to Powells role as a trailblazer. General Powell had a remarkably distinguished career, and I was fortunate to work with him, Cheney said in a statement that noted Powells service in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, among other things. Colin was a trailblazer and role model for so many: the son of immigrants who rose to become National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and Secretary of State. Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said he had been personally moved by Powells achievements. As a young Black man, I was inspired by Secretary Powell, who showed there is no limit to what we can be or achieve, Harrison said in a statement. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., the only Black GOP member of the Senate, also credited Powell for having broken countless barriers along the way. On Twitter, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., called Powell a wise, decent & generous spirit and noted that Powell got married on the same day that Leahy did. He & Alma were married on the same day that we were and most yrs on that day wed talk with & tease each other, Leahy said. Our hearts are heavy & our thoughts are w/ Alma & their family. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the nations first Black defense secretary, called Powell one of the greatest leaders that we have ever witnessed. Alma lost a great husband, and the family lost a tremendous father, and I lost a tremendous personal friend and mentor, Austin told reporters. He always made time for me, and I could always go to him with tough issues. He always had great counsel. We will certainly miss him. I feel as if I have a hole in my heart. Quite frankly, it is not possible to replace a Colin Powell, Austin added, noting Powells trailblazing status as the first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as secretary of state. Despite his controversial role in selling the Iraq War, Powell was broadly popular within the State Department for the attention he paid to the needs of the men and women of the Foreign Service. On Monday, the American Foreign Service Association, the union that represents U.S. diplomats, released a statement calling Powell a true patriot and public servant. Few secretaries have devoted as much time and energy to ensuring that the professional career Foreign Service was properly staffed, resourced, consulted, and respected, the AFSA said in a statement. For that, Secretary Powell will always be remembered with great affection and appreciation. Remembrances of Powell were also shared by those with whom he worked around the globe. Jack Straw, Britains former foreign secretary and Powells counterpart, called him a brilliant diplomat because he always had time for people. They last exchanged messages a month ago. Powell was indefatigable in the amount of work that he put in. My wife nicknamed him the other man in her life because he used to call at 11 p.m., Straw said to the BBC. He said that Powell regretted the way he presented the case for the invasion of Iraq: He did regret it, as did I. He felt rather personally that this had been a blight on an otherwise impeccable reputation, Straw said, but it is my belief that people will see his career in the balance and put that against all his other extraordinary achievements. He could have been president, Straw said. He said he and Powell talked a number of times about his decision not to run and that the reason, he told me was because of his wife. The Washington Posts John Hudson in Washington and Karla Adam in London contributed to this report. Dolphin Bay Elementary School student Dael Fernandez gets an assist with his mask from his mom Cynthia Fernandez, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2021 in Miramar, Fla. Masks are still required in public schools in Broward, Palm Beach and six other Florida counties. (Joe Cavaretta, South Florida Sun Sentinel/TNS) (Tribune News Service) Some U.S. schools are starting to lift mask mandates as the latest COVID-19 wave fades, and case trends suggest others may soon follow. At least half a dozen school districts across the country have recently lifted their mandates, the first such swing away from the face coverings, according to Burbio, which tracks the developments and runs a dashboard on schools. They include Troup County in Georgia, Rogers Public Schools in Arkansas and Northside ISD in Texas, Burbio reported. As of Oct. 15, 78% of the 500 largest districts still required masks, according to Burbio data. Many of the schools that made a change still recommend the coverings even though theyre now optional. The shift appeared to reflect in part the waning of the U.S. delta wave, which hit just as schools were preparing to return from summer break. A month ago, every state was in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions worst COVID-19 community-transmission category, high, meaning they were all recording at least 100 new weekly cases per 100,000 residents or had a case positivity rate of 10% or more. Now, five states California, Louisiana, Florida, Connecticut and Hawaii have dropped to the substantial level, the second worst of the four categories. Many school districts including the nations fourth largest, Floridas Miami-Dade have linked their policies to the CDCs tiered system. Though Florida as a whole has improved, Miami-Dade County remains high, with a seven-day case rate of just over 100 per 100,000 residents. That rate is down 23% in the past week. Conditions vary across the country, but leading indicators suggest the broad decline in virus transmission is likely to continue in the near term. The effective reproduction number or Rt a measure of new infections from one newly infected person is below one in 46 states and the nations capital, which typically means cases should fall. At the local level, some areas look even better. The CDC has 171 counties, or 5.3%, in its moderate or low transmission categories. At those levels, the agency has more relaxed guidelines for schools, including more liberal practices for school sports, which have sometimes been associated with outbreaks. Despite the improvements, theres significant reason for uncertainty heading into North Americas traditional winter virus season. The CDC still recommends facial coverings for school kids, and many districts will probably hold onto the practice at least until young children are eligible for vaccines. But some districts are clearly moving faster. The seven-day moving average of new U.S. cases was 80,313 as of Oct. 15, down 24% from two weeks earlier, CDC data show. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) The Alabama State Board of Veterans Affairs is urging establishment of a program to help veterans who suffer health problems possibly caused by exposure to toxic substances at Fort McClellan in Anniston. The SBVA unanimously passed a resolution urging Alabamas congressional delegation to support legislation to study the effects of service at Fort McClellan and the establishment of a health registry. The resolution calls for a presumptive service connection for veterans who were exposed at Fort McClellan. A presumptive service connection means that the Department of Veterans Affairs presumes that a health condition is caused by the specific circumstances of a veterans work in the military. Fort McClellan, established in 1917, became home to the Armys Chemical Corps and Chemical Weapons school after World War II until the base closed in 1999. According to the resolution, the Army used personnel at Fort McClellan to test exposure to and decontamination methods for sulfur mustard and nerve agents in 1953, a program called Operation Top Hat. In 1998, a U.S. Army Environmental Center study found the presence of dangerous contaminants requiring investigation and cleanup before Fort McClellan could be converted to the public domain after the base closed. In 2005, the National Academy of Medicine said the groundwater and soil at Fort McClellan were contaminated. But the VA does not acknowledge health problems associated with service at Fort McClellan. Military and veterans who served on Fort McClellan were excluded from a class-action settlement between the city of Anniston and Monsanto chemical plant in 2003. The VA has noted the existence of the toxic chemicals used at Fort McClellan and that potential exposures could have included, but are not limited to: Radioactive compounds (cesium-137 and cobalt-60) used in decontamination training activities; chemical warfare agents (mustard gas and nerve agents) used in decontamination testing; and airborne PCBs from the Monsanto plant in Anniston. 2021 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit al.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC . The USS Arizona Memorial on December 5, 2003, at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu. (Ronen Zilberman. Getty Images/TNS) HONOLULU (Tribune News Service) Eighty years after their service and sacrifice on Dec. 7, 1941, final respects will be paid to a former USS Arizona member and multiple USS Oklahoma crew with a pair of interments and full military honors planned for the Pearl Harbor defenders on the big anniversary of the day that will live in infamy for America. For the families of 85 Arizona crew buried as unknowns at Punchbowl cemetery, meanwhile, hope is being rekindled that they like their USS Oklahoma shipmates can someday be disinterred for identification. Harvey Milhorn, a gunners mate on the Arizona who survived the fireball that engulfed the ship and who died in 2002 at age 80, will be interred back on his sunken battleship in a 4 :30 p.m. sunset ceremony on Dec. 7, the Navy said. At the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, which is known as Punchbowl, the final group remains of USS Oklahoma crew who couldnt be identified through an unprecedented six-year Defense Department effort will be reburied at 11 :30 a.m. in a single casket, according to the Honolulu veterans cemetery. The 80th-anniversary National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day a major milestone in history and for its dwindling survivors who are now around a century old will be held on the Navy bases Kilo Pier with the relentlessness of COVID-19 still a concern. The observation, organized by the National Park Service and Navy, will take place at 7 :45 a.m. Seating at Kilo Pier will be by invitation only for the health and safety of attending veterans; however, the NPS at Pearl Harbor National Memorial will be live-streaming the ceremony from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center lawn, the Park Service said in a recent release. Public seating at the visitor center will be determined via r ecreation.gov lottery. Information on how and when to register for the lottery will be forthcoming, the park service said. Due to COVID-19, no World War II veterans were on hand for last years also partly virtual Dec. 7 remembrance at the visitor centers Contemplation Circle. The last time a USS Arizona crew member was interred back on the ship was Dec. 7, 2019. Army divers gave a unique World War II-style sendoff to Lauren Bruner, who escaped a fiery death aboard the Arizona by climbing hand over hand across a rope 70 feet above Pearl Harbor to the safety of the adjacent repair ship USS Vestal. Bruner died in September 2019 at age 98. The divers donned vintage Mark 5 hard hats, lead boots and drysuits to walk across the deck of the sunken battleship and descend 22 feet into gun turret 4 to carefully place Bruners ashes in one of the deepest spots in the wreck. Bruner was the 44th and last crew member expected to be interred on the battleship memorial, which is still a grave for over 900 men. Then a family member of Milhorns came forward with her grandfathers wish to be returned to the battleship. Navy Region Hawaii Historian Jim Neuman said Milhorn was in one of the aft machine gun mounts on the Arizona. A total of 1,177 men died after a Japanese aerial bomb pierced its bow, igniting gunpowder for the battleships big guns. He was wounded in the attack and ended up swimming over to Ford Island, and it sounds like he might have been in one of the houses recovering a little bit. Then he went onto the (battleship) Tennessee shortly thereafter and continued to fight on the Tennessee, Neuman said. Neuman added that Milhorn was just a very quiet guy and just didnt talk much about his (Pearl Harbor) experience. Park Service spokeswoman Emily Pruett said the way she understands it, Milhorn had filled out the request for interment on the ship and never told anyone, and when his family, well after he passed away, they were getting ready to sell the family home, they came across the paperwork expressing his wishes. At Punchbowl, meanwhile, some number of USS Oklahoma casualties who were buried as unknowns at the cemetery will be reinterred after the Defense Department approved the unprecedented step in 2015 of exhuming all 388 crew members for possible identification. Some of the 429 casualties had been identified previously. As of Sept. 30, 40 Oklahoma sailors remained unaccounted for, with seven pending identification, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which is responsible for investigating, recovering and identifying missing American war dead. Advances in science, particularly DNA, helped prompt the project. The agency will close out the six-year effort with the group reburial for those who could not be identified. Gene Maestas, a Punchbowl spokes man, said the reinterment will take place at 11 :30 a.m. Dec. 7 at the cemetery. Finally, some families of 85 USS Arizona crew members buried as unknowns at Punchbowl who have been pushing for disinterment and identification have made progress in Congress as they seek to return their loved ones home. Cassandra Sebastian, a spokeswoman for Colorado U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, said Lamborn was able to secure a congressional directive requiring DPAA to take steps toward possible disinterment of the USS Arizona unknowns. DPAA said language directs the secretary of the Navy to submit a report to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on the feasibility and cost associated with identifying the 85 unknowns. (c)2021 The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Visit The Honolulu Star-Advertiser at www.staradvertiser.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A 20-year-old is not usually someone you would associate with a cardiac arrest. A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere and at any time without warning, says the New Zealand Resuscitation Council. Em Seyb and her parents, Roger Seyb and Karyn Sinclair, discovered this on the evening of November 2, 2020, when they saved Ems life with their fast response. Em and her family are sharing their story as part of the New Zealand Resuscitation Councils World Restart a Heart Day Campaign. Em is a Massey University student studying a Bachelor of Communications, and in 2020 was enjoying student life working as a Residential Assistant. Em was visiting her parents in Auckland and sitting with her mum Karyn on the couch watching the evening news while dad Roger was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Em dropped her phone but when she didnt move to pick it up it alerted me to something going on, Karyn remembers. Em had gone into a cardiac arrest. Her cardiologist explained the event to her family as an electrical storm on the heart which causes it to stop. This is different to a heart attack, which is a circulation problem blocking blood flow. A cardiac arrest is sudden and extremely fatal with a survival rate of only 13 per cent. Karyn called for Roger to help, at this time Karyn decided that she should call 111. Roger noted that he thought about starting CPR but found it difficult to make the decision to begin. He explains the call taker was amazing, he was so calm and reassuring, he asked me to hold the phone next to Ems face to hear her breathing. He told me to start CPR, and talked me through the entire CPR process. Em was not breathing normally, so Roger was instructed to begin CPR. This quick action from her parents saved Ems life. Without CPR or a defibrillator (AED), someone in cardiac arrest is 10 per cent 15 per cent less likely to survive with each passing minute, says a spokesperson for the New Zealand Resuscitation Council. Help arrived quickly. From the start of the 111 call to the co-response arrival from Fire and Emergency and St John Ambulance staff, was about seven minutes. Emergency Services took over CPR and Em received two shocks from an AED to restart her heart. Ems story is an example of the Chain of Survival operating perfectly to save lives. Through early recognition and calling 111, starting CPR and getting a defibrillator (AED) quickly, survival rates can be increased from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, says the New Zealand Resuscitation Council. This process can be remembered as Call Push Shock. Roger says he thought about CPR but the hardest choice was making the decision to start. Karyn says she wants people to know that you arent over exaggerating when calling 111. A quick response saves lives. The New Zealand Resuscitation Council encourages all people to refresh or learn CPR and find out where the closest AED is to their work and home through the AED Locations app or website. A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time and lives are saved when people know what to do. Ems memories in the weeks before and following the cardiac arrest are a bit patchy, and she must rely on her family to fill in a few of the gaps. Em is passionate to raise awareness about recognising a cardiac arrest, and how its completely different to a heart attack people ask me if I had a heart attack and I have to explain that a cardiac arrest is different which surprises people. She also admitted that she didnt know what a cardiac arrest was before she had one. Em became very aware to check where the closest AEDs are to key locations such as work and home after her cardiac arrest. She spent 13 days in Auckland Hospital, the first 36 hours were in an induced coma. When talking about her hospital stay, Em remembers that she was the youngest person on the cardiac ward, so enjoyed chatting to the nurses that were around her age. Because of her patchy memory, Em couldnt remember her trip to Auckland so thought she was still in Wellington. When Em woke up from the coma, she remembers being confused about how much time had passed, and asking to see her partner, Izzy, who had travelled up from Wellington the morning after Ems arrest. Em had an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) installed in her chest. Her doctors were unable to find the cause of the cardiac arrest. Ems parents say the ICD provides some peace of mind. The cardiologist told Em that the device was installed so she could live her life and not be wrapped in cotton wool. The ICD detects if Em has another abnormal heart rhythm and will administer a shock if she ever goes into cardiac arrest again. Just three weeks after her cardiac arrest, Em was back in Wellington with Izzy, attending friends 21st birthday parties and moving into a new flat. The Government is making a four-fold increase in the support it provides to countries most vulnerable to the climate emergency, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Climate Change Minister James Shaw announced today in the lead up to the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow. The increase announced today matches New Zealands contribution to global climate funding with COP26 host the United Kingdom on a per person basis. New Zealand will do its fair share in the global race to tackle climate change by providing $1.3 billion to assist lower income countries to protect lives, livelihoods and infrastructure from the impacts of climate change, Jacinda Ardern says. I have seen and heard first-hand the impact of climate change in our region. We need to continue to step up our support for our Pacific family and neighbours who are on the front line of climate change and need our support most. The investment will enable New Zealand to support clean energy projects in developing countries, ensure buildings are able to withstand more damaging storms, crops are resilient to droughts, floods and new pests, and communities are protected from sea level rise and storm surges. "Our new contribution far eclipses the pledges New Zealand has made previously. With the climate change clock ticking its important we lift our contribution now and bring it into line with other countries. Making this investment now helps protect our environment and build a safer planet for our children. Its the right thing to do, Jacinda Ardern says. Minister of Climate Change, James Shaw confirmed that at least half of New Zealands new $1.3 billion climate finance commitment, which covers the period 2022 to 2025, will go towards supporting New Zealands Pacific neighbours. Developing countries are those most uniquely at risk from the climate crisis. We can see that in the Pacific, where some of our closest neighbours are already experiencing rising sea levels and more extreme weather. This is having an impact on peoples livelihoods and ability to provide for their families, James Shaw says. For these countries, the impacts of climate change that scientists have been warning us about for decades are not academic, or a distance threat; they are happening right now. Comparatively wealthy countries like Aotearoa New Zealand have a duty to do everything we possibly can to stop this getting worse, and to support countries to prepare for the unavoidable changes we have already forced on the climate. Climate finance is a critical pillar of real and tangible climate change action across the world. Massively increasing our contribution to the global effort will benefit local communities, and also further cement New Zealands presence in the region as a constructive, supportive country, committed to a resilient, prosperous future for Pacific Islands, James Shaw says. Parts of the Waikato and Auckland will remain at Alert Level 3 while Northland will move to Alert Level 2 at 11.59pm tomorrow. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has made the announcement at a post-Cabinet briefing this afternoon. She confirmed the rest of New Zealand will remain at Alert Level 2 as well. Waikatos alert level will be reviewed on Friday and Auckland will remain at its current alert level settings for another two weeks. She says in Waikato there have been further cases and positive wastewater tests so its important to act with caution. Ardern acknowledges its been a long time to be living with restrictions In Auckland. "But those restrictions have made a huge difference, they've helped us to keep case numbers as low as possible while we continue to vaccinate people. "We need to keep going with both tools: our restrictions and vaccinations, because with Delta we cannot rely on just one. "If we get this right, if we keep case numbers low while we vaccinate people, then it makes it easier for us to keep control of Covid while we ease restrictions in the future." She says there are cases in 124 suburbs across the entire geographical area of Auckland. Ardern reiterated the importance of sticking to the alert level rules. The rules are there to help us through this critical phase. Indoor gatherings are not part of Alert Level 3, she says. Social interaction outside of your bubble is only allowed outdoors and people must wear a mask and be socially distanced, says Ardern. Restrictions are the best way to suppress or minimise case while we work towards high vaccination rates. The Prime Minister also announced that they will outline the Covid-19 Protection Framework on Friday. The framework will detail what life will be like once high vaccination rates have been achieved. A vaccination target or milestone will also be announced. The target will be high, says Ardern. EARLIER: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will give a post-cabinet announcement today at 4pm. The Prime Minister will be joined by Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield. Cabinet will today review the alert level 3 settings for Auckland, Northland and parts of Waikato. It's understood ministers will also consider a traffic light-like system New Zealand could move to once the population is highly vaccinated. It could mark the next phase, away from using alert level restrictions, to a mix of protective measures in the event of outbreaks. That could include mask use, gathering limits, social distancing, proof of vaccination and scanning. It could be some months before it would be ready to be implemented. The government's repeatedly said high vaccination and testing rates will help towards easing restrictions. Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told RNZ current modelling showed it would take Auckland just over a month before 90 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated. Just over 70 per cent is now fully vaccinated, with close to 90 per cent having had one dose. There were 92 community cases over the weekend, five in Waikato and the rest in Auckland. Of Sunday's 51 community cases, 23 were unlinked. One is in Hamilton and one has an address in nearby Kihikihi, which officials say may have been the source of wastewater detections in Te Awamutu. Tune into the livestream above to see what the decision will be. A partnership between Parafed Bay of Plenty and Evolution Aquatics Tauranga is giving disabled members of the community a chance at giving para-swimming a go. The Have a Go event at the Otumoetai Pool allows for those who might not usually be able to go for a swim the chance to do so. Amanda Lowry used the hoist available at Otumoetai Pool when training for the Tokyo Paralympics. An experienced national and international para-swimmer, she wants other members of the community to be aware that the hoist is present and to get involved in the action and has been integral in running the recent event. The Have a Go day on Saturday, October 16, saw eight para-swimmers in attendance, some of whom had not been in the water post-injury. I love the water, says Amanda. Its my happy place. I was stoked we had such a good turnout and everybody really enjoyed it. This is what inclusion looks like. Participants took use of the facilities at Otumoetai Pool. Supplied photo. Three support people are in the water with the swimmers who had a two-hour opportunity to just get comfortable in the water, Amanda explains. Some of the highly impaired tetraplegics used a combination of floats and pool noodles to gain stability and confidence in the water. Visually impaired swimmers were guided by voice and tapped with pool noodles when they reached the end of the pool. Evolution Aquatics coach Tai Daniela aided from the poolside. Its a great development opportunity for us as coaches, says Tai. But we are also able to give back a little bit to the community, he says, admitting it is easy to get caught up in the competitive swimming silo. The event is certainly appreciated by those who took part. It was such a smooth process, says para-swimmer Fritz Tuaa. Transitioning into the pool and the feeling of my body in the water was pure bliss. Sam Firtness was pleased with the inclusive manner of the swim. It was a good opportunity to give swimming a go around other people with physical disabilities, says Sam. One swimmer described the event as pure bliss. Supplied photo. Parafed and Evolution Aquatics are now hoping to run a para swim series in the near future with dates yet to be confirmed. There is even talk of a Para Swim Squad, if the numbers add up. Parafeds Sport Development Officer John Sligo was clearly moved to see some of his members enjoying the water again. Its so great to see the joy on our members' faces as they become aware of their capabilities in the water when able to access the pool and swim with support from the fantastic coaches and volunteers, he says. Anyone interested in participating in para-swimming can contact Amanda or John directly at galzamanda@gmail.com or john@parafedbop.co.nz, respectively. Waikato Our many traffic clients are now back to business and have a lot of work to catch up on. We deal with all the major players... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Gib government announces hundreds of millions in savings thanks to Eastside Reclamation project The TNG Global Foundation, which was only recently established on the Rock, will be carrying out the works The government of Gibraltar has announced that it will be saving hundreds of millions of pounds in expenditure following an agreement with the TNG Global Foundation for the development of the Eastside Reclamation project. TNG Global Foundation was recently established in Gibraltar by Mr Tuan Tran, who is also the ultimate beneficial owner of Trusted Novus Bank. The bank recently committed to donate the cost of the Midtown Park to Gibraltar, and that money is due to be paid before the end of November. Last week the government also announced that it had granted development rights over the old Bayside and St Annes sites to TNG Global Foundation. The government has now signed Heads of Terms for the Eastside project, and TNG says it has already started working on the environmental impact assessment. It will pay 90 million in cash when the environmental impact certificates are granted for the proposed coastal protection and the Eastside Project and it has received outline planning permission for the Eastside Project. TNG will also immediately take over and complete the revetment works necessary to protect the Hassans Centenary Terraces development, which will save the government an estimated 18 million. Superyachts It will also take over and complete the construction of the coastal protection works and the consequent flattening of the Eastside plot by the end of 2023. This will include developing the marina for superyachts, with an outer wall which can be used for people to walk, cycle and also fish from specially built platforms. The value of this to the government is estimated to be around 100 million. TNG will be building 400 berths for small boats, and these will be offered for sale or rent to people on the Port Authority waiting list. The value of this to the government is estimated to be in the region of 20 million. TNG will also be constructing 100 low-cost apartments and has undertaken to complete them within 36 months of the date of full planning permission being received. The apartments will be built to the same standards and specifications as Hassans Centenary Terraces and will be sold by TNG on the same terms and conditions. Priority will be given to people on the government housing waiting list or those who are eligible to be on the list, who have links with Catalan Bay. The value of this element to the Government is estimated to be in the region of 30 million. Car park The TNG Global Foundation is also to build a public car park with capacity for 500 vehicles at the Eastside plot. The value of this to the government is estimated to be in the region of 12 million. Under the agreement, TNG will also assume ownership of and liability for the rubble located at the Eastside Plot, apart from approximately 200,000 cubic metres which the government will remove and use for phase 2 of Hassans Centenary Terraces. The value to the government, which will now not have to move the rubble to flatten the Eastside Plot, is estimated to be around 60 million. The government says the total direct value of the project to the community is estimated to be in the region of a total of 330 million pounds, expenses which the tax payer will not have to shoulder. Sir Joe Bossano, Gibraltars Minister for Economic Development and Inward Investment, estimates the economic impact of the project over the next ten years to be equivalent to the whole of GDP of Gibraltar again, i.e. approximately 2.5 billion. Airlines offer more than three million seats to fly to the Costa del Sol There has been an increase in the number of foreign tourists arriving at Malaga airport and the United Kingdom has regained its position as the main issuing market, in the latest data until the end of the year National tourism, the backbone of the recovery of the holiday market on the Costa del Sol this summer, has been joined since the middle of last month by a greater presence of foreign tourists. There are clear indicators that the coast and Malaga province is starting to receive more foreign traveller who arrive thanks to the commitment of the main European airlines, which have scheduled than three million seats to fly to Malaga airport during this last four-month period of the year. The data provided by Costa del Sol Tourism shows the number of seats on offer to be 3,064,969, a figure that represents 163.6 per cent more than in 2020, a year in which most countries maintained strong coronavirus restrictions that limited international mobility. Of this total number of seats, the offer from October to the end of December is estimated at 2,101,481, and the president of Costa del Sol Tourism, Francisco Salado, said that almost 90 per cent of the capacity offered in 2019 (2,332,319 seats) will be recovered. Of these, 481,834 will come from the United Kingdom, more than 400,000 will be from national airports and about 150,000 will arrive from Germany. United Kingdom market The United Kingdom will be the main issuing market this winter, despite the fact that from the end of July of last year until twelve months later it maintained a ten-day quarantine for travellers arriving from Spain. The easing of restrictions, which still includes a mandatory antigen test on the second day upon landing back in Britain, has allowed the United Kingdom to regain its leading role as the main international issuer. The Costa del Sol Tourism data shows 776,824 seats on offer from fifteen British airports between September and December. Domestic tourism After the British market, domestic tourism maintains a strong presence. During the worst months of the pandemic many airlines focused on national connections within Spain with many Spanish holidaymakers unwilling or unable to travel abroad. For this reason, during this last stretch of the year Spain is the second-largest issuing market with 574,012 seats available to fly to the Costa del Sol. The strength of the Dutch market, which the tourism sector of the Costa del Sol has been noticing since the beginning of the summer, is maintained and the Netherlands surpasses Germany and France, markets that have long rivalled each other for the second position of international issuers, with a total of 206,964 seats on routes from Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Rotterdam. Scandinavian countries add 352,332 seats, recovering the prominence that these markets had in the early days of tourism in the province. Germany drops position in the table with connections from a dozen German airports with 199,931 seats on offer. Close behind in the market for foreign tourists is France, with 156,727 seats and routes from a dozen French cities on offer. Following are Belgium, with 129,908 places; Morocco, with 119,243; and Italy, with 114,747. Central government doubles its investment in Malaga, but leaves out Costa train again The budget going to the province in 2022 is around 400 million euros, of which 57% is for the railway line between Bobadilla and Algeciras The national government's proposed budget was published this week, once Minister of Finance Maria Jesus Montero had delivered it to the Spanish parliament for consideration. And with it came details of the planned expenditure for Malaga province. Ministers in Madrid plan to double investment in Malaga compared with this year, but once again they have left out the project for the coastal railway extension, making only a token gesture towards another project which has been talked about for several years, namely the northern road access to the airport. The money allocated for the province next year amounts to 400 million euros, compared with the 195 million this year, although the greatest sum is earmarked for one single project: the renovation of the Bobadilla-Algeciras railway line, which will include work on the tracks, electrification, increasing the clearance in the tunnels and everything necessary to boost freight transport to the port in Cadiz province and the future dry port of inland Antequera. The northern road access to the airport is included in the budget, but with the small sum of 100,000 euros The investment assigned for the part of the line in Malaga province is 227.3 million euros, which is 57 per cent of the expected total. It reflects the government's main commitment in the province, as nearly six out of every ten euros allocated to Malaga province will be spent on this project. The AVE bypass at Almodovar del Rio, which will reduce the Malaga-Seville journey time, receives 8.8 million euros Subject to the most delays With regard to this major investment, sources at Adif explain that this stretch of the line has been subject to the most delays and therefore requires the most money. This refers to the line between Bobadilla and Ronda (70 kilometres), which needs complete renovation including improvements to the tracks, the third line and sidings of up to 750 metres, one of which will be at Campillos. In addition, the whole 176 kilometres of the line will need to be electrified. This work is financed to a large extent by the EU funds. In addition to this, there are the works which will be necessary for the new 'rail motorway' project (the possibility of transporting lorries on board freight trains from Algeciras to Zaragoza), part of the European central corridor, which will need costly works to increase headroom in the tunnels. The commitment to this railway project is in marked contrast to the government's interest in a train service along the coast from Fuengirola to Marbella or Estepona, a project which appears to have been almost abandoned. The budget for 2022 includes the sum of 82,930 euros for this, the same amount as last year, which shows that this is not a priority for the present government because the investment is more symbolic than real. Continuing with the investment in railways, 26.1 million euros have been allocated for works on the local Cercanias lines in the province, although the document gives no further details about specific actions to be carried out. While on the subject, it is interesting to note that although the works will be carried out in Cordoba, the main beneficiaries of the AVE bypass at Almodovar del Rio will be Malaga and Seville, because it will reduce journey time between these two big Andalusian cities. The sum of 8.3 million euros will be invested in this project. Small amount for airport road With regard to highways, this budget includes the token sum of 100,000 euros for the northern access to the airport from the A-7 outer ring road, which is very different to the 13.3 million euros which were allocated for this year. However, this project is currently on standby, awaiting the negotiations between the government and the Junta de Andalucia over the construction of a linked distribution road at the same time. Another long-awaited project which will have to continue to wait is the rehabilitation of the Banos del Carmen beach, because the sum assigned for works to this iconic beach on the eastern side of Malaga city is just 100,000 euros. Provincial Library plan The Provincial Library, which will be in the former San Agustin convent and school in the city, will receive five million euros of investment. This project, which will need a total investment of 20 million euros, has already attracted the interest of some major construction companies. At the airport, the government plans to invest 44.5m on different improvements, including 21.6 million for security for people and facilities. Malaga Port, in the meantime, will receive 18.1 million euros, of which 2.9 million will be used for the refurbishment of the Levante dock. About 656,000 euros have been earmarked for works by the General Police Directorate, while the Guardia Civil plans to spend 50,000 euros on projects, although individual details of these have not been released. There is, however, a sum of 75,000 euros for works at the provincial prison. The 2022 budget also includes 8.8 million euros for sanitation and sewerage works in various municipalities in the Serrania de Ronda: Arriate, Benaojan, Montejaque, Jimera de Libar and Cortes de la Frontera. 'He gave his life for Spain': body found during reservoir search for missing Malaga military diver Army and Guardia Civil specialist underwater teams co-ordinated a huge rescue operation after the sergeant disappeared during a night training exercise last week The body of the missing 23-year-old soldier from Malaga, Mario Quiros, was found on Saturday morning in the Huesca reservoir, five days after he disappeared while on a military training exercise. His instructors lost track of the sergeant during the early hours of last Tuesday morning during assault diving manoeuvres and dozens of Army and Guardia Civil personnel had been working against the clock to find him. Announcing the news on its official social media profiles, the Army offered its condolences to the military mans family and friends. The Guardia Civil confirmed the news. Its specialist GEAS underwater search team divers had joined Army experts to comb thousands of square metres of deep, cold water and used a motorised robot and underwater cameras to scour the reservoir which reached a depth of 72-metres in places. The search had been complicated because the disappearance took place at night, and rescue divers didnt have specific reference to the point where the young man was last seen. Mario enlisted in the Army following in his father's footsteps, and was stationed in Melilla. Covid masks face 21% sales tax increase in Spain from January Both the Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, and the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, have ruled out the abolition of the coronavirus protection measure, still mandatory indoors, despite the countrys good incidence rate data Spain's national government has no immediate plans to lift the order forcing the mandatory wearing of face masks indoors, and outdoors if social distancing of 1.5 metres cannot be maintained. Both the Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, and the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, have ruled out the definitive abolition of the coronavirus protection measure despite the countrys good incidence rate data. The decision also has the unanimous backing of the Public Health Commission. However, the price of surgical masks in Spain will likely rise in January when the royal decree by which the sales tax was reduced to 4% will end. Since 18 November, 2020, the IVA on these products was reduced from 21% to 4% after a new law was published in the official BOE gazaette. Fight the pandemic The order sought to reduce price of the masks that suddenly became a staple product to fight the pandemic. In addition to the sales tax relief, it established that its price would be, in theory, 0.65 euros per unit. A year and a half after the pandemic broke out, it is now even possible to buy a pack of ten in a supermarket for just one euro. But this Royal Decree had an effective date, which ends on 31 December of this year, so if the Government does not take measures to change it, from January they will rise in price again by as the sales tax returns to 21%. Ministry of Finance sources have confirmed to SUR that although the projected Budget for next year states that the IVA on disposable surgical masks would be in force until the end of 2022, it is a "mistake", therefore the measure will end in just over two months unless there is a last-minute revision. As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. All you have to do is activate your access. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. Do you already have a paid subscription to any of the SWNewsMedia newspapers? If so, you can Activate your Premium online account by clicking here. 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The Down Syndrome Association of Tulsa awarded NSU student Alaine Lambert a $12,000 scholarship for the upcoming school year. From left are: Katy Hough, executive director of the Down Syndrome Association of Tulsa, Alaine Lambert, and Justin Chase, director of the RiverHawks Scholar Program at NSU The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. Thank you for Reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and Purchase a Subscription to continue reading. News Editor I am a third-year studying English with a minor in biology. I joined Technician in the fall of 2020 as a correspondent and am now working as the News Editor. I plan to graduate in the spring of 2022. Why it matters: It's no secret that work culture in many Chinese companies is completely out of the norm for employees, with many subjected to long working hours. A new protest has shed some more light on such working conditions, particularly for Chinese software developers. A protest named WorkingTime has allowed workers to contribute to a spreadsheet that details working conditions for hundreds of companies. Developers looking for a job will benefit from the clarity presented by the project in terms of how many hours of work are expected for certain tech firms. "The opacity of working hours in some companies, working time is a very important factor in choosing an offer," a founder of the project stated on a Chinese Q&A site. The identity of those behind WorkingTime remains a mystery, but their efforts have had a considerable impact among workers. It's already received over 10 million views, which has culminated in thousands of entries. The spreadsheet logs how many hours employees work within a week. Details pertaining to breaks, as well as job descriptions are also included. While some confirm a workweek of around 40 hours -- with perks like subsidized housing -- others have revealed long working hours remain at several companies. Those who have contributed to WorkingTime are employees of some of China's largest technology giants such as Alibaba, Tencent, Huawei and Bytedance. Global conglomerates are included in the project as well like Dyson, Intel and IBM. "I often go on business trips. I have been on business for half of a month. I leave work after 10 o'clock every night at the customer's site. I have to work overtime on weekends. The entire department has worked for two years except for the leaders," wrote one employee. "Mandatory to keep people on duty every night, compulsory all staff to work overtime every Saturday, no overtime pay, working hours over 10 hours," another individual added. One worker also states that if the daily workload cannot be completed at his firm, overtime at home is required. In China, many businesses require 72-hour working weeks from their workforces. The schedule, otherwise billed as "996," has made a work culture where employees work from 9am to 9pm for six days a week commonplace. To make matters worse, these long working hours do not contain overtime payments. A Chinese court recently ruled that this arrangement is illegal; it limited overtime to 36 hours per month with compensation required for anyone working extra hours. However, as independent labour unions are impermissible in the region, the "996" practice continues due to limited oversight. South Korea is also notorious for similar tough working conditions. To combat a culture of working overtime, the country enacted a "shutdown initiative" that caps the amount of hours government employees are expected to work. Japan is another country that is no stranger to excessive working hours. A Microsoft experiment for its employees in Japan, meanwhile, resulted in a productivity boost of 40 percent thanks to a four-day workweek. The most-awaited Apple Unleased Event is almost there. But, before the new virtual event of the giant iPhone maker, various rumors were still able to provide some last-minute details that consumers could see. These include the enhancements in new MacBook Pro models and the upcoming AirPods 3 and Mac Mini. As of the moment, the new Apple Unleashed is expected to be held at exactly 1:00 p.m. ET or 10:00 a.m. PT on Oct. 18. This means that it is hours away from happening. If you are one of the interested viewers, here are the last-minute leaks, which you can read to know more about the new products that Apple could announce in its new event. Apple Unleashed Event's Last Minute Leaks According to 9To5Mac's latest report, Dylandkt, one of the reliable gadget leakers, claimed that the popular MacBook Pro, specifically the 14-inch and 16-inch variants, would have revamped versions. Also Read: Apple MacBook Pro MiniLED To Arrive: Ming-Chi Kuo Claims Tech Advancement Could Increase Shipment by 20% Dylan provided the exact possible enhancements that Apple might have made in its popular laptop model: Base M1X configuration for both models Similar pricing between both models New charging brick miniLED display Smaller bezels with no bottom logo 1080p webcam Base models with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage Aside from these, there are also some talks about the new Mac Mini and AirPods 3. Mac Mini and AirPods 3 Macworld reported that there could be a new version of the Apple Mac Mini gadget. Some rumors claimed that the tech giant manufacturer will integrate the latest MIX chipset and a new case, which would be made with a different material. On the other hand, various speculations also stated that AirPods 3 could soon arrive. Dylan claimed that the new earphones version would have the design of AirPods Pro, but there would be no ear tips for both sides. "Tips were shown to be an optional attachment on an early prototype, but recent leaks do not show these tips so it's likely that they aren't coming," said Dylan via his official tweet. Just to reiterate, AirPods 3 will have a similar design to that of AirPods Pro, just without ear tips. Tips were shown to be an optional attachment on an early prototype, but recent leaks do not show these tips so its likely that they arent coming. Dylan (@dylandkt) October 17, 2021 For more news updates about Apple and other giant tech creators, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Apple's Unleashed Event on Oct. 18 to Reveal New MacBooks and AirPods, Here's Where to Watch It This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Microsoft Office Zero-Day CVE-2021-40444 could be proof that hackers and other cybercriminals could be enhancing this kind of vulnerability. As of the moment, the zero-day flaw is considered one of the most severe vulnerabilities that online service, as well as gadgets, could suffer from. For those who have no idea what this vulnerability is, zero-day is a software flaw that is exploited by online attackers before developers release security patches. It is used to attack systems that already have other unidentified vulnerabilities. Once hackers take advantage of this flaw, they could easily steal sensitive data from the user and use it to access their devices or accounts. Microsoft Office Zero-Day Proves Malicious Enhancements? According to Venture Beat's latest report, HP Wolf Security, a high-end security firm, explained that the recent Microsoft Office Zero-Day CVE-2021-40444 could be an indication that hackers are evolving this exploit. Also Read: Microsoft Brings AI-Power Language Translator | 12 New Languages Now Added This specific issue can easily be triggered by unsuspecting victims once they open a malicious or infected Microsoft Office file. On the other hand, involved cybersecurity experts claimed that consumers would find it hard to detect the flaw since it requires little interaction from them, making it more serious than other types of 0-days. HP Wolf Security also stated that they believe that many hackers would still take advantage of this new kind of zero-day exploit in the coming months. But, Microsoft and other organizations are expected to release security patches to prevent this vulnerability from affecting consumers. This just shows that zero-day flaws are now becoming more advanced since it only takes a few clicks before they are activated. Forbes also reported that Google has confirmed its 11th zero-day attack, which specifically targets Chrome users. How Can You Be Safe? Zero-day vulnerabilities can only be prevented by the developers and organizations creating the systems and gadgets. This means that tech firms need to make sure that they release security patches against these online attacks. On the other hand, they also need to inform their consumers when their cybersecurity teams detect a new zero-day hack so that users would know what are the things they need to avoid doing when accessing certain online tools and other products. For more news updates about Microsoft and other related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Windows Users Beware: 95% of Ransomware Attacks Target Microsoft's OS [Google Report] This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. REvil Ransomware gang disappears again. But this time around, the criminal group likely shut down its operations as both their payment portal and data leak site have been a victim of hacking. As per Bleeping Computer, the identity of the person behind the infiltration of REvil's operation platforms has yet to be known. What is clear for now is that the Tor payment site of the criminal gang is currently down. REvil Ransomware Gang Disappears Again Last July 13, the notorious Russian-linked ransomware group suddenly disappeared, according to BBC's report. REvil surprisingly vanished into thin air after its massive attack on the IT firm known as Kaseya, affecting the operations of thousands of businesses across the globe. What's more, BBC further added that the sudden shutdown comes in the middle of the heated pressure between the two giant nations, the United States and Russia, which concerns the ill effects of cyberattacks. REvil Ransomware Gang Hacked Now, for the second time, REvil is shutting down its operations, which could be likely due to the latest hacking against the criminal group. A threat actor claiming to be affiliated with REvil unveiled the hijacking incident in an XSS hacking forum that Expert Threat Intelligence Analyst of the Recorded Future, Dmitry Smilyanets, shared on Twitter. Smilyanets shared the screenshot of the hacking forum on his Twitter account, which bares that the private keys of the payment platform REvil have been compromised. The threat actor that goes by the username 0_neday initially said in the hacking forum that there are no visible indications that their servers have been infiltrated by the incident. However, they have decided to shut down their operations. Meanwhile, 0_neday posted another update in the forum, confirming that the servers have been compromised by an unknown hacker. Bleeping Computer further noted in the same report that some people suspect that the FBI, along with other law enforcement agencies, already had access to the servers of REvil after its first disappearance in July. Read Also: Kaseya Former Employees Claim Company Already Knows REvil Hack Will Happen: Signs Shown Back In 2019 REvil's Comeback Although REvil was reborn months after its disappearance in July through its backups, the ransomware gang has been reportedly struggling to recruit their manpower. What's more, last Sept 23, underground forums have been filled with accusations that REvil went on to cheat their affiliates to steal the entire ransom payment. Some of the partner groups of REvil revealed that the ransomware gang allegedly hijacks their partners via a backdoor channel to keep the whole sum of the ransom. It is to note that the majority of the ransom payment from the victims, or about 70%, actually go to the affiliates that do the dirty tasks like hacking. And now, it seems that REvil is facing another hiccup in its operations. Related Article: $5.2 Billion US Crypto Transactions Tied To Common Ransomware Attacks? BTC as the Most Used Cryptocurrency, FinCEN Says This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Teejay Boris 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Unsplash/ Paul Hanaoka) Gruber Motors shop Gruber Motors, a shop that works on Tesla vehicles, was caught on fire once again. This is the second time that the shop has caught fire in the past four years. It is said that several rare Tesla Roadsters have been lost due to the fire. Gruber Motors Caught Fire for the Second Time Gruber Motors is based in Phoenix, Arizona, and it is a shop that offers several services to Tesla car owners, according to Electrek. It is one of the rare companies that can fix the bricking issues that some Tesla vehicles have. The early Tesla vehicles had an issue where the battery would become unusable. The company would not be able to fix it. Instead, it would recommend a battery replacement, which can be very expensive, especially if it is out of warranty. Gruber Motors also fixes the other components of a Tesla vehicle, including its autopilot mode that has been controversial in the past few months. The CEO of Gruber Motors, Peete Gruber, developed a system to identify a dead module and they were only able to replace those and get the vehicles working again. Also Read: Tesla Audio Codec Brings One of the Best Speaker Systems, Elon Musk Says its Great Engineering However, the shop had a lot of issues in 2017 when it caught fire and destroyed at least 5 Tesla Roadsters and a Tzero vehicle. Luckily, nobody was hurt in the fire, but history was lost. Now Gruber caught fire again on Oct. 17. The local fire department was the one who reported on the incident. No one was hurt but the extend to the damages are not revealed yet, according to a post on Twitter. Phoenix Firefighters are battling a 2nd alarm fire with hazardous materials in north Phoenix early this morning. pic.twitter.com/hIm23eXPYh Phoenix Fire Dept. (@PHXFire) October 16, 2021 In July, several Tesla vehicles were destroyed due to rodents. What Happened During the Incident A Tesla owner who had their vehicle at the shop when the incident happened told TMC what happened, and he said that the entire interior of the shop was gone. The owner said that he was scheduled to pick up his vehicle after it had been in for service. He got an email from Gruber in the morning of Oct. 17 and the email states that the shop had a fire and that while his vehicle was okay because it was parked outside, his key has been destroyed in the fire. The shop wanted to make sure that the Tesla car owner had a spare key so he can pick up his vehicle. He assumed that it must have been a small fire given that the shop was taking its time to confirm that he was still coming to pick up his car that day and he had the spare key. When he went to pick up the vehicle, though, he was surprised to see what had happened at the facility. He said that it looks as if much of the shop's interior and workshop has been totally destroyed. The roof seemed to be gone, and there was a massive team of people doing hazardous materials cleanup because of the batteries and other components that burned in the fire. As many as 30 Tesla vehicles have been lost in the fire, but the number may be higher. The cause of the fire is not revealed yet because the investigation is still ongoing. Gruber has not released an official statement about what happened yet. Related Article: Tesla Online Store Bug: EV Purchases 'Double Charges' on Debit, Credit Card Transactions; Customers Unable to Refund This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA is tracking multiple asteroids that will be passing near the Earth in the next couple of weeks, which includes one as big as the tall Empire State Building. As per Yahoo, one of the asteroids that NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration recently monitored was an asteroid that flew near the Earth. It is nearly the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, sporting a diameter of 525 feet. The Great Pyramid of Giza-sized asteroid passed by near Earth, or about 3.5 million miles away from it to be exact, last Friday, Oct 15, based on the data of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. NASA Tracks Multiple Asteroids Passing by Earth NASA classifies these asteroids passing by close to the vicinity of our home planet as Near Earth Objects or NEO. The US Space Agency further noted that these NEOs are composed of both asteroids and comets that are flying or will be passing near the orbit of the Earth. Nevertheless, NASA is still tracking these NEOs as part of their space exploration studies. That is even if these near-Earth asteroids are "millions of miles away and can get no closer than millions of miles away, according to the director of the Center for Near Object Studies at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, Paul Chodas. Aside from the asteroid as big as the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is also known as Asteroid 2021 SM3, another significantly massive Near-Earth Object is passing through in the next few weeks. According to Unilad's report, the asteroid that is compared to be the size of the iconic Empire State Building is expected to fly past the planet Earth on Nov 13, which is just weeks from now. The said upcoming NEO carries the moniker Asteroid 2004 UE and is said to measure about 1,246 feet in total. On top of that, another nearby sighting, the Asteroid 1996 VB3, is expected to fly on Earth on Wednesday, Oct. 20. Its size is estimated to be around 690 feet in diameter, which is half the size of the Empire State Building. What's more, another asteroid called 2017 SJ20 is slated to pass our home planet on Oct. 25, which is 600 feet wide. Read Also: NASA Simulation Reveals How to Stop Texas-Sized Asteroid-What Protects Earth From Space Collisions? Asteroids Passing By Earth: Are They Safe? The NASA center focused on NEOs noted that the multiple massive asteroids that the agency is looking into are something that people should be highly concerned about. In fact, the agency further added that "the threat to any one person from auto accidents, disease, other natural disasters and a variety of other problems is much higher than the threat from NEOs." Nonetheless, the space agency added that there is still a slim possibility that these NEOs could hit the surface of the Earth. Related Article: NASA Plans To Study, NOT MINE, A 'Goldmine' Asteroid Worth QUADRILLIONS By 2026 This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Teejay Boris 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Tehachapi, CA (93561) Today Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 62F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 38F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. From left, Telski co-owner Chad Horning, longtime employee Jeff Proteau and co-owner Chuck Horning spoke about the resorts capital plan, as well as affordable housing, during a special event Wednesday at the Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village. (Photo courtesy of Telski) The man who led police on a 10-mile chase from Walker to Baton Rouge, reaching speeds of nearly 120 mph at one point, was traveling 90 mph when he collided with a car on Florida Boulevard, killing that driver, a prosecutor told a jury Monday. But an attorney for Reginald Weeden, who is standing trial in the 2017 death of Jonathan Scott, argued to jurors that a Livingston Parish sheriff's narcotics detective and a Denham Springs police officer who pursued the fleeing Weeden across parish lines into East Baton Rouge Parish share some responsibility for the fatal crash. Weeden, 34, of Baton Rouge, is charged with manslaughter in the death of Scott, 23, also of Baton Rouge. He faces up to 40 years in prison if found guilty as charged. Weeden was initially booked on negligent homicide and then formally charged with vehicular homicide. But he was later charged with the stiffer crime of manslaughter after he rejected an offer to plead guilty to vehicular homicide in exchange for a 30-year prison term. +2 In fatal 2017 police chase, Baton Rouge man now faces upgraded charge of manslaughter A Baton Rouge man accused of striking and killing another man during a 2017 police chase that reached speeds of nearly 120 mph was charged Thu East Baton Rouge prosecutors would have dismissed two drug charges against him if he had accepted that deal. Ron Haley, one of Weeden's lawyers, also said in his opening statement to the jury Monday that Scott himself, who had marijuana in his system after the crash, is partially to blame for the crash because he turned left at a green light -- without waiting for a green arrow -- into Weeden's path at the intersection of Florida Boulevard and Stevendale Road not far from the Amite River bridge. Weeden had a green light and the right of way, Haley said. Weeden was being pursued by narcotics detectives from Livingston Parish at the time. Drugs were found in his system after the fatal crash, prosecutors have said. At the time of the crash, Weeden was free on bail while awaiting criminal proceedings from an Aug. 11, 2017, drug arrest. Prosecutor Adam Kwentua told jurors that the impact of the fatal Sept. 5, 2017, collision knocked Scott's car 200 feet. The speed limit where the crash occurred was 55 mph. 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 East Baton Rouge Parish coroner Dr. William "Beau" Clark testified that Scott's death was classified as a homicide. He said Scott suffered multiple blunt force injuries, including skull fractures, a broken leg and a lacerated aorta, the largest artery in the body. Det. Kyle Hotard with the Livingston Sheriff's Office testified that he and another narcotics officer were assisting probation and parole officers with a compliance check at a residence in Walker the night of Sept. 5, 2017, when they learned that an unidentified person -- who turned out to be Weeden -- was coming to the home to deliver drugs. When the two narcotics officers approached Weeden's Dodge Charger and identified themselves, he backed up and sped off, Hotard said. "He tried to run me and my partner over. That's why we continued the pursuit," Hotard said when Haley asked the detective why he chased Weeden from Livingston into East Baton Rouge in his unmarked pickup with lights and sirens activated. Hotard said he called off his own pursuit when he lost sight of Weeden after crossing the Amite River bridge into East Baton Rouge. But Denham Springs officer Michael Brumfield, who joined the chase once Weeden and Hotard reached Denham Springs, said he pursued Weeden into Baton Rouge in his marked police unit until the crash occurred about two minutes later. Brumfield's dash camera video showed his SUV pass up Hotard before Hotard broke off from the chase. Brumfield said the Denham Springs police pursuit policy allows for high-speed chases but mandates that a marked unit must be out front. Brumfield testified that the severity of the underlying incident determines whether a chase is necessary. But he acknowledged under questioning by Dedrick Moore, who is Haley's law partner, that he was not aware why Hotard was pursuing Weeden. Brumfield said he felt it necessary to join the pursuit when he saw that a lone officer in an unmarked vehicle was chasing the speeding Charger with flashing lights and sirens blaring. The trial will resume Tuesday in state District Judge Christopher Dassau's courtroom. In 2005, Weeden was convicted of manslaughter in the beating death of a 55-year-old man who Weeden and another man struck repeatedly with a tree branch on Dec. 9, 2004, according to The Advocate archives. Weeden was sentenced to 10 years at hard labor in that case, East Baton Rouge court records show. Amid dire staffing shortages and ongoing efforts to diversify the city police force, the latest class of new Baton Rouge police officers adds to what leaders called the changing face of an agency working to reform its image. After 22 weeks of training, the class of nine cadets graduated from the 87th Basic Training Academy on Monday morning an unusually small group whose demographics could represent a shift for the department, which historically has been dominated by White men. Of the nine graduates, eight are Black and four are women. "Often women don't believe they can do this job because it's considered a man's profession," said Raychelle Rogers, 21, who grew up in Baton Rouge and applied to join the police department as soon as she was old enough. Boosting diversity is priceless, she said, because it brings different backgrounds, perspectives and approaches to policing. According to recent demographic data, the department is about 90 percent male and 60 percent White. The agency has long struggled to grow the ranks of Black and female officers, even under a 1980 consent decree that lasted until 2019 and imposed federal oversight of hiring and promotional practices. The agreement sought to end discrimination and make the force more reflective of the population it serves. After 39 years, Baton Rouge released from federal consent decree on racial, gender hiring disparities Citing significant improvements in the hiring and promotion practices of Baton Rouge's fire and police departments, a federal judge on Tuesday "I firmly believe that this graduating class will be part of changing the trajectory of public service in our city," Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome said during the graduation ceremony Monday morning. "I see you as a new generation of leaders." Broome was elected mayor shortly after the 2016 fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling, a Black man killed during a struggle with two White Baton Rouge police officers outside a convenience store. Cell phone video of the shooting was shared widely on social media, prompting heated demonstrations against police brutality and a reckoning over community-police relations in Baton Rouge. Broome appointed Murphy Paul police chief in late 2017, and he vowed to change the culture inside the department. Over the past couple years, BRPD has struggled with a deepening manpower shortage, a challenge facing many law enforcement agencies across the country. Experts believe pandemic stress and increased scrutiny following the George Floyd killing are making it harder for agencies to attract new recruits. The problem is exacerbated at BRPD because its officers are significantly underpaid compared to their colleagues at other agencies. The guest speaker during the Monday ceremony, Officer Antonio Williams, acknowledged the difficult climate and cautioned his new colleagues to rise above the negativity. He likened their inevitable critics to backseat drivers. "Don't let your career be run by backseat drivers," he said. "They'll tell you, 'You don't get paid enough, you smile too much, it's too early to be so happy.' You have to hear them but choose not to listen." 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 "Remember why, in the midst of turmoil between the community and police, remember why you still chose to sign up to be a part of something bigger than yourself." +5 BRPD officer, facing belligerent stabbing suspect, explains split-second decision: 'I took a risk' When Baton Rouge police officer Antonio Williams was dispatched to a domestic violence call last month, he arrived on scene first, knocked on Recent staffing data shows the number of sworn officers in the Baton Rouge Police Department has fallen to its lowest point since at least 2015. The department was 113 officers short as of Oct. 1 about 16 percent of allotted positions. Meanwhile the Baton Rouge homicide rate is higher than ever amid a prolonged spike in gun violence. The nine new officers will help get more boots on the ground, but department leaders had hoped for more. The academy class started with double that number of recruits. Officials declined to release exact details about why they dropped out, saying only that the agency refuses to compromise its standards despite the staffing problems. "It takes heart. You've got to have a whole heart," said Caruntai Harrell, president of the academy class, speaking after the ceremony. +2 With BRPD over 100 officers short amid surge in gun violence, chief cites 'morale issues' After years of worsening staffing shortages, the number of sworn officers in the Baton Rouge Police Department has fallen to its lowest point Minutes earlier, she was kneeling down to kiss her son Kyrie Moses, 4, while he helped pin a shining brass badge onto her uniform. Kyrie was dressed up for the occasion himself, wearing a white button up shirt and a tiny bow tie. "He's my motivation," she said, explaining how she considered becoming a police officer for years before finally getting up the courage to apply. Harrell, 27, graduated from Glen Oaks High School and took some college level criminal justice classes before submitting her application. She said she likes where the city police department is headed under Paul and his administration. As class president, Harrell delivered a speech during the ceremony, congratulating her classmates on surviving the academy and reminding them of the hurdles already behind them. She stood before her fellow officers and their supporters, small and strong in her perfectly pressed blue uniform, and quoted Colin Powell, the first Black U.S. secretary of state, whose death was announced early Monday morning: "A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work." Harrell and her classmates will spend months training with other officers in the field before responding to calls independently. In the meantime, department leaders are already lining up their next training academy class, which is set to begin in December. State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley has gotten embroiled in three, unusually public, disputes since June with the board that hired him. In a major change, Brumley said last month school districts should have the option of letting students stay in school rather than quarantine if they are exposed to COVID-19, a policy blasted by the president of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the governor, and others. +3 New guidelines: Louisiana public school students won't have to quarantine after COVID exposure In a major change, public school students will be allowed to remain in classrooms even if they have close contact with someone who tests posit In August BESE, for the second time, rejected Brumley's bid to set up an accountability system for K-2 students, with all three BESE leaders opposing the move, including BESE President Sandy Holloway. +2 Bid to improve dismal elementary reading scores delayed after bitter debate Despite fervent pleas from state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley, Louisiana's top school board voted 6-4 to delay action on a bid to In June the superintendent's bid to revamp the way public schools are rated, and reduce the number of D- and F-rated schools, sparked heavy resistance from Holloway and other BESE members and was tossed off the meeting agenda. That effort, and crafting a K-2 accountability system, are now the subject of a long-term study set to last at least until August, 2022. Linda Johnson, who served on BESE for 13 years and was president for three years, said the public squabbling is unusual and something she never saw during her time on the board, which sets policies for about 700,000 students statewide. "I think the superintendent, and I like him. but I really think he should have consulted with these people (board members) before he made those statements," Johnson said, a reference to Brumley's approach on all three topics. Jim Garvey, a Metairie attorney and the board's longest serving member, said the public spats are out of the ordinary. This plan would give fewer Louisiana schools failing grades. It's running into opposition State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley's plan to overhaul how Louisiana rates public schools has sparked such a political uproar that "It is unusual to have disagreements publicly displayed," Garvey said. "Usually a superintendent and BESE members talk before meetings or before things happen." But Garvey said Brumley is under fire in part because of his willingness to tackle topics that have been controversial for more than two decades how public schools and students are rated. "He could have come in and taken a small piece of accountability and tried to fix that small piece," Garvey said. "But he didn't. He said 'We have a problem here with accountability, let's look at all these problems instead of taking a little success at a time. Let's do it right.'" Brumley, former superintendent of the Jefferson Parish School District, has been on the job since June, 2020. Louisiana superintendent gets solid marks on performance review, forgoes pay raise State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley got a positive job review Wednesday from the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. He arrived in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, and much of his first year was spent getting and keeping students in school, setting up safety measures and grappling with once-in-a-century challenges that came with the pandemic. During the first six months on the job Brumley won praise even from former critics, including what officials called his bids to forge consensus on prickly topics and to listen to all sides. However, education leaders said his revised guidelines allowing school districts to keep exposed students in class if their parents or guardians opted for them to do so represented anything but consensus. Holloway said BESE was not consulted, and she called the change abrupt and inconsistent with previous policies. State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter said the new guidelines would put children at risk. Gov. John Bel Edwards said he favored keeping the previous quarantine rules in place seven days or more for children exposed to COVID-19. Officials in some districts immediately said they would not take advantage of the Brumley option, including the East Baton Rouge Parish and Jefferson Parish school districts, the two largest in the state. Others endorsed the move, including the Ascension, Livingston, St. Tammany and West Baton Rouge parish school systems. Brumley said he has no regrets, especially amid rising rates of obesity, diabetes and depression among students during the pandemic. "My position is it is a local decision and local communities are going to make that call that is in the best interests of their kids," he said in an interview. 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 Asked if he was surprised by the pushback Brumley said, "I think I have equal if not more people calling me and saying that is absolutely the right decision." Brigitte Nieland, director of government affairs for the advocacy group Stand For Children and a veteran of years of BESE meetings, said there is a clear clash between the superintendent and the board. "It seems like the BESE style and the superintendent's style instead of coming together they seem more divergent," Nieland said. Kelli Bottger, director of political strategy for the American Federation For Children, said education leaders should be focused on carrying out initiatives approved by lawmakers earlier this year, including steps to improve reading, spelling out how $4 billion in federal coronavirus aid is being used and improving academic outcomes. "We cannot allow politics to distract us from that mission," Bottger said. Brumley's bid to set up a first ever accountability system for K-2 students, largely to improve Louisiana's dismal reading scores, failed twice at BESE, including in August. "When you are clearly being told not just by BESE but by advocate groups and others what is desired and you bring back the same thing and you bring it back publicly and you lose again, it makes you wonder what is your end game," Nieland said. Belinda Davis, a board member who lives in Baton Rouge, noted K-2 plans and how schools are rated sparks lots of opinions on BESE. "It would be next to impossible for Superintendent Brumley to make us all happy," Davis said. The board voted Wednesday to include possible K-2 changes with the long-term study on possible revisions in how schools are rated. Holloway said BESE "decided to take a leadership role" in hammering out the approach it favored on both topics. Johnson, the former BESE member, said she had disagreements with superintendents she worked with Paul Pastorek and the late Cecil Picard. "But it wasn't public," she said. Johnson, who lives in Plaquemine, said disagreements were typically hashed out behind closed doors. Brumley disputes the view that delays on setting up a K-2 accountability system and changing how schools are rated represents any kind of setback, and he noted the ratings changes were recommended by a key advisory panel. The superintendent said the long-term study, including the views of national experts, will allow the state to tackle changes in an accountability system in a way that he was not comfortable proposing early in his tenure. "I am actually pretty stoked about being able to create a more 21st Century-focused accountability system at this point," Brumley said. Holloway and others said they were taken aback in June when Brumley proposed changes in how public schools are rated, including a more generous scoring system that would have trimmed the number of "D" and "F" schools. Brumley said the new scoring system would put Louisiana in line with national norms and should not have been a surprise. Opponents said it would make schools appear better than they are. One education official who follows BESE said Holloway and Brumley are clearly on different pages. "Sandy and Cade are at each other's throat," said the official, who asked not to be identified. "Cade does not talk to BESE about stuff he does." Mike Faulk, executive director of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, noted that BESE has several new members, and Brumley is dealing with different boards than he did during stops as superintendent in Jefferson and DeSoto parishes. "It is a matter of developing that relationship, trying to figure out which way to go, and maybe on one or two things he might have gone too fast and they weren't ready," said Faulk, former superintendent of the Central school system. In the interview, Brumley noted that BESE got a lot done during a nearly nine-hour series of meetings last week with little controversy. "And we have 11 members of the board who are student focused but they come at things in a different way, just as I do." "I am perfectly willing to take a stand on things I believe in." Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Prime Minister Scott Morrisons rejection of a more ambitious 2030 emission reduction target has been criticised by former United Nations general secretary Ban Ki-moon and former Irish president Mary Robinson. Im sorry to say I think Australia is an outlier at the moment in its scale of ambition, and I say that as I know cities and states of the federal system in Australia are trying to step up and civil society is trying to step up, Ms Robinson said. Ms Robinson and Mr Ban were speaking during an online forum of a group of former international leaders founded by Nelson Mandela called The Elders that was held overnight Australian time. Its at the federal level where the problem is, she said. Im pleased Scott Morrison has changed his mind and will come to COP [the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow]. Australia needs the ABC. The national broadcaster is a treasured part of our culture. But the institution needs to rethink the way it responds to problems of its own creation. The ABC likes to point to surveys showing it is a respected media brand. But in the last year, the gloss has come off the organisation as the accuracy and judgment of some of its news and current affairs coverage has been called into question. Two marquee documentaries Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire about the 1979 Luna Park tragedy and Juanita about the disappearance of anti-corruption campaigner Juanita Nielsen were criticised for the inclusion of errors. The ABC temporarily removed episodes 7 and 8 of the Juanita podcast series because of serious doubts about the accuracy of claims from a source. When award-winning journalist Chris Masters and University of Sydney professor Rodney Tiffen conducted an external review of Exposed reportedly a $2 million program they upheld a complaint about its portrayal of former premier Neville Wran. A former Sydney Morning Herald editor and Wran government adviser, Milton Cockburn, wrote to the ABC in May complaining the broadcaster breached its editorial policies with an unproven and, unprovable allegation linking Wran to underworld figure Abe Saffron. A NSW court has dismissed a legal challenge seeking to stop energy giant Santos from developing a $3.6 billion coal-seam gas project at Narrabri in the states north. An opponent, the Mullaley Gas and Pipeline Accord, which represents about 100 residents and businesses, launched an appeal against the Independent Planning Commissions decision last year to grant approval for the controversial proposal to build up to 850 gas wells across 95,000 hectares in the area. A NSW court has dismissed a legal challenge against energy giant Santos plans for a $3.6 billion coal-seam gas project at Narrabri. Credit:Bloomberg The IPC gave the project phased approval in September last year provided a slew of what it described as 134 stringent conditions were met. At the time, the IPC said following detailed deliberations, which included 23,000 submissions, most of which opposed the gas field, the commissioners concluded the project was in the public interest and that negative impacts could be mitigated with strict conditions. The accord argued in the NSW Land and Environment Court that the independent umpire should have been forced to consider not only emissions caused by drilling wells, but also the emissions generated from the end use of the Narrabri gas by Santos customers, known as Scope 3 emissions. Parliamentary democracies are threatened by this Michael Yabsley is right and should be commended. Donations from organisations threaten parliamentary democracies, worldwide so ban them. Let individuals give up to a ceiling annually, with election costs carried by the Australian Electoral Commission and funding to parties based on votes cast. Then elections can no longer be bought. John Miller, Toorak We need spending caps and public funding It is great that Michael Yabsley has joined calls for reforms to our system of funding elections. However, his solution is inadequate. As the OECD has pointed out, the problem with political donations is that they make politicians and political parties beholden to their donors and not to voters. Thus, public policy and laws become skewed to the interests of wealthy donors, be they individuals, businesses or organisations. Australian elections are costly compared to other countries, due to the vast amounts of private donations fed into the system. For example, parties in Australian Federal elections collectively spend more than five times as much per voter as parties spend in Canadian elections. There are two critical reforms to make politicians and parties more responsive to voters than donors. The first would be to cap the amount of money spent in elections, reducing the need for candidates and parties to chase favours from donors. The second is to ensure most of the funding for elections is public funding, again to reduce any sense of reciprocity politicians have to their donors. For the vast majority of OECD countries, three-quarters or more of funds for elections is public money. Mark Zirnsak, Uniting Church in Australia THE FORUM The real hostages How can Barnaby Joyce be taken seriously when he states the Nationals wont be held hostage over calls for tougher action on climate change when its patently obvious the opposite is happening. Were he to read any number of recent polls he would see that the number of people in favour of strong action on climate change is overwhelming. It is those people who are being held to ransom by a party whose primary vote was less than the Greens at the 2019 election. Brandon Mack, Deepdene A travesty of democracy Its not enough that the federal government feels it needs to appease the vested interests in the fossil-fuel sector. They are now having to appease the handful of recalcitrant members of the National Party in order to cobble together their plan for net zero emissions for 2050. What a travesty of democracy this is that, having had eight years in government to come up with a plan, Agriculture Minister and deputy Nationals leader David Littleproud claims were going to take the time to get it right. Im not holding my breath for an ambitious plan to achieve what is needed. Without a hint of irony, Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce claims we wont be held hostage. It is the Nationals who are holding the entire country and its future generations hostage by their procrastination and prevarication. Nick Toovey, Beaumaris This is what we dont like I read the article about retired state MP Tim Holdings foray into chateau renovation in the French countryside Home sweet chateau (Good Weekend, 16/10) at first aghast, and then with anger. Mr Holding muses, wondering what Australians would think if taxpayers funded foreigners owning pieces of their national history (the French government apparently will be stumping up more than $1 million for him to get a new roof and walls of his new house). His guess is we wouldnt love it. Well, actually, what we dont love is the fact he is receiving a taxpayer-funded pension of more than $100,000 each year, I imagine its a lifelong arrangement, and cripes, he is only 49. What made me so angry is that not a centime of that is spent in Australia. And all the while, my young adult children cant afford a modest flat in Melbourne. Mon dieu. Piri Davidson, St Kilda West An expensive keystroke Your guide in Traveller (What to know when you go, The Age, 16/10) is comprehensive and informative. In the section Whats the waiting time for a passport renewal and why do Australians pay so much for them? you write DFAT insists that the cost of the Australian passport reflects the cost of its production and its requisite robust checks on applicants. So what, are all the other countries issuing passports slack in their checks? And how does this explain that five-year validity passport costs $152, but a 10-year validity passport cost $301? This means the cost for the additional five years is basically the same again (just $3 less), yet this extension does not require any additional further checks or any further production costs, unless they are talking about an additional character change from five years to 10 years in the typing ... DFAT, stop ripping us off. Rich Gard, Glen Iris The hidden curfew I didnt have to look at the byline on the piece about Melbournes curfew (Ready to reclaim the night, The Sunday Age, 17/10) to know that it was written by a man. While I understand the rationale behind the piece, we might do well to ponder the notion that for most women in Melbourne (and the majority of places in the world) a night-time curfew is a necessity to prevent placing themselves in potential harm from predatory men. Please dont forget that many people in the world are not free to do what they please, regardless of COVID, because of the violent and controlling actions of others. Naomi Crafti, South Yarra Even more concerning ... The United Australia Partys Craig Kelly claims the party has more members than the three leading parties and if this is correct, it is a major concern. What is more concerning, however, is that the National Party has less than 5 per cent of the popular vote and 10 lower house seats, while the Greens, with more than 10 per cent of the popular vote, have only one seat in the lower house. This brings back memories of the gerrymandering that Joh Bjelke-Petersen was so adept at in Queensland and is also mirrored in the United States, where voters in lightly populated states such as Idaho, North and South Dakota have a six-to-one advantage over the more populous states like New York and California. America flogs the democracy brand all the time but certainly does not demonstrate it with the distorted allocations that exist currently. Whatever happened to one person one vote? Rob Park, Surrey Hills Introduce the legislation ... It is time for Scott Morrison to demonstrate that he actually is the Prime Minister. He should introduce legislation to mandate net zero by 2050 and have it passed with the support of the opposition and the crossbench. That would make the National Party irrelevant, which is what their political games show should be their status in the Australian political landscape. William Wallace, Ascot Park, SA ... get tough with the Nats Scott Morrison should treat Barnaby Joyce and the Nationals in the same way Gladys Berejiklian treated John Barilaro and his Nationals when he tried to hold the NSW government to ransom. Call his bluff and offer to remove members of the Nationals from their ministerial positions. This current situation really shows we are being run by a minority party being dictated to by an out of touch fringe group with whom they have a secret pact that the voters do not have access to. The next federal election should prove very interesting. Ruth Hudnott, Canterbury We are forever changed So many articles hyping up returning to normalcy in the coming weeks. The world is forever changed and life will not return to normal and nor should it. There are many salient lessons to be learnt from our lived experience in this global pandemic, practically, economically, personally, environmentally, socially and emotionally. Let us take heed and move boldly forward. Julie Perry, Highton The road not taken Surrounded by the evidence that the evolution of renewable technologies continues to disrupt and redirect money away from fossil fuels, Queensland Nationals senator Matt Canavan now rejects hydrogen technology as being nothing but a wing and a prayer. Will his constituents be forgiving when they realise that he has led them into job obsolescence rather than into a transition to sustainable longer term jobs in renewables and associated industries? Paul Miller, Box Hill South A built-in weakness The policy gridlock over a net-zero target is a reminder of the inherent weakness of Coalition governments. With a slim majority in Parliament, the power-sharing arrangement leaves far too much space in crucial decision-making for the whim of internal factions and party loyalties. When neither party can govern in its own right, policy gridlocks are bound to occur all the while the nation suffers. Kirk Weeden, Frankston Curb your consumption Your correspondent writes about the just in time adaptations that capitalism is making to deal with the worlds environmental crises. He concludes by wondering whether these changes will be enough (Letters, 18/10). I suggest the things he mentions are all necessary, but not sufficient, to avert disaster. Extractive capitalism predictably creates tragedies of the commons such as climate change, plastic and other pollution and land degradation. How much of this is integral to the system is unclear, but it is definitely enabled by underlying cultural attitudes. Rampant consumption is the root cause, and this is the culture being spread across the world. We need to be happy with less. To find more despite having fewer things. To do this we have to change culture. Only by deriving more good from interactions than possessions can we avert disaster. Michael Puck, Maffra Undue influence People inclined to vote for a Liberal candidate at the next federal election should remember that they are voting for a Liberal Party and National Party Coalition in which the Nationals have disproportionate influence. The Liberal Party should divorce itself from its junior partner and aspire to govern in its own right even if that means in a minority government needing support from independents and other parties. Australians will get a much more accountable government if we have a strong contingent of centrist independents in Parliament with whom the major parties need to negotiate. Tony Ralston, Balwyn North Take things slowly With new cases still sitting at about 2000 a day (remember how alarmed we were at 700-new-cases days last year?) many sensible people (not depressed or suffering from clinical anxiety) wont change much on Friday. The modelling is still quite grim, the systems yet to be tested and the benefits uncertain. Please help regional Victoria by staying out of it, dont abandon masks and take things slowly. Alison Fraser, Ascot Vale Just ignore them It is ludicrous a group of Nationals can sabotage the will of the majority of Australians on climate action. Show some courage Liberals and ignore the Nationals. What could they do? Sit on the backbenches and vote with the Greens or Labor? Ralph Frank, Malvern East AND ANOTHER THING The Nationals With an election due and the National tail again wagging the Liberal dog, it really is time we voters got a look at that secret agreement between these parties. Mark Freeman, Macleod Credit: Youre the kidnappers, Barnaby, were the hostages. Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills The Nationals problem is they are trying to sell horseshoes to an e-car world. Patrick Edgeworth, Elwood Its time to de-Nationalise. Tim Durbridge, Brunswick Politics Victorians deserve better than a federal Treasurer playing politics while we face a life-and-death pandemic. James Young, Mount Eliza Its time for the Liberal Party and National Party to split and each go their own way. Then bring on the election. Russell Castley, Creswick If Scott Morrison is genuine in his concerns about net zero by 2050, he will call Barnaby Joyces bluff and threaten to stand pro-action Liberal candidates in every National-held seat at the next election. John Green, Beaumaris You can test a childs development by asking them whether they would like to have one piece of chocolate now, or have the whole block later. Sadly, the governments response to climate change is the first option. Huw Dann, Blackburn The decision of the Nobel peace prize committee to give the 2021 award to two journalists is welcome affirmation of the important part that free and vibrant journalism plays in the preservation of democracy, but it is more than that. It is a warning that fact-based journalism and free speech face heightened and complex threats that must not be ignored. The peace prize has been awarded 102 times since 1901 and has most often gone to politicians, diplomats and activist organisations. This year in honouring journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Russias Dmitry Muratov, the Norwegian committee offered a ringing endorsement of the promotion of truth over spin, lies and threats. Nobel peace prize winners Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov. Credit:AP Both journalists are on the front line of this quest. Ressa, the chief executive and co-founder of news website Rappler, has shown unflinching courage covering the regime of President Rodrigo Duterte, whose war on drugs has left 20,000 people dead. There have been numerous manufactured legal attempts to stop her work, and she is on bail pending an appeal against a conviction in a cyber libel case for which she faces up to six years in prison. Muratov is the founder and editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, described by the Nobel committee as the most independent newspaper in Russia today, with a fundamentally critical attitude towards power. He has resisted threats and harassment and, in accepting the peace prize, named five murdered Russian journalists to whom he was dedicating his work. Western Australias vaccine commander says about 15 per cent of the states population, or 300,000 people, were putting their lives at risk by just sitting back and avoiding the COVID-19 vaccination. WA police commissioner Chris Dawson, who is in charge of the vaccine rollout, said he was confident the state would easily reach an 80 per cent vaccination rate but the final 20 per cent were proving trickier to convince. WA Police Commissioner and vaccine commander Chris Dawson. Credit:Hamish Hastie He said research undertaken by the government suggested there was about 5 per cent of people who had made up their minds and decided they would not get the jab and 15 per cent either hesitant or waiting until an outbreak. What Im chiefly concerned about in our research is that about 15 per cent of the population are just presently hesitating or waiting until the disease arrives in the community and then say: Ill do it then, he said. The University of Western Australias detailed preparation in targeting specific staff to axe from its School of Molecular Sciences and the predicted impact of its cuts was exposed in a huge public leak on Monday. In a move reminiscent of the Panama Papers drop, about 409 pages of confidential documents produced by UWAs executive have been publicly disseminated via a QR code posted in the Molecular Sciences building elevator. A leaked tranche of documents have provided a behind-the-scenes picture of decisions leading to cuts at the University of Western Australias School of Molecular Sciences. Credit:UWA UWA has reported the leak to WA Police for investigation. The documents, seen by WAtoday, include the original change proposal to the School of Molecular Sciences including the forecasted budget and financials behind the decision as well as a list of academics with arrows alongside certain names set to be axed by the proposal, and notes on an email suggesting those in higher positions (level E) will be kept as a bargaining chip. A Richmond AFLW player has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating as per government regulations. The positive case was picked by rapid antigen testing before training on Saturday, which led to that session being cancelled, though the positive case did not enter the facility or mix with people at the club that day. A Tigers spokeswoman said all other players and staff had been tested and returned negative results. In line with current government advice, all program members who attended the club at the prior training session on Thursday, October 14, have remained isolated, Richmond said in a statement. The club will work with the AFL and Victorian Department of Health to determine when the program can resume. Powell, left, pictured with president George W Bush, centre, in 2004. Credit:AP At the White House, President Joe Biden said Powell embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat. Noting Powells rise from a childhood in a fraying New York City neighbourhood, Biden said: He believed in the promise of America because he lived it. And he devoted much of his life to making that promise a reality for so many others. Former British prime minister Tony Blair recalled Powells self-deprecating humour, his kindness to his staff and his willingness to work across partisan division in the interests of his country. Colin was a towering figure in American military and political leadership over many years, someone of immense capability and integrity, a hugely likeable and warm personality, Blair said. Iraq wars Powell, who was wounded in Vietnam, served as US national security adviser under president Ronald Reagan from 1987 to 1989. As a four-star Army general, he was chairman of the militarys Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George HW Bush during the 1991 Gulf War in which US-led forces expelled Iraqi troops from neighbouring Kuwait. President Ronald Reagan, right, and national security adviser Colin Powell leave the White House in 1988. Credit:AP Powell, a moderate Republican and a pragmatist, considered a bid to become the first black president in 1996 but his wife Almas worries about his safety helped him decide otherwise. In 2008, he broke with his party to endorse Democrat Barack Obama, who became the first black person elected to the White House. Powell will forever be associated with his controversial presentation on February 5, 2003, to the UN Security Council, making president George W Bushs case that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein constituted an imminent danger to the world because of its stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. He admitted later that the presentation was rife with inaccuracies and twisted intelligence provided by others in the Bush administration and represented a blot that will always be a part of my record. Bush had picked Powell, the top US military officer during his fathers presidency, as secretary of state in 2001. Powell endured four stormy years as the top US diplomat, often outmanoeuvred by vice-president Dick Cheney with whom he had served closely under the first president Bush and defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Dick Cheney, left, and Colin Powell huddle before testifying to the Senate Armed Services Committee in 1991. Credit:AP With US troops already fighting a war in Afghanistan launched after Afghan-based al-Qaeda leaders plotted the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, hawks within the Bush administration began to advocate war with Iraq. Powell argued within the administration to let diplomacy run its course on Iraq. He held grave reservations about a war, as well as the veracity of intelligence about Iraqi weapons, and the Pentagons insistence on a relatively small invasion force. You break it, you own it Powell privately warned Bush about the monumental difficulties of invading and occupying Iraq, invoking the so-called Pottery Barn rule: You break it, you own it. Nevertheless, Powell the most respected member of the Bush cabinet globally - agreed to publicly sell the case for war in order to gather international support. In the Security Council chamber, he displayed photographs and diagrams purporting to detail Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, as well as translations from US intelligence intercepts. At one point, Powell brandished a small vial containing a teaspoon of simulated anthrax, warning that Iraq had not accounted for tens upon tens upon tens of thousands of teaspoons of the deadly pathogen. Colin Powell holds up a vial he said could contain anthrax as he presented evidence of Iraqs alleged weapons programs to the UN Security Council in 2003. Credit:AP The invasion came six weeks later but no such weapons were found, undermining American credibility for years. US forces fought in Iraq from 2003 to 2011, with nearly 4500 American troops killed and 32,000 wounded. Powell told the author of a 2006 book that he spent five days ahead of the UN presentation trimming the garbage that Cheneys staff had provided as evidence of Saddams weapons programs and alleged links to al-Qaeda. There were some people in the intelligence community who knew at that time that some of these sources were not good, and shouldnt be relied upon, and they didnt speak up. That devastated me, Powell told interviewer Barbara Walters in 2005. At the time, Powell remained the loyal soldier a reluctant warrior who did not threaten to quit in protest or voice his concerns to the world. Well, loyalty is a trait that I value, and yes, I am loyal, Powell said in the 2005 interview. And there are some who say, Well, you shouldnt have supported it, you should have resigned. But Im glad that Saddam Hussein is gone. Powell announced his resignation in mutual agreement with Bush after the presidents November 2004 re-election. Bush called Powell one of the great public servants of our time. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Colin Powell during a reception in Washington DC in 2006. Credit:AP Powell doctrine One of his chief military accomplishments was his development of the Powell Doctrine on the use of US force, which arose out of the ambiguous objectives and erratic troop build-up of the Vietnam War era. The doctrine states: war should be a last resort; force, when used, should be overwhelming; there must be strong public support for it and a clear exit strategy. Powell was born in New York City on April 5, 1937, and raised in the South Bronx neighbourhood, the son of a shipping clerk and a seamstress from Jamaica who arrived in America in 1920 aboard a banana boat a United Fruit Company steamer. Powells own ticket to success was the militarys Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), a program for university students that engaged his energies when he was, by his own admission, an otherwise uninspired student at the City College of New York. He was commissioned a US Army second lieutenant in 1958. Colin Powell attends a military ceremony in Frankfurt, Germany in 1986. Credit:AP He served 35 years in the Army, including two combat tours in Vietnam and postings in West Germany and South Korea. In Vietnam, he was wounded by a Punji stick booby trap near Vietnams border with Laos and injured in a helicopter crash. He earned a White House fellowship while in the Army during Richard Nixons presidency and won the respect of officials who later would serve in senior posts under Reagan. He served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993. Powell became a celebrity during the 1991 Gulf War with crisp televised briefings, at one point saying of Iraqs army: First were going to cut it off, then were going to kill it. As the top US military officer, he opposed allowing gay people to serve openly in the military, but reversed his view in 2010 after Obama became the first president to endorse gay marriage. Loading After deciding not to run for president in 1996, Powell gave a speech at that years Republican convention endorsing Bob Dole against Democrat Bill Clinton, who was president during Powells final months as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. There were scattered boos from conservative delegates in San Diego when Powell said he supported abortion rights and affirmative action to help minorities. Powell, who became increasingly isolated in his party amid its shift to the right, said he remained a Republican despite endorsing Obama in 2008 and 2012. Powell married his wife Alma in 1962. They had three children, including Michael Powell, who served as US Federal Communications Commission chairman under George W Bush. If I disappeared tomorrow, would anyone miss me? Would anyone look for me? And would anyone help me find my way home? These disturbing questions are likely to swirl through the minds of all but the most self-assured viewers of Dana H., Lucas Hnath's one-woman thriller, now playing Broadway's Lyceum Theatre. It's about a woman who is kidnapped for several months by a violent neo-Nazi meth addict. Not only is it the wildest true story on any stage in New York City, but it features a performance that must be seen to be believed. That would be the work of Deirdre O'Connell, one of the greatest stage actors of our time, who is making only her third appearance on Broadway (she's a much more frequent presence off and off-off-Broadway). We never hear O'Connell's voice throughout the 75-minute play. Instead, she lip-synchs to prerecorded audio of an interview conducted between Steve Cosson (artistic director of the Civilians) and Dana Higginbotham (the playwright's mother, to whom this actually happened). It's a more difficult task than it sounds: O'Connell cannot flub a line, forget a cough, or miss a breath without breaking the illusion. Inflections, pacing, and pauses are entirely dictated by the audio, leaving the actor no control over the spoken text. The fact that O'Connell never breaks with the audio and still manages to bring so much of her unique verve as a performer to the part shows her mastery of a craft in which limitations are a springboard for creativity. It is also a testament to the indomitable human spirit, even under the most severe captivity. Deirdre O'Connell plays the title role in Dana H. on Broadway. ( Chad Batka) "Severe" seems like too mild a word for what happened to Dana. While working as a chaplain in a hospital psychiatric unit, she meets a patient named Jim, who was raised from a young age into a white supremacist crime syndicate with a strong presence in the prison system. Thinking that she can help him lead a normal life, she begins to minister to him. When Jim is discharged from the hospital on Christmas Eve and finds himself with nowhere to go, she takes him into her home, and then helps him find his own place. He repays the favor by kidnapping her and taking her on a monthslong crime spree, using her name to purchase weapons that would normally be restricted to a felon like him. Audience gasps regularly punctuate Dana's shocking narrative. The most disturbing part is that no matter where they go, Jim seems to know people, including police officers and practically none of them are interested in helping her escape. Nor does it seem like anyone is actively looking for her, something Jim probably considered when he chose her as a victim. We see how a smart, confident woman like Dana, who is no stranger to the seedier aspects of life, becomes trapped in the American criminal underworld, a pawn of forces way beyond her control. This is one of the things that makes Dana H. such a perfect companion piece to its co-tenant at the Lyceum, Is This A Room because what gang is bigger and more powerful than the US federal government? Deirdre O'Connell stars in Lucas Hnath's Dana H., directed by Les Waters, at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre. ( Chad Batka) Director Les Waters coaxes us down the rabbit hole of this incredible story until we are in too deep to find our way out. The staging takes the form of an interview in a dingy Florida motel room (scenic design by Andrew Boyce). O'Connell sits in an armchair downstage center, wearing a simple black outfit topped with a red cardigan (costumes by Janice Pytel). We hear the real Dana's voice over the speakers, with clear breaks in the audio that serve the same purpose as cuts in a film (sound designer Mikhail Fiksel and lighting designer Paul Toben collaborate seamlessly to establish this convention from the beginning). Notes of tension throb under the recorded interview, and the lighting shifts menacingly until we begin to see the motel room as a terrifying space, where even the filthy air-conditioner and ugly table lamps pose a threat. Yet even in this dark place, Dana emits an inner light that is never extinguished. O'Connell unearths a furtive smile in many of Dana's lines, which might not be obvious to the casual listener especially considering the subject matter. This gallows humor seems to be one of the ways Dana can process her traumatic experience, and it helps guide us through to the other side of this harrowing tale. That makes Dana H. inspirational in the best way: If she can laugh at her captor, you can laugh at the boss or neighbor or petty tyrant on the PTA who is making your life miserable. And if she can survive this awful ordeal, you can survive the next day. EV READY? Scorecard Which countries are the best prepared for electric vehicles (EVs)? By Zutobi Updated September 27, 2021 With the looming threat of climate change, many people, companies and nations are looking to reduce their use of fossil fuels and produce a lower carbon footprint. One way they are attempting to implement this is by making road travel better for the environment, by way of switching to electric vehicles (EVs) rather than traditional cars powered by petrol or diesel-powered internal combustion engines. Many countries have set lofty electric vehicle targets, for example in the United Kingdom the government is committed to only selling new electric vehicles from 2030. Meanwhile, Joe Biden has announced that he would like half of new American cars to be electrically powered by the same date. But which countries are best prepared for electric vehicle adoption? By taking into account the data for numerous different factors we have been able to establish the best countries in Europe for EV use. On top of this, we have analyzed the EV readiness of the United States and Australia too. The Best-Prepared European Countries for EV Adoption 1: Norway, total EV readiness score: 8.14/10 The country most ready for EV adoption is Norway, which achieved a score of 8.14. Norway has the highest percentage of electric vehicles in the world, with an impressive 11.83% of their entire vehicle fleet being electric. And this figure is rising quickly, since 55% of new car registrations in 2021, so far, have been EVs. To top it off, Norwegian strategists have also covered the landscape with 35.79 public charging stations per km of road to help charge all of their electric vehicles. 2: UK, total EV readiness score: 4.73/10 Great Britain is the second most EV ready country in Europe, although its overall score was some way behind that achieved by Norway. The UK has the most EV searches per 100,000 people with 139.65, showing that there is a widespread public interest in EV adoption. 3: Netherlands, total EV readiness score: 4.73/10 Next is the Netherlands with a score of 4.73/10, this makes the Netherlands the third most EV ready nation in Europe. The number of charging stations encapsulates the Dutch determination to become EV ready, as there are 66,665 in place across the nation, this is equal to 21.82 per km of road. 2.06% of all vehicles registered in the country are electric, which is the third highest in Europe. The Best-Prepared US States for EV Adoption While we have established the European nations most ready for electric vehicles, we now turn our attention to the other side of the Atlantic and see how the gas-guzzling nation of old is adapting to the future. The American attitude towards car making has often been the bigger the better, especially in the 50s and 60s where the Detroit giants produced copious cars with huge engines and luxurious trimmings. But in recent years US car making innovation has turned to electric cars, with Elon Musks Tesla leading the way from their Californian base. But are the US citizens ready to set aside their muscle cars and big pickup trucks, and ready to adopt electric vehicles? In August of this year, Joe Biden made a big statement regarding the future of American motoring, as the president issued an executive order pledging that 50% of new American vehicles will be EVs by 2030. However, some environmental groups did not think this was good enough as it is not legally binding, and therefore (they believe) the automotive industry will ignore the target. Although EV sales have risen by an average of 17% in the US every year, this is far lower than the 60% in Europe and the 36% in China, and they are also lagging in terms of public charging stations. Top Three EV Ready US States The factors that we used to determine the most EV ready US states are: the number of registered EVs and the percentage of all registered vehicles that are electric. As well as this the number of public chargers, and how many EVs and the average number of miles there are per charging point. By combining these we were able to calculate a score out of ten for all fifty states, plus the District of Columbia. 1: District of Columbia: EV Ready Score: 8.16/10 Although it is not technically a state, the US capital district of Columbia is the most EV ready state. This is largely to do with the fact that there is a public EV charger every 2.66 miles on average, this is far better than the national average of one charger every 121 miles. 0.68% of all vehicles registered in the district are EVs, and this is the fourth-highest in the country for this factor. 1: California EV Ready Score: 8.16/10 California is the joint most EV ready state with a ginormous score of 8.16, The Golden State is the only one with over 1% of all vehicles registered being electric, they also have over 30,000 more public charging points than the national average. However, because there are so many EVs in California the amount of public charging points struggle to keep up. 3: Vermont EV Ready Score: 7.55/10 Vermont is the third most EV ready state in America. Vermont only has 2.68 EVs per charging point, which shows that their infrastructure is ready to cope with EVs. Furthermore there is a charging point every 17.13 miles on average, much lower than the US average of 121 miles. Australian EV Readiness Electric vehicles are also increasing in popularity Down Under, as Australia is increasing their EV sales year on year. According to the Guardian, electric vehicle sales tripled during 2019. In total there were 6,718 sold in 2019 and this takes the Australian total of EVs registered to just under 15,000 which is over 30,000 less than the average in Europe, so Australia is lagging behind. Some Australian territories are doing better than others in terms of EV readiness and by combining multiple factors we have given each state a score out of ten. Top three EV ready Australian Territories 1: New South Wales EV Ready Score: 8.67/10 Australias biggest territory by population is the most EV ready area of the country, 8 million New South Wales residents purchased 832 EVs in 2019 which was the most in the country. 2: Victoria EV Ready Score: 6.72/10 Victoria is home to the electric Melbourne Storm, but unlike their premier NRL team, Victoria will have to settle for second place in terms of EV readiness. There are over 4,000 registered EVs in the state, and 536 chargers. 3: Queensland EV Ready Score: 5.64/10 The third highest-ranking Australian territory was Queensland with a score of 5.64, this is slightly higher than the national average of 4.93. Methodology Europe Most of the data for EU countries plus other large European nations was sourced from EAFO. The number of searches was sourced from Google Keyword Planner search data between and relates to searches made August 2020 and July 2021. Electricity prices per kWh were sourced from Numbeo. We then gave each country a normalised score out of ten on each factor before taking a final average score across all factors to discover the overall score for each country. US Australia All Australian data was sourced from their 2020 report from the electric vehicle council. Opinion writer Zach Freeman breaks down Sen. Ted Cruz and Michael Knowles' latest episode of the "Verdict" podcast which was recorded live in Rudder Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 14. Van Buren, AR (72956) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. High 59F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 39F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Up for debate: Live legislation tracker Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics. In this Tuesday, May 28, 2019 photo power lines power lines converge on a Central Maine Power substation in Pownal, Maine. The company's controversial 145-mile, billion-dollar power line would bring hydro-electricity from Canada into the regional grid, to serve Massachusetts customers. Instant unlimited access to all of our E-Editions and content on thechronicleonline.com. The Chronicle E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) News PEL panel answers questions about proposed DuBois-Sandy Twp. consolidation DuBOIS The Pennsylvania Economy League, which conducted a review on their independent consolidation study for DuBois and Sandy Township last week, also addressed some questions from residents following their presentation at the DuBois Country Club. The presentation included an approximate 45-minute PowerPoint on PELs independent study detailing the effects of a DuBois-Sandy Township consolidation, similar to a previous PEL public meeting which was conducted in March, but with revisions and updates. The city and township shared the cost of the 200-plus page study. Following the PowerPoint, there was a break. At that time, written questions were submitted at the welcome desk, where there were forms for residents to write their questions and identify themselves as the questioner. Those questions were then collected during the break and submitted to the panel. Following the meeting, township Supervisors Chairman Kevin Salandra said, I am disappointed in the presentation because many of the submitted questions were not answered at all or were not answered completely. I would like to invite the public to our meeting on Monday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. which will be held at the West Sandy fire hall on Dixon Avenue. We will provide answers to many of the questions based on the information we have. We will also allow residents a limited time to present comments and ask questions. We welcome your attendance. Voters in both the city and township will vote on the proposed consolidation in the Nov. 2 election. The following are some of the questions that were answered by the Pennsylvania Economy League presenters, including Communications Director Lynne Shedlock, Senior Research Fellow Gerry Cross and Chief Executive Officer LeeAnne Clayberger. Are there any examples of successful consolidations or mergers that have occurred in this case? There have been a number of successful mergers, said Cross. The consolidations that Im most familiar within the state are St. Marys and Benzinger, thats a consolidation. Theres a fundamental difference between a merger and consolidation. In a merger, one town continues to exist, the other town goes out of business, so thats a merger. In this case were talking consolidation in which a new entity is formed. Theres been some consolidations, but typically in Pennsylvania its been mergers where a larger town is approached by a smaller to be incorporated back into the boundaries or to assume part of that municipality. Berks County theres probably been six of them, Cumberland County has had two or three. Weve worked on several in Berks County, but these have happened sporadically over the last 20 to 25 years. What are the negative aspects of consolidation? As we outlined in the report, the financials in terms of what the taxpayer experience will be, or the utility rate payer, if you have public sewer and water, youre either going to have your rates stay steady or decline, said Clayberger. If youre a taxpayer, youre going to see a decline in your property tax rates. So, from that perspective, there are positives for the taxpayer and the utility ratepayer. In terms of negatives, we did point out the CDBG, Community Development Block Grant, funding. That is a potential negative where the two communities now receive their own block grant now. Under a consolidated government, they would likely only receive one block grant, unless youre able to get some sort of hold harmless through the legislature. What is the difference between home rule and third class city? Those of you who were here in March may remember, and youll read in our full report, that we actually recommended that the municipalities pursue home rule, said Clayberger. What the question is on the (Nov. 2) ballot designates the third class city as a specific form of government. Im going to ask Gerry if he will give us a very brief description of what are some of the opportunities lost by not going home rule in the longer-term. There is an option under the boundary change law that when you do a consolidated agreement, you can have a home rule charter at the same time, and theres only one vote necessary, said Cross. So in our minds the streamlined approach was one vote saying do you approve the consolidation of these two towns under the terms of the home rule charter? And a home rule charter would have been drafted much like the consolidation agreement will be drafted and it would be a different form of government. St Marys and Benzinger (Township), when they consolidated, they did it this way. They consolidated first to a new municipality ... then had a separate election for a home rule. And home rule is, in essence, local control of your local government. Home rule allows you to not have the restrictions that are inherent in the third class city code, the first class township code, second class township code, borough code and some other changes that you can do that should fit your local circumstance. Home rule is a little bit of a complicated process, but its generated from locally, said Cross. Theres a local commission elected. Theyre called the government study commission. What they actually study is the current form of government, the most efficient and effective that we can have, or would we be better under a home rule charter? So often times the government study commission and the size of a home rule charter when they weigh the pros and cons of the third class code and the second class township code, they decided that theyd rather have amidst a vote or theyd have some flexibility of tax space, some flexibility of tax rates, in organizational procedures, in governance, and they opt for a home rule charter. But a home rule charter in and of itself is a local constitution developed by local citizens and elected by locals. It takes two elections minimum to implement a home rule charter. Can you briefly describe whats been included in the $500,000 savings if the two municipalities consolidate? This question was in reference to the PEL study estimating a savings of more than $500,000 annually by eliminating duplicate positions through attrition and buyouts. It is annual and the positions that we were looking at would be things like you dont need two borough managers. You dont need two police chiefs, said Shedlock. Thats where we got into the duplication of positions. The process of developing that budget for the new municipalities assumed certain category levels that we received from the municipalities to come up with this new budget for the new municipality. During their research, Cross said PEL worked very closely with city Manager John Herm Suplizio and township Manager Shawn Arbaugh. We didnt just come up with that number, said Cross. There was a list of positions and what positions could be changed, what positions would be duplicated. When you talk about annual savings, you always have to remember that its an expenditure reduction. So the next year as costs grow somewhere else, you dont have that. Its not a permanent $500,000 built here, but its a non-recurring cost. So yes, its an annual savings, but over time, expenditures will rise. Its not a permanent savings, but it is a savings as a result of consolidation. Could you provide more information on lower healthcare costs? Cross said that page 78 of the 200-plus page consolidation study has an entire chapter devoted to employee benefits, healthcare benefits and pension benefits. It (study) has a census of the current people that are on the healthcare in DuBois and Sandy, said Cross. There is a basic difference in the plans. Ill leave it to Sean and Herb to explain it more carefully, but we felt that the Sandy Township plan seemed to have the lowest institutional costs. It was a cheaper plan. Cross noted that the plans are spelled out in the report with side-by-side tables. It wasnt a result just by someone putting numbers on paper. One cost is lower. We actually have to compare all the different benefits to make sure that it was comparable, but it seemed to us that there was a savings in utilizing the Sandy compensation for healthcare across the board. And we used that as far as that savings. I think the towns recognized that. We didnt get a lot of pushback for that, said Cross. When would the lower utility rates for those who are getting a reduction in their utility rates take effect? Once theres a single municipality, the rates should be uniformed, said Cross. That would be after the consolidation date. Who supplied the committee with the information that is quoted in this study and are they pro-consolidation? The economy league study is nearly a 200-page document, said Clayberger. The material we presented today, material represented last March is based on the study that was completed by the Pennsylvania Economy League, and CGR, our partner in this study, said Clayberger. Both CGR and the economy league are non-partisan, non-profit, public policy, research entities. We dont live in the community, per se ... the question of whether we are pro-consolidation ... we allow the research to drive our findings. In this case, we find advantages, which we described to you all tonight, about what that consolidation would look like, in terms of the committee. Im assuming youre talking about PEL and CGR. If not, I apologize, if I misunderstood that question. Again, what we presented tonight is based on our research here. Clayberger said some updates, where they looked at the law, were to give residents some sense of what the timelines look like, if the community decides to go forward with consolidation. But otherwise its based on their research report. The study was funded by both DuBois and Sandy Township. The presenters were asked to comment on the job openings not being filled in the area. Im assuming in referencing the trend right now, where theres just really tough to fill jobs, said Clayberger. We did this report well in advance of March 2021. We presented the study in March of 2021. But the research began before, even the pandemic. Right around the pandemic. In full disclosure, we did not update this report. This is as it was presented in March. So we did not try to look at any new economic trends over the last six months, for example. It doesnt include the American Rescue Plan funds, for lost revenue, said Cross. It doesnt include infrastructure programs that may be available. If the federal government provides infrastructure, it was very much based on the situation on the ground in 2020 and prior. Will zoning remain the same or will that be decided by the new municipality? The goal of the consolidation agreement committee would be to make a unified zoning ordinance without disrupting the current plans, said Cross. In other words, try to keep things as uniform as they are now by erasing the border and look for those areas where theres a conflict between uses. We would recommend keeping the current zoning as it exists as much as possible, said Shedlock. We dont think you need to go in and disrupt a bunch of zoning. In terms of successful consolidations and mergers, that is one of the things that tends to make it more successful, is when you look at doing that, keeping the current zoning and planning sort of stages of keeping the existing neighborhood character of the community. Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. Batavia, NY (14020) Today Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High around 40F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low 28F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom. Follow Melanie Tucker Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Click the image to the left and log in to get your exclusive reader perks. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland at the Department of Justice in Washington on Aug. 5, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) 17 State AGs Demand DOJ Cease Attempt to Chill Lawful Dissent at School Board Meetings A coalition of 17 state attorneys general is demanding that the Department of Justice (DOJ) immediately rescind a recent memo they say would chill lawful dissent by parents voiced during local school board meetings. The DOJ memo, which has been the center of much criticism since its Oct. 4 release, directs the FBI to work with state and local governments to address an alleged disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against teachers and school leaders. It came shortly after the National School Boards Association (NSBA) urged the Biden administration to invoke counter-terrorism laws to handle angry mobs of parents seeking to hold school officials accountable for the teaching of the Marxist critical race theory and for imposing COVID-19 restrictions on their children. In a letter (pdf) sent to President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland on Oct. 18, the attorneys general argued that the memo doesnt appear to be based on facts, but on a flawed NSBA narrative, which describes disruptions at school board meetings as violent threats akin to domestic terrorism. The vast majority of incidents that NSBA cites involved disruptive and disorderly conduct rather than threats, the letter reads. In fact, in no known instance, has there been anything like the burning, looting, police assaults, vandalism, and other criminal activity that occurred in the summer of 2020. The letter was referring to riots involving anarcho-communist group Antifa and Marxist group Black Lives Matter. Actual threats and violence towards school administrators, board members, teachers, or staff are rare, the attorneys general wrote, noting that there are already sufficient criminal and civil remedies available without the need for FBI to intervene in what is a quintessential local issue. They further stated that the DOJ memo is likely intimidating to parents, who in many cases are, for the first time, exercising their First Amendment right to speak in a public forum. We as a country should celebrate their participation in our system of self-government, not silence them by accusing them of domestic terrorism and threaten them with the prospect of the FBI knocking on their door to investigate their activities, the letter reads. The letter was written by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and co-signed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. The letter comes as school board organizations in at least a dozen states have distanced themselves from the NSBA, citing disagreement over the way it has characterized concerned parents. School boards in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia have released statements opposing the NSBA letter to the Biden administration, Garlands memo, or both. War Is Real: Defend Taiwan or Give It the Bomb Commentary The islands society must be warned that they better not believe the rock solid promise of the U.S. because Washington will never fight to the death with the Chinese mainland for the islands secession, the Chinese Communist Partys Global Times proclaimed on Oct. 14, referring to Taiwan. The words, contained in an editorial, reflect the Partys propaganda line, and that line almost certainly reflects the thinking of Chinese leaders. There has, in recent months, been a dangerous erosion in deterrence. U.S. President Joe Biden can reestablish deterrence by offering Taiwan a mutual defense treaty. If he doesnt want to do that, he should either base American nuclear weapons in Taiwan or transfer such weapons to the island so it can defend itself. Its clear that Beijing no longer respects America, something especially evident in March when Chinas top two diplomats traveled to Anchorage to lecture, in derisive tones, Americas secretary of state and national security adviser. Moreover, in August, as Afghanistan was failing, Chinese propagandists went on the attack. On Aug. 10, for instance, Peoples Daily, Chinas most authoritative publication, ran a piece titled U.S. No Longer Has the Position of Strength for Its Arrogance and Impertinence. At that time, Beijing propagated the notion that the United States couldnt hope to counter China because it could not deal with insurgents, the Taliban. Moreover, Beijing wasted no time going after Taiwans governing party, the Democratic Progressive Party. The DPP authorities need to keep a sober head, and the secessionist forces should reserve the ability to wake up from their dreams, stated an editorial from Global Times, which is controlled by Peoples Daily. From what happened in Afghanistan, they should perceive that once a war breaks out in the Straits, the islands defense will collapse in hours and the U.S. military wont come to help. China, in short, apparently believes it can run over America to make Taiwan its 34th province. To disabuse Chinese aggressors at this late date, the United States should ditch the decades-old strategic ambiguity, the policy of not telling either Beijing or Taipei what it would do when conflict is imminent, and publicly offer Taipei a mutual defense treaty. A treaty would be, of course, a sure sign of American will. Washington, when it switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979, terminated the mutual defense treaty with Taiwan of 1954. The United States should admit the mistake and sign a new one, fast. There is an alternative to a treaty: make sure Taiwan, one way or another, has nuclear weapons. Such weapons are so fearsome that the mere possibility that a country has them is itself a deterrent. As RANDs Scott Harold told Gatestone, some believe Taiwan wouldnt necessarily need many of these weapons. Just a fewand perhaps just onecould establish deterrence. Some think the island already possesses an arsenal of such devices. Others, however, are not so sure. Of course, you cant be completely certain, but most likely, Taiwan does not have nuclear weapons after successive American efforts to end those programs, said Richard Fisher of the International Assessment and Strategy Center to Gatestone. At least twicein the mid-1970s and late 1980sWashington forced Taiwan to stop secret atomic bomb programs. How would Taiwan get its hands on the worlds most destructive weaponry now? Taiwan could restart its nuclear weapons program, but even though it may be close to assembling a deviceit is, after all, a so-called bomb-in-the-basement countryit would take time to build an arsenal. While building one, China could accelerate plans to invade. Many believe Chinese leaders consider that Taiwans imminent acquisition of nuclear weapons would be an additional casus belli. So as RANDs Harold perceptively points out, How one gets from could Taiwan deter if it had nuclear weapons to now, Taiwan has them could be a dangerous road to walk. The United States could shorten the period of risk by giving Taiwan an off-the-shelf bomb, an instant deterrent, or basing American nukes on the island. In the 1980s, the U.S. beefed up deterrence of the Soviet Union by basing nuclear-tipped Pershing missiles in Europe. Taiwan always has been critically important to America. The island makes advanced chips for U.S. products, anchors Americas western defense perimeter, and is a beacon of democracy. After the fall of Kabul, Taiwan is seen as the test of U.S. resolve. The United States should, therefore, be willing to go to extraordinary lengths to protect the island. Taiwan isnt a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, so it has no obligation to remain nuke-free. The United States, however, is a party to the treaty and has an obligation not to proliferate. Yet, its high time to reconsider compliance with that treaty. Treaty member China has proliferated nuclear weapons technology and materials to various regimes, and Beijing was behind the Pakistani nuclear black-market ring of A.Q. Khan, who transferred Chinese nuke tech to, among others, Iran and North Korea. Because China has armed aggressors with nukes, America, to maintain deterrence and keep the peace, should arm potential victims with them. Would the proliferation of nukes to Taiwan be dangerous? After watchingand not stoppingcommunist China from proliferating for more than a half-century, there are no un-dangerous options for Washington. Sha Zukang, the former Chinese ambassador for disarmament to the United Nations in Geneva, last month suggested that China create large exceptions to its announced no-first-use policy, the promise not to be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict. In 1996, when he was Chinas top arms negotiator, Sha told Newsweek that his countrys policy of no-first-use didnt apply to Taiwan. The foreign ministry subsequently said Sha was speaking out-of-turn, but many thought he had, in fact, revealed official thinking on the subject. In any event, Taiwan and the United States need to do something now to deter an extraordinarily aggressive China. On the 4th of this month, the Global Times issued an editorial with this title: Time to Warn Taiwan Secessionists and Their Fomenters: War Is Real. From the Gatestone Institute. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. British opposition Labour member of parliament Chris Bryant poses for photographers with a copy of the Leveson Report into press ethics in central London on Nov. 29, 2012. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images) 76-Year-Old Arrested After UK Lawmaker Received Death Threat A man has been arrested after a British member of Parliament (MP) received a death threat on Saturday, one day after Conservative MP Sir David Amess was stabbed to death. Chris Bryant, Labour Party MP for Rhondda, said he called the police as the first message in [his] inbox was this death threat after he was back from Qatar on Saturday. South Wales Police said a 76-year-old man from Pontycymer, Bridgend County, had been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications. A spokeswoman said the police were called around 4:30 p.m on Saturday following reports of malicious communications being sent to a 59-year-old man from Porth. In an email to The Epoch Times on Tuesday, South Wales Police said the man has been released on police bail. Bryant said MPs had been subjected to a steady stream of horrific abuse in recent years, and that the level of vitriol was higher than he had known it in 20 years in Parliament. Some of the political debates have been really vicious and sharp, the Welsh MP told the PA news agency. The former minister said he questioned all the time whether it was worth continuing as an MP but decided he cant be stopped campaigning for things hes passionate about, such as poverty, climate change, and human rights. He also said he hopes that everyone dials down the nastiness in politics. Its been six years of everyone calling each other traitor. That needs to end, we need to be nicer to each other, he told Radio Wales Breakfast, alluding to the Brexit debate which often turned nasty. Bryant said he believes women, black and ethnic minority, and gay MPs get the brunt of the abuse, but everybody gets some of this. An image of murdered British Conservative lawmaker David Amess is displayed near the altar in St Peters Catholic Church before a vigil in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, on Oct. 15, 2021. (Alberto Pezzali/AP Photo) The incident came after Sir David Amess, a 69-year-old Conservative MP for Southend West, was fatally stabbed on Oct. 15 while meeting local voters, an incident police declared to be terrorism. The murder of Amess marked the second fatal attack on a sitting British lawmaker in their constituency in the last five years and the fourth attack against MPs since 2010. Brendan Cox, the widower of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, told Times Radio on Monday that both the Left and the Right need to stop dehumanising each other. You have people who say Ive never kissed a Tory as a badge of honour on the Left, he said. He warned that this behaviour is a celebration of political segregation. Its almost a celebration of political segregation. I think that is absolutely something that we have to challenge. And linked to that we have to stop dehumanising our opponents, he said. Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told BBC Breakfast that he had three threats to life and limb over the last two years, with the latest one being an acid attack. He said those incidents all resulted in an intervention, but did not give further details. Raab said politicians deserve maximum scrutiny but added traditional and social media have a role to play in reducing hate. I think there has also been quite widespread vilification of politicians in the media, he added. The constantsometimes surreptitious, sometimes ostentatiousvilification of politicians creates the kind of climate in which these episodes take place. PA contributed to this report. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington on Sept. 9, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) A Purge Is Starting With the Bill of Rights Commentary Attorney General Merrick Garland has now repeatedly and clearly demonstrated his intention to toe the party line, as it drifts inexorably from constitutional principles and the Bill of Rightsin lieu of serving as an independent and objective enforcer of federal law. He first exposed his partisan contempt for objective facts in a speech given on June 15. There, he stated, In the FBIs view, the top domestic violent extremist threat comes from racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists, specifically those who advocate for the superiority of the white race. Not Antifa. Not BLM. As FBI field agents are well aware, the domestic threat posed by white supremacists was successfully dissipated in the 1980s and 90s, largely as a result of high-risk, large-scale undercover operations targeting the Aryan Nations and other white militia organizations. Garlands speech parroted statements made in congressional testimony by FBI Director Christopher Wray on Sept. 17, 2020, wherein much the same conclusory statements were made, unsupported by data, reflecting Democrat talking points rather than independent determinations based on articulated facts. Garlands and Wrays statements have lent credibility to the newly expanded definition of white supremacy to include all those who disagree with progressive policiesthe moral justification thus being created for repressive tactics directed at eliminating dissent. Andsignificantlyat ostracizing dissenters. Garland now has taken another step in the politicization of the Department of Justice by categorizing parents disturbed by progressive indoctrination of their children as domestic terrorists. And the FBI, whose resources are already overtaxedapproximately 10,000 special agents to protect a nation of 330 million-plushas been directed to investigate this imminent threat to national security. In his Oct. 4 memorandum to the FBI director, Garland warns parents that in the coming days, the Department [of Justice] will announce a series of measures designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel. Missing in the memo is any clue as to the federal jurisdiction that might justify the FBIs involvement in what appears to be in essence the suppression of opposing viewssuppression of the expression of opinions that are contrary to the views propagated by individuals and institutions currently wielding the reins of power. Garlands misuse of the governments overwhelming powerproscribed by the First Amendment to the Bill of Rightsis barred precisely because the Framers anticipated such abuse of power, and went to great lengths to prevent it. The assault on the Bill of Rights appears to be coordinated and nearly overwhelming in nature. From the Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial, denied to the Jan. 6 unarmed Capitol Hill trespassers, to the utilization of tech companies as proxies to circumvent First Amendment limitations on government action, the onslaught has many fronts. Apple announced it would monitor and review the images maintained by millions of customers on the cellphones that it sells. Ostensibly a measure to identify pedophiles, this is realistically a first step to monitor the public at largeactions by a powerful corporation that would be clearly illegal if conducted by the government without a warrant. The right to a fair trial by a jury of ones peersthe Sixth Amendmentwas effectively eviscerated by the Biden administrations declaration that mounted Customs and Border Protection officers were guilty of whipping illegal Haitian immigrants prior to any formal charges being brought. The administrations disregard for the free speech rights of millions of federal employees is evidenced by the White Houses list of prohibited words and phrasesa list that altogether too many corporate entities are quick to incorporate into their own private sector cultures. Thus, the government achieves its proscribed goal of controlling speech through indirect means. And as is, or should be, self-evident, controlling permissible language is the first step toward controlling permissible thought. An assault on property rightsheretofore secured by the Fifth and 14th Amendments due process clauseshas utilized the back door of COVID-19 to justify regulation of small businesses, circumventing the legislative process, and severely restricting the exercise of business decisions by small entrepreneurs. Civil rights have been curtailed by the insidious substitution of equity for equalityand by the insertion of critical race theory in lieu of the content of character theory of Martin Luther King Jr. The constitutional right to security of person, guaranteed in Article Three, along with the pursuit of happiness, as articulated in the Declaration of Independence, are being subtly undermined by the defund the police movement. How can happiness be pursued in an insecure, crime-ridden environment? Rather, the assault on law enforcement authorities has been ramped up. In the military, police, and in the Department of Homeland Security, witch hunts are underway, with the search for dissenting opinionmislabeled as a search for white supremacist conspiratorsbeing encouraged and pursued by the media and left-wing think tanks. And the failure to provide secure borders undermines security on a number of levels, from the entry of violent criminals to the propagation of the dreaded virus. Diversity of opinion is being rooted out and replaced by unquestioning obedience and propagation of dogma. How can the First Amendments freedom of religion be pursued when church and synagogue doors are barred whenever lock-downs are declared, while the doors to taverns remain open? Powerful political leaders on the leftHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), former presidential candidate Hillary Clintoncontinually question the relevance of the Constitution, while enthusiastically supporting movements such as the 1619 rewriting of American history that questions the Framers relevance in the modern age. The Second Amendment right to bear arms has been under constant attack from the Democratic Party. The attempt to place David Chipman, one of its most fervent opponents as head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms proved beyond the pale, even for middle-of the-road supporters of firearm bans. However, individuals such as Mark and Patricia McCloskey of St. Louis, who have exercised their Second Amendment rights in the defense of their security and their property, have been ridiculed by the media and prosecuted by local authorities. The elephant in the room regarding blatant disregard of our precious rights is, of course, COVID-19. The Biden administration, as well as state executive officers, have used the pandemic to justify the sweeping away of the right to privacy that Justice William Douglas interpreted into the Constitution, as emanating from the penumbra of rights that the founding document enshrined as guarantees for future generations. These privacy rights have for years been used to justify the legalization of abortion as part of a womans right to choose. Yet these privacy rights and the right to choose are disregarded entirely when it comes to the right to choose as to whether a medical product is to be injected into ones body. Although members of the military have historically been bound by certain limitations on their ability to communicate personal views, the imprisonment of Marine Corps Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller subsequent to his statements dissenting from disastrous decisions made by general command officers with regard to Afghanistan, is chilling indeed. The move, in addition to being clearly intended to send a message to others in the military who might be so inclined, is additionally another step in the administration program to suppress and eliminate dissenting voices in the military and federal agencies. To further enforce the message, Marine officials also are investigating Lance Cpl. Hunter Clark for having consented to appear at the podium with non-candidate Donald Trump at a rally on Sept. 25. Clark received national attention after rescuing an infant in the course of the chaotic evaluation at Kabul airport in Afghanistan. What we are witnessing is a purge. The true purpose of using vaccination mandates to fire employees from schools, civil service positions, hospitals, airlines, and law enforcement has nothing to do with COVID-19 and everything to do with disenfranchisement and diminution of our previously inalienable rights. The purpose is to weed out dissent. Its the next step, following and building upon the redefinition of white supremacy to include any who disagrees with the party line, anyone who dissents. Just as the labeling of angry parents as domestic terrorists is simply a subterfuge to weed out dissent. Its a campaign to disempower, to eliminate those with dissenting ideas, ideas that diverge from authorized, correct thought. Those who could pose a threat to the power elite. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Abortion Law Legal Challenge: The Lessons of Brauer v. Canada Commentary A courageous woman from Nova Scotia, Connie Brauer, tried to change the scandalous abortion situation in Canada by suing the federal government in the Federal Court in 2019. Brauer, a self-represented partymeaning she had no lawyersought, among other remedies, an immediate injunction banning all abortions in Canada and an immediate end to the public funding of abortions. The case was dismissed by the Federal Court of Appeal in early October, but not on its merits. Rather, it was due to Brauers failure to follow court rules with respect to the facts around her allegations and with respect to her standing, meaning she failed to establish that the abortion law had caused her injury and losstherefore, she had no personal substantial legal interest in the case. Although her case was dismissed, Brauer was and remains entirely correct that abortion represents nothing less than mass genocide perpetrated against the unborn and that the government punishes dissent against abortion by imposing restrictions on anti-abortion protests and by denying federal youth summer job grants to organizations because they oppose abortion. Brauer v. Canada reinforces a number of important lessons that the pro-life movement needs to bear in mind as it moves forward. First, the Brauer case is a timely reminder that abortion remains unregulated in Canada, despite the fact that such regulation is entirely within the competence of the legislature. The Supreme Court of Canadas decision in R. v. Morgentaler (1988) did not say abortion could not be regulated. It held, rather, that the regulation of abortion under the Criminal Code violated the charter because it failed to provide equal access to abortion. The court did not state that the charter provided a woman with an absolute right to abortion. Second, Brauer reminds us of the importance of the rule of law and that the issue is not merely a matter of obeying the law. The rule of law has a number of facets, one of which is the importance of court procedures. These procedures help to ensure that the court bases its decision on facts that have been proved through cross-examination and not on judges whims and personal preferences. Supreme Court Justice McIntyre, in his dissent in Morgentaler, was quite right when he warned of the dangers of relying on unproven materials as his colleagues had done in that case. He stated that the court should place principal reliance upon the evidence given under oath in court. The third lesson is reinforcement of the fact that abortion is primarily a political issue, not a legal issue. Its undeniable that there are legal issues and consequences associated with abortion. However, it should not be forgotten that the decisions regarding whether to permit abortion and under what conditions are primarily political and social questions. Indeed, it is the defining moral question of our age, much like abolishment of the slave trade was the defining moral question of the 1700s. Today, we are in the midst of an epic battle between the Culture of Death and the Culture of Life. And the primary battlefields are the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens, including our politicians! The battle for the hearts and minds of Canadians will not be easy. The particulars of how abortions are carried out, the physiology of an unborn child, who profits from fetal tissue harvesting and the abortion industry, the harm done to women who have had abortions and experienced sex-selection abortion practicesthese are not the stuff of light banter but involve serious and heartbreaking discussions. This is one reason why a great many people prefer not to talk about itprecisely because they instinctively know that what is at stake is a human life. There is no escaping the fact that the abortion question resonates with other vital questions such as the meaning and value of human life, human sexuality, and when human life begins and ends. These are questions that human beings can only answer through thought, reflection, and personal experience. As such, there are as many answers as there are human beings. Nevertheless, our shared humanity makes possible a consensus: Stripped of political hyperbole and grandstanding, it is not difficult to understand and appreciate that human life is unique and precious and begins at the moment of conception and ends with natural death. This awareness comes from the heart and stillness of the conscience. There are those who will celebrate Brauers defeat, but they should be careful. The left and the Culture of Death dont want abortion to be discussed, let alone debated, preferring instead to treat the matter as settled. However, it looks very much like Brauers loss is actually a win, because rather than not discussing abortion, once again it is a front-page story, proving that abortion is anything but settled in Canada. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Kinney County Justice of the Peace Narce Villarreal (R) magistrates a group of illegal immigrants from Mexico as theyre charged for criminal trespass on a local ranch, at the Kinney County Sheriff's Office in Brackettville, Texas, on Aug. 8, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Activists Walk Out on Meeting With Biden Admin Over Remain in Mexico Program Dozens of immigration activists allegedly walked out of a virtual meeting with Biden administration officials on Oct. 16 in protest over the White Houses plan to restart the Trump-era Remain in Mexico program, Politico reported. The advocates read a statement accusing the administration of playing politics with human lives ahead of a virtual meeting with multiple officials, including people from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the White House Domestic Policy Councils Esther Olavarria. Activists allegedly said they could no longer come into these conversations in good conscience. We have sadly reached a turning point, they said before most of them exited the video meeting, Politico reported. I cannot stand one more meeting of them pretending, Ariana Saludares, an advocate from the New Mexico-based Colores United, told Politico. They give us accolades on the outside, but on the inside, were having to take out the metaphoric knives from our back. Top immigration enforcement officials in President Joe Bidens administration said on Oct. 14 that theyre prepared to restart the border policies enacted during the Trump administration in November, provided that Mexico agrees to cooperate. The Biden administration has made substantial progress toward the reimplementation of the program, formally known as the Migration Protection Protocols (MPP), government lawyers told a U.S. judge in Texas. The DHS has been holding talks with Mexico, finalizing the operational plans required to reimplement MPP, preparing immigration courts, and issuing the contacts required to build hearing facilities near the border, they said. DHS anticipates being in a position to reimplement MPP by mid-Novemberdependent on decisions made by Mexico, the filing reads. The program centers around making asylum seekers wait in Mexico while their claims are heard in the United States. Mexico said in an Oct. 14 statement that it has been in communication with the U.S. government over immigration but didnt specifically mention the MPP. The Remain In Mexico program was launched in January 2019 under the Trump administration and was widely credited by proponents for a decline in illegal border crossings. Mark Morgan, who was acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection at the time, told The Epoch Times that the MPP was the most significant game-changer and was largely responsible for a 75 percent drop in such crossings. However, opponents of the policy, including Democrat leaders, have argued that the immigration system needs to be completely overhauled and have denounced the MPP as inhumane and dangerous to illegal aliens, who they claim would be at a higher risk of exploitation by cartels and criminal organizations in Mexico. MPP was swiftly suspended by Biden on his first day in office in January, along with several other Trump-era immigration policies. Illegal immigration has significantly increased under Biden, topping 200,000 apprehensions at the southern border in both July and August. Numbers for September still havent been released. Illegal immigrants, many from Haiti, wait in lines to board buses under the Del Rio International Bridge, in Del Rio, Texas on Sept. 24, 2021. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo) Border Patrol agents detain illegal immigrants who have just crossed into the United States from Mexico under the International Bridge in Del Rio, Texas, on Sept. 14, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Although the DHS issued a memo ending the program in June, a Texas-based federal judge ruled that the MPP must be restarted and placed an injunction that required the department to work in good faith to restart MPP. The DHS appealed that injunction, but was blocked by the Supreme Court in August. In September, the DHS stated that it intended to issue a new memo scrapping the immigration program, despite the Supreme Court ruling that it was to be reinstated. The DHS stated that it would continue in the meantime working in good faith to restart MPP in compliance with the Texas judges order and that its engaged in ongoing diplomatic talks with Mexico. The department noted that its committed to building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system that upholds our laws and values, stating that it will continue to process immigrants in accordance with U.S. law. A White House official told Politico that the Biden Administration has been very clear that MPP is not an immigration policy we agree with or support. Thats why the Department of Homeland Security immediately appealed the court injunction once it was ordered, the official said. We are incredibly thankful and appreciative of the work immigration advocates and organizations do around the clock to improve our immigration system. The Oct. 16 virtual walkout comes amid increasing tensions between activists and the Biden administration, with activists telling Politico that they believe some White House officials view border issues as a doomed issue for Democrats. I think theyre afraid of the backlash of anti-immigrant groups, and well continue to remind them that that backlash will exist regardless of what they do, Luis Guerra, the strategic capacity officer at the Catholic Legal Immigration Network who walked out of the Oct. 16 meeting, told Politico. We dont actually believe theyre doing everything in their power to actually restore asylum at the border, the way that they say that theyre trying to. White House officials didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. An Amazon delivery driver scans bags of groceries while loading a vehicle outside of a distribution facility in Redondo Beach, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) Amazon to Fill 150,000 US Seasonal Jobs for the Holidays Online retailer Amazon plans to fill 150,000 jobs in the United States to meet increased demand for holiday shopping, the company reported Monday. Amazon made the announcement in a Monday press release, noting the increased hiring is in addition to its recent plans to add 40,000 workers nationwide. We are proud to be offering a huge range of full-time, part-time, and now seasonal jobs with great pay and benefits, stated Alicia Boler Davis, senior vice president, global customer fulfillment. Our seasonal hiring helps us deliver on our promises to customers while also providing flexibility to our full-time employees during busy periods. Joining Amazon in one of our seasonal roles offers high-paying, part-time work, or a path to a full-time position, with benefits like our Career Choice program to help people advance their education and careers within Amazon or beyond, she added. Amazon shared that the states with the greatest number of seasonal roles include Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. According to the statement for hiring in Illinois, all Amazon jobs in the United States, including seasonal roles, have an average starting pay of $18 per hour. In addition, the company has advertised for the potential of up to $3,000 in sign-on bonuses and additional hourly pay in many locations. The new seasonal worker total is approximately 50 percent higher than in 2020. However, the massive hiring announcement remains below Amazons 2019 efforts to hire 200,000 seasonal workers. Amazon has been among the beneficiaries of growth during the coronavirus pandemic. While many businesses were forced to shut down or faced restrictions that limited operations, Amazons online infrastructure allowed it to grow even more. Still, some concerns remain as the nation faces a supply chain crisis. The concerns led President Joe Biden to make new announcements last week to address congestion at some of Americas ports. After weeks of negotiation and working with my team and with the major union and retailers and freight movers, the Ports of Los Angelesthe Port of Los Angeles announced today that its going to bebegin operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Biden announced. This follows the Port of Long Beachs commitment to 24/7 that it announced just weeks ago, he added. Biden called the effort a first key step to improving the nations supply chain. The presidents speech also announced the expansion of shipping companies to meet the growing demands. Additionally, FedEx and UPS, two of our nations biggest freight movers, are committing today to significantly increase the amount of goods they are moving at night. FedEx and UPS are the shippers for some of our nations largest stores, but they also ship for tens of thousands of small businesses all across America, he added. The Parliament of Victoria's upper house on Nov. 3, 2017. in Melbourne, Australia. (Michael Dodge/Getty Images) Australian Public Official Spent $15,000 on Banned Electoral Practices: Anti-Corruption Hearing Reveals A current elected official in Australia has revealed he spent thousands of dollars on banned fraudulent activities while running a branch office for the Australian Labor Party (ALP). Rick Garotti, the current mayor of Banyule in Melbourne, told the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) on Oct. 18 he spent an estimated $15,000 on branch-stacking activities. The revelations come as part of IBACs wide-ranging investigation into serious corrupt conduct and the misuse of public money for party-political work or other improper purposes. Currently, it is focusing on branch-stacking and whether public money had been used to fund such activitieswhich includes the hiring of staff for such work. Branch stackingor the practice of recruiting members to a political party (sometimes by paying them)is designed to influence the outcome of preselecting candidates. One of the main motivations for doing so is the competition for influence between rival factionsin this case, the Moderate and Socialist Left factions in Victoria. Rick Garroti, mayor of Banyule Council and former staffer in the Australian Labor Party testifying to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) in the state of Victoria, Australia, on Oct. 19, 2021. (Screenshot) Australian political parties choose representatives to stand for office via a preselection system that relies on members in each electoral branch voting for their preferred candidate. While not illegal, the practice, however, is banned under ALP rules. Garotti revealed to IBAC that he himself was involved in branch-stacking for several years spending over $15,000 over a five to the six-year period at the ALPs Heidelberg branch located in Melbournes north-east. Garotti said he spent around $5,000 a year during his time at Heidelberg, with $2,000 going towards the running of the branch and hosting events, and $3,000 on memberships. He also alleged that upper house member of Parliament, Nazih Elasmar, had also paid the membership fees of associates and that Dr. Hussein Haraco, secretary of the Somali Australian Council of Victoria, had spent a couple of thousand dollars annually on memberships during the same time. As a result, individuals from the Somali community made up a significant majority of the branch. Haraco was employed after Garotti recommended him to Victorian state MP Adem Somyurek saying he needed to be looked after. The mayor also agreed with the assertion from IBAC Counsel Chris Carr S.C. that the roles of elected officers within branch offices were a form of currency to be deployed by MPs to reward factional allies. Garotti also alleged that Nazir Elasmar, the president of Victorias Legislative Council, was paying memberships at the ALPs Darebin branch. He conceded he did not have evidence, but assumed (Elasmar) had been covering the costs of members in that branch. He also said Elasmars daughter worked for state MP Marlene Kairouz, and wife for the federal MP of Cooper. Elasmar is the second state-level MP to be named in the IBAC hearings following Luke Donnellan, who resigned from Cabinet just hours into day one of the hearings on Oct. 11. Donnellan and Somyurek are members of the Moderate faction of Victorias ALP. Federal ALP MP for Holt, Anthony Byrne, who fronted the inquiry on the first day, claimed the Socialist Left faction was also involved in branch-stacking. State Premier Dan Andrews triggered the IBAC investigation after a special report by 60 Minutes and The Age exposed the extent of the practice in the state. Following its publication, MPs Somyurek, Marlene Kairouz, and Robin Scott resigned from the cabinet but remained on the backbench while denying the allegations. Then-Liberal MP Irwin Cotler holds a press conference in the foyer of the House of Commons on March 26, 2015. Cotler, Canada's special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism, says antisemitic hate crimes are on the rise in Canada and around the world. (The Canadian Press/ Sean Kilpatrick) Antisemitism in Canada at Levels Not Seen Since World War II: Former Justice Minister Canada has been experiencing some of the worst outbreaks of antisemitism not seen since the end of the Second World War, says former justice minister Irwin Cotler, Canadas special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism. What were witnessing has been a global escalation in antisemitism, but Canada has not been free from that international dynamic, Cotler said in an interview. Cotler was named special envoy last November, a role that was made permanent by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his virtual appearance at the concluding plenary session of the Malmo International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism on Oct. 13. Trudeau said Cotlers office will also be supported by increased resources. Since 2017, Statistics Canada has consistently reported the Jewish community as the most frequently targeted religious minority when it comes to hate crimes. In 2019, out of 608 cases, antisemitism accounted for nearly half of them, with 296 cases. Jewish advocacy group Bnai Brith Canada also reported 2020 as the fifth consecutive record-setting year for antisemitism in Canada, in its annual audit of antisemitic accidents, with recorded incidents up 18.3 percent from 2019. The report noted that over 44 percent of violent incidents in 2020 were related to COVID-19 prejudices, including Jews being spat on and otherwise assaulted, including with the use of weapons. Cotler said since the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world there has been a parallel pandemic of antisemitism, particularly on social media, where Jews are accused of having manufactured the COVID-19 virus, of having spread it, and of having sought to profit from it. While it begins with Jews, it doesnt end with Jews Cotler said he sees the Holocaust as a metaphor for radical evil, and antisemitism as a metaphor for radical hate. In a word, Jews were murdered in the Holocaust because of antisemitism, but antisemitism itself did not die in the Holocaust, he said. And it remains the bloody canary in the mineshaft of global evil today. As weve learned only too painfully and too well, that while it begins with Jews, it doesnt end with Jews, the international human rights lawyer added. The names of the victims of the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh are held during a vigil against anti-Semitism and white supremacy at the Human Rights Monument in Ottawa on Oct. 28, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Justin Tang) Antisemitism has also crept into Canadian campus culture, said Cotler, and is rising at an alarming rate. He recounted testimony shared by representatives from the Jewish community during the National Summit on Antisemitism in July, which he convened. Cotler said speakers at the summit said they were being bullied and excluded from campus culture by those who see Israel as an oppressor in the Middle East. We [Jewish students] are being marginalized, bullied, in fact excluded from the campus culture, where we are held out to be sort of part of white supremacists because Israel is held out to be the white supremacist oppressor in the Middle East. And so we are denied even a right to speak and to participate in the campus culture, he said, recounting one students remarks. Addressing the same summit, Trudeau said antisemitism has no place in Canada. It is unacceptable that Jewish communities and people still face violence, hate, and discrimination in our country, he said. Cotler said when it comes to Israel, its crucial to distinguish the difference between criticizing the countrys policies and singling out the Jewish state or Jewish people. If there was a criticism of an Israeli policy, that is not an issuethats fine. Like any other state it can be criticized, he said. If, however, Israel or the Jewish people or Jews are singled out for selective opprobrium and indictment, then thats a standing denial of equality rights, of equal protection, and equal treatment before the law. Cotler said Canada pledged to translate its commitment against antisemitism into concrete action during the Malmo forum attended by over 50 government leaders and their delegations. Canadas Country Pledges include promoting education and awareness about the Holocaust and antisemitism, supporting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, and combating the scourge of antisemitism, Holocaust denial, and distortion. With reporting by Limin Zhou People are seen walking along the Bondi Beach boardwalk in Sydney, Australia on July 14, 2021. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Aussies Urged to Be Cautious Despite More Freedoms Experts have urged Australians to be cautious as lockdowns end and the country reopens, to lessen pressure on hospitals. Former deputy chief health officer Nick Coatsworth said people should keep getting tested and wear masks in certain settings to help the healthcare system. We have to be cautious as policymakers that we take prudent steps out of lockdown, he told the Nine Network on Monday. Because we want to maintain the capacity of our healthcare system, which as we know is stretched. Coatsworth said Australias experience would be grounded in a world-leading vaccination rate, which would underpin what happens during the reopening phase. Im hoping that the hospitalisations themselves will stay down, he said. Cases may well increase as we start to mingle in the community, theres no doubt about that, but it is hospitalisations and intensive care admissions that we need to worry about. Australia has fully vaccinated 67.9 per cent of its population aged 16 and over, while 84.6 per cent have received at least one dose. Infectious diseases pediatrician Robert Booy said exuberant young people would pass coronavirus on as the country reopened. Were going to have a surge of COVID outbreaks of the unvaccinated, there is no doubt about that, he told the Seven Network. We will continue to have deaths and probably a few more for the next month and then it will settle down. Prof. Booy said the decision to lift lockdown in Melbourne later this week was taking a bigger risk than Sydney because of higher case numbers. Theyre going to get real stress on the health system, on the hospitals, on the ambulances, on the intensive care units, he said. Theyll be able to manage, but probably only just. Its going to be really tough on them. Victoria recorded 1838 new local cases and seven deaths on Sunday, while in NSW there were 301 new infections and 10 people died. Australia will start issuing international proof of coronavirus vaccination from Tuesday with international travel to resume for more people from November 1. Coastworth said the NSW governments decision to scrap quarantine for overseas travellers from that date should be safe but also should be monitored. An empty Bourke Street Mall is seen in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 17, 2021. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) Melbourne to Scale Back Worlds Longest COVID-19 Lockdowns Melbourne, Australia, has announced plans to lift stay-at-home orders this week as the states vaccination rate is set to reach 70 percent this week. The scaled-back restrictions come as the city has become known as the home of the worlds longest COVID-19 restrictions, totaling 262 days over the course of six separate lockdowns since March 2020. Today is a great day, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said during the Sunday announcement to end the lockdown this week. Today is a day when Victorians can be proud of what they have achieved. Though the stay-at-home order will soon be lifted, many other restrictions will remain in effect. Some retailers will not be allowed to reopen until the state reaches an 80 percent vaccination rate, which is expected by early November. In July, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison shared a four-stage plan (pdf) to phase out coronavirus restrictions nationwide. Phase B, the second phase, includes the nation reaching full vaccination among 70 percent of eligible citizens. The plan estimates reaching the goal by the end of 2020. The report was issued as the nation recognized border closures would be unable to end the Delta variant of COVID-19. Instead, the nation seeks to transition from strict lockdowns with a pandemic to living with the virus as an endemic as the nation increases its vaccination rate. Those who are not vaccinated will still face strong restrictions, according to the current plan. In addition, international travel remains limited. Last week, Qantas Airlines announced it will restart limited flights from Sydney to London and Los Angeles on Nov. 1. Fully vaccinated travelers to New South Wales (NSW) will only need to return a negative PCR test before boarding their flight. Hotel quarantine regulations for Melbourne are also scheduled to end for those who are fully vaccinated. Speaking to 7 News hosts on Oct. 18, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said while international travel was a matter for the federal government, Victorians were keen on opening up to the world as fast as we possibly can. If youre double dose vaccinated, then youll be able to quarantine at home, Andrews said, adding that home quarantine for the fully vaccinated will be less than 14 days. Well get to a point where if you are vaccinated, there perhaps wont be any quarantine at all if youve been tested, and as we move through the weeks and months to come. Opposition leader Matthew Guy has criticized the Andrews governments roadmap saying that freedom in Victoria looked different to those in NSW. As always with the Vic Govt, its all about the spin, not the substance, Guy said in a post on Twitter. Australian Coal Giant Pivots to Asia as Climate Activism Strangles Domestic Funding One of Australias largest coal miners is planning to raise $1 billion (US$740 million) through the sale of bonds in China and Asia amid increasing financial pressures locally due to climate change activism. Kevin Ball, the chief financial officer of Whitehaven Coalwhich operates four coal mines in northwest New South Wales (NSW)said Asian debt capital markets would be able to provide funding for decades to come. We expect that to grow and expand over the next decade, so that is really why we want to try and put a foot in that, he said during the companys Quarterly Production Report. Ball said the company was planning to start issuing bonds sooner but would wait until the dust was settled around struggling Chinese property giant, Evergrande Group. The China property market has probably put the frighteners under that at the moment, so I think we are waiting to see how that plays out, he said. We will be there, and we will get it done, but we want to wait for the right market. A recent federal parliamentary inquiry into the financial sectors support of the countrys export industriesincluding coal, oil, and gasrevealed that Australian banks, insurers, and wealth funds had steered services away from fossil fuel industries deemed to be major carbon emitters. According to representatives from Australias Big Four banks, National Australia Bank, Westpac, and ANZ, some of this pressure has come from major global wealth funds, like BlackRock, writing to CEOs outlining their expectations around climate change action. Another is in the form of activist shareholder groups pushing for climate change initiatives during Annual General Meetings. At the same time, some banks have warned that the cost of borrowing from global markets could increase if Australian banks were deemed not to be doing enough on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. On the ground, this pressure has manifested in large coal miners divesting from the sector and small miners paying exorbitant costsor simply not being able to accessbasic services such as insurance and guarantees for mining projects, which in turn, has placed regional towns at risk of losing major employment hubs. Despite pressure from the developed world, the developing world will likely continue to back coal mining activity, with the International Energy Agency revealing in its Electricity Market Report (pdf) in July that electricity demand worldwide would rise five percent in 2021 and four percent in 2022much of it driven by China and India. Asian lenders have also begun stepping into the Australian coal sector, with Whitehaven Coal receiving half of its loans from the continent last year. Tshung Chang, a current mining executive with experience in the financial sector in Asia, said it was no surprise companies like Whitehaven were turning offshore and noted that in developing countries coal is king. The fundamentals of coal, the coal industry, coal producers, and miners have never been stronger because of record high prices in modern thermal and coking coal, he told The Epoch Times. If the lending sources in Australiasome of them Big Banksif their appetite towards coal has dried as a result of green activists. Then turning to other sources is a natural way of securing funding, he added. A bartender pours beer for his customers at a pub in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 11, 2021. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images) Australian Pub Forced to Close for Welcoming Unvaccinated Customers Police in New South Wales (NSW) have forcibly closed an Australian pub for alleged, repeated breaches of COVID-19 public health orders. The Caledonian Hotel, a bar in the town of Singleton NSW, was ordered by officers from the Hunter Valley Police District to close on Oct. 16 until midnight on Oct. 19. The closure order follows a number of previous interactions with the licenseea 57-year-old mandue to repeated and continued breaches of the Public Health Order by allegedly allowingand not taking steps to preventunvaccinated people being at the premises, Mick Fuller, the NSW police commissioner said in a statement on Oct. 16. Police have attended the venue numerous times in the past week and issued the licensee three penalty infringement notices (PINs) and staff members three PINs for breaching the public health orders. A PIN is $1,000. Under current NSW government-mandated health restrictions, hospitality venuesincluding pubs and restaurantscan only serve fully vaccinated (two doses) customers until Dec. 1, when all restrictions will be dropped. People enjoy their drinks at a pub in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 11, 2021. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images) Owners of the Caledonian Hotel have been critical of public health restrictions, writing on Facebook on Oct. 16, The Cali never has and never will support segregation or discrimination. The Cali will always forever and a day welcome all. The venue is also part of the Open For All initiative, a directory featuring businesses choosing to stay open for all customers regardless of vaccination status. Sue Moore, mayor of Singleton, said the establishments stance against public health orders was disappointing. Im hearing from people they are very annoyed with the hotel for taking this approach, she said, according to the Newcastle Herald. Our numbers of vaccination, or fully vaccinated numbers, are still just under 60 percent, or close to 60 percent, so its a long way from picking up, she added. There are people still getting vaccinated, obviously, and that is concerning. David Layzell, the state member of Parliament for the Upper Hunter, said everyone was allowed to make their own choices but still needed to comply with government laws. We have tried to make the environment such that businesses can operate with certain restrictions, he said on Oct. 17. They are welcome to close the doors until we come to a time that communities can interact safely, but we cant have a situation where people dont agree with the restrictions, dont agree with the science of the vaccinations, and still want to operate. NSW is the earliest jurisdiction in Australia to begin returning freedoms to its residents under a roadmap tied to the vaccination status of the population. At present, fully vaccinated residents of the state have seen batches of freedoms released on both Oct. 11 and on Oct. 18. Moves by the NSW governmentaccelerated under new Premier Dominic Perrottetsignalled a major turning point for the predominant narrative in Australia on how to handle COVID-19, which has seen state authorities favour strict health restrictionsincluding lockdowns and domestic border closuresto control outbreaks of the virus. This narrative has gained ascendancy due to favourable media coverage (including opinions from medical experts) and approval from the public which has helped four incumbent governments win elections over the past year. Australias relatively low case and death count from COVID-19 by global standards has also helped breed a safetyism-first approach, according to psychiatrist Tanveer Ahmed. However, some businesses have chosen to remain closed until Dec. 1, including Hardcore Gym in Sydneys south, who said vaccination passports went against the values of their business. The vaccination passport goes against our values, not only as business owners but also as humans that are part of a free society. In this episode, Noah travels to Northern Arizona to find out how the 40 layers of the Grand Canyon were laid down by the Global Flood, then cut quickly, all through catastrophic processes. He then compares other geologic processes found around the world which show additional evidence of quick geologic catastrophe. The Awesome Science series takes teens and adults on a field trip around the world to explore geologic and historical evidence which supports the Biblical record. The series is hosted by teenager, Noah Justice. Cant wait for more? Watch more Awesome Science content here now: awesomescitv.com/epochtv Want to purchase the DVD series or buy VOD? Click Here. Get 10% OFF every purchase now, enter this coupon code at checkout: EPOCHTV The Awesome Science DVD series Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV Parler: https://parler.com/#/user/EpochTV Bhutan signs an agreement to expedite border negotiations with China in a virtual meeting with the Chinese on October 14, 2021. (Pic courtesy Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan) Bhutan, China Agree to Expedite Border Talks; Experts Urge Bhutan to Be Cautious NEW DELHIThe foreign ministers of Bhutan and China signed a three-step roadmap agreement to expedite territorial talks between the two countries on Oct. 14, in a move that experts say could be an attempt by the Chinese regime at driving a wedge between Bhutan and its traditional ally India. The memorandum of understanding for speeding border negotiations was signed between Bhutan foreign minister Lyonpo Tandi Dorji and Wu Jianghao, Chinas assistant minister of foreign affairs, during a virtual meeting. The meeting also was joined by Chinas ambassador to India, Sun Weidong, and Bhutans envoy to India, Maj. Gen. Vetsop Namgyel. Both Bhutan and India have been in border negotiations with China for decades. It is expected that the implementation of this Roadmap in a spirit of goodwill, understanding, and accommodation will bring the boundary negotiations to a successful conclusion that is acceptable to both sides, Bhutans Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an Oct. 14 statement. The negotiations between Bhutan and China, which share a nearly 300-mile border, began in 1984 and are led by the 1988 Guiding Principles and the 1998 Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace, Tranquility, and Status Quo in the BhutanChina Border Areas. Over the years, the two countries have held 24 rounds of boundary talks and 10 rounds of meetings at the expert group level. Even so, in 2017, China, Bhutan, and India were involved in a 73-day military stand-off at the strategic tri-junction in western Bhutan. Wu claimed in an Oct. 15 statement that Bhutan and China are traditional friends and that this relationship goes back to ancient times. China will follow Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, Wu said, and be a good neighbor, friend, and partner of Bhutan on the principles of equality, peaceful coexistence, and win-win results. Map of Bhutan with China to the north and India to the east, west, and south. (Wikimedia Commons) Should Bhutan Trust China? Dr. Satoru Nagao, a fellow at the Washington-based Hudson Institute, told The Epoch Times that Bhutan must realize that China is not trustworthy. He said if a conclusory agreement happens, itll most likely be on paper only. China is expanding their territory even if there is no territorial dispute. The agreement will be just on paper as China wants, said Tokyo-based Nagao, who specializes in defense strategy, particularly military affairs in the Himalayas. Frank Lehberger, a senior fellow with the India-based think tank Usanas Foundation, said in an email that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership uses such negotiations and agreements as tactics to buy more time and to confuse and weaken the neighbor. Regarding negotiations with China in general, the CCP will always abuse the age-old Maoist trick of negotiating about anything, but not in order to get to yes and reach a compromise, but to buy more time, to confuse, weaken, (psychologically) influence, and manipulate the negotiating partner Bhutan and also India, Lehberger told The Epoch Times. These negotiations arent in Bhutans best interests, and the results will be contrary to what Bhutan expects, he said. By agreeing to those quickened negotiations, proposed by the Chinese, and hoping that things will get resolved once and for all, Bhutan has unwittingly invited more Chinese interference in its internal affairs and has signaled to Beijing that it is weak-willed, Lehberger said. The result will be that the Chinese steal more border areas in the future and use again the same negotiation trick. Map of Doklam and the other areas as claimed by India, China, and Bhutan. (Wikimedia Commons) ChinaBhutan Border Disputes The boundary discussions between China and Bhutan since 1984 have focused on two areas: an approximately 100-square-mile area in Bhutans west that includes Doklam, and a 190-square-mile area in the north, in the Jakarlung and Pasamlung valleys. China started claiming these areas in the 1950s. Since the 2017 Doklam dispute, China has also asserted claims in Bhutans Eastern Sakteng region, an area of about 1,274 square miles that borders Indias Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh, which China also claims. Tawang is home to the Tawang monastery, an important seat of Tibetan Buddhism. China attempted to prevent the U.N. Development Programme from funding a wildlife sanctuary in Sakteng last year, claiming that its in disputed territory. Lehberger says that the Chinese regime is using asymmetric military means against the Bhutanese and are using salami-slicing tactics to grab territory. He mentioned that Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Gen. Wang Haijiang, who was appointed to be in charge of Chinas Western Theatre Command at the beginning of August, has a background of serving in Doklam. Wang, who is an expert in patrolling and reconnaissance missions in mountainous terrain, enabled the PLA to camp for the first time in the inhospitable terrain of Doklam during the winter. China has not only stolen chunks of Bhutan border territory that was until then largely uninhabited because of religious significance to Buddhists, but built entire modern villages there and populated them with Tibetans from areas nearby, who had to be forced to move into those remote villages, he said. Late last year, the Chinese regime built the village of Pangda in territory east of the Doklam plateau that both China and Bhutan claim as their territory. China claims that this region is part of its designated Tibet Autonomous Region. Chinese state media outlet The Global Times reported that people had voluntarily moved to Pangda from Shangdui village in the same county in September last year. Effect on IndiaBhutan Relationship The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that it was aware of the talks between Bhutan and China, but didnt offer any more specific reaction. We have noted the signing of the memorandum between Bhutan and China, we are aware of it. You would be aware that Bhutan and China have been holding boundary negotiations since 1984. India has similarly been holding boundary negotiations with China, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during his weekly press conference. Lehberger said, Basically, theres nothing to celebrate for Bhutan and India because this is part of the long CCPs strategic game of driving a wedge between Bhutan and India, while continually weakening Bhutan [and] infiltrating the society (even when both have no diplomatic relations). Meanwhile, Chinese state media blamed India for delaying the resolution of border disputes between Bhutan and China. The Global Times quoted Chinese experts as saying that Bhutan is willing to manage its border issues independently and rebutted Indias claims of a China threat on the eastern IndiaChina border. Another state-run media outlet, CGTN, blamed India for border aggression and called the Oct. 14 agreement a victory over Indias pursuit of South Asia hegemony. Earlier this month, a round of talks between the military commanders of India and China failed, with each nation blaming the other for it. Bhutan, meanwhile, is caught between its two powerful neighboring countries, Nagao pointed out. That is why they are worried about the situationwhen elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers, he said. Still, the Indian army is stationed in Bhutan. Indias influence on Bhutan is huge. Thus, without Indias permission, Bhutan cannot conclude the agreement [with the Chinese regime]. India must ensure Bhutans security, and if India needs support, it should ask the Quadthe strategic dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United Statesfor help, he said. In this image from video, Saule Omarova, President Joe Biden's nominee for comptroller of currency, speaks during a virtual congressional hearing on April 14, 2021. (U.S. House Committee on Financial Services/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Biden Nominee Who Praised Soviet Union Refuses to Give Senate Her Karl Marx Thesis President Joe Bidens nominee for a top banking post in his administration is refusing to give the U.S. Senate her thesis on Karl Marx, lawmakers say. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), the top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, asked Saule Omarova earlier this month for the document and other papers she omitted from a disclosure package thats standard for nominees to submit to the Senate. Toomey asked for the documents by Oct. 13. Omarova did not hand over the papers, Amanda Gonzalez Thompson, a spokesperson for the Republicans on the panel, told The Epoch Times in an email. Ms. Omarova has time to attack Republicans in an interview with the Financial Times, but she cant bother to comply with a Banking Committee requirement that nominees regardless of their political party or ideologysubmit copies of their writings, Thompson said. We certainly hope she reconsiders so Senators have the information necessary to fulfill their constitutional duty to advise and consent on appointments. Omarova in the interview claimed she is being held to a different standard because she was born in Kazakhstan, which was part of the Soviet Union at the time. I am an easy target: an immigrant, a woman, a minority, she told the Financial Times. I dont look like your typical comptroller of the currency, I have a different history. I am easy to demonize and vilify. Asked if some of the criticism against her was racist, Omarova said yes. What a classic response from the extreme Left. When they cant defend their bad ideas, they resort to accusing critics of being racist misogynists, Thompson said. Toomey said on the Senate floor that his opposition to Omarova stems from her ideas and policy proposals, not her background. Biden nominated Omarova for the position of comptroller of currency in September. Omarova and the White House havent responded to requests for comment. President Joe Biden removes his face mask as he arrives to speak in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus on Oct. 14, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Biden Not Attending Weekly COVID-19 Calls With Governors Republican governors lament lack of engagement; Democrats say White House communications effective Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some governors are disappointed with President Joe Bidens lack of engagement, saying they cant even tell whether their feedback, questions, and requests are reaching the president. While the administration continues to hold weekly conference calls with governors, which began under President Donald Trump, Biden has yet to attend. Vice President Kamala Harris has only briefly attended one call and took no questions, according to several governors. The office of one governor praised the calls under the Biden administration for providing clear federal direction, while some governors have stopped attending the calls, saying they are no longer useful. The calls, hosted by the National Governors Association (NGA), have been a mainstay since early in the pandemic. During the Trump administration, Vice President Mike Pence was in charge of the anti-pandemic effort and attended most of the calls; Trump joined eight of them. They served as an opportunity to share best practices of fighting the virus from different states, update the administration on the situations and issues in different parts of the country, and raise questions and requests directly to the president or vice president. The calls would sometimes last for hours, with Pence answering questions, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts told The Epoch Times. Pence would muster the resources that governors needed and got high marks from both Republicans and Democrats about how fairly he treated everybody, he said. It really demonstrated the level of engagement that the Trump administration had with regard to the pandemic that is lacking with the Biden administration. Under Biden, the White House is represented during the calls by Jeffrey Zients, former head of President Barack Obamas National Economic Council and Bidens coordinator of the anti-pandemic effort. In general, these calls often felt more like a chance for the Biden Administration to tell governors about decisions that had already been made, rather than asking for input from governors on major decisions that impact states, said Christina Pushaw, spokeswoman for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Because of this approach from the Biden Administration, these group calls have fallen far short of what they could and should be: a constructive dialogue between governors and the president or vice president. DeSantiss office has participated in only some of the calls this year, she told The Epoch Times via email. We felt that the dialogue was skewed and unnecessarily politicized, especially with then-Governor Andrew Cuomo serving as NGA Chair through July 2021. The former New York governor resigned in disgrace in August after several accusations of improper behavior toward staffers and amid an ongoing scandal over his forcing nursing homes to accept recovering COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic, which appears to have exacerbated the high COVID-19 mortality rates in nursing homes. The White House didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. A White House official previously told Real Clear Politics that Cuomo was put in charge of the calls because the pandemic response reached a different stage, change was needed, and after feedback from governors. The administration has medical experts rather than politicians attend the calls, which are not the sole mechanism for talking to governors, the official said. The official also noted that, unlike Pence, Harris isnt charged with managing the pandemic response but rather with addressing the root causes of the southern border crisis. Ricketts noted, though, that there is value in addressing White House leaders directly. As an executive, I know that it is important for me to hear directly from people, to get first-hand knowledge, he said. With Pence, he said, there was a chance to solve problems directly, because somebody at the top was taking a personal interest in it. That sense has evaporated under Biden, according to some governors. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem stopped attending the calls in March because they were a waste of time, according to her spokesman, Ian Fury. By then, it had become clear that POTUS and VPOTUS werent interested in participating, he told The Epoch Times via email. Dissatisfaction with the calls has been, at least to some degree, bipartisan, according to Ricketts. These are Republican and Democrat governors. Theyre asking questions and seeking answers and sometimes, theres a high-level frustration with the lack of responsiveness from the administration, he said. On the other side of the aisle, Mike Faulk, spokesman for Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, acknowledged that no inter-governmental relationship comes without the potential for communications issues, but expressed a preference for the Biden administrations approach to the calls over those under Trump. What states need from these calls is reliable, consistent, and candid information about the direction of the federal government, how that helps states, and how we can collaborate as partners, he told The Epoch Times via email. We are getting that hand over fist compared to the Trump administration. He said Trump joined the calls to praise himself, demand praise from others, and deride those who were serious about the business of defeating this pandemic. This is absolutely false, countered Rickettss spokesman Taylor Gage via email to The Epoch Times. Faulk further asserted that Pence was engaged early in this process at the direction of the president, but as the pandemic dragged on, Pence was slow to provide clarity on the governments direction and was increasingly absent from these calls. Not true either, Gage retorted. According to Pushaw, Pence attended at least 40 of the 49 calls under Trump. Faulk characterized Trumps response to the pandemic as counterproductive, short-sighted, strategically adrift, and profoundly inadequate. He praised Bidens response, saying that outside of the calls, theres been a number of meetings with governors hosted by President Biden and Vice President Harris on COVID response that are well-documented in media reports over the last year. According to Gage, however, Ricketts was never invited to these other calls or meetings. Pushaw questioned Bidens engagement outside of the calls, too. If this is indeed the case, our office has not been informed of all these meetings, she said. Could it be that the Biden Administration is only interested in dialogue with governors who agree with their heavy-handed, coercive, ineffectual COVID-19 policies? The Epoch Times was able to verify that two meetings between Biden and governors have taken place, one in February with at least four from Arkansas, Maryland, New York, and New Mexico; and one in May with those from Ohio, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Utah, and New Mexico. Ricketts said the administration could benefit from more state feedback. I dont believe the president or the vice president really know whats going on with regard to the pandemic and I think this is demonstrated by some of the things that the president says, he said. As an example, he mentioned Bidens school reopening comments, which set the benchmark so low it likely would have been achieved by doing nothing, as well as Bidens remarks that Americans could possibly get together to celebrate Independence Day earlier this year if efforts to curb the pandemic went well. We were doing that a year ago, Ricketts noted. In his view, Biden doesnt really understand how different parts of the country have different experiences with regard to this pandemic. The result is a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter COVID-19 policy coming out of the White House, he said. If Biden, for instance, directly engaged with the governors on vaccine rollout, it could have been more effective, he said. The White House could have also approached differently its decision to increase federal control over monoclonal antibody treatment if he heard about its impact directly from states, he said. This particular issue was highlighted by Noems office as well. It is clear that the Biden White House does not care about concerns that states have, Fury said. The NGA and 45 other governors didnt respond to requests for comment. A spokeswoman for Republican Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said via email she would have to look into this, without providing further information. Update: The article has been updated with a response from a spokesman for Gov. Pete Ricketts. The article has also been updated to reflect that the governor of Utah was also among those with whom President Joe Biden met in May. Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), right, confers with an aide during a House Oversight And Reform Committee hearing, in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on March 11, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Boosting Hill Staff Pay Garners Support on Left and Right Something unusual will happen in the nations capital on Oct. 21, when the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress convenes a hearing on how much Congress should spend on itself. Lawmakers talking about the legislative branch appropriation, which also includes compensation for the thousands of congressional aides they employ, isnt unusual. What will be unusual about the hearing, though, is the bipartisan support that will be expressed for increasing congressional staff pay, something that hasnt happened in more than a decade. Two witnesses in particular highlight an instance of the bipartisanship thats so rare in Congress today with its hyperpartisan tension and conflict. Wendy Ginsburg is staff director for the Democratic majority on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reforms Subcommittee on Government Operations. On the same panel will be Zach Graves, policy director at the Lincoln Network, a conservative Washington-based nonprofit. Both will present testimony that aggressively supports higher staff pay. Ginsburgs appearance is especially unusual because staffers almost never testify before Congress. Theyre typically seenwhen seen at all during televised hearingssitting behind members of the committee, feeding them questions for witnesses and other materials. Members of Congress hire their staff and pay them from whats known as the Members Representation Allowance (MRA), which gives each individual lawmaker an amount that he or she isnt allowed to exceed. Lawmakers determine the pay levels for their aides, but, on average, those aides working in the House make a little less than their counterparts in the Senate. Some aides with years of experience and hard-to-find legislative, political, or media expertise can make more than $100,000, but overall, depending on the position title, location, and duties, the average salary is $31,415. Complicating the outlook for higher salaries is the fact that the MRA is part of the overall legislative branch appropriation that Congress must approve. The appropriation also includes funds for committee staffs, the Capitol Police, the Architect of the Capitol, the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and the Government Accounting Office (GAO). Overall, Congress has approximately 20,000 employees. Ginsburgs and Gravess testimonies reflect something else not often seen recently in Washington: agreement among significant advocacy groups on both the left and right. Two loose coalitions have made strikingly similar cases recently for Congress investing in its own resources, including paying better staff salaries. In recent decades, Congress has ceded far too many of its constitutional responsibilities to the executive branch. This means more policies are written by bureaucrats who never stand for election, and implemented by inefficient administrators and contractors with little meaningful oversight, Graves, along with seven other conservative advocacy group leaders, wrote in a July 22 letter to Senate Appropriations Committee members. A stronger and more assertive Congress can better fulfill its Article I duties as intended by the Framers, restoring balance between the three competing branches of the federal government. Joining Graves on the letter were Kevin R. Kosar, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; Jason Pye, director of rule of law initiatives for the Due Process Institute; Jon Schweppe, director of policy and government affairs for the American Principles Project; China Tech Threat co-founder Roslyn Layton; Geoffrey Kabaservice, vice president for political studies of the Niskanen Center; Berin Szoka, president of TechFreedom; and Jonathan Bydlak, director of the Fiscal and Budget Policy Project at the R Street Institute. The letter pointed out that the House version of the 2022 legislative operations appropriation includes a 21 percent increase for personal, committee, and leadership offices, which would help restore staff funding levels to where they were a decade ago. It also provides for a 10.3 percent increase for the governments watchdog, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which reports a savings of over $100 for each dollar of its budget in curbing waste, fraud, and abuse. Those increases would pave the way for a legislative branch capable of keeping big government in check, the signers wrote. From the left came a Sept. 14 organizational letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) that was signed by nine groups, including Demand Progress, Consumer Action, Common Defense, Greenpeace, Peoples Action, People for the American Way, RootsAction.org, Sunrise Movement, and United We Dream. These additional funds are essential to bolster recruitment and retention of expert congressional staff and diversify those who are able to serve; empower committees, personal offices, and support agencies to fully meet the demands of their oversight and legislative responsibilities; renew the legislative branchs aging physical and technological infrastructure, and address its apparent security issues; and ensure that the Congress will remain a sentinel of our democracy and a beacon to the world, the letter reads. Approval of the higher salaries isnt certain, according to Kosar, who told The Epoch Times on Oct. 18 that he thinks the measure will probably be approved, but cautioned that the budget process is in shambles this year, and the Senate has not passed the legislative branch appropriations bill. Nor any spending bills for that matter, Kosar said. Which means Congress is stuck operating under a continuing resolution (CR), which basically caps spending at last years level. Pay raises for staff will be delayed if the chambers are stuck extending the CR into next year. British Army Soldier Who Died in Training Accident Named A British soldier who died during an Army training exercise last Friday has been named as Private Jethro Watson-Pickering. Watson-Pickering, 23, of the 1st Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, was a member of a crew operating an armoured vehicle in a training area in Wiltshire, when the incident happened. @YORKS_REGT very much regrets to announce the death on Friday 15th October of Pte Jethro Watson-Pickering #1YORKS. He was from Boosbeck, #Redcar and #Cleveland and was deployed on exercise on Salisbury Plain. The thoughts and prayers of the regimental family are with his family. pic.twitter.com/Nky7hXa87b Yorkshire Regiment (@YORKS_REGT) October 17, 2021 In a statement, the regiment said it very much regrets to announce the death of Private Watson-Pickering. The thoughts and prayers of the regimental family are with his family, the statement said. An Army spokesman said: It is with sadness that we can confirm the death of Private Jethro Watson-Pickering in an incident on Salisbury Plain training area. The thoughts and sympathies of the Army are with the family and friends of Pte Watson-Pickering at this very sad time. Wiltshire Police said it had launched a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive and the British Army. A convoy of armoured vehicles travels between camp locations during the UK Task Group Mission Rehearsal Exercise ahead of their deployment to Mali, on the Ministry of Defence training area on Salisbury Plain in England on Oct. 14, 2020. (Leon Neal/Getty Images) We are investigating the circumstances following the death of a 23-year-old soldier at midday on Oct. 15, said a spokesman for Wiltshire Police. He was part of a crew operating an armoured vehicle and was taking part in a military exercise on Salisbury Plain Training Area near the village of Enford, the spokesman said, adding, This is now a joint investigation between Wiltshire Police, the Army and the Health and Safety Executive. Danny Kruger, the Conservative MP for Devizes in Wiltshire, expressed condolences to the soldiers family and comrades. It is vital that all serious accidents that take place during military training exercises are comprehensively investigated, he said, adding, We owe so much to the young men and women who risk their lives for our safety and we must do everything we can to keep them safe as well. According to local news outlet Wiltshire Today, the soldier was fatally injured when the vehicle rolled over. PA contributed to this report. Performers dressed as military dance in front of a screen showing rockets being launched during a mass gala marking the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party at the Olympic Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing, on June 28, 2021. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) China Develops Hypersonic Missiles, While US Intelligence Agencies Cultivate Political Correctness Commentary I am sure its a totally unfounded rumor that the Central Intelligence Agency, the worlds most lavishly funded bastion of spooks, is about to shorten its name to The Central Agency, retiring the embarrassing and divisive word intelligence. I dont know how the rumor got started, but the news, reported on Oct. 16 by The Financial Times, that in August, the Chinese had successfully tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, lit a fire under the rumor mill. It wasnt so much the fact of the test as the ignorance of our so-called intelligence services that did the trick. According to the FT, The test has raised new questions about why the US often underestimated Chinas military modernization. When it came to the Soviet Union, the CIA typically overestimated not only its military capabilities but also its economic strength. With China, the opposite seems to be the case. We have no idea how they did this, said one spokesman quoted by the FT. But why? Why didnt we know? The budget of the CIA is classified, but we know, because of Edward Snowden, that a few years ago that it was somewhere north of $50 billion. But what do we get for all that dough? This summer, we got a total misreading of the situation in Afghanistan. Now, we get a situation in which the deployment of a weapon designed to circumvent our missile defense capabilities catches the CIA by surprise. As the FT reported, the United States and Russia also are developing hypersonic weapons, including glide vehicles that are launched into space on a rocket but orbit the earth under their own momentum. These devices fly at five times the speed of sound, slower than a ballistic missile. But they do not follow the fixed parabolic trajectory of a ballistic missile and are manoeuvrable, making them harder to track. So what are we paying for? The Chinese launched a rocket that carried a hypersonic glide vehicle that, traveling at about Mach 5, circled the globe a couple of times in a low orbit before homing in on its target. The device missed its target by more than 20 miles, but when you are talking about something capable of carrying a nuclear payload that is definitely too close for comfort. Moreover, this was only a test. Presumably, succeeding missiles will be more accurate. People familiar with the test said that it showed that China had made astounding progress on hypersonic weapons. But again, the issue isnt so much Chinese technical progress as U.S. ignorance. Increasingly, it seems, the institutions we have relied on to protect us have degenerated into a state of politically correct rancidness. The FBI seems to spend enormous resources infiltrating, egging on, and indeed fomenting the very plots they are supposed to be guarding against. At least a dozen FBI agents were part of the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Were they there to protect the governor or to orchestrate the caper? Julie Kelly has just shown that the Jan. 6 demonstration at the Capitol could well have been part of the FBIs Operation Cold Snap. (See also Darren Beatties story on possible FBI involvement in the events of Jan. 6 in Revolver News.) Quoting a story from Buzzfeed, Kelly notes that the operation was a far-reaching, multi-state domestic terrorism investigation to surveilor more likely entrap, people tied to the FBIs hit list of right-wing militias. Meanwhile, the U.S. military seems more interested in studying white rage, circumventing the chain of command to combat the Bad Orange Man, or complaining about the Army policy regarding fingernail polish than actually protecting U.S. citizens and interests. And the CIA? Besides missing threats (a habit that goes back at least to 9/11), they seem expert mostly to be creating their fair share. Remember the story of that training exercise in Virginia at which they accidentally left some plastic explosive in the engine compartment of a school bus? Yes, thats right. The CIA accidentally left a putty-type battlefield explosive beneath the hood of a Loudon County, Virginia, school bus after a training exercise. As a result, elementary and high school students spent two days riding the bus as the explosives bounced around under the hood. Oh, dear. More and more, it seems, Lil Abner had it right: The Countrys in the Very Best of Hands. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. An electronic display showing the China GDP indexes is seen on a street in Shanghai, China, on October 16, 2021. (REUTERS/Aly Song) Chinas 3rd-Quarter Economic Growth Slows to 4.9 Percent Amid Power Crunch, Property Woes Chinas economy recorded slower-than-expected growth in the third quarter as the country grapples with a worsening energy crisis and property woes. The latest data released by Chinas National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Oct. 18 showed the year-on-year gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the third quarter hit a year low at 4.9 percent, slowing from 7.9 percent in the second quarter. The worlds second-largest economy had staged a much-touted rebound from last years pandemic slump, but the recovery has lost steam from the blistering 18.3 percent growth clocked in the first quarter. Many analysts revised down their projections for Chinas economic growth this year due to concerns about risks arising from debt-saddled Evergrande, power cuts, supply chain disruptions, and regulatory crackdowns on sectors from tech to property. However, the slowdown in the July-to-September quarter is still sharper than expected. NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui, during the Oct. 18 conference in Beijing put the weak performance down to factors including sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks and flooding impacts. The recent flooding, which hit Chinas top coal-producing regions, Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, forced coal mines to halt production and sent the coal price to a record high, deepening the countrys energy crisis. A coal-burning power plant behind a factory in the city of Baotou, in Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on Oct. 31, 2010. (David Gray/Reuters) Power Crunch China is in the midst of a growing power crunch that has led to electricity rationing in 16 out of the countrys 31 provinces and regions, ranging from the industrial hub of Guangdong in the south to the northeast rust belt Liaoning. The electricity cuts, along with Beijings restrictive policies on energy emission aimed at tackling climate change, have dented factory output and disrupted several industries, especially the energy-intensive cement and steel producers. Data on Oct. 18 showed that industrial output rose a mere 3.1 percent in September from a year earlier, slowing from 5.3 percent in August. It also marks the slowest growth since March 2020, early in the pandemic. Aluminum output declined for the fifth consecutive month, and daily crude steel output hit the lowest level since 2018. The influence of the surging cost of energy has also been reflected on Septembers producer price index, a figure that measures price fluctuations of goods at the factory gate, which grew at the fastest pace in 25 years. The Evergrande Changqing community in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Sept. 26, 2021. (Getty Images) Property Woes The Oct. 18 data also revealed weakness in the countrys real estate sector, an industry that contributes to nearly one-third of Chinas GDP. New construction starts in September slumped for a sixth straight month, NBS data showed, the longest spate of monthly declines since 2015. The countrys biggest real estate developer, Evergrande, which owns 1,300 projects in more than 280 cities, is facing a possible default as it wrestles with more than $300 billion in debt. Fears of the firms collapse as well as its spillover effects on the broader economy have escalated after the indebted developer missed three rounds of bond coupon payments in the past few months. While Chinas central bank recently downplayed the crisis, saying risks relating to Evergrande were controllable, an analyst has suggested the problems signal an end of the countrys breathtaking economic boom. Bucking the negative trend, retail sales grew 4.4 percent, faster than forecasts and the 2.5 percent growth in August. However, the figure may take a hit in October as authorities in at least four provinces have imposed a new round of regional lockdowns on Oct. 18 to tackle a COVID-19 outbreak. A tourist group from Shanghai was confirmed infected with the CCP virus after traveling through four provinces in northeastern China. Most of the [negative] factors are policy-driven, said Iris Pang, chief economist for greater China at ING. The economy is having a lot of pain points, and these pain points are not going away soon, because policies are here to stay, and therefore it will continue into 2022. Analysts at Barclays cut their fourth-quarter forecast by 1.2 percentage points to 3.5 percent on the disappointing data. Analysts at ANZ cut their forecast for Chinas 2021 GDP growth to 8.0 percent from 8.3 percent. Rita Li and Reuters contributed to this report. An Amazon Echo Spot is seen on a bedside table in a bedroom in an Amazon experience center in Vallejo, California, on May 8, 2018. (Elijah Nouvelage/Reuters) Chip Tech Firm Arm Plans to Slash Development Time for Connected Devices SAN FRANCISCOArm Ltd., the British chip technology firm in the midst of a $54 billion takeover by Nvidia Corp., on Monday announced tools aimed at cutting the development time of so-called internet of things connected devices by some 40 percent. For decades, the process of developing most computing devices saw chips and hardware first completed, then prototypes passed on to software developers to write code for the chips. Arm on Monday released tools that it hopes will let makers of internet of things devices, from connected traffic control lights to smart home appliances, develop their chips and code at the same time, shaving two years off the typical five-year timeline to create a device. The company supplies the underlying blueprints to many chipmakers throughout the electronics industry to develop into physical chips. Under the new system, Arm will send those blueprints to chipmakers and at the same time will supply a virtual version to cloud computing companies such as Amazon.coms Amazon Web Services. Those cloud data centers will provide a simulation of the chips circuitry that software developers can use to write their code, while chipmakers develop a physical chip at the same time. That is much more efficient than the current system, which requires hardware farms of test devices that software developers use to hone their code, Mohamed Awad, vice president of internet of things and embedded technologies at Arm, told Reuters. Amazon for example plans to use the new system to test the wake word Alexa on connected devices made by third-party companies. They support over 150 different Alexa-enabled devices. So without this, theyd have to create a hardware farm. By removing physical hardware dependencies, they can accelerate updates, Awad said. By Stephen Nellis A bauxite plant in Guinea. During the presidency of Guinean president Alpha Conde, China's bauxite imports from Guinea expanded from negligible to more than half. (File photo/Georges Gobet/AFP via Getty Images) The Chinese Regimes Growing Economic Footprint in Guinea: Part 2 Mining Rights Traded for Infrastructure News Analysis In addition to its rich reserves of iron ore, the Republic of Guinea also holds 7.4 billion metric tons (pdf) or one-fourth of the worlds total reserves of bauxite, the main source of aluminum. Data provided by Western Securities show that in 2020, Guinea exported 82 million metric tons of this important mineral, of which 64 percent was sent to China. To say that Guinea is strategically important to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) One Belt, One Road initiative is an understatement. Chinas Huge Demand for Bauxite Chinas share of global aluminum production rose to 57.2 percent during 2020, a historic high, of which 94 percent is used domestically. The production relies on the coal-fired process of electrolysis to extract aluminum from the bauxite. Chinas limited reserves of bauxite total only 830 metric tons, which is insufficient to meet its production demands. To address this shortage, China was previously relying on bauxite imports from Australia, Malaysia, and Indonesia. This changed after bauxite exports were disallowed from Indonesia, and China began importing from Guineas vast mineral reserves. This dramatic change took place during the presidency of Alpha Conde. He visited Beijing in his second year in office (2011) and then actively participated in the communist regimes One Belt, One Road initiatives, which also brought Chinese companies to Guinea. China Consortium Begins Mining in Guinea The first Chinese mining company to target Guineas bauxite was the SMB-Winning Consortium, a joint venture involving Winning Shipping Ltd. of Singapore, Shandong Weiqiao Group, the Yantai Port Group of China, and United Mining Supply Group of Guinea along with its subsidiary, the Boke Mining Company (SMB). The consortium sent its first exploration team to Guinea in August of 2014. Its mission was to evaluate the mining potential within 541 square miles on both sides of the Nunez River. Three months later, the consortium obtained prospecting rights. Then after obtaining a mining license in July 2015, the consortium began exporting bauxite to the port of Yantai in Shandong Province, China in Sept. 2015. Since 2015, SMBs production of bauxite has soared from an initial 1 million metric tons to 11.5 million metric tons in 2016, then to 31.5 million metric tons in 2017. Materials necessary for operations were shipped from China. To facilitate the export of bauxite, United Mining Supply handles ground transportation while Winning Shipping handles sea transportation. The ore mining, the construction of facilities, and the final sales of bauxite are handled by the China Hongqiao Group and Yantai Port Group. Electrical power for Guineas mining operations is being provided by two local hydropower plants that were recently built on behalf of Guinea by China Three-Gorges Group. These include the Kaleta and Souapiti Hydropower stations. Both were One Belt, One Road projects costing a combined $1.8 billion, a sum that exceeds Guineas annual revenues. Mining Rights Traded for Loans In 2016, Xi Jinping, the CCPs leader, informed Guineas visiting president Conde that the Party would cooperate in developing his countrys infrastructure and mineral production capacity. These talks culminated in September of 2017 when both parties signed the Framework Agreement on Cooperation in Resources and Loans between China and Guinea. The agreement, according to the Belt and Road China-Africa Think Tank, calls for the CCP to provide $20 billion in loans to Guinea over 20 years in exchange for bauxite mining rights. The loan secures three projects in the small town of Boffa in northwest Guinea. These include an alumina refinery planned by China Power Investment Corporation, a bauxite project by Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco), and another bauxite project by China Henan International Cooperation Group (CHICO). Guineas Minister of Mines and Geology, Abdoulaye Magassouba, referred to these three projects as primary in Phase 1, as these entities generate revenues to repay the loan. Guinea will use the loan for much-needed infrastructure projects. The construction of streets in Guineas capital city, a highway to the port of Conakry, a power transmission line, and a new university. During a press conference broadcast on Sept. 16, 2017, Conde was questioned about his loan agreement with the CCP. The media raised two claims that Conde attempted to refute. First, there was no guarantee that Guineas citizens would be provided jobs since the mineral development companies did not use native Guineans. Second, Guineas mineral rights were forfeited to China in exchange for $20 billion. Conde defended his decisions by explaining the agreement was not just about the $20 billion. He said its about two things, which involve related projects, and repayment matters, which means the more projects we propose, the more loans we get, and the more Chinese companies that repay the loans, the more loan concessions we enjoy. Chalco Enters Guinea for its Share of Bauxite After the Conde loan deal was finalized, Chinas state-run aluminum producer Chalco, decided to accelerate its development of mining operations in Guineas Boffa region. Construction began in earnest in October of 2018. Chalcos first shipment of bauxite arrived in China in February of 2020. Chalcos phase one investment of $585 million is expected to yield 12 million metric tons of high-quality bauxite annually. Total reserves in the region are estimated at 1.75 billion metric tons and operations should last for up to 60 years making the Chalco project Chinas largest in Guinea. In a reference to information obtained from the Chinese state-owned newspaper, China Nonferrous Metals News, the BBC reported that as of December 2020, 14 Chinese companies had entered Guinea to mine or negotiate bauxite development, which is twice the total number of companies from other countries (about 7). Despite the continuing investments into Guinea, it is still one of the poorest countries in the world. The military justified its recent takeover of the government by claiming former president Conde had engaged in corruption that left the people in poverty. Following the coup, many of Guineas citizens were reported to be celebrating in the streets. According to The Wall Street Journal, Guinea is now supplying over half of Chinas bauxite. Unless resolved, political instability in the region could disrupt Chinas import plans. In the event this happens, Australia may benefit since it is the worlds second-largest exporter of bauxite. Read part 1 of this article here. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney, Australia, on Sept. 5, 2021. (AAP Image/Brendon Thorne) Corruption Investigation Into Former Australian State Leader Begins New South Wales anti-corruption watchdog has begun its public hearings into former state Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her previous secret relationship with Daryl Maguire. Maguire, who was the representative for Wagga Wagga, had been accused of abusing his public position to gain private benefits while in office from 2012 to 2018. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will hold daily hearings over the next two weeks to investigate whether Berejiklians former relationship put her in a position with a conflict of interest. In 2017 and 2018, two grants from the state government were promised to two organisations in Wagga Wagga, the Australian Clay Target Association and the Riverina Conservatorium of Music. At the time, Berejiklian was the state treasurer who oversaw the approval of state funding. ICAC will also investigate whether she breached the public trust by failing to report anything she suspected on reasonable grounds to be corrupt conduct and if she was liable to allow or encourage the corrupt conduct of Maguire. Berejiklian has denied all wrongdoing. In a video played by the Counsel Assisting the Commission, Scott Robertson, of a private hearing with Berejiklian from September, she repeatedly states she didnt know about Maguires corrupt actions. I state categorically, I have always acted with the highest level of integrity, Berejiklian previously said in her resignation statement. History will demonstrate that I have always executed my duties with the highest degree of integrity for the benefit of the people of NSW who I have had the privilege to serve. A supplied screengrab shows New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian giving evidence during the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings for inquiry into former Wagga MP Daryl Maguire concerning allegations of breach of public trust to improperly gain a benefit in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 12, 2020. (AAP Image/ICAC via Reuters) Michael Toohey, the director for Greater Sydney in the NSW office of sport, attended the hearing on Monday. Toohey said he felt the urgency to prepare a draft submission for the Australian Clay Target Association grant was unusual. I didnt know why it was urgent, Toohey said. The request was to get it done. He also said it was absolutely important to know that the minister championing the grant and the treasurer at the time was in a relationship. Robertson noted that Berejiklian had previously declared a conflict of interest on three occasions but never disclosed her relationship with Maguire. A number of public officials would have acted differently had they known about Ms Berejiklians close personal relationship with Mr Maguire, Robertson said. Several more people will attend ICAC hearings over the coming week, including former NSW Premier Mike Baird and deputy leader of the state Liberal party Stuart Ayres. Democrats Doyle and Price Announce Retirement From Congress Reps. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) and David Price (D-N.C.) plan to retire at the end of their term in 2022, adding more names to a growing list of Democratic retirees. Doyle has been in the House of Representatives since he was first elected in 1994. Doyle came in just as Democrats stranglehold on the lower chamber, which they had held since 1955, was slipping. Doyle was elected by constituents of Pennsylvanias 18th district, a seat in Congress previously held by Republican Rick Santorum before mounting a successful Senate bid the same year, centered in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburghone of Democrats few achievements in the otherwise disappointing election. Doyle has been returned to office every term since then, and he has often run unopposed or with little opposition. In the election of 2002, Doyle moved from the 18th district to the 14th; In 2019, he returned once again to eastern Pittsburghs suburbs. Doyle thanked his constituents while making the announcement, saying, I stood by the people of Pittsburgh and they stood by me, sending me back to represent them 13 additional terms. He continued, I have no doubt they would do it again today if I were announcing my intention to seek reelection in 2022. But I believe the time has come to pass the torch to the next generation. Doyle explained the decision: The district deserves to hear from a robust field of candidates, and I want to make sure the potential candidates have enough time to fundraise and put their platform in front of the people of Pittsburgh. In Congress, Doyle sat on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and headed the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. He was also a member of several House caucuses, including the Congressional Arts Caucus, which lobbied for increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, the Congressional Autism Caucus, the Congressional Steel Caucus, and Medicare for All, among a long list of others. During his time in Congress, Doyle joined other Democrats in opposing any relaxation of the laws governing so-called assault weapons. In 2006, the NRA gave Doyle a zero percent score for gun rights support. Conversely, Doyle received a relatively high rating of 90 percent from gun control group the Brady Campaign. On other issues, like abortion, Doyle has shown himself to be somewhat more moderate. When he came into office in 1995, the congressman opposed abortion altogether, a position which he reversed in the 2010s. On the other hand, Doyle remained in favor of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibited abortions from receiving federal funding (cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mothers life are an exception to the amendments rules). Doyle also supports using federal dollars for Planned Parenthood and similar groups, but supports barring the use of federal funding to perform abortions. Doyle also supported Democrats effort to impeach President Donald Trump in 2019. Price announced his retirement Monday as well. Price said that looming over his decision to retire is the frightful legacy of the last four years and urgent questions about the future of our constitutional democracy. So while it is time for me to retire, it is no time to flag in our efforts to secure a more perfect union and to protect and expand our democracy, he added. The Democrat was first elected near the end of Ronald Reagans presidency to North Carolinas 4th district, which included Democratic stronghold cities like Durham and Chapel Hill. Unlike Doyle, Price was one of the many Democrats who lost their seat during Newt Gingrichs concentrated effort to take the House in 1994. Price lost his election by less than one percent; In 1996, Price returned and defeated his former rival, taking back his seat. Since then, Price has won every subsequent election by comfortable margins. During his long tenure in Congress, Price was a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies. In 2003, Price joined his party in opposing President George Bushs intervention in Iraq. After it became clear that the United States would go to the country, Price sponsored several pieces of legislation that would have provided oversight to private military companies and other contractors aiding the United States. In 2007, Price tried to get the United States out of the drawn-out conflict, sponsoring legislation that would have set a deadline for a withdrawal within 120 days of passing. While the bill passed the House of Representatives easily, the Senate blocked debate on the bill, ending its legislative run. On the other hand, Price was on board with the Patriot Act, another offshoot of the War on Terror declared after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In 2013, an amendment to the bill was offered up that would have ended the National Security Agencys controversial data collection program. Price voted against the amendment. Doyle and Price join a long list of Democrats planning to retire in 2022 including Reps. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), Filemon Vela (D-Texas), Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.) and, most prominently, House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) Before her election in 2020, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) also said that she would not run for reelection in 2022, but has not yet confirmed that she still plans to retire. A California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officer stands guard at the front gate of San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, Calif., on June 29, 2020. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Ex-Director of Chatsworth Trucking School Sentenced to Prison LOS ANGELESThe former director of a San Fernando Valley trucking school was sentenced Oct. 18 to 15 months behind bars for helping to siphon more than $4 million from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) in GI Bill funds. Robert Waggoner, 59, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after he is released from federal prison and pay restitution of $4.19 million to the VA, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Waggoner, of Canyon Country, pleaded guilty last year to five federal wire fraud counts. His co-defendant, Emmit Marshall, 54, was sentenced in October last year to four years behind bars and also ordered to pay restitution. The Woodland Hills resident also pleaded guilty to five wire fraud counts. Marshall was owner and president of the Alliance School of Trucking (AST), and Waggoner was a director at the Chatsworth school. Marshall recruited veterans to take trucking classes paid under the post-9/11 GI Bill. AST was certified to offer classes that included a 160-hour tractor trailer and safety class and a 600-hour select driver development program. Marshall told the veterans they wouldnt have to attend the classes, but could still collect housing and books fees supplied by the VA, while tuition payments were disbursed directly to the school, according to prosecutors. Knowing that the vast majority of veterans enrolling at AST did not intend to attend any portion of the programs, Marshall and Waggoner created and submitted bogus enrollment certifications and student files that contained counterfeit documents, according to documents filed in Los Angeles federal court. From the end of 2011 through April 2015, as a result of the scheme, the VA paid AST about $2.35 million in tuition and fee payments for veterans who purportedly attended approved programs at AST, according to the April 2017 indictment. During that same period, the VA also paid roughly $1.96 million in education benefits directly to veterans who purportedly attended approved programs at AST, according to federal prosecutors. Former State Senator Explains the Chinese Communist Partys Influence in California A former state senator shared his concerns over the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in California and how he became a terrorist to the Chinese government for advocating for human rights. Joel Anderson, a San Diego County Supervisor and former state senator and assemblyman, said he was prohibited from entering China after he issued a recognition acknowledging the anniversary of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice composed of meditative exercises and moral teachings originating in China in 1992. I got a six-page letter from the Chinese government saying that I was now considered a terrorist, and if I go to China that I will be arrested and sentenced, Anderson said during an interview with EpochTVs California Insider program. Anderson said he began looking into the CCPs persecution of Falun Gong practitioners after one of his constituents sent in a letter requesting him to rescue her mother, a U.S. citizen who practices Falun Gong, who was arrested in China for her beliefs. Anderson said he was shocked when he learned about the CCPs organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners. They were being harvested like cattle to sell their body parts to tourists who are on medical tourism, he said. Anderson found there were already five countries that have stopped all medical tourism to China. Because you could literally order a kidney, a lung, any body part you wanted, and you could show up and have the surgery, he said. The average wait time for patients who need a kidney transplant is between three and five years in the United States, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Its wrong. It violates every human right, he said. Anderson later proposed a bill expressing support for Falun Gong practitioners in the United States and China. After its proposal in 2017, the Chinese consulate in San Francisco sent a letter to members of the state legislature, denouncing Falun Gong and claiming the bill might deeply damage the cooperative relations between the State of California and China, and seriously hurt the feeling of Chinese people and the vast Chinese community in California. After receiving the letter, many legislators no longer supported the resolution, including those who co-authored it. Then-Senate Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, who now is a Los Angeles city councilman, shelved the bill without a vote or discussion. Anderson said a similar resolution had been proposed three times in Congress, and some congressmen from California supported it, but legislators from the same districts refused to go near it after receiving the letter. It was shocking to me that the Chinese government had so much influence in our state, he said. Anderson said that many residents and politicians at the local level dont understand the CCPs influence in California because the Chinese regime is only interested in cities that exert a greater impact in society in relation to economy and politics. The influence of the Chinese consulate in San Franscico is overwhelming and is well known, he said. Anderson praised former President Donald Trump for being the first president to stand up to China and its hegemony as well as its influence throughout the world. Sadly, once he left the office, the new administration has embraced this and allowed them greater latitude, and I have great fear, he said. Anderson encouraged Americans to write to their legislators and ask them to call on China to stop the genocide against people of faith. California is an incredible state with wonderful resources. If we want to be the leaders we say we are, then our actions have to reflect it, he said. All Im asking is that they stand up and be consistent with their policies and hold China to the same standard that they hold Texas. Karen and Terry Sellers at a Shen Yun performance in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 17. (Mary Zhang/Epoch Times) EUGENE, Ore.Depictions of faith and spirituality by Shen Yun Performing Arts were welcomed by many audience members at Eugenes Hult Center on the afternoon of Oct. 17. Former events coordinator Karen Sellers and her husband Terry said they were impressed by the precision of the Shen Yun performers. They likewise commended how the performance they watched not only depicted Chinas long millennia of faith-based culture but how people of faith are persecuted in todays China. Its great to also see the cultural side, she said. Its got a great story to it. And its a story that should be shared, especially as Im concerned with the persecution for religious beliefs. Thats hard, and I know that its becoming more prevalent worldwide, Sellers said. And thats something that concerns me for the future of humanity. Sellers added that as a Christian, she finds it heartbreaking that freedom is not necessarily welcomed in communist countries. During the performance, emcees spoke of how Shen Yun performers cannot work in China due to their faith in the meditation practice of Falun Gong which has been persecuted by the Chinese regime since 1999. Michael Scheer, a retired marine and insurance business owner, cheered Shen Yun for its courage in bringing matters of faith to light. Aside from the two things that I think are spectacular, which were obviously the dancing and the whole scenery the spiritual message is what caught me the most, Scheer said. I loved learning the ancient history of China and I love what theyre doing, he said. I must say straightforwardly that Im very anti-communist The talk about spirituality and God is incredibly necessary in this world today. The message was fabulous. Scheer said that he believes theres a lot of forces at work, actively, trying to get rid of God and spirituality. Its been a long time coming that those people stand up and fight back. Thats what the show is doing, he said. Reporting by Mary Zhang and NTD Television. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Electricians work atop a power pole near the lignite power plant in Neurath of German energy supplier and utility RWE, Germany. (Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters) Germany Slashes Energy Surcharge to Help Consumers Weather Soaring Prices FRANKFURTGermany will cut a power surcharge levied on consumers to support renewable energy by 42.7 percent to help households cope with soaring energy prices, network operators said on Friday. Germany and other governments in Europe are seeking to provide relief for consumers as gas prices skyrocket. The reduction in the German levy, to 3.723 euro cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), confirms a Reuters report on Thursday. It will not take effect until Jan. 1. The government will help fund the cut with 3.25 billion euros (US$3.77 billion) in revenue collected from carbon taxes. The fee, which was reduced by 3.9 percent last year to help the economy out of the coronavirus slump, is collected under the renewable energy act (EEG) and paid to producers of wind and solar electricity installations. The EEG fee makes up one-fifth of a consumers energy bill. Transmission system operators (TSOs) calculate the fee by continuously monitoring income from the EEG levy payments and the size of the account in which they are deposited, and by factoring in wholesale prices and anticipated feed-in of renewable power onto the grids. They said that in 2022 renewable power production is expected to rise by 11 terawatt-hours (TWh) to 239 TWh, worth 22.8 billion euros at expected market prices. The TSOs are Amprion (RWEG.DE), 50Hertz (ELI.BR)(KFW.UL), TransnetBW (EBKG.DE) and Tennet (IPO-TTH.AS). Price comparison portal Verivox said a typical household consuming 4,000 kWh per year would save 132 euros on its annual bill. But this is only arithmetic, because the savings may not be passed on fully by suppliers. Because of high wholesale market prices and rising network tariffs, there will not be significant relief for households, it said. Kerstin Andreae, of the German utility industry association BDEW, said the incoming German government should quickly abolish the EEG fee. That would relieve power customers and not least medium-sized industries permanently, she said in a statement. By Vera Eckert and Tom Kaeckenhoff U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a speech at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore on Aug. 24, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Harris Attack on Shameful Past of US a Monumental Misreading of History Commentary U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has called Americas period of colonisation a shameful past. According to Harris recent address to the National Congress of American Indians on Columbus Day, those Americans descended from European settlers should be ashamed about their nations history. She said the settlement of North America was based on land theft and was devastating to tribal nations. She went on to pledge that the Biden Administration would confront this shame. It seems extraordinary that a world leader could air such a limited view of history. But, of course, this myopic perspective is shared by many left-wing activists who want to rewrite history to portray European empires as evil and villainous. The radical Left favours simplistic villain-victim narratives because their whole strategy is predicated on persuading segments of society that they are victims, then stirring these victims into action and revolution against alleged villains. Such activism deploys propaganda based on a selective reading of history. One that cherry-picks and emphasises the bad, while ignoring the good. By adopting the Lefts cherry-picked version of the past, Harris will perceive white Americans as shameful villains and racist exploiters. Presumably, the next step in this villain-victim narrative will be a refreshed version of the old socialist wealth-transfer model, which could see white Americans pay reparations to compensate for their forefathers. Yet curiously, these descendants of colonialists, who should be ashamed of their past, appear to have built a society so appealing to outsiders that the United States borders are currently overwhelmed with large numbers of victims desperate to migrate and live in the same society as supposed villains. So European settlers and their descendants must have got something right? One does wonder what Harris vision for America really is. Surely, she is not idealising the subsistence economies prevalent in tribal societies and mythologised by philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. More concerning, however, is the lack of perspective revealed in Harris attack on her countrys history. In particular, her use of the current fad of attacking European empires and settlers displays a profound lack of knowledge about both the role of empires and colonial settlement over thousands of years. First, does Harris realise that not all empires were European? Does she know that many non-Europeans civilisation were engaged in colonialism and settling vast tracts of new territory? Would these people also be villains? Or is that label only suitable for Europeans? To put the issue in perspective, lets look at some non-European examples. There was the Bantu expansion in Africa when tribes left their original homelands from what is now Cameroon to colonise central, east, and southern Africa. These Bantu colonists eliminated the original inhabitants of east and southern Africa called the Khoisan. So, to use Harris logic, does that constitute land theft and a shameful episode of history? Then there was the period of Arab imperialism when Arab-Muslims left their Arabian homeland to conquer and colonise North Africa, including todays Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania. Another imperial project was the Mughal empire build by Turco-Mongol peoples from Central Asia. The Mughal empire conquered the area that would today be called Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Mughal imperialism was also a significant force in building what we would today call Indian culture. Yet another stunningly successful Muslim empire was built by the Turks. The Ottoman-Turkish empire occupied vast swathes of Asia, Europe, and Africa and witnessed Turkish colonisation, which erased Greek settlements across Anatolia. The cultural impact of Ottoman expansion can still be seen today across the Balkans, the Middle East, and North Africa. Yet, would Harris expect descendants of these imperialists to express shame about what their ancestors did? What about Chinese or Han imperialism? The original area of Chinese settlement constituted a tiny part of what is today China. The story of Chinese civilisation has been one of empire building and colonisation, and today, we see no expressions of guilt or shame from the Chinese population about their ancient history. Instead, we see pride in the achievements of the empires. Interestingly, we also see no shame or guilt from Russians about their empire-building phase and their colonisation of Siberia that created a country stretching from Europe to the Pacific and down into the Caucuses. The point is history is complex. Empires do bad things and good things. The simplistic and naive villain-victim model that left-liberals apply to the world is based upon either an ignorance of history or a deliberately dishonest historiography that cherry-picks. Calls for shame reveal an absence of perspective that one would expect from someone illiterate in history. Empires and colonialism have been part of human history for thousands of years, and all of us are the products of the coming and going of these empires. Further, at the heart of empire-building are questions of sovereignty. Groups (whether nations or tribes) unable to organise themselves well enough to protect their sovereignty get absorbed by empires. At the same time, groups who build and manage successful sovereignty maintain their independence. History shows us that groups with weak political structures and economies are absorbed by the better organised. Empires grow at the expense of the poorly organised and thereby spread their development, organisational skills, and civilisation to new areas. The idea that the successful should apologise for being successful is absurd. Indeed, it is the absurdity upon which the ideology of socialism is built. Should Kamala Harris learn some of the realities of human history, she might realise how absurd her naive narrative of shame sounds. In addition, she may also learn something about how real sovereignty works. And given the shocking handling of the U.S.-Mexico border so far by the Biden-Harris administration, they sure have a lot to learn about how nations should protect their sovereignty. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A store isle at the Walmart Supercenter in Thornton, Colo., in a file photo. (Caique Morais/Unsplash) Home Goods Offering Online Shopping: Could It Boost TJX Shares? A leading home decor and furnishings retailer is upping its game with the rollout of online shopping. Could it boost revenue and the share price? What Happened HomeGoods, a store brand owned by TJX Companies Inc., is a leader and well-known brand in the home decor and furnishings space. The retail brand ended the second quarter with 846 stores. Customers who do not live near a Home Goods or regularly frequent the stores now have the opportunity to shop online. HomeGoods launched its online store in late September, a move that generated positive media coverage from outlets like Today.com and USA Today. We are thrilled to bring a second way for our passionate shoppers to discover and shop an assortment they know and love, HomeGoods President John Ricciuti said. HomeGoods follows the companys other brands Marshalls and TJ Maxx, which launched online stores in 2019 and 2013 respectively. The company said the website for HomeGoods would have over 2,000 items for sale and will be updated frequently with new finds. Why Its Important The press coverage of HomeGoods likely brought good brand awareness to the retailer. Google searches for HomeGoods are elevated for this time of year compared to the past several years. TJX Companies is one of several retailers that has rebounded from the sales decline seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company beat consensus revenue targets for the first and second quarters of the current fiscal year, by 17 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Second-quarter revenue of $12.1 billion was up 23 percent year-over-year. The company said its third quarter was off to a strong start with comp sales up in the mid-teens range. Second-quarter comp sales were up 20 percent year-over-year. The company reported comp sales for TJMaxx and Marshalls stores up 18 percent year-over-year. Comp sales for HomeGoods stores were up 36 percent year-over-year. Sales for TJMaxx were $7.35 billion for the second quarter, compared to $3.96 billion and $6.11 billion for the previous years second quarters. HomeGoods sales for the second quarter were $2.08 billion, compared to $1.24 billion and $1.43 billion for the previous two years second quarters. We see numerous opportunities to continue to gain market share and improve our profitability in the medium to long term, TJX Companies CEO Ernie Herrman said about the second quarter. The CEO added that the company has a long-term vision of hitting $60 billion in annual sales. TJX Companies are expected to report third-quarter earnings in November. Last year, the company reported $9.36 billion in revenue for the third quarter. Price Action TJX shares closed on Friday at $64.35 at the time of writing. Shares sit close to the mid-point of their 52-week range of $50.06 to $76.16. By Chris Katje 2021 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law Chair David Cicilline (D-R.I.) speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill, in Washington, on July 29, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) House Judiciary Antitrust Committee Asks Amazon to Clarify Misleading Testimony Members of the House Judiciary subcommittee on Antitrust are asking Amazon to clarify previous testimony after it appears executives lied during hearings. The bipartisan group sent a letter to Amazon CEO asking the company to clarify why a series of news reports contradict sworn testimony given by Amazon executives over the last couple of years. Each of these investigative reports is inconsistent with the sworn testimony and numerous statements made by Amazons executives to the Committee during our investigation into Amazons business practices last Congress, the lawmakers wrote in their letter (pdf) Monday to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), chairman of the Antitrust Subcommittee David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Reps. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Sunday requested Amazon provide exculpatory evidence to support previous testimony and statements provided by then-CEO Jeff Bezos and other executives to the committee in 2019 and 2020. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) speaks during the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law hearing on Online Platforms and Market Power in the Rayburn House office Building, Capitol Hill in Washington, on July 29, 2020. (Graeme Jennings/Pool/Getty Images) In their letter, the representatives cited recent, credible reporting from news outlets, including Reuters, The Markup, and The Wall Street Journal on Amazons private-brand practices and its host of third-party seller data that contradicts testimony given by Amazon executives. In a July hearing, Jayapal questioned Amazon head Jeff Bezos, asking him about the Wall Street Journal report and whether his company uses third-party data to bolster Amazon product sales. Im familiar with the Wall Street Journal article that youre talking about. And we continue to look into that very carefully, said Bezos. Ill take that as youre not denying that, youre looking into it. I will tell you a former Amazon employee in third party sales and recruitment told this committee, quote: Theres a rule but theres nobody enforcing or spot-checking, they just say dont help yourself to the data. Its a candy shop, everyone can have access to anything they want, Jayapal replied. Mondays letter also documents testimony given by, Nate Sutton, Amazons Associate General Counsel, in 2019, where he testified that we do not use any seller data forto compete with them, adding that Amazon does not use any of that specific seller data in creating our own private brand products. Then-Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos testifies via video conference during the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law hearing on Online Platforms and Market Power in the Rayburn House office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, on July 29, 2020. (Graeme Jennings-Pool/Getty Images) In 2019, Cicilline questioned Sutton, Do you use consumer data to favor Amazon products? Sutton also testified that Amazons search rankings are not designed to favor its own products. Our algorithms, such as the Buy Box is aimed to predict what customers want to buy. We apply the same criteria whether youre a third-party seller at Amazon to that because we want customers to make the right purchase regardless of whether its a seller or Amazon. So, youre telling us sir, under oath, Amazon does not use any of that data collected with respect to what is selling, where its on what products to inform the decisions you make, or to change algorithms to direct people to Amazon products, said Cicilline. Our incentive is to help the seller succeed, because we rely on them. If we did that we know theyd go elsewhere, they have many options. So, we apply the same criteria to both and we do not use their individual data when were making decisions to launch private brands, Sutton stated a second time. Last week, Reuters reported that Amazon ran a systematic campaign of creating knockoffs and manipulating search results to boost its own product lines in India, one of the companys largest growth markets. The Antitrust Committee members told Jassy they need an explanation by Nov. 1 about the discrepancies between the news reports and company testimony, specifically addressing each news report. At best, this reporting confirms that Amazons representatives misled the Committee, the lawmakers wrote. At worst, it demonstrates that they may have lied to Congress in possible violation of federal criminal law. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The lawmakers said theyre also considering referring the matter to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation. Zinc deficiency is more likely among the elderly, vegetarians, and people with certain health conditions. (Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock) How Zinc Can Boost Your Immune Health Zincs roles have come under closer scrutiny as researchers look for therapeutics for COVID-19 Zinc is essential for the normal development and function of your immune system, as it protects against susceptibility to pathogens, mediates natural killer cells, activates T-lymphocytes, regulates macrophages, and is central to DNA replication. You have at least 300 enzymes that require zinc to function normally. Evidence shows zinc helps protect the body from COVID-19 by impairing viral replication in the cell, supporting ciliary growth and function in the respiratory system, and improving the respiratory epithelial barrier. Colds Are Coronaviruses The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified several common human coronaviruses that are responsible for upper respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. Although a cold is usually a minor condition, it is also responsible for most doctors office visits every year. A cold can last as short as a week, but in children and the elderly, it can last longer. Cold symptoms include a stuffy head, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and sometimes a fever. These are some of the same symptoms of influenza, but the symptoms are often worse and include fever and body chills. It wasnt until the work of Dr. Ananda Prasad in the 1970s that zinc was acknowledged as an essential mineral. A decade earlier, Prasad was studying young men who had grown up in Egypt and never attained their normal height. After supplementing with zinc, the men grew significantly taller. In the 1970s, zinc was acknowledged by the National Academy of Sciences as a mineral fundamental to many aspects of health. Prasad collaborated with a scientist from the University of Michigan to demonstrate that zinc influences immunity. Research in the past decade has identified the crucial role that zinc plays in curtailing the length and severity of upper respiratory infections. A meta-analysis published in 2017 found those who took a zinc supplement of 80 to 92 milligrams (mg) each day at the beginning of cold symptoms saw a reduction in the length of their cold by 33 percent. Although research has demonstrated the significant positive effect zinc has on the immune system and on shortening upper respiratory infections caused by common cold viruses, further research in 2020 demonstrated that zinc is crucial to immune system function and deficiency may be linked to individuals who have severe COVID-19 illness. Zinc Crucial for Immune System Development Since the 1970s, scientists have discovered several facts about zinc and how it plays a central role in the immune system. Your immune system is your bodys first line of defense. Whether this is against infectious disease, wound infections, or chronic disease, your immune system plays a crucial role. Researchers have spent decades studying the different ways that you can support your immune system to improve function. Nutrients play a vital role in supporting your immune system, and one of those nutrients is zinc. Early and outpatient treatment from the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance, contains zinc, as does the protocol recommended and prescribed by Dr. Vladimir Zelenko. Zelenko created a website to facilitate crowd-sourcing medical data from frontline primary care doctors around the world. There are academics who also support Zelenkos efforts, including some at the University of Texas, which hosts a download page describing the history and citations behind the Zelenko Protocol. Zelenko and the Front Line critical care doctors used their knowledge of the association between zinc and your immune system to develop their successful protocols. Data has shown: People who are deficient in zinc have an increased susceptibility to pathogens, including through the skin barrier. Zinc mediates nonspecific immunity, including natural killer cells and neutrophils. Zinc deficiency prevents the activation of T-lymphocytes, production of Th1 cytokine, and the ability of B lymphocytes to help. During deficiency, B lymphocyte development is also compromised. Deficiency affects the function of macrophage cells, which can trigger cytokine production and dysregulated intracellular death. Zinc is central to DNA replication, RNA transcription, and cell activation and division. Evidence Zinc Helps Protect Against COVID-19 Campbell describes several functions by which zinc helps protect the body from COVID-19, including helping to stop viruses from entering cells. Zinc also supports the growth and function of ciliary hairs in the respiratory system that move microbes and debris up and out of the airways. These hairs move in a synchronized beat, like rowers in a boat. One study published in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy showed that zinc helps to stimulate the ciliary beat frequency and may help improve mucociliary clearance, which is essential for clearing the lungs of mucous. Another group of scientists found that supplementing animals deficient in zinc affected the length of the cilia and number of epithelial cells in the bronchus. Research has shown zinc also functions to improve the respiratory epithelial barrier, the skin that lines your respiratory tract and is constantly exposed to particles and microbes from the air you breathe. Evidence has shown that zinc influences interferon-gamma, a type of cytokine. Cytokines are proteins that act like smoke signals to alert the immune system to an invader. Interferon-gamma plays a significant role in defending against intracellular pathogens. When there is a reduction in this cytokine, it results in immunological impairment. While the jury is still out on whether interferon-gamma plays a role as an anti-tumor mechanism, some studies have shown that it does have a positive effect on patients survival of certain cancers. As youve likely heard throughout 2020, zinc also has a direct effect on viral replication inside the cells. A great way to learn about zinc is a short video Dr. John Campbell posted on YouTube. He reviews some of the science behind the association between zinc and the immune system and shares his belief that zinc is one biological basis some people suffer more severe COVID infections. Campbell describes some of the effects that zinc has inside the cells, including decreasing the effects of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, often called replicase since it helps replicate the virus inside the cells. Zinc Deficiency Linked to Multiple Health Conditions As Campbell points out, a zinc deficiency can significantly impact your immune system, but it can also result in a hyper-inflammatory response from proinflammatory cytokines. Thus, with a deficiency in zinc, you not only get more viral infections, but these trigger an increase in the hyper-inflammatory response. Campbell points out that many conditions associated with a zinc deficiency are also known comorbidities for COVID-19. These conditions include: Arteriosclerosis Autoimmune diseases Bronchial asthma Cancer Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Diabetes Being on diuretics Advanced age Immunosuppression Kidney disease and liver cirrhosis/damage Tobacco smoking Obesity Zinc Ionophores Improve Effectiveness In a short MedCram video posted on YouTube, Dr. Roger Seheult reviews the compelling evidence that suggests how zinc ionophores (a chemical that helps ions cross cell membranes) improve zinc uptake into the cell. This is a crucial component of stopping viral replication. As Seheult explains, zinc cannot easily penetrate the fatty walls of the cell but needs to be inside the cell to stop viral replication. There are several zinc ionophores that can do the job. In this video, Seheult describes the role that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine play. Hydroxychloroquine is the ionophore that Zelenko uses in his protocol to move zinc into the cells. In his peer-reviewed study, the researchers compared 141 treated patients against 377 untreated patients from the same community. The data collection showed only four of the 141 treated patients were hospitalized and 58 of the untreated patients were hospitalized. One patient in the treatment group died and 13 patients in the untreated group died. There are also other natural compounds that may work to get zinc into cells, except for perhaps in the most serious cases. Two that have been studied include quercetin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is found in green tea. In a comparative study, researchers evaluated quercetin and EGCG as zinc ionophores. They demonstrated ionophore action on a lipid membrane system and concluded that these polyphenols may raise zinc levels in the cells and have a significant impact on the biological action of zinc. Interestingly, quercetin is also a potent antiviral, and quercetin and EGCG have the added advantage of inhibiting the 3CL protease. According to a 2020 study in the Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, the ability to inhibit SARS coronaviruses is presumed to be directly linked to suppress the activity of SARS-CoV 3CLpro in some cases. Zinc Vitamins May Trigger a Copper Imbalance Zinc deficiency is not uncommon. Experts believe that about 17.3 percent of the global population is deficient and it is estimated most people over 65 consume just 50 percent of the recommended amount of zinc. Four common signs that your body may need more zinc: Lack of appetite Mental lethargy Impaired sense of taste or smell Frequent colds, flu, or infections Hair loss While some tests used to identify deficiency include hair analysis, urine samples, or an oral taste test, blood plasma tests are the most common. The oral taste test can be done at home through mail-order labs but it is not always reliable. People who are at risk for zinc deficiency include: Those with malnutrition The elderly People with inflammatory or autoimmune diseases Vegetarians and vegans Early zinc deficiency is largely subclinicalmeaning you do not have symptoms that a doctor would treatyet it does impact the immune system. Although you may be tempted to begin supplementing with zinc, its important to realize that your body has an intricate method of maintaining a balance of trace minerals such as copper, iron, chromium, and zinc. The best way to readily achieve proper balance is to get your minerals from real food. Although it may be necessary to supplement during illness when your body needs more zinc, I recommend trying to meet your daily requirement from foods. These are some of the best food sources of zinc: Alaskan King crab Oysters Kidney beans Lamb Grass-fed beef Cheddar or Swiss cheese Mushrooms Spinach Pumpkin seeds Huaweis Fall Serves as a Blueprint for US-China Policy Commentary The Chinese Communist Party made strategic investments in key industries and companies over the past 20 years. Until recently, few in the West seemed to notice or care. Among those who were paying attention, many actually praised Beijings focus on tomorrows technologies. However, it was dangerously naive to ignore the CCPs desire to overtake America as the worlds most powerful economic, military, and cultural power. Not only would dominance in next-generation information technology help place Beijing at the leading edge of global industrial competition, but it would also provide the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) a mechanism to expand its international influence. Thankfully, Beijings strategy ran into bipartisan opposition in the United States. Four years ago, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and I began briefing major American companies, universities, and others on how the CCP used firms like Huawei, ZTE, Alibaba, and Tencent to infiltrate and ultimately undermine our institutions. At the time, Huawei was a titan of the smartphone industry, shipping more phones globally than any company besides Samsung. Today, Huawei is falling off the map thanks to a concerted effort by the United States and crippling sanctions imposed during the Trump administration. Shipments plunged by 41 percent in the last quarter of 2020 and even further this year. Huawei sales even fell off in China. Our aim is to survive, Huaweis deputy chairman meekly suggested earlier this year. The company is likely to survive in some form because the CCP believes it is in the regimes interest to save its national champion. But Huaweis stunning fall from an unstoppable juggernaut to one struggling to survive should serve as a blueprint for how American policymakers should approach China. After multiple legislative efforts to restrict Huaweis access to U.S. marketsincluding critical national security areasthe Trump administration blacklisted the CCPs largest telecom company in 2019, cutting it off from advanced computer chips and its operating system. It took years of effortoften to the ridicule of mainstream media, industry elites, our allies, and even some in Congressto focus public policy on the national security threat posed by companies like Huawei. Two years later, we are finally seeing the results. The challenge now is to move forward the policies and initiatives that strengthen Americans digital security and the security of our nation. The lesson for America and its freedom-loving allies and partners across the world is that we cannot sit idle and hope things will get better. We cannot naively hope that so-called American companies will suddenly stop working with the genocidal regime in Beijing. And we cannot assume that the communist regime will suddenly quit committing genocide, stealing corporate secrets, and undermining Western competitors because of the Biden administrations doctrine of robust commercial engagement. One of the most obvious places to start is Beijings continued exploitation of our capital markets. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and I took a step in that direction in 2020 when President Donald Trump signed our Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act into law. But as Evergrandes impending collapse shows, there is much more we can and must do to protect American investors from fraudulent Chinese companies. We should also do more to confront the CCPs ongoing genocide of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim groups in Xinjiang. The Trump administrations genocide determination was a good first step. Other nations should do the same, and President Joe Biden should personally endorse my Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which passed the Senate unanimously earlier this year. Similarly, we should place sanctions on the leadership of the Chinese Academy of Sciencesthe worlds largest research organizationin response to Beijing blocking a real investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Ultimately, we will need to outcompete Chinese state-backed companies in critical industries. In some cases, American companies are leaps and bounds ahead of our nearest Chinese rival. Take vaccines, for example. Across the world, people want Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, not Sinovac and Sinopharm. In other areas, like investment in new materials, rare-earth minerals, and even advanced robotics, China is pushing ahead. We cant just assume nationless corporations will care about the future of America. For more than a decade, Chinas rise and Americas decline were viewed as inevitable. It led Wall Street, Hollywood, and Silicon Valley to slide America to the back burner and pander to the CCP. And many times, Washington simply didnt care. Thankfully, we are now coming to grips with the consequences of overreliance on communist China. Huaweis fall is simply the first step in a decades-long effort to correct our lopsided relationship with China and secure a new American century for our great people. From RealClearWire Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Boeing employees and others wave to passing traffic in the rain as they protest the company's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, outside the Boeing facility in Everett, Wash., on Oct. 15, 2021. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters) Hundreds of Boeing Workers Protest in Washington State After Company Tells Workers They Must Be Vaccinated Hundreds of Boeing Co employees protested in Washington state on Friday after the company told workers they must be vaccinated against COVID-19. Roughly 200 workers gathered in protest outside of the companys Renton and Everett locations just days after the planemaker announced the new mandate. On Oct. 12, the planemaker announced that employees must be vaccinated by Dec. 8 in line with the deadline set by President Joe Biden requiring federal employees as well as companies that are contractors and subcontractors of the government to receive the shots. The policy will apply to roughly 125,000 employees in the United States, of which about 57,000 are in Washington state, The Seattle Times reported. To ensure compliance with President Bidens executive order for federal contractors, Boeing is requiring its U.S.-based employees to either show proof of vaccination or have an approved reasonable accommodation, based on a disability or sincerely held religious belief, by Dec. 8, a Boeing spokesperson said in a statement to The Epoch Times. Protestors took to the streets on Friday brandishing signs reading, coercion is not consent, and stop the mandate. Some protestors told The Seattle Times they were against being vaccinated due to religious reasons, while others said the mandate should not be forced on Boeing employees and were willing to walk away from their jobs. What the governments doing, is making the corporations go out and do their dirty work. Youre mandated to lose your job, and thats not right, one protestor told the Times. These vaccine mandates are especially infuriating when they are being used to abuse our members who have been going to work throughout the pandemic as essential workers while there was no vaccine, and yet these workers exposed themselves and their families every single day to COVID-19 so that our communities could continue to function, Teamsters Local 174, which represents Boeing employees in Washington state, said in a statement obtained by Seattle news station KING-TV. The statement continued: Politicians and Employers treated our members as necessary but also expendable and didnt care about them throughout the pandemicbut now want you to believe they do care. We do not accept that. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union said in a letter to its members on Friday that Boeing has communicated that it intends to release members who do not comply with the vaccine mandate. This could mean members would be terminated without rights, without layoff status or any right to return. This is not acceptable and we will engage on this subject in effects bargaining, the union said. Boeings mandate will not apply immediately to its sites in Texas, Reuters reports. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Oct.11 issued an executive order banning vaccine mandates by any entity in the state, including private employers. Abbott has called Bidens executive order an assault on private businesses and previously said that the state is working to halt this power grab. No entity in Texas can compel receipt of a COVID-19 vaccination by any individual, including an employee or consumer, the governor said in his executive order. Multiple airlines have mandated vaccines for employees, with United Airlines being the first U.S. carrier to do so, announcing the mandate in August. United Airlines confirmed on Sept. 29 that it was going to terminate 593 of its employees who have chosen not to comply with the companys vaccine mandate. American Airlines told workers in an email on Oct. 6 that they have to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 24 or face termination while Southwest Airlines (SWA) also announced it will require all of its 56,000 U.S. employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian last week said that more than 90 percent of the companys workforce have been vaccinated against COVID-19 without enforcing President Joe Bidens divisive vaccine mandate, Delta Air Lines is the only major U.S. carrier that has chosen not to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for all its employees, although it does require all new U.S. employees to be vaccinated, and that all unvaccinated Delta staff enrolled in its health care plan pay a $200 monthly surcharge. Reuters contributed to this report. A group of Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft sit on the tarmac at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 13, 2019. (Ralph Freso/Getty Images) Hundreds of Southwest Workers Protest COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates at Airlines Headquarters Hundreds of Southwest Airlines employees protested outside the carriers headquarters in Dallas against the pending COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to footage posted online. A flyer that circulated online for the event called for a peaceful protest against the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, calling on workers and others to gather outside the headquarters. Let your voice be heard, the flyer says. Please join your Southwest Cohearts, vaccinated or not, in exercising your first amendment right to a peaceful protest of the recent Covid-19 vaccination mandate. Some protesters were seen holding signs that read, No jabs for jobs, freedom not force, and terminate the mandate, CBS Dallas reported. DALLAS TX: Southwest employees chant LETS GO BRANDON in front of the South West headquarters to protest the airline vaccine mandate Get More News: https://t.co/u7URmoOvPT pic.twitter.com/JwSKXrzqaa Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) October 18, 2021 Earlier in October, Southwest announced it would require COVID-19 vaccines for all its workers, including pilots, except those approved for a religious, medical, or disability accommodation. The airlines chief executive, Gary Kelly, said last week that while he disagrees with the mandate, he has to implement the requirement after President Joe Bidens Sept. 9 announcement requiring COVID-19 vaccines for federal contractors. Southwest is a federal contractor, he said. Ive never been in favor of corporations imposing that kind of a mandate. Im not in favor of that. Never have been, Kelly told CNBC. But the executive order from President Biden mandates that all federal employees and then all federal contractors, which covers all the major airlines, have to have a [vaccine] mandate in place by Dec. 8, so were working through that. Other than Southwest, United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines have announced they would mandate vaccinations for their employees. Delta Air Lines hasnt mandated COVID-19 vaccines for workers, but has forced unvaccinated employees to pay a monthly $200 surcharge for health care. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) union filed a lawsuit asking a court to issue a temporary injunction against the airlines vaccine mandate, arguing that vaccine side effects could pose a unique risk to pilots, who are required to undergo regular medical testing. Southwest has asked the court to reject SWAPAs effort and argued that an injunction would damage the companys business. The injunction that SWAPA seeks is extraordinary, Southwests lawyers said in response to the unions lawsuit. The airline also experienced thousands of flight cancellations earlier this month, triggering speculation that pilots or other workers walked off the job over the vaccine mandate. SWAPA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and Southwest denied those claims, although its not clear why so many Southwest flights were canceled while other carriers flights werent. Southwest officials didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. Illinois Governor Delays COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Deadline for Some State Workers Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has pushed back the deadline for prison guards and some other state workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine. All state workers in congregate facilities such as prisons were initially required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. They now have until Nov. 30 after the latest delay and must get their first dose by Oct. 26 if theyre receiving a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. This allows the unions time to communicate the agreement to their members and workers to have time to get their shots. We are working diligently to reach agreement with the remaining two unions, a spokesperson for Pritzker, a first-term Democrat, told news outlets. The agreement was reached with the Illinois Nurses Association, the Illinois Federation of Public Employees, VR-704, and the Trades Coalition. Negotiations are continuing with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 31 (AFSCME) and Teamsters Local 700. Representatives for the unions didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Pritzker announced in August that state workers in congregate settings would have to get vaccinated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19. Later that month, he said all health care workers must get vaccinated and extended the order to personnel at K12 schools and higher education settings. Religious and medical exemptions are being granted, but workers who get exemptions must be tested at least once per week. We are running out of time, as our hospitals run out of beds. Vaccination remains our strongest tool to protect ourselves and our loved ones, to restore post-pandemic life to our communities, and most crucially, to maintain our health care systems ability to care for anyone who walks through their doors in need of helpand Illinois is taking action to keep our communities safe, Pritzker said at the time. Just 3 percent of intensive care unit beds were open in Southern Illinois on Aug. 26. But the hospitalization crisis has since eased. Statewide, more than 6,700 beds, or 21 percent, were available as of Oct. 14, the most recent date for which statistics were available. Additionally, 17 percent of ICU beds were open. Unions have pushed back on the vaccine mandate. In an earlier letter, AFSCME Council 31 told members that employers have the right to mandate vaccines, but it was negotiating over the effect and implementation of the order. The unions team told state officials that there were more flexible forms of vaccination programs in place in other states and expressed serious concern that if a significant number of employees are discharged as a result of this plan, understaffing in these agencieswhich are finding it increasingly difficult to hire new employeeswould be greatly exacerbated and overtime pressures on the remaining employees would grow. Protesters raise a Tibetan flag and a banner from scaffolding at the Acropolis hill, in Athens, Greece, on Oct. 17, 2021. (Yorgos Karahalis/AP Photo) International Groups Call for Release of Athens Protesters Opposing Beijing Olympics International groups have called for the release of two human rights activists who were arrested on Oct. 17 after protesting at the Acropolis in Athens against the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The two student activists18-year-old Tibetan student Tsela Zoksang and 22-year-old exiled Hong Kong activist Joey Siuwere being detained in Athens. Both women are U.S. citizens. We call on the Greek authorities to resist any pressure from the Chinese government to extradite these activists, to release Joey Siu and the Tibetan activist Tsela Zoksang as a matter of urgency, and to allow them to return to the United States of America, the UK-based advocacy group Hong Kong Watch said in an Oct. 17 statement. The two activists attempted to hang a banner in the Acropolis on Oct. 17 to protest the Beijing Winter Olympics. The Olympic torch is set to be formally handed over at the Acropolis on Oct. 19 to the Beijing Organizing Committee, Chinas organizer of the upcoming games. A security officer took the banner from the two women, who then went on to hang a Tibetan flag and a smaller banner proclaiming Free Hong Kong Revolution from scaffolding. They also chanted slogans, including Free Tibet, Boycott Beijing 2022, and No freedom, no Games. Greek police soon arrived on the scene and arrested them. UPDATE: Tsela and Joey will remain detained for the night and will appear before a Greek court tomorrow at 10:00am Athens time. pic.twitter.com/MDVw9hoU1l Students for a Free Tibet (@SFTHQ) October 17, 2021 Brian Leung, the executive director of the U.S.-based Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC), called for the immediate release of the two students. We demand the unconditional release of Tsela and Joey, and we urge the international society to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Leung said in a statement. We are inspired by the leadership of the two young women who have shown tremendous courage as they opposed the International Olympic Committees [IOC] complicity in Chinas human-right atrocities, he said. New York-based advocacy group Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) published personal statements from the two activists following their detention. Now it is time for the international community, and all people of conscience, to take a stand and boycott Beijing 2022; anything less will be a clear endorsement of Chinas genocidal regime, Zoksang said in her statement. The IOC is sending the world a message that it is OK to turn a blind eye to genocide and crimes against humanity in Hong Kong, Tibet, East Turkestan, and Southern Mongolia, Siu said in her statement. Both women are also members of the No Beijing 2022 campaign, which involves a coalition of Tibetan, Uyghur, Hong Kong, mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, and Mongolian human rights activists. Performers during the dress rehearsal of the Olympic flame lighting ceremony for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Ancient Olympia, Greece, on Oct. 17, 2021. (Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters) The IOC defended its stance on Oct. 13, saying that they wont pressure Beijing over its human rights record. We have no ability to go into a country and tell them what to do. All we can do is to award the Olympics to a country, under conditions set out in a host contract and then ensure they are followed, IOC Vice President John Coates told media outlets, Reuters reported. Groups say there have been no human rights improvements in China since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In January, the Trump administration determined that the Chinese regime has committed genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other minorities in the region of Xinjiang. The Biden administration declared such crimes were continuing in an annual report released in March, yet the new administration has said it isnt discussing a joint boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing denies wrongdoing, saying that it has set up vocational training centers in Xinjiang to combat extremism. The Wisconsin Welcome Sign is seen in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., on April 6, 2020. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images) IRG: Free Federal Money Will Change How Local, State Governments Spend Going Forward A prominent, nonpartisan state think tank is warning about what the billions in coronavirus stimulus money headed for Wisconsin will mean for government spending in the years to come. The Institute for Reforming Governments CJ Szafir said the American Rescue Plan and the CARES Act are flooding state and local governments with more money than they know what to do with. But he said, the money has to be spent, so local governments are looking at all the ways they can find to spend it. La Crosse is considering dropping out of Wisconsins Expenditure Restraint Program in order to spend all of its $22 million in stimulus money. Mayor Mitch Reynolds earlier this week said in order to stay within the ERP, La Crosse would have to cut its budget. We are really reaching a point that its so confusing that were making cuts, and we really have quite a significant amount of money coming in, the mayor said at a meeting Monday. The ERP program was created in the 1990s to incentivize local governments to spend within their means in exchange for unlimited state help. Szafir said the federal stimulus packages are now erasing the idea of spending less. This is a clear example of federal government overreach and how the trillions of dollars of government spending has created bad incentives for local communities, Szafir told The Center Square. The Common Council even admits that they are not sure how they would spend the federal taxpayer money. And yet, as we see time and time again, politicians rarely turn down free federal money. While dropping out of the Expenditure Restraint Program may cost La Crosse some state money over the next two or three years, the city will likely see more money from the state when it re-enrolls in the ERP. The policy question that taxpayers and state lawmakers should contemplate is how this will impact future budget debates. If the Common Council opts out and takes the stimulus money, the restart should not reward them by artificially inflating their numbers for next year. Otherwise the Council will start from a much higher number in later years with taxpayers eating that increase without it even being substantively debated later on, Szafir explained. La Crosses Common Council left the opt-out question pending earlier this week. Szafir expects the impact of the billions in coronavirus stimulus dollars in Wisconsin to impact budget and tax questions at all levels of government for years to come. By Benjamin Yount Parts of San Francisco Are Like a Zombie Apocalypse: Addicts Mother San Francisco officials leniency on drugs is creating lawlessness in the streets, according to a drug addicts mother who has been imploring policymakers to enforce stricter laws that criminalize drug use and sales in the city. [Police] are on the streets and theyre not arresting anybody and the dealers are selling right in front of them, Jacqui Berlinn said in an interview with EpochTVs California Insider show. They allow the addicts to use in front of other people Other people who live there can openly see the addicts using needles and smoking acting out in the ways that are harmful to them or the public. Berlinn said her 32-year-old son is addicted to fentanyl, which has left him homeless and physically bent over so that he walks like an old man. A lot of people say, you have to let him hit rock bottom, Berlinn said. My sons rock bottom, I believe, is death. Right now, he needs to be coerced to get help because his fear of the withdrawals from this drug are so great. Berlinns son was introduced to drugs as a teenager and he became addicted after suffering from anxiety and depression. These days, Berlinns son wanders the streets between Oakland and San Franciscos Tenderloin neighborhood since drugs are more accessible there. In the past, she traveled throughout the Tenderloin neighborhood in search of her son, and she described the area as a zombie apocalypse with drug dealers on the corners of the street accompanied by homeless drug addicts. Amid the open selling and consumption of drugs, Berlinn has noticed that police officers in the area allow the lawlessness on the streets to continue. I feel like theyre enabling these people to commit a slow suicide, Berlinn said. The people that are there that are homeless and addicted are being preyed upon and they are deteriorating slowly. Its a slow death. Theyre out in the elements. Many of them have open sores and theyre in bondage to these drugs. San Francisco particularly helps keep them in that situation by not prosecuting the drug dealers, by allowing the open-air drug scenes. Berlinn says he once reported to police a naked homeless man in plain sight. Police stated there wasnt anything they could do, as people were frequently naked in the area, she said. As a result of witnessing the drug crisis in San Francisco, Berlinn called for a statewide initiative to treat mental illnesses, rather than a county-by-county approach, that stating homeless drug addicts come to San Francisco due to the hands-off, live and let live policy. Berlinn says that Proposition 4a law that reduced some lower-level crimes to misdemeanors from feloniesand other state laws has led to fewer arrests for possession of small amounts of drugs and shoplifting. After a recent arrest, Berlinns son expressed a desire to get sober. He made a call to check into a rehabilitation center but was turned away due to a lack of availability. He was sent temporarily to a transitional sober living home outside of San Francisco, where he eventually turned back to drugs. The transitional sober-living home offered no mental health services, while allowing him to come and go as he pleased, Berlinn said. Her son has shared that some addicts whove lived in the housing with no support services have overdosed while alone and nobody knew or was around to revive them. His greatest fear is detoxing from fentanyl because its supposed to be incredibly horrible, she said. He could even die from it if hes not getting help and being monitored. Berlinn says its important to remember that homeless drug addicts are peoples family members and loved ones who are trapped. Theyre definitely not cracking down on these open-air drug scenes, Berlinn said. Theyre allowing it to flourish and the solution I hear is safe injection sites. My son says that then therell just be more people like him on the street because theyre just making it easier to be a drug addict. Theyre normalizing drug addiction. An aerial view of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory campus in a file photo. (Oak Ridge National Laboratory via The Department of Energy) Judge Temporarily Bars US Lab From Placing Unvaccinated Workers on Unpaid Leave A federal judge on Oct. 15 temporarily blocked a U.S. Department of Energy laboratorys contracted operator in Tennessee from terminating or placing on unpaid leave its workers who are exempted from a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Days after six employees filed a lawsuit against the University of TennesseeBattelle (UTBattelle), District Judge Charles Atchley in Knoxville issued a temporary restraining order limiting the ability of the managing contractor for Oak Ridge National Laboratory to place employees on indefinite unpaid leave or to fire them after they receive a religious or medical exemption to taking a COVID-19 vaccine. Though a not-for-profit company, UTBattelle allows for employees to submit requests for exemptions under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, it later told about 140 employees they will be put on unpaid leave as of Oct. 15, despite their approval for exemption. UTBattelles actions left workers with the impossible choice of either taking the COVID-19 vaccine, at the expense of their religious beliefs and their health, or losing their livelihoods. In doing so, UT Battelle has violated Title VII and the ADA by failing to engage in the interactive process and provide reasonable accommodations, and also by retaliating against employees who engaged in protected activity, the lawsuit states. The temporary restraining order is effective through Oct. 29. Atchley wrote that he will decide then whether to let it expire or continue while the case is ongoing. He added that he issued the order until a full hearing can be held. The judge rejected the employees other motions to attempt to halt the vaccine mandate for any staffer in the process of requesting an exemption while their requests are being considered. Atchley wrote that preventing their [employees] placement on unpaid leave for a matter of two weeks simply will not harm the organization, while the unpaid leave presents a functional loss of employment and other damages for the employees at the laboratory. Morgan McCorkle, a spokesperson for Oak Ridge National Laboratory, said on Oct. 17 that officials remain confident our policy is legal, in taxpayers interest, and necessary for the well-being of our workforce. The laboratory, which falls under the U.S. Department of Energy, announced on Aug. 26 that all staff needed to be vaccinated by Oct. 15, with a request for those who seeking accommodations for religious or medical reasons to submit them by Sept. 15. UTBattelle had 145 employees request accommodations for religious beliefs, and in 24 cases had in-person discussions with the workers. UTBattelle received 75 requests for medical exemptions, granting 47 of them, denying 25, with three pending, a filing states. The Oak Ridge National Laboratorythe Department of Energys largest science and energy laboratorystates on its website that there are 5,700 staff workers at the facility. UTBattelle didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Matt McGregor and The Associated Press contributed to this report. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, on Sept. 9, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Justice Department Formally Asks Supreme Court to Block Texas Abortion Ban The Department of Justice has formally requested that the Supreme Court temporarily block the Texas law that bans abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. In an Oct. 18 filing with the high court, the Justice Department (DOJ) sought an order to suspend enforcement of Texass Senate Bill 8, known as SB 8, while the Biden administrations legal challenge was being considered. The filing marks the second time the Supreme Court has been presented with the option to block the law, as last month, the courts majority voted to allow it to go into effect. SB8 is plainly unconstitutional under this Courts precedents, the court filing reads (pdf). Texas has not seriously argued otherwise. Allowing the law to remain in effect would perpetuate the ongoing irreparable injury to thousands of Texas women who are being denied their constitutional rights, the DOJ argued. Texass insistence that no party can bring a suit challenging SB8 amounts to an assertion that the federal courts are powerless to halt the States ongoing nullification of federal law, its lawyers wrote. That proposition is as breathtaking as it is dangerous. The DOJ asserted that if Texas is found right, other states are free to use similar schemes to nullify other precedents or suspend other constitutional rights. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman, an Obama appointee, earlier this month granted an emergency request from the Justice Department and blocked enforcement of the law. However, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals later sided with Texas, lifting the judges order that suspended enforcement of the law. Critics of the measure have said SB8 employs an unusual enforcement mechanism, in which state officials are barred from enforcing the law. Instead, Texas residents can sue anyoneincluding doctors and medical staffwho provide assistance to a woman to obtain an abortion. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, has previously argued that the federal government doesnt have the right to intervene. Paxtons office didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. On Oct. 15, Paxton told local media that the law was passed by our duly elected representatives, the way its supposed to work, its always supposed to work that way. And, obviously, this saves about 150 babies a day. Pro-life groups last week praised the ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. We are excited to continue saving hundreds of lives through the Texas Heartbeat Act. However, the battle is not finished. We expect the Biden administration to appeal to the Supreme Court of the U.S., and we are confident Texas will ultimately defeat these attacks on our life-saving efforts, Texas Right to Life director of media and communication Kimberlyn Schwartz said in a statement. In December, the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider a Mississippi law that bars abortions after about 15 weeks of pregnancy. Mississippis lawyers are asking the high court to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Texas has until Oct. 21 to file its response with the Supreme Court, the court requested on Oct. 18. LA County Urges Public to Plan Low-Risk Halloween Activities LOS ANGELESThe number of coronavirus patients in Los Angeles County hospitals dropped by 20 today to 638, one day after increasing by 20 people. The number of those patients in intensive care ticked up from 182 to 184, according to state figures. The countys number of COVID patients has fluctuated in recent days after weeks of steady decline, rising for three straight days, then dropping for two straight days before Saturdays increase. Local health officials reported 898 new cases of COVID-19 and four additional deaths Sunday, bringing the countys cumulative totals to 1,477,686 cases and 26,414 deaths since the pandemic began. The number of cases and deaths announced Sunday likely reflect reporting delays over the weekend. The highly transmissible Delta variant continues to account for 100 percent of COVID-19 strains seen among samples sequenced in the area, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Saturday. Health officials are urging residents to plan a low-risk Halloween celebration. Officials reminded people that closed spaces with poor air flow, crowded places with many people nearby and close contact settings where people are talking, laughing, screaming, or breathing heavily close together are the most dangerous environments for contracting the virus. The safest activities will be those that are outside, including outdoor costume parties, pumpkin patch visits, outdoor ghost tours, hayrides, and trick-or-treatingwhen done safely, the department said. Wherever possible, aim to be outside, particularly if you are with individuals, including children, that are not yet vaccinated; masks covering your nose and mouth should be worn if in crowds or close contact with others not in your household. More information for residents, businesses and event organizers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during holidays can be found at http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/holidays.htm. Meanwhile, county health officials are gearing up to offer more COVID-19 vaccine booster shots, with federal approval moving closer for additional doses of the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccinations. A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Friday recommended booster doses of the J&J vaccine for adults, administered at least two months after receiving the initial shot. The panel on Thursday recommended boosters of the Moderna vaccine, given at least six months after a person received the second of the two-dose regimen. Department of Public Health officials have insisted the county is well-equipped to begin administering booster doses once they receive final federal approval, although they continued to stress the need for unvaccinated people to come in for their first dose. We can expect all COVID-19 vaccines available in the country to have a booster option in the near future, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Friday. In the near future, we expect that millions more LA County residents will qualify for a booster. For those who are older, have underlying health conditions, or high risk of exposure at a worksite, please plan to get your booster once you are eligible. Ferrer on Thursday said about 41,000 first doses were administered across the county during the week that ended Sunday. She said the the single thing that we need to do as a community to reduce our risk of another surge is we need to decrease our numbers of unvaccinated people. According to Ferrer, 79 percent of eligible county residents aged 12 and over have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 70 percent are fully vaccinated. Among the overall 10.3 million population, including those ineligible for shots, 68 percent have received at least one dose, and 60 percent are fully vaccinated. Firas Azar at the afternoon performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts at The Hanover Theatre in Worcester, Mass., on Oct. 17, 2021. (Ya Wen/The Epoch Times) WORCESTER, Mass.Shen Yun Performing Arts received lavish praise on Sunday afternoon from its Worcester audience. Whether out for a family outing or a personal treat, the colors, sound, and movement of the performance drew enthusiastic responses. Engineering manager Firas Azar treated himself to the performance, which he said was masterfully executed. And even though he was back for his fourth time, Mr. Azar said he was very impressed by this years all-new production. Especially when the dancers go vertical with their legs, I think to myself Ouch! They make it look so easy!' he said. I think: How is it they can, first of all, memorize each and every move, and synchronize it with millisecond precision? This is something. And the play on colors Im deeply impressed. Shen Yun has elicited such responses from audiences since its inception in 2006. Based in New York, Shen Yun explores and presents the stories and traditions of ancient China, contrasting them with the events of modern China under communism. At the core of its mission is to give audiences a taste of what Chinas culture would be like had it not been systematically destroyed by the foreign ideologies of Marxism and atheism. So no matter what you may think, no matter what you may believe, its a good thing that culture and the pasteven the badshould be preserved. Firas Azar Its very essential that history be preserved, Azar said. Especially [because] China is one of the oldest still-living civilizations. So no matter what you may think, no matter what you may believe, its a good thing that culture and the pasteven the badshould be preserved. Denise and Michael Morgan at the afternoon performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts at The Hanover Theatre in Worcester, Mass., on Oct. 17, 2021. (Mary Mann/The Epoch Times) Retired aircraft engine manufacturer Michael Morgan and his wife Denise Morgan, owner of the Brush-It-Off creative center, were both deeply touched by the show. She accuses me of crying, I cried for the whole show, Mr. Morgan said. My feelings of the divineof course, its in all of usthe strength could possibly help more. Shen Yun, despite depicting Chinese culture, is ironically not free to perform in China, precisely because the program exposes persecution perpetrated by the Chinese communist regime. [I]ts heartbreaking that they cant do this in China anymore, Mrs. Morgan said. Mr. Morgan added that he couldnt get enough of Shen Yun: Its extremely important that we see more of these shows. One show once a year is not good enough, okay. I need to see it five days a week. More, more, more culture, he said. The music, so appropriate. The dance, fundamental and pure. [I]ts a fantastic show. We bought the tickets way back in May, and it is not disappointing at all. Family Impressed by Shen Yun Storytelling Attorney Jennifer LaBaire and her husband, Bill LaBaire, a high school computer science teacher, brought their young son to the performance as a belated birthday present. Mrs. LaBaire commented: I like the classical Chinese dancing and I like the stories about the relationship with the divine. And also, up to the present day, whats happening in present-day China as well. Mr. LaBaire gave special mention to Shen Yuns storytelling, elevated with its animated digital backdrop. I also really enjoy incorporating the old culture with new media, the special effects with the digital effects that have also been included in this production. Its just so accurate, he said. The performance opened his eyes to a different side of Chinese culture. I dont know much about Chinese [culture], but for as long as Ive known China, its always been communist, he said. He resonated with Shen Yuns theme of China before communism and the shows message that spirituality is important to humankind. [T]hey (the Chinese people) should be free to practice what they want, and have those values, Mr. LaBaire said. Reporting by Ya Wen, Mary Mann and Epoch Times Staff. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Manchin Opposes Key Democratic Climate Policies in Reconciliation Bill Democrats in Congress have long emphasized their $3.5 trillion budget bills climate policies as constituting a crucial element of the bill, although moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) remains unconvinced, even as colleagues in his party speed toward another legislative deadline at the end of October. For most Democrats in Congress, policies to reduce carbon emissions and to move away from fossil fuels have been a keystone of their policy priorities for months. When Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who drafted the original budget framework, introduced the bill on the Senate floor, he promised an extremely aggressive [transformation of the U.S.] energy system away from fossil fuels. Sanders budget framework allocated over $250 billion to the measure. Other multi-million allocations in the bill are meant for the same purpose. For example, millions would go toward the research and development of low-to-zero emissions buses and ferries. Another policy in the bill would provide federal funding to build new charging stations for electric cars. Outside of the legislative process, President Joe Biden has been seeking the same ends. At the beginning of his term, Biden halted construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and placed a moratorium on new leases for oil and natural gas companies on federal lands. But Manchin, the key swing voter, doesnt love the policies. Manchin criticized the policies during a CNN appearance in September, when he told reporters that companies were already switching to clean energy on their own where possible. Now [Democrats are] wanting to pay companies to do what theyre already doing, he said. Makes no sense to me at all for us to take billions of dollars and pay utilities for what theyre going to do as the market transitions. Manchins skepticism of these policies is rooted in concerns about the effects they could have on his state of West Virginia, where carbon-producing coal provides nearly all electricity in the state, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In May, coal provided nearly 5 million megawatt hours of electricity to West Virginia, while the next most used source, natural gas, provided less than 300,000. Green energy sources in the state provide even less: hydroelectric accounts for 134,000 megawatt hours, and non-hydroelectric renewables (such as biomass, solar, and wind) account for only 106,000. In other words, nearly 91 percent of all electricity in the state is sourced by burning coal. In an interview with a local West Virginia station, Manchin rejected the idea that the U.S. coal industry is polluting the world and the climate, saying that it has no effect whatsoever compared to the impact of Asia. According to the International Energy Agency, China pumped nearly twice as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as the United States in 2018. Manchin argued that the coal industry has to be saved, because the country cant survive without it. Specifically, Manchin opposes a policy that would grant utility companies federal funds for increasing the share of clean energy in their power grid, a policy that would work to the detriment of smaller coal-based companies in West Virginia. But Democrats have been insistent on these policies to reduce emissions. Biden has expressed hope that the country can cut emissions by 50 percent by 2030, a tall order on its own. Manchins longtime resistance to Democratic efforts that would undercut the coal industry make the goal even harder to achieve. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a proponent of the controversial Green New Deal, blasted Manchin for his opposition to the climate provisions. In a tweet, Ocasio-Cortez wrote: We cannot advance legislation that makes the climate crisis worse clean energy [provisions] in [the budget bill] let us tackle the climate crisis. We cannot afford to gut it. Any negotiations on climate need to ensure that we will come out climate positive. And that emissions math cannot be informed by fossil fuel lobbyists, who dont even count methane. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said that she was open to negotiations over climate provisions, but demanded that the budget meaningfully address climate change. On Twitter, she wrote: Im open to different approaches, but I cannot support a bill that wont get us where we need to be on emissions. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) was more caustic, writing on Twitter: Manchin is why Congress contorted itself to legislate via budget reconciliationbecause he loves the racist, anti-democratic filibuster. Now hes blocking climate action at the behest of a fossil fuel industry that enriches him & his family. Centner Academy students playing on the playground. (Screenshot via The Epoch Times/Courtesy of Centner Academy) Miami Private School Requires Students to Stay Home 30 Days After Getting COVID-19 Vaccine A Miami private school is requiring students to stay home for 30 days after they receive each dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Centner Academy, a private school for kids from pre-K to 8th grade, has a medical freedom policy on immunizations. Because of the potential impact on other students and our school community, vaccinated students will need to stay at home for 30 days post-vaccination for each dose and booster they receive and may return to school after 30 days as long as the student is healthy and symptom-free, reads a letter sent to students parents recently, according to WSVN, a Fox-affiliated local TV station. In the letter, the school urged parents considering COVID-19 vaccines for their kids to hold off until summer when there will be time for the potential transmission or shedding onto others to decrease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines wont shed or release the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Virus, also known as novel coronavirus. Vaccine shedding can only occur when a vaccine contains a weakened version of the virus. None of the vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. contain a live virus, the CDC stated on its website. mRNA and viral vector vaccines are the two types of currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines available. Currently, only Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine was authorized for children 12 years and above under emergency use authorization. In an email to The Epoch Times, the schools co-founder David Centner said the policy was enacted as a prudent precautionary measure after much thoughtful deliberation. To be clear, the school leadership does not believe that one who is vaccinated can infect another person with COVID, Centner said. Further, the school is not opining on whether a vaccinated person can negatively impact others. However, due to voluminous anecdotal reports in circulation on this latter topic, we must err on the side of caution when making decisions that may impact the health of the school community. Until there are definitive and scientifically proven studies that refute these reports, we need to do what is best for our students and staff, Centner continued, saying the schools top priorities have always been the students well-being and their sense of safety within our educational environment. In April, Centner Academy said employees who got the vaccine would not be allowed to return to work, WSVN reported. Later it was clarified that teachers and employees would not be fired for COVID-19 vaccination, but they wouldnt be allowed to work with students. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is one of those governors who fiercely oppose the Biden administrations COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Last month, DeSantis said that local governments forcing vaccine mandates would face fines of $5,000 per violation when a state anti-vaccine passport law came into effect on Sept. 16. Were looking at all legal options to protect the rights of employees, and Governor DeSantis encourages business owners to respect their employees rights to medical privacy, DeSantiss press secretary told The Epoch Times via email at the time. Petr Svab contributed to this report. Minnesota Hospital Shuts Down ER and Urgent Care Amid Nurse Strike A hospital in Minnesota confirmed it temporarily shut down its emergency room and urgent care facility due to a nurse strike. Allina Health, located in Plymouth, told The Epoch Times that due to the strike, emergency and urgent care services at its WestHealth location were suspended from Sunday morning until Wednesday. No other services on the WestHealth campus have been impacted, Allina Healths statement said before it redirected people to seek urgent or emergency care at its Abbott Northwestern Hospital Emergency Department and other locations. The City of Plymouth also confirmed that the hospitals emergency room and urgent care facilities were shut down, releasing a list of nearby locations for emergency services on its website. About 50 emergency room nurses organized by the Minnesota Nurses Association walked off the job, demanding more benefits and holiday pay, the organization told local media. Compensating nurses fairly for holiday pay is especially critical because understaffing by Allina and other hospital systems has required nurses to work more days and longer hours, including overtime and holidays, as they continue on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nurses association said. But Allina Health and Abbott Northwestern WestHealth negotiated seven times with the statewide union, noting that a settlement was previously reached and unanimously recommended by the union, according to the companys statement. However, the Minnesota Nurses Association didnt finalize the deal and went ahead with the strike, it added. Throughout negotiations, we have consistently offered proposals that demonstrate our commitment to our employees, including an immediate wage increase to align wages with other metro hospitals and agreeing to some of the unions other priority issues, Allina told The Epoch Times. But one striking nurse, union chairwoman Sonya Worner, told Fox9 that Allina Health carried out a diabolical decision to shut down care to the residents, as well as their own revenue. This could literally end tomorrow if we got a call saying, Yes well offer you summer holiday pay as part of this package, Worner added. The nurses work stoppage in Plymouth comes as hundreds of thousands of workers in other industries went on strike in recent days. About 10,000 unionized John Deere employees voted to go on strike last week after claiming that the agriculture equipment and tractor manufacturer failed to come up with a contract proposal that met their demands. Meanwhile, Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers voted earlier this month to authorize a strike in Oregon and California, potentially enabling thousands of nurses, doctors, and other staff to walk off their jobs in the coming days. Allina Health hasnt yet responded to a request for comment. (CHINA OUT) An aerial view from a drone of the Evergrande City on September 24,2021 in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Evergrande, China's largest property developer, is facing a liquidity crisis with total debts of around $300 billion. The problems faced by the company could impact Chinas economy, and the global economy at large. (Getty Images) New Construction in China Declines for 6th Month, Longest Downward Trend Since 2015 Chinas new construction starts declined for a sixth consecutive month in September, marking the longest downward trend since the MarchAugust 2015 downturn. New construction starts in September fell 13.54 percent from the year prior, the third month of double-digit declines, according to Reuters calculations based on JanuarySeptember data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Oct. 18. Property sales by floor area also dropped 15.8 percent in September, down for a third month, according to Reuters calculations. The overall slowdown in the sector was underscored by a 3.5 percent drop in property investments by developers in September, marking the first monthly decline since the height of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic in China from January to February 2020. While the recovery in 2016 saw tens of thousands of real estate firms borrowing heavily to build homes, China has this year moved to clamp down on real estate, tightening regulations and capping lending from banks, leaving cash-strapped developers hitting the pause button on projects and some firms facing the prospect of liquidation. All the data are poor, Zhang Dawei, chief analyst with property agency Centreline, told Reuters. Financing is hard, sales are tough, so of course, there has been no enthusiasm to build. For the first time in history, developers are encountering two blockagesblockages in sales and blockages in financing. Fears are also growing that the potential collapse of China Evergrande Group, which is more than $300 billion in debt, could spark broader problems for the countrys financial system if not stabilized. Shares of the group have fallen by more than 80 percent in 2021 as it struggles with crippling debt. Evergrande has been scrambling to raise funds to pay its many lenders, suppliers, and investors, but has warned on multiple occasions that it could default. The real estate sector accounts for a quarter of Chinas gross domestic product. Chinas central bank on Oct. 15 stated that the debt crisis plaguing Evergrande is controllable and unlikely to spill over into the rest of the economy. The Evergrande Group has poorly managed in recent years and failed to exercise prudence according to changing market conditions, Zou Lan, head of financial markets at the Peoples Bank of China, told reporters in a press briefing. Instead, it has blindly diversified and expanded its business. About $89 billion of Evergrandes liabilities are in loans and bonds, making up just under a third of the total. As Evergrandes creditors are scattered, theres no major risk to any particular financial institutions, Zou said. Zou added that land and housing prices are forecast to continue steady growth, and that most real estate enterprises have been operating stably with good financial indicators, meaning the real estate industry is overall healthy. Added to the pressure created by debt-ridden Evergrande is growing investor angst about Chinas real estate clampdown, which has seen authorities move to curb the property industry in the past year, including tightening home-purchase rules and capping lending from banks while urging powerful property tycoons to pour resources and influence into backing Beijings interests. It isnt yet clear exactly what actions officials will take in the clampdown on real estate or whether theres a deadline, but investors are already concerned. People may be worried about whether they have to take up extra responsibility to build more subsidized housing, Philip Tse, head of Hong Kong and China property research at BOCOM International, told Bloomberg. Foreign investors will be concerned if administrative matters in China will lead to a price cap, more stringent purchasing limits, or some tax-payment proof is required in order to pay for buying a flat. Chinas real estate shares have fallen 22 percent so far this year. In the first nine months, property investment rose 8.8 percent from a year earlier, slowing from the 10.9 percent growth seen in JanuaryAugust. Eva Fu and Reuters contributed to this report. New York Judge Restricts Unvaccinated Father From Visiting 3-Year-Old Daughter A Manhattan judge has suspended a Long Island fathers visitation with his toddler daughter unless he submits COVID-19 tests on a weekly basis or gets vaccinateddespite the man already having contracted the virus. Here, in-person parental access by defendant is not in the childs best interests, and there are exceptional circumstances that support its suspension, wrote Justice Matthew Cooper in a case involving the fathers divorce and custody dispute over his 3-year-old daughter, according to the New York Post. Cooper also wrote that that the dangers of voluntarily remaining unvaccinated during access with a child while the COVID-19 virus remains a threat to childrens health and safety cannot be understated. The names of the father, mother, and daughter werent revealed in the order. But the fathers lawyer, Lloyd Rosen, told the Post on Oct. 14 that the father was previously infected with the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19, arguing that the man has natural immunity and doesnt need the vaccine. Several studies, including a landmark research paper from Israeli researchers in late August, have found that natural immunity provides robust and long-term protection against the CCP virus, and in some cases, its superior to the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. My client is not a conspiracy theorist, Rosen said. He has concerns about the vaccine. Hes heard about side effects. He once had a bad reaction to a flu vaccine. This judge must feel that 80 million Americans who arent vaccinated are placing their children at imminent risk of harm and, therefore, the courts should intervene and remove those children from their parents. This is an absurd position to take. Evan Schein, the mothers lawyer, praised the judges ruling. Its an incredibly important one that highlights the extraordinary times we are living in and reinforces that a childs best interests are paramount, Schein told the Post. In September, Schein had raised concerns about the fathers vaccination status. Cooper then claimed that inoculation is now a requirement to participate meaningfully in everyday society and pointed to controversial vaccine mandates for various professions. New York mandated earlier in 2021 that people have to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter restaurants, gyms, bars, theaters, and similar businesses. The New York state government recently mandated that health care workers have to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or face suspension, although a federal judge issued a temporary ruling last week allowing the workers to skip the shots if they apply for religious exemptions. Rosen didnt respond to a request for additional comment by press time. North Korean military check point is seen from an observation post on April 11, 2018 in Panmunjom, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) North Korean Spy Infiltrated South Korean Presidential Office for Years: Defector Expert: North Korea won't stop espionage activities in South Korea A former senior military officer in the North Korean spy agency, now a defector, testified recently that a North Korean spy infiltrated the South Korean presidential office for five or six years in the early 1990s, and then returned to North Korea. Wearing sunglasses while on camera, Kim Kuk-song, a Senior Colonel of the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau, told the BBC on Oct. 11 that it took him 30 years to reach the top of North Koreas spy agencies, which are the eyes, ears, and brain of the Supreme Leader. It is not a secret that North Korean spies were sent to South Korea to undergo secret activities such as approaching and hooking in important people in that country. The former military official said that one of his duties was to devise various strategies aimed at getting South Korean intel. Kim Kuk-song dispatched the spies to South Korea on many occasions; among them was a North Korean spy who worked at Cheong Wa Dae, the Presidential Office in South Korea. That happed in the early 1990s. After working for the Blue House [South Koreas Presidential Office] for five to six years, he came back safely and worked at the 314 Liaison Office of the Labor Party, Kim said. I can tell you that North Korean operatives are playing an active role in various civil society organizations as well as important institutions in South Korea. But rank and loyalty do not guarantee your safety in North Korea, he told the BBC. In 2014, Kim fled North Korea and has lived in Seoul ever since, working for South Korea intelligence. Kim explained he became a defector because he was a close associate of the purged Jang Song-thaek. Jang was the uncle (by marriage) of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the countrys No. 2 power figure when Kim Jong-il became ill, and executed by Kim Jong-un in 2013. Kim said he lived a privileged life in North Korea, where Kim Jong-uns aunt gave him a Mercedes and allowed him to travel freely to raise money for North Korean leaders. When Kim Jong-un came to power in 2011, he decided to purge those he considered a threat, including Jang Song-thaek. Kim said he had thought Jang would be exiled to the countryside but was shocked when, while out of the country, he read that Jang had been executed. It was a fatal blow and I was appalled I immediately felt a danger to my life. I knew I could no longer exist in North Korea. Kim then made a decision to flee to South Korea with his family. The BBC said they could not independently confirm Kims claims, but tried to confirm his identity and, where possible, found evidence to corroborate his story. The BBC also contacted the North Korean embassy in London and the delegation in New York but did not receive any response. North Korea is Spying on South Korea as Usual: Expert Yoo Dong-yeol, president of the Korea Institute of Liberal Democracy. (New Tang Dynasty video/ Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Yoo Dong-ryul, president of the Korea Institute of Liberal Democracy, told The Epoch Times that North Korea continues to spy on South Korea as it has done in the past, even though the countries relationship is moving toward reconciliation. Regardless of the political relationship between the North and the South, whether politically close or not, North Korean spy organizations will continuously operate to achieve the regimes goals, Yoo said. Even during a reconciling period, the North exploit the opportunity to spy even more vigorously. Yoo said North Korean spy organizations such as the Reconnaissance General Bureau, the Cultural Exchange Bureau, and the United Front Department would be idle if they were not engaged in spy work. He said that no spies have been caught in South Korea, but these organizations still exist and are active, so there are a lot of North Korean spies in Korea, they just havent been identified. They [North Korean spies] have been operating in Korea for at least 20 years, not just for a day or two, said Yoo, adding those spies are active in political circles for roping some party members in, and have been conducting typical espionage activities, especially in Chungbuk. Chungbuk is a province in South Korea. But North Korea doesnt just draw in anyone, it investigates them beforehand. The spies judge whether the person is valuable to be tapped, they name the process as developing talents, said Yoo. The information is then cross-referenced to other spy networks, which then determine whether to buy the person as a spy after confirmation. According to Yoo, before the 1990s, North Korean spies would hide the fact that they were from North Korea, but from the mid-1990s on, they would identify themselves and then approach and draw the opponent in. In the past, Yoo said, North Korean spies infiltrated the South for military purposes, stealing military secrets and drawing in specific people. Now the spies mission is broader and many spies, especially some fake defectors, enter directly into the political circle. More than 30,000 defectors have entered South Korea, and among them are many spies disguised as defectors who entered Korea legally Yoo added. North Korea Continues Espionage Activities to Maintain Regime Yoo said the reason for North Koreas continued spying on South Korea is to maintain its regime. The goal of the Kim regime is to take over South Korea and unify the entire Korean peninsula, which is already declared in a chapter of the South Korean Labor Party. This was the goal of the South Korean Labor Partyit dispatches spies southward, and call it the decisive period. What is the decisive period? Its a period of non-forceful unification, Yoo said. If South Korea had not yet been communized, then North Korea would never stop its espionage activities, and it is not possible to stop it. It is very difficult to catch a spy, especially under the Moon Jae-in administration. The current president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, has been adopting a policy of friendship between North and South Korea since he came to power, and for improving North-South relations, the president even caters to North Korea. The people of our country [South Korea] need to truly distinguish Kim Jong-uns regime, Yoo said. Yoo cited a public poll showing 70 percent of South Koreans thought Kim Jong-un was a very good person after the Panmunjom Declaration and Pyongyang Joint Declaration, which are regarded as milestones of a friendly relationship between North-South Korea in recent years. But it is absolutely wrong, Yoo said. The Panmunjom Declaration was adopted on April 27, 2018, and the Pyongyang Joint Declaration was made in September 2018, as agreed to by Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un. It is wrong for the Korean people to think that North Korea will not send any more spies during the reconciliation between the North and South, Yoo said. The Kim Jong-un regime is a violent regime, Yoo said, Kim Jong-un could kill his uncle and his half-brother Kim Jong-nam; Kim is persecuting the human rights of the Korean people, which is the essence of a tyrannical regime. Yeonjae Lee contributed to this article One Killed, Several Wounded in Shooting on Grambling State University Campus One person was killed and seven others were wounded on Sunday morning in the second shooting at Grambling State University, Louisiana, in four days, officials said. According to a news release from the university, the on-campus shooting took place at around 1 a.m. on Sunday. Multiple shots were fired in the quad area of campus, according to the statement. The individual who was fatally shot wasnt a student, and among the seven wounded, one is a student who was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. At this point, we have no suspect information for this shooting, Louisiana State Police Master Trooper Michael Reichardt said, CNN reported. Our investigators are doing everything they can. Reichardt added that the motive behind the attack is unknown. Grambling State University President Rick Gallot told reporters during a press briefing on Sunday that the shooting occurred near a dining facility where a homecoming breakfast was being prepared, adding that he believes the attack was unrelated. The campus-sanctioned event was 100 yards away from where this happened, he said, adding: Why would someone come to campus and commit an act of violence? Our campus community has worked tirelessly to keep our students and others safe for the homecoming activities. Yet with all of our planning and coordination with our local, parish, regional and state law enforcement partners, we still find ourselves grieving the loss of life and injuries just as too many communities in our country have experienced as well. Why would someone come to the campus of our Dear Ole Grambling and shoot innocent people? Gallot said in a statement prior to the press conference. The university has imposed a curfew from 9:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice, and canceled classes on Monday and Tuesday. The shooting incident comes after one person was fatally shot and three others were injured in a separate on-campus attack on Wednesday morning in front of the student union building. The university in a press release said that the gunfire involved two people who were not students, while two students sustained non-life-threatening injuries. A temporary shelter-in-place order was imposed by the university for students until authorities cleared the scene. While Grambling State students were not seriously injured, we certainly offer our condolences to the family of the deceased, Gallot said on Wednesday. The university added that it planned to ramp up its security on campus after the incident. Louisiana State Police said in a news release on Sunday evening that Jatavious Carroll, 18, was named a suspect in Wednesdays shooting, but he has not yet been taken into custody. Both on-campus shootings are being probed by the department, it said, adding that both incidents are believed to be unrelated. Previously, in October 2017, a student and his friend were fatally shot at the university after an altercation that began between two dorms. Grambling State University is a historically black university in northern Louisiana with an enrollment of nearly 5,000 students. Anyone with information related to the shooting on Sunday is asked to contact the Louisiana State Police at 318-345-0000 or 318-374-2222. One Nation, Divisible Commentary A nation is defined by the qualities that its citizens have in common. Without common traits and common values, nations could scarcely exist. A group of people that merely happened to gather in one place is a crowd. Even a settled group of disinterested strangers can hardly be called a nation. Nations are made up of people who identify with each other and call each other by the same namethus, for example, we have the English, the Indians, the French, the Haitians, and the Americans. Historically, nations have been defined by a common birth or blood. Nations such as my home country of India are made up of people who have a shared ancestry. They look alike. They eat the same food. They largely have the same mores and memories. There are, of course, some forms of diversity or difference in every nation. India has Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. But Indians of all stripes have much more in common with each other than they do, for instance, with the Chinese or the Rwandans. America is unique in that its a nation not based on birth or blood. Americans come from different countries with different ancestral ways of life. Admittedly, for two centuries most immigrants came from Europe, but now they come predominantly from Asia, Africa, Latin, and South America. Ours is a country whose nationhood cannot depend on a common race or ancestry; it must depend on the values we hold in common. Without common values, citizens arent going to be willing to share their hard-earned money with others less fortunate. Why? Because those others arent like them, have nothing in common with them, are not, so to speak, on the same ship as they are. Why should citizens who have nothing in common risk their lives for one another? Even the notion of democracy collapses, because why should citizens who are in the minority trust that those who are in the majority wont steal their property, deprive them of their rights, or tyrannize them in myriad ways? My reason for saying all thisin my view, stating the obviousis that American society and American culture are currently awash in the doctrines of identity politics, accompanied by its corollary themes of critical race theory (CRT) and the nostrums of the 1619 Project. The basic thrust here is that we are defined by our race, our gender, and our sexual orientations and preferences. Every American, by this measure, either belongs to the society of victims or the society of oppressors. Some people, admittedly, are oppressed two or three or many times over. There are twofers, threefers, and even fourfers. So theres a hierarchy within the field of victimology. The technical term for this is intersectionality. Being oppressed for being black is impressive, but being oppressed for being black and female is better still, and being oppressed for being black, female, and gay puts you at the top of the victims totem pole. By contrast, everyone who is white is an oppressor. Everyone who is white and male is doubly guilty. And everyone who is white, male, and heterosexual is the worst of the worst. This might seem startling enough, but even more startling is the idea that theres no way to get out of these categories. No matter how repentant you might be for being white, male, and heterosexual, you have no choice but to remain in the reviled oppressor category. You must pay, and your victims must receive, not just now but always; guilt without end. What Im getting at here is that identity politics, CRT, and the 1619 Project are all based on a strategy of social division. Division here isnt an accidental result of these ideologies, but is the strategy employed by these ideologies to achieve their goals. Without division, identity politics would completely break down and lose its raison detre. We can see this by identifying the source of contemporary identity politics, which is early 20th-century Marxism. Marxism, too, is rooted in division. Marx divided society into the oppressors and the oppressed. His was a class division: The oppressors were the capitalist class, and the oppressed were members of the working class. The whole Marxist paradigm was based on setting the two classes against each other, ending, Marx hoped, in the triumph of the class at the bottom over the class at the top. While Marxism merely sought to create a single division within society, howevera class divisionidentity politics takes the Marxist strategy much further. Identity politics, as championed on the political left, seeks to divide society not just in one way but in multiple ways: not just rich against poor, but also black against white, male against female, and straight against gay. If America goes all the way down this road, the result would be a deeply fractured society made up of angry, bitter, reviled oppressors and even angrier, more bitter, and accusatory victims. I place these terms in quotation marks because were not dealing with genuine oppressors any more than were dealing with genuine victims. The oppressors havent done anything harmful to the victims. Rather, the victims have tagged and stigmatized the oppressors merely for belonging to historically privileged or successful groups. Jews, for example, are oppressors because theyre wealthier as a group than, say, Puerto Ricans; Asian Americans are oppressors because they score higher on math tests than blacks and Latinos. The whole project of identity politics is a farce and a disgrace. Its morally and intellectually embarrassing to classify people in this way. It has nothing to do with social justice. So nothing productive is being accomplished, while great harm is being done. The great harm is to fray, perhaps irreparably, the bonds of a society that has nothing but its shared values to hold it together. Once those bonds break, America might still exist in name, or as a piece of land, but it will cease to exist as a nation. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A member of Wisconsin's Electoral College casts their vote for the presidential election at the state Capitol in Madison, Wis, on Dec. 14, 2020. (Morry Gash/Pool/Getty Images) Our Quadrennial National Convention: The Electoral College Commentary The United States has sponsored a constitutionally authorized national convention every four years since the founding of the Republic. All these conventions have done their jobs and honored their assigned agendas. Alarmists who claim a federal amendments convention would rage uncontrolled should remember the success of our quadrennial national conventions. We call them, collectively, the Electoral College. This column explores the place of the Electoral College in the constitutional structure. It also examines some of its lesser-known characteristics. The Electoral College is the middle tier in a three-tier presidential election system. The tiers are as follows: State appointment of presidential electors in the manner directed by the state legislatures. All state legislatures have delegated this choice to the voters at large. Election of the president and vice president by a majority vote of the presidential electors. If no one receives a majority of electors (and this is very rare), a run-off election in the House of Representatives for president and in the Senate for vice president. The Electoral College is one of several entities to which the U.S. Constitution assigns special and limited responsibilitiesthat is, responsibilities other than the usual legislative, executive, and judicial duties. The courts call these special responsibilities federal functions (pdf). Among the entities exercising federal functions are the following: Congress acting without the president, the House of Representatives acting alone, the Senate acting alone, the states, governors acting alone, state legislatures acting with or without their governors, in-state ratifying conventions, federal proposing conventions, and federal trial juries, and grand juries. Examine the three-tier election system outlined above. It includes several federal functions: The states appoint electors; the state legislatures direct the Manner of appointment (Article II, Section 1); the electors choose the president and, if necessary, vice president; the House of Representatives conducts a run-off for president; the Senate conducts the run-off for vice president (Amendment XII). When delegating federal functions to particular entities, the Framers usually chose known institutions. For example, the Anglo-American trial jury was very old. Everyone knew it had 12 members, its decisions had to be unanimous, and so forth (pdf). Similarly, everyone understood the nature of state legislatures, state conventions, and federal conventions of states. The Supreme Court is guided by those understandings. By contrast, no existing institution seemed to meet the countrys needs for presidential election. If Congress or the states chose the president, he might be too dependent on those who chose him. If the people chose him directly, the election might be marred by mob behavior and other deficiencies. There were many other problems as well, and Ive detailed them in an earlier column. So the Framers created the Electoral College almost from scratch. To be sure, they did have a few indirect-election models to learn from. The Scots picked their representatives to the British Parliament through locally chosen commissioners. The Holy Roman Empire elected its emperor indirectly. Maryland voters elected electors who in turn elected their state senators. But because of the unique needs of the United States, none of these models was entirely satisfactory. So the founding generationthat is, the Framers, the ratifiers, and the authors of the 12th Amendment (1804)created an electoral assembly with distinctive features: First, like a federal juror or convention delegate, a presidential elector holds neither a state nor a federal office. Moreover, the Constitution prescribes that no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector. (Article II, Section 1, Clause 2). Second, like nearly all other conventions, the Electoral College is assigned a limited agenda in advance. That agenda is to cast ballots for the president and vice president. Nothing more. Third, unlike other conventions, the Electoral College has both in-state and interstate characteristics. Its a classic example of the Constitutions blending of national and federal features of the sort James Madison celebrated in Federalist No. 39. Electors are chosen individually and they meet in the state capital, as is true of state conventions. But each states tally is aggregated with those from other states, as in federal conventions. Furthermore, Electoral College votes are allocated neither entirely by population, as in-state conventions, nor entirely by state, as in federal conventions. The allocation is a compromise. More populous states have more electors than less populous ones, but every state has at least three. Finally, the systems creators recognized that those choosing electors could instruct themjust as they instructed convention delegates. Yet the creators also believed that when it came time to vote, electors could exercise discretion. In this respect, electors would be like state convention delegates. But they would be unlike federal convention commissioners, who could be told exactly how to vote and recalled if necessary. Last year, however, the Supreme Court decided that states may bind electors to vote exactly as directed. In this respect, electors are now more like commissioners at a convention of the states than like state convention delegates (pdf). The baseless argument that a national convention can do anything has never had any force with the national convention known as the Electoral College. To my knowledge, no elector has ever claimed he or she had any power whatsoever beyond the prescribed agenda of electing a president and vice president. This is not for lack of opportunity. Although the Constitution requires that electors meet in their respective state capitals rather than in one place, for the last 150 years, electors in different states have been able to communicate electronically. Still, none ever has varied from the limited agenda of voting for president and vice president. A very respectable record. Robert G. Natelson served as a law professor for 25 years and is senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at Colorados Independence Institute. He is the author of The Original Constitution: What It Actually Said and Meant (3rd edition, 2015) and was the principal architect of a brief cited by Justice Elena Kagan in the 2020 electors case. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Victorian police maintain a heavy presence outside the Melbourne Magistrates Court in Victoria, Australia, on Apr. 3, 2006. (William West/AFP via Getty Images) Over 40 Police in Australian State Suspended After Refusing Vaccine More than 40 police staffers in the Australian state of Victoria have been suspended and could lose their jobs after refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Victoria Police confirmed that 34 police officers and nine protective services officers didnt comply with the states vaccination order for all authorised workers, issued by Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton and Chief Commissioner Shane Patton, the Herald Sun reported. Those officers have been referred to the Professional Standards Command for failing to follow the chiefs instructions and will face disciplinary actionincluding potential dismissal. Currently, they have been suspended and have been directed to take accrued leave. The police union, the Police Association, supports mandatory vaccinations. The move comes after the deadline passed for all authorised workers in Victoria to receive one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which was Oct. 15. The deadline for the second dose is Nov. 26. The sweeping edict from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews encompassed a wide range of occupations, including retail workers, personal trainers, journalists, lawyers, actors, and police. Andrews estimated it would affect 1.25 million individuals in the state. This is critically important to keep the case numbers down so that we can open up on Oct. 26, get our freedom back, get the economy going again, and deliver the national plan, he told reporters on Oct. 1. The latest move comes after two Victorian police officers resigned publicly from the force after having to enforce the states tough government-mandated health restrictions. My personal beliefs about what I believe to be right and ethical appear to be at complete odds with the organisation, Craig Backman, a former senior constable, said in a Facebook post on Oct. 12. How can I possibly reconcile myself with working for an organisation that is involved with the enforcement of the removal of human rights? While on Oct. 8, former Acting Senior Sergeant Krystle Mitchell, who was on the police force for 16 years, said that while she was happy working for the force every day, behind that is all of my friends that are police officers, that are working the front line and are suffering every day enforcing [the Victorian chief health officers] directions that a vast majority, or certainly a great majority, dont believe in and dont want to enforce. The consequences of me being here today is that I will be resigning from Victoria Police, effective at the end of this interview, because the consequences of me coming out publicly would be dismissal, she told the Discernable media studio. Victorias capital, Melbourne, has broken the world record for the city enduring the most days under lockdown, eclipsing the previous record of 245 days held by Buenos Aires on Oct. 3. The economic and psychological toll has been immense, with increased protests breaking out in the city and incidents of police heavy-handedness coming to light. AAP contributed to this report. A woman holds her 8-month-old son while casting her vote at the Trucksville United Methodist Church polling station during the 2018 Pennsylvania Primary Election in Trucksville, Pa., on May 15, 2018. (Mark Makela/Getty Images) Pennsylvania Has Fewest Registered Democrats in a Decade And Other Findings from Voter Registrations Monday was the last day to register to vote in Pennsylvanias Nov. 2 general election. As of Monday afternoon, Pennsylvania had 3,417,781 registered Republicans and 4,024,275 registered Democrats. That is the lowest number of registered Pennsylvania Democrats in a decade. Registered Democratic voters peaked in 2012 during the Barrack Obama vs. Mitt Romney presidential race, then numbering 4,266,317. Compared to today, there are 242,042 fewer Democratic voters registered for Nov. 2. Pennsylvanias registered Democrats have historically outnumbered Republicans, but since 2011 the gap between Democratic and Republican voters has diminished, with Republican voters gaining ground in small bites. Over the last 10 years, 2020 saw the highest number of registered Pennsylvania Republican voters at 3,543,070. The 2021 voter registration numbers show the smallest spread between the parties in at least a decade; there are 606,494 more Democratic voters than Republicans. It means that to prevail, statewide candidates will have to work hard to earn the support of about half of Pennsylvanias 1,277,817 unaffiliated and third party registered voters. These voters have become more powerful in recent years as their numbers have been outpacing the gap between Democrats and Republicans. By comparison, in 2012, there were 4,140,374 registered Democratic voters and 3,027,312 Republicans, that is, 1,113,062 more registered Democrats than Republicans. That year, unaffiliated and third party registered voters numbered 1,000,559. With 112,503 fewer voters than the main parties, candidates could focus on pleasing their own party and didnt have to think as much about which way these swing voters would sway. Important Local Races Voter registration numbers show the age of voters in both main parties are spread broadly across all age groups, spanning from 1875, but registered Democrats skew younger than Republicans. Of the current registered Republicans, the majority, 21 percent, are in the 5574 age group. Of registered Democrats, the majority, 18 percent, are age 2534. These statewide trends matter most in statewide races. This year, Pennsylvanias only statewide races are: one seat each for Justice of the Supreme Court and Judge of the Superior Court, and two seats for Judge of the Commonwealth Court. Each is a 10-year term. Voters traditionally rush to the polls in large numbers for presidential elections but low voter turnout is the norm for other years. Because of that, many elections of consequence are decided by just a handful of voters. Across Pennsylvania, school board members who will have a say in curriculum, school policies, and property tax rates are on the ballots, along with municipal leaders in small boroughs and large cities. Some of these races are creating interest and may bring out more voters than usual. In Philadelphia, Democratic District Attorney Larry Krasner faces long-time criminal defense attorney Republican Chuck Peruto. Under Krasner, the Philadelphia crime rate has soared. In 2016, the city saw 277 murders. As of Oct. 17, 2021, there have been 438 murders in 2021. In Pittsburgh, voters are certain to get new leadership. Current Mayor Bill Peduto lost in the primary to Democratic state Rep. Edward Gainey who faces retired Pittsburgh police officer Tony Moreno, a Republican. Appearing on the Harrisburg ballot are Democratic candidate Wanda R. D. Williams, the Harrisburg city council president, and Republican Timothy Rowbottom, who has been criticized for his views of the LGBT community after he posted on social media that he removed his daughter from public school because many of her school friends were lesbian or bisexual, and she thought she may be bisexual. Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse lost in the primary, so he wont be on the ballot, but he is asking voters to support his write-in campaign. Papenfuse last week pitched spending $13 million in American Rescue Plan funds on rebuilding two city pools for racial equity and mentioned a plan to provide citizens with a guaranteed income program. In 2020, total registered Pennsylvania voters 9,090,962were the highest in a decade. For 2021, there are 8,719,837 registered voters and it is worth noting that not every registered voter casts a vote. Pennsylvanias population is 13.1 million, including non-citizens of the U.S. and people under 18 who are not eligible to vote. The total percentage of the state population who will choose leadership for everyone on Nov. 2 remains to be seen. Andrew Giuliani speaks at rally against vaccine mandates outside Gracie Mansion on August 15, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times) North Carolina Police Officers and Firefighters Face Off With City of Raleigh on Vaccine Mandates A group of 118 police officers, firefighters, and other city employees have banded together to form the City of Raleigh Freedom to Choose (CRFC) coalition to challenge the citys vaccine mandates for employees. CRFC is represented by James Lawrence of Envisage Law. In an Oct. 11 letter addressed to Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin and other city officials, Lawrence gave a deadline of Oct. 23 for the city to respond to a request for the mandate to be lifted or revised, or face litigation. The mandate itself suffers from a variety of procedural, statutory, and constitutional problems, Lawrence said, citing discrimination between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated as its predominant issue. Lawrence referred to a January city ordinance the Raleigh City Council enacted that stated the city will not tolerate illegal discrimination and encourages its corporate community partners to oppose discrimination in all forms. City Policy On Sept. 17, the city began requiring its employees to be vaccinated from the CCP (Chinese Community Party) virus or be subjected to weekly testing until Wake Countys positivity rate is less than 5 percent and there is no significant or high community transmission. The city offered $250 and two days of bonus leave to employees who were vaccinated by the citys deadline. Unvaccinated employees who undergo weekly testing are not eligible for promotion unless they get vaccinated by Dec. 31. Seventy-eight percent of the 4,000 city employees are vaccinated. Since there is no written policy on the mandate, Lawrence said he had to construct the details from a review of a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), in which he found three areas of discrimination: testing, pay and leave, and career development. Though the city acknowledges that vaccinated employees can contract and spread COVID-19, Lawrence said, unvaccinated employees are nevertheless still required to be tested, while vaccinated employees are exempt. At the same time, the city appears to dismiss natural immunity to COVID-19, he said. Employees who have recovered from COVID-19 must be tested weekly, while vaccinated employees, even if those employees lack antibodies, arent required to be tested, he said. The $250 bonus with two days of paid leave for the vaccinated but not the vaccinated and the denial of promotions to unvaccinated employees is also discriminatory, Lawrence said. Inconsistencies Of the inconsistencies, Lawrence questioned the citys progressive discipline policy of requiring an unvaccinated employee to continue to report to work for five weeks even if he or she refuses the weekly testing. In its FAQ, the intent is to provide an opportunity to correct behaviors or performance. The citys justification for this policy is noteworthy, Lawrence said. The city does not muster a shred of science or data in support of it. What the city offers instead is its bald, unreasoned expectation that employees will either get vaccinated or submit to testing. But that is speculative. One must ask, Lawrence said, what is happening during the three weeks before being sent home. Is SARS-CoV-2 less likely to spread in the workplace because the virus knows the non-compliant employee is in the progressive discipline process? Lawrence asked. Are non-compliant employees less likely to spread COVID-19 to the public? Would these disobedient employees not be safer at home? CRFC is left to speculate. North Carolina Genetic Information Act Another defect of the policy, Lawrence said, is its violation of the North Carolina Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, which states that an employer cant deny or refuse employment to any person or discharge any person from employment on account of the persons having requested genetic testing or counseling services, or on the basis of genetic information obtained concerning the person or a member of the persons family. The statute defines genetic information as information about genes, gene products, or inherited characteristics that may derive from an individual or a family member, Lawrence said. Proteins, to include vaccines produced by the COVID-19 vaccines, are gene products, Lawrence said. There is no shortage of scientific authority on this fundamental point of biology. Because the citys mandate is based on if employees have vaccine-induced gene products, or spike proteins, Lawrence said that the classification alone is being used to discriminate against the employee based on his or her genetic information. Constructive Discharge The mandate also violates a statute that prohibits constructive discharge in which an employer creates intolerable conditions for the employee resulting in the employee quitting. Here, the city shifts all the cost and burden of testing onto employees, who must get tested on their own time and at their own expense, Lawrence said. At the same time, the city also effectively blocks unvaccinated employees from any promotional or advancement opportunities. Among others, the mandate also violates the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and it contains significant state and federal constitutional problems. A communications spokesperson for the city of Raleigh said the city wont comment on the letter. Police Officers Selfie Photobombed by Smiling Alligator Stuck in Storm Drain in Florida Where else but in Florida? A Palm Bay police officer with a passion for wildlife managed to snap a selfie with a smiling alligator when she was called about the reptile being trapped in a concrete storm drain. Officer Woronka, 39, was called to the neighborhood on Edgewood Drive in the early morning of Sept. 23. But she saw it as a photo opportunity and took the selfie with the gatorwhich the department then posted on Facebook. They captioned: When youre just trying to take a normal sewer selfie and you get photobombed. (At least he smiled ) The theory is that this fella probably found his way into the sewer drain and got himself stuck pretty good. Palm Bay PD Dispatch called FWC who sent out a trapper to safely remove our new friend. The PBPD added: Never approach or feed a gator, to report nuisance alligators call: 866-FWC-Gator and No animals (or officers) were harmed in the making of this photo. #YesItsReal #WelcomeToFlorida Officer Woronka, a Floridian born and raised, has always adored alligators; though she has a healthy respect for the powerful reptiles. Knowing he was stuck, we called a trapper and waited for his arrival as it was earlier in the morning and did not want any children going to school to get hurt, she told The Epoch Times. Although she said alligators are one of her favorite animals, shes quick to caution others to play it safe rather than be sorry. Please do not approach any animal you are not familiar with, especially a wild animal, she told the newspaper. But, with that, please enjoy and appreciate animals. They are such a gift to us humans! 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 Polish Spending on Energy Subsidies Could Top $1 Billion in 2022, Says PM WARSAWPolish energy subsidies for consumers could amount to as much as 3 billion-5 billion zlotys ($763 million-$1.27 billion) in 2022, Polands prime minister said on Friday, adding that the government planned to allocate at least 1.5 billion to help households cope with rising prices. Benchmark European gas prices have rocketed as tight supply has collided with high demand in economies recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing up wholesale electricity costs. read more Next year we plan to allocate at least 1.5 billion zlotys to energy subsidies In our calculations and assumptions for next years budget we allow for expenditure of even 3-5 billion zlotys, Mateusz Morawiecki said during a Q&A session streamed on Facebook. Climate Minister Michal Kurtyka told Polish public radio earlier on Friday that the government was proposing to spend 1.5 billion zlotys and that this would cover 2.6 million households. The aim is to support Polands poorest households and could come to 700 zlotys a year for a household of four, Kurtyka said. By Joanna Plucinska, Alan Charlish and Pawel Florkiewicz Queensland Plan to Open Borders Before Christmas Locked In Australias sunshine state will reopen its borders by mid-December even if its 80 percent fully vaccinated target is not reached. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk unveiled the states new roadmap on Oct. 18 saying that it was good news and fundamental for families to be reunited for Christmas. We know that the world is a big place and there are families across Australia and there are families across the world and people have been telling me how they missed seeing their uncles, their aunts, their mothers, their fathers, their children, Palaszczuk told reporters on Oct. 18. BREAKING: Today were releasing a plan for Queensland borders. Travel restrictions will ease when 70% and 80% of eligible Queenslanders are fully vaccinated.#covid19 pic.twitter.com/4PANA1CBjF Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 18, 2021 Under the roadmap, Nov. 19 is the expected date Queensland will reach 70 percent of its eligible population fully vaccinated. Arrivals from interstate hotspots such as Sydney or Melbourne will be allowed in if they are fully vaccinated, and must arrive by air. They must also have returned a negative COVID-19 test in the previous 72 hours, and spend 14 days in-home quarantine. A month later on Dec. 17, when 80 percent of eligible Queenslanders are expected to be fully vaccinated, fully vaccinated arrivals will be allowed in by road and by air, without having to quarantine. However, they must still return a negative test within 72 hours. Furthermore, international arrivals who are fully vaccinated will undergo two weeks of home quarantine, if the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee agrees with the plan. Palaszczuk said the Dec. 17 date was locked in, indicating the second stage of the reopening will proceed even if the 80 percent target isnt achieved. She added that the reopening plan could occur earlier if the vaccination thresholds are met before the dates listed. Then, once 90 percent of Queenslanders over the age of 16 have been fully vaccinated, there will be no entry restrictions or quarantine requirements for any travellers, regardless of whether theyve come from interstate or overseas. This includes unvaccinated travellers who will still need to quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in the state. This is really important that we unite Queenslanders but we do it in the safest way. We are going to try to minimise the risk and there are key steps along the path, Palaszczuk said. Palaszczuk added that the roadmap was measured and cautious, and the state government will now focus on getting more Queenslanders vaccinated by Dec. 17. Currently, regional areas of the state were behind Brisbane when it came to vaccination rates, Palaszczuk said, and added that another vaccination blitz would be launched to increase jab rates. Queenslands Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young told reporters on Oct. 18 that worst-case scenario modelling shows Queensland could see up to 1200 cases per day once it was fully opened, but that the hospital system had the capacity to deal with the potential surge in COVID-19 cases. Queensland treasurer Cameron Dick added that the days of zero COVID for Queensland will soon come to an end, and another incentive for communities to get vaccinated was that federal funding for businesses forced into lockdown would cease once the 80 percent target is reached. This comes as Australias two most populous states, NSW and Victoria, announced plans to scrap hotel quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers from November. Currently, 72.2 percent of eligible Queenslanders have had one dose of a vaccine, and 56.6 percent are fully vaccinated. On Oct. 18, Queensland reported zero new COVID-19 cases, and has 25 active cases. AAP contributed to this report. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) listens to testimony in Washington on May 12, 2020. (Toni L. Sandys/AFP via Getty Images) Republican Senator Calls for Cognition Tests for Older Government Leaders Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) has called for cognitive tests for older leaders in all three branches of the American government. Cassidy, also a physician, expressed his support for the testing during an Axios on HBO interview that aired Sunday on the network. Im told that there have been senators in the past who, at the end of their Senate terms were senile, Cassidy said. Im told that was true of senators of both parties. We each have a sacred responsibility to the people of the United States. It is not about me. It is about my ability to serve the people, the senator later added. The report comes as an increasing number of Americas top political leaders and Supreme Court justices serve at older ages. For example, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, the oldest justice on the court, recently celebrated his 83rd birthday. A June report by The Washington Post noted the current Senate is the oldest in American history. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is the oldest at 88 years of age. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is 87. Three other current senators are more than 80 years. Twenty-three additional senators are in their 70s. In the House, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) continues to serve at 88 years of age. He is followed by Rep. Eddie Johnson (D-Texas) at 85. The executive branch has also reached new records regarding age. President Joe Biden was the oldest incumbent president ever elected to office at 77. He took office after his birthday at 78 years old. If he served two full terms, he would remain in office until the age of 86. In June, former White House physician Ronny Jackson joined a letter with 13 GOP congress members to challenge Biden to take a test to prove his cognitive state following concerns regarding his cognitive state. The American people deserve to have absolute confidence in their President, the letter (pdf) said. They deserve to know that he or she can perform the duties of Head of State and Commander in Chief. They deserve full transparency on the mental capabilities of their highest elected leader. To achieve this, we urge you to submit to a cognitive test immediately. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during Thursdays daily news briefing the president will undergo a physical examination soon. Psaki did not announce a specific date. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart following their meeting in Moscow on Oct. 6, 2021. (Kirill KudryavtsevI/POOL via Getty Images) Russia Suspends Its Mission at NATO in Response to Expulsion of Diplomats Russia said it will suspend its permanent mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Monday in retaliation to the Western military alliances expulsion of eight Russian diplomats. Sergei Lavrov, the countrys foreign minister, said at a news conference that the suspension of the Russian Permanent Mission to NATO could come into effect as early as next month and is a result of NATOs actions. As a result of NATOs deliberate moves, we have practically no conditions for elementary diplomatic work and in response to NATOs actions, we suspend the work of our permanent mission to NATO, including the work of the chief military envoy, probably from Nov. 1, or maybe it will take a couple more days, Lavrov said. Lavrov added that NATO members who have any emergency business can still contact our ambassador in Belgium on these questions, as the alliances office in Moscow, the nations capital, will be closed. NATO said on Monday it has taken into account Lavrovs comments on the mutual suspension of diplomatic missions, noting that it hasnt received any official communication about the matter. We have taken note of Minister Lavrovs comments to the media, however, we have not received any official communication on the issues he raised, the NATO Press Office told news agency TASS in a request to comment on Lavrovs statement. On Oct. 6, NATO expelled eight members of Russias mission to the military alliance after accusing them of engaging in espionage, while also having the size of Moscows team able to work at its headquarters reduced from 20 to 10. The Kremlin has dismissed the accusations. Lavrov said that NATOs actions have confirmed that it isnt interested in any kind of equal dialogue or joint work, adding that we dont see any need to keep pretending that there could be any shift in the foreseeable future. The Russian Permanent Mission isnt based at NATOs headquarters, but in a leafy neighborhood in the south of the Belgian capital of Brussels. NATO suspended practical cooperation with Russia in 2014 after it annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula, but has kept channels open for high-level meetings and for military-to-military cooperation. But the NATO-Russia Council, their preferred forum, has only met sporadically since then. Amid a strain in ties, Moscow has repeatedly voiced concerns over the deployment of NATO forces near Russian borders, describing it as a threat to its security. Russia and the alliance also have blamed each other for conducting destabilizing military exercises near the borders. The Associated Press contributed to this report. From NTD News Former Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten holds a photograph of Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop with Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo during House of Representatives Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra on June 14, 2017. (Lukas Coch/AAP Image) Sanction CCP-Linked Billionaires Huang Xiangmo case in Australia illustrates risks and solution Commentary Hong Kongs political reward to billionaire Huang Xiangmo, an alleged agent of Chinese influence previously active in Australia, indicates a need for tougher laws in democracies. As Hong Kong strikes 97 percent of its voters from its voting registers and devolves into a satrapy of Beijing, it has rewarded Huang a top political post. He is apparently a darling of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), having been vetted by the Chinese regime to sit on Hong Kongs powerful election committee as the city loses any semblance of fair elections. Nick McKenzie of the Sydney Morning Herald wrote a scathing article about the development. Huang reportedly supports the principle of patriots ruling Hong Kong. Chief Executive Carrie Lam also supports the principle, which in context sounds like code for pro-Beijing interests ruling the Fragrant Harbor. McKenzie noted that Mr Huangs election to the Hong Kong election committee last month is the strongest indication yet of his unwavering commitment to the Chinese Communist Party and its aims of asserting influence and control. The Herald also asserted that the election of Huang indicates that Beijing is rewarding figures who have been labelled agents of influence and expelled by other nations. Huangs links to the CCP are especially raw in Australia, which reportedly cancelled Huangs passport, application for Australian citizenship, and permanent residency in 2019 for a range of reasons, including character grounds and the reliability of his answers to Australian authorities. At the time, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Mr Huang rose to prominence through his prolific political fundraising and networking, his funding of former foreign minister Bob Carrs Sydney think tank, the Australia-China Relations Institute, and his role as chairman of the Chinese Communist Partys top influence group in Australia. In a 2019 interview published in the ultra-nationalist CCP-controlled Global Times, Huang said: There are only two reasons that are comparatively clearly stated [for the Australian denial of Huangs citizenship application]. First, I was previously the chairman of the Australian Council for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China (ACPPRC) and I am currently chairman of the Oceanic Alliance of Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China (OAPPRC). Second, I have business and family ties in China. Former Australian Labor Partys Senator and former General Secretary of the Labor Party in NSW Sam Dastyari revealed the way that Huang tried to influence him. (William West/AFP/Getty Images) Huang reportedly donated $2.7 million to political parties in Australia prior to his visa cancellation, with the New South Wales government examining allegations in 2015 of secret donations. According to the Herald, Huang was subjected to an adverse ASIO assessment in 2018 after allegations of covertly seeking to influence Australian politics by drawing close to ministers of parliament. In the 2019 interview, Huang implied that he donated in part for racial reasons. He said: As for my consideration for agreeing to donate, I admit it partly comes from the Chinese habit of treating other people in a nice manner and not accustomed to saying no. But more importantly, I hope to promote Chinese peoples legal involvement in politics. Huang claimed in the interview that Australia was at an early stage of development. The history of Australia has determined the innate characteristics of a giant baby, he said. This is an objective fact and it does not mean Australia has to feel inferior. The growth of a giant baby takes time, and Australia still has a long way to go. I fully understand this. Australia is a beautiful country. The Chinese are one of the earliest builders of this country and a part of this country that cannot be separated. While democracies like Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (which together make up the new AUKUS alliance) thrive through the cultural and ethnic diversity of their populations, including their Chinese and other Asian populations, that does not extend to billionaires, like Huang, who are too close to the CCP and wield extensive political power through their economic wealth. AUKUS should take its alliance to the next level by sanctioning billionaires, without respect to race or nationality, who are too close to the CCP, and who use their wealth in a manner that leads to outsized academic, media, think tank, financial, or political influence. This would include billionaires like Mike Bloomberg, Stephen Schwarzman, Larry Fink, and Ronnie Chan, who together support a range of entities in the United States that tend to be soft on the CCP. The Bloomberg financial information business in China has gotten significant revenues from China, and Bloomberg himself ran for the Democratic nomination in 2020. Schwarzman, who has been called Trumps China whisperer, apparently advised President Donald Trump to moderate his tariffs against China even as it continued its predatory trade practices. According to a government document from early 2021, Finks BlackRock had $255 billion invested in China, more than any other U.S. institutional investor. Chans family foundation donated $350 million to Harvard in 2014, and according to my source, Chan is well known at Harvards public policy school. He is vocally soft on China. The CCPs influence, delivered to elites most potently through the influence of money from other elites, is unconstrained by national boundaries or political partisanship. The solution, through sanctions against the CCPs most powerful influencers, should likewise be unconstrained by party, race, or nationality. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A sign outside a Fire Station welcomes residents back to town after the lifting of the evacuation order at South Lake Tahoe, Calif., on Sept. 6, 2021. (Samuel Metz/AP Photo) SB 9 Rezoning Could Impact High Fire Risk Areas: Firefighter With a significant number of destructive wildfires affecting California in recent years, some residents are questioning the potential effects of new legislation aimed at increasing density in the states single-family-zoned neighborhoods. Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), recently signed by the governor, appears to exclude very high fire hazard severity zones. However, Livable California claims that SB 9s restrictions on development in these fire hazard zones dont apply where fire mitigation standards apply. And those fire mitigation standards are already applied in Chapter 7A of the state Building Code, the organization states. If this is true, the new law could impact high fire severity areas such as Shasta, South Lake Tahoe, Santa Rosa, Oakland, Ventura, Agoura Hills, Malibu, Los Angeles, Ramona, Poway, San Diego, Paradise (already devastated by a recent fire), and others, according to the organization. Los Angeles City firefighter-paramedic John Knox warns that this increased residential development coupled with personnel shortages and lingering drought conditions could create problems in high-evacuation-prone areas. If you apply common sense, its very easy to come to the conclusion that the more people you have in an area, you just have more issues, Knox told The Epoch Times. It doesnt matter whether its fire-related, crime-related, or medical issues, if youre introducing more people into an area, especially one that is already in a high fire danger zone, there are going to be issues, Knox said. You would think that more fire stations would be built to deal with the amount of people that are going to be impacting communities as a result of this legislation, which is obviously going to create increased development and population growth. As reported by The Epoch Times in August, SB 9 makes major changes to zoning requirements in local neighborhoods, allowing for duplexes and lot splits on parcels traditionally zoned for single-family development. Meanwhile, California has been plagued by major fire disasters, and SB9 encourages more housing density. Thats what city planning does, when they look at a new subdivision, city planning gets involved to look at possibly needing to widen roads to accommodate a certain part of the area, or build another fire station. They look at whether there is enough of their municipalitys services to cover certain areas. It doesnt seem that thats being taken into consideration, and so its going to tax the existing system to its max, Knox said. For example, look at downtown Los Angeles, the numbers of calls for Fire Station 9 on Skid Row, which is the busiest fire station in the country. Out of that one fire station alone, they run on average over 100 calls a day. Now lets add the 27 new high-rise commercial and residential buildings currently under construction in that area; its only going to increase that call load. So obviously, if you move more people into an area, youre going to generate an increase in call load. So now youre putting the public at risk because of the increased fire load in that areamore population, more injuries and deaths. Members of the Supreme Court pose for a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, on April 23, 2021. Seated from left: Associate Justice Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Standing from left: Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, and Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett. (Erin Schaff/Pool/Getty Images) Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Police Over Excessive Force Claims The Supreme Court on Oct. 18 ruled in favor of police in two cases in which plaintiffs had argued that officers used excessive force, overturning lower court rulings that allowed law enforcement to be sued over civil rights complaints. In two unsigned (pdf) opinions (pdf), the Supreme Court said that police can be shielded from liabilityoften known as qualified immunityunless its clear to a reasonable officer that their actions were illegal. Specifically, the court ruled in two cases in Oklahoma and California that officers are entitled to qualified immunity, which is a legal doctrine that shields police against civil lawsuits while theyre doing their jobs. The Supreme Court overturned a lower court decision that found that a California officer who had placed his knee on a suspect could face lawsuits. Previously, a lower court decision denied a request from Union City officer Daniel Rivas-Villegas for qualified immunity. Meanwhile, in the Oklahoma case, a lower court had ruled that two officersJosh Girdner and Brandon Vickcould be sued because their actions had allegedly escalated the situation before the fatal shooting of a hammer-wielding man in the city of Tahlequah. The Supreme Court also overturned that previous ruling. On Aug. 12, 2016, Vick and Girdner responded to a womans 911 call saying her ex-husband, 49-year-old Dominic Rollice, was intoxicated in the garage and wouldnt leave. A video released by the Tahlequah police showed the two officers repeatedly asking Rollice to drop a claw hammer he grabbed off the garage wall, before Vick and Girdner shot and killed him, according to The Oklahoman. Later, the state medical examiners office said Rollice had methamphetamine in his system at the time of death. The Wagoner County District Attorneys Office at the time announced it wouldnt file charges against the officers and described the shooting as justified. However, the administrator of Rollices estate filed a lawsuit against Vick and Girdner, claiming they used excessive force and violated the slain mans constitutional rights. The Eastern District of Oklahoma eventually ruled that the officers had qualified immunity. But last December, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a reasonable jury could find facts under which officers Vick and Girdner would not be entitled to qualified immunity. In October of last year, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco reinstated a lawsuit against Rivas-Villegas who had knelt on the back of Ramon Cortesluna as he lay on the ground and was awaiting arrest for allegedly threatening his girlfriend, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Following the death of George Floyd, which sparked nationwide riots and protests, left-wing Democrats in the House argued that the qualified immunity doctrine needed to be ended or revamped. Teenager Arrested After Death of 14-Year-Old at Glasgow Railway Station A teenager has been arrested in connection with the death of a 14-year-old boy. Justin McLaughlin was found seriously injured at High Street railway station in Glasgow at around 3:45 p.m. on Saturday. He was taken to the citys Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Police launched a murder inquiry and said a 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the incident. Officers said inquiries are continuing following the arrest. James McParland, Justins headmaster at St. Ambrose High School in Coatbridge, paid tribute to him, saying: The community of St. Ambrose High School is shocked and saddened by the death of Justin McLaughlin. Justin was a valued member of our community and his loss will be felt by staff and pupils alike. Our prayers and thoughts are with his family and friends, and additional pastoral support will be available to young people within the school on their return on Monday morning. An online Major Incident Public Portal has been set up where witnesses or anyone with information can inform the police. Alternatively, anyone with information can contact Police Scotland by calling 101 and quoting incident number 2280 of Saturday, Oct. 16, while British Transport Police can be contacted by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 394 of 16/10/21. Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111. By Lucinda Cameron The Campus Diversity Menace Comes to Yale Commentary It is increasingly obvious that modern Americans universities, which are less institutions of unfettered intellectual pursuit than they are madrasas of wokeness, to borrow from the Independent Womens Forums Inez Feltscher Stepman, are unsalvageable in most present manifestations. Though there are notable exceptions, many American universities are actually worse than unsalvageable. On-campus debauchery spoils matriculants lingering senses of virtue and propriety, and woke classroom indoctrination and divisive intersectional poison vitiates the mutually interdependent bonds of citizenry without which no people can cohere. As Arthur Milikh soberly concluded in a 2020 National Affairs essay, Preventing Suicide by Higher Education: Universities that spread poisonous doctrines no longer believe in the purpose of the university. Pedagogical and curricular debasement aside, one concrete manifestation of this now-decadeslong corruption has been the engorgement of on-campus administrative bureaucracies tending to all sorts of diversity needs. As Heather Mac Donalds 2018 book The Diversity Delusion helped demonstrate, the core university missionostensibly, to pursue truth and produce citizen-statesmen capable of advancing the national interesthas been steadily undermined by the universitys imbibing of various woke fetishes and diversity diktats like mothers milk. Even holding aside the institutionalized racism of affirmative action, modern diversitycrat commissars rove campus for possible Title VI violations, enforce equitable faculty hiring quotas and more generally seek to police and enforce intersectionalitys hierarchy of alleged victimhood. An eye-opening recent report from The Washington Free Beacons Aaron Sibarium reveals how this cancerous operation can play out in practice. At top-ranked Yale Law School, a second-year student and member of both the Native American Law Students Association and the conservative/libertarian Federalist Society sent an email inviting classmates to an event: We will be christening our very own (soon to be) world-renowned NALSA Trap House by throwing a Constitution Day Bash in collaboration with FedSoc. The student added that the event would include American-themed snacks such as Popeyes chicken and apple pie. Within minutes of the emails mass distribution, the students wokerati classmates were already signaling intense aggrievement. Some immediately concluded, with all the charity of Ebenezer Scrooge, that trap house necessarily connoted a nefarious blackface party. The president of the Black Law Students Association quickly wrote in an online forum available to all second-year Yale Law School students: I guess celebrating whiteness wasnt enough. Yall had to upgrade to cosplay/black face. We have fallen a long way from the stirring peroration of Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address (conveniently available online via Yale Law School) about the imperative to maintain malice toward none and charity for all. If the story were to end there, it would be unfortunate, but hardly newsworthy. But it didnt. Twelve hours after the emails distribution, the student was summoned to the Office of Student Affairs and presented by the law schools associate dean and diversity director with a laundry list of already filed grievances. The diversitycrat, a former Obama White House flunky, lamented how the students affiliation with FedSoc, a very mainstream right-of-center outfit often criticized by frustrated legal conservatives such as this columnist, triggered some classmates. The administrators not-so-subtly hinted that the student could face serious professional consequences, such as not being admitted to the bar association, if he did not apologize. The diversitycrat then drafted herself an apology letter, Soviet-style, and oh-so-kindly offered the student the chance to send the apology in lieu of character-driven rehabilitation. But the key takeaway from this sordid ordeal is how the diversitycrat responded to the students demurring and suggestion to instead let his classmates reach out to him individually: I dont want to make our office look like an ineffective source of resolution. And there lies the rub. The diversitycrats line gives away the entire game, exposing how the very act of mass-hiring professional diversity personnelespecially on campus, but also in the corporate world, where it usually goes under the heading of diversity, equity, and inclusionnecessarily leads, without additional firm guardrails in place, to witch hunts such as this. Commissars expressly hired to police diversity have, by very dint of what their positions necessarily are, built-in incentives to embellish and fabulize stories such as this in order to justify their very existence. The more the on-campus diversitycrat bureaucracy engorges, the more professionals there are who engage in roving inquisitions to seek, Ibram X. Kendi-style, the eradication of any and all wrongthink that may offend intersectional sensibilities. And these professionals must then justify their perches to administrative higher-ups: I dont want to make our office look like an ineffective source of resolution might as well translate to, Help me validate my jobs existence. The great irony is that, at a campus such as Yales, the near-ubiquitous and oppressive leftism means there is sufficient social opprobrium to deter most perceived deviations such as this. On-campus leftists ought to be comforted, in other words, by their own sides ability to self-police the commons. But they wont because the objective is not to win the campus wars. Theyve already done that. The objective is to make the other side feel pain. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Philanthropic Journey of a Chinese Entrepreneur Chinese-born businessman and investor Dong Feng, 57, found himself at a crossroads in 2006 after realizing there is more to life than a successful career and financial freedom. In his early 40s Dong lost a very good friend to suicide, which fundamentally changed the way he viewed the world and his lifes purpose. Fifteen years ago, Dong participated in a Chinese reality show where he learned the importance of giving and helping others. Since then, he has embarked on a new journey, dedicating most of his time to charity projects in China and most recently the United States. Dong spent more than eight months in the reality show in 2006, hiking 6,100 kilometers together with 25 other participants. They walked every day, crossing rivers and mountain ranges, even under extreme weather conditions. He suffered from muscle soreness, joint pain, and blisters and encountered many unwanted surprises including leeches, scorpions, and lice. In a short time, he lost 20 pounds. I learned a lot of things, Dong told The Epoch Times, including how to deal with people, how to manage your emotions and thoughts, and how to stay in tune with nature. Hiking through the Chinese countryside made him understand the huge gap in education between the rural and urban areas of China. At one of the rural schools he visited during the hike, Dong witnessed a conversation between a teacher and a student, which shocked him. The student asked the teacher where people sit on a plane. In the wings, the teacher responded. Upon returning home, Dong joined a rural teacher education project called iFly program founded by Yongyuan Cui, a Chinese TV personality. The rural population in China is over 500 million, and the education in rural areas has been marginalized for a long time, according to Dong. Teachers in poorer parts of China have limited knowledge, resources, and life experience compared to their counterparts in larger cities, he said. In addition, they have very low salaries, usually less than one-fifth of their counterparts in the city. They are not valued, respected or trained enough, resulting in an atmosphere of low morale that is then passed on to the students. Zhaikeqiao primary school in Tielou Village, in rural China. Students of all grades sit in one classroom because there are not enough school buildings and teachers. (Courtesy of Dong Feng) In order to responsibly teach the next generation, Dong noted, teachers need proper training and experience. This was the idea that inspired the iFly program, where hundreds of rural teachers were invited to visit Beijing and Shanghai for ten days every year. Money cannot change people, but offering a unique experience can totally change peoples minds, Dong said. Thanks to the iFly program, teachers experienced many things for the first time in their lives, including flying on a plane, riding on a train, visiting the Great Wall, receiving a physical checkup from a doctor, and watching an opera. The project has inspired many other groups to launch similar programs expanding the reach. Poverty in rural China is one of the results of the nationalization of the land. Every Chinese is a temporary resident and tenant on the land of his ancestors, Dong said. Li Gang, a rural teacher at Zhaikeqiao primary school in Tielou Village, Longnan, China. Hes one of the teachers who participated in iFly program. (Courtesy of Dong Feng). To fundraise for iFly, Dong decided to take another wild adventure in 2014. He cycled from the Northern tip of Japan to the Southern tip, becoming the first Chinese to complete this bike ride. And he blogged his journey to attract donors and supporters. The bike trip took 44 days during which Dong encountered two typhoons and a volcano eruption. From 2007 to 2019, iFly program trained over 3,000 teachers from rural schools, indirectly helping over 100,000 students. The program was halted due to the pandemic. In 2019, Dong moved to the United States to attend a leadership course for Chinese NGOs at Georgetown University for a year, which was sponsored by Daofeng & Angela Foundation, a Maryland based non-profit organization founded by a Chinese philanthropist He Daofeng. During his time at Georgetown University, Dong studied English and learned how to operate a high impact charity organization. This experience has profoundly changed his life. At the end of 2019, I was baptized and became a Christian, he said. Since then, Daofeng has also become a great role model for Dong especially in his charity works. The content of the lectures at Georgetown University changed Dongs values and worldviews, which had been formed by years of brainwashing education in China. Dong was inspired by Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit missionary who introduced Christian teaching to China during the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century. Besides the religion, Ricci also brought European astronomy, geography, and mathematics to China and lived almost half of his life in the country until his death. Due to his atheist education and worldview, Dong initially could not understand Riccis motivation to devote his life to China. His curiosity inspired him to learn more about Christianity. Dong Feng, businessman, investor, and philanthropist with his wife Mengping Chen in Arlington, VA on Sept. 30, 2021. (Emel Akan/The Epoch Times) I found that faith can give people a purpose and energy that cant be summoned by secular beliefs, Dong said. I also started to realize what it means for the United States to be a nation founded on Christianity. In 2019, he co-founded an organization that supports domestic and international evangelical missions and trains missionaries. During the early days of the pandemic, Dong turned his attention to medical supply shortages in the United States and joined an initiative dedicated to procuring masks and medical equipment for the U.S. healthcare workers on the front lines. By July 2020, he and his team managed to procure over 1 million masks from China despite many challenges in supply and shipping. And in early 2021, Dong founded the Bedrock Foundation in Washington, D.C. with a mission to support education. He donated $5 million to the foundation this year. Dong believes that the education system should inherit and defend the traditional values of conservatism, which is the foundation for the United States to remain a lighthouse country and also the support of civilization and the security of human society. He noted that his new foundation would work on helping promote traditional values. Dong Feng, businessman, investor, and philanthropist explains the projects of his new US-based charity organization, Bedrock Foundation, at his office in Arlington, Va. on Sept. 30, 2021. (Emel Akan/The Epoch Times) In my eyes, the most precious spiritual wealth of the United States is the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, which are great contributions to mankind. They are all based on the Bible, Dong said, emphasizing the importance of respect for equality and freedom in human life, a limited government, and a market economy. Defending traditional values and returning to God requires more voices and actions, and we are willing to join them, he added. For the next three years, the Bedrock Foundation plans to support five different projects, including funding Bethel Series training program to enhance biblical literacy among Chinese-American pastors. It will also support Young Americas Foundation, a conservative youth organization. Dong says for the past 15 years, his journey has helped him grow from a profit-driven entrepreneur to philanthropist, and then from an atheist to a believer who has gained a deeper understanding of his life purpose, which is to make a positive change in society through philanthropy. Top UK Private Schools China Franchises Closely Linked to Communist Party: Report The profitable China franchises of several leading British private schools have close ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), The Times of London has revealed. In the past 15 years, 20 UK schools have made an estimated 67 million ($92 million) from international franchises, most of which are based in China. But according to a Times of London report published on Monday, CCP members and businessmen closely linked to the Party have been heavily involved in the establishment and operations of some of these franchises. The Harrow International School Hong Kong, where fees can reach 30,000 ($41,000) a year, was built with an interest-free 22.5 million ($31 million) loan from the Hong Kong government, and its board includes four senior CCP members, the report said. Dulwich College, another elite English school, has nine associated campuses in China. On the website of one of these schools, there are articles on CCP activities among staff members, including elections for a Party branch secretary and propaganda committee member. Also according to the report, the founding members of Westminster Schools main Chinese campus include a Party secretary and a businessman who advises the Chinese communist regime on Tibet. Concord College, a private school in Shropshire, has an affiliate in Shanghai, which is run in partnership with a businessman who owns a stake in a company that supplies equipment to the Chinese military. Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative lawmaker who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, told the paper: Education is one of Britains great exports but these reports are concerning. British schools which open overseas branches need to be sure that the price theyre paying isnt our values. Last December, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a global coalition of lawmakers, said it had obtained a database from an unidentified Chinese dissident, which showed that 1.95 million registered CCP members had been employed at universities, major corporations, and British consulates around the world. According to British newspaper the Daily Mail, which reviewed the database, major aerospace companies Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Boeing employed hundreds of CCP members. Additionally, U.S. pharmaceutical firm Pfizer and British drugmaker AstraZeneca employed a total of 123 Party members. Over 600 CCP members were employed across 19 branches of British banks HSBC and Standard Chartered. Chinese academics with Party membership also worked at British universities, where they were involved in sensitive research including aerospace engineering and chemistry. According to Australian scholar Clive Hamilton, Britain and Germany are most severely affected by CCP infiltration because of their role in the world and because of the naivety of the top elites in those countries in politics, business, academia, culture, and media. California Gov. Gavin Newsom sits in the crowd before speaking to union workers and volunteers at the IBEW Local 6 union hall in San Francisco, Calif., on Sept. 14, 2021. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Tragic Realities of the Democratic Process in California Commentary I encourage everyone to run for public office. Try to do it at least once, whether its for city council or your local water or school district board. You need to appreciate the democratic process. Youll learn so much as you briefly run a small nonprofit, like raising money and communicating with voters. Youll learn the usefulness, or not, of a political consultant. The formalities of your political party, and whether you will receive their support or not, will be a reality check. And appreciating independent expenditure committees and political action committees will rock your world. Youll also make a lot of friends and many enemies along the way. But the biggest secret youll learn is the dominance and influence of public employee union political action committees. For puritys sake, you shouldnt accept political contributions from those that you will be facing at the bargaining table, should you be successful in getting elected. Taking their endorsements, independent expenditures, or direct financial support is a classic conflict of interest. Youll realize that the ability of government employees to literally select their bosses is legal and pervasive. Thats why you may see an initiative on your November 2022 ballot addressing this massive flaw in our governing structure. If you are not the beneficiary of a public employee unions largesse, then good for you. And good luck. But if youre considered a viable candidate and someone who has a record of being fiscally conservative and focused on balancing budgets and reducing debts, youll be a target for the unions. They dont want you in elected office. They want pliable candidates who will be cooperative during negotiations and vote for the salary and benefit increases that they request. Governor Newsom proved this in the recent recall election. He gave public employee unions what they wanted, and they funded his campaign against the recall. Teachers wanted vaccinations; Newsom gave that to them after they greased the skids. Prison guards didnt want vaccinations, and a handsome political contribution did the trick. Forget about following the science, follow the money. When it comes to the union label, its political. Public employee unions are also bold and unafraid to stretch the truth about you in their direct mail hit pieces. If they cant find something legitimate through their research of your personal history, theyll make things up or embellish to help your political opponent. Cutting to the chase, they are not afraid to lie about you. Trust me, I know. The mail pieces directed at me with false information were shameful. This caused me to reflectif they have no problems in being untruthful, what other unscrupulous things are they doing? This month, we received an answer to this question from actions committed by the leader of Californias largest public employee union, with more than 700,000 members, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Alma Hernandez, along with her husband, Jose Moscoso, were charged with numerous crimes in a seven-page felony complaint with the Sacramento County Superior Court. Ironically, it was alleged that they embezzled funds from the SEIU political action committee. More astonishing is that union leaders get paid very handsomely, but this couple underreported their income to the Franchise Tax Board by $1.4 million from 2014 to 2019. One wonders how many SEIU members are employed by this state agency. Another state taxing agency is the infamous Employment Development Department (EDD). An air duct cleaning business owned by Moscoso failed to report and pay taxes on its employee wages from 2017 to 2020. Worse yet, he paid many individuals under the table. Cheating like this in the underground economy helps a contractor to undercut his or her competition by bidding lower. Consequently, those air duct cleaning businesses that lost the business were probably paying their taxes and workers compensation insurance in full. One also wonders how many SEIU members work for the EDD. We should also wonder how many honest taxpaying businesses shut their doors because of the actions of someone representing tax eating public employees who should be beyond reproach. If one can lie about good conservative candidates, I guess they can even lie to the very state agencies that indirectly pay union leader salaries through the withholding of union dues. If the charges are accurate and this couple is convicted in a court of law, it should be a warning to all public employee union leaders that this behavior wont be tolerated, and it will be subject to stiffer penalties because public funds were involved. I can provide numerous other stories of this nature. They show that if someone literally controls who gets elected as governor, to the state legislature, or other elected offices by using deceitful hit pieces, then they just might become too big for their own britches. Having too much power is not a good thing, and it can reveal someones true immoral character. As someone who enjoyed serving in the state legislature, I know that Alma Hernandez is just the tip of the iceberg. Spend some time on the state auditors website and see how many reports point out the shortcomings of numerous state agencies and departments. But thanks to the SEIU executive directors of the world, little to no corrective efforts ever seem to be made to rectify such inappropriate behavior. You can either believe this tragic revelation or run for public office and learn it for yourself. Good luck. And good luck to the state of California and its precarious leadership conundrum. Do yourself a big favor when candidates come calling next summer and fall and make sure to look for the union label. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Trial Begins for Man Charged With Murder in Lakeside Joggers DUI Death EL CAJONA man was driving drunk when his work truck fatally struck a jogger on a Lakeside roadway three years ago, a prosecutor said Oct. 18, while a defense attorney alleged poor visibility on the narrow two-lane road provided her client little opportunity to avoid the collision. Opening statements and testimony began Monday morning in the trial of Michael Jason Woodfill, 49, who is charged with murder for the Aug. 27, 2018, crash that killed 41-year-old Susana Gotell, a mother of two. The victim was struck at around 6:40 p.m. on Woodside Avenue and later died at a hospital. Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright said Woodfill was on probation at the time of the crash for a 2016 DUI conviction, leading to the murder charge filed against him. The prosecutor alleged the defendant had a .21 percent blood alcohol content three hours after the crash, nearly three times the legal limit in California. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Woodfill was traveling eastbound on North Woodside Avenue near Riverford Road when his truck drifted to the right and hit a chain-link fence. Woodfill then overcorrected, steered the truck across the opposite lane and struck the jogger, said CHP Officer Travis Garrow. Woodfills truck continued down a dirt embankment after striking Gotell and overturned onto its side. He was arrested at the scene. Woodfills attorney, Dana Grimes, alleged there were varying accounts regarding where exactly Gotell was positioned in the roadway as she came into Woodfills view. Nonetheless, Grimes said that the chain-link fencing along Woodside Avenue played a role in obstructing Woodfills visibility of oncoming traffic. By the time he saw Gotell, it was too late, she claimed. He had mere moments to avoid her and thats what he tried to do, Grimes told an El Cajon jury. Woodfill, who remains out of custody, faces 15 years to life in state prison if convicted. Former President Donald Trump prepares to speak during the Conservative Political Action Conference CPAC held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, on July 11, 2021. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Trump Sues House Jan. 6 Committee, National Archives Former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit on Oct. 18 in a Washington court against the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol incident and also the National Archives in a bid to keep his presidential records classified, citing executive privilege. Trumps court filing argues (pdf) that the committees records request is too broad and doesnt serve any legislative purpose. The Committees request amounts to nothing less than a vexatious, illegal fishing expedition openly endorsed by [President Joe] Biden and designed to unconstitutionally investigate President Trump and his administration, the lawsuit reads. Our laws do not permit such an impulsive, egregious action against a former President and his close advisors. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), one of the chairs of the House select committee, and the national archivist, David Ferriero, were also named as defendants in the lawsuit. In cases like this, where a committee has declined to grant sufficient time to conduct a full review, there is a longstanding bipartisan tradition of protective assertions of executive privilege designed to ensure the ability of the Executive to make a final assertion, if necessary, over some or all of the requested material, the lawsuit reads. The Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional should it be read so broadly as to allow an incumbent President unfettered discretion to waive the previous Presidents executive privilege, mere months following an administration change, according to the lawsuit. The committee is seeking potentially millions of presidential records, including presidential conversations and communications with lawyers. The lawsuit was filed by Jesse Binnall, who had represented Trump in a Nevada election-related lawsuit filed in 2020. Subpoenas for documents and testimony were issued by the Jan. 6 committee against several former Trump administration aides. Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon publicly vowed to not comply with congressional demands. After Bannons comment, Biden said the Department of Justice should prosecute him if he continues to defy the subpoenas. However, a Justice Department spokesman rebuked his claim, saying it will make its own independent decisions in all prosecutions based solely on the facts and the law. Period. Full stop. The lawsuit comes days after White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the Biden administration wouldnt allow Trump to assert executive privilege to block the request from the House committee. The president has determined an assertion of executive privilege isnt warranted for the first set of documents from the Trump White House that have been provided to us by the National Archives, Psaki said on Oct. 8, stating that more troves of documents could be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The National Archives is reportedly scheduled to hand over the Trump administration documents in November. A sign of the World Economic Forum is seen in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 20, 2017. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images) Event 201 Pandemic Exercise in 2019 Portended Climate of Internet Censorship Just weeks before the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed, a group of elite government officials, business people, and scientists gathered in New York to plan various strategies for steering society through a deadly pandemic. The scenario may sound like some sort of a conspiracy theory, but it happened two years ago. On Oct. 18, 2019, the World Economic Forum, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security hosted Event 201a high-level pandemic exercise, during which world leaders simulated various policy responses to a global disease outbreak. When the initial diagnosis of COVID-19 was confirmed just weeks later, speculation abounded about the similaritiesso many so that organizers issued a response. While no hard evidence has been produced to substantiate the speculation, Event 201 did portend how many of the same global institutions would respond to some of the issues that arose from COVID-19 months laterincluding how they would push information censorship. Event participants included then-Columbia University senior research scholar Avril Haines, who is now the U.S. Director of National Intelligence; Chris Elias, the president of the global development program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; George Gao, the director-general of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; and Stephen Redd, then-deputy director for public health service and implementation science at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The participants were presented with a simulated outbreak of novel zoonotic coronavirus transmitted from bats to pigs to people, leading to a severe pandemic. The disease starts in pig farms in Brazil, quietly and slowly at first, but then it starts to spread more rapidly in healthcare settings, according to the Event 201 scenario. It is first exported by air travel to Portugal, the United States, and China and then to many other countries. Although at first some countries are able to control it, it continues to spread and be reintroduced, and eventually no country can maintain control, it stated. Participants were presented with policy decisions for four broad categories: medical response, travel and trade, finance, and communications. On some issues, Event 201 was divergent from the real-life pandemicperhaps most prominently with respect to travel and lockdowns, as Event 201 didnt recommend lockdowns and was explicitly opposed to travel restrictions. Countries, international organizations, and global transportation companies should work together to maintain travel and trade during severe pandemics, Event 201 said in its recommendations. Travel and trade are essential to the global economy as well as to national and even local economies, and they should be maintained even in the face of a pandemic. But on communications, the recommendations from Event 201 are similar to those that followed COVID-19as were the actual events. During the simulation, for instance, Gao said that disinformation spread throughout China and the rest of the world. There is misinformation, and people believe that this is a man-madethat a pharmaceutical company made the virus, he said, adding that there were deaths because of this misinformation. Redd also said there was misinformation related to treatments. Were seeing instances of people trying treatments that are purported to be effective, but actually are harmful, he said during the simulation. During the simulated pandemic, some countries resorted to shutting down the internet to quell panic. Others worked with social media companies to censor what those states deemed misinformation. Participants expressed opposition to internet shutdowns, but they agreed governments should work with social media companies to control the narrative. Event 201 organizers made similar recommendations following the simulation. Governments will need to partner with traditional and social media companies to research and develop nimble approaches to countering misinformation, the organizers stated. For their part, media companies should commit to ensuring that authoritative messages are prioritized and that false messages are suppressed including through the use of technology. Redd also said government should surveil social media to fight disinformation. With social media platforms, theres an opportunity to understand who it is that is susceptible, and in what form, to misinformation. So, I think theres an opportunity to collect data from that communication mechanism, said Redd, who has since retired. With that ability, we can identify false information more quickly. Event 201 policies manifested following COVID-19, with governments and big tech platforms working in concert to surveil and censor content on numerous pandemic-related subjects. During and following the discussions, it was revealed that the simulated pandemic resulted in 450,000 cases and 26,000 deaths within one month, 10 million cases and 660,000 deaths within three months, and 65 million deaths in the first 18 months. Participants were urged to prep their various sectors for a similar public health crisis. The first confirmed case of COVID-19 was found to be within weeks of the Oct. 18, 2019, simulated pandemic. When conspiracy theories began to spread about the relationship between the two events, organizers issued a response. Recently, the [Johns Hopkins] Center for Health Security has received questions about whether that pandemic exercise predicted the current novel coronavirus outbreak in China. To be clear, the Center for Health Security and partners did not make a prediction during our tabletop exercise, Johns Hopkins stated on Jan. 24, 2020. For the scenario, we modeled a fictional coronavirus pandemic, but we explicitly stated that it was not a prediction, organizers added. We are not now predicting that the nCoV-2019 outbreak will kill 65 million people. Although our tabletop exercise included a mock novel coronavirus, the inputs we used for modeling the potential impact of that fictional virus are not similar to nCoV-2019. Commuters travel on an underground metro train in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 16, 2021. (ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images) Footage of South Koreans Trend on Chinese TikTok, Raising Privacy Concerns South Koreans have voiced privacy concerns after learning that users of Chinas version of TikTok have been recording unauthorized footage of people in public places in South Korea. A recent post titled, Do you know that Chinese people take pictures of Koreans secretly? has been trending on a South Korean forum. The author claimed to have downloaded the Chinese TikTok app due to an interest in Chinese celebrities. However, this led to the discovery that the Chinese TikTok platform is full of unauthorized recordings of people on the streets and subways of South Koreawhere none of their faces or identifying features are blurred out, in violation of South Korean law. I had to blur out those faces myself! the author said when sharing screenshots of the unauthorized footage in the post. Photo-taking in South Korea is subject to personality rights, including the Right to Privacy and the Right to Publicity. After the post went viral spread, many South Korean media outlets reported the story, such as Chosun Ilbo and Dong-a Ilbo. South Korean content is popular among Chinese TikTok users. Videos with themes such as Korean clothing, Korean daily wear, Korean street snap, and Korean style wear usually get lots of views and interactions. If you put the word Korea in the video title [on Chinese TikTok], the click rate doubles, reported Money Today, a South Korean daily newspaper. However, a large number of videos on Chinese TikTok show unauthorized images of members of the public, revealing their faces and even sometimes highlighting certain parts of their bodies. The South Korean legal community has warned that even foreigners may be subject to punishment for repeatedly filming specific people without consent under South Korean law, according to local media. Kim Ki-yoon, a South Korean attorney who specializes in criminal law, told Money Today, The photographer will not be punished for simply street filming. However, since the face of a person is also considered personal information, taking videos or photos, and making them public may violate [South Koreas] Personal Information Protection Act. Kim also pointed out, If the [unauthorized] photo or video highlights certain parts of the female body, it could also violate [South Koreas] Sexual Violence Prevention and Victims Protection Act. Many South Koreans were shocked by the report. In the comments section of the original post, many said they find such filming creepy and feel offended. U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) speaks during the opening hearing of the U.S. House (Select) Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol on July 27, 2021 at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington. Members of law enforcement testified about the attack by supporters of former President Donald Trump on the U.S. Capitol. According to authorities, about 140 police officers were injured when they were trampled, had objects thrown at them, and sprayed with chemical irritants during the insurrection. (Photo by Jim Bourg-Pool/Getty Images) US Should Secure Freedom of Missionaries in Haiti Without Ransom: Rep. Kinzinger The United States should seek to free abducted missionaries in Haiti without ransom, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said on Oct. 17, shortly after a U.S. Christian aid organization said a group of its missionaries had been kidnapped in the Caribbean nation. The Illinois Republican told CNN that the United States must find the group and see if it can negotiate a release without paying a ransom or that it should use the military or police to secure their freedom. We need to track down where they are and see if negotiationswithout paying ransomare possible. Or do whatever we need to do, on a military front or a police front, said Kinzinger, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The kidnapping comes after the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries stated in a message sent to several religious missions that as many as 17 U.S. missionaries, including women and children, had been kidnapped in the Ganthier commune over the weekend while they were on their way home from building an orphanage. This is a special prayer alert, the ministry wrote on WhatsApp. Pray that the gang members would come to repentance. The message also states that women, children, and some elderly people were among those kidnapped. Haitian police inspector Frantz Champagne told The Associated Press that the group was kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang, which translates to 400 inexperienced men. According to authorities, the gang controls the Croix-des-Bouquets area and carries out kidnappings and carjackings. According to accounts by other missionaries, the groups bus was hijacked. The U.S. State Department told media outlets in a statement that it was aware of the kidnapping reports. The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State, a State Department spokesperson said in a statement, without offering additional comment. We are seeking Gods direction for a resolution, and authorities are seeking ways to help, Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement. Kidnappings have been on the rise for months in Haiti as the impoverished countrys economy worsens, although the abduction of foreigners is relatively rare. Victims generally come from the Haitian middle classteachers, priests, civil servants, and small business ownerswho cant afford bodyguards, but can scrape together a ransom. The State Department currently lists Haiti as a do not travel country, noting high crime, kidnappings, civil unrest, and COVID-19. Kidnapping is widespread and victims regularly include U.S. citizens, the agencys website reads. Kidnappers may use sophisticated planning or take advantage of unplanned opportunities, and even convoys have been attacked. Kidnapping cases often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed during kidnappings. Victims families have paid thousands of dollars to rescue their family members. Jack Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai testifies before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee during a hearing on Capitol Hill, in Washington, on April 28, 2021. (Sarah Silbiger/Pool via Reuters) US Tariffs on China Wont Relax Much: Expert U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said Beijings noncompliance during phase one of the current U.S.China trade deals would become a point of future talks. An economics expert said he expects the United States will remain tough on tariffs against China. On Oct. 14, Tai vowed in Geneva to address the issue of Chinas failure to live up to its commitments, in upcoming conversations with China. There is a need for us to find a new way of engaging and competing with China, the trade negotiator said, adding that the latest talks are a good start. China is required to buy $200 billion worth of additional U.S. goods and services during the two-year period of 2020 and 2021, according to the phase one trade deal signed during the Trump administration. Data analysis shows that China has met about 58 percent of its purchase commitments through 2020, and 69 percent by August. Milton Ezrati, chief economist for New York-based communications firm Vested and editor at The National Interest, told The Epoch Times on Oct. 11 that the Biden administration wouldnt relax much in tariffs on Chinese products. Ezrati said there is no sign that the Biden administration would reduce the tariffs on China. He pointed out that although President Joe Biden reversed almost all policies of former President Donald Trump, the tariffs remain in place. The U.S. Trade Representative also said what China had done was insufficient to meet the standards of phase one, Ezrati said, adding that if China had complied with the agreement, then the tariff reductions would be in phase two. Ezrati also noted that the U.S. trade chief even threatened in earlier statements to take more necessary measures on the basis of existing tools. On Oct. 9, U.S. trade chief Tai and Chinas Vice Premier Liu He held virtual meetings over phase one of the deal. The Chinese side pressed the United States hard to cancel tariffs and sanctions on Chinese goods. However, Tai stressed U.S. concerns about Chinas state-led, nonmarket policies and practices that have damaged the interests of American workers, farmers, and businesses. Tais predecessor, Robert Lighthizer, argued in an Oct. 5 article in The Economist that hefty tariffs are needed, considering the immense U.S. deficits with China. He said international trade had largely failed America over the past 30 years. Indeed, it is slowly bleeding the country to death, the Trump-era trade negotiator warned. On Oct. 4, Tai delivered a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Despite a targeted tariff exclusion process, she said, the United States would also use the full range of tools it had, and develop new tools as needed to defend American economic interests from harmful policies and practices. Donna He contributed to this report. Dennis Hutchings arrives at Laganside Courts, Belfast, at the start of his trial, on Oct. 8, 2021. (Mark Marlow/PA) Veterans Troubles Trial Adjourned for 3 Weeks After He Contracts COVID-19 The trial of Army veteran Dennis Hutchings over a Troubles shooting has been adjourned for three weeks after the defendant contracted COVID-19. Defence barrister James Lewis QC informed Belfast Crown Court of the development as proceedings in the non-jury trial were due to commence on Monday. He told judge Justice OHara that Hutchingss condition had been confirmed by a PCR test on Saturday. I regret Mr. Hutchings is not well with regard as one would expect with his other comorbidities of renal failure and cardiac malfunction. And we are unable to presently take instructions as he is currently in isolation in his hotel room. Lewis applied for an adjournment that was not opposed by the Crown barrister. OHara said: The optimism from last Monday about finishing the trial this week has faded away. We lost a bit of time on Wednesday, then we lost Friday entirely because of Mr. Hutchingss cardiac problems. Things have obviously deteriorated over the weekend with his positive test for COVID. It is simply not possible to continue the trial in his absence. The judge added: I therefore adjourn the case. It will not be possible to sit again this week. It will not be possible to resume the trial until Monday, Nov. 8. We will then resume in the hope that we would finish over the next two weeks that follow. I would like to be kept abreast of Mr. Hutchingss recovery just to confirm we are on track for the target date of Nov. 8. Hutchings, 80, is suffering from kidney disease and the court has been sitting only three days a week to enable him to undergo dialysis treatment between hearings. He is charged with the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham in County Tyrone in 1974. The former member of the Life Guards regiment from Cawsand in Cornwall also denies a count of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent. Cunningham, 27, was shot dead as he ran away from an Army patrol across a field near Benburb. People who knew him said he had the mental age of a child and was known to have a deep fear of soldiers. By Jonathan McCambridge Victorias Hotel Quarantine to Be A Thing of the Past for Vaccinated Travellers Travellers to Australias most lockdown state will no longer need to undergo hotel quarantine once international travel resumes but will instead quarantine at home if they have been fully vaccinated. Speaking to Channel Sevens Sunrise hosts on Oct. 18, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said while international travel was a matter for the federal government, Victorians were keen on opening up to the world as fast as we possibly can. If youre double dose vaccinated, then youll be able to quarantine at home, Andrews said, adding that home quarantine for the fully vaccinated will be less than 14 days. Well get to a point where if you are vaccinated, there perhaps wont be any quarantine at all if youve been tested, and as we move through the weeks and months to come. This follows an announcement by NSW premier Dominic Perrottet who said NSWs quarantine program for fully vaccinated international travellers would end on Nov. 1. Fully vaccinated travellers to NSW will only need to return a negative PCR test before boarding their flight. [NSW] are currently running a trial, theyre currently running a home quarantine trial, so I think whats going to happen here is well have a national cabinet meeting quite soon, and well be able to talk about those issues, and the PM will be able to tell us what hes going to do on the international borders, Andrews said. On Oct. 15, Perrottet told reporters that NSW was leading the nation out of the pandemic. We want people back, Perrottet said. Hotel quarantine, home quarantine is a thing of the past. However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Perrottets announcement, while welcome, did not mean Australia would be open to tourists from November. Instead, Morrison will prioritise returning Australian citizens, residents, and their immediate families. Morrison said that the federal government would then focus on the renewed intake of skilled migrants and students before moving on to international visitors. Victoria is expected to reach its 80 percent double-dose vaccination target in early November in time for the Melbourne Cup. To be so close, to be only 10 days, a fortnight behind Sydney is a testament to the amazing job that Victorians have done, but we have to finish it off, Andrews said. No more statewide lockdowns. What were moving away from is that instead of locking people down, were locking people out. Andrews also warned that Victorians who are not fully vaccinated would not to be able to do so many of the things that people have craved and yearned for, such as going to the pub. Opposition leader Matthew Guy has criticised the Andrews governments roadmap saying that freedom in Victoria looked different to those in NSW. As always with the Vic Govt, its all about the spin, not the substance, Guy said in a post on Twitter. Meanwhile, federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said, also in a post on Twitter, that while some progress was made for Victoria, there was a long way to go before Victorians, who have given up so much, get the same freedoms as NSW. In Sydney at 70 percent, no masks outdoors, indoor retail, cinemas, gyms & pools are open, & hospitality has a 4sqm rule. Melbourne and parts of regional Victoria will emerge from its sixth lockdown on Oct. 22 as it reaches 70 percent double-dose vaccinations in people aged 16 and up. The newly developed hypersonic missile Hwasong-8 is test-fired by the Academy of Defence Science of the DPRK in Toyang-ri, Ryongrim County of Jagang Province, North Korea, in this undated photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency released on Sept.29, 2021. (KCNA via REUTERS) We Just Dont Know How to Defend Against Possible Chinese Hypersonic Missile: US Ambassador News Analysis A new investigative report by the Financial Times asserted that China launched a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, which circled the earth in a low orbit before cruising toward and narrowly missing a test target. The Chinese regime has officially denied the reports findings, saying that the object in question was a spaceship. U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said that Washington is concerned about Chinas possible deployment of hypersonic weaponry, and said the United States hadnt developed a means of countering it. Hypersonic technology is something that we have been concerned about, the potential military applications of it and we have held back from pursuing, we had held back from pursuing military applications for this technology, Wood said at a press meeting in Geneva on Oct. 18. But we have seen China and Russia pursuing very actively the use, the militarization of this technology, so we are just having to respond in kind We just dont know how we can defend against that technology. Neither does China, neither does Russia. A Weapon Without Rebuttal The Financial Times report, which cited five people familiar with the matter, and Chinas subsequent rebuttal created a furor in parts of the U.S. intelligence community, which appeared unprepared for the news that China was so far into its efforts to develop hypersonic capabilities. Others were less surprised, however. Hypersonic weapons research and development has been underway in China for decades, said Rick Fisher, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center. In 2019, the Peoples Liberation Army revealed the first medium-range HGV [hypersonic glide vehicle] weapon, its DF-17 HGV-armed missile system. Thus, reports that China has combined a HGV strike system with a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) must be taken very seriously. HGVs are highly maneuverable vehicles that skip or glide their way to a target after being brought to low orbit by a rocket booster. FOBS is a system first theorized in the Soviet Union, in which a missile enters low orbit before striking its target, rather than arcing out of orbit before coming back to the surface. The combination of the two technologies is important because, unlike a traditional intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that exits the atmosphere and reenters using a predictable arc, the HSV/FOBS design allows for a payload to strike out with near-unlimited range from any direction once it is in orbit, effectively negating traditional early warning systems. According to Fisher, this raises a red flag, as the United States currently lacks the capability to defend against an attack that uses such technology. On ICBMs, HGV weapons are capable of very sharp and rapid maneuvering that can help defeat missile defenses, assuming we have anti-HGV missile interceptors, which currently is not the case, Fisher said. When HGVs arm new Chinese FOBS systems, which was just tested, you combine a strike system designed to avoid U.S. ground-based detection with a strike warhead that is very difficult to shoot down. There are indications that China intends to arm its ICBMs with multiple HGV warheads, which increases their range and also their ability to defeat any U.S. defenses. Russia finished development of its own HGV, dubbed Avangard, back in 2019. That weapon is capable of flying at Mach 20, roughly 15,000 miles per hour. North Korea similarly test-fired its own hypersonic weapon in September. The United States has also been investing heavily in developing hypersonic capabilities over the past several years. Given such a threat-rich environment, its difficult to determine how genuine the surprise of the intelligence community was, as Fisher said that those in the know might not be making it known. It is hard to determine surprise in the intelligence community because compartmentalization is its way of life, Fisher said. Those who might talk to journalists are not necessarily those who would have been briefed on these PLA developments. Regardless, the alleged capability is something to be contended with, as the combination of HGV and FOBS would mean that China has, or is close to having, a weapon capable of evading U.S. defenses and striking the homeland. Spaceship or Missile? Adding to the confusion surrounding the report was Beijings firm denial that such a weapon existed at all. Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a media briefing that the Financial Times report was inaccurate, and said the object was a spaceship designed to explore the possibility of utilizing reusable technology to reduce the costs of Chinas space missions. The Chinese regime intentionally makes it difficult for the international community to assess its weapons tests, however, and such could be the case here. Thats because the Chinese Communist Party and its military branch, the Peoples Liberation Army, utilize a so-called dual-use policy that ensures commercial and scientific projects also provide a military benefit. The contention of whether China tested a hypersonic missile or a spaceship provides a prime example of this policy in action, as Chinas space and missile programs both use rockets from the Long March family to reach orbit. Thus, any test to improve Chinas space program also improves its missile program, and vice versa. Fisher noted that some experts have argued that all of Chinas space launch vehicles should be counted as strategic strike systems, as Chinas space program and all of its launch sites are owned and managed by the Chinese military. He also noted that public counts of Chinas ICBMs dont currently count them as such. It is reasonable to ask: Has the PLA really had many hundred ICBMs for a long time? Fisher said. US Policy of Restraint Failed Fisher said Chinas alleged test of a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile was an attempt to leapfrog U.S. capabilities and effectively subvert the efficacy of the United States next generation of missile defense technologies. Combining HGVs and FOBS is one way that China is preemptively responding to any U.S. decision to increase missile defense of the U.S. homeland, Fisher said. They are seeking to defeat U.S. missiles defenses that have not yet been developed or deployed. This is ostensibly the reason for Washingtons concern. As stated by Wood, theres simply no extant counter to a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile system that could strike anywhere on earth. To mitigate such a threat, Fisher said the United States ought to pursue space-based defense systems that could detect and destroy HGVs during the boost phase, before they reached orbit and became unpredictable to traditional tracking systems. Before that happens, however, Fisher said the United States would need to reckon with the failure of its long-standing policy of not building adequate missile defenses as a means of encouraging non-proliferation. For decades, and this is still U.S. policy, we did not build missile defenses to stop Chinese and Russian nuclear warheads from vaporizing Americans, Fisher said. [We did this] so that we would not give them an excuse to start a nuclear arms race. American restraint on this count has failed. Chinese leader Xi Jinping (R) arrives with Premier Li Keqiang (L) and members of the Politburo Standing Committee for a reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the eve of China's National Day on Sept. 30, 2021. (Greg Baker/AFP) Whats Behind Beijings Latest Round of Bank Regulations Commentary Beijing is tightening its governance around banks and insurance companies to bar large shareholders from having excessive influence and engaging in unfair dealings. China wants to rein in financial sector risk and corporate governance. Many of these affiliated deals have generated losses or bad debts for banks. But there are other layers to this new round of regulationsa new phase of the anti-corruption campaign waged by CCP regime boss Xi Jinping to root out political dissent. The new regulations went into effect as of Sept. 30, following an initial draft being published in June. The problem, as explained by the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) in an FAQ, is that a small number of major shareholders have abused shareholder rights, improperly interfered with company operations, sought control in violation of regulations, and used affiliated transactions to transfer interests and transfer assets. In other words, certain powerful individuals affiliated with these institutions have obtained loans or transferred assets illegally, often using nonstandard terms and concealing the true beneficiaries behind those transactions from regulators. These are serious issues. Major shareholders shouldnt be able to obtain loans without underwriting. They must be engaged in an arms-length manner, and these relationships should be disclosed properly. The new regulations are part of a renewed effort to inspect the countrys financial regulators, banks, insurance companies, and asset managers to root out corruption and illicit behavior. Beginning October, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Partys top anti-graft body, will begin to inspect the CBIRC, Chinas main banking regulator. Xi appears to be embarking on another phase of the anti-graft, anti-corruption campaign that initially began with his ascension to the top position of the CCP. The years-long campaign has ensnared more than 1 million CCP cadres and most recently included the execution of Lai Xiaomin, ex-chairman of China Huarong Asset Management, one of the countrys largest bad debt managers. So what drove this latest round of inspections? The flip side of recent headlines surrounding property developer Evergrande and other highly indebted companies is the plight faced by Chinas banks and financial institutions who lent to these overleveraged companies. If property developers cant sink Chinas economy, bank failures surely would. Most of these debt transactions were arms-length, albeit ill-advised from a risk perspective. But a small portion of loans was made to entities affiliated with bank insiders and political heavyweights who never intended to repay them. The new regulation is looking to combat this dark corner of lending. It appears that there are still some bad actors remaining within Chinas powerful financial sector, clinging onto corrupt positions and potentially using political power to push back against Xis policy shift away from the crony pseudo-capitalist policies of the last three decades. That previous policy began with CCP boss Deng Xiaoping and was continued by his successors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, which allowed Party cadres to get rich by any means necessary, as long as they follow the CCP bosss orders. And thats no longer the modus operandi of Xis regime. In an expose explaining the CBIRCs moves to limit shareholder power, the mainland Chinese financial magazine Caixin cited a few egregious examples of scandals that could suggest exactly who the rules will target. Caixin is believed to be aligned with Xi, and its editorials tend to advocate for and expound upon his economic policies. The Caixin report specifically states two examplesthe failures of Baoshang Bank and Anbang Insurance Groupthat the new law will target. Before its bankruptcy in 2020, Baoshang was the financial war chest of disgraced Chinese oligarch Xiao Jianhua and his investment firm, Tomorrow Group, which owned 89 percent of Baoshang. At the time, Baoshang held billions in bad debts and nonperforming loans, mostly from affiliated entities within Xiaos financial empire. Xiao, through a network of companies that he controlled, was believed to be a white glove for high-ranking CCP cadres and assisted in laundering their corrupt gains abroad. The Epoch Times reported in 2017 that Xiao was being investigated for his close ties to the political faction of former CCP regime boss Jiang Zemin and his close ally Zeng Qinghong, which had dissented against Xis rule. The other company named, Anbang Insurance, was also recently disbanded by Beijing after several scandals. Its former chairman and CEO, Wu Xiaohui, was sentenced in 2018 to 18 years in prison on embezzlement and graft charges. Wu was also believed to be a white glove in transacting on behalf of CCP officials loyal to Jiang. Beginning in 2014, Anbang made several high-profile offshore acquisitions, including the purchase of the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York and Dutch insurer VIVAT. Tomorrow Group and Anbang are both old news. But the fact that theyre dug up as justification for the current slate of regulation is telling. It appears that the latest slate of financial regulations is both economically and politically motivated. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. President Joe Biden removes his face mask as he arrives to speak in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus in Washington on Oct. 14, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) White House Downplays Biden Not Wearing Mask While Walking Inside Restaurant The White House on Monday confirmed President Joe Biden walked inside a restaurant in Washington without a mask but downplayed what happened. I think what you are referring to is a photo of them walking out of a restaurant after they had eaten, mask in handwhere they had not yet put them back on yet, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters during a briefing. The president and First Lady Jill Biden were both seen without masks in videos and pictures while walking in Fiola Mare, a restaurant in the nations capital. The decision to move around without masks violated the citys indoor mask mandate and the restaurants masking rules. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, over the summer reinstituted the indoor mandate, which says everybody in indoor public spaces must don masks, with limited situations where one is not required such as when one is eating and drinking. Individuals or entities that knowingly violate the order can be fined up to $1,000 and could lose their licenses to operate. Masks must always be worn inside Fiola Mare unless a person is eating or drinking, the restaurants website says. Fiola Mare did not immediately respond to a request for comment. I would say, of course, there are moments when we all dont put masks back on as quickly as we should, Psaki said. I dont think we should lose the forest for the trees herein that our objective here is to get more people vaccinated, make sure that schools and companies around the country can put in place requirements to save more lives and keep more people safer, she added. Pressed on what happened by a reporter who noted that Biden was walking through the restaurant with no mask on, the press secretary tried to end further discussion by saying, I think I just addressed it. No other reporters asked about the situation. Bowser has also been recorded inside establishments in Washington without a mask. Bidens move drew criticism from some, including podcaster Benny Johnson. Every American deserves an answer from @JoeBiden directly explaining why he thinks is allowed to break rules that he demands others to follow, Johnson wrote on Twitter. Rules for thee, but not for me, added Nathan Brand, deputy communications director for the Republican National Committee. Biden has repeatedly exhorted Americans to wear masks, saying its a way to make sure people stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. His predecessor Donald Trump often went without a mask but also said it was up to each person whether to wear one or not. NORWALK The many sides of a dynamic town official were celebrated Sunday night in a ceremony honoring the life of Mike Barbis a longtime Board of Education member who died suddenly last month at 59. Close to 75 people attended the event at Brien McMahon High School, which was delayed slightly for a short rain shower, but started after the appearance of a rainbow. Only Mike can give us a day like today, said Diane Carpio, board vice chair, comparing the differing weather to his vibrant personality. He had his very harsh side, fighting for what he believed, but then he had his tender and caring side, she said. Sometimes, she said, his passions got the better of him, but people who knew him saw many positives rooted in his desire to make Norwalks school better, as well as his relationship with family and friends. Mike loved Norwalk, Carpio said. He loved the families, the schools, the parks, the events, the buildings. There was nothing about Norwalk that he did not love. Superintendent of Schools Alexandra Estrella said that his work in improving the school buildings in particular will remain part of his legacy. Mike proudly signed the steel beam erected during the construction of what is now the Ponus Ridge campus, she said, noting he had asked questions about Estrellas commitment to the facilities when he had first been interviewing her for her job. I hope you take some comfort in knowing that he made a significant impact on our schools system, she said, and therefore on the lives of our children. As part of the ceremony the district dedicated a Buddy Bench in Barbiss name, which will be placed at Roton Middle School, where Barbis served as PTA chair. Barbis joined the Board of Education in 2011, serving as its chair from 2017 to 2019. A real estate agent by trade, he also studied education after joining the board and received a state certification to teach in Connecticut. Board member and longtime friend Heidi Keyes shared some lighter memories of Barbis, including his habit of bringing a cooler to meetings and eating a sandwich or salad, nuts, and drinking several cans of Pepsi, as well as tending to two cells phones that he never remembered to put on vibrate. I know it annoyed a few people, but its just how he took over the room, she said. As a world traveler, she said, he was often reaching out to her and sending pictures of him in faraway places. He lived life like we all should sharing his life with the ones he loved and taking life for all its glory, she said. Artie Kassimis, a friend and former board member, said that even though they were on opposite sides of the political spectrum, he learned a great deal from Barbis. Mike had the courage to think differently, he said, drawing applause from the crowd. Mike had the courage to say things no one else would say (and) Mike had the courage to even speak against his own political party. To Mikes family I just want to say, Thank you for sharing Mike with us. Like Hercules, he took the right road and he made a difference in this city. Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media NORWALK A city man was sentenced to six months in prison for a federal tax evasion offense, according to prosecutors. Michael C. Monroe, 48, was sentenced Friday by Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to spend six months in prison, followed by six months of home confinement, three years of supervised release and 90 hours of community service. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen recently brought information to the spotlight that she says shows Facebook harms children, sows division and undermines democracy in pursuit of breakneck growth and "astronomical profits" in what may be the most threatening scandal in the company's history, NPR reported. "Social media undeniably has the strongest influence on how we see ourselves and others and thus guides how we navigate diverse communities. As media consumers, we cannot pass the buck on assuring that media remains a source of education and information rather than division and an avenue for increased mental health issues for a whole generation," said Illinois civil rights attorney and author Maaria Mozafaar. Mozafaar was approached by Media Literacy Now, an advocacy nonprofit devoted to "creating a public education system that ensures all students learn the 21st-century literacy skills they need for health, well-being, economic participation and citizenship." Together, they proposed a bill to Illinois State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez, D-Cicero, who introduced a bill, House Bill 234, which requires every public high school to include in its curriculum a unit of instruction on media literacy beginning in the 2022-23 school year. That bill will mean news literacy courses will be taught at every high school. The hope is, NPR reported, that the classes will provide the next generation the ability to navigate around misinformation. "I was approached by Media Literacy Now to address the situation in Illinois and help them find a way to address it through legislation," Mozafaar wrote in an email. "We approached Rep. Hernandez in the Illinois General Assembly with a legislative proposal and she was already invested in the issue so it was a perfect match." The new legislation will be an addition to an already required computer literacy class and received witness slips in support of the measure from the Illinois Press Association and the Illinois Association of School Library Educators along with dozens of schools. The Illinois Education Association, a union that represents more than 135,000 members including teachers, did not take a position on the bill, according to witness slips. The Illinois State Board of Education also did not take a position, The Center Square reported. "We are living in a time where we are forming opinions about ourselves and others around us not from our immediate family and friends as it was in the past but rather digital media and social media that we consume for hours in a day," Mozafaar said. "The targeted media algorithms have replaced the seeking of books and conversations to learn objectively," she continued. "Mental health, embracing changing demographics and informational overload are all issues we need to address for a coming generation. That is why it's so important for us as a society to put tools in place that guide students on how to grapple with this reality that didn't exist even 15 years ago." Professors from Columbia College and Northwestern are working on creating a curriculum for the state, Mozafaar said. HB 234 provides that the State Board of Education shall make available instructional resources and professional learning opportunities for educators that may be used for the development of the unit of instruction for media literacy. In the past week, there have been many tributes to Anne Saxelby, the trailblazing cheesemonger who died far too young October 9 at the age of 40. Saxelby, who opened a tiny stall in the Essex Street Market in 2006, was instrumental in changing perceptions about fine American cheeses. But she also made a huge impact on the Lower East Side by helping to sustain the historic market during some very tough years and by setting a foundation for her fellow vendors to succeed in the new Essex Market, which opened in 2019. Saxelby Cheesmongers did not make the move to the new market, but her influence in the sprawling space across from the original market building can be felt today. Starting in 2011, Saxelby began to use some of her clout in New Yorks food world, raising her voice in support of keeping the 1940s-era building rather than demolishing it and moving the market to a new facility in the Essex Crossing mega-complex. In a passionate plea back then, Saxelby said that moving the market would cause it to, lose its historic context, and lose the soul and spirit of the place. The Essex Street Market and a few other markets built in the same era, she argued, harken(ed) back to a time when the city built public markets to uphold communities. In more recent times, Saxelby, added, the market had evolved, with new vendors moving in alongside older ones, but through it all, the Essex Street Market remained, a bastion of community, full of vibrant unique small businesses serving the needs of a diverse clientele. The battle to save the building was a lonely and ultimately unsuccessful one. The move to a larger, brighter and modernized facility may very well have strengthened many of the longtime vendors and sustained the market for a new generation (time will tell). After the city prevailed, Saxelby could have given up on the market, but instead, she continued to advocate for the merchants and for the market. Essex Street Market Block Party, 2015. She went on to lead the Essex Street Market Vendor Association, and often in very blunt fashion criticized the neglectful management of the market by the city administration. During a period in which several vendors closed their stalls as foot traffic in the market dwindled, Saxelby called for stepped up marketing programs and more responsive day-to-day management of the facility. At a community board meeting in 2015, Saxelby said, It would be a disaster to continue with the status quo and move (to the new Essex Market across the street) with a market that is for all intents and purposes half dead. Saxelby, along with other local stakeholders, opened a dialogue with city officials, won concessions that helped the vendors survive their last months in the old building. Just as important, she was a major player in negotiations to ensure vendor protections in the new market building. Benoit Breal & Anne Saxelby of Saxelby Cheese. May 2015. In September of 2018, just a few month before the big move, Saxelby made the difficult decision to close her stall and opt out of the new market. She said it was a business decision and that she and her partner, Benoit Breal, concluded that opening in the new space could jeopardize the future of Saxelby Cheesemongers. She concluded by saying, The community of friends, neighbors and customers is unlike any other in New York, and it has been amazing to be part of this community. The Essex Market was, is and will continue to be an amzing, historic, one-of-a-kind destination in New York City, and I wish the new market nothing but the greatest success. The vendors and the larger Lower East Side community obviously appreciate everything Saxelby meant to the market. In an Instagram post, the owners of Shopsins (Saxelbys next door neighbor in the old market) wrote, Anne, we love you. We followed you to the Essex Market and we wouldve followed you anywhere. Family and friends of Anne Saxelby have established the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund to provide training opportunities to financially distressed teenagers and young adults. Please click here for more information. Photo by Kelley Ryan; taken Sunday evening from 1st Avennue and 9th Street. Here are some of the stories that made news on the Lower East Side in the past week: Police have arrested a man who they say stabbed two victims on the Lower East Side Saturday. Omar Cartagena is accused of attacking a 30-year-old skateboarder on the Williamsburg Bridge at about 10:30 a.m. and stabbing another man in Sara D. Roosevelt Park at around 1 p.m. Cartagena was taken into custody in Brooklyn. [New York Post] Also near Sara D. Roosevelt Park a delivery worker was apparently stabbed to death for his e-bike. [Channel 7] The father of a 16-year-old boy shot and killed Friday night on Delancey Street said his son had just been released from juvenile detention and wanted to turn his life around. The victims older brother came to the shooting scene with a message: I want to tell other young men my age the streets dont care about you go to school, graduate. [NY1] The shooting victim, Isaiah lived at the Baruch Houses and reportedly had a lengthy criminal record. [New York Post] A 63-year-old cab driver fought off a man who held him at knife point and demanded money shortly after being picked up at East Broadway and Forsyth streets. Cops are looking for the suspect. [Channel 11] Delayed again. City officials now say theyll begin resiliency reconstruction in East River Park this fall. And after badly bungling communication about the project over the course of several years, they try once again to explain why they changed course, abandoning a community-based plan for the park. [NY1] Local residents gathered to protest the new mega-towers coming to the Two Bridges area. [Channel 2] You can find your client key on your subscription renewal statement or call us at the Mountain Mail at 719-539-6691. Salida, CO (81201) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. High 59F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 33F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Instant unlimited access to all of our content on thenewsguard.com. The News Guard E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) As Phuket reopens to domestic arrivals, food security efforts continue PHUKET: As the Phuket Check Point reopened on Saturday (Oct 16) to allow vaccinated people onto the island without COVID tests, food security efforts across the island continued. COVID-19economics By The Phuket News Monday 18 October 2021, 11:10AM For the first time in months the checkpoint saw long tailbacks as people drove onto the island. Officers at the checkpoint have yet to reveal how many people have come onto the island since the easing the provincial entry restrictions, but have already estimated that the number will spiral up to about 10,000 a day, after seeing just 1,000 a day under the previous restrictions. In explaining the move to open the island to receiving vaccinated domestic arrivals without COVID tests, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew said that the decision was made as a consensus. This is to relax measures with continuous assessment of the situation according to the process of driving problem solving in all aspects of public health, the economy, tourism and social sectors, by consulting and receiving opinions from all concerned parties, along with the steady progress of the Phuket Sandbox project, he said. The move to reopen Phuket to domestic travellers aims to help alleviate the deep financial suffering across the island due to lack of incomes. Even before the months-long island isolation was brought into effect, the average monthly per capita in Phuket had long been reported as just B1,930 a month. To mark World Food Day for the year 2021, provincial officials with support from private organisations on Saturday distributed 7,000 meals provided by global food rescue foundation Scholars of Sustenanceto to people at nine locations throughout the province. Present to assist and oversee the food distribution were Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabham, Phuket Provincial Chief Administration office (Palad). Joining him were Phuket City Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas and officers from the Phuket Provincial Administration OrganiSation (PPAO, or OrBorJor) and from the Phuket office of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. In addition to the meals distributed, fruits and snacks were also handed out. The Scholars of Sustenance have been active in Phuket for months, sourcing donations of food from hotels, retailers and other donors to provide food to people across the island without any income. Meanwhile, the PPAO over the weekend continued its efforts to deliver food to people in need, with its food security outreach programme handing out food to people in financial distress in Wichit and Rassada. Myanmar to free 5,000 jailed anti-coup protesters YANGON: Myanmar will release more than 5,000 people jailed for protesting against the February coup which ousted the civilian government, the countrys junta chief said today (Oct 18). Myanmar By AFP Monday 18 October 2021, 02:23PM Myanmars junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has announced the release of over 5000 political prisoners. Photo: AFP A total of 5,636 prisoners will be freed to mark the Thadingyut festival later in October, Min Aung Hlaing said, days after he was excluded from a regional summit over his governments commitment to defusing the bloody crisis. Myanmar has been mired in chaos since the coup, with more than 1,100 civilians killed in a bloody crackdown on dissent and more than 8,000 arrested according to a local monitoring group. More than 7,300 are currently behind bars across the country, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The junta chief gave no details on who would be included in the list and prison authorities did not respond to AFP requests for comment. Myanmar authorities released more than 2,000 anti-coup protesters from prisons across the country in July, including journalists critical of the military government. Those still in custody include the American journalist Danny Fenster, who has been held since being arrested on May 24. Junta shunned The announcement of the amnesty comes after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Friday decided to exclude Min Aung Hlaing from an upcoming summit over the military governments handling of the crisis. Foreign ministers of the bloc agreed that a non-political representative for Myanmar would be invited to the October 26-28 summit instead. The bloc, widely criticised as a toothless organisation, took a strong stand after the junta rebuffed requests that a special envoy meet with all stakeholders in Myanmar - a phrase seen to include ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The statement noted insufficient progress in the implementation of a five-point plan agreed by Asean leaders in April to end turmoil following the coup. The junta slammed the decision, accusing Asean of breaching its policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of member states. Myanmar, mostly ruled by the military since a 1962 coup, has been a thorn in Aseans side since it joined in 1997. Min Aung Hlaings administration has justified its power grab citing alleged vote rigging in last years elections, which Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party won convincingly. The coup snuffed out Myanmars short-lived dalliance with democracy and the 76-year-old Suu Kyi now faces a raft of charges in a junta court that could see her jailed for decades. Last week her chief lawyer said he had been banned by the junta from speaking to journalists, diplomats or international organisations. Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who has spent much of her life resisting Myanmars generals, is scheduled to testify in court for the first time later this month. Police warn dangerous drivers at checkpoint will be fined PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police have issued a warning that people driving dangerously through Phuket Check Point following alarm raised through posts on social media that police at the checkpoint were on the lookout to make arrests. tourismSafetypolice By The Phuket News Monday 18 October 2021, 12:42PM Police have defended heightened checks and cracking down on moving violations at the Phuket Check Point. Photo: Phuket Provincial Police Phuket Provincial Police yesterday identified one Thai news report announcing that officers at the Tha Chatchai Police had received the official order 148/2564, Re: Assigning duties to the Crime Suppression Division on October 12, 2021 by allowing the police officers working in traffic to issue a ticket to the offender in the specified amount. Phuket Provincial Police would like to clarify that traffic discipline to reduce accidents is an important policy of the state in solving the problem of reducing the loss of life, body and property of the people as a whole, the Provincial Police said in its response posted online. According to the report, Tha Chatchai Police have been issuing on average five moving violation tickets a day, though the report did not clarify whether any of those tickets were issued at the checkpoint. [Police] have given importance to this matter and assigned Col Aganit Danpitaksat, Deputy Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police, to investigate such cases, the statement added. Slow down a bit, many lives are saved. generosity with traffic discipline, said the statement, signed off as, With concern from the spokesperson team of Phuket Province. Tha Chatchai Police issued their own statement yesterday, pointing out that for minor transgressions officers will at first only give warnings. However, any drivers that continue to ignore the warnings will be fined, the statement said. The issuance of the said order is aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 infections, preventing illegal acts and crimes, and violations of traffic laws. In the past, there have been frequent accidents in the area of Tha Chatchai Police Station. This is partly due to speeding and not observing traffic discipline. In addition, there was news about the smuggling of illegal items into the Phuket area through the Phuket Check Point, therefore we have had to be strict on traffic discipline and crime prevention for the safety of the people of Phuket and tourists who come to visit or come to do business in Phuket, so they are safe, the statement noted, indicating that heightend checks on people and vehicles coming into Phuket were included as part of teh more stringent measures. The Tha Chatchai Police Station has done this for the benefit of the government, the Royal Thai Police and for the people of Phuket to have peace, safe from the dangers of traffic and the dangers of crime. Dont be paranoid in life, the statement concluded. Power outage to affect Patong PHUKET: The Patong branch of the Provincial electricity Authority (PEA) has announced a scheduled power outage affecting key areas in Patong tomorrow (Oct 19) as workers upgrade and repair high-voltage power cables. By The Phuket News Monday 18 October 2021, 05:53PM A map showing the area in Mai Khao to be affected by the power outage tomorrow (Oct 19). Image: PEA The notice announcing the power outage in Mai Khao tomorrow. Image: PEA A map showing the areas in Rawai to be affected by the power outage tomorrow (Oct 19). Image: PEA The notice announcing the power outage in Rawai tomorrow (Oct 19). Image: PEA A map showing the areas in Patong to be affected by the power outage tomorrow (Oct 19). Image: PEA The notice posted on the national PEA website, not the local Phuket PEA channel, described the works as extremely necessary. The areas to be affected during the power outage, from 9am to 5pm, will be along the east side of Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd from the Patong PEA branch to Soi Maneesri off Sirirat Rd at the southern end of the town. The work will be completed as quickly as possible, the PEA notice read. So please be informed and [we] apologize for any inconvenience on this occasion, it read. People with queries about the power outage were advised to call the Patong Power Failure Order Center on its 24-hour hotline 076-345574. RAWAI Meanwhile, the Phuket PEA earlier today posted a notice announcing a scheduled power outage affecting homes and businesses along Wiset Rd in Rawai tomorrow (Oct 19) The power outage, from 9am to 4:30pm, will affect both sides of Wiset Rd from Soi Mittrphap (Soi Friendship, leading to Friendship Beach, to Soi Ari 1/1 People with queries about that power outage were advised to call the Chalong PEA brqanch on their 24-hour hotline 076-521099. MAI KHAO The PEA Thalang branch has also announced a power outage affecting a small area in Soi Moo-Iam, Moo 3. Tambon Mai Khao (see map in gallery above), from 9am to 4:30pm tomorrow so that workers can upgrade and repair low-voltage cables in the area. People with queries about that power outage were advised to call the Tha;ang PEA branch at 066-0729803. Vaccine certificates available via app BANGKOK: From today (Oct 18), Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute will allow people to submit applications for certificates of vaccination online via the Mor Prom app to reduce long queues for walk-in services. CoronavirusCOVID-19healthVaccine By Bangkok Post Monday 18 October 2021, 10:06AM Image: NNT The vaccine passport is an official travel document for those already vaccinated who wish to travel to other countries, and between April 19 and Oct 16, a total of 31,340 people registered for the document, according to the Diseases Control Department. The institutes director, Kitpong Sunchatawirul, yesterday said that previously only a time-consuming walk-in service was available, so the institute decided to allow both applications and appointment reminders to be handled via the app between the hours of 9:30am and 3:30pm, Monday to Saturday, reports the Bangkok Post. Walk-in services for vaccine passports are still available at 100 designated offices nationwide. For Bangkok and its adjacent provinces, people can contact the Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention Prevention in Bangkok, the quarantine office at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan via the porthealth_bbk@ddc.mail.go.th email address, the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, and the Communicable Diseases Division of the Department of Disease Control in Nonthaburi. The vaccine passport service may also be expanded to university-affiliated hospitals, the Thai Red Cross Society and the Royal Thai Police in the future, Dr Kitpong said. He added that all vaccine passport applications require an accompanying ID card or passport and national certificate of COVID-19 vaccination. Meanwhile, deputy government spokeswoman Ratchada Dhnadirek said applications for the Digital Health Pass are also available on the Mor Prom app. The Digital Health Pass is a system for issuing QR codes which show an individuals vaccination status and RT-PCR test results if required by public services, restaurants and domestic flights, Ms Ratchada said. RIDGEFIELD More than 450 Ridgefield families have opted their children into the school districts COVID-19 screening program, which is set to begin next week. In an email to district families, Superintendent Susie Da Silva said the first round of testing would occur over two days Monday, Oct. 25 and Tuesday, Oct. 26 to give Transformative Healthcare enough time to visit each school. Using federal funds, Connecticuts education and health departments are offering free screenings to every school district in the state. Participating districts are assigned a vendor, which provides individuals to conduct shallow nasal swab tests at each school on a weekly basis. The program is designed specifically for children who are ineligible to receive the vaccine and is intended to alleviate transmission in the event of a positive case. It is also voluntary. Ridgefield parents must log in to PowerSchool to enroll their child or children in the program and sign a consent form in their account. Screenings are open to students in pre-K through sixth grade, and fully vaccinated students are ineligible to participate. Transformative Healthcare will visit the schools to conduct the screenings. Children will be tested in 10-person pods and the swabs will be tested using a single PCR test, explained district nursing coordinator Aaron Crook. If a pod comes back positive, each of those 10 swabs will be tested individually to determine the positive case. The vendor will notify the district and the childs parents via text and email of a positive test and begin contact tracing protocols. Testing will take about three minutes per 10-person pod, Crook said, with Transformative Healthcare spending a maximum of one to two hours in each building per week. Logistics such as where the testing will take place are still being ironed out. Da Silva said school principals are being creative in finding spaces within their schools. Da Silva expressed optimism in regards to the program while pointing out the obstacles of identifying positive cases. She said that students at the elementary level are now sitting in assigned seats on the bus to ease contact tracing protocols. Theres no doubt that (these) families ... have found a great deal of challenge with the number of experiences that theyve had with being in quarantine, she added. Little kids need routine, they need structure, and for every time theyre out of school they lose that. Under state guidelines, fully vaccinated individuals exposed to COVID-19 are not required to quarantine unless they have symptoms. Crook said if the FDA approves Pfizers request to administer shots to 5-11 year olds, quarantines could drop dramatically district-wide. If that is the case, I think we can all anticipate COVID life will be changing quite a bit, he said. But some families are choosing not to participate in the program. Daniel Wehking, who has two elementary school children, said he believes it will only result in more COVID cases. Wehking also told Hearst Connecticut Media that he is pro-masks, pro-vaccines and pro-social distancing. Wehking provided input on the program in an Oct. 12 email addressed to Crook. The testing program does not help the individual student. It helps the group at the expense of the individual, he wrote. If my child tests positive while being asymptomatic, that assures he will spend two weeks at home when he otherwise would not have if he remained asymptomatic. It also means that once a week my child would be pulled from valuable class instruction to be tested. Wehking went on to say that the district would not be following the CDCs recommendations on social distancing by testing 10 students simultaneously. He also questioned the safety of the program if Transformatives testers were unvaccinated. Da Silva told Hearst Connecticut Media on Monday that all of the vendors staff members are fully vaccinated. As of Tuesday, only 477 of Ridgefields 2,500 eligible students opted into the program. alyssa.seidman@hearstmediact.com Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Snow showers this morning. Becoming partly cloudy later. Temps nearly steady in the mid to upper 30s. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 80%.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low -3C. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Peter Gay is the Executive Director of North Attleborough Community Television Inc. North TV. The views expressed in his column are not necessarily those of North TV. He may be contacted at pgay@northtv.net . EDWARDSVILLE A Worden man was charged Friday with violating an order of protection. Johnathan C. Trebing, 27, of the 7400 block of W. Frontage Road, Worden, was charged with unlawful violation of an order of protection (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on Oct. 14 Trebing violated an order of protection by staying at a prohibited residence. It was noted he has a prior conviction for domestic battery out of Macoupin County in 2020. Bail was set at $15,000. Other felony charges filed Oct. 15 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include: Barbara A. Gates, 38, of the 1200 block of Pearl Street, Alton, and Lander D. Holeman, 58, of Joliet, Illinois, were both charged with retail theft (second subsequent offense), both Class 4 felonies. The cases were presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on Oct. 6 the two took beer from Walgreens at 2610 State Street. It was noted that Holeman has a previous conviction for theft out of Will County, Illinois in 2020; and Gates has a prior conviction for theft out of Madison County in 2017. Bail was set at $15,000 each. Laura C. Robbins, 41, of St. Ann, Missouri, was charged with theft under $500 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the East Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on Oct. 14 Robbins took an Apple watch valued at less than $500 from another person. It was noted she has a prior conviction for theft out of St. Charles County, Missouri, in 2013. Bail was set at $15,000. Jack C. Taylor, 86, formerly of Corbin, Kentucky, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 7, 2021. Jack will always be known as a hardworking and caring family man. He was an exceptional athlete, receiving 1954, high school All-State Honors in both football and basketball by the Courier-J SAM MONTALTO, Stonington, Boys Soccer, Senior; Montalto scored three goals including the 100th of his career in the Bears 4-0 victory over Plainville in the Class M state tournament. Montalto, who missed the first three games of the season, has 32 goals and nine assists this season. GIRLS & BOYS Soccer Team, Chariho; It wouldnt be fair to single out a player from either team, both of which captured Division II titles over the weekend of Nov. 12. The girls tied their game with Prout with 1:02 left in regulation and prevailed in penalty kicks. The boys scored the winning goal in the final two minutes of the second overtime to beat North Smithfield. ZACK TUCK, Westerly, Football; Tuck rushed for 150 yards on 29 carries in a loss to unbeaten St. Raphael in the Division II semifinals. Tuck has rushed for 1,533 yards and scored 19 touchdowns this season for the 7-3 Bulldogs. Vote View Results The Hut Groups CEO Matthew Moulding will give up his golden share in the SoftBank-backed firm, which will now seek a premium listing after it was hit with a dramatic share price decline last week. THG, which went public in a bumper initial public offering last September, was rocked last week by a 35 per cent collapse in its share price following an investor presentation, forcing it to address corporate governance concerns around the group. Ford will invest up to 230million to build electric car components at its Halewood factory in northern England, which will produce around 250,000 power units a year from mid-2024. The Government is contributing to the investment through its Automotive Transformation Fund as brands intensify their electrification plans ahead of combustion engine bans, and countries vie with each other to secure jobs. Britain's manufacturing industry has urged ministers to stop blaming business as 'the enemy within'. The comments represent a marked change in tone from Make UK, whose members include car, defence and steel manufacturers. > If you are using our app or a third-party site click here to read Business Live Car giant Ford is investing 230million to transform its Halewood factory on Merseyside to provide the beating electric heart of its zero-emissions cars across Europe in what is being hailed by ministers as a huge vote of confidence in post-Brexit Britain. The move to create Fords first electric vehicle components hub in Europe building the green power units that will drive the firms electric cars across the Continent - will safeguard 500 UK jobs at the factory. The Halewood plant, which currently makes transmissions for petrol and diesel cars, will be transformed within three years to build up to 250,000 electric power units for Fords future all-electric passenger and commercial vehicles across Europe. Electric dreams: Ford said the investment to transform the site safeguards the Ford jobs at Halewood' and accelerates its plan to have all its passenger vehicles all-electric by 2030 The project has been backed by a UK Government grant of taxpayers cash which, although not disclosed, is understood to be between 25million and 30million, and is being welcomed by unions. That financial support has also been hailed by ministers as part of the Governments levelling up agenda to help boost economic prosperity in the North and will future proof the plants long industrial heritage. The car giant said: Halewood will be Fords first electric vehicle component in-house assembly site in Europe with production beginning in 2024. Ford said the 230million investment to transform the site safeguards the Ford jobs at Halewood and accelerates its commitment to have 100 percent of its passenger vehicles all-electric, and two-thirds of its commercial vehicle sales either all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030. A power unit is the complete all-electric assembly that, in a battery-powered electric car - replaces the engine and gear-box transmission in a conventional petrol or diesel engine vehicle. Ford said Halewoods transmission facility was chosen to supply the new electric power units because of its excellent record on quality, competitiveness and the strong skills base and commitment of the employees. Investment plans: Ford said it expects to begin power unit production at its Halewood plant (pictured) in mid-2024 and hopes to produce around 250,000 units annually In a statement, Ford said: Building on its commitment to go all-in on electrification in Europe, Ford announced today that it intends to invest up to 230million at its Halewood vehicle transmission facility to transform it to build electric power units for future Ford all-electric passenger and commercial vehicles sold in Europe. It added: Power unit production in Halewood is expected to begin in mid-2024. Production capacity is planned to be around 250,000 units a year. 'The investment which is subject to and includes U.K Government support through its Automotive Transformation Fund will help safeguard the Ford jobs at Halewood. Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe said: This is an important step, marking Fords first in-house investment in all-electric vehicle component manufacturing in Europe. 'It strengthens further our ability to deliver 100 percent of Ford passenger vehicles in Europe being all-electric and two-thirds of our commercial vehicle sales being all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030. Big player: Ford is one of the UKs largest exporters, exporting engines and transmissions to more than 15 countries on six continents and generating overseas sales of around 2.5billion annually Mr Rowley added: We also want to thank the U.K. Government for its support for this important investment at Halewood which reconfirms Fords continuing commitment to the U.K. and our position as a leading investor in this countrys auto industry and technological base. Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: Todays announcement, backed by government funding, is a huge vote of confidence in Britains economic future and our plans to ramp up electric vehicle production. It will future-proof Halewoods proud industrial heritage and secure high-skilled, well-paid jobs across the North West for years to come. Mr Kwarteng added: Fords decision to build its first electric vehicle components in Europe at its Halewood site is further proof that the UK remains one of the best locations in the world for high-quality automotive manufacturing. 'In this highly competitive, global race to secure electric vehicle manufacturing, our priority is to ensure the UK reaps the benefits. Todays announcement, backed by government funding, is a huge vote of confidence in Britains economic future,' said Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng Kevin Pearson, Unite union convenor for Halewood said: Were delighted the company has decided to make this important investment at Halewood, helping to safeguard Ford jobs at the site into the future. He added: The decision recognises the experience, commitment and competitiveness of our world class workforce and is a great source of pride for all of us working at Halewood Transmission Plant and for the wider community. David Leggett, automotive analyst at GlobalData, described the announcement as a 'big win for the UK's automotive sector' as it readies for an all-electric future over the next decade. 'Importantly, this plant will supply e-drive units to Ford's Cologne, Germany, plant - which will become a major hub for electric vehicle manufacturing for Ford in Europe. The main alternative to Halewood was a site in Germany,' he said. 'Therefore, Ford's Halewood plant will play a key part in Ford's future European manufacturing plans, safeguarding hundreds of jobs. 'However, Ford still has to outline its future European battery sourcing - new gigafactory - plans. UK Government support played a key role in the Halewood decision and that may well turn out to be the case with batteries.' The Halewood factory currently builds transmissions for a number of Ford passenger and commercial vehicles and exports 100 percent of its production. Before being taken back completely into Ford ownership earlier this year, Halewood had been part of Getrag Ford Transmissions a joint venture co-owned by Ford and Magna - for more than 20 years. Ford is one of the UKs largest exporters, exporting engines and transmissions to more than 15 countries on six continents and generating overseas sales of around 2.5billion annually. The news follows a number of major electrification announcements from Ford in Europe, including a new $1billion investment to modernise its vehicle assembly facility in Cologne, Germany where the firm has its Ford of Europe headquarters and where the first European-built all-electric passenger vehicle will roll off the production line in 2023. Ford is to build the all-electric E-Transit from 2022 at its joint venture plant in Turkey. It will also produce an all-electric version of the next-generation Transit Custom from 2023. A new light commercial vehicle being built by Ford in Craiova, Romania, will include an all-electric derivative from 2024. The Business Secretary slammed the brakes on the sale of Meggitt last night after announcing he will intervene in the takeover of the firm by a US rival. Kwasi Kwarteng has instructed the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK's competition watchdog, to investigate the takeover of the British defence giant by Parker-Hannifin and produce a report before March 18 next year. This means the acquisition could be scrapped altogether on national security grounds. Meggitt has around 9,000 staff, 2,000 of which are in the UK, and makes components for planes and military jets including 'the Royal Air Force's Typhoon fighters (pictured) The move will come as a blow to Meggitt's chairman, Sir Nigel Rudd dubbed Sir Sell-Off due to his role in handing a litany of UK companies to foreign buyers, including glass business Pilkington and pharmacy chain Boots. Rudd stands to make 2million from his shares if the deal goes through, while chief executive Tony Wood is in line to pocket as much as 7.4million. Kwarteng's decision was first revealed by the Mail last month. It was backed by Tory grandee Lord Heseltine, who said: 'I think this is a proper decision by the Secretary of State. It's in line with international practice and it makes industrial sense. It is important that the national interest be considered in these takeovers.' Coventry-based Meggitt traces its roots back to the 1850s and the invention of the first altitude meter for hot air balloons. It has around 9,000 staff, 2,000 of whom are in the UK, and makes components for planes and military jets including 'black boxes', wheel and brake components for the Royal Air Force's Typhoon fighter jets and kit for American F-35 aircraft. Meggitt was targeted earlier this year by Parker-Hannifin and Transdigm, two firms located in Ohio. Parker-Hannifin saw its 6.3billion takeover offer overwhelmingly backed by Meggitt shareholders last month, with 99.8 per cent voting in favour. Blocked: Sir Nigel Rudd (left) stands to make 2m from his shares if the Meggitt deal goes through but Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng (right) has ordered an investigation The US firm made a series of commitments related to jobs, research funding and governance when it made its offer although many of these will only last for one year. Sceptics believe any pledges are likely to be worthless. A string of UK defence firms have been snapped up by private equity groups and foreign competitors in recent years. Cobham was sold to American private equity outfit Advent International in a 4billion deal in 2020, despite protests from members of the company's founding family, senior military figures and MPs. Earlier this year, Advent agreed a 2.6billion deal to take out Ultra Electronics, which makes submarine-hunting equipment for the Royal Navy. However, the merger faces a CMA probe. GKN, one of Britain's oldest manufacturing businesses, was sold to engineering conglomerate Melrose for 8billion in 2018. Melrose has announced 'significant' job cuts and plans to close one of GKN's factories in Birmingham. A spokesman for Parker- Hannifin said: 'We look forward to engaging with the Government on the process and bringing the review of the transaction to a satisfactory conclusion. 'We continue to expect that the transaction will close in quarter three 2022 and will not offer any further comment on regulatory processes.' RioTinto's destruction of 46,000-year-old Aboriginal caves is a wake up call for tougher laws to protect such sites, Australian politicians have said. A parliamentary inquiry has described the mining giants decision to blow up the Juukan Gorge site as inexcusable and an affront . However, some members of the inquiry team believe Rio Tinto has been let off the hook for the destruction. Sacred site: A parliamentary inquiry has described Rio Tinto's decision to blow up the Juukan Gorge site in Western Australia's Pilbara region, (pictured) an 'affront' to all Australians Warren Entsch, chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia, said Rios actions almost 18 months ago caused immeasurable cultural and spiritual loss, as well as profound grief for the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people. Representatives from Aboriginal communities told the inquiry hundreds of similar sites have been destroyed by mining firms, including Rio Tinto and BHP, over the years. The Way Forward report said for too long mining companies have been able to exploit grossly inadequate laws, including the Western Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act, which allowed Rio to legally destroy the caves despite pleas from the PKKP people. The disaster was a wake-up call that there are serious deficiencies in the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage, said Entsch. The Western Australian government has already promised to replace the Act which allowed Rio to blow up the caves so it could then dig up an estimated 100million of iron ore at its Brockman 4 iron mine. But much to the relief of mining companies, the inquiry has rejected pleas from the Aboriginal people to give them the power of veto over mining developments, which endanger sacred sites. The inquiry made eight recommendations, including to give ultimate responsibility to protect indigenous heritage to the federal government, rather than the states. It also said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders must be involved in shaping legislation, and they must have more influence over mining projects to ensure they are not steam-rollered by mining companies and their legal teams. A parliamentary inquiry in December found the iron ore giant to have gone against the wishes of traditional landowners despite knowing of the archaeological value. The Never Again report said: Rio knew the value of what they were destroying but blew it up anyway. Two politicians said Rio had been let off the hook and called for a judicial inquiry into whether criminal charges could be lodged. Senator Dean Smith and MP George Christensen described Rios actions leading up to the destruction as disgraceful, negligent and wilful. Rio Tinto chief executive Jakob Stausholm said: Rio Tinto is absolutely committed to listening, learning and showing greater care. A spokesman for the PKKP Aboriginal Corporation said. For the PKKP, actions not words will be the true test. Shares in The Hut Group (THG) bounced back strongly after its founder agreed to give up his 'special share' in a bid to restore investors' crumbling confidence in the company. Matt Moulding said he would relinquish the structure, which had allowed him to veto any unwanted takeovers. The move was welcomed by corporate governance experts, who had criticised Moulding's iron grip on the company. Governance issues: Hut Group founder Matt Moulding said he would relinquish the structure which had allowed him to veto any unwanted takeovers THG, which sells clothes, make-up and protein shakes online, will now be able to list on the 'premium' sector of the London Stock Exchange, meaning it will be eligible for inclusion in the FTSE 100 index of Britain's leading companies. The company said the decision had been taken 'in furtherance of good corporate governance'. Moulding, 49, said: 'After the anniversary of our 2020 listing we feel that the time is right to make this next step and apply to the premium segment in 2022.' Shares jumped 20.5 per cent to 348.8p, but are still 30 per cent off their initial public offering (IPO) price last year implying that investors want THG to do more to clean up its act. Since its peak of 837.7p in January, the stock has tumbled almost 60 per cent. THG said it would 'undertake a further review of its corporate governance', which could mean scouting out a new chairman. Corporate governance experts were left scowling when THG listed last year with Moulding as its chairman, chief executive and landlord in contravention of guidelines which state the roles should be kept separate. The firm's disastrous investor day last week proved the value of those rules, as shares tanked when Moulding unsuccessfully tried to explain his vision for THG. Danni Hewson, a financial analyst at AJ Bell, said: 'If he [Moulding] had had an experienced chairman on board, who had been able to prepare him for investors' questions and navigate them, we wouldn't be in this situation.' Neil Wilson, analyst at Markets.com, said the golden share was due to expire after three years, and 'bringing forward the move by a year is not exactly sweeping reform nor is it a magic wand'. But THG's decision to drop the golden share a structure which Moulding had so keenly promoted during the IPO last year will be a blow to Chancellor Rishi Sunak's stock market reforms. In a bid to attract more fast-growing firms to the market, and replicate the success of the US with the likes of Amazon and Facebook, Sunak has overseen an overhaul which will allow businesses with a golden share to be included in the premium segment. Hewson said THG's saga will now have 'got people talking' about the reforms. She said: 'They do need to happen if we are going to be able to compete with US markets.' Playtechs numbers came up after the gambling software group accepted a takeover offer at a massive premium, sending its share price rocketing. The FTSE 250 firm said it has signed a deal with Australian outfit Aristocrat Leisure that will see it acquired for 680p per share in cash, a whopping 58 per cent premium to its closing price last Friday. The deal values Playtech at around 2.7billion and has been unanimously recommended by the companys board. Paying out: Playtech said it has signed a deal with Australian outfit Aristocrat Leisure that will see it acquired for 680p per share in cash Chief executive Mor Weizer said: This transaction marks an exciting opportunity in the next stage of growth for Playtech, and delivers significant benefits to our stakeholders, including our customers, our shareholders and our incredibly talented people. Aristocrat is expected to use Playtech to expand its presence in the US, using the firms fast- growing online gaming segment in North America. Analysts at Peel Hunt hiked their target price for Playtech to the 680p offer price and cut their rating to hold from buy, saying the bid was likely to be accepted by shareholders. Stock Watch - Benchmark Holdings Shares in Benchmark Holdings shot higher after the fish farming specialist hiked its full-year forecasts. In an update for the year to October, the company said it had delivered stronger than expected trading across its three business lines, flagging cost control and a recovery in its end markets. As a result, Benchmark which helps food producers to improve their sustainability and profitability said its earnings for the year are expected to be significantly ahead of current market forecasts of 15.9million. The shares jumped 11.4 per cent, or 6.5p, to 63.5p. The shares rocketed 58.1 per cent, or 249.3p, to 678.5p. AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said: At this stage the deal looks like a fait accompli with Playtechs board in favour and the deal pitched at a healthy premium which should be enough to persuade shareholders of its merits, even if the price falls short of the highs the company hit in 2017. He added: In recent years Playtech has had to contend with increased competition, regulatory changes and, of course, a global pandemic. The business had also become a little unfocused and untidy. However, it has been in the process of streamlining its operations which, ironically, may only have made it a more attractive morsel for Aristocrat. Playtechs takeover is the latest in a flurry of bidding activity among Londons gambling firms, with Ladbrokes-owner Entain (up 1.3 per cent, or 27p, to 2124p) seeing a 13.2billion swoop from US rival Draftkings last month. The FTSE 100 dropped 0.4 per cent, or 30.2 points, to 7203.83 while the FTSE 250 inched down 0.07 per cent, or 15.5 points, to 22968.74. Market momentum was dented by disappointing GDP data out of China, which saw the countrys economy grow by just 0.2 per cent in the three months to October, the weakest quarterly growth figure on record, as it grappled with supply chain bottlenecks, outbreaks of Covid-19 and a growing crisis in its property sector. The prospect of a slowdown in the Chinese economy weighed on the shares of luxury brands such as Burberry, which fell 1.9 per cent, or 36p, to 1836.5p. The company relies heavily on demand for its posh scarves and trench coats from Chinas wealthier consumers. Oil markets, meanwhile, continued to see prices of the black stuff push higher amid increased post-pandemic demand and tight supply. Brent Crude rose to over $85 a barrel, levels not seen since October 2018. Drax Group, the operator of a biomass power station in North Yorkshire, climbed 1.5 per cent, or 8p, to 540p after a bullish note from analysts at Jefferies. The broker upgraded the stock to buy from hold, saying it expected Drax to benefit significantly from soaring power prices in the UK. Blue-chip miner Polymetal inched up 1 per cent, or 13.5p, to 1343.5p as it announced first production from its Nezhda gold and silver mine in Siberia. Nezhda is the fourth largest gold mine in Russia containing around 4.4m ounces. Property firm London Metric only crept up 0.08 per cent, or 0.2p, to 254.4p despite snapping up two sites in London for 20.2million. The company said it will spend 1.4m to refurbish the two sites, which have a total size of 44,000 sq ft. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Here Carolyn Sue Bryant Ellis, 78, of Fort Walton Beach, FL, passed away on Sunday, October 24, 2021 at Somerby of Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Born March 15, 1943, at Dr. Daniel's Hospital in Pavo, Georgia, Carolyn was the youngest of nine children born to Franklin and Marie (Dailey) Bryant, of Route 2 In this file photo, Sullivan County Trustee Susan Ramsey points to a tax notice like the ones being mailed Monday to property owners in the county. She is specifically pointing to something new: a place to provide your email. So far nearly 25% of property owners have opted to provide the address, meaning theyll get an email copy of their bill ahead of the traditional mailed paper copy. Rancher Rusty Kemp poses near grazing cattle on his Pioneer Ranch in this undated photo northwest of Tryon, Neb. Kemp has led an effort to raise more than $300 million from ranchers to build a processing plant for themselves, putting their future in their own hands. Crews will start work this fall building the Sustainable Beef plant on nearly 400 acres near North Platte, Nebraska, and other groups are making similar surprising moves in Iowa, Idaho and Wisconsin. How Does Your Newspaper Get to You? By Jan Strupczewski Reuters So often the source of rows between its members, the European Union starts reviewing its rules for national budgets on Tuesday to fit a post-pandemic reality of higher public debt and the huge costs of transitioning to a zero-emissions economy. During the landmark review likely to take until the end of 2022 at least governments, economists and academics will also debate how to simplify the so-called Stability and Growth Pact, which has grown so complex that few people fully understand it. What began in 1997 as two regulations and a resolution of some 12 pages in total has since multiplied several times and is accompanied by a 108-page user manual, updated every year by the European Commission. The main goal of the Pact is to protect the value of the euro by curbing government borrowing, because while the euro zone has a single monetary policy underpinning its currency, each of the 19 euro countries sets its own budget policy. This has been the source of many frictions over the years. In 2002 then European Commission President Romano Prodi called the Pact stupid, a judgment he stands by today. It gave me a lot of problems at the time, but later on most people said I was right because they saw that in difficult times the Pact didnt work, Prodi told Reuters. I dont think I was wrong. The dangers of running national fiscal policies with a single currency came to the fore in 2010 when excessive borrowing by Greece, hidden from the EUs statistics office and the Commission that enforces the rules, triggered the sovereign debt crisis that nearly destroyed the currency. The Pact has been changed three times so far in 2005 when France and Germany would not accept applying the rules to themselves and in 2011 and 2013 during the debt crisis to assure markets that investments in the euro was safe. 100 IS THE NEW 60 Changes to be debated now are also a reaction to a crisis this time caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that has boosted average debt in the euro zone to around 100% of national output from 60-70% in the early 1990s when the rules were drafted. The annual debt reductions required by the current rules are simply not realistic for countries with debts of 160% of GDP like Italy or more than 200% like Greece. A debt target of 60% made sense when the Maastricht Treaty was negotiated, but it doesnt make sense now, said Klaus Regling, the head of the euro zone bailout fund and former head of the Commissions economic department. The debt-carrying capacity of governments is higher today than what was assumed in the Maastricht Treaty, so these are elements one has to look at, Regling said. But while many finance ministers believe that debt reduction requirements are too strict in the post-pandemic world, there is no agreement yet on whether they can be dealt with through the interpretation of the existing laws or only through more difficult changes to legal texts. INVESTMENT FOR CLIMATE The other big challenge is to make sure that the rules do not tie governments hands at a time when the 27-nation EU needs to mobilise hundreds of billions of euros to bring net CO2 emissions to zero by 2050. An analysis by the Bruegel think-tank for EU finance ministers in September showed additional public investment to meet the EUs climate goals will have to be 0.5%-1.0% of GDP annually during this decade alone. Bruegel proposed exempting investment to fight climate change from EU deficit calculations. While the idea has the general backing of Spain, France and others, officials also point out the difficulty in defining what is and that is not a green investment. Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis has said the investment exemption idea will definitely be part of the coming discussion. But some officials also believe that the Pact is already flexible enough and any further relaxation might lead to trouble down the road. The call for easing or reform has always existed and it has always been wrong. It would be a mistake to relax the rules now, former German finance minister Theo Waigel, called the father of the euro because of his role in setting up the rules in the 1990s, told Reuters. Some countries wanted to exclude investments, others the pandemic costs, again other countries military spending from the stability pact calculations. Over the years, there has always been something that governments have wanted to exclude. But it was always right to resist, he said. The latest in New York politics This article was featured in the Capitol Confidential newsletter. Sign up here to get it each morning. The New York State Museum is closed to the public and an emergency inspection is to be conducted by a contractor after a panel from the museum's ninth floor fell off and hit the building's terrace level, and then Madison Avenue and the sidewalk. OGS said a piece of its structure fell. (TU) After a decade in which he led the organizations move toward carbon reduction, New York Power Authority President and CEO Gil Quiniones has resigned to become CEO at Commonwealth Edison Company, Chicagos main utility firm. (TU) As the 2022 races for statewide office remain in flux, another Republican candidate is eyeing the job of state attorney general. According to a state Board of Elections filing, a former aide to Gov. George Pataki recently formed a campaign committee to raise money for a possible attorney general run. The former Pataki aide, Joseph Holland, is an attorney, speaker and author who lives in Manhattan, and the former commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Renewal in the 1990's. He has run previously for attorney general, including in 2018, when he gained enough support at the state Republican Party convention to run in that year's primary, but instead withdrew so the first place finisher, Keith Wofford, could run for the nomination unopposed. Wofford lost in the 2018 general election to the Democratic nominee, Attorney General Letitia James. Holland did not immediately respond to an email; his personal website does including a "Campaign" section, which states, simply: "Coming soon!" It's still unclear whether James will run in the 2022 Democratic primary governor, which would leave the attorney general seat open, and possibly make it more competitive for Republicans, who have not won a statewide election in New York since 2002. Already in the GOP race for attorney general is Michael Henry, a New York City commercial litigation attorney.. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. A White Plains attorney, John Sarcone, said in June that he was considering a run for attorney general. He has since also created a campaign committee. ALBANY Hazel Dukes, president of New York's NAACP chapter, has endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul for governor, marking the latest endorsement the western New York Democrat has picked up while her potential 2022 Democratic competitors remain uncommitted to a formal run. "She has shown an unparalleled ability to listen and govern with compassion," Dukes said in a statement Monday announcing her endorsement. "Gov. Hochul has delivered results for our communities." The Dukes endorsement comes less than two months after Hochul announced in Harlem that then-state Sen. Brian Benjamin would be her lieutenant governor. Hochul and Benjamin stood alongside Dukes and Rev. Al Sharpton during the event. "I lost my mom seven years ago and I feel her loss every single day, but I feel her strength. And somehow I think mom, you had something to do with all this, but my mom on earth is Hazel Dukes," Hochul had said when she introduced Benjamin. "She has befriended me, she has stood with me through thick and thin; she's my spiritual advisor, she's my mom advisor and she calls me all the time and I pick up the phone and say, 'What do you need, Hazel?' Let me introduce the queen of Harlem, the queen of New York, our great Hazel Dukes." Dukes was a longtime ally of former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, as was the NAACP. Cuomo has maintained, despite his resignation, support from a majority of the Black population in New York, according to a recent Siena College poll. Last week, Hochul, the lone Democrat to formally enter the governor's race, picked up the endorsement of fundraising giant Emily's List, which endorses pro-women candidates for elected office. The endorsements from Dukes and Emily's List are now no longer in play for another potential gubernatorial candidate, state Attorney General Letitia James. The Brooklyn Democrat, who previously was the New York City public advocate, is considered by many political observers to be a strong candidate for governor. The endorsements also box out New York City's current public advocate, Jumaane Williams, who is openly considering a run for governor. "I look forward to relying on her support as governor to deliver an agenda that builds on that work and makes progress for all New Yorkers," Dukes said in a statement. A Democratic primary would take place in June. The "presumptive nominee" of the state's Republican Party is U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin of Long Island. On Aug. 26, when Hochul announced Benjamin as her lieutenant governor, both Sharpton who has not issued an endorsement and Dukes highlighted their relationships with the governor. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "The day that it was announced that she was going to be governor, she called me and said, reverend, the first thing I did was (drop) to my knees and asked God for guidance and ask God for strength," Sharpton said in August. "That's the kind of governor we need. Someone that looks beyond themselves." Dukes praised Hochul's selection of Benjamin. "So New York state, I stand here today unequivocal, honored to tell you that our governor has chosen a young African-American male, reared in a home of parents that loved and cared for him," Dukes said. The governor had said she wanted to selected a lieutenant governor to represent diversity in identity and geography, and in doing so she picked a Black Democrat from Harlem, one who holds deep ties to the political establishment in the city. Benjamin became a state senator after holding no other city or statewide office previously. He was selected by the Manhattan Democratic Party to be its nominee in an almost entirely Democratic district when the seat opened up from a resignation. Dukes called Hochul and outgoing Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer her "sisters." "We not from the same mother, but we from the same faith of love in each other," Dukes said. "So we going to do this thing." ALBANY New York State Democratic Committee Chair Jay Jacobs turned to analogy when explaining why he felt there should be no obligation to endorse Democratic Socialist India Walton for mayor of Buffalo, despite the fact that she won the party's primary. "Let's take a scenario, very different, where David Duke you remember him, the Grand Wizard of the KKK he moves to New York, he becomes a Democrat, he runs for mayor in the city of Rochester, which is a low primary turnout and he wins the Democratic line. I have to endorse David Duke? I don't think so," Jacobs told Spectrum News Monday. "Now, of course, Indian Walton is not in the same category, but it just, it just leads you to that question: Is it a must? It's not a must." Duke was a member of Louisiana's House of Representatives from 1989 to 1991. He had been registered with the Democratic Party before winning on the Republican Party ticket. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes Duke as the "most recognizable figure of the American radical right, a neo-Nazi, longtime Klan leader and now international spokesman for Holocaust denial who has nevertheless won election to Louisiana's House of Representatives and once was nearly elected governor." India Walton is a Democratic Socialist who won the Democratic Party primary in Buffalo with about 20 percent voter turnout. Democratic leadership have attributed the low turnout to why incumbent Mayor Byron W. Brown lost the primary election. The Buffalo News found that in his recent reelection campaigns, turnout had hovered at between 20 and 30 percent of registered Democrats, a sharp decline from prior decades. Jacobs' comments were the latest from the Democratic establishment, who have all avoided an endorsement in the race. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is from Erie County, has also refused to offer an endorsement of her own. Jacobs recently endorsed Hochul for governor, in part, because of her party loyalty. Brown is running a write-in campaign for mayor. "In this business, loyalty, unfortunately, is a scarce commodity," Jacobs said earlier this month. "And for me, I remember that loyalty is a two-way street. Again, Kathy Hochul has earned the support that she is getting from me." Jacobs' analogy of Duke, a White Nationalist, led to calls from within his own party for his resignation. "What are you thinking?" state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi tweeted. "Comparing the endorsement of India Walton to endorsing David Duke of the KKK is outrageously racist." Jacobs later said that the response to his comments are "what's wrong with public discourse today." He referred back to his comments, which he noted said that Walton is "not in the same category" as Duke. In response, Biaggi said that the problem is that he used it as an analogy in the first place. "The comparison Jay Jacobs used was very disturbing and clearly unacceptable," Hochul said in a statement. "India Walton deserves far better, and I'm glad that Jay has apologized." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Jacobs' initial statement, in which he said "people want to find something to be unhappy about, so they twist statements or ignore statements to make their argument," did not include a direct apology. A statement released in the evening included an apology for using an example with Duke was wrong, he said. The Working Families Party condemned Jacobs' comments, saying they are "absolutely disgusted" by the remarks. "There is no excuse for this racist and appalling rhetoric," Sochie Nnaemeka, director of the New York State Working Families Party, said in a statement. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a progressive exploring a run for governor, called on the party's establishment to take action on the matter. "This is the toxicity that has long plagued New York's politics and prevented New York's progress and it cannot be ignored," Williams said in a statement. Roughly 18,000 wool aficionados and avid knitters flocked to the Dutchess County Fairgrounds this weekend for the 41st annual New York State Sheep & Wool Festival. Attendees shopped from vendors selling everything from knitwear to spinning wheels, and enjoyed close-up encounters with sheep, goats, llamas and alpacas. Clutching a bag full of yarn near the entry gate, Festival Director Nena Johnson said Saturday had sold out and Sunday attracted a solid crowd. In years past, the Rhinebeck festival has attracted upwards of 30,000 people across the two-day run, but attendance was capped at 10,000 each day to keep crowds manageable in light of ongoing concerns of the spread of COVID-19. This weekends number of vendors was also down from the regular lineup of 300. Johnson pinned that mainly on the virus keeping some vendors away. But that wasnt necessarily a bad thing. This allowed us to spread the vendors out more, she said. Johnson hopes for the full slate of demonstrations, like live sheep shearing, to return next year. Still, she was just glad to have the festival back in person after the pandemic forced the event to go virtual in 2020. Many avid knitters were also excited to be back at the fairgrounds, sporting the special Rhinebeck sweaters they had made especially for the festival. One longtime attendee, Kristy Glass, has even created an annual YouTube series called Tell me about your Rhinebeck Sweater, in which she interviews people about the story behind their handmade sweater. Below are a few of the special sweaters, vendors and animals spotted at the country's largest fiber festival this year. Benjamin Fractenberg / New York State Sheep & Wool Festival @kristyglassknits Brian Hubert Brian Hubert @isthatkenyarn Benjamin Fractenberg / New York State Sheep & Wool Festival Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter. Loopy Mango Loopy Mango Brian Hubert @fiberdreams.by.jacob Brian Hubert Brian Hubert Republicans believe they have a good shot at taking Congress next year. But theres a catch. The GOPs ambitions of ending unified Democratic control in Washington in 2022 are colliding with a considerable force that has the ability to sway tens of millions of votes: former President Donald Trumps increasingly vocal demands that members of his party remain in a permanent state of obedience, endorsing his false claims of a stolen election or risking his wrath. In a series of public appearances and statements over the past week, Trump has signaled not only that he plans to work against Republicans he deems disloyal, but also that his meritless claims that widespread voter fraud cost him the White House in 2020 will be his litmus test, going so far as to threaten that his voters will sit out future elections. If we dont solve the Presidential Election Fraud of 2020, Trump said in a statement last week, Republicans will not be voting in 22 or 24. Its the single most important thing for Republicans to do. The former presidents fixation on disproved conspiracy theories is frustrating to many in his party who see it as needlessly divisive at a time when Republicans feel they are poised to take back the House of Representatives and perhaps the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections. They worry he could cost Republicans otherwise winnable seats in Congress and complicate the partys more immediate goal of winning the governors race in Virginia next month. The concern over Trumps attempts to make all federal elections a referendum on him points to the larger debate among Republicans over what his role should be, as someone who remains singularly popular with the partys base but is also a liability with swing voters and a motivator for Democrats to turn out. Some rising stars in the Republican Party like Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, who ousted Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming from a House leadership post in a bitter intraparty fight over the Jan. 6 riots and Trumps attempts to downplay them have been clear: They want Trump to play a role in the 2022 midterms. Stefanik called him an asset to Republicans on the ballot at a fundraiser last week. And top party strategists said they expected the former president to remain front and center in the Republicans campaign to retake control of the House. Hes the leader of the party, said Corry Bliss, a consultant to Republicans on congressional races. The more energized and engaged he is, the better well do. But party officials believe Trumps threat about his supporters staying home en masse is real. And the potency of his false claims about 2020 caught even some of his staunchest allies in the party off guard. The stakes are amplified by Trumps increasingly pointed hints that he plans to be the partys nominee in 2024. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has supported exhaustive audits of the 2020 results to look for evidence of voting irregularities that repeated reviews have failed to produce. Still, she has told colleagues that she was surprised by a recent survey of Republican voters in her district, according to one person who spoke with her about it. The internal survey found that 5% of Republican voters said they would sit out the 2022 election if the state of Georgia did not conduct a forensic audit of the 2020 election a demand that some of Trumps hard-core supporters have made. Another 4% said they would consider sitting out the election absent an audit. The possibility that nearly 10% of Republicans could sit out any election even one in a solidly red district like the one held by Taylor Greene was something Republican strategists said they found alarming. Since Trump left office, polls have repeatedly shown that large majorities of Republican voters want him to run in 2024. And roughly 40% of Republicans say they consider themselves to be primarily his supporters rather than supporters of the party about the same share who said so last November, according to the political research firm Echelon Insights. Many Republicans dont seem to want to hear anything critical about him. A recent poll by the Pew Research Center, for instance, highlighted the lack of an appetite for much dissent. Nearly two-thirds of Republicans, Pew found, said their party should not be accepting of elected officials who criticize Trump. Trumps recent interference in the Virginia contest where polls show the Republican candidate, Glenn Youngkin, narrowly trailing his Democratic rival, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe worried advisers to Youngkins campaign. They watched as their carefully scripted plan to keep the race focused on their candidate and on claims that Democrats have veered too far left became engulfed by news coverage of the former president praising Youngkin at a political rally last week. Some Republicans said they feared they were watching a preview of the awkward and unpleasant dilemma their candidates would face for the foreseeable future, as Trump remains the most popular figure in their party, determining what candidates say and how voters think. Here is where Trump is so destructive, said Barbara Comstock, a former Republican member of Congress who lost her seat in suburban Virginia in 2018. That year, voters in swing districts across the country turned against centrist incumbents like her in a repudiation of Trump. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. He doesnt want other people to win without groveling to him. Thats the threat, Comstock added. Its not about winning. Its all about him. And thats whats so stupid about Republicans even trying to deal with him, because you never know when hell drive the car off the cliff. One of the most concerned is Sen. Mitch McConnell, the minority leader. McConnell has told colleagues that he is concerned Trumps campaign to relitigate the 2020 election could depress confidence among Republican voters and hurt the partys chances at winning back the majority it lost this year after Democrats captured Georgias two Senate seats. Republican leaders warned Trump at the time that by blaming fraud for his loss, he would convince many of his supporters in Georgia that their votes in the Senate runoff election on Jan. 5 wouldnt count, deterring them from participating. Republican critics of Trump said that history was repeating itself. Republicans should have learned this lesson after the Georgia debacle, said Scott Reed, a veteran party strategist who has worked to elect Republicans to the Senate for three decades. Reed said that the former presidents comments about Republicans not voting should warrant a sanction from the Republican National Committee. He warned, It will impact the 2022 midterms severely. The tension between McConnell and Trump has escalated lately, as the former president has ratcheted up his attacks on the minority leader, accusing McConnell of folding to Democrats in a recent agreement to raise the nations debt ceiling. He called for the leaders ouster in a recent interview with Fox News, saying, Mitch is not the guy. McConnell has sought to avoid direct confrontation with the former president. When Trump spoke to a private gathering of Republican senators and lobbyists last week in Palm Beach, Florida, McConnell did not attend. Trumps allies did not deny that he was content to see Republicans pay the ultimate political price for what he and a significant portion of his voters saw as disloyalty. President Trump is saying: Hey, Im putting you guys on notice. My people arent coming out, said Steve Bannon, the former chief White House strategist, who has been using his podcast to further amplify Trumps false claims about the 2020 election. There could not be a bigger shot across the establishment bow. But the harder Trumps allies push their election fraud claims, the harder it becomes to satisfy their most hard-core followers. Even Taylor Greene, who is as far-right and pro-Trump as they come in the Republican Party, cannot seem to always please the fringe. Lately, she has been feuding online with L. Lin Wood, an Atlanta attorney who helped Trump sow doubts over his loss in Georgia, over which of them truly represents the Trump movement. Wood has accused her of not doing enough to uncover instances of voter fraud. She has said that Wood is not one of us. Such radicalization comes at a cost, said David Jolly, a former Republican congressman from Florida who is critical of the former president. At a time when the larger political trends are pointing toward trouble for the Democratic Party in 2022, he said, Trumps actions risk interfering with what should be a good environment for Republicans. This should be a 100%, straight-up referendum on Biden, Jolly said. Instead, you have Trump the narcissist trying to inject himself into what should be a glide path for Republicans to an incredibly successful election, by making it all about him. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. In October 1995, Times Union reporter Paul Grondahl spoke to Saratoga Springs author Joseph Persico about his work on the autobiography of Colin Powell, who died Monday of COVID-19 complications; Powell had also been battling cancer. Persico died in 2014. At the start of each interview session for his autobiography, "My American Journey," Colin Powell would lean back in his chair, prop his running shoes up on the desktop, take a sip of Coca-Cola straight from the can, and prepare to pour out his life story for Joseph Persico and an ever-present tape recorder. "Now I descend into little-old-lady land,'' the retired four-star general would say without fail to Persico, the Guilderland author whom Powell hired as his collaborator, and the two would share a chuckle. Powell, you see, is a movie buff and the line comes from "The Producers,'' the 1968 comedy that marked Mel Brooks' directing debut. Zero Mostel stars as a sleazy Broadway promoter trying to produce the theatrical clunker "Springtime for Hitler,'' along with an accountant played by Gene Wilder. Mostel prepares to seduce rich old ladies as part of his scheme with the phrase, "Now I descend into little-old-lady land.'' The anecdote is revealing of Powell and begins to suggest why he chose Persico who happens to be something of a film fanatic himself and knew the line from "The Producers'' right off to write his 643-page autobiography, for which Powell received a reported $6.5 million advance. The obvious question: Did the book make Persico an instant millionaire? He shakes with laughter and dismisses the thought with a wave of his hand. "I was very fairly treated for my collaboration,'' Persico says. "It was a flat fee. The terms were generous.'' Matter closed. The question of money aside, Powell describes the 20 months spent holed up with Powell, tape recorder running, in a downstairs study of the retired general's large brick home in McLean, Va., as days filled with jokes and joviality, even some calypso singing from Powell, who is of Jamaican descent. "He's the most comfortable man in his own skin I've ever met,'' Persico says. "He's completely at ease with himself. He's taking this whole Cinderella story in stride. He realizes the bubble can pop tomorrow.'' Powell answers his front door himself he and his wife, Alma, do not have domestic help and is a bit clumsy around the kitchen, although the general made a stab each morning at hot chocolate for Persico. When his wife wasn't around to make sandwiches for lunch, Powell would go out and bring back subs from a nearby deli. "He'd bring back these bags with a big grease spot in the bottom,'' Persico says. "Neither of us paid any attention to what we were eating as we wolfed down the sandwiches. He's the only person I've met who eats faster than I do.'' The interview sessions typically ran from 9 a.m. until early afternoon without a break. "Early on, I saw the light side of this guy. The public only sees this severe military person, but he's really got a delightful sense of humor,'' Persico says, relaxing in his Guilderland apartment and basking in a stream of congratulatory calls and letters. Persico is waiting to pop the cork on a pricey magnum of Perrier-Jouet champagne from Harold Evans, president of the Random House Trade Group and the book's editor. Evans' note says, "To The #1 Collaborator, Officer & Gentleman.'' They're all smiling now. Random House's high-stakes gamble on Powell and Persico appears to be paying off. The book is shaping up to be both the publishing and political event of the year, even exceeding the publisher's expectations. Since its Sept. 15 publication, it's become a phenomenon. "My American Journey,'' which retails for $25.95, tops numerous best-seller lists around the country. There are more than 1.25 million hardcover copies in print and it is the fastest-selling book in the history of Random House. The reviews have been positive, too, making it that rare creature, both a commercial and critical success. While Persico spoke publicly for the first time in detail about his collaboration with Powell, the general was in the midst of what The New York Times called his "Presidential tease tour.'' The highly orchestrated 23-city promotion tour has been a major success for Powell, too, by selling scads of books, generating immense publicity and testing the waters for what political pundits are calling an increasingly likely presidential campaign. Powell has been calling Persico from the road with daily updates. "He'll say something like, 'Signed 2,900 this morning in Boston, a new record.' He's like a kid, absolutely delighted by it all,'' Persico says of Powell. "I'm amazed. He still sounds chipper. I thought his voice would be shot and his writing hand paralyzed by now, but he's still going strong.'' In his acknowledgements for the book, Powell recalls his first meeting with Persico: "He did not seem to be the least bit impressed by his first visit to the Pentagon and the office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or by me. I had found my collaborator.'' Persico remembers their initial meeting was Sept. 29, 1993, Powell's last full working day in the post. At the time, Persico was finishing the manuscript for his own book, "Nuremberg: Infamy on Trial,'' and his agent, Clyde Taylor, suggested Persico make a cast for the Powell project. Persico had no expectations of reeling it in. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "We seemed to hit it off immediately,'' Persico recalls of the interview with Powell. They talked about their military and foreign service careers. Persico served as a lieutenant junior grade aboard a minesweeper during the Korean War and later at Southern NATO headquarters in Naples. He later worked for the U.S. Information Agency with postings in Brazil, Argentina and Washington. They told stories about their ethnic roots in New York City. For Persico, 65, a native of Gloversville, graduate of the University at Albany, longtime speechwriter for Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and author of a half-dozen biographies and histories, there was some trepidation about being a writer for hire, but the collaboration went well. Persico says Powell would rewrite one draft. Persico would then go back and rewrite Powell's version. On and on it went. Persico says there was no sense of limits or boundaries put on him by Powell. "He never once in all our months working together said, 'Don't forget, this is my political road map, so be careful what you write there.' One has come to serve the other, undeniably,'' Persico concedes. "But there was no calculation. He wanted to tell his life story in the most honest way possible.'' Powell generally deferred to Persico's skill in narrative flow and story structure. For example, Powell wanted the book to open with a scene in the Pentagon's situation room, mapping out strategy during the Persian Gulf War. Persico countered that the public was tired of that war by now and succeeded in convincing Powell to start his autobiography with a gripping scene of a near-fatal helicopter crash during a visit by Powell and his wife to his Jamaican homeland. In other instances, such as military minutiae Persico considered numbing, Powell won out in the negotiations and those passages stayed in the book. "In the end, I'd always say, 'It's your book, you have the final cut,'" Persico recalls. Persico served to unleash Powell's memory. For example, at first Powell dismissed his two tours of duty in Vietnam in the early-1960s with resume headings. Persico hammered away at his somewhat reticent subject. "If I did him a service, it was to pull out long, suppressed resentment about what the Army was doing in Vietnam,'' says Persico, who considers the two Vietnam chapters his finest work in the book. "When I finally got him going, it was like uncorking a bottle. He was relieved to get it out, all these thoughts that had been festering in his mind for so long.'' Similarly, Persico worked hard to draw out Powell's deepest feelings about his parents. "He got choked up talking about his mother and father, about how they struggled to give him a better life and to get out of Harlem,'' says Persico. "They both died after long, painful periods of suffering and that was very difficult for him to discuss.'' Persico's job as collaborator mushroomed into a family cottage industry. There was so much riding on the project, the publisher was excessive about security and keeping the manuscript under wraps. "So we kept the whole thing in the family,'' Persico says. The couple's oldest daughter, Vanya Perez, transcribed hundreds of hours of taped interviews and typed the final manuscript finishing just days before her second child was born. Persico's wife, Sylvia, a textile artist, typed into a computer her husband's initial draft, written in longhand with a black fountain pen on stacks of legal pads, and made editing suggestions. Persico reworked subsequent drafts on the computer. Powell then made his own changes, and back and forth the disks went. Persico whose previous biographical subjects were Nelson A. Rockefeller, Edward R. Murrow and CIA chief William J. Casey says none of them equaled Powell's story. The question remains for Persico, the person who probably knows more about Powell than anyone else, the writer who carefully crafted the playfully ambiguous ending to the book: Will he or won't he run for president? "I've learned to take him at his word,'' Persico says. "Late in November, he'll sit down with family and friends and advisers and get their input. At some point, I'd expect him to lay awake at night and to get a flash of insight that will cause him to make the decision. He's been very intuitive all his life.'' ALBANY An upcoming pilot program at New York schools will enable districts to experiment with performance-based assessments as an alternative to high school Regents exams. The Carnegie Corporation of New York has awarded the state Education Department a philanthropic grant of $500,000 to support the project which would supplement research related to the departments ongoing review of New York's high school graduation requirements, Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced Monday. Too many of New Yorks students particularly our most vulnerable are leaving high school without a diploma, Rosa said. "This important research will be critical in exploring the ways in which students can best demonstrate their readiness to graduate from high school and be successful in life. While the pilot design will be determined with expert guidance later this year, education officials said they envision middle schools, high schools and potentially BOCES organizations will be selected to establish pilot sites in different geographic regions. Participating schools will collaborate closely with each other and with partner schools that are already successfully implementing performance-based assessment to facilitate sustainable changes in school culture. The funding period is 2.5 years, with the acceptance of the grant being subject to a vote by the Board of Regents. We are pleased to support the Board of Regents in this effort to better understand the value of the assessments that our students undergo and the impact these programs have on what is taught in a classroom and how it is presented, said LaVerne Evans Srinivasan, vice president of Carnegie Corporation of New Yorks National Program. In addition to the more traditional performance measures and graduation requirements that emphasize time spent on instruction, there is room for more authentic measurements of what students know and can do, including approaches that focus on project-based instruction and the cultivation of true competency. In February 2019, the Board of Regents and State Education Department announced they were launching a review of the state's high school graduation measures. The goal of the initiative is to "reaffirm what it means to obtain a diploma in New York" while ensuring excellence and equity for all students in the state, officials said. There are several promising school models in which performance-based assessment is a key component, including the International Baccalaureate, an international network that uses an inquiry-based pedagogical approach and assessments that measure students individual performance on specified objectives; school networks that are implementing high-quality career and technical education (CTE); and the New York Performance Standards Consortium, which uses performance-based assessments to determine student progress. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The Board and Department intend to explore whether these could serve as models for reimagining statewide diploma requirements to increase high school graduation rates while also better preparing students especially disadvantaged students and students with disabilities for success in college and life. Members of the Board of Regents thanked the foundation for the generous grant at their October meeting on Monday. All students must graduate from high school ready for college, career and civic engagement in order to be successful in life, Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said. We are at a critical moment of possibility and we must work to ensure that all NYS students have access to the opportunities necessary for deeper and more meaningful learning in school. This will require that our state assessment strategy provide information on deeper and more meaningful learning." SARATOGA SPRINGS After months of debate, the City Council is set to vote Tuesday on the controversial Community Police Board, a five-member body that will act as a liaison between police and the public. Unveiled earlier this month, the proposed Chapter 37 to city code is being criticized as a watered down measure to appease the public and the citys Police Reform Task Force, which has clamored for a Civilian Review Board to foster accountability and transparency in the police department. However, what city residents will get, if the proposal passes, is a body appointed by members of City Council that will accept police complaints. The board will also have the power to review police records and make recommendations to the police chief and the commissioner of public safety regarding police actions. Yet there is no mention if recommendations will be adhered to or made public. All this comes at the same time the city is possibly under scrutiny by the state Attorney General for its police treatment of more than a dozen Black Lives Matter protesters that included public arrests, hours in jail and shackled appearances in court on violations and misdemeanors. Attorney General Letitia James said last month that the state Attorney General's Civil Rights Bureau is scrutinizing upstate cities where protesters have been arrested, but she declined to specify what cities. Thus, many see a Civilian Review Board as necessary for public redress. Commissioner of Public Safety Robin Dalton disputes that the board, which is meant to foster communication, transparency and accountability, will be feeble. Rather, she said it is an absolutely effective and appropriate start that will be developed and amended over time. Over the next six months, it will develop policy, manuals, procedures, training, standards that will be codified in the city charter and funded with a permanent line (in the city budget), she said on Friday. Its the right start for civilian oversight in the city. She said it's important to take this approach because, she said, that the review board needs buy in from police, the public and politicians. She believes her approach will cultivate trust in the process over time. An extreme version on one end or the other wont do that, said Dalton, who is serving in her final year as public safety commissioner. She is currently running for mayor in this year's election. We want it to succeed for the police department and the community. Attorney Eric Lawson, who has been pushing for a civilian review board in the city for years, is disappointed that the language in the proposed ordinance is substantially removed from what the Police Reform Task Force recommended. That approval followed public hearings and was carefully vetted to account for distinctions that are unique to Saratoga Springs, Lawson said in an email to the City Council. While the pending ordinance is certainly better than what is available to handle grievances presently, it lacks a number of important provisions found in the CRB. He said the proposed ordinance fails to specify procedures to conduct investigations, provide for mediation and it lacks incentives for police. More Information Community Board Review Public Hearing 6:25 p.m. Oct. 19 Saratoga Springs City Hall 474 Broadway Saratoga Springs See More Collapse While these and other deficiencies may be subject to future revisions of the ordinance, their absence from the pending legislation ensures that, if adopted, the effectiveness of the ordinance will be reduced, Lawson wrote. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Saratoga Black Lives Matter leader Lexis Figuereo also sees the proposal as flawed. As a resident of Saratoga Springs who has dealt with police at protests, including one in 2020 where protesters were shot with pepper spray pellets, he sees the proposal as one that is meant to appease police who are loathe to civilian oversight. Moreover, he said, if the members are selected by the City Council, the underserved won't be represented. Its supposed to be inclusive, but its going to be same people they pick for boards," Figuereo said. "There is a chance to make something happen instead of doing something to just save face. Dalton, who said she doesn't want a politicized board, said she is open to suggestions on how to select its members. She also said the ordinance is a good one and that the language was developed with recommendations from Jason Golub, an attorney who was the co-chair of the Police Reform Task Force. He was appointed by Mayor Meg Kelly in June to assist in the police reform collaborative plan. At that time, Kelly said that Golub, along with Kim Galvin, were to research and analyze how a citizens review board will be implemented in Saratoga Springs and then provide council with their findings for deliberation and decision this year. But Kelly is backing away from the proposal, saying at a City Council meeting on Oct. 5 that the Community Review Board's language is "empty" and its vague and troublesome. Regardless of Kellys reluctance, Dalton said Golub has done an incredible job, keeping the City Council abreast of his research in regular presentations. We have been having this discussion for 14 or 15 months, Dalton said on Friday. I really think this is the right move and truly tees us up for the most successful outcome for all involved. We have to put a basic framework in place. If we don't pass it, we are just going to keep spinning our wheels.... It is this councils obligation to get it finished. In 2015, the administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo started a program they said was intended to promote integrity in government and bolster the publics trust. Now, Gov. Kathy Hochul hopes to promote integrity and bolster trust by doing away with the same program. Under the ethics, risk and compliance initiative, the executive chamber embedded attorneys in two dozen state agencies. In theory, they were there to protect the state from liability by making sure agencies didnt trip themselves up on an ethics violation. In practice, they were there to protect Mr. Cuomo. These special counsels helped Mr. Cuomo suppress information that was potentially harmful to his reputation. The former governor was notorious for wanting to control the narrative as we saw last year with the manipulation of nursing home COVID data. Loyalists embedded in agencies could help keep scandals out of sight and public records under wraps by flagging potentially troublesome Freedom of Information Law requests, some of which took months or years to be answered under the Cuomo administration. These counsels were the governors eyes and ears, a web of watchers that all led back to Mr. Cuomo. Gov. Hochul is sweeping up that web, in line with her pledge to open up government. Its encouraging to see her putting the states house in order. Welcome, neighbors Its been 19 months since Canadian residents could enter the U.S. to shop, work, visit friends or family, or maintain property they own. At long last, thats about to change. Next month, the U.S. will open its northern and southern land borders for nonessential travel by vaccinated visitors. Its about time. Canada changed its law this summer to permit vaccinated Americans, yet the U.S. held out, despite Canadas far higher vaccination rates. Tourists have been able to enter from Canada and Mexico by air giving an air of economic prejudice to a restriction on driving across the border. This policy has kept New Yorks North Country in pandemic limbo for far too long. It has hurt businesses that rely on Canadian consumers and caused needless hardship for cross-border families. The borders closure highlighted how tightly the economies indeed, the communities of southern Canada and northern New York are knit together. May it never need closing again. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. And speaking of good news at the border Ending an error The Biden administration has canceled more contracts for construction of a southern border wall. Donald Trumps big, beautiful wall was always a joke it simply was never going to work but the punchline wasnt funny: billions upon billions in wasted taxpayer dollars, plus private property seizures, environmental damage, and money siphoned from other important projects. It was a chest-thumping symbol of macho strength or at least thats what the ex-president hoped it was not a serious solution to very real problems with illegal immigration. To that end, Congress needs to cancel the remaining border wall funding and redirect the money to better solutions for border security. WASHINGTON The Albany Common Council was early to engage in deliberations about the need for widespread federal student loan forgiveness. In August 2009, the council passed a resolution urging the federal government to consider forgiving student loans in order to help the economy. Jim Sano, a lifelong Albany resident and former councilman and middle school teacher, said he conceived the idea for the resolution after receiving an article from his daughter, a graduate student at New York University, outlining the devastating effects of student debt. It struck a nerve, especially because he saw other parts of the economy receiving federal help in response to the Great Recession. One section of the resolution focused on expanding access to forgiveness of both private and public loans for public sector employees, in order to better utilize these degrees and experience especially in our most disadvantaged sectors. At the time, the federal government had already created one program to forgive loans for public servants: the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. But it has proved to not be as effective as intended, and the U.S. Department of Education announced a massive overhaul last week. Established in 2007, the federal program was intended to ensure public service employees teachers, firefighters, health care employees and others would have their student debts removed after 10 years in public service if they had fulfilled at least 120 payments. It was both a reward for people who were doing important work and an incentive to make sure that folks wouldn't be prevented from entering public service jobs because of their debt burden, said Winston Berkman-Breen, director of advocacy for the Student Borrower Protection Center. The first year a group of eligible borrowers would have had their debts forgiven was 2017. However, the number of participants who benefited was much lower than expected. According to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report, by April 2018, over 1 million had started the process to verify their eligibility for the program. From there, a total of 20,000 people had submitted an application for loan forgiveness, and only 55 people were granted forgiveness. Roughly 1.2 percent of New York PSLF participants have had their debts forgiven, with the remaining participants in the state still owing more than $8 billion in student loans, according to a report citing U.S. Department of Education data by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. A confusing application process, stringent requirements for payments that would qualify toward the 120 minimum and a lack of clear communication are partially to blame for the outcome, according to a number of experts. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said the program was worse than the worst maze that anyone has ever gone through. With the recent overhaul, the U.S. Department of Education plans to make a number of changes. Significantly, a temporary waiver will allow borrowers to consolidate their loans, making prior payments count towards their 120 payments regardless of the type of loan or payment plan. The deadline to apply for the program is Oct. 31, 2022. Other changes include plans to simplify the application process, review denied applications to correct prior errors, remove barriers that deter participation of members of the military and improve communication with eligible borrowers, the agency said. Eric Harrington, senior counsel for the National Education Association, said the significance of the overhaul is being understated. This is a very big deal. ... For educators, this overhaul could mean 10 to 15 percent of all educators in the country, nearly a million people, could have their student debt wiped out from these actions, he said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. But some say the changes only scratch the surface. Gillibrand, whos been calling for reform of the program since last year, commended the Biden administration for the recently announced changes. However, she emphasized that the changes are only temporary solutions. We can and should do more to help people who have served our communities and planned their lives, careers and futures around the promise of the PSLF program, Gillibrand said. She sponsored legislation last year that would make more permanent changes to the program, including making it more flexible. Her bill would allow participants to have their loans partially forgiven after five years of service and make all federal college education loans eligible permanently. Janet Werther, an adjunct professor with the State University of New York, has failed to qualify for PSLF twice once while a professor and again while working part-time at an arts nonprofit. PSLF requires borrowers to work full time or at least 30 hours a week and, while there are exceptions to the rule, reaching that minimum is a necessity year after year. Werther said the requirement, especially in the higher education system, poses a problem because there is a higher proportion of part-time professors compared to full-time positions. There's a structural inequity there in that those of us who in the university system are the most economically disadvantaged, the most precarious, the most structurally underprivileged in our work, are also the least able to access public service loan forgiveness, Werther said. The impact of the overhaul will be seen in the coming years. Until then, Gillibrand said, the key for regaining faith in this program lies in making it work. If we give a million people loan forgiveness, the million who have done the work over the last 10 years, who deserve it, that would transform people's impression of the program overnight. Baylor Spears and Mikayla Denault are undergraduate students at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. ALBANY Two teenagers armed with "ghost" handguns, including a fully automatic 9mm capable of firing 50 rounds in a few seconds, were arrested last week during a traffic stop in Albany as they drove a Porsche through a neighborhood near Central Avenue with their headlights off at night, according to law enforcement officials. Sources briefed on the matter said investigators are trying to determine whether the boys, a 16-year-old from Clifton Park and a 17-year-old from Troy, were planning a drive-by shooting when they were stopped overnight Thursday near the intersection of Quail Street and Washington Avenue. At the time of the stop, there was a sidewalk vigil taking place blocks away for a person who had been killed in an earlier homicide. Police did not identify the teenagers because of their ages. The 16-year-old was driving the Porsche, which is registered to his mother, and the 17-year-old was seated in the back of the car next to an open window with the weapons two 9mm handguns and high-capacity ammunition clips within reach, police said. Albany County sheriff's deputies who pulled over the car said the ammunition stockpile included a drum feeder that held about 50 rounds and could be used with one of the altered handguns to fire rapidly like a machine gun. Under the provisions of New York's Raise the Age statute, which elevated the age of adult criminal responsibility to 18, the pair were taken to Family Court and released into the custody of their parents, law enforcement officials said. A gun expert who examined police photographs of the handguns and ammunition clips said they appeared to be home-assembled "ghost guns" that may have had parts delivered through the mail from China. This type of anonymous firearm has become a challenging new frontier for law enforcement amid a surge in their appearances in criminal cases. Law enforcement officials said that as shootings and homicides have increased over the past two years in Albany and across the state the Raise the Age statute has made it more challenging to have teenagers jailed while their cases are pending, even in matters involving gun possession or shootings. Albany County District Attorney David Soares, whose office is handling the gun possession cases involving the teens, said he could not discuss the specifics of the cases due to the ongoing investigation and because it's being handled in Family Court. "My entire career in prosecuting these cases in Albany, we had a policy where if its a gun (charge), were asking for the person to be remanded and we put those cases in the grand jury immediately, because our purpose was to have the shooter or the person in possession off the street," Soares said. "Now, because the shooter or the person in possession gets back on the street, the person they shot at has an opportunity to shoot at him or her. ... The shooter is now a target, hence the increased back and forth (of gun violence) in the community." Advocates and lawmakers who supported raising the age of criminal responsibility in New York said it was intended largely to initiate interventionary measures to help steer teenagers away from a life of crime and to prevent them from becoming engulfed in the adult criminal justice system including being sent to state prison. But many county probation departments, which are often tasked with monitoring and providing intervention programs for youthful offenders, have been overwhelmed with an influx of cases and a lack of additional resources to implement the initiative. Two years ago, the Times Union tracked the cases of several youthful offenders who had been involved in a brazen shooting that injured a toddler. The mother of one of the teenagers, who was later charged with an unrelated murder committed while he was under supervision of Family Court, said the programs did not help her son. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "To me, this is just very disheartening to have someone have this type of firepower and then to be released to their parents," Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said. "They will not learn a thing from this. I agree with some of the reforms, but this part of it absolutely not." In August 2020, as shootings soared across New York, former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo sent a letter to 500 police agencies reminding them to develop "collaborative" response plans to deal with the violence or face the possibility of losing their state funding next year. Cuomo sent the letter two months after issuing an executive order creating the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative. Cuomo's administration had brushed aside criticism that New York's "Raise the Age" and bail-reform laws were contributing to the surge in gun violence, contending there are no formal studies showing that the criminal justice initiatives are contributing to the problem. Cuomo had also highlighted the increase in gun violence in multiple cities, including Albany, where last year shootings were up 240 percent from the previous year, as he called for an immediate response. "It is imperative that we address this urgent crisis," he said. "Denial is not a successful life strategy. This state does not run from a crisis. It's not what we do. It's not how we are ... and we're not going to deny that this is a crisis." Gov. Kathy Hochul's office did not immediately say Monday whether that program created by Cuomo will be continued by her administration. Seventy-four years ago, Capt. Charles Chuck Yeager climbed into the cockpit of a rocket-powered aircraft and proved that he had the right stuff by becoming the first pilot to blast past the sound barrier. Wilhelm Mohr stands in front of the replica of the Drake Well. Mohr, who is originally from Norway, learned about Drake and Titusville as a kid, and is now finally visiting the place that meant so much to his country. October 18, 2021 Individuals who choose to become an insurance agent and are armed with the qualification of any type of insurance license have the potential capacity to sell different kinds of insurance policies to individuals, businesses, groups, and entities. Insurance brokers often get certified in the respective state that they reside in since licensing standards vary by the state as well as the type of insurance product the broker offers. Most states require potential insurance agents to complete pre-licensing before taking the official licensure exam; however, some do not require any pre-requisite besides being over the age of 18. Candidates who possess some certifications from other states or specific professional designations may sometimes be exempt from a few pre-licensing requirements in various county states. It is important to note that there is no previous requirement to hold a degree or any other college qualification to obtain an insurance license, however career-wise, this may affect your possibility to be hired since, more often than not, employers prefer candidates with some kind of qualification in business or economics. Difference Types of Insurance Licensure According to The Really Useful Information Company(TRUiC) , there are several different types of insurance brokers in the US who practice in the various faculties of insurance depending on the policies they specialize in and the licenses they are qualified with. In the US, the two insurance departments fall under and include property & casualty insurance and life & health insurance. Property and Casualty License A property and casualty license (P&C License) is the first of the two most general insurance licenses that new insurance brokers obtain. It is crucial to note that property insurance and casualty insurance are two different faculties of insurance coverage; however, most states require licensure for both in order to practice brokerage. This licensure enables the broker the inherent capability to sell insurance products to the likes of homeowners insurance, auto insurance, insurance for commercial property, and professional liability. A property and casualty license permits insurance brokers to sell and negotiate property and casualty insurance policies that include the likes of protecting people as well as businesses from potential financial loss that may result from property damage, accidental issues, possible theft, natural disaster, and other possible tragic happenings. Life and Health Insurance The second general department of insurance would appear to be the life and health insurance faculty. Like the property and casualty insurance licenses, life insurance licenses, and health insurance licenses are two different brokerage departments. However, since life insurance is tied closely with health insurance, most insurance brokers get licensure together. The life insurance license gives the potential to insurance brokers to qualify in selling life insurance products within their respective states. Having this particular sort of licensure offers brokers the ability and capacity to legally and professionally explain life insurance, market life insurance, and write within this line of business. Similar to life insurance, the health insurance license allows for an insurance broker to write health insurance products that would be offered within the respective state of the insurance broker. Having a health insurance license for an insurance broker means having the capacity to professionally and legally be recognized by the state as a broker who has the ability to explain, market, and write sequentially for this specific faculty of insurance. Insurance brokers do have the option of getting either the life insurance license or the health insurance license independently; however, most of the time, agents opt to get both the permits at the same time based on the possibility of being able to write both lines of business for the same clients simultaneously. Some US states do offer to group life and health insurance faculties together into one single licensure exam with a double qualification; however, it is encouraged to check with the corresponding state to confirm if that alternative opportunity is available. Final Take As mentioned previously, each state has its own licensure application process and requirements. These insurance license applications are generally found and filled out on an official online state-endorsed website and often include a fee that has the potential to range from as little as $30.00 to as high as $200.00, depending on which state an agent decides to qualify in. Some states require preliminary information and accreditation, and others do not require any type of pre-requisite information; however, it is essential to take into consideration that all states would run a background check on potential candidates to ensure they are worthy of the qualification. Becoming a US insurance broker is no easy task since it is a prestigious and challenging qualification to obtain. It may be established that any type of broker armed with either a property & casualty license or a life & health insurance license will lead an exciting life of success that comes with many doors of opportunities open to individuals who choose to practice insurance brokerage. [October 18, 2021] 1300 MWh! Huawei Wins Contract for the World's Largest Energy Storage Project DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei Digital Power has concluded its Global Digital Power Summit 2021 in Dubai, UAE, with more than 500 participants from 67 countries attending, on October 16. At the summit, Huawei Digital Power signed a key contract with SEPCOIII for the Red Sea Project with 400 MW PV plus 1300 MWh battery energy storage solution (BESS), which is currently the world's largest energy storage project. The two parties will cooperate to help Saudi Arabia build a global clean energy and green economy center. This 1300 MWh off-grid energy storage project is the largest of its kind in the world and represents a milestone in the global energy storage industry. The Red Sea Project has been listed in the Saudi Vision 2030 as a key project. Its developer is ACWA Power, and the general contractor of EPC is SEPCOIII. Located on the Red Sea coast, NEOM is also known as the city of the future, powered entirely by renewable energy. It will ead a new way of life and drive new economic growth, as resources such as oil are increasingly depleted. With more than 10 years of experience in researching and developing energy storage systems as well as more than 8 GWh energy storage system applications, Huawei Digital Power is committed to integrating the digital information technology with PV and energy storage technologies to build a more efficient, stable, and safe smart string energy storage system using the string, intelligent, and modular designs, aiming to help PV become the main energy source and build a green and bright future. About Huawei Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We have more than 197,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world. Our vision and mission is to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. To this end, we will drive ubiquitous connectivity and promote equal access to networks; bring cloud and artificial intelligence to all four corners of the earth to provide superior computing power where you need it, when you need it; build digital platforms to help all industries and organizations become more agile, efficient, and dynamic; redefine user experience with AI, making it more personalized for people in all aspects of their life, whether they're at home, in the office, or on the go. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on: http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei http://www.twitter.com/Huawei http://www.facebook.com/Huawei http://www.youtube.com/Huawei Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662625/image.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Acxiom Builds Innovative Marketing Platform for Toyota's Move Away From Cookies Acxiom, the customer intelligence company whose data-driven solutions create business growth by enabling better customer experiences, today announced it has teamed up with Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) to create an innovative and flexible platform solution for TMNA that elevates customer experience without the use of third-party cookies. Acxiom's (News - Alert) more than 50 years of experience in data management, identity, and data ethics met the challenge: to design and build a platform for media analytics and marketing activation tools consistent with Toyota's industry-leading data privacy practices and scalable to meet new growth opportunities. The new Data Onboarding and Activation Platform (DOAP) is a digital and mobile solution that replaces TMNA's traditional Data Management Platforms (DMP). It provides both Toyota and Lexus brands with a secure platform to accurately coordinate touchpoints across offline and digital first-party data to create a multi-channel view of customers, leads, and hand raisers. This shift in digital strategy creates a privacy-compliant framework to preemptively prepare TMNA, along with its dealer associations and private distributors, for the evolving digital landscape while enabling the Toyota and Lexus brands to build more meaningful relationships with customers in a connected environment. "We leveraged Acxiom's experience to create a consolidated database to power our data-driven marketing strategies," said Lisa Materazzo, Group Vice President, Toyota Marketing at Toyota Motor North America. "We are pleased to have built this platform solution with a partner that understood the need to safeguard our proprietary customer data as well as deliver best-in-class experiences with our customers in a privacy-focused manner as they interact with our brands, vehicles, and dealers." Traditionally, advertisers have used DMPs for cookie-based audience building, digital media buying, measurement, and personalization to reach the right customer with the right message. In a world without third-party cookie data, marketers must rethink how they can use their DMPs for activation and analytics. Acxiom's identity management and identity resolution capabilities will provide a holistic view of TMNA customers to deliver to them exceptional experiences. This will play a key role in helping both automotie brands to gain better insights to attract, engage, and retain customers. "Toyota and Lexus will be able to enhance their customer view and perform advanced analytics to optimize media spend, all while drastically reducing overall data investments downstream," said John Campos, senior vice president of automotive at Acxiom. "We wanted to provide both brands an innovative way to use flexible data ingestion methods to help the company improve their customer experiences through personalization, relevant advertising, and consistency across channels and devices. This new solution will ready their approach for the future." Acxiom's leadership in data management has won the trust of more than half of the current Fortune 100 companies, eight out of the top 10 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and has a 95% renewal rate with their clients. Acxiom and Toyota will hold a joint presentation at Reuters Events Automotive 2021 on October 22 to discuss this new solution. For more information about the event or Acxiom's innovative solution, please visit: www.acxiom.com/auto. About Toyota Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships. Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021. Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com. About Acxiom Acxiom is a customer intelligence company that provides data-driven solutions to enable the world's best marketers to better understand their customers to create better experiences and business growth. A leader in customer data management, identity, and the ethical use of data for more than 50 years, Acxiom now helps thousands of clients and partners around the globe work together to create millions of better customer experiences, every day. Acxiom is a registered trademark of Acxiom LLC and is part of The Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG). For more information, visit Acxiom.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005589/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Adtalem Global Education Appoints Executive Leaders to Enhance Capability Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a leading workforce solutions provider and healthcare educator, has appointed two key executive leaders to further enhance capability and accelerate performance across the organization. Effective October 18, Robert Phelan has been promoted to chief financial officer (CFO) after serving as interim CFO since April 2021 and having been the company's vice president and chief accounting officer since February 2020. Also effective October 18, Maurice Herrera has been appointed as chief marketing officer (CMO). In this role, Herrera is responsible for leading all company-wide marketing initiatives, including driving student enrollments and building brand awareness for Adtalem's portfolio of institutions. With more than 30 years in finance, Phelan has significant and progressive financial and accounting experience along with a passion for developing and leading high-performing teams. Prior to Adtalem, he spent more than 23 years advancing through several senior financial and operational leadership positions at Sears Holding Corporation, where he was most recently senior vice president and corporate controller. Phelan began his career at KPMG. He is a CPA and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Valparaiso University and an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. "Since being named Adtalem's interim CFO in April 2021, Bob's strategic vision and focus on operational excellence made him the clear choice to oversee the finance organization as we navigate a pivotal inflection point in the company's history and journey as a leading provider of talent to the healthcare industry," said Steve Beard, president and CEO, Adtalem Global Education. "I am highly confident in Bob's continued leadership; his ability to drive operational and financial excellence across our organization will continue to yield long-term success for the organization." Herrea brings nearly 30 years of marketing leadership from multinational consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, such as Campbell's, PepsiCo and Kraft/Mondelez, and direct-to-consumer companies, Weight Watchers and Avis Budget. Herrera has a proven track record of successfully shaping and accelerating growth through a blend of innovative digital marketing strategies enhanced by data-driven targeting, dynamic content optimization, personalization and brand positioning. Most recently, Herrera served as chief marketing officer, Americas at Avis Budget since 2018. In this role, he defined new brand platforms and implemented direct response approaches on Avis.com and Budget.com. Through his leadership and data-driven strategies, Herrera increased online traffic and conversions and consistently exceeded revenue growth targets. Additionally, Herrera created an integrated and results-driven marketing organization and streamlined disparate media spend to drive efficiencies and maximize results. Prior to Avis, Herrera was the U.S. CMO for Weight Watchers from 2014 to 2018. In this role, he led all aspects of marketing including brand identity, positioning, campaign platforms, product innovation, celebrity and influencer sponsorships and strategic promotions, which resulted in consecutive multi-year, double-digit member growth and increased shareholder value. Herrera holds a bachelor's degree in math and economics from Binghamton University and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. "We are thrilled to welcome Maurice to Adtalem and for the wealth of dynamic digital marketing expertise he brings to the organization. I am confident his strategic execution and marketing rigor will enhance our organization and accelerate the growth of our businesses," said Beard. "With his appointment, and promoting Bob Phelan to CFO, we continue to build our capabilities and capacity to yield high performance across our family of institutions." Jeff Tognola served as interim chief marketing officer for Adtalem since September 2021 and will transition to a new role as chief operating officer, Walden University. About Adtalem Global Education Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a leading workforce solutions provider, partners with organizations in the healthcare and financial services industries to solve critical workforce talent needs by expanding access to education, certifications and upskilling programs at scale. With a dedicated focus on driving strong outcomes that increase workforce preparedness, Adtalem empowers a diverse learner population to achieve their goals and make inspiring contributions to the global community. Adtalem is the parent organization of ACAMS, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain University, EduPristine, OnCourse Learning, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University. Adtalem has more than 10,000 employees, a network of more than 275,000 alumni and serves over 82,000 members across 200 countries and territories. Adtalem was named one of America's Most Responsible Companies 2021 by Newsweek and one of America's Best Employers for Diversity 2021 by Forbes. Follow Adtalem on Twitter (News - Alert) (@adtalemglobal), LinkedIn or visit adtalem.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005193/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Applied Real Intelligence ("A.R.I.") Announces Addition of Gina Sanchez to Industry-Leading Advisory Board Applied Real Intelligence ("A.R.I."), a venture debt investment firm that provides innovative debt financing solutions to successful venture capital-backed companies, announced the addition of Gina Sanchez, Chief Executive Officer of Chantico Global, to A.R.I.'s industry-leading Advisory Board. "We are very excited to welcome Gina to A.R.I.'s Advisory Board. She personifies A.R.I.'s culture of investment excellence, diversity, and inclusion with her stellar investment track record and passion for developing and applying best practices related to Environment, Social, and Governance ("ESG") and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ("DEI"). She will be instrumental in furthering A.R.I.'s mission as the industry leader in ESG and DEI investing within venture debt," said Zack Ellison, A.R.I.'s Founder and Managing General Partner. "The lack of equitable access to capital for diverse founders remains a key impediment to social change. I am thrilled to support A.R.I. in its mission to democratize access to capital for women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups who have traditionally been underserved by the venture capital ecosystem. A.R.I.'s focus on making venture debt financing accessible to diverse founders will create value for investors while also catalyzing significant socioeconomic change for a 'win-win' outcome," said Ms. Sanchez. As the Chief Executive Officer of Chantico Global, an institutional asset allocation consultant, Ms. Sanchez advises many of the world's largest pension funds and endowments. In 2013, Chantico Global was spun out of Roubini Global Economics, where Ms. Sanchez was the Director of Equity and Asset Allocation. Previously, Ms. Sanchez served as Managing Director of Public Investments at the California Endowment, a $3 billion Los Angeles-based foundation, and as Director of Public Investments at the Ford (News - Alert) Foundation, a $10 billion New York-based foundation. In both roles, she was responsible for making asset allocation and manager selection recommendations for all external public managers, including both total return and absolute return strategies. Prior to these roles, Ms. Sanchez spent over a decade in asset management and banking. She was a Portfolio Manager and investment strategist for eight years at American Century Investment Management in Mountain View, California, where she managed over $6.5 billion in assets. She began her career at JPMorgan in New York as a Research Analyst covering Emerging Markets. Ms. Sanchez is a frequent on-air contributor for CNBC and speaks at many leading global investment conferences, including those hosted by the Milken Institute, California's State Association of County Retirement Systems (SACRS), Illinois' Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA), Terrapinn, Marcus Evans Group, and Markets Group, among others. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Harvard University and a Master's degree in International Policy Studies from Stanford University and was the recipient of Institutional Investor's 2009 Foundations and Endowments Rising Stars Award. About Applied Real Intelligence LLC ("A.R.I.") A.R.I. is a Los Angeles-based venture debt investment manager focused on providing financing solutions to innovative, high-growth, VC-backed companies in recession-resistant sectors and underserved regions in North America. A.R.I. has dual missions of: (1) democratizing access to capital for all founders; (2) providing A.R.I.'s investors with access to "innovation" as an asset class, superior risk-adjusted returns, security of capital, and strong portfolio diversification benefits. To learn more, please visit www.arivc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005315/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Ault Global Holdings Accepts Invitation to Attend the Annual World Digital Mining Summit Hosted by Bitmain Ault Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: DPW) a diversified holding company (the "Company"), announced today the Company and its subsidiary, BitNile, Inc., accepted the invitation from Bitmain, the world's leading producer of cryptocurrency mining hardware, to attend the World Digital Mining Summit ("WDMS"), hosted by Bitmain. Mr. Milton "Todd" Ault, III, the Company's Executive Chairman, will lead the Company's representation at the annual international two-day conference, which is being held from November 9 to November 10, 2021, at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai. Having recently completed the first phase of its buildout of its Data Center in Michigan and being a long-term investor in Bitcoin, the Company expects its participation at the conference will provide new opportunities for BitNile to explore strategic partnerships and affordable power solutions. As an annual dedicated digital currency mining summit, WDMS's mission is to bring together the top mining and energy companies from all around the world. This year's conference, WDMS 2021, aims to build an international platform by integrating strategic industry sectors including data center development, renewable energy providers, top executives, and the innovators of the latest mining technologies into partnerships. Milton "Todd" Ault, III, the Company's Executive Chairman, said, "We are honored to accept the invitation from Bitmain to attend this year's WDMS. We are very excited and look forward to participating in this world-class conference hosted by the industry leader, Bitmain. WDMS is a unique forum to learn from the leading experts and entrepreneurs in the digital mining space. We anticipate establishing new relationships and strengthening current partnerships that ca contribute to what we believe is a bright future for BitNile, our cryptocurrency mining company." Ault added, "One of the goals of the Company is to become one of the ten largest publicly traded companies in cryptocurrency mining. Extending a relationship with Bitmain is an important step towards reaching this goal." 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) and press releases available under the Investor Relations section at www.AultGlobal.com or available at www.sec.gov. 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/20211018005313/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Elliptic Labs Signs PoC Agreement with a Leading Global Smart TV Manufacturer Elliptic Labs (EuroNext Growth: ELABS.OL), a global AI software company and the world leader in AI Virtual Smart Sensors, has signed its second proof of concept (PoC) agreement with another top global Smart TV manufacturer. This project will bring Elliptic Labs' AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform to the Smart TV OEM's product portfolio, offering added intelligence to these devices through the AI Virtual Presence Sensor and AI Virtual Gesture Sensor. "Signing on a second Smart TV manufacturer for a proof of concept agreement shows that our AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform offers Elliptic Labs more market opportunities beyond the smartphone and PC industries," said Laila Danielsen, CEO of Elliptic Labs. "As the recognized leader in Virtual Smart Sensors, we are empowered to fulfill our vision of making all electronic devices smarter, greener, and human-friendly hrough our software solutions. Our strong expertise in ultrasound, sensor fusion and AI brings innovative user experiences to new hardware product designs." Smart TVs are a new vertical for Elliptic Labs' powerful and flexible AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform. By providing contextual awareness to these Smart TV devices, AI Virtual Smart Sensors truly deliver innovative and critical user experiences. For instance, the AI Virtual Presence Sensor enables a Smart TV to detect whether a person is near the device, thus allowing it to save power by turning off the screen when a person isn't present. About Elliptic Labs Elliptic Labs is a global enterprise targeting the smartphone, laptop, IoT, and automotive markets. Founded in 2006 as a research spin-off from Norway's Oslo University, the company's patented software uses AI, ultrasound and sensor-fusion to deliver intuitive 3D gesture, proximity, presence, breathing and heartbeat detection experiences. Its scalable AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform creates software-only sensors that are sustainable, human-friendly and already deployed in hundreds of millions of devices around the world. Elliptic Labs is the only software company that has delivered detection capabilities using AI software, ultrasound, and sensor-fusion deployed at scale. It filed its IPO with the Euronext Growth Market in October 2020. Elliptic Labs is headquartered in Norway with presence in the USA, China, South-Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Its technology and IP are developed in Norway and are solely owned by the company. INNER BEAUTY is a registered trademark of Elliptic Labs. AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform, AI Virtual Sensor Platform, AI Virtual Smart Sensor, Virtual Smart Sensor, Virtual Sensor, AI Virtual Presence Sensor and AI Virtual Gesture Sensor are trademarks of Elliptic Labs. All other trademarks or service markets are the responsibility of their respective organizations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211017005083/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] For First Time, Humana Offering Medicare Advantage Plans in Connecticut Leading health and well-being company Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is expanding health plan choices for Medicare beneficiaries in Connecticut by offering affordable Humana Medicare Advantage plans in the state for the first time. In addition, the company is introducing a Humana Honor plan in the state. While the plan is an option for all Medicare-eligible individuals, and veterans can select from any plan, the Humana Honor plan may be helpful coverage for military veterans seeking to complement their Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. Residents of Hartford and Tolland counties can select from Humana's 2022 plans during this year's Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Annual Election Period, or AEP, which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2021, for coverage that begins Jan.1, 2022. In addition, for all Humana 2022 MA plan members with a COVID diagnosis, there is $0 copay for testing, treatment, vaccinations and 14 days of home-delivered meals (up to 28 meals). New D-SNP includes Healthy Foods Card, OTC allowance For 2022, Humana is introducing a new Dual Eligible Special Needs Medicare Advantage (D-SNP) plan for people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. The new plan, available in Hartford and Tolland counties, includes a $50 monthly Healthy Foods Card and a $75 monthly over-the-counter (OTC) allowance. "We're excited to bring these affordable, whole person health care options to areas in Connecticut where people eligible for Medicare have had limited health plan options," said Julie Mascari, Humana's Northeast Region Medicare President. "The pandemic has magnified the needs of so many, particularly in underserved areas like these communities, and we know that having access to healthy foods and needed over-the-counter items means that our neediest members will not have to make the choice of food over medicine or seeing a doctor." According to Foodshare.org, one in nine people in Hartford and Tolland counties are at risk of hunger, and 119,000 struggle with food security. New Humana Honor Plan, PPO plans in Connecticut Humana also is introducing its Humana Honor plan in Hartford and Tolland counties. While this $0 premium PPO plan is an option fr all people eligible for Medicare, the plan is designed to complement VA health care coverage by covering health care services at non-VA (civilian) facilities and including dental coverage. Because some veterans may prefer prescription drug coverage through their VA benefits, the Humana Honor plan does not include prescription drug coverage. Veterans can choose from any of the Medicare Advantage plan options in their area. In addition to dental coverage, The Humana Honor plan offering features plan benefits such as a $50 Part B premium reduction, unlimited transportation, a quarterly $45 over-the-counter allowance, and vision and hearing coverage. Humana's Medicare Advantage plans, including Humana Honor plans, all are recommended by USAA, a company known for its customer satisfaction and commitment to the financial security of current and former members of the U.S. military and their families. In addition, Humana is introducing two $0 Premium PPO MA plans that include prescription drug coverage in these counties. Most Humana Medicare Advantage plans also include: SilverSneakers, which provides memberships at participating fitness centers, and access to classes designed with the Medicare beneficiary in mind. Go365 TM , a wellness and rewards program designed to motivate and reward members for taking steps toward healthy behaviors, like receiving recommended wellness screenings, flu shots, and other healthy activities. , a wellness and rewards program designed to motivate and reward members for taking steps toward healthy behaviors, like receiving recommended wellness screenings, flu shots, and other healthy activities. Humana Well Dine, which provides nutritious meals to eligible Medicare members recovering from an inpatient stay in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. About Medicare Advantage Medicare Advantage's unique public-private structure creates an atmosphere of competition that spurs innovation that can help drive down costs and focus care on a person's whole health. Medicare Advantage plans are focused on coordinating care for those with multiple chronic conditions, helping lead to cost-effective interventions to address the unique health needs of aging or disabled Americans. These are a few reasons why more than 40 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries choose to be covered by Medicare Advantage plans. For more information about enrolling in Humana plans, Connecticut residents can visit www.Humana.com/Medicare or speak with one of Humana's licensed sales agents by calling 1-800-213-5286 (TTY: 711) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, seven days a week. About Humana Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large. To accomplish that, we support physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of clinical capabilities, resources and tools - such as in-home care, behavioral health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions - combine to produce a simplified experience that makes health care easier to navigate and more effective. More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company's web site at www.humana.com, including copies of: Annual reports to stockholders Securities and Exchange Commission filings Most recent investor conference presentations Quarterly earnings news releases and conference calls Calendar of events Corporate Governance information Additional Information: Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal. Y0040_GCHLEXAEN_M View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005674/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Heliogen and Woodside to Collaborate on Breakthrough Solar Technology Project to Reduce Carbon Emissions Heliogen, a leading provider of AI-enabled concentrated solar energy, today announced further significant steps toward deployment of its new solar energy technology with Woodside Energy (USA) Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of leading Australian energy producer Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX: WPL), with the potential to play a significant role in the development of Woodside's future energy business. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005293/en/ Decarbonizing Industry with AI-enabled Solar Energy + Storage (Graphic: Business Wire) Heliogen has been granted by Woodside a Limited Notice To Proceed ("LNTP") to begin procurement of key equipment for a 5 megawatt (MW) commercial-scale demonstration facility in California. The proposed facility will use Heliogen's AI-enabled concentrated solar technology. The issuance of the LNTP marks a critical step in the collaboration and follows a joint six-month feasibility study by Woodside and Heliogen and a front-end engineering and design ("FEED") contract that commenced earlier in 2021. The companies expect Full Notice to Proceed and construction to begin in 2022. Heliogen's breakthrough technology is a modular, turnkey, AI-enabled concentrated solar energy system that aims to deliver clean energy with nearly 24/7 availability. The facility will utilize advanced computer vision software that precisely aligns an array of mirrors to reflect sunlight to a single target on the top of a solar tower, thereby enabling low-cost storage in the form of high-temperature thermal energy. Heliogen's customers can opt to build on the baseline system that provides industrial-grade heat by adding thermal energy storage systems, a turbine for power generation, and electrolyzers for green hydrogen production. The two companies also announced their intent to jointly market Heliogen's technology in the US and Australia. Under the proposed joint marketing arrangement, the companies will consider establishing a roadmap to collaborate on additional potential renewable energy projects, including replicating and scaling Heliogen's modular, AI-enabled concentrated solar facility to support Woodside's forecasted power requirements at its international locations, noting Woodside's commitments to reduce net emissions from its existing and future businesses. The arrangements under discussion include a framework to design, optimize and sell modularized industrial-scale and cost-competitive integrated renewable energy and hydrogen solutions in the US, and marketing rights for Woodside in Australia. Woodside CEO Meg O'Neill said the new collaboration with Heliogen demonstrated Woodside's focus on developing innovative technologies to meet customer requirements for low-cost, lower-carbon energy. "This is a significant step toward the development of our first facility with Heliogen, which we hope will be just the start of our ongoing collaboration." "Heliogen's innovative technology could play a key supporting role in development of Woodside's zero-carbon hydrogen and ammonia business, which would rely on access to abundant and reliable renewable power." "We are also excited about the marketing rights for Heliogen's technology in Australia, where our abundant solar energy resources support application of this technology in remote power generation and other industrial processes," she said. "Heliogen's AI-enabled concentrated solar technology has the potential to transform heavy industry by turnin sunlight into a zero-carbon source of heat, power and hydrogen that is nearly always available," said Heliogen CEO and founder, Bill Gross. "Although costs of large-scale solar are falling, conventional solar technologies are not yet cost-competitive with fossil fuels in most energy markets due to their intermittent availability. Heliogen's technology aims to close this gap through the use of AI, software and thermal storage. As the energy sector is ripe for applications of green hydrogen fuels and decarbonization strategies, Woodside is an ideal collaborator for our breakthrough solar technology, which will support the operational characteristics of heavy industry. We are excited to reach this important milestone in our relationship with Woodside and look forward to helping them to efficiently achieve their sustainability targets." About Heliogen Heliogen is a renewable energy technology company focused on eliminating the need for fossil fuels in heavy industry and empowering a sustainable future. The company's AI-enabled, modular concentrated solar technology aims to cost-effectively deliver near 24/7 carbon-free energy in the form of heat, power, and green hydrogen fuel at scale for the first time in history. Heliogen was created at Idealab, the leading technology incubator founded by Bill Gross in 1996. For more information about Heliogen, please visit heliogen.com. On July 6, 2021, Heliogen entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: ATHN). Upon the closing of the business combination, Heliogen will become publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol "HLGN". Additional information about the transaction can be viewed here: https://heliogen.com/investor-center/. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About Woodside Woodside led the development of the LNG industry in Australia and is applying this same pioneering spirit to solving future energy challenges. The company is recognised for its world-class capabilities as an integrated upstream supplier of energy with a focus on LNG, which is a lower-emissions, competitive fuel ideally suited to supporting decarbonisation and improving air quality. Woodside is working to improve its energy efficiency, reduce and offset emissions, and explore options for lower-carbon energy in line with its aspiration to achieve net zero by 2050. Woodside seeks out opportunities to improve business performance through innovative thinking and applying technologies developed outside its industry. Additional Information and Where to Find It In connection with the proposed business combination, Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. ("Athena") has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (" SEC (News - Alert) ") a registration statement on Form S-4 containing a preliminary proxy statement and a preliminary prospectus which has not yet become effective. After the registration statement is declared effective, Athena will mail a definitive proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed business combination to its stockholders. This press release does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed business combination and is not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the business combination. Additional information about the proposed business combination and related transactions will be described in Athena's combined proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed business combination and the businesses of Athena and Heliogen, Inc. ("Heliogen"), which Athena has filed with the SEC. The proposed business combination and related transactions will be submitted to stockholders of Athena for their consideration. Athena's stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and the amendments thereto and the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, when available, and other documents filed in connection with Athena's solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve, among other things, the proposed business combination and related transactions, because these materials will contain important information about Heliogen, Athena and the proposed business combination and related transactions. When available, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials for the proposed business combination will be mailed to stockholders of Athena as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed business combination and related transactions. Stockholders may also obtain a copy of the preliminary or definitive proxy statement/prospectus, once available, as well as other documents filed with the SEC by Athena, without charge, at the SEC's website located at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to Phyllis Newhouse, President and Chief Executive Officer, Athena Technology Acquisition Corp., 125 Townpark Drive, Suite 300, Kennesaw, GA 30144, or by telephone at (970) 924-0446. Participants in the Solicitation Athena, Heliogen and their respective directors and executive officers and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from Athena's stockholders in respect of the proposed business combination and related transactions. Information regarding Athena's directors and executive officers is available in its Registration Statement on Form S-1 and the prospectus included therein filed with the SEC on March 3, 2021. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be contained in the preliminary and definitive proxy statements/prospectus related to the proposed business combination and related transactions when it becomes available, and which can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. No Offer or Solicitation This communication shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed transaction. This communication shall also not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005293/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Huobi Japan Successfully Registers as Type I Financial Instruments Business in Japan, Enabling it to Offer Derivatives Trading Services TOKYO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huobi Japan, Inc. (Huobi Japan) has received approval from Japan's Financial Services Agency to register as a Type I Financial Instruments Business, as designated under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. This will enable Huobi Japan to engage in the trading, underwriting, and management of crypto currency derivatives, as well as operate derivatives trading systems. The Financial Services Agency is the chief regulatory authority for financial services in Japan, overseeing the banking, securities and exchange, and insurance sectors. This reflects a major milestone for Huobi's business in Japan, as it will enable the company to not only develop derivatives products, but also offer trading and market-making services for customers. Currently, only seven out of the total 34 cryptocurrency exchanges in Japan possess this license, which requires the holder to meet specific asset levels. Without this license, the cryptocurrency exchanges may only offer limited spot rading services of cryptocurrencies for customers. "We're very excited to have reached this milestone. It will enable us to expand business beyond spot trading and fuel the next phase of our growth in Japan," said Huobi Japan CEO Haiteng Chen. "Going forward, we plan to develop a number of crypto derivatives products to meet the growing demands of the market." As of September 2021, Huobi Japan offers spot trading services of 14 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Huobi Token. In June 2020, Huobi Token received approval from local regulatory authorities in Japan to list on Huobi Japan's exchange as a fully compliant crypto asset. Going forward, Huobi Japan plans to significantly expand its trading services and capabilities in Japan. About Huobi Japan Huobi Japan, Inc. ("Huobi Japan", HQ: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Chen Haiteng) is committed to providing secure qulity digital asset service for Japanese users through its digital asset exchange. Since acquiring the Japanese licensed crypto asset exchange BitTrade in 2018, Huobi japan has provided Japanese yen-to crypto compliant trading services. https://www.huobi.co.jp/ja-jp/profile/ View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huobi-japan-successfully-registers-as-type-i-financial-instruments-business-in-japan-enabling-it-to-offer-derivatives-trading-services-301402315.html SOURCE Huobi Japan [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Huobi Launches Ad Posting Feature on Huobi App GIBRALTAR, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huobi Global today announced the launch of its ad posting function on the Huobi app. Advertisers can now create peer-to-peer (P2P) advertisements directly on the app at any time with zero fees. The new function is part of Huobi P2P, which provides a fast and secure platform to exchange fiat to crypto and vice versa. The release of the ad posting function comes as Huobi Global continues to expand its services to meet the needs of its global community. Huobi P2P advertisers can post ads that reach an international audience, with the service supporting 97 different payment methods, including 31 forms of fiat currency, such as the Nigerian Naira (NGN), Euro (EUR), and US Dollar (USD). Huobi P2P also supports a range of tokens, including BTC, USDT, ETH, EOS, XRP, LTC, HT, and HUSD. In August 2021, the platform announced 26 new accepted payment methods, including Google Pay, Apple Pay, and GoPay. These channels will support transactions using fiat currencies such as the Vietnam Dong (VND) and Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). To ensure that both users and advertisers can obtain assistance whenever they need it, Huobi P2P offers 24/7 customer support in English, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Malay, and Ukrainian. Unlike other ad platforms, Huobi P2P does not charge transaction fees for either advertisers or users. "As we continue to expand Huobi Global's services globally, it's important that we releae features that benefit our growing community of users and advertisers, regardless of their location," said Du Jun, Co-Founder of Huobi Group. "The launch of the ad posting feature on the Huobi app will also improve the liquidity of the P2P market, which will provide more options for digital asset buyers and sellers to choose from." To ensure the safety of users' digital assets, Huobi P2P maintains a risk control system, which consists of a series of strategies to identify and intercept potential risks, such as: Offering currencies and payment methods that meet local regulatory requirements. Identifying and intercepting potential romance scams. 24/7 real-time order monitoring for fraud preventions. Automatic and manual advanced verification processes for users and advertisers. Trade protection program to prevent most types of suspicious activity, including scams. "Additionally, we included another layer of protection by requiring advertisers to lock their security deposits should they wish to become a verified advertiser. Users generally prefer to trade with verified advertisers for P2P transactions as it gives them a sense of security," added Du Jun. Huobi Global is looking for local P2P advertisers to provide liquidity, especially for the Nigerian, Indian, and Russian markets. Advertisers can profit by offering fiat currency for crypto trades or acquire other exclusive benefits. To become a liquidity provider, users can complete this form. To help new advertisers create and post ads on the Huobi P2P platform, Huobi Global offers several detailed written tutorials and videos. Please refer to the tutorial for detailed instruction: Text &Video Tutorial: How to Create a P2P Advertisement on Huobi App?-Huobi Global-Official Huobi Website For detail instruction, please refer to the tutorial. About Huobi Global Huobi Global is the world's strongest cryptocurrency exchange focused on empowering financial freedom and creating new global wealth. Our exchange infrastructure, operations and offerings are built on processes and standards that prioritize user safety and industry compliance, backed by strong global customer support underpinned by local expertise. This lets us offer a unique trading environment that is truly customer-first, safe and sustainable for all users, enabling their long-term success. For more information, visit huobi.com. SOURCE Huobi Global [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] InnovaQor Announces Launch of Virtual Chief Information Officer Services for Healthcare WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InnovaQor, Inc. (A Nevada Corporation) (OTC: VMCS), today announced the launch of Virtual Chief Information Officer Services (vCIO) for healthcare facilities. InnovaQor is pleased to confirm its subsidiary Health Technology Solutions (HTS) has launched vCIO services that provide specialized IT services for healthcare facilities, analyzing and enhancing security and compliance for business operations and encouraging sustainable growth. Data protection across the healthcare ecosystem has never been more critical. Cyber-attacks, phishing, and ransomware are costing the healthcare industry millions of dollars and are driving an increased focus on security and compliance across the sector. HTS vCIO services focus on infrastructure-related security and management, ensuring a competitive advantage using innovative technology solutions. With HTS's vCIO services, organizations gain access to best-in-class IT and cloud solutions without the fixed and extensive costs of supporting an entire in-house staff. Our virtual solution will maintain the integrity and security of our customers network at a fraction of the cost required to maintain an in-house team said Sharon Hollis, CEO of InnovaQor, Inc. and by utilizing the most advanced solutions available our IT assessment and diagnostic service can expose unknown gaps in IT infrastructure where vulnerabiities can and do lead to attacks that can significantly disrupt or cause huge losses for day-to-day business. For further information and to schedule for a limited time, a free virtual IT assessment, please visit www.innovaqor.com About InnovaQor, Inc. InnovaQor creates innovative technology solutions that allow medical providers and facilities to effectively enhance their business and processes while protecting their assets and patient data. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ from expectations and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Additional information concerning these, and other risk factors, is contained in the Company's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in their expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. Contact: Gerard Dab 438-501-6500 press@innovaqor.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] IPS acquires Linesight and partners for strategic growth IPS-Integrated Project Services, LLC, headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and a subsidiary of Alleghany Capital Corporation, today announced that it has acquired Linesight, a multinational consulting firm headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. IPS is a large EPCMV (Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management and Validation) company with over 1,700 staff across 22 offices worldwide. Linesight is a fast-growing professional consultancy services organization providing project controls to data center providers, life sciences companies, commercial real estate, healthcare, hospitality, retail and residential sectors. Linesight has over 900 staff across 24 offices globally. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005645/en/ The acquisition is being approached as a future integrated partnership where IPS will leverage Linesight's experience and expertise in particular in the data center sector and Linesight in turn will leverage IPS's expertise in the Life Sciences sector. Both organizations will expand their geographic reach, build on their bench strength and extend their service propositions for their target clients globally. Linesight will continue to serve its clients as it always has, but now has the support of a much larger organiation behind it. Dave Goswami, CEO, IPS stated "This is a transformational transaction for both IPS and Linesight and we are excited to embark on a new growth journey together, supported by Alleghany Capital. By leveraging both companies' strong track records and combining our skills and management horsepower, we expect to make a meaningful positive difference in the industries we serve. Led by Paul Boylan and a strong leadership team, Linesight is a highly sought after company providing consulting services, including cost and project management, project controls, risk, scheduling and procurement services focused on the data center, life sciences, and other industry sectors. This fits well with IPS' complementary services which include engineering, construction management and compliance services. We are thrilled at the prospect of working with the Linesight team to provide a more comprehensive and superior suite of services to our respective clients." Paul Boylan, CEO, Linesight added, "This is a pivotal point in Linesight's long and successful business history and will enable us to deliver on our ambitious strategic plans, expand into new geographies to better service our client needs and extend our portfolio offering in our existing and new target markets. Linesight's skilled teams will continue to provide the same high-quality levels of service to our clients globally and we see enhanced career opportunities for our people in all our regions. I am energized at the potential of this new business partnership and believe that it positions us well to deliver on our ambitious growth aspirations as we look towards 2022 and beyond." About IPS-Integrated Project Services IPS is a global leader in developing innovative business solutions for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Through operational expertise and industry-leading knowledge, skill and passion, IPS provides consulting, architecture, engineering, construction management, and compliance services that allow clients to create and manufacture life-impacting products around the world. Headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania in the United States, IPS is one of the fastest-growing companies servicing the life sciences industry with over 1,700 professionals in the United States, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Singapore, China, and India. For more information about IPS, please visit www.ipsdb.com. About Linesight Linesight is a multinational consultancy firm with over 45 years' experience, providing cost, schedule, risk, program and project management services to a multitude of sectors including Data Centers, Life Sciences, Commercial, High-Tech Industrial, Residential, Hospitality, Healthcare and Retail. Linesight's specialist project teams, each with specific skills and experience, provide better predictability of project outcomes, faster project delivery, greater cost efficiency and maximum value for money for its clients. For further information, please visit http://www.linesight.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005645/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Menstrual Migraine Guidelines Challenged in New Study by Curelator - The current study[1] is the first study to systematically look at menstrually-related migraine (MRM) characteristics among women, and within each woman over multiple menstrual cycles: 203 women tracked their migraine symptoms over a median of 150 days and 7 menstrual cycles per woman, using Curelator's app, N1-Headache. - Most surprising was the finding that the relation between menstruation and migraine varied more within an individual woman (cycle to cycle) than between women. - International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd Edition (ICHD-3) definition of MRM requires migraine headache to occur during the perimenstrual period on at least 2 of 3 consecutive cycles. Given the large within-woman variability found, the current recommendation of just keeping diaries during 3 months may lead to many missed diagnoses. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Curelator Inc. announced new data that, once again, challenged the age-old practice of applying 'population-based' guidelines to all individuals, this time with respect to diagnosis and treatment of menstrually-related migraine. The results of a collaborative international study, published in March in the leading medical journal, Headache, underscored the need for a personalized approach through individual analysis of a patient's longer-term headache data. Menstruallyrelated migraine is common and burdensome; research suggests that the association between migraine and menstruation is self-reported by almost 60% of women with migraine. However, for many women the relationship between their migraine attacks and menstruation is unclear. Recent advances in the ability to digitally capture and analyze high-resolution, longitudinal, individually reported patient data, such as with the N1-Headache platform, have allowed for greater insight into the relationship between occurrence of migraine attacks in an individual and their menstrual cycles. This is the first study to attempt to disaggregate and understand how the relation between menstruation and migraine varies, not only among the women in a population, but also in each particular woman, from cycle to cycle - allowing us to better understand what happens in an individual. The study included 203 women who tracked their migraine over multiple menstrual cycles (median 150 days and median 7 menstrual cycles per woman) using Curelator's app, N1-Headache. Population estimates confirmed previous findings that migraine days are more common during the perimenstrual period (2 days before to 3 days after start of bleeding) than at other times (34% increase in odds). Diagnosis of menstrually-related migraine requires migraine headache to occur during the perimenstrual period on at least 2 of 3 consecutive cycles (according to ICHD-3 guidelines). One may expect that a woman with this diagnosis consistently presents with a migraine attack twice every three menstrual cycles. However, this study found that, at the individual woman level there is a surprisingly large variability between cycles: in women who satisfied the diagnosis criteria of menstrually-related migraine in at least one set of 3 consecutive cycles, their data showed that there were other sets of 3 consecutive cycles in which there was no -or just one- attack around the time of menstruation. There was also marked variability between women but the difference was less than the within-woman variability from cycle to cycle. "The central clinical takeaway from this work is that the treatment of menstrual migraine requires a patient-centric approach and rigorous examination of individual patients' longer-term headache histories." Commented Jim McGinley, Ph.D., Director of Behavioral Analytics at Vector Psychometric Group. Jelena M. Pavlovic, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor at the Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, added, "The study emphasizes that clinicians and patients recognize that menstruation can affect migraine in women in many different ways. In order to get a better sense of how menstruation and migraine are related in a given woman, diaries (preferably electronic diaries) should be kept for longer periods of time rather than the currently recommended three months." Reference 1 McGinley JS, Wirth RJ, Pavlovic JM, Donoghue S, Casanova A, Lipton RB. Between and within-woman differences in the association between menstruation and migraine days. Headache. 2021 Mar;61(3):430-437. doi: 10.1111/head.14058. Epub 2021 Feb 19. PMID: 33605450. About Curelator Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2013, Curelator is a data-driven digital health company focused on developing clinical grade, personalised disease management tools for patients and clinicians. Since its inception, Curelator has published dozens of papers and abstracts in major headache and migraine journals and conferences, and it has enrolled thousands of patients on clinical studies through its N1-Headache platform. About N1-Headache N1-Headache is a unique patient engagement platform that delivers personalized, disease management tools for people with a history of migraine or medication overuse, allowing them to understand their migraine attack patterns in an individualized manner. This personalized information enables patients and their healthcare providers to manage individual migraine risk factors, assess therapeutic response to drugs and identify opportunities to prevent medication overuse. Contacts for additional information: Curelator Magdalena Kurtz, Marketing & Communications mkurtz@curelator.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1661400/Curelator_MRM_Study.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1661647/Curelator_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Neuromorphic Computing Market to Reach $8.58 Billion, Globally, By 2030 at 79.0% CAGR: Allied Market Research PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Neuromorphic Computing Market By Offering (Hardware and Software), Deployment (Edge Computing and Cloud Computing), Application (Image Recognition, Signal Recognition, Data Mining, and Others), Industry Vertical (Consumer Electronics, Automotive, IT & Telecom, Aerospace & Defense, Industrial, Healthcare, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030". According to the report, the global neuromorphic computing industry generated $26.32 million in 2020, and is anticipated to generate $8.58 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 79.0% from 2021 to 2030. Prime Determinants of Growth Surge in demand for artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, rise in demand for better performing integrated circuits (ICs), and high usage of software in neuromorphic computing drive the growth of the global neuromorphic computing market. However, increase in complexity of algorithms and backend operations hinder the market growth. On the other hand, rise in adoption of neuromorphic chip in automotive industry presents new opportunities in the coming years. Download Sample Report (Get Full Insights in PDF - 354 Pages) @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/14112 COVID-19 Scenario: The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic led to the global lockdown. This gave way to temporary closure of manufacturing facilities in almost every industry across the world. This, in turn, affected the neuromorphic computing market. Moreover, the pandemic resulted in workforce & travel restrictions, supply chain disruptions, reduction in demand across many sectors, and decline in infrastructure development & installation projects, which sequentially hampered the market growth. However, as vaccines roll out across the globe and the pandemic situation is controlled in a better manner especially in North America and Europe , the neuromorphic computing market is anticipated to witness growth during the forecast period. The Hardware segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period Based on offering, the hardware segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global neuromorphic computing market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is due to shift in the interest from high-performance computing (HPC) to increased parallelism in the form of multi-core architectures. However, software segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 83.1% from 2021 to 2030, owing to increase in application and usage of software in neuromorphic computing. The Edge Computing segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period Based on deployment, the edge computing segment accounted for the largest share in 2020, contributing to nearly 90% of the global neuromorphic computing market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. This is due to the increase in the number of internet of things (IoT) devices that have increased the need for data processing on the Edge. Moreover, the cloud computng segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 83.7% from 2021 to 2030, owing to numerous technological advantages such as a stop platform for secure storing and transporting huge amounts of data for any organization. North America to maintain its dominance by 2030 Based on region, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue 2020, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the global neuromorphic computing market. Extensive awareness about the benefits of neuromorphic computing in industries such as aerospace, military & defense, and medical is a major driver for the dominance in the region. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 80.8% from 2021 to 2030. This is due to growing demand for automation in emerging nations such as China and India. Interested to Procure the Data? Inquire Here @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/14112 Leading Market Players IBM Corporation Intel Corporation BrainChip Holdings Ltd. Qualcomm Incorporated Hewlett Packard Development LP Samsung Electronics Ltd. General Vision Inc. Applied Brain Research Inc. Numenta Vicarious Access AVENUE - A Subscription-Based Library (Premium On-Demand, Subscription-Based Pricing Model) @ 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: Gaming Computer Market Expected to Reach $145.93 Billion By 2030 HPC Chipset Market Projected to Reach $13.68 Billion By 2027 Computer on Module Market Expected to Reach $1.57 Billion By 2027 Single Board Computer Market Estimated to Attain $3.80 Billion By 2027 Wearable Computing Market Anticipated to Grow $213.55 Billion By 2030 Machine Learning Chip Market Projected to Hit $37.85 Billion By 2025 AI in Computer Vision Market to Hit $207.09 Billion By 2030 Conversational AI Market Expected to Garner $32.62 Billion By 2030 Pre-Book Now with 10% Discount: Neuromorphic Chip Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2021-2030 Industrial PC Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2021-2030 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. Pawan Kumar, the CEO of Allied Market Research, is leading the organization toward providing high-quality data and insights. 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. 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: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): 1-800-792-5285, 1-503-894-6022 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 LinkedIn and Twitter View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neuromorphic-computing-market-to-reach-8-58-billion-globally-by-2030-at-79-0-cagr-allied-market-research-301402028.html SOURCE Allied Market Research [October 18, 2021] Podium Appoints Former Shopify Executive Loren Padelford as Chief Operating Officer LEHI, Utah, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Podium, a communication and payments platform for local businesses, announced today that it has hired Loren Padelford in a newly created role as chief operating officer to oversee all aspects of the go-to-market strategy and operations across Podium's business. In this role, Loren will be responsible for building out and scaling the marketing, sales, business development, customer success and international efforts for Podium. "Local businesses are the backbone of the global economy and their impact at the local level is felt even more deeply as direct sources of job and wealth creation, as well as community investment and growth. It has never been more clear to us that when local businesses thrive, we all thrive," said Eric Rea, co-founder and CEO of Podium. "It's why I'm so thrilled to have someone with Loren's incredible background and leadership joining Podium in this next phase of our growth. He has built a track record of building and scaling successful teams and businesses while never losing sight of creating value for the customers we get to serve every day." Loren comes to Podium having served most recently as the vice president and general manager of revenue at Shopify where he led the organization responsible for bringing Shopify's services and products to more than 2 million merchants in over 175 countries and generating over $4 billion in annual revenue. Prior to this role, Loren helped create and lead Shopify Plus, the leading commerce solution for high-growth, high-volume businesses such as Allbirds, Gymshark, Fashion Nova, Staples Canada, Heinz to Home, and thousands more. Prior to Shopify, Loren held senior leadership positions across sales and marketing at software firms in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. "I'm very excited to join Podium and get to work with this amazing team helping local businesses win. Economies are built on healthy local business communities, and Podium is helping those bsinesses create world-class customer experiences every day. Podium has a huge opportunity to have an impact at a global scale, and that is rare," Loren Padelford, chief operating officer at Podium. Podium serves more than 100,000 local businesses in the United States, Canada and Australia today. Even as many local businesses struggled to keep their businesses open during the pandemic, Podium saw a 64% increase in the number of local business locations it serves since last year. The company has also continued to drive new innovation and momentum in 2021, fueled by the debut of a full payments offering with the launch of card readers and a new campaigns marketing solution earlier this year. With the combination of the card reader and SMS payments products, Podium is on pace to process $1 billion dollars in payment transactions for local businesses this year. Loren's hire comes on the heels of several key hires that have been made across the organization as the team stages for further growth and expansion, including: Steve Holm , vice president of product design , vice president of product design Jess Weimer , senior vice president of revenue marketing , senior vice president of revenue marketing Sam Johnson , executive creative director , executive creative director Sam Isaacs , vice president of velocity sales , vice president of velocity sales Jessica Hannes , vice president of support , vice president of support Julie Inouye , senior vice president of communication About Podium Podium exists to help local businesses thrive, so they can focus on what matters most: their customers. Today, more than 100,000 local businesses are powered by Podium, helping to facilitate millions of customer interactions and payment transactions. From customer-generated reviews, to more seamless communication offerings and contactless payment tools, Podium is modernizing the way local businesses operate and grow their businesses. Podium is headquartered in Lehi, Utah, and was founded in 2014. To learn more, visit www.podium.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/podium-appoints-former-shopify-executive-loren-padelford-as-chief-operating-officer-301401793.html SOURCE Podium [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Remine acquired by collaboration of top-tier MLSs Collaboration powers next generation of real estate technology for MLSs, by MLSs TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ -- Remine, a full MLS solution that reimagines the digital real estate journey, was acquired today by MLS Technology Holdings, LLC, an MLS-driven collaborative dedicated to powering the next generation of technology for MLSs. MLS Technology Holdings, LLC is comprised of four of the most progressive MLSs across North America, including ACTRIS MLS in Austin, First Multiple Listing Service in Atlanta, Heartland MLS in Kansas City, and MIAMI REALTORS, as well as continued investment by the Ayrshire Group in Calgary. The collaboration was born out of a shared desire to shape the future of the real estate industry through direct investment in the leading MLS technology company of tomorrow. With its Canadian head office based in Toronto, Remine Canada will continue to serve REALTORS and MLS operations across North America with its experienced team of professionals who understand local, provincial, and national markets. "MLSs have taken a backseat to advancing technology that serves our subscribers and consumers for far too long," said Emily Chenevert, Chair for MLS Technology Holdings and CEO of the Austin Board of REALTORS and ACTRIS MLS. "At a time when consolidation is occurring across the industry, this investment ensures Remine remains with a team that's dedicated to keeping brokers and agents empowered in the real estate transaction, for the benefit of the consumers they serve." Since its inception in 2015, Remine has consistently reimagined the digital real estate journey by connecting consumers, agents, and lenders in one solution. Its powerful, intuitive suite of products which include the Docs+ transaction management platform, Remine Pro, Remine Mobile, Add/Edit for single point of entry, Remine's SSO dashboard, and MLS 2.0 are defined by choice, clarity, and speed. Remine's services cover much of the real estate market, including nearly 60 MLS markets representing more than 1.2 million real estate professionals across North America. The Remine team in Toronto will continue its focus on Remine Docs+, a full-featured forms, transaction management, and electronic signature platform. The Canadian team also spearheads Remine's work with PropertyFlow, a joint venture with FCT announced in December 2020. PropertyFlow will offerthe Remine Canada platform a critical next step in supporting the Canadian real estate industry's movement toward a more data-driven future. The platform will provide REALTORS, brokers, and MLS boards with access to MLS and broad public record data in a single consolidated view. Following board integration in the platform, Remine will allow REALTORS to see on- and off-market properties in one place, while connecting in real-time with potential buyers or sellers. Remine's Canada platform already provides consumers with the ability to view property listings and transaction details through a user-friendly digital hub. Remine will remain an independent and thriving company under the strategic guidance of new ownership by MLS Technology Holdings, LLC. Mark Schacknies has resigned from his role as Chief Executive Officer of Remine and Liz Sturrock has been named Interim CEO while a national search for a permanent CEO is underway. As Chief of MLS and Innovation at MIAMI REALTORS, Sturrock is a proven leader with over 20 years of experience in both the real estate and IT industries. "Remine customers are in great hands with Remine's strong and capable staff who have paved the way to their success thus far. We're building upon that success by bringing a peer's perspective to the table," said Sturrock. "This move opens the door for MLSs to have a direct voice in determining how best to serve agents, brokers, and consumers." Co-founders Jonathan Spinetto and Leo Pareja have assumed the roles of Chief of Staff Operations and Chief of Strategy, respectively. Along with other key management team members, Spinetto and Pareja will help ensure a smooth transition and uninterrupted service for Remine customers. The MLS Technology Holdings, LLC Board of Directors is comprised of seasoned executives with over 165 years of combined outside investor expertise and industry knowledge. In addition to Chenevert's role as chair, directors include Teresa King Kinney, MIAMI REALTORS CEO; Jeremy Crawford, First Multiple Listing Service President & CEO; Daniel Forsman, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | Georgia Properties President and CEO; Kipp Cooper, CEO for the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS and Heartland MLS; and Phil Swift, Ayrshire Group's Executive Chairman in Calgary. "Remine was created by top-producing agents who were frustrated by a lack of intelligent technology solutions in the marketplace," said Pareja, who applauded the collaboration. "This new chapter for Remine is a return to our roots and a unique opportunity to build upon a core technology that will pave the way for MLSs of the future." MLS Technology Holdings, LLC plans to launch an MLS Advisory Group to provide direct input on the future of the MLS and how Remine's MLS 2.0 can continue to anticipate and alleviate pain points in the homebuying, selling, and renting process. To learn more about the advisory group, email JoinUs@ABetterMLS.com. For more information about PropertyFlow and the joint venture between Remine and FCT in Canada, visit PropertyFlow.com/News. Truist Securities served as exclusive financial advisor to MLS Technology Holdings, LLC, and Alston & Bird LLP served as its legal counsel. GCA Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor to Remine, and Cooley LLP served as its legal counsel. About MLS Technology Holdings, LLC MLS Technology Holdings, LLC is an MLS-driven collaborative dedicated to powering the next generation of technology for MLSs by MLSs through strategic acquisitions and investments. MLS Technology Holdings, LLC is the owner of Remine, a full MLS solution that reimagines the digital real estate journey. Remine currently serves nearly 60 MLS markets representing over 1.2 million real estate professionals across North America. This collaborative allows MLSs to ensure Remine stays at the forefront of emerging MLS technology and in the hands of a team that's dedicated to keeping brokers and agents empowered in the real estate transaction, for the benefit of the consumers they serve. For more information, visit ABetterMLS.com. Media Contact: Elizabeth Christian Public Relations Walt Zaykowski 202.503.5108 SOURCE MLS Technology Holdings, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] TOQI Extends Retail Success in Canada With Expansion to UK, USA for Award-Winning Cannabis Vaporizer Battery TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TOQi Technologies Ltd. ( mytoqi.com ), creators of elegantly designed cannabis technology products, today announced that its award-winning TOQi 510 Wireless Vaporizer is now available in more than 150 retail locations across Canada. Building off its homegrown success, TOQi is expanding internationally, beginning with the United Kingdom and the United States, to bring its products to retail outlets worldwide. During MJBizCon October 19-22, 2021, TOQi (booth #C2261) will showcase their total 510 system to U.S. distributors. In the U.S. market, the TOQi 510 Wireless Vaporizer and 510 Dab Cartridge, which provides easy dabbing-on-the-go, have become must-have items as dabbing cannabis has become ubiquitous. California will be the first state to feature TOQi products in retail outlets. In addition to the U.S., TOQi is partnering with The House of Green, through their brand Bailiwick Botanicals, for U.K. distribution. "Since launching TOQi, our goal has always been to provide the best vaping experience possibleto the entire world. Cannabis users in the U.S. and the U.K. are discerning and sophisticated and we are excited to exceed their expectations and partner with top-tier retail outlets in both regions," said Drew Henson, CEO and Founder, TOQi. "We are grateful to our Canadian retail partners, distributors and customers for helping us achieve success in our home base and look forward to showing the world what a focused Canadian startup can do." TOQi recently hired two senior regional sales managers to handle the increased volume across Canada. Kevin Snell and Rebecca Bennett have a combined four decades of experience working for global brands in alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and skincare. As Canada celebrates three years of legalization of recreational marijuana, TOQi's products can be found across Canada at retail locations such as Tokyo Smoke. Retailers can contact TOQi directly at sales@mytoqi.com , or work with TOQi's preferred national distributor in Canada, Humble and Fume. "We love having TOQi products in store. Not only does it offer customers a better, more affordable way to enjoy their 510 cartridges, it's elevated our concentrate sales with the wax cartridge capability," said Ciara Barbosa, Store Manager, Tokyo Smoke Waterloo Commons. At MJBizCon, TOQi will showcase its new white TOQi 510 Wireless Vaporizer and 510 Dab Cartridge, alongside the black versions. Recently named Best Vape Technology by Budtender's Choice Award, TOQi launched the cannabis industry's first wireless charging 510 thread vaporizer battery in early 2020. The black and white TOQi 510 devices comes with a class-leading 400mAh battery, charging 85% in only 20 minutes, and is equipped with Qi charging technology, enabling it to charge wirelessly on TOQi's Wireless Charging Pad or other Qi-equipped products such as Samsung Galaxy Note10 or Google Pixel 5. The fast charging vape includes a built-in USB-C port, precision CNC for accurate airflow, smart power system ensuring no power drop off during pulls, a smooth, stone-like finish design and curated temperatures. About TOQi Technologies LTD Founded by award-winning designers, TOQi creates premium industry leading cannabis consumption technology from their headquarters in Toronto, Ontario. Inspired by the intersection of design and culture, TOQi believes that attention to detail and user experience are of the utmost importance. For more information, visit mytoqi.com. TOQi does not produce, manufacture or distribute cannabis. Not for sale to minors. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toqi-extends-retail-success-in-canada-with-expansion-to-uk-usa-for-award-winning-cannabis-vaporizer-battery-301402177.html SOURCE TOQi Technologies LTD [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] TripleBlind Lands $24 Million in Series A Funding Led by General Catalyst and Mayo Clinic, in an Oversubscribed Round Enables Enterprises to Unlock and Commercialize enormous amount of Unused Data* Mayo Clinic Joins Round as Strategic Investor, Expands Equity Position Accenture and Mayo Add Board Observers KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TripleBlind , the private data sharing company that offers proprietary cryptographically-enforced data privacy solution, announced today it has received $24 million in an oversubscribed Series A funding led by General Catalyst and Mayo Clinic. This round follows TripleBlinds pre-seed raise of $8.2 million announced in March 2021. TripleBlinds solution enables entities to share and collaborate with data anywhere in the world. without the need to share raw data, thus preserving privacy and security while meeting regulatory standards, (including with data while enforcing the data privacy and data residency regulations now in place in more than 100 countries, including HIPAA and GDPR, as well as similar regulations in four U.S. states, such as and Californias CCPA). When we launched last November, the primary interest in TripleBlinds solution was among healthcare organizations, to more effectively share data while enforcing HIPAA and GDPR, said Riddhiman Das, TripleBlinds Co-founder and CEO. Today, interest has grown exponentially and now includes leaders in financial services, media and telecommunications, energy and many other industries where sharing data assets is critical to sustained, long-term growth. The strong interest from our current and new investors highlights the growing market need for data privacy solutions that are both effective and efficient. TripleBlind is an incredible platform for empowering companies to collaborate on data while preserving privacy, data rights and intellectual property. Particularly important today in the healthcare industry, as the lack of data mobility results in fragmented and non-optimal care, said Quentin Clark, Managing Director, General Catalyst. At General Catalyst we believe that TripleBlind's platform for enabling teams to work together with the most private and sensitive data is a necessary part of how companies will be able have agility while respecting the privacy of their customers, and the intellectual property of their partners. We are thrilled to work with the TripleBlind team as they work to achieve their mission." Bringingtogether AI algorithms and data in ways that preserve privacy and intellectual property is one of the keys to delivering the next generation of digital medicine, says John Halamka, M.D., President of Mayo Clinic Platform, who joins the TripleBlind Board as an observer. These novel privacy-protected solutions promise to usher a new era of collaboration. In addition to General Catalyst and Mayo Clinic, Series A round participants include AVG Basecamp Fund, Accenture Ventures, Clocktower Technology Ventures, Dolby Family Ventures, Flyover Capital, KCRise Fund, NextGen Venture Partners, and Wavemaker Three-Sixty Health. About TripleBlind TripleBlind offers proprietary cryptographically-enforced privacy for data and algorithms, allowing institutions to collaborate around the most private and sensitive data without it ever being decrypted or leaving their firewall. TripleBlind Keeps data private and in place while allowing authorized operations on any type of data, any algorithm, computable by third parties in real-time. TripleBlind does not host or access the data. TripleBlind Two min Overview Video The TripleBlind Private Data Sharing Solution unlocks the estimated 43ZB of data stored by enterprises today that are inaccessible and not commercialized due to privacy concerns, operational complexity and regulations. The companys patented breakthroughs in advanced mathematics enable organizations to secure larger and more diverse data sets for innovating enhanced algorithms for medical diagnoses and improved anti-fraud initiatives in financial services. It is the only technology that enables enterprises to rapidly commercialize data while maintaining compute performance; enabling analysis of all data types, such as PII, PHI, genomic data, images, and confidential financial records; and enforcing complying all international and regional data privacy standards, including HIPAA, GDPR, PDPR, and CCPA. TripleBlind technology significantly differs from existing solutions and is not based on homomorphic encryption, secure enclaves, tokenization/masking/hashing and differential privacy, synthetic data, federated learning and blockchain. Refer to competing solutions section on our website. For an overview, a live demo, or a one-hour hands-on workshop, contact@tripleblind.ai . About General Catalyst General Catalyst is a venture capital firm that invests in powerful, positive change that endures for our entrepreneurs, our investors, our people, and society. We support founders with a long-term view who challenge the status quo, partnering with them from seed to growth stage and beyond to build companies that withstand the test of time. With offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York City, London, and Boston, the firm has helped support the growth of businesses such as: Airbnb, Deliveroo, Guild, Gusto, Hubspot, Illumio, Lemonade, Livongo, Oscar, Samsara, Snap, Stripe, and Warby Parker. For more: www.generalcatalyst.com. Contact Victoria Guimarin UPRAISE Marketing + Public Relations for TripleBlind tripleblind@upraisepr.com 415.397.7600 Note: This article states IDC claims 64.2ZB of data was created in 2020. This article cites a Seagate survey that states 68% of data goes unleveraged. .68 x 64ZB = 43.5ZB [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] VAH Leases Two Airbus A330-200 Aircraft to Italy's New Airline, ITA Voyager Aviation Holdings, LLC (VAH) announced today that it has closed a transaction with Italy's new national airline and flag carrier, Italia Trasporto Aereo ( ITA (News - Alert) ), for the lease of two (2) Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The aircraft are part of ITA's initial fleet that commenced operations on October 15, 2021. "We are excited to be a part of this next chapter of Italy's airline industry through this lease agreement with ITA," said Mike Lungariello, President and CEO of VAH. "We wish the best of luck to ITA, its global Employees, and its Management team as they move forward." Andrew Jones, Chief Commercial Officer, added: "Like VAH, ITA has ambitous growth plans. We will continue to work with the airline to build our relationship with them as they grow their fleet and look forward to the prospect of broadening our cooperation with them in the future. This agreement is only the latest exciting new partnership for our business and is demonstrative of the demand for aircraft such as the A330-200 that we deliver to our customers around the globe." About VAH: VAH is a privately held aviation investment firm and commercial aircraft leasing company based in Ireland. Its assets of approximately $2 billion consist primarily of young and modern aircraft. The Company has a global customer base of prominent passenger and cargo airlines that, besides ITA, also includes Air France, AirBridgeCargo, Breeze Airways, Cebu Pacific, iFly, Philippine Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Turkish Airlines. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005494/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] WiteSand and CANCOM Team to Enhance Enterprise Campus Networking WiteSand, the company delivering plug and play simplicity to wired and wireless enterprise networking, today announced a global reseller partnership with CANCOM, a global Digital Transformation Partner. With over 4,000 employees across Europe and the U.S., CANCOM delivers an extensive suite of IT services that help organizations navigate the digital future, tackle the challenges of complex enterprise IT problems and increase their business success through the implementation of modern technology. Key solution offerings include Hybrid IT, Enterprise Workplace and Cybersecurity, among others. CANCOM will offer WiteSand's full suite of cloud-delivered services to help its customers navigate post-pandemic enterprise workplace requirements and transform network infrastructure to support the future of work. WiteSand's solutions are designed to simplify and secure the provisioning, deployment, and operations of enterprise campus networks. WiteSand is the industry's first cloud-native, multi-tenant solution that provides asset discovery, network access control (NAC), wired and wireless provisioning, monitoring, and flow analytics. It provides the simplicity of plug and play wired and wireless networking, and increases network security with zero trust network access. Being vendor and platform agnostic, it will support CANCOM customers' existing hardware, bringing networking to the cloud without costly hardware replacements. The offering will manage CANCOM's customers' global networks, across offices, campuses, retail, clinics, factories, and any other site. It supports all customer enironments, whether brownfield or greenfield, with single vendor or multi-vendor networks of hardware switches and access points. "WiteSand provides an easy way for our customers to take control over their networking infrastructure in the cloud," said Alex Lindsay, SVP, CANCOM. "Installing it is fast and painless, and we can offer exactly the right mix of services because of its flexible model. We look forward to collaborating with WiteSand to support many of our customers in transforming their enterprise campus networking to more flexibly support business and employee needs." "With CANCOM, enterprises have a trusted partner with decades of experience handling the complexities of enterprise IT," said Sean Stanton, Vice President of Sales, WiteSand. "We are excited to work with CANCOM to help its customers add the agility of the cloud and AI, to realize the promises of the digital future." WiteSand is working with partners to deliver to end customers a suite of tools that are platform-agnostic, work in any environment, and aren't tied to any single vendor. Learn more about WiteSand's partnership program by visiting: https://witesand.io/partners/ About WiteSand Founded in 2019, WiteSand delivers plug and play simplicity to wired and wireless networking, and peace of mind with zero trust network access. Enterprise network managers gain an integrated portal in the cloud leveraging the latest advances in AI/ML to provision, monitor, analyze, and secure access to their global networks. Any switch and any access point from any vendor. Any employee, any guest, and any IoT device. Anywhere. For more information, visit www.witesand.io About CANCOM As a Digital Transformation Partner, CANCOM accompanies organizations into the digital future. We support our customers to simplify complex enterprise IT and increase their business success through the implementation of modern technology. In order to comprehensively meet the IT needs of companies, organizations and the public sector, CANCOM delivers tailor-made IT end to end from a single source. The CANCOM Group's range of IT solutions includes consulting, implementation, services and the management of IT systems. Customers benefit from the extensive expertise as well as an holistic and innovative portfolio that covers the IT requirements of companies necessary for a successful digital transformation. As a hybrid IT integrator and service provider, we provide an integrated range of services and solutions including business solutions and managed services, such as cloud computing, analytics, enterprise mobility, IT security, hosting and as-a-service offerings. The worldwide more than 4,000 employees of the internationally active CANCOM Group and an efficient partner network ensure market presence and customer proximity in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Slovakia, and the USA. The CANCOM Group is led by Rudolf Hotter (CEO), Rudiger Rath (COO) and, Thomas Stark (CFO). The company is headquartered in Munich. CANCOM has an annual turnover of around 1.7 billion euros and its parent company, CANCOM SE, is listed on the TecDAX and MDAX of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN DE0005419105). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005578/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 17, 2021] Data Center First Launches 30MW Maiden Data Center in Nongsa Digital Park SINGAPORE, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Center First Pte Ltd today announced the launch of their maiden 30MW data centre project in Nongsa Digital Park, Batam Indonesia. The new data centre, Nongsa One, will be designed and constructed to Uptime Tier III standards and is expected to complete by end of 2023. Data Center First is the first international data centre operator to establish a presence in Batam. The growing demand of Indonesian internet users driven by a more open and competitive telecom industry in Indonesia continues to attract foreign investment into Indonesia. The US$40 million Phase 1 investment in Nongsa One DC campus from Data Center First will help to strengthen the connectivity and "digital bridge" between Nongsa and Singapore. Bapak Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs said: "I really appreciate this 30MW data centre project by Data Center First Pte Ltd and welcome the US$ 40 million Phase 1 roll-out. It is estimated that this single project can catalyse into Nongsa Digital Park up to a total US$ 300 million Foreign Direct Investment. It can stimulate the local economy by producing a large multiplier effect, accelerating digital transformation in Indonesia." Mr. Gan Kim Yong, Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry, said, "We welcome the project launch of Nongsa One by Data Center First. Nongsa On will bolster Nongsa's status as a growing hub for tech and IT services, as well as data centres. Data Center First's investment highlights the potential of a nearshoring model for Singapore-based data centre operators to expand their capacity and capture the rapidly growing demand for data centre services in Southeast Asia. Singapore looks forward to continuing our close cooperation with Indonesia to support the development of the data centre industry in Nongsa." Mr Mike Wiluan, CEO Nongsa Digital Park said: "We are proud to welcome Data Centre First Pte Ltd's 30MW Data Center to the growing ecosystem of digital companies established already in Nongsa Digital Park. As the first data centre development in the Nongsa Special Economic Zone, this cutting-edge infrastructure demonstrates NDP's commitment in attracting both best in class talent and key global infrastructure partners while affirming our role as a 'Digital Bridge' to Indonesia's digitization roadmap. We look forward to this collaboration with Data Centre First Pte Ltd which will most certainly catalyse more foreign investment to support Indonesia's overall digital economic growth." Nongsa One sits on 276,600 square feet of land located in the Special Economic Zone of Nongsa Digital Park. The unique design for this 30MW campus DC is the powerhouse concept which gives Nongsa One the ability to independently scale its electricity needs for the two buildings in the campus. This new powerhouse design will be an earmark feature for all of Data Center First's campus projects. Nongsa One has secured electricity supply from two independent PLN substations in their ringed distribution network which will connect into the Nongsa One powerhouse with two independent power pathways. As a network neutral data centre, Data Center First has to-date secured connectivity from three Subsea Providers, two International Network Service Providers and two Business ISPs that connects Singapore to Jakarta via Nongsa Digital Park at Data Center First Nongsa One. Mr Ka Vin Wong, Chief Executive of Data Center First said: "Nongsa One has arrived in Nongsa Digital Park and we are delighted to be the new crossroad for this bold vision of a digital future for Singapore and Indonesia. This is made possible by our growing customer community who are providing independent services at this new business crossroad. We continue to receive expression of interest from Telecom Service Providers, Cloud Infrastructure Providers and E-Commerce Service Providers. I am thrilled for the market to get to know us and be part of our growing community." With the arrival of Nongsa One in Nongsa Digital Park, digital enterprises can exploit this world-class infrastructure to protect their current deployed digital assets against natural disasters. Nongsa Digital Park provides the perfect alternative as a disaster-neutral location to safeguard Indonesia's booming digital economy. The huge numbers of subsea fibres available from multiple telecom service providers connecting at Nongsa to both Singapore and Jakarta makes Nongsa Digital Park the most effective ingress and egress network point for customers that needs to bring data in or out of Indonesia efficiently. Nongsa Digital Park with Nongsa One is truly the embodiment of the Digital Bridge vision jointly defined by the government of Singapore and Indonesia. Data Center First is excited to take a leadership position in implementing this vision. About Data Center First Pte Ltd Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Singapore, Data Center First is a data centre development and operations company owned by a blend of industry veterans and new-comers. We deploy edge data centre campuses to enable our customers globally to meet the demand of the digital economy. For more information about our products and services, visit www.datacenterfirst.com and follow us on LinkedIn. Media Enquiries marketing@datacenterfirst.com SOURCE Data Center First [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 17, 2021] Hainan FTP achieves higher level of trade, investment facilitation BOAO, China, Oct. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by chinadaily.com.cn on Hainan Free Trade Port's growth: The Hainan Free Trade Port has harnessed its efforts to make foreign trade and investment more convenient and freer in the island province since the central government released an overall plan for its development in June 2020, and its efforts have paid off. Channels for foreign equity investment have been opened to provide relevant firms with efficient and flexible cross-border financial services. Under the outbound investment Qualified Domestic Limited Partner (QFLP) plan 14 foreign equity investment firms had been chosen to be the pilots by the end of June. QFLPs in Hainan are allowed to freely manage their capital based on their balance. Experts from Jingtian & Gongcheng Law Firm explained in a note that foreign equity investment firms will meet no threshld under the QFLP management rules in Hainan, and stand on a totally equal footing with similar domestic firms. A negative list mechanism is adopted for the investment scope of QFLPs in Hainan, which will help more foreign capital to invest in private equities and venture capital in the area. The establishment of a "single window" for international investment and trade has slashed the paperwork and time required for business examination and approval. Overseas-invested companies are able to have businesses set up and affairs handled in as fast as two days, including foreign exchange registration and opening of bank accounts. By mid-July, nearly 1,000 overseas firms had been established on the island, almost equaling the number for last year. In the first half of this year, the province has achieved an actual use of foreign capital of $950 million, up 623.6 percent year-on-year, according to data from Hainan's Department of Commerce. The figure for 2020 was $3.03 billion, and had doubled for three consecutive years. SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn [October 17, 2021] Graphcore opens Southeast Asia regional hub in Singapore SINGAPORE, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Graphcore - maker of the Intelligence Processing Unit and IPU-POD datacenter systems for AI - announces the opening of its Southeast Asia regional hub in Singapore. The office will support Graphcore's local teams and customers across ASEAN's fast-growing economies, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore itself. Demand for IPU-POD datacenter compute systems continues to increase throughout Asia, with customers choosing Graphcore systems because of their superior performance on today's AI workloads and their ability to unlock new AI techniques for tomorrow's emerging applications. Most recently, Korean technology giant NHN and Korea Telecom announced plans to use IPU technology in upcoming AI datacenter projects. Welcoming new partners Graphcore is also expanding its presence in Southeast Asia with the expert support of three new Elite Partners NetWeb and Cxrus, headquartered in Singapore, and INT2, based in Vietnam - who join Graphcore's global partners. Working with NetWeb, Cxrus and INT2, Graphcore aims to put IPUs into the hands of many more innovatrs across the ASEAN region through cloud and on-prem deployments - enabling them to advance the application of machine intelligence in fields such finance, healthcare, scientific research, industrial and automotive. Southeast Asia Country Manager at Graphcore, Philip Tan said: "There is a tremendous appetite for Graphcore technology across Southeast Asia and we are making excellent progress adding new customers and partners." "By establishing our regional hub in Singapore, we will be better placed to serve our in-country teams, support Graphcore users and open up more new markets." A drive to innovate As well as serving as a centre for Graphcore's operations in Southeast Asia, Singapore itself is a rapidly growing consumer of leading-edge technology. Ranked as the world's 8th most innovative country, Singapore's vibrant ecosystem is often likened to Silicon Valley thanks to its vast community of start-ups, enterprises and early adopters. The Singaporean government invests significantly in R&D, with up to $150 million set to be invested in AI by 2025. Welcoming Graphcore's decision to locate in Singapore, Natalie Black, Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific, said: "We congratulate Graphcore on their expansion in Singapore. This company is a great example of the UK's exciting, innovative tech sector and of our world-beating expertise in AI and DeepTech. Graphcore continues Bristol's long legacy of hardware engineering, and demonstrates the deep UK-Singapore digital trade relationship." The opening of Graphcore Singapore will create a number of new jobs, increasing over time. Details of open positions at all of Graphcore's locations world-wide can be found at graphcore.ai/careers. Research resources Graphcore will also be using its Singapore centre as a base for collaboration with leading local AI research institutes and universities another vital aspect of Graphcore's mission to accelerate AI innovation. Research labs and universities in Singapore interested in joint research collaborations can apply to Graphcore's Academic Programme for the chance to test and use IPU hardware in the cloud at no cost. About Graphcore Graphcore's Intelligence Processing Unit (IPU) hardware and Poplar software helps innovators make new breakthroughs in machine intelligence. The IPU is the first processor to be designed specifically for Machine Intelligence and offers significant performance advantages compared to other computing hardware, typically used in artificial intelligence. Graphcore has raised more than $730m in funding from leading financial and strategic investors and is headquartered in Bristol UK, with offices in Cambridge UK, London UK, Beijing China, Oslo Norway, Palo Alto USA, Munich Germany, Paris France, Singapore, Seoul Korea and Tokyo Japan. SOURCE Graphcore [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] CGTN: Peng Liyuan attends UNESCO award ceremony for girls, women's education BEIJING, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping and UNESCO special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, on Friday addressed the online award ceremony of the 2021 UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education. A project training underrepresented and low-income women and girls to close the gender gap in Brazil's technology sector, and another empowering adolescent girls and young women in Mozambique through role models and sisterhood circles were awarded this year's UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education, UNESCO said. Peng extended congratulations to the laureates from Brazil and Mozambique via video. Since the establishment of the prize in2015 by UNESCO and China, it has exerted a positive influence and inspired more people to devote themselves to girls' and women's education, Peng said, adding that hundreds of thousands of girls and women have been able to develop their knowledge and learn new skills, and build confidence in changing their destiny and pursuing their dreams. In addition, an increasing number of people are supporting girls and women's education, and promoting gender equality in global education, she said. Peng also expressed hope that the international community would pay more attention to and support the education of girls and women, and make new contributions to the realization of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative impact on girls and women in terms of education, and Peng called for more efforts to provide them with equal and quality education. She advocated making full use of digital technology, sharing high-quality online education resources and increasing education support for girls and women from poor families and poor regions. She also stressed the importance of strengthening health education for girls and women to comprehensively improve their physical and mental health. Meanwhile, Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, recognized China's role in the establishment of the prize as well as in helping girls and women realize their dreams, especially when faced with the challenges brought by the pandemic. The UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education honors outstanding and innovative contributions made by individuals, institutions and organizations to advance girls' and women's education. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-10-15/Peng-Liyuan-attends-UNESCO-award-ceremony-for-girls-women-s-education-14nUt4YoSTm/index.html SOURCE CGTN [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] CGTN: China's space station welcomes Shenzhou-13 crew for a six-month stay BEIJING, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The three Chinese astronauts or taikonauts, carried into space on board the Shenzhou-13 spaceship, entered the core module Tianhe of China's space station on Saturday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The trio Zhai Zhigang (the commander), Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu entered Tianhe hours after the spaceship successfully docked with the core module, becoming the second crew to be stationed there. Wang also became the first female taikonaut to work in the space station and take a spacewalk. Tasks ahead during Shenzhou-13 mission During their six months' in-orbit stay, the crew will carry out a series of tasks as scheduled. Two to three extravehicular activities (EVAs), also known as spacewalks, are planned for the mission, which will be completed via collaboration, Ye told China Media Group (CMG) in an interview before their launch. The specific division of ork will be arranged and adjusted depending on the actual situation, Ye added. Different tasks are set in each EVA for the construction of the space station, Zhai told CMG. "We'll have more space science experiments than the Shenzhou-12 crew as we have a longer flight time," said Zhai. A special task this time is that the crew will remotely control a spacecraft to dock with the space station, Zhai added. Tests of key technologies, further verification of life support technologies and comprehensive performance and compatibility assessment of all systems will also be conducted. During the Shenzhou-10 mission in 2013, Wang, along with her then crew members Nie Haisheng and Zhang Xiaoguang, completed China's first space teaching task. During the Shenzhou-13 mission, new lessons can be expected. "Apart from the tasks, we also hope to do more space science education, to bring space closer to the general public," said Wang, which she hoped will help people learn more of space and the taikonauts' life in space. China launched the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship in the early hours of Saturday morning from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's Gobi Desert, after a see-off ceremony held on the ground Friday evening. The Shenzhou-13 mission is one of a series of launches to complete the building of China's new space station called Tiangong by the end of 2022. Previously, China successfully launched the Tianhe core module, two Tianzhou cargo ships and the Shenzhou-12 crewed spaceship to construct the space station. With the International Space Station set to retire in the coming years, China's space station will become the only one in Earth's orbit. The China National Space Administration has expressed its desire for international cooperation and non-Chinese astronauts are being trained for future space station missions. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-10-16/China-s-Shenzhou-13-crew-enters-space-station-14oFV8ew2qc/index.html SOURCE CGTN [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] NTT: CEOs Say People and the Planet Are Becoming More Important in Business WSJ Intelligence undertook a new international CEO survey for global technology and business solution provider NTT (News - Alert) . The survey focuses on the role of business in contributing to societal goals. WSJ Intelligence conducted a survey of 351 CEOs of large corporations representing ten key industries in 15 countries to understand their views on their organization's role in society, social impact strategies, the stakeholders involved, and how the Covid-19 pandemic has driven these strategies. The research confirms that post-pandemic people and the planet rather than solely profit are becoming increasingly important for organizations of all sizes. While this trend was evident before March 2020, the pandemic brought it to the forefront. The latest research considers, too, how organizations better support employee wellbeing and change management. It uncovers the most valuable tools and tips for social purpose implementation while also analyzing the most significant challenges. Key Findings: 94% agree that "The pandemic has heightened expectations that large corporations will serve the interests of all stakeholders and not just shareholders." and not just shareholders." 79% of executives acknowledge the increased importance placed on employee health and wellbeing in the past two years. of executives acknowledge the increased in the past two years. 77% of respondents agree that employee engagement is equally as essential as profitability when driving performance outcomes . of respondents agree that is equally as essential as . 64% of business leaders surveyed say they have a well-established purpose set out in a formal mission statement . set out in a . 61% of respondents are moving toward social purpose by generating value through sustainable profits while minimizing harm. 54% of respondents say they have established hybrid working-WFH versus office-schedules 53% of respondents said cybersecurity is the most important technology tool for social purpose implementation, with 44% citing artificial intelligence (AI) as the second most important tool. Business leaders acknowledge that staff need support during this period of significant change, and organizations that fail to act run the risk of losing their competitive advantage. Most respondents highlight the substantial positive impacts on financial and non-financial business outcomes. About This Research This research was conducted in June/July 2021 among CEOs across 15 countries, who participated in an online survey that considers how organizations better support employee wellbeing and change management and highlights the importance of improved internal and external communication. It uncovers the most valuable tools and tips for social purpose implementation while also analyzing the most significant challenges. The respondents represent companies operating in 10 major industries; about one-quarter of these organizations report annual revenues of US$10 billion or more, and approximately one-third generate between $500 million and $1 billion. The survey asked CEOs about how they viewed their organization's role in society, social impact strategies, stakeholders involved, and how these strategies have been impacted-and driven-by the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey follows a similar one conducted in 2020, entitled Building Back with Purpose, enabling assessment of emerging trends. Read the latest research, please download the white paper. About WSJ Intelligence WSJ Intelligence, a unit of The Wall Street Journal's advertising department, conducts bespoke and secondary research for brands and client brands of The Wall Street Journal | Barron's Group. Through rigorous analysis, WSJ Intelligence provides insights that are relevant, timely, and reliable. The Wall Street Journal news organization was not involved in the creation of this content. About NTT NTT believes in contributing to society through our business operations. We help people, clients and communities move confidently into the digital future and shape a better world. Our services include digital business consulting, technology and managed services for cybersecurity, applications, workplace, cloud, data center and networks. As a top-five global technology and business solutions provider, our diverse team of over 300,000 people operates in 80-plus countries and regions and delivers services to over 190 of them. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211017005081/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] BearingPoint RegTech Becomes Regnology BearingPoint RegTech is now operating under the new name Regnology. The name stands for the company's core business: Regulatory Technology. The change of name is a logical step after BearingPoint Group sold the RegTech business to the private equity firm Nordic Capital end of 2020. Since then, the company is operationally independent. In June 2021, BearingPoint RegTech reached an important milestone by joining forces with Vizor Software, a global leader in RegTech and SupTech based in Dublin. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005025/en/ Conor Crowley, CEO Vizor and Head of SupTech at Regnology, and Jurgen Lux, CEO, Regnology (Photo: Regnology) The combined company has a history spanning more than 20 years and is now a leading international provider of innovative regulatory, risk and supervisory technology (RegTech/RiskTech/SupTech) solutions, AEOI and tax reporting, and regulatory reporting services along the regulatory value chain. Jurgen Lux, CEO, Regnology, comments: "Today marks an important milestonefor our company. We are completing the separation from the BearingPoint Group and laying the foundation for a new chapter in our joint success story with Vizor Software. The new name Regnology represents both the past and the future. I am very excited to be working with Vizor as Regnology towards our shared objective: Providing a global platform connecting regulators and the industry to create a strong, stable, transparent, and sustainable financial world." Conor Crowley, CEO Vizor and Head of SupTech at Regnology, adds, "We are proud of the new brand and very much look forward to transforming the industry with innovative RegTech, SupTech and tax reporting solutions as Regnology. Together, we will drive our strategy for continued, sustainable growth." Regnology develops innovative solutions to connect regulators and financial institutions. Over more than two decades, the company has continuously grown its customer base and evolved its solution portfolio to meet the ever-changing needs of regulators, tax authorities and financial institutions. About Regnology Regnology is a leading international provider of innovative regulatory, risk, and supervisory technology solutions (RegTech, RiskTech, and SupTech), of AEOI and tax reporting products, as well as of services along the Regulatory Value Chain for financial services. Regnology has been a partner for banks and regulators for 25 years. Until the end of 2020, the company was part of BearingPoint group and operated under the name BearingPoint RegTech. Since the sale of the RegTech business to private equity firm Nordic Capital, the company has been independent. In June 2021, the company joined forces with Vizor Software and recently changed its name to Regnology. In total, Regnology serves more than 7,000 financial services firms with reporting solutions. At the same time, the company enables more than 50 regulators and tax authorities on five continents to collect data from 34,000 firms in 60 countries. Regnology has a total workforce of over 770 employees at 17 office locations in 12 countries. More information: www.regnology.net www.vizorsoftware.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005025/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] JustKitchen Launches Proprietary Software "JKOS" to Add Food Ordering Capabilities to Third Party Electronic Devices and Applications The Company has also completed the initial testing of JKOS' integration with the smart-enabled HAKOmini set-top box VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ - Just Kitchen Holdings Corp. ("JustKitchen" or the "Company") (TSXV: JK) (OTC: JKHCF) (Frankfurt: 68Z), an operator of ghost kitchens specializing in the development of delivery-only food brands, is pleased to announce that it has launched the JustKitchen Operating System ("JKOS"), which is software that integrates with third party devices and applications to add food ordering capabilities for the users of those technologies. JKOS was developed as a way to strengthen the Company's competitive advantage by increasing its number of sales channels. The software enables JustKitchen to offer its expanding portfolio of delivery-only food brands and menus to the growing number of customers who are interacting with smart technologies that are different than mobile phones and computers, such as televisions and fashion accessories, for example. "The launch of JKOS is an important strategic step for JustKitchen as it unlocks access to customers in new settings and in new ways. JKOS' integration with the HAKOmini is only our first step toward making JustKitchen's food brands and menus available to customers on a wider range of devices," said Jason Chen, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of JustKitchen. "We view both our proprietary technology stack and our suite of in-house and partner brands as core to JustKitchen's strengthening competitive advantage. By making our delivery-only food items available on more devices and apps, we are innovating in response to evolving consumer behaviours in combination with new technologies," added Mr. Chen. Additionally, the Company has signed an agreement and completed the initial testing of JKOS' integration with the HAKOmini device, which is a set-top television box that is popular in Asia and functions on the Android TV operating system. Users of the HAKOmini will soon be able to place food orders while watching television, which will be fulfilled by the Company's nearest ghost kitchen locations for delivery to their homes. Over 20,000 HAKOmini units have been sold to date, with over 64% of owners being active daily users. According to Strategy Analytics, over half of the world's 1.1 billion televisions will be smart-enabled by 20261, while Rethink predicts that Android TV will have a 25% share of the smart TV and TV-connected devices market by 2026, representing an estimated 236 million of 905 million devices2. Management expects that JKOS will initially be applied to enable offline-to-online ordering, elevate third party marketplaces and add value to emerging opportunities in alternative sales channels. Once a third-party device or application is integrated with JKOS, a user's food order will be routed to the Company's nearest ghost kitchen location and delivered to the consumer. Accordingly, JKOS has the potential to accelerate the on-demand food delivery market by enabling popular application operators to create their own virtual food halls. The Company is currently working with various operators of convenience stores, shopping malls and department stores to create virtual food halls and integrate them through JKOS into their businesses to enhance their customers' experience. ABOUT JUSTKITCHEN JustKitchen is primarily an operator of ghost kitchens specializing in the development and marketing of proprietary and franchised delivery-only food brands for customers. The Company currently operates in Taiwan and Hong Kong with plans to expand operations to the United States and other Asian countries. JustKitchen uniquely utilizes a hub-and-spoke operating model, which features advanced food preparation taking place at larger hub kitchens and final meal preparation taking place at smaller spoke kitchens located in areas with higher population densities. The Company combines this operating model with online and mobile application-based food ordering fulfilled by third-party delivery companies, to minimize capital investments and operating expenses and reach more customers in underserved markets. The Company's other business, JustMarket, is an e-commerce grocery delivery platform that allows customers to purchase groceries for delivery or add select grocery items to meals ordered through JustKitchen. For more information about the Company, please visit investors.justkitchen.com. JustKitchen's final prospectus, financial statements and management's discussion and analysis, among other documents, are all available on the Company's profile page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of such statements under applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed", "positioned" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur including but not limited to the Company's comments regarding the ability to integrate a fully functional final version of JKOS into third party devices and applications to route customer food orders to its nearest ghost kitchen locations; the expected application of JKOS to various sales channels; and JKOS' potential to accelerate the on-demand food delivery market. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks, including those risk factors identified in the Company's prospectus dated March 26, 2021, and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly 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 expressly required by applicable law. Footnotes: 1. Jonathan Easton, "Smart TVs to become the majority within five years," Digital TV Europe 22 July 2021, https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2021/07/22/smart-tvs-to-become-the-majority-within-five-years/, Web, 15 October 2021. 2. Stuart Thomson, "Android TV and Huawei predicted to take bigger share of declining pay TV set-top market," Digital TV Europe 12 July 2021, https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2021/07/12/android-tv-and-huawei-predicted-to-take-bigger-share-of-declining-pay-tv-set-top-market/#:~:text=Android%20TV%20is%20predicted%20to,a%20total%20905%20million%20devices, Web, 15 October 2021. SOURCE Just Kitchen Holdings Corp. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] The Indonesian Blockchain Association Positively Welcomes Bahtsul Masail's (Discussion Forum Among Islamic Scholars) Response to Justify Crypto Assets Trading JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Asosiasi Blockchain Indonesia (The Indonesian Blockchain Association) is Indonesia's official blockchain and digital asset association. The growth of the crypto asset industry in Indonesia is currently showing a quite drastic increase in transactions, the Minister of Trade, Muhammad Luthfi said last year the trading volume of crypto assets was only Rp. 65 trillion, but in 2021, for the first five months only, crypto asset transactions reached Rp. 370 trillion. Until now, there are still many questions from related parties regarding crypto asset transactions from the perspective of Islamic law which is currently starting to attract public attention. Yenny Wahid, founder of the Islamic Law Firm (ILF) and Director of the Wahid Foundation, initiated the Bahtsul Masail (Discussion Forum Among Islamic Scholars) activity to discuss halal and haram crypto transactions. Quoted from https://www.nu.or.id/, Yenny Wahid explained about crypto assets which are considered halal by some parties because the crypto asset system as a medium of exchange is actually more free from usury than fiat money and conventional banks, with a blockchain system, transactions occur peer-to-peer without intermediaries. Some parties also argue that crypto assets can be said to be halal as long as they are not prohibited by the sate or government. The ILF presented a number of scholars in the Bahtsul Masail which was held virtually on Saturday (19/6), including the caretaker of the Sukorejo Islamic boarding school KH Afifuddin Muhajir, the caretaker of the Al-Anwar Sarang Islamic boarding school KH Abdul Ghofur Maimun, the Deputy Chairperson of the PBNU LBM KH Abdul Moqsith Ghazali, and KH Asyhar Kholil and Habib Ali Bahar. Also present were general speakers who are competent in their fields, including the Head of the Commodity Futures Trading Supervisory Agency (BAPPEBTI) Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana, the Indonesia Stock Exchange - Pandu Patria Sjahrir, Founder and CEO of PT Pintu Kemana Saja - Jeth Soetoyo, and Co-Founder and CEO Indodax - Oscar Darmawan. Bahtsul Masail produced several discussions regarding the halalness of crypto asset transactions, including: (1) crypto assets are wealth (mal) according to fiqh, so the crypto assets being discussed with Bahtsul Masail are assets in fiqh review. The definition is that if this property is stolen, the theft must be sanctioned, if it is damaged, it must be replaced, (2) because it is wealth, it is valid to exchange it as long as there is no gharar (uncertainty). Why was it decided that way? Because there is a difference in perspective between Musyawirin (former scholars) whether crypto asset transactions occur gharar or not. Some say crypto assets occur gharar, others say crypto assets do not occur gharar. The nature of this gharar is still debated, this is because each individual sees it from their own perspective. Nevertheless, the scholars of Bahtsul Masail agree that crypto transactions must not have gharar, it's just that the scholars have different opinions regarding this. So, if it is said that in crypto assets there is gharar, then that is not allowed. For those who say that there is no gharar, as also supported by the cleric Bahtsul Masail, crypto assets may be exchanged, (3) The informants urge the public not to make this transaction carelessly if they do not have knowledge of crypto assets, (4) The informants encourage the government to immediately make strong regulations and strengthen guarantees to avoid misuse and irregularities in crypto transactions. Indodax as one of the Start-Up bitcoin and crypto exchanges and as a member of the Indonesian Blockchain Association represented by the CEO of Indodax, Oscar Darmawan positively welcomed Bahtsul Masail regarding Halal Haram Crypto Transactions, Oscar hopes that Bahtsul Masail's recommendation is to allow the trading of crypto assets legally Islam can be an input for policymakers in Indonesia. Because according to him, crypto assets already have a legal basis, namely regulations, and are supervised by the Ministry of Trade and the Commodity Futures Trading Supervisory Agency (BAPPEBTI). SOURCE Asosiasi Blockchain Indonesia [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] SenseTime Co-hosts the 3rd International Artificial Intelligence Fair to Nurture AI Talent and Promote a Collaborative Education Ecosystem SHANGHAI, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 16, 2021, SenseTime, a leading global artificial intelligence (AI) software company, co-hosted the 3rd International Artificial Intelligence Fair (IAIF), an annual global AI competition with the Shanghai Xuhui Education Bureau and the Global AI Academic Alliance. Targeting AI enthusiasts from primary and secondary schools around the world, the IAIF aims to cultivate the next generation of AI talent and promote primary AI education globally through tight collaboration between academics and the industry. Since launching in July this year, the highly anticipated IAIF has attracted 665 project submissions from over 300 schools in 8 countries and regions, with 121 projects from 98 schools selected for the final online presentation and verbal Q&A. During the final competition presentations, the project submissions were reviewed meticulously by 45 professional judges from top-tier universities, enterprises and research institutions, including University of Science and Technology of China, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Nanyang Technological University, Peking University, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Shanghai Technology Art Center. The teaching and evaluation system of martial arts based on body posture recognition and machine learning by Li Lufei from Shanghai Nanyang Model High School and Wu Keyu from the High School Affiliated to Fudan University as well as the drone powered by OpenCV for flood fight and rescue by Huang Pucheng, Wang Bingyang and Lin Yinhang from Zhejiang Wenling High School became the winners of the grand prize. Besides, the research of rehabilitation assessment and training system powered by 3D hand posture verification by Zhang Yihong from Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy stood out from many excellent projects and won the first prize. Leveraging the 3D hand posture verification, this project aims to design a low-cost and easy-to-operate product for the patient with hand movement disorders, realizing 89.9% accurate in assessment of hand rehabilitation and training. Lin Junqiu, Deputy Director of Science and Education Department from Shanghai Science Art and Education Center, said, "Artificial intelligence is critical to our future. As we continue to advance technology development, we must cultivate a larger pool of AI talent with even higher levels of expertise and innovation capability. The huge opportunities brought by the AI era will facilitate transformative applications across industry verticals and scenarios but also formulate optimal collaboration between human being and artificial intelligence." Lynn Dai, General Manager of SenseTime's Education Product, said at the final competition, "AI has become an important driving force for technological innovation, we believe the IAIF can provide an innovative platform for young people to develop their interest in AI. Meanwhile, SenseTime Education is dedicated to nurturing young talent and broadening their horizons with advanced insights from an industry perspective, as well as preparing them for the AI-empowered future." IAIF is also providing comprehensive services for participants, from scientific innovation training to project incubation, helping them solve practical industrial problems. The IAIF organizing committee hosted a four-week AI training course for students before the final competition. The students from the most outstanding project teams will have the chance to participate in other national or international competitions. In addition, the students from the most outstanding IAIF projects will participate in a roadshow training workshop for startups as part of incubator programmes organized by SenseTime; the company will provide technology for high-potential projects. "IAIF provided me with a unique opportunity to exchange ideas on this exciting AI topic with participants from different schools around the world," said Wu Keyu, the winner of the grand prize. "Through this competition, I have gained a better understanding of the powerful impact from AI and humans working together to build novel solutions that will create a better tomorrow for human society." The success of the 3rd International Artificial Intelligence Fair not only marks the formation of the foundations for the AI education ecosystem developed by the Shanghai Xuhui Education Bureau and SenseTime, but also boosts the collaboration among governments, academia, enterprises and industries in AI technology innovation. In the future, SenseTime Education will continue to act as a focal point and a platform for cultivating future AI talents. About SenseTime SenseTime is a leading AI software company focused on creating a better AI-empowered future through innovation. Upholding a vision of advancing the interconnection of the physical and digital worlds with AI, driving sustainable productivity growth and seamless interactive experiences, SenseTime is committed to advancing the state of the art in AI research, developing scalable and affordable AI software platforms that benefit businesses, people and society, and attracting and nurturing top talents, shaping the future together. With our roots in the academic world, we invest in our original and cutting-edge research that allows us to offer and continuously improve industry-leading, full-stack AI capabilities, covering key fields across perception intelligence, decision intelligence, AI-enabled content generation and AI-enabled content enhancement, as well as key capabilities in AI chips, sensors and computing infrastructure. Our proprietary AI infrastructure, SenseCore, allows us to develop powerful and efficient AI software platforms that are scalable and adaptable for a wide range of applications. Today, our technologies are trusted by customers and partners in many industry verticals including Smart Business, Smart City, Smart Life and Smart Auto. We have offices in markets including Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Macau, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and South Korea, etc., as well as presences in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. For more information, please visit SenseTime's website as well as its LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook pages. SOURCE SenseTime [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Mudrex launches 'Coin Sets'; a mutual fund-like investment product in crypto for retail investors across the world BENGALURU, India, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Y Combinator and Nexus VP-backed Mudrex, a global crypto asset management platform launches 'Coin Sets'. Through Coin Sets, for the first time, retail investors will get the ability to invest in a variety of Mutual fund style crypto investment products, earlier only accessible to the HNIs and institutions. With this product, Mudrex furthers its vision of simplifying investing in crypto by building an easy-to-use product for retail investors. Coin Sets are baskets of crypto tokens based on a theme, and let users invest in ideas that they believe in to grow their wealth in the long run. For example, a Coin Set called 'DeFi 10' is a basket of the top 10 DeFi tokens. Similarly, a Coin Set called 'NFT' is a basket of the top 6 NFT projects. The coin sets are created and Managed by experts from the Mudrex team. Mudrexalso takes care of allocation, order execution, and periodic rebalancing to make the user experience seamless. The product will help investors manage potential risks by diversifying their portfolios in different cryptocurrencies. Commenting on the launch of 'Coin Sets', Edul Patel, CEO & Co-founder of Mudrex, said, "As a leading global player in crypto, Mudrex is constantly looking to bring ease and simplify investing in crypto for newer investors. Coin Sets is one such product that will allow investors to mitigate risk by diversifying investment in cryptocurrencies. It is a mutual fund-like product with a better risk-reward ratio. The product is designed to expand retail participation in crypto investment, curated suitably for investors who look at crypto investments as long-term wealth creation." The announcement comes in quick succession of Mudrex closing its seed round. Mudrex recently announced a funding round of $2.5 million led by Nexus Venture Partners, with participation from Village Global, Kunal Shah, Anand Chandrashekharan, and Anjali Bansal. The company had earlier raised $750,000 from Y Combinator, Better Capital, Woodstock Fund, and angels like Nitin Sharma and Anupam Mittal. The platform currently hosts 40K active users. The AUM stands at $ 15 million with a growth rate of 30% m-o-m over the last 10 months. Today, Mudrex is a global platform with users from over 90 countries. About Mudrex: Launched in 2018, Mudrex has the vision of making crypto investing less risky and long-term so that ordinary investors can benefit from the massive wave of wealth creation. Founded by Edul Patel (CEO), Alankar Saxena (CTO), Rohit Goyal (VP, Defi), Prince Arora (VP, Engineering). The Y Combinator and Nexus Venture Partners backed enterprise has established a robust investing platform that can be used by both- newcomers and seasoned traders. The US-headquartered and Bengaluru-based fintech startup aims to be the largest asset management platform for crypto investments. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1662480/Mudrex_logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] GoHenry Launches Money Missions, In-App Gamified Education, to Lead New Era in Financial Literacy GoHenry, a pioneer in kids' debit cards, money management, and financial education, today introduced Money Missions, accelerating the company's ambitions to close the gap in early financial literacy for Gen Z and Gen Alpha with a gamified educational experience integrated into the GoHenry app. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005224/en/ Money Missions are fun, interactive lessons designed to build confidence, literacy, and curiosity in 6-18-year-olds: Money Missions cover a full financial education curriculum including money basics, earning, saving, investing, responsible spending, credit, money safety, and more. Kids watch animated videos, take quizzes, and earn points and badges while gaining real-world experience with money. The missions are developed with teachers and financial experts and mapped to age-appropriate education guidelines in the US and UK. Tailored to the age of the child, as kids go through the missions, levels are unlocked and adjusted to their age, skills, and confidence. "We've always had a simple mission which is to help kids be smart with money. With 60 million kids and teens in the US and UK alone that have not been adequately served with financial education, Money Missions is one of the ways we are bridging this gap with a hands-on app experience to turn financial education into a motivating, fun, and rewarding way for kids to build confidence with money. It's a really strong complement to our innovative debit card, banking, and payment functionality. With Money Missions, GoHenry will continue to be the place kids and teens learn the foundational blocks of personal finance and gain real-world money skills necessary for their future." said Alex Zivoder, CEO of GoHenry. Research from the University of Cambridge shows that children form their attitudes and habits towards money by age 7, and 87% of teens have trouble making everyday spending decisions. A recent oHenry survey found that even among parents, 89% said they would have made better financial decisions if they received financial education before the age of 18. Dani, a parent who has been using Money Missions with her 11-year-old daughter as part of beta testing, says: "My daughter Ellie-Rose has already been using GoHenry for over a year and in that time she has learnt how to budget and save. She's loved using the new Money Missions and particularly enjoys the way it's like a game with the videos and animations. She wants to get the questions right so it makes her listen more and concentrate - she gets a great sense of achievement after completing each mission." Money Missions represents the latest investment in GoHenry's category-leading fintech products and services for families, including Teen Account, Eco Cards, instant peer-to-peer payments, and Giftlinks (which allows GoHenry members to receive money as gifts from parent-approved relatives and friends). Backed by Edison Partners, Revaia (formerly Gaia Capital Partners), Citi Ventures, and Muse Capital, GoHenry has raised $70 million from institutional and individual shareholders. To learn more about Money Missions and sign up for GoHenry, visit GoHenry.com. About GoHenry Launched in 2012, GoHenry is a financial technology company with a simple mission to make every kid smart with money. The GoHenry [prepaid] debit card and financial learning app is designed for kids ages 6 - 18. Parent and child apps provide tools to help kids learn about money- by earning, saving, spending responsibly, giving, and more, all with parental oversight. In-app Money Missions offer a gamified, integrated financial education experience that offers a rewarding and fun way for kids to build financial literacy. GoHenry is inspiring a global movement of over 1.5 million members who fiercely believe that being good with money is a vital life skill. For more information, visit GoHenry.com or follow @gohenry on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. In the US the GoHenry card is issued by Community Federal Saving Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International. In the UK the GoHenry card is issued by IDT Financial Services Limited pursuant to a license from Visa Europe. IDT Financial Services Limited is a regulated bank, licensed by the Financial Services Commission, Gibraltar. Registered office: 57-63 Line Wall Road, Gibraltar. Registered No. 95716. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005224/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Yili Group Attends COP15 Ecological Civilization Forum to Discuss Biodiversity Conservation Yili announces latest biodiversity conservation initiatives: "Save Endangered Asian Elephants" and "Smart Grasslands" Yili attends COP15 , showcasing progress of "Yili Homeland Initiative" and discussing plans on biodiversity conservation KUNMING, China, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ -- On October 14, the Ecological Civilization Forum under the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) kicked off in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. As a representative of business enterprises, Yili was invited to the sub-forum of "Ecological Civilization and Biodiversity Mainstreaming". During the session, Yili showcased the progress of the "Yili Homeland Initiative" and discussed plans for biodiversity conservation along with experts worldwide. Yili "Smart Grasslands" Project Yili Satine joined hands with the Chinese National Committee for UNESCO's MAB programme to launch China's first "Smart Grasslands" monitoring and protection project, according to Zhao Xin, Vice President of Yili Group. Protecting grassland ecosystems requires better understanding of grasslands, and the key is to acquire more accurate and detailed information. The project aims to extensively monitor and collect data on grasslands in a mor intelligent manner. To be more specific, the latest infrared monitoring technology and automatic camera systems will be applied to collect data and support related research efforts and future conservation projects. Yili has long been committed to grassland protection. By promoting integrated farming on the pastures in Ar Horqin Banner, the annual output of superior alfalfa and oats there has amounted to over 40,000 tons, while 46,000 mu ( 30.7km) of degraded grasslands have been improved. "Yili Homeland Initiative" Under the initiative, Yili has dedicated itself to biodiversity conservation through multiple actions with WWF and the China Green Foundation, covering smart grasslands protection, wetland protection in Northeast China, and habitat protection for Asian elephants. On the eve of COP15, Yili Group officially unveiled the "Save the Endangered Asian Elephant" project. Yili plans to work together with China Green Foundation over the next five years with an investment of no less than five million yuan. In addition, Yili's Plant Selected oat milk now has a new package design featuring the theme of "sending elephants back home". Three percent of the product sales will be dedicated to supporting the elephant protection initiative. The project will unfold across five aspects, namely restoring habitats, rescuing wild elephants, strengthening protection, engaging the communities, and educating the public on natural sciences. Green Production and Operations In 2020 alone, 114 of Yili's suppliers were encouraged to transition to green packages, degradable and recyclable materials, and standard processing techniques. Additionally, Yili adheres to green factory principles and environmental protection across multiple stages, ranging from architectural design to the selection of building materials, and energy and resource efficiency. Yili has also embraced environment-friendly packaging materials. All Yili Satine Milk products are packaged with FSC-certified materials, and plant-based bottle caps made of sustainable and recyclable sugarcane are put into use in China for the first time. This will help reduce carbon footprints and the reliance on fossil fuels. In commemoration of the first COP15 held in China, Yili Satine Milk launched a limited-edition packaging under the theme of biodiversity conservation. The plant-based bottle cap and the FSC-certified package materials represent a call for consumers to join the endeavor to safeguard the environment. Consumers may also watch a live streaming themed on grassland ecological protection by scanning the QR code on the bottle package. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yili-group-attends-cop15-ecological-civilization-forum-to-discuss-biodiversity-conservation-301402045.html SOURCE Yili Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Zeta Names Scott Schmitz as SVP of Investor Relations Zeta (NYSE: ZETA), a cloud-based marketing technology company that empowers enterprises to acquire, grow and retain customers, announced today that Scott Schmitz has joined the Company as SVP of Investor Relations. In this role, Mr. Schmitz will be responsible for maintaining and expanding relationships in the investment community while communicating Zeta's long-term strategy, governance, and financial performance. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005119/en/ Zeta Global announces Scott Schmitz as its new SVP of Investor Relations. (Photo: Business Wire) Mr. Schmitz is a seasoned industry expert with over twenty years of experience across software development, sales operations, equity research, corporate finance, and investor relations. Most recently he was a senior finance eader at Dell (News - Alert) Technologies responsible for long-term strategic planning and investor messaging of the company's as-a-Service business. As an Investor Relations Officer at EMC (News - Alert) , Mr. Schmitz facilitated one of the largest technology mergers in history with Dell. Mr. Schmitz also has extensive investment management and research experience, having spent three years on the buy-side at Wells Capital Management and over eight years on the sell-side at Morgan Stanley. "On behalf of the management team, I am thrilled to welcome Scott to our senior leadership team and look forward to him building further relationships with the capital markets at this pivotal time in our company's growth," said Zeta Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, David A. Steinberg. "Scott's extensive experience in technology provides Zeta with the ability to convey our success story to investors looking for the next marketing cloud leader." Zeta's Chief Financial Officer, Chris Greiner, said "As Zeta enters the next phase of significant growth, Scott's deep understanding of finance, operations, and capital markets from many different perspectives will be instrumental in driving a successful investor relations strategy and communicating Zeta's strategic goals to our stakeholders. Scott's strong relationships and proven track record of success will add tremendous value to Zeta." "There is a huge opportunity for Zeta to disrupt the marketing technology landscape with its differentiated Zeta Marketing Platform," said Mr. Schmitz. "Bringing together a comprehensive AI platform with proprietary data and omnichannel activation, all in one place, simplifies the complex marketing ecosystem and drives a higher ROI for marketers. I am extremely excited to join this talented team and I look forward to driving broader awareness and understanding of the Zeta story." About Zeta Zeta Global Holdings Corp. (NYSE: ZETA) is a leading data-driven, cloud-based marketing technology company that empowers enterprises to acquire, grow and retain customers. The Company's Zeta Marketing Platform (the "ZMP") is the largest omnichannel marketing platform with identity data at its core. The ZMP analyzes billions of structured and unstructured data points to predict consumer intent by leveraging sophisticated artificial intelligence to personalize experiences at scale. Founded in 2007 by David A. Steinberg and John Sculley, the Company is headquartered in New York City. For more information, please go to www.zetaglobal.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005119/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Yext Launches Financial Services Cloud, Highlighted by Guided AI-Powered Search Solution NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Yext, Inc. (NYSE: YEXT), the AI Search Company, today announced the launch of its Financial Services Cloud, a set of AI search solutions optimized for banks and other financial institutions. Incorporating classic Yext capabilities like advanced AI-powered site search, accurate third-party listings, and search-optimized landing pages, the Financial Services Cloud also introduces a completely new solution: Guided Search. The solution leads consumers through a series of questions on a financial institution's website in order to match them with the product, service, or financial professional aligned to their unique needs. With hyper-personalization emerging as a top trend in the financial services industry, it's never been more important for institutions to bypass a one-size-fits-all approach, and instead offer customizable online experiences to their customers. Yext's Financial Services Cloud includes the following solutions: Guided Search: When consumers search, they're looking for direction. With guided search, financial institutions can provide just that, by combining Yext's powerful AI-powered site search with a guided Q&A experience on their website. When someone answers questions about their unique financial needs, goals, and preferences, guided search will analyze their responses and suggest the right product, service, or financial professional resulting in prospects who are more likely to convert. When consumers search, they're looking for direction. With guided search, financial institutions can provide just that, by combining Yext's powerful AI-powered site search with a guided Q&A experience on their website. When someone answers questions about their unique financial needs, goals, and preferences, guided search will analyze their responses and suggest the right product, service, or financial professional resulting in prospects who are more likely to convert. Reputation Management: Yext's reputation management solution makes it easy for financial institutions to monitor, respond to, and generate reviews for their branches and professionals at scale. This helps financial institutions not only build better brand trust, but also increase their discoverability on third-party search platforms. Yext's reputation management solution makes it easy for financial institutions to monitor, respond to, and generate reviews for their branches and professionals at scale. This helps financial institutions not only build better brand trust, but also increase their discoverability on third-party search platforms. Marketing for Branches and Professionals: By accessing Yext's vast network of direct integrations with moe than 200 third-party platforms like Google, Bing, and Amazon Alexa financial institutions can optimize and update information about their branches and financial professionals with the click of a button. By accessing Yext's vast network of direct integrations with moe than 200 third-party platforms like Google, Bing, and Amazon Alexa financial institutions can optimize and update information about their branches and financial professionals with the click of a button. Product and Service Pages: Financial institutions have the ability to create search-optimized landing pages that showcase their various products and service offerings. This improves their discoverability on third-party platforms and helps turn site visitors into customers. Financial institutions have the ability to create search-optimized landing pages that showcase their various products and service offerings. This improves their discoverability on third-party platforms and helps turn site visitors into customers. Portals: Financial professionals, channel partners, and customers can now take advantage of personalized AI search-powered control centers either on a financial institution's first-party experiences or behind its firewall. With permissions based on user roles, different users can self-serve and find answers to questions on their own, leading to increased satisfaction, improved productivity, reduced support requests, and more. Shane Closser , Head of Industry for Financial Services at Yext. "With the introduction of Yext's Financial Services Cloud, especially our new guided search solution, financial institutions can deliver an exceptional, personalized experience to every customer on their website even those who need help identifying exactly what they're looking for." Financial institutions around the world, including Vanguard, Farmer's Insurance, Citizens Bank, and Dime Community Bank, have taken advantage of Yext's platform to increase return on investment (ROI) and reduce support call volume. "Partnering with Yext has allowed our digital marketing team to not only easily update location information for the branch network, but to also garner valuable data on the customer network," said Steve Miley, Senior Vice President, Strategic Marketing at Dime Community Bank, a Yext customer and user of site search, listings, and reputation management solutions, among others. "We have been able to better connect with not only our customers through an enhanced experience, but also have seen a vast improvement of the overall user experience on a greater scale." Discover the Yext Financial Services Cloud here. About Yext Yext (NYSE: YEXT) is the AI Search Company and is on a mission to transform the enterprise with AI search. With the explosion of information and data online, search has never been more important. However, while the world of consumer search has innovated over time, enterprise search has not. In fact, the majority of enterprise search is powered by outdated keyword search technology that only scans for keywords and delivers a list of hyperlinks rather than actually answering questions. Yext, the AI Search Company, offers a modern, AI-powered Answers Platform that understands natural language so that when people ask questions about a business online they get direct answers not links. Brands like Verizon, Vanguard, Subway and Marriott as well as organizations like the U.S. State Department and World Health Organization trust Yext to radically improve their business with answers-led AI search. CONTACT: Amanda Kontor, pr@yext.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yext-launches-financial-services-cloud-highlighted-by-guided-ai-powered-search-solution-301401886.html SOURCE Yext, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Launching DhanLAP, India's First Intelligent Digital Platform For Loan Against Mutual Funds CHENNAI, India, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fintech start-up Ark Neo launches DhanLAP (www.dhanlap.com), an end-to-end digital platform for instantly availing loans against financial products including mutual funds, shares, insurance, for retail investors. Developed by a team with over 100 man years of experience in digital retail financial products, DhanLAP is a first-of-its-kind comprehensive digital platform in the country to avail finance against retail financial products. The first product offered under DhanLAP is Loan Against Mutual Funds (LAMF). It is a robust LPaaS (Loan Platform as a Service) that has seamlessly integrated Asset Management Companies, Registrar and Transfer Agents (RTAs), Advisors, Investors and Non-Banking Financial Companies, to simplify and digitize the entire mutual fund loan process for retail investors. With its comprehensive LAMF solution, mutual fund investors can now digitally avail finance on their mutual fund investments in less than 15 minutes, and raise funds without redeeming or selling their mutual fund investments. With its end-to-end digital processing, DhanLAP facilitates instant, hassle-free liquidity for investors to meet their short-term and mid-term financial requirements without liquidating their financial assets. Now customers can instantly avail funds as an overdraft or as a term loan, while keeping their portfolios intact. Customers pay interest only on the amount of finance availed. Speaking about the platform, Founder and CEO, C R Chandrasekhar stated, "Very few reail investors know that their mutual fund investments can be used as collateral to avail loans. When there is a financial need, the retail investors usually redeem their mutual fund units. This hinders their various financial goals and long-term wealth building. With DhanLAP, we have completely digitized the entire journey of availing finance by using mutual fund units as a collateral and made the money available to the investor instantly. This takes care of their temporary financial needs, and the investor's wealth grows unhindered. 'Do not redeem, lien mark' is our slogan for mutual fund investors". People are looking for greater convenience, and with the possibility of short term financial constraints arising at any time, there is an increased need for quick access to funds, when needed. DhanLAP strives to bridge this gap through its smarter, seamless, and completely digital LAMF solution. While the offline process has certainly been available for a while, it can take anywhere between a few days to weeks for the money to reach the bank account after a customer applies. Elaborating on this, a senior executive from an AMC stated, "DhanLAP is an intelligent platform powered by technology that efficiently solves people's need for temporary funds. Since, it brings together multiple stakeholders in the ecosystem into a single platform, it fundamentally gives a quick digital access to raise funds through the collateral route and solve their immediate needs." Mr. Karra Visweswar Rao, Managing Director of IFIN Securities Finance Limited (ISFL), one of the short listed NBFCs in the platform, stated, "We are very happy to partner with DhanLAP to bring the central government's vision of Digitizing India, to action, for Mutual Fund investors. We are sure that investors will continue to build their assets without hindrance, by leveraging it instead of selling the assets." For more details visits www.dhanlap.com About DhanLAP by Ark Neo Finance Ark Neo Finance is one of the fastest-growing fintech start-ups in the country that strives to intuitively address the pain points of investors looking to use their financial products as a collateral and avail finance. Offering end-to-end digital loan against retail financial products DhanLAP provides individual investors greater flexibility to raise funds on their financial products without losing ownership. Built by a team with niche domain expertise, DhanLAP (www.dhanlap.com) combines experience with technology innovation to deliver faster, more intelligent, and better outcomes for its multiple stakeholders. Media contact: C.R. Chandrasekar CEO Email: chandra@dhanlap.com Phone: +91-98409-20800 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Huawei Digital Power lights up Dubai and calls for collective efforts for low-carbon, smart society Huawei Digital Power lights up Dubai with a spectacular light show on Burj Khalifa with the theme 'Building a Low-carbon and Green Future' which successfully concludes Global Digital Power Summit 2021 with more than 500 participants from 67 countries attending. Huawei calls for collective actions from global customers and partners to join new Carbon Neutrality Initiative, with organizations and policy-makers from around the world backing the initiative during the summit. Huawei signs MoUs with Grupo IMELSA and HYBRICO Energy for strategic collaboration on clean energy and green infrastructure development. Huawei also signs a key contract with SEPCOIII for The Red Sea Project with 400 MW PV plus 1300 MWh battery energy storage solution (BESS), which is currently the world's largest energy storage project. DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei Digital Power has concluded its Global Digital Power Summit 2021 in Dubai, UAE, with more than 500 participants from 67 countries attending. As the world prioritizes carbon neutrality and post-pandemic recovery, the summit aimed to inspire collective action towards building a low-carbon and smarter society powered by digital technologies. In the keynote speech, Charles Yang, SVP of Huawei and President of Global Marketing Sales and Services at Huawei Digital Power, said: "Carbon neutrality has become a global consensus and mission. To achieve that goal, power production needs to be low carbonized, and power consumption needs to be electrified. Huawei has deeply integrated digital and power electronics technologies to create all-scenario low-carbon energy solutions, covering the whole energy flow from green power generation to efficient power consumption." With an increasing number of countries joining the path towards carbon neutrality, the world is brimming with opportunities for investment into renewable energy and green infrastructure. At the summit, industry leaders and government officials from PV, Data Center and Site Power sectors - including Sen. Rocio Adriana Abreu Artinano, President of the Energy Commission, Senate of the Republic of Mexico, Sanjay Kumar Sainani, Global SVP & CTO from Huawei Digital Power, Mohammad Saeed Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Data Hub Integrated Solutions LLC (MORO), Hariram Subramanian, CTO of Huawei FusionSolar, Manish Singhal, Head of Solar PV, ACWA Power, Michel FRAISSE, Vice President & CTO, Huawei Digital Power Europe, Jasem Al Marzooqi, Head of Data Centers & Telecom Facilities, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, du, Prof Rabih Bashroush, Global Head, IT Infrastructure Advisory, Uptime Institute, and many more - have shared technologies, insights and policies to meet the future opportunities in renewable energy and green ICT infrastructure. Specifically, experts from data center energy including Simon McCormick,CTO of Echelon, Seppo Ihalainen, CEO & Co-founder, Ficolo, Prof Rabih Bashroush, Global Head, IT Infrastructure Advisory, Uptime Institute and Jim Campbell, BEng (Hons) Building Services, MIET, ATD, Regional Director RED Middle East have joined the panel discussion moderated by Sanjay Kumar Sainani. To lead the green energy transition, Amit Beriya, Director of Energy Storage & Hydrogen (BD Technical Services), ACWA Power, George Pechlivanoglou, CTO of Eunice, Ana Lia Rojas, President of EnerConnex Chile & President of the Chile Council for Women Leaders in Energy and Environment, CWEEL and Edson Uamusse, Strategic Planning Director & Chairman's Advisor, Energy Fund of Mozambique have shared their insights from the energy industry moderated by Hariram Subramanian. Partnership for a Greener and Bright Future Huawei Digital Power adheres to the strategy of open hardware, open-source software, and layered collaboration with industry players for a greener, brighter future. As a key part of the summit, Huawei signed memorandums of understanding with Grupo IMELSA and HYBRICO Energy for strategic collaboration on clean energy and green infrastructure development. Huawei also signs a key contract with SEPCOIII for The Red Sea Project with 400 MW PV plus 1300 MWh battery energy storage solution (BESS), which is currently the world's largest energy storage project. What sets Huawei Digital Power apart from peers is its unique philosophy of "Use Bits to Manage Watts". Specifically, Mr. Yang noted how the company will use digital technologies to manage power electronics and equipment, providing simplified, green, smart, and secure solutions for clean power generation, green ICT infrastructure, transportation electrification, and integrated smart energy. Call for Carbon Neutrality Initiative Carbon neutrality has become a global consensus and mission. At the summit, Huawei Digital Power called for global action to pursue low-carbon and sustainable development, which requires continuous innovations, the adoption of green practices, and banding together to build an open and win-win ecosystem. Liu Fangjiang, President of SEPCOIII International, Eaman Al Roudhan, CEO of Zain Kuwait, Sen. Rocio Adriana Abreu Artinano, President of the Energy Commission, Senate of the Republic of Mexico, Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Board Member, Executive, Managing Director at du, and Simon McCormick, CTO of Echelon, have all backed the Huawei initiative during the summit. They were joined by Mr. Yang. Through open collaboration and co-innovation, Huawei Digital Power and its global partners now share a commitment to fight global warming and contribute towards carbon neutrality worldwide. Light up of Burj Khalifa to Inspire and Initiate Change As the exciting ending of the Global Digital Power Summit 2021, Huawei Digital Power lit up Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building and an iconic landmark in Dubai, to inspire international communities to accelerate the green transition and build a low-carbon and smart society together. About Huawei Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We have more than 197,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world. Our vision and mission is to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. To this end, we will drive ubiquitous connectivity and promote equal access to networks; bring cloud and artificial intelligence to all four corners of the earth to provide superior computing power where you need it, when you need it; build digital platforms to help all industries and organizations become more agile, efficient, and dynamic; redefine user experience with AI, making it more personalized for people in all aspects of their life, whether they're at home, in the office, or on the go. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on: http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei http://www.twitter.com/Huawei http://www.facebook.com/Huawei http://www.youtube.com/Huawei SOURCE Huawei Digital Power [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] RSG Group Espana Selects GTT Managed SD-WAN to Enhance the Digital Experience in Its Gyms MCLEAN, Va., Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GTT Communications, Inc. (OTC: GTTN), a leading global cloud networking provider to multinational clients, has announced that RSG Group Espana, a leading fitness and lifestyle company, has selected GTT Managed SD-WAN to connect its headquarters in Madrid and 40 gyms across Spain to drive further enhancements of the digital experience for its membership and staff. RSG Group Espana is digitally transforming its gyms to deliver more immersive and motivational fitness experiences. The company relies on its secure, high-performance network, provided by GTT, to connect its staff and customers with high-quality multi-media content and data. The GTT SD-WAN solution provides RSG Group Espana with enhanced control and visibility of the traffic on its network, as well as the ability to prioritize and optimize different kinds of network traffic. This enables the company to ensure the best performance of its business and real-time applications, such as video conferencing and streaming, adjusting for bandwidth usage in line with business needs. The solution also enables network configuration and policy changes to be quickly and easily rolled out to any existing and future sites, allowing RSG Group Espana to centrally manage its network in a continuously changing environment. Additionally, GTTs managed SD-WAN solution integrates fiber-based broadband ad 4G backup to ensure resilience at each site. Weve chosen GTT-managed SD-WAN because it is imperative for us to run our network with the utmost uptime and agility so we can continue to expand our range of fitness experiences, said Chantal Garicano, Head of Administration and Finance at RSG Group Espana. The advanced portal functionality of GTTs SD-WAN solution gives us greater visibility across our network, helping us manage our resources and applications more efficiently and making it easier for us to identify and troubleshoot any issues quickly. We are delighted to support RSG Group Espana with our network expertise and managed SD-WAN service as it innovates new ways to provide the best digital experience for its customers and employees, said Tom Homer, Division President Europe, GTT. A fast, secure and reliable network is key to enabling the best technology-driven user experiences, and we look forward to partnering with RSG Group Espana as they expand their use of innovative digital technologies to help people become more active and have fun. About GTT GTT provides secure global connectivity, improving network performance and agility for your people, places, applications and clouds. We operate a global Tier 1 internet network and provide a comprehensive suite of cloud networking and managed solutions that utilize advanced software-defined networking and security technologies. We serve thousands of businesses with a portfolio that includes SD-WAN and other WAN services, internet, security and voice services. Our customers benefit from a customer-first service experience underpinned by our commitment to operational excellence. For more information on GTT (OTC: GTTN), please visit www.gtt.net. About RSG Group With more than 6,4 million users, RSG Group is a leading fitness and lifestyle company with brands in 48 countries: Gold's Gym, John Reed, McFIT, High 5, John & Jane's, Cyberobics, Loox, The Mirai, Qi2, The Reed, McFIT Models, Pearl Management, Tigerpool, Marcell Von Berlin, Ron Miller, Steven Baker and Master of Enthusiasm. For more information about RSG Group, please visit www.rsggroup.com. GTT Media Inquiries: Ed Stevenson, LEWIS +44-207-802-2626 gttuk@teamlewis.com GTT Investor Relations: Charlie Lucas, GTT VP of Finance investorrelations@gtt.net [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Diem launches new social knowledge platform to do away with performative sharing NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Diem, a new social media alternative, launches to create digital social spaces for women & non-binary folks to connect on common interest points, addressing the negative experiences they commonly encounter on incumbent social networks. Diem's technology centers community connections and authentic knowledge sharing, moving away from the orchestrated, performative content that we're conditioned to engage with on social media and in the direction of an equitable, personal experience where knowledge is the ultimate form of social currency. Diem has been in beta since January 2021 and amassed a waitlist of over 20,000 people. Ahead of its public roll out, Diem has carefully curated over 100+ "Founding Hosts" to share their own experiences and qualified insights with relevant, interest-based communities within the platform via synchronous & asynchronous formats. Folks in Diem will be able to discover Hosts from a range of backgrounds such as financial advisors, entrepreneurs and OBGYNs. Hosts also include a suite of leading creators, entrepreneurs and industry thought leaders including Kirsty Godso, Sabia Wade, Lauren Maillian, and Jaclyn Johnson, all of whom also join the company's Advisory Board to shape the future alternative social platform that they want to engage in. Johnson shares, "I am thrilled to Host and invest in Diem, having built a women-centric business I understand the need for virtual communities for folks to connect with each other and experts in a space designed for them." One of Diem's core principles is to not build unnecessary and addictive technology, because the future of social media is not about amassing eyeballs via performative sharing. It's about creating platforms wih revenue models that also benefit the people contributing. In the future, Diem plans to innovate on the antiquated, two-dimensional technology of social networks and harness technology typically found in gaming and AR/VR to cultivate truly social, three-dimensional communities. Maitree Mervana Parekh, Investor at Acrew, explains,"Community drives human belonging, and technology has shown its ability to be a powerful resource in fostering this. However, technology that prioritizes inclusivity and positivity has not been at the forefront. That's why I'm excited about Diem. It's pushing the limits of a "social network" and truly designing an immersive, social experience from the ground up that enables its members to connect, exchange knowledge, and thrive in an intentional and inclusive way." We all know that social media is hugely influential to how we live, work and communicate with one another, and yet, today's top platforms have all been designed by men. That often means that social media companies default to harmful and sexist policies, leaving less space for women and non-binary folks to exist in virtual worlds. Community expert, Abadesi Osunsade, states, "As a woman, dominant social media platforms have started to feel exploitative, encouraging us to be vulnerable in public spaces for the sake of engagement. Diem is about community and connection with no hidden agenda." Diem is rolling out to the public throughout October 2021. The New York-based team is a Techstars NYC '20 portfolio company, backed by $900,000 in pre-seed funding with participation from Xfactor Ventures, Acrew and leading angels such as Create & Cultivate founder, Jaclyn Johnson and Discord Executive, Amber Atherton. ABOUT: Diem was co-founded by Emma Bates and Divia Singh. Emma started her marketing career in blogging and transitioned into marketing and partnerships roles at some of the fastest growing consumer brands in NYC and the UK. Prior to founding Diem, she was Head of Global Marketing at the DTC travel brand, Away. Emma's work has been featured in Forbes, HuffPost, Entrepreneur and The Cut for her unique approach to marketing, community building and partnerships. Divia is the COO and co-founder of Diem, and is passionate about building technology-based solutions for underserved communities from the ground up. Prior to Diem, she was one of the first hires on the digital team at Away and also worked at Zocdoc in various roles across product, operations and CX. Contact: Emma Bates emma@askdiem.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/diem-launches-new-social-knowledge-platform-to-do-away-with-performative-sharing-301401790.html SOURCE Diem [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Akridata Joins National Exascale Day Celebrations to Drive Awareness of the Challenges and Advances in Data-Centric AI SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Akridata, a category-maker and pioneer in Data-Centric Artificial Intelligence (AI), recently launched the Akridata Edge Data Platform, a software solution that creates and manages smart data pipelines and AI workflows spanning Edge-Core-Cloud resources an industry first. The Akridata software solves the Exascale-class data problems that emerge when streams of rich data from physically scattered Edge devices create an avalanche of data that is impossible to organize, filter, access, and process. There is a global race to produce the first Exascale supercomputer capable of performing over 1 "Exaflops," 10 to the power 18 double-precision floating point operations per second (FLOPS). In 2019, the High Performance Computing (HPC) community registered Oct.18th (10/18) as the National Exascale Day in celebration of the new advances and discoveries that Exascale-class systems could provide. "At Akridata, we see a change in how and where Exascale problems materialize. They are increasingly led by data and are showing up in businesses across industries, not just in supercomputing," said Kumar Ganapathy, co-founder and CEO of Akridata. "This change is driven by AI data at the Edge, which is taking Exascale-class data problems straight into boardrooms of businesses that are pursuing advanced automation and autonomy. Joining in the celebration of Exascale Day is a great way to recognize, share and track the latest developments and technologies, as well as organizations that are driving the Exascale Era." Akridata's innovative new solution enables the integration of Deep Learning with Inference, Edge Commerce, Data Governance, and enterprise applications. It was specifically developed to acclerate real-world AI applications spanning industries including autonomous cars in the auto industry, AI-driven diagnoses in healthcare, as well as unattended manufacturing and more. Exascale Data Problem of AI The autonomous world depends on continuous Deep Learning using large volumes of complex AI data sets. Streams of rich data such as video and lidar data generated by fixed or mobile edge devices must be organized, filtered, tracked, and processed across the Edge-Core-Cloud resources. Massive amounts of data are being generated at the Edge by these devices. For example, a self-driving car in its test phase can generate multiple Terabytes of data in a single day. Now imagine tens of millions of cars with driver assist and self-diving technologies in real-world production generating Petabytes of data each day, all adding up to an Exascale data management challenge. In addition, many other industries, such as unattended retail and smart cities, are also experiencing similar data explosion rates that need to be addressed. By 2025, 75 percent of the 175 Zettabytes of new data generated will come from the Edge, according to industry experts. Advanced AI and autonomy depend on the continuous curation and filtering of massive amounts of data generated at the Edge to fuel continuous Deep Learning. This is an Exascale-class data challenge. Akridata has created the industry's only Edge Data Platform for Data-Centric AI, a new IT category that focuses on the structure and quality of AI data versus the repetitive refinement of complex AI models. Akridata provides a decentralized software layer that enables Data-Centric AI via smart data pipelines, automated workflows, on-demand access, and fast data exploration. The Akridata platform has been shown to deliver ten times faster time-to-access the right data, four times more efficient usage of compute and storage, and two times better productivity for data scientists and Machine Learning engineers. Learn more from these videos: The Autonomous World and Why Akridata? Akridata also recently announced its $15 million in Series A led by TeleSoft Partners and Accel Partners. The Silicon Valley based company has 50-plus team members and is actively hiring for a range of engineering and customer success roles. Learn more at Akridata's career site . About Akridata Akridata enables Data-Centric AI by solving AI's Exascale-class data problem. The Akridata Edge Data Platform is the first solution spanning Edge-Core-Cloud resources. It provides a decentralized structure and scalable process to deliver curated, consistent, and relevant AI data sets. Akridata was founded in 2018 by some of Silicon Valley's most respected entrepreneurs, data scientists, and product engineers, who collectively hold nearly 200 patents and have a history of solving some of the world's most perplexing data challenges. Akri means "Edge" in Greek. Learn more at akridata.com . Media Contact: media@OrionX.net View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/akridata-joins-national-exascale-day-celebrations-to-drive-awareness-of-the-challenges-and-advances-in-data-centric-ai-301401759.html SOURCE Akridata, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Playing digital defence: Small businesses are stepping up their cyber security efforts - but gap in preparedness remains: RBC poll More small business owners concerned about cyber security threats in increasingly digitized economy TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ - As the economy becomes increasingly digitized, cyber security concerns are rising to the top of business risks as ranked by Canadian small business owners and for good reason. In a recent survey commissioned by RBC1, nearly half of Canada's small business owners report that they anticipate becoming a victim of a cybercrime in the next 12 months a percentage significantly higher than seen among the general population (34%). Forty per cent of small businesses identified that having devices infected by a virus or malware is now perceived as their biggest threat, ranking higher than falling victim to an online scam or fraud (24%), or property damage (24%). "Faced with a fast-changing landscape, small businesses are adapting by adopting more technology and adopting it faster than ever before," says Adam Evans, RBC Chief Information Security Officer, RBC. "Though the increasingly digital economy has brought new challenges for Canada's small businesses, our poll reveals that the risks are accompanied by a growing awareness of these hazards, indicating that small business owners are responding to these risks with the resilience and determination we've come to expect of them." Minding the gap: Room for improvement remains for those without previous experience of a cyber security incident While cyber security concerns are on their radar, the poll reveals that only a small number of small business owners (24%) feel 'very' knowledgeable in regard to cyber security threats. That number rises slightly to 27% among those who have experienced a previous cyber security incident. When asked if they feel prepared for a potential cyber-attack, only 16 per cent feel very prepared with 19 per cent of those who have experienced a previous incident feeling very prepared. The poll revealed that the majority of small business owners are responding to cyber security risks by andling cyber security risks themselves (57%), rather than relying on in-house IT teams (25%) or outsourced IT consultants. In particular, those who haven't previously experienced a cyber security incident (62%) are significantly more likely to take a do-it-yourself approach compared to past victims of cyber security incidents (51%). The most common preventative measures small businesses have taken are: installing updated anti-virus software (60%), implementing firewall security for internet connections (56%) and encrypting and hiding all Wi-Fi networks (43%). RBC website provides tools to help small businesses protect their data "While large organizations are able to maintain robust cyber security protocols, many smaller businesses have difficulty implementing or maintaining cyber security practices, leaving them vulnerable to cyber-attacks," adds Evans. To address this gap, RBC created the Cyber Security Awareness and Education Website, which is designed to help business owners and the community with the latest in cyber security insights, best practices, tips, and guidelines. To develop their cyber security mitigation and crisis management plans, small businesses can consider: Prioritizing measures including multi-factor authentication, mandatory employee training and limited authority to install software. Thinking through risks and create a prioritized list of possible cyber events unique to the organization. Identifying key stakeholders and putting together a list of key contact information, both technical and non-technical persons in the event their services or contact is needed. Outlining an engagement procedure, which will guide the organization's plan in response to a cyber event, detailing how events will be handled and communicated. Creating a communications template used to address impacted parties in the event of a cyber security incident. More information on how to adequately prepare and protect your small business against cyber security incidents can be found at https://www.rbc.com/cyber-security/ . 1About the Survey The RBC 2021 Cyber Security Poll was conducted by Ipsos Canada from August 24-27, 2021. More than 3,000 surveys were completed online by Canadian adults, represented in six different regions (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan/Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada). Representative sample results are weighted to reflect the Canadian population. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within 1.8 percentage points had all Canadian adults been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population represented. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to, coverage error, and measurement error. About RBC Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 88,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.? We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact. SOURCE RBC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] DigitalBridge Announces Partial Redemption of 7.125% Series H Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock DigitalBridge Group, Inc. (NYSE: DBRG) ("DigitalBridge" or the "Company") today announced that it is redeeming 2,560,000 shares (the "Redeemed Shares"), representing approximately 22.3% of the 11,500,000 issued and outstanding shares of 7.125% Series H Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (NYSE: DBRG.PrH) (the "Series H Preferred Shares") with a total liquidation preference of $64,000,000. "With this latest redemption, we will have reduced our preferred stock outstanding by over $140 million since July," said Jacky Wu, CFO of DigitalBridge. "We look forward to continuing to drive corporate cash flows by reducing our effective cost of capital as we leverage the strong growth in our investment management and operating platforms." The Redeemed Shares will be redeemed at a cash redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) to, but not including, the redemption date of November 15, 2021 (the "Redemption Date"). Dividends on the Redeemed Shares will cease to accrue on the Redemption Date. Upon redemption, the Redeemed Shares will no longer be outstanding, and all rights of the holders of such shares will terminate, except the right of the holders to receive the cash payable upon such redemption, without interest. All shares of Series H Preferred Shares are held in book-entry form through the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"). The Redeemed Shares will be redeemed in accordance with the procedures of DTC.Payment to DTC for the Redeemed Shares will be made by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as redemption agent (the "Redemption Agent"). The address for the Redemption Agent is as follows: American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC 6201 15th Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11219 Attn: Reorganization Department This press release does not constitute a notice of redemption under the Company's Articles of Amendment and Restatement governing the Series H Preferred Shares. About DigitalBridge DigitalBridge (NYSE: DBRG) is a leading global digital infrastructure REIT. With a heritage of over 25 years investing in and operating businesses across the digital ecosystem including cell towers, data centers, fiber, small cells, and edge infrastructure, the DigitalBridge team manages a $35 billion portfolio of digital infrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders. Headquartered in Boca Raton, DigitalBridge has key offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Singapore. 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/20211018005278/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Arkose Labs Kicks Off Inaugural Credential Stuffing Week to Raise Awareness of Growing Cybersecurity Threat In an effort to increase awareness about a frightening cybersecurity threat that continues to impact businesses around the globe, Arkose Labs today kicked off the inaugural Credential Stuffing Week. With credential stuffing (also known as password spraying or account takeover), stolen data like usernames, email addresses and passwords are used to break into accounts at a high volume using sophisticated tools. These automated attacks are done at scale, keeping costs low and therefore making credential stuffing a profitable venture for fraudsters. "As credential stuffing grows in popularity amongst fraudsters, so too does the need to fully understand this type of cyberattack as well as the tools needed to mitigate it, which is why we created Credential Stuffing Week," said Kevin Gosschalk, Co-Founder and CEO of Arkose Labs. "Businesses are suffering, and by default so are their customers and clients, as credential stuffing attacks become more common and sophisticated." Logins are the most attacked digital touchpoint today. In the first half of 2021, the Arkose Labs network detected and stopped 285 million credential stuffing attacks--29% of all fraud attacks--with spikes upwards of 80 million in a single week. Making matters even more dire, these attacks affect the bottom line, with 46% of businesses reporting that these attacks have le to decreased revenue. During Credential Stuffing Week and beyond, Arkose Labs is engaging with customers, partners and journalists to ensure that stopping credential stuffing is part of a company's ongoing fraud strategy. The company believes that businesses deserve greater protection, commitment, and partnership from their security vendors to thwart attackers' efforts. This is why Arkose Labs backs their Fraud and Abuse Prevention Platform with the industry's first warranty against credential stuffing attacks. The warranty offers a commercial guarantee against credential stuffing attacks, covering customers up to $1 million in response expenses including legal consultation, forensic services, notification expenses, identity theft and credit monitoring. "Through our credential stuffing warranty, we want to show our commitment to customers by sharing a portion of responsibility with regard to attack mitigation," said Gosschalk. Additionally, as part of their ongoing efforts to generate awareness beyond Credential Stuffing Week, Arkose Labs will have a presence at next week's Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas. In November, Arkose Labs is hosting the second annual Bankrupting Fraud Virtual Summit, which brings together 50+ speakers from companies such as Facebook, Visa, Forrester (News - Alert) , Expedia, PayPal, the United Nations and more. The Summit will feature a rich agenda of expert panels, masterclasses and live networking events, taking place on November 9-10, 2021. About Arkose Labs Arkose Labs bankrupts the business model of fraud. Recognized by Gartner (News - Alert) as a "Cool Vendor in Fraud and Authentication," the company offers an industry-first warranty on account protection. Its AI-powered platform combines powerful risk assessments with dynamic attack response that undermines the ROI behind attacks, while improving good user throughput. Based in San Francisco, CA (News - Alert) with offices in Brisbane, Australia and London, UK, the company was honored as the 195th fastest growing companies in the United States on the 2021 Inc. 5000 list. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005341/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] AXEL Announces Partnership with Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, as Preferred Privacy/Security Data Solution for Legal Industry... Las Vegas, NV, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AXEL, the leading online file storage and transfer solution for legal professionals, has announced a new partnership with the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International, which will provide all members with access to the AXEL Go app the most private and secure way to send, share and store files and data. This partnership is one of many month-long initiatives that AXEL has launched in honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, as the company continues to increase awareness and education on the importance of data privacy, data security and data custody. We are thrilled at this partnership with Phi Alpha Delta, which highlights the need for affordable and cost-effective cybersecurity solutions for legal professionals everywhere, said Ben Ow, President and CTO of AXEL. Cybercrime is a major concern as businesses are still navigating the disruption of the pandemic with remote and hybrid work situations. So, its more important than ever for legal professionals to protect the privacy of their clients data, as well as to minimize and prevent data breaches and other risks that could damage their practices and reputation. Phi Alpha Delta, whose notable alumni include six former United States presidents, current President and four sitting Supreme Court Justices, is an inclusive law fraternity with more than 330,000 members. Thousands of attorneys and judges are members of this organization which includes hundreds of pre-law, law, and alumni chapters across 33 districts in the United States, Canada and Mexico, making it the largest co-ed professional law fraternity in the United States. With this partnership, all Phi Alpha Delta members can access a secure solution that's easy to use to send, share and store their files whether t be business or personal matters, as well as in-office, remote or hybrid work situations. "We are excited to expand our membership benefits and partner with AXEL," said Andrew Sagan, Executive Director of Phi Alpha Delta. "AXEL Go offers a valuable service to the legal industry, specifically for ethical and legal considerations in managing data and privacy. Its decentralized network with military-grade encryption and blockchain technology provides that extra layer of protection that law firms and legal professionals need, and we're pleased to offer this for our members at a special, discounted rate." About Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International is the largest professional law fraternity in the world. Established in 1902, Phi Alpha Delta was the first law fraternity to open membership to all genders, races, creeds and national origins, and the first to establish a pre-law program to assist undergraduate students interested in law. Phi Alpha Delta strives to be the premier legal professional organization with a diverse membership that cultivates leaders and serves as a voice for the role of legal professionalism in our society. Through devotion to the ideals of compassion, courage, diversity, innovation, integrity, professionalism and service, Phi Alpha Delta betters both the legal profession and the community. For more information, visit here. About AXEL AXEL believes in a secure internet for everyone, and that private information is private property. The company continues to expand its suite of affordable, patented technology solutions for businesses and individuals for their data privacy, data security and data custody needs, and keeping its commitment to never sell user data to any third party. Available to members of The Florida Bar, State Bar of Georgia, Connecticut Bar Association, and through legal technology ecosystems such as Theorem LTD, the AXEL Go app provides users with a convenient, easy to implement privacy and security platform that is not readily available in most cloud-based file sharing applications. For more information, visit AXEL.org To sign up for a 14-day trial of AXEL Go Premium, please visit AXEL Go Follow AXEL on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn General Inquiries: PracticeSupport@axel.org John Svoboda AXEL (702) 948-9770 John.Svoboda@axel.org https://www.axel.org [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Yenlo acquires Datacon to join forces in integration landscape Amsterdam, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yenlo acquires Datacon in a move that sees both API- and integration specialists increase market opportunities and leverage each others capabilities by joining forces. For Yenlo it is a move that further strengthens its growth strategy. For Datacon it is a move that helps the company reach bigger portfolio clients in untapped markets. The acquisition will commence in a gradual manner, with both organizations initially keeping to their separate services and operations. Datacons CEO and Co-Founder Meindert van Duijvenbode will be included in the Yenlo Group board of directors. This acquisition further fuels the ambition of Datacon to be a go-to multi-vendor API- and integration specialist on an international scale. Though our current market impact is healthy and favourable towards that ambition, being included in the Yenlo Group boosts our ability to scale and gain access to new markets and client profiles. We are immensely proud of the journey Datacon has taken up until this point and are truly excited to be joining forces with Yenlo, said Meindert van Duijvenbode, CEO and Co-Founder, Datacon. There is a famous proverb that reads: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. So, it is with great joy and gratitude that we announce this joining of forces that brings mutual benefit. Yenlos growth strategy is clear and the Datacon acquisition is exemplary of it. Expanding our API-, integration and identity management expertise to further our aim on a market leading position in API- and integration technology across West-Europe and North America. Datacon brings a wealth of knowledge that will no doubt be of significant importance to current and future clients of Yenlo, said Ruben van der Zwan, CEO and Co-Founder, Yenlo. Both Yenlos and Datacons operations and services will remain separate for now. Pre-identified and forecasted strategic milestones will signal when Datacon will gradually merge with Yenlo. The Datacon acquisition sees the Yenlo Group increase its human resources to approximately 180 experts in the API- integration and identity management domains. Bringing in over 25 million euro in annual revenue, the Yenlo Group takes a leading market position. The acquisition fits Yenlos growth strategy and will be the first of several in the upcoming year to solidify its services in Western Europe and North America. About Datacon Datacon is an independent specialist in application integration, data integration, API management and master data management, using multiple leading iPaaS products such as Azure, Boomi, Informatica and MuleSoft. It creates value by making fragmented information in organizations reliable and available so that cost benefits are realized, and new business models can be developed. More information is available at www.datacon.nl or www.datacon.be About Yenlo Yenlo is the global data- and process integration specialist in the field of digital transformation with open-source technology and solutions. Since its founding in 2007, Yenlo has grown to be the leading and most experienced partner of WSO2, and has won several WSO2 awards: Best Partner of 2018, 2019 and 2020, Most Certified Partner 2019, Top Partner of the year 2020 (Europe) and the Integration Partner of the Year 2020. Yenlo is WSO2s only globally operating platinum partner with the worlds largest pool of WSO2 professionals across a network of seven offices in six countries. With its Connext Platform and Connext Go! solution, Yenlo provides out-of-the-box, managed cloud solutions for sophisticated API management, enterprise service bus integrations, microservices and identity and access management to many leading organizations around the world. Yenlo believes that organizations must be flexible in order to become a digital agency that can optimize the relationship with their customers and introduce new services, products, and business models. Yenlo also believes that this flexibility in technology, knowledge, and finance- can be realized by adopting an API-first and cloud-first strategy. Yenlo brings agility to organizations by providing the best professional services based on their vast expertise. Our services vary from enterprise and solution architectures to software development, operational support; and WSO2 support, training and certification programs. In addition: Yenlo has specific solutions and standard integrations for healthcare, education, government, banking, manufacturing and logistics. This is complemented by our pre-built solution-as-a-service offerings, like our Connext service; a fully managed integration platform-as-a-service. More information: www.yenlo.com and follow Yenlo on LinkedIn and Twitter or via Yenlos WSO2 Community. Yenlo Marloes Klaver Office: +31 20 2700 700 Email: marloes.klaver@yenlo.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Insiteflow Raises $2.3M to Accelerate Electronic Healthcare Record (EHR) Workflow Interoperability AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Insiteflow, Inc . the leading platform for EHR workflow interoperability - today announced $2.3M in financing led by Silverton Partners with participation from Congress Ave Ventures, Alumni Ventures and Service Provider Capital. The funding will accelerate the expansion of its customer base and proprietary cloud-based platform. "Clinicians do not have time to leave their EHRs to access and use the constantly expanding set of external, third-party healthcare analytics, guidelines and other solutions. This often leads to missed opportunities to improve care, quality and revenue," said Insiteflow CEO Anthony Gerardi. "By bringing critical data-driven recommendations from third-party solutions into their EHRs, Insiteflow empowers clinicians with the workflow they need to efficiently improve outcomes." This type of integrated, automated EHR workflow drives physician utilization of these external, third-party solutions. Starting with the first month of deployment more than 80% of physicians use this EHR workflow to implement data-driven recommendations, clinial decision support and other best practices from external solutions. Through its expanding patent-pending platform, Insiteflow powers external solutions to be: Accessible within EHRs with single sign on (SSO) Actionable and fully interactive within EHRs Automated by writing clinicians' decisions into their EHRs and supporting systems "Insiteflow is transforming healthcare by moving the industry beyond data interoperability to create workflow interoperability," said Morgan Flager, Silverton Partners' Managing Partner. "Our investment underscores our confidence in Insiteflow's ability to enhance the clinical experience to empower clinicians to improve cost, quality and revenue. We are excited to help in expanding their capabilities to improve healthcare outcomes." For more information, visit www.Insiteflow.com. About Insiteflow Insiteflow was founded to empower physicians to transform clinical and financial results through EHR workflow interoperability, making external third-party solutions accessible, actionable and automated in EHRs. About Silverton Partners Silverton Partners is focused on funding and mentoring early-stage businesses led by founders who share in its commitment to disrupt growth markets and build enduring companies. Founded in 2006, the firm brings the benefits of its vast network and decades of rich experience to each partnership. Austin-based Silverton is the most active venture capital investor in Texas and has been the initial investor behind visionary companies including WP Engine, Storable, SailPoint, Silicon Labs, TurnKey Vacation Rentals, The Zebra, AlertMedia, Aceable, Self Financial, Wheel, and Billie. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/insiteflow-raises-2-3m-to-accelerate-electronic-healthcare-record-ehr-workflow-interoperability-301401396.html SOURCE Insiteflow [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Veta Health Names James Sutcliffe As CEO To Lead And Scale Mission To Improve Patient Health Outcomes MIAMI, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Veta Health, a leading global provider of digital solutions for remote patient care and chronic condition monitoring, is pleased to announce that James Sutcliffe has been named chief executive officer. Sutcliffe will guide the strategic direction of the company with an emphasis on key commercial dynamics. Founders Tanvi Vattikuti Abbhi and Dr. Nora Zetsche will assume the roles of chief strategy officer and chief medical officer, respectively. Sutcliffe has more than 20 years of experience with growing healthcare and telemedicine companies, and has driven critical organization-wide advancements in various leadership and advisory capacities. Most recently, Sutcliffe was instrumental in the growth of the international digital health company, DayToDay Health , where he served as chief commercial officer. Under his leadership, the company expanded its global footprint into the United States market and grew its customer base by 170 percent. "With the rapid uptick in the remote care market and in Veta Health's growth, we felt it was the ideal time to bring on a seasoned leader in the digital health space," said Abbhi. "James's deep understanding of providers' challenges and nuanced approach to solving them will further enable us to take advantage of this once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform healthcare delivery meaningfully and at scale." The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted patient nd provider expectations around care delivery. Telehealth adoption rate among practices jumped from 22 percent in 2019 to 41 percent in 2020 to 80 percent at the end of that year. Similarly, patient acceptance of remote technologies has surged, with 90 percent believing they could better manage chronic conditions with monitoring, and more than half willing to switch doctors if another prescribed a specialized monitoring device. The shift in the dynamics of virtual care that was accelerated by the pandemic coupled with greater support from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for remote patient monitoring has created a ripe market for established solutions like Veta Health. Over the past year, Veta Health expanded its customer base by 130 percent and doubled its team across Europe and the United States. Sutcliffe will focus on increasing adoption of the company's remote care solution with healthcare providers across the United States. His dynamic ability to develop new business, anticipate customer needs, and take companies to exit will be critical in this next phase of industry and company growth. "Healthcare is experiencing massive shifts in innovation and policy is continuing to evolve to meet the needs of providers and patients alike," said Sutcliffe. "The healthcare journey for most patients is a challenging one and very few digital offerings do anything to improve that journey. Veta Health's offering is truly differentiated in the market given our capabilities in personalized disease management. I believe we will set the bar for what a great healthcare experience looks like. I'm proud to now be leading this incredible team." For more information on the executive team or other Veta Health initiatives, please visit myvetahealth.com . About Veta Health Veta Health is a remote care company that provides solutions to better support patients beyond the four walls of the care setting. Veta Health is transforming chronic disease management and improving treatment adherence and long-term health outcomes for chronically-ill patients. The company's remote care ecosystem delivers clinically-validated Care Pathways that monitor and manage patients' chronic conditions from anywhere. Veta Health's solution combines clinical data with patient-reported data from wearable devices and active/passive monitoring to drive personalized, digital care that meets patients where they are. Veta Health further supports its clients and their patients by providing clinical services to successfully implement and run virtual care programs that meet value-based incentives as well as reimbursement opportunities. To learn more, please visit myvetahealth.com . MEDIA CONTACT Margaux Gleber margaux@myvetahealth.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/veta-health-names-james-sutcliffe-as-ceo-to-lead-and-scale-mission-to-improve-patient-health-outcomes-301402098.html SOURCE Veta Health [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Data Dimensions Rebrand Premieres New Logo and New Website Data Dimensions has officially announced a comprehensive corporate rebrand, supporting the company's evolution into a leading technology services organization for the P&C industry. The updated brand integrates the former WorkCompEDI and its services under the Data Dimensions brand name and is reflective of the organization's priority to deliver on the future state vision of a seamless, interconnected market with integrated solutions for EDI clearinghouse, digital mailroom & payments services. Central to the new brand is a new corporate logo and website. "This rebrand is more than a new logo and a new website," said President & CEO Bryan Doyle. "It joins two companies that together will provide our clients with an industry partner that is truly aligned with their enterprise goals. This updated brand and our evolving technology services illustrate our commitment to bring transformative change to the Property & Casualty industry." Marc Menendez, former President and CEO of WorkCompEDI and now Chief Solutions Officer for Data Dimensions added, "I look orward to leveraging our one-of-a-kind enterprise to enable our clients and partners to drive their forward-thinking initiatives and achieve true cost containment." The new brand will be showcased at the upcoming National Comp Conference in Las Vegas this week. "We are incredibly excited to share the next chapter of our brand with the industry at the National Comp conference. Our new brand identity pays homage to both WorkCompEDI and Data Dimensions, but with a fresh new look that more accurately reflects our future as a leading technology services partner," said Sara Miller, Director of Marketing. Data Dimensions is a portfolio company of Thompson Street Capital Partners of St. Louis, MO. About Data Dimensions Since 1982, Data Dimensions has been helping clients better manage business processes and workflows by bridging the gap of automation, technology, and physical capabilities. As an innovative leader in the area of information management and business process automation, we provide a complete range of software and service solutions addressing the document management continuum for the government, commercial, insurance and financial industries with specific focus in the Property & Casualty arena. Data Dimensions' technology-based solutions enable our valued clients to focus on functions which are considered core to their business. To learn more about Data Dimensions and its initiatives, visit datadimensions.com or call 1-800-782-2907. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005235/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Cepton Technologies Adds Brunno Moretti as Vice President of Product Marketing Cepton Technologies, Inc. ("Cepton"), an innovative provider of automotive lidar solutions, has welcomed Brunno Moretti as Vice President of Product Marketing. Based in Cepton's Detroit office, Moretti will oversee the company's ongoing product development to drive business growth across automotive and smart infrastructure markets. In his new role Moretti will be responsible for extending Cepton's hardware roadmap to target applications in automotive ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) and autonomous vehicles to continue advancing the use of lidar in enhancing safety and autonomy for consumer vehicles. He will also help solidify Cepton's software product and perception solution roadmap and will be responsible for product marketing efforts to help position Cepton for future automotive series production wins. "I am pleased to welcome Brunno Moretti to our growing team," said Jun Pei, CEO and co-founder of Cepton Technologies. "Over the past few years Cepton has attracted many top-tier lidar talent, and following our recently announced major ADAS lidar design win, we are glad to see more automotive veterans join the eam and bring extensive knowledge and experience from their years of working with sensor technologies at OEMs and Tier 1s. That fortifies our commitment to achieving what it takes for lidar to become an essential safety sensor in everyday passenger cars." Prior to joining Cepton Technologies, Moretti was the Director of Product Strategy and Business Development for ZF Friedrichshafen AG where he led several teams to deliver customized solutions to North American customers while finding internal synergies. He previously worked at General Motors (News - Alert) in a variety of positions including Program Engineering Manager and Lead Sensor Expert for an autonomous vehicle program. Prior to General Motors, Moretti managed Uber's self-driving business unit as a senior vehicle program manager. A few months prior to Moretti's appointment, Cepton had hired Kevin Vander Putten as a Director of Business Development. Putten joined Cepton from General Motors, where he led engineering efforts in advanced driving and autonomous vehicle sensors. The addition of experienced individuals with deep technical and business expertise in automotive sensor technologies signifies Cepton's unwavering focus on the mass-market commercialization of high-performance, reliable and cost-efficient lidar solutions. "I am excited about the opportunity to work with the talented team at Cepton and help take lidar mainstream," said Moretti. "Lidar is still relatively a new sensor technology for the auto industry, but its value in augmenting safe autonomy is inarguable. With learnings from my previous experience, I look forward to helping Cepton further line up its lidar innovation with what the automakers - ultimately the consumers - are looking for." Moretti holds Master's degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Indiana in Energy Systems Engineering and Business Administration, respectively. He also earned his Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University. About Cepton Technologies, Inc. Cepton provides state-of-the-art, intelligent, lidar-based solutions for a range of markets such as automotive (ADAS/AV), smart cities, smart spaces and smart industrial applications. Cepton's patented MMT-based lidar technology enables reliable, scalable and cost-effective solutions that deliver long range, high resolution 3D perception for smart applications. Founded in 2016 and led by industry veterans with over two decades of collective experience across a wide range of advanced lidar and imaging technologies, Cepton is focused on the mass market commercialization of high performance, high quality lidar solutions. Cepton is headquartered in San Jose, California, USA, with a presence in Germany, Canada, Japan, India and China, to serve a fast-growing global customer base. For more information, visit www.cepton.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005312/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Paysend Receives 4.7 Out of 5 Rating on Trustpilot Paysend, the next-generation payment platform enabling customers and businesses all around the world to pay, hold and send money online anywhere, anyhow and in any currency, has received a 4.7-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot, demonstrating its brand's exceptional trust among users. A digital platform to help foster trust between businesses and consumers, Trustpilot allows consumers to shop with confidence while delivering valuable insights that help businesses improve the experiences they offer. With more than 26,000 reviews, an overwhelming majority of users rate Paysend as excellent, emphasizing the company's outstanding customer experience and reliability. Based on recent reviews, Canadians are specifically citing Paysend's ease of use, fast transfers and low exchange rates as significant benefits. According to one user who recently transferred money from Canada, funds were received abroad in just five minutes. Another user cited that Paysend was the best option for sending money, noting that it was quick and easy with low fees. "According to the United Nations, there are 270 migrants worldwide, sending home a staggering $689 billion," said Ronald Millar, CEO, Paysend. "These transactions are often life changing, making it imperative that the process of sending money is simple, quick and at a minimal cost. Through our recent expansion, we aim to help Canadians connect with and support those back home, but it requires trust and confidence from our users. We're pleased with such an exceptional rating and remain committed to delivering the best experience." Paysend is changing the way people manage their money on a global scale. This year, the company obtained $125 million in a Series B funding round, furthering Paysend's global expansion. With a successful beta phase and launch in Canada, Paysend's solutions enable Canadians to receive more funds in their bank accounts, working with over 250 participating financial institutions with the ability to receive up to $10,000 CAD to a bank account in Canada. After completing the seamless onboarding process, users have access to fast transfers, competitive exchange rates and a low fixed fee of $3. Timur Shomansurov, Manager of Paysend Canada, said, "Canada continues to be a safe and welcoming destination for immigrants, with a growth rate far surpassing all other G7 nations. Looking ahead, Canada plans to further increase its immigrant population by 1.2 million by the end of 2023, bringing enormous value to our prosperity and way of life. But many of these individuals need better and more efficient ways to send money home to their families and friends. Paysend is making that possible." "We attribute our success and rapid growth to the trust our customers have in us. That trust is not taken lightly - it is essential to our operations and a driving factor for our team. Our rating on Trustpilot underscores the strong relationship we have with our users as we continue to help Canadians connect with and support their friends and family," added Mr. Shomansurov. About Paysend UK-based Paysend is a global FinTech with an international team of talented specialists who work hard every day to develop a world-beating payment ecosystem that supports customers in a fast, safe and smart way. Paysend connects millions of people with their families and communities around the world through secure, instant money transfers. With its supreme technology, advanced infrastructure and global network of partners, Paysend has become a global community that's growing by the day. For more information, visit www.paysend.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005558/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Propel and Jitterbit Announce Strategic Partnership to Help Manufacturers Connect Business Critical Systems Propel, developer of the only unified quality management (QMS) and product lifecycle management (PLM) solution built on Salesforce, and Jitterbit, the API transformation company, today announced their strategic partnership to standardize and simplify connections between Propel and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Jitterbit becomes Propel's preferred solution for integrations with ERP providers catering to small, medium, and mid-market manufacturers, including Netsuite, Infor and Microsoft (News - Alert) Dynamics. The Propel-ERP integration, powered by Jitterbit, eliminates expensive errors, painful product delays, and wasted time typically associated with manual data entry. When new products are released from Propel to manufacturing, the item masters, Bills of Material (BOM), and associated manufacturer parts are automatically created in ERP. Subsequent Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) executed in Propel automatically update the appropriate item masters, BOMs, and approved manufacturer parts in ERP. And as costs and inventory levels are updated in ERP, those changes can be reflected in Propel. All workflows and data are configured to meet individual company requirements, allowing manufacturers to tailor the solution to support their specific processes and business needs. The benefits of connecting Propel to ERP include: Faster time to market by providing operations, procurement and manufacturing teams with real-time product data to ensure everybody is working on the right version. by providing operations, procurement and manufacturing teams with real-time product data to ensure everybody is working on the right version. Greater profitability by providing engineers with real-time cost inforation and inventory levels, enabling them to make engineering decisions in line with margin goals. by providing engineers with real-time cost inforation and inventory levels, enabling them to make engineering decisions in line with margin goals. Reduced operational costs by eliminating time-consuming and error-prone manual data entry, so your teams can focus on high value work. by eliminating time-consuming and error-prone manual data entry, so your teams can focus on high value work. Happier customers thanks to great products delivered on time and under budget. "Jitterbit makes it easy to connect Propel's integrated QMS and PLM to industry-leading ERP systems," said Ron Wastal, SVP, Global Business Development at Jitterbit. "This is a great way for manufacturers to create a single source of product truth across these critical systems." Companies attending SuiteWorld October 18-21 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas can visit Jitterbit at booth #719 to learn more about the benefits of connecting NetSuite (News - Alert) ERP to Propel. About Propel Propel enables Product 360, the modern way to take products from concept to customer. Born in the cloud and built on Salesforce, Propel helps manufacturers collaborate across the entire value chain to get the right products to market faster and at higher margins. Companies of all types trust Propel to achieve product success, from hyper-growth startups like Desktop Metal, Imperative Care, and Inari Medical, to established innovators like Traeger, Simplisafe, and Vizio, to Fortune 500 companies like Shell and Zoetis. For more information, visit propelplm.com and follow us on LinkedIn. About Jitterbit, Inc. Jitterbit, the API transformation company, makes it quicker and easier for businesses to exploit data from any source, empowering them to rapidly innovate and make faster, more effective decisions. The Jitterbit Harmony API integration platform and API360 solutions enable companies to quickly connect SaaS (News - Alert) , on-premises, and cloud applications and instantly infuse intelligence into any business process. To learn more, visit www.jitterbit.com or follow us on LinkedIn and on Twitter (News - Alert) at @Jitterbit. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005277/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] athenahealth Named One of the 2021 Best Places to Work in Maine athenahealth, a leading provider of network-enabled software and services for medical groups and health systems nationwide, today announced that it was named one of the Best Places to Work in Maine for 2021. The annual ranking list is designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment in Maine, benefiting the state's economy, its workforce, and businesses. The awards program was created in 2006 and is a project of the Society for Human Resource Management Maine State Council and Best Companies Group. "athenahealth has helped clinicians and medical practices navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, and our Belfast team plays a key role in that support, serving as the hub for our operations and customer support team," said Fran Lawler, chief human resources officer, athenahealth. "We have been a proud member of the Maine community for more than 13 years, well represented by our passionate employees. We look forward to growing our presence in Belfast and throughout the state of Maine in 2022 and beyond." Lawler noted that athenahealth is currently seeking to fill more than 80 open roles in Maine across a wide range of skills and interests, including technical, analytical, and customer support functions. athenahealth's Maine office is located in Belfast, but given the company's forward-thinking approach to a hybrid work environment, the open roles include remote opportunities that could be located anywhere in the state. The 2021 Best Places to Work in Maine> list is made up of 100 companies in three size categories: small (15-49 U.S. employees), medium (50-249 U.S. employees), and large (250+ U.S. employees). Partners in the program include Mainebiz, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, and Maine HR Convention. Companies from across the state entered a two-part process to determine the top companies and the final rankings, including an evaluation of the company's workplace policies, practices, and demographics, as well as an employee survey to measure their experience. Best Companies Group managed the registration and survey process in Maine and analyzed the data to determine the final rankings. athenahealth was recognized in the October 18 edition of Mainebiz, which revealed the rankings for the first time in a special supplement. To learn more about athenahealth in Belfast, please visit: www.athenahealth.com/careers/locations/Belfast-ME. For more information on the Best Places to Work in Maine program, visit: www.BestPlacestoWorkME.com. About athenahealth, Inc. athenahealth creates innovative healthcare technology that connects clinicians, patients, payers, and partners in differentiated ways. Our electronic health records, revenue cycle management, and patient engagement tools allow anytime, anywhere access, driving better financial outcomes for our customers and enabling our provider customers to deliver better quality care. In everything we do, we're inspired by our vision to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all. For more information, please visit www.athenahealth.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005625/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Alphageneron Announces Successful Completion of FDA Pre-IND Meeting of Proposed Phase II Clinical Trial for NK Cell Therapy with Advanced (stage III & Stage IV) NSCLC Patients CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alphageneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Alphageneron or the Company), a clinical stage pharmaceutical company with a robust product portfolio of autologous and allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell, allogeneic CAR NK cell and antibody-based therapies targeting highly resistant tumors and viral infections, announces the successful completion of a pre-IND (Investigational New Drug) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding a proposed multi-site Phase II Clinical Trial plan for its ENKASTIM autologous NK cell therapy for treating advanced (stage III and stage IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We are delighted with the outcome of the Pre-IND meeting with the US FDA which was supported by clinical data from a prior Phase II Clinical Trial involving patients with advanced (stage IIIb) NSCLC in Germany. Although the number of patients was small, the prior Phase II Clinical Trial demonstrated the therapy was safe and had promising signs of efficacy in the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The pre-IND meeting was supported by two previously completed clinical trials in Germany, both approved by the Paul Ehrlich Institute (German FDA). A Phase I clinical trial conducted with eleven (11) metastatic colorectal cancer patients and one (1) NSCLC patient who received ENKASTIM after Standard of Care (SOC), demonstrated safety and signs of efficacy. A Phase IIa clinical trial (randomized, controlled) involving fourteen (14) patients with advanced (Stage IIIb) NSCLC reported that of the seven (7) patients treated with ENKASTIM after SOC radio-chemotherapy, five (5) patients experienced a clinical benefit (71%), including one complete response (CR) and one partial response (PR). In the control group of seven (7) patients who received SOC RCT alone, only two (2) patients experienced a clinical benefit. One of the patients who received ENKASTIM after SOC and went on to receive OPDIVO (nivolumab), a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor, achieved 33 months of Progression-free survival (PFS). This contrasts with a median survival of 9 months for historic controls.1, 2 We are delighted with the outcome of the Pre-IND meeting with the US FDA which was supported by clinical data from a prior Phase II Clinical Trial involving patients with advanced (stage IIIb) NSCLC in Germany. Although the number of patients was small, the priorPhase II Clinical Trial demonstrated the therapy was safe and had promising signs of efficacy in the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. said A. Graham Pockley, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Alphageneron. Based upon our recent FDA interaction, we are working diligently to finalize the protocol design to initiate our first multi-site Phase II Clinical Trial to treat patients with advanced (stage III and IV) NSCLC in 2022, an important milestone for the company. added Robert K. Brooks, JD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Alphageneron. Alphageneron is preparing to file an IND for a large (up to n=250) multi-site open label First In Class Phase IIa Clinical Trial administering ENKASTIM autologous NK Cell Therapy, after SOC, in two cohorts of Advanced NSCLC patients, namely Cohort A, patients with (stage IV) metastatic NSCLC; and, Cohort B, patients with advanced (stage III) NSCLC. The FDAs Pre-IND teleconference meeting and written response suggestions help define the IND protocol for a proposed Phase II clinical study that could lead to future clinical registration trials or towards commercial approval. I am excited about the potential for this proposed Phase II clinical trial of ENKASTIM NK cell therapy to address a significant unmet clinical need for patients with metastatic or advanced NSCLC, stated Yanis Boumber, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, a Thoracic, Head & Neck Medical Oncologist at Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, and a Scientific Advisor to Alphageneron. About Advanced NSCLC Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. In 2020, over 2 million people were diagnosed with lung cancer, and 1.8 million died of the disease (WHO). An estimated 85% of lung cancer is NSCLC. When NSCLC is diagnosed as stage III or stage IV, it is considered advanced; and, 40% of NSCLC patients present at an advanced stage. There remains a high unmet clinical need to improve the treatment of advanced NSCLC that has a poor prognosis. The global market for NSCLC therapeutics was $16B in 2018 and is expected to reach $42B by 2025 (Fortune Business Insights). About ENKASTIM NK Cell Therapy ENKASTIM is an autologous unmodified NK cell therapy that activates the patients own NK cells to target cancers expressing membrane Hsp70 (mHsp70), a cancer-specific biomarker which is highly expressed on malignant cancer cells, but not on normal cells. ENKASTIM is manufactured by ex vivo incubation of a patients peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), obtained by leukapheresis in an out-patient setting, with a patented Hsp70-derived synthetic peptide (named TKD) and low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) for under five (5) days, after which the cells are reinfused into the patient. About Alphageneron Pharmaceuticals Alphageneron is a privately held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing autologous and allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell, allogeneic Chimeric Antibody Receptor (CAR) NK cell, and antibody-based cancer therapeutics, all supported by a Companion Diagnostic. In 2020, Alphageneron signed an Exclusive Option to Purchase Agreement with Multimmune, GmbH, Munich, Germany; as well as, an Exclusive License Agreement, of its therapeutic and diagnostic technology, for all indications worldwide. Forward-looking Statement Statements in this message that are not based on historical or current facts, and constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Alphageneron believes that expectations conveyed by the forward-looking statements are reasonable based on the information available to it on the date such statements were made, no assurances can be given as to the future results, approvals or achievements. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, and should assume the Company has no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. 1Krause SW, Gastpar R, Andreesen R, Gross C, Ullrich H, Thonigs G, et al. Treatment of colon and lung cancer patients with ex vivo heat shock protein 70-peptide-activated, autologous natural killer cells: A clinical phase I trial. Clin Cancer Res (2004) 10:3699-3707. 2Multhoff G, Seier S, Stangl S, Sievert W, Shevtsov M, Werner C, et al. Targeted natural killer cell based adoptive immunotherapy for the treatment of patients with NSCLC after radiochemotherapy a randomized phase II clinical study. Clinical Cancer Research (2020) 26:5368-5379. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-1141 Contacts Alphageneron Pharmaceuticals Headquarters Tel. (617) 520-6659 Florida office Tel. (754) 755-8414 info@Alphageneron.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] HashiCorp Technology Partner Ecosystem Has Grown To More Than 170 Partners SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HashiCorp, a leader in multi-cloud infrastructure automation software, today announced at its HashiCorp Partner Summit the continued growth of its partner ecosystem, and that the technology partner portion of the HashiCorp Partner Network has surpassed 170 technology partners with more than 300 verified integrations. This includes an increasing number of integrations across the HashiCorp Cloud Platform, and its self-managed offerings, with verified integrations from partners including MongoDB, Palo Alto Networks, ServiceNow, Snowflake, and Snyk. The HashiCorp Partner Network in total has over 700 partners across systems integrators, resellers, cloud service providers, and technology partners, with global programs that allow partners to integrate with HashiCorp products, expand their technical skills, and partner with HashiCorp on go-to-market initiatives around the cloud operating model. As more business is digitized and more companies move to dynamic, multi-cloud environments, the challenges of managing complexity and moving with increased agility multiply, said Burzin Patel, Vice President, Global Alliances at HashiCorp. Partners continue to join our ecosystem in an effort to offer well-architected and exceptional out-of-box experiences to our joint customers, simplifying their journey to the cloud and accelerating their time to value. We are very pleased to see this growth in our ecosystem and are excited for the benefits it will bring to customers. One reason for the growth in integrations from HashiCorps technology partners is that partners often start by creating one integration and then expand to support integrations for other products in the HashiCorp portfolio. Partners are building integrations across three core use cases: Infrastructure automation with HashiCorp Terraform and Consul to support day zero and day-n automation. Zero trust security with HashiCorp Vault, Consul, and Boundary to drive machine-to-machine and human-to-machine access, authentication, and authorization, with over 100 Vault verified technology partner integrations. verified technology partner integrations. Application delivery with HashiCorp Nomad, Consul, and Waypoint to drive better utility, efficiency and ease of use. As organizations transition to a new, dynamic model of IT infrastrcture, adoption of the HashiCorp Cloud Platform continues to grow, as does partner focus on integrations to support it. To meet customer demand for HashiCorps cloud services, HashiCorp is providing partners with incentives and recognition, including new badges for verified integrations for HashiCorp Terraform Cloud, HashiCorp Cloud Platform Vault, and HashiCorp Cloud Platform Consul. Through the HashiCorp Partner Network, technology partners develop, test, and support product integrations with one or more of HashiCorp's multi-cloud infrastructure automation products: HashiCorp Terraform, Vault, Consul, and Nomad for infrastructure, security, networking, and application automation. Partners benefit from technical product briefings, partner communication and updates, partner integration certifications, and opportunities for joint marketing. To learn more about the HashiCorp Partner Network, and to apply to become a validated technology partner, please visit: https://www.hashicorp.com/partners/become-a-partner#technology Supporting Quotes: "Since its debut in 2016, companies have been turning to MongoDB Atlas as their preferred cloud database for building and scaling modern applications," said Matt Asay, Global Head of Partner Marketing, MongoDB. "Developers love Atlas because it gives them a flexible data layer on-demand while removing all the operational heavy-lifting. Customers love Atlas because it allows their teams to move fast and easily satisfy sophisticated data requirements e.g., distributing data across regions or even multiple clouds. Our partnership with HashiCorp is important to our customers because it helps them avoid the security complexities of multi-cloud by enabling teams to programmatically manage their MongoDB Atlas sensitive data with HashiCorp Vault." "Our joint customers have made significant investments with Palo Alto Networks and HashiCorp technologies. By jointly working to provide a common cloud operating model and technical integrations across our services, we are securely modernizing our customers cloud journeys together, said Matthew Scott, Senior Director of Business Development at Palo Alto Networks. Our partnership leverages our organizations' mutual strengths and our customers will benefit from continued investment in our partnership." Snowflake delivers a single, global platform for data and essential workloads, for seamless data collaboration. We always strive to reduce friction and simplify the process by which our customers have access to the data they need, when they need it, said Tarik Dwiek, Head of Technology Alliances at Snowflake. Partnering with HashiCorp can help joint customers leverage workflows for a multitude of data needs, so they can easily meet regulatory requirements and increase productivity. Snyk and HashiCorp empower developers to own their pipeline development timeline through a developer security platform. By integrating with Terraform Cloud, developers can fix their own code quickly, accelerating secure code deployment and customers time to value, said Jill Wilkins, Senior Director, Global Technical Alliances at Snyk. We look forward to deepening this relationship in the future as we serve our joint customers. About HashiCorp HashiCorp is a leader in multi-cloud infrastructure automation software. The HashiCorp software suite enables organizations to adopt consistent workflows and a standardized approach to automating the critical process involved in delivering applications in the cloud: infrastructure provisioning, security, networking, and application deployment. HashiCorps open source tools Vagrant, Packer, Terraform, Vault, Consul, Nomad, Boundary, and Waypoint were downloaded approximately 100 million times during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2021. Enterprise and managed service versions of these products enhance the open source tools with features that promote collaboration, operations, governance, and multi-datacenter functionality. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, though 90 percent of HashiCorp employees work remotely, strategically distributed around the globe. HashiCorp is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Franklin Templeton, Geodesic Capital, GGV Capital, IVP, Mayfield, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price funds and accounts, and True Ventures. For more information, visit hashicorp.com or follow HashiCorp on Twitter @HashiCorp . All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Media & Analyst Contact Martin Bergman media@hashicorp.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] CTSI Acquires The Protection Bureau CHANTILLY, Va., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. ("CTSI"), a portfolio company of Wind Point Partners ("Wind Point"), is pleased to announce the acquisition of The Protection Bureau (the "Company"), an industry leader in systems integration, service, and central station monitoring of enterprise burglar alarm, fire alarm, video surveillance, and access control systems. Established in 1975, The Protection Bureau is headquartered in Exton, Pa., with offices across the Mid-Atlantic and the ability to serve customers nationally. Since its founding, the Company has consistently been rated among Security Distributing and Marketing Magazine's Top 100 Systems Integrators. The Protection Bureau's central station is Central Station Alarm Association ("CSAA") Five Diamond Certified and is operated twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Headquartered in Chantilly, Va., CTSI designs, engineers, installs, and maintains highly engineered nurse call, audiovisual, conferencing, collaboration, sound, fire, security, and communication systems. CTSI serves thousands of private, public, and institutional clients across the United States. "We are extremely excited to have The Protection Bureau join the CTSI family," said Joe Oliveri, President and CEO of CTSI. "The Protection Bureau team has established a fantastic business serving customers across various industry verticals including Healthcare, Finance, Retail, Commercial Real Estate, Government and Education. We look forward to further supporting the Company's best-in-class integration capabilities using our increased scale to provide opportunities for both employees and customers." Nathan Brown, Managing Director at Wind Point, stated, "The Protection Bureau accelerates CTSI's strategic growth by delivering additional resources in the Mid-Atlantic and adding further in-house central station capabilities. This acquisition continues our transformation to a best-in-class fire, security, nurse call, and design-build audio visual systems integration platform with capabilities to serve any highly engineered low voltage system requirement." "The Protection Bureau is really excited to join forces with CTSI," noted Matthew Ladd, President of The Protection Bureau. "I've personally enjoyed leading the Company for the last 2 of its 46 years, and genuinely believe we have strong cultural alignment and business vision. Combining The Protection Bureau with CTSI will deliver an even greater customer experience, sustain and expand our growth, and enable career opportunities for the employees that have worked so hard to bring our company to the market leading position it enjoys today." The Protection Bureau represents the fifth acquisition for CTSI since partnering with Wind Point in June 2020. CTSI's acquisition strategy will continue to focus on acquiring leading life safety, security, nurse call, collaboration, and communication solution providers with complementary employee-focused cultures and a trusted commitment to customers. About The Protection Bureau Established in 1975, The Protection Bureau is one of the largest and most successful Security Systems Integrators in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The company provides planning, design, system engineering, integration, installation, and CSAA Five Diamond Certified Central Station Monitoring for customers across multiple industries. Additional information about The Protection Bureau is available at www.protectionbureau.com About CTSI For over five decades, CTSI has been at the forefront of technology integration and innovation with critical communications, collaboration, audiovisual and security solutions for enterprise, government, healthcare, and education customers. With an engineering-driven culture, we deliver best-in-class solutions and services with highly trained, lean-certified user experience practitioners, programmers, technicians, engineers, and customer care representatives. CTSI delivers unmatched design, installation, integration, and managed and subscription services that deliver high-quality, end-to-end results tailored to customers' unique needs and challenges. Additional information about CTSI is available at www.ctsi-usa.com About Wind Point Partners Wind Point Partners is a Chicago-based private equity investment firm with approximately $4 billion in assets under management. Wind Point focuses on partnering with top caliber management teams to acquire well-positioned middle market businesses where it can establish a clear path to value creation. The firm targets investments in the consumer products, industrial products and business services sectors. Wind Point is currently investing out of Wind Point Partners IX, a $1.5 billion fund that was initiated in 2019. Additional information about Wind Point is available at www.windpointpartners.com Media Contact: Alan Rosenkoff, CTSI Phone: 908-229-1116 Email: Arosenkoff@ctsi-usa.com Connect with us: LinkedIn, Twitter, or please visit CTSI-USA.COM. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ctsi-acquires-the-protection-bureau-301402385.html SOURCE CTSI [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Newron Receives Fifth Tranche from Financing Agreement with European Investment Bank (EIB) Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. ("Newron") (SIX: NWRN, XETRA: NP5), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for patients with diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, announces that it has received Tranche 5 under its financing agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) that was signed in October 2018 and comprises up to EUR 40 million, subject to achieving a set of agreed performance criteria. The EIB loan is backed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the central pillar of the Investment plan for Europe. Tranche 5 consists of EUR 7.5 million and will primarily be used to support the Company's development programs in diseases of the central nervous system. The first four tranches of the loan, totaling EUR 32.5 million, were received by Newron in 2019, 2020 and in September 2021. In connection with Tranche 5, EIB has received warrantsentitling it to purchase up to 151,344 ordinary shares of Newron at an exercise price of EUR 9.25 per share. About Newron Pharmaceuticals Newron (SIX: NWRN, XETRA: NP5) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for patients with diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. The Company is headquartered in Bresso near Milan, Italy. Xadago/safinamide has received marketing authorization for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in the European Union, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Japan and South Korea, and is commercialized by Newron's Partner Zambon. Supernus Pharmaceuticals holds the commercialization rights in the USA. Meiji Seika has the rights to develop and commercialize the compound in Japan and other key Asian territories. Newron is developing evenamide as the potential first add-on therapy for the treatment of patients with positive symptoms of schizophrenia. For more information, please visit: www.newron.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005684/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] XCMG Exhibits China's Sustainable Transportation Intelligent Solutions at UN Conference BEIJING, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- XCMG (000425.SZ) highlighted the latest technological achievements of China's road machinery industry at the second United Nations Global Sustainable Transportation Conference which was hosted from October 14-16 in Beijing, presenting its cutting-edge technologies including 5G intelligent cabin, unmanned technology and full life cycle intelligent road construction solutions. Themed "Sustainable Transport, Sustainable Development," the conferenc centered on the opportunities and challenges of various means of transportation to provide specific solutions for the sustainable development of global transportation. XCMG's 5G intelligent cabin drew wide attention at the conference with the interactive experience allowing visitors to remotely control XCMG's unmanned road roller in Xuzhou through a VR headset in real time. "The VR headset can help the operator to monitor the surrounding environment and related vehicle and construction quality data, offering an intelligent solution in areas unsuitable for manual operation, high altitude and extreme climate," said Lu Chuan, president of XCMG. "Adhering to an innovation-driven development strategy, XCMG persists in serving global construction and customers with the best products and services." Because of its relatively closed and solitary nature, road machinery may be the first sector in the construction machinery industry to achieve large-scale unmanned operations, explained Cui Jisheng, general manager of XCMG Road Machinery. And with the continuous development of information technology and AI, standardized unmanned construction is no longer out of reach. XCMG now has the largest scale unmanned road construction fleet in the world, and it has completed several projects including the maintenance of the Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway. XCMG Road Machinery has participated in many major record-breaking road construction projects at home and abroad, including the Qinghai-Tibet Expressway at an altitude of 4,500 meters, the world's longest desert expressway Beijing-Xinjiang Expressway, the world's highest bridge Beipanjiang Bridge as well as the Nairobi Expressway in Kenya, the Hoima International Airport in Uganda, Africa's largest oil refinery Dangote Refinery in Nigeria and more. "From supply chain management, design and R&D, manufacturing to remanufacturing throughout the whole value chain, XCMG has adjusted the structure, optimized links, conserved energy and reduced emissions. The operation of XCMG has always been centered on green and sustainable development, and we have transcended the tradition of profit as the sole goal for business operation," said Wang Min, chairman and CEO of XCMG. SOURCE XCMG [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Statement from Attorneys Phil Brewster of Brewster Law Firm and Patrick Mincey of Cranfill Sumner Two attorneys, Phil Brewster of Illinois and Patrick Mincey of North Carolina, were recently discussed and quoted in the Miami Herald for their representation of a North Carolina whistleblower who exposed an alleged international conspiracy to launder more than $100 million through major U.S. securities firms, including Morgan Stanley and Interactive Brokers. The Miami Herald detailed the alleged conspiracy involving a network of international actors and firms collaborating to steal $2 billion from PDVSA, the state-owned oil company of Venezuela. As part of the investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal agencies are trying to determine why U.S. firms managed more than $100 million in securities for a suspicious Venezuelan businessman when the accounts displayed what authorities have listed as red flags for potential money-aundering activities. U.S. authorities launched the investigation after attorneys Brewster and Mincey filed their client's whistleblower complaint with the SEC (News - Alert) in 2019. "Our client, Mark Coffey, has made heroic sacrifices to bring public attention to a systemic crisis within the American securities industry. We are honored to represent Mark as he reveals this significant threat to U.S. national security and the integrity of the American financial system." Attorney Phil Brewster is the founding partner of Brewster Law Firm LLC in Winnetka, Illinois, a firm dedicated to whistleblower matters and government investigations. Attorney Patrick M. Mincey is Chair of the White Collar, Government Investigations & Special Matters Group at Cranfill Sumner LLP in North Carolina. ABOUT BREWSTER LAW FIRM LLC Brewster Law Firm LLC is dedicated to whistleblower matters and government investigations. For more information, visit www.brewsteradvisory.com. ABOUT CRANFILL SUMNER LLP Cranfill Sumner LLP serves clients in 28 practice areas. For more information, visit www.cshlaw.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005765/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Compass Returns to NYC: Good Shepherd Services Hosts their Epic, Late-Night Puzzle Hunt Fundraiser to Support Programming for NYC Youth Good Shepherd Services (GSS) this Saturday hosted its epic, late-night biennial fundraising event, Compass (News - Alert) -sponsored by Element Capital Management-for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. Compass is an all-night, immersive, mind-bending, and highly competitive puzzle hunt across New York City that brings together the brightest minds in finance, consulting, and technology to solve meticulously designed and elaborate puzzles. "We are thrilled to bring back Compass, one of New York City's most exciting and anticipated fundraising events, for the first time since the pandemic," said Michelle Yanche, Executive Director of Good Shepherd Services. "Good Shepherd's programming has become even more vital to our youngest New Yorkers as they face a host of new social and economic hurdles to success caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are so grateful to our sponsoring partner, Element Capital, and all the participating teams and individuals who stepped up to show their commitment to supporting the youth we serve, as we continue to navigate the pandemic and its challenges." Oren Eisner, President of the Jeffrey M. Talpins Foundation, stated, "We are so grateful to the entire team at Good Shepherd Services for the incredible work they do on behalf of New York children and youth. We are honored to partner with them." This year's presenting sponsor Element Capital has donated $250,00 to the event, to support LifeLink, a GSS program which helps young people transition from high school to college at City University of New York (CUNY) schools. Thanks to Element Capital, 100% of all donations raised through Compass will directly support Good Shepherd programs. In addition to Element Capital, teams from many of New York City's powerhouse business, consulting, and finance firms competed in the all-night, highly competitive scavenger hunt across the City - including Barclays, Element Capital, SECOR, J.P. Morgan, BNP Paribas, and PDT Partners. Special thanks to Goldman Sachs who once again entered the most teams to compete in the hunt. Competing teams scoured New York City throughout the night to hunt down, analyze, unravel, decipher, and ultimately solve a series of highly elaborate, unique, and camouflaged puzzles. Good Shepherd worked with the original team who created Compass as well as industry-leading production company, Gotham Immersive Labs, the minds behind the acclaimed "Great Gotham Challenge," to design the challenges. The race kicked off in Hudson Yards and took participants to iconic locations including the Museum of Art and Design and Central Park. 24 teams registered to compete in total with each team donating $30,000 and some individuals donating $5,000 each to participate. In sum, Compass 2021 raised $1,022,000 for Good Shepherd Programs. SECOR's Midnight Marauders ultimately won the competition crossing the finish line at approximately 1:54 am--giving them bragging rights for the next two years. About Good Shepherd Services Good Shepherd Services goes where children, youth, and families face the greatest challenges and provides resources that build on their inherent strengths to help them thrive. Good Shepherd operates over 80 programs which help nearly 30,000 youth and family members in struggling neighborhoods throughout New York City. All programs are united by a common goal - to create opportunities that help our participants succeed at school, at home, and in their community. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005773/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] CoreLogic Completes Acquisition of ClosingCorp CoreLogic, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, today announced the completion of its acquisition of all outstanding shares of ClosingCorp. ClosingCorp is a valued partner to major participants in the housing ecosystem providing unique must-have intelligence and digital solutions that streamline the quoting and ordering of critical settlement services needed to originate and service a home loan, eliminating friction, cost and risk. ClosingCorp will continue to be led by Bob Jennings and remain headquartered in San Diego. The ClosingCorp team will join CoreLogic's BUY segment which includes various solutions focused on the origination of home loans. ClosingCorp's intelligence and digital solutions broaden and add new capabilities for CoreLogic's customers in such areas as assessing settlement service fees and mortgage tax obligations as well as access to title and closing services. "From its inception, ClosingCorp set out to simplify the way our industry estimates fees and taxes and orders settlement services," said Bob Jennings, ClosingCorp Chief Executive Officer. "This transaction confirms the value of our approach, and creates a foundation for future innovation for lenders, investors and the borrowers they serve." Frank Martell, president and CEO of CoreLogic said, "We are excited to join forces with Bob and the ClosingCorp team as we expan our range of innovative best-in-class solutions for mortgage lenders, title and settlement companies and real estate professionals. The combination of ClosingCorp and CoreLogic digital solutions, platforms and domain expertise is clearly additive for our clients and the broader housing ecosystem." About CoreLogic CoreLogic is a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider. The company's combined data from public, contributory and proprietary sources includes over 4.5 billion records spanning more than 50 years, providing detailed coverage of property, mortgages and other encumbrances, consumer credit, tenancy, location, hazard risk and related performance information. The markets CoreLogic serves include real estate and mortgage finance, insurance, capital markets, and the public sector. CoreLogic delivers value to clients through unique data, analytics, workflow technology, advisory and managed services. Clients rely on CoreLogic to help identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., CoreLogic operates in North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com. About ClosingCorp Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., ClosingCorp owns and operates the premier source of intelligence for closing costs and service providers in the U.S. residential real estate industry. Through innovative solutions, progressive technologies and strong alliances, the company delivers timely, accurate and transparent results that help optimize closing processes and services for mortgage lenders, title and settlement companies and real estate professionals. Clients rely on ClosingCorp to help improve efficiencies and mitigate risk. For more information, please visit www.closing.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005776/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] APRU releases proposed design for new HARD RUSH Seltzer TITUSVILLE, Fla., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- APRU LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Apple Rush Company, Inc. (OTC PINK: APRU), releases the Hard Rush proposed design that is being presented to the BATF for regulatory approval. This design has been created in collaboration with Ahmad Toom, chief designer at AHT Creative and Southern Eagle Distributing, Inc., APRU LLC, and Corr Brands, Inc. The Hard Rush brand and trademark is jointly owned by the Apple Rush Company, Inc. and Corr Brands, Inc. Proposed Hard Rush can design! The Hard Rush Brand is set to be released in the first quarter of 2022 in the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, and we are looking to file a couple of other applications as well. Tony Torgerud, CEO of APRU stated, "Element Brands is gaining some traction and it is time to add another product that pushes us forward as a specialty new age beverage manufacturer. We willbe looking at the possibility of creating a hemp infused version of seltzer or cider as well." Bob Corr, CEO of Corr Brands, Inc., said, "We spent a lot of money, time, and effort fighting for our trademark, and are finally able to move forward with our plans. Tony has worked hard to secure blending, packaging, and distribution to initially launch the product." Mr. Torgerud added, "We continue to look for opportunities to expand our footprint, and product mix. Our desire is to bring products to the market that consumers love. As we continue down this path, we will seek to acquire some additional vertically integrated partners so we can be in complete control of all of our product lines." About The Apple Rush Co., Inc. The Apple Rush Company, Inc.(APRU) through its subsidiaries APRU, LLC. Apple Rush Manufacturing, LLC. is a distributor of CPG products under the trademarked Apple Rush brand, Element Brands, Hard Rush and other labels, all natural Apple Rush Sparkling Juices, and research and development, of premium hemp extracts that contain a broad range of cannabinoids and natural hemp derivatives and other active ingredients such as our exclusive agathos active, kratom, kava, blue lotus, and ginseng. The Apple Rush brand has more than 40 years of existence in the natural beverage industry. As a historical leader in the organic and natural beverage sector our goal is to also become the leader in the distribution of anhydrous hemp oil products nationwide. Safe Harbor Act: Forward-Looking Statements are included within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Investor relations Contact: Tony Torgerud 888-741-3777 ext 2 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apru-releases-proposed-design-for-new-hard-rush-seltzer-301402443.html SOURCE The Apple Rush Company, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Cloudflare Collaborates with Microsoft and Major Search Engines to Help Improve Websites' Search Results Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, announced it will work with Microsoft, Yandex (News - Alert) , and other leading search engines to help businesses get the most timely and relevant search results to their customers. By participating in the IndexNow.org initiative, Cloudflare will allow websites to automatically notify search engines whenever content is created, updated, or deleted so they can be more efficiently crawled. Now, all Cloudflare customers can ensure users see the most up-to-date version of their content, all with a single click. Search engines use a complex network of bots to crawl the ever-changing content on the Internet so people can find relevant, timely content. Today, approximately 45% of Internet traffic comes from web crawlers and bots. To help improve the efficiency of crawlers on the web, Cloudflare launched Crawler Hints-an easy way to signal to bot developers when content has been changed or added to a site, so they can make more efficient choices about what to crawl. What's more, website owners will be able to improve site performance by reducing unnecessary bot traffic and to provide timely content, which ultimately helps improve search rankings. Now, Cloudflare is using the IndexNow standard to bring Crawler Hints to major search engines. "A fast, reliable website and timely search results are at the heart of any growing business, whether it's a startup or Fortune 500 company. Since the beginning, we've worked to help our customers to give them the speed, reliability, and security they need to do business," said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. "Today, we're taking that one step further by working with Microsoft (News - Alert) and other major search engines to help any website owner reduce inefficiencies while also delivering their users reliable, relevant and timely online experiences." Cloudflare's global network spans more than 250 cities in over 100 countries and powers millions of Internet properties. Now any Cloudflare customer can opt into Crawler Hints-for free-with a single click in their dashboard to automatically begin sending hints to search engines when content has been changed on their site. "The cache data from CDNs is a really valuble signal for content freshness. Cloudflare, as one of the top CDNs, is key in the adoption of IndexNow to become an industry-wide standard with a large portion of the internet actually using it," said Fabrice Canel, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft Bing. "Cloudflare has built a really easy 1-click button for their users to start using it right away. Cloudflare's mission of helping build a better internet resonates well with why we started IndexNow, that being to build a more efficient and effective search." "Yandex is excited to join IndexNow as part of our long-term focus on sustainability," said Maxim Zagrebin, Head of Yandex Search. "We have been working with the Cloudflare team in early testing to incorporate their caching signals in our crawling mechanism via the IndexNow API. The results are great so far." To learn more about Cloudflare Crawler Hints and the Microsoft Bing IndexNow program, check out these resources: Cloudflare Blog: Cloudflare Crawler Hints Update About IndexNow Microsoft Bing Blog About Cloudflare Cloudflare, Inc. (www.cloudflare.com / @cloudflare) is on a mission to help build a better Internet. Cloudflare's suite of products protect and accelerate any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare have all web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was named to Entrepreneur Magazine's Top Company Cultures 2018 list and ranked among the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2019. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA (News - Alert) , Cloudflare has offices in Austin, TX, Champaign, IL, New York, NY, San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Lisbon, London, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo. 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, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "explore," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," or "continue," or the negative of these words, or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans, or intentions. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements expressed or implied in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the benefits to our customers from using Cloudflare Crawler Hints, our other products and technology and the IndexNow standard, the expected functionality and performance of Cloudflare Crawler Hints and our other products and technology, our technological development, future operations, growth, initiatives, or strategies, and comments made by our CEO and others. Actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC (News - Alert) ), including our Annual Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 7, 2021, as well as other filings that we may make from time to time with the SEC. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. 2021 Cloudflare, Inc. All rights reserved. Cloudflare, the Cloudflare logo, and Cloudflare Logs are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Cloudflare, Inc. in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005679/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] CareAcademy Adds New Leadership in Sales and Engineering to Fuel Rapid Growth CareAcademy, the leading home care and home health workforce empowerment platform, today announced the addition of two vice presidents to its leadership team overseeing engineering and sales. As Vice President of Engineering, Shira Haddad will lead the engineering department and all related operations and activities. Prior to CareAcademy, Haddad led the engineering team at Kyruus, a provider of search, scheduling and data management solutions for healthcare organizations. Before Kyruus, she led the engineering department in Veson Nautical, a provider of commercial maritime software. Haddad brings more than 15 years' experience in various software companies, serving in different management roles and specializing in leading scale, change and team empowerment. She earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. With nearly two decades of sales and business development experience in healthcare technology and payments, Jeff Herd joins as Vice President of Sales where he will focus on expanding its high-growth team and infrastructure to continue the rapid scaling of CareAcademy's customer base. Prior to joining CareAcademy, Herd held sales leadership roles with Verifone, Zynx Health, Equinox Payments and Jacobus Consulting. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Arizona State University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa. "We are delighted to welcome Shira and Jeff to CareAcademy to help guide our engineering and saes teams, respectively, and to further accelerate this next phase of our growth strategy," said Helen Adeosun, founder and CEO of CareAcademy. "Training is proving itself as a true health intervention as care moves rapidly into home and community-based settings. Jeff and Shira will play an instrumental role as we transform how quality home care is delivered, fueled by data and insights. Their combined experience and expertise scaling companies comes at a time when CareAcademy is experiencing tremendous growth and opportunity. We are excited to have them on board." These additions continue the company's strong momentum. Earlier this year, CareAcademy announced the formation of its inaugural Advisory Board to partner with the company on key industry issues and provide support as CareAcademy endeavors to train one million new direct care workers by 2023. CareAcademy then announced the appointment of Robyn Lunsford as Senior Vice President of Operations to build out the company's strategic operations and research foundation. More recently, CareAcademy was ranked as an Inc. 5000 company, a recognition of America's fastest-growing private companies. For more information about CareAcademy's leadership team, please visit: https://careacademy.com/about-us/#our-team About CareAcademy CareAcademy creates online training that empowers senior care professionals to deliver the highest caliber of service and improve the lives of older adults. More than 200,000 direct care workers are learning and growing professionally through CareAcademy. Coupled with its advanced reporting, training, and compliance management dashboard, CareAcademy is an end-to-end, scalable training solution that transforms home care businesses into efficient industry leaders. To learn more, visit https://careacademy.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005892/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Tozour Energy Systems Offers Heating Solutions for Schools Preparing for Winter The heat is on - or it will be soon in the Philadelphia and South Jersey schools that are preparing for the fall chill. Most if not all school districts select an October date for when their buildings' heaters are cleaned, serviced and prepared for operation, and Tozour Energy Systems is ready to help. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005911/en/ AERCO boilers are part of the many heating solutions Tozour Energy Systems offers schools preparing for winter. (Photo: Business Wire) Tozour, a full-service HVAC and building automation provider, assists school districts that are prepping to keep students warm. From heating equipment to boiler parts, as well as year-round service agreements, Tozour has what it takes to get the job done this fall and winter. Tozour- Trane (News - Alert) Parts and Supplies stores have everything building teams need to get HVAC units running optimally, including maintenance kits. Other vital parts available include igniters, controls, combustion blowers, air/fuel valves and condensate traps, to name a few. Tozour's three Parts and Supplies locations are in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; Pleasantvlle, New Jersey; and Moorestown, New Jersey. For school districts and building owners in need of a new system, either before a breakdown or in the event of an emergency replacement, Tozour features the AERCO line. AERCO provides the highest-quality products and system designs that deliver energy-saving, compact space heating with the greatest efficiency and performance. AERCO boilers include Benchmark and Benchmark Platinum, AM Series, and MFC (multi-fuel condensing). "This time of year always calls for extra preparation for schools and office buildings," said Bill Artosky, vice president of sales, Tozour Energy Systems. "We want to ensure that students are staying warm as the weather turns. Tozour-Trane Parts and Supplies stores have exactly what you need to keep your building systems working properly this time of year." Also, since the frigid cold can cause problems for pumps and plumbing lines, these should receive an October checkup too. Tozour offers Thrush and Amtrol parts, including replacement pumps, seal kits, impellers, motors, expansion tanks and more. And while schools are focused on the here and now with heaters, it's never too early to look ahead to 2022 and air-conditioning needs. The HVAC industry continues to see rising costs in equipment, parts and supplies, as well as longer lead times in acquiring these things due to supply chain issues. Tozour is the factory-authorized Trane parts and supplies provider in the Philadelphia and South Jersey areas. This gives customers exclusive access to a team of dedicated service technicians, as well as to an inventory of Trane rental equipment, parts and supplies. For more information and to learn how Tozour experts can help your building cut costs and save energy, please visit tozourenergy.com. ABOUT TOZOUR ENERGY SYSTEMS Tozour Energy Systems is a full-service HVAC and building automation provider based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and is a franchise of Trane, a business of Trane Technologies. The company provides customers with a diverse range of solutions, including building automation; HVAC mechanical services; energy conservation services; and parts, supplies and responsive technical support throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Named one of the "Best Places to Work" by Philadelphia Business Journal, Tozour Energy Systems is a member of Green Building United. For more information, visit tozourenergy.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005911/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] General Catalyst and Jefferson Health Announce Innovation Partnership SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- General Catalyst and Jefferson Health today announced the formation of a first-of-its-kind innovation partnership -- making the venture capital firm a leading innovation partner for Jefferson Healths digital transformation initiatives. As part of this partnership, Jefferson will tap the newly formed Health Assurance Network-- a group of tech innovation companies dedicated to delivering the best offering in their respective spaces, and collectively committed to helping healthcare systems transform themselves. The partnership will help Jefferson accomplish its strategic priorities: seeking to modernize Jeffersons technology platform; diversify revenue streams; and prepare it to lead as more care becomes digital and value-based. The partnership announced today involves a coordinated effort by General Catalyst and its network of health assurance companies, including Commure and Tendo, and may expand to include others. This partnership is essential for accelerating the promise of health assurance which aims to evolve the current sick care system into a more proactive, preventative and cost-effective approach, said Stephen K. Klasko, MD, MBA, president of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health. There is real power in healthcare leaders collaborating with technology innovators. Our partnership with General Catalyst and its companies enables us all to work towards outcomes none of us could achieve on our own: better patient experiences, reduced costs, and expanded access to quality care while solving for the proliferation of siloed, disconnected technology solutions. The deal represents a unique reimagining of the role of a venture capital firm -- going beyond the traditional focus of just funding companies to thinking about how to build, focus and federate them. General Catalyst Managing Partner Hemant Taneja said: This is both an amazing opportunity and a great responsibility for our health assurance network companies -- including Commure, Tendo, Transcarent and Olive. The Jeffeson leadership is embracing innovation as a core strategy for how they deliver health assurance to their communities. This work will become a model for how we have impact at national scale. The partnership approach solves for a big challenge for leading healthcare systems like Jefferson: the proliferation of siloed, disconnected technology solutions. Each healthcare system, with its own regional footprint and unique needs, has created its own technology flows and systems. There is no one universal standard or delivery platform. In addition, there are hundreds of technology solutions who are vying for a piece of the hospital systems growing technology budget, resulting in further fragmentation. The new deal will provide Jefferson an opportunity to minimize technical complexity and reduce fragmentation, but without sacrificing access to sophisticated, state-of-the-art technology. Jefferson and General Catalyst have long been on the forefront of healthcare innovation. Klasko and Taneja co-authored Unhealthcare: A Health Assurance Manifesto in 2020, before the global pandemic laid bare the inadequacies and inequities of the current system. In the book, they argue for a shift away from a system of sick care to a more proactive, resilient and equitable Health Assurance system designed to help people stay well. About General Catalyst General Catalyst is a venture capital firm that invests in powerful, positive change that endures for our entrepreneurs, our investors, our people, and society. We support founders with a long-term view who challenge the status quo, partnering with them from seed to growth stage and beyond to build companies that withstand the test of time. With offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York City, London, and Boston, the firm has helped support the growth of businesses such as: Airbnb, Deliveroo, Guild, Gusto, Hubspot, Illumio, Lemonade, Livongo, Oscar, Samsara, Snap, Stripe, and Warby Parker. General Catalyst works closely with the companies building the network of health assurance including Commure, Tendo, Transcarent and Olive. For more: www.generalcatalyst.com . About Jefferson Health Jefferson Health, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, is reimagining healthcare in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey. Jeffersons dedicated team of doctors, nurses, health professionals and staff provides a range of primary to highly-specialized care through 18 hospitals (ten are Magnet-designated by the ANCC for nursing excellence), more than 50 outpatient and urgent care locations, the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Moss Rehabilitation Hospitals and Magee Rehabilitation and the JeffConnect telemedicine program. For 2021-2022, Jefferson is ranked among the nations best hospitals in seven specialities by U.S. News & World Report. Jefferson Healths mission is to improve the lives of patients in the communities it is privileged to serve through safe, effective, equitable, compassionate care. Media Contacts: Katy Dormer, General Catalyst kdormer@generalcatalyst.com John Brand, Jefferson John.brand@jefferson.edu [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Weave Communications Files Registration Statement for Proposed Initial Public Offering LEHI, Utah, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Weave Communications, Inc., the all-in-one customer communications and engagement software platform for small and medium-sized businesses, today announced that it publicly filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a proposed initial public offering of its common stock. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. Weave intends to list its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "WEAV". Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, BofA Securities and Citigroup will act as lead book-running managers for the proposed offering. Piper Sandler, Raymond James, Stifel, William Blair, Guggenheim Securities, Academy Securities, Loop Capital Markets and Tigress Financial Partners will act as co-managers for the proposed offering. The proposed offering will be made ony by means of a prospectus. Copies of the preliminary prospectus, when available, may be obtained from: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, telephone: 1-866-471-2526 or by emailing Prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com; BofA Securities, Attention: Prospectus Department, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, or by telephone at 1-800-294-1322 or by email at dg.prospectus_requests@bofa.com; or Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (800) 831-9146 or by email at prospectus@citi.com.. A registration statement relating to the proposed sale of these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Investor Contact: Kali Geldis Director of Communications (385) 336-5493 ir@getweave.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/weave-communications-files-registration-statement-for-proposed-initial-public-offering-301402532.html SOURCE Weave [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] University of Phoenix Celebrates National Student Transfer Week and Helping Students Affordably Earn Degrees University of Phoenix is celebrating National Student Transfer Week and the opportunities it offers students to potentially save time and money when transferring between educational institutions. The National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS) has declared the third week of October as National Transfer Student Week. Students today are transferring between education institutions more than ever before, seeking to lower cost and find the school that is the best fit for their educational needs and career aspirations. Although the transition between institutions can be complex, the University of Phoenix works to make both the potential and mechanics for credit transfers straightforward for students. University of Phoenix makes pursuing an online degree as convenient as possible, including credit transfers. "University of Phoenix believes strongly that transfer is a valuable path to degree completion," stated John Woods, Ph.D., Provost. "We have a continued focus on helping students to get the most out of their transfer credits, to help them save as much time and money as possible, and to quickly leverage their degrees and enhance their career path. During National Student Transfer Week, we celebrate our transfer students and the faculty and staff who help them maximize their credit earning potential and make them feel welcome." The University of Phoenix supports student transfers in several ways: Simplifying the credit transfer process: knowledgeable staff provide supportive enrollment and aademic advising, request transcripts from prior institutions on students' behalf, and specially trained transfer evaluators review all prior credit; Earning life and work experience credits: national testing programs, evaluation of military service, and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) are non-traditional credit transfer options that give students the chance to identify credits based on skills gained from work and life; Offering generous credit transfer possibilities: credit transfers can cover up to 75% of a bachelor's degree; Saving students money: on average, University of Phoenix students save $11,000 and shave 1 year off their undergraduate degree with eligible transfer credits and relevant work experience. Transfer Student Scholarship of $3,000 for new students with at least 13-60 combined transfer credits from accredited institution(s) pursuing their bachelor's degree at University of Phoenix. Applicants must be continuously enrolled and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Students and others who want to learn more can explore ways to save through transfer credit and more on the University of Phoenix transfer credits information page. About University of Phoenix University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005936/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Nagarro SE: Nagarro Signs Agreements to Acquire the ATCS Group Nagarro today signed agreements with the shareholders of Advanced Technology Consulting Service, Inc. (ATCS), based in New Jersey, USA, and its international subsidiaries, to acquire the ATCS group. The ATCS group's revenues in 2020 were approximately $30 million. The total purchase price agreed is a medium two-digit million U.S. dollar amount due in 2021 as well as a smaller performance-based earn-out that can stretchthrough 2024. Nagarro will finance the acquisition with cash available within the group. The closing of the transaction is expected in the coming weeks. Nagarro expects that the acquisition of the ATCS group has no meaningful impact on the revised guidance for 2021 that Nagarro announced on September 20, 2021. Nagarro SE (ISIN: DE000A3H2200 | WKN: A3H220 | FRA: NA9) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005940/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] UpHealth, Inc. Announces Closing Of Over-Allotment Option In Public Offering Of Common Stock DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UpHealth, Inc. (NYSE: UPH) ("UpHealth" or the "Company") today announced that it issued an additional 3,450,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the "Common Stock"), pursuant to the underwriters' exercise in full of their over-allotment option in connection with the Company's previously announced public offering (the "Offering"). After giving effect to the full exercise of the over-allotment option, the total number of shares sold by the Company in the Offering was 26,450,000 shares, and gross proceeds were approximately $46.3 million. The Company received approximately $6.0 million in additional gross proceeds from the sale of the over-allotment shares, prior to deducting underwriting discounts and commissions. The Company intends to use the net proceeds that it has received from the sale of these additional shares for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including licenses, acquisitions, or other strategic growth activities, as well as to pay certain of its current obligations related to its June 2021 business combination, inclusive of debt repayments and forward purchase obligations. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. acted as sole book-running manager, and Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC and Northland Capital Markets acted as co-lead managers for the Offering. A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-259143) relating to the Offering was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on October 4, 2021. The Offering was made only by means of a prospectus forming a part of the effective registration statement. Copies of the final prospectus related to the Offering may be obtained for free from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov , or alternatively from: Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., Attention: Syndicate Prospectus Department, 85 Broad Street, 26th Floor, New York, NY, 10004, by telephone at (212) 667-8055, or by email at EquityProspectus@opco.com. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About UpHealth, Inc. UpHealth, Inc. (NYSE:UPH) is a global digital health company that delivers digital-first technology, infrastructure and services to dramatically improve how healthcare is delivered and managed. The UpHealth platform creates digitally enabled "care communities" that improve access and achieve better patient outcomes at lower cost, through digital health solutions and interoperability tools that serve patients wherever they are, in their native language. UpHealth's clients include global governments, health plans, healthcare providers and community-based organizations. 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, including statements regarding the Offering and regarding our management team's expectations, intentions, plans, prospects or strategies regarding the future. Any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intends," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on our management team's current expectations and beliefs. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting UpHealth will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including regulatory approvals, the ability of UpHealth to continue to meet the NYSE listing standards, product and service acceptance, and that UpHealth will have sufficient capital to operate as anticipated. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ are discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" and in other sections of UpHealth's filings with the SEC, and in UpHealth's current and periodic reports filed or furnished from time to time with the SEC. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, based on information available to UpHealth as of the date hereof, and UpHealth assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uphealth-inc-announces-closing-of-over-allotment-option-in-public-offering-of-common-stock-301402584.html SOURCE UpHealth, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Staples Canada unveils its next generation of the working and learning store in Toronto's Corktown neighbourhood New location blends unparalleled retail experience, state-of-the-art technology, Staples Studio location and continued investment in community RICHMOND HILL, ON, Oct. 14, 2021 /CNW/ - Staples Canada is bringing its newest working and learning store to Toronto's Corktown neighbourhood. On October 16, the retailer will open the doors to its latest concept store at 517 Richmond Street East. The new location blends elements of the community with technology and various features that help enable the future of working and learning. "As the Working and Learning Company, we know that how, and where, we work is changing by the week," said David Boone, Chief Executive Officer, Staples Canada. "Our new brand defining store in Corktown doesn't just reflect another location for us, it has been meticulously designed to enable Torontonians in the future of working and learning by equipping them with best-in-class advice, tools, services and experiences." In addition to offering the latest technology products, work-from-anywhere essentials, clean, safe and well solutions, and business services through Solutionshop, the store introduces the sixth Staples Studio location marking a continued investment in coworking spaces. As a first, this Staples Studio location features a second-floor patio with a stage, which can be booked for future Spotlight talks and community events. Other highlights of the new elevated experience at Staples Corktown include: Mos Mos Coffee : Brew the perfect coffee experience and get your caffeine fix while shopping in-store. : Brew the perfect coffee experience and get your caffeine fix while shopping in-store. Solutionshop : Assisting locals with enhanced services that include tech services, graphic design, marketing solutions, shipping, print services and much more. : Assisting locals with enhanced services that include tech services, graphic design, marketing solutions, shipping, print services and much more. Murals by Local Artists: The Corktown Store is flanked with murals from Pascal Paquette and Zuna Amir , bringing joy and wonder to the in-store experience, making a creative mark on the Corktown community and supporting local artists. The Corktown Store is flanked with murals from and , bringing joy and wonder to the in-store experience, making a creative mark on the Corktown community and supporting local artists. Technology throughout: The store will feature an interactive workspace experience, including a six-foot touchscreen that can help customers build an effective work from anywhere space in their homes. Staples Canada supports charitable organizations and programs that encourage education, build entrepreneurship, and preserve the environment, to help communities work, learn and grow together. "Community is more important now than ever before, and we value the role we play in the communities we serve through our network of 300+ stores across Canada," said Boone. "While our new store is exciting, we're equally excited to give back to the community that we've been a part of since our Front Street store opened in 1993." The Corktown Store is Staples Canada's first 100% Bullfrog Powered store Bullfrog's electricity comes exclusively from wind and hydro facilities that have been certified as low impat by Environment Canada under its EcoLogo program. first Bullfrog's electricity comes exclusively from wind and hydro facilities that have been certified as low impat by Environment Canada under its EcoLogo program. At the October 16 grand opening event, Staples Canada will donate $5,000 to charity partner MAP to Even the Odds and help eliminate inequities in the Corktown community. grand opening event, and help eliminate inequities in the Corktown community. Staples Canada will donate $5,000 worth of technology and school supplies to community school, Market Lane Public School , located on The Esplanade. , located on The Esplanade. Coinciding with Small Business Month in Canada , Staples Canada will work with six local small businesses and entrepreneurs to provide $1,000 in Solutionshop services to support the growth of their business. This process will be profiled on The Working and Learning Blog on staples.ca, as well as through Staples Canada's social channels. October 17 to November 16 , customers will receive $10 off in-store purchases of $75 or more, as well as additional in-store offers. About Staples Canada Staples Canada is The Working and Learning Company. With a focus on community, inspiration and services, the privately-owned company is committed to being a dynamic, inspiring partner to customers who visit its 300+ locations and staples.ca. The company has two brands that support business customers, Staples Preferred for small businesses and Staples Professional for medium to large-sized enterprises, as well as five co-working facilities in Toronto, Kelowna, Oakville and Ottawa under the banner Staples Studio. Staples Canada is a proud partner of MAP through its Even the Odds campaign, which aims to tackle inequities in communities across Canada and helps make a future that's fair for everyone. Visit staples.ca for more information or get social with @StaplesCanada on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. SOURCE Staples Canada ULC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 18, 2021] Huawei hosts "Green ICT for Green Development" Summit in Partnership with Informa Tech SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 18, 2021 /CNW/ -- At the Better World Summit (BWS) hosted by Huawei in partnership with Informa Tech, Bob Cai, Chief Marketing Officer of Huawei's Carrier Business Group, delivered the opening speech titled "Green ICT for Green Development". "As a leading global provider of ICT infrastructure and smart devices, Huawei incorporates green development into everything we do. We see this as part of our social responsibilities. In addition, Huawei is ready to become the best partner for operators in their efforts toward carbon neutrality," said Cai. "With our innovative products and solutions, we will help operators cut carbon emissions and make their networks more energy efficient. We also want to work with operators and use ICT to better enable other industries to cut carbon emissions and become carbon neutral faster." In June 2021, Huawei and Informa Tech jointly proposed the Network Carbon Intensity (NCI) initiative, in which carbon emissions per bit of data is defined as a new metric for green networks. Huawei emphasized that people's pursuit of better lives must be balanced with the need for lower carbon emissions, so the company proposed this initiative to better manage and measure carbon reduction roadmaps. During this summit, Huawei stressed the need to establish a platform for industry collaboration on green development and said that BWS is a good example. This platform will regularly bring together industry partners and operators to share innovative technologes and latest practices in how to cut carbon emissions and contribute to a greener ICT industry. According to Cai, at MWC Barcelona 2022, Huawei will continue to hold a green development forum with its partners to share industry practices and latest solutions, and all industry partners and operators are welcome to attend the forum. "We believe the BWS in Dubai is a good beginning. Looking ahead, we will continue to work with our industry partners and operators to empower green development of all industries using our innovative technologies," said Cai at the end of his speech. "As we envision in the theme of our flagship exhibition hall in Dubai, 'Lighting up the Future', we believe that together, we will light up a greener future." Other attendees who spoke at the event included Richard Mahony, Vice President of Service Provider Markets of Informa Tech; Dr. Dena Assaf, UN Resident Coordinator of the United Arab Emirates; Tommy Stadlen, Co-Founder of Giant Ventures; Dr. Ahmed Bin Ali, Corporate Communications SVP of Etisalat; Herve Suquet, Group Energy SVP of Orange; Dirk Karl, Chief Procurement Officer of MTN; Tanveer Mohammad, SVP of Global Operation of Telenor; and Aaron Jiang, Vice President of Huawei Wireless Product Line. About Huawei Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We have more than 197,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world. Our vision and mission is to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. To this end, we will drive ubiquitous connectivity and promote equal access to networks; bring cloud and artificial intelligence to all four corners of the earth to provide superior computing power where you need it, when you need it; build digital platforms to help all industries and organizations become more agile, efficient, and dynamic; redefine user experience with AI, making it more personalized for people in all aspects of their life, whether they're at home, in the office, or on the go. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on: http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei http://www.twitter.com/Huawei http://www.facebook.com/Huawei http://www.youtube.com/Huawei View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huawei-hosts-green-ict-for-green-development-summit-in-partnership-with-informa-tech-301402773.html SOURCE Huawei [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] To start the week there's a bevy of news which reveals that rising local criminality is confronting the NEXTGEN. Check the www.TonysKansasCity.com compilation . . . Travelers pack heat amid not-so-friendly skies . . . Gun seizures at Kansas City International could tie record set in 2017 The Transportation Security Administration says it has seized 4,496 guns at airports so far this year, setting a new record with more than two months left in the year. At KCI, gun seizures are on pace to tie a record set in 2017. Meth Town runaround this morning . . . Man who stole school bus in Independence, led police on chase in custody by: Mike Coutee Posted: / Updated: INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - A man has been arrested after police say he stole a school bus in Independence and led police on a chase. At 2:20 a.m., Monday, officers noticed a school bus was driving around in a neighborhood. Given the suspicion, police began to follow the bus. School scare today . . . Two Park Hill South students arrested on suspicion of making threat toward school Two Park Hill South students suspected of making a threat involving the school have been taken into custody.In a letter to parents Sunday night, the school's principal, Kerrie Herren, said the Platte County Sheriff's Office arrested the students after a report of "a specific, credible threat."School officials did not elaborate Ex-Burb Gunplay Training Day Police investigate after gun found on grounds at Raytown South High School Raytown School District raytown south high school SOURCE: Raytown School District Raytown police are investigating after a gun was found on the grounds at Raytown South High School Friday evening.School district officials said resource officers found the weapon near the baseball/softball field. The Raytown School District said it is cooperating as the police department investigates. Golden Ghetto secrets endure . . . Johnson County judge seals court document in case against high school choir director KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Johnson County, Kansas, judge sealed a court record Monday morning in connection to a sex crimes case involving the choir director at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. Earlier this month , the Johnson County District Attorney's office charged Joseph Heidesch with two counts sex exploitation of a child and two counts of breach of privacy. Scary suburban charges . . . Multi-agency human trafficking sting rescues 2 women, busts Lee's Summit man PLATTE COUNTY, MO (KCTV) -- A multi-agency human trafficking sting out of Platte County resulted in the arrest of a Lee's Summit man and the rescue of two women authorities say were victims of trafficking. Sean D. Plagued by crime . . . Feds seize property of KC-area companies accused of COVID relief fraud * Missouri Independent The federal government has seized two vehicles, and is threatening to seize a lake house, allegedly purchased illegally with COVID-19 relief money by a Kansas City-area businessman. The property was seized from several real estate companies incorporated in Kansas by Joseph Campbell, with most operating under a version of the name Titan Fish. Show-Me Existential Question . . . Funding prisons is a higher priority than funding education in most states. Why? | Opinion In America, the land of the free, there are more prisons and more prisoners than any other country in the world. This is not a new phenomenon. For decades, the rate of imprisonment in the United States has been more than twice that of its nearest developmental counterpart. Developing . . . School board politics is pretty much the bottom run of local journalism. Karen and her Facebook friends are the only people who really care . . . And only because their husbands stopped paying attention years ago. Yet the slowly dying newspaper is leading with Golden Ghetto debate on the topic of mean tweets today. Here's the money line . . . Blue Valley school board candidate Jim McMullen is facing mounting backlash over a series of social media posts that some parents and students argue are transphobic, downplay the risks of COVID-19, and question promotion of equity in schools. Last year, McMullen posted on social media, there are no 8 year old transgender kids. He also shared an ABC News article about a mother of a transgender child asking President Joe Biden what he will do to protect LGBTQ rights. McMullen wrote, ABC promoting a child abuser. The newspaper goes on to quote a bunch of children in a sketchy journalistic move that still offers a glimpse at shifting culture in Kansas. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . Tonight we're inspired by hottie Lily and her legendary work with the angels as we consider pop culture, community news and top headlines. Take a peek via this www.TonysKansasCity.com new collection . . . Arrowhead Outcry After Tragedy Kansas City leaders working on on pedestrian, bike safety improvements around the Truman Sports Complex JACKSON COUNTY, MO (KCTV) -- It's been nearly five days since Steven Hickle of Wichita was killed as he was leaving Arrowhead Stadium during the rain delay between the Chiefs and Bills game Sunday. Down By The River Today Water rescue called after cars found in Missouri River and on the river's bank in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Emergency crews were called Sunday morning on a water rescue on the Missouri River near Interstate 435 after a boater found a vehicle in the river and another vehicle on the river's bank. Police and fire/EMS crews responded at 9:42 a.m. to the water rescue call. Show-Me Tech FAIL Missouri state government wrestles with massive computer shortcomings Click here for updates on this story (CNN) -- JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri ( St. Louis Post-Dispatch) -- Key computer systems used by the state of Missouri are so outdated officials are worried some of the only programmers who know how to work with the antiquated technology will retire. Kansas Needs Workers Local governments struggle to hire public sector workers TOPEKA, Kan. - Some local Kansas governments are operating with 10% of their positions unfilled, making it hard to deliver the services that citizens expect. Across the state, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that Kansas has seen a 4.7% drop in the number of public sector workers, which translates into about 12,000 vacant jobs, but some towns are being hit harder, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports . More Deets On Pussy Overload KC Pet Project takes in more than 450 pets over 10-day span KANSAS CITY, Mo. - On Friday, KC Pet Project announced they had taken 469 dogs and cats in a 10-day span. This is adding to the fact the shelter has been full most of the summer and are getting an average of 40-60 pets a day. Talking Creeper Legacy Podcast to explore Victoria's Secret and Jeffrey Epstein connection A new podcast, "Fallen Angel," delves into Victoria's Secret's ex-CEO Les Wexner and his close ties to Jeffrey Epstein. A former executive named Cindy remembered being seated next to convicted sex offender Epstein at a birthday party for Wexner's mother at a corporate cafeteria space and being invited to an exclusive afterparty at Wexner's house. American Scarcity Endures Buttigieg says US supply chain issues will 'certainly' continue into 2022 Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg predicted on Sunday that supply chain issues facing the US will continue into 2022, but stressed that Congress potentially passing President Joe Biden's infrastructure proposal is the best way to help alleviate those problems. GREAT RESIGNATION SPIKES!!! US hasn't seen worker anger like this in decades Workers are saying enough is enough.And many of them are either hitting the picket lines or quitting their jobs as a result.The changing dynamics of the U.S. Prez Writes EPIC Hospital Check Biden administration to invest $100 million to boost health care, attract workers The Biden administration on Thursday announced that it would be investing $100 million to boost the health care industry by funding state programs aimed at attracting and retaining workers in underserved communities. Comedian Considers Prez Trump Typecasting Jon Stewart says media making 'mistake' casting Trump as 'incredible supervillain' Comedian Jon Stewart said the media's hyper-focus on former President Donald Trump is a mistake and that casting him as an "incredible supervillain" distracts from other threats. GOP Runs Without MAGA GOP Senator Bill Cassidy doubts Trump will be 2024 nominee: He lost "House, Senate, presidency" Senator Bill Cassidy cast doubt on former President Donald Trump's chances of winning the Republican nomination if he decides to run in 2024, after Trump tested the presidential waters by holding a rally in the early nominating state of Iowa last weekend. "Do you assume President Trump will run in 2024?" War Tech Threatens US Beijing mocks America over China's new nuclear-capable missile Report from Financial Times said test showed China had made 'astounding progress' on hypersonic weapons Hypersonic missile launched in August, circled the globe at low orbit and missed target by two dozen miles US intelligence was caught off guard as US is one of eight nations developing their own hypersonic Political Good Life Questioned Pete Buttigieg defends being on paternity leave amid supply-chain crisis Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Sunday defended being AWOL on paternity leave amid the US's crippling supply-chain crisis - while warning the upheaval could stretch into the holidays and beyond. Buttigieg said he considers his leave "not a vacation, it's work" - as he offered no new short-term solutions to the mess that has left cargo ships idling off US ports and threatens to disrupt Christmas. Celeb Freakout Amid Heartbreak Kanye goes undercover in creepy mask in Italy as divorce from Kim moves forward KANYE West wore a creepy mask and an all black Balenciaga outfit after performing at a wedding in Venice, Italy, as his divorce from Kim Kardashian moves forward. Kanye, 44, went undercover in Venice, after losing the $60m home in his divorce from Kim. Dystopian Content Celebrated Netflix's Mega-Hit 'Squid Game' Will Generate Almost $900 Million In Value Netflix projects the Korean-language megahit will create almost $900 million dollars in value. In a confidential document reviewed by Bloomberg News, Squid Game generated $891.1 million in impact value, Netflix's proprietary metric describing the measure of a title's economic contribution based on subscriber viewing. Show-Me Statesman's Insight John Danforth on today's politics and politicians John C. Danforth is a senior statesman, having served Missouri as both its attorney general and a U.S. senator and as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. In this conversation with Steve Kraske, he offers his frank assessments on a number of topics, including his role in the election of U.S. Community Legend Tribute Celebrating Lali Garcia, the activist and 'Queen Bee' who helped shape KCMO KANSAS CITY, Mo. - There are people that make such an impact during their life that when they're gone, it makes those they knew wonder how the world ever functioned without them. Kansas City had that type of person whose contributions not only shaped the advancements of the Latino community seen today but Greater Kansas City. Hollywood Legacy Remembered Kansas City native Betty Lynn, known for role as Thelma Lou, dies at 95 CULVER CITY, Calif. - Kansas City native Betty Lynn, best known for her portrayal as Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show, died Saturday at the age of 95. Lynn was born in Kansas City, Mo., but spent most of her adult life in California. She appeared in 26 episodes as Barney Fife's girlfriend. Classic Foodie Art Uncovered A cool collection of vintage KC restaurant menus is now online The Kansas City Public Library has added a new addition to their history of Kansas City archive. The new collection, featured in the Missouri Valley Special Collections, includes forty-seven newly scanned menus and illustrations from restaurants and hotels all over the Kansas City area. Forecast To Start The Week Plenty of sunshine Monday; highs in the low 70s Hide Transcript Show Transcript looking ahead to the rest of your evening, a clear sky. A light south wind upper sixties at six will be at 62 by 8 56 at 10 54 degrees at midnight. This is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Hopefully, we'll have more for the morning update . . . STAY TUNED!!! Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sponsored By: Dorsett Automotive Instant unlimited access to all of our content on triplicate.com. The Triplicate's E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. Russian occupation forces over the past 24 hours committed four ceasefire violations in the Joint Forces Operation zone. Thats according to a report by JFO Headquarters, published on Facebook, Ukrinform reports. In particular, in the direction of Luhanske, mercenaries fired easel-mounted anti-tank grenade launchers, as well as grenade launchers of various systems and small arms in the direction of Talakivka. Read also: President visits frontline positions of Ukrainian military in Donbas Not far from Krymske, the enemy used easel-mounted anti-tank grenade launchers and MANPADs, as well as large-caliber machine guns. Near Novozvanivka, Russian-controlled forces fired at Ukrainian positions with anti-tank grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns. The enemy attacks brought no casualties among Joint Forces. Ukrainian troops returned fire to enemy provocations, forcing the latter to cease further attacks. As of 7:00 Kyiv time on October 18, no new ceasefire violations were reported. im Ukraine has received another load of United States government's foreign technical assistance. This is the second batch the American partners delivered for the needs of Ukraines Armed Forces following the agreements reached during President Volodymyr Zelenskys recent visit to the United States. Thats according to Colonel Oleksandr Matiychuk, Ukraine Armys Medical Service Foreign Economic Affairs Commissioner, Ukrinform reports referring to the defense ministry press service. "As of today, the second batch of goods received under the agreement is being unloaded. In order to achieve full interoperability of Ukraines Armed Forces with NATO Allies, the Cabinet of Ministers has implemented the President's initiative on medical equipment and armaments supply," Matiychuk said. It is noted that the third consignment of U.S. aid is expected to arrive in the near future. As Ukrinform reported earlier, on October 10, Ukraine received the first batch of U.S. government aid, including medical equipment, weapons, ammunition, etc. Besides the previously agreed $250 million worth of aid, Ukraine is receiving from American partners medical equipment, weapons, ammunition, high-precision weaponry, and radar surveillance worth another $60 million with cargoes arriving in several batches. Earlier it was reported that during President Volodymyr Zelenskys working visit to the United States, the parties signed a Framework Agreement on Strategic Foundations of Defense Partnership between the two countries defense agencies, as well as an intergovernmental agreement on research, development, testing, and assessment projects. The Ministry of Defense says Ukraine since 2014 has received from the U.S. logistical support totaling over $2 billion. im In Horlivka, the town in the area beyond Ukrainian government control, members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission are being held in a hotel against their will. Thats according to Ukraines delegate to the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas Settlement, Serhiy Harmash, who wrote the relevant post on Facebook. "In Horlivka, members of the OSCE Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) were actually taken hostage," Harmash wrote. Referring to yesterday's SMM report, he wrote: At 17:00, two men (in their thirties) in civilian clothing entered the hotel and informed SMM staff that they were allowed to move freely throughout the hotel and the parking lot behind the hotel, but that they were not allowed to leave the hotel premises until the member of the armed formations reportedly detained by the Ukrainian Armed Forces inside the disengagement area near Zolote on 13 October had been released. Harmash also reminded that the OSCE consists of 57 member states, and all decisions are made by consensus. "That is, Russia also gave its consent to deploying the OSCE SMM to Donbas and guaranteed immunity to its members. And the fact that the Mission members are, in fact, being held hostage by Russian-funded militants is a challenge the Kremlin junta puts forward to all the other 56 states participating in the OSCE, said the Ukrainian delegate to the TCG. As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Russian puppet administration in Donetsk staged a gathering outside a hotel where OSCE SMM officials reside, obstructing the observers movement in and out of the premises. On October 15, the participants in the gathering rotated in an orderly manner and the rally continued on October 16, the SMM report said. In a comment to Dom TV, Tetiana Ivanova, a Ukraine-appointed representative of certain districts in Donetsk regions in the Trilateral Contact Group, said OSCE SMM observers remained in the temporarily occupied Donetsk, and that their work was suspended due to security issues. At the same time, the OSCE stated that the mission continues its work in the occupied part of Luhansk region. On October 18, the SBU said counterintelligence officers had interrogated an LPR militant who was reconnoitering Ukraine forces defense positions under the guise of demining efforts. im As many as 426 citizens of Ukraine are being held in inhumane conditions in detention centers in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine on trumped-up politically motivated charges, according to Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner Liudmyla Denisova. She said this after a working meeting with Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan, Ukrinform reports. "I spoke about the difficult situation with the observance of the rights of Ukrainian citizens in the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Over the years of occupation, more than 14,000 people suffered from hostilities, of which 3,500 died. Some 426 citizens of Ukraine are being held in inhumane conditions in the detention facilities of the Russian Federation and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine on trumped-up politically motivated charges. Almost 300 people are missing," Denisova wrote on Facebook. Denisova said that almost 450 more citizens were waiting to be transferred from detention centers in the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions to serve their sentences in the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government, but the transfer process has been blocked for two years. Both parties also discussed the legislative and institutional framework of their activities, as well as the tools they use to ensure the observance and protection of human rights. Denisova and Tatoyan also emphasized the special importance of awareness activities on the possibilities and guarantees of protection by citizens of their rights. "I informed my colleague that since the beginning of 2021, the staff of the commissioner's secretariat has held more than 1,500 such events attended by more than 32,000 citizens, including law enforcement officers, local governments, and students," Denisova said. Denisova said on October 6 that 121 Ukrainians, including 86 Crimean Tatars, were being held in the temporarily occupied Crimea and Russia on politically and religiously motivated charges. Some 71 people have already been sentenced to long prison terms. According to her, 296 Ukrainian citizens, including 252 civilians (among them four volunteers) and 44 service members, are being illegally detained in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. op op Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court has acquitted former Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan in the case of a reduction in port dues. According to Ukrinform, a judge read out a respective decision on Monday, October 18. "The court has ruled to find Volodymyr Volodymyrovych Omelyan not guilty of committing a criminal offense under Part 2 of Article 211 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and acquit him due to the lack of a criminal offense in his actions," the judge said. The verdict can be appealed within 30 days. As was reported earlier, detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau charged Omelyan with issuing an order in 2017, which resulted in a reduction in budget revenues. In particular, all port dues, except for the light dues, were reduced by 20%. One of the charges is a revenue part of the state budget. Only the Verkhovna Rada could change its size. The investigation stated that in 2018, due to the reduction of the administrative fee, the budget received only UAH 173.1 million instead of the expected UAH 203.5 million. Omelyan said that in 2018-2019, thanks to this decision, the country's maritime industry showed growth of more than 20%. He also emphasized that the decision to reduce port dues was a collegial decision of the Cabinet of Ministers. Omelyan did not plead guilty and denied that the administrative fee was a source of state budget revenues. Omelyan was served with a suspicion notice in this case in June 2020. In November 2020, Omelyan's case was forwarded to court. op Exchanging MP Viktor Medvedchuk for Ukrainian political prisoners illegally held by Russia would be possible if Vladimir Putins political ally had Russian citizenship, President Volodymyr Zelensky assumes. The relevant statement came as Zelensky was speaking with ICTV, Ukrinform reports. "Medvedchuk is a citizen of Ukraine, and its Ukrainian law that applies to him. On the other hand, if, for example, Russia confirms that Medvedchuk has Russian citizenship, let's suggest, wed be happy to consider after such confirmation or at least a hint the opportunities to exchange Medvedchuk for real heroes and citizens of Ukraine who are (being held - ed.) outside in Ukraine," Zelensky said. At the same time, answering the journalist's question on whether Russia offered certain concessions on its part in exchange for dropping charges off Viktor Medvedchuk, the president said there were "no such hints or "direct speech." As reported earlier, the prosecutor's office put forward a motion to hold Viktor Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian legislator who is widely believed to be one of Vladimir Putins main political operatives in Ukraine, in custody, setting a UAH 1 billion bail, thus strengthening the restraint measure currently applied, which is house arrest. Read also: New treason and aiding terrorism charges brought against Medvedchuk The investigators say Medvedchuk persuaded the then-leadership of Ukraine to receive coal from the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and pay directly to the leaders of terrorist organizations nominally controlling the areas. According to Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, throughout 2015, at least UAH 200 million was transferred, processed, and distributed in the terrorists favor for coal supplies from the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions as part of a general criminal plot to promote the "LPR" and "DPR" terrorist organizations. Thats not counting the funds paid in cash, out of the total target of over UAH 3.16 billion. On October 12, the Pechersk District Court in Kyiv overruled the prosecutors motion to remand Medvedchuk in custody and judged to retain house arrest until December 7. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine im French President Emmanuel Macron may visit Kyiv in late November, former Ukrainian Ambassador to France Oleh Shamshur has said. According to Ukrinform, he wrote this in his article "Will Macron Have Time to Come to Ukraine?" for the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia news site. "The issue of the French president's visit to Ukraine (after a 23-year hiatus) seems to have finally moved to the practical level. The polite and reassuring phrases that the host of the Elysee Palace 'has a desire, and the possibility of a visit is being considered,' which I had heard dozens of times from my French colleagues during my work in Paris, have transformed, according to my information, into the coordination of dates and the filling of a top-level meeting with practical content. Apparently, a significant part of the talks was devoted to this during a recent visit to Kyiv by Emmanuel Macron's adviser, former French Ambassador to Ukraine Isabelle Dumont. It is rumored that the visit will take place in late November," Shamshur wrote. According to the diplomat, this is the last opportunity for Macron to fulfill his promise to visit Ukraine by the end of his five-year term, and then everything in his activities will be strictly subject to the election campaign schedule to achieve the main, though not yet officially announced goal of gaining victory in the April 2022 presidential election. Shamshur noted that it is important for Ukraine that "Ukrainian issues do not drown in the vortex of French political life on the eve of the election." "In this sense, the holding or another postponement of the visit of the French leader will allow us to draw certain conclusions about the probable dynamics of bilateral relations, at least in the near future," Shamshur said. French Ambassador to Ukraine Etienne de Poncins said in an interview with Ukrinform on April 22 that Macron in a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on April 16 reaffirmed his desire to visit Ukraine. Photo: EPA Dmitry Medvedev's article for Kommersant about relations with Ukraine's current leadership could be an attempt to regain public attention as the officials current employer, the Security Council, is Russias political graveyard. Thats according to Serhiy Nykyforov, Spokesman for President Volodymyr Zelensky, who made the comment on the air of Dom TV, Ukrinform reports. "Currently, he represents a political cemetery the Security Council, which has absolutely no influence. Therefore, the article of his is perhaps an attempt to remind people about himself, show that hes still out there, Medvedev, because no one remembers him for anything but such attacks," Nykyforov said. Also, it remains an open question, whether Medvedev's superiors sanctioned the attack," Nykyforov suggested. "If they did, this testifies to a sad situation regarding the level of political debate in Russia If Russias top leadership didnt authorize it, then it's just arrogant nonsense," said the president's spokesman. Nykyforov also clarified that the most important question he asks himself is not how Ukraine could react to the piece, but whether it is necessary to react at all. "I am glad, by the way, that none of the Ukrainian leaders reacted publicly to the op-ed. Because it would mean giving Medvedev some weight. He has already been forgotten, so this is his attempt to remind people of himself. But it failed because officially nobody reacted to it, and it seems to me that it is great, thats the right way," Nykyforov informed. As reported, last Monday, Russias Kommersant newspaper published an article by Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, on government relations with the current leadership of Ukraine. On the same day, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, told Ukrinform in response to Medvedev's article that the Ukrainian side in the negotiation process only considers the position of the Russian president, while statements by his entourage remain a secondary issue. im A court in Ukraine is launching a trial of the chief of Russian Navys Black Sea Fleet combat training department on charges of inciting treason. Thats according to the Office of the Prosecutor General, Ukrinform reports. A pre-trial investigation in absentia has been completed, the report says, adding that the indictment has been forwarded to court. The Russian Navy official has been charged with aiding and abetting actions toward altering Ukraines borders, inciting treason, and assisting in waging aggressive war, the press service notes. According to the inquiry, on March 3, 2014, the official in question arrived at a Ukrainian Navy base in Novoozerne, Crimea. Through persuasion, bribery, and threats, he persuaded local officers to commit treason. Among those whom he addressed offers to surrender were the commander of the Kostiantyn Olshansky, Ukraine Navy large landing ship, deputy commander of the Southern Naval Base of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, chief of staff of the same base, and commander of the 5th Surface Ships Brigade. The accused officer was coercing the said officials to side with the enemy and facilitate subversive action targeting Ukraine. If they refused, the Russian officer threatened that the Russian Black Sea Fleet forces would attack their subordinates. The pre-trial investigation was completed by the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine. As Ukrinform reported earlier, on October 11, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague started hearing in the case Ukraine v. Russia over the detention of Ukrainian naval vessels and servicemen on November 25, 2018. Off the coast of the occupied Crimea, Russian border guards fired on and seized three Ukrainian warships and detained 24 sailors. The servicemen were accused of illegally crossing the Russian border (punished by up to six years in prison). At the latest hearing in the case, Ukraine insisted Russia had violated the fundamental principle of maritime law, which is the immunity of warships guaranteed by UNCLOS. im The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls out as unacceptable Russia's actions to obstruct the work of the OSCE Mission in eastern Ukraine and calls on Russia to cease provocations targeting international observers. Thats according to a comment received by Ukrinform from Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko. "The actions by the Russian Federation to obstruct the work of the OSCE Mission in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine are unacceptable. The blocking of and pressure on observers of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Donetsk is an element of Russia's ongoing efforts to destroy the Minsk agreements and inflame the armed conflict," the spokesman said. Nikolenko recalled that in September 2021, Russia shut down the OSCE observer mission at the Russian Gukovo and Donetsk checkpoints across the state border to prevent due monitoring and hide from the international community illegal supply of weapons, ammunition, and mercenaries from Russia to Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed that the decision of the OSCE Permanent Council provides for safe and reliable access of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission throughout Ukraine to monitor the situation in the zone of the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict. "We call on Russia to strictly fulfill its obligations: to cease provocations against international observers with the OSCE Mission, unblock their movement, ensure unimpeded access to the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and guarantee security," Nikolenko said. He also informed that Ukraine is cooperating with international partners to resume OSCE SMMs work. As reported earlier, chief of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Yasar Halit Cevik said on October 17 that the OSCE had suspended its observation mission in eastern Ukraine following a gathering outside its headquarters in temporarily occupied Donetsk. Earlier, it was reported that about 200 pro-Russian demonstrators on Saturday picketed a hotel hosting OSCE observers, demanding the release of a Russian national who is part of the illegal armed group who had last week been detained by the Ukrainian military. The Ukrainian delegation in the Trilateral Contact Group for Donbas Settlement said that on October 13, armed men sporting armbands with the Joint Control and Coordination Center insignia, under the pretext of demining, reconnoitered defense positions left by Ukrainian military near Zolote, and that the Ukrainian troops detained Andrey Kosyak, a Russian national who is part of the occupation forces. im So far, a total of 6.4 million people have been fully vaccinated in Ukraine, while another 7.9 million have received a single dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Thats according to Deputy Health Minister, Chief State Sanitary Doctor Ihor Kuzin, who spoke at a press conference hosted by Ukrinform. Some 7.9 million people have already received at least a single dose, while 6.4 million have been fully vaccinated. Among the priority groups, 82% of physicians have been vaccinated with at least a dose, as well as 81% of educators and 95% military servicemen, Kuzin said. According to the health official, the priority group that remains least vaccinated is the elderly as just 23% of them, or a bit over 2 million people, received their first dose of the vaccine. Kuzin noted that more than 14 million doses of various vaccines are available in Ukraine. Each citizen can choose among the three vaccines of different action type. "If one doesnt suit you, there are always another two choices," he said, noting that it is unlikely that people have contraindications to all three vaccines available in Ukraine. As Ukrinform reported, since the onset of the pandemic, a total of 241,475,527 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed across the world, including 4,914,142 fatalities. In the past 24 hours, Ukraine health officials confirmed 9,524 new COVID-19 cases, as well as 177 coronavirus-related deaths, 3,127 hospital admissions, and 3,421 recoveries. im Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko has called on Ukrainians to get vaccinated against COVID-19. According to Ukrinform, Tkachenko announced this on Telegram. "Three days ago, the Kherson region moved into the 'red zone.' Today, this list also includes the Zaporizhia, Odesa, Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions. These are all consequences of irresponsible attitude to vaccination. Couldn't they have been vaccinated six months ago, in the summer, or in the beginning of autumn? They could have done so. Because there is even a vaccine to choose from," he said. However, according to him, many people stubbornly waited "until it thunders." "It thundered. Restrictions are in place for those who have not been vaccinated," Tkachenko added. He noted that someone will not be able to travel on transport or visit their relatives in another region. "Someone won't be able to drink coffee in their favorite cafe. Someone will not go to work. Someone will complain about children's distance learning. But let's tell each other honestly: the situation in our country would be much better if, for example, 30 million citizens received two doses, not just 6.5 million," he said. Tkachenko recalled a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that unvaccinated people who were earlier infected with COVID-19 were twice as likely to develop COVID-19 again than those who were fully vaccinated. "It's about assertions that if you have already been infected, there will be enough antibodies. As you can see, they are not always enough," he said. He called on everyone to get vaccinated and recalled that if 100% of visitors and employees have a green COVID certificate (about the full course of vaccination), red zone restrictions will not apply to them. Earlier reports said that five regions in Ukraine were in the red zone of epidemic danger and six regions were in the yellow zone as of October 18. op UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi (right) meets formerly displaced blacksmith Wasel outside his workshop in Talbiseh, Syria. UNHCR/Saad Sawas DAMASCUS, Syria UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi reaffirmed UNHCRs support to the most vulnerable in Syria and urged an increase in the scope of humanitarian assistance in the country, including to people who have chosen to return home following years of displacement inside their own country or abroad. During a two-day visit to the Syrian Arab Republic which concluded on Sunday, Grandi travelled to the town of Talbiseh, in Homs Governorate, where he met families who had returned to the town after years of displacement inside Syria or from neighbouring Lebanon. He heard from Syrians such as Abeer, a mother of seven children displaced twice inside Syria within three years. Abeer explained the difficult decision she had faced on when to return, and the challenges now confronting her and her family. Families spoke of years of suffering, and they are exhausted. Yet I also witnessed their strength and determination to rebuild their lives. Even if UNHCR and partners helped some of the families I met install doors and windows on their partially damaged homes, they still needed water and electricity. They still need schools and hospitals, and they need to make a living. This is a humanitarian imperative, Grandi said. As part of its work to help find solutions to displacement, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, works to help address the concerns of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) who are contemplating return and provides humanitarian support to those who have returned spontaneously and their communities. Some of the interventions aim to increase their self-reliance and reduce their dependency on assistance. Periods that follow conflicts are always extremely complex. But we have to always keep in mind that at the end this is about human beings with desperate needs. They should not continue to pay the price for unresolved crises. While we wait for political solutions, their lives go on, and we need to support them to have dignified lives, Grandi said. More than 13 million Syrians have been displaced in the past 10 years. Around 6.7 million are displaced inside the country and 5.5 million are hosted in five neighbouring countries in the region. Economic crises inside Syria and refugee hosting countries, compounded by the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a sharp devaluation of local currencies and skyrocketing prices have multiplied challenges for those displaced and stretched their ability to cope to the limit, forcing them to make impossible choices. Grandi met with the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Mekdad, and Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Hussein Makhlouf, and discussed issues related to return, including how to address refugees concerns. These are Syrian nationals, and its the governments responsibility to ensure their security, the High Commissioner said. We are engaging with the government to highlight refugees concerns such as their safety, property rights and livelihoods. We also need the international community to help as well, to provide much-needed resources so that people can also fix their damaged homes, have running water, health care and send their children to school. Sustainable returns require collaboration from all concerned parties. We must also ensure robust support to refugees and hosting countries he added. UNHCR in Syria provides protection and assistance to refugees, IDPs, returnees and stateless people based on identified needs and vulnerabilities. For more information please contact: Romania will raise the issue of the gas crisis in Moldova and will ask the European Union for help in resolving it at the meeting of the EU foreign ministers, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Monday CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2021) Romania will raise the issue of the gas crisis in Moldova and will ask the European Union for help in resolving it at the meeting of the EU foreign ministers, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Monday. Moldova declared a state of alert in early October in preparation for a state of emergency over fuel shortages as the country's gas consumption exceeded supplies. "I will also inform my colleagues about the gas supply crisis in Moldova, this is a critical moment for the government in Chisinau. I will ask my colleagues and EU institutions to provide expert and financial assistance to resolve this crisis in order to help Chisinau," Aurescu said upon arrival at today's ministerial meeting. The current gas crisis could negatively affect the reform agenda that the new Moldovan government has planned, he added. Last summer, Moldovagaz began negotiations with Russian gas giant Gazprom to conclude a three-year contract for the supply of natural gas, but the process is still in progress. Before October 1, Moldova purchased gas from Gazprom under an agreement signed back in 2008, which stipulates that the prices are formed depending on oil prices on world markets. On October 1, Gazprom extended its standing contract with Moldova for gas supplies for a month as the prices jumped to $790 per 1,000 cubic meters. However, faced with shortages, Chisinau said it was considering purchasing extra gas from Romania and Ukraine. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Over 1 billion COVID-19 vaccines made in the European Union have been shipped globally in the past 10 months, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2021) Over 1 billion COVID-19 vaccines made in the European Union have been shipped globally in the past 10 months, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday. "The EU has exported so far over 1 billion of COVID-19 vaccines to the rest of the word. Vaccines from the EU have been shipped to more than 150 countries," she told a press conference on vaccine exports. This makes the EU the world's largest exporter of COVID-19 vaccines, she added. The European Union also plans to donate at least 500 million shots to the most vulnerable nations. DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Oct, 2021) The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) the worlds flagship Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise has received the Global Free Zone of the Year 2021 award by the Financial Times fDi Magazine for the seventh consecutive year. The award, which is the most prestigious credit a free zone can earn, serves as a testament to DMCCs exceptional performance throughout 2020 and the efforts it made to support and enable the success of its business community. DMCC also claimed Global Free Zone of the Year and middle East Free Zone of the Year- Large Tenants, Middle East Free Zone of the Year and received Global and Middle East Excellence Awards and honourable mentions for COVID-19 Response, Infrastructure Investment, SMEs, Sustainable Reporting and Leadership. "Securing the fDi Global Free Zone of the Year award for a seventh, consecutive time is not only testament to the value and opportunity available with DMCC, but its agility to move with global demand. In doing so, we've not only supported our existing members during 2020, but gained record-breaking company registrations thanks to our business support packages that provided numerous waivers and sectorial benefits, while expanding our pre-existing online services. This, combined with the opening of our international representative offices in Tel Aviv and Shenzhen, and our new DMCC Crypto Centre and DMCC Cacao Centre, have meant a growing opportunity for businesses of all types to become a part of our highly diversified community and benefit from our unrivalled, global connectivity," said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC. The Excellence Awards for Leadership was anchored in DMCCs ability to swiftly adapt to the pandemic landscape and provide relief, and its flagship research on The Future of Trade. The award-winning report examines the impact of geopolitics, technology, COVID-19 and global economic trends with a focus on trade growth, supply chains, trade finance, infrastructure and sustainability. In addition to offering analysis, the report provides clear and tangible trade policy recommendations to government and business. The report, published bi-annually since 2016, has been downloaded over 500,000 times. DMCC received Honorable Mentions for its sustainability reporting based on adopting an enhanced 5C Sustainability Framework and enhancing its smart and sustainable district infrastructure, digitalisation and transparency. The award recognises DMCCs progress against the UN Sustainable Development Goals and commitment to UN Global Compact. Over 70 free zones from across the world were assessed against a set of multidisciplinary criteria. The awards were judged by both the Financial Times specialist editorial team and a panel of independent judges for each region. The team scored each nomination in categories including strategy, COVID-19 response, infrastructure development and promotion of sustainability and ESG projects. Despite a business environment shaped by the pandemic, DMCC registered a record breaking 2,025 new companies in 2020, the highest number of registrations in five years. This was largely driven by the Business Support Package rolled out in March 2020, the largest incentive DMCC had ever released, offering a wide range of incentives and value-added services to both existing and new companies. More than 8,000 companies availed over 13,000 relief offers and incentives throughout the year, with interest from more than 149 countries. Given the positive market response, the package was expanded and extended until the end of 2020. DMCC also partnered with financial institutions, namely Emirates NBD and Mashreq Bank, to provide new and existing companies flexible banking solutions tailored to their needs as they navigated the impact of the pandemic. DMCCs record breaking performance has continued into 2021. The first three quarters of this year represented DMCCs best ever nine-month period for the number of new companies registered. This has included best June, August and September on record. The record-breaking performance was also the result of significant enhancements to DMCCs customer service, its simplified and digitalised set up processes and swifter onboarding, all of which furthered the ease of doing business in the district. By providing customers with a seamless, digital company formation in Dubai experience, DMCC is well-positioned to respond to changing consumer and business behaviours, which now prioritise online transactions. Today, 85% of companies that register with DMCC do so digitally compared with 40% in 2015. To continue to enable tradeflows to and through Dubai, DMCC took its flagship Made for Trade Live roadshow online in 2020, hosting 19 virtual sessions in key markets. DMCC also inaugurated representative offices in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Shenzhen, China, to better support companies looking to set up a business in Dubai. In addition, DMCC shifted all of its networking events and learning seminars online. Companies in DMCC were provided access to 83 webinars and online networking events, averaging two sessions per week. Overall, DMCC gathered 11,000 attendees virtually in 2020. DMCC also announced plans to launch a state-of-the-art DMCC Cacao Centre. The centre would initially incubate a select range of cacao services and transform the emirate into an international trade hub for the in-demand superfood. For its part, the Dubai Diamond Exchange hosted the largest rough diamond tender ever in the UAE - selling a total of 379,912 carats of rough diamonds valued at USD 87.47 million (AED 321.29 million) in December 2020. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 18th Oct, 2021) A new Back-to-School programme featuring a roster of workshops and sessions was launched yesterday by MAKTABA at the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). The programme, which will run until the 28th of October, combines learning and fun while aiming to inspire creative and analytical skills in children as well as encouraging them to read. Focusing on the importance of reading, learning, and researching skills for students, the programme is being held virtually via microsoft Teams, allowing children across the emirate to participate in all activities and events. Sessions are open to students of all ages in all public and private schools, institutions, and educational centres - as well as People of Determination and students at charitable centres. Shaikha Mohamed Almehairi, library Management Department Director at DCT Abu Dhabi, said, "By building core reading and research competencies at an early age, we open new frontiers of knowledge development and ensure that our children are prepared for a lifetime of successful learning. Through its various components, the Back-to-School programme will also bolster the teaching skills of faculty members, enabling them to keep pace with the latest educational methods to best equip them to educate and inspire our future generations." The programme includes 32 workshops supervised by the five public libraries managed by DCT Abu Dhabis Dar Al Kutub sector. Zayed Central Library will deliver 10 workshops, Khalifa Park Library and Al Bahia Library will both offer five workshops, and Al Wathba Library and Al Marfa Library will each host six workshops. The programme also includes four professional development workshops for teachers and librarians at public and private schools in Abu Dhabi, presented by education specialists. These workshops aim to develop teaching capabilities and aid integration with the curriculum throughout the year. The workshops include: How to stand out and be an ambassador of excellence, an introduction to Dar Al Kutubs MAKTABA digital platform, identifying student potential in How to discover the talented?, and a therapeutic writing workshop. (@ChaudhryMAli88) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 18th Oct, 2021) Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), separately received Xavier Chatel, Frence's Ambassador to the UAE, Dr. Andreas Liebmann, Austria's Ambassador to the UAE, Moez Benmime, Tunisia's Ambassador to the UAE, and Tugay Tuncer, Turkey's Ambassador to the UAE, in the presence of Dr. Omar Al Nuaimi, FNC's Secretary-General. The meetings participants discussed ways of strengthening their overall bilateral ties and enhancing the relations between the FNC and the parliaments of their countries. It also discussed the importance of exchanging parliamentary visits and expertise and reinforcing coordination and consultation on issues of mutual concern. Ghobash highlighted the FNCs keenness to help shape a safer and better future through working alongside other parliamentarians. Ghobash and Chatel discussed the overall relations between the UAE and France. Ghobash lauded the profound historical and strategic ties between their countries, which have significantly developed in political, economic, military, cultural and scientific areas. Ghobash and the Austrian Ambassador talked about reinforcing their parliamentary relations. The FNC Speaker highlighted the strategic ties between the two countries and their recent efforts to grow them, especially with the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. Ghobash and Benmime stressed the strong strategic ties between the UAE and Tunisia, which are founded on mutual cooperation and coordination, and economic partnerships. Ghobash underscored the UAEs support of any steps that ensure Tunisias security and stability. During his meeting with Tuncer, Ghobash highlighted the importance of strengthening the UAEs ties with the Turkish parliament, to help further develop their bilateral ties. He also highlighted the importance of reaching an agreement on several regional and global issues, noting the two countries share several objectives, which could serve as a solid base to develop shared visions towards eliminating threats to security and stability in the region. Caracas, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :A fugitive businessman accused of acting as a money launderer for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's regime said Sunday he would not collaborate with the United States, a day after he was extradited to the country from Cape Verde. Maduro said Sunday evening in a televised address that Alex Saab's extradition on Saturday was "one of the most ignoble and vulgar injustices that has been committed in recent decades." Authorities had held a rally in Saab's support earlier Sunday in Caracas, during which his wife, Camilla Fabri, read aloud a letter from him. "I will face my trial with total dignity," Saab said in the letter. "I want to be clear: I do not have to collaborate with the United States. I have committed no crime. "I declare that I am in full possession of my means and I am not suicidal, in case I am murdered and then (they) say that I committed suicide." Saab, a Colombian national, and his business partner Alvaro Pulido are charged in the United States with running a network that exploited food aid destined for Venezuela, an oil-rich nation mired in an acute economic crisis. They are alleged to have moved $350 million out of Venezuela into accounts they controlled in the United States and other countries. They risk up to 20 years in prison. The US Justice Department said in a statement that Saab was due to appear in court in Florida on Monday and expressed "admiration" to authorities in Cape Verde for their help in the case. Venezuela reacted furiously, suspending talks with the US-backed opposition on ending the country's political and economic crisis. Saab, who also has Venezuelan nationality and a Venezuelan diplomatic passport, was indicted in July 2019 in Miami for money laundering, and was arrested during a plane stopover in Cape Verde off the coast of West Africa in June 2020. Venezuela's opposition has described Saab as a frontman doing shady dealings for the populist socialist regime of Maduro. Colombian President Ivan Duque on Saturday praised Saab's extradition, calling it a "triumph in the fight against the drug trafficking, asset laundering and corruption" that he says have blossomed under Maduro's government. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is recognized as the country's acting president by the United States and more than 50 other countries, also welcomed the move. "We Venezuelans, who have seen justice kidnapped for years, respect and celebrate the system of justice in democratic countries like Cape Verde," he tweeted. In a development not officially linked to the Saab extradition, shortly after the news broke, six former oil executives under house arrest for corruption in Venezuela were taken to an undisclosed prison. They had worked for Citgo, a US-based subsidiary of the state oil company PDVSA. Five of the six hold US citizenship and the other is a permanent resident of the United States. "American detainees in Venezuela are now being used as political pawns," said US Democratic Party heavyweight Bill Richardson, who led an unsuccessful mission to Venezuela to seek the executives' release last year. Richardson has managed international negotiations for a number of high-profile American detainees. "We will continue to press for their release," he said. Cape Verde agreed last month to extradite Saab to the United States, despite protests from Venezuela, which said he had been abducted by Washington. "Venezuela denounces the kidnapping of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab by the government of the United States in complicity with the authorities in Cape Verde," the Caracas government said in a statement. The speaker of Congress, Jorge Rodriguez, said the government would not attend the fourth round of talks with the opposition due to start Sunday in Mexico City "as a deep expression of our protest against the brutal aggression" against Saab. Rodriguez leads the government delegation for the negotiations and had hoped to make Saab one of its members until his arrest. Roberto Deniz, a journalist who has covered Saab's story for the Venezuelan investigative news site Armando.info, said last month that the regime in Caracas was desperate to get him released. "It is clear that there is a lot of fear, not only because he may reveal information about bribes, about the places where money was moved and the inflated pricing," Deniz said, but also because Saab "was the bridge for many of these deals that the Maduro regime is beginning to carry out with other allied countries." (@FahadShabbir) Yangon, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :Myanmar will release more than 5,000 people jailed for protesting against a February coup which ousted the civilian government, the country's junta chief said Monday. A total of 5,636 prisoners will be freed to mark the Thadingyut festival later in October, Min Aung Hlaing said, days after he was excluded from a regional summit over his government's commitment to defusing the bloody crisis. Madrid, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :Rescue workers searched the seas of southern Spain on Sunday for 12 migrants who went missing after their boat overturned during an attempted crossing to the country from Algeria, Spain's coastguard said. A rescue operation was launched after a Norwegian sailboat reported picking up an Algerian man in the sea around seven nautical miles off the southwestern province of Almeria, a coastguard spokeswoman said. A coastguard helicopter dispatched to the scene found another migrant floating in the water in the same area and rescued him, the spokeswoman added. The two migrants told rescuers that they had departed for Spain with 12 others from a beach near Oran in northwestern Algeria last week but during the early hours of Sunday the boat's motor broke down and the vessel overturned. The tragedy comes after another boat carrying migrants sank on Thursday west of Spain's Cape Trafalgar. Two men were found alive on board the boat while a woman was rescued from the water. The coastguard has recovered the bodies of nine others who were onboard but another 16 are still missing. Meanwhile, the body of a man was found dead on a boat carrying 44 other migrants that arrived Sunday at Spain's Gran Canaria island after a week at sea, another coastguard spokeswoman said. The 44 migrants received medical attention and were then taken to the nearby port of Arguineguin to be processed, a coastguard spokeswoman said. All of the migrants were males, many of them minors, from the Maghreb region of North Africa. The boat is believed to have departed from Morocco. The coastguard also rescued 18 vessels off the Balearic Isles in the Mediterranean on Sunday, pulling 230 people -- including several women -- to safety, the government delegation in the archipelago said. Spain is one of the major gateways for migrants departing from North Africa and seeking a better life in Europe. More than 27,000 migrants arrived by sea in continental Spain and the Balearic and Canary Islands between January and the end of September, a 54 percent increase over the same period in 2020, according interior ministry figures. The sea route to Spain is fraught with danger. The International Organization for Migration says at least 1,025 people have died in 2021, already "the deadliest year on the migratory route to Spain". ds/har Kamloops, Canada, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :Canada is still reeling after the public revelation that there were remains of hundreds of children buried at Catholic boarding schools set up a century ago to forcibly assimilate the country's indigenous peoples. Nearly six months later, the indigenous community of Kamloops, which has become symbolic of the scandal, is still struggling to heal as it continues the search for other remains and tries to identify the victims. For the first time since May, when the remains of more than 200 children were uncovered at the British Columbia school, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc community on Monday. "Old wounds have been opened" in the past few months, the community's Chief Rosanne Casimir told AFP. The revelation of the graves was a gut-wrenching confirmation for the indigenous communities, who have testified for years about the thousands of children who disappeared while staying at the boarding schools. In recent months, more than 1,000 anonymous graves have been found near former Catholic Indian residential schools, shedding light on a dark chapter in Canadian history and its policy of forced assimilation of First Nations people. "There were a lot of abuses and hunger" at the Kamloops school, the largest in the country, Evelyn Camille, a school survivor, told AFP. The 82-year-old community elder choked back tears as she spoke. In total, some 150,000 Indian, Metis and Inuit children were enrolled from the late 1800s to the 1990s in 139 of the residential schools across Canada, spending months or years isolated from their families, language and culture. Thousands never returned home. A truth and reconciliation commission concluded in 2015 the failed government policy amounted to "cultural genocide." - 'Just now' come to light - But Casimir says there are still many unanswered questions. "Why hasn't the government done anything before?" she said. "Why is it now just coming to the light? And why are people listening today?" The Catholic Church has apologized to Canada's indigenous peoples for the abuses at residential schools, but indigenous leaders are still awaiting a mea culpa from the pope himself. "If he would actually listen to our survivors and develop a response, a meaningful one, it may make a difference," said Casimir. The indigenous community is also urging the Church and the Canadian government to share all information that could identify the children, such as school attendance records. Camille said identifying the remains would bring peace to many families. "We believe at that time, when the children's lives were taken, that their journey was not finished from here to there, that their spirit was still lingering with the remains," she explained. "They've waited there for a long time, and now they've been discovered, they have to find first who they are, who they were."The ground-penetrating radar used to confirm the location of the graves doesn't provide details on age or time of burial. And it is likely that more graves will be found. The archaeological work that led to preliminary results covered an area of approximately 8,000 square meters (86,000 square feet). There are 65 hectares at the Kamloops school, which closed in 1978, that still need to be analyzed. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The coalition in Yemen said Monday it had killed 150 Huthi rebels near the strategic city of Marib, which would raise the rebel death toll to over 1,100 in a week Riyadh, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :The coalition in Yemen said Monday it had killed 150 Huthi rebels near the strategic city of Marib, which would raise the rebel death toll to over 1,100 in a week. Air strikes "destroyed 13 military vehicles and killed 150 terrorist elements" within the past 24 hours, the coalition said in a statement carried by the official SPA agency. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Czech President Milos Zeman is unable to perform his duties because of poor health, senate speaker Milos Vystrcil told reporters on Monday, citing a hospital report Prague, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :Czech President Milos Zeman is unable to perform his duties because of poor health, senate speaker Milos Vystrcil told reporters on Monday, citing a hospital report. He said it was time to consider activating a constitutional article handing the presidential powers to the parliament speaker and the prime minister. Zeman was rushed to hospital on October 10, a day after the general election. Local media said he suffered from serious liver problems, while Zeman's team has kept silent about his condition. The president was expected to moderate talks on a new government to be formed by the three-party centre-right Together alliance and another alliance of two centrist parties. The two alliances now have 108 of the 200 seats in parliament and Together leader Petr Fiala is seen as the next prime minister. Billionaire Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, Zeman's political ally, said last week he would stay out of the government talks as his populist ANO movement, which narrowly came second in the vote, would go into opposition. "The Military University Hospital maintains that President Milos Zeman is not able to perform his duties because of his health," Vystrcil said, quoting the letter. The senate asked the hospital for information about Zeman's health last week amid a dire shortage of news about the president, and it got the letter on Monday morning. "Considering the character of his illness, the long-term prognosis of his health condition is seen as most uncertain." "The possibility that he will resume his work duties in the weeks to come is seen as not very likely," reads the letter. Vystrcil said it was now time to "discuss when and how to activate Article 66 of the constitution". The article allows parliament to declare the president "unable to execute his official duties" in a vote, with the president's powers taken over by the outgoing prime minister and the new parliament speaker, who would name the next premier. Last week, Zeman signed a resolution calling the first meeting of the new parliament after the election for November 8, the first step required by the constitution after the vote. Following the meeting, Babis's government will formally step down and the process of forming the new government can begin after that. At least 11 people died and another 12 were injured when a bus veered off the road and crashed into a ravine in Ecuador, emergency services said on Monday Quito, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :At least 11 people died and another 12 were injured when a bus veered off the road and crashed into a ravine in Ecuador, emergency services said on Monday. The bus plunged 100 meters (110 yards) into the ravine in the southern Chimborazo province. "For now there are 12 people injured and 11 deaths," said ECU911 in a statement. (@FahadShabbir) Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon announced on Monday that he will head the new Moldovan-Russian union of business people, which is supposed to promote the development of bilateral economic relations CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2021) Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon announced on Monday that he will head the new Moldovan-Russian union of business people, which is supposed to promote the development of bilateral economic relations. "I propose rationalizing the Moldovan-Russian relations. I have accepted an offer to head a new organization, the Moldovan-Russian union of business people. Business Russia (public organization) is a co-founder of the Russian side," Dodon said at a briefing. (@FahadShabbir) MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2021) Three Venezuelan citizens and two Colombian citizens were killed in Colombia's northwestern department of Antioquia, governor Anibal Gaviria Correa said on Sunday. "In the last hours, multiple homicides took place in (the town of) Betania. At least five people three Venezuelans and two Colombians were killed," the official tweeted. The governor added that a meeting of the Extraordinary Security Council chaired by the local security secretary, Jorge Castano would be convened. In 2020, the UN Human Rights Office in Colombia has registered 66 massacres in 18 departments of the country, where 255 people have been killed. The authority has also received information on the killing of 120 human rights defenders. (@FahadShabbir) French Prime Minister Jean Castex met Pope Francis at the Vatican Monday as the French Catholic Church battles a storm over clerical child sex abuse and the sanctity of confession Vatican City, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :French Prime Minister Jean Castex met Pope Francis at the Vatican Monday as the French Catholic Church battles a storm over clerical child sex abuse and the sanctity of confession. The long-planned trip to Rome, which includes talks with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, follows the publication of a devastating report estimating that French Catholic clergy had abused 216,000 children since 1950. Pope Francis, who has made battling the global scourge of clerical abuse a priority of his papacy, expressed "my shame, our shame" at the findings, echoing a similar sentiment from French church leaders. But a row broke out when Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, the head of the Bishops' Conference of France, said priests were not obliged to report sexual abuse if they heard about it during the Catholic ritual of confession, used to admit to sins. His words were in line with Vatican guidelines updated last year, which call on clerics to report claims of abuse. They say confession is subject to "the strictest bond of the sacramental seal", while saying the confessor should try and convince the penitent to tell someone else. In France, victims' advocates pointed out that French law recognizes professional confidentiality for priests, but it does not apply in potentially criminal cases involving violence or sexual assault against minors. Moulins-Beaufort was called to a meeting with Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, and later insisted that protecting children was "an absolute priority". Darmanin accompanied Castex and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to the Vatican, in the visit marking 100 years since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between France and the Holy See. Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed on Monday to discuss the impact of the green transition from fossil fuels on the world economy at a G20 meeting BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2021) Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed on Monday to discuss the impact of the green transition from fossil fuels on the world economy at a G20 meeting. "Today I spoke with Chinese Prime Minister by video conference. It turned out that China has been concerned about the quick transition from using coal to gas in thermal power plants, for then global consumption will jump in a very short time, influencing pricing. So we need to discuss, within the G20 or another international format, what will happen with energy demand given the transformation of our economies," Merkel said at a press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. Germany plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, Merkel added. China, in turn, has set the deadline for 2060, and will be using gas in the meantime, she said. To predict how the energy landscape will change by then, the Chancellor proposed developing a "specific plan." Merkel also noted that she discussed with Bettel the issue of energy prices within the European Union. The topic will be on the agenda of the upcoming summit of EU leaders following a report by the European Commission. Gas prices have been surging across the world due to demand outpacing supply amid economic recovery after months of COVID-19 restrictions, threatening many households with "energy poverty," as consumer prices have followed suit. To complicate matters further, Asia's shift from coal to gas has created additional competition among buyers. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova and Minister of Infrastructure, Andrei Spinu, traveled to Poland on Monday for a two-day working visit aimed at discussing gas supplies CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2021) Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova and Minister of Infrastructure, Andrei Spinu, traveled to Poland on Monday for a two-day working visit aimed at discussing gas supplies. "In the period of October 18-19, I am paying a working visit to Poland. As part of the visit, I will negotiate the supply of natural gas to Moldova," Spinu announced on Facebook. On October 1, Russian energy corporation Gazprom extended a gas contract with Moldova for one month while a new long-term deal is negotiated. The gas price has surged to $790 per 1,000 cubic meters against Moldova's 2021 average purchase price of $200 per 1,000 cubic meters. Last week, the Moldovan government declared an "alarm mode" over gas shortages, with pursuant electricity disruptions, which could be a prelude to a full-blown state of emergency. MANAGUA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2021) The first batch of Russia's Sputnik Light vaccine against the coronavirus has arrived at the airport of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, the national Ministry of Health said. "Today in the morning, we have received a new batch of COVID-19 vaccines," the ministry wrote on its Twitter page on late Friday. Minister of Health Martha Reyes received the batch of Sputnik Light at the airport. She said that it was important for Nicaragua that the efficacy of Sputnik Light is higher than 75 percent. Nicaragua was among the first countries to authorize the use of Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V as well as the Sputnik Light booster jab. The speaker of Papua New Guinea's (PNG) parliament proposed to delay general elections in the country beyond 2022 for a year, according to local media ISTANBUL, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Oct, 2021 ) :The speaker of Papua New Guinea's (PNG) parliament proposed to delay general elections in the country beyond 2022 for a year, according to local media. Job Pomat underlined that the Electoral Commission is not yet ready for an election, reported the daily Post Courier. The pacific island nation is set to hold its tenth general election next year to elect 111 lawmakers for a five-year term in parliament. The last parliamentary elections were held in 2017. Pomat received support from other lawmakers, who referred to rising corona-virus-related deaths in the island nation, according to the report. However, Prime Minister James Marape said the "law does not allow" the deferment of elections and promised to give financial support to the commission to hold the elections. The country has reported 24,041 COVID-19 cases, including 266 deaths with a recent rise in infections. The Small Drafting Body of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva for the first time has agreed on all working mechanisms and started directly discussing the future basic law of the Arab country, Hadi al-Bahra, a co-chair from the opposition delegation, said on Monday GENEVA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2021) The Small Drafting Body of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva for the first time has agreed on all working mechanisms and started directly discussing the future basic law of the Arab country, Hadi al-Bahra, a co-chair from the opposition delegation, said on Monday. Earlier in the day, Geneva hosted the first closed-door meeting of the sixth round of the Syrian Constitutional Committee's small body. The sides began to discuss specific provisions of the future constitution draft. "Today, we have reached an agreement on all working mechanisms within the committee. The first meeting was held to agree on the text of the constitution on the basis of the existing proposals. That means that the work for which the constitutional committee was created has begun," al-Bahra told reporters following the meeting. Subsequently, there are no obstacles left to move the committee's work forward and proceed to substantive discussions on the Syrian constitution, he added. The sixth round is expected to last through Friday, with the agenda focusing on draft reforms of the Syrian basic law. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2021) The United States welcomes the sixth round of the Syrian Constitutional Committee negotiations that commenced in Geneva earlier in the day, US State Department spokesperson Ned price said on Monday. "The United States welcomes the opening of the Syrian constitutional committee's sixth round of negotiations today in Geneva," Price told a press briefing. "It is essential that the Syrian regime, and leaders of the opposition engage constructively in Geneva, consistent with the political process outlined in the (United Nations) Security Council resolution 2254." Earlier in the day, Geneva hosted the first closed-door meeting of the sixth round of the Syrian Constitutional Committee's small body. The sides began to discuss specific provisions of the future constitution draft. Thanks for signing up! Beacon Newsletter Get the top stories from campus and around Knoxville. Email Address Sign Up Archbishop Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, has called on the religious to reflect on the gift of their consecrated lives by looking up to St. Joseph as the perfect example to emulate. CISA Nairobi, Kenya. Archbishop van Megen Annual General was speaking at a Kenyan Religious Superiors Conference meeting (RSCK) held at the Passionists Retreat Centre in Karen, Nairobi. Dear brothers and sisters, we did not deserve religious life; it is a gift of love that we have received. We were not called to religious life because of our many gifts and merits. Let's be honest, some of us would have a hard time surviving in the society today, opined Archbishop van Megen. Seeing what really matters Religious life is this vision. It means seeing what really matters in life. It means welcoming the Lords gift with open arms. The consecrated person is one who every day looks at himself or herself and says: "Everything is a gift, all is grace," he added. The Apostolic Nuncio observed that recognising Christ in their daily work, prayer and relationship is not easy, There is a temptation that looms over religious life seeing things in a worldly way. This entails no longer seeing Gods grace as the driving force in life, then going off in search of something to substitute for it; a bit of fame, a consoling affection, finally getting to do what I want. Without Gods grace religious life becomes stagnant Archbishop van Megen posited that when a consecrated life no longer revolves around the grace of God, then it turns upon itself. It loses its passion, it grows slack, becomes stagnant. And we know what happens then: We start to demand our own space, our own rights, we let ourselves get dragged into gossip and slander, we take offence at every small thing that does not go our way, and we pour forth litanies of lamentation-lamentation- about our brothers, our sisters, our communities, the Church, society," he said. Gaze upon the world with compassion Archbishop van Megen, however, implored the religious to imitate Jesus and turn their gaze into the world, a gaze of compassion, a gaze that goes in search of those at the peripheries; a gaze that does not condemn, but encourages, frees, and consoles. The gaze of consecrated men and women can only be one of hope. Knowing how to hope. Looking around, it is easy to lose hope; things that dont work, the decline in vocations, the enormous scandal of abuse. There is always a temptation to have a worldly gaze, one devoid of hope. Here is the secret: never to alienate oneself from the Lord, who is the source of hope, counselled the Nuncio. In the week that saw Pope Francis formally open the Synod of Bishops, Archbishop Eamon Martin, Auxiliary Bishop Michael Router, and the Synodal Core Group for the Archdiocese of Armagh, in Northern Ireland issue a pastoral letter inviting the faithful to walk together to build a richer and more dynamic Church By Vatican News staff reporter In the Pastoral Letter, Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin and Bishop Michael Router emphasize that Pope Francis is inviting the faithful all over the world to come with him on a journey as a Synodal Church. They note that the word synod means walking together and indicates a way of being together as Church and discerning how best to spread the Gospel amidst the challenges of life in the 21st century. Getting involved In the letter, both Archbishop Martin and Bishop Router encourage Catholics to respond to Pope Francis call and set out on a synodal journey in the Archdiocese of Armagh. We want to involve as many people as possible so that we can harvest the ideas and wisdom of all the baptised and listen to the sense of the faith that is alive in the People of God, they say. Our challenge, they continue, is to discern together what the Holy Spirit is telling us at this critical juncture in our history. The theme which Pope Francis has chosen for the synodal process 2021-2023 is: For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission, and both Church leaders express the hope that the forthcoming synodal process will bring us closer together and help us to recognise that we are united by our common baptism - as members of the Body of Christ. Overcoming challenges They acknowledge that although the faith has been handed on for centuries in Ireland, we live today in a very challenging secular environment, where, sadly, many people do not know the joy of encountering, believing in, and following, Jesus Christ. But they also express the hope that the life of the Church will be much richer and more dynamic if all baptised Catholics can find ways to answer Gods call and bring a variety of gifts to the service of all. Everyone welcome Both Archbishop Martin and Bishop Router stress no one is excluded from the synodal process and all are invited and welcome to participate. They also underline that laymen and women have a vital role to play. The Archdiocese of Armagh over the next few months, will be joining the worldwide synodal consultation, and will soon be inviting the faithful to respond to a number of questions. This initial phase will lead to further opportunities for people to participate at diocesan and national level. Both Church leaders say this is an opportunity for Catholics to listen to the Holy Spirit and discern what God wants from the Church around the world, in Ireland and in the Archdiocese of Armagh. ELIZABETH URBAN is News Editor for The Vidette. Urban can be contacted at emurba1@ilstu.edu. Follow Urban on Twitter at @eliizabethurban. IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you. EMMA SYNDER is a News and Featuers Reporter for The Vidette. Snyder can be contacted at ejsnyde@ilstu.edu. Follow Snyder on Twitter at @ejsnyder21 IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you. With proactive participation in global value chains, Vietnam has steadily grown into a prominent manufacturer and exporter for electronics, ranking 12th in the world and third in ASEAN as an exporter for electronics in 2019. Various factors contribute to Vietnams successful transformation from an agricultural country into an important location for electronic manufacturing in Southeast Asia such as proximity to China, competitive costs, adequate workforce, low wages, and tax incentives to name a few. However, as Vietnam aims higher than being a low-cost option for electronic assembly, improvement in areas such as supporting industries, productivity, and technology is vital for the country to move up the value chain. To learn about Vietnams integration into global value chains, our Business Intelligence Assistant Manager Rebecca An conducted a webinar on how Vietnams supply chains differ from its peers. During this webinar, Rebecca gave us an overview of Vietnams electronics sector, Vietnams role in global value chains (GVCs) with a focus on the electronics sector, as well as its strengths and challenges. We highlight some insights below: Can you tell us a little bit about Vietnams electronics sector and its participation in global value chains? The electronics industry can be grouped by Harmonized System (HS) codes in three groups. These include finished products that consist of 3Cs computer, communication and consumer electronics, subassemblies and components which includes electronics components. In 2019, the total export value reached US$2.5 trillion in 2019. Vietnam had strong growth of around 20 percent for electronic finished products surpassing Thailand and just behind South Korea in export assemblies in 2019. Vietnam joined global value chains (GVCs) in the late 2000s and is considered a global tier-2 supplier for 3C products. If we look at GVCs by countries, the top electronics export products in 2019 were China followed by Vietnam. The top import countries for electronics were China, the US, followed by Hong Kong. For electronics, Vietnams top exports were to the US and China, followed by South Korea and Japan. Vietnam is dependent on imports with telephones being the largest export group. Samsung accounted for 90 percent of exports. The 3Cs finished products group dominates the Vietnam electronic industry, with communications equipment and consumer electronics leading. While 3Cs dominate Vietnams electronics, Vietnams role in the global electronics value chains is limited to be an integrator of components. GVCs can be broken down further into three parts, upstream, midstream, and downstream activities. Vietnam is mainly integrated in the midstream part with lower value add. These include subassemblies, such as displays and special parts, and finished products such as consumer electronics, communications, and computers. Vietnam is also involved in upstream activities but predominantly in low-value add products such as plastic, glass, and packaging. The participation of Vietnamese companies remains low. Further Vietnam heavily imports components and sub-assemblies, with electronic components accounting for 65 percent of imports in 2019. What are some drivers for this? Vietnams electronic industry and exports are driven by foreign investors. Exports increased by 90 percent between 2008 to 2019. Vietnams foreign and local electronic companies can be grouped in four categories. The first categories include multinational corporations such as Samsung, LG, Panasonic, and Canon. The second group consists of contract manufacturers that supply to several MNCs such as Foxconn. The third group are entities that lead in software and hardware such as Intel. The final group are manufacturers that produce components that supply to global companies such as Samsung and LG. In the last group there are few local firms, but hundreds of foreign firms. What are some challenges for Vietnam? Vietnam still needs to do more to integrate into global GVCs and faces several challenges in logistics and infrastructure. There is a gap between raw materials and finished goods. The logistics industry is highly fragmented with more than 3000 logistic companies. These consist of small and medium enterprises providing low-value services. Goods in Vietnam have to go through many intermediaries from raw materials to delivery, increasing transaction costs. In addition, the connection between different modes of transport is weak as well. Vietnam also lacks the production scale and human infrastructure thus making moving up the value chain challenging. In comparison to other countries like Singapore, Malaysia, China, and India, Vietnam has one of the highest logistics costs and accounts for 25 percent of GDP. Vietnams labor force is also another challenge. While its true that Vietnam has a young and strong labor force, the size of labor is much smaller at 57.8 million compared to Chinas at 778 million and Indias at 500 million. Therefore, this hampers the mass mobilization of labor in the electronics sector. Skilled labor is also a challenge, making it harder for manufacturers to hire for complex processes. It can also be a challenge to find adequate labor that can meet the local market demand. Vietnams localization rate at 36 percent is lower than China and India adding to a weak supporting industry with a low rate of procuring local components. The production of components is still underdeveloped. At present, Vietnam has limited capacity to manufacture high-tech components like semiconductors. What are Vietnams strengths? Vietnam has had increasing and steady economic growth of between 6 and 7 percent in the last decade. Its international trade and FDI inflows have been growing and Vietnam has been outpacing its regional peers in this respect. Vietnam is mostly open to investment across sectors. Despite the pandemic, Vietnam is one of the few countries to report positive GDP growth of 2.91 percent in 2020. Secondly, Vietnam is a party to several free trade agreements (FTAs) which are push factors that can help it further integrate into GVCs. The ratification of the EU-Vietnam FTA and the upcoming UKVFTA and RCEP will help further its economy propelling its GDP growth. Lastly, the government has launched several incentives to attract investment and encourage Vietnamese businesses to become a part of GVCs. For example, electronic components are entitled to an import tax of 0 percent, while are there additional incentives in income tax for hi-tech projects and investment in industrial zones. Additional incentives in the form of labor and technology policies are also provided by the government. The government also supports R&D and the development of advanced IT systems as well as the manufacturing of ICT products. This will be a key theme as Vietnam gets more involved in IoT and 5G communications. Scientists, astronomers, and common folk alike have been intrigued by recent sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). On Oct. 7, a group of former United States Air Force (USAF) officers announced that they will present evidence that UFOs have breached American nuclear missile sites over the past few decades. The submitted evidence will be used to support the claim that nuclear missiles were inexplicably disabled by mysterious crafts flying overhead. Former USAF Captain and nuclear missile crew commander Robert Salas, former USAF captain and nuclear missile crew commander David Schindele, former USAF captain and nuclear missile targeting officer Robert Jamison, and former USAF lieutenant and missile test photographic officer Robert Jacobs will hold a press conference to discuss the matter on Oct. 19. The panel was organized by Salas, who raised more than $13,000 for the press conference and congressional lobbying through GoFundMe. The officers will present declassified U.S. government documents and witness testimonies as proof of ongoing UFO incursions on nuclear missile sites. The ex-officers claim that UFOs disabled weapons systems at nuclear bases. The missiles were even activated by starting launch sequences before the trespassers decided to shut them down. On March 24, 1967, Salas was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana as the on-duty commander of an underground launch control facility. On that day, all ten intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) at the base became inoperable. Just eight days earlier, on March 16, 1967, another missile launch control facility experienced a similar incident, claims Salas. At present, there is no proper explanation for the unidentified crafts spotted by the officers or the mysterious disabling of the weapon systems. The Oct. 19 press conference will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Evidence related to extraterrestrials, UFOs, and nuclear weapons is expected to be presented to the world. Salas and his group arent the first ones with ties to the U.S. government or military to be worried about UFOs. Numerous other UFO-related incidents with possible implications for national security have been publicly acknowledged by former public officialswhose efforts resulted in the creation of a secret Pentagon UFO investigations group, the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), says a press release. Lue Elizondo, former head of the Pentagons AATIP, previously revealed that he had seen reports of numerous UFOs appearing above highly secure U.S. military establishments. These UFOs, also known as Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), apparently interfered with the countrys nuclear capabilities. I think, for me, the most concerning not most compelling but the most concerning, are those incidents that involve our nuclear equities There seems to be a very distinct congruency between UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), associated UAP activity and our nuclear technology, whether it be propulsion or weapon systems or whatnot. And thats concerning to the point where weve actually had some of our nuclear capabilities disabled by these things, Elizondo told reporters back in April. Salas and his group hope that Congress will conduct investigations and hold public hearings regarding their claims that UFOs disabled nuclear weapons. The press conference announcement was made just weeks after unidentified crafts were sighted at the Buckley Space Force base in Colorado. Jason Suraci, who lives near the base, managed to take shots of several strange objects that were seen over the Air Force base, which he uploaded on his Youtube channel. Chinese Sinopharm and Coronavac Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) shots have been administered in many countries, accounting for approximately 50 percent of doses delivered globally. However, their effectiveness is being questioned, with some studies showing that the immunity provided by two vaccine doses is slowly waning. Both Sinopharm and Coronavac vaccines are inactivated vaccines that make use of dead SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Such vaccines tend to be less potent, as they trigger immune reactions to several viral proteins. In contrast, the newly developed mRNA vaccines, like those from Moderna and Pfizer, target the virus spike protein that is used by the organism to enter human cells. As such, mRNA vaccines are more targeted than inactivated vaccines. However, even the mRNA vaccines have been shown to have waning efficacy. You dont choose the target with inactivated vaccines, you just throw in all these different antigens, Jorge Kalil, a physician and immunologist at the University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Brazil, said to Nature. Studies have shown that the protection offered by Chinese vaccines tends to drop off after a few months. A Hong Kong study found that an individual inoculated with Coronavac has a lower antibody response one month after their second dose when compared to Pfizer. A study from China found T cells and B cells specific for SARS-CoV-2 just five months after the second dose of Sinopharm. In Thailand, only 60 percent of those who had Coronavac had developed high levels of neutralizing antibodies a month after the second shot, compared to 86 percent for the AstraZeneca vaccine. Moreover, three months after the second dose of Coronavac, the antibody level fell to 12 percent. There have been several reports of countries suffering from viral outbreaks despite having a large proportion of citizens inoculated with Chinese vaccines, including nations such as Mongolia, Seychelles, and Bahrain. In June, when 50 to 68 percent of the population in these three countries were fully vaccinated, they still ranked among the top 10 nations with the worst COVID-19 outbreaks. Many countries are now beginning to avoid Chinese vaccines and pursue other options, which has impacted Chinas trade data. In August, Chinas human vaccine exports fell to 1.96 billion dollars from 2.48 billion dollars in July, a drop of 21 percent. Thailand, which initially ordered Chinese vaccines, was forced to suspend orders and opt for Western vaccines due to pressure from protestors. The government already knows that studies and research show inactivated virus vaccines are less effective against virus mutations when compared to mRNA-based vaccines We should know the vaccination rate that excludes all two-dose Sinovac shots because the immunity may not be enough anymore. Any regions that are ready can then reopen, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, an opposition lawmaker in Thailand, said to Bloomberg. In mid-September, Beijing announced that it had fully vaccinated one billion people. However, reports from that time showed COVID-19 outbreaks occurring in several parts of the country, including Fujian province and Harbin city. In Fujian, schoolchildren were contracting COVID-19 as well. One child cried for two hours at home before leaving for the hospital My own eyes welled when I saw these children in protection suits getting out of the ambulance, a nurse said, adding that children as young as five to six years old were getting COVID-19. The U.S. National Security Council recently hosted an online conference that discussed cybersecurity threats. 30 nations participated, including ministers from South Korea, Japan, UK, Brazil, India, and Australia. The focus of the meeting was ransomware attacks and the threats primarily originating from countries like China and Russia. In ransomware attacks, hackers break into computer networks, lock files, and demand money from victims to regain access to the files. According to the U.S. government, global payments linked to ransomware attacks reached 400 million dollars last year. At the opening session of the conference, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan stated that international cooperation is critical to deal with the ransomware ecosystem and hold criminals that conduct such attacks as well as states that harbor them accountable. The initiative builds on President Bidens leadership to rally allies and partners to counter the shared threat of ransomware As you know, weve worked with allies and partners to hold nation states accountable for malicious cyberactivity as evidenced by the broadest international support we have ever had in our attributions for Russia and Chinas malicious cyber activities in the last few months, a senior U.S. official said to Nikkei Asia. China and Russia were not invited to the conference, as many criminal hackers are believed to work in these two countries, often with the backing of their respective governments. In an interview with NPR, Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging tech, stated that including several nations in the conference was essential because ransomware is a transnational threat. She pointed out that Washington has publicly called out China for harboring a broader ecosystem of hackers, including those who carry out ransomware attacks. The White House remains concerned about Chinese cyber activity. In July, the U.S. and its western allies had formally blamed China for a massive Microsoft Exchange email server software hack that compromised thousands of computers worldwide. Some of the U.S. victims were asked to transfer millions of dollars. Washington also alleged that criminal contract hackers backed by Chinas Ministry of State Security conducted theft and cyber extortion. The amount of Chinese cyber actors dwarfs the rest of the globe, combined The elite in that group really are elite. Its a law of large numbers, Rob Joyce, director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, said at a recent conference. Russian ransomware attacks have also been a persistent headache for Washington. In July, Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin and warned that Washington will take any necessary action to safeguard America from Russian cyberattacks. I made it very clear to him that the United States expects when a ransomware operation is coming from his soil, even though its not sponsored by the state, we expect them to act if we give them enough information to act on who that is, Biden had said to reporters following the phone call. A recent poll conducted by The Pearson Institute and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that around three-quarters of Americans perceive Chinese and Russian governments to be major cybersecurity threats to the U.S. government. Research scientist David Sterrett said that a large number of both Republicans and Democrats share similar concerns about Russian and Chinese threats. According to Michael Daniel, CEO of the Cyber Threat Alliance, the poll shows that the American public is firmly aware of threats that cybersecurity experts have been warning about for several years. A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently announced a bill that aims to counteract the Chinese regimes use of economics to coerce and influence other countries. The Countering China Economic Coercion Act bill was introduced by Republican Representative Ann Wagner and Democrat Representative Ami Bera. The Peoples Republic of Chinas [PRCs] heavy-handed and predatory economic policies harm our partners and undermine American interests well beyond the Indo-Pacific region. Our efforts to respond to PRC economic coercion must be strategic, measured, and proactive I am proud to join Representative Bera in introducing this bipartisan bill to ensure that the United States is working in a coordinated and comprehensive way to combat Chinas economic bullying, Wagner said in a statement. Over the past decade, Beijing has wielded economic policy as a weapon against the following American allies: In 2010, China blocked shipments of rare earth elements to Japan following a standoff between a Chinese fishing vessel and the Japan Coast Guard in the East China Sea. China is the largest producer of rare earth elements and enjoys market dominance in the industry. After an independent group in Norway awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, Beijing halted the import of salmon from the country. The imports only resumed six years later in 2016, after Norway promised to never support any actions that undermine the interests of the Chinese regime. In 2012, when tensions between the Philippines and China were heightened due to a standoff over the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, Beijing blocked banana imports from Manila. After Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen refused to explicitly endorse the 1992 Consensus agreement with China in 2016, Beijing restricted the travel of Chinese tourists and students to the island nation. In 2016, Beijing imposed restrictions on South Korean cultural imports, two-way tourism, and the import of household products. These restrictions were implemented after Seoul decided to work with Washington to deploy an American missile defense system to address the threat posed by North Korea. In 2020, when the Australian government called for an international inquiry into the origins of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), China reacted by slapping tariffs on Australian barley and wine imports. The Countering China Economic Coercion Act aims to ensure that China is not able to continue with similar restrictions against American allies without consequences. The bill will create an interagency task force to streamline U.S. tools and mechanisms for deterring and addressing Beijings economic coercion The legislation will raise awareness of the scale and scope of the PRCs coercive economic measures and strengthen our collective ability to hold China accountable, Bera said. The Countering Economic Coercion Task Force will be established by the U.S. president, who will also select a member from the National Security Council to act as the chair of the entity. In addition to responding to Beijings economic coercion, the task force will also be charged with monitoring and evaluating the costs of such coercion and assessing its impact on American interests. The group will coordinate with various government agencies and engage with U.S. allies as well as the private sector. The task force also must publish and routinely update a public list of cases in which Beijing has used economic coercion. An annual report must detail potential coercion tools that Beijing could use in the future, which diplomatic and economic tools Washington can use to counter such actions from Beijing and possible areas of weakness within America and its allies. Currently, the bill is still in its infancy and has yet to attract comments from other lawmakers. The property market has been a major driver of economic growth in communist China. Chinese citizens used to view the property as the safest investment. As of 2019, real estate accounted for 70 percent of household wealth in China. However, all this is changing. With the Evergrande crisis exposing cracks in the property market, Chinese citizens are now worried about investing in the sector. Top developers have reported lower sales numbers for September. Many businesses have seen a drop of more than 20 or 30 percent year-over-year. This is a steep drop in the month leading up to Chinas Oct. 1 National Day. September is usually one of the best-performing months in terms of sales for real estate developers. The economic ramifications could be serious if this downward trend in home sales continues. The decline will eventually affect investments and construction activities, which could wreck jobs, growth, and local government funds. Trying to push sales through discounting could impact household wealth and property prices. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Logan Wright, director of China market research at Rhodium Group, said that falling sales could create anxiety among more developers. This could prevent them from finishing existing projects or scale back on future plans. If that continues, then the broader concern is whether some of the tightening measures come at the expense of the health of the entire sector You are going to see weaker financial conditions and weaker construction activities spilling out into the broader economy, Wright said. Property developers are also scrambling to adapt to a wave of changes initiated by the government. This includes a series of rules called the three red lines that were implemented last year to curtail the growth of debt among financially weaker companies. They also place limits on property loans issued by banks. Cheng Wee Tan, the senior equity analyst at Morningstar, attributes the slowdown in property sales to tighter government policy on mortgages and dwindling homebuyer confidence. Cheng believes that customers are concerned that developers wont be able to finish their projects. Media reports about Evergrandes unfinished constructions have amplified their fears. Of the developers that saw lower sales in September, Longfor Group holdings reported a 33 percent drop in sales YoY for the month; China Resources Lands sales fell by nearly 24 percent; China Overseas Land & Investment by 42 percent; and China Vanke Co. by 34 percent. Evergrande has not yet released its sales figures to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. But the company had warned on Sep. 14 that ongoing negative media reports would discourage homebuyers, leading to a decline in sales in September. For now, the fall in sales numbers only reflects diminishing sales volumes rather than falling prices. However, this could soon change. There are indications that homebuyers think prices could fall. According to a survey released by communist Chinas central bank, the share of urban bank depositors who expect housing prices to rise declined to 19.9 percent in Q3. This is down from 25.1 percent a year ago and is the lowest since Q1, 2016. The downward trend in sales could push developers who are in desperate need of funds to repay debts to offer big discounts. This could send housing prices in a downward spiral. Huang Jun, a 25-year-old real-estate agent in Foshan, said that prices for new homes downtown have dropped about 20 percent from a recent peak in March. Virtually all developers have offered discounts over the past two months Just like Evergrande, they must be under pressure to sell more flats [to repay borrowings] Most of [the customers] want to wait and see if the prices would go down further In China, most people prefer to buy apartments when prices are rising, not falling, Huang said. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has released a survey of new buildings and a road in Ream Naval Base in Cambodia showing that construction is continuing amid concerns that the new facilities are being built to facilitate a Chinese military presence in Cambodia. The October 12 report from Washington-based CSIS showed that there were three new buildings and a new road built, among other changes, during August and September U.S. embassy spokesperson Chad Roedemeier told VOA Khmer via an email on Thursday that the embassy is aware of consistent, credible reporting that significant construction by the Peoples Republic of China continues at Ream Naval Base. The Government of Cambodia has not been fully transparent about the intent, nature, and scope of this project or the role of the PRC military, which raises concerns about intended use of the naval facility. The U.S. embassy spokesman went on to say that The Cambodian people deserve to know more about the project at Ream and to have a say in this type of military agreement, which has long-term implications for their country, adding that any foreign military presence at Ream would run counter to Cambodias constitution and undermine regional security. Cambodian government spokesperson Phay Siphan told VOA Khmer that the CSIS study is wrong and baseless. He said the Ream base is neither for the Chinese military to use nor for any country to use as its military base. "We confirm that the base is not built to serve the interest of China, he said. It's for the interest of Cambodia. And it's a world port that any country can visit officially. It's not for China to use exclusively." Phay Siphan added that no one has the rights to use the port as a foreign military base because the constitution does not allow foreign troops in Cambodia. "Secondly, under ASEAN rules, member countries cannot allow foreign troops on their lands. VOA Khmer contacted the Chinese embassies in Phnom Penh and Washington, D.C., for comment on the new construction at the Ream base. Neither responded. Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh confirmed in June that China was helping to build infrastructure at the Ream Naval Base. His remarks came days after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman raised the issue at a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh. At the time, Tea Banh told the government-aligned news site Fresh News that Cambodia needed assistance to expand and modernize the base in Preah Sihanouk province to host large, deep-water vessels. He also said that while China was helping build infrastructure at the base, it came with no strings attached. According to CSIS, the buildings measure approximately 115 feet long and 20 feet wide. Available imagery indicates that land clearing began sometime after April 17, construction started in early May, and the structures were complete by May 21. The photos were taken by Maxar and Planet Labs and published by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, according to the report. Last year, a Cambodian three-star vice-admiral, deputy commander and chief of the navy general staff, Vann Bunlieng, told the Nikkei Asia that Chinese-funded upgrades to Ream would begin soon. The Nikkei said in its October 3, 2020, report that it seems likely that the new buildings are a part of those expansions, which will reportedly include a newly dredged port and a ship repair facility. The U.S. has alleged that China will maintain a military presence at Ream Naval Base. The Wall Street Journal in 2019 also reported that China has signed an agreement to have People's Liberation Army officers stationed at the naval base. And the U.S. government has received credible reports of construction activities by the Chinese military at Ream Naval Base. The Cambodian government says aid and investment from China, which comes without reporting conditions, is needed for social and economic development. It is notable that the Thursday email from the U.S. embassy spokesperson does not say the Chinese military is carrying out construction on the Ream base. If that were the case, it would be a significant development. Ream faces the Gulf of Thailand, which is adjacent to the South China Sea. Having access to Ream would extend Beijings regional naval reach. But the growing bond between China and Cambodia has heightened trepidation about Chinas actual role in Cambodia, according to Veasna Var, writing on EastAsiaForm.com in 2016. China emerged as Cambodias largest military aid donor in 2018. Since then, Cambodia has become a proxy for U.S-China geopolitical rivalry, as Chheang Vannarith, president of the Asian Vision Institute (AVI), an independent think tank based in Phnom Penh, suggested to VOA Khmer in 2019. Today, Beijings support of Cambodia helps Hun Sen move past international concerns about his nations poor human rights record and any resulting reduction in aid. In turn, Hun Sen said during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on September 12 that Cambodia would continue to firmly support Chinas legitimate position on issues regarding its core interests such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang. All are areas where China is seeking to exert its authority and mold popular opinion. At the meeting, Hun Sen said China was providing $272 million in grant aid, according to the Associated Press. When making the announcement, he listed areas where Beijing has assisted Cambodia such as the construction of more than 2,000 kilometers of roads and seven big bridges across the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac rivers. VOA Khmer Service journalist Reasey Poch contributed to this report. Race to resettle Afghans. Colin Powell, former top US Diplomat, military leader dies. Taliban bar Aghan women from work. Canada sees benefit in delay of 2nd vaccine dose. An Alligator farm in Colorado. Rwandan dissidents have died under mysterious circumstances inside and outside the country with alarming frequency in recent years. On September 14, Revocat Karemangingo, an ex-Army officer, was gunned down while driving in Mozambique. Since 2016, Karemangingo had told authorities he had been targeted for assassination. Earlier in September, a popular Rwandan rapper known as Jay Polly died while in custody after Rwandan authorities said he consumed a lethal concoction of methanol, sugar and water. In February, opposition politician Seif Bamporiki was pulled from his vehicle and shot to death in South Africa in what police said was a robbery, but many Rwandan exiles say was a targeted killing. In her new book, Do Not Disturb: The Story of a Political Murder and an African Regime Gone Bad, journalist Michela Wrong examines the ways in which dissent is silenced inside and outside of Rwanda. She also looks at the roots of the quest for power and asks why evidence of ruthlessly silencing opposition has not tarnished the reputation of the country. Despite the evidence of intimidation and harassment, people being beaten up, followed, threatened, the image of Rwanda abroad remains extraordinarily whiter than white, she told VOA. And it doesnt seem to matter how much of this information comes out, both Western politicians and all these philanthropic foundations that engage with Rwanda, the Gates Foundation, Bill Clintons foundation, the Blair Foundation, Paul Farmer, Howard Buffett, it doesnt seem to impact their relationship with Rwanda. The title of Wrongs book Do Not Disturb refers to the universally recognized sign travelers hang on hotel room doors. In this case, she said the sign was a grizzly clue left by assassins in 2014 after they strangled Patrick Karegeya, a former Rwandan intelligence chief who was living in South Africa. Karegeya had become a critic of Kagame and was stripped of his rank and imprisoned before fleeing to South Africa to live in exile. Wrong, who knew Karegeya, paints a picture of a gregarious political dissident who trusted people he should have feared. He trusted people, which is a very strange thing to say because youd think if you were the head spy really for a long time in Rwanda, you would be very careful, very cautious, but when he decided he liked somebody he just trusted them, Wrong said. And in fact, thats the characteristic that got him killed because he was lured to his death by somebody he thought was a friend. Wrong details how a Rwandan businessman, Apollo Kiririsi Gafaranga, befriended Karegeya and asked that he book a room for him at the upscale Michelangelo Hotel in Johannesburg. On New Years Eve, according to South African authorities, Gafaranga lured Karegeya to the hotel room for drinks, but instead he was killed by Rwandan assassins who had booked a room across the hall. South Africa has issued arrest warrants for two Rwandans including Gafaranga, but the suspects fled South Africa immediately after killing Karegeya and Rwanda has refused to hand them over, authorities said. Wrong said this political killing is an entry point to understand the regime of Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Kagame was a schoolmate of Karegeya in Uganda, and they served together in the bush war led by Yoweri Museveni to overthrow President Milton Obote and later became president himself. Upon taking the helm of Rwanda in 2000, following several years as a powerful vice president, Kagame was praised by many in the West as the savior of the country and was a darling of donors. However, Wrong outlines a pattern of quashing dissent and the disappearances of political dissidents that show a different side of the longtime president. She interviews numerous people who served alongside Kagame in Uganda and later in the Rwandan Patriotic Front and found that he earned the nickname Pilato for the way he would turn in fellow soldiers who had broken rules, often resulting in their being executed. Kagame is not somebody who wants to be liked, Wrong said. And I think its very obvious that he has a different style of rule from [Yoweri Musevenis]. Even if youre not somebody who is deeply critical of his career you can see that he wants to be feared. He wants to be respected. He does not want to be popular. Hes constantly telling people in interviews that he really doesnt care what the world thinks of him and he doesnt really care what his voters think of him. He just wants their respect and their obedience. Kagame responds In a television interview, Kagame denounced the book saying it was a biased product of Wrongs personal connection with Karegeya and was sponsored by enemies of the country. By the time it came out, we had known it was being written for about a year or two, and we know those who sponsored her to do it both from outside and those in the neighboring countries, some from far away north others from here, he said. And again, it was part of that Rwanda should not be allowed to be what it wants to be, the people of Rwanda should be cut to their size. And so, one way of doing it, attack those you want to attack. Attack the leaders or even individuals. But the book has come at a moment of heightened scrutiny of Kagames government. In September, Paul Rusesabagina, who was depicted as a hero in the film Hotel Rwanda, was convicted on charges of supporting a terrorist group and sentenced to 25 years in prison. The conviction drew condemnation from human rights groups who believe he was effectively kidnapped and brought to the country and did not receive a fair trial. It also drew a rebuke from U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price who said the U.S. was concerned by the objections from Rusesabagina that he did not have confidential, unimpeded access to his lawyers and relevant case documents and his initial lack of access to counsel. Wrong says she believes the arrest was a way of sending a message to dissidents all over the world that they are not beyond the reach of Kagame. I think that was definitely an element of: Im going to show anyone who is thinking of standing up to me, I can get anyone wherever they are. And now thats a very powerful message, she said. But it remains to be seen what price Kagame will pay for the crackdown on dissidents. The Rusesabagina arrest has garnered global attention in a way that other arrests and alleged assassinations have not. Was it worth it, because behind Rusesabagina, you know youve got all the people that hadnt been looking at Rwanda, hadnt been examining what Kagame is doing and how the regime has changed are suddenly interested, Wrong said. So, you think, the reputational risk that Kagame is running as a result of this trial, was it really worth it? Because small things can damage reputations in totally disproportionate ways. The man held for the fatal stabbing last week of a British lawmaker had been referred to the British governments anti-extremism program, called Prevent, because of his radical Islamist views, but the countrys security services, including MI5 - Britains domestic intelligence agency - had not deemed him a serious threat requiring monitoring, confirmed British officials. Police have not released the name of the suspect, but local media have identified him as Ali Harbi Ali, a 25-year-old British national of Somali descent. Britains Sunday Times newspaper reported that the suspects father, Harbi Ali Kullane, a former adviser to Somalias prime minister, said British counter-terrorism police had visited him at his home in north London. Im feeling very traumatized. Its not something that I expected or even dreamed of, the suspects father told the newspaper following the murder Friday of Conservative MP David Amess. The lawmaker was stabbed multiple times while meeting with constituents at a church hall an hours drive east of London. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed early investigations of the slaying suggest a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism, but have so far refrained from going into any details publicly. Ali was born in London. Many members of his wider family live in Somalia, where his aunt is head of a security think tank in Mogadishu. Alis uncle is Somalias ambassador to China. Britains security and counter-terror agencies have warned cabinet ministers of a possible wave of future attacks by what they term bedroom radicals, lone wolf militants radicalized online during pandemic lockdowns. Investigators are trying to establish whether Ali fits that profile and whether his radicalization intensified during the lockdown. They have so far found no evidence that he traveled overseas to train, a British official told VOA. The Sun newspaper quoted security sources as saying that Ali became increasingly radicalized after watching militant videos on YouTube. Amess eulogized The 69-year-old Amess is the second British MP to have been murdered in the past five years, and his death has prompted nationwide horror and outrage. Politicians across political divides praised him as a hard-working gentleman MP, one who eschewed a ministerial career in favor of focusing on the needs of his constituents. An independent-minded Conservative, he was widely known as a campaigner for animal welfare. Dozens of mourners attended a special church service Sunday in memory of the MP, one of the countrys longest serving lawmakers, who was first elected to the House of Commons in 1983. Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a rare joint appearance with Keir Starmer, the leader of Britains main opposition party, at the scene of the attack, where both laid flowers. Johnson described Amess, a father of five and a devout Catholic, as a fine parliamentarian and a much-moved colleague and friend. Amesss family said in a statement released Sunday: Our hearts are shattered. They added, We are trying to understand why this awful thing has occurred. Nobody should die in that way. Please let some good come from this tragedy. We are absolutely broken, but we will survive and carry on for the sake of a wonderful and inspiring man. Ali was arrested inside the church hall as paramedics battled to save the life of the MP. He used his phone immediately after the attack, but it is unclear whether he contacted anyone or was filming the scene of the crime. Police sources say he has been cooperating with investigators. He is being held under the Terrorism Act. Counter-terror efforts questioned Security officials told VOA under the condition of anonymity that the attack had been planned over several weeks and Amesss suspected attacker made an appointment to see the MP, saying he was moving into the area from London. At the moment there is not a specific reason why Amess was targeted Ali was geared to attack any lawmaker, it was just he managed to get to Amess first, said a security official. The referral by a teacher five years ago of Amess alleged killer to the Prevent program has prompted questions over the effectiveness of the de-radicalization scheme, which has been the subject of an ongoing review since January. A former counter-terror commander, Richard Walton, called on the government to invest more in the Prevent scheme so it is better equipped to detect the signs and symptoms of radicalized individuals. The security services have raised their fears about a potential wave of attacks by so-called bedroom radicals for weeks. In September the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick, publicly cautioned that the pandemic had left many more people at risk of radicalization because militants had exploited the social isolation of lockdowns to recruit and proselytize. As police investigators question Ali and sift through evidence, the countrys politicians are debating about how to tighten security. Amesss murder has underlined the potential danger Britains lawmakers face. Fridays stabbing attack by a lone assailant bore striking similarities to the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in June 2016. Cox was about to hold meetings with constituents when she was shot and stabbed by a subsequently convicted far right militant. In 2010 Labour MP Stephen Timms was injured in a stabbing attack by an Islamist when he was holding a regular meeting with constituents. Some British lawmakers are likely to be offered police protection when meeting voters, Home Secretary Priti Patel acknowledged during several Sunday television appearances. Security officials are drawing up plans for a new minimum package of safety measures all police forces must offer lawmakers when they are away from the House of Commons. Not all MPs are happy with the idea of having police present during their meetings with local voters and fear it might undermine a tradition they hold dear of constituents having easy access to them. Britains Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, said Monday that online hate towards MPs is out of control. The elephant in the room in all this is the online hate that we all get, he told broadcaster Sky News. Raab echoed the fear of security services that the pandemic and lockdowns had not helped the situation. There is certainly an element of more people who are at-risk and vulnerable because theyve been spending more time online, he added. Chinese President Xi Jinping aims to bolster relations in Europe, a traditional stronghold of support for the United States, as a buffer against shaky Sino-U.S. ties, analysts believe. Xi spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel last Wednesday and with European Council President Charles Michel on Friday. The council is a policymaking body for the European Union, an economic bloc of 27 nations including Europes largest countries. China hopes to build trade and investment ties with individual European countries as it seeks partnerships that can counter a half decade of acrimony with its superpower rival the United States, said Stephen Nagy, senior associate professor of politics and international studies at International Christian University in Tokyo. Western Europe has been staunchly U.S.-leaning since World War II, though differences do surface -- for example, France's anger over a U.S.-UK-Australia military technology sharing deal (AUKUS) of nuclear-powered submarines reached last month. Were seeing the European Union and Germany converge with the U.S., and that convergence is something that China would like to stop, as soon as possible, Nagy said. Convergence could isolate China in the developed world, complicating its global political and economic goals. Series of sore spots in China-U.S., China-EU relations Beijing and Washington have disagreed strongly since 2018 on the use of internet technology, the rules of international trade and Chinas expansion in Asia including the South China Sea. Washington is especially watching to see whether China attacks Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Chinese leaders call their own. EU-China relations have deteriorated as well for the past year over Beijings treatment of its Muslim Uyghur minority and support for Taiwans autonomy among leaders in Lithuania and the Czech Republic. On the economic front, movement and discussion toward ratification of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) has been justifiably been frozen in May because of China imposing sanctions on several European individuals and entities, according to the European Parliament. France, Germany and the UK further irked China this year by sending military vessels into the South China Sea where they joined Washington in keeping an eye on Beijings movements. Four Southeast Asian states and Taiwan call parts of the resource-rich sea their own, but China claims 90% of it. Multiple countries in Europe now recoil at the PRC's illiberal policies at home and overreach abroad, said Sean King, vice president of the Park Strategies political consultancy in New York. Up trend in Chinas ties with individual European countries While China-EU relations have been tense, China is still the EUs No. 1 trading partner and the source of billions of dollars per year in direct investment, particularly in energy. Its relations vary from one member country to the next, with east-central European peers such as Hungary and Serbia eager to engage while Western European peers more skeptical though seldom as harshly as the United States. Xi Jinping has presumably, and rightly, long seen the European Union as an easy mark and would doubtless be pursuing deeper relations there, whatever the state of Beijing's ties with Washington, King said. Beyond politics, he said, the Communist Party of China surely craves access to European technology, markets, universities and think tanks. In his video meeting with Merkel, head of Europes largest economy, Xi said both sides support trade and "believe that the common interests of China and the EU far outweigh contradictions and differences", according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Beijing has been locked in a trade dispute with the United States since 2018, affecting $550 billion in two-way trade with an especially hard impact on Chinese exports. China and the EU, "as two important forces in the world, have a responsibility to strengthen cooperation and work together to deal with global problems in the face of increasing global challenges and rising instability and uncertainty," Xi said. Xi said to the European Council President, it was not surprising that competition and differences have emerged between China and the EU, according to Chinas CGTN news website. He suggested that the two sides work together more in technology and that China extend its multi-trillion-dollar, pan-Eurasia Belt and Road infrastructure building initiative. Chinese leaders could attract European countries with open access to the Chinese market, where middle-class consumers still buy luxury brands from France and Italy, Nagy said. Trade inducements would appeal to the EU as it recovers economically from COVID-19, he said. European nations want more investment in energy and clean technology, while both sides are looking for intellectual property protections, said James Berkeley, managing director of the advisory firm Ellice Consulting in London. His 8-year-old consultancy does most of its business today with a U.S. focus, but it anticipates new interest in China if Sino-UK ties improve, Berkeley said. Chinese automotive companies, for example, may be able to refine intellectual property in Europe and reapply those rights in their home market, Berkeley said. There are Chinese investors that have an international perspective and theyre looking to deploy capital into businesses internationally in which they can build out the intellectual property and then reverse that intellectual property, he said. Brisker trade and investment ties wont sway pro-U.S. European nations toward China politically, experts say. However, China may be able to improve ties with central and Eastern European countries and split the EU, Nagy said. He likened that approach to Southeast Asia. Chinese aid on the Asian subcontinent has won the loyalty of Cambodia and Laos but missed that mark in Vietnam and the Philippines, where citizens have long distrusted China. China is tightening its grip on Macao, having incorporated the former Portuguese colony into a cooperation zone with Guangzhou, capital of Chinas Guangdong province, clamped down on casinos and manipulated a local parliamentary election. Chinas hard-line approach in Macao is widely seen as part of a larger campaign to regain central control over society and business across the country. Macao, like Hong Kong, is a special administrative region of China and supposed to have a high degree of autonomy under the one country two systems framework. But it has now been paired with neighboring Guangdong in a special economic zone on nearby Hengqin island, with special tax and other policies aimed at diversifying Macaos economy away from gambling into such industries as finance, high-tech, traditional Chinese medicine, tourism, exhibition and trade. It was never the intention [of China] for gaming to dominate Macaos economy, and worse, for the SAR to become so totally dependent on the mainland for its economic welfare, Macao-based casino consultant Ben Lee told VOA, by email. China has recently exerted its control over the casino businesses in the worlds biggest gambling hub. The Macao government announced a regulatory overhaul that could see local officials supervising companies in the city, including introducing government representatives at casino operators. Gambling business shares plummeted in mid-September by as much as a third of their value, according to Reuters. The new measure aims to limit the number of approved licenses and involve government supervisory officials in casino operations. The citys cash flow to the United States, as half the of the six casino operators in Macao are owned by U.S. corporations, has propelled Beijings tightened scrutiny on the gambling industry, Lee added. Macao had a runaway gaming industry in 2013 and again in 2019 with gross gaming revenues of US$45 billion and US$37 billion respectively, Lee wrote. This represents money that flowed out of the Chinese economy into and from Macao, a significant proportion of that to the US of all places. Earlier this month, a new border checkpoint between Macao and Guangdong opened, seeking to facilitate travel between the two regions, the Chinese Communist Partys newspaper Global Times reported. With a diminished casino business, Macao might have to start investing in non-gambling pursuits. We dont really have any core competencies apart from the gaming industry which in turn is wholly reliant on the China market. What we do have is capital and the attraction of the gaming concessions to bring the big pocketed investors to inject capital in other non-gaming initiatives which will likely be part of the terms of the new concessions, Lee wrote. On top of establishing a cooperation zone and diminishing gambling businesses, Macao also saw the first disqualification of opposition candidates in a parliamentary election this year. The Macao government disqualified 21 pro-democracy candidates in July, on the grounds they had not upheld the Basic Law of the Macao SAR, or they had not met the requirement of pledging allegiance to Macao. It was the first time the city direct election candidates were disqualified. Macao Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng stressed that lawmakers have to be strictly adhering to the fundamental principle of patriots governing Macao. The three banned parties appealed the decision in court but failed to regain the rights to run. The mid-September Legislative Assembly election witnessed the lowest voter turnout, 42%, since the citys 1999 handover to China. The Electoral Affairs Committee chairman reportedly claimed the record low turnout stemmed from the global pandemic and the typhoons, and denied the disqualification of the opposition candidates affected the low turnout. Michael C. Davis, professor of law and international affairs at Jindal Global University in India and a global fellow at the Wilson Center, attributed the low turnout to Beijings crackdown on opposition. This is clearly a problem of Beijings growing interference, to eliminate opposition, Davis told VOA. A number of opposition candidates were disqualified, and the voters are no doubt fed up and judge it really not worthwhile to vote in elections with no real choice. The European Union issued a statement in July that called the disqualification a detrimental step that runs counter to the rights guaranteed in Macaos Basic Law. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price tweeted his support for the EUs stance on the matter. The Macao government rebuked the critical remarks and reiterated that the election was purely an internal affair of Macao and condemned the outside interference. Beijing has turned to more repressive policies in the past couple years [it] likes to say that the opposition has undermined the system and threatened Chinas national security, Davis said. The death of former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday from COVID-19 complications demonstrates why more people need to get vaccinated, experts note. Powell's battle with cancer and his advanced age put him in a category most susceptible to COVID-19, the disease caused by the deadly coronavirus. These highly vulnerable people are the ones who benefit most from the community protection that widespread vaccination provides, scientists say. Powell was fully vaccinated, according to a statement from his family. But he had multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer that suppresses the body's immune response. Both the disease and the treatment leave the patient with a weakened immune system. Not only are these patients more vulnerable to many kinds of infection, but their immune systems do not respond as well to vaccines. Fewer than half of vaccinated multiple myeloma patients developed a good enough immune response to protect them against COVID-19 in a recent study, New York University epidemiologist Celine Gounder noted. Also, older people are more likely to die from COVID-19 than younger people. Powell was 84 years old. Patients like Powell are the most at risk when the virus is spreading widely, noted Whitney Robinson, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "When we don't get (coronavirus) transmission low, the most vulnerable the old, the immunocompromised, the just plain unlucky whose bodies can't mount a robust immune response to vaccines they pay a high price," she said. The best way to get transmission rates low, others noted, is through more vaccination. "Mr. Powell might not have contracted the virus if we had very high vaccine coverage," Georgetown University public health law professor Lawrence Gostin said. "That's why we must end misinformation" that is discouraging many from being vaccinated. Vaccination efforts in the United States have stalled, largely along partisan lines. Most Republicans (58%) have been vaccinated, but this group also includes the largest proportion of those who say they definitely will not be vaccinated (23%), according to Kaiser Family Foundation polling. Republicans are more likely to tell pollsters that vaccines are not working as promised. A Daily Beast writer posted a video clip of Fox News host Will Cain using the death of Powell to rail against the efficacy of vaccines. By comparison, 90% of Democrats have been vaccinated and only 4% say they definitely will not get a shot. Patients crowding hospitals in many parts of the country have overwhelmingly been unvaccinated. The hospitalization rate among the unvaccinated is 12-fold higher than those who have received the shots, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The United Kingdom shows similar trends. In the first half of 2021, more than 51,000 people died of COVID-19. Of those, more than three-quarters were unvaccinated. Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai said the current Taliban government in Afghanistan needs internal legitimacy in order for it to gain international recognition. He said that could only be achieved through the expression of the will of the Afghan people, either in the form of elections or holding the Loya Jirga, a traditional grand council of representatives from various parts of the country. Karzai spoke with the Voice of America on Saturday, nearly two months after the United States and its NATO allies left Afghanistan, ending the U.S.s longest war in history. He charged that Afghanistan is at a critical juncture in its history and Afghans have a responsibility to unite and create a government premised on "the expression of the will of the Afghan people. Legitimacy within our own country for this government [Taliban] or for any other government is the foundation of recognition by countries and the international community, Karzai said, adding that governments derive legitimacy from the will of their people. "How to bring about legitimacy within the country is of course premised on either an election or, in the case of Afghanistan, especially under the current circumstances, the expression of the will of the Afghan people through the Loya Jirga and the introduction of a constitution and so on," he added. Pakistan Since taking over the country in mid-August after self-exiled Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country, the Taliban have yet to be officially recognized by any country, including Pakistan, viewed by many as its closest ally. Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Quresh, have advocated for the Taliban and have urged the international community to work with the new government in Kabul. If we neglect Afghanistan right now, there's a huge humanitarian crisis looming ahead, and this will have serious repercussions not just for the neighbors of Afghanistan, but it will have repercussions everywhere," Imran Khan told the U.N. General Assembly in September. "We must strengthen this current government [Taliban], stabilize it, for the sake of the people of Afghanistan. What have the Taliban promised? They will respect human rights, they will have an inclusive government, they will not allow this soil to be used by terrorists," Khan added. The Taliban are notorious for their restrictions on women, on civil liberties and their harsh interpretation of Islamic law. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in mid-August, the international community has strongly criticized the militant group for not fulfilling pledges to respect the rights of women and minorities, and for not including enough members from other ethnic groups in the Cabinet. Karzai told VOA that Pakistan is not the representative of the Afghan people. "My message to Pakistan, our brotherly country, is that they should not try to represent Afghanistan. On the contrary, the country should try to establish a civil relationship with our country," he said. "We have deep people-to-people relations with Pakistan. Our hope from Pakistan is that the country should not try to maintain its relations with us through interference, the encouragement of extremism and terrorism or by force, but rather establish relations with Afghanistan through civil principles and principles of international relations, and we will happily maintain that relationship with them," he added. While in power, both Karzai and his successor, Ghani, have frequently accused Pakistan of supporting the Afghan Taliban and providing them with training and safe havens on its soil, charges that Islamabad has denied. IS threat, regional consensus Karzai voiced concerns about the Islamic State terror groups uptick in violence in Afghanistan and deemed it a threat to both Afghanistan and the region. The militant group's local branch, known as the Islamic State Khorasan, has claimed responsibility for several vicious attacks in recent weeks in Kabul, Kunduz and Kandahar provinces, where more than 100 civilians have been killed and many others wounded. "As proven by the unfortunate bomb blasts -- rather, suicide attacks in the mosque in Kabul two weeks ago, then in Kunduz last week, and then in Kandahar yesterday (October 15) -- this has proven that Daesh is a threat to Afghanistan and to the life and livelihood of the Afghan people," Karzai said, using another acronym for the Islamic State terror group. Karzai showed optimism that the region will support Afghanistan in its fight against IS, because it could pose a threat to their security. In addition, he said he hopes that regional powers would seek common ground in Afghanistan,. He said it is Afghanistans responsibility to work with other countries in the region in a way that results in peace and stability in Afghanistan. Womens rights Karzai stressed the importance of women returning to the workplace, universities and schools. He said this desire primarily comes from the Afghan people, whether or not the international community demands it. "The rights of Afghan women to work and to be present in all walks of life in our country is primarily the demand of the Afghan people," he said. "So, even if the international community doesn't ask for it, it is our demand, the Afghan demand, and our need." Karzai continues to live in Kabul with his family and is the father of two daughters and a son. He said he wants his daughters and son to be educated. "I want my son to be the best educated. I want him to study, to study at home and study abroad and get the best education. I want my daughters to be the best educated, study at home, and when the time comes, study abroad, and fulfill their personal aspirations, and through the fulfillment of their personal aspirations, the aspirations of the Afghan people," he said. "I want them to remain patriotic Afghans, as all other Afghan children," he added. Haitian workers went on strike Monday to protest the security situation in the country, recently brought to the world's attention by the kidnappings of members of a U.S.-based missionary group. Streets in the capital, Port-au-Prince, were mostly quiet Monday as workers stayed home to denounce the nation's lack of security. The White House said Monday the FBI is working to find the missionaries and deliver them to safety. Members of the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries 16 Americans and one Canadian were in Haiti to visit an orphanage. They were kidnapped Saturday. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Joe Biden was receiving regular updates on the FBI's and the State Department's efforts. The State Department said Monday it had a small team on the ground working closely with Haitian authorities to find the kidnapped missionaries. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the U.S. Embassy team is coordinating with Haiti's national police, the missionary group, family members of the victims, and the Canadian government. The abduction of the missionaries reflects a kidnapping problem in Haiti that has plagued the nation for years but has grown more prevalent in recent months. Officials in Haiti's transportation industry, a sector whose workers are often kidnapping targets, initially called for a strike last week. Monday's strike, which other business groups joined, took on additional significance after Saturday's kidnapping of the missionaries. Most businesses and schools were closed Monday, and public transportation came to a halt. The Associated Press reported that protesters burned tires in Port-au-Prince and other cities, including Les Cayes in the south. The United Nations said Monday that a recent upsurge in gang violence in Haiti, including kidnappings, is affecting relief operations. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said gang violence in Port-au-Prince has displaced at least 19,000 people since June and affected more than 1.5 million people. A U.N. report last month said at least 328 kidnappings were reported to Haitian police in the first eight months of 2021. That is up from 234 kidnappings in all of 2020. In August, the United States issued a travel warning for Haiti, urging Americans not to visit the nation because of the kidnappings and crime. Haiti's security situation has been hampered by the country's political crisis following the July assassination of President Jovenel Moise. The country is also suffering from an economic crisis and the aftermath of an August earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people. VOA's Anita Powell, Nike Ching and Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters. A judicial probe into the August 2020 Beirut port blast that killed more than 200 people has rattled Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah the country's power broker, and other political players. Observers say its followers brought weapons to a demonstration aimed at protesting the investigation and its lead judge last Thursday with the aim of intimidating others. The protest in the capital turned violent, leaving seven people dead, dozens injured and concerns about sectarian violence reminiscent of the 1975 to 1990 civil war. Dania Koleilat Khatib with the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut told VOA that Hezbollah supporters carried weapons to "deliberately try to intimidate and undermine" the investigation into the Beirut port blast, one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history, and its lead judge, Tarek Bitar. Shiite Hezbollah is the only militia from the civil war that still holds on to its weapons. "It's about this excess of power," Khatib said. "This show of power. It's having a lash back [backlash] at them. People would be scared of them. So, once someone says, 'No,' to them, you know, this fear is broken. Recently, anytime they are trying to aggress anyone, they are receiving a slap. So, people don't care anymore." Although Lebanon's Christian president, Michel Aoun, is Hezbollah's ally in government, he has publicly supported Judge Bitar and his investigation. Analysts say that if Aoun hadn't done so, he would have lost much support from the Christian community. Mainly Christian neighborhoods were badly damaged in the blast, caused by large quantities of ammonium nitrate that had been stored unsafely for years at the port. Some local reports claim that the explosion occurred at a weapons warehouse belonging to Hezbollah. Its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, denied those accusations, calling the charge an "exceptional injustice." President Aoun said a government investigation into the explosion has not yet determined the cause and dismissed allegations of Hezbollah's responsibility. Bitar wants three former ministers including a Sunni Muslim, a Shiite and a Maronite Christian with ties to Hezbollah to be investigated, and this has ruffled the group. Already Hezbollah saw to it that one former judge involved with the investigation was dismissed, and it wants Bitar to follow suit. Hezbollah has accused the Lebanese Forces a Christian grouping once also involved in the civil war of firing first during the protest a charge it denies. Lebanon's influential Maronite Catholic patriarch, Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, has condemned the use of the weapons in Thursday's violence, now considered Lebanon's worst street bloodshed in more than a decade. Rai called for the judiciary to be "free from political interference," according to the National News Agency. Lebanese observer Baria Alamuddin wrote in a piece for Arab News that while calm must be restored, those involved in last week's violence must "alter their murderous trajectory," otherwise, "the drivers of conflict are firmly in motion." She said the Lebanese army has been the only stabilizing force so far in beleaguered Lebanon, already struggling with economic collapse and an energy crisis. "The army has frequently stepped in to restore order," she wrote, "but if the army starts to disintegrate along sectarian lines, matters will genuinely begin to spiral out of control. Children in Australias largest city returned to in-person learning Monday as Sydney reached an important milestone in its fight against COVID-19. Residents of New South Wales state, of which Sydney is the capital, are slowly emerging from strict lockdown orders now that the rate of fully vaccinated people ages 16 and over has reached 80 percent, according to officials. Mandatory indoor mask wearing has been dropped, while restaurants, bars and gyms can now welcome fully vaccinated patrons. New South Wales last week ended a mandatory quarantine for vaccinated international passengers who test negative for COVID-19 before flying to Sydney. Meanwhile, residents in Melbourne, Australias second-largest city, are expected to fully emerge from its latest lockdown period on Friday of this week as Victoria state nears its goal of 70 percent of its citizens 16 years old and older to be fully vaccinated. Australia has been largely successful in containing the spread of COVID-19 through aggressive lockdown efforts at the start of the pandemic, but a rapid outbreak of new infections in Sydney triggered by the delta outbreak back in June spread across Australia and forced authorities in several cities to impose strict lockdown orders. The situation is far different in New Zealands biggest city of Auckland, as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday that it will remain under strict lockdowns for another two weeks despite a high vaccination rate. Like Australia, New Zealand was among a small number of countries to drive coronavirus cases down to near zero last year because of border closures and snap lockdowns.But the small Pacific nation of five million people has been battling its own outbreak of the highly contagious delta variant since August that has frustrated efforts to stamp out transmission. Prime Minister Ardern told reporters Monday in the capital Wellington that the curbs needed to stay in place to avoid a spike in new cases and hospitalizations as the numbers of fully vaccinated people continues to rise. The prime minister has abandoned the long-held strategy of eliminating coronavirus, and has instead embraced a policy of living with the virus and managing its spread. Some information for this report came from Reuters. The head of Myanmars junta announced Monday that more than 5,000 people who were arrested for taking part in anti-coup protests will be freed under a grant of amnesty. Min Aung Hlaing made the announcement during a nationwide televised speech. It came after a decision by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to exclude him and other coup leaders from the upcoming October 26-28 summit. Instead ASEAN is inviting a non-political representative from the country. The 10-nation regional bloc cited the juntas failure to implement a five-point plan aimed at restoring peace to Myanmar for its reasons not to invite Min Aung Hlaing. More violence happened due to provocations of terrorist groups, Min Aung Hlaing said in a speech, where he appeared in civilian attire, according to Reuters. No one cares about their violence, and is only demanding we solve the issue. ASEAN should work on that. Myanmar has been mired in turmoil since the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyis civilian-led government on February 1. The military responded to anti-coup demonstrations across the country since the takeover with a brutal crackdown that has left more than 1,100 people dead, according to a local monitoring group. State television said the amnesty was based on humanitarian grounds and blamed the National Unity Government (NUG) and ethnic groups for the violence. NUG is made up of the remnants of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy Party and anti-coup groups. The military said it overthrew the civilian government because of widespread fraud in last Novembers general elections, which ended in a landslide victory for Suu Kyis party. Some information for this report came from the Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Yemen's rebels continued their weekslong blockade of a district in the central province of Marib, cutting off humanitarian aid and halting movement of its 37,000 people, officials and U.N. aid workers said Sunday. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have advanced in the district of Abdiya south of the city of Marib in recent weeks, forcing troops of the internationally recognized government to retreat, military officials from both sides said. The Houthis "are committing genocide" in Abdiya, preventing food, medicine and other basic needs from reaching the district, said Marib provincial Gov. Sheikh Sultan al-Aradah. The attack on Abdiya is part of the Houthis' offensive to capture the government-held city of Marib, which the rebels have been trying to seize for years. They intensified their offensive in February, apparently emboldened by a decision by President Joe Biden's administration to end U.S. support to the Saudi-led coalition. However, they've faced stiff resistance from government and tribal forces aided by the coalition. Yemen has been engulfed in a civil war since 2014, when the Houthis captured the capital, Sanaa, and forced President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and his internationally recognized government to flee to the south, and then later to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war the next year to try restore the government to power. The war has deteriorated largely into a stalemate and spawned the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Thousands of fighters, mostly Houthis, have been killed in clashes and airstrikes around the city of Marib. The Houthis usually attack with waves of fighters charging government lines, thereby becoming easy targets in the open desert for coalition warplanes. Children recruited by the Houthis are among those killed in the fighting. Placards with photos of child soldiers are commonplace on the streets in rebel-held areas including the capital, Sanaa. Dozens of civilians, including women and children as young as 2 years old, have also been killed in Houthi attacks on Marib city. using ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones. The rebels want to wrestle the energy-rich Marib from the government to complete their control of Yemen's north, a move that would strengthen their position in any future negotiations to end the devastating conflict. They have so far defied repeated international calls for a nationwide cease-fire and engagement in negotiations to settle the conflict. Two U.N. aid workers said the Houthis have blocked humanitarian aid to the district and restricted people's movement there for around three weeks. They said several thousand people have been displaced amid indiscriminate shelling and missile attacks on residential buildings and infrastructure in Abdiya. The blockade also prevented the transfer of wounded and other patients out of the district, the workers said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to brief media. On Friday, a ballistic missile hit the Ali Abdel-Mughni Hospital, the main health facility in Abdiya that provides urgent medical care to the district's people, said the Doctors Without Borders humanitarian organization. The rebels entered the district's center but fierce fighting has remained in several areas amid heavy coalition airstrikes, said military officials from both sides, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media. The Saudi-led coalition said it launched dozens of airstrikes on the Houthis to stop their advances in the district. In a phone call Saturday with Tim Lenderking, the U.S. special envoy for Yemen, al-Aradah called for the international community to make "bold decisions to designate this militia as a terrorist group and prosecute its leaders as war criminals." Mohammed Abdel-Salam, the rebels' chief negotiator and spokesman, claimed the rebels were battling militants linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. He also claimed that humanitarian corridors were available in Abdiya "but the U.N. is not serious in finding humanitarian solutions." Abdel-Salam didn't offer evidence supporting his claim and didn't respond to phone calls seeking comment. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price on Saturday condemned the Houthis' escalation in Marib, which he said "demonstrates a flagrant disregard for the safety of civilians." Russia is retaliating for the recent expulsion of its diplomats from its NATO mission in Brussels, saying Monday it will suspend its mission to the alliance and ordered NATOs office in Moscow shuddered. Earlier in the month, NATO said eight Russians working at its mission in Brussels were intelligence officers and removed their accreditation. NATO also cut the staff at its Moscow office from 20 to 10. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the allegations, saying "NATO isn't interested in any kind of equal dialogue or joint work. "As a result of NATO's deliberate moves, we have practically no conditions for elementary diplomatic work. And in response to NATO's actions, we suspend the work of our permanent mission to NATO, including the work of the chief military envoy, probably from November 1. Or it may take several more days," he said. "The alliance's line towards our country is becoming more and more aggressive," he added, accusing NATO of overblowing the Russian threat to maintain its relevance. Lavrov said issues between Russia and NATO would be handled by the Russian Embassy in Belgium. NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said Russia has yet to formally give notice on its actions. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in Luxembourg that Moscows move will further prolong the difficult situation we're in, this frosty period that's been going on for some time," adding that "this will put a further serious strain on relations." He called the move regrettable. Relations between NATO and Russia have been particularly strained since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Since then, both sides have been critical of each other over military exercises near the borders between the two. Some information in this report comes from The Associated Press and Reuters. A floundering economy, party in-fighting and ceaseless corruption allegations are plaguing South Africa's ruling African National Congress. The nationwide local elections on November 1 will test whether loyalty to the party that brought an end to apartheid will prevail or shift in favor of a new political order. In the neighborhood of Kliptown, Soweto, the late Nelson Mandela and others laid the foundation for the countrys democracy. Now, nearly 30 years since the end of apartheid, the public housing that provided shelter to Mandelas followers are crumbling. As residents prepare to elect new mayors and city councils, they say theyre weighing the legacy of Mandelas ruling African National Congress. Some, like Shayne Biggers, are venting frustration. They [are] doing nothing for us. Absolutely nothing. As you can see how this place looks, as you can see, they're nothing, nothing. Im very angry, said Biggers. "Even if I see those people still campaigning, I think for myself, Why must we still go and vote? Why must we go vote, because nothing [is] being done for our place here. South Africas municipalities are in crisis, with many local governments insolvent and unable to deliver basic services like water and sanitation. Years of disappointment may lead people to not vote at all. For those who do turn out, there is no obvious favorite among the more than 300 parties and independent candidates. Roland Henwood is a political scientist at the University of Pretoria. This is a very difficult election to call, probably the most difficult election to go since 94. The levels of mismanagement and corruption are staggering. And this is mostly something that can be put in front of the ANC. And that is why the levels of dissatisfaction, levels of disillusionment, are staggering, said Henwood. The past year has brought the countrys challenges to a peak. A national inquiry into graft under former President Jacob Zuma revealed testimony of rigged tenders and kickbacks which cost the public millions of dollars. Meanwhile, economically stifling lockdowns saw the unemployment rate soar to 34 percent. This scenario gives confidence to new opposition parties. Herman Mashaba leads ActionSA, formed only a year ago. COVID-19, as bad as it was, it actually exposed the deep-rooted criminality of [the] ANC. It exposed the deep-rooted corruption element of the ANC. So, people are wide awake. We're going to mobilize South Africans, use our democratic right of voting them out, to ensure that we can have a prosperous South Africa, said Mashaba. But life-long party members who attribute their freedom and right to vote to the ANC remain loyal. Sifiso Khanyile is among the party faithful. I can say let's give them a chance, maam, one more chance. They will put this one through. They have to put people first now than themselves. If they can do that, this country will go forward without any hassle and hesitation, said Khanyile. On November 1, South African voters will show whether they believe the ANC can still bring reform, or whether it is time to give the opposition a chance to bring positive change. Forces in Ethiopia's Tigray region said Monday that the Ethiopian government launched airstrikes on the regional capital of Mekelle. The bombing was also reported by residents and humanitarian workers in Tigray, but the Ethiopian government denied the claims. The United Nations said it was looking into the reports of the strikes. "We are deeply concerned about the potential impact on civilians," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the United States was also looking into the reported attack. "We, broadly speaking, do remain gravely concerned by what has been escalating violence in Tigray for some time," he said. Agence France-Presse reported that according to a hospital official in Mekelle, at least three people died in Monday's airstrikes. Witnesses in the region say one of the airstrikes hit close to a market. It was not possible to confirm the accounts, because the region is under a communications blackout. Legesse Tulu, an Ethiopian government spokesperson, denied that the government had launched any attacks on Mekelle. Mekelle has not seen large-scale fighting since June, when Tigray forces retook control of most of the region and Ethiopian forces withdrew from the area. Following that, the conflict continued to spill into the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar. Last week, Tigray forces said the Ethiopian military had launched a ground offensive to push them out of Amhara. The Ethiopian federal government has been engaged in an armed conflict with fighters from the northern Tigray region for nearly a year. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray last November, saying it was a response to attacks on federal army camps by forces loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front. The United Nations said the fighting has killed thousands of people and put hundreds of thousands of people in danger of famine. Margaret Besheer and Nike Ching contributed to this report. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse. Former President Donald Trump testified under oath on Monday as part of a civil lawsuit brought by protesters who allege they were assaulted by his security guards in New York in 2015, a lawyer for the protesters told a news conference. Trump sat for a videotaped deposition on Monday morning at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan, said Benjamin Dictor, a lawyer who sought Trump's testimony in the long-running dispute. "The president was exactly how you would expect him to be. He answered questions the way you would expect Mr. Trump to answer questions and conducted himself in a manner that you would expect Mr. Trump to conduct himself," Dictor said. New York Supreme Court Justice Doris Gonzalez last week ordered Trump to sit for the videotaped deposition. In New York state, a trial-level court is called a Supreme Court. Trump said in a statement he was pleased to have provided testimony in the case. "After years of litigation, I was pleased to have had the opportunity to tell my side of this ridiculous story just one more example of baseless harassment of your favorite president," Trump said. A group of protesters brought the lawsuit in 2015, alleging that Trump's security guards attacked them while they were demonstrating outside Trump Tower in September of that year over the then-presidential candidate's comments that Mexican immigrants were criminals and rapists. "They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists," Trump said during the June 16 speech announcing his candidacy. Trump faces several civil lawsuits over conduct from before and during his 2017-2021 presidency. Defamation lawsuit Earlier this month, a New York state judge gave Trump a December 23 deadline to undergo questioning in a defamation lawsuit filed by Summer Zervos, a former contestant on "The Apprentice." During the 2016 presidential campaign, Zervos accused Trump of subjecting her to unwanted kissing and groping when she sought career advice in 2007, two years after her appearance on his reality television show. Zervos sued Trump in January 2017, but the case remains unresolved in part because Trump argued while in the White House that a sitting president could not be sued. That issue became moot after Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, which made Trump a private citizen, New York's highest court ruled in March. Trump's lawyer in that case, Alina Habba, has denied Zervos' allegations, calling the lawsuit frivolous. Two laborers were killed by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir Sunday, police said, the latest victims of a fresh outbreak of violence that has sent jitters through the disputed Muslim-majority region. The two laborers, who were Hindus from Bihar, a state outside the Himalayan territory, were shot in the southern Wanpoh area of Kashmir valley. A third was critically injured, police said. The killings came a day after a street vendor and a laborer, also from Bihar, were killed in separate shootings. One was Muslim, the other was Hindu. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the four deaths, which have sent shockwaves through minority communities in the region. Tensions have risen in Kashmir since August 2019 when Hindu-nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government scrapped the region's semi-autonomy and brought it under New Delhi's direct rule. This was accompanied by a huge security operation and communications blackout with tens of thousands of extra soldiers joining the estimated half-million already on the ground. Modi said the change was to end decades of violence and bring prosperity to Kashmir. But locals said the laws enacted since then favored Indians from outside the territor. The latest killings come hard on the heels of a series of street shootings last week that left seven more civilians dead, among them three members of the local Hindu and Sikh communities. Those shootings were claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF) rebel group, which accused them of working for India's security agencies. In total, 32 civilians have been shot dead this year so far, a majority of them local Muslims. Meanwhile deadly clashes between insurgents and government forces have claimed roughly 30 lives -- including soldiers and rebels -- in the past two weeks. Police said five TRF militants have been killed since last week, including two on Saturday. Two soldiers died in a firefight near the cease-fire line between India- and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir on Saturday, the military said. Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. The nuclear-armed rivals have fought two wars over its control. An armed rebellion against Indian rule of Kashmir started in 1989 with groups demanding independence or merger of the region with Pakistan. Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting. Pakistan denies India's repeated accusations that it supports the rebels. The long sheds at North Americas largest bitcoin mine look endless in the Texas sun, packed with the type of machines that have helped the United States to become the new global hub for the digital currency. The operation in the quiet town of Rockdale was part of an already bustling U.S. business now boosted by Beijings intensified crypto crackdown that has pushed the industry west. Experts say rule of law and cheap electricity in the United States are a draw for bitcoin miners, whose energy-gulping computers race to unlock units of the currency. Theres a lot of competitors coming into Texas because they are seeing the same thing (as) when we came here, said Chad Everett Harris, CEO of miner Whinstone, which operates the Rockdale site owned by U.S. company Riot Blockchain. China was the undisputed heartland of crypto mining with about two-thirds of global capacity in September 2019, but last month Beijing declared illegal all transactions involving crypto money as it seeks to launch one of its own. Figures released Wednesday by the University of Cambridge showed that activity in the United States more than doubled in the four months to the end of August, increasing the market share held by the worlds biggest economy to 35.4%. Samir Tabar, chief strategy officer at miner Bit Digital, said the company started to pull out of China in 2020 and accelerated that process as the crackdown intensified. They have operations in the United States and Canada. Chinas bitcoin mining ban was basically an unintentional gift to the U.S., he said. Thanks to their ban an entire sector migrated to North America along with innovation, labor and machines. Some of the key pulls toward the United States are simply a democratic government, a court system and the power to protect property rights. If youre going to make long-term investments and accumulate wealth in a country, you want to have some confidence that its not going to be taken away by the government, said David Yermack, a crypto expert at New York University. Poetic return to America He expected the shift to the United States to be temporary, saying places like Nordic countries have cheap and abundant renewable energy, as well as plenty of cold weather to cool the hot-running mining machines. The steady increase in U.S.-based mining operations has fanned the ongoing environmental criticisms of the industrys massive annual electricity consumption more than what the Philippines uses in a year, according to Cambridge University data. An ongoing backlash has been fueled by concerns the industry relies on carbon-emitting power sources that contribute to climate change. To think that were causing harm or pollution or all those things here the majority of our power comes out of the ERCOT grid and that profile is extremely friendly to the environment, Harris said, referring to the Texas power network operator. According to ERCOTs data for 2020, about 46% of its power came from natural gas while wind and solar combined for 25% with coal at 18%. The price miners pay for electricity is key, and a place like Texas is desirable because the market is de-regulated so companies can have more flexible terms, said Viktoriya Zotova, a business school professor at Georgetown University. In principle, they can buy the electricity when its cheaper and not buy it when its more expensive, she said. While there are obvious reasons for the crypto worlds migration, some also see a bit of poetry in mining operations coming to the United States from China. Tabar, from miner Bit Digital, said his company has a site in Buffalo, New York, which used to be one of the countrys main manufacturing hubs but lost jobs and prosperity as production work shifted to places like China. There is a bit of a poetic thing going on, he noted. It dawned on me how this is going full circle. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is warning Russia against distracting European leaders with new talks when it has yet to make good on previous commitments. "Russia, which currently occupies 20% of Georgia's territory, should focus on honoring its 2008 cease-fire commitments before promoting any new discussion platforms," Austin said Monday during a visit to Tbilisi, Georgia, to meet with the country's prime minister and defense minister. "I'm here to reassure Georgia," Austin added. "We have many shared interests, and of course, shared values, and we see a number of opportunities for security cooperation." The visit to Georgia is the first stop of a European swing that will also take the U.S. defense secretary to Ukraine and Romania. Austin will also travel to Belgium to participate in a NATO defense ministers meeting. Russia recently floated the idea of a so-called 3+3 format for talks to resolve lingering issues with Georgia. The format would include Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as Iran and Turkey. According to Russia's Foreign Ministry, the idea already has the support of Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Georgia has been steadily expanding ties with the U.S. and other Western countries, and like Ukraine, it has been seeking to join NATO. The top U.S. envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, is stepping down from his post, less than two months after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Khalilzad's departure in a statement Monday evening, saying the envoy would be replaced by his deputy, Thomas West. "I extend my gratitude for his decades of service to the American people," Blinken said. Khalilzad had been the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan for the past three years, serving under both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Before that, he had served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Iraq and Afghanistan under former President George W. Bush. Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, has faced criticism for his role leading negotiations with the Taliban and the Afghan government beginning in 2018. Khalilzad failed to broker a power-sharing government between the two sides but did negotiate an agreement between the Taliban and the United States in February 2020, which led to the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. As U.S. forces withdrew from the country this year, Taliban forces rapidly took over cities across Afghanistan, leading to the fall of the U.S-backed government in Kabul in August. The speed of the Taliban takeover contributed to a chaotic U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in which hundreds of U.S. citizens and thousands of Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort scrambled to leave the country in the final days of the U.S. military operation. In a letter to Blinken, Khalilzad acknowledged that he was not able to broker a power-sharing government between the Taliban and the U.S-backed government in Kabul. "The political arrangement between the Afghan government and the Taliban did not go forward as envisaged," he wrote. "The reasons for this are too complex and I will share my thoughts in the coming day and weeks," he added. However, Khalilzad defended the deal he brokered between the United States and the Taliban. He argued it was not faults in the agreement that led to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, but decisions by both the Trump and Biden administrations to withdraw from the country despite the Taliban's failure to comply with many aspects of the deal. He wrote that the Taliban "agreed to negotiate directly with the existing Afghan government for a power sharing agreement and a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire," along with pledging not to carry out attacks on U.S. forces and not to support terrorists. As part of the agreement, the United States "agreed to withdraw our forces in phases over a 14-month period if the Taliban implemented their commitments," he said. Khalilzad said in his letter that "now is the right time" to step down from his post, saying the United States is "at a juncture when we are entering a new phase in our Afghanistan policy." Khalilzad, a former Colombia University professor, entered the U.S. government during the Carter administration, when the United States was beginning its support for Afghan mujahedeen fighters battling Soviet forces that occupied Afghanistan. His replacement, West, is a longtime aide to Biden, having served on Biden's national security team when he was vice president. Nike Ching at the State Department contributed to this report. Some information also came from the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will travel Monday to Lake Mead to promote the Biden administrations climate crisis strategy and urge passage of a major infrastructure plan. The man-made reservoir near the gambling and tourist destination city of Las Vegas, Nevada, is a major source of water for seven Western U.S. states and northern Mexico. Harris will hear from local, state and federal officials on the declining water levels at Lake Mead, the largest in the U.S. by volume, which provides drinking water and electricity for more than 40 million people across the region. The U.S. government in August declared the first-ever water shortage at Lake Mead, which has fallen to record lows amid a decades-long drought in the Western U.S. The shortage has forced officials to impose water rationing next year for Nevada, the neighboring state of Arizona and Mexico. With the trip to Lake Mead, Harris plans to promote a $550 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, an agreement reached earlier this year between President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators. The investment includes tens of billions of dollars to shore up the nations water infrastructure and protect communities against the impact of climate change, including lingering heat waves and droughts. The infrastructure plan has been approved by the U.S. Senate, but is stalled in the House over intense and increasingly bitter negotiations over funding for the presidents Build Back Better plan, which would provide a significant boost to the nations social safety net. Some information for this report came from the Associated Press. Terms of Use and Privacy Notice Privacy Statement We will collect no personal information about you when you visit our website unless you choose to provide that information to us. Information Collected and Stored Automatically If you do nothing during your visit but browse through the website, read pages, or download information, we will gather and store certain information about your visit automatically. This information does not identify you personally. 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VOAs Copyright Agent for notice of claims of copyright infringement on or regarding VOAs site can be reached by sending an email to copyrightclearances@usagm.gov or writing to: Voice of America Copyright Agent 330 Independence Ave, SW Suite 3349 Washington, D.C. 20237 United States of America A United Nations special envoy, Alena Douhan, who is currently visiting Zimbabwe to assess the impact of targeted sanctions imposed on Zanu PF officials, held her first meeting in Harare today with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, amid an appeal by the government for the scrapping of the restrictive measures. Douhan, a U.N. Special Rapporteur on Negative Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures on Human Rights and professor of international law, is also expected to hold a series of meetings with leaders of opposition parties, churches and non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders. In a tweet, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said, It was a pleasure to welcome Alena Douhan, Special Rapporteur for Human Rights, to Zimbabwe. Her 10-day trip aims to assess the impact of punitive economic sanctions on ordinary Zimbabweans. These sanctions are illegal and hurt the most vulnerable in our society. In a similar tweet, Information Secretary, Nick Mangwana, noted that there is no question on the deleterious impact of Sanctions on this country. Lets all speak with one voice on #ZimSanctionsMustGo. Sanctions know no colour or party that one belongs to, hence it is incumbent upon all Zimbabweans to speak with one voice and call for the immediate removal of the sanctions." In a note on her Twitter page before leaving for Zimbabwe, Douhan wrote that she will be in Zimbabwe for a couple of days. Country visit of the SR on unilateral coercive measures to Zimbabwe is planned to 18-28.10.2021. I invite all interlocutors to provide relevant submissions. Some Zimbabweans, who have been closely following her visit, reacted to Mnangagwas tweet with some calling for the removal of the targeted sanctions while other believe that the ruling party is to blame for the restrictive measures. One of them identified as Nicole Hondo said, We hope Ms Douhan will see first hand how illegal sanctions by USA, Britain and European Union have held back the Zimbabwe economy from its full potential and hurt ordinary citizens. But Arthur Zirabada reminded Zanu PF about what it used to do during the liberation struggle. He said, Do you know that in 1978, ZANU sent Zvobgo to the United Nations to advocate for more Sanctions & travel bans against Smiths regime? ZANU also urged UN to condemn rigged elections. Takudzwa Mahuni added that Zanu-PF is hurting Zimbabwe more than sanctions. But Tanaka says Zimbabweans should address their own problems without any foreign intervention. It's sad that human rights are an issue we need to have interventions on. We should learn to be progressive enough to upgrade and update our own conduct without the need of foreign delegations whose own nations often have poor human rights records. You must improve Mr President. Farai Makomo, who is fuming about the current situation in Zimbabwe, said, The United States, Britain and other nations imposed targeted sanctions on Zanu PF officials and some companies following claims of election rigging and human rights abuses. U.S. targeted sanctions apply to only 86 Zimbabwean individuals and 56 entities (mostly farms and legal entities owned by the 87 individuals) as of February 2020. The Zimbabwe sanctions program implemented by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) began on March 7, 2003, when then President George Bush issued an Executive Order imposing sanctions against specifically identified individuals and entities in Zimbabwe. Former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump also maintained the sanctions regime. LaVon Rapp, age 95, of Alexandria, died on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, November 20, 2021, 11:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Alexandria with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. Morristown, VT (05661) Today Snow this morning will taper off and give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 38F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 80%.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 23F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Cuba Gooding Jr. Photo: John Lamparski/Getty Images Cuba Gooding Jr.s groping trial will start February 1, Manhattan Judge Curtis Farber decided Monday. Gooding faces six misdemeanor counts of alleged sexual misconduct involving three women. Farber set the date after expressing annoyance that proceedings in Goodings case would soon enter their third year. I want to lock this down for trial, Farber said. This case has been on my calendar for two years. In asking that the trial date be set firmly, prosecutors said they have a lot of witnesses and have to fly people in. Gooding sported a dark-gray suit, a crisp white button-down, and an interpretive approach to aviator sunglasses. As Gooding entered the courthouse at 100 Centre Street, one person walking in for other court business wondered aloud, Whos that? Learning that the man was Gooding, the onlooker said I knew it! with starstruck satisfaction. Someone else shouted Gooding! shortly before the actor passed through the door. During an August 2020 court appearance, prosecutors revealed that 30 women had come forward with allegations against Gooding. He has maintained his innocence. Later that August, the Jerry Maguire actor was sued for rape by a Jane Doe in Manhattan federal court. The accuser alleged that Gooding forcibly performed vaginal and anal sex on her in 2013. One of Goodings lawyers, Mark Heller, denied the allegations, which he called completely false and perjurious. He added, The incident never took place and did not give rise to any criminal complaint seven years back when it purportedly took place. Photo: Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees reached a tentative deal for a three-year agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. AMPTP represents studios like Disney, Universal, and Paramount, and if a contract deal had not been reached by Monday, 60,000 IATSE members would have gone on strike. Broad strokes of the deal were shared by IATSE in a series of bullet points, including ten-hour turnaround times between shifts, increased meal penalties, and a living wage for the lowest-paid workers on set. And although that strike was averted, many IATSE members are still not happy. Basically nothing has changed, Los Angeles-based DP Ernesto Lomeli told Variety. I have not heard a single person saying they will vote yes. The actual final language of the contract is being written up now, and a ratification vote is still weeks off. On social media, many IATSE members have been expressing dismay at what few gains were won after such a display of collective willpower. According to IATSE, 90 percent of their members voted in the strike authorization, with 98 percent voting Yes. The Instagram account ia_stories temporarily shut off comments as members expressed dissatisfaction with the deal. The account initially called the comment shut-off an accident, but later in its Stories said it was done in a moment of panic. these are the comments on the ia_stories post announcing the tentative agreement pic.twitter.com/RYdRuh4kDZ Alex Press (@alexnpress) October 17, 2021 Update, October 20: IATSE has released a timetable for ratifying both the Basic Agreement (BA) and Area Standard Agreement (ASA). The BA covers IATSE workers in the 13 West Coast Studio locals, and the ASA covers 26 locals outside of Los Angeles. After the language of both agreements is fully hammered out, IATSE members will vote on them simultaneously, in much the same way they voted to authorize the strike. The Basic Agreement and the Area Standards Agreement will be voted on at the same time. There are a lot of moving parts, so we are unable to provide specific dates at this time. However, we CAN provide a general timeline of the process between now and the ratification votes. pic.twitter.com/OTN7o26n1O IATSE // #IASolidarity (@IATSE) October 20, 2021 Update, October 27: On October 26, the union announced it tentatively reached a deal in its Area Standards Agreement, which covers 20,000 workers in areas outside of New York and Los Angeles. Per Variety, the deal, which also must be ratified by IATSE members, saw low-wage members get a boost of up to 60 percent in hourly minimum wages, a minimum of a 9 percent scale wage increase by the end of the three-year contract, and changes to rest periods. Specifics will be shared in a memorandum to members within the next few weeks. Members covered under this deal also voted earlier in October to authorize a strike amid stalled contract negotiations. Ratification for both the Basic Agreement and the Area Standards Agreement will occur online simultaneously. Photo: Taylor Hill/Getty Images Like character, like actor. Sarah Snook got married earlier this year, she revealed in an interview for the cover of Vogue Australia, following in the footsteps of her Succession character Shiv Roy. The Australian actor married comedian and TV host Dave Lawson, a longtime friend whom she said she lived with during the COVID-19 lockdown last year and fell in love with. Weve been friends since 2014, lived together, travelled together, always excited to see each other, but totally platonic, Snook told the magazine. Weve just never been single at the same time. And it sounds like Snooks wedding went down a tad bit differently than Shivs glitzy nuptials to Tom Wambsgans on the English countryside. I proposed and we got married in February in my backyard, she said, for one. And on top of that, Snooks friend Ash Zukerman served as the witness unlike his own Succession character Nate, Shivs romantic temptation who gets kicked out of her wedding reception after Tom learns they had an affair. So dont go confusing Snook for Shiv. I have no idea what it is like to be a billionaire, other than through research, the actor added. Whereas, Im on this farm with Dave in nature and Im like, Woo hoo. As for Lawson, he seems supportive of Snooks work on the show even making her a trophy out of foil when she lost her Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Emmy. The auto industry continues its rush to build factories for production of the massive batteries needed to power electric vehicles. Automaker Stellantis, formed by last year's merger of Fiat Chrysler and French automaker PSA Group, and South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution announced Monday they are partnering to produce lithium-ion batteries for the North American market. The companies said in a news release that they plan to build a new facility with a yearly production capacity of 40 gigawatt hours. While the facility's location is still under review, the companies said they plan to break ground in the second quarter of 2022. Production is set to begin by 2024. The batteries it produces will go to Stellantis plants throughout North America for electric vehicles. "Today's announcement is further proof that we are deploying our aggressive electrification road map and are following through on the commitments we made during our EV Day event in July," said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. Stellantis rivals General Motors and Ford are already in the process of building their own EV battery plants. GM has two joint venture plants with LG units under construction, one in Lordstown, Ohio, which is expected to start production of batteries early next year, and another adjacent to an existing GM assembly plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Each plant is expected to cost $2.3 billion. LG was the maker of the battery used in GM's Chevrolet Bolt, which have caused fires, which in turn prompted a costly recall of almost all the Bolts sold since their 2016 debut. Those batteries were built in South Korea. LG has agreed to pay GM about $1.9 billion of the $2 billion cost of that recall. Last month Ford has announced plans for battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee with LG rival SK Innovations, along with new assembly plants for electric vehicles. Together the new plants will cost $11 billion. Automakers are ramping up production plans for electric vehicles, both to meet increasingly tougher environmental regulations as well as increasing demand among car buyers. Electric cars have less moving parts than gas-powered vehicles and therefore can be cheaper to build due to the reduced hours of labor that goes into assembling them. Much of the construction of electric vehicle will entail building the batteries themselves. The fact that the automakers are creating joint ventures with other companies means the workers in the battery plants will not necessarily be represented by the United Auto Workers union, a fact that has concerned the union, which is worried about the loss of jobs the shift to electric vehicles might cause. There is a need for new battery plants with looming shortage of the batteries needed to power the cars. The lack of inventory could put upward pressure on battery prices, and keep the cost of EVs higher than traditional gasoline cars in the near term. Even with its own battery plant in Nevada, electric car leader Tesla said it needs more batteries from suppliers, and has also said that a lack of batteries is the reason it has yet to come out with an electric semi-tractor truck, which will need five times as many batteries as a typical EV. Back in July, Stellantis announced "plans to invest more than 30 billion through 2025 in electrification and software." It said at the time that it was planning for 70% of its sales in Europe and 40% of sales in the United States to be either fully electric or plug-in hybrid (but with a large majority of those vehicles being fully electric) within four years. LG previously supplied the battery-pack system for the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan, according to Monday's news release. - CNN Business' Peter Valdes-Dapena contributed to this report The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Alex Murdaugh waived an extradition hearing in Florida on Friday, according to the Orange County Corrections office, and returned to South Carolina a day later to face charges related to the misappropriation of settlement funds in connection with the 2018 death of his family's longtime housekeeper. He was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, according to Richland County, South Carolina, online records. The waiver of extradition, provided by Orange County Corrections, said Murdaugh agreed to "waive the issuance and service [warrant] and all other procedures incidental to extradition proceedings," and agreed to remain in custody without bail. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced Friday Murdaugh's bond hearing on charges of obtaining property by false pretenses will take place on Tuesday, October 19 at the Richland County Courthouse in Columbia. Murdaugh was out on bond on an insurance fraud case and was in a drug rehabilitation facility in Orlando, Florida, when he was arrested on Thursday on charges related to misappropriation of settlement funds. The housekeeper's death The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, or SLED, announced in mid-September it was opening a criminal investigation into the death of Gloria Satterfield, Murdaugh's former housekeeper. SLED launched the investigation after a request from the Hampton County coroner highlighting inconsistencies in the ruling of her manner of death, as well as other information gathered during other investigations involving Murdaugh. Satterfield worked for the Murdaughs for 25 years and died following what was described as a "trip and fall" accident at the Murdaugh home in 2018, said Eric Bland, an attorney for Satterfield's estate. In its request to SLED, the coroner's office wrote Satterfield's death was "not reported to the coroner at the time, nor was an autopsy performed." Her death certificate notes the manner of death was "natural," which the coroner wrote was "inconsistent with injuries sustained in a trip and fall accident." After Satterfield died, a $500,000 wrongful death claim was filed against Murdaugh on behalf of her estate, Bland told CNN. The estate has not received any of the money owed as the result of a 2018 civil settlement, according to Bland. In September, Bland filed a lawsuit against Murdaugh on behalf of Satterfield's estate, seeking the money they say they are due. Bland released a statement Thursday on behalf of Satterfield's children -- Tony Satterfield and Brian Harriott -- in relation to Murdaugh's arrest. "Today is a bittersweet day for the Satterfield and Harriott Families," Bland's statement read. "The families and their attorneys are proud of how our justice system has conducted itself since the family had the courage to file its initial lawsuit ... no one is above the law." Other cases Thursday's arrest represents the latest legal and personal challenge for Murdaugh, who survived being shot in the head in September and, authorities said, then admitted the shooting was a conspiracy with a former client to kill him as part of a fraud scheme so his only surviving son could collect an insurance payout. Medical records released by Murdaugh's attorney show he was taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia, following the shooting and was discharged two days after being admitted. The documents show Murdaugh called EMS himself and arrived in a trauma bay "awake and alert." A "head to toe examination ... revealed two superficial appearing bullet wounds to the posterior scalp with no active hemorrhage," the records say, noting he had no other signs of trauma. Authorities have said several other investigations related to the Murdaugh family are underway, including into the June deaths of Murdaugh's wife and other son, who were gunned down at their family estate in Islandton. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. A Florence woman is behind bars after police say she stabbed her longtime boyfriend. Katie Ann Finch was arrested Sunday and charged with domestic violence. Florence Police Department officers responded to the 700 block of Meridian Street about 5:13 a.m. Sunday and found a man who had been stabbed in the arm with a knife. He was taken to North Alabama Medical Center for surgery. His injuries are not life-threatening, according to police. Finch is being held in the Lauderdale County Detention Center. Bond was set at $30,000 but has been revoked. A Mississippi man accused of fleeing police and stealing vehicles out of Alabama and Tennessee has been arrested in Indiana, according to police. Giles County (Tennessee) Sherriffs Office said 46-year-old David Drew Williams of Jones County, Mississippi, is the man they suspect of fleeing officers in Minor Hill around 8 p.m. Oct. 13. According to the sheriffs office, Minor Hill Police Department attempted a traffic stop on Tennessee 11, but the driver fled down McRee Lane. GCSO said two males fled on foot, and the passenger, a juvenile, was caught a few hours later. The truck was stolen out of Cullman, Alabama, GCSO said. In the vehicle, deputies found stolen property, guns and narcotics. GCSO said Williams was wanted in multiple states and across the Southeast. As of Monday morning, he was awaiting extradition to Giles County. According to police, several vehicles along McRee Road were found to be burglarized around that time, and a dark gray 2000 Chevrolet pickup truck with repaired damage on the tailgate and a Navy sticker on the rear window was reported stolen 8 a.m. Thursday. Toyota Alabama on Monday celebrated its first engine for the 2022 Tundra to come off the production line at its Madison County plant. The new engines, a hybrid electric powered twin-turbo V6 engine and the gas-powered twin-turbo V6 engine, usher in the next era of powertrains being assembled in Huntsville, according to a news release. Toyota Alabama twin-turbo V6 engine (Image from Toyota Alabama) Toyota Alabama twin-turbo V6 engine (Image from Toyota Alabama) The engine line was part of a $288 million investment that added 450 new jobs. The Huntsville plant, which has about 1,800 workers, is the exclusive producer of the 2022 Tundras engines. More from the release: Toyota Alabamas total cumulative investment is $1.2 billion and now boasts an annual engine capacity of 900,000. Our team members in Alabama recognize the confidence and trust Toyota places in us since we are the only plant selected to build engines for the all-new Tundra, shared Jason Puckett, president of Toyota Alabama. Launching the new twin-turbo V6 line and celebrating our 20th anniversary remind us here just how lucky we are to have such incredible team members who have made Toyota Alabama known as the engine capital of the world. At 142 yards, both of the twin-turbo V6 engine options for the 2022 Tundra are being built on the longest Toyota engine line in North America. The V6 Turbo line will produce a new engine every 58 seconds, with a capacity to build 18,000 engines each month. These additional engines push the total capacity for Toyota Alabama engine production to up to 900,000 engines per year. The all-new 2022 Tundra goes on sale later this year. The standard i-FORCE 3.5L twin-turbo produces up to 389 horsepower and 479 lb.-ft of torque. The i-FORCE MAX powertrain boasts 437 horsepower and 583 lb. -ft of torque, making it the most powerful engine in the Toyota line-up. For the last 20 years, our state and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama have shared a mutually beneficial relationship that has created remarkable outcomes for Alabamians, Gov. Kay Ivey said. Toyotas $288 million investment to produce the all-new twin-turbo V6 engine continues to demonstrate that Alabama is not only open for business, but is the best place to do business. Toyota Alabama is hiring. To learn more visit toyotamanufacturingjobs.com. Toyota Alabama announced another $288-million expansion to build the new twin turbo V-6 engine for the 2022 Toyota Tundra, making its North Alabama plant the only one in the word to produce the engine. "This is our future," said Toyota Alabama President Jason Puckett. "This is a testament to our team members and investment of Toyota globally in this plan for northern Alabama." Toyota Alabama twin-turbo V6 engine (Image from Toyota Alabama) Toyota Alabama twin-turbo V6 engine (Image from Toyota Alabama) This new expansion brings another 450 jobs to North Alabama, boosting the plant's total employment to 1,800. But, like many businesses, it's been a challenge to fill those positions for the last couple of years because of the pandemic. "We made a lot of improvements with our pay and benefits to try and attract that talent here," Puckett said. August's unemployment rate is close to pre-pandemic levels, but a labor shortage can coexist with low unemployment rates. "While there are available jobs, the available workforce may not necessarily be qualified either over or under for the jobs with openings," said Kelly Betts of the Alabama Department of Labor. "Additionally, some workers are not willing to move to areas of the state with more available jobs due to family concerns, salary concerns or any other reason." Economists have been predicting labor shortages for years, and Alabama was already facing a critical skilled labor shortage before the pandemic. "People need to remember that, despite the pandemic, that problem never really went away, and its been exacerbated by the pandemic," Betts said. According to the latest Alabama employment report, the labor force participation rate is at 56.6%. That means a little more than half of Alabama's population is eligible to work and currently employed or looking for work. ADOL said there is no easy answer to explain why there's a continued labor shortage, as it's a number of issues combined with pre-existing workforce issues. Some contributing factors include a lingering fear of Covid, people moving to other industries, early retirements, issues with child- or elder care and even a smaller available workforce due to the recent amount of deaths. "It's been a challenge," Puckett said. However, Toyota Alabama said that won't stop them from moving forward. "During good economic times and hardships, Toyota remains committed to the communities where our team members live and work," Puckett said. "We've accomplished remarkable things over the past 20 years, and the future is bright here in Toyota Alabama." The Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce is hoping to lend a helping hand to local companies. Erin Koshut said the Chamber is actively working to support companies by assisting workforce recruitment efforts and building awareness of the opportunities available in Huntsville. ADOL said Gov. Kay Ivey has also launched several initiatives to help recruit workers. On Monday, she said she's not worried about the labor shortage and actually encourages other industries to bring more jobs to our area. "Alabama is not only open for business, but wide open and the best place to do business," Ivey said. Scientists pay the most attention to mutations in the gene that encodes the viruss spike protein, which plays a key role in its entry into cells and is targeted by vaccines. The four variants of concern all carry multiple mutations affecting the spike protein. That raises questions about whether people who have developed antibodies to the regular or wild type strain -- either from a vaccine or from having recovered from Covid -- will be able to fight off the new variants. In most instances, the variants of concern do lead to a reduction in vaccine effectiveness of varying degrees, though that appears also to be affected by waning protection over time, especially among people 65 years and older. A U.K. study released ahead of peer-review and publication in September found vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization from a delta infection was 77% five months or more after a second shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine. At the same time point, effectiveness after two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 92.7%. The facts detailed in the indictment arent flattering for Forkner. But the idea that he was operating as some kind of rogue employee and should shoulder this much blame defies logic. The indictment says Forkner was aware that Boeing had agreed to compensate at least one airline customer if the FAA required more significant pilot training. It doesnt say he made that decision himself. Nor was he the one who elected to expand the scope of MCAS in the first place, without the kind of fixes and adjustments that Boeing has since made in order to get the Max flying again. It appears that he wasnt even properly informed of the rework. I basically lied to the regulators (unknowingly), Forkner wrote in a message to a colleague included in the legal filings after seemingly stumbling across the increased range of MCAS in a simulated test flight. It wasnt one person who acted for the sake of personal gain or commercial expediency; it was a culture that encouraged such behavior and a company that lacked the kind of inter-divisional coordination and quality controls necessary to churn out safe airplanes. The language in the DOJs statement on Forkner echoes that of a January deal with Boeing to settle a criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government with essentially a slap on the wrist. The headline penalty was $2.5 billion, but the vast majority of that represented customer compensation that Boeing would have needed to pay regardless. The deferred prosecution agreement requires Boeing to cooperate with investigators, enhance reporting on internal controls and meet routinely with regulators to prove its doing all it can to discourage future infractions. But the DOJ concluded that Boeing didnt need an independent compliance monitor, in part because its misconduct was neither pervasive across the organization, nor undertaken by a large number of employees, nor facilitated by senior management.Really? Forkner left Boeing in July 2018, according to the indictment. The first Max crash happened in October of that year. It took Boeing and former CEO Dennis Muilenburg many months after the second accident in March 2019 to take full accountability for the companys role in the crashes. Boeing repeatedly pushed overly optimistic deadlines for the Maxs return, to the point where, in late 2019, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson publicly rebuked the company. It wasnt until January 2020, 10 months into the Maxs grounding, that Boeing finally shifted its position and recommended simulator training for pilots.Despite the crash, Muilenburg was paid a total of $23.4 million in 2018, while board members including current CEO Dave Calhoun earned an average of $345,000 that year. Muilenburg was ousted in December 2019 but has re-emerged as CEO and chairman of New Vista Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company that raised more than $200 million earlier this year to hunt for deals in the space or air mobility industry. Theres something fundamentally lopsided about this. Next, countries that already have enough vaccines should speed up their donations and make way for deliveries to go elsewhere when theyre not needed. Up to now, the global Covax partnership has fallen short, chiefly because it hasnt been given the doses it was promised. This should be fixed. Knowing when supplies can be expected and receiving them directly from the manufacturer rather than through donor countries would help as well. Advance notice is critical, especially for countries ill-equipped to handle the more fragile mRNA vaccines. Draghi has stayed the course, refusing to be moved the protests. His steadfastness provides more impetus and support to Italys moderates. For a Europe hoping to mute extremism, Italy could become an encouraging bellwether. The country has an uncanny history of being an omen: Fascism begetting Nazism, Silvio Berlusconi prefiguring Donald Trump. The rise of populism here was seen as a harbinger for wider Europe. Now its wane notably in a country whose economy is on a two-decade decline is welcome news. And that would be thanks to the new mood that wonkish, gravitas-laden Draghi has brought to Italy. Lots of people, across the political spectrum. The presidential election of 2016, when Trump used Twitter as a megaphone, led to a torrent of criticism of social media companies about what many saw as anything-goes policies for politicians. That criticism grew as Trump, as president, used Twitter to issue threats, mock opponents and stretch truth. (Cornell University researchers found that Trump was likely the largest driver of misinformation about the pandemic.) Trump himself condemned the social media platforms for suppressing voices of conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. After Trump was silenced by Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, many of his supporters migrated to Parler, which calls itself the worlds premier free speech platform. Recent accusations by a whistle-blowing insider -- Frances Haugen, who worked as a Facebook product manager for almost two years, mostly on a team dedicated to stopping election misinformation -- provided fresh ammunition for critics of all political persuasions. Fears of being outlawed have swirled since last years court order that gave the dying industry new life. But that risk is now receding. While Beijing last month announced, in most unequivocal terms, its resolve to root out all transactions in virtual currencies, the consensus opinion is that New Delhi will hesitate to take such an extreme step. Thats partly because the relationship between private business and the state is different in India, where politicians need corporate donations to fight expensive elections, and citizens dont like being told by the government whether tutoring, online gaming or owning crypto assets is bad for them. Biden also made easily checked errors, like denouncing an outrageous provision to shorten voting hours that didnt actually exist. And he likened the law to Jim Crow. This rhetorical tack helped to harden Georgia Republicans resolve and gave them an easy response to criticism: It was hysterical and ignorant. They pointed out, as well, that many provisions of the law were comparable to, and sometimes even more voter-friendly than, the laws of many heavily Democratic states. The vast majority of commodity-based mutual funds and ETFs and are also backed by futures, but thats because the actual physical storage of most commodities is impractical, like with oil. Also, with almost all commodities most of the trading action and liquidity tends to happen in the futures market, not the spot market. The United States Oil Fund LP is the classic example of a commodity fund that is backed by futures. The fund earned some notoriety in 2020 when it scrambled to roll its futures contracts out the curve (in violation of its prospectus) in order to prevent the funds bankruptcy in the event that the price of oil went negative which it did. Many do not. Some signed a Helsingor Statement in 2014 and a Madrid Statement in 2015, saying industries should consider avoiding all PFAS. They caution that even if short-chain PFAS accumulate less in living tissue, they persist in the environment, where their carbon and fluorine bonds can recombine to create other varieties of PFAS. Companies also may use more of them to get the same effects that long-chain versions provided. While the American Chemistry Council questioned a draft EPA analysis that raised concerns about immunotoxicity, environmental and health advocates said the agency didnt consider the mix of PFAS any one person is exposed to. They said the data suggest that some short-chain PFAS -- -- including those currently used in Scotchgard spray and Teflon manufacturing -- may be as harmful to the liver, thyroid and kidney as the long-chain versions they replaced. Chemours, in its own January response to the EPA analysis, took issue with some of the liver findings. In the last decade, his collection has more than doubled in size, and he has become a patron as well as a collector. He and his partner, Elizabeth, who accompanies him on search expeditions, have befriended many of the miniatures artists. One is the Jangid family of Jaipur, India, who come from a long line of traditional wood carvers. The exquisitely wrought figurine of the Rajasthani woman is one of many pieces he has commissioned from the family. For Flores, its a way of not only adding to his stash but helping to financially support the practitioners of a dying art. And with flu season around the corner, some hospitals are still at or near capacity with covid-19 patients and people who put off care at the height of the pandemic, meaning theres little room for an influx of flu patients this winter. Officials are bracing for the possibility of a severe flu season and encouraging people to get a flu vaccine on top of a coronavirus vaccine. Friendly retired from The Post on his 60th birthday in 1971. After his death in 1983, The Post honored him in an editorial: Mr. Friendly broke a lot of newspaper rules in his years here, none more repeatedly and enthusiastically than the old stricture about keeping poetry out of the paper. . . . He knew the difference between good writing and the other kind, and he liked to remind his staff that he knew it. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy The one word I have to use with respect to what hes been doing for the last several years is the word I would never have used before, never would have used with any of the four presidents I worked for: He lies, Gen. Powell said on CNNs State of the Union show. He lies about things, and he gets away with it because people will not hold him accountable. While Youngkin promised to roll back restrictions on gun rights while pursuing the GOP nomination, he has more recently been mum on the topic focusing instead on crime as he seeks to woo independent voters who will play a crucial role in his increasingly tight race against former governor Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic nominee. More than 4,000 Americans and potentially hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians died in the insurgent conflict the Iraq invasion unleashed. Although Iraq had long been a simmering cauldron, it was the entry of U.S. troops, and the subsequent conduct of the war, that blew the lid off and kept the nation mired in violence and economic crisis, and created lasting challenges for the United States in Afghanistan, Syria and beyond. Georgia and Ukraine also face internal political discord that has made Western powers wary of whether the two countries which both have seen popular pro-democracy revolutions in this century are backsliding. Alongside the warm words he offered for Georgia on Monday, Austin also noted that the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi signaled that there had been some problems with its election this month, including reports of intimidation and vote-buying. Whether under Biden or Trump, no one appeared more qualified for the job of pushing Afghanistan toward peace and negotiating with both the Taliban and the Afghan government than Khalilzad. Born and raised in Afghanistan, he had gone to school with Ghani and the two traveled together to the United States as young students. As a Columbia University professor, he worked with the Jimmy Carter administration in the early days of U.S. covert support for Afghan mujahideen fighting against the Soviet Unions occupation of Afghanistan. The tension between compensating survivors who lost their homes and families whose relatives lost their lives is playing out in the community as well as in a Miami courtroom. Lawsuits were filed almost immediately after Champlain Towers South fell in the predawn hours of June 24, sheared in half for reasons that are still unknown. Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Michael A. Hanzman held the first hearing the following week even as rescue and then recovery teams were searching the site. Not until July 26 would the remains of the 98th victim finally be identified. Both the providers and the administration are asking for the law to be suspended, and for the Supreme Court take up the issue this term, before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit considers the merits of the law. The Supreme Court does that only rarely, but the action on Monday indicates the justices at least are considering it. The emphatic tone of the letter and legal arguments it lays out underscore the committees desire to move quickly and aggressively to combat any attempts to slow down or scuttle its investigation. The panel is scheduled to meet Tuesday evening to vote on the contempt charge against Bannon, which it is expected to approve, and it is possible the vote could be taken up by the full House as early as this week. The matter would then go to the Justice Department. I thought of him really more as just a straight public servant, and I think, because of that, he really believed in doing what was right for the country and adhering to the values that he thought were important to the country, Panetta said. When he sensed that the Republican Party was moving away from those values, it really meant for him that he had to stay true to who he was. Reps. David E. Price (N.C.) and Mike Doyle (Pa.), both of whom have served in Congress for more than two decades, became the second and third senior Democrats in the past week to announce plans to exit, just days after House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth (Ky.) announced last week that he would step aside. Four other Democrats have previously said that they plan to retire, while five members facing tough reelection prospects are seeking other offices. Former teammates Juan Soto (22) and Bryce Harper were both finalists for the NL MVP award. (Jonathan Newton/The Post) How do you land an MVP like Harper, or an MVP finalist like Soto? You pay them. A lot. I think that the sentence has an impact on the yakuza world in that restrictions and regulations for yakuza as a whole will continue to become stricter, said Garyo Okita, a former yakuza member who now writes semiautobiographical books and oversees film projects about Japanese crime groups. Now that theres a precedent of a death sentence, Kudo-kai wont be seen as some extreme case, but all yakuza will be seen as the same threat. June Mattingly, 73, passed away at her home surrounded by her family Nov. 10, 2021. She was born Sept. 23, 1948, in Washington, Indiana, to Elmo and Maxine (Thomas) Ledgerwood. On May 24, 1969, she married Gary Mattingly. A 1967 graduate of Washington High School, June was a homemaker who pr Trusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has told hundreds of employees they may have been underpaid more than expected due to a miscalculation of annual leave taken on public holidays over a six-year period. Emails sent to some staff members late on Friday afternoon, obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, indicate that underpaid staff may be owed more money than expected, or that the scope of underpaid staff may be larger than originally thought. The ABC is separately providing underpaid journalists who are owed more than $15,000 with additional money to engage external financial advisers about the matter, and is offering to write letters to banks on behalf of employees to help secure loans for about 100 staff who are expected to receive a guaranteed pay cut of up to 20 per cent due to faulty a buyout of some allowances. ABC staff have previously expressed frustration with a decision by management to stop paying buyouts to 100 employees. Credit:Steven Siewert The measures, according to ABC sources who spoke anonymously, come after fresh revelations were made of underpayment following a review of almost 2000 former and current workers last month. Committee member and Yawuru man Senator Pat Dodson told The Age on Monday that First Nations peoples should have the right to say no to the destruction of their cultural heritage. "That recommendation has been made in light of the inquiry, and the extensive amount of damage and destruction that's happened to Aboriginal heritage since colonisation, but more recently in the boom times of the west where Aboriginal people had no say and were completely locked out of the legislative framework in WA. Its really about correcting the balance and recognising the significance of Aboriginal cultural heritage to this nation and to First Nations peoples, and its one of the few things governments can do to try and redress the awful injustices that have happened to Aboriginal people, he said. Asked if he was confident the government would adopt the recommendations contained in the report, the Labor senator said: Im not confident this government will do anything, quite frankly. But I think that they need to. The destruction of the Juukan Gorge shelters in May 2020 ignited worldwide condemnation, led to the federal inquiry and plunged Australias second-largest miner into crisis. An uprising by Rio Tintos biggest shareholders in Australia and Britain eventually forced the resignations of the companys chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques and two of his deputies iron ore boss Chris Salisbury and head of corporate affairs Simone Niven. Rios chairman Simon Thompson is stepping down in the coming months. Loading Rios blasting of the site to make way for an expansion of the Brockman 4 iron ore mine was legally sanctioned, but went against the wishes of the traditional owners the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people who told the federal inquiry they were not aware of the miners intention to destroy the site until it was too late for the explosive charges to be removed. Rio Tinto has apologised and acknowledged failures in its engagement with the PKKP and missed opportunities that could have prevented the debacle. More than a year on, Rio remains in the process of pursuing improvements, including the formation of an Indigenous advisory group to point out gaps in protocols for managing Indigenous cultural heritage, ensure a better understanding of Indigenous culture and issues across the business including at board level, and provide a clear pathway to re-establish trust over time, the company said. The PKKP Aboriginal Corporation said on Monday that it would take time to consider the report and its recommendations. There continues to be much written and said both about what happened leading up to the destruction of the Juukan caves and the priceless artefacts within them, and what should be done to stop such behaviour from happening again, it said. For the PKKP, actions, not words, will be the true test. The PKKP added it would continue working in good faith with Rios leadership to ensure the attitudes and processes that led to the disaster were replaced by a genuine partnership and respect. Part of achieving that shared approach is a role for us in decision-making, and we believe this can be achieved through the co-management of mining activities on our lands, the group said. Put simply this means early, meaningful and ongoing engagement through all stages of mining activity. Senior traditional owners representing the Aboriginal Heritage Action Alliance welcomed the report and called on the WA government to immediately withdraw its proposed Aboriginal Heritage Bill. Clayton Lewis, a Nanda Widi man with family and cultural ties to WAs midwest, Murchison and Gascoyne regions, said the inquiry highlighted what traditional owners had long-known: the existing legislation serves developers, not protection of our culture and sacred sites. The report should cause the WA government to hang its head in shame, highlighting its failure to listen to traditional owners and the lack of trust we have in government to protect culture, he said. Rio Tintos new chief executive, Jakob Stausholm, said the company was working hard to rebuild trust with the PKKP and other traditional owners across its mining operations. We know this will take time and there will be challenges ahead, he said. But we are focused on improving our engagement with Indigenous Peoples and our host communities to better understand their priorities and concerns, minimise our impacts, and responsibly manage Indigenous cultural heritage in and around our operations. Across the nations mining sector, the loss of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters and the federal inquiry have drawn attention to the power imbalance underpinning relations between mining companies and Indigenous groups, including the use of gag orders in land-use contracts that ban traditional owners from publicly objecting to projects on their ancestral land, and outdated WA legislation that provides only applicants, not traditional owners, the ability to seek reviews of approval decisions. Merger and acquisition activity was in full swing on Monday starting with a $4 billion gaming deal, a stronger offer for gas producer Senex, and a merger in the financial planning sector. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.3 per cent to a three-week high of 7,381 points, following a strong Friday close on Wall Street where quarterly results impressed investors. Aristocrat Leisure stunned with a $3.9 billion takeover of gambling software company Playtech to be funded from its own coffers, a direct loan, and an entitlement offer. Consumer prices in New Zealand are rising the fastest in ten years, surprising the market and increasing expectations of higher interest rates. Credit:iStock Thats a phenomenal deal, said portfolio manager of the Tribeca Alpha Plus Fund Jun Bei Liu about Aristocrats news. They bought a company that everyone thought was way out of their league. The share price wont come on until Thursday, but expect overnight lots of positive (analyst and broker) reports about it. Ms Liu said takeover activity might speed up in coming months as it looked more likely interest rates would start rising. Especially now we see the bond yields start to move, because it gives people a sense of urgency to deploy capital. When borrowing could become more expensive everyone rushes out to buy stuff. Yields on Australian government five year bonds jumped 13.7 per cent on Monday while New Zealands jumped 20.5 per cent after its annual inflation surprised markets at a ten-year high of 4.9 per cent. Rising bond yields would weigh on growth companies including the technology sector, Ms Liu added. The big banks closed higher and the materials out-performed with strong gains in nickel and lithium miners like Orocobre, up 4.9 per cent. HUB24 closed 0.9 per cent lower at $32.77 after announcing a $380 million all-scrip offer for Class, which jumped 61.3 per cent on the All Ordinaries. In the energy sector, Korean steel-maker POSCO returned for a third time with a $815 million offer for natural gas producer Senex Energy, sending it 14.9 per cent higher. Also on the All Ordinaries, Superloop closed 22.2 per cent higher after selling some Asian subsidiaries. Meanwhile, Dominos Pizza fell 3.7 per cent to $132.69, dragged down by the weight of analyst warnings it was becoming too expensive after hitting a market cap of $14.2 billion in mid-September. Technology stock Afterpay fell 1.4 per cent, Xero was down 1.9 per cent, and WiseTech Global fell 2.9 per cent. It turns out that, in economics, maths like technology and much else can be used for good or ill. The three academic economists (and one ghost) who won this years Nobel Prize in economic science used mathematics to make economics more realistic and thus more useful to society. The reason economics has become dominant among the social sciences has had so much influence over the thinking and actions of governments - is the belief that understanding how and why people behave the way they do in the economic dimension of their lives their producing and consuming will help our leaders solve problems with the economy and make us happier and more prosperous. David Card, Joshua Angrist and Guido Imbens won the Nobel prize in economics. Credit:TT News Agency But sometimes I suspect that the bulk of academic economists whose beaverings wont go anywhere near winning any prize have lost sight of the goal of improving economists understanding of how the economy works and being more useful to the community and its leaders in improving our lives. I worry that academic economists have become more inward-looking and more concerned with impressing each other than in serving the mugs who ultimately pay their wages. (I make the same criticism of journalists, by the way.) Snow Country, Sebastian Faulks, Hutchinson, $32.99 Credit: The second part of a loose trilogy featuring the Schloss Seeblick, a sanatorium set among forbidding Austrian mountains, Snow Country takes up long after its predecessor Human Traces (2015) leaves off. That novel traced the institutions establishment by two pioneering psychiatrists in the 19th century. Here we begin in 1914 as catastrophe looms. Aspiring journalist Anton has fallen for an older Frenchwoman, Delphine a love affair warped, as everything else will be, by the outbreak of war. Meanwhile, the impoverished Lena follows her mothers footsteps to work at the sanatorium. When Anton visits years later, himself bearing scars from the war, the landscape of psychiatry has irrevocably changed. Twining historical romance and intellectual and medical history, Sebastian Faulks novel of ideas wrestles with existential questions in a more nuanced fashion than it imagines the weight of lived experience. The Riviera House, Natasha Lester, Hachette, $32.99 Credit: Its been quite some time since I last saw an airport, but airport fiction hasnt left us. Natasha Lester, author of the bestseller The Paris Secret, has produced a cookie-cutter historical romance that shifts between Nazi-occupied Paris and the present day. In 1939, Eliane Dufort is working at the Louvre, in love with a talented painter. After the Germans have occupied the city, her lover flees, and she begins to work for the French Resistance, cataloguing national treasures stolen by the occupiers. In the present day, Remy inherits a house on the French Riviera and stumbles across a catalogue of artworks stolen by the Nazis. Shes shocked to recognise one of them from her childhood home in Sydney. The two womens stories intersect in a plot as predictable as the authors gushing, sentimental style. Undemanding readers may find it a comfort; I found it badly written and unbelievably gooey. NON-FICTION PICK OF THE WEEK Top Blokes, Lech Blaine, Quarterly Essay, $24.99 Credit: Australians love to imagine themselves as anti-authoritarian larrikins, but is this the affected image wed prefer to believe rather than face the possibility that we are a cautious, conservative people who overwhelmingly elect conservative governments? In this sharp, witty essay Lech Blaine examines a myth that may well be in its death-throes. For too long, he argues, we have been hijacked by a pack of fabricated larrikins and bullshit artists. He starts and ends by examining ScoMos blokey image and the way conservative politics has appropriated the myth, much like Anzacery. But larrikin appropriation also includes the Hawke era, the Bonds and Packers and all those white, Western males who see power in projecting themselves as ordinary top blokes. Timely, astute, with dare I say a larrikin streak. When He Came Home, Dianne Dempsey, Arcadia, $29.95 Credit: In WWI it was called shell shock, in WWII lack of moral fibre. Today we know it as PTSD, although the condition was officially recognised only in 1980. Dianne Dempseys study, which concentrates on the Vietnam War and the roles of wives and women in holding families together, takes us behind the front doors and into the rooms of ordinary suburban houses and graphically shows just what happens when Johnny comes marching home. There are numerous case studies, all united by themes such as depression, domestic violence, suicide and inter-generational trauma. In one study a vet sits, eyes vacant, cradling his rifle, in the loungeroom with his wife and son: the gun goes off, the wife sees her sons shattered skull. But it didnt happen; the bullet missed. It was what she expected to see. This is confronting, important reading. The Devils Work, Garry Linnell, Viking, $34.99 Credit: The mystery of Jack the Ripper and his identity still haunts us, and this latest study, written in the manner of a Victorian gothic melodrama, provides an intriguing twist to the story. Was the Ripper Frederick Deeming known also by a host of aliases hanged for murder in the Old Melbourne Gaol in 1892? Garry Linnell skilfully orchestrates a complex tale that takes in colonial Australia, Britain, South Africa and the United States and incorporates a gallery of genuine characters, many of whom could have stepped out of a penny dreadful. But the central figure is the syphilitic Deeming, a deranged but often charming killer who claimed to be haunted by his dead mother. While there are those today who think he was the Ripper, the mystery mill keeps on turning. Theres some terrific writing in this atmospheric, deeply researched and inventive anatomy of an enigma. Nellie Robert Wainwright, Allen & Unwin, $32.99 Credit: One thing can certainly be said of Nellie Melba she dared to eat a peach. But, as this entertaining new biography shows, Helen Porter Mitchell was nearly a non-starter. Her strict Scottish father did not want her on the stage, and she had to fight him the whole way in spite of early glowing reviews in Melbourne. When she auditioned for her future teacher in Paris in 1886, by which time she was in a violent, abusive marriage, it was her last chance. I have finally found a star, her teacher said, and together they rechristened her and the rest is history. Robert Wainwright not only covers her career but her loves, especially the London-born claimant to the French throne Philippe dOrleans. Its a rounded portrait and the Melba that emerges is not only a prodigious talent but a trailblazing, fiercely independent and determined woman. Tension escalates when Lyles moral blandness faces corruption and the Amendment, a law that enables voluntary euthanasia. Will his rationalisation that killing their old dog was for Alans sake also apply to his mother, Ivy? Ivy is the novels lynchpin, the subtle link between past and present, old country and new, and the two halves of the book. A passing mention of her cousin, Lilian, is the one clue to how Lyles story connects with Lilis and yet it contains misinformation the past becomes fiction, fiction becomes memory as you will learn, or already know if youve read that section first. Lili tells her story as the memory of a time in 1981 when she was 22 years old and living in the south of France. A brown-skinned Asian-Australian, she teaches languages in Montpellier and mixes with a cosmopolitan group of young people, but feels out of place, a disorientated double-migrant. History is ever-present in France, haunting daily life with the ghosts of totalitarian power and colonialism as well as beauty. Lili reads Simone de Beauvoirs LInvitee, aspiring to be a Bold, Sexy, Modern and Intelligent Woman. She reads Albert Camus, upset by the murder of the nameless Arab in LEtranger, but too self-absorbed to understand the hardship of her neighbours. For she is, by comparison, an educated middle-class woman who will leave at the end of summer for Oxford University. With her artist friend Minna, Lili travels to Sardinia to meet a woman known only as John Bergers mistress. This interlude of mishaps and unplanned meetings (not least with a dog called Gina Lollobrigida) is a gem. Berger, the art critic and author of Ways of Seeing, is another of the novels intellectual presences. Though not quoted, he wrote: The way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe. Noomi Rapace got her first sliver of a film role in Iceland, where she lived for three years as a young child. Her stepfather was looking after the horses for a medieval spectacular called Shadow of the Raven and she had tagged along to the set. Before she knew it, she was on camera dressed as a Viking. It was a very small part, she laughs. But it changed my life. I think I discovered that you can have fun as an adult because I saw all the actors go in every day with so much bravery and concentration. It was a really brutal story I saw a lot of deaths and really romantic, like Tristan and Isolde. I was standing there entranced, thinking I never want to leave this universe. Noomi Rapace: Iceland always had this effect on me: it feels like Im looking at myself Credit: A year later, the family returned to Sweden. Noomi went to acting school and was eventually catapulted to world renown as Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish film adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its two sequels. Now 41, she recently returned to Iceland to star in the stunning Lamb, which won a prize at the recent Cannes Film Festival for originality. It is the story of a farming couple conjoined in grief following the death of their only child. Then an extraordinary event gives them the chance to be parents again, Rapace plays Maria strong, capable, stoic whom she describes as a mix of herself and her Icelandic grandmother. Or should we acknowledge our female-ness (with all the risks that entails) and encourage, cajole or demand the workplace to bend to us? The challenges change throughout the life cycle of working women. First, there are barriers to entry (only 9 per cent of women in tertiary education are studying STEM subjects, compared with a third of male students, Foley laments). Then, there is the mid-career difficulty of what Foley calls ensuring careers dont get stuck in quicksand once children come along. Both those challenges are well documented and at least acknowledged, if not fixed. But the later-life difficulties of working women are mostly ignored. Women themselves are coy about them. Men are probably largely oblivious, or perhaps too chivalrous to speak of them. For women, there is an added layer, and that is the issue of menopause, Foley told her audience. Yes you heard me right! Foley said that despite the fact that half the population went through menopause, it was not discussed enough. There is almost no research on how it affects womens careers in Australia, which probably reflects the fact that it has not had enough focus or visibility. Loading But in Britain, menopause is coming out of the closet. The British Parliament began an inquiry this year on menopause and the workplace. It has heard that more than a million women in Britain have left their jobs because of menopause symptoms, at the very point when they should be moving into senior positions, and younger employees should be sponging up their experience. More and more women in Britain are launching employment discrimination cases to do with menopause. Women report being reluctant to speak to their managers about their (sometimes debilitating) menopause symptoms because the managers are men and/or younger than them. The taboo is so strong that the British Medical Association reports even female doctors experts on the body are reluctant to speak about their own menopause experiences. They fear doing so will damage their career, or that they will be ridiculed. We can be sure these same things are happening in Australia, and women are leaving work because of it, Foley concluded. The reluctant acknowledgement of menopause is bizarre when you consider it as a huge biological change that affects half the population. Not so bizarre when you consider that women have always had to choose between acknowledging their biology, or trying to fit into workplaces created with a different norm in mind. If you think this is overblown, consider the skewing of medical studies to male bodies. A study reported this week in the medical journal, Neurology, was just the latest example of this. It looked at 281 medical trials on stroke, conducted between 1990 and 2020. Just over 37 per cent of the participants were women, but the average prevalence of stroke in women across the countries included in the trials was 48 per cent. The famous Harvard Study of Adult Development, a longitudinal research project started in 1938, tracked 268 Harvard Sophomores over their lives. It is a monumental piece of work that has shed light on human happiness, relationships, and the building blocks of what makes a good life. But only in men because there were no women in the college when it began (very recently, some female cohorts have been included). The push for recognition of menopause, and other biological events like menstruation, is interesting because there is something of a generational clash at play. Some older feminists are reluctant to talk about hormones and hot flashes because they fear women, and female workers, will be stereotyped as at the mercy of their hormones. Hysteria comes from the Greek word for womb. But younger feminists are less timid, and theyre tired of pretending. They demand an end to period poverty, and some agitate for menstrual leave. Loading Leave for pregnancy loss was recently added to the grounds for compassionate leave under federal legislation. The biological travails of femininity are a personal matter, and difficult to legislate for. One suspects male legislators, and bosses, tread delicately on this territory, mostly for the right reasons. But when it comes to menopause, womens embarrassment, and even shame, surely come from a place of self-protection. In a world where women are still valued for their youth and sexual appeal, there is risk in women acknowledging they are ageing. In a workplace context, it could cost them. Quite literally. The West Australian government is refusing to release the COVID-19 modelling guiding its decision to keep borders closed and coronavirus out for months longer than the rest of Australia. Modelling undertaken by the Department of Health, including scenario planning for what WA might look like once COVID is allowed in, has been supplied to Premier Mark McGowan and Health Minister Roger Cook. The modelling details scenarios for reopening WA. However, a Freedom of Information request to view the reports, lodged by WAtoday in August, was refused under a clause which permits a document provided to an executive body such as cabinet to be kept secret. The documents detail how WA would respond to an outbreak and its future options for managing COVID hospitalisations based on vaccination rates. This week, the dust storm that follows Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings will blow into town again. ICAC is considering whether Gladys Berejiklian breached the public trust, by approving grants totalling millions of dollars to Wagga Wagga-based organisations when she was in an intimate relationship with Daryl Maguire, then MP for Wagga Wagga. Premier Gladys Berejiklian and former MP Daryl Maguire were in a secret relationship for five years. Credit:AAP, Janie Barrett Who kicks up the dust? Mostly, its elected representatives who dont appreciate that when they take their seat in local, state or federal chambers, they also enter into a relationship with non-partisan institutions, like ICAC. Many would have heard former NSW Liberal minister Pru Gowards comments on ABC TVs The Drum and on ABC Radio National days after Berejiklians announcement. Goward had worked closely with Berejiklian and defended her use of ministerial discretion to approve public funding. According to Goward: The public understands that as long as the money is not going to somebodys back pocket, not funding wonderful meals and holidays, but its actually going to a deserving community group that its not financial mismanagement, rather its making decisions, which is what we expect elected governments to do. London: British migrants could help plug a feared worker shortage under a deal being pursued by Trade Minister Dan Tehan as the Australian economy bounces back from the coronavirus pandemic. A new free-trade agreement between Canberra and London, due to be finalised within days, will make it easier for people to live and work in both countries, but Tehan will seek extra visa changes over the coming months to lure even more Brits to the Australian workforce. Trade Minister Dan Tehan has just finished a 17-day world trip. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Tehan said he was acutely aware of labour shortages plaguing parts of Europe and the governments aim was to avoid similar problems in Australia once state and international border closures were eliminated. Australia has had little to no migration over the past 18 months, heightening fears a resurgent economy will not have enough workers for key industries. A 4-year-old boy is reunited with his parents after falling 70 feet from a cliff at Red River Gorge on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. The Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team says he hit several ledges during the fall, but he escaped with only minor scrapes and bruises. (Source: Wolfe County Search and Rescue / Facebook) The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Marek Horn's sharp new satire takes place in an America of the future, where a fish smuggler has been hauled in front of a committee on Capitol Hill to explain himself. Though he isn't entirely sure what he is expected to explain. The reason fish smuggling is of such interest to the authorities is that fish have disappeared. Vanished. Even though the seas have risen enough to engulf the entirety of Britain, there is not so much as a minnow to be found. The only fish meat that remains exists in tins, which are traded on the black market and are of increasing scientific interest. Tuna - particularly yellow and bluefin - is top of the most wanted list. There have been several recent plays that deal with climate change in both a direct and indirect way. Many are very heavy-handed in their treatment of the subject, and often suffer for it. In contrast, Horn manages to bring levity to the issue, and his play resonates all the greater for it. It helps that Ed Madden's tidy production allows Horn's skilful wordplay to take centre stage. Played in traverse on Anisha Fields' nicely austere set, the exchanges between Calintini, the smuggler, and the three-strong committee feels like sport. Barbs are exchanged, some shouted, others whispered into microphones, as these climate survivors try to make sense of the wreckage they've inherited. There is a Pinter-esque absurdism. The committee often use the words "let the record show" as a veiled threat, while acting deeply unprofessionally. The wise head in the room is, naturally, Calintini, and Joshua James gives a powerhouse performance. He captures a sense of the anarchic outsider whilst viscerally displaying the pain he feels at the brutal killing of his brother; he retches over the desk describing its gruesome details. On the other side of the carpet, Nancy Crane, Nicholas Day and Beruce Khan make a comic triple act of a committee. Day is the blundering veteran, recalling his fading memories of the taste of fish, Crane the no-nonsense chair desperate for answers, and Khan a kind of stuffed-shirted middleman. Ultimately their futile attempts to pin down Calintini feel representative of the efforts of state machinery to deal with the climate crisis. Countless enquiries are held in countless committee rooms, but where do they lead? Yellowfin manages to find the balance of being both urgent and genuinely entertaining. At 100 minutes straight through, it is perhaps a notch overlong. But the climactic moments are superbly well constructed, leading to a delicious denouement. I guarantee you'll never look at a tin of tuna in quite the same way. Thank you for reading the Herald-Whig You have reached our free-content limit. If you are a current subscriber, please log in to continue viewing content or purchase a subscription by clicking the Subscribe button below. Thank you for supporting independent Journalism. Procurement Assistant (National Consultant), Budapest, Hungary Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Country: Hungary City: Budapest Office: FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia Closing date: Thursday, 28 October 2021 2101307 Procurement Assistant (National Consultant) Job Posting: 14/Oct/2021 Closure Date: 28/Oct/2021, 9:59:00 PM Organizational Unit : REU Job Type: Non-staff opportunities Type of Requisition : PSA (Personal Services Agreement) Grade Level : N/A Primary Location: Hungary-Budapest Duration : Up to 11 months Post Number : N/A FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions. Qualified female applicants and qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations are encouraged to apply. Persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Organizational Setting The position is based in the Regional Officer for Europe and Central Asia of FAO, the leading UN agency in terms of providing support for agriculture and rural development, forestry and fisheries. The Procurement Assistant works in the Procurement Unit and covers a variety of office support tasks, particularly in procurement, that contribute to the timely and effective running of the office. Reporting Lines The Procurement Assistant will work under the overall guidance of the Regional Administrative Officer and the direct supervision of the National Administrative and Finance Officer. Technical Focus Support to FAOs procurement services; Contribution to timely and efficient procurement operations. Tasks and responsibilities Act as focal point for the timely and complete preparation and regular updating of the office procurement plan, assuring the contribution of all parties involved in the exercise; Assist in the following tasks: identify method of solicitation, sourcing strategy and distributes invitations to tender, preparation of solicitation process, draft tendering documents, using e-tendering system and provision of support on bid/proposals evaluations while ensuring the solicitation process is fair, objective and transparent and that it follows the general principles, as set forth in the FAO Manual Section, the governing rules for Organisational procedures; Perform cost and price analysis on proposals and quotations, submitting results of analysis and making recommendations for awarding the contracts; Assist in implementing and administering contracts; Liaise with staff at various levels within the Organization: Headquarters and across the Region, as required; Liaise with suppliers; Following up the delivery process of procured goods to ensure timely delivery in collaboration with Programme personnel; Assist in the preparation and presentation of procurement related cases to the relevant Committees and personnel taking part in the evaluation and awarding procedure; Assist in initiating a variety of administrative transactions, in particular related to purchasing transactions, in the FAOs corporate computerized systems; Set up and maintain office files and reference systems including confidential files; Assist in drafting, preparing and extending framework agreements and service contracts; Assist in obtaining customs clearance for international deliveries; Perform other related duties as required. CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING Minimum Requirements Completed econdary school education cv0Igwp-Dh7qKS Three years experience in office assistance, secretarial support or related fields Working knowledge of English Hungarian nationality or resident in the country with a regular work permit. FAO Core Competencies Results Focus Teamwork Communication Building Effective Relationships Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement Technical/Functional Skills Experience in procurement will be considered an asset Strong verbal and written communication skills High standard of computer literacy Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing). Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted. Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications. For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/ HOW TO APPLY To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered. Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile. If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org Link to the organizations job offer: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1634235241577 International Extension and Farmer Field Schools Specialist, Various Locations Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Country: Italy City: Rome Office: FAO Rome Closing date: Thursday, 28 October 2021 CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT : 2102786 International Extension and Farmer Field Schools Specialist Job Posting: 14/Oct/2021 Closure Date: 28/Oct/2021, 9:59:00 PM Organizational Unit : SFE Job Type: Non-staff opportunities Type of Requisition : Consultant / PSA (Personal Services Agreement) Grade Level : N/A Primary Location: Various Locations Duration : 8 months Post Number : N/A IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background, and culture Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations, and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination All selected candidates, therefore, will undergo rigorous reference and background checks All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization Organizational Setting The FAO Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE) is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing, and implementing agreed strategies for addressing subregional food, agriculture and rural development priorities. It develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions including Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). It assists the FAO Representations (FAORs) in the subregion with addressing subregional food security, agriculture and rural development issues at country level. The Office is also responsible for the liaison with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of FAOs Regional Office for Africa (RAF). FAO has been over the years working on contributing towards improved livelihood for rural farming households by spearheading a number of programs that seek to improve the capacity to improve food production particularly for the populations at greatest risk of food insecurity in the subregion. Under the Food Security Cluster Response, FAO seeks to directly assist households to ensure immediate access to nutritious food, while protecting and restoring rural peoples own food production and income within the shortest lapse of time. FAO-SFE has spearheaded the application of a monitoring and learning framework for FFS and the institutionalisation of FFS in institutions of higher learning within the subregion. These form the basis for a strategic vision to enhance capacity development of Government and other partner institutions in the subregion to enhance the outreach of extension services and the uptake of quality assured FFS initiatives. To improve the livelihoods of the smallholder farmers, FAO will further enhance production and promote climate smart practices through field school approaches, targeting farming, pastoral that will pass on the knowledge to their wider communities. Reporting Lines The Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Sub-Regional Coordinator-SFE and direct supervision of the SFE Crop Production Officer. Technical Focus The specialist will support and contribute to the development and implementation of (i) projects and programmes, (ii) strategies and policies and (iii) provision of technical assistance to all agricultural extension and advisory services initiatives in the subregion. Tasks and responsibilities Analyse information and formulate interventions in the form of technical assistance. Develop and execute capacity-building initiatives. Oversee the management of procurement activities. Support the Crops Team on technical inputs related to extension and agronomy. Support SFE countries in the provision of agricultural extension and advisory services. Formulate and Coordinate targeted projects and programmes that address capacity gaps in extension and FFS. Provide technical supervision of initiatives that support FFS components in International Financing Institutions investment projects and programmes. Develop, organize and lead capacity-building efforts on the FFS Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework. Provide technical backstopping to the FAO-SFE inputs to formulate the RAF Crop Production and Protection programme priority area strategy and work plan. Prepare communications materials and provide targeted/specialist training on extension and advisory services issues. Liaise with the Farmer Field Schools Unit in FAO-HQ in support of FFS activities in Eastern Africa. Work with multi-disciplinary teams, Lead and/or participate in internal committees, project teams and working groups, and provide specialized expertise to technical networks. cv0Ice2-Dh7qKS Contribute to the preparation of technical publications, progress reports and terminal reports of projects. Promote knowledge sharing and develop knowledge products and advocacy material. Prepare a final report detailing activities conducted and provide recommendations for issues identified. Other duties as assigned. CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING Minimum Requirements University degree in agriculture, extension, agronomy, rural sociology or related field. Five years of relevant experience in extension methodologies and/or agronomy. Working knowledge of English, and limited knowledge of one of the other official FAO languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian) for COF.REG. For PSA.SBS, the requirement is a working knowledge of English FAO Core Competencies Results Focus Teamwork Communication Building Effective Relationships Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement Technical/Functional Skills Work experience in more than one location or area of work particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Relevant practical experience in developing countries in other regions of the world is an advantage. Demonstrated experience in strengthening the enabling environment and institutional framework for effective extension and FFS support programmes an asset. Extent and relevance of experience in facilitating policy dialogue and multi-stakeholder consultations. Extent and relevance of experience in developing or managing capacity development programmes. Familiarity with crop production and cropping systems. Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing) Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ For more information, visit the FAO employment website HOW TO APPLY To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered. We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org Link to the organizations job offer: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1634235225098 Willmar, MN (56201) Today A mix of clouds and sun. Windy during the morning. High 44F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 28F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Inside Hook When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, Pompeii was the most well-known city devastated in the disaster, but it wasnt the only one. Nearby Herculaneum was also adversely affected by the eruption and its aftereffects and now its home to a major archaeological find relating to the event that killed thousands. Writing at The Guardian, Angela Giuffrida covered the discovery and its implications. The archaeological dig was the first of its kind at Herculaneum in several decades and it turned up a body that had an unnerving story to tell. Scientists found the remains of a man in his 40s who was, they believe, fleeing the blast. Giuffrida describes the location of the skeleton as just steps away from the sea, situated in an area that was Herculaneums beach at the time. Perhaps the most notable detail albeit a horrifying one was the fact that the mans bones were stained by his blood as a result of the pyroclastic flow from Mount Vesuvius. Sadly, this man was not the only body that archaeologists have found in the area. At past digs in the 1980s and 1990s, other skeletons were found near the water, and are believed to be the remains of people waiting by the water for an evacuation that never arrived. Dario Franceschini, the culture minister of Italy, hailed both the discovery itself and the resumption in this place, after almost 30 years, of scientific excavations conducted by the ministrys technical staff. What other stories could emerge in future digs? After years of struggling to recruit and retain members of volunteer fire departments, officials say it could soon become a safety concern as more firefighters retire with no one to fill their boots. Fire chiefs say the problem has been growing for more than two decades, and it has caused towns with volunteer departments to be more reliant on mutual aid from surrounding communities. Chief Charles Chip Weston, chief of Salem Volunteer Fire Department, said lack of volunteers has become a growing concern for New London County fire chiefs. How do we get people to volunteer? he said. How do we get people in? Do we challenge the state when theres additional requirements put on us? This problem is not new to us, and we are constantly trying to work on it. In Portland, Chief Bob Shea said the issue was also front and center for fire departments in 2013 when he was the president of the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association. First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield, who is finishing her final term in office, said it was a topic of conversation in Portland when she first took office in 2003. Shea said the age of volunteers is changing, and not enough younger people are joining, leaving those who have been in the service for decades to continue their work without a new cohort of firefighters ready to fill their shoes. These guys have been in it for a long time, he said. Some of them have fought almost every fire that weve had in town. Theyve seen it over 20 years, 25 years, and you get beat up. You get tired. Id go into a structure fire 20 years ago, and Id have seven or eight guys behind me, he said. You go into a structure fire now, youre lucky to have two to start. You just dont have that backup During the day, when most volunteers are working, Shea said mutual aid especially from Middletown becomes critical. The shortage, Shea said, reduces the manpower at the scene, as well as delay the response time. This can lead to safety concerns, Shea said, including meaning those firefighters who do respond are doing more. He said there used to be second and third stage teams that could relieve the first responders. What happens now with the lack of manpower is, your first initial suppression team is going in to fight the fire, coming out, changing bottles and going back in, he said. Theyre working harder because you just dont have that backup. Middletown Fire Department and a backup team from Glastonbury are automatically called to help with every confirmed Portland structure fire, Shea said. Its proved to be a huge asset for us, especially during daytime fires, he said. We really couldnt do it without them. Shea said its a concern to take those departments away from their own coverage areas, but noted that Portland has the same agreement with those towns. But, as a chief officer, you always think about that, he said. How much are we going to continue to have to rely on our partners? How much is that going to tax them, their budgets and manpower? Middletown Fire Department Chief Jay Woron said the agreement between the towns results in Middletown automatically sending two engines over the bridge. We used to do one, we give them two now, he said. A lot of volunteer organizations are having a little harder time during daytime responses. Middletown has three fire departments, Woron said, and one will cover another area whenever they go out on a call. Outside of town, he said Middletown has automatic or mutual aid agreements with Portland, Cromwell, Middlefield, Meriden and New Britain. Woron said the labor contract for firefighters stipulates additional manpower is brought in to cover whenever the department is sent on a mutual aid call outside of town. If I were to send a three-person engine company to Portland right now, we would hire three back to man a spare piece of fire apparatus, he said. There is a cost to doing business with mutual aid, but we also receive mutual aid from all those communities. Woron said the mutual or automatic aid calls happen anywhere from half a dozen to a dozen times a month. Again, were a pretty busy fire department, he said. We use their resources coming back in for station coverage when we have fires, too. Its a pretty reciprocal arrangement. While there are 50 members of the Salem Volunteer Fire Co., Weston said that does not mean everyone shows up when theres an incident. A standard fire engine or ladder truck holds four to six people, Weston said, and an average run for a call would generally see four people in a truck. Right now, he said, about half or less show up for calls. Sometimes, early-morning hours, if its a box alarm, were getting a driver only getting out with a truck, he said. So we are reducing our manpower probably by about 50 percent. If theres truly a fire and we need the manpower, that causes us to rely on mutual aid to come in and make up that 50 percent. Weston said the lack of manpower raises safety concerns. He said standard firefighting rules dictate if there are two people inside fighting a structure fire, there should be at least two people outside prepared to go in. Weston said a confirmed structure fire also requires a rapid intervention team, or fast team, which is called at the same time. Our fast team right now is coming from Bozrah and Lebanon, he said. There could be a delay of men responding. So, there is some safety concerns if there was someone that was in a house that needed us to go in and get them. I would possibly be sending manpower in without the two-in, two-out rule being followed. Weston said that means Salem tends to rely on mutual aid from surrounding towns during an emergency. The big problem comes when we have structure fires, when we have large events that require a large amount of manpower, he said. Thats when we usually call in mutual aid. Weston said Salem and every town in its area is calling in mutual aid when there is a fire. When you think about some of the more simpler ones, we run to fire alarms, we run to smoke activations where there might be burnt food while were trying to evacuate a house, he said. We only get three people, four people and one piece of apparatus. Is it enough to do the job? Yes. But its the same people over and over again, and theyre getting tired. Volunteer firefighters have day jobs, Weston pointed out, and there are a lot of times where they have to get up for work in the morning even though they were up all night responding to a call. So people are like, Forget it. Im not going out on a 2 oclock call in the morning, he said. Next thing you know, you dont have anyone responding. You have to re-tone (call again) for manpower, which means that we dont have enough people that responded. Weston said approximately 1 out of every 10 calls will require a re-tone for manpower in Salem. Myself, I have 34 years in the service, and Im ready to drop it, he said. Im ready to go home and not have to go out anymore at 2 oclock in the morning. Im over 60. Im tired. But theres no younger people that are filling in. Incentives and the future Shea said most fire departments offer stipends and other funding to encourage people to join, while others have a pay-per-call system. In Portland, there is a stipend for volunteers who respond to at least 10 percent of calls a year. Ten percent of calls per year is about 100 calls, he said, noting there are between 900 and 1,100 calls each year in Portland. Bransfield said retention of members is integral to public safety. The Portland first selectman said incentives, such as a modest pension program the town established about 20 years ago, are an important part of encouraging people to stay involved with the department. If they fulfill a certain level of points and years of service, they can receive a modest pension when they reach 65, she said. That is something that we fund every year. The town provides stipends to firefighters in leadership positions, Bransfield said, as well as $1,600 stipends to volunteer firefighters who go to 10 percent of calls per year. Shea said recruiting and retaining members has been a focus of the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association. He said the group event obtained grant funding to put together a television ad encouraging people to join. We used that tool to reach out and see if we could do some recruiting, he said. Believe it or not, it worked. Here in Portland, we did get some feedback. Many departments did see some increases in activity as far as interest. Weston said Salem works with a fire administrator to organize the schedules of the full-time and volunteer firefighters, so there are not gaps in coverage. But as the issue is addressed in different ways, he had one clear message. Volunteer fire services need volunteers, he said. Thats really the bottom line. joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com Google Street View On September 29, 2021, a seller has sold a property built in 1967 located in the first block of Old Turnpike Road in Hartford County. The $330,000 purchase price works out to $175 per square foot. The property features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an attached garage. The unit sits on a 15,246 square-foot lot. This property fetched 25% more than when it previously sold in April 2019 for $263,000. Faiza Malik found more than peace and safety when she and her family arrived in Canada from Afghanistan nine years ago she also found art. Faiza Malik found more than peace and safety when she and her family arrived in Canada from Afghanistan nine years ago she also found art. The 16-year-old credits art and creativity with helping her transition to a new life. Now she wants to work with local kids to give them access to resources she never had growing up. "I started painting when I first arrived in Canada when I was in Grade 2 or Grade 3. We had those little art projects in school and I was always excited to do those things because I was using my hands and creating something new," Malik says. "Art wasnt really a thing that was available in Afghanistan." She admits the culture shock was all-consuming when she and her family, including her mom, dad and three siblings, first arrived here. JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Malik holds up her painting titled City of Bombs. "Everything I saw in Afghanistan was not what youd see here. The amount of love and community you feel here is a lot different," she says. "Coming to Canada, art was something that I found and developed in school. There were all these different ways that kids were able to do art (in Canada)." Two years ago, Malik became more serious about painting as a form of expression and therapy. "I started painting to be able to express myself through a different aspect than just speaking. I wanted to use a different lens to be able to express myself," she says. "I saw art as a way to not only connect with others but also find out who I am as a person." Studies suggest that art therapy can be an effective way to treat issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and even some phobias. It can also be an outlet to express your emotions and process complex feelings without having to use your words. In its formal practice, art therapy combines psychotherapy and art-making to help people convey and work through difficult emotions. Its facilitated by a certified art therapist, who is trained in the field at a graduate level. JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Faiza Malik with her father, Hanifa Malik, mother Mahran Zazai and her sister Rahila. At age 10, Malik became involved with CanU, a Winnipeg-based charitable organization that works with kids in grades 5 through 12 through its out-of-school mentorship and educational programs. It was here that Malik found both her ambition and passion for art. The CanU Create program helps participants develop their artistic abilities through activities and workshops while learning about creating and interpreting art. It helps kids enhance their esthetic perception and find their personal artistic voice. "CanU has done so many things for me and its an amazing community of people. Not only has (CanU) helped me find my love for art, but they also push me to be an ambitious person with dreams and goals in life," she says. "Theyve helped me look at the world through a different perspective not so much a battlefield, but more a place to be true to yourself." Malik now shares her love of art by volunteering for the same CanU art program that inspired her. She wants to help give kids the opportunity to be imaginative and create unique projects. Neuroscientists have studied different forms of creativity and found that activities such as painting, drawing, photography and even doing crossword puzzles are beneficial to your health. When youre creative, your brain releases dopamine, a feel-good chemical and natural anti-depressant that actually helps motivate you. Creativity typically takes concentration; that concentration can lead to a natural high. JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Faiza Malik works with acrylic and watercolour to create her painting. Studies have also found that engaging in creative behaviours even just colouring in an adult colouring book can improve brain function, mental health and physical health. Creative writing helps people manage their negative emotions in a productive way, and painting or drawing helps people express experiences they find too difficult to put into words. The theory of cognition suggests that being creative is actually a basis for human life. So, why dont we all just agree that being creative is really important? Malik taps into her creativity to help improve both her health and wellness. The average person has about 60,000 thoughts a day and a creative act such as painting can help focus the mind. It has even been compared to meditation because of its calming effects on the brain and body. Maliks long-term goal is to become a doctor, specifically a pediatrician or pediatric surgeon. Her inspiration? Her twin sister, Rahila. The two were premature births; Rahila was born with cerebral palsy and developed scoliosis. "We were born in a country where we lack a lot of medical supplies and equipment. Our birth and survival was a miracle," Malik says. "My sister is the sole reason why I want to help kids so badly. The reason I want to become a doctor is to help kids and ensure the experiences that my sister and I went through as young kids, that others dont have to suffer in that same situation." JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Faiza Malik, with untitled painting, found art was a conduit to expressing her emotions. Working in the field of medicine is something she sees in her future, whether thats returning to Afghanistan and building a hospital there or bringing over supplies from different countries. "I want to specifically help kids and give the same health care that we have here (in Canada)," she says. Using both acrylic and watercolour, Malik enjoys incorporating landscapes of different countries into her artwork because of the "freedom that comes with that." Shes also passionate about using her art as a means to talk about humanitarian topics. "With global issues, there can be a lot of bias that goes around. When it comes to painting, there isnt as much of that. You can just paint what you feel and see," she says. "I did a couple pieces about some of the issues in Afghanistan. The lens that I get through art is what pushes and drives me to pick up the brush and try something." As Malik grows, learns and sharpens her art skills, shed love to sell some of her work and maybe even open her own studio. "Ive commissioned a couple pieces very recently, but thats all new to me," she says. "Maybe Ill have a piece of art in a gallery one day; that would be nice. Or Ill open my own art studio and teach kids for free the true beauty behind art. Thats something I have in the back of my mind." Research has shown creative practices improve anxiety and coping skills while enhancing quality of life and significantly reducing stress all vital for mental health and wellness. For Malik, her art extends beyond the health benefits. Shes thankful for learning art in Canada and wants to make a difference so she can show kids what theyre capable of. "Winnipeg has given me unconditional love and support. Its a mosaic. The beauty behind seeing so much diversity here has taught me about diversity and being welcoming," she says. "Art is not something I ever want to let go of because its been so helpful for me." sabrinacarnevale@gmail.com @SabrinaCsays JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) All nations have a responsibility to ensure that no one gets left behind and that changes are as fair as possible in the transition to a greener economy that's needed to address the climate crisis, European Commission for Climate Action Frans Timmermans said Monday. Executive Vice President of European Union Green Deal Frans Timmermans, center, leaves after an interview with The Associated Press in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. Timmerman urged that developing nations cannot be left behind as the world moves towards greener methods. Timmermans spoke to The Associated Press ahead of the U.N. climate conference in Scotland that starts on October 31. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) All nations have a responsibility to ensure that no one gets left behind and that changes are as fair as possible in the transition to a greener economy that's needed to address the climate crisis, European Commission for Climate Action Frans Timmermans said Monday. I think that the greatest boundaries are the same in the developing world as in the developed world: we should leave no one behind. And of course, if youre in the developing world, the risk of leaving people behind is bigger than in the developed world, Timmermans said. And thats going to be our biggest challenge. Timmermans spoke to The Associated Press in Jakarta, Indonesia, ahead of a key U.N. climate summit known as COP26 that starts in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oct. 31. Indonesia is a very important country for COP26: it's the incoming president of the G-20, but also a country that has made huge strides in terms of the climate issue," he said. "Its now a country that wants to lead in this issue, wants to show that they can also transform their economy into a sustainable economy. And Im really excited about that. Thats why I want to be here. Many environmentalists say the Glasgow summit represents the worlds final chance to avert a climate catastrophe. Timmermans said current global economic models such as the historic reliance on fossil fuels will need to change to ensure a more equitable shift toward greener economies. But he said those changes shouldn't come at the cost of poorer nations' development. You cant go and say -- as developed countries -- to the developing world, Too bad for you. Time is over. We cant continue like this and you should keep living in misery so that I can be happy,'" he said. "Thats not a proposition anybody could do who has any sense of morality. We need to make sure that the whole world can profit from this. Timmermans said businesses should be interested in sharing green technology advances and know-how with developing nations. There is a huge responsibility of the developed world to share technologies with the developing world, not just out of altruism. Also because it's a good business opportunity," he said. Its in their interest." Countries also need to create hospitable environments for businesses seeking to share greener technologies, he said. "You need to create a stable investment environment. You need to fight corruption. You need to make sure that its interesting for foreign investors to come and share technology," he said. Timmermans, a Dutch politician and diplomat, is also executive vice president of the European Union's Green Deal, a set of policy initiatives created by the European Commission to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and making the EU carbon neutral by 2050. Part of that, Timmermans said, is an effort to move away from coal using methods applicable to countries such as coal-producing Indonesia. Thirty coal mining regions in the EU still need to wean themselves of coal. Thats a huge, huge operation. We will make sure this is done in a just way so that they have an economic future in that region, that we skill and reskill the workforce for them to take new jobs, that we bring new economic activities to those regions, he said. And I would love to share that experience with Indonesia." Timmermans said governments are racing against the clock to make progress in the transitions needed to come to terms with the climate crisis. We need to reduce our emissions substantially between now and 2030 ... and to do that, you need to make this energy transition happen almost at lightning speed, and that is a real difficulty," he said. The one thing we have too little of is time. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. TECUMSEH, Ont. - Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province and federal governments will be making a "huge" investment in a Windsor, Ont., auto assembly plant to help ramp up production after the company announced a shift cut. Ontario Premier Doug Ford shakes hands with attendees at an announcement for the funding of a new hospital in Windsor, Ontario on Monday, October 18, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins TECUMSEH, Ont. - Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province and federal governments will be making a "huge" investment in a Windsor, Ont., auto assembly plant to help ramp up production after the company announced a shift cut. Stellantis, formerly known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, announced last week that it will cut its Windsor Assembly Plant down to one shift next spring in a move that will mean about 1,800 lost jobs. The company says the move comes as the automotive industry faces significant headwinds including the semiconductor shortage and the effects of COVID-19. The cut from two shifts comes after Stellantis cut the third shift at the minivan plant in 2020 at a loss of about 1,500 jobs. Ford, speaking near Windsor on Monday, says he wants to see three shifts again at the plant, and he will be speaking with Stellantis leadership on Tuesday. The premier was not able to offer details on the investment, but said between both levels of government it's "hundreds of millions" of dollars. Stellantis has reaffirmed its commitment in a 2020 collective agreement with the local Unifor union to spend upwards of $1.5 billion at the plant. The Windsor plant produces the Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Voyager and Chrysler Grand Caravan. Ford also spoke of his interest in having a battery facility in Windsor. "We have all the natural resources, we have the lithium, we have the nickel, we have the cobalt, folks, everything is here," he said. "We don't need to bring these batteries in from overseas. We have everything here. On top of that we have the best workforce anywhere in the world ... Any people out there that are listening that want to expand in Ontario, especially the battery business, we'll be at your front doorstep and we'll be ready to make a deal with you." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2021. Members of a Quebec family behind the recent trademark applications for companies bearing the name Zellers are the focus of a lawsuit by Hudson's Bay Co. ULC, which owns the defunct retail brand. A Zellers pop-up store inside the Hudsons Bay store at the Burlington Centre in Burlington,Ont. is shown in a July, 2021 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Hudson's Bay Co. **MANDATORY CREDIT** Members of a Quebec family behind the recent trademark applications for companies bearing the name Zellers are the focus of a lawsuit by Hudson's Bay Co. ULC, which owns the defunct retail brand. In a statement of claim filed in Federal Court, the company accuses members ofthe Moniz family of trademark infringement, depreciation of goodwill and so-called passing off the deceptive marketing or misrepresentation of goods. The Moniz family is behind various recent trademark applications and corporate registries, including Zellers Inc., Zellers Convenience Store Inc. and Zellers Restaurant Inc. "The personal defendants' intention was to either confuse Canadians or recover a payment from HBC," the statement of claim filed Oct. 5 said. The Zellers brand is being used to intentionally "mislead Canadian consumers" and "trade on the valuable goodwill owned by HBC," the retailer said in court documents. The defendants could not be reached for comment and a response to the claim has not yet been filed in court. HBC claims the defendants acted in bad faith and are "not authorized to use Zellers trade names or trademarks." "The corporate defendants' good opportunistic and flagrant adopting and use of Zellers-formative trade names and trademarks is deliberate and outrageous," the statement of claim said. Meanwhile, the sole director listed for Zellers Canada Inc. Maria Almerinda Moniz Sousa is also listed as the sole director for Kmart Canada Ltd. The two corporate names were registered within about a month of each other in May and June 2020. The statement of claim said Zellers Inc. has a location in the city of Sorel-Tracy, about 80 kilometres from Montreal, and that members of the public are being told that a Zellers/Kmart store will open in the future. The claim added that a second location in Sorel-Tracy has signs indicating that the building is under the management of Zellers Canada Inc. HBC alleges that the defendants have refused to comply with the company's demands to cease and desist. The Zellers department store was founded in 1931. It was acquired by HBC in 1978 and operated as the discount division of its flagship Hudson's Bay department stores. The store hit its peak of about 350 locations in the late 1990s before losing ground to big box competitors such as Walmart. In 2011, HBC announced plans to sell the majority of its remaining Zellers leases to Target Corp. The retailer closed the last of its stand-alone brick-and-mortar Zellers stores in 2020, but continued to have plans for the brand and did not abandon the Zellers trademarks and logos, according to court documents. The company launched a pop-up Zellers shop inside a Hudsons Bay store in Burlington, Ont., last summer. HBC spokeswoman Tiffany Bourre said the pop-up Zellers store was intended to "delight our customers with a fun and nostalgic experience with one of HBCs most beloved brands." The company is planning a second pop-up Zellers shop at its department store in Anjou, Que., she said. Bourre added that the company filed the claim to protect its Zellers brand and avoid consumer confusion. "The allegations in the claim relate to planned unauthorized third-party Zellers stores, among other unauthorized uses of the Zellers brand," she said in an email. "HBC intends to pursue this claim vigorously." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2021. MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexico's capital returned to the lowest level on its COVID-19 pandemic warning system Monday for the first time since June. People wear masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic in downtown Mexico City, Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. Starting Monday, Mexico City lifts some of its virus restrictions, allowing bars, clubs and indoor events to fill up to 50% capacity, and massive outdoor events can fill to capacity but masks will still be required. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexico's capital returned to the lowest level on its COVID-19 pandemic warning system Monday for the first time since June. In practice, the shift from the yellow to green category changes meant only small changes to daily life. Mask wearing is still common in streets of the city of 9 million, but the rhythm of life in the capital has long since regained a high degree of normalcy. Massive outdoor events, which had been operating at 75% capacity, now face no capacity restrictions, though attendees will still be required to wear masks. The move comes just weeks ahead of Mexico City hosting a Formula 1 race. Bars, clubs and event halls are allowed an additional hour of operation and will now stay open until 1 a.m., though with with the same health filters required at their entrances checking temperatures and providing disinfectant gel. In announcing the changes Friday, Mexico City's Digital Government Director Eduardo Clark said, Fortunately, the city continues in the right direction due to the good behavior of the people. The number of people in the metropolitan area hospitalized with COVID-19 or suspected cases has been falling since mid-August and is nearing the low point seen in June. The decline has continued despite the return to in-person learning in the capital's schools last month, though many students go only part time. BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) Slovakia on Monday reimposed coronavirus restrictions in the hardest-hit parts of the country amid the latest surge of infections. BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) Slovakia on Monday reimposed coronavirus restrictions in the hardest-hit parts of the country amid the latest surge of infections. Five counties all located in northern Slovakia are affected by the measures, which include the closures of restaurants with people only allowed to buy meals at takeout windows. Fitness and wellness centers also have been closed. The number of people allowed to attend public gatherings is reduced to 100 fully vaccinated people. Its also mandatory to wear face coverings both outdoors and indoors. The number of infected in those counties is higher than 400 per 100,000 people in the last seven days. Slovakia is facing a new wave of infections, with daily numbers in the country reaching 2,406 on Tuesday, the highest number since the middle of March. Slovakia, which has a population of nearly 5.5 million people, is one of the hardest-hit European Union countries. It has registered around 438,000 cases and 12,856 deaths. Slovakia has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the EU. Less than 2.3 million people have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. About 82% of almost 1,000 people who currently need hospitalization in Slovakia have been only partially vaccinated or haven't received a shot at all. ___ Follow all AP stories on the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic Oh, God what a listing. A 124-year-old convent in St. Jean Baptiste the oldest Roman Catholic convent in rural Manitoba hit the market this week for $625,000. But its not a conventional convent: this one underwent a conversion in the mid-1990s, when it was sold and subdivided into nine residential suites, making it the communitys only rental apartment complex and despite its name, quite an unconventional property indeed. "No, absolutely not," said realtor Cheryl Demarcke, whos handling the deal for the current owner. "I have never sold a convent before." The Convent of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary was built in 1897, designed by renowned architect J.A. Senecal, who served as mayor of St. Boniface a few years later as well as president of the St. Jean Baptiste Society. SHANNON VANRAES/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Convent of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary was built in 1897, designed by renowned architect J.A. Senecal, who served as mayor of St. Boniface a few years later. Located on Rue Caron, the communitys main street, the Old Convent, as its sometimes known, is an example of the Second Empire style of architecture, a common approach used in turn-of-the-century French Catholic structures in the province, according to the Manitoba Heritage Council. Originally, the building was used as a convent by the Sisters, who first arrived in Manitoba in 1874, with its residents living in large, shared rooms that one day would make it a natural apartment building. Later, it became a girls boarding school, an educational centre, a music school and an infirmary, before being sold on the eve of its centenary in 1994. After that transaction, the buildings owner developed the convent into a residential rental property, making updates to the facility while maintaining features which would help it become a provincially protected heritage site in 1997: decorative exterior brickwork, interior millwork, wooden banisters, dentil mouldings, the wooden cross and date plaque on the front pediment and more. Many original doorknobs even remain. After 10 years, with the building consistently full, the owner sold to the one who is choosing to sell it now, a person Demarcke said owns several older buildings and is opting to sell off parts of their "collection." The owner didnt buy it as an investment, rather a showpiece of sorts, but nonetheless has made facility upgrades including a new metal roof to replace the original cedar shingles and an upgraded boiler system. SHANNON VANRAES/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The convent has been an object of pride for the community. Throughout its history, the old convent has been an object of pride for the community, which has retained its French Canadian heritage: at the time of its original sale, some locals called for it to become a museum, a tea room or a gift shop, but the buyer saw potential as a rental apartment block, something the community of over 1,000 lacked. Demarcke said that the building makes sense as an investment, considering it has been "cash-flowing" since its conversion, and is also a timely one to consider. Many buyers are looking at the area as an opportune spot to settle down, considering its close proximity to Winnipeg and to Highway 75, a roadway she said is well-maintained throughout the winter. "Real estate here is changing," said Demarcke, recently elected the president of the Morris Area Chamber of Commerce, which represents nearby St. Jean Baptiste. SHANNON VANRAES/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS I have heard from some who used to live there and a few who used to take music lessons there when Grey Nuns still occupied the building that the nuns have been seen in mirrors, Demarcke said, with a healthy dose of skepticism. Some reasons for that include the bang for buyers bucks: larger homes with larger lots sell for less than in cities like Steinbach or Winnipeg, the latter of which has until recently been plagued by lack of supply. As well, the area has been connected to high-speed Internet within the last few years, something which was a sticking point for some potential buyers in the past. Compared to before the pandemic, Demarcke, an agent for Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate and based in Morris, said interest from buyers outside the area has increased by nearly 100 per cent. She said some potential investors from Winnipeg and Steinbach have shown interest in the old convent, which represents an uncommon investment opportunity in the area given its classification as an apartment building. The building is adjacent to the communitys elementary school and is near all the towns major amenities, Demarcke said. The top floor of the building a five-bedroom penthouse unit is where the school children slept, and like every other unit, is currently leased. Rents range from $550 to about $800 for the other units, and the building has consistently been profitable. SHANNON VANRAES/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Demarcke in the entryway of the former convent As buildings like it usually are, its also been the source of local folklore. "I have heard from some who used to live there and a few who used to take music lessons there when Grey Nuns still occupied the building that the nuns have been seen in mirrors," Demarcke said, with a healthy dose of skepticism. "The current tenants who I have talked to have not reported any of this." The ghost stories dont seem to have scared off interest: within two days of the listing being posted, Demarcke booked 14 showings with prequalified buyers, about half of whom are from Winnipeg. Offers are expected to come in today. "I believe this building represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Demarcke, polishing off an age-old real estate chestnut. This is probably one of the only times its true. ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca VALLETTA, Malta (AP) A European human rights watchdog recommended on Monday that Malta legalize abortion, improve gender equality and implement reforms to protect journalists, adding another international voice of criticism to the laws and culture on the Mediterranean island nation. VALLETTA, Malta (AP) A European human rights watchdog recommended on Monday that Malta legalize abortion, improve gender equality and implement reforms to protect journalists, adding another international voice of criticism to the laws and culture on the Mediterranean island nation. The Council of Europe's rights commissioner, Dunja Mijatovic, made an initial set of recommendations following her recent visit to Malta, during which she met with the prime minister, other ministers and civil society groups. A final report is expected later. Malta, an overwhelmingly Roman Catholic European Union member, is one of the few Western states that has a total ban on abortion, after the republic of San Marino recently decriminalized it. Mijatovic called on Maltese authorities to urgently repeal legal provisions criminalizing the procedure and to ensure womens access to sexual and reproductive health care, including safe and legal access to abortion. Earlier this year, an independent lawmaker recommended abortion be decriminalized, sparking some debate though the initiative didn't gain much traction. Last month, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that discussion should continue, but shouldn't be politicized. Mihatovic welcomed the debate but said the continued criminalization and stigmatization of abortion not only puts Maltese womens health at risk, but also affects their equal enjoyment of other human rights. She also called for Malta to implement mandatory sexual education and take measures to improve gender equality. There is a need, she said in a statement, to overcome prejudices and traditional and all other practices based on the idea of the inferiority of women or on stereotyped roles for men and women." The commissioner also referred to the conclusions of a public inquiry which found that the Maltese state has to bear responsibility for the 2016 assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia because of the culture of impunity that emanated from the highest levels of government. Implementing the recommendations of that inquiry should be a top priority for the government, she said. The authorities should swiftly start putting in place the far-reaching reforms needed to ensure journalists safety and address mistrust in the media in Malta. This should begin with a coordinated response to threats and harassment against journalists, including online, in order to provide adequate protection measures, she said in a statement. Sections of the Maltese media have been targeted in recent months by fake websites imitating local news sites but containing untrue stories. More recently, some journalists were targets of phone calls warning them not to cover certain topics. Caruana Galizias murder sparked international outrage and prompted the European Parliament to send a fact-finding mission to Malta. The country had separately been in the spotlight following the Panama Papers revelations, as two high-ranking government officials at the time were found to have acquired two companies in Panama. Caruana Galizia had been trying to unearth links between financial dealings indicated by the leaked documents and prominent political and business figures on the tiny island nation. More recently, Malta was placed on the so-called gray list by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force watchdog group. The designation requires Malta to be placed under increased monitoring for money laundering and terror financing, along with Haiti, the Philippines and South Sudan. The government didn't respond to a request for comment Monday on the commissioner's recommendations. DETROIT (AP) Global automakers and tech companies are stepping up the pace when it comes to building factories and prepare for what many believe will be a fast-moving transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. FILE - The Toyota logo is shown on a dealership in Manchester, N.H., in this Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, file photo. Toyota plans to build a new $1.29 billion factory in the U.S. to manufacture batteries for gas-electric hybrid and fully electric vehicles. The plant location wasn't announced, but the company said it eventually will employ 1,750 people and start making batteries in 2025, gradually expanding through 2031. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) DETROIT (AP) Global automakers and tech companies are stepping up the pace when it comes to building factories and prepare for what many believe will be a fast-moving transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. On Monday, Toyota, Stellantis, Foxconn, Ford and Volvo all made announcements about electric vehicle component or assembly plants, or plans to raise capital to fund the transition. The moves come on top of previous plans from Ford and General Motors to build five U.S. battery factories in anticipation of the shift to electric power. The moves are ahead of demand at the moment, but forecasters predict that the share of electric vehicles will rise dramatically as more battery-electric models are rolled out as governments increase requirements for zero-emissions vehicles to fight climate change. At present, only about 4.8% of the roughly 80 million new vehicles sold globally run solely on electricity, according to LMC Automotive. But the consulting firm Alix Partners predicts that will rise to 11% in 2025 and 24% in 2030. If plug-in gas-electric hybrids, which can travel short distances solely on electricity, are included, that figure rises to 28% in 10 years. Simultaneously, Alix Partners predicts that global sales of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles will fall from the current 89% to around 39% by 2030. Gas-electric hybrids, which run on gasoline and electricity at the same time, rise from 7% currently to 33% in 2030. All of us are trying to get a fix on how customers will accept electric vehicles, Chris Reynolds, chief administrative officer for Toyota in North America, said in an interview with The Associated Press. We dont know for sure, but we have to be ready. Toyota said it plans to build a new $1.29 billion factory in the U.S. to manufacture batteries for hybrid and fully electric vehicles. The location wasn't announced, but the company said it eventually will employ 1,750 people and start making batteries in 2025, gradually expanding through 2031. FILE - A promoter stands near the all-electric Volvo XC40 during the Shanghai Auto Show in Shangha, in this Wednesday, April 21, 2021, file photo. Global automakers are stepping up the pace when it comes to building factories to prepare for what many believe will be a fast-moving transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. On Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, Toyota, Stellantis, Foxconn, Ford and Volvo all made announcements about electric vehicle component or assembly plants, or plans to raise capital to fund the transition.(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) The plant is part of $3.4 billion that Toyota plans to spend in the U.S. on automotive batteries during the next decade. It didn't detail where the remaining $2.1 billion would be spent, but part of that likely will go for another battery factory. Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, and LG Energy Solution said Monday that they plan to build a battery manufacturing facility to help the automaker get 40% of its U.S. sales from vehicles that run at least partly on electricity by 2030. They didn't say where the plant would be. Also Monday, the Taiwanese company that makes smartphones for Apple and others, Foxconn Technology Group, said it would produce electric cars and buses for auto brands in China, North America, Europe and other markets. Volvo Cars on Monday unveiled more details of its initial public offering that will fund its ambitious plan to transform into an all-electric vehicle company by 2030. The Swedish auto brand, owned by Chinese carmaker Geely, said the IPO would value the company at 163-200 billion kronor ($18.8-$23 billion) when shares start trading Oct. 28. And Ford Motor Co. announced that it will turn a transmission factory in northwest England into a plant that will make electric power units for cars and trucks sold throughout Europe. Most of the announcements lacked specifics such as locations, and some didn't say how many jobs would be created. Jeff Schuster, president of global vehicle forecasting for LMC Automotive, said that's because it's in vogue for automakers to make such announcements, which are well-received by investors. But he said the plants will be necessary, especially in the U.S., where battery manufacturing capacity was lagging Europe and China. Behind the scenes this has been building as we look at moving to electric vehicle technology globally," he said. This is the foundation. You need the batteries before you can get there. The moves come just after Ford and General Motors recently announced large investments in U.S. battery factories. GM plans to build battery plants in Ohio and Tennessee, while Ford has plans for plants in Tennessee and Kentucky. Toyota will form a new company to run its new U.S. battery plant with Toyota Tsusho, a subsidiary that now makes an array of parts for the automaker. The company also will help Toyota expand its U.S. supply chain, as well as increase its knowledge of lithium-ion auto batteries, Toyota said Monday. The new plant would likely be near one of the company's U.S. assembly plants in Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama or Texas. Toyota plans to sell 2 million zero emission hydrogen and battery electric vehicles worldwide per year by 2030. In the U.S., Toyota plans to sell 1.5 million to 1.8 million vehicles by 2030 in the U.S. that are at least partially electrified. Reynolds said no one can predict exactly how fast the shift to battery power will happen, but he said a transition to gas-electric hybrids happened faster than Toyota anticipated when it introduced the Prius in the late 1990s. He sees hybrid and plug-in hybrids as a bridge between full internal combustion engines and battery-electric vehicles. Now in the U.S., Toyota offers hydrogen vehicles, hybrids and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Toyota says vehicles that operate at least partially on electricity now account for about a quarter of its U.S. sales, and it plans for that to rise to nearly 70% by 2030. The company says it will have 15 battery electric vehicles for sale globally by 2025. ___ Taijing Wu contributed to this story from Taipei, Taiwan. Danica Kirka and Kelvin Chan contributed from London. ____ This story has been corrected to show that Jeff Schuster is president of global vehicle forecasting for LMC Automotive. MONTREAL - Quebec expects to have its first all-electric ambulances hit the road next year, which provincial Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon said Monday will position the province as a leader in electric transportation. A paramedic is shown next to an ambulance outside a hospital in Montreal, Tuesday, August 17, 2021. Quebec will be seeing its first all-electric ambulances hit the road next year, which will position the province as a leader in electric transportation, provincial Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL - Quebec expects to have its first all-electric ambulances hit the road next year, which provincial Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon said Monday will position the province as a leader in electric transportation. Demers Ambulances and Lion Electric unveiled at a news conference in Beloeil, south of Montreal, their first 100 per cent electric ambulance, which they described as the "ambulance of the future." Demers Ambulances president Alain Brunelle and Lion Electric president Marc Bedard said the new model has been five years in the making and was designed according to needs expressed by paramedics. "This is an extraordinary evolution for paramedics' security, and also for their and their patients' comfort," Brunelle said. "It's the only 100 per cent electric vehicle, built to be an ambulance, in the world." The companies hope to deploy 1,500 vehicles in North America before 2026, and to eventually market it globally with financial support from the federal and provincial governments. Fitzgibbon said Quebec invested $8 million in the project, made possible through Quebec's Electrification and Climate Change Fund. "It unites Quebec champions around a shared project of innovation," Fitzgibbon said at the press conference. "The investment is making us proud, as it symbolizes the success, the intelligence and innovation of Quebec." Lion Electric will build the chassis and the batteries at its plants in St-Jerome and Mirabel, while Demers Ambulances will look after the medical compartment and the final assembly. Bedard said Lion's experience building a fleet of electric buses and trucks that has covered more than 13 million kilometres made it possible for the company to develop the new ambulance. He said the vehicle will be able to travel 200 kilometres on a single charge. "We want a society with better health and to allow future generations to breathe easily," Bedard said. "For us, this ambulance is to paramedics, and to society, what a school bus is to our children." Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube also welcomed the project, saying the health-care system needs innovation. He said the design of the new ambulances will allow paramedics to provide faster and better care across the province. "We need to look at things differently," Dube said, referring to the new ambulance as "a small hospital." This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Oct. 18, 2021. MONTREAL - A Montreal firefighter has drowned after being thrown into the St. Lawrence River during a rescue mission Sunday night, officials announced Monday. A firefighter stands on the shoreline of the St. Lawrence River Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, where a firefighter died during a rescue operation in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz MONTREAL - A Montreal firefighter has drowned after being thrown into the St. Lawrence River during a rescue mission Sunday night, officials announced Monday. Montreal fire Chief Richard Liebmann said the body of Pierre Lacroix, a married father of two, was recovered from the water with the help of Montreal police divers on Monday morning. Lacroix was transported to hospital where his death was confirmed at 9:25 a.m. Lacroix, 58, was one of four firefighters dispatched shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday to rescue the occupants of a boat that was in trouble near the Lachine rapids in southwestern Montreal. "There were two people that were in distress, they were drifting towards the rapids when our rescue boat made contact with them," Liebmann told reporters Monday. Shortly after that, the fire boat capsized, Liebmann said. The other three firefighters and the two people they had originally set out to save were quickly rescued, but the search for Lacroix continued into the night. Boats from fire departments in neighbouring communities participated in the search, along with police divers, as well as provincial police and military helicopters. Around 3 a.m., rescuers were able to get a camera underneath the capsized boat, where they found signs of Lacroix. However, Liebmann said it was too dangerous to send divers under the boat until it was stabilized. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante offered her condolences to Lacroix's family and colleagues, praising his courage and selflessness. "Mr. Lacroix died doing what he trained for, doing what he truly believed was the right thing to do: saving other people's lives even if it meant losing his own. I think it's important to keep in mind how much courage it takes to do so," she told reporters. She announced the city would lower flags to half-mast in honour of Lacroix. Lacroix, who specialized in water rescue, had been with the Montreal fire department for more than 30 years and worked out of Fire Station 64 in the borough of Lachine for almost 20 years. He was "somebody whose life was dedicated to helping others," Liebmann said. "He knew that they were going into a situation that was very, very dangerous, and unfortunately he paid the ultimate price. There are two people that are that are out of danger today thanks to the efforts of all the rescue teams that were there, including firefighter Lacroix." The Transportation Safety Board, the provincial workplace health and safety board, the fire department and Montreal police are all investigating. "It's an inherently dangerous place to be at any time, especially at night and everything happened very quickly, but we're going to thoroughly investigate and do everything we can to figure out how to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again," Liebmann said. The three other firefighters were released from hospital overnight, said Liebmann, who noted that Lacroix is the first Montreal firefighter to die in the line of duty since 2012. "We try and prepare for the worst, but you're never prepared for something like this, so all we can do is be there for each other," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version misspelled the last name of Richard Liebmann in some instances. OTTAWA - Gov. Gen. Mary May Simon arrives Sunday in Berlin to begin her first international visit on behalf of Canada in the German capital. Governor General Mary May Simon speaks during the Presentation of Canadian Honours at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. She arrives Sunday in Berlin to begin her first international visit on behalf of Canada in the German capital. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA - Gov. Gen. Mary May Simon arrives Sunday in Berlin to begin her first international visit on behalf of Canada in the German capital. May Simon's four-day state visit will include a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel, and she will represent Canada at the 2021 Frankfurt Book Fair. "Canada and Germany have long been allies and friends. A state visit highlights our shared values and strong ties, and also helps support Canadian industries that have been hard hit during this pandemic," Rideau Hall said Sunday. In Berlin, May Simon is to visit the Humboldt Forum, which houses numerous Canadian artefacts, including two Indigenous totem poles from the West Coast. In Frankfurt, she will attend the book fair, which is featuring Canada as the guest of honour this year. May Simon is travelling with an entourage that includes Canada's new parliamentary poet laureat, writer Louise Bernice Halfe, who is also known by the Cree name Sky Dancer, writer Kim Thuy, Lisa Koperqualuk, the vice-president of international affairs for Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada, andMay Simon's husband, former journalist Whit Fraser. May Simon will also take part in a virtual event with Canadian writer Margaret Atwood. "Their Excellencies look forward to highlighting and encouraging Canada's authors and businesses at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's largest tradeshow for cultural and literary works, considered the Olympics of literature," Rideau Hall said Sunday. The Governor General will also attend a roundtable discussion about Arctic exploration, which will be held at the Frankfurt Archaeological Museum. May Simon was Canada's first ambassador for circumpolar affairs. She was also Canada's lead negotiator in the creation of the eight-country Arctic Council. The international visit comes a week after May Simon's first formal public appearance in Ottawa, which was at a homeless shelter. May Simon and Fraser spent an hour at the Ottawa Mission, meeting staff and volunteers and handing out hot meals to dozens of clients lined up down a city block outside. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2021 Opinion A few weeks ago, I attended a conference called Breaking the Shackles of Racism. The two-day national event was put on by the Islamic Social Services Association and featured several speakers and panel discussions about human rights, justice, policing and the media. I bought a ticket after meeting the associations executive director, Shahina Siddiqui, this summer. I learned a lot, and I shared a lot more than I expected. The experience changed me. One of the panelists couldnt make it on the second day, so they asked me to fill in. I humbly joined Council on American-Islamic Relations spokesman Ibrahim Hooper, who joined via Zoom, and Azeezah Kanji, the director of programming at the Noor Cultural Centre in Toronto. Kanji is a legal academic and writer whose work focuses on issues relating to racism, law and social justice. I held my own on the panel, which was about racial and religious bias in the mainstream media and the impact on marginalized communities at least, I think I did. I am anxious speaking in front of groups of people. I felt shy and awkward, but I spoke when it was my turn, filling the room with my words and my own lived experience of working in and for the machine that is the media. I explained the Reader Bridge project I manage at the Free Press, and how we are working to connect with communities who have historically been underrepresented in our news coverage and tell their stories. I spoke sincerely and from the heart. When I finished, it didnt feel like enough, but it was all I had to offer. I knew the message I delivered, but much of what I said the sentences I formed and the exact words I uttered was a blur. It was a moment that made me appreciate all Id learned and realize I still have so much to learn. Afterwards, when the conference was nearly finished, we all took part in a sharing circle led by Indigenous spiritual caregiver Michael Pierre and Wally Chartrand, a traditional pipe carrier, sweat lodge holder and sun dancer. We passed around an eagle feather as each person shared what we were grateful to have learned or experienced over the course of the two days. When it was my turn, I shared my thoughts and thanked Michael and Wally for giving me a piece of my own culture and inviting me to take part in the circle. My voice broke, and tears started rolling down my cheek when I said that. I felt such a profound sense of welcome and belonging. I havent been in many sharing circles. I resigned myself to the notion that we (my family) werent the kind of people who took part in ceremony or practised in our culture. Our path was different. That traditional way of life died a long time ago with my ancestors. Truth be told, I was fine with it for a long time, because I spent so many of my young years being embarrassed about being Indigenous. I feel such a deep sense of shame to admit that, but its the truth, and its part of who I am and my journey. In the last decade or so, Ive started to accept and embrace who I am, even though I dont fully know my roots. I feel a great sense of pride in being an Anishinaabe woman, but I often dont feel as though I am Indigenous enough. The imposter syndrome is fierce, and its not uncommon to hear the same sentiments echoed from other Indigenous folks. This is a result of colonization and the loss of our culture. Being welcomed into that circle after spending two days sharing and learning from one another was a moving experience. It was a gift. I didnt expect it, but Im grateful for it. shelley.cook@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @ShelleyACook Manitoba First Nations shouldn't expect to receive provincial funding to search for burial sites at former residential schools until next year. Manitoba First Nations shouldn't expect to receive provincial funding to search for burial sites at former residential schools until next year. The Indigenous reconciliation department says it needs time to properly consult with Indigenous leaders to decide how to disperse the $2.5 million the Tories promised in June. Officials want to see how the federal government allocates the money it has promised to First Nations. Currently, Ottawa is reviewing funding requests. "The province is actively engaging in dialogue with Indigenous leadership and communities," the department wrote. "The province also recognizes that the entire process must be Indigenous-led, and is actively pursuing opportunities for ongoing dialogue." This month, First Nations bands from across Manitoba told the Free Press theyre frustrated about the lack of urgency to hand out federal funding, so they can undertake measures such as ground-radar searches. They expressed concern about access to records that fall under Manitoba privacy rules. Manitoba said it has made progress in removing barriers to find out what happened to children who died while in the care of residential schools. The province said its working on an information sharing agreement between its Vital Statistics Agency and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, an independent organization that supports families and communities trying to identify missing children. Some bands, such as Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, have described a Catch-22 situation: they suspect a child died while attending residential school, but dont have the name and thus cant seek the familys permission to access records. There could be cases, for instance, in which a child got sick and ended up in a provincial sanatorium, where they might have died. MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Long Plain First Nation submitted an application for funding in June, but still hasn't heard back. The federal government says the file is now under review. Reconciliation Minister Alan Lagimodiere was not available for an interview, but his department said a steering committee met recently to begin sorting out the needs of Indigenous communities, and how to prioritize the $2.5 million for searches and commemoration. The province has an "anticipation of flowing funds early in the new year." Meanwhile, the federal government said it is working with bands to allocate the $321 million it promised for searches and commemorations. The Crown-Indigenous Relations department said it had received 175 inquiries about funding, mostly from bands in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan. It had approved nine of the 58 applications it had received as of Friday. So far, five Manitoba groups have submitted applications. The Long Plain band complained it submitted a request in June and hadnt heard back; the federal department said Friday it is reviewing that application. The northern Cross Lake band also complained about accessing funding and preserving evidence that could be used in a criminal trial. The federal department said it has been in talks with the band about submitting a formal request. "We have listened and are ensuring that the approaches taken are Indigenous-led, survivor-centric, culturally sensitive and community-based," wrote spokesman Kyle Fournier. "It is up to each affected community to decide how they want to approach this difficult and important work. We will provide the tools and resources to support communities in those decisions." NDP MP Niki Ashton, who represents northern Manitoba, said the Liberals should get the money to bands more quickly. "We need to see the government act urgently. These are all First Nations who have taken the initiative, and very early on made it clear they want to go down this path of bringing their children home," Ashton said. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett was not available for an interview. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca WINNIPEG Animal Services seeks to strengthen and improve the safety of both pets and the community with its Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw review, but many of its proposed ideas would do just the opposite. The proposed ban of many specialty pets will drive trade into the black market and put animals at risk, while wiping out legitimate pet businesses and potentially impacting hundreds of jobs. Opinion WINNIPEG Animal Services seeks to strengthen and improve the safety of both pets and the community with its Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw review, but many of its proposed ideas would do just the opposite. The proposed ban of many specialty pets will drive trade into the black market and put animals at risk, while wiping out legitimate pet businesses and potentially impacting hundreds of jobs. The proposed list of "Allowable Animals" is completely wrongheaded in its approach. This narrow catalogue of permitted animals excludes a raft of very common pets, such as many breeds of fish, birds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. This is patently unfair to Winnipeggers who may not be dog or cats owners, but who still want a pet as a member of their family household. Not only do they love their speciality pets every bit as much as some people love puppies and kittens, but many hobbyists also work closely with researchers to further the care practices and preservation of species. Winnipegs proposed bylaw changes are largely unwarranted, because the federal government has already investigated all aspects of the importation of exotic animals and has established guidelines and laws. These protect the animals, human health and safety, and the environment, and they support the economic health of Canada and the countries of origin. Other levels of government also already have relevant regulation in place. Not only does Winnipeg Animal Services approach undermine the safety objectives of its proposed bylaw with relation to speciality pets, if adopted this restriction on specialty pet ownership would also detrimentally affect Winnipegs economy. Local pet owners invest almost $91.5 million annually in caring for their animals, and the pet industry supports approximately 450 area jobs. Many Winnipeg pet-industry players invest heavily in training and education to create a workforce that is well qualified in the care of a full range of specialty pets. Indeed, thousands of Canadian pet-industry workers have taken and passed exams to achieve Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) Canadas pet care training certification, which gives them the skills and knowledge they need to work with many animal categories, including reptiles, small mammals, birds and fish. Canadians love keeping fish, making it one of the nations most popular pet-keeping practices. However, Winnipegs proposed breed ban will debilitate the supply of most salt water and fresh fish species that are commonly prized by aquarium owners. This could kill off a sizeable number of Winnipegs legitimate pet-product retailers, including many that are independent and family-owned businesses. Considering that more than 90 per cent of specialty pets sold in Canadian pet stores come from regulated, human-raised operations, perhaps the biggest risk of introducing this proposed breed ban is its potential to create a black-market bonanza. Driving the specialty pet trade underground, where theres no regulatory or industry oversight, no visibility into standards of care or breeding ethics, really will put the safety of both animals and people at risk. A list of "Prohibited Animals" would be a much better solution to keeping both pets and the community safe by ruling out those breeds which are a danger to the public, a threat to Indigenous wildlife or which fall outside national and international breeding conventions, regulations and agreements. This approach is more practical, as well. The city currently works with a prohibited list of 200 animals, and employees are already familiar with it and are knowledgeable about species it covers. The proposed list of 58 "allowed" animals creates the situation in which city staff will have discretionary power over an unlimited variety of animals and would potentially be called upon for decisions about the housing and care of many thousands of breeds. Youd have to train up an army of bylaw enforcement officers. As a not-for-profit organization with more than 1,500 members, PIJAC Canada is dedicated to leading the development of policies, resources and best practices that benefit pets, pet families and Canadian pet businesses. As such, weve developed a suggested list of prohibited species as part of our own Exotic Animal Policy. Its designed to be practical, enforceable and compliant with Canadian and international laws and best practices, and we believe it would serve the city of Winnipeg well. Christine Carriere is president and CEO of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada (PIJAC), the voice of Canadas pet industry, and is an advocate for the humane treatment, as well as the responsible sourcing and sale, of animals. In politics, nothing is more important than credibility. Politicians can deliver stirring speeches and launch searing attack ads, but if they dont tell the truth, nobody believes any of it. And, one way or another, voters will hold them accountable. Opinion Fred Chartrand / The Canadian Press FILES Conservative Leader Erin OToole speaks to the media in Gatineau, Que., on Sept. 8 after the French-language leaders debate during the federal election campaign. In politics, nothing is more important than credibility. Politicians can deliver stirring speeches and launch searing attack ads, but if they dont tell the truth, nobody believes any of it. And, one way or another, voters will hold them accountable. After our "election about nothing," Erin OToole has a serious credibility problem. Take his flip-flop on the carbon tax. OToole once railed against the carbon tax. "Families, people on fixed income like our seniors, they dont have more coming in yet they see costs going up, the carbon tax adds to that and raises the cost of everything," OToole said in 2018. When running for leader of the Conservative Party, he promised Canadians he would fight carbon taxes. He even signed the Canadian Taxpayers Federations pledge: "I, Erin OToole promise that, if elected Prime Minister of Canada, I will: Immediately repeal the Trudeau carbon tax and reject any future national carbon tax or cap-and-trade scheme." His own leadership platform acknowledged that "a carbon tax is not an environmental plan, it is a tax plan." But then, in the run-up to the election, he blindsided taxpayers, not to mention many members of his party, and announced he would hammer families with a carbon tax of his own and also impose a second carbon tax through fuel regulations. His carbon taxes would have soaked a family for nearly $20 every time they fueled up their minivan. To add insult to injury, he claimed his carbon tax was "not a tax at all." If youre going to break your promise, at least have the spine to tell the truth rather than play word games and insult Canadians intelligence. We do want politicians to be able to change their minds. Take the famous quote: "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" But changing your mind on a big, important issue should be a rare event. A politician whose mind seems to be on a swivel will soon lose all credibility. OToole also turned his back on reining in government spending. He and his partys ads constantly reminded Canadians that "Trudeau is borrowing $424 million each day" and that "Canadas debt is already over $1 trillion." He talked the talk. But he didnt walk the walk. Instead of providing a credible plan to balance the budget, OToole proposed continuing the spending spree. He said he would spend about $50 billion more than the Trudeau governments last budget. His "plan to return to fiscal prudence," according to his leadership platform, turns out to mean outspending the Trudeau government that took per-person spending to all-time highs even before the pandemic. Then there was his backtrack on the Liberals gun ban and buyback scheme. The buyback could cost taxpayers billions of dollars, but it wont make Canada safer because it targets law-abiding citizens rather than criminals. The RCMP union said the scheme could even make Canada less safe because "it diverts extremely important personnel, resources and funding away from addressing the more immediate and growing threat of criminal use of illegal firearms." The Conservative platform first promised to repeal the Trudeau governments gun ban. But after a little blowback from the Liberals and the press, OToole took out his magic marker and added a footnote: "All firearms that are currently banned will remain banned." In terms of credibility, its often "one strike and youre out." Or at most, two. But OToole had three strikes in not much more than a month. He initially said he would make life more affordable by scrapping the carbon tax. He said he would get irresponsible spending under control. And he said he would make Canada safer by stopping illegal gun smuggling rather than wasting money taking guns from licensed gun owners. Maybe he hoped voters wouldnt notice his campaign platform proposed exactly the opposite: raising the carbon tax, increasing runaway spending and maintaining expensively ineffective gun policies. Voters arent stupid: they held him accountable, and theyre not likely to forget. Once youve lost your credibility, its very hard to grow it back. Franco Terrazzano is the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Troy Media Last Thursday, the government of New Brunswick issued a memo to provincial employees that they may not make or issue territorial or title acknowledgements. Opinion Last Thursday, the government of New Brunswick issued a memo to provincial employees that they "may not make or issue territorial or title acknowledgements." "As you may be aware," said the directive issued by New Brunswick Attorney General Ted Flemming, "the Government of New Brunswick (GNB) is currently involved in a number of legal actions which have been initiated by certain First Nations against the province, including a claim to ownership and title to over 60% of the Province." As Flemming directs, employees can, if they have to, use a basic statement that removes the terms "unceded" or "unsurrendered." This comes one year after six Wolastoqey nations filed a land title claim against the province, stating that their communities "did not surrender rights or land or resources" during the Peace and Friendship treaties signed between 1725 and 1779, resulting in non-Indigenous peoples settling in what is now Maine, New Hampshire, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The majority of New Brunswick, the lawsuit basically entails, is on stolen land. Its true though; the only legal doctrine the Canadian government has to reside on these lands is the 1763 Royal Proclamation, where King George III simply declared everything his. So, its not like First Nations leaders there have any choice. The draconian Indian Act disables virtually any economic development on reserves and, as recent disputes over lobster fishing in the province illustrate, the Canadian federal government has been consistently limiting treaty rights or ignoring them altogether (and forcing near-endless but victorious trips to the Supreme Court). Like any community, First Nations need to control their own affairs, a land base to create an economy, and their rights fully recognized. Theyre doing what anyone would do when a crime has been committed: seek peaceful, just, and reasonable legal recourse. New Brunswickers should be happy theyre not trying something else. Instead, anti-Indigenous sentiment has been growing in the province, particularly since the 2020 provincial election, which saw Blaine Higgs and his Progressive Conservative party form a majority government. Fishermen and business leaders many of whom vote Conservative carry deep resentments against the Canadian government recognizing any Indigenous rights over fishing, shale gas resources, or any land whatsoever. This has galvanized support for Higgs, who has been increasingly using rhetoric that demeans and marginalizes Indigenous people in the province. Last Christmas, after chiefs in the province quit a provincial working group tasked with implementing the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action, Higgs pronounced he is not interested in "debating injustices of the past" because "I dont try to be a historian." Then, after two shootings of Indigenous peoples by police and claims by First Nations leaders that racism against Indigenous peoples is "deeply rooted" in provincial departments, Higgs and New Brunswick Aboriginal Affairs minister Arlene Dunn refused to investigate until finally creating a bare-bones commission to study discrimination against all racialized groups. Its "really important for us to understand that systemic racism actually doesnt just apply to Indigenous populations in our province," Dunn announced. Last April, Higgs and Dunn suddenly announced that the province would be cancelling long standing tax sharing agreements with First Nations bands, claiming certain communities were making too much money with Higgs nonsensically calling some bands "super-wealthy." Then, the province joined other right-wing premiers in Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Alberta in giving tacit recognition to the National Day of Reconciliation, refusing to give a statutory holiday. Its not as though New Brunswick hasnt been a long-standing site of anti-Indigenous sentiment either. This is the area of the world where scalping rewards of Indigenous peoples still exist. This refusal by New Brunswick to allow provincial employees to use the words "unceded" and "unsurrendered" represents a new development though. Change. Territorial acknowledgements work. When said correctly, they teach people to see what they have been taught not to see. They call on people to be better after seeing them. They name the truth, and the incredible truth about truth is that it eventually impacts change. The fact is no one has ever negotiated for land in New Brunswick. People just came in and, while perhaps promising to share and be nice, ended up stealing it in the end. Same could be said for most of the lands Canada now resides upon, including right here in Manitoba. Indigenous peoples have been incredibly kind, encouraging Canadians through education, gestures, and territorial acknowledgements to learn of the injustice this country is built upon. I would bet that if Indigenous leaders saw a future where their rights were honoured, land and resources were shared and returned, and governments were recognized, there would be less need for lawsuits and more for working groups, actions, and actual reconciliation. Territorial acknowledgements are meant to be a step in a journey but New Brunswick has been taking less and less until finally on Thursday stopping altogether. When the talking stops, whats next? Lawsuits, conflict, and stuff I dont want to think about. niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca First Nations people living on Manitoba reserves now qualify for a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as a higher proportion of young people ineligible for shots is driving outbreaks that are infecting fully vaccinated residents. First Nations people living on Manitoba reserves now qualify for a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as a higher proportion of young people ineligible for shots is driving outbreaks that are infecting fully vaccinated residents. "We have seen, throughout this pandemic, that First Nations people are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The fourth wave is no different," said Dr. Marcia Anderson, public health lead with the Manitoba First Nations Pandemic Response Coordination Team. The new criterion applies only to people who got their second shot at least six months ago, a number Anderson said is currently about 7,200. Most of them will receive Moderna, she told reporters at a Monday news conference. Anderson provided examples of three communities with good vaccine uptake that are dealing with outbreaks that include multiple breakthrough cases of fully vaccinated people. One of the affected communities involved in people vaccinated in April or earlier. First Nations make up approximately one-tenth of Manitoba's population, but account for 39 per cent of new COVID-19 cases, as of last Friday. Along with rising hospitalization numbers, reserves now have a test-positivity rate of 10 per cent, which is three times what is generally considered to be a controlled spread. Anderson said breakthrough cases among First Nations people living on reserve have increased since August. Its unclear how much of the problem stems from waning immunity, and how much is due to environmental factors such as overcrowded homes and poor health as a result of limited access to healthy food, for example. "The combination of, potentially, time since vaccination, as well as higher viral load because of these factors, is I think what we are seeing here," she said. Anderson noted that only people born before Dec. 31, 2009 qualify for COVID-19 shots, and that First Nations are disproportionately younger than the overall Manitoba population, meaning there are more unvaccinated people in those settings, often interacting in overcrowded homes and schools. A team of federal and provincial bureaucrats and First Nations officials is now being re-activated on reserves to roll out third doses and determine which residents still need their second and initial doses. Meanwhile, the province today opened its call centre and booking system for Manitobans to schedule flu-shot appointments. The online vaccine finder now shows where COVID-19 and influenza shots are available. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Thousands of frontline, essential workers will start their day with a nasal swab before heading into hospitals, daycares and schools across Manitoba as public health orders requiring rapid COVID-19 testing or vaccination come into force today. Thousands of frontline, essential workers will start their day with a nasal swab before heading into hospitals, daycares and schools across Manitoba as public health orders requiring rapid COVID-19 testing or vaccination come into force today. The sweeping mandate for vulnerable sector employees to take rapid COVID-19 tests up to three times a week unless they are fully vaccinated against the disease was estimated to impact more than 10,000 health care workers who, as of Friday, had not disclosed their immunization status. However, at Bethania Mennonite Personal Care Home in northeast Winnipeg, chief executive officer Gary Ledoux said just eight staff would be required to arrive 30 minutes ahead of their scheduled shift to take the mandatory self-administered test. Ledoux said across Bethania Groups two personal care homes, including Pembina Place Personal Care Home, staff vaccination levels are high; just 12 of more than 280 employees in a variety of positions, including nurses and health care aides, are not fully vaccinated. "Itll be manageable. Part of the challenge is making sure people do it in the 48 hour span," Ledoux said, describing how staff would take the test in a designated area and would be subject to weekly audits for compliance. "All the measures that we can take are necessary and we agree with them," Ledoux said. "This measure is really important to make sure that no ones walking in who is infected with COVID." However, the long-term care executive expressed concern for his counterparts, residents and families at personal care homes in regions with low vaccine uptake including the 124-bed Salem Home in Winkler that are preparing for the added burden of testing and staff shortages if employees refuse. "Its startling, frightening and dismaying all at the same time that the staff down there, so many of them are not only refusing to get vaccinated, but refusing to disclose their vaccination status," Ledoux said. "Thats totally unprecedented and were just really praying for them that theyll be able to manage it," Ledoux said. Late last week, the directors of Salem Home and Tabor Home in Morden sent a letter to families requesting additional support if staff do not report to work or refuse to be tested. "It is impossible to know what next week will look like, but we are asking for your help in any way you can," Tabor Home chief executive officer Carolyn Fenny wrote in a letter to families. "If we do not have enough staff, we may have to go one-step further and ask that you would take your loved one home to look after them, if this is possible for you and your family to manage." Requests for comment from the directors of Tabor Home and Salem Home were not returned Sunday. Meanwhile, in a letter dated Oct. 14, Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4270 president Darrin Cook cautioned members thinking about walking off the job on Monday instead of submitting their immunization status or taking a rapid test. "We cannot support any illegal activity and strongly advise against this," Cook wrote to members. "This will be deemed abandonment of your job and may result in termination." A request for comment from the union was not returned by deadline. The union represents home care providers and a suite of health care support staff in Southern Health. Cook also told members that union lawyers have determined the public health order does not violate the collective agreement or any human rights. However, he stated in his letter that the union will grieve any terminations as a result of the order. "We will support your choice, but the consequences of your choice should not have to exceed more than a temporary unpaid leave of absence," Cook wrote. "We will fight for your right to choose but again all choices come with consequences." A Free Press request for an interview with a representative of Southern Health-Sante Sud regarding plans to manage potential staff shortages in the region went unreturned Sunday. Manitoba NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara said the provincial government should have been prepared to respond to potential labour shortages in hospitals and personal care homes in the wake of the vaccination and testing policy. "This government has known for months that vaccine uptake in those communities was low and slow, and therefore should have put a clear plan in place to ensure that theres adequate staffing, that theres adequate staff hired to provide care to those long term care residents," Asagwara said. "Unfortunately, were seeing families burdened with responsibilities that many families dont have the capacity to deal with." A spokesman for Shared Health said a final number of healthcare workers who were unvaccinated or did not submit their immunization status was still being tallied as of Sunday. According to the province, more than 1.3 million rapid tests have been sent to over 600 workplaces across Manitoba. danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca REGINA - On the day Saskatchewan asked the federal government for help to deal with surging COVID-19 hospitalizations, Premier Scott Moe granted the province could have acted sooner on a renewed mask mandate or proof-of-vaccination policy. REGINA - On the day Saskatchewan asked the federal government for help to deal with surging COVID-19 hospitalizations, Premier Scott Moe granted the province could have acted sooner on a renewed mask mandate or proof-of-vaccination policy. Health officials also announced that six intensive care patients were being sent to Ontario to relieve overwhelmed staff. The first patient was to go to Ottawa on Monday and another five were to be sent to Ontario by Wednesday. This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML The province said each patient transfer would cost at least $20,000 and the government would also pay to have two family members go with each patient. "This is being done to ensure they continue to receive the very best possible care that is available," Moe said at a news conference. When asked about his handling of the pandemic's fourth wave, Moe said: "Potentially we could have moved a week sooner with a mask mandate, or even sooner with the vaccination policy that we brought into place." Masks in indoor public places were brought back Sept. 17 and proof of vaccination became necessary Oct. 1 to get into restaurants, bars, movie theatres, gyms, concert venues and ticketed sporting events. The office of federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair confirmed it had received and was reviewing a formal request for assistance from the Saskatchewan Party government. There were 124 people in the province's intensive care units Monday 157 per cent of normal capacity. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe speaks at a news conference at the Legislative Building in Regina on Thursday, March 25, 2021.The Saskatchewan government says it is asking the federal government for help to deal with surging COVID-19 hospitalizations and is sending six intensive care patients to Ontario to relieve overwhelmed staff. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell Saskatchewan has been running out of hospital space and staff for several weeks. Elective and urgent surgeries have been cancelled and the province has suspended its organ donation program. About 175 health-care workers have been redeployed to ICUs across the province. "Our teams are under significant strain and have been under those conditions for a number of weeks now," said Derek Miller, executive director of the Saskatchewan Health Authority. "It is very stressful on our front-line teams to be able to support this level of surge for this length of time, and that's a major factor in moving ahead." Marlo Pritchard, who is in charge of the emergency operations centre, said the province reached out to health-care jurisdictions across North America asking if staff would be available to come to Saskatchewan. "We made requests looking for those skilled individuals and, when those ended up not being able to provide the resources we were hoping for, we now reached out to the federal government this morning," he said. Moe had rejected assistance from the federal government, which initially offered to help Saskatchewan with its fourth wave in late September. The premier said at the time that Ottawa would likely be able to provide enough staff for two ICU beds and his province was being realistic about Ottawa's finite resources. On Monday he said he got that number based on "taking essentially per capita of what (the federal government) sent to Alberta." Ottawa sent eight military critical care nurses to Edmonton earlier this month. Pritchard said it's unknown how many critical care personnel Ottawa might be able to send to Saskatchewan through the Canadian Red Cross and the military. Health Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Dr. Michael Warner, clinical director of critical care at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto, said Ontario has enough resources to help Saskatchewan. "If we don't move patients out, other patients who end up to hospital in Saskatchewan would not be able to get the care they need at all." Saskatchewan's population is smaller than some areas of Toronto, yet its current rate of hospitalizations is worse than Ontario ever experienced, Warner said. Saskatchewan reported a record 85 COVID-19 patients in ICUs on Monday the equivalent to 1,061 in Ontario, Warner said. "At our peak in wave three, we only had 891 COVID-19 patients in our ICUs ... I don't actually know how Saskatchewan is able to cope." On July 11, Saskatchewan removed all public health orders, including a requirement to self-isolate upon receiving a positive COVID-19 test. Warner said removing the restrictions played a role in the province's fourth wave. For a month, health-care workers and the Saskatchewan Opposition asked the province to accept federal aid to alleviate pressure and to avoid sending patients away for treatment. "This was entirely avoidable," NDP Leader Ryan Meili said. "Just further evidence of a premier who refuses to take any responsibility for his own failures and his own actions." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2021. Note to readers: The is a corrected story. A previous version misspelled the name Marlo. WASHIINGTON (AP) Colin Powell, the boundary-breaking military leader and diplomat whose sterling reputation of service to Republican and Democratic presidents was stained by his faulty claims to justify the 2003 U.S. war in Iraq, died Monday of COVID-19 complications. He was 84. FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2001 file photo, Secretary of State Colin Powell looks on as President Bush addresses State Department employees at the State Department in Washington. Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state, has died from COVID-19 complications, his family said Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Kenneth Lambert) WASHIINGTON (AP) Colin Powell, the boundary-breaking military leader and diplomat whose sterling reputation of service to Republican and Democratic presidents was stained by his faulty claims to justify the 2003 U.S. war in Iraq, died Monday of COVID-19 complications. He was 84. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Powell spent 35 years in the Army and rose to the rank of four-star general before becoming the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His oversight of the U.S. invasion of Kuwait to oust the Iraqi army in 1991 made him a household name, prompting speculation for nearly a decade that he might run for president, a course he ultimately decided against. Powell instead joined George W. Bush's administration in 2001 as secretary of state, the first Black person to represent the U.S. government on the world stage. His tenure, however, was marred by his 2003 address to the U.N. Security Council in which he cited faulty information to claim that Saddam Hussein had secretly stashed weapons of mass destruction. Such weapons never materialized, and though the Iraqi leader was removed, the war devolved into years of military and humanitarian losses. In announcing Powell's death, his family said he had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Peggy Cifrino, Powells longtime aide, said he had also been treated over the past few years for multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that impairs the bodys ability to fight infection. Studies have shown that those cancer patients dont get as much protection from the COVID-19 vaccines as healthier people. At the White House, President Joe Biden said Powell "embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat." FILE - In this Sept. 25, 1991, file photo, Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, at a House Armed Services subcommittee. Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state, has died from COVID-19 complications, his family said Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Marcy Nighswander, File) Noting Powell's rise from a childhood in a fraying New York City neighborhood, Biden said, "He believed in the promise of America because he lived it. And he devoted much of his life to making that promise a reality for so many others." Flags were ordered lowered at government buildings, including the White House, Pentagon and State Department. Powell's time as secretary of state was largely defined by the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. He was the first American official to publicly blame Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network. He made a lightning trip to Pakistan to demand that then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf cooperate with the United States in going after the Afghanistan-based group, which also had a presence in Pakistan, where bin Laden was later killed. But as Washington's push for war in Iraq deepened, Powell sometimes found himself at odds with other key figures in the Bush administration, including Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld also died this year. Powell's State Department was dubious of the military and intelligence communities conviction that Saddam possessed or was developing weapons of mass destruction. But he presented the administrations case that Saddam posed a major regional and global threat in a strong speech to the U.N. Security Council in February 2003. The following month, Bush gave the go-ahead for the invasion. The U.N. speech, replete with Powell's display of a vial of what he said could have been a biological weapon, was seen as a low point in his career, although he had removed some elements from the remarks that he deemed to have been based on poor intelligence assessments. FILE - In this May 7, 2002 file photo, Secretary of State Colin Powell receives a pat on the cheek from National Security Adivisor Condoleezza Rice, right, in the Oval Office during the meeting between President Bush, and Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon at the White House in Washington. Colin Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state, has died from COVID-19 complications, his family said Monday. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool) The U.S. overthrow of Saddam ended the rule of a brutal dictator. But the power vacuum and lawlessness that followed unleashed years of sectarian fighting and chaos that killed countless Iraqi civilians, sparked a lengthy insurgency, and unintentionally tilted the balance of power in the Middle East toward a U.S. rival, Iran. No Iraqi weapons of mass destruction were ever found. Still, Powell maintained in a 2012 interview with The Associated Press that on balance, the U.S. succeeded in Iraq. "I think we had a lot of successes," he said. "Iraqs terrible dictator is gone." Saddam was captured by U.S. forces while hiding out in northern Iraq in December 2003 and later executed by the Iraqi government. But the war dragged on. President Barack Obama pulled U.S. troops out of Iraq in 2011, but he sent advisers back in 2014 after the Islamic State group swept into the country from Syria and captured large swaths of territory. Bush said Monday that he and former first lady Laura Bush were "deeply saddened" by Powells death. "He was a great public servant" and "widely respected at home and abroad," Bush said. "And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man." FILE - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell makes a statement to the media after a meeting at U.N. headquarters, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2003. Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state, has died from COVID-19 complications. In an announcement on social media Monday, Oct. 18, 2021 the family said Powell had been fully vaccinated. He was 84. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, file) Condoleezza Rice, Powells successor at State and the departments first black female secretary, praised him as "a trusted colleague and a dear friend through some very challenging times." Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a retired Army general and the first Black Pentagon chief, said the news of Powells death left "a hole in my heart." "The world lost one of the greatest leaders that we have ever witnessed," Austin said while traveling in Europe. Vice President Kamala Harris, the highest ranking black woman in U.S. history, also noted Powell's racial firsts. "Every step of the way, when he filled those roles, he was by everything that he did and the way he did it, inspiring so many people," she said. "Young servicemembers and others not only within the military, but in our nation and around the globe, took notice of what his accomplishments meant as a reflection of who we are as a nation." No child of privilege, Powell often framed his biography as an American success story. "Mine is the story of a black kid of no early promise from an immigrant family of limited means who was raised in the South Bronx," he wrote in his 1995 autobiography "My American Journey." It's an experience he was fond of recalling later in his life. When he appeared at the United Nations, even during his Iraq speech, he often reminisced on his childhood in New York City, where he grew up the child of Jamaican immigrants and got one of his first jobs at the Pepsi-Cola bottling plant directly across the East River from the U.N. headquarters. Powell's path toward the military began at City College, where discovered the ROTC. When he put on his first uniform, he wrote, "I liked what I saw." He joined the Army and in 1962 he was one of more than 16,000 military advisers sent to South Vietnam by President John F. Kennedy. A series of promotions led to the Pentagon and assignment as a military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, who became his unofficial sponsor. He later became commander of the Armys 5th Corps in Germany and later was national security assistant to President Ronald Reagan. During his term as Joint Chiefs chairman, his approach to war became known as the Powell Doctrine, which held that the United States should only commit forces in a conflict if it has clear and achievable objectives with public support, sufficient firepower and a strategy for ending the war. Though he gained national prominence under Republican presidents, Powell ultimately moved away from the party. He endorsed Democrats in the past four presidential elections, starting with Obama. He emerged as a vocal Donald Trump critic in recent years, describing Trump as "a national disgrace" who should have been removed from office through impeachment. ___ AP Writer Steve Peoples and AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this report. Mike Kendhammer used to look out his dining room window and see large groups of deer gathered in a field below. In the morning, I would have my coffee and read the paper, and I would always see a dozen, 15 or 20, he said. These days, the deer are gone. Since last year, Kendhammer has found 15 dead deer on his 220-acre property just south of La Crosse. He said three other deer who died under similar circumstances have been found on a neighboring property. Last month, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources identified the cause of at least two of the deaths: epizootic hemorrhagic disease. Kendhammer believes EHD killed the remaining 16 deer. He also believes there are dead deer on his and neighboring properties that have yet to be found. Its devastated the deer herd in this valley, he said. Its like they all disappeared. EHD has surfaced elsewhere in the area. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported Oct. 11 that confirmed cases were discovered in Houston and Winona counties. Later in the week, Wisconsin DNR confirmed a case in Juneau County and a third La Crosse County case in the town of Medary. DNR biologists in Wisconsin and Minnesota dont believe EHD poses the same threat to the deer herd as chronic wasting disease. EHD is common in the southern and western United States and was identified for the first time in Wisconsin in 2002, when 14 deer died in Iowa County. There were reports of EHD last year in Buffalo and Oconto counties, but only 50 deer died statewide, according Wisconsin DNR. However, Wisconsin DNR wildlife technician Paul Napierala isnt surprised that a local landowner would notice a population decline triggered by EHD. Its usually a local die-off, and it stops at the local level, Napierala said. We typically dont adjust any hunting quotas, even at the county level. The virus that causes EHD is carried by a biting gnat known as a midge. Infected deer with the most severe symptoms salivate excessively, have foam present around the nose (sometimes with blood), suffer from dehydration and lose their fear of humans. Deer with EHD may look outwardly healthy because the disease spreads rapidly through the body, and the deer shed little weight before they die. Those symptoms match what Kendhammer has seen on his property. We found dead deer by our tree stand, and we couldnt figure out what was going on, Kendhammer said of deer he discovered in 2020. The deer didnt show any sign of stress at all. I could see a little blood coming from the nose and ears. Since the EHD is caused by an insect, the spread of the disease is halted annually with the arrival of cold weather, said Minnesota DNR wildlife health program supervisor Michelle Carstensen. It ends as soon as we get the first frost, Carstensen said. Its really a short-term disease generally late summer into the fall. Unseasonably warm weather in western Wisconsin has given the disease additional time to spread. As of Friday, the La Crosse area had yet to experience its first frost, which normally arrives the first week of October. A later frost would give the midge population a better climate to thrive, Napierala said. Carstensen said Minnesota had been insulated from EHD until 2019, when the disease first appeared in Houston and Stearns counties. She said drought conditions in Minnesota played a role in the spread as deer congregated around shrinking water holes. All of our neighboring states have been dealing with EHD for years, she said. We dont get a lot of reports in Minnesota maybe a dozen overall but its an underestimate of the disease. Biologists say the virus doesnt infect humans even if a person handles infected deer, eats venison from infected deer or are bitten by infected midges. However, Carstensen said people shouldnt consume deer that exhibit any signs of poor health. Carstensen said EHD is very different from CWD, which is linked to a prion with a much longer incubation period. CWD is super slow, she said. Its a different pathogen. It has nothing to do with temperature or insects. It has a different cycle and presentation. Kendhammer and his neighbors found four bucks and six does in 2020 and one buck and seven does this year. He said all four bucks from last year would have registered a Pope and Young score. Hes concerned about the impact of the disease and said it can transmitted to other hoofed animals. He said the DNR needs to treat EHD with a sense of urgency. It would be an extreme disaster for Wisconsin if deer keep tipping over, Kendhammer said. Napierala said his department is monitoring the situation and asked for the publics help. The biggest thing is for hunters and landowners to notify the DNR so we can better track the geographic distribution of the disease, Napierala said. We really depend on landowners and hunters in these situations. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Winona State University recently announced Marshall Erickson as the new director of Community Engagement and StartUp Winona State. The position will support the WSU College of Business in expanding existing efforts in entrepreneurship one of five key initiatives in the College of Business 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, said Interim Dean of the College of Business Marianne Collins. With this team in place, and additional efforts to establish a Center for Excellence, I feel that we can attain the next level of entrepreneurial opportunities and resources for our students and community, said Collins. As Director of Community Engagement and StartUp Winona State, Erickson will foster collaboration and partnerships between WSU and the business and nonprofit community. Its fun, rewarding work, and feeds my passion, said Erickson. (This position) is a great opportunity to continue serving entrepreneurs in the region and doing what I enjoy. Im looking forward to fostering these relationships to get the outcomes WSU wants in entrepreneur and economic development for students and the region. Erickson received his Bachelor of Business Administration from University of Minnesota-Duluth and his MBA from University of St. Thomas. His previous experience includes launching and growing startups and entrepreneur ecosystems, and he has a particular passion for rural entrepreneurship. Erickson enjoys building programs and equipping individuals, organizations, and communities with the skills and mindset to adapt, create value, and thrive. Former Director Willard Kitchen will serve in a newly created positionEntrepreneur in Residence. For more information, contact Erickson at marshall.erickson@winona.edu or visit the StartUp Winona State website at www.winona.edu/startup/. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Great River Shakespeare Festival is now selling early-bird subscriptions to its 18th Summer Season running June 18 to July 31, 2022. After moving outdoors in 2021, GRSF will return home to the WSU Performing Arts Center for its 2022 season. Internationally renowned theater artist Lisa Wolpe joins the Festival to direct Shakespeares fierce and energetic comedy The Taming of the Shrew, gender-reversed and set in a music-filled saloon in the American West. Follow Kat and Petrucia as they face off at high noon and gamble on an explosive high-stakes marriage at gunpoint. Festival favorite Corey Allen (TVs Mindhunter, Madam Secretary) returns to direct The African Company Presents Richard III by Carlyle Brown, a true and uniquely American theatrical story. In 1821, 40 years before Lincoln ended slavery, the first Black theatrical group in the country, the African Company of New York, is presenting Richard III to which both Black and White audiences are flocking. Meanwhile, uptown theatre impresario, Stephen Price, has hired a famous English actor to perform the very same play at Price's theatre. Fearing he'll be unable to deliver the promised crowds, Price sets about shutting down the competition. Beth Gardiner (GRSFs The Tempest, A Midsummer Nights Dream & The Servant of Two Masters) brings her special brand of delightful humor and heart-filled storytelling to Shakespeares Twelfth Night which promises to be a magical evening of mistaken identity, love, yearning and drunken foolery. When Viola is washed ashore after a shipwreck, she dons a disguise to serve a lovelorn Duke and delivers his messages to the Countess Olivia, who in turn falls head-over-heels for Viola. Subscriptions are on sale now at grsf.org, with 3-Play Subscriptions available from $94 - $118 (with additional guest tickets at 20% off) and 2-Play Subscriptions from $71 - $89 (additional guest tickets 10% off). Plus, subscribers who purchase before Dec 31 will receive an extra free ticket to a show of their choice (exclusions apply). Great River Shakespeare Festival is a nonprofit, professional Equity theatre company in Winona,dedicated to dynamic, clearly understood productions of Shakespeares plays alongside extensive education and community outreach programs, and comprehensive theatre training. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Coyles firm, which conducts searches for nationally ranked liberal arts colleges and research universities, is seeing a lot of turnover, she said. Some higher education leaders who planned to step down in 2020 or 2021 delayed those plans, not wanting to appear as if they were jumping ship in the middle of a crisis. Others who expected to retire a few years from now have moved up their timelines because of burnout over the past 18 months. Blanks departure doesnt appear to fit into the broader trend, Coyle said, but the national landscape may mean more competition among schools seeking their next leader. There are several advantages UW-Madison has heading into the presidential search, experts say. By the time Blank leaves, she will have led the university for nine years, one of the longest-serving chancellors in recent history. Lyall said the long tenure sends a signal of stability to candidates about the state of the university. Foreplay judgment: problematic judicial views around consent in rape cases persists In SA it is alarming and legally dangerous to have a judgment that consensual foreplay implies consent for penetration and sex, and thus rape did not occur. On 8 October 2021, Acting Judge Tembeka Ngcukaitobi and Judge Nyameko Gqamana handed down judgment in an appeal against a conviction of rape, in the Eastern Cape high court. The appeal was successful and the judges found that the previous sentence of seven years incarceration for rape was unduly harsh, ignores interests of society, and induces a sense of shock. Unfortunately, the judges seem to be wrong about the interests of society pertaining to the sentence handed down to the accused, as societys sense of shock seems now to be centred on the judges rationale for overturning the Makhanda Regional Courts decision. Civil society organisations such as the International Commission of Jurists Africa quickly tweeted that ICJ Africa is appalled to see Acting Judge Ngcukaitobi has ruled in favour of the appellant in Coko v S, where appellant argued that the foreplay he had with his ex-girlfriend indicated she had tacitly consented to sex. Lawyers for Human Rights similarly replied: We are disappointed in this judgment and consent to one sexual act can never imply consent to all sexual acts. The case dealt with a young woman who reported her former partner ignored her explicit wishes not to engage in penetrative sexual intercourse and raped her. The accused admitted in evidence before the court that sexual intercourse was not part of the plans for the evening and that the woman has previously discussed with him that she did not feel ready for intercourse. Yet, he admitted to the court that due to the foreplay and the body language of the Complainant, he believed that she was a willing participant. The judges set out the various times the victim both tacitly and actively said no, such as when the accused took off her pants and she said no, I dont want to have sex with you and when he penetrated her and she said that she was crying and trying to push him off of her. Yet he wouldnt stop and he just carried on shoving it in and out and kept saying sorry in my ear. Despite the evidence that the victim did not consent to intercourse with the accused and consistently objected to his advances, the judges instead found that during the alleged rape the Complainant was an equally active participant, she was not merely passive and based this inference on the fact that the victim kissed the Appellant back and had no objection to him taking off her clothes. The judges make another assertion that there was no rape as no threats or force were used to coerce the Complainant. Two issues emerge from this problematic judgment. They both centre on South Africas prevalence of rape culture and thus rape stereotypes. The first is that a woman must be threatened or forced in order for a rape to be considered as legitimate. This is explicitly absent from our laws on sexual offences, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Act. Here, the definition of rape does not require any type of force or threat and instead requires intention on the part of the accused and a lack of consent from the victim. Threats and force can and often are absent from many rape cases. Even the act acknowledges this fact and establishes that there may not be consent if there is an abuse of power or authority; where a sexual act is committed under false pretences; where a person is unconscious; or where a child is under 12 years of age, in an altered state of consciousness or has a mental disability. The second issue that emerges from this judgment is the idea that if one consents to one type of sexual encounter, then one consents to everything. This is not part of our law either. The act establishes instead that there can be a lack of consent where someone agrees to one form of sexual act and then another, which they did not consent to, occurs. There is no basis in our law to support the judges arguments that consenting to kissing or having your clothes removed necessarily implies consent to intercourse. In a society such as South Africa, which is plagued with gender-based violence, it is both alarming and legally dangerous to have a judgment such as this. In light of this judgment and the problematic precedent that it sets that when one consents to one form of sexual activity this can then be understood as consenting to all forms we must call upon the National Prosecuting Authority to appeal. Our laws and judgments must not fall prey to the stereotypes around rape and the effects of rape culture if we aim to see a country with decreasing rates of gender-based violence. DM Sheena Swemmer is the head of the Gender Justice programme at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies, Wits University. This article was first published in Daily Maverick. ROME, N.Y. (UPDATED) -- A Rome man is accused of stabbing his parents to death on Old Oneida Road in Rome on Monday. Just before noon, state police were dispatched to a home on Old Oneida Road, in the outer district in Rome, to check the welfare of a person who was standing at the edge of his driveway and appeared to be covered in blood. Kyle Kirk Kyle Kirk When troopers arrived, they found 30-year-old Kyle Kirk with blood on his clothing. As Troopers and EMS were interviewing Kyle, they discovered a man lying across the driveway suffering from apparent stab wounds. The victim was identified as 60-year-old Howard J. Kirk III, and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Police say Kyle lived in a trailer on the property behind his parents' home. As Troopers began to check the trailer for any other victims inside, they discovered 53-year-old Amanda L. Osborne, Kyle's mother, also deceased with multiple stab wounds. Kyle is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, an A-1 felony, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a class D felony. The investigation is continuing. Here's a look at the life of Colin Powell, former US secretary of state. Personal Birth date: April 5, 1937 Death date: October 18, 2021 Birth place: Harlem, New York Birth name: Colin Luther Powell Parents: Luther Powell, shipping clerk Mother: Maud Ariel (McKoy) Powell, seamstress Marriage: Alma Vivian (Johnson) Powell (August 25, 1962-October 18, 2021, his death) Children: Annemarie, Linda and Michael Education: City College of New York, B.S. in geology, 1958; George Washington University, M.B.A., 1971; National War College, 1976 Military service: US Army, 1958-1993, General Other Facts Powell grew up in the South Bronx, the son of Jamaican immigrants. Powell participated in ROTC in college, leading the precision drill team and attaining the top rank offered by the corps, cadet colonel. Military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Soldier's Medal and two Purple Hearts. Civilian awards include the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal as well as receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice. Powell was the youngest person and first African-American to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Powell was the first African-American secretary of state. Timeline June 1958 - Is commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the US Army. 1960s - Serves two tours of duty in South Vietnam. 1963 - Powell is wounded while in Vietnam by a Viet Cong booby trap. 1969 - Powell is wounded again in Vietnam in a helicopter crash. He rescues two other soldiers in the crash. 1972-1973 - As a White House fellow, works for Frank Carlucci, the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget under Caspar Weinberger. 1976-1977 - Commander of the 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. 1979 - Executive assistant to Charles Duncan Jr., secretary of energy. 1979-1981 - Senior military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense. 1981-1983 - Assistant division commander of the 4th Infantry Division in Ft. Carson, Colorado. 1983-1986 - Senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Weinberger. 1986-1987 - Is assigned to US Fifth Corps in Frankfurt, Germany. November 1987-January 1989 - National security adviser to President Ronald Reagan. 1989-1994 - Commander in chief of the Forces Command at Ft. McPherson, Georgia. October 1, 1989-September 30, 1993 - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 1991 - Oversees Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. 1993 - Retires from the Army as a four-star general. 1993 - Is named honorary Knight Commander Most Honorable Order of the Bath by Queen Elizabeth II. 1994 - Negotiates with Haitian military leaders for the peaceful return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, ending the need for a US invasion of the country. 1995 - Publishes his memoir, "My American Journey," with Joseph E. Persico. 1997 - Starts "America's Promise Alliance" to promote volunteerism and improve the lives of children. 1997 - The Colin Powell Center for Policy Studies, which has since merged with the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, is established at the City College of New York. July 30, 2000 - Gives the keynote address at the Republican National Convention in support of George W. Bush. January 20, 2001- Is appointed and unanimously confirmed as secretary of state. January 26, 2001 - Is sworn in as the 65th secretary of state of the United States. February 5, 2003 - Powell addresses the United Nations Security Council to present the United States' case against Iraq under UN Resolution 1441 regarding weapons of mass destruction. December 15, 2003 - Undergoes surgery for prostate cancer at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He was diagnosed with the disease earlier in the year. November 15, 2004 - The White House announces President Bush has accepted Powell's letter of resignation dated November 12. The letter states he will remain in office until his successor is confirmed. January 26, 2005 - Powell's resignation becomes effective with the confirmation of Condoleezza Rice. 2005 - Joins the California venture capital firm of Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers as a "strategic limited partner." March 2006 - The National War College Foundation establishes the Colin Powell Chair for National Security, Leadership, Character and Ethics. Summer 2007 - Begins to speak out against the Bush administration's decision to go war against Iraq, the increase in troop strength in Iraq and the treatment of prisons at Guantanamo Bay. January 20, 2009 - Is one of the honorary co-chairs of President Barack Obama's inauguration. Powell endorsed Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. February 3, 2010 - Powell reverses his stance on gays and lesbians in the military; his opposition to homosexuals in the military helped lead to the original "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the 1990s. 2012 - Publishes a second memoir, "It Worked For Me: In Life and Leadership," with Tony Koltz. October 7, 2018 - Powell, along with former secretaries of state Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright makes a cameo appearance on the CBS show "Madam Secretary." June 1, 2019 - Along with his wife Alma, Powell receives the Lincoln Medal, an award given by Ford's Theatre Society. The society celebrates those who embody the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. January 10, 2021 - Following the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol, Powell says he no longer considers himself a Republican. October 18, 2021 - Passes away at the age of 84, from complications from Covid-19. A source familiar with the matter said Powell had multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells that suppresses the body's immune response. Even if fully vaccinated against Covid-19, those who are immunocompromised are at greater risk from the virus. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Fulbright scholar and clinical professor Dawn Edmiston reflects on teaching at Tallinn University Professor Dawn Edmiston, a clinical professor of marketing at William & Marys Raymond A. Mason School of Business, was selected to be a Fulbright Scholar at Tallinn University in Estonia. Courtesy photo Photo - of - Hide Caption Professor Dawn Edmiston, a clinical professor of marketing at William & Marys Raymond A. Mason School of Business, was selected to be a Fulbright Scholar at Tallinn University in Estonia in 2019. Her journey to the Baltic country was two years in the making, as she was initially selected to begin teaching and advising university students in 2020. As with many things, the global coronavirus pandemic forced her to postpone the Fulbright Scholar opportunity one year until international travel resumed and borders reopened. I am thankful to be here because I know this is where I need to be, Edmiston said via Zoom from her new home office in Tallinn, the sound of bustling cobblestone streets below and the spire of St. Olafs church in the background. Our mission at William & Mary is to create global citizens so in order to do that, it is important for both students and faculty to have experiences like the one I am going through now. She explained that the pandemic has been very difficult in Estonia, but Tallinn University needed another marketing faculty member and she felt she had a duty to share her expertise. The universe didnt give me an education to just hang degrees on the wall, Edmiston said. I have a responsibility to share my education with others. Her experience thus far sheds light on the juxtaposition between the old and new in Estonian society. Edmiston says she has yet to use her bus pass; she walks every day to class amongst buildings dating back as far as 1246. She is soaking in the differences between how people walk, talk, hold eye contact, and react to cultural conflicts in the grocery store in a society that is heavily influenced by its Scandinavian, Western European, and Russian neighbors. The courses she is teaching to Estonian and international students from twelve different countries at Tallinn University focus on social media and the connected culture, which is a hot topic for a generation of youth who have grown up in a country that boasts the highest number of start-ups per capita among European countries and has positioned itself within the European Union as a digital, borderless nation. The whole experience is very real and is not something you can fully understand by just reading a textbook or listening to a guest lecturer visiting William & Marys campus, she explained. Its making me more appreciative of what Ive been given in the U.S. and making me more determined to champion these globalized experiences. The digital republic Estonia has always led the EU when it comes to the early adoption of digital initiatives it is the birthplace of Skype after all. Yet Edmistons awareness of Estonias technology-forward digital society wasnt fully realized until she read Nathan Hellers letter from Tallinn, Estonia, The Digital Republic which was published by The New Yorker magazine in December 2017. In the piece, Heller explores how in the early 2010s, Estonia launched several initiatives to move citizens, their personal information, and societal practices to a virtual environment. The number of things Estonians can do virtually ranging from voting in a presidential election to paying taxes to accessing personal medical information surpasses the capabilities of many neighboring countries and those in the U.S. Estonia took digitization a step further by launching an e-residency program in 2014 that allows logged-in foreigners to partake in certain Estonian services such as banking as if they were living in the country, which appeals to foreign investors and international start-ups looking to put down virtual roots. I reached out to Nathan Heller and told him his article changed my life, said Edmiston. Locally, Estonia has a small population of 1.3 million but they are leading the world and the international community is beginning to understand the value they bring. Its a different way of living but one that is very powerful and connected. Edmistons fascination with the tiny Baltic nation grew and when the opportunity to apply for a Fulbright arose, she knew it was exactly where she needed to be. I dont think Ive ever worked harder to be perfectly honest with you, she said. Everything is digital and they use different learning platforms than we do at William & Mary. We are face-to-face and I am teaching in English, which is not the students primary language. But it is very important for them to have somebody who is an English-as-a-native-language speaker, because they want to improve their language skills as they look towards graduation and finding jobs in a connected society. A drive to inspire Tallinn University offers a free three-year education to Estonians looking to pursue an undergraduate degree. They, like many universities across the globe, were adversely affected in many ways by the COVID-19 pandemic. So, while Edmiston didnt technically arrive in the country until this past summer, the university reached out to her and asked if she would be willing to advise third-year students, or seniors, on their undergraduate theses. It was a request that Edmiston excitedly agreed to, despite being seven time zones away. It is a very intense process, she explained. I agreed to advise virtually last year. It was a challenge because while students are required to complete a thesis, they are not taught how to do market research. Ive taught market research at William & Mary so having that background was invaluable because teaching them basic research principles was critical to their success. One of her advisees, Sandra Sander, was recently selected as the winner in the category of bachelors thesis on the subject of marketing by the Marketing Institute in Estonia. The judges declared that the research compared superbly how Estonian and American politicians communicate on Facebook. Edmiston has been teaching for nearly two months at Tallinn University in the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School. She describes the students as media-driven and communication is a primary discipline across all areas of study. Her theory courses in social media and connected culture have been well-received by the students thus far, as has the fact that she is instructing in English. They recognize and acknowledge they need to have an understanding of global platforms and practices, and English is such a driving force in media, she said. Edmiston has drawn upon her many years in academia, teaching a diverse global audience at eight universities including William & Mary, to connect with her current students, but shes found that her past professional experience is what piques most students interest. Even though I worked at Discovery Channel many years ago, students still ask about my experience working there, she said. It is something that immediately resonates with them because several have told me they learned English by watching the Discovery Channel and Discovery Channel Science, and the brand brings a smile to their faces. Once Edmiston completes her fall semester in Tallinn, she plans to return to William & Mary energized by the experience. She plans to encourage not just students, but her colleagues university-wide to pursue opportunities teaching, learning, and researching overseas as Fulbright Scholars. I am a huge advocate for the Fulbright program and similar programs available to students and faculty members, she said. I want to make sure that other individuals know these opportunities exist and ideally, motivate them to apply for these experiences based on what Ive learned. I want to support our William & Mary students and faculty in our universitys quest to create more global citizens. I believe they are so needed in this world and there are no better people than those from the William & Mary community to make that happen. In the meantime, Edmiston hopes to keep teaching and connecting with her students at Tallinn University and inspire them to live lives of principled achievement upon graduation. I admire my students, she said. They are independent, focused, and globally-minded. But as in any society, just because it is digital, doesnt make it perfect. I hope to bring motivation, diversity, and perspective. I also want to encourage their creativity. Edmiston explained that she was the first woman in her family to attend college, so she knows what it is like to face adversity and overcome it. We live in a world where individuals need hope and a belief they can make a difference, she said. While many of these students dont necessarily know what they will do with their education, they know they need it. I want to expose them to the different places and opportunities they can contribute using their education whether it be a tech start-up or improving services in higher education, healthcare, government, the financial sector or other areas important to moving Estonia forward. Losh continues W&M research on Fulbright in Estonia Fulbright Scholar: Liz Losh, Duane A. & Virginia S. Dittman Professor of English & American studies at William & Mary, was selected as a Fulbright Scholar and is researching e-government and social media in Estonia this fall. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption Elizabeth Losh is spending this academic year researching and lecturing in Estonia. Losh, Duane A. & Virginia S. Dittman Professor of English & American Studies at William & Mary, was selected as a Fulbright Scholar for 2021-22. Her project is titled Scaling Up the Virtual State: What Can Big Countries Learn from Small Countries about E-Government? It focuses on the use of technological communications to provide services to citizens, and Losh is working at Tallinn University in the Estonian capital city of Tallinn. The special bond of being part of an extraordinary network has already deepened my friendships with a broad variety of scholars, who range from geomorphologists to scholars of electronic literature, Losh said. Losh will co-teach a course about social media and society, theories and practice with Tallinn Professor of Participatory Culture Katrin Tiidenberg, whom she has worked with for the past six years in two international research groups. I will be teaching units about visibility, privacy, surveillance, digital labor and networked capitalism, Losh said. {{youtube:medium:right|p3CX1TUOodA, Elizabeth Losh: Hashtag}} Dawn Edmiston, clinical professor of marketing at W&Ms Raymond A. Mason School of Business, is on a Fulbright at Tallinn this fall that was delayed by the pandemic. Edmiston also is studying social media, and Losh will be a guest speaker in her social media and networked consumer culture class in November. Loshs working is focused on what can a big country learn from a small county. Estonia has been leading the world in e-government for several years, Losh said. Large countries like the United States could potentially learn much from this small country that is both a European Union member and a former Soviet republic. For example, she added, Estonia introduced a comprehensive program for national digital ID cards in 2002, internet voting in 2005 and e-residency in 2014. In 2000, the parliament asserted that access to the internet constituted a basic human right, long before the United Nations adopted that position in 2011. Losh will examine pros and cons of the use of digital technology by government to provide services to citizens. This will include considering areas of resistance to expanded use of technology and situations where face-to-face participation is still preferred. For example, Losh said, why do most Estonian citizens still choose to vote in person, or why does the government refuse to provide some services, such as performing marriages or issuing divorces, digitally? Its also critical to examine fundamental policy contradictions created by trade-offs between competing goals involving access, transparency and personalization, as well as security and privacy, she added. During this research and teaching period, I will interview professionals from the government sector working on initiatives for digital identity, i-voting, e-health, online education, e-residency and the data embassy in Luxembourg, as well as public relations personnel at the e-Estonia Briefing Centre and showroom and experts in digital preservation at the National Archives offices in Tallinn and Tartu, Losh said. Although issues of national security can cause interview subjects to be hesitant to disclose information, it would also be useful to include the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, which is based in Tallinn, in these discussions. This follows on her previous research. Losh has written two books on computing by the U.S. government and is planning to write her next one based on this research about the relationship between technology and the state in two very different countries. Estonia is a country well-known for cutting-edge internet research, and it even hosted the big international conference of researchers a few years ago from the Association of Internet Researchers, Losh said. As a faculty member affiliated with American studies, which is a global field, film & media studies and data science, this work touches on many issues about the conflicts between democracy and a contemporary digital information culture driven by algorithms and platforms over which average citizens often have little control. International exchanges have been very important for her teaching at W&M, Losh said. She taught a U.S. Department of State Diplomacy Lab course on social media and Turkey, which discussed influencers, activists and trolls. It involved students in experiential learning opportunities creating research projects about public diplomacy on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook in which they got input and feedback from diplomats from the State Department stationed in Ankara. She has also taught two COLL 300 courses at the Washington Center one on online citizenship and the other on social media and global rhetoric that were informed by case studies from many countries outside of North America. With Zoom, my students have the opportunity to meet many of my international collaborators, which can really enhance their global learning, Losh said. Community support for a Midland County man as he continues his six-year battle with blood cancer. The disease has now caused the Sanford resident's kidney to fail. He will need a transplant in order to make a full recovery. Food, music, and face painting filled the parking lot of the Red Oak Restaurant in Sanford Sunday afternoon. It was all to help Eric and Chris German. "I mean our teachers would never say the right name when we were in school, I was Eric for like most of high school," Chris German said. Thankfully that similarity went all the way down to their DNA. After fighting cancer for more than six years, the real Eric needs a new kidney and Chris is a perfect match. "I thought he could get life back because he's a slave to dialysis right now, he can't go anywhere outside of his range," Chris German said. They are such a good match Chris can donate stem cells too, meaning Eric might not have to take medication ever again. "We're always willing to help other people in our family so you know, Chris is just you know, following suit to that so he's helping me out. I don't know man, how do you thank somebody you know," Eric German said. The two are headed to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and need all the help they can get. They went back to where it started Sanford. "I'm flattered, but it's just a, I think it's just amazing that you know, you have a community that comes together for someone that they know is from their community," Eric German said. The money raised Sunday and online will go toward travel, helping their families, and a potentially risky procedure. Chris did not need any time to think it over. "I'm more worried that he's not going to be around, and I had something that I could have done to make that not be so that scares me much more than the potential of what could happen to me," Chris German said. The surgery is scheduled for January. If all goes well, Eric should be out in March. If you would like to donate to Eric's kidney transplant, head to the weekend hotlinks section of wnem.com. Liu Yan recently releases a new book in Beijing, titled Impression of Hands . [For China Daily] Choreographer Liu Yan, who has used a wheelchair since an accident while rehearsing for the Beijing Olympics, has released a book based on groundbreaking research on dance gestures made from the wrist up. Dancer-choreographer Liu Yan was considered one of China's leading classical dancers before her vertebrae was severely injured during a rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which left her paralyzed below the waist. Her peers had nicknamed her "the first pair of legs of classical Chinese dance" in reference to her refined technique. Decades later, Liu has adjusted to using a wheelchair and is a Beijing Dance Academy professor. She recently released a new book in Beijing, titled Impression of Hands, about her research on classical Chinese dance's hand gestures, with a focus on the murals of Dunhuang's renowned Mogao Grottoes in Northwest China's Gansu Province. The book, which features photos of various hand gestures performed by Liu, also serves as her report as a postdoctoral researcher for the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "With this new book, we gave Liu Yan another nickname-'the first pair of hands of classical Chinese dance'," says Beijing Dance Academy president Guo Lei, adding that Liu's investigation has filled in a gap in academic research. "She never stops continuing to dance and trying to push the art form's boundaries. She is a great example, which inspires her students." Chinese Dancers Association president Feng Shuangbai says: "We usually research different dance forms, such as ballet, and traditional Chinese and contemporary genres. Deep research on classical Chinese dance's hand gestures is an achievement." Feng was also Liu's professor when she pursued her doctoral degree at the Chinese National Academy of Arts. The book is about Liu's research on classical Chinese dance's hand gestures. [For China Daily] Liu says her research on the topic started in 2010, two years after she bid farewell to the stage as a dancer. She explains that researching classical Chinese dance allows her to "continue to dance in a different way". In 2014, Liu published her first book, Dance With Hands, focusing on the hand gestures of Peking Opera-a traditional Chinese art form with a history of more than 200 years that UNESCO recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. It brings together such art forms as singing, dancing, martial arts and acrobatics. She's also devoted to dance therapy and offers dance training to children with special needs. "This new book delves deeper into hand gestures, especially my research about the dancers portrayed in Dunhuang's murals and Buddhism's influence on classical Chinese dance, which reflect how hands and fingers were used in Chinese dances created thousands of years ago," Liu says. She also studied with Zheng Xiaoyun, director and research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Religions. [For China Daily] "When I traveled to Dunhuang, I watched many dance shows inspired by Mogao Grottoes' murals," Liu recalls. "The dancers vividly bring those murals alive onstage by imitating the moves of the characters portrayed in those paintings, including hand gestures." The native of Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, has studied classical Chinese dance since age 9. She graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy in 2003, and has won national awards and appeared at galas as a solo dancer. After withdrawing from the limelight, Liu established the Liu Yan Arts Special Fund in 2010 to help students living in poverty, orphans and migrant workers' children through art education. She launched her dance studio in 2019. This summer, she staged her debut directorial dance drama, Jing Yan, which featured colleagues and students from the Beijing Dance Academy on the creative team. (Source: China Daily) The proudest thing I can say is that I am from Abilene! These were the words of former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who spent his boyhood in Abilene and always called it his home. Abilene is a small town in the US state of Kansas. Founded in the mid-19th century, the town became a key transit point for livestock. In fact, it was eventually given the nickname, Queen of the Cowtowns. Abilene was typical of a frontier town in what was once the Old West, complete with cowboys and gunfights. Today, the town is still very much part of the cattle industry, though fortunately, the lawlessness that characterized the Wild West is long gone. Geography Of Abilene Aerial view of Abilene, Kansas. Image credit: Ichabod via Wikimedia Commons The town of Abilene is located in north-central Kansas, on the northern side of the Smoky Hill River, in the Flint Mountains region of the Great Plains. Mud Creek, which is a tributary of the Smoky Hill, flows south through the town. The closest major city to Abilene is Topeka, located about 153 km to the east. Kansas City is located further east, 224 km from Abilene. Wichita is located 151 km to the south, and Salina is located 43 km to the west. Abilene is situated at an elevation of 352 meters, and is 12.12 sq. km in area. Population Of The Town The population of Abilene is estimated at just over 6,000 residents, more than 94% of whom are classified as white. The towns population has declined significantly over the last decade. According to the 2010 census, Abilene once had 6,844 residents, which works out to an 11.94% decline from 2010 up until today. More than 99% of Abilenes population speak only English, and nearly 94% were born in the United States. Just over 70% of the towns population were born in the state of Kansas. Economy Of Abilene The average household income in Abilene is $67,806, while the towns poverty rate stands at 9.4%. Poverty disproportionately affects the towns small Native American population. Native Americans make up just 1.52% of the population, but more than 25% of them live below the poverty line. In keeping with its history, Abilene is primarily a cattle yard town, where grain and livestock is transported to market on the railroad network. History Of Abilene The story of Abilene begins in 1858, when Timothy F. Hershey and his family settled in the area and built a log cabin. At first, the towns name was Mud Creek, but the name was changed to Abilene, in reference to a verse in the Bible. The name meant grassy plains or City of the Plains. Although Hershey is credited as the founder of Abilene, the town was not laid out until 1860, after a man named C.H. Thompson built what was to be called The Hotel in the area. The growth of the town was initially slow, but it took off after the railroad was built through it in 1867. At this point, a livestock dealer from Illinois, Joseph G. McCoy, believed that with the railroad in place, Abilene would be a good site for a cattle shipping center to transport cattle from Texas to markets in the east. As a result of McCoys efforts, Abilene became a key livestock shipping point at the end of the so-called Chisholm Trail. The town was incorporated on September 6, 1869. For the next two years, Abilene thrived as a frontier town, complete with stores, saloons, and gambling houses. As was typical of the so-called Wild West, the town was a site of lawlessness. In an attempt to bring law and order to Abilene, Tom Smith, who became the towns first marshal, issued an order prohibiting people from wearing firearms in the town. Smiths efforts to reduce the lawlessness in the area, however, were cut short when he was murdered in the nearby town of Detroit (not to be confused with Detroit, Michigan) trying to arrest someone. Gravestone of Albert Sizer, a horse thief hanged in 1859. Historical records indicate 93 horse thieves were lynched in Kansas from 1850 -1880. He was succeeded by a man named Wild Bill Hickok, who gained notoriety and respect for his skilled marksmanship. When he served as marshal in 1871, he was very effective in preventing murders and the destruction of property. The townspeople felt they could count on him for protection. Hickoks term as marshal came to an end, however, shortly after the so-called Hickory-Coe Gunfight, when the marshal exchanged fire with a man named Phil Coe. After this incident, Abilenes founding fathers banned Texas cowboys from driving cattle through the town. At around the same time, newer railroads were built in the nearby towns of Newton, Wichita, and Ellsworth, making them more preferable as shipping sites. Nevertheless, by the turn of the century, Abilene was still an important shipping center, as it lay at the juncture of several rail lines. Large shipments of cattle and grain transited through the town on an annual basis. The 20th century also saw the diversification of Abilenes economy. The town became home to several manufacturers, including flour mills, creameries, foundries, an organ factory, carriage factories, ice factories, and more. In 1922, a telephone company called the United Telephone Company was founded in Abilene. This company went on to become Sprint. Abilene would continue to serve as an agricultural community and shipping port for cattle and grain up until the present time. Attractions In Abilene The house where President Eisenhower used to live when it was a little boy. Editorial credit: spoonphol / Shutterstock.com Abilene boasts several attractions, including the boyhood home of former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Eisenhower and his family moved to the town in 1892. The former presidents home now serves as a museum and the home of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library. Another interesting site in Abilene is the Seelye Mansion. The Georgian-style mansion was built in 1905 to be the home of Dr. A.B. Seelye and his family. Dr. Seelye, was one of the towns foremost entrepreneurs, making his fortune in patent medicine as the owner of the Seelye Medical Company. In fact, to the rear of the mansion is where the Patent Medicine Museum is now situated. All of the mansions furnishing date back to the time it was built. Entry sign at Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum. Editorial credit: Barbara Kalbfleisch / Shutterstock.com Want to get a taste of the Old West? Then you would be wise to visit the Old Abilene Town, which is a re-creation of the original, Wild West Abilene. Visitors to Old Abilene Town can see live cattle drives and re-enactments of gunfights. Other attractions in Abilene include C.W. Parker Carousel, Great Plains Theatre, the Greyhound Hall of Fame Museum, Big Spur, Dickenson Country Heritage Center, Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum, and the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad. Shoppers in Wrexham help to raise 1 million boost for three life-saving charities Shoppers in Wrexham have helped to raise 1 million for three life-saving charities as part of Tescos Helping you to live healthier initiative. Tesco customers reached the landmark total for Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK from 13-26 September by rounding up their shop in store to the nearest 1. Funds raised will help the three charities continue their vital work to save and improve lives. In addition to the 1 million donated, the campaign raised awareness in Wrexham about the importance of people making sustainable lifestyle changes that can help lower their risk of cancer, heart and circulatory diseases, and type 2 diabetes. This was done with the help of trusted health information and advice, which was shared to empower Tesco customers to take small steps to help improve their health. Oonagh Turnbull, Head of Health Campaigns at Tesco, thanked Tesco shoppers in Wrexham for their generosity, which will make a significant difference to many peoples lives. She added: It has been inspiring to see our customers really engage with the work we are doing together, and we hope that we have played a part in raising awareness for these conditions, as well as life-saving funds. The campaign was part of the Health Charity Partnership between Tesco, Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK, which aims to inspire and support Tesco colleagues, customers and their families to make healthier food choices and live healthier lives. On behalf of the charity partners, Claire Sadler, Executive Director of Marketing, Fundraising and Engagement at the British Heart Foundation, said: We have been amazed by the incredible generosity of Tesco customers and colleagues and would like to thank everyone who donated during September. Your donations will help to empower millions of people to make healthier choices that lower their risk of heart and circulatory diseases, cancer, and diabetes. It will also help our charities provide vital support to millions of people at a time its never been more needed, and it will fund research with the potential to save lives. You dont have to get out to get on, make your future here in Wales Minister tells young people The Welsh Government will pursue a progressive economic policy that focusses on better jobs, narrowing the skills divide and tackling poverty, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, will say today. At a hybrid Economic Summit, the Minister has invited businesses, trades unions and local government leaders to discuss how Wales can create a stronger, fairer, greener economic future. The Welsh Government say they will work with unions and business to develop its something for something approach so that Welsh public money is wedded to action on fair work, decarbonisation and skills The information ahead of the summit states the Welsh Government will also start a conversation about the long term demographic challenge facing the Welsh economy the proportion of the population aged 16 to 64 years old in Wales has been decreasing year-on-year since mid-2008 and could be just 58% of the population by 2043. In response, Welsh Government say their approach will be geared towards creating an economy where more young people feel confident about planning their future in Wales thus supporting job creation and more dynamic local economies. Later, the Minister will visit a family-run business thats received Welsh Government support to grow, before delivering a speech to a predominantly virtual audience of business, trades unions and local government leaders and other partners at Transport for Wales new HQ in Pontypridd. Speaking ahead of the summit, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said: The Welsh Government is taking bold action to build a stronger, fairer, greener Welsh economy. It has taken a Team Wales effort to keep Wales safe and we will deliver a Team Wales Recovery, built by all of us. A strong Welsh recovery will be based on the principles of fair work and sustainability as we invest in the industries and services of the future. As we face the headwinds of Brexit, I am determined that our credible plans will offer as much certainty as possible to help businesses plan ahead. A new era of partnership for stronger regions, a young persons guarantee, a plan to back our everyday economy and collaboration with world leading, advanced manufacturing. This is the cause for optimism for the future we are building in Wales. My ambition is to make Wales a place where more young people feel confident in planning their future here. You dont have to get out to get on, make your future here in Wales. The Welsh Governments detail offered ahead of the summit on their approach to delivering the above includes: We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit A concerted bipartisan effort is underway in Australia to condition public opinion to accept the demise of an important weapon in sciences anti-pandemic arsenalan effective Test, Trace, Isolate and Quarantine (TTIQ) system. Australias political establishment is making clear that the population will have to accept mass COVID-19 infection and death, with some medical authorities being used to justify the wholesale removal of restrictions to prevent the deadly virus spreading. The target for the ruling elite is not the coronavirus but contact tracing itself. Pedestrians walk away from the central business district in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) The Labor government of Daniel Andrews in Victoria and the right-wing Coalition government led by newly-installed Dominic Perrottet in New South Wales (NSW)the countrys most populous statesare now waging a joint assault on proven measures to identify and trace the spread of the virus. Both governments are responding to the demands of major corporations, particularly the airlines and giant retail supermarket chains, which have insisted that their staff be exempt from isolating after their workplace has been visited by anyone infected with COVID-19. Coles, the countrys second largest supermarket chain, has demanded the redefinition of a close contact and of a Tier 1 site in order to change the current TTIQ measures. Up to now workers at Tier 1 sites, where the risk of contracting the virus was high, were required to self-isolate for 14 days. Since mid-July, when Delta outbreaks began in Victoria, about 30,000 Coles workers have had to isolate. At the end of last month, Woolworths, Australias largest supermarket retailer, had 1,000 staff isolating in Victoria. These giant retailers want the Victorian government to align its TTIQ system with measures recently enacted in NSW. In that state Woolworths demanded, and received, NSW Health approval for the redefinition of a close contact. Previously anyone who had spent more than a minute within 1.5 metres of an infected person, even if both were wearing masks, was defined as a close contact. In NSW a close contact is now defined as a person within 1.5 metres of an infected person for more than five minutes while either was wearing their mask improperly. One Woolworths worker explained to the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) that he was ordered to isolate by NSW Health for 14 days as a close contact of an infected co-worker, only to be phoned and texted after four days and told to return to work. In the stampede to dispense with restrictions, Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton announced on October 4 that the states listing and reporting of Tier 2 sites, many of them supermarkets, would be progressively scaled back. We have to focus our efforts on where we get most bang for our buck, he declared, adding that it was no longer an effective use of energy to capture all Tier-2 sites. The process now underway in Victoria was initiated by the NSW government which scrapped the reporting of close contact sites and then ended daily health press conferences. Currently only transmission sites outside Sydney, the state capital, and its most populous city, are reported in any detail on the NSW Health site. Victorias contact tracing system had been plagued from the outset of the pandemic with inadequate resources. Justifying the roll-back of its efforts, Sutton claimed that so-called mystery cases, unlinked to any known outbreak, were just a feature of widespread community transmission. It is just a phenomenon that happens when you have got thousands of cases per day. The virtual scrapping of the TTIQ system is not confined to retail but is also being implemented in state schools which the Victorian government has begun to reopen despite opposition from educators, parents and students. Already, within a week of Year 12 students returning to in-person classes, infections have skyrocketed and schools closed. Suttons perspective is that this will deepen. We certainly wont have the entire school quarantining for a full 14-day period after infections are detected, he said. Every arm of the corporate press, including the state-funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation, has been engaged in a non-stop propaganda campaign to promote the lie that the pandemic is over. As part of this barrage, 7.30, ABC-TVs flagship current affairs show, recently broadcast a program entitled Close Contact, subtitled, How contact tracing could work in the months ahead as vaccine targets are met. The program approvingly referred to the situation in England. It noted that when it opened up in July, the country had so many COVID-19 infections that the UK Track and Trace system that alerts ones smartphone with a ping was so frequent that it became known as a pingdemic. The ping alerted the phones owner that they had been into contact with a positive COVID-19 person and imposed 10-day self-isolation orders. Rather than enact measures to stop the spread of the virus, the British government changed its advice so that fully vaccinated people were told to get tested, but not to isolate at all. This is being replicated in Australia. The 7.30 program quoted Deakin University epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett, who said: We dont need to put everyone in isolation, but identify the key individuals who are most at risk. In NSW, Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello, responsible for the states check-in application as part of contact tracing, declared: I think the QR codes should be retired once we get to the 90 percent mark, subject to Health advice, because this goes to trust. Similarly, the Guardian interviewed Professor Jodie McVernon of the Doherty Institute, which provided the modelling for the Morrison governments roadmap out of the pandemic. McVernon is currently working with governments to gradually de-escalate the public health responses to the pandemic, with the necessary transition from a pandemic to the virus becoming endemic in the community. Despite the experiences of Israel, the UK and US, where high vaccination levels have not prevented mass outbreaks, McVernon justified the abandonment of all public health measures by the failure of the inadequate ones which led to the current outbreaks. She said: Weve adapted and adapted and adapted and adaptedwhen you think about testing, tracking, isolating and quarantining, the idea that somebody who walked past you in a supermarket when you were there for half an hour would ever be called a contactthat was never in our minds. She asserted: As we continue to adapt, we now have a vaccine in play that is actually lowering risks. Predicting future mass undetected infections, she continued: But as we move into this new era, we will have a higher tolerance for saying, OK, if we dont test every single person who went to the supermarket, we might miss one, but if there are lots of infections in the community, that has a very different risk consequence. The imperatives of the financial and corporate elite, such as the giant supermarket chains, are to be translated into the destruction of even the limited track and trace systems that have been put in place. With the opening up of the economy that they stridently demand and that the corporate media parrots faithfully, the COVID-19 pandemic will have unlimited sway, and infections and deaths will escalate accordingly. The safety of workers and their families cannot be left in the hands of governments or the unions, who both speak and act on behalf of corporate interests of profit and production. Independent rank-and-file committees must urgently be formed to organise, coordinate and implement measures which will ensure the health and wellbeing of the working class. The contours of a future German government coalition are emerging. Under the slogans of modernization, innovation and climate protection, the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP) are planning a comprehensive renewal of our country, at the end of which nothing will remain of the rights and gains for which the working class fought in the post-World War II decades. The party leaders of the Greens, SPD and FDP, as well as SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz, present the exploratory paper On Friday, the leaders of the three parties of the so-called traffic light coalition, named after the party colours, as well as the designated candidate for chancellor, Olaf Scholz (Social Democratic PartySPD), presented a twelve-page paper summarizing the results of their exploratory talks of the past few days. We are convinced that we can conclude an ambitious and sustainable coalition agreement, the paper states. Following the approval of the relevant party bodies over the weekend, which is considered a mere formality, the actual coalition negotiations are to begin on Monday. The exploratory paper consists largely of non-binding phrases, nebulous avowals, evasions and plain lies. For example, at the very end of the document, the coalition partners commit themselves to humanitarian responsibility in refugee policy. There is not a single syllable about the coronavirus pandemic and its 95,000 fatalities in Germanyapart from paying lip service to more nursing staff. Nor is there any mention of either the far-right terrorist networks or the fascistic Alternative for Germany (AfD). Despite its barren platitudes, the exploratory paper does make a few things clear. When read in the context of social and economic reality, it is a declaration of war on the working class that far eclipses the Agenda 2010 welfare and labour reforms of the last SPD-Green federal government, headed by Gerhard Schroder. This is most evident in the chapter on sustainable public finances. The paper explicitly commits the prospective government to adhering to the debt ceiling, which strictly prohibits new borrowing by state or local governments and tightly limits that of the federal government. Only the billions that the European Central Bank pumps into the financial markets every month to drive up share prices are not affected. At the same time, the paper rejects any taxation of the vast fortunes and incomes amassed during the pandemic. We will not introduce new taxes on assets and will not raise taxes such as income, corporate or value-added taxes, it says. What this means is easy to discern. The federal budget will face huge additional expendituresrepayment of the large debts resulting from the Corona bailouts to big corporations, numerous new cash gifts to companies, described as investments in the future, and a massive increase in defence spending. Without new debts or higher taxation of the rich, this can be financed only by drastic cuts in social spending. Here the exploratory paper remains extremely vague and confines itself to hints. For example, the current basic welfare support (Hartz IV) is to be replaced by a citizens income that respects the dignity of the individual, enables him or her to participate in society and focuses on a return to the labour market. Twenty years ago, similar words were used to justify the replacement of social welfare by Hartz IV, which turned out to be a lever for forced labour and low wages. In health policy, the traffic light coalition wants to provide more nursing staff, but at the same time wants to further develop the system of flat rate, per case funding for hospital financing, which has contributed significantly to the misery in hospitals and nursing care. Statutory pension insurance is to be partially converted from the previous pay-as-you-go financing system to investments in the capital markets, which will provide the finance industry with additional income and further undermine pensions. Even climate protection, which is high on the agenda in the paper, is placed entirely at the service of profit accumulation. The exploratory paper states that great opportunities for our country and for Germany as an industrial base lie in overcoming the climate crisis. New business models and technologies can create climate-neutral prosperity and good jobs. The paper promises energy companies that all hurdles and obstacles that hinder the accelerated expansion of renewable energy will be removed. Germany is to become the lead market for electro-mobility. In the interests of the automotive lobby, the traffic light coalition partners will refrain from introducing a general speed limit on Germanys autobahns. The central axis of the paper is the transformation of industry and the world of work. Under the cynical title Respect and Opportunities in the Modern World of Work, the paper advocates complete flexibility, forcing workers to be available to the company around the clock. Flexibility allows a creative climate for innovation to flourish, the paper says. Among other things, flexible working time models are to be promoted, and possibilities to deviate from the currently existing regulations of the Working Hours Act with regard to maximum daily working hours are to be created. The coalition partners are counting on the support of the trade unions: A historically developed social partnership and the ability to compromise based on it are central prerequisites for this process of change to succeed. The paper affirms that We will continue to develop co-determination, referencing Germanys system by which trade union functionaries sit on company boards. While workers are to enable this transformation through unlimited flexibility, the three parties promise generous aid to corporations. Industry is facing a far-reaching transformation, and we will support it in this, the paper says. The competitiveness of Germany as a business location is to be increased, innovation is to be promoted, and new confidence in entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and entrepreneurship is to be created. Representatives of the business community reacted enthusiastically. Overall, a good package, tweeted Ifo [Institute for Economic Research] President Clemens Fuest. He pointed to the adherence to the debt ceiling, the renunciation of tax increases and the promise to promote investment. ING Bank Chief Economist Carsten Brzeski spoke of an auspicious start, saying it was definitely a step in the right direction. The SPD, Greens and FDP are well aware that their government programme will face fierce opposition from the working class. And while they are sure of the trade unions support, they are less sure that the unions can keep that resistance under control. That is why they have agreed to a general overhaul of the security architecture. We want to make our secure country even more secure, the paper says. Everyone in Germany should feel safewhether on the street, at home or online. To achieve this, what matters most is more preventive security. To achieve this, we need motivated, well-trained and well-equipped police officers. Their presence and proximity to citizens make them an indispensable partner for us We want to make sure they get the recognition and respect they deserve for the important work they do. The final chapter of the exploratory paper is titled Germanys Responsibility for Europe and the World. It advocates a European great power policy under German leadership, as well as accelerated military rearmament. It ties in directly with the policies of the outgoing grand coalition of the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats. We want to strengthen the European Union in order to strengthen Germany, it says. We will therefore define German interests in light of European interests. The partnership with France and Poland and the cooperation of the national European armies are to be strengthened. The transatlantic alliance is a central pillar in this regard, and NATO is a more indispensable part of our security. In future, German foreign policy is to act as a single entity and develop joint strategies across all ministries. To this end, a national security strategy is to be drawn up. Internet censorship is also to be tackled across Europe. We are empowering Europes liberal democracies to better fend off disinformation, fake news campaigns, propaganda and manipulation from within and outside the country, the paper states. And former Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaubles infamous European Union austerity policies are to be revived: We want to ensure that Europe emerges from the pandemic economically strong together, based on sound and sustainable public finances. The exploratory paper is viewed positively not only by representatives of the business community, but also by most of the media. Most representatives of the ruling class currently consider a traffic light coalition best suited to push through attacks on the working class and carry out military rearmament. The FDP and the Greens, who once expressed mutual antipathy, are suddenly the closest of friends. Both draw on wealthy upper-middle-class layers that are responding to the growing anger of the working class with a shift to the right. The SPD is closely tied to the unions and is an expert on welfare cuts and other social attacks. The Left Party is indirectly involved in a possible traffic light coalition. It is significant that the SPD has opted for a governing alliance with the Left Party in both Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where new state parliaments were elected at the same time as the Bundestag (federal parliament). In Berlin, it continues the coalition with the Left Party and the Greens, although the SPDs top candidate, Franziska Giffey, said she would have preferred a traffic light coalition. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the SPD has governed along with the Christian Democrats for the last 15 years and is now forming a two-party coalition with the Left Party. Like the grand coalition before it, a traffic light coalition will in all essentials put into practice the program of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is increasingly coming under the influence of its openly fascist wing following the withdrawal of its long-time leader, Jorg Meuthen. Significantly, the exploratory paper denounces left-wing extremism as a form of misanthropy and puts it on a par with anti-Semitism, racism and right-wing extremism. The working class will inevitably come into conflict with Scholzs traffic light coalition. This confrontation must be prepared for politically. Therein lies the significance of the election campaign of the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality PartySGP), the only party to advocate an international socialist programme. The outbreak of COVID-19 in New Zealand is continuing to expand rapidly, following the Labour Party-led governments decisions to ease lockdown restrictions in Auckland and Prime Minister Jacinda Arderns announcement on October 4 that the previous elimination policy will be abandoned. Cases have been found in the Waikato and Northland regions, which have spent several days in lockdown. There are 633 active cases linked to the Delta outbreak, which has more than doubled in size since the strict level 4 lockdown in Auckland was eased to level 3, on September 22, allowing hundreds of thousands of people to return to work. More restrictions were lifted on October 6, allowing more children to return to early childcare, people from different households to meet outdoors, and the resumption of recreational activities. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern answers a question during a press conference at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand. (Robert Kitchin/Pool Photo via AP) Last week saw an average of 51.5 new cases per day. In the seven days before the drop to level 3, the daily average was just 16.8 cases. The government is prioritising the demands of big business over public health. As in every country, the New Zealand ruling elite has determined that it can no longer tolerate the disruption caused by lockdowns to its extraction of profits from the working class. Hence the insistence from the corporate media that the population must learn to live with the deadly virus spreading in the community, that is, to accept a growing number of hospitalisations, long-term illnesses, and deaths. The New Zealand Herald reported on Friday that Ardern said the outbreak had grown at a pace that is beyond what we have expected. Today, however, the Cabinet rejected calls from a growing number of scientists for a return to a level 4 lockdown in Auckland. COVID-19 modeller professor Shaun Hendy, one of the governments advisors, told the Herald that a harder lockdown was needed to stop the spread and allow time for more people to be vaccinated. At present, despite a scramble to boost vaccination rates, just 54 percent of the population has had both doses of the Pfizer vaccine (65 percent of the eligible population aged over 12). Another modeller, Professor Michael Plank, said without a level 4 lockdown, case numbers could rise to 150 a day by early November, which would mean roughly 100 weekly hospital admissionsthreatening to overwhelm the system. Speaking to TVNZ this morning, Doctor Rawiri Jansen and epidemiologist Rod Jackson both called for a harder lockdown in Auckland to stop cases spiralling out of control. Jackson noted that Ireland, with a similar population to New Zealand, has experienced 5,306 coronavirus deaths, and NZ could see a similar surge if restrictions are eased, particularly given the low rate of vaccination. The now-abandoned elimination strategy has limited deaths to 28, so far. In comments to the Science Media Centre on October 12, epidemiologist Dr Amanda Kvalsvig pointed out the anti-democratic character of the governments lowering of restrictions. She said: Before deciding on Aucklanders behalf that theyre too tired of lockdowns, lets hear from Aucklanders. Lets also hear from Maori, Pasifika [Pacific Islanders], people with underlying conditions, people who are marginalised, and children and their advocates. Maori and Pacific Islanders account for 414 of the active COVID-19 cases, about two thirds of the total. They are more likely to be unvaccinated and to suffer from poverty-related health conditions, making them more vulnerable to the virus. The government is anticipating a major increase in cases. The Ministry of Health says in a worst case scenario there could be 5,300 cases of COVID-19 per week in Auckland and the northern region of the country alone. This modelling assumes 90 percent of the eligible population are vaccinated, which has not been achieved. Epidemiologist professor John Potter told Radio NZ on Saturday that New Zealand could face somewhere between 500 and 2,500 cases a day and 5 to 10 deaths a day if COVID-19 is allowed to spread at the rate it is in Germany and the UK, with a similar vaccination rate (over 80 percent). Because of the crisis of capacity in New Zealands hospitals, the situation could in fact be much worse. Out of about 7,600 total hospital beds in the country, roughly 83 percent are full at present, and hospitals are frequently over their capacity. According to the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS), there are 186 fully staffed intensive care units (ICUs) in the country. About two thirds of these are occupied. The government claims it can expand ICU capacity to 550 in a crisis, but this would mean shifting healthcare staff and resources away from other patients. Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland is bracing for a surge in cases by setting up a tent to triage new patients. Public health expert Dr Collin Tukuitonga told Stuff that the hospital was already stretched to [its] full capacity, even without Covid, and was underpowered to serve the population size in the area. The corporate media, however, continues to agitate for the removal of more restrictions. Stuff political editor Luke Malpass wrote on Saturday that it would be total folly for the government to listen to the epidemiological echo chamber calling for a level 4 lockdown. He suggested there should be a considerable liberalisation of restrictions for people entering the country. Similarly, right-wing Newstalk ZB radio host Mike Hosking last Friday attacked the so-called experts calling for level 4, saying they had lost their heads. He declared that elimination is well and truly over and New Zealand had to make the big shift [that] the rest of the world has managed seemingly fairly well, [to] living with Covid. The local media rarely reports on the disastrous situation in countries where governments have made this shift and allowed the virus to infect hundreds of thousands, or millions of people. The pandemic remains out of control in most of the world. In the last seven days in the United States, 8,887 people died from COVID-19; in the UK, 830 people; and in Australia, 95. The Ardern governments retreat from elimination, towards a policy of tolerating the spread of COVID-19, with the full support of the trade unions, demonstrates the need for working people to take matters into their own hands: Independent workplace and neighbourhood safety committees to oppose the reopening of schools and businesses while the virus is spreading in the community. The Socialist Equality Group is holding a public online meeting on Saturday, at 4:30 p.m. (NZ time) to discuss the dangerous situation in New Zealand and the socialist and scientific strategy needed to fight for elimination of COVID-19 nationally, and eradication on a global scale. When the merger of Opels parent company PSA with Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) was announced in January, launching Stellantis as the fourth largest automaker in the world, the World Socialist Web Site wrote: The 43 billion ($53 billion) merger, first announced in 2019, will have far-reaching consequences throughout the auto industry and heralds an intensified assault on workers jobs internationally... This is exactly what is happening now. The decision by Stellantis head Carlos Tavares to dismantle the Opel network and transform the Opel plants in Eisenach and Russelsheim into independent companies is intended to accelerate job cuts and attacks on benefits and working conditions and initiate the gradual shutdown of the plants. Old Opel headquarters in Russelsheim, on the right the International Technical Development Centre ITEZ The decision is directed not only against Opel workers. It is related to massive attacks on the employees of automakers and parts suppliers throughout Europe and around the world. VW boss Herbert Diess announced the elimination of 30,000 jobs at a supervisory board meeting last Tuesday. Ford Germany boss Gunnar Herrmann has stated that the Ford factory in Saarlouis is on the verge of shutting down and has a future only if the employees are willing to make extremely far-reaching concessions. He is demanding gigantic flexibility from the autoworkers. The financial daily Handelsblatt was the first to report Stellantis Opel plans. Under the headline More penetration, less co-determination, the business paper wrote that the main issue was to rationalize the mammoth group, which has 14 different car brands (Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Opel, Vauxhall, Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Abarth, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep), with the help of maximum centralization. In view of increasing competition on the global auto market and the pressure of shareholders for ever higher returns, management wants to closely examine all areas of the company, impose restructuring, reduce social standards and impose low wages. With the help of the trade unions, workers at one location are already being played off against workers at other locations. Short-time work has been announced for three months at the Eisenach assembly plant, which is widely understood as an initial step in the total shutdown of the facility. The global semiconductor shortage was invoked as a pretext, while production was relocated to Sochaux in France, where the workers have to work unpaid Saturday shifts. An Opel spokesman explained to Handelsblatt that the main issue at the Eisenach and Russelsheim plants is to implement more efficient solutions on sitea rather transparent euphemism for the destruction of workers rights and benefits, which are viewed by shareholders as an expensive legacy cost. What are involved are collectively agreed wages and conditions for which generations of workers have fought. These include company pensions, which have been under attack at Opel for a year. Management has long wanted to lower pensions and switch to an employee-funded system. Automotive expert Ferdinand Dudenhoffer from the Centre for Automotive Research explained to public broadcaster MDR that, in his opinion, the tough cost optimizer Stellantis is undoubtedly considering that Eisenach will no longer be needed in the long term. At Opel headquarters in Russelsheim, Uwe Hochgeschurtz, the new CEO of Opel Automobile Ltd., says he wants to transform the 150-year-old Adam Opel AG into a so-called green campus. What is being celebrated as a major technological innovation in the direction of CO2-neutral driving is actually the cover for the destruction of the main Opel plant. Hundreds of temporary workers have already been laid off and some 1,000 jobs have been cut through voluntary redundancy. Time and again, production is interrupted by short-time work and carried out for months at a time with only one shift. The forge and gear manufacturing facility were closed, which alone cost over 200 jobs. In Russelsheim, management has for years been gradually dismantling the International Technical Development Centre (ITEZ). The merged group now has four development centresin the US, Paris, Turin and Russelsheim. The French development service provider Segula has been based at the German Opel parent plant. The ITEZ is only a shadow of itself, say the employees. Over 4,000 of its originally 7,000 highly skilled workers have either been contracted out to Segula, laid off or pressured into signing termination agreements. In July, ITEZ engineers watched during their vacation as an Opel service company, SGR products, sold off for next to nothing machines and production units from their factories on the Ebay Kleinanzeigen online platform. When it merged with FCA in January, PSA announced that it would save $5 billion a year in costs. At that time, Tavares wanted to concentrate on using synergies and increasing competitiveness from day one. This is now being implemented step by step. Jobs are threatened not only in Eisenach and Russelsheim, but also in Kaiserslautern, where up to now engines for diesel and gasoline have been built. The approximately 1,400 Opel jobs there are anything but secure. A new battery cell plant is to be built there, but it is by no means certain that experienced Opel workers will find work. Stellantis has already founded a joint company with Total-Energies, named Automotive Cells Company (ACC), to manufacture batteries. Mercedes-Benz is also participating in ACC, which has already gone into operation at two French locations, in Bordeaux and in Nersac. Stellantis has also announced the construction of a battery plant in Italy and has received subsidy commitments from the Italian government. John Elkann, heir to the billion-dollar Italian Agnelli dynasty (Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia, Abarth), is chairman of the Stellantis Groups supervisory board. Management also views the cost of production in Italy as too expensive. Next year, the electric version of the Maserati will be relocated from Grugliasco to the main Mirafiori plant (Turin). In the southern Italian city of Melfi two production lines will be merged into a single one, with no indication of how many jobs will be lost. In Aspern, Austria, near Vienna, engine production has already been ended, wiping out 300 jobs. The transmission plant (350 positions) is still in operation, but, as in Eisenach, production has been halted until the beginning of January 2022 due to short-time work. Likewise, jobs at Vauxhalls UK production sites are at risk. The Brexit crisis is an additional threat to jobs at Vauxhall. Due to semiconductor shortages, production lines in both Ellesmere Port (1,000 jobs) and Luton (900 jobs) came to a standstill in September. In addition, parts suppliers at each location have seen thousands of job cuts. There is only one maxim for all management decisions: profit. In August, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, Stellantis reported a net profit of almost 6 billion for the first half of 2021. This makes one thing clear: the attacks on the jobs, health and conditions of employees can be repulsed only through a joint international struggle of all autoworkers against the capitalist profit system. That requires a socialist perspective and international strategy. This is precisely what the IG Metall trade union is seeking to prevent. It defends the capitalist system and wants under all circumstances to prevent a common, worldwide struggle of autoworkers in all locations. Instead, the union demands closer cooperation with Stellantis management and fears losing its privileges and high-paid positions on the works councils and supervisory boards. Many Opel workers remember how exuberantly the IG Metall officials praised the takeover of Opel by PSA four years ago. Back then, after meeting Tavares in Paris in February 2017, the long-time Opel works council chairman, Wolfgang Schafer-Klug, celebrated the emergence of the new European automobile champion with Franco-German roots. He praised Tavares for having credibly conveyed in the conversation that he is interested in sustainable development for Opel/Vauxhall as an independent company. We share this interest as employee representatives. Since then, the leading IG Metall officials have been working intensively on the Pace! restructuring plan, which has laid the groundwork for major attacks on workers over recent years. At Opel alone, more than 5,000 of the 19,000 jobs were cut in less than four years. Even after the Stellantis merger last year, IG Metall and the works council expressly agreed to destroy a further 2,100 jobs. The defence of jobs can be achieved only in struggle against the corrupt policies of IG Metall and its cooperation with corporate management. To do this, it is necessary for autoworkers to organise themselves independently. In the US, workers in many auto and supplier plants have already set up independent rank-and-file committees to oppose the reactionary policies of the US auto union UAW and its pro-company, multi-tier wage agreements, which have brought a massive deterioration in wages and working conditions. The International Committee of the Fourth International and its affiliated Socialist Equality Parties called earlier this year for the formation of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees to coordinate and organize the worldwide struggles of all workers. We call on all Opel workers to form rank-and-file committees independent of the trade unions to unite with Stellantis workers and other auto and industrial workers around the world. Make contact with us today to initiate this fight. Amid an escalating COVID-19 crisis in Papua New Guinea (PNG), the south-west Pacifics largest and most populous island nation, the fragile health system and its hospitals are being overwhelmed by the number of cases. Radio New Zealand reported on October 11 that since PNGs first reported case of the Delta variant, the virus had been largely left to fester and spread. The capital Port Moresby is undergoing a third wave of the pandemic, while a health disaster is unfolding around the country, including in the heavily-populated Highlands region. Medical staff of Papua New Guineas Defense Force receiving COVID-19 training last year (Credit: World Health Organization/PNG) Meanwhile, less than 1 percent of the population of nearly 9 million is fully vaccinated, the lowest vaccine coverage in the Western Pacific. The government largely kept the coronavirus at bay for all of last year, through tight border closures. The Delta strain was first detected on July 10, after the captain of a Philippines ship tested positive, and underwent isolation at the Port Moresby General Hospital. Health professionals warned that the combination of very-low testing rates, a high percentage of positive tests and an extremely slow vaccine rollout provided a recipe for a major spread. Daoni Esorom, the deputy controller of PNGs national pandemic response, said officials were so concerned that low testing rates were potentially masking a serious outbreak, that they ordered doctors at the hospital to swab all corpses of those people who had died from unknown causes, or who had respiratory illnesses, to ascertain if they had COVID-19. However, in August, Chief of Medical Emergency Services Sam Yockapua, claimed the rate of transmission and hospital admissions had gone down sufficiently to be focusing too much on COVID-19. Reflecting the strategy of the government of Prime Minister James Marape to prioritise business interests above public health, Yockapua said PNG had not been able to enforce lockdowns as in New Zealand or Australia and had to live with the disease. Health authorities scaled back the limited testing regime, on the pretext that it would allow them to shift focus to vaccinating vulnerable sections of the population. Consequently, the official statistics drastically understate the reality of what is happening. What health data is available shows a sharp spike in cases from April through June, and another this month, with 3,935 active cases since September 28. On 14 October, 412 new cases were reported, with a seven-day average of 306 cases. The country has officially recorded a total of 24,041 cases and 266 deaths. The health system has long suffered from shortages of drugs, lack of funding, crumbling infrastructure and a severe lack of health workers. Shortly after a sit-in during March 2020, by 600 Port Moresby nurses protesting inadequate personal protective equipment, over 4,000 nurses were ready to strike nationwide over the lack of preparation for a coronavirus outbreak. However, the PNG Nurses Association called off the stoppage at the last minute. With the hospital system now swamped, clinicians warn that the situation is much worse than officials admit, with provinces seeing far more cases than the National Control Centre records. Port Moresby General Hospital is reporting positive COVID testing rates of 60 percent and is scaling down its services due to the surge in patients. The hospital currently has 50 COVID in-patients with numbers expected to explode over coming weeks. The Guardian reports that surgeries are on hold indefinitely, consultation clinics are closed until further notice, and pathology services, the TB clinic, emergency and radiology departments and all other essential services will be affected. In Lae, the second largest city, the Angau general hospital is admitting an average of five new cases a day and experienced 19 deaths in September alone. It is the citys only public hospital, serving a population of 76,255, but has just 320 beds, and a further 150 temporary beds. Authorities have been forced to turn the towns stadium into a makeshift hospital and morgue. In the Eastern Highlands, deaths from the virus are being recorded at the hospital in Goroka every day, forcing a two-week lockdown in a bid to stem the surge. Dr. Kapiro Kendaura, the director of curative health services, described the situation as critical. Our Covid centre is always at capacity, he told the Guardian. Our emergency department is always full with Covid patients. We are in dire need of oxygen, amongst other things, he said. In the Western Highlands province, the countrys most densely populated region, the Mount Hagen general hospital is on the brink of closure, due to an influx of COVID-19 cases and an acute shortage of government funding. It is the only hospital serving a population of 46,256. Mount Hagens clinical head John Junior McKup told Radio NZ that they recently had over 90 positive patients arrive in a day. Regularly the numbers have been like 50 or 60 positives in a day. But were sending home all the mild and moderate cases to self-isolate at home. Were only keeping all the severe cases in the hospital, the doctor revealed. In one three-week period, over 800 positive cases and 22 deaths from COVID-19 were recorded in the region. According to the provincial health authority, the hospital will be forced to shut down before Christmas if government funding is further delayed. The PNG government this month formally lodged a request for assistance with the Emergency Medical Teams Secretariat in the World Health Organisation. The request stated that from September 2026, there were 600 newly confirmed cases, including 17 deaths. It admitted that new cases and deaths are significantly underreported due to the very limited testing across the country and inconsistent reporting from several provinces. The government blames misinformation and widespread reluctance to be vaccinated for the catastrophic situation. In reality, the fault lies with the crisis-ridden Marape government, which has responded to the pandemic with a mixture of incompetence and blatant self-interest. According to the PNG Post-Courier, in the midst of the dire healthcare situation, Marape and other government MPs recently travelled to Morobe Province to a health care event, where they were greeted by hundreds of mask-less people. The event reeked of bad taste, the Post-Courier observed. Marapes visit received widespread criticism on social media, with one person saying: This is infuriating to see. No wonder people dont follow niupelapasin [PNGs official plan] if the people making the mandates about it keep hosting events like this! While Pandemic Controller David Manning has banned gatherings of more than 20 people, politicians with an eye towards next years elections are traveling around the country, attracting large crowds, indifferent to COVID protection and the risk of spreading the virus. The abject failure of the governments vaccine roll-out was further underscored last month when it was forced to transfer to Vietnam 30,000 doses donated by New Zealand, to avoid them being thrown out as they reached their expiry date. PNG, one of the most impoverished countries in the world, remains largely dependent on the COVAX program. Only 2.5 percent of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. Vaccines have not been distributed on the basis of need, let alone a global public health strategy, but are being provided to advance the economic and strategic interests of competing powers. The executive director of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California, Alma Hernandez, was arrested last Friday on corruption charges including grand theft and tax fraud. Hernandez and her husband Jose Moscoso were charged with under-reporting their income by $1.4 million between 2014 and 2018. A May 2018 protest by SEIU-UHW members in Arden Town, California (SEIU-UHW) While working on a political action committee for a Democratic State Senate candidate in 2014, Hernandez allegedly paid $11,700 to her husband for services he did not provide. In addition, Moscoso is alleged to have concealed the number of employees in his air duct-cleaning business, failing to report $300,000 in wages. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Hernandez had embezzled money from an SEIU California-sponsored political action committee when she was the treasurer of the Working Families for Solorio for Senate 2014 PAC. According to the complaint, Hernandez and Moscoso also filed false joint income tax returns and underreported $1,427,874 of income between 2014 and 2018, leaving them owing $143,483 in unpaid income taxes. Hernandez has been charged with two counts of grand theft, one count of perjury and five counts of filing a false income tax return with intent to evade. Both Hernandez and Moscoso are being charged with aggravated white-collar crime. Hernandez and her husband appeared in Sacramento Superior Court before being booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail. She was denied bail and her next hearing is scheduled for November 9. The SEIU in California is the states largest union, with over 700,000 members, including social workers, janitors and doctors. Hernandez led the union for 11 years before she was forced to resign last week. Alma Hernandezs salary was estimated at $239,950 in 2019, according to Unionfacts.com. During her tenure as executive director of SEIU California she presided over years of attacks on union members wages and living standards. In 2017, a contract was approved which increased salaries by only 11.5 percent, less than the states initial offer of 11.84 percent. When the states cost-of-living increases were factored in, the net salary increase amounted to only 0.5 percent. While nurses and hospital staff protested and fought for safe working conditions during the pandemic, the SEIU sought to isolate and betray every manifestation of resistance, no matter how small. In Antioch, more than 350 workers at Sutter Health Hospital were told to end their five-day strike after a contract was approved by the SEIU. That was only days before an October 10 strike authorization vote covering 24,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and staff members passed by 96 percent. The union is a major financier of the Democratic Party in California. This year, the SEIU opposed the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom, donating more than $6 million to his campaign. The arrest of Hernandez comes at a time of turmoil within the SEIU. The board of directors of SEIU Local 1000, the largest SEIU local in the state, with some 96,000 members, met last weekend to consider stripping the locals elected president of most of his powers. SEIU Local 1000 board members met at the California Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento to discuss the leadership of President Richard Brown. Brown was elected president of the local on June 30, having campaigned as a dissident opponent of the state SEIU bureaucracy. He pledged to cut union dues in half and refused to support Newsom in the recall election, despite being a registered Democrat. Brown was accused by Local 1000 board members of delaying the selection of representatives to bargain with the state and meeting with right-to-work leaders. Evidence has emerged that money laundering was involved during the initial construction and sale of condo units at Champlain Tower South, the Surfside, Florida building that catastrophically collapsed on June 24 and killed 98 people. An extensive investigative report by USA Today published on Thursdaybased on thousands of pages of real estate documents and inspection records and dozens of interviewshas brought to light the presence of tell-tale signs of a money laundering scheme when construction was begun on the condo complex in 1980. Rescue personnel work in the rubble at the Champlain Towers South Condo, Friday, June 25, 2021, in Surfside [Credit: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert] The report says that such schemes are often accompanied by cutting corners on construction, and, even before developers sold off the 136 condominiums to their first owners, the construction had been botched and the building had been set on a course to rot from the foundation up. In addition to faulty construction of the first high-rise condo in the small town of Surfside, the laundering of drug moneyrampant in the Miami area during the boom in beachfront high-rise construction when there were no laws against the practice for hiding illicit fundswas often used to bribe government building officials. The report says, Money laundering also might have meant that some early buyers werent living in the condo building or concerned with its long-term maintenance. This fact is significant because the USA Today investigation has revealed that evidence of the buildings decay had emerged earlier and was ignored longer than previously known. Residents noted flooding in the garage in 1981, the year the tower opened. The Champlain Tower South high-rise condominium building suffered a partial progressive collapse that lasted just 12 seconds at 1:25 a.m. on June 24, when the northeast section fell down and destroyed half the units in the complex. After an initial rescue operation failed to locate any survivors, a recovery effort was mounted to search through the rubble for the remains of all those who perished in the catastrophe. The final victim was identified on July 26. The US A Today interviewed Jorge Valdes, who was a chief money launderer for the Medellin Cartel and helped build dozens of homes, apartment complexes, and high rises in the Miami region but was not involved in Champlain South. Valdes said, The era were talking about is when Miami suddenly came out of the ashes. So, how do you rush to fulfill the demand? You cut corners. You attached roofs with paper clips. You bribe the inspectors. Valdes went on, You wanted to put up real estate as quickly as possible because the money was flowing. We could buy any building inspector at any given moment. There were no stringent codes. There were no money laundering laws. The USA Today report says that the Surfside beachfront property was acquired by Nathan Reiber and his partners Nathan and Isadore Goldlist, all of whom were from Canada, and construction began in 1979 as the first of three planned towers. Reiber, in particular, had a history of financial and legal troubles. The reports states, Reiber faced tax trouble in Canada. His lawyer, Stanley Levine, had been indicted for attempting to bribe a local official in Florida on an earlier project; and one building contractor hired to work on the Champlain South project later was forced to surrender his license after numerous infractions. The architects license had been suspended in Florida after sign structures he designed collapsed during Hurricane Betsy in 1965. None of this slowed down the development of the project as the drug money flowed in. The report says, Thousands of pages of deed and mortgage documents reveal that within 24 months of opening, at least 62 sales exceeding $9.5 million showed classic signs of money laundering. Purchasing real estate with drug money was an effective means of hiding its source by running it through anonymous corporations and making regular mortgage payments. Thats why concealed buyer identities, all-cash sales, hidden sources of private loan money, overpaying for condos and rapid repayment of loans are all considered red flags for money laundering, the report says. At Champlain South and North Towers, Buyers purchased units through shell companies located in countries such as Panama and the Netherlands Antilles, both notorious for laundering drug money through anonymous corporations. One buyer was headquartered at the same address as more than 200 other offshore companies, according to the Panama Papers. Multiple sales involved all-cash sales and overpayments. Another individual who laundered money for the Colombian cocaine cartel, Ken Rijock, told the USA Today, Shell companies, cash deals, fast sales, strange buyers, tax haven companies as owners, hidden beneficial ownership, all the bells and whistles of suspicious transactions that compliance officers today would recognize in a New York minute were not investigated by federal authorities because they were not made illegal until the passage of the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986. Records examined in the investigation show that Reibers attorney Levine loaned millions of dollars from a fund he controlled to people purchasing the Champlain Tower condos. Levine used a trust account with an unidentified source of money to shell out more than $3 million in high-interest loans to early buyers at Champlain South in its first two years and at least $1.4 million to Champlain North, a red flag for money laundering schemes. Aside from the six figure loanswhich were offered at rates far higher than 16 percent bank rates at the timewith 12-month pay backs, the Champlain Tower South condos brought above-market prices for units with fewer amenities than high-end condos selling in upscale Miami Beach. There, the asking price for a penthouse was $121,000; $137,000 for a luxury two-bedroom. At Champlain, a penthouse in 1981 sold for $216,800. Despite the inflated price tags, early buyers flocked in from Brooklyn, Denver, New Jersey and Canada, where Reiber and Goldlist had business and personal ties. In one specific case, the buyer of a fifth floor two-bedroom condo in 1982 was the mistress of Jose Santacruz Londono, the lead money laundering overseer of the Cali, Colombia cocaine cartel. According to the USA Today, Working from a network of Panamanian banks and corporate shell companies Londonos financial advisers moved money from street drug sales in the US to Panamanian banks, and from there, to European and Colombian accounts and corporations. The USA Today also interviewed drug smuggler Pedro Peggy Rosello from his prison cell in Miami. Rosello explained that the Surfside location was perfect for drug kingpins to host parties and reside under-the-radar away from Miami Beach where all of the attention was focused on the drug wars of the 1980s. Rosello was planning on purchasing the fifth-floor condo unit he had been renting under an alias before he was indicted for his role in Miamis biggest cocaine ring. Laundering experts stressed that the presence of drug money meant that the developers were also cutting corners in the design and construction of the buildings and anywhere else they could boost profits. Charles Intriago, a former prosecutor and an expert on money laundering in Miami told the USA Today, If the main players of a building are engaged in corrupt activities, they are more than likely to be involved in corruption in every single phase of it. That includes from the time the person buys it, to the construction, to the completion and the sales of it. Theres going to be a temptation to cut corners, and Miami wasand isfertile ground for this. That Surfside tower is no exception. Intriagos reference to the present is significant. While the USA Today report provides ample evidence of the thoroughly corrupt and criminal operations that comprise the 40-year socioeconomic background to the collapse of the Surfside condo on June 24, this is no aberration or unique set of circumstances within American capitalism. The death of 98 people in Surfside is the responsibility of the entire layer of corporate and financial elites who have, with the full cooperation of US government regulatory bodies, accumulated trillions of dollars in wealth over the four decades that began with the installation of the Reagan administration in 1980. It should be pointed out that just as the real estate parasites were laundering drug money in Miami-Dade County real estate deals, the CIA and the Reagan White House were using drug money from Colombian-based crack cocaine sold on the streets of Los Angeles to finance an illegal and secret war against the government of Nicaragua. If anything, the criminal and deadly impacts of the relentless drive of the billionaire elite to enrich themselvesrevealed most starkly in their herd immunity response to the coronavirus pandemic that has now killed nearly three quarters of a million people in the UShave reached even more grotesque forms today than what was just getting started in the 1980s. 25 years ago: White March protests in Belgium Memorial to the victims of Marc Dutroux On October 20, 1996, the White March was held in Brussels. It was the largest demonstration in the history of Belgium. More than 300,000 people, carrying white balloons, white roses and white lilies, joined the protest over the case of Marc Dutroux, accused of murder, abduction and child pornography. The march was called by the parents of four young girls whom Dutroux had tortured and killed. Outrage over the case, and the widespread conviction that the top echelons of Belgian society were implicated in it, were fueled by the dismissal of Jean-Marc Connerotte, the magistrate in charge of the investigation. Connerotte had exposed and arrested Dutroux, his wife and Brussels businessman Michel Nihoul. All of them had enjoyed the protection of the judicial system for years. Connerrottes dismissal followed press reports that he was about to indict high-ranking officials who had been identified in videotapes confiscated from the killers home. Virtually the entire country followed the Belgian supreme court hearing called to decide on Connerottes dismissal. Radios were turned on in all big factories, schools, universities and offices. The court had hardly issued its verdict when workers at the Volkswagen plant in Forest and at the Opel factory in Antwerp, steelworkers from Cockerill-Sambre, dockers and railway workers laid down their tools and poured into the streets. Thousands of workers blockaded the streets and marched to town halls and courts. Cobblestones were hurled through the windows at the Central Court in Antwerp. Hundreds of angry apprentices attempted to storm the building. In Liege, firefighters drove their engines to the court building and sprayed it with their hoses. They said they were seeking to clean up this nest of corruption and crime. While there was a no politics rule demanded of the White March demonstration by its organizers, Belgian separatists and fascists sought to use the Dutroux case for their own benefit, arguing for the dissolution of Belgium into a confederation of independent states. Strikes and protest actions continued through to the next day. What began as a terrible crime and long-running legal scandal erupted into a wide-ranging political crisis for the entire government. The social tensions generated by the Dutroux case threatened to turn the class conflicts which had been welling up into an explosion. 50 years ago: New York City launches Knapp Commission into police corruption New York City Mayor John Lindsay On October 18, 1971, the Commission to Investigate Alleged Police Corruption opened its first hearing investigating corruption in the New York City Police Department. Known as the Knapp Commission after the commissions chairman, Judge Whitman Knapp, the investigation would reveal widespread systematic criminal activity throughout the entire police force. New York Mayor John Lindsay was compelled to form the commission after two New York police officers, Frank Serpico and David Durk, went to the New York Times with information they had collected over several years detailing the routine corrupt and illegal activities carried out as part of normal police activity. The Times published the revelations on April 25, 1970. The expose caused widespread public outrage, forcing Lindsay to convene the Knapp Commission. Among countless instances of abuse of power and bribery, Serpico and Durk found that a gambling ring was paying police officers $1,000 per month to ignore and protect their racket. Another report uncovered that heroin dealers had paid NYPD officers as much as $50,000 to destroy criminal evidence. Police collected totals of between $10 million and $30 million per year in payments from businesses to look the other way on various legal code violations. Many smaller businesses reported giving weekly or monthly payments to officers for fear of reprisals should they have refused. Within a year of the Times report, Serpico was assigned to a dangerous drug bust operation, in which he was shot and gravely injured. Though he survived, the circumstances of the shooting strongly suggest that it was an effort, orchestrated by the NYPD, to kill him and silence other potential whistleblowers. There was never any investigation into the shooting. When it was his turn to testify before the Knapp Commission, Durk relayed his experiences attempting to bring the corruption to light: The fact is that wherever we turned in the police department and the city we were met not with cooperation, not with appreciation or an eagerness to seek out the truth but with suspicion, hostility we had a great fear that at any moment our efforts might be betrayed. We wanted to believe in the rule of law but those in high places everywhere from within the department, the DAs office, and City Hall were determined not to enforce the law but to turn their heads away when law and justice were being sold away on every street corner. The final report of the Knapp Commission made a handful of recommendations to the mayors office. These amounted to little more than an appeal for police to change their behavior. The hearings main purpose was to contain and divert anger against the police. A handful of officers would be indited for the most egregious offenses, but the Knapp Commission served to cover up the top-to-bottom criminality of the NYPD, which wasand isinseparable from the polices main function of protecting the interests of the citys capitalist elites. 75 years ago: Britain uses Corfu Channel incident to stoke Cold War HMS Saumarez under tow after striking mine, October 1946 On October 22, 1946, a flotilla of the British Royal Navy struck mines as it passed through the Corfu Channel near the coast of Albania, resulting in the deaths of 44 sailors and injuries to 42 more. The disaster was the second, and most deadly of three similar incidents. British navy ships had struck mines in a similar area in May, and would again in November. After the May incident, Britain immediately blamed the new Albanian government, which was orienting to the Stalinist bureaucracy in the Soviet Union. The Albanian regime rejected the charge that it was culpable, instead accusing Britain of trespassing in its territorial waters. The British government responded by declaring that any further incidents would be viewed as an act of war. The October flotilla was dispatched as a deliberate provocation, with the stated intention of testing the right of passage near Albanian waters. It involved the cruisers HMS Mauritius and HMS Leander, and the destroyers HMS Saumarez and HMS Volage, whose crew were instructed to fire if attacked. The Saumarez and Volage both struck mines and sustained heavy damage, near the bay of Saranda on the Albanian coast. The Albanian navy dispatched a ship to assist in the rescue operations. In November, another incident would occur, when Royal Navy vessels struck mines as they were carrying out sweeping operations in Albanian waters. The operation was conducted by Britain with the support of the US, but without authorization from the Albania, which had suffered under a brutal occupation by fascist Italy during World War II. Over the following years, Britain would repeatedly use the incidents as a diplomatic and political battering ram against the Soviet-aligned Eastern European states, including by launching legal action against Albania at the International Court of Justice. The British actions in the Corfu Channel took place amid the first stages of the Cold war and coincided with similar provocations against the Soviet Union. This included the use of the British navy to instigate a major diplomatic conflict with the USSR over control of the Turkish Straits. 100 years ago: Communist University of the Toilers of the East founded Communist University of the Toilers of the East in Moscow On October 21, 1921, the Communist International founded the Communist University of the Toilers of the East in Moscow. The university was designed to train revolutionary leaders from the colonial and semi-colonial countries of Asia and Africa, as well as national minorities in the Soviet Republic, in Marxist theory and working-class organization. The university had its origins in discussion at the Second Congress of the Communist International in June 1920 when the Dutch Communist Henk Sneevliet proposed: The Third International should make it possible for students from the Far East to live here for a year or so, to study courses in Communism, so that they properly understand what is taking place here and can breathe life into the theses [resolutions of the Congress], create Soviet organizations, and carry out Communist work in the colonies.... Moscow and Petrograd are the new Meccas of the East. We here in Russia must make it possible for Eastern revolutionaries to get a theoretical education, so that the Far East becomes a living part of the Communist International. Instructors at the university included the future Vietnamese nationalist leader Ho Chi Minh, the Soviet Peoples Commissar of Education, Anatoly Lunacharsky, and the noted Soviet historian Mikhail Pokrovsky, as well as guest lectures by Trotsky, Bukharin, Krupskaya, Lozovsky, and veteran Japanese socialist leader Sen Katayama. Alumni of the school included Liu Shaoqi, the future President of the People's Republic of China; the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping; Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of independent Kenya; M.N. Roy, founder of the Indian Communist Party; and the Turkish poet Nazm Hikmet. The university was particularly active in its first years in training Chinese youth as Marxists, including future leaders of the Communist Party of China such as Peng Shuzhi and Wang Fanxi who later played central roles in the Trotskyist movement. At the third anniversary celebrations of the university, Trotsky underscored the significance of the institution for the world revolution: the students of the Communist University for Toilers of the East will say: We are here. We have learnt one thing. We know not only how to translate the ideas of Marxism and Leninism into the language of China, India, Turkey and Korea; but we have also learnt how to translate the sufferings, passions, demands and the hopes of the toiling masses of the East into the language of Marxism. When the views of a leading medical representative for children on COVID are taken up by the Daily Telegraph, it is time to reconsider those views. Dr Camilla Kingdon, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), has called for COVID testing in schools to end for the sake of children's education, the Telegraph writes. Secondary school pupils taking two lateral flow tests each week is causing unnecessary chaos, according to Kingdon. Children, who are supposedly not at risk from the virus, should not be forced to carry the burden of the pandemic. You are asking completely healthy children to test, with the potential to be excluded [from school], there is just a real concern that we are increasing a level of chaos into the system that is unnecessary. This argument, whatever her aims, places Dr Camilla Kingdon in the same ideological trench as the open advocates of herd immunity and the deliberate mass infection of children with COVID. The only reason a lateral flow test, once checked against a PCR test, will impact on completely healthy children is if they are not healthy at all, and are currently asymptomatic. Year seven pupils are directed to socially distance as they arrive for their first day at Kingsdale Foundation School in London, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kingdon makes her intervention with the support of the RCPCH, even as schools and local authorities whoas noted by the Telegraph, have been told by ministers that many of the restrictions that were in place in the last academic year are no longer necessary have started to step up anti-COVID measures due to the sharp rise in cases. The Telegraph cites only one other health professional backing up Kingdon, Professor Allyson Pollock of Nottingham University. But it lists numerous Conservative MPs declaring their backing. Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, calls mass testing in schools utterly pointless. Steve Brine, MP for Winchester, complains, The country is looking the other way, many people have moved on from the pandemic. But in the world of education it is still a pandemic. Brine et al want an end to testing in secondary schools so they can proclaim the end of the pandemic. There are a heck of a lot of MPs who want to see testing in schools wound down, the Telegraph quotes Brine. But It seems to me that Zero Covid strategy is alive and well. The attack on testing in schools recalls nothing more than the declaration of former US President Donald Trump. In June 2020, he said of a large increase in COVID cases due to the elimination of social distancing requirements, when you do more testing, you have more cases It's pretty simple. In short, no testing, no pandemic! How does the RCPCH justify such a dangerous stance? By insisting, Children and teenagers need to focus on their education and school attendance must be encouraged without being interrupted by routine testing of asymptomatic children and teenagers. The RCPCH takes its point of departure on measures to combat COVID based upon the assertion that keeping children in schools is the primary goal. Kingdons September 13 Presidents blog explained, We formed a view that the loss of access to school is probably the single most important issue for children currently and that if vaccination means that 12-15 year olds can have a greater chance of attending schooland staying at school this winter, then we would support its use. Even then, she complained, routine testing of children without symptoms is still interrupting children and teenagers school attendance and we do not believe this should continue. Ultimately, we would advocate for Sars-CoV 2 to be treated as we treat all the other viruses that can cause infection in children and adopt a symptoms-based approach, ie [sic] if your child has a fever or is in any way unwell, they should stay off school. However, they should otherwise attend school. Never has the expression the road to hell is paved with good intentions been more appropriate. COVID is not a virus among many. It has claimed millions of lives and mutated several times. Infection levels in England are now close to the peak seen at the height of the second pandemic wave, mostly driven by rising rates among schoolchildren. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that around one in 10 schoolchildren in Years 7 to 11 in England had Covid last week. The rate for 12-15-year-olds is one in 12. As of October 10, only 1.1 million under-18s had received their first vaccine dose in England, out of an estimated 3.9 million aged 12 to 17. Lab confirmed cases approached 50,000 yesterday and over 7,000 are hospitalised. Even with the benefits of the vaccine and the relative break in infections due to the summer months, there were 852 UK deaths last week. The UK death toll stands officially at 138,584, but this rises to 163,000 deaths where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. COVID has claimed the lives of 96 children in the UK. Up to September 5, 2021, 53,000 children suffered from Long COVID, with 29,000 impacted for up to 12 weeks and 11,000 suffering for more than a year. Already one in six UK COVID cases have happened since Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Freedom Day July 17, with more than 2.8 million people testing positive, at a cost of 10,000 livesmore than 100 a day, compared with 259 each day from January 2020 to July 17. But Imperial College Londons REACT-1 study has now found that a reservoir of Covid infection in teenagers is already seeping through to older age groups, with Professor Paul Elliott, noting that high and rising infections in schools are leading to a higher prevalence of infection in households with children. Southends Director of Public Health Krishna Ramkhelawon warned, People arent testing, and parents arent checking them If 50 percent of the class is self-isolating or unwell, they should move to remote learning. This is the real picture in schools, one that can only be made worse still by the RCPCHs ill-considered intervention. On the twitter account of Lisa Diaz, the organiser of the Friday School strikes by concerned parents, comments include an NHS worker explaining, Someone dies of covid every shift, usually weeks after admission. There are sick children with covid on the children's ward. We've had sick prem babies on neonates after early sections to save mum on ICU with covid. Another writes, currently around half our level 3 (ventilator) beds are filled with patients with COVID. A lot of the patients are double vaccinated, and pressures are rising from other conditions. The standpoint of the RCPCH, of mitigation measures to keep schools open, will only pave the way for a worsening of the public health disaster. It will lead to sick children, sick parents, sometimes protracted illness, and the deaths of both teachers, children and their loved ones. The working class must take a stand for eradication, the elimination of the COVID threat through the global deployment of every weapon in the arsenal of suppressive and containment measures, including the closure of schools, a return to well-funded remote learning, wage support for teachers and parents, until they can be made safe. Those wishing to discuss such a strategic struggle should attend the October 24 webinar, How to end the pandemic: The case for eradication. Register for this important event today. Covid-19 is once again ripping through the UK population, as the ruling elite actively enable mass infection. In one day alone, on October 14, 45,066 new cases were recordedthe highest since mid-Julyand 157 deaths. Globally, the official death toll stands at almost five million, although the real global death toll, measured by excess deaths, is well over 10 million. A massive, well-funded and well-connected campaign of disinformation is being deployed to legitimise this murderous policy of herd immunity. Various organisations and bodies have been created, deploying pseudo-science and democratic clothing to oppose efforts aimed at eradicating Covid. Demonstrations of varying size are held internationally, in which far right groups rub shoulders with libertarians, anarchists, disoriented conspiracy theory advocates and religious fringe organisations, making up the core of protests of a largely petty bourgeois character and dragging in their wake small business owners, ravers, and similar who want an end to anything impinging on their personal freedom. To this end they have carried out volent attacks on medical workers involved in the vaccine roll-out and intimidation of children and teachers at school entrances. With the backing of billionaires and major corporations, they operate as de facto adjuncts of government, the official political parties and the mass media. All the main ideological organisations involved are connected to the Great Barrington Declaration (GBD), an international proposal written and signed at the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, on October 4, 2020. As the WSWS explained at the time, the AIER is a libertarian free-market think-tank, dedicated to a highly reactionary, anti-working-class and anti-socialist enterprise. The declaration has been partly funded by the right-wing billionaire, Charles Koch, who hosted a private soiree of scientists, economists, and journalists to provide the homicidal declaration a modicum of respectability and formulate herd immunity as a necessary global policy in response to the pandemic. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson met with several of the GBDs authorsProfessor Sunetra Gupta, Oxford Universitys Carl Heneghan and Swedens state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell in September 2020just before he declared no more f**king lockdowns, let the bodies pile high in their thousands. Faced with public opposition to this criminal policy, the proponents of herd immunity are having to conceal their aims behind spurious independent or grassroots initiatives. The latest is the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pandemic Response and Recovery founded in September. Chaired by a Conservative MP Esther McVey, previously the governments Work and Pensions Secretary, it counts Labour MP Graham Stringer and Democratic Unionist Party MP Sammy Wilson amongst its number. The APPG bills itself as a forum for politicians, scientists, health professionals, economists, business leaders and other experts; to facilitate broad, balanced and open discussion and inform a more focused and flexible approach to Government policy. But as detailed by the BylineTimes, the APPG is funded and managed by Collateral Global (CG), the GBDs successor, established by two of its co-founders, Oxford epidemiologist Professor Sunetra Gupta and Ministry of Defence contractor Alex Caccia. CG functions as the APPGs secretariat and is also funding it. The APPGs scientific advisors include fellow GBD co-founders, Harvard Universitys Professor Martin Kulldorf, and Stanford Universitys Professor Jay Bhattacharya. Drs. Martin Kulldorf, Sunetra Gupta, and Jay Bhattacharya at the American Institute for Economic Research, photo courtesy of American Institute for Economic Research. Gupta was also the recipient of almost 90,000 from the Georg and Emily von Opel Foundation, Open Democracy has revealed. The foundation is named after its founder Georg, the great-grandson of German car manufacturer founder, Adam Opel, a leading Tory donor with a net worth of $2 billion. The proponents of herd immunity advocate the deliberate mass infection of the young. Keeping schools open is central to forcing parents into unsafe workplaces and preventing any disruption to profits. To this end the health and lives of children are being knowingly endangered. To date, 95 children in the UK have died from Covid and 570 educators. Cases of Long-Covid are spiralling, including one in seven of all children infected. Among those backing the APPG is the Health Advisory and Recovery Group (HART), founded by businessman Narice Bernard. It was Bernard who originated the first campaign for Sir Keir Starmer to be Labour Party leader back in 2015, prior to Jeremy Corbyns election. Starmer has been a key advocate of keeping schools open declaring in August 2020, no ifs, no buts, no equivocation. Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer's tweet of August 16, 2020 demanding the government reopen schools. According to chat records and other documents leaked to Logically, a fact-checking tech company, Bernard described HARTs communication strategy in a post as, We don't [sic] exist to engage the public this a [sic] a top down strategy. HART is reportedly in direct contact with Sir Graham Brady, chair of the Thatcherite 1922 Committee backbench group of Tory MPs. APPG press releases are distributed by HARTs head of communications Jemma Moran. Her brother, Telegraph cartoonist Bob Moran, who has publicly threatened health professionals advocating pandemic-control measures, is another member. Another HART connection is Professor Robert Dingwall, advisor to Englands Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whittys Moral and Ethical Advisory Group. Byline Times has previously revealed that while he was an advisor on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), Dingwall was secretly in contact with the HART network, with Bernard boasting in the leaked chats that he was on the inside and is friendly. In September, the JCVI recommended not giving vaccines to children aged 12-15 years old, much to the astonishment of leading scientists. Other HART supporters and GBD signatories are Professor David Livermore, who sits on the governments Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Prescribing, Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection and Ellen Townsend, Professor of Psychology at the University of Nottingham. Co-ordinating with HART is UsforThem, which shares several of its members. Claiming to be a parents lobby group, it has received public support from Johnsons former advisor Ed Barker and was praised by Tory MP Miriam Coates in parliament for working tirelessly to stand up for children and campaign for their lives to be allowed to return to normal. Barker also runs public relations for the Covid Recovery Group (CRG), headed by Tory MP Steve Baker. In February, the Times reported that the CRG had joined forces with UsforThem to form an umbrella organisation called the Recovery Alliance. Barkers aim, it wrote, was to bring all these groups together with business figures who want the focus to shift from health to the economy. The demands of UsforThem for an end to all Covid-19 mitigations in schools is government policy. With links to anti-vax movements, including The Alliance for Natural Health, it opposes vaccinating children against Covid. In line with this, the vaccination programme in schools has largely ground to a halt. HART and UsforThem are also involved in a new creation, the Safer to Wait campaign. Portrayed as a collective of concerned parents, teachers, doctors, and lawyers, it is described more truthfully by Byline Times as part of a wider effort to radicalise members of the public, particularly parents, against vaccines and health workers. Its advocates include Karol Sikora and Anthony J. Brookes, both signatories to the GBD, and Elizabeth Evans, founder of the UK Medical Freedom Alliance, who is on the advisory board of the Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s Childrens Health Defense. A notorious anti-vax propaganda group, it has previously financed lawsuits against the immunisation of children in America from measles and rubella. Tellingly, none of the information uncovered by Byline Times and similar sources has received coverage in the official media. As for Starmers Labour Party and the Trades Union Congress, they too are silent on the origins and financing of those propagandising in favour of mass deaths. They are just as culpable as Johnson for the policy of social murder. The pandemic can and must be stopped, but this requires a programme of global eradication. As leading scientists insist it requires the universal deployment of every weapon in the arsenal of measures to combat COVID-19, co-ordinated across the world. The only social force capable of leading this fight is the international working class. It is workers, their families and their children who are treated as so much cannon-fodder to satiate the profit lust of the financial oligarchy. All those looking for a way to end this deadly policy should attend the online webinar, How to end the pandemic: The case for eradication, organised by the World Socialist Web Site and the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees on Sunday, October 24. A political rally last week in support of Glenn Youngkin, the Republican nominee for governor of Virginia, was headlined by fascistic former President Donald Trump, who phoned in his support, and his former top adviser, Stephen Bannon, who appeared on stage. Held in Glen Allen in the suburbs of Richmond, the rally demonstrated the degree to which fascist elements have come to dominate the Republican Party in the months following Trumps electoral loss to Democrat Joe Biden and his January 6 coup attempting to block the congressional certification of the Electoral College vote. President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Minden-Tahoe Airport in Minden, Nev., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) In a blatant effort to legitimize the January 6 coup, event coordinator Martha Boneta opened the rally by leading the audience in a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance before an American flag, which she declared had been on hand at the peaceful rally with Donald J. Trump on January 6. One of the main speakers, acting as a surrogate for Youngkin, was Republican state Senator Amanda Chase, who participated in the January 6 rally outside the White House, where Trump whipped up the crowd and then directed them to march on the Capitol. Chase, a gun-toting self-proclaimed Trump in heels, has stumped for Youngkin on several occasions and appeared with him at rallies in the Richmond suburbs earlier this month. In his telephone message to the rally, Trump focused on claims of election fraud. We won in 2016. We won in 2020the most corrupt election in the history of our country, probably one of the most corrupt anywhere, he claimed. Bannon, speaking from the stage, chimed in, Were going to build the wall. Were going to confront ChinaWere putting together a coalition thats going to govern for 100 years. He promised that Trump would return for a presidential run in 2024. While Youngkin was not in attendance, citing time conflicts, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Winsome Sears, was. According to the Washington Post, Sears had been billed as a speaker and showed up, but she ducked out before the program began. Voters cast separate votes for governor and lieutenant governor, and Sears, unlike the wealthy hedge fund investor Youngkin, is trailing badly in the polls. In early September, she laid off her campaign manager and much of her staff for lack of funds. Images of a crowd saluting an insurrectionists flag near the former capital of the Confederacy provoked a backlash in local and state media, leading Youngkin to declare in an interview, [w]e shouldnt pledge allegiance to that flag. And, oh, by the way, Ive been so clear, there is no place for violencenone, nonein America today. But hundreds of Youngkin supporters attended the event, which epitomized the Republican candidates strategy of appealing both to the fascist wing of the party, associated with Trump, and the party establishment, which views his ties to Wall Street with favor. Youngkin is a former Carlyle Group hedge fund executive who is bankrolling his own campaign to the tune of millions of dollars. In 2020, Trump lost Virginia by a 10 percent margin, with Democrat Joe Biden winning by large margins in the suburbs of Washington D.C. and Richmond. Youngkin has sought to have it both ways on the false claims of a stolen election, acknowledging that Biden won the 2020 election, while still attending Republican Party-sponsored events promoting election integrity and publicly embracing that slogan. The Take Back Virginia rally took place in the final weeks of the Virginia race for the governors mansion. Virginia and New Jersey traditionally hold their state elections in the off-years following presidential contests. Their elections are viewed as critical gauges for the two big business parties electoral prospects in the oncoming midterms. The campaign of Democratic nominee and former Governor Terry McAuliffe has been sliding in the polls, reflecting broader disenchantment with the policies of the Biden administration, particularly its failure to pass any significant social reform measures. According to 538.com, the election on November is either candidates race to win. The poll aggregation website states that the candidates are nearly neck and neck, with McAuliffe and Youngkin commanding 48.1 percent and 45.5 percent of the vote, respectively. The Washington Post states that Democratic officials fear that a loss in an increasingly blue statewhere they have won every statewide contest since 2012is a growing possibility, and one that would erode confidence in the Biden presidency. McAuliffe also has his own right-wing record during a previous term as governor, 2013-2017, hanging around his neck. In keeping with his close ties to the Clinton family and to corporate interests, the Democrat has outraised his hedge fund millionaire opponent. The two candidates combined have raised more than $88 million so far this year, compared to $66 million in total for the 2017 gubernatorial race. Over the summer Youngkin began to catch up outraising McAuliffe, $15.7 million to $11.5 million but only by gifting his campaign $4.5 million from his own personal funds. In July McAuliffe welcomed Biden on the campaign trail before the reopening of schools led to a massive fifth wave of coronavirus infections and deaths. However, the candidate has recently stated that Biden was unpopular in Virginia and urged Democrats at the national level to quit talking and get something done. In the meantime, his campaign has announced appearances by numerous high-profile Democratic Party figures, including former President Barack Obama at a Richmond rally later this month and a fundraising event with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. By attacking congressional Democrats from the right and urging they make concessions to the partys right-wing congressional holdouts, the McAuliffe campaign is signaling that any electoral loss will be blamed on so-called progressive overreach, which will be used by the Democratic Party as a whole as an excuse to swing even further to the right. This occurs under conditions in which the states population has suffered immensely throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, with tens of thousands still out of work and many living on the brink of starvation. Throughout the pandemic, the Democratic state government of Ralph Northam has subordinated the health and safety of the population to the financial interests governing the state. For their parts, both campaigns have pledged to keep schools open in the face of the coronavirus. Nothing can keep Damon Parker from shopping at this city's newest Kroger, not even the awful memory of a fatal shooting he witnessed there 28 years ago. Parker, his cousin Stephanie Buffington and their friend Cynthia Prioleau were nearly inside the Atlanta supermarket when a gunman in a car approached and began shooting in broad daylight. Prioleau, 25, was the only person hit. She died that day. Her killer has not been found. Since then, at least two more unrelated killings and a series of assaults have gone down at the Kroger and a neighboring apartment complex, the Atlanta Police Department told CNN. The violence paved the way for a nickname that some directly affected by the crimes hope will vanish as the store reopens this October after a top-to-bottom rebuild: "Murder Kroger." While it's not unusual for a business' local reputation to earn it an informal moniker, the proliferation of Murder Kroger on T-shirts, stickers and even in song lyrics has been particularly painful for those with personal ties to the attacks. Each repetition of the eerie phrase can gnaw at grief that's still quite raw, even if that's not the intention. For those not connected to the killings and attacks, the phrase may just be a throwaway punchline. It also, more deeply, could reflect a community's use of humor to cope with tragedy or, conversely, reveal a society that's grown numb to the emotional pain that stems from too-common violence, experts told CNN. "At this point I'm desensitized to it," Parker said of his gut reaction to the nonchalant way some people mention Murder Kroger. Still, he wishes the nickname would disappear. "Take some kind of responsibility, don't treat it like it's some kind of trivial thing," he said. "Just think about any tragedy we've seen since 2016 and anyone who has trivialized it in public. The Orlando nightclub shooting and the shooting at a Walmart in El Paso: Would you make a T-shirt for that?" A vigil for a doomed grocery site By the time Joshua Richey, a construction worker, was killed in 2015 in the Kroger's parking lot by two men trying to break into his truck, the lore of Murder Kroger was near its zenith. The Atlanta-based band Attractive Eighties Women in 2007 recorded a song titled "Murder Kroger." Its lyrics include: "It's a grocery store with a deadly twist / You'll get shot in the head for your shopping list / Murder Kroger / it's the worst place to shop in all of Atlanta / you could lose your life over 12 pack of Fanta." During Conan O'Brien's 2010 "The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour," members of his crew stopped by the Kroger for a blog post on TeamCoco. And on Wikipedia, the Murder Kroger page since mid-2015 has collected more than 250,000 page views and 70 edits. When the Cincinnati-based grocery chain owner announced in October 2016 it would shutter the location to make way for 725 Ponce, a huge, multipurpose development with a new 65,000-square-foot Kroger store, two people refused to let it go quietly. Rachel Bowen and Rowyn Hirsch organized a satiric candlelight vigil held in the grocery's parking lot a day before it closed. Roughly 50 people attended. A moment of silence was held for victims of crimes there. Some people lit candles. Others wore Murder Kroger T-shirts, while one woman sported a Kroger paper bag with the word "murder" written on it in a blood-like font. "I had just turned 19 at the time and had started the event as a sort of joke with a friend because I, not unlike a lot of people, use humor to cope with tragic things," Hirsch told CNN. "Suddenly, our joke had turned into a news story. "We had people who knew the original victim reaching out and telling us that we were being insensitive, sending us threatening messages and calling us names," she said. "Mind you, we were just the face of it. The whole city had been calling it Murder Kroger for years. It all was a bit overwhelming." Parker did not find the vigil's atmosphere respectful. The event inspired him to share his experience at the store in the story, "Surviving Murder Kroger," published the following month. "It was a party," he said. "Everything was mockery. There was nothing serious about the whole thing." The roots of Atlanta's fascination Social and economic factors might explain the disconnect between some of those who attended the vigil and the victims' loved ones, said Sarah Cook, a psychology professor at Georgia State University (GSU), which has a downtown campus about three miles from the Kroger. These sorts of differences may have allowed vigil attendees to put social distance between themselves and the victims and thus to ignore the costs or consequences of the event for their survivors, Cook told CNN. The event and the nickname that inspired it may also mirror the effects of violence in America, GSU's John Burrison, an English professor who studies folklore, told CNN in an email. "I think 'Murder Kroger' also reflects a fascination with crime and violence (as evidenced by the number of 'cop shows' on commercial TV, and in folklore, the large number of American murder ballads). I wouldn't call that fascination uniquely American, but ours is certainly a violent country compared with many others," Burrison said in an email. For Buffington, who witnessed Prioleau's shooting, the Murder Kroger fascination has a simpler explanation: The moniker and its trappings exemplify people's "very morbid minds," she said. "Murder should never be a joke. What if it was one of their loved ones?" she said. "These individuals are profiting financially off the murder of someone's love one." The rise of 'BeltLine Kroger' The new Kroger reopened on October 16 along the Atlanta BeltLine, a popular multiuse trail. It features a large outdoor seating area, a Starbucks and a BBQ restaurant. Local headlines dubbed the store "Beltline Kroger," while others refused to let "Murder Kroger" die. "The store signifies Kroger's ongoing commitment to the community and the ongoing economic prosperity of Atlanta," Kroger spokeswoman Kristal Howard told CNN. "The City of Atlanta, community leaders, residents and businesses have come together to create and nurture a very special and safe place for residents and visitors." She declined to comment on the store's long-held nickname. A lot has changed in Atlanta since the first killing at Kroger in 1991, when Fulton County recorded 231 murders, data from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation show. In 2017, that tally was 124. As the murder rate has dropped across the county, the BeltLine's Eastside Trail, along which the new Kroger sits, has transformed neighborhoods around it into some of the most desirable and pricey places to live in the city thanks to millions sunk into commercial development. One of the many patrons who will visit the new Kroger is Parker, now 47, who plans to frequent it with his two goddaughters. The various Murder Kroger paraphernalia don't bother him as much as they used to. Still, his community's tacit acceptance of the store's violent characterization still does. "There's nothing they can do at this point," Parker said. "They've let it go on too long. It's kind of too late. It's something that should have been addressed a long time ago." LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) The Indiana attorney generals office has asked the states highest court to take up a case involving a former couple accused of abandoning their adopted daughter. The attorney generals office has requested the Indiana Supreme Court reverse an appeals court decision involving Michael and Kristine Barnett, according to WLFI-TV. They were charged in 2019 with neglect of a dependent for allegedly leaving their daughter Natalia in an apartment and moving to Canada. They adopted the girl, who has dwarfism and is from the Ukraine, in 2010. Authorities say a doctor who examined the girl that year estimated her age as 8 years old. Before leaving, the couple legally changed her age to 22. They claimed she was posing as an adult. The case generated international headlines. The attorney generals office wants the states high court to reverse an Aug. 25 decision by the Indiana Appeals Court finding the Barnetts cant be prosecuted for neglect of a dependent based on their adopted daughters age. The attorney generals office says the re-aging petition was signed without a hearing or legal representation for their daughters interests. The couple divorced in 2014. Messages left Sunday for their attorneys were not immediately returned. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Recently a texas administrator made alarming comments in regards to the Holocaust. The comments from one Texas administrator on the Holocaust is causing people to speak out across the nation. Now education officials at the Candles Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Terre Haute have a message they want to get out. Troy Fears is the Executive Director of the Candles Holocaust Museum. He says he was alarmed by the recent comments from a Texas school administrator. "The school board in texas is asking for educators to come up with opposing views of social topics and one of those topics is the holocaust and we here at candles obviously denounce that." Eva Kor was a Holocaust survivor and founded the candles Holocaust Museum and Education Center. She died back in 2019 at the age of 85. She worked hard to make people educated on this topic. "Obviously we're disappointed with what texas had done especially with our founder Eva Kor being so instrumental in getting education and legislation passed here in the state of Indiana where holocaust education is now mandated is now mandated in two high school classes." Fears adds it's important that everyone knows the history of the Holocaust, and education on this topic is vital. "You cannot have an opposing view on the Holocaust because the Holocaust did happen it's a historical fact." A school superintendent in North Texas has since apologized after the administrator was recorded telling teachers, "if they have books about the Holocaust in classrooms they must also have books with opposing views." MARSHALL, Ind. (WTHI) - People in Marshall, Indiana celebrated a big birthday, but not for a resident. Sunday marks the 100 year anniversary for Marshall's newly restored and landscaped arch! The famous architect Carroll O. Beeson's descendents were in attendence as well as some Marshall alumni, community members, politicians, and of course some tourists. The two hour program included music, snippets of history, and a variety of speakers! Some came from far and wide -- all very impressed with Besson's work! She has designed 300 famous projects throughout Indiana! . - Credit: DeadlineDeadline EXCLUSIVE: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Dawn Hudson said Monday that her current term will be her last. She signed a new deal in March of 2020 for what was expected to be three years through May of 2023, but a statement to be released later today does not specify an actual date of her departure, saying simply when this term concludes. Sources added nothing further on the exact timing of her exit. Story continues More from Deadline A search for a new CEO will be starting shortly. After more than ten years and the incredibly successful opening of our new museum, Ive decided, when this term concludes, it will be time for me to explore other opportunities and adventures as this can hardly be topped, said Hudson. Weve achieved so much together thats been most important to me our ongoing commitment to representation and inclusion; adapting the Academy into a digitally sophisticated global institution; and creating the worlds premier movie museum that will be the destination of film fans for decades. The Board of Governors and I are mutually committed to a seamless transition to new leadership. Im excited for what the future holds, for both the Academy and for me. . Dawn has been, and continues to be, a groundbreaking leader for the Academy. Advancements in the diversity and gender parity of our membership, our increased international presence, and the successful opening of a world-class Academy Museum a project she revived, guided and championed are already part of her legacy. I know the Board of Governors joins me in looking forward to our collaboration with Dawn in the many months ahead, as we map out a plan for succession, said Academy president David Rubin. Hudson, who joined AMPAS in the CEO position in June 2011, will have been at the helm of the organization for more than a decade, working with past AMPAS presidents Tom Sherak, Hawk Koch, Cheryl Boone Issacs, John Bailey and now Rubin, whose three year term will end in summer 2022 meaning there will be new leadership coming for the two most important and visible positions within the Academy. Hudsons selection was noted by Deadline at the time as a bit of a shocker since it was expected that retiring CEO Bruce Davis, who served in the job for three decades, would be handing off to his lieutenant Ric Robertson. But then-president Sherak said in announcing the hire of Hudson that these were new times for the Academy, and a shake-up was in order to get fresh ideas and a new direction. Hudson came from the helm of Film Independent, which she shepherded from relative obscurity to a top-rank organization responsible for the Independent Spirit Awards and the now-defunct Los Angeles Film Festival, along with many initiatives she fostered in her two-decade tenure at the top there. . - Credit: AMPASAMPAS Her run at the Academy has been certainly momentous, if turbulent at times. Change always is, and there has probably been more significant change during her tenure than at any time in the organizations history. Most notably, the long-delayed Academy Museum of Motion Pictures finally opened its doors last month after a sometimes rocky history including personnel turnover at the top, a long and winding funding campaign, and pandemic postponements among other things. That it exists at all certainly is a major achievement during Hudsons tenure, as are the growth and diversity initiatives undertaken after the #OscarsSoWhite controversies of 2014 and 2015. Membership has blown up to over 10,000, from under 6000 when Hudson joined. The number of women in the group has doubled and number of people of color tripled since 2015, when the Academys A2020 initiative began. The Aperture2025 program is continuing the efforts to diversify, and beginning in 2024 will require all Best Picture contenders to show proof of certain standards of hiring on their film in order to qualify for a Best Picture nomination. That process has already begun. Under Hudsons tenure the Academy has also continued or created numerous programs encouraging the industry to look outside its gates for new blood including the Academy Gold program which sponsors numerous internships, as well as another program designed to bring underrepresented groups into Academy activities. The speed of growth under Hudson has definitely accelerated since the Los Angeles Times printed its infamous story near the start of her term revealing numbers showing AMPAS to be largely dominated by older white males. Under Hudson, the institution also has achieved advances in technology and the modernization of its infrastructure, which have enabled greater global outreach, member communications and events, online voting and streaming on the Academy Screening Room, as well as a significantly expanded social media presence. In her role, she oversees the Academys 450-person staff in Los Angeles, New York and London; operations and outreach, including awards, membership, marketing, communications, finance and technology; the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the Academy Foundation. The foundation includes educational initiatives, fellowships and grants, the Margaret Herrick Library and the Academy Film Archive. . - Credit: MegaMega Of course, the Oscar show itself is the most visible part of the Academy, and its contract with ABC is the major part of the organizations annual income. There has been great concern about the ratings drop in recent years, most notably down to 10 million viewers for the 93rd Academy Awards, which was deeply affected by the pandemic in terms of a lack of high-profile movies and a broadcast moved to L.A.s Union Station and stripped down to bare essentials in terms of the usual splashy show at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. That show, though certainly crushed by circumstances not entirely in the control of AMPAS, still was poorly received by critics and largely ignored by the public, down some 56% from the previous all-time low of 23 million viewers in February 2020, just before the Covid lockdowns began the next month. The 94th annual Academy Awards are set for March 27, 2022, back at the Dolby. As Deadlines Michael Cieply recently reported, based on public records for non-profits, Hudson earned a base salary of $675,050 plus ancillary compensation of a reported $269,704 for a 2020 fiscal-year take of $944,754, up nearly 27% from the previous year. With the impressive museum now open for business and drawing strong reviews from many, new Oscar producer Will Packer at work on a show that hopefully will bring viewers back, and the diversification of the Academy still on course, Hudson, who is still firmly in charge, will be leaving behind quite a legacy and full plate for whomever is chosen to succeed her. Hudson says she will play a vital role in that process going forward. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Marvel fans, prepare to wait a little bit longer to see Doctor Strange, Thor and Black Panther return to theaters. Disney has delayed release plans for several upcoming films, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness from March 25 to May 6, Thor: Love and Thunder from May 6 to July 8 and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever from July 8 to Nov. 11. With the Black Panther sequel jumping to November, The Marvels has been postponed to early 2023 and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was bumped from Feb. 17 to July 28, 2023. More from Variety Along with the deluge of Marvel delays, Disney has moved the fifth Indiana Jones installment back nearly a year. The still-untitled film, starring Harrison Ford as the fedora-wearing, swashbuckling archaeologist, will open on June 30, 2023 instead of July 29, 2022. The major release date shuffle comes after Marvels Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cemented its place as a pandemic-era box office hit and ahead of Eternals, the MCU entry that is scheduled for Nov. 5. The scheduling overhaul is related to production and not box office returns, according to sources at Disney. The next Black Panther entry, for one, is still filming in Atlanta. Since Marvel has become an interconnected and meticulously planned universe which spans dozens of film and several new television series any production delay causes a domino effect on the rest of the franchise. As for Indiana Jones, the 79-year-old Ford sustained a shoulder injury on set in June, requiring the actor to take a break from filming while he healed. Though director James Mangold continued to shoot without Ford, there are a limited amount of scenes that dont involve the adventurer. Ford has since recovered and returned to set. Story continues Four untitled 2023 movies from Marvel, 20th Century and Disneys live-action division, have been removed from the calendar, while one untitled Marvel movie has relocated from Nov. 10 to Nov. 3, 2023. COVID-19 has shaken up the way studios release their biggest movies, with many major tentpoles bucking tradition to land simultaneously in theaters and on digital platforms. After putting Black Widow starring Scarlett Johansson, 101 Dalmatians prequel Cruella and animated adventure Raya and the Last Dragon on Disney Plus on the same day as their respective theatrical premieres, the studio has reaffirmed its commitment to the big screen for now. The movies on schedule for 2021 will play exclusively in theaters for 45 days before moving to digital platforms. However, Disney has not solidified plans for 2022 and beyond. See the updated release calendar below: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Disney) previously dated on 3/25/22 moves to 5/6/22 Thor: Love and Thunder (Disney) previously dated on 5/6/22 moves to 7/8/22 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Disney) previously dated on 7/8/22 moves to 11/11/22 Untitled Indiana Jones (Disney) previously dated on 7/29/22 moves to 6/30/23 Untitled Disney Live Action (Disney) previously dated on 7/14/23 is removed from schedule The Marvels (Disney) previously dated on 11/11/22 moves to 2/17/23 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Disney) previously dated on 2/17/23 moves to 7/28/23 Untitled Marvel (Disney) previously dated on 7/28/23 is removed from schedule Untitled Marvel (Disney) previously dated on 10/6/23 is removed from schedule Untitled 20th Century (20th) previously dated on 10/20/23 is removed from schedule Untitled Marvel (Disney) previously dated on 11/10/23 moves to 11/3/23 Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Axios and Politico, two of the biggest political news sites in Washington D.C., were close to merging this summer under the umbrella of German media giant Axel Springer. But the companys sneaky dealings led Axios to pull out, according to a new New York Times report. On Sunday, New York Times media writer Ben Smith published a report looking into sexual harassment charges leveled against Bild, a center-right German tabloid owned by Axel Springer. In recent years, Springer has invested in and acquired various multiple American sites including Insider, Thrillist Media Group, the struggling Ozy Media, and as of this past August, Politico, which it purchased for $1 billion. Smiths report includes an account of how Springer CEO Mathias Dopfner conduced secret talks with the heads of both Axios and Politico earlier this year. Smith reports that in late July, as the Politico acquisition deal was being closed, Dopfner spoke with Axios CEO and co-founder Jim VandeHei about potentially merging the sites with VandeHei retaining his status as CEO of the merged publication. But there was a problem: VandeHei was also the co-founder and former executive editor of Politico, leaving the site on poor terms. Knowing that Politicos leadership would object to making VandeHei CEO of a potential Axios-Politico operation, according to the Times, Dopfner had a plan: keep the intention to name VandeHei as CEO secret until it was too late for Politico to withdraw from the acquisition. Smith reported that the plan soured VandeHei on a potential Springer acquisition, reportedly telling his board that Dopfner was sneaky and that his plan was not how we do business around here. Dopfner denied VandeHeis account of the story to the Times, saying that his company was truthful and straightforward about our plans and intentions. Smiths report also outlines allegations into the work culture at Springers Bild, specifically surrounding editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt. The top editor was accused of sexual harassment by junior female employees who said that Reichelt promoted female employees with whom he had intimate relationships. After an internal investigation during which Reichelt took a 12-day leave of absence, Springer decided that the editors actions did not warrant a dismissal and reinstated Reichelt to his position. Contrary to rumors reported in several media titles, there were no accusations of sexual harassment, and the investigations did not discover any evidence whatsoever of sexual harassment or coercion, read a statement from Springer following the investigation, adding that the mistakes committed by Reichelt did not outweight the enormous strategic and structural changes as well as the journalistic achievements that have taken place under his leadership. cow rescued from well Medway Fire Department Lassie wasn't there to help a calf out of a Medway, Massachusetts well, but luckily a local fire department answered the call. "There is no such thing as a typical day in the fire service. Today, members of Medway Fire Department Group 3 executed a technical animal rescue at a local farm after a calf fell into a 20 foot deep well," the Medway Fire Department wrote on Facebook Sunday. In their post covering the rescue, the fire department shared two photos, including one of the firefighters moving the baby cow out of the well, where the animal "was in serious danger of drowning" if help didn't step in. The other shot shows the calf safely back on the farm, reunited with their other cattle friends. "Medway Fire is happy to report the calf was successfully removed from the well and rejoined the herd," the fire department added in their Facebook post about the rescue. cow rescued from well Medway Fire Department Medway Fire didn't complete this dramatic mission alone. The fire department thanked the Medway Police Department for assisting in the farm animal rescue. RELATED: Songwriter Diane Warren Finds Home for Cow That Escaped Slaughterhouse: 'I Had to Do Something' Followers of the Medway Fire Department on Facebook were quick to thank the firefighters for saving the trapped animal. "Great job Medway, you are all heroes," wrote one commenter, while another added, "Medway Fire and PD are second to none!!" President Joe Biden speaks about prescription drug prices and his "Build Back Better" agenda from the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 12. Associated Press/Evan Vucci The White House announced the Port of Los Angeles would move toward 24/7 operations. Major companies like Walmart and UPS also agreed to extend hours to help move goods. Experts told Insider Biden's plan doesn't address the entire issue. President Joe Biden wants to clear traffic jams at US ports and save the holiday shopping season, but experts say his current plan won't completely solve the problem. The White House announced on Wednesday that the Port of Los Angeles would start processing ships 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help ease a near-record backlog of over 60 container ships waiting to unload. It also said that six companies, including Walmart, UPS, and FedEx had committed to extending their hours to help move the goods as a part of a 90-day sprint. But Biden's plans may sound more impressive than they actually are. Logistics experts told Insider the changes will have little impact on the supply-chain crisis and, if anything, could push the issue further down the supply chain. "It's great that they've chosen to do something, but we're talking about a less than 1% to 2% change here," Brian Whitlock, a supply chain analyst at Gartner, said. "The work that they're talking about here is going to be immaterial. It probably won't even be visible." Former US trade negotiator Harry Broadman told Insider the administration's plan addresses the more "glamorous" aspect of the supply chain - hulking cargo ships stuck at sea - while failing to look at the issue "holistically." Backlogs at US railroads and warehouses are also contributing to the delays. Shortages of warehouse workers, truck drivers, shipping containers, and chassis are also major issues that the White House failed to address. Under the White House's plan, the Port of Los Angeles will follow in the footsteps of its neighbor in Long Beach, which has been piloting a 24-hour program Monday through Thursday. Since it launched in September, the port has seen zero uptake in the added hours between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m., according to Bloomberg. Story continues Everyone needs to get 'on the same page' At the time, Port of Long Beach executive director Gene Seroka said longer hours will do little to address the backlog when truckers and warehouse operators have not similarly extended their hours. It's not ideal for truckers to pick up loads at night when they'd have to find alternative places to store the goods when the warehouses are not open at night. Plus, the terminals are run by private companies which port officials are still working with to create timelines for extending hours and coordinating with importers to pick up their cargo. Seroka said the issue will not be solved until everyone within the supply chain gets "on the same page" - a near-impossible proposition, considering warehouses and trucking companies are fractured into a multitude of small to mid-sized companies. "The issue is non-linear," Mike Tran, RBC's managing director for digital intelligence strategy, told Insider. "It's not just about getting people to work or extending hours. The issue has spread throughout the entire supply chain, each leg of the journey is delayed." What's more, the added hours will not make a significant impact on the backlog. It will help the ports move about 3,500 more containers a week - a small fraction of the more than 950,000 containers moved in August and the 500,000 waiting to dock and unload. It's up to individual companies to solve the problem Broadman said the supply-chain crisis is mostly out of the president's control, unless the government began regulating or penalizing companies within the supply chain. "There's nothing much that the Biden administration can do in the short or even medium-term," he said. "The logistics industry is run by private actors and these private actors need to solve it." It will be crucial that private companies that power the supply chain work together. Whitlock said securing commitments from companies like Walmart, Target, and Home Depot could be the first of many steps toward this. White House officials have admitted that addressing the backlogs will not be like "flipping a light switch." "This is a big first step and it's feeding at the movement of materials and goods through our supply chain," But now we need the rest of the private sector chain to step up as well," Biden said Wednesday. "And if the private sector doesn't step up, we're going to call them out." Read the original article on Business Insider The death from COVID-19 complications of former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday figures to add fuel to those who oppose vaccines, considering his family said he was fully vaccinated. In reality, Powell's passing at 84 actually underscores the importance of vaccination against the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that among the more than 187 million Americans who were fully vaccinated as of Oct. 12, it had received reports of 7,178 deaths from breakthrough infections. That's one fatality for every 26,000 vaccinated people, a powerful testament to the vaccines' effectiveness at preserving lives against a disease that has killed nearly 725,000 in this country. Im afraid people will say the vaccine didnt help him,'' said Dr. Robert Murphy, executive director of the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "But the mortality rate for vaccinated people is 11 times less than unvaccinated. People still die from the disease, especially if you are 84 and have underlying health risks. He is one of the unfortunate ones, but he was very high risk.'' Powell reportedly had battled Parkinson's disease and multiple myeloma, a cancer that impairs the bodys ability to fight infections. Even among seniors in their 80s, who tend to have more underlying conditions that make them susceptible to disease, the unvaccinated have died of COVID at six times the rate of those who got the shots. Powell's death, mourned by his many admirers internationally, was the exception to the vaccines' protection, not proof they don't work, health officials say. Also in the news: The Navajo Nation has reported no COVID-19 deaths for the 11th time in the past 17 days. The latest numbers released Saturday pushed the tribes totals to 34,814 confirmed COVID cases from the virus since the pandemic began. Russia reported its largest daily number of new coronavirus infections, more than 70% up on the figure a month ago as the country faces a sustained rise in cases. Story continues Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 45 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 725,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 241 million cases and 4.9 million deaths. More than 189. million Americans 57% of the population are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. What we're reading: ''Hours of my life I'm never going to get back'': As many offices reopen after being shuttered during the COVID-19 health crisis, roughly 40% of workers say they want to continue working remotely. And for some, not having to commute on crowded trains, slow-moving buses or in their cars is one of the biggest perks of working from home. Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more? Sign up for USA TODAY's Coronavirus Watch newsletter to receive updates directly to your inbox and join our Facebook group. FDA may allow boosters different from original vaccine, report says The Food and Drug Administration may give its OK this week to administering booster shots that are different from recipients' original COVID-19 vaccine, the New York Times reported Monday. The decision would fulfill the requests of state health officials, who have been seeking increased flexibility in giving the vaccines. On Friday, an expert panel that advises the FDA recommended booster shots of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine a day after voting in favor of the Moderna booster. That same committee received the results of a study that showed recipients of the J&J vaccine would get enhanced protection from a second dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, which rely on a different technology. Pfizer boosters were authorized for certain populations last month. The Moderna and J&J boosters are expected to be cleared this week. Some studies have found benefits in combining different vaccine shots as part of the initial protocol, but there isn't a uniform consensus about the practice yet. Chicago police officers lose pay, face sanctions after failing to report vaccination status A very small number of Chicago police officers were sent home without pay and could face disciplinary action after they declined additional opportunities to report their vaccination status Monday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. Chicago has been engaged in an escalating dispute with the police union over the city's vaccination policy. On Sunday night, Police Superintendent David Brown threatened in a memo to fire officers who dont comply with the policy, adding that those who retire rather than adhere to the requirements might be putting their retirement benefits at risk. Nearly 36% of Chicago's police officers did not comply with a city mandate to report vaccination status, the most of any department in the city, according to city data released Monday. More than 4,500 officers did not report their vaccination status, encouraged by the union to flout the mandate. Of the 8,227 officers who reported their status, 1,333 said they were unvaccinated, or 16%. Asked at a new conference if she had concerns about police morale, Lightfoot said: What I have concerns about is seeing more officers die needlessly from COVID-19. She noted that four Chicago police officers died last year from the disease. -- Grace Hauck Australian chief minister rebuffs Texas Sen. Cruz Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas ventured into Australian politics last week with a tweet critical of the country's pandemic response. On Monday, someone who's actually involved in Australian politics -- Michael Gunner, chief minister of the Northern Territory -- essentially told Cruz to stay in his lane. Among other bits of information shared via tweet, Gunner pointed out the Northern Territory, with a population of about 250,000, hasn't had a single COVID death, compared to nearly 70,000 in Texas. Gunner also said the Northern Territory has been under lockdown for only eight days during the pandemic, and its schools and businesses are currently open. "We don't need your lectures, thanks mate. You know nothing about us,'' Gunner wrote. "And if you stand against a life-saving vaccine, then you sure as hell don't stand with Australia.'' The rebuff was in response to Cruz's tweet Wednesday, in reaction to Australia's vaccine mandate. "I love the Aussies,'' Cruz wrote. "Their history of rugged independence is legendary; Ive always said Australia is the Texas of the Pacific. The Covid tyranny of their current government is disgraceful & sad. Individual liberty matters. I stand with the people of #Australia.'' A prominent one among them doesn't stand with Cruz. Fauci urges police to get vaccinated Police officers and other public safety workers have a responsibility to get vaccinated, the nation's top infectious disease physician said Sunday. "I'm not comfortable with telling people what they should do under normal circumstances, but we are not in normal circumstances right now," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in an interview with Fox News. "Take the police. We know now the statistics, more police officers die of COVID than they do in other causes of death. So it doesn't make any sense to not try to protect yourself as well as the colleagues that you work with." COVID-19 is the leading cause of death for American law enforcement officers, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, a nonprofit tracking police officer deaths. Police unions and officers have pushed back on vaccine mandates by filing lawsuits to block them. In Chicago, the head of the police union called on members to defy the citys deadline for reporting their COVID-19 vaccination status. Seattles police department sent detectives and non-patrol officers to emergency calls this week because of a shortage of patrol officers, which union leaders fear will become worse because of vaccine mandates. "Think about the implications of not getting vaccinated when you're in a position where you have a responsible job and you want to protect yourself because you're needed at your job, whether you're a police officer or a pilot or any other of those kinds of occupations," Fauci said. Can judges decide whether to force hospitals to administer ivermectin? Judges are struggling with the question of whether they have the power to order hospitals to give grievously ill COVID-19 patients ivermectin, a drug that hasnt been approved for use to treat people with the virus. Florida Circuit Judge James Nutt said state law is unclear. And allowing judges to revoke doctor decisions could set a dangerous precedent, he said. So every drug combination cocktail or procedure that is debated as to its efficacy the hospital is going to be taken to court? Nutt asked. Its problematic where this is going. Judges in New York, Ohio and Delaware ruled that hospitals couldn't be compelled to administer ivermectin. However, a Jacksonville, Florida, judge last month ordered a hospital to give it to a COVID-19 patient, according to records submitted to Nutt. At least two lawsuits have been filed nationwide seeking to force a hospital to administer ivermectin. Jane Musgrave, Palm Beach Post Cities hope to loosen rules on spending federal pandemic aid At the Loma Verde Recreation Center south of San Diego, demolition work is underway on a $24 million project that will rebuild the facility from the ground up, complete with a new pool. An hours drive to the north, the iconic bridge to the Oceanside pier is deteriorating because the city lacks the money for a roughly $25 million rehabilitation. A reason one project is moving ahead and the other isnt revolves around the American Rescue Plan the sweeping COVID-19 relief law championed by President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats that is pumping billions of dollars to states and local governments. Under rules developed by the U.S. Treasury Department, some governments have more flexibility than others to spend their share of the money as they want. Thats why the new swimming pool is a go, and the rehabbed pier at least for now is a no. Similar disparities among cities across the country have prompted a pushback from local officials, who want Treasury to loosen its rules before the program progresses much further. Associated Press Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colin Powell's death the exception among vaccinated: COVID updates Today we can have a fresh start: Speaker leads tributes to killed MP Sir David Amess Sir Lindsay Hoyle has led tributes to Sir David Amess stressing his death has united MPs in grief and determination to defend democracy. As MPs from across the United Kingdom were travelling to the Commons to remember Sir David, the Commons Speaker also called for a new politics where hate and nastiness are driven out. MPs will read tributes to the popular MP in the House of Commons from 2.30pm on Monday. Sir Lindsay told how the last few days had been the darkest weekend following the fatal stabbing of the Tory MP for Southend West, on Fridaya family friend. David was a great friend to all of us, he said, speaking on LBC Radio. Sir David brought warmth. He was a politician that loved his job, he got the best out of the job, thats why he got so much out of constituents who loved him. He was popular all across the House. (PA) He has done something that we would all love to do...he has united politicians and brought us together not just in grief but making sure that the democratic process survives. The Speaker emphasised: My thoughts are with his wife Julia and family. Its the darkest weekend I have had. Appealing for the killing to lead to a change in politics without the hate and nastiness, he added: Today we can have a fresh start. Today we can have a legacy to Sir David where we have nice politics, a nicer Parliament, nicer politics across the world. We need to come together, think about the language we use. Lets have political differences. Im there to referee that but what we dont need is the hate and the nastiness because if we are kinder to each other the public will be kinder, and the media of course has got a role to play in that. We have got to be united. Lets leave a true legacy to Sir David Amess. Sir Lindsay, who carried out his constituency surgery following the attack on Sir David at such a meeting, stressed the importance to not break the link with constituents. However, many MPs needed to be offered better protection. Story continues We need consistency across all police forces, he explained. We do know that some police forces do turn up at some surgeries, but in others they dont, sometimes they may ride past, sometimes they will make a note, sometimes there is no connection..what we have got to do is reconnect that. Its best practice both for the police and ourselves, working more closely, working together. While Parliament was a fortress, guarded by heavily-armed police, he added that security also had to be extended for MPs and their staff outside the gates of Westminster and that is always going to be the difficult part. MPs lined up from early Monday morning to pay tributes to Sir David, who was first elected to Parliament in 1983. Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said Sir David was a terrific man, just a great manconviction politician, Mr Essex, Mr Southend who could speak to white van man but could also debate with a big hearted generosity of spirit, which meant he was not just well liked but also well respected across the House of Commons. Theres quite a lot we can learn from the way he conducted debate in the wider environment we are talking about. My heart goes out to all his family and friends. Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds told BBC Breakfast that Sir David Amesss death hasnt sunk in. I still have a sense of disbelief, really, about whats happened, the Labour MP for Torfaen said. It hasnt really sunk in. He described the Conservative MP for Southend West as a very kind and very generous man. I first met David when I first came into Parliament in 2015, he said. I hadnt previously worked in Parliament and I was still finding my way around the place. David approached me to ask how I was and how I was settling in. That conversation captured the essence of David. He was a very kind and very generous man. Conservative MP Robert Halfon, Conservative described Sir David as larger than life and added he was incredibly sad about his death. I cant express the feelings that a good, good person could die in this way, he told BBC Breakfast. There will be a lot of people who want to say something about Sir David Amess, but its so important that we do this. We have to remember one of the great people in Parliament. For at least two hours, politicians were on Monday set to share their memories of Sir David after a morning of prayers and a minutes silence at 2.30pm. The Speaker was due will make a statement before Boris Johnson moves a motion for an adjournment, which will enable parliamentarians to open the tributes session, lasting until 5.30pm. On Sunday evening, Sir Davids family described how their hearts are shattered after he was attacked while meeting constituents at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex on Friday. In a statement published through the Metropolitan Police, his wife, four daughters and son said: Strong and courageous is an appropriate way to describe David. He was a patriot and a man of peace. So, we ask people to set aside their differences and show kindness and love to all. This is the only way forward. Set aside hatred and work towards togetherness. Whatever ones race, religious or political beliefs, be tolerant and try to understand. As a family, we are trying to understand why this awful thing has occurred. Nobody should die in that way. Nobody. A 25-year-old man, understood to be Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of Sir Davids murder and remains in police custody. He has been detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and detectives are expected to continue to question him until Friday after a warrant of further detention was granted. The Sunday Times said the suspected killers father, Harbi Ali Kullane, who the newspaper described as a former adviser to the prime minister of Somalia, had confirmed his British-born son had been arrested. Read More Sir David Amesss widow makes visit to spot where he was killed Boris needs Global Investment Summit to make Global Britain a reality Most popular baby names in England and Wales revealed Colin Powell Bachrach/Getty Images Colin Powell Colin Powell the first Black U.S. Secretary of State and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has died from complications of COVID-19 at the age of 84. His family announced the news in a statement issued Monday, noting that Powell was fully vaccinated. "We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," a statement posted to Powell's Facebook page by his family read. Following the news of his death, multiple outlets including CNN and The New York Times reported that Powell had privately been battling multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. RELATED: Bush Secretary of State Colin Powell Tells Republicans to 'Get a Grip' on Fear of Standing Up to Trump Born in Harlem in 1937 to Jamaican immigrants, Powell has said he found his calling while attending City College of New York, when he joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and became commander of his unit's drill team. For more on Colin Powell and other top stories, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day. He graduated at the top of his class in 1958, having earned the rank of cadet colonel and being commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army. During his first tour of Vietnam in 1963, Powell was awarded both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He was injured in a helicopter crash during his second tour of Vietnam, ultimately rescuing his fellow service members from the burning helicopter and earning the Soldier's Medal as a result. colin powell Howard L. Sachs/CNP/Getty General Powell Presented With Presidential Medal Of Freedom In the 1970s, Powell was awarded a White House Fellowship and assigned to the Office of Management and Budget during the administration of President Richard Nixon. He followed his fellowship with with service as a battalion commander in South Korea and, later, with a job at the Pentagon. He then served in roles at the Defense Department under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Story continues RELATED: President George W. Bush Remembers Colin Powell as 'Great Public Servant,' a 'Family Man and a Friend' Powell became a national figure in 1989, when he was promoted to a four-star general and became the 12th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H.W. Bush, and put in charge of the 1990 Gulf War. He continued his role as chairman into the administration of President Bill Clinton, resigning from the position in September 1993. GEORGE W. BUSH AND COLIN POWELL Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Sygma via Getty Images Colin Powell (left), George W. Bush Powell became the 65th Secretary of State in January 2001, serving in that role until January 2005. Powell's tenure at State would grow to become controversial, particularly due to his role in the Iraq War and the U.S. effort to oust Saddam Hussein. Speaking to the United Nations in a 2003 speech, Powell laid out the Bush administration's rationale for the invasion of Iraq, saying there was "no doubt" that Hussein had hidden chemical and biological weapons in Iraq. Intelligence would later confirm that such a weapons program was nonexistent. Speaking to Frontline in 2006, Powell later called that speech "a great intelligence failure." In his 2012 book, It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership, Powell further detailed what he called the "infamous" 2003 speech, writing that war was already a certainty when he made the remarks. "By then, the President did not think war could be avoided," Powell wrote. "He had crossed the line in his own mind, even though the NSC [National Security Council] had never met and never would meet to discuss the decision." colin powell Getty Colin Powell Giving Speech at White House Powell faced further controversy in 2013, when an AOL email account he maintained was hacked and personal emails he shared with a Romanian diplomat were made public. In response to questions from reporters, Powell issued a statement saying the friendship with the diplomat "electronically became very personal and then back to normal," adding that he had not been unfaithful to his wife, Alma. "Over time the emails became of a very personal nature, but did not result in an affair," Powell said the statement. colin powell Ira Wyman/Sygma via Getty Colin Powell(left) and Bill Clinton In 2016, the former secretary of state again suffered an email hack, with leaks showing that he had slammed then-presidential nominee Donald Trump as a "national disgrace" and said of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, "Everything HRC touches she kind of screws up with hubris." RELATED: Colin Powell Says He's Voting for Hillary Clinton A lifelong conservative, Powell made headlines in January when he said he could no longer call himself a Republican following the deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump and predicated on false claims about the election parroted by Congressional Republicans. Speaking to CNN's Farred Zakaria, Powell said he would support Trump's impeachment, adding that many Republicans had encouraged Trump's behavior over the years. "I'm just a citizen who has voted Republican, voted Democrat throughout my entire career. And right now I'm just watching my country and not concerned with parties," Powell said. colin powell Martin H. Simon/Pool via Bloomberg Obama And Powell Meet To Press Senate On Nuclear Treaty According to the Military Times, Powell has received more than dozen military decorations in all, including the Legion of Merit. Powell's civilian awards include two Presidential Medals of Freedom, the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal. Powell married his wife, Alma Powell, in August 1962. The two have three children: Michael, Linda and Annemarie. colin powell Jeffrey Markowitz/Sygma via Getty General Colin Powell and His Mother Attend a Ceremony in Honor of His Retirement Alma stood at her husband's side in a 1995 news conference in which he announced he would not as had been widely expected at the time launch a campaign for the U.S. Presidency. Speaking to reporters at the press conference, Alma said the decision for Colin not to run was one the couple reached "together, as a team, as we have for 33 years." (Photo: Illustration: Damon Dahlen/HuffPost; Photos: Getty) For someone seeking an abortion after their sixth week of pregnancy in Texas right now, the answer is simple: leave. Travel to a different state where you can access an abortion after six weeks, which, in Texas, is illegal under S.B. 8. Its the only option left, even if its a logistical and financial nightmare. But what if you cant travel out of state? What if traveling at all whether to go to the grocery store or the nearest clinic three hours away puts you at risk of being detained or deported? Thats the reality for undocumented people trying to access abortion care in Texas Rio Grande Valley. Home to around 1.3 million people, the Rio Grande Valley is an abortion clinic desert, said Cathy Torres, the organizing manager at the Frontera Fund, a reproductive justice organization that provides financial and logistical support to undocumented people in the valley seeking abortions. The region, which includes four counties, only has one abortion clinic, Whole Womans Health in McAllen the only abortion clinic from San Antonio, Texas, (four hours north of the valley) to Mexico City (eight hours south). The valley sits at the southern tip of Texas, an area bordered by the Gulf Coast on the east and the Rio Grande River along the U.S./Mexico border on the west. Within 100 miles of the border, the valley also contains nearly 20 internal immigration checkpoints run by the Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Patrol. If an undocumented person comes across one of these checkpoints and is asked to show documentation but doesnt have it, they will be immediately detained. You cant go to Mexico if youre undocumented and you also cant leave the valley because an hour north of you theres another man-made border crossing, Torres said. Youre either forced into parenthood or risking deportation. Those are your two options if youre undocumented and pregnant and dont want to be. The Rio Grande Valley is made up of four counties and is home to 1.3 million people. (Photo: Isabella Carapella/HuffPost; Photos: Getty) When Texas passed the countrys most extreme abortion restriction in September, advocates and providers scrambled to ensure people could still access the procedure out of state. Practical support groups worked around the clock to handle ride shares and flight costs; physicians and staff distributed information about these resources to patients; and state and national abortion funds raised money to help pay for procedures in other states. (Various courts have ruled to uphold or stay the law in recent weeks, further adding to the confusion of Texans seeking abortions.) Story continues But organizers like Torres and Anna Rupani of Fund Texas Choice are worried that not enough attention is being paid to the barriers undocumented people are experiencing in the wake of S.B. 8. Undocumented folks are being left out of the conversation, said Rupani. Intersecting identities highlight how abortion restrictions like S.B. 8 will disproportionately impact the most marginalized populations: immigrants, people of color, poor people, and people in rural or underserved geographical locations. S.B. 8 not only bans abortions after six weeks, a time in which most people dont know theyre pregnant, but it also financially incentivizes private citizens to seek out and sue anyone who aids or abets Texans trying to get an abortion. If someone successfully sues, they could receive a bounty of at least $10,000 and have all of their legal fees paid for by the opposing side. Border Patrol checkpoints and abortion clinic deserts are the most glaring barriers for undocumented Texans in the wake of S.B. 8, but theyre not the only obstacles. Abortion care costs, lack of access to resources in Spanish and other languages, as well as the continued militarization of the border are constant deterrents for undocumented folks seeking abortion care in the Rio Grande Valley. The cost of an abortion in the Valley is very high ranging from $800 to $1,500, depending on gestation because the few clinics left in or near the area are privately run. In comparison, the average cost of an abortion in other areas of Texas, like Houston, is around $600. And although coverage like Medicaid is available (albeit to a limited degree) for undocumented immigrants, it doesnt matter: The Hyde Amendment, first passed in 1976, restricts federal health insurance from covering abortion procedures. Rosie Jimenez, a native of the Rio Grande Valley, was the first known victim of the Hyde Amendment after she attempted to get an abortion in 1977 but couldnt afford the procedure because Medicaid no longer covered it. Jimenez later died after going to an unlicensed midwife who offered to do the procedure for less money. (Texas has its own version of the Hyde Amendment, S.B. 214, which passed in 2017.) Its confusing enough in English. Expecting other people who speak different languages to just understand this when we are still learning about it, thats an issue.Cathy Torres, Frontera Fund Language is another big roadblock, especially for undocumented people who are attempting to navigate really complex laws like S.B. 8 written in English. Other than from advocates like ourselves, where have you seen information about S.B. 8 talked about in other languages? Torres asked. Its confusing enough in English. Expecting other people who speak different languages to just understand this when we are still learning about it, thats an issue. Sharon, an undocumented woman currently living in Texas who asked to be identified only by her first name to protect her identity, had an abortion in 2016 and was forced to travel to New Mexico because she was unable to get abortion care in Texas, which had a 20-week ban in place at the time. Although she was on a student visa then, Sharon said she was still worried about traveling. Abortion funds helped her raise $9,000 in three days so she could fly out of state and get an abortion later in her pregnancy. It was really scary because at that time I was on standby on my student visa because I didnt study that semester. They said if I didnt study my visa was going to be out of status. So I was like, what am I going to do? What if I fly and something happens? I was really scared, she told HuffPost. Sharon didnt have issues with a language barrier since she studied English in her home country, but she did see how hard it would have been if she couldnt speak English. When she was at her appointment at the New Mexico clinic, Sharon had to translate for a woman who didnt speak English. At one point, the woman called Sharon from her hotel room because she was in such severe pain after the procedure and needed Sharon to speak to clinic staff for her. If I didnt speak English, I know for sure it wouldve been impossible to get an abortion, Sharon said. Nancy Cardenas Pena, the state director for the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice in Texas, also pointed out how the militarization of the border and immigration policy impact undocumented residents seeking abortions. S.B. 4, which passed in 2017 and allows state police officers to act as immigration agents, has only further marginalized undocumented folks. Theres always been a steady increase and funding of military and police in the valley to quell a so-called border crisis that doesnt seem to exist for people in the valley but for some reason it exists for the governor, Cardenas Pena said. When looking ahead at the possibility of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade the landmark decision that protects a persons right to an abortion Torres was realistic about life for many in Texas: Weve already been navigating a post-Roe world, she said. Being from a community that is often left out of the conversation and faces more disparities than other regions, abortion is not accessible whatsoever here, especially if you are undocumented. And if Roe is overturned, it will only get worse. Im a human being. Im really scared about Roe v. Wade being overturned, she admitted. You have so many people who say, Thats so extreme, it would never happen. But everyone said S.B. 8 was extreme and wouldnt happen and look at where we are now. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... 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. Californians have been concerned about wildfires for a long time, but the past two years have left many of them fearful and questioning whether any solutions to the fire crisis truly exist. The Dixie Fire in the Sierra Nevada burned nearly 1 million acres in 2021, including almost the entire community of Greenville. Then strong winds near Lake Tahoe sent the Caldor Fire racing through the community of Grizzly Flats and to the edges of urban neighborhoods, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people including one of us. Those were only the biggest of the 2021 fires, and the risk isnt over. A wind-blown fire that started Oct. 11 was spreading quickly near Santa Barbara on the Southern California coast. As foresters who have been working on wildfire and forest restoration issues in the Sierra Nevada for over a quarter of a century, we have found it painful to watch communities destroyed and forests continuing to burn to a crisp. New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India fined State Bank of India Rs 1 crore on Monday for failing to comply with fraud classification criteria. The regulator stated that it had conducted an investigation into accounts kept with SBI and discovered that it was weak in reporting frauds. A scrutiny was carried out by the RBI in a customer account maintained with the bank and the examination of the scrutiny report and all related correspondence pertaining to the same, revealed non-compliance with the aforesaid directions to the extent of delay in reporting of fraud in the said account to RBI, the regulator said in a statement. It also issued a notice to the lender, instructing it to show cause why a penalty should not be imposed on it for failing to comply with the stated directives. After considering the banks reply to the notice and oral submissions made by the bank in the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non- compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty, the regulator said. Live TV #mute New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh on October 20, said the Ministry of Civil Aviation in a statement on Monday (October 18). Governor Anandiben Patel, CM Yogi Adityanath and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will be present on the occasion. The International Airport will get operational this week and facilitate air travel for international Buddhist pilgrims in India. The inaugural flight will land at the airport from Colombo, Sri Lanka carrying 125 dignitaries and Buddhist Monks, highlighting the convenience to Buddhists across the world to visit the Mahaparinirvana Sthal of Lord Buddha, the ministry said. The Airports Authority of India developed the Kushinagar Airport with the new terminal building spread across 3600 sqm at an estimated cost of Rs 260 crore in association with the state government. PM Modi will also address a programme at the Buddhist site of Mahaparinirvana Stupa and Temple after the inauguration. Live TV New Delhi: Several train routes, were affected on Monday (October 18, 2021) as protesters squatted on railway tracks to extend support to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's six-hour 'rail roko andolan'. According to a railway official, four sections of the Ferozepur division (Punjab) were blocked by the protesters and the Ferozepur-Fazilka section in Ferozepur city and the Ferozepur-Ludhiana section at Ajitwal in Moga were affected. (Photo: IANS) As per reports, trains in Uttar Pradesh on the Bahraich-Mailani, Bahraich-Nanpara, Gorakhpur-Mailani and Lucknow-Mailani routes were also hit. Punjab | Passengers of a Chandigarh bound train say they are facing trouble as the train was terminated at Dappar station in Dera Bassi tehsil of SAS Nagar district, due to the ongoing 'Rail roko' agitation by farmers' union pic.twitter.com/YSo0v9ZK17 ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2021 Earlier, in a statement, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions spearheading the agitation against the Centre's three agri laws, had said that 'protests will be intensified until justice is secured' in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. Haryana | Protestors block railway tracks at Bahadurgarh in protest against Lakhimpur Kheri incident Samyukta Kisan Morcha has called for nationwide 'Rail roko' in protest against the incident pic.twitter.com/Ucvmfq6PcM ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2021 During the 'rail roko' protest, all train traffic will be stopped from 10 am till 4 pm on Monday, the SKM had said. (Photo: IANS) SKM has announced a nationwide Rail Roko 'Andolan' to press for its demand for Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's dismissal and arrest, 'so that justice can be secured in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre'. "The SKM asks for this action to be taken up peacefully, without any destruction and damage of any kind to any railway property," it had said. This is to be noted that four of the eight people who died in the violence on October 3 were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers. Angry farmers then reportedly lynched some people in the vehicles. The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver. Farmers have claimed that Ashish Mishra, son of Ajay Mishra, was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by Mishra and his son who say that they can produce evidence that he was at an event at that time. Ashish Mishra, however, was arrested in the case on October 9. (With agency inputs) Live TV New Delhi: Bollywood actress Malaika Arora had recently confessed that she got scared when a contestant came near her and touched her cheeks on a dance reality show. Now the makers of the India's Best Dancer season 2 have released the teaser of the whole scenario where a contestant can be seen touching her cheeks out of affection and later touched her feet out of respect. Although, the adorable video has gone viral on social media but it was Mallas expressions that has left the audience and her co-judges in splits. She can be seen completely stunned over the gesture and also accepted during the launch event recently, that she got scared initially as it is COVID time. She also said that she understands that he was doing it with a lot of love. Elaborating further she said, Yes I was a bit frightened because these are Covid times. He suddenly came near me and started touching my cheeks. I got really scared for a second. He was doing it with a lot of love and I feel very, very touched and very happy. But yes, I was bit scared for that second. I was thinking if his hand was sanitised." However, her co-judges Geeta Kapur and Terence Lewis were left in splits while they saw her reaction and Geeta was even seen mimicking the whole scenario in order to tease Malaika. Recently, Malaika had penned down an emotional post for her son Arhaan Khan, who has now embarked on a new journey to an undisclosed country for further studies. For the unversed, Arhaan is the son of Malaika and Arbaaz Khan, the duo got married in 1998 and after spending 19 years together, and later called it quits in 2017. The couple is co-parenting their child together. Currently, the actress is dating Arjun Kapoor and are in an official relationship for quite some time now. New Delhi: Amid the recent reports of violent attacks on temples and minorities in Bangladesh, the ISKCON management on Monday (October 18) made an appeal to the government to punish the criminals behind these murderous attacks and ensure the safety of the minorities. In a letter addressed to the Bangladesh government, ISKCON said that the attacks on Hindu temples and communities must be stopped. Between October 13 and 15, multiple temples, homes, shops and individuals were attacked across several districts of the country. Several innocent members of the Hindu minority were killed for no reason other than their religious affiliation. Temples and private properties were burned, vandalized, and destroyed, said ISKCON in a statement. Bring to justice the perpetrators of these recent terrible crimes. The criminals behind these murderous attacks must be held accountable and punished to the fullest extent of the law, the organisation demanded. Take immediate, tangible, and substantial steps to provide security to minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists, it added. The religious body expressed shock and sadness at the recent attacks. With heavy hearts we pray for the souls of two of our own Vaishnava devotees, Pranta Chandra das, and Jatan Chandra Saha, who were murdered during these attacks. We also pray for ISKCON member Nimai Chandra das, who remains hospitalized in a critical condition, it said. It thanked PM Sheikh Hasina for her recent statements in support of the Hindu community. ISKCON calls upon the Bangladesh government to take swift action to bring an end to the violence against minorities that has undermined the peace and well being of Bangladeshi society and to take tangible steps to ensure the long-term safety and well-being of all Bangladeshi citizens, noted ISKCON. The organization said that protests are being planned across Bangladesh and other parts of the world in support of Bangladeshi Hindus and other minorities. Live TV